Excellencies,

It is an honor to welcome you all to this annual session of the United Nations Peacebuilding Commission. We come together to share experiences and reflections and to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the UN Peacebuilding Architecture.

Two decades ago, the international community recognized a critical gap in our efforts to prevent the recurrence of conflict and sustain peace. In response, the Peacebuilding Commission, the Peacebuilding Fund, and the Peacebuilding Support Office were established. Together, they have become pillars of a more integrated, inclusive, and forward-looking approach to peacebuilding.

This anniversary is more than a symbolic milestone—it is an opportunity to celebrate progress and reflect on lessons learned. And it is also an opportunity to renew our shared commitment to the principles that underpin sustainable peace: national ownership, inclusive governance, long-term partnerships, and a focus on prevention.
Over the past twenty years, the Peacebuilding Commission (PBC) has supported more than 30 countries and regions in their national peacebuilding needs and priorities. It has helped advance national peacebuilding strategies and enhance donor coordination. It has promoted the participation of women and youth in peace processes and amplified the voices of civil society.

The Peacebuilding Fund has supported innovative and context-specific initiatives in over 60 countries, often acting as the first to invest when others hesitate. And the Peacebuilding Support Office has helped align our collective efforts. We thank ASG Elizabeth Spehar and her team for their dedication and strategic guidance.
As Chair of the Commission this year, Germany is proud to carry forward the legacy of our predecessors. In that spirit, I want to acknowledge the outstanding leadership of Brazil, who chaired the Commission last year with vision and purpose. Brazil’s engagement and future-oriented approach prepared the ground for this year’s conversation on the future of peacebuilding in the context of the Peacebuilding Architecture Review.

We are especially honored to be joined today by the Foreign Ministers of two countries particularly dedicated to peacebuilding and sustaining peace.

The Gambia stands as a powerful example of political will and civic participation. Since its democratic transition in 2017, the country has made remarkable progress on transitional justice, inclusive governance, and security sector reform. With the active support of the PBC and the Peacebuilding Fund, and through strong leadership at home, The Gambia has embraced an ambitious agenda that places women and youth at the heart of peacebuilding. Its achievements in fostering participation and dialogue serve as a symbol of hope for countries in transition.

Timor-Leste, a long-standing partner of the PBC, has demonstrated how peacebuilding is not only about receiving support—but also sharing experience. Through South-South and Triangular Cooperation, Timor-Leste has become a source of inspiration for others, offering its hard-earned lessons in resilience, institution-building, and reconciliation. The country’s consistent engagement with the PBC and the Peacebuilding Fund demonstrate the value of long-term engagement and mutual learning.

Let me also take this opportunity to recognize the crucial role of civil society, especially young people, in shaping peaceful and just societies. Their engagement must be welcomed and should be institutionalized, resourced, and protected. In that context, I am particularly pleased to welcome Ndegen Jobe (Aussprache: “Endeggen Dschobe”), who is joining us from The Gambia. The dynamism, creativity, and courage of young people like you are essential to breaking cycles of violence and building resilient peace.

As we look ahead, we must also place our efforts within a rapidly evolving global landscape. The pressures of political polarization, economic uncertainty, climate shocks, and geopolitical tension are testing the resilience of peace everywhere. At the same time, we are in the midst of a broader discussion on the future of the UN. The ongoing Peacebuilding Architecture Review, led by Egypt and Slovenia, has the big task of ensuring that the Peacebuilding Architecture can cope with these complex challenges.

We believe this is the moment to deepen the integration of peacebuilding and peacekeeping. The Peacekeeping Ministerial hosted in Berlin last month emphasized this very point: operational success in peacekeeping missions must be linked to sustainable, nationally led peacebuilding strategies. At the same time, conflict prevention must be at the core of our peacebuilding efforts. The Pact for the Future has underlined the importance of prevention as a cross-cutting priority in the UN’s work. The PBC is uniquely positioned to operationalize this renewed commitment to prevention. It can convene diverse actors across the UN system and beyond. And it can serve as a platform to promote coherence and elevate national conflict prevention strategies.

Excellencies, colleagues,

Let us remind ourselves today of the basic principles of peacebuilding: that peace is more than the absence of conflict and that it is built through understanding, not through force. The Peacebuilding Commission was established to help fill a structural gap in the UN system by supporting integrated, sustained and nationally owned peacebuilding efforts. This function remains essential two decades later. Let us sustain and increase our political, financial, and strategic commitment to peacebuilding so that, together, we can support countries not only in ending conflict, but in building and sustaining lasting peace.

I thank you.