IAWPA Backs China’s UN Security Council Presidency, Praises Peace Diplomacy

The International Association of World Peace Advocates (IAWPA) has congratulated the People’s Republic of China on assuming the presidency of the United Nations (UN) Security Council for May 2026, describing the development as timely amid growing global security challenges.

In a statement issued through its International Spokesman, P. Amb. Emmanuel Nkweke, the organisation said China’s leadership came at a critical moment when the world required “multilateral dialogue, fairness, and commitment to the UN Charter.”

IAWPA, which holds Special Consultative Status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), commended China’s diplomatic engagements across key regions, noting that its interventions have contributed to easing tensions and fostering global peace.

“China’s leadership of the Security Council is both timely and significant at a period when the world faces complex peace and security challenges,” Nkweke said.

The group highlighted several of China’s global peace efforts, including its role in brokering the 2023 restoration of diplomatic relations between Saudi Arabia and Iran, a move widely seen as easing tensions in the Middle East.

It also pointed to China’s growing engagement in Africa through the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, where it has supported infrastructure development, trade expansion, and peacebuilding initiatives. According to IAWPA, these efforts include backing the African Union’s “Silencing the Guns” initiative and providing training support for peacekeeping operations.

On global security, IAWPA referenced China’s Global Security Initiative, describing it as a framework that promotes “common, comprehensive, cooperative, and sustainable security” through dialogue rather than confrontation.

The organisation further noted China’s contributions to UN peacekeeping, stating that it remains the largest troop contributor among the permanent members of the Security Council and the second-largest financial contributor globally, with over 2,200 personnel deployed in conflict zones.

“China’s advocacy for political settlement of crises in Ukraine, Myanmar, and the Sahel demonstrates its commitment to peaceful resolution of disputes,” Nkweke added.

IAWPA pledged its full support to China’s presidency, offering to mobilise its network of peace advocates across 54 countries to advance the Council’s peace and security agenda, particularly in Africa.

“We stand ready to support China’s Presidency in any way possible,” Nkweke said. “We will mobilize our global network of peace advocates, SDG Ambassadors, and civil society leaders to support Council-mandated peace initiatives.”

The group outlined areas of potential collaboration, including facilitating informal dialogue between conflict parties, supporting civil society engagement in peacebuilding, and promoting the link between sustainable development and peace through its SDG-focused programmes.

It also emphasised the importance of inclusion, noting plans to amplify the roles of youth and women in peace processes in line with UN resolutions.

Calling for international cooperation, IAWPA urged all UN member states to support China’s leadership during the month-long presidency.

“Peace is a collective responsibility. With China in the chair, we have an opportunity to prioritize dialogue, development, and preventive diplomacy,” Nkweke said.

The organisation reaffirmed its long-held position that sustainable development and peace are inseparable.

“There can be no development without peace, and no peace without development,” the statement concluded.