EU Presidency Statement - Peace building

Mr. President,

I have the honour to speak on behalf of the European Union. The Central and Eastern European Countries associated with the European Union, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia and the associated countries Cyprus and Malta, as well as the EFTA countries members of the EEA Iceland and Liechtenstein align themselves with this statement.

Mr. President,

The absence of war is not the same as lasting peace. A cease-fire is seldom the end of a conflict, but at best a first step towards a peaceful settlement of armed conflict. We know from often painful experience how difficult it is to sustain a peace which does not rest on a solid base.

Therefore, a long-term and comprehensive approach is necessary to solve discord, consolidate peace and prevent resurgence of conflict. We must all act to ensure that efforts to foster peace and stability before, during and after armed conflict are well co-ordinated and part of a coherent strategy. This means linking together long-term efforts of conflict prevention and peace-building with more short-term efforts such as peacekeeping and other forms of crisis management.

The European Union welcomes today's debate as a sign of an increasing awareness of the importance of linking together the range of measures to build peace. For example, maintenance of peace requires that the root causes of conflict are addressed. The European Union welcomes the emphasis in the Brahimi-report on this aspect, and appreciates in particular that the report presents conflict prevention, peace-keeping and peace-building as a continuum of measures aiming at building a solid foundation for peace.

While acknowledging that there may be differences in emphasis between preventive and post-conflict peace-building, the European Union believes that any sharp distinction overlooks the fact that the tools deployed in both situations are broadly similar. In fact, there is a circular effect since measures that effectively build peace also serve the purpose of preventing conflict from recurring.

Mr. President,

The European Union believes that the concept of peace-building must encompass concrete measures targeted at preventing conflict from turning into violence. For example, combating illicit trade in small arms or conflict diamonds can contribute to preventing conflicts and building sustainable peace.

Furthermore, peace-building efforts should include confidence-building measures and the promotion of national reconciliation, as well as programmes for demobilisation, disarmament and reintegration of former combatants. Such a comprehensive approach is also needed to ensure an effective response to suffering and insecurity caused by for example small arms and light weapons and the use of child soldiers.

The European Union attaches particular importance to integrated and effective measures to achieve sustainable post-conflict repatriation and reintegration of refugees and other displaced persons. Attention must also be given to the effects on the stability of the host country or surrounding areas of refugees in temporary settlements.

Mr. President,

The concept of peace-building entails long-term efforts aimed at preventing armed conflict from erupting in the first place by addressing its deep-rooted structural causes. This includes broader measures in the political, institutional, economic and developmental fields, ranging from trade and environment to good governance and human rights.

Sustainable development is clearly an essential factor in peace-building. Combating poverty and promoting an equitable distribution of resources are vital elements in preventing conflict and consolidating peace.

The European Union is in the process of reforming its external aid in order to make it more coherent in its approach to third countries, more focused on clear policy objectives, more flexible in responding to a rapidly changing international environment and more consistent in its implementation. One of the features of the reform is closer co-ordination with other international donors, as highlighted by Commissioner Nielson's recent visit to New York.

Furthermore, the European Union has made substantial progress in developing its capabilities for crisis management. These capacities will be of importance in the broader context of peace-building, through for example the provision by the EU, by way of voluntary co-operation, of civilian police in international missions. Moreover, a programme aiming at strengthening the preventive capacities of the European Union will be considered by the European Council in June 2001.

Mr. President,

The pursuit of justice and reconciliation is pivotal for effective peace-building. The rule of law, full respect for human rights and a democratic foundation and functioning of political and judicial systems must be ensured. Good governance, including the promotion of accountability and transparency in public decision-making and the effective participation of civil society and political pluralism and legitimacy, is also a fundamental component.

The European Union wishes to emphasise the important role of international law in building peace. For example, the international criminal tribunals for Rwanda and for the Former Yugoslavia have served important accountability, reconciliation, deterrence and peace-building functions. The European Union has actively supported measures to ensure accountability for criminal acts under international law. We wish to underline in this regard the importance of the Rome Statute on the International Criminal Court, and renew our call upon all states to become parties to the Statute. We would also like to highlight the role played by civil society in particular at local level in fostering reconciliation.

Avoiding marginalisation and discrimination are cornerstones in effective peace-building. Measures to promote equality and ensure respect for human rights should therefore be included in any strategy aiming at building sustainable peace. In this context, the EU wishes to underline the central role played by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and the importance of adequate support for effective programmes undertaken by her office.

Mr. President,

The United Nations, with its Charter responsibilities, global presence and broad institutional framework, is uniquely placed both to tackle root causes of conflict and to take short term preventive measures. But the challenges confronting the international community in the promotion and maintenance of peace are both numerous and diverse. They thus require joint efforts and complex, integrated policy responses that must be delivered by a broad range of actors, including those with specific mandates under international law.

It is well-recognised that Security Council peace-keeping mandates should incorporate, as appropriate, peace-building elements when called for to support a peace process, in order to establish at an early point the activities necessary for peace-building and to determine the means of co-ordination and co-operation both between the various components of the peace-keeping operation, and with other relevant actors. When a peace-keeping presence is reduced or withdrawn, it is also important to ensure that peace-building activities can be undertaken in an environment that does not threaten peace. Thus, the Security Council must not disengage too early. A smooth transition from peace-keeping to peace-building and a sound exit strategy are fundamental elements in preventing a conflict from recurring. This was amply emphasised in the Security Council debate in November last year on "No exit without strategy".

The European Union recognises the need for close co-operation and dialogue in a mutually reinforcing manner between the bodies of the United Nations in support of an effective peace-building, and notes in this context the important function of the General Assembly, as well as the Economic and Social Council in the areas of rehabilitation and reconstruction.

The role of the Secretary-General and the UN Secretariat is crucial. We particularly recognise the importance of strengthening the information-gathering and analytic capacity of the Secretariat. Adequate resources and support must furthermore be ensured to enable the Department for Political Affairs to perform effectively its role as focal point in peace-building and conflict prevention, and the European Union welcomes the establishment of the post-conflict peace-building unit in support of that role. With regard to the UN peace-building offices, the EU considers that they, where appropriate, have a role in providing a focal point and in enhancing the partnership and co-ordination arrangements in countries emerging from conflict.

The European Union furthermore recalls the paramount importance of mobilising all actors responsible for peace-building in a co-ordinated manner, in particular United Nations funds and programs, the international financial institutions and bilateral donors, with the aim both of ensuring their full and early participation in formulating comprehensive peace-building strategies, and of avoiding financial gaps between peace-keeping and peace-building activities.

Mr. President,

Closer co-operation between the United Nations and its regional partners in tackling the challenges of peace is a key element. Successful peace-building requires active support from and participation by regional actors. The European Union is committed to building more effective partnerships, notably with the United Nations but also with other regional organisations. We would also like to point to the valuable contribution often made by civil society - including non-governmental organisations and the private sector - in the field of peace-building.

The United Nations and the regional actors possess different strengths and capabilities in the area of conflict prevention and peace-building. Focus should be on achieving greater complementarity as mutually reinforcing institutions, making use of comparative advantages. The 4th High-Level Meeting between the United Nations and regional organisations due to begin tomorrow here in New York, provides an excellent opportunity to promote both complementarity and co-ordination.

Mr. President,

Development activities and peace-building measures are two sides of the same coin. There can be no development without peace. And, the European Union fully recognises the importance of development aid as a part of long term efforts aimed at building prosperity and durable peace.

Thank you, Mr. President.

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