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Remarks by Ambassador Dai Bing at the General Debate of the Special Committee on Peacekeeping Operations

2022-02-14 13:00

Mr. Chair,

China congratulate you on your election as Chair of the Special Committee on Peacekeeping Operations. I would also take this opportunity to pay tribute to all the peacekeepers who serve in the 12 mission areas despite the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Peacekeeping operations are an important tool for the UN in the maintenance of international peace and security. At present, while COVID-19 continues to rage on, unilateralism, Cold-War mentality and bullying acts are also on the rise, leading to more challenges in the field of international peace and security, with ever mounting uncertainties and instabilities. In this context, we should continue to improve PKOs and better leverage their role. In this connection. I wish to make the following points.

First, we need to optimize PKO’s overall planning. A reasonable mandate is an important foundation for effective PKOs. Expensive and trying-to-do-it-all mandates are the main cause of the tight situation with peacekeeping resources. Armed conflicts ultimately need political solutions. PKO mandates should also be planned and designed closely around political settlement of disputes. PKO’s excessive involvement in matters for which host countries should play a leading role will only fail to achieve the expected results, but most probably will worsen relations with host countries and affect PKO’s efforts to perform their core tasks. The key to reasonable mandates is to fully respect the views of host countries, instead of the imposition of ideas based on political considerations, ideology and preconceptions.

Second, safety and security of peacekeepers need our greater attention. PKOs are facing rising security risks. Last year, 135 peacekeepers made the ultimate sacrifice for peace, the highest number in four years. It is very saddening, Member States and the Secretariat should make joint efforts to improve mission’s emergency response and early warning capacities, strengthen the rescue and medical support system, and make proper use of new technologies for better equipment and higher level of security. China welcomes the establishment of focal points for safety and security by the Secretariat, and looks forward to their coordinated efforts to advance the agenda of peacekeepers’ safety and security, and supervise the implementation of related work.

Third, it is important to continuously improve peacekeeping performance. The Secretariat should fully engage with TCCs, constantly improve the performance evaluation system, and maximize PKO’s impacts. Accountability is only a means, and the end should be to improve peacekeeping performance. At the same time, it needs to be made clear that PKOs can be successful only when they are equipped with sufficient resources for the mandates and use these resources efficiently. Training is an effective instrument of peacekeeping capacity building. Pre-deployment training is as important as in-theater training.

Fourth, we need to build ever stronger peacekeeping partnerships. Multi-level and multi-dimensional partnerships provide strong support for peacekeeping operations. The Security Council, the Secretariat, financial contributors, TCCs and PCCs should strengthen communication and leverage existing mechanisms, including meetings of TCCs and PCCs, and the Security Council working group on peacekeeping operations to have in-depth discussions and share ideas for the reform of PKOs. AU-lead peace operations a useful practice to solve African problem by Africans in African ways. It is an important supplement to UN peacekeeping operations. China supports the provision of sufficient, predictable and sustainable financial support to AU-lead peace operations and supports continued discussions by relevant parties to find a viable funding solution. Main funding partners should continue and step up their level of support to avoid a reversal in achievements made by AU-led peace operations.

Mr. Chair,

China is a major troop contributor and the second largest financial contributor to the UN PKOs, with a 8000-strong peacekeeping standby force established. Last year, the Chinese military organized an international peacekeeping field exercise called “Shared Destiny-2021” to test the development of peacekeeping standby forces through a joint exercise. China took the leading in setting up the Group of Friends on the Safety and Security of UN Peacekeepers, pushed the Council to adopt a presidential statement on the subject, and donated 300,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccines to peacekeepers, thus contributing to the safety and security of peacekeepers with concrete actions. China will also hold an international forum on peacekeeping in due course to pool ideas and forge synergy. We welcome the active participation of all Member States.

Thank you, Mr. Chair.


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