Foreign Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar has urged the global community to revamp United Nations peacekeeping missions by integrating advanced technology, ensuring accountability, and fostering multilateral unity in response to the rapidly changing global security environment.
Speaking at the closing session of a high-level preparatory conference jointly hosted by Pakistan and South Korea, Dar addressed delegates from over 30 countries, UN officials, and military leaders. He underscored the importance of modernising peacekeeping to counter emerging threats, such as disinformation, armed non-state actors, and the misuse of cutting-edge technologies.
“UN peacekeeping is among the most effective and economical tools to uphold global peace and security,” Dar stated. “However, this mission has a human cost.”
He paid homage to the 4,423 peacekeepers who have died in the line of duty, including 181 from Pakistan — among them, one female peacekeeper. Dar also stressed that in today’s volatile security context, peacekeeping efforts must evolve to remain effective.
Over the two-day conference in Islamabad, participants explored how advanced technologies — including unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), counter-IED systems, and early-warning mechanisms — can be deployed to enhance the safety and operational capacity of peacekeeping forces.
“Peacekeepers require credible deterrents,” Dar emphasised, while calling for robust accountability mechanisms against attacks on UN personnel.
He outlined seven key principles to guide peacekeeping reforms, including:
- Clear and realistic mandates
- Inclusive political frameworks
- Adequate and sustained resources
- Enhanced regional cooperation
- Accountability and transparency
- Use of modern technology
- Integration with local contexts and needs
Dar also lauded the UN Security Council’s recent resolution supporting African Union-led operations and called for greater collaboration with entities like the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC).
Highlighting Pakistan’s long-standing role in peacekeeping, Dar noted that over 235,000 Pakistani troops have participated in 48 UN missions over the past six decades. He reiterated Pakistan’s commitment to the UN Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP), stressing the importance of equal access on both sides of the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir. He advocated for a peaceful resolution based on UN Security Council resolutions and the aspirations of the Kashmiri people.
Despite the challenges, Dar struck a hopeful tone, calling for a shared global vision rooted in peace, connectivity, and collective security.
The Islamabad meeting marks a significant step ahead of the upcoming 2025 UN Peacekeeping Ministerial Conference in Berlin later this year.
