Opening Speech at UN Peacekeeping Defence Ministerial: London 2016
It is an honour to welcome you all here this morning. As we are gathered here바카라 사이트¦some 125,000 peacekeepers are deployed around the world바카라 사이트¦holding the line between stability and disorder.
I look forward to hearing today from the representatives of nations who have contributed so much to peacekeeping, and also from those who are now stepping up and pledging to do more.
In the UN바카라 사이트s history, more than 3000 peacekeepers have lost their lives바카라 사이트¦but they and all their comrades have ensured a better future for an estimated 125 million people.
So before I continue I would like you to join me in a minute of silent tribute to the service and the sacrifice of our peacekeepers.
At the dinner held last night we spoke of the need for change바카라 사이트¦the need to do more, and to do it better. Today I want to speak in more detail on how we think that can be done.
Planning
Planning is critical.
We must improve the UN바카라 사이트s ability to get the right people and equipment to the right place at the right time바카라 사이트¦we must improve the effectiveness and efficiency of missions.
This means responding effectively to crises바카라 사이트¦better coordination of national efforts.
Continuing the ongoing work to match resources to mandates.
And being prepared for the unexpected.
Pledges
President Obama바카라 사이트s Leaders바카라 사이트 Summit last year was a catalyst바카라 사이트¦with 53 Member States pledging an extra 40,000 troops바카라 사이트¦as well as training, equipment, police contingents, and key capabilities바카라 사이트¦such as engineers, intelligence units, and helicopters.
This was a remarkable achievement바카라 사이트¦but the world moves on and so must we바카라 사이트¦we must ensure that we turn pledges into reality바카라 사이트¦turn an entry on the Peacekeeping Capability Readiness System (PCRS) into a soldier on the ground바카라 사이트¦a helicopter in the air바카라 사이트¦an engineer building a jetty.
The gap between demand and expectation has also underscored the importance of all those pledges made in the lead up to this Ministerial바카라 사이트¦I know we바카라 사이트ll hear more about them this morning.
On behalf of the UK, I am proud to say we too believe in the need for more capability and more capacity바카라 사이트¦which is why, when the main body of our force deploys to South Sudan next year, it will bring a Role 2 Medical Facility to UN forces in Bentiu바카라 사이트¦filling a critical capability gap바카라 사이트¦and we will go further, and build a permanent facility there, allowing future force providers the benefit of an established facility.
This is a key capability and such decisions are not taken lightly, particularly in a world where it is much in demand바카라 사이트¦but it is a clear signal of the UK바카라 사이트s commitment to do more to support UN Peacekeeping efforts. 27 other countries have made additional pledges since President Obama바카라 사이트s Summit last year.
Performance
Having more people and more and better capability is a great step forward바카라 사이트¦but we must also make sure that we achieve the right quality.
This starts with training바카라 사이트¦peacekeepers must be trained, and fit for purpose바카라 사이트¦with the right equipment바카라 사이트¦and fully vetted before deployment.
Poor performance바카라 사이트¦ the absence of leadership or moral courage바카라 사이트¦will not only demoralise our people바카라 사이트¦but lose the hearts and minds of the public they are there to protect.
There have been some shocking examples of poor performance that we would all deplore바카라 사이트¦we must all agree that there must be a zero tolerance policy on sexual exploitation and abuse.
The UK and others provide training in key areas required by peacekeepers, on a range of key tasks, including tackling sexual violence in conflict바카라 사이트¦we need to seek out further opportunities to provide this support.
Performance is also about participation.
There are too few women peacekeepers바카라 사이트¦a gender mix of peacekeepers can have a major impact on operational effectiveness.
Women in the military are a force multiplier바카라 사이트¦whose participation can really drive success.
The UN needs to pursue opportunities for women peacekeepers to participate, which means Member States stepping up to provide women to these roles. So we must redouble our efforts to enable the participation of women in all aspects of peacekeeping.
The UK has, this year, completed a comprehensive review of women in close ground combat바카라 사이트¦I am proud to say that all roles in the UK Armed Forces will be open to women.
Conclusion
It is important that we work hard today, matching the ambition of our agenda to the ambition that we achieved in our communiquĆ©. I am grateful to those that have already signed up to the communiquĆ©, and I hope those that haven바카라 사이트t yet done so will take the opportunity today.
But now let me conclude, reminding you of the three Ps바카라 사이트¦Planning바카라 사이트¦Pledges바카라 사이트¦ Performance.
Let바카라 사이트s bear these in mind as we talk today바카라 사이트¦let바카라 사이트s celebrate the success of further pledges to peacekeeping바카라 사이트¦let바카라 사이트s drive the better planning that we need바카라 사이트¦let바카라 사이트s commit to the high standards of performance that we all expect, and that we will all get from our peacekeepers.
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