Sixty-fourth General Assembly

Fourth Committee

26^th Meeting (PM)

Fourth Committee Approves Report of Special Committee on Peacekeeping Operations

Held Substantive Session at Headquarters 22 February-19 March

Noting “widespread interest” among Member States in contributing to the work of the Special Committee on Peacekeeping Operations, particularly troop-contributing countries, the Fourth Committee (Special Political and Decolonization) today approved a draft resolution that would have the Assembly endorse the main points of the Special Committee’s report from its 2010 session, which was held at Headquarters from 22 February to 19 March and, among other things, addresses cooperation with troop-contributing countries.

In that wide-ranging report, introduced by its Rapporteur Amr El-Sherbini of Egypt, the Special Committee urged the Secretariat to consult with troop-contributing countries when planning any change that would have an impact on the personnel, equipment, training and logistics requirements ‑‑ such as changes in military tasks, mission-specific rules of engagement, operational concepts, or in the command and control structure.  (For further details, please see Press Release GA/PK/205).

Approved without a vote, the Fourth Committee resolution on “comprehensive review of the whole question of peacekeeping operations in all their aspects” (document A/C.4/64/L.20) would have the Assembly urge Member States, the Secretariat and relevant organs of the United Nations to take all necessary steps to implement that recommendation, along with all other proposals, recommendations and conclusions. 

In his statement to the Committee, Mr. Sherbini pointed specifically to paragraphs 15 to 228 of the report, cited in the draft for the Assembly’s endorsement.  Those paragraphs addressed several areas, including guiding principles, definitions and implementation of mandates, restructuring of peacekeeping, safety and security, and conduct and discipline.  They also touched on such issues as strengthening operational capacity, strategies for complex peacekeeping operations, triangular cooperation between the Security Council, Secretariat and troop- and police-contributing countries, cooperation with regional arrangements, enhancement of African peacekeeping capacities, and developing stronger United Nations field support arrangements, among others.

In addition, the draft text would have the Assembly reiterate that, in the future, such States could become members of the Special Committee at its following session, upon written request to its Chairman.  It would reiterate the same for Member States that participated in the Special Committee for three consecutive years as observers.

The Special Committee was also requested to submit a report on its work to the General Assembly at its sixty-fifth session.

Established in 1965 to conduct a comprehensive review of all peacekeeping issues, the Special Committee reports to the Assembly through the Fourth Committee.  Known informally as the Committee of 34 and originally consisting of 34 members, its membership stands at 145 today, mostly past or current contributors to peacekeeping operations.  Participating as observers are 12 other Member States, alongside various intergovernmental organizations.

The Fourth Committee will meet again in June to elect its Bureau for the sixty-fifth session of the General Assembly.

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For information media • not an official record