Intervention by Mr. Tareq Md. Ariful Islam, Deputy Permanent Representative of Bangladesh at the Ambassadorial-level meeting of the Peacebuilding Commission to launch the informal phase of the 2020 review of the peacebuilding architecture on 22 November in Conference Room 4, UNHQ
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Mr. Chair,
We appreciate this opportunity to share our views on the 2020 PBA review and ways to strengthen it. We also appreciate a relatively light-weight but forward-leaning and inclusive approach of the TOR for the 2020 review to ensure that the review exercise builds on the gains achieved during the previous reviews.
We wish to touch upon some key issues:
First, we would continue to support the agreed evolution in the concept of peacebuilding and sustaining peace during the previous reviews. We see peacebuilding and sustaining peace as an inclusive, and broad-based process beyond its traditional remit of short to medium term post-conflict crisis response and recovery. Among other issues, going forward we should, therefore, perhaps try to better articulate the importance of the centrality of politics required in conflict prevention as part of the peacebuilding continuum.
Second, we stress the importance of national ownership in peacebuilding involving all relevant national institutions and stakeholders, including those at the grassroots. At the same time, this should be complemented by meaningful, sustained, and well-calibrated international support throughout the peacebuilding process.
Third, we value the Peacebuilding Commission’s advisory role in relation to the work of both the GA and the SC. The PBC could reinforce our understanding of new and evolving challenges and how the principles envisaged in the Commission’s founding Resolution from 2005 remain relevant in today’s context and where we need to invest the most.
Fourth, while planning our works in the future, we must also look back on the progress in the implementation of our previous shared commitments. We need not shy away to identify impediments for system-wide coherence and duplication of efforts. The newfound ways emanating from SG’s reforms initiatives are indeed encouraging. The new generation UN Country Teams can better implement to contribute to the overall peacebuilding architecture.
Fifth, we support SG’s call for a quantum leap for enhanced and predictable flow of resources to the Peacebuilding Fund so that it can indeed continue to serve as a rapid, flexible and target-driven implementation arm of the overall peacebuilding apparatus.
Sixth, we stress the importance of due consideration of the UN’s internal and external coherence of the three pillars of the UN in attaining the goals of the peacebuilding and sustaining peace.
Lastly, most of the post-conflict settings under the remit of the Peacebuilding Commission and the Peacebuilding Fund are among the least developed countries. It would therefore be crucial to address their peacebuilding priorities within the broader framework of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The regional approach as envisaged in the TOR may have adequate focus on this.
To conclude, I wish to mention that in our capacity as the Coordinator of the NAM Caucus in the Peacebuilding Commission, Bangladesh delegation would speak on behalf of NAM on issues of common/ shared interest for the group during the future engagements.
I thank you.