Special Committee on Peacekeeping Operations Approves Procedural Report on 2022 Session, Lacks Consensus to Pass Substantive Updates
The Special Committee on Peacekeeping Operations approved today a procedural report on its 2022 session after failing to win approval of substantive updates.
Had it been approved, the rejected draft report would have provided updated guidance on peacekeeping operations for 2022. The procedural report will keep the guidance of the 2021 report in place, except for technical updates.
Rwanda’s representative, also speaking on behalf of South Africa and Pakistan, said that due to a development on 11 March, he was not in agreement with the substantive text as it disregarded the consensus during the negotiations, which started on 22 February.
The delegate of the United States asked for a short recess, which was granted. When the meeting resumed, Rwanda’s representative said it was unfortunate that the effort did not produce the intended result. He added that his group will support the procedural draft report, but not the substantive draft.
Egypt’s representative, saying he was “disheartened and sleep deprived”, asked whether Rwanda’s delegate could explain why his group could not agree on the substantive report and why there will be a procedural report instead of a discussion.
Guatemala’s representative said the result was “truly disappointing” as the Special Committee is the only forum in which troop- and police-contributing countries have to directly work with the Secretariat. He said the Special Committee had been “impacted by a bilateral problem”, cautioning that it is not the right forum to consider a bilateral issue as that could set a dangerous precedent.
India’s representative also expressed regret that all the Special Committee’s efforts were in vain. As a troop-contributing country, with more than 5,000 boots on the ground, India supports the draft of the substantive report, he asserted.
Richard Arbeiter (Canada), Chair of the Special Committee’s Working Group of the Whole, said “there are no illegitimate views in this Committee. The interests are deep and real”, and were coming “from a place of extreme interest in safeguarding peacekeeping”, he added.
The Rapporteur introduced the 2022 report (document A/AC.121/2022/L.3), section I of which contains the General Assembly’s request that the Special Committee submit its report. Section II covers organizational matters, while sections III and IV refer to the Special Committee’s consideration of substantive proposals, as presented by the Working Group of the Whole.
Turning to section V, he said the texts of the Special Committee’s proposals, recommendations and conclusions of paragraph XVI onwards was expected to be included in the report, but the draft report should be revised given the lack of consensus. He then outlined changes to paragraph XIII and noted that paragraph XIV should be replaced with alternate wording communicating that no agreement was reached on the draft recommendations. A list of current members and observers of the Special Committee is contained in the Annex. With those amendments, he recommended adoption of the report.
The Special Committee then approved the draft report, as orally revised by the Rapporteur.
Tijjani Muhammad Bande (Nigeria), Chair of the Special Committee, noted with regret that it had not been possible to reach agreement on the 2022 report, while commending the participants and Secretariat staff for a constructive session.
The Special Committee on Peacekeeping Operations session began at Headquarters on 14 February 2022.