Dear colleagues,
I am delighted to participate for the first time in a meeting of this Group of Friends. I appreciate the efforts by Sweden and the UK to organize this discussion. Let me express special thanks to Assistant Secretary General Elizabeth Spehar, Special Representative James Swan and Chief of PBSO Brian Williams for providing comprehensive overview, which enriches our deliberations today.
Latvia joined the Peacebuilding Fund last year in order to make a practical contribution to UN peacebuilding efforts. For this reason, we are glad to see that the PBF continues setting records when it comes to implementation of its Strategic plan.
It is impressive that the fund has been able to assist 32 countries in various regions in 2021. We believe that regional diversity is one of the key elements, which enables the Fund to make difference globally from South Sudan to Colombia and from Kirgizstan to Papua New Guinea.
Equally, we are glad to see that PBF has been consistently focusing on such important priorities as gender equality, women and youth empowerment, as well as democratic governance and rule of law, which are important elements to bolster resilience.
There is no doubt that continuation of the success of the PBF depends upon our ability to establish more sustainable financing model. In this regard, we are looking forward to the high-level meeting in April. We are committed to working together with you all to prepare the ground for a successful and result oriented meeting, which would address the current financing gaps of peacebuilding.