Remarks by John Sammis, Deputy Representative to the ECOSOC, at the UN
General Assembly Debate on the Peacebuilding Commission and the
Peacebuilding Fund, March 19, 2012

Like others, the United States would like to thank Ambassador Momen and Ambassador Gasana, as well as the chairs of the six country-specific configurations, the Peacebuilding Support Office, and our in-country partners for their dedication and leadership.  They all deserve credit for the progress that is being made regarding peacebuilding.
 
The United States actively supports the work of the Peacebuilding Commission and the Peacebuilding Fund, as important instruments to assist countries making the fragile transition from conflict to  sustainable peace. They help us sustain attention to countries emerging from conflict, develop more effective strategies to build peace, and mobilize necessary resources to prevent relapse into violence.  We particularly appreciate the Commission’s commitment to address the overarching recommendations of the 2010 five-year review:  enhance the Commission’s impact in the field and strengthen working relationships with key partners. 

We are gratified to see both focus and evidence of results. For instance:  focusing the Commission’s political advocacy  in Sierra Leone on the importance of inter-party dialogue and in Liberia on the imperative of accountability among governmental officials; and helping stimulate private investment in Burundi and mobilize substantial funds for Sierra Leone under the auspices of the UN’s Joint Vision plan.  We are also pleased that the Commission is actively working with the World Bank, the African Development Bank and other international financial institutions.  These partnerships are essential to seeing resources  flow to peacebuilding priorities.

See full text here.