UN Peacekeeping operations - Security Council, 10137th meeting

The 10,137th meeting of the Security Council is called to order. The provisional agenda for this meeting is: United Nations peacekeeping operations. The agenda is adopted. In accordance with rule 39 of the Council's provisional rules of procedure, I invite the following briefers to participate in this meeting: Mr. Jean-Pierre Lacroix, Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations; Lieutenant-General Humphrey Nyong, Force Commander of the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic; and Major-General Ganesh Kumar Shrestha, Acting Head of Mission and Force Commander of the United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei. It is so decided. The Security Council will now begin its consideration of item 2 of the agenda. I now give the floor to Mr. Jean-Pierre Lacroix.

Thank you, Madam President, distinguished members of the Security Council. It's with pleasure that once again I come to this Security Council meeting for the 2026 Conference of the Military Component. And I'm very happy to be accompanied by two force commanders, also distinguished. Lieutenant General Humphrey Nyong, Force Commander of MINUSCA, and Major General Ganesh Kumar, Head of Mission and Force Commander of UNISFA. This meeting is a time to not only reaffirm our commitment to peace and security through the essential peacekeeping work of the United Nations, but also allows us to benefit from the in-depth experience of the military commanders. The subject this year of the conference is peacekeeping towards the future, agility strengthened by solid partnerships supported by increased operational support. These discussions are part of a continuation of several years of these meetings, where these subjects have been examined carefully. Three years ago, the Secretary-General presented a readjusted security system where the UN peacekeeping operations are a central element. The Pact for the Future has taken up this idea and in charge the Secretary-General to carry out an examination of the future for UN peacekeeping operations. This evaluation, which soon will be published, will propose recommendations to member states with regard to how all operations can be adapted, including peacekeeping operations in years to come and beyond. The ministerial meeting on peacekeeping last year, hosted by the German government in Berlin, was another important step, not only to reaffirm the political and material support that is essential to respond to current needs, but also to examine the emerging requirements and possible models for peacekeeping operations. In all of these deliberations, one thing was always reaffirmed: UN peacekeeping is and remains a useful political tool used by the international community to help parties to put an end to armed conflict and move towards lasting peace. In the DRC, MONUSCO has shown the way that military components, as well as civil and political, work together towards a common political goal, working towards a clearly defined outcome. The military posture of the mission and applications of ceasefires in the Supervision Mechanism, COVIM, as well as other activities, have all been designed to strengthen and create a good space for the political process underway. Also, the collective credibility of the United Nations depends on its ability and its determination to act when civilians are in danger. The protection of civilians will remain a priority everywhere where it is mandated and we will continue to adapt and innovate to carry out this work in a way that is adapted to various contexts. In South Sudan, for example. UNMISS has moved from a priority to protect static sites now to a more mobile posture. And in response to recent violence in Jonglei State, the Mission has strengthened its presence in the area and opened up extra temporary bases in order to protect civilians that are caught in the crossfire of these intensified clashes.

Operations must continue to be flexible and adaptable. Several priorities must guide our efforts. Firstly, peacekeeping must remain adaptable and accountable. Prioritised and focused mandates from this Council that are adequately resourced and can be recalibrated to evolving needs and situations should be the starting point. Troop and police contributing countries are the backbone of our missions. Their perspectives must be regularly included in mandate design and implementation. Effective integrated planning at strategic and operational levels will allow for responsiveness to rapidly changing dynamics, timely cooperation with related partners and actors on the ground, and measures to guide exit strategies. Secondly, we will maintain a strong focus on performance. The new iteration of A4P+, which we have entitled Action for Peacekeeping Impact, or A4P Impact, which will be distributed to Member States shortly, retains a strong focus on performance, including highlighting good performance and addressing underperformance. We continue to evaluate performance of uniform components, mission performance, as well as the impact of peacekeeping as a whole to guide corrective action and continuous improvement. For example, we recently rolled out a new evaluation for infantry battalions. This provides missions, Member States and UN Headquarters with information about shortfalls and allows for taking remedial measures as needed. At the same time, we are maintaining readiness to the peacekeeping capability readiness system. Next, to be future-ready, peacekeeping must be equipped with capabilities and technologies that allow missions to anticipate threats, adapt quickly and operate safely in increasingly complex environments. Enhanced mobility and agile logistics remain essential, but digital transformation is equally critical. Data-driven tools, integrated command and control, and technologies such as drones, satellite imagery, and artificial intelligence strengthen situational awareness, early warning, and force protection. In MONUSCO, these advances are already shaping operations. Confronted with armed drones and GPS interference, the mission has strengthened the early warning and adopted a layered surveillance approach, drawing on unmanned system and satellite imagery to support ceasefire monitoring in a challenging environment. However, technology alone is not a solution. It must be accompanied by skilled personnel, sustained training, and predictable resources. By investing in the right capabilities, we can reshape peacekeeping to remain nimble, resilient, and ultimately more impactful for the communities we serve. Fourth, peacekeeping is inherently a partnership-driven enterprise. As we look to the future, we are deepening collaboration with troop and police contributing countries, host states, civil society, and regional and subregional organizations to fully leverage comparative advantages and ensure that operations are optimally configured to the needs on the ground. Our strategic partnership with the African Union is central to this vision. Implementing resolution 2719 remains a priority, enabling more coherent and predictable support to African-led peace operations. We see the value of enhanced partnerships clearly on the ground. In South Sudan, UNMISS has enhanced trilateral coordination with the African Union and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development, or IGAD, allowing for unified political engagement and coordinated action in support of a peace process. As you are aware, our peacekeeping operations have faced significant financial challenges over the past year, necessitating the implementation of stringent contingency measures. Although it's too early to assess the full impact of these measures, as we expect that this impact will be felt over an extended period of time, we are already seeing major constraints on the ability of the missions to implement their political and protection of civilian mandates, as well as to ensure the safety and security of UN personnel. For instance, the closure of bases has reduced UNMISS's situational awareness, early warning capabilities and community reassurance, creating blind spots, limiting proactive intervention and timely deployment to hotspots. In the case of MINURSO, responsiveness to CASEVAC and MEDEVAC needs from the east of the berm may also be slightly lower due to the reduction in the number of aircraft. A similar situation is taking place in MONUSCO, where reduced aviation hours have increased reliance on ground movements in high-risk areas, elevating exposure to security threats and affecting the timeliness of emergency responses, including CASEVAC and MEDEVAC. Enhancing cost efficiency of peacekeeping operations will remain a critical imperative for the Secretariat, and missions are identifying efficiencies as part of the implementation of the contingency plans. But Member States must pay their assessed contributions in full and on time to allow us to work effectively in the implementation of the mandates they give us. For instance, although unmixed training capacity has been reduced, the mission has adapted by prioritizing critical training, including use of virtual platforms and integrating training into operational activities, resulting in some efficiencies and improved prioritization. So, Madam President. to express my appreciation to this Council for its continued engagement in peacekeeping. However, allow me to underscore that the effectiveness of our operations ultimately hinges on the unity, consistency and strength of the Council's political support. Without sustained and unequivocal backing from this Council, our missions cannot deliver on the mandates entrusted to them, nor can they fully support the political processes at the heart of lasting peace. Now, more than ever, it is essential that the Council provides strong, coherent and consistent support, not only to peacekeeping operations themselves, but also to the political efforts that they are designed to enable and sustain. I also wish to express my deep gratitude to Member States for their invaluable contribution to UN peacekeeping, their continued investment in its future and their commitment to ensuring that peacekeeping remains fit for purpose.

I would like to praise the work done every day by all women and men serving under the banner of the United Nations under very difficult conditions, working for peace. Allow me also to pay tribute to the heroism of Blue Helmets that have made the ultimate sacrifice in the service of peace. Today, we honour the memory of three Indonesian Blue Helmets serving in UNIFIL who recently lost their lives, as well as the six blue helmets from Bangladesh killed in Kuduqli as they were serving in the United Nations Force in Abyei, UNISFA. Thank you very much.

I thank Mr. Lacroix for his briefing. I now give the floor to Lieutenant General Humphrey Nyong.

Madam President, distinguished members of the Council, I am honored to brief the Council today. on the situation in the Central African Republic from the perspective of MINUSCA Force. I would like to congratulate the Kingdom of Bahrain on assuming the presidency of the Security Council for the month of April. Allow me at the outset to express my deep appreciation for continued attention and support of this Council to the mission and to the people of the Central African Republic. I will give an update on the security situation, including the risks of spillover effects from the conflict in the Sudan, followed by operational activities of MINUSCA force. Thereafter, highlight the strategic outlook, and finally, key messages to the Council. Madam President, distinguished members of the Council, the Central African Republic has made significant strides towards stability, with MINUSCA playing a central role in this progress. Following the combined presidential, legislative, regional and local elections held on 28 December 2025, the country has entered a post-election consolidation phase. The elections were conducted in a relatively peaceful environment across most regions and resulted in the re-election of President Faustin-Archange Touadera. Despite these positive developments, the overall security situation remains uneven and fragile. MINUSCA force has continued to support the Central African Armed Forces in expanding its disposition across large parts of the country. This cooperation has contributed to improve the security at national level, particularly in the Yadu region, in the northwest and Ombume Prefecture in the southeast. However, insecurity persists in two hotspot areas, especially in the northeast and southeast. In the Ombume Prefecture, for example, the situation remains highly precarious due to the activities of the Azande Nipibe militia, which has committed serious human rights violations. The group has carried out targeted attacks against MINUSCA force and the national security forces, as well as abductions of the local administration officials and civilians, including incidents that occurred on election day in Zemio and Bambari. In the Northeast, instability is further exacerbated by spillover from the conflict in the Sudan, as cross-border movements of armed elements and rising displacement of civilians place additional strain on already fragile communities, particularly in Vakaga Prefecture, thereby heightening the risk of further destabilization. More broadly, the Central African Republic stability remains closely linked to regional dynamics, including what I've already highlighted, instability in the Sudan, the porous border with South Sudan, and the exploitation of corridors and transhumance routes by armed groups. Although MINUSCA has not faced any direct drone attacks, the use of drones in the region has already caused significant UN casualties, particularly in our sister mission, UNISFA. The threat to MINUSCA is indirect, but growing, fuelled by regional instability, border incursions, and the potential spread of drone technology to armed groups operating in the Central African Republic. On a positive note, however, the governments of Chad and the Central African Republic established the Chad-RCA border mix mechanism on 26 September 2025 to address persistent insecurity and manage influxes of refugees. These efforts have been welcomed by MINUSCA as they aim to restore state authority, formalize trade, and stabilize the porous border, while forming part of the broader strategy to transform the border from a source of conflict into an area of secure trade. Madam President, MINUSCA Force played a critical role in supporting the Central African Republic's general elections on 28 December 2025 by working alongside the National Defense and Security Forces to maintain security, protect civilians and electoral staff, and ensure safe polling conditions through joint patrols. Despite limited troop numbers and the challenging environment, most polling stations operated smoothly. The force is now preparing to provide similar support for the second round of local elections on 26 April 2026. At the same time, MINUSCA has remained central to implementing the government's DDRR program following the April 2025 peace agreement with the UPC and the three other armed groups. It has provided security, logistics, and technical support for disarmament operations. including securing sites and escorting personnel. These efforts have led to the disarmament of over 1,300 combatants from July 2025, bringing the total number to over 6,100 combatants demobilized since 2019, thereby contributing to increased stability and reduced armed group presence. After a pause during the elections, These operations have since resumed. Funding shortfalls are not only an administrative challenge to the mission, but they are also affecting operational movements of the force on the ground. The repatriations of 4,031 troops and reduction in patrols, air support and logistics have constrained MINUSCA's force reach, mobility and its responsiveness. If these are sustained, these limitations risk undermining protection of civilians, weakening our deterrence capability, and reducing the mission's ability to consolidate the gains. Madam President, looking ahead, the mission assesses that the security situation will remain generally positive, but fragile. with a continued risk of localized violence, particularly in areas where residual armed groups compete for influence and resources. As a result, the protection of civilians will remain a central priority for our mission, alongside efforts to consolidate the gains and gradually restore state authority. Continued engagement and support to national defence and security forces through partners such as the European Union, ARRC, will be essential to sustain this progress. Madam President, distinguished members of the Council, continued Security Council support will be essential for the mission's success and broader stabilization efforts in the Central African Republic. Adequate resources and operational capacity will enable peacekeepers to operate effectively. Ultimately, however, lasting peace will depend on strengthening the capacity of the Central African Armed Forces and internal security forces. Madam President, the Force remains committed to fulfilling its mandate and supporting the people of the Central African Republic in achieving lasting peace and stability. I thank the Council for its continued support in this regard. and I therefore stand ready to answer any questions. Thank you very much for your kind attention.

I thank Lieutenant General Neon for his briefing. I now give the floor to Major General Ganesh Kumar Shrestha.

Madam President, distinguished members of the Council, at the outset, I would like to convey my sincere appreciation for the opportunity to brief you. It is my privilege to provide updates on UNISFA, which continues to carry out its mandate in an exceptionally challenging environment. Madam President, allow me to recall the five benchmarks set out in the United Nations Security Council under UNSCR 2802. These include the withdrawal of all unauthorized armed forces, and armed elements and the full demilitarization of the Abyei area; the resumption of the meetings of the Joint Political and Security Mechanism with documented outcomes; the establishment of the Abyei Police Service; and the implementation of temporary administrative and security arrangements by September 2026. The issuance of visa to enable the full deployment of 640 UN police personnel, including individual police officers and formed police units. And finally, support for the prompt appointment of a civilian Deputy Head of Mission. UNISFA is intensifying engagement with the parties and partners to advance progress across these benchmarks. as the rest of this briefing will show. To fulfill its mandate, UNISFA's strategy is built around seven key priorities. These include protecting civilians, strengthening political engagement, adopting the JBVMM concept, enhancing inter-communal mediation, improving rule of law support, safeguarding humanitarian access, and increasing operational efficiency. Together, these priorities create a clear framework for delivering the mandate effectively and maintaining stability in Abyei. Madam President, distinguished members of the Council, The political environment in which UNISFA operates has improved since the mission's inception. However, the ongoing conflict in Sudan and continued instability in South Sudan still affect mission activities. Progress in the Abyei political process remains limited, as regular meetings of the Joint Political and Security Mechanism and the Abyei Joint Oversight Committee have been disrupted. The suspension of Sudan from the African Union has further limited engagement. Despite this, UNISPA, the Special Envoy for the Horn of Africa, and the Department of Peace Operations in New York continue to sustain dialogue with both parties, emphasizing the urgency for the parties to maintain their discussions through JPSM and AJOC. On 7 April, I met with the Defence Minister of South Sudan, and we agreed that efforts to convene the JPSM would be enhanced. He appointed a focal point to work with us to that end. We have also intensified political outreach, including consultations with the African Union and other key stakeholders, focusing on important mandate-related issues. Additionally, the Mission, in coordination with the Department of Peace Operations in New York, is also directing its good offices efforts toward advancing other aspects of mandate implementation with the parties, including engagement in deploying the remaining police personnel and appointing a civilian Deputy Head of the Mission. The security situation in Abyei is relatively stable but remains unpredictable. Although no large-scale clashes have been reported in quite some time, criminal activity Sporadic gunfire, low-level intercommunal tensions, cattle raiding, and revenge-related incidents continue. The continued presence of the South Sudan People's Defence Forces and Rapid Support Forces inside Abyei remains a violation of the 2011 Agreement and UNISFA's mandate. UNISFA has maintained a proactive security posture through ongoing patrols, rapid quick reaction force deployment, and cooperation with community-based mechanisms, preventing numerous high-risk incidents. The Joint Community Peace Committee, JCPC, continues to provide vital early warning, support, and to mobilize communities in amplifying our messaging towards mandate implementation. In this context, on 2 April 2026, JCPC leaders signed a declaration of intent to strengthen the weapon-free status of Abyei and advocate for the withdrawal of unauthorized forces in the context of my initiative for the demilitarization of Abyei. In November 2025, UNISFA facilitated the annual pre-migration conference in Nyum, and is preparing follow-up dialogues with traditional leaders and youth stakeholders. In the same vein, a Bay Joint Program continues to provide basic services to vulnerable populations in an effort to address the root causes of the conflict. Madam President, distinguished members of the Council, the human rights situation remains fragile. The absence of legitimate and functioning state institutions continue to pose a challenge to the rule of law and justice delivery. Violations of the right to physical integrity and other civil and political rights are frequently reported, and the overall situation leads to breaches of economic, social, and cultural rights. Therefore, it is urgently necessary to strengthen rule of law and human rights institutions. Despite these structural challenges, UNISPA continues to fulfill its mandate through monitoring, documentation, and capacity-building initiatives. The humanitarian situation remains dire. Violent incidents, the presence of armed groups, the increasing presence of internally displaced persons, and the arrival of returnees and refugees are straining already limited services. Critical gaps continue to exist in health, water, sanitation, education, and protection, mainly due to the withdrawal of most UN agencies, funds, and programs. Within limited resources, UNISFA continues to support humanitarian access and maintain close coordination with humanitarian partners. Through the ABAY Joint Program, the mission seeks to ensure that local populations benefit from the dividends of peace and stability. Overall, Abyei itself remains relatively stable. However, this stability is neither automatic nor self-sustaining. It is actively maintained through UNISFA's continuous political engagement with and support to both communities. On the force side, UNISFA's deterrence posture, robust patrolling and measures to enforce the weapon-free regime have also proven to be key. Population inflows from both Sudan and South Sudan, combined with the continued presence of unauthorized armed actors, intercommunal tensions, humanitarian pressures, and the absence of formal rule of law institutions, continue to generate underlying risk and require constant attention. The situation we face today reflects a recent and clear evolution. In late 2025, increased conflict in Sudan directly impacted the safe demilitarized border zone. The use of drone warfare, especially around Kadugli, significantly increased the risks to UN personnel and disrupted mission logistics. At the same time, RSF proximity to the Sudan-Arabia boundary and fragmented command structures reduced predictability and undermined security guarantees. Continued deployment in some areas became unsustainable. Madam President, distinguished members of the Council, Following the drone attacks on the Kadugli United Nations logistic base on 13 December, UNISFA was forced to abandon the base. which was completed on 21st December 2025. Subsequently, two JBVMM team sites, Team Site 21, Tishwin, and Team Site 22, Abukusa, Unkur, were closed on 8th February and 6th March 2026, respectively. This new reality has raised the question of how we can continue supporting the parties in the safe demilitarized border zone, an area that must remain monitored. To ensure the Government of South Sudan and Sudan, as well as this Council, are provided with well-informed and realistic options, an integrated working group of experts led by UN Headquarters with UNISFA is currently developing several options that we hope can be presented in the near future. In the meantime, Bangladesh battalion troops previously assigned to the JBBMM have been redeployed to UNISPA's headquarters in Abyei under a new mobile force employment concept. Bangladesh Battalion will temporarily take responsibility for temporary operating bases within the Abyei box. This setup will give UNISPA more flexibility in deploying troops as operational needs emerge. As a result, Indian Battalion and Pakistani Battalion personnel will be available for other prioritized tasks, such as static combat deployment at key migration corridors, locations, and enhanced security at Amrit Market, respectively. Madam President, distinguished Council members, a reduction of 470 personnel, along with staff suspension and freezes, has impacted the mission. Also, a 50% cut in Abyei joint program and the suspension of quick impact projects compounded with the departure of most agencies, funds and programs has limited community support in 2025-26. For example, the mission was forced to reduce the number of participants in peace conference. Also, WFP's direct food assistance was reduced by half between 2025 and 2026 as a result of funding constraints. The mission is managing these challenges by consolidating functions, strengthening civil-military coordination, and repurposing post. The Liquidity Contingency Plan has introduced major risk into mandate delivery. while core mandate task remains achievable. The impact of the liquidity crisis on UNISFA is therefore significant. UNISFA's proposed authorized military and police strength for 2026-27 budget cycle remains unchanged as per our submission. However, the actual number of deployed personnel has been impacted by the implementation of the liquidity contingency plan. Madam President, distinguished Council members, allow me to conclude with a simple observation. Abyei today is not at war, but neither is it at peace. With the rapidly increasing presence of unauthorised armed actors exerting pressure on mandate implementation within the Abyei box and in JBVMM areas, Continued political engagement by the parties, backed by the Council's support for UNISFA, remains critical to preserving stability and advancing a durable solution. Thank you.

I thank Major General Shrestha for his briefing. I now give the floor to those Council members who wish to make statements. I give the floor to the representative of Liberia.

Thank you, Madam President. Liberia welcomes the convening of this annual briefing and thanks the presidency for organizing it at a moment when peacekeeping faces unprecedented strain. We appreciate the briefings by the Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations and the Force Commanders. of UNISFA and MINUSCA. We salute the men and women serving under the blue flag and honor all those who made the ultimate sacrifice in the cause of peace. Madam President, Liberia speaks today with the clarity of a country that has lived the full arc from conflict to recovery. We often say back home, half in satire but fully in truth, that when the UN saved Liberia, it also saved us from ourselves. on MIL worked because mandates were clear and implementable. Expectations were matched by resources, and political processes were given space to breathe. That experience anchors our conviction that peacekeeping done right remains one of multilateralism's most effective tools. Yet, today's operating environments are harsher and more complex. Armed groups fragment, only to reform. Asymmetric attacks, disinformation campaigns, and restrictions on freedom of movement are no longer exceptions. They are the terrain. Peacekeepers are being asked to do more, with less margin for error, and at unacceptable risks. As the Under-Secretary-General pointed out in his briefing, Adaptation is not optional. It is now existential. On MINUSCA, Liberia acknowledges the mission's indispensable role in protecting civilians and supporting the political process in the Central African Republic. Progress achieved, including successful elections with increased participation of women, is real, although fragile. At the same time, persistent insecurity in parts of the country, combined with disinformation and regional spillover, continues to undermine trust. and endanger both civilians and peacekeepers. Protection of civilians must remain the mission's organizing principle, supported by discipline, robust posture, and sustained engagement with local communities. Adaptation will succeed only if it is grounded in legitimacy locally and regionally. On UNISFA, Liberia recognizes the mission's unique responsibility in Abyei amid a stalled political process. We are deeply troubled by attacks against peacekeepers, including kidnapping incidents. Let us be clear. Peacekeepers cannot become bargaining chips in political disputes. Accountability for such acts must be swift and unequivocal. As mission configurations adjust, the Council must ensure that early warning Verification and community confidence are not casualties of reduced presence. Visibility matters. Credibility in the peace process depends on it. Madam President, Liberia highlights three cross-cutting priorities. First, capability must evolve. but humanity must anchor its evolution. Modern technologies, UAVs, data analytics, enhanced situational awareness can save lives and extend reach, but only if they reinforce, not replace, community trust. Second, Accountability is not punitive. It is actually protective. When violations go unanswered, whether against peacekeepers or civilians, mandates erode and political processes stall. Commitments on the status of forces and status of mission agreements must be upheld. Third, peacekeeping cannot outpace politics. Rushed or under-resourced drawdowns risk reversing hard-won gains. Transitions must be conditions-based and paired with sustained peacebuilding and development engagement, including through the Peacebuilding Commission and Fund. To conclude, Madam President, Liberia reaffirms its strong support for UN peacekeeping and for the principles of Action for Peacekeeping and A4P+. The men and women deployed in CAR, the Central African Republic, are there and beyond, deserve clear mandates, clear and implementable mandates, political backing, and the tools required for them to succeed. Peacekeeping works, but only when political and resource commitments will match the exemplary courage of the peacekeepers themselves. I thank you for your kind attention.

I thank the representative of Liberia for the statement. I give the floor to the representative of Denmark.

Thank you, Madam President. Let me begin by thanking Under-Secretary-General Lacroix for his briefing and by expressing our deep appreciation to the force commanders of MINUSCA and UNISFA for their service and leadership under exceptionally demanding conditions. For decades, UN's peacekeeping has helped contain conflict, protect civilians, support political processes, monitor ceasefires, and create space for peace to take root. We have no doubt that UN peacekeeping remains one of the most effective tools available to this Council, even if today's peacekeeping missions are operating in environments that are more dangerous and more complex than ever before. Denmark pays tribute to all peacekeepers serving under the UN flag, to the military, police and civilian personnel serving under immense pressure and, frankly, too often with scarce resources, We commend your dedication and courage. You deserve not only our gratitude, but also our full political support. Madam President, last year, Denmark, together with Pakistan and the Republic of Korea, created the trio to highlight peace operations as a vital tool for the UN Security Council and to promote effective, credible peace operations that are adapted to the realities on the ground. Together with Pakistan, we intend to deepen that collaboration this year. Blue helmets, together with civil components, cannot carry peace processes on their own. They require political backing, realistic mandates, adequate resources, and host states that deliver on their obligations. Without these conditions, even the best mission leadership and the bravest personnel will struggle to deliver. We have seen how restrictions and violations imposed by host authorities directly limit mobility, weaken implementation, and put peacekeepers at unnecessary risk. Host states must create the necessary conditions for missions to succeed. Another important recognition is that missions, context, and mandates differ. While peacekeeping must always remain context-specific, planning must become more integrated, coherent, and systematic. Denmark, together with Austria, has therefore taken the initiative to promote stronger integrated mission-level planning across civilian, police and military components. We are encouraged that 40 Member States have joined this effort, and we look forward to working with all relevant actors to translate this into practical results that improve performance, accountability and the safety and security of peacekeepers. Madam President, Since we have with us today the force commanders of MINUSCA and UNISFA, allow me to highlight a few mission-specific points. MINUSCA remains a mission of great importance. Denmark congratulates the Central African Republic on the holding of elections in December 2025, and this was a significant moment, and MINUSCA's contribution was essential. Now MINUSCA should increasingly focus on the future, consolidating progress through a forward-looking approach to transition rooted in realistic conditions, institution building and national ownership. The people of the Central African Republic should be able to trust state institutions and be meaningfully included in the path ahead. Like all peacekeeping missions, MINUSCA must continue to evolve to meet the demands on the ground, including the challenges presented by the spillover of the conflict in Sudan in the north. Turning to UNISFA, another important peacekeeping operation charged with safeguarding civilians in the territory of Abyei. This mission illustrates clearly the potential to make better use of technology in peacekeeping. In a context where border monitoring remains central, capabilities such as satellite imagery and drones could significantly enhance situational awareness, extend monitoring reach and improve force protection in remote and contested areas. This is particularly relevant for the Joint Border Verification and Monitoring Mechanism. When such tools are not fully utilized, missions are left to do more with less, under greater risk and with lower effectiveness. In two different ways, MINUSCA and UNISFA show the clear value of peacekeeping operations, as well as some of the dilemmas and challenges they may face. Finally, Madam President, Denmark looks forward to receiving the Secretary-General's review on the future of all forms of UN peace operations. But we must not only focus on what comes next. Peacekeeping is a promise to the communities we are mandated to support, to those we send into harm's way, and to the maintenance of international peace and security. That promise must be matched by our resolve here in the Security Council. I thank you.

I thank the representative of Denmark for the statement. I give the floor to the representative of the United States.

Thank you, Madam President, and thank you to all of our briefers today. The United States holds to a simple principle. When conditions change, peacekeeping missions need to adapt or close. The operations authorized by this Council which risk lives and significant taxpayer funding from all of our countries, are meant to be a temporary tool. Their aim is simple, help host governments navigate peace and security crises when they can't help themselves. Unfortunately, more times than those on this council would like to admit, missions drift from temporary solutions into open-ended commitments, burning through billions of dollars, and risking peacekeepers' lives, while some host governments gain the system and never hold up their side of the bargain. UNISFA exemplifies this problem. It is supposedly an interim force, which has consumed billions of dollars over its 15 years in place, with little to show for in lasting political process. In fact, during UNISFA's tenure, the governments of Sudan and South Sudan have made virtually no progress towards delineating the border between Sudan and South Sudan, the demilitarization of Abyei, or deciding the area's final status. Worse, both governments actively undermine the effectiveness through deliberate acts of obstruction disguised as bureaucratic delays. Most recently, they have resorted to blocking the appointment of a civilian deputy head of mission and denying visas for the mission's people and police. Sudan and South Sudan must unequivocally demonstrate progress on these benchmarks outlined in the mandate if they want to see this mission renewed another year. Their actions are speaking louder than their words. Peacekeeping missions have a clear job to do. fulfill their mandates. Our peacekeepers should always be working themselves out of a job. Appeasing host governments to maintain ambiguous consent is not their job. Consent cannot become a shield for inaction and de facto renewal. Council members and regional partners must do more to encourage full cooperation by host governments and conflict parties not only when mandate negotiations and press releases come due. None of us should be satisfied when missions adapt only in order to survive another year. Survival should not be our threshold for success. Adaption must be innovative. They should actually advance a mission's mandate and ultimately make forward progress towards transition, closure, and peace. MUNISCA is a rare example of a current mission that is collectively moved towards a broader strategic goal. It is long past time the UN captures and codifies this kind of integrated strategic planning across the entire peacekeeping enterprise. We welcome UNISCA's repositioning of forces following the successful elections last December. We encourage adjustments to UNISCA's force lay down to economize its footprint in more stable areas, including Bangui, and transitioned responsibility to the Central African Republic Police or National Security Forces. For too long, this Council has watched idly as host governments strangle mission operations, as peace processes stall or backslide, and as mandates become impossible to fulfill. We have seen missions blocked, restricted, and ignored. Yet, these missions are renewed anyway. And despite these glaring realities, this Council has time and time again renewed failing missions with only minimal changes to mandates. We simply cannot continue to call for adaptive peacekeeping while opting for the status quo out of sheer habit. If we are serious about peacekeeping and reform, renewals must be earned, never assumed. Thank you.

I thank the representative of the United States for the statement. I give the floor to the representative of the United Kingdom.

Thank you, Madam President, and thank you to the briefers, USG Lacroix, and the force commanders of MONUSCO and UNISFA. The safety of peacekeepers is critical. This year has seen unacceptable attacks on blue helmets. This includes the killing of peacekeepers in UNMISS, MONUSCO, UNISFA, and most recently in UNIFIL. Our sympathies are with the families of those killed. The United Kingdom condemns violence against UN peacekeepers who work tirelessly to protect international peace and security. We recall that attacks on peacekeepers may constitute war crimes. We urge accountability, strengthened protection measures, and respect for the mandates given by this Council. The United Kingdom commends the courage and professionalism of personnel serving in UN peacekeeping operations. We are grateful for the briefing today from the MONUSCO and UNICEF force commanders, and I'd like to make a couple of points specific to those two missions. In the Central African Republic, MONUSCO continues to play a critical role in a complex environment. We commend MONUSCO's support to elections in December 2025, and encourage the government of the Central African Republic, with MONUSCO's support, to sustain progress on the national disarmament, demobilization and reintegration program in order to advance security sector reform and to strengthen accountability for human rights violations. UNISFA also plays a vital stabilizing role. Growing interference by the Rapid Support Forces and other armed actors and limited progress by the Sudanese and South Sudanese authorities on the benchmarks outlined in the 2025 mandate renewal leave UNISFA stretched. The drawdown of Joint Border Verification and Monitoring Mechanism sites have weakened early warning and confidence building mechanisms at a time of rising insecurity. We call on all parties to respect Abyei's demilitarized status and on the Sudanese and South Sudanese authorities to support UNISFA to deliver its mandate. Finally, Madam President, taking a broader view, The United Kingdom remains committed to ensuring that UN peacekeeping remains an effective tool in support of international peace and security. We note the importance of UN missions being grounded in robust political strategies and their mandates being clear, prioritized, and matched with the right resources and capabilities. Restrictions on missions' freedom of movement are unacceptable. We should also protect progress on performance, accountability, safeguarding, and the meaningful participation of women in peacekeeping. We look forward to the publication of the Secretary-General's review on the future of all forms of UN peace operations to advance this effort. Thank you.

I thank the representative of the United Kingdom for the statement. I give the floor to the representative of the Russian Federation.

Madam President, We are grateful to Under-Secretary-General Mr. Jean-Pierre Lacroix for his views. We would also like to thank the Force Commander of the UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic, Lieutenant-General Humphrey Nyoni, and also the Acting Head of UNISFA, Major General Ganesh Kumar Shrestha, for their informative briefings. We, through you, would also like to express our gratitude to all the military staff of UN peacekeeping missions for their unfailing commitment to their duty in difficult and dangerous circumstances and at daily risk to their lives. Madam President, Over many decades, UN peacekeeping has come a long way and has garnered sufficient expertise and tools to help states in need. in dealing with the most difficult stages of conflict and in setting up conditions for political settlement of crises, in concluding peace agreements and supporting stable circumstances for them to be implemented. There's no doubt that each situation warrants its own unique solution, focusing on political objectives. taking into consideration objective conditions on the ground and success stories from the past, and also in strict compliance with the foundations of UN peacekeeping. This involves unswerving commitment to the UN Charter and compliance there with, and also to the sovereignty of host states and the basic principles of peacekeeping, the consent of parties, impartiality, the non-use of force apart from in self-defense and mandate protection. It's important to move away from disparate mandates for peacekeeping missions when the list of secondary tasks in areas such as human rights, gender and the climate are so long that peacekeeping simply do not have enough resources to implement them. As a result, despite their years-long presence and billions of dollar budgets spent, by no means all missions can boast of successes. conflicts are ratcheted up a notch and the population lose hope in positive changes and increasingly wonder what's preventing the blue helmets from fulfilling their mandate. Furthermore, the international players interfering in government processes might mean that host governments have completely legitimate concerns about the risk of interference in their domestic affairs. On the other side of the coin, there are fears of a loss of power as a result of the withdrawal of such support. This gulf between real results and resources spent just becomes an increasing factor for frustration. We believe that without a clear analysis of such issues, it will be difficult for us to move forward. Only on the basis of such an assessment can a political and not just a technical solution be found. simple blanket cuts with a fixed percentage rate. Having those leads to a path of just further problems rather than to solutions. Madam President, the crisis environment that UN peacekeeping missions are deployed in constantly change and this, inter alia, could lead to a further deterioration of the security situation. with missions that have a mandate to protect civilians, this is a priority. There is no doubt that ensuring the safety and security of civilians is, however, first and foremost the responsibility of states, and no one apart from the state is better placed to bear this responsibility. This is particularly clear when we're talking about remote regions outside the peacekeeping deployment area, or in the current situation of cuts to troop numbers on the ground. This is precisely why, when peacekeeping missions do have a mandate to protect civilians, this mandate must be fully complied with, in close cooperation with the national authorities, local communities and the relevant humanitarian organizations as well. Thus, at the same time, peacekeeping missions must make efforts to assist security sector reform and to improve training of the relevant national organs. Without their appropriate capacity building, it's not possible to achieve lasting results. A good example of this is the work of the UN Stabilization Mission in the CAR. Thanks inter alia to assistance from US Peacekeepers, the CAR has made significant strides in the security track. This has helped to ensure substantial progress to move to peacetime in this country. Despite the necessary staff and resource optimization measures, peacekeepers continue effectively to fill their mandate. A key part of this mandate is civilian protection and the support for national security sector reform. We also commend the work of the mission to assist the authorities in conducting electoral work at the end of last year. On a separate note, we would like to underscore that the gradual normalization of the security situation in the CAR was possible thanks to the pooling of efforts between the UN mission and Bangui's bilateral partners, and in particular Russia. This kind of accompanying international efforts to eradicate threats to civilians is enabled MINUSCA to become a contemporary success story in terms of UN peacekeeping in Africa. However, it's important to recall that civilian security guarantees can be provided only if the root causes of crises are tackled. For The need to protect civilians is not the aim of peacekeeping in and of itself, but rather the result of conflict. In this regard, we would recall that the main aim of peacekeeping operations is to create conditions for political settlement. This occurs through high quality, painstaking political and mediation efforts without any pressure or the imposition of ideologies that are alien to the parties to the conflict. Otherwise, even if there is a temporary lull, crises risk flaring up again. The scope of the settlement in Abyei, since the Council approved the extension in November 2025 of the Interim Security Forces mandate, the scope of the settlement in the region remains limited. The protected conflict in Sudan and the stalled political process in South Sudan has not enabled the two countries fully to engage in determining the final status of these territories. Both states furthermore are up against a shortfall in financial resources and also humanitarian problems. All this pushes them further away from starting substantive talks on Abyei. We agree that the parties should receive a clear signal to resolve the outstanding problems, including the revitalization of the bilateral border mechanisms and creating police forces and ensuring the demilitarized status of Abyei. However, Khartoum and Juba can only really tackle these issues once the domestic situation in both of these countries is normalised. In these circumstances, it is hardly advisable to use Abyei to exert pressure on the Sudanese and the South Sudanese. It is important to ensure they have room for manoeuvre and to demonstrate that the UN is prepared to continue to provide proper oversight of the situation in Abyei until the proper conditions are in place for dialogue between the two capitals. With the heightened financial crisis in the UN leading into earlier two cuts in the numbers of peacekeepers in the field missions, this crisis begs the question of replacing physical presences by using new technologies to ensure the safety and security of peacekeepers themselves and also of the civilians. There's no doubt that the blue helmets must keep up with the times and rely on new technology in their day-to-day work. However, first and foremost, the consent of the host state needs to be secured and also the sensitive nature of this issue needs to be taken into consideration to ensure that the use by PKOs of ICTs does not pose a risk to the sovereignty of the host country and does not violate the private lives of citizens. Furthermore, work with data must protect against information falling into the hands of third parties, and must focus on the need to ensure careful verification of the veracity of all information. Madam, Russia consistently supports the UN peacekeeping work. Staff of the Russian military agency since 1992 have participated in UN peacekeeping operations. At present, through the Ministry of Defence, Russian military observers and commissioned officers are serving as part of the missions in the Central African Republic, Western Sahara, the Democratic Republic of Congo, the Middle East, South Sudan and in Cyprus. Our country also makes its contribution to training military peacekeepers, inter alia, foreigners, through the UN Secretariat-certified courses to train commissioned officers and military observers. Russia has a unique experience in the area of professional training of blue helmets, and we are prepared to share this with you. I thank you.

I thank the representative of the Russian Federation for the statement. I give the floor to the representative of Greece.

Thank you, Madam President. I would like to start by thanking USG La Croix and the force commanders of MINUSCA and UNISFA for their remarks. Greece pays tribute to the men and women who serve under the UN flag and honours the memory of those who have fallen in the line of duty. Attacks against peacekeepers, like the latest against UNIFIL, are unacceptable and a serious violation of Security Council resolutions and of international law. We reiterate our firm belief that those responsible for attacks against peacekeepers should be held accountable. Madam President, I wish to highlight three points. First, in the Pact for the Future, we committed to adapt peace operations to better respond to existing challenges and new realities. We look forward to the completion of the review of the future of all forms of UN peace operations. In particular, we support that the review should prioritize increasing efficiency and agility of peace operations under increasingly constrained budgetary conditions, ensuring the primacy of politics in all mandates, and enhancing collaboration between the UN and regional and sub-regional organizations, in particular the African Union. As a cross-cutting concern, adaptation should not affect the core functions of peace operations, including ceasefire monitoring and the protection of civilians, particularly vulnerable groups such as women and children. Second, Greece reiterates its steadfast support for UNISFA and MINUSCA, which continue to deliver their crucial missions amidst substantial but unavoidable budgetary and personnel constraints. We stress the need that any adjustment should not be horizontal, but tailor-made and based on the specific needs and conditions of each peace operation. In this context, Greece also wishes to underline that in line with UN Security Council Resolution 2764, child protection capacities development within UN peace operations should be preserved during mission transitions and withdrawals, including through the smooth and responsible transfer to UN country teams where appropriate. In this regard, continued support by member states to relevant protection capacities After mission transition remains essential, particularly in fragile contexts where risks for children often increase during institutional reconfiguration. We recognize MINUSCA's crucial and multidimensional role in supporting political stabilization in the Central African Republic, particularly during the delicate post-electoral period. We commend the resumption of the DDR process, a pillar of the Political Agreement for Peace and Reconciliation, as well as MINUSCA's cross-border and intercommunal dialogue and stabilization initiatives. We also note the continuing threats posed by armed groups and cross-border destabilizing dynamics, which require an agile mission posture and strengthened regional coordination. Moreover, we commend UNISFA and the troop-contributing countries whose peacekeepers risk their lives to provide peace and security in Abyei. We underscore the need for the host authorities to immediately and unconditionally support UNISFA operations. We also take note of the challenges arising from the withdrawal of JBVMM team sites and stress the importance of preserving confidence-building, early warning and verification capacities in the Abay area. The absence of meaningful progress toward a negotiated solution remains deeply troubling. Third. CRIS supports the integration of new technologies, including AI capabilities, remote sensing tools, and enhanced situational awareness in the training and capacity building of peacekeepers in both missions. However, we must guard against the misuse of such technologies to spread disinformation or undermine the credibility of peacekeepers. In conclusion, Madam President, Greece remains committed to strengthening unity within the Council, aiming at supporting peace operations in delivering their mandates, especially in the current challenging operational and budgetary context. I thank you.

I thank the representative of Greece for the statement. I give the floor to the representative of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Madam President, I would like to thank you for convening this meeting, the Kingdom of Bahrain. I'd also like to thank Mr Jean-Pierre Lacroix, Under-Secretary-General, Lieutenant-General Humphrey Niyone, Force Commander of MINUSCA, and Major-General Shrestha, Acting Head of UNISFA, for their very detailed briefings. This session is taking place in a particular context marked by the liquidity crisis that is affecting missions, implementation and peacekeeping mandates. The Democratic Republic of Congo would like to pay tribute to all Blue Helmets. Their ongoing commitment and hard work in often hostile environments for the good cause are worthy The reflection about adapting peacekeeping operations, in particular as part of the Pact for the Future, shows us that change is necessary, in particular because of the deep changes in security environments underway. Peacekeeping operations are key for international peace and security. Nonetheless, their effectiveness really hinges on a delicate balance. They cannot substitute politics and their success is inextricably linked with the consent of the host country and having appropriate lasting resources as well in context noted by the fragmentation of armed groups the porous nature of borders and increasing Regional tensions we're not just talking about the presence of missions anymore but their real ability to adapt to project their actions and to carry out lasting change on the ground. My delegation, Madam, would like to put forward three comments. Firstly, regarding MINUSCA, the Democratic Republic of Congo welcomes the efforts made by the mission, in particular its support for making the 28th of December elections safe, and in particular the preparations for the elections on the 26th of April. The military component over the 2025-2026 period has significantly improved its work through decentralizing its forces to remote areas in the country. This, linked with bolstered cooperation with the Central African Armed Forces, makes their work closer to the local people and makes work against armed groups more effective. They have also assisted the DDR process. which means that more than 100,000 former combatants have been reintegrated. However, there is a fragile nature of the political situation and there's also a spillover risk from other neighboring conflicts and this is something that needs to be taken into consideration. Regarding the Joint Border Verification Mechanism, we note for UNISFA, we note that there is a deterioration of the political situation and there's a lack of ongoing dialogue between Sudan and South Sudan on the Abyei final status issues. So we have serious questions about the ability of UNISFA to carry out its key surveillance and early warning system given these conditions. Thirdly, Madam, consideration underway on the future of peacekeeping operations. involves serious doctrinal considerations. There's the multi-dimensional nature of missions at the moment, and the discussions are about making them more agile, more flexible. This transition, however, should not just be technical. It requires a strategic clarification of this new model under discussion. The increased use of new technologies and also taking into consideration emerging threats such as disinformation or cyber risk are relevant developments. For example, in the DRC, MONUSCO is already using surveillance technology in particular drones with infrared cameras to surveil armed groups. Over and beyond these adjustments, the primacy of politics must be the key principle. PKOs must just be viewed as temporary instruments, or rather should not be. From this standpoint, strengthening partnerships with regional organizations, in particular the African Union, is absolutely crucial. Madam, for my delegation, the experience of Africa shows that the pertinence of peacekeeping operations cannot just be measured based on their deployment ability, but their ability to be part of a credible political dynamic and to meet the expectations of populations. to adapt to constantly changing environments. And this is what needs to remain the central pillar of our collective peace and security architecture. Thank you.

Democratic Republic of the Congo for the statement. I give the floor to the representative of China.

Thank you, Madam President. I thank USG La CROIX, Lieutenant General Neang, and Major General Shrestha for their briefings. I wish to take this opportunity to pay my highest tribute to all peacekeepers remaining steadfast at their posts across the 11 mission areas. Currently, the international landscape is undergoing profound changes, with conflict hotspots continuously flaring up and multilateralism facing headwinds. UN peacekeeping operations are moving forward under immense strain. Building upon the three core principles of peacekeeping, UN PKOs must keep pace with the times, drive innovation, and strike a balance among resources, efficiency, and effectiveness, while being more focused, adaptable, and impactful to create favorable conditions for the political settlement of relevant hotspot issues. I would like to make four points. First, maintain a political approach and pursue peace through dialogue. The peaceful settlement of disputes through political means lies at the heart of the UN Charter. Peacekeeping operations must consistently serve a clearly defined political process and act as a catalyst for reconciliation and consensus building. In recent years, the Central African Republic has made significant progress in its peace process, successfully holding combined presidential, legislative, regional, and municipal elections late last year. This serves as a success story of a host country-led political process supported by a peacekeeping mission in a joint endeavor to achieving lasting peace. Only by keeping political settlement as the central thread and integrating it into every aspect of peacekeeping operations can a peacekeeping mission truly deliver results on the ground, successfully conclude its mandate, and withdraw accordingly. Second, streamline mandates to deliver tangible results. With peacekeeping resources increasingly constrained, peacekeeping operations cannot be all-encompassing. Overly broad mandates and excessive tasks dilute resources, obscure priorities, and undermine balanced effectiveness. The Council should strengthen overall planning, proceed from realities on the ground, and make prudent decisions to ensure the mandates are more focused, better prioritized, and more closely aligned with field conditions and the priorities of host countries. At the same time, any major adjustments to mandates or mission drawdowns should be realistic and feasible, based on the situation on the ground, respectful of the host country's views, absorbing stakeholders' concerns, and decided upon prudently following thorough deliberations in the Security Council. Third, ensure the safety of peacekeepers and enhance operational effectiveness through technology. Currently, the security risks facing peacekeepers particularly acute. The consecutive attacks on UNISFA and UNIFIL over the past four months, resulting in the tragic loss of nine peacekeepers and injuries to many others, are deeply heartbreaking. The Secretariat and missions should fully implement Council resolution 2518 and other relevant resolutions, taking concrete measures to strengthen early warning and risk mitigation to prevent the recurrence of such incidents. The application of new technologies offers new tools to ramp up the mission security and improve the performance of peacekeeping operations. As co-chair of the Group of Friends on the Safety and Security of UN Peacekeepers, China convened a meeting in February this year featuring in-depth discussions on leveraging new technologies to safeguard peacekeepers, reaching a broad consensus. We hope all parties will continue to contribute their wisdom and strengths in this regard. Fourth, solidify partnerships and build synergy through collaboration. A smooth and effective peacekeeping operation hinges on the coordination and cooperation of all stakeholders, including the Security Council, the Secretariat, troop and police contributing countries, financial contributors, host countries, and regional organizations. The emergency drawdown processes of certain peacekeeping operations have testified to the importance of respecting host countries, enhancing communication among all parties, and accommodating each other's legitimate concerns. We must further strengthen coordination between the UN and regional organizations, support the use of regional approaches and regional strengths to resolve regional issues, assist the African Union and other regional organizations in building their independent peacekeeping capacities, and support the implementation of Resolution 2719 to provide funding for AU-led peace operations. President, as a permanent member of the Security Council and the second largest contributor to U.N. peacekeeping assessments, China has consistently supported the peacekeeping cause through concrete actions. This was demonstrated in our participation in 26 peacekeeping operations and deployment of over 50,000 peacekeepers. Duty on our shoulders, peace in our hands. China stands ready to work with all parties to promote integrity, innovation, quality, and efficiency in peacekeeping operations and Mr. changing landscape, making greater contributions to international peace and security. I thank you, President.

I thank the representative of China for the statement. I give the floor to the representative of Colombia.

Thank you very much, Madam President. I'd like to thank the Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations, Monsieur Jean-Pierre Lacroix, and the UNISFA and MONUSCA commanders for their briefings. I also welcome the presence of the military components from various peace operations, and I pay tribute to the men and women who serve under the UN flag to implement the mandates of this Council. Madam President, for Colombia, maintaining peace is a valuable tool of the Organization in favor of peace and the protection of people. And in that regard, allow me to stress four aspects. Firstly, the complex current situation reflects just how peacekeeping cannot replace political functions and how political decisions in time seriously affect peacekeeping missions. UNIFIL is an example of the fact that no mission is able to fulfill its mandate completely if one of the parties opts to use force and repeatedly violates international law. The mission has acted responsibly and within the parameters of its mandate, but its ability is reduced given an escalation that has led to more than a million displaced people, severe damage to civilian infrastructure, and land incursions that contravene the framework that was established by this Council. MINUSCA, for its part, reflects how missions are able to contribute to improving security situations, support national situations and promote dialogue with local communities, even in a situation of political weakness and difficult security conditions. Secondly, Madam President, It's a matter of urgency that we address the current challenge to the security of the missions. Colombia condemns the recent attacks against UN personnel, and we express our condolences to the victims and their families, and in particular to Indonesia, Ghana, France, and Bangladesh. These acts must be duly investigated and sanctioned. Also, we need to strengthen the capabilities of the Mission to face new, changing threats, including the use of drones, explosive artefacts, and disinformation campaigns. The use of remote sensing and other similar systems help to contribute to protecting personnel that are implementing the mandates on the ground. Thirdly, the protection of civilians. Well, this must continue to be at the heart of peacekeeping operation work, including in contexts of transitions and reconfigurations. This requires political leadership and the capabilities of the host state. to help protect civilians within their borders. Inclusive dialogue with communities is also very important, and I would highlight here the importance of coordination between the military, police, and civilian components to achieve this end. And finally, it's fundamental that we provide a coherent institutional response to these challenges. and find a balance between resources and mandates. The conditions on the ground must be taken into account, and the need to protect civilians. That is what must inform decisions with regard to transitions. It's also important to have the consent of host countries and to ensure that respective obligations are met. Madam President, in Colombia, we learned that There can be no sustainable peace that is imposed by arms. The path to peace requires inclusive dialogue with the participation of women and all political forces in the country that gets to the bottom of the structural causes for conflicts. That is what allows viable, sustainable political solutions. That's the only way to ensure that peace is not a temporary arrangement, but a believable political reality for communities. Thank you.

I thank the representative of Colombia for the statement. I give the floor to the representative of Somalia.

Thank you, Madam President. At the outset, let me begin by expressing my sincere gratitude to the Under-Secretary-General, Lacroix, for his comprehensive briefings. I also extend my thanks to the force commanders of MINUSCA, Lieutenant General Nioye, and Force Commander of UNISFA, Major General Shrestha, for their invaluable insights and dedicated leadership in this complex environment. I take this opportunity to honor the sacrifice of the UN peacekeepers who have lost their lives in the line of duty and to recognize their legacy in the lives they touched and the peace they sought to build around the world. Madam President, We gather at a time when evolving security situations in the Central African Republic and Abyei underscore the continued importance of supporting political processes and protecting civilians. Somalia's perspective is shaped by its direct experience as a host of missions and continent that understands the critical importance of the effective peace operations intimately. In the Central African Republic, MINUSCA faces significant challenges, ranging from persistent insecurity and political fragility to the spillover effects of regional conflicts. To address these threats, the mission must adapt its military posture to be more agile and robust, while strengthening cooperation with regional actors to stabilize border regions and support inclusive dialogue. In the case of UNISFA, the withdrawal of joint border verification and monitoring mechanism team sites presents new questions regarding the future configuration of its monitoring mandate. As a physical presence is reduced, we must leverage technology such as the remote sensing, unmanned aerial vehicles, and enhanced situational awareness tools to maintain confidence confidence building, and early warnings. However, our experience demonstrates that technology alone cannot be our solution. Successful monitoring requires a delicate balance between innovative solutions and community trust. We must remain steadfast in upholding the core principles of peacekeeping, including the fundamental requirement of consent from host government and warring parties. Madam President, the success of these operations depends on clear strategic planning and operational adaptability, ensuring each mission has well-defined objectives and clear exit strategies from the outset. Peacekeeping missions not only need to monitor ceasefires, but also support peace processes from the beginning. Future operations must be integrated with preventive diplomacy and mediation, as well as collaboration with regional organizations like the African Union. Madame President. We must also prioritize the development-security nexus, as it is impossible to achieve lasting peace without addressing the underlying root causes of the conflict. Somalia strongly advocates for increased nationalization of UN posts. and prioritization of local procurement to build a sustainable capacity and strengthen the mission's legitimacy on the ground. By investing in local economies, we move away from dependency and toward resilience needed for self-sustaining peace. Madam President, to conclude, Somalia remains steadfast in its commitment to working with the Security Council to ensure that UN peacekeeping continues to serve as a beacon of hope. Through collective actions and strategic innovations, we can ensure that when UN missions depart, they leave behind not dependency, but a legacy of opportunity and lasting stability. I thank you.

I thank the representative of Somalia for the statement. I give the floor to the representative of Latvia.

Thank you, Madam President. I thank you, Mr. La Croix, Lieutenant General Nyoni and Major General Shrestha for the informative briefings. And let me also pay tribute to all personnel serving in UN missions and honour the peacekeepers who have made the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty. Madam President, Military components are the backbone of UN peacekeeping. Military personnel provide protection and monitoring across the mission area of operation and serve as enablers of a wide range of mandated tasks. At the same time, military components can only reach their full potential through integrated whole of mission approach. Effective mandate delivery depends on close cooperation between civilian, military, and police components. ensuring that political, security and rule of law efforts reinforce one another. This underscores the importance of recent initiatives aimed at advancing integrated planning across the UN peace operations. Today's exchange is particularly important as the UN and its peacekeeping toolbox undergo a review process to remain fit for purpose in a changing security environment. Each mission faces distinct challenges, demanding tailored approaches and predictable resources, used strategically and efficiently. As the electoral process in the Central African Republic nears completion, MINUSCA is optimizing its posture. The mission's effectiveness will increasingly depend on its ability to deploy rapidly where needed, particularly in the east. And this highlights the necessity to provide the mission with adequate mobility and force projection capabilities, including air assets and engineering support. UNISPR, while continuing to fulfill its important mandate, is facing a capability gap due to the absence of formed police units, alongside delays in establishing key civilian leadership arrangements. Addressing these shortfalls is essential as durable stabilization cannot rest on the military component alone. It requires law and order capacities to address criminal activity and civilian mechanisms to manage tensions before they escalate. Furthermore, the withdrawal of the Joint Border Verification and Monitoring Mechanism team sites has reduced the visible impartial presence that helped reassure the parties, build trust and discourage incidents. We encourage both Sudan and South Sudan to engage with UNISFA in good faith to facilitate continued implementation of the GBVMM mandate. Madam President, allow me to highlight three broader issues relevant to today's discussion. First, the safety and security of UN peacekeeping personnel is non-negotiable. Deliberate attacks against peacekeepers may constitute violations of international humanitarian law and thus war crimes. We must be clear that actors, whether state or non-state, who harass, endanger or kill UN personnel are not only targeting individual staff. They are attacking the core values and fundamental principles that the UN and this Council represent. Such actions must be condemned, investigated and perpetrators held accountable. Ensuring the safety of peacekeepers is essential for the credibility and effectiveness of UN operations as well. Second, technological adaptation is indispensable in modern peacekeeping. Providing peacekeeping operations with the equipment that matches the capabilities of conflict actors is critical for missions to be able to fulfill their mandates, ensure the safety of personnel, and the protection of civilians. The tragic drone strike against UN peacekeepers in Kdugli last December shows that this is not the theoretical concern. It is an operational reality. UN peacekeeping cannot remain analog in the digital age. Missions should benefit from enhanced remote sensing, situational awareness, and data analysis capabilities, including those enabled by AI. At the same time, their use must remain responsible, transparent, and respectful of the sovereignty and rights of host nations and local populations. Investing in modern capabilities is central to enabling missions to operate safely and effectively. Lastly, let me highlight the need for a strategic political approach to peacekeeping. Mission adaptation and transition must be based on realistic conditions, not arbitrary timelines. While no mission should be viewed as permanent, we need to aim for responsible transitions that require nationally owned political and institutional processes, supported by close cooperation between all mission components and host state authorities. Equally, mandates should be adequately and predictably resourced, and no mission should be expected to do more with less. The recommendations recently agreed by all troop-contributing countries during the session of the UN Special Committee on Peacekeeping, C-34, echo many of these points, demonstrating a shared commitment by the membership to the strengthening of UN peacekeeping, and this Council should match this commitment. I thank you.

I thank the representative of Latvia for the statement. I give the floor to the representative of Panama.

Thank you, Madam President. We would like to thank the delegation of Bahrain for convening this meeting. We also would like to express our appreciation to the Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations, Monsieur Jean-Pierre Lacroix, And to the Force Commanders, Lieutenant General Humphrey Nyong of the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic, MINUSCA, and Major General Ganesh Kumar Shrestha of the United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei, UNISFA. We thank them for their work and for their valuable briefings. And I'd like to take this opportunity to pay tribute to all the men and women serving in United Nations peacekeeping operations, and extend to you our condolences, condolences to the families of those who lost their lives in the exercise of their duties. Madam President, we note with concern reports in recent months indicating that delays in the payment of assessed contributions are hindering the implementation of mandates entrusted by this Council, in particular with regard to the protection of civilians. In this respect, we are closely following the status of the contingency plan of the Department of Peace Operations, a temporary measure introduced to address this critical challenge. We are concerned by situations such as those affecting UNISFA, MINUSCA and UNIFIL, where attacks against peacekeepers and hasty troop withdrawals continue to occur, despite the fact that their presence and work are vital on the ground. In Abyei, UNISFA continues to serve as the primary guarantor of the protection of civilians and humanitarian personnel. This is why we reiterate the need to ensure its operational capacity by ensuring that they have adequate resources, and we urge both parties to fully implement the Comprehensive Peace Agreement. In this context, Panama is closely monitoring the proper implementation of the Joint Border Verification and Monitoring Mechanism. in order to prevent further regional spillovers of the conflict. In Manouska, the lack of predictable resources undermines operational capacity and continues to hinder the consolidation of progress achieved in the protection of civilians. We believe that any future decision to reduce the resources and presence of personnel of the mission should be based on monitoring of the situation on the ground. In order to achieve results, it is essential to strengthen cooperation with regional and sub-regional organizations, such as the African Union, drawing on their influence and in-depth knowledge of the continent, and to build trust with local communities and authorities. which work closely with the affected parties. Meanwhile, the situation in Lebanon has become unsustainable following the withdrawal of UNIFIL troops, particularly in the light of the recent escalation of territorial violence and the completely unacceptable attacks against peacekeepers and humanitarian personnel. The withdrawal of United Nations troops must not be exploited opportunistically by any State to pursue particular interests that undermine progress towards peace. Panama has always said that it is the responsibility of Member States under the Charter of the United Nations and international humanitarian law to prevent further violations of international law and to protect United Nations personnel. Madam President, the processes of adaptation and restructuring of peacekeeping operations are commendable. In order to ensure long-term follow-up and verification, peace efforts must be led by local actors and assessed on a case-by-case basis. grounded on an understanding of the realities faced by each community. The situation in Haiti, for example, may be viewed as a different model that has the potential to function through the United Nations Support Office in Haiti, UNSO. While it is not a traditional peacekeeping operation, the current Multinational Security Support Mission to suppress gang violence is an initiative promoted by Panama and the United States as co-PEN holders in the Security Council, as part of efforts to adapt and move towards a possible solution to the profound crisis facing the country. In conclusion, at this particularly fragile time for our organization and for multilateralism, Panama reiterates its commitment to United Nations peacekeeping operations and to the United Nations. Peacekeeping personnel who safeguard the most vulnerable constitute an irreplaceable pillar in the construction of safer and more stable societies. Their work transcends borders and cultures and leaves a lasting impact on communities that rely on their presence to rebuild trust and look towards the future. Thank you very much.

I thank the representative of Panama for the statement. I give the floor to the representative of Pakistan.

Madam President, Pakistan thanks Under-Secretary-General Jean-Pierre Lacraie, Lieutenant-General Humphrey Nyong, Force Commander of MINUSCA, and Major-General Ganesh Kumar Shrestha, Force Commander of UNISFA, for their briefings. This meeting is particularly important as it allows the Council to hear directly from the military leadership responsible for implementing mandates on the ground. The military component remains the backbone of United Nations peacekeeping. We must recall that peacekeepers continue to operate in increasingly complex environments with expanding responsibilities. but shrinking resources, a trend that risks affecting both mandate delivery and the safety and security of peacekeepers. And President, Pakistan is among the largest and longest serving troop contributors to the UN peacekeeping for over six decades. More than 250,000 Pakistani peacekeepers have served in 48 missions worldwide. and have brought their contribution to the success of the United Nations in many situations. And Liberia was one of them, a lived success as narrated by the distinguished ambassador of Liberia. And there is a lot of hard work, commitment, and sacrifice that goes into this success. As a troop contributing country that has lost 182 personnel under the UN flag, Pakistan attaches highest importance to the safety and security of peacekeepers. Emerging threats, including the use of drones and other asymmetric tactics, are increasing risks for peacekeepers in the field. Recent attacks against peacekeepers, including those against Indonesian peacekeepers in UNIFIL and Bangladeshi peacekeepers in Gadugli in UNISPA, are part of a deeply concerning trend. Such attacks are unacceptable and must not be left unaddressed. Accountability for crimes against peacekeepers is essential not only for justice, but also for deterring future attacks. Ending impunity remains critical to preserving the credibility and effectiveness of UN peacekeeping operations and this Council. We pay tribute to all peacekeepers who have sacrificed their lives under the UN flag in the service of international peace and security. Madam President, recent adjustments to UNISFA's posture, including the withdrawal from joint border verification and monitoring mechanism, team sites further reflect the increasing difficult operating environment. The changing threat landscape raises important questions regarding how monitoring, early warning and confidence building functions along the safe demilitarized border zone can be sustained despite reduced physical presence. Pakistan believes that missions strengthened cooperation with Sudan and South Sudan, closer coordination with regional actors, and appropriate use of technology can help preserve verification functions and situational awareness. However, technology should complement, not replace, the stabilizing value of a credible physical presence on the ground. UNISFA demonstrates why sustained human presence remains indispensable, particularly for community engagement, dialogue on transhumance arrangements, and confidence and trust building among local communities, all of which need a human element. Similarly, MINUSCA represents a successful example of how multidimensional peacekeeping can deliver sustained stabilization. when supported by adequate resources, political backing, and strong partnerships with national and regional authorities. Over the past decade, this mission has contributed significantly to protection of civilians, support for political processes, extension of state authority, and implementation of disarmament and reintegration efforts. Its support to the recent successful conduct of elections in the Central African Republic further illustrates how military capabilities enable political process and help consolidate gains on the ground. At the same time, persistent insecurity in the east and southeast underscores the continued importance of maintaining key operational capabilities to preserve these gains. Any further transition of MINUSCA should remain conditions-based and guided by priorities and realities on the ground. Taken together, the experiences of UNISFA and MINUSCA illustrate both the continuing need for peacekeeping and its proven effectiveness as a central instrument of this Council. They also underline a simple but critical requirement: that mandates must remain realistic, missions must be provided the resources and political support necessary to succeed, and peacekeepers must be protected. In this regard, Pakistan and Denmark continue our collaborative work as the peacekeeping duo to help maintain focused and sustained attention of the Security Council. to make peacekeeping stronger and even more effective. Let me also recall that apart from its success, its credibility and legitimacy, the cost effectiveness of UN peacekeeping is also something that has been confirmed and proven over time as compared to the other arrangements. We believe that strengthening the military component of peacekeeping remains essential to preserving stability in fragile environments and consolidating the gains, and that is fundamental if peacekeeping is to serve as an effective instrument for maintaining international peace and security. I thank you.

I thank the representative of Pakistan for the statement. I give the floor to the representative of France.

Thank you, Madam President. I would like to thank the Under-Secretary-General, Mr. Jean-Pierre Lacroix, as well as the two force commanders, Lieutenant General Humphrey Nyoni, MINUSCA Force Commander, and Major General Ganesh Kumar Shrestha, Force Commander of UNISFA, for their briefings. Under Secretary General, General, sirs, your briefings confirm it. We are seeing a change in peacekeeping challenges that you're facing on the ground. We can see a significant increase in violence targeting not only the most vulnerable people, but also the blue helmets deployed to protect them. I would like to pay tribute once again on behalf of France to all those men and women who've lost their lives. I'd like to bow to the courage and the commitment of these men and women who are working on a daily basis for peace under your orders. I'd also like to commend the changes implemented by your forces. This is a concrete illustration of the United Nations' ability to meet significant changes in times of austerity, a challenge that has been imposed upon it from the outside. Clearly, we need to continue to improve the adaptability of peacekeeping operations and build our collective ability to plan and conduct missions. We need to protect civilians from indiscriminate violence, all within the context of the political process leading to a lasting settlement of conflicts. It is our responsibility also to ensure that missions have necessary resources so they can fully implement their mandates and also for their own protection. We also need to take extremely seriously all risks to blue helmets linked to disinformation and to information manipulation. The realities that you've recounted, in my opinion, raise some questions for MINUSCA, and you reminded us of this, You've been playing a key role in providing safety and security for elections and you continue to do so for the elections that are planned for the end of May. Despite significant progress, there are still important challenges. The security situation remains fragile, in particular, but not solely, in border regions, along transhumance corridors, and around mining sites. The risk of destabilization because of the fallout from regional conflict, in particular in Sudan, these are real risks and mustn't be underestimated. Significant investment in security sector reform is still awaited to enable the Central African Republic government and their armed forces to fully shoulder their security responsibilities. And I think here there are several pertinent questions. How, firstly, can MINUSCA better adapt its posture to address ongoing security issues, including threats posed by armed groups and transnational networks, without replacing the Central African armed forces? neither risking causing a security vacuum. How can the mission, and in particular its military component, contribute to supporting stabilization in border areas? Does there need to be a change in approach here? From the standpoint of the force, what priority areas for effort would you see, given the prospect of a future transition of MINUSCA for UNISFA? It has to deal with two fragile states in a very vulnerable area. Your briefing, Sir, underscored the different forms of engagement, but we do see the weight of the constraints, the operational constraints that you're facing. And I would like to ask you specifically about your perception of the JBVM. Firstly, is it pertinent for technological improvements such as remote sensing and drones and other means? Can this compensate the access difficulties you have and the mobility difficulties you have or improve your surveillance capacity? It is clear that a robust implementation of the mandate is contingent upon ongoing relationship with the two Sudans and the local communities. Do you think you have the necessary channels in place to have these good relations? Do you have any recommendations that you could put to the Council here? The role of women uniformed officers is absolutely crucial in all missions. These questions go to both of the missions. From your experience at the head of the missions, what can you add regarding this? That would be very useful information. Thank you.

France, for the statement. I shall now make a statement in my capacity as the representative of Bahrain.

At the outset, I would like to thank Mr. Jean-Pierre Lacroix, Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations; Lieutenant General Humphrey Nyong, Force Commander of the UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic, MINUSCA; and Major General Ganesh Kumar Shrestha, Force Commander of the UN Interim Security Force for Abyei, for their valuable briefings. I would like to take this opportunity to pay tribute to all personnel serving in peacekeeping operations, including military components. We express our deepest condolences for those who have lost their lives in the line of duty. In this regard, I also extend my appreciation to all Member States contributing troops to peacekeeping operations. The military components of MINUSCA and UNISFA have long played a vital role in maintaining security and stability in the Central African Republic and Abyei. This includes their important role in the protection of civilians through providing support in conflict areas and post-conflict transitions, the implementation of peace agreements, and the monitoring of ceasefires. This underscores the need for collective international efforts to enhance the adaptability and capacity of these forces to address emerging challenges, build trust, ensure security, continue protecting civilians and critical infrastructure, and facilitate humanitarian access, in line with Chapter VIII of the UN Charter. with a view to attaining the desired security and stability. In this regard, I would like to highlight the following points. First, the emerging challenges facing peacekeeping missions in the Central African Republic and Abyei underscore the growing importance of leveraging modern technologies in field operations, including artificial intelligence, remote sensing, early warning, UAVs, and UAVs. These tools aim to enhance the effectiveness of monitoring, detect ceasefire violations, reduce, anticipate, and prevent threats, and facilitate the rapid analytics of complex and new data. Second, the Kingdom of Bahrain believes that strengthening partnerships with the host state and regional actors constitutes a fundamental pillar for achieving peace and stability. In this context, the Kingdom of Bahrain commends the significant role played by MINUSCA in supporting the organization of elections and employing electoral security plans in the Central African Republic in cooperation with national forces. Bahrain further calls for building on these successes to achieve the desired objectives. Third, the Kingdom of Bahrain has followed with concern the recent withdrawal of peacekeeping forces and national monitors from the sites of Tishwin and Abukusa and Kour, which were assigned to the Joint Border Verification and Monitoring Mechanism to monitor the demilitarized zone between Sudan and South Sudan, due to the growing deterioration of security situation. In this regard, the Kingdom of Bahrain calls for intensified efforts and enhanced regional and international cooperation to mitigate the consequences of this withdrawal, which affects not only monitoring mechanisms but also overall stability, confidence-building, and effective response. The Kingdom of Bahrain will continue to support all efforts to enhance joint international action in support of peacekeeping operations for the benefit of security, stability, and peace regionally and internationally. And thank you.

Function as President of the Council. I now give the floor to Lieutenant General Humphrey Niyon to respond to comments and questions raised.

Thank you very much, Madam President. Allow me to respond to the representative of France on the two questions that have been posed. The first one was, how can the mission better adapt its posture to support the broader stabilization, especially in border areas? What the mission has done Starting 2024 into 2025, we recognized that most of these enclaves that are located along the borders, that is where instability was emanating from. We established one border post with full support of MINUSCA at Bembere, that is between Chad and the Central African Republic. And this was officially opened by the Prime Minister of the Central African Republic with the SRS in January of 2025. That border post serves as a gateway for both countries. So it has eased trade. As you know, the border remained closed since 2018. To support that, we had to engage the government of Central African Republic to accelerate what I mentioned, the Chad-RCA border, mixed border mechanism, which came into effect in September of last year. So this mechanism, the CONOPS is based on Chad to deploy five battalions on their side, stretching from the west side of the border up to the tri-border with the Sudan and the Central African Republic. And I wish to report that Chad has fulfilled that requirement. They've deployed all the five battalions. On the Central African side, the agreement was that they deploy three in the following location, one Makunda, two in Moen Sidou, and in Dar. So far, they've only deployed two. In Makunda, as well as in Da, they are yet to deploy in Moene Sido. All this has been with the support of MINUSCA in terms of materials to be able to establish their bases there, although a lot requires to be done towards that effect. Second, with the border with South Sudan, a month ago, MINUSCA supported the deployment of 110 troops to Bambari, which sits right at the border between the Central African Republic and South Sudan. So all these measures are meant to ensure that we support the stabilization of those border areas. However, there's a lot more that is required to be done in terms of resourcing, because these border areas are quite vast. There are already existing mechanisms in most of them, but what remains is the actual actualization of that. The border with Sudan is complex. As you know, there's conflict raging in the Sudan. Last year in October, we had a lot of incursions coming from the RSF that caused the displacement of around 11,000. civilians who had to seek refuge at one of our bases at the border. I accompanied the SRSG to visit the Am Dafok, and in that, because there's no government-to-government engagement, so the SRSG had to promote now the local mechanisms releveraging the local authorities in those two areas, traditional leaders, to be able to push for stabilization. Our force was key in ensuring that we mitigate most of these occasions that were coming from the Sudan, of which I think we played a very, very important role. So far from the 11,000, Those that have remained near our base is only less than 200. Most of the civilians have since returned to their communities. So these are the issues that we are trying to do as a mission towards supporting stabilization, especially in border areas. The border with Cameroon, there's already an existing mechanism. And from time to time, the government of CAR and Cameroon, they meet most of the time. And this also applies with the DRSC. We have seen a couple of meetings to do with the security of the border areas. So that is what I can respond, Madam President. Thank you.

I thank Lieutenant General Nyong for the clarifications he has provided. I now give the floor to Major General Ganesh Kumar Shrestha to respond to comments and questions raised.

Thank you, Madam President. Representative of France, and the questions with regards to the JVVMM, the use of technology, the possibility of technology, the relations that we have with the Sudanese and South Sudanese, and the recommendations. I'd like to highlight on this particular case is the major concern for us is the monitoring of the safe demilitarized border zone. Although we have evacuated from the team sites, the mandate is still over there and we are in a position to fulfilling those sort of mandate. The evacuated troops are in the headquarter. Now the question is what about the technology, the use of technology? That hybrid mechanisms, we are still on the planning phase. The satellite, the monitoring by the satellite imagery, analyzing those things and then monitoring the safe demilitarized zone, especially the five disputed areas and 10 crossing points. with the analysis of the imagery, satellite image. So we are on that one. The next thing is, of course, once we analyze it, the verification needs to be done, which can be done with the Heli flight. So for this sort of monitoring and verifications, we do engage with both the Sudanese and South Sudanese. For example, with the South Sudan government, the Special Representative of the Horn of Africa has also engaged. The Deputy Director of EAD has also engaged. USG LACWA was also there in South Sudan. For myself also, I have already engaged twice with the South Sudanese government. At the end of this month also, I'm planning to visit Khartoum to in terms of the JV fulfilling of the JV mandate and then our modus of operating. So we'll be engaging with them. So we do have the good relations. Now the recommendations is the more that we engage with the both the government, the more progress that can be done and then the fulfilling of the mandate would be much more easier for us. That is the more engagement, more communication, more the having meeting with the both the government. Thank you.

I thank Major General Shrista for the clarifications he has provided. There are no more names inscribed on the list of speakers. The meeting is adjourned.