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2021 C-34 SUBSTANTIVE SESSION – IN-PERSON GENERAL DEBATE

Monday, 15 February 2021
Presenter: 
H.E. MR. ENRIQUE A. MANALO Permanent Representative, Philippine Permanent Mission to the United Nations
Location: 
GA Hall, UNHQ

 

 

Mr. President,

At the outset, the Philippines associates itself with statement of Indonesia on behalf of ASEAN, and Morocco on behalf of NAM. I also wish to congratulate H.E. Prof. Tijjani Muhammad-Bande for his election as C-34 Chair after a successful term as President of the 74th session of the General Assembly.

Mr. President,

We welcome the Secretary-General’s resolve to continue to implement the reforms of the Action for Peacekeeping (A4P) initiative, ensuring that “every peacekeeping mission and every peacekeeper possesses the full resources and equipment necessary to fulfill their duties.” We also commend Member States who made and pledged voluntary contributions to the Peacebuilding Fund at the High-Level Replenishment Conference.

As Chair of the C-34 Working Group of the Whole, we commend Canada for consistently and patiently working with all regional groups, the Secretariat and other key stakeholders throughout the preparatory process for the 2021 Session, ensuring that opportunities remain available to the C-34 Members to discuss substantive issues and resolve policy differences.

Mr. President,

Since 1963, the Philippines has actively engaged in UN peacekeeping. We are pursuing a principled policy which allows deployment of Philippine military and police troops and personnel, “regardless of the level of security threat.”

We will continue to ensure that our pledges under the UN Peacekeeping Readiness System are met. The Philippine Government is committed to make available all necessary resources for peacekeeping operations within the agreed time frame. The Armed Forces of the Philippines is currently enhancing capabilities in support of future peacekeeping deployments.[1]

Mr. President,

The following are our recommendations on the eight (8) thematic elements for this year’s C-34 negotiations:

  • On the Conduct of Peacekeepers and Peacekeeping Operations, the Philippines underscores its commitment and support to the Secretary-General’s zero tolerance policy and its victim-centered approach on all forms of sexual exploitation and abuse. This issue undermines the values and principles of the United Nations and erodes the trust of the peoples we have vowed to protect. We reiterate the need to fully vet and train Member States’ troops before deployment, and support the recommendation that National Investigation Officers be included in all military units deployed to a field mission.
  • On Partnerships, we reiterate our support for intergovernmental platforms that enable peer learning among Member States on how to build resilience in peacekeeping, encourage constructive dialogues on the challenges in sustaining peace, and pursuing strategic partnerships. We encourage greater collaboration between the United Nations and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in peace operations, including through the implementation of the Plan of Action to Implement the Joint Declaration on Comprehensive Partnership between ASEAN and the UN, in, among others, training such as the Triangular Partnership Project,[2] capacity-building, the sharing of best practices and increasing women’s participation in peacekeeping.
  • On Peacebuilding and Sustaining Peace, the Philippines welcomes the recent adoption by consensus of the twin General Assembly and Security Council resolutions on the 2020 “Review of the Peacebuilding Architecture” which reiterate the importance of prioritizing prevention, addressing the root causes of conflict, and devising long-term peacebuilding strategies, with adequate and sustainable financial resources.
  • On Performance and Accountability, we believe that success in peacekeeping operations must be measured by the mandate to protect civilians as the "core criterion of success," with child protection and combating sexual abuse as key elements. Pre-deployment training efforts should be tailored to respond to particular country-specific challenges.
  • On Politics, the Philippines supports calls to invest more in local political solutions to conflicts, which UN peacekeeping must reinforce and not supplant. People in conflict situations must own the peace.
  • On Protection, we encourage Troop-and Police-Contributing Countries to prioritize the protection of civilians under imminent threat of danger through using all necessary means when required, in accordance with the UN Charter, mission mandates and applicable international law.  Expectations regarding protection tasks must be succinct and clear, connected to political strategies in the field, and focused on prevention. We also recognize the contributions of unarmed civilian protection in peacekeeping operations as part and parcel of local political solutions in creating a protective environment.
  • On Safety and Security, the Philippines puts high priority in ensuring the safety of peacekeepers. The Special Committee emphasizes the importance of having updated rules of engagement that are attuned to the realities on the ground.
  • On Women, Peace and Security, we remain committed to increasing the participation of women in uniformed roles, and support the call to integrate gender perspectives in all aspects of peacekeeping. The Philippines is further committed to increase deployment of women peacekeepers at all levels and in leadership positions.

Mr. President,

Finally, we believe peacekeeping issues must be discussed in a broader forum in order to respond to the problem of the persistent gap between those who decide on the mandates of peace operations, and those who deploy the troops and police for implementation of the mandates.

Thank you.  END

 

[1] Philippine Statement delivered by Defense Secretary Delfin N. Lorenzana at the 2019 UN Peacekeeping Ministerial Meeting on “Uniformed Capabilities, Performance and Protection;” 29 March 2019, UNHQ

[2] The Triangular Partnership Project intends to train and equip military engineering contingents with Heavy Engineering Equipment (HEE) purchased as United Nations Owned Equipment through the project and deploy them to peacekeeping missions. The concept includes training at a static training facility where a training set of equipment will be held as well as mobile training in a host-Troop Contributing Country setting where the equipment will either be rented/leased locally/regionally, transported from the static facility, or already provided bi-laterally by other member state(s). The concept also includes building capacity in terms of local/regional trainers by conducting Training-of-Trainers (TOT) courses.