January 27, 2021
By: James Kamara-Manneh
President Dr. Julius Maada Bio has called on UN member states to mobilize support for the Peace building Funds (PBF), and pledged $1 million with an annual commitment of $200,000 over the five-year period of the fundraiser.
He made this statement in an online discussion (UN PBF Conference) at the Presidential Lodge in Freetown on the 26th January, 2021.
The President joined UN Secretary-General Antonio Gutierrez as co-chair of a high-level virtual Replenishment Conference for the Peacebuilding Fund to mobilize critical support for conflict prevention and peace building. An estimated $1.5 billion has been pegged as requirements for the period 2020-24.
“Our nation’s story has been possible partly because of the investments by the Peace building Commission. I therefore call on all UN Member States to both renew their commitment to the UN’s peace building efforts and to mobilize adequate, predictable, and sustainable financing for peace building through a broadened donor base.”
President Bio also thanked the UN and Canada in particular, on behalf of the Government and People of Sierra Leone, for the tremendous impact of the Peacebuilding Fund in consolidating and sustaining peace in the West African nation, through five peaceful democratic elections cycles and transitions.
President Bio recalled: “Since the end of the civil war and especially since 2007, Sierra Leone has benefited immensely from the catalytic impact of the Peace building Fund. The PBF supported and is still supporting a wide range of peace building and governance initiatives in Sierra Leone including institution building for inclusive democratic governance, elections and peaceful democratic transitions, national cohesion, community conflict prevention and resolution, inter-community dialogues, access to justice, protection of human rights, improved security sector coordination, and youth and gender empowerment and inclusion.”
Meanwhile, as the country tries to exit the formal agenda of the Peace Building Commission, the President assured of Sierra Leone’s continued commitment to consolidating and strengthening its democratic and human rights institutions, fostering inclusive and accountable governance, collaborating closely with civil society and communities, promoting access to justice, improving the security and disaster management sectors, making its institutions more accountable and resilient, and implementing strategic activities for inclusive and sustainable development as mapped out in the Medium Term National Development plan.
President Bio concluded: “Sierra Leone will remain engaged with the PBC in implementing the national priorities of human capital development, economic diversification, climate resilience, strengthening national institutions, developing and supporting the Independent Commission on Peace and National Cohesion, and supporting our nation’s COVID-19 response and recovery efforts.”
