Skip to content

Consultative Meeting between the AU Peace and Security Council and the UN Peacebuilding Commission

Who  H.E. Erik Laursen, Ambassador and Deputy Permanent Representative of Denmark to the United Nations
Who  H.E. Erik Laursen, Ambassador and Deputy Permanent Representative of Denmark to the United Nations
When 13.11.2023

Check Against Delivery

 

Excellencies, distinguished chairs,

 

In the current global context, cooperation and dialogue have never been more important. Trust in multilateralism has to be restored as does the acknowledgement that we can only solve conflicts and their widespread consequences by working together.

 

Indeed today’s meeting between the UN Peacebuilding Commission and the AU Peace and Security Council is a welcome opportunity to reflect upon how to strengthen our collaboration.

 

Firstly, we fully encourage further strengthening the African Peace and Security Architecture and the African Governance Architecture, including through the collaboration between the AU Peace and Security Council and the UN Peacebuilding Commission. We could convene more regular exchanges on specific regional prevention and peacebuilding challenges and do more to include the AU Peace and Security Council in PBC dialogues with countries working with the Commission.

 

Secondly, we welcome the focus in the Secretary-General’s New Agenda for Peace on expanding the UN’s peacebuilding mandate and strengthening the role of regional organisations such as the AU. We also see great potential in strengthening the mobilization of adequate, predictable and sustained financing for peacebuilding.

 

Finally, we must ensure the full, equal and meaningful participation of women, young people and civil society in peacebuilding processes in Africa. The Peacebuilding Commission can even further advance inclusiveness in its deliberations through diversity in briefers, wide consultation on our written products, and partnerships with regions and countries to leverage local knowledge and solutions.

 

The AU Continental Framework for Youth, Peace and Security is a bright example of how this agenda is taken seriously, but also of how to institutionally integrate a focus on youth in peacebuilding. The strategic action plan of the UN Peacebuilding Commission on young people’s participation in peacebuilding is another example.

 

Today’s deliberations has offered many concrete examples of how our joint dialogue can improve our ways of working and delivering for the people we serve.

 

I thank you.