Successful Peacekeeping Means Aligning Priorities with National Vision, Respecting Local Culture, Clarifying Mandates, Fourth Committee Hears in Debate
As the Fourth Committee (Special Political and Decolonization) continued its debate today on peacekeeping, speakers stressed the need to revise the current model, seeking stronger engagement between peacekeepers and communities, deeper understanding of local contexts and cultures, and a greater focus on addressing conflicts’ root causes, with some calling on the Security Council to adapt non-military approaches and increase cooperation with regional organizations.
The representative of Timor-Leste - a beneficiary of peacekeeping operations — said that current challenges - terrorism, organized crime and political upheavals — require the reconceptualization of peacekeeping. He called for a more integrated approach, which encompasses not only military presence but also robust frameworks for disarmament, training in governance, human rights and socioeconomic development. He underscored the importance of engaging with communities to build trust, establish dialogue and include local perspectives in peace processes.
Also, he said, peacekeepers should be adequately equipped and trained in human rights, gender sensitivity and conflict resolution. It is essential to link peacekeeping and development, he said, adding that sustainable peace can only be achieved when operations are coupled with initiatives addressing conflicts’ root causes, such as poverty, inequality, and access to education and healthcare.
Similarly, Sudan’s delegate stressed the importance of aligning priorities of peacekeeping missions with national vision and realities. Missions’ performance should rely heavily on coordination with the host country and respect for local culture and context. Emphasizing that peacekeeping missions should address the root causes of the conflict, he urged greater coordination between the Security Council and the host country to allow missions to follow very specific and implementable rules that contribute to stability and security.
Drawing lessons from Mali’s experience with peacekeeping missions, that country’s delegate said that peacekeeping operations such as the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA)are “often endowed with vague, ambiguous or ill-adapted mandates” that ignore the realities on the ground. The Organization must move away from a cookie-cutter approach to all crises, he said, noting that while MINUSMA was deployed in a very specific environment, characterized by terrorism and violent extremism, the Mission’s “passive posture” exposed it to attacks.
The representative expressed concern about the Mission’s politicization, saying that while “security was the number one priority for the Malian people,” the Mission shifted its focus to internal political issues. Further, the low level of dialogue between the Mission and the host country authorities “could not but lead to the failure of the UN Mission”. As MINUSMA - the largest peacekeeping operation in the world - will be completing its drawdown in four days, he noted that its 10-year presence “did not meet the expectations of the Malian people”.
Sharing Rwanda’s experience, its delegate said that the fractured nature of the multilateral society challenges the Security Council to provide mandates and resources that match the missions’ needs. Consequently, the peace missions are frustrated, the host nation’s consent is lost and the mission can no longer meet its expectations. Therefore, he proposed to invest in peace dialogue by attacking the root causes and drivers of conflict, “an area that UN peacekeeping has almost ignored”. Highlighting Rwanda’s community engagement approach, applied over two decades, he said that it strengthens bonds and trust with local populations, providing a valuable opportunity to share strategic mission messages. A key outcome has been a reduction in misinformation, disinformation and hate speech against UN personnel, enhancing peacekeepers’ safety and security.
However, the representative of the Russian Federation said that UN peacekeeping should focus on its traditional task – maintaining peace. Non-essential tasks in the areas of human rights, gender issues and climate should not distract from the core function, she said, adding that it is host countries who bear the main responsibility for protecting civilians and eliminating the root causes of conflicts. The cornerstone of any peacekeeping operation should be cooperation between the mission and national authorities. Neither civil society nor non-governmental organizations can be a substitute for this, she said, adding that ignoring the interests of the host country is precisely the cause of rising disinformation and fake information about the Organization.
The representative of Portugal stressed that the success of the peacekeeping architecture depends on the way missions communicate with diverse stakeholders — local communities, host Governments and other regional or local stakeholders. “Easy to understand and updated communication is key to ensure the safety and security of both peacekeepers and civilians”. Therefore, the UN should make certain that mandates are effectively communicated to local populations, including a mission’s potential limitations. Due to the emerging challenges to peacekeeping, he also called for the Security Council to engage in a more regular dialogue with other UN bodies and the African Union, adding that “peacekeeping operations serve the bigger purpose of promoting peace even when the Security Council is divided”.
Brazil’s delegate, in turn, urged the Security Council to support non-military approaches and peacebuilding strategies to ensure the long-term gains of peacekeeping operations, recalling that the Pact for the Future recognizes the centrality of inclusive political approaches. With more than 55,000 Brazilian military and police personnel participating in peacekeeping missions over the past seven decades, he said that political and operational clarity remain key to ensuring the impact of peacekeeping. Sustained political, technical and financial support must be provided throughout the mandate, he said, stressing the need to uphold the principles and security of peacekeeping missions.
The representative of Cyprus cautioned against decision-making in the context of peacekeeping, based on political expediencies or financial constraints. Such decisions should be based on the situation on the ground and promote a performance-centered approach, where cost-cutting does not affect peacekeeping missions’ optimal functioning. Stressing the need to sustain the UN Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP) to prevent the recurrence of fighting, she highlighted the continuous occupation of more than a third of Cyprus’ territory. Warning that the success of the mission is being jeopardized by the acceptance of faits accompli on the ground, she stressed the need for the mission to have unimpeded access and freedom of movement in the areas where it is mandated to operate.
In the course of the meeting, a smattering of speakers underscored the need for better trained peacekeeping personnel to meet the challenges on the ground. Among them was the representative of the Republic of Korea, who stressedthe need to strengthen capabilities of peacekeeping missions in using new technologies to effectively implement their mandates and counter disinformation. In this context, he said his country is establishing a “smart camp prototype” for the Hanbit Unit, the Korean engineering battalion in the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS). This innovative project — expected to be completed by 2026 — aims to develop more efficient, secure and sustainable peacekeeping camps in line with the Strategy for the Digital Transformation of UN Peacekeeping. The initiative will not only improve the effectiveness of current missions, but also serve as a model for future operations, he said.
Emphasizing the need to enhance pre-deployment training and capacity-building support for peacekeeping personnel to tackle prolonged and regional conflicts, severe natural disasters and emerging threats, the representative of Mongolia called for greater support from Member States to bolster peacekeepers’ readiness. Against this background, he highlighted the annual Khaan Quest exercise at the Peacekeeping Operations Training Center of the Mongolian Armed Forces in Tavan Tolgoi, which has drawn participants from more than 50 countries.
Highlighting the recent attacks on the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), which includes troops from Poland, the representative of that country said that, on 12 October, 44 countries, including hers, issued a joint statement condemning all such attacks and calling for the protection of UN personnel. Urging all parties to the conflict to “protect those working for peace,” she said the Council has an obligation to encourage the parties to engage in dialogue and comply with resolutions. Such compliance is essential for missions to fulfil their mandates and for peacekeepers to operate safely and effectively, she stressed.
Serbia’s delegate, noting that her country currently ranks high among the European troop-contributing countries, said that members of Serbian armed forces are deployed in four United Nations peacekeeping operations, including in the complex and challenging situation in Lebanon. She called for a greater degree of accountability for crimes against peacekeepers, as well as better medical care, and expressed support for improving discipline among peacekeepers and taking measures to prevent sexual exploitation and violence.
During the meeting, the representative of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea and Morocco raised points of order. The representatives of Morocco, Israel, Türkiye, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Algeria, Syria, Cyprus and Republic of Korea spoke in exercise of the right of reply.
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