By NNN-APP,
United Nations : The UN Peacebuilding Commission, set up to prevent countries that have emerged from conflict from sliding back into war, should be strengthened and its work made “people-centric”, a Pakistani delegate said Wednesday.
“All peacebuilding initiatives must be people-centric, in terms of specific eeds or circumstances endemic in a post-conflict situation,” Tahir Andarabi, the Pakistani delegate, said while participating in the Security Council debate on Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s latest report on peacebuilding.
There was progress towards meeting specific needs or circumstances endemic in a post-conflict situation, he said, noting the positive role of peace and security, humanitarian and development actors across the United Nations.
Parallel improved cooperation between UN Headquarters and the country team was vital.
Linkages must be clarified between peacebuilding and socioeconomic development strategies implied by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and other multilateral donors, the Pakistani delegate said.
He said that national capacity development would remain the cornerstone of all peacebuilding efforts.
Andarabi said that while security sector reform, together with enhanced national capacity to manage inter-community conflicts, filled the gap in a country’s ability to build peace.
Lasting peace would remain elusive without improving the conditions of women and other vulnerable groups, he said.
Women’s access to health, education and entrepreneurship was essential for long-term economic recovery.
Their participation in mediation and policy formulation of peacebuilding efforts could be a “force multiplier”.
Adherence to merit and strict professionalism should not be compromised,he said.
The risk of relapse into conflict could be tackled by a more coordinated assessment and planning for peacebuilding and peacekeeping activities, where both processes must be explicitly defined in a complementary relationship.
The work of the Peacebuilding Commission would improve as the collective response became more resource-rich.