Dhaka hosted the first UN peacekeeping ministerial two-day preparatory meeting, held on Sunday and Monday, which was attended by UN Under Secretary General (USG) for the Department of Peace Operations Jean Pierre Lacroix.
Jean Pierre Lacroix, UN Under Secretary General (USG) for Department of Peace Operations, and Catherine Pollard, UN Under Secretary General (USG) for Management Strategy, Policy, and Compliance, attended the opening and closing ceremonies of the two-day preparatory conference for the UN peacekeeping ministerial in Dhaka on 25th and 26th June.
According to the United Nations, the United Nations Peacekeeping Ministerial is an essential opportunity for member states to collaborate in an effort to improve the effectiveness of peacekeeping operations and their impact on the communities they serve.
What was the agenda of Lacroix’s visit?
This is the first time the peacekeeping chief has visited Bangladesh. Saturday marked the arrival of United Nations Under Secretary-General for Peace Operations Jean-Pierre Lacroix in Dhaka. The visit to Bangladesh is part of the peacekeeping chief’s broader tour of South Asia.
The chief will travel to Bangladesh, India, Nepal, and Pakistan. Collectively, these four nations are of higher importance to UN missions. Together, military and police from these four nations account for approximately one-third of the approximately 91,000 uniformed personnel serving in 14 ongoing peacekeeping operations.
In addition to the preparatory meeting, the agenda included thanking these four countries for their service and sacrifice in the name of peace and providing an update on ongoing reforms in the UN peace and security reform area, specifically the Action for Peacekeeping (A4P) initiative to make peacekeeping more focused, safer, and stronger.
Lacroix was scheduled to meet with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Foreign Minister Dr. AK Abdul Momen, and State Minister of Foreign Affairs Md Shahriar Alam during his visit to Bangladesh. In addition, he was scheduled to meet with the service commanders (Army, Navy, and Air Force) and the inspector general of police (IGP).
Highlights from the UN peacekeeping preparatory meeting
The theme of the preparatory meeting, which is co-hosted by Bangladesh, Canada, and Uruguay, is “Women in UN Peacekeeping”. Prominent speakers at the opening session included Major General A S M Ridwanur Rahman, commandant of the Bangladesh Institute of Peace and Security; Catherine Pollard, under-secretary-general for Management Strategy, Policy, and Compliance; Ambassador Luis Bermudez, director general for Political Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Uruguay; and Ulric Shanoon, director general of the Peace and Stabilisation Operations Programme at Global Affairs Canada. Some of the highlights from the preparatory meeting includes-
Commitment to gender equality in UN peacekeeping efforts
Bangladesh showcased its commitment to gender equality and the empowerment of women in UN peacekeeping, aiming for a more inclusive and effective peacekeeping environment.
Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen expressed Bangladesh’s commitment to promoting a safe and inclusive environment for all peacekeepers, regardless of gender, during the opening session of the preparatory meeting of the UN Peacekeeping Ministerial. He emphasized the need to eradicate discrimination and sexual abuse from peacekeeping missions, stating that collective efforts are required to achieve this goal.
As a leading Troop and Police Contributing Country to UN Peacekeeping Missions, the foreign secretary said, Bangladesh remains firmly committed to the principles and objectives of the United Nations in promoting peace, security, and gender equality.
“We believe that gender equality and empowerment of women are crucial for sustainable peace and development,” said Momen.
“I firmly believe that this preparatory meeting will set the stage for the upcoming UN Peacekeeping Ministerial Meeting, which would need to take into account emerging concerns of the member states about the security situations in some missions,” Masud Bin Momen said.
Jean-Pierre Lacroix, UN Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations, emphasized the significance of respecting and promoting the dignity of all peacekeepers, regardless of gender. Lacroix acknowledged that women peacekeepers make up only 6.5% of the total UN contingent, but she emphasized that the percentage is growing. In addition, he advocated for the simplification of trial proceedings in cases of sexual violence.
Inspector General of the Bangladesh Police (IGP) Chowdhury Abdullah Al Mamun emphasized the significant increase of female police officers in UN missions over the past two decades. Currently, Bangladesh has the second-highest number of female participants. Mamun praised Bangladesh’s female police officers, characterizing them as role models in their host nations.
Support for women peacekeepers’ sacrifices and safety
During a meeting with UN Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations Jean-Pierre Lacroix and Under-Secretary-General for Management Strategy, Policy, and Compliance Catherine Pollard, Foreign Minister Dr. AK Abdul Momen stressed the significance of recognizing the personal sacrifices made by female peacekeepers.
The foreign minister emphasized Bangladesh’s commitment to achieving the UN’s goal of increasing the number of female peacekeepers. He emphasized the need to ensure the safety and security of peacekeepers, citing the establishment of the Bangladesh Institute for Peace Support Operation and Training (BIPSOT) to provide Bangladeshi peacekeepers with comprehensive pre-deployment training.
UN officials acknowledge Bangladesh’s peacekeeping contribution and discuss key issues with Prime Minister
The Under-Secretaries General of the United Nations, Jean-Pierre Lacroix and Catherine Pollard, paid a visit to the official residence of Bangladesh’s Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Ganabhaban, to express their admiration for the country’s dedicated peacekeepers and discuss vital matters.
They lauded the contribution of Bangladeshi peacekeepers to the maintenance of peace in conflict-ridden UN member states. In this regard, the Prime Minister stated that Bangladesh has contributed to UN peacekeeping missions with the uttermost dedication and professionalism for over three decades. She stated that Bangladesh is the nation that contributes the most troops to UN peacekeeping missions.
“Some 7,500 Bangladeshi male and female persons are employed in nine UN peacekeeping missions around the globe,” Sheikh Hasina said.
The prime minister emphasized Bangladesh’s commitment to women’s security and combating sexual exploitation, reaffirming a “zero tolerance” policy. Climate change was also discussed, highlighting Bangladesh’s vulnerability and its proactive approach to mitigation and adaptation. Catherine Pollard thanked the prime minister for Bangladesh’s contribution to the trust fund, which has been formed to check sexual exploitation and abuse. The meeting included senior officials from various sectors.
UN recognizes Bangladesh’s contribution and pledges to increase peacekeeper recruitment
During a meeting with acting Army Chief Lieutenant General Ataul Hakim Sarwar Hasan, UN Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Jean-Pierre Lacroix thanked Bangladesh for its significant contribution to UN peacekeeping missions. Lacroix guaranteed special consideration for the recruitment of additional Bangladeshi peacekeepers.
The discussion centered on various issues pertaining to UN peacekeeping, with particular emphasis on the current status and prospective activities of the Mali mission. The acting Army Chief requested a larger deployment of Bangladeshi peacekeepers, highlighting Bangladesh’s consistent position as the leading contributor and its robust presence within peacekeeping missions.
Since 1988, when 15 peacekeepers were assigned to the Iran-Iraq Military Observer Group (UNIIMOG), Bangladesh has been actively involved in UN peacekeeping operations. Bangladesh has contributed 188,558 peacekeepers to 63 UN missions in 40 countries or locations over the years. 7 436 Bangladeshi peacekeepers, including 572 women, are currently deployed in 14 countries.
Lacroix also thanked Bangladesh, and the Bangladesh Army in particular, for consistently dispatching a significant number of peacekeepers. The meeting also addressed the appointment of Bangladeshis, including female peacekeepers, to important positions in future peacekeeping missions, for which the acting Army Chief expressed his appreciation.
Lacroix was also scheduled to be a guest speaker at the PrepCon session titled “Gender-Responsive Leadership and Inclusive Teams.” Lacroix and other delegates were due to visit the Bangladesh Institute of Peace Support Operation Training (BIPSOT) in Gazipur on the second day of the conference.
Lacroix will depart from Dhaka on June 27. From 27 June to 3 July, Lacroix will travel to Nepal and Bhutan. He will discuss the countries’ ongoing support for UN peace operations, including in the context of the Ministerial on Peacekeeping.
| The UN Peacekeeping Ministerial 2023 will be hosted by Ghana in Accra on December 5-6, a biennial conference initiated in 2021. It is the latest in a series of meetings held at the Head of State, Government, or Ministerial level since 2014, including in Seoul in 2021. The discussions will focus on concrete measures to improve operations in line with ongoing reform through Action for Peacekeeping, A4P+ and the Digital Transformation Strategy. With missions facing greater challenges than ever, the Ministerial will focus on protection of civilians, strategic communications (including addressing mis/disinformation and hate speech), safety and security, the mental health of peacekeepers, and women in peacekeeping as outlined in the Concept Note. |
Source: ISPR
