YouSaid · the spoken record

Antony Blinken

lines on the record

23

first

2021-02-17

most recent

2021-05-07

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2

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un-security-council

Every line below is reproduced as it was said and linked to the record it came from. Nothing here is summarised or generated. Directory · Search · Corrections

1. “We continue to have profound differences, among the Member states of the United Nations and within the Security Council. But the United States will spare no effort to find and stand on that common ground with any country that upholds its commitments to the order we founded together, and which we must defend and revitalize together. That is the great test of this moment. Let us meet it together.”

   2021-05-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/456 (2021) · source

2. “That means forging non-traditional partnerships across regional lines, bringing together cities, the private sector, foundations, civil society and social and youth movements. And we must improve equity within and between our countries and close economic, political and social gaps that persist based on race, gender and other parts of our identity that make us who we are. At the founding of this institution, President Truman said, “This Charter was not the work of any single nation or group of nations, large or small. It was the result of a spirit of give-and-take, of tolerance for the views and interests of others.” He said it was proof that nations can state their differences, face them and find common ground on which to stand.”

   2021-05-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/456 (2021) · source

3. “Likewise, it is not enough simply to defend the rules-based order we have now. We should improve and build upon it. We need to take into account the change in power dynamics over the past eight decades, not only between countries but within them. We need to address legitimate grievances, particularly unfair trading practices, that have provoked a backlash against an open international economic order in many countries, including in the United States. And we must ensure that this order is equipped to address new problems — like national security and human rights concerns — raised by new technologies from cyberattacks to surveillance to discriminatory algorithms. Finally, we need to modernize the way we build coalitions and who we include in our diplomacy and development efforts.”

   2021-05-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/456 (2021) · source

4. “We have re-joined the Paris Agreement on Climate Change, recommitted to the World Health Organization and are seeking to re-join the Human Rights Council. We are engaged in diplomacy to return to mutual compliance with the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action and to strengthen the nuclear non-proliferation regime. We are by far the largest contributor to the COVID-19 Vaccine Global Access Facility, the best vehicle for the equitable distribution of COVID-19 vaccines. And we are making tens of millions of doses available to others, without political considerations. We are also taking steps, with great humility, to address the inequities and injustices in our own democracy. We do so openly and transparently for people around the world to see, even when it is ugly, even when it is painful. And we will emerge stronger and better for doing so.”

   2021-05-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/456 (2021) · source

5. “When United Nations Member States, particularly permanent members of the Security Council, flout these rules and block attempts to hold accountable those who violate international law, it sends the message that others can break those rules with impunity. All of us must accept the scrutiny, however difficult, that comes with the commitments we have freely made. That includes the United States. I know that some of our actions in recent years have undermined the rules-based order and led others to question whether we are still committed to it. Rather than take our word for it, we ask the world to judge our commitment by our actions. Under the Biden-Harris Administration, the United States has already re-engaged vigorously in multilateral institutions.”

   2021-05-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/456 (2021) · source

6. “A State does not respect that principle when it purports to redraw the borders of another, or seeks to resolve territorial disputes by using or threatening force, or when a State claims it is entitled to a sphere of influence to dictate or coerce the choices and decisions of another country. And a State shows contempt for that principle when it targets another with disinformation or weaponized corruption, undermines other countries’ free and fair elections and democratic institutions or goes after journalists or dissidents abroad. These hostile actions can also threaten the international peace and security that the United Nations Charter obliges this body to maintain.”

   2021-05-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/456 (2021) · source

7. “The foundational unit of the United Nations — from the first sentence of the Charter — is not just the nation State; it is also the human being. Some argue that what Governments do within their own borders is their own business and that human rights are subjective values that vary from one society to another. But the Universal Declaration of Human Rights begins with the word “universal” because our nations agreed there are certain rights to which every person, everywhere, is entitled. Asserting domestic jurisdiction does not give any State a blank check to enslave, torture, disappear or ethnically cleanse their people, or to violate their human rights in any other way. And this leads me to my third point, which is that the United Nations is based on the principle of the sovereign equality of its Member States.”

   2021-05-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/456 (2021) · source

8. “There are three ways we can do that. First, all members should meet their commitments, particularly the legally binding ones. That includes the Charter of the United Nations, treaties and conventions, Security Council resolutions, international humanitarian law and the rules and standards agreed to under the auspices of the World Trade Organization and numerous international standard-setting organizations. Let me be clear: the United States is not seeking to uphold this rules-based order to keep other nations down. The international order we helped build and defend has enabled the rise of some of our fiercest competitors. Our aim is simply to defend, uphold and revitalize that order. Secondly, human rights and dignity must stay at the core of the international order.”

   2021-05-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/456 (2021) · source

9. “That is why the United States will work through multilateral institutions to stop COVID-19 and tackle the climate crisis, and we will abide by the core principles of the international order as we do. We will also work with any country on these issues, including those with which we have serious differences. The stakes are too high to let differences stand in the way of our cooperation. The same holds true for stemming the spread and use of nuclear weapons, delivering life-saving humanitarian assistance and managing deadly conflicts. At the same time, we will continue to push back forcefully when we see countries undermine the international order and pretend that the rules we have all agreed to do not exist, or simply violate them at will. Because for the system to deliver, all countries must abide by it and put in the work for its success.”

   2021-05-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/456 (2021) · source

10. “Now some question whether multilateral cooperation is still possible. The United States believes it is not only possible, it is imperative. Multilateralism is still our best tool for tackling big global challenges, like the one that is forcing us to gather on a screen today rather than around a table. The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic has changed life as we know it across the planet, with millions of deaths and devastating impacts on economies, health, education, social progress. The climate crisis is another massive threat. If we do not move swiftly to cut emissions, the results will be catastrophic. We built the multilateral system in part to solve big, complex problems like these, where the fates of people around the world are tied together and where no single country, no matter how powerful, can address the challenges alone.”

    2021-05-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/456 (2021) · source

11. “Today conflicts, injustice and suffering around the globe underscore how many of our aspirations remain unfulfilled. But no period in modern history has been more peaceful or prosperous than the one since the United Nations was created. We avoided armed conflict between nuclear Powers. We helped millions of people emerge from poverty. We advanced human rights as never before. This bold endeavour, whatever its imperfections, has been an unprecedented achievement. It has endured because the overwhelming majority of people and nations continue to see it as representing their interests, their values and their hopes. But now it is in serious jeopardy. Nationalism is resurgent, repression is rising, rivalries among countries are deepening and attacks against the rules-based order are intensifying.”

    2021-05-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/456 (2021) · source

12. “The most powerful countries bound themselves to these principles. They agreed to a form of self-restraint — as President Truman put it, to deny themselves the license to do always as they pleased — because they recognized that this would ultimately serve not only humankind’s interests, but their own. The United States did this, even though it was by far the most powerful nation on Earth at the time. It was enlightened self-interest. We believed that other nations’ success was critical to ours. And we did not want less powerful countries feeling threatened and obliged to band together against us. In the years since, we have faced daunting challenges, from the divisions of the Cold War, the vestiges of colonialism and the times the world stood by in the face of mass atrocities.”

    2021-05-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/456 (2021) · source

13. “Let me start by thanking China and Foreign Minister Wang Yi for initiating this critical discussion on the future of the United Nations and the international order. And thank you as well to General Assembly President Bozkir for his leadership. When countries came together after the Second World War to form the United Nations, virtually all of human history up until then indicated that might made right. Competition inevitably led to collision. The rise of a nation or group of nations necessitated the fall of others. Then our nations united in choosing a different path. We adopted a set of principles to prevent conflict and alleviate human suffering, to recognize and defend human rights, to foster an ongoing dialogue to uphold and improve a system aimed at benefiting all people.”

    2021-05-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/456 (2021) · source

14. “But we have to do it, to prevent humanitarian crises from getting worse and to stop the pandemic’s secondary impacts from degrading fragile political situations. As President Biden has made clear, the United States will work as a partner to address global challenges. This pandemic is one of those challenges. And it gives us an opportunity not only to get through the current crisis but also to become more prepared and more resilient for the future. I am grateful to be able to work with all of you on the challenge that affects all of us.”

    2021-02-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/157 (2021) · source

15. “Transparency, information-sharing, access for international experts — these must be the hallmarks of our common approach to what is truly a global challenge. The language in resolution 2532 (2020) remains as relevant now as when it was adopted in July of 2020. Conflict-affected countries weakened by war, violence and poor health infrastructure remain highly vulnerable to pandemics and other illnesses that can be prevented by immunizations. And this pandemic has worsened already dire humanitarian and political crises, contributing to unprecedented levels of need. Organizing and implementing mass vaccination campaigns amid violence and conflict, we know, will be immensely difficult.”

    2021-02-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/157 (2021) · source

16. “If we do not, we seriously jeopardize our mission. Even as we expand access to safe and effective vaccines, we know that COVID-19 outbreaks are likely to occur in the years to come. The ongoing expert investigation about the origins of this pandemic — and the report that will be issued — must be independent, with findings based on science and facts and free from interference. To better understand this pandemic and prepare for the next one, all countries must make available all data from the earliest days of any outbreak. And going forward, all countries should participate in a transparent and robust process for preventing and responding to health emergencies, so the world learns as much as possible as soon as possible.”

    2021-02-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/157 (2021) · source

17. “The data we have all seen has shown a profound backsliding in gender equality, including spikes in gender-based violence as families are confined to close quarters during the pandemic. We need to continue implementing resolution 1325 (2000) and redouble our efforts to implement resolution 2475 (2019). We must support the Secretary-General’s various COVID-19 policy briefs on gender, people with disabilities and other vulnerable and marginalized groups. These groups must be included as decision-makers at all levels, following the principle of “nothing about us without us.” And countries must be held accountable for upholding their human rights obligations. No country should be allowed to use COVID-19 as an excuse to violate human rights or fundamental freedoms. We also call for all countries to combat misinformation on vaccines.”

    2021-02-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/157 (2021) · source

18. “And it reflects our renewed commitment to ensuring that WHO has the support it needs to lead the global response to the pandemic, even as we work to reform it for the future. Every country needs to do its part and contribute to the COVID-19 response. We have already announced more than $1.6 billion in emergency economic, health and humanitarian aid to try to help Governments, international organizations and non-governmental organizations mitigate the effects of COVID-19 and its secondary impacts worldwide. And that is in addition to a commitment of $1.16 billion over fiscal years 2020 through 2023 to support Gavi’s broader immunization efforts. As we move forward, it is critical to look at who the pandemic has hurt the most. The Secretary-General has called for us to put women and girls at the centre of the COVID-19 response and recovery.”

    2021-02-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/157 (2021) · source

19. “We plan to provide significant financial support to COVAX through Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance. And we will work to strengthen other multilateral initiatives involved in the global COVID-19 response — for example, the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria. These commitments build on a long tradition. Over the past two decades, the United States has provided more than $140 billion in global health assistance. We are now the single-largest contributor to the international response to COVID-19. Today I am pleased to confirm that, by the end of the month, the United States intends to pay over $200 million in assessed and current obligations to WHO. This is a key step forward in fulfilling our financial obligations as a WHO member.”

    2021-02-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/157 (2021) · source

20. “To that end, we will work with partners around the globe to strengthen and reform WHO, to support the Global Health Security Agenda, to build sustainable preparedness for biological threats and to create a warning system that will allow us to respond more rapidly with the testing, tracing and personal protective equipment needed to save lives. We seek to advance the creation of a long-overdue sustainable financing mechanism for health security, so we can leave the world more prepared for future outbreaks than it was for this pandemic. We are working with WHO, the COVID-19 Vaccine Global Access (COVAX) Facility and the Access to COVID-19 Tools (ACT) Accelerator. And we recently elevated our participation from observer to participant on the ACT Accelerator Facilitation Council.”

    2021-02-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/157 (2021) · source

21. “The United States believes that multilateralism, the United Nations and the World Health Organization (WHO) are essential, not just as an effective international COVID-19 health and humanitarian response but also building stronger global health capacity and security for the future. We have the immediate challenge of COVID-19. We have a longer challenge. But equally vital, we have a challenge in establishing the strongest-possible global health structure going forward. With the news of another Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Guinea, there is clearly no time to waste. And our vision has to be bold. We must defeat COVID-19 and prevent future pandemics.”

    2021-02-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/157 (2021) · source

22. “Thanks to collaboration between the private sector and Governments, global manufacturing capacity for safe and effective coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccines is expanding, but not fast enough to address the global need. The United States will work with our partners across the globe to expand manufacturing and distribution capacity and to increase access, including to marginalized populations. Here is how else we plan to contribute to ending this pandemic. As some of you will have seen, President Biden’s first national security memorandum made clear that the United States will once again serve as a global health leader.”

    2021-02-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/157 (2021) · source

23. “Dominic Raab, thank you very much. And it is very good to be with all of you today. I thank my colleague from Tunisia for his very strong remarks, and I very much thank Secretary-General Guterres for his leadership on what is truly a global challenge. Mr. Raab, thank you for bringing us together, in particular to look at barriers to vaccine access, including in areas that are affected by conflict. We all know — we all feel — that this pandemic has taken a terrible toll on many families and communities. And first and foremost, as human beings, our hearts go out to all of them. Thanks to tireless global efforts of scientists, doctors and health professionals, several safe and effective vaccines, therapeutics and diagnostics have been developed, and these are remarkable achievements.”

    2021-02-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/157 (2021) · source