High-level mission visits Papua New Guinea and Bougainville

Buka - The visit from the 26 to 31 August is part of the Fund’s continued efforts to highlight results from its cooperation with the Government of Papua New Guinea and the Autonomous Bougainville Government in preparation for a free, fair and violence-free referendum for the political status of Bougainville.

Delegates from Australia, Belgium, Germany, Japan, New Zealand and Norway will meet with representatives from the two Governments over their five days in the country.

The mission will provide an opportunity for the participating donors to better understand the peacebuilding issues that the Fund is attempting to tackle, as well as discuss results and challenges faced in working throughout Papua New Guinea and Bougainville.

Since mid-2015, the Peacebuilding Fund has been supporting: political dialogue between the two Governments and Parliaments, various initiatives to improve and further awareness of the referendum and the Bougainville Peace Agreement; improved access to trauma healing services and efforts to reduce community violence; Bougainville factional unification; and increased role for women and youth in peacebuilding.

A new phase of support in Bougainville was approved by the Fund in May of this year. This new phase will reinforce the previous initiatives of the Fund whilst also supporting a joint and community focused process for weapons disposal.

Noting that the visit will provide a great opportunity to highlight the work being done to sustain peace across Bougainville and throughout the country, the UN Resident Coordinator for Papua New Guinea, Mr. Gianluca Rampolla said “The world is watching our work here and we hope that this mission can serve to further raise the understanding of and international support for peace building in Bougainville.”

The UN Secretary-General’s Peacebuilding Fund is the UN’s financial instrument of first resort to sustain peace in countries or situations at risk or affected by violent conflict. The PBF has allocated US$772 million from 2006-2017 to 41 recipient countries, with US$15 million approved thus far to Papua New Guinea with a focus on Bougainville.