Royal Canadian Air Force headed to mission in Africa ‘very soon’: top general

[Loachman]

Or we will see more of the ones that we officially like bullied and killed.

 

[daftandbarmy]

You don't. The point is to substitute a different "power source" by publicly going to these groups (not the Shiite or Sunni groups) whenever you need a sound bite, a public statement or someone from "The Islamic Community" for a photo op. You go to these groups when you are trying to write policy or understand the effects of your proposed policies. People will see who "The Strong Horse" is, at least in Canada, and while I don't think you will see mass conversions you will see a gradual delegitimization of many of the more radical groups, apologists and fronts like CAIR.

Turning the same thing on deployment will insert more options for the locals, many of whom are probably already suffering from the effects of their "traditional" overlords.

That would require a level of commitment and single minded focus over a period of decades, which is impossible for an international community hooked on a 'dine, selfie and dash' style of intervention.

 

[Altair]

http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/un-security-council-seat-campaign-1.4101984

They aren't winning squat. They told the world Canada was going to get back into peacekeeping and would have a mission ready by last winter.

It's currently spring and we don't even have a destination yet.

Allies such as France were asking about it, radio silence from Canada.

I don't care how much they spend, they aren't winning anything. When the cornerstone of you campaign is to re engage in peacekeeping, and you fail to do so, you don't have a leg to stand on.

The government probably knows that, and as a result, if their were willing to let their main play to get a security council seat fall to the wayside, they have shown with their actions(or inaction in this case) that they really don't care.

I personally don't care what some hack at the CBC says about it, if this government really wanted a security council seat the forces would be in Africa, in a trouble spot, NOW. Not sitting on its hands, looking for the safest spot to hide 600 soldiers like some NATO countries did in Afghanistan.

 

[The Bread Guy]

That would require a level of commitment and single minded focus over a period of decades, which is impossible for an international community hooked on a 'dine, selfie and dash' style of intervention.

Not to mention democracies tied to far-less-than-decade-long electoral mandates ...

 

[Edward Campbell]

They aren't winning squat. They told the world Canada was going to get back into peacekeeping and would have a mission ready by last winter.

It's currently spring and we don't even have a destination yet.

Allies such as France were asking about it, radio silence from Canada.

I don't care how much they spend, they aren't winning anything. When the cornerstone of you campaign is to re engage in peacekeeping, and you fail to do so, you don't have a leg to stand on.

The government probably knows that, and as a result, if their were willing to let their main play to get a security council seat fall to the wayside, they have shown with their actions(or inaction in this case) that they really don't care.

I personally don't care what some hack at the CBC says about it, if this government really wanted a security council seat the forces would be in Africa, in a trouble spot, NOW. Not sitting on its hands, looking for the safest spot to hide 600 soldiers like some NATO countries did in Afghanistan.

Actually, given how the UN works, internally (I used to work in one of the UN's major member agencies and actually participated in one (agency) election) and how votes are bought and sold, the peacekeeping mission is chump change.

It doesn't mater how disappointed France is: the Europeans are going to block-vote for Iceland, most likely.

We can buy a lot of African votes with cold, hard cash ... they don't even want Canadian peacekeepers: the fewer principled people on UN missions the better for them; all we have to do is send money.

We are, also, I read, courting China ~ and not just for a free trade deal. The Chinese would like a compliant Western client on the UNSC and they could swing a lot of votes our way.

Blue berets and sheep-shit have about equal value in the corridors of power; money talks.

 

[Humphrey Bogart]

Actually, given how the UN works, internally (I used to work in one of the UN's major member agencies and actually participated in one (agency) election) and how votes are bought and sold, the peacekeeping mission is chump change.

It doesn't mater how disappointed France is: the Europeans are going to block-vote for Iceland, most likely.

We can buy a lot of African votes with cold, hard cash ... they don't even want Canadian peacekeepers: the fewer principled people on UN missions the better for them; all we have to do is send money.

We are, also, I read, courting China ~ and not just for a free trade deal. The Chinese would like a compliant Western client on the UNSC and they could swing a lot of votes our way.

Blue berets and sheep-crap have about equal value in the corridors of power; money talks.

Yep, the old French saying of "Beni-Oui-Oui" is alive and well.  The French much prefer working with Chadian and Senegalese soldiers because they will do "what they want, when they want it".

 

[The Bread Guy]

They aren't winning squat. They told the world Canada was going to get back into peacekeeping and would have a mission ready by last winter.

It's currently spring and we don't even have a destination yet ...

And it may be a while longer yet ...

Canada’s high-profile military mission to Africa appears off the radar for now with a decision on a deployment delayed, perhaps until fall, the Star has learned.

Political upheaval among key allies — notably the United States, France and Great Britain — is cited as the reason why Justin Trudeau’s government has pushed back its high-profile pledge to return Canada to international peacekeeping efforts.

The federal government does not want to deploy soldiers on a potentially dangerous mission only to find other nations have decided their priorities lie elsewhere, leaving Canada “stuck with a legacy mission,” one source told the Star.

One official at defence headquarters offered a blunt assessment of where the peace mission currently stood on the list of priorities. “It’s not on the radar,” said the source.

When asked about the delay, officials point to the political shake-ups around the globe, notably in Washington, where the unexpected election of Donald Trump as president and his unpredictable tenure in office so far has forced Ottawa to rethink priorities on issues from defence to trade.

But political change bubbles in other capitals too. Britons go to the polls in a general election in June. France just saw the election of a new president, Emmanuel Macron, who beat out right-wing candidate Marine Le Pen. That country has a significant military mission ongoing in Mali, one nation cited as the likely destination for the Canadian deployment.

At home, other issues are competing for attention. Next week, the Liberal government will unveil its defence policy review that will lay out a new vision for the armed forces and the promise of additional funding to pay for it.

That vision, expected to provide policy guidance for the coming two decades, will almost certainly include a nod to the record of Canadian peacekeeping around the globe. But it’s not expected to include any new details of forthcoming missions.

The government’s attention has also been distracted as the political front as the man tasked to sell that new vision — Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan — is fighting for his credibility after being forced to apologize for inflating his role as an officer during an Afghanistan offensive.

And within defence headquarters, the fallout from the surprise January ouster of Vice-Admiral Mark Norman, the second-in-command of the military is still being felt ...

:waiting:

 

[Journeyman]

Political upheaval among key allies — notably the United States, France and Great Britain — is cited as the reason why Justin Trudeau’s government has pushed back its high-profile pledge to return Canada to international peacekeeping efforts.

The federal government does not want to deploy soldiers on a potentially dangerous mission only to find other nations have decided their priorities lie elsewhere, leaving Canada “stuck with a legacy mission,” one source told the Star.

Translation:  Having repeatedly gutted Canada's combat capabilities knowing that allies show up with the requisite kit, we are now incapable of deploying unless US/UK says it's OK.

Well, the college kids should be happy;  we are at one with our third-world brethren.  Kumbaya.  :not-again:

 

[Altair]

https://www.google.ca/amp/news.nationalpost.com/news/canada/canadian-politics/trudeau-says-canada-taking-appropriate-amount-of-time-on-peacekeeping-decision/amp

Diplomatic sources have expressed growing impatience and frustration with what they call foot-dragging by the government after the Liberals promised last August to make up to 600 troops available for peacekeeping.

The government was leaning toward a deployment to Mali, where the UN has been charged with stabilizing the country after the central government and Tuareg rebels signed a peace agreement in 2015. The UN was hoping Canada would contribute transport helicopters as well as intelligence capabilities and even a force commander to the endeavour, considered the most dangerous peacekeeping mission in the world.

Two Western diplomats interviewed this week said their countries have not received any explanation for the delay, which they say has caused problems on the ground in Mali. The UN had hoped Canada would replace a squadron of Dutch transport helicopters that one diplomat said had to be withdrawn from Mali because of technical issues.

Canadian officials, meanwhile, asked the world body to hold off on announcing a commander for the UN mission, known as Minusma, until they could consult with the Trump administration.

Germany and Belgium stepped into the breach when the Liberals continued to equivocate, committing both helicopters and a Belgian general to lead the UN mission, until Canada could make a decision.

“They bought time, so to speak,” one of the diplomats said of Germany and Belgium. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity to protect the relationship between Canada and their respective countries.

“We hope (Canada) will decide now after assessing all they needed to assess. There is a certain expectation that Canada will come back.”

The other diplomat put it more bluntly, saying: “Just make a decision. Even if it’s a no, we need a decision.”

I maintain, we look like absolute garbage on the international scene and I would be shocked if we come close to a security Council seat.

 

[PuckChaser]

I maintain, we look like absolute garbage on the international scene and I would be shocked if we come close to a security Council seat.

Its not our image on the international scene, its the fact that we'll have to suck up to tin-pot dictators and human rights abusers that we've previously called out for their actions to gain a seat. No amount of blue berets is going to fix that, and Africa doesn't want our troops, they want our money (no strings attached money).

 

[Kirkhill]

And it may be a while longer yet ... :waiting:

Canada’s high-profile military mission to Africa appears off the radar for now with a decision on a deployment delayed, perhaps until fall, the Star has learned.

Political upheaval among key allies — notably the United States, France and Great Britain — is cited as the reason why Justin Trudeau’s government has pushed back its high-profile pledge to return Canada to international peacekeeping efforts.

The federal government does not want to deploy soldiers on a potentially dangerous mission only to find other nations have decided their priorities lie elsewhere, leaving Canada “stuck with a legacy mission,” one source told the Star.

One official at defence headquarters offered a blunt assessment of where the peace mission currently stood on the list of priorities. “It’s not on the radar,” said the source.

When asked about the delay, officials point to the political shake-ups around the globe, notably in Washington, where the unexpected election of Donald Trump as president and his unpredictable tenure in office so far has forced Ottawa to rethink priorities on issues from defence to trade.

But political change bubbles in other capitals too. Britons go to the polls in a general election in June. France just saw the election of a new president, Emmanuel Macron, who beat out right-wing candidate Marine Le Pen. That country has a significant military mission ongoing in Mali, one nation cited as the likely destination for the Canadian deployment.

At home, other issues are competing for attention. Next week, the Liberal government will unveil its defence policy review that will lay out a new vision for the armed forces and the promise of additional funding to pay for it.

That vision, expected to provide policy guidance for the coming two decades, will almost certainly include a nod to the record of Canadian peacekeeping around the globe. But it’s not expected to include any new details of forthcoming missions.

The government’s attention has also been distracted as the political front as the man tasked to sell that new vision — Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan — is fighting for his credibility after being forced to apologize for inflating his role as an officer during an Afghanistan offensive.

And within defence headquarters, the fallout from the surprise January ouster of Vice-Admiral Mark Norman, the second-in-command of the military is still being felt ...

New manual for general distribution.  Perhaps she can demonstrate how to get it together.

 

[daftandbarmy]

Central African Republic anyone?

Based on the interesting face scarves worn by the Peacekeepers there, my hand is up

Central African Republic death toll could reach 30 says UN

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/05/15/central-african-republic-death-toll-could-reach-30-says-un/

 

[Humphrey Bogart]

Central African Republic anyone?

Based on the interesting face scarves worn by the Peacekeepers there, my hand is up

Central African Republic death toll could reach 30 says UN

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/05/15/central-african-republic-death-toll-could-reach-30-says-un/

Lol, Peruvian death squad "peacekeepers". 

 

[The Bread Guy]

Central African Republic anyone?

Based on the interesting face scarves worn by the Peacekeepers there, my hand is up

Central African Republic death toll could reach 30 says UN

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/05/15/central-african-republic-death-toll-could-reach-30-says-un/

Yeah, when the U.N. itself is complaining, how bad is it?
-- “Armed group attacks civilians, UN in Central African Republic overnight; one peacekeeper killed”
-- “UN chief ‘outraged’ by latest attacks in CAR, warns they could be war crimes”
Kumbya, indeed ...

 

[The Bread Guy]

Then again, there may be lower-risk options out there being run up the political flag pole to see who salutes ...

A major component of the Liberal government's plan to return Canada to peacekeeping involves using Canadian soldiers to train and mentor other, less experienced United Nations forces, say defence and government sources.

The strategy, which would possibly be employed in some of the most dangerous parts of Africa, is a departure from traditional peacekeeping, which is popular in the public imagination.

And in the opinion of some defence experts, it bears some resemblance to the kind of capacity-building counter-insurgency mission the Canadian Forces carried out in Afghanistan for the better part of a decade.

"Capacity in training is a strength for Canada," said one official, who was unable to speak on the record because of the sensitivity of the file.

It is likely one of the reasons the Liberal government believes it must prepare the public for the risks of "modern peacekeeping."

Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland is slated to give a major foreign policy address in a few weeks' time, which will open the door to the delivery of the long-awaited defence policy review on June 7.

But it will also prepare the public for peacekeeping missions that could cost lives ...

 

[Kirkhill]

Then again, there may be lower-risk options out there being run up the political flag pole to see who salutes ...

A major component of the Liberal government's plan to return Canada to peacekeeping involves using Canadian soldiers to train and mentor other, less experienced United Nations forces, say defence and government sources.

The strategy, which would possibly be employed in some of the most dangerous parts of Africa, is a departure from traditional peacekeeping, which is popular in the public imagination.

And in the opinion of some defence experts, it bears some resemblance to the kind of capacity-building counter-insurgency mission the Canadian Forces carried out in Afghanistan for the better part of a decade.

"Capacity in training is a strength for Canada," said one official, who was unable to speak on the record because of the sensitivity of the file.

It is likely one of the reasons the Liberal government believes it must prepare the public for the risks of "modern peacekeeping."

Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland is slated to give a major foreign policy address in a few weeks' time, which will open the door to the delivery of the long-awaited defence policy review on June 7.

But it will also prepare the public for peacekeeping missions that could cost lives ...

Well, on the good news front, I sense at least a change in the dialogue.  Imagination from myth from legend from history.  The chattering classes seem to be getting a better grip on what is reality and what is propaganda.

On the issue of Trainers for benighted places:  That manual has already been written.

Rudyard Kipling


Pharaoh and the Sergeant

                            1897

". . . Consider that the meritorious services of the Sergeant Instructors
attached to the Egyptian Army haue been inadequately acknowledged. . . .
To the excellence of their work is mainly due the great improvement that has
taken place in the soldiers of H.H. the Khedive."

                          Extract from Letter.

Said England unto Pharaoh, "I must make a man of you,
  That will stand upon his feet and play the game;
That will Maxim his oppressor as a Christian ought to do,"
  And she sent old Pharaoh Sergeant Whatisname.
    It was not a Duke nor Earl, nor yet a Viscount --
      It was not a big brass General that came;
    But a man in khaki kit who could handle men a bit,
      With his bedding labelled Sergeant Whatisname.

Said England unto Pharaoh,  "Though at present singing small,
  You shall hum a proper tune before it ends,"
And she introduced old Pharaoh to the Sergeant once for all,
  And left 'em in the desert making friends.
    It was not a Crystal Palace nor Cathedral;
      It was not a public-house of common fame;
    But a piece of red-hot sand, with a palm on either hand,
      And a little hut for Sergeant Whatisname.

Said England unto Pharaoh, "You 've had miracles before,
  When Aaron struck your rivers into blood;
But if you watch the Sergeant he can show vou something more.                                  '
  He's a charm for making riflemen from mud."
    It was neither Hindustani, French, nor Coptics;
      It was odds and ends and leavings of the same,
    Translated by a stick (which is really half the trick),
      And Pharaoh harked to Sergeant Whatisname.

(There were y ears that no one talked of; there were times of horrid doubt --
  There was faith and hope and whacking and despair --
While the Sergeant gave the Cautions and he combed old Pharaoh out,
  And England didn't seem to know nor care.
    That is England's awful way o' doing business --
      She would serve her God (or Gordon) just the same --
    For she thinks her Empire still is the Strand and Hol born Hill,
      And she didn't think of Sergeant Whatisname.)

Said England to the Sergeant, "You can let my people go!"
  (England used 'em cheap and nasty from the start),
And they entered 'em in battle on a most astonished foe --
  But the Sergeant he had hardened Pharaoh's heart
    Which was broke, along of all the plagues of Egypt,
      Three thousand years before the Sergeant came
    And he mended it again in a little more than ten,
      Till Pharaoh fought like Sergeant Whatisname.

It was wicked bad campaigning (cheap and nasty from the first),
  There was heat and dust and coolie-work and sun,
There were vipers; flies, and sandstorms, there was cholera and thirst,
  But Pharaoh done the best he ever done.
    Down the desert, down the railway, down the river,
      Like Israelites From bondage so he came,
    'Tween the clouds o' dust and fire to the land of his desire,
      And his Moses, it was Sergeant Whatisname!

We are eating dirt in handfuls for to save our daily bread,
  Which we have to buy from those that hate us most,
And we must not raise the money where the Sergeant raised the dead,
  And it's wrong and bad and dangerous to boast.
    But he did it on the cheap and on the quiet,
    And he's not allowed to forward any claim --
  Though he drilled a black man white, though he made a mummy fight,
    He will still continue Sergeant Whatisname --
  Private, Corporal, Colour-Sergeant, and Instructor --
    But the everlasting miracle's the same!

https://www.poetryloverspage.com/poets/kipling/pharaoh_and_sergeant.html

 

[The Bread Guy]

Well, on the good news front, I sense at least a change in the dialogue ...

At least on the part of the mystery folk quoted, anyway.

 

[The Bread Guy]

Sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo, does this mean any announcement'll wait until the fall now?

Canada has a long and proud history of peacekeeping. For decades, brave Canadian women and men have put themselves in harm’s way to protect the world’s most vulnerable civilians – including women, children, and marginalized groups.

Defence Minister Harjit S. Sajjan was at the United Nations (UN) Headquarters in New York, today to launch the 2017 UN Peacekeeping Defence Ministerial. The conference will be held in Vancouver, British Columbia, on November 14-15. Approximately 500 delegates from 70 countries are expected to participate in the discussions.

Building on the successes of previous events held in New York and London, the 2017 UN Peacekeeping Defence Ministerial will review current contributions by UN members, and most importantly, secure pledges to meet the current and future needs of UN peacekeeping operations.

During his visit, the Minister also met with UN Under-Secretary General for Peacekeeping Operations Jean-Pierre Lacroix, UN Under-Secretary General for Field Support Atul Khare, Canada’s Ambassador to the UN Marc-André Blanchard, and representatives of the ten countries co-hosting this year’s Defence Ministerial. Canada hopes that these co-hosts will play a key role leading up to the conference, by chairing meetings to identify and prepare key deliverables for the 2017 Ministerial.

Quotes

    “Canada is doing its part to make the world a more peaceful and prosperous place for everyone. And we are committed to increasing our engagement in peace support operations.  The 2017 UN Peacekeeping Defence Ministerial is one component of our engagement with the UN and I look forward to welcoming defence counterparts to Canada later this year.”

    - Defence Minister Harjit S. Sajjan

Quick Facts

    Ten countries will serve as co-hosts for the 2017 UN Peacekeeping Defence Ministerial: Bangladesh, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Japan, Netherlands, Pakistan, Rwanda, Uruguay, the United States, and the United Kingdom. Co-hosts will work closely with Canada and the UN to organize meetings to prepare the ground for the Ministerial.

    On November 14, Canada will host a series of events called “Focus on Peacekeeping”. While not a part of the official conference, these events will complement the Ministerial, they will be geared towards a broad audience, and will explore several different themes to underline the importance of a comprehensive approach to peacekeeping.

    On November 15, four plenary sessions will be held on:
        Integration of gender perspectives into peacekeeping: How to empower women, and take gender perspectives into account in all aspects of peacekeeping, to achieve better results on the ground.
        Innovation in training and capacity building: How to strengthen partnerships between UN, troop- and police-contributing countries, and other actors, to improve outcomes of peacekeeping operations.
        Protecting those at risk: How to ensure that high-level strategies align with the realities on the ground, while acknowledging that the success of UN peacekeeping should be measured by its impact on those we seek to protect.
        Early warning and rapid deployment: How to better identify and analyze emerging conflicts, while making sure key decision makers are informed in a timely manner so they can plan their response more quickly. During the Ministerial, Member States will also provide new pledges to meet the UN's rapid deployment requirement for 2017-18.

    Today, Canada is active in a number of United Nations peace support operations, including those in Haiti, South Sudan, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Cyprus and the Middle East ...

op:
Meanwhile, from one of the main contender countries ...

• "Two UN ‘blue helmets’ killed in attack in northern Mali" (UN info-machine)
• "Calling Additional Peacekeepers ‘Force Multipliers’ in Mali, Secretary-General Urges New Contributions to Reinforce Mission’s Protection Mandate" (UN info-machine)
• "New French President Reaffirms Commitment to Fight Terrorism in Sahel -- During his election campaign, France’s new president Emmanuel Macron promised he would visit French troops in Mali. Just days into his term, he made Mali his second foreign visit, and his first to Africa.  In choosing Mali as his second foreign trip, just a week into his presidency, Emmanuel Macron was sending a clear message that he is determined to continue the fight against terrorism ..." (Voice of America)

 

[The Bread Guy]

Barely any tea leaves to read from the DefMin's latest speech this week -- highlights mine ...

On May 24, 2017, Defence Minister Harjit S. Sajjan spoke in front of the International Peace Institute. He discussed the future of UN peacekeeping operations and the role of the 2017 UN peacekeeping Defence Ministerial conference in support of improving such operations. The Conference will be hosted in Vancouver on November 14-15 2017.

Opening remarks were provided by Mr. Atul Khare, UN Under-Secretary-General for Field Support. The event was moderated by Dr. Adam Lupel, Vice President, International Peace Institute.

    Under-Secretary-General Khare…
    Your Excellencies…
    Dr. Lupel…
    And members of the International Peace Institute,

Thank you for your warm welcome and hospitality. I am delighted to spend the International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers with those who are so committed to preventing and resolving global conflicts.

I am reminded that the best way we can honour the dedication and courage of our peacekeepers is to take up their cause with renewed determination. It is clear to me that the International Peace Institute does that every day.

I applaud IPI for its leadership in advancing global peace and security. Your work is inspiring. It is work that has contributed enormously to our understanding of conflict prevention, mediation and post-conflict reconstruction.

The increasing complexity of the UN’s engagements, has reinforced that fact that, now more than ever, we must collectively work toward the common goal of spreading peace and stability throughout the world.

No nation can rest on its laurels or just repeat what worked in the past.

Peace operations today are more complex than they were during the early days of the ‘Blue Helmets’. So our response to this new reality must evolve, as well.

We know we must reform UN peacekeeping to meet the demand for it now and in the future. The challenge, as always, is in deciding what those reforms should be and how we implement them.

Over the last two years, the UN has begun answering these questions. Several major reviews from across the peace operations spectrum have produced recommendations of how we can progress.

Secretary-General Gueterres has also set high standards in his initial steps to increase coherence and effectiveness in the UN system.

He recently said that the interconnected nature of today’s crises requires us to connect our own efforts for peace and security, sustainable development, and human rights. Not just in words, but in practice, as well.

Canadazagrees and is encouraged by his ambitious reform agenda. We also recognize that the reform agenda is but one piece of a larger puzzle.

As Member States, there are practical ways we can work together to better orient the future of UN peacekeeping.

One way has been the annual pledging conference, which was first hosted by the United States in 2015, and most recently by the UK in September 2016.

To date, these conferences have been successful in garnering pledges for increased Member participation in UN Peacekeeping operations.

We owe a great deal to the Members who have co-hosted this great initiative alongside the UN.

The conferences have also significantly diversified the pool of troop and police contributing countries on UN peacekeeping missions.

I am heartened by the fact that so many troop and police contributing countries carry the UN peacekeeping mantle, and I am encouraged by how much we can learn from each other.

As I have announced, Canada will host the 2017 UN Peacekeeping Defence Ministerial on November 14th and 15th in Vancouver, British Columbia. We are proud to take a leadership role in advancing the UN’s peacekeeping agenda.

Today, I am pleased to announce further details on this important initiative. We have established ambitious objectives for the forum.

As always, the plan is to maximize our time together. We will review the progress achieved since we last met in 2016, and focus on the best way forward.

I am eager to hear your thoughts on how best we can support meaningful reform in the UN system.

From my perspective, one important aspect of this will be to broaden the discussion at the upcoming Defence Ministerial in Vancouver.

During the Conference, we should consider our work in the context of the impressive and progressive work you are doing here in New York.

We must also consider the trends we are seeing in the field of global peacekeeping. For instance, it is Canada`s belief that addressing the root causes of conflict is a necessary precondition of success.

The father of modern peacekeeping, Lester B. Pearson, once said, “The best defence of peace is not power, but the removal of the causes of war.”

But make no mistake, we must understand the reality of conflict today and address the threat of radical groups in conflict.

Also, we maintain that a range of activities - from training to humanitarian assistance, development and education – are needed to increase our chances of building a lasting peace.

During the Ministerial, we will strive to identify pragmatic and innovative solutions to global conflict. We will build on the “3Ps” — pledges, planning and performance, as highlighted at last year’s Ministerial in London. But more than that, we will put a new spotlight on partnerships.

This focus will be important, because the UN system has the greatest impact when it enables others to do great work.

To do that, we must build meaningful and sustainable partnerships with governments, regional organizations, and civil society actors, so that peacekeeping can be more effective.

In Vancouver, we will continue encouraging pledges from Member nations, particularly in areas where the UN faces gaps, such as rapid deployment.

We will explore ways to accelerate innovations in training and capacity building, and to encourage partnerships between the UN and countries that contribute troops and police officers.

We will explore a variety of ways of protecting vulnerable populations, including the use of force in protection mandates and engaging with local populations.

But I am also struck by the Secretary General’s conflict prevention agenda, and I am eager to explore the intersection between conflict prevention and peacekeeping.

Building on the great work that was done at the London Ministerial, we will, once again, emphasize the importance of integrating gender perspectives into Operations planning.

The London Defence Ministerial endorsed ways to improve the planning and performance of UN peacekeeping operations by increasing the participation of women.

We, in Canada, feel strongly about the integration of women at all levels and in all roles, in the promotion of peace and security. We know that local conflicts and crises often affect women and girls differently and more severely than they affect other demographic groups.

We believe that a diversity of perspectives in operational planning and implementation is essential to improve the circumstances for the most vulnerable populations.

Women maximize our collective efforts against gender-based violence. They play a key role in engaging youth and preventing the recruitment of child soldiers. They are actors of peace that can make agreements last in their communities.


Many of you here today are troop and police-contributing countries, host nations and regional partners. Ultimately, the goal of our dialogue today as we head to Vancouver, is to benefit from your first-hand experiences. We will learn from you and build concrete proposals and commitments.

I look forward to hosting Members in Vancouver and hearing your thoughts about how we can meaningfully contribute to the future of UN peacekeeping. Thank you.

 

[YZT580]

total bafflegab.  Was it at the UK meeting that he pledged troops to Africa or was that earlier?  How about creating an environment where it is safe for women to walk and children to attend school by eradicating those who would implement slavery instead i.e. Boka Harem or ISIS or those bastards who set off the ambush in Egypt?