YouSaid · the spoken record

Bangura

lines on the record: 230
first: 1994-05-25
most recent: 2016-12-20
sittings or episodes: 18
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 deployment of a women's protection adviser to BINUCA to support Special Representative of the Secretary-General Vogt in the implementation of resolutions 1820 (2008), 1888 (2009), 1960 (2010) and the joint communiques is critical. I urge the Security Council and Member States to support the deployment of women's protection advisers. I will encourage the United Nations system, particularly through the United Nations Action network, to refocus on the Central African Republic in terms of advocacy, monitoring and reporting and services for survivors. There is an urgent need for greater international focus and attention on the Central African Republic, including more sustained donor commitment for a comprehensive and integrated response to sexual and gender-based violence across the country.”
2013-01-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6899 (2013) · source
“In follow-up to my visit, it is intended that the United Nations Team of Experts on the Rule of Law and Sexual Violence in Conflict will deploy to the Central African Republic. We would like this technical follow- up mission to take place by February or March of this year, but the timing will of course be contingent upon the political and security situation. The Team ofExperts will re-engage the key stakeholders and support the United Nations Integrated Peacebuilding Office in the Central African Republic (BINUCA) and the United Nations country team in preparing an implementation strategy and plan for the commitments under the joint communiques.”
2013-01-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6899 (2013) · source
“Where a measure of political will may exist, addressing sexual violence crimes is most often overridden by other perceived priorities and resource and structural constraints. In carrying this mandate forward, I am placing particular emphasis on fostering national ownership, leadership and responsibility. Therefore, a primary objective of my visit was to deepen dialogue and cooperation with the Government. In addition and in accordance with the will of this Council as expressed in resolution 1960 (2010), it was essential that I engage with the leadership of the main politico-military groups in order to gain concrete protection commitments from them. Such engagement with all relevant parties to the conflict will continue to define the mode of work of my Office.”
2013-01-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6899 (2013) · source
“In the end, the child protection team was able to access only three children - one boy and two girls. In spite of having signed release documents for these three children, the CPJP cadres on the ground refused to let the two girls go. They insisted that the girls were the wives of combatants. They also assaulted a member of the child protection team. This incident goes to show that there are special challenges to secure the release of women and girls from armed groups. Although the Government has taken a number of measures, including important legislative reforms, to address sexual violence, the capacity of national institutions to implement them is extremely limited and State authority and structures are absent in most areas outside Bangui.”
2013-01-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6899 (2013) · source
“In my meetings with representatives of the politico-military groups, they acknowledged that there were problems. They all expressed a willingness to work with the United Nations to address sexual violence. Even at this moment of renewed conflict and a shifting political landscape, it is crucial that we hold all politico-military groups, their leaders and would-be leaders to such commitments. I would like to recount to the Council one serious and indicative incident that occurred during my visit. In Bria, the Convention des patriotes pour la justice et la paix (CPJP) had agreed to release to UNICEF custody of a number of children associated with their group. The day before the handover, most of the children who had been identified were moved some 30 kilometres from the designated handover location.”
2013-01-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6899 (2013) · source
“We also know that many women and children are forcibly recruited by and directly associated with armed groups, and that they continue to suffer sexual violence in this context. Therefore, all armed groups must identify and release these women and children without further delay. These are among the immediate protection measures that must be taken, particularly in the context of ongoing hostilities. These measures should not wait for a ceasefire or peace agreement to be concluded, because the women and children of the Central African Republic have waited for over 20 years and cannot afford to wait any longer. These protection measures must be prerequisite elements of any ceasefire agreement, and I am delighted that Special Representative of the Secretary-General Vogt has ensured this.”
2013-01-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6899 (2013) · source
“Our general lack of information on sexual violence paralyses action - whether it is action against the perpetrators or programmatic response for survivors. Therefore, ensuring better monitoring, analysis and information as a basis for evidence-based action is a critical priority. In the areas under the control of armed forces and groups, the civilian population is extremely vulnerable. It is the moral and legal responsibility of all armed actors to prevent such violations. Therefore, all armed forces and groups in the Central African Republic must immediately issue clear orders prohibiting sexual violence through their respective chains of command, and undertake investigations to hold perpetrators to account.”
2013-01-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6899 (2013) · source
“Conflict-related sexual violence in the Central African Republic is a fundamental security issue that requires an operational security response. Widespread sexual violence against women is being committed by State and non-State actors alike. Such violence includes rape by armed groups in areas under their control; forced abductions of women, girls and boys into armed groups; forced marriage; and some incidents of sexual violence committed by elements of the national security forces. Widespread violations also continue to be committed by the Lord's Resistance Army. The women I met in Bangui, Bria and Paoua told me that their paramount desire was for security, the release of women and children from armed groups, and the disarmament of combatants so that they could pick up the pieces of their lives.”
2013-01-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6899 (2013) · source
“I wish to express my gratitude to the Government for welcoming me and for the frank and constructive discussions. I would also like to take this opportunity to thank my colleague, Special Representative Margaret Vogt, and her small but dedicated team for facilitating the visit, and indeed laying the ground for the two communiques that were its formal outcome. The regrettable outbreak of conflict since my visit only serves to accentuate the necessity to implement some of the immediate protection commitments that are expressed in the communiques. At this critical moment, the international community must send a strong and clear message that sexual violence is unacceptable and that those who commit, command or condone such crimes will be held to account.”
2013-01-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6899 (2013) · source
“Ms. Bangura: I wish to join my colleague, Special Representative of the Secretary-General Vogt, in congratulating you, Sir, on assuming the presidency of the Council for this month. I am grateful for this opportunity to deliver my first briefing to the Security Council, and wish to thank you, Mr. President, and the members ofthe Council, for inviting me to participate in this meeting. In the interests of time, I will summarize my statement, which has been circulated in writing. From 5 to 13 December 2012, as Ms. Vogt noted, I visited the Central African Republic, which is the site of a long-forgotten conflict. This is one of the main reasons that I chose the Central African Republic to be the destination of my first country visit since taking office.”
2013-01-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6899 (2013) · source
“In conclusion, I would like to register our gratitude to the members of Council for their sustained interest in and engagement with Sierra Leone. We look forward to their steadfast support of our continuing efforts to ensure sustainable peace and long-term prosperity in Sierra Leone and to keep this potential success story on course. We share the concerns raised by the Executive Representative of the Secretary-General on the steady decline in funding of United Nations operations, in particular UNIPSIL, and the adverse effect that it will have on the work and credibility of the United Nations. We hope that that decline will be effectively addressed by Council.”
2010-09-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6391 (2010) · source
“I would like to reiterate my Government's commitment to playing a constructive role in addressing the unfolding events and democratization process in the sister Republic of Guinea. We are satisfied that our National Electoral Commission was able to facilitate and ensure the enfranchisement of Guinean citizens in Sierra Leone, particularly within the context of the Mano River Union. In that regard, we will continue to monitor events with intense interest. The Government is actively considering the report of the Independent Review Panel, as well as the proposed inquest into the extrajudicial executions of 29 December 1992, involving a former inspector- general and 27 other private citizens, with due regard 10-55258 to resolving this matter in the best interests of the nation.”
2010-09-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6391 (2010) · source
“Some aspects of the recommendations of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission still require support for their full implementation. Most notably, the reparations process remains largely underfunded some 10-55258 six years after the recommendations were issued. On the socio-economic front, the prevailing global economic and financial uncertainties are seriously undermining our efforts to turn around the economy as quickly as desired. In view of the severe impact of those uncertainties on our efforts, we appeal for urgent and appropriate attention to be given to the delivery of the pledges made at the most recent Consultative Group meeting on Sierra Leone, held in London.”
2010-09-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6391 (2010) · source
“Achieving openness and transparency in the exploitation of our mineral resources is one of the most fundamental aspects of the Government's development policy, with the political will to ensure that the country's vast mineral wealth is exploited for the benefit of the people. To that end, the Government is very receptive to the concerns that have been raised over the mining agreements entered into recently, and is strongly disposed to put in place modalities to address those concerns with a view to ensuring full compliance with the country's mineral laws. Despite the Government's efforts and the progress that has been made to date in addressing many of the problems that led to the civil war, challenges still abound.”
2010-09-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6391 (2010) · source
“We would therefore appreciate more concrete support from all our partners, including those that have been actively involved in addressing that challenge. With respect to the forthcoming 2012 elections, the Government is committed to ensuring that the National Electoral Commission and the Political Parties Registration Commission deliver effectively on their constitutional mandate, independently and free of interference. In that regard, my colleague the Minister for Finance and Economic Development, has already started mobilizing support and the necessary resources to set the stage for a credible, free, fair and fully participatory process. We count on the United Nations and the international community to respond promptly and favourably to his call to action.”
2010-09-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6391 (2010) · source
“We have transformed the Joint Drug Interdiction Task Force into the 8 Transnational Crime Unit, with much greater leverage to eradicate that pernicious menace. However, it is greatly in need of sustained technical assistance and support. On another major front in the ongoing peacebuilding initiative, we have been able to take further steps to address the concerns of the young people of the country. A Youth Commissioner was recently appointed to lead the National Youth Commission, established to formulate strategy and policy related to the empowerment and involvement of the youth population in nation-building and national development. That clearly signals the Commission's readiness to undertake its responsibilities and to start work on implementing its strategies.”
2010-09-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6391 (2010) · source
“He has demonstrated his commitment to deepening the democratic process and unifying the country, not only by his regular visits around the country, but also by ensuring that the development programmes initiated by the Government are implemented fairly throughout the country, irrespective of the political leanings or ethnicity of any particular region or locale. The Government is fully committed to strengthening governance and private sector development. The fight against corruption is unrelenting. A new anti-corruption Commissioner has been appointed, and the Government continues to provide financial support for the implementation of the National Anti-Corruption Strategy. The commitment to fighting drug trafficking and transnational organized crime is equally vigorous.”
2010-09-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6391 (2010) · source
“In one such instance, he reassured the country by asserting: "I am President of the country and I have a responsibility to unify the country. I have a responsibility to let everybody develop a new concept of democracy, a new culture of democracy, and that is, you are not enemy with anybody. You are just maybe opponents on political issues, but at the end of the day we must present ourselves as Sierra Leoneans, united in the development of our country." On various occasions, he has extended the olive branch and has been quick to point out that tolerance is a two-way street and that all Sierra Leoneans should strive for a unified nation.”
2010-09-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6391 (2010) · source
“7 The Government is fully cognizant of the importance of some of the issues that the Secretary- General raises in the report with regard to the implementation of the joint communique of 2 April 2009, in particular with respect to such matters as the dialogue among political parties, the report of the Independent Review Panel, the proposed inquest into the executions, on 29 December 1992, of a former inspector-general of the police and 27 others, and the enhancement of the political participation of women in Sierra Leone. With respect to furthering the culture of political tolerance, President Koroma has consistently emphasized that, irrespective of political affiliation or religious denomination, the bonds of unity that bind us together as a nation are stronger than the issues that have a tendency to divide us.”
2010-09-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6391 (2010) · source
“Many of those efforts and successes, which are also reflected in the report before us today, have equally been acclaimed in indicators, such as those of the Global Peace Index, which ranks Sierra Leone as the fifty-third most peaceful country in the world; the Mo Ibrahim Index, which reflects our significantly improved ranking in democratic governance among crisis-affected countries; the World Bank rankings on doing business; and the Transparency International Corruption Perception Index, among others. However, the President was very forthright in cautioning against complacency based on our achievements so far and in asserting that those accolades should serve as a catalyst for the Government to intensify its efforts to improve the quality of life ofits people.”
2010-09-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6391 (2010) · source
“For due economy of time, I will resist the temptation to recount in detail all the important developments that have taken place in my country during the period under review, as President Ernest Bai Koroma, in addressing the General Assembly at its sixty-fifth session, already did so five days ago by outlining some of the visible progress his Government has made during that time, in partnership with the international community, in the process of consolidating peace and security to promote economic growth and development.”
2010-09-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6391 (2010) · source
“The recent visit of the Secretary- General to our country was particularly productive and remains fresh in the minds of all Sierra Leoneans, as it coincided with the inauguration of the second-ever independent public broadcaster in Africa, the Sierra Leone Broadcasting Corporation. We would also like to pay particular tribute to the Executive Representative of the Secretary-General for his statement this morning, as well as to the Chair of the Sierra Leone country-specific configuration, Ambassador John McNee, for his usual meaningful and instructive contribution to this debate.”
2010-09-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6391 (2010) · source
“My delegation congratulates you, Mr. President, on your assumption of the presidency of the Security Council for the month of September. We would also like to thank you for convening this meeting on the situation in Sierra Leone 10-55258 and for giving us the opportunity to contribute to this debate. We also express our sincere appreciation to the Secretary-General for his detailed report (S/2010/471) on the United Nations Integrated Peacebuilding Office in Sierra Leone (UNIPSIL). Among other things, the report highlights the important developments that have taken place in the country, the challenges to surmount and, of course, the activities of UNIPSIL during the period under review.”
2010-09-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6391 (2010) · source
“09-36192 I would also like to thank the Executive Representative of the Secretary-General and the Chairman of the Sierra Leone country-specific configuration of the Peacebuilding Commission for their dedication and commitment to Sierra Leone's peacebuilding process. Once again, I would like to thank you, Sir, and the other members of the Council for your commitment and to call upon you all to support the high-level event of 10 June and to contribute to the multi-donor trust fund for the implementation of President Koroma's Agenda for Change and the United Nations Joint Vision.”
2009-06-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6137 (2009) · source
“I wish to reiterate my Government's determination to keep up the momentum towards rebuilding a prosperous, peaceful and free Sierra Leone for the benefit of all Sierra Leoneans. President Koroma believes that failure is not an option and understands that of those to whom much is given much is expected. He is very much aware of how much the international community has and continues to invest in Sierra Leone and realizes that the best form of gratitude that Sierra Leoneans can show to the international community is to succeed. This we are all committed to achieve. We know with the Council's continued support and engagement, we will arrive at our final destination of a prosperous, free and peaceful Sierra Leone.”
2009-06-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6137 (2009) · source
“I would like to express the sincere appreciation of my delegation for the interest shown. We take all the comments and concerns in good faith. My Government has taken full note of the issues raised regarding the constitutional review, sexual violence and the reparations process, as well as regarding our commitment to implement the joint communique. On behalf of President Ernest Bai Koroma, I would like to thank members of the Security Council, our bilateral and multilateral donors and the broader international community for their continued engagement and support to Sierra Leone. I wish to reassure the Council of the commitment and cooperation of Government and all Sierra Leoneans in ensuring that Sierra Leone does not revert to conflict.”
2009-06-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6137 (2009) · source
“Finally, I wish to reassure the Council of my Government's determination to maintain the momentum towards national recovery and peace consolidation by striving to overcome the lingering socio-economic problems of the country and to secure its future development.”
2009-06-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6137 (2009) · source
“We deeply appreciate the Council's continued engagement with the subregion, in particular the Mano River Basin, and stress the need to strengthen the revitalized Mano River Union, first in its effort to consolidate peacebuilding in Sierra Leone, Liberia and Cote d'Ivoire, and secondly to support the democratic transition process in the sister Republic of Guinea. I would like to conclude my intervention by appealing for the Council's active participation at the 10 June high-level event at the required level. I also want to reiterate our call for the Council's continued support, understanding and patience.”
2009-06-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6137 (2009) · source
“In this regard, the President sincerely welcomed and gave his blessing to the timely and calculated move by the Executive Representative of the Secretary-General to bring the two parties together to sign a joint communique on 2 April 2009 in the presence of the President, Cabinet ministers and members of the diplomatic corps. That exemplary innovative approach to conflict resolution has helped enormously to reinvigorate our young and fragile democracy, as well as the national reconciliation process. As an immediate step, the Government has since banned the radio stations that instigated the skirmishes that led to the deterioration of the security situation.”
2009-06-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6137 (2009) · source
“We are gratified by the collective decision of both the Government and the Sierra Leone country specific configuration to host a high-level special session on Sierra Leone on 10 June to mobilize support and resources for the implementation of the Agenda for Change and the Joint Vision in the furtherance of goals of the Sierra Leone Peacebuilding Cooperation Framework. The politically charged atmosphere that translated into bitterness and violence between supporters of the ruling All People's Congress and the main opposition, the Sierra Leone People's Party, during the month of March in Freetown and Pujehun District was certainly a test of the endurance of our young and fragile democracy.”
2009-06-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6137 (2009) · source
“These include, among other things, investment in the energy sector, agriculture, transport and communications, social policy aspects such as the health and education sectors, and infrastructure. This policy framework focuses on private sector development and macroeconomic stability. The Government also welcomes the Joint Vision for the United Nations family and is also in full support of the framework as a viable strategy complementing the Agenda for Change. The International Monetary Fund recently lauded the Government's economic and structural reforms that have resulted in sustained macroeconomic stability, but it lamented that it lacks sufficient fiscal space for its development and poverty reduction programmes.”
2009-06-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6137 (2009) · source
“On the question of the constitutional review process, the Cabinet has considered the report and referred the issue to the relevant Cabinet subcommittee chaired by Attorney General, as most of the remaining aspects consist of matters relating to the entrenched clauses of the Constitution. We have made significant progress in promoting the fundamental principles of human rights and restoring the supremacy of the rule of law as prerequisites for political stability, economic prosperity and social values in the society and for promoting positive general change as the underpinning theme of the Agenda for Change, a concise strategic framework conceived by the President to achieve quicker and sustainable results in our national recovery and peace consolidation process. The Agenda for Change highlights key priority areas of intervention.”
2009-06-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6137 (2009) · source
“We are delighted to reiterate that with the support of the United Nations family as well as of our bilateral and multilateral partners the Government reached significant milestones in consolidating peace. Security has been greatly enhanced across the country, thus providing an enabling environment for the population to engage in their day-to-day activities to improve their quality of life without fear or hindrance. Many of the provisions of the recommendations of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission are being implemented in order to address root causes of the decade-long conflict that has left the nation with deep scars.”
2009-06-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6137 (2009) · source
“Michael von der Schulenburg, and the entire United Nations family, as well as our bilateral and multilateral partners on the ground, for their invaluable contributions to the search for lasting peace and stability in Sierra Leone. The present report validates the Security Council's decision to adopt resolution 1829 (2008), establishing UNIPSIL to engage the Government in the implementation of the Sierra Leone Peacebuilding Cooperation Framework. We concur with regard to many of the challenges outlined in the report and acknowledge that more needs to be done to continue to lay the foundation for sustainable peace and development. We have come a long way, and clearly, the recent globally acclaimed electoral processes the country undertook in the last seven years since the attainment of peace should not be seen as end in itself.”
2009-06-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6137 (2009) · source
“My delegation's appreciation also goes to the Secretary-General, His Excellency Mr. Ban Ki-Moon, for his comprehensive report on the activities of UNIPSIL in the last four months. We acknowledge with thanks his exceptional contribution to the task of consolidating our hard-won peace and helping to put the country on the path to sustained economic growth and development. Our thanks also go to the Chair of the Sierra Leone country specific configuration - the Permanent Representative of Canada, Ambassador John McNee - for his dedication and commitment in building on the momentum nurtured and developed by his predecessor, the Permanent Representative of the Netherlands, Ambassador Frank Majoor. We deeply appreciate the commitment, dedication and dynamism of the Executive Representative of the Secretary-General, Mr.”
2009-06-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6137 (2009) · source
“First and foremost, let me start by warmly congratulating you, Sir, on your assumption of the presidency of the Security Council for the month of June. I also want to register my sincere gratitude to you for inviting me to participate in this open debate on the second quarterly report of the Secretary-General (S/2009/267) on the United Nations Integrated Peacebuilding Office in Sierra Leone (UNIPSIL). At the outset, I would like to convey the sincere gratitude of His Excellency President Ernest Bai Koroma, as well as of the Government and people of Sierra Leone, to members of the Council for their sustained engagement with Sierra Leone and for the regular monitoring and stocktaking of current events in the country, aimed at ensuring that the peacebuilding process is on track.”
2009-06-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6137 (2009) · source
“It is therefore appropriate to call on the Peacebuilding Commission and multilateral and bilateral partners, including regional organizations, to assist in providing the requisite financial, logistical and technical support for the creation and empowerment of such a pool of civilian peace corps at both the international and the local levels and a base that is readily deployable as a military component and under effective leadership and coordination.”
2008-05-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5895 (2008) · source
“In conclusion, it is our view that in the light of the capacity gap occasioned by the massive flight of badly needed skilled human resources in the wake of crisis situations, the civilian components of peacekeeping operation personnel are as significantly essential as their military counterparts. In fact, the situation becomes even more demanding in the peacebuilding phase so as to allow societies emerging from conflict to build and develop the capacities of their local actors to assume their role in lubricating the recovery process.”
2008-05-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5895 (2008) · source
“Secondly, another potential area of tensions lies in the size, scope and assertiveness of external players in the discharge of their mandate and tasks, especially where reform measures conflict with traditional norms and sensitivities in those early stages of conflict transformation and peacebuilding. Thirdly, while external engagement of a sustained and effective kind remains highly desirable, adequate attention should also be paid to the need for local actors to be given ample space to determine policy options and decision-making in the pursuit of their goals and objectives.”
2008-05-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5895 (2008) · source
“As a demonstration of our faith in this debate as a wake-up call for the international community to step up the efforts that are essential for promoting post- conflict stabilization, let me make the following observations for further reflection. First, as in every partnership and cooperation, external intervention to promote and strengthen war-to- peace stabilization processes is not entirely devoid of tensions and dilemmas. Even with the best of intentions, international involvement in providing security, designing transitional governance structures, economic reforms and the delivery of public services and identifying local interlocutors, among others, often comes under the scrutiny of undermining the cardinal principle of national ownership and long-term sustainability.”
2008-05-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5895 (2008) · source
“This brings the centrality of the leadership role of the United Nations into focus, particularly at the field level, to effectively manage the rhythm of war-to-peace transition, in a balanced and coordinated manner, fully nurturing the capacities of local actors to take on their responsibilities. In Sierra Leone, that leadership was found in the United Nations Integrated Office in Sierra Leone (UNIOSIL) under the directive of the Executive Representative of the Secretary-General following the phasing out of the United Nations Mission in Sierra Leone. Thus, a robust and strengthened representation of the Secretary- General in post-conflict situations is crucial for the success of their operations and the long-term stabilization and sustainable development of those societies.”
2008-05-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5895 (2008) · source
“Similarly, despite inherent challenges in funding, regional and subregional organizations, such as the AU and ECOWAS, have also established peacebuilding support mechanisms aimed at complementing external intervention in order to bring their comparative advantage on knowledge of the local realities to bear on peacebuilding work. Being a pioneer on the agenda of the Peacebuilding Commission, Sierra Leone welcomes the United Kingdom's recent announcement to set-up a pool of rapidly deployable and skilled civilian personnel in this regard. Underpinning all these initiatives and engagements is the need for coordination among the plethora of international actors involved in post- conflict operations.”
2008-05-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5895 (2008) · source
“We do not always need to wait for situations to deteriorate before flying tens of thousands of blue helmets and green berets to extinguish volcanoes. Investing in peace and stability makes our work easier and saves lives and billions of dollars. The foundation for the enhancement of State capacities for war-to-peace transitions for development lies primarily in coherent and sustained partnerships and cooperation among the various actors in peacebuilding. The Peacebuilding Commission was established in tandem with this notion in 2005 in order to sustain international attention on countries emerging from conflict and to assist in addressing critical gaps in their recovery process.”
2008-05-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5895 (2008) · source
“In the face of extensive devastation of infrastructures and the mass exodus of skilled human resource capacities in disaster or conflict-prone societies, those countries could only reverse the trend to pre-crisis levels with coherent, sustained and coordinated partnerships with the international community. In our view, the Government of the United Kingdom is not advancing an entirely new phenomenon, but rather giving context to the value that the now defunct programmes, such as the Volunteer Service Overseas, Canadian University Students Overseas and the Peace Corps among others, added to capacity-building and development in beneficiary host countries. This, for us, is a wake-up call for the international community to step up efforts to promote post-conflict stabilization.”
2008-05-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5895 (2008) · source
“Some of the feasible outcomes that have emerged from those collaborations included the successful implementation of programmes such as the DDR, the reform of the justice and security sectors and the capacity-building and development of the governance and transitional justice mechanisms. The learning curve in Sierra Leone's post-conflict stabilization has, no doubt, contributed immeasurably to the knowledge base in United Nations peacekeeping operations. There is no denying that, without the requisite levels of funding, leadership and human capital, post-conflict societies cannot easily escape from a relapse into renewed violence.”
2008-05-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5895 (2008) · source
“The journey along the thorny path of advancing national reconciliation and central Government control over the entire country, including our post-conflict governance and institutional capacity-building programmes, would not have been possible without engagement with our multilateral and bilateral partners and national and international non-governmental organizations. The role of partners, such as the United Nations and its specialized agencies, the African Union (AU), the European Commission, the Commonwealth, Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and our many bilateral partners - notably the bold leadership, logistical and financial resources provided by the United Kingdom, Nigeria and others, has been crucial in nurturing the condition for lasting peace and reconciliation in Sierra Leone.”
2008-05-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5895 (2008) · source
“Despite the gains in implementing the Lome Peace Accord and the successful conclusion of the disarmament, demobilization and re-integration (DDR) programme, we are still in the process of surmounting the hurdles inherent in constructing effective and legitimate governmental institutions to consolidate the peace and foster human development. Crises, whether man-made or natural, generally lead to a breakdown of State institutions. Reforming those institutions is undoubtedly a complex and demanding task. Our experience in addressing the practical challenges in establishing transitional governance structures, providing security, delivering public services and addressing questions of transitional justice speaks eloquently to our ability to overcome those hurdles.”
2008-05-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5895 (2008) · source
“Today, we can reflect with pride on the recent presidential and parliamentary elections that witnessed a seamless transition from the former ruling party to the opposition. We have made a significant leap in our peace and democratization processes and laid a solid foundation for sustainable peace. The 2007 elections, in particular, speak eloquently of our political maturity and determination to achieve lasting stability. For this, we are thankful to the United Nations and all of our multilateral and bilateral partners for their support.”
2008-05-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5895 (2008) · source
“The causes of conflict are much like their effects: poverty, low economic growth, ethnic and cultural intolerance, and the mugging of democracy, social justice and human dignity. Wrestling with this Vicious cycle of instability and underdevelopment in our present global reality is, therefore, clearly not an act of charity. In Sierra Leone, as in many other places that have been afflicted with a protracted, violent and devastating conflict, the road to peace has not been altogether smooth. But with tolerance, understanding and the overriding need to reconcile and move forward for the general good, even the pain, the mud and the thorns we have travelled through for peace have been our greatest healers.”
2008-05-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5895 (2008) · source
“In all frankness, the rapidity with which the international community responded to crises in places such as Kuwait, Kosovo, Afghanistan and Iraq, as opposed to many African crises, showed analysts the need to rethink the international community's approach to resolving conflicts around the globe. We are hopeful that the Peacebuilding Commission will not lend itself to such inadvertence or anomalies in supporting countries engaged in post-conflict peacebuilding. Delivering sustainable peace is not only an act of enlightened self-interest, but also a public good for all of mankind and humanity. Experience has proven that conflict and social instability breed poverty, flagrant violations of human rights and human dignity, socio- economic disparity and social and political disintegration.”
2008-05-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5895 (2008) · source