Ministry Statements & Speeches:
President, distinguished delegates,
We thank Japan for convening this important meeting today on the topic of promoting conflict prevention and empowering the participation of all actors including women and youth. Doing so is a shared responsibility of the UN system and of Member States.
I have the honour to deliver this statement on behalf of Canada, Australia, and my own country New Zealand.
CANZ fully supports the work already underway including the strengthening of bodies such as the Peacebuilding Commission and the ongoing negotiations for the Pact for the future: we have seen early drafts of the Pact place a focus on inclusivity and empowering women and youth, including in conflict prevention and peacebuilding, and we intend to see these references maintained and strengthened.
Empowering all actors, including women and youth, to have a voice in the prevention of conflict and to ensure a sustainable peace should be a key objective for all Member States. In conflict, women and youth often suffer the disproportionate consequences of military action and we have seen this across two harrowing examples: Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine and the ongoing conflict in Israel and Gaza. Yet they continue not to have seats at the tables where peace and security matters are discussed. We must deliver on our commitments to realise the full, equal and meaningful participation of women and youth in conflict prevention and peacebuilding.
CANZ remains committed to ensuring the full participation of Indigenous Peoples in the United Nations. These voices should be systematically included as appropriate in all aspects of conflict prevention and conflict resolution including in restorative justice mechanisms.
President, we have opportunities now to deliver to make our work more inclusive, including via the meaningful participation of women and youth. To this end, upcoming processes such as the 2025 Peacebuilding Architecture Review offer an important chance to strengthen inclusive participation in conflict prevention within the UN’s peacebuilding architecture.
Finally, CANZ welcomes the milestone of allocating assessed contributions to the UN Peacebuilding Fund, beginning in 2025, and reiterates our support for adequate, predictable and sustainable peacebuilding financing to tackle peace and security challenges. The UN’s peacebuilding architecture plays a vital role and is well-placed to improve collective efforts towards conflict prevention and responding to post-conflict challenges.
Thank you.