United Nations Peacebuilding Review

UNITED NATIONS PEACEBUILDING REVIEW, 1-7 March 2008 “The Peacebuilding Commission embodies all aspects of the UN’s work:  peace, development and human rights.” — Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon [Excerpts from news agency dispatches and unofficial transcripts.  PBSO cannot vouch for the accuracy of reports.] MEETINGS & EVENTS Conference: UN Peacebuilding Commission - Lessons Learned & Future Challenges “Taking Stock & Looking at the Future Role of Germany and the European Union”

07 March 2008 (Berlin) The Federal Government Inter-ministerial Steering Group on Civilian Crisis Prevention invited Assistant Secretary General for Peacebuilding Support Carolyn McAskie as a key note speaker for a conference on the future role of Germany and the European Union within the U.N. peacebuilding architecture. In  light of this event Germany announced a 10 million dollar contribution to the PBF  for this year with the intention of depositing the funds shortly. For more information please click here.

Meeting of the Peacebuilding Fund Advisory Group

05 - 06 March 2008 (New York) The second meeting of the Peacebuilding Fund (PBF) Advisory Group was held at the UN Secretariat. Appointed by the Secretary General, the Advisory Group is an independent Group of eminent persons, drawn from all regions, with significant peacebuilding experience that provides advice and oversight of the speed and appropriateness of the Peacebuilding Fund. During the meeting, the Group examined the PBF’s financial status and performance, and also considered strategic issues emerging from the Fund operation in its first year.  A public seminar on “Catalytic Action for Peacebuilding: Examples of the PBF” hosted by the Government of Finland preceded the Advisory Group meeting on 5 March and has invited guest speakers from Liberia and Burundi, who shared their countries’ lessons and experience on peacebuilding using PBF support.

5th Committee Takes up Financing for Peacebuilding Commission Field Missions

5 March 2008 (New York) Extract: The Peacebuilding Commission was crucial in the overall efforts to strengthen the United Nations and deserved full support.” Member “looked forward to favourable consideration of the Secretary-General’s request for resources for financing such field missions. That position was supported by the representatives of Brazil, South Africa and Egypt, who expressed the strong belief that the Commission should receive resources to ensure its effective functioning.” For more information please click here.

From Soldiers to Politicians. Transforming Rebel Movements After Civil War

5 March 2008 (New York)On Wednesday DPA’s Policy Planning Unit and the Peacebuilding Support Office organized an informal brown-bag lunch discussion, where Mr. Jeroen de Zeeuw presented a new book by the Clingendael Institute, titled From Soldiers to Politicians. Transforming Rebel Movements After Civil War. The book includes detailed case studies on rebel-to-party transformation, including the FMLN (El Salvador), RENAMO (Mozambique), RUF (Sierra Leone), CNDD-FDD (Burundi), Hamas (Palestine), SPLM/A (Sudan), various warlord militias in Afghanistan and the LTTE (Sri Lanka). Each study focuses on a rebel movement’s historical background, its attempted transformation into a political party, and the factors explaining its success or failure. Bridging the academic-policy divide, the book identifies concrete lessons from past transformation processes, as well as options for future international involvement. For more information please click here.

ECOSOC: Women’s Full Participation in Conflict Prevention and Peacebuilding Needed to End Use of Sexual Violence as Weapon, Ensure Legal Rights, Say Commission Speakers

29 February 2008 (New York) Women must be allowed to participate fully in peacebuilding and conflict prevention in order to end sexual violence against women as a method of warfare and ensure women’s full legal, socio-economic and political rights after the fighting was over, several speakers told the Commission on the Status of Women this morning. Carolyn McAskie, Assistant Secretary-General, United Nations Peacebuilding Support Office, said local women’s contributions were important because they had first-hand knowledge of their respective communities’ needs.  They could help remedy previous structural gender inequalities, while constructing a more just society during post-conflict development.  The United Nations peacebuilding architecture was trying to enable that process. For more information please click here.

Sierra Leone and Burundi Country-Specific Configurations Chairs’ Visit to Washington DC

29 February 2008 - The Chairs of the Burundi and Sierra Leone configurations of the Peacebuilding Commission undertook a two-day advocacy visit to Washington DC on February 27-28, 2008. Ambassador Løvald provided an update on the Burundi elements of the visit at the informal Burundi country-specific meeting (CSM) on February 29. For more information please click here.

NOTICE Vacancy Announcement: Coordinator, Geneva Peacebuilding Platform

March 2008 (Geneva) In order to support the work of the newly created Geneva Peacebuilding Platform, the Geneva Centre for Security Policy (GCSP), the Quaker United Nations Office in Geneva (QUNO) and the Centre on Conflict, Development and Peacebuilding (CCDP) of the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies are recruiting a Coordinator, Geneva Peacebuilding Platform, to support the Steering Committee of the Platform and coordinate all aspects of the Geneva Peacebuilding Platform.  For more information please click here.

MEDIA Western governments help pay for Sierra Leone elections

07 March 2008 (Freetown) Western governments are helping the west African state of Sierra Leone pay for its upcoming local government elections due on July 5, the UN Development Programme announced Friday. In a statement, the UNDP office here said a major contribution to the “election basket fund” came from Britain with 5.5 million pounds (7.2 million euros / 11 million dollars). For more information please click here.

UNIOSIL calls for more finance to women’s empowerment programmes in Sierra Leone

06 March 2008 (Freetown) On 8 March UNIOSIL joins the world-wide commemoration of the International Women’s Day (IWD). The theme for IWD 2008 is “Investing in Women and Girls”, which sends a clear message to Member States to honour their commitments towards gender equality and women’s empowerment. This year’s international theme is based on the alarming level of under-expenditure on women’s empowerment programmes.  More investment in women and girls has a multiplier effect on the productivity, efficiency and sustained economic growth. For more information please click here.

Sierra Leone: Slansa, MFWA Support Youths for Peace-Building

6 March 2008 (Freetown) The Sierra Leone Action Network on Small Arms (SLANSA) and the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) Wednesday started a two-day training for post election peace building for youths at China House in Freetown. Coordinator of SLANSA Florella Hazeley said human rights and democracy is very important for countries. Correspondent Officer of MFWA, Abdul Raham Sorrie said civil society organizations need to learn what to do after elections. For more information please click here.

Burundi - Campaign to evaluate the projects of the Peacebuilding Fund

05 March 2008 (BINUB) The national officials in charge of different projects approved and funded by the United Nations Peacebuilding Fund are currently visiting all provinces of Burundi. The main objective of this tour is to acknowledge how the projects are evaluated by its beneficiaries. The projects encompass the following priority areas: Good governance, strengthening Rule of Law and the Security Sector, Disarmament of the Civil Population, Protection of Human Rights and Property / Land issues. For more information please click here.

Guinea-Bissau gets €2m boost

4 March 2008 (Bissau) Portugal will provide its former colony Guinea-Bissau €2m in aid and budgetary support, the West African nation’s finance minister Issuf Sanha said on Monday. The assistance was intended for technical help and budget support, he added. A 15-strong mission of experts from Portugal’s finance and public works ministries would also visit Guinea-Bissau.  For more information please click here.

Supporting Peacebuilding in Central Africa

3 March 2008 (World Bank) In an attempt to create good conditions for development in post-conflict states, the World Bank’s Multi-Country Demobilization and Reintegration Program (MDRP) operates with the belief that one of the keys to stability lies with reintegrating ex-combatants and former child-soldiers into society. Bruno Donat, Communications Officer for the World Bank’s Fragile States, Conflict, and Social Development unit of the Africa Region, asserts that amidst the painful aftermath of conflicts, one has to look also at achievements by small groups of demobilized ex-combatants operating in very challenging environments.  For more information please click here.