EU Presidency Statement - The role of the UN in post-conflict situations

Mr. President,

I have the honour to speak on behalf of the European Union. The acceding countries Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, the Slovak Republic and Slovenia, the associated countries Bulgaria, Romania and Turkey declare that they align themselves with this statement.

Mr. President,

The quest for peace being a constant, even if often elusive, goal, the international community has been constantly investing in formulating ways and advancing mechanisms to achieve long lasting peace and security.

The EU wishes to reaffirm that the primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security rests with the Security Council and that the UN has a central role to play in the peace-building process in order to achieve stability and legitimacy in post-conflict state building, utilizing its unique capacity and experience.

Peacemaking, peacekeeping and peace-building are often closely interrelated. This interrelationship requires a comprehensive approach in order to preserve the results achieved and prevent the re-emergence of conflicts.

Mr. President,

The EU believes that this quest for peace also requires a comprehensive, concerted and determined approach to address the root causes of conflicts, including the economic, social, political, cultural and humanitarian problems which are so often associated with them. In this respect, effective peace-building requires action, both long and short term, which aims at addressing areas such as sustainable development, good governance, eradication of poverty and inequalities, the promotion of democracy, respect for human rights and the rule of law.

Economic rehabilitation and reconstruction especially constitute important elements in the long term development of post-conflict societies and the maintenance of lasting peace, while international assistance play an important role in this regard.

Mr. President,

The EU believes that a comprehensive peace-building strategy must involve all the relevant actors in these fields and should take into account the specific circumstances of each conflict situation.

The EU believes that NGOs and civil society play an important and complementary role in consolidating peace promoting reconciliation and strengthening democratic institutions. We believe that strong democratic institutions could help societies reduce the likelihood of resorting to violence.

The EU has been constant in recognizing the important role that the regional organizations can play in post-conflict situations, in particular by building institutional mechanisms that will deal with conflicts in a more structured and coherent way. We also firmly support close interaction and cooperation with the Security Council in facing these problems.

This cooperation requires an assessment of needs, information sharing and coordination. We welcome an active role of the UN, specifically in the areas of information sharing, promoting transparency, mobilizing support and stimulating contacts between recipients and donors of assistance in various areas as in training, equipment and logistics.

The EU, within the context of ESDP, its Member States and the European Commission play an active role in supporting and strengthening the UN peacekeeping and peace-building activities around the world.

The EU Member States contribute military and civilian police personnel and they provide, as well as the European Commission, personnel for financial, logistical, technical and political support for most African peace operations, mediation and peace processes.

In this context, the EU also welcomes the DPKO's efforts to work closely with all relevant actors in Africa, at regional, sub-regional and national levels, in particular for the enhancement of the capabilities of troop contributors and in the capacity building for regional and sub-regional organizations.

Mr. President,

The EU would like to underline the significance of including peace-building elements in the mandate of peacekeeping operations, as is the case with important preventive role played by the civilian police, one of the priorities of ESDP in the civilian field.

The EU's first crisis management operation, the EU Police Mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina (EUPM) began operations on 1 January this year. This operation was conceived and established as a follow-on to the UN International Police Task Force based in Bosnia for the last seven years and is aiming at consolidating the success of the UN mission in reforming the BiH police and ensuring that the UN's achievements are sustained over time.

Mr. President,

The EU emphasizes the need for the UN to develop peace-building capacities and strategies and to implement programs in their support. This requires increased solidarity, sustained political will and adequate resources on the part of the international community.

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