Poland is engaged in peace-building - Polish FM at UN
Polish Foreign Minister Jacek Czaputowicz declared at the UN General Assembly session in New York, on Tuesday, that Poland had the political will to become actively engaged in building and sustaining peace.
The Polish official took part in a UN General Assembly high-level meeting devoted to peace-building and sustaining peace. Its participants discussed a report by the UN Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, headlined "Peacebuilding and Sustaining Peace."
Minister Czaputowicz stressed that both conflict prevention and the building of a lasting peace was a difficult task for all members of the international community. He added that internal conflicts, asymmetrical attacks, violation of international humanitarian and human rights laws were the challenges, which place demands on the UN, its members, regional organisations and civic society to become more involved in finding solutions.
According to Minister Czaputowicz, peace-building and sustaining peace had to take into account the UN's three overriding goals, namely, security, development and human rights.
"As internal and international security are connected with each other, effective steps aimed at conflict prevention taken at the international level, also improve security at the national level," he stressed.
The Tuesday meeting was convened by the chairman of the 72nd session of the UN General Assembly, Miroslav Lajcak.
The Polish official stressed that main responsibility for preventive measures fell on member states and underlined the importance of national conflict-prevention strategies, which, in his opinion, could be improved by the strengthening of responsible state institutions, fighting corruption and promoting good government.
Minister Czaputowicz said that the UN's peace efforts have led to the conclusion of many conflicts, and peace, and added that last month's UNMIL peace operation in Liberia and last year's UNOCI mission in the Ivory Coast were good examples of such steps.
Stressing that conflict prevention and the sustenance of peace were in the focus of international efforts, the Polish minister said that the main goal was to properly prepare the UN to ease and liquidate conflicts, solve problems stemming from climate change and ease threats to the prosperity of people and nations. He also declared that Poland firmly supported these efforts.
The official also said that a successful peace process is connected with the observance of human rights. "Only equality, justice and freedom prevent brutal extremism and create conditions for lasting peace," he went on to say.
The minister admitted that the implementation of UN goals required work and funds. Referring Poland's contribution to the UN Peace-building Fund since 2006, the official said that, in 2017, Poland allocated PLN 300,000 (EUR 71,428) to the fund, and declared an identical amount for 2018.
Referring to the Guterres' words that political will to sustain peace was priceless, Minister Czaputowicz said that "Poland fully agrees with this statement."
"I am here today to express political will of my country to be actively engaged in peace-building and supporting the UN peace effort, the Secretary-general and the entire international community," the minister concluded. (PAP)
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