For Immediate Release
Office of Press Relations
press@usaid.gov
Statement by Spokesperson Jessica Jennings
Forty-two years ago, the United Nations General Assembly observed the first International Day of Peace. Today, we remember that peace is not a distant ideal, nor is it something that just happens. It is something we can and must build, sustain, and nourish.
Peacebuilding is often much more than a ceasefire or political agreement. It is ensuring democracies deliver and can provide plentiful food, clean water, and reliable electricity to their people. It is rooting out corruption, countering disinformation, and building trust between communities and institutions. It is women and historically marginalized groups having a seat at the table, governing equitably and forging inclusive and durable peace. USAID’s work to promote greater health, prosperity, and human dignity is fostering the conditions needed for peace to grow and thrive. In an increasingly interconnected world facing climate change, global health challenges, and creeping authoritarianism, these efforts benefit us all.
With the formation of the USAID Bureau for Conflict Prevention and Stabilization in 2020, our Agency has further strengthened its efforts to support programs to advance peace and stability in more than 70 countries and helped create 10-year, whole-of-government plans for the U.S. Strategy to Prevent Conflict and Promote Stability. Through the Strategy, USAID, along with our U.S. government counterparts, are leveraging resources across development, diplomacy, and defense to embrace ideas by local partners bringing peace to their own communities.
As this 78th United Nations General Assembly nears its conclusion, we recommit to partnering with all who share a common vision to meet the complex and interwoven challenges that threaten peace. We are at a pivotal moment as we approach the mid-point to achieving the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals, and now is the time to seize the opportunity to collectively create a more just and sustainable future. USAID is answering the call through programs and partnerships that put us on the path to greater peace.