UN Security Council to improve effectiveness of peace operations

The UN Security Council said Wednesday that it will pursue more prioritization when mandating UN peace operations in order to enhance their effectiveness.

In a presidential statement released here, the 15-nation council said it will, through consultation with troop and police contributing countries as well as regional and sub-regional organizations, consider sequenced and phased mandates when evaluating peace operations.

The council also stressed that "sexual exploitation and abuse by UN peacekeepers is unacceptable" and voiced its support for the UN zero-tolerance policy on all forms of sexual exploitation and abuse, according to the statement.

In this regard, it requested UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to include a section on conduct and discipline on this matter in all his thematic reports to the Security Council.

The UN chief appointed an independent panel in 2014 to examine UN peace operations. In June, the panel has submitted its report of recommendations on how UN peace operations can be strengthened to better meet new challenges.

Responding to the report, Ban said the UN needs to change the way it plans and conducts peace operations to make them faster, more responsive and more accountable to countries and people in conflict.

On how to rid the UN of sexual exploitation and abuse allegations, Ban said detailed guidance on standards and procedures for alerting UN headquarters to criminal misconduct by civilian, military or police personnel will be sent to peace missions in early 2016.

As the United Nations marks its 70th anniversary, several reports on sexual allegations of UN peacekeeper earlier this year have strengthened the call for a change in UN peace operations. Enditem