Pakistan Mission to United Nations

Statement by Ambassador Maleeha Lodhi, Permanent Representative of Pakistan to the United Nations at the General Assembly Debate on Peacebuilding Commission and Peacebuilding Fund Annual Reports (20 May 2019)

Madam President,

We commend the Chair of the Peacebuilding Commission, Ambassador Guillermo Fernandez de Soto Valderrama of Colombia for his statement and his contribution to the work of the Commission. We also appreciate the work undertaken last year under the Chairmanship of Ambassador Ion Jinga of Romania.

The report of the Peacebuilding Commission on its Twelfth Session provides a comprehensive overview of the activities undertaken by the Commission’s Organizational Committee and the country specific configurations.

We welcome the emphasis on enhancing international and regional engagement with national governments, mainstreaming thematic issues, strengthening the PBC’s partnerships with regional organizations, and coherence of engagement within the UN system.

Madam President,

Over the years, PBC has contributed significantly to peacebuilding efforts undertaken by countries emerging from conflict that have engaged with the Commission on the principle of national ownership.

As a founding member of the PBC, and a major Troop Contributor to UN Peacekeeping, we fully appreciate the importance of peacebuilding to sustain the gains achieved by Peacekeeping Missions.

Peacebuilding is the natural and indispensable successor of peacekeeping. The Peacebuilding Commission therefore assumes a critical role in transitions following conclusion of peacekeeping operations, when the UN Country Teams begin to take over.

That is the moment to invest our energies to ensure that there is no relapse into conflict. This entails adequate funding, capacity building of state institutions, and political processes anchored in national inclusivity.

Here I would like to make four key points:

• One, much like the principles of peacekeeping, the principle of national ownership provides credibility to our work at the Peacebuilding Commission. This must always remain front and center of the PBC’s efforts;
• Two, flexibility and adaptability in reflecting national priorities of countries engaging with the Peacebuidling Commission is an indispensable ingredient for success;
• Three, while focus on thematic issues is important, it is their relevance in a given situation that should guide our work. The last thing we need to do is to mount gratuitous pressure on governments already dealing with fragile situations, and;
• Four, continued and stronger engagement with regional organizations is critical, especially in view of their knowledge of local conditions, and the fact that countries coming out of conflict continue to face trans-border challenges.

Madam President,

The Secretary General’s report on the Peacebuilding Fund conveys a positive trajectory, all the while setting higher goals for the coming years. We fully understand the importance of funding in peacebuilding, and look forward to engaging with stakeholders in the system to explore options for strengthening the Fund both in terms of resources and utilization mechanisms.

Pakistan, along with Japan and Norway, is championing innovative financing to augment existing financing streams for the Fund.

Madam President,

Peace is sustained when its foundations are based on inclusiveness. Nationally owned political processes must therefore be supported, as only they can chart a sustainable path forward.

We look forward to engaging constructively to see that the peace kept by blue helmets takes root, and is sustained by peacebuilding efforts. We are confident that by working together we can further enhance the efficacy of the Peacebuilding Commission as an advisory body of the Security Council on peace and security issues, as well as its invaluable work on the ground.

I thank you.