Remarks by Assistant Secretary-General for the Middle East, Asia, and the Pacific Khaled Khiari to the Fourth Committee on the Secretary-General’s Report on Overall Policy Matters Related to Special Political Missions
New York, 12 November 2025
Mr. Chair (Ambassador José Alberto Bríz Gutiérrez, Permanent Representative of Guatemala),
Excellencies,
Distinguished delegates,
It is my honor to introduce, on behalf of the Secretary-General, his latest report on overall policy matters pertaining to special political missions.
I am joined today by my colleague, Assistant Secretary-General Lisa Buttenheim of the Department of Operational Support.
Let me also express my appreciation to Finland and Mexico for their continued leadership on this agenda item.
Mr. Chair,
The peace and security landscape is increasingly volatile.
Across the world, conflicts are destroying lives, displacing millions, and robbing people of hope and dignity. Conflict parties continue to flout international humanitarian law—attacking civilians, obstructing aid, and destroying essential infrastructure.
Extremist insurgencies, transnational crime, and armed gangs are driving violence, also with devastating consequences for civilians.
In Haiti, gang violence has turned cities into battlegrounds, displacing over a million people and leaving 5.7 million – almost half of the population – facing acute food insecurity.
Multilateral action is struggling to keep pace.
Geopolitical competition is deepening divides, fueling uncertainty, and weakening our ability to act together.
Charter norms—sovereignty, territorial integrity, non-intervention, and human rights—are increasingly being violated.
Comprehensive peace agreements are becoming rare. We see more partial agreements, such as ceasefires and truces. These are often fragile and prone to collapse.
New technologies—from artificial intelligence to drones—are being weaponized on an unprecedented scale, spreading disinformation and hate speech, and expanding both the reach and lethality of conflict.
Eroding solidarity and financial pressures are weakening multilateral efforts in humanitarian relief, development, and peacebuilding—just when global cooperation is needed most.
Mr. Chair,
As the global peace and security environment further deteriorates, our efforts to end violence, find political solutions, and build sustainable peace must be redoubled.
SPMs remain at the forefront of this effort. Through sustained—and often quiet—diplomacy, they are helping create space for dialogue, de-escalation and compromise.
In Libya, amid deep national and international divisions, our mission, UNSMIL, is advancing a Libyan-led roadmap to reunify state institutions, uphold Libya’s sovereignty, and promote an inclusive political process. The clashes in Tripoli last May revealed the fragility of the situation—UNSMIL worked to calm tensions and sustain dialogue among key security actors.
In Colombia, our Verification Mission continues to accompany the implementation of the 2016 Final Peace Agreement, as the country makes significant progress on its path toward lasting peace and stability. Building durable peace depends on the full reintegration of former FARC-EP combatants into Colombia’s social, economic, and political life. More than 11,000 former combatants have laid down arms and remain active part of the peace process, and nearly 9,000 weapons have been destroyed under UN verification.
And in Iraq, UNAMI is finalizing preparations for its departure after two decades. Established in 2003, the mission has supported the Government and people of Iraq through multiple periods of transition. UNAMI will complete its phased drawdown and transfer of mandated activities by 31 December 2025. The mission’s drawdown reflects Iraq’s progress over the past two decades and offers valuable lessons on how SPMs can be designed and adapted. We are grateful for the strong cooperation with the Government of Iraq throughout these 22 years of partnership.
Mr. Chair,
As we mark the 25th anniversary of Security Council resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security, we commemorated this milestone with recognition of the progress achieved and a renewed call for concrete action, which remains vital. To that end, last month, we convened a high-level meeting to advance implementation of the Secretary-General’s Common Pledge on Women’s Participation in Peace Processes.
Inclusion—and in particular the political participation of women—remains a priority across all SPMs. In Haiti, for example, BINUH is helping to advance women’s leadership, protection, and participation. It has supported the training of 124 women—including civil society leaders and community police officers—as peace ambassadors in conflict resolution and mediation, with many now training others in their communities.
Mr. Chair,
In light of the challenges facing peace operations, including SPMs, there is a clear need to reflect on their future.
The review of all forms of UN peace operations, requested in the Pact for the Future, offers an opportunity to rebuild consensus and reimagine how our missions can adapt and deliver more effectively in an increasingly complex environment. This is fully in line also with the Secretary-General’s vision for UN80.
To inform this review, we have engaged in extensive consultations with Member States—including the General Assembly and the Security Council—and received valuable written input from Member States and civil society. I wish to express our deep appreciation for these contributions.
From these consultations, several clear messages have emerged:
First, mandates should be more focused on political solutions. SPMs are most effective when their mandates are realistic, have clearly defined political objectives, and are anchored in the Organization’s comparative advantages.
Second, mandates should be more adaptable to rapidly changing conditions on the ground. Conflicts evolve rapidly—interests shifts and alliances change. Mandates should be reviewed more regularly to ensure that missions remain aligned with political realities on the ground and maintain domestic and international support.
Third, we need a clearer articulation of the long-term objectives and end states that our missions are set up to achieve. Mandates and resources must be aligned with these objectives, and missions should be regularly assessed based on their progress toward these goals.
Fourth, host-State consent and active partnership are critical. SPMs accompany national efforts. They have greater impact when they operate in close cooperation with host authorities, based on mutual trust and respect for sovereignty.
Fifth, the role of United Nations Country Teams operating alongside special political missions is critical. Country Teams are present before, during and after the deployment of a mission. Their support to national priorities ultimately goes hand in hand with the work of peace operations on the ground, as the Review of the UN Peacebuilding Architecture demonstrates.
Sixth, regional partnerships. In almost all of the places where we work, we have collaborated closely with regional actors. We understand that joined-up efforts are necessary to address the complex drivers of conflict we face. We must continue to invest and prioritize these partnerships.
And finally, we need more investment in peacemaking and political settlements. Many SPMs now operate in contexts without a comprehensive peace agreement—this means that instead of being able to support an agreed framework for peace, SPMs must work to prevent violence, facilitate and sustain ceasefires, or support emerging peace processes. These efforts are vital, but lasting peace requires durable political solutions. The UN remains an indispensable actor in this regard, and our efforts—as recognized in the Pact for the Future—must be intensified. Effective good offices and peacemaking are intrinsically linked to the success of peace operations.
In the coming weeks, consultations on the review will continue, including engagements with all regional groups. We look forward to a continued dialogue with Member States as we shape recommendations to ensure that SPMs—and peace operations as a whole—remain fit for purpose: adaptable, effective, and focused on political objectives.
In conclusion, I wish to pay special tribute to United Nations personnel serving in SPMs, who work under challenging conditions to advance the promise of the Charter. We deeply value their dedication and commitment.
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
