Statement by Mr. Mahlatse Mminele, Deputy Permanent Representative of the Permanent Mission of the Republic of South Africa to the UN, at the Security Council Open Debate on “Post-Conflict Peacebuilding: The Review of the Peacebuilding Architecture”
23 February 2016Mr President,
Allow me to join other delegations in congratulating you for convening this timely and informative debate. Let me also congratulate the Co-facilitators of the intergovernmental process of the Peacebuilding Architecture Review, the Permanent Representatives of Angola and Australia on the excellent manner in which they are moving process forward and to assure them of South Africa’s support.
We thank Ambassadors Kamau, Skoog and Rosenthal for their briefings.
Mr President,
My delegation recognizes that the core message in the reviews of the peace operations is that conflict prevention must be a central component when considering the necessity for peace operations and in this respect, UN cooperation with regional and subregional organisations are integral for sustaining international peace and security.
The report of the Advisory Group of Experts on the 2015 Review of the Peacebuilding Architecture, also acknowledges that the task of sustaining peace globally goes beyond the capacity of the UN to deliver on its own. Furthermore that partnerships with regional, subregional actors and civil society is essential for making peace sustainable.
South Africa is encouraged by this element in the report and the progress made by the UN in strengthening its partnerships with regional organisations, particularly the efforts to institutionalize its relationship with the African Union. The cooperation with regional and subregional organisations is critical as the need for sustainable development in the post conflict scenario is contingent on the regional environment in which these countries exist. In theregard, my delegation would call for greater synergy between efforts of the Peacebuilding Commission and that of regional and subregional organisations, in particular the African Union and its post conflict reconstruction and development policies and organs.
Mr President,
Some of the key conclusions and recommendations emanating from the report of the Advisory Group of Experts on the 2015 Review of the Peacebuilding Architecture also reminds us that the UN has the core mandate of sustaining peace as set out in the UN Charter. As a result this thread must flow throughout all the organisations engagements, from preventative action to peacemaking, peace enforcement, peacekeeping and post-conflict recovery and reconstruction engagement. This mandate must inform and be embedded across all the sectors and phases of action.
It is for these reasons that, South Africa supports the recommendation that the challenge of sustaining peace should be assumed by the entire UN system, including the three relevant intergovernmental organs.
South Africa believes that this should include other role players such as the international Financial Institutions, the private sector, local communities, regional and subregional organisations and donors. All these actors, need to work in a coherent and coordinated manner in supporting national authorities address national institutional and capacity building priorities in post-conflict countries.
My delegation is supportive of the Security Council exercising some flexibility in its working methods in order to allow the PBC to effectively play its role in advising the Council on institution building in post-conflict situations. We encourage the Security Council, in consultation with the PBC; to make sure that peacebuilding tasks related to institution building are appropriately synergized with all peacekeeping mandates.
Mr President,
The Advisory Group of Experts report also calls for a people centered and inclusive approach at a national level, that will provide a common vision to all domestic stakeholders.
South Africa fully supports this approach and believes that national ownership of peacebuilding efforts is at the core of creating sustainable institutions in the immediate aftermath of conflict. The international community has the obligation to build on, and advise countries based on priorities that they have identified for themselves. The UN and the international community in general should support and compliment national efforts towards the development of institutions immediately after the signing of peace agreement and the end of open conflict, in order to support the newly found peace. Where peacekeeping operations exist, capacity and institution-building should be simultaneously pursued if conditions so permit.
Mr President,
In conclusion, we support the need for the Peacebuilding Fund (PBF) to leverage funding to catalyse additional voluntary contributions and for the PBF to consider developing a new funding area around efforts to strengthen the capacity of regional organisaitons.
Finally, my delegation maintains the view that institution and capacity building in post conflict countries requires a substantive injection of resources and more predictable funding. Consideration should be given for the UN to finance the PBC Fund from its assessed contributions, as recommended by the Advisory Group of Experts in order for the UN to achieve its objective of sustaining peace.
I thank you.