Chair, 

I have the honour to speak on behalf of the European Union and its Member States. 

The Candidate Countries North Macedonia*, Montenegro^*, Albania^*, the Republic of Moldova, Bosnia and Herzegovina^* and Georgia align themselves with this statement.

We thank the organizers for this initiative and the co-facilitators for sharing the “Elements Paper”. 

Chair, 

Allow me start by recalling that the 2025 PBAR is both a stand-alone, pre-mandated process as well as a means to concretely implement the Pact for the Future, which includes greater attention to prevent conflicts, strengthen resilience and build sustained peace.  We aim for an ambitious and forward-looking PBAR providing guidance on how this can be achieved. 

I will make 5 points from among our numerous priorities. 

First, on national prevention strategies and the universality of conflict prevention. We need to ensure that these two significant aspects are reflected in the PBAR. The UN system should support such efforts and the PBAR should give guidance on what this will look like. The voluntary presentation of national prevention strategies in the PBC is one part, but implementing the strategies requires national ownership and the support of the UN system in the field. Strengthening peacebuilding means both the intergovernmental processes and the UN’s peacebuilding work in the field.  

Second, a focus on impact and operationalising the conflict prevention agenda. If we want to enhance the impact in the field, we must strengthen our efforts to leverage the PBA to promote a coherent and well-coordinated approach to conflict prevention, peacebuilding and sustaining peace. A holistic review should increase system-wide coherence and cost efficiency. 

Effective peacebuilding needs to draw on all relevant parts of the UN system, from the country-level and up. This recognition was already well formulated in the 2015 PBAR. This approach applies also beyond the UN system to include systematic engagement with regional organisations and international financial institutions. We would like to see the zero draft build on previous PBARs in this respect, ideally through a separate section on how the UN system can work better together at the country level to support and implement peacebuilding efforts. 

Third, a focus on cross-cutting issues. As SDG16 underlines, there are strong linkages between peacebuilding, sustainable development and human rights. These linkages are essential in addressing the root causes of conflict. They are also very well elaborated in the Secretary General’s report and are key for ensuring a coherent UN system. Peacebuilding and sustaining peace strategies should be multi-sectoral and attentive to interlinked and crosscutting issues and should place human rights and gender equality at the heart, integrating early warning, conflict analysis, and conflict sensitivity.  

From the Elements Paper, we are pleased to see several important crosscutting issues included. The recognition of elements such as the Women, Peace and Security and Youth, Peace and Security agenda, as well as the meaningful engagement with civil society are important, not least given how local CSOs can play in evidence gathering and demonstrating impact. At the same time, the PBA should be well equipped to recognise and react to the adverse effects of climate change and environmental degradation. 

Chair, 

My fourth point concerns the institutional set-up, namely the relationship with the Security Council, but also other UN bodies, especially the General Assembly and ECOSOC. 

More regular, sequenced and anticipated interactions and collaborations between the PBC and the UNSC are needed to ensure the relevance of the PBC advice and stronger attention to peacebuilding in peace operations. Integration of a peacebuilding perspective into the planning and financing of peace operations should be encouraged, and peacebuilding needs to be better embedded in UNSC mandates and considered for mandate renewals – particularly in transition contexts, in line with UNSC resolution 2594. 

In addition, it is necessary to strengthen cooperation with other UN bodies, especially the General Assembly and ECOSOC. And finally, we underline that ways to brief the Human Rights Council, in line with Human Rights Council resolution 45/31, should be explored.

Chair,

A final point on financing. The PBF should continue its role as a central instrument in providing rapid, flexible and cross pillar action, strengthening the Secretary-General’s role and providing the office with increased legitimacy and manoeuvrability. 

Thank you. 

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