ADDIS ABABA, Jan. 28 (Xinhua) -- UN peacekeepers are increasingly targeted by armed groups, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said on Sunday.
Speaking at the opening of the 30th AU heads of states summit in Ethiopia, he said the number of peackeeping casualties doubled from 2016 to 2017.
The United Nations said Monday that 2017 saw the highest number of peacekeeper fatalities through violent acts in over two decades, with 56 peacekeepers killed. Thirty-two UN peackeepers were killed in 2016.
UN peacekeeping must be more focused and based on realistic expectations, said the UN chief, adding peackeeping is a tool to support political solutions led by national actors.
"Peacekeeping operations must be stronger and safer, better led, trained and equipped, more mobile, flexible and agile with better intelligence," he said.
Guterres admitted that UN peacekeeping is not the solution to all crises.
"We need different missions for different contexts, including peace enforcement and counter-terrorist operations, partnership with AU and regional organizations offers us the means to achieve this," he said.
