Ireland announces pledges at 2021 UN Peacekeeping Ministerial, Korea

Minister for Defence and Foreign Affairs, Simon Coveney, TD this (Tuesday) morning addressed the UN Peacekeeping Ministerial meeting hosted by the Republic of Korea, joining Defence and Foreign Ministers from over a hundred UN Member States.

Speaking during a session on “Sustaining Peace”, the Minister reflected on the contribution made by members of the Defence Forces and An Garda Síochána as UN Peacekeepers over six decades.

Affirming Ireland’s commitment to strengthening peacekeeping, Minister Coveney announced six new pledges, responding to the UN’s identified needs. The new pledges, which were identified following direct engagement with the UN’s Office of Military Affairs, include:

• Protecting the health of peacekeepers and civilians by providing Buddy First Aid Kits to over a thousand Ghanaian UN peacekeepers serving alongside members of our Defence Forces in UNIFIL (Lebanon) and MINUSMA (Mali)

• Allocating €800,000 through the UN’s Climate and Security Mechanism to support the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) in countering climate related security risks in South Sudan

• Enhancing the safety of peacekeepers and civilians across all UN missions by deploying a Defence Forces expert to the United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS) in Entebbe to lead counter-improvised explosive device (C-IED) disposal training

• Preparing for the transition from peacekeeping to peacebuilding in Sudan by supporting the Multi-Partner Trust Fund (MPTF) over three years with annual funding equal to our share of the unencumbered peacekeeping budget (€84,140 in 2021)

• Supporting the UN’s Digital Transformation Strategy by funding a UN led data analytics training project

• Inviting peacekeepers from other Troop and Police Contributing Countries to attend pre-deployment trainings hosted by the Defence Forces and An Garda Síochána.

Speaking of Ireland’s package of pledges, Minister Coveney said “They will strengthen peacekeeping effectiveness and impact through the UN’s - Action for Peacekeeping initiative, in line with this Ministerial’s focus on medical capacity building and technology.”

The Minister also highlighted Ireland’s role in supporting peacebuilding through the UN’s Peacebuilding Fund and as a priority across Ireland’s work during its membership of the UN Security Council. Ireland brought forward UNSCR 2594, the first UNSC resolution devoted to the transition from peacekeeping to peacebuilding, which the Security Council passed unanimously under Minister Coveney’s chairmanship in September.

Addressing the Ministerial, the Minister said “Today, Ireland is the 6th largest per capita contributor to UN peacekeeping operations globally, contributing 544 personnel to nine UN peacekeeping missions or missions authorised by the UN. Our support extends also to building and sustaining peace. This includes capacity building in those communities that our peacekeepers are deployed to protect.”

ENDS

Note for Editors

The overall objectives of this 2021 UN Peacekeeping Ministerial include enhancing peacekeeping capacities, including through effective partnerships, incorporating technological developments in peacekeeping, improving the environmental footprint and facilitating medical capacity-building of peacekeepers.

The pledges made at the Ministerial conference include those in the areas of Medical support, Technology, Counter-improvised explosive device and Training. This overall Irish initiative is a result of cross-governmental engagement by the Department of Defence, Defence Forces, Department of Foreign Affairs, and Ireland's United Nations Permanent Rep Office New York, and UN HQ.

• Medical related Pledge - Buddy First Aid Kits

Ireland pledges financial support in the amount of €50,000 by way of assistance to the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR), towards the UN’s ‘Buddy First Aid Initiative’. From 2022, it will be mandatory for all deployed peacekeeping troops to be equipped with Buddy First Aid Kits. In 2019, the Defence Forces hosted the launch of the initial ‘Buddy First Aid Train the Trainer’ event in Galway and this new pledge of financial assistance will facilitate further practical support for this important UN initiative.

• Technology related Pledge - Digital Transformation Strategy

Ireland proposes to pledge financial support in the amount of €20,000 towards training and workshop costs associated with development of a new UN Digital Transformation Strategy to enhance delivery of UN peacekeeping operations, improve mandate implementation with the support of responsible, innovative, and integrated use of digital technologies.

• Counter- improvised explosive device (C-IED) training

Ireland’s expertise in the field of Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) and Counter-improvised explosive device (C-IED) disposal is highly regarded and valued by the UN. Ireland has pledged further practical support to the work of the United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS), in Entebbe, Uganda, by committing to providing one member of the Irish Defence Force to work with UNMAS for a 24-month period, to deliver C-IED training for troops deploying to UN Peacekeeping Missions.

• Renewal of existing Training pledges

It is proposed that Ireland would renew all existing pledges of training to the PCRS. These include a wide range of courses which may be delivered by the Defence Forces in Ireland or in a requesting country. To-date, our UN Peacekeeping Capability Readiness training pledges have provided support that has enabled military and police personnel from Namibia, Togo, Bhutan, Nigeria and Vietnam, attend core peacekeeping courses delivered at the UN Training School in the Curragh. Ireland's training pledges for delivery outside of Ireland were progressed with specific focus on Counter IED and Irish Defence Forces instructors delivered C-IED training in Burkina Faso in support of troops deploying to MINUSMA