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

1. “I would like to thank Under-Secretary-General DiCarlo and Mr. Grossi for their briefings. The United Kingdom and our partners called this urgent meeting because last night Russian forces attacked the largest nuclear power station in Europe. We are grateful to the Ukrainian firefighters and authorities who got the fire under control and are working bravely to ensure that the plant remains safe. We support the work of the International Atomic Energy Agency in Ukraine and are relieved that so far, it has reported that none of the safety systems in the plant were affected and that there was no release of radioactive material. This is the first time that a State has attacked a fuelled and functioning nuclear power plant.”

   2022-03-04 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8986 (2022) · source

2. “But we know that a humanitarian response is not enough to save the Ukrainian people from the disaster that Russia is inflicting on them. Our message today is therefore simple. Once again, for the sake of humanity, we call on President Putin to stop this war and withdraw his forces from Ukraine.”

   2022-02-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8983 (2022) · source

3. “As the High Commissioner stated, in this moment of urgent need the situation the agencies are facing is impossible. The United Kingdom stands with the Ukrainian people during their time of need. Yesterday, Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced $54 million in aid to help our Ukrainian friends. That latest assistance package brings the total amount of United Kingdom Government aid pledged to Ukraine this year to $190 million. Last week, Mr. Johnson also announced that the United Kingdom would guarantee up to $500 million in loans to Ukraine through the multilateral development banks. The United Kingdom will also participate in tomorrow’s United Nations appeal. United Kingdom Government experts have deployed to the region to provide humanitarian support to those fleeing violence in Ukraine.”

   2022-02-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8983 (2022) · source

4. “The violence in Kyiv has forced people to seek refuge underground, with many thousands, including the elderly and disabled, unable to evacuate. And as we have heard from the United Nations, as of today, hundreds of civilians have been killed as a result of the Russian invasion. My Russian colleagues may try to paint the United Nations reporting as hysteria, just as they said it was Western hysteria to warn of their impending invasion. But let us look at the facts. Half a million people have already fled to Poland, Hungary, Romania, Moldova, Slovakia and other countries. Seven million people have been displaced, and that figure, as the High Commissioner for Refugees told us, is rising exponentially. United Nations agencies and humanitarian partners have been forced to suspend operations.”

   2022-02-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8983 (2022) · source

5. “I would like to begin by thanking today’s briefers, Mr. Filippo Grandi and Mr. Martin Griffiths. As a result of President Putin’s decision to launch a full-scale invasion of Ukraine, a country of 44 million people is now on the brink of humanitarian catastrophe. Whatever my Russian colleague claims, the world can see Russia’s indiscriminate attacks on men, women and children across Ukraine and its disregard for international humanitarian law. Missiles have rained down on Kharkiv, with cluster munitions hitting residential areas and injuring residents. Disruptions to supply chains have caused food shortages in Kramatorsk. The reckless bombing of an oil depot in Vasylkiv has unleashed toxic fumes in nearby communities.”

   2022-02-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8983 (2022) · source

6. “The United Kingdom welcomes the result of the voting on resolution 2623 (2022) today. By voting in favour of convening an emergency special session of the General Assembly on Ukraine tomorrow, the members of the Security Council have laid bare Russia’s diplomatic impotence. Russia again was isolated in opposing the resolution, but Russia cannot stop the world from coming together to condemn its invasion of Ukraine. As each day passes in this unprovoked and unjustified war, support for the people of Ukraine, their plight and their fight for freedom grows. We therefore urge all Members of the United Nations to use their voice tomorrow to call for the immediate withdrawal of Russian forces from Ukraine and end this war.”

   2022-02-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8980 (2022) · source

7. “A large majority of the Security Council has just voted in favour of a draft resolution aimed at stopping war. Draft resolution S/2022/155 has not been adopted only because of the single veto of the permanent member of the Council who is perpetrating that conflict. Russia claims that its invasion of Ukraine is in self-defence. That is absurd. Russia’s only act of self- defence is the vote that they have cast against today’s draft resolution. Make no mistake: Russia is isolated. It has no support for the invasion of Ukraine. History will record how we voted today and which countries stood up to be counted in defence of the Charter of the United Nations and the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine. The United Kingdom stands steadfast in support of the Ukrainian people and will hold Russia accountable for its aggression.”

   2022-02-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8979 (2022) · source

8. “A country of 44 million people is being attacked on all fronts. Draft resolution S/2022/155, on which we are voting today, is a message to those people that the world is on their side and that it stands with the Ukrainian people. It is a message to the world that the rules we built together must be defended — because otherwise, who might be next? It is a message to Russia as well — to the brave Russian citizens who are protesting a war that they do not want. This draft resolution demands an end to that war. President Putin has launched a massive invasion of Ukraine. His aim is to remove its Government and subjugate its people. No fog of war is thick enough to obscure a truth that clear. This is not self-defence under Article 51 of the Charter. It is naked aggression. It is an unprovoked, unjustified war, and the Council must condemn it.”

   2022-02-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8979 (2022) · source

9. “The Charter of the United Nations begins with the solemn invocation to peace: “We, the peoples of the United Nations, determined to save successive generations from the scourge of war...” That conviction has been the touchstone of the work in this Chamber since 1945. We must not forget that our fundamental purpose here is to protect people and their futures; to protect people from violence and conflict that destroy lives. As we speak, women and children in Kyiv, young families in Odessa, pensioners in Kharkiv and civilians all over Ukraine are sheltering from Russia’s military onslaught. First, Russia claimed that this was all Western hysteria. Then, it said that it was about Donetsk and Luhansk. Now, Russia is bombing Kyiv. We have seen dreadful images of Russian tanks crushing civilians in the Ukrainian capital.”

   2022-02-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8979 (2022) · source

10. “However, to end the conflict and bring lasting peace to Syria, a United-Nations led political process, as set out in resolution 2254 (2015), remains essential. The United Kingdom welcomes Special Envoy Pedersen’s continued efforts and the intention to reconvene the Constitutional Committee talks in Geneva in the second half of March. The Syrian regime must engage meaningfully with that process. We urge all parties, including the regime’s backers, to redouble their efforts to find a way forward.”

    2022-02-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8978 (2022) · source

11. “As we look at the horror of the unfolding situation in Ukraine, the daily struggles of men, women and children in Syria should serve as a dire warning to the international community. The untold suffering of millions, leading to mass displacement, regional instability and economic shock, serves no purpose. The need for a continued and consistent humanitarian response in Syria is clear. Assistance needs to be delivered through all modalities possible. Resolution 2585 (2021) needs to be implemented in full, and, as we look ahead to July, the renewal of the United Nations cross-border mandate remains essential. The United Kingdom supports all efforts to improve cross-line access and early-recovery efforts.”

    2022-02-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8978 (2022) · source

12. “May I start by thanking our briefers, Special Envoy Geir Pedersen and Assistant Secretary-General Joyce Msuya, whom I welcome to her role. Today we are reminded of the long-term consequences of war. After nearly 11 years of conflict in Syria, where we have seen appalling violations of international humanitarian law and international human rights law, 14.6 million Syrians require humanitarian assistance. The decimation of civilian infrastructure has left 76 per cent of the population unable to meet the most basic needs. That means chronic malnutrition, rising bread prices, families camping in freezing cold conditions and the stunted growth of young children — levels of suffering that will take a generation of recovery.”

    2022-02-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8978 (2022) · source

13. “As we sat in the Security Council Chamber urging Russia to step back, President Putin announced special military operations on Ukrainian territory. This is unprovoked and unjustified. This is a grave day for Ukraine and for the principles of the United Nations. We and our partners have been clear that there will be consequences for Russia’s actions. We fully support the call of the United States for a Security Council resolution. The Council must do all it can to stop the war and uphold the Charter of the United Nations.”

    2022-02-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8974 (2022) · source

14. “But we have also announced a significant further sanction step against Russia, with our allies — a package targeted against some of the Russian oligarchs, banks, and politicians supporting President Putin. And we will ratchet up economic consequences should Russia continue its aggression. There is still time for restraint, reason and de-escalation. But that time is now.”

    2022-02-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8974 (2022) · source

15. “We will not compromise our commitment to Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity or our support for peace, prosperity, and the democratic freedom of the people of Ukraine. We will not compromise our commitment to the purposes and principles of the United Nations Charter — above all the founding principle of the United Nations, that we “live together in peace with one another as good neighbours”. Russia’s actions are an assault on the Charter. And we will not compromise our commitment to a search for peace. We are here for the second time this week in the Council. My Prime Minister and Foreign and Defence Secretaries have been unsparing in their diplomatic efforts.”

    2022-02-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8974 (2022) · source

16. “I thank the Secretary-General and Under-Secretary- General DiCarlo for their remarks. We are here tonight to call on Russia to avert war. For months, Russia has been holding a gun to Ukraine’s head. Now, President Putin’s finger is on the trigger. A full-scale conflict in a country of 44 million people will bring immense suffering, casualties on both sides and devastating humanitarian consequences. The members of the Security Council, the General Assembly and the Secretary-General have all called this week for respect for the principles of the Charter of the United Nations. The world is calling for peace, but Russia is not listening. Make no mistake, the United Kingdom will not compromise.”

    2022-02-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8974 (2022) · source

17. “We would like to express our thanks to the Commission’s secretariat staff, past and present, for their tireless commitment and work to date. We are confident that the secretariat will complete its remaining tasks with the high level of diligence it has maintained throughout. The United Kingdom stands ready to support all actions necessary to take forward the dissolution of the Commission by the end of this year. Finally, the United Kingdom expresses its gratitude to our colleagues on the Council for their constructive engagement on the resolution that we have adopted today, which helps to draw the Commission’s long but ultimately successful endeavour to a close.”

    2022-02-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8972 (2022) · source

18. “Since then, as we have heard, the Commission has paid out $52.4 billion in compensation to more than 1.5 million claimants. The final payment of more than $600,000, made in January of this year, marked the fulfilment of the Commission’s mandate after more than 30 years. With the completion of the mandate, Iraq has now fulfilled its obligations in relation to that Chapter VII measure. We commend Iraq for its commitment under various Governments to making its payments and doing so in exceptionally difficult economic and security circumstances. We also want to take this opportunity to reflect on what the successful completion of the Commission’s mandate represents. It is not only a reminder of the consequences of breaching international law; it is also an example of what we can achieve through positive cooperation at the United Nations.”

    2022-02-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8972 (2022) · source

19. “Gaffey stated, its work is a historic achievement for multilateralism in terms of achieving post-conflict reconciliation and solutions to large-scale and complex problems related to conflict. The novel work it undertook has required the close cooperation and engagement of Iraq and Kuwait, which both contributed to ensuring its success. Resolution 687 (1991) affirmed Iraq as liable under international law for any direct loss, damage or injury to foreign Governments, nationals and corporations as a result of the unlawful invasion and occupation of Kuwait. The Security Council acted under Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations to establish the UNCC as a means for processing claims with respect to that liability.”

    2022-02-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8972 (2022) · source

20. “I would like to start by thanking Mr. Michael Gaffey, President of the Governing Council of the United Nations Compensation Commission (UNCC), for his briefing today, as well as Ambassador Lucy Kiruthu, Vice-President of the Governing Council of the UNCC, for her support. I also thank and welcome Mr. Fuad Mohammad Hussein, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Iraq, and Mr. Mansour Ayyad Alotaibi, Ambassador of Kuwait. As we have heard, following the special session of the Governing Council on 9 February, the Security Council is meeting today to discuss resolution 2621 (2022), which acknowledges the fulfilment of the Commission’s mandate and instructs the winding down of all its activities. Thirty years on, the UNCC represents an important success for the international rules-based order. As Mr.”

    2022-02-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8972 (2022) · source

21. “Now more than ever, the Council must shoulder its responsibilities for peace and security and defend the principles of the Charter. The Council must be united in calling on Russia to de-escalate immediately, in condemning aggression against a sovereign nation and defending the territorial integrity of Ukraine, and in calling on Russia to respect its obligations under the Charter to the peaceful resolution of disputes. Russia has brought us to the brink. We urge Russia to step back.”

    2022-02-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8970 (2022) · source

22. “As the Secretary- General said earlier, Russia’s decisions are a violation of the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine and inconsistent with the principles of the Charter. Thirdly, there will be consequences for international law. The actions taken today make a mockery of the commitments Russia has made through the Budapest Memorandum and the Minsk agreements, endorsed by resolution 2202 (2015). In seeking to redraw borders by force, Russia’s actions show blatant contempt for international law. The United Kingdom will be announcing new sanctions on Russia in response to its breach of international law and attack on Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. There will be severe economic consequences for its actions.”

    2022-02-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8970 (2022) · source

23. “We meet this evening because, earlier today, President Putin announced the Russian Federation’s recognition of the independence of the so-called Donetsk People’s Republic and Luhansk People’s Republic, and issued a decree to send Russian military forces into Ukraine as so-called peacekeepers. The actions Russia has chosen today will have severe and far-reaching consequences. First, there will be consequences for human life. An invasion of Ukraine unleashes the forces of war, death and destruction on the people of Ukraine. The humanitarian impact will be terrible on civilians fleeing the fighting. We know that women and children will suffer most. Secondly, there will be consequences for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of a United Nations Member State, which is protected and guaranteed by the Charter of the United Nations.”

    2022-02-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8970 (2022) · source

24. “In conclusion, there is no overnight solution to these complex peace, security and humanitarian challenges. However, the rapid completion of credible elections, as agreed by the National Consultative Council last month, will be a critical step towards keeping the vital economic, security and constitutional reforms on track.”

    2022-02-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8965 (2022) · source

25. “However, we support an extension of resolution 2608 (2021) until such a framework is in place to avoid any operational gaps, which includes ensuring that the European Union’s Operation Atalanta can continue to function. Finally, on the humanitarian situation, I want to say a few words about the backdrop of the severe humanitarian need against which those other challenges are unfolding. The United Kingdom recently announced $18.3 million in additional support to address the effects of the current drought on top of the $47.5 million humanitarian assistance already committed. However, more funds are needed. It is vital that we, the international community, learn the lessons from 2017. We need to act fast to improve access to affected populations, as well as helping to build longer- term resilience to climate shocks.”

    2022-02-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8965 (2022) · source

26. “It is critical that the process continue at pace. We also encourage the Federal Government of Somalia to provide clarity on how it will generate the forces and capacity required to implement the Somalia transition plan. That is the best way to protect the AMISOM successes, won by AMISOM Somali forces at such a great cost, and address the evolving threat of Al-Shabaab. Thirdly, on the subject of piracy, the United Kingdom commends the successful efforts of Somalia and international efforts to counter piracy off the Somali coast. We have no objection in principle to the Federal Government of Somalia’s desire to move to a bilateral maritime cooperation framework.”

    2022-02-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8965 (2022) · source

27. “We therefore urge all Somali political leaders to put the national interest first, prioritize the conclusion of a peaceful, credible electoral process and ensure that security forces are not used as political instruments. We hope to see the conclusion of the lower house elections by 25 February and the achievement, as a minimum, of the target of 30 per cent of parliamentary seats won by women. Secondly, on the security transition, I want to underline the importance of reaching swift agreement on a reconfigured African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) that is realistic, effective and affordable and which can support the implementation of the Somalia transition plan. We welcome the positive progress made in recent weeks by the United Nations, the African Union, the Somali Government and other stakeholders to that end.”

    2022-02-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8965 (2022) · source

28. “May I start by thanking Mr. Swan, Special Representative of the Secretary-General, Mr. Madeira, Special Representative of the Chairperson of the African Union Commission for Somalia, and Ambassador Skoog for their briefings. I want to focus my remarks today on four topics: elections, security transition, piracy and the humanitarian situation in Somalia. First, on elections, the United Kingdom welcomes the recent increase in the pace of elections to the lower house. Completing the electoral process will prevent prolonged political uncertainty, avoid increased risks to Somalia’s security and stability, weaken Al-Shabaab and help to pave the way for Somalia to access much- needed international financing.”

    2022-02-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8965 (2022) · source

29. “With the annual high-level pledging event set for next month, the United Kingdom encourages the Under-Secretary-General’s call to encourage existing and new donors to pledge as generously as possible. Finally, we welcome David Gressly’s leadership and update on the progress towards finding a solution to mitigating the risks posed by the FSO SAFER oil tanker. It remains an urgent environmental concern, and the United Kingdom stands ready to help.”

    2022-02-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8966 (2022) · source

30. “The United Kingdom also hosted a Quint meeting on Yemen in late January, where Oman, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and the United States came together to coordinate our approach to the conflict in Yemen. During that meeting, we reaffirmed our mutual support for the Organization’s efforts to find an urgent and comprehensive political solution. As Mr. Griffiths flagged, the humanitarian response faces dire funding shortages. As we approach the seventh anniversary of the conflict, the humanitarian picture is bleak — a “death sentence” in the words of Mr. Griffiths. The World Food Programme has warned that without funding now, only 3 million people will receive full food rations in February and only 2 million in March.”

    2022-02-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8966 (2022) · source

31. “We call upon all parties to de-escalate urgently and to engage with the new United Nations-led peace process. We welcome and fully endorse the Special Envoy’s proposals to begin wide-ranging consultations with the parties to the conflict, as well as the principles for the United Nations plan. I commend the Special Envoy’s inclusive approach, which will ensure that a wide range of Yemenis have the opportunity to participate. The United Kingdom encourages all parties to participate and to engage constructively in the upcoming consultations. We are also keen to ensure that regional partners are part of the solution. The presence of the United Arab Emirates on the Council is very welcome in that regard.”

    2022-02-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8966 (2022) · source

32. “I would like to start by thanking the Special Envoy, the Under-Secretary-General and the Permanent Representative of Yemen for their briefings. We heard today that since the most recent Security Council meeting (see S/PV.8946), there has been a notable escalation in the conflict, including reprehensible Houthi cross-border attacks on the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. The latest attack on Abha International Airport wounded 12 civilians, while the 17 January attack on the United Arab Emirates killed three civilians. The United Kingdom condemns in the strongest terms the Houthis’ repeated terror attacks against civilians and civilian infrastructure and against Yemenis and Yemen’s neighbours. There remains no military solution to this conflict. As the Special Envoy said, such a hope is futile.”

    2022-02-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8966 (2022) · source

33. “Women will never be safe unless there is adequate provision of sex-separated facilities for women, including toilets. And peace will not be sustainable without the full inclusion of women. Finally, the Houthi seizure earlier this month of an Emirati-flagged vessel brings about worrisome escalation at a time when ordinary Yemenis desperately need the parties to focus on the path to peace. The United Kingdom calls on all parties to resolve the issue quickly and for passage rights and freedom of navigation at sea to be respected.”

    2022-01-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8946 (2022) · source

34. “Al-Aghbary’s comments about her drive to get to the briefing point today underline that. In that context, aid workers must be able to operate without the threat of detention, and access must be granted for humanitarian flights to Sana’a airport. The international community must do all it can to prevent needless suffering and death. The deteriorating humanitarian situation, as Mr. Grundberg said and Ms. Al-Aghbary underlined, has a disproportionate impact on women. All parties to the conflict and the international community must work towards a long-term solution that supports equality between women and men. In the immediate term, there is an urgent need to protect women from gender- based violence and tackle insufficient protections in many camps.”

    2022-01-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8946 (2022) · source

35. “But as they have depicted in their briefings today, in the past few weeks the conflict has escalated, particularly around Ma’rib, Shabwah, Al-Hudaydah and Sana’a. Houthi drone attacks have also increased. And as Mr. Rajasingham notes, the consequence is that December saw a significant uptick in civilian casualties. At a time when de-escalation is critical, therefore, the United Kingdom would like to extend its welcome to Major General Michael Beary, who takes on the leadership of the United Nations Mission to Support the Hodeidah Agreement (UNMHA). We look to his vast experience and leadership at this critical time. As Mr. Rajasingham highlighted, the conflict continues to drive deterioration in the humanitarian situation. The World Food Programme has issued a new warning of worsening food insecurity, and Ms.”

    2022-01-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8946 (2022) · source

36. “Allow me to start by thanking Mr. Hans Grundberg and Mr. Ramesh Rajasingham for their briefings. In addition, I would like to thank Mr. Grundberg for his visit to London earlier this week. We reiterate our full support for his efforts towards a sustainable, long-term solution to the conflict, with short-term and medium- term priorities along the way. We share his realism about the challenge ahead and see great value in his inclusive approach, which engages with a broad range of Yemenis. And we wholeheartedly agree with both him and Mr. Rajasingham and Ms. Ola Al-Aghbary about the importance and value of the full, equal and meaningful participation of women in peace negotiations and peacebuilding.”

    2022-01-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8946 (2022) · source

37. “Only then will we be able to stop the proliferation of chemical weapons and send a message that their use is unacceptable.”

    2022-01-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8943 (2022) · source

38. “Syria has repeatedly refused to issue visas for OPCW personnel, made no serious effort to meet Technical Secretariat experts and shown a total disregard for decisions of the OPCW Executive Council and the Conference of the States Parties. Over the past eight years, accountability and effective Council action to uphold resolution 2118 (2013) has been blocked by the use and threat of use of the veto and by a concerted disinformation campaign to malign and undermine the OPCW and its findings. In 2022, therefore, let us put aside narrow political motivations and unite behind the full implementation of resolution 2118 (2013). That means ensuring the complete and verified destruction of Syria’s chemical-weapons programme and holding accountable those who have used such weapons.”

    2022-01-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8943 (2022) · source

39. “Those regime attacks have killed and injured hundreds of innocent people. The Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant terrorist group was found to have used them on three occasions. Now over eight years since Syria joined the Chemical Weapons Convention, the OPCW Director- General’s monthly reports, of which there are now almost 100, confirm there remain 20 unresolved issues with Syria’s initial declaration. Those are not minor or technical issues but include the undeclared production and weaponization of toxic chemicals and the unknown whereabouts of significant quantities of chemical-warfare agents and munitions. Over the past 12 months, Syria’s failure to meet its obligations has continued.”

    2022-01-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8943 (2022) · source

40. “In 2013, following several chemical-weapons attacks, including the large-scale attack in Ghouta in August of that year, the Security Council adopted resolution 2118 (2013), requiring Syria to cooperate fully with the OPCW on the expeditious destruction of its chemical-weapons programme. Yet, despite international cooperation on the destruction of chemical-weapons stocks declared by Syria in 2013, it subsequently became clear that Syria had retained a chemical-weapons capability, in contravention of resolution 2118 (2013) and the Chemical Weapons Convention. Further chemical weapons attacks took place. And thorough OPCW and joint United Nations-OPCW expert investigations have confirmed that the Syrian regime used chemical weapons, including chlorine and sarin, on at least eight occasions through the conflict.”

    2022-01-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8943 (2022) · source

41. “Dame Barbara Woodward: (United Kingdom): I join others in welcoming you, Madam President, to the presidency and assuring you of our full support. I would also like to extend a warm welcome to our colleagues from Albania, Brazil, Gabon, Ghana and the United Arab Emirates. We look forward to working with them. I would like to thank Under-Secretary-General Nakamitsu for her briefing and the Director-General of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) for his monthly report (see S/2021/1103). I agree that, as we enter a new year, this meeting is an opportunity to review the facts and progress on this long-running agenda item. Prior to the start of the conflict in 2011, Syria had an extensive chemical-weapons programme.”

    2022-01-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8943 (2022) · source

42. “That is vital to ensure as many Afghans as possible are able to benefit from assistance, including the most vulnerable, such as women, girls and members of minorities. Finally, I want to pay tribute to all those across the United Nations family, including the United Nations Emergency Relief Coordinator and his team, the Special Representative of the Secretary General and her team and the countless humanitarian actors in Afghanistan and outside for all that they are doing to scale up the response. I would like to express our solidarity with the Afghan people at this time of extreme hardship. The meeting rose at 9.45 a.m.”

    2021-12-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8941 (2021) · source

43. “This resolution will help save lives by ensuring that the sanctions regime established under resolution 1988 (2011) poses no obstacle to the provision of humanitarian assistance and other activities that support basic human needs in Afghanistan. This directly responds to what the humanitarian community told us they needed. We must ensure that the Council continues to strike a balance between enabling life-saving aid and minimizing the risk of accrual of any benefits to individuals or entities designated on the 1988 sanctions list. The Security Council will review after a year. We welcome the assurances given by the Taliban to allow humanitarian access and their commitment not to tax aid.”

    2021-12-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8941 (2021) · source

44. “The United Kingdom welcomes the adoption of today’s resolution, which creates a humanitarian exception to enable the delivery of desperately needed aid into Afghanistan (resolution 2615 (2021)). Afghanistan is facing the world’s largest food- security crisis. Over 20 million people, half the population, are in need of urgent assistance. Donors and the public have responded generously. The United Kingdom has doubled aid for Afghanistan this financial year to £286 million. We welcome the global effort to finance the United Nations flash appeal and, most recently, the decision by members of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation to step up their efforts. At the same time, we have a shared responsibility to put in place the means to deliver aid efficiently and effectively where it is most needed.”

    2021-12-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8941 (2021) · source

45. “President, may I join others in thanking you and the Niger as you assumed the presidency during this busy month, and to our colleagues and their teams from Estonia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Tunisia and Viet Nam for their time on the Council. Dag Hammarskjöld reminded us that we are not permitted to choose the frame of our destiny, but what we put in it is ours. My departing colleagues’ time on the Council has been remarkable.”

    2021-12-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8940 (2021) · source

46. “We encourage further progress in this regard. We hope economic cooperation will continue to develop, building on the Ad Hoc Liaison Committee in November and, we hope, through a meeting of the Joint Economic Committee early next year. As we look towards a new calendar year, we urge a continuation of increased dialogue between the parties and a reversal of the negative trends we have heard about today. It is only through dialogue that we can improve stability across the region and build the foundations for peace. The United Kingdom remains firmly committed to a two-State solution based on 1967 lines and with Jerusalem as a shared capital. Before I conclude, Mr.”

    2021-12-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8940 (2021) · source

47. “The threat of eviction facing residents in Sheikh Jarrah also risks further violence and instability. We welcome the decision by the Jerusalem District Planning Committee to postpone the decision to construct housing units in Atarot beyond the 1967 lines. We urge the Israeli authorities not to move forward with these plans. We must not forget the toll this prolonged conflict has taken on the people of Gaza. As our Minister for the Middle East set out on 17 December, the United Kingdom is proud to have provided $2.6 million to UNICEF to launch its child-sensitive cash-assistance programme in Gaza to help vulnerable households, especially children, gain access to basic services. We do welcome the positive progress made this year to improve relations between the parties and encourage dialogue at the senior ministerial level.”

    2021-12-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8940 (2021) · source

48. “Those include the immediate financial crises facing both the Palestinian Authority and the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East, the rising tension in East Jerusalem and Sheikh Jarrah following a number of violent attacks and an increase in settler violence against Palestinians. We call on all parties to urge calm and prevent this cycle of violence. The United Kingdom continues to urge the Government of Israel to permanently end its settlement expansion and settlement activity in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem. The plans to advance construction in E-1 and the demolitions and evictions affecting the Palestinian populations in East Jerusalem and Area C directly threaten the viability of a future Palestinian State.”

    2021-12-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8940 (2021) · source

49. “I would like to thank the Special Coordinator for his briefing on the Secretary-General’s detailed twentieth report on the implementation of resolution 2334 (2016). The report highlights worrying trends across the region, including an increasing level of violence and incitement to violence across a number of fronts. We call on all parties to condemn incitement wherever and whenever it occurs. Just last week, we were horrified to see the attacks on three Israeli citizens near Nablus, in which a young man lost his life. Our hearts go out to the family of Yehuda Dimentman. We fully support Israel’s right to ensure its security and to bring the perpetrators to justice. The report also highlights the acute risks to stability facing the region and the need to ease tensions.”

    2021-12-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8940 (2021) · source

50. “We take note of the comments made today by other Council members, and we urge all stakeholders, especially the United Nations, the African Union, the Federal Government of Somalia and donors, to use this rollover period to engage in good faith to reach consensus on the way ahead.”

    2021-12-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8939 (2021) · source