Action for Peacekeeping: Progress made, but the work’s ‘far from done’
PR Newswire
NEW YORK, 29 March 2021
NEW YORK, 29 March 2021 / PRN Africa / — At an event that took stock of the progress made, identified gaps and pinpointed the way forward for A4P, Jean-Pierre Lacroix acknowledged the bravery and dedication of the UN ‘blue helmets’ serving “in some of the most challenging places in the world” and detailed various accomplishments, including electoral assistance in the Central African Republic (CAR) and reducing violence across South Sudan.
However, despite “saving lives, protecting people and helping to build peace”, he pointed out that “significant challenges to peacekeeping remain, even as new ones confront us”.
Meeting challenges
Mr. Lacroix introduced “A4P plus”, the next phase of the initiative to drive progress across the Declaration of Shared Commitments, by highlighting seven new “highest priority” areas, beginning with encouraging collective coherence:
“UN peacekeeping missions must adhere internally to a common strategy and…use our unique convening power to bring together all partners to bring our collective resources to bear”, he said.
The next two priorities call for enhanced integrated planning to achieve greater impact, and to ensure that peacekeeping missions have the right “capabilities and mindsets”.
Spotlight on blue helmets
Underscoring the fourth priority of “delivering accountability” for peacekeepers, the UN official highlighted the need for greater troop protection, by citing recent attacks against blue helmets in CAR and Mali.
“Holding perpetrators of crimes against peacekeepers accountable must be a key priority for all of us”, he said.
Attention must also be paid to behaviour in terms of improving accountability for conduct and discipline while also recognizing good performance, he said.
“We will further enhance accountability with a focus on prevention, enforcement and remedial action. We must strengthen our response to victims of sexual exploitation and abuse”, he said.
Communicating strategically
The peacekeeping chief underlined that strategic communications must be a shared responsibility within missions and leadership.
Holding perpetrators of crimes against peacekeepers accountable must be a key priority
SOURCE UN News Centre