In 2016, the Sustaining Peace framework underlined the importance of shared responsibility to address conflict.
Seven years later, the Secretary General’s ‘New Agenda for Peace’ called for strengthened international foresight, nationally owned prevention approaches, and an all-of-system approach to tackling conflict.
Faced with the highest number of conflicts since the Second World War, we must work together, now more than ever, to act on these principles. So I will make three points:
First, conflict prevention should be at the forefront of our approach, to reduce the cost of conflict to human lives and development gains. The United Kingdom encourages the use of national prevention approaches to address drivers of conflict and strengthen national infrastructures for peace.
Such approaches should strive to be locally rooted, inclusive, human-rights based, and conflict sensitive. Embedding localised early warning mechanisms also helps identify risks and respond quickly, including on global issues such as climate change.
Second, it is clear underdevelopment can drive conflict, and conflict undermines development. Breaking this cycle is essential to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.
The United Kingdom is committed to development partnerships founded on mutual respect that support countries’ national efforts to reduce poverty and instability. To deliver, the United Nations system needs to work as one. This means mutually reinforcing humanitarian, development and peace and security efforts.
For example, security sector reform and disarmament, demobilisation, and reintegration efforts promote stability, strengthen governance and the rule of law, and prevent the recurrence of violence, enabling peace and development to flourish. Ms. Samai’s briefing brought out clearly how Sierra Leone, in so many ways, has been a good model in post-conflict peacebuilding.
Finally, the Summit of the Future offers an opportunity to reinvigorate our efforts. This includes maximising cooperation between the multiple actors – states, regional organisations and the UN – involved in mediation efforts. The promotion of women’s full, equal, safe, and meaningful participation in inclusive peace processes is indispensable.
And it also includes strengthening existing forums such as the Peacebuilding Commission to provide a constructive and UN-system wide space to support peacebuilding efforts. The 2025 Peacebuilding Architecture Review will be the next important step. I thank you.
