UK Condemns Violence Against UN Peacekeepers: Statement at UN Security Council

Speech

The United Kingdom condemns violence against UN peacekeepers who work tirelessly to protect international peace and security: UK statement at the UN Security Council

Statement by Ambassador Archie Young, UK Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN, at the UN Security Council meeting on UN Peacekeeping Operations.

From: Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office and Archie Young CMG Published 15 April 2026 Location: United Nations, New York Delivered on:

15 April 2026

(Transcript of the speech, exactly as it was delivered)

The safety of peacekeepers is critical.

This year has seen unacceptable attacks on blue helmets.

This includes the killing of peacekeepers in UNMISS, MINUSCA, UNISFA and most recently in UNIFIL.

Our sympathies are with the families of those killed.

The United Kingdom condemns violence against UN peacekeepers who work tirelessly to protect international peace and security.

We recall that attacks on peacekeepers may constitute war crimes.

We urge accountability, strengthened protection measures, and respect for the mandates given by this Council.

The United Kingdom commends the courage and professionalism of personnel serving in UN peacekeeping operations.

We are grateful for the briefing today from the MINUSCA and UNISFA Force Commanders.

And I would like to make a couple of points specific to those two missions.

In the Central African Republic, MINUSCA continues to play a critical role in a complex environment.

We commend MINUSCA’s support to elections in December 2025 and encourage the Government of CAR, with MINUSCA’s support, to sustain progress on the national disarmament, demobilisation, and reintegration programme, in order to advance security sector reform and to strengthen accountability for human rights violations.

UNISFA also plays a vital stabilising role.

Growing interference by the Rapid Support Forces and other armed actors, and limited progress by the Sudanese and South Sudanese authorities on the benchmarks outlined in the 2025 mandate renewal, leave UNISFA stretched.

The drawdown of Joint Border Verification and Monitoring Mechanism (JBVMM) sites has weakened early warning and confidence-building mechanisms at a time of rising insecurity.

We call on all parties to respect Abyei’s demilitarised status and on the Sudanese and South Sudanese authorities to support UNISFA to deliver its mandate.

Finally, President, the United Kingdom remains committed to ensuring that UN peacekeeping remains an effective tool in support of international peace and security.

We note the importance of UN missions being grounded in robust political strategies, and their mandates being clear, prioritised, and matched with the right resources and capabilities.

Restrictions on missions’ freedom of movement are unacceptable.

We should also protect progress on performance, accountability, safeguarding, and the meaningful participation of women in peacekeeping.

We look forward to the publication of the Secretary-General’s review on the future of all forms of UN peace operations to advance this effort.

Updates to this page

Published 15 April 2026