World leaders reaffirm commitment at UN event to help post-conflict nations build peace

The United Nations Peacebuilding Commission today reaffirmed its commitment to assisting post-conflict countries in achieving sustainable peace, and emphasized the need for a comprehensive and coordinated response to their security and development challenges.

Heads of State and government of the Commission’s member countries also recognized the “critical importance” of peacebuilding in preventing the relapse of post-conflict countries into war and achieving long-term sustainable peace through security and development, in a declaration adopted during a meeting held on the margins of the high-level General Debate of the 67th General Assembly.

“To build peace, we need priorities, patience and partners,” Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon told the gathering. “From the start, we have to involve political, security and development officials working together.”

He said that strong and sustained commitment form Member States is crucial to success, adding that the Commission can make a major contribution by developing into a valuable UN platform to mobilize political support and financial resources.

The Commission, set up in 2005 to help struggling States avoid slipping back into war and chaos by providing strategic advice and harnessing expertise and financing from around the world to aid with recovery projects, is the cornerstone of the UN’s peacebuilding architecture.

It currently has six post-conflict countries on its agenda – Burundi, Central African Republic (CAR), Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia and Sierra Leone – and its efforts are supported by the Peacebuilding Support Office. Countries can also avail themselves of financial assistance from the Peacebuilding Fund to jump-start rebuilding projects.

Mr. Ban encouraged Member States and international financial institutions to increase funding for global and national peacebuilding priorities.

“These are solid investments that reap great rewards over time by preventing a relapse into conflict and allowing societies to flourish.”

He added that women and youth are crucial to helping societies emerging from conflict. “When we help meet their needs and tap into their potential, we can establish secure and lasting peace, which can only endure if it is inclusive.”