Ban calls for enhanced funding and resources for UN mediation role

Stressing the importance of mediation in both resolving and avoiding conflict, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today called for proper funding and requisite resources to build up the United Nations’ capacity to carry out this vital role.

Addressing a high-level Security Council debate on mediation and the settlement of disputes, Mr. Ban noted that while a small Mediation Support Unit (MSU) was set up in 2005 after the UN World Summit, only two positions are funded by the regular budget.

“Today, I would like to call upon the Council, and indeed all Member States, to invest up-front in our mediation capacity so that we can do more of this quiet diplomacy – and less often cross that Rubicon to where vast suffering and huge peacekeeping expenditures become inevitable,” he said.

“Without prejudging the role of the General Assembly in deciding budgetary matters, I urge the Council to ensure that mediation efforts have the requisite resources.”

Mr. Ban said past experience suggested that effective and coordinated mediation efforts throughout a conflict cycle are necessary for effective peacekeeping and peacebuilding.

“It is thus critical that the Security Council provide the same support to enhance the structures, processes, tools and resources required for mediation as it does for peacekeeping and peacebuilding activities,” he added.

He underlined the important role mediation plays when quiet diplomacy has enabled the parties to step back from the brink of conflict before it erupts, thereby saving the world untold lives, troops and money, as well as when peacekeepers have to be deployed quickly to save lives before a peace is reached, thus avoiding further bloodshed.

On settling disputes, Mr. Ban said the Council’s most positive contributions come when the 15-member body agrees on common principles for resolving a conflict and when it is prepared to use leverage, such as the use of targeted sanctions that “greatly supported” mediation efforts in Sierra Leone, Liberia and Angola.

In a presidential statement underlining the important contribution of regional and sub-regional organizations, civil society and other stakeholders, the Council resolved to strengthen UN support for mediation efforts through improved cooperation, in particular in Africa.

Noting that women have an important role to play in the settlement of disputes, the Council stressed the importance of their equal participation and full involvement in all efforts for the maintenance and promotion of peace and security, and called on the Secretary-General and heads of regional and sub-regional organizations to take into account the gender aspect during mediators selection processes.

Many members at today’s meeting were represented by their foreign ministers, who are in New York for the high-level debate of the 63rd UN General Assembly, while Panama’s delegation was headed by its President, Martin Torrijos.