Ambassador Ahmed Abu Zeid writes
Official Spokesman for the MFA & Director of PDD
As we commemorate the seventy-sixth anniversary of United Nations peacekeeping operations, we are looking at honorable pages of a long history, written by more than a million peacekeepers who have served under the United Nations flag in more than 70 peacekeeping operations on four continents, since the inception of United Nations operations. Peacekeeping in 1948. Over the past seven decades, the Blue Helmets have worked tirelessly to mitigate conflicts, protect civilians, provide basic security guarantees, respond to crises and facilitate the transition to sustainable peace in some of the world’s most challenging environments. In doing so, they have contributed to helping countries turn the pages of conflict and begin a path towards sustainable development, even if some major challenges remain to peacebuilding efforts.
Egypt has been a fundamental supporter of United Nations peacekeeping efforts, contributing army and police forces, civilian personnel and experts to many missions around the world. Egypt has also established an impressive record in terms of the achievements of peacekeeping operations over more than 60 years. It is thus considered one of the key countries that made the success of United Nations peacekeeping operations possible. Since 1960, when Egypt sent its forces to UN operations in the Congo, more than 30,000 Egyptian peacekeepers have served in 37 peacekeeping missions in 24 countries. As one of the largest countries that contribute regular forces to peacekeeping operations, Egypt currently deploys 1,602 Egyptian women and men peacekeepers in United Nations peacekeeping operations in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Sudan, South Sudan and Western Sahara.
As great as Egypt’s record of achievements at the level of peacekeeping operations over more than 60 years of its existence, Egypt’s sacrifices were great, as 60 brave blue helmets from Egypt sacrificed their lives for the sake of peace.
This service and sacrifice is appreciated and recognized by the world, and this was embodied in Egypt’s re-election as Special Rapporteur of the United Nations Special Committee for Peacekeeping Operations and its recent election as Chairman of the United Nations Peacebuilding Commission. In addition, the adoption of the Cairo Roadmap to strengthen peacekeeping operations, in line with the approach of the African Union, demonstrates Egypt’s strong leadership in this field.
In light of the complexities we are witnessing in our world today and the ever-changing security environment, we are in dire need of effective multilateral cooperation. Conflicts arise from time to time, often with devastating humanitarian consequences. Also, United Nations peacekeeping missions face a growing and unprecedented threat from the weaponization of digital tools, the spread of hate speech, misinformation and disinformation, which undermines the vital work of peacekeeping and fuels violence against peacekeepers, partners and communities.
Through the Cairo International Center for Conflict Resolution, Peacekeeping and Peacebuilding, Egypt has added a leadership voice from the Global South on a wide range of topics, including conflict prevention and resolution, peacekeeping and peacebuilding. The Cairo International Center for Conflict Resolution, Peacekeeping and Peacebuilding is unique in that it is a center of excellence for the African Union and the only civilian training center on peace and security issues. Through an effective partnership with the United Nations family in Egypt, the Center has become a pillar for strengthening dialogue, negotiation and mediation efforts, early warning, response and crisis management in Africa and the Arab world.
As peacekeeping operations evolve to reflect the needs of the populations in which they serve, women are playing an increasing role in the peacekeeping family – and thus contributing to its greater effectiveness. This is an area in which Egypt also plays an active role, as Egyptian female peacekeepers – currently, 102 of whom are serving in five peacekeeping missions across Africa – are considered role models wherever they participate in peacekeeping missions.
The United Nations has chosen a theme to celebrate this year’s International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers, “Fitting for the Future, Building Better Together,” which highlights the importance of peacekeeping operations having the ability to adapt to changes in political environments and the nature of conflicts. It has become more complex and intertwined.
As UN Secretary-General António Guterres says, “For UN peacekeepers to respond to the challenges of today and tomorrow, they need the world’s support.” As such, countries will not be able to address conflict prevention and resolution in a comprehensive and sustainable manner without taking youth perspectives into account in planning and decision-making. UN Security Council Resolution No. 2250, on youth, peace and security, is a milestone in its recognition of the important role of youth in preventing and resolving conflicts.
In addition, the climate crisis poses a growing threat to international peace and security, with rising sea levels, droughts, floods and other climate events, and highlights the need for United Nations peacekeeping operations to have the capacity to adapt and mitigate the risk of conflicts arising from climate change. Despite Africa’s negligible contribution to global warming, Africa disproportionately faces the worst impacts of climate change.
The pioneering initiative of the Presidency of the twenty-seventh session of the Conference of the States Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt, COP27, which was entitled “Responses to Climate Change.”
