THE UNITED NATIONS - Addressing a meeting of the UN’s Peace-building Commission at UN headquarters on Friday, Secretary-General António Guterres hailed progress made by the UN, in the fields of conflict prevention, peace and security, and connecting the Organization’s work on peace, sustainable development and human rights.

The Commission, said Mr. Guterres, has brought attention to some of the drivers of instability – such as inequality, climate change and corruption – and how to address them. He cited meetings on Burkina Faso, Liberia and the Sahel region, amongst others, at which challenges and risks have been discussed.

The UN chief underscored the crucial nature of funding for peace-keeping: he described contributions to the Peace-building Fund as having increased modestly, at a time when demands for support have grown exponentially, and reiterated calls for a “quantum leap” in support.

Looking ahead to 2020, Mr. Guterres said that his forthcoming report will focus on the Commission’s impact in the field, and a review will be an opportunity to “take stock, consolidate gains and push forward on implementation”.