Statement at the UNSC Briefing on UN Police
Statement
15 November 2022Thank you, Mr. President. I also wish to thank USG Lacroix, Dr Birikorang and the Police Commissioners Fossen and Bereth, for their very insightful briefings, and a huge thanks to Ghana for arranging this important meeting.
Ireland is a strong supporter of the Secretary General’s Action for Peacekeeping Agenda.
A4P+ should continue to provide the framework to support UN-POL to develop policing capabilities, advance the Women, Peace and Security agenda, and improve accountability and performance.
The A4P+ initiative is especially necessary as missions navigate increasingly political and complex security environments.
Commissioners, we receive regular reports on the important work that you and your teams carry out and your strong leadership is key to progressing policing performance and the A4P+ goals.
Your work does not go unnoticed, and we thank you for your continued commitment. Your contributions to the advancement of the WPS agenda really must be acknowledged – you act as role models for policing everywhere.
Ireland has contributed to UNPOL for 30 years, including through our current deployment to the UN Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus, in which we are the largest Police Contributing Country.
I want this morning to highlight a number of areas where Ireland sees particular relevance for the ongoing implementation of priorities.
Firstly, UNPOL can play a pivotal role in the transitions contexts. It is important that UNPOL components offer support and training to host governments, civil society - including women’s networks -, and police and security sector actors. This enables the development of mechanisms and environments that engage, support and protect local communities, including women, in a bid to build sustainable peace.
Secondly, peacekeeping operations must have the right capabilities in the right place and at the right time, and with the right mind-sets to deploy more adaptable and capable personnel.
As an A4P WPS Champion, we believe that this must include breaking down barriers to the full, equal and meaningful participation of women police officers in every role, at every level. Partnerships are also important to developing these skills and capabilities.
To assist in developing capacity, Ireland was delighted to host an UNPOL Specialised Training Materials Train the Trainers course in September, for ten Member States.
Mr President,
Accountability to Peacekeepers lies at the heart of A4P+, including in cases of crimes committed against them.
Ireland encourages efforts to address serious and organised crime, to support the implementation of the peacekeeping-intelligence framework, and to prevent, investigate, and prosecute crimes against Peacekeepers. The provisions of Resolution 2589 must be fully implemented to support those who put their lives on the line.
Ireland welcomes the reported improvements to base defence measures and integrated security initiatives.
From an environmental perspective; increased use of renewables, improved adaptation and mitigation measures, should continue.
Ireland also recognises UNPOL’s work to improve their evidence-based assessments of performance, and to ensure adherence to standards of conduct by reinforcing zero tolerance for sexual exploitation and abuse.
Finally, Mr President,
As mentioned by USG Lacroix this morning, peacekeepers face increasingly dangerous and hostile environments and are themselves the target of mis- and dis-information, as we’ve seen in CAR, DRC and Mali, we must ensure peace operations make strategic communications a whole-of-mission activity, integrating it into planning and mandate implementation. UNPOL can play an important role by supporting and engaging local actors, fostering mutual trust and dialogue.
Before I finish let me pose a number of questions to the briefers today:
Commissioner Fossen, what additional capabilities and training can Member States provide to help UNPOL better respond to increasingly dangerous environments?
If I could turn to Commissioner Berethe, how as the Host Nation assisted the Force in your strategic messaging to improve the local community’s attitude towards MONUSCO, bearing in mind the point made on strategic communication?
Dr. Birikorang, you mentioned ‘adaptive peacekeeping’. Can you expand on this and give your insight on the factors that might help realise it?