Invest in Prevention — The Peacebuilding Fund
“Peace is not merely the absence of war but the presence of conditions that make peace possible.” — Dag Hammarskjöld
Existing Situation
The United Nations was conceived to prevent the scourge of war, yet far too often its resources are mobilized only after conflict has already erupted. While global military expenditure surpasses two trillion dollars annually, the Peacebuilding Fund — the UN’s principal instrument for early action and recovery — remains chronically underfunded. As a result, many fragile states receive assistance only once the human and economic costs have become irreversible.
Diagnose Impact
The imbalance between crisis response and conflict prevention is one of the UN’s most expensive failures. Every dollar spent on prevention can save up to sixteen dollars in humanitarian relief and reconstruction, yet current funding patterns reward reaction over foresight. Communities trapped in cycles of violence lose not only lives but also generations of education, infrastructure, and trust — the invisible capital upon which peace depends. This reactive model leaves the UN perpetually behind the curve, repairing what foresight might have prevented.
Roles of Each Nation
Every Member State, regardless of size or wealth, has a stake in sustainable peace. Donor nations should commit predictable, multi-year contributions to the Peacebuilding Fund, treating it not as charity but as shared insurance against global instability. Middle-income and developing countries can contribute in kind — through expertise, mediation networks, or hosting regional peacebuilding hubs. The General Assembly should champion transparency in allocations, ensuring that funds reach local actors and women-led initiatives who often play decisive roles in reconciliation. All nations should publicly affirm that prevention is not optional — it is the moral and financial cornerstone of collective security.
Prescribe the Change
We call for a formal General Assembly resolution to expand the Peacebuilding Fund’s capitalization target to a sustained annual minimum of USD 1 billion, financed through voluntary state contributions and innovative global levies such as transaction micro-fees or solidarity bonds. The Fund should operate with enhanced flexibility for early deployment in risk zones, guided by data-driven early-warning systems and regional partnerships. By institutionalizing early financing, the UN can make prevention operational, not aspirational.
Show the Outcome
When adequately funded and empowered, the Peacebuilding Fund will transform the UN’s posture from reactive to preventive. Early investment in stability will reduce humanitarian suffering, protect development gains, and reinforce public confidence in multilateralism. A world that finances peace as deliberately as it finances defence will find fewer wars to fight. In shifting resources from response to resilience, nations affirm the Charter’s first promise — “to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war.”
5-Step Action Framework for Investing in Prevention — The Peacebuilding Fund
Step 1 — Expand the Peacebuilding Fund’s Capital Base
Lead: UN Peacebuilding Support Office (PBSO) + UN DPPA Finance Unit
Supporting: Germany, Sweden, Norway, Switzerland, Japan, and the African Union Peace Fund Secretariat.
- Launch a capital-raising campaign targeting a sustainable annual funding level of USD 1 billion.
- Invite voluntary multi-year pledges from G20 and OECD donors and matching commitments from emerging economies.
- Secure GA acknowledgment of the new capitalization target.
Deliverable: Formal GA endorsement of an expanded Peacebuilding Fund capitalization target (USD 1 billion per year).
Step 2 — Mobilize Innovative Financing Mechanisms
Lead: UN Development Programme (UNDP) + UN Capital Development Fund (UNCDF)
Supporting: World Bank, IMF, OECD DAC, and Ministries of Finance from France, Singapore, and Rwanda.
- Design and pilot transaction-based micro-fees or solidarity bonds dedicated to conflict prevention.
- Engage private financial institutions and sovereign wealth funds to co-invest in prevention portfolios.
Deliverable: Operational blueprint for innovative financing instruments supporting the Peacebuilding Fund.
Step 3 — Institutionalize Predictable Contributions
Lead: General Assembly Fifth Committee (Finance and Budget)
Supporting: Member States’ Permanent Missions to the UN in New York, UN DESA, and OECD Aid Effectiveness Task Force.
- Adopt a multi-year pledging cycle (3–5 years) for donor states to ensure funding continuity.
- Create an online public dashboard tracking contributions and allocations in real time.
Deliverable: Transparent Peacebuilding Fund contribution registry with multi-year commitment tracking.
Step 4 — Strengthen Regional Early-Warning and Deployment
Lead: UN Office for West Africa and the Sahel (UNOWAS) + DPPA Regional Bureaux
Supporting: African Union, ECOWAS, ASEAN, and Pacific Islands Forum Peacebuilding Units.
- Integrate regional risk-assessment data into Peacebuilding Fund allocation criteria.
- Develop joint UN-regional rapid-response teams for deployments within 30 days of warning signals.
Deliverable: Operational regional deployment protocol for early intervention funding.
Step 5 — Monitor Impact and Promote Accountability
Lead: UN Office of Internal Oversight Services (OIOS) + Peacebuilding Commission Working Group on Finance
Supporting: Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), Geneva Centre for Security Policy (GCSP), and civil-society partners.
- Publish an annual “Peace Investment Report” comparing prevention spending against conflict cost savings.
- Integrate gender and local participation metrics into funding evaluations.
Deliverable: Annual Peace Investment Report with evidence-based impact metrics and policy recommendations.
Coordination Logic
- Secretariat: Peacebuilding Support Office (PBSO) in New York — coordination with DPPA and UNDP Finance for Development Office.
- Reporting line: to the Peacebuilding Commission and ECOSOC Annual Forum on Financing for Development.
- Civil-society engagement: Peace Direct, International Alert, and regional women-led peace networks.
Progress Tracker — Action 2 of 5 : Invest in Prevention — The Peacebuilding Fund
⬜ Not Yet Initiated — Funding expansion concept endorsed; no pledges or campaign activity initiated.
⬜ Not Yet Initiated — Preliminary design ideas identified; no pilot mechanisms established.
⬜ Not Yet Initiated — Multi-year pledging framework under discussion; no GA resolution yet proposed.
⬜ Not Yet Initiated — Early-warning and deployment linkages not yet formalized.
⬜ Not Yet Initiated — Monitoring and evaluation framework pending partner engagement.
Status: Conceptual phase only — no activities initiated yet. Implementation partners and formal launch pending.
Last updated: November 2025.
