UNITED NATIONS, May 7 (Xinhua) -- Both pre-deployment training and in-mission training of high quality are essential for the effective implementation of peacekeeping mandates, a diplomat from the Netherlands said Tuesday at the United Nations Security Council open debate on improving the safety and performance of UN peacekeepers.

Lise Gregoire-van Haaren, deputy permanent representative of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to the United Nations, said that adequate training improves the performance of peacekeepers, and in combination with good equipment, it enhances safety and security and decreases the risk of fatalities.

The Declaration of Shared Commitments under the action for peacekeeping (A4P) initiative enjoys wide support among the member states, and the Netherlands is encouraged by the steps the UN Secretariat is taking to advance the A4P agenda and guide these efforts, she said.

"We, the Member States, as well as the Secretariat, must stay committed to and focused on the implementation of the Declaration, our blueprint for all further action," Haaren said.

"More than a year after the launch of A4P, we must stand together, focus on the tasks we have set ourselves, and persevere to get the job done," the diplomat said.