USUN INSTRUCTION: PRST ON PEACEBUILDING

UNCLAS STATE 076473 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL UNSC KPKO SUBJECT: USUN INSTRUCTION: PRST ON PEACEBUILDING REF: STATE 74378 ¶1. This is an action request, please see paragraphs two and three below. ¶2. ACTION REQUEST: On July 22, Uganda will convene a meeting of the UN Security Council on the Secretary General's report on peacebuilding in the immediate aftermath of a conflict. Uganda will also put forward a Presidential Statement (PRST) on post-conflict peacebuilding for the Council's adoption. USUN is authorized to support the PRST, as outlined in paragraph three. USUN should contact the Department if any member state proposes substantive changes to the text. ¶3. BEGIN TEXT OF PRST: The Security Council recalls the Statement of its President (PRST/2008/16),and emphasizes the critical importance of post-conflict peacebuilding as the foundation for building sustainable peace and development in the aftermath of conflict. The Security Council welcomes the report of the Secretary-General on peacebuilding in the immediate aftermath of conflict (S/2009/304) as an important contribution towards a more effective and coherent international response to post-conflict peacebuilding. The Council also welcomes the Secretary-General,s strong commitment expressed in the report to improve the United Nations, peacebuilding efforts, and urges him to pursue these objectives. The Security Council emphasizes the importance of national ownership and the need for national authorities to take responsibility as soon as possible for re-establishing the institutions of Government, restoring the rule of law, revitalizing the economy, reforming the security sector, providing basic services and other key peacebuilding needs. The Council underscores the vital role of the United Nations in supporting national authorities to develop an early strategy, in close consultation with international partners, to address these priorities; and encourages international partners to align their financial, technical and political support behind this strategy. The Security Council stresses the need, in countries emerging from conflict, to draw upon and develop existing national capacities at the earliest possible stage, and the importance of rapidly deployable civilian expertise to help achieve this, including, where appropriate, relevant expertise from the region. The Council, in this regard, welcomes the recommendation of the Secretary-General for a review to be undertaken to analyse how the UN and international community can help to broaden and deepen the pool of civilian experts, giving particular attention to mobilising capacities from developing countries and especially women. The Security Council recognizes that post-conflict situations require from the outset experienced and skilled leadership on the ground with effective support teams, and requests the United Nations to increase its efforts in this regard. The Council welcomes the Secretary-General,s efforts to enhance the authority and accountability of senior United Nations representatives in carrying out their duties and responsibilities. The Security Council emphasizes the need for the United Nations system to strengthen strategic partnerships with the World Bank and other international financial institutions, and to complete by the end of 2009 the clarification of roles and responsibilities for key peacebuilding needs and to keep these under regular review, so that the appropriate expertise is generated to achieve a timely and predictable response. The Security Council recalls its resolution 1645 (2005) and recognizes the important role of the Peacebuilding Commission in promoting and supporting an integrated and coherent approach to peacebuilding, welcomes the progress it has achieved, calls on it to further enhance its advisory role and support for countries on its agenda and looks forward to the recommendations of the 2010 review of the Commission,s founding resolutions on how its role can continue to be enhanced. The Security Council recognizes the critical importance of rapid, flexible and predictable funding for post-conflict peacebuilding. The Council urges Member States to help achieve this, building on the recommendations of the report and in particular increasing the impact of the Peacebuilding Fund, improving donor practices to make funding faster and more flexible and making use of in-country multi-donor trust funds, which are designed to accommodate the funding requirements of donors. The Security Council reaffirms that ending impunity is essential if a society recovering from conflict is to come to terms with past abuses committed against civilians affected by armed conflict and to prevent future such abuses. The Council notes that justice and reconciliation mechanisms can promote not only individual responsibility for serious crimes, but also peace, truth, reconciliation and the rights of victims. The Security Council, in accordance with its resolutions 1325 (2000) and 1820 (2008),underlines the key role women and young persons can play in re-establishing the fabric of society and stresses the need for their involvement in the development and implementation of post-conflict strategies in order to take account of their perspectives and needs. The Security Council reaffirms the role of regional and sub-regional organizations in the prevention, management, and resolution of conflicts in accordance with Chapter VIII of the Charter of the United Nations, and the need to strengthen their capacity in post-conflict peacebuilding. The Security Council recognizes the importance of launching peacebuilding assistance at the earliest possible stage. The Council affirms the importance of early consideration of peacebuilding in its own deliberations and of ensuring coherence between peacemaking, peacekeeping, peacebuilding and development to achieve an early and effective response to post-conflict situations. The Council will strive to apply this integrated approach and requests the Secretary-General to intensify his efforts in this regard. The Security Council invites the Secretary-General to report within twelve months to the Security Council and the General Assembly on progress achieved in fulfilling his agenda for action to improve the United Nations, peacebuilding efforts, taking into consideration the views of the Peacebuilding Commission. END TEXT OF PRST CLINTON