The Gambia, Timor-Leste, Liberia Shed Light on Their Successful Path from Conflict to Stability, at Meeting Marking Twentieth Anniversary of Peacebuilding Commission
Speakers from the Gambia, Timor-Leste and Liberia shared their journeys from conflict to stability today at a meeting commemorating the twentieth anniversary of the United Nations Peacebuilding Commission’s establishment.
“Over the past 20 years, the Peacebuilding Commission has supported more than 30 countries and regions,” helping advance national peacebuilding strategies and enhance donor coordination, said Serap Güler, Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs of Germany, in her opening remarks. “As Chair of the Commission this year, Germany is proud to carry forward the legacy of our predecessors,” she pledged.
The Peacebuilding Commission — a United Nations intergovernmental advisory body supporting peace efforts in countries emerging from conflict — was established in 2005 as part of the UN’s broader peacebuilding architecture, alongside the Peacebuilding Fund and the Peacebuilding Support Office. While it does not deploy troops or run missions, the Commission plays an essential advisory and coordinating role, focusing on the long-term dimensions of peace, such as governance, justice, reconciliation, institution-building and sustainable development. It comprises 31 Member States, drawn from the General Assembly, Security Council, Economic and Social Council, major financial contributors and top troop-contributing countries, ensuring a broad representation of perspectives and capacities.
The Gambia ‘Testament to What Can Be Achieved’ through Effective Multilateral Cooperation, National Ownership and Resilience
“Today, the Gambia proudly shares its experience as a testament to what can be achieved through effective multilateral cooperation, national ownership and the resilience of a people determined to forge a new path,” said Mamadou Tangara, the country’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, noting that the Peacebuilding Commission’s intervention at a critical juncture in the Gambia’s history was not only historic, but a defining example of preventive diplomacy and international solidarity. Through its collaborative frameworks, the Gambia emerged from over two decades of governance challenges and repression, launching a national effort to restore democracy, human rights and rule of law. Following the 2017 political impasse, the Government initiated a comprehensive transition towards democratic governance and resilience, and sought support from the Peacebuilding Commission — a partnership that proved instrumental in enabling a peaceful democratic transition.
Key transitional justice mechanisms were established, including the National Human Rights Commission and the Truth, Reconciliation and Reparations Commission. The Government prioritized victim-centred approaches and broad legal reforms to address past abuses and prevent recurrence. The Peacebuilding Commission’s support enabled inclusive dialogue, strengthened public institutions and mobilized international resources for reforms in security, civil service, legislation and anti-corruption. Ongoing cooperation through the Commission continues to advance the Gambia’s National Development Plan (2023–2027), supporting good governance, economic stability and community resilience. “Peace is not a one-time achievement, but a continuous process — demanding vigilance, inclusion and sustained effort,” he concluded, expressing its readiness to strengthen its partnership with the Commission.
Critical Role of Youth, Women in Peacebuilding
Injecting a youth perspective as a keynote speaker, Ndegen Jobe, Deputy Speaker of the National Youth Parliament of the Gambia, emphasized the critical role of youth and women in peacebuilding, calling for genuine inclusion beyond symbolic representation. Speaking via video link, she stated that meaningful participation means “taking authority and decision-making powers to where the people are”. She highlighted that peacebuilding efforts must extend to community structures, such as the Gambia’s district tribunals, which serve as key mechanisms for conflict resolution and justice. Noting progress, she said women are now represented in almost all district tribunals, except in the West Coast Region, and advocacy is ongoing for youth representation, as well.
She urged Governments to invest in “Youth, Peace and Security” national action plans, pointing to the Gambia’s recent launch of such a plan — the second in West Africa after Nigeria. She called on countries to not only develop, but fund and implement these frameworks to empower youth as “peace champions and mediators”. She stressed the importance of preventive peacebuilding, warning that minor, unresolved tensions can escalate into national crises. “We must manage conflicts at the grass-roots level before they evolve,” she said, citing protests across West Africa. She also highlighted the importance of partnerships between youth, civil society and government, especially with trusted local institutions. “Peacebuilding is not achieved in rooms like this alone,” she said, “but through grass-roots engagement, community-level action and respect for people’s voices”. She concluded with a message: “Inclusion must be real, not tokenistic. Peacebuilding must reflect the realities of our communities — not just periodic elections, but daily lives, struggles and aspirations.”
UN’s Intervention, Transitional Administration in Timor-Leste Key to Ending Violence, Establishing Foundational State Institutions
“My country emerged from the shadows of conflict and despair to stand as a living testament to the possibilities of peace,” said Bendito dos Santos Freitas, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Timor-Leste. Its journey to independence — crowned by the 1999 referendum in which 78.5 per cent voted for freedom — was marred by violence that destroyed 70 per cent of public infrastructure, displaced hundreds of thousands and inflicted deep social trauma. The UN’s intervention and transitional administration from 1999 to 2002 were pivotal in halting violence and establishing foundational State institutions. Central to Timor-Leste’s peacebuilding has been inclusive national engagement.
He went on to state that from constitutional consultations and village-level reconciliation to national dialogues from 2007 to 2009, the country involved traditional leaders, political actors, women and youth — resulting in women holding 38 per cent of parliamentary seats. Peacebuilding efforts also prioritized institution-building: the police, judiciary, civil service and anti-corruption bodies were created with UN support to ensure professionalism, transparency and oversight. Timor-Leste integrated peacebuilding into its Strategic Development Plan (2011–2030), aiming to reduce poverty below 20 per cent, expand GDP per capita from $1,200 to $4,000 by 2030, and ensure universal water and sanitation services. “Peace is political, economic, social and psychological,” he said, requiring integrated responses to trauma, inequality and institutional reform.
Liberia’s Former President Cites Key Lessons from Country’s Experience
“Liberia’s story is one of pain, but also of promise — a nation once brought to its knees by protracted conflict now stands as a testimony to what is possible when national will is matched by international solidarity,” said Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, the country’s former President and a Nobel Peace Prize winner, in her video message. She recalled that, following 14 years of conflict that killed more than 250,000 people, Liberia chose peace in 2003, rebuilding from total institutional collapse. Governance reform, justice, education and human-capital development were prioritized, alongside efforts to ensure inclusion of women, youth and marginalized groups. The role of international partners, especially the United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL), was instrumental in stabilizing Liberia.
“Liberia’s path to peace could not be walked alone,” she stressed, offering key lessons from her country’s experience: One, let peacebuilding be nationally owned, but globally supported. Two, invest in people and institutions together. Three, make justice and reconciliation central, not an afterthought. Four, ensure peacebuilding is inclusive of women, youth and minorities. Five, think beyond the recovery plan for transformation. Six, recognize that peacebuilding is a continuous process and a way of governance.
Today’s meeting took place amid the ongoing peacebuilding architecture review — the UN’s formal, five-year process to assess and enhance the effectiveness of its peacebuilding architecture.
Pact for Future: Road Map for Transition from Crisis to Stability
“Our world is in bad shape,” said Rosemary DiCarlo, Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, warning that conflicts are multiplying, lasting longer, and becoming harder to resolve. “This situation is intolerable.” She emphasized that, in this environment, “the work of the Peacebuilding Commission is more critical now than at any time since its creation”. Recalling its founding 20 years ago to address “a gaping hole in the United Nations institutional machinery”, the Commission has since helped countries such as the Gambia, Timor-Leste and Sierra Leone transition from crisis to stability.
Ms. DiCarlo highlighted the Pact for the Future as a road map, calling for enhanced engagement with civil society, women, youth and international financial institutions. “Crucially, the Pact decided on the strengthening of the Peacebuilding Commission,” she emphasized, adding that the peacebuilding architecture review can trace the next important steps. Quoting former United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan as saying “the Commission represents a symbol of both hope and perseverance”, she added in her own words: “The [Peacebuilding Commission] is no longer new, but it remains as vital as ever. We must invest in it and use it to help us build a world of peace and prosperity for all.”
The Commission also held an interactive discussion with Member States and experts.