New York, 2 May 2023 (TDI): Thibault Camellia, Counsellor, Delegation of the European Union to the United Nations, delivered a statement on behalf of the Member States of the European Union.
The UN 5th Committee (Admin & Budget) opened its third session primarily dedicated to the implementation of UN Peace and Security mandates.
The Counsellor spoke on behalf of Member States of the European Union. The candidate countries namely North Macedonia, Montenegro, Albania, Ukraine, the Republic of Moldova, Bosnia, Herzegovina, Georgia, as well as Andorra, Monaco, and San Marino, also align themselves with the statement.
Councilor Camellia paid tribute to the continued hard work, bravery, and commitment of all UN personnel, uniformed and civilian, for serving the United Nations in its headquarters and in many operations around the world.
She emphasized honoring those who sacrificed their lives for peace. Despite many challenges, their unending commitment enables the UN to continue to be a beacon of peace.
The European Union and its member states are staunch advocates of peacebuilding and peacekeeping efforts of the UN. The Councilor reiterated the EU’s commitment to strengthening peacekeeping along the eight priorities of the Action for Peacekeeping Declaration.
EU believes it to be a collective responsibility to ensure peacekeeping remains fit for success and welcomes the many opportunities to do so in the Fifth Committee.
EU will work closely with the United Nations and partners like African Union on issues related to peace and security. EU is pleased that this cooperation played a significant role in achieving success in financing the Peacebuilding Fund.
As the second largest collective contributor to UN peacekeeping budgets, the EU is dedicated to peacekeeping operations and ensuring their support functions are well financed, sufficiently staffed, and adequately equipped to carry out their important mandates.
The statement by the councilor reiterated the EU’s responsibility to formulate long-term planning both for missions and for women and men deployed to maintain peace and security under the UN flag.
It called upon all the member states to contribute to all peacekeeping missions unconditionally. EU attaches great importance to performance and the cost-efficient conduct of peacekeeping missions.
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The EU takes pride in the achievement of the committee in the past few years when adopting key framework resolutions that have significantly improved the management of peacekeeping operations and the implementation of their mandates.
- On the one hand, the EU welcomes the progress achieved in managing the liquidity situation of the peacekeeping operations and regarding the liquidation of closed peacekeeping operations. It looks forward to making further progress this year regarding liquidation mechanisms and automatic disbursements for the four closing ones.
- On the other hand, It also welcomes the adoption of the long-awaited crosscutting policy resolution last year. The European Union and its Member States are convinced that this guidance on important administrative and budgetary policy areas helps the Secretariat carry out peacekeeping operations and to use the resources more effectively in support of mandate delivery.
- It is now the Committee’s responsibility to measure progress in this regard, for instance, on the important operational issues of the women’s peace and security agenda, safety and security of the peacekeepers, the environmental footprint of missions, gender parity, human rights, and the continued fight against sexual exploitation and abuse.
- The EU also needs to continue to provide further guidance to the Secretariat and look forward to our discussions on the delivery model of the UN Mine Action Service in this regard.
The possibility of reassessing the rate of reimbursement for contingent-owned equipment is also welcomed. The EU hails the member states that support peacebuilding and provide the UN with uniformed personnel, equipment, and other capabilities.
The EU believes in active participation in peacekeeping missions. The timelines and deadlines need to be upheld to allow the Secretariate to implement the resolution in time.
Pragmatism and political will from all groups and delegations are required to ensure the adoption of an adequate, sustainable budget for effective mandate implementation.
A positive message should be sent out to the UN staff and the troops in the field by concluding the session with consensus.
The EU will keep supporting the UN to achieve Peace and Security and its ambitious goals and working closely with all groups and delegations in a spirit of good faith, transparency, and constructive cooperation.
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