UNITED NATIONS: Pakistan has urged the United Nations (UN) Peacebuilding Commission to support peace efforts in the conflict-affected countries, especially Jammu & Kashmir and Afghanistan.
The UN General Assembly, which debated the annual report on the 31-member Peacebuilding Commission and the Peacebuilding Fund, was briefed by Ambassador Munir Akram that “Peacebuilding is a growth industry.”
Recognizing the Peacebuilding Commission’s growing needs, the Pakistani ambassador claimed that its financial resources only cover 50% of what is needed. He said, “We must acknowledge that the PBC’s coverage of PBC is not universal.”
The ambassador continued, “The Peacebuilding Commission does not address important situations like those in Afghanistan and Jammu & Kashmir.”
He emphasized the Commission’s advising role while urging it to continue responding to national concerns, strengthen national ownership, and foster regional collaboration.
The Pakistani ambassador also supported raising money from new and creative sources, noting that a portion of the budget for peacekeeping should be set aside for peacebuilding after peacekeeping mandates. Additionally, Ambassador Akram emphasized that the Peacekeeping Fund should only be utilized for peacebuilding; development funds should not be used for this reason.
He argued that actual results, not the volume of meetings and engagements, should be used to judge the Commission’s performance. The majority of other speakers emphasized the value of national expertise and ownership as well as the necessity of proper funding while highlighting the role of the Commission. Csaba Korosi, the President of the General Assembly, stressed the value of working together to prevent violence by saying, “Peace cannot be kept by force.”
He emphasized that the 2030 promise of a secure, sustainable future “will slip beyond the reach of many” unless Member States make conflict prevention the focal point of their peace initiatives. The president urged the body to utilize its advisory functions more frequently, stressing that the Peacebuilding Commission is well-positioned to keep up with changing threats 18 years after its establishment. —APP
