HIGHLIGHTS OF PRESS BRIEFING BY BRENDEN VARMA,?SPOKESPERSON FOR GENERAL ASSEMBLY PRESIDENT MIROSLAV LAJ??K

United Nations Headquarters, New York

25 April 2018

 

PRESIDENT CALLS FOR NEW APPROACH TO PEACE AT HIGH-LEVEL MEETING

  • Today is the second day of the President’s High-Level Meeting on Peacebuilding and Sustaining Peace.
  • Yesterday, 44 delegations spoke, including 1 King, 4 Presidents, 1 Prime Minister, 2 Deputy Prime Ministers and 21 Ministers.
  • In his remarks, President Laj?ák?said, “We are making progress. A few years ago, no one had ever heard of Sustaining Peace.” But now the topic is attracting “the highest levels of attendance at the United Nations this year.”
  • But, he said, “This is not enough. The stakes are too high. The effects of conflicts are too inhuman…That is why we need to go beyond the resolutions; beyond the statements… We need to bring all of our cards to the table, here, this week. And we need to recommit to this new approach to peace.”
  • Yesterday, the President also hosted a high-level lunch for visiting dignitaries. And two were held – on “Sustainable Financing for Peace” and “Strengthening the United Nations’ Work on Peacebuilding and Sustaining Peace in the Field.”
  • As of this morning, there were still 88 delegations slated to speak in the plenary. Given the high level of interest, the meeting is now expected to extend into tomorrow morning.
  • And two more interactive dialogues will be held today – on “Strategic Partnerships with the United Nations for Peacebuilding and Sustaining Peace” and “A United Nations Comprehensive and Integrated Approach to Peace.”
  • Asked whether the President wanted to see new ideas emerging from the High-Level Meeting on Peacebuilding and Sustaining Peace, the Spokesperson said that the President had said precisely that at his media encounter the day before. Developing and hearing new ideas was a big part of why the meeting and its accompanying interactive dialogues were being held in the first place.
  • The Spokesperson added that the President was interested in hearing new ideas from a wide range of actors, including people living in countries that had relevant experience related to peacebuilding, sustaining peace and conflict prevention.

 

MORE GENDER EQUALITY LEADS TO MORE RESILIENCE TO CONFLICT

  • Today the President is speaking at three side events related to his High-Level Meeting on Peacebuilding and Sustaining Peace.
  • At the first this morning – on gender and sustaining peace – the President said, “When there is more gender equality, there is more resilience to conflict.” He added that when women participate in peace processes, peace deals are more likely to stick.
  • He also said, “Women must lead and participate at every step of the cycle – from prevention, to conflict resolution and peacebuilding. To make this happen, we need more policies, more plans and more financing.” That event was organized by Bangladesh, Canada, Colombia, Germany and Switzerland.
  • The second side event this morning was on post-conflict peacebuilding and reconciliation. It was organized by Indonesia and Timor-Leste.
  • In his remarks, the President said, “I do not know best. 蘑菇视频 does not know best. The international community does not know best. But those on the ground do. They know what conditions need to be created, for victims and perpetrators to come together. They know how to make a?reconciliation process transparent, inclusive and effective. They know what the root causes of conflict are – and how to best address them. And that is why they need to be in the driving seat. Our job is not to steer them. It is to listen. To support. To enable. And to respond.”
  • The third side event – on “Pathways for Peace” – will be held at 1:15 p.m. It is being organized by Romania, Sweden and the World Bank. The President is expected to say that conflict prevention is not free. Salaries, conference rooms and transportation for shuttle diplomacy all require financing. But it is worth it.

 

PRESIDENT MEETS WITH IRISH PRESIDENT & BRAZILIAN 蘑菇视频DER-SECRETARY

  • The President met this morning with two high-level participants who travelled to New York for the High-Level Meeting on Peacebuilding and Sustaining Peace.
  • With the , he discussed the importance of multilateralism, the need to bring the United Nations closer to people, sustaining peace, financing the Sustainable Development Goals, climate change, migration and gender.
  • With for Multilateral Affairs, he discussed United Nations processes, including Security Council reform; regional developments; migration; and the Water Action Decade.

 

NO PLANS TO HOLD “蘑菇视频ITING FOR PEACE” MEETING

  • Asked whether there were any moves in the General Assembly toward holding a “” meeting, the Spokesperson said there had been no formal communication from Member States, requesting such a meeting.
  • He added that an initiative from Member States would be required to hold such a meeting.
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