BY
H.E. ALHAJI MUSA TIMOTHY KABBA
MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION
Excellencies,
Let me start by thanking the briefers Ms. Elizabeth Spehar, Assistant Secretary-General for Peacebuilding Support, Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, His Excellency Mr. Bankole Adeoye, African Union Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security, Ms. Hawa Samai, Executive Secretary, Independent Commission for Peace and National Cohesion, and Mr. Arnoux Descardes, Executive Director, Volontariat pour le développement d’Haïti for their insightful briefings.
I also thank the Peacebuilding Commission for the advisory note.
As I focus my statement today on the key issues of conflict prevention, peacebuilding and sustaining peace, it remains fundamentally important to start by highlighting how inequality within and among States remains a major hindrance to peacebuilding efforts and sustainable global, regional, and national conflict prevention.
The UN Secretary-General rightfully mentioned in his policy brief on the New Agenda for Peace, that “inequalities and injustices, within and among nations, are giving rise to new grievances. They have sown distrust in the potential of multilateral solutions to improve lives and have amplified calls for new forms of isolationism”. These words have never been truer.
At the global level, we are witnessing an alarming rise in conflict and instability, fueled by a complex interplay of geopolitical tensions, economic disparities, climate change, and the proliferation of weapons. Our world remains on fire from both national and international conflicts. From civil conflicts in Africa, to conflicts in the Middle East and Eastern Europe, we are faced today with complex situations that are more and more difficult for any individual State to resolve by themselves. The complex and multifaceted nature of the 21st century challenges and conflicts warrant deliberate and multipronged solutions.
The New Agenda for Peace calls for renewed multilateralism and a recommitment to the principles of the United Nations Charter. We must ensure that global institutions are adequately equipped to address these challenges, with a focus on preventive diplomacy, robust peacekeeping, and sustained peacebuilding efforts.
The twin sustaining peace resolutions adopted in 2016 in both the UN General Assembly and the Security Council (A/RES/70/262 and S/RES/2282) offered an opportunity for the United Nations system to re-think on how to prevent and address violent conflicts in a more holistic and inclusive way – focused on addressing the root causes and using a three-pillar approach, that is, peace and security, development and human rights.
The UN thus has the opportunity to modernize its prevention toolkit through initiatives like the Secretary General’s New Agenda for Peace, the upcoming Pact of the Future, as well as the forthcoming peacebuilding architecture review.
Excellencies,
Since the end of the major world wars, multilateralism has provided an effective means for addressing global, regional, and national conflicts. Yet today, we stand at a juncture that could either usher in a strengthened and revitalized resolve to build on those gains of multilateralism or move towards an untenable point of no return in which isolationist policies drive deeper wedges amongst states and peoples and hinder our ability to protect ourselves and each other from irreversible destruction.
We must not be the generation in whose hands history will lay the blame for a destroyed planet. We owe it to our children and their children to leave behind a legacy of growth and of hope in themselves and in each other.
Therefore, it behooves our generation to find remedies to the challenges that affect mankind. To bring an end to the suffering that plagues billions of humans, to end poverty, diseases and, indeed, war. As Nelson Mandela aptly puts it, while “we were expected to destroy one another collectively […] we as a people [must] chose the path of negotiation, compromise and peaceful settlement.”
In this respect, the Secretary-General’s New Agenda for Peace provides blueprints for our generation to leave a successful legacy. The guiding principles of trust, solidarity and universality must continue to guide us during these fragile times. Respect for human rights and international law, the sovereignty and territorial integrity of States and the pacific settlement of disputes must remain paramount.
Diplomacy must be the balm with which we mend all disputes with prevention as the key watch word. We must promote national ownership of all strategies and actions, which should be people centered, prioritizing the voices of the young and women.
Furthermore, it is paramount that we focus on uplifting the economies of the least developed countries by providing adequate and new opportunities for growth, fair lending schemes as well as international trading opportunities that are more sustainable and better adapted to today’s global market.
Excellencies,
Turning to the national level, and as we have heard from Ms. Hawa Samai, allow me to draw attention to the case of Sierra Leone, a country that offers valuable lessons in conflict prevention and peacebuilding. Sierra Leone’s decade-long civil war, which ended in 2002, was marked by extreme violence, human rights abuses, and the collapse of state institutions. However, the nation’s remarkable recovery and sustained peace over the past two decades demonstrate the importance of national ownership and inclusive governance in conflict prevention.
Sierra Leone’s experience, as highlighted by Ms. Samai, underscores the necessity of addressing the root causes of conflict, including economic marginalization, youth unemployment, and political exclusion. The establishment of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) and the Special Court for Sierra Leone were pivotal in promoting transitional justice, reconciliation, and accountability. Additionally, the government’s focus on rebuilding institutions, promoting good governance, and fostering peace and national cohesion has been instrumental in preventing the recurrence of conflict.
In effect, Sierra Leone has been implementing some of the 12 recommended actions in the New Agenda for Peace as appropriate, including but not limited to accelerating implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, shifting the prevention and sustaining peace paradigm and boosting preventive diplomacy in an era of divisions.
The specific actions include expanding manufacturing and service industries, and developing and improving the skillsets of the youth, especially women, investing in technology and infrastructure as a key driver of sustainable development and promoting inclusivity, good governance, people-centered services, and accountability. Our vision is that through dialogue and engagement on this shared development plan, Sierra Leoneans will continue to choose peace and prosperity now and in the future.
At the Global level Sierra Leone is contributing to the maintenance of international peace and security through, inter alia, its membership of United Nations Security Council, and by spotlighting peacebuilding, sharing lessons learnt in our peacebuilding journey.
On the regional front, Sierra Leone has continued to play a leading role in fostering regional peace and stability. His Excellency President Dr. Julius Maada Bio has prioritized strengthening regional cooperation, collaboration, and dialogue in addressing socio-economic development, peace and security through the Mano River Union, ECOWAS and the African Union.
Most recently, on 7th August 2024, President Bio undertook an official visit to Burkina Faso where the two leaders discussed matters related to political dialogue and regional cooperation to address regional challenges including the security situation in Burkina Faso and the Sahel region.
Peace and stability in the West African and Sahel region are of particular importance to Sierra Leone and we have also continued to be actively engaged on this matter in the Council.
Excellencies,
The global landscape shows that one-size-fits-all approaches are ineffective in addressing diverse conflict scenarios. More localized and context-specific strategies are needed to tackle the unique root causes of conflicts in different regions and countries. Additionally, to effectively prevent conflicts and crises, it is imperative to invest in early action and response mechanisms that address the root causes of violence and instability. This involves proactive and innovative measures that tackle socio-economic inequalities, political exclusion, and human rights abuses before they escalate into larger conflicts.
At a time when the UN system is shaping the future of peace operations and special political missions, it is crucial to advocate for a cross-pillar approach that integrates human rights and actions to address root causes at the core of these processes. This approach should ensure that lessons from past failures are incorporated into future strategies for sustaining peace and conflict-affected and post-conflict situations.
In closing, as we strive to build a more peaceful and secure world, it is incumbent upon this Council to translate the principles of the New Agenda for Peace into concrete actions on the ground. By prioritizing conflict prevention at the national, regional, and global levels, we can significantly enhance our ability to prevent future conflicts, protect civilians, and build lasting peace.
I thank you.
