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EU Presidency Statement - United Nations: Special Committee on Peacekeeping Operations

STATEMENT TO THE SPECIAL COMMITTEE ON PEACEKEEPING OPERATIONS, BY H.E. MR. THOMAS MATUSSEK, AMBASSADOR AND PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE OF GERMANY TO THE UNITED NATIONS, ON BEHALF OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, New York

Mr. Chairman,

I have the honor to speak on behalf of the European Union.

The European Union welcomes the report of the Secretary-General on the implementation of the recommendations of the Special Committee on Peacekeeping Operations.

European nations have always actively supported and participated in both UN- lead and UN-mandated peacekeeping missions with large numbers of troops, civilian police and other personnel throughout the world. The European Union actively supports efforts to establish peace and security, politically, militarily and financially.

The surge in peacekeeping has resulted in an unprecedented level of missions and personnel deployed. In addition, the operational tempo and the complexity of tasks involved in such operations have increased immensely. Consequently, planning, mounting and controlling these missions effectively demand a review of strategy and structure.

Therefore we welcome and support the Secretary-General's intention to carry out a comprehensive review of DPKO and how the UN should be organised to best respond to the needs of today's peacekeeping. This includes the initiative to achieve a more efficient structure and to adapt the relevant Secretariat Departments accordingly, taking into account the need to preserve a clear chain of command and control in the conduct of peacekeeping operations.

The European Union thanks the Secretary-General for his readiness to initiate a reform process in close consultation with the Member States. It is crucial that this reform process be completed within a reasonable timeframe. While we recognize that undue haste should be avoided, it is crucial that the momentum be sustained so that the effectiveness of UN peacekeeping is not put at risk.

In order to have a lasting impact on the way in which UN peacekeeping is conducted, we also need to reflect on aspects beyond the restructuring of the Secretariat. Challenges are plentiful, so we have to prioritize and focus on important operational elements that can make a difference in the field. The Peace Operations 2010 reform agenda that DPKO announced last year made some significant suggestions in that regard, which we welcomed and now look forward to deploying further.

At this year's session of the Special Committee, the European Union will focus on five priority areas that we consider to be the key issues in UN peacekeeping at this time:

Mr. Chairman,

Allow me now to elaborate on some of the key aspects of each of our five priorities.

As already mentioned, the surge in peacekeeping has created the need for peacekeeping to reflect current structures and procedures. In that regard, the European Union welcomes the Secretariat's approach of developing the concept of Enhanced Rapidly Deployable Capabilities. The EU looks forward to a continued and intensified dialogue with the UN with a view to maximizing the possibilities of employing existing high readiness forces through strategic partnerships and other means of force generation, in appropriate circumstances.

As the demand for police and specialized policing skills has risen exponentially, the EU strongly supports the implementation and the further development of the Standing Police Capacity (SPC). We have to provide a coherent, effective and responsible start-up and advisory capacity for the policing component of United Nations peace operations.

Multidimensional peacekeeping has also placed new demands on the UN to provide civilian capabilities. Recalling the report from last year's C-34 session the EU requests DPKO, in consultations with troop-contributing countries, to conduct a comprehensive review of the concept of civilian observers in order to complement the Member States' possibilities to provide personnel in addition to military observers and police.

The structure and organisation of DPKO needs to reflect both the increase in the number of peacekeeping operations and the increasing size and complexity of those operations. It is encouraging to note that there are currently a number of important initiatives under way related to improving the capacity and effectiveness of DPKO - the organisational strand of DPKO's 2010 Reform Agenda, the recently completed OIOS report on the structure of DPKO and most recently the S-G's own proposals for restructuring DPKO. In taking these initiatives forward it is important that the Secretariat continues to brief, consult and engage with member states on an ongoing basis.

In particular, the EU fully supports the Secretary-General's call to address urgently the capacity shortfalls within DPKO's Military Division. Strengthening the capacity of the Military Division will not be sufficient in itself, however. Planning Capacities must also be enhanced as soon as possible, and on a sustained basis. In connection with this, the EU recommends that the lessons learned from UNIFIL SMC be taken into account in the restructuring plans, along with the recommendations of the OIOS audit of DPKO. Similar account needs to be taken of important innovations in the command and control of field missions, such as JOC, JMAC and JLOC concepts, and the scope for replicating this integrated approach at the strategic level. In this regard, the EU notes with great interest the Secretary-General's intention to establish a strategic planning capacity at Headquarters and looks forward to learning more about this step.

We in the EU also acknowledge that the development and codification of the UN Capstone doctrine, which is due for completion in 2007, is an important step forward in UN peacekeeping and welcome the engagement of member states in its development.

European member states also welcome the initiative for implementing a comprehensive and integrated approach to mission planning. However, the EU is concerned that the Integrated Mission Planning Process has so far largely not been taken into account in mission planning. The Secretariat now needs to take a much more proactive role in utilizing and embedding IMPP, both in New York and in field missions.

Mr. Chairman,

The importance of safety and security of all UN personnel deployed is of prime importance. The EU congratulates the Secretariat on the decisive steps successfully implemented so far. Notwithstanding the positive developments, we suggest that the effective mechanism of periodic risk analysis be developed and implemented, including benchmarks to determine security levels. Such analysis would be conducted prior to establishing a mission and at every stage of the operation.

By the same token, intensifying the dialogue with TCCs, particularly after any relevant incidents in the field, is key. This has to include sharing risk assessments and lessons learned from incidents. In order to facilitate this, the European Union recommends to consider either to strengthen the capacities of the Situation Center or to establish a strategic analysis cell at headquarters in New York. Beyond information sharing, this cell would improve decision making and situational awareness by providing strategic level analysis and by sharing assessments with analysis centres in the field. As the Secretary-General points out in his report, however, an alarmingly high number of deaths amongst UN peacekeeping personnel result not from malicious acts but from illness. The EU fully agrees that greater efforts must be made by member states and the Secretariat alike to combat this phenomenon.

Countries emerging from conflict face daunting challenges and need to quickly deliver tangible dividends of peace to the people. There the UN can make a significant contribution to this task. In order to make better use of its resources to that effect close co-ordination of peacekeeping and peace- building activities is key. In that respect, the EU reiterates calls it has made in the past for development of a framework for coordination among DPKO, other relevant UN departments and agencies and the Peace Building Support Office as soon as possible. At the same time, we agree that operations must be concentrated on their core peacekeeping tasks and that exit strategies must be defined from the outset of the planning process.
Recognizing the challenges of multidimensional peacekeeping the EU supports all efforts to effectively link peacekeeping with a broad peace-building strategy. Disarmament, demobilisation and reintegration programmes closely synchronized with assistance for security sector reform have become indispensable pillars of effective peace-building significantly contributing to a sustainable post-conflict reconstruction.

The EU notes with satisfaction progress that has been made in supporting transitional justice in many missions. In that respect, the EU wishes to express its strong support for the establishment of the Rule of Law Coordination and Resource Group and the supporting secretariat,.as announced in the 2005 Summit Outcome Document and in the Report "Uniting our strengths: Enhancing United Nations' support for the Rule of Law" by the Secretary-General. The EU is looking forward to the early operationalisation of the group and the secretariat

Mr. Chairman,

Preventing a crisis or, where necessary, mastering it is the reality of peacekeeping. It is the burden that is put on the shoulder of every player. To spread the load the EU recognizes the need to broaden partnerships with regional organizations. There is scope for enhanced co-operation and partnership in a range of areas: rapid deployment, shared doctrine, planning expertise and training are just examples.

Establishing a framework to operationalise such practical co-operation would do much to enhance both the efficiency and effectiveness of international peacekeeping efforts. The experience of supporting AMIS in Darfur and MONUC during the recent elections in the DRC has highlighted the requirement for replacing "ad hoc" arrangements with the need for effective co-ordination mechanisms and measures between UN and regional organizations, and also other donors and partners.

Mr. Chairman, in conclusion, the European Union is looking forward to having fruitful discussions during the course of this session of the Special Committee on Peacekeeping Operations. This exchange of views should lead to numerous, well-considered recommendations aimed at improving the United Nations' ability to master the numerous challenges peacekeeping, and peacekeepers in particular, face.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

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