Mr. Chairman,
Cuba endorses the statements by Morocco, on behalf of the Non-Aligned Movement and by El Salvador, on behalf of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC).
We appreciate the presentations by Mr. Jean-Pierre Lacroix, Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations, and Mr. Atul Khare, Under-Secretary-General for Field Support.
In our opinion, the main responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security falls on the United Nations, in strict compliance with the purposes and principles enshrined in its Charter, in particular sovereign equality, political independence and territorial integrity of all the states.
In like manner, the basic principles that have been established for the development of PKO, such as impartiality, consent of the parties and non-use of force, should be strictly respected and preserved, except in case of self-defense.
The Cuban delegation reaffirms the primary role of the General Assembly in formulating concepts, policies, doctrines, strategies and budgetary issues in relation to peacekeeping. In this regard, we emphasize that the Special Committee on Peacekeeping Operations is the only UN forum with a mandate to comprehensively review the whole question of peacekeeping operations in all their aspects.
Mr. Chairman,
In recent years, peacekeeping operations have become multidimensional operations, with increasingly wider and complex mandates, which have at times brought about contradictions regarding the fundamental principles of peacekeeping.
The establishment of new and more complex peacekeeping operations cannot be a substitute for addressing and solving the root causes of conflicts.
Concern is expressed at the interest in using these operations in tasks related to peace enforcement, and to the fight against counter-terrorism, extremism and international organized crime, which may only increase the risk of threats and attacks against peacekeepers, including civilian staff and partner organizations.
We reiterate that these operations cannot be an end in themselves, but rather a temporary measure to create a security framework allowing us to implement a long-term strategy towards sustainable economic and social development. Otherwise, it will not be possible to overcome the vicious circle of new conflicts and new operations, with the high human and material costs this entails.
Mr. Chairman,
With respect to the protection of civilians in peacekeeping operations, Cuba reiterates that primary responsibility falls on the States. It is unacceptable to use issues related to the protection of civilians and human rights in general, to achieve political objectives and to interfere in the internal affairs of sovereign States.
It is also of great importance to continue to strengthen cooperation among troop-contributing countries, the Security Council and the Secretariat. In most cases, troop-contributing countries are not guaranteed active participation in all phases of the decision-making process of peacekeeping operations.
With regard to the use of new technologies in peacekeeping operations, we consider that this use should be based on a case-by-case analysis and should be maintained in the context of the principles enshrined in the UN Charter, in particular, the respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Member States. In addition, it should be consistent with the principles of the PKO of the United Nations, including the full consent of the host country.
While it is recognized that new technologies can improve knowledge of the environment and the safety of peacekeepers, legitimate concerns have been raised regarding the use of drones in UN operations.
Our delegation believes that legal, operational, technical and financial aspects related to the use of modern technology should be defined, while considering that the use of the same in the aforementioned framework can complement the work of the troops in the field, but not replace it.
Mr. Chairman,
Keeping in mind the risks faced by those involved in peacekeeping operations, we would like to express our concern about the high number of casualties in recent years among those involved in peacekeeping operations. In this regard, we emphasize the need to further develop effective safety and security arrangements for participants in operations.
Thank you very much