安保理公開討論「平和構築及び平和の持続：国際平和と安全維持における和解の役割」

令和元年11月19日

(As delivered)

Thank you, Mr. President.

I just arrived in NY last night, and this is the very first meeting I am participating in as the new Permanent Representative of Japan. I am truly grateful to be here.

In the year 2000, this Council heard a briefing on peacebuilding with an emphasis on reconciliation by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). Her name was Mme. Sadako OGATA. She briefed that, for her agency, peacebuilding was not an abstract concept. She saw the concrete, sometimes desperate needs of returnees in places where communities remained deeply divided. She said she was exploring new avenues, particularly in the promotion of community coexistence as a first step towards reconciliation. UNHCR launched a project in returnee areas of Rwanda and Bosnia called "Imagine Coexistence". This project consisted essentially of supported to small, community-based, inter-ethic, and income-generating activities, around which they built clusters of other activities such as sports.

It has been nearly 20 years since her statement was made here. And she herself passed away last month. But her thoughts and actions on how to achieve tangible reconciliation are not, I believe, obsolete. She was a true trailblazer in the field of peacebuilding, and will be remembered for her quest for Human Security.

Over the ensuing two decades, Japan has sought to build on Mme. OGATA's work and to address the question of reconciliation in devastated areas in the world. We have supported national reconciliation processes in several countries and will continue to do so. Based on this experience, today I would like to highlight three key qualities that Japan believes are necessary to support a durable reconciliation process:

First, it must be inclusive, welcoming in the voices of women, youth, community and faith leaders, and the private sector.
Second, it must offer socio-economic development, ensuring that those who have been impacted by inequality, particularly young people, are given employment opportunities.
And third, it must have sustainable frameworks that allow for the building of strong institutions with broad national ownership.

These three elements—inclusivity, socio-economic development, and strong institutions—are not independent, but rather, parts of a whole. So how can we as an international community accelerate all three to promote reconciliation?

In our view, one of the most effective ways is to ensure that the voices of the people on the ground are reflected in our efforts. Each reconciliation process is unique, and each must include the personal perspectives of those who live it. Hence, we need to ensure a people-centered approach emphasizing the value of Human Security.

I would also like to point out that the Peacebuilding Commission (PBC) is a useful platform where we can share good practices and learn lessons. Through its convening power and its advisory role to this Council, the PBC, together with the Peacebuilding Fund (PBF), can help more closely connect New York and the field.

I conclude by reaffirming Japan’s belief in the importance of reconciliation in addressing the root causes of conflict and contributing to the maintenance of international peace and security.

I thank you.