UN Peacekeeping Chief urges global support as budget falls short of military spending

The United Nations (UN) Under-Secretary General for Peace Operations, Jean-Pierre Lacroix, wants more financial support to be provided for peacekeeping efforts – drawing attention to the stark contrast between the UN’s peacekeeping budget and vast global expenditure on military endeavours.

He emphasised that the current budget of US$5.5billion allocated for peacekeeping operations worldwide constitutes a mere 0.3 percent of the colossal global military spending.

This amount, comparatively, is less than the New York Police Department’s US$6.1billion budget “even though we have 30,000 more personnel”, he said.

He remarked: “Our peacekeepers are saving countless lives for a relatively small investment. It is cost-effective. But for our missions to enable countries to reach a durable peace, we need your full support.

“The challenges peacekeeping missions face are greater than ever. Increasing division among member-states has weakened our collective capacity to support political and peace processes. Conflict is more complex and multi-layered. Peacekeepers are facing terrorists, criminals, armed groups and their allies, who have access to powerful modern weapons and a vested interest in perpetuating the chaos in which they thrive.”

At the UN Peacekeeping Ministerial Meeting’s opening session in Accra, he noted that peacekeeping missions are increasingly facing threats from the weaponisation of digital tools. The spread of hate-speech, misinformation and disinformation is rampant, which undermines efforts of peacekeeping missions and fuels violence against personnel, partners and communities, he added.

He said: “Further complicating this situation is the fact that most peacekeeping operations – particularly our large, so-called multidimensional missions in Africa – have long been affected by a discrepancy between their capacities and what is demanded of them by the Security Council and host countries. Financial resources are often inadequate for their mandated tasks”.

For 75 years, UN peacekeepers have saved and improved lives in the world’s most fragile political and security situations. “The contribution of two million women and men who have served since the first peacekeeping mission was deployed in 1948 is immense.”

He said: “Our operations have an exceptionally strong record of preventing and reducing violence, as well as preventing repeat wars from recurring.

“Peacekeeping operations also continue to preserve ceasefires, protect civilians, mediate local conflicts and strengthen institutions, wherever and whenever possible. UNIFIL, for example, supports efforts to de-escalate tensions along the Blue Line between Israel and Lebanon; including by liaising with both sides.”

Jean-Pierre Lacroix recognised that the Ministerial Meeting being held in the country is intended to facilitate stocktaking of what has been achieved in the five years since implementing the Secretary-General’s Action for Peacekeeping initiative.

It was acknowledged that Ghana is the sixth-largest contributor of UN troops and police, as well as an elected member of the Security Council.  Its peacekeepers have an exemplary track record, and it is one of the few troop-contributing countries that has met uniformed gender parity targets for troops, police and staff officers.

“We applaud Ghana for playing such a significant role in maintaining international peace and security, and we applaud the outstanding organisation of this meeting,” the UN Peacekeeping Chief said.

Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, also speaking at the ceremony said: “We stand proud to be the host nation for this year’s UN Peacekeeping Ministerial Meeting, the first country in Africa to do so. This is a gathering that holds significant importance in fostering international cooperation for the noble cause of global peace”.

He urged a collective mission to explore and navigate the gaps in peacekeeping, evaluate options for meaningful change and, most importantly, work toward concrete outcomes that will enhance the effectiveness of peacekeeping operations worldwide.

“The 2023 UN Peacekeeping Ministerial Conference is not just a meeting; it is a pivotal moment wherein Foreign and Defence Ministers are deliberating on strategies to strengthen UN peacekeeping.

“In line with ongoing reform efforts, particularly the Action for Peacekeeping (A4P, A4P ) and Digital Transformation Strategy, our objective is clear – to generate high-performing and specialised capabilities, foster sustainable partnerships, and chart a course toward more robust and responsive peacekeeping apparatus.”

He said it is essential to recognise the diverse challenges faced by UN peacekeepers and peacekeeping missions. “Therefore, the agenda of our Ministerial Meeting places a focused lens on critical aspects – including the protection of civilians, strategic communications, safety and security, the mental health of peacekeepers, and the indispensable role of women in peacekeeping.”

The Ministerial Conference on Peacekeeping is a regular event in the peacekeeping community. It has been held in cities like New York, Vancouver, London and Seoul.

The first United Nations Peacekeeping Ministerial Meeting to be hosted on the African continent has attracted more than 600 dignitaries and high-profile personalities from about 100 participating countries.

The conference aims to address issues such as misinformation, disinformation and hate-speech targetting peacekeeping missions.

There will be three panel sessions on five themes: including women in peacekeeping; protection of civilians; mental health of peacekeepers; safety and security of peacekeepers; and strategic communications in peacekeeping. Ghana is the committee’s current chair.

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