Summary and Main Conclusions

Abstract

The 2006 parliamentary hearing took place at United Nations headquarters in New York on 13 and 14 November and was attended by parliamentarians from some 47 countries and several regional parliaments. Representatives of Permanent Missions to the United Nations, as well as of intergovernmental and civil society organizations, also participated. The hearing comprised four sessions, including three interactive panel discussions which examined various aspects of the overarching theme " Conflict Prevention and Peacebuilding: Reinforcing the Key Role of the United Nations ". Panellists included parliamentarians with direct experience in conflict prevention and peacebuilding, together with United Nations officials and academics. The fourth session was devoted to a discussion of the parliamentary dimension of the United Nations and how to enhance it. President of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), opened the hearing and welcomed the participants. He emphasized that, while there are still many conflicts smouldering in the world and many situations in which peace remain fragile, conflict is not inevitable. With political will and material support, conflict can be defused and countless lives can thus be spared. The international community must provide assistance for peacebuilding and conflict prevention. Doing so, he said, is not only a moral obligation, but also a matter of common sense because conflicts can spread to other countries within a region and beyond. Therefore, no conflict, whether big or small, can be ignored. He noted that the United Nations has made significant strides in recent years in enhancing its ability to help prevent conflicts and build peace, particularly through the establishment of the new Peacebuilding Commission (PBC), the Human Rights Council and the United Nations Democracy Fund. The Organization has also renewed its efforts in the area of development with a view to tackling the poverty and social exclusion that are the root causes of much unrest. But experience has shown that the United Nations cannot act alone. It must have allies who can open new paths to dialogue and understanding and address sources of strife within fractured communities. Parliamentarians and political leaders, who are in direct touch with the people in their respective countries, are ideally placed to play that role. The 2006 parliamentary hearing would afford an opportunity to explore how the United Nations and parliaments could support one another in conflict prevention and peacebuilding, he said, but the annual parliamentary hearing is just one example of the growing cooperation between the United Nations and …