Media Home
UN Web TV
UN Audiovisual Library
UN PhotoUN / PEACEKEEPING OPERATIONS ADAPTABILITY
STORY: UN / PEACEKEEPING OPERATIONS ADAPTABILITY
TRT: 04 :13
SOURCE: UNIFEED
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGES: ENGLISH / FRENCH / NATS
DATELINE: 24 MARCH 2025, NEW YORK CITY / FILE
FILE – NEW YORK CITY
1. Wide shot, United Nations headquarters
24 MARCH 2025, NEW YORK CITY
2. Wide shot, Security Council
3. SOUNDBITE (English) António Guterres, Secretary-General, United Nations:
“Peace operations are designed not only to be an effective example of multilateralism in action — but a cost-effective one. At their best, they show how when the UN comes together to address challenges, the burden is diminished on individual countries alone.”
4. Wide shot, Security Council
5. SOUNDBITE (English) António Guterres, Secretary-General, United Nations:
“Terror and extremist groups, organized crime, the weaponization of new technologies, and the effects of climate change are all testing our capacities to respond. And, I regret to say, geopolitical divisions are undermining peace. The bilateral and multilateral arrangements that — for decades — have managed tensions and maintained stability are eroding. Violations of international law, human rights and the UN Charter are rampant — seemingly without consequence. Trust is in short supply among — and within — countries and regions.”
6. Wide shot, Security Council
7. SOUNDBITE (English) António Guterres, Secretary-General, United Nations:
“Work is now underway to review all forms of peace operations, as requested by Member States in the Pact for the Future. The review will aim to critically examine these tools and propose concrete recommendations to make them fit for today. This will include extensive consultations with Member States and others to inform — and inspire — recommendations. The review will build on the analysis presented in the New Agenda for Peace. It will be informed by the first comprehensive study of the history of special political missions in the 80 years of the United Nations, which will be released.”
8. Wide shot, Security Council
9. SOUNDBITE (French) António Guterres, Secretary-General, United Nations:
“Throughout, we will hold extensive consultations to capture as wide a spectrum of views as possible and to benefit from worldwide expertise. From Member States, host States, troop- and police-contributing countries and financial contributors…To regional organizations, civil society and academia, and our own leaders and experts within UN peace operations and the Secretariat. And the review will, of course, help inform our efforts through our UN@80 initiative, to find efficiencies and improvements across our work in light of the continued funding challenges we face as an organization.”
10. Wide shot, Security Council
11. SOUNDBITE (English) Jenna Russo, Director of Research and Head of the Brian Urquhart Center for Peace Operations, International Peace Institute:
“The UN must embrace a risk tolerant culture around peace operations. In my work as a researcher, time and again, I hear from peacekeepers that they are afraid to take risks and make mistakes and recent, excuse me, recent crises have only entrenched this mentality, as peacekeepers often feel the best they can do is keep their heads down and not make waves. Personnel are structurally disincentivized from trying new things and reporting what doesn't work in the field, for fear that their budgets and jobs may suffer consequences.”
12. Wide shot, Security Council
13. SOUNDBITE (English) Lars Løkke Rasmussen, Minister for Foreign Affairs, Denmark:
“Despite shortcomings United Nations peace operations are indispensable to maintaining international peace and security. For millions the blue flag and the blue helmet are symbols of hope. To the families sheltering in an IDP camp in the Democratic Republic of Congo, they mean protection; to the communities affected by climate change in South Sudan, it means support; to the women and girls facing persecution in Afghanistan, the blue flag means inclusion.”
14. Wide shot, Security Council
“Peace operations are designed not only to be an effective example of multilateralism in action — but a cost-effective one,” Secretary-General António Guterres said, urging reforms to confront global threats.
Addressing the Security Council during an open debate today (Mar 24) António Guterres called for a critical overhaul of United Nations peace operations to ensure they remain effective amid rising global instability, warning that “terror and extremist groups, organized crime, the weaponization of new technologies, and the effects of climate change are all testing our capacities to respond.”
Guterres also emphasized that UN peacekeeping must evolve to meet modern challenges. “Work is now underway to review all forms of peace operations,” he said, referencing Member States’ request under the Pact for the Future. “The review will aim to critically examine these tools and propose concrete recommendations to make them fit for today.”
Guterres described the current geopolitical environment as increasingly fractured. “Geopolitical divisions are undermining peace… Violations of international law, human rights and the UN Charter are rampant - seemingly without consequence,” he said. “Trust is in short supply among - and within - countries and regions.”
The review will draw on the New Agenda for Peace and incorporate a forthcoming comprehensive study on special political missions over the UN’s 80-year history. “Throughout, we will hold extensive consultations to capture as wide a spectrum of views as possible,” he added, citing engagement with host States, troop and police contributors, civil society, and UN leadership.
Peace operations, Guterres stressed, are not only multilateral by design but cost-efficient. “At their best, they show how when the UN comes together to address challenges, the burden is diminished on individual countries alone.”
Jenna Russo, Director of Research at the International Peace Institute, echoed calls for reform, urging the UN to foster a “risk tolerant culture” within missions. “Peacekeepers often feel the best they can do is keep their heads down and not make waves,” she said. “Personnel are structurally disincentivized from trying new things and reporting what doesn't work… for fear that their budgets and jobs may suffer consequences.”
Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen, presiding over the Council, underscored the continued importance of peacekeeping despite its flaws. “For millions, the blue flag and the blue helmet are symbols of hope,” he said. “To the families sheltering in an IDP camp in the Democratic Republic of Congo, they mean protection; to the communities affected by climate change in South Sudan, it means support; to the women and girls facing persecution in Afghanistan, the blue flag means inclusion.”
Download
There is no media available to download.
