YouSaid · the spoken record

Alotaibi

lines on the record: 2,145
first: 2010-04-14
most recent: 2022-07-26
sittings or episodes: 301
sources: 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

“Mr. Alotaibi (Kuwait) (spoke in Arabic): We would like to thank you, Mr. President, for convening today's meeting and wish you every success in steering the work of the Security Council this month. We also thank Mr. Thomas Markram, Deputy to the High Representative for Disarmament Affairs, for his briefing today. We are meeting to discuss the issue of chemical weapons in Syria, on which all members of the Council firmly agree within the context of the Syrian crisis. Based on this consensus, the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons-United Nations Joint Investigative Mechanism (JIM) was established to hold accountable the perpetrators of crimes committed with chemical weapons in Syria.”
2018-04-04 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8221 (2018) · source
“Those rights include the right to establish an independent and full sovereign State, with East Jerusalem as its capital, along the borders of 4 June 1967, based on resolutions of international legitimacy and those of the United Nations, the principle of land for peace, the road map and the Arab Peace Initiative.”
2018-03-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8219 (2018) · source
“Consequently, and as a first step, we are going to distribute a press statement to the Member States for review and adoption by the Security Council. In fact, as Mr. Zerihoun said, these incidents are a painful reminder of the need to achieve a lasting peace in the Middle East as soon as possible. In conclusion, the State of Kuwait emphasizes the importance of forcing Israel, the occupying Power, to respect and implement the relevant Security Council resolutions. We reiterate that any just and comprehensive peace must be a strategic one, and that in order to achieve it, the entire Israeli occupation of Palestinian and Arab territories must end and the Palestinian people be permitted to exercise their inalienable rights.”
2018-03-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8219 (2018) · source
“It is very important not to separate what happened today from the overall context. The Gaza Strip is still under blockade and has been so for more than 10 years now. Some of those who participated in the demonstration today are refugees who have been negatively impacted by the decrease in contributions to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East. What happened today is the result of more than 50 years of occupation. Numerous international reports have reiterated the degree to which living conditions have deteriorated in Gaza. When no response is made to such practices, policies and continued attacks against the defenceless Palestinian people and their legitimate rights, this will be the usual result, and we are definitely going to see more of such distressing incidents.”
2018-03-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8219 (2018) · source
“What happened today was a peaceful demonstration pertaining to the right of defenceless people. This right was responded to with the direct targeting of civilians, in flagrant violation of international human rights law. The perpetrators of today's crime must be brought to justice. The Palestinian people cannot be an exception to international commitments and international law, including the commitment to protecting civilians from atrocities and grave violations. Israel, the occupying Power, must honour its commitments, in line with the 1949 Geneva Convention relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons. We strongly support international protection for the Palestinian people in the occupied territory, and addressing the practices and policies of the repressive Israeli occupation authority.”
2018-03-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8219 (2018) · source
“They have participated in a peaceful demonstration as they do every year on 30 March to commemorate Land Day, express their attachment to their land and their national identity, and underscore their legitimate and inalienable political rights, guaranteed by international treaties, laws and norms. The Israeli occupation has continued for more than 50 years now. Israel's illegal and illegitimate expansionist activities continue in Palestinian occupied territory, including east Jerusalem. They are flagrant violations of relevant Security Council resolutions, particularly resolution 2334 (2016). The State of Kuwait condemns in the strongest terms the Israeli actions today, which have left at least 15 Palestinians dead and more than 1,400 injured. Let us be clear.”
2018-03-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8219 (2018) · source
“Mr. Alotaibi (Kuwait) (spoke in Arabic): At the outset, we would like to thank you, Mr. President, for having swiftly responded and convened this important meeting. We would also like to thank Mr. Zerihoun, Assistant Secretary-General for Political Affairs, for his briefing today. Four days ago in the Security Council (see S/PV.8214), we heard a briefing by Mr. Nickolay Mladenov on the status of the implementation of resolution 2334 (2016), at which he talked about the demonstration that took place today in Gaza. As is usual during the occasions when the defenceless Palestinian people take to the streets to peacefully reaffirm their right to an independent State, we have seen the policy of Israeli arrogance and oppression in action. Today, tens of thousands of brotherly Palestinian people have taken to the streets in Gaza.”
2018-03-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8219 (2018) · source
“We reiterate our appreciation to the Kingdom of the Netherlands for raising this topic today, with the aim of listening to the views of the greatest possible number of Member States on ways to improving peacekeeping, which has been one of the Council's most important tools over more than 70 years of maintaining international peace and security.”
2018-03-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8218 (2018) · source
“It also requires the participation of the parties concerned, starting with the host country, in the phases of formulating and reviewing a mandate, the emergence of challenges and changes before a situation escalates. In conclusion, the aforementioned factors and challenges require clear and flexible mandates that can give peacekeepers the ability to adapt to changes on the ground and to the level of threats that they face, and ensure that operations can function properly without being indefinitely extended while at the same time failing to achieve their mandated goals. We must take the initiative and draw on the Council's reports, reviews, experiences and recommendations accumulated over more than a quarter of a century.”
2018-03-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8218 (2018) · source
“In that regard, I would like to highlight the importance of the Secretariat's ongoing strategic reviews of peacekeeping operations, which are a tool that the Council must use in order to adapt to changes that Member States cannot control. Fourth is regional cooperation. Chapter VIII of the Charter of the United Nations provides us with an effective tool for cooperation with regional and subregional organizations, particularly when deployment of peacekeeping troops requires the participation of neighbouring countries, as we have witnessed in a number of missions in Africa. Regional cooperation is not limited to mobilizing and deploying forces.”
2018-03-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8218 (2018) · source
“They also include adapting the principles of peacekeeping, such as the use of force in self-defence and defence ofthe mandate, to the increase in threats that do not respect the United Nations flag and the protection it provides, as the Secretary- General mentioned. Addressing external factors and cross-border challenges with their implications for peacekeeping operations, such as climate change, migration, displacement, increased conflicts and greater needs, requires a whole-of-mission approach that addresses the root causes of conflict, achieves sustained peace and ensures the non-recurrence of conflict.”
2018-03-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8218 (2018) · source
“Kuwait supports all actions and efforts of the Secretary-General to improve the performance and efficiency of peacekeeping operations and address deficiencies that present obstacles to the full implementation of peacekeeping mandates. We appreciate the deep sense of responsibility that the Secretariat has demonstrated and its in-depth study of performance, as well as the current action plan, set out in the Cruz report, for addressing the increasing number of fatalities in peacekeeping operations. We highly commend the peacekeepers who sacrificed their lives to maintain peace and protect civilians everywhere. The third aspect is external factors affecting peacekeeping operations. The changes that peacekeeping operations are dealing with are not limited to coordination or addressing challenges during deployment.”
2018-03-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8218 (2018) · source
“The second aspect is current challenges. Last year's debates on peacekeeping operations provided us with many ideas and visions, most recently in December in this Chamber (see S/PV.8150), when Council members and the Assistant Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations addressed the issue of the ongoing provision to peacekeeping missions of the information they need in order to gain a clear understanding of the threats that they and civilians face, in addition to addressing the gaps in the military and civil requirements of peacekeeping in the areas of training, equipment, skills and language. The cooperation of TCCs in sharing experiences and in capacity-building throughout the various stages of troop deployment can help to ensure coherence and coordination in dealing with challenges faced by peacekeeping.”
2018-03-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8218 (2018) · source
“When we speak of the three principles of peacekeeping - the consent of the parties, impartiality and the use of force solely for self-defence - we must begin with the cornerstone, which is the perspective of the host country. It is the party that must be consulted throughout the phases of a mandate, from its formulation to full implementation, and including its extension and review. The triangular cooperation, consultation and coordination that has been initiated by the Security Council mechanism with the TCCs and the Secretariat is another necessary way of ensuring cooperation with TCCs and hearing their concerns and perspectives throughout the various phases of a peacekeeping mandate. In addition to that, the note by the President on the Security Council's methods ofwork (S/2017/507) provides guidance on coordinating with TCCs.”
2018-03-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8218 (2018) · source
“Out of our sense of responsibility with regard to peacekeeping, and based on our previous experience as a troop-contributing country (TCC) and a host for 12 years to the successful United Nations Iraq- Kuwait Observation Mission, whose mandate ended in 2003 - and Kuwait funded two-thirds of its budget during the whole period - we would like to focus our statement on improving the effectiveness of peacekeeping operations through four aspects. First is shared responsibility. Peacekeeping operations require coordination among the relevant parties and United Nations organs, which in turn requires addressing the pressing needs on the ground. In order to do so, we use peacekeeping operations, one of the most United Nations effective means for maintaining peace and security.”
2018-03-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8218 (2018) · source
“Mr. Alotaibi (Kuwait) (spoke in Arabic): At the outset, allow me to thank you, Mr. President, for convening this open debate and for preparing the concept note (S/2018/184, annex) to that end. I would also like to thank His Excellency the Secretary-General for his valuable briefing, as well as His Excellency the Chairperson of the African Union Commission, Mr. Moussa Faki Mahamat, and Ms. Fatimata Toure for their briefings.”
2018-03-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8218 (2018) · source
“Sadly, there is still a need for an end to the violence, sustained humanitarian and medical aid through weekly convoys across conflict lines, evacuation operations, the protection of civilians and hospitals, and the lifting of the siege.”
2018-03-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8217 (2018) · source
“Those commitments include, first, ensuring rapid, safe and unhindered access for humanitarian aid to areas affected by the conflict; secondly, increasing their efforts, as guarantors of the ceasefire agreement, to ensure observance of the respective agreements; and thirdly, pursuing their efforts to implement the provisions of resolution 2401 (2018). In conclusion, we affirm our full commitment to continuing to follow up closely on the status of the implementation of the resolution in the monthly reports to the Council. We will spare no effort to make progress in its implementation. This month marks the beginning of the eighth year of the conflict in Syria.”
2018-03-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8217 (2018) · source
“We call on the Syrian authorities to grant visas for additional United Nations staff immediately. Thirdly, on the responsibility of the parties to implement the resolution, we have a collective responsibility, as members of the Council and, specifically, as parties with influence, to work with the Syrian authorities and urge them to implement the provisions of resolution 2401 (2018) according to international humanitarian law. We expect the guarantors of the Astana agreement, Russia, Iran and Turkey, to achieve progress towards the fulfilment of the commitments undertaken in the statement they issued on 16 March in advance of their summit meeting, to be held in Istanbul on 4 April.”
2018-03-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8217 (2018) · source
“We call on the Syrian authorities to grant immediate permission for that. Fifthly, the deteriorating situation in the collective shelters for the internally displaced persons should be improved as quickly as possible as the number of new arrivals continues to rise. We are deeply concerned that the United Nations partners are bearing the brunt of a burden beyond their capacity. It will therefore be essential to make the maximum use of the United Nations, its staff and its resources in order to assist in managing the increasingly crowded collective shelters. We welcome the United Nations plans to increase staff on the ground to that end, and we encourage the United Nations to do the same for eastern Ghouta as soon as the security situation allows.”
2018-03-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8217 (2018) · source
“Thirdly, humanitarian aid convoys should continue to enter eastern Ghouta for the benefit of those who decided to stay there. Those convoys should occur on a weekly basis, as stipulated in resolution 2401 (2018), according to the United Nations assessment of needs, including medical supplies, and with full access for United Nations staff. Fourthly, human rights violations, including detentions, disappearances and forced conscriptions, must end. Those are serious protection concerns for civilians staying in eastern Ghouta and for those leaving it. We therefore encourage the United Nations to register the names of those evacuated and their destinations and to reinforce its presence in the collective shelters for internally displaced persons, including through the use of monitors to protect them and prevent sexual violence.”
2018-03-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8217 (2018) · source
“As we have said before, implementing the provisions of resolution 2401 (2018) is the only way to improve the humanitarian situation and to achieve tangible progress in that regard. Those provisions stipulate that there must be a cessation of hostilities and that access for humanitarian aid to reach the civilian population must be enabled. Regarding the humanitarian situation in eastern Ghouta, we have five points to convey to the relevant parties, which represent our special concerns about the protection of civilians. First, all evacuations must be voluntary. People must have the right to return and to choose safe places to go to. Secondly, any negotiations on the evacuation of civilians should include civilian representatives, such as local councils.”
2018-03-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8217 (2018) · source
“In that regard, we support the proposal for providing the Council with further regular updates. We appreciate the continued efforts of the United Nations to facilitate talks among all parties in eastern Ghouta with the goal of securing a ceasefire. We are particularly concerned about the continued military offensive by the Syrian authorities in eastern Ghouta, as well as air strikes on Dar'a and Idlib. The shelling of Damascus from eastern Ghouta is also a matter of concern. All of those acts of violence have claimed the lives of hundreds of innocent civilians. Secondly, on measures needed to improve the humanitarian situation, we must take the necessary measures to protect civilians fleeing eastern Ghouta and to improve the humanitarian situation in collective shelters.”
2018-03-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8217 (2018) · source
“We deplore the fact that it has not yet been implemented. However, we must continue to do everything in our power to ensure the resolution's full implementation throughout Syria. The increased number of humanitarian convoys entering the besieged areas during the month of March shows that partial delivery was achieved by comparison to the complete deadlock in access in previous months. That indicates that progress can be made in implementing the resolution, and we must build on that progress. We affirm that the provisions of the resolution will remain valid beyond the first 30 days after its adoption. We look forward to continued reports from the Secretariat on the status of implementation through monthly briefings, as stipulated in the resolution.”
2018-03-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8217 (2018) · source
“Mr. Alotaibi (Kuwait) (spoke in Arabic): We welcome you, Sir, in presiding over this important meeting. I am delivering this statement on behalf of Kuwait and Sweden. At the outset, I would like to thank the Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, Mr. Mark Lowcock, for his briefing. Today I will address three main areas: first, the status of the implementation of resolution 2401 (2018); secondly, measures needed to improve the humanitarian situation; and thirdly, the responsibility of the parties to implement the resolution. First, on the status of the implementation of resolution 2401 (2018), we are meeting today one month after its unanimous adoption by the Security Council, calling on all parties to cease hostilities Without delay for 30 days following the adoption of the resolution.”
2018-03-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8217 (2018) · source
“It also represents a rejection of peace and contravenes the determination of the international community to put an end to the conflict in Yemen, just as it undermines all opportunities for the international community to seek peace in the region. The Security Council must be united in expressing its clear opposition to these attacks, which threaten regional peace and security. The State of Kuwait underscores its full support for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and for all the actions the Kingdom may take to maintain its peace and security.”
2018-03-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8214 (2018) · source
“However, it is essential this morning to mention the serious escalation that we witnessed last night in the missile attack by the Houthis from Yemeni territory against several cities in Saudi Arabia, including Riyadh, Khamis Mushait, Najran and Jazan. These missiles, which indiscriminately targeted civilian and inhabited areas, were intercepted by the Saudi air defence forces. However, shrapnel did reach some inhabited areas, causing one death, numerous wounded and property damage. The State of Kuwait condemns and denounces in the strongest terms this missile attack against the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, which is a violation by the Houthis of international law and of relevant Security Council resolutions.”
2018-03-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8214 (2018) · source
“The State of Kuwait reiterates the need for donors to provide UNRWA with the necessary funding so that the Agency can continue to provide its vital services to refugees and perform its humanitarian activities without politicization. Reducing funding for UNRWA will lead to a humanitarian disaster and undermine all its education, health care, infrastructure and humanitarian assistance programmes. In this regard, we welcome the initiative of Sweden, Egypt and Jordan to convene the Extraordinary Ministerial Conference in Rome on 15 March, at which donor States pledged some $100 million to mitigate the shortfall in UNRWA's budget. In conclusion, when we discuss the topic of the Middle East in the Security Council, we always focus on the Palestinian question.”
2018-03-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8214 (2018) · source
“The blockade enshrines Israel's practices and violations of international humanitarian and human rights law. On this point, I recall the war that was waged by the occupying Power against Gaza from 28 December 2008 until 18 January 2009, which destroyed a great deal of infrastructure. We would also like to mention the financial crisis facing the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), which is the worst of its kind since the Agency's creation in 1949. The crisis has a had negative impact on the Agency, which plays a pivotal and important role by providing assistance to approximately 6 million Palestinian refugees on its rolls. The Agency has contributed and continues to contribute to stability in the Middle East.”
2018-03-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8214 (2018) · source
“Despite the challenges to reaching a two-State solution, due to the illegal and illegitimate aggressive practices and settlement policies of the occupying Power, we still believe that such a solution - based on a clear timetable, the relevant resolutions of the United Nations, the principle of land for peace and the Arab Peace Initiative, which ensures the establishment of an independent Palestinian State along the borders of 4 June 1967 and with East Jerusalem as its capital - is the only way to achieve security and stability. We would like to express our profound concern with regard to the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza, which is a crisis that has lasted for more than a decade due to the unjust and oppressive blockade imposed by the occupying forces of Israel. Mr. Mladenov noted its serious implications today.”
2018-03-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8214 (2018) · source
“In violating Security Council resolutions, particularly 2334 (2016), Israel, the occupying Power, is maintaining its expansionist, illegal and illegitimate activities, as Mr. Mladenov noted today. In that regard, we demand to see a written report on the status of the implementation of resolution 2334 (2016). Here in the Council, we are dealing with an issue of 50 years of occupation. It is essential, therefore, that we talk about putting an end to the occupation as a precondition to any negotiation between the two parties to achieve a definitive, comprehensive and just solution. Indeed, partial solutions have produced no results.”
2018-03-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8214 (2018) · source
“We condemn all unilateral Israeli policies, actions and measures that seek to change the situation on the ground in order to create a new status quo and to undermine the two-State solution based on the 1967 borders. Israel, the occupying Power, pursues its aggressive policies and provocative and unilateral measures that contravene Security Council resolutions and international conventions. We remind the Council of the serious potential consequences of the decision to transfer of the United States embassy to Jerusalem on 14 May. That decision is null and void since it is in explicit contravention of resolutions 242 (1967), 338 (1973), 476 (1980), 478 (1980) and 2334 (2016).”
2018-03-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8214 (2018) · source
“The fact that Israel is not shouldering its responsibilities at the international level as the occupying Power - based on the 1949 Fourth Geneva Convention - and that it does not comply with, and even disregards, United Nations resolutions demonstrates that Israel does not heed the decisions of the international community. This is the main reason behind the humanitarian tragedy that has befallen the unarmed Palestinian people, which obviously only fuels tensions in the region. The Palestinian question is still at the heart of the regional conflict, so it is essential to focus on this matter rather than on other issues, regardless of their importance.”
2018-03-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8214 (2018) · source
“Mr. Alotaibi (Kuwait) (spoke in Arabic): I would like to start by joining those who preceded me in congratulating and welcoming Ambassador Karen Pierce, the new Permanent Representative of the United Kingdom, and wishing her every success. I thank Mr. Mladenov, Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, for his valuable briefing today. We would like to express our full support for his work with his team and for the work of the United Nations regarding the monitoring of developments related to the issue under consideration. In his briefing, Mr. Mladenov spoke of the deteriorating situation in the occupied territories while Israel, the occupying Power, continues to violate international law and undermine international efforts to achieve peace based on a two-State solution.”
2018-03-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8214 (2018) · source
“Despite our collective efforts to prevent famine in many countries, the food-insecurity crisis continues. Many people throughout the world, particularly women and children, are unable to meet their basic needs. The risk of famine has highlighted the need for better coordination and increased early-warning mechanisms. The State of Kuwait stands ready to work with other Member States in actively contributing to international efforts to achieve a comprehensive solution to the problem of conflict-related hunger around the world.”
2018-03-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8213 (2018) · source
“The Security Council has a number of measures at its disposal to ensure such respect when Member States fail to fulfil their obligations, such as encouraging parties to a conflict to comply with international law and the relevant resolutions, including civilian protection mandates in peacekeeping operations and establishing impartial investigations and accountability mechanisms. Where there are violations and disregard for such international norms, hunger and poverty increase people's need for humanitarian assistance. When peace prevails, there is less need for humanitarian assistance. Conflicts are man-made and are a driver of misery. Political settlements, preventive diplomacy and addressing the root causes are therefore the best solutions.”
2018-03-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8213 (2018) · source
“We should also focus on addressing issues such as poverty, unemployment, climate change and inequality. It is hardly surprising, therefore, that one of the first of the Sustainable Development Goals is eradicating hunger, which is achievable given the abundant resources in the world today. Secondly, with regard to compliance, respect for international law is crucial to breaking the link between conflict and hunger. We should ensure respect for international humanitarian law in situations of conflict.”
2018-03-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8213 (2018) · source
“In our deliberations today, I would like to underscore three of the main elements in the link between hunger and conflict - prevention, compliance and urgent action. First, on prevention, we believe that the aspect of morality should be paramount in addressing food insecurity. There can be no moral justification for allowing people or groups to die of hunger. The early warning from the Secretary-General is part of the interaction between the Security Council and the Secretary-General and helps us to guard against the advent of serious humanitarian crises, especially those driven by conflict. We should take into account the fact that the effective and speedy implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Sustainable Development Goals will help to prevent future conflicts resulting from hunger.”
2018-03-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8213 (2018) · source
“On 9 August 2017, the Security Council issued presidential statement S/PRST/2017/ 14, in which it expressed its grave concern about the risk of famine and called on Member States to provide resources and funding to prevent that possibility. The international community responded rapidly to the Secretary-General's appeal, donating approximately 70 per cent of the required funds by October 2017, when the Secretary-General reviewed the most recent developments related to the risk of famine and a world food crisis in the Security Council (see S/PV.8069). The State of Kuwait also responded by donating $15 million towards addressing the food insecurity crisis in north- eastern Nigeria, Somalia, South Sudan and Yemen.”
2018-03-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8213 (2018) · source
“According to the Global Report on Food Crises 2018, published by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and the World Food Programme, that is an increase of 11 million people as compared to the previous year. More than a year ago, on 21 February 2017, the Secretary-General sent a letter to Member States in which he highlighted the world food crisis and the risk of famine in north-eastern Nigeria, Somalia, South Sudan and Yemen. He also warned that if decisive action was not taken, more than 20 million people in those countries would face the risk of famine within six months. The Security Council therefore began paying more attention to the risk of famine in many countries on its agenda.”
2018-03-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8213 (2018) · source
“Mr. Alotaibi (Kuwait) (spoke in Arabic): We would like to thank you, Madam President, and the Kingdom of the Netherlands for convening today's meeting, and we congratulate you on your presidency. We also thank Mr. Mark Lowcock, Under-Secretary- General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, and Mr. David Beasley, Executive Director of the World Food Programme, for their briefings and for the tireless efforts of their agencies to provide humanitarian assistance, particularly given the increasing number of violent conflicts around the world over the past 10 years. That has been evident in the countries that are facing food insecurity. The data show that in 2017, 124 million in 51 countries were affected by acute food insecurity.”
2018-03-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8213 (2018) · source
“We support the efforts of those working in the Mission because it is an important contribution to the efforts of the Government in preparing for the upcoming political phase. We also note the importance of the continued coordination between the Government and international and regional organizations to support political stability, which is the main component in the alleviation of the suffering of the Congolese people.”
2018-03-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8207 (2018) · source
“In this connection, we would like to welcome the measures and actions currently being undertaken by the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo to prepare for holding the three elections - presidential, legislative and municipal - on 23 December 2018, in accordance with the elections calendar. However, we hope that we do not have to wait until then to see alleviation in the suffering of the Congolese people, especially since the humanitarian situation is being classified by relief organizations as one of the worst in the world. In closing, and with regard to the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the mandate of which is due to expire at the end of the month, we would like to reaffirm the need to extend that mandate for an additional year.”
2018-03-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8207 (2018) · source
“In this regard, we look forward to the outcome of the high-level humanitarian conference that will be hosted by the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs and co-organized by the Netherlands, the United Arab Emirates and the European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations in Geneva, in order to raise funds to respond to the humanitarian situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The conference will take place on 13 April. We fully believe that the humanitarian situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo can be resolved only through a comprehensive political solution, with continued efforts to enhance confidence-building measures, the timely holding of the presidential elections and bringing perpetrators of human rights Violations to justice.”
2018-03-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8207 (2018) · source
“Therefore, it is no surprise that the humanitarian situation is being described as catastrophic. If we go back to recent times in 2017, we would note that nearly 2.2 million new internally displaced persons (IDPs) were scattered throughout the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The total number of IDPs has risen to 4.5 million, the largest internally displaced persons on the African continent. Moreover, approximately 680,000 citizens of the Democratic Republic of the Congo have sought refuge in neighbouring countries, which unfortunately has led to some clear violations of human rights.”
2018-03-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8207 (2018) · source
“The ongoing struggle among the armed groups in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has intensified over the past two years, particularly in the northern parts of the country, and has reached concerning levels. That has directly contributed to the escalation of the humanitarian crisis to catastrophic levels in some areas of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, as described in reports issued by international organizations. Some 13 million citizens of the Democratic Republic of the Congo rely on humanitarian aid as a main source of sustenance and survival, a 50 per cent increase compared to 2017. Furthermore, 7.7 million people suffer from severe food insecurity, a 30 per cent increase in just one year. More than 2 million children are suffering from acute malnutrition.”
2018-03-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8207 (2018) · source
“This meeting is important for us in terms of our priorities because of the scale of the humanitarian disaster that we are facing. We constantly stress that of all the topics on the Security Council agenda, the most critical are those directly related to the extent of human suffering. Most of that suffering is the result of a political tug-of-war, the repercussions of which usually endanger the lives of civilians, lead to severe shortages in food and medical supplies and cause low levels of security. There is no doubt that prevarication in the implementation by the relevant parties of the political agreement that was signed on 31 December 2016, has led to the absence of security and stability and the severe deterioration in the humanitarian situation that we see today.”
2018-03-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8207 (2018) · source
“Mr. Alotaibi (Kuwait) (spoke in Arabic): At the outset, I would like to thank the Netherlands for convening this meeting today to discuss the humanitarian situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, as well as for shedding light on the human suffering there. To that end, the Dutch Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation made a recent visit to the Democratic Republic of the Congo in order to see at first hand the humanitarian situation on the ground. We also appreciate the briefings delivered by Mr. Mark Lowcock, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affair; Ms. Jeanine Bandu Bahati, Coordinator of the Encadrement des Femmes Indigenes et des Menages Vulnerables and Abbe Donatien Nshole, Secretary-General of the Conference Episcopale Nationale du Congo.”
2018-03-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8207 (2018) · source
“Lastly, we call on all States that bear a special responsibility in maintaining international peace and security, as well as all other States that express their commitment to the Charter of the United Nations, to undertake clear and sincere steps towards achieving the objective of creating a world free of nuclear weapons and weapons of mass destruction. In that regard, we recall resolution 2325 (2016), which reaffirms that the proliferation of nuclear, chemical and biological weapons and their means of delivery poses a danger to international peace and security.”
2018-03-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8203 (2018) · source
“We call on all Member States that have ratified the Convention to adhere to its provisions and eliminate all their stockpiles of toxic chemical material. The United Kingdom called for the convening of this meeting because of a hostile act committed on its territory that violates international norms and conventions related to chemical weapons. We underscore the right of the United Kingdom or any other country subjected to similar acts to undertake all the necessary investigations and carry out the appropriate measures in order to protect its national security and punish the perpetrators of such criminal act.”
2018-03-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8203 (2018) · source