I would like to thank Kenya for organizing today’s meeting and the briefers for their insights. I believe it has clearly demonstrated our common strong concern at the serious harm that improvised explosive device attacks have caused to United Nations peacekeepers, staff and humanitarian workers, by threatening their lives, increasing the cost of their activities, limiting their freedom of movement and hampering mandate delivery.
Around the world, UN peacekeepers operate in a multitude of different conflicts which have them face a variety of threats. As the nature of conflict evolves, so does the nature of warfare and the weapons that are used. Deliberately targeting the UN has become an approach for those not interested in peace, those who profit from instability, the spoilers. This, however, makes the job of peacekeepers so much more important. Because for millions of people around the world, our blue helmets represent the last, best hope for peace and stability.
To be able to protect civilians and also themselves, UN peacekeeping must constantly adapt. Adapt to different conflicts and adapt to changing conditions. Focusing on developing a culture of performance and accountability will improve the ability to do so. We’re hopeful that the recent roll-out and implementation of tools such as CPAS will help missions speed up necessary adjustments.
It is also important to focus on training and preparation. Troops that enter into a particular conflict must possess the prerequisite capabilities and equipment to face its particular challenges. I would be glad to hear more of how initiatives such as the Light Coordination Mechanism and triangular partnerships have supported the developing of specialized capacities and capabilities.
We also welcome initiatives to better integrate modern technology and peacekeeping intelligence capabilities into peace operations. By helping to improve the situational awareness of troops in real time, this contributes to the protection of civilians and the security of personnel and the implementation of missions’ mandates. New technologies, including UAVs, are by no means a silver bullet to the threat of IEDs, but they can be a valuable additional tool in the arsenal of well-prepared and trained peacekeepers.
I would finish with this question: is there some common pattern or threshold of when and why armed groups or other peace spoilers turn to using IEDs against UN peacekeepers? would you say it is related more the spoilers developing the capacity for making IEDs, or getting access to required required materials, or more due to the role of the UN in the conflict changing?
