UNSC Meeting: United Nations Peacekeeping Operations

[September 6, 2022; 1000 hrs]

Statement by Ambassador Ruchira Kamboj

Permanent Representative of India to the UN

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Merci Monsieur Le President,

I congratulate France on assuming the Presidency of the Security Council for this month and wish them all success. I also thank Under Secretary General Jean-Pierre Lacroix for his presentation today on this important subject.

2.​​India’s peacekeeping credentials need no elaboration. Suffice to say that we have proudly contributed to UN Peacekeeping, since the 1950s, through a cumulative deployment of more than 260,000 troops and personnel over 6 decades. This tradition continues, as India remains one of the largest troop and police contributors, providing more than 5,700 Indian peacekeepers, deployed in 9 out of 12 UN Peacekeeping missions at present. 177 Indian peacekeepers have made the supreme sacrifice while serving in UN peacekeeping missions, the highest from any troop-contributing country. I take this opportunity to pay homage to all the valiant peacekeepers who have laid down their lives in defending the highest ideals of the United Nations.

Mr. President,

3. ​Today, UN peacekeeping is becoming increasingly challenging in the face of growing violence across conflict theaters, with a diminishing focus on the political process. It is critical, therefore, to reassess this Council’s approach towards peacekeeping as well as to address the security and operational challenges faced by peace operations. With these objectives in mind, Mr. President, I would like to make the following points for the consideration of this Council:

One, it is important that peacekeeping missions are given clear and realistic mandates, which are also matched equally by a provision of adequate resources. The Council needs to avoid terminologies and formulations while crafting Mission mandates that may generate false hopes and expectations. The problem arises to a large extent because troop and police contributing countries do not have a role in the decision-making process. This anomaly should be rectified sooner than later. Consulting TCCs while reviewing mandates should become a standard norm while crafting peacekeeping mandates by the Council.

Two, peacekeeping missions should be deployed prudently, with full recognition of their limitations. Equally important is to improve the understanding of the mandate of peace operations among the local stakeholders – as to what a UN Peacekeeping Mission can and cannot do for them. An effective mission communications strategy and coordination with the host Government plays a critical role in this regard and would help in addressing misinformation and disinformation against peacekeepers and enhancing thereby the safety and security of peacekeepers.

Three, we should make all-out efforts to bring the perpetrators of crimes against peacekeepers to justice. This Council needs to call on host nations to ensure implementation of measures adopted by the Council under Resolution 2589 of 2021 to address the issue of impunity of crimes against peacekeepers. In this regard, my delegation reiterates that the least that the UN system needs to do is to ensure that the proposed memorial wall at UN headquarters in memory of the fallen peacekeepers is installed urgently and at a visibly prominent location at these premises. India stands ready to contribute, including financially, towards this noble endeavour.

Four, establishing trust and ensuring smooth coordination between the Peacekeeping Mission’s leadership and the host State is essential to achieve the desired goals of peacekeeping operations. Peacekeeping Missions should encourage national ownership of the peace-building process among various stakeholders and adhere to the fundamental principles of peacekeeping.

Five, the role of women peacekeepers cannot be over-emphasized in effective peacekeeping. India takes pride in having deployed the first-ever all women peacekeeping contingent in Liberia in 2007, which inspired a whole generation of Liberian women to take part in the country's security sector. We stand ready to contribute further to this regard.

Six, India has been a strong advocate of introducing new and advanced technology in Peacekeeping Missions to overcome security and mandate implementation challenges. In 2021, India supported the rolling out of the UNITE AWARE Platform aimed at enhancing the safety and security of peacekeepers and signed an MOU with the UNC4ISR Academy for Peace Operations in Entebbe, Uganda, to meet its training and technology needs.

Seven, a peacekeeping operation is a collective endeavor. Therefore, while evaluating the performance of a mission, performance of all mission components, military as well as civilian, and the leadership should be considered.

Eight, the need for addressing the insecurity of civilians caused by terrorist groups cannot be ignored. However, the primary responsibility to protect civilians from non-State groups across its territory lies with the host State. We should strengthen capabilities of the host States’ security forces by providing them adequate training and logistical support.

Nine, a regional approach is imperative for resolution of armed conflicts as well as building collective security against transnational threats posed by terrorist groups. The Council should support the role of regional and sub-regional organizations in mediation, the monitoring of ceasefires, assistance to the implementation of peace accords and post-conflict rebuilding.

Last, but not least, peacekeeping missions need to factor an exit strategy from their very inception. There are several examples of redundant peacekeeping missions which continue to be a drain on the UN's depleting resources. Given the spate of spiraling conflict zones across the global landscape, retention of redundancy at the cost of minimizing efficiency in other critical peacekeeping operations is uncalled for.

4. In conclusion Mr. President, I wish to emphasize that the success of UN peacekeeping ultimately depends not just on the weapons and equipment that the troops carry, but on the moral force that the decisions of the UN Security Council command and the political process set in motion to resolve the conflict. India, in line with its time-tested credentials and experience in this domain, stands ready to support any sincere effort in that regard.

I thank you.