雇用創出を通じた社会的結束の向上に関する経済社会理事会・平和構築委員会合同会合における御巫大使ステートメント

Thank you, Chair.
 
I welcome the convening of this joint ECOSOC-PBC session on such a timely and essential theme, a fitting choice to kick off the first ever Peacebuilding Week. As highlighted in last year’s PBAR resolutions, given ECOSOC’s role in overseeing operational activities of the UN development system, this meeting contributes to enhancing the UN’s ability to better support transitions from conflict to sustaining peace and development.
 
Supporting a smooth and quick transition from dependence on humanitarian relief to sustainable livelihoods for each individual is key to early recovery from conflict. This focus on building individual resilience aligns closely with Japan’s long-standing commitment to human security. In this spirit, Japan has consistently supported job creation across fragile and conflict-affected contexts.
 
Allow me to highlight two points.
 
First, inclusive job creation is critical to strengthening social cohesion and preventing conflict. When economic opportunities are unevenly distributed among different socio-economic groups, or between host communities and displaced populations, such disparities can exacerbate grievances and deepen divisions. By contrast, employment initiatives that intentionally bring communities together can address the root causes of conflict and foster trust. A critical first step toward this is ensuring that everyone has access to finance, even on a small scale. In line with this approach, in Afghanistan, Japan has been implementing various grant projects for livelihood improvement. As an example, Japan is implementing a grant project that provides entrepreneurship trainings and subsidized loans through local financial institutions to women-led MSMEs to improve their market and financing access
 
Second, it is essential to mobilize sustained and scalable financing from development partners and the private sector to ensure that job creation efforts contribute to long-term economic development. The new World Bank Group FCV Strategy for 2026 to 2030, which places job creation at its core, underscores the strong potential for deeper collaboration between peacebuilding and development actors in this area. Japan is playing its part by supporting UNDP’s Timbuktoo Initiative, which seeks to mobilize public and private capital to foster youth-led startups in Africa. This initiative helps translate youth-led innovation, grounded in local needs, into sustainable job opportunities, long-term economic resilience, and social prosperity.
 
To conclude, I reaffirm Japan’s commitment to working with partners to support sustainable livelihoods.
 
I thank you.