Burkina Faso: Statement During UN Peacebuilding Commission Meeting

Thank you, Madam Chair. Kenya welcomes the PBC's continued engagement and support to Burkina Faso's peacebuilding efforts in coordination with the regional and international partners.

We welcome the opportunity to hear from the national stakeholders on their peacebuilding priorities and areas they have identified as workable entry points and partnership opportunities with the international community to address the multifaceted challenges. I thank all the briefers for further augmenting this from a regional, and UN Country Team perspective.

I especially recognise and welcome the presence of Her Excellency Mrs. Olivia Ragnaghnewendé Rouamba (Minister of Foreign Affairs, Regional Cooperation and Burkinabe Abroad) and His Excellency Mr. Yero Boly, (Minister of State to the President of Faso, in charge of Social Cohesion and National Reconciliation).

My delegation commends all your efforts to establish transition institutions and frameworks to enhance stabilisation and peace for our fellow brothers and sisters in Burkina Faso.

We note that the fight against terrorism; the restoration of the integrity of Burkina Faso's national sovereignty; the strengthening of governance and justice mechanism; the continuation of the national reconciliation process; and the establishment of functional, responsive and resilient institutions to deliver on basic services and the socio-economic needs of the population are important transition benchmarks in the specific context of Burkina Faso.

And in this regard, I will highlight two aspects that we believe will enhance peacebuilding efforts in Burkina Faso.

First, on enhanced cross-border investments: The regions most affected by the security and humanitarian crisis in Burkina Faso exemplify how terrorists capitalise on intercommunal and transhumance dynamics, and porous borders to gain and govern border regions.

The trans-national character of armed groups and terrorists necessitate the enhancement of cross-border investments and partnership with communal peacebuilders with deep ground knowledge.

We commend the ongoing Peacebuilding Fund cross-border projects and call for strengthened efforts to ensure adequate and predictable resources to drive implementation and see these peacebuilding and socio-economic development projects through given the broader implications in the Sahel.

This will enhance not only counter-terrorism efforts, but also social cohesion and national reconciliation.

Second, on the critical role of sub-regional organisations in the sustainability and accompaniment of transitional processes: The critical mediating role played by ECOWAS through former President of Niger, Mahamadou Issoufou is visible and tangible.

Inclusive national dialogue, mediation and reconciliation have and will always be the foundation of building peace and stability.

We urge the Commission to continue supporting and building on these cross-regional efforts including in setting up of infrastructure and capacity for national strategies on national reconciliation processes.

I thank you.