UN Peacebuilding Commission ‘more needed than ever’ amid rising conflict | UN News
Former Liberian President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf and other senior officials from across the world have spoken about how international support was critical to putting their countries on the path to peace.
‘A work in progress’
She also expressed gratitude to multilateral and bilateral partners – including the PBC – whose technical, financial and moral support laid the foundations for the peace enjoyed today.
“Liberia's peace remains a work in progress,” she said. “We still face challenges -economic fragility, governance bottlenecks and the aspirations of a youthful population seeking opportunity. But we have also come a long way.”
The PBC has backed peacebuilding efforts in more than 30 countries and regions, for example supporting democratic transition in The Gambia and collaborating with Timor Leste to advance stability.
Its “intervention and decisiveness at a critical juncture is not only manifestly historic but serves as a cardinal reference point for preventive diplomacy and international solidarity,” said Gambia’s Foreign Minister Mamadou Tangara.
Conflicts on the rise
Rosemary DiCarlo, UN Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, remarked that the event was being held at a time when conflicts are becoming more numerous, more protracted and more complex, and as negotiated settlements are becoming even harder to achieve.
“Against this backdrop, the role of the Peacebuilding Commission remains critical and more needed than ever,” she said.
She highlighted the Pact for the Future, adopted by UN Member States last September, which recognizes the central role of civil society, women and youth, and the value of UN partnerships with regional organizations and international financial institutions.
“Crucially, the Pact decided on the strengthening of the Peacebuilding Commission,” she said. “Our task is to translate this ambition into practical progress.”
Still relevant today
Ms. DiCarlo said the PBC “should be equipped, strengthened and empowered to assist interested Member States to develop and implement national strategies for prevention and peace building.”
It should also have more systematic and robust links to other UN bodies and processes, such as the Security Council, and engage more deeply with regional organizations, international financial institutions and other key partners.
“The Commission is no longer a new institution, but its relevance and potential are undiminished at a time of increasing need. We must equip it to invest to deliver fully on its mandate.”
