CONTINUING DISCUSSION OF SECRETARY-GENERAL'S RECOMMENDATIONS ON PEACE OPERATIONS, SPEAKERS IN SPECIAL COMMITTEE QUESTION ASPECTS OF PROPOSED PEACEKEEPING REFORM

Special Committee on

Peacekeeping Operations

163^rd Meeting (PM)

CONTINUING DISCUSSION OF SECRETARY-GENERAL'S RECOMMENDATIONS ON PEACE OPERATIONS,

SPEAKERS IN SPECIAL COMMITTEE QUESTION ASPECTS OF PROPOSED PEACEKEEPING REFORM

The safety and security of personnel; information gathering and analysis; the main functions of the Department of Peacekeeping Operations; the role of the United Nations Logistics Base at Brindisi, Italy; and proposals for enhancing the United Nations rapid response capability were among the issues discussed by the Special Committee on Peacekeeping Operations this afternoon.

[Following an extraordinary session of the Special Committee in October-December last year, based on the recommendations of the Brahimi Panel on Peacekeeping, the Secretary-General has provided the Committee with a package of recommendations, focusing not only on politics and strategy, but also on the operational and organizational improvement of the system.  Among his other proposals is the staffing requirement for 150 additional posts for the Peacekeeping Department.]

As the Special Committee continued its general debate, the representative of India said that the Secretary-General’s report on the implementation of peacekeeping reform showed that even if peacekeeping was not out of joint, the Department of Peacekeeping Operations was.  What it boiled down to was that the Department needed more bodies and money.  Was there any department in the United Nations that, after a decade of zero-growth budgets, did not?  What was true for the Peacekeeping Department was true across the board, and the strengthening of that Department must be the first step in a system-wide process.

The comprehensive review of peacekeeping had found a general reluctance in the Peacekeeping Department to shoulder risks and responsibilities, he said, but the report did not address the real lacuna -– the absence of political guidance to peacekeeping operations, which had often made crises worse in the past, and left blue helmets in a limbo.  The new Peacekeeping Department must have the courage to lead and guide the forces entrusted to its care.

Stressing the importance of reimbursement for contingent-owned equipment, the representative of Zambia said that it was surprising that while funds for reimbursing suppliers of services were readily available, funds for equipment contributors were not, with troop contributors now owed millions of dollars.  Both the Secretariat and the Brahimi Panel had complained about deployment of ill-equipped troops, but reimbursement of countries’ contingent-owned equipment costs could be applied to adequately prepare troops.  Instead of stocking the Logistics Base, troop contributors could be reimbursed so that they could purchase their own equipment.

The representative of Argentina said that the Special Committee should not focus exclusively on the proposed posts on the resources.  Instead, it should concentrate on the substantive issues, letting other competent bodies take care of the financial aspects of the question.  The proposals to modify the structure of the Department of Peacekeeping Operations would be welcomed, as long as they brought about concrete benefits, measures in efficiency and quality of services.  Her delegation would prefer to speak in terms of capacities, rather than the number of posts, because the increase in the number of posts did not necessarily entail the strengthening of capacities.

Also speaking this afternoon were the representatives of the Russian Federation, Uruguay, Indonesia, Brazil, Turkey, Ethiopia, Belarus, Republic of Korea and Mexico.

The Special Committee will continue its general debate at 10 a.m. tomorrow, 19 June.

Background

The Special Committee on Peacekeeping Operations met to continue its general debate this afternoon.  For background information regarding the Committee’s current session and the Secretary-General’s report before it, see Press Release GA/PK/170 of this morning, 18 June.

Statements

MARIA FABIANA LOGUZZO (Argentina) said that a detailed description of the responsibility of every area would facilitate analysis of the functioning of the Organization and allow it to strengthen its weakest aspects.  The proposals to modify the structure of the Department of Peacekeeping Operations would be welcomed, as long as they brought about concrete benefits, measures in efficiency and quality of services.  Her delegation would prefer to speak in terms of capacities rather than the number of posts, because the increase in the number of posts did not necessarily entail the strengthening of capacities.

The constant references in the report to the question of resources should be interpreted as taking into account the breadth of the review, she continued.  The Special Committee should not focus exclusively on the proposed posts or the resources.  Instead, it should concentrate on substantive issues, letting other competent bodies take care of the financial aspects of the question.

Rapid deployment capacity was vital, she said, and her delegation was willing to analyse the options contained in the report.  It was important to strengthen the credibility of the standby arrangements system and the political will of Member States to cooperate with the Organization in that endeavour. The Secretariat needed to further develop its capacity to collect and analyse information, and she believed that the proposed new structure of the EISAS (Information and Strategic Analysis Secretariat) was better adjusted to the needs of the system than the previous proposal.  However, the location of that body was a sensitive issue for several Member States, since it had a direct relationship with the handling and distribution of the analysed information.

The safety and security of personnel was an important issue, and she shared the concepts of the report in that regard, she continued.  That question was closely connected to training, provision of reliable equipment and, fundamentally, the procurement system.  Regarding cooperation with troop contributors, she said that creation of mechanisms for substantive consultations with such countries would facilitate their participation.  She would have preferred it if the Council had positively considered the proposal made by her country and by other troop-contributing countries. 

On the whole, as far as peacekeeping was concerned, the diagnosis had been made, and now it was up to the countries to establish priorities and optimize the dynamics of peacekeeping, she said.

VLADIMIR F. ZAEMSKY (Russian Federation) said that the agenda for the session contained important questions on the improvement of peacekeeping operations.  Some progress had already been made in that respect, and the Committee should consider further measures to make the reforms as productive as possible.  The latest report of the Secretary-General on peacekeeping had been written in a non-stereotypical language and had laid bare some flaws in the work of the United Nations.  The document merited the most serious study.

He supported the core tasks defined by the Secretary-General for the improvement of the work of the Department of Peacekeeping Operations.  As stated in the report, it was very important to note that the Secretariat had to devote most of its attention to day-to-day problems and was unable to give proper attention to strategic planning.  He also supported the Secretary-General’s approach to the medium strategic option for rapid deployment of peacekeeping operations, which required urgent attention. 

In the past, his delegation had made some objections to the recommendations of the Brahimi Report, including the expansion of the financial authority of the Secretary-General, he continued.  He was pleased that the new plan had taken into account the concerns expressed by his and other delegations.  It provided for close consultations with the Security Council and the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions (ACABQ), and the need for the Secretary-General to receive a positive response from the Council, prior to requesting the ACABQ opinion.  In that connection, he suggested that the Council’s answer should be given in the form of a letter from the President of the Security Council to the Secretary-General.  According to the latest report, the Secretary-General had abandoned several of his previous ideas regarding procurement, and that demonstrated how productive an exchange of ideas could be on the issue.

The report before the Committee contained a proposal to create a contract management section, he said, and he wanted additional information in that respect, for it was important to make sure that there was no duplication with existing structures.  Regarding the creation of additional posts and upgrading of existing positions, he said that he understood the logic behind the proposals, but he wanted to get a fuller picture in that respect.

From the start, his delegation had been in favour of taking a well considered decision on strengthening information and analysis capacity, he said.  The creation of a small unit proposed in the report was absolutely reasonable.  In conclusion, he said that last week the Security Council had adopted a comprehensive resolution on cooperation with troop-contributing countries, which contained important measures to improve the situation and identified some guidelines for the future.  He thought that the resolution deserved support from the Special Committee.

FELIPE PAOLILLO (Uruguay) associated his delegation’s statement with the statement made earlier on behalf of the Rio Group.  He said that for over 50 years Uruguay had proved that it supported United Nations peace operations at all levels.  In the last few months, great efforts had been extended to train staff for the United Nations Organization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUC).  His country had adjusted its procedures to reflect operational, personnel and equipment requirements that were reflective of the changing nature of modern peacekeeping initiatives.  In that regard, Uruguay was assisting in the areas of economic and social redevelopment in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.  Those achievements made Uruguay particularly suited to give its critical opinion on the way the functioning of the Organization’s peace operations had been evolving.

Responsibility for providing most of the human and material resources for peacekeeping had recently been falling to the developing countries.  That was paradoxical, since it appeared that the countries that had been most eager to participate in peacekeeping initiatives were not so involved in the actual organization and deployment of those missions.  He acknowledged that consultations with troop contributors had improved, and hoped that such discussions would be expanded to all areas of peacekeeping.  He also noted that there was a need to identify standard operations and procedures to ensure safety and security of peacekeeping personnel on the ground.  Strict application of the Convention on Safety of United Nations Staff would also improve matters greatly.  He was pleased with the report’s emphasis on guaranteeing a rapid deployment function as needed.  He also acknowledged the three options proposed in the report to ensure such deployment between 30 and 90 days, but noted that Uruguay needed more information. It could not go along with the creation of standby brigade-strength regional troops to address the needs of the Organization.  Along with the costs of maintaining such a force, its existence might not ensure a rapid response. Indeed, at the very moment a request for deployment was issued, the country maintaining the force might not agree with deployment procedures or their costs.

His delegation supported proposals for reconstruction of the Department and would note that personnel training should be high priority.  He also noted that recommendations of the Phase V Working Group on the procedures for reimbursement for contingent-owned equipment was timely.  There was an urgent need to review the reimbursement rates.  It was extremely important for Uruguay and other countries to have a scheme that covered, among other things, doctors and vaccinations.  He also underscored the need to prioritize the training of peacekeeping personnel.

MAKMUR WIDODO (Indonesia) reiterated his delegation’s strong commitment to the maintenance of international peace and security through active participation in United Nations peace operations.  Turning to specific issues before the Committee, he said that troop-contributing countries did not often have sufficient resources to support their programmes for strengthening their national capacities.  Economic difficulties experienced by some of those countries had often forced the diversion of resources allocated for the promotion of peace operations to other areas.  In that regard, the recently adopted Security Council resolution 1353 (2001) noted that international cooperation should be instrumental in mitigating the impact of such difficulties.

His delegation was pleased to note that the tripartite consultations with troop contributors were being held regularly.  Such consultations were necessary not only in the mandate-designing and extension phases of missions, but should be considered when the Organization addressed the full range of peacekeeping issues. Indonesia also noticed the increased role of civilian police in peace operations. Recent experiences of the United Nations Mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina (UNMIBH), the United Nations Interim Administration in Kosovo (UNMIK), and the United Nations Transitional Administration in East Timor (UNTAET) indicated the critical importance of a civilian police presence.  His delegation also noted the importance of an accurate, impartial information component, as well as the need to enhance the capability of peace missions to process claims.

Some outstanding issues covered in the Secretary-General’s report included the restructuring of the Peacekeeping Department.  That restructuring should adhere to the principles of transparency, effectiveness and efficiency.  It should also be accompanied by the resources necessary to allow the Department to carry out its current activities.  Indeed, a well defined job description for the Department was of paramount importance.  Regarding rapid deployment, he said that elements affecting such activities were not merely physical constraints, such as strategic lift or logistic sustainment, but also the political will of the troop- contributing countries.  Indonesia would continue to attach great importance to the United Nations Standby Arrangement System and the development of on-call lists of military personnel, civilian personnel and civilian police.

Post-conflict peace-building and consequent cooperation with regional organizations were most important.  A comprehensive approach to post-conflict peace-building should include political, social and humanitarian measures.  At the operational level, it required effective coordination among all actors and agencies to achieve coherent strategies and the mobilization of political will.  He noted that the Brahimi Report did not give emphasis to cooperation with regional organizations.  It was important to examine that issue.  The relevance of those organizations was indisputable, since they were uniquely qualified to deal with problems emanating from their regions.  Successful regional efforts would depend on good relationships among Member States, political commitment of States within a region and the support of the wider international community.

Brigadier General JOHN NICKIE MUSONDA, Military Adviser, Zambia, said his delegation associated itself with the statement made on behalf of the Non-Aligned Movement earlier today.  Before addressing specific issues concerning the Secretary-General’s report, he focused his comments on some of the findings of the Logistics Management Institute, namely, that the Department of Peacekeeping Operations could improve some core business processes and should substantially restructure its governing management processes to improve effectiveness.  The Institute also found that the Department was not optimally organized to achieve the strategic vision required of it.  Indeed, the current organization did not contribute effectively to efficiency or coordination.  While his delegation appreciated the request for additional posts, there were questions as to what was being done to address the specific shortcomings mentioned by the Institute.

Turning to other issues, he wondered why the Office of Military Adviser should be one of those whose status and responsibilities continued to erode, while the status of other offices was being enhanced.  Zambia strongly believed that the status of the Office and indeed the overall role of the military in the Department itself needed to be seriously examined.  It did not believe that placing the Military Adviser under an Assistant Secretary-General and equating that position to a Civilian Police Adviser would help improve performance in the Department. Zambia had no objection to having the Military Adviser promoted to Assistant Secretary-General, with the Civilian Police and Mine Action Divisions operating under his Office.

He went on to say that the question of reimbursement for contingent-owned equipment was of critical importance.  He was pleased that the report noted that the processing of claims had been accelerated under new procedures. Unfortunately, the real issue, reimbursement, had not been solved.  What was surprising was that while funds for reimbursing suppliers of services such as fuel and rations were readily available, funds for equipment contributors were rarely available.  And troop contributors were now owed millions of dollars.  While he was certain that all the suppliers for the United Nations Angola Verification Mission (UNAVEM) had been paid, years after the mission, his country was still owed $6 million for contingent-owned equipment.

He said both the Secretariat and the Brahimi Panel had complained about States’ deployment of ill-equipped troops.  But if those countries’ contingent-owned equipment costs could be reimbursed, perhaps those resources could be applied to adequately prepare troops.  He added that the Non-Aligned Movement countries with troops in Sierra Leone were owed more than $150 million.  He was convinced that if the money was paid, it would not only address all that mission’s equipment deficiencies, but would contribute to alleviating problems in future missions.  Instead of stocking the Logistics Base with tracked or wheeled vehicles, troop contributors could be reimbursed so that they could purchase their own equipment.

SATYABRATA PAL (India) said that his delegation had detected a clear change of strategic direction in the Secretary-General’s last report.  Last year, when the Brahimi Report was urged upon the Special Committee, his delegation had asked what the emergency was.  Now the review showed that even if peacekeeping was not out of joint, the Department of Peacekeeping Operations was -- and what the Peacekeeping Department was saying this year was in the spirit of Marshal Foch’s signal at the Battle of the Marne:  “My centre is giving way, my right is in retreat, situation excellent.  I attack.”  A desperate directness had replaced circularity.  What it boiled down to was that the Peacekeeping Department needed more bodies, and it needed more money.  Was there any department in the United Nations that, after a decade of zero-growth budgets, did not?

For years, the ACABQ had asked the Secretary-General to show that he could, indeed, within the zero-nominal growth budgets he was proposing, ensure programme delivery.  The Secretariat had never answered that question, but the external review had confirmed what the ACABQ and most States had suspected:  that the Secretariat, having been gutted, could not deliver.  What was true for the Peacekeeping Department was true across the board, and the strengthening of that Department must be the first step in a system-wide process.

In the world of the United Nations, it was natural that the Brahimi Report  -- supposedly a comprehensive review of peacekeeping – should, instead, be a plea for new posts and new structures in the Peacekeeping Department, and that the review of the Department, asked to focus on posts and structures, should instead also cover the larger needs of peacekeeping.  He welcomed that more ambitious scope.

His delegation had an open mind on the Strategic Planning Unit, but the Secretariat did not need the more powerful analytical brain that EISAS was supposed to be, he said.  It needed a stiffer spine, which it would not be given.  The three options to enhance the United Nations’ ability to quickly deploy peacekeeping operations needed to be discussed in some detail in the Special Committee, the ACABQ and the Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary).  The choices were difficult, for Member States with the capacity to provide their own equipment might not want what the United Nations would provide from Brindisi.  Those who needed Brindisi support might find the equipment unfamiliar.  Apart from costs, those operational problems must be resolved.

Rapid deployment could not take place, even when units were ready, in the absence of a strategic air/sea-lift capability, he continued.  He noted and welcomed the progress in the proposal to set up on-call lists and looked forward to further discussions with the Secretariat after Member States had nominated officers.  The proper maintenance of those lists would help reduce the lead time for deploying core mission personnel to future operations.

The review found a general reluctance in the Department of Peacekeeping Operations to shoulder risks and responsibilities, he said, but what the report did not address was the real lacuna –- the absence of political guidance to peacekeeping operations, which had often made the crises worse in the past, and left blue helmets in a limbo.  The new Peacekeeping Department must have the courage to lead and guide the forces entrusted to its care.

The Secretary-General correctly emphasized that the partnership between the Security Council, troop contributors and the Secretariat must be strengthened, he continued.  If the international community failed to get that triangular relationship right, neither resources nor the restructuring of departments would truly help peacekeeping.  His delegation had hoped that the Council would have listened to what troop-contributing countries had said in its open debate in January.  Sadly, the Council had rushed to adopt resolution 1353, which simply micro-managed a dysfunctional system of consultations between the Council and the troop-contributing countries.

In conclusion, he said that the Peacekeeping Department was not responsible for the ills of peacekeeping, and making it stronger would not cure those ills.  However, the Department was starved of resources, and could very well need more.  He, therefore, looked forward to a detailed post-by-post identification from the Secretariat, and if the requests were reasonable, they would be looked upon positively.

SANTIAGO IRAZABAL MOURAO (Brazil) said that the report before the Special Committee was a balanced document, which emphasized transparency and dialogue.  The dialogue between he General Assembly, the Security Council and Member States could guarantee the success of both current and future operations.  In that respect, his delegation was delighted by the resolution adopted by the Council last week on the role of the troop-contributing countries.

He was pleased to see that many recommendations of the Brahimi Report had been reflected in the latest document he continued.  It was important to increase the planning and administrative capacities of the Peacekeeping Department.  It was also important to reappraise the working methods of the Department.  The greater concern with non-military aspects of peacekeeping should be reflected in the multi-disciplinary character of the Department.  It was important to improve the quality of information and to develop the capacity to analyse it.  In that respect, the proposal for creating an integrated system, incorporating a lessons- learned unit, was a valuable contribution.

The safety and security of personnel was a key issue, he said, which should be increased in the field. It was important to address a high number of fatalities due to accidents, to improve the training of personnel before and during the mission and to improve procurement.  Unity of command and clear guidelines were necessary not only for the safety of the troops, but also for the success of operations.  The capacity for an early response was an essential point for the success of any mission.

While it was necessary to have a logistics base in Brindisi, it was also important to further develop the capacity of States to contribute equipment.  An on-call list should be maintained and updated.  Special attention must be paid to reimbursements to troop-contributing countries.  Brazil was the ninth greatest contributor to the regular budget of the United Nations, and the amount owned to his country was almost equal to its annual contribution.  That issue needed to be addressed.  He also emphasized the need to guarantee transparency in procurement and contracting.  The developing countries were in a good position to offer goods and equipment to peacekeeping operations, and it was important to take advantage of that capacity.

ALTAY CENGIZER (Turkey) said his delegation fully endorsed the statement made earlier on behalf of the European Union.  Of particular concern to his own country was the importance of highlighting cooperation between the Security Council and troop-contributing countries.  Indeed, such cooperation was crucial to reforming the Organization’s peace activities.  The Council’s recent resolution 1353 (2001) had been rather “restrained” in that regard, delineating only a general, open-ended approach rather than identifying modalities that specifically addressed the real expectations of troop-contributing countries.  Since that was the case, it was essential that the Committee address those specific needs during its negotiations in the days ahead.

He went on to say that by identifying such mechanisms and modalities aimed at strengthening the cooperation between the Council, troop contributors and the Secretariat, the overall work of the Committee would be accelerated.  Clear mechanisms would pave the way for clearer, more credible and achievable mandates for peacekeeping operations.  Further, Turkey believed that strengthening such cooperation would, in turn, strengthen the Organization's standby arrangements.  He added that Turkey had taken a lead role in initiating and establishing more permanent peacekeeping structures.  In that regard, he drew the Committee’s attention to the Multilateral Peace Force of South-Eastern Europe which had been formed in 1998.  That brigade-size force had since performed successful exercises and remained ready for cooperation within the United Nations framework.

His delegation also concurred with the report that one important reform measure concerned augmenting the capacity of the Department of Peacekeeping Operations.  Turkey shared the view that new personnel were needed, but given the current imbalances in the Department, staff additions should reflect the contributions of those Member States taking part in peacekeeping operations.  Turkey would watch the restructuring of the Department with interest, particularly the allocation of the 93 posts approved by the Assembly.  It would also be important to strengthen the capacities of the Civilian Police Division during reform of the Department as a whole.  He added that Turkey recognized the vital importance that proper training played in ensuring the importance of peace missions.

MEHERET GETAHOUN (Ethiopia) associated his statement with the statement made earlier on behalf of the Non-Aligned Movement.  He said that the road to maintaining peace and security was a long one, and efforts to ensure the effective operation of peace mandates should be continually adjusted.  The role of the United Nations was becoming more complex as the nature of peacekeeping had changed dramatically in recent years.  His delegation strongly supported the recommendations outlined in the Secretary-General’s report.  Once those initiatives had been implemented, he believed they would positively affect the management of peace operations within the Organization. 

One of the most important recommendations contained in the report was the need to ensure effective resource management.  To that end, he stressed the critical nature of harnessing lessons learned from past peace operations in order to better shape the functioning capacities of present and future operations.  It was also evident in the report that maximizing the Organization’s rapid response capacity was crucial to ensuring the effective implementation of peace mandates. He urged Member States to address this particular issue head on and not to waiver in attempts to strengthen this important function of the United Nations peace and security efforts.

He also said cooperation between the Organization and regional groups could be important in maintaining peace.  In that regard, he welcomed initiatives undertaken between the United Nations and the Organization for African Unity (OAU), particularly training programmes and workshops aimed at enhancing overall capacity.  The international community had more work to do in order to further strengthen operation of the OAU, most importantly by increasing financial and technical support. Of equal interest to his delegation was the overall enhancement of peacekeeping initiatives in Africa.  The United Nations, as well as the wider international community, should work hard to try and remove impediments to peace in Africa.

He commended the staff of the United Nations Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea (UNMEE), as well as humanitarian relief workers that were doing their best to alleviate hunger by distributing food and other life-saving provisions.  He also thanked the United Nations Mine Action Coordination Centre for its good work in his country.  Finally, he added that the non-payment of contingent-owned equipment arrears was an important issue.  He urged all Member States to pay their assessed dues as soon as possible and without reservation.

OLEG LAPTENOK (Belarus) said his delegation considered peacekeeping as one of the key elements of the Organization’s activities in the area of the maintenance of international peace and security.  The recommendations of the Brahimi Panel and the latest report of the Secretary-General would give an additional impetus to efforts in that area.  Belarus supported a constructive interaction between all the actors in strengthening the capacity of the United Nations.  In particular, it was important to clearly formulate achievable mandates of missions.  He believed that the mandates should include demobilization and reintegration programmes and specific practical measures to protect personnel. 

Continuing, he supported institutionalization of consultations between troop-contributing countries and the Security Council.  Such consultations should be conducted as early as possible in the planning of the operations and in cases involving the change or completion of their mandates.  It was necessary to introduce further measures for coordinated planning and system information analysis.  Some efforts had been made by the Secretariat in that respect, and he believed that they would be effective.

Turning to rapid-deployment capacities, he said that it was important to improve the standby system and the procurement of peacekeeping operations.  He noted the importance of on-call lists and training of officers.  It was also important to have a further discussion of the strategic reserve at the Logistics Base at Brindisi.  His country was expanding its participation in the non-military aspects of peacekeeping operations , and his Government was planning to sign a memorandum of understanding in that respect.  Next year, Belarus intended to hold peacekeeping training courses.  The country was also discharging its responsibilities for financing peacekeeping operations.

SUN JOUN-YUNG (Republic of Korea) said that peacekeeping required concentrated efforts of Member States; he hoped that the discussion in the Special Committee would strengthen United Nations peacekeeping capabilities.  It was important to concentrate on enhancing those capabilities instead of focusing on the increase in the number of posts and the structure of the Peacekeeping Department.

Regarding the restructuring of the Department of Peacekeeping Operations, he said that his delegation appreciated the Secretary-General’s recommendations.  Everyone was aware that the expansion of peacekeeping and the more complex nature of particular operations had increased the workload of the Department.  In that connection, he broadly supported the proposals to restructure and expand the Department.  However, he believed that the recommendations regarding the new posts and offices needed a more detailed explanation.  Key to restructuring should be more effective coordination and redistribution of resources.  It was important to consider improving the efficiency of the Department and minimize the budget increase by redeployment from other, over-staffed units and departments. 

A time frame of 30 to 90 days had been set for rapid deployment, he continued, but those measures needed political will and the commitment of States.  He hoped the options contained in the report would be further discussed.  He appreciated the recent concrete measures for improving deployment capabilities, which included the roster of civilian police and on-call lists.  His Government was prepared to increase the size of its standby forces.  It was also prepared to fully cooperate in discussions regarding the future of peacekeeping operations.

PABLO MACEDO (Mexico) aligned his statement with the comments made earlier on behalf of the Rio group.  He said, however, that there were three elements in the report of particular concern to his delegation.  Mexico felt that particular attention given to those areas would improve United Nations peacekeeping work.  Those areas included the creation of a world civilian staffing capability for peacekeeping, proposals for enhancement of cooperation with other departments, namely, the Department of Public Information and the Department of Political Affairs, and the advisability of improving analytic capacity and the formulation of strategies.

On the world strategy for staffing, he said it would be worthwhile to examine the contributions of various United Nations country offices to gather the detailed knowledge of recruiting procedures and prospective candidates that could enrich the general staffing lists of peacekeeping personnel.  The expansion of the lists of contracting sources was also a crucial element involved in such a strategy.  Adopting such an initiative would indicate a clear political will to diversify the geographic distribution of contractors.  A broad training strategy

should be present throughout.  Indeed, recruits on on-call lists could be trained in advance of their actual deployment.  The idea of multi-purpose training highlighted peacekeeping aspects, but also identified skills that might be put to use at respective national levels.

He went on to say that it was clear that cooperation should be increased with other actors in the peacekeeping arena.  The report noted that the Organization should take advantage of the synergy between the Department of Political Affairs and the Department of Public Information.  Indeed, public information was crucial in many areas of peacekeeping.  Such information should be managed in terms of worldwide and local coverage, and should perhaps be considered even after conflicts were resolved.  At the same time, before setting up a dedicated information office in the Department of Peacekeeping Operations, it would be important to strengthen and broaden the capacity of the Department of Public Information as it existed today.

On enhancing the Organization’s capacity for information analysis and decision-making, he said the Committee should carefully consider the proposal in the report and strive to define the mandate, the kind of information that would be gathered, and the purpose of that collection of information.  The Committee should also consider the importance of gathering information from outside the peacekeeping arena, such as reports and statistical guideline produced by regional economic commissions and multilateral international financial bodies.  Those organizations could shed light on social, economic and development realities at national, substantive-regional and local levels.

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