Heiko Maas
SPD · Germany
“Zudem liegen weitere Optionen auf dem Tisch, etwa die Ausweitung schon bestehender und anderer Sanktionsregime, insbesondere der sogenannten sektoralen Sanktionen, also wirtschaftliche. Es ist in der Vergangenheit durchaus gesagt worden, dass zu viele Wirtschaftssanktionen die Abhängigkeit Belarus’ von Russland weiter verschärfen.”
“Sie wollen die Europäische Union und einzelne Mitgliedstaaten wie insbesondere Polen, aber auch Litauen, unter Druck setzen, und sie spielen dabei skrupellos mit Menschenleben. Währenddessen, nur um das auch mal zu erwähnen, geht auch die Repression gegen das belarussische Volk weiter.”
“Und das wollen wir auch, und zwar mit unseren europäischen Partnern. Erstens. Die humanitäre Versorgung der Menschen im belarussischen Grenzgebiet hat Priorität, besonders angesichts des nahenden Winters. Zu den Grundwerten der Europäischen Union und ihrer Mitgliedstaaten gehört, dass wir Menschen in Not nicht alleinlassen.”
“Jeder, der das in Zweifel zieht, sollte sich daran erinnern, dass es auf dem Westbalkan gewirkt hat, unsere Aufklärungsarbeit in den Herkunftsländern zu verbessern. Reisebüros und Schleuserbanden locken Menschen auf die gefährliche Reise nach Belarus, weil sie damit Geld verdienen können.”
“Aber wir haben allen Fluggesellschaften mittlerweile mitgeteilt, dass es auf EU-Ebene möglicherweise kein Sanktionsregime gibt, dass aber die Mitgliedstaaten der Europäischen Union sehr wohl überlegen, diejenigen, die Mittäter eines Schleuserrings sind, in Haftung zu nehmen.”
“Niemand soll sich ungestraft an diesem Schleuserring beteiligen können. Das ist eine Botschaft an die Transitstaaten, die Herkunftsstaaten und die Fluggesellschaften, mit denen Migrantinnen und Migranten nach Belarus gebracht werden. Ihnen muss klar sein, dass die Europäische Union nicht bereit sein wird, das länger zu akzeptieren.”
The complete record
Every one of 40 lines we hold for Heiko Maas, in date order, each linked to its source. Free to read, in full, without an account.
“Die jüngsten Ereignisse zeigen einmal mehr: Wir brauchen nachhaltige und menschliche Lösungen in den Bereichen Flucht und Migration, das heißt Fortschritte hin zu einem gemeinsamen europäischen Asylsystem, das Migrationsursachen angeht, europäische Grenzen schützt, aber vor allem solidarisch ist. Dafür werden wir uns auf europäischer Ebene weiter einsetzen. Vielen Dank. Vielen Dank, Heiko Maas. – Für die Fraktion Bündnis 90/Die Grünen hat jetzt Frau Dr. Franziska Brantner das Wort.”
“Jeder, der das in Zweifel zieht, sollte sich daran erinnern, dass es auf dem Westbalkan gewirkt hat, unsere Aufklärungsarbeit in den Herkunftsländern zu verbessern. Reisebüros und Schleuserbanden locken Menschen auf die gefährliche Reise nach Belarus, weil sie damit Geld verdienen können. Sie ziehen diesen Menschen dafür Tausende von Dollar – möglicherweise das Letzte, was sie haben – aus der Tasche. Deshalb müssen wir mit den Lügen der Schleuser und den Gerüchten in den sozialen Medien aufräumen und auch die Folgen aufzeigen, die Lukaschenkos Handeln für jeden Einzelnen hat, der sich überlegt, sich auf die Reise zu begeben. Deshalb, meine Damen und Herren: In dieser Situation stehen wir solidarisch an der Seite unserer europäischen Partner in Polen und in Litauen.”
“Zudem liegen weitere Optionen auf dem Tisch, etwa die Ausweitung schon bestehender und anderer Sanktionsregime, insbesondere der sogenannten sektoralen Sanktionen, also wirtschaftliche. Es ist in der Vergangenheit durchaus gesagt worden, dass zu viele Wirtschaftssanktionen die Abhängigkeit Belarus’ von Russland weiter verschärfen. Wir sind mittlerweile aber in einer Situation, in der die Konsequenzen klarer werden müssen. Deshalb bin ich der Auffassung, dass auch so wichtige Wirtschaftszweige wie die Kaliindustrie in Belarus jetzt sanktioniert werden müssen. Das trägt die Mehrheit der Europäischen Union mit. Herr Minister, erlauben Sie eine weitere Zwischenfrage von Herrn Kleinwächter? Nein. Viertens. Wir intensivieren unsere Aufklärungsarbeit in den Herkunftsländern. Ich bitte, das nicht zu unterschätzen.”
“Aber wir haben allen Fluggesellschaften mittlerweile mitgeteilt, dass es auf EU-Ebene möglicherweise kein Sanktionsregime gibt, dass aber die Mitgliedstaaten der Europäischen Union sehr wohl überlegen, diejenigen, die Mittäter eines Schleuserrings sind, in Haftung zu nehmen. Und Landerechte werden in jedem einzelnen Mitgliedstaat selbst erteilt. Auch das ist ein Thema, mit dem sich diese Fluggesellschaften ernsthaft auseinandersetzen müssen. Drittens. Die Europäische Union wird ihre Sanktionen gegen Lukaschenkos Regime ausweiten und verschärfen. Das werden wir am Montag im Außenrat in Brüssel beschließen. Diejenigen Personen und Unternehmen, die sich an der gezielten Schleusung beteiligen, werden wir weiter sanktionieren, und zwar überall auf der Welt.”
“Niemand soll sich ungestraft an diesem Schleuserring beteiligen können. Das ist eine Botschaft an die Transitstaaten, die Herkunftsstaaten und die Fluggesellschaften, mit denen Migrantinnen und Migranten nach Belarus gebracht werden. Ihnen muss klar sein, dass die Europäische Union nicht bereit sein wird, das länger zu akzeptieren. Diese Botschaft kommt auch an. In den Herkunftsländern haben wir mittlerweile viele Gespräche geführt, die zum Beispiel dazu geführt haben, dass im Irak und in Jordanien Flüge nach Belarus eingestellt worden sind. Wir reden auch mit den Fluggesellschaften. Es ist rechtlich nicht einfach, Fluggesellschaften zu sanktionieren, weil sie formalrechtlich nichts Illegales tun.”
“Und das wollen wir auch, und zwar mit unseren europäischen Partnern. Erstens. Die humanitäre Versorgung der Menschen im belarussischen Grenzgebiet hat Priorität, besonders angesichts des nahenden Winters. Zu den Grundwerten der Europäischen Union und ihrer Mitgliedstaaten gehört, dass wir Menschen in Not nicht alleinlassen. Diese gemeinsamen Werte werden wir auch an unseren Außengrenzen hochhalten müssen. Das Völkerrecht gebietet, gerade in dieser Situation humanitären Zugang zu gewähren. Internationale Hilfsorganisationen und zivilgesellschaftliche Vereinigungen stehen bereit, um den Menschen in Polen, aber auch in Belarus zu helfen, und das muss möglich gemacht werden. Zweitens. Wir werden als Europäische Union gegen illegale Schleusungen durch Belarus weiter vorgehen.”
“Sie wollen die Europäische Union und einzelne Mitgliedstaaten wie insbesondere Polen, aber auch Litauen, unter Druck setzen, und sie spielen dabei skrupellos mit Menschenleben. Währenddessen, nur um das auch mal zu erwähnen, geht auch die Repression gegen das belarussische Volk weiter. Seit dem vergangenen Jahr haben Sicherheitskräfte des Regimes Tausende Menschen festgenommen, die Zahl der politischen Gefangenen ist auf über 800 gestiegen, und ein Dialog mit der Opposition findet nicht statt. Meine sehr verehrten Damen und Herren, wir sind in einer Situation, in der es vielleicht emotional naheliegt, Herrn Lukaschenko zu beschimpfen; aber das reicht bei Weitem nicht mehr aus. Wir sind in einer Situation, in der es überfällig ist, jetzt die richtigen Konsequenzen zu ziehen.”
“Ich will an der Stelle sagen: Unabhängig von anderen politischen Diskussionen, die wir in der Europäischen Union führen, ist das Problem in dieser Frage nicht Polen – diesen Eindruck habe ich manchmal in dieser Debatte –, sondern das Problem ist Lukaschenko, Belarus und das Regime, das es dort gibt. Deshalb hat Polen in dieser Situation unsere Solidarität, europäische Solidarität verdient. Meine Damen und Herren, die Machthaber in Minsk bringen Migrantinnen und Migranten unter Vorspiegelung falscher Tatsachen nach Belarus, um sie von dort in Richtung Europäische Union zu schicken. Ohne jeden Skrupel missbrauchen sie Tausende von Menschen als Geisel für ein zynisches Machtspiel.”
“Sehr geehrte Frau Präsidentin! Liebe Kolleginnen und Kollegen! Wir kennen alle die entsetzlichen Bilder, die uns aus dem belarussischen Grenzgebiet zu Polen und den baltischen Staaten erreichen, und das nicht erst seit den letzten Tagen. Hunderte Menschen sind dort an der Grenze gestrandet, angeleitet von belarussischen Sicherheitskräften, die ihnen jetzt gewaltsam den Rückweg versperren. Kinder, Frauen und Männer kampieren in Eiseskälte ohne ausreichende Bekleidung unter freiem Himmel. Mittlerweile sind auch Menschen ums Leben gekommen. Verantwortlich für dieses Leid sind Herr Lukaschenko und seine Helfer in Minsk.”
“Now is the moment to put a strong text back on the table and to adopt it.S/2021/198 We stand ready to work with Council members towards achieving a resolution that reflects the points I just outlined. A strong resolution would demonstrate to the world that the Security Council is showing leadership on what is one of the gravest threats to peace and security of our times. There is no time to lose. Let us turn words into action. Let us act together. And let us do so now.”
“Last July, our friends from Nauru spoke here for the Group of Friends on Climate and Security and presented the Council with a “plan of action” (S/2020/751, annex 21). Today we are again calling for regular reporting by the Secretary-General on the security implications of climate change; the appointment of a special representative for climate and security; climate-sensitive prevention, mediation and peacebuilding; training for all relevant United Nations personnel on the implications of climate change for peace and security and humanitarian crises; and, finally, for more cooperation with civil society and regional and national actors on climate- related security risks. Last year, 10 members of the Security Council, including Germany, translated that plan into a draft resolution.”
“No State or society will be immune to climate change, but we can and must strengthen our resilience. The United Nations has a key role to play in that connection. It can build on the progress we have already made, for example with the establishment of the Climate Security Mechanism. The entire United Nations system must rise to the challenge, in all relevant forums. “Climate and security” belongs firmly on the Security Council agenda, reflecting the Council’s “primary responsibility for […] international peace and security”. Some progress was made by addressing climate change in many specific mandates and by establishing the Informal Expert Group of members of the Security Council. But that is only the beginning.”
“He can count on our support ahead of the twenty-sixth session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, to be held in Glasgow, and we are delighted to welcome the United States back to the Paris Agreement on Climate Change. We look forward to the new Administration’s re-engagement. The European Union and many countries have set more ambitious goals in recent months, but more needs to be done to make the twenty-sixth Conference of the Parties a real success. The entire United Nations system must make a concerted effort to make climate action its top priority. I thank my friend, António Guterres, for his leadership in that regard. The evidence is clear. The effects of climate change fuel conflicts. They make it harder to build peace and negatively affect social and gender equality.”
“It is my honour to address the Council on behalf of the 54 members of the Group of Friends on Climate and Security, a broad and diverse group of countries from all continents. We are united by a common concern — climate change is the existential threat of our times. Once again, last year was the hottest year on record. We are witnessing storms, droughts and flooding like never before. Degraded ecosystems and the loss of species threaten food security and our long-term survival. The poorest and most vulnerable will suffer the most, because fragile countries are disproportionally affected by climate change, and entire island nations are at risk of disappearing. The youth of the world is demanding action. If we do not act, we are putting their future, safety, well-being and health at risk. I thank Prime Minister Johnson for his leadership.”
“Of course, the up-to 338 million doses that COVAX plans to distribute to 145 countries, including 93 developing countries, in the first half of 2021 will be only a first step. More must follow. Germany remains committed to a global solution to this global crisis. We know that no one is safe until everyone is safe. But this will require a spirit of global solidarity and multilateral cooperation. It is through that spirit that we all can emerge stronger.”
“We firmly believe that the Access to COVID-19 Tools (ACT) Accelerator, and particularly the COVID-19 Vaccine Global Access (COVAX) Facility, are the best ways to ensure fair and equitable worldwide access — not only to vaccines but also to diagnostics and therapeutics. Together with our European partners and as part of the Team Europe effort, Germany has been contributing to ACT and the COVAX Facility from the outset. Since it was launched last April, Germany has provided €600 million in 2020, making us the third-largest contributor to date. To fill existing gaps, we will step up these efforts and contribute an additional €1.5 billion to COVAX in 2021. As part of this, €100 million is specifically destined to the COVAX Humanitarian Buffer, serving the needs of the most vulnerable populations in crisis settings.”
“We have to keep United Nations peacekeeping missions operational, as they deliver political support and stability to some of the most vulnerable countries. Germany has therefore joined the Group of Friends for Vaccination of Peacekeepers and serves as its Vice-Chair. This is a prime example of how we can tackle the global challenges imposed by the COVID-19 crisis: through strong multilateral cooperation in a spirit of solidarity, with a strengthened World Health Organization at its centre. And this is particularly true for the distribution of vaccines themselves, especially in least-developed countries.”
“We are encouraged by the positive developments in Libya and the progress being made towards a political solution within the Berlin process. Unfortunately, the Council’s call for a global ceasefire during the pandemic remains unheard in far too many conflicts. That is why the Security Council and the international community must do their utmost to implement resolution 2532 (2020) in full. We will not defeat the pandemic and we will be forced to fight an increasing number of variants if we do not ensure that vaccines can reach all people in need, including in fragile environments. To do this, humanitarian organizations need unhindered access — for example, in north-western Syria, where over 3 million people depend on the Security Council to extend the cross-border resolution beyond its current deadline.”
“I would like to thank the United Kingdom presidency of the Security Council for bringing this important topic to the Council. I align myself with the statement submitted by the observer of the European Union (annex 28). The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is placing massive strains on every country’s health-care, social, economic and security infrastructures. However, that burden is so much heavier in countries that are going through conflict and crisis. Protecting people and societies in such fragile settings from the impacts of the pandemic is not just an urgent health and socioeconomic matter; it is an essential element of maintaining international peace and security. Resolving conflicts and protecting civilians from the scourge of war are the Security Council’s most noble task.”
“The consequences of climate change for peace and security are real, particularly in Africa. From the Sahel to Somalia, droughts, hunger and displacement are catalysts for conflict. Germany has therefore firmly placed climate change on the Council’s agenda, with the support of virtually all its members. We have established an informal expert group of members of the Security Council on climate and security. The Niger and Germany co-chaired the group’s first meeting last month, in which we looked into the effects of climate change on the security situation in Somalia. The pandemic, violent conflicts and climate change are challenges that will stay with us next year. But by working together, we can make 2021 the turning point towards building back better in Europe, Africa and around the world.”
“Let me reiterate our support for the Secretary-General’s call for a global ceasefire. I urge all countries to act on resolution 2532 (2020). The fighting around the world must stop. Germany also strongly supports the AU’s Silencing the Guns initiative. We have partnered with the AU to cut the flow of weapons into conflict areas and to train arms-control experts. As a member of the Council, Germany has made it clear that real peace and reconciliation are impossible without accountability, respect for human rights and the equal participation of women. That is why we must all stand by the commitments we made in resolution 2467 (2019) to protect and empower survivors of conflict- related sexual violence. Thirdly, the AU and the United Nations are natural partners in the fight against climate change.”
“We have just donated more than 120 million medical masks to the WHO, of which a large part will go to African countries. Secondly, we welcome even closer United Nations-AU cooperation in ending violent conflicts, including at the level of the Security Council and the AU Peace and Security Council. There is hope for progress and there is work to be done in the Sudan, where we are committed to supporting the peace process and the transition to democracy; in Libya, where we have made considerable progress towards a political solution and in Ethiopia, where the United Nations, as a first step, has been allowed access to Government-controlled areas in the Tigray region. Mr. President, we highly appreciate your commitment, as the current AU Chair, to making this possible.”
“We advocate a bigger role for Africa in the United Nations — particularly through Security Council reform, with a permanent seat for Africa — and remain one of the largest bilateral supporters of the African Union. I see three areas for even closer cooperation between the United Nations and the African Union. First, I see it in the fight against the virus. The AU’s Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, the World Health Organization (WHO) and United Nations agencies have done a remarkable job in bolstering Africa’s response to the pandemic. They will now be crucial to making vaccines true public goods on the African continent. To that end, the AU can team up with the Access to COVID-19 Tools Accelerator and its vaccine pillar, COVAX. Germany has been supporting the WHO and Africa throughout the pandemic.”
“We will remember 2020 as the year when the virus engulfed our planet. The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic has caused great harm and added to geopolitical tensions. But it has also made evident the value of international cooperation. The virus, climate change, violent conflicts — we can defeat those challenges only if we join hands across countries and continents and when multilateral organizations, such as the United Nations and the African Union (AU), are at the heart of our response. That is why today’s debate is timely, and I thank President Ramaphosa of South Africa for organizing it. Germany strongly supports closer cooperation between the United Nations and the AU.”
“Our goal is to enshrine this topic in the Council’s work once and for all. Today I invite all participants to join us in this effort. I am grateful and confident that our joint initiative will be carried forward by those who succeed us in the Security Council. The fight against climate change should not divide us. We fight it to save ourselves, and we fight it for the people around the world who are already facing violence and displacement as a result of climate change. They cannot afford to wait. The time for diplomatic patience is therefore over. The Security Council cannot negotiate with the realities of nature. Action is all that counts.”
“This should become a standard practice in all United Nations operations. Secondly, it is time to give climate and security a face. We call on the Secretary-General to appoint a Special Representative on climate and security as soon as possible. He, or she, could ensure that climate change is placed where it belongs, namely, at the heart of the Security Council’s work, which is to maintain international peace and security in the twenty-first century. Thirdly, the United Nations needs to be ready to act when climate-related security risks hit. Such risks must therefore be addressed in all mandates and conflict-prevention strategies. Together with our partners, we will convene an informal expert group of the Security Council on climate and security as soon as possible.”
“They expect us to take action, and so do future generations. Today we are proposing three steps that can be taken right away. First, the Security Council needs better information on climate-related security risks. This should include early warning indicators, allowing us to act before it is too late. At an international conference in Berlin last month, we launched a Global Climate Security Risk and Foresight Assessment, which can become a reference point for our work in the Council as well as a tool to strengthen United Nations efforts on mediation and preventive diplomacy as a whole. This will require better training and expertise within United Nations missions and mediation teams. As an example, Germany is funding an expert who advises the country team in Somalia on the security implications of climate change.”
“As diplomats and politicians, we tend to think that everything is negotiable. This is also the underlying idea behind the Security Council: building international consensus. But we cannot negotiate with nature. The physical, chemical and geographical realities of global warming will not compromise with us. Climate change is happening, and its consequences for peace and security are already real, from the Sahel to the islands of the Pacific and the Caribbean. Sooner rather than later, climate change will be a catalyst in almost every conflict that we are dealing with. Our briefers made that very clear today. The defining question for us is therefore whether we will finally live up to the challenge. The answer given by the vast majority of the members of the Security Council and of the United Nations as a whole is clear.”
“And I am glad to report that in Koblenz, Germany, a court recently opened the world’s first trial against two former officials of the Syrian regime, on charges of torture and sexual assault. These examples show that, while we may not have a vaccine against the pandemic of sexual violence, we are certainly not powerless. What we need to do is act on the commitments we made in resolution 2467 (2019) to protect and empower survivors of conflict-related sexual violence and to place them at the heart of our actions.”
“Together, we are defending survivors’ sexual and reproductive health and rights, including access to medical services and reparations. Secondly, women must play a central role in peacebuilding. Without gender equality and human rights, lasting peace and reconciliation remain impossible. Germany therefore supports such non-governmental organizations as Together We Build It in Libya, which promotes the political participation of women in the peace process. Thirdly, sanctions can and must play a greater role in ending sexual violence. The two United Nations listings brought forward since 2019 can only be a first step. Fourthly, impunity must end. Perpetrators must be brought to justice. We support creative solutions, such as the mobile courts in South Sudan, which put rapists around the country on trial.”
“The underreporting of sexual violence has become even more alarming. And while we are able to uphold safe distances between us, many women, girls and boys cannot escape the brutal proximity of their tormentors. Today’s debate is therefore overdue. And I want to thank the Dominican Republic for co-organizing it with us. As co-chairs of the Informal Expert Group on Women and Peace and Security, our message is clear. Implementing the women and peace and security agenda, including resolution 2467 (2019), is a duty for all of us and for the Security Council — even more so in the era of COVID-19. Four points will be key. First, we need to ensure that survivors get the medical and judicial assistance they deserve. As an example, Germany is working closely with the Dr. Denis Mukwege Foundation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.”
“Today, we are talking about a pandemic — a global virus much older than the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) but equally devastating. Sexual and gender-based violence in conflicts has been destroying lives and communities for years, with no vaccine in sight. Twenty years since the adoption of resolution 1325 (2000) and more than a year since the adoption of resolution 2467 (2019), progress remains painfully slow. Rape, forced prostitution and sexual slavery continue to be used as weapons in conflicts around the globe. I can only commend the courage and strength of our briefers in speaking up and sharing their experiences with us. I thank them very much. We have all heard how COVID-19 is making survivors’ situations even worse. Lockdowns are restricting survivors’ access to medical and legal services.”
“We call on the conflict parties to bring these negotiations to a successful conclusion without preconditions and without further delay. A first important step could be a demilitarized solution for Sirte and Al-Jufra. We call on the parties in Libya and on all those present to unite behind this idea. We encourage the Secretariat to provide us with options on how this could be implemented on the ground. Five months ago, the Council endorsed the conclusions of the Berlin Conference in resolution 2510 (2020). A week ago, we backed the Secretary-General’s call for a global ceasefire during the pandemic in resolution 2532 (2020). Today, the time has come to put our words into action.”
“We will use the measures at our disposal, including targeted sanctions, to make sure that Libya is no longer the battleground in a foreign war. Secondly, backdoor deals by which foreign actors carve out spheres of influence must stop. We must instead unite behind the United Nations Support Mission in Libya and the peace efforts led by the United Nations to help the Libyan people find a political solution, to achieve lasting peace and to preserve Libya’s territorial integrity and sovereignty. Thirdly, the current calm on Libya’s battlefields is more than fragile. Our duty is now to translate it into a negotiated ceasefire within the framework of the United Nations-facilitated 5+5 Joint Military Commission talks.”
“Six months have passed since the Berlin Conference on Libya. In these six months, the coronavirus disease has turned the world upside down. While doctors and patients on all continents were fighting to save human lives, hospitals in Libya were being bombed. While the whole world closed its borders and went into lockdown, ships, aeroplanes and trucks with weapons and mercenaries kept arriving in Libyan cities. It is time to stop this cynical absurdity. This is why we decided to invite all Council members and all the participants in the Berlin process here today to discuss and agree on the next steps. First, foreign interference remains the main driver of the conflict in Libya. It must be brought to an end. That means no more aeroplanes, no more tanks, no more trucks or cargo ships full of weapons and no more lies.”
“A global crisis calls for a global response. It calls upon the United Nations and the Security Council. We should heed the call.”
“Germany therefore contributed €4 million to the COVID-19 emergency window of the Women’s Peace and Humanitarian Fund, and we call on others to follow suit. Thirdly, the Security Council must finally embrace a broader understanding of peace and security. The founders of the United Nations may well have had artillery, bombers and soldiers in mind when they drafted the Charter. Today, we know that a virus can be deadlier than a gun, a cyberattack can cause more harm than a soldier and climate change threatens more people than most conventional weapons. Closing our eyes to that reality means refusing to learn. What we need is early, preventative action, based on good reporting and adequate capacities in the United Nations system. That is what “maintaining peace and security” means in the twenty-first century.”
“United Nations peace operations themselves will need to adapt by: monitoring the fast-changing dynamics of conflict; protecting the health of staff and local populations; and keeping the mission fully operational. That is why Germany, together with other European Union member States, has signed a letter assuring the Secretary-General that we will uphold our military, police and civilian contributions. Secondly, safe, unhindered and rapid access for humanitarian workers and medical personnel is even more important during a pandemic. It is the obligation of the Security Council and other member States involved to make this happen. We also heard the Secretary-General’s call for immediate steps to ensure that the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) does not reverse progress achieved in gender equality and women’s participation in peace processes.”
“Yesterday, the Security Council finally sent a sign of unity by endorsing the Secretary-General’s call for a global ceasefire. Resolution 2532 (2020) was long overdue. Let us now implement it together by working towards country-specific ceasefires. We all know that they can facilitate humanitarian access and serve as entry points for political talks. Today’s meeting can also be a launching pad to address major health risks and their security implications more systematically. To do so, we should agree on three lines of action: First, we must address the effects that pandemics have on the conflicts and humanitarian crises on the Council’s agenda.”
“The world is facing its biggest crisis since 1945. More than half a million people have already died from a virus for which we do not yet have a cure. Many more could follow. The emergency braking in the global economy will deepen humanitarian crises and destroy trust in State institutions. We have heard from our briefers how conflicts are spiralling out of control, especially in Africa and in war- torn countries such as Yemen and Libya. At the same time, human rights violations are soaring. The men and women who signed the Charter of the United Nations 75 years ago entrusted the Security Council with upholding peace and security. They drew the right lessons from the deadly reality they had just witnessed. The simple question before us today is: Do we?”