Remarks of ASG Jenča at the meeting of the Fourth Committee of the General Assembly
to consider the report of the Secretary General on overall policy matters
pertaining to special political missions
New York, 12 November 2024
Madam Chair, [Ambassador Sanita Pavļuta-Deslandes of Latvia]
Distinguished Delegates,
I have the honor of presenting the 2024 report of the Secretary-General on policy matters pertaining to special political missions.
I am grateful for the presence of my colleague, ASG Buttenheim, whose department provides vital operational support on which SPMs rely on.
Let me also express DPPA’s appreciation to the delegations of Finland and Mexico for their strong leadership on this agenda item and their close cooperation with the Secretariat.
Madam Chair,
During this reporting period, special political missions continued to work in some of the most complex operational environments in the world. They witnessed firsthand the effects of converging threats to international peace and security which impacted their ability to implement their mandates.
Geopolitical tensions, escalating armed conflicts, and fraying relations in some regions have created substantial obstacles to finding collective solutions, thus narrowing political space for peace agreements and complicating mandate implementation.
In the Middle East, the conflicts in Gaza and Lebanon have not only caused immense human suffering and widespread destruction but are also dangerously heightening regional tensions.
The proliferation of non-state armed groups in many of our operational theaters, including some linked to terrorist and organized criminal interests, is particularly challenging.
In Haiti, for example, the security situation has deteriorated, with a staggering increase in gang violence throughout the country. Between July and September alone, over 1,200 people were killed and nearly 700,000 individuals were internally displaced. Criminal gangs are targeting state institutions—such as police stations, hospitals, and banks—paralyzing essential services and undermining the government's ability to maintain order.
In West Africa, despite national and international efforts, insecurity remains a significant challenge. Terrorist groups and transnational criminal networks are expanding their influence, spreading violence and intensifying humanitarian needs—with over 32 million people now urgently requiring assistance. Just when regional cooperation is most crucial, political fractures following unconstitutional changes in government in several countries have deepened regional tensions. This has significantly impacted the work of our regional office, UNOWAS.
Madam Chair,
Amidst these challenges, SPMs carried on their important work in support of Member State efforts to maintain international peace and security.
As the report of the Secretary-General shows, our missions worked with conflict parties as well as regional and international stakeholders, to promote dialogue, end violence, and reduce regional tensions.
In the Middle East, following the October 2023 attacks on Israel by Hamas and subsequent Israeli operations in Gaza and the Occupied Palestinian Territories, UNSCO has worked with regional actors and international partners to support efforts to prevent a wider regional conflict, secure the release of hostages in Gaza, achieve a cessation of hostilities, increase humanitarian assistance, and prevent spillover into the occupied West Bank.
In Lebanon, the Special Coordinator is engaging intensively with Lebanese stakeholders and international partners to preserve the country’s stability. With the escalating conflict between Hizbullah and Israel, UNSCOL has worked closely with UNIFIL and international partners to urge all parties to recommit to the cessation of hostilities under resolution 1701, and to use diplomatic avenues to avoid further escalation.
In Libya, untiring UN efforts helped resolve a critical crisis over the leadership of the Central Bank. UNSMIL engaged with security actors and local mediators to defuse these tensions and facilitated talks between the House of Representatives and the High Council of State, resulting in the 26 September agreement on new Central Bank leadership and improved governance practices.
Our missions also worked hand-in-hand with Member States and regional organizations to address transnational challenges.
In Central Asia, the UN Regional Centre for Preventive Diplomacy is facilitating dialogue and cooperation on issues such as water, energy, the environment, and climate change between the countries of the region.
In West Africa, UNOWAS is engaging with a wide range of regional and national actors, including civil society, to help develop effective solutions to pastoralism-related conflicts.
Madam Chair,
I would like to highlight four thematic issues addressed in this year’s report of the Secretary-General.
First, the work of SPMs in implementing the Women, Peace and Security agenda.
Last month, the Secretary-General launched the 'Common Pledge for Women’s Full, Equal, and Meaningful Participation in Peace Processes,' which aims to bring together global mediators to take voluntary concrete steps towards full, equal, and meaningful participation of women in all peace processes. This is an important initiative that will help reinforce the work of special political missions to promote the women, peace and security agenda.
In Afghanistan, UNAMA is advocating firmly and publicly with the de facto authorities for the rights of women and girls, emphasizing that their basic rights and roles in society must be fully respected.
In Yemen, the Office of the Special Envoy, in collaboration with UN Women, organized consultations in Aden, Amman, Cairo, and Madrid with over 400 Yemeni women and men from various communities to center women’s priorities and lay the groundwork for a more inclusive peace process.
Second, supporting the Youth, Peace, and Security agenda.
When young people are involved in peacebuilding efforts, peace processes tend to be more durable.
Earlier this year, DPPA launched its Youth, Peace, and Security Strategy for 2024-26, focusing on three key priorities for the implementation of Security Council resolution 2250: advocacy; enhancing staff capacities through targeted training; and launching the YPS Impact Pilot Initiative aimed at institutionalizing the YPS agenda.
Special political missions are a vital component in advancing the UN YPS agenda. As of this year, 13 of our missions have integrated youth, peace, and security, or youth engagement, into their strategic frameworks.
In Gabon, UNOCA supported women’s and youth organizations with technical and financial assistance to raise awareness of key recommendations from the National Inclusive Dialogue. These include ensuring at least 40 per cent representation of women in decision-making positions, creating a gender advisory council, and including 20 per cent youth and 10 per cent vulnerable groups in the drafting and adoption of the new Constitution.
Third, peacebuilding and sustaining peace.
Peacebuilding and sustaining peace and core aspects of the work of special political missions, which work closely with UN Country Teams and Resident Coordinators to advance nationally owned peacebuilding priorities and accelerate progress toward the 2030 Agenda.
In Somalia, UNSOM supported political reconciliation efforts at all levels, including through the National Consultative Council. This helped Somali actors advance key state building priorities, including on the constitutional review process and proposals for the electoral calendar at the national and subnational levels. Similar support was provided to the revision of the National Reconciliation Framework and the development of a strategic plan for its implementation.
In Colombia, the Verification Mission, in collaboration with the UN Country Team, is implementing Peacebuilding Fund projects aimed at supporting peace dialogues initiated by the government with armed groups and enhancing the capacity of the Special Jurisdiction for Peace to investigate serious crimes.
Finally, helping address hate speech and disinformation.
Special political missions operate in challenging environments where hate speech, disinformation, and misinformation drive polarization, fuel prejudice, and ignite violence, worsening conflict dynamics and obstructing peace efforts. In response, these missions are actively collaborating with national and regional partners to counter the malicious use of digital platforms.
In the context of recent elections held in a number of countries in West Africa and Central Africa, our regional offices, UNOCA and UNOWAS, have engaged with governments and national stakeholders to mitigate the risks of disinformation and hate speech. This collaboration aimed to foster a peaceful electoral environment and uphold the integrity of democratic processes in the region.
One critical aspect of the digital dimension of conflicts is the impact of social media behavior by conflict parties on conflict dynamics and mediation efforts.
To help address this increasing challenge, DPPA has developed guidance for mediators and peace implementation bodies, providing them with strategies to effectively address social media behavior in the context of implementing and monitoring peace agreements.
Madam Chair,
Distinguished delegates,
We are grateful for the support that Member States continue to show for SPMs. They are critical instruments of international peace and security, as reiterated in the recently agreed Pact for the Future.
Since the first SPM was deployed in 1948, the United Nations has established more than 130 special political missions with diverse mandates, structures, and approaches to deescalate conflicts and assist host governments and regions in preventing conflicts, advancing political processes, and sustaining peace.
These missions have accompanied Member States through historic times of change, much like those we are navigating today. They have adapted to the evolving global peace and security landscape, responding to shifting conflict dynamics and the needs of host governments.
In this context, we welcome the request in the Pact for the Future for the Secretary-General to conduct a review of the future of all United Nations peace operations – which include all peacekeeping operations and all special political missions – in order to provide strategic, action-oriented recommendations in close consultation with Member States.
We have already begun the work to respond to this request, with a specific focus on ensuring that the specific challenges and unique features of special political missions as civilian missions are an integral part of the review. We are also working together with our colleagues in DPO to ensure that the common challenges faced by all missions – including in areas such as transitions across different types of missions – are fully tackled in the review.
In the coming months, DPPA will engage with all Member States, including through the Fourth Committee, to hear your perspectives and proposals on how special political missions can continue to adapt and rise to the challenges of today and tomorrow.
Our goal is to make this an inclusive consultative process, so that we can be fully informed of the views of the Membership as a whole – ultimately, special political missions are your tools and need to respond to your priorities.
Before concluding, Madam Chair, I would like to pay a special tribute to the United Nations staff members serving in special political missions, who often work under the most difficult conditions to advance international peace and security.
Thank you and I look forward for a rich exchange.