Ministry Statements & Speeches:
Thank you, Madam President, I deliver this statement on behalf of CANZ: Canada, Australia, and my own country, New Zealand.
In 1992, when former UN Secretary-General Boutros Ghali released the original Agenda for Peace, he articulated the UN’s modern peace and security mandate: preventive diplomacy, peacekeeping, and peacebuilding.
While activities under these headings have evolved since 1992, the fundamental ingredients for sustainable peace remain the same: Trust; Inclusivity; Predictability; and Adaptability.
Trust in this Council’s ability to effectively discharge its mandate to maintain international peace and security, and implement resolutions on peacebuilding and sustaining peace, is unfortunately low. This trust has been shaken in many contexts across the globe, and further eroded by Russia’s illegal war of aggression against another sovereign Member State, Ukraine.
The Security Council has the primary responsibility for international peace and security under the Charter. Yet, its members should be reminded of Article 24: this responsibility is conferred by the entire UN Membership, and the Council acts on our behalf. A year on from Russia’s invasion, and 30 years since contemporisation efforts began in the Agenda for Peace, reform of the Security Council remains long overdue.
Building trust and confidence in peacebuilding and sustaining peace necessitates inclusion. CANZ sees the need for greater inclusion in several places. First, we must deliver on our commitments to realize the full, equal, and meaningful participation and leadership of women in all aspects of peace and security. Rhetoric must finally be matched with decisive action, by all of us. Second, our three countries are engaged in ongoing efforts to promote the participation of all of our diverse peoples in our own political and peace processes - this is especially so for First Nations and Indigenous persons. We are not perfect; far from it. However, we are committed to ensuring the full participation and engagement of groups whose voices have been traditionally marginalized. We believe this Council and the wider UN system must do the same. Third, we should enhance engagement with relevant organizations, not limited to: the African Union, the Organisations of American States and of Islamic Cooperation, ASEAN, and the Pacific Islands Forum. Genuine engagement with these organisations would support democratisation of the Council’s work and result in better outcomes on the ground.
To guarantee peace, the Security Council and all Member States must ensure the continued predictability of adherence to the normative and legal frameworks which we have collectively developed. Without these established rules and norms - which have promoted trust, transparency and mutual understanding for the last 70 years, and support the resolution of emerging challenges - peace will prove illusive. Prioritising establishment of resilient institutions, the protection and promotion of human rights and the rule of law, strengthens the potential for peace.
Sustainable peace also means predictable financing for peacebuilding. Together, in 2023, CANZ has committed USD22 million in voluntary contributions to the UN Peacebuilding Fund. CANZ encourages States to expeditiously agree to the proposal for an assessed contribution for the Fund in the Fifth Committee.
To ‘futureproof’ peace, the UN must adapt its practices. This includes using data, science and technology. Tools and partnerships, such as the DPPA Innovation Hub, can better equip the Council to meet some of the evolving challenges it faces. Climate-related security risks are compounding and exacerbating existing security challenges and straining already limited resources. An effective peacebuilding architecture should respond to these risks in the Sahel, Lake Chad Basin, the Pacific, and beyond.
As the New Agenda for Peace takes shape, CANZ wishes to ensure we avoid duplication or over-stretching the UN’s efforts. We agree with others that there is much scope to futureproof trust for sustainable peace. We can succeed if we collectively commit to weaving together the UN’s formidable strengths across its three main pillars, lessons learnt from past missteps, and actions to be more inclusive, predictable and adaptable.
I thank you.