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 Ambassadorial-level meeting with the 8th Advisory Group of the Secretary-General’s Peacebuilding Fund - January 15th, 2025

Opening remarks by the Chair

The PBC Ambassadorial meeting with the 8th Advisory Group of the Secretary-General’s Peacebuilding Fund is called to order. [Gavel]

Full interpretation will be provided for this meeting.

The Chair has invited, at their request, the Permanent Representatives of Denmark, an important contributor to the PBF and now an elected member of the Security Council, and El Salvador, the very effective chair of the 5th Committee, to participate in this meeting.

I hear no objection. It is so decided.

Good afternoon everyone and welcome.

On behalf of all PBC members, I wish to give a very warm welcome to the new members of the PBC for this year: Australia, Cambodia, Colombia, Morocco, The Netherlands, Pakistan, Panama and Uganda. We all look forward to closely working with you to build a stronger PBC.

A thankful farewell to the members that left the Commission at the end of 2024: Croatia, still holding a vice-chair this month, Denmark, Ethiopia, Guyana, Italy, Nigeria, Peru, Qatar and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. I thank them for their participation and commitment and for the contribution they made during their tenure.

Ambassador Macharia Kamau, Chair of the 8th Advisory Group of the PBF,

Ambassador Abakar Mouctar, Permanent Representative of Chad,

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

Esteemed members of the Peacebuilding Commission and of the PBF Advisory Group, Excellencies, distinguished colleagues,

It gives me great pleasure to welcome you all to this ambassadorial-level meeting of the Peacebuilding Commission with the 8th Advisory Group of the Secretary-General's Peacebuilding Fund.

I extend a special welcome to Ambassador Macharia Kamau of Kenya as the new Chair of the Advisory Group and congratulate all its members on their appointment.

Today marks only the second time that the full Advisory Group meets with the full membership of the PBC – a good practice initiated in November 2023. I commend the Advisory Group and the previous Croatian chairship of the PBC for the initiative.

The success of that first meeting demonstrated the clear value of such exchanges. We all look forward to continuing this important tradition of dialogue between our bodies. This should become an institutional practice, as we look forward to a reviewed peacebuilding architecture.

As Chair of the PBC, Brazil has witnessed firsthand the vital synergies between the Commission and the Fund, both integral parts of the UN's peacebuilding architecture. The PBC continues to enjoy close collaboration with the Peacebuilding Support Office as manager of the Secretary-General's Fund, creating tangible impact in countries that seek our collective support.

Strengthening the relationship between those three pillars of the UN peacebuilding architecture is vital in our way forward, a way that is more and more valued by many countries.

In this sense, we should encourage countries that are on the PBF’s agenda to come regularly to the PBC to present their experience with PBF funded projects, show good results, talk about their challenges and perspectives, and also, why not, about their frustrations and setbacks.

Indeed, when countries come to the PBC, it represents more than a request for assistance – it is a profound statement of their commitment to peacebuilding and a sincere and steadfast call for support and cooperation, as well as a generous sharing of their experience.

This past year alone, we have seen the power of this commitment. Many countries from four continents came to the PBC at a very high level – two Presidents, one Prime Minister, several ministers – to discuss their strategies and share their experiences in different areas of peacebuilding and conflict prevention. When São Tomé and Príncipe approached the PBC seeking support, the Commission, the PBF and the PBSO worked swiftly to react to their needs and start a meaningful relationship with that country in its conflict prevention strategy.

I can also speak to the importance of this collaboration in my role as Chair of the Guinea-Bissau Configuration. Our work there can exemplify the strong partnership between the PBC and the Fund, where PBF support has been instrumental in addressing critical challenges – from combating corruption and trafficking to strengthening human rights and preventing conflict in the health sector -, even if a lot more must be done.

This transformative impact is also evident in Colombia, where the PBF's Nature for Peace initiative has been pioneering innovative approaches to peacebuilding. With an investment fostering a new model of coffee production, the Fund is helping prevent socio-environmental conflicts while supporting the reintegration of former combatants through sustainable agricultural practices. The project is but one example of how the PBF can effectively combine environmental stewardship with peacebuilding objectives, creating new pathways for sustaining peace.

We also hope the next PBC Chair will work intensely to showcase the successes of the PBF partnerships with countries on the PBC agenda and those countries’ commitment to peacebuilding and conflict prevention, so that IFIs and MDBs can also value them as prized assets for their own dealings with those countries.

Excellencies,

The expansion of the Advisory Group to twelve members constitutes an important evolution, enhancing geographic representation and reflecting the Group's growing role in advising on the use of assessed contributions to the Fund. This expansion comes at a pivotal moment, as we begin implementing the historic decision on assessed contributions to the PBF – an achievement that all of us in the Peacebuilding Commission are proud to support.

We look forward to hearing the Advisory Group's perspectives on the funding allocation approved for this year's budget, and particularly their thoughts on the Group's future role regarding assessed funding. As we navigate still unchartered sea together, our shared focus must remain on providing the best possible support to nationally led peacebuilding initiatives.

Looking ahead, we anticipate even greater collaboration as countries develop their national prevention and peacebuilding strategies, aligned with the vision set forth in the Pact for the Future.

Today's meeting, therefore, provides an invaluable opportunity to explore how we can further strengthen the synergies between our bodies and advance our shared mission of building and sustaining peace. We shall hear shortly from Ambassador Kamau of Kenya, followed by Ambassador Mouctar of Chad, who will share insights from a recipient country’s perspective, as well as by Assistant Secretary-General Spehar, who will brief us on recent developments.

Closing remarks by the Chair

As we conclude this meeting, I want to once again express our deep appreciation to Ambassador Kamau, Ambassador Mouctar, and ASG Spehar for their enlightening statements and for all members that expressed their views on this important topic for the UN Peacebuilding Architecture.

Your thoughtful contributions to today's discussion have enhanced our understanding of how to strengthen the synergies between the PBC and PBF, particularly as we embark on this historic first year of assessed contributions. Likewise, your perspectives on developing national prevention strategies and fostering greater collaboration across the peacebuilding architecture will be invaluable as we move forward together.

The engagement demonstrated here today reinforces the importance of regular dialogue between our bodies. I am confident that this expanded Advisory Group will continue to provide essential guidance as we work to maximize the impact of our peacebuilding efforts.

I extend my sincere thanks to the Peacebuilding Support Office team, to my own team, our interpreters, and all Secretariat staff who made this meeting possible and successful.

The meeting is adjourned.