General Women, Peace and Security

The situation of civilians in armed conflicts around the world remains alarming. Civilians continue to account for the majority of casualties in conflicts and are often the deliberate targets of different forms of violence by all parties to conflict. Special attention should be paid to the most vulnerable groups, in particular women and children.

The economic policies of the Government have borne fruit. Despite the fact that the 27 years of conflict cost the country $200 billion in lost opportunities, the per capita income doubled between 2005 and 2010 as Sri Lanka became a middle income country. Ninety-seven per cent of our children attend primary schools. Maternal mortality and child mortality have dropped to an all-time low level.

The adoption of any type of security approach to a conflict must be preceded by a thorough analysis of its root causes. In that way, efforts can be made in close coordination with all stakeholders, including women, to enable a country to emerge from crisis and foster its development. In that context, we must not fail to include the management of a country's natural resources or issues related to land rights.

Development is a key component in conflict prevention, post-conflict recovery and peacebuilding. Peace cannot be sustained without job creation, equitable ownership of assets, empowerment of women and adequate allocation of resources.

On behalf of the Government of Gabon, I am therefore delighted to note that the topic chosen here, the interdependence between security and development in the maintenance of international peace and security, is in line with the policy advocated by President Ali Bongo Ondimba, who also attaches particular importance to issues regarding the improvement of the status of women, widows, orphans and people with disabilities, the fight against pandem

The long experience of the United Nations in the prevention and resolution of conflicts shows us that the issue of development — or, rather, the lack thereof — is at the source of many of the conflicts that have been on the agenda of the Security Council. Security imposed by peacekeeping operations carries no guarantee that security will be sustained or that conflict will not eventually re-emerge.

More nimble and agile systems are also required, including stronger partnerships that can provide the most appropriate civilian capacity, particularly from developing countries and among women. Access to reliable, early and flexible funding will also advance this goal.

The importance of national ownership in post- conflict peacebuilding is well known to all of us. The partnership between the State and the international partners must be based on a shared strategic understanding of the objectives and the way forward, with clear common goals, permanent and effective dialogue and interaction with the people of the country — the authorities, opposition parties and civil society as a whole.

In implementing the strategy, it is imperative to establish mechanisms for inclusion to ensure the maximum involvement of society and the public and private sectors. Such an approach will mend the social and political fabric as a framework for the rule of law and will lay the foundation for the country's reconstruction.

Secondly, institution-building in a post-conflict situation can be greatly facilitated by a targeted focus on the development aspect of peacebuilding. Priority areas could include the employment of youth and women, engaging the private sector, building local entrepreneurship, revitalizing the economy and developing service-based infrastructure.