YouSaid · the spoken record

Alya Ahmed Saif Al-Thani

lines on the record: 188
first: 2020-04-27
most recent: 2021-10-19
sittings or episodes: 24
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

“Against the backdrop of the multiple grave crises that endanger peace, security and stability in the Middle East, Qatar has for the past three years faced an arbitrary blockade and illegal unilateral measures that contravene the Charter of the United Nations, the principles of international law, international instruments and human rights, in addition to harming the public interest. On the third anniversary of the cyberpiracy crime that initially sparked the crisis on 23 May 2017, the start of illegal proceedings and the imposition of the unjust blockade on 5 June 2017, everyone has realized that the blockading States’ justification and cover for those violations was flimsy and false. Nobody is fooled.”
2020-07-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/736 (2020) · source
“There is an urgent need to address the humanitarian and economic needs of the Yemeni people, whose humanitarian crisis has reached catastrophic proportions, is causing further instability and poses a threat to peace and security in the region. The time has come to reach a settlement, to achieve a political solution to the crisis and to attain national reconciliation through comprehensive dialogue, in line with resolution 2216 (2015), while preserving the unity of Yemen and bringing security and stability to the country. In that connection, we reiterate our support for the Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for Yemen in his efforts to implement his mandate.”
2020-07-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/736 (2020) · source
“Accordingly, Qatar calls for a solution to the crisis in Libya that preserves the country’s sovereignty and unity and meets the aspirations and interests of all of the country’s people, not merely those of certain parties with special interests and personal ambitions. That outcome is to be achieved through a return to negotiations and national dialogue devoid of tendentious external agendas and illegal foreign interference. We also support the efforts of the United Nations and the United Nations Support Mission in Libya. Qatar looks forward to the day when the Yemeni people will turn the page on this painful chapter and overcome the current tragedy.”
2020-07-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/736 (2020) · source
“Alarmingly, the militias have acted with external support, yet, despite the documented violations of Security Council resolutions, the international community has remained silent. While such dangers persist in Libya, with serious repercussions for the unity of its people, its territorial integrity and international peace and security, the only way to resolve the crisis is to support the Government of National Accord and commit to implementing the Skhirat Agreement, Security Council resolutions and the outcomes of the Berlin Conference. A political solution will succeed only if there is a clear and effective international mechanism in place to ensure that all agreements are implemented.”
2020-07-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/736 (2020) · source
“The illegal militias have carried out an attack on innocent civilian members of the Libyan population and on the legitimate, internationally recognized Government. They have had no compunction about perpetrating grave violations of international humanitarian law and international human rights law, bombarding health-care facilities, laying landmines and systematically carrying out extrajudicial killings. They have undermined progress towards achieving national unity and resolving the conflict in accordance with the Skhirat Agreement, although the latter has been endorsed by the Security Council, which has recognized the Government formed pursuant thereto as the sole legitimate executive authority in Libya.”
2020-07-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/736 (2020) · source
“Instead, they will further endanger peace, security and stability, leading to more grave violations of international humanitarian law and international human rights law, and to persistent humanitarian need. Qatar renews its call for a solution leading to a political transition that fulfils the legitimate aspirations of the Syrian people, in accordance with the Geneva communiqué (S/2012/522, annex), and for the implementation of resolution 2254 (2015) in its entirety. It also stresses the importance of accountability for war crimes and crimes against humanity, in order to ensure that justice is done, that the rights of victims are upheld and that the solution reached is sustainable. In Libya, the cause of and the solution to the crisis are clear.”
2020-07-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/736 (2020) · source
“With its contribution — the largest of any Arab State — to the core budget of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East, Qatar also continues to play a leading role in supporting the Agency’s delivery on its indispensable mandate. In addition to the Palestinian question, other regional crises have caused great destruction and suffering. The time has come to bring them to an end. In Syria, the Syrian people have endured enough. They and their country have suffered untold damage, and it is time for them to live in security and dignity. It has been shown that attempts to impose a military solution will not end the crisis.”
2020-07-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/736 (2020) · source
“Qatar supports all efforts to create conditions conducive to peace, including the provision of humanitarian assistance to improve the difficult living conditions and economic circumstances faced by Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza. Over the past eight years, Qatar has provided more than $1.2 billion in humanitarian and development assistance in the areas of education, electricity supply, infrastructure enhancement, housing and funding for employment opportunities. This year, it has pledged a grant of $150 million over six months, including support for the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.”
2020-07-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/736 (2020) · source
“The occupation of all Arab territories, including the occupied Syrian Golan and the occupied Lebanese territories, must come to an end, as must all settlement activity. Illegal settlements must be dismantled, and measures that alter the character, legal status and demographic composition of Jerusalem must be rescinded. The refugee question must be resolved in a just manner, and the Palestinian people’s other inalienable rights must also be upheld. The unilateral annexation by Israel of Palestinian territories occupied illegally in 1967 would deal a blow to the two-State solution and to the prospects of a peaceful settlement, not to mention constituting a violation of international law and Security Council resolutions. Qatar reiterates its principled position in support of the Palestinian people’s quest to exercise their legitimate rights.”
2020-07-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/736 (2020) · source
“Qatar has always stressed its principled support for efforts aimed at achieving a comprehensive, just and lasting peace and at resolving the Palestinian question. The only way to settle all aspects of the issue is through direct negotiations between the parties, with international support, on the basis of international law, internationally recognized resolutions, the agreed terms of reference, the principle of land for peace and the Arab Peace Initiative, leading to the realization of a two-State solution and the establishment of an independent and viable State of Palestine within the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital, living side by side with Israel in peace and security.”
2020-07-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/736 (2020) · source
“Since the previous debate (see S/2020/341), the world’s attention has remained focused on the enormous common challenge of the crisis caused by the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, which should serve as an additional incentive to resolve crises in the Middle East peacefully, given the pandemic’s health- related, political, economic and social repercussions. Today, three months after the previous meeting, we again underscore the importance of the Organization’s calls for a ceasefire in all conflicts in order to focus on the response to the pandemic and the threats that it poses, which do not distinguish among belligerents. The risk of destabilization increases with every day that the fundamental issue in the Middle East, namely, the Palestinian question, goes unresolved.”
2020-07-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/736 (2020) · source
“At the outset, I wish to congratulate the German State Secretary on his country’s assumption of the presidency of the Security Council this month. We appreciate his efforts and those of his predecessor, the Permanent Representative of France. We also thank the Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process for his comprehensive briefing and valuable efforts. Qatar has consistently stressed the importance of this quarterly debate and has been an eager participant in it, as we are convinced that the United Nations, and particularly the Security Council, has a vital role to play in peacekeeping, security and the resolution of the many crises afflicting the Middle East region — of which Qatar is a part — as they strive to promote security, stability and prosperity.”
2020-07-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/736 (2020) · source
“In conclusion, Qatar will continue to support all international efforts to protect children in armed conflict and to work with the Security Council and other United Nations agencies to achieve this noble humanitarian goal.”
2020-06-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/594 (2020) · source
“As part of our effort to support the Office of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict and enable it to fulfil its mandate to prevent violations from being committed against children and to protect them and reintegrate them into society, and in keeping with the partnership agreement that was signed in November 2019 by Qatar and the Office of the Special Representative, work is under way in Doha to open the Analysis and Communication Centre of the Office of the Special Representative. That centre will prepare studies, provide analyses and assessments, hold workshops, raise awareness and engage in capacity-building in relation to the protection of children in armed conflict.”
2020-06-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/594 (2020) · source
“The Education Above All Foundation, together with UNICEF and more than 80 global partners, is providing quality education to 10 million children in more than 50 countries and has developed pioneering programmes to facilitate distance learning at home in different languages. Qatar, in keeping with its efforts to protect children in conflict, is proud that, on 28 May 2020, the General Assembly adopted resolution 74/275, designating 9 September as the International Day to Protect Education from Attack. Qatar presented that resolution at the initiative of Her Highness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, President of Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development, and it was co-sponsored by 60 other States.”
2020-06-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/594 (2020) · source
“Accordingly, my country has launched several initiatives to deliver education in such areas. In September 2018, on the margins of the opening of the session of the General Assembly, His Highness the Emir of Qatar announced that the country had pledged $100 million to provide quality education by 2021 in areas experiencing conflict and in which conditions are precarious. The programmes and initiatives developed by the Education Above All foundation, the patron of which is Her Highness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, President of Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development, have been highly successful and garnered international recognition.”
2020-06-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/594 (2020) · source
“Given the disastrous effects of such attacks, the parties to various conflicts must be compelled not to target educational institutions, and they must be held liable for the legal consequences of doing so. At the same time, international efforts to achieve Goals 4 and 16 of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development must be intensified. The COVID-19 pandemic poses a serious threat to children in conflict zones. The closure of schools will cause an increasing number of children to join armed groups, thereby threatening their lives and futures. We therefore reaffirm our support for the Secretary-General’s call for ceasefires in various armed conflicts, so that efforts can be focused on responding to the COVID-19 pandemic. Qatar attaches great importance to ensuring that children in areas of armed conflict are able to receive an education.”
2020-06-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/594 (2020) · source
“Access to safe quality education is one of the basic needs of children affected by armed conflict, and is essential to their well-being and ability to enjoy their most basic rights. Education is a basic element of reintegrating affected children and enabling them to resume their lives after conflict, not to mention the role that education plays in preventing children from being recruited and used in armed conflict in the first place. Sadly, however, educational institutions are among those most damaged by armed conflicts. As the Secretary-General confirms in his report, hundreds of schools have been attacked and thousands of children have left school.”
2020-06-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/594 (2020) · source
“While we acknowledge the successes achieved in that regard, the harsh conditions faced by children in conflict zones require the international community to redouble its efforts to protect children, ensure compliance with international law, put an end to such crimes and hold the perpetrators accountable via legal mechanisms. We therefore add our voice to those of the States that have been calling for the relevant annual reports to include a consolidated, accurate list of perpetrators compiled on the basis of impartial and evidence-based accounts. We also stress the importance of identifying and holding accountable the perpetrators, thereby ensuring that victims obtain justice and international law is observed.”
2020-06-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/594 (2020) · source
“Everyone had hoped that this meeting would be dedicated to celebrating the twentieth anniversary of the adoption of the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the involvement of children in armed conflict, which was ratified by 170 States and subsequently reinforced by the Paris Principles and Guidelines on Children Associated with Armed Forces or Armed Groups, the Safe Schools Declaration and the Vancouver Principles on Peacekeeping and the Prevention of the Recruitment and Use of Child Soldiers.”
2020-06-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/594 (2020) · source
“The adoption by the Security Council of its historic resolution 1612 (2005), which established the monitoring and reporting mechanism on children and armed conflict and the Working Group on Children and Armed Conflict, raised hopes that we might be able to end the abuses suffered by children in armed conflict. Regrettably, however, the report (S/2020/525) of the Secretary-General reveals the seriousness of the violations to which children in conflict zones are subjected and the failure of the parties to various conflicts to fulfil their legal obligations. This has had disastrous consequences for children’s upbringing and future, the price of which will paid by their societies and countries.”
2020-06-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/594 (2020) · source
“I should like to congratulate you, Sir, on your assumption of the presidency of the Security Council and to thank you for convening this meeting. I should also like to thank Ms. Virginia Gamba de Potgieter, Special Representative of the Secretary- General for Children and Armed Conflict, and Ms. Henrietta Fore, the Executive Director of the United Nations Children’s Fund, for their briefings. We are meeting today in unprecedented circumstances, as the entire world is confronted with the challenge of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. In such difficult times, it is our humanitarian duty to think about children and vulnerable groups in conflict zones, who are being threatened by the epidemic even as they are also the victims of violations by parties to conflicts of their obligations under international humanitarian law.”
2020-06-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/594 (2020) · source
“On the fifteenth anniversary of the enshrinement of this landmark principle in the 2005 World Summit Outcome (General Assembly resolution 60/1) we continue to seek to ensure that the international community never again fails to halt the mass atrocity crimes of genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity.”
2020-05-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/465 (2020) · source
“Within the framework of shared responsibility and international cooperation to face the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, we would also like to note the cooperation between the State of Qatar and NATO in support of the Secretary- General’s call to address the humanitarian impact of the pandemic. The State of Qatar has supported OCHA’s global appeal to provide support for the transport of humanitarian and medical supplies by air through NATO’s Euro-Atlantic Disaster Response Coordination Centre. In conclusion, the State of Qatar is proud to co-chair, alongside Denmark and Costa Rica, the cross-regional Group of Friends on the Responsibility to Protect.”
2020-05-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/465 (2020) · source
“We have also supported OCHA country-based pooled funds since 2016 by providing unearmarked and rapid financing to close the funding gaps, including by providing support to humanitarian efforts in Syria, Yemen, Afghanistan, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Turkey and Nigeria. In line with the State of Qatar’s intention to support the International Committee of the Red Cross, a joint declaration of intent was signed — the first of its kind in the region — to support civilians affected by armed conflict, thereby contributing to promoting respect for international humanitarian law.”
2020-05-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/465 (2020) · source
“Instead of seeking to contribute to solving and settling those crises and their root causes, the blockading countries have chosen a path that violates the provisions of international law and runs counter to the desired intentions of the international community. The State of Qatar is proud of its strong partnership with the United Nations system to improve its capacity to quickly respond to the millions of civilians in need in armed conflict. Besides our multi-year unearmarked contributions to the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), the State of Qatar is also an active member of the OCHA Donors Support Group and will assume the presidency of the Group in July.”
2020-05-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/465 (2020) · source
“The Security Council has underlined the importance of conflict prevention in the context of a commitment to collective action in order to spare peoples around the world the suffering and devastation caused by conflicts, and towards the promotion of international peace and security. It is regrettable, however, that such an approach has not been pursued in many situations, including when it comes to the unjust and unlawful blockade against the State of Qatar, which will enter its fourth year on 5 June. This blockade is imposed under false and untenable pretexts, with total disregard for the disastrous consequences on the security and stability of our region, at a time when the Arab region is going through numerous crises and conflicts causing a tremendous amount of suffering.”
2020-05-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/465 (2020) · source
“At a time when the world is facing an unprecedented global health crisis due to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, we need to be reminded that more than 70 million people have been forcibly displaced by armed conflict and are now more vulnerable to the threat of the pandemic. Immediate action by the international community is therefore needed to protect civilians exposed to the risks of COVID-19. In the same vein, it is critical that all parties to armed conflicts seriously respond to the appeal launched on 25 March by the Secretary-General for a global ceasefire.”
2020-05-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/465 (2020) · source
“At the outset, I would like to thank the Estonian presidency for convening this open debate. We thank the Secretary-General, the President of the International Committee of the Red Cross and Ms. Ellen Johnson Sirleaf for their briefings. The grave and systematic targeting of civilians in armed conflict that the world has witnessed proves the need for adherence to international humanitarian law enshrined in the four Geneva Conventions of 1949 and their Protocols Additional, and other relevant international instruments. The breaches of international humanitarian law are an infringement on human values and a violation of the international covenants that have been agreed upon by the world, notably the Charter of the United Nations.”
2020-05-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/465 (2020) · source
“In conclusion, Qatar remains committed to pursuing its efforts to create an environment conducive to the participation of young people in the development process and to providing support at the national, regional and international levels in order to enable them to contribute effectively to peacebuilding and to work actively to address the challenges facing our world today.”
2020-04-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/346 (2020) · source
“We take this opportunity to express appreciation to our partners, Finland and Colombia, and the Office of the Secretary- General’s Envoy for Youth, for their efforts and cooperation in preparing the way for the coming conference, which will coincide with the fifth anniversary of the adoption of resolution 2250 (2015), the twentieth anniversary of the adoption of resolution 1325 (2000) and the twenty-fifth anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action. The focus of the conference will be on, among other matters, the participation of young women in peace processes, through discussion circles and the mainstreaming of gender equality considerations throughout the preparatory stages of the event, during the event itself and in the follow-up to its outcome.”
2020-04-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/346 (2020) · source
“We therefore affirm our support for the calls of the United Nations for a ceasefire in regions affected by conflict so that we can focus on dealing with the pandemic. In addition to the key role that they can play in peace processes, as the international community agreed five years ago with the adoption of Security Council resolution 2250 (2015), young people have an equally important role to play in putting United Nations calls for a ceasefire into practice. Qatar looks forward to hosting, with the Office of the Secretary-General’s Envoy for Youth, a high-level world conference on comprehensive youth peace pathways. The conference will be a part of ongoing efforts and build on the achievements of the first International Symposium on Youth Participation in Peace Processes, which was held in Helsinki in 2019.”
2020-04-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/346 (2020) · source
“At the Second Doha Forum S/2020/346 Youth Edition, which was held in November 2019 by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development, in-depth discussions on issues of concern to young people took place. The Forum provided them with an open platform from which to express their views on current affairs, including peace and security issues, in the run-up to the Doha Forum, which was held the following month. We all know that combating COVID-19 requires not only international cooperation but also a safe environment and the removal of any obstacles or conditions that might stand in the way of a strong and effective response, as well as active support for young people in the central role they have to play in that response.”
2020-04-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/346 (2020) · source
“Aid provided by the Qatar Fund for Development, the Government’s executive arm in various parts of the world, is in step with the challenges arising from the difficult circumstances brought about by social distancing, lockdowns and school closures. The country’s institutions, including the Education Above All Foundation, have also developed cutting-edge programmes to facilitate remote learning in the home. The Foundation has acted swiftly to assemble remote learning resources in different languages in order to assist parents and guardians and ease the process of adapting to remote learning. In addition, Qatar is pursuing its work to empower young people and encourage them to participate actively in sustainable development.”
2020-04-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/346 (2020) · source
“The Ministry of Education and Higher Education has activated a remote learning mechanism and dedicated electronic platforms, working to ensure that the remote learning experience encompasses all students, including those with any type of disability. The authorities have also made sure that students without access to laptop computers or tablets are provided with them, thereby ensuring that no one is left behind in the distance education process. At the international level, Qatar has intensified its efforts to provide development and relief aid, with a focus on education and access to technology for learning.”
2020-04-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/346 (2020) · source
“It was one of the first countries in the region to put precautionary social distancing measures in place to stem the spread of the virus and to respond to the situation by taking steps to ensure a smooth transition to online remote learning. As Council members are aware, protecting and promoting the right to education is a priority for Qatar, whether or not in times of emergency. For some years now, it has been harnessing technology to develop education, guarantee its continuity and ensure that it keeps pace with the demands and challenges of the times. The transition to remote learning in Qatar has thus been rapid and smooth, given that the necessary infrastructure, plans and resources were already in place.”
2020-04-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/346 (2020) · source
“We therefore welcome the report of the Secretary-General entitled Shared responsibility, global solidarity: Responding to the socio-economic impacts of COVID-19, in which he addresses the disease’s impact on young people and the important role they can play in responding to it. According to the report, 1.5 billion young people, or 87 per cent of the world student population, are currently out of schools or university. Moreover, the COVID-19 pandemic has caused a significant spike in youth unemployment. In the face of these major challenges, Qatar continues to do all it can to provide education services to children and young people.”
2020-04-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/346 (2020) · source
“It gives me great pleasure to thank the Security Council, presided over by the Dominican Republic, for holding this open meeting under the exceptional circumstances in which our world currently finds itself and to thank the Secretary- General and his Envoy on Youth for their important briefings. I would also like to thank Olla Al-Sakkaf, Project Coordinator for the Youth Without Borders Organization for Development, Yemen, and Gatwal Augustine Gatkuoth, founder of the Young Adult Empowerment Initiative in South Sudan and Uganda, for sharing their perspectives and experiences on the ground. The unprecedented crisis we are going through because of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic is definitely having a catastrophic effect on societies all over the world, and young people are no exception.”
2020-04-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/346 (2020) · source