Consejo de Seguridad ONU
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New York, 14 January 2015  
Briefing of the United Nations Security Council on “Post-Conflict Peacebuilding”
Statement by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Chile H.E. Mr. Heraldo Muñoz
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I thank the Deputy Secretary-General, Mr. Jan Eliasson, for introducing the Secretary-General's report on peacebuilding in the aftermath of conflict. I also welcome the Permanent Representative of Brazil, Ambassador Antonio Patriota, in his capacity as Chairperson of the Peacebuilding Commission, who led the preparatory process for the review of the "peacebuilding architecture", to be conducted in 2015.

When the first report was submitted, in 2009, I was Chairperson of the Commission. Since its establishment in 2004, as can be seen from the reports, we have learnt to manage conflicts better and made progress developing criteria and arrangements to make the work of the United Nations system more efficient. Cases such as that of Sierra Leone, which is categorized as a post-conflict country, show that through coordinated work by national political, economic and social players, supported by the United Nations system and regional and subregional bodies, the foundations for lasting peace and development can be laid.

Despite these efforts, conflict still arises, sometimes with alarming frequency, intensity and diversity of players, because its causes – in particular exclusion and inequality – not only remain but have intensified in many communities. And so the role of the Peacebuilding Commission is as important today as it was a decade ago.

The Commission's work is basically to ensure that conflict-ridden countries achieve lasting peace and do not fall back into a spiral of violence and confrontation. We appreciate the work done and the recognition of its political nature, which requires leadership, multidimensional support from the international community and a favorable regional environment. The national ownership is crucial for the acceptance and viability of the post-conflict processes and the commitment of national players to its successful outcome in the long term.

This task requires sustained financial, technical and political support. The commitment of the World Bank and of other regional and sub-regional financial institutions should be enhanced and coordinated, as should the actions of participating States. This support should be viewed not as complement to the national economy but as a contribution to the peacebuilding process. Accordingly, Chile contributes annually to the Peacebuilding Fund and, in 2014, we contributed $300,000 to the fight against Ebola, outbreak that has affected countries in a stage of political transition following armed conflicts.

It is noteworthy that the report recognizes the essential role played by women in these peacebuilding processes, especially as it is girls and women who are mostly affected by armed conflicts. In this connection, women should be able to participate on an equal footing in all matters relating to these processes. Some very positive results have been achieved and more could be done if a larger share of the Fund's resources were devoted to projects designed to promote the empowerment of women and gender equality.

In addition, we believe that the review of the peacebuilding architecture to be conducted this year will provide an opportunity to build on the experience gained and to considerably enhance the capacity of the UN system to support these processes and make progress in conflict prevention. Synergy is needed among this review and those of the UN peacekeeping operations and special political missions, undertaken by the Secretary General, the High-level Review in 2015 by the Council to assess progress in implementing resolution 1325 (2000), and the global study on the implementation of said resolution.

Experience shows that it is vital to strengthen institution-building processes based on political systems with civic legitimacy, giving priority to the essential functions of public administration. The establishment of security bodies and the rule of law can, since their mission is to protect civil society, promote the implementation of peace agreements, national reconciliation processes and transparent and trustworthy elections. In this context, the Secretary-General's "Rights up Front" initiative provides an important tool for evaluating the way in which these peacebuilding processes protect and respect international standards of human rights and humanitarian law.

Identification of the factors which gave rise to the confrontation is essential to peacebuilding. It is necessary to understand what happened and why in order to restore institutional order legitimized by inclusive political agreements and to ensure its viability. Without this analysis, it is difficult to foresee the future course of the conflict or, once it has been unleashed, to devise and implement long- and medium-term actions addressing the root causes and ensuring that there is no recurrence. Exclusion in all its forms, poverty, marginality, and lack of education and opportunities are usually fertile ground for outbreaks of violence. If peacebuilding actions acknowledge this reality and are placed in this broader context, the efforts by States and the United Nations system will achieve their goals of peace and development.

Thank you