The UN under-secretary general for peacekeeping operations, Jean-Pierre Lacroix, told AFP Wednesday that as of right now he had not received any requests to withdraw peacekeeping troops because of COVID-19. This week the UN extended that new policy through June 30, and it now applies to all countries where UN peacekeepers are deployed. Measures taken against COVID-19 have had an impact on the UN's peacekeeping operations, a diplomat said on condition of anonymity. But these operations must continue, another diplomat said, predicting "total catastrophe if the operations collapse with the departure of UN troops." UN peace operations "will need to be able to continue their operations to support the host countries in this especially challenging time," the EU added.

Source: Standard Digital April 09, 2020 14:03 UTC