Long-term and multiple efforts to support post-conflict reconstruction and development in countries emerging from conflict require a coordinated, and coherent approach from a wide range of global stakeholders: ACCORD remains at the forefront of strengthening such efforts at a national, continental and global peacebuilding levels.
From 16-20 November 2015, ACCORD, in partnership with the United Nations (UN) Peacebuilding Support Office (UN PBSO), is hosting a high-level global workshop in Durban, South Africa on Enhancing the Inclusivity and Accountability of the UN Peacebuilding Fund Support. This is the third time ACCORD is partnering with the UN on such a workshop.
The event brings together senior government officials, civil society leaders and UN agency representatives from over 15 countries, as well as high-level representatives from the UN Headquarters, in order to explore best practices for strengthening the inclusiveness and accountability of country-based programmes supported by the UN Peacebuilding Fund (UN PBF). The workshop will also provide space to discuss the findings and recommendations of the 2015 UN Peacebuilding Architecture Review and to assess how its work can be translated positively into country-based operations.
At the end of the workshop, the UN, civil society and government officials will explore how to strengthen the inclusiveness and accountability of PBF programs with respect to national governments, civil societies and citizens, in all stages of peacebuilding programming, including strategic prioritisation, project formulation, project monitoring and governance/oversight of PBF programs. A better understanding will be achieved on how to best include women and youth in peacebuilding strategizing, planning and implementation. Moreover, the capacity of the United Nations Peacebuilding Fund (UNPBF) secretariats and focal points will be strengthened to monitor the results of the PBF.
The UN PBF was established in 2005 through resolutions by the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) and UN General Assembly to stand alongside the Peacebuilding Commission and PBSO in support of critical peacebuilding activities. Currently, the Fund supports approximately 25 countries worldwide, with an annual programming budget of around USD100 million for interventions of direct and immediate relevance to the peacebuilding process, which address critical gaps in areas where no other funding mechanisms are available.
ACCORD has been working with the UN PBSO since its inception in 2007, and intends to continue working collaboratively with the UN Peacebuilding Support Office PBSO) on this important issue of peacebuilding and related post-conflict reconstruction and development initiatives. ACCORD supported the UN PBSO in convening the first global workshop for the UNPBF in 2013, for approximately 30 national representatives and United Nations Country Team (UNCT) members from 10 countries receiving PBF support. ACCORD and UN PBSO further jointly convened the second global workshop on the UN PBF in 2014, which encouraged peacebuilding actors share experiences, increase coherence and coordination, solidifying relationships across country settings, and to encourage peer-to-peer support and learning.
