Ex-PS Macharia Kamau named chair of UN Peacebuilding Fund advisory group » Capital News
NAIROBI, Kenya Nov 27 – Former Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary Macharia Kamau has been named chair of the United Nations Peacebuilding Fund Advisory Group to oversee 50 million dollars annual allocation.
The fund was appointed by Secretary General António Guterres and will serve for a term of two years.
“In accordance with the Terms of Reference of the United Nations Peacebuilding Fund, the Secretary-General appoints eminent individuals for a term of two years, taking into consideration gender and regional balance. Candidates are nominated by Member States,” a statement from the UN stated.
The Peacebuilding Fund is designed to support programming that needs to be started quickly and flexibly where requested.
Backing Macharia will be Jonas Alberoth who is the Principal Senior Adviser, Folke Bernadotte Academy, Sweden, Richard Atwood, Executive Vice President, International Crisis Group, United Kingdom and Yoka Brandt, Former Ambassador, Kingdom of the Netherlands.
The appointment comes at a critical time when recently, world leaders acknowledged the enduring nature of violent conflict worldwide, the great pain endured by fellow humans, and the grave threats we confront as a species hence agreeing on Pact for the Future.
The Pact recognizes that the Peacebuilding Fund and the wider United Nations peacebuilding architecture have important roles to play.
Others appointed were Cheng Jingye who is the Former Ambassador, President of Arms Control and Disarmament Association, China, Kjersti Dale who is a Senior Advisor Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation, Norway and Mohamed Edrees, Former Ambassador, Egypt.
Nathalie Kohli Ambassador of Switzerland in the Republic of Cameroon, the Central African Republic, and the Republic of Equatorial Guinea, Paik Ji-ah who is a Former Ambassador, Professor Emeritus, Korean National Diplomatic Academy (incumbent) and Non-Executive Director, Korea Technology Finance Corporation (incumbent), Republic of Korea.
Appointed also was Baso Sangqu who is a Former Ambassador, Senior Vice President at AngloGold Ashanti, South Africa, Glenda Tager Rosado, Private Secretary of The Presidency of the Guatemalan Republic, Almut Wieland-Karimi, Senior Policy Advisor Stiftung Mercator GmbH, Germany.
The Advisory Group will provide valuable guidance to the Fund’s strategy and direction.
The Fund is the Organization’s financial instrument of first resort to sustain peace in countries or situations at risk or affected by violent conflict.
The Group has been expanded to twelve members, to allow for greater inclusion.
“This is all the more important given the Advisory Group’s role in providing recommendations and guidance for the use of the assessed contribution of $50 million annually to the Peacebuilding Fund, agreed in resolution 78/257 and starting in 2025,” said the United Nations.
The Peacebuilding Fund has allocated nearly $2 billion to 71 recipient countries and territories from 2006 to 2023
Last year, the Peacebuilding Fund approved support amounting to $202 million in 36 countries and territories.
Ambassador Kamau is a Commissioner at the International Science Council, ISC, based in Paris, France.
Prior to appointment as chair, he was a Board Member of the United Nations Secretary General’s Peace Building Fund in New York and the Equity Group Foundation in Nairobi.
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