Improved dialogue needed between UN and troop- and police-contributors, Security Council stresses

The Security Council today, noting “frustrations on all sides,” highlighted the need to improve dialogue between the United Nations Secretariat and the countries that provide troops and police personnel for the numerous peace operations deployed around the world.

“The Security Council views consultations with troop- and police-contributing countries as an opportunity to set expectations for the required capabilities, performance standards, and timelines, as well as to understand the limitations of troop- and police-contributing countries,” the 15-member body said in a presidential statement.

It noted the view of the Secretary-General and the High-Level Independent Panel on Peace Operations, which issued its report in June of this year, that the lack of effective dialogue through consultations between these stakeholders “has generated frustration on all sides and has undermined mandate implementation.”

Recognizing that sustained consultations with the Secretariat and contributing countries are essential for a shared understanding of appropriate responses and their implications for the mandate and conduct of an operation, the Council recalled the many mechanisms that exist to facilitate the consultations between itself, these countries and the Secretariat.

These include the Council’s Working Group of the Whole on UN Peacekeeping Operations; formal and informal consultations with troop- and police-contributing countries; the General Assembly’s Special Committee on Peacekeeping Operations; and the Military Staff Committee.

The Council, went on to say that, “despite the existence of these mechanisms, current consultations among these three stakeholders do not meet their expectations and have yet to reach their full potential.”

“The Security Council underscores that sustained consultations with potential troop- and police-contributing countries prior to the establishment and during the lifecycle of a mission, are important for a shared understanding of the mandates and a common commitment to their implementation, recognizing that such consultations should not delay the establishment of a mission.”