NEW YORK: Pakistan has called for greater collaboration between United Nations Security Council (UNSC) and UN Peacebuilding Commission for promoting internal and cross-border reconciliation between the parties to the conflict to build peace and stability.
Participating in an ambassadorial-level Interactive Dialogue between the Peacebuilding Commission and the UNSC, Pakistan ambassador at the UN Munir Akram said the Security Council could take greater advantage of the 31-member Peacebuilding Commission unique capabilities, derived from its diverse membership comprising, troop-contributing countries and financial contributors to help people affected by conflict.
Addressing the root causes of conflict while promoting post-pandemic recovery in Africa, Akram said addressing root causes of Africa’s multiple challenges — poverty, political fragility, terrorist attacks, illegal trade of high-value natural resources, climate change and a debt crisis, as well as containing the coronavirus pandemic — should be at the core of peace-building and recovery efforts in the continent.
While authorising a peacekeeping mission to a hotspot around the world, he said the Security Council could consider allocating a certain percentage of resources, from the budget or from voluntary contributions, for community support projects, as winning hearts and minds of local populations has a vital role in the success of any peace-building effort.
He also proposed allocation of more financial resources toward disarmament, demobilisation and reintegration processes and towards creating an environment in which peace processes and sustainable development and financial support could take root.
“Economic development should be leveraged to incentivize the warring parties to strive for peace,” he said.
Akram underscored the “crucial” need for the creation of dynamic channels of communication with the African Union (AU), as many internal conflicts in Africa are influenced by regional dynamics and may have cross-border implications and spillovers.
“Therefore, it was absolutely essential that regional actors were involved in the design and implementation of peace-building initiatives to spur a unified response at the national, regional, and international levels,” he said.
He also urged the UNSC and the Peacebuilding Commission to cooperate in enlarging the Secretary General’s Peacebuilding Fund (PBF) to support development programmes that can build and sustain peace in the concerned African countries.
