November 13, 2000
The five permanent Security Council members blocked a proposal Monday that they help overcome a shortage in peacekeeping by pledging to provide a quarter of all UN troops. The suggestion was made by Bangladesh, a leading troop contributor and one of 10 countries elected by the UN membership to serve on the Security Council for two years.
More than one-third of the 38,000 UN troops and civilian police currently deployed in 15 peacekeeping operations were provided by four developing countries: India, Nigeria, Jordan and Bangladesh. Britain, France and Russia have provided a total of 641 troops. Together with China and the United States they have supplied a total of 1,671 police or military observers.
The ambassador of Bangladesh to the United Nations, Anwarul Chowdhury, said he tried to amend a council resolution to commit each of the permanent five to provide five percent of the troops to every peacekeeping operation. He told reporters that the suggestion was blocked by the permanent five -- Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States -- each of which has the power to veto council resolutions. "We believe this proposal has the support of the broader membership of the United Nations," Chowdhury said. "We shall continue to keep the proposal alive," he added.
Chowdhury was speaking after the Security Council voted 15-0 in favour of a resolution designed to improve the decision-making process behind peacekeeping operations. It welcomed a report published by UN Secretary General Kofi Annan on August 23 containing proposals for far-reaching organisational and policy reforms of peacekeeping in all parts of the UN system.
For its part, the council resolved "to give peacekeeping operations clear, credible and achievable mandates". It also requested "regular military briefings" and agreed to "strengthen significantly the existing system of consultations" with troop-contributing countries and others. It also acknowledged the existence of "a commitment gap with regard to personnel and equipment for peacekeeping operations."
Chowdhury said his proposal "would not only have ensured the commitment of the permanent members of the council, but also given credibility to the peacekeeping missions in future."
The British ambassador to the UN, Jeremy Greenstock, retorted that "all member states should consider what they can contribute, not just some, not just those with a large capacity." Contributions to peacekeeping should be "proportionate and collective," he said.
To see the full text of the Security Council resolution (in PDF format), click here.
