2026 Annual Retreat of the International Advisory Council

On 17 March 2026, the Geneva Peacebuilding Platform convened its International Advisory Council (IAC) Annual Retreat at the headquarters of Interpeace in Geneva. The retreat brought together Council members and partners for a strategic exchange on priorities and upcoming initiatives for the year ahead.

The retreat provided an opportunity for Council members and partners to reconnect at the beginning of the year and engage in a strategic exchange on key priorities, partnerships, and initiatives shaping the Platform’s work in the months ahead.

Discussion on the UN80 Reform Process

A central part of the retreat focused on ongoing UN80 reform efforts, with a briefing delivered by Adam Lupel, Executive Director of the Coalition for the UN We Need (C4UN).

The presentation outlined the three main workstreams of the reform process — efficiency measures, mandate review, and structural reorganisation — while emphasizing that although several structural changes may be warranted, they largely represent technical responses to challenges that are fundamentally political and financial in nature.

The discussion that followed addressed a range of issues, including:

• the New York–centric nature of the reform process
• the potential role of civil society and smaller states
• implications for the Peacebuilding architecture, including the proposed Board of Peace
• the stalled Peace Operations Review
• and the type of leadership expected from the next UN Secretary-General

Exchange of Updates from Council Members

The retreat concluded with a round of updates from Council members, highlighting developments across the peacebuilding community. 

The annual retreat remains an important moment for reflection and strategic guidance for the Geneva Peacebuilding Platform. Through open and collaborative discussions, the International Advisory Council helps shape the Platform’s activities, partnerships, and engagement across the peacebuilding ecosystem in Geneva and beyond.