Mr. President,

I would like to thank Ambassadors Drobnjak and Patriota for their briefings.

In the past year, the Peacebuilding Commission (PBC) has actively implemented the mandate set out by the relevant General Assembly and Security Council resolutions and has done a lot of work in helping post-conflict countries to consolidate peace and proceed with reconstruction and development programmes. Last March, the United Nations Integrated Peacebuilding Office in Sierra Leone smoothly completed its mandate, thereby becoming an example of peacebuilding success.

Peacebuilding is a long, complex and arduous task. Through years of practice, the PBC has built up a great deal of valuable experience. But it has also faced multiple challenges, including inadequate responses to the root causes of conflict and the need to strengthen coordination and cooperation among all the relevant parties. China believes that, in order to strengthen post-conflict peacebuilding efforts, the various parties must make additional efforts in the following four areas.

First, there must be respect for ownership by the countries concerned. Post-conflict countries bear the primary responsibility for peacebuilding. The PBC and the international community should fully respect the will of the Governments and the peoples concerned and provide assistance in accordance with national conditions and key priorities determined by the countries themselves.

Secondly, we must pay attention to resolving the root causes of conflict, which include underdevelopment. The international community should focus on helping post-conflict countries to achieve economic recovery and reconstruction as soon as possible so that the people can quickly enjoy a peace dividend, thus contributing to political reconciliation and the stabilization of the security situation, providing a solid political foundation for the peace process and avoiding a recurrence of conflict.

Thirdly, there is a need to focus on capacity-building in the countries concerned, because giving one a fish is not as good as teaching someone how to fish. In its engagement in the peacebuilding process of the countries concerned, the international community must always proceed from capacity-building and human resources training and prioritize developing and utilizing the existing human resources of the countries concerned.

Fourthly, we must strengthen cooperation and coordination among agencies in order to generate synergy. The PBC should strengthen its cooperation with major United Nations bodies, such as the Security Council, as well as other specialized agencies, the international financial institutions and regional organizations in order to develop a comprehensive strategy for peacekeeping, peacebuilding and the promotion of economic and social development. It should also fully exploit the comparative advantages of the various agencies and organizations, in order to better provide assistance to the peacebuilding efforts of those countries.

China attaches great importance to United Nations peacebuilding efforts and has always supported the efforts of the PBC and the Peacebuilding Fund. We actively support the PBC in playing a greater role in the peacebuilding efforts of post-conflict countries. Along with the rest of the international community, we will continue to make a positive contribution to helping post-conflict countries to achieve lasting peace and sustainable development.

Thank you, Mr. President.