S/PV.8413 Security Council

On behalf of the Security Council, I wish to convey my heartfelt condolences to the Government and the people of the United States of America following the death of Mr. George Herbert Walker Bush, forty-first President of the United States. President Bush left us after a long and illustrious career in the service of his country, including as Permanent Representative of the United States to the United Nations, where he presided over the Security Council in May 1972. On behalf of the Council, I invite all attendees to stand and observe a minute of silence in memory of President Bush.

I wish to warmly welcome the Secretary-General, Ministers and other representatives present in the Security Council Chamber. Their presence today underscores the importance of the subject matter under discussion. In accordance with rule 37 of the Council’s provisional rules of procedure, I invite the representatives of Burkina Faso, Japan, Rwanda and Senegal to participate in this meeting. On behalf of the Council, I welcome His Excellency Mr. Paul Robert Tiendrebeogo, Minister for African Integration and Burkinabes Living Abroad of Burkina Faso. In accordance with rule 39 of the Council’s provisional rules of procedure, I invite His Excellency Mr. Moussa Faki Mahamat, Chairperson of the African Union Commission, to participate in this meeting. The Security Council will now begin its consideration of the item on its agenda. I wish to draw the attention of Council members to document S/2018/1063, which contains a letter dated 28 November 2018 from the Permanent Representative of Côte d’Ivoire to the United Nations addressed to the Secretary-General, transmitting a concept note on the item under consideration. I wish to warmly welcome the Secretary-General, His Excellency Mr. António Guterres, and give him the floor.

I extend a warm welcome to His Excellency President Alassane Ouattara and at the same time thank Côte d’Ivoire for using its presidency of the Security Council to propose today’s theme, which emphasizes the links between sustainable economic development, peace and security. The experience of Côte d’Ivoire itself, which is moving forward on the path of peacebuilding and development, shows us that peace and development are indivisible. In addition, having hosted a United Nations peacekeeping operation on its soil, Côte d’Ivoire can make a valuable contribution and share its experience with ongoing peace operations in other countries around the world. These facts undoubtedly attest to the results we can achieve if we work together. This is the very spirit of my Action for Peacekeeping initiative. In the long term and in the light of the acute and protracted crises that shake the world today, it is clear that the main method of responding to crises has too high a human and financial cost. That is why I am so keen to refocus our activities on prevention, to rebalance our action in the fields of peace and security, and to coordinate our activities across the three pillars of peace, sustainable development and human rights. Peace cannot be sustainable without development, and sustainable peace is essential for the preservation of development gains. Based on this observation, I would like to share four key messages with the Security Council today. First, we must take a holistic approach. This approach essentially implies that we combat such potential factors of instability as inequalities, climate change, competition for resources, corruption and cross-border crime. It also requires a real awareness that investing in basic services, sustainable development and social cohesion is investing in peace. Finally, it requires a better adaptation of the United Nations presence to the changing needs of countries that, in the aftermath of a violent conflict, seek to establish lasting peace. To this end, we must give priority to meeting the needs of the host country and mobilizing the entire United Nations system — all peace operations, all humanitarian and development actors — around these needs. This is one of the fundamental elements of the reforms I have undertaken. Unfortunately, all too often, countries that have experienced crises can sometimes return to violence if a development programme inclusive is not well conducted. Secondly, we need to adopt more inclusive approaches. It is essential that peace and development activities be owned, led and carried out by national and local actors. For this to occur, we must mobilize citizens first and foremost, as well as the private sector, and ensure that the scope for civil society action remains intact. We must also involve in our efforts the social strata that are too often marginalized and excluded, such as women and girls, the elderly, young people, people with disabilities and members of minority groups. The participation of women, in particular, is a sure way to improve the effectiveness and sustainability of peacebuilding. Their contribution is indeed crucial to the economic recovery, political legitimacy and social cohesion. (spoke in English) Thirdly, we need more partnerships. I am committed to further strengthening ties with regional and subregional organizations and with international financial institutions to safeguard development gains, strengthen resilience and build local capacities to prevent and respond to conflicts. This is particularly important in transition settings, once the mission departs and international attention and resources typically start to decline. Our partnership with the African Union is key and continues to deepen. We have signed joint frameworks on peace and security and on implementation of Agenda 2063 and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Further, we have conducted joint missions focused on women, demonstrating the central importance of gender equality. Earlier this year, I signed a Strategic Partnership Framework with the World Bank, and we are operationalizing the findings of our joint study, Pathways for Peace: Inclusive Approaches to Preventing Violent Conflict. The Peacebuilding Commission has a useful convening and bridging role to play as a platform where diverse actors and stakeholders foster coherence among political objectives and support sustainable development in countries affected by conflict. Indeed, the Commission’s dialogues with local peace activists and civil society have been essential in connecting country-level peacebuilding efforts with global policy discussions. Fourthly, we need adequate and predictable resources for peacebuilding and development actors during the conflict cycle. We must support Member States in strengthening domestic resource mobilization and in attracting external investments. The Peacebuilding Fund needs and deserves greater support. As a catalytic, fast and flexible vehicle, the Fund fosters local participation and, crucially, provides support in remote areas, including cross-border zones, that are often overlooked. The Fund has also allocated more than 30 per cent of its annual resources to supporting women’s rights and gender equality for sustaining peace. I reiterate my call to all Member States and United Nations organizations to follow this example. I also appeal once again for African-led peace operations acting under the Security Council’s authority to receive predictable, sustainable and flexible financing, including through United Nations- assessed contributions where appropriate. I am strongly committed to supporting the Security Council as we strive together to strengthen our work across the peace continuum. Restructuring and repositioning the peace and security and development pillars of the United Nations will help foster a new generation of approaches and architecture to more effectively respond to the world’s most pressing problems. The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and sustaining peace are complementary and mutually reinforcing. I encourage all actors to do more to embrace those frameworks as our best guarantees against instability and insecurity. I once again thank His Excellency President Ouattara and Côte d’Ivoire for focusing our attention on this crucial work.

I thank the Secretary-General for his briefing. I now give the floor to Mr. Faki Mahamat.

The African Union echoes the President of the Security Council in conveying its condolences to the United States of America following the passing of former President George H.W. Bush, who, in the course of his long career, served as his country’s representative here in the Security Council. By choosing the topic of peacebuilding and sustaining peace, post-conflict reconstruction and peace, security and stability, and by sharing with us today its post-conflict experience, Côte d’Ivoire has made a real contribution. Countries where recurrent conflicts persist, particularly in Africa, would do well to be inspired by that experience, which is enlightening at more than one level. I wish therefore to pay tribute to President Alassane Ouattara, whose presence heightens the importance of this meeting. I wish also to reiterate my appreciation to Secretary-General António Guterres for his commitment. Since taking office, he has been working continuously to strengthen partnerships, including with the African Union. The quest for peace is a lengthy process requiring a continuing commitment on the part of national stakeholders and ongoing support from the international community. In the absence of international support, national efforts cannot overcome the countless obstacles that stand in the way of peace. In the absence of strong national political will, international assistance cannot lead to sustainable results. Côte d’Ivoire is a clear demonstration of the fact that peace is within reach when the will to achieve it exists. As Africa redoubles its efforts to silence the guns by 2020, the path taken by Côte d’Ivoire is a source of encouragement, as are the recent developments in the Horn of Africa. I am pleased to note that the political will and determination that made it possible to end the crisis in Côte d’Ivoire have continued to be shown by the Ivorian authorities during the post-conflict phase. At the political level, extending a hand to former enemies made it possible to take decisive steps on the path to reconciliation. The courageous measures announced by President Ouattara last August, on the fifty-eighth anniversary of his country’s independence, are of landmark importance in that respect. On the economic front, the strong growth recorded in recent years, in parallel with an impressive level of infrastructure development, has brought Côte d’Ivoire closer to the desired emergence and laid considerable groundwork for its long-term stability. In any conflict, silencing the guns is only the first step in a long process. Establishing lasting peace requires sustained efforts and a long-term commitment that extend well past the end of a peacekeeping mission’s mandate. There can be no clearer illustration of the need to pay close attention to this question than the finding that 40 per cent of post-conflict countries relapse into violence 10 years after emerging from it. That is why in 2006 the African Union adopted a framework document on post-conflict reconstruction and development to serve as a guide in efforts to address the root causes of conflict and prevent the resurgence of violence. It was followed by the launch in 2010 of the African Solidarity Initiative, which is based on the principle of mutual assistance on the continent. On the ground, the African Union is providing a tangible contribution to many Member States in post-conflict situations through quick-impact projects, technical support in key areas and advocacy aimed at mobilizing the required support. This practical involvement on the part of the African Union reflects the resolute will of African leaders to assume their share of responsibility in promoting peace and security on the continent. Self- reliance is an essential element of Africa’s revitalization, and it is on the basis of that principle that our leaders have committed to financing 25 per cent of the costs of the continental agenda for peace and security. In line with the relevant African Union instruments and based on past and current experiences on the continent, we cannot overemphasize the importance of political inclusion, democratic governance and a national leadership that is dedicated to the success of peacebuilding. It is equally important to promote balanced development, to fight resolutely against inequality and to meet the specific needs of young people and women, who are the primary victims of such conflicts. The dialectic relation between peace and development is of course evident. Similarly, it is important to harmonize activities related to the disarmament, demobilization and reintegration process with security- sector reform and the fight against impunity in a way that takes account of the specifics of each situation. The restoration of peace in Côte d’Ivoire is a victory for the partnership among the United Nations, the African Union and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). The United Nations Operation in Côte d’Ivoire took over from the mission that ECOWAS had deployed on the ground since December 2002. Politically, the three organizations worked closely together throughout the peace process. The resolutions of the Council on Côte d’Ivoire were very often the outcome of decisions taken at the regional level, as signed off on by the African Union Peace and Security Council. We are pleased to note that over the years, and learning from our common experience in Côte d’Ivoire and elsewhere on the continent, the partnership between the African Union and the United Nations has been significantly strengthened, both between the Commission and the Secretariat and between the African Union Peace and Security Council and the United Nations Security Council. I also take note of the promising cooperation that has developed between the Peace and Security Council and the Peacebuilding Commission. I reaffirm here the commitment of the African Union to continue and deepen that collaboration, with a particular focus not only on African countries that are on the agenda of the Peacebuilding Commission, but also on those in which peacekeeping missions are preparing to wrap up their operations. In the context of strengthening our partnership, I believe it useful to recall the principles that should guide our common action in support of peace, stability and development on the continent. First, there needs to be national ownership. In that area, as in many others, nothing sustainable can be achieved if national actors do not provide leadership of the peacebuilding process. Secondly, solutions must be promoted that are adapted to the realities of each country; this applies in particular to the issue of post-conflict justice. In accordance with its Constitutive Act, the African Union is deeply committed to the fight against impunity. But the fight for justice must be conducted in a manner that promotes reconciliation and lasting peace on the basis of the triptych of justice, truth and reconciliation. Any other approach could perpetuate divisions and recreate conditions conducive to violence. It is therefore pertinent and timely to call for a fresh review of the principles underlying the concept of transitional justice. Thirdly, long-term international support is required. Unfortunately, international mobilization often dwindles as soon as a crisis stops making headlines, even though that marks the start of the most critical part of the process of the sustainable promotion of peace. I wish to conclude by stressing the timeliness of this debate on peacebuilding, and I hope that it will lead to increased mobilization on the part of the international community in this area, as it is necessary, in order to succeed, to judiciously combine the need for solidarity with the African continent with a long- term perspective.

I thank Mr. Faki Mahamat for his briefing. I shall now make a statement in my capacity as President of the Republic of Côte d’Ivoire. I am particularly honoured to preside over this high- level Council debate in the framework of the activities chosen by Côte d’Ivoire to distinguish its Security Council presidency during the month of December. This is an important moment for my country, coming 27 years after its last term on the Security Council. Our presidency also comes more than one year after the removal of Côte d’Ivoire from the Security Council’s agenda and the closure, in 2017, of the United Nations Operation in Côte d’Ivoire (UNOCI) after 13 years of presence on our territory. It must be said that it was a genuine success story. Côte d’Ivoire assumes the rotating presidency of the Security Council at a time marked by upheaval at the international level, with a reshaping of certain balances. Our presence in this prestigious forum offers us the opportunity to reiterate our faith in a balanced multilateral system that allows everyone to make their voice heard, howsoever weak it may be, and to see their aspirations taken into consideration. In this pivotal period, our world is called to show greater solidarity and understanding so as to overcome the peace and security challenges we all face. In that context, our presidency will be characterized by openness, the sharing of experiences and collaboration in order to create the conditions for consensus on the most difficult issues at all times. We also want to expand the range of Security Council responses to the various issues before it. Moreover, during its presidency my country will pay close attention to African issues — and here I thank Chairperson Moussa Faki Mahamat for his presence — which sadly and overwhelmingly dominate our agenda and require the special attention and full commitment of each of the African countries. I therefore invite Council members to respond favourably to Africa’s expectations and calls for greater solidarity in financing its peace support operations, and I thank the Secretary-General for all his initiatives in this area. In view of the many challenges to international peace and security in our ever-changing world, the United Nations and the Security Council are more indispensable than ever before in the prevention and resolution of conflicts. I would therefore like to express my encouragement to the Secretary-General for the ambitious reform of our shared Organization that he has initiated, the outcome of which will be an even more effective Organization. As I said, Côte d’Ivoire enjoyed the unprecedented commitment of the international community, particularly the United Nations and the Security Council, for more than a decade. Indeed, in managing the crisis that my country endured, the Security Council adopted more than 50 resolutions. Some of those resolutions, in particular those relating to the certification of elections and the protection of civilians, constitute new and courageous developments that will remain engraved in the annals of the Council. I can speak to the Council today thanks to the determination and efforts of the Ivorian people who elected me and to the remarkable commitment of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the African Union — whose high officials, Mr. Faki Mahamat and Mr. Jean-Claude Brou, I welcome here today — as well as of the United Nations, through UNOCI. I pay warm tribute to ECOWAS for the role it played in those initial moments of crisis recovery. I express my gratitude to then-Secretary-General, Mr. Ban Ki-moon, and to the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Côte d’Ivoire at the time of the crisis, Mr. Choi Young-Jin, for their courage, their determination and their commitment to defending the ideals of peace of the United Nations. On behalf of the Ivorian nation, I pay tribute to the memory of the 150 peacekeepers who sacrificed their lives to save others and to bring peace and stability to my country. I express the appreciation of the Ivorian people to their countries and their families, as well as to the great family of the United Nations. I also pay tribute to a worthy son of Africa — the seventh Secretary-General of the United Nations — for his outstanding contribution to peace in the world. That is Mr. Kofi Annan, the great humanist, who passed away on 18 August and whose voice and wisdom will be missed by the great causes of the world. The theme of our debate — “Post-conflict reconstruction and peace, security and stability” — is of great importance to my country, given its recent history. That theme offers us the opportunity to share our experience in post-crisis reconstruction. It also gives us an opportunity to discuss the priorities we have set in order to render irreversible the peace, security and development that Côte d’Ivoire has enjoyed since the end of the post-election crisis. We hope that the lessons learned from our experience will contribute modestly to enriching the Council’s peacebuilding practice, which has evolved in recent years. Our experience may also be useful to countries facing similar situations. In 2011, Côte d’Ivoire emerged from a decade of crisis a post-election crisis. My country was weakened in economic, social, human and security terms. Insecurity was widespread. All economic indicators were in the red, and economic infrastructure and basic public services were in a state of worrying disrepair. That situation could have jeopardized the country’s return to lasting peace and stability if urgent measures and a comprehensive strategy for reconstruction and development had not been implemented as soon as the clashes had come to an end. Recovery became possible thanks to the restoration of State authority, which we were able to secure in spite of our four and a half months of confinement in the Hotel du Gulf in Abidjan, the economic capital of Côte d’Ivoire. As has been demonstrated in several situations considered by the Council, post-crisis reconstruction, peace and stability depend heavily on the existence of State structures and institutions capable of fully performing their functions. Since 2011, Côte d’Ivoire has based its strategy for post-crisis reconstruction, peace and stability on the restoration of its economy, on demobilization, disarmament and reintegration and on security-sector reform and reconciliation. We began working on all those issues while we were confined to the Hôtel du Golf for four and a half months. The fact that our economy has bounced back so quickly has given the Government the necessary leverage not only to respond to the people’s immediate social and security needs but also to work on the country’s long-term development. That was what we had in mind when we were designing and implementing our presidential emergency programme during those sleepless nights in the Hôtel du Golf, with the aim of restoring basic social infrastructure, particularly in fragile rural areas, so as to accelerate the re-establishment of Government authority in every region of the country. We backed up the emergency programme with national development plans for the periods from 2012 to 2015 and 2016 to 2020, at a total cost of approximately $72 billion, or almost CFAF40,000 billion, spread over those years, with major private-sector involvement. The goal was to have the private sector provide at least 60 per cent of the financing, because we firmly believe in its ability to revive the economy and create jobs. Those investments have enabled a massive transformation of the economy and brought a growth rate averaging almost 9 per cent a year between 2012 and 2017. In some years, in fact, the growth rate has actually reached 9 per cent, and today it is around 7.5 per cent. With regard to peace and stability, and with the support of the United Nations and our financial and technical partners, we initiated and implemented a reform of the security sector and a vast and ambitious disarmament, demobilization and reintegration programme. The programme cost $200 million, 72 per cent of which was funded by the State of Côte d’Ivoire, and has resulted in the reintegration of more than 65,000 ex-combatants. Beyond that process, which we managed to carry out in three years, the country’s economic improvement has provided young people and ex-combatants with many employment opportunities. A country of 24 million inhabitants has created more than 2 million jobs since 2012. I am sure that the members of the Council themselves can see the importance of that job creation. Besides that, we are continuing to restructure and modernize the army, the security services and the judiciary to make them more effective and professional. At this point, I would like to pay tribute to our security and defence forces for their commitment to serving the nation, their professionalism and their respect for human rights, in particular during the terrorist attack on Grand-Bassam in March 2016. On the political front, the Government has taken almost complete charge of all the elections that have been held since 2012, including the 2015 presidential election and the 2016 referendum, which gave Côte d’Ivoire a modern Constitution that does a much better job of guaranteeing the rights and freedoms of our citizens, especially women. All the elections have helped to consolidate democracy and the normalization of national political life in Côte d’Ivoire. Incidentally, we have just concluded a second round of local elections. The Government has also worked to strengthen good governance through the establishment of a high authority for good governance whose mission is preventing and combating corruption. We have also funded compensation for victims of the successive crises we endured, through a process that began in 2015 with the establishment of a special fund with an initial allocation of CFAF10 billion. Finally, we have launched several initiatives to promote and strengthen national reconciliation and social cohesion, including the establishment of structures such as a dialogue, truth and reconciliation commission, a national commission for reconciliation and the compensation of victims, and a Chamber of Kings and Traditional Chiefs, based on their role in settling conflicts and mediating at the local level. In August, acting on my desire to strengthen reconciliation and definitively settle the dispute relating to the 2010 post-electoral crisis, I introduced an amnesty law, aimed at the 800 or so individuals who had been prosecuted or convicted of offences related to the post- electoral crisis or to offences against State security. These initiatives have had significant results. Today all internally displaced persons have returned to their places of origin and virtually all Ivorian refugees have returned to Côte d’Ivoire. We live together in peace and tolerance. The case of Côte d’Ivoire should encourage the Council and the international community to take action when considering other post-crisis situations, however complex they may be. First and foremost — and here I completely agree with the Chairperson of the African Union Commission — post-conflict reconstruction, peace and lasting stability require a Government that derives its legitimacy from democratic and transparent elections. After that, what we found essential was the establishment and redeployment of a reliable and trustworthy Administration. Thirdly, what is needed is a credible reconciliation process and security- sector reform designed to create a professional army and security services. And the last requirement is an emergency investment plan both for providing basic social services and, of course, creating jobs, especially for young people. That process requires sustained political and technical support and significant financial resources, which post-conflict countries do not have. That is why it is important to ensure that the international community, and the United Nations in particular, remains decisively and resolutely engaged in such countries while evaluating the conditions it needs for an orderly withdrawal, as was the case in Côte d’Ivoire. However, we must recognize that peace, stability and development in a country emerging from crisis are also dependent on the regional security environment, as with my country in West Africa. When we see the situation in West Africa in general and in the Sahel, where there is intense terrorist activity in some regions, we must address those threats together as resolutely as possible. In that regard, I call on the Council to provide adequate and sustainable funding for peacekeeping operations in Africa, especially that of the Group of Five for the Sahel, an area that continues to be of major concern for Côte d’Ivoire and all the countries in the West African subregion. In conclusion, I want to once again express my sincere hope that I will see my country’s experience enrich the recommendations and decisions on States engaged in the complex processes involved in emerging from crisis and rebuilding post-conflict. Côte d’Ivoire is determined to spare no effort in providing help to that end, and that is why we will provide the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali, the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic and any other theatre of operations in Africa that may need our help with contingents that we have trained and equipped. I now resume my functions as President of the Council. I invite His Excellency Mr. Simeon Oyono Esono Angue, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Cooperation of Equatorial Guinea, to take the floor.

First of all, I would like to convey the apologies of His Excellency Mr. Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, President of the Republic of Equatorial Guinea, to the Security Council, as despite his desire to be here he was unable to participate in today’s important meeting, owing to previous State-related obligations. He has instructed me to convey to the Security Council his greetings of peace as well as his hopes for the meeting’s success. We also want to congratulate you, Mr. President, on your country’s assumption of the presidency of the Security Council for the month of December and on convening today’s meeting to discuss a very important issue with regard to peace and security in the world — that of post-conflict reconstruction and peace, security and stability. We have every confidence in your ability to carry out this important work. We also commend and express our gratitude to Secretary- General António Guterres and his entire team for their excellent and comprehensive briefing, which once again reflects the commitment of the United Nations to achieving peace, security and stability throughout the world. And we welcome His Excellency Mr. Moussa Faki Mahamat to the meeting. In recent times the African continent has been one of the world’s main victims of armed conflicts. It continues to be so, and it knows better than anyone its devastating consequences, in the form of political instability, poverty, human rights violations, damage to infrastructure and weakened institutions. Many African countries emerging from conflicts and wars have to face multiple challenges in the areas of the economy, infrastructure, reconstruction, poverty elimination, employment, education, public health and social security. In such situations, the international community should focus its efforts on providing genuine assistance to the countries affected with the goal of enabling them to achieve an economic recovery that prioritizes industrialization, the modernization of agriculture and the development of human rights, and in which the establishment of education programmes takes precedence. Education is an essential component in every country’s search for economic emergence. It is also important to recognize that peacebuilding is a long- term, complex and difficult endeavour that in today’s environment is encountering many new obstacles and challenges, and that demands serious consideration aimed at eliciting an appropriate response on the part of the international community. We have said before that no conflict can be settled easily and that peace can never be achievable or sustainable without the kind of measures that promote inclusive and balanced development for the benefit of all. The effort expended to resolve a given conflict must continue at the same level if development is to be achieved once the conflict has ended. That must be the absolute priority and inalterable policy goal in seeking definitive solutions to the world’s problems. There can be no peace without justice, and in order to consolidate peace processes and resolve conflicts, it is important that victims feel that justice has been done, since policies that permit impunity can engender vengefulness and hatred. That is why it is important to properly manage the relationship between maintaining peace and seeking justice. Humankind has always longed for the goals of peace and justice, two concepts that complement and mutually reinforce one another. Achieving justice is not simply a legal problem. It is closely linked to other political, economic and cultural factors. The ultimate goal of justice is stability and reconciliation, which are indispensable concepts in the quest for peace and stability, especially in post- conflict environments. That process must include the rehabilitation of our most vulnerable citizens, who are women and children. It is crucial to help countries emerging from conflict to design comprehensive strategies for reconstruction and sustainable development, tailored to the specific circumstances of their individual situations. There is no one-size-fits-all model for peacebuilding. In providing assistance, the international community must respect the particular idiosyncrasies of every country, and their specific points of view must be taken into account, as they have the greatest interest in their own stability and reconstruction. The international community must take that into consideration. Sustainable socioeconomic development should be the principal route to building peace and should also be its ultimate goal. Other important aspects, such as human rights or the rule of law, must not be unnecessarily prioritized to the detriment of economic and social development. The United Nations system should play a coordinating role so as to promote the effective implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and give priority to ending poverty and hunger. We call on the international community to focus more intently on the socioeconomic development of States in post-conflict situations. The security situation in several West African countries has stabilized in recent years and is returning to normal. Equatorial Guinea welcomes those success stories and is confident that under the impetus of the Governments and peoples of the region, they will achieve even greater success on the road to rebuilding and developing the region. The positive experiences of Côte d’Ivoire, Liberia and Sierra Leone deserve recognition, as they represent tangible practical examples of lessons learned and good practices. Countries in other African regions are embarking on similar processes. We are hopeful for their success and call on the stakeholders involved in the various conflicts to put the overall interests of their nations first and do their best to achieve stability and peace for their countries. The consolidation and success of those processes involve multisectoral actions, including the reform of armed forces, the promotion of justice, realistic economic programmes, successful political leadership and frank and inclusive dialogue, among other things. The desire for peace, stability and development is a common goal and shared aspiration of the States Members of the United Nations, especially on the African continent, where wars and conflicts persist. The need to put an end to those conflicts as quickly as possible in order to create a secure environment for socioeconomic development has become the main priority of the international community, thereby requiring the significant support and assistance of the United Nations. The primary responsibility of the Council in the maintenance of international peace and security is both irrefutable and irreplaceable. In that regard, cooperation with the African Union and regional economic communities is essential to achieving satisfactory results. Equatorial Guinea is actively participating in the intense round of negotiations under way towards adopting — if possible this month and under Côte d’Ivoire’s presidency of the Council — a draft resolution aimed at providing predictable and sustainable funding through United Nations contributions to African Union peacekeeping and peace support operations. I wish to reiterate in this forum the request for the support of all here present to help make the aspirations of the African continent a reality. The equation is simple and clear: we Africans understand our own environment, which is where many of the conflicts taking place are bleeding us and destabilizing international peace and security, obstructing not only our full development but also preventing us from harnessing our undeniable potential. Our partners, on the other hand, have the means that could generate the necessary impetus to efforts seeking to bring peace and stability to our continent. That model of pioneering cooperation promises success and has every chance of being successful, and we should not waste this opportunity. Any endeavour to that end is fully justified. We also encourage Member States to ensure the full participation of women and young people in peacebuilding processes. It is widely recognized that the participation of women is crucial to the success of economic recovery, political legitimacy and social cohesion. National and international actors must recognize the potential of young people as agents of positive change. In order to achieve that, educational systems must be rebuilt and young people must participate and have a voice in the rebuilding of their societies. To conclude, we would like to remind Member States that, while partnerships and other forms of support, such as funding, are of the utmost importance in post-conflict reconstruction, one of the preconditions for successful foreign assistance is that those that provide it should resist the temptation to impose their preferred solutions upon the receiving country. It is essential that the countries receiving support determine their own goals and priorities and establish policies that are most likely to realize them. A successful strategy can therefore be developed and implemented only through realistic and active cooperation between donors and recipient countries. It is imperative that donors and partners do not impose upon host countries the nature, timing and sequence of economic policies, each of which could result in unacceptable social costs and the risk of conflict. The Republic of Equatorial Guinea reiterates its continued support for the work of the Peacebuilding Commission and the United Nations in general.

I would ask that the representative of the Republic of Equatorial Guinea convey my gratitude to President Obiang Nguema Mbasogo for having appointed him as the representative of the Republic of Equatorial Guinea. I now call on Her Excellency Ms. Sigrid Kaag, Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.

The Kingdom of the Netherlands reiterates its condolences on the death of former President of the United States of America George Herbert Walker Bush. (spoke in French): At the outset, allow me to thank the President of the Republic of Côte d’Ivoire, Mr. Alassane Ouattara, for having convened this important debate. (spoke in English) I also wish to thank the Secretary-General, Mr. António Guterres, and the Chairperson of the African Union Commission, Mr. Moussa Faki Mahamat, for their contributions to today’s debate. As we have heard, Côte d’Ivoire is an excellent example of a country that is no longer on the Security Council’s agenda, but instead represents a valued member of the Council. In bringing its experience to the table, Côte d’Ivoire provides valuable support to other countries and the Council, as highlighted in the examples given by the country’s President. Like Côte d’Ivoire, the Kingdom of the Netherlands believes that it is essential for the Security Council to focus more sharply on equitable post-conflict social and economic development, reconstruction and reconciliation, as part of the broader international peace and security agenda. The Council was created to improve the lives of people — to provide men, women and children with an opportunity to live their lives in peace and security and to enjoy sustainable development. And peace and security are so much more than the absence of armed conflict. When we ignore that fact, we see war-torn societies reaching fragile peace deals, only to fall back into armed conflict when international attention drifts away. And, as members of the Security Council and the international community, we find ourselves discussing missions, mandates and budgets to fix things that should not have been broken in the first place. It is in all of our interests to realize that sustainable peace and conflict prevention require an integrated approach, one that is sustainable and includes social and economic development from the outset — that is essential. But let me underline that the Kingdom of the Netherlands believes that the most successful form of prevention is to make sure that there is no need for the Council to address a particular country situation. That requires the collective effort of States, the entire United Nations system and international institutions, be they financial or social, to tackle the root causes and prevent instability from going down the line. Conflict prevention is the cornerstone of the integrated foreign policy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, and it has been a priority during our tenure on the Council. We have invested in timely risk analysis on climate change, as well as the failure and impact of the failure to respect human rights, which is needed to help not only prevent conflicts from starting or emerging but also to ensure a sustainable transition from conflict to peacebuilding and durable peace. The Joint United Nations-World Bank study entitled Pathways for Peace: Inclusive Approaches to Preventing Violent Conflict, highlights the importance of addressing inequalities and exclusion in ensuring sustainable peace. I would like to add environmental sustainability to that list. Three points are crucial in that respect. First of all, environmental sustainability is no longer optional within the menu of economic development. Over the past year, the Security Council has seen, in many countries, that climate change, food insecurity and water stress increase tensions, which ultimately may lead to conflict. Therefore, efforts to build up the economy after conflict must take those challenges into account to ensure resilience, energy transformation and innovative approaches to achieve those goals. That is particularly relevant when it comes to food security, which needs no further elaboration. This year, all countries around the table have shown the courage and political will to recognize that fact through the unanimous adoption of resolution 2417 (2018), on conflict and hunger. In that regard, I commend the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs for taking up its mandated task earlier this year with respect to Yemen and South Sudan, the latter a country that turned seven years old this year and is home to 7 million people at risk of severe food shortages. But there is also more that we can do as an international community if we want to more systematically respond to food insecurity and the risk of famine. We need to safeguard agriculture-based livelihoods and secure the means to produce food — even or especially — during conflict. That requires innovative partnerships that also include the private sector and, of course, financial institutions. A second point we would like to address is inequality. Economic development must provide opportunities for all. Women and girls can and will be powerful agents of socioeconomic change, but we must provide them with equal opportunities, especially access to education, inclusive financing and land rights. As for children, the great challenge is to equip all children in developing countries — but particularly those in conflict or under threat of conflict — with the skill sets they need, no matter the group they belong to or the region they come from. An instrument that is often forgotten but very helpful in reducing inequality in post-conflict societies is the provision of psychosocial support to all those who have suffered trauma as a result of conflict. The Netherlands is proud to announce that it will host a conference on that particular theme in the latter half of 2019, drawing attention to the importance of psychosocial support and the political will to back it, as well as the financial means and capacity to provide assistance to those who need it the most and are the most vulnerable. Finally, following the principle of leaving no one behind, in order to ensure that everyone can participate and no one is truly excluded, societies need to develop strong and inclusive institutions, strengthen the rule of law and demonstrate respect for human rights for all. Access to justice is also the focus of the ministerial meeting which will be held in The Hague on 6 and 7 February 2019. It is part of the third Justice Task Force Conference, which the Netherlands co-chairs with Sierra Leone, Argentina and the Elders. The rule of law and strong, inclusive institutions are good for business and for attracting and retaining investments. It is what makes it possible for a country to make the transition from an economy of war to an economy of peace. Respect for human rights is instrumental in all of that. We have seen time and time again that disregard for human rights leads to conflict. That is why we believe the Security Council should request timely briefings about human rights situations of concern. And it is why we supported human rights briefings on Syria, North Korea and Iran. I would like to conclude by stating that the Kingdom of the Netherlands stands with Côte d’Ivoire, and indeed with Secretary-General Guterres, in its quest to reform the United Nations system. It is our quest to promote and ensure the implementation of an integrated approach by all of us and the system, along with the three outlined pillars. We have the tools to embark upon that task — the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 16 on peace, justice and strong institutions. They are the ultimate prevention agenda. Together, it is incumbent upon us to promote a proactive United Nations system that acts to prevent conflict in a timely manner through improved risk analysis and early warning, one that acts to resolve conflict, including through better peacekeeping. We need a United Nations system that acts to sustain peace by ensuring that root causes are properly addressed in all strategies and mandates and by treating the wounds of conflict through transitional justice and accountability for the perpetrators of human rights abuses or through support for those who have suffered the most. Those will always be the priorities of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. I would like to take this opportunity to express my sincere and personal commitment to pursue those goals long after our Security Council membership. We will not stop. We will remain strong and steadfast, as always, as a partner in peace, security and justice.

I would ask that the Dutch representative convey our gratitude to Prime Minister Rutte of the Netherlands for our debates and for having appointed her to represent the Netherlands.

I would like to begin by conveying our condolences on the passing away of former President George Herbert Walker Bush. We express our sympathy to his entire family. President Bush was an old friend of the Chinese people. Over the years, he witnessed and promoted the historical development of Sino-American relations and made positive contributions to the friendly relations between our two peoples. I welcome you, Mr. President, to New York to preside over today’s debate. I thank Mr. Moussa Faki Mahamat, Chairperson of the African Union Commission, and Secretary-General António Guterres for their briefings. China commends Côte d’Ivoire for setting the theme of today’s debate — Post-conflict reconstruction and peace, security and stability”. Maintaining peace, building peace and achieving lasting peace are important responsibilities of the Security Council. Post- conflict countries are now confronted with the pressing task of economic development. Only when people’s basic needs are met and their livelihoods guaranteed can peace be consolidated and a relapse into conflict avoided. The concept note prepared by the presidency of Côte d’Ivoire (S/2018/1063, annex) is highly illuminating. As for the role that the Council should play in this process, I would like to make the following three observations. First, it is important to respect the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations and the basic norms governing international relations. We must respect the national sovereignty and ownership of the countries concerned, while helping them to craft a development path tailored to its national specificities. Priority should be given to capacity-building, helping countries achieve early transitions and self-driven development. Secondly, equal emphasis should be given to development and security, and both the symptoms and root causes of conflicts should be addressed. Poverty and underdevelopment are the major sources of conflict. The international community should comprehensively advance the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, strengthen global partnerships for development and honour aid commitments in order to promote sustainable peace through sustainable development. Due attention should be given to building institutions, enhancing social cohesion and progressively allocating more resources to development areas. Thirdly, we must enhance the role of the United Nations in post-conflict reconstruction. United Nations field offices should uphold their respective mandates. Those in development areas should focus on fulfilling their development mandates and attach importance to strengthening cooperation with regional and subregional organizations. The international community should actively support African countries in implementing the African Peace and Security Architecture Road Map (2016-2020) and the African Union’s Agenda 2063, and encourage regional organizations to play an active role in the reconstruction of post-conflict countries in the region. The poor are usually among the most affected and most vulnerable in the context of conflicts. Accelerating poverty alleviation and achieving development are urgently needed for consolidating the post-conflict peace dividend. As the most populous developing country, China is deeply aware of the link between development and people’s well-being. It is our abiding commitment to share development opportunities and results with other countries around the world. We have actively assisted developing countries, including those in post-conflict situations, through South-South cooperation. The Beijing Summit of the Forum on China Africa Cooperation was successfully held in September. We were very pleased to see President Ouattara, Chairman Faki Mahamat and Secretary-General Guterres there. At the Summit it was decided that China and Africa would focus on eight major initiatives in the next three years — industrial promotion, infrastructure connectivity, trade facilitation, green development, capacity-building, health care, people-to-people exchanges and peace and security — in the form of Government assistance, as well as investment and financing by financial institutions and companies. A total of $60 billion in financing will be provided to African countries. President Xi Jinping’s Belt and Road Initiative, an international public good offered by China, has become the world’s single largest platform for international cooperation. We welcome the participation in the Initiative of all parties and countries. We are pleased to see the remarkable achievements that Côte d’Ivoire has made with regard to its post-conflict reconstruction. In recent years, its economy has maintained an annual growth rate of over 8 per cent. China has been actively engaged in the reconstruction process in Côte d’Ivoire and has provided support and assistance to the best of its abilities. Chinese peacekeepers participated in the United Nations Operation in Côte d’Ivoire. The projects in that country that have been completed with Chinese aid, such as the farmland and water-conservancy projects and the construction of rural schools, continue to have a positive impact. The Soubre hydropower plant, financed by China, became operational in December 2017. It is the largest hydropower station in West Africa and has generated thousands of job opportunities for the local community. China will continue to take concrete actions to support Côte d’Ivoire and other African countries in their reconstruction and development endeavours. Before I conclude, I would like to recall that the first President of Côte d’Ivoire, Félix Houphouët- Boigny, once said that the dream of humankind should go beyond simply having a home to live in or a piece of bread to fill one’s stomach. He said that Africa should strive to realize the dream of building a greater human family. Alongside other countries, including African countries, China stands ready to contribute to achieving lasting peace and common prosperity in post- conflict countries and to play a strong role in building a community with a shared future for humankind.

Today the American people mourn the loss of President George H. W. Bush, the forty-first President of the United States of America. We thank the Security Council and the many delegations and colleagues who have offered their condolences since his passing. Allow me now to make a short statement in his memory. President Bush exemplified a fearless sense of duty to his nation through his lifelong commitment to public service. On his eighteenth birthday, he enlisted in the United States Navy to serve his nation. From his time as a member of Congress, United States Ambassador to China, Director of the Central Intelligence Agency and as President of the United States, he guided our nation to peace and prosperity. He also shaped a freer, safer world, including with the United Nations, as Secretary- General Kofi Annan’s Special Envoy for the South Asia Earthquake Disaster and in this very Council as the United States Ambassador to the United Nations. Here, he worked selflessly to defend justice and promote peace. On a personal note, I had the honour and privilege to work for President Bush. He was the first sitting President of my country whom I met personally. I met him for the first time in New York 27 years ago, in 1991, during the high-level week of the General Assembly. He made an indelible impression as a man of great decency and great dignity. He also left a legacy of towering foreign-policy achievements. We honour the legacy of President Bush. His unwavering commitment to public service and his accomplishments in both war and peace will continue to inspire generations to come. I would like to thank the President of Côte d’Ivoire, Mr. Alassane Ouattara, for having gathered us today to identify concrete ways in which the Security Council can support peacebuilding and sustaining peace around the world. This meeting provides an opportunity to identify best practices in peacebuilding. It also allows us to reflect on peacekeeping missions that still have a long road to travel before peace is restored. It is our hope that we will leave today with a renewed collective commitment to working with the United Nations peacebuilding community to support each country seeking to transition to a post-conflict environment. The Council spends much of its time addressing conflicts marked by open fighting, active violence and significant loss of life. But once the hard work of achieving a ceasefire has taken hold, such conflicts often fade from the front pages and from the Council’s agenda. It is precisely at that moment when the quieter and arguably harder work begins to heal a society torn apart by conflict. While that work has historically been the responsibility of national Governments or non-governmental organizations, the United Nations has recently scaled up its capacity to play a leading role in peacebuilding. The Secretary-General’s move to integrate the Peacebuilding Support Office into the Department of Political Affairs was a signal that the United Nations is seeking to break down institutional silos and marshal the full expertise of the United Nations system to complete that task. The recent report of the Secretary-General on peacebuilding and sustaining peace (S/2018/43) lays out a number of important recommendations, including the development of integrated strategic frameworks, United Nations Development Assistance Frameworks and greater United Nations cooperation on the ground. While some progress has been made, we encourage the United Nations to push forward on the full range of proposals. Some of those proposals may require new resources. We encourage countries to provide additional voluntary contributions to the Peacebuilding Fund, but we do not support efforts to tie a percentage of the peacekeeping budget to the Fund. On the whole, greater coordination and communication across the United Nations peacebuilding system should not require additional financial outlays. We face a collective challenge in our approach to peacebuilding. Our statements today will all support the peacebuilding efforts of the United Nations. However, we may all have different, undefined visions of what that work should encompass in each context. To remedy that, we encourage the United Nations, in each specific instance, to identify a vision for an achievable end-state and align resources and stakeholders to get there. Optimally, the United Nations would identify that desired end-state at the start of a peacekeeping mission and pair it with an achievable exit strategy. In that scenario, once the mission had fulfilled its mandate, United Nations efforts would transition to peacebuilding support. Côte d’Ivoire and Colombia are two models of United Nations peacebuilding that have benefited from a clear vision of a more peaceful future. In June 2017, the United Nations Operation in Côte d’Ivoire (UNOCI) closed its doors after having successfully provided support to the peace agreement of 2003 and having helped to address the 2010 political unrest. We made the right call as the Council to terminate a mission whose objective to stabilize a post- conflict country had largely been accomplished. Côte d’Ivoire also recognized that the closure of UNOCI meant not that its task had been completed, but that the hard work of peacebuilding was just beginning. The Peacebuilding Commission has been actively engaged across the country, from standardizing identification documents and formalizing citizenship rights, to organizing election-focused civil-society dialogues. The strong coordination among the Security Council, the United Nations peacebuilding community, the Government and local citizens has enabled Côte d’Ivoire to overcome conflict and restore peace. President Ouattara, we recognize the difficult task that you faced, as well as your critical leadership in building a more peaceful society. With regard to Colombia, the Council approved a narrow and specific mandate for a United Nations special political mission tasked with the monitoring and verification of the ceasefire between the Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia–Ejército del Pueblo (FARC-EP) and the Government of Colombia. As a result, the FARC-EP relinquished thousands of weapons and explosives, became a political party and participated in recent elections. The successor mission, the United Nations Verification Mission in Colombia, now monitors security guarantees and the reintegration of FARC-EP members into Colombian society. Colombians in the Mission are now working towards the full implementation of a comprehensive peace plan. They are embracing a collaborative, inclusive approach that is already delivering dividends for peace. In our support for post-conflict reconstruction efforts, the United States has identified several common best practices. First, the international community should treat a peace deal or a ceasefire as only the first step in a long process. Secondly, post- conflict reconciliation takes time and cannot be rushed. Thirdly, local actors in societies as a whole must buy into the transition. President Ouattara, you worked with those goals in mind as you supported your country’s transition. The Peacebuilding Commission understands those dynamics and is well positioned to support that critical work elsewhere.

Mr. President, I would like to thank and congratulate your country for having convened this important meeting. Your presence today among us is a testament to the importance that Côte d’Ivoire attaches to peacebuilding. (spoke in Spanish) We also welcome the presence of Secretary-General António Guterres. We thank him and Mr. Moussa Faki Mahamat for their briefings. In 1992, the term “peacebuilding” appeared for the first time in Secretary-General Boutros Boutros-Ghali’s report “An Agenda for Peace” (S/24111), which defined it in its paragraph 21 as “action to identify and support structures which will tend to strengthen and solidify peace in order to avoid a relapse into conflict”, with the goal of overcoming the devastating effects of war and armed conflict and building peace processes. That launched one of most important and pivotal undertakings of our Organization, one aimed at strengthening post- conflict States. Peacebuilding is indeed a key tool, in the framework of ownership and accountability on the part of Member States, for addressing, in an appropriate manner, challenges pertaining to the restoration of State order, the rehabilitation of administrative structures, the restoration of domestic security and the rule of law, and, of course, development. On the other hand, to fully build peace, it is necessary to address the root and structural causes of conflict. It is also pivotal to foster a common understanding of the factors that trigger conflict, sharing information garnered from early-warning mechanisms regarding potential conflict, devising conflict-prevention mechanisms, coordinating joint actions and ensuring mutual support throughout the various stages of conflict response and management. As we have stated on several occasions, cooperation with regional and subregional organizations is key. The relevance of such cooperation is reflected in the work of the African Union, through the Peace and Security Council and subregional organizations, as their efforts have made possible significant progress in conflict prevention, which is facilitated when such bodies share with the United Nations their views on the situation and in so doing promote a better understanding of a crisis and a unified approach to its settlement. We believe that the process of the institutionalization of such cooperation should continue in order to ensure fluid communication that allows for direct consultations, better coordination of early-warning mechanisms, conflict analysis and common strategies developed on the basis of comparative advantages. Peacebuilding is closely tied to the important links between good practices, lessons learned and the strengthening of interactive dialogue and coordination between the General Assembly, the Security Council and the Peacebuilding Commission. We are in full agreement with the strategic plan devised by the Peacebuilding Support Office, which is aimed at ensuring that complementarity among peace and security initiatives, national ownership and gender and youth inclusivity, at all levels, form vital building blocks in the elaboration of a strategic partnership in the quest for effectiveness and flexibility, with a view to bringing about lasting peace. In our view, our Organization and the international community as a whole has learned an important lesson: that of Côte d’Ivoire. In that country it has been demonstrated that peacekeeping operations can achieve their goals in a context where the host Government is a reliable partner that is deeply committed to upholding its responsibility towards the citizens whom it serves and to whom it has a duty — making it clear, of course, that peacekeeping operations cannot substitute for national political will or national efforts to overcome the problems that triggered the conflict. We would underscore the fact that in recent years Côte d’Ivoire has made tangible progress on all fronts owing in large part to the efforts of its citizens, with the support of the United Nations and other partners. The political climate has stabilized following three peaceful electoral processes, allowing for economic growth and for all citizens to share in the dividends of peace, and strengthening the processes of security- sector reform and of the disarmament, demobilization and reintegration of former combatants into civil society. We also underscore the importance of ongoing efforts to promote reconciliation and social cohesion, so as to enhance citizens’ perception of the security forces deployed in their communities, which is a crucial element at the post-conflict stage. We agree that there can be no development without peace or peace without development. We therefore believe that it is vital that the international community as a whole pool and redouble its efforts to bolster synergies between peacekeeping and peacebuilding activities when necessary, in the framework of the relevant remits, in order to achieve our fundamental goal of the maintenance of lasting peace in the framework of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. To conclude, we would stress that lasting peace should be sustained through the use of political tools in order to reach negotiated solutions. We strongly urge that efforts to achieve peace be made by means of multilateral mechanisms, in strict accordance with the Charter of the United Nations.

We wish to begin by conveying our condolences to the people and the Government of the United States on the sad passing of former President George H.W. Bush. We wish to honour his memory and legacy. We welcome the convening of this debate and the important briefing delivered by Secretary-General António Guterres. We wish also to welcome your presence, Mr. Ouattara, and to thank you for your important message. We are also grateful for the presence of the Chairperson of the African Union Commission and of other high-level officials. Peru agrees with other speakers that have underscored the importance of sustained, inclusive economic growth and post-conflict reconstruction to building and sustaining peace. We would in particular underscore the good practices of Côte d’Ivoire. Achieving lasting peace requires broad national consensus around the issue of the reconstruction of affected areas as well as economic revitalization. Opportunities should be created and tangible benefits ensured for the population, in a spirit of equity and transparency, promoting the return of displaced persons and ensuring that priority attention is accorded victims. It is therefore necessary to consolidate inclusive and accountable institutions that are capable of reducing inequality and ensuring access to justice and the rule of law, in line with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The international community must support efforts to achieve these goals, on the understanding that there can be no development without peace or peace without sustainable development. In that connection, we would underscore the important role of the United Nations, particularly its Peacebuilding Commission. In that context, we would stress three points. First, we would underline the need to foster social cohesion and political consensus. Rebuilding a conflict-affected country must have as a foundation the reweaving of its social fabric. There can be no lasting peace if we do not at the same time make progress in the area of national reconciliation, guaranteeing access to justice and promoting human rights. It is therefore vital to foster the emergence of new political stakeholders that are committed to rebuilding a shared future. The participation of women and young people in this process is key. Our second point is that we must make transparent investments in inclusive and resilient infrastructure. Post-conflict reconstruction requires major investments in infrastructure, which creates jobs and relaunches the economy. However, in order to attract the necessary investments and safeguard the legitimacy of the national institutions charged with promoting them, preserving the rule of law is crucial. Citizens must be able to see that infrastructure is being rebuilt with transparency, without corruption or discrimination, for the benefit of all sectors of society. Moreover, given the increasing frequency of natural disasters related to climate change, it is vital to ensure that any new infrastructure is resilient, in keeping with the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030. My third point is the responsibility of the international community. The proliferation of conflicts in today’s world is linked to growing inequality within and among countries, as well as to vulnerability to global phenomena such as climate change, violent extremism and transnational organized crime. Modern conflicts are also characterized by their cross-border impact. Refugee crises have serious political consequences for many countries. Fluctuations in natural-resource prices affect all economies. In an irreversibly interdependent world, it is vital to bolster multilateralism and international cooperation and develop partnerships with regional and subregional organizations, financial institutions, the private sector and civil society in order to effectively respond to the challenges that we all face. In that light, and to conclude, we wish to emphasize that supporting the reconstruction of conflict-affected countries and in general promoting sustainable development is not only an end in itself but also an effective and efficient means of preventing conflicts and maintaining international peace and security.

We are pleased to welcome you, Mr. President, to the Security Council. First and foremost, I would like to echo the words of condolence that my colleagues have expressed to the American people and to the family and friends of the forty-first President of the United States of America, the late Mr. George Herbert Walker Bush. He served his country faithfully, first on the field of battle during the war years and then in high governmental positions. Mr. Bush did much to strengthen Russian-American cooperation on matters of international security and earned sincere respect in my country. We thank you, Sir, for organizing today’s Security Council meeting on post-conflict peacebuilding, and we are grateful to the Secretary-General for his views and for his serious attention to peacebuilding issues. For many years United Nations peacebuilding assistance has been an important tool for helping States to deal with the consequences of conflicts. As a rule, countries that have survived the hot phase of a crisis do not have the human and institutional resources to resolve the whole complex of problems facing them on the security, law-and-order and socioeconomic development fronts, as well as other pressing issues, which is why they may need international assistance. At that sensitive stage, the main tasks for a country are establishing national reconciliation and restoring safe living conditions for its population as a whole, as crucial conditions for preventing relapses into armed conflict and transitioning to sustainable development. Many issues related to the early stages of peacebuilding are included in the mandates of United Nations peacekeeping operations. In fulfilling their main task of helping to advance peace processes, peacekeepers make an important contribution to establishing the initial conditions for the start of a full- fledged recovery. However, it should be understood that peacebuilding’s key efforts take place at the national level. Those efforts do not consist in a short list of objectives but in a long process that begins before the drawdown of a United Nations mission and continues afterwards right up until all the goals have been successfully implemented. In that way it differs from international peacebuilding assistance, which is necessary only until the host State achieves self- sufficiency — that is, the ability to exist without critical support from the international community. As we have seen in practice, the help that is provided during a conflict is not always effective, since it is often impossible to consolidate its positive results and the processes have to be started again from scratch in the event of a relapse into conflict. International peacebuilding assistance therefore gets results only when it is accompanied by a sustainable truce and a political process. While the primary responsibility for developing and implementing peacebuilding strategies unquestionably belongs to Governments, all national stakeholders should recognize their shared responsibility for peace. It is difficult to conceive of effective post-conflict recovery, let alone development, without constructive contributions from all segments of society. As for international support, it should be based on the Security Council’s fundamental resolutions 1645 (2005) and 2282 (2016), which outline the basic principles of peacebuilding — the consent of host States, respect for its sovereignty and political independence, and the recognition of national ownership and leadership. Needless to say, international peacebuilding assistance should aim to enhance host States’ national capacity and independence, not act as a substitute for their functions. With regard to the work of the United Nations in the area of peacebuilding, it is important to strengthen its internal coordination and maintain its division of labour in accordance with the existing mandates of the various Secretariat departments. In developing peacebuilding assistance programmes, it is important to bear in mind that each country’s situation is unique and each has its own reasons for where it has ended up. A one-size-fits-all approach simply will not work. Every option for international peacebuilding assistance must have the unconditional support of the host State or risk exacerbating existing problems. The key role in coordinating peacebuilding assistance belongs to the Peacebuilding Commission. That intergovernmental advisory body’s potential has still not been fully realized. It would be particularly helpful to the Security Council to have information about the national peacebuilding priorities of States whose situations are on both bodies’ agendas. The transmission of that information and the Commission’s unanimous advice could be an excellent complement to the Secretary-General’s reports without duplicating them. That would be especially helpful during the transition from the peacekeeping to the peacebuilding stage, or when the Council reviews missions with a view to increasing their cost effectiveness. Needless to say, where financing United Nations peacebuilding assistance is concerned, an increase in predictability would not go amiss. We believe that the best way to encourage Member States to make voluntary contributions is by ensuring proper transparency and accountability in the use of the funds provided. In conclusion, I would like to emphasize that we firmly believe that only an impartial and transparent approach to peacebuilding and sustaining peace can ensure the effectiveness of efforts in this area. It is important to provide that assistance in support of the efforts of host States themselves without imposing ready-made solutions or unnecessary mentoring. The main purpose of peacebuilding is to help States get back on their feet as soon as possible and manage their sustainable development issues independently.

I would like to convey our deepest condolences following the death of Mr. George Herbert Walker Bush, forty-first President of the United States of America, a great patriot and a humble servant of his nation and also a faithful friend of Poland. Our sympathies go especially to his friends and family. (spoke in French) I would now like to thank the Secretary-General, as well as the Chairperson of the African Union Commission, for their very informative briefings. I would also like to congratulate Côte d’Ivoire on its assumption of the Council presidency for the month of December and to wish you every success, Mr. President, as well as to commend the Chinese delegation for its work during the month of November. (spoke in English) For more than 70 years, since the founding of the United Nations, building sustainable peace has been the holy grail of the international community. We have worked very hard to find it and to fulfil the dreams of so many, but so far to no avail. There have always been new challenges and obstacles, such as conflicts and violations of human rights and international humanitarian law. In order to tackle them, we should deploy a broad spectrum of activities within the competencies of all the Organization’s three pillars of peace and security, development and human rights, which are all interlinked and mutually reinforcing. We cannot ensure long-term peace and security without addressing development and human rights. When they are connected, they are stronger and more effective, and that is why I would like to focus on those issues. First, with regard to the peace and security pillar, peacebuilding and sustainable peace are a fundamental condition for development. To that end, the United Nations should comprehensively address conflicts by using every available instrument, from prevention through peace settlement and peacekeeping to comprehensive post-conflict restoration. We should all underline the importance of sustaining peace through multidimensional peacekeeping operations, so as to strengthen national ownership and capacity and seek greater coherence among United Nations system actors, including through joint platforms such as the global focal point for the police, justice and corrections areas in the rule of law in post- conflict and other crisis situations. Let me now turn to the second pillar: development. The complex nature of challenges in post-conflict areas requires the combining of forces to target economic, political and social inequalities, using needs- based structural interventions and reforms, social inclusiveness, reintegration and policy advice. It is essential that the needs of the vulnerable, who suffer as a result of conflict, not be ignored. Furthermore, it is imperative to build resilient societies that are economically and socially empowered. Our own role in this regard should include sharing responsibility and proving our solidarity with those in need. However, humanitarian aid alone will certainly not be enough. National and local actors need to assume responsibility and leadership to the greatest extent possible. The role of Governments is essential to strengthening investment in human development, including providing better-quality education and access to health care, both of which will contribute to a higher level of development, while equal access creates the opportunity for all to prosper. Policies should facilitate the implementation of universal, adequately funded health-care systems, and provide free and universal primary and secondary education. It is crucial that discrimination against ethnic and religious minorities in the labour market and in access to public services be prevented. Policies should support incoming populations by providing necessary basic socioeconomic services. That brings me to my third point: human rights. There is no successful peace process without full respect for human rights. Respect for human rights means social cohesion. Every member of a society has the right to be equal and secure. Non-respect for human rights in many parts of the world creates instability. Young people also have a place in the human rights pillar. When young people in a region experience great frustration and desperation, the stage is set for destabilization. Fostering the participation of young people is crucial for effective implementation of the peacebuilding and sustaining peace agendas. Equally important is the empowerment of women. Women’s meaningful participation in all aspects of peace and security is critical. In conclusion, sustainable peace can only be achieved when all segments of society are empowered and included on an equal basis. Countries in post- conflict transition periods need to develop adequate capacity to take responsibility for their own development, security and stability. In this regard, Poland congratulates the people and the Government of Côte d’Ivoire on the progress they have achieved in the country’s post-conflict transformation, which is a cornerstone for long-lasting peace and stability and economic prosperity.

I thank President Ouattara for travelling to be with the Security Council today. I would join other speakers in expressing my personal condolences as well as those of my Government and of the Queen on the death of President George H.W. Bush, whom I had the honour to meet a number of times. He was indeed a great statesman. As the President and Mr. Faki Mahamat did, it is also worth noting once more the passing earlier this year of Kofi Annan, another great statesman who worked very closely with President Bush. Both of them had at the heart of what they were trying to achieve everything that this debate is about today. I therefore thank the Côte d’Ivoire delegation for putting it on our agenda. I thank the other Ministers for coming to join us at the Security Council. I think that it is very good that we have been able to have the benefit of Côte d’Ivoire’s own experience. Too seldom in the Security Council do we hear of its successes. We wish the Government of Côte d’Ivoire well in everything it has achieved, and long make it continue. We salute all the reforms that Côte d’Ivoire has brought in. Another piece of good news that the Council was able to participate in recently concerned the lifting of sanctions on Eritrea. This kind of success in Africa is very much welcome. A number of speakers have drawn attention to the fact that two-thirds of the armed conflicts that ended in the early 2000s relapsed within five years. It is therefore vital that we remain focused, not just on resolving conflicts, but on sustaining peace in the long term. I would like to focus my remarks on three key lessons today. First, and as other speakers have noted, a political settlement needs to include the full spectrum of society, including women, including the Polish focus on human rights, including what the Dutch Minister said about women and girls and education. All of this is vital if peace is to be sustainable. We need to be bold in this approach. We recognize that it can often be extremely difficult in the aftermath of a conflict to be magnanimous and reach out to all sectors of society. Nevertheless, it is a very critical element. In the British experience in Northern Ireland, we believe that we were able to accommodate the interests of diametrically opposed armed groups in the political process that has brought two decades of peace. It is important also that we engage with elites and that we encourage them to take the lead, rise above political, ethnic and religious divides, and take tough choices for the benefit of all of their citizens. It is all on our minds that the peace talks in Yemen are about to start. We look to all participants to approach these talks constructively and in a spirit of compromise. Secondly, post-conflict power structures and institutions need to be fully representative and legitimate. Fair power structures that broaden inclusion, accountability and transparency over time are more likely to reinforce a sustainable peace. That said, there must be a political agreement. We are all aware that in Iraq, Libya and Afghanistan unresolved power struggles undermined ambitious State- and institution-building. Syria becomes even more important in this context. We will not be able to consider providing reconstruction assistance absent a political settlement. It is also worth pointing to the virtues of patience. The World Bank estimates that making meaningful improvements to institutions takes a minimum of 10 years. The Peruvian representative spelled out the vital importance of getting things like infrastructure right. The conclusion from this idea is that long- term, predictable and coordinated support from the international community as a whole is obviously going to be critical if peace is to last. Bosnia represents a successful example in that particular context. The success of its transition to a peaceful State over 20 years after the Dayton Accords is noteworthy. This is due in part to the collaboration and support of the Security Council, the European Union, NATO and many others, including civil society and non-governmental organizations. In fact, Paddy Ashdown, who was the High Representative in Bosnia, had three particular lessons for managing the end of a conflict. The first was “Do the rule of law first.” His second rule was “Have a plan and stick to it.” And his third rule was “Be prepared for it to take a long time.” We often approach things in haste, and obviously do not condone backsliding, but the key is to keep moving forward with patience. Thirdly, we need to ensure that basic needs are provided in the short term, and support economic development in the long term. The provision of basic needs is vital to the alleviation of immediate post- conflict humanitarian needs, but also to ensure political processes have the capacity to develop and thrive. Development itself needs to be inclusive and create widespread benefits to ensure groups are not inadvertently left behind. The International Labour Organization’s Decent Work Agenda and its Programme on Jobs for Peace and Resilience rightly emphasize the importance of employment-centred recovery and accessible opportunities for society to grow and for cohesion. That all helps to reinforce the Sustainable Development Goals. If we want to ensure that the 2 billion people, who live in countries affected by conflict are not trapped in a cycle of violence, then we must address instability head-on. It was very good to learn of the African Union’s Agenda 2063, which will clearly have a key role to play in that regard. It is impossible to touch on all the ramifications of this important subject, but I thank you again, Mr. President, for sharing Côte d’Ivoire’s experience with the Council and for starting a very thorough discussion of the issue.

At the outset, Mr. President, I would like to welcome and thank you for your presence with us today in the Security Council. We are grateful to the delegation of Côte d’Ivoire for convening this important meeting. We also thank Secretary-General Mr. António Guterres and Mr. Moussa Faki Mahamat, Chairperson of the African Union Commission, for their valuable briefings. The post-conflict period requires an integrated strategy in the political, security and economic spheres — which are considered fundamental pillars for building and sustaining peace and vital factors for promoting security and stability. Many important elements are required to achieve that, first and foremost political determination, security, stability, sustained funding for early recovery, and lasting medium- and long-term financial investment. The presence of Côte d’Ivoire in the Council today as a non-permanent member bears witness to the importance of the post-conflict period. Côte d’Ivoire was able to successfully emerge from a serious long- standing crisis once the appropriate political and security environment was established. That was achieved after Côte d’Ivoire undertook serious and effective economic reforms in a number of vital sectors — such as agriculture, industry, mining and investment — that helped avoid a relapse into conflict. The Peacebuilding Commission also played a crucial role in building peace and reconstruction efforts, alongside the United Nations Operation in Côte d’Ivoire, whose mandate ended in June 2017, as well as the peacekeeping troops of the Economic Community of West African States. Of the most important steps that should be taken by a State in any post-conflict situation is to embrace national ownership of the peacebuilding operation, as well as sincere political will to achieve national reconciliation while addressing the root causes of the crisis. The vital role played by the Dialogue, Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Côte d’Ivoire, which was established in September 2011 and tasked with investigating human rights violations during the conflict, contributed immensely to creating an environment of social harmony and political stability by bringing to justice those responsible for violations of human rights and perpetrators of crimes against humanity and war crimes. That was a crucial component of the successful transition process in Côte d’Ivoire. Experience has shown that, following the increase in military conflicts and the difficulties and obstacles faced by the Organization in certain cases, the efforts of the United Nations need support from regional organizations, in accordance with Chapter VIII of the Charter of the United Nations. It is also clear that regional organizations are in many cases better-suited to deal with conflicts owing to the fact that their operations are less costly, both materially and in human resource terms. They are also more capable of analysing information pertaining to maintaining peace and security in their respective regions. Close cooperation and effective partnership between the United Nations and regional and subregional organizations are therefore the first line of defence for the United Nations in helping to resolve regional problems, prevent their expansion and avoid threats to international peace and security. States emerging from conflicts often face economic deterioration, destroyed infrastructure and an inability to provide basic services to their peoples. In order for those States to recover and be able to withstand hardships, the role of international financial institutions is crucial, first and foremost that of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund. Those institutions, in cooperation and partnership with the United Nations and its specialized agencies, including the Peacebuilding Fund, can contribute to reconstruction, development and job-creation. Those States would then be able to discharge their functions in the best possible way, with a view to achieving sustained economic growth, which represents the best guarantee to avoid a relapse into conflict. In conclusion, we reiterate our full support for the Secretary-General’s reforms and his efforts to restructure the peace and security pillars within the Secretariat. Achieving Goal 16 of the Sustainable Development goals is important in order to establish peaceful societies and build effective institutions.

Let me begin by again expressing to our American friends, as President Macron did, our deepest sympathies on the passing away of President George Herbert Walker Bush. It is a great honour for all of us to host President Alassane Ouattara today. On behalf of France, I would like to warmly thank you, Mr. President, and through you Côte d’Ivoire’s presidency of the Security Council, for having taken the welcome initiative of holding this crucial meeting on the issue of post-conflict reconstruction. The fact that this initiative originated from Côte d’Ivoire lends it particular importance and significance. Côte d’Ivoire is in many ways a model of post- conflict recovery and reconstruction, as well as a source of inspiration for our work here at the United Nations. This meeting also comes at a pivotal moment for the United Nations, with the major reforms under way to the peace and security pillar, which are helping to put the sustainability of peace at the heart of our efforts. In that regard, I would like to thank the Secretary- General and the Chairperson of the African Union Commission for their important briefings, engagement and exemplary partnership. I will address the three inseparable dimensions of post-conflict reconstruction, namely, economic reconstruction, the reconstruction of institutions and the reconstruction of what I call living together. My first point concerns the reconstruction of the economic fabric. Repairing what the war destroyed is the first urgent need following a conflict, that is, roads, infrastructure and the means of production. It is about allowing economic life to resume. Montesquieu said that the natural effect of trade was to bring about peace. History has repeatedly shown us that the resumption of economic exchanges is often the best guarantee of lasting peace. The remarkable resurgence of economic activity that Côte d’Ivoire experienced after a decade of civil war is emblematic in that regard. The courageous decisions that you took, Mr. President, greatly contributed to that. No peace is secure if people do not feel concrete effects in their daily lives. We must also see to it that no one is left behind during the crucial phase of post- conflict reconstruction, including ensuring that growth is sufficiently inclusive so as not to sow the seeds of tomorrow’s conflicts. Post-conflict reconstruction relies on the mobilization of all actors, including international financial institutions and multilateral and bilateral donors, but also the private sector. That is how France is directing its efforts as part of its prevention, resilience and sustainable peace strategy, adopted this year, which aims to involve the private sector. It is indeed one of the keys to economic recovery, which is essential to lasting peace. Everyone sees that there can be no lasting peace without sustainable development. That is why post-conflict reconstruction must fully integrate the objectives of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. My second message is about rebuilding institutions. We know that good governance, which of course is itself one of the main goals, also allows societies and States to be more crisis-resilient. Post-conflict reconstruction therefore also means the rebuilding of institutions. It is fundamentally about rebuilding the social contract, in a spirit of Government accountability and the restoration of the rule of law. All the examples demonstrate that judicial institutions have a major role to play in this phase of reconstruction: victims must be able to again turn to the courts with the requisite trust. That is one of the keys to success. The processes of security sector reform and disarmament, demobilization and reintegration are often also essential to rebuild an inclusive, law-abiding army and to return to the State the monopoly on the legitimate use of force. As President Ouattara recalled, the United Nations Operation in Côte d’Ivoire provided valuable support to the Ivorian authorities in that area. My third message is about what I referred to earlier as rebuilding living together. After a conflict, especially after a civil war, it is society itself that must be repaired and rebuilt by working to reconcile yesterday’s enemies. That is why peace must be prepared for as early as possible, ideally from the beginning of the conflict. In that spirit, we fully support the Secretary-General’s reform of the peace and security pillar, which is aimed at better calibrating the mandate of peacekeeping operations and preparing the political solution from the start of a crisis. I also commend the valuable work of the Peacebuilding Commission, as a complement to the work of the Security Council. To succeed, we must also act at the community level in order to facilitate reconciliation on the ground. What happens on the ground is always the gauge of peace. The Peacebuilding Fund is an extremely effective tool for carrying out targeted actions in that regard. Although they are not always visible, they nevertheless remain essential to community reconciliation. I also welcome the Secretary-General’s determination to focus more on young people and women, the latter often being the first victims of conflict. In that respect, I welcome your commitment, Mr. President, to the equality of women and men and the fight against gender-based violence. Discrimination, which perpetuates violence, must be combated without mercy in and of itself, but also because it slows the reconstruction process. Women play an irreplaceable role in re-establishing links and working for reconciliation; but they can exercise that role only if they are guaranteed a safe environment in which their voice is heard. Similarly, involving young people in the peace process means giving a voice to future generations and creating the conditions for a more lasting peace. France is fully committed, at the bilateral and multilateral levels, to working for conflict prevention and peacebuilding, particularly in the crucial phase of post-conflict reconstruction. For example, France has set up a fund for peace and resilience to support recovery from crisis and restore social cohesion in four regions: the Sahel, the Lake Chad basin, the Iraq-Syria zone and the Central African Republic. The fund, which is partially financed by a tax on financial transactions, is endowed with €100 million per year, an amount that will increase to €200 million annually by 2020. Before concluding my remarks, I would like to echo your call, Mr. President, as well as that of Chairperson Moussa Faki Mahamat, concerning African peace operations. As President Macron reaffirmed in his address to the General Assembly in September (see A/73/PV.6), France fully supports the initiative of the African Union aimed at the adoption of an ambitious draft resolution on African peace operations before the end of the year. That essential initiative has been carried forward by the African Union and the Security Council for several years now. Significant progress has been made since the most recent resolutions adopted on the subject, whether in terms of contributions to the African Union Peace Fund — up to $74 million — or the achievement of human rights compliance frameworks. Our common understanding of the added value of African peace operations and their necessary complementarity with United Nations peacekeeping operations has been strengthened. Today they play a major role on the African continent. It is therefore time to recognize the important efforts undertaken by the African Union and its member States, including the commitment to finance 25 per cent of African peace operations, and allow those operations to enjoy predictable and sustainable financing from United Nations mandatory contributions.

I ask the representative of France to convey my gratitude to President Macron for his message to me yesterday.

I wish to join others in expressing our condolences to the people of the United States for the loss of former President George Herbert Walker Bush. (spoke in French) I would like to thank you, Mr. President, for having organized this debate on post-conflict reconstruction. (spoke in English) I would also like to thank the Secretary-General and the Chairperson of the African Union Commission for their insightful remarks. Let me start by commending the Government and the people of Côte d’Ivoire for their resilience and efforts to restore peace and stability and boost economic growth. Positive stories like your country’s, Mr. President, are rare and far apart, but they serve as an important source of hope and guidance to many. Your experiences have also been valuable for our work in the Security Council, including in our joint work regarding the United Nations Office for West Africa and the Sahel. Post-conflict reconstruction and transition can be successful only in the context of broader political, economic and social reforms. As this debate has illustrated, there is a multitude of challenges that need to be addressed, including the effects of sexual and gender-based violence. The resulting trauma, stigma, poverty and poor health can echo across generations. In response, socioeconomic integration support is necessary to restore community cohesion. Ensuring justice and reparations for victims remains crucial across the board, as well as being a key component in restoring the fabric of society. The foundation for such restoration and reconstruction is laid by peacekeeping operations. Formulating appropriate mandates with a comprehensive political solution at the core is key. An exit plan anchored in national development planning processes to ensure national ownership needs to be formulated at an early stage of the mission. Integrated work across the United Nations system is also needed to ensure that transitions are just that — a transition rather than a termination of one kind of support and possibly the beginning of another for reconstruction. Predictable and coherent peacebuilding during and after transitions, including how we finance the system, is another vital part of a comprehensive approach. The Peacebuilding Fund is an important tool in that regard. The commitment, as formulated in the Action for Peacekeeping initiative, to support United Nations agencies, funds and programmes is also critical. As Chair of the Liberia configuration of the Peacebuilding Commission (PBC), Sweden had the honour to work with Liberia through its transition. As the peacekeeping mission withdrew, the PBC worked to support and enhance national ownership, as well as to sustain international attention, including by mobilizing financial and political support. Many important lessons were learned from the transition in Liberia, and the PBC can now also function as an important platform to share those lessons. Peace and security must not be seen in isolation, but rather as closely connected to socioeconomic factors that drive both resilience and fragility. The joint United Nations-World Bank report Pathways for Peace: Inclusive Approaches to Preventing Violent Conflict identifies exclusion, inequality and power imbalances as principal causes of conflict and violence. In many countries, growing inequalities fuel social unrest and impede sustainable economic growth. Consequently, policies that strive towards equality, in its broadest sense, create more peaceful societies. As the economy starts to grow again in the aftermath of conflict, it is important to pay attention to rising economic inequalities. Sweden has introduced the multi-stakeholder initiative Global Deal for Decent Work and Inclusive Growth, developed in cooperation with the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development and the International Labour Organization. It builds on the notion that a well-functioning social dialogue and sound industrial relations are key elements for coming to terms with a wide array of societal challenges by forging trust and paving the way for inclusive growth. As part of recovering, it will at some stage also be important to gain capacity to participate in the international trading system in a free, equitable and sustainable way. To eradicate poverty and promote sustainable and inclusive growth and development, we need more trade, not less. As the Secretary-General pointed out earlier, we need a holistic approach. The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, as well as the African Union’s Agenda 2063 and the sustaining peace resolutions, offers that framework for long-term approaches to building societal resilience and tackling the root causes of conflict. It is all there. We know what needs to be done, and we have to do it. In line with the sustaining peace resolutions, we must move away from the sequential approach to conflict, which often results in silos of conflict prevention, humanitarian action, human rights, peacekeeping, peacebuilding, the rule of law and development. And, of course, the women and peace and security agenda is not an add-on, but must be universally integrated if sustaining peace is to be achieved. We thank the Secretary-General for constantly reminding us how critical it is to link the three fundamental pillars of the United Nations, namely, peace and security, development and human rights. To end where I started — with the Peacebuilding Commission — the PBC is well placed to contribute to this holistic approach; it should be better utilized. The PBC is a key adviser to the Security Council when it comes to sustaining peace. The Commission can convene actors for broader peacebuilding perspectives spanning across the peace and security-human rights- development nexus. It can also assist with regional approaches, work to strengthen national ownership and develop partnerships for innovative solutions. In its current role as coordinator between the Security Council and the Peacebuilding Commission, Sweden has worked to deepen the dialogue between the two bodies. The PBC has made important progress on targeted context-specific advice and engagement in transitions and mandate discussions. We believe that there is broad support for consolidating those gains and solidifying the cooperation between the Council and the PBC. In order to capture best practices and further deepen the dialogue between the Security Council and the PBC, Sweden has presented a draft presidential statement on the Commission’s support to the Council’s efforts on sustaining peace. We look forward to Council members’ constructive engagement on that initiative. Sweden will continue its cooperation for successful transitions and reconstruction and, by doing so, also remains committed to the sustaining peace agenda.

At the outset, on behalf of the Government of Kazakhstan, my delegation joins others in conveying our deepest condolences to the United States and its people on the passing away of a great statesman, former President George Herbert Walker Bush. He was the one who recognized the independence of Kazakhstan after the dissolution of the Soviet Union and will be remembered dearly in our country. We warmly welcome you to the Chamber, Mr. President, and congratulate you on chairing your delegation’s important signature event. We also thank the Ivorian presidency for highlighting the importance of peacebuilding and sustaining peace and giving us an opportunity to learn from its experiences, which range from emerging from a long conflict to holding a seat on the Security Council. We join others in commending this great accomplishment. We also express our gratitude to His Excellency Mr. António Guterres and His Excellency Mr. Moussa Faki Mahamat for their commitment to bringing sustainable peace to Africa. My delegation would like to offer the following observations based on Côte d’Ivoire’s lessons. Conflicts today are accelerating at an unprecedented pace and intensity and are aggravated by the many new emerging threats — terrorism, extremism, weapons of mass destruction, organized crime, all forms of illegal trafficking, migration, refugee influxes, human rights violations, unmitigated climate change, deep-seated poverty and multidimensional injustices. Therefore, the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Secretary-General’s new agenda for peace, Action for Peacekeeping, and reforms provide us with the most viable way forward. They should further reinforce regional plans, such as Agenda 2063 and the Silencing the Guns in Africa initiative, which must be supported by the Peacebuilding Commission and the Peacebuilding Support Office. Hence peacebuilding and sustaining should be a priority, through a strategic and coherent approach for conflict-prone and -affected countries, from the first early warnings and not as a post-conflict intervention. International attention must be paid to prevention. As United Nations efforts in Côte d’Ivoire proved, we must also overcome prevailing fragmentation and silo-like strategies within the United Nations system itself. The focus on laying the foundation for enduring peace in some challenging areas is critical, such as democracy-building, national security, the rule of law, local governance, public administration, economic and financial structures, social services and reconciliation. Mediation, negotiations and confidence-building measures between the sides involved to resolve protracted, as well as newly emerging, conflicts are the building blocks of the peacebuilding architecture. They are best achieved through coordinating the efforts of the Secretary-General and his Special Representatives and Envoys, in conjunction with regional and subregional organizations, as well as the World Bank and African and European development banks. Bilateral donors and international aid agencies make a vital contribution, supported by South-South, North-South and triangular cooperation, to capacity- and institution-building and the reintegration of regional and national economies. Similarly, the changing nature of conflicts demands a new, robust and multidimensional strategy that combines peacekeeping, peacebuilding and sustainable development. Such a strategy should include climate mitigation and the conservation of precious natural resources. Those ultimate goals also call for a review of how we shape our mandates and implement them by broadening the concept of peace and stability from State-centred security to people-oriented security — from purely military to non-military security, which includes food, water and energy security — the key drivers of peace. In that process of sustaining peace and reconstruction, the women, youth, peace and security agendas must be overarching and is most crucial. In that regard, Kazakhstan firmly supports predictable and sustainable funding of United Nations-African Union-led peacekeeping operations and proposed a draft resolution on that matter. Based on our two-year experience in the Council — which included visiting the Horn of Africa, the Great Lakes region, the Lake Chad basin, Afghanistan, Colombia and Myanmar — or even taking the example of Côte d’Ivoire, Kazakhstan proposes strengthening multilateral system-wide coordination to improve the interlinkages between development and security with investments in education, job creation, health care, a revamped regional approach and the United Nations Delivering as One. This strategy is not new, but a robust combination of those elements can create a universal model to address conflicts and sustain peace in other parts of the world. We can also envisage creating a new United Nations paradigm for peacebuilding, sustaining peace and development with reflections from my President’s Manifesto: The World. The 21st Century, which proposes just economic structures among countries to eliminate conflicts by the United Nations centennial in 2045. In addition, through its code of conduct towards achieving a world free of terrorism, Kazakhstan has succeeded in building a platform of 80 countries to jointly implement the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy and eliminate that scourge by 2045. The First and Second World Wars began as a result of the lack of negotiations and dialogue, which still persists 73 years after the United Nations was founded. My President therefore recently proposed that the main world actors and peace guarantors — such as the United States, Russia, China, the European Union and others — address their differences and find political solutions together to threats to international security and sustainable peace. Kazakhstan believe that such a platform can have a great impact on peacebuilding and sustainable peace. The United Nations plays an irreplaceable role as the most universal, representative and authoritative Organization in the world. Kazakhstan will steadfastly continue to support the United Nations as the premier security envoy and forerunner of development.

Let me also join others in expressing our deep condolences to the Government and the people of the United States on the passing away of former President George Herbert Walker Bush. He will be remembered as a great diplomat, who sat in this Chamber, and a courageous statesman who, par excellence, exceeded any measurement of dignified leadership of our time. We thank Côte d’Ivoire for organizing this debate on peacebuilding and sustaining peace. We are very pleased, Mr. President, to see presiding over this important meeting. It is a demonstration of your very real commitment to this issue, as the leader of a country that has successfully managed to build and sustain peace. We are also very pleased to see Mr. Moussa Faki Mahamat, Chairperson of the African Union (AU) Commission, with us here today, and thank him for his statement on the African perspective on this topic, to which we fully subscribe. We also thank Secretary- General António Guterres for his remarks and the reforms that he is advocating. It has been rightly emphasized time and again that peace, security, development and human rights are inextricably linked. We therefore require closer collaboration among United Nations organs and other stakeholders to build peace and inclusive societies. It is absolutely essential to have coherence in policy and operations across the whole United Nations system. We must do away with all institutional fragmentation. Only then will we be able to ensure that peacebuilding and sustaining peace are placed at centre of the United Nations work and activities. That is exactly what the Secretary-General’s reform aims to address. When it becomes operational, hopefully next month, it will undoubtedly strengthen our ability to deliver effective and efficient operational support in the field. It will be particularly valuable in those complex security situations where both peacekeeping and special political missions are deployed. Equally, an important element will be to fully utilize the potential role of the Peacebuilding Commission to convene, link and advise with principal organs of United Nations. We need to scale up the Commission’s contribution to make sure that it promotes an integrated, strategic and coherent approach. It is also encouraging to note the comprehensive advice that the Commission provides to the Security Council on regional and country-specific issues. We welcome the Secretary- General’s reform in that regard, which underlines the hinge role of the Peacebuilding Support Office in linking peace and security with development and humanitarian efforts. My country believes that, in order to achieve our aim to sustain peace, we must enhance partnerships with other stakeholders. That should include regional and subregional organizations, international financial institutions, national Governments and various civil society and private organizations. We should make that active across the whole spectrum of the conflict cycle, including prevention, peacekeeping, special political missions, conflict resolution and peacebuilding. Complementing the work of the Peacebuilding Commission, the African Union’s peacebuilding efforts on the continent are in line with the implementation of the AU Post-Conflict Reconstruction and Development Framework, as well as the African Solidarity Initiative. We also hope that the Joint United Nations-African Union Framework for Enhanced Partnership in Peace and Security will play its relevant role in further strengthening that cooperation for peacebuilding and sustaining peace in Africa. Similarly, we welcome the signing of the African Union-United Nations Framework for the Implementation of Agenda 2063 and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development between the Secretary-General and the Chairperson of the African Union Commission. We certainly hope that, together with the Framework for Enhanced Partnership in Peace and Security, that will offer a comprehensive guide for United Nations and African Union cooperation in conflict resolution and peacebuilding. There is a crucial need to strengthen the synergy between the work of the Peacebuilding Commission and the African Union to address some of the difficult peace and security challenges that we continue to face, whether with regard to mission transition, early peacebuilding, reconstruction efforts or other areas. In that regard, we welcome the Peacebuilding Commission and the AU Peace and Security Council annual joint consultative meeting in New York in July. In addition, we would suggest that it is time for such meetings to be institutionalized and regularly scheduled. Let me emphasize that peacebuilding and sustaining peace must ultimately be the responsibility of national efforts. It must be owned nationally and inclusively. Sustaining peace requires the involvement of the Government, the private sector and civil society. The success of Côte d’Ivoire’s transition in peacebuilding shows how it can be done. That has been an exemplary case. The role of the United Nations and international partners must always be to help build regional, national and local capacities to sustain peace. Building the necessary confidence among Member States will provide the means to facilitate the implementation and operationalization of this new approach to peacebuilding and sustaining peace. I would like to take this opportunity to call on members of the Council to fully support the initiative on African-led peace support operations, which we believe is an integral part of our efforts to strengthen collective security through peacebuilding and sustaining peace. We have no doubt that that will be welcomed and successful.

I now give the floor to the representative of Burkina Faso.

Let me join other delegations in celebrating the memory of President George Herbert Walker Bush and expressing our deepest condolences to his family and the entire American people. At the outset, and on behalf of the President of Burkina Faso, Mr. Roch Marc Christian Kaboré, I would like to congratulate Côte d’Ivoire on assuming the presidency of the Council for the month of December and wish it every success in that role. I commend the Ivorian presidency for convening this high-level debate on the important topic of post-conflict reconstruction and peace, security and stability. Through me, President Kaboré also wishes to express his gratitude to you, Mr. President, for having invited him to this debate. He regrets not being able to attend due to his work timetable, but wishes Côte d’Ivoire every success in steering the work of the Council. I wish to commend China for its presidency of the Council in November and for convening, on 15 and 20 November, respectively, a meeting on the Joint Force of the Group of Five for the Sahel (see S/PV.8402) and a briefing on peace and security in Africa (see S/PV.8407). I also like to thank the Secretary-General and Chairperson Faki Mahamat of the African Union Commission, for their informative briefings. The success of post-crisis reconstruction plans represents an important catalyst for sustaining peace, stability and security in affected countries. The example that Côte d’Ivoire has set in that regard is rich in lessons learned. It has been able to secure a definitive exit from the crisis and implement a policy of post-crisis management. That is the result of the vision and leadership of President Alassane Ouattara and the Ivorian Government, which, at an early stage, identified and implemented appropriate measures to carry out the disarmament, demobilization and reintegration process and ensure national reconciliation and reconstruction. All of those measures enabled the Security Council, by its resolution 2284 (2016) of 28 April 2016, to end the mandate of the United Nations Operation in Côte d’Ivoire on 30 June 2017, which stands out in the history of United Nations missions, most of which end up with an indefinite mandate and duration. That is a good example for countries emerging from conflict situations — particularly in Africa — and for the Security Council itself. As the Council is aware, conflicts and crises are often multifaceted. Although not involved in an open armed conflict, Burkina Faso experienced a political crisis in 2014 and 2015 that deeply undermined its institutions and greatly strained its social peace and cohesion. During that period, the country benefited from the mobilization and support of the Economic Community of West African States, the African Union and the United Nations, through the funds — in particular the Peacebuilding Fund — that supported security sector reform projects, national reconciliation and the resilience of our population. After a period of transition, the newly elected Government had to take that situation into account in the implementation of its 2016 presidential programme towards a national plan for economic and social development. The plan was established in strict accordance with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and Agenda 2063 of the African Union. With the structural transformation of our economy through the reform of our institutions and the modernization of our administration, the development of human capital and the revitalization of the most buoyant sectors of our economy and labour market, the plan seeks to make Burkina Faso a country of strong growth, sustainability, resilience and inclusivity, while creating decent jobs, in order to consistently respond to the many needs of our people. Our ultimate goal is to create the conditions for inclusive and sustainable development and thereby eradicate the root causes of crises. However, as Council members are aware and as you recalled, Mr. President, since 2015 Burkina Faso has been confronting a recurrence of terrorist acts that have undermined peace and security in the country, the wider Sahel and the entire West African subregion. Aware that a military response alone is not sufficient to defeat terrorism, in 2017 the Government adopted an emergency plan for the Sahel that seeks to ensure that people in the northern regions and the Sahel — particularly women and young people, the most vulnerable and susceptible to radicalism and extremism — have access to basic the social services, employment, education and infrastructure necessary to their well-being. The emergency plan therefore represents a holistic response to the dual socioeconomic and security challenges faced in that part of the country. The establishment of sustainable peace must also and above all be articulated around the prevention of factors for internal State fragility. Conflicts are costly to States and the international community. There is therefore a need to prevent such conflicts from breaking out, persisting or deteriorating. That requires a combination of national, subregional, regional and international efforts, including those of the United Nations and strategic partners, with the full participation of women, which is indispensable. This is the appropriate forum in which to commend the important report of the Secretary-General on peacebuilding and sustaining peace, and all of the proposals therein (S/2018/43). The report particularly highlights the important role played by regional and subregional organizations in the peaceful settlement of disputes and welcomes African peacebuilding initiatives, such as the African Union’s policy on post-conflict reconstruction and development and the African Solidarity Initiative. To come back to sustaining peace at the national level, and fully aware that it is the primary responsibility of States themselves, the Government of Burkina Faso maintains an ongoing inclusive dialogue with its social partners towards a peaceful social climate. The creation of the High Council for Social Dialogue and the High Council for Reconciliation and National Unity, as well as the determination of our Government to see the truth flourish, justice prevail and reconciliation take place in a calm atmosphere, form part of that policy. I recall that, like other Sahel countries, Burkina Faso faces the challenge of preserving peace as a result of terrorist attacks, of which the use of improvised explosive devices has become the most recent mode of operation. It is therefore natural that our countries play an active role in initiatives to establish security in the Sahel, particularly through the establishment of the Joint Force of the Group of Five for the Sahel (G-5 Sahel). The success of the Force is imperative and a source of hope for the affected populations. We therefore wish to reiterate the necessity that it be placed under Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations. This is also an opportunity for my delegation to reiterate its appeal to the United Nations and all partners to ensure the necessary funding not only for the G-5 Sahel Joint Force, but also the Priority Investment Programme, which was established by the Organization and will hold its first donor and partner coordination conference tomorrow, 6 December, in Nouakchott. The challenges of peacebuilding and peacekeeping reveal the intrinsic links between peace and security, stability and development. It is therefore necessary that we adopt a holistic approach to the issue if we are to implement appropriate and sustainable responses. As was the case in Côte d’Ivoire, real political will, resolve, vision and leadership, and especially national ownership of the crisis resolution process, as well as the clearly defined support of partners in the international community as a whole, are undoubtedly key to success and will prevent post-conflict countries from falling back into crisis.

I would ask the representative of Burkina Faso to convey my gratitude to President Roch Marc Christian Kaboré for having appointed him as the representative of Burkina Faso. I now give the floor to the representative of Rwanda.

The delegation of Rwanda joins other delegations in conveying its heartfelt condolences and those of our Government to the Government and the people of the United States of America on the passing of President George H. W. Bush. His memory and exemplary qualities have been extolled here by several delegations and we align ourselves with their remarks. (spoke in English) It is my distinct honour to convey the congratulations of His Excellency Mr. Paul Kagame, President of Rwanda and Chairperson of the African Union, to Côte d’Ivoire and to you, President Ouattara, for presiding over the Security Council for the month of December. We also thank you for presiding over today’s debate. I would also like to thank the Secretary-General and Mr. Moussa Faki Mahamat, Chairperson of the African Union Commission, for their briefings. Rwanda fully associates itself with the statement delivered by Mr. Faki Mahamat. As many have said today, the theme of today’s debate is of central importance to our continent. Your country, Mr. President, serves as an example of a nation successfully rising out of conflict. Africa and Rwanda are very proud of what Côte d’Ivoire has achieved within a very short period. The theme for this debate — “Post-conflict reconstruction and peace, security, and stability” — reflects a reality of what is taking place not only in your country, but also in several African countries. It is therefore worth taking stock of lessons learned from your own experience. While the balance sheet of Africa’s peace and security dividend is not where we, as Africans, would like it to be, there are major positive developments that point to a bright future for the continent. Let me touch on a few continental issues before turning to a few observations based on Rwanda’s experience. The economic and political consequences of violent conflicts are enormous. They outweigh by far any conceivable investment in post-conflict reconstruction. Those consequences include the loss of life, property and infrastructure; the collapse of State institutions; insecurity; and often, a completely fractured social fabric. That is what we are dealing with when we look into what is needed to ensure that countries emerging from conflict do not relapse into conflict. We have observed that nations that have been successful in post- conflict reconstruction efforts share four pillars. The first is leadership — leadership that is ready to make difficult decisions to help people live and work together again, side by side, as mentioned by another delegation. Leadership is central in making sure that post-conflict reconstruction will hold. It must be able to convince people that even if they can exact revenge, it is the worst idea ever for post-conflict reconstruction. The second pillar is ownership. Post-conflict reconstruction processes can be sustained only if they are owned and led by people, local communities and Governments that concretely and tangibly express the will to truly rebuild and bring people together. The third pillar is institutions. We cannot overemphasize the centrality of strengthening State institutions to make them inclusive and accountable. The fourth pillar is partnerships, as has been emphasized by many speakers. It is in the fragile phase of the few years after the end of armed conflict that the support of the international community is needed more than ever. However, that support should be informed by national efforts and support national priorities. I would now like to share a few observations regarding Rwanda’s post-genocide reconstruction experience that, we believe, could also be useful to other nations. In the early reconstruction phase, we focused our efforts on three pillars. The first — security, peace and stability — is the foundation for any possible reconstruction effort. The second pillar is building our institutions, which were completely destroyed. The third pillar is ensuring that people will feel and soon enjoy the development dividend. The ultimate aim of any post-conflict reform is to create conditions conducive to self-sustaining economic growth and human development while addressing the major risk factors for conflict relapse. One of the key concerns must be ensuring inclusive processes. Very early on, we ensured that women and youth were fully included in the reconstruction process. The linchpin for post-conflict reconstruction is ensuring the restoration of security for all citizens and the stability of the nation. In the early years, we were able to demobilize and reintegrate more than 10,000 ex- combatants into our communities. Those ex-combatants had been involved in truly damaging conflict, such as killings. Re-engaging them and reintegrating them into our communities was not an easy undertaking because it also required the Government to ensure the security of local communities. However, those are the kinds of decisions that I was alluding to when speaking of leadership that is courageous enough to make some very difficult decisions and choices. You have demonstrated, Mr. President, that you are ready to make those difficult choices and decisions. The second priority for Rwanda in post-conflict reconstruction was to rebuild our institutions in such a way that they would deliver services to all citizens. In order to achieve that, the rule of law had to take root, the fight against impunity and corruption had to succeed, and we needed to ensure that all people were served equally. The reconstruction process must be inclusive if it is to take hold. We know that bringing women to peace processes adds value to the agreements reached. It is equally important to bring women on board and ensure that they are involved from very early on in post- conflict reconstruction efforts. Finally, people have to enjoy the development dividends of security and stability, which must bring changes to people’s living standards if they are to really support the Government’s efforts. In that sense, supporting countries that are emerging from conflict situations by investing in their development efforts is really an investment in maintaining peace and security, not only in those countries but in the regions to which they belong. Through the investments made in Rwanda, we have been able to lift millions of people out of poverty. Within a very short period, we have been able to double the country’s life expectancy. Those investments must therefore be concrete and very tangible. All the elements that I have briefly mentioned are complementary, not sequential. They must all be put in place and they cannot be put in place by countries alone. While they of course require the ownership and leadership of countries, they also require support, including the support of this institution. Rwanda’s experience shows that when we invest in people, inclusive and accountable institutions and sustainable development, peace, security and stability can become an irreversible reality.

I would ask the Rwandan representative to convey our gratitude to President Paul Kagame of Rwanda, Chairperson of the African Union, for having responded to our invitation by appointing her to represent Rwanda. I now give the floor to the representative of Japan.

I join others in expressing our deep condolences to the people of the United States for the passing of President George H. W. Bush, the forty- first President of the United States of America. I would like to express my appreciation to Côte d’Ivoire and President Alassane Ouattara for convening and presiding over this very important debate. It is an honour to be given a chance to speak here today. We believe that this discussion will help keep up the momentum for peacebuilding and sustaining peace, which is one of the most important issues for Japan. Let me also express my gratitude to Secretary- General Guterres and the Chairperson of the African Union Commission, Mr. Moussa Faki Mahamat, for their insightful briefings. I also thank the speakers before me for sharing the experiences of their own countries, which, I believe, has enriched today’s debate immensely. Japan believes that peace is not a transitory thing such as a ceasefire or peace agreement, but rather involves the continuous maintenance of security and stability long after an agreement is signed. A year ago this month, during its presidency of the Council, Japan convened an open debate (see S/PV.8144) that focused on the peace continuum. Speakers at that debate highlighted the importance of taking a comprehensive and integrated approach by embracing perspectives of the peace continuum, as well as the humanitarian, development and peace nexus. In order to achieve peace, security and stability in post-conflict countries, it is essential to build the State’s capacity and institutions and to strengthen trust between the State and its people. Peacebuilding and sustaining peace has become an area of high focus across the United Nations system and in particular within the Council and the Peacebuilding Commission. As the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan stated in 2016 when he presided over the Security Council’s open debate (see S/PV.7750) on peacebuilding in Africa, Japan has three principles on peacebuilding in Africa. First, there is an emphasis on people in the field. That belief goes hand in hand with the concept of human security, which, in partnership with all the relevant actors, aims at protecting and empowering vulnerable individuals with a view towards prevention. Secondly, living standards must be improved through inclusive economic development. It is crucial to ensure that all people can benefit from the peace dividend. The third principle is tolerance of diversity. While emphasizing universal values, Japan also respects the importance of ethnic diversity and local ownership. These principles are in line with the basic philosophy of the Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD): ownership and partnership. In the run-up to TICAD VII, which will be held in Japan next August, we hosted an eminent persons group to which we invited five former presidents of African countries to participate, and we discussed the challenges and measures towards the realization of peace and stability in Africa. We believe that Côte d’Ivoire is a good example of the peacebuilding and sustaining peace model. It is with great pleasure that Japan is currently implementing a project to promote reconciliation and trust between that State and its people by developing infrastructure and deploying experts. While we have taken many steps to advance peacebuilding and sustaining peace, there is still much to be done. How can we best utilize the Security Council, the Peacebuilding Commission and bilateral and multilateral ties in order to implement peacebuilding and sustaining peace? How can we leverage our efforts in an effective manner to make a difference on the ground? While there is no silver bullet that can solve all the issues at once, today’s debate offers an opportunity to have a deeper discussion on how to move that work ahead. That is why I thank you, Mr. President, for convening this meeting. For its part, Japan will continue its support, which includes contributions of both financial and human resources, in order to enhance peacebuilding and sustaining peace in the world.

I now give the floor to the representative of Senegal.

I join the other speakers before me in reiterating, on behalf of the people of Senegal, our deepest condolences to the delegation of the United States upon the passing of the prominent statesman and great figure of our time, the late President George Herbert Walker Bush. Mr. President, let me convey to you the enthusiastic regards of your friend and brother, His Excellency Mr. Macky Sall, President of Senegal, who, for the reasons he personally explained to you during your recent stay in Dakar, was unable to take part in this important debate. He also asked me to once again offer you his warm congratulations on the Ivorian presidency of the Security Council and on your choice of such a relevant theme for today’s debate, “Post-conflict reconstruction and peace, security and stability”. I would also like to pay special tribute to the Secretary-General, His Excellency Mr. António Guterres, for his strong commitment and judicious reforms and initiatives to promote peace and security in the world. I pay the same tribute to His Excellency Mr. Moussa Faki Mahamat, Chairperson of the African Union Commission, for his leadership in the effective engagement of that organization in African situations, whether they are theatres of conflict or theatres of post- conflict. I also welcome the presence of the President of the Commission of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), Mr. Jean-Claude Brou, and commend the important work that ECOWAS is carrying out in promoting peace and stability in our subregion. I cannot think of a country that would be better suited to lead today’s debate than Côte d’Ivoire. Indeed, that beautiful country — which was temporarily thrown off course by a crisis that almost wiped out its solid political and institutional foundations — was able to resist and overcome. Today, it has restored its rightful place in the community of nations in the most wonderful way possible. Senegal is linked to Côte d’Ivoire by close ties forged by history and determined by our inescapable common destiny. We are proud to have taken part in the normalization process of the situation in Côte d’Ivoire, first, within ECOWAS, at the outbreak of the crisis, and then, within the framework of United Nations Operation in Côte d’Ivoire, until the end of its mandate. Lessons learned from post-conflict reconstruction, particularly in Africa, reveal that the countries concerned are generally politically fragile, their institutions are often weak, their economies are vulnerable, their young people are facing unemployment and their infrastructures often need to be rebuilt. The challenges these countries face throughout the peacebuilding process are colossal. Their needs in terms of assistance are equally enormous, especially with respect to electoral assistance, reform of the justice and security sectors, disarmament, demobilization and reintegration (DDR), the strengthening of the health and education systems, and the recovery of economic activity and job creation. For the most part, these are countries where everything needs to be rebuilt following the ravages of war, which, beyond the lives lost and the buildings and infrastructures destroyed, shake the very foundations on which these States are built. As a result, post- conflict reconstruction remains a broad issue of great complexity. Adequately undertaking post- reconstruction therefore requires an approach that is comprehensive, as the Secretary-General said earlier, as well as coordinated, and must take due account of the many security, political, institutional, economic and financial challenges, among others. All these factors are, of course, inextricably linked. Beyond national reconciliation, stabilizing the security situation in a post-conflict country is certainly a prerequisite for the rest of the reconstruction process. The example of our dear neighbour, Mali, with which we share a common destiny, clearly reveals the negative impact that security problems can have on post-conflict recovery efforts. Stabilizing the security situation must therefore remain a priority in actions undertaken in this context. That is why, in addition to DDR activities, we must also combat the circulation of arms and restructure the defence and security forces into republican forces capable of ensuring order and security in those countries. While post-conflict reconstruction requires significant resources over long periods of time, funding for peacebuilding activities remains limited, irregular and unpredictable. If peace is to be sustained, the restoration of security must go hand in hand with economic and social development. The lack of sustainable and predictable funding is a major impediment to the implementation of national post- conflict reconstruction programmes. The process of developing such programmes is fortunately increasingly taking into account the principle of national ownership and the involvement of all national stakeholders. It is therefore necessary to emphasize the importance of maintaining and strengthening the support provided to countries transitioning towards peace so that they can continue to benefit from the attention of the international community, especially in terms of sustainable and predictable funding. This means that the commitments made at donor conferences, which are often slow to materialize, must be fulfilled. The example of the successful transition in Côte d’Ivoire reminds us that the success of that critical phase of peacebuilding is a fundamental element in preventing relapses into conflict and a guarantee for the return to lasting stability. The transition to sustainable peace is a most demanding undertaking that requires early planning, which must take due account of the conditions and objectives to be achieved in order to allow any peacekeeping operation to succeed. In this respect, it is necessary to ensure from the outset that peacekeeping missions can create the conditions necessary to a smooth transition, including drawdown and withdrawal, without compromising efforts aimed at achieving the long-term goals of peace and stability. To that end, peacebuilding activities should be developed from the earliest stages of a mission, orienting efforts towards strengthening national capacity, governance and the rule of law, while tackling the deep structural and socioeconomic problems that these countries often face and promoting the maintenance of effective political dialogue and coordination among the various stakeholders. Above all, it is important to work towards the creation of conditions conducive to the transfer of functions to the countries concerned at the time of the peace operation’s withdrawal. Admittedly, this is a very difficult endeavour, but also a very achievable one, as evidenced by the successful experience of your country, Mr. President, as well as Sierra Leone and Liberia, among others. Various speakers today have highlighted efforts undertaken at the international, regional and subregional levels to help conflict-affected countries find their way back to sustainable stability. However, these efforts are often undertaken by various actors whose interventions are not always well coordinated or in harmony, which limits their impact on the ground. Therein lies the advantage of the concept of sustaining peace, the cross-cutting dimension of which calls for the building of synergies — especially among the various relevant actors — to develop coherent and holistic strategies and approaches for promoting lasting peace. In this vein, the strategic partnership between the United Nations and the African Union and its regional organizations must be strengthened in order to maximize their full potential for sustaining peace. This implies, inter alia, greater interaction between the Peacebuilding Commission and the relevant organs of the African Union in order to develop better coordination and streamline efforts on the ground, thereby enhancing complementarity and eliminating duplication. This also requires joint assessments of the nature of the challenges to peace and security in Africa, which are becoming increasingly complex. Finally, there must be ongoing dialogue in order to best harmonize support for countries on the peacebuilding agenda.

I ask the representative of Senegal to thank President Macky Sall for his hospitality and kind words addressed to me. Before adjourning this meeting, I wish to thank the members of the Security Council, the international community and the countries we invited to attend for sending their representatives, as well as the members and non-members of the Security Council that spoke today. I also wish to extend special thanks to my brothers Mr. Moussa Faki Mahamat and Mr. Jean- Claude Brou for coming to be here with us today. This debate has been particularly rich and enriching. I have learned a great deal by listening to today’s speakers. I too would note that reconstruction and reconciliation are long-term endeavours. We need to get to work; we cannot let ourselves believe that we have already won the battle. Relapse is a very real possibility and we must remain highly vigilant. The Government and the people of Côte d’Ivoire will greatly benefit from the important statements, comments and remarks made today. The resolutions that will emanate from our presidency in relation to peacekeeping will be beneficial for everyone, particularly for the African continent. We will endeavour to provide appropriate solutions. I would like to highlight that this has been a wonderful moment for me and for the people of Côte d’Ivoire. We are very proud to have had this opportunity, for which I thank the Council both personally and on behalf of my delegation.