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NEW YORK, Dec 22: Bangladesh, being among the first five nations, as the largest contributors to the UN peacekeeping force, will be a member of the newly created 31-member Peacebuilding Commission.
The Commission will help war-torn countries stabilise and rebuild their societies. It will be made up of 31 members, seven of them -- including five veto-wielding permanent -- members of the Security Council, seven from Economic and Social Council, five top most contributors to the UN fund, five from nations contributing most to peace-keeping force and seven from regional groupings to sustain geographical balance.
Creation of the peacekeeping commission is a major part of a reform package that was discussed during the special session of the UN in September this year. Jan Eliasson of Sweden who is the president of the UN general assembly underscored the importance of the Peace-building Commission for preventing war-torn countries from reverting to strife and further aggravate the condition. There have been several cases during the past 20 years when many countries having settled for peace have again been engaged in fighting.
The Peacebuilding Commission will support international effort in countries where peacekeeping missions are completing their task of restoring order and normalcy. The UN Secretary General Kofi Anan whose tenure ends next year said that several UN bodies are already engaged in peacebuilding mission in war-torn countries but there was not one agency to coordinate the work. Too often, a fragile peace has been allowed to crumble into renewed conflict, Kofi Anan said. The World Bank, IMF and other multilateral financial institutions will lend their support to the newly-created UN body to oversee peace.
The creation of the new UN body was approved by consensus but the overwhelming majority of the 191 members said general assembly -- and not the security council -- should play the pivotal role. Egyptian Ambassador feared that the new UN body will be a hostage to security council. Primordial task of the Peacebuilding Commission will be to advice the security council but would also submit a report to the general assembly for debate.
The United States has supported the creation of the Peacebuilding Commission but expressed concern over delay in taking up far more important reforms like ensuring transparency in its spending and the creation of a Human Rights Council abolishing the commission. The US ambassador wants these reforms to be finalised before the biennial UN budget is approved this month.
The US will hold back its contributions unless the reform package is taken for consideration. The US Secretary of State Condi Rice has called upon UN to bring about lasting revolution of reforms. Other nations are insisting on expeditious reforms but do not support the US stand on passing an interim budget pending changes in the UN.
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