Mr Secretary General,
Excellencies,
It is an honour to be amongst you on this solemn occasion, to pay our respects to many brave United Nations peacekeepers who have sacrificed their lives in the line of duty.
As India hosts the open debate on peacekeeping today, and as the Security Council looks to adopt important documents on peacekeeping, it is only befitting that we begin the day by paying tribute to our peacekeepers, over one million of whom have served under the UN flag since 1948.
UN peacekeeping is a unique global partnership. It brings together the General Assembly, the Security Council, the Secretariat, troop and police contributions and the host governments in a combined effort to maintain international peace and security. Its strength lies in the legitimacy of the UN Charter and in the wide range of contributing countries that participate and provide precious resources.
At a time when we are celebrating the 75th anniversary of the founding of the UN, peacekeeping has proven to be one of the most effective tools available to the UN to assist host countries navigate the difficult path from conflict to peace.
United by a commitment to maintain or restore world peace and security, our women and men in blue share a common purpose to protect the most vulnerable. Their sacrifices on behalf of the international community are one of the most concrete expressions of the UN Charter’s determination "to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war.”
Peacekeeping, in that sense, is a high calling, and the noblest duty.
I thank all of you for your presence here today, and for joining us this morning.