Peacebuilding Commission

Sierra Leone configuration

1^st Meeting (AM)

Sierra Leone peacebuilding cooperation framework should be adaptable

as commission carries out ‘milestone’ adoption of document

 

The Sierra Leone Peacebuilding Cooperation Framework reflected the situation on the ground, and its various stakeholders must marshal all their support and resources in order to achieve results, Yukio Takaso ( Japan), Chairman of the Peacebuilding Commission’s Organization Committee, said this morning as the Commission adopted that document as well as the provisional agenda for its work.

Describing the adoption as a milestone, he said peacebuilding was not an easy challenge, and the Commission must now take the lead in implementing the Framework, including the energy issues mentioned in the document.  The agreed timeline for adoption and implementation had facilitated contributions from donors and would maintain country ownership, and the mutual commitment to the Framework was action-oriented.

Norway’s representative said the Framework should be a living document that could be adapted on the ground to achieve early peace dividends, a sentiment with which the representative of Egypt agreed, saying the document was not a “straitjacket”, but could be adapted.  Luxembourg’s representative said the Framework demonstrated the importance of national ownership and stressed the importance of establishing a review and monitoring mechanism.

India’s representative said it was important to hire qualified experts, and that greater attention must be paid to improving coordination among all actors on the ground, including United Nations agencies, funds and programmes.  An excessive burden should not be placed on the Government of Sierra Leone in terms of information tracking.  Angola’s representative underscored the importance of capacity-building, while Guinea’s representative called for additional technical and financial support.

Earlier, in the first formal meeting of the Sierra Leone Configuration of the Peacebuilding Commission’s second session, members had heard Zainab Bangura, Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, call on the Commission to take immediate action to address Sierra Leone’s energy crisis and amend the national anti-corruption strategy.  There was also a need to review lessons learned on security.

She said that while the tracking and review of progress were now underway, and a mechanism to coordinate aid was in place, the international community must also support efforts to enhance the capacity of existing mechanisms.  The Government of Sierra Leone had worked with international financial institutions and the United Nations, and it looked forward to further cooperation with partners to implement the Framework and bring peace to the people of Sierra Leone after a decade of conflict.

Victor Angelo, the Secretary-General’s Executive Representative, said on behalf of the United Nations Integrated Office in Sierra Leone (UNIOSL) that the Framework addressed critical areas, including the poverty reduction strategy and the President’s policy statements and Parliamentary address.  Sierra Leone was a success story that was making progress on recovery and rehabilitation in the humanitarian field and in security sector reform.  But, progress in peace, security and democracy had not been matched with that achieved in job creation, gender equality and good governance.  There was an imbalance in terms of human development, and challenges remained in terms of developing implementation capacity and resources.

However, the country’s new leadership was committed to addressing those issues through strategic approaches, he said.  Peacebuilding in Sierra Leone was about addressing the root causes of the conflict, and it was necessary to produce results.  But, the country’s capacity to do so was weak.  Without policy dialogue and resources, results could not be achieved.  The international community bore the responsibility of helping Sierra Leone move forward, secure resources and keep the Framework on track.

John Ohiorhenuan, Deputy Assistant Administrator for Crisis Prevention and Recovery at the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), said Sierra Leone’s recent election had been a success and an example to other countries.  Today’s adoption of the Framework was a major achievement.  The Commission’s April discussions noted that the benefit of the peacebuilding process emphasized the importance of identifying obstacles that could hamper the Framework’s implementation.  As part of the United Nations Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF), UNDP’s work would enhance the reduction of HIV and AIDS as well as poverty related issues.  The key priority in 2008 would be the upcoming elections.  Sierra Leone had come a long way since the end of the conflict; now was not the time to pull back, but to scale up.

In a video conference from Freetown, Sierra Leone, civil society representative Memunatu Pratt said the need for the continued engagement of all actors could not be overemphasized.  Civil society overwhelmingly supported adoption of the compact to achieve the Peacebuilding Commission’s mandate, and saw it as a win-win situation.  While the monitoring role of civil society was welcome, there was cause for deep concern about peace consolidation and inadequate funding from Governments.  Donors must make conscious efforts to provide resources.

Haja Afsatu Kabbah, Minister for Energy and Power of Sierra Leone, said Sierra Leone’s new President had set up an energy task force and embarked on a drive to address the energy crisis in cooperation with other stakeholders.  The goal was to provide reliable, cost-effective and sustainable energy to all sectors, and to use energy as a catalyst for economic growth.

Substantive gains had been made in reforming the security sector, she said, noting that the country was now grappling with the miserable state of infrastructure.  By February, Sierra Leone should have realized its goal of increasing the power transmission line by 50 per cent.  Existing public-private partnerships had already installed about 50 megawatts of power, but without electricity, there would not be adequate educational infrastructure, including teaching laboratories.

Haile Menkirios, Assistant Secretary-General for Political Affairs, said the Organization, through UNIOSL, would continue to support peacemaking and peacebuilding, adding that no effort should be spared to ensure timely implementation of the Framework.

Benedict Mann, the United Kingdom’s Deputy High Commissioner in Sierra Leone, also addressed the Commission via video-link from Freetown.

Others contributing to the discussion were the representatives of Jamaica, United Kingdom, Chile, Czech Republic, Brazil, Indonesia, Sweden, Nigeria, United States, El Salvador, France, Sri Lanka, Ireland, Burundi and Panama.

Representatives of the Commonwealth Secretariat and the European Community also made statements.

* *** *

For information media • not an official record