Participating in a discussion on “Peacekeeping: taking stock and preparing for the future,” acting ambassador Raza Bashir Tarar stressed the need for adherence to the UN Charter, whose basic thrust is on maintenance of international peace and security, to ensure long-term success of peacekeeping.
“The Charter provides legitimacy to UN peacekeeping,” the Pakistani envoy told the 15-member council. “UN Peacekeeping enjoys universal acclaim, cost-effectiveness and professional precision,” he said, adding that peacekeeping offers hope amidst violence and conflicts.
“Recent events have proved that peace operations conducted unilaterally or by different coalitions are poor and costly substitutes to UN peacekeeping,” the Pakistani envoy pointed out. At the same time, Tarar said United Nations operations were largely under-funded and under-resourced, and it was no longer sustainable for troop-contributing countries to subsidize them.
Pakistan, with 11,000 soldiers in blue helmets, is the largest troop contributor to the UN peacekeeping mission around the world. He also emphasized the critical importance of dovetailing peacebuilding into peacekeeping strategies, a task that the Peacebuilding Commission was best placed to develop. More >>>
Location:Islamabad
