Lungu calls for review of UN mandate

THE global threat of terrorism and violent extremism should call for the review of the United Nations (UN) mandate in peacekeeping operations, President Edgar Lungu has said. And the President expressed concern that Africa had continued to remain outside the UN Security Council, 40 years after a resolution to reform the Council to make it truly representative, democratic and effective was placed on the General Assembly agenda. President Lungu said this when he delivered Zambia’s statement at the ongoing 73rd UN General Assembly (UNGA) High Level event on Action for Peacekeeping (A4P) which was convened by the UN Secretary General António Guterres on Tuesday. Mr Lungu pointed out that peacekeepers often operate in complex environments and that the threat of terrorism and violent extremism had added another major dimension to international peace and security. The President said that peacekeepers more often than not were asked to stay and deliver even in situations that call for the review of the UN mandate to operate safely and effectively. President Lungu said that member States and other stakeholders should renew their collective commitment in their fight against terrorism and violent extremism. Mr Lungu said that over the years, Zambia’s peacekeeping deployments had been undertaken in strict adherence to three basic principles of the United Nations peacekeeping operations that hinged on consent of parties, impartiality, and nonuse of force except in self-defense and protection of the mandate. He said that Zambia is part of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) force that was deployed in Lesotho to restore stability in that country. And President Lungu pointed out that after four decades of Africa calling for the reform of the Security Council, the continent had not moved anywhere closer to the agreement with the council on the fundamental question of universal importance.