United Nations Peacebuilding Commission

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Questions and Answers

What does the Peacebuilding Commission do?

The Peacebuilding Commission (PBC) was created by both the General Assembly and the Security Council in their respective resolutions A/60/180 and SC 1645 (2005).

The PBC is mandated to: “marshal resources and to advise on and propose integrated strategies for post-conflict peacebuilding and recovery.” The PBC focuses attention on reconstruction, institution-building and sustainable development, in countries emerging from conflict. It is specifically mandated to:

• Propose integrated strategies for post-conflict peacebuilding and recovery;
• Help to ensure predictable financing for early recovery activities and sustained financial investment over the medium- to longer-term;
• Extend the period of attention the international community gives to post-conflict recovery;
• Develop best practices on issues that require extensive collaboration among political, security, humanitarian and development actors.

What does the PBC offer?

The Commission fills an important gap in the UN system in the relief-to-development continuum. It brings together the government of a specific country together with all the relevant international and national actors to discuss and decide on a long-term peacebuilding strategy with the aim of preventing a relapse into conflict.

With the development of such a strategy, 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.

What is the PBC’s composition?

The PBC includes an Organizational Committee and country-specific configurations. The Organizational Committee is made up of 31 member countries, as follows:

• Seven from the Security Council (including the five permanent members);
• Seven from the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), giving particular consideration to countries with experience in post-conflict recovery;
• Five from the top 10 financial contributors to the UN budgets, including voluntary contributions to UN agencies and programs and the Peacebuilding Fund;
• Five from the top 10 providers of military personnel and civilian police to UN missions; and
• Seven additional members, to redress geographical imbalance and include countries with post-conflict experience, to be elected by the General Assembly.

In addition to the Organizational Committee members, the country-specific meetings (CSM) include other participants such as neighboring countries, regional organizations, multilateral organizations, financial institutions and representatives of the civil society.

Can the PBC impose its recommendations?

The Commission is an advisory body. Its recommendations carry weight thanks to the breadth of diversity of its membership. The UN system as a whole, as well as other bodies and actors are 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.

How do countries appear before the PBC?

Requests for advice from the Commission can be made by the General Assembly (GA), the Security Council (SC), the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) or the Secretary-General, as well as any member state who wishes to be considered. However, as stipulated in Article 12 of the UN Charter, the General Assembly and ECOSOC cannot take action on any situation under consideration by the Security Council.

The Commission is likely to deal only with countries emerging from conflict, once a peace accord has been concluded and a minimum degree of security exists. Countries would be expected to express an interest in appearing before the PBC. A referral against the wish of the Government is unlikely to take place.

At present, Burundi, Sierra Leone and Guinea-Bissau are on the agenda of the Commission.

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 often does the Commission meet?

The PBC meets in various configurations and does not follow as yet a prescribed cycle of meetings. The Organizational Committee (OC) deliberates on the organizational aspects of the PBC’s work as and when matters arise while country-specific meetings (CSM’s) are held regularly for the countries under consideration. The PBC also holds thematic discussions using facilities such as video conferencing to engage directly with stakeholders in the countries.

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 Carolyn McAskie from Canada.

How can we assess whether the PBC is making a difference?

Too many countries emerging from major conflicts suffer a relapse into conflict within five years of signing a peace agreement. The Peacebuilding Commission should help ensure that countries are strengthened and supported sufficiently to endure the very difficult transitional years when the economy, rule of law and institutions of governance can be extremely fragile. If post-conflict countries on the PBC’s agenda receive sustained support and attention from the international community and do not relapse into conflict, we will have evidence that the Commission is succeeding in its mission.

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.

What is the Peacebuilding Fund?

The Secretary-General established a Peacebuilding Fund (PBF) to address immediate peacebuilding needs in countries emerging from conflict at a time when other funding mechanisms are not available. On the basis of agreed upon priorities, the PBF can support a variety of measures to strengthen national capacities in sustaining peace and will therefore help to reduce the risk of a relapse into conflict. The PBF can support countries before the PBC but also others in similar circumstances, as designated by the Secretary-General.