Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask Her Majesty's Government how the £160 million that the UK has contributed to the United Nations Peacebuilding Fund is being spent; and whether any of that money is able to assist NGOs in conflict areas.

The UK has supported the UN's Peacebuilding Fund (PBF) since its inception in 2006. The PBF is an important tool in addressing conflict risks and investing in prevention, with the UN playing a important role through its access and peacebuilding expertise to support conflict prevention and peacebuilding programmes across the globe.

Our contribution has helped the PBF to support conflict prevention and peacebuilding activities in over 40 countries. Examples of PBF activities include reducing conflict in parts of Lake Chad by 48% by resolving land disputes, preventing land from being destroyed and improving livelihoods; and making investments in infrastructure and small businesses for women and young people in Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, contributing to a 50% reduction in inter-communal conflict. More information on PBF funded projects can be found at: https://mptf.undp.org/factsheet/fund/PB000

The PBF has funded civil society organisations (CSOs). In 2020, the Fund also approved $30 million towards CSOs' initiatives and joint UN-civil society initiatives. In Burundi, for example, CSOs' initiatives facilitated the participation of youth in elections and fostered trust and collaboration among the youth wings of competing political parties.