Opening and closing remarks by the Permanent Representative of Brazil to the United Nations, Ambassador Sérgio França Danese, as Chair of the Peacebuilding Comission (PBC) at the Commission (PBC) Ambassadorial-level Meeting on the Inter-American Development Bank Framework for Supporting Populations in Situations of Fragility, Conflict, and Criminal Violence - January 17th, 2025

Opening remarks by the Chair

The PBC Ambassadorial meeting on the Inter-American Development Bank Framework for Supporting Populations in Situations of Fragility, Conflict, and Criminal Violence is called to order.

The Chair has invited the Permanent Representatives of the Group of Latin American and Caribbean Countries.

The Chair has also invited the Permanent Observer of the CARICOM.

Good afternoon, everyone, and welcome.

On behalf of the whole PBC membership and the PBSO, I warmly welcome Mr. Ilan Goldfajn, President of the Interamerican Development Bank, and Mr. Guy Ryder, Under-Secretary-General for Policy in the Executive Office of the Secretary-General, who is here representing Secretary-General António Guterres.

Mr. Ilan Goldfajn, President of the Inter-American Development Bank,

USG Guy Rider,

Ambassador Andrés Efren Montalvo Sosa, Permanent Representative of Ecuador,

Ambassador José Alberto Bríz Gutiérrez, Permanent Representative of Guatemala,

Ambassador Mary Elizabeth Flores, Permanent Representative of Honduras,

Ms. Elizabeth Spehar, Assistant Secretary-General for Peacebuilding Support,

Esteemed members of the Peacebuilding Commission and of the Group of Latin American and Caribbean Countries, Excellencies, distinguished colleagues,

It is my honor to welcome you to today's meeting of the Peacebuilding Commission.

We conveyed this meeting for us all to listen to President Ilan Goldfajn of the Inter-American Development Bank, who will present the IDB's groundbreaking Framework for supporting populations affected by Fragility, Conflict and Criminal Violence (FCCV).

We will then hear additional remarks from the Permanent Representative of Ecuador as an IDB recipient country, and also from the Permanent Representatives of Guatemala and Honduras on their previous engagements with the Commission as well as on their peacebuilding and conflict prevention experiences. We think it is important to showcase peacebuilding and conflict prevention experiences all over the world and in this case we are gladly focusing on Latin America.

Colleagues,

We are witnessing a profound transformation in how development institutions engage with peacebuilding, alongside their work in financing for development. This evolution reflects our collective understanding that fragility and conflict fundamentally threaten both peace and sustainable development.

The timing of this shift could not be more crucial, as we face a world where protracted conflicts impede progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals, organized criminal networks operate with increasing sophistication, inequality persists and forced displacement has reached unprecedented levels, amplifying fragility and instability.

By developing its own fragility and conflict strategy, the Inter-American Development Bank joins a growing community of multilateral development banks (MDBs) that recognize their essential role in peacebuilding. While each institution – from the African Development Bank to the World Bank – has crafted approaches suited to their regional contexts, we all benefit from sharing our experiences and learning from each other's innovations.
The United Nations brings distinct strengths to this shared mission through its peacebuilding architecture. That architecture, joining together our Commission, the Peacebuilding Support Office and the Peacebuilding Fund, enables us to forge a holistic approach to peacebuilding and conflict prevention in their five complementary pillars: sustainable development, food security, human rights, institution strengthening and the strengthening of the judicial system and public security.

This holistic approach is only possible if they are supported, in full synergy, by the technical expertise and substantial financial resources that International Financial Institutions and Multilateral Development Banks bring to the table.

I must emphasize a particular challenge that makes today's discussion especially timely: the persistence of organized criminal violence. As we pursue Goal 16 of the 2030 Agenda, we confront the sobering reality that more than half of deadly violence occurs outside traditional conflict settings. This challenge resonates deeply in Latin America and in the Caribbean, where effective prevention requires both national resolve and regional coordination.
In this context, I commend President Goldfajn's vision, particularly through initiatives like the Alliance for Security, Justice, and Development. The IDB's new Framework demonstrates a sophisticated understanding of peacebuilding best practices, especially in its commitment to thorough analysis and tailored solutions for diverse contexts.

As we begin our exchange today, and as we look toward this year's Review of the UN Peacebuilding Architecture, let us seize all opportunities like this one to strengthen our efforts in peacebuilding and conflict prevention, the best investment that can be made as regards peace, security and sustainable development.

Closing remarks by the Chair

Colleagues,
As we conclude today's important discussion, I wish to express our deep appreciation to Under-Secretary-General Ryder for conveying the Secretary-General's message, and to President Goldfajn for presenting the IDB's innovative Framework for Supporting Populations in Situations of Fragility, Conflict, and Criminal Violence. We are particularly grateful to the Permanent Representatives of Ecuador, Guatemala, and Honduras for sharing their valuable perspectives and experiences and to all member states that presented their views and suggestions.

The insights shared today have highlighted the critical importance of strengthening partnerships between the UN peacebuilding architecture and multilateral development banks. The IDB's new Framework represents a significant step forward in addressing the complex challenges of fragility and criminal violence in our region through both financial and non-financial initiatives. I trust the IDB is already sharing that timely initiative with other MDBs, whose experiences in that field and other related to peacebuilding and conflict prevention this Commission would very much like to explore.

The engagement demonstrated by delegations today reinforces the value of continued dialogue between our institutions as we work to support affected populations and advance sustainable peace in Latin America and the Caribbean and, through the example of good practices there, all over the world.
I extend my sincere thanks to Assistant Secretary-General Spehar for her remarks, to the Peacebuilding Support Office team, our interpreters, and all Secretariat staff who made this meeting possible.