UN Peacekeepers Continue To Work In "Challenging Settings": S Jaishankar

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said the challenging settings for UN peacekeeping missions could involve armed groups, non-state actors and terrorists.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Wednesday said that the United Nations (UN) peacekeeping missions continue to operate in a variety of challenging settings which involve terrorists, armed groups and non-state actors as he stressed on the need to strengthen the capabilities to secure the peacekeepers. Mr Jaishankar, who chaired the United Nations Security Council Open Debate on Technology and Peacekeeping in the presence of UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, underlined the role of technology in the safety of UN peacekeepers and highlighted the role they play in maintaining peace and tranquillity. "Since deploying for the first time in 1948, UN peacekeeping missions continue to operate in a variety of challenging settings. This could involve armed groups, non-state actors and terrorists," he said. "Because the nature of peacekeeping missions and their attendant threats have become more complex, it is vital that our capabilities to secure the peacekeepers keep pace. We owe it to them to ensure that our protective efforts meet the highest standards," Mr Jaishankar said.