EU Statement UN Security Council: Peacebuilding and Sustaining Peace: The New Agenda for Peace – Addressing Global, Regional and National Aspects of Conflict Prevention

I have the honour to deliver this statement on behalf of the European Union and its Member States. The Candidate Countries North Macedonia*, Montenegro^*, Serbia^*, Albania^*, Ukraine, the Republic of Moldova and Georgia, as well as Andorra and San Marino align themselves with this statement.

Mr. President,

We want to thank Sierra Leone for organizing this extremely timely open debate on Peacebuilding and Sustaining Peace. In the past couple of years, we have seen tremendous support among member states for the conflict prevention agenda. This open debate is an opportunity to capitalize on this momentum.

Since 1945, a core purpose of our business here at the United Nations has been "to take effective collective measures for the prevention and removal of threats to the peace". In spite of conflict prevention being one of the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, we see a trend of conflict on the rise and a lack of priority given to investment in prevention. The Secretary General's New Agenda for Peace set out to correct that and to bring conflict prevention back to centre stage.

The Summit of the Future, taking place in just a few weeks, should signal our political commitment to prevent conflict and build peace. The 2025 Peacebuilding Architecture Review should translate that political commitment to concrete action, building on proposals such as the national prevention strategies.

Mr. President,

Some worry that conflict prevention is "intrusive". This is a myth that must be dispelled, as the Secretary General points out in his New Agenda for Peace. In fact, conflict prevention strengthens the resilience and cohesion of societies. Those societies that have the political will to work systematically on preventing conflict will see that it pays off.

The cost of conflict in terms of human suffering and financial losses far exceeds that of prevention. Countries like Sierra Leone, Liberia, Timor Leste and Colombia that have been through bloody internal strife know this all too well. They are now among those working the hardest on sustaining peace. We should all follow their example: the need for conflict prevention is universal. In the last few years, we have seen countries from all regions and with varying levels of development including Kenya, Norway and Mauritania come forward to showcase their national conflict prevention efforts in the Peacebuilding Commission. We very much welcome this development and want to see a more systematic approach to national prevention strategies.

While remaining voluntary, we think all countries should be encouraged to develop such strategies or plans and the UN should provide support to those who need it. The UN country teams, Peace Operations, the Peacebuilding Fund and specific instruments such as the Peace and Development advisors can be instrumental in this respect.

Of course, prevention has so many aspects to it. We have to tackle the root causes of conflict - poverty, unemployment, climate change, lack of access to basic services and a lack of trust in institutions and respect for human rights and the rule of law. We may need to use early warning systems to reduce the risk of cross-border conflict. We may need mediation or confidence building measures at the grassroots level or at the highest international level. Most of all, we need the political will and courage to acknowledge that prevention is necessary and worth investing in.

Mr. President,

At the upcoming Summit of the Future, let us pledge our joint commitment to preventing conflict and building resilient and sustained peace. Let us embrace the Secretary General's call for countries to develop national prevention strategies. This is our chance to make a difference for a more peaceful future.

Thank you.

*North Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia and Albania continue to be part of the Stabilisation and Association Process.