S/PV.9482Resumption1 Security Council

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

Mrs. Buenrostro Massieu (Mexico) (spoke in Spanish): Mexico thanks China for convening today’s open debate, which allows us once again to address the close link between development and peace. My country agrees on the need for a comprehensive approach to address the structural causes of conflict. Just two years ago in the Security Council, the President of Mexico explained how corruption, exclusion, poverty and inequality can be obstacles to resolving conflicts (see S/PV.8900). At that time, the Council adopted a presidential statement (S/PRST/2021/22) recognizing the ways in which exclusion and inequality may have an impact as aggravating factors in situations under its consideration. It is increasingly clear that, in order to achieve sustainable peace, it is necessary to comprehensively address the multidimensional causes of conflicts. In our region, the current situation of insecurity in Haiti is the result not only of a political crisis, but also of factors related to development, including inequality, poverty and environmental degradation. The Council therefore needs to take a comprehensive approach in fulfilling its mandate to maintain international peace and security that includes preventing conflicts and addressing their root causes, strengthening the rule of law and promoting human rights and sustained economic growth, poverty eradication, sustainable development and national reconciliation. Those are all factors that the members of the Council cannot lose sight of when establishing or renewing the mandates of peacekeeping and special political missions. In order for those mandates to be successful, they must be able to contribute to national development strategies. In conclusion, I would once again like to stress the need, as recognized by the Security Council in its presidential statement adopted during Mexico’s presidency in November 2021, for an integrated and coherent approach among political, security and development actors within and outside the United Nations system. In order to address multidimensional challenges, such as the exorbitant debt faced by many developing countries, it is also essential to recognize the need for a comprehensive reform of the international financial institutions, with a cooperative approach. Within our Organization, we must continue to work to ensure that the Economic and Social Council and the Peacebuilding Commission work more closely together to address the underlying causes of conflict in an inclusive, integrated and sustainable manner.

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

Mr. Önal (Türkiye): We thank the Chinese presidency for organizing this open debate at a time when the international community has come under increasing stress in terms of achieving the Sustainable Development Goals owing to formidable challenges, including a multiplicity of devastating conflicts, natural and manmade disasters, terrorism, irregular migration and climate change. Shedding light on the interconnection between sustainable peace, security and development has become all the more important. It is also useful to take stock of the history of the past quarter-century, including the way we responded or failed to respond to real or perceived threats to international peace and security and how our responses have had an impact on prospects for sustainable peace and development. Such a stocktaking exercise can provide us with reliable guidelines as we navigate a fluid international system under transformation. As a country that has been in the close proximity to major upheavals and conflicts that have happened in that 25-year time span and has been directly affected by them, Türkiye believes that sustainable peace and development necessitate the nurturing of inclusive, resilient and accountable institutions. It takes a holistic and integrated approach to poverty reduction, capacity- building, job creation and the facilitation of access to education, health care, greater economic opportunity and political participation. It takes bolstering social cohesion and, in some fractured societies, enacting new social contracts. It takes national and regional ownership and international cooperation to tackle problems of terrorism, violence, irregular migration and environmental degradation, which hold back economic development. Sustainable peace also requires that the root causes of conflicts and perpetuated instability be addressed effectively and that, instead of imposing one-size-fits-all models, bottom-up approaches based on national specificities be facilitated. As we witness today in the Middle East, Europe and beyond, armed conflicts, grave violations of human rights law and humanitarian law, illegal occupation, oppression and a lack of good governance constitute major threats to peace and security at the national and international levels. Those factors are further exacerbated by poverty, double standards and social and economic inequalities between and among nations. In that regard, sustainable development is the cornerstone of achieving lasting peace across the globe. Sustainable development cannot thrive in the shadow of conflict and insecurity. In the same vein, peace cannot be achieved where sustainable development is absent. More than ever, we need a world where the benefits of development are shared by all, particularly by the least developed countries. Digital transformation and artificial intelligence (AI) deserve our special focus in development efforts. We should ensure that emerging technologies play a role in reducing, not widening, the digital divide. While we are astonished by rapid developments in AI, millions do not even have access to the Internet. We cannot allow two separate worlds to go on living in different centuries. Technology should be accessible and beneficial to all, in a manner that leaves no one behind. In that respect, the United Nations Technology Bank for the Least Developed Countries, which we host in Türkiye, has an important role and should be supported by all. In conclusion, I want to reiterate our commitment to continuing to contribute actively to international efforts to advance sustainable peace and development, taking into account the interconnected and mutually reinforcing nature of those two objectives.

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

Ms. Brandt (Kingdom of the Netherlands): I deliver this statement on behalf of the Benelux countries, namely, Belgium, Luxembourg and my own country, the Kingdom of the Netherlands. We align ourselves with the statement to be delivered on behalf of the European Union and thank China for organizing today’s open debate. The United Nations, in the words of the Charter of the United Nations, was founded with the determination to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war, war that had brought untold sorrow to humankind. However, a quick glance at the Council’s agenda makes one thing clear: the world we committed ourselves to building when we signed the Charter is still a long way off. We therefore welcome this opportunity to discuss not just conflict but also its causes and its relationship to sustainable development. That relationship is reflected in the Charter of the United Nations, in its determination to promote social progress and better standards of life in larger freedom. Moreover, the Charter does not end there: the United Nations was also founded on the determination to reaffirm fundamental human rights, the dignity and worth of the human person and the equal rights of men and women and of nations large and small. Peace, development and human rights are an unbreakable triangle. That nexus is reflected in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and should continue to guide us. In order to implement the 2030 Agenda, we should collectively do better if we are to create the world that the founders of the United Nations aspired to. To that end, we are all required to step up our efforts, including through reforms that are vital to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals and to ensuring that no one is left behind. Let me highlight two of those reforms. First, with regard to reform of the United Nations development system, the Benelux countries are firm supporters of such reform. We welcome the great strides that have been made in coherence, cooperation and collective action at the country level so that United Nations country teams are able to work with programme countries on development, peace and human rights, because ultimately, the goal is to achieve results for people on the ground. Secondly, with regard to the reform of the international financial architecture, the Benelux countries concur with the Secretary-General that the multilateral system as a whole is insufficiently equipped to address today’s development challenges. We aim to further mobilize capital, including private capital, for the Sustainable Development Goals and climate financing, and we are extending our hand to non-traditional donors — for example, through trilateral cooperation. The Security Council is tasked with maintaining peace and security. Development and human rights are essential to achieving lasting peace and security. Those elements are inextricably linked; it is therefore incumbent upon the Council to consider matters of peace and security in a holistic way, making development and human rights part and parcel of its discussions.

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

Mr. Sabo (Ethiopia): I would like to start by thanking the Chinese presidency for the continued effort to keep the development and peace agenda among the Security Council’s priorities. I commend the Secretary-General and the other briefers this morning for their pertinent and insightful remarks. Extreme poverty is the most potent underlying cause of the rise and protraction of conflicts. Extreme poverty also worsens the humanitarian consequences of conflicts and fosters entrenched positions on the part of interest groups, thereby complicating the prevention and peaceful resolution of disputes. Agenda 2063 of the African Union, which is the blueprint for Africa’s transformation, clearly indicates that underdevelopment is the primary root cause of crises and insecurity and that development and peace are indissociable and need to be pursued simultaneously. It is imperative to reduce poverty and expand opportunities in order to prevent conflict and create and sustain peace. Recognizing that peace and development are intertwined, international cooperation, including with international financial institutions, should systematically implement the peace and development agenda without creating undue prioritization. Based on the guiding questions for today’s open debate, I will be addressing two aspects of the theme of the day, namely, national capacity and the circumstances of United Nations peacekeeping and political missions. On the need to build national capacity and institutions, Ethiopia is of the view that development plans must centre on local context and national ownership. Countries should make their best effort to enhance national resource mobilization and expand their revenue base. Such steps, among others, would empower States to design their policies freely and in full sovereignty. We believe that mutually beneficial cooperation and partnership would produce better and sustainable results when anchored in the premises I mentioned. On the same point, we need to create circumstances in trade and financing arrangements that are conducive to enabling developing countries to convert their natural resources into productive economic assets. To that end, international cooperation needs to focus on enabling States to exploit their natural resources for the benefit of their population. Furthermore, cooperative frameworks should effectively address the illicit exploitation of natural resources, especially precious minerals from the developing South, particularly Africa. In the meantime, the Council should play its rightful role by avoiding the securitization and politicization of national development efforts and projects. On the issue of peacekeeping, the critical tool of collective security is facing challenges, especially in terms of relations with host countries and communities. We are of the view that one of the factors that contributed to that circumstance is the insufficient level of support to the development efforts of host countries. There is a clear imbalance between the investments into the smooth running of peacekeeping missions and the resources allocated to national development. National institutions in several host countries have constrained access to international financial, economic and other areas of cooperation. That approach has created the conditions for peacekeeping missions to be perceived as competitors for resources. We therefore need to remedy that anomaly through a fair and balanced allocation of resources to the peacekeeping efforts and national development and institution-building endeavours.

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

Ms. Dhanutirto (Indonesia): I thank you, Mr. President, for convening today’s open debate. Peace and development are two sides of the same coin. Without peace, fostering development is unattainable. Without development, sustaining peace remains elusive. In Gaza, we are losing on both fronts — no peace, no security, no development and almost no hope for the people in Gaza. There is no stronger voice for peace and development than the voice coming from Gaza. The violence must stop. Aid must be delivered. Civilians must be protected. And livelihoods must be restored. That shows the irony in our celebration of the seventy- fifth anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights this year. The universality to which we all aspire and promote in this assembly does not apply to Palestinians, especially in Gaza. Therefore, are we now to pursue different standards of human rights for different people? Our collaborative efforts are crucial in achieving and sustaining peace and security. In progressing in our common endeavour, I would like to highlight the following. First, addressing the root causes of conflict should be the priority. We must address the basic needs of populations. Poverty and inequality must be eradicated to break the cycle of conflict. The right to development and peace should be at the heart of our efforts. Past that stage, we need to create an enabling environment for peace and security, including by strengthening the capacities of conflict-affected countries. The Security Council should provide a well-targeted mandate for all peacekeeping operations and United Nations special political missions to enable them to help create a strong foundation for long-term and sustained socioeconomic development. To support that endeavour, inclusive and meaningful participation from all national stakeholders, including women, is vital. Secondly, stronger partnership should be forged across the United Nations system. Partnership is not only about coordination and information exchange, but also about meaningful collaboration. The Security Council must be able to create greater synergy with other United Nations bodies, including the Peacebuilding Commission and other United Nations agencies. Such synergy is needed to find solutions to new and emerging challenges emanating from interlinked issues, including the security implications of climate change and food security. Greater partnership is also important to mobilize regional organizations, international financial institutions and the private sector. Thirdly, regional architecture should serve as a strong foundation for global security and development. Regional and subregional organizations have unique perspectives that are crucial to supporting countries in building peace to help prevent, manage and resolve conflict. In our region, we successfully transformed a trust deficit into strategic trust. We invested in prevention through dialogue and consensus-building. We built an array of confidence-building measures to manage strategic risks, not only among our members but also by incorporating other countries outside the subregion. We maintain the centrality of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in establishing peace, progress and prosperity. Today ASEAN stands tall as the epicentre of growth, peace and stability in the region. The Security Council must continue to support the efforts of regional and subregional organizations in that regard. Promoting sustaining peace and development is a collective undertaking. We need to work together with global solidarity, unity and responsibility for the benefit of all.

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

Mr. Rae (Canada): We are meeting amid a staggering number of crises and challenges that are putting all of us to the test. Humanitarian needs are soaring. As we all know, civilian deaths are rising. The number of forcibly displaced people around the world is at the highest that it has been since 1945. And the willingness of many countries to contribute to our common needs is simply not growing to meet the demand. Those challenges are manifested every day in the immense suffering that we are witnessing in Israel and the Gaza Strip; in the impacts of Russia’s illegal assault against Ukraine; in the Sudan, Haiti, Myanmar and Afghanistan, along with the many other situations that require our attention. Faced with crisis upon crisis, our ability to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals is at risk. We must be clear-eyed: we are not on track. Inequalities are rising. The most vulnerable are being left behind. In response, our solutions simply cannot be selective; they must be comprehensive. And they must be aligned across the three mutually reinforcing pillars of the Organization. Such an approach is grounded in the Charter of the United Nations, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Above all, it is grounded in our common, timeless quest for human dignity. To succeed, we do not need new global initiatives produced by individual Member States; rather, we need to fully implement the foundational documents to which we have all already agreed. And that informs my main point today. It is that we cannot achieve sustainable peace or sustainable development without respecting the human dignity of every individual. We will not achieve sustainable peace or sustainable development if people continue to be excluded on the basis of their race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, sexual orientation and gender identity, property, birth or any other status. Indeed, as we celebrate the seventy-fifth anniversary of the Universal Declaration, we must remind ourselves that every individual is entitled to their rights and freedoms without distinction of any kind.

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

Mr. Garrido Melo (Chile) (spoke in Spanish): Chile thanks China for convening this open debate and has taken note of the briefings we heard today. We believe that the interdependence of the pillars of international peace and security, development and human rights, which make up the founding architecture of the multilateral system, is clear. Revitalizing that multilateral system requires that the issue of security be addressed holistically. The Secretary-General pointed that out in his proposal for the New Agenda for Peace when he said, “The peace that we envisage can be pursued only alongside sustainable development and human rights.” We understand that the concept of development is about improving the quality of life of all individuals, regardless of their origin or social status. Development is therefore a catalyst for building stable and secure societies. Sustainable development is key to peace, and an integrated approach that includes political, security, development and human rights activities and the promotion of the rule of law is essential. Development must be closely linked to equity, which is not only an ethical imperative but a prerequisite for long- term stability. Inequalities and inequities, exclusion, marginalization and various forms of discrimination and intolerance are a source of tensions and conflicts and can exacerbate destabilizing processes, extremism and violence. By addressing inequalities and promoting policies that ensure inclusion and social justice, the foundations can be laid for more cohesive and resilient societies. Peace and security are essential elements of any prosperous society. However, peace is not simply the absence of armed conflict. States must be able to address the underlying causes of discord and foster peaceful coexistence. Development acts as an antidote to despair and marginalization, which are factors that often fuel violence and extremism. By offering prospects for a better future, development lessens the drivers of participation in violent acts. Furthermore, equitable access to resources and opportunities reduces competition and confrontations. Societies that distribute the benefits of development fairly are less prone to social unrest and discontent. Economic and social equity is a solid foundation that lasting peace can be built on. We want to reiterate that the effective tools for preventing conflict, consolidating peace, strengthening democracy and the rule of law, protecting individual freedoms and, ultimately, building more just societies involve bridging gaps of all kinds and ensuring that certain segments of the population are not left behind. Special political missions and peace operations can be instrumental in consolidating the rule of law, which facilitates the construction of more democratic and prosperous societies. For those missions to succeed, the Security Council must establish a sequential approach to the construction of the mandates of peace operations, outlining long- and medium-range political objectives together with verification mechanisms and implementation strategies on the ground. Chile recognizes that one of the difficulties faced by special political missions is related to the budget available for the Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, which is why we suggest establishing a fixed budget and an agreement that guarantees funding for special political missions so that they can ensure adequate deployment and support in conflict-affected regions.

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

Mr. Lagdameo (Philippines): We congratulate China on its presidency of the Security Council this month. We appreciate the convening of this important open debate and the invaluable insights from the briefers. We acknowledge the interconnectedness of development and international peace and security. The achievement of a secure and prosperous world is a goal that requires a collaborative, rules-based international approach underpinned by the principles of equity and justice. Nevertheless, we emphasize the importance of close coordination between the Security Council and development agencies for economic and social reconstruction to enhance complementary and properly delineated efforts. We need to ensure a focused approach to global peace and security challenges. In our quest for sustainable development, we have learned that fostering peace and stability through development is key. My country’s experiences in building peace and forging new paths of cooperation in Bangsamoro in Mindanao is an example of successful and effective coordination between security-focused efforts and development initiatives. The Bangsamoro process, while demonstrating our respect for distinct security mandates and our commitment to holistic development, is also supportive of the Sustainable Development Goals of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Our approach to counter-terrorism exemplifies a comprehensive security strategy that aligns with the Security Council’s mandate. By integrating community engagement and socioeconomic development into our security efforts, we not only address immediate threats but also lay the groundwork for long-term stability. That approach reflects our understanding that security and development are mutually reinforcing. The Philippines firmly advocates for international collaboration and a rules-based order. Our active participation in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and other global partnerships underscores our dedication to multilateralism and international law. We believe that such collaboration is crucial in assisting conflict-affected countries, enhancing capacity- building for development and strengthening resilience to security risks. We are therefore also looking forward to the Summit of the Future next year as an opportunity to collectively chart our path to peace and development. As we embrace the fourth industrial revolution, the Philippines recognizes the importance of narrowing the digital and development divides as part of addressing global challenges. We support United Nations-led efforts to build robust digital infrastructure and promote technology transfer. Recognizing the crucial role of financial support, there is also a need to provide the resources necessary for rebuilding post-conflict areas, enhancing governance capacities, strengthening justice systems, and investing in education and skill development. International financial institutions play a crucial role in that regard. We should champion inclusive growth, ensuring that advances benefit all and do not exacerbate existing disparities that foment conflict. Since 1963, the Philippines has been committed to its role in United Nations peacekeeping operations, and today we intend to increase our footprint and align ourselves with global challenges like climate change impacts, participation of women and cybersecurity. We believe in the power of diplomacy, dialogue and peaceful negotiations in conflict resolution. Peacekeeping and development are examples of interconnected processes that, when effectively combined, contribute to sustainable stability and prosperity. We believe there can be no development without peace and no peace without development. As a partner, pathfinder and peacemaker, the Philippines is ready to share our robust insights and experiences with the Security Council, ensuring a focused and effective approach to global peace and security challenges.

The President (spoke in Chinese): I now give the floor to Mr. Skoog.

Mr. Skoog: I thank you, Mr. President, for organizing a very timely and important meeting. I speak on behalf of the European Union (EU) and its 27 member States. The candidate countries North Macedonia, Montenegro, Albania, Ukraine, the Republic of Moldova and Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as the potential candidate country Georgia, align themselves with this statement. It is widely acknowledged that development and peace are intrinsically linked. While development is not possible without peace and security, conversely, development largely contributes to stability, security and peace. Development is key — not only for the stability of a country, but also for peace and stability among countries. It is not just a national issue; it is indeed a global imperative. But in this equation we should not forget human rights, as the Secretary-General very rightly pointed out this morning, as economic development alone will not be sufficient to ensure stability if human rights are not respected and if people suffer discriminations. Moreover, individuals and, in particular, women and young people must also be at the heart of our response — as agents of change — if we are to more effectively resolve conflict, longer-term development impacts and build peace in a sustainable way. The General Assembly and the Security Council have adopted resolutions on sustaining peace, all of which underline that development, peace and security and human rights are interlinked and mutually reinforcing and emphasize the importance of such a comprehensive approach to sustaining peace. The EU has just signed a new partnership agreement with the Organization of the African, Caribbean and Pacific States: the Samoa agreement. That new framework is based on a comprehensive approach that includes sustainable development and growth, human rights and peace and security. We believe that achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is key, and we are committed to contributing substantially to their achievement. As the leading global partner for the SDGs, the EU and its member States collectively provided $92.8 billion in 2022 alone, which amounts to 43 per cent of global assistance. Since December 2022, we are rolling out the Global Gateway, which is our strategy for sustainable investments in infrastructure globally. The Gateway will contribute directly to progress on a range of interlinked SDGs, notably through investment in transport, energy and digitalization infrastructure, as well as health and education. Part of the Global Gateway is dedicated to supporting Africa’s regional integration processes, for example through the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area. Those investments will bring people closer together through 11 strategic transport corridors that will facilitate trade, but will also bring them closer to services, education, health care and economic opportunities. The investments are fully in line with the SDGs and by creating more resilient societies they ultimately also contribute to peace. Throughout our Global Gateway initiatives — whether in the food, health, water, transport or communication sectors — we pay particular attention to the necessary resilience and protection of critical infrastructure, which is always conflict-sensitive. The Global Gateway projects are initiated in full partnership with the countries concerned, of course, and their macrofinancial impact is minimized through grants, blending public and private funds and innovative financial instruments such as guarantees. But development projects will not be a true game changer unless we also address development financing and debt alleviation. We need a fairer financial architecture to enable developing countries to put their economies back on a growth trajectory. We need to make sure everyone has fair access to finance. To make that happen, multilateral development banks must help ensure faster and better access to finance and assist countries in need by providing more concessional lending. Tackling the problem of debt is another key issue. An important number of developing countries are currently drowning under their debt load. Servicing that debt reduces the fiscal space, which, in turn, is jeopardizing social cohesion and stability. We are engaging very actively in discussions with partners to address those issues, including as part of Our Common Agenda (A/75/982). At the United Nations level, there are a number of tools that enable us to link the development agenda with peace and security. The Peacebuilding Commission (PBC) is one of them. Its ability to convene United Nations entities, donors and development banks makes it a suitable forum to discuss how development can promote peacebuilding. That role could be extended. It is important that the PBC is not limited in its mandate to meet with any United Nations entity that has relevance for its work, including on human rights. At the operational level, the Peacebuilding Fund (PBF) has proven to be a useful instrument in supporting coordinated efforts across the humanitarian- development-peace nexus. The peace and development advisers and the human rights advisers can also help bring peacebuilding, development and human rights together in the field. These key parts of the United Nations must be adequately resourced. We are alarmed at the huge funding gap that peacebuilding and conflict prevention suffer from. Conflicts are on the rise but development assistance for peace is at a 15-year record low. This assistance also relies on a small number of donors. For example, the EU and its member States provide more than 60 per cent of the Fund’s financing. There is a need to broaden the donors’ base, formalize the relationship with the international financial institutions and regional banks with the PBF and urgently find a way to ensure more predictable and sustainable financing for peacebuilding. The New Agenda for Peace provides a unique opportunity for reflection on how to make those tools more efficient and how to ensure closer collaboration between peacebuilding entities and the Security Council. The EU is committed to actively contributing to that reflection.

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

Mr. Geisler (Germany): I want to thank the Chinese presidency for organizing this timely and important debate and today’s briefers for their valuable insights. Germany aligns itself with the statement just delivered by the observer of the European Union. Germany has consistently been a strong proponent and active supporter of the United Nations peacebuilding and sustaining peace agenda. We are one of the largest bilateral and multilateral development cooperation partners worldwide. Addressing the root causes of conflict by reducing poverty and inequality is one of the central pillars of Germany’s global commitment to peace and development. One current and important example is our Shaping the Future with Africa strategy. Allow me to make three suggestions for concrete steps to more effectively address the interconnected nature of development and sustaining peace. First, we need to strengthen and mainstream existing approaches to address root causes of conflict. Closely interlinking our humanitarian, development and peace efforts is key to being more effective and efficient on the ground. That is what we call the humanitarian-development-peace nexus. Germany fully supports that approach. Germany is also fully convinced of the value of the Peacebuilding Fund (PBF) and is therefore its biggest donor. The PBF’s projects are and can be interlinked with structural development approaches, making them a valuable tool to further local and regional peace and conflict prevention, as well as lasting development. One example of that is the United Nations Development Programme’s Regional Stabilization Facility in the Lake Chad region, which has a strong track record as an effective mechanism to help consolidate and expand legitimate State presence in unstable, but strategically important areas. Through targeted civil-military joint action combining security, governance, infrastructure and livelihoods, the facility contributes to a more stable and peaceful region and stronger resilience against violent extremism. Germany actively supports this bridge towards sustainable development pathways. Secondly, we need to mobilize and generate more funding and investments for the United Nations peacebuilding and sustaining peace agenda. In the New Agenda for Peace, the Secretary-General rightly underscores the importance of adequate financing for tackling peacebuilding challenges. We strongly encourage all Member States to agree on the introduction of assessed contributions to meet conflict- affected countries’ rising requirements for support by the PBF. Yet even if it is adequately and sustainably funded, the PBF alone will not come close to filling the immense gaps in peace financing and investment that many partners, in particular least-developed countries, are exposed to. Germany is therefore actively exploring innovative initiatives. Together with the Peacebuilding Support Office and the United Nations Capital Development Fund, we have just launched the Investing for Peace initiative, aimed at setting up a blended finance mechanism to enable peace-positive investments in fragile and conflict-affected contexts. Thirdly, we should establish the Peacebuilding Commission as the central United Nations forum for coordinating and streamlining efforts in this field. As an active supporter and the current Vice-Chair, Germany welcomes the Secretary-General’s suggestion for enhancing the Commission’s role in addressing issues that lie between peace and development. Formalizing the relationship of the Commission with international financial institutions and regional development banks, and further strengthening its cooperation with the Economic and Social Council, would be important steps towards operationalizing and strengthening its impact. By strengthening its advisory role, it could also provide more systematic advice to the Security Council on the issues before us. Let me conclude by stressing that as one of the co-facilitators of the Summit of the Future process, Germany has been listening carefully to our fellow Member States’ ideas on today’s topic. We hope that in September 2024 we will be able to agree on a bold and pragmatic Pact for the Future and ask for everyone’s constructive cooperation in the months to come.

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

Mr. Zbogar (Slovenia): Let me first congratulate you, Sir, on your country’s successful presidency of the Security Council for this month, and thank China for organizing today’s open debate. I also want to thank Secretary-General Guterres, President Rousseff of the New Development Bank and Mr. Sachs for their contributions to the debate. We align ourselves with the statement made earlier by Ambassador Skoog on behalf of the European Union. First, I would like to echo the concerns of today’s briefers. They illustrated how a lack of economic progress, social welfare and environmental health contributes to instability and conflict. Inequality, poverty, social injustice, water scarcity, food insecurity and climate change rank as the most evident drivers of social fragility. We need a holistic approach to building peace, as the Secretary-General said this morning. Peace and security therefore hinge on sustainable, inclusive and climate-resilient development. The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development provides a comprehensive framework for protecting our natural environment, promoting economic development, eradicating poverty and fostering just and inclusive societies. That requires changes in governance and institutions, efficient international and transboundary cooperation, solidarity and the active promotion of sustainable development through science, technology and innovation. As an example, I would like to bring to the Council’s attention Slovenia’s development cooperation programme in a partner country in Africa. In response to acute food and water insecurity, our civil society partners are introducing sustainable agricultural practices and access to safe drinking water. As they establish cooperatives and savings schemes for local communities, they build social cohesion among the displaced, refugees and host populations. Secondly, the humanitarian-development-peace nexus, together with interdependence, should hold a central position in our collective reflections. The coordinated planning of humanitarian assistance, development cooperation and peacebuilding brings together the building blocks of prevention. And as the joint United Nations-World Bank Group study Pathways for Peace: Inclusive Approaches to Preventing Violent Conflict establishes, prevention is cost-effective. In addition, in his New Agenda for Peace, the Secretary-General emphasizes the responsibility of the international financial institutions, which are agents not only for global financial stability but for peace. Stakeholders — donors and recipients alike — should work together to better align the financial institutions, the Sustainable Development Goals and collective security mechanisms. Lastly, the Security Council is well equipped with tools that go beyond peacekeeping and peacebuilding. The peace and development advisers in missions are contributing to State-building through good governance. They help support stabilization through the rule of law and resilient institutions. They are essential to ensuring the full, equal and meaningful participation of women and young people in peace and security processes. Slovenia supports the ideas in China’s concept note (S/2023/870, annex) for today’s discussion. We stand ready to work together with the Security Council to integrate development efforts within peacekeeping mandates. Flexible and adaptive mandates focused on capacity-building and local partnerships can harmonize security and development efforts. Investments in long-term, inclusive and sustainable development are investments in peace.

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

Mr. Kiboino (Kenya): I congratulate China on its presidency of the Security Council for the month of November and for organizing this important debate. We thank all the briefers for their enriching contributions. It is widely acknowledged that poverty arising from underdevelopment and socioeconomic inequality is a major underlying cause of conflict, insecurity and fragility. That is particularly true for parts of Africa, including the Sahel, the Horn of Africa and the Great Lakes region. We therefore agree with the opinion of the Secretary-General in his 2022 report on peacebuilding and sustaining peace (S/2022/66) that the best defence against violent conflict is inclusive development that leaves no one behind. Today’s dialogue aligns with Article 55 of the Charter of the United Nations, which envisions a preventive diplomatic strategy in which United Nations bodies, including the Security Council, work with the General Assembly and the Economic and Social Council to create the conditions of stability and well-being that are essential to peaceful and friendly relations among nations. In noting the huge potential for scaling up peace efforts during this decade of action for realizing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Sustainable Development Goals, I will make four recommendations that speak to some of the questions raised in the concept note (S/2023/870, annex). First, the Security Council must always consider the economic, political and social dimensions of conflict. In that regard, it should increasingly shift from an approach responding to conflict based on short-term stabilization efforts and instead focus more on long- term, context-specific solutions, including those that recognize the role and the unique needs of women and young people. Secondly, the Council should recalibrate the mandates of peacekeeping and special political missions to play a more effective role in preventing conflicts from recurring. Missions can partner with host countries in facilitating inclusive community-level reconstruction, thereby serving as a pivot for the nexus between peacekeeping, peacebuilding, development, peace and political stability. Thirdly, the Security Council should not only make more use of the Peacebuilding Commission’s advisories but should also support efforts to realize the ambitions of the General Assembly’s resolution 76/305, on financing for peacebuilding, of multiple funding streams, including voluntary, innovative and assessed financing. Fourthly, the Security Council must support countries in curbing the illicit exploitation and trade in natural resources that have contributed to underdevelopment and conflict in many African countries. It should require countries receiving such resources to institute measures for compliance with national and regional instruments aimed at ensuring that Africa’s natural resources are contributing to the source country’s own development, peace and security. In conclusion, I reiterate that building and sustaining peace is a shared responsibility, and it is only through inclusive sustainable development that countries in fragile and conflict situations will be able to build back better, sustainably.

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

Ms. Jiménez de la Hoz (Spain) (spoke in Spanish): Spain aligns itself with the statement delivered by the observer of the European Union, and I will make some additional comments in my national capacity in response to the questions raised in the concept note (S/2023/870, annex). Spain advocates for a comprehensive approach to the nexus between international peace and security and humanitarian assistance, development, human rights, climate action and the effective and equal participation of women in all social, economic and political spheres. All of those elements support and enhance one another towards achieving Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 16, which aims to build just and peaceful societies equipped with the tools required to meet security challenges. International financial institutions play a critical role in promoting peace and sustainable development. Spain is committed to maximizing the financing capacity of multilateral development banks and exploring ways of making the international financial architecture more effective, inclusive, transparent and, ultimately, democratic. In order to actively contribute to this pressing debate, Spain has offered to host the fourth International Conference on Financing for Development in 2025, which we hope will have a transformative impact. Nor can we forget the link between digital connectivity and development, particularly SDG 4. Spain is collaborating with the global Giga initiative, which is jointly promoted by UNICEF and the International Telecommunications Union and seeks to connect all schools around the world to the Internet by 2030. The establishment of the Giga Technology Centre in Barcelona is an example of that collaboration. United Nations peacekeeping operations, special political missions and other United Nations presences in the field can help to create conditions that facilitate sustainable development in host countries based on the principle of national ownership. Peacebuilding achievements must be accompanied by social, economic and institutional transformations if we are to consolidate peace, with particular emphasis on combating the root causes of conflict, consolidating institutions and ensuring the full participation of women in political, economic and social life. The New Agenda for Peace and the Pact for the Future represent key opportunities to make progress on all of those issues, and my country will actively participate in that process to find a more effective response to current challenges.

The President: I now give the floor to the representative of Morocco.

Mr. Hilale (Morocco) (spoke in French): The Kingdom of Morocco welcomes the holding of this important and timely open debate. It welcomes the participation of the Secretary-General and other briefers and takes due note of their statements. For several years, the international community has affirmed that sustainable development, in its economic, social and environmental dimensions, cannot be achieved without peace and security, and that peace and security will be threatened without sustainable development. When societies are affected by conflict, development is often hindered. To that end, when development actions are undertaken in conflict or post-conflict areas, they help to strengthen stability and promote peace by meeting the basic needs of populations, creating economic opportunities and promoting social inclusion. In other words, investing in development means investing in peace. In addition, Morocco believes that it is essential to invest in prevention and peacebuilding, as well as in the women and peace and security and the youth, peace and security agendas. Prevention itself, particularly in areas that are in fragile situations, requires action based on inclusive dialogue, strengthening the social contract, diplomacy, the good offices of the Secretary-General and the centrality of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Sustainable Development Goals. It is also time to intensify our efforts towards building and consolidating peace. In that context, we are called upon to avoid relapses into conflicts, to prevent conflicts from the outset and, above all, to eradicate their root causes. One of the most effective ways of maintaining peace and preventing conflict is to strengthen national capacities and invest in human capacities, the emancipation of women and young people, digital inclusion, the consolidation of national institutions, transparency, good governance and respect for human rights. However, investments in development, which are also investments in peace, have proved insufficient in recent years. Strengthening adequate and predictable funding for good offices, mediation activities and the capacity of the Peacebuilding Fund is paramount. The Fund is the cornerstone of financing for peacebuilding activities in conflict-affected areas. Morocco believes that the Peacebuilding Commission (PBC) can make a substantial contribution to breaking down certain silos and resolving the fragmentation and duplication of efforts. Through its advisory and linking role in the Security Council, the PBC, in collaboration with a wide range of key regional and international actors, can bring a peacebuilding perspective into the deliberations of the principal organs of the United Nations, based on national ownership. As Chair of the Central African Republic configuration of the PBC — and having visited the Central African Republic last week — I am fully aware of and witness to the key and concrete role of international financial institutions in mobilizing resources to help conflict-affected countries that have very limited budgetary space to build and sustain peace and promote sustainable development and national reconciliation. To that end, we believe that a concrete response to the challenges of countries in conflict and post-conflict situations also requires coordinated and concerted engagement from the entire United Nations system, the involvement of resident coordinators with triple-hatted humanitarian functions, international financial institutions and regional and national actors. Lastly, Morocco reiterates its full support to the Secretary-General and fully shares his vision and recommendations for addressing the common challenges of the twenty-first century, including through the implementation of Our Common Agenda (A/75/982), and the New Agenda for Peace. The 2024 Summit of the Future and the 2025 review of the peacebuilding architecture will be crucial opportunities to consolidate a strong and meaningful international political consensus and implement our common ambitions for development, peace and security and, above all, provide legitimacy to and reinvigorate multilateralism. In addition, Morocco works tirelessly in the context of effective and proactive South-South cooperation, in accordance with the high-level guidance of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, for the socioeconomic development of brotherly and friendly countries, particularly in our African continent. Morocco has many multidimensional agreements and partnerships with fraternal African countries. Indeed, Morocco remains resolutely committed to working hand in hand with African countries in order to make our continent a zone of peace, development and prosperity for all. Our world today needs a glimmer of hope to restore confidence in the strength and centrality of multilateralism as a vehicle for sustainable development, peace, coexistence and regional and international security. There is only one path towards a peace that can withstand the crises of our time and that is the path of sustainable development, because it is the tool that is most capable of breaking cycles of instability to tackle the root causes of countries’ fragility and humanitarian needs.

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

Mr. Aliyev (Azerbaijan): At the outset, I would like to thank the delegation of China for having convened this important open debate. Azerbaijan has been a staunch promoter of the people-centred development approach, including through transformational changes to remodel the country’s economy with a focus on sustainability, inclusive growth, social justice and clean energy. Over the past 20 years, more than $310 billion have been invested in Azerbaijan’s economy, including approximately $200 billion in the non-energy sector. Furthermore, Azerbaijan has transformed into one of the key transport and logistics hubs between Europe and Asia, greatly contributing to the development of transregional connectivity projects, investing in transport infrastructure and widening cooperation with regional partners. All those efforts have been undertaken despite decades of armed conflict and its devastating humanitarian and economic impact. Earlier this month, on 8 November, Azerbaijan commemorated the third anniversary of Victory Day to mark the end of the 30-year Armenian aggression and occupation. The causes of the war are indicative of how ethnonationalist ideology, the rejection of diversity and the aspiration of monoethnicity can be a driving force dominating universal principles, sustainable and inclusive development and the prospects and benefits of regional cooperation. Those who ordered and perpetrated mass atrocities against civilians and other protected persons in my country were inspired by the objectives of ethnic purity in one of the most horrific campaigns of systemic racial discrimination in recent history. They first expelled more than 200,000 Azerbaijanis from their historical homeland in Armenia and today deny their right of return; then, ethnically cleansed all occupied territories of their more than 700,000 Azerbaijani population; razed nine cities and hundreds of villages in Azerbaijan to the ground and looted, vandalized and destroyed thousands of our cultural and religious sites. Those in Armenia who refrain from prosecuting serious crimes committed by its forces, shying away from shedding light on the fate of almost 4,000 missing Azerbaijanis, and those in Armenia who planted hundreds of thousands of landmines and other explosive devices in the formerly occupied territories and refuse now to disclose their locations are guided by the same hate motives. Providing support to States affected by conflict and engaged in post-conflict peacebuilding is and must remain a critical commitment of the United Nations. Such support and solidarity is critical to my country and many States around the world that are overcoming the severe consequences of conflicts. Since the end of the war three years ago, Azerbaijan has prioritized humanitarian demining, rehabilitation and the reconstruction of the liberated territories and their integration into the country’s economy to ensure the safe and dignified return of the displaced population and high standards of living. Life is gradually returning to those lands, and the first groups of displaced families have already returned to their places of origin. Despite the post-conflict peace and development prospects, Armenia opted for maintaining territorial claims, refusing to completely withdraw its armed forces from the territory of Azerbaijan, further inciting violent ethnic separatism in my country and increasing armed provocations on the ground. The security measures taken by Azerbaijan in its Karabakh region within less than 24 hours in September ensured the restoration of the State’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, in full conformity with the rights and responsibilities vested in States in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations and international law to protect their nationals and react to an unlawful military presence of foreign troops and illegal armed formations on their territory. As the main obstacles to advancing the agenda for the normalization of inter-State relations have been eliminated, we expect that Armenia will strictly abide by its international obligations, cease and desist from disinformation and misinformation and engage faithfully in efforts to build peace and stability in the region. Attempts by some non-regional States to turn the South Caucasus into an object of geopolitical rivalry and confrontation, including by arming Armenia and encouraging its hate propaganda, do not serve peace, reconciliation and inclusive development. Azerbaijan will continue its development and peace-sustaining efforts in the region and will further contribute to global endeavours to ensure equitable access of developing countries to financing, development resources and the benefits of progress.

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

Mr. Dang (Viet Nam): Peace is a prerequisite for development. There is no development without peace. At the same time, inclusive and sustainable development is a precondition for long-lasting peace, as it helps to address the root causes of conflicts. That correlated relationship is even more crucial in the current context, where wars and conflicts are still prevalent in many parts of the world, while the global 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development is far off track. It is not a coincidence that conflict-ridden countries also score the lowest on the Sustainable Development Goals Index. The Security Council plays a vital role in creating preconditions for development through the maintenance of international peace and security. There are a number of ways in which the Security Council can promote sustaining peace through and for development. First, the Council must be at the forefront of discharging the responsibility to prevent conflict and build peace so as to create a more conducive international environment for development. It must also take a leading role in the prevention of an arms race and the resolution of conflicts through peaceful means, so more resources can be channelled to development in the interest of humankind. Secondly, it is imperative for the Council to place a high premium on addressing development-related root causes in conflict prevention, as well as post-conflict reconstruction. Eradicating hunger and poverty, safeguarding livelihood, ensuring social cohesion and inclusiveness are not only the basic goals of development but also fundamental factors preventing the outbreak and spread of conflicts. Thirdly, the United Nations, including the Security Council in particular, should take a whole-of- system approach to promoting sustainable peace and development and break the vicious cycle of conflict and poverty. It is also important to take into account the development aspect in funding for peacebuilding so as to secure adequate resources for addressing development challenges in conflict-affected countries and for effective post-conflict recovery. Fourthly, it is essential for the Security Council to give greater attention to addressing emerging and non-traditional threats to both common development and security, including climate change and sea level rise. It is incumbent on the Council to heed the security implications of those challenges and contribute to global efforts to comprehensively prevent and mitigate their negative impact on development. For a country that has been ravaged by war, Viet Nam has made considerable progress in its development over the past 50 years. We understand first-hand the critical importance of promoting socioeconomic development and ensuring the well-being and livelihoods of our people with a view to maintaining peace and stability, and vice versa. We will continue to contribute to the efforts of the international community to promote sustaining peace through common development and will always stand ready to share our experience and best practices in that regard.

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

Mr. Cho (Republic of Korea): I would like to begin by expressing my appreciation to the People’s Republic of China for convening today’s open debate. I also thank the Secretary-General and other briefers for their insightful remarks. I could not agree more with what the Secretary-General said in his remarks earlier today, which is that development by itself is not enough to secure peace, and that no peace can be secured without inclusive and sustainable development that leaves no one behind. I would like to add some comments based on our experience as citizens of the Republic of Korea, a country that has quickly gone from being one of the world’s least developed to one of the most advanced in many areas. As the Council is aware, Korea has been able to achieve economic development and deepen its democracy in just one generation. Through trial and error, Korea has developed a society that values democracy, freedom and the rule of law, which has enabled it to be resilient, despite the challenges of economic growth. Our experience shows that economic growth and the development of democracy do not just go hand in hand but are mutually reinforcing. In the face of multifaceted global crises on an unprecedented scale, the gap between countries is widening in several areas. The difference between now and previous decades, when Korea was striving to achieve economic development, is that developing countries today are having to face the reality of addressing those complex and interrelated challenges simultaneously. While Korea was able to narrow the development gap through foreign investments, the transfer of technology and vital development assistance from the international community, merely narrowing the development gap is no longer enough to achieve sustaining peace. In many developing countries, the climate crisis is exacerbating threats to peace and security, and the digital divide between countries is widening as all industries are transformed by new digital technologies. As my President strongly emphasized in his address to the General Assembly at its seventy-eighth session

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

Mr. Ćurić Hrvatinić (Croatia): Let me start by expressing my appreciation to you, Mr. President, for the opportunity to engage in this timely open debate. Croatia aligns itself with the statement delivered on behalf of the European Union, and I would like to add a few remarks in my national capacity. We recognize that the increasing numbers of crises, conflicts and related challenges are adversely affecting our collective ability to fulfil policies already adopted or deliver new ones credibly and feasibly. Addressing the root causes of conflict is essential to preventing conflicts and sustaining peace. The root causes of major political, societal and economic tensions lead to division and exclusion. In such conditions, legal and social contracts and expectations can be easily broken. Addressing root causes requires a holistic approach, working across the three pillars of peace and security, development and human rights. Conflicts can be mitigated or resolved by promoting dialogue and fostering inclusive mediation processes, enabling societies to focus their efforts on development and foster social cohesion. The full implementation of the rule of law and the principles of good governance, in addition to transparency, accountability, democracy, anti-corruption and the protection of human rights, is key to those efforts. Trusted, fair and efficient institutions and processes are necessary ingredients for an environment conducive to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals and for making sure that societies and States are more resilient in the face of divides and conflicts. The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its Sustainable Development Goals form an excellent framework for addressing the root causes of conflicts. They cover all three dimensions of sustainable development. They are human rights- based and recognize that there can be no peace without development and no development without peace. In peaceful and democratic societies, individuals and communities can thrive, because their human rights are respected. They create prosperous and inclusive economies and are better equipped to deal with the effects of climate change and to protect the environment. The synergies between sustaining peace, peacebuilding, and sustainable development should be exploited in a systemic manner. It will be vital to invest more in prevention and promotion of lasting peace globally if we are to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. Attaining the 2030 Agenda is dependent on our success in sustaining peace as a global public good, and we all have a stake in it. In that context, the Peacebuilding Commission (PBC), which stands at the nexus of peace, security and development, is uniquely positioned to address the challenges of sustaining peace and peacebuilding in an integrated manner. That is why it is important to strengthen the Commission so that it can be even more effective. Building on national ownership and supporting countries in sustaining peace and preventing conflict, including through national prevention strategies, is something that the PBC is well placed to do. To enhance the Commission’s effectiveness, its ties with regional and subregional organizations, as well as international and regional financial institutions, should be strengthened. Such collaborative efforts would enable the Commission to follow up on recommendations and assist countries in implementing crucial measures for achieving peaceful and prosperous societies. The Summit of the Future in 2024 and the 2025 review of the peacebuilding architecture provide valuable opportunities to bolster the Peacebuilding Commission. Let us seize them to the fullest extent possible.

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

Mr. Van Schalkwyk (South Africa): Like others, we would like to thank you, Mr. President, for convening this open debate to highlight the linkage between peace and development. We acknowledge and are grateful for the briefings by Secretary-General António Guterres, New Development Bank President Dilma Rousseff and Professor Jeffrey Sachs, who is leading critical work at the Sustainable Development Solutions Network on improving the roll-out of the Sustainable Development Goals. Countries that experience armed conflict often face challenges in development and are far behind schedule in achieving the goals of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. That is primarily because violence and its drivers reduce countries’ abilities to generate domestic revenue and attract international investments. We acknowledge the work that is done by key United Nations agencies, such as the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), in helping to eradicate poverty, reduce inequalities and exclusion and build resilience so that countries are able to sustain progress and achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. We advocate for closer collaboration among peacekeeping missions, UNDP, the Economic and Social Council, the Peacebuilding Fund and the Peacebuilding Commission. The primary functions of peacekeeping operations are to protect civilians, actively prevent conflict, reduce violence, strengthen security and empower national authorities to assume those responsibilities. We acknowledge the important work that has also been done through quick-impact projects in support of local communities to improve the attainment of sustainable development. We emphasize the vital role played by the Economic and Social Council and the Peacebuilding Commission in enhancing socioeconomic situations in countries affected by armed conflict. In that context, regular discussions and closer collaboration with the Security Council remain invaluable in achieving peace from a more holistic perspective. The relationship between the Security Council and regional organizations also remains critical in the resolution and prevention of conflicts and in engagement on matters pertaining to sustainable development. It has always been South Africa’s view that regional and subregional organizations, including regional financial institutions, remain uniquely positioned and better experienced to provide support to national actors addressing conflict, peacebuilding and post-conflict reconstruction. South Africa welcomes the ongoing discussions in the context of the Secretary-General’s New Agenda for Peace and the emphasis on the need to revisit the collective security system. It is important that it can respond to the needs of all countries based on trust, solidarity and universality, but also, we may add, mutual respect, commitment and honest fulfilment of international agreements and undertakings. Importantly, with respect to today’s discussions, we welcome the emphasis on the necessity of implementing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. That flows from the understanding that there can be no peace without development, no development without peace and neither without respect for human rights.

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

Mr. Luemba (Angola): Angola congratulates China on its assumption of the presidency of the Security Council for the month of November and commends it on the initiative of organizing this thematic debate. We believe that peace, security and stability constitute the foundation of efforts to create an environment conducive to global prosperity and common development, including the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Angola advocates for greater global concerted efforts to end conflicts worldwide by addressing their root causes, investing in preventive diplomacy and mediation and promoting the peacebuilding agenda to help countries sustain peace, with a view to achieving inclusive sustainable development. Several factors are behind unbalanced development, including conflicts, food insecurity, high energy prices and the adverse effects of climate change. In addition, pandemics and disease can further destabilize the economy, particularly in developing countries. The alarming increase in external debt is another factor that diminishes the prospect of economic growth, increases inflation, creates political instability and reduces confidence in the Government. We believe that common development is a shared responsibility in a world that is increasingly interdependent. Therefore, we believe that the following actions are needed: first, restructuring the global governance system through a comprehensive reform of the international financial architecture; secondly, building better and modern infrastructure and investing in education; and thirdly, accelerating agricultural modernization and industrial transformation, thereby contributing to countries’ long-term peace and stability. We believe that it is also important to promote gender equality and youth-inclusive policies in order to ensure full and equal participation in society. Moreover, we cannot talk about common development without giving proper attention to climate change, energy transition and food security as essential tools for conflict prevention. The upcoming twenty-eighth Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, to be held in December, provides an opportunity to reinforce policies to address climate change, drive the global transformation towards a low- emission and climate-resilient world, foster ambitious climate action and facilitate the implementation of the 2030 Agenda. Our national experience has enabled us to understand the nexus between peace and development. In that connection, Angola is organizing the Pan-African Forum for a Culture of Peace in Africa, also known as the Biennale of Luanda, from 22 to 24 November, in partnership with the African Union and UNESCO. The aims are to promote democratic principles and practices and consolidate an environment of political tolerance and inclusiveness in the continent, with a view to promoting sustainable development.

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

Mr. Mukongo (Democratic Republic of the Congo) (spoke in French): At the outset, my delegation would like to congratulate you, Mr. President, on your presidency of the Security Council in the month of November and your wise choice of the topic of this open debate, namely, “Maintenance of international peace and security: promote sustaining peace through common development”. My delegation is pleased to participate in this debate and expresses its gratitude to the members of the Security Council for the opportunity to add the Congolese vision to the Council’s efforts to resolve the conundrum at the heart of this theme. As well, allow me to pay tribute to His Excellency Mr. António Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations, for his involvement in peace efforts in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. We take this opportunity to convey to him our encouragement. Peace and security are prerequisites for the achievement of sustainable development, as evidenced by the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, adopted by the General Assembly on 25 September 2015. That ambitious agenda also recognizes that sustainable development paves the way for building peaceful societies. That correlation is proof that development and lasting peace are inextricably linked and essential to one another, and it is therefore particularly important during this period — when the world, entire regions and certain countries are on the brink of conflagration, facing a number of multifaceted challenges — to pay equal and sustained attention to strengthening the preventive tool that is common development for peace. Sustainable development for all is an imperative that cannot be ignored, as it contains within it the seeds of solutions to the challenges of the fragile situations in which many countries and a large part of the world’s population find themselves, some of whom live in areas affected by violent and multidimensional conflicts. It is also a part of efforts to overcome the challenges of marginalization, build resilience, address climate change and reduce inequalities, extreme poverty and the unequal distribution of resources. In short, sustainable development can address the underlying causes of conflicts and fragility at the global level and respond to them in a complementary, coherent and coordinated way. On top of this, today transnational and global challenges are becoming increasingly complex and interdependent, making them a growing threat to sustainable development for all and one that no country can face alone. Common development requires our collective commitment. The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which was launched in 2015, and the efforts to revive its implementation and to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, are a clear illustration of that. Countries in the grip of protracted conflict, such as the Democratic Republic of the Congo, have two major challenges to address simultaneously — peace and security, on the one hand, and sustainable development, on the other. The Democratic Republic of the Congo is working on both fronts. As part of its commitment to achieving common development, my country, under the leadership of President Tshisekedi Tshilombo, has established a multisectoral road map for actions and reforms that can accelerate our progress towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals and the 2030 Agenda. Besides that, with a view to making greater progress towards the emergence of an integrated national economy that can ensure that local development actions take root, in 2021 my Government launched a local development programme, PDL-145, that brings together 145 territorial areas and is specifically focused on rural development. It is financed primarily by the Democratic Republic of the Congo and is aimed at improving the resilience of local populations, reducing inequalities and strengthening public institutions, all at a local level. The ultimate goal is to bring 25 million Congolese out of poverty. Turning now to peace and security, as our President underscored in a statement on the state of the nation on 14 November, “The security situation in our country has been marked by the occupation of parts of the territories of Rutshuru, Nyiragongo and Masisi. That aggression has already claimed the lives of many of our compatriots through their cowardly murder in Kishishe, Kizimba, Bambu, Bokombo, Tongo and Kalake, and has internally displaced more than 2.4 million people, including 1.6 million around the city of Goma. In addition, the criminal actions of the coalitions of the Rwandan armed forces and the Mouvement du 23 mars have destroyed a large number of health and education facilities, as well as religious sites, in the occupied areas. They have also caused destruction in Virunga National Park, which is a World Heritage Site. To that war, unjustly inflicted on the Congolese people, we have to add the activity of negative forces and other local and foreign terrorist groups. For example, we can point to the increased activity of the terrorists of the Allied Democratic Forces, who are carrying out a jihad in pursuit of their insane goal of establishing an Islamic caliphate in the region of Beni and the south”. It is therefore clear that restoring peace in the Democratic Republic of the Congo will be possible only if the Security Council, the principal United Nations organ responsible for the maintenance of international peace and security, can take appropriate measures. The Democratic Republic of the Congo therefore expects to see this debate lead to the adoption of practical recommendations whose implementation will enable the internally displaced to return home and children to go back to school so that they can fully enjoy their right to education, which they have been deprived of since the aggression against my country began in 2021. With respect to conflict prevention, the Council should not lose sight of the fact that the internally displaced population consists mainly of children, and those children are key actors and potential agents of change in the vast common-development landscape that we are discussing today. Since time is short, I would like to offer several expectations and recommendations. We should undertake and implement reforms to make the United Nations a more viable multilateral platform for common development, strengthen efforts to build synergies for development between the United Nations and regional and subregional organizations, advocate new and innovative approaches to financing for development in support of peace and ease the processes for enabling access to financing for all, especially countries in fragile situations.

The President (spoke in Chinese): Before giving the floor to the next speaker, I would like to remind all speakers to observe the time limit. We have a long list of speakers, and it will be challenging to finish before 6 p.m. I now give the floor to the representative of Nigeria.

Ms. Dakwak (Nigeria): I thank you, Sir, and the delegation of China for convening today’s meeting to address such an important topic. I would also like to express my sincere appreciation to Secretary-General António Guterres for his briefing, and to Ms. Rousseff and Mr. Sachs for their contributions to the debate. As elaborated on in the concept note (S/2023/870, annex), the subject of security challenges and their root causes has been debated numerous times since it was first introduced at a Security Council ministerial-level meeting in September 1997 (see S/PV.3819). Yet we have continued to experience widening, deepening and more new conflicts. As we gather here, the conflict in the Middle East, which is also a long-standing item on the Security Council’s agenda, has become a horrible war. And that is happening while we have still not been able to stop the war in Ukraine. Many civilians have been displaced by conflicts, losing their dignity along with the destruction of their homes and livelihoods, including the loss of family, as well as of essential facilities and infrastructure. The rise in insurgency and terrorism as global concerns has rendered the situation even more challenging. The root causes of conflicts and their consequences are a complex mix of interlinked factors, including poverty, inequality, irregular or forced migration, communal crises, organized crime, natural disasters and climate change. Many conflicts evolve around the issue of control of natural resources. Conflicts fuelled by bad governance, terrorism and the proliferation of small arms and light weapons, among other factors, hamper socioeconomic development, putting populations in terrible situations of poverty and suffering. If we are to address the multifaceted and still unfolding effects of conflicts and wars on economies, we need concrete, comprehensive and robust transformative action. The late former Secretary-General Kofi Annan, in his report entitled “The causes of conflict and the promotion of durable peace and sustainable development in Africa” (S/1998/318), stressed that poor economic performance and inequitable development had resulted in a near-permanent economic crisis for some States, greatly exacerbating their internal tensions and diminishing their capacity to respond to them, and he underscored that development was central to the prospects for reducing conflicts in Africa. But the human as well as the social and economic impact of conflicts are massive, and resolving such large-scale conflict is beyond the capacity of any one State. While the primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security resides with the Security Council, conflict prevention and resolution involve a range of actors who provide distinct but mutually reinforcing ways to address both the immediate and the deeper causes of violent conflict. There is no doubt that natural resources and their exploitation have been a major contributing factor to tensions and conflicts. The struggle over domestic natural resources has been a source of brutal conflicts and civil wars in some parts of the world. A more significant and no less devastating aspect of the illegal exploitation of resources in conflict situations is its impact on the environment and its distortion of the livelihoods of the people in the communities affected. There has been a sudden rise in foreign-driven illegal exploitation and plundering of resources, which negatively affects socioeconomic development. Such illicit foreign-driven exploitation is, among other things, a source of funding for terrorist groups, which further precipitates conflicts. It is imperative that natural resources be managed responsibly for the benefit of the population, in order to prevent conflicts and enhance the conditions necessary for human security. In the discharge of its mandate of maintaining international peace and security, the Security Council should focus on the exploitation of natural resources as one of the root causes of conflict, including by criminalizing illegal exploitation as a crime against humanity. We must take a deeper view of this dimension of conflict in order to secure a more peaceful world. We must also address the issue of the proliferation of small arms and light weapons and its interlinkages with terrorism. The consequences of the devastating impact of the illicit transfer and trafficking of weapons across Africa can be seen in many conflicts. We laud Agenda 2063 of the African Union, which seeks to eradicate poverty in one generation and build shared prosperity through social and economic transformation. In addition, the road map of practical steps to silence the guns clearly underscores that peace, security and socioeconomic development are threatened by the illicit transfer of weapons in Africa. Expanding capabilities for disrupting illicit arms flows is important for curbing their proliferation and misuse. Recovery and resilience strategies must centre on unique national and regional perspectives to address the root causes of violent conflict. In addition, ensuring adequate, predictable and sustainable financing for peace and security activities remains a challenge facing the African Union, regional institutions and African States. The reduction or even stoppage of agricultural activities due to insecurity and displacement has social consequences in many communities, including the regulating of food insecurity and joblessness. We need to work harder to stop violent conflicts, not least because this harmful impact is even more dire for the vulnerable. As several briefers indicated, women and children are the most affected. We therefore need to increase investment in agriculture, through the mobilization of resources, both public and private, and to attract socially responsible and environmentally sustainable investment. Smallholders should be at the centre. Governments need to identify more assured and adequate sources of revenue aimed at economic recovery. Extractable resources are the obvious choice to generate financial returns and employment. Therefore, good management structures must be put in place, with transparency and accountability for beneficial results. Any resource management approach should address poverty and maintain the sustainability of resources for present and future generations. In conclusion, as we prepare for the Summit of the Future, we call on the United Nations, in collaboration with Member States, to consider innovative ways of leveraging peace processes and political settlements to achieve accountability and justice for conflict- related violence, thereby laying the foundation for transformative actions that would sustain inclusive societies.

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

Mr. Akram (Pakistan): The Pakistan delegation congratulates you, Mr. President, and the Chinese delegation on your active and positive presidency of the Council during this month and on convening this important debate on development and peace. We thank all the briefers for their views. The interdependence between peace and development is well established. In the past eight decades, hundreds of millions of people have been lifted out of poverty through planned and market-driven development, investment, trade and technological breakthroughs. Yet we have failed to promote the Charter’s vision of prosperity for all peoples of the United Nations. Indeed, we live in an age of inequality. The unequal structures of finance, trade and technology constructed over the past several decades have created the super-rich and the super-poor. The development progress made in the past few decades has been halted and reversed by the coronavirus disease pandemic, climate change impacts and proliferating conflict. A total of 150 million people have descended into extreme poverty. Growing poverty and hunger and the illegal exploitation of natural resources are the principal causes of many of the conflicts and disputes among and within States, such as in the Sahel and other parts of Africa. Climate change is exacerbating the scramble for scarce resources, particularly water, and could lead to the proliferation of conflict. We support the efforts of the Peacebuilding Commission to address the resolution of conflict situations through the promotion of development. Yet no amount of development can bring peace when peoples are suppressed by foreign occupation and forcibly denied their right to self- determination, as is happening today in Palestine, and as has also been happening in occupied Jammu and Kashmir. The international community already has an agreed blueprint for equitable global development, comprehensively reflected in the political declaration of the Sustainable Development Goals Summit. The pledges and commitments made under that declaration must be implemented, in particular to expand concessional financing and grant development financing, rechannel the unutilized special drawing rights (SDRs), provide urgent debt relief, allocate new development-linked SDRs, adopt an equitable international tax treaty, halt illicit financial flows, reform the international financial architecture, revive international trade as an engine of growth and development, meet climate commitments, mobilize at least $1 trillion annually in sustainable infrastructure investment, bridge the digital divide and utilize technology as a global public good. The commitments and pledges that have been made on development could be endorsed by the Security Council so as to transform these into binding obligations. The Global Development Initiative, launched by President Xi Jinping three years ago, provides an important vehicle to promote the realization of the development objectives that I have listed. China’s successful experience provides an invaluable template for rapid development in the global South. Pakistan will work vigorously in the Group of Friends of the Global Development Initiative to realize our agreed development aspirations and goals, especially at the forthcoming Summit of the Future, and thereby construct a common future of prosperity and peace for all humankind.

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

Mr. Alrowaiei (Bahrain) (spoke in Arabic): At the outset, I would like to congratulate you, Mr. President, and the delegation of China on your country’s assumption of the presidency of the Security Council during the month of November. I thank you for your efforts to manage the work of the Council, which we appreciate, and for convening today’s important open debate on promoting and sustaining peace through common development. I also thank the Secretary- General, Mr. António Guterres, and all the briefers for their valuable insights. The achievement of peace and prosperity in the world, given the current intertwined threats, requires greater efforts to promote collective work. In his New Agenda for Peace, the Secretary-General underscored the importance of achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as a target in itself or, in the long-term, within the framework sustainable development, as this is the only means to comprehensively address the interlinked and multidimensional root causes of violence and insecurity. The Kingdom of Bahrain takes a steadfast, strategic approach to supporting peace and security in the Middle East and throughout the world, underpinned by the nexus between prosperity and security. If we are to achieve the desired progress on all development paths, Bahrain believes that peaceful settlements of all regional and international conflicts are a top priority, and that applies especially to working to put an end to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, whose horrors are still unfolding before our eyes. Bahrain reiterates its firm and principled position regarding the tragic situation in Gaza and condemns the killing of innocent civilians. We call for an end to the latest escalation, for ensuring immediate access for humanitarian aid and services and other basic services, and for releasing the innocent civilians who have been detained as hostages, while we work together to end the war. We also reiterate that when it comes to settling international disputes, diplomacy and international law must prevail over conflict and violence. The Kingdom of Bahrain is cognizant that international cooperation based on mutual trust, good faith and shared understanding is the best way to overcome our common challenges. One of our top priorities is propagating the values of tolerance, a culture of peace and dialogue between religions, cultures and civilizations as main pillars of the work of achieving security and development and upholding human rights. We stress the importance of promoting international partnership and strategic dialogue and creating a global political, security and economic order with greater stability, justice and solidarity so as to fulfil peoples’ aspirations for consolidating international peace and security and achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. That will require increased international effort, including through direct investments and financial resources aimed at achieving growth and prosperity and eliminating hunger and poverty, addressing the crises of water and energy scarcity and supporting the least developed countries while unconditionally opening markets to receive their exports and reducing their debt burden, leading ultimately to prosperity for all and leaving none behind. The Kingdom of Bahrain continues to contribute effectively to the achievement of the goals of the United Nations, including by granting international awards for dialogue and peaceful coexistence in the service of humankind, and for digital transformation in the field of education, while enabling women and young people to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals and assisting in the delivery of humanitarian relief to many countries affected by the consequences of wars, conflicts and natural disasters. In conclusion, Bahrain will continue its tireless efforts to prevent conflicts, save lives and enable countries to achieve growth and prosperity for a better and more peaceful future.

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

Ms. Lassen (Denmark): I thank the presidency of the Security Council for convening us today and the briefers for their insights. I have the honour to deliver this statement on behalf of the Nordic countries — Finland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden and my own country, Denmark. The Nordic countries have long recognized the nexus between sustainable development, peace and respect for human rights. But the stark reality that we are facing today, at a time marked by a rising number of armed conflicts, emphasizes the urgency with which we must act. If we are to address the underlying drivers of insecurity, the promotion of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals must remain our all- encompassing priority. There can be no sustainable development without peace, no sustainable peace without development and no peace or development without human rights. First, it is clear that we must address inequalities among countries. The global effects of climate change have worsened, and least developed countries bear the heaviest toll. They account for less than 4 per cent of total global greenhouse-gas emissions, yet they are the worst affected by climate change. The destructive impact of climate change is therefore a driver of growing inequality. It is also well known that some of the peoples facing the most serious consequences of climate change are those living in small island developing States. Finding workable solutions is the joint responsibility of every State. The climate crisis is one of the greatest threats to international peace and security. We must work urgently, as well as strategically, to better address the interlinkages between climate change, peace and security and sustainable development, especially in fragile contexts. The Nordic countries remain committed to supporting conflict-sensitive efforts for adaptation and mitigation in order to foster greater resilience. Climate-sensitivity is also an area in which coherent inter-agency analyses could be strengthened to underpin the work of peacekeeping operations and special political missions. Secondly, the New Agenda for Peace promotes key actions for addressing the link between peace and sustainable development. Delivering effective solutions for prevention, peacebuilding and sustaining peace requires multidimensional engagements. The Nordic countries remain committed to strengthening the peacebuilding architecture. In that respect, we should elevate the advisory, bridging and convening roles of the Peacebuilding Commission. Thirdly, a fundamental requirement for delivering on those agendas is financing and addressing the burden of debt that also affects countries in transition contexts. The role of international financial institutions and regional development banks in financing transitions towards sustainable development and peace is critical. It is also vital that we act to ensure that assessed contributions to the Peacebuilding Fund become a reality. That is long overdue. Fourthly, the Nordic countries remain committed to working with partners to advance our work for inclusion, in particular on the women and peace and security and the youth, peace and security agendas. They not only make a meaningful contribution to peace and security, but they are absolutely essential to sustainable peace. Finally, we must redouble our efforts to achieve the full and effective operationalization of the humanitarian- development-peace nexus. Our collective efforts cannot hope to advance sustainable development and peace if our engagements are not based on a comprehensive, whole-of-system response. There can be no doubt that development, peace and security and human rights are interlinked and mutually reinforcing, as recognized in the sustaining peace agenda. The Nordic countries will continue to work to promote a response based on greater cooperation, coherence, coordination and complementarity among development, disaster risk reduction, humanitarian action and sustaining peace. That is a response rooted in efficiently and effectively addressing the needs of people and communities.

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

Mr. Konfourou (Mali) (spoke in French): At the outset, I would like to congratulate the Chinese presidency of the Security Council for organizing today’s debate on a theme that is both pertinent and very current — how to promote peace and security through development for all. We can all agree when it comes to recognizing the inseparable link between peace and development, as we all know that there can be no peace without development, or vice versa. If we can manage to tackle the challenge of finding sufficient political will, particularly at the level of the Security Council and other relevant bodies, and if we give ourselves time to gain a proper understanding of each crisis situation, we will be able to take concrete and lasting measures to address the root causes of conflicts so as to establish peace and development for all. Mali has gone through an unsuccessful experience where crisis management by the international community is concerned. After more than a decade of the presence of the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) and other foreign Powers in the fight against terrorism in Mali, the security situation in my country has deteriorated significantly. The insecurity that in 2012 and 2013 was limited to northern Mali gradually spread to the centre and through the rest of the country. We have counted the dead and wounded — civilians and soldiers, Malians and foreigners — in the thousands. Moreover, there are tens of thousands of refugees and internally displaced persons, as well as thousands of shuttered schools, which have deprived several thousand children of their right to education. Economic and development activities have been severely affected, forcing our people to live in precarious conditions. The people of Mali could no longer tolerate this extremely difficult situation. That is why, in June, the Government of Mali requested the immediate withdrawal of MINUSMA, in view of the Mission’s failure to protect people and property and to help Mali re-establish authority over its territory. MINUSMA’s withdrawal is under way, and we hope that it will be completed as soon as possible. Given the Mission’s failure and in line with the sovereign choice of the Malian people to take their destiny into their own hands, the Government undertook major political and institutional reforms. As a result, Mali has adopted a new Constitution, the main strategic objective of which is to improve the country’s governance. At the same time, the Government has set about strengthening the capabilities of the Malian Defence and Security Forces so as to enable them to effectively carry out their sovereign missions of defending the national territory and protecting its people and property. I am pleased to tell the Council that our forces have achieved some particularly important results, notably the liberation of several Malian towns from the strongholds of terrorists and their accomplices. I salute here the valiant Malian army, whose courage and determination led to the liberation of the town and region of Kidal on 14 November. I would remind the Council that the process of liberating Mali’s towns is part of the implementation of resolution 2690 (2023), the objectives of which are the occupation of MINUSMA bases by the Malian State and the exercise of Mali’s sovereignty over its territory, as well as the preservation of Mali’s unity and territorial integrity. I regret to note that those major developments in Mali have not elicited any reaction from the Secretary-General or from the Council, which is responsible for maintaining international peace and security. We were also surprised to note that the members of the Council were not able to agree to a simple statement to condemn the barbaric terrorist attack against the boat Tombouctou on 7 October, which resulted in the deaths of several dozen people, including women and children. Moreover, as His Excellency Colonel Assimi Goïta, President of the Transition and Head of State, so aptly indicated in his address to the nation on 15 November, following the liberation of Kidal, those security successes, rather than calling for triumphalism, are instead an opportunity to strengthen national cohesion, peace and development for the benefit of our people. That is why the State of Mali is currently working to secure the liberated zones and to restore administration, basic social services, refugees and internally displaced persons to those areas. We are open to all partnerships in that respect, with a view to consolidating lasting peace and relaunching development for all the people of Mali, which will guarantee lasting stability in our country.

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

Mr. Larsen (Australia): I express my appreciation for the briefings delivered this morning by the Secretary-General and others on this important matter. At the halfway point for the achievement of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, just 15 per cent of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are on track. This opportunity to discuss the link between peace and development is a time for all States to recognize that for peace and prosperity we must do better. The great wisdom of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development is in recognizing the interconnectedness of the challenges that the world is facing — that social, environment and economic development go hand in hand with fostering more peaceful and stable societies. The 2030 Agenda provides a common and indispensable framework to tackle those shared challenges. It was tirelessly debated, negotiated and reaffirmed by all members at the SDG Summit. Concrete implementation of the SDGs must be our shared focus, and that most certainly is the case for Australia. Australia’s new development policy will deliver some $A1.7 billion additional Australian in official development assistance over the next five years. We aim to protect against backsliding, address uneven implementation of the SDGs and ensure no one and no country is left behind. Australia has rechannelled $3 billion of our International Monetary Fund special drawing rights allocation to support vulnerable countries’ development efforts. We have engaged actively in the development of the multidimensional vulnerability index. We stand strongly behind efforts to reform the multilateral development banks. Australia is listening to and supporting our Indo-Pacific partners in building effective, accountable States that drive their own development and stability. Sadly, this is a time of increased conflict, weak rule of law, resource scarcity exacerbated by climate change, inequality and unresolved regional tensions. Those are some of the factors that interplay in complex ways to drive conflict. We must settle disputes through mutually agreed frameworks, uphold international law, including the Charter of the United Nations, and fully respect human rights. Australia is committed to a New Agenda for Peace, one that seeks to remedy declines in trust and social cohesion through democratic renewal and strengthening the social contract. Peacebuilding and the New Agenda for Peace are anchored in respect for all human rights — civil, political, economic, social and cultural. In both bilateral and multilateral efforts, Australia promotes and protects human rights. We strive to improve the inclusion of women and youth in political processes. And we emphasize peacebuilding through reconciliation. Australia is proud to be a continuous top-10 donor to the United Nations Peacebuilding Fund. We look forward to 2025, when Australia will again serve as a member of the Peacebuilding Commission, and 2029, when Australia hopes to serve as an elected member of the Council, demonstrating the priority we place on peace and development.

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

Ms. Al-Thani (Qatar) (spoke in Arabic): We would like to congratulate the friendly country of China for presiding over the Security Council. We welcome this important meeting, and thank the Secretary-General for his statement and all other briefers. As part of our active engagement in this lively debate on a comprehensive approach towards maintaining international peace and security and promoting sustained peace through common development, we stress the importance of the nexus between sustainable development and peace. In that regard, we shed light on the factors that hinder the achievement of sustainable development and peace and threaten international peace and security, including occupation. We reiterate that no sustainable peace and no sustainable development can be achieved under occupation and settlement in any given country. That is a fact underscored by the illegal practices of the Israeli occupation, which has been using violence, excessive repression, collective punishment, coercive displacement and ethnic cleansing to subdue the brotherly Palestinian people, while preventing them from their right to freedom, peace and development. In that connection, the State of Qatar reiterates its condemnation of the international crimes — such as genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity — that the Israeli occupation consistently continues to perpetrate against the Palestinian people in Gaza and other occupied Palestinian territories. The State of Qatar calls on the Security Council to uphold its moral and legal responsibilities by compelling the Israeli occupation to put an end to the escalation and its crimes against the Palestinian people, while fully abiding by international law and international humanitarian law. The State of Qatar makes inclusive and preventive efforts at the international level to achieve peace and security, while taking into consideration the root causes of multifaceted conflicts and threats that compromise international and regional peace and security. That is reflected in the ongoing development, humanitarian and diplomatic efforts that the State of Qatar makes at the regional and international levels through bilateral and multilateral partnerships, foremost of which is the established strategic partnership between the State of Qatar and the United Nations. In that context, the State of Qatar stresses that achieving sustainable development is impossible without establishing peaceful societies in which no one is marginalized, or without providing access to justice to all in accordance with Sustainable Development Goal 16 of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. As we all know, the least-developed countries and the most vulnerable groups are more likely to be affected by conflicts and post-conflict situations. In that regard, we would like to point out that the Doha Programme of Action for the Least Developed Countries, which was adopted at the fifth United Nations Conference on the Least Developed Countries, which was held in Doha in March, underscores that, without peace and security, there can be no sustainable development and that peace, security, development, human rights and humanitarian action are all complementary elements that reinforce each other. It also notes the positive role that can be played by sustainable development in mitigating the causes of conflicts, disaster risks, humanitarian crises and complex emerging situations. The State of Qatar calls for investment in preventive diplomacy, early warning, mediation, dialogue and preventive efforts to prevent conflict, in addition to addressing the root causes of conflicts and investing in peacekeeping and peacebuilding efforts that should focus on the effective participation of women and young people. In that regard, we welcome once again the Secretary-General’s Our Common Agenda (A/75/982) and the New Agenda for Peace. We believe that it is important to adopt a multilateral vision as we prepare for the 2024 Summit of the Future and the 2025 review of the peacebuilding architecture. In conclusion, the State of Qatar reiterates that it will continue to make various efforts in order to contribute to maintaining regional and international peace and security and will continue to pursue the achievement of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

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

Ms. Concepción Jaramillo (Panama) (spoke in Spanish): The world is facing unprecedented challenges in maintaining international peace and security. According to the 2022 Global Trends report of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, more than 108 million people worldwide were forced to flee their homes — the highest number ever recorded. That is double the number recorded only 10 years ago. Panama can attest to the increase in the number of people who have had to leave their homes in search of better living conditions, as more than 474,000 people, 22 per cent of whom are minors and infants, have transited through Panama to date this year, which has created an unprecedented situation for our country. We appreciate the focus of this debate on development and its linkages to peace. Societies with high levels of poverty tend to be more prone to instability and conflict, which is why the protection of human rights and the promotion of development is paramount to combat those challenges. The most vulnerable populations, including children, adolescents, women, people with disabilities and the elderly, are most at risk, and those challenges cannot be effectively addressed through the use of force. Sustainable development and peace are fundamental pillars of the mission of the United Nations, but we must acknowledge that their interdependence is often underestimated. Economic and social development cannot thrive in an environment characterized by instability and conflict. Accordingly, lasting peace cannot be achieved without addressing systemic inequalities and ensuring equitable development in which women play a leading role and are able to actively and effectively participate. In the intricate relationship between development and peace, it is vital to identify and strengthen the link between them, predicated on inclusive State institutions and effective democracy. State institutions are the backbone of any society, and their ability to be inclusive largely determines the stability and prosperity of a nation. When we speak of inclusiveness, we are speaking not only of guaranteeing the participation of diverse communities in the political process, but also the rights and opportunities for all citizens, regardless of their ethnicity, gender, religion or political orientation. Systemic exclusion can become a breeding ground for distrust and resentment, thereby dividing communities and weakening the social fabric. Therefore, promoting inclusive institutions is key to fostering development that benefits all and the social cohesion necessary for peace. Economic and social development strengthens the foundation of a vibrant democracy by providing citizens with the means to participate fully in the political and social life of their country. Such a relationship can flourish only when democracy is rooted in strong institutions and when democratic principles are consistently applied. Strengthening institutions is not only a matter of good governance, but a preventive measure against potential conflicts. Promoting inclusiveness and democracy is not only a moral imperative, but also a pragmatic strategy to prevent conflict and build a more just and peaceful world for future generations. It addresses the root causes of instability, such as poverty, inequality and exclusion, and helps resolve conflicts by providing a framework for dialogue, negotiation and reconciliation. Such actions can also help build resilience to shocks and crises, such as pandemics, natural disasters and economic downturns, by ensuring that all people share in the benefits of progress. The role of the United Nations and the Security Council in promoting inclusive and effective State institutions is critical. The United Nations can provide technical assistance and promote capacity-building and knowledge-sharing to help countries develop their institutions, which is imperative for strengthening the institutional capacities of States to enable them to fulfil their responsibilities vis-à-vis all citizens. At the same time, oversight and accountability are key to ensuring that resources are used effectively and transparently. In authorizing peacekeeping operations and special political missions, the Security Council can weigh the need to create conditions that would foster the development of host countries. At the same time, the Security Council can design its mandates for peacekeeping and peacebuilding operations to support the development of inclusive and effective State institutions. Peace is not simply the absence of armed conflict, but a situation in which the root causes of conflict are addressed, human rights are promoted and sustainable human development is achieved for present and future generations.

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

Mr. Maniratanga (Burundi) (spoke in French): At the outset, we would like to point out here that crises and deadly conflicts can be seen taking place everywhere. While their drivers, dynamics and triggers differ from country to country and continent to continent, they all have destructive consequences, with a negative impact on development. Armed violence is particularly prevalent in regions where poverty encourages people to behave and react in every conceivable way in order to survive, in addition to making them more receptive to messages of violence. It is therefore not coincidental that the first Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development is to eradicate extreme poverty and hunger. The violent activities of certain armed groups with a view of ruling through terror are fuelled by high illiteracy rates and discontent engendered by poverty and the unequal distribution of economic growth within States. Under such conditions, it is difficult to envisage populations’ well-being, improving their quality of life and, still less, ensuring their sustainable development through the 17 SDGs advocated within the framework of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Yet, as on every continent, sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs and seeks to ensure the well- being of populations through policies that improve living conditions in the present without endangering resources for future generations. It is nevertheless virtually impossible to think about the future when the present is under threat, just as it is difficult to improve the present when the sound of guns is heard. In that regard, my delegation would therefore like to recall the very strong and fundamental link that exists between peace and community development. One cannot undertake major development projects in a country where there is no peace. Similarly, it is impossible to speak about peace when all the signs are that development is not keeping up. In post- conflict countries in particular, the United Nations has not always been up to the task of mobilizing the financial resources needed for economic recovery. The establishment of a recovery fund to assist post-conflict countries so that they can respond to threats — whatever form those threats may take and whatever the domain in which they exist — will support future action for peace and security in a world experiencing constant upheaval, and in a geopolitical context that provokes a number of questions. Peacebuilding programmes have not always been concrete enough to ensure that the necessary links between community peace and development are established quickly, so that they can enable the communities in post-conflict countries to benefit from peace dividends, take charge of their own destiny, profit from their natural resources and engage fully in development. In the same vein, post-conflict countries, even when they have the political will to rebuild their sociopolitical and economic fabric, find themselves in pre-established systems devised by the international development finance institutions that are unable to produce the hoped-for positive effects that can eliminate poverty. Not only are the Bretton Woods institutions no longer responding to the current economic situation, with everyone agreeing that the international financial architecture needs reform, they are not managing to adequately support the mobilization of funds for post- conflict development either. We need a new generation of special missions, one not limited to humanitarian action, as is unfortunately the case today. It would establish a direct bridge between peace and development in post-conflict countries by providing specific and substantial support to national post-conflict programmes. In that regard, I am pleased to note that the Government of Burundi, a post-conflict country itself, has adopted in its peace capitalization programme a vision for Burundi as an emerging country in 2040 and a developed country in 2060, with the ultimate aim of improving living conditions and well-being and reducing inequalities. We are of the view that development support cannot have a beneficial effect if it is poorly thought through and detached from national realities. It can even do more harm than good, or at least significantly reduce the benefits. However, it can produce positive results when it is designed based on respect for national realities and responds to the ethical principles of mutually beneficial international cooperation centred on community-based development. In that regard, it is essential to build new models of community development, focused on the realities of the post-conflict countries that need the funding that international financial institutions can provide in order to prevent new conflicts but that are struggling under the weight of the conditions that those institutions impose on them. Lastly, we urge the Security Council and the international community to strongly recommend development support for the prevention of conflict and the stabilization of post-conflict regions. Moreover, a paradigm shift is necessary if we are to move away from the worn-out clichés of development imposed since Bretton Woods, unpick the international economic order on which fragile States base the relaunch of their economies and build a new economic and financial order that is commensurate with the current international situation and can provide true added value for community development.

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

Ms. Muñoz Ponce (Plurinational State of Bolivia) (spoke in Spanish): The Plurinational State of Bolivia thanks the Chinese presidency of the Security Council for convening this debate on an issue as important as the maintenance of international peace and security through common development. We also welcome the briefings we heard today. Unequal development has historically been the result of processes of dispossession, occupation and colonization, and has led to profound disparities in our countries’ paths to building our peoples’ welfare. We only have to glance through history to confirm that the causes of war are generally conflicts over the distribution and redistribution of resources or the seizure of the resources that Mother Earth has to offer. Bolivia firmly believes that only social justice can make international peace and security possible, when all human beings, simply because they are human beings, can access quality education, patient-centred health care, decent housing, basic services and the recognition of their dignity as people. The international community must therefore think carefully and act coherently. It is unfathomable that at a time when thousands of girls, boys, young people and adults are desperately seeking — and often not finding — a mouthful of food, billions of dollars are being funnelled into the manufacture of weapons and war. We must work swiftly and urgently so that one day in the not-too-distant future, we in the United Nations can agree to deploy sustainable development teams at States’ request rather than peacekeeping missions. Their purpose would be to guarantee the basic material conditions necessary for lasting peace. In the medium term, as we make progress in building trust and real international solidarity in confronting hegemonic interests, stability and security can be maintained if existing development financing commitments are upheld and if war-related expenditures are redirected towards reinforcing countries’ productive capacities, while respecting the sovereignty of all States. Our peoples will see a different future on the day that international cooperation efforts are based on complementarity and reciprocity and on the recognition of responsibilities and historic debts, and when those efforts cease to be used as a means of coercion. Our efforts must focus on implementing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. We must do it without prevaricating or weakening previously established agreements. We must work without delay to increase the number of regions declared zones of peace, through an inclusive and solid multilateral framework. To that end, as has already been pointed out many times, structural reform of the international financial architecture, including multilateral development banks, is essential, as is international cooperation on taxation and the very way in which we understand development. That reform should be based on the various existing visions of the future, so that States do not fall victim to homogenizing processes. It is now more urgent than ever to recognize our varying capacities and potentials and base our work on that, because new inequalities are appearing alongside existing ones. For example, the rapid advance of emerging technologies is leaving behind a majority of the world’s population, including the poorest and most vulnerable individuals. In response, as an international community, we must learn from the past and not reproduce or widen gaps in the distribution of the benefits or costs of what the future holds, both within and among countries. Lastly, Bolivia welcomes the opportunity to have this debate and reaffirms that building peace involves equity and justice in three dimensions — economic, social and ecological. Investing in development means investing in a better future for our people so that they can live well, with no one left behind.

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

Ms. Skoczek (Poland): I would like to start by thanking the People’s Republic of China for convening today’s debate. Sustainable and inclusive development is both a goal in its own right and the world’s most effective form of preventing conflict and maintaining peace. Poland believes firmly that peace efforts should be anchored in the principles of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and that the Sustainable Development Goals form the best framework for addressing major drivers of instability and conflict. Both socioeconomic development and political stability need strong institutions, based on the principles of good governance and the full respect, protection and fulfilment of human rights. Those considerations are present in the 2030 Agenda. Factors that give rise to violence, insecurity and injustice, such as inequality, corruption, poor governance and illicit financial and arms flows, are equally important to be addressed if we are serious about development. The integrated and indivisible nature of the 2030 Agenda will be promoted by Poland during its upcoming membership of the Economic and Social Council. The necessary precondition for socioeconomic development is the creation of an enabling environment at the national level. At the same time, it is our main responsibility, as the United Nations, to help those with the greatest needs and the least ability to do so. In that sense, international cooperation and partnerships based on mutual trust must be strengthened. The pursuit of sustainable development also necessitates systemic conditions, including making the international financial architecture work better for the most vulnerable in mobilizing the necessary resources. Poland strongly believes that anticipatory action and investments in resilience have become increasingly important. For the peace-development nexus to work, we need long-term strategies that reduce vulnerability and instability, such as efforts aimed at poverty alleviation and risk management. That also requires increased cooperation among implementing agencies from across the humanitarian, development, disaster risk reduction and climate sectors. Let me now focus on the peace part of today’s discussion. The United Nations and the Security Council should be at the forefront of actions to strengthen resilience to international security risks. Peacekeeping is a critical contributor to the sustaining peace agenda in all its dimensions — from conflict prevention and resolution to post-conflict recovery. Peacekeepers play the central role in delivering and enabling transitions and preparing the ground for peacebuilding actors. Therefore, the withdrawal or reduction of United Nations peacekeeping operations or special political missions is a serious challenge in terms of ensuring the peace continuum, both for the host countries and the United Nations. Resolution 2558 (2020), adopted in 2020, on the review of the peacebuilding architecture confirmed that effective peacebuilding requires cross-pillar commitment of the entire United Nations system and should be mainstreamed in various United Nations actions at all stages of conflict. In that vein, we are fully convinced that transition and peacebuilding considerations should be a part of the initial mandate of each mission and operation. In conclusion, let me emphasize that while violence and armed conflict continue to take lives around the globe, their damaging force is long-term and lies in preventing societies from realizing their development. We should ensure that peace and stability remain at the heart of the global development agenda.

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

Mr. Ferreira Silva Aranda (Portugal): Portugal aligns itself with the statement delivered by the European Union (EU) and would like to add the following in its national capacity. We thank China for convening this debate. Sustaining peace through development is a priority and should be regularly contemplated by the Security Council. Looking at the five critical dimensions of the 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) — people, prosperity, the planet, peace and partnerships — the interlinkage becomes clear. The socioeconomic impact of the coronavirus disease, the numerous conflicts around the world and the consequences of the climate crisis are jointly increasing the vulnerabilities of societies and exacerbating the potential for further conflicts. As stated by the Secretary-General in the New Agenda for Peace policy brief, the asymmetries and inequities that exist among and within States are as much a barrier to peace as they are to development and human rights. Therefore, human-centred approaches to development can successfully address some of the triggers of violence and war and provide answers to root causes of ongoing conflicts. We need to keep connecting the dots between peace and development and human rights, literally too, as connectivity unlocks development potential through transportation infrastructure, energy and digital networks. For that, we need to map the many dots early on. Early warning mechanisms for more efficient efforts in conflict prevention should be combined with data for identifying the opportunities for development and with data on climate-related security risks. We also need to keep in mind who we are connecting. A strong commitment towards social protection, universal health care, education and professional training, without leaving anyone behind, will be essential. In particular, the economic empowerment of women and youth will be indispensable for a growing middle class in developing countries. As we have heard from the Secretary-General this morning, building peace should be at the core of the United Nations. We fully concur with his recommendations to further strengthen the Peacebuilding Commission, and we echo the calls of many others throughout this debate to advance on that important first step of ensuring sustainable and predictable resources for the Peacebuilding Fund also through assessed contributions. Now, in a spirit of sharing good practices, I would like to highlight some steps that Portugal has recently undertaken, also in the scope of our new 2030 Strategy for Development Cooperation. Aware of the asphyxiation of external debts, Portugal and Cape Verde have recently celebrated an agreement to convert debt into climate investment. It is an innovative financial solution, a new way of looking at financing for development. Aware of the need to strengthen the institutional capacity of developing countries, Portugal has provided direct budgetary support to several of our development partners. In order to address the root causes of fragility, Portugal contributes to programmes such as the EU project +Emprego, “more jobs” in English, in the region of Cabo Delgado in Mozambique, which is aimed at young persons 25 years old and younger, helping companies to create sustainable jobs without neglecting gender equality. Portugalisalsocommittedtofurtheringinternational cooperation in the digital field and to enabling expertise and experience-sharing through multilateral forums such as the United Nations Commission on Science and Technology for Development, as well as through regional networks such as the Portugal-based Atlantic International Research Centre. In conclusion, at a time when conflicts abound, when we are lagging behind in implementing the SDGs, when humanitarian needs are skyrocketing and when violations of human rights are mounting, none of us, developed and developing countries alike, can rightly claim to be doing enough. Peace, development and human rights are interconnected, and we need the United Nations to make sure we that uphold them.

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

Mr. Ravindran (India): I thank you, Mr. President, for convening this debate today. Maintaining international peace and security is one of the key mandates of the Security Council. My delegation believes that maintaining peace is weighty, nuanced and multidimensional and is not just linked to common development. Our leaders met recently to assess global progress on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and concurred that urgent measures are necessary to reverse the concerning trend of faltering on the Goals. My delegation reiterates that we must not lose focus by diluting or cherry-picking from, in name or substance, the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Development is not the sine qua non for peace or vice versa, and it is that knowledge that led the international community to come together to articulate and interlink all 17 SDGs. Hence, we need to ensure the indivisibility of the Sustainable Development Goals, thereby working towards all 17 SDGs in unison. Peace is elusive and development a distant dream if resource crunch continues to exist. Hence, India in various forums, including in its current Group of 20 presidency, has worked towards reforms of the international financial institutions. As the concept paper (S/2023/870, annex) suggests, we should work on transparent and equitable financing and be vigilant with respect to the dangers of unsustainable financing which leads to the vicious cycle of debt traps. Similarly, peace is elusive as in our lived experiences where the United Nations representing the international community struggled to restrain the vaccine apartheid during the coronavirus disease pandemic or the rising inflation of food, fuel and fertilizers which unjustly affect the global South. It is reflective enough that, without representation, the voice of the global South is lost and forgotten. SDG 16 particularly calls for peace and, in the same breath, calls for effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels. India believes that a United Nations befitting the aspirations and needs of the twenty-first century is possible only through sustained, reformed multilateralism, especially through the expansion of both categories of membership of the Security Council. Choosing peace, cooperation and multilateralism is essential for building our collective future free of wars, conflicts, terrorism, a space race and the threats from new and emerging technologies among others. In summary, while a comprehensive vision of international security must encompass the interdependence of the United Nations system’s three pillars — peace and security, development, and human rights — it is important to remember that that does not imply that the Security Council should assume all of those functions. Security is indeed multidimensional, but the Council’s involvement in every aspect, including those mandated to other United Nations bodies, might not be advisable. Before I conclude, I will not take more than a few seconds to dismiss the unwarranted remarks made by one of the permanent representatives here against parts of my country, which I am not going to dignify with a response.

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

Mr. Doualeh (Djibouti): At the outset, allow me to express Djibouti’s profound gratitude to China for convening this open debate on a theme of vital importance. We further wish to thank the briefers for their contributions — they go a long way in deepening our understanding of the linkages between peace, security and development. Their insight and analysis will undoubtedly help to inform the actions of United Nations Member States in their efforts to address those challenges. Paul Collier, an eminent economist, once famously said that war retards development but, conversely, development retards war, thus underlining the main proposition that development is central to the prospects of preventing and reducing conflicts. According to some estimates, conflicts cost an average of 30 years of gross domestic product growth, and countries in protracted crisis can fall more than 20 percentage points behind in overcoming poverty. In addition to the obvious cost they incur through the destruction of infrastructure, the loss of lives, massive displacement, refugee crises and shattered societies, conflicts also have a devastating long-term impact on uneducated youth — the so-called lost generations — and, as experts note, the complexities created by the militarization of politics are equally significant. We therefore concur with the Secretary- General that sustainable development is ultimately the solution to address the multidimensional drivers of violence and insecurity. We support strengthening the Peacebuilding Commission and the Peacebuilding Fund. They can help implement comprehensive programmes that promote inclusive governance, justice and reconciliation and address the drivers of conflict and violence. They are critical in supporting post-conflict countries and in rebuilding institutions, infrastructure and social services to ensure that development gains are not lost. In this era of polycrisis, to avert the exacerbation of tensions within societies, multilateral development institutions should provide financing at scale to struggling economies in the developing world and take steps to make changes with the ultimate aim of establishing a fairer and more equitable international financial system. We call on all concerned to make a serious, meaningful and decisive effort to find a systemic solution to the debt crisis. It is a matter of life and death. Maximum support should be lent to vulnerable and fragile countries as they try to capacitate the State and build institutions that are fit for purpose. If we are to build a more peaceful and prosperous world, the Security Council should find solutions to the deepening gridlock that hampers its effectiveness, authority and legitimacy, with hugely negative implications for peace and security around the world. The Council should monitor and demand the consistent implementation of its resolutions. Too many resolutions are not honoured, mediation efforts are undermined and spoilers are unhinged and energized. As a result, too many conflicts are left unresolved and may roar back, while new ones emerge, wars of aggression continue, the terrorist threat metastasizes and we face an epidemic of coups on the continent of Africa, as the Secretary-General put it. United Nations peacekeeping operations have a proven track record of success. They have saved many lives, but because of the changing nature of conflicts, what is required now, in our view, in many situations are peace enforcement operations — missions with a robust mandate, financed through assessed contributions, adequately equipped to tackle the multiple challenges of today’s hostile environment due mainly to the threat of terrorism. In conclusion, as we set to embark on negotiations on a new Pact for the Future, the decisions we make today will determine the future we will collectively build. Let us build momentum towards a more equitable, sustainable, peaceful and prosperous world.

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

Mr. Sekeris (Greece): I would like to thank the People’s Republic of China for convening this very important meeting. Greece aligns itself with the statement delivered earlier on behalf of the European Union and its member States, and I would like to make the following comments in my national capacity. Sustainable development is currently hampered by the international context of profound uncertainty and geopolitical divides. Peace and sustainable development are highly topical, inextricably linked issues, especially in the context of the current global environment, which is afflicted by violence, geopolitical conflicts and tensions, climate emergencies and rising humanitarian needs, while still facing the repercussions of the coronavirus disease pandemic. As we all know, inequality and poverty are important drivers of social exclusion, leading often to conflict, social unrest and political instability. The peaceful settlement of disputes is one of the main priorities of Greece’s candidacy for a seat on the Security Council for the period 2025–2026. There is no doubt that addressing the root causes of conflict and violence is key for achieving sustainable development. That, however, includes promoting social justice and political participation. It also involves strengthening institutions that uphold the rule of law and protect human rights. Increasing levels of inequality within and among countries also pose a threat to sustainable development by hindering long-term economic stability and green and inclusive growth, affecting health and education. Reinforcing social cohesion and facilitating access to basic social services and social protection reduces poverty and inequality and has the potential to promote new social contracts and social inclusion globally. In that regard, we cannot think of a higher priority than the protection of human life. According to statistics from the World Health Organization, more than a quarter of a million women die every year in the world as a result of a complication related to pregnancy or delivery. In that context, the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Greece and a London-based foundation have partnered to implement a foetal medicine programme for the period 2022–2025, a signature development programme in the selected priority partner countries of Albania, Armenia, Ethiopia, Moldova and the Republic of North Macedonia, and in Kosovo. The aim is to contribute to the reduction of maternal and perinatal mortality through training in the use of ultrasound and the creation of foetal-medicine units to improve care for pregnant women. It is now more urgent than ever to use official development financing strategically to mobilize additional resources and align investment with the Sustainable Development Goals. In that context, it is important to mention the European Union’s Global Gateway strategy, which seeks to mobilize investments in partner countries — up to €300 billion for the period 2021–2027 — in order to boost connectivity and economic transformation in digitalization, energy and transport and to strengthen health, education and research systems across the world. Peace and security are a prerequisite for sustainable development in line with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. We must work together to uphold our fundamental values and strengthen the capacity of the United Nations to fulfil its mandate in that regard. Multilateralism has been and should remain the most effective means for governing global relations. Respect for and adherence to international law are essential to maintaining international peace and security. We need to invest in conflict prevention and peacebuilding and put women and girls at the centre of security policies. It is important to promote the New Agenda for Peace, and the Peacebuilding Commission has a crucial role to play in that context.

The President (spoke in Chinese): There are still 12 speakers on the list. It is already 6 p.m. I would first like to thank the interpreters for continuing to provide their services to us. I also hope that all speakers will limit their statements to no more than four minutes. I now give the floor to the representative of Bangladesh.

Mr. Molla (Bangladesh): I congratulate China on assuming the presidency of the Security Council for this month and thank it for organizing this open debate on the important issue of promoting sustaining peace through common development. I thank the briefers for their insightful presentations. The link between peace and development is well recognized. Peace and development are complementary to each other. Sustaining peace heavily relies on eliminating the root causes of conflict and creating a social and financial system that meets the needs of the people and reduces the risks of conflict. It is evident that, without peace and stability, we cannot think of development. In the same vein, without eradicating poverty, addressing inequality and creating decent work and gainful employment, no peace can be sustained. Peace and stability are at the core of achieving the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. However, the multiple and interlocking crises that the world is facing today are significantly impeding the development initiatives of many developing countries, placing them at heightened risk of relapsing into conflict. It is deeply worrisome that, at the midpoint to 2030, the 2030 Agenda’s overarching objective of leaving no one behind remains elusive, with only 12 per cent of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) on track and the others in jeopardy. The financing gap to achieve the SDGs has increased from the 2015 estimate of $2.5 trillion to a staggering $4.3 trillion in 2022. The ongoing financial crisis has made the situation of many of the least developed countries and developing countries unbearable in terms of their efforts to achieve the SDGs. We need to have global solidarity and to adopt a well-coordinated response commensurate with the scale and gravity of this crisis. Let me highlight a few points with regard to the current situation. First, we need to reinvigorate the ongoing peacebuilding efforts of the United Nations and place special focus on the peacebuilding architecture. That must be coupled with a determined effort to end inequality and injustice within and among societies, dedicated investment in capacity-building and institutions and the implementation of the women and peace and security and the youth, peace and security agendas. In that regard, we underscore the role of the Peacebuilding Commission, especially in linking development aspects with the Security Council’s agenda. Secondly, recognizing the interdependence of security and economic development is paramount. It is critical to mainstream development in all the policies of the United Nations system, while also encouraging similar supportive measures and initiatives in the Bretton Woods institutions and the World Trade Organization, where progress on addressing developmental consequences has been insufficient. In addition, international financial frameworks should move beyond traditional cost-benefit analyses and come up with innovative approaches. In that regard, we refer to the joint report of the Secretary-General and the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (A/HRC/54/38), which called for greater international cooperation and solidarity to increase resources and fiscal space to countries and communities. It also urged official development assistance donors to redouble efforts to meet their commitments and increase other forms of economic cooperation, such as rechannelling unused special drawing rights to benefit developing countries. Thirdly, we highlight the instrumental role of peacekeeping missions in strengthening institutions, capacity-building and creating an environment conducive to the host country’s overall development. The Security Council has the main role to play in leveraging the potential of peacekeeping operations by scaling up missions’ peacebuilding activities from the very beginning of each mission. Fourthly, we emphasize the peace-development- humanitarian nexus of the United Nations and reiterate our call for system-wide coherence and greater synergies and coordination across the United Nations system. The role of Resident Coordinators is critical in achieving those objectives. Last but not least, we would like to mention the cross-cutting issues that undeniably affect a country’s overall development endeavours aimed at sustaining peace. Those issues include addressing the digital divide and mitigating the adverse effects of climate change. It is alarming that roughly 2.7 billion people, constituting about one third of the global population, lack access to the Internet, representing a stark modern-day poverty and social exclusion. It is imperative to work actively to narrow the digital divides among countries and peoples, with a commitment to fostering inclusiveness and equity. Echoing the Secretary-General’s statement that the uneven suffering created by the effects of climate change ranks among the greatest injustices of this world, we underscore the urgent need for implementing the loss and damage agenda and ensuring adequate climate financing.

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

Mr. Dvornyk (Ukraine): Today we have a chance to discuss important issues of a strategic nature. My delegation regrets that the beginning of the discussion was marred by manipulation and distortions by one of the briefers, who, while addressing the war against Ukraine, contrived not to mention the country responsible for waging that war. That omission in and of itself speaks volumes. Instead of referring to the root cause of the war — Russia’s imperial sentiments, plain and simple — he tossed out a bunch of fake reasons to justify the aggressor and blame the victim. The very first argument — about the alleged NATO expansion in Ukraine — is an outright lie. When the attempted annexation of Crimea began in February 2014, Ukraine did not seek NATO membership. It had a non-bloc status enshrined in Ukrainian legislation. We gave up that status only 10 months later, in December 2014, in response to the Russian aggression and illegal occupation of sovereign Ukrainian territories in Crimea and Donbas. Moreover, following the Russian full- scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, two more countries, Sweden and Finland, were compelled to reconsider their neutral status — another of Putin’s achievements. Even more dangerous was that briefer’s attempt to camouflage neocolonialism and neo-imperialism using the development pillar. We were advised to accept the vision that the development of all States — but super-Powers — would be possible only if national Governments forgot about the principle, enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations, of the sovereign equality of States and decide on what alliances to join and what trade partners to choose, taking into account the sentiments of big neighbours instead of their own national interests. If we are ready to undermine our commitment to development, we should definitely follow that advice. We can hardly achieve progress on the development track if aggressive plans and actions against the sovereignty and independence of other States are tolerated and not properly responded to, in particular by the Security Council. The Russian aggression against my country serves as a powerful example in that regard. According to the Rapid Damage and Needs Assessment undertaken jointly by the Government of Ukraine, the World Bank, the European Commission and the United Nations, the direct damage in Ukraine between February 2022 and February 2023 reached $135 billion. Disruptions to economic flows and production and additional expenses associated with the war amounted to $290 billion. Reconstruction and recovery needs were estimated at about $411 billion. While being attributed to us as national losses, those resources were part of the world economy. They would have made it more resilient and better equipped to tackle global challenges, including those associated with sustainable development. Moreover, the immediate global effects of the war — increased food and energy insecurity, disruption of supply chains and inflation — have diminished the health and well-being of people around the world, especially for the most vulnerable. The solution to that threat cannot be found in persuading the party defending itself to abandon its resistance and make concessions to the aggressor. That would lead to new wars and, consequently, to new development-related global challenges in only a matter of time. The States Members of the United Nations have regularly reiterated that all three United Nations pillars — peace and security, development and human rights — are equally important, interrelated and interdependent. As former Secretary-General Annan once said, “the human family will not enjoy development without security, will not enjoy security without development and will not enjoy either without respect for human rights”. It is evident that countries waging wars of aggression and thereby undermining the development prospects of others cannot serve as sincere contributors to the development pillar on a global level. We reiterate once again that Russia’s aggressive behaviour continues to undermine our ability to focus on achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, and that, as soon as a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in Ukraine, based on the principles of the Charter of the United Nations, is achieved, our efforts to achieve common development will be more efficient.

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

Mr. Segura Aragón (El Salvador) (spoke in Spanish): I would like to begin by expressing our gratitude to you, Mr. President, for convening this important debate on the maintenance of international peace and security, with a focus on promoting sustainable peace through development. El Salvador fully agrees that there is an intrinsic connection between peace and development. Strengthening and maintaining peace are key for countries to achieve sustainable development. Conversely, inequalities, poverty and violence are some of the triggers of conflicts. That is why we are deeply concerned about global trends and the current geopolitical landscape. As we hold this debate, millions of people are being affected by violence and conflict, which in turn exacerbate poverty, generate more inequality and deepen development gaps. Given that backdrop, it is imperative to make progress in the fulfilment of international commitments regarding sustainable development, to put prevention at the centre of our efforts, to invest in social policies and programmes that promote inclusion and to provide the necessary financial resources for peacebuilding. It is therefore necessary to analyse new ways to strengthen the intrinsic connection between peace and sustainable development, in line with the specificities and needs of each country. We are of the view that the Council should take an approach to the connection between peace and sustainable development that is periodic, systematic and, when appropriate, that the relevant coordination should be carried out with other United Nations bodies. And that is because the Council should take concrete decisions, measures and actions to holistically address the link between peace and development, especially in countries affected by conflict. In our voluntary national review of progress in implementing the Sustainable Development Goals in 2022, we highlighted significant progress on targets and indicators related to peace, justice and strong institutions. We therefore recognize the importance of continuing to work to eradicate all forms of violence and to build just, peaceful and inclusive societies. In that regard, it is pertinent to highlight that the policy brief of the Secretary-General on the New Agenda for Peace recognizes the importance of seeing peace from the perspective of sustainable development and human rights. In particular, he recommends providing more sustainable and predictable funding for peacebuilding efforts, with a view to supporting national prevention strategies to address the various drivers and enablers of violence and conflict. Considering that that is already a commitment adopted by Member States in General Assembly resolution 76/305, El Salvador takes this opportunity to express once again its deep concern about the persistent challenges to achieving sufficient and predictable financing for peacebuilding. In line with what my country has stated in other forums, the implementation of that important resolution is a crucial step in making our multiple commitments to peacebuilding a reality. It is a question of preventing the outbreak, escalation, continuation and recurrence of conflicts, addressing their root causes and reaching international commitments on sustainable development. We firmly believe that such an approach will bring us closer to a more just and peaceful world. Finally, we cannot underestimate the important contributions of women and youth in efforts to achieve sustainable development and build peace. We underscore the relevance of their substantial participation and the implementation of the women and peace and security agenda, as well as that of the youth, peace and security agenda. We thank the members of the Council for hearing our observations and hope that this debate will contribute significantly to the building of a peaceful and sustainable future for all.

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

Mr. Pérez Ayestarán (Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela) (spoke in Spanish): As this is the first time that my delegation takes the floor in the Security Council this month, allow us at the outset to express our best wishes to you, Mr. President, for your success in leading the important work of the Security Council throughout the month of November. We trust that, under the leadership of your country, this organ will be able to move towards the full and effective execution of its mandate, particularly in such contexts as the growing escalation of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. There, an immediate and lasting ceasefire is more urgent than ever to save as many lives as possible and to put an end to the ongoing genocide, as well as to forge a clear political horizon that is conducive to the realization of the two-State solution. We also take this opportunity to express thanks for the convening of this important open debate, for the concept note (S/2023/870, annex) prepared to guide our discussions, as well as for the valuable briefings heard earlier today. Although we are of the view that the Security Council is not the organ to address issues related to development, we recognize that its decisions in the area of international peace and security can have a positive impact on the development of nations. Conversely, sometimes its decisions — or lack thereof — can also have adverse consequences on the well-being and future of entire nations and peoples. This open debate gives us a special opportunity to highlight the importance of inclusive development in the building of just, equitable and peaceful societies as a fundamental condition to prevent, address and overcome conflicts and violence, given that nothing is truer, albeit trite, than the phrase that there is no peace without development or development without peace. We also understand that there is no single development model, and that each nation is free and sovereign in deciding its own destiny and vision of development. For our country, for example, inclusive and equitable development has been a core policy of the Bolivarian revolution for almost 25 years within the framework of its social programmes and great undertakings. Venezuela has reinvested national income to promote the eradication of poverty, social exclusion, illiteracy, hunger and disease. The Venezuelan Government therefore includes each and every member of our society as the final objective of development, which we view as a universal, indivisible and inalienable human right of all our people. For all those reasons, Venezuela is of the view that the international community must address — in a manner that is comprehensive and aligned with the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations and the norms of international law — the root causes of the political, economic and social imbalances of the current international order, which generate tensions and induce and prolong conflicts. That includes those derived from situations stemming from the legacy of colonialism and/or the small-minded interests of a few decadent Powers that even today, in the twenty-first century, seek to exercise domination over nations and peoples — all of which, ultimately, eludes the realization of social justice. The Palestinian case is a clear example of that because, despite it being evident that colonialism and foreign occupation are part of the root causes of that prolonged and painful conflict, the Security Council remains paralysed as a result of the decision of the United States Government — the main partner and accomplice of the occupying Power in the commission of war crimes, crimes against humanity, extermination and genocide against the Palestinian people — regardless of the result that that deliberate and premeditated decision has brought to the lives of hundreds of thousands of innocent people who have been murdered over more than 75 years and who have been prevented from realizing their right to development. It is then evident that, in order to reverse the negative trends derived from colonialism, as well as the plundering of natural resources and an unjust global economic, financial and social structure, it is urgent to join forces within the framework of a truly inclusive multilateralism that allows, without further delay, the reform, among other things, of the social and economic policies and norms linked to a production system and consumption patterns that are unsustainable for the planet. The international community must therefore place greater emphasis on promoting the sustainable development agenda. Similarly, developed countries must comply with their commitments, including with respect to official development assistance, technology transfer and climate change. Likewise, in the economic sphere, they must respect the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities; give special and differential treatment to developing countries; promote fair trade; cooperate in sovereign debt restructuring; and help countries in the global South achieve internationally agreed development goals, including those derived from the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, without conditionality. Recent history has shown us that imposing a single model or a vision, interfering in affairs that are essentially the domestic jurisdiction of States, and socioeconomic imbalances, including exclusion, inequality and social injustice, are often part of the structural causes of conflicts. Countries with their own development plans, many of which are also on this organ’s agenda, have often suffered the effects of interference, political destabilization or even military intervention for the simple reason that their sovereign decisions were at odds with the economic or geopolitical interests of third parties. There are too many examples of that in Africa, the Middle East and even in our own region of Latin America and the Caribbean. In that connection, Venezuela believes that it is of paramount importance not only to strictly respect the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations but also to ensure that people have the necessary means for their survival and to create the foundation for inclusive, sustainable, fair and equitable development. Development with social justice should, therefore, be part of any process that would seek to truly guarantee peace in the short, medium and long term. To that end, it is therefore necessary to put an end to all forms of interventionism or supposed neocolonial dominance. However, this is a sine qua non for sustainable development — a task that involves more than 30 countries around the world, including Venezuela, which suffer on a daily basis from the hardships imposed by criminal regimes of unilateral coercive measures that are illegally imposed and in open violation of all norms of international law. Such measures are deliberately and cruelly calculated to affect the right to development of more than a third of humankind. A truly peaceful and prosperous world will continue to elude humankind until we put a complete and unconditional end to the imposition and implementation of the so-called sanctions, which are creating a veritable systemic crisis in a world that is not only more interconnected, but also more polarized and turbulent. In one way or another, unilateral coercive measures foster an environment that is not conducive to dialogue, understanding or mutual trust. On the contrary, it gives rise to tensions, exacerbates divisions and deepens the multifaceted crises currently under way. It is a reality that only leads us away from the path to development. In conclusion, we, in the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, which is part of a region that presents itself to the world as a zone of peace and in which comprehensive and inclusive development is at the very centre our Government’s priorities, reiterate our firm commitment to participating actively and constructively, always guided by core values such as cooperation and international solidarity in all our efforts aimed at making sustainable development and peace possible for all peoples of the world. We believe that we live in a community with a shared future for humankind, in which, among other things, we are all united by the same desire to achieve the three pillars of our Organization.

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

Mr. Alwasil (Saudi Arabia) (spoke in Arabic): At the outset, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to the People’s Republic of China for convening today’s open debate on the issue of promoting sustaining peace through common development. Indeed, we must discuss this issue extensively and constructively now more than ever before, given its importance and sensitivity and its effect on the stability of international peace and security. I would also like to thank the Secretary- General, Mr. António Guterres, Ms. Dilma Rousseff and Mr. Jeffrey Sachs for their invaluable briefings. The exchange of views on contributing to common development to sustain peace and security; adopting a comprehensive approach to support conflict-affected countries in achieving sustained peace through promoting peace and supporting their capacities in the area of sustainable development; and addressing the root causes of conflict such as unbalanced and unequal development are undoubtedly issues that require international cooperation in order for the various impediments to sustainable development at the international level to be addressed. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia supports all efforts aimed at establishing security and stability while focusing on comprehensive development and dialogue and reducing tensions. We urge countries of the region to avoid escalation and to focus on exchanges that result in meeting the hopes and aspirations of the peoples of the region and the entire world through multilateralism based on the United Nations principles. The goal is to strengthen international cooperation to address the challenges our world faces, with active participation that would lead to a more just and peaceful world and achieve a promising future for our peoples and future generations. There are myriad common challenges to international economic and social development. The most important of them are a lack of food and energy, the inflexibility of supply chains and environmental and climate change issues. Addressing that issue is a top national objective of my country and requires concerted international efforts and the promotion of cooperation and a unified, just and balanced approach to deal with the increasing environmental challenges. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has proposed initiatives for environmental protection, including sustainable afforestation and emissions reductions, in order to promote development in countries with investment opportunities that are presenting themselves as international partners in many security, economic and development areas. Such efforts should be consistent with the Paris Agreement on climate change and take into account the requirements for gradually moving towards various energy sources that are more sustainable and contribute to balanced energy markets by investing in fossil fuel energy and its clean technology for the upcoming two decades. The goal is to respond to increasing global demand while meeting the interest of producers and consumers and spare the world the negative effects of unrealistic policies, which exclude key energy sources and ignore their negative impact on international supply chains, inflation, rising energy prices, increased unemployment and other negative socioeconomic and security impacts. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has always been a leader in sustainability. We have launched two initiatives, namely, the Saudi and Middle East Green Initiatives, in support of the national and regional efforts in that regard. We have announced ambitious objectives to diversify energy sources and promote their production and consumption efficiency. We also proposed initiatives to protect the environment and promote sustainable afforestation. We have pledged to reduce emissions by 278 million tons per year by 2030, to achieve carbon neutrality by 2060. That is in line with the Kingdom’s development plans and economic diversification plans. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia works with its international partners to alleviate the negative impact of armed conflict and its adverse effects on food security, such as the disruption of the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals, specifically the Goal to end hunger. We underscore that efforts should be made to facilitate grain exports and other foodstuffs, as the rise in food prices will lead to hunger. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has contributed significantly in that area, as our overall contribution in the area of food and agricultural security has reached nearly $2.89 billion. Along with its brotherly countries in the region, our country announced the allocation of $10 billion for that purpose by coordinating and unifying the efforts of 10 development funds at the national and regional levels. In order to consolidate its commitment to work to sustain global water resources and ensure the ability of communities around the world to access clean water resources, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia announced the establishment of the Global Water Organization, headquartered in Riyadh.

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

Mr. Pieris (Sri Lanka): May I congratulate you, Mr. President, on making today’s meeting the signature event of China’s November presidency. It seeks to focus on the root causes of conflict and how we should take a holistic approach to supporting conflict-affected countries in achieving sustainable peace through common development. It is my delegation’s considered view that we must make an effort to exploit our competencies to achieve peace and security through common development for the common good of humankind, particularly in contemporary times when our core institutions and values are blatantly and unashamedly challenged. It was former Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon who said that the basic building blocks of peace and security for all peoples are economic and social security, anchored in sustainable development. That is a key to all problems because it allows us to address major issues — poverty, climate, environment and political stability — as parts of the whole. In a report in 2022, the Inter-agency Task Force on Financing for Development convened by the United Nations Human Rights Council to follow up on the Addis Ababa Action Agenda of the third International Conference on Financing for Development makes reference to the point that the poorest developing countries pay 14 per cent of revenue for interest on their debt on average — almost four times higher than that paid by developed countries. In fact, the reality of the current international financial architecture is that the more difficult the situation in which a country finds itself, not only is it less likely that assistance will be provided, but the prospect of credit downgrades and stricter lending conditions are also more likely to trap those countries into a further vicious cycle of poverty. Sri Lanka, having undergone the economic turbulence of last year and having stabilized the situation with difficult policy measures in consultation with our development partners, underlines the importance of the reform of the international financial architecture as a priority in our quest to pursue the concept of common development. Our own experience and that of the world has shown that the reform of the international financial architecture is a global imperative. International assistance through multilateral institutions should be rendered when a nation needs it on its road to recovery, and not when it is on the brink of collapse. It is a fact that current global trends do not provide cause for optimism. Climate change and biodiversity loss, as well as war and insecurity, affect developing countries the most. Most developing countries are not responsible for global conflicts or climate change and biodiversity loss. Development and sustaining peace require an understanding of the root causes of conflict and insecurity. We can all see that common development initiatives can help us to address the underlying causes of conflict, such as poverty, inequality and a lack of access to resources. By promoting inclusive and sustainable development, nations can reduce socioeconomic disparities and create opportunities for all individuals, thereby minimizing the likelihood of conflicts arising from grievances. We have been reminded that there is still work to be done, but that remains a crucial lesson. We cannot bring peace and security to people just by signing an agreement. In fact, most peace agreements do not last. Common development projects also often require cooperation and collaboration among nations. By working together towards shared development goals, common development efforts can help to create stable and resilient societies by investing in infrastructure, education, health care and other essential services through which nations can strengthen their social fabric, enhance governance structures and build capacities to withstand various challenges. We have also seen that they often involve regional cooperation and integration. By promoting economic integration, infrastructure, connectivity and trade partnerships, nations can foster interdependence and build mutual and beneficial relationships. Common development efforts can address transnational threats such as climate change, terrorism, organized crime and pandemics. Common development initiatives, as we have seen, can also promote social cohesion within societies by reducing inequalities and marginalization and contributing to the eradication of poverty. Mr. Jeffrey Sachs, who briefed the Council this morning, pithily observed some time ago that the end of poverty is not a matter of charity, but a question of justice, and that we can end poverty if we have the political will and take collective action. Therefore, by ensuring that all individuals have equal access to opportunities, resources and services, common development can help to build inclusive societies where people feel valued and have a sense of belonging. Common development efforts can also play a preventive role in countering the emergence of extreme ideologies and in strengthening governance and the rule of law. Finally, common development projects can provide opportunities for diplomatic engagement and dialogue among nations. Collaborative efforts in areas such as infrastructure, development, trade and cultural exchange can create platforms for diplomatic interactions and build bridges between countries. Often, common development prioritizes the empowerment of local communities — that is an experience we have had — by involving communities in decision-making processes, ensuring their participation and promoting their economic and social well-being. Permit me to conclude by recalling the words of Haile Selassie, who said that we should not lose sight of the Charter of the United Nations, which expresses the noblest aspirations of humankind, namely, the abjuration of force in the settlement of disputes between States; the assurance of human rights and fundamental freedoms for all without distinction as to race, sex, language or religion; and the safeguarding of international peace and security. Let us realize that significant inequalities and divides, especially in economies and technologies, when allowed to persist, will not create a conducive atmosphere for peace and security or the protection of human rights. Those divides can be bridged only when we realize that the planet itself is an integrated whole and that common development is common to everyone. It cannot be a zero- sum game, as some have said. Let us regain our moral compass, which at present seems to have deserted us.

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

Mr. Gaouaoui (Algeria): I would like to congratulate China on assuming the presidency of the Council for the month of November and thank you, Mr. President, for the relevant choice of theme for this open debate. I would like to focus on the following key areas. First, sustaining peace requires a comprehensive, integrated, coherent and cross-pillar approach. Development is one of the key pillars of that approach. As we know, conflict and development are intertwined. Investing in inclusive and sustainable development, with a special focus on targeting the underlying causes of underdevelopment, is the most effective means of conflict prevention. Secondly, conflict and fragility remain the greatest impediment to the fulfilment of the aspirations of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and Agenda 2063 of the African Union. Therefore, achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is the best response to conflicts and crises. However, the effective implementation of that development agenda requires support for States and Governments over the long term, with a focus on supporting nationally owned initiatives and the capacity to embed the SDGs within Member States’ development programming. Thirdly, prevention and development are mutually reinforcing. While underdevelopment creates fertile ground for conflict, development remains a key element to eradicate the root causes of conflict. Conflicts and political crises that affect the African continent are intrinsically linked to the dire socioeconomic conditions of the population. The Sahel region is one of the most affected areas in that regard. We look forward to the report of the High-Level Independent Panel on Security and Development in the Sahel, aimed at assessing the situation in the Sahel and making recommendations on ways to foster international engagement and responses to the region’s complex challenges. Fourthly, development is crucial in post-conflict recovery processes in helping to strengthen the capacity of Governments and individuals to prevent, respond and recover from crisis through enhanced socioeconomic inclusion. The development driving peacebuilding efforts in post-conflict contexts should be supported through access to United Nations-assessed contributions for the Peacebuilding Fund. Fifthly, financing for development and for the SDGs, achieving sustainable development and fostering inclusive, sustainable economic growth in developing countries hinges on the consolidation of peace, security and stability. In that regard, we reaffirm the need for robust governance policies and institutions that will support developing countries in the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Furthermore, we underscore the pivotal role of development in fostering sustainable peace, tackling the root causes of conflict, promoting economic growth and reducing poverty. That role is even more crucial in the light of the challenges that developing countries are facing in mobilizing adequate financial resources to eradicate poverty, reduce inequality and accelerate the implementation of the 2030 Agenda. In that context, it is primordial for development countries to fulfil their commitments with regard to official development assistance and climate financing, under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, in order to address the pressing mitigation and adaptation needs of developing countries, as well as the operationalization of the Loss and Damage Fund. Sixthly, based on the conviction that security and stability in Africa are linked to development, my country’s contribution to the development of the African continent is manifested through several initiatives. In 2020, Algeria decided to allocate $1 billion to finance a development project across the continent through the Algerian Agency on International Cooperation for Solidarity and Development, with a focus on continental integration. That is in addition to multiple and regular capacity-building and technical-assistance programmes for the benefit of brotherly African countries. Algeria is strongly convinced that the cancellation of the debts of many African countries is a tool for their economic development. Hence, during the past decade, Algeria has participated in the cancellation of more than $1.5 billion in debt, with regard to 16 developing countries. In addition, Algeria is a founding member of the New Partnership for Africa’s Development, which seeks to address Africa’s development problems under a new paradigm, with the objectives of reducing poverty, putting Africa on a sustainable development path, halting the marginalization of Africa, strengthening governance and empowering women.

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

Mr. Sowa (Sierra Leone): The delegation of Sierra Leone congratulates China on its assumption of the presidency of the Security Council. We further commend you, Mr. President, for organizing this important open debate. We thank the briefers for their important contributions earlier today. With the proliferation of conflicts and multiple global crises, promoting sustainable peace through common development resonates with the call for collective action, through solidarity, to address the development-related root causes of conflicts and promote shared interests. There is therefore a need to address today’s complex global challenges and to effectively deal with the interconnected threats through partnership and multilateralism. Accordingly, we must recommit to our obligations, under the Charter of the United Nations, to prevent and resolve conflicts, pursue sustainable development by managing economic uncertainty and be resilient in the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). That will equip States to effectively counter challenges to global peace and security. The global uncertainties and overlapping crises have driven more people around the world into extreme poverty, with widening inequalities and increased vulnerabilities. That makes it harder to close the existing gap between the rich and the poor. Thus, eradicating extreme poverty and lowering inequality within a period of only seven years to deliver on the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, is becoming increasingly impracticable. In a context of heightened uncertainty and persistent financial stability risks, the growing high debt burden on least developed countries (LDCs) continues to undermine our ability to make sufficient investments to achieve the SDGs. In addressing those global challenges, we would like to emphasize the need for developed countries to partner with LDCs and countries in fragile situations to build peaceful and prosperous societies through enhanced development assistance, climate financing and technology transfer. To that end, we would also like to highlight the need to sustain and implement commitments within the framework of the Addis Ababa Action Agenda of the Third International Conference on Financing for Development. Further, we would like to underline the crucial imperative for stronger global cooperation in order to address rising public debt burden; the consideration of debt cancellation, especially for vulnerable and fragile countries; and the allocation of special drawing rights in order to allow for the rechannelling of all unused special drawing rights to developing countries that need it. Sierra Leone would like to reaffirm its strong support for the Secretary-General’s proposal for an SDG stimulus for developing countries, as well as the need for the international community to work together and adhere to a new international financial architecture that would ensure that funds are automatically invested to support just, inclusive and equitable transitions for all countries. We equally welcome the Secretary-General’s call for A New Agenda for Peace, including its 12 concrete sets of proposals for action in five key priority areas. We also support the Secretary-General’s call, in the Agenda, for the international financial institutions to align funding mechanisms to help address the underlying causes of instability through inclusive sustainable development. The developed countries continue to make advancements in technologies associated with the fourth industrial revolution, while countries in the global South, particularly the LDCs, struggle to catch up with the first- and second-generation technologies. In addition, the alarming technological and digital divide is further widening inequalities. Countries of the South have made tremendous progress in the field of science, technology and innovation. However, we must now strengthen unity and solidarity among the countries of the global South and increase collaboration in the fields of science and technology. We believe that this will help to create a fertile ecosystem for development, innovation and diffusion of knowledge and inventions related to science, technology and innovation. We should work collectively to safeguard universal, affordable and equitable access to the Internet and broadband connectivity for all. Going forward, it is important to note that peace cannot be sustained in any country or region if there is widespread economic and social deprivation and lack of enjoyment of basic human rights, such as freedom of expression, transformative actions, adequate financing and cooperative work across the entire peace, security and development nexus. These are all are urgently required for much-needed progress on sustainable development. We must maintain the importance of SDGs at the core of peacebuilding. Moreover, the peace-development-humanitarian nexus cannot be overstated, and adequate financing is needed to support the Peacebuilding Fund. The critical role of international financial institutions in that regard is crucial. It is our fervent hope that the Secretary-General’s New Agenda for Peace can leverage greater investment in prevention and peacebuilding, as well as provide support for countries on the agenda of the Peacebuilding Commission (PBC), including by delivering continued financial assistance to countries that have exited from the PBC’s formal agenda, in order to build resilience and sustain peace through common development. Furthermore, as Member States of the United Nations, we need to recommit to the principles of freedom, justice, democracy, tolerance, solidarity, cooperation and dialogue, and must demonstrate tolerance to secure our shared peaceful future. In conclusion, let me emphasize that Sierra Leone remains committed to the vision and goals of the 2030 Agenda and the SDGs for achieving sustainable development. We therefore recommit to working with development partners on the ground — ranging from the United Nations family and international financial institutions to bilateral partners and non-governmental organizations — in our efforts to transform our economy, build resilient systems and, ultimately, achieve sustainable peace through the effective implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals.

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

Mr. Ganou (Burkina Faso) (spoke in French): On behalf of Burkina Faso, I would like to congratulate you and your delegation, Sir, on the assuming the presidency of the Security Council for November. I also thank you for convening and presiding over this important and high-stakes debate. Its theme, “Promoting sustaining peace through common development”, is both relevant and topical and is therefore of interest to both States in conflict situations and States facing security crises linked to terrorism, such as Burkina Faso. While we acknowledge that terrorism in Burkina Faso has been the product of shadowy terrorist groups, the Government of Burkina Faso has not lost sight of the fact that the groups have taken advantage of internal circumstances that have fostered their influence and proliferation. Unemployed youth and people frustrated by successive systems of non-virtuous governance have provided fertile ground for the development of the phenomenon. That is why, under the leadership of His Excellency Mr. Ibrahim Traoré, President of the Transition and Head of State of Burkina Faso, a number of initiatives have been undertaken to improve governance and promote development at the grass-roots level, namely, the restructuring of the State; the initiative to rebuild roads in areas facing major security challenges; the promotion of community entrepreneurship, which aims to involve the people of Burkina Faso directly in the country’s major projects; and the presidential initiative for food production, whose ultimate goal is food self- sufficiency in Burkina Faso. In that regard, I would like to underscore that the national strategy for combating terrorism provides other strategies in addition to those provided at the military level. They include the promotion of various development sectors to make up for the State’s capacity deficits. Regional cooperation and partnerships are key to overcoming the complex challenges related to the critical link between development and peace. It is in within that context that, together with the two other central Sahel countries most affected by terrorism, the Niger and Mali, the community has been made aware of the security, climate and development challenges we are all facing. That awareness has been translated into strengthened cooperation among the three States and has led to the signing, on 16 September, of the Liptako- Gourma Charter, which established the Alliance of Sahel States and has demonstrated the resolve of the Heads of State of the three countries to create a permanent framework for collective defence and mutual assistance. Like all the countries of the Sahel, Burkina Faso is therefore calling for global international assistance to strengthen its capacity to combat criminal and terrorist activities, reinforce border controls and promote regional development cooperation. Peacekeeping alone cannot create lasting peace if the conditions that led to the conflict remain unchanged. We must complement political solutions with long-term investment in equitable and sustainable development. In that regard, the Peacebuilding Fund is an important tool in its support for critical projects in countries emerging from conflict. For the sake of greater efficiency, increased predictable and flexible funding is needed. In conclusion, lasting peace requires us to learn from the past. Underdevelopment, inequality and poor governance — just to name a few — are reliable predictors of conflict. If we are committed to peacekeeping, we must pay greater attention to sustainable development by marshalling the resources and multilateral cooperation needed to lift up poor and fragile countries.

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

Mrs. Adeng (South Sudan): South Sudan commends the President’s and the rest of the international community’s focus on the crucial linkage between peace and development. It is on behalf of the Government and the people of South Sudan that I address this gathering on the vital topic outlined in the concept note (S/2023/870, annex) for today’s open debate. South Sudan recognizes the interrelated linkage between peace and development, as we understand that the challenges that we face require a comprehensive approach. As we navigate the complexities of the global landscape, South Sudan aligns itself with the principles highlighted in the concept note, while emphasizing the urgency of addressing the root causes of conflicts and fostering sustainable development The historical context presented in the concept note, dating back to discussions in the 1990s, resonates with South Sudan’s own journey. We acknowledge the importance of integrating development into peacebuilding efforts, and we appreciate the deepening understanding reflected in the various open debates convened by different nations over the past decade. Our nation and many others have witnessed the devastating consequences of conflicts on our people. The alarming figures presented in the 2022 Global Trends report of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees underscore the imperative to revisit the strategies and approaches to maintain peace. South Sudan commits to actively engaging in discussions during this open debate, sharing its experiences and learning from the global community. We endorse the emphasis of Secretary-General António Guterres on sustainable development as the comprehensive approach needed to address the multidimensional drivers of violence and insecurity. Inclusive development, as outlined in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, is not only a goal for us, but a pathway to lasting peace and stability. By recognizing the challenges faced by conflict- affected countries, South Sudan supports the call for supplementing short-term humanitarian aid with long-term development investments. We emphasize the importance of fostering a sense of ownership, nurturing internal development drivers and enhancing resilience to shocks for sustaining peace. South Sudan also acknowledges the multidimensional challenges highlighted in the concept note, including financial difficulties and technological disparities. We are ready to participate in discussions on how the international community can collectively address those challenges, while ensuring that all nations, regardless of their circumstances, have equal access to the benefits of development. With that thought in mind, we suggest the following actions. First, we must invest in infrastructure. We believe that increased international support and investment in critical infrastructure projects, such as food security technologies, roads, energy and water supply, can address the root causes of unbalanced and inadequate development, and improved infrastructure can contribute significantly to economic growth and stability. Second, with regard to capacity-building, South Sudan emphasizes the importance of targeted capacity- building programmes to enhance the skills and capabilities of the local workforce by investing in education and vocational training, which can empower its citizens to create a foundation for sustainable development. Third, concerning job creation, South Sudan proposes initiatives that focus on job creation, especially for youth. Implementing programmes that stimulate economic activity, such as small- and medium- sized enterprises, can mitigate the risk of conflict by providing employment opportunities and fostering economic resilience. Fourth, with regard to conflict-sensitive development, South Sudan stresses the importance of adopting a conflict-sensitive approach to development projects. That involves considering the potential impacts of initiatives on local dynamics, promoting social cohesion and avoiding the exacerbation of existing tensions. Fifth, concerning international assistance, South Sudan calls for increased international assistance in terms of both financial aid and technical expertise. Collaborating with international organizations and donor nations can amplify the impact of development initiatives and contribute to sustainable peace. Sixth, with regard to digital inclusion, South Sudan recognizes the significance of bridging the digital divide and emphasizing the importance of technology transfer. By promoting such initiatives, the world can ensure equal access to emerging technologies, enhancing education, communication and economic opportunities. Seventh, there is synergy between peacekeeping and development. South Sudan propose a closer alignment between peacekeeping operations and development efforts. We need to explore ways to integrate peacebuilding components into peacekeeping mandates, fostering long-term stability and development in conflict- affected regions. As we look forward to the outcome of this open debate, South Sudan expresses its appreciation for the leadership of Ambassador Mr. Zhang Jun and welcomes the insights of Secretary-General Guterres, Ms. Dilma Rousseff, President of the New Development Bank, and Mr. Jeffrey Sachs. We commit to actively participating in this discussion, offering our unique perspective and working collaboratively with the international community towards the shared goal of promoting sustaining peace through common development. The night could not end without my thanking the Secretariat and all the interpreters for keeping up with us until this late hour.

The President (spoke in Chinese): There are no more names inscribed on the list of speakers. This open debate has lasted for approximately seven hours. Once again, I would like to thank all the interpreters for their hard work. I would also like to thank all Council members for their strong support for this open debate. The meeting rose at 7.05 p.m.