MANILA, Philippines - With its strong call for reforms in United Nations peacekeeping operations, the Philippines has presented a proposal to improve peacekeeping missions amid more complex and complicated operational environments for peacekeepers.
Speaking at the 2015 Substantive Session of the Special Committee on Peacekeeping Operations last Feb. 18, the Philippine Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN in New York Irene Susan Natividad, outlined the Philippine proposal to improve peacekeeping missions to ensure the safety of peacekeepers.
She said new elements not contemplated during the formulation of mandates – such as Anti-Government Armed Elements and pandemics which continue to undermine the implementation of UN peacekeeping mandates – must be taken into consideration.
Natividad recalled that 45 Fijian peacekeepers were abducted while 72 Filipino peacekeepers were held under siege conditions last year in the Golan Heights.
A total of 59 peacekeepers were killed in the last two years.
“Clearly this situation cannot and should not continue. It is our obligation as one peacekeeping community to ensure that peacekeeping missions can successfully implement their mandates. We need to ensure that mandates of peacekeeping missions are responsive to current conditions. We also need to ensure that the entire policy, structure and operations architecture of peacekeeping are duly supported,” Natividad said.