Malaysia: UN Must Systematise Mediation With Regional Groupings For Peace

From Muhammad Faiz Baharin

NEW YORK, Sept 25 (Bernama) -- Malaysia stressed the need for the United Nations (UN) to systematise its mediation efforts with regional organisations such as ASEAN, warning that over-reliance on ad hoc initiatives or mere political goodwill cannot secure the desired sustainable peace.

Expanding on the call, Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan said the UN must strengthen its cooperation with regional organisations in mediation efforts as such collaboration was crucial in addressing ongoing conflicts and advancing sustainable peace.

“Groupings such as ASEAN or the African Union can greatly support the mediation process, as they can provide deep contextual insight, early warning capacities and local legitimacy,” he said.

To drive home his message at the Ministerial Meeting of the UN Group of Friends of Mediation, held in conjunction with the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), here on Thursday, Mohamad said better coordination would lead to better outcomes.

“This can be achieved by developing more structured frameworks for joint UN regional mediation deployments, and enabling resource-sharing and technical secondments,” he added.

Mohamad also stressed the importance of mediation to be treated as a core peace and security priority.

“Member states should consider multi-year, predictable funding for mediation activities, and move away from the current practice of relying on fragmented resources,” he said.

He acknowledged that the ability of the UNGA to resolve conflicts had often been restrained by the abuse of the veto power in the Security Council.

“And all of this is happening at a time when the rules-based international system is creaking, under the strain of climate change, technological disruptions, food insecurity, and the spread of divisive online rhetoric.

“Yet, as our disadvantages evolve, so too do our advantages. The future of mediation will increasingly be shaped by the emergence of new actors, as well as the growth of novel technologies,” he said.

Mohamad reiterated Malaysia’s commitment to advancing a global culture of dialogue, prevention and peace, noting that the meeting came at a critical time as civilians continue to bear the brunt of unresolved conflicts in Gaza, Ukraine, Sudan and Myanmar.

“In the Middle East, not only have the killings continued, but mediation itself has come under attack. Israel’s assault on Qatar is unacceptable and severely undermines all attempts at building peace in the region.

“As we look towards the next 80 years and beyond, let us re-commit to building a system where we can better support regional partnerships, and trust them as the experts of peacebuilding in their own home,” he said.

-- BERNAMA