The head of the UN peacekeeping mission is travelling to India, one of the nations that supplies the most troops for the organization’s missions.
Jean-Pierre Lacroix, the Under Secretary-General for Peace Operations, will go to Japan, Pakistan, the United Arab Emirates, and India. The multi-nation journey begins on Thursday and lasts until October 15. The Challenges Forum, which brings together top decision-makers, practitioners, and academics to discuss important topics related to peace operations, will host a two-day conference in New Delhi, according to Stéphane Dujarric, spokesperson for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.
The head of UN peacekeeping will then visit Tokyo, Islamabad, and Abu Dhabi.
According to Dujarric, Lacroix’s visit is intended to express gratitude to the nations for their support of UN peacekeeping efforts as well as to provide an update on developments aimed at strengthening their efficacy.
Lacroix will meet with top government officials while on his journey.
On October 6-7, the Challenges Forum event CAF22 will “assemble partners and key stakeholders” to “explore how future peace operations might remain relevant in a world of escalating geopolitical tension,” according to information on the Challenges Forum website.The United Service Institution of India, the organization’s partner in India, will co-host the CAF22 (USI). The three sub-themes for the forum are “Place for Preventive Deployment in Diplomacy,” “Protection of Civilians in Peace Operation,” and “Protecting the Protectors” under the overall theme “Future of Peace Operations.” More than 5,700 Indian peacekeepers are currently serving in nine out of the twelve UN peacekeeping missions. India is one of the largest troop and police contributors to UN peacekeeping missions. India has sent more over 260,000 personnel on missions overall since the 1950s. The biggest number of soldiers from any nation that provides troops has made the ultimate sacrifice over the years: 177 Indian peacekeepers.
