SPECIAL COMMITTEE ON PEACEKEEPING TOLD THERE IS SIGNIFICANT ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT, AS IT OPENS CURRENT SESSION

Special Committee on

Peacekeeping Operations

162^nd Meeting (AM)

SPECIAL COMMITTEE ON PEACEKEEPING TOLD THERE IS SIGNIFICANT ROOM

FOR IMPROVEMENT, AS IT OPENS CURRENT SESSION

As the Special Committee on Peacekeeping Operations began its 2001 session this morning, the Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations, Jean-Marie Guéhenno, said that the spirit of the Secretary-General’s recommendations before the Committee could be summed up in four words:  “We can do better.”

Presenting the Secretary-General’s report on the implementation of the recommendations of the Special Committee and the Panel on United Nations Peace Operations, he said there was significant room for improvement in the way the Department of Peacekeeping Operations was managed.  As the Secretary-General had pointed out, it was no longer possible to perpetuate the “gifted amateurism” that had characterized the United Nations approach to peacekeeping to date.  The lives of staff were at stake, and those were issues that should not be treated lightly.

He was happy to stand before the Committee with what he believed were some solid proposals, he continued, which addressed the need to better structure the way the Department planned operations and to take better account of lessons learned and best practices.  It was also necessary to significantly enhance the rapid and effective deployment of forces.  Relations with field missions also needed to be improved.  The missions needed to be provided with properly qualified personnel in sufficient numbers.  Safety and security of personnel in the field needed to feature more prominently in all aspects of work, and Member States needed to be provided with quality information, in a timely and transparent manner.

Speakers in this morning’s debate expressed appreciation for the comprehensive nature of the Secretary-General’s report and the serious approach to the problems of United Nations peacekeeping.  Several speakers said that the document provided a clear picture of the needs, addressing both the additional requirements and the need for better use of existing funds.

With significant institutional change and increased support, the United Nations would be better equipped to execute the critical peacekeeping and peace-building tasks assigned to it, Canada’s representative said.  Canada’s priorities were, first and foremost, to further strengthen the capacity of the Peacekeeping Department to undertake its core functions and especially to reinforce the management and planning functions.  Instead of micro-managing the Department, however, it was necessary to focus on the capacities needed within the Secretariat.

Speaking on behalf of the Non-Aligned Movement, the representative of Jordan said that the establishment of new operations or the extension of existing mandates should not only be based on the consent of the parties, but also on the non-use of force, impartiality, clearly defined mandates and secure financing.  On strengthening the Department, he added that while consultants believed that it was important to increase the number of posts by 150, from a moral standpoint it would be more important to first reimburse troop-contributing countries that had been waiting for years for complete contingent-owned equipment reimbursement. 

The representative of Pakistan said that among the conspicuous shortcomings of peacekeeping were the failure to fully take into account the views of troop-contributing countries and the lack of effective planning.  What the troop contributors were asking for was involvement in the planning and decision-making, but what they got was an improved meeting format.  That was most disappointing.

The representative of Sweden (on behalf of the European Union and associated States) stressed the need to standardize the planning and conduct procedures, and to clearly define chains of command and decision-making.  Emphasizing the importance of better coordination at every level, he said that it was also necessary to improve the selection process of future mission leadership.

Also speaking in the general debate this morning were the representatives of Nigeria, Egypt, Chile (on behalf of the Rio Group), China, Malaysia, Australia, South Africa, Norway and Algeria.

During the organizational stage of its work, the Committee re-elected Arthur Mbanefo of Nigeria as the Chairman of the Special Committee, and elected Arnoldo Listre of Argentina, Michel Duval of Canada, Motohide Yoshikawa of Japan and Zbigniew Szlek of Poland as the four Vice-Chairmen.  Hossam Zaki of Egypt was elected Rapporteur.  The Special Committee also adopted its agenda and decided on the programme of work for the session.

The Special Committee will continue its general debate at 3 p.m. today.

Background

The United Nations Special Committee on Peacekeeping Operations began its 2001 session this morning.  Following a brief consideration of organizational matters, the Committee is expected to hold a two-day general debate before beginning its comprehensive review of the whole question of peacekeeping operations, in light of the suggestions and recommendations of the Brahimi Panel on Peace Operations.  The three-week session is scheduled to run through 6 July.

[The Special Committee, established by the General Assembly in 1965, was mandated to conduct a comprehensive review of all issues relating to peacekeeping. It reports to the Assembly through the Fourth Committee (Special Political and Decolonization) on its work.  The Committee's membership is made up of 100 United Nations Member States, mostly past or current contributors of peacekeeping personnel.  Other Member States also participate in the work of the Committee and its working groups as observers.]

During the Committee's inter-sessional period, it held an extraordinary session -- 30 October to 4 December 2000 -- at the conclusion of which it adopted a series of proposals and recommendations based on the important findings of the Panel on Peacekeeping Operations.  At the request of the Secretary-General, that panel, headed by Lakhdar Brahimi, had undertaken a major assessment of the shortcomings of the Organization's existing peacekeeping operations.  The report presenting the Panel's subsequent frank and specific recommendations focused not only on politics and strategy, but also emphasized where improvement was needed in operational and organizational aspects of the system.  It concluded, among other things, that while implementing many of the recommendations would require additional resources, no amount of money could substitute for the significant changes that were urgently needed in the culture of the Organization.

The current session, slated to review the implementation of the Brahimi Panel's suggestions, marks the first under the stewardship of Jean-Marie Guéhenno, the newly appointed Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations.  At a recent Headquarters press briefing previewing the Secretary-General's follow-up report, Mr. Guéhenno told correspondents that the overall peacekeeping capacities of the United Nations Secretariat had not developed as they should have because sufficient time, energy and resources had not been dedicated to planning for the future. He echoed the sentiments of the Secretary-General, adding that most of the findings were not surprising at all:  they merely confirmed what many had feared would be the consequences of trying to make do with too little for too long.

The Secretary-General's follow-up report on implementation of the recommendations of the Special Committee on Peacekeeping Operations and the

Panel on United Nations Peace Operations (document A/55/977) comprises the first in-depth and comprehensive managerial examination of the way in which the Organization implemented one of the most important aspects of its mandate.  It represents a distillation of recommendations and suggestions from individuals acquainted through various aspects of conflict prevention and peace-building with what the Department of Peacekeeping Operations was doing well, what it was doing reasonably well, and what might be done better.

According to the report, the United Nations had had many peacekeeping successes, and the hard work and dedication of the staff in the Secretariat, agencies, funds and programmes were not in doubt.  But performance could significantly improve if certain changes were brought to structures, systems and procedures, and if additional resources were provided.  The report also reiterates the notion that in an era of increased globalization, there was a real need for an effective United Nations.  Therefore, reform of the Organization's peace operations would be essential to its overall future success.  The necessary changes could be most successfully carried out if and when Member States gave the appropriate means and opportunity.

The report argues that the following core capacities require considerable strengthening:  the Department's management practices and culture; its ability to translate legislative guidance into strategic plans for future peacekeeping operations, bearing in mind lessons learned and best practices from previous operations; the priority and effort it dedicates to developing the requisite policies and capacities required to enable peacekeeping operations to function efficiently and effectively; and internal coordination for the planning, conduct and support of specific peacekeeping operations.

The report contains an assessment of the implications of the Organization setting an objective to fully and effectively deploy peacekeeping operations within 30 to 90 days of a Security Council resolution establishing them, as suggested by the Brahimi Panel and endorsed by the General Assembly.  It outlines three options available to achieve this objective.  The first is a "heavy strategic reserve" of equipment at the United Nations Logistics Base in Brindisi, Italy, which could entail an initial investment as high as $350 million. 

The second suggestion in the report is a "light strategic reserve" option, which would entail substantially lower up-front investments -- perhaps some

$30 million -- but would rely on extensive "retainer" contracts for the "just-in-time" delivery of goods and services (with very large annual recurring costs, over $100 million per annum).  And the third is a "medium strategic reserve" option, which seeks to keep the initial investment, costs and annual recurring costs at lower levels -- some $170 million up-front investment and some $40 million annual recurring costs.  The report recommends the "medium strategic reserve" option as the most economical and practical.

The report further states that any of the options to meet the 30-to-90-day deployment time frames will require the following:  a one-time expenditure budget to enhance the strategic deployment stocks at the Logistics Base, as well as to cater for annual recurring costs; entry into prearranged contracts and letters of assist for key services; increased reliability of standby arrangements with Member States, especially for support units; and improved personnel surge capacity, particularly for staff in areas of administrative support.

It further emphasizes that pre-commitment authority -- to initiate spending to procure essential goods and services prior to the adoption of a resolution establishing an operation -- can greatly enhance the ability of the Organization to meet the stated deployment objectives.  These proposals would enable the United Nations to go a long way in ensuring that an effective civilian and civilian police monitoring structure could be established in parallel with a rapidly deployed military contingent.  Nevertheless, the report states that none of the options would guarantee 30-to-90-day deployment time frames, as this can only be achieved by the provision of fully self-sustaining and completely self-sufficient troops provided by Member States with the means to do so.

The report mentions the progress achieved in the articulation of proposals for enhancing the standby arrangements system for military and civilian police personnel, including for the creation of a revolving list of "on call" officers, available for deployment at short notice.  In this regard, it refers to the recent letter to Member States containing the profiles of the expertise required and the proposed mechanism for enhancing the standby arrangements system, as the Secretary-General undertook to formulate in his implementation report on the recommendations of the Brahimi Panel.

It presents the outlines of a global strategy for civilian staffing of peacekeeping operations to address critical shortcomings in the current system. That strategy hinges on five critical elements:  enhanced advance planning; expanded sources of recruitment; streamlined recruitment procedures; enhanced rapid deployment capabilities; and improved systems for career development and training.

The report argues that in order to strengthen the core capacities of the Department of Peacekeeping Operations, as well as to meet the challenges of rapid and effective deployment, adjustments will be required to the organizational structure of the Department and to its staffing levels.  In that regard, it proposes creating a new position, "Director for Strategic Planning and Management", in the Office of the Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations, with responsibilities for overseeing improvements to the Department's management infrastructure (including information management), as well as an enhanced lessons-learned and strategic planning capacity for future peacekeeping operations.

It also proposes an increase in the number of Assistant Secretaries-General in the Department of Peacekeeping Operations, from two to three, with the addition of an Assistant Secretary-General for Military/Civilian Police Affairs and Mine Action, and recommends that the rank of the Civilian Police Adviser be upgraded  in the light of the critical importance of civilian police to peacekeeping operations.  It also proposes restructuring the Office of Logistics, Management and Mine Action, by dividing the Field Administration and Logistics Division into two separate divisions.  The Office of Mission Support would have enhanced capacities for administrative planning and civilian training, as well as for contracts management, in the light of the considerable challenges presented by more ambitious rapid deployment standards.

The report also suggests that the Department of Peacekeeping Operations needs to be strengthened to bring to full completion the myriad of policies, standard operating procedures, systems and training programmes which are critical for efficient and effective performance in the field.  Additional resources for the Department are also necessary to allow the necessary time and flexibility required to interact with Member States more frequently, with greater transparency and in a more timely manner, particularly with the members of the Security Council, as well as troop, police and financial contributors.

According to the report, consultants had suggested that the overall strengthening required for the Department could entail the addition of as many as 150 posts above the present authorized strength.  At the same time it notes that any additional resources to be sought would be justified in a subsequent report, on a post-by-post basis.  It proposes several measures for the Department of Peacekeeping Operations to strengthen collaboration with other departments, agencies, funds and programmes that play a role in peacekeeping.

The report also recommends against delegating procurement and budgeting authority from the Department of Management to the Department of Peacekeeping Operations, as had been contemplated, but proposes that the two Departments interact with one another with much greater frequency and depth.

The report clarifies the roles and responsibilities of the Departments of Peacekeeping Operations and Political Affairs.  Physical co-location of the political affairs officers in both Departments is desirable to promote cohesion and cultural change.  The report also underlines the need to strengthen the capacities of the Department of Management, the Office of Internal Oversight Services, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and the Office of Legal Affairs so that they can more effectively support United Nations peacekeeping operations.  It stresses the importance of increased collaboration between the Department of Peacekeeping Operations and the Department of Public Information.

Election of Bureau

Following the adoption of the Committee’s provisional agenda, it elected its Bureau:  Arthur Mbanefo of Nigeria, Chairman of the Special Committee; Arnoldo Listre of Argentina, Michel Duval of Canada, Motohide Yoshikawa of Japan and Zbigniew Szlek of Poland as the four Vice-Chairmen; and Hossam Zaki of Egypt as the Rapporteur.

Mr. MBANEFO, (Nigeria) Committee Chairman, then proposed a programme of work view for the current session with a view to concentrating its work over a shorter time frame.  Two days would be allocated for a general debate, starting this morning and continuing tomorrow.  He also proposed the establishment of an open-ended working group, to be headed by Mr. Duval, that would begin its work on 20 June and continue through 26 July.  That working group would maintain a flexible schedule and convene as many meetings as necessary during that time.  The Committee as a whole should meet no later than 27 July in order to consider its report.  He further proposed 27 July as the tentative date for the conclusion of the Committee’s work for this session. 

Statements

JEAN-MARIE GUEHENNO, Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations, said that he was happy to stand before the Committee with what he believed were some solid proposals, building on the fine work of the Committee and the Panel of United Nations Peace Operations.  The spirit of the Secretary-General’s report could be summed up in four words:  “We can do better”.  The report was very candid in highlighting all the areas in which improvement were needed.

Trying to put the report in context, he said that the Department of Peacekeeping Operations, which was less than 10 years old, was over-stretched, overwhelmed and exhausted, struggling to keep pace with increasingly complex demands.  As the Secretary-General had stated in his report, it was no longer possible to perpetuate the “gifted amateurism” that had characterized the United Nations approach to peacekeeping to date.  The lives of staff were at stake, and those were issues that should not be treated lightly.  He had no hesitation to say that there was significant room for improvement in the way the Department was managed.

The way the Department planned operations needed to be institutionalized, better structured, made more inclusive, he continued.  There should be better account of lessons learned and best practices.  It was also necessary to significantly enhance the rapid and effective deployment practices, and relations with the field missions needed to be improved.  The missions needed to be provided with properly qualified personnel in sufficient numbers, and all the support tools they needed.  The Organization had a debt of duty to the personnel in the field, and their security and safety needed to feature more prominently in all aspects of work.  And lastly, the Member States needed to be provided with quality information, in a timely and transparent manner.

Addressing some of the possible concerns of the Special Committee, he said that it was not a secret that the issue of additional staff for the Department of Peacekeeping Operations featured prominently in that respect.  Indeed, the report referred to consultants’ assessment that the Department would need an additional 150 posts, above and beyond the almost 500 currently authorized, in order to achieve dramatic improvements in all the key areas of work.  That did not include additional resources that might be required for other parts of the Secretariat that played a role in peacekeeping.  He did not expect the Committee to hand out a blank check for the additional staff.  As the Secretary-General had stated in his report, any request for additional resources would need to be justified, on a post-by-post basis, in a subsequent budget submission. 

He emphasized that the reforms proposed in the report were not just about laying the groundwork for additional resources.  The managerial review was both quantitative and qualitative.  It had identified many areas in need of improvement that did not require additional resources –- through streamlined procedures, different attitudes and working methods, efficiency-enhancing measures or personnel rotations.  However, certain improvements could not be achieved within existing resources.  At a certain point, no matter how thorough the Department’s justifications were, Member States would be asked to put some trust and faith in the judgement of those who bore responsibility for doing the work, and who were ultimately accountable to deliver. 

He went on to say that he anticipated many questions about the proposals to enhance rapid deployment, especially given the nine-digit dollar figure suggested to support the global logistics strategy.  That was a very serious subject that would require thorough discussion, and the report was just the beginning of the dialogue.  Member States had provided, and continued to provide, strategic direction on the operational and managerial capacities to be developed to improve overall performance at Headquarters and in peacekeeping operations. 

On the issue of the Information and Strategic Analysis Secretariat and the proposed alternative to it, he said that it was no secret that the issue of information and its analysis, particularly on a system-wide basis, raised all sorts of questions.  He hoped to discuss it further with Member States, because it was an issue that extended beyond just the Peacekeeping Department.  The same applied to various proposals in the report to strengthen the inter-relationships within the Secretariat.  The Department had worked closely with all the other departments and offices mentioned in the report. 

Turning to the manner and speed with which the Department of Peacekeeping Operations was filling the additional 93 posts authorized for it last December “on an emergency basis”, he reiterated his commitment to treat seriously the need to improve overall gender and geographical representation in the Department, particularly for troop-contributing countries.  He also knew that the issue of strengthening consultations with troop-contributing countries was a priority for many delegations.  Strengthening the Peacekeeping Department and other parts of the Secretariat was not the only answer to the challenges before the Organization. 

The decisions made by the Security Council and its willingness to do what was required to make sure that operations did not fail were determining factors, he said.  So, too, was the political will of Member States to match mandates with the human, material, financial and political support required to enable their full implementation.  Therefore, it was important to strengthen the partnership between the Council, troop contributors and the Secretariat.  The will of the parties to a conflict to commit themselves to the process was, ultimately, the determining factor in the success or failure of a peacekeeping operation. 

Committee Chairman Mr. MBANEFO (Nigeria) said that troop contributors, whether having sent their troops to Yugoslavia, Sierra Leone, Haiti or the Middle East, had put those peace workers in harm’s way.  Some had even made the ultimate sacrifice on behalf of the United Nations.  The confidence and trust of those States, particularly those with weak economies, could only be restored if those States with stronger economies assisted in shoring up the general financial health of the Organization. 

He said that another factor affecting the confidence of troop contributors, was that some States had failed to pay their dues, and as a result those contributors –- like his own country –- were owed substantial amounts in reimbursement expenses incurred on the Organization’s behalf.  He called on all States to live up to their obligations and pay their dues on time and without reservations.  Nigeria welcomed all initiatives enhancing the capacity of the United Nations to respond to international crises in good time, and therefore endorsed the recommendations of the Brahimi Report on Peacekeeping Operations.  He hoped the Secretariat would receive due cooperation from Member States in the implementation of the Brahimi panel’s recommendations.

He further welcomed the enhanced cooperation between the United Nations and regional organizations.  He particularly commended the efforts of the United Nations in the area of training and seminars organized with the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in those respective regions.  He urged that such initiatives be continued in all areas of peacekeeping.  The training programme on Demobilizaion, Disarmament and Rehabilitation, being organized for troop-contributing countries, was also commendable.  He also welcomed the recent efforts at expanding cooperation between the Security Council and troop contributors at the planning stages of peacekeeping operations and urged that such consultations be expanded further to include the extension of mandates.  He added that during working group sessions, his delegation would discuss a number of issues, including the implementation of the Brahimi report and the question of mandates and procurement practices.

Prince ZEID RA’AD ZEID AL-HUSSEIN (Jordan), speaking on behalf of the Non-Aligned Movement, said he would first address several issues that had not been covered in the main body of the report.  It was the general position of the Movement that peacekeeping operations strictly abide by the guiding principles in the final documents of both the XI Ministerial Conference in Cairo and the 1998 Durban Summit, as well as paragraphs 51–56 of last year’s report of the Special Committee.  The establishment of any new peacekeeping operations or the extension of any exiting mandate should not only be based on the consent of the parties but also on the non-use of force, impartiality, clearly defined mandates and secure financing.

He said that the Non-Aligned Movement continued to uphold the belief that United Nations peacekeeping was an instrument important to the maintenance of international peace and security.  It should not, however, be considered a substitute for permanent solutions or for addressing the root causes of conflict. In the past, the Organization’s peace efforts had proved most useful when, as a temporary measure, they had contributed to the maintenance of ceasefire agreements or the cessation of hostilities.  In those cases, the operations had not only lessened the possibility of future escalation, but also provided an atmosphere conducive to identifying ways to end conflict.  The Movement was closely monitoring the negotiations in the Security Council on consultation and would respond to any resolution later in the year.  He cautioned, however that the Movement would strongly oppose any attempt by the Council to use the working group on that issue as a parallel track to C-34.

Turning to the annexes of the Secretary-General’s report, he said the Non-Aligned Movement would like some clarifications on the claims and reimbursement section in Annex B, particularly on the issue of the creation of posts for claims processing.  He also wondered what the current policy was for contingent-owned equipment; was it for wet- or dry-lease equipment or both?  He added that delays in payment of arrears continued to affect troop equipment contributors.  In

that regard, he stressed the importance of all States paying their assessed contributions in full on time and without reservations.  He said the Movement also believed the Committee needed to examine whether it would not be more effective place transportation for re-supply under a dry-lease agreement.

He said that in order to ensure that peacekeepers accused of gross misconduct would stand trial or face court martial in their home countries, it might be necessary to have members of the States in question be present during those proceedings.  On other issues, he said that while the Non-Aligned Movement acknowledged the need for training under specific conditions, it also believed that the cohesiveness of any unit would be impaired if the trainers themselves were being trained upon their arrival in theatre.  On the costs of immunization, his delegation had noted that since the Secretariat had noted that such costs carried substantial financial impact, it was all the more reason that developing countries should be exempted from having to shoulder such costs.

Turning to Annex A of the report, he said the Non-Aligned Movement would continue to stress its position on the selection of mission leaders, which held that all candidates must be interviewed when the selection process had begun, regardless of whether there was an on-call list.  The Movement further believed that in the future, the three senior military positions in the field –- Force Commander, Deputy Force Commander and Chief of Staff -– should come from that particular mission’s largest contributor.  Further, no force commander of senior military adviser should be appointed to a mission where his or her country was not making a sizeable contribution in the form of troops.  The Movement also felt that while the report noted that 24 of 93 posts allotted by the Assembly had been tagged for active service personnel, the total number should be re-examined.

Overall, he said the report was very comprehensive.  His delegation would need time to pour over its specific elements.  But in general comments on the issue of rapid deployment, he said that more often than not it was not the rapidity with which the Organization transported troops and equipment that was decisive to the success of peace missions, it was rather the speed with which Member States could generate a political decision to initiate participation in the first place.  The Non-Aligned Movement had examined the three options presented in the report and favoured the “minimum strategic reserve” option.  However, more information was needed before the delegation’s decision would be final.  Important issues remained to be discussed, such as what was meant by “complete” equipment load-list and what was the difference between “minimal” and “critical” items of equipment.  None of the proposals included any information on enhancing air/sea lift capabilities -– the most crucial element of rapid deployment.

On the restructuring of the Department of Peacekeeping Operations, the Movement would provisionally support the division of the Analysis and Logistics Division into to units.  The Movement still had questions as to the staffing of such divisions.  It was also troubled by the amount attention given throughout the report to “strategic planning”, when there was no clear definition as to what that meant.  Similarly, on the alternative to EISAS, the Movement found no time frame given to “long-term” analysis.

On strengthening the Department, he added that while consultants believed that it was important to increase the number of posts by 150, the Non-Aligned Movement believed that, from a moral standpoint, it would be more important to first reimburse troop-contributing countries that had possibly been waiting for years for complete contingent-owned equipment reimbursement.  The Movement also wondered how the creation of additional posts would correct the particular problem of enhancing lateral coordination at all levels between and within departments.

Speaking on behalf of the European Union and associated States, STIG ELVEMAR (Sweden) said that the Union had been fully engaged in the process initiated last year with the publication of the Brahimi report.  The work done by the Secretariat and the General Assembly, especially that of the Special Committee on Peacekeeping Operations, was an important step in the right direction.

The Department of Peacekeeping Operations needed to work efficiently, being able to cope with the challenges it faced, he continued.  The very credibility of the Organization was at stake.  The Department must be able to effectively plan, deploy and manage operations and to react quickly to a sudden surge in new missions or activities.  A better rapid deployment system and a useful policy and analysis capacity must be put into place.  The Secretary-General’s report provided a clear picture of the needs, and the European Union broadly supported the recommendations contained in the report and encouraged the Secretary-General to implement those measures that were under his purview. 

The report rightly recognized that additional resources, as well as the better use of existing funds, were needed, he continued. The European Union also welcomed the proposals on improving the planning process and reforming Peacekeeping Department’s working methods and structure.  In the light of the increased requirements for logistics and administrative support, there was a need for sufficient and adequately trained staff to administer the work.  He also supported strengthening the administrative and logistic planning and support capacity, taking into consideration the will expressed by the General Assembly to develop a common management culture in the United Nations system. 

Given the increased role of civilian police, the Civilian Police Division should be further strengthened, he said.  The Union supported the proposed upgrading of the rank of the Civilian Police Adviser and creating a unit for criminal law and judicial affairs.  He also warmly welcomed the Secretary-General’s recommendations on the employment of a “task team” approach and especially the co-location of staff from the Office of Operations, the Logistics Operations Section, the current Military Operations Service and the Civilian Police Division’s Mission Management Unit.

An increased delegation to the field must be based on proper policies and guidance from Headquarters, he said.  In that regard, he stressed the need to standardize the planning and conduct procedures, and to clearly define chains of command and decision-making.  He also emphasized the importance of better coordination at every level.  The European Union, for that reason, welcomed the progress made to improve coordination, including a smaller-scale version of the first integrated mission task force mechanism.  It was also necessary to improve the selection process of future mission leadership.

The Secretariat should work towards the goal of being able to deploy peacekeeping operations within 30 days, and to deploy complex operations within

90 days of the adoption of the mandate, he continued.  Regarding the three options for rapid and effective deployment, the Union would welcome further details from the Secretariat on all three.  He looked forward to an examination of those

issues in the competent organs at a later stage.  He also welcomed the proposed development of pre-mandate commitment authority of the Secretary-General, prior to a mission’s full authorization by the Council.  The Union supported continued reform of the standby arrangement system.

He also addressed the need to carry out more efficient recruitment of civilian staff; strengthen the Peacekeeping Department’s links with other relevant parts of the system; integrate human rights aspects in the planning process and allocate more resources to address gender issues in peacekeeping.  The safety and security of personnel was a matter of utmost concern.  Particular attention must be paid to that issue during the planning phase of peacekeeping.  The European Union also welcomed the Secretary-General’s proposal on establishing a new unit for system-wide policy and analysis. 

He concluded by saying that the implementation of the reforms proposed by the Secretary-General would significantly enhance United Nations peacekeeping.  However, those reforms were only part of the solution, for the political will of Member States was another necessary element.  Member States must take steps to bridge the commitment gap with regard to personnel and equipment.  At their Summit in Goteborg last week, the European heads of States and government had reaffirmed the European Union’s determination to develop and strengthen cooperation with the United Nations in the areas of crisis management and conflict prevention.  The cooperation should develop progressively in close coordination with the United Nations, focusing on substantive issues and concrete needs.

MICHEL DUVAL (Canada) welcomed the Secretary-General’s report.  With significant institutional change and increased support, the United Nations would be better equipped to execute the critical peacekeeping and peace-building tasks that the Member States assigned to it.  Canada’s priorities were, first and foremost, to further strengthen the capacity of the Peacekeeping Department to undertake its core functions, and especially to reinforce the management and planning functions.  It was necessary to provide the resources now to ensure change for a forward-looking Department of Peacekeeping Operations.  It was important, however, to avoid micro-managing the Department.  Rather, it was necessary to focus on what capacities were needed within the Secretariat. 

Instead of being open-ended, he continued, the support should be conditional upon a regular and systematic review of the Secretariat’s capacity -- a review, which should probably be done on a five-year basis.  The aim must be to ensure that the Secretariat had the necessary resources to conduct integrated planning at all levels and then to deploy the resources available to it in a timely, rapid and efficient fashion.  Towards that end, the Secretariat must have an information-gathering, analysis and dissemination capacity.  Institutionally, the introduction of the Integrated Mission Task Force was a concept consistent with forward-looking, modern management.

With increased demands for civilian police, he supported an enhancement of the planning and training capacity of that part of the Secretariat.  The Secretariat must also possess the resources and the procedures to get the right people – military, police or civilians – into the field quickly.  He believed that the proposal to include gender experts in the Peacekeeping Strategic Planning Unit would ensure that a gender perspective was interwoven into all aspects of its work.  There was a clear need for better integration of lessons learned into the planning, and additional resources would be required to ensure an adequate capacity in that respect.  Member States needed to ensure that military and civilian police resources were readily available.  The idea of creating coherent brigade-size forces to meet the United Nations deployment timelines was worth developing.

The safety and security of personnel was of particular importance to his country, he said.  It was incumbent upon Member States to ensure that collective measures had been taken to provide the best protection.  They must also continue to ensure that peacekeeping mandates included provisions for the protection of civilians wherever possible, as well as for the humanitarian assistance.  Canada was also concerned about the role that troop contributors must play in the development and establishment of a peacekeeping operation.  The ability of the United Nations to respond effectively to crisis situations would depend on decisions resulting from a genuine consensus derived from shared interests.  Risk takers must have a say in the decision-making process.

HOSSAM ZAKI, (Egypt) said his delegation joined the statement made earlier on behalf of the Non-Aligned Movement.  Egypt was of the view that the work done by the Secretariat in coordinating the comprehensive review of the Department of Peacekeeping Operations was commendable, but that work should by no means be considered complete.  It was, therefore, up to the Committee, as well as other relevant bodies, to give the Secretariat the necessary mandate in order to implement the report’s recommendations.  He trusted that the leadership of the administration would take necessary measures to achieve the best use of financial and human resources in that regard, particularly as to the increase in number of posts within the Department. 

He said that while the details of restructuring the Department would be discussed at length by many during the session, it would be necessary for any relevant proposals or initiatives to be precise and effective.  That was the only way that the proposals in the report could be judged, particularly those concerning an administrative and strategic planning unit and other logistical proposals.  Egypt fully supported the establishment of such a unit.  Indeed a strong planning body was necessary for the smooth functioning of the Department’s work.  He also supported the creation of a position of “Military Consultant”.  That official should be allowed maximum access to the office of the Under-Secretary-General and Council as needed. 

On efforts to achieve rapid deployment in 30-90 days, he said his delegation required further clarification on the specific amounts and of equipment and other resources needed at Brindisi.  He agreed with the report that none of the options given fully achieved the goal of rapid deployment; that goal could only be accomplished through the political will of the States that had better access to proper equipment to ensure that it was provided in a timely manner.

On strengthening the capacity to collect and analyse information, he said that such a unit should be independent.  Egypt was looking forward to a serious discussion of that matter. Gathering and analysing information was critical to the Organization’s work in the field.  At the same time, creating such a unit in areas where there were no United Nations peace operations was a more delicate issue that required close consideration.  The Special Committee must also be fully aware of what hindered the gathering of information.  Also, principles of gathering and analysis should be clearly defined and agreed upon by the Committee and then considered as separate issues.  Strategic planning indeed was a matter governed by rules laid down by the Security Council and the General Assembly.  He added that Egypt believed that the decision on peacekeeping operations recently adopted by the Council touched on matters that were more within the competence of the Committee.  He called on the Council to reconsider.

J. GABRIEL VALDES (Chile), speaking on behalf of the Rio Group (Argentina, Brazil, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, El Salvador, Jamaica, Mexico, Paraguay, Uruguay and Venezuela), said his delegation agreed that the issue of rapid deployment of peace missions was extremely important.  His delegation agreed with efforts to strengthen that capacity with such proposals as the establishment of standby forces and reserve lists, as well as the incorporation and participation of teams of civilian personnel.  At the same time, the Group was aware that the operation of the Logistics Base needed to be significantly enhanced.  Ensuring rapid deployment depended most on the political commitment of States, particularly those that were better able to contribute. 

He also said it was important to have an institutionalized and specialized organ for compilation of data and analysis.  Improving the quality and availability of information was crucial for guaranteeing the success of peacekeeping operations.  He looked forward to the coming debates on this issue and hoped the Committee would work to ensure that any proposals would define the mandates of such an organ as well as ensure that the structure of its membership reflect adequate geographic distribution.

The Group recognized the importance of strengthening the Department of Peacekeeping Operations.  It was critical in that regard to promote efficiency and inter-relationship with other bodies and agencies.  The work of the Department should always be transparent, and its make-up should strive towards both geographic and gender balance.  The Group also considered the safety and well-being of troops to be an important issue.  He welcomed progress that had been made in that area and said that proper training of personnel and the provision of reliable equipment should be given close consideration.  He also reaffirmed the need of the Committee to pay due attention to efforts aimed at ensuring transparency and equitable geographic distribution in contract for services and procurement activities.

SHAMSHAD AHMAD (Pakistan) said that consultations with troop-contributing States and payment of assessed contributions by all Member States in full, on time and without conditions were of utmost importance.  Having participated in 25 missions, including complex and dangerous ones, his country had lost more than 50 servicemen for the cause of peace.  As a major stakeholder in peacekeeping, Pakistan commended the Department of Peacekeeping Operations for carrying out a comprehensive review of peacekeeping, as mandated by the Special Committee.

Pakistan had always insisted on the need to clear the confusion in the Department and for the Peacekeeping Department to coordinate other relevant departments, he continued.  He supported a strong and efficient Peacekeeping Department, with resources commensurate with its responsibilities.  The Department needed a new image and new vigour, and he supported the proposals, which would eradicate the weaknesses of the past. 

While he appreciated the self-critical approach taken by Peacekeeping Department in carrying out the comprehensive review, some key issues had not been completely resolved.  Among the conspicuous shortcomings were the failure to fully take into account the views of troop-contributing countries and the lack of effective planning.  Before addressing additional requests, it was important to see the compliance with previous recommendations.  He was waiting to see how the 93 emergency posts approved in December were being filled; the recommendations regarding United Nations standby arrangements had not been completely taken aboard; and he had some concerns regarding the selection of mission leadership.

Regarding the proposals on the strategic reserve options for 30- to 90-day deployment of peacekeeping operations, he said he would like the Secretariat to clarify some of the details.  On the alternative proposal for Information and Strategic Alliance Analysis Secretariat, he felt that its size, location and terms of reference deserved further discussion and in-depth examination.  Depending on the terms of reference and the mandate of the new structure, its size and location could be determined.  He had concerns about the proposal as it stood right now, however.

Pakistan was a strong believer in enhancing the triangular cooperation between the troop-contributing countries, the Security Council and the Secretariat.  While the report indicated an intention to work more closely with the troop contributors, the Security Council had fallen far short of its own mark.  Last year, it had explicitly called for strengthening cooperation with troop-contributing countries.  Nevertheless, last week’s resolution 1353, in spite of containing some positive elements, did not fulfil that requirement. 

What the contributors were asking for was a more results-oriented involvement in the planning, he said.  What they got was an improved meeting format.  That was most disappointing.   Troop-contributing countries wanted full participation in the decision-making, which was necessary to avoid the repeat of Srebrenicas and Rwandas.  He hoped the Committee would present an unambiguous decision on the need to strengthen participation by troop-contributing countries.  His country was ready to work to facilitate an early establishment of such a mechanism, which would in no way supplant the role of the Council.  It would only ensure the unity of purpose on any given operation.

WANG YINGFAN (China) said that the Secretariat had embarked on a comprehensive review of peacekeeping, and the first review of that process was of great significance.  The report of the Secretary-General had analysed in depth the problems and shortcomings of peacekeeping operations, presenting numerous recommendations.  China supported the measures taken to increase manpower, to ensure structural adjustments and improve the quality of the work of the Peacekeeping Department.  There was also a consensus that it was necessary to enhance the standby capabilities of the United Nations.  He welcomed the continuous close consultations with Member States in that respect.

He also welcomed the efforts to regularize the recruitment of civilian personnel and expressed hope that the process would be transparent, taking into account the need to ensure equitable geographical representation.  It was important to make efforts to tap the existing institutional resources as far as peacekeeping was concerned.  He also stressed the need to ensure the division of labour and cooperation among various departments concerning peacekeeping. 

The participation of civilian police was on the increase, he said, and lessons should be learned from previous civilian police involvement.  Further promulgation of guidelines and assistance to countries in training would improve the situation.  Common efforts of all States were needed to enhance the United Nations peacekeeping, and China was ready to participate in the work to improve those activities.  The Special Committee could contribute positively to the enhancement of the United Nations peacekeeping role.

ZAINUDDIN YAHYA (Malaysia) said the development of a “mission Headquarters Orientation Programme” that addressed the leadership needs, at the strategic level, for future military, civilian and civilian police mission appointees was a commendable effort to enhance the overall effectiveness of future peace missions.  In pursing those efforts, specific profiles should be identified so that the best candidates to head up mission operations could be chosen.  The selection process, particularly for senior posts such as Force Commander, must be based on credibility, capability and experience, among other things.  His delegation welcomed the proposal for the Department the work in close consultation with other relevant organs of the Secretariat to develop a more systematic programme for briefing and debriefing future heads of missions and their key components.

He went on to say that Malaysia recognized that it was important to increase the capability of the Rapid Deployment Force into mission areas.  Having studied the three options presented in the report, Malaysia concurred that option 3 -– proposing a “medium strategic reserve” -- was the most practical.  The delegation also believed that there was also a need to employ a modern information system within the Secretariat in order to enhance efficiency at Headquarters and in the field.  In that regard, the efficiency of the Department could be significantly improved by automating certain aspects of its work, particularly the process for reimbursement for contingent owned equipment.  He noted that there already existed within the Department a mechanism to develop and enhance its integrated information capacity. 

MARIA PERGAMINELIS (Australia) said as a long-standing supporter of United Nations peacekeeping efforts, Australia’s main commitment over the past year continued to be in East Timor.  In that regard, she appreciated close cooperation and coordination with the Organization, particularly on timely consultations and the flow of information that had been critical to the current operation and in the movement of the East Timorese people towards independence.  On the work before the Committee today, she said that members needed to look seriously at redressing an overall peacekeeping situation –- including resources, staffing and strategic policy development –- that was ultimately unsustainable.  Australia broadly supported the recommendations of the Brahimi Panel and looked forward to detailed discussion over the coming weeks.

She said that Australia was particularly interested in a number of issues, particularly updating the Department’s management practices, without which, the Organization could neither expect to attract or maintain quality personnel or operate more effectively.  Australia was also interested in proposals to improve the Secretariat’s capacity for analysis and strategic planning and efforts to strengthen consultation between the Security Council, Secretariat and troop- contributing countries. She said it was essential that United Nations peacekeeping activities were organized as effectively and efficiently as possible.  The recommendations of the Brahimi Panel set out a blueprint for such reorganization. It was important that broad consensus on how those recommendations could be developed and implemented emerge from the Committee’s current session.

JEANETTE NDHLOVU (South Africa) said she appreciated the frankness of the comprehensive review and was encouraged by the fact that it acknowledged not only quantitative, but also qualitative challenges facing the Secretariat. South Africa supported many of the Secretary-General’s proposals, in particular, those aimed  at establishing a more proactive approach to planning and improving efficiency.  Information technology could play an important role in enhancing the flow of information and the management of reimbursement of contingent-owned equipment.  An important facet of management performance was the capacity for strategic planning to meet the complex challenges presented by today’s peacekeeping. 

Her delegation supported the designation of a focal point in the Department of Peacekeeping Operations to facilitate better management of its resources and the development of strategic plans.  However, she asked for further clarification about the need to transform the Best Practices Unit into a Peacekeeping Strategic Planning Unit.

Turning to the role of troop-contributing countries, she said that quite often those countries were confronted with different interpretations between the Secretariat and the field operation of the terms of memoranda of understanding.  She was, therefore, encouraged by the Secretary-General’s recommendations to improve coordination between the field and headquarters.  Like many other delegations, hers was interested in receiving greater details on the various options regarding the proposed strategic reserve, in particular, what the nature of the equipment would entail. 

Apart from addressing the technical and financial issues, the Secretary-General’s proposals also raised fundamental political issues, she said.  Recently, an African regional seminar had been held to determine to what extent the Brahimi Report could contribute to African peacekeeping efforts.  An important issue emerging from the seminar was the need to bridge the commitment gap between “the able but unwilling and the willing but unable”.  In her view, the current proposals provided a framework for Member States to begin to address that gap. 

The issue of consultations with troop-contributing countries was of great importance to members of the Non-Aligned Movement, she said.  In her view, Security Council resolution 1353 could have benefited from a serious consideration of other proposals put forward by a number of delegations in recent weeks.  In addition, her delegation had taken note of the undertaking by the Council to continue and extend the mandate of its working group to consider matters, which essentially fell within the competence of the Special Committee on Peacekeeping Operations.  The success or failure of peacekeeping depended not only on strengthening the Headquarters support, but also on the political will of Member States.  In that regard, she welcomed the Council’s recognition of the important contribution that Member States with the greatest means and capacity could make to the effectiveness of United Nations peacekeeping.  Also important was the role of regional organizations.

KNUT TORAASEN (Norway) said that when fully implemented, the report before the Committee would contribute significantly to strengthening the United Nations capacity for planning and conducting complex peace operations in the future.  Some would argue that it was ultimately a question of political will and resources.  The difficulty, however, was that more time was spent lamenting the absence of political will than analyzing what it meant.  The trouble with thinking about “political will” as a single, simple factor in the equation was that it underestimated the sheer complexity of what was involved.  It was also a question of priorities of Member States.  Neither the Special Committee nor the Secretary-General could reshape those.

While the United Nations peace operations continued to play a major role in international conflict management, he said, it was far better to prevent conflicts than try to resolve them.  It was necessary to adopt a comprehensive approach to conflict management, including both conflict prevention and peace-building.  He also fully supported the recommendation to strengthen the Secretariat to meet the growing demands.  His delegation noted with satisfaction the proposal to create a small multidisciplinary policy and analysis unit and the decision to make the lessons learned unit more operational. 

He spoke about the need to address the role of regional organizations in coordinating activities to achieve a more effective crisis management.  Attention should also be paid to the contribution of regional organizations in peacekeeping reform.  He welcomed the emphasis on civilian police and added that in order to create security, it was important to include in peacekeeping operations projects to destroy small arms and light weapons.  He supported the proposal to upgrade the rank and level of the Civilian Police Adviser. 

Turning to rapid deployment, he supported the recommendations on the medium strategic reserve as the most economical and practical.  Nevertheless, he  stressed the importance of defining “critical items”, which would avoid ad hoc interpretations on a case-by-case basis.  The proposed time frames required both political will and more effective operational capabilities.  Norway was committed to the multinational high readiness standby brigade for United Nations operations, which it was now chairing.  The country was also in the process of signing a memorandum of understanding with the United Nations regarding its military contribution to the United Nations standby arrangements systems.

He said his delegation strongly endorsed the view of the review report that peacekeeping strategies should be formulated based on a clear understanding of the specific objectives, concerns and strategies of the humanitarian community.  That meant that the link between the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs and the Peacekeeping Department should be further strengthened.  Supporting the general idea of guidelines for peacekeepers, he believed that the guidelines published by the Secretariat through the Secretary-General’s bulletin of 6 August 1999 needed further study and consultation.

ABDALLAH BAALI (Algeria) associated his delegation’s statement with the comments made earlier on behalf of the Non-Aligned Movement.  In preliminary comments on the report, he said that modern conflicts were moving away from classic State-to-State wars and had now become more intra-State or inter-ethnic in nature.  That required the adaptation of peacekeeping operations so that they combined classic peace operation initiatives with new political, social and development aspects.  A new notion of peacekeeping that properly reflected well-trained personnel, proper equipment and well adapted mandates would be the best guarantee for success.  The recent consultations between the Security Council and troop contributing countries had given rise to significant progress in the field of peacekeeping. Indeed, the recent open debate clearly highlighted the importance of regular consultations on such matters, and some delegations had even called for a mechanism that would regularize such discussions within the Council’s working methods.

He said it was of the utmost importance for larger countries with greater capability to supply adequate troops and equipment to ensure the success of missions.  It was also important to ensure the broad reimbursement for troop costs.  He said greater mobilization and diversity within the Department must not be an excuse to have peacekeeping mandates that were too elastic.  The harmonious function of the United Nations system rested on a balanced relationship between all bodies and organs.  Structures of the Department must be adapted to address the increasing number and complexity of current peacekeeping tasks.  Managing hundreds of thousands of police and personnel required the creation of proper structures.  That was the crux of the report before the Committee today.  While striving for greater cohesion among all its organs and agencies, the Organization

must also try to avoid the proliferation of structures with overlapping duties.  It must revitalize existing structures and better clarify their functions while providing the resources to allow them do their jobs effectively.

He said the creation of an analysis unit should be examined further, as it appeared that the Department of Political Affairs and the Department of Public Information were already handling some of the functions proposed in the report. The overall “mixed picture” of the Department and peacekeeping operations in general was not due to a lack of coordination, but to a lack of political determination.  The training of staff also needed to be upgraded, particularly concerning humanitarian aspects.

Particular attention should be paid to the maintenance of peace and security in Africa, he continued. And while many African nations and regional organizations had expressed the political will to maintain peace, the logistical and financial requirements of addressing the myriad serious security issues on the continent required outside assistance.  It was up to the developed countries to ensure a true partnership for the betterment of Africa.  Indeed, industrialized countries could provide further resources, particularly strengthening the activities of the Organization of African Unity (OAU) and other regional organizations.

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