Statement by Mrs Joanna Gash MP, Parliamentary Adviser to the Australian delegation to the United Nations on the Report of the Peacebuilding Commission
9 October 2008
(As delivered)
Mr President
Australia remains a strong supporter of the Peacebuilding Commission. Its establishment in 2005 filled a significant institutional gap in the UN system to assist post-conflict states consolidate peace and commence the task of rebuilding.
At the outset, allow me to congratulate Ambassador Takasu of Japan, whose enthusiasm and leadership as Chairperson of the Commission has helped it to start to fulfil its potential. The future success of the Commission will depend in no small part on the kind of sustained and active engagement demonstrated by Ambassador Takasu and the other chairs of the Commission. We also welcome the recent appointment of Jane Holl Lute as Assistant Secretary-General for Peacebuilding Support and look forward to working with her in the coming years.
Mr President,
The second annual report of the Peacebuilding Commission illustrates both how much has been achieved and how much remains to be achieved.
In the last 12 months the Peacebuilding Commission has moved beyond initial procedural difficulties which dominated its formative stages to develop more effective working methods. The agenda has now expanded with the inclusion of Guinea-Bissau and the Central African Republic, reflecting a growing appreciation of the valuable role the Commission has to play in helping countries transition out of conflict situations. Relations with United Nations partners, the international financial institutions, and regional organizations have improved and deepened. And the Commission has also tackled important substantive issues, including the role of the private sector, youth employment, transitional justice, gender, and the environment in peacebuilding efforts.
The results of this progress are clear. Strategic frameworks have now been adopted in partnership with Burundi, Sierra Leone, and Guinea-Bissau. Through the Peacebuilding Fund, $86 million has been allocated to peacebuilding projects in countries on the Commission’s agenda. Australia supports the use of the Peacebuilding Fund as a catalytic tool to ensure the immediate release of resources to launch peacebuilding activities. Further efforts are required to strengthen processes to ensure the Peacebuilding Fund can deliver peace dividends in a timely fashion. We are equally encouraged that bilateral and multilateral donors have then supplemented these efforts with targeted assistance and technical expertise to generate more sustainable development.
Equally importantly, the Commission continues to work in a flexible and innovative manner. Visits by the chairs have established strong connections with national stakeholders and provided a timely way to respond to events on the ground. Similarly, the creation and implementation of monitoring mechanisms provides a useful way to maintain focus on peacebuilding efforts in the medium-term. Increasingly sophisticated mapping exercises are also generating better information about existing gaps in international assistance.
Australia welcomes these developments. They demonstrate that working in a spirit of partnership, guided by the principle of national ownership, the Peacebuilding Commission has the potential to help states emerge from conflict.
Mr President,
While much has been achieved, the challenges ahead are significant. As the Peacebuilding Commission accepts new countries, the demands on its time and expertise will increase. Current efforts to streamline its work are welcome and necessary, but the Commission will have to continue to refine its approach. It is important that lessons learned are applied to new countries as they are added to the agenda.
The Commission, and in particular the country-specific configurations, must work to improve the tools that have been developed so far. Monitoring mechanisms must be refined to include specific indicators and benchmarks. Strategic frameworks should continue to adapt to local conditions and strive to avoid replication of existing efforts. The link between good strategy and tangible results on the ground must remain a focus.
Mr President,
Over the past two years the Peacebuilding Commission has begun to build a valuable record of practice. As the central peacebuilding institution within the United Nations system, the Commission must make sure that concrete experience with issues like elections and land reform is translated into a wider body of knowledge to inform future efforts.
Mr President,
In closing, it is worth noting that the path from conflict to peace is not always smooth. More than half of states emerging from conflict relapse within 10 years. The demands of peacebuilding vary from case to case, but are invariably complex and interrelated. They demand a willingness to work together, to innovate, and to redouble our commitment in the face of setbacks.
It is too early to judge the Peacebuilding Commission within two years of its establishment, however, there is reason for optimism. The modest progress made to date is a solid foundation on which to build. Australia looks forward to working with the Peacebuilding Commission as it further develops its ability to assist post-conflict states.