NEW YORK: Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, on Friday said that the UN’s liquidity crisis was directly undermining peacekeeping operations by reducing patrols, mobility and field presence.
Speaking at the opening of the Special Committee on Peacekeeping Operations, he warned that “the financial shortfall is affecting mandate delivery, protection of civilians, deterrence against violence, and the safety of peacekeepers.”
“The UN peacekeeping remains an indispensable instrument for maintaining international peace and security, but is facing growing political, operational and financial pressures that require collective action,” the ambassador said.
Recalling Pakistan’s contribution, the ambassador said, “The country hosts one of the oldest UN peacekeeping missions, the United Nations Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan, and has been among the largest and longest-serving troop contributors for more than six decades.”
Paying tribute to 182 Pakistani peacekeepers who lost their lives under the UN flag, he said over 250,000 Pakistani peacekeepers had served in 48 missions across four continents.
The envoy cautioned that declining financial commitments and shrinking missions without a clear strategic direction could affect the readiness of troop-contributing countries, including standby arrangements, rapid deployment capabilities and specialised units.
Calling reform necessary, he said peacekeeping must become more agile, focused and better equipped to address evolving threats, including through technology and stronger partnerships.
He stressed that protection of civilians, deterrence against violations, and ceasefire monitoring and verification remain core tasks, adding that lack of political progress should not be used as a pretext to withdraw missions.
