YouSaid · the spoken record

Allen

lines on the record: 1,072
first: 2017-08-15
most recent: 2020-12-07
sittings or episodes: 159
sources: un-security-council

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“Let me conclude with a final reflection. United Nations police are present throughout the continuum of conflict. The Blue Berets are usually the first and the last members of the United Nations family that a local population meet during any intervention or response to a crisis. So to succeed in their mission, across the duration of their deployment officers need to establish a relationship with the population, one founded on trust. That trust is more readily formed if United Nations police officers reflect the diversity of the world that they are sent to protect. Allow me to close by joining my voice to that of Under-Secretary-General Lacroix in expressing my support for police-contributing countries that are addressing the obstacles preventing more women from entering United Nations police.”
2017-11-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8086 (2017) · source
“In this regard, I want to highlight and commend the good work of the Global Focal Point for Police, Justice and Corrections, a working arrangement between the Department of Peacekeeping Operations, the United Nations Development Programme, UN-Women, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and others, which provides joint operational country support in the police, justice and corrections areas in post-conflict and other crisis situations. It is an example of the United Nations providing more effective, coherent and coordinated country-level assistance, which we would like to see more of. I also want to stress the United Kingdom's continuing support for the external review 2016 recommendations. We are keen to see progress being made on these areas, including those referenced in the Secretary-General's report.”
2017-11-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8086 (2017) · source
“This should be underpinned by a strong analytical capability that can undertake the continuous analysis necessary to ensure support remains appropriate to needs on the ground. In parallel, we would like to see the Secretariat make more regular and effective use of specialists with skills relevant to the situation at hand. This would require the introduction of better and more transparent administrative arrangements to absorb and utilize this expertise. Additionally, it is crucial that policing be incorporated into integrated planning and assessment processes, both in New York and in missions, so that the various mission components complement one another.”
2017-11-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8086 (2017) · source
“We are the organ that tasks those men and women with risking their lives, and so it is important that we hear directly from the police commanders about what more the Council can do to support them and their officers. As we all know too well, the threats they face do not stand still. If United Nations policing is to stay effective, then we - whether Council members, police-contributing countries or police commanders - need to be ready to respond and reform. That is why we would have liked to have seen resolution 2382 (2017) go further in terms of reform. There is still much to be done in order to ensure that United Nations policing is as effective and efficient as possible. For example, the United Kingdom wants to see a more flexible approach to the police function - one that adapts according to the situation each mission faces.”
2017-11-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8086 (2017) · source
“From Haiti to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, from Afghanistan to South Sudan, the men and women of United Nations policing put their lives on the line to protect the most vulnerable as their communities emerge from conflict. Their presence allows people to rebuild their lives, their communities, their livelihoods after the guns have fallen silent, and they help embed longer-term stability by promoting the rule of law, human rights and by helping build capable and accountable security institutions that can stand on their own two feet without United Nations support. It is because of the important role of United Nations policing that it is so vital that we hold these meetings.”
2017-11-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8086 (2017) · source
“I want to thank our briefers for sharing their analyses with us today, and particularly to welcome Police Commissioner Makotose to the Council. I also want to thank the presidency and the Secretariat for ensuring that we hear women's voices in this Chamber, not just on policing but on all the issues we discuss. At the outset, I would like to echo my Swedish colleague and to ask all the Blue Berets at today's meeting to pass on to their officers the Security Council's thanks and admiration for their service and bravery. Their work and sacrifice in fragile and post- conflict States is a vital part ofpeacekeeping operations and special political missions.”
2017-11-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8086 (2017) · source
“Therefore, we encourage careful consideration of the implications to the security ofthe United States and its allies before taking any steps that might undermine the JCPOA, such as reimposing sanctions on Iran that were lifted under the agreement. As we work to preserve the JCPOA, we share concerns about Iran's ballistic missile programme and regional activities that also affect our security interests. We stand ready to take further appropriate measures to address these issues in close cooperation with the United States and all relevant partners. We also look to Iran to engage in constructive dialogue to stop destabilizing actions and work towards negotiated solutions. We believe that approach entails the best path to regional security.”
2017-10-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8072 (2017) · source
“We condemn each of those illegal acts in the strongest terms. Moving briefly to Iran, as we have heard, President Trump has taken the decision not to recertify Iran's compliance with the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) to Congress. The United Kingdom stands committed to the JCPOA and its full implementation by all sides. We believe that preserving the JCPOA is in our shared national security interest. The nuclear deal was the culmination of 13 years of diplomacy, and was a major step towards ensuring that Iran's nuclear programme is not diverted for military purposes. The JCPOA was unanimously endorsed by the Council in resolution 2231 (2015). The International Atomic Energy Agency has repeatedly confirmed Iran's compliance with the JCPOA through its long-term verification and monitoring programme.”
2017-10-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8072 (2017) · source
“We strongly condemn the use of racist, hateful and anti-Semitic language. It is right that we continue to urge against any type of action and language that makes it more difficult to achieve a culture of peaceful coexistence. Settlement construction is a significant barrier to achieving the negotiated agreement we seek and seriously threatens the physical viability of the two- State solution. We have witnessed an unacceptable acceleration of settlements activity throughout 2017, both in the West Bank and East Jerusalem. To date, Israel has advanced plans over 13,000 settlement units - the highest number since 1992. Reports also indicate that a significant number of units may be advanced this week, and new settlement construction permits were approved in Hebron for the first time in 15 years.”
2017-10-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8072 (2017) · source
“We encourage those involved in the talks to engage in good faith so as to allow the Palestinian Authority to fully resume its Government functions and ensure compliance with the Quartet principles. Our policy on Hamas remains clear - Hamas must renounce violence, recognize Israel and accept previous agreements. We expect now to see credible movement towards those conditions, which remain the benchmark against which its intentions should be judged. We call on those in the region with influence over Hamas to encourage it to take these steps. In support of the two-State solution, we must continue to press the parties on the need to refrain from actions that make peace efforts more difficult. We are clear that the repellent phenomena of terrorism and incitement pose a grave threat to the two-State solution and must end.”
2017-10-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8072 (2017) · source
“We continue to watch developments on intra-Palestinian reconciliation closely. Our long- standing policy on reconciliation is that we support the Palestinian people in realizing self-determination through an independent, sovereign and unified Palestinian State encompassing the West Bank and Gaza. We continue to closely monitor the situation in Gaza and we welcome Egyptian efforts on this important issue. We also join the Secretary-General in welcoming the Palestinian Authority's return to Gaza on 2 October and the agreement to allow the Palestinian Authority to resume administrative control. That is an important and positive step towards the full restoration of Palestinian Authority control and effective governance in Gaza.”
2017-10-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8072 (2017) · source
“The occupation is a continued impediment to securing the political rights of the non-Jewish communities in Palestine. Let us remember that there are two halves to the Declaration - the second half of which has not been fulfilled. There is therefore unfinished business. With the approaching centenary, we believe that it is important to look forward, not backward - forward towards establishing security and justice for both Israelis and Palestinians through a lasting peace. We believe that the way to achieve that lasting peace is through a negotiated two-State solution that leads to a safe and secure Israel living alongside a viable and sovereign Palestinian State, based on 1967 borders with agreed land swaps, Jerusalem as the shared capital of both States and a just, fair, agreed and realistic settlement for refugees.”
2017-10-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8072 (2017) · source
“I would like to thank Assistant Secretary-General for Political Affairs Jenca and, through him, Special Coordinator Mladenov for all of their work. From the outset, I would like to make clear, as we approach the centenary of the Balfour Declaration next month, that the United Kingdom understands and respects the sensitivities many have about the Declaration and the events that have taken place in the region since 1917. The United Kingdom is proud to have played a role in helping to make a Jewish homeland a reality, and we continue to support the principle of such a homeland and the modern State of Israel. Just as we fully support the modern State of Israel as a Jewish homeland, we also fully support the objective of a viable and sovereign Palestinian State.”
2017-10-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8072 (2017) · source
“They can choose to end the violence, protect civilians and defend human rights They can choose to allow humanitarian access, including by the United Nations. They can work with Bangladesh on the return of refugees, and they can address the long-term issues raised by the Advisory Commission on Rakhine State. But should they fail to do so, they will find themselves on the wrong side of history, and the Council must then be ready to take further action.”
2017-09-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8060 (2017) · source
“Many of us here today have stood by the people of Burma for long years, have watched the inspiring steps taken towards democracy and have welcomed the country back into the international community with open arms. Given our history and long-standing friendship with Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, we remain committed to Burma and to all of its people. We want to see further progress towards democracy, and we want Burma to thrive within the international community. Our commitment is the reason that we speak so frankly today in this Chamber. This crisis now casts a deep shadow over Burma's international reputation, on its leaders and on its military. The Burmese authorities must now take the decisions that will decide their place in history.”
2017-09-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8060 (2017) · source
“We welcome the Burmese authorities' public commitment to that and the establishment of the ministerial Implementation Committee for the recommendations on Rakhine State. It is essential that we now see progress, particularly on citizenship. Fifthly, we urge the Burmese authorities to cooperate with the United Nations Fact-Finding Mission on Myanmar established by the Human Rights Council. If the Burmese authorities have any doubt about what is happening, that is how reports can be independently verified and those responsible held to account. The Council considers many crises around the world, but the situation in Burma strikes many of us around this table with particular poignancy.”
2017-09-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8060 (2017) · source
“Thirdly, Burma should work with Bangladesh to establish a safe, voluntary and sustainable way for those who have fled Rakhine to return to their homes. We welcome the civilian Government's commitment to the right of return, but previous arrangements have been inadequate. A process is needed that allows those who have fled to register as refugees. It needs to be a process that acknowledges that many fled without documents, or never had them in the first place, a process that allows people to return to their homes and places of origin safely, voluntarily and sustainably. We welcome the willingness of the United Nations to support this endeavour. Fourthly, the recommendations of the Advisory Commission on Rakhine State must be implemented swiftly and in full.”
2017-09-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8060 (2017) · source
“We are particularly concerned to ensure that the violence does not spread to central Rakhine. Secondly, the Burmese authorities need to grant United Nations agencies and their partners full and unhindered humanitarian access to Rakhine State. We welcome the Government's cooperation with humanitarian agencies, such as the International Committee of the Red Cross, and we welcome the efforts of the Red Cross to respond to the crisis. But the humanitarian needs inside Rakhine state vastly exceed the capacity of the Red Cross. Only United Nations agencies and their partners can provide urgent life-saving assistance on the scale required. We believe that the authorities should tone down the anti-United Nations rhetoric and stop it immediately in State media outlets.”
2017-09-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8060 (2017) · source
“In the face of such opinion, it falls on Burma, in particular the Burmese military, to respond. The Burmese military bear the primary responsibility for resolving this crisis, but there is a way out. First, the Burmese military under Commander-in-Chief Min Aung Hlaing must immediately stop the violence in Rakhine state and ensure the protection of all civilians, including the Rohingya. In this Chamber, I repeat my Government's condemnation of the attacks carried out by the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army last month, but military operations in response have been excessive, and vigilante groups have carried out sectarian violence unchecked. That cannot continue. The hate speech and incitement to violence must stop. The Burmese military must act immediately and uphold the rule of law.”
2017-09-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8060 (2017) · source
“The vast majority are Rohingya Muslims, although they also include Buddhists, Hindus and other minorities, but make no mistake - this is a human tragedy and an acute humanitarian crisis that has exploded with almost unprecedented speed. At the outset, I want to pay tribute to the Government and the people of Bangladesh for providing safety and shelter to so many until they can return safely, voluntarily and sustainably to their homes in Burma. I also want to acknowledge the important diplomatic efforts undertaken by Indonesia, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation and the United Nations. It is becoming increasingly clear that world opinion, whether among countries or international organizations, is coming together on this issue.”
2017-09-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8060 (2017) · source
“I thank the Secretary General for his briefing and for all that he has done to bring this issue before the Security Council. As a long-standing friend of the Burmese people, the United Kingdom has watched in horror at the violence that has erupted over the past month. What began as a series of attacks by the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army has spiralled into an acute humanitarian crisis, one which now poses a threat to stability and security in the region. We have all heard the reports. We have all heard of the extrajudicial killings and the burning of villages. We have heard of the cruelty, the sexual violence and the landmines laid along routes taken by refugees. Half a million people have fled, many bearing the scars of the violence.”
2017-09-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8060 (2017) · source
“A smoothly functioning CTED, a newly-established Counter-Terrorism Office and a truly strategic United Nations approach to prevention coordinated by the Counter-Terrorism Office are two concrete ways to assist in this endeavour.”
2017-09-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8059 (2017) · source
“I found his description of his strategy extremely helpful when he set it out in his briefing, and I wonder if he might take the opportunity, either now or later, to say more about how he sees the Counter-Terrorism Office delivering the vital mandate from the General Assembly for the preventive pillar of the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy and how he might use his chairmanship of the Secretary-General's High-Level Preventing Violent Extremism Action Group to coordinate this. It would be really good to hear some more about that. Multilateral cooperation must continue to effectively counter terrorism and violent extremism.”
2017-09-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8059 (2017) · source
“The Office should use its central coordination role to look outside traditional peace and security analysis and draw on United Nations expertise in human rights, development, gender issues and education, to name just a few. Only then can the United Nations help countries address a violent extremist threat before it explodes into a threat to international peace and security. The United Nations potential to help States prevent violent extremism is unique and rightly lies at the heart of the mandate of the Counter- Terrorism Office. I would like to pose a question ifI may to Under- Secretary-General Voronkov.”
2017-09-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8059 (2017) · source
“States can address a terrorist case with all of the intelligence, police, judicial and even military means at their disposal. But as Under- Secretary-General Voronkov says, until we break the life cycle ofradicalization and terrorism and address the environments in which calls to terrorism are espoused and take hold, there will always be another would-be terrorist waiting to emerge. That is why preventing violent extremism is a vital investment for peace and security and why I think Secretary-General Guterres highlighted it when he established the United Nations Counter-Terrorism Office. I therefore believe that the strategic leadership and coordinating function of the Counter-Terrorism Office is vital in this context.”
2017-09-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8059 (2017) · source
“This should include learning lessons on how to address emerging security issues, improving country assessments and making sure they are acted upon, ensuring that technical expertise is fully used, and providing guidance on prioritization. We look forward to welcoming Michele Coninsx as the new Executive Director and hearing her ideas for how to further improve this important office. The second opportunity we see is to give priority to prevention, addressing the root causes and the violent extremism that spawns terrorism. For every person who is radicalized into terrorism, there is first an environment in which ideology, economic factors and grievances are bent to a violent end by opportunistic leaders. This can happen. I am afraid, in schools, places of worship and prisons.”
2017-09-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8059 (2017) · source
“CTED's proactive approach to new counter-terrorism issues has been welcome. Its guidelines on foreign terrorist fighters and counter-narratives, for example, are excellent benchmarks. Further, CTED's work on public- private partnerships on the Internet has been vital, for example, working with the ICT4Peace Foundation and the world's largest tech firms in addressing terrorism and violence extremism content online. Governments have also built new relationships with the private sector as demonstrated last week when my Prime Minister along with partners from Italy and France for the first time hosted the world's largest information technology companies at the United Nations to address terrorist use of the Internet. The CTED mandate renewal at the end of this year is a chance to enhance its impact.”
2017-09-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8059 (2017) · source
“The Global Counter-Terrorism Forum and the Coalition against Da'esh helped to forge our strategies and technical capabilities. The United Nations Counter- Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate (CTED) and the newly created United Nations Counter-Terrorism Office marshall the resources of the United Nations to tackle both terrorism and violence extremism. The Council has a vital role to play, producing ever most sophisticated measures and guidance for States. I would like briefly to highlight two opportunities to improve and recalibrate the United Nations counter- terrorism approach. First, we must maximize the impact and effectiveness of CTED. I would like to congratulate CTED for its work to date. It is a well-functioning United Nations entity with real expertise and knowledge.”
2017-09-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8059 (2017) · source
“I would also like to thank all the briefers here this morning and take this opportunity to welcome Under-Secretary-General Voronkov to his new post, wish him every success and tell him how much we are looking forward to working with him during his time. As all of us in this Chamber know only too well, international terrorist groups like Da'esh and Al-Qaida seek to divide us. They seek to divide our communities and tear apart our countries, attacking our values and our institutions. But in the face of their attempts to divide us, one of our greatest weapons is our ability to come together and work together, and the Security Council is united in our desire to protect people across the world and defeat terrorism. Our shared multilateral counter-terrorism system has never been so needed. Each constituent part is crucial.”
2017-09-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8059 (2017) · source
“Thirdly, we encourage the new United Nations to work closely with ICAO and make capacity-building in aviation security a priority. We encourage them together to identify and deliver appropriate capacity- building projects, in line with the actions and tasks set out in the global aviation security plan. In conclusion, the first anniversary of2309 (2016) is a moment, in part, to reflect on what has been achieved over the past year; but it needs to be far more than that. It should also be a moment when we ask how we sustain the momentum created by 2309 (2016), putting into practice what we have committed to on paper.”
2017-09-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8057 (2017) · source
“We encourage the Monitoring Team of the Committee pursuant to resolutions 1267 (1999), 1989 (2011) and 2253 (2015) concerning ISIL (Da'esh), Al-Qaida, and associated individuals, groups, undertakings and entities to make sure that it asks States about threats to aviation security and that those threats are properly assessed in the team's regular reporting. Secondly, we welcome the close corporation that has developed between the Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate (CTED) and ICAO. Those two agencies already work together closely and are developing a cooperation agreement. We encourage continued collaboration on CTED country assessments, but also on sharing information, research and analysis about the emerging trends in terrorist threats to civil aviation, and on cutting-edge ways in which they could be mitigated.”
2017-09-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8057 (2017) · source
“Let us therefore support each other through technical cooperation and capacity development, as spelled out in 2309 (2016). The United Kingdom has recently tripled its budget for such assistance and has an active programme, working alongside dozens of fellow Member States. I call upon other Council members to do the same. It is not just ICAO members that can do more. I see three ways for the United Nations, together with ICAO, to work better to ensure that aviation security remains at the top of the agenda, getting the attention it requires. First, threats to aviation security should be routinely included in United Nations reporting related to terrorism.”
2017-09-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8057 (2017) · source
“Those plots should remind us all that we cannot relent in our efforts to keep our citizens safe. Instead, we need to maintain the resolve we found a year ago. That means each and every ICAO member State turning its commitment to the global aviation security plan into real action. Lip service is simply no deterrent. Those who believe their airports and carriers are somehow immune from terrorist targeting are not just wrong; they are also irresponsible, shirking both their obligations and the common responsibility we have to protect the global industry and our peoples who use it. Aviation is part ofthe lifeblood ofour economies. We recognize that implementing ICAO's agreed Standards and doing so on the basis of recommended practices validated by robust verification is a challenge for some, no matter how good their intentions.”
2017-09-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8057 (2017) · source
“And we look forward to the plan being endorsed later this year by the International Civil Aviation Organization Council (ICAO). We believe that the Security Council should then add its endorsement and call to action. And yet, one year on from 2309 (2016), it is clear that the threat facing civil aviation has not diminished; instead, it has evolved. Members will recall the plot to smuggle bombs inside laptops, which led the United Kingdom and the United States to ban larger electronics from the cabins of aircraft for several months this year, or the failed attack at Sydney's international airport just two months ago - a sophisticated effort that would have claimed hundreds of innocent lives. Those are but two examples of the terrorists' unrelenting desire to bring death and destruction to our skies.”
2017-09-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8057 (2017) · source
“May I thank Secretary General Liu and Ambassador Aboulatta for their briefings, which were both informative. I thought that they contained some important recommendations of which we can all take note. A year ago, the Security Council met to adopt its first-ever resolution on the terrorist threats facing civil aviation (see S/PV.7775). Through that unanimous adoption, we showed our joint resolve to protect our citizens from a shared and escalating threat, and we started a global discussion on how together we would improve aviation security standards. We therefore welcome the good work that has followed over the past 12 months. It speaks volumes about the momentum created by resolution 2309 (2016) that the Global Aviation Security Plan was completed two years ahead of the original schedule.”
2017-09-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8057 (2017) · source
“The international community, including the Security Council, must be prepared to act against those who continue to impede progress towards peace and make the people of South Sudan suffer. We should make it clear to them that they will face sanctions if they do not participate fully in the IGAD process. As the communique says, South Sudan can no longer be treated in a routine manner. The United Kingdom stands ready to support the region and use all the tools at its disposal, collectively and individually, to compel the parties to choose peace.”
2017-09-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8056 (2017) · source
“The United Kingdom therefore calls on all parties to the Agreement, as well as estranged and other opposition groups, to respond positively and constructively to this opportunity for dialogue. We agree with others that at this stage elections would be premature. The United Kingdom has repeatedly stated that there must be consequences for those who seek to obstruct peace, and we have long called for sanctions against spoilers. We therefore support last week's African Union Peace and Security Council communique and its call for all the necessary steps, including sanctions, to be considered against all who continue to obstruct efforts to restore peace and security in South Sudan.”
2017-09-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8056 (2017) · source
“If it is to succeed, it will take a concerted and united push from all countries in the region and a commitment to staying the course. The first priority for that process must be the laying down of arms once and for all. There is no military solution to this crisis, and lasting peace will be achieved only through the inclusion of all groups, armed or not. We cannot expect success overnight. We must see the revitalization forum as a process, not a one-off meeting, although we must also guard against drift. Success will require all the parties, particularly the Government, to demonstrate the commitment and the political will to pursue peace, which have been lacking so far.”
2017-09-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8056 (2017) · source
“In that vein, the United Kingdom strongly welcomes the joint efforts of the United Nations, the regional countries of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) and the African Union to bring the suffering of the South Sudanese people and the fighting to an end. Those messages were reiterated at the high-level meeting on South Sudan on 20 September and echo of the calls that the Council made in March in our presidential statement S/PRST/2017/4. We welcome the leadership shown by the regional countries of IGAD in launching the high- level revitalization forum and offer our full support, as I believe all members of the Security Council do, to this initiative's objective of revitalizing the peace agreement.”
2017-09-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8056 (2017) · source
“The suffering is forcing millions of civilians to flee, creating the largest refugee crisis in Africa and the fastest growing refugee crisis in the world. Today, we have been presented with a yet another set of reports that demonstrate that the Government's declared ceasefire is meaningless. Government forces continue large-scale military operations, which have caused dire humanitarian consequences and disrupted life-saving humanitarian operations. Suffering on such a scale cannot be allowed to continue. South Sudan cannot continue on its current path. As President Mogae has rightly stated, the international community must act and speak with one voice.”
2017-09-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8056 (2017) · source
“As the Secretary-General said, the signatories to the peace agreement have demonstrated time and again that they are deaf to the distress of their own people and unmoved by calls for peace from the international community. Conflict, hunger and horrific sexual violence have become commonplace. There has been gang rape, the recruitment of child soldiers and attacks on schools and hospitals. Nearly 2 million people are on the brink of famine and half of the population is food insecure. Yet, non-governmental organizations report that those starving are often too afraid to collect life-saving aid for fear of being attacked on the way home by those charged to protect them. We cannot even begin to imagine the choices that the people of South Sudan are being forced to make.”
2017-09-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8056 (2017) · source
“Mr. Allen: (United Kingdom): At the outset, let me take the opportunity to thank the Special Representative of the Secretary-General, Mr. Shearer, and President Mogae for their briefings. I reiterate the full support of the United Kingdom for the vital work of the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) and the Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission in difficult circumstances in South Sudan. Two years ago, the people of South Sudan rejoiced at the signing of the 2015 Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan. It was a symbol of hope for the young country, which had so quickly been plunged again into war by the rivalries of its leaders. Now, that document is a stark reminder of all that the Government has failed to deliver for South Sudan.”
2017-09-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8056 (2017) · source
“It will be beholden on us all - within the Council, in the United Nations system more broadly and, of course, the Government of Afghanistan - to support such a peace process.”
2017-09-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8055 (2017) · source
“That is crucial to building a stable Afghan State and to reducing the terrorist threat to us all. It is in all our interests that Afghanistan become safer and more prosperous, that is why we announced our own troop increase in June and confirmed development support ofup to $1 billion until 2020. We also welcomed the restated commitment that ultimately the only way to a political settlement will be through negotiations between the Afghan Government and the Taliban. That is why we encourage Foreign Minister Rabbani and his colleagues in the Government to take this opportunity to reach out to the Taliban to establish a credible peace process. We owe it to the people of Afghanistan, who have suffered so much during decades of violence, to do all that can be done to institute a peace process.”
2017-09-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8055 (2017) · source
“We very much hope, therefore, that members of the Security Council can agree to adjust the mandate of UNAMA in order to incorporate those recommendations. That would ensure that UNAMA is better able to focus on the critical task of supporting the peace process. We look forward to discussing this matter with Council members in the weeks ahead. Before concluding I want to say a word on the outcome of the United States-South Asia strategy review. The United Kingdom and United States are close partners in Afghanistan, and so we welcome the United States long-term commitment to the people and the Government there. Despite the challenges, which we have heard a lot about today, we agree that it is important that we continue to provide support on issues such as security, development and governance.”
2017-09-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8055 (2017) · source
“We welcome the recognition of the importance of the national civilian presence offered by UNAMA's network of field officers. The United Kingdom strongly supports the continued national presence. Those officers are an important symbol to local communities. They will also have a role to play in delivering successful elections in 2018 and 2019, and can make a contribution to underpinning local peace negotiations in the future. The report sets out three strategic priorities corresponding to support for political stability, peace, and economic and social development. We believe that putting greater focus on support for an Afghan-led peace process is the right way forward. Only by establishing a credible peace process can Afghanistan move forward. We all have a role to play in that, including the United Nations.”
2017-09-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8055 (2017) · source
“Just as Afghanistan today is not the same as it was 10 years ago, it is right that UNAMA changes too, to fit the current realities on the ground. We therefore welcome the review into how the Mission can best support Afghanistan in a way that aligns with the Government's own priorities. We share much of the analysis in the strategic review, with its focus on streamlining the work of the Mission towards a targeted set of outcomes. The report (S/2017/696) contains a number of recommendations that should strengthen its work. The key thing now is implementation. We will continue our close work with UNAMA on donor coordination, the rule of law, anti-corruption efforts and support for human rights, especially womens' rights.”
2017-09-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8055 (2017) · source
“I would like to thank Special Representative of the Secretary-General Tadamichi Yamamoto for his briefing today. At the outset, I want to express my gratitude and that of my Government for the work that he and his team are doing in extremely challenging circumstances. I also thank Foreign Minister Rabbani for his intervention today. As both Mr. Rabbani and Mr. Tadamichi made clear, we simply cannot afford to lose sight of Afghanistan. Despite years of progress, Afghanistan continues to face tough security and development challenges, while the human cost after years of fighting and violence only continues to grow. Our work is therefore not done, and it is clear that the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) still has a vital part play.”
2017-09-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8055 (2017) · source
“In conclusion, there is still some way to go to bring our organizations even closer together, but through these three steps, I believe that we can do so, and our collaborative progress to date should encourage us that we can resolve future challenges together.”
2017-09-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8044 (2017) · source
“This financial solution must be combined with the undertaking of agreed standards and mechanisms to ensure oversight and accountability for performance, conduct and discipline, including sexual exploitation and abuse, and financial management. In doing so, not only will the finances of AU missions be secured, but their performance and accountability will also improve. This will only be to the benefit of peace and security and to the benefit of many outside this Chamber. This seems to me a fruitful area for concrete follow-up by the United Nations Secretariat and the AU Peace and Security Council.”
2017-09-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8044 (2017) · source