S/PV.9106Resumption1 Security Council

The President (spoke in Chinese): I would like to remind all speakers to limit their statements to no more than five minutes in order to enable the Council to carry out its work expeditiously. I now give the floor to the representative of the Republic of Korea.

Mr. Hwang (Republic of Korea): I would like to commend you, Mr. President, for convening this timely debate. Let me also thank the briefers for their insightful remarks. Despite its huge potential for progress, Africa continues to face a multifaceted set of challenges. The impact of the pandemic and global food insecurity are further exacerbating an already dire situation in many parts of the region. In addressing those challenges, it is essential to build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions and better governance systems through capacity-building. Against that backdrop, I would like to highlight the following points. First, more emphasis should be given to an integrated approach to national institutions and capacity-building. All of the complex challenges in the region are closely interlinked and should be tackled in a holistic and whole-of-Government manner. In that regard, we would like to note the important role of the Peacebuilding Commission and the Peacebuilding Fund in promoting a coherent approach and addressing the root causes of conflicts. Secondly, my delegation emphasizes the importance of partnerships between national Governments and all other stakeholders, including the United Nations, as well as regional and subregional organizations. In particular, the role of the African Union (AU) and such subregional organizations as the Economic Community of West African States is crucial to development and sustaining peace, based on the principle of African ownership. Thirdly, we would like to underline the importance of an inclusive approach to enable better recovery from the pandemic and ensure long-term and sustainable capacity-building. The voices of women, young people and other vulnerable and marginalized populations must be heard and included in efforts to build capacity at all levels. The Republic of Korea is deeply committed to contributing to capacity-building for sustaining peace in Africa. Korea has contributed more than $16 million to the African Union’s peace and security activities since 2016, including the deployment of a level 2 mobile hospital in Mali and the procurement of armoured personnel carriers for the African Union Mission in Somalia. At the United Nations peacekeeping ministerial meeting in Seoul last year, Korea also announced several pledges aimed at contributing to peace and security on the continent, with a particular focus on technology and medical capacity-building. They included the contribution of 16 MD-500 helicopters to be deployed to peacekeeping operations in Africa, and the launching of a United Nations smart-camp pilot project with the Republic of Korea contingent in the United Nations Mission in South Sudan. Korea is fully committed to faithfully implementing its pledges. In March, jointly with the AU, Korea hosted the fifth Korea-Africa Forum in Seoul at the ministerial level and together with the AU adopted the Seoul Declaration and Framework of Cooperation 2022-2026, which stipulates priority areas of cooperation between Korea and Africa. In line with those documents, Korea will support Africa’s medical capacity-building for peacekeepers by providing financial contributions for the AU Medical Training Centre for Peace Operations and deploying Korean medical professionals. We also support efforts to prevent and combat terrorism and violent extremism, including activities undertaken by the African Centre for Study and Research of Terrorism, based in Algiers. The Republic of Korea renews its commitment to actively joining international efforts to promote development and sustainable peace in Africa.

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

Mr. Sakowicz (Poland): Mr. President, let me begin by congratulating the Chinese presidency on organizing this timely debate, focused on an incredibly important set of issues regarding peace and security in Africa. I would also like to take this opportunity to thank the briefers for their insightful remarks delivered yesterday. With its human capacity, political idealism and economic potential, Africa is absolutely crucial to global peace and prosperity. By recognizing that, we will be better positioned to confront challenges and spotlight mutual opportunities, which will benefit the international community as a whole in the long term. Poland recognizes the importance of maintaining peace, stability and sustainable development in Africa. That is why five of 10 priority countries targeted by Polish development programmes are in sub-Saharan Africa. We welcome efforts by various bodies in the United Nations system to strengthen the peacebuilding architecture. Today they appear more relevant than ever, especially on the African continent. In that regard, we also endorse the work of the Peacebuilding Fund, which has proved to be an effective tool in addressing peacebuilding challenges through holistic action. Poland remains fully committed to supporting the Fund politically and financially. In the context of today’s debate, I would like to reflect on two issues, the first being the link between climate change and security and the second the colonial past and its neocolonial legacy today. First, it is essential to examine the root causes of the problems and challenges affecting Africa. We believe that many of them are linked to peace and security risks related to the environment. Desertification, deforestation, rising sea levels and a reduced availability of fresh water are just a few examples of the negative consequences of climate change. Very often they become the main drivers of conflict as they produce more underdevelopment and inequalities. The already dire climate crisis has also been further exacerbated by deteriorating food security caused by the blockage of Black Sea ports. As a result of that, the world’s breadbasket has shrunk significantly. We must therefore pay more attention to the climate security agenda and focus on food systems, especially in the workings of the Security Council, as well as in the light of the preparations for next year’s Sustainable Development Goal Summit. Secondly, I would like to underline that colonialism has basically determined State lines on the map of the African continent, altering the fabric of political, economic and social realities in ways that are still being felt to this day. The latest string of coups d’état and social unrest only confirms that. Even though colonialism is commonly viewed as a grave mistake of the past, it has not been completely eradicated, unfortunately. Instead, it has changed its face to that of neocolonialism and spread to various parts of the world. As a country with no colonial history, Poland is particularly sensitive to any forms of violent subjugation, let alone illegal military aggressions taking place in its close neighbourhood. In that regard, we call on Russia to drop its neocolonial agenda and stop its senseless war in Ukraine, for it is hitting the most vulnerable populations around the globe. That especially concerns the least developed countries, a majority of which are in Africa. Another issue of concern is the presence of private mercenaries on the African continent, which has often been linked to brutal violence and a long list of violations targeting civilians. Their actions hamper the stabilization efforts undertaken by the European Union (EU) and its member States, including Poland, whose military personnel is participating in the EU’s training mission in the Central African Republic. We need to modify the perception of Africa and focus more on its enormous potential, which remains largely untapped. With that particular message, President Andrzej Duda of Poland plans to travel to West Africa on an official visit next month. And with this message, I would like to assure you, Mr. President, that Poland will remain fully committed to a comprehensive approach to preserving peace and security in Africa.

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

Mr. Zahneisen (Germany): I thank the Chinese presidency for placing Africa at the centre of this very important debate today and for giving us the opportunity to speak to the Council. Like other delegations, I would also like to commend yesterday’s briefers for their very insightful remarks. At the outset, I would like to underline that Germany fully aligns itself with the statement to be delivered on behalf of the European Union. I do not want to pre-empt what the EU will say, but we fully share the belief that there can never be a one-size-fits- all solution for sustaining peace in Africa. Every single effort has to take full account of the heterogeneous nature of conflicts on the African continent as well as the rich diversity of African societies. Our joint commitment to tackling the structural drivers and causes of conflict, violence and fragility in Africa requires an integrated approach that closely links crisis prevention, stabilization, conflict resolution and peacebuilding with sustainable development initiatives, as always, under strong African leadership. After listening to yesterday’s debate, I think we all agree that ownership and regional initiatives are key to success. But we also believe that there is a lot more we can do collectively to enable our African partners to expand African-led peace efforts, make them more effective and help ensure that they are sufficiently and reliably funded. Merely echoing the slogan “African solutions to African problems” is simply not enough. We ought to focus much more and in a more concrete way on how to translate that slogan into action. For that reason, strengthening African peace efforts and regional cross-border cooperation will continue to be a primary and long-standing guideline of Germany’s Africa policy. So far, Germany has supported the African Union (AU) to the tune of more than €500 million. That makes Germany one of the largest bilateral donors to the Union and many of its milestone projects such as the Border Programme. Germany is a key political and financial supporter of the African Peace and Security Architecture — not only in the areas of early warning, mediation and good governance, but also in fostering human rights protection and the promotion of women’s inclusion in peace processes. We believe that Germany thereby contributes in a very meaningful way to helping to achieve the common goals of the African Union’s Agenda 2063. Our line of support for the African Peace and Security Architecture is complemented by deepened bilateral security cooperation with a number of African countries. In the Lake Chad basin we have partnered with the United Nations Development Programme and the Governments of Nigeria, the Niger, Cameroon and Chad to create a regional stabilization facility that has been instrumental in supporting locally led peace efforts. Likewise, our Enable and Enhance Initiative for African security forces is based on the firm belief that local actors are better placed to sustainably pacify local conflicts, provided that they are well trained and equipped and that they act in accordance with the rule of law. For instance, we support the Niger’s border security and border management in that context. The humanitarian and economic crisis from rising inflation and food insecurity in Africa — further exacerbated by Russia’s war of aggression in Ukraine — makes it all the more important not only to provide the countries affected with immediate relief, but to also strengthen the African Union’s vital role in preventive diplomacy and fostering democratic resilience. It is also our shared responsibility to do more to support African regional organizations. We therefore encourage all Member States to follow the call of the African Union for increased support to African-owned regional conflict prevention, mediation, peacekeeping and peacebuilding. The last Arria Formula meeting, organized by Ghana, reminded us very clearly of the largely unmet need for predictable and sustained United Nations support to African peace initiatives, and we ought to change that. Progress in that area is more urgent than ever. In that context, we also strongly support the call of the African Union and others for ensuring the adequacy and sustainability of funding for United Nations peacebuilding, including through the introduction of assessed contributions. Let me close by reiterating that Germany, together with its EU partners, stands ready to do its part to identify concrete ways for the United Nations and its Member States to support the invaluable efforts of the African Union and other African regional organizations to maintain peace and security on the continent of Africa and beyond.

The President (spoke in Chinese): I now give the floor to the representative of the European Union, in its capacity as observer.

Mr. Gonzato: I have the honour to speak on behalf of the European Union (EU) and its member States. The candidate countries North Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, Albania, Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova, and the country of the Stabilization and Association Process and potential candidate Bosnia and Herzegovina, align themselves with this statement. First, I would like to thank the briefers for sharing their insights. We welcome this open debate on the topic of capacity-building for sustaining peace in Africa, a discussion that is much needed today, when the world is facing the highest number of violent conflicts it has seen since 1945. Sustaining peace means breaking the vicious cycle of violent conflict. It means preventing conflict while at the same time building peace. It means healing the wounds of war while raising a new generation in peace. It is a colossal endeavour for any society. According to the United Nations, one quarter of humankind lives in conflict-affected areas. Sustaining peace is one of the most crucial tasks of our time. The European Union believes firmly that sustaining peace in Africa is a challenge that should be addressed in a holistic way. There are no shortcuts. We cannot support security structures while ignoring economic development. We cannot fight terrorism while ignoring human rights and accountability. Peace has to be supported from all sides — through good governance and democratic institutions and sustainable economic and social development, and by advancing gender equality and respecting the rule of law and human rights. Let me elaborate on how the EU and its member States are working together with our African partners to implement this holistic approach. This is a long-standing cooperative relationship premised on strengthened political dialogue and African solutions to African problems. The EU recognizes the needs of the African continent and is dedicating €1.5 billion to supporting conflict prevention and peace and security initiatives at the national and regional levels in sub-Saharan Africa for the period from 2021 to 2027. Since 2004, the EU has provided some €3 billion in support of African- led peace and security operations on the continent. We are and will remain heavily engaged politically and financially, as was recently demonstrated by our adoption of a €600 million package in support of the African Union’s mandated peace and security operations on the continent for the period from 2022 to 2024. Capacity-building and training, which are the focus of this debate, play a crucial role in building resilient institutions that are a fundamental pillar of peace. Good examples of this are the EU training and capacity-building missions and operations, which can be complemented by the provision of equipment through the African Peace Facility of the European Union. The EU has 11 such missions on the African continent, with 3,000 women and men providing training to more than 30,000 African soldiers, police officers and magistrates. Most recently, the EU launched a training mission in Mozambique that will train and equip 11 selected units, making up a quick reaction force to support the Mozambican armed forces in Cabo Delgado. Other missions are active across Africa from the Sahel to Libya and from the Central African Republic to Somalia. The EU and its member States are also keen supporters of African mediation efforts, transition processes and peacebuilding efforts across the board, including through support to the African Union and the United Nations. The United Nations peace and security advisers are a good example of capacity- building for peace, and they receive strong support from the European Union and its member States. The EU and its member States are also among the biggest contributors to the Peacebuilding Fund, providing more than 60 per cent of that mechanism’s funding. However, we do recognize the gap between the demands and the available resources of the Peacebuilding Fund and peacebuilding efforts at large. To ensure the best results with limited resources, we must prioritize strengthening cooperation and finding synergies between key peacebuilding actors such as the United Nations, the EU, the international financial institutions and regional development banks. We look forward to the upcoming negotiations on peacebuilding financing facilitated by Kenya and Sweden, which will be an opportunity to improve the sustainability and predictability of financing for peacebuilding, including through the introduction of assessed contributions. While those targeted efforts for peacebuilding are crucial, we also recognize that peace cannot be sustained without addressing the root causes of conflict and ensuring women’s full, equal and meaningful participation in peace processes. For long-term sustainable peace, we have to tackle economic and social development, poverty, inequalities and climate change in line with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the African Union’s Agenda 2063. I mentioned the example of the EU training mission in Mozambique. Security cooperation is only one part of our integrated approach to the crisis in Cabo Delgado. Our support measures also include humanitarian, development and peacebuilding activities. Among those peacebuilding activities are community policing, interfaith dialogue, the promotion of social cohesion and support for children affected by conflict. Building the capacity for sustainable peace means including the whole population and leaving no one behind. It means ensuring the meaningful and equal participation of women and young people in peace processes. African women laid the foundation for the women and peace and security agenda and have shown the world repeatedly that they are formidable peacebuilders. We know that a more gender-equal State is also more peaceful and stable. We also know that the deliberate use of sexual violence in conflict has devastating consequences for victims, families and communities. Building resilience and capacities for peace therefore means removing all barriers to gender equality and women’s empowerment. It means combating impunity, promoting accountability and building a capacity for integrated approaches. It requires sustainable financing of women-led and women-centred organizations that work to address gender inequality. It requires engaging men and boys in discussions on harmful practices and stereotypes. It also requires dedicated leadership at every level, including in the form of gender-responsive leadership training. Women’s full, equal and meaningful participation in all peace and security processes and operations is long overdue. At this time we are emerging from the coronavirus disease crisis, which has hit Africa hard. And we are fighting a crisis of rising food and energy prices while also battling the effects of climate change. That is compounded by a global lack of financing, particularly affecting emerging economies that are already struggling with high debt burdens. That crisis has been exacerbated by the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine, which has prevented the export of grain and other essential food staples, causing price hikes that have hit Africa particularly hard. While we welcome the United Nations- and Türkiye-brokered Black Sea Grain Initiative, this global food security crisis puts pressure on fragile societies in Africa, jeopardizing peace and stability. It also highlights the need to reinforce maritime security and ensure freedom of navigation, as well as the importance of ensuring that our partners in Europe itself can sustain supply chains for food, energy and other essential goods. Building capacity and resilience in African societies is key to withstanding future global shocks. Building the mobilization of domestic resources and investing in sustainable agriculture in Africa and in pandemic preparedness are examples of capacity-building that will lead to long-term resilience and support sustainable peace. Through the Global Gateway initiative, the EU aims to support sustainable and resilient food systems in Africa by investing in energy, so that Africa can make use of its abundance of renewable energy sources, and by supporting education and training. Finally, we must not forget the individual in all this. As is pointed out in the concept note (see S/2022/592, annex), we have to follow a people-centred approach. We cannot sustain peace without respect for human rights and human dignity. We can never use peacebuilding as a pretext for circumventing human rights or the rule of law. Not only is that morally wrong, but it will also eventually erode people’s trust in the State and its institutions. We therefore need to put good governance, human rights and international humanitarian law at the top of our agenda. They are the first building blocks for peaceful and resilient societies, in Africa and all over the world. Ultimately, democratic accountability and transparency are guarantors of sustaining peace. The EU will therefore continue to support the implementation of the African Governance Architecture, based on the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance. We can only commend the African Union’s reform efforts designed to increase the synergy between the African Peace and Security Architecture and the African Governance Architecture. An example of our support takes the form of election observation. The EU has carried out more than 100 election observation missions in Africa since 2000, following invitations by the host Governments. To illustrate that, let me return to the example of Cabo Delgado. In addition to the EU training mission, we are preparing to lend support to the judiciary to bring violent extremists to justice in a human-rights-compliant manner. The EU is also supporting the Southern African Development Community peacebuilding activities in Cabo Delgado aimed at strengthening the human rights and rule-of- law capacities of the police and correctional services. In conclusion, let me assure you, Mr. President, of the European Union’s commitment to the Secretary- General’s New Agenda for Peace, which has prevention and peacebuilding at its core, while also calling for support for regional prevention. That must address current and future threats to global peace and security in a comprehensive and integrated manner. The European Union will continue to play its part in that through its strong partnerships with Africa and the United Nations.

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

Mr. Kuymizakis (Malta): Malta thanks the Chinese presidency for organizing this open debate, which acknowledges the mutually reinforcing nature of peace, security and development in Africa. Malta’s long-standing commitment to advancing dialogue in that regard reaffirms our position on leaving no one behind. We also thank yesterday’s briefers for enriching the discussion with their insights and experiences. Addressing the root causes of conflict is an important element of conflict prevention and resolution. To that end, long-term capacity-building can deliver positive outcomes. Malta supports and encourages continued Security Council engagement with Africa, and appreciates the crucial work being done by the United Nations peacekeeping and special political missions on the continent. We fully support the participation of all relevant parties and attach great importance to the full, equal and meaningful participation of women in peacemaking processes, as well as the crucial involvement of young people. Tailor-made structures are critical tools for ensuring that we deal with peace and security issues in Africa as holistically as possible. Multilateral setups cannot exist independently or be indifferent to the realities on the ground. In that regard, it is important to recognize the importance of regional and subregional organizations, which are an integral part of the multilateral system and can make a significant contribution owing to their unique knowledge of their region and history. The relationship between the Security Council and the African Union (AU), particularly through the African Peace and Security Architecture, has enabled the Council to facilitate peace agreements and strengthen regional cooperation on the ground. We cannot speak of peace and security without speaking of development. Malta would like to point out that it is also the primary duty of the State to ensure that its national and international efforts do not run contrary to its human rights obligations. The climate emergency and food insecurity are global challenges that are having a disproportionate impact on Africa. Our priorities for sustainable development should be aimed at building effective and reliable policy frameworks and institutions, solidified by sustainable investments in connectivity, digital technology and infrastructure, and by providing access to innovative sources of finance for expanding the domestic fiscal space and for harnessing clean energy sources. To that end, Malta is proud to support the EU’s Global Gateway initiative, which aims to mobilize investments of up to €300 billion between 2021 and 2027, as well as the commitments made at the level of the European Union (EU) during last February’s EU-AU Summit. Those efforts are fully aligned with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its Sustainable Development Goals and with the values of good governance, multi-stakeholder partnerships, education and research, and climate-neutral and security-focused strategies. It is only by providing an enabling environment that we can close structural gaps and achieve a resilient and inclusive future for our African partners. As vaccine rollouts are bringing hope that the end of the coronavirus disease pandemic may be in sight, it is regrettable that a significant number of African countries are still lagging behind. Open, affordable and non-discriminatory access to vaccines should remain at the cornerstone of international efforts. Malta has played its part by sharing vaccines and providing financial support towards the delivery of vaccines to African countries, because we believe that only through cooperation can we ensure a sustainable recovery for every African country. Malta believes that any capacity-building must incorporate the need for early-warning mechanisms, corresponding early-response mechanisms and formidable preventive mechanisms. We are firm in our belief that such mechanisms can be created through a multilateral approach. While such cooperation might face challenges, Malta believes in the potential that Africa holds for international peace and security, and that should encourage us to collectively seek cooperative approaches that maximize that potential.

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

Ms. Baptista Grade Zacarias (Portugal): I would like to congratulate China on assuming the presidency of the Security Council for this month and for convening this timely meeting. I also thank the briefers for their valuable insights. Portugal aligns itself with the statement delivered by the European Union (EU) and would like to add the following four points. Africa faces multiple security threats, the root causes of which are shared by many countries and include poverty, vulnerability, climate change and fragile institutions. The impact of the pandemic, together with one of the most severe droughts in decades and the consequences for global food security of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, has altered progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals, with a particularly devastating impact on small island developing States and least developed countries, affecting their capacity to address climate change and conflict. Peacebuilding and sustaining peace cannot be approached from a security point of view alone. We also need to prioritize conflict prevention and peace consolidation programmes, including the promotion and protection of human rights with a joint commitment to implementing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development in Africa, in line with the priorities set out by the African Union. Portugal remains a committed partner of Africa across the whole scope of the peace continuum. We participate in three United Nations peacekeeping missions — in the Central African Republic, Mali and South Sudan — and we are also present in eight of the 11 EU training missions on the African continent. Bilaterally, we have programmes aimed at supporting the capacity-building of our partners’ defence and security forces. We cooperate closely with our partners in areas of maritime security, particularly the Gulf of Guinea. Portuguese cooperation with African States has traditionally supported institutional capacity-building in line with the national priorities of partner countries, particularly in areas such as good governance, the rule of law, the security sector, education and health. As a current member of the Peacebuilding Commission (PBC) and a regular contributor to the Peacebuilding Fund, we have been pleased to note — as the PBC Chair rightly mentioned — the increased interest that countries and regions in Africa have shown in engaging with the Commission. That is further evidence that peacebuilding works. However, we need to ensure adequate, predictable and sustainable financing if we want to meet that growing demand. My second point is about the need to strengthen cooperation with regional organizations such as the African Union. Regional organizations bring with them a vast knowledge of the root causes of conflict and help ensure local ownership by promoting trust and dialogue. The partnership between the United Nations, the African Union and the European Union already plays a very important role in the support provided to regional organizations and arrangements on the African continent, and it can be further developed. Portugal encourages the Security Council to pursue the debate on predictable, sustainable and flexible funding for peace support operations undertaken by African regional and subregional organizations. Thirdly, for sustaining peace to be a successful endeavour, it must be inclusive. We support the full and meaningful participation of women, young people and civil society in all the areas that affect them. That is particularly relevant when we are talking about human rights, democracy, rule of law and good governance. Providing support to justice systems has also been a key step in ensuring that the gains made in peace processes can be sustained over the long term. Finally, we share the concerns expressed by other colleagues about the expansion of violence, extremism and terrorism in Africa. Here, too, we must tackle the problems at their roots. We need to strengthen human rights compliance. We need to strengthen resilience to climate change while helping to expand employment, particularly among young people. We need to push international financial institutions and multilateral development banks to do more, and in a more coordinated way, to address the difficulties around access to financing for sustainable development and climate action in Africa. We also need to learn from and scale up positive past experiences. That might include, for example, replicating the Rabat training hub of the Office of Counter-Terrorism in other areas of the continent, recognizing the roles of victims of terrorism and their families and enhancing the ability of national authorities to prosecute and convict terrorism finance. In conclusion, let me reiterate Portugal’s full commitment to supporting sustainable peace and security in Africa.

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

Mr. Espinosa Cañizares (Ecuador) (spoke in Spanish): I wish China success upon assuming the presidency of the Security Council for the month of August, and I thank China for convening this debate on peace and security in Africa. I also welcome yesterday’s briefings. During the process of consultations I undertook with the Permanent Representatives of African countries in the context of my country’s campaign to assume an elected seat on the Security Council, I had the opportunity and privilege to hear the most diverse perspectives on how to overcome the current challenges on the African continent. Notwithstanding the diversity of visions and the particularities of each region and subregion in Africa, the common factor that I identified lies in the will for ownership of the solutions. In other words, African solutions to African problems. Of course, that does not mean that peace and security in Africa is disconnected from international peace and security; on the contrary, it is a central component — and it will therefore continue to be a priority of the United Nations system. Neither does it mean that African solutions exclude or limit the participation of countries from other regions; on the contrary, building capacities to sustain peace in Africa implies the exercise of responsibility by the international community, through the fulfilment of commitments and obligations, including those related to cooperation, assistance and financing for development and peacebuilding. I emphasize the role of the Peacebuilding Commission, in which Ecuador hopes to fill, in 2023, the vacancy occupied every year by a State from the Group of Latin American and Caribbean States, through the Security Council. My delegation regrets that voluntary contributions to the Peacebuilding Fund continue to be insufficient, and I therefore highlight the efforts of Secretary- General António Guterres to promote the mobilization of resources and to seek a mechanism to meet the existing needs on the ground, including through assessed contributions. The other common factor that I identified and that will guide Ecuador’s service in the Security Council is the need for synergies. That is why this debate is absolutely timely and complements the special high- level dialogue convened in July 20 by the Presidents of the General Assembly and the Economic and Social Council on “The Africa We Want”, built on the outcomes of the annual Africa Dialogue Series, organized by the African Union and the United Nations Office of the Special Adviser on Africa in May. We will not be able to achieve Sustainable Development Goal 16 of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Peace if we leave out the specific needs and challenges in Africa, whether in Mali, in Somalia or in any other country of the greater continent. Moreover, the efforts of the Council regarding sustainable peace in Africa must take into account that many of the challenges facing the continent are transnational, supra-regional and global in nature, such as climate change, terrorism organized crime, arms trafficking and food insecurity. I take this opportunity to commend the agreements reached to facilitate the export of grain in the Black Sea ports, which must be fully respected in order to alleviate the food crisis in Africa and the entire world. The Council should also express its views on this matter. Finally, I recognize the substantive contribution of the three African members of the Security Council to the Council’s work, and I confirm my delegation’s interest and determination to work closely with that group and with the rest of the membership in this organ’s efforts to strengthen peace and security in Africa.

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

Mr. Afonso (Mozambique): I wish to start by congratulating you, Mr. President, and the People’s Republic of China on your well-deserved assumption of the presidency of the Security Council for the current month of August. Mozambique welcomes this important initiative by China of convening a Security Council open debate under the theme “Peace and security in Africa: capacity-building for sustaining peace”. Having a debate on this important subject in the programme of work of the Security Council for August is a testament to the priority and special attention that China and this organ attach to the issues pertaining to the promotion of peace and security in the African continent. We thank the briefers of this meeting, namely, Mr. Bankole Adeoye, African Union Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security; Under- Secretary-General Cristina Duarte, Special Adviser on Africa to the United Nations Secretary-General; and Mr. Muhammad Abdul Muhith, Permanent Representative of Bangladesh and Chair of the Peacebuilding Commission. History and our own experience point to the fact that capacity-building is at the core of State formation in Africa. Whether analysed from a purely internal perspective or a broader international perspective, we view capacity-building as a fundamental tool to build an effective State that can create and promote unity, cohesion, democracy, peace and development. In that context, capacity-building can be an effective enabler for peace and security in Africa, as well as for effectively addressing the root causes of conflict and instability. Combating terrorism, which is a global scourge of the twenty-first century and is eating away at the fabric of the African State and societies, including my country, Mozambique, demands cooperation and capacity-building. In that context, the challenges that we face today in Africa need comprehensive, integrated and inclusive policies, as well as sustained funding, firm commitment, engagement and effective coordination at all levels from national, regional and international actors. In particular, capacity-building for sustained peace should be aimed at asserting, building or restoring State authority and governance structures. Furthermore, they must be equipped with the ability to perform their basic duties for their people. To that end, trust has to be built, the social fabric has to be repaired and the root causes of conflict should be effectively addressed. Many speakers who preceded me made reference to a number of factors that have to be taken into account in peacebuilding and State-building processes. They include the promotion of investment and social and economic development; investment in human resources and in infrastructure development; the identification of African solutions to African problems, especially in conflict prevention and resolution; an increase in the flow of overseas development assistance; a deeper understanding of African societies by our development partners; addressing the immediate needs of conflict and post-conflict States to prevent a relapse into hostilities; and reinforcing humanitarian assistance in conflict and post-conflict situations. As we mentioned before, a high degree of coherence and coordination in peacebuilding efforts is needed. That is particularly required in activities jointly carried out by the United Nations and the African Union (AU), such as the Joint United Nations-African Union Framework for an Enhanced Partnership in Peace and Security of 2017 and the AU-United Nations Framework for the Implementation of Agenda 2063 and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Mozambique further encourages the implementation of the 2017 memorandum of understanding on a United Nations-AU partnership in peacebuilding. That instrument provides a framework aimed at strengthening cooperation in support of peacebuilding and sustained peace efforts in Africa. I wish to conclude by once again praising this important initiative by China.

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

Mr. Arbeiter (Canada) (spoke in French): I would like to make three points regarding today’s topic, namely, on capacity-building for sustainable peace in Africa. First, I would like to commend the efforts and examples of African States themselves, African regional and subregional organizations, in particular the African Union (AU), and African civil society organizations in building and sustaining peace on the continent. Those examples, such as Liberia’s peaceful transition, the African Union’s efforts to improve early warning, the tireless work of civil society networks across the Sahel, among others, are not just African solutions to African problems; they are examples from which we can all learn to better prevent conflict and keep the peace. We know from many examples on the continent that lasting peace is built when we recognize and address the intrinsic links among human rights, sustainable development, peace and security. Just and inclusive societies, with the full and complete participation of all, without discrimination, in the social, economic, cultural, civic and political life of their communities, are peaceful societies. As the Chair of the Peacebuilding Commission said, that means building effective, accountable and inclusive institutions that deliver justice, protect and promote human rights and address all forms of discrimination, exclusion and inequality that can lead to conflict. Capacity-building means investing in, and supporting, local efforts, rather than importing and then exporting external know-how. That is as true for development as it is for peacebuilding and community policing. All-foreign teams designing infrastructure or mediating in protracted conflicts in Africa or elsewhere are harbingers of problems ahead. Sustainable peace and development instead require local and national responses. We welcome the participation of the Chair of the Peacebuilding Commission in this open debate, and we encourage the Security Council to make better use of the Peacebuilding Commission’s advisory and liaison role. (spoke in English) Secondly, national ownership is crucial to building and sustaining peace. Fortunately, there are many examples of African Member States assuming such ownership, such as in Liberia, Sierra Leone and the Gambia, while continuing to benefit from a positive partnership with the United Nations. Worryingly, however, several such previously positive partnerships are under strain elsewhere, as certain Governments undertake actions that risk undermining the ability of the United Nations to support their efforts to sustain peace. Inclusive national ownership means working together to empower communities and people, in addition to supporting the State. It is essential to support the capacity of local civil society organizations and, in particular, women peacebuilders in building and sustaining peace. But recognizing the important role played by those organizations is not enough. We must urgently improve access to adequate funding for women peacebuilders to elevate their voices and address the rising levels of violence against them. Canada is working closely with the African Union Commission in that regard, including through a $10 million grant that will help build the AU’s institutional capacity in gender equality, as well as increase the involvement of women in peacebuilding, early-warning and mediation efforts. We are also seeking to provide more sustainable and flexible support to women peacebuilders, including through a dedicated $5 million envelope to support local grass- roots women peacebuilders. My third and final point is on the need for sustained engagement and partnerships, particularly amid the interlinked challenges facing the continent. Yesterday we heard very clearly from the African Union Commissioner that climate change represents a clear threat to peace and security in Africa. Furthermore, the coronavirus disease and other health security threats exacerbate fragilities and inequalities and seriously undermine sustainable development. Rising food insecurity, exacerbated by Russia’s illegal war of aggression against Ukraine, threatens the lives and livelihoods of millions on the continent. Such threats — climate challenge, health risks and food insecurity — risk erasing hard-won peacebuilding gains in Africa. If the Security Council is serious about preventing conflict and sustaining peace on the African continent, it should listen to the voices of African States, regional organizations and civil society, and address those threats with the priority and attention that they deserve.

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

Mr. Hermann (Denmark): On behalf of the Nordic countries — Finland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden and my own country, Denmark — let me begin by thanking China for convening this timely meeting and for allowing us to speak in the Security Council without worrying about time. I also want to put on record our gratitude to the briefers for their insightful interventions. The need to explore ways to further strengthen conflict-prevention measures and peacebuilding capacities across Africa has become ever more pertinent. The Nordic countries are, and will continue, working to strengthen the United Nations capacity to create cohesion, efficiency and accountability across the humanitarian, development and peace nexus, particularly through the United Nations Peacebuilding Commission, its Peacebuilding Fund and, importantly, regional and subregional organizations. In that context, we also recognize the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and underline the importance that its implementation contribute to peacebuilding and sustaining peace in countries in conflict and post- conflict situations. In the context of conflict prevention and peacebuilding, regional and subregional organizations are instrumental in developing context-specific and tailor-made approaches. They are often the first to react in crisis response and to engage with the parties concerned to ensure the protection of civilians. They are uniquely placed to build trust and promote dialogue among the parties concerned and offer support in mediation and reconciliation; and they can be influential in advocating for the full, equal and meaningful participation of women and young people in all aspects of peace and security. The Nordic countries will continue to strengthen our cooperation with regional organizations, particularly the African Union. Our cooperation focuses on adequate training, capacity-building and equipment, and strengthening African-led peace operations. In this vein, we are working to ensure funding for African- led peace operations in support of African solutions for crises on the African continent. We commend the progress on the African Union Peace Fund, including the efforts made by States members of the African Union to ensure predictable and sustainable financing. Regional organizations can also play a critical role in supporting political transitions and upholding democratic principles, as seen with the commendable efforts of the Economic Community of West African States in the Sahel, which have played a crucial role for not only national but also regional security and stabilization. An integral part of capacity-building for sustaining peace is strengthening the capacity of judicial actors and law-enforcement officials to ensure accountability for conflict-related crimes, in particular conflict-related sexual violence. Conflict-related sexual violence and gender-based violence remain cruel tactics of war, terror, political repression and torture. The fight against sexual and gender-based violence must be at the centre of our work to secure international peace and security. Ensuring access for survivors of conflict-related sexual violence to comprehensive services, including sexual and reproductive-health services — and fighting impunity for perpetrators — should be fundamental to any peace effort. In line with the women and peace and security agenda, we all need to further step up our interaction with civil society and support for local women’s organizations and women peacebuilders. We must establish partnerships with women-led organizations that involve capacity-building, and we must ensure women’s inclusion in the decision-making processes. Their contextual and local expertise is crucial for the full implementation of the women and peace and security agenda. At the same time, we must not forget the critical importance of including youth. We fully support the implementation of the youth, peace and security agenda. Engaging youth in conflict prevention, resolution and peacebuilding is essential to building inclusive and lasting peace. We recognize that conflict prevention and enduring peace cannot be sustained without addressing the root causes of insecurity and conflict. To ensure long-term sustainable peace, we must support economic and social development, and address poverty, inequality and climate change in line with the 2030 Agenda and the African Union’s Agenda 2063. A comprehensive whole-of-system response by the United Nations, in cooperation with regional actors, should work preventively to address the factors that cause and exacerbate conflict, including poverty, inequality and climate change, inter alia, and doing so by promoting the rule of law, strong democratic institutions and the protection of human rights. This entails, as I mentioned, working across the humanitarian-development-peace nexus to promote greater cooperation, coherence, coordination and complementarity among efforts in development, disaster-risk reduction, humanitarian access and sustaining peace. We hope that by further strengthening the cooperation between the United Nations and regional partners, we can build a true culture of prevention while placing an emphasis on bolstering regional peacebuilding capacities.

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

Mr. Chindawongse (Thailand): Thailand wishes to thank China for organizing this important Security Council open debate focusing on Africa. My appreciation also goes to the African Union Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security, and the Chair of the Peacebuilding Commission for their valuable contributions. On this important issue of peace and security in Africa, particularly capacity-building for sustaining peace, I wish to make the following four points. First, with regard to Africa, Africa knows best. Every continent and every region has its own particular challenges, but in Africa, the countries of the region, particularly those affected by these challenges, each with its own unique circumstances, are best placed to identify and help create sustainable pathways for resolution. We should therefore pay stronger attention to African priorities and African-driven processes, culminating in home-grown solutions. In this regard, Thailand wishes to commend the pivotal leadership and critical role exercised by the African Union (AU) in addressing peace and security challenges as well as other challenges on the continent, and the contributions of subregional organizations throughout Africa. Secondly, regional-global partnerships continue to be relevant. Such partnerships remain important in supporting regional efforts at overcoming peace and security challenges. In tandem with the African Union’s achievements, the contributions made by the United Nations-AU Framework for Enhanced Partnership in Peace and Security, now in its sixth year, continue to be significant, as have been the triangular partnerships with regional economic communities. Thailand supports the close cooperation between the Security Council and Africa, whether it be the affected or concerned countries, the African Union or relevant subregional organizations, in addressing the broad spectrum of peace and security challenges on the continent. Particular attention must be paid to the views of the African members of the Council in deliberations about Africa. From peacekeeping operations to peacebuilding missions, it is important for the United Nations and the international community to continue to provide support. Thirdly, contributions and cooperation can come from far and wide, and even from small countries. As a member of the Peacebuilding Commission (PBC), Thailand will continue to play its part in supporting these global-regional endeavours for Africa, including by encouraging greater consultations and coordination between the Security Council, the PBC and the Economic and Social Council to better mobilize capacity-building assistance and resources to support African countries in conflict settings. Furthermore, through its 300 Thai personnel currently deployed to the United Nations Mission in South Sudan, Thailand will continue to make an active contribution to peace in Africa. While the Thai contingent’s main task is to contribute to stability and rebuild essential infrastructure in the country, its other priorities are to engage with local South Sudanese communities in capacity development in such areas, for example, as sustainable agriculture and water and land management. This leads me to my fourth and final point, namely, that sustaining peace will be sustainable only if there is progress in sustainable development. The key is using effective capacity-building in selected areas that will reinforce sustainable development and enhance the conditions for sustainable peace. To this end, Thailand has been actively engaged with its partners in Africa on capacity-building through bilateral programmes as well as South-South and triangular cooperation modalities. Also to this end, we are guided and will always be guided by the priorities of the host country and by the priorities of the Agenda 2063 and of the New Partnership for Africa’s Development regionally. In addition to targeted technical assistance through the Thailand International Cooperation Agency in such areas as public health and micro-small-and- medium-enterprise development, the Friends from Thailand volunteers have also been dispatched to a number of African countries to provide capacity- building in agriculture, education, engineering and community development, to name a few. In view of the current food crisis and the growing trend towards greater food insecurity around the world, including in Africa, capacity-building in sustainable agriculture to strengthen food-security resilience in the long run will be as important as immediate measures to address hunger and starvation. As a major rice exporter to Africa, Thailand will continue to support safe and effective supply chains for food and agricultural products to Africa. In conclusion, Thailand will continue to play its part in supporting the United Nations and other international efforts to reinforce partnerships with Africa so as to promote peace and security and sustainable development on the continent. We will also do so through and in partnership with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, which incidentally celebrated its birthday yesterday; it is now 55 years and one day old. Now, with African countries having acceded to the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia and with the great potential offered by the African Continental Free Trade Agreement as well as the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership in East Asia, we look forward to the future enhancement of ties between Southeast Asia and Africa.

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

Mr. Romiti (Italy): Mr. President, I would like to thank you for organizing this open debate. Italy fully aligns itself with the statement made by the representative of the European Union (EU), in its capacity as observer. The coronavirus disease pandemic and the war in Ukraine have affected international peace and security, dramatically exacerbating the root causes of conflict on the African continent. We must converge on the priority that the African Union (AU) summarized in the 2063 Agenda and support effective partnerships to make financing for development a key priority. I will focus on three points. First, we believe that further investing in a strategic dialogue between the Security Council and regional and subregional organizations may strengthen positive dynamics in Africa. Both at a national level and within the EU, Italy has always paid careful attention to positions endorsed by the African Union and other regional organizations. We commend the African Union — through its close cooperation with regional blocs — for successfully facilitating peace agreements and reducing conflict escalation in several countries. That is why we stand ready to support and invest in the programmes and initiatives considered key by the Security Council and the AU for sustaining peace and stability on the continent. Italy will continue to support the African Peace and Security Architecture with financial assistance, training and capacity-building programmes and is in favour of using United Nations-assessed contributions for African-led peace operations, provided that appropriate standards are met. To that end, Italy supports the work of the Carabinieri corps, entrusted by the Italian Foreign Ministry with the mandate to cooperate with AU partners on building the capacity of police and security forces. As repeatedly stated by Italy, the issue of Africa’s presence in United Nations institutions should also be addressed, with specific reference to the Security Council, in order to make it more representative, democratic, accountable, transparent and effective. Secondly, in order to sustain peace, conflict prevention must be effective, which leads us to discuss the role of the Peacebuilding Commission (PBC). We believe that we can overcome some difficult dynamics within the Security Council by reinforcing the role of the PBC, in the interest of peace and security in Africa. We firmly believe in PBC priorities as drivers of peace and stability. Investing in resilience, social cohesion and the active participation of women and youth in conflict- prevention and capacity-building can foster virtuous cycles that can lay the foundation of sustainable peace. Tackling transborder issues is another crucial area that the PBC clearly has on its agenda, with the aim of de-escalating dangerous situations among local communities and between neighbouring States. As members of the PBC starting next year, we are ready to do our part. Thirdly, sustaining peace in Africa, while demanding a strong commitment within the multilateral framework, also constitutes a national priority for Italy. Ours is a multidimensional strategy. We support African countries through direct assistance and capacity-building programmes aimed at promoting human rights, the rule of law and good governance. We also believe, however, that there can be no sustainable development without peace, and no peace without sustainable development. Food security, health and education are the main pillars of the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation’s strategy in Africa, with a focus on gender equality, youth and job creation across the board. Our initiatives are launched in coordination with local authorities, while paying particular attention to ownership and the priorities identified by our partners. We will also continue to facilitate partnerships between Italian and African companies, since the private sector needs to be supported to grow and generate wealth for African communities. A step in the right direction would be the completion of the African Continental Free Trade Area, which we welcome and hope will help Africa gain greater stability. In conclusion, Italy is ultimately engaged, both at the bilateral and multilateral levels, on fronts that are inextricably linked to peace and security, such as climate change and terrorism. During the Italian Group of 20 presidency, we put the fight against climate change at the very core of our international agenda, building on efforts to enhance climate finance from developed countries and debt reduction for African countries. Moreover, we are particularly active in the Global Coalition against Da’esh. There is no single solution to sustain peace and security in Africa, but collectively we are called to make every effort in that direction, aware that multilateralism remains key.

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

Mr. Kridelka (Belgium) (spoke in French): At the outset, I would like to thank the Chinese presidency of the Security Council for organizing this open debate dedicated to peace and security in Africa, an important theme on which Belgium advocates increased cooperation, in line with the joint declaration of the Heads of State and Government that punctuated the European Union (EU)/African Union Summit in February. Belgium fully aligns itself with the statement made by the representative of the European Union, which rightly emphasizes that any peacekeeping effort is futile if the root causes of conflict are not addressed. I would like to mention three points in particular. First, ownership over peacekeeping efforts by African countries and their regional organizations has been growing steadily of late. That should not be underestimated. It is essential that collaboration on capacity-building be driven by and for Africans. At the same time, it is our duty to support them in that respect. And Belgium, as a partner committed to Africa’s development, is walking the talk. On that basis, Belgium supports the training of the Nigerien army in the Sahel. In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, too, our collaboration in Kindu aims to contribute to the ultimate goal of a lasting peace in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. My second point concerns security sector reform, which is a crucial aspect in the establishment of sustainable peace in Africa, and Belgium fully supports all efforts to that end. We pay particular attention to several essential principles: first, national ownership of the security sector reform process, with a focus on the involvement of local communities, women, youth and civil society; secondly, democratic control; and thirdly, the essential coordination among humanitarian action, development and security, also referred to at the United Nations as the “nexus”. My third and final point concerns the importance of human rights in our capacity-building efforts. Belgium is particularly committed in that regard, as illustrated by our commitment to the fight against impunity and in the area of transitional justice in particular, an area in which we have worked extensively in the Security Council with our South African friends. The deployment of a Belgian judge to the Special Criminal Court in the Central African Republic since May 2021 demonstrates this Belgian priority. For peace to be sustainable, it must inevitably establish responsibility for human rights violations and the most serious crimes. That is a crucial aspect of restoring public confidence in institutions. A comprehensive approach is therefore needed to support sustainable peace across the African continent, and Belgium welcomes bilateral, interregional and multilateral collaboration to that end. I will conclude with an expression of gratitude to the Chinese presidency of the Security Council for having given us this opportunity to participate in today’s dialogue on this important topic.

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

Mr. Zellenrath (Netherlands): The Kingdom of the Netherlands thanks you, Mr. President, for organizing this open debate and for this opportunity to discuss capacity-building for sustaining peace on the African continent. We align ourselves with the statements made earlier by the representative of the European Union (EU) and the Chair of the Peacebuilding Commission. The African continent has huge possibilities and great aspirations. It is blessed with an almost limitless potential of its countries and peoples. Yet parts of the continent are faced with myriad challenges when it comes to sustaining peace. Those need to be addressed in a holistic way. Allow me to make two points on which the international community, in our view, should focus its support. The first area is financing for peacebuilding. As we know, peacebuilding is highly effective, but the financing of United Nations peacebuilding has been labelled inadequate, unpredictable and unsustainable. Considering the bulk of the Organization’s peacebuilding activities are implemented on the African continent, the necessity to find a solution to those funding deficiencies is of prime importance here today. As one of the biggest donors to the Peacebuilding Fund, we play our national part, but we need to find a sustainable way forward for the international community as a whole. That is why the Kingdom of the Netherland supports assessed contributions for the Peacebuilding Fund. We will continue to support that during the negotiations on the peacebuilding draft resolutions that are ongoing, facilitated by Sweden and Kenya, and during negotiations in the Fifth Committee, which are due to resume in the autumn. Given the catalytic function of the Peacebuilding Fund, the funding gaps that we see and the demand for peacebuilding activities and prevention, investing in more United Nations capacity towards sustaining peace is not only the right thing to do; it is the smart thing to do. We call on all States to support such efforts for more sustainable and better predictable financing. Secondly, we need strengthened institutional capacity-building. We wholeheartedly support earlier statements that referred to the importance of training and of prioritizing inclusive justice, the fight against impunity and guaranteeing human rights. Sustainable peace is built on, and built by, institutions that are trusted by the population they serve. Building capacity for sustainable peace means including the whole population and leaving no one behind. It means ensuring the meaningful and equal participation of women and youth in peace processes. It means healing the wounds of conflict, while raising a new generation in peace through mental-health and psychosocial support. We support strengthening the coordination of United Nations-African Union (AU) activities on political dialogue and reconciliation efforts. Promoting security in African countries requires the close cooperation of the EU with both the African Union and the United Nations, as well as with regional organizations, such as the Group of Five for the Sahel and the Economic Community of West African States. We will continue to cooperate in the field of cyber, countering violent extremism and addressing the root causes of conflict. When it comes to United Nations peacekeeping, we see that a closing and drawdown of missions can result in sudden capability gaps, which puts sustainable peacebuilding at risk. That requires further cooperation and dialogue between the United Nations and the AU and sustainable financing for national capacity-building. Building capacity and resilience in African societies is key to withstanding the challenges that the African continent is facing, including rising food and energy prices, exacerbated by the Russian aggression in Ukraine, and climate change, which is hitting African countries hard. There is a need to break cycles of conflict and prevent new and re-emerging conflicts from happening. The Kingdom of the Netherlands will continue to support African countries and the African Union, both politically and financially, to sustain peace on the continent.

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

Mr. Kadiri (Morocco) (spoke in French): First of all, I would like to congratulate China on its assumption of the presidency of the Security Council for this month. I thank China for organizing this open debate on an extremely important topic for Morocco, namely, peacebuilding and sustaining peace in Africa, our continent. I would also like to thank the briefers for their informative briefings. In line with the guidance of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, Morocco works tirelessly for peacemaking, peacebuilding and peacekeeping on our continent. As a member of the Peace and Security Council of the African Union, Morocco therefore does everything that it can to prevent and resolve conflicts in Africa. As Chair of the Peacebuilding Commission’s country-specific configuration on the Central African Republic and an active member of the Commission, the Kingdom of Morocco makes sustaining peace an absolute priority in its diplomatic activities. Moreover, having contributed to United Nations peacekeeping operations on African soil since the 1960s, the brave peacekeeping troops of the Royal Moroccan Armed Forces contribute honourably and selflessly, sometimes paying with their lives, to promoting peace in several African countries and to strengthening stability on our continent. African countries have come a long way and made a great deal of progress in ensuring peace, stability and security on our continent. In order to support that momentum, it is the responsibility of the international community to continue to support the leadership of African countries to strengthen and consolidate what has been achieved, in accordance with the priorities of those countries and their national ownership. Based on the reality of the peace, development and security nexus, and the fact that there can be no lasting peace without economic development, it is necessary to adopt a holistic, consistent and multidimensional approach that involves Governments, international, regional and subregional organizations, international financial institutions and civil society actors as part of a shared effort to build Africa’s capacities to promote peace and socioeconomic development. That collective effort is particularly important in the context of the post-coronavirus disease era in order to effectively overcome the socioeconomic, political, environmental and humanitarian repercussions of the pandemic for a stronger recovery that will guarantee peace and stability. Moreover, we stress the importance of sustainable, adequate and predictable financing for development, peacekeeping and peacebuilding efforts. In that context, it is essential for the international community to implement its commitments to financing development in Africa. Similarly, Morocco reiterates its full support for the Secretary-General’s proposal to allocate $100 million to the Peacebuilding Fund in United Nations assessed contributions, aware that Africa is a major part of the Peacebuilding Commission’s agenda. Furthermore, we reiterate the need to respond favourably to Africa’s legitimate request for the financing of African Union peacekeeping operations authorized by the Security Council to be based on assessed contributions from the United Nations budget. In recent years, the terrorist threat has unfortunately increased in an unprecedented and extremely dangerous way in Africa, undermining peace and security on the continent, in particular due to proven links among terrorist groups, transnational criminal networks and separatist groups. In that regard, the international community’s coordinated and cooperative effort is critical to supporting African countries in their fight against that scourge. The Kingdom of Morocco remains firmly committed to a comprehensive, coherent approach in its support for African countries in dealing with terrorism, combining the security dimension, particularly through regional and continent-wide cooperation, with achieving economic and human development and preserving cultural and religious identities. Morocco hosts the Office of Counter-Terrorism’s programme for counter-terrorism capacity-building in Africa and seeks to share its expertise and resources by providing, in partnership with the United Nations, quality training on counter-terrorism and border security for African countries. In coordination with that Office’s programme, Morocco hosted the first conference of heads of counter-terrorism and security agencies in the West African region in Marrakesh on 23 and 24 June. In addition, Morocco, which also hosted a ministerial meeting of the Global Coalition against Da’esh on 11 May, co-chairs the Africa Focus Group, set up as part of the Coalition, which focuses on a forward- looking strategic approach to cooperation against the threat represented by that terrorist organization, while also ensuring coordination with existing multilateral and regional initiatives and structures. In line with Morocco’s Africa policy guidelines, set up by His Majesty King Mohammed VI, the Kingdom is promoting a new model based on South- South cooperation and solidarity. Morocco is working to strengthen the resilience of African States by promoting integration, continental solidarity and collective responsibility as key elements to respond to the changes that are taking place on our continent. In that regard ,South-South cooperation between Morocco and brother African countries has reached unprecedented levels, with the signing of more than 1,000 partnership and cooperation agreements in all areas, in particular economic, trade, political, social, humanitarian and environmental, in the context of structural megaprojects for the present and future of Africa and its young people, thereby strengthening economic development and further political stability across the continent. Lastly, Morocco remains fully committed, alongside its African partners and brothers, to restoring sustainable peace in Africa, which will ensure the well- being and prosperity of the populations of our continent.

The President (spoke in Chinese); I now give the floor to the representative of Slovenia.

Mr. Malovrh (Slovenia): We would like to thank you, Mr. President, for organizing this timely open debate. We thank the briefers for their valuable remarks. Slovenia aligns itself with the European Union (EU) statement, and I would like to make the following remarks in our national capacity. Slovenia highly values the contributions of African regional organizations towards a peaceful and secure Africa, supporting the capacities and capabilities of African States to manage security challenges on the continent. African organizations have come to play an increasingly important role in mediating internal disputes. We therefore emphasize the importance of, and the need for, African solutions to African problems. While the African Union and other subregional organizations are best placed to support the needs of African States, strengthened African Union (AU)- United Nations cooperation, as well as AU cooperation with other organizations, including the European Union, could further empower African States in strengthening conflict-prevention capabilities and the peace, security and governance architecture. We also support promotion of the relationship between civil society and regional organizations, all with a strong gender component. The international community needs to do its utmost to support predictable and flexible financing that will enable peacebuilding capacity on the continent. Tailor- made approaches play a crucial role in this context. At the national level, Slovenia allocates 30 per cent of its humanitarian assistance to post-conflict activities. It focuses on peacebuilding, support for women and children and post-conflict rehabilitation. These activities are further complemented by resilience-building and preventive action. We would be happy to learn even more from the experience of our Africa partners, as well as to continue to provide our support. There can be no sustainable development without peace and no peace without sustainable development. Governments aspire to providing peaceful environments and good governance combined with rule of law, thereby enabling environments of inclusiveness, equal opportunity, education and health. At the same time, these aspirations can be achieved only through a holistic approach, where the needs for sustainable development are taken up together with peace and security, including the respect for human rights. The international community also needs to increase its support for capacity-building in African States to manage security challenges arising from terrorism. In conclusion, any capacity-building for sustainable peace must take into account societies as whole entities, and it should, in the spirit of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, leave nobody behind. We echo the need for meaningful and equal participation of women and youth in peace processes, as this paves the way for more equal societies and greater respect for human rights in future. We hope that debates such as the one we are having today can enhance trust among Member States and between Member States and the wider United Nations system. As we are obliged at times confront missing information with respect to these relations, much more must be done to enhance this trust.

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

Mr. Amde (Ethiopia): I would like to congratulate China for assuming the presidency of the Security Council for the month of August and wish you, Mr. President, the best in the discharge of your responsibilities. I would like to thank His Excellency Ambassador Bankole Adeoye, African Union Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security, for his valuable briefing yesterday (see S/PV.9106). I also thank the Under-Secretary-General and Special Adviser on Africa, Ms. Cristina Duarte, and Chair of the Peacebuilding Commission, for their briefings, and I acknowledge all the speakers before me for their important contributions to this debate. Africa is the youngest continent, with more than 70 per cent of its population under the age of 30. According to United Nations demographic forecasts, five of the eight countries that will contribute most to the increase in global population are in Africa. Additionally, sub-Saharan Africa will contribute more than half of the global population increase projected for 2050. If African countries are to ensure sustainable socioeconomic development, this reality will be a source of dividends for peace and prosperity. Accordingly, realization of Africa’s economic potential is the best security policy of all. We strongly believe that poverty reduction and the expansion of opportunities for the increasing population on the continent form a critical strategy to ensure human dignity, prevent conflict and sustain peace. To this end, genuine and mutually beneficial cooperation in support of national priorities and efforts to foster development and alleviate aid dependency are paramount. It is therefore necessary to avoid approaches that create undue prioritization and competition between peace and security, on the one hand, and development, on the other. In the year 1994, the African Union adopted the Declaration on a Code of Conduct for Inter-African Relations, Assembly of Heads of State and Government. This Declaration recognizes “the proliferation of hot beds of tension in Africa and the serious threat they pose to the stability, independence and credibility as well as to the development of our States”. It also outlines the commitment of AU member States to find African solutions to African problems. The present-day reality and the hot beds of tension we encounter in North Africa, West Africa and the Sahel, the Great Lakes Region and the Horn of Africa, and the global political dynamics within which they are occurring, show much remains to be done and therefore compel us to do more. This situation calls primarily for even stronger leadership and inter-Africa solidarity and cooperation. Ethiopia is of the conviction that ownership and self-reliance must be embedded in the short-, medium- and long-term plans for Africa. To this end, we in Africa need to strengthen our national security institutions and foster progress in inter-Africa cooperation in the areas of institution-building, developing and training human resources, and intelligence-sharing, and we need to live up to our obligations to resolve our own challenges. This requires States, inter alia, to determine “freely, in full sovereignty and complete freedom, [their] political institutions”, as set forth in the African Union Resolution on the Right of States to Decide on Their Political Options Without Foreign Interference. It is critical to note that this solemn declaration adopted in Dakar is the basis for Africa’s long-standing position against unilateral coercive measures that mostly target the security sector and undermine the ability of States to fend off internal and external security threats. It is necessary for the international community, including the Security Council, to stand in opposition to unilateral coercive measures and to address their impacts that undermine the capability of States to ensure peace and security. I would like to draw the attention of the Security Council to the African Peace and Security Architecture. The Architecture is setup with the African Peace and Security Council at its core, and with diplomatic and military components, including the African Standby Force. However, the African Peace and Security Architecture must be backed by necessary and sufficient capability and resources for it to implement decisions in the areas of conflict prevention, peacemaking, peace support operations, peacebuilding and post-conflict reconstruction. In this regard, the United Nations, and particularly the Security Council, must assume its rightful role and act responsibly to help bridge the capacity deficit. The rationale and justification for this call for support is clear, and it goes beyond citing the scarcity of resources at the regional level to appealing for support for regional mechanisms. First, we should note that the African Peace and Security Architecture is established in compliance with the normative requirements of the United Nations Charter. In line with this, African peace operations, although initiated at the regional level, undergo the clearance and endorsement of the Security Council. Furthermore, the outcome of African peace operations benefits public and private interests, not only in Africa, but also for stakeholders from outside the continent. It is therefore legitimate and practical for the United Nations system to allocate the necessary resources for African peace operations. In addition, given that the African continent remains the only security complex excluded from decision-making power at the Security Council, support for African regional mechanisms must be viewed as part of the Charter responsibility to ensure global peace and security. Supporting African peace operations that are adopted with the full ownership and participation of African States will help the Security Council address the credibility and trust deficits it is encountering in relation to United Nations missions on the African continent. In connection with our standing call for African peace operations to have access to United Nations assessed contributions, I would like to state that this arrangement is a transitory mechanism. Africa aspires to silencing the guns and setting a development trajectory. We expect to become self-reliant in addressing conflicts and deploying effective conflict- prevention and conflict-resolution mechanisms. The support Africa seeks today is to halt conflict from being the factor that engenders socioeconomic decline and the suffering of our populations. It is a call for joint work to break the cycle of conflict. On the issue of terrorism, we recognize and indeed support the repeated condemnation of terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. However, an approach that differentiates terrorist groups based on factors other than their dangerous and criminal disposition to the country and region concerned hinders counter- terrorism cooperation. Furthermore, a tentative approach in fighting terrorism that hinges on the goodwill of certain Administrations and States have proved counterproductive. We call for the Council to scale-up action against terrorism in Africa and to halt the disproportionate sacrifice of a few countries and regions in the fight against terrorism. In conclusion, I would like to reiterate Ethiopia’s commitment to implement the principles and objectives of the African Peace and Security Architecture and to play its part in the creation of a self-reliant and viable system capable of enforcing decisions for the prevention, management and resolution of conflicts and supporting peacebuilding efforts.

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

Mr. Gatete (Rwanda): Let me start by congratulating China on assuming the presidency of the Security Council for the month of August. I also thank African Union Commissioner Adeoye, Special Adviser Duarte and Ambassador Muhith for their briefings yesterday. Rwanda commends the choice of theme for this debate — capacity-building for sustainable peace — and its focus on the underlying issues contributing to the vulnerability and instability of countries experiencing or emerging from conflict. Africa is affected by both continental and global conflicts. Those geopolitical tensions have resulted in broad and harsh economic challenges, such as insecurity in the food, energy and health sectors across the continent. In the aftermath of the genocide against the Tutsi in 1994, Rwanda experienced destruction — not only of the people but also of our entire social fabric and institutions. There were no adequately functioning systems, and people had little to no trust in Government institutions. Against that backdrop, I would like to share some of Rwanda’s experiences as part of the recommendations for the Council’s consideration. First, comprehensive security sector reform is key to ensuring that national security institutions are realigned to meet new challenges. They should be restructured by the inclusive views of the people in order to ensure that the population has trust and confidence in their institutions. Security sector reform should seek reconciliation, justice and equality — locally initiated and driven by international support. Secondly,comprehensivedisarmament, demobilization, reintegration and resettlement is critical. That is an undertaking that no country can achieve on its own without the support of other national and international partners, including civil society. It is linked with security sector reform in countries that must lay solid foundations in order to ensure the smooth and sustainable demobilization and resettlement or reintegration of combatants. Thirdly, we must address the root causes of insecurity. It has been proven beyond doubt that no degree of capability can resolve a conflict if efforts are not directed against its real causes. Often, people deliberately refuse to solve the root causes of a problem, even when they are clear and visible to all. Solving the root causes requires concerted efforts, a shared understanding and focus. Only then can we achieve long-term solutions that come with socioeconomic transformation. Fourthly, we must promote and support homegrown solutions. Rwanda’s rebirth relied on its own homegrown solutions. Such solutions must be enhanced, not ignored; they should be encouraged and promoted. The introduction of Gacaca courts and mediation committees in Rwanda’s justice system addressed many issues that would not have been resolved by the classic justice system. The Gacaca court system brought about transitional justice and reconciliation in Rwanda, hence promoting sustainable peace in the country. Countries experiencing conflict need solutions that are tailored to specific problems and realities. One of those solutions is peacekeeping. Unfortunately, peacekeeping as a tool for the maintenance of peace and security is proving to not be efficient and effective. It has rarely met the expectations of the people it serves. In that regard, Rwanda strongly believes that innovations must be introduced to make that vital tool more effective. Rwanda’s approach to peacekeeping, in all the missions where we deploy personnel, tries — within the means available — to solve human security challenges beyond physical insecurity, to help overcome sanitary, health and environmental degradation issues and to help build classrooms for children. Rwanda also believes in a multilateral approach that blends regional or bilateral peacekeeping mechanisms to overcome global and evolving security challenges. Experiences in the Central African Republic and Mozambique have proven this approach effective and efficient. Rwanda’s path to peacebuilding was paved by blending classic solutions with homegrown ones, and it was fruitful. A case in point was the Gacaca jurisdiction, which handled over 1.6 million cases of genocide in 10 years, when it could have taken hundreds of years for classic courts. Against that backdrop, Rwanda believes that the Peacebuilding Commission is essential, and financing its activities is a matter of great significance. Accordingly, we welcome the ongoing consultations on financing for peacebuilding under the leadership of Kenya and Sweden. On the issue of terrorism, we need a common approach because it is a global challenge and no country is spared by its consequences. Africa suffers in various ways. On one hand, we suffer the physical damage caused by the act of terror itself and, on the other, we bear the impact of the interpretation of terrorism when it is on African soil. Calling terrorists activists or political opposition leaders, as certain capitals do, is counterproductive. Furthermore, the tendency to label and acknowledge only terror targeting certain parts of the world and not others is not helpful. It is equally important to respect the independence of the justice systems in African countries when handling cases of terrorism. In conclusion, the implementation of the African Union’s 2063 Agenda, the continent’s strategic framework that aims to deliver on its inclusive and sustainable development goal, is key to delivering peace, security and development in Africa. We call upon Member States and the international community to support and embrace the 2063 Agenda rather than coming up with parallel frameworks for Africa.

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

Mr. Prvý (Slovakia): Let me thank you, Mr. President, for convening a discussion on this subject. I would also like to thank the briefers for their insightful remarks. We welcome this discussion and take note of its great urgency. Sustaining peace means breaking the vicious cycle of violent conflict and preventing conflict while building peace. We believe that sustaining peace in Africa is a challenge that needs to be addressed in a holistic way. For many years now, Slovakia has identified security sector reform as one of the key elements for effective conflict prevention and successful post-conflict rebuilding and stabilization. Direct experience from many United Nations and African Union (AU) peace missions and operations clearly shows that a nationally led and inclusive security sector reform process can progressively deal with the root causes of insecurity and fragility and create an enabling environment for sustainable development and peace to take place. In our capacity as co-Chair of the Group of Friends of Security Sector Reform, we are proud to recall the successful realization of the two events, in 2014 and 2018, respectively, focused on the AU policy framework for the security sector reform in the context of the United Nations. Under the auspices of the United Nations, the AU, the European Union and Slovakia, those events provided a much-needed platform to frame the discussion on different aspects of policy frameworks towards SSR processes. In addition, SSR is directly linked to the protection of civilians and the rule of law — two critical tasks that have become an integral part of almost every peace operation. Slovakia underscores the importance of women’s and young people’s equal and effective participation and full involvement in all stages of the SSR process. Gender-sensitive SSR is therefore key to developing security sector institutions that are non-discriminatory, representative of the population and capable of effectively responding to the specific security needs of diverse groups. International support for SSR processes must be coherent and be aligned with the actual needs and priorities of the country concerned, context-specific and adjusted to local needs and realities. National ownership, however, which is regarded as an overarching guiding principle of the SSR process, is directly linked to effective capacity-building and training. Such elements play a crucial role in building resilient institutions, which are fundamental pillars of peaceful societies and are key to the withstanding of future global shocks. People-centred SSR can further engender legitimacy by creating trust between communities and newly established or strengthened democratic institutions, thereby contributing to the conditions necessary for sustainable peace. As previously mentioned, Slovakia affirms that SSR should incorporate the principles of good governance, the professional, effective management of public resources, the rule of law and respect for human rights. It is clear that, in the current security environment, the United Nations can no longer rely solely on traditional methods to counter emerging threats and challenges. We need to continue being innovative, adjust and remain flexible. We need to step up to new challenges before so-called spoilers disrupt delicate peace processes. Following the adoption of resolution 2553 (2020), it is now widely acknowledged that reform of the security sector, particularly in conflict-affected societies, creates an environment conducive to political and socioeconomic growth. In that context, I would like to applaud the Secretary-General’s new, ambitious report on “Strengthening security sector reform”. Among many invaluable insights, it has provided us with the possibility of a fresh and bold new vision on SSR and governance that considers a number of important existing global agendas, such as Our Common Agenda (A/75/982), women and peace and security, youth, peace and security and sustainable development, recognizes impact areas and highlights important priorities for collective action. Interestingly, as one of its four priorities, the report points to the role of SSR not only in sustaining peace, but also in facilitating sustainable development. It also offers a crucial observation of the interlinkage of the SSR and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and views them as mutually reinforcing frameworks. Those notions serve as yet further complementary proof of the invaluable nature of an effective SSR process. In addition to all the crises in the region, we are witnessing a crisis of rising food and energy prices, which has been fuelled by the Russian illegal and unjustified war of aggression against Ukraine. That has prevented the export of grain and other essential food staples, causing price hikes that hit Africa particularly hard. In that context, we welcome the United Nations- and Türkiye-brokered Black Sea Grain Initiative. In conclusion, let me reaffirm Slovakia’s continuous commitment to the Secretary-General’s leadership in this domain, including the Action for Peacekeeping Plus initiative, which provides a framework for our response and a road map for our collective efforts.

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

Ms. Webster (Australia): Australia welcomes this important debate on promoting peace and security in Africa. We thank China for having convened this meeting as part of its presidency. I also thank the briefers from the African Union and the Peacebuilding Commission for their valuable insights. Australia is gravely concerned by the recent decline in peace and security in some parts of Africa. Extra- constitutional changes of Government and an erosion of democratic institutions have directly caused, or have significantly contributed to, that decline. We recognize the important role that the Peacebuilding Commission, relevant African institutions, including the African Union Peace and Security Council, subregional organizations and African leaders play in negotiating peaceful resolutions to conflict. International capacity-building efforts should work to support those institutions to deliver peace and security outcomes and to strengthen democratic institutions and the rule of law on the continent. It has long been understood that addressing the root causes of conflict is fundamental to finding long-term solutions. The Peacebuilding Fund, in close coordination with the Peacebuilding Commission, peacekeeping missions and United Nations country teams, has been working in many African countries to prevent conflict and promote peace. The work of the Fund has a particular focus on the inclusion of women and youth in the peacebuilding process. Australia strongly supports inclusive peacebuilding processes, as an important contribution to sustainable peace. We urge all Member States to support the work of the Peacebuilding Fund by providing voluntary contributions. We need to provide more flexible, transparent, sustainable and predictable resources to facilitate a shift to conflict prevention instead of crisis response. We are deeply concerned by the proliferation of terrorist organizations and other violent non-State actors, which are undermining peace and security in Africa. So, too, are the human rights abuses committed by Russia’s Wagner Group and other private military companies in a number of countries. Australia is committed to supporting Africa-led counter-terrorism efforts. That is why we are supporting counter-terrorism capacity-building through the Office of Counter-Terrorism in Morocco and the International Academy for the Fight Against Terrorism in Côte d’Ivoire. Russia’s unjust and illegal invasion of Ukraine has placed significant pressure on global food security, with grave implications for human security in many countries, including in Africa. We welcome the recent shipments of grain under the deal brokered by the United Nations and Türkiye, which will help address the disruption to global food exports and alleviate pressure on food prices. United Nations peacekeeping missions continue to play a vital role on the continent in protecting civilians and human rights, while enabling the conditions for progress towards peace. Australia continues to play its part to ensure more effective, inclusive and accountable peace operations. We recognize the tireless efforts of the Blue Helmets and civilian staff in the field, working with local communities to advance the women and peace and security agenda and to strengthen the capacities of the security sector and judicial system. We extend our deep sympathies to the peacekeepers killed recently in Mali and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and call for stronger efforts towards safety and security. The scale, nature and compounding impact of today’s global peace and security challenges is immense, and it is seriously straining the resources and the capacity of the United Nations to respond. The international community must do more in support of sustainable peace, both in Africa and globally.

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

Mr. Ladeb (Tunisia) (spoke in Arabic): At the outset, I congratulate China on its assumption of the presidency of the Security Council for this month, and I wish its delegation every success. I commend the choice of today’s topic, which has special importance given the situations and developments witnessed on the international scene and on the African continent. I also thank the briefers for their valuable interventions. Despite United Nations efforts through peace missions, the initiatives and contributions of the African Union and subregional organizations, national efforts and the Silencing the Guns initiative, several countries and regions on the African continent are still suffering from conflicts and a lack of security, peace and stability. That leads to humanitarian tragedies, growing numbers of displaced persons and refugees and increasing violations, in addition to the consequences of such situations for peace and security in the neighbouring countries and regions and at the regional and international levels. The coronavirus disease pandemic, climate change and recent international developments have all exacerbated those situations. There are a number of factors and structural challenges that create obstacles to the sustainability of peace and demand that we work harder to address issues of peace and security on the African continent through a more comprehensive approach that takes account of all those challenges rather than being limited to simply ending conflicts. Such an approach should also focus on preventing the onset of violence and its escalation, persistence and recurrence; building, sustaining and preserving peace; strengthening stability; and dealing with the root causes of conflicts, violence and vulnerabilities. Among those causes are political, economic and social exclusion and marginalization, the absence of an effective State in certain areas, and weak governance, including ineffective implementation of the rule of law and a failure to provide basic services and ensure the equitable distribution of wealth. All of those weaknesses are in some cases worsened by external interference and widespread corruption, an issue that Tunisia raised in a high-level meeting convened under its presidency of the Security Council in January 2021 (see S/2021/24). While achieving peace requires great effort at many levels, the fact is that preserving and sustaining peace requires even greater efforts, along with a long- term vision that includes strategies for enhancing the role of institutions and supporting sustainability and resilience. In that context, strengthening the nexus between peace and security, development and human rights — through the adoption of political solutions, capacity-building, strengthened institutions and enhanced, sound governance and sustainability — helps guarantee that the transition from conflict to peace will not be reversed. It also allows for the adoption of strategies that are adequate to tackling existing and emerging challenges in the fields of development, the environment, politics and security, as well as peacebuilding and human rights. The success of this kind of approach, based on building local capacities and enhancing legitimacy, is closely linked to making use of local assets and adopting clear strategies to ensure the inclusive participation of every sector of society, granting a special role to women, young people, civil society and the private sector at all stages of the building process. In parallel, cooperation and effective partnerships among the United Nations, Governments, regional and subregional organizations and international financing institutions will help to guarantee the success of that approach, promoting its preventive dimensions and the sustainability of its results. In that context, Tunisia commends what has been achieved in terms of cooperation and partnership between the United Nations and the African Union. We also support enhancing the peacebuilding architecture, which is an important tool for enabling the United Nations to face the changing nature of conflict, especially on the African continent. That can be undertaken through new and innovative financing mechanisms to guarantee adequate, sustainable and predictable funding for peace processes and sustainable peace. We hope that the implementation of Our Common Agenda (A/75/982), launched by the Secretary-General, will contribute to helping the African continent build its capacities and promote sustainable development while achieving the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the African Union’s Agenda 2063, given that there can be no sustainable peace and security without sustainable development.

The President (spoke in Chinese): I now give the floor to the representative of Equatorial Guinea.

Mr. Ndong Mba (Equatorial Guinea) (spoke in Spanish): As I take the floor, at the outset I would like to congratulate China on its assumption of the presidency of the Security Council. We wish China every success for the month of August and express our deep gratitude for its inclusion of such an important item on the agenda for open debate. I would also like to thank the Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security of the African Union, Mr. Bankole Adeoye, and the Chair of the United Nations Peacebuilding Commission, Mr. Muhammad Abdul Muhith, for their comprehensive briefings, as well as for the excellent work they continue to do in the exercise of their functions. The continued existence of traditional conflicts, alongside emerging challenges such as transnational crime, problems of cybersecurity and biosecurity, the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, climate change, maritime piracy and other non-traditional security issues, is becoming increasingly evident. It is a manifest reality that despite the continuing and positive efforts being made by States, subregional organizations and the United Nations, the maintenance of international peace and security remains a clear challenge for us all. The security challenges currently facing Africa are numerous and diverse and point to an uncertain and unstable future. That unsustainable situation obliges us all to collectively redouble our efforts in the quest for comprehensive and lasting solutions for the sustainable stability of the African continent, which is also a prerequisite for the sustainable development of our region. In that context, we would like to make the following three observations. First, since the States of the region have a sovereign responsibility to ensure the security and social needs of their peoples, they must have the capacity to respond to their peoples’ multiple concerns. It is therefore imperative that they work to find effective and lasting solutions in the areas of security and defence, early warning and the control of intercommunal violence, as well as in the fight against poverty and unemployment, among other things, all of which fuel violent extremism and increased instability across the African continent. Secondly, in the face of those complex and diverse security threats, it is vital to strengthen multilateral cooperation, take into account African concerns and respect the will and choices of African countries, strengthen coordination with a broad vision and eliminate the root causes of conflicts. The African Union and our subregional organizations have a key role to play in that regard — being on the ground, they are in a better position to support and lead conflict prevention and resolution in Africa. It is therefore crucial to explore more effective ways to strengthen the cooperation and coordination between the United Nations and the African Union on the one hand and the Security Council and the African Union Peace and Security Council, as well as other regional organizations, on the other. Strengthened cooperation and coordination will help to promote peace infrastructure and risk management, enabling us to explore further solutions for the allocation of resources and capacity-building for African countries. Thirdly, while it is true that the number of violent conflicts in Africa has declined considerably in recent years, the escalation of conflicts that persist in several African countries with deadly consequences — caused by transnational crime, terrorism and the proliferation of small arms and light weapons, among other things — remains significant and worrisome. Their effects have been further exacerbated by the existence of lawless spaces that leave room for illegal activities and the persistence of corruption and illicit financial flows. Those illicit financial flows facilitate the financing of illegal weapons and conflicts, the illegal exploitation of natural resources, the funding of insurgencies and rebellions and the free and easy acquisition of weapons by armed groups and non-State actors in parallel markets, to mention only a few issues. Turning to another issue, we are concerned about the adverse effects of certain aspects of Security Council sanctions regimes on the maintenance of peace and security in some countries. Despite the socioeconomic and humanitarian consequences associated with any sanctions regime and the high costs that they entail for the societies concerned, their results do not improve countries’ ability to deal with the scourge of wars and armed conflicts. Indeed, we continue to see that the imposition of sanctions on certain countries, as in the case of the Central African Republic, for example, increases instability in the country. Thanks to the sanctions, its democratically elected Government is severely limited or completely unable to acquire adequate weaponry to combat the armed groups that continue to destabilize the country. Meanwhile, the armed groups are free to acquire arms in parallel markets, affording them superiority in terms of force over the national armies of the countries affected, as in the case of the Central African Republic. In that connection, we wish to stress the urgent need to mitigate the negative consequences of sanctions regimes on countries. They should be a means to maintain peace and security, not an end in themselves. We would also like to make another appeal to the international community and to the countries of our continent in particular, which must take the lead in the process of combating, preventing and eradicating the illicit trade in small arms and light weapons in all its aspects. That way, we can achieve together the success that the initiative of silencing the guns deserves, for the sake of the stability and development of the African continent. In conclusion, we are aware that Africa’s progress depends on its peace and stability. Therefore, and in order to make further progress on building and developing Africa so as to achieve the objectives of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the African Union’s Agenda 2063, we would like to encourage our regional organization to continue its leadership and its commitment to finding African solutions to African problems. We also recommend that the Security Council and the Peacebuilding Commission continue to strengthen their comprehensive strategic partnership and align their visions to offer a more rapid and effective response to African conflicts, in close coordination and collaboration with the African Union Commission.

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

Mr. Dvornyk (Ukraine): Along with the members of the Security Council, I recognize the representative of Putin’s regime in the permanent seat of the Soviet Union. We thank the Chinese presidency for convening this open debate and thank all the briefers for their comprehensive presentations. Ukraine has enjoyed well-developed relationships with many African States and has contributed in particular to infrastructure projects and education. The maintenance of peace and security on the African continent has always been a focus for my country as well. Until 24 February, Ukraine contributed to five United Nations peacekeeping missions on the continent with personnel and military hardware. It is a matter for concern that Russia’s aggressive behaviour has been multiplying conflicts, thereby undermining our ability to concentrate on resolving those that already exist. It also demonstrates the interlinkages within the global security architecture, as the Russian invasion of Ukraine has led to a food crisis in other parts of the world. African States have been among those taken hostage by Russia’s war on Ukraine. The lives and health of some 400 million people dependent on Ukrainian grain exports will remain at risk for as long as Russia maintains its morbid desire to revive the practices of its colonial past in relation to Ukraine. As long as Russian forces continue to set our fields on fire, bomb our farms and grain storage facilities and steal agricultural hardware from our farmers, the threat of famine will continue to loom and food prices will continue to rise. Even in the current circumstances, however, Ukraine remains determined to contribute to resolving the food crisis. The Black Sea Grain Initiative is a powerful example. Despite the Russian rocket attack on the port of Odesa the day after the Initiative was signed in Istanbul, we are continuing our efforts to ensure its implementation. Ten ships have been sent out of Ukrainian ports so far. Now it is the responsibility of our international partners to ensure Russia’s compliance with its obligations and thereby the safe functioning of the grain corridor. It must be made clear, however, that the threat of hunger would ultimately be removed if the Russian war of aggression were halted and if respect for the principles of the Charter of the United Nations in relation to Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity were fully restored. It is the war that is the root cause of the food insecurity, not the sanctions, which are simply a response to the aggressor in an attempt to undermine its capacity to keep on attacking. This year, Ukraine has significantly updated its policy on Africa. We have approved our first ever strategy for the development of Ukraine’s relations with African States and the President has appointed a special representative for African States. Ukraine’s Foreign Minister has scheduled a trip to visit a number of African States and there are initiatives under way to activate the parliamentary dimension of our cooperation. It sent an important message that President Zelenskyy was invited to speak to the Bureau of the Assembly of the African Union on 20 June. I would like to conclude by quoting him. “Our number one task now is to finally get rid of the threat of famine That is why, in order to avoid famine, the efforts of States like Russia to return to the aggressive policy of colonialism must end.”

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

Ms. Squeff (Argentina) (spoke in Spanish): Argentina congratulates the Government of China on holding this debate on a topic of such importance for the international community, as well as the approach it has chosen. Argentina recognizes that the responsibility for peace and security in Africa, including the ability to address the root causes of conflicts and resolve them by peaceful means, lies primarily with African countries. At the same time, we recognize the need for the international community and the United Nations to support them, taking into account the Organization’s responsibilities in that area in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations. Sustainable development, conflict prevention and resolution and peace are interdependent and must be addressed as such. In order to achieve and maintain a virtuous circle of development and peace, countries need internal structural changes to enable them to address poverty, exclusion and marginalization, increase health and education services, reduce inequality and lack of opportunity and address hunger, food insecurity, environmental degradation and water scarcity, among other things. Those much- needed economic, security, social and environmental structural changes, among others, are all part of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The implementation of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) will lead to more inclusive and socially cohesive societies. The SDGs are closely related to the African Union’s Agenda 2063, its strategic vision for a prosperous and peaceful Africa. A partnership between the African Union and the United Nations for the implementation of Agenda 2063 and the 2030 Agenda will help accelerate development and reduce conflict. Similarly, Governments and societies can strengthen other objectives, such as the promotion and protection of human rights, the consolidation of democracy and the rule of law and constitutional order. Governments must take the necessary measures to put an end to internal conflicts and civil wars and eradicate armed gangs and transnational crime and terrorist groups. The international community’s cooperation and coordination is also required to make peace a reality. With the assistance of the United Nations, much progress has been made by African States, the African Union and other subregional organizations in conflict prevention, peacekeeping and peacebuilding. Partnerships with the African Union and African Member States are vital to achieving collective efforts for peace and security in Africa. A case in point was the signing of the Joint United Nations-African Union Framework for Enhanced Partnership in Peace and Security, whose fifth anniversary we marked on 19 April. That agreement solidified the relationship between the two organizations and their shared quest for peace and security in Africa. Finally, let me emphasize that United Nations peacekeeping operations are an essential instrument for achieving the Organization’s goal of maintaining international peace and security. Argentina’s active presence in those missions is a clear manifestation of our commitment to the system. Argentina has been participating in peacekeeping operations since 1958. My country contributes to several peace missions in Africa — the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara, the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic and with police observers in the United Nations Mission in South Sudan, as well as missions in other regions. The main motive for our participation in peacekeeping operations is our commitment to the development of a transparent and democratic collective security system within the framework of the United Nations, with consolidated multilateral institutions and mechanisms that serve to fulfil international law. We understand that peacekeeping operations must form part of a holistic strategy that includes conflict prevention, peacekeeping and sustainable peacebuilding, integrating the perspective of sustainable development and addressing the root causes of conflict.

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

Mr. Muhith (Bangladesh): I congratulate the delegation of China on its assumption of the presidency of the Security Council for the month of August and thank it for organizing this very important debate. I appreciate the presence of the Secretary-General’s Special Adviser on Africa and the African Union Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security and thank them for their insights. I would like to highlight the following points. First, I want to underscore the instrumental role of peacekeeping missions for capacity-building in Africa. The African continent hosts the majority of peacekeeping operations. Since the 1960s, there have been more than 30 peacekeeping missions in Africa. As the current largest troop- and police-contributing country, Bangladesh has more than 6,500 peacekeepers deployed in six peacekeeping missions in Africa. Our peacekeepers have been protecting civilians, creating conditions conducive to the delivery of humanitarian assistance, building national institutions, especially in the security sector, and supporting peace processes in Africa in line with the mandates of peacekeeping operations. Our peacekeepers are also engaged in providing medical facilities, building and protecting schools, constructing roads, enhancing social cohesion, conducting training for local authorities and providing vocational training and assistance in agricultural development, among other things. In addition to our uniformed personnel, our women judges are involved in strengthening the rule of law and the judicial sector in African countries. Moreover, the Bangladesh Institute of Peace Support Operation Training has been offering training courses, including for contingent commanders, military observers, staff and logistics officers, as well as courses on women and peace and security and security- sector reform, among others. Through September 2021, 70 personnel from 12 African countries attended various courses at the Institute. We believe that leveraging the experience and expertise of peacekeepers can greatly contribute to capacity-building in Africa. In that regard, we call for increased programmatic funding for peacekeeping missions to enable them to scale up their peacebuilding activities. We ask the Council to take that into consideration when setting up mandates for peacekeeping missions, not only in transitions but from the very beginning. Secondly, we emphasize the role and contribution of non-governmental organizations (NGOs), international NGOs and other civil-society actors in capacity- building for national and local authorities, as well as in supplementing national priorities in sustaining peace. For example, we would like to point to the work of the Rural Advancement Committee for Bangladesh, BRAC, the world’s largest NGO, which originated in Bangladesh. BRAC has been working in seven African countries with the aim of having a sustainable impact in Africa by developing innovative solutions and effectively implementing development programmes at scale in resource-constrained environments, as outlined in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Its work extends to the fields of agriculture, food security, livelihoods, education, health, microfinance, social enterprise, ultra-poor graduation, women and youth empowerment, early childhood development, emergency preparedness and response programmes, among other things. We call for creating enabling environments for NGOs, international NGOs and civil-society organizations in line with the national priorities of African countries. We also call for increased support to those civil-society organizations working for capacity-building for women- and youth- led organizations at the local and national level. Thirdly, we would like to highlight the role of the Peacebuilding Commission (PBC) in supporting the national peacebuilding priorities of countries and regions in Africa. We have already heard the statement of the Peacebuilding Commission. The convening role of the PBC should be leveraged to bring all actors on board in order to take a coordinated approach to sustaining peace in Africa. Finally, while the partnerships with regional and subregional organizations and international financial institutions are crucial, at the same time we underscore the importance of South-South and triangular cooperation in addressing the challenges in Africa. That cooperation can address issues such as climate change, the digital divide, human resource development, resource mobilization and capacity-building for local and national institutions and so forth. The meeting rose at 5.30 p.m.