Peacekeeping is a lifeline for millions, not a luxury - Security Council Briefing | United Nations

UN Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations said, “Peacekeeping is not a luxury; it is a lifeline for millions who count on it for a future without fear.” Addressing the Security Council today (09 Sep), Jean-Pierre Lacroix, said, “Peacekeeping is not a luxury; it is a lifeline for millions who count on it for a future without fear. Over 60,000 peacekeepers representing 115 Member States bravely carry out its vital work in 11 missions, making peacekeeping the UN’s largest and most visible activity in the field.” He also said, “Rather than retreat we must use the expertise and valuable lessons from nearly eight decades of peacekeeping to use this valuable tool to respond to the legitimate expectations that “the peoples” hold towards the fulfillment of the Charter.” He continued, “We continue to do our utmost to uphold the highest standards of conduct and discipline. We continue pre-deployment training on conduct and discipline for all uniformed personnel as well as in mission training. We provide avenues for victims to come forward, investigate allegations of sexual exploitation and abuse and when allegations are substantiated, we take the requisite action.” He added, “From November 2024 to April 2025, we repatriated 17 uniformed personnel on disciplinary grounds. And together with concerned Member States, we have also actively sought solutions to address the too many pending paternity and child support claims - so that children fathered by peacekeepers and their mothers can have closure and assistance.” He stressed, “To advance durable political solutions that enable peacekeeping to withdraw without a relapse into conflict requires the strong, unified and ongoing support of this Council - through the adoption of clear, prioritized mandates, active political engagement and statements of support. This must be matched by the payment of assessed contributions in full and on time.” Also addressing the Council today, Rosemary A. DiCarlo, UN Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, said, “There is one fundamental fact that no review, no matter how extensive or ambitious, can change: the failure or weak implementation of mandates is often related to the lack of political support for such operations – in the countries where they are deployed, among regional countries and in the Council, itself. We will therefore need to engage with a laser like focus on bringing the emphasis back to the political questions at the heart of each conflict and finding multilateral responses to them.” Earlier this morning, Ambassador Sangjin Kim, Charge d'affaires, a.i., Permanent Mission of the Republic of Korea to the United Nations, addressed the press, joined by representatives of Denmark, France, Greece, Guyana, Panama, Sierra Leone, Slovenia, and the United Kingdom on Climate, Peace and Security in the context of UN Peace Operations. He said, “For decades, UN peace operations have proven to be testaments of multilateralism in action –saving lives, preventing the spread of conflicts, and sustaining peace. At the same time, however, there is an increasing need for these operations to adapt and respond to complex challenges, notably climate change.” He added, “Its devastating impacts such as droughts, floods, and land degradation have shown to exacerbate, prolong, or even trigger conflicts, affecting civilian populations as well as UN personnel and activities.” He stated, “UN peace operations need to be climate-sensitive throughout the entire peace continuum.”


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