A/77/PV.92 General Assembly

Peace cannot be kept by force. It can be achieved only by understanding, as the adage goes. Those words speak to the very core of what we do here at the United Nations. By now we understand that joint efforts to sustain peace are needed long before conflicts erupt, and we also understand that we can reliably prevent their outbreak, escalation and recurrence only if we address the root causes of disagreements. Yet as we look around the globe today, 27 armed conflicts continue to devastate lives. Two decades ago, approximately five countries each year suffered from more than one simultaneous war or insurgency; now 15 do — a threefold increase. The number of conflict- related deaths has reached a 28-year high, and more than 100 million people have been forcibly displaced. Conflicts have become more complex, and civil wars have a significantly stronger foreign involvement. They also tend to last much longer, and an increase of 1 degree in the local temperature raises the chance of intergroup conflicts by more than 10 per cent. Those realities should be a wakeup call. Unless we place the prevention of conflicts at the core of our peace efforts, our 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development promise of a safe, sustainable future will slip beyond the reach of many of our communities. We have a duty to ask how we can reverse those trends. The Secretary-General’s suggestion of a New Agenda for Peace put the right emphasis on prevention and should be thoroughly considered by Member States. Eighteen years after its creation, the Peacebuilding Commission (PBC) is strategically placed to help the United Nations keep pace with today’s evolving threats. As an advisory body to two key United Nations institutions, it has a unique opportunity to advance coherence and assist both the Assembly and the Council in fulfilling their mandates. That growth in the demand of assistance from the PBC is a sign of our times. Through various reviews of the relevant United Nations architecture, most recently in 2020, Member States have called for more effective peacebuilding — a peacebuilding that is better resourced and has a stronger focus on prevention. With that in mind, I commend the Commission’s efforts to promote coherent approaches across the United Nations system, and I encourage it to make even greater use of its advisory function. The General Assembly could benefit from more substantive advice on specific situations as well as on cross-cutting issues such as the water crisis, which are major drivers of violence To that end, I suggest that the President of the General Assembly and the Chair of the Peacebuilding Commission hold regular consultations similar to those held with the Presidents of the Security Council and the Economic and Social Council. Eleanor Roosevelt famously said that it is not enough to talk about peace, one must believe in it, and it is not enough to believe in it, one must work at it. From war and violent extremism to the triple planetary crisis of climate change, pollution and biodiversity loss, global developments are demanding that we invest more in the peaceful future that we aspire to achieve. The suffering that we see from north to south and east to west offers clear proof that the costs of our inaction far outweigh the price of proactive investment in prevention. In 2022, the Peacebuilding Fund approved record levels of support to 37 countries, and in resolution 76/305, adopted at the previous session, Member States affirmed that they would consider all options for sustained financing for peacebuilding In that spirit, I urge members to contribute to the Fund and to reflect on the fact that if no progress is made today, our goal of saving lives will remain elusive tomorrow. We know that we are paying too steep a price for conflict. Let us be shocked into action. I hope that today’s debate will spark bold ideas for strengthening collaboration among all stakeholders at every stage of the peace continuum. For we all instinctively know that, to quote the ancient Greek author Aesop, even a crust eaten in peace is better than a banquet partaken in anxiety

I thank you, Mr. President, for having convened this meeting today. In my capacity as the Chair of the Peacebuilding Commission (PBC) for its sixteenth session, I am pleased to brief the General Assembly on the work of the Commission from February 2022 to January 2023. At the outset, I wish to express my appreciation to the fellow Vice-Chairs — the Permanent Representatives of Egypt and the Dominican Republic  — for their support and contributions to the Commission’s work during the reporting period. I also thank the Permanent Representatives of Brazil, Morocco, Sweden and Switzerland for their able stewardship of the work of the Guinea-Bissau, Central African Republic, Liberia and Burundi configurations, respectively. During the reporting year the mandate of the Burundi configuration concluded successfully. The Commission had a reasonably high workload during its sixteenth session. Many countries that engaged with the Peacebuilding Commission continued to seek more opportunities for partnership to overcome the lapses caused by the pandemic and its socioeconomic consequences. The Commission also received requests for engagements at the country and regional levels in various thematic areas of the Commission’s programme of work, such as institution-building, women and peace and security, and climate change, among others. Early in 2022, the Commission adopted a forward- looking and ambitious annual work plan. Aimed at being guided by feedback and requests from the countries that seek the Commission’s support, the work plan focused on national ownership and inclusivity. It also considered the relevant recommendations contained in the Secretary-General’s report Our Common Agenda (A/75/982) as they pertained to the requests received from those countries and regions that engaged with the Commission. All in all, the Commission held 27 ambassadorial-level meetings during its sixteenth session, which included meetings on 14 separate country- and region-specific settings and other thematic priorities. Allow me to highlight briefly some key activities and achievements of the Commission during its sixteenth session. First, the Commission successfully enhanced its advisory, bridging and convening role in 2022. The Commission managed to send 17 advisories to the Security Council in 2022, almost double the number compared with the previous session. Pursuant to the agreement, the annual work plan of the Commission was, for the first time, formally shared with the General Assembly and the Security Council. Also, for the first time the Commission started receiving advance copies of reports of the Secretary-General to the Security Council on some countries, regions and issues considered by the PBC, which has enabled the members of the Commission to come up with more practical suggestions in its advisories. The Commission has also enhanced its engagements with the General Assembly and the Economic and Social Council. The Commission’s engagements with those three principal organs of the United Nations resulted in a total of 65 outcome documents, which paved the way for the United Nations, the Member States and other partners to calibrate their support mechanisms for the countries in need. Secondly, as planned, the Commission broadened its areas of engagement in additional geographic settings. In 2022, the members of the Commission for the first time heard from and engaged with Timor- Leste and South Sudan in a country-specific setting and with Central Asian countries in a regional setting. The Commission’s engagements with Pacific Island countries continued in 2022. Thirdly, the Commission pursued its cross-cutting and thematic engagements through dedicated meetings and within the framework of country-specific and regional discussions. Throughout 2022, guided by its gender strategy and its action plan, the Commission continued to prioritize women and peace and security objectives and to enhance the full, equal and meaningful participation of women in peacebuilding and sustaining peace efforts. For example, the Commission heard from the women of the Central Asian region regarding the negative impact of climate change on women. A dedicated meeting was convened on women and peace and security to explore the complementarity of the roles of uniformed women peacekeepers and women peacebuilders. The rate of participation of women peacebuilders in Commission meetings continued to grow, reaching 87.5 per cent in 2022, a notable increase from 22 per cent in 2019 and 74 per cent in 2021. In addition to holding a dedicated thematic meeting on youth, peace and security, the Commission continued its advocacy to support the critical role of young people and youth organizations in peacebuilding and sustaining peace. The Commission also saw a rise in its engagement with civil-society representatives last year. In 2022, 27 civil-society representatives participated in the meetings of the Commission. The Pacific Island countries used the PBC’s platform to raise awareness of the negative impacts of climate change on peacebuilding and sustaining peace. The Commission also had a meeting on the New Agenda for Peace at which Member States discussed ideas for shaping the Secretary-General’s policy brief on the Agenda and explored the potential role of the Peacebuilding Commission in its realization. Fourthly, in 2022 the Commission strengthened its role in promoting the systemwide coherence of the United Nations, bringing together a broad range of United Nations entities in the field and at Headquarters. In addition to holding a dedicated joint meeting with the Economic and Social Council on United Nations coherence, the Commission engaged with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, the International Organization for Migration, the United Nations Development Programme, the United Nations Population Fund, UNICEF, UN-Women and the World Food Programme, demonstrating that the Commission continues to strengthen its outreach to a wide range of humanitarian, development and peace actors. The Commission continued to hear from representatives in the field, especially peacekeeping operations, special political missions and other United Nations political presences, which accounted for 24 per cent of all United Nations briefers at its meetings. Meanwhile, representatives of United Nations country teams accounted for 15 per cent of all United Nations briefers at the Commission’s meetings in 2022. Fifthly, partnership remained a high priority for the Commission in 2022. The annual session of the Commission was focused on partnerships with regional development banks. The Commission was briefed by representatives of regional banks on their respective strategies and approaches. It was the first-ever meeting of the Commission dedicated to the participation of regional development banks. In addition to dedicating the theme of its annual session to the topic, throughout 2022 the Commission continued to strengthen its engagement with partners outside the Organization, including international and regional financial institutions. In addition to the joint meeting of the PBC and the African Union Peace and Security Council held on 28 November 2022, the Commission had good engagements with the African Union throughout the sixteenth session. Sixthly, the issue of ensuring adequate, predictable and sustained financing for peacebuilding was at the peak of its momentum last year. Building on the work of the previous sessions, the Commission continued dialogue on this issue, especially in the lead-up to the high-level meeting of the General Assembly on peacebuilding financing. The Commission issued its advice to the General Assembly calling for an action-oriented outcome and to consider all options for enhanced financing for peacebuilding, including voluntary, assessed and innovative financing. That was reflected in the landmark resolution 76/305 on financing for peacebuilding, which was adopted later, in September 2022. In addition, throughout the year, the Commission underscored the Peacebuilding Fund’s contribution to supporting the national peacebuilding priorities of the Member States. The Peacebuilding Commission has come a long way since its inception in 2005, and through its demand- driven and inclusive approach it has gained trust and confidence among stakeholders. As we engage and strive to strengthen multilateralism to advance solutions to the problems of present and future generations, the Peacebuilding Commission holds tremendous potential to become an effective actor to complement the efforts and the capacity of the international community to build and sustain peace.

Croatia, as the Chair of the Peacebuilding Commission (PBC) this year, is delivering these remarks as agreed by the States members of the Commission. Croatia is grateful to its predecessor, Bangladesh, especially its former and current Permanent Representatives, Ambassador Rabab Fatima and Ambassador Muhammad Abdul Muhith, for having ably chaired the Commission in 2022. We find ample evidence of that in the report (A/77/720) we are discussing here today. That has made our work this year easier. We would also like to thank the Permanent Representatives of Brazil, Morocco and Sweden for their work as the Chairs of the Guinea-Bissau, Central African Republic and Liberia configurations, respectively. We are thankful to the Permanent Representatives of Brazil, Denmark and Egypt for their work as the informal coordinators for the Commission’s relations with the Security Council, the Economic and Social Council and the General Assembly, respectively. The interlinked crises that we have been facing here have clearly shown the unique value of the Peacebuilding Commission as a platform to link all relevant stakeholders engaged in peacebuilding and sustaining peace. It is also a space in which a partnership can be forged to accompany countries and regions on their path to lasting peace while adhering to the mandate. The increased activity of the Peacebuilding Commission last year can be seen both in the number of times it provided advice to the Security Council, which significantly increased last year, and in its widening geographical scope, as it had meetings for the first time engaging with Timor-Leste, South Sudan and Central Asia. The Commission continued to address cross- cutting issues related to peacebuilding and sustaining peace as well as the root causes of conflict, in line with its mandate, including through its engagement with the General Assembly and the Economic and Social Council. We saw last year the Commission broadening its role in promoting the systemwide coherence of the United Nations as well as strengthening engagement with partners outside the United Nations, in line with the mandate. Financing for peacebuilding continued to be high on the agenda, and efforts are being made to encourage consensus, considering all options for enhanced financing for peacebuilding, including voluntary, assessed and innovative financing. The Commission will also remain seized of the discussions and recommendations pertaining to resolution 76/305 and will continue to engage with the Peacebuilding Support Office within the Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, members of the Peacebuilding Fund (PBF) Advisory Group and the countries that engage with the PBF to ensure that it is informed of the activities of the Fund. Building on those good practices, Croatia’s current chairmanship of the Commission is continuing to focus on expanding its geographical scope based on national ownership. To date four new countries have engaged voluntarily with the PBC this year: Mozambique, Honduras, Canada and Norway. That is also contributing to improving knowledge about peacebuilding and further strengthening the PBC’s role as a platform for the sharing of experiences and lessons learned. A number of countries have so far shared their experiences, achievements and challenges in dealing with issues that are relevant for them in their peacebuilding and sustaining peace efforts, such as those of transitional justice, indigenous peoples and the importance of reconciliation. The further mainstreaming of the women and peace and security agenda and the youth, peace and security agenda, including through the implementation of the Commission’s gender strategy (2016), gender action plan (2021) and strategic action plan on youth and peacebuilding in the meetings of the PBC is also high on Croatia’s agenda. Promoting integrated, strategic and coherent approaches to peacebuilding in the countries and regions under its consideration, noting that peace and security, development and human rights are closely interlinked and mutually reinforcing, continues to be an important element of the PBC’s work this year as well. In that regard, strengthening follow-up and impact in the country concerned is essential. The Chair is working on finding ways to strengthen follow-up, possibly through the Vice-Chairs and the membership. The Commission, in line with its mandate, is also continuing to bring all relevant parts of the United Nations system together and strengthen its bridging role through fostering greater coherence in the United Nations system, including between the General Assembly, the Security Council and the Economic and Social Council, and within and across the Secretariat, United Nations peacekeeping operations and special political missions, as well as with regional and subregional organizations and international financial institutions. The Commission is exploring more ways to increase outreach and interaction, including through the work of informal coordinators for the Commission’s relations with the General Assembly, the Security Council and the Economic and Social Council, as well as by issuing timely press releases in accordance with our working methods while providing timely advice to the Security Council at its request. In that vein, the Chair is meeting every two months with the President of the Economic and Social Council. The Chair will continue to advocate for adequate, predictable and sustained financing for peacebuilding and to forge better collaboration with the Peacebuilding Fund. As the United Nations is discussing the New Agenda for Peace and as preparations for the Summit of the Future are ongoing, that gives us a further opportunity to strengthen the Peacebuilding Commission in the run- up to the review of the peacebuilding architecture in 2025. In that regard, the PBC ministerial-level meeting to be held on 22 September will be an opportunity for our ministers to offer their vision and political guidance on how that can be achieved. We hope that all PBC members will participate at the ministerial level. I express many thanks once again to the Permanent Mission of Bangladesh for its excellent chairmanship last year and to all PBC members for their contribution during our chairmanship this year. We are also grateful for the support of the Peacebuilding Support Office.

I have the honour to make this statement on behalf of the Nordic countries — Finland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden and, of course, my own country, Denmark. Across the world, people take action  — action to build bridges between communities, to address grievances and to find joint solutions; they act for peace. From Colombia to the Gambia and South Sudan, the United Nations supports inclusive transitional justice processes, women’s full, equal and meaningful participation and the protection of human rights defenders. The United Nations brings hope. General reports on the Peacebuilding Commission (PBC) and the Peacebuilding Fund are testaments to those critical efforts. Indeed, peacebuilding and prevention are key in realizing the commitments we have made in, and fulfil the promises of, the Charter of our Organization. At today’s meeting, the Nordics call for the prioritization of peacebuilding and prevention, including by ensuring adequate, predictable and sustained financing for peacebuilding. First, we urge Member States to support assessed contributions to the Peacebuilding Fund when negotiations are resumed in the Fifth Committee later this year, because the Fund fills a gap. It enables agile, quick and catalytic support when a peacebuilding need arises, both when a crisis hits and when countries are in need of support to sustain peacebuilding gains. It acts at the request of countries in need. It is essential to preserve that agility of the Fund, which allows it, as I mentioned, to respond to national peacebuilding priorities. While the investment through the Fund was the highest ever in 2022, supporting 37 countries, the demand for support exceeded that. The value of the Peacebuilding Fund is clear, and we all know that returns on investment in peacebuilding are high in both economic and human terms. Investing in peacebuilding is, of course, a moral imperative, as it saves not only human lives but also money, which can be further invested for a sustainable future. With last year’s resolution 76/305, we all committed to enhancing financing for peacebuilding. The resolution recommends more systematic engagement with international financial institutions and making financing more accessible, including for young people, women and grass-roots organizations. Secondly, we the Nordics support the Secretary- General’s call for a strengthening of the United Nations mandate on peacebuilding. In that regard, we encourage advancing United Nations support for national prevention strategies, enhancing climate sensitivity in conflict prevention and peacebuilding, prioritizing partnerships and locally led, inclusive and participatory approaches to peacebuilding and, last but not least, promoting and protecting civic space. An expanded role of the Peacebuilding Commission is a way of strengthening United Nations efforts in line with national ownership and inclusivity. The increased engagement of the Peacebuilding Commission, as we have heard from our colleagues from Bangladesh and Croatia, are a sign of the interest in and the role of the Commission, and we encourage States Members of the United Nations to use the convening role of the Peacebuilding Commission to hold exchanges on peacebuilding practices and draw national attention to peacebuilding priorities. We also call on the General Assembly, the Human Rights Council, the Security Council and the Economic and Social Council to leverage their relationship with the PBC. In our role of being the informal coordinator between the PBC and the Economic and Social Council, Denmark supports strengthening the synergies between peacebuilding and development, harnessing the full potential of integrated efforts. Lastly, the Secretary-General’s policy brief on a New Agenda for Peace not only sets out an ambitious vision but also makes concrete recommendations on sustaining peace. We the Nordics look forward to working in partnership with all Member States and all stakeholders to prioritize prevention; the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs); gender-transformative and climate-sensitive peacebuilding; and the protection of civilians In our view, there are a number of key entry points to further strengthen the peacebuilding architecture in that regard to make it practical and concrete, and they include the preparations for and the SDG Summit itself, the preparations for and the Summit of the Future, next year’s quadrennial comprehensive policy review and, of course, the 2025 review of the peacebuilding architecture. Let us seize these moments and let us use these processes, these events, to increase investments in peace and the prioritization of prevention. We all need a United Nations that is fit to tackle the challenges of today’s world and to sustain peace both today and tomorrow.

It is my honour to deliver this statement on behalf of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in the joint debate on the report of the Peacebuilding Commission (A/77/720), peacebuilding and sustaining peace, and the report of the Secretary-General on the Peacebuilding Fund (A/77/756). In recent years, global dynamics have led to critical challenges to international peace and security. The nature of armed conflicts has become unpredictable and now poses even greater threats to efforts at peacekeeping and sustaining peace. ASEAN believes that more multilateral efforts and a greater commitment on the part of the international community are needed to resolve those issues through a comprehensive approach and in an integrated manner. On that note, ASEAN would underline three pertinent points. First, there is a need to strengthen the role of regional and subregional organizations in pursuing peace and stability. We are proud of the fact that ASEAN has endorsed numerous frameworks and partnerships to support that common endeavour. The ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting (ADMM) in that regard has comprehensively discussed regional security issues and various initiatives to promote harmonious partnerships for peace and stability in the region. Furthermore, the ADMM-Plus and the ASEAN Regional Forum serve as venues to foster cooperation through preventive diplomacy mechanisms and to ensure that any disputes and differences are addressed peacefully and constructively. ASEAN is committed to strengthening our engagement and cooperation with dialogue partners and external partners, including through existing ASEAN- led mechanisms, in promoting peace, stability, security and development to enhance our regional resilience to respond to common and emerging challenges. Secondly, let me touch on the importance of addressing the peacebuilding financing challenge. ASEAN recognizes that peace and development are two sides of the same coin. ASEAN thus underlines the importance of peacebuilding in preventing the outbreak, escalation, recurrence or continuation of conflict, and the need for peacebuilding efforts to have adequate, predictable and sustained financing. We also note that the Peacebuilding Fund has played an important role in contributing to the achievement of peacebuilding efforts. We encourage Member States to advance possible solutions and to make commitments to address the financing gap. ASEAN member States have played their part individually and collectively to respond to that call. ASEAN will work constructively towards the conclusion of the deliberations on financing for peacebuilding in the respective relevant forums. Thirdly, enhancing women’s full, equal, and meaningful participation at all levels of peace processes is vital. ASEAN is committed to advancing the women and peace and security agenda as a regional priority agenda. ASEAN women military and law-enforcement officers have also made a positive impact globally through their active participation in United Nations peacekeeping operations. We believe that building capacities and increasing opportunities for women at the local, national and regional levels is essential. Moreover, ASEAN also encourages the implementation of the women and peace and security agenda along with the youth, peace and security agendas through numerous ASEAN-led mechanisms. They are a fundamental factor in sustaining global and regional peace. To conclude, allow me to reaffirm ASEAN’s steadfast commitment to the peacekeeping operations and peacebuilding efforts of the United Nations as well as its commitment to promoting cooperation with all parties concerned to contribute to maintaining peace and stability around the world.

Article 1 of the Charter of the United Nations states that the purpose of the United Nations is to maintain international peace and security, and to that end take effective collective measures for the prevention and removal of threats to the peace. Prevention and peacebuilding, in the words of the Preamble to the Charter, saving future generations from the scourge of war, are why the Organization exists. And yet, with a record number of active conflicts, including Russia’s illegal war against Ukraine, and instability around the world, we are reminded of our need to recommit to Article 1 of the Charter. We must take the opportunity of the release of the New Agenda for Peace — and the upcoming 2025 review of the United Nations peacebuilding architecture  — to strengthen prevention, the role of the Peacebuilding Commission (PBC) and the Peacebuilding Fund (PBF). The PBC has not been harnessed to its full potential within the United Nations system. It has a pivotal role to play in deepening discussions on challenges that other organs struggle to contend with, including cross-pillar issues such as peace, development and human rights as well as climate, peace and security, and the inclusion of women, youth and indigenous persons. The peacebuilding lessons brought to the PBC are universal in nature, with both developed and developing countries having experiences to share for common benefit. 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 peoples and to embrace reconciliation. We urge the Security Council, the General Assembly and the Economic and Social Council to engage in enhanced consultations with the PBC. The peacebuilding progress of Colombia is an example of what can be achieved from engaging with both the Security Council and the PBC. Indeed, the PBC- Security Council relationship must be strengthened as a matter of priority so that the United Nations can support countries on the Council’s agenda in building sustainable peace in a holistic manner. Canada, Australia and New Zealand also support strengthened PBC coordination with international financial institutions, regional development banks, regional organizations and civil society. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. As my colleague from Denmark pointed out, sustained, inclusive and targeted peacebuilding is both a moral imperative that saves lives and a smart investment that saves money over the long term. Yet global spending on peacebuilding represents only a tiny fraction of military spending, and for every $1 invested in conflict prevention, $16 could be saved in crisis response. Greater investment in conflict prevention would reduce the ever-increasing need for humanitarian assistance and costly peacekeeping interventions. The Peacebuilding Fund provides critical support for peacebuilding activities that prevent and respond to conflict and situations of fragility. From election monitoring in Latin America and mapping climate security threats in the Pacific to peacekeeping transitions in Africa, more than 67 countries from every region have benefited from investments by the PBF. However, demand continues to outstrip funding. The PBF’s cash balance is approaching zero in 2023. It urgently needs to be more adequately replenished to serve Member States from all regions. Canada, Australia and New Zealand firmly believe that the United Nations peacebuilding work must be adequately, predictably and sustainably financed. In that regard, they are major voluntary donors to the PBF. They have heard the Secretary-General’s call for a quantum leap in peacebuilding funding, and have collectively provided $90 million for the PBF’s 2020- 2024 strategy. Canada, Australia and New Zealand urge all United Nations Member States to consider making and increasing voluntary contributions to the PBF, particularly through multi-year agreements to increase predictability. We are encouraged to see a growing list of PBF donors, including some previous recipients of PBF funding. We encourage new donors to consider supporting the PBF in building sustainable peace this year. Canada, Australia and New Zealand also champion the provision of assessed contributions to the PBF, which would supplement voluntary contributions and provide a baseline of predictable financing for peacebuilding, including in transition settings. In 2020, the General Assembly made clear that assessed contributions could be used to finance the PBF. The Secretary-General’s recommendation was to provide $100 million in assessed funding to the PBF annually. It is now time for the Fifth Committee to conclude its consideration and commit to the cross- regional proposal to provide that funding which is supported by the vast majority of Member States. Now more than ever, national Governments are turning to the PBF and the PBC for support. Prevention and peacebuilding are our common goal. Let us work together to invest in sustainable peace and save succeeding generations from the scourge of war.

I now give the floor to the representative of the European Union, in its capacity as observer.

I have the honour to speak on behalf of the member States of the European Union. The candidate countries Montenegro, the Republic of Moldova and Bosnia and Herzegovina; the potential candidate country Georgia; as well as San Marino, align themselves with this statement. I thank you, Mr. President, for convening today’s debate on the annual report of the Peacebuilding Commission (PBC) (A/77/720) and the report of the Secretary-General on the Peacebuilding Fund (PBF) (A/77/756). We live in a time of increasing conflict around the world. At the same time, peacekeeping missions are being phased out and the peacekeeping budget is decreasing. However, spending on peacebuilding in the United Nations context represents only a fraction of what is spent on peacekeeping. As the peacekeeping budgets decrease, we should channel those resources into the Peacebuilding Fund, which has proven its worth but needs more predictable, adequate and sustainable funding. Through an increased focus on peacebuilding, the United Nations can remain relevant in fulfilling its mandate on peace and security. Almost a year ago, the General Assembly unanimously adopted resolution 76/305 on financing for peacebuilding. It was a call for more sustainable and predictable financing for peacebuilding, as well as for new and innovative avenues of funding. It was also a call for all countries to contribute to the Peacebuilding Fund through assessed contributions. After several meetings of deliberations in the Fifth Committee, we would like to acknowledge the spirit of compromise, the dedication and the efforts of most delegations across the regional groups, which allowed a giant leap forward in the consideration of this item. However, a small group of countries still refuses to pay heed to the Assembly’s mandate to fund the PBF. We remain committed to bridging the remaining gaps and finding a consensus outcome on this important topic in the fall. The European Union and its member States have contributed more than 60 per cent of the Peacebuilding Fund’s revenues since its inception. It is a sign of our commitment to the Peacebuilding Fund and peacebuilding in general and an indication of the fact that the Fund remains a highly relevant and impactful instrument. In 2022, the Fund approved a record $231 million in funding for peacebuilding. The needs have not decreased, and we are concerned that there might be a drop in the contribution level this year, unless Member States step up their voluntary contributions. We urge all countries to contribute according to their abilities. The New Agenda for Peace offers the United Nations an opportunity to reinforce its long-standing commitment to timely, coordinated and sustained conflict prevention. That work needs to be strengthened at all levels, including at the local level under United Nations resident coordinators’ leadership, and together with relevant partners, including the European Union and international financial institutions. It should be supported by peace and development advisers, human rights advisers, United Nations peacekeeping and special political missions, both at the regional level and at United Nations Headquarters. The European Union welcomes the recommendations related to peacebuilding in the policy brief on a New Agenda for Peace. It is essential to enhance the role of the Peacebuilding Commission as a convener of thematic discussions on cross-pillar issues and to ensure that it is more systematically consulted and is allowed to play its role as a bridge-builder to other United Nations bodies, being able to advise on peacebuilding in a range of contexts, including human rights. The Peacebuilding Commission is an excellent forum to discuss the root causes of conflicts and to share experiences and best practices among countries. We commend both the Peacebuilding Commission and the Peacebuilding Fund for keeping the agendas on women and peace and security and on youth, peace and security high on their agenda. The recent PBF thematic review on climate security challenges is another highly relevant contribution to the analysis of the root causes of conflict. We have seen an expansion of the geographic scope of the PBC. We have also seen an expansion in the types of countries being examined. The recent meeting on indigenous peoples, peace and reconciliation examined the experiences of Norway and Canada. It reminded us of the universal need for peacebuilding and sustaining peace, even in stable and prosperous democracies. I also want to mention the Peacebuilding Commission’s meeting on Mozambique, which took place on the same day on which Mozambique’s President Nyusi presided over the Security Council and presented his country’s peacebuilding experience (see S/PV.9296). Those meetings help to remove the stigma of being “examined” by the Peacebuilding Commission and set an example for others to speak more openly about their peacebuilding challenges. In conclusion, we would like to recognize the efforts of the Chair and the members of the Peacebuilding Commission to strengthen ties with international financial institutions. Partnerships with the multilateral development banks can create significant synergies and leverage and increase resources for peacebuilding. Finally, we want to join other colleagues in extending our appreciation to the Chair of the Peacebuilding Commission, Ambassador Šimonović of Croatia, the two Vice-Chairs and their excellent teams. We thank them for their outstanding commitment and work.

Poland welcomes the opportunity to participate in today’s important debate. We would like to express our appreciation to the Secretary-General and the Peacebuilding Commission (PBC) for their insightful reports, which provide unique perspectives on both the Peacebuilding Fund (PBF) (A/77/756) and the PBC (A/77/720). Allow me to point out four messages that Poland considers key to advancing peacebuilding processes. First, with regard to enhancing the existing peacebuilding architecture, the Peacebuilding Commission has proved itself to be a valuable instrument in preventing violence and building sustainable peace in many countries. It is commendable that over the years the PBC has become more proactive in its work, more focused on prevention, more inclusive and more effective altogether. It is also worth noting that the general attitude towards the Commission has changed. As we heard today, a growing number of countries seek international assistance to address their peacebuilding needs, which means that the former fear of being seen as a country in conflict has clearly subsided. Furthermore, Poland is a staunch supporter of the Peacebuilding Fund. We have been endorsing its work financially since 2006, and our intention is to continue that trend. In our opinion, particularly valuable projects financed by the PBF are implemented in the areas of political dialogue, the reconstruction of State institutions and post-conflict economic recovery. However, there are also a number of challenges the United Nations peacebuilding agenda must address. The most pressing problem appears to be the lack of financing. Poland is aware of that and applauds initiatives aimed at ensuring sustained, adequate and predictable financing for peacebuilding processes. Towards that goal, we welcome last year’s adoption of the resolution on financing for peacebuilding (resolution 76/305). We believe that any strategy must have a plan for its implementation. Therefore, we commend the efforts to harmonize various approaches to peacebuilding by all actors involved. That includes the efficient allocation of scarce resources, as well as coherence in international assistance. Thematic reviews and joint steering committees convened by the PBF serve as good examples in that regard, ensuring the accountability and the sustainability of PBF-supported initiatives. We believe that efforts to promote system-wide coherence can be further improved with the eventual launch of the New Agenda for Peace. Secondly, we must tackle fragility, which presents a critical development challenge undermining the socioeconomic resilience of States and whole regions to internal and external shocks, such as armed conflicts, financial crises, social unrest and natural disasters, just to name a few. Poland believes that fostering inclusive, sustainable and resilient development in fragile settings is central to supporting peacebuilding efforts. That is why we initiated and co-authored the resolution on building resilience to threats through the development of infrastructure connectivity (resolution 77/282), which was adopted unanimously in April. That proves that there is widespread consensus about a strong link between structural changes and long-term stability. Thirdly, concerning trust-building, as uncomfortable as it may be, there can be no reconciliation without truth. Therefore, we must redouble our efforts to help societies address the legacy of past conflicts. That can be primarily done through supporting disarmament, demobilization and reintegration, which is a critical component of any post-conflict transition. Another tool that can usefully contribute to trust-building is transitional justice. Its mechanisms, including truth commissions, war crimes trials, reparations and institutional reform, are essential for compensating the victims of abuses and seeking to repair the harm caused by conflict. Last but not least, it is important to perceive peacebuilding holistically, as a blend of conflict prevention, political, security, humanitarian and development activities, which are tailored to individual needs and specific requirements. Therefore, we strongly support the triple-nexus approach to better address peacebuilding challenges. Guided by solidarity, we respond to urgent needs worldwide, especially in conflict and post-conflict situations. Poland is fully engaged in assisting Ukrainian refugees and in addressing the consequences of the biggest humanitarian crisis in Europe since the Second World War, caused by the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine. In doing so, we have not forgotten about other countries in need, in particular by strengthening the humanitarian response to crises in sub-Saharan Africa and the Middle East. To conclude, I would like to underscore that the cost of conflict is literally too high to bear. We must look for efficient ways to reduce and, ultimately, eliminate existing violence. That can surely be accomplished by investing more in prevention and peacebuilding.

My delegation would like to thank you, Mr. President, for convening today’s joint debate on the report of the Peacebuilding Commission (PBC) (A/77/720), peacebuilding and sustaining peace, and the report of the Secretary-General on the Peacebuilding Fund (A/77/756), which we highly appreciate. My delegation wishes to thank Croatia for its leadership of the PBC since January, and we commend Bangladesh for its hard work as Chair of the PBC last year. Cambodia would like to align itself with every word of the statement delivered by the representative of Viet Nam on behalf of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. While we recognize the progress made and lessons learned, as reflected in both reports, allow me to share a few viewpoints. First, despite our utmost efforts at peacebuilding and sustaining peace, we still witness conflicts and instability breaking out around the globe and even increasing in recent years. However, that should not prevent us from seeking practical approaches to maintaining peace and reducing the impact of conflicts on achieving the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. It is more necessary now than ever before to redouble our efforts and support to the PBC in efficiently delivering its mandate. For the PBC, it is important to continue promoting inclusiveness and coordination with local actors and other United Nations bodies to achieve lasting peace. Secondly, peace operations would not be possible without financial support and support in kind. In that regard, my delegation would like to thank all donors for their generous contributions. We hope that their generosity will continue and further increase because it is crucial for the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals. Finally, as a nation that has gone through one of the most tragic histories of conflict, Cambodia firmly attaches utmost importance to building peace and maintaining security. Because of its strong aspiration to impart its experience of a successful revival from past tragedy, Cambodia has been contributing peacekeepers to United Nations peacekeeping missions since 2006. With a view to contributing even more constructively, Cambodia has decided to stand for membership of the Organizational Committee of the Peacebuilding Commission for the term 2025-2026. My delegation hopes to receive the Assembly’s valuable support.

As a member of the Peacebuilding Commission (PBC) for the period 2021-2022, Costa Rica appreciates the presentation of the annual reports of the Commission (A/77/720) and the report of the Secretary-General on the Peacebuilding Fund (A/77/756), and the holding of today’s joint debate. Allow me to make a few remarks. First of all, Costa Rica underscores the importance of inclusion and empowering local civil society and private sector actors to ensure that women, girls and youth have a seat at the decision-making table and are treated as true agents of peace. In that regard, we appreciate the fact that, throughout 2022, the Commission continued to prioritize objectives related to the agendas on women and peace and security and on youth, peace and security, as well as its gender strategy action plan and its strategic action plan on youth and peacebuilding. The pursuit of such efforts is critical to enhancing the full, equal and meaningful participation of women and youth in peacebuilding and peacekeeping efforts, as well as to contributing to effective security sector reform from Liberia to the Gambia and from the Niger, Guinea Bissau and Burundi to Colombia. Secondly, Costa Rica wishes to highlight the progress made in the advisory and bridging role of the PBC with respect to the General Assembly and the Security Council, as well as its bridging role between the Assembly, the Security Council and the Economic and Social Council. The advisory role of the PBC to the Security Council doubled, compared to 2021, while advice to the General Assembly and the Economic and Social Council remained constant. While we recognize the progress made to date, including the agreement to receive unedited advance copies of relevant reports from the Secretary- General, the PBC can and should play a greater role in consultations with the Council’s penholders while resolutions are in their formative stages. We also urge closer coordination linking the country visits of the PBC configurations and the relevant discussions on those countries taking place in the Council. Thirdly, Costa Rica wishes to highlight the importance of partnerships, as any peacebuilding process requires the participation of the private sector, as well as international and regional financial institutions. As the report (A/77/720) highlights, throughout 2022 more than half of the speakers were from outside the United Nations and civil society participation continued to increase. While there is an urgent need to strengthen partnerships with international financial institutions and the private sector in order to realize the $100 billion pledged by developed countries to support national and regional efforts to combat the adverse effects of climate change, that role is not yet reflected in greater depth in the women and peace and security or and youth, peace and security agendas, which are central to the Commission’s work. Costa Rica commends the PBC’s ability to attract the best talent in the United Nations system; its firm belief in the primacy of diplomacy and political engagement; its flexibility in bringing together the relevant and competent stakeholders in each context; its broad commitment to peace, including its economic, developmental, environmental and cultural dimensions. For Costa Rica, it is clear that we must take a longer-term view of peace and security, find political alternatives to military interventions that rarely promise peace and do what is necessary to raise the level of ambition so as to ensure more peaceful and inclusive societies. We also hope that the PBC will be able to provide guidance to States that are concerned, but not yet plunged into chaos, and will be able to offer a perspective on the implications of conflicts on the three pillars of the Organization. Costa Rica also hopes that the PBC will reach the point where it transcends its current structural and cultural limitations and is able to assess and address peacebuilding needs beyond the States in configuration. Whether all that comes to pass depends exclusively on us, the Member States.

I would like to thank President of the General Assembly for convening this meeting. We thank the Secretary-General and Bangladesh, last year’s Chair of the Peacebuilding Commission (PBC), for their respective reports (A/77/756 and A/77/720) We believe that 2022 has been a productive year for the peacebuilding activities of the United Nations. The Peacebuilding Fund disbursed well over $250 million in 37 countries for national and cross- border peacebuilding activities. We congratulate the leadership and staff of the Peacebuilding Support Office, the Advisory Group of the Peacebuilding Fund and everyone involved in the hard work. In addition, the Peacebuilding Commission, previously under the chairmanship of Bangladesh and now, Croatia, continues to deliver on topics of the utmost importance and provide relevant input for the work of the United Nations. The evolving peacebuilding architecture led us to believe that the work of peacebuilding is on the right trajectory. With the enhancement of efforts, driven by national ownership and consensus-based working methods, the peacebuilding architecture can achieve even more milestones. With those achievements at hand, we believe that the work of the United Nations in the field of peacebuilding can use the following areas of improvement. First, we must ensure adequate and predictable financing for peacebuilding, as indicated by several delegations, including through access to assessed contributions. In that regard, we note the concern of the Secretary-General on the impending financial shortage that could lead to decreased peacebuilding financing in 2023. We hope that the ongoing discussions on the issue of access to assessed contributions will result in a mutually acceptable outcome. We also call for enhanced voluntary contributions and other innovative financial mobilization. Secondly, we must foster the work of the PBC as a consensus-based and non-politicized, non-securitized body. Through that unique approach, the peacebuilding architecture has thus far proven that the issues that unite us are more extensive than the points of division. That could enable the PBC to set a good example for other organs and processes of the United Nations system. Thirdly, we should strive to bring more efficiency to the Peacebuilding Fund and ensure that it is utilized in a focused manner on projects and activities, with a meaningful positive impact on conflict situations. In that regard, we should consider direct support for national peacebuilding efforts and come up with innovative ways to minimize administrative expenditures. Finally, I would like to conclude by reiterating my country, Ethiopia’s commitment to the successful implementation of the peacebuilding architecture.

We appreciate the briefings on the reports on items 28, 58 and 114 of the agenda of the General Assembly (A/77/756, and A/77/720). Colombia considers the Peacebuilding Commission to be a platform that offers guidelines for overcoming violence and guaranteeing the rule of law, with the main objective of eradicating the causes of armed conflict. To that end, it requires a firm vocation on the part of its members to promote realistic and sustainable multilateral action for the benefit of communities in situations of insecurity and precariousness. As members all know, the Government of Colombia is moving forward with determination towards peacebuilding under the total peace approach led by President Gustavo Petro Urrego. Proof of that is the unanimous recognition by the Security Council of the progress made by Colombia towards the goal of achieving a stable and lasting peace, expressed both in the most recent quarterly reports on the United Nations Verification Mission in Colombia and during the sessions of the Peacebuilding Commission (PBC) in which my country has recently been invited to participate, in particular those on the issue of transitional justice and indigenous peoples. In that context, I believe it is appropriate to establish channels of dialogue and concrete interaction between the action of the PBC and the Verification Mission deployed in my country, using as an input the quarterly reports of the Secretary-General on its work. That is in order to continue contributing good practices and positive lessons learned, as well as to preserve the advisory role of the PBC, so that it continues to support reconciliation in Colombia and the realization of the Final Agreement for Ending the Conflict and Building a Stable and Lasting Peace in force since 2016. The PBC and the Peacebuilding Fund have contributed positively to the establishment of peace in Colombia through the fulfilment of what was agreed between the signatories of the agreement, affirming the foundations of the rule of law and reducing the remaining expressions of violence. It is important to remember that the establishment of the Truth Commission began with the support of the Peacebuilding Fund and, in 2022, delivered its full report on what happened in Colombia during the conflict. Thanks to that, the transitional justice system has been strengthened through the Special Jurisdiction for Peace, along with the development of entities such as the Unit for the Search for Persons Deemed Missing. Simultaneous efforts led by the President of the Republic and the High Commissioner for Peace, under the total peace approach, have enabled, for the first time, the national development plan to be built by the people and the communities through a direct dialogue between them and the State. That has made it possible to identify the most urgent needs that the citizens living in the territories and deep in the heart of Colombia must overcome in order to eradicate the hotbeds of conflict in search of national reconciliation. Colombia will continue to contribute to all processes aimed at strengthening the PBC, in particular the five-year review of the peacebuilding architecture to be completed in 2025. At the same time, we welcome the report of the Secretary-General on the Peacebuilding Fund (A/77/756), in which Colombia’s experience is enlightening in confirming the central role of the political, technical and financial support of the international community and regional banks in advancing on the path towards peace. Members can continue to count on the firm commitment of my country for the PBC. We also extend special thanks to the Secretary-General for his steadfast support for peace in Colombia.

The report of the Peacebuilding Commission (PBC) under consideration today (A/77/720) reflects important substantive issues from its sixteenth session. The priority areas and specific recommendations also have linkages with action areas reflected in the Secretary-General’s report Our Common Agenda (A/75/982) and the aspirations of the New Agenda for Peace. I express a special thanks to Ambassador Muhammad Muhith, his predecessor Ambassador Rabab Fatima, as well as the entire Bangladesh team for the exemplary stewardship of the Commission in the past year. The 27 meetings and 65 outcome documents, not to mention the tough negotiations that went into them, point to their dedication and vision. Fostering meaningful partnerships must remain key. Kenya urges greater cooperation among members when it comes to the Commission’s deliberations and our accounting of them. In particular, we look forward to an ambitious and forward-looking PBC-African Union Peace and Security Council annual statement this year during the fifth informal consultative meeting. I congratulate Ambassador Ivan Šimonović and his Croatian team for ably chairing the Commission this year. I also extend the same compliments to the Vice-Chairs — Bangladesh and Germany — for their continued commitment and initiatives that continue to push greater coherence in the United Nations system, including between the General Assembly and the Economic and Social Council. In that regard, my delegation welcomes the initiative of the Chair to meet with the President of the Economic and Social Council every two months and urges that the recommendations stemming from the 29 June joint PBC-Economic and Social Council meeting on the importance of Sustainable Development Goals in linking peace and development on the ground be prioritized and put into action. The role of the informal coordinators among the PBC and the General Assembly, the Economic and Social Council and the Security Council remains critical. The issuance of focused and timely advisories underpinned by national ownership through consultations with countries concerned will bring value to the work and decisions of those bodies. Kenya affirms its continued engagement in those processes. And we thank Brazil, Denmark and Egypt for their efforts to ensure that. Of urgency is a dedicated follow-up that translates the recommendations into implementation to fulfil the growing faith in the PBC’s country and regional engagements, as reflected in the broadening geographical interest and scope of the countries that are taking initiative to engage with the PBC, including South Sudan, Mozambique, Honduras, Canada and Norway. Key to responding to the most important needs of countries, particularly conflict-affected countries and those undergoing political and peace transitions, is reinforcing and investing in the interlinkage between peacebuilding and development. It is therefore critical to place a greater focus on localized peacebuilding, while emphasizing inclusive political and economic empowerment, including for women and youth. Advocacy for adequate and predictable financing must be reinforced. We strongly urge the Fifth Committee to see the urgency, unlock the impasse and operationalize the recommendations against the backdrop of the first anniversary of resolution 76/305 on financing for peacebuilding. Delay degrades trust. Let us deliver a way forward that includes assessed funding to the Peacebuilding Fund in support to the beneficiary countries. That will not only demonstrate foresight, but also give life to our shared commitment and common ownership of the peace agenda, in particular in the lead-up to the Sustainable Development Goal summit and the summit of the future, as well as the upcoming peacebuilding architecture review. Kenya welcomes the vision of the Chair and the priorities presented for 2023, including the focus on regular working methods discussions. I assure members of Kenya’s continued constructive engagement and cooperation.

I would like to thank the President of the General Assembly and the Chair of the Peacebuilding Commission for organizing this joint debate to take stock of the progress made by the United Nations in advancing peacebuilding and sustaining peace. We are encouraged by the significant achievements of the Peacebuilding Commission as illustrated in the report on its sixteenth session (A/77/720). Apart from its increasing interaction with the Security Council and the General Assembly, we are heartened by the appeal of the Commission to Member States and regions. For the first time since its inception, the Peacebuilding Commission, at its sixteenth session, discussed Timor-Leste, South Sudan and Central Asia, which demonstrates the inclusivity of the Commission and universality of peacebuilding. The Commission has become a credible platform for sharing lessons, good practices and experiences by various stakeholders, including countries, regions and non-State actors, on prevention and peacebuilding. We welcome the continued and increasing engagement with financial institutions. However, we also recognize that much of the potential of the Peacebuilding Commission remains untapped, and engagements such as our annual joint debate should serve as a platform to strengthen the United Nations peacebuilding architecture, including its visibility within and outside the United Nations. The Commission still has a lot to offer on a variety of peacebuilding activities, including in relation to, inter alia, transitions, both peacekeeping and special political missions, prevention of electoral violence, restoration of constitutional or democratic order, enhancing partnerships with regional and subregional organizations, and advancing inclusive economic initiatives. Such activities require sustained financing. The Peacebuilding Fund remains an important source of funding for United Nations peacebuilding activities. South Africa welcomes the strengthening of the monitoring and evaluation mechanisms relating to the Fund. The results-oriented and targeted approach of the new Peacebuilding Fund evaluation policy is a positive step in the right direction. Ultimately, the impact of investments made should be measured against the peace dividends. We therefore recognize the positive feedback on the investment made by the Fund in promoting the inclusion and meaningful role of women and youth in peace processes. The Fund continues to finance initiatives aimed at building resilient societies including, inter alia, on the rule of law, transitional justice, institution- and capacity-building, and economic revitalization. We trust that the recently appointed seventh advisory group will further enhance the effectiveness of the Fund. As it is projected that national demand for peacebuilding support will increase in future, it is urgent that assessed contributions are also used to ensure predictable and sustainable financing for United Nations peacebuilding activities. We hope a decision on this matter will be finalized by the United Nations membership soon, and we urge everyone to support this initiative. It is also our view that the private sector can play a critical role in financing peacebuilding activities through peace-positive investment. We reiterate the call made in resolution 76/305 for the Secretary-General to develop a strategy for resource mobilization from the private sector in support of financing for peacebuilding. A number of major high-level meetings are in the pipeline, including the Sustainable Development Goals Summit and the Summit of the Future. These events provide opportunities for Member States to advance the just cause of conflict prevention and peacebuilding outlined in the Secretary-General’s report Our Common Agenda (A/75/982). We therefore welcome the policy brief, A New Agenda for Peace, and the focus and spotlight it rightly puts on the importance of prevention and the strengthening of the Peacebuilding Commission. Let me conclude by reaffirming South Africa’s commitment to supporting United Nations efforts aimed at promoting conflict prevention, peacebuilding and sustaining peace. We are ready to contribute to capacity-building initiatives, share best practices and collaborate with fellow Member States and the Peacebuilding Support Office in these collective endeavours. We also look forward to sharing our views on the New Agenda for Peace as we unpack its implications for the Peacebuilding Commission.

I am deeply honoured to participate in this joint debate within the General Assembly, focusing on the vital subject of peacekeeping and peacebuilding. I extend my heartfelt congratulations to Croatia for its exceptional leadership of the Peacebuilding Commission this year. As far as India is concerned, we have always played a crucial role in peacekeeping and peacebuilding. Our nation has been a beacon of peace, rooted in Lord Buddha’s message of harmony and non-violence. As we gather in this Hall, we are proud that over 6,000 of our brave personnel are deployed across 10 peacekeeping missions under the noble blue flag. Sadly, 177 gallant Indian soldiers have made the ultimate sacrifice, the highest number among all countries contributing troops and police to United Nations peacekeeping operations. In the realm of peacebuilding, India has consistently played a constructive and substantial role through our extensive development partnerships with countries in the global South. Even amid the challenges of the coronavirus disease pandemic, we stood in solidarity with our global South partners, further strengthening existing development ties. The cumulative value of India’s projects for development with the global South now exceeds $40 billion, encompassing soft loans, grants and capacity-building training programmes, most of which have been undertaken in the last decade. I would like to highlight the India-United Nations Development Partnership Fund, established in 2017 as a testament to India’s unwavering commitment to multilateralism and global welfare. This Fund reflects our vision of “One Earth, one Family, one Future”, which also guides India’s Group of 20 presidency. In just five years, the Fund has supported 75 development projects in partnership with 56 developing countries, including 17 in Africa. These projects focus on South- owned, South-led, and demand-driven sustainable development initiatives. Amid the Ukraine crisis, India has proactively worked to mitigate disruptions in food and commodity supply chains. We have extended financial and food assistance to countries in need, including those in our neighbourhood. In the profound words of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, which were expressed at the United Nations: “let us pledge to reform the global multilateral system to enhance its relevance, to improve its effectiveness, to make it the basis for a new type of human-centric globalization”. With this deeply human-centric approach, India remains committed to being a steadfast ally and catalyst in all peacebuilding endeavours.

We highlight the President of the General Assembly’s words this morning that peace cannot be maintained by force, but only through understanding. Guatemala is grateful for the presentation of the report of the Secretary General (A/77/756) on the Peacebuilding Fund (PBF) for 2022, enabling us to follow-up and review the peacebuilding and peacekeeping programmes that have been implemented in various regions. We acknowledge and appreciate the Fund’s valuable support for various projects that have contributed to institutional strengthening in my country; access to justice for women, girls and indigenous persons; dialogue and human rights in addressing conflict; the rule of law; and security, as well as the reintegration and protection of migrants in northern Central America. We also take this opportunity to acknowledge the significant progress made within the framework of the Fifth Committee on financing the Fund, which has been a pending issue since the establishment of the United Nations peacebuilding architecture in 2005. In each of the subsequent reviews of the architecture, in 2010, 2015 and 2020, the needed consensus was reached in order to strengthen the peacebuilding mandates. But the regular funding needed, including through assessed contributions from States Members of the United Nations, remains pending. We also acknowledge the key role played by the Peacebuilding Commission in serving as a catalysing forum, with the mandate to bring together various stakeholders under the principle of ownership by the States concerned. In that regard, Guatemala was a member of the Commission on three occasions, the most recent of which was for the period from 2019-2020. We believe in the mandate of the Commission, in particular the mandate of the peacebuilding architecture, which can be further strengthened, especially with regard to cooperation between the Commission and the Security Council. We support the proposal made by the President of the General Assembly this morning for setting up regular consultations between the President of the General Assembly and the Chair of the Peacebuilding Commission, as has already been done for the Presidents of the Security Council and the Economic and Social Council. Moreover, as we look towards the future, the New Agenda for Peace and the Summit of the Future will provide an opportunity to review the way in which the United Nations addresses peace and security issues, with a strong focus on prevention and integrating the three pillars of the Organization in a cross-cutting manner. The President of the General Assembly can count on my country’s support to contribute to joint efforts aimed at strengthening the Organization’s capacity to better respond to international crises of every kind. In conclusion, Guatemala advocates life, peace and global security and stands firmly committed to leaving future generations with a better world.

My delegation thanks the President of the General Assembly for convening this joint meeting. I also thank the Chair of the Peacebuilding Commission (PBC) and the Peacebuilding Support Office for providing guidance for our deliberations. Today’s challenges are interconnected and can be addressed only through international cooperation, revitalized multilateralism and a robust peacebuilding architecture. If there is a common, recurrent and imperative element on the road to sustained peace, it is the acknowledgment that, in order to be successful, what is an inherently political process must be based on the cornerstone of national ownership and the pillars of peace and security, sustainable development and the unconditional defence of human rights. For that reason, the principal organs of the United Nations system cannot work in silos. My delegation believes that the way to contribute to building synergies is to strengthen the Peacebuilding Commission, particularly in its advisory role to the Security Council. Likewise, we agree that it is important to focus our efforts on prevention, to which end we must concentrate on the root causes of conflicts. The Economic and Social Council and the General Assembly have been charged with the task of continuing to help strengthen synergies to identify and combat the root causes that undermine peace. The twin resolutions of 2020 (General Assembly resolution 75/201 and Security Council resolution 2558 (2020)) acknowledge that making progress towards realizing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development requires the integration of peacebuilding and sustaining peace. Their guidelines provide us with insights in decision-making concerning our priorities, at a time when all seems urgent and the capacities of developing countries, especially those in conflict, are limited. The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its implementation must take root at the global level, especially in countries in conflict or emerging from conflict. To that end, the comprehensive support of country and regional offices and the United Nations system as a whole is imperative. The PBC facilitates that work by strengthening strategic partnerships for peacebuilding financing and blended financing among the United Nations, bilateral donors and multilateral and regional financial institutions. I reiterate the need for adequate, predictable and sustained peacebuilding funding. I would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge the valuable contribution of the Fund for border areas suffering from the impact of crises and transition. In the case of Ecuador, it has been important, for example, to strengthen institutional capacities to ensure the protection of children, adolescents and young people in areas along the border between Colombia and Ecuador who have been affected by violence and armed conflict. In conclusion, I reaffirm my delegation’s unwavering support for the implementation of the agendas on women and peace and security and on youth, peace and security in all related processes and for the implementation of the gender strategy action plan and the strategic action plan on youth and peacebuilding.

We thank the President of the General Assembly and the Chair of the Peacebuilding Commission (PBC) for convening today’s debate. The Kingdom of the Netherlands aligns itself with the statement delivered on behalf of the European Union. We would like to deliver the following remarks in our national capacity. As the President of the General Assembly stated clearly earlier, we live in times of increasing global conflict. The work of the Peacebuilding Commission and the Peacebuilding Fund (PBF) are therefore more relevant than ever. The Kingdom of the Netherlands is pleased to have been a member of the Peacebuilding Commission for the 2021-2022 term and to have been one of the top donors of the Peacebuilding Fund for several years. We are encouraged by the increased alignment in the efforts of PBC and the Fund, as we feel that they are mutually reinforcing. And we agree with others that the PBC and the PBF have made a lot of progress when it comes to sharing best practices and providing a platform for discussions on peacebuilding initiatives. We still see room to further explore its potential and therefore support the recommendations from the reports that are on the agenda today (A/77/720 and A/77/756). We would like to highlight three points. First, we highlight the importance of working together at various levels  — of course, first of all, with national Governments, and secondly, with local peacebuilding organizations and women- and youth- led organizations. We welcome their participation at PBC meetings and especially their inclusion in peacebuilding efforts, as it increases the impact of our efforts on the ground. We are also happy to see increased cooperation with regional organizations and international financial institutions and especially look forward to closer cooperation on the ground. Finally, we would encourage closer cooperation between the Peacebuilding Commission, the General Assembly and the Security Council, including through their advisory functions. Secondly, I would like to underline the importance of mental health and psychosocial support for peacebuilding. We feel that mental health and psychosocial support is an important prevention and peacebuilding tool. It builds resilience at the individual, community and society levels. As we have said before, we cannot build peace on broken minds. The Kingdom of the Netherlands therefore welcomes the increased attention for mental health and psychosocial support, but we feel that there is room to further integrate it into peacebuilding efforts. For my final point I would like to emphasize, as others have, that it is of the utmost importance that the United Nations has adequate resources to fulfil its mandate and tasks in the area of peacebuilding. The case for prevention and peacebuilding has already been made convincingly. That is why we fully support the use of assessed contributions, and we urge the membership to come to an agreement on the matter soon. We also encourage Member States to increase their contributions to the Peacebuilding Fund. In conclusion, I would like to extend our appreciation to the Chair of the Peacebuilding Commission, Mr. Ivan Šimonović, the two Vice-Chairs and their teams, whom we would like to thank for their commitment and excellent work. We look forward to working together in the area of peacebuilding, including through the implementation of the New Agenda for Peace and, as the Permanent Representative of South Africa just said, at this crucial moment in time, with the Sustainable Development Goals Summit just two months away and the Summit of the Future planned for next year.

I would like to thank the President of the General Assembly and the Chair of the Peacebuilding Commission (PBC) for organizing this important debate. Pakistan commends the constructive work undertaken by the Peacebuilding Commission and the Peacebuilding Fund. Peacebuilding is a growth industry. A growing number of engagements  — 26 countries and several regions in Africa and subregions in the Pacific — indicate the growth in the activities of the PBC. Likewise, the demand for financing from the Peacebuilding Fund is growing, and its financial resources are only at half of the amount required. Nevertheless, we must acknowledge that the Peacebuilding Commission’s coverage is not universal. Significant situations, such as those in Afghanistan and in Jammu and Kashmir, are not among the situations addressed by the Peacebuilding Commission. We agree with the seven priorities for 2022, namely, greater focus on results and national ownership, closer engagement with the peacebuilders, increased United Nations coherence, partnership with regional organizations and financial institutions, an improved advisory and bridging role for the PBC, advocacy for peacebuilding financing and an emphasis on accountability. Let me offer some general comments. First, the PBC must remain responsive to national priorities and enhance national ownership and regional cooperation. Second, the Commission’s convening power should be used to enhance response coherence when all must act together. Third, the PBC’s advisory role is also vital since the Security Council, the General Assembly and the Economic and Social Council are unable to look at country or regional situations from a holistic lens encompassing peace, development, human rights, gender and other issues. The advice given by the PBC should be substantive. For example, in a country situation, it should receive a bottom-up information and analysis from the Government, from the resident coordinator and from other actors. Fourth, national and regional peace reconciliation processes are the core of the PBC’s raison d’être. They should be prioritized and supported in each situation. Fifth, sustainable financing is essential, and the widening shortfall is regrettable. Pakistan supports expanded financing, including through additional and innovative sources. We repeat our suggestion for a percentage of peacekeeping budget funds being kept for peacebuilding towards the end of peacekeeping mandates. Sixth, however, the Peacebuilding Commission’s programmes should avoid mission creep. Although there are large overlaps, the Peacebuilding Fund’s programmes should avoid involvement in programmes that fall either under peacekeeping, humanitarian or disaster relief or pure development financing. The Peacebuilding Fund should be deployed for peacebuilding only. Development funds should not be used for the purposes of peacebuilding. Seventh, the Peacebuilding Commission’s performance should be evaluated on the basis of actual outcomes rather than the number of meetings and engagements. Thus, for example, having engaged 26 country situations, we must ask where the successes and the failures are and what the reasons are for the successes and the failures. Such performance-based analysis would enable the PBC to refine its actions and policies and make them more effective. Finally, a word about the future: the Secretary- General’s New Agenda for Peace envisages a larger role for the Peacebuilding Commission, especially to advance the prevention mandate. That will require a capability to assess conflict vulnerability in a diverse range of countries and regions and early pre-emptive action to avert such conflicts. A good benchmark to evaluate conflict vulnerability is the degree of adherence or non-adherence to the principles of the Charter of the United Nations, relevant Security Council resolutions and international law by the concerned States and parties in any situation. The Peacebuilding Commission could propose appropriate remedial action on the basis of analysis, which utilizes such objective criteria.

Let me begin by thanking the President of the General Assembly for convening this joint debate of the General Assembly and the Peacebuilding Commission (PBC). I would also like to thank Croatia, the current Chair of the PBC, and last year’s Chair and current fellow Vice-Chair, Bangladesh, for their presentations on the work of the Commission. The PBC has made a lot of headway under their respective leadership. To contribute to today’s debate, I will focus on a few particular achievements before touching upon remaining challenges and ways to improve even further the relevance and impact of the PBC going forward. What have we achieved in the past year and a half? Germany commends the successful addition of new country and regional contexts under the previous and current Chairs. Honduras, South Sudan, Timor-Leste, Norway and Central Asia are just a few examples of the diversity of new countries and regions willing to engage with the Commission and share their experiences. The growing interest across the globe illustrates the appeal of the PBC and the readiness of countries to present and discuss their peacebuilding priorities and strategies. We should continue on this track while of course maintaining an adequate focus on particularly volatile contexts that urgently need the United Nations and the international community’s peacebuilding support. The PBC’s approach of looking at different thematic aspects of peacebuilding and sustaining peace with a focus on particularly pressing geographic contexts has shown to be very promising. For instance, looking at climate-related challenges to peace and stability in regional contexts such as those of the Pacific Island States and States of the Sahel and Central Asia at the request of affected countries has led to insightful yet focused meetings and very specific recommendations. We are glad that climate, peace and security, an issue very important to many affected States Members of the United Nations, is now regularly on the PBC’s agenda. The same is true for other thematic issues, as demonstrated by a great PBC meeting on transitional justice in April, in which Colombia, the Gambia and Timor-Leste shared their experiences in this field. In this context, it is important that we listen to affected countries and their peacebuilding priorities and refrain from blocking specific issues. Where can we do better? We have made some headway with regard to our joint objective to establish a greater connection between the work of the PBC and the realm of peacebuilding financing. Yet more needs to and in fact can be done. Therefore, in addition to an increased focus on the important contributions of the Peacebuilding Fund (PBF), international financial institutions and other financing mechanisms to national peacebuilding efforts in all PBC meetings, the Commission should also have dedicated meetings to discuss concrete ways to achieve more predictable and sustained peacebuilding financing. Together with the Chair, we are currently working on a joint meeting with international financial institutions and other relevant actors on innovative peace financing, which will hopefully take place in the fall. In parallel, we are going to continue advocating an agreement in the Fifth Committee on the introduction of assessed contributions for the PBF and call on all Member States to join the emerging cross-regional compromise. Lastly, to strengthen its close exchange and complementarity with the Security Council, the PBC should renew its focus on transition contexts during and after United Nations peacekeeping missions and regionally led peace operations. In addition to providing its advice to the Council on peacebuilding priorities in ongoing missions, the PBC should hold dedicated meetings on missions, for example on those in the Sahel, in view of the withdrawal of the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali and its effects, and on the transition phase of the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Germany would also welcome a more regular exchange on building and sustaining peace within the General Assembly. In conclusion, I would like to welcome the progress and the process initiated by the current PBC Chair, Croatia, to increase the impact of the PBC by improving its working methods and strengthening its advisory role to the General Assembly, the Security Council and the Economic and Social Council. We should make use of the deliberations around the New Agenda for Peace and its specific recommendations to continue strengthening the role, impact and contributions of the PBC in view of next year’s Summit of the Future and the review of the United Nations peacebuilding architecture in 2025.

First of all, Peru appreciates the convening of today’s meeting, given the importance that the report of the sixteenth session of the Peacebuilding Commission (A/77/720) and the report of the Secretary-General on the Peacebuilding Fund (A/77/756) have in peacebuilding and peace support work. Both were drafted with great rigour and sought, in a coherent manner, to achieve a convergence of interests based on the priorities of the actors involved in peacekeeping, such as host States and cooperating States, regional and subregional organizations, civil society and the United Nations system. We share the same interests in and motivation to transform the Commission into a United Nations body that can help to efficiently implement comprehensive strategies for post-conflict recovery through its permanent advisory role to the Security Council on the formulation of its peacekeeping mandates. We believe that in order to adequately support the implementation of political processes, especially those aimed at building solid and resilient institutions, taking place in countries that have been affected by violence, it is essential to have the consent of the host State and the support of civil society, the private sector, international financial organizations, women’s associations and youth organizations. That is why we value the approach, structure and assessments the Commission has made in its report. We stress the importance of strengthening mediation and giving priority to what really matters for populations affected by violence in the political processes aimed at peacebuilding, objectively evaluating the root causes of the conflict — principally, poverty, inequality and exclusion. In this context, we appreciate the Secretary-General highlighting in his report on the Peacebuilding Fund the Fund’s support for local peace structures to effectively resolving local conflicts. We stress the importance of implementing grant mechanisms supported by the Fund aimed at building trust between communities and local governments, as well as the necessary monitoring and evaluation efforts. With regard to the synergies between the Commission and the Fund, Peru agrees that it is important to create mechanisms and innovative means of communication and the dissemination of information on the impact of peacebuilding on the ground, including through the possible creation of an impact centre that would systematize and disseminate the results of the Fund in the area of peacebuilding. In a world marked by increasing incidences of violence and in which the transition processes from conflict to peace and development are becoming increasingly relevant, my delegation appreciates the contribution made by both reports to the United Nations work towards reformulating responses to all forms of violence, which is essential for restructuring a renewed social contract. Such a social contract must give priority to trust and inclusion in efforts to achieve peaceful coexistence based on reducing poverty, hunger and inequality, as well as ensuring gender equality and adequate health and education systems. Only in that way will the measures proposed in both reports help to strengthen governance, which is, in any transition process from conflict to peace, fundamental to rebuilding the social fabric.

I thank the President of the General Assembly for convening today’s important debate. At the outset, Ireland aligns itself with the statement delivered on behalf of the European Union. The Charter of the United Nations sets out a very clear ambition: to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war. Our collective effort must be to live up to that ambition. We therefore welcome the focus on conflict prevention and peacebuilding throughout the Secretary-General’s New Agenda for Peace. The New Agenda for Peace presents us with an opportunity, but to grasp it — to succeed in preventing conflict — also requires the courage to engage proactively when we see the warning signs of conflict. The Peacebuilding Commission and the Peacebuilding Fund have an important role to play, and that is why Ireland is a strong supporter of both. Investing in peacebuilding and prevention makes sense politically and morally, but also financially. Peace is a dividend worth the investment, including at the United Nations. Without adequate, predictable and sustained funding for peacebuilding, we risk losing hard-won gains and hindering our ability to create lasting positive change in conflict-affected regions. That is why we believe that the Peacebuilding Fund should be funded from assessed contributions. Ireland has long been a partner of the Fund. We also need predictable and sustainable financing for United Nations-authorized African Union-led peace support operations. Among the many important functions of the Peacebuilding Commission is the advice it provides to the Security Council. We should consider how that advice can be turned into action. Listening to such advice is not about overstepping mandates, but about using them to their full potential. Pooling our strengths for the betterment of our planet and its people is the very essence of multilateralism. For peace to be sustainable, it must be inclusive and locally owned. That means that marginalized voices must not only be amplified, but they must be heard and heeded, including the voices of women and youth. That is how we can build resilient societies in which peace can endure. Finally, it is critically important that we continue to work to address the underlying causes and drivers of conflict. Failure to do so would mean consigning ourselves to repeatedly addressing the same security challenges. This approach requires joint action by humanitarian, development and peace support actors to get back on track towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. We must also be responsive to other drivers of conflict, including climate-related security risks.

I thank the President of the General Assembly for this opportunity to take the floor today. Allow me to also commend the Chair of the Peacebuilding Commission for his contribution to the work of peacebuilding and sustaining peace. Goal 16 of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development provided us underlined the need to walk the talk, with a huge opportunity to do so. Promoting peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, providing access to justice for all and building effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels is a cornerstone to building peace and sustaining it. Rwanda maintains that peace extends beyond merely the lack of violence. It is fundamentally an understanding by an inclusive range of societal stakeholders of the root causes of conflict. Rwanda further believes that peacebuilding is a continuous process  — a tireless quest for solutions via dialogue and consensus. It is a long-term investment. Rwanda maintains the view that sustainable peace is not a peace that can be imposed from external entities. It must be carefully and organically constructed from within the societal framework, thereby making the role of the Peacebuilding Commission critically essential in strengthening internal mechanisms for sustaining peace. In the aftermath of conflict, the aspects of peace and reconciliation hold significant importance. The aim of reconciliation should be the establishment of relationships marked by mutual respect and a collective cognizance of past harm. That involves understanding the causes and actively seeking preventive measures to mitigate future damage. Rwanda believes that reconciliation requires honest, open communication between previously conflicting parties, shedding light on past divisions and initiating new relationships anchored in trust and respect. It is our belief that those two components of reconciliation are essential pillars of peacebuilding. To effectively address challenges and meet expectations, our shared objective should be to prevent the recurrence of conflict, while simultaneously working to uncover and resolve root causes to preclude further escalation. That means we must remain pragmatic about our capabilities, ensuring that our strategies are aligned with the unique circumstances and realities of each country involved. Finally, Rwanda believes that a successful long- term peacebuilding process mandates inclusivity. The involvement of everyone as stakeholders in the peacebuilding process is essential so that outcomes are genuinely owned by all societal stakeholders. Peacebuilding is a demanding, unending process that necessitates local political ownership. Success lies in the ability to rebuild trust between citizens and their institutions. Shaping political processes puts citizens at the centre and facilitates the peaceful resolution of societal conflicts.

I would like to congratulate the President of the General Assembly on convening today’s important meeting, which allows us to consider the report of the Peacebuilding Commission (A/77/720) and the report of the Secretary-General on the Peacebuilding Fund (A/77/756). I would like to join those who have spoken before me in commending, in particular, the President of the Peacebuilding Commission and the Secretary- General, for their commitment to peacebuilding. Burkina Faso acknowledges the essential role played by the Commission and the Peacebuilding Fund in supporting countries in their quest for peace and sustainable development. We recognize the importance of a comprehensive and integrated approach by the Peacebuilding Commission, which encompasses security, development and human rights. We also laud the Commission’s commitment to prioritizing partnerships and collaboration among various stakeholders, including Governments, regional organizations and civil society, with a view to achieving lasting peace. The reports faithfully reflect the complex challenges faced by Burkina Faso, specifically with regard to mounting violent extremism and terrorism. We congratulate the Commission on its in-depth understanding of the many facets of the threats and on its recognition of the need for a holistic approach to peacebuilding. The reports underscore the importance of addressing the root causes of conflicts, in particular poverty, climate change, inequality and marginalization. We fully endorse that approach. We note with satisfaction the fact that the Commission has recognized the progress made by Burkina Faso in strengthening its national institutions and in promoting inclusive governance. Indeed, we have taken important steps to build the capacity of our security forces and address the underlying socioeconomic factors that serve to perpetuate violence. However, despite the progress made, we are also aware of the considerable challenges that lie ahead for the full and effective implementation of peacebuilding initiatives in Burkina Faso. We therefore call upon the international community to respect its commitments and provide the necessary assistance, including financial resources, technical expertise and capacity-building support. Only by coming together can we overcome obstacles and achieve a lasting peace. In that regard, we appreciate that the Commission recognizes the critical role of regional cooperation in meeting the challenges we face. Its report highlights the need for collective action and for the coordination and support of regional organizations, such as the Economic Community of West African States, in our peacebuilding efforts. We affirm our commitment to work closely with our regional partners, the Peacebuilding Commission and the other relevant parties in order to advance peace and stability in our country and throughout the entire Sahel region. In conclusion, Burkina Faso notes that the peacebuilding needs in Africa and throughout the world are significant. More resources must therefore be allocated to peacebuilding. Burkina Faso also notes that the international community is doing its best to respond to the many ongoing crises, but we must ensure that we are always investing in prevention. That is why we support all initiatives that call for the Fifth Commission to reach a favourable conclusion in order to provide the Peacebuilding Fund ongoing assessed contributions. That is the cost of maintaining an inclusive dynamic and forging a future of peace, dignity and prosperity for all.

At the outset, I thank you, Mr. President, for convening this meeting to discuss items related to peacebuilding and we thank the Secretary-General for his report (A/77/756). We express our appreciation to the Permanent Representative of Croatia, Chair of the Peacebuilding Commission, and the Permanent Representative of Bangladesh, the former Chair, for their outstanding efforts. We would also like to commend the support of the Peacebuilding Support Office. Efforts to support peacebuilding are becoming increasingly important with the rise of existing, emerging and multidimensional threats, particularly those facing conflict-affected, post-conflict and African countries. Success in peacebuilding processes requires coordination among the various stakeholders, taking into consideration inclusiveness, commitment to objectives and national ownership. Peacebuilding must address the root causes of conflict and involve a wide range of political, development and human rights programmes and mechanisms. The implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals is pivotal in that regard, as is the role of the United Nations development system and South-South and triangular cooperation. For those reasons and because it believes that peacebuilding efforts require adequate and continuous funding, the State of Qatar continues to contribute to international development assistance in various vital sectors, including development of infrastructure, access to education and employment opportunities, in the interest of sustainable peacebuilding. In addition, the State of Qatar contributes to the Peacebuilding Fund and other relevant United Nations funds. This year we signed an agreement to support the activities of the Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs. We stress the importance of prevention in the quest to build and sustain peace. In that regard, we note that the State of Qatar is committed to preventive diplomacy for the sustainability of peace, peacebuilding and the maintenance of international peace and security. The State of Qatar affirmed its support for the Secretary-General’s New Agenda for Peace, in which he stresses the importance of preventive diplomacy and conflict prevention. He proposes an enhanced role for the Peacebuilding Commission and calls on the Security Council to systematically seek the Commission’s advice on the peacebuilding dimensions of peace operations mandates. The State of Qatar also realizes the importance of ensuring the participation of women and youth in peacebuilding and preserving peace. In that regard, we note that last year the State of Qatar hosted the High- Level Global Conference on Youth-Inclusive Peace Process, which focused on the participation of women in that process. At the beginning of 2023, the State of Qatar joined the Peacebuilding Commission. We had sought to achieve that important membership because of our commitment to participate actively in promoting international peacebuilding efforts so as to prevent conflicts, their escalation and continuation. This membership comes at a time when the role of the Peacebuilding Commission is broadening, with a higher geographic concentration and thematic consideration. Its role includes providing advice, convening meetings and actively participating within and outside the United Nations system. It also comes at a time when Member States are considering the New Agenda for Peace and are preparing for the Summit of the Future, where peacebuilding will be an important topic to be discussed. The State of Qatar, through its membership in the Peacebuilding Commission, will work to develop an active role of the Commission so as to enable it to implement its mandate, including implementing the results of the third comprehensive review of the United Nations peacebuilding architecture and promoting the work of the Commission in the period leading up to the next review in 2025.

The Dominican Republic was honoured to serve as Vice-Chair of the Peacebuilding Commission (PBC), representing the Latin American and Caribbean region during 2022. We thank Bangladesh for a successful year as PBC Chair and congratulate it for the remarkable achievements in the report (A/77/720). We would also like to thank Egypt for all its work as PBC Vice-Chair. Throughout our membership, my country made tremendous efforts to advance the shared priorities of Commission members, national Governments, as well as relevant local stakeholders in the different country contexts that came to the PBC to share those priorities. The positive impact of the PBC and the Peacebuilding Fund lies in its ability to support all those actors, including the United Nations country teams, in achieving the aspirations of countries that come to the Commission from an inclusive, impartial and open perspective to share their challenges and experiences. And we have seen that, by including the voices of women and youth, the potential of the instruments we have to achieve our objectives, as an Organization, is even greater. We must therefore increase our efforts to provide support, including financial support for initiatives from women peacebuilders, integrating them in a meaningful way in the planning, implementation and monitoring of those initiatives. The empowerment of women and girls in the context of peacebuilding is imperative if we are to see lasting results. Closing the evident financial gap we must overcome if we are to continue to have the desired impact on peacebuilding is a priority for the Dominican Republic. There is an urgent need to join efforts to address how this financial gap particularly affects initiatives led by youth organizations to ensure the full and equal participation of youth in the design, implementation and monitoring of peacebuilding efforts at all levels. We understand that there is a need for increased coordination and collaboration among the relevant actors to work hand in hand with youth to keep them motivated and interested in development and peacebuilding in their countries and regions, as agents of change and builders of a better future. Finally, the challenges facing humankind are multidimensional. Whether humanitarian, developmental or peacebuilding, our response must be equally capable of having a coordinated and forceful impact on the lives of affected communities. At the end of the day, it is one United Nations, one symbol, one humankind and one goal — to alleviate human suffering and lay the foundation for sustainable development.

Thank you, Mr. President, for convening this plenary meeting to jointly reflect on agenda items 28, 58 and 114. Namibia welcomes the report of the Peacebuilding Commission on its sixteenth session (A/77/720) and thanks the Secretary-General for his report on the operations of the Peacebuilding Fund (PBF) (A/77/756). As we strive for peaceful coexistence in a world characterized by complex conflicts and humanitarian crises, those institutions offer hope and progress to foster cooperation, coordination and inclusivity. They certainly remind us of the integral value of peacebuilding and sustaining peace. By considering the depth and multidimensional nature of challenges, the PBC and PBF have demonstrated their indispensable role in building a harmonious and secure future for all nations by advancing global peace, stability and sustainable development. In 2022, it is observed that national ownership, partnerships and institution-building for successful peacebuilding processes were increasingly important to the work of the PBC. On a regional level, Namibia has, over the period under review, supported peacebuilding efforts in Africa through its leadership role on the African Union Peace and Security Council and as Chair of the Southern African Development Community’s Organ on Politics, Defence and Security. Within the ambit of those responsibilities, the African Peace and Security Architecture provides critical direction on the type of measures we must employ in order to enhance our efforts towards conflict prevention and support peacebuilding. Partnerships for peacebuilding remain both critical and relevant ways of sharing experiences and strengthening good practices on peacebuilding, especially in conflict- affected areas. The world continues to witness the devastation caused by armed conflicts and the daunting challenges of rebuilding nations torn apart by violence. That fragility coupled with the vulnerability of post- conflict environments compels us to work tirelessly to address the root causes of conflicts and to prevent the resurgence of violence. Through its country- specific configurations, the PBC is able to tailor its approaches to suit the unique challenges faced by each nation, ensuring that no one is left behind in the pursuit of peace. To that end, my delegation wishes to emphasize the primacy of coordination and coherence among all stakeholders involved in peacebuilding efforts. The power of effective collaboration cannot be overemphasized, for it fosters a unified response to peacebuilding, pooling resources and expertise for maximum impact. After all, peacebuilding efforts without commensurate funding that is adequate, predictable and sustainable will amount to nought. In that regard, we must register our concern and disappointment that additional budget support to African peace support operations was not sufficiently scaled up. We reiterate Africa’s call for the funding of the Peacebuilding Fund to be supported by assessed contributions in line with resolution 76/305 which commits to broadening the scope for financing for peacebuilding. Just last week, the Secretary-General released a policy brief on the New Agenda for Peace. Among the five priorities highlighted by the Secretary-General, allow me to emphasize the third priority which highlights concrete proposals for updating the United Nations approach to peace operations. The continuum of peacekeeping, mediation and peacebuilding requires an approach that takes into consideration different voices, including local actors, civil society organizations, women, youth and marginalized communities. Such approach must be responsive to the needs of those who bear the brunt of conflicts. Therefore, there is value in actively involving those stakeholders in decision-making processes as that ensures that the solutions implemented are not only inclusive, effective and relevant, but also sustainable. A peaceful and prosperous future can be achieved only when all voices are heard and all perspectives are considered. To that end, we commend the PBC for ensuring meetings focused on the women and peace and security agenda and youth, peace and security agenda, which are both critical ways of broadening the space for full, meaningful and equal participation in peace processes. In conclusion, the Peacebuilding Commission and the Peacebuilding Fund are indispensable components of the United Nations collective efforts to promote peace, stability and sustainable development in the contemporary world. By fostering coordination, inclusivity and preventive diplomacy, those institutions have shown that they can make a tangible difference in the lives of millions affected by conflict. With the tools at our disposal, it is clear that we can do more to build and sustain peace. In a world that continues to be fragmented by conflict and disaccord, we are reminded of the powerful words of John Lennon and Paul McCartney, who many years ago implored us all to give peace a chance.

I thank you, Mr. President, for convening today’s debate on the annual report of the Peace Building Commission (PBC) (A/77/720) and the Secretary-General’s report on the Peacebuilding Fund (PBF) (A/77/756). Portugal aligns itself with the statement delivered by the European Union. I would like to underline two points in my national capacity. The first one is on the role of the Peacebuilding Fund to which Portugal is proud of being a contributor. The Fund has been instrumental in providing conflict prevention, social cohesion, national dialogue and effective peacebuilding. The countries that benefit from it know it very well. We need to scale up the Peacebuilding Fund’s financial ability to meet the demands coming from the field. A brief glance at the growing humanitarian needs is all it takes to remind us that we have been failing collectively. We keep running after the devastating impacts of conflicts and violence around world. We need to break that cycle, and we need to give conflict prevention and peacebuilding the financial muscle they need in order to be effective. I sincerely hope that we will be able to come to an agreement in the Fifth Committee regarding the use of assessed contributions. Secondly, Portugal is grateful for the opportunity to have been a member of the Organizational Committee of the PBC in 2022. We witnessed then and already this year a significant expansion of the geographic scope of the PBC. We also welcome the remarkable diversity in the countries engaged with it. Prevention trust, building national ownership, inclusiveness, a focus on the interconnection among peace, security, development and human rights, and a meaningful alignment of the global peacebuilding framework and local solutions are critical components of peacebuilding. We need to support the actions developed by women and youth peacebuilders at the grass-roots level aligned with and feeding into the respective national priorities. For all those reasons, we have viewed with great appreciation the recommendations related to peacebuilding in the policy brief on a New Agenda for Peace. We should engage the convening role of the Peacebuilding Commission. We need a Peacebuilding Commission that is more systematically consulted by the Security Council and, by the way, by the United Nations system in general. In short, we need a stronger PBC, just as we need a stronger PBF. In conclusion, allow me to join others in extending our gratitude and deep recognition for the excellent work of the previous Chair, Ambassador Muhith of Bangladesh, and of the current Chair, Ambassador Šimonović of Croatia, and their teams. As a member of all current country-specific configurations of the PBC, members may count on Portugal’s continued support.

At the outset, we wish to thank the President of the General Assembly for convening this debate, and we welcome the statement of the Secretary-General on the Peacebuilding Fund. We congratulate the Chair of the Peacebuilding Commission, as well as the Peacebuilding Support Office, for their excellent work. As peacebuilding and sustaining peace are the central work of the United Nations, the effective delivery on these goals remains key to building trust and gathering collective support and global multilateral responses for the effective management of existing and emerging threats to international peace and security. We support the New Agenda for Peace as part of the Our Common Agenda initiative, with concrete sets of proposals for action and priority areas set out by the Secretary-General to address the unprecedented challenges we are facing today. We welcome the efforts to advance possible solutions and make commitments to addressing the financing gap for prevention and peacebuilding in the context of fast-changing, protracted and complex violent conflicts. We wish to reiterate our strong support for the work of the Peacebuilding Commission, including towards the expansion of its role in regional settings and cross-cutting areas, covering human rights and climate-related peace and security risks. This will help leverage the Commission’s convening power, particularly in its advisory role to the Security Council, to make peacebuilding activities integrated, coordinated and responsive. We share the view that, in order to be effective, peacebuilding and sustaining peace must be directed towards activities aimed at the prevention of conflict, underpinned by the people-centred approach of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and grounded in international human rights laws and standards. On conflict prevention, United Nations peace operations must focus on issues that present long- term risks of conflict, engage with parties that are on the verge of violence and negotiate for peace, assist countries in achieving reconciliation, build resilient and inclusive societies, bolster security sector reform, support inclusive political processes and democratic political culture in the resolution of ongoing conflicts. Peace operations should also promote social cohesion, good governance and the rule of law, and electoral assistance and gender equality. As the linkages among peacemaking, peacekeeping, peacebuilding, development and humanitarian action are integral and mutually reinforcing, we share the view that the sustainability of peace depends directly on the consistency of engagement of local actors in peace processes, politics, governance, institution-building, rule of law, the security sector and economic recovery. To ensure sustainability of peace operations, the engagement of United Nations peacekeepers in providing training to the local security forces and civilians, based on the assessment and coordinated engagement of all stakeholders, will be essential for accountable national institutions in the host country. In addition, active engagement with the local community, including with civil society, with the full, equal and meaningful participation of women, youth and people with disabilities in decision-making process, will be key to building trust and having the necessary understanding of the local context, including the history, culture, customary laws, national priorities and needs of the host country and its people. To conclude, as national efforts will succeed only with predictable and sustained financing, we wish to call for increasing contributions to help boost the capacity of local, national and regional peacebuilding entities.

Switzerland welcomes the annual reports examined today (A/77/720 and A/77/756). Only a few days after the launch of the New Agenda for Peace, these discussions come at a particularly opportune moment. In a world at a crossroads, we need a renewed and honest commitment to peace. Switzerland welcomes the guidelines set out in the reports and would like to highlight three points. First, in 2022, the Peacebuilding Fund invested more than ever before. It has continued to demonstrate its relevance and meet national demands for peacebuilding support. We are particularly encouraged by the fact that, for the sixth consecutive year, the Fund exceeded its internal target of allocating 30 per cent to gender equality and attained 47 per cent gender-sensitive investments. However, a gap between requests and funding remains. A year ago, we unanimously adopted the resolution entitled “Financing for peacebuilding” (resolution 76/305), in which we recognized that financing for peacebuilding remained insufficient and defined follow-up measures. Today the Fifth Commission continues to deliberate on these key issues. Switzerland has supported and continues to support the Secretary-General’s proposal for partial financing of the Fund through mandatory contributions. We hope that negotiations in the Fifth Committee will soon lead to a compromise that will contribute to effective conflict prevention. Secondly, at the request of States, the Peacebuilding Commission (PBC) has succeeded in bringing States together, building bridges and advising them on their path to lasting peace, in a spirit of partnership. The increased involvement of civil society is not the only example of this success. During our presidency of the Security Council in May, the Council was able to benefit from the Commission’s advice on the issue of confidence-building for sustainable peace and on the situation in the Sahel. This interaction should be further developed. Thirdly, we need to capitalize on the momentum created by the New Agenda for Peace. Switzerland supports the vision proposed by the Secretary- General, which is fully in line with our values in the field of peacebuilding. In this context, we support the recommendation to strengthen the work of the PBC, in particular to support Member States in the creation and implementation of national infrastructures for peace. Conflict prevention must also take place at the national level, in a manner rooted in human rights and gender equality. The United Nations must be equipped to promote these national prevention strategies with its expertise, funding and convening power.

I thank the President of the General Assembly for convening today’s meeting. I would like to express my gratitude to the Chair and Vice-Chair of the Peacebuilding Commission (PBC), as well as the Peace Building Support Office, for guiding and facilitating our discussion on peacebuilding. At the outset, I would like to emphasize the importance of a coherent approach to conflict prevention and sustaining peace. The United Nations peacebuilding architecture should create synergy among various entities, working towards a common goal by effectively utilizing the unique strengths of the PBC and the Peacebuilding Fund. I will start by highlighting three points on the work of the PBC. First, Member States must continue to strengthen the PBC’s catalytic role within and beyond the United Nations system. The PBC is designed to bring together all relevant actors and provide advice and integrated strategies, building upon the close interlinkage between peace and security, sustainable peace, sustainable development and human rights. As a member of both the PBC and the Security Council, Japan is committed to promoting close cooperation among related entities, including between these two bodies. For the PBC’s advice to be reflected in the discussions and outcomes of the Security Council, the General Assembly and other relevant bodies, the quality and timing of the advice are critical. In order to deliver more concrete and impactful suggestions in a timely manner, we may need to reassess our approach to crafting the advice, particularly in handling diverse viewpoints when PBC members encounter difficulties in reaching a consensus. Secondly, it is imperative for us to further expand the PBC’s geographic and thematic scope, according to its mandate. We commend the leadership of the previous and current Chairs in that regard in convening meetings on new items, such as climate impact on Pacific islands, institution-building in Timor-Leste and peace and reconciliation with indigenous peoples in Canada, Colombia and Norway. This approach demonstrates that the PBC is a valuable platform for all countries and regions, regardless of their level of development, to share good practices and discuss their own policies. I encourage Member States to make even greater use of this venue. Thirdly, we should recognize that the PBC can play a greater role in preventing conflict and violence. The Secretary-General’s New Agenda for Peace re-emphasizes the importance of prevention. I am excited about this once-in-a-decade opportunity to discuss good practices in national prevention efforts and strategies. The PBC is an excellent venue for such discussions, with its formal and informal settings involving relevant United Nations agencies, international financial institutions and other organizations. We should leverage the PBC’s convening and bridging power to its fullest extent. Let me now focus on the work of the PBF. Further close linkage with the PBC’s activities will optimize the work of the PBF. Discussions on national priorities and strategies within the PBC should be properly considered and reflected in project planning by the PBF. The PBC can enhance the transparency and visibility of the PBF by actively discussing good practices and challenges for PBF projects. Such cooperative practice will help both entities ensure effective work and sufficient accountability. Furthermore, the PBF should be more focused on conflict and violence prevention. The PBF has a unique character that allows for comprehensive approaches involving all relevant United Nations and non-United Nations entities, including peace operations, agencies, funds and programmes and international financial institutions, while respecting national ownership. It is well positioned to contribute to prevention. I encourage the PBF to continue pursuing its constructive role in supporting prevention on the ground and utilizing its catalytic role to foster further support for countries. The 2025 review of the United Nations peacebuilding architecture will serve as a good opportunity to reflect on and mobilize global efforts for the effective use of the PBC and PBF. I would like to reaffirm Japan’s full commitment to advancing the peacebuilding and sustaining peace agenda.

I thank the President of the General Assembly for convening today’s timely and important meeting dedicated to the presentation of the report of the Peacebuilding Commission on its sixteenth session (S/2023/720) and the thirteenth report of the Secretary-General on the Peacebuilding Fund (A/77/756). The Kingdom of Morocco welcomes the adoption of the two reports, which address the major opportunities and challenges that we all overcame during the work of the Peacebuilding Commission (PBC) last year. This year could bring a new set of opportunities, as well as challenges, to the work of the PBC and its cross-cutting and thematic issues, in terms, namely, of promoting national ownership; encouraging interaction with civil society, the private sector, women and young peacebuilders; boosting effective partnerships with regional organizations and financial institutions; improving the advisory and bridging the role of the Commission; and encouraging peacebuilding financing. One of the main objectives and tasks that we have as members of the General Assembly is to ensure the adequate, sustainable and predictable financing of the Peacebuilding Commission and the Peacebuilding Fund through the United Nations regular budget. Following the adoption of resolution 76/305, on financing for peacebuilding, it is now time to take action in the Fifth Committee to ensure the necessary funding for PBC activities and provide more predictable funding for conflict prevention and peacebuilding through assessed contributions to the Fund. In that regard, we highly commend the tremendous efforts made by the PBF in reaffirming its relevance by financing different peace efforts, continuing to respond to country-specific demands and promoting additional investments in monitoring results. These efforts should be supported by a commensurate increase in contributions and guarantee a consistent level of financing for peace. As Chair of the Central African Republic configuration of the Peacebuilding Commission, we continue to closely follow the developments in that country. Despite the many persistent challenges, including the continued pressure on the country’s public finances, which has a direct socioeconomic impact on the population, we have witnessed encouraging political and security progress over the past year, including, inter alia, the strong political will demonstrated by the authorities of the Central African Republic for national ownership of the implementation of the Political Agreement for Peace and Reconciliation in the Central African Republic and the Luanda joint road map for peace in the country agreed at the International Conference of the Great Lakes Region. In the context of the Central African Republic, the continued constructive engagement of all partners, including international financial institutions, regional development banks and bilateral partners, is of great importance. The lack of technical and financial capacity remains one of the main challenges. We reiterate our call on all partners from the region, the continent and beyond to pay particular attention to the Central African Republic and provide the needed support. These efforts should be capitalized on to sustain and strengthen the country’s commitment to recovery. During the coming months, the configuration will continue to focus on the coherence and coordination of such actions. As the Secretary-General mentioned in his policy brief on the New Agenda for Peace, we consider conflict prevention to be at the heart of our commitment to and action for security and peace. In this regard, there is a strong need for and a long way to go in implementing an effective and holistic approach to peace and security in the world by coping with the root causes and their linkages with development, social coherence, democracy, human rights, climate change and the fight against terrorism and violent extremism. My country is, and will remain, actively committed to the PBC and its role in achieving peace and security.

I join others in thanking Bangladesh and Croatia for driving the work of the Peacebuilding Commission (PBC) over the past 18 months. Sustaining peace is the shared responsibility of all pillars of the United Nations, but the Commission is the only dedicated global forum to supporting countries with their peacebuilding processes. Under the stewardship of Bangladesh, the PBC has further increased its engagement, and under Croatia’s leadership, we continue to strive for greater impact. The United Kingdom recognizes the potential of the Peacebuilding Commission. Through activist Chairs, including Bangladesh and Croatia, this youngest body of the United Nations system has matured. We think it has even greater potential. By deepening follow-up on the countries with which it engages, sharpening its advice to the Security Council and other United Nations bodies and rallying collective responses, the PBC will continue to grow in value. With challenges to international peace and development increasingly interconnected, comprehensive responses are more critical than ever, as the Secretary-General recently recognized in his New Agenda for Peace. The world can no longer afford the cost of conflict. We need to focus on prevention, which means the need for more integrated, inclusive and strategic policy approaches, smarter financing and casting the net of cooperation more widely. The Peacebuilding Commission  — through its convening role and, increasingly, in and of its own right — is a critical part of that question. Meanwhile, the Secretary-General’s Peacebuilding Fund (PBF) is the foremost financing instrument of the United Nations for strengthening the Organization’s peacebuilding work on the ground, in partnership with host Governments. As a major donor to the Fund, and co-Chair, with Sweden, of the Group of Friends of the PBF, the United Kingdom has consistently championed the Fund, and I, like others, sincerely hope for a resolution to the question of assessed contributions for the PBF when the Fifth Committee of the General Assembly resumes. We welcome all efforts to ensure that the Fund is properly resourced and equipped. Demonstrating impact, too, is key, and we are pleased to note the imminent roll-out of the PBF impact hub. I conclude by stressing the tireless work of the Peacebuilding Support Office. The United Kingdom is very grateful to Assistant Secretary-General Spehar and her team for everything they do.

At the outset, I would like to thank the President of the General Assembly for convening today’s joint debate. I would like to begin by welcoming the comprehensive report of the Peacebuilding Commission on its sixteenth session (A/77/720). I also wish to thank the Secretary-General for his report on the Peacebuilding Fund (A/77/756). In recent times, peacebuilding needs have increased globally, amid such interlinking challenges as conflicts, energy and food crises and economic inflation. In this regard, Nepal acknowledges the crucial role of the Peacebuilding Commission (PBC) in assisting countries and regions on their paths to lasting peace, encompassing peace, development, human rights and the rule of law. We take note of the expanding advisory, bridging and convening roles of the Commission in recent years. Nepal has always supported the work and new initiatives undertaken by the Commission to enhance synergy across the United Nations system and foster partnerships with non-United Nations organizations, including financial institutions, regional organizations, civil society organizations and private sector entities. The country-specific discussions organized by the Commission have helped it address challenges, facilitate resource mobilization and focus on priorities identified by the host countries. The PBC has also served as a unique forum for countries to share their experiences, challenges and lessons learned in their peacebuilding efforts. As a country emerging from armed conflict, Nepal finds such exchange useful and is ready to share its experience in general or on any specific issue. The Commission’s work should retain its preventive and people-centred focus going forward. The PBC has leveraged the facilitation of consensus among national stakeholders in promoting inclusivity, addressing the root causes of conflict and finding nationally led, endogenous solutions to their problems. The perspectives of women, youth and civil society are crucial for prevention and peacebuilding. Thematic discussions on catalysing the participation of women and youth in prevention and peacebuilding activities are invaluable. Nepal is of the view that the level of coordination, coherence and cooperation between the Security Council and the Peacebuilding Commission can be further strengthened. Consultation between the two bodies ahead of the formulation and renewal of mandates for peace operations can advance strategies to sustain peace on the ground. Similarly, stronger programmatic and operational coherence and complementarity among the Economic and Social Council, the PBC and international financial institutions are necessary and can truly promote the Sustainable Development Goals agenda and consolidate national peacebuilding gains. To generate a virtuous cycle of peace and development dividends, United Nations agencies, funds and programmes should be aligned and foster deeper engagement in working across the humanitarian- development-peace nexus. Climate change has brought unparalleled challenges, with both local and global ramifications. Both the melting of snow in the Himalayas and droughts in the plain lands have affected people’s lives equally. The PBC should therefore also partner with the relevant international institutions and United Nations agencies to develop a framework for addressing the menace of climate change. We join others in our call for adequate, predictable and sustained financing for peacebuilding. In this regard, we recognize the catalytic role of the Peacebuilding Fund in supporting the activities of the Commission. Nepal is ready to discuss all types of funding options for peacebuilding, including assessed contributions. We believe that the ongoing discussion on the New Agenda for Peace will serve as an opportunity to eliminate systemic shortcomings and strengthen the PBC and its financing options. Our discussion will also feed into the 2025 review of the peacebuilding architecture. Nepal stands ready to work with all in that regard.