THE UNITED NATIONS
The United Nations under-secretary-general of peace operations has underscored the need for stronger, more consistent and unified support from member countries for the organization to achieve its key peacekeeping goals.
Growing national divisions, combined with increasingly complex conflicts, pose a formidable challenge to peacekeeping and the maintenance of security, Jean-Pierre Lacroix told ambassadors in the Security Council chamber.
“Peacekeeping is not a magic wand to help a country return to stability, but with the support of a unified international community, political processes and peace agreements have been implemented,” Lacroix said.
He emphasized that U.N. peacekeeping operations continue to play a crucial role in protecting civilians caught in the crossfire. “Even where political solutions to conflicts seem distant, peacekeepers continue to protect the lives of hundreds and thousands of civilians in countries and regions in which we are deployed,” he said.
Advancing the Women, Peace and Security agenda remains a core priority in U.N. peacekeeping, Lacroix said, stressing the need to involve more women in political processes to forge a sustainable peace. He cited the example of the MONUSCO mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, whose active support for women’s participation in the Nairobi Process led to significant representation in consultations between the government and armed groups.
Efforts to achieve gender parity within peacekeeping also are underway, with women constituting 25.6% of uniformed personnel. As of mid-2023, 38% of heads and 33% of deputy heads of civilian-led peacekeeping operations were women.
Lacroix emphasized the role of technology and data in the future of peacekeeping, noting the ongoing implementation of the Strategy for the Digital Transformation of U.N. Peacekeeping.
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