Joint Nordic Statement at Security Council Arria Meeting on Peacebuilding and Sustaining Peace
Check Against Delivery
Your Excellencies,
I
have the honor to deliver this statement on behalf of the Nordic Countries,
Finland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden and my own country Denmark.
We
thank Japan, Guyana and Mozambique
for convening this meeting, and commend you for
elevating peacebuilding and sustaining peace on the Council’s agenda.
As we set out on the road of 2024, there is no shortage of challenges ahead of
us. We are all painfully aware of the current global context with a multitude
of overlapping crises and the need for much stronger collective problem solving.
This meeting asks a timely question: What
works when it comes to supporting societies to transform from conflict to
coexistence?
First, inclusive,
participatory approaches are key to sustaining peace and the bedrock of
sustainable development, driven by the commitment from local communities. Therefore,
we must prioritize to,
-
include
perspectives of local civil society organizations, including those led by women
and youth, for instance through dedicated spaces such as the UN-CSO
peacebuilding dialogue that was held in December 2023;
-
respond
to the needs in local contexts through a humanitarian-development-peace nexus
approach; and
-
address
climate-related security risks, also by recognizing and supporting the role of
women and youth in this regard.
Second, effective
transition processes rest on our ability to provide viable alternatives to
conflict. Transition contexts call for comprehensive approaches, linkages
between peacekeeping and peacebuilding, and the complementary engagement of
multiple actors, across the human rights,
peace and security and development pillars. The
Peacebuilding Commission is well positioned to provide advice and convene relevant
actors. The Nordics suggest that the Security Council consider more
systematically requesting the PBC for advice on countries going through
transition. We suggest for the PBC to convene a geographic, cross-cutting
meeting on transitions.
Furthermore, the
development system has an important role to play during transitions and in
sustaining peace. The humanitarian-development-peace nexus approach enables us
to address today’s conflicts with a long-term perspective. Joint analysis of
context-specific challenges, coordination of efforts and joint programming are
all paramount. The Resident Coordinators are a central piece in fostering
coherence and providing coordination between UN entities and partners on the
ground, and ensuring conflict sensitivity in UN development and humanitarian
efforts. We must strengthen the Resident Coordinator System, including through
predictable, consistent funding.
Third, the
implementation of the women, peace and security agenda must take center stage. We
must support the promotion of the safe, full, equal and meaningful
participation of women at all levels, including supporting the participation of
young women in peacebuilding and decision-making processes. The full, equal and
meaningful participation of women is key for institutions to be inclusive and
transparent and to deliver for the people. Peace
is only sustainable when it comes with an inclusive approach and with protection
and promotion of all human rights.
Excellencies,
This
year, we will negotiate the Pact for the Future. In 2025, there is the review
of the Peacebuilding Architecture. The world needs a reformed multilateralism
that delivers for all. Let us keep the promises generations before us made in
the Charter. Let us keep people at the center and deliver on the promise of
preventing conflict and sustaining peace.
I thank
you.