STATEMENT BY
H.E AMBASSADOR RAMLAN IBRAHIM
PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE OF MALAYSIA
TO THE UNITED NATIONS
FOR THE GENERAL DEBATE OF THE 2016 SUBSTANTIVE SESSION
OF THE SPECIAL COMMITTEE ON PEACEKEEPING OPERATIONS
UNITED NATIONS HEADQUARTERS NEW YORK
TUESDAY, 16 FEBRUARY 2016
1. At the outset, allow me to take this opportunity to express Malaysia's appreciation to the Acting President of General Assembly, and the Deputy Secretary General for their opening remarks to the Special Committee.
2. Peacekeeping remains one of the core activities of the United Nations and we value the good work and partnership between the different actors in peacekeeping. My delegation is of the view that all of us need to cooperate in providing tremendous support for the work of the missions in the field. My delegation also underscores that the works of the two Departments (DPKO and DFS) are crucial in providing guidance, effective coordination and necessary field support to all peacekeeping operations.
Mr. Chairman,
3. At this juncture, Malaysia wishes to align itself with the statement made by the representative of Morocco on behalf of Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) and Thailand on behalf of Association of South-East Asia Nations (ASEAN).
4. I would also like to pay tribute to the peacekeepers, our men and women in the field who continue carrying out the noble mission of keeping peace and bringing hope to millions of peoples affected by conflicts around the world.
Mr. Chairman,
5. C 34 is the only formal body in which the contributors of troops to peacekeeping operations, can discuss the broad policy directions of peacekeeping. We should be mindful that peacekeeping is a partnership, a collective effort based on the sharing of tasks with the aim of achieving a shared objective. Hence, we must make sure that this Committee is able to produce relevant and meaningful strategic guidance on peacekeeping operations.
6. In operational terms, Malaysia's commitment to peacekeeping is premised on our trust in collective security arrangement and the principle of peaceful settlement of disputes. Since 1960, Malaysia has participated in 35 UN peacekeeping missions with deployment of over 29,000 military and police personnel. Currently we have a total of 867 military and police personnel serving in various capacities in six (6) UN peacekeeping missions.
Mr. Chairman,
7. Over the years, the role of UN peacekeeping operations have evolved drastically into more complex missions. Peacekeepers are operating in highly fragile political and volatile security environments. This phenomenon has direct bearing on the safety and security of peacekeepers and on the successful implementation of Mission mandates.
8. Ambushes and deliberate attacks against peacekeepers should be averted. Appropriate actions against the perpetrators need to be developed to prevent such incidents. In this regard, the safety and security of the peacekeepers remains crucial. Member States are responsible for the safety and security of the peacekeepers and thus, their well-being must be our top priority.
Mr. Chairman,
9. In confronting non-traditional security challenges at the regional level, Malaysia attaches great importance to having close cooperation with ASEAN and its member states.
10. Under Malaysia’s chairmanship of ASEAN last year, the proposal to establish ASEAN Militaries Ready Group on Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) was discussed at the 9th ASEAN Defence Ministers Meeting in March 2015. My delegation hopes that this proposal will be further discussed in the coming ASEAN Defence Senior Officials Working Group to work out the operational details and modalities for its implementation under the current ASEAN chairmanship of Lao People's Democratic Republic.
11. The proposed ASEAN HADR seeks to enhance cooperation on quick military deployment to crisis areas. In the long run, this will eventually unite the region's military establishment for the wellbeing of its peoples.
12. On the issue of training, Malaysia strongly believes that meeting the multi-dimensional demands faced by peacekeepers today requires continuing capacity-building and training. Training is a key enabler for peacekeepers to maintain the highest standards of professionalism and conduct.
13. Military and civilian personnel deployed in volatile and dangerous situation must be equipped with the right aptitude, survival skills and competency. In this regard, we believe that a common module of training prior to their deployment is vital for the safety and security of our peacekeepers.
14. In this context, I am pleased to announce that the Malaysian Armed Forces in collaboration with DPKO and the Government of Japan will jointly organize a course on ‘UN Protection of Civilians-Training of Trainers’ at the Malaysian Peacekeeping Centre (MPC) from 18 to 29 April 2016. Participation for this course is open to Asian countries as well as other regions.
15. Protection of Civilians (POC) and Child Protection (CP) are among the most common mandate in peacekeeping missions. We are of the view that more works must be done in defining a framework on POC and CP. Such framework could be used by UN peacekeeping missions and its agencies and would assist in the implementation of these mandates.
16. In this regard, my delegation wishes to underline the contribution by Child Protection Advisers under the DPKO in implementing the children and armed conflict agenda on the ground in cooperation with SRSG on Children and Armed Conflict and UNICEF.
17. Peacekeeping missions play an important role in peacebuilding and the continued work on the peacekeeping - peacebuilding nexus remains important. My delegation would like to underscore the importance of Security and Defence Sector Reform as a vital aspect of multidimensional peacekeeping operations. It needs to be implemented as a key element for laying the foundations for durable peace and development.
18. My delegation view that the integration and coherence of peacekeeping and peacebuilding efforts remains crucial for achieving durable peace and security and the prevention of relapse to conflict. The Security Council resolution 2086 (2013) highlighted and reaffirmed this important inter-linkage in the context of multidimensional peacekeeping missions.
19. My delegation reaffirms that efforts in supporting post-conflict countries must be premised on the principle of national ownership. Through national ownership, any policy of post-conflict reconstruction, institutional building and the formulation of an economic development programme will reflect the needs of the local stakeholders and ensure inclusivity and legitimacy.
Mr. Chairman,
20. In conclusion, we have to acknowledge that demand for peacekeeping missions are on the rise. Malaysia believes that peacekeeping operations is an effective tool in maintaining international peace and security.
21. In this regard, we should enhance the "Triangular Cooperation" in the spirit of partnership and collective responsibility. It is imperative in our deliberations at this Committee, to ensure that the peacekeeping missions are effective and contribute to a safer world.
Thank you Mr. Chairman.
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