Excellencies, it is my honor to welcome you to today’s informal interactive dialogue in light of the 2025 Review of the Peacebuilding Architecture. This dialogue is the first of its kind and underlines the unique position of the PBC as a subsidiary body of both the General Assembly and the Security Council. It reminds us that the cross-cutting nature of peacebuilding is already deeply embedded in the constitution of the Peacebuilding Architecture.

I join the President of the General Assembly and the President of the Security Council in expressing my gratitude the co-facilitators Egypt and Slovenia for their guidance and commitment to an open, transparent, and member state-driven process.

Today we commemorate the 80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War - a historic moment that signified the triumph of peace over tyranny and paved the way for the founding of the United Nations. This solemn occasion offers us a renewed opportunity to reaffirm our unwavering commitment to working in partnership with all Member States to build a more peaceful, just, and prosperous world for current and future generations.

The PBC already submitted input to the PBAR last year, so I won’t repeat what has already been submitted in writing. Based on the elements paper circulated ahead of today’s meeting, allow me just to underline some particularly important aspects:

This review comes at a crucial moment not just for the Peacebuilding Architecture, but for the entire UN system. The Peacebuilding Architecture with its bridging and convening function across all pillars of the UN offers benefits and a unique perspective. It supports a broad range of important topics from peace financing, to the promotion of South-South and triangular cooperation, to the support of nationally owned peacebuilding and sustaining peace efforts. This all comes at a comparatively low cost. Let us use the opportunity of the PBAR to preserve and strengthen this forum. The designation of a specific chamber for use by the PBC and the provision of predictable and sustained conference services to the PBC, as suggested by the co-facilitators in the elements paper, would be crucial steps and would help to ensure that the PBC can fulfill its mandated tasks.

The PBAR is also an opportunity to foster greater UN coherence and stronger links between the PBC and the PBF. Greater internal coherence as well as stronger partnerships with international, regional and subregional organizations will further improve the impact of the Peacebuilding Architecture. It will ensure that efforts are complemented, not duplicated. A stronger alignment of the Peacebuilding Fund with international and regional financial institutions could amplify the effects of the fund and support the mobilization of financial support for national peacebuilding and sustaining peace efforts.

And lastly, I want to commend the co-facilitators for their strong focus on enhancing the impact of the UN Peacebuilding Architecture, especially in the field. While much of our discussions are taking place here in New York, the goal of the Peacebuilding Architecture is to serve the countries and their people who turn to the PBC in support of their national peacebuilding priorities. Our first priority must always be to ensure that the work we do here in New York has an impact on people’s lives and livelihoods on the ground.

I thank you.