Peacebuilding Commission Should Advise More, Be Funded Properly, Speakers Stress in General Assembly While Spotlighting Its Successes
Organ also Adopts Resolutions on International Observances and Decision on Second Committee’s Work
As the General Assembly adopted two resolutions and one decision without a vote today, delegates also debated the annual report on the Peacebuilding Commission and the Peacebuilding Fund, with a view to achieving sustainable peace, taking stock of successes in that regard, urging an enhanced advisory role for the body who helped notch them and ensuring that these efforts are sufficiently funded.
Through the first text adopted, the Assembly proclaimed 11 August as World Steelpan Day. Randall Mitchell, Minister for Tourism, Culture and the Arts of Trinidad and Tobago, introducing it, said that the “melodious sound of the steelpan is a true reflection” of his country’s dynamic culture, history and traditions that encapsulates its national aspirations for robust innovation and product development.
The Assembly also adopted a draft decision relating to revitalizing the work of the Second Committee (Economic and Financial) and a draft resolution proclaiming 29 October as the International Day of Care and Support. Introducing the latter text, Ana Jimenez de la Hoz (Spain) observed: “If care work were valued on the basis of a minimum wage per hour, it would amount to 9 per cent of world gross domestic product.”
The bulk of the day’s meeting, however, focused on the Peacebuilding Commission’s role in building and sustaining peace — and on the Peacebuilding Fund’s ability to finance those endeavours. Speakers, underlining the importance of the Commission, spotlighted the value of national experience and ownership, along with the need for adequate funding.
Csaba Kőrösi (Hungary), President of the General Assembly, underscoring the importance of joint efforts before conflict erupts, said: “Peace cannot be kept by force.” Unless Member States place conflict prevention at the core of their peace efforts, the 2030 promise for a safe, sustainable future “will slip beyond the reach of many”, he stressed. Emphasizing that, 18 years after its creation, the Peacebuilding Commission is strategically placed to keep pace with evolving threats, he encouraged the entity to make greater use of its advisory functions.
Muhammad Abdul Muhith (Bangladesh), the Commission’s former Chair, then presented that body’s report, noting that its engagement with the General Assembly, Security Council and Economic and Social Council enabled Member States to calibrate their support mechanisms for countries in need. For the first time, in 2022 the Commission engaged with Timor-Leste and South Sudan in country-specific settings, and with Central Asian countries in a regional setting. As well, it held its first-ever meeting with regional development banks and engaged with international and regional financial institutions.
Building on that, Irena Zubcevic (Croatia), current Chair of the Commission, said that the entity — while continuing to address cross-cutting issues — has promoted system-wide coherence and strengthened engagement with partners outside the United Nations. She also reported that Mozambique, Honduras, Canada and Norway have engaged voluntarily with the Commission, while a number of countries have shared their experience relating to peacebuilding, transitional justice, Indigenous Peoples and reconciliation.
Against that backdrop, New Zealand’s representative, also speaking for Canada and Australia, spotlighted the Commission’s pivotal role to deepen discussions on challenges with which other organs struggle to contend. He said that Canada was proud to join Norway and Colombia in June to describe the difficult journey it is still undertaking to address historical injustices against First Nations, Métis and Inuit and to embrace reconciliation.
Colombia’s delegate noted that the Truth Commission — established in her country with support from the Peacebuilding Fund — delivered a complete report in 2022 on the events that transpired during the conflict in Colombia. Further, the country’s transitional-justice system has been strengthened alongside the development of institutions such as the unit designed to search for missing persons.
The European Union’s representative recalled that the President of Mozambique presented his country’s peacebuilding experience while chairing a Security Council meeting on the Commission. He observed that such meetings help to remove stigma of being “examined” by the Commission, setting an example for others to speak openly about their peacebuilding challenges.
In that vein, South Sudan’s representative said that her country is at a critical point in its peace process, having made notable progress towards peace and stability. It has identified priorities to address remaining challenges but needs more support from the United Nations and other partners. Voicing appreciation for the contributions of the international community and the Peacebuilding Fund, she called for predictable, sustainable financing aligned with her country’s national priorities.
Similarly, Niger’s delegate said that his country’s cooperation with the Peacebuilding Commission — which began in 2012 — comprises 13 projects with funding of $30 million. Pointing to the Fund’s major achievements, he spotlighted the empowerment of youth, previously exposed to terrorist recruitment and migration, through vocational training. Further, former terrorists have been reintegrated into 18 host communities — an experience being duplicated across the country.
The representative of Cambodia, underscoring the need to support the Peacebuilding Commission, stated that her country — having emerged from a tragic history of conflict and wishing to impart its experience of revival — has been contributing peacekeepers since 2006. Many other delegates — including Ethiopia’s representative — underscored the need for financial support as well, calling for enhanced voluntary contributions and innovative modes of financing. Ireland’s representative noted that without adequate, sustainable funding, Member States risk hindering their ability to create change in conflict-affected regions. “Peace is a dividend worth investment,” he emphasized.
“Peacebuilding is a demanding, unending process,” Rwanda’s delegate added, stating that success also relies on the ability to rebuild trust between citizens and their institutions and shape political processes. On this, Gambia’s delegate recalled that the Commission’s critical support was the “oxygen that sustained his country’s transitional-justice process” and underscored that a “debt of unforgettable gratitude” is owed to that entity for allowing his people to enjoy democratic dividends.
The General Assembly will reconvene at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, 25 July, to continue its work.
Peacebuilding and Sustaining Peace
The General Assembly first considered the Report of the Peacebuilding Commission on its sixteenth session (document A/77/720) and the Report of the Secretary-General on the Peacebuilding Fund (documents A/77/756 and A/77/756/Corr.1).
CSABA KŐRÖSI (Hungary), President of the General Assembly, underscoring the importance of joint efforts before conflict erupts, said: “Peace cannot be kept by force.” Pointing to 27 armed conflicts that continue to devastate life today, he recalled that, two decades ago, about five countries each year suffered from more than one simultaneous war or insurgency. Now 15 do, the number of conflict-related deaths has reached a 28-year high and over 1 million people have been forcibly displaced. Moreover, a 1°C increase in local temperature raises the chance of conflict by more than 10 per cent, he stressed, adding: “Unless we place conflict prevention at the core of peace efforts, our 2030 promise of a safe, sustainable future will slip beyond the reach of many.”
Turning to the “New Agenda for Peace”, which emphasizes prevention, he said that — 18 years after its creation — the Peacebuilding Commission is strategically placed to keep pace with evolving threats. Through various reviews, Member States have called for a more-effective, better-resourced form of peacebuilding that places stronger focus on prevention, and he encouraged the Commission to make greater use of its advisory functions. In this regard, he suggested that the President of the General Assembly and the Chair of the Peacebuilding Commission hold regular consultations. Citing Eleanor Roosevelt, he stated: “It isn’t enough to talk about peace. One must believe in it. And it isn’t enough to believe in it. One must work at it.”
MUHAMMAD ABDUL MUHITH (Bangladesh), former Chair of the Peacebuilding Commission, presented that body’s report, noting that many countries continued to seek more partnership opportunities to overcome challenges relating to the COVID‑19 pandemic and its socioeconomic consequences. Conforming to its annual work plan and with a focus on national ownership and inclusivity, the Commission held 27 ambassadorial-level meetings during its sixteenth session, including on 14 separate country- and region-specific settings. In this context, the Commission sent 17 advisories to the Security Council in 2022 — almost double compared to the previous session. Additionally, the Commission’s annual work plan was formally shared with the General Assembly and the Security Council for the first time, while, also for the first time, it started receiving copies of certain reports of the Secretary-General. This has enabled the entity to come up with more practical advisory suggestions.
The Commission’s engagement with the General Assembly, the Security Council and the Economic and Social Council resulted in 65 outcome documents, which enabled Member States to calibrate their support mechanisms for countries in need, he continued. For the first time, in 2022 the Commission engaged with Timor-Leste and South Sudan in country-specific settings, and with Central Asian countries in a regional setting. Further, guided by its gender strategy and action plan, the Commission continued to prioritize women, peace and security objectives and to enhance women’s participation in peacebuilding. To this end, it convened a meeting to explore complementarity between women peacekeepers and peacebuilders, also hearing from Central Asian women about how climate change has negatively impacted them. The participation rate of women peacebuilders in the Commission’s meetings reached 87.5 per cent in 2022, an increase from 22 per cent in 2019 and 74 per cent in 2021.
He went on to say that, in 2022, 27 civil-society representatives participated in the Commission’s meetings, as it also held a dedicated meeting on youth, peace and security. The Commission also heard from peacekeeping operations, special political missions and country teams. As well, it held its first-ever meeting with regional development banks and engaged with international and regional financial institutions, while also holding a joint meeting with the African Union on 28 November 2022. Building on its previous sessions, the Commission issued advice to the General Assembly on peacebuilding financing, which resulted in the adoption of landmark resolution 76/305 in September 2022. “The Peacebuilding Commission has come a long way since its inception in 2005,” he stressed, spotlighting the Commission’s potential for building and sustaining peace.
IRENA ZUBCEVIC (Croatia), Chair of the Peacebuilding Commission, said that interlinked crises have shown the body’s value in connecting all relevant stakeholders and forging partnerships in achieving peace. While the Commission continued to address cross-cutting issues, it has promoted system-wide coherence and strengthened engagement with partners outside the United Nations. In addition, efforts have been made to enhance financing for peacebuilding. She also reported that Mozambique, Honduras, Canada and Norway have engaged voluntarily with the Commission, and that a number of countries have shared their experience relating to peacebuilding, transitional justice, Indigenous Peoples and reconciliation.
She said the Commission continues to bring all relevant United Nations entities together while also exploring ways to increase outreach and interaction through informal coordinators for its relations with the General Assembly, the Security Council and the Economic and Social Council. In this regard, she reported that the Commission’s Chair holds meetings with the Economic and Social Council’s President every two months.
She went on to say that, as the United Nations discusses the “New Agenda for Peace” and prepares for the Summit of the Future, the Peacebuilding Commission’s ministerial-level meeting on 22 September will be an opportunity for ministers to provide their vision and political guidance on strengthening the Commission in the run-up to the 2025 review of peacebuilding architecture. “We hope that all PBC [Peacebuilding Commission] members will participate at the ministerial level,” she underscored.
https://press.un.org/en/2023/ga12518.doc.htm
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