Intervention by Lithuania at the High-Level Meeting with Member States on Strengthening the Conduct of Peacekeeping Personnel
Intervention by the Permanent Representative of the Republic of Lithuania H.E. Rytis Paulauskas at the High-Level Meeting with Member States on Strengthening the Conduct of Peacekeeping Personnel
I would like to sincerely thank the Secretary General, His Excellency António Guterres, honorable Co-Chairs – Under Secretary-General Pollard, Under-Secretary-General Lacroix - for their opening remarks and all briefers for very comprehensive presentations. The topic of this discussion is very timely and relevant.
Lithuania attaches great importance to the common efforts on strengthening the conduct of peacekeeping personnel. We are proud to be among the co-signatories of the Voluntary Compact on the Elimination of Sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA), as well as the A4P Declaration.
Allow me to focus my remarks along the 3 points:
- Tackling sexual exploitation and abuse must remain at the top of the UN’s agenda. As the international community, we must do our utmost to prevent any form of exploitation and abuse of power by the UN and related personnel. System-wide and victim-centered approach is crucial. All reported allegations must be fully investigated, and perpetrators must be promptly held accountable. Victims should be given the necessary assistance and support. More needs to be done to ensure that there will be no repercussions to those speaking out against their abusers.
- The strengthened focus on prevention, including through the selection process and pre-deployment training, is key in achieving the desired goals. However, it is also important to ensure that peacekeeping personnel already deployed would continue to be offered the relevant training, including adequate strategies around mental health, especially in extremely challenging operational environments [such as Central African Republic or Mali]. We also see an important role of Mission’s leadership in this regard. Its dedication and continuous efforts to periodically remind peacekeepers of the standards of the conduct, intricacies of local conflict dynamics and associated risks, alongside with the outlined framework of accountability for misconduct, in our view, might make a significant difference in strengthening the morale of soldiers on the ground. Accordingly, the senior personnel of the peacekeeping missions should receive the adequate training themselves to be able to achieve that.
- On Enforcement - it is important that alleged cases of misconduct would be reported to the troop contributing countries as soon as possible in order to start national investigations in the timely manner. Both, the UN and national authorities must take cases of misconduct extremely seriously and do their utmost to ensure the accountability for the harm done by peacekeepers. Strong collective commitment to holding personnel and leadership accountable for proper conduct, including through support to the UN zero-tolerance policy and its victim-centered approach on all forms of sexual exploitation and abuse, remains crucial.
Finally, allow me to reaffirm Lithuania’s lasting commitment for stronger and more efficient UN Peacekeeping and to express our full support for Secretary General’s personal efforts, as well as tireless work of the UN Departments of the Peace Operations and Peacekeeping Operations in this regard. We remain committed to the highest standards of conduct, professionalism and accountability of our military personnel.
Thank you.
New York, 28 June 2021
