Thank you, Mr. President,
Israel welcomes the initiative to convene a debate on training and capacity building of UN peacekeepers. Over the past year, we have taken important steps to address the current gaps in training and capacity building, most recently during the Peacekeeping Ministerial.
If our ultimate goal is the full implementation of peacekeeping mandates, effective training is critical. We should establish clear training requirements and procedures and assist TCC’s in the implementation of these procedures. We should also institute an effective process for validating the quality of training at the pre-deployment stage in full coordination with the TCCs.
As Benjamin Franklin once said: “Tell me and I forget, teach me and I may remember, involve me and I learn.”
Mr. President,
Member States have collectively committed to better prepare, train and equip UN personnel through innovative approaches.
Israel is committed to working with the UN to share our state of the art medical expertise and enhance the medical training of TCC’s. We have been working with the Division of Healthcare Management on two initiatives.
First, the development and implementation of the BFAC buddy first aid training. Studies show that the loss of blood that occurs between the time of an injury and the arrival of the paramedics is the leading cause of death in 90 percent of potentially survivable field injuries. If all peacekeepers are trained in basic first aid, they have a much better chance of saving the lives of their comrades in the field.
Israel has been working with the UN to develop a first aid manual for UN peacekeepers. We also provided one of the UN’s first “super trainers,” who, so far, has taught master trainer courses for TCC’s in Italy and Ireland.
Finally, Israel is working with the UN to develop a curriculum for Field Medic guidance and training.
Mr. President,
These medical capabilities are crucial for peacekeeping forces. However, through our work with the UN, we have seen that there are significant differences in the level of preparedness of TCC's. It is therefore our duty to ensure that general standards are achieved and maintained by all of the forces.
The UN should provide guidance and oversight to ensure that these standards and training materials reflect operational requirements. The UN cannot, however, be responsible for the individual training of each troop. Once the standards have been defined, approved and demonstrated through a limited number of UN-led courses, it is up to member states and TCC’s to ensure that all troops are trained according to the guidelines set by the UN.
One project that can facilitate this is the Triangular Partnership Project and Israel hopes to continue to work to strengthen this initiative as it incorporates medical training over the next few years.
Mr. President,
As we pledged during the Peacekeeping Ministerial, we intend to continue contributing to UN medical training and plan to host a first aid Master Trainer course in Israel. We also seek to work in partnership with TCC’s to facilitate the implementation of pre-deployment medical training.
The UN has taken positive steps over the past few years to improve training, especially in the medical field. There is much more work to be done. But we can be sure that working together will make us stronger. Creating partnerships through innovative mechanisms will help us achieve our common goals as stated in the Declaration of Shared Commitments on UN Peacekeeping Operations.
If we expect our troops to perform their duty in the field, it is our moral obligation to ensure that they have the necessary medical knowledge and equipment, to fulfill their tasks.
Thank you.