Thank you, Chair,

I have the honour to speak on behalf of the European Union and its Member States.

The Candidate Countries North Macedonia*, Montenegro^*, Serbia, Ukraine, the Republic of Moldova, Bosnia and Herzegovina^* and Georgia align themselves with this statement.

Chair,

In a world where crises are multiplying and where the core principles of international cooperation are being challenged, United Nations peace operations and peacekeepers serve a key purpose. They embody multilateralism in action and they remain a key instrument in support of peace and security around the world. The EU is committed to working with and supporting the UN to achieving our common interests of peace, security and global stability, and we fully support the Secretary General’s efforts to reform UN peacekeeping.

The EU and its Member States remain steadfast supporters of UN peacekeeping. We jointly contribute almost one quarter of the UN’s peacekeeping budget in 2024 and we currently deploy over 4,000 personnel to UN peacekeeping missions. Furthermore, the EU-UN Strategic Partnership on Peace Operations and Crisis Management is a key strand of our cooperation. The increasing complexity of the international security landscape demands greater and more sophisticated engagement. This is why we want to reinforce our Strategic Partnership by agreeing on a new set of priorities for 2025-2027.

The EU currently deploys 21 civilian and military missions and operations of its own, some of which were established in parallel to UN missions. Three EU operations directly implement UN Security Council mandates: Operation IRINI in the Mediterranean Sea; Operation ALTHEA in Bosnia and Herzegovina; and Operation ASPIDES in the Red Sea. Our missions and operations cooperate on issues from field support to information-sharing and joint political messaging, and, in the future, we envisage even closer collaboration.

Chair,

UN peacekeeping operations are confronted with increasingly complex challenges, including regional threats, the effects of climate change, mis- and disinformation, increased presence of non-state actors like private military companies, trans-national criminal activities, eroding support from host nation governments and communities, violations of the Status of Forces Agreement, including Freedom of Movement of the mission, the weaponization of new and emerging technologies as demonstrated also by the first attack ever in September on UN peacekeepers with an improvised armed unmanned aerial system, and, sometimes, a lack of capacities and adequate equipment to address such situations on the ground.

Nevertheless, UN peacekeeping operations continue to play a critical role in creating conditions favourable to peace processes, de-escalating tensions, and protecting civilians, including through monitoring and reporting on human rights violations.

We are concerned by the intensifying threats to peacekeepers, posed by malicious players, such as non-state actors, armed groups, and terrorists. We are equally alarmed by the rise in direct attacks against peacekeepers, such as those recently witnessed by the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), which constitute a grave violation of international law and are totally unacceptable. The EU recalls that all actors have an obligation to take necessary measures to ensure the safety and security of UN personnel and property, and to respect the inviolability of UN premises at all times. We are also increasingly concerned by the increasing deployment of mercenaries. Therefore, the protection of peacekeepers and accountability for crimes against peacekeepers must remain high on our agenda.

Chair,

In light of these challenges, we welcome the Pact for the Future and its call to adapt peace operations to better respond to existing challenges and new realities. In particular, we recognize the need for political strategies as part of a comprehensive approach to achieving sustainable peace in host countries, and we recognise the importance of providing UN peacekeeping operations with the adequate resources, including predictable and sustainable financing, to function effectively and to fulfil their mandates. UN peacekeeping must adapt to new challenges, including by addressing climate impacts by managing its environmental footprint to leave a positive legacy for local communities.

We welcome the upcoming review on the future of all forms of UN peace operations and would like to stress the need for a holistic approach to this review. We also look forward to deepening our discussions on the future of UN peacekeeping in the context of the next Peacekeeping Ministerial in Germany in 2025. We also welcome the launch of the independent study on ‘The Future of Peacekeeping, New Models and Related Capabilities’ just last week.

We recall that the Pact underlines the importance of enhanced cooperation between the UN and regional organizations – something we are already working on through the aforementioned EU-UN Strategic Partnership on Peace Operations and Crisis Management. This can be strengthened further through regular high-level meetings, as included in Action 21 of the Pact, as well as more structured cooperation on the ground. UN Security Council Resolution 2719 is an important step in this regard and the EU continues to support its implementation.

We stress the EU’s support to increasing meaningful participation of women in peace operations at all levels and areas of expertise. Women peacekeepers play a crucial role in securing peace and security – and we need to harness their role and contributions. This was the central reason for the adoption, almost 25 years ago, of the ground-breaking UN Security Council Resolution 1325. Although we have made progress since then, much work remains ahead.

The EU fully supports the UN Secretary-General’s New Agenda for Peace and we look forward to working with the UN and all member states to implement the commitments contained in the Pact for the Future.

Chair,

In conclusion, let me reaffirm the EU’s commitment to an open, inclusive discussion on the challenges facing UN peacekeeping. EU Members States will continue to support UN peacekeeping and engage constructively in the work of the Special Committee on Peacekeeping Operations (C34), which is a crucial forum for the implementation of the Secretary General’s Action for Peacekeeping.

Let me finish by paying tribute to the invaluable work of peacekeepers and honour those who have lost their lives on duty.

I thank you for your attention.

* North Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, Albania and Bosnia and Herzegovina continue to be part of the Stabilisation and Association Process.