7802nd Security Council Meeting: Maintenance of International Peace and Security - Part 1

Peace operations increasingly face asymmetrical threats from violent extremist and terrorist groups that specifically targeted peacekeepers, Deputy Secretary-General Jan Eliasson told the Security Council today, at 7802nd meeting.

• Categories: Meetings & Events / Security Council
• Video Length: 03:20:53
• Production Date: 7 November 2016
• Asset Language: Arabic; Chinese; English; French; Russian; Spanish
• Personal Subject: JAN ELIASSON
• Subject Topical: PEACE AND SECURITY; PEACEKEEPERS; PEACEKEEPING OPERATIONS; UNITED NATIONS PERSONNEL; TERRORISM
• MAMS Id: 1768693
• Parent Id: 1767705

Description

During an open debate on “peace operations facing asymmetrical threats”, which attracted some 60 participants, the Deputy Secretary-General said violent extremism and terrorism thrived on impunity and failures of governance, exploiting deep-rooted grievances. That was the context in which the United Nations must often operate. In responding, it would need more sophisticated and predictable uniformed capabilities and a deeper understanding of the operating environment, he said, emphasizing the critical importance of developing intelligence and analysis.

He went on to stress three priorities for preparing operations to face asymmetrical threats, saying that, firstly, everything must be done to ensure the safety and security of peacekeeping personnel. Adapting to the manner in which mandates were delivered was a second priority, he said, cautioning that an over-generalized approach could be counterproductive. Third was building accountable and legitimate State capacity that would ensure respect for human rights and the rule of law in order to avoid perpetuating drivers of conflict and extremism.

The Council also heard from Michaëlle Jean, Secretary-General of the International Organization of La Francophonie, who said that, since the French-speaking world was the theatre of half of all United Nations peacekeeping operations, it saw at first hand the urgent need to adapt their mandates and methods in order to face emerging asymmetrical threats. The attacks of the past two days in Mali, in which French and Togolese soldiers had died, were tragic examples, she added.

Peacekeeping missions must have more agile and robust capabilities in order to be able to protect themselves and the local population, where mandated, she said. It was also necessary to counter all criminal groups seeking to destabilize countries and to control illicit trafficking routes, through robust, effective, collective international action alongside the efforts of the States concerned and their respective regional organizations.

Jean-Paul Laborde, Executive Director of the Counter-Terrorism Committee, described its Counter-Terrorism Executive Directorate (CTED) and United Nations peace operations as partners within the Council, with distinct but mutually reinforcing mandates. The Directorate’s aim was to undertake independent evaluations of the capacity of Member States to combat terrorism, he explained. Operating on the front lines, peace operations and special political missions could help States to enhance border controls and rule-of-law institutions.

The mandates of CTED and peace operations must be expanded in a “one UN” approach, he said, emphasizing the importance of enhancing institutional cooperation. The Directorate could continue to offer its experience in combating terrorism, as well as recommendations and best practices. However, host countries and missions needed technical assistance to implement the recommendations on the ground, which called for better coordination between agencies. There was also a need to coordinate bilateral assistance.

Also briefing the Council, Yury Fedotov, Executive Director of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), spotlighted the links between terrorist organizations and criminal gangs involved in the illicit trafficking of drugs, people and weapons. He said that his Office was undertaking projects to counter organized crime and strengthen the rule of law and criminal justice systems, while also countering radicalization in prisons and the recruitment of terrorist fighters.

Arthur Boutellis, Director of the Brian Urquhart Center for Peace Operations, pointed out that 7 of the 11 countries most affected by terrorism were hosts to United Nations peace operations. The question was whether they could undertake counter-terrorism operations. According to a report by the Brian Urquhart Center, they were not the appropriate tool for counter-terrorism operations, he said. While it was essential to adapt operations in order to protect civilians and staff on the ground, the practical question was how to adapt, he emphasized. Retreating within compounds was not the solution.

Opening the debate, Mankeur Ndiaye, Council President for November and Senegal’s Minister for Foreign Affairs and Senegalese Abroad, noted that asymmetric threats to peacekeeping operations, whether from terrorism or organized transnational crime, had been growing in severity and must become a sustained focus of the Council if United Nations peacekeeping was to perform its functions effectively. It was important to equip missions adequately with modern technology, to tailor mandates to the operational environment, and to develop resilience and robustness in terms of mobility and other areas.

Many speakers cited the reviews of the United Nations peacekeeping and peacebuilding architecture by the High-level Panel Independent Panel on Peace Operations. They noted that peace operations were not fit to execute counter-terrorism operations. Instead, peacekeeping operations and special political missions should enhance the capacity of States to regain control and help them to build their capability to maintain the rule of law. However, peace operations must have the necessary capabilities and posture to protect themselves. China’s representative stressed the necessity of maintaining the principles of neutrality, sovereignty of host countries and non-use of force except in self-defence or defence of mandate.

Angola’s representative underlined the importance of integrating the prevention of violent extremism into peacekeeping mandates, saying military tools should not be discarded in the face of such threats. Uruguay’s representative, however, said the United Nations should not engage in counter-terrorism combat operations. The affected State should take the necessary military actions and if it was unable to do so, an international force could be equipped to combat terrorism.

The Permanent Observer of the African Union, stressed that optimal use must be made of the principle of complementarity under Chapter VIII of the United Nations Charter, when collaborating with regional organizations such as the African Union. The bloc had demonstrated its ability to quickly deploy missions with robust mandates in dangerous environments, and for that reason, it was requesting unanimous Council support for its proposal that the United Nations share 75 per cent of the cost of its Security Council-authorized operations.

Mali’s representative said his country had become the most dangerous one for peacekeepers. While Council resolution 2295 (2016) had given the United nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) a more robust mandate, none of the relevant provisions had not been implemented five months after that text’s adoption. The mission lacked logistical equipment, he said, adding that the withdrawal of three helicopter units and the lack of attack helicopters were also matters of serious concern.

Also addressing the Council today were ministers and other senior officials representing Ukraine, United States, Spain, Egypt, Japan, Malaysia, France, Russian Federation, Venezuela (speaking for the Non-Aligned Movement), United Kingdom, New Zealand, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Brazil, India, Pakistan, Iran, Guatemala, Italy, Thailand (for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations), Germany, Poland, Norway (on behalf of the Nordic countries), Belgium, Republic of Korea, Indonesia, Bangladesh, Netherlands, Kazakhstan, Mexico, Morocco, Lithuania, Paraguay, South Africa, Israel, Gambia, Nigeria, Ethiopia, Haiti, Australia, Canada, Côte d’Ivoire, Turkey, Maldives, Argentina and Syria, as did observers for the European Union and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).