United Nations Peacebuilding Support Office

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How does peacebuilding differ from peacekeeping, peacemaking, humanitarian support and development?

There is no simple, clear cut definition of peacebuilding that sets it apart. Peacebuilding is rather the continuum of strategy, processes and activities aimed at sustaining peace over the long-term with a clear focus on reducing chances for the relapse into conflict. Therefore, there is considerable overlap of goals and activities along the spectrum from conflict to peace. It is useful to see peacebuilding as a broader policy framework that strengthens the synergy among the related efforts of conflict prevention, peacemaking, peacekeeping, recovery and development, as part of a collective and sustained effort to build lasting peace.

How has the Peacebuilding Architecture (PBA) worked?

The UN PBA has functioned relatively well. There are currently six countries in the agenda of the PBC- an intergovernmental component of the architecture that provides accompaniement to post-conflict countries through policy advocacy, promoting coherence among various actors, and resources mobilization for peacebuilding programmes. The PBF has provided financial support to 24 countries. The 2010 Review of the UN PBA has highlighted a number of challenges in its functioning and effectiveness. Notably, the review has called on the PBC to reduce transactions cost of its engagement with countries, increase capacity building of countries on the agenda, strengthen regional dimension of the peacebuilding and intensifying efforts on resources mobilization.

What are the most frequent peacebuilding needs?

• Support to basic safety and security, including mine action, protection of civilians, disarmament, demobilization and reintegration, strengthening the rule of law and initiation of security sector reform;
• Support to political processes, including electoral processes, and promoting inclusive dialogue and reconciliation;
• Support to the provision of basic services, such as water and sanitation, health and primary education, and support to the safe and sustainable return of refugees and internally displaced people;
• Support to restoring core government functions, particularly basic public administration and public finance;
• Support to economic revitalization, including creating jobs, particularly for youth and demobilized former combatants.

Who are peacebuilders?

Peacebuilding is a task for everyone, from national governments, civil society and local communities to international partners, whether they are involved in peacekeeping, development or humanitarian activities.

National ownership is critical and it involves all national actors and stakeholders, including civil society, the private sector and the general public. It is therefore the citizens of countries where peacebuilding is underway who are primarily responsible for building lasting peace. In most post-conflict countries they are supported by a range of international actors, including peacekeepers, development and humanitarian staff, whose efforts the UN is often expected to coordinate and lead.

How has the nature of conflict changed since the creation of the United Nations?

The nature of conflicts has changed dramatically in recent decades. When the United Nations was created, wars between countries were the predominant form of armed conflict. After a period in which wars of independence were prevalent, civil wars became the most frequent – and most deadly – form of armed conflict. Since the end of the Cold War however, the frequency and the lethality of civil wars have declined as well.

In recent years, we are seeing the persistence of a number of violent conflicts that are rather intractable, recurring and amorphous. Violence might involve rag-tag rebels, gangs, organized crime and violent deaths. Battle-related death rates are relatively low compared to the wars of the more distant past, but homicide rates in some countries in Central America for example are higher than during the civil wars.

Factors driving violent conflicts in the 21st century have become more complex and multi-dimensional. If wars in the past were driven by ideology or political goals (in Von Clausewitz words: "War is the continuation of politics by other means"), violent conflict in the world of today seems to be propelled by a combination of political, economic, social, environmental and justice factors. These factors can include socio-economic inequalities among groups, political exclusion, conflict over natural resources and the distribution of their benefits, lack of jobs, grievances over corruption, perceived or real injustices, human rights abuse, etc. In many cases, it is difficult to define a clear agenda behind the perpetrators of violence. The different factors often are interrelated, might morph into each other and/or change over time.

These kinds of conflicts are not easily addressed with traditional instruments, such as diplomacy or military means. If the drivers of violent conflict are multi-dimensional, they can only be addressed through a multi-dimensional approach that spans the development-political-military-justice spectrum.

Peacebuilding is an indispensable approach in this new world with multi-dimensional conflicts, and the United Nations is the only global organization that can bring all elements of peacebuilding to bear: political, security, human rights, humanitarian and development. The United Nations also has unprecedented convening power and legitimacy to bring all actors and stakeholders together around peacebuilding, both at the local level and at the global level.

What is clear is that peacebuilding is not an event, nor is it a term to describe a series of activities and tasks. Rather it is a term that describes the continuum of strategy, processes and activities aimed at sustaining peace. There is a clear focus on reducing the relapse of violent conflict. That implies that not every activity in a post-conflict context is automatically contributing to peacebuilding. There are many activities, whether it is an election – as we saw in Côte d'Ivoire – a disarmament, demobilization and reintegration programme or building a school that can potentially exacerbate conflict as much as they can lay the foundation for sustainable peace. In peacebuilding, it is not only the "what" but also the "how", the "who", the "where" and the "when" that are important.

Through the prevention of a relapse into violence, peacebuilding is a cost-effective way to protect the investments in peacekeeping operations and thwart new costs associated with a relapse.

What does the Peacebuilding Commission offer?

The Commission is a dedicated advisory organ that brings together the government of a specific country together with all the relevant international and national actors to discuss and decide on critical priorities to be addressed and a long-term peacebuilding strategy with the aim of preventing a relapse into conflict.

With the development of such a strategy, advocacy and political accompaniment will be sustained and available funds will be spent more effectively and efficiently and will close the gap between immediate post-conflict efforts on the one hand, and long-term recovery and development efforts on the other. The PBC will remain engaged with the country until such time that the risk of a relapse into conflict is considered minimal.

Can the PBC impose its recommendations?

The Commission is an advisory body which takes all its decisions by consensus. Its recommendations carry weight thanks to the diversity of its membership. The UN system as a whole, as well as other bodies and actors, is encouraged to take action on the recommendations and advice given by the Commission.

The Commission aims to work closely with national and transnational authorities involved, and fully recognizes the importance of national ownership of the peacebuilding process.

What role do countries that have emerged from conflict play in the PBC?

Many countries which are today considered peaceful have had turbulent pasts. Such countries, with experience in post-conflict recovery, have an important role to play in the Commission. It is the aim of the Commission to include such countries as its members at all times, as their knowledge and lessons learned are an important asset in helping countries who have more recently emerged from conflict.

How is the PBC supported?

A Peacebuilding Support Office (PBSO) was established in the United Nations Secretariat to support the Peacebuilding Commission in all its deliberations. The PBSO also assists the Secretary-General in catalyzing the UN system’s capacity to develop overall strategies for peacebuilding so as to ensure coherence at the strategic policy level. The PBSO is headed by an Assistant Secretary-General. The current head of the PBSO is Ms. Judy Cheng-Hopkins (Malaysia).

What is the role of civil society in the work of the PBC?

Civil Society is an important actor in peacebuilding and the PBC’s enabling resolutions encourage its active participation. Civil society representatives have been invited to make presentations at several PBC meetings and there are established mechanisms in place which should ensure that serious and field-based civil society organizations receive a seat and a voice in the Commission’s deliberations.

What is the synergy between the PBC and the PBF?

The PBF benefits from the political guidance and advice of the Commission. The PBC coordinates closely with the PBF and also receives briefings by the Chair of the Peacebuilding Fund’s Advisory Group on the PBC specific country priorities and projects. The PBF has so far supported countries on the PBC agenda with $217.8 million for critical peacebuilding priorities – or about 62% of its allocations to date.

What are the PBF’s priority areas?

The PBF’s Terms of Reference state that the activities with a specific scope to be funded by the Peacebuilding Fund will include

• Activities designed to respond to imminent threats to the peace process, support for the implementation of peace agreements and political dialogue;
• Activities undertaken to build and/or strengthen national capacities to promote coexistence and peaceful resolution of conflict;
• Activities undertaken in support of efforts to revitalise the economy and generate immediate peace dividends for the population at large;
• Establishment or re-establishment of essential administrative services and related human and technical capacities.

Who manages the PBF?

The Secretary-General has delegated overall management responsibility for the Peacebuilding Fund to the Head of the Peacebuilding Support Office (PBSO). The United Nations Development Programme’s Multi-Partner Trust Fund Office administers the Fund.

At the country level, management of the Fund is delegated to the Joint Steering Committee, co-chaired by the national Government and the United Nations with a broader membership representing national and international stakeholders.

An independent PBF Advisory Group is appointed by the Secretary-General to provide advice and oversight of the speed and appropriateness of fund allocations and to examine performance and financial reports. The group consists of 10 eminent persons, from all regions, with significant peacebuilding experience.

How can we assess the success of the PBF?

The Peacebuilding Fund, one of the three components of the Peacebuilding Architecture, has and continues to demonstrate its worth. It allocated US $100 million in 2011 to stimulate smarter UN responses to critical- and often politically sensitive or symbolic- peacebuilding activities. It focuses on countries where there is demonstrated commitment from actors- especially Governments- to tackle the sensitive and thorny issues related to sustainable reconciliation and peace.