Multistakeholder Pledge: Peacebuilding and Conflict Prevention

Background

In 2023, the world faces a record level of forced displacement, with over 110 million people forced to flee their homes, including over 35 million refugees. In such context, the root causes of forced displacement, including conflict and violence, need to be more proactively addressed. Conflict and violence are the dominant forces behind recent forced displacement and behind protracted refugee situations, also representing critical obstacles to the safe and dignified return and sustainable reintegration of refugees and other forcibly displaced persons. The growing effects of climate change have created additional need for a focus on environmental peacebuilding and preventing the drivers of conflict, as basic resources become scarcer and exacerbate tensions between returnee and host communities. There is growing interest among UN agencies, Member States and wider society to refocus global, regional and national efforts on peacebuilding and conflict prevention action in order to tackle the root causes of forced displacement and unlock solutions. Outcome 4 of the 2023 GRF calls for increased support for conditions in countries of origin for return in safety and dignity, conditions that, in many contexts, cannot be achieved without peace.

Pledge description

UNHCR is supporting stakeholders on three “tracks” to formulate commitments in support of this peacebuilding and conflict prevention multistakeholder pledge:

1. Inter-UN agency (led by the Peacebuilding Support Office through the UN Peacebuilding Contact Group, a global inter-agency coordination platform);
2. Member States (through a group convened by Egypt); and
3. Regional situations (through support platforms or specific refugee situations).

Commitments will likely centre on the following sub-themes:

1. Local governance, including institutional strengthening;
2. Climate and environmental peacebuilding;
3. Conflict prevention through addressing root causes including enhancing the resilience of communities and livelihood opportunities; and
4. Participation and leadership of refugees, and Internally Displaced Persons in peacebuilding processes.

Key stakeholders

• UN DPPA Peacebuilding Support Office (PBSO)
• The Arab Republic of Egypt
• Colombia

Members

• UN Peacebuilding Contact Group (all UN agencies)
• Member States (TBC)
• Regional actors (TBC)

Contact

Agnès Hurwitz, UNHCR - [email protected]; Fern Tilakamonkul - [email protected]

Calendar

• March: Preparatory meetings with the Mission of Egypt to the UN in Geneva
• April: First meeting of the time-bound working group on the GRF under the UN Peacebuilding Contact Group (PCG)
• May: First draft of PCG pledge for peacebuilding
• May: Preparatory meetings with UNHCR Regional Bureaux
• June: First meeting of Member States on peacebuilding pledge for the GRF
• July-September: Continued consultations with stakeholders
• October-December: Drafting and finalisation of pledges