The Peacebuilding Commission (PBC) is an intergovernmental advisory body within the UN system created to address gaps in international support for countries emerging from armed conflict. It was established in 2005 by parallel resolutions of the General Assembly (A/RES/60/180) and the Security Council (S/RES/1645), following recommendations in the 2004 report of the High-Level Panel on Threats, Challenges and Change and the 2005 World Summit Outcome.
The PBC has no operational mandate of its own. Instead, it brings together relevant actors to marshal resources, propose integrated strategies for post-conflict recovery, and sustain international attention on countries on its agenda. Its Organizational Committee has 31 members drawn from the Security Council (including the P5), ECOSOC, the General Assembly, top troop- and police-contributing countries, and top financial contributors to UN funds and programmes. Country-specific configurations have historically been chaired by member states (for example, Sweden, Canada, and Brazil have chaired configurations on Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Guinea-Bissau respectively).
The PBC is supported by two sister mechanisms created at the same time: the Peacebuilding Support Office (PBSO) in the UN Secretariat, and the Peacebuilding Fund (PBF), a multi-donor trust fund that provides catalytic financing.
A major review of the peacebuilding architecture in 2015 (the "AGE" report, The Challenge of Sustaining Peace) led to twin resolutions in 2016 (A/RES/70/262 and S/RES/2282) that reframed the concept around sustaining peace — emphasizing prevention across the conflict cycle rather than only post-conflict response. Subsequent reviews in 2020 and 2025 have continued to debate the PBC's bridging role between the Security Council, General Assembly, ECOSOC, and international financial institutions.
Countries that have been on the PBC's agenda include Burundi, Sierra Leone, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, and the Central African Republic. Critics note the PBC's limited convening power and unpredictable financing; defenders highlight its unique advisory bridge function across UN organs.
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In 2016, the General Assembly and Security Council adopted twin resolutions (A/RES/70/262 and S/RES/2282) reshaping the PBC's role around the concept of "sustaining peace."