UN still waiting to see 'concrete result' of Canada's peacekeeping promise

The outgoing United Nations under-secretary-general for peacekeeping operations says he's still waiting ''to see the concrete result'' of Canada's announced contribution to global peacekeeping.

Herv Ladsous said he was ''very eager'' when more than a year ago Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced that Canada was restoring its "voice and leadership role at the UN," including in the area of peacekeeping, after an era of disengagement under former Conservative prime ministerStephen Harper.

''That was very exciting,'' said Ladsous during his last press conferenceat the United Nations after a six-year term. ''Well, so far, it hasn't materialized.''

Canada has 121 police, military experts and troops currently deployed in UN peacekeeping operations.

But seven months ago, Ottawa announced a newpledge ofup to 600 Canadian Armed Forces personnel and 150 police officers without specifying where they would be deployed.

The UN has yet to receive formal confirmation of that contribution.

Following apeacekeeping summit hosted by the United States on the margins of the UN General Assembly in 2015, the Department of Peacekeeping Operations (DPKO) established a new system oftracking troop and equipment pledges made by member states as well as their readiness to deploy.

''In order to enter this system, a member state has to send a formal notification to the United Nations outlining the contributions it wishes to make,'' said a UN official who spoke to CBC on condition of anonymity.

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"The Canadianpledges are not yet included in this system given that Canada has not sent an official notification to the UnitedNations.''

Ladous saidhe still has faith that Canada will deliver on itspromise.

''What I wanted to see and what I still hope to see is the concrete result,'' he said.

Improving planning and performance

His remarks come as Canada is set to announce it's hosting an international summit on peacekeeping in Vancouverin November. A follow-up tothe September 2016 UN Peacekeeping Defence Ministerial in London, which was attended by defence ministers from about80 countries, including Canada'sHarjitS.Sajjan.

At that meeting,SajjanreaffirmedCanada's commitment to playing a leadership role in peace support operations.

"Conflicts today are more complex than ever before, and we're serious about being part of the solution," he said. "That's the reason we're bringing our resources and skills to the table."

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MatthewRycroft, Britain'sambassadorthe UN, said that conference ended with a communiqu centred on improving peacekeeping through theso-called three P's: better planning, better quality pledges and better performance.

Rycroft said hewants to push that agendaforwardat the upcoming conference in Vancouver.

''A lot of countries have made pledges which haven't yet been realized,'' he said."We are working very closely with [the DPKO] to make sure that those pledges do get turned into reality.

"I know the quality of the Canadian peacekeepers, so we are looking forward to seeing them deployed.''