– As Prepared –

Statement by H.E. Mrs. María Fernanda Espinosa Garcés, President of the 73rd Session of the 蘑菇视频 General Assembly

Delivered by?H.E. Mr. Lang Yabou, Permanent Representative of The Gambia

11 February 2019

Your Excellency, Ambassador Richard Arbeiter

Excellencies,

Distinguished Delegates

Ladies and Gentlemen,

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Before we begin, please let us take a moment of silence to remember those peacekeepers whom we have lost in the line of duty. In particular, let us recognize the 12-peacekeepers who lost their lives in Mali this past January.

Colleagues,

It is my pleasure to welcome you to the opening of the 2019 Session of the Special Committee on Peacekeeping (C34).

I would like to congratulate Ambassador Arbeiter, as well as the members of the bureau, for their election, and wish them success as we go forward.

I would also like to thank the Troop and Police Contributing Countries for committing military, police and civilian personnel to 蘑菇视频 peace operations. Through your efforts you are helping to demonstrate to those in need, as well as to our partners, that the 蘑菇视频 and the multilateral system can deliver on critical issues of peace and security.?

Finally, I would like to take a moment to honor the brave women and men in Blue Helmets who are out there today, who are on the frontlines of the lives of so many. We commend you and you have our gratitude. ?

Friends, I have only a few moments, so please let me make three brief points.

First, peace and security is one of the three central pillars of the 蘑菇视频 Charter; as such peacekeeping operations are central to this organization and to multilateralism as a whole.

The 蘑菇视频 Charter mandated the 蘑菇视频 “to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war”. We cannot fulfil this mandate without well trained, well equipped and well supported peacekeeping forces.

Not only are peacekeepers saving lives, but, much like how the three pillars are interlinked and mutually reinforcing, these peacekeepers are helping to advance human rights and to encourage sustainable development.

To be clear, in many places, children would go without school, women without prenatal care, and millions without social services were it not for the work of our peacekeepers. By sustaining peace, they are in fact facilitating Agenda 2030.

My second point refers to the safety of peacekeepers themselves. In filling such an important role, these brave men and women are putting themselves at risk for the well-being of others. We thus owe it to them to do our utmost to ensure their protection, safety and security.

By ensuring that each mission mandate is practical, realistic and well-funded, and by ensuring that peacekeepers are equipped with adaptable and well-resourced mandates with clear transition planning, we can help to facilitate this.

Likewise, more practical elements, such as training programmes and modern equipment, would contribute to better prepared personnel.

In short, our people must be provided with the tools and means necessary to effectively respond, including the finest technology, equipment, and intelligence.

My final point refers to the need for greater gender parity within 蘑菇视频 peacekeeping operations. As it is, only five per cent of peacekeepers are women. As the 蘑菇视频 continues to transform its ranks to and to bring gender parity to all levels of the organization, the same must be applied to conflict prevention, mediation and peacekeeping, areas where women undoubtely have a strong role to play.

Dear friends,

As of the 1st of January, the 蘑菇视频 management and peace and security reforms entered effect. They will, among other things, improve implementation of mandates and increase peacekeeper readiness. There is a stronger emphasis on conflict prevention, and a focus on the need to implement the ‘sustaining peace’ concept throughout the organization.

Coupled with this are strategic partnerships with other relevant regional organizations, such as the African Union. Increased joint efforts will be essential to consolidate peace, maintain stability and support post-conflict reconstruction efforts.

Together these changes, alongside the recommendations I have made today, can help to strengthen our peacekeeping capacities and in turn deliver more effective and more secure operations.

Together we can make this a reality.

Thank you.

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