United Nations Security Council Resolution 2436 – United Nations peacekeeping operations

Resolution 2436 (2018)

The Security Council,

Recalling the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations and bearing in mind its primary responsibility under the Charter for the maintenance of international peace and security,

Recalling its previous relevant resolutions and presidential statements addressing issues of peacekeeping,

Underscoring the importance of peacekeeping as one of the most effective tools available to the United Nations in the promotion and maintenance of international peace and security,

Reaffirming the basic principles of peacekeeping, such as consent of the parties, impartiality, and non-use of force, except in self-defence and defence of the mandate, and recognizing that the mandate of each peacekeeping operation is specific to the needs of the situation concerned and underlining that the mandates that it authorizes are consistent with the basic principles, and reiterating that the Security Council expects full delivery of the mandates it authorizes,

Commending the commitment of troop- and police-contributing countries and the sacrifices of uniformed and civilian personnel in implementing United Nations peacekeeping mandates in challenging environments, and reaffirming that the sustained commitment to operating in challenging environments is crucial for a peacekeeping mission’s success and full implementation of all peacekeeping mandates,

Expressing grave concern about the security threats and targeted attacks against United Nations peacekeepers in many peacekeeping missions that constitute a major challenge to United Nations peacekeeping operations, and condemns in the strongest terms killing of and all acts of violence against United Nations personnel, which may constitute war crimes,

Honouring the heroic work of tens of thousands of United Nations uniformed and civilian peacekeeping personnel, underscoring that the United Nations should not let the performance failures of a few tarnish the achievements of the whole,

Welcoming efforts undertaken by the Secretary-General to mobilize all partners and stakeholders in support of more effective United Nations peacekeeping through his initiative “Action for Peacekeeping”, to include advancing political solutions, strengthening protection of civilians, improving the safety and security of peacekeepers, supporting effective performance and accountability, strengthening the impact of peacekeeping on sustaining peace, improving peacekeeping partnerships, and strengthening the conduct of peacekeeping operations and personnel,

Recalling the report on “Improving Security of United Nations Peacekeepers”, which highlights the link between the safety and security of peacekeepers and performance, and its plan of action, and recognizing that deficiencies in training, equipment and performance can increase risks to the safety and security of peacekeepers, including leading to increased risk of fatalities,

Underscoring the need to enhance the overall effectiveness and efficiency of United Nations peacekeeping through improved integrated mission planning, including threat assessments of violence against civilians and United Nations personnel, increasing the numbers and fulfilment of pledges of capabilities and enablers, and increasing overall mission performance,

Recognizing that realistic mandates and adequately resourced missions, deployed uniformed and civilian peacekeeping personnel that are willing, capable and equipped to effectively and safely implement their mandate, and strong leadership at all levels, including mission leadership, are essential to peacekeeping performance,

Stressing the importance of identifying gaps that have an impact on mandate delivery, improving provision of support services to field personnel, addressing systemic issues, and making recommendations on incorporation of lessons learned and best practices, in close cooperation with troop- and police-contributing countries and senior leadership, both in the field and at Headquarters,

Underscoring the link between performance and safety and security of uniformed and civilian peacekeeping personnel and recognizing that institutionalizing a culture of performance in UN peacekeeping will contribute to better delivery of peacekeeping mandates, as well as lead to improvements in the safety and security of peacekeepers,

Acknowledging the importance of data to inform objective decision-making to improve the performance of UN peacekeeping, taking into account the unique conditions of individual missions, and recalling resolutions 2378 (2017) and 2382 (2017) and their request of the Secretary-General to ensure that data related to the effectiveness of peacekeeping operations, including peacekeeping performance data, is used to improve analytics and the evaluation of mission operations, based on clear and well identified benchmarks for mandate implementation and emphasizing the need to regularly review all peacekeeping operations, and welcoming the work already initiated by the Secretariat in the setting up of a comprehensive and integrated performance policy framework measuring performance based on data collection and analysis,

Recalling the importance of the role of UN peacekeeping operations in protecting civilians, where mandated, and expressing strong concern regarding continued instances of underperformance, including, inter alia, inaction in the fa ce of, in particular, imminent threats of physical violence against civilians, insufficient contingency planning to react to violence, conduct and discipline issues, risk averse leadership, lax force protection standards, inadequate operational readiness a nd preparedness, and inadequate integrated planning, and also noting with concern instances in which national caveats may have a detrimental effect on mandate implementation and performance,

Encouraging further coordination between the United Nations and regional and subregional organizations on strengthening peacekeeping performance,

Welcoming the contribution of peacekeeping operations to a comprehensive strategy for sustaining peace, and noting with appreciation the contributions that peacekeepers and peacekeeping missions make to peacebuilding,

Expressing deep concern about the serious and continuous allegations and underreporting of sexual exploitation and abuse by United Nations peacekeepers and non-United Nations forces authorized under a Security Council mandate, including military, civilian and police personnel, and underscoring that sexual exploitation and abuse, among other crimes and forms of serious misconduct, by any such personnel is unacceptable, and commending the troop- and police-contributing countries that have taken steps to prevent, investigate and hold accountable their personnel for acts of sexual exploitation and abuse,

Recalling its resolution 2242 (2015), recognizing the indispensable role of women in United Nations peacekeeping and welcoming efforts to incentivise greater numbers of women in military, police and civilians deployed in United Nations peacekeeping operations, and noting the importance of increasing the number of women in leadership, and of ensuring that the needs and participation of women are integrated in all stages of mission planning and implementation through the inclusion of appropriate gender technical expertise,

Taking into account its critical role in strengthening United Nations peacekeeping and stressing the importance of effectively promoting international peace and security, and that posture, behaviour, leadership, initiative, and accountability need to improve at all levels both at Headquarters and in the field,

Adopted by the Security Council at its 8360th meeting, on 21 September 2018.