UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. UN Secretary-General calls for stronger peacebuilding mechanisms UN
“Our world is in trouble,” UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said Thursday as he opened the formal meeting of the UN Peacebuilding Commission. He noted the importance of its work in the context of growing global challenges, stressing that humanity faces conflict, the effects of the climate crisis, inequality and the spread of disinformation.
The Secretary-General praised the role of the Commission as an advisory body to the Security Council and its ability to bring together the efforts of civil society, the private sector, and international and regional organizations.
Guterres recalled the “Pact for the Future”, which aims to reform international cooperation, giving priority to preventive measures, mediation and peacebuilding.
The UN chief paid special attention to the issue of financing. According to him, regular contributions to the Peacebuilding Fund are not enough. He called on member states to increase voluntary contributions and consider new financial mechanisms.
The Secretary-General also stressed the importance of the upcoming review of the peacebuilding architecture, which, in his opinion, should lead to stronger interaction between the Commission and the Security Council. He called for lessons learned to be used to formulate concrete recommendations.
“We must not weaken our commitment to achieving and sustaining peace,” Guterres said, stressing that the joint work of the Commission, the Peacebuilding Support Office, the Peacebuilding Fund and UN country teams would help turn intentions into reality.