INTERACTIVE DIALOGUE WITH THE FOURTH COMMITTEE OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY ON OVERALL POLICY MATTERS PERTAINING TO SPECIAL POLITICAL MISSIONS
STATEMENT DELIVERED BY PATRICK BATES, POLICY SUPPORT OFFICER, AUSTRALIAN MISSION TO THE UNITED NATIONS
4 June 2025
Thank you to the Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs and the Under-Secretary-General for Operational Support for your respective briefings.
Australia values the important work of Special Political Missions or SPMs, as one of the UN’s key tools for the maintenance of international peace and security.
SPMs engage in crucial conflict prevention, peacemaking, and post-conflict peacebuilding around the world.
And as we face a world with the highest levels of conflict since the Second World War, this objective is more critical than ever.
This is why Australia is providing voluntary contributions of AUD5.1 million to UN DPPA’s 2024-27 multi-year appeal .
Australia is stepping up our contribution to multilateral peacebuilding.
We commenced a two-year term on the UN Peacebuilding Commission (PBC) in January 2025, nearly tripled our contribution to the UN Peacebuilding Fund, and are progressing a project to develop evidence-based policy guidance for National Prevention Strategies as a practical tool for all members states to voluntarily use.
Australia is also actively engaging in the 2025 Peacebuilding Architecture Review (PBAR).
We will work with all Member States to strengthen collaboration and coordination between Special Political Missions and the UN’s peacebuilding architecture.
We see the upcoming Secretary General’s Review on all forms of peace operations as an opportunity to drive reform in both peacekeeping and special political missions.
Thank you.