By Bida Elly David
The United Nations Peace Building Commission (PBC) delegation is on a visit to South Sudan to demonstrate their engagement towards fostering peace initiatives aimed at restoring and establishing everlasting stability in the Country.
The Peace Building Commission (PBC) is an intergovernmental advisory body that supports peace efforts in conflict-affected countries and is a key addition to the capacity of the International Community in the broad peace agenda. The PBC is composed of Member States, elected from the General Assembly, the Security Council, and the Economic and Social Council.
The Peacebuilding Fund (PBF) is a key partner of the PBC, and provides financial and technical support for the implementation of the peace agreement, access to justice, youth and women empowerment, land, property and housing and climate action.
In a press statement extended to No.1 Citizen Daily Newspaper, the United Nations peacebuilding Commission (PBC) has demonstrated their readiness to collaborate with South Sudan towards building permanent peace in the Country.
The delegation was headed by Amb. Muhammad Abdul Muhith the chair of the PBC at the same time a permanent Representative of Bangladesh accompanied by his deputies H.E Joan Cedano and H.E Osama Abdelkhalek who are also diplomats on peace keeping initiatives.
“The Chairperson of the United Nations Peacebuilding Commission (PBC) is leading a delegation to South Sudan, marking the peace building commission’s (PBC) new engagement and the beginning of sustained collaboration on peace building.
The statement stated that the diplomats will have a three day meeting with South Sudan high government officials to deliberate on issues concerning the Country’s status in regards to the on-going peace and how they would jointly foster the progress to a progressive level.
“The three-day visit (6-9 December,) is a follow-up of the PBC stakeholders meeting on South Sudan on 26th October 2022. During the visit, the PBC delegation will meet with senior government officials, members of the diplomatic corps, UN Agencies, and civil society organizations,” it stated.
Ambassador Muhammad Abdul Muhith (Permanent Representative of Bangladesh), Chair of the PBC will be joined by the two Vice-Chairs of the PBC, H.E Joan Cedano (Deputy Permanent Representative of Dominican Republic) and H.E Osama Abdelkhalek (Permanent Representative of Egypt) and Peace building Support Office (PBSO) Assistant Secretary General Ms. Elizabeth Spehar.
Furthermore, the statement also indicated that the PBC will also undertake a courtesy visit to Wau of Western Bahr el Ghazal aimed at witnessing some peace initiatives there.
Their visit will also pave ways to render more support inform of capacity building for the purpose of strengthening local institutions and the community at large in Wau.
“The three-day visit (6-9 December,) is a follow-up to the PBC stakeholder meeting on South Sudan on 26 October 2022. During the visit, the PBC delegation will meet with senior government officials, members of the diplomatic corps, UN Agencies, and civil society organizations” the statement noted.
“The PBC will also visit Peacebuilding Fund (PBF) funded project in Wau in Western Bahr el Ghazal State. In the aftermath of the extension of the transitional period, the visit presents an opportunity to discuss support on strengthening national and local institutions, developing capacities to deliver basic services, public financial management, constitutional review and electoral process,” it added.