YouSaid · the spoken record

Archbishop Caccia

lines on the record: 27
first: 2022-01-25
most recent: 2023-10-24
sittings or episodes: 6
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

“The Holy See appeals for facilitating and continuing humanitarian corridors urgently so that aid can reach the entire population. Amid the escalating violence, it is imperative for the authorities of the State of Israel and the State of Palestine to boldly renew their commitment to a peace based on justice and respect for the legitimate aspirations of both sides. While the path of dialogue appears narrow at this moment, it is the only viable option for a lasting end to the cycle of violence that has engulfed the land so dear to Christians, Jews and Muslims. The Holy See believes firmly that a two-State solution still offers hope for such a peace.”
2023-10-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9451Resumption1 (2023) · source
“My delegation reiterates Pope Francis’s call for the immediate release of all hostages held in Gaza. Secondly, the Holy See would like to remind the Council that the criminal responsibility for terrorist acts is always personal and can never be attributed to an entire nation or people. In exercising its right to self-defence in any conflict, every country must always comply with international humanitarian law, including the principle of proportionality. Thirdly, the Holy See is gravely concerned about the humanitarian disaster unfolding in Gaza, which has claimed thousands of lives and displaced hundreds of thousands of people. The total siege imposed on Gaza has caused indiscriminate suffering among the population, including as a result of shortages of food, fuel and medical supplies.”
2023-10-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9451Resumption1 (2023) · source
“There has been a distressing escalation of violence in Israel and Palestine in recent weeks, resulting in deplorable levels of suffering. Considering the fact that war is always a defeat for humankind because it hinders the human family’s innate vocation to fraternity, my delegation would like to make three points. First, the Holy See condemns, unequivocally and in the most absolute terms, the terrorist attack carried out by Hamas and other armed groups on 7 October against the population of Israel. Thousands were barbarically killed or wounded, and others were taken hostage. As Pope Francis has clearly stated, terrorism and extremism fuel hatred, violence and revenge and cause only mutual suffering. Those crimes demonstrate utter contempt for human life and are unjustifiable.”
2023-10-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9451Resumption1 (2023) · source
“Thirdly, the Holy See calls on all States to protect our common home, created and entrusted to us by God, and to take urgent action to fight climate change, whose ravages, such as extreme weather events, have an impact on local food systems and can increase the risk of conflicts. In conclusion, my delegation reiterates the need for all States to adopt an integral approach to security as a means to alleviate global food insecurity, which constitutes a serious affront to human dignity.”
2023-08-03 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9392Resumption1 (2023) · source
“That demands that all States put efforts to meet basic human needs above partisan interests and refrain from treating foodstuffs as mere commodities to be awarded to the highest bidder. In that regard, my delegation would like to stress three points. First, the Holy See urges all the parties concerned to return to dialogue regarding the renewal of the Black Sea Grain Initiative in the interests of all who rely on food imports. We also call for an end to attacks on the means of transportation essential to the supply of agricultural products, food and other basic necessities that are crucial to the survival of civilian populations. Secondly, the Holy See stresses the need to ensure that economic sanctions avoid any potential negative effects on both local and global food security and the distribution of humanitarian aid.”
2023-08-03 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9392Resumption1 (2023) · source
“The delegation of the Holy See thanks the United States of America for convening today’s open debate on famine and food insecurity, an issue that has tragically become more prominent since the escalation of the war in Ukraine. At the outset, it is important to recall that every human person has the right to the means necessary for the proper development of life, particularly food. Despite that, more than a quarter of a billion people currently face high levels of acute food insecurity and depend on assistance in nearly a third of States around the world. The current situation necessitates responsible multilateral cooperation resulting in proactive solidarity with our brothers and sisters who face hunger.”
2023-08-03 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9392Resumption1 (2023) · source
“The Security Council has rightly expressed concern at the security implications of such a scenario, which raises legal issues concerning self-determination, maritime borders and statelessness. Ensuring the protection of affected persons requires greater clarity as to whether such States retain their sovereignty and the practical implications of that. The threat of sea level rise appeals to our responsibility to promote, through collective and joint commitment, a culture of care that places human dignity and the common good at the centre. States have the duty to promote changes of lifestyle, production and consumption in order to reduce the drivers of climate change and limit the resulting environmental degradation and human suffering.”
2023-02-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9260Resumption1 (2023) · source
“Sea level rise can increase water scarcity, food insecurity and poverty, threatening social structures that depend on the local environment, and shape cultural identity, especially for indigenous communities. As a result, many of those affected have no choice but to flee their homes. Those climate migrants, however, are not recognized by international conventions as refugees and do not enjoy any legal protection whatsoever. While the Global Compact for Migration calls on States to develop solutions for migrants displaced owing to sea level rise, the international community must do more to clarify where and on what legal basis affected populations can relocate across borders. Eventually, sea level rise will likely submerge the entire territories of some States.”
2023-02-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9260Resumption1 (2023) · source
“Of particular concern is the potential seawater infiltration of low-lying nuclear power plants and repositories containing radioactive waste from nuclear weapons testing, such as on Runit Island, which could contaminate widespread areas, including the flora and fauna upon which local populations depend for subsistence. Such threats require timely climate change adaptation and mitigation strategies. Often, however, the affected States lack the means to adopt such measures. To address that, the developed States, which have disproportionately contributed to climate change, ought to make financing more easily accessible to coastal States, especially small island developing States, so that they can adapt to the adverse impacts of climate change, foster climate resilience and respond to loss and damage.”
2023-02-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9260Resumption1 (2023) · source
“The Holy See thanks Malta for holding this open debate, which recognizes the threat that climate change poses to peace and security. As Pope Francis has observed, the world’s poor, though least responsible for climate change, are the most vulnerable and already suffer its impacts. That is especially true with regard to sea level rise, which mainly affects impoverished coastal populations who have nowhere else to go. The negative effects of rising seas appear long before lands are submerged, as evidenced by coastal erosion, the saltwater intrusion of aquifers, soil salinization and the flooding of critical infrastructure.”
2023-02-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9260Resumption1 (2023) · source
“In that regard, my delegation would like to recall the words of the Holy Father, who has insisted that the imposition of sanctions should not strike directly at everyday life in order to provide a glimmer of hope to the general populace, increasingly caught in the grip of poverty.”
2022-07-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9099Resumption1 (2022) · source
“It is the hope of the Holy See that the ceasefire can pave the way towards lasting peace, facilitate the distribution of aid and contribute to early recovery efforts. In both Syria and Yemen, my delegation notes with concern the issue of overcompliance with sanctions, in which banks place burdensome requirements on aid organizations or even refuse to do business with them altogether out of fear of punishment despite the existence of humanitarian exemptions. To tackle that issue, the Holy See encourages all States implementing sanctions to provide precise guidance on permitted activities to financial institutions so that the flow of humanitarian assistance is not impeded.”
2022-07-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9099Resumption1 (2022) · source
“My delegation urges political leaders on all sides to demonstrate the requisite will to nurture the trust necessary for resuming final-status negotiations. Allow me to offer a few words on the situation in the wider Middle East. The Holy See welcomes the six-month renewal of the Syrian cross-border mechanism, although a longer extension to allow aid organizations to better plan deliveries would have been preferred. Given the immense humanitarian needs of the Syrian people, which are at their highest level since the war began, the cross-border mechanism should remain in place until the situation improves and cross- line deliveries can adequately address the country’s humanitarian challenges. Turning to Yemen, my delegation welcomes the extension and consolidation of the current truce.”
2022-07-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9099Resumption1 (2022) · source
“In that regard, my delegation reaffirms its appeal for all parties to maintain the historic status quo within Jerusalem, the city of peace, and rejects any unilateral measures aimed at changing it, including attempts to alter the multicultural and multireligious character of the holy city, which is dear to Jews, Christians and Muslims alike. In the face of Palestine’s many challenges, the Holy See reiterates the need for all parties to respect international law, refrain from inflammatory rhetoric and reject all forms of violence. Such commitments are vital to the fostering of genuine encounter, dialogue and accompaniment on the path to peace. It is only along such a path that a lasting two-State solution can be realized.”
2022-07-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9099Resumption1 (2022) · source
“In the light of increased costs due to rising food prices, my delegation encourages all States to consider additional contributions to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East. The Holy See also notes with concern the heightened tensions around the holy places in Jerusalem. Those sites form an important spiritual and cultural heritage for the whole of humankind. In his Easter message this year, Pope Francis expressed the hope that Israelis, Palestinians and all who dwell in the holy city, together with pilgrims, experience the beauty of peace, dwell in fraternity and enjoy free access to the holy places in mutual respect for the rights of each.”
2022-07-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9099Resumption1 (2022) · source
“In that regard, the Holy See renews the expression of its deepest regret at the deaths of the civilians killed during those attacks. Concerning the death of Ms. Shireen Abu Akleh, a Catholic journalist, who was shot and killed in the exercise of her profession in Jenin on 11 May, the Holy See expresses its concern and deepest sorrow, as already communicated to the Israeli and Palestinian authorities. Regarding the events that occurred at the Catholic Saint Joseph Hospital in Jerusalem before her funeral, my delegation cannot but condemn the behaviour of the Israeli police. Furthermore, the war in Ukraine has threatened the food security of Palestinian families, as well as other civilians throughout the wider region.”
2022-07-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9099Resumption1 (2022) · source
“Archbishop Caccia: The Holy See would like to thank the Brazilian presidency for convening an open debate on this important topic. Over half a decade since the adoption of resolution 2334 (2016), we remain no closer to the achievement of an independent and sovereign Palestinian State or to the realization of the right of Israelis to security within the internationally recognized pre-1967 borders. That lack of progress is compounded by the fact that, according to the Secretary-General’s most recent report (S/2022/504), the situation features the highest number of settlement units advanced since October 2020, an increase in daily violence throughout the occupied Palestinian territory and Israel and the deadliest terrorist attacks in years.”
2022-07-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9099Resumption1 (2022) · source
“Furthermore, when perpetrators escape accountability a culture of impunity takes hold, placing more humanitarian workers at risk and weakening the rule of law more broadly. In order to end that cycle, greater efforts are needed by both States and the Council. In conclusion, the Holy See reiterates its call for all parties to conflict — State and non-State actors alike — to fully comply with international humanitarian law until the point when humankind reaches its highest aspiration, as reflected in the Charter of the United Nations, of abolishing war in all its manifestations.”
2022-05-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9042Resumption1 (2022) · source
“Of paramount concern is ending the production, stockpiling and use of indiscriminate weapons, such as anti-personnel mines and cluster munitions. Such weapons, together with other explosive remnants of war, contaminate the lived environment and continue to threaten civilians with severe injury or death, even after the end of hostilities. For adequate civilian protection, greater resources are needed for programmes to clear areas of unexploded ordnance. In that regard, my delegation commends the vital work of the Mine Action Service. Thirdly, we express deep concern about the growing number of attacks perpetrated against humanitarian personnel, which impede the provision of vital assistance and, as the world continues its efforts to tackle the coronavirus disease pandemic, prevent the widespread distribution of vaccines.”
2022-05-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9042Resumption1 (2022) · source
“In that regard, my delegation would like to offer some concrete recommendations on three key issues for the Council’s consideration. First, the Holy See urges the Council to keep the protection of civilian objects high on its agenda. That includes the protection of places of worship. Religious sites not only provide believers with a place where they can live their faith but often play a crucial social, cultural and educational role in society and, especially in conflict situations, are a source of assistance, aid and even protection. Places of worship are objects akin to schools or hospitals, and therefore should benefit from similar protection. Secondly, efforts to protect civilians must respond to the secondary consequences of war and conflict, which linger long after the guns fall silent.”
2022-05-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9042Resumption1 (2022) · source
“Despite the humanization of warfare being an aspirational concept for centuries, the brunt of conflict still falls disproportionally on the innocent and the defenceless. Since first adding this item to its agenda in 1999, the Security Council has elaborated on protections owed to those who face heightened risks during conflict, including humanitarian personnel, health- care workers, journalists, displaced persons, women, children and persons with disabilities. The Council has also urged all parties to armed conflict to protect civilian infrastructure critical to the provision of essential services. The Holy See commends such efforts, while underscoring the need to implement those protections fully and further incorporate such protections in all peacekeeping mandates.”
2022-05-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9042Resumption1 (2022) · source
“Archbishop Caccia: The Holy See would like to thank the United States of America for convening today’s important debate. First, however, we would like to express our heartfelt condolences for the tragic loss of life in Uvalde, Texas. In the past few months, we have witnessed the tragic consequences of armed conflict return to Europe on a scale not seen for a generation. Faced with violence, nearly 13 million Ukrainians fled their homes to avoid becoming casualties of war. The same reality is visible in every country and region affected by conflict and war across the globe. In the Middle East, the Sahel, the Horn of Africa and South-East Asia, thousands upon thousands have been forced to decide whether to flee their homes or to remain in place and risk physical harm and even death.”
2022-05-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9042Resumption1 (2022) · source
“The Holy See would also like to acknowledge the tireless work of the International Committee of the Red Cross. It is our sincere hope that today’s open debate will advance measures to protect civilians in armed conflict and end the culture of impunity that has sown death and suffering among urban populations. For their sake, we pray that the words expressed here today are translated into concrete action.”
2022-01-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8953Resumption1 (2022) · source
“In that regard, the Holy See supports efforts responding to the call of the Secretary-General to develop a political declaration in which States commit themselves to avoiding the use of explosive weapons with wide-area effects in populated areas, including the ongoing consultations process to that end led by Ireland. While States bear the primary responsibility for the protection of civilians from the effects of explosives, everyone is bound to observe the limitations imposed by international humanitarian law to protect defenceless peoples and civilian structures. Efforts to constrain the use of explosive weapons in urban settings should therefore engage all parties, including non-State actors, including those operating in conflict settings.”
2022-01-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8953Resumption1 (2022) · source
“In recent years, the Security Council has taken steps to rectify the issue of inadequate recourse by parties to armed conflict to the principles of distinction and proportionality. Resolution 2573 (2021) demands that parties to armed conflict refrain from attacking objects critical to the survival of civilian populations and rightly expresses grave concern at the establishment of military positions in densely populated areas, which treats non-combatants as pawns of war rather than as a class of people to whom protection is owed.”
2022-01-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8953Resumption1 (2022) · source
“The Secretary- General has further reported that civilians make up almost 90 per cent of those killed or injured by explosive weapons in urban settings. Such statistics demonstrate that in densely populated areas, distinguishing between combatants and non-combatants is very difficult, calling into question whether the use of explosives in such settings is lawful at all. Beyond the initial tragic loss of life, urban warfare can devastate critical civilian infrastructure such as hospitals, sanitation systems, schools and places of worship. Meanwhile, explosive remnants contaminate urban centres, complicating the return of displaced persons, hindering reconstruction efforts and inhibiting integral human development long after conflicts are settled.”
2022-01-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8953Resumption1 (2022) · source
“Archbishop Caccia: The Holy See would like to thank Norway for organizing today’s important debate. Since the Second World War, the vast majority of civilian casualties have resulted from internal, rather than international, conflicts. While the Protocol Additional II to the Geneva Conventions extends protections for civilians in those conflicts, such protection has proven inadequate in the face of what Pope Francis calls another world war, fought piecemeal, which increasingly involves harm to civilians in densely populated areas where, sadly, the deafening noise of conflict has been intensifying. Every year, tens of millions of people now suffer the consequences of armed conflict in cities.”
2022-01-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8953Resumption1 (2022) · source