Canada announces renewed commitments to peacekeeping at 2021 UN Peacekeeping Ministerial
Video / December 9, 2021
Transcript
REMARKS AS DELIVERED
The Honourable Anita Anand
Minister of National Defence of Canada
UN Peacekeeping Ministerial
Plenary session 1
December 7, 2021
I would like to begin by acknowledging that I am speaking with you from the traditional, unceded territory of the Algonquin Anishinaabeg people.
Today, I join you virtually from Ottawa to reaffirm Canada’s support for effective and inclusive United Nations peace operations and peacebuilding.
At a time when we have to work together for peace, security and prosperity, I am proud to share the following Government of Canada commitments.
PEACEBUILDING FUND CONTRIBUTION
We know that, to build sustainable peace and to prevent conflicts, we must support national and local leaders in advancing their peacebuilding priorities.
The UN’s Peacebuilding and Sustaining Peace agenda is key to making the UN system fit for purpose in support of inclusive political solutions, including in peacekeeping contexts.
That is why Canada supports the UN Secretary General’s Peacebuilding Fund, which champions national and local ownership while ensuring that its investments are gender-responsive.
It also incentivizes coherence and unity of purpose across the UN and beyond, including to protect fragile gains when the UN draws down a peacekeeping mission.
Canada’s first pledge is a commitment to significantly scale up our contributions to the Peacebuilding Fund. We will also increase the predictability of the Fund’s resources through multi-year support.
This will support the Fund’s efforts to build social cohesion and community resilience; empower women and youth peacebuilders; and foster coherence across the humanitarian-development-peace nexus.
ELSIE INITIATIVE
Canada’s next pledge is to launch a second, expanded phase of the Elsie Initiative for Women in Peace Operations. We will continue to work to increase the meaningful participation of women in uniform in peacekeeping operations and to remove the barriers to their participation.
This effort will build on lessons learned since 2017 while increasing our ability to work with the UN, Member States, and partners around the world.
To begin, we will provide over $7.7 million in extra-budgetary funding to the UN Departments of Peace Operations and Operational Support over two years. This funding will go towards implementation of the UN’s Uniformed Gender Parity Strategy. It will also support the construction of gender-responsive camp accommodations to create more receptive and inclusive mission environments.
Canada is proud to work with our bilateral partners—Ghana, Senegal and Zambia, and we will continue to work with them over the coming years to launch activities to tackle barriers to women’s participation in peacekeeping operations.
VANCOUVER PRINCIPLES
Canada has worked closely with partners to protect children in peacekeeping contexts since 2017.
To date, one hundred and five UN Member States have endorsed the Vancouver Principles of maintaining peace and preventing the recruitment and use of child soldiers.
Canada’s third pledge is to provide multi-year support for continued implementation of the Vancouver Principles. We begin with over $2 million to the UN Department of Peace Operations to integrate the Principles into UN peacekeeping policy, guidance and training.
PEACE OPERATIONS
Canada’s fourth pledge is to renew multi-year support for specialized peacekeeping training. This is essential, given the complex missions peacekeepers undertake.
Our support responds to critical gaps identified by the UN. We begin today with $4.8 million towards technologies to support e-learning and medical response training.
CONCLUSION
Canada is committed to helping United Nations peace operations become more inclusive and more effective.
In cooperation with all of you, Canada will continue to work to build a more peaceful world.
Thank you.
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