SAFETY OF PEACEKEEPING AND ASSOCIATED STAFF STRESSED IN FOURTH COMMITTEE"S DEBATE

Press Release
GA/SPD/165

SAFETY OF PEACEKEEPING AND ASSOCIATED STAFF STRESSED IN FOURTH COMMITTEE’S DEBATE

Double standards were increasingly used in peacekeeping operations, the representative of China told the Fourth Committee (Special Political and Decolonization) this afternoon as it continued its general debate on the whole question of peacekeeping in all its aspects.

He said that peace and stability in one region should not be based on negligence of and indifference towards another. Any dithering or wavering by the United Nations would undermine its authority, tarnish its prestige, or even weaken its ability to maintain international peace and security, ultimately costing it the support of the vast number of developing countries.

Uganda’s representative said that some of today’s tragedies had been foreseen and could have been prevented. They had occurred due to an absence of preventive measures and political will. It was less expensive to prevent conflicts than to deploy peacekeepers. Uganda urged the Security Council to have the will to act in Africa as readily as it had done in other parts of the world, such as Kosovo and East Timor.

Several speakers stressed the central role of the United Nations in the maintenance of peace and security and the need to preserve the principles of sovereignty, non-interference and territorial integrity. With the increasing complexity of peacekeeping operations, it was vital to ensure the safety and security of United Nations and associated personnel.

The representative of Jamaica said that vigorous investigations into killings, and prosecution of those responsible for attacks, should be among the measures to be taken in that respect. Funding to improve staff security was required. Security measures should also be extended to relief personnel working in operations outside of the peacekeeping context and to personnel of non-governmental organizations in the field. It was imperative that peacekeepers should be adequately trained and equipped for their missions, and special emphasis should be placed on promoting cultural sensitivity in conflict situations.

Fourth Committee - 1a - Press Release GA/SPD/165 11th Meeting (PM) 19 October 1999

While several delegates stressed the need to finish work on the guidelines for peacekeepers, the representative of Canada said that the published version of the guidelines still contained unacceptable imprecisions and ambiguities, which seriously limited the document’s usefulness. The inordinate haste with which the Secretariat had rushed to publication of the draft guidelines was regrettable. The Secretariat had sacrificed truth, accuracy and effectiveness in an attempt to score public relations points with the international media at the expense of quality.

Also speaking this afternoon were the representatives of Kuwait, Ghana, India, Venezuela, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Senegal, Peru, Malaysia, Poland, Bangladesh and Uruguay (on behalf of MERCOSUR and associated countries).

The Fourth Committee will meet again at 3 p.m. tomorrow to conclude its consideration of the question of peacekeeping.

Committee Work Programme

The Fourth Committee (Special Political and Decolonization) met this afternoon to continue its review of the whole question of peacekeeping.

Before the Committee was the report of the Special Committee on Peacekeeping Operations (document A/54/87) and the Secretary-General's report on enhancement of African peacekeeping capacity (document A/54/63-S/1997/171), and a draft resolution on the comprehensive review of the whole question of peacekeeping in all its aspects (document A/C.4/54/L.2).

(For details, see Press Release GA/SPD/164 issued 18 October.)

Statements

MICHEL DUVAL (Canada) said his Government had misgivings about two aspects of the guidelines for peacekeepers on international humanitarian law. The Special Committee’s original interest had been to provide peacekeepers with a guide summarizing various aspects of existing international humanitarian law, which they could incorporate into the planning and conduct of peacekeeping operations. The final version of the guidelines still contained an unacceptable level of imprecision and ambiguity, which seriously limited the document’s usefulness to peacekeepers.

He said the second concern related to the inordinate haste with which the Secretariat had rushed to publication, in spite of serious concerns expressed by a large number of Special Committee members as to the bulletin’s content, and to the tone of the media notification surrounding its publication. The thrust of the media release announcing publication of the bulletin had indicated that Member States had resisted its publication, but had not noted that such resistance had been based on such serious concerns as the possible legal ramifications of the bulletin, as well as on errors, ambiguity and uncertainty. He deeply regretted the appearance that the Secretariat had sacrificed truth, accuracy and effectiveness in an attempt to score public relations points with the international media at the expense of the quality of the document.

United Nations peacekeeping operations in Kosovo and in East Timor had underscored a serious lack of staff capacity within the Secretariat to plan, mount and deploy peacekeeping operations in a timely manner, he said. Those operations graphically illustrated the need for urgent action to enhance the United Nations deployment capability. Last year, Canada and other Member States had approached the Secretariat to reinforce the need for the Secretary-General to develop “core” and “surge” capacity, which would ensure the capacity of the Department of Peacekeeping Operations to plan, deploy and maintain peacekeeping operations in periods of both low and high intensity. That theme had been highlighted by the Special Committee in its 1997 and 1998 reports. The Secretariat had chosen not to heed that message in preparing its 1999 Support Account submission, with the result that today, the Department was not adequately resourced to carry out its mandated responsibilities insofar as new missions were concerned.

He noted the need to strengthen the Department of Peacekeeping Operations Civilian Police Unit, to enhance the Civilian Police Adviser’s role and to fill all authorized posts within the Unit. The authorized establishment of current civilian police operations involved approximately 6,000 personnel, which meant that every third authorized peacekeeper was a civilian police officer. The figure could rise significantly in the very near future, yet little had been done to provide the Unit with additional posts, personnel or planning capacity. Its authorized strength remained at six posts, with the Planning Officer position having remained vacant for too long.

He said that planning for the police operations of the United Nations Interim Administration in Kosovo (UNMIK) and the United Nations Mission in East Timor (UNAMET) -- two of the most complex operations ever mounted, involving total responsibility for law enforcement in a society shattered by conflict -- had stretched the Unit’s resources to the limit. The Secretary-General should take urgent action to review the Unit’s strength, to fill all authorized posts promptly and to develop an effective and reactive surge-planning capacity. The specialist advice of the Civilian Police Adviser must be available to senior Secretariat authorities without being filtered through several layers of management.

NAJEEB AL-BADER (Kuwait) said that peacekeeping operations in all regions of the world were playing a crucial role in the elimination of tensions. They were now carrying out new responsibilities, which gave concrete form to the commitment of Member States to collective security. The mandates of peacekeeping operations should be clearly specified. Members should pay their dues in full and in a timely fashion. It was necessary to find a better way to go through all the stages of peacekeeping operations, strengthen the early warning system and strengthen preventive diplomacy. Arrangements should be worked out to clarify responsibility in peacekeeping operations, especially in the deployment of forces. Training needs should be taken into consideration.

Since 1991, Kuwait had been hosting the United Nations Iraq-Kuwait Observation Mission (UNIKOM), he continued. That mission was carrying out its task in supervising the ceasefire pursuant to relevant Security Council resolutions. It was also helping to reduce tensions in the area, but Iraq continued to act in violation of resolutions of international legitimacy. Kuwait attached great importance to the presence of UNIKOM. In 1993, the Government of Kuwait had decided voluntarily to bear two thirds of the expenses for the Mission. Kuwait was also providing support to UNIKOM by offering different services and providing facilities. It maintained consultative and cooperative relations with the commanders of UNIKOM and had created a liaison office to iron out any possible difficulties. He wanted to express gratitude to the Mission and to the troop- contributing countries, as well as the Special Committee for their efforts .

YAW ODEI OSEI (Ghana), associating himself with the statement of the Non- Aligned Movement, said that while conflicts were not peculiar to any particular region, Africa had witnessed numerous civil wars that had set back efforts to move the continent out of economic decline. African countries had amply demonstrated their capacity and willingness to take the initiative in resolving conflicts on their own continent. What remained was the enhancement of that capacity.

Africa, he continued, through the Organization of African Unity (OAU), should continue to play a central role in bringing about peace and stability on the continent. Further progress in the enhancement of African peacekeeping capacity could only be possible with the determination of the African States themselves. The OAU had long accepted that position and had responded to that need by putting in place a Central Organ for the Prevention, Management and Resolution of Conflicts.

Endorsing the Secretary-General’s appeal for renewed cooperation by all Member States, and a commitment by the international community to support efforts for enhancing Africa’s contribution to the maintenance of international peace and stability, he said that close cooperation between the United Nations and the OAU, African subregional organizations, African Member States and the donor countries would be critical to progress in the enhancement of African peacemaking and peace- building capacity.

He said that Ghana – the fourth largest troop-contributing country -- was concerned about the safety and security of peacekeepers, and would urge the institution of all necessary measures to ensure their greater security. His Government supported the Department’s efforts at undertaking a comprehensive review of security requirements to help contain the threats to the lives of peacekeepers. While appreciating the efforts of the United Nations Civilian Police Unit to enhance civilian police capacity in Africa through training programmes, he urged the Department to ensure that requests for police-contributing countries were submitted with adequate time. In that way, the selection requirements could be fully satisfied, without undermining confidence-building measures already under way.

PATRICIA DURRANT (Jamaica) said her delegation supported the contents of the report before the Committeee and subscribed to the statement by Jordan on behalf of the Non-Aligned Movement. The past year had pointed to a more constructive pattern of United Nations involvement in conflict resolution and reaffirmed the importance of peacekeeping operations, especially when there was a need for an impartial, neutral party, which could reconcile conflicting positions. In view of the increasing challenges, every effort should be made to enhance United Nations capacity in rapid deployment and standby arrangements, as well as recruitment of skilled personnel. Emphasis should be placed on initiatives aimed at enhancing the capacity and the effectiveness of the United Nations to react rapidly in response to crisis situations.

Despite the widespread recognition of the importance of preventive action, there was little emphasis on prevention and too much on cure, she continued. Early warning was a necessary condition for effective preventive diplomacy, yet the political will to do so was often lacking. She hoped that the Framework for Coordination, as proposed by the Secretary-General, would provide the necessary linkage, both at the inter-agency and interdepartmental levels on early warning and prevention.

Involvement of regional organizations in peacekeeping could not absolve the United Nations of its primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security, she said. Regional security operations must be mandated by the Security Council if the legal basis of the international security system was to be maintained. Over the past years, the safety and security of United Nations personnel had become a primary concern. Measures to be taken should include vigorous investigations into killings and prosecution of those responsible for the attacks. It was also necessary to provide the funding necessary to improve staff security. Security measures should also be extended to relief personnel working in operations outside of the peacekeeping context, and personnel of non-governmental organizations working in the field without an agreement with the Secretary-General or specialized agencies.

It was imperative that peacekeepers be adequately trained and equipped for their missions, she said. Special emphasis should be placed on promoting cultural sensitivity to the societies in conflict situations. The emphasis on leadership skills, people management techniques, military and civilian coordination, gender issues and security were useful for the success of peacekeeping missions. Her delegation wished to stress the need for ongoing political support to the African peacekeeping capacity, including the deployment, where appropriate, of United Nations peacekeeping operations on that continent and the allocation of adequate logistical and financial aid.

RAJA RAMANNA (India) associated himself with the statement made by the representative of Jordan on behalf of the Non-Aligned Movement and said that peacekeeping was the most visible manifestation of the role of the United Nations in the maintenance of international peace and security. Peacekeeping was essentially non-combative, even if military personnel were deployed to accomplish it. Peacekeeping mandates must be predicated on the consent of the parties, the impartiality of the peacekeepers, the need to be non-intrusive, and non- interventionist and should not be regarded as substitutes for negotiated political settlements. Peacekeeping must be seen as part of a broader international engagement and not as a substitute for the task of nation-building and economic development.

The United Nations had a central role to play in peacekeeping, and its authority should not be undermined, he continued. While regional arrangements could play an appropriate role in assisting the United Nations in the maintenance of peace, the primacy of the United Nations in that regard needed to be underlined. He was happy to note that the Secretariat had been paying greater attention to the enhancement of African peacekeeping capacity. However, the United Nations needed to focus more on the needs of African countries, instead of trying to disengage from the continent by subcontracting peacekeeping to regional arrangements. There should not be variable standards in the international response to crises in Africa and Europe.

He fully supported the recommendations of the Special Committee on Peacekeeping Operations and highlighted some of them, saying that civilian police were now an important element of several peacekeeping operations. Special attention should be given to that component of peacekeeping operations, and the Secretariat should be encouraged to develop draft guidelines regarding the role of the civilian police as soon as possible. Completion of the draft set of standard operating procedures for civilian police operations was a welcome development. Delays in reimbursements caused hardship to all troop contributors, especially the developing countries. It was imperative that all Member States paid their assessed contributions in full, on time and without conditions.

He said that memoranda of understanding with troop contributors should be concluded on a uniform basis, without prejudice to the basic concept of the new contingent-owned equipment procedures, which minimized the logistics and financial burden of the United Nations. The General Assembly was to consider an innovative recommendation of the Special Committee regarding enhancing the interaction between Member States and the Secretariat on peacekeeping issues.

SHEN GUOFANG (China) said that deviation from, or contravention of the principles of respect for State sovereignty and non-interference in internal affairs, could possibly lead to the willful weakening of sovereignty and to severe damage or even obliteration of widely accepted norms of international relations. Peacekeeping operations must abide by the principles of: respect for State sovereignty; non-interference; fairness and neutrality; non-use of force except for self-defence; and prior consent by the parties concerned. The success of United Nations peacekeeping operations in facilitating the political settlement of conflicts and disputes was mainly due to observance of those principles.

He shared the Secretary-General’s alarm at the international community’s poor response to the needs of victims of war and natural disasters in Africa. Double standards were increasingly used in peacekeeping operations. The world’s peace and development were interrelated and the United Nations should not take different approaches to conflicts and suffering in different places. It should not pay more attention to some areas, while neglecting others. Peace and stability in one region should not be based on negligence of and indifference towards another region.

From Kosovo to East Timor, peacekeeping operations had been deployed this year at an unprecedented scale, he said. At the same time, continuing conflicts were inflicting untold suffering on people in Africa. The situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and in Sierra Leone was especially worrisome. Those countries wanted concrete action from the United Nations, not mere words. African people should not be deprived of adequate attention and assistance from the international community, simply because they were in Africa. Any wavering by the United Nations would undermine its authority, tarnish its prestige, or even weaken its ability to maintain international peace and security. That would ultimately cost it the support of the vast number of developing countries for peacekeeping operations authorized by the Security Council.

NORMAN MONAGAS-LESSEUR (Venezuela) said that while the multidisciplinary nature of peacekeeping was emerging as a means of handling conflicts, it remained vital that peacekeeping operations comply with the principles affirmed by the Non- Aligned Movement. Humanitarian intervention must be distinct from peacekeeping missions. While there was a need to comply with the principle of respect for humanitarian law, the United Nations flag must not be used to claim the right to humanitarian intervention. There was a need to ensure well-defined mandates for peacekeeping operations, which must have secure financing and be undertaken collectively, with Security Council members shouldering the main burden.

He said there must be a balanced approach to conflicts. Venezuela welcomed the framework established by the United Nations for cooperation with regional organizations, especially in the case of Africa. Support should continue to be given to the OAU. There should be no recurrence of cases like that of Kosovo, a repetition of which could result in undermining the authority of the Security Council. His country had, on many occasions, agreed on the importance of consultations with troop-contributing countries, which would enhance transparency in the planning of peacekeeping operations, he said.

PHAVANH NUANTHASING (Lao People's Democratic Republic) associated herself with the statement by the representatives of Indonesia, on behalf of Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN), and of Jordan on behalf of the Non-Aligned Movement, and said that her delegation would welcome any initiatives aimed at strengthening and enhancing peacekeeping capabilities. By no means should peacekeeping operations be exploited to serve particular narrow interests of some countries or groups of States. Peacekeeping operations, when conducted in observance of the purposes and principles of the Charter, continued to play a crucial role in preventing conflicts from escalating and creating conditions for peaceful settlement of disputes.

She reiterated the importance of the guiding principles of peacekeeping operations, as contained in this year’s report of the Special Committee and articulated in the final document adopted by the Ministerial Conference of the Non-Aligned Movement in Cairo in 1994. Among those principles were those of national sovereignty, territorial integrity and non-interference in matters within the national jurisdiction of any State, as well as the consent of the parties, impartiality and non-use of force except in self-defence.

She noted with concern the huge amount of arrears in the payment of contributions to peacekeeping operations by some Member States. The United Nations owed as much as $872 million to troop and contingent-owned equipment contributors. All Member States must pay their assessed contributions in full, on time and without conditions. Delays in reimbursement caused hardship to all countries concerned and adversely affected their capacity to further contribute to peacekeeping activities.

The United Nations should undertake more effective planning and budgeting and explore ways for better administration of peacekeeping operations, she said. That exercise should not be undertaken at the expense of resources for development activities. No enforcement actions should be taken under regional arrangements without the authorization of the Security Council, and the so-called “right of humanitarian intervention” had no legal basis either in the United Nations Charter or in the general principles of international law.

IBRA DEGUENE KA (Senegal) paid tribute to those who had lost their lives in the conduct of peacekeeping operations and said that such operations remained an essential instrument in the maintenance of international peace. It was necessary to strengthen ties with regional and other international organizations, but their efforts did not absolve the United Nations from its primary responsibility in the maintenance of international peace and security. Preventive measures were necessary to avoid tragedies and genocide situations. The United Nations must continue to strengthen its peacekeeping capability by developing standby arrangements and strengthening ties with the countries contributing troops and equipment.

For its part, his country was one of 22 African countries that contributed troops to the United Nations operations, he said. It would continue to provide support, as it had in the past. His delegation agreed with the recommendations contained in the report of the Special Committee and stressed the need to implement the basic principles behind peacekeeping operations. It was necessary to continue consultations with the troop-contributing countries and train personnel for the missions. Civilian police was an important part of peacekeeping operations, and his country had its staff in East Timor and other countries in conflict. Clear objectives should be established for new peacekeeping operations, and reliable funding should be provided.

FRANCISCO TUDELA (Peru), associating himself with the statement of the Non-Aligned Movement, said that there remained a conceptual and practical difference between peacekeeping operations and the so-called humanitarian intervention. Peacekeeping operations were temporary measures that should not replace a permanent solution to the root cause of conflict. Nevertheless, it would be unfair to deny their potential in the peace-building aspect. There were specific examples that basically arose from the need for action, such as the monitoring of law and order, the protection and supervision of human rights, the rendering of electoral assistance, and the reinforcement of legal and policing skills.

He said Venezuela encouraged greater openness in the peacekeeping operations, which would permit the shaping of missions formed by personnel with different cultural backgrounds and with a universal composition. That would facilitate a relationship with the population of the host country, avoiding a cultural bias among contingents and promoting a harmonious and mutually-productive relationship. To achieve that, it would be essential to lay down clear criteria for personnel selection in advance, in order to make clear the specific needs of each mission, thus avoiding the repatriation of personnel and the loss of credibility.

HASMY AGAM (Malaysia), associating himself with the statements of the Non-Aligned Movement and ASEAN, said that while regional cooperation should play a role in peacekeeping operations, regional efforts should neither supplant the role of the United Nations nor absolve the Organization, specifically the Security Council, from fulfilling its primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security.

He said that peacekeeping in its present form could no longer be viewed as distinct or isolated. It should be treated as an important element of a continuous response to increasingly complex contemporary conflicts, ranging from preventive diplomacy to post-conflict peace-building. Given the complex nature of current conflicts, the scope of peacekeeping had become multidisciplinary, including disarmament, demobilization and reintegration of ex-combatants.

In a number of armed conflicts, fighting continued in spite of the conclusion of peace agreements and the presence of United Nations peacekeeping missions on the ground, he said. A major factor contributing to such situations had been the continued and easy access to small arms. Sustainable peace became difficult to achieve if serious efforts were not taken to address the question of comprehensive disarmament, demobilization and reintegration.

He reiterated Malaysia’s concern over the slow rate of reimbursement. Unless the situation improved, it was likely that in the long-term, it might affect the capacity and willingness of Member States, especially those from the developing world, to contribute to United Nations peacekeeping. United Nations figures showed that Member States owed the Organization $1.9 billion for the peacekeeping budget. Far from improving the situation, the practice of borrowing from peacekeeping funds to finance regular budget activities would further compound the problem.

FRANCISZEK GAGOR (Poland) associated himself with the statement made by the representative of Finland on behalf of the European Union, and said that recent developments in various parts of the world had brought about high demand for the United Nations efforts in support of peace processes. That was a sign of the trust that the Organization enjoyed. In the last five months, two new peacekeeping operations had been established, and preparations were under way for three more. Also, the Security Council was more active in mandating the peacekeeping activities, with more regard for efforts in Africa. It was necessary to make the Organization more capable to meet the new challenges. The rapid deployment capacity of the United Nations should be enhanced. Perhaps the time had come for the concept of standby arrangements to become more operational. In another initiative, the Rapidly Deployable Mission headquarters should finally become functional within the structures of the Department of Peacekeeping Operations.

The complexity of today’s conflicts required close cooperation and coordination with regional organizations, with the United Nations playing the leading role, he said. The beginning of the year had been marked by a restructuring of the United Nations Secretariat, namely the phasing out of “gratis personnel”. It was important now to conduct an overall assessment of its effects on the military expertise and the capacity of the Department to adequately plan, deploy and manage peacekeeping operations within the context of the increasing demand. Increased involvement of the United Nations in peacekeeping efforts might become a challenge to the organizational and financial capacity of the United Nations. For some countries, including Poland, increasing amounts of unpaid reimbursements could adversely affect possibilities for responding to the United Nations call. He also welcomed the initiative by the Department to review security requirements for peacekeeping operations.

HEMAYETUDDIN, Director-General in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Bangladesh, said that the Secretariat’s procurement procedure needed to be further enhanced to make it timely, efficient, cost-effective and transparent. In awarding contracts, public bidding should be strictly observed and a geographical base for the procurement of goods and services should be enlarged. Presently, a very small percentage of the total volume of United Nations procurement was obtained from the troop-contributing developing countries, particularly the least developed and African countries. In redressing that imbalance, those countries should have preferential treatment in procurement for peacekeeping missions.

He said that, while agreeing that the financing of peacekeeping operations was the collective responsibility of all Member States, Bangladesh was concerned at the reluctance of some countries to pay their assessed contributions to the United Nations peacekeeping budget. Adequate financial resources and support were crucial to effective peacekeeping. Non-payment of such contributions had led to an adverse impact on the Organization’s ability to reimburse troop-contributing countries, particularly the developing ones and, more so, the least developed ones. All Member States, especially the developed ones, must pay their contributions in full, on time and without conditions.

Bangladesh was deeply concerned at the continued delay in the reimbursement of troop costs and contingent-equipment leases, he said. Those delays had caused hardship to all troop- and equipment-contributing countries and had adversely affected their capacity to participate in peacekeeping operations. Bangladesh had been particularly affected by such inordinate delays and was seriously concerned at the practice of borrowing from the peacekeeping budget, which also contributed to the delay in reimbursement for troop and equipment contributions.

JORGE PEREZ OTERMIN (Uruguay), speaking on behalf of Southern Common Market (MERCOSUR) and associated States, said that the countries of MERCOSUR were committed to the peacekeeping cause. With the recent signing of an agreement by Paraguay, all the countries of MERCOSUR had adhered to standby arrangements. The United Nations must adapt to the changing situation in today’s world. Continuing attacks on the United Nations personnel and, in particular, on peacekeeping troops obliged the Organization to strengthen security measures. The conclusion of the Convention on the Security and Safety of the United Nations and Associated Personnel was a welcome development, and he invited those countries that had not yet done so to ratify it as soon as possible.

Measures of rapid deployment were still under analysis, he continued. Those efforts must go hand in hand with preventive diplomacy. In many cases, social and economic causes implicit in conflict could be detected. States must be allowed to grow and develop to ensure peace. There was also a need to improve the flow of information in emergencies. Smooth dialogue with situation centres was another area where improvement was needed. Teaching and training of the police component required a clear definition of principles to properly establish the role of police in peacekeeping operations. To ensure the efficiency of peacekeeping operations, better coordination was still needed with humanitarian assistance agencies and other organizations.

The countries of MERCOSUR had been taking steps to cooperate in training future participants of peacekeeping missions, he said. Their goal was to make the participation in peacekeeping more effective, for such operations were increasingly demanding and complex. Posts in the field and at Headquarters should be assigned on the basis of the principle of fair geographical representation. The countries of MERCOSUR were also concerned over the reimbursement amounts owned to countries, which made it increasingly difficult for them to participate. In conclusion, he emphasized the need for all countries to make their payments in full, on time and without conditions and paid tribute to those who had lost their lives in the service of peace.

MATIA MALUMBA SEMAKULA KIWANUKA (Uganda), associating himself with the statement of the Non-Aligned Movement, said that poor developing countries needed financial support to build their economies, institutions and human resources. The declining trend of official development assistance needed to be reversed. Uganda called upon the international community to strengthen its resolve to eradicate poverty and to support the United Nations system in tackling disease and underdevelopment.

He said that sustainable peace needed durable institutions. If nations were to develop a culture of peace, they needed functioning and transparent legal structures –- the bedrock of a justice system that protected human rights and the rule of law, as well as stabilizing democracy. Supporting peace-building efforts was laying a foundation for sustainable peace.

The plentiful supply of and ready access to small arms was one of the underlying causes of conflict, he said. They provided the means and temptation to start conflicts, as well as fuelling and sustaining them. It was important to ensure strict respect for Security Council arms embargoes, not only to bring pressure to bear on the warring parties, but also to try and stem the flow of weapons that fuelled conflicts. Equally important was the urgent need to strengthen national legislative and regulatory frameworks regarding the transfer of small arms and light weapons.

He said there had been no firm commitment by the United Nations for financial support for the Joint Military Commission set up in the wake of the ceasefire in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, despite the appeal of President Frederick Chiluba of Zambia in the Security Council last September. That was worrying because the peace agreement was fragile and former combatants could easily resort to war. Uganda was committed to the Lusaka Accord, which signified the first agreement by all the belligerents to chart a road map for the subregion. For that reason, Uganda had contributed $100,000 to the Political Committee to enable the Joint Military Commission to begin its work. Some tragedies of today had been foreseen and could have been prevented, he said. But, due to an absence of preventive measures and political will, they had occurred. It was less expensive to prevent conflicts than to deploy peacekeepers. Uganda urged the Security Council to have the will to act in Africa as readily as it had done in other parts of the world, such as Kosovo and East Timor.

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