２０１１年

Statement by H.E. Mr. Tsuneo Nishida
Permanent Representative of Japan to the United Nations
At the Meeting of Security Council

(Introductory remarks)
At the outset, Japan extends its congratulations to Bosnia and Herzegovina on its assumption of the chairmanship of the Security Council. Japan convened an open debate on peacebuilding at this Council last April. We are thus heartened by the holding of this meeting that serves to highlight the success of Bosnia and Herzegovina as a country which has experienced the post-conflict peacebuilding process and to provide encouragement for others currently undergoing the process. We also appreciate the respective briefings by the Secretary-General, His Excellency Mr. Luis Guterres of Timor-Leste, Chair of the Peacebuilding Commission, Ambassador Wittig of Germany.

 

(To the Security Council)
Japan attaches a great importance to institution-building. Based on our own experience in reconstruction, valuing the national ownership is the primary principle of our development assistance. In this context, discussion on the role of the Security Council in promoting institution-building is relevant, and I would like to offer three points as Japan’s perspective.

  1. First, the Security Council should utilize the PBC more proactively, which I return to later on.
  2. Second, there is a global shortage of civilian capacity for institution-building; therefore the need for fostering such capacity is urgent. In order to facilitate the training and expeditious deployment of such capability, we believe that the Security Council must review and implement the conclusions of the upcoming report by Mr. Guehenno in a timely manner.
  3. Third, as the mechanism for partnership in peacebuilding is complex, involving various stakeholders, the Security Council must promote strong leadership on the ground, to enable UN representatives and the government concerned to work together toward solutions, taking into account the specificity of the reality. We also hope that the Secretary-General will appoint strong SRSGs, giving particular consideration to female candidates, and that the Member States will cooperate in offering appropriate nominees.

(PBC)
Concerning the PBC, the Security Council should tap more into its potential, which we believe will contribute significantly to the Council’s decision-making process.

  1. First, the PBC has been holding consultations on some agenda countries more frequently than the Security Council itself, with the participation by the concerned countries and other international organizations. Building a stronger link between the deliberations at the two bodies will contribute to providing solutions to various peacebuilding issues. Last year, Japan facilitated the holding of an informal dialogue of the Council with the PBC. The Security Council should consider holding such informal dialogues on a more regular basis, which will also contribute to better relationships with the host countries.
  2. Second, the PBC can be used as a forum for discussing exit strategies for PKO missions. Liberia can be regarded as a test case, to see whether we can arrive at a successful exit of peacekeeping missions to handover to peacebuilding partners. We also heard from Timor-Leste today that the country need smooth transition from peacekeeping to assistance by development partners. In this context, it is worthwhile to consider being placed on the agenda of the PBC in order to receive more effective international support in transition. The PBC could increase the number of countries on its agenda and seek to determine the best strategies to assist post-conflict countries based on lessons learned.
  3. Third, the PBC is a valuable forum also for raising international attention and mobilizing resources. With that in mind, Japan intends to add approximately 13 million dollars to the Peacebuilding Fund. We hope to utilize the fund to fill more effectively the gap between peacekeeping and peacebuilding, and urge other countries to contribute to the PBF as well.

 (Closing remarks)
In closing, let me reiterate Japan’s appreciation for  today’s meeting focusing on institution-building, a fundamental element in the peacebuilding process. Japan will continue to contribute actively in this field including through exploring expanded utility of the PBC. I thank you.