The Peacebuilding Fund (PBF) is the United Nations' principal financial instrument for sustaining peace in fragile and conflict-affected settings. It was established in 2006 alongside the Peacebuilding Commission (PBC) and the Peacebuilding Support Office (PBSO), as part of the peacebuilding architecture created by parallel General Assembly and Security Council resolutions adopted that year (A/RES/60/180 and S/RES/1645).
The Fund is administered by the PBSO under the authority of the UN Secretary-General and managed in practice through the Multi-Partner Trust Fund Office. It is financed by voluntary contributions from member states; major contributors have historically included Sweden, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, the United Kingdom, and others. Unlike assessed contributions to peacekeeping, PBF resources are entirely voluntary, which both gives the Fund flexibility and exposes it to recurring funding shortfalls.
PBF money typically flows through two windows:
- the Immediate Response Facility (IRF), for rapid disbursement after a political opening, peace agreement, or crisis;
- the Peacebuilding and Recovery Facility (PRF), for longer, more strategic country envelopes.
Allocations are designed to be catalytic — relatively small, risk-tolerant grants meant to unlock larger follow-on financing from the World Bank, bilateral donors, or UN agency budgets. Eligible activities include support for political dialogue, security sector reform, transitional justice, reintegration of ex-combatants, women's and youth participation in peace processes, and cross-border initiatives. The Fund has formal targets for gender-responsive programming and for youth-focused projects.
The PBF can fund work in countries not formally on the PBC agenda, which distinguishes it from earlier mechanisms. Recipient countries have included Burundi, Sierra Leone, Liberia, the Central African Republic, Somalia, Colombia, The Gambia, and others. Periodic Secretary-General reports on peacebuilding and sustaining peace review its performance and recurrently call for more predictable, sustained financing.
Example
In 2017, the Peacebuilding Fund approved a rapid allocation to The Gambia to support the political transition following Yahya Jammeh's departure, financing dialogue, transitional justice preparation, and security sector reform.
Frequently asked questions
The Commission is an intergovernmental advisory body that provides political accompaniment and strategic advice, while the Fund is the financing instrument that disburses grants. Both were created in 2006 but operate independently.
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