Briefing: Cooperation between the UN and the EU

I welcome High Representative Mogherini to the Council, and thank her for her briefing.

New Zealand is a strong believer in cooperation between the UN and regional bodies, within the framework of Chapter VIII of the UN Charter.

While we will always assert the primacy of this Council, and the unique authority vested in it by the international community, it’s very clear that local knowledge and perspectives are essential to our shared goal of maintaining international peace and security.

Mr President: There is no one-size-fits-all approach to cooperating with regional organisations.

Each has potential to assist the Council’s work, regardless of size or resources.

The EU provides a good example of how regional bodies can interact effectively with the UN; but other regional organisations have their own approach.

As we know from our own experience in the Pacific, the UN can only support long-term stability through genuine and respectful engagement with local actors.

The EU’s role in ensuring peace, stability and prosperity in its own region is well-known.

With conflict prevention at the very core of its foundation and existence, and its proximity to and links with conflict-beset regions, it is well-placed to play a role across the breadth of this Council's agenda.

It’s not possible to canvass all the possibilities here today; but there are some of particular and recent importance.

New Zealand strongly supports the achievement of a comprehensive nuclear agreement with Iran; and we acknowledge the E3+3’s constructive role in those complex negotiations.

And, as New Zealand told this Council in the January open debate, the Middle East conflict between Israel and Palestine is an ongoing and serious threat to international peace and security.

We believe this Council has a role to play in bringing the parties to the table, hopefully to negotiate a two-state solution. We acknowledge the EU’s very considerable efforts towards that same goal.

Mr President

We also applaud the EU’s part in the international efforts to manage the humanitarian impact of the Syria crisis, both within Syria and the wider region.

In Africa, the EU has demonstrated the value it can add to this Council’s work, through its long term commitment in Mali and Somalia, to name but two.

In the Central African Republic, which we visit this week, an EU force has strongly supported MINUSCA and French efforts to stabilise the security situation.

That force is about to be replaced by an EU Military Advisory Mission; hopefully foreshadowing this Council’s continued engagement with the EU and other stakeholders, so that the people of CAR can finally see real peace dividends.

Looking forward, Mr President, New Zealand urges the EU to maintain its focus on conflict prevention, working with regional organisations, not least in Africa.

Given its history, geography, size and experience, the EU has particular advantages and perspectives that it can bring to bear; and it’s in all our interests that it should apply all that to building partnerships that prevent the emergence or re-emergence of conflict.

In doing that, it will always have the support of New Zealand.

That's because, Mr President, a firm belief in more active prevention of conflict under Chapter VI of the UN Charter is one of the fundamental reasons why New Zealand sought membership of this Council; and we look forward to working with the European Union in pursuit of that goal.