What's In Blue

Posted Tue 22 Mar 2011

Insights on the Peacebuilding Commission

The Council will hold a debate tomorrow (Wednesday, 23 March) on the fourth annual report of the Peacebuilding Commission (PBC). The outgoing Chair of the PBC, Permanent Representative of Germany Peter Wittig, will present the report. The 2011 Chair, Permanent Representative of Rwanda Eugene-Richard Gasana, is also expected to address the Council. Security Council resolution 1648 and General Assembly resolution 60/180 mandates the PBC to report annually to both bodies and for each to hold a debate on the report. Following the usual practice, the Council and General Assembly hold their debates around the same time. (The General Assembly debate was held yesterday, Monday, 21 March.)

Eleven out of 15 members of the Council serve on both the Security Council and the PBC Organisational Committee. Nevertheless it is unlikely that the Council meeting will hear any innovative suggestions on how to further develop the relationship between the Council and the PBC (an outcome from the 2010 Review of the PBC which has not yet been addressed by the Security Council). In recent months Council members have shown a greater willingness to engage with the chairs of the country-specific configurations but there is still reluctance to strengthen the institutional links and ongoing ambivalence about the PBC having a genuine advisory role.

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