Ireland offers major support to UN Peace Building Fund

The Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Dermot Ahern TD, today underscored Ireland's determination to play a significant role in peace building and conflict resolution, as the United Nations Peace Building Fund is formally launched in New York.

The Minister said:  “Ireland has already contributed €10 million to the Fund, designed to help countries recover from armed conflict. Indeed, we are one of the largest contributors.”

“It's clear that peace is more than simply the absence of an armed conflict,” said Minister Ahern.

“For peace to be sustainable it needs to be reinforced. Strengthening institutions, the reintegration of ex-combatants into society, and reasonable prospects of social and economic progress are key if true peace is to be achieved.”

Minister of State for Development Cooperation and Human Rights, Conor Lenihan TD, said “This fits in with the Government's determination, as set out in our White Paper on Irish Aid, that Ireland play a distinctive international role in conflict prevention, resolution and peace building.” 

Note for Editors: The UN Peace Building Fund will operate under the auspices of the UN Peace Building Commission - an advisory body, composed of the authorities of the country in question, members of the Security Council, the Economic and Social Council, the UN Secretariat and other relevant agencies, major donors and contributors to the relevant peace-keeping mission. It will aim to ensure a coordinated approach to the rehabilitation of countries emerging from conflict that places them firmly on the road to lasting stability and development.  During its EU Presidency Ireland successfully proposed to its EU partners that the EU support the creation of a political body to mobilise and coordinate resources to keep fragile states from reverting to conflict, or from falling into it in the first place.
The White Paper on Irish Aid was launched by an Taoiseach Bertie Ahern TD on 18 September 2006. It provides a roadmap for the development of Ireland's overseas development cooperation programme as it moves to towards the UN target of spending 0.7% of GNP on official aid. Amongst the White Paper's Key Decisions is the development of a distinctive international role for Ireland in conflict prevention, resolution and peace making.  A  new Conflict Analysis and Resolution Support Unit has been established within the Department of Foreign Affairs.

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12 October 2006
Press Office