Egypt’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Sameh Shoukry participated, on Wednesday, in a high-level conference to mobilise financing for the UN’s Peacebuilding Fund (PBF).
Shoukry affirmed Egypt’s commitment to support efforts aimed at achieving adequate, sustainable, and predictable financing for peacebuilding activities.
The Egyptian Minister’s participation in the online event came as part of Egypt’s interest in the fund’s role as one of the pillars of the UN’s peacebuilding structure.
Ahmed Hafez, Spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said that Shoukry welcomed the efforts of the UN Secretary-General, Antonio Gutteres, to mobilise political and financial support for the PBF.
During his speech, the minister referred to Egypt’s support for the recommendations outlined by the Secretary-General’s strategy for the PBF for the period between 2020 and 2024. These include a vision of how to optimally employ the fund’s activities and its resources in the coming years.
These recommendations are particularly related to the political, economic, and social repercussions resulting from the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, which constitute a major challenge to international peace and security. The global health crisis has had a profound impact on exacerbating conflict-causing conditions and weakening state institutions.
Hafez added that Shoukry also touched on the fund’s need to consider a reliance on innovative financial sources, as a means of avoiding a reliance on voluntary financial contributions alone. This would work in addition to the importance of continuing to introduce and implement initiatives aimed at improving the level of cooperation with donors for peacebuilding activities.
