26 March 2019: Members of the UN General Assembly (UNGA) and the UN Peacebuilding Commission (PBC) held an informal interactive dialogue to discuss peacebuilding and sustaining peace. The dialogue aimed to follow up on a report of the UN Secretary-General, and discuss the implementation of its recommendations and options. A further report from the UN Secretary-General is expected in June 2019, and in 2020 Member States will conduct a review of the UN’s peacebuilding architecture.
In 2016, Member States adopted twin resolutions on the review of the peacebuilding architecture (UNGA resolution 70/262 and UN Security Council resolution 2282 (2016)) that emphasize the importance of a comprehensive approach to sustaining peace. In January 2018, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres issued a report (A/72/707–S/2018/43) that outlines the progress achieved in the implementation of these resolutions, and contains specific recommendations to address existing gaps. The report considers: operational and policy coherence to strengthen support to peacebuilding and sustaining peace; leadership, accountability and capacity in supporting peacebuilding and sustaining peace; financing for peacebuilding; and partnerships for peacebuilding and sustaining peace.
In 2018, the PBC convened a series of meetings on the content and recommendations of the report, and in April 2018, Member States adopted twin resolutions on the follow-up to the Secretary-General’s report (resolutions 72/276 and 2413 (2018)). The resolutions call for inviting relevant UN bodies and organs to “further advance, explore and consider implementation” of the recommendations and options contained in the Secretary-General report during the 72nd and 73rd UNGA sessions. They also request the Secretary-General to present an interim report further elaborating on his recommendations and option, including those on financing for UN peacebuilding activities.
The PBC will discuss the objectives and modalities for the 2020 review of the peacebuilding architecture.
In advance of the release of this report, expected for June 2019, delegates met during the informal interactive dialogue of the UNGA and the PBC on peacebuilding and sustaining peace, and noted its relevance for the upcoming 2020 review of the peacebuilding architecture. Opening the interactive dialogue on 26 March 2019, UNGA President Maria Fernanda Espinosa Garces remarked that it was the first such dialogue for the UNGA and the PBC. She remarked that the PBC, jointly established by the UNGA and the UN Security Council in 2005, has gradually “honed its role” in facilitating an integrated and coherent approach to peacebuilding among Member States and the rest of the UN System. She announced that she will convene a UNGA formal plenary in June to brief UN Member States on the Secretary-General’s interim report.
Guillermo Fernandez de Soto, Chair of the PBC (Colombia), said the PBC will initiate early discussions on the objectives and modalities for the 2020 review of the peacebuilding architecture, and a summary of those discussions will be shared with the UNGA and the UN Security Council later in 2019. The Chair also highlighted key conclusions from the 2018 PBC meetings on the Secretary-General’s report, including the need for a “quantum leap” in contributions to the Peacebuilding Fund. He indicated that since 2015, the Commission has made important progress in diversifying its working methods, which has enabled it to work better in support of nationally identified peacebuilding priorities. He added that the Commission has advanced discussion on peacebuilding thematic issues such as national ownership, youth, financing, institution-building, and gender.
During a session on operational and policy coherence, leadership, accountability and capacity in supporting peacebuilding and sustaining peace, PBC Vice-Chair Ion Jinga, Permanent Representative of Romania, noted the present informal interactive dialogue as an example of steps taken to improve collaboration between UNGA and PBC. Oscar Fernandez-Taranco, UN Assistant Secretary-General for Peacebuilding, underlined the importance of coherent UN support to ensure coherence “on the ground.” On coherence between the African Union (AU) and the UN, Fatima Mohammed, Permanent Observer of the AU to the UN, said the Joint UN-AU Framework for an Enhanced Partnership in Peace and Security is critical for peace security and development engagement and for ensuring systematic partnership.
Many countries underscored the importance of an integrated and coherent approach at various levels (global, regional, national and local) to support peacebuilding and sustaining peace efforts. Some remarked that “sustaining peace” is cross-cutting, and noted its linkages with human rights, development and sustainable development. Sweden called for better aligning the work of the PBC and the UN Security Council. Norway said further efforts are needed to enhance coherence on the ground, including on sharing data analysis. Egypt said the PBC should convene targeted discussions on political and operational coherence on the ground and how UN presence can reinforce national ownership.
Discussing ongoing UN reforms in the UN system, Japan said these should provide a more coherent approach for peacebuilding in countries. Robert Piper, head of the UN Development Coordination Office (DOCO), remarked that the new UN Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF) will strategically position the UN development system to support countries with the 2030 Agenda. He also said the Resident Coordinators’ teams will be strengthened, and quality of “development analysis” to support Member States will be improved. Dee Maxwell Kemayah, Permanent Representative of Liberia, noted that Liberia is now benefiting from a strengthened RC’s office, and that the Peacebuilding Fund has provided “sustained and catalytic funding” to Liberia totalling USD 65 million since 2008.
On the upcoming interim report of the Secretary-General, Guatemala on behalf of the Human Rights and Conflict Prevention Caucus, suggested that the report could include ways that human rights benefit conflict prevention and sustaining peace. Australia suggested that the report address, inter alia: how recommendations have been advanced, how to measure achievement of progress, and foreseen progress in the coming years.
Countries also underscored the need to address the root causes of conflicts, including the rule of law and climate change. Brazil said the world needs less arms and more development.
Participants also stressed the need to provide adequate resources and financing for peacebuilding and sustaining peace, including for the PBC. This latter aspect was further discussed during the afternoon session of the meeting that was dedicated to financing and partnerships in support of peacebuilding and sustaining peace. [Event Concept Note] [Event Programme] [UNGA President’s Statement] [PBC Chair’s Statement] [PBC Website] [UN Webcast] [SDG Knowledge Hub Sources] [UNGA President’s Summary (updated 25 June 2019)]