S/PV.8900Resumption1 Security Council

The President (spoke in Spanish): I wish to remind all speakers to limit their statements to no more than four minutes in order to enable the Council to carry out its work expeditiously. Flashing lights on the collars of the microphones will prompt speakers to bring their remarks to a close after four minutes. I now give the floor to the representative of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela.

Mr. Moncada (Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela) (spoke in Spanish): We appreciate the convening of this meeting, and we welcome, Mr. President, your presence here among us at this meeting. There are Powers in the international order that, by promoting exclusion and inequality, act as true makers of conflicts. Their attempts to impose a particular vision of the world undermine global diversity and lead them down the path of coercion. Those conflicts are usually the result of attempts to impose rules of conduct that are contrary to international law and violate the Charter of the United Nations. The making of conflict is driven, guided and financed by a permanent member of the Security Council, which, sensing a decline in its influence, seeks to restore its dominance by intervening in the internal affairs of other States. To that end, it employs political destabilization, disregard for the expression of citizen majorities in elections, the financing of mercenaries and terrorists and economic coercion by applying unilateral coercive measures that undermine the authority of the Security Council. It imposes group unilateralism and purports to have exclusive moral authority in matters of democracy and human rights. Moreover, that country believes that it has a clear destiny that allows it to engage in espionage and threaten the use of force, in several cases going so far as the illegal use of force. Such acts of aggression against sovereign States are widely known in the world. We have seen how conflicts are fabricated so that, after plundering the sovereign resources of nations and plunging them into poverty, humanitarian appeals are made, or peacekeeping measures are ordered, that take decades to alleviate the wounds opened by the initial conflict. In the case of Venezuela, the implementation of unilateral coercive measures by the United States of America demonstrates that country’s violation of the exclusive authority of the Security Council and the United Nations Charter. The United States Government has waged an illegal campaign of aggression against the Venezuelan people, with coercive measures that lead to poverty, destroy national development and violate human rights, in order to provoke a crisis that will allow it to intervene in our internal affairs. Those actions become crimes against humanity when they intensify amid the worst pandemic that the world has suffered in a century. It is a systematic attack that particularly strikes the most vulnerable sectors of the civilian population. It is a policy of cruelty calculated to gain colonial advantage through suffering and pain. We must also remember that there are several General Assembly resolutions that prohibit the use of essential goods, such as food and medicine, as instruments of political and economic coercion, and that under no circumstances should people be deprived of their own means of subsistence and development. All those resolutions are being violated by the Government of the United States of America. In conclusion, while poverty, inequality and exclusion are structural causes of conflict, there are countries that fabricate such causes through the illegal application of unilateral coercive measures in order to expand their domination over other sovereign States. The Security Council has at its disposal an effective tool for conflict prevention if it decides to immediately suspend all coercive measures applied illegally without its authority. We make that formal proposal to the States members of the Security Council in order to strengthen international peace and security.

The President (spoke in Spanish): I now give the floor to the representative of the Dominican Republic.

Mrs. Cedano (Dominican Republic) (spoke in Spanish): We appreciate the convening of this important open debate, through which Mexico rightly calls on us to address the interlinkage among exclusion, inequality, violence and conflict. For the Dominican Republic, it is only through a decisive response to those deep-rooted ills that we can achieve the legitimate aspiration of building peaceful and inclusive societies for all. The increase in violence, combined with the ongoing inequalities and social exclusion in many of our countries, has been the indisputable result of the crisis brought about by the coronavirus disease pandemic. We therefore agree that our response must include multidimensional measures to resolve such crises, based on a preventive approach within the framework of sustainable development and the protection of people’s dignity. The first step in that direction is a paradigm shift forcing us to anticipate and prevent the causes of violence, conflicts and humanitarian crises and enabling us to devote ourselves to working for peacebuilding. Violence, fragility and vulnerability can be addressed only through a vision for the future that is rooted in strong institutions, the creation of opportunities, respect for human rights and the meaningful participation of young people. To that end, we must better equip ourselves, from the local to the international level, for timely action by using political will to tackle the ills that hold back our progress, facilitating people’s access to a full life and bringing together, as we have done today, those who are the protagonists of such realities, including, most particularly, women. Taking their perspectives into account in the design of our actions is still a pending task in many areas of our work. That will be achieved only by systematically including them at the negotiations table and giving them a role in decision-making. We must acknowledge that, while none of this is new, weaknesses in our multilateral system persist that have prevented it from having a major impact on the lives and safety of millions of vulnerable people. The new social contract, which is being proposed at the current juncture, must therefore enjoy the imprimatur of the people, as well as here within the Organization, so that our efforts will not be temporary but structural. Accordingly, we will be able to overcome the obstacles in our way and open the door to a potential transformation enabling us to respond to shared challenges. If we are divided, we will not achieve our goals. Today, perhaps more than ever, at a time when many of our countries find themselves overwhelmed by the socioeconomic and financial consequences of the pandemic, the United Nations must stand in solidarity with and help those who are furthest behind, including those who have been unable to get back on their feet, owing to limited access to vaccines and the prevalence of underlying crises. It is not a matter of bailing them out but of helping them build for themselves a better and more just and inclusive future.

The President (spoke in Spanish): I now give the floor to the representative of Portugal.

Mr. Da Fonseca Fernandes Ramos (Portugal) (spoke in Spanish): Let me thank the Mexican presidency of the Security Council for taking this important initiative. (spoke in English) The risk of unrest and conflict is high throughout the world. As the gains to conflict prevention from poverty reduction measures become increasingly evident, it will be crucial to move towards the full implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals. Fulfilling them will lessen inequalities and exclusion, which will in turn contribute to a more peaceful and secure world. United Nations Member States must reinforce solidarity and cooperation, renewing their commitment to an effective multilateralism conducive to more just and inclusive societies. The Security Council should therefore continue to support conflict prevention and peacebuilding, as well as avoid a predominantly military outlook or management of existing crises. Human rights violations and abuses are not only a consequence of conflict; they are also an underlying cause of conflict. We support close cooperation between the Security Council and the Human Rights Council to foster the preventive mandate of both bodies. The link between poverty and insecurity is particularly evident in communities afflicted by terrorism. Terrorist groups exploit long-standing economic, political and social grievances, with a view to radicalizing and recruiting militants. That often takes place online. The most effective response to that issue involves not only Governments, but also civil society stakeholders, in particular Internet providers. We need to develop and implement socially inclusive policies, Internet monitoring and dialogue with local communities and religious leaders. Regional organizations also have a relevant role to play. As the Council has recently recognized, they have a vast knowledge of the root causes of conflict and help ensure local ownership by promoting trust and dialogue. They can contribute to improving coherence between development and security policies, which is most of all needed at an operational level. One of the major tenets of the Action for Peacekeeping Plus initiative is the need to keep dialogue open with local authorities and communities. Partnerships are essential. The convening role of the Peacebuilding Commission can be used to mobilize all stakeholders, and the Peacebuilding Fund can be employed to support the resilience of fragile communities. In closing, it is worth recalling that women and youth are disproportionately affected by economic insecurity. For that reason, their participation in sustaining and maintaining peace needs to be strengthened. They should be heard and engaged with when examining the links between poverty and security, and they must be a part of all the steps needed to address them.

The President (spoke in Spanish): I now call on the representative of Lebanon.

Ms. Mudallali (Lebanon): I would like to congratulate Mexico on assuming the presidency of the Security Council for this month. I also want to commend you, Sir, for choosing this topic and theme for the open debate. I am honoured and happy to be here before the Council for the first time since the beginning of the pandemic, with the inclusion of small States like ours. The work of the Council this year has carried particular importance, owing to the multiple challenges that humankind is facing. The pandemic has revealed our underlying problems, owing to the socioeconomic crisis, multiplying conflicts and climate change, as they have aggravated structural weaknesses. It also has unmasked inequality, exclusion and discrimination, raising concerns of instability. There is no better example of inequality than vaccine inequity. Today less than 10 per cent of the population in poor nations and less than 4 per cent of Africa’s population are fully vaccinated. The Security Council addressed the issue of vaccine inequality in resolution 2565 (2021), calling for strengthening international cooperation to facilitate equitable and affordable access to coronavirus disease vaccines in situations of armed conflict. But conflicts continue to rage, and vaccines continue to be scarce in many poor countries. The Charter of the United Nations, in Chapter I, puts prevention at the heart of the responsibility of the Security Council by identifying its purpose in the maintenance of peace and security. Although prevention runs throughout the whole United Nations document, it has not been one of the success stories of the Security Council. Conflicts are not resolved. They are managed today, and not well, if I may say so. It is true that the Charter focuses on inter-State disputes, while many conflicts today are within States, which creates tensions, especially over the issue of sovereignty and the principle of non-intervention in the internal affairs of other States. It is also true, however, that, although sovereignty is invaluable, there are issues that, if left unresolved, might lead to a threat to international peace and security. Grave human rights violations, atrocities, crimes against humanity and the uprooting of populations are a few examples of that. Occupation, like the continued Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territories, is another major source of conflict. The Security Council can prevent conflict by implementing its own resolutions. There is also the exclusion of youth from decision-making, especially with regard to issues that affect their future, such as issues involving climate, jobs and freedoms. Women’s exclusion can leave half of the public sphere full of resentment and lead to failed States, as some studies show. That makes it imperative in the Security Council to prioritize prevention, but with new approaches that work. Prevention has to engage the whole United Nations system. It has to work within the nexus of peace, security, development, climate and conflict. Peace and security have to be the thread that ties all of them together in an inclusive way. It also has to work with the General Assembly. The close work, cooperation and coordination between the Security Council and the Peacebuilding Commission (PBC) are essential in prevention, but the Peacebuilding Commission has to widen its scope and the themes that it tackles, adding more regions to its agenda. Climate and conflict should be addressed in the PBC and be included on its agenda. The Middle East is a pertinent example of how conflicts are the main obstacle to development and peace. The Middle East is a tinderbox today. The Security Council can benefit from a United Nations early-warning system, as well as from a strong consultations system. Virtual meetings have limited interaction with other Members over the past year and have shown that online negotiations were not conducive to reaching diplomatic compromises or preventing a slide into conflict. Today, however, with the nearly full return to normalcy, there should be an added emphasis on prevention through interactive and in-depth discussions on areas of concern around the world, not prepared statements. In order to succeed in prevention, the Council needs good, reliable and objective information and analysis at its disposal. The absence of such information or its weakness in terms of its quality or neutrality can prejudice the work of the Council, but, most importantly, it can negatively affect the work of the elected members of the Council, especially small States that lack resources. Prevention succeeds only when the Council has the political will to do that. United Nations offices and officers on the ground are the best source of such first-hand information and analysis. Unfortunately, the pandemic has restricted the work and movement of personnel in many regions. Nevertheless, it continues to be invaluable. United Nations analysts should maintain impartiality and objectivity, while remaining independent and courageous in not bowing to pressure from or being too friendly to the country they cover. Pressure from local authorities, intimidation and threats, including by expelling United Nations personnel or closing offices, should not be tolerated. The Security Council needs to stand firm on that issue and not allow a precedent to be created. The Security Council has to uphold its responsibilities concerning the maintenance of peace and security around the world. To better do so, it must address the root causes of conflict and implement its own mandate, including that of prevention.

The President (spoke in Spanish): I now give the floor to the representative of Ecuador.

Mr. Espinosa Cañizares (Ecuador) (spoke in Spanish): First of all, allow me to congratulate Mexico on its contribution to the work of the Security Council since January of this year, which is also reflected in the adoption of a substantive agenda for the month of November, under its presidency. I also thank the President of Mexico, the Secretary- General and Lourdes Tibán Guala, representative of the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, for their substantive briefings earlier today. For Ecuador, today’s debate is crucial as it allows the Council and the Organization to focus on the issue of conflict prevention. With the twin resolutions 2558 (2020) and 75/201 of 21 December 2020, the Security Council and the General Assembly reaffirmed that peacebuilding and sustaining peace should be considered as both an objective and a process in order to ensure that the needs of all segments of a State’s population are taken into account. The Security Council and its members should work together to facilitate the implementation of the comprehensive outcome of the 2020 review of the United Nations peacebuilding architecture, including with funding from the Peacebuilding Fund. Ecuador supports international initiatives, including, in particular, those promoted by the United Nations and the Council itself to overcome the cycle of food insecurity caused by conflict, which brings with it the risks of famine and severe malnutrition. We remain extremely concerned about the food situation in Haiti, as reflected in the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs humanitarian response plan, as well as in various reports of the Secretary-General, which reveal that more than 4 million people have been affected by acute food insecurity in the country. That is in contrast to the unjustifiable waste of more than 1 billion tons of food worldwide every year, according to estimates provided at the United Nations Food Systems Summit, held on 23 September. We have only eight years left to achieve Goal 16 of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, on peace, justice and strong institutions. We have even less time remaining to address the factors that lead to fragile environments, such as climate change, extreme poverty and inequality. We agree on the fact that security and development are mutually reinforcing. We now need to move forward with a coordinated international response. As an Organization, we must promote efforts to improve the security of health systems and infrastructure. We must promote access to safe drinking water and sanitation. We acknowledge that a considerable segment of the world’s poor live in rural areas and that rural communities play a key role in development and peacebuilding. The Security Council has the responsibility to support prevention mechanisms, in line with specific national contexts and priorities. It should also promote and implement resolution 1325 (2000), on women and peace and security, and resolution 2250 (2015), on youth and peace and security. Lastly, in coordination with the Economic and Social Council, the Security Council should take note of the economic dimensions of conflicts and encourage initiatives aimed at ensuring stable contexts for the involvement of civil society, academia and the private sector in order to preserve or mend the social fabric and promote more resilient societies. The survival of the sustaining peace agenda amid a global crisis requires our cross-cutting action. To ensure that it is effective, it also requires capacity- building in all regions of the world and resolute action by all States to reduce exclusion and inequality.

The President (spoke in Spanish): I now give the floor to the representative of Cuba.

Mr. Pedroso Cuesta (Cuba) (spoke in Spanish): The presence of the President of Mexico, His Excellency Mr. Andrés Manuel López Obrador, as a worthy representative of the ideals of peace, solidarity, justice and prosperity in Latin America and the Caribbean and the world, has enhanced today’s meeting. We congratulate Mexico and wish it every success during its presidency of the Security Council. Amid the global uncertainty and a multidimensional crisis caused by the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), today’s debate is particularly relevant. International peace and security are under constant threat from conflicts, acts of aggression, unconventional warfare, attempts at regime change and frequent violations of the Charter of the United Nations and international law. The prevalence of a profoundly unjust and undemocratic international order, decades of ruthless neoliberalism, exclusionary capitalism and its irrational production and consumption patterns, have placed greed and the petty interests of a few above the legitimate aspirations of millions of human beings. The pandemic has exacerbated the global crisis, leaving the most vulnerable unprotected, while the profits of the richest continue to increase. For example, 89 million Americans lost their jobs, 45 million fell ill and 724,000 died from the virus, but the billionaires in the United States added $2.1 trillion to their already colossal fortunes. The profound global inequality in access to and distribution of COVID-19 vaccines is both regrettable and unacceptable and has widened the North-South divide. Of the 7 billion doses of vaccines administered, more than 80 per cent were sent to member countries of the Group of 20, whose inhabitants account for far less than half of the world’s population. Low-income countries — the majority of them in Africa — have received only 0.4 per cent of those vaccines. Meanwhile, global military spending is on the rise, reaching nearly $2 trillion in 2020. Unilateral coercive measures hinder an effective fight against the pandemic and the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals. To live in peace and security, humankind needs respect for international law and national sovereignty, cooperation and mutual respect; not blockades or sanctions. It is vital to strengthen multilateralism, ensure full respect for the Charter and international law and honour commitments and obligations. We must promote comprehensive and deep reform of the Security Council, greater representation for countries of the South, democracy, transparency and inclusivity in the Council’s work and its non-interference in the mandate and functions of the General Assembly and other organs, so as to preserve the Organization’s effectiveness and credibility. We must urgently unite our efforts to promote a just, democratic and equitable international order that will put an end to exclusion and inequality for the good of humankind.

The President (spoke in Spanish): I now give the floor to the representative of Denmark.

Mr. Hermann (Denmark): I have the pleasure to deliver this statement on behalf of the Nordic countries: Finland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden and, of course, my own country, Denmark. We begin by thanking the Secretary-General and Ms. Lourdes Tibán Guala for sharing their valuable insights and welcome today’s timely debate on the maintenance of international peace and security in relation to exclusion, inequality and conflict. Recently, we have witnessed how the coronavirus disease and the direct effects of climate change have accelerated existing drivers of conflict, multiplied security risks and further exacerbated the situation for the most vulnerable groups and populations. There is no doubt that global security challenges reinforce each other and, therefore, addressing the root causes and drivers of conflict, such as exclusion and inequality, must be part of prevention and peacebuilding. Let me share four reflections on the Council’s work in relation to exclusion, inequality and conflict. First, inclusion is key to building sustainable peace. The Council affirmed that in its twin resolution with the General Assembly on the review of the peacebuilding architecture (resolution 2558 (2020) and resolution 75/201), which calls for the needs of all segments of the population to be taken into account in building a common vision for society. Sustaining peace obliges us to ensure inclusion as part of building peace and upholding human rights, not least through the full, equal and meaningful participation of women and young people in peacebuilding. Secondly, sustaining peace should build on an integrated One United Nations approach at all stages of conflict. In that regard, the Council must ensure that United Nations peacekeeping operations are able to further the interlinkages between development, security and human rights. That calls for more joined- up analysis and effective strategic planning, as well as making long-term peacebuilding efforts a part of peacekeeping operations from the outset. The peace and development advisors seconded by the Joint United Nations Development Programme-Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs Programme on Building National Capacities for Conflict Prevention have proven to be an effective tool in that regard, serving the whole United Nations system in conflict-affected contexts. To strengthen efforts across the humanitarian, development and peace nexus, the Nordic countries also urge the Council to increase cooperation with the resident coordinators and United Nations country teams on the ground, as well as with other international, regional and local partners, including international financial institutions, regional organizations and civil society, throughout the conflict cycle. Thirdly, the Nordic countries call on the Council to strengthen its cooperation with the Peacebuilding Commission, including by drawing on its recommendations and its advisory, bridging and convening roles. We welcome the Secretary-General’s proposal for a new agenda for peace, outlined in Our Common Agenda, including the call for Member States to make greater investments in prevention and ensure adequate, predictable and sustained financing for peacebuilding. As part of that, we welcome the proposal to allocate a dedicated amount from assessed contributions to the Peacebuilding Fund. Finally, sustaining peace helps us direct our attention to the importance of addressing inequality, exclusion and other root causes of conflict in peacebuilding. It also helps us to invest in what we know drives sustainable peace and prosperity, including targeted work for gender equality. The Nordic countries stand ready to work proactively on addressing root causes of conflict and continue to invest in drivers of peace by following up on the Secretary-General’s Our Common Agenda report. As the Secretary-General notes in the report, addressing racism, discrimination and inequality and ensuring universal access to social protection, health coverage, education, skills, decent work and housing are key to preventing exclusion and conflict, as is the development of a social contract between Governments and their people wherein all citizens have a say in envisioning their countries’ futures. Let us turn exclusion, inequality and conflict into inclusion, equality and sustainable peace for all.

The President (spoke in Spanish): I now give the floor to the representative of the Netherlands.

Mr. Zellenrath (Netherlands): I thank you, Sir, for organizing this debate. This statement is made on behalf of the Pathfinders for Peaceful, Just and Inclusive Societies — a group of countries and organizations committed to realizing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly Goal 16. As Pathfinders, our work is based on evidence that there can be no peace without development and no development without peace. Justice for all and fighting inequality and exclusion are central to achieving and sustaining peace. Equally, preventing conflict and violence, including sexual and gender-based violence, is a central enabler for access to justice for all and for more equal and inclusive societies. Peace, justice and inclusion catalyse progress across the SDGs. That also resonates with the Secretary-General’s Our Common Agenda report. We, as pathfinders, are focusing our urgent attention on addressing three interrelated areas, which we believe are key to conflict prevention. First, we must build more equal and inclusive societies. We need to address inequality and exclusion by building solidarity across groups and Governments to deliver visible, material change in people’s lives by tackling corruption and expanding representation of all groups in society. Well-designed social dialogue and truth and reconciliation programmes, including mental health and psychosocial support, are relevant to post- conflict societies and can be used preventively to avoid the escalation of violence. Secondly, we must provide justice for all. There are 1.5 billion people with unresolved justice problems that contribute to grievances, violence and instability. Women, children and young people find it hardest to access justice. Strengthening the rule of law requires a new approach that allows justice systems to be more effective, transparent and centred around the most common problems that people experience. Thirdly, we must halve global violence We need a new agenda for peace, as mentioned by the Secretary-General, that more effectively addresses violence holistically. The Pathfinders Halving Global Violence Task Force is a coalition of Governments, mayors, leading international agencies, dedicated non-governmental organizations and philanthropic actors that is drawing together the evidence, tools and action needed to achieve the goal of halving violence by 2030. To that end, the Pathfinders’ input for this meeting is as follows. First, the Security Council could avail itself of broader analyses and benchmarks on trends in inequality, exclusion and access to justice within the framework of the field missions mandated by the Council and request the advice of bodies like the Peacebuilding Commission to incorporate it in its work. Secondly, the Council could systematically indicate to mission leadership the importance of linking economic and political analysis and support. It could also stress the value of exploring partnerships between resident coordinators, governments, international financial institutions and civil society with regard to destabilizing socioeconomic factors and psychosocial dynamics that need to be addressed in prevention strategies, national development plans and mandate objectives. Thirdly, the Council could focus on lessons learned from inclusive national dialogues that build trust and from pro-equity and inclusion policies, in particular those bolstering the inclusion of women and young people. Fourthly and finally, the rule of law could be strengthened as a preventative tool by focusing on overcoming and preventing daily obstacles to access to justice and by supporting national institutions to be more responsive to people’s justice needs. When it comes to peace operations and special political missions, an emphasis by the Council on drawing on that type of holistic analysis and partnership would assist in addressing the risks of today’s environment and increase the chances of success of Council-authorized operations and thereby the maintenance of international peace and security.

The President (spoke in Spanish): I now give the floor to the representative of Qatar.

Ms. Al-Thani (Qatar) (spoke in Arabic): At the outset, we welcome the presiding of His Excellency Mr. Andrés Manuel López Obrador, President of Mexico, over this meeting and congratulate friendly Mexico on its presidency of the Security Council for the month of November. We also welcome the participation of the Secretary-General in this meeting and thank the briefers for their statements. The State of Qatar has always reaffirmed, in various international forums, including the Security Council, its view that preventing conflicts, putting an end to them after they erupt and ensuring sustainable peace in post-conflict contexts requires first and foremost that the root causes of conflict be addressed. They constitute a fertile environment for the eruption and exacerbation of conflicts. Exclusion, marginalization, discrimination and inequality are examples of the root causes of conflicts. We are therefore grateful to Mexico for highlighting the issue and for convening this meeting on the matter. The reciprocal relationship among peace, security, development and human rights is not a new concept, but it must be taken it into account in the context of United Nations efforts to counter current and emerging challenges, in particular threats to peace and security. We are heartened by the fact that the Security Council is paying greater attention to the various factors that affect international peace and security, as attested by its many recent open debates on thematic issues related to the root causes of conflicts The timely efforts to address the root causes of conflicts can help to address the plight of individuals and to alleviate suffering. It also saves many resources needed to address the deteriorated humanitarian and economic situation as a result of conflicts. The State of Qatar has made peacemaking and peacebuilding through the peaceful settlement of disputes one of its foreign policy priorities. In parallel, we contribute to the advancement of economic and social development and human rights, while empowering women and promoting the rule of law at the local and international levels. We have supported the initiatives of the United Nations to that end and embraced multilateral and bilateral partnerships. We have provided international support in areas that have an impact on social cohesion, which is achieved through education for all, sport for peace and other programmes in areas of importance. Furthermore, we have been proactively contributing to and participating in United Nations negotiations and in all relevant activities related to international peace and security, including, inter alia, on human security and sustaining peace. The marginalization of certain social groups undeniably results in heightened tensions, specifically if there are other destabilizing factors in play. The absence of peace and security as a consequence of marginalization and inequality results in greater exclusion, and this, in turn, fuels a dangerous and vicious cycle. We condemn policies and measures that result in marginalization and inequality at all levels; such policies and measures help no one. Quite the contrary, the State of Qatar calls for upholding human rights for all and the promotion of rule of law nationally, regionally and internationally. In conclusion, we shall pursue our initiatives through the United Nations as part of a comprehensive approach that reflects the links between peace, security, sustainable development, human rights and rule of law, with a view to contributing to the fight against threats to international peace and security regionally and globally.

The President (spoke in Spanish): I now give the floor to the representative of Albania.

Mr. Hoxha (Albania): As I take the floor for the first time during the Mexican presidency of the Security Council, I would like to congratulate the President and the Mexican delegation for organizing today’s open debate on this important topic. After more than two decades of progress, we are witnessing with worry some very negative trends. Economic activity is in contraction, extreme poverty is on the rise, socioeconomic inequalities are increasing, and the gender gap is widening while women’s participation in the labour force is shrinking. The coronavirus disease pandemic has further exacerbated these trends, giving rise to tensions and violence and hampering the development potential in many areas. In order to be able to help countries to break the vicious cycle of conflict and the lack of development, we need to better integrate the humanitarian-development- peace nexus into the work of the United Nations. Sustainable development will remain a mere illusion in the absence of peace. Therefore, well-coordinated efforts between different actors, including the United Nations, aimed at integrating conflict prevention and peacebuilding and development programmes become essential. Member States should always prioritize prevention, support humanitarian action, invest in development, and pay special attention to the most vulnerable groups, especially women and girls, including through best practices in implementing the women and peace and security agenda. Albania supports the report of the Secretary- General, Our Common Agenda, as well as his efforts to reform the United Nations and make it more responsive to complex and evolving challenges. In response to the Secretary-General’s call for more support for the Peacebuilding Fund (PBF) and to strengthen the system’s ability to invest in peacebuilding, the Government of Albania has made a contribution to the Peacebuilding Fund for the year 2021. We call on all Member States, especially those who are in a position to do so, to increase their contributions to the PBF; even modest contributions do help make the change. Albania has prioritized the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which goes hand in hand with its overall development towards its integration into the European Union. In this regard, I would like to highlight the focus put on the implementation of SDG 16 on peace, justice and strong institutions. The major action in this regard is our ongoing justice reform. No other country has ever taken such a profound, comprehensive and far-reaching reform to screen the system — to clean the system — in order to create the conditions for a far more effective, accountable and transparent judicial apparatus in service of the citizens and as an indispensable pillar of democracy. As we move forward, it is proving to be a milestone in the fight against corruption. The overall achievement of this sweeping reform is the promotion of the rule of law at the national level, which is ensuring equal justice for all. As an incoming member of the Security Council, Albania will consistently engage with other members to better integrate a more preventive approach in the work of the Council and reverse tendencies towards exclusion and inequality that destabilize societies and endanger international peace and security. In conclusion, Albania will aim for a better coordination of the Council with the wider United Nations system, including the Human Rights Council, as well as other important stakeholders and contributors, such as relevant regional organizations and civil society organizations. We are convinced that they bring fresh perspectives — and value added — to the work of the Council in its efforts to strengthen peace and security.

The President (spoke in Spanish): I now give the floor to the representative of Switzerland.

Mrs. Baeriswyl (Switzerland) (spoke in French): Switzerland thanks Mexico for today’s important debate, which reflects the Security Council’s increased attention given to contemporary factors of conflict and their complex interactions. Inequality and exclusion are both causes and consequences of violent conflict. “There can be no peace without development, no development without peace, and no peace or sustainable development without respect for human rights and the rule of law.” These words of Jan Eliasson, inspired by Kofi Annan, have been echoed in many speeches, including those of our colleagues from Ireland this morning (see S/PV.8900). They remind us that conflict undermines sustainable development and that no goal of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development can be achieved in isolation. While the Security Council has peace and security as its primary mission, it can and should also support the United Nations system as a whole in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, with particular attention to the following. First, the review of the peacebuilding architecture reaffirmed that the three-pillar United Nations approach to peacebuilding is relevant and essential. What does this mean in practice? In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, for example, Switzerland supports the Government’s efforts aimed at fighting impunity. This dissuasive element helps to prevent violence and improve confidence in institutions. In its decisions, the Security Council should rely more on an integrated approach and strengthen cooperation, collaboration and coordination among the three pillars. Secondly, violent conflicts and the inequalities that arise from them can only be avoided in resilient and inclusive societies where everyone, especially the most vulnerable, is protected. To this end, the United Nations human rights system plays a key role. It is an important early-warning mechanism. For example, the Human Rights Council reacted swiftly to recent developments in the Sudan by organizing a special session, calling on the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights to appoint an expert to the country. Switzerland encourages the Security Council to integrate such analyses and cooperate more with human rights bodies, in particular with the Human Rights Council and its instruments, and treaty bodies. Thirdly, strengthening the rule of law is a key element in promoting peace. The lack of an explicit mandate for peacekeeping missions to support the rule of law hinders the achievement of their objectives. As recent failures have underlined, it is essential that the Security Council specifies support for the rule of law in the mandates of peace missions and, for the sake of coherence, that the General Assembly makes the necessary resources available to achieve these objectives. For its part, Switzerland supports the strengthening of the rule of law, in particular by making police officers, demining experts and experts in disarmament, demobilization and reintegration available to missions and at the Secretariat level. Switzerland welcomes the emphasis placed on the links between peace, security and development, and calls for a more systematic consideration of these interconnections in all the themes and situations dealt with by the Council. As a member of the Peacebuilding Commission and as a candidate for the Security Council, Switzerland will continue to commit to a coherent United Nations system.

The President (spoke in Spanish): I now give the floor to the representative of Azerbaijan.

Mr. Musayev (Azerbaijan): At the outset, I would like to commend the delegation of Mexico for having convened this open debate and for submitting the concept note on the topic (S/2021/883, annex). Peoples throughout the world continue to suffer from wars and their devastating consequences. The coronavirus disease pandemic and the hazards of climate change aggravate and exacerbate the challenging security environment. Violations of international humanitarian law and international human rights law, the global rise in hate speech, incitement to hostility and violence and the spread of various racist extremist groups and movements, based on ideologies that seek to promote racial superiority, have an undermining effect in the eruption, resurgence, protraction and expansion of conflicts, as well as in post-conflict situations. In some well-known instances, at the core of dissension and enmity are policies and practices based on mono-ethnicity, exclusion and discrimination. It is important to work on addressing all the root causes of contention, taking into account that peace, security, development, human rights and the rule of law are interlinked and mutually reinforcing. The outcome document containing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (General Assembly resolution 70/1) states, inter alia, that there can be no sustainable development without peace and no peace without sustainable development. It further reaffirms a commitment to international law, the need to respect the territorial integrity and political independence of States, and the full, permanent sovereignty of States over their wealth, natural resources and economic activity. Human rights and fundamental freedoms are universal and respect for those rights must be accorded on an equal and non-discriminatory basis. The rule of law and equal protection under the law for all, without discrimination, are at the core of the international human rights protection system. It is necessary to insist at all levels that the recognition of the inherent dignity and of the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family is the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world. As to humanitarian relief actions by States and international organizations, it is well established and generally accepted that such actions should be exclusively humanitarian in nature, cannot be misused for political purposes and should be carried out in conformity with the principles of neutrality, impartiality and consent of the affected country, while fully respecting the sovereignty, territorial integrity and national unity of States, in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations. Furthermore, it is important that, acting to break the cycle of exclusion, inequality and conflict and to promote inclusive strategies, the Security Council and other organs, bodies, agencies, funds and programmes of the United Nations strictly comply with their respective mandates. Close cooperation and coordination among them are critical to enabling the United Nations to effectively address the existing, new and emerging threats and challenges. Providing support to States affected by conflict and engaged in post-conflict peacebuilding, reconstruction and rehabilitation must be a commitment of the entire United Nations system. Coherent global responses and common efforts, consistent with the Charter of the United Nations and international law, are the most effective ways to achieve the goals of peace, inclusive sustainable development and human rights for all.

The President (spoke in Spanish): I now give the floor to the representative of Bangladesh.

Ms. Fatima (Bangladesh): I thank you, Mr. President, for organizing this important debate. I thank the Secretary-General and other briefers for their insightful remarks. The nexus between exclusion, inequality and conflict is well established. The coronavirus disease pandemic further exposed the growing inequalities — both within and across our societies. Against that backdrop, this debate is very timely. We reiterate the importance of sustained investments in addressing the underlying drivers of conflicts, which often include social and development issues. In that regard, it is critical to ensure synergies and complementarities among the United Nations humanitarian response, the sustainable development agenda, peacekeeping and sustaining peace initiatives. There is also evident scope for better utilizing the existing mechanisms of the United Nations for supporting evidence-based risk assessment, early warning and mitigation measures. The Council’s role in that regard is particularly relevant when conflicts induced by social and economic exclusion and inequality entail cross-border ramifications or threats to international peace and security. In our neighbourhood, we have seen how the social and political exclusion of Rohingya minorities have led to a full-blown crisis in Myanmar, with serious humanitarian and security ramifications for the region. Indeed, the Council’s response to the early warnings was inadequate and ineffective and continues to remain so. Allow me to share some specific thoughts in that regard. First, addressing the root causes of conflicts is critical to breaking the cycle of recurring violence. The underlying factors of violence vary across economic, political and cultural spectrums. There must be a whole-of-United Nations approach to encouraging a nationally driven and multi-stakeholder solution towards durable peace. The United Nations development system and its humanitarian arms have a central role to play in such efforts. The Peacebuilding Commission, with its overarching mandates across peace and development pillars, can also play a pivotal role in conflict-affected and fragile contexts. Secondly, United Nations peace operations and special political missions can bring great strength to preventive diplomacy. They have first-hand information from the field that can strengthen early warning systems against impending crisis. With adequate mandates and corresponding resources from the Council, they can also support the peacebuilding efforts of the resident coordinator and other United Nations agencies in specific areas, namely, disarmament, demobilization and reintegration; security sector reform; justice and corrections; and so forth. Thirdly, the Council should invest more in implementing the women and peace and security and youth, peace and security agendas to ensure inclusion. Finally, adherence to international law is fundamental to ensuring the rule of law at the global level. The roles of International Court of Justice and other international legal bodies and tribunals are instrumental in ensuring international order and justice. It is imperative that the Council demonstrate its firm commitment to upholding the sanctity of the International Court of Justice and other legal bodies.

The President (spoke in Spanish): I now give the floor to the representative of Liechtenstein.

Mr. Wenaweser (Liechtenstein): It is very good to be back in this Chamber after long months of absence and almost exclusion. I thank you, Mr. President, for bringing this topic to the attention of the Security Council today. Questions of exclusion and inequality are vital to the Council’s work. They are also a through line to many of Liechtenstein’s areas of focus at the United Nations. I will quickly highlight two in particular and discuss how they can better relate to the Council’s mandates going forward. The first of these is our work on self-determination. As mentioned by our Kenyan colleagues in the open debate they put together last month (see S/PV.8877), many Council situations begin as intercommunal tensions with roots in ethnic, racial, regional, partisan and religious differences. Those can often manifest themselves in exclusion and unequal treatment. We see a need to address such tensions by fostering forms of governance that can uphold the rights of communities within a State, as a way to meet demands for further internal self-determination and to realize the full potential of the strength that every country can find in its diversity. Those ideas are discussed further in our recent Handbook on the Prevention and Resolution of Self-Determination Conflicts, on which Liechtenstein looks forward to engaging further with Member States. Secondly, the Council must demonstrate the mutually reinforcing nature of peace, human rights and sustainable development in its mandates. The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development provides the most ambitious and most comprehensive human development and human security programme ever devised. It acknowledges the need to sustain peace based on international law, in particular human rights law, cooperation, solidarity and multilateralism. The Secretary-General’s Our Common Agenda reiterates the importance of a human security approach across societies to prevent social divisions and national and international instability. It also accurately speaks of a crisis of trust, which has been accelerated by the pandemic, and calls for a new social contract that ensures trust, inclusion, protection and participation. In response, a sharp focus on the rule of law can help strengthen inclusion, bolster democratic processes and build public trust in institutions. In the context of peace operations, human rights and the rule of law can lay the foundations for more accountable institutions, while enhancing inclusion and strengthening democratic processes and the fight against corruption, in line with Sustainable Development Goal 16. It is therefore crucial that mandates for all United Nations peace operations include strong human rights and rule of law provisions. While such provisions vary significantly within peace operations and special political missions, we certainly see room for improvement across the board.

The President (spoke in Spanish): I now give the floor to the representative of Slovakia.

Mr. Mlynár (Slovakia): I would like to thank the Mexican presidency for organizing this open debate on such an important and timely issue. In my intervention, I would like to focus on two particular aspects of the issue — first, the rule of law and its link to anti-corruption and, secondly, governance. At the outset, Slovakia would like to seize this opportunity to stress once again the importance of the principle of the rule of law, which we consider to be the heart of the international order and should be put at the top of the United Nations agenda on many fronts, including in the work of this important organ, the Security Council, which has the key responsibility of maintaining international peace and security. Although we should discuss ways to improve the rule of law, we are unfortunately unable to do so due to the ongoing gross violations of international law, particularly international humanitarian law and international human rights law, of which we are too often witnesses. It is therefore crucial that every member of international community fully abide by its international obligations. That is even more critical in conflict situations. Having referred to the principle of the rule of law, I would like to mention one crucial element of the struggle for its protection — the fight against corruption. It is apt to call this negative phenomenon the cancer of our societies that threatens our democratic systems. Corruption dismantles people’s trust in public institutions, puts them at risk of exclusion, hinders social development and has a disproportionate impact on the enjoyment of human rights, particularly by persons belonging to disadvantaged groups and communities. That is why my Government has declared the fight against corruption as one of its key human rights priorities, both domestically and in our international engagement. We stress the importance of the rule of law in safeguarding stable democracy and domestic peace and fostering social development. As such, we would like to encourage Member States to intensify efforts to uphold this basic principle of governance. This approach is a prerequisite for tackling root causes of conflict. We are therefore of the view that the Security Council should continue paying appropriate attention to this issue. It goes hand in hand with peacebuilding, sustaining peace and security sector governance, to mention but a few areas. It also fits very well with our wider efforts to implement the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, particularly Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 16 and SDG 16+. This issue is also important because we are still fighting our common invisible enemy — the coronavirus disease. The pandemic has exacerbated the already unfavourable situation of the most vulnerable groups, pushed millions of people into poverty and reversed the progress that the international community had reached in that regard. The situation is even more alarming in conflict situations, to which we need to continue paying close attention. In the post-pandemic recovery, we will have to deal with discrimination against disadvantaged people living in poverty and intensify efforts to put human dignity at the heart of our actions. In the meantime, we have to ensure that those in need are provided with quick and efficient humanitarian assistance and protection, including through our efforts in peacekeeping and peacebuilding.

The President (spoke in Spanish): I now give the floor to the representative of Guatemala.

Mr. Castañeda Solares (Guatemala) (spoke in Spanish): Guatemala thanks the delegation of Mexico, in its capacity as President of the Security Council for the month of November 2021, for convening this open debate. We would also like to thank Mexico in particular for the statements delivered by His Excellency Andrés Manuel López Obrador, President of Mexico, the Secretary-General and the panellists. From our perspective and having been members of the Security Council in the 2012-2013 biennium, the preventive approach must be paramount in order to maintain international peace and security. In recent years, Member States have noted the need to comprehensively address the root causes of conflict and avoid the multiplier effect of permanent emergencies. In the face of the global challenges that threaten humankind, including climate change, it is clear that countries in fragile situations have Governments with limited means to help their populations adapt. The risks associated with climate change can be compounded by the risks of violence, conflict and exclusion, as well as by factors related to climate change such as food insecurity, economic crises and migration. Over the past months, the coronavirus disease pandemic has been accompanied by various events that pose existential threats, exacerbating the loss of lives, livelihoods and damage to natural and cultural heritage. It is therefore necessary for the United Nations to adopt a multipronged approach to address this problem. In that regard, Guatemala urges the issuance of specific recommendations to implement concrete actions to identify and mitigate situations that may cause large-scale food security emergencies. Given its primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security, it is important that the Security Council integrate climate security assessments into all mandatory situation reports on its agenda and that it be able to systematically analyse weather forecasts in order to identify vulnerabilities and risks, with the help of regional and national climate outlooks and robust early-warning systems. Guatemala reiterates its position that the Organization’s main effort should be to prevent rather than react. In that regard, Guatemala reiterates its support for the mandate of the Peacebuilding Commission (PBC) and its integrated approach. We believe that it is necessary to strengthen environmental action in the Commission’s activities and ensure that they are sensitive to environmental and social conflict and humanitarian needs such as food insecurity and migratory flows. We must also ensure that its interventions are mindful of natural resources. A preventive approach requires that the PBC strengthen its mandate with regard to cooperation with regional organizations like the Organization of American States, for example, in the case of the Americas. In order to consolidate peace, we must learn from the lessons of the past. Our Organization, the United Nations, must adapt to the current global situation.

The President (spoke in Spanish): I now give the floor to the representative of Argentina.

Mr. Oddone (Argentina) (spoke in Spanish): At the outset, we would like to congratulate the Mexican presidency on having selected a theme that is so important to us all. Our reality is shocking. Never before have there been so many refugees, displaced persons and people fleeing worldwide. The nature of conflict has changed. So has their duration and the parties responsible, but they persist and are increasingly violent and harmful, making it ever more difficult to carry out the United Nations mandates. At the heart of our concerns is life and the need for the most essential human rights to be respected. For Argentina, unrestricted respect for all human rights is one of the foundations of our State policy. We therefore reiterate the commitment that we repeat on every occasion: we are always ready to contribute and participate in initiatives that are promoted to prevent and tackle the root causes of conflicts. The fight against impunity for serious human rights violations is fundamental to strengthening the rule of law. Justice and peace are not only compatible objectives but are also complementary. Argentina reaffirms the preventive role of accountability mechanisms. Impartial mechanisms are essential for the investigation of violations of international humanitarian law and international human rights law. In some cases, hunger, poverty, exclusion and inequality can lead to conflicts. Such inequities can result in situations of violence. Those structural issues must be addressed comprehensively so that they do not become a threat to international peace and security. Argentina therefore believes that adequate and effective cooperation among the different organs established by the Charter of the United Nations is essential, while recalling the specific competences of each of those organs, such as the General Assembly and the Economic and Social Council. It is also essential to combine cooperation and efforts to protect and promote the access of the civilian population, especially the most vulnerable, to all health services — medical care and maternal and reproductive health services. Those services are further undermined by the current coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic and place an additional burden on systems and facilities already devastated by conflict. We would also like to draw attention to the fact that young people represent a large part of civilians harmed by armed conflict, and that the disruption of children’s and young people’s access to education and economic opportunities has critical implications for lasting peace and reconciliation. Argentina therefore reiterates its call on States that have not done so to join the Safe Schools Declaration, which has already been endorsed by more than 105 countries. Protection activities must continue to be included and strengthened in the mandates of United Nations field missions, which should be clearly developed and their operations resourced in an effective and timely manner. In addition, coordination with the main bodies of the United Nations system, such as the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization and the World Health Organization, among others, is important in order to jointly help to eradicate hunger, a scourge that is exacerbated by diseases other than COVID-19. Undoubtedly, improving living conditions is a decisive factor in preventing violence and curbing conflicts. Argentina endorses the importance of dealing with the issue on a case-by-case basis when a specific threat to international peace and security arises, in accordance with the Security Council’s mandate under the United Nations Charter. In that regard, we reiterate that the role of this organ should not be undermined, while encouraging each of the other entities of the system to work in a coordinated manner and make progress on issues that may later develop into conflict situations.

The President (spoke in Spanish): I now give the floor to the representative of Morocco.

Mr. Kadiri (Morocco) (spoke in French): I wish to congratulate you, Mr. President, on Mexico’s presidency of the Security Council during this month. I also wish to extend to you the appreciation of the Kingdom of Morocco for having convened this open debate on the theme “Maintenance of international peace and security: exclusion, inequality and conflicts”. We welcome the participation of His Excellency President Andrés Manuel López Obrador. I thank the Secretary- General for his important briefing, and the civil society representative for hers. The conflict landscape is becoming increasingly complex as gaps, including in development, continue to widen. Inequalities, exclusion and poverty are all factors that can lead to, or exacerbate, tensions and vulnerabilities, which can result in violent conflicts. It is therefore essential that multilateral action, particularly by the United Nations and the Security Council, seek to restore lasting peace and break the link between conflict and its underlying and exacerbating causes. The response to that situation must be based on a cooperative, comprehensive and consistent approach rooted in humanitarian action, social, economic and human development and prevention, peacekeeping and peacebuilding initiatives. In that context, peacebuilding has a vital role to play insofar as it can prevent the outbreak, escalation, continuation and recurrence of violence. It is therefore incumbent on States to address the root causes of conflict. In that context, the Peacebuilding Commission, its country-specific configurations and the Security Council’s recommendations in the consideration of the various items on its agenda are of great importance. In that regard, the Central African Republic configuration, which Morocco is honoured to chair, periodically presents its recommendations to the Council ahead of the mandate renewal of the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic, as it did last week. The coronavirus disease pandemic and its related consequences should serve as a call for the international community to strengthen multilateral action to jointly address inequality, exclusion and development challenges. In that regard, Morocco welcomes the Secretary-General’s report Our Common Agenda, which provides a road map to guide our actions to address what Mr. Guterres has rightly called a “surplus of multilateral challenges and a deficit of multilateral solutions”. Government authorities, local communities, civil society organizations, the private sector and regional organizations all have a role to play in building and sustaining lasting peace. In that context, joint efforts and increased cooperation are needed, particularly to build trust, promote reconciliation and support peace processes. They are also needed to support the security of local communities and the capacities of security forces to ensure a sense of safety and prevent all forms of violence. They are necessary to ensure fair and equitable access to basic needs and decent living conditions and the implementation of development programmes in areas of tension vulnerable to conflict. That will contribute to peace, strengthen reliable judicial systems and effective law to ensure equality before the law and protect of human rights, strengthen inclusive policies, gender equality and the participation of young people for the broadest possible participation in political decision-making and the guarantee of equal opportunities for dignified labour without exception. In line with the guidelines of His Majesty Mohammed VI, Morocco has prioritized socioeconomic development and the maintenance and sustaining of peace, especially in Africa, in its foreign policy. In that regard, we have participated in United Nations peacekeeping operations since 1960. We have also undertaken, and will continue to engage in, many mediation efforts to pre-empt and peacefully resolve conflicts on our continent. Furthermore, we tirelessly strive to promote socioeconomic development in brotherly African countries through proactive, fruitful, mutually beneficial South-South cooperation in many areas. That is of great importance to combating poverty, exclusion and inequality, while keeping and sustaining peace and preventing conflict. Lastly, we remain convinced that sustaining peace requires the international community’s investment over the short, medium and long term in a spirit of solidarity and cooperation in order to address the many challenges of our time.

The President (spoke in Spanish): I now give the floor to the representative of South Africa.

Mr. Mabhongo (South Africa): At the outset, let me to congratulate you, Mr. President, on your assumption of the presidency of the Security Council for the month of November. I wish to thank you for convening this important open debate. I also wish to thank the briefers for their insightful and detailed briefings this morning. In various societies inequality and exclusion have proved to be among the root causes of fragility, violence and conflict. We need collective will to address inequality and exclusion and generally create conditions for the betterment of all people in all countries. The coronavirus disease pandemic has once again illustrated glaring inequalities in the world. We see unequal access to vaccines and medical treatments. We also see some having more resilience to the economic hardships caused by the pandemic than others. We need to accelerate the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. In his report Our Common Agenda, the Secretary-General provides us with a road map for hastening the implementation of our development goals at the national and international levels. With conflicts becoming increasingly protracted and transnational, the existing global conflict resolution architecture must adapt, and we should identify innovative ways to confront today’s challenges. The Security Council must continue to identify new and emerging threats to peace and security and adopt proactive approaches to addressing them. Conflict prevention and sustaining peace, however, are not the responsibility of the Security Council alone. The General Assembly, the Economic and Social Council and the Peacebuilding Commission all have specific responsibilities to address the conditions that give rise to conflict. The role of the Peacebuilding Commission, in particular, in promoting inclusiveness and building sustainable peace remains crucial. It is therefore important that we continue to strengthen the collaboration between the Security Council and the Peacebuilding Commission. Successful conflict prevention also requires collaboration and cooperation with subregional and regional organizations, such as the African Union. It is vital that women be included in political, economic and social life, as they have proven to play a key role in influencing society’s inclination for peace. We must accept that women’s inclusion and meaningful participation in peace processes have a positive impact on the implementation and sustainability of peace agreements. Young people are often victims of multiple and interlocking forms of discrimination that can lead to their exclusion from peacemaking and conflict prevention efforts. The inclusion of young people has broad benefits. We need, therefore, to invest in their capabilities to contribute to greater economic growth and development, diminishing civil unrest and the promotion of sustainable peace. In conclusion, I would like to highlight that preventing conflict from erupting and degenerating into full-scale wars remains the best option for promoting global sustainable peace. Post-conflict educational provision has been shown to impact positively on the sustainability of peace, while post-conflict economic policies, on the other hand, have had a mixed record. Peace agreements often address grievances believed to be driving violent conflicts. However, few agreements make specific provisions aimed at addressing key economic issues like systematic inequalities in employment. Those are some of the areas on which we need to give greater focus as we move forward.

The President (spoke in Spanish): I now give the floor to the representative of Indonesia.

Mr. Koba (Indonesia): Let me begin by thanking Mexico for its initiative in convening this meeting. We note the growing influence of rising inequality in conflict-affected countries, which poses the risk of their relapse into crisis and presents challenges to international peace and security. On that note, allow me to share the following points. First, with regard to promoting inclusivity to bring about a tangible impact on the ground, a lasting peace starts with the affected community. In order to end inequality, we need the involvement of all segments of society. The international community should work hand-in-hand to enhance a nationally owned and led peacebuilding effort. Indonesia firmly believes that all elements of the community have a stake in strengthening peacebuilding efforts. That is especially important in a diverse and plural society. Any peacebuilding effort would be futile if it were to leave any part of the society behind. As we have learned from Indonesia’s experience, promoting peaceful dialogue among different groups within a society is essential to build such an inclusive approach and ensure a sustainable peace. Secondly, with regard to strengthening the rule of law, in order to support peaceful dialogue and nurture trust within society, the rule of law is critical. Indonesia underscores that a nationally owned and led security sector reform is critical to sustaining peacebuilding efforts, including to curb injustice and inequality in conflict-affected countries. Therefore, Indonesia is of the view that peacekeeping operations can support their host countries as they embark on their security sector reforms, especially through the protection of civilian and police training sessions. In that context, Indonesia has been including community engagement training as an essential part of predeployment for our peacekeepers. Thirdly, concerning the importance of synergy and partnership, inequality also applies to the capacity of States to deal with their internal challenges. Partnerships, including regional and triangular partnerships, play an important role in bridging the gap through capacity- building. To that end, all United Nations bodies need to effectively and efficiently exercise their respective mandates. Harmonious coordination in exercising their distinctly unique mandates is critical to the work of the Security Council, the General Assembly and other United Nations bodies in order to address drivers of violence or other aggravating factors in conflicts. As a member of Pathfinders for Peaceful, Just and Inclusive Societies, Indonesia will continue to work together with all States in halving global violence. In conclusion, Indonesia would like to reiterate its strong commitment to being a part of the collective effort to strengthen joint efforts in maintaining international peace and security, including through addressing the impact of exclusion and inequality in conflict-affected countries.

The President (spoke in Spanish): I now give the floor to Ms. Tibán Guala so that she might make some concluding remarks on today’s open debate.

Ms. Tibán Guala (spoke in Spanish): Member States unanimously have underscored the need to address corruption by taking tangible actions to eliminate it as the underlying cause of inequality, poverty, exclusion and migration, among others. Some have said that the Security Council must focus on expanding such themes as climate change, people’s access to basic services as a fundamental human right, and the inclusion of women and young people in employment and educational processes to prevent their involvement in activities leading to insecurity within States. In addition, it has been underscored that the coronavirus disease has negative health consequences for the global population, but that it has also led to serious social and economic crises that, if we fail to address them today, could jeopardize international peace in the future. In the short term, we must act to ensure that the majority of the population is vaccinated. Countries that have already met their goals must act in solidarity with others that have yet to vaccinate even 10 per cent of their populations. I have been especially pleased to hear that the role of women in international peace and security is a priority matter for all Members and that we must foster such inclusive discussions with women, young people and children. Others have also said that there is a need to ensure that legal protection, human rights and the rule of law are priorities within States in order to build peace within every one of them. Lastly, as the President of Mexico judiciously said, security must not be seen as military might, but rather as a reflection of social actions to create a society without fear or conflict. We welcome Mexico’s proposal to develop a global plan for fraternity and well-being, which, for now, sounds like a utopia. However, the willingness and determination of Member States could make it possible. We congratulate each State.

The President (spoke in Spanish): I thank Ms. Lourdes Tibán Guala for her statement and, of course, her participation in today’s meeting. The Security Council has before it the text of a statement by the President on behalf of the Council on the subject of today’s meeting. I thank Council members for their valuable contributions to this statement. In accordance with the understanding reached among the members of the Council, I shall take it that the members of the Security Council agree to the statement, which will be issued as a document of the Security Council under the symbol S/PRST/2021/22. There are no more names inscribed on the list of speakers. Before concluding, I would again like to thank all participants who joined us today, including the large number of delegations from States that are not members of the Council. I would like to thank member States and regional groups that submitted written statements on the subject of today’s meeting. Statements we continue to receive after the end of the meeting will form part of the compilation of statements from this meeting. We await those contributions with great interest. The meeting rose at 4.40 p.m.