The UN Peacebuilding Fund, a multi-donor trust fund, serves as the organization’s primary instrument to support countries emerging from or at risk of violent conflict. Operating alongside the Peacebuilding Commission and the Peacebuilding Support Office, the Fund provides critical resources to strengthen peacebuilding efforts worldwide. The announcement of the Fund reaching the $1 billion milestone coincided with the Security Council and General Assembly passing resolutions aimed at enhancing the UN’s peacebuilding architecture, offering a framework to increase its effectiveness.
Speaking at a press briefing in New York, Peacebuilding Support chief Elizabeth Spehar and Macharia Kamau, Chair of the Fund’s Advisory Group, described the milestone as a response to the Secretary-General’s call for a “quantum leap” in peacebuilding financing. Despite this achievement, the Fund still faces a $500 million shortfall toward its $1.5 billion target for the 2020–2026 period, which limits its capacity to meet growing demand from Member States. Currently, the Fund supports over 50 countries, with about three-quarters located in Africa.
The funding announcement followed the unanimous adoption of a Security Council resolution and a corresponding vote in the General Assembly, marking a coordinated effort to strengthen the UN’s peacebuilding framework, which was first established in 2005. The resolution emphasizes the importance of integrating development, human rights, and peace and security efforts to achieve sustainable results. Spehar highlighted the significance of the timing, noting that the concurrent resolutions and funding milestone underscore the global commitment to advancing peacebuilding initiatives.
