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UN:
SIERRA LEONE HAS MADE GREAT STRIDES, UN PEACEBUILDING OFFICIAL SAYS:
17/10/2007 (MaximsNews Network)
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UNITED NATIONS - / MaximsNews Network /
- 17 October 2007 –
A senior United Nations peacebuilding official
yesterday wrapped up a week-long visit to Sierra Leone by praising the
tremendous recent efforts made by the West African nation in consolidating
stability but cautioning that much work remains to be done.
Dutch
Ambassador Frank Majoor – who chairs the Peacebuilding Commission’s Sierra
Leone meetings on that country – met with Government officials to witness
first-hand the situation on the ground following last month’s elections.
During
his trip, which began on 9 October and ended two days ago, he held discussions
with President Ernest Bai Koroma, Vice President Sam Sumana, Parliament members,
UN representatives, diplomats and other officials, and civil society
representatives.
In his
meetings, he advanced discussion on the development of the Peacebuilding
Commission Cooperation Framework, an agreed plan of commitments and priorities
on such issues as good governance, justice, security sector reform and youth
employment.
Mr.
Majoor also stressed that the Commission (PBC) – established in December 2005
to help countries recovering from war avoid a relapse into violence and chaos
– will assist in tackling reform in key areas such as the justice sector,
governance, human rights, the security sector, youth employment, civil service
and capacity building.
The
body, he stressed, can also help in promoting such major challenges to
sustainable peace, including gender empowerment, health, education, energy,
water and sanitation and infrastructure in Sierra Leone, which was torn apart by
a brutal 10-year civil war.
“In
all these the PBC can play a critical role to assist the new Government,” the
Ambassador noted.
Characterizing
the recent presidential and parliamentary elections as a “turning point,” he
commended the country’s police and military for their role in providing
security and said they must be bolstered to continue performing their duties.
The
Commission brings together key actors, including international donors,
international financial institutions, national governments from focus countries,
troop contributor countries, UN bodies and civil society representatives, to
promote a common approach to helping a country emerge from conflict.
Sierra
Leone was selected as one of the first two countries on the agenda of the
Commission, and it has begun received money already from the related
Peacebuildng Fund, a multi-year standing trust fund that has an initial funding
target of $250 million and so far has collected deposits worth almost $144
million from donor countries. The other country selected by the Commission was
Burundi.
Labels: United
Nations, U.N.,
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