Following are UN Secretary‑General António Guterres’ remarks at the meeting of the Peacebuilding Commission on the 2020 Review, in New York today:

The United Nations is paying greater attention to managing transitions during the drawdown and subsequent closure of its peace operations as they, if poorly handled, could reverse progress made, Secretary-General António Guterres told the Security Council today.

The Peacebuilding Commission looks forward to a review of its work in 2020 by the General Assembly and the Security Council as an opportunity to take stock of progress made and to explore ways to strengthen the United Nations efforts in forging sustainable peace in places where conflict once reigned, the General Assembly heard today as it took up the Secretary-General’s annual reports on the Commission and the Peacebuilding Fund.

Convening its first 2019 meeting, the Peacebuilding Commission today elected Guillermo Fernández de Soto Valderrama (Colombia) as Chair of its thirteenth session, while also adopting a work plan aimed at expanding the Commission’s work and building synergies both within and beyond the United Nations system.

The Security Council today encouraged the Peacebuilding Commission to present it with concise and targeted recommendations on efforts to sustain peace in specific situations, ahead of reviews of mandates of United Nations operations.

One of the world’s most environmentally degraded areas, the Sahel is suffering from a rise in intercommunal conflict over resources depleted by desertification, drought and other climatic extremes, speakers told a joint meeting of the Economic and Social Council and the Peacebuilding Commission today.

Following are UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ remarks to the Peacebuilding Commission’s ambassadorial-level meeting on “Leadership, accountability and capacities”, in New York today:

United Nations Peacebuilding Commission emphasized its convening role and the value of partnerships, as well as the need to improve coordination with the Council’s own activities in order to better advise the 15-nation organ.

While the Peacebuilding Commission had become more adaptive — expanding its work to the Gambia, Solomon Islands and the Sahel — it must do more to coordinate its efforts, particularly with the Security Council, delegates in the General Assembly stressed today, as they explored how the advisory body could foster coherence among United Nations endeavours in building and sustaining peace around the world.

The Security Council, acting in parallel with the General Assembly today, took note of a raft of proposals by Secretary‑General António Guterres on ways to accelerate the United Nations “Peacebuilding and sustaining peace” agenda, as well as the Assembly’s decision to track progress towards its implementation.  (For more information, please see Press Release GA/12014.)