Thank you Mr President, 

We welcome the convening of this important meeting and would like to thank Secretary-General Guterres and African Union Commissioner for Peace and Security, Chergui, for their briefings this morning.

The maintenance of international peace and security is the foremost reason for which the United Nations was created, and traditionally, the most instrumental tool the United Nations has to fulfill this goal, is peacekeeping operations, most of which are located in the African Continent. 

Peacekeeping Operations in Africa are facing unprecedented challenges in recent years as they are increasingly targeted by armed groups whose attacks are steadily advancing in complexity and intent. Strengthening these operations requires, in the most immediate timeline, enhancing the safety and security of peacekeepers, as highlighted in the Cruz Report; In the long run this must go hand in hand with development efforts, support for the political process and humanitarian assistance- All of which are far more effective when done in cooperation with regional organizations like the African Union, which can work as a multiplier for the efforts of the United Nations.

If we wish to ensure that peacekeeping remains sustainable, we must adjust our mindsets to match the realities on the ground. We must recognize that wearing a blue helmet no longer guarantees protection. 2017 proved the deadliest year in decades for UN peacekeepers with 61 fatalities due to malicious acts, all of which were in Africa. While we are encouraged to see a much lower number of casualties so far this year, the tragic incident this week in the Democratic Republic of Congo, which sadly took the lives of 8 UN peacekeepers, reminds us that there is still much work to be done, and we wish to express our condolences to the families of these peacekeepers.  

Mr President,

Israel is committed to Strengthening Peacekeeping Operations in Africa and enhancing their protection. We have expanded our partnership with the UN to improve camp security, and we are providing necessary training and capabilities to help fulfill peacekeeping mandates. Israel is determined to invest in African Peace and Security and has increased its support in recent years for the development of the continent, which goes hand in hand with supporting peacekeeping in the region. We are encouraged by recent developments in the Horn of Africa which exemplify how peace and stability can be achieved. However, as many delegations here today have stated, we too agree that we must be respectful of Africa’s leading role in resolving its own security issues. In this regard, Utilizing UN partnerships with regional organizations and supporting their peacekeeping activities, as stated in the declaration of shared commitments, should be an important part of our collective efforts in the region.

Africa is blessed with a great resource which is its people- men and woman who, together, and supported by the international community, must lead the continent out of conflict. Many of these men and woman serve bravely in the peacekeeping missions in the region and dedicate their lives to the pursuit of peace. Israel is actively engaged in lending knowledge, expertise and training to these peacekeepers and is working closely with the Medical Services Division and the Department of Field Support to improve the standard of medical care in peacekeeping by facilitating life-saving First-Aid training, field medic training, med-evac and standards of healthcare in hospitals. We look forward to continuing our partnerships with the relevant UN departments as well as offering our expertise in medical training to TCC’s, especially those serving in the African Continent.

Mr President, 

Last, but not least, allow me to convey Israel’s strong support for the Secretary-General’s Zero Tolerance Policies on Sexual Exploitation and Abuse and Sexual Harassment. We are encouraged by the efforts made so far to combat these phenomena, both at HQ and in the field, but much more still needs to be done. The efforts to Strengthen Peacekeeping Operations in Africa, and empower the continent to strive for peace, are inherently weakened by such incidents. The UN must be trusted not to harm the local populations it is meant to protect, otherwise its ability to be truly effective is severely compromised. 

Israel has a profound understanding of the need for peacekeeping operations that work effectively and fulfill their mandates. We hope we can all work together to strive for these goals and we thank the peacekeepers for their important work and dedication to the cause of peace. 

Thank you.