Remarks by H.E. Mher Margaryan, Permanent Representative of Armenia to the UN, at the High-Level Partner Event of the Joint UNDP-DPPA Programme on Building National Capacities for Conflict Prevention

09 February, 2022

Madam Moderator,

I thank their Excellencies the Presidents of Liberia and Sao Tome and Principe as well as the distinguished Ministers of Sweden, Germany and the Netherlands for sharing their views on the nexus between conflict prevention, peacebuilding and sustaining peace. I also thank DSG Amina Mohamed, Under-Secretary-General Rosemary Dicarlo and the UNDP Administrator Mr. Achim Steiner for presenting the work and accomplishments of the Joint UNDP-DPPA Programme.

Armenia is consistent supporter of strengthening the United Nations prevention toolbox and I want to welcome the Secretary-General’s focus on new Agenda for Peace, as reflected in his recent report on “Our Common Agenda”. The peacebuilding, development and humanitarian action are closely interlinked and mutually reinforcing elements of conflict prevention.

Efficient and effective prevention efforts necessitate addressing the underlying causes of conflict, particularly gross and systematic violations of human rights and identity-based crimes.

Another key factor for efficient peacebuilding is inclusivity. The international development assistance should be accessible to all conflict-affected people, particularly to those who are deprived of the direct access to and communication with the United Nations and its agencies.

Development efforts should support and reinforce peace processes on comprehensive and sustainable settlement of conflicts. It is crucial to counter the attempts of some to drag the international structures and various development initiatives into promoting one-sided conflict narratives and justifying the use of force by employing distorted and manipulative interpretation of international law.

Madam Moderator,

The attempts to engage the United Nations bodies and agencies into activities that are aimed at legitimizing the consequences of the large-scale aggression in our region, unleashed amidst the global pandemic in the Fall of 2020, must be effectively confronted and addressed accordingly.

A human rights-based, people-centered and inclusive approach, aimed at supporting just and lasting settlement, is vital for the comprehensive response to the humanitarian, protection and development needs of people affected by the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, in line with the humanitarian principles.

Armenia values the long-standing and efficient collaboration with the UNDP, its Regional Bureau for Europe and the CIS and the UNDP Office in Yerevan in many areas of development agenda, and we look forward to further strengthening the programmatic cooperation which also takes into account the complex challenges prevalent in our region.

Thank you.

MFA RA
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