The UN Peacebuilding Commission (PBC) aims to adopt a more “ambitious and forward-looking agenda” in 2022, the body’s Chair told the Security Council on Wednesday.
In his capacity as Chair, Md Monwar Hossain, Bangladesh’s Chargé d’Affaires to the UN, shared some highlights of PBC’s 2022 programme of work, describing six months of progress – beginning with an emphasis on delivery.
“By responding to demands in a timely manner, country specific meetings have been held at the requests of Colombia, Central African Republic, Guinea Bissau, Liberia and Burkina Faso, while regional meetings took place on Sahel, Lake Chad Basin, and Pacific Islands to discuss specific peacebuilding challenges and priorities of those countries and regions,” he said.
Ownerships, partnerships and funding
Prioritizing national ownership and inclusivity, Mr. Hossain said “good strides” have been made in promoting inclusive approaches to peacebuilding, such as engaging with “a greater number of local actors, particularly women and youth briefers”.
Thirdly, he pointed to increased coherence across the UN, noting that the Commission has been promoting “integrated, strategic and coherent approaches” to peacebuilding with emphasis on “synergy with the PBF” – the Secretary-General’s Peacebuilding Fund.
He said the Fund has been pursuing partnerships with regional and international organization as well as regional financial institutions, including the African Development Bank, Lake Chad Basin Commission and Pacific Islands Forum.
As funding peace remains a critical challenge, his fifth point, was to stress the importance of “adequate, predictable and sustained financing for peacebuilding”.
Institutionalizing relations
Finally, and “most importantly,” PBC continued to enhance its advisory and bridging role with the General Assembly, Security Council, and Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), Mr. Hossain told ambassadors.
“The Commission, for the first time, shared its Programme of Work with the General Assembly and Security Council through formal communications,” he said, describing it as “a major step towards institutionalization of the advisory relations between PBC and other organs of the UN”.