Deputy Secretary-General Urges Better Forward Planning, Tools That De-Risk Private Investment, at Lunch on Financing for Peace in Fragile, Conflict-Affected States

Following are UN Deputy Secretary‑General Amina Mohammed’s remarks, as prepared for delivery, at the lunch for the event titled “Invest for Sustaining Peace:  Financing the Fragile and Conflict‑Affected Countries”, in New York today:

Let me start by thanking the President of the General Assembly for hosting this lunch and for bringing us together to focus on how to promote private investment in fragile and conflict-afflicted countries in keeping with our promise of leaving no one behind.

I have three main points to share with you today.  Firstly, we need to consider the issue at hand:  fragility, conflict and violence are critical challenges not only to peace but also to sustainable development.  Fragile and conflict‑affected countries face greater challenges and more complex environments than any other, and funding for the needed infrastructure and services is critical for preventing and reducing conflict, and for building resilient, inclusive and peaceful societies.

Secondly, we need to be more focused about how to address these challenges.  In fragile contexts, prevention is key to allow a country to pursue its path to sustainable development.  The Sustainable Development Goals provide the long‑term framework for this work.

We need better forward planning on how to support countries before, during and after transition from conflict.  The ongoing reform of the United Nations, including the repositioning of the development system, aims to help.  We need to develop and embrace innovative and flexible instruments that address the gaps in our current approach to fragility and conflict.  Blended finance can contribute to de‑risking private investments in projects and sectors in complex environments.

We must ensure, however, that in encouraging investment we keep a whole‑of‑country perspective, avoiding inflows to cluster in a few select areas only.  I also encourage greater cooperation between Governments, the tech sector and development agencies.  Technology is vital to helping marginalized communities connect to today’s opportunities.

The Addis Ababa Action Agenda aspires to direct public and private financial flows in ways that can mitigate risks in fragile contexts.  In order to ensure conflict‑affected countries can reap the benefits of sustainable development, we will need to be determined in our actions.  We need to support initiatives within and outside the United Nations system to support conflict‑affected countries on the road to sustainable development — the United Nations Peacebuilding Fund provides an excellent tool in this context.  We need to strengthen our partnerships with a long‑term horizon, in particular with local business on the ground.

The United Nations will count on your engagement in this important endeavour, on which so much of our common future depends.  I look forward to hearing your views.