GUIDANCE FOR UN SECURITY COUNCIL DEBATE ON THE UN

UNCLAS STATE 144973 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL KCRS EUN UNGA UNSC ECOSOC UN SUBJECT: GUIDANCE FOR UN SECURITY COUNCIL DEBATE ON THE UN PEACEBUILDING COMMISSION ANNUAL REPORT ¶1. PURPOSE: This is an action request. The Department asks USUN to draw upon the themes and talking points stated in paragraph 2 for the UN Security Council debate on the UN Peacebuilding Commission (PBC) Annual Report on 17 October ¶2007. ¶2. THEMES AND TALKING POINTS: The United States continues to believe strongly in the importance of a successful UN Peacebuilding Commission. Preventing reversion to conflict in post-conflict states through sustainable peacebuilding is in all of our interests. Peacebuilding saves lives, resources, and promotes the human rights and democratic ideals espoused by the United Nations. We view the PBC as a key part of the UN's peacebuilding architecture to achieve these important ends. We welcome the first Annual Report of the PBC. We appreciate the accomplishments that the PBC has achieved during the difficult early days of establishing a new institution. We recognize that these are the first steps toward achieving coordinated peacebuilding that produces tangible and sustainable results. -------------- Integrated Peacebuilding Strategies -------------- We see the PBC's efforts on the Integrated Peacebuilding Strategies for the first countries under the PBC's review - Sierra Leone and Burundi - as a valuable exercise in promoting better dialogue among their governments, civil society, the international community, and other relevant actors. Providing a spotlight on peacebuilding issues in itself promotes the political will to address them. We look forward to seeing this will and these strategies translated into concrete programs and institutions that tangibly serve the people of Burundi and Sierra Leone and form the foundation for healthy, peaceful societies in these states. We believe that tracking and monitoring mechanisms for integrated peacebuilding in countries under PBC review can be helpful in identifying gaps with precision and allow for resources to be marshaled to fill those gaps. We reiterate the importance of avoiding duplication of efforts and see an effective tracking and monitoring mechanism as a way to ensure that such duplication does not occur, while also seeing that needs are met and progress is achieved. PBC tracking and monitoring should be a part of existing programs whenever possible and should not place an additional burden on either the national government nor the UN country team. We believe that international non-governmental organizations (NGOs) with expertise in a particular gap should be recruited to address that gap and that the private sector, including international corporations, should be sought to sponsor projects, including those by local NGOs, which can also fill gaps. In addition, we would support the utilization by the PBC of a roster of experts who can also assist in peacebuilding, drawing on existing initiatives and in coordination with efforts of other peacebuilding-related offices in the UN system. Our own experts in peacebuilding in the office of the Coordinator for Reconstruction & Stabilization stand ready to work with the PBC and related offices and are prepared to explore opportunities for closer engagement, including in such areas as cross-training, personnel exchanges, and other forms of cooperative activity that can add value to the work of the PBC and that help to ensure that our teams can work together effectively and efficiently. -------------- Peacebuilding Fund -------------- While the United States is not yet a contributor to the Peacebuilding Fund, we will assess the Fund's performance as seen in its first year of operation. We are particularly interested in the sustainability of the initial projects funded by the PBF, and in this regard, urge the Secretary-General to consider commissioning an independent SIPDIS evaluation of the PBF. -------------- Political Focal Point in the UN System -------------- We see the PBC as having a unique niche in the UN system - the focal point for garnering long-term political will from the international community and coordinating long-term efforts to ensure sustainable peacebuilding. We therefore wish to see the role of the PBC strengthened in the UN system. We look forward to stronger engagement by the PBC with the UN Security Council, General Assembly, and the Economic and Social Council. The PBC may issue short statements on emerging peacebuilding crises and act as an early warning device for the Security Council, for example. The Security Council could also query the PBC specific matters on particular countries as a way to promote dialogue and coordinated action on peacebuilding. We value the views of all PBC members and particularly seek the input of countries that have themselves survived conflict and know firsthand how to implement peacebuilding. We appreciate the work of the PBC's Working Group on Lessons Learned, chaired by El Salvador, in which the experiences of post-conflict countries are drawn upon to accumulate best peacebuilding practices. The PBC must also coordinate effectively with the many other parts of the UN that have expertise in peacebuilding-related activities. -------------- The PBC's Future Agenda -------------- We look forward to discussion of the PBC's future agenda and capacity to take on new countries. At this early stage of the PBC's development, we want to be sure that the PBC does not over-extend itself and instead has solid successes with a realistic agenda derived from judicious consideration of the many post-conflict countries that could benefit from PBC review. Sustainable peacebuilding is the logical extension of the goals of peacekeeping. As we gradually build up the experience and capacity of the PBC, we should consider how the PBC can assist countries with UN peacekeeping missions that are winding down to ensure that their peacebuilding phase is sustained and successful. In addition, we look forward to considering new modes of PBC engagement, tailored to the needs of particular countries and to allow more efficient use of PBC resources, consistent with the goals of the PBC. We look forward to working closely with the PBC in its efforts to carry out its important mission. ¶3. POINT-OF-CONTACT: Grace M. Kang IO/PSC, 202-736-7735. RICE