EU Statement – UN Security Council: Strengthening UN Peacekeeping: Reflections for the Future

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EU Statement - UN Security Council: Strengthening UN Peacekeeping: Reflections for the Future

09.09.2024 Press and information team of the Delegation to the UN in New York

9 September 2024, New York - Statement on behalf of the European Union and its Member States by H.E. Mr. Stavros LAMBRINIDIS, Ambassador, Head of the Delegation of the European Union to the United Nations, at the UN Security Council Open Debate on 'Strengthening UN Peacekeeping: Reflections for the Future'

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I have the honour to speak on behalf of the European Union and its Member States.

The Candidate Countries North Macedonia*, Montenegro^*, Serbia^*, Ukraine, the Republic of Moldova, Bosnia and Herzegovina^*and Georgia align themselves with this statement.

Mr/Mme President,

First, I want to thank Slovenia for organizing this important debate, as well as the briefers for their insightful remarks.

We would also like to take this opportunity to honour those who have made the ultimate sacrifice in the pursuit of peace.

Maintaining peace and security is one of the biggest challenges for the international community and multilateralism today. Conflicts proliferate across the globe and gross violations of the UN Charter and international law are widespread. The increasing weaponization of strategic resources, the emergence of new areas such as cyber, AI and space, and the increasing impact of climate change and environmental degradation pose new threats to global peace and security.

The EU is fully committed to promoting international cooperation, upholding the rules-based international order and strengthening networked multilateralism, with the United Nations at its core. As such, partnerships are an indispensable pillar of the EU's efforts to promote global peace and security.

The EU-UN Strategic Partnership on Peace Operations and Crisis Management is a key strand of our cooperation. The increasing complexity of the international security landscape demands greater and more sophisticated engagement. This is why we want to reinforce our Strategic Partnership by agreeing on a new set of priorities for 2025-2027.

The EU currently deploys 21 civilian and military missions and operations, some of which were established in parallel to UN missions. Three EU operations directly implement UN Security Council mandates: Operation IRINI in the Mediterranean Sea; Operation ALTHEA in Bosnia and Herzegovina; and Operation ASPIDES in the Red Sea. Our missions and operations cooperate on issues from field support to information-sharing and joint political messaging, and, in the future, we envisage even closer collaboration.

Making UN peacekeeping fit for the future will require the joint support of UN member states for the UN's continued role in peacekeeping. In this vein, we must:

1. Ensure that UN peacekeeping operations receive full political support and adequate resources. EU Member States contribute over 4,000 personnel to current UN peacekeeping missions, as well as 23.5% of the UN peacekeeping budget in 2024. Support for political processes is also fundamental to achieving sustainable peace in host countries.
2. Ensure that peace operations are adapted to present and future challenges, including through strengthening the role of regional organisations.
3. Promote the implementation of the Women, Peace and Security Agenda, the Youth, Peace and Security Agenda, intensify efforts on Climate and Security, and increase the focus on conflict prevention and peacebuilding.

The EU fully supports the UN Secretary-General's New Agenda for Peace and looks forward to seeing its recommendations reflected in the Pact for the Future. We also look forward to deepening our discussions on the future of UN peacekeeping in the context of the next Peacekeeping Ministerial in Germany in 2025.

Mr/Mme President,

The upcoming Summit of the Future constitutes a unique opportunity to reinvigorate the multilateral system and make the UN fit for the future.

I want to thank the Presidency again for taking the initiative of convening today's discussion.

Thank you.

*North Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina continue to be part of the Stabilisation and Association Process.