公平な負担の分担による集団的安全保障に関する安保理アリア・フォーミュラ会合における石兼大使ステートメント

令和4年7月27日

Mr. Chair,

I thank you for convening this important meeting and I am grateful to the briefers for their insightful remarks.

As we have seen increasing threats to international order based on the rule of law, regional arrangements become more important. Japan supports the enhanced role of regional and sub-regional organizations in the maintenance of peace and security, in line with the principles of the UN charter. Sustainable peace is only achievable when the solution is locally led and owned with meaningful participation of people on the ground. In this regard, regional arrangements are best positioned to fulfill the demand at the forefront, and thus its collaboration with the Security Council and the wider UN system must be strengthened.

In this context, I would like to highlight the following two points.

First, given the vital role of peace support operations by regional organizations such as AU, Japan believes the issues related to various funding and assistance options for such operations should be thoroughly discussed from broad perspective. For its part, Japan has been contributing to African Union Peace Fund since 1996. Those contributions have supported projects of AU-led peace support activities such as mediation. Sub regional organizations including ECOWAS and IGAD are other recipients of our support for their efforts to address governance and security challenges facing regional countries. Japan also helps African countries building their own capacity at international peace keeping training centers spread in many parts of the continent by sending Japanese instructors of Self Defense Forces bilaterally and in partnership with the UN.

Second, we should also enhance regional arrangements based on the nexus of development, humanitarian, and peace by utilizing other tools of the UN system, such as the Peacebuilding Commission and UN Agencies, Funds, and Programmes. Japan has placed particular importance on helping address the root causes of conflicts, including through supporting building of inclusive, accountable, and effective institutions. Under the banner of New Approach for Peace and Stability in Africa (NAPSA), advocated at the seventh Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD) in 2019, Japan has actively supported conflict-affected African countries to address suffering of people, and develop resilient and trusted institutions.

With an eye on TICAD 8 to be held in Tunisia next month, Japan remains committed to further support effective collaboration of regional arrangements and Security Council for maintenance of international peace and security.

I thank you.