Statement to mark International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers

May 29, 2024 - Ottawa, Ontario - Global Affairs Canada

The Honourable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Foreign Affairs; the Honourable Bill Blair, Minister of National Defence; the Honourable Dominic LeBlanc, Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental Affairs; and the Honourable Ginette Petitpas Taylor, Minister of Veterans Affairs and Associate Minister of National Defence, today issued the following statement:

“For more than 75 years, United Nations peacekeepers have deployed to countries as diverse as Côte d’Ivoire, El Salvador, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (now North Macedonia) and Timor Leste to act in the service of peace. Since 1948, more than 4,370 peacekeepers have died in service, including more than 120 Canadians. In his policy brief A New Agenda for Peace, UN Secretary-General António Guterres outlines a path for multilateral peace and security operations to follow to address future crises effectively and build on the legacy of the fallen. The UN theme for this year—Fit for the Future, Building Better Together—highlights the continued relevance of UN peacekeeping operations.

“Canada and its global partners are advancing the meaningful participation of women in UN peacekeeping efforts through the Elsie Initiative for Women in Peace Operations. This means ensuring that more women are represented across ranks and functions in an environment that offers parity in deployment conditions and in professional culture.

“Canada strongly supports the implementation of the UN’s zero-tolerance policy on the prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse, including through specialized expertise, training, and personnel.

“We also believe peacekeeping operations have an important role to play in ending the recruitment of children in conflict. Around the world, children continue to be used by armed forces and armed groups as soldiers, cooks, porters and spies, and even for sexual exploitation. The Vancouver Principles on Peacekeeping and the Prevention of the Recruitment and Use of Child Soldiers are an important tool to combat this practice. They outline 17 commitments that empower states to undertake early, effective and coordinated action to prevent the recruitment and use of children in conflict.

“By filling critical training gaps in areas like medical capabilities, countering improvised explosive devices, child protection, leadership and gender equality, Canada is enhancing the capacity of peacekeeping missions to operate effectively in challenging environments. Our contributions in terms of high-quality specialized training personnel and funding are recognized and greatly valued by the UN and other partners.

“As we commemorate the International Day of UN Peacekeepers, we recognize the invaluable contributions of past and present Canadian peacekeepers, including members of the Canadian Armed Forces, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and over 30 Canadian partner police agencies, as well as civilian personnel. Their dedication has supported conflict-affected countries on their journeys toward peace and stability.”