São Paulo – This Thursday (13), the new undersecretary general for the Peacekeeping Operations of the United Nations (UN) has elected Sudan and South Sudan as priorities for his term. Even though he praised the UN personnel and volunteers operating in the African countries, the diplomat Hervé Ladsous stated that the peacekeeping operations must be prepared to act faster.
In an interview to the UN Radio, Ladsous claimed that he is worried about the effects that the economic crisis may have on the peacekeeping missions, which are currently divided into 16 different operations comprising 120,000 people.
“I do realize that at a time when member-states have to adopt very stringent fiscal policies, they have to cut down on their own expenditure, it is a difficulty that we have to take into account, that we must try and be more effective, we must try and reduce expenditure where we can. But of course, not at a cost to the missions which have been entrusted to us by the Security Council. So yes, be must be more cost-effective, be more prudent, maybe, in certain aspects, but never at an increased risk to the security and the safety of UN personnel. That, to me, is a very major concern,” he said.
Ladsous stated that Sudan, South Sudan and Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia, are priority regions to the UN. He praised the work that is being done in those places and promised to work in tandem with the African Union to make progress in the development of these regions.
“I decided that on my very first trip, in a fortnight, to one of our highest priority areas, to spend some time talking and working with our colleagues in the African Union. To me they are an absolutely indispensable partner, and we must strengthen even further the relationship, which is I think already a very productive one,” he said.
Ladsous is French. He first took office at the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 1971, served in Hong Kong, Canberra (Australia) and Beijing (China) and the permanent mission to the UN in Geneva. The diplomat was also the deputy permanent representative to the UN in New York. Ladsous will replace another Frenchman, Alain Le Roy, at the helm of the peacekeeping operations.
*Translated by Gabriel Pomerancblum
