Discurso do Representante Permanente, Embaixador Sério França Danese, na condição de Presidente da Comissão de Consolidação da Paz (PBC), no debate da Assembleia Geral sobre a construção e a manutenção da paz - 16 de julho de 2024 (texto em inglês)
Statement by the Permanent Representative of Brazil to the United Nations, Ambassador Sério França Danese, as Chair of the Peacebuilding Commission (PBC) at the General Assembly debate on peacebuilding and sustaining peace
July 16th, 2024
Mr. President,
As Chair of the Peacebuilding Commission, Brazil is grateful to its predecessor, Croatia, for ably chairing the PBC during its seventeenth session. I would also like to recognize the work done by the Permanent Representatives of Morocco and Sweden for their work as Chairs of the Configurations on the Central African Republic and Liberia, respectively.
The 17th session of the Commission has certainly set the path for the 18th session, with increased and diversified engagements aimed at promoting meaningful actions in support of the countries that engaged with the PBC.
Furthermore, it aimed at attracting new countries that voluntarily and on a fully nationally owned way may request the partnership of the Commission in support of their peacebuilding and sustaining peace strategies.
The Commission represents a unique forum where countries share their challenges, experiences, and best practices in peacebuilding and sustaining peace.
Just in the past few months, we were privileged to have the Presidents of Guatemala and Colombia, the Prime Minister of São Tomé and Príncipe, and Ministers of Mauritania, The Gambia and the Republic of Korea. As such, the Commission can be the place where the international community can galvanize multiple platforms and resources to support national and regional peacebuilding priorities, underpinned by their national ownership.
Allow me, in that regard, to elaborate on some of the key features of this year’s approach and engagement:
First, the Commission continues to prioritize peacebuilding by addressing root causes and drivers of conflicts and crises in a sustainable manner.
The Commission’s work is grounded in the understanding that sustainable peace and security must be anchored on some fundamental pillars, all closely interlinked and mutually reinforcing: sustainable social and economic development, food security, human rights in all their dimensions, the strengthening of state institutions, public security and access to Justice.
The importance of this interlinkage was evident in our engagement with São Tomé and Príncipe, where the strengthening of the institutions of justice, human rights, and security, underpinned by sustainable development, is acknowledged as a sustaining peace approach.
As Chair, I visited São Tomé and Príncipe last May to explore how the Commission could tangibly support the country’s reforms and efforts, including through fostering bilateral, South-South and triangular cooperation.
Second: The Commission continues to highlight the universality of peace and to foster dialogue on peacebuilding and sustaining peace. In today’s world, peacebuilding and sustaining peace challenges are noticeable at many levels and no country or continent is immune.
This was demonstrated in March, when the Commission engaged with Kenya, Timor-Leste and Norway on their respective prevention and sustaining peace strategies.
By bringing their diverse experiences to the Commission, these countries demonstrated not only the relevance of national ownership, but they also highlighted the importance of collectiveness through whole-of government and whole-of-society approaches to peacebuilding and sustaining peace.
Third: The Commission remains strongly committed to an action-oriented approach through actively promoting the sharing of success stories and of good practices in peacebuilding, sustaining peace and conflict prevention, upon the request of interested countries.
By promoting this approach, the Commission seeks to contribute to a wider and inclusive discussion on the implementation of the sustaining peace resolutions and on how to improve it.
This point is even more relevant now as we are gearing towards the 2025 Peacebuilding Architecture Review.
With this approach, the Commission held a recent meeting on The Gambia, highlighting the critical role played by the PBC in precisely convening stakeholders across the international community, the United Nations system, International Financial Institutions, regional and sub-regional organizations, and civil society, in support of the country’s successful sustaining peace priorities.
This approach was also reinforced by a fruitful engagement of the Commission with Mauritania, in March, during which the Mauritanian Government showcased its efforts in sustaining peace, in particular its approach in advancing inclusive and sustainable development by enhancing social protection and basic service delivery and promoting peaceful coexistence between refugees and host communities.
Fourth: The Commission continues to promote inclusiveness and unity. Inclusivity is a central pillar for stable and peaceful societies but also for sustainable development.
Since its inception, the Commission has been clear about the importance of the role of women and youth in humanitarian, peacebuilding, recovery, and development efforts.
The Commission has developed specific strategies and plans of action to ensure that youth and women are part of the peacebuilding and sustaining peace efforts in their countries.
This year, for the first time, the Commission held its first dedicated meeting with civil society on Women Peace and Security, in March, during the session of the Commission on the Status of Women.
During the meeting, civil society organizations from countries and regions considered by the PBC, as well as global peacebuilding networks, highlighted the current challenges and opportunities for women’s participation in prevention, peacebuilding and recovery.
The Commission also intend to continue to ensure and strengthen the participation by civil society organizations.
Fifth: The Commission continues to enhance its partnerships with relevant stakeholders, including international financial institutions and regional and sub-regional organizations in support of national peacebuilding outcomes.
I recently visited Washington DC, where I had the opportunity to address the Executive Directors of the World Bank and high level officials at the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) on the importance supporting countries that are engaged in peacebuilding and sustaining peace.
I underscored how these institutions can better leverage comparative advantages at field level, notably through shared data, joint diagnostics, and shared capacities. I also drew attention to the fact that PBF projects can become pilot projects to be scaled-up as countries show their ability to implement them and get good results out of them.
In consultation with PBC members, I will continue to work in that direction as it gives more tangible ideas of how to better inter-relate the UN Peacebuilding Architecture and the IFIs.
In terms of forging further partnership, the Commission continues to actively work towards stronger long-term partnerships with regional and sub regional organizations.
In May, the Commission took a concrete step to strengthen its partnership with the African Union by formally issuing a standing invitation to the African Union to participate in all meetings of the Commission.
Later this year, the Commission will have its 7th annual consultative meeting with the African Union Peace and Security Council, during which it will discuss further its collaboration in tackling peacebuilding challenges in the African continent in a coordinated and concerted way.
Lastly, Mr. President,
The Commission will continue contributing to the Peacebuilding Architecture Review, supporting conflict prevention. I am sure we will also benefit from the Summit of the Future discussions and its outcome document in shaping the PBC we want, which is, I insist, a strengthened instrument for the UN to achieve its main purpose of making real the promises of our Charter.
I thank you.