A/75/PV.47 General Assembly

I now give the floor to the representative of Australia to introduce draft resolution A/75/L.51.

The Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia, a tribunal established in 2005 by an agreement of the General Assembly, has made substantial progress in fulfilling its mandate, including by obtaining convictions for genocide, crimes against humanity and grave breaches of the Geneva Conventions in cases involving former members of the Khmer Rouge regime. The Extraordinary Chambers projects that the trial and, where relevant, appeal stages, for those cases that have proceeded to trial could be completed in 2022. United Nations ad hoc and hybrid courts and tribunals, such as the Special Court for Sierra Leone and the International Criminal Tribunals for Rwanda and the former Yugoslavia, have benefited from the early development of frameworks for the performance of residual functions, including the management of records and archives, the revision of judgments, the protection of victims and witnesses and the enforcement of sentences. In resolutions 73/279A and 74/263, the Assembly requested that the Secretary-General undertake consultations with the Government of Cambodia and the Extraordinary Chambers to identify residual functions, if any, that might need to be performed following the completion of the mandate. Consultations involving the Secretary-General’s representatives, the Government of Cambodia and the Extraordinary Chambers are ongoing. As we outlined when we sought a new agenda item for this session, the purpose of this item is to allow the Assembly to provide a further mandate to the Secretary-General to consult with Cambodia to finalize a proposed framework for the completion of the work of the Extraordinary Chambers. We brought forward draft resolution A/75/L.51 to that effect. In paragraph 1, the draft resolution would provide a further mandate to the Secretary-General to continue consultations with the Government of Cambodia with a view to finalizing a proposed framework for the completion of the work of the Extraordinary Chambers, including with regard to the drawdown of activities and residual functions requiring performance. In paragraph 2, the draft resolution would obligate the Secretary-General to report to the Assembly on progress by 15 May 2021, in the light of which the Assembly may wish to take further action next year. Finally, in paragraph 3, the draft resolution would include this item in the provisional agenda of the seventy-sixth session of the Assembly.

I now give the floor to the representative of Cambodia to introduce draft resolution A/75/L.51.

Together with Australia, I have the honour to introduce draft resolution A/75/L.51, entitled “Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia — residual functions”. As the General Assembly know, in April 1975 the Khmer Rouge regime took power in Cambodia, plunging the country into a brutal period of forced labour, starvation, torture and execution. At least 1.7 million Cambodians died at the hands of the Khmer Rouge regime before it was overthrown in January 1979. Resolutions 57/228A and 57/228B established the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia (ECCC) to prosecute senior leaders of the regime for grave violations of national and international law during that period. Since its inception, the ECCC has served a vital purpose in bringing justice and reconciliation to the Cambodian people who suffered at the hands of the brutal regime. The ECCC has substantially achieved its mandated objective, obtaining the convictions of former leaders and senior leaders of the Khmer Rouge regime for genocide, crimes against humanity and grave breaches of the Geneva Conventions. The judgments delivered by the ECCC constitute a solid foundation of academic research, which will aid teachers and legal practitioners in their work. That foundation will underpin the world views of future generations of Cambodians, who will learn from history and seek to nurture the culture of peace at home and abroad. During the whole process of the ECCC, the Royal Government of Cambodia has worked closely with the United Nations to ensure that the Extraordinary Chambers effectively discharges its duties in the pursuit of the highest standards of justice and due process of law. As the work of the tribunal winds down, it is important to ensure that relevant residual functions of the ECCC will continue to be performed after the conclusion of its mandate. The adoption of draft resolution A/75/L.51 would aid in that process. In paragraph 1 of the draft resolution, the General Assembly would request the Secretary-General to continue consultations with the Royal Government of Cambodia with a view to finalizing the framework for the completion of the work of the Extraordinary Chambers. In paragraph 2, the Assembly would request that the Secretary-General report to it on that effort by 15 May 2021. In paragraph 3, the Assembly would decide to include the item in the provisional agenda of its seventy- sixth session. As one of the co-sponsors of draft resolution A/75/L.51, I would like to seek the valuable support of all Member States for its adoption. In conclusion, on behalf of the Royal Government of Cambodia, I wish to take this opportunity to express my sincere appreciation to the Secretary-General, the members of the Steering Committee, principal donors and the Group of Interested States for the support and assistance provided to the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia.

We have heard the last speaker in the debate on this item. The General Assembly has thus concluded this stage of its consideration of agenda item 92.

I now give the floor to the representative of Sweden to introduce draft decision A/75/L.49.

Sweden is pleased to introduce draft decision A/75/L.49, on the investigation into the conditions and circumstances resulting in the tragic death of Dag Hammarskjöld and of the members of the party accompanying him. In its resolution 74/248, of 27 December 2019, the General Assembly requested the Secretary-General to reappoint the Eminent Person appointed pursuant to resolution 72/252, of 24 December 2017, to continue to review the information received and possible new information made available by Member States, including by individuals and private entities, to assess its probative value and to draw conclusions from the investigations already conducted. The Assembly also requested the Secretary-General to report to it before the end of its seventy-fifth session on progress made. Due to the situation caused by the coronavirus disease pandemic and the challenges it poses for Member States, individuals and private entities, and with reference to the letter dated 5 November 2020 from the Secretary-General addressed to the President of the General Assembly (A/75/635), the draft decision requests the Secretary-General to report to the General Assembly before the end of the seventy-sixth session on progress made, instead of during the current seventy- fifth session. It is our hope that the draft decision can be adopted by consensus.

We have heard the only speaker in the debate on this item. The Assembly will now take a decision on draft decision A/75/L.49, entitled “Investigation into the conditions and circumstances resulting in the tragic death of Dag Hammarskjöld and of the members of the party accompanying him”. I now give the floor to the representative of the Secretariat.

The following statement is made in accordance with rule 153 of the rules of procedure. Under the terms of the third paragraph of draft decision A/75/L.49, the General Assembly, taking note of the letter dated 5 November 2020 from the Secretary- General addressed to the President of the General Assembly contained in document A/75/635, would request the Secretary-General to report to the General Assembly before the end of the seventy-sixth session on progress made and decide to include in the provisional agenda of its seventy-seventh session the item entitled “Investigation into the conditions and circumstances resulting in the tragic death of Dag Hammarskjöld and of the members of the party accompanying him”. Pursuant to sub-paragraph (a) of the third paragraph of the draft decision, it is understood that a one-year extension of the mandate to July 2022 is being approved in line with the request contained in document A/75/635. Pursuant to subparagraphs (a) and (b) of the third paragraph of the draft decision, it is envisaged that there would be an increase in resource requirements in 2022 under section 1, “Overall Policymaking, Direction and Coordination”, and section 2, “General Assembly and Economic and Social Council Affairs and Conference Management”. To implement the request contained in subparagraph (a) of the third paragraph of the draft decision, a non-recurrent provision for consultancy services, including the Eminent Person, in the amount of $120,500, would arise under section 1, “Overall Policymaking, Direction and Coordination”. To implement the request contained in subparagraph (b) of the third paragraph of the draft decision, a non-recurrent provision for one pre-session document, with a word count of 35,000 words, in all six languages, in the amount of $109,500, would arise under section 2, “General Assembly and Economic and Social Council Affairs and Conference Management”. Accordingly, should the General Assembly adopt draft decision A/75/L.49, additional resource requirements would be included in the proposed programme budget for 2022 under section 1, “Overall Policymaking, Direction and Coordination”, in the amount of $120,500; under section 2, “General Assembly and Economic and Social Council Affairs and Conference Management”, in the amount of $109,500; and under section 36, “Staff Assessment”, in the amount of $13,100, as set out in the table in paragraph 7 of the document to be posted on the eStatements section of The Journal of the United Nations, to be offset by the amount of $13,100 under income section 1, “Income from Staff Assessment”.

May I take it that the Assembly decides to adopt draft decision A/75/L.49?

May I take it that it is the wish of the General Assembly to conclude its consideration of agenda item 133?

I now give the floor to the representative of Mongolia to introduce draft resolution A/75/L.46/Rev.1.

I have the honour to introduce draft resolution A/75/L.46/Rev.1, entitled “Education for democracy”; the first resolution on this item (resolution 67/18) was adopted at the sixty-seventh session of the General Assembly in 2012. Initiated by my country in its capacity as a former Chair of the International Conference on New and Restored Democracies and Chair of the Community of Democracies, the draft resolution reaffirms the interdependent and mutually reinforcing link between education and democracy, as it recognizes the transformative power of education towards the strengthening of democratic institutions, the realization of human rights and indeed the achievement of all international goals, including the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Two years ago, the United Nations Youth Strategy was launched, given that the United Nations is committed to stepping up its efforts to protect and promote the rights of young people and supporting their civic and political engagement, including through human rights education. One year ago, the plan of action for the fourth phase of the World Programme for Human Rights Education was adopted by the Human Rights Council. The fourth phase, which covers the period 2020-2024, also focuses on young people and places special emphasis on education and training in equality, human rights and non-discrimination, inclusion and respect for diversity. To reach consensus on the draft resolution, we organized several rounds of informal consultations, during which participating Member States expressed concern about the rise of discrimination and hate speech in the context of the emerging digital environment, as well as the disrupted and fractured connection between young people and educational institutions as a result of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. Against the backdrop of an increasingly interconnected world and amid the current pandemic, which threatens to deepen inequalities and the fragility of our societies as it reverses hard-gained achievements in implementing the SDGs, promoting a culture of peace and democracy has become more crucial than ever in building inclusive, peaceful and resilient post- pandemic societies. Educating, empowering and engaging youth in promoting the values of peace, human rights, democracy, respect for religious and cultural diversity and justice through education is therefore at the core of that endeavour. Therefore, in the updated draft resolution, Member States are encouraged to intensify their efforts towards educating and empowering young people, in particular in the aftermath of COVID-19, to shape societies that uphold the values of human rights and the rule of law. The draft resolution also encourages Member States to further their efforts to develop and strengthen educational policies and initiatives that contribute to combating disinformation, misinformation, stigmatization, racism, xenophobia, hate speech, discrimination, exclusion and violence, in particular through accessible media and information literacy, to improve education for democracy in the emerging digital environment. I would like to avail myself of this opportunity to extend our gratitude to all delegations that actively engaged in the informal discussions, as well as to all sponsors for their steady support. On behalf of all sponsors, may I express our hope that the draft resolution, as a testimony to our commitment to fostering global citizenship and consolidating the culture of democracy, will receive the unanimous support of Member States and wide co-sponsorship.

The Assembly will now take a decision on draft resolution A/75/L.46/Rev.1, entitled “Education for democracy”. I give the floor to the representative of the Secretariat.

I should like to announce that, since the submission of draft resolution A/75/L.46/Rev.1 and in addition to the delegations listed in the document, the following countries have also become sponsors of draft resolution A/75/L.46/ Rev.1: Angola, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Guatemala, Israel, Lebanon, the Maldives, Montenegro, Pakistan, Peru, the Republic of Moldova, Thailand, Timor-Leste and Togo.

May I take it that the Assembly decides to adopt draft resolution A/75/L.46/Rev.1?

Before giving the floor to speakers in explanation of position on the resolution just adopted, may I remind delegations that explanations of position are limited to 10 minutes and should be made by delegations from their seats.

The United States believes that education is transformational for individuals and societies and creates pathways to better health, economic growth, a sustainable environment and peaceful democratic societies. On 15 November 2018, the United States Agency for International Development announced a new education policy aimed at focusing resources on programmes that produce measurable learning outcomes for students. The policy also recognizes the important role of non-State actors, including civil organizations, faith- based and charitable entities and the private sector, in providing educational opportunities that help students gain access to the education and skills they need to be productive members of society. The United States joins the consensus on the education for democracy resolution, with the express understanding that, when that resolution acknowledges the importance of taking measures to ensure various aspects of education, it does so in terms that are mindful of, and consistent with, the governance framework for education in the United States and of our respective federal, state and local authorities. We recognize the significant challenges in meeting education needs during the global pandemic. In many instances, non-State schools and providers, which often include faith-based and charitable organizations, fill gaps that may otherwise prevent access to education for many children and youth. The United States recognizes that non-State schools, including those of faith-based and charitable entities, have an important role in helping to provide access to quality education for children and youth in developing countries. The United States would like to thank the facilitators for working to reach consensus on resolution 75/199. However, we would like to emphasize that the language in paragraph 9 that calls for combating hate speech, discrimination stigmatization and more means that States should promote and foster strong counter- narratives and a robust exchange of ideas, rather than suppressing protected speech and thought. The Trump Administration strongly supports the right to freedom of expression at home and abroad, and we oppose any attempt to unduly limit the exercise of that human right, including freedom of thought, conscience and religion. Efforts to combat hate speech, stigmatization and other ideas or speech with which we disagree should not be allowed to lead to unchecked power to censor, restrict, edit, shape, hide or alter virtually any form of communication between private citizens and large public audiences. No State should restrict free thought, impose conformity or shut down the voices of people. Democracy depends on the free exchange of ideas and the ability to dissent. We robustly protect freedom of expression because the cost of stripping away individual rights is far greater than the cost of tolerating hateful words. The best way to combat intolerant ideas is to have them defeated in a vibrant marketplace of ideas where they fall of their own weight when challenged. In America, the very heart of the education system’s mission prepares students for life as citizens in a free society. Taxpayer dollars will not subsidize anti-First Amendment institutions, resolutions or efforts. We note that, as of 31 December 2018, the United States withdrew from UNESCO and is no longer party to it. In joining consensus on today’s resolution, we refer members to our remarks delivered on 20 November regarding our position with respect to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

I take the floor to explain our position on resolution 75/199, entitled “Education for democracy”. At the outset, let me announce that the Islamic Republic of Iran considers the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the UNESCO Education 2030 Framework for Action, as well as the Incheon Declaration: Education 2030  — towards inclusive and equitable quality education and lifelong learning for all, adopted at the World Education Forum 2015, as non-legally binding voluntary instruments that merely set out a number of non-obligatory guidelines, suggestions and recommendations. My delegation hereby officially announces that the Islamic Republic of Iran is not committed to those parts of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the Education 2030 Framework for Action and the Incheon Declaration that in any way contradict Iranian national priorities, laws, regulations and policies, Islamic principles, our cultural and religious norms or the values of Iranian society. Accordingly, the Islamic Republic of Iran has no legal obligation vis-à-vis the implementation of those instruments. Considering the references in resolution 75/199 to instruments to which the Islamic Republic of Iran has declared its official reservations, my delegation disassociates itself from the fifth and ninth preambular paragraphs and paragraph 4 of the resolution.

We have heard the last speaker in explanation of vote on the resolution just adopted. The General Assembly has thus concluded this stage of its consideration of agenda item 14.

I now give the floor to the representative of the United Arab Emirates to introduce draft resolution A/75/L.52.

I have the honour to introduce draft resolution A/75/L.52, entitled “International Day of Human Fraternity”, on behalf of the Kingdom of Bahrain, the Arab Republic of Egypt, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. The draft resolution expresses deep concerns at those acts that advocate religious hatred and undermine the spirit of tolerance, especially as the world confronts the unprecedented crisis caused by the coronavirus disease pandemic. It highlights the need for a global response based on unity, solidarity and renewed multilateral cooperation. The draft resolution also recognizes the valuable contribution of people of all religions and beliefs to humankind and underlines the role of education in promoting tolerance and eliminating discrimination based on religion or belief. It takes note of all international, regional, national and local initiatives and efforts by religious leaders to promote interreligious and intercultural dialogue. In that regard, the draft resolution takes note of the meeting between Pope Francis and the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, Sheikh Ahmad al-Tayyib, on 4 February 2019 in Abu Dhabi, which resulted in the signing of the document entitled” Human Fraternity for World Peace and Living Together”. At its core, the draft resolution decides to proclaim 4 February as the International Day of Human Fraternity, to be observed each year beginning in 2021. It also invites all Member States, relevant organizations of the United Nations system, other international organizations and civil society to observe the International Day as they see fit. Proclaiming the International Day of Human Fraternity has never been more urgently needed. In recent years, the world has witnessed a dramatic increase in violence, hate speech, xenophobia, religious bigotry and all other forms of discrimination. In the face of such transnational threats, we need to support initiatives that encourage solidarity and unity among people in the spirit of human fraternity. The Kingdom of Bahrain, the Arab Republic of Egypt, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates aspire through this initiative to celebrate together our shared values of acceptance, openness, empathy and love towards other human beings. In conclusion, I would like to thank all the Permanent and Observer Missions to the United Nations for their support to reach consensus on the draft resolution. We look forward to observing with all of their members the International Day of Human Fraternity on 4 February.

Before giving the floor to speakers in explanation of position before action is taken on the draft resolution, may I remind delegations that explanations of position are limited to 10 minutes and should be made by delegations from their seats. I now give the floor to the representative of Germany.

I have the honour to speak on behalf of the European Union (EU) and its States members to explain our position on draft resolution A/75/L.52. The European Union supports the United Nations culture of peace agenda, which reflects our core values, goals and actions. The European Union is also a strong supporter of freedom of religion or belief and actively encourages and supports interreligious and intercultural dialogue. At the same time, we firmly believe that we need to avoid the proliferation of international days and years within the United Nations system. During the informal consultations, we noted that the International Day of Living Together in Peace already exists and suggested combining it with the very similar Day proposed in the draft resolution, which was regrettably not accepted. The European Union generally joins the consensus on draft resolutions proposing new international days, years and decades if there are no programme budget implications, no new mechanisms are created and if they contain agreed language. In the context of draft resolution A/71/L.52, the EU sought to safeguard the language regarding the freedom of expression and the freedom of religion or belief, which are very important for us as a measure to prevent attempts to curtail or redefine them. The EU regrets that, in the ninth preambular paragraph, a reference to “pluralism” was replaced by a reference to “pluralistic tradition”. Pluralism is not a tradition but a fundamental principle, as are tolerance and mutual respect, which are mentioned in the same provision. Despite our reservations, the European Union and its States members will join the consensus today with the clarifications that we have made.

We have heard the only speaker in explanation of position before action is taken on the draft resolution. The Assembly will now take a decision on draft resolution 75/L.52, entitled “International Day of Human Fraternity”. I give the floor to the representative of the Secretariat.

I should like to announce, that since the submission of draft resolution A/75/L.52 and in addition to those delegations listed in the document, the following countries have also become sponsors of draft resolution A/75/L.52: Afghanistan, Algeria, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Benin, Burundi, Cameroon, Cyprus, Greece, Guatemala, India, Indonesia, Iraq, Jordan, Kiribati, Lebanon, Mauritania, Nigeria, Pakistan, the Philippines, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, the Sudan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Yemen and Zambia.

May I take it that the Assembly decides to draft resolution A/75/L.52.

Before giving the floor to speakers in explanation of position on the resolution just adopted, may I remind delegations that explanations of position are limited to 10 minutes and should be made by delegations from their seats. I now give the floor to the representative of the United States.

The United States strongly believes in encouraging a culture of peace through the promotion of justice, democracy, human rights and fundamental freedoms, as well as by rejecting violence and addressing the root causes of conflict. We would also like to note our concern that the use of the phrase “pluralistic tradition” in the ninth preambular paragraph of resolution 75/200 may be confusing, as it seems to privilege what may be considered a long-standing tradition of pluralism rather than current efforts to promote pluralism. In addition, the phrase could raise questions as to whose traditions are referred to in the paragraph. It could be read as being somewhat narrow in scope and may be wed to certain ideas of what constitutes pluralism. The United States prefers to promote the concept of religious pluralism. We note that as of 31 December 2018 the United States withdrew from UNESCO and is no longer a member. In joining the consensus on the resolution, we refer members to our remarks made on 20 November regarding our position with respect to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

We have heard the only speaker in explanation of position on the resolution just adopted. The General Assembly has thus concluded this stage of its consideration of agenda item 15.

I would like to start by thanking the co-facilitators of draft resolution A/75/L.53, Ambassador Rhonda King of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and Ambassador Craig Hawke of New Zealand, for their skill in steering the negotiations. My thanks also go to the Peacebuilding Commission and the Secretariat for the valuable inputs provided throughout the process and to Member States for exercising the flexibility to secure this fruitful outcome. Four years ago, we took a decisive step forward in the review of the peacebuilding architecture. The General Assembly and the Security Council adopted twin resolutions that defined the concept of sustaining peace for the first time, reaffirming that sustaining peace is a shared task and responsibility for the whole of the United Nations system. The joint action strengthened our focus on prevention and recognized that sustaining peace is fundamental to all pillars of the United Nations — peace and security, sustainable development and human rights. That bold new approach is a paradigm shift in the manner in which we must deal with peace and security issues. Draft resolution A/75/L.53 is the next step to advance the ambitious course set in 2016. The Security Council will adopt a substantially identical draft resolution (S/2020/1246) today, continuing the comprehensive and innovative nature of the peacebuilding architecture of the United Nations. With these draft resolutions, we are once again putting conflict prevention at the core of our actions. We are clearly restating that our efforts must address the structural causes of conflict and provide for inclusive and participatory political processes. We are recognizing the importance of the participation of women and young people in peacebuilding. We are calling for a strengthened role of the Peacebuilding Commission in bringing sustained international attention to conflict-affected countries and in strengthening joint analysis and strategic planning across the United Nations system. Achieving peace is difficult; sustaining peace is harder. Sustaining peace requires a focus on all phases of the conflict cycle — before, during and after conflict. An integrated approach that aims to prevent the outbreak, escalation, continuation and recurrence of conflicts is required to maintain long-term peace. An integrated approach must support inclusive national processes that take into account the needs of all segments of the society concerned. Long-term institution-building is critical, especially in efforts to prevent conflict and achieve good governance. Close strategic partnerships among national Governments, the United Nations, especially the Peacebuilding Commission, and other key stakeholders, including international, regional and subregional organizations and international financial institutions, are vital for meeting the challenges of sustaining peace. More predictable and sustained financing of peacebuilding efforts is fundamental to the achievement of our goals. The coronavirus disease pandemic has further reinforced the need to enhance our peacebuilding efforts. The crisis is reversing hard-won development and peacebuilding gains, aggravating conflicts and undermining efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. It is having a devastating impact on human rights and gender inequalities. While it is critical that Member States continue to implement relevant resolutions on peacebuilding and sustaining peace, we must also advance efforts to bring greater coherence to the peacebuilding efforts of Member States and the entire United Nations system so as to enhance the efficiency and impact of our work. As we mark the seventy-fifth anniversary of the United Nations, it is more than ever high time to renew our commitment to peacebuilding and sustaining peace, which must be at the heart of our efforts to achieve peace and security. I would like to remind members that the debate on item 64 will be scheduled during the resumed part of the seventy-fifth session on a date to be announced. The Assembly will now take a decision on draft resolution A/75/L.53, entitled “Review of the United Nations peacebuilding architecture”. May I take it that the Assembly decides to adopt A/75/L.53?

Before giving the floor to speakers in explanation of position on the resolution just adopted, may I remind delegations that explanations are limited to 10 minutes and should be made by delegations from their seats.

I have the honour to speak on behalf of the European Union (EU) and its States members. First, I would like to thank the co-facilitators of New Zealand and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines for successfully shepherding us through this important and sometimes challenging negotiation process. As all delegations agreed at the outset, the main objective of the process was to reaffirm the 2016 acquis on peacebuilding and sustaining peace and address only the most important issues required for allowing us to continue to make progress and fully implement this important agenda. Overall, the European Union considers that resolution 75/201 does exactly that and constitutes an agreeable compromise among positions. In line with our consistent messaging throughout the negotiations, we are pleased to see that the resolution includes a particular stress on the importance of the women and peace and security agenda, a focus on prevention and a One United Nations approach that builds on the interlinkages connecting development, security and human rights. That calls for increased joint analysis and effective strategic planning at the heart of efforts to build and sustain peace. It is also a very positive development that we will now see regularized biennial reporting on this agenda going forward. Finally, the resolution calls on all of us to more systematically consider linkages to the sustaining peace agenda when implementing the Secretary-General’s reform agenda, as well as efforts to build back better and greener. On behalf of the EU and its States members, I would like to convey our continued commitment to the agenda of peacebuilding and sustaining peace. We look forward to continuing to work closely with all partners to fulfil our common ambition to see impact at the field level in order to enable all people everywhere to live in peaceful, inclusive and resilient societies. At the same time, we recognize that will be an insurmountable challenge if we are unable to secure more predictable, reliable, flexible and sustainable funding for peacebuilding and sustaining peace. We therefore look forward to engaging proactively in the important preparatory work to advance, explore and consider viable options in that regard. It will be critical to ensure that all relevant United Nations bodies and organs, including the Peacebuilding Commission, take part in those discussions in order to ensure a system- wide approach to financing for peacebuilding and sustaining peace.

I have the honour to deliver this statement on behalf of the Movement of Non-Aligned Countries (NAM). NAM wishes to express its deepest appreciation to the co-facilitators, Ambassador Rhonda King and Ambassador Craig Hawke, for their leadership and skilful steering of the intergovernmental consultations on the review of the peacebuilding architecture leading to the consensus adoption of resolution 75/201. We would like to thank all delegations for their constructive engagement, flexibility and accommodation, which resulted in the consensus outcome of this important review exercise. My special thanks go to all our experts for their sincere and tireless efforts in the entire process. NAM is pleased to see the strong emphasis on the implementation of the peacebuilding resolutions, especially at the field level, in support of the nationally determined peacebuilding priorities. We very much welcome in that regard the reaffirmation of the principle of national ownership in the resolution just adopted. NAM appreciates that the resolution recognizes the importance of full, equal and meaningful participation of women and young people in peacebuilding, given that the review process coincided with the twentieth anniversary of the women and peace and security agenda and the fifth anniversary of the youth, peace and security agenda. We welcome the emphasis placed on the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), especially on the fifth anniversary of resolution 70/1 and the beginning of the decade of action to implement the SDGs, including the impact of the coronavirus disease pandemic on peacebuilding and development. We also welcome the call for further strengthening the role and working methods of the Peacebuilding Commission with a view to enhancing its efficiency and impact. We consider the decision in paragraph 4 of resolution 75/201 to convene a high-level meeting on peacebuilding financing at the General Assembly during its seventy-sixth session as one of the most notable achievements of the current review process. In that regard, NAM remains fully committed to actively engaging with all stakeholders in their efforts to achieve action-oriented outcomes. Let me conclude by reiterating NAM’s full commitment to the effective implementation of peacebuilding and sustaining peace, with a particular focus on national ownership, inclusivity and the capacity-building of national institutions. NAM stands ready to work with all concerned in that regard.

At the outset, I would like to subscribe to the statement delivered by the Permanent Representative of Bangladesh on behalf of the Movement of Non-Aligned Countries. I have the honour to deliver this statement on behalf of the African coordinating mechanism on the Peacebuilding Commission, also known as the African Peacebuilding Commission Caucus, which includes Côte d’Ivoire, Egypt, Ethiopia, Kenya, Mali, Rwanda, Sierra Leon, the Central African Republic, Burundi, Liberia, Guinea-Bissau, the Gambia and Morocco. The African Peacebuilding Commission Caucus wishes to express its deep appreciation and gratitude to the co-facilitators of the consultations on the review of the United Nations peacebuilding architecture, Her Excellency Ambassador Rhonda King, Permanent Representative of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, and His Excellency Ambassador Craig Hawke, Permanent Representative of New Zealand, and through them to thank their teams for their tireless efforts to find convergence among many diverse proposals and reach a consensual outcome. Similarly, the African Peacebuilding Commission Caucus appreciates the constructive engagement of all delegations throughout the process and adoption of the 2020 twin resolutions (resolution 75/201 and Security Council resolution 2558 (2020) on the review of the United Nations peacebuilding architecture by the General Assembly and the Security Council. The African Peacebuilding Commission Caucus welcomes the adoption of resolution 75/201, supports the emphasis that it places on taking stock of the progress made in the implementation of the 2016 twin resolutions and encourages taking further actions to address the remaining gaps in a coherent manner, with a focus on making an impact at the field level. It is also commendable that resolution 75/201 reaffirms the principle of national ownership, which underlies the important role of the Peacebuilding Commission, and the need to further strengthen its working methods; highlights the centrality of the women and peace and security agenda and the youth, peace and security agenda in peacebuilding; recognizes the importance of advancing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development; underlines the significance of healing the devastating impacts of the coronavirus disease pandemic; addresses the critical challenge of financing for peacebuilding; calls for coherence and coordination in support of peacebuilding; and indicates the intention of Member States to review the impact of United Nations reforms on the Organization’s performance in advancing the implementation of resolutions on peacebuilding and sustaining peace. In conclusion, the African Peacebuilding Commission Caucus congratulates the co-facilitators and all delegations for the successful completion of the review and looks forward to the implementation of the twin resolutions in the coming period. The African Peacebuilding Commission Caucus will spare no effort to strengthen the United Nations peacebuilding architecture, including through the localized implementation of its recommendations.

The United States is pleased to join the consensus on resolution 75/201, which reaffirms the importance of peacebuilding and sustaining peace. We remain committed to the United Nations mission to advance peace and security. We thank the delegations of New Zealand and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, which drafted and facilitated the text of the resolution, for managing that process so smoothly. We also thank our colleagues for their collective efforts, which enabled us to reach a balanced and agreed text. However, there is one position that we wish to clarify as part of our support for resolution 75/201. With respect to references to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the United States addressed its concerns in our general statement delivered on 18 November.

Switzerland welcomes the consensus adoption of resolution 75/201, on the review of the United Nations peacebuilding architecture. The consensus reached by Member States is vital to the resolution, which provides the main reference framework for the General Assembly and the Security Council in taking action on peacebuilding over the next five years. We thank the co-facilitators for skilfully conducting the formal phase of the review, as well as all Member States that constructively committed to reaching this outcome. Resolution 75/201 underscores the importance of our collective commitment to implementing the holistic concept of sustaining peace as it was defined in 2016. An approach based on the prevention that integrates the three pillars of the United Nations and focuses on the entire conflict cycle is imperative. As noted in the report of the Secretary-General (A/74/976), significant progress has been made over the past five years in the area of sustaining peace. However, we must also acknowledge that significant challenges persist in many areas. The current coronavirus disease pandemic also threatens to undo the gains made in the area of peacebuilding. Resolution 75/201 reaffirms the importance of action being taken by the entire United Nations system and emphasizes that sustaining peace is key to peacebuilding and building back better during the post-pandemic period. To that end, ensuring adequate, predictable and sustainable financing for peacebuilding remains vital. Switzerland welcomes the fact that the resolution provides a process for addressing that challenge and will remain constructively engaged in that respect. Furthermore, Switzerland welcomes the regular reports of the Secretary-General on the status of the implementation of sustaining peace. The reports must provide a systematic analysis of the root causes of conflicts, identify the actions needed to respond to them and assess their impact in the field. Switzerland recommends following up in that regard the resolution’s call to incorporate contributions from thematic and regional consultations in future analyses and reports. Resolution 75/201 validates the 2016 framework for sustaining peace. Such collective efforts towards peacebuilding and sustaining peace must be pursued with greater unity and coherence. Switzerland remains fully engaged in contributing to reaching that goal, including as a future member of the Organizational Committee of the Peacebuilding Commission next year and as a candidate for membership to the Security Council for the period from 2023 to 2024.

This year marks the seventy- fifth anniversary of the United Nations, which was created to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war. It also marks the fifteenth anniversary of the Peacebuilding Commission, which Heads of States and Government decided to establish, while gathered here for the 2005 World Summit, with a view to bringing together all relevant actors to marshal resources and advise on and propose integrated strategies for building peace. We are pleased that the agenda of peacebuilding and sustaining peace has been attracting attention and making a difference on the ground over the past 15 years towards realizing the aspiration of the founders of the United Nations. In the face of the serious human security crisis caused by the coronavirus disease pandemic and its multifaceted challenges to the survival, livelihoods and dignity of individuals, we are deeply concerned about losing the hard-won peacebuilding gains. The world is watching us with both scepticism and expectation as to whether the United Nations peacebuilding architecture deserves its name or not. That is why, since the very first months of this year, Japan, as Vice-Chair of the Peacebuilding Commission, advocated the importance of making this once-in- five-year review process worthy of marking this historic year. During the formal phase of the review since October, Japan consistently underscored the need to make resolution 75/201 forward-looking, reflecting the strong commitment of Member States to peacebuilding and sustaining peace, as well as action-oriented, by proposing concrete ways to further strengthen the United Nations peacebuilding architecture, based on our experience and other developments since the previous review in 2016. We now have before us resolution 75/201, which was adopted by consensus. We are grateful for the dedicated efforts of the co-facilitators, His Excellency Ambassador Craig Hawke of New Zealand and Her Excellency Ambassador Inga Rhonda King of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, and their teams, as well as to all those who engaged in the intensive negotiation process for the past three months. We appreciate that some of our proposals, such as including an independent paragraph on the role of the Peacebuilding Commission and the need to continue strengthening its working methods to enhance its efficiency and impact, were reflected in the final text. However, we regret that, towards the end of the negotiations, we saw a rush to produce a final draft that resulted in dropping, at the very last stage, without any transparent or inclusive consultations, the reference to institution-building that Japan had underlined throughout the negotiations. Japan has been a strong advocate for peacebuilding and sustaining peace at the United Nations and other multilateral forums. At the same time, Japan has been supporting operational activities to promote and sustain peace around the world as a major donor in the area through its bilateral assistance in partnership with United Nations and other multilateral agencies. Throughout the process of the 2020 United Nations peacebuilding architecture review, including during the informal phase before this summer, Japan emphasized the importance of institution-building, which is one of the most important means of implementation, together with financing, for building and sustaining peace. Effective, accountable and inclusive institutions are essential to developing people’s trust in their Governments, which is a precondition for tackling the root causes of conflicts. This is Japan’s firm conviction based on its own experience on the ground. We were encouraged during the negotiations to hear many Member States express their support for focusing attention on institution-building, which is one of the main purposes of the Peacebuilding Commission, as agreed by our leaders 15 years ago. We look forward to further promoting and deepening our discussion on this important theme at the Peacebuilding Commission and the General Assembly in 2021 and beyond.

We have heard the last speaker in explanation of position on the resolution just adopted. The General Assembly has thus concluded this stage of its consideration of agenda item 64.