Statement by H.E. Ambassador ISHIKANE Kimihiro, Permanent Representative of Japan to the United Nations, 2020 Review of the Peacebuilding Architecture, Ambassadorial-level Consultation of the Peacebuilding Commission (PBC) on “Financing and Partnership for Peacebuilding and Sustaining Peace” (8 - 15 June 2020)
2020/6/15
I would like to take the opportunity of this last consultation for the informal phase of the 2020 Peacebuilding Architecture Review to express my deep gratitude for the PBC Chair’s leadership, the dedicated work of the Peacebuilding Support Office (PBSO), informative briefings and the active engagement of the Member States. By engaging in discussions even under such an unprecedented and challenging circumstance, we have proved that strengthening of the peacebuilding architecture is one of top priorities of the United Nations. Japan looks forward to the next phase of the review process, following the upcoming report of the Secretary General on this important issue.
(Financing for Peacebuilding and Sustaining Peace)
Various actors take part in the operational activities related to peacebuilding and sustaining peace, drawing on diverse sources of funding including bilateral donors, UN trust funds, international financial institutions (IFIs), private sectors, donations etc. Our objective is to maximize the aggregate amount of financial resources. So-called “fragmentation” of funding sources is not a problem per se, so long as the actual work of different actors on the ground complement each other and are well coordinated, aligned to national priorities and effective with humanitarian-development-peace nexus in mind. The key to such coordination is the national ownership and the transparency of information on which actor is doing what, where and when in a specific country.
In this respect, Japan is keen to know more about the “funding dashboard for peacebuilding” that the Secretary-General expressed his intention to establish in his 2018 report “to address issues of fragmentation and competition among funding instruments and to enhance transparency, accountability and effectiveness”. We expect that the coordination and complementarity will be further enhanced among UN agencies, funds and programmes as well as various UN trust funds including the Peacebuilding Fund (PBF), Joint SDG Fund and CERF under the leadership of the Secretary-General. The resources are limited and will be allocated in priority to where they will be used efficiently with transparency and accountability.
Funding for peacebuilding and sustaining peace depends also on non-UN actors, such as the IFIs and bilateral donors that engage directly with the recipient countries. The PBC should make much use of its convening power to bring together all the actors to share information and help the country better coordinate the incoming resources and make them align to the national needs. FDI, including that from private sectors, should be facilitated so long as it pays due attention to debt sustainability and is in line with the sustainable development of the countries in question.
Japan commends the work of the PBF aiming to catalyze integration of the work of the UN agencies, funds and programmes at the country level. We also support the PBF focusing on communities, cross-border issues, prevention and multi-sector interventions, which are the key funding criteria proven effective through the work of UN Trust Fund for Human Security over the years. The voluntary nature of the contribution to the PBF needs to be maintained to preserve its capacity to respond with flexibility and in a timely manner, the main source of the Fund’s strength. Japan encourages the PBSO to engage with emerging donors to broaden its contributor base which is until now heavily dependent on a small group of traditional donor countries.
Innovative sources of financing should also be explored. Japan, as one of champions of financing agenda, hosted informal meetings in 2018 and 2019 to discuss innovative financing in collaboration with Norway, Pakistan and others. Further discussions are necessary, particularly on how to tap into the private sector. In this regard, Japan welcomes the launch last year by the PBSO of a portal for donation from the private sector to the PBF. We look forward to PBSO’s branding and outreaching strategies aimed at further activating this donation portal.
(Partnership for Peacebuilding and Sustaining Peace)
The importance of multi-stakeholder partnership is by no means limited to financing. As a country takes off from conflict-ridden humanitarian situation and moves into the stage of nation building and development, much broader partners beyond the UN system will be required to sustain peace and prevent relapsing into conflict. Partnership among the peace, humanitarian and development actors is crucial to ensure smooth transition to the next stage. The PBC should continue to play its role as the convener of all stakeholders.
The PBC has actively engaged with various UN actors, IFIs, regional organizations, civil society among others. The consultations between the PBC and the World Bank that informed the World Bank Group’s Strategy for Fragility, Conflict, and Violence 2020-2025 is a notable example of partnership with other multilateral organizations. In his video briefing for this session, Mr. Franck Bousquet, Senior Director on Fragility, Conflict and Violence of the World Bank explained that under this Strategy combined with the IDA 19, the Bank would provide support for strengthening of core institutions that enable service delivery to all citizens. In Japan’s view, institution building is as critical as financing in the peacebuilding process. Here again, partnership with international organizations having technical expertise in specific area is of utmost importance to support countries build credible institutions.
Japan welcomes PBC’s continuous engagement with the African Union and subregional organizations in Africa. Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD) launched in 1993 in partnership with the UN is the pioneer of open, inclusive and multi-stakeholder partnership with Africa. Today, the TICAD Co-organizers include UNDP, World Bank and the AUC and the summit level meetings are participated by African States, donor countries, international organizations, private sector and civil society organizations. At TICAD 7 held in August last year, the “New Approach for Peace and Stability in Africa” (NAPSA) was launched with the aim of stabilizing conflict- and terrorism-affected regions through institution building, strengthening governance and empowering communities. TICAD 7 also focused more than ever before on partnership with the private sector.
Partnerships in the field should not be overlooked, since the efforts for peacebuilding and sustaining peace need to result in ensuring human security at the community-level. In this context, engaging with the civil society organizations, including those representing women and youth are of critical importance. Good coordination and collaboration on the ground among all actors, regardless of their respective focus – humanitarian, development, or peace - is the key to supporting effectively and efficiently national and local efforts. Japan expects the UN Resident Coordinators in countries deeply affected by conflicts to play a significant role in assisting the host government bring together all the partners in support of nationally owned peacebuilding process.
Thank you.
(Financing for Peacebuilding and Sustaining Peace)
Various actors take part in the operational activities related to peacebuilding and sustaining peace, drawing on diverse sources of funding including bilateral donors, UN trust funds, international financial institutions (IFIs), private sectors, donations etc. Our objective is to maximize the aggregate amount of financial resources. So-called “fragmentation” of funding sources is not a problem per se, so long as the actual work of different actors on the ground complement each other and are well coordinated, aligned to national priorities and effective with humanitarian-development-peace nexus in mind. The key to such coordination is the national ownership and the transparency of information on which actor is doing what, where and when in a specific country.
In this respect, Japan is keen to know more about the “funding dashboard for peacebuilding” that the Secretary-General expressed his intention to establish in his 2018 report “to address issues of fragmentation and competition among funding instruments and to enhance transparency, accountability and effectiveness”. We expect that the coordination and complementarity will be further enhanced among UN agencies, funds and programmes as well as various UN trust funds including the Peacebuilding Fund (PBF), Joint SDG Fund and CERF under the leadership of the Secretary-General. The resources are limited and will be allocated in priority to where they will be used efficiently with transparency and accountability.
Funding for peacebuilding and sustaining peace depends also on non-UN actors, such as the IFIs and bilateral donors that engage directly with the recipient countries. The PBC should make much use of its convening power to bring together all the actors to share information and help the country better coordinate the incoming resources and make them align to the national needs. FDI, including that from private sectors, should be facilitated so long as it pays due attention to debt sustainability and is in line with the sustainable development of the countries in question.
Japan commends the work of the PBF aiming to catalyze integration of the work of the UN agencies, funds and programmes at the country level. We also support the PBF focusing on communities, cross-border issues, prevention and multi-sector interventions, which are the key funding criteria proven effective through the work of UN Trust Fund for Human Security over the years. The voluntary nature of the contribution to the PBF needs to be maintained to preserve its capacity to respond with flexibility and in a timely manner, the main source of the Fund’s strength. Japan encourages the PBSO to engage with emerging donors to broaden its contributor base which is until now heavily dependent on a small group of traditional donor countries.
Innovative sources of financing should also be explored. Japan, as one of champions of financing agenda, hosted informal meetings in 2018 and 2019 to discuss innovative financing in collaboration with Norway, Pakistan and others. Further discussions are necessary, particularly on how to tap into the private sector. In this regard, Japan welcomes the launch last year by the PBSO of a portal for donation from the private sector to the PBF. We look forward to PBSO’s branding and outreaching strategies aimed at further activating this donation portal.
(Partnership for Peacebuilding and Sustaining Peace)
The importance of multi-stakeholder partnership is by no means limited to financing. As a country takes off from conflict-ridden humanitarian situation and moves into the stage of nation building and development, much broader partners beyond the UN system will be required to sustain peace and prevent relapsing into conflict. Partnership among the peace, humanitarian and development actors is crucial to ensure smooth transition to the next stage. The PBC should continue to play its role as the convener of all stakeholders.
The PBC has actively engaged with various UN actors, IFIs, regional organizations, civil society among others. The consultations between the PBC and the World Bank that informed the World Bank Group’s Strategy for Fragility, Conflict, and Violence 2020-2025 is a notable example of partnership with other multilateral organizations. In his video briefing for this session, Mr. Franck Bousquet, Senior Director on Fragility, Conflict and Violence of the World Bank explained that under this Strategy combined with the IDA 19, the Bank would provide support for strengthening of core institutions that enable service delivery to all citizens. In Japan’s view, institution building is as critical as financing in the peacebuilding process. Here again, partnership with international organizations having technical expertise in specific area is of utmost importance to support countries build credible institutions.
Japan welcomes PBC’s continuous engagement with the African Union and subregional organizations in Africa. Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD) launched in 1993 in partnership with the UN is the pioneer of open, inclusive and multi-stakeholder partnership with Africa. Today, the TICAD Co-organizers include UNDP, World Bank and the AUC and the summit level meetings are participated by African States, donor countries, international organizations, private sector and civil society organizations. At TICAD 7 held in August last year, the “New Approach for Peace and Stability in Africa” (NAPSA) was launched with the aim of stabilizing conflict- and terrorism-affected regions through institution building, strengthening governance and empowering communities. TICAD 7 also focused more than ever before on partnership with the private sector.
Partnerships in the field should not be overlooked, since the efforts for peacebuilding and sustaining peace need to result in ensuring human security at the community-level. In this context, engaging with the civil society organizations, including those representing women and youth are of critical importance. Good coordination and collaboration on the ground among all actors, regardless of their respective focus – humanitarian, development, or peace - is the key to supporting effectively and efficiently national and local efforts. Japan expects the UN Resident Coordinators in countries deeply affected by conflicts to play a significant role in assisting the host government bring together all the partners in support of nationally owned peacebuilding process.
Thank you.