Statement by the Counsellor George de Oliveira Marques in the Security Council meeting on cooperation between the United Nations and the European Union - June 16th 2022

June 16th 2022

Mister President,

I would like to thank H. E. Mr. Joseph Borell, High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs, for his insightful presentations about the cooperation between the EU and the United Nations for the maintenance of international peace and security.

Brazil appreciates the commitment of the European Union and its member States in working with the United Nations, within the framework of Chapter VIII of the UN Charter, in various instances to assist in the promotion of stability, peace and security in different regions of the world.

In total, the EU has launched 37 Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP) missions since 2003. There are currently 11 on-ongoing civilian missions and 7 on-going military missions/operations across Europe, Africa, and the Middle East. In that regard, we note that, over the past few years, the EU and its Member States have participated in various diplomatic and humanitarian initiatives in the Sahel, Somalia, Libya, Central African Republic, Iraq, and Palestine.

 An actor in the international stage in its own right, the European Union has also played a particularly relevant role in European country-specific agendas. These contributions should be recognized as we witness another major conflict on European soil.

For instance, the European Border Assistance Mission to Moldova and Ukraine (EUBAM) helps the Republic of Moldova to manage arrivals at its borders with Ukraine while maintaining adequate levels of security. Since the start of the conflict in Ukraine, EUBAM has been assisting the management of the influx of refugees into Moldova. We recognize the importance of this initiative due to the risk for human trafficking created by the movement of civilians fleeing the conflict.

The European Union Advisory Mission for Civilian Security Sector Reform in Ukraine (EUAM) has given a valuable contribution for the strengthening of the rule of law in that country. We hope that, after this conflict ends, the Mission WILL resume its activities and FURTHER contribute to the reconstruction of Ukraine within its area of expertise.

The EU`s commitment to the Western Balkans is also noted, especially in facilitating the dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina. The Brussels Dialogue, launched following the adoption of the UN General Assembly Resolution 64/298 (2010), still seeks to achieve a comprehensive normalisation of the relations, an objective of paramount importance to guarantee the stability of the whole region. Furthermore, the EULEX Mission in Kosovo, within the framework of UN Security Council Resolution 1244, also contributes to the stability in that territory.

In Bosnia-Herzegovina, the EU launched the military Operation ALTHEA, following the decision by NATO to hand over its own peacekeeping mission in the country, in 2004. Since then the EU has deployed, in accordance with the relevant UNSC decisions, a robust military force to ensure compliance with the Dayton Agreement and to contribute to the security in Bosnia. As we have witnessed in previous meetings of this Council, the mission deserves our continued support since its objectives are far from being accomplished.

We would like to point out the EU Foreign Affairs Council Decision adopted on March of last year to establish the European Peace Facility (EPF), as a tool to finance operational actions under the EU Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP). We wonder whether this mechanism could assist other regional organizations to fill their gaps in financing peace and security missions, as they lack the financial resources to carry out desired tasks.

As the international community continues to face peace and security challenges in many parts of the world, it is of utmost importance to strengthen partnerships between the United Nations and other regional organizations. We have many examples of such partnerships. Brazil supports the role of the African Union (AU) and other subregional organization in the search for African solutions to African problems. In order to optimize available resources, we need to continue working towards improving the collaboration between the UN secretariat and the AU Commission, as well as between the Council and the AU Peace and Security Council. In our region, the Organization of American States (OAS) is prepared to contribute to the defense and promotion of democracy, human rights and sustainable development, as well as multidimensional security.

We believe that the EU missions should always be aligned to the mandates established by the Security Council and act in accordance to the principles enshrined in the UN Charter. In that sense, we would urge the EU to consider in advance the possible unintended consequences of the adoption of unilateral measures, such as sanctions. The UN and the EU should develop synergies and reinforce multilateralism. The world would continue to benefit greatly from such cooperation.

Thank you.