Chère Madame la Présidente, Distingués délégués
1. C'est un honneur de vous retrouver cette année à l’occasion de l’ouverture d’une nouvelle session du C34. Je suis particulièrement heureux de m'adresser au Comité spécial des opérations de maintien aujourd'hui en compagnie de Mme.
Ameerah Haq, Secrétaire-générale adjointe chargée du Département de l’appui aux missions.
2. Les Départements des opérations de maintien de la paix et de l'appui aux missions travaillent en étroite collaboration sur plusieurs dossiers d’actualité.
Ameerah et moi sommes récemment rentrés d'un voyage au sommet de l'Union africaine. Le déploiement avec un préavis très court des observateurs militaires en Syrie, le retrait avec succès de la MINUT, et les préparatifs pour l'utilisation, en période d'essai, de systèmes aériens sans pilote en RDC ont tous été entrepris grâce aux efforts conjoints de nos deux départements.
3. Lors de ma dernière visite en RDC, je me suis rappelé à nouveau des épreuves et des risques incroyables que tous nos agents du maintien de la paix endurent au quotidien. Le décès en décembre dernier, de quatre civils membres de l’équipage de l’hélicoptère de la MINUSS, abattu par l'Armée populaire de libération du Soudan, a été un rappel tragique des coûts élevés que nous éprouvons pour servir les plus vulnérables. En 2012, 111 agents du maintien de la paix ont fait le sacrifice ultime pour la cause de la paix. Je rends ici hommage à leur service.
4. La sûreté et la sécurité des hommes et des femmes qui travaillent dans les opérations de maintien de la paix demeurent pour moi d'une importance capitale.
Notant qu’il incombe au pays hôte la responsabilité première d'assurer la protection du personnel des Nations Unies, le Secrétariat continue de développer des solutions 2 efficaces afin de jouer son rôle dans l'amélioration de la perception de la situation sécuritaire, d’anticiper les menaces et de gérer les risques. Ainsi, la mise en oeuvre du Système de Niveau de Sécurité est un outil important qui permet aux responsables de la sécurité d’obtenir un état des lieux des menaces évaluées dans tous les lieux d'affectation. L'amélioration continue du Système de Notification des Incidents de Sécurité est tout aussi importante puisque celle-ci permettra aux responsables de la sécurité d’identifier de manière globale les tendances et les modèles de sécurité.
5. Si la sécurité demeure une préoccupation très sérieuse, nous travaillons également à améliorer la sûreté au travail parce que les incidents de cette nature comptent pour une part importante dans le nombre de décès et blessures du personnel servant dans les missions de maintien de la paix. Une nouvelle politique sur la Gestion des Risques Professionnels et une directive d’application ont été approuvées en Décembre 2012 et sont actuellement mises en oeuvre dans toutes les missions.
6. Je souhaite vous parler aujourd'hui de l'importance du partenariat - dans le monde, avec les organisations régionales et sous-régionales, et entre les départements du Secrétariat. Le Comité spécial des opérations de maintien de la paix joue un rôle essentiel d’appui aux partenariats dans le domaine du maintien de la paix. Il s'est aussi avéré être une plate-forme inestimable de travail pour relever les défis politiques émergents qui nous guident à mesure que nous progressons. Je vous félicite pour les efforts que vous avez déployés l'an dernier pour l’adoption par consensus de votre rapport, et je salue votre décision cette année de renoncer aux débats sur des thèmes particuliers afin de rationaliser vos délibérations. Nous sommes prêts à vous aider dans vos efforts pour améliorer encore plus le travail de ce comité.
Madame la Présidente 7. Mon adjoint, le Sous-secrétaire général en charge des opérations de maintien de la paix, Edmond Mulet, vous donnera jeudi un exposé détaillé sur les questions opérationnelles. Permettez-moi d’aborder brièvement aujourd’hui quelques développements clés et tendances que nous observons actuellement dans nos missions, d’aborder, ensuite, le contexte plus stratégique de nos efforts dans le cadre 3 du maintien de la paix et de vous présenter, finalement, mes priorités politiques pour 2013-2014.
8. Le maintien de la paix des Nations Unies reste au coeur de la réponse de la communauté internationale face aux conflits, et demeure une activité phare de notre Organisation. Aujourd'hui, l'ONU est engagée sur quatre continents dans 15 opérations, avec des mandats couvrant toute la gamme des activités prévues au titre des chapitres VI, VII et VIII de la Charte des Nations Unies.
9. J'ai l'intention d'engager un processus d’évaluation périodique de toutes nos missions, au moins une fois tous les deux ans, ou plus souvent si nécessaire, afin de s'assurer que nos missions ont «la taille idéale», ce qui signifie qu’elles disposent des ressources et des capacités nécessaires pour mettre en oeuvre leurs mandats. Certaines de ces évaluations pourront déboucher sur des recommandations de redimensionnement. Cependant, ils pourront aussi conduire à faire appel à des ressources supplémentaires si les circonstances les rendent nécessaires.
10. Nous continuons à porter beaucoup d'attention sur le Soudan et le Soudan du Sud. Plus de deux ans après l'indépendance du Soudan du Sud, plusieurs questions clés restent en suspens notamment la mise en place de dispositifs de sécurité efficaces entre le Soudan et le Soudan du Sud, l'adoption d’accords sur les questions du pétrole et des finances, une approche acceptable pour la gouvernance dans la région d'Abyei, et la démarcation des frontières contestées. Au Darfour, la mise en oeuvre du Document de Doha pour la paix au Darfour a progresser lentement et les hostilités sporadiques entre le gouvernement et les forces armées, ainsi que les conflits intercommunautaires sont toujours d’actualité. La crise économique au Soudan et la concurrence continue pour des ressources rares sont également susceptibles de conduire à une plus grande insécurité.
11. Par conséquent, la sous-région continuera d'accueillir au moins un tiers de toutes les troupes des Nations Unies déployées dans le monde pour l'année prochaine.
La MINUSS continue d'axer ses actions sur la protection des civils et la prévention des conflits, et la FISNUA d'appuyer la mise en oeuvre complète de l’Accord du 20 Juin 2011 définissant les arrangements provisoires concernant l'administration et la 4 sécurité de la région d'Abyei, ainsi que la mise en application du Mécanisme Conjoint de Vérification de Contrôle des frontières. La MINUAD se concentre sur la protection des civils, la facilitation de l'acheminement de l'aide humanitaire et le soutien à la réalisation d'une paix durable au Darfour.
12. Au cours de l'année écoulée, la situation sécuritaire, déjà précaire dans la région orientale de la République démocratique du Congo, s'est nettement détériorée, nous forçant à réexaminer notre approche, à la fois dans ce pays et dans la région. Le M23 a infligé un lourd tribut à une population civile déjà victime des actions d'autres groupes armés, notamment les FDLR, la LRA et le FAD. A la demande du Conseil de sécurité et en s'appuyant sur les initiatives régionales, le Secrétaire général a proposé une nouvelle initiative globale qui implique des actions aux niveaux régional, national et international pour s'attaquer aux causes profondes des conflits. Ceci est également susceptible d'inclure une nouvelle reconfiguration de la MONUSCO.
13. Nous avons assisté à des signes de progrès encourageants en Côte d'Ivoire, notamment avec le début des opérations de DDR. Néanmoins, la situation politique et sécuritaire reste fragile. Alors que l'ONUCI continue d'appuyer les efforts nationaux visant à stabiliser la situation sécuritaire, de surveiller et de dissuader les groupes armés illégaux, et de réponde aux défis de la sécurité transfrontalière ; le Conseil de sécurité dans sa résolution 2062 (2012) a décidé que la protection des civils restait la priorité et a appelé à mettre l’accent sur le soutien des efforts du gouvernement envers la DDR et la RSS.
14. In the Middle East, the situation in Syria will likely remain a major factor in the volatility and uncertainty across the region. Continued intense violence is a human tragedy of untold proportions. Its impact will continue to be felt in the countries where United Nations peacekeepers are currently deployed. In particular, it will continue to pose risks to the safety and security of UNDOF and UNTSO personnel deployed in Syria. It will also have an impact on UNDOF's operations, and has the potential to jeopardize mandate implementation. UNIFIL will continue to implement its mandate in southern Lebanon, with the possibility that, if the situation in Syria deteriorates, it may also impact UNIFIL's operations.
15. In Kosovo, the evolving nature of the political and operational environment will continue to inform UNMIK's priorities. The Mission will continue to play a political role, facilitating the peaceful resolution of disputes, especially in the north.
The Mission will also continue its close coordination and cooperation with EULEX, KFOR and the OSCE to achieve common objectives, while respecting differences in operational roles and mandates.
16. At the end of December, we completed UNMIT’s drawdown and transition. I would like again to pay tribute to USG Haq for her leadership of the Mission and to all who served with her on behalf of the people of Timor-Leste.
17. In Liberia, progress in the consolidation of peace allows the Organization to consider the reduction of UNMIL's military component by approximately 4,200 troops in by July 2015, while adding three formed police units to the police component as part of their support to national institutions. UNMIL will continue support national reconciliation, constitutional reform, security sector reform, capacity building of the national police and extension of state authority and services.
18. In Haiti, some progress has been made in the security situation as well as in institution building, allowing for a hand-over of responsibilities that should translate into a phased withdrawal of approximately 1,000 infantry, engineering, and police from the Mission. The Mission will concentrate on the development of the Haitian National Police and support the consolidation of political stability as well as improving accountability and oversight mechanisms.
19. While focused on our current operations, we must also be prepared for potential future roles for UN peacekeeping. We have increased our engagement in contingency planning, in close cooperation with the Departments for Field Support and Political Affairs, for potential requests for peacekeeping operations in Mali, Somalia and Syria. Such efforts are necessary to be able to engage rapidly and effectively, if mandated to act by the Security Council.
20. Mali is currently facing an extremely grave political, security and humanitarian crisis, threatening not only the population of the country but also the 6 stability of the Sahel region. With the adoption of Security Council resolutions 2071 (2012) and 2085 (2012), a multi-pronged approach to help facilitate the resolution of the crisis has been pursued by the United Nations, in close partnership with the Malian authorities, ECOWAS, and the African Union, as well as other key stakeholders. Resolution 2085 (2012) also calls for DPKO involvement on issues relating to the security process and the extension of State authority. With rapidly unfolding developments in Mali and the Sahel, the UN anticipates investing significantly more efforts and resources in the coming months. The deployment of a UN peacekeeping operation in Mali is a very real possibility and we are organizing accordingly.
21. In Somalia, the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM), supported by DFS and DPKO, has made significant progress in dislocating Al-Shabaab from key locations in southern and central Somalia. While active combat operations likely will continue for at least one more year, following the completion of the UN Strategic Review and the AU Review of AMISOM, we are jointly looking at areas of convergence to further the positive political and security gains made on the ground.
In 2013/14, the AU and the UN are expected to enhance cooperation with the federal government to achieve greater emphasis on maintaining public safety and security in recovered areas and the development of Somali security institutions.
22. Finally, we are also currently engaged in planning for various contingencies on Syria should a United Nations peacekeeping involvement be necessary and viable at any point.
23. Beyond field operations, the past year has seen some important policy developments. The first is Security Council Resolution 2086, which was co-sponsored by all 15 Council members and adopted unanimously under the presidency of Pakistan on 21 January. This is the first wide-ranging resolution on peacekeeping in more than 10 years. It captures how multidimensional peacekeeping has evolved to meet the challenges of effective peacebuilding.
24. The UN Secretariat has finalized a policy on UN transitions in the context of mission drawdown or withdrawal that will help to ensure a smooth handover of tasks 7 to our UN partners and host country counterparts. Over the past year, we have worked with our partners on how to improve the planning and management of mission drawdown and withdrawal and its implications for the wider UN family. We will now work with our partners across the United Nations system to implement this policy in our field presences.
25. We have taken additional steps in inter-mission cooperation. IMC has served as a useful tool to maximize the use of mission assets, including helicopters but also ground troops and formed police units. Inter-mission cooperation could play an important role in possible future operations, as well; an example being the provision of bridging support to a peacekeeping mission in Mali. However, while IMC has proven a key element of enabling faster responses to identified needs, it should not be mistaken for a long-term solution to addressing force requirements and the need for a strategic reserve capacity.
26. I would like to share with this Committee our concern with regard to the linguistic skills of our peacekeepers. Our Organization has long faced shortages of both French and Arabic speakers, among both uniformed and civilian staff. With possible future deployments in French and Arabic speaking countries, this need is likely only to increase. We continue our collaboration with the Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie and have made targeted efforts to approach French and Arabic- speaking countries to ask for contributions. I take this opportunity to ask again for your support. With regard to translation of documents, an expanded number of official guidance documents, including the Civil Affairs Handbook and the Policy on Human Rights in United Nations Peace Operations and Political Missions, are now available in French.
27. I have already spoken about the importance of the Special Committee in the global partnership. Our partnerships with regional and sub-regional organizations continue to grow in importance. We are enhancing our strategic and operational cooperation with the African Union, a longstanding partner. We are actively supporting the AU’s development of capacity to plan, launch and manage peace support operations. We contributed significantly to the development of the new AU Policy Framework on Security Sector Reform, adopted at the AU Summit last month.
We continue to assist the AU and the regional economic communities and regional mechanisms with training, expertise and resources as they seek to develop the African Standby Force by 2015. Our partnerships with subregional organizations, such as ECOWAS and the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region, are also critical.
28. Last year also saw a number of significant developments regarding our institutional partnerships with the European Union, NATO and the CSTO. Of particular importance were the EU’s approval of the Plan of Action to enhance their support to UN peacekeeping and the revitalization of the UN-EU Steering Committee on Crisis Management.
29. On another issue key to sustaining the peacekeeping partnership, I would like to welcome the achievement of the Senior Advisory Group on reimbursement to troop contributing countries and related issues. Its integrated package of recommendations, informed by thoughtful observations and reflection, and agreed by consensus, provides us a way ahead on reimbursement and important related issues. While peacekeeping has evolved over the last four decades, as the Senior Advisory Group points out in their report, the system for reimbursing our uniformed personnel has not fundamentally changed since 1974. We welcome the comprehensive and holistic approach that the SAG report takes, putting UN peacekeeping in the context of its broader role as a global public good.
30. As you are aware, the report of the SAG and the related report of the Secretary-General have been directed by the General Assembly to the Fifth Committee and we are ready to provide any assistance and support to enable a consensus approval.
31. The SAG does also make recommendations concerning peacekeeping policy issues that, if approved, are destined to come before this Committee at its next session. I speak here of the SAG recommendations regarding the development of a “compact” with troop-contributing countries. As USG Haq and I have both conveyed during our appearance before the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions, the fair and equitable reimbursement of the common and 9 additional essential costs involved in deploying personnel to UN operations is vital to the health and success of the peacekeeping partnership. The SAG recognizes that the divide between financial and troop contributors is an artificial one. We must recognize that our troop contributors also make a financial contribution and that some of the major financial contributors also support and contribute uniformed personnel.
In so doing, we must together sustain the spirit of consensus that characterized the work of the SAG and work to act on the Group’s recommendations. They represent one of the most important opportunities we have to strengthen the peacekeeping partnership.
Madame Chair, Distinguished Delegates, 32. We continue to work on transforming the New Horizon policy reform agenda into concrete deliverables, particularly in the pillars of capability development and policy development. I would like to now turn to our priorities in these areas for the coming year.
33. We continue to develop our approach to capability development, which not only requires the appropriate configuration of equipment and qualified personnel, but also that peacekeepers are trained, equipped, and enabled to deliver against reasonable expectations on mandated tasks. This work includes the development of standards and guidance, the identification of essential gaps, the appropriate use of modern technology, as well as addressing issues of performance and evaluation. It is important to view this work holistically, as all of these steps complement each other.
34. Capability standards for infantry battalions and staff officers are now being utilized, and a third standard on medical support will be completed in mid-2013. As you know, we are consulting Member States on plans to develop the remaining areas that would benefit from standards.
35. Work continues with the ongoing development of a Strategic Guidance Framework for international police peacekeeping. In 2012, the Police Division sought input from Member States for the Framework’s development, and has already held regional consultations in Argentina and Indonesia, with three more regional 10 consultations planned. The results will then be presented to the Special Committee and reflected in new guidance on United Nations police in peacekeeping operations.
36. The Office of Military Affairs has been working on identifying military capability gaps to support mandate implementation and to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of the deployed capacities. Efforts are underway to improve the way we assess capability requirements, moving away from a focus only on equipment and personnel to look also at training, guidance, as well as organizational and functional gaps. This initiative would contribute to improving the gap list process, including reporting on the impact of existing gaps for the implementation of mandated tasks.
37. A key capability that has long been discussed in this forum is that of helicopters. We have made progress in decreasing the longstanding helicopter gap, in part thanks to increased contributions but also due to reduced force requirements.
Yet, the remaining gap of helicopters continues to be the most difficult to address. In addition, the gap may soon increase again as force requirements change, in DRC, Mali or elsewhere.
38. We are working closely with the Council, host countries and all interested parties to ensure our peacekeepers have access to modern technology. The Secretary- General proposed the deployment of an unmanned aerial system on a trial basis in MONUSCO. The deployment of these systems is a crucial element of our efforts to equip the mission with all the assets necessary to carry out its mandate. The Council noted the intention to use these assets to enhance situational awareness; they will also aid in force protection and in deterring attacks against civilians. We have initiated the process by obtaining the consent of the host authorities, notifying the neighbouring states, approaching potential TCCs and by asking potential commercial vendors for an expression of interest.
39. Looking at performance, the operational readiness assurance framework now under development is designed to support the readiness of military components, both prior to and during deployment. The key elements are mission-specific requirements and standards; quality training and development; and a self-evaluation and predeployment confirmation of operational readiness through formal certification.
During the course of last year, we made important strides in the area of police 11 standards and readiness, as well, including finalizing revised guidance on predeployment assessments for individual police officers and formed units.
40. The Police Division has also taken steps to improve the performance of Formed Police Units, including through: deploying mobile training teams; revising the FPU Policy; developing a standardized pre-deployment curriculum; reviewing standards for operational readiness; and, strengthening inspection and training regimes in-mission. The Police Division also revisited recommended rotation cycles to encourage longer tours of duty, a move that is now reflected in recent SAG recommendations. As a result of these steps, the percentage of FPUs with fully operational capability has increased from 37 per cent in 2008 to 93 per cent today.
The Police Division regularly checks the operability of FPU equipment, so that we can quickly inform Member States of the need to issue replacements. In thanking police contributing countries for this progress, I would like to remind Member States of the importance in ensuring that FPUs are fully operational and include functional equipment.
Madame Chair, Members of the Committee,
41. An important element of performance is monitoring and evaluation for effective mandate delivery. At present, there is no mechanism for regular review and monitoring of the uniformed components of peacekeeping operations. And, while other UN evaluation functions have limited military capacity, they do not focus on the operational preparedness and utilization of uniformed capabilities and are unable to provide the kind of operational and strategic advice we need to review and correct policies and their implementation.
42. I have therefore recommended the inclusion of a Director for the Evaluation of Field Uniformed Personnel function in the 2013/2014 DPKO Support Account proposal. The proposed Directorate, reporting directly to me, would provide a more systemic and strategic analysis and overview of how uniformed personnel are utilized in missions. This should allow better information to ensure that this most vital UN peacekeeping resource – uniformed personnel – are adequately supported and deployed. By providing more strategic evaluation and review, the Directorate will 12 also be able to focus on the consistent application of rules, guidelines and policies, providing more integrated analysis of the operational readiness of contingents on the ground.
43. Working closely with troop and police contributing countries, this independent advisory function would support and advise United Nations uniformed personnel and would play a key role in ensuring the continued performance of UN peacekeeping operations. The Directorate would support Member States, by providing timely and accurate feedback to troop and police contributing countries on a broad range of issues, including missions’ utilization of contributions against endorsed requirements, as well as on training, best practices, and safety and security issues. Should the recommendations of the Senior Advisory Group on rates of reimbursements to troop contributing countries and related issues be approved by the General Assembly, the Directorate would also oversee the uniform application of criteria set for the award of premiums.
44. I would like to mention one final element related to capabilities: securing and expanding the range and capability of troop and police contributors. Member States are taking new and innovative approaches to support peacekeeping missions, such as developing bi- or multilateral agreements to combine resources. We are supporting efforts at a regional level, with dialogues on ‘being a peacekeeper’ for current and potential contributors. We have already held these discussions in Asia and Europe, and I look forward to the next session, planned for Latin America later this year.
Madame Chair,
45. I would like to turn now to our work on protection of civilians. Many of our missions have been dealing with extremely complex POC challenges. Particularly in UNMISS, UNAMID, MONUSCO, and ONUCI, our capacity to protect civilians has been put to the test. Inter-communal clashes in South Sudan, for example, have led to hundreds of civilian deaths; they present a persistent challenge for UNMISS, as it endeavors to assist the Government in preventing and responding to these tensions.
The complexities of protecting civilians in the MONUSCO context are well known, as recent events in Goma have illustrated all too clearly. As you know, much of the 13 good work that our missions do to protect civilians in these contexts goes unpublicized.
46. One of the areas that we have been exploring more closely is how we can better support host governments to take forward their responsibility in protecting civilians. This can be a challenging endeavor for a number of reasons, including the fact that the host countries we work with often have limited capacity, varying levels of willingness at the operational and tactical levels, and – in some cases – have elements within their ranks responsible for harming civilians. Nonetheless, supporting host country efforts to protect civilians is fundamental to our joint efforts to establishing lasting and sustainable peace.
47. We also believe that the international community must continue to send a strong message to host nations that protecting civilians is a joint response. Indicating that host countries have the primary responsibility for protecting civilians is not simply a reaffirmation of the principle of state sovereignty – it is a recognition of the fact that host governments must take a strong and visible lead in protecting civilians, and that peacekeeping operations will do their utmost to support them in doing so.
48. Child protection is an integral part of peacekeeping mandates. Last year, under the guidance of the office of the SRSG-CAAC and in collaboration with UNICEF, action plans were signed in South Sudan and DRC. In UNAMID, the mission facilitated orders from several armed groups to stop the recruitment of children in their ranks. And in MONUSCO, a total of over 1300 children associated with armed groups have been released through mission engagement.
49. Through the evolution of the women, peace and security agenda over the past 12 years, UN peacekeeping has worked to support the inclusion of women in political and civil affairs, as well as in peacebuilding and the conflict resolution process. We see the urgency of their advocacy and perspectives in Mali today, where sexual violence against women is reported to be widespread. We welcome the deployment of a Gender Advisor in the first stages of the UN Office in Mali, supported by the Department of Political Affairs. Any follow on mission there will be able to build on this early and strategic attention to this critical dimension. At Headquarters, our work in support of SCR 1325 is focused on the development of the Gender Strategy and the 14 Senior Manager’s Checklist for Gender, as well as the implementation of training modules on integrating gender perspectives in the work of the military.
50. We also remain committed to implementing our mandate on conflict-related sexual violence. Women's Protection Advisers have been deployed to UNMISS in collaboration with OHCHR and OSRSG-SVC, and we will soon deploy Women's Protection Advisers in MONUSCO and UNOCI. In addition, our Police Component continues to deliver training on Sexual and Gender Based Violence, and DPKO and DFS, in collaboration with UN Women, have been delivering Scenario Based Training for Troop Contributing Countries.
51. A critical element of the success of the implementation of peacekeeping mandates is the engagement in early peacebuilding, particularly activities aimed at strengthening rule of law and security institutions. I would like to highlight some of the positive developments in our work in this field over the past year. First, the Secretary-General has endorsed my agreement with UNDP Administrator Helen Clark to jointly form the Global Focal Point for police, justice and corrections. The Global Focal Point is designed to unite the UNDP and DPKO efforts at the Headquarters level, so as to increase and improve the support that we can offer to the field. Second, the UN Mine Action Service has led the development of the Strategy of the United Nations on Mine Action 2013-2018. The Strategy expands the remit of the Mine Action Service into weapons collection and management. This is particularly useful in our current areas of contingency planning, such as in Mali, where there are reports of unexploded ordinance.
52. The Criminal Law and Judicial Advisory Service and the Justice and Corrections Standing Capacity in Brindisi have also been active in strengthening the rule of law in to host countries. They have supported mission justice and corrections components to: operate mobile courts; re-establish courts and prisons in the aftermath of conflict; support investigations and prosecutions; put in place key legislation; and review the cases of those languishing in pre-trial detention. In 2012, the Standing Police Capacity responded to requests for reinforcements from DPKO-led and DPAled missions in Côte d’Ivoire, South Sudan, Sudan – including Darfur and Abyei – 15 Timor-Leste, Somalia, Afghanistan and Libya, as well as from other UN entities such as UNDP and UNODC.
53. Progress has been made in developing guidance in the area of security sector reform, where the number and complexity of requests for assistance continue to increase. In 2012, we produced a training package to operationalize the UN Policy on Defence Sector Reform in support of reform processes in the field. Also last year, we finalized and launched, in the framework of the Inter-Agency SSR Task Force, the first set of integrated technical guidance notes.
54. In the related field of disarmament, demobilization and reintegration, work has concentrated on facing the second generation, non-traditional DDR and new challenges, including how to manage armed groups, particularly as part of the contingency planning for possible new peacekeeping operations. At the same time, more traditional DDR operations continue in other theatres such as Côte d’Ivoire, the DRC and South Sudan, where the largest DDR operation to date is expected to commence in April.
55. At a time of severe budget constraints, it is essential that we focus on top priorities in every area of our work. With the help of training, we can target our efforts where they have the largest pay-off in terms of mandate implementation.
During the last several months, the Integrated Training Service has undertaken the enormous task of carrying out a training needs assessment of all peacekeeping staff – civilians, military, and police – in order to identify performance and skills gaps that can be addressed by training.
56. It is my belief that we need a much more consistent and coherent use of UN training materials and standards — across all categories of personnel — to facilitate the collaboration and interoperability we need to effectively deliver on our mandates.
Whether it is in the area of protection of civilians or in capacity-building and mentoring, we need a common framework and a greater coherence in approach among all actors engaged in the various aspects of peacekeeping training.
57. Peacekeeping training enjoys the solid support of Member States, and we have made great progress and have a proliferation of initiatives. Given the interconnection of mandated tasks, performance in the field, and training, it is time to consider the training architecture and what the Secretariat and Member States can do together to maximize our efforts.
Madame la Présidente, Distingués délégués 58. La SGA Haq et moi maintenons notre engagement personnel pour le respect des plus hauts standards de conduite pour tout le personnel des opérations de maintien de la paix des Nations Unies. Dans toutes les missions, nous constatons une baisse continue du nombre des allégations de toutes formes de conduite répréhensible y compris celles liées à l'exploitation et aux abus sexuels. Cependant, même un incident reste de trop. L'Organisation des Nations Unies tiendra pour responsables les individus qui se livrent à une conduite répréhensible ainsi que ceux appartenant à la chaîne de commandement qui n’agiront pas de manière résolue pour l’applications de règles de bonne conduite et de la politique du Secrétaire général de tolérance zéro à l’égards des actes d'exploitation et d’abus sexuels. Nous sommes reconnaissants du rôle de ce Comité qui s’est activement investi dès le début de nos efforts pour lutter contre l'exploitation et les abus sexuels et autres formes de faute.
59. Les efforts de prévention des actes de conduite répréhensible se poursuivront et nous attendons aussi de recevoir de nos contributeurs du personnel dont ils ont l'assurance que leur conduite antérieure a été des plus respectables tant en en ce qui concerne leur dossier criminel que leur respect des droits de l'homme. L'élaboration d'une politique de prise en compte du respect des droits de l'homme lors de la sélection de tout le personnel de l'ONU, civil et en uniforme, est une étape cruciale dans cette direction. La SGA Haq abordera cette importante politique plus en détail dans quelques instants.
60. En Juillet 2011, le Secrétaire général a approuvé la politique de diligence raisonnable en matière de droits de l’Homme, qui fixe les principes directeurs garantissant que tout appui que nous pourrions apporter à des forces non onusiennes soit en conforme aux objectifs de l'Organisation, aux principes énoncés dans la 17 Charte, et à notre responsabilité de respecter, promouvoir et d’encourager le respect du droit humanitaire internationale, droits de l'homme et des réfugiés.
Madame la Présidente, Distingués délégués,
61. Le maintien de la paix des Nations Unies demeure un arrangement efficace et rentable s’intégrant au cadre global de la paix et de la sécurité. Les efforts que j’ai évoqués auparavant, ainsi que la Stratégie Globale d'Appui aux Missions et d’autres activités en cours que la SGA Haq va maintenant vous décrire, sont autant de mesures nécessaires pour maintenir cette situation. Mais surtout, pour rester efficace, il nous fait avoir une compréhension commune non seulement des défis auxquels nous sommes confrontés mais aussi des approches que nous souhaitons adopter pour y faire face. Le Comité spécial des opérations de maintien de la paix joue un rôle essentiel dans le renforcement de ce partenariat mondial et dans l’adoption d’une vision commune des objectifs qui va nous permettre de s'adapter, et de répondre, aux défis auxquels nous sommes confrontés aujourd'hui et dans l’avenir. Je vous souhaite bonne chance dans vos délibérations.
Je vous remercie.
