India has announced a pledge of USD 150,000 to activities of the Peacebuilding Fund this year and said that 2021 provides the international community with a chance to look at peace-building in a more focused manner, particularly in the context of the COVID pandemic. India’s Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador T S Tirumurti’s statement read: “While I would like to assure you all of our sincere commitment to remain engaged in peace-building, we extend our support to the activities of the Peace-building Fund and as a token of our engagement, India would like to announce today a pledge of USD 150,000 to the fund’s activities and programme this year,” . He added that the recently concluded 2020 review of the UN peace-building architecture provides a framework to strengthen peacebuilding collectively. In a virtual address to the High-Level Replenishment Conference for the United Nations Peace-building Fund Tuesday, he said India believes that 2021 provides the international community with an opportunity to look at peace-building in the broader context and in a more focused manner, especially in the context of the COVID pandemic, which is threatening to erode the gains made over the years. He voiced appreciation that as a part of its 2020-24 strategy, the Peacebuilding Fund has put forth a comprehensive scenario covering a horizon of five years. The Fund requires 1.5 billion dollars for 2020-2024. Kamala Harris: My first job was cleaning laboratory glassware in mother’s lab Japan Prime Minister apologises after lawmakers' night club outings Thailand fully reopens soon; mulls no quarantine for vaccinated travellers