Peacebuilding Fund - Institutional Support 2008

Canada made a grant to the United Nations Peacebuilding Fund to support its operations. Funding from CIDA and other donors enables the Fund to meet its established objectives. The UN's Peacebuilding Support Office is responsible for providing general directives for managing and monitoring the operation of the Fund's programs. The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is responsible for the associated administrative work. The Peacebuilding Fund seeks to provide a decisive transitional recovery tool for conflict-affected countries at a time when they may not have any other source of funding. The Fund helps these countries to overcome the first of many obstacles they face on emerging from a crisis. The Fund thus reduces the risk that the conflict may flare up again. The Fund assists countries considered by the UN Peacebuilding Commission currently Burundi and Sierra Leone. The Fund is also for countries designated by the Secretary-General that find themselves in similar situations. Once the peacebuilding process begins the Fund seeks to remedy weaknesses identified in four key sectors: (1) support in implementing peace agreements; (2) support for efforts by the countries involved to build their capacity to coexist and to settle conflicts peacefully; (3) establishment or restoration of basic administrative services as well as human and technical resources; and (4) vital activities to counter imminent threats to peace.