By Fatima Saka
Nigeria’s Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Okezie Kalu, has led the successful adoption of a historic global framework on post-conflict recovery at the 152nd Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) in Istanbul, Turkey.
The landmark resolution positions national parliaments at the forefront of rebuilding societies emerging from conflict, emphasizing their critical role in ensuring sustainable, inclusive, and accountable peace processes.
Kalu, who served as co-rapporteur alongside representatives from Jordan and the Netherlands, presented the motion titled “The Role of Parliaments in Establishing Robust Post-Conflict Management Mechanisms and Restoring a Just and Lasting Peace.” The resolution was subsequently adopted by member states, marking a significant shift in global peacebuilding strategies.
At the heart of the resolution is a five-pillar recovery framework focusing on strengthening institutions, equitable economic reconstruction, social reconciliation, inclusive political participation, and sustained international support.
The document underscores the importance of human security and people-centred approaches, stressing that durable peace must address root causes of conflict while promoting dignity, trust, and resilience among affected populations.
Speaking at the Assembly, Kalu emphasized that post-conflict recovery must be driven by national ownership, with parliaments leading inclusive consultations and shaping reconstruction through democratic legislation.
He urged countries emerging from conflict to institutionalize peace agreements through legal frameworks, establish cross-party monitoring mechanisms, and ensure continuity in implementation across political cycles.
The resolution also places strong emphasis on transitional justice, calling on parliaments to enact laws that support truth-seeking processes, victim-centred reparations, and transparent vetting or amnesty procedures. It highlights the need for cooperation with both national and international accountability systems.
In a bid to promote inclusive governance, the framework advocates for the active participation of women and youth in peace processes, in line with global standards such as United Nations Security Council resolutions on gender and youth inclusion.
Furthermore, the resolution encourages lawmakers to prioritize peacebuilding in national budgets, strengthen transparency in the management of recovery funds, and adopt anti-corruption safeguards to ensure accountability.
It also calls for community-level reconciliation initiatives, including dialogue platforms that bring together affected communities and former adversaries, while promoting trauma-informed approaches to healing.
On international cooperation, the resolution tasks parliaments with working closely with governments, regional bodies, the IPU, and the United Nations to mobilize resources and technical support for post-conflict recovery efforts.
Additionally, it recommends that parliaments explore lawful mechanisms to fund reconstruction, including the use of frozen or immobilized assets where applicable.
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The IPU, under the new framework, is also mandated to provide targeted support to affected countries through advisory missions, capacity-building, peer learning, and mediation assistance.
The adoption of the resolution signals growing global consensus that strong, transparent, and inclusive parliamentary systems are indispensable to achieving lasting peace in post-conflict societies.
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