UN peacekeeping official stresses importance of Japan-led personnel training
UN Under-Secretary-General for Operational Support Atul Khare spoke to NHK in Tokyo on Wednesday.
Noting that this year marks the 80th anniversary of the establishment of the United Nations, Khare said the UN peacekeeping operations demonstrate that nations are working together to ensure that people can be saved from war and live in better economic prosperity with greater freedom.
But these operations may become financially unsustainable. Media reports say US President Donald Trump's administration is seeking to slash funding for such activities. The United States is the largest contributor, accounting for nearly 27 percent of the peacekeeping budget.
Khare said the US has not informed the UN of a fund reduction, but stressed that "if the member states do not pay their assessed contributions in full and on time, there will be a serious impact." He added that the UN will not be able to keep many troops or police on the ground, and that could seriously affect the protection of civilians.
Khare revealed that UN peacekeepers are working to prepare contingency plans for each operation in case they do not receive the funding.
Khare also pointed to the need to enhance the peacekeeping capacity. He stressed the importance of the Triangular Partnership Programme, a UN mechanism led by Japan for nations to cooperate in providing personnel training.
He said, "When the resources are constrained, it is extremely important to have very effective trained peacekeepers." He added that in this way, they can effectively carry out their mission to bring peace and security, even with small numbers of personnel.
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