[Title] Statement by Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan, Fumio Kishida On the Occasion of the Pledging Conference of the PBF

Mr. Chairman, Minsters and distinguished delegates,

Japan highly appreciates the co-hosting Member States of this Pledging Conference and the Peacebuilding Support Office of the UN for taking the initiative to address the financial challenges that the UN Peacebuilding Fund (PBF) faces.

Countries which are arising from the aftermath of conflicts are severely hurt. When these countries take their first steps towards a new future by embarking on peacebuilding efforts, such as rebuilding their societies and human resources, it is essential for the international community to respect the ownership of these countries and to extend seamless assistance. There are many success stories in peacebuilding in countries in Asia and Africa. In post-conflict societies, there is a wide range of challenges such as reconciliation and reintegration, institution building and human resource development. We cannot overemphasize the important role played by the PBF, which supports the efforts made by each country struggling to overcome these challenges.

Based on such a thinking, Japan has contributed 46 million dollars to the PBF since its establishment in 2006.

As I stated in my statement at the Open Debate of the Security Council in July, Japan's priority areas in peacebuilding in Africa are: (a) supporting institution building while respecting the diversity, characteristics and traditional institutions of Africa; (b) supporting capacity building for the people who actually run the institutions; (c) building trust; and (d) using innovation in peacebuilding.

Among these areas, I would like to emphasize the importance of using innovative approaches such as coordination between industry, government, and academia. The PBF may be able to stabilize its funding sources, should we seek the possibility to draw resources from diverse sectors.

In this regard, Japan also reiterates the importance of publicizing the peacebuilding activities carried out in diverse countries funded by the PBF, in order to gain support for the PBF not only from donor countries but also from other private and public institutions. Success stories may help increase contributions.

Mr. Chairman,

For Japan and the Japanese people, the word peace or peacebuilding is close to our heart. While maintaining its fundamental position as a peaceful nation, Japan has enabled itself to contribute further in the field of security, including peacekeeping, by the enaction of "Legislation for Peace and Security" in order to materialize the idea of "proactive security" in a concrete manner.

I reiterate that our commitment to peacebuilding will not change. In order to renew our commitment, Japan will contribute about 10 million dollars in the coming years to the PBF. In closing, I also encourage other countries to engage in UN peacebuilding activities.

I thank you, Mr. Chairman.