Address to the Organizational Committee of the Peacebuilding Committee
– As prepared for delivery-
Address by H.E. Mr. Miroslav Lajčák, President of the 72nd Session of the UN General Assembly, to Organizational Committee of the Peacebuilding Commission
Excellencies, distinguished delegates, dear colleagues.
It is a pleasure to address the Organizational Committee of the Peacebuilding Commission. I want to thank Ambassador Jinga, the Commission’s Chair, as well as his predecessor, Ambassador Tae-yul, for their commitment to this body.
My team and I have been doing a lot of outreach in advance of the High-Level Meeting on Peacebuilding and Sustaining Peace, which will be held on 24 and 25 April. Today’s meeting is particularly important. That is why I will try to keep my remarks brief – and allow more time for all of you to share your insights.
Today, when discussing the High-Level Meeting, I will focus on four main priorities. They are based on the most pressing issues, raised in the recent report of the Secretary-General on Peacebuilding and Sustaining Peace. We intend to use them as a guide for the High-Level Meeting – including, in particular, the interactive dialogues. And, I hope that you will react to them, and share your perspectives, today.
The first priority is the United Nations’ work for Sustaining Peace, on the ground – and how this can be strengthened.
Because, we are not starting from scratch. There are many positive examples of UN support to peacebuilding and Sustaining Peace. We must learn from them. We must scale them up. And we must replicate them, elsewhere.
To do this, we must start by examining our toolbox. In some cases, we need new tools. And in others, we need to use the tools we have – more, or in a different way.
This is particularly true for the Peacebuilding Commission. Again and again, we have reaffirmed the role for the PBC as one of the UN’s most valuable tools for Sustaining Peace. This was clear, during the review of the Peacebuilding Architecture, in 2015. It was clear, through the adoption of the twin resolutions on Sustaining Peace, a year later. And, it is clear, again, from the recent report of the Secretary-General.
I know, also, that it is clear – to all of you, here. This Committee has been at the forefront of efforts to revitalise the Commission. And, while the PBC has continued to deal with its six country configurations, it has now, also, moved onto new terrain.
For example, we saw the PBC spring into action following the political upheaval in the Gambia, last year. Then-PBC Chair, Ambassador Tae-yul, visited the country in March 2017, alongside the Assistant Secretary-General of Peacebuilding Support and Gambia’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations. The meeting of the PBC that followed helped to guide international investment in – and support to – Gambia’s peaceful political transition.
Later that year, the Commission was called upon again, to deal with new issues and countries. It helped to rally international support for the Colombian peace process. It shone a spotlight on the Solomon Islands, during a crucial transition period. And it acted as a platform for shared best practices by convening a meeting on Sri Lanka’s peacebuilding experiences.
And so, the PBC is living proof that we can adapt our tools, for stronger peacebuilding and Sustaining Peace on the ground. We need to learn from this. And we need to do more of it – both at headquarters and in the field.
The second priority is financing.
Sustained and predictable financing is crucial. We all agreed on this, in the April 2016 resolutions on Sustaining Peace. And now, we have been presented with options on how to make it a reality. This means that a serious discussion is needed.
The Peacebuilding Commission does not, directly, deal with budgetary issues. However, it sees the implications of the current gaps in our system. It hears the confusion and worry from actors on the ground, who do not know where funding will come from, once a peacekeeping mission withdraws. It is a witness to challenges faced by country teams, which are working within stretched capacities. And, it has listened to accounts of the benefits that come from consistent, long-term investments in peace.
All of you, therefore, have a unique perspective. And I hope that we can feed it into the high-level meeting, in April.
The third priority is partnerships.
Because Sustaining Peace cannot be done by the United Nations alone. It needs the experience, expertise, knowledge, and financing of other stakeholders and entities.
And, when it comes to this, the PBC has lessons to share.
Since 2016, serious efforts have been made to strengthen links between the PBC and its partners.
This has been seen, particularly, in the case of the World Bank. More and more, representatives of the Bank have participated in meetings alongside all of you– either, through video link, from the field, or in rooms like this. Further progress was seen when, in 2017, representatives of the PBC travelled to the Bank’s headquarters in Washington DC.
At the same time, increasing efforts to engage regional organisations –, in particular, the African Union and the European Union – are ongoing.
This needs to happen, across the board, for Sustaining Peace. And I would be interested to learn about where you see further opportunities arising.
Our fourth and final priority, for the High-Level Meeting, is to promote an integrated, and comprehensive approach.
This is a phrase we hear often. But, we need to see it more, in practice. Because Sustaining Peace is not a task for one part of the United Nations. It cannot be achieved through one project, carried out by one team. Instead, it must be an element of everything this Organisation does – in New York and around the world.
But, I do not want to preach to the converted. Because it is clear that this Committee is aware of the need for Sustaining Peace to cut across all of the United Nations’ three pillars. In fact, you have been pioneering efforts to integrate the work of the PBC throughout the UN system.
That is why we have seen increasing interaction between the PBC and the UN Security Council. Last year, the Council spoke out strongly, to emphasise the convening power of the PBC. After receiving a direct request from the Council on issues related to the Sahel, the PBC convened a wide range of actors to discuss options for stronger cross-border cooperation.
I have also heard that some interesting ideas arose from a joint PBC-ECOSOC event, which took place last June.
And, the High-Level Meeting in April is an opportunity to focus on the link between the Commission and the General Assembly – both now and in the future.
Excellencies,
As you know, earlier this week the Secretary-General convened a briefing on his recent report. In the room, I heard strong support for a procedural resolution to be adopted at the High-Level Meeting. In response to these calls from Member States, I will soon be appointing co-facilitators to lead this process. I also intend to develop a Chair’s Summary, to ensure that the discussions are reflected and publicised.
But, what I want to say, here, is that we will still need more.
Because, we are at a crucial point, for Sustaining Peace.
We made some very strong calls, in 2016. Now we have been given concrete options, on how we can follow them up. We need to grab onto this momentum. And we need to be creative, in turning it into action.
The High-Level Meeting, in April, offers us a chance to do just that. It cannot result only in words – or a request for a new report. We need commitments, plans, promises and, ultimately, action.
And, this Committee will be crucial in making that happen.
So, thank you again for allowing me to address you today. I look forward to hearing your own thoughts and ideas.
I thank you.
