YouSaid · the spoken record

Barbara Woodward

lines on the record: 1,082
first: 2020-12-08
most recent: 2023-12-29
sittings or episodes: 263
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

“We appreciate Norway’s leadership in convening the Ad Hoc Liaison Committee this month. We welcome the progress on economic measures, including the electronic payment of Palestinian workers in Israel, and the work on ensuring the continued success of the e-VAT portal. However, bolder and faster action is needed to deliver real economic change in the occupied Palestinian territories. The United Kingdom is committed to supporting another meeting of the Joint Economic Committee as soon as possible. We also thank Jordan and Sweden for hosting a ministerial meeting in support of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA). The United Kingdom is a long- standing financial and political supporter of UNWRA and welcomes its continued support to Palestinian refugees across the region.”
2022-09-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9139 (2022) · source
“We urge Israel not to proceed with demolitions at Masafer Yatta, which would cause unnecessary suffering and are against international law in all but the most exceptional circumstances. We unequivocally condemn the execution of five Gazans by Hamas this month. The United Kingdom opposes the death penalty in all circumstances. In the West Bank in 2022 alone, more Palestinians were killed by Israeli forces than the total recorded since the United Nations began documenting fatalities in 2005. The United Kingdom remains fully supportive of Israel’s right to self-defence, but where there are accusations of excessive use of force, we advocate swift, transparent investigations. We are also appalled by the terrorist attacks on Israeli citizens, which cannot be justified.”
2022-09-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9139 (2022) · source
“I would like to thank Special Coordinator Wennesland for his helpful but sobering briefing. Let me start by welcoming both Prime Minister Lapid and President Abbas’s support for a two- State solution during their speeches to the General Assembly last week (see A/77/PV.8 and A/77/PV.10, respectively). The United Kingdom firmly believes that a two-State solution, based on the 1967 lines, with Jerusalem as a shared capital, and a just solution for refugees, is the best way to deliver long-term peace. However, the challenges facing a two-State solution remain significant. We share deep concerns about the deteriorating security situation in the West Bank. We urge all the parties to reduce tensions and refrain from taking destabilizing unilateral actions.”
2022-09-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9139 (2022) · source
“It is vital for Afghanistan’s future that the Taliban cooperate with her and the United Nations, and we urge all Council members to support her as she implements UNAMA’s critical mandate.”
2022-09-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9137 (2022) · source
“Humanitarian and financial support can help, but it will not resolve Afghanistan’s problems unless the fundamental building blocks for stability are put in place. To do that, the Taliban must uphold, rather than repress, human rights, allow unhindered humanitarian access and meet the counter-terrorism commitments made in the Doha agreement. The Taliban must take responsibility for stabilizing the economy. That means creating an enabling environment for greater investment, including ensuring transparency regarding revenue and the budget and enabling women — half the population — to contribute to economic activity. I take this opportunity to welcome the appointment of Special Representative Otunbayeva.”
2022-09-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9137 (2022) · source
“We are the second largest donor to the World Bank’s Afghanistan Reconstruction Fund, and we continue to work with the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund and others on economic stabilization. We recognize the importance of restoring liquidity to the banking system, including a functioning Central Bank able to access Afghanistan’s overseas reserves. That requires an independent Central Bank, operating transparently, with professional leadership and the proper controls in place to prevent funds being diverted to terrorism. Calling for reserves simply to be returned before those essential steps is neither responsible nor compatible with a genuine commitment to stopping terrorist financing.”
2022-09-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9137 (2022) · source
“I cannot speak more eloquently than Fawzia Koofi did about the restrictions on freedom of movement for women and girls and the political, economic, educational and social exclusion that they face. UNICEF estimates that the ban on schooling for girls has cost the Afghan economy at least $500 million during the past year, but the human cost for each of those Afghan girls is immeasurable. Some Council members appear determined to politicize the crisis in Afghanistan. I think their assertions are neither accurate nor helpful. The United Kingdom disbursed $306 million in humanitarian and development assistance for Afghanistan in the last financial year and has committed a further $306 million this financial year.”
2022-09-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9137 (2022) · source
“I join others in thanking Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General Potzel, Executive Director Waly and Ms. Koofi for their sobering briefings, as well as the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) and the Secretary-General for his quarterly report (S/2022/692). As we have heard, nearly 60 per cent of the population of Afghanistan officially requires humanitarian assistance, but the true need is much greater. The World Bank projects that the country’s gross domestic product will have contracted by one third by the end of this year, and the Taliban continues to increase restrictions on human rights and fundamental freedoms.”
2022-09-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9137 (2022) · source
“We should ensure that the 14.6 million Syrians who need assistance get it in the most efficient and effective way possible and in accordance with international humanitarian law. Despite the efforts on cross-line delivery set out by Mr. Griffiths, there is clearly no substitute for the scope and scale of the cross-border operation mandated by the Council. We look forward to seeing the Council united in its commitment to saving lives and avoiding any disruption of that effort. Millions of civilians depend on it.”
2022-09-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9130 (2022) · source
“We are also pleased to hear of the recent convening of the Women’s Advisory Board — an important step in encouraging the meaningful participation and diverse representation of women in the political process. And we welcome the report released today by the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Syrian Arab Republic (A/HRC/48/70), which highlights the conflict’s disproportionate impact on women and girls. As the Commission’s report makes clear, the Syrian regime and its allies bear the primary responsibility for the devastation in Syria. The data shared by Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs has made clear the stark humanitarian challenge, aggravated by increased uncertainty for humanitarian providers.”
2022-09-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9130 (2022) · source
“The United Kingdom remains a committed provider of humanitarian aid and early-recovery support for the Syrian people. Against that background, it is disappointing that Russia continues to stall the Constitutional Committee process. Geneva is the agreed venue for what should be Syrian-led and -owned Constitutional Committee talks. It is time to move beyond talking about a location and into the substance. But we agree with Deputy Special Envoy Rochdi that, despite obstructions, progress is possible. In that context, we welcome the Secretary-General’s recently released report on the missing (A/76/890). Tens of thousands of Syrians have been forcibly disappeared or detained during the conflict, and thousands of families are waiting to hear about loved ones. They deserve answers.”
2022-09-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9130 (2022) · source
“I thank Deputy Special Envoy Najat Rochdi and Under- Secretary-General Martin Griffiths for their briefings, as well as Mr. Mazen Darwish for his insightful remarks. I would like in particular, through Deputy Special Envoy Rochdi, to thank Special Envoy Pedersen and his team for their ongoing efforts to facilitate a sustainable resolution to the conflict in Syria through the full implementation of resolution 2254 (2015). That includes a nationwide ceasefire; unhindered aid access; the release of the arbitrarily detained; conditions for safe, voluntary and dignified refugee return; and free and fair elections pursuant to a new constitution. They have our full support, as does the call of Under- Secretary-General Griffiths for will and action.”
2022-09-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9130 (2022) · source
“We will continue to stand against that aggression and for freedom, democracy and the sovereignty of nations around the world.”
2022-09-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9127 (2022) · source
“We have seen that Russia is struggling to maintain stocks of equipment, exacerbated by component shortages resulting from the international sanctions that are aimed at ending the war. Russia is now turning to Iran to supply unmanned aerial vehicles, and, in a clear violation of United Nations sanctions, to North Korea to supply ammunition. There remains one simple way to end the war — Russia must withdraw its troops from Ukraine and Ukraine’s territorial integrity and sovereignty must be restored. Any negotiation must be premised on that fundamental principle. The United Kingdom is proud to support the Ukrainian people. We will continue to do so in the face of Russia’s assault on their sovereignty and territorial integrity.”
2022-09-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9127 (2022) · source
“Russia’s unprovoked and illegal war is a violation of Ukraine’s territorial integrity and sovereignty and of the principles of the Charter of the United Nations. It is the most significant threat to international peace and security that the world is currently facing. Ukraine has every right to defend itself under the Charter, legally and morally. It is doing so with great bravery. Ukraine is fighting not just for its existence; it is fighting in defence of the principles of the Charter itself and in defence of the United Nations system. And it is succeeding. Thanks to the sacrifices of the Ukrainian people, we know that Putin’s troops are tiring, his losses are significant, his supply lines are vulnerable and his territorial gains are ephemeral.”
2022-09-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9127 (2022) · source
“I thank colleagues for this minute of silence. Many will have memories of Her Majesty the Queen during her long and distinguished reign. She will be remembered, I think, for her dedicated service at home, across the Commonwealth and around the globe. Her extraordinary service fostered peace and friendship worldwide.”
2022-09-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9127 (2022) · source
“We therefore call yet again on the Russian Federation to fully observe its obligations under international law and to put an end to its illegal invasion of Ukraine.”
2022-09-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9126 (2022) · source
“First, it tells us about its methods and its disregard for the rules that we agreed and observe here at the United Nations — the collective rules that bind us together. Russia acts as if the Charter of the United Nations and international humanitarian law do not apply to it. Secondly, it confirms that this is not just an attempt to destroy Ukraine’s democracy, but also Ukrainian identity and culture. Its alleged de-Nazification is a cover for de-Ukrainianization and annexation. Finally, it confirms what has been abundantly clear over the past six months. Russia’s army is not being welcomed as it enters Ukrainian territory. This is a war of conquest, occupation and oppression, and a war to eliminate Ukraine.”
2022-09-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9126 (2022) · source
“Those who are deemed most threatening are reportedly held indefinitely in detention centres, while others, including unaccompanied children, are forcibly deported to Russia. Some simply disappear. We therefore call on the Russian Federation to allow the United Nations and other relevant international organizations immediate, full and unhindered access to those held in filtration camps and detention centres and for reports to be fully investigated to ensure that those responsible can be held to account. We are also concerned that Russia may be using forced deportations and displacement in an attempt to forcibly change the demographic make-up of parts of Ukraine. What does that tell us about Russia’s war?”
2022-09-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9126 (2022) · source
“I join the previous two speakers in thanking Under- Secretary-General DiCarlo, Assistant Secretary- General Kehris and Ms. Oleksandra Drik for their briefings. As we have discussed, today we meet to address the emerging evidence of further potential Russian violations and abuses of international law. We are deeply concerned about reports by the United Nations, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe and civil-society organizations that Russia is systematically detaining, processing and deporting Ukrainian men, women and children, with chilling echoes of European history. As we have heard, while passing through filtration, civilians reportedly face interrogation, body searches, stripping, invasive data collection, ill treatment and torture.”
2022-09-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9126 (2022) · source
“Working together, and with support from their partners, we are confident that Somalia can defeat Al-Shabaab and advance peace, stability and prosperity for the benefit of all Somalis and the region.”
2022-09-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9125 (2022) · source
“We encourage other Member States to join us in that endeavour so that Somali forces can develop the capacity and capabilities they need to end the threat posed by Al-Shabaab. However, military effort on its own will not be enough. The upcoming renewal of the mandate of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Somalia and the sanctions regime under resolution 751 (1992) will be an opportunity for the Council to set out how those tools can work most effectively alongside ATMIS to support Somalia and defeat Al-Shabaab. Finally, we urge Somalia’s political leaders to work together to agree on and implement national priorities and solve shared problems.”
2022-09-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9125 (2022) · source
“The window to prevent it is rapidly closing. We recognize the efforts of Somalia’s Special Envoy for Drought Response and of the system- wide scale-up, but the response must be sustained and prioritized. On its part, this financial year, the United Kingdom has contributed $180 million to respond to drought in the Horn of Africa. We call on all partners to do what they can to step up their humanitarian support to prevent famine. Secondly, the United Kingdom welcomes the high priority that the new Somali Government has placed on security and on the fight against Al-Shabaab. We join others in extending our condolences to those who suffered and to the families of those who were killed in the Hayat Hotel attack. We are also proud to provide funding to the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) and the Somalia trust fund.”
2022-09-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9125 (2022) · source
“I would like to start by thanking Special Representative of the Secretary-General Swan and our African Union and European Union briefers for their briefings today. I congratulate Somalia on the successful completion of its electoral process and on the peaceful transition of power to President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud. The United Kingdom stands ready to support President Mahmud’s Government to deliver its ambitious agenda and realize his vision of a Somalia at peace with itself and the world. I will focus my remarks today on three subjects — the humanitarian situation, security and reconciliation. First, urgent action is needed to meet Somalia’s acute humanitarian needs. As Under-Secretary-General Griffiths has warned, after four consecutive failed rains, Somalia faces famine on a scale that is greater than we last saw a decade ago.”
2022-09-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9125 (2022) · source
“It is Russia that is jeopardizing the safety of millions in the region who would be affected by a nuclear incident. And it is Russia that can resolve the situation by immediately withdrawing its forces from Zaporizhzhya and all of Ukraine and ceasing its senseless and reckless aggression.”
2022-09-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9124 (2022) · source
“The report also confirms the immense stress and pressure under which the plant’s brave Ukrainian staff are operating. They are no longer workers but hostages being held at gunpoint. By choosing to invade a nuclear power plant and putting Zaporizhzhya in the crossfire, Russia is playing roulette with nuclear safety. As long as Russia’s occupation of the plant continues, its safe and secure operation cannot be ensured. Any measures to address nuclear safety at the plant should therefore involve a full withdrawal of Russian troops and personnel. This is the third meeting that Russia has called on this issue in recent weeks. But we should be under no illusion. The situation at Zaporizhzhya is entirely of Russia’s making. It is Russia’s invasion that has disrupted the operation of nuclear facilities across Ukraine.”
2022-09-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9124 (2022) · source
“I would like to start by commending Director General Grossi of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), as well as his staff, for their visit to the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant under extremely challenging circumstances. We welcome the IAEA’s ongoing presence there, and I also offer my thanks to Ukraine for helping to facilitate the visit. The IAEA has assessed that the physical integrity of the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant has been violated several times, and with the publication of its report today, the IAEA has confirmed the presence of Russian military personnel, vehicles and equipment in the plant. We understand that in some cases, Russian military equipment has been no more than 60 metres from the nuclear reactors.”
2022-09-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9124 (2022) · source
“Thirdly, Russia has violated the Charter of the United Nations and breached its obligations under that Charter. For five months, Russia has been engaged in an illegal invasion of another Member State, in breach of its Charter obligations and in complete disregard of resolutions of the General Assembly and the orders of the International Court of Justice. The preparations for sham referendums in Kherson and Zaporizhzhia are the most recent examples of Russia’s breaches of Ukrainian sovereignty and territorial integrity. We therefore continue to demand that Russia end its invasion, withdraw from Ukraine and uphold its obligations under the Charter.”
2022-07-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9104 (2022) · source
“Secondly, we cannot forget the record of Russia’s atrocities and crimes in the more than five months since Russia invaded Ukraine. Before the ink had even dried on the 22 July grain agreement, Russia brazenly attacked the port of Odesa. That latest attack follows others — breaches of international humanitarian law in Bucha and Irpin, the attacks on civilians in the Mariupol theatre, the Kramatorsk train station, the Kremenchuk shopping mall, apartment buildings in Chasiv Yar and Vinnytsia and the widespread torture and abuse of detainees, including women and children, as identified by Human Rights Watch and the Moscow Mechanism of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe. The video this week of the castration of a Ukrainian prisoner of war by Russian soldiers is an illustration of Russia’s barbarism and criminality.”
2022-07-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9104 (2022) · source
“I join others in thanking Ambassador Byrne Nason for her stalwart and eloquent defence of international peace and security during her tenure on the Security Council and elsewhere. We will miss her. I would like to start by thanking Under-Secretary- General DiCarlo for her briefing. First, we joint others in welcoming the 22 July deal agreed in Istanbul to export the grain trapped by Russia’s blockade of Odesa and other ports. We commend the role of the United Nations and Türkiye in brokering that solution. The agreement is undoubtedly important. Its implementation is now vital so that Ukrainian farmers’ grain can once again be baked into bread in markets and sent to tables around the world and enable the World Food Programme to address pressing famine conditions, including in Somalia and Ethiopia.”
2022-07-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9104 (2022) · source
“Russia’s approach goes against what Libya, the region and the United Nations have requested. Insisting on three-month rollovers in the absence of a Special Representative of the Secretary- General is not only short-sighted, but it also undermines the ability of UNSMIL to support Libyan leaders to achieve the necessary political and security objectives required to bring stability to the country. We welcome the Secretary-General’s continued efforts to find a suitable Special Representative candidate. It is clear that this is not an easy task. We call on all relevant stakeholders, including the Council, to take a constructive and flexible approach so as to enable a swift appointment.”
2022-07-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9103 (2022) · source
“I welcome the adoption of resolution 2647 (2022), which renews the mandate of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL). The resolution contains a number of important messages, including on the political and security processes, the integrity of the National Oil Corporation and human rights. Of particular importance is the clear message to the Libyan parties on the need to agree a pathway to deliver presidential and parliamentary elections as soon as possible. We thank Security Council members for their constructive engagement and support for the substantive elements of the resolution. However, we share the frustration of our African colleagues at the short three-month mandate. Their abstention is understandable given Russia’s refusal to join the consensus on our proposals for a longer mandate for UNSMIL.”
2022-07-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9103 (2022) · source
“We also call on Israel to halt plans to advance 1,900 settlement units in East Jerusalem on 25 July. Settlements are illegal under international law and threaten the physical viability of a two-State solution. The United Kingdom believes that Palestinians and Israelis deserve equal measures of peace, security and prosperity. A negotiated settlement leading to a safe and secure Israel living alongside a viable and sovereign Palestinian State remains the best way to achieve that outcome.”
2022-07-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9099 (2022) · source
“We welcome the United States engagement with Israel and the Palestinian Authority to seek the truth surrounding Shireen Abu Akleh’s death, and we now urge accountability for those responsible. We continue to be deeply concerned about the imminent risk of the forcible transfer of more than 1,000 Palestinians at Masafer Yatta and the recent detention of staff members of humanitarian organizations seeking to aid the community. This month, we saw the disbandment of the community at Ras Al-Tin, following the demolition of its residents’ homes and settler attacks. We urge Israel to abide by its obligations under international law in order to ensure that the residents of Masafer Yatta and other communities in Area C are protected and that humanitarian access is permitted, and to refrain from further evictions and demolitions.”
2022-07-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9099 (2022) · source
“Recent direct discussions held by Prime Minister Lapid, President Herzog and Defence Minister Gantz with President Abbas and other Palestinian Authority leaders are similarly welcome. Such cooperation and dialogue are essential to tackling shared challenges. However, the situation on the ground remains fragile. We note with concern the latest report of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights on the increase in fatalities. In the first six months of 2022, 60 Palestinians were killed by Israeli security forces during law enforcement operations in the West Bank. In the same period, 19 Israelis were killed in terror attacks. Terrorist attacks against civilians are abhorrent and unacceptable. We call on all parties to de-escalate tensions and stop the continued loss of life.”
2022-07-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9099 (2022) · source
“I thank Deputy Special Coordinator Hastings for her briefing. I would also like to thank the representative of the United States for her update. We were pleased to see President Biden’s visit to Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories this month and the announcement of United States funding for East Jerusalem hospitals and the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East. We welcomed Israel’s commitment during that visit to restart the Joint Economic Committee and accelerate the transition to 4G cellular technology in the occupied Palestinian territory. Those are important steps that have the potential to bolster the Palestinian economy. We echo President Biden’s calls for urgent progress in both cases, and the United Kingdom stands ready to provide support.”
2022-07-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9099 (2022) · source
“Libyan authorities must build and deliver mechanisms that safeguard human rights and enable civil society to flourish as a key component of accountability. Fourthly, the United Kingdom welcomes the European Union Naval Force Mediterranean Operation IRINI’s interdiction of a vessel carrying military vehicles intended for Libya and underscores the responsibility of all Member States to fully comply with the United Nations arms embargo on Libya. In conclusion, the United Kingdom reaffirms its readiness to work with Libya and all international partners on a constructive way forward, both on the ground in Libya and in the Security Council.”
2022-07-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9098 (2022) · source
“Secondly, we urge Libyan actors to refrain from the politicization of State institutions, including the National Oil Corporation. The Libyan people need to see the full resumption of oil production and the equitable distribution of the State’s oil wealth. However, that should not come at the expense of the integrity and independence of the National Oil Corporation, or jeopardize Libya’s progress towards stability, sovereignty and national unity. Thirdly, as Ms. Pobee said, it is imperative that authorities respect and protect human rights across Libya. The United Kingdom remains very concerned about the human rights abuses and violations identified in the most recent interim report of the Independent Fact-Finding Mission on Libya, as well as the recent crackdowns on civil society.”
2022-07-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9098 (2022) · source
“I thank Ms. Pobee for her briefing today. I would also like to pay tribute to Stephanie Williams’ dedication to her role and to welcome the Secretary-General’s efforts to find a new Special Representative. I would like to make four points. First, the United Kingdom is concerned about the recent violence in Tripoli and Misrata. The preservation of peace has been one of the successes of the past two years. There needs to be de-escalation to ensure that relative peace continues. Combined with the protests that took place earlier this month, those events demonstrate the urgent need for the delivery of a Libyan-led and Libyan-owned inclusive political process. Libyan parties need to compromise and agree on a pathway to achieve parliamentary and presidential elections.”
2022-07-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9098 (2022) · source
“Thirdly, the increase in cases of sexual violence against children documented in the Secretary-General’s report is particularly concerning given that those figures no doubt represent only the tip of the iceberg. Tackling sexual violence in conflict and ensuring support for survivors remain a top priority for the United Kingdom, including with respect to children. We will convene an international conference in London in November to that end. Ahead of that conference, we are committed to strengthening the international legal architecture to improve accountability for sexual violence in conflict and to rolling out the Murad Code, launched here in April. We welcome all Member States joining us in that effort.”
2022-07-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9096 (2022) · source
“Special Representative Gamba de Potgieter will have our full support in engaging on that agenda. But there is only one solution to ending the suffering of Ukrainian children, that is, an end to Russia’s illegal invasion. Secondly, we are deeply concerned that attacks on schools have continued to increase, including targeted attacks on girls’ schools. The United Kingdom has long campaigned for the right of every girl to 12 years of quality education; that includes girls affected by conflict. We continue to urge all Member States to endorse the Safe Schools Declaration and to address the gendered impact of attacks on education. I again echo the Secretary-General’s call for the Taliban to enable the immediate return of all Afghan girls to the classroom.”
2022-07-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9096 (2022) · source
“I join other speakers in thanking our briefers today for their illuminating remarks. I would like to highlight three key points in relation to what we heard today. First, the United Kingdom welcomes the inclusion of the situations in Ukraine, Ethiopia and Mozambique in the Secretary-General’s annual report (S/2022/493). Data gathered by United Nations agencies and non-governmental organizations on the ground attest to the serious protection needs of children in those countries. Establishing monitoring and reporting mechanisms will build an even stronger evidence base so that all parties can identify the actions needed to prevent grave violations against children. In Ukraine, there is already ample evidence that Russia is committing at least four of the six grave violations against children.”
2022-07-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9096 (2022) · source
“The United Kingdom is committed to helping all parties implement the Commission’s recommendations and to supporting the follow-up committee that will supervise their implementation. Thirdly, we continue to encourage the acceleration of rural reform. While significant steps have been taken so far, accelerated progress on the territorially focused development programmes and the multipurpose cadastre should help build confidence in the commitment to peace and advance rural development to support the transformation of conflict-affected regions. In conclusion, the United Kingdom remains fully committed to supporting Colombia on its path to lasting peace and to helping the people of Colombia to overcome the challenges that remain.”
2022-07-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9094 (2022) · source
“We commend President-elect Petro’s commitment to comprehensive implementation of the Final Agreement and to addressing the challenges that remain. Foremost among these challenges, as we have heard, will be ensuring security for vulnerable communities affected by violence, displacement and confinement. We welcome the incoming Administration’s commitment to creating the conditions for sustained and durable peace in Colombia and hope that a resumption of talks with the Ejército de Liberación Nacional will contribute to this. Secondly, the United Kingdom welcomes the publication of the Truth Commission’s final report, a vital milestone in Colombia’s reconciliation process. We pay tribute to the Commissioners’ hard work in this vast undertaking, and to the thousands of victims who gave evidence, for their courage.”
2022-07-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9094 (2022) · source
“I would like to start by thanking Special Representative of the Secretary-General Ruiz Massieu for his briefing and for the work of his team. I would also like to express appreciation for and pay tribute to our briefers, Father de Roux Rengifo and Ms. Casso Piamba, and welcome Foreign Minister Ramírez to our meeting today. We appreciate the Foreign Minister’s dedicated engagement with the Security Council throughout her tenure. I would like to make three points today. First, I would like to congratulate the people of Colombia for making their voices heard in last month’s presidential election. We commend political stakeholders, officials and volunteers for their dedication and for helping to ensure that the election was fair, inclusive and recognized by all parties.”
2022-07-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9094 (2022) · source
“I am proud of the efforts that British peacekeepers and their German counterparts have been making in MINUSMA in that regard. They have met with local women’s associations and helped local radio stations reach out to female audiences. That has helped build mutual understanding and given Malian women platforms for their peace advocacy. In conclusion, I would like to welcome the six actions the Secretary-General set out and stress that the United Kingdom will continue to offer its full support to United Nations peacekeeping, including in mainstreaming an innovative, modern and integrated approach to strategic communications.”
2022-07-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9090 (2022) · source
“Since the Kremlin-backed Wagner Group deployed in Mali, we have seen a significant increase in the volume of dangerous lies being spread about the mandate and activities of the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA). That puts peacekeepers’ lives at increased risk in an already volatile environment. It sows distrust, which discourages local communities from sharing information with MINUSMA, and that hinders the Mission’s ability to prevent attacks on civilians and peacekeepers alike. The continued spread of disinformation and misinformation will lead to more lives lost. There is no excuse for such activities. Thirdly, I would like to underline the importance of strategic communications in supporting the women and peace and security agenda.”
2022-07-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9090 (2022) · source
“First, strategic communications should be a whole-of-mission activity, integrated into planning and mandate implementation and measured by the Comprehensive Planning and Performance Assessment System. They should leverage digital technologies to keep pace with changing communication landscapes. We support efforts to that end under the Action for Peacekeeping Plus initiative and the Strategy for the Digital Transformation of United Nations Peacekeeping. Secondly, all actors should refrain from anti-United Nations misinformation and disinformation, which undermine mandate delivery and the safety and security of peacekeepers, including in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Central African Republic and Mali.”
2022-07-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9090 (2022) · source
“I thank you, Mr. President, for Brazil’s leadership on this topic. I also thank our briefers today. I would like to join others in paying tribute to all peacekeepers, especially those who have lost their lives in the service of peace. Today’s debate underlines the fact that effective strategic communications are essential enablers of mandate delivery. They help to build trust and amplify the voices of those building and sustaining peace. They are also vital to the safety and security of peacekeepers. As we heard from the Secretary-General, almost half of peacekeepers have said that disinformation hinders mandate delivery and threatens their safety and security. I would like to make three points in that regard.”
2022-07-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9090 (2022) · source
“The humanitarian case for a further renewal will be self-evident, and to oppose it would be to ignore the suffering of 4.1 million people. The United Kingdom will continue to support the United Nations efforts to deliver its humanitarian response plan. But we will not consider providing any reconstruction assistance without a credible, substantive and genuine political process firmly under way. A genuine political process is the only sustainable means of ending the suffering in Syria.”
2022-07-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9089 (2022) · source