MEDIA & SOCIETY Supporting Sierra Leone’s Peace Building Effort- Six United Nations Ambassadors Due in March Posted by Michael Massaquoi in Freetown on Mar 5, 2010, 06:33

President Dr Ernest Koroma’s government will play host to a high level United Nations Peacebuilding delegation from March 8-12. The delegation comprises of six UN Ambassadors of various nationalities headed by Ambassador John McNee, Chair, Sierra Leone Configuration.

The Canadian born Ambassador John McNee and his colleagues will discuss with the government and other stakeholders ongoing engagement of the Peacebuilding commission and assess progress on peace consolidation.  They will also discuss the Peacebuilding Commission’s future contribution in the key priority areas identified in the outcome document of the June 2009 Special Session, namely; Youth Employment and Empowerment; Drug Trafficking and Trans-national Crime, and Good Governance and the Rule of Law.

Discussion will also focus on the regular review of peacebuilding progress in Sierra Leone, in alignment with the Agenda for Change and in the light of the outcome of the June Special Session and the November 2009 Consultative Group Meting in London. The team will assess the state of the existing commitments by developing partners, and to discuss ways and means of mobilising timely and additional technical and financial support for the Agenda for Change and the UN Joint Vision.

Among the key messages the delegation will bring is to emphasize the Peacebuilding Commission’s continuing commitment to peace consolidation in the country. The delegation will welcome the considerable progress the country has made since the end of the conflict in 2001 and the period of relative calm since March 2009.

Ambassador McNee and his colleagues will reiterate the Peacbuilding Commissions support for the Agenda for Change as Sierra Leone’s national strategy for peace consolidation and economic growth, and the UN Joint Vision as an innovative and effective approach to integrated peacebuilding.

The delegation will urge all political parties to follow up on the commitments expressed in the Joint Communiqué by working together in a cooperative manner to foster open, inclusive inter-party dialogue and minimise the risk of political instability.

The team will want to see a closer coordination between the Government and the international community in a spirit of mutual accountability, particularly in light of the new aid policy and commitments made during the Consultative Group meeting in November last year.

In their message Ambassador John McNee and his colleagues will underline the importance of adequate resourcing for peacebuilding efforts, note the utility of the UN Multi-Donor Trust Fund as a funding mechanism, and reiterate the Peacebuilding Commission’s commitment to marshalling resources. The UN delegation will call on development partners to honour existing commitments and to scale up assistance to support the urgent and much needed peacebuilding initiatives of the Government.

The UN team will reiterate that the Government continue to recognise the important contribution of civil society, including that of a responsible press as partners in peacebuilding and indicate the Peacebuilding Commission for closer interaction.

There will emphasise on the importance of strengthening sub-regional cooperation, particularly through the Mano River Union and respect to regional stability. The team will reiterate the Peacebuilding Commission’s commitment to gender equality and human rights as key elements of successful peacebuilding. They will also highlight the importance of undertaking regular reviews of peacebuilding progress in Sierra Leone, in alignment with structures and objectives outlined in the Agenda for Change.

The team is particularly keen to emphasise the need to address youth employment and empowerment in a speedy manner and in this respect will urge the Government to ensure the National Youth Commission is fully functional and to review the National Youth Strategy as soon as possible. The team will underline the importance of adequate funding for youth employment and empowerment efforts. They will emphasise the importance of incorporating youth into national politics in a manner that empowers them and reduces the risk of instability.

On drug trafficking and trans-national crime, Ambassador McNee and his colleagues will welcome Sierra Leone’s integrated approach to combating trans-national crime, the implementation of the West Africa Coast Initiative, and the recent Ministerial level conference held in Freetown. The UN team will lay out the Peacebuilding Commission’s support for regional approaches to drug trafficking and organised crime and will seek to identify future contributions in this respect. The team will urge all relevant stakeholders to guard against the socio-economic risks posed by domestic drug production and consumption.

Under Good Governance, the UN delegation will welcome President Koroma’s strong stance on corruption within the government, the committed work of the Anti-Corruption Commission, and Sierra Leone’s recent rise in the Transparency International Index. The team will harmer home similar message that corruption is a major obstacle to economic development and requires concerted action from all segments of society.

The delegation will welcome the establishment of the Sierra Leone Broadcasting Corporation and the appointment of Septimus Kaikai as its head as important steps towards fostering open and inclusive political dialogue. They will stress the importance of the Sierra Leone Police as a neutral and professional service central to the maintenance of peace and prosperity in Sierra Leone. Ambassador McNee will further stress the need for a strong, positive relationship with the Sierra Leone military based on a mutual understanding of respective responsibilities, and adequate police training and equipment to ensure rapid and effective response to public disturbances and other crises.

The team will emphasise the need to follow up on the recommendations of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission through the speedy development of an Action Plan and TRC Follow-Up Committee, especially with respect to justice sector reform and the constitutional review process. They will stress the need to continue the process of decentralization, through revision of Local Government Act and adoption of a Chiefdom reform policy, in order to strengthen delivery of basic services and bring inclusive, transparent government directly to all Sierra Leoneans. They will further emphasise the importance of a calm, inclusive political environment and early preparation ahead of the 2012 elections.

The delegation, on arrival will make a courtesy call to the Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Minister, Mrs Zainab Bangura before meeting President Koroma at State House. They will have audience with opposition political parties, members of the civil society, respective MDAs and the Press before leaving for Kenema to formally open the newly built UN office.