New York: At a United Nations General Assembly Debate on Peacebuilding and Sustaining Peace, Pakistan’s Permanent Representative, Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, emphasized that peacekeeping efforts must be accompanied by peacebuilding to achieve lasting peace. He argued that the transition from peacekeeping to peacebuilding, and eventually to development led by national authorities, demands ongoing political dedication, sufficient resources, and coordinated international support.
According to Radio Pakistan, Ambassador Asim highlighted that it has been two decades since the establishment of the Peacebuilding Commission, which was created to assist nations in transitioning from conflict by reinforcing peace and preventing a return to violence. He noted a decline in the amount of peace available to maintain and construct, along with increasing competition for dwindling resources. As a result, he called for a thorough and comprehensive evaluation of the current situation to fulfill the commitment to peacebuilding.