Jean-Pierre Lacroix, Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations on the occasion of International Day of UN Peacekeepers 2026

All right.
Good afternoon.
As you can all see for yourselves, we are delighted to be joined by our colleague, Under Secretary-General Jean-Pierre Lacroix, who, as you know, heads the Department of Peace Operations.
He will be here to discuss the International Day of UN Peacekeepers, which is being observed today with a number of special ceremonies.
Um, and he has some special guests with him, which he will tell you about.
As you saw this morning, there was a ceremony held to mark UN Peacekeepers Day, the Secretary-General laid a wreath to commemorate the nearly 4,500 people who have lost their lives since we began our peacekeeping work almost 80 years go.
Speaking of the ceremony, he said, A events of this very week remind us, peacekeepers continue to face peril in the cause of peace, and we pay the highest tribute to their service and to their sacrifice.
UN peacekeeping has proven to be one of the international community's most effective responses to conflict across the globe, the Secretary-General said the UN blue helmet is a symbol of hope for communities at their darkest hours, and I think we'll hear from our guests about that.
Said he is inspired by the women and men who wear the blue helmet as they are protectors of the vulnerable and guardians of hope in places where hope is often in short supply.
His full remarks are shared with you, so I will give Jean Pierre the floor and then we'll take some questions.
Jean Pierre, please welcome.
Thank you very much, Stephan and very good afternoon to all of you.
Thank you for being here.
It's really a pleasure for me to be joined in the room by a Two of our colleagues and then another one who I believe is joining us on the screen or will be momentarily.
Major Ablashabarak, who is this year recipient of the Military Gender Advocate of the Year Award, and Inspector Stephanie Kernish who is the recipient of the Women Police Officer of the Year Award.
And so extremely happy and grateful for your presence.
I believe that we are joined or we will be joined by Sergeant Reyes of Uruguay, who is one of the recipient of the Captain Dian Medal for Exceptional courage, together with the late Serge Prihoo of Ukraine.
In a few minutes, I will ask Major Barak and Inspector Cornish to join me here.
But I want to thank all of them.
They represent the true spirit of UN peacekeeping at work.
But I also want to start paying my respect to the women and men who have given their lives to peacekeeping.
The work of peacekeeping comes with many risks.
We know that the risks are not abstract.
They do cost lives.
This morning in the Ecosck chamber, 68 peacekeepers posthumously received the digama Silt medal, including 659 who died last year.
This include crew member Sahi Prihoto of Ukraine, one of the recipients of the Captain in Medal for exceptional courage.
He was killed during a high risk evtion in Upper Nile State in South Sudan when he volunteered to take the place of a less experienced colleague.
I met his wife and daughter and expressed, of course, my deepest appreciation for what Sahi selftly deed, for his courage and the many lives he saved, and of course, I expressed my condolences to his wife, Tetiana and his daughter, Lisa.
Yesterday, we also announced that yet another peacekeeper was killed in Lebanon.
Sergeant Milovan Ivanovich from Serbia was the seventh UFL peacekeepers killed since March 2026 in Lebanon.
He would have turned 37 tomorrow.
He died from critical injuries sustained when mortar shells struck his position.
All these attacks against peacekeeper are unacceptable.
I know, Stephan, you've said this many times, but it's bear repeating the violence must stop.
The violence must stop for the civilians who are living under constant threat, has to stop for the more than 1 million people displaced from their homes and for the peacekeepers who are there holding that position in Lebanon, liaison with the parties, doing their best to maintain stability as they possibly can given the environment and the circumstances.
Now, I want to thank you all for the question that are so often asked by UN correspondent about the work of peacekeepers, including Lebanon.
Of course, they're mandated by the Security Council, and I think that's a very straightforward answer, but it's much more than that.
If there is one message, I hope you will help us echo today, it's this, the work of our peacekeepers matter.
It is worth defending.
Peacekeeping is worth the investment.
I know we all like data, so here are some numbers to illustrate the point.
At this moment, UN peacekeeping entire budget, which is 5.3 $38 billion $5.38 billion.
That's the budget for one year.
The same amount is spent in 16 hours 16 on global military spending, so it's not even a full day.
If you want another measure, the budget of peacekeeping for one year for all our operation is less than half the amount it costs to organize the upcoming FIFA World Cup.
Now, nothing against soccer, of course, we all love soccer, but I think that this comparison is worth reflecting on really, what is it that the world is investing in peacekeeping and really what the output is relative to that amount, a small amount.
It's a fact that the cost of supporting peacekeeping is far lower than the cost of responding when conflict spirals out of control.
And therefore, I call on this international day of peacekeeping is clear.
Let us invest in peace.
We need the political and financial backing of member states.
We need parties to conflict to uphold international humanitarian law and the UN Charter.
We need the support from all those who can hold their governments accountable for their actions because peacekeeping at work is really a set of very concrete actions, initiatives, courageous moves every single day.
For example, peacekeepers at Vietnam in South Sudan who are putting their lives on the line to protect over 2000 people fleeing violence and seeking protection.
The peacekeepers to their presence in Adafok, a remote town bordering Sudan, Central African Republic, facilitating the work of humanitarians to protect those who fled violence, particularly violence in the neighboring Sudan and also helping broker a local peace agreement.
But of course, all of this and especially peace does not happen by accident.
It requires political will, sustained support, and investment.
Now, just a word to say that you will see more of me, of course, but it's my last peacekeeper's day as head of the Department of Peace Operations.
I want to, of course, share with you that the most meaningful moments of those years have always been those that I have had with the men and women who work in these very difficult, dangerous environments.
Meeting with them and also meeting with the men and women in the communities that are protected by the peacekeepers.
I know for having me so often in the field that those civilians are always expressing gratitude.
I never heard any of them saying to us, Please leave.
We don't want you anymore.
They're always telling us, do more and please stay.
I think it's a tribute to what our peacekeepers are doing on the ground day in day out.
I want to sincerely thank them for all what they do.
They represent the very best of international cooperation in action.
And also, I want to thank so many of our partners who make this work possible.
Now, I will be happy to take your question now and eventually, I will ask my two colleagues to join me after the Q&A.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Ed, please.
Okay.
Thank you very much, Mr.
Lacroix, on behalf of the United Nations correspondents.
First, thank you for doing this briefing and thank you for coming here often.
And we wish you well in wherever life takes you.
And secondly, congratulations to the recipients.
My name is Edith Lettera, as you know, from the Associated Press.
I have two questions.
First, of the $5.3 billion that peacekeeping needs this year, how much have you received and is it commensurate with previous years? And if not, what seems to be the big issue holding up payments.
And secondly, on UniFil, can you tell us whether the UN is committed to keeping UniFil in the field fulfilling its mandate until its mandate runs out on December 31st? Thank you.
Thank you very much.
I will have to go into some degree of technicality, but not that much.
We have a budget here that ends on June and what we had to do is to make sure that in a context where we didn't receive all the payments that were to be received commensurate with the budget that were voted for our missions.
As you know, we had to save 15%, 1.5% of the cash.
It's again, not a budget problem, it's a cash.
It's a question of insufficient payment.
I think I've been already sharing what we've been doing in that regard.
We call that the contingency plan.
This resulted in us having to cut about 25% of the capacities of each peacekeeping mission.
Uh, with one exception, Cyprus, which has modalities of financing slightly different, two member states paying part of the bill.
And obviously these has had an impact and continues to have an impact on the ability of our peacekeepers to operate because if you have less base, if you have to close a number of bases where civilians are in need in protection, then those civilians will be less protected or non protected, and and I've had a number of example where we can have less patrols, we can have less engagement with communities in the context of protection of civilians.
Now, that is not to say that our colleagues in the field have not made efforts to adapt.
To these constraint by doing things differently, by looking at their methodology, by reallocating resources that has mitigated the impact of these cuts, but that has not annulled that impact altogether.
Now, the peacekeeping missions have submitted to member states their budget proposals.
And the discussion is currently ongoing knowing that those budgets have to be adopted by June 30th to then allow for, let's say, the opening of the next budget cycle.
I hope that this discussion will be smooth and that the missions will receive what they need in terms of budget.
But I think more importantly, in a way, given what we've been going through last year, I hope that payments of assessed contribution peacekeeping will be forthcoming and those contributions will be paid in full and on time.
This is an appeal to all our member states.
It's question of consistency because the mandates of peacekeeping operations are decided by member states, so we expect our member states to be consistent and pay those contribution in full and on time.
That doesn't mean that we're not committed to continuing our efforts for more cost effectiveness, more efficiencies and this will be, I believe, an important element in emanating from the review of all forms of peace operations which I believe will be released within a few weeks.
Now, on UNIFIL, I think the answer is absolutely yes.
There is a full commitment by us and more importantly, our peacekeepers, all of them on the ground to stay and continue to deliver until the end of the mandate.
They are doing a lot today.
It's a very difficult and challenging and dangerous environment.
Unfortunately, with the death of Sergeant vanovc, we have another example of that, but at the same time, they continue to support the Lebanese armed forces to the extent possible and what they've been doing a lot over the last week is supporting humanitarian assistance to the civilians who remain in the affected areas south of the Litany River.
Very recently, the force commander, UFim Major Grobanya, I really want to pay tribute to him and his colleagues informed me that they had conducted the humanitarian assistance operation in Tia that follows many other such operations, so you can see that there's strong dedication to support the civilians and to support Lebanon in general und and whatever may come next, if anything, it's about supporting.
It's about supporting Lebanese people.
It's about supporting political efforts.
This is really what peacekeeping is about and that applies also to Lebanon.
Thank you.
Sylvian Lorian Luj.
Thank you, Mr.
Lai and thank you for this briefing.
My name is Sylvian Zahi from Lorian Lujux Secretary-General is proposing a new international force in southern Lebanon to monitor the cease fire between Israel and Hezbollah.
Can you please clarify the key differences between the current UFL mandate and the proposed successful force in terms of mission, authority, force structure, geographic coverage, and operational responsibility, and what kind of budget it will Thank you.
Yes, you're right.
The Secretary-General has communicated to the Security Council proposals on options for a UN presence after UNIFIL to support resolution 17 oh one.
I'm saying this because it's very important.
It's a request from the Security Council and it means that this resolution 17 oh one remains a political framework.
And resolution 17 oh one, as we know, is about essentially restoring the full sovereignty of Lebanon to other territory, including full control of weapons and arms by the government.
Now, in preparing that work, we listened to what the Lebanese told us, the Lebanese authorities, and there are two things that are salient.
One is, it's a new context where the Lebanese authorities made decisions to actively involve themselves in operationalizing implementing resolution 17 oh one, including, of course, the main item, which is working towards ensuring the full control by the Lebanese authorities, Lebanese army, the Lebanese security forces of all weapons in the territory.
They made a number of very bold decisions to really empower Lebanese government to achieve that.
So that's number one.
Number two, they told us that it was important for them to keep a UN presence, focusing on the task of monitoring, observing, reporting, liaison and deconfliction.
I believe that in the context where there continues to be the presence of foreign forces in Lebanon, so that aspect of liaison confliction is also important.
They also indicated to us that there were a number of capacities that were still of interest to them, such as engineering and mine action and So based on that, the options essentially focus on these key tasks of monitoring, observing, reporting is on the confliction, which are essentially task for military observers.
I believe this is where the difference is with UNIFIL.
I believe that that difference really comes again from the fact that today we have a different standing from the Lebanese authorities with the decision that I mentioned that they clearly decided to empower themselves and the Lebanese armed forces to take those responsibility.
The proposals are about supporting Lebanon.
They're about supporting resolution 17 oh one.
Again, that's what the Security Council requested to us.
It's about supporting the successful completion of the political efforts that are currently ongoing and that the UN fully support.
I think this has to be seen in the light of these key objectives.
Now it's in the hand of the Security Council.
We have three options ranging from about a bit more than 200 military observers plus what is needed to support them to about, I believe, 375 military observers.
Don't take my word for the figures, but we can communicate more specifically on these figures, a total of 5,500 military personnel.
Why the difference between the number of observers and the total number of uniformed personnel? Simply because those military observers unarmed will need to be protected.
Medical support, mobility, they need to be protected and supported.
And given the dansity of the environment, the Secretary-General determined that that support needs to be sufficient for us to be comfortable that if those observers are deployed in southern Lebanon, they will receive adequate support and potentially in the medical sphere, as well as mobility and the possibility of quick reaction if anything happens.
So that is really the rationale behind these options and depending on the size, then the ability of these elements to operate in a smaller or greater part of the area of southern Lebanon, I think that will be the key difference.
There's no difference in terms of tasks across those different options.
It's a question of size and size will determine the reach, the geographical reach.
Great.
Thank you.
Iptaam, please.
Thank you.
Is Arab id newspaper.
Just to clarify what you said the answer you gave.
So these observers, the 300, are they going to be also military observers or they will have weapons or Yeah, they will be military observers.
They're an arm, that's the case for military observers.
But like I said, they have to be obviously protected.
They also have to be transported.
They have to have medical support.
So that's why I'm saying I'm talking about the relatively small numbers and a few hundreds of observers so they're depending on the option, but then a much greater support capacity, which is today, we think, warranted by the context in which those personnel would operate.
Now, I think another thing to say is obviously in the letter, we have that notion that should there be an evolution on the ground, should there be a political evolution, then whatever presence could be decided by the council could eventually be scaled down, adapted to the evolving situation.
Secretary-General is not proposing something that is meant to be there for another sort of, uh, many years.
But this is based again on what we heard from Lebanon, the host government.
We also consult with others based on what we believe would be best in terms of supporting Lebanon in this journey to operationalize and implement resolution 1701, hopefully operationalize and implement the outcome of the current a dialogue process.
This is what we believe could be best adequate.
But I think that it's important to emphasize that Lebanon will need a lot of international support in addition to a potentially a UN presence post UFL.
To provide better support and greater support to the Lebanese armed forces and security forces, and also to increase the level of support in terms of humanitarian assistance to the more than 1 million Lebanese civilians who are currently displaced in that country.
Thank you very much.
Yes, please, Pa.
Thank you very much, Par Mastro Lili with the Italian Del Republica.
In terms of the country that will be participating possibly in this new mission, do you foresee the same that have been involved in unily participating? Did you have any contact with the Italian government about contributing? Well, on that one, I believe it's too early to tell.
We're pending a decision by the Security Council to go into really the thick of planning and determining exactly who would do what.
Of course, we currently have a number of troop and contributing countries in UL.
We are extremely grateful to them, including Italy, of course, is also providing the outstanding force commander a Obviously, you know, we start to think in our head.
But at this stage, again, we would be in need of a Security Council decision to actually go much farther in terms of that kind of planning.
Great.
Thank you very much.
Jean Pierre, maybe you can introduce and bring on board our special guests and if I could ask our technician colleagues to put our guests from the Congo up on the screen.
So if I could ask Major Barack and Inspector Kernings please to come and join Jean-Pierre Lacroix Thank you.
Great.
Well, as I say, I mean, I'm extremely honored and happy to be with you, Major Barack and Inspector Keens.
I won't say much more because I've already said what I had to say, the very important prestigious award that you were just received.
Just to say that once again, I'm extremely proud of you and I really thank you for not only what you've done, but what you represent and the very, I would say, accurate and positive image of peacekeeping that you're giving.
I will leave it at that and happy to hear from you.
I don't know who wants to maybe for our guest on the screen.
If you maybe you can ask him to speak in Spanish.
All right.
There'll be interpretation.
So Sergeant Reyes Mescuca can you hear me.
Sergeant Reyes.
You could speak Spanish.
We have a translation here.
We have interpretation here.
You have the floor.
Good afternoon, everyone.
First of all, I'd like to congratulate the two blue helmets that were also recognized by the United Nations, congratulations.
In January of 2025, during the fighting in the city of Goma, I was providing security at one of the gates to the Mosco base.
In the midst of a situation of extreme tension, confusion, conflict, intense fire, dozens of soldiers of the FARDC who had been wounded, sought refuge and assistance in the base.
When I saw them in that situation, I acted immediately.
I carried on my shoulders 12 of these Congolese soldiers that were severely wounded and I took them to a safe area within the base.
Where the medical tent was located.
At the time, I didn't think of myself or the risks involved.
I felt deep concern for their lives because I knew that each second was vital, could make a difference.
What pushed me forward was my duty as a soldier, my training, my principles, the commitment to serve and protect those who need it most.
Also, the support of my comrades was very important.
And receiving this medal is an extreme honor.
I accept it with gratitude and humility.
I'm not only receiving it on my own behalf, but rather on behalf of all the Uruguayan soldiers that have served or serving in peacekeeping missions and particularly those who gave up their lives under the UN flag.
I would like to I'd like to thank you very much.
Thank you.
I congratulate you on your heroism.
You saved lives of over 12 people in a very dangerous situation.
I'm very proud of what you did.
With this, I will hand over to the two colleagues who are sitting next to me.
I believe that the best order would be the alphabetical order.
I think that's the least controversial.
So I will hand over first to you, Mayor of Iraq and then to Inspector Kurdish.
Thank you so much, sir.
I will go about a brief intro of mine.
I am in Indian Army and I was an army aviator, combat helicopter pilot, and also an air traffic controller.
Prior to this.
One odd day I got an interview call from my headquarters, and I volunteered for the same and I cleared the interview and I was selected as the first engagement team commander from India to UNIFIL.
And now coming to my role in UNIFIL as an engagement team commander, my aim was to interact and engage with all the members of the community, especially with women and adolescent girls, who had a resistance in interacting with the male peacekeepers.
At the same time, we also tried to make them self reliant and financially independent by organizing various capability programs, vocational training.
At the same time, we provided them with awareness sessions for education and health.
We carried out physical fitness activities, recreational activities, and we also did some cultural exchange programs.
We also gave them civic support such as water delivery and repair of electric pump.
So this was overall and within a matter of six months, we were able to engage with 5,900 women and also This award to me is not just a personal achievement.
It is a matter of pride for my country and for UNIFIL as well.
It is a recognition for each and every peacekeeper who is standing day in and out trying to build trust, maintain peace, and to make mission a success.
And this is also in special dedication to those seven brave hearts we lost this year in UNIFIL.
So kudos to those, and I pay my deepest tribute to them.
Thank you so much, Major Barack.
I will now then hand over to you, Inspector Kid.
Thank you so much and thank you all for coming here and I'm very happy that there's such huge interest in women and peacekeeping.
And to be honest, when I was deployed in South Sudan, many times, I was the only woman in the room when we were planning and coordinating patrols.
Going out in the field, it's very obvious that half of the population is women.
So it's for them much more comfortable to talk to a woman police officer and to share their concerns, their opinions, their perspectives.
So these conversations, they are not just nice.
They shape what we are doing on the ground in our operational daily life, and they gave us their perspective.
And this is why I would like to emphasize on the importance of the deployment of women police officers in the peacekeeping, that it really matters what I saw with my own eyes on the ground.
Maybe you will ask me if it was tough or if it was difficult in South Sudan and I will tell you, yes, it was absolutely.
I would do it again because this is the next question probably, so I would definitely do it again, and I hope to see more women police officers in the room next time.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Very much.
Before we close, maybe Edi, if you have a question for guest.
Oops.
Again, congratulations to you all on behalf of the United Nations Correspondence Association at a time when both the United Nations and UN peacekeeping have come under attack from various quarters, I wonder what your message would be to governments about keeping peacekeepers in global hotspots around the world.
R.
Thank you for your question, ma'am.
Situation is very critical, as we know, it is very volatile and challenging at the same time.
At this very time, the role of peacekeeper enhances, especially for those 1.2 million people displaced and more than 3,000 killed, especially in southern Lebanon.
What I foresee further is that talk should take place, diplomacy should come into action and hopefully the ceasefire will continue.
Then we can move on to rebuilding the community, not just physically with their roads and destructive homes, but also the post trauma which they are going.
Under.
We must work on that as a community, as a government, and as peacekeepers and rebuild Lebanon.
Thank you.
Thank you.
I believe that being on the ground in a field mission shows what the United Nations and this community is able to achieve and it is once being in the field, seeing the community, the support, working together on the same goals for international peace and security is one thing, and then coming here, of course, to New York, to the headquarters is exactly the reflection of what is happening in the field.
Thank you.
Great.
I if you could just ask the questions in Spanish to Mr.
Reyes.
Sergeant Reyes.
The question was, what kind of message would you like to share with us and with the journalists gathered here at a time when UN peacekeeping operations are facing so many challenges? You have the floor.
Well, first of all, I think it's very important in any conflict situation to make sure that we always maintain hope.
We need to take a cool head and analyze situation calmly.
And we need to make sure that everybody is fully committed to the effort.
Jean Pierre, thank you, Sergeant Reyes Mj Gracias.
And thank you very much to Major Barack and Inspector Kernings.
Congratulations to all of you.
You make us all very proud.
Thank you.
Thank you so much.
And we're going to take a short break and then I'll start the briefing in about 5 minutes.
Thank you.