Chinese envoy calls for improvements on peacekeeping operations

A Chinese envoy on Monday said that several actions can be taken to improve the UN peacekeeping operations.

Speaking at a plenary meeting of the Special Committee on peacekeeping operations, Wu Haitao, China's deputy permanent representative to the UN, said that the UN peacekeeping operations are facing new challenges while playing an important role in maintaining international peace and security.

To improve the management of peacekeeping operations, the UN Secretariat should optimize its logistical support mechanisms, strengthen training during deployment, and enhance the capacity to deal with complex situations, said the Chinese envoy.

According to Wu, the Secretariat's new peace and security architecture and management structure are operational now, and the new structures are expected to be effective on integration of resources, improve service management and operational efficiency.

"More attentions should be paid to the safety of peacekeepers," he said.

Wu said that security risks and casualties among peacekeepers were on the rise, the Secretariat and the missions should formulate security rules in an integrated manner, strengthen information collection and sharing, ensure that security equipment and measures are in place, and strengthen medical ambulance capacity effectively.

Wu also said that the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations have to be strictly abided by, as well as the basic principles of peacekeeping operations.

"Principles such as sovereign equality, non-interference in internal affairs and peaceful settlement of disputes, should always be observed, " Wu said, adding that in order to carry out their work smoothly, these are the prerequisite and guarantee for peacekeeping operations to win the trust of the member states.

Wu also highlighted the importance of political settlement, saying that it is the "core element of UN peacekeeping operations.

"Political priorities should permeate all phases of operations. Clear, viable and focused mandates should be made for peacekeeping missions, and continuous adjustments of priorities need to be undertaken at all stages in response to dynamic needs," said the Chinese envoy.

Concluding his statement, the Chinese envoy pledged that China is ready to continue to work with the vast number of member states to further improve the UN peacekeeping system and to maintain international peace and security.

"China is a staunch supporter and participant in UN peacekeeping operations, a major troop contributor and the second largest contributor to peacekeeping assessments," Wu added.

Today, China has some 2,500 peacekeepers serving in eight UN peacekeeping operations, Wu said, adding that 8,000 troops to the UN peacekeeping standby force have been formed by China, who have done their registrations with the UN peacekeeping standby mechanism. Some of them have already reached the level of rapid deployment.

Ever since its establishment, the China-UN Peace and Development Trust Fund has made strengthening African peacekeeping capacity-building a priority area. More than 200 trainees were received in the eight batches of projects which launched in 2018. China will continue to provide gratis military assistance to the AU to carry out independent peace activities, he added.