Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar chaired the launch of the Group of Friends on Thursday (12/15), along with other troop contributing countries including Bangladesh, Egypt, France, Morocco and the Nepal.

“The Sahabat group launched today will seek to promote accountability through policy approaches and the use of technology,” he wrote on Twitter. NNA News.

Jaishankar said current UN peacekeeping has become more difficult than before, due to the high rate of armed crime in conflict areas.

“The involvement of armed groups, terrorists and transnational organized crime negatively affects their operations,” he explained.

According to Jaishankar, the group was created because the host country lacked the political will or capacity to ensure such accountability when crimes were committed against peacekeepers.

Agreeing with India’s Foreign Minister, Chief of Peace Operations, Jean-Pierre Lacroix said host accountability for crimes committed by UN “blue helmets” was essential to enhance their safety and their safety.

Jean said that since 1948, crimes that have claimed the lives of UN peacekeepers have reached 1,056 people and 3,080 others have been injured.

According to him, the Group of Friends will play an important role in promoting accountability and facilitating capacity building and technical assistance to host country authorities.

Even though only a few perpetrators have been brought to justice, Jean highlighted some important progress since 2019 and the advocacy that is equally important to ending the cycle of impunity that continues to embolden perpetrators.