Role of France in UN - Peace and Security

In the area of peace and security, France plays a key role in terms of disarmament. It has worked on the development of numerous treaties, most recently for the Convention on the Prohibition of Cluster Munitions adopted in 2008. It is very involved in actions to enforce the non-proliferation regime and played a key role in adopting the various resolutions on Iran and North Korea. France and the United Kingdom were the first two States to ratify the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) in 1998 and France is striving for its entry into force. France was also the first State to decide and then take steps to dismantle its installations devoted to the production of fissile material for nuclear weapons. It supports the resumption of efforts relating to the negotiation of a treaty banning the production of fissile material for nuclear weapons. More generally, it tries to consistently endorse an ambitious and effective role for the United Nations based on international law and consensus. During the Iraqi crisis in 2003, it opposed the unilateral use of force and advocated a central role for the United Nations. Its military and police forces are strongly represented beyond its borders: in 2009 it took part in 10 of the 15 United Nations PKOs, with more than 2000 UN blue helmets deployed on the ground, essentially in Lebanon (UNIFIL). In addition to this direct contribution, it makes a major commitment in terms of UN authorized forces that are not blue helmets, with more than 7800 French soldiers involved in these operations. France has been present in Côte d’Ivoire since 2002 (Operation Licorne) in this capacity. It also contributes to the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan and to the European Union forces in Bosnia (EUFOR- Althea) and in Kosovo (EULEX).