THE UN PEACEBUILDING COMMISSION

Why Do We Need a Peacebuilding Commission?

In the aftermath of World War II, the international community created the United Nations to maintain peace and security around the world and help countries resolve their differences peacefully. As an organization that represents the interests of all countries, the UN is in a unique position to coordinate efforts and help countries establish peace as they emerge from conflicts and wars.

In the past two decades, the United Nations has seen a surge in the need for peacekeeping operations around the world. The role of these operations has become more demanding, requiring peacekeepers to ensure that peace agreements are implemented, civilians are protected and militias are disarmed.  This has also placed a huge responsibility on the UN, straining existing resources and personnel. The UN has enjoyed successes, yet recent failures like Rwanda signal a need to do more to prevent such crises.

The concept of a Peacebuilding Commission was introduced in December 2004 in a UN High-Level Panel Report and gained momentum in March 2005 when Secretary-General Kofi Annan released his report, In Larger Freedom. The idea was also endorsed by the bipartisan taskforce report American Interests and UN Reform, headed up by former House Speaker Gingrich and Senate Majority Leader Mitchell.

In the report, Annan noted a “gaping hole” in the UN’s efforts to assist countries recovering from war to make the transition from war to lasting peace. Currently, half the countries emerging from violent conflict slip back to instability or violence within five years. Since no part of the current UN system is directly responsible for helping countries rebuild quickly after a conflict ends and establish peace, the Secretary General proposed creating a permanent Peacebuilding Commission.

Inaugural Meeting of the Peacebuilding Commission

The inaugural meeting of the Peacebuilding Commission was held on June 23, 2006 and was presided over by Secretary-General Kofi Annan.  Select civil society organizations were in attendance as special guests of the Secretary-General.  Angola was elected as Chair of the Organizational Committee.  El Salvador and Norway were appointed as Vice-Chairs.

The Security Council requested advice from the Peacebuilding Commission regarding the current situations in Sierra Leone and Burundi.  The Commission will review the two countries at the next meeting, which will be held in July.

What will the Peacebuilding Commission do?

The Commission will identify states on the verge of collapse, provide assistance to prevent such collapses, and sustain efforts of the international community in post-conflict peacebuilding, especially after global attention wanes from the crises.

It will also provide a forum in which major stakeholders can share information about comprehensive post-conflict recovery efforts that take into account political, security, development and economic spheres.

The Peacebuilding Commission will work on:

• Improving coordination of all relevant actors to mobilize necessary resources for early recovery and medium- to long-term financial investment;

• Advising on integrated strategies for post-conflict peacebuilding and promoting sustainable development;

• Developing best practices;

• Helping to ensure predictable financing;

• Extending the period of attention the international community places on post-conflict recovery.

The 31 members of the Organizational Committee of the Commission were finalized on May 16, 2006 and are as follows:

• 7 members of the Security Council:
  The five permanent members - China, France, Russia, United Kingdom & the United States;
  and 2 non-permanent members: Tanzania and Denmark

• 7 members of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC):
  Africa: Angola, Guinea Bissau
  Asia: Sri Lanka, Indonesia
  Eastern Europe: Poland
  Latin America/Caribbean: Brazil
  Western Europe/Other: Belgium

• 5 of the top 10 financial providers:
  Japan, Germany, Netherlands, Italy, Norway

• 5 of the top 10 providers of military personnel and civilian police:
  Pakistan, Bangladesh, India, Nigeria, Ghana

• 7 additional members elected by the UN General Assembly:
  Africa: Burundi, Egypt
  Asia: Fiji
  Eastern Europe: Croatia
  Latin America/Caribbean: El Salvador, Jamaica, Chile

In addition, a representative of the Secretary-General, the World Bank (WBG), the International Monetary Fund (IMF), and other institutional donors will be invited to all commission meetings. 


Updated June 27, 2006