Published 2017
The potential of innovative financing to sustain peace
By Kevin Starace

The Dag Hammarskjöld Foundation is a non-governmental organisation established in memory of Dag Hammarskjöld, the second Secretary-General of the United Nations. The foundation spurs dialogue and action on global development and multilateral cooperation.

The Multi-Partner Trust Fund Office is a UN centre of expertise on pooled financing mechanisms. Hosted by UNDP, it provides fund design and fund administration services to the UN system, national governments and non-governmental partners. The UN MPTF Office operates in over 110 countries and has transferred over US$ 9.5 billion from over 120 contributors to 67 participating organisations since its inception in 2004.

The parallel ‘sustaining peace resolutions’ asked the United Nations Secretary-General to ‘provide options on increasing, restructuring and better prioritising funding dedicated to United Nations peacebuilding activities, including through assessed and voluntary contributions, with a view to ensuring sustainable financing’.¹ An ad-hoc working group, established by the former Deputy Secretary-General in June 2016, consisting of experts from across the UN system, have since worked to develop these financing options across different tracks. One of these tracks includes exploring the existence and potential of innovative financing mechanisms and approaches for sustaining peace.