IDPS High Level Ministerial Luncheon
HE Minister Francis Kaikai, Minister of Planning and Economic Development and chair of g7+
Tuesday 20th September 2022, Time: 12:00 – 1:30 Venue: UNDP Building
Excellencies, colleague co-chair, the UNDP Administrator, distinguished representatives of the various Permanent Missions to United Nations, colleague Ministers, members of the IDPS constituencies, ladies and gentlemen, let me begin by warmly welcoming you all – those in the room and other joining us virtually – for being here this afternoon, despite the very busy schedules during this high-level week of UNGA and different time zones for the online participants. As its co-chair, I am pleased that the International Dialogue on Peacebuilding and Statebuilding (the IDPS) is convening at such level; this reflects our commitment to reinvigorate our collective efforts to address raise and pursue peace. Many thanks to the IDPS Secretariat for organising such a high-level event.
I register our appreciation to the OECD for hosting the IDPS Secretariat for over ten years. We are equally very pleased that the UNDP Bureau of Crisis has taken up hosting the Secretariat of the IDPS. This will present even more avenues to elevate the profile of the IDPS, especially in the discourse on the UN Peace Agenda.
Excellencies, distinguished participants, it is pleasing to note that three constituencies of the IDPS have worked together and identified Check if it is 3 as you have listed more for work of the IDPS Vision 2022-2024. These include: 1 conflict prevention, development, and future of peace building; 2. operationalising state building, women, peace, and security (WPS); 3. humanitarian development and peace nexus (HDPN) Sustaining peace agenda; and resourcing for peace. These 3 areas are very critical for addressing fragility in g7+ countries as well as other countries in fragile situations. The Vision will be finalised and launched publicly on Wednesday 21st September 2022.
The OECD States of Fragility 2022 report launched yesterday, concludes that 1.9billion or 24% of the world’s live in fragile situations in 2022. 11 of 15 extremely fragile countries identified are members of g7+. The report further highlights that over 3 quarters of the world’s poorest will live in conflict affected countries.
This is a wakeup call for us. We cannot be complacent with this. This report and many others inform that the international engagement in conflict affected countries has been fragmented. There exists division among peacebuilding, development, and humanitarian actions. This division featured by ad hoc projects has undermined the effectiveness of the international cooperation.
The international dialogue on peacebuilding and statebuilding is a unique platform to address the divide and enhance the effectiveness of international engagement. The New Deal for engagement in fragile states which resulted for the very same forum is the most relevant framework to guide our work to that end. However, we are yet to realize its potential and give the New Deal principles the chance to take roots. It requires political will which we need to mobilize on this forum. This is my vision for the `IDPS. This is the vision for the g7+ countries that I chair.
Therefore, it is our hope that this Ministerial Luncheon provide stir the moment and redirect our collective efforts to achieve our vision.
Discussions here today should provide us a new impetus for addressing fragility and provide overall policy guidance for the successful implementation of the New Deal and the vision we are launching. We should not be under any illusion that we have an easy task at hand but with renewed partnership and commitment from members’ states as well as the goodwill of our partners, we shall surmount the hurdles along the way.
Let me conclude by appreciating my colleague co-chair, Minister Sajjan, Minister of International Development of Canada for facilitating the smooth relocation of the Secretariat from Paris to New York and for providing the resources that has kept the work of the IDPS going including the convening of this high-level event on the margins of UNGA 77.
Thank you all and a very warm welcome once again!