[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”3.22″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”3.25″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”3.25″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text admin_label=”Text” _builder_version=”4.14.8″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” text_orientation=”justified” hover_enabled=”0″ global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_enabled=”0″]<\/p>\n
Excellencies,<\/p>\n
The challenges associated with preventing, managing, and resolving natural resource-induced conflicts may well come to define global peace and security in the 21st century.<\/p>\n
Most violent conflicts that the world has witnessed post-world war have been fueled by the exploitation of natural resources, whether high-value resources like timber, diamonds, gold, minerals and oil, or scarce ones like fertile land and water.<\/p>\n
Global trends such as demographic changes, increasing consumption, environmental degradation, and climate change, are placing significant and potentially unsustainable pressures on the availability and usability of natural resources such as land, water, and ecosystems.<\/p>\n
The geopolitical stakes are high as the survival or authority of states may depend on securing access to key natural resources.<\/p>\n
A range of national, multinational, and state-backed companies seek to capitalize on emerging demand and supply dynamics.<\/p>\n
In some cases, elite actors monopolize control over resource revenues, concentrating their personal wealth at the expense of local citizens.<\/p>\n
As we emerge from the global pandemic, there is an understandable desire to expedite and enhance our recovery, for our economies to rebound quickly and efficiently.<\/p>\n
For countries recovering from the pandemic or conflict, natural resources often offer the first opportunity to help stabilize, re-build and revive livelihoods and other economic activity.<\/p>\n
At the same time, overreliance on a single extractive industry also heightens vulnerability to price shocks.<\/p>\n
Given these challenges, any economic development plan should be equally geared towards supporting the recovery and improved production of rural livelihoods based on other natural resources, notably agriculture, fishing, livestock, and community forestry.<\/p>\n
When governments manage their environment and resources well and integrate them across a range of peacebuilding activities, natural resources can provide a sustainable pathway to a lasting peace and poverty reduction.<\/p>\n
Excellencies, \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n It was in this spirit that the United Nations, mainly through the General Assembly and Security Council, initiated the Kimberly Process, an international control regime aimed at preventing conflict diamonds from entering into legitimate trade.<\/p>\n I take this opportunity to welcome among us the presence of the former President of Botswana and Co-founder of the Kimberly Process.<\/p>\n Instruments like the Kimberly Process contribute to the achievement of the 2063 Agenda, as well as to the 2030 Agenda\u2019s ambitions of ending poverty, protecting the planet, and ensuring prosperity.<\/p>\n Now, as we strive to recover better from a devastating pandemic, we must build upon the lessons of this Process. Specifically, we must make every effort to ensure that the financial flows of trade in natural resources are used to uplift, rather than to undermine, communities; and to ensure that we uphold peace, security, and human rights as we invest in our economic progress.<\/p>\n This goal is especially critical now.<\/p>\n LDC\u2019s LLDC\u2019s and SIDS, have been disproportionately impacted by a pandemic that has exacerbated the socio-economic challenges they were already facing.<\/p>\n Tapping into the abundant natural resources often present in these countries, offers them an effective strategy towards accelerating their economic recovery, and towards getting them back on track to meeting the SDGs.<\/p>\n Such a strategy, when properly managed and combined with proper investment, entrepreneurship and policy support can help generate employment, diversify economies, increase food-security and help countries transition their economies in a more climate-friendly and resilient direction.<\/p>\n Excellencies,<\/p>\n Going forward it would be important for resource-dependent countries to put in place governance frameworks and institutional structures that have the ability to manage and resolve resource conflicts.<\/p>\n Such institutional structures should:<\/p>\n Excellencies,<\/p>\n The Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ system also needs to strengthen its capacity to deliver early warning and early action in countries that are vulnerable to conflicts over natural resources and environmental issues.<\/p>\n The effective governance of natural resources and the environment should be viewed as an investment in conflict prevention within the development process itself.<\/p>\n Finally, all integrated peacebuilding strategies should include a selection of environmental and natural resource indicators to monitor the peacebuilding trajectory and any potential destabilizing trends.<\/p>\n I thank you.<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Special Meeting of the ECOSOC: Natural Resources, Peaceful Societies and Sustainable Development: Lessons from the Kimberley Process<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":353,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":" Excellencies, colleagues,<\/p> I welcome you all to our second meeting and our first interaction following the resumed part of the session.<\/p> Before I begin, I would like to recognize the loss of our dear friend and esteemed colleague, Ms. Gail Farngalo.<\/p> A Liberian national, Gail was my Team Leader for Human Rights and was active on gender during both the 75th<\/sup> and 76th<\/sup> sessions. She leaves behind a legacy of achievements and a groundswell of respect and affection from across the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ and diplomatic communities. Her presence is certainly felt here today.<\/p> Colleagues,<\/p> When I took on this Presidency of Hope, I pledged to make gender equality a priority area for the 76th<\/sup> session. I continue to look to the board for its wisdom and expertise, as I endeavour to fulfil that pledge.<\/p> In this regard, I have already benefited from the board\u2019s advice, from when we met on October 28th<\/sup> last year.<\/p> Acting on that advice, I committed to ensuring that all my five rays of hope, and all my major initiatives, are approached with a gender lens.<\/p> I made sure that the composition of my office is gender-balanced.<\/p> I have committed to participating only in panels that have equal gender representation.<\/p> Throughout my official interactions and travels, I have endeavoured to meet with women, including heads of states and governments, scientists, civil society representatives, and youth.<\/p> And I am proud to inform you that five young women have been recruited into the Fellowship for HOPE<\/em> that my office recently launched. The Fellowship as you are well aware is targeted at benefiting young diplomats from underrepresented countries, pursuing careers in diplomacy or public service.<\/p> Colleagues,<\/p> While recognizing that we have a long way to go in the battle for gender-equality, I am proud of what my team has been able to accomplish within the past few months.<\/p> Our work continues.<\/p> We will continue to raise our voices on issues disproportionately impacting women, such as domestic violence and work place harassment. We will continue to push the importance of gender-equal work spaces.<\/p> And we will continue to find new paths to empower young women with ambitious professional aspirations.<\/p> Now is not the time to rest on our laurels.<\/p> With the board\u2019s guidance and support, we must use the many opportunities over the coming months to further empower women and girls, and dismantle discriminatory practices against them.<\/p> There are several upcoming events that will provide us such opportunities. I look forward to the board\u2019s suggestions on how we can best utilize them.<\/p> As an example, the International Day of Women and Girls in science is fast approaching. We must recognize that women\u2019s contributions in science and technology have helped us cure diseases; discover new horizons in space; and develop technologies that have vastly improved our quality of life.<\/p> As we celebrate their achievements, we must also open pathways for young girls who aspire to follow in the footsteps of pioneers in science and technology.<\/p> Colleagues,<\/p> Let us also reflect that the theme chosen by the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women for this year is on \u201cachieving gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls in the context of climate change, environmental and disaster risk reduction policies and programmes\u201d.<\/p> As we strive to meet our obligations to the planet, let us recognize the important work done by women and girls at the forefront of the climate crisis, and whose humanitarian work in disaster-stricken areas has helped save lives and rebuild communities. We owe it to them to not only celebrate their work but to support them.<\/p> Colleagues,<\/p> Our programme of work for the months ahead has been circulated to members prior to the meeting, for consideration and feedback. Please note that the events we have planned are not exhaustive. I welcome further suggestions from the board on the content and format of future events and activities.<\/p> Colleagues,<\/p> We have made much progress within a short while. And with the board\u2019s support and guidance, I am sure that we can keep up this strong momentum.<\/p> I look forward to working alongside all of you to achieve our vision of a gender-equal world.<\/p> Thank you.<\/p>","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[111],"tags":[866,550,556,863,553],"committee-meeting":[],"class_list":["post-261686","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-speeches","tag-discrimination","tag-ga","tag-pga","tag-racism","tag-shahid","et-doesnt-have-format-content","et_post_format-et-post-format-standard"],"yoast_head":"\n\n