Statement by the Permanent Representative of Brazil to the United Nations, Ambassador Sérgio França Danese, at the Ambassadorial-Level meeting of the Peacebuilding Commission on Sao Tome and Principe - May 29th, 2025

Madam Chair, Senhor Presidente,

Excellencies, dear colleagues,

I thank the briefers for their insightful remarks.

Brazil warmly welcomes President Carlos Vila Nova to the PBC and thanks the Government of São Tomé e Príncipe for sharing the progress made since our first PBC meeting in January 2024 and the PBC visit to São Tomé that I had the honor to lead in May 2024 in my former capacity as PBC chair.

We commend, in particular, the adoption this month of the National Conflict Prevention Strategy and the continuous implementation of the 2023 joint ECCAS-UN assessment’s recommendations on justice and security-sector reform. It is of utmost importance that countries working with the PBC and the PBF present their strategies and show their commitment to peacebuilding and conflict prevention. This will surely bring more cooperation and financial aid from PBC and PBF partners.

Brazil attaches great importance to the five pillars around which the Commission’s Resource-Mobilization Plan is structured: (1) optimizing the performance of the Ministry of Justice; (2) guaranteeing the independence of the judiciary; (3) expanding access to fair justice; (4) ensuring that the administration of justice fully respects human rights; and (5) professionalizing the armed forces. These priorities are at the heart of resilient institutions and durable peace, and we salute the Government’s determination to translate them into concrete action.

As a fellow Lusophone country, a long-standing partner in South-South cooperation, and also as vice-chair of the PBC, Brazil will closely follow the implementation of this plan and stands ready to continue to cooperate with Sao Tomé and to help mobilizing cooperation with that brother nation through the PBC and the PBF. We were happy that the visit of Foreign Minister Ilza Amado Vaz to

Brazil, last March, focused on increasing the bilateral cooperation.

Besides areas such as health, education and maritime security, Brazil also provides cooperation on access to justice through the program "Acesso à Justiça em São Tomé", one of the priority areas for the country.

We encourage all Member States and international financial institutions to support São Tomé e Príncipe’s reform agenda through flexible bilateral, multilateral and triangular cooperation — whether budget support, technical assistance, capacity-building exchanges or simply through donations of materials and equipment needed in different areas. Particular attention should be given to gender-responsive programming and the meaningful participation of women and youth.

We also underscore the value of close coordination with the African Union, ECCAS, the Community of Portuguese-Speaking Countries and other regional actors to ensure coherence and to avoid duplication. And, looking ahead, Brazil supports the idea of regular stock-taking by

this Commission to monitor progress, sustain political attention and catalyze additional resources.

Madam Chair,

São Tomé and Príncipe has shown remarkable leadership by articulating a clear prevention agenda and decidedly implementing the first PBF project that materialized its interaction with the UN Peacebuilding Architecture . The PBC and the PBF must match that vision with tangible and sustained support to a country that may quickly become a success story in peacebuilding and conflict prevention.

Brazil remains committed to working with all partners so that the Santomean people can reap the dividends of peace, justice and inclusive sustainable development.

Muito obrigado. Thank you.