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

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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 colleagues for the constructive engagement during the negotiations. The United Kingdom welcomes this consensus adoption, which sends a strong signal of support for the peace process in Colombia. As the women and peace and security high-level weeks draws to a close, it is fitting that the Security Council has recognized the efforts of the United Nations Verification Mission in Colombia to incorporate gender as a cross-cutting issue in implementing its mandate and ensuring adequate gender expertise.”

   2023-10-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9461 (2023) · source

2. “Thirdly, this backdrop of violence in the region underscores even more urgently the need for a viable political process in Syria. We call on the regime to act in good faith and engage. Attempts at normalization have so far not borne fruit. Insecurity persists, the Captagon trade continues, and the safe, dignified and voluntary return of refugees remains out of reach. The United Kingdom’s position has not changed. We will not engage Damascus without evidence of genuine, consistent behaviour change. Resolution 2254 (2015) provides the framework for delivering an inclusive and sustainable political process. The Constitutional Committee has been deadlocked for too long. We strongly support efforts to convene a meeting, with the Syrian parties alone, if necessary, in Geneva later this year.”

   2023-10-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9459 (2023) · source

3. “The United Kingdom continues to be a top donor for Syrians in humanitarian need, pledging up to $180 million this year alone. But as a donor, we are concerned that 17 cents of every dollar in aid sent to United Nations agencies based in Damascus is being lost to the regime, which manipulates exchange rates for its benefit. Secondly, at a fragile moment for the region, all parties should be focused on avoiding any further escalation of conflict elsewhere in the Middle East. We are concerned about reports of increased Iranian- affiliated militia activity and growing hostilities between Israel and militia groups in southern Syria. We call on the regime to prioritize de-escalation and focus on fostering stability and prosperity.”

   2023-10-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9459 (2023) · source

4. “I join others in thanking Special Envoy Pedersen and Director Wosornu for their briefings. As we have heard today, this remains a live conflict and an entrenched humanitarian crisis. I want to set out three tangible steps that would improve the situation for the people of Syria and that overlap very closely with Special Envoy Pedersen’s four priorities. First, we need to ensure sustainable, predictable and efficient aid flows across the whole of Syria. There is no substitute for cross-border access to deliver for people in the north-west. Short-term, last-minute agreements are inappropriate. As Ms. Wosornu just said, we must insist that cross-border access is granted for as long as the humanitarian needs demand it, across all three crossing points. We have also heard that the humanitarian funding remains inadequate.”

   2023-10-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9459 (2023) · source

5. “We are committed to continuing to work across the Council towards a balanced text that condemns Hamas, reaffirms Israel’s right to defend itself, is clear on the need for everything to be done to protect civilians in line with international humanitarian law and gets more aid flowing into Gaza.”

   2023-10-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9453 (2023) · source

6. “We regret that draft resolution S/2023/792, proposed by the United States was not adopted. The text would have had a real impact on the ground by calling for hostages to be released and for aid to get in, including through humanitarian pauses. Through the draft resolution, the Security Council would have rightly, and for the first time, unequivocally condemned Hamas’s terrorist attacks. The United Kingdom could not support draft resolution S/2023/795, proposed by Russia, which once again failed to recognize Israel’s right to self-defence. As so many of us have said, there is a grave crisis unfolding in the Middle East. The Russian text was put to a vote without a single minute of consultation with the Council members. It was not a serious attempt to have the Council speak with one voice.”

   2023-10-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9453 (2023) · source

7. “And in Ukraine, we are providing expertise on conflict-related sexual violence and providing over $4 million funding on gender-based violence in Ukraine and across the region. Thirdly, I would like to say a few words about protection. Women and girls are disproportionately impacted by conflict. From South Sudan to Israel and Gaza, we see the impact of conflict on women’s lives. That is particularly true for women’s rights defenders. The Secretary-General’s report (S/2023/725) highlights that 172 women human rights defenders were subjected to reprisals because they engaged with the United Nations. We have heard today clear and specific recommendations from the Secretary-General, from the Executive Director of UN-Women and from many others. Let us commit to moving from words to action.”

   2023-10-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9452 (2023) · source

8. “We hear clear calls-to-action from the women who brief the Council — women from Afghanistan, Ukraine, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Syria and beyond — and we should turn those calls into action. Secondly, I would like to touch upon empowerment. Women’s rights organizations are vital to sustain conflict prevention and resolution efforts. As part of our International Women and Girls Strategy, we launched a $46 million programme to support grassroots women’s rights organizations around the world. Through our Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative, we are putting survivors at the centre of decision-making and promoting their leadership, supported by a dedicated survivor advisory group.”

   2023-10-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9452 (2023) · source

9. “Al-Karib for their further briefings today because, most recently, my Foreign Secretary met with Sudanese women peacebuilders to hear their insights on enhancing women’s participation. The United Kingdom was also proud to support Colombia in developing its women and peace and security national action plan, and we applaud its extensive consultation with women and civil society. We will continue to advocate for women to take on leading roles in resolving conflict, including in United Nations-led peace processes. As signatories to the shared commitments on women and peace and security, we are committed to amplifying women’s voices and following up on the recommendations of civil society.”

   2023-10-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9452 (2023) · source

10. “I would like to thank the Secretary-General and all of our briefers today. Twenty-three years on from resolution 1325 (2000), the United Kingdom remains resolute in our commitment to the women and peace and security agenda. Yet our collective gains are being reversed. Women’s and girls’ rights are under attack, and we need to take urgent and coordinated action. In the spirit of today’s theme of bringing theory to practice, I would like to highlight three areas. First, I would like to talk about participation. We know that women’s participation significantly boosts the chances of long-lasting peace. The United Kingdom’s new national action plan focuses on putting women’s meaningful participation into action. And I am particularly grateful to Ms. Oliveira and Ms.”

    2023-10-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9452 (2023) · source

11. “We call for the opening of the Rafah crossing and guarantees of security for any foreign nationals wishing to cross, as well as for the entry of vital humanitarian aid. We are also clear that we must avoid the further escalation of any conflict in the region. That is why my Prime Minister and Foreign Secretary have been working urgently to engage Israeli, Palestinian and other leaders in the region. The United Kingdom will continue to work with partners in the international community to break the cycle of violence across Israel and the occupied Palestinian territory and for peace and security for Israelis and Palestinians.”

    2023-10-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9443 (2023) · source

12. “As I have said, Israel has the right under the Charter of the United Nations to defend itself against Hamas’s appalling terror attacks. We have also emphasized that every feasible precaution must be taken to minimize harm to civilians, and we continue to call for immediate and unimpeded humanitarian access to enable essential aid, water, food and medicines to reach civilians. Israel has itself acknowledged that it must act in accordance with international humanitarian law. The United Kingdom is clear that Hamas does not speak for the Palestinian people. Humanitarian support and access in Gaza must be maintained. To support that effort, the United Kingdom has announced a further £10 million in humanitarian support.”

    2023-10-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9443 (2023) · source

13. “I would like to start by thanking Under-Secretary- General Griffiths and Special Coordinator Wennesland for their sobering briefings. Through them, I would also like to thank their teams, who are working tirelessly in the region, including in the face of considerable personal risk. Again, we express our condolences to the families of those who have lost their lives. The United Kingdom is shocked and deeply saddened by the destruction and the hundreds of lives lost at Al Ahli Hospital in Gaza yesterday evening. It is a devastating loss of life, and our thoughts and prayers are with those who are directly impacted. The United Kingdom is working intensively to establish the facts. Fundamentally, however, hospitals are protected under international law and should not be targeted.”

    2023-10-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9443 (2023) · source

14. “We support Israel’s right to defend itself against Hamas, take back the hostages, deter further incursions and strengthen its security for the long term. In doing so, we will continue to call on Israel to take all feasible precautions to avoid harming Palestinian civilians and to act in line with international humanitarian law. We will continue to work closely with Israel and our partners in the region to respond to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, to ensure that civilians are protected and have access to food, water, medicine and shelter and to work towards the peace and stability promised by the two-State solution.”

    2023-10-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9442 (2023) · source

15. “While we welcome and support the draft resolution’s attempts to lay out the Council’s view on those critical points, it needed to be clearer on Israel’s inherent right to self-defence, in line with the Charter of the United Nations, after Hamas attacks killed more than 1,400 people and took almost 200 more hostage. The draft resolution also ignored the fact that Hamas is using innocent Palestinian civilian as human shields. It has embedded itself in civilian communities and made the Palestinian people its victims, too. For those reasons the United Kingdom abstained in the vote on the draft resolution. My Prime Minister has been clear that the United Kingdom stands with Israel in the face of those atrocities.”

    2023-10-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9442 (2023) · source

16. “Let me start by thanking you, Mr. President, for your efforts in good faith to negotiate a draft resolution (S/2023/773). The draft resolution on which we have just voted rightly condemns the appalling Hamas terrorist attacks on Israel on 7 October. It also makes clear that all actions in this situation must be taken in line with international humanitarian law. It stresses the importance of ensuring humanitarian access and the protection of civilians and emphasizes the Council’s shared priority of preventing a regional escalation of the conflict.”

    2023-10-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9442 (2023) · source

17. “The gravity of the situation requires serious Council discussion. This draft resolution and this process were not serious attempts to find Council consensus, so we look forward to continuing consultations on the basis of the presidency’s proposals.”

    2023-10-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9439 (2023) · source

18. “The United Kingdom is outraged at Hamas terror attacks in Israel and supports Israel’s right to self-defence in line with international law. We are also working urgently to respond to the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Gaza. We voted against the draft resolution (S/2023/772) put forward by the Russian delegation. We cannot support a draft resolution that fails to condemn Hamas terror attacks. As my Prime Minister said earlier today, Hamas actions were an existential strike at the very idea of Israel as a safe homeland for the Jewish people. It is unconscionable for the Council to ignore the largest terror attack in Israel’s history. We remain clear, too, that all possible measures on the ground must be taken to ensure civilian casualties are minimized and to facilitate humanitarian aid.”

    2023-10-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9439 (2023) · source

19. “Next month, we will be partnering with Somalia and the United Arab Emirates to host a global food security summit, bringing together international expertise to galvanize action to prevent food insecurity and malnutrition and save lives. We look forward to developing and deepening cooperation between the AU and the United Nations in pursuit of our shared goals.”

    2023-10-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9435 (2023) · source

20. “We also support a coordinated African-led response to the crisis in the Sudan that harnesses a supporting role for the United Nations. Thirdly, I welcome the continued implementation of the AU-United Nations framework for the implementation of Agenda 2063, the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Silencing the Guns in Africa initiative. In order to realize their shared vision of inclusive and sustainable economic development, we must increase international cooperation. Collaboration is instrumental in addressing the humanitarian challenges on the continent, such as food insecurity, where more than 160 million people in Africa are acutely vulnerable.”

    2023-10-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9435 (2023) · source

21. “And it is why we look forward to working with Council colleagues on a framework draft resolution about United Nations financing for AU-led missions. We reiterate our concern about the potential for terrorism in the Sahel to spread to coastal States in West Africa. We also express our resolute support for efforts to tackle that, particularly regionally led solutions, such as the Accra Initiative. We remain committed to the current sustainable drawdown of the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia, and thank the AU Commission and troop-contributing countries for their tireless work in supporting Somalia’s security. Since 2022, we have given more $60 million in funding, and we will once again contribute this year.”

    2023-10-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9435 (2023) · source

22. “I reiterate the United Kingdom’s support for efforts by the AU and subregional organizations, including the Economic Community of West African States, to bring about inclusive political dialogue and a peaceful return to constitutional rule. We look forward to deepening that dialogue, including exploring the potential of the New Agenda for Peace, as the representative of Mozambique outlined earlier on behalf of the African members of the Security Council. Secondly, coordination among the AU, the United Nations, subregional organizations and international partners is critical to ending conflict and promoting stability. That is why the United Kingdom has long supported permanent African representation on the Security Council.”

    2023-10-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9435 (2023) · source

23. “I join others in thanking the Special Representative of the Secretary-General, the Permanent Observer of the African Union (AU) to the United Nations and Mr. Dersso for their briefings. United Nations-African Union cooperation is fundamental to achieving our shared goal of a freer, more secure, more prosperous, greener and healthier continent. And I am delighted that we demonstrated our shared commitment by agreeing a communiqué at last week’s African Union Peace and Security Council- Security Council meeting in Addis Ababa. I want to highlight three points about the partnership. First, following nine coups on the continent since 2020, efforts to tackle that scourge and its underlying causes have become critical. The decisive action of the AU Peace and Security Council in that regard has been important.”

    2023-10-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9435 (2023) · source

24. “We continue to follow closely efforts to reach a ceasefire with the dissident group of the former FARC- EP that identifies itself as the Estado Mayor Central, and we welcome the announcement on the 8 October of a bilateral ceasefire. The United Kingdom remains committed to supporting broad and lasting peace in Colombia and welcomes the prospect of a visit by the Council in 2024.”

    2023-10-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9434 (2023) · source

25. “We welcome the recent opening of macro-case 11 on sexual and gender-based violence by the Special Jurisdiction for Peace, and we look forward to the launch of Colombia’s first resolution 1325 (2000) national action plan. We commend the participatory approach taken by the Government of Colombia, as it is vital to consider the experience of all women, as well as ethnic and LGBTQ+ groups, in its development. Thirdly, the continued dialogue and ceasefire between the Colombian Government and the Ejército de Liberación (ELN) is an important step towards peace in Colombia. We expect the ELN to approach its undertakings in good faith and to respect international law.”

    2023-10-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9434 (2023) · source

26. “We support the Secretary-General’s call for the rapid delivery of a dedicated office within the presidency to accelerate the implementation of the agreement. Secondly, we strongly condemn violence against signatories from the former Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia-Ejército del Pueblo (FARC-EP), human rights defenders, women leaders and members of Indigenous and Afro-Colombian communities. The United Nations Verification Mission in Colombia has verified 393 killings of former FARC- EP combatants since the Final Agreement was signed, which includes 18 killings since the Security Council last met on this issue (see S/PV.9374). We welcome progress towards rapid-response plans to protect signatories of the agreement and human rights defenders, with the adoption of a public policy to dismantle organized crime groups.”

    2023-10-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9434 (2023) · source

27. “Let me start by thanking Special Representative of the Secretary-General Ruiz Massieu and Ambassador Hrvatinić for their briefings and Mr. Botero García for highlighting the wider environmental challenges. I welcome the participation of Foreign Minister Leyva Durán as well. As we approach the seventh anniversary of the 2016 Final Agreement for Ending the Conflict and Building a Stable and Lasting Peace, the United Kingdom commends the efforts made by successive Colombian Governments to work towards sustainable peace in the country. I would like to highlight three particular priorities. First, we welcome the recent progress on rural reform and the restitution of land to Indigenous communities. The full implementation of the 2016 agreement remains central to peace and reform in Colombia.”

    2023-10-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9434 (2023) · source

28. “We will continue to support Ukraine in the exercise of its right to self-defence and as it brings together Member States in support of our shared goal of a just and lasting peace, in line with the Charter of the United Nations. We call once more for Russia to end its illegal invasion and withdraw from Ukraine’s internationally recognized borders.”

    2023-10-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9431 (2023) · source

29. “Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine is illegal, as is Russia’s control of Ukrainian territory inside Ukraine’s internationally recognized borders. The body of evidence of Russia’s breaches of international law and international humanitarian law in the course of its invasion continues to grow. Just as Russia’s claims about the attack at Olenivka have been disproved, the truth will catch up with Russia’s lies. We praise and admire the bravery and resolve of the Ukrainian people in the face of this assault on its sovereignty and territorial integrity. We thank the United Nations staff whose record of Russian human rights violations and abuses and violations of international law shows the reality of Russia’s invasion and supports future efforts towards justice.”

    2023-10-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9431 (2023) · source

30. “The same OHCHR report addressed the attack on 28 July 2022 that killed more than 50 Ukrainian prisoners of war at Olenivka. Contrary to Russian claims that have been made many times in the Council, OHCHR found that the attack was launched from Russian-controlled territory and that Russia was holding those prisoners in a manner that contravened international humanitarian law. Nevertheless, today our Russian colleagues will once again drag us into their world of disinformation, where facts are dismissed as lies and lies are presented as facts. Russia’s words in the Council are worthless to those who want to understand Russia’s aggression against Ukraine and its true cost, so let us remind ourselves of some facts.”

    2023-10-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9431 (2023) · source

31. “I thank Under-Secretary-General DiCarlo for her briefing. As we have heard, last Thursday we woke to news of yet another Russian attack on Ukraine. This time, Russia was responsible for the deaths of more than 50 people in the small village of Hroza, when a missile struck a café. We would like to extend our condolences to the bereaved. As my Prime Minister said, the attack demonstrates the depths of depravity that Russian forces are willing to sink to. Then on Friday, Russia struck Kharkiv. A 10-year-old boy was killed and more than 20 people were injured. The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) reported last week that Russian air strikes between February and August this year killed at least 262 civilians, injured 990 and inflicted further broad economic and social damage.”

    2023-10-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9431 (2023) · source

32. “The trafficking of large quantities of captagon across the region continues unabated. And this month we have seen some of the largest captagon seizures on record. We therefore urge the regime to begin to engage seriously in the political process established by resolu- tion 2254 (2015), including the early convening of the Constitutional Committee. The peace and the stability of the region depend on it.”

    2023-09-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9426 (2023) · source

33. “Short- term agreements are not a sustainable solution for the people of north-west Syria who rely on the United Nations life-saving aid. And those short-term arrangements dis- tract humanitarian teams on the ground with constant contingencies and planning for worst-case scenarios, when their most pressing priority is to engage with the people who need their support. We need a more sustain- able approach for the lifeline of cross-border assistance. Turning to political developments, we are following closely the demonstrations in Al-Suwayda in defence of their political and economic rights. It is disappointing that, despite readmission to the League of Arab States, Syria refuses to abide by the decisions of the Council and to engage meaningfully in the political process.”

    2023-09-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9426 (2023) · source

34. “I thank Special Envoy Pedersen, Director Wosornu and International Rescue Committee Vice-President Jarbawi for their briefings. With humanitarian needs in Syria at their highest in years, it is critical that the Council have before it the facts and the insights from their teams. First, the United Kingdom welcomes the news that aid is once again reaching the people of north- west Syria, 70 days after Russia vetoed cross-border draft resolution S/2023/506. We are clear that those deliveries must be secure and unhindered and delivered in accordance with the humanitarian principles of neutrality, impartiality and independence. But once again the United Nations is having to de- velop contingency plans for when permissions for Bab Al-Rai and Bab Al-Salam expire in 45 days’ time.”

    2023-09-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9426 (2023) · source

35. “We call on the Israeli Government to tackle that threat. Tragically, the year 2023 has already seen at least 193 Palestinians killed by Israeli security forces in the West Bank, and 31 Israelis have died at the hands of terrorists. We must end the cycle of violence.”

    2023-09-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9425 (2023) · source

36. “That brings me to my third point. We have previously discussed the ongoing funding crisis that UNRWA faces. The United Kingdom was proud to announce an additional £10 million during the visit to help address the crisis. Other States pledged more funds to UNRWA during high-level week. We must now make sure those funds are available quickly, and we must maintain efforts to put the Agency on a more sustainable financial footing. Separately, I want to highlight a report of the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs published last week showing that 1,105 Palestinians have been displaced from their communities since 2022. A major and increasing concern is that the increasing settler violence in the occupied Palestinian territories, largely unchallenged, renders Palestinians at risk of forcible transfer.”

    2023-09-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9425 (2023) · source

37. “The Foreign Secretary spoke with Israeli and Palestinian leaders and called for a de-escalation of tensions, emphasized the importance of holding long-overdue elections in the occupied Palestinian territories and made crystal-clear the commitment of the United Kingdom to a two-State solution as the only way to a safe and secure Israel living alongside a viable and sovereign Palestinian State. The thirtieth anniversary of the Oslo Accords is a poignant reminder that we must work together to achieve lasting and sustainable peace in the region. During his visit, the Foreign Secretary met the Commissioner-General of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) and went to the Jalazone refugee camp to see, first hand, the impact of the Agency’s work to protect the most vulnerable.”

    2023-09-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9425 (2023) · source

38. “I also thank Special Coordinator Wennesland for his helpful briefing. I have three areas I wish to highlight since our previous meeting in August (see S/PV.9400). First, 15 September marked the third anniversary of the signing of the Abraham Accords. The United Kingdom celebrates the success of the Accords, and we are unabashed in encouraging more countries to normalize their relations with Israel and to seize the opportunities it presents. We are also committed to making sure that normalization delivers concrete benefits for the Palestinian people. Secondly, from 11 to 13 September, the British Foreign Secretary visited Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories.”

    2023-09-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9425 (2023) · source

39. “Finally, we look forward to Ambassador Sinirlioğlu’s independent assessment, which will provide a valuable basis for a more coherent, strategic international approach as we look to build on the Secretary-General’s conference with special envoys in Doha and other regional initiatives, in which the United Kingdom will continue to play its part.”

    2023-09-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9423 (2023) · source

40. “We have set out our expectations in successive Security Council resolutions on humanitarian access, cutting ties with terrorists, respect for human rights and inclusive governance. The Taliban should understand clearly the costs of their policies. International recognition should not be on the table. Sanctions relief should not come. Afghanistan cannot be self-reliant when 50 per cent of its people are excluded from society. Without inclusive governance and society, peace and stability will remain elusive.”

    2023-09-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9423 (2023) · source

41. “The United Kingdom has contributed more than half a billion dollars to address the humanitarian crisis since April 2021, and we call on fellow Member States to step up support where they can. But as we heard from Special Representative Otunbayeva, the United Nations revised humanitarian appeal for Afghanistan for 2023 is only 28 per cent funded. The United Kingdom is unwavering in its commitment to providing aid to the people of Afghanistan and supporting United Nations efforts. But we are clear that male-only delivery chains do not and cannot achieve that, and we support calls for the closer monitoring of the delivery of aid. Secondly, the international community should remain united in its message to the Taliban.”

    2023-09-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9423 (2023) · source

42. “A total of 40 per cent are facing acute food insecurity — a number that would be far higher without families and communities in Afghanistan supporting each other in whatever ways they can. Afghanistan remains one of the poorest and most climate-vulnerable countries in the world, its prospects further dimmed by a significant brain drain as a result of migration, persecution and uncertainty. We note the progress the Taliban has made in tackling the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant– Khorasan Province, and we underscore the importance of continued action against terrorist groups within Afghanistan and their affiliates. The people of Afghanistan remain our priority. What can we do for them? First and foremost, we need to take urgent action to avert a humanitarian catastrophe as winter approaches.”

    2023-09-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9423 (2023) · source

43. “I join others in thanking Special Representative of the Secretary-General Otunbayeva, Executive Director Sima Bahous and Ms. Karima Bennoune for their briefings. Twenty-two years since Kofi Annan’s Nobel Peace Prize speech, which the Special Representative referenced, and over two years since the Taliban seizure of power, our dominant concern remains the Taliban’s systematic assault on the rights of women and girls. There have been over 50 decrees curtailing women’s ability to participate in public, political, economic and social life and barring girls from secondary schools and higher education. Those decrees have also affected the ability of the United Nations to get aid to those who need it most — this is at a time of dire need. Two thirds of the population of Afghanistan require humanitarian assistance.”

    2023-09-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9423 (2023) · source

44. “The United Kingdom will work closely with the Government to of Iraq, the United Nations and the Security Council to continue UNITAD’s legacy, both in Iraq and around the world. We are grateful to the Special Adviser and his Team for their dedicated work in pursuit of accountability. And we stand firm in our commitment and continued international efforts to deliver justice for the atrocities of Da’esh.”

    2023-09-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9419 (2023) · source

45. “It has provided survivors, including those of sexual and gender-based violence, with opportunities to provide testimony safely, with their rights fully respected — testimonies that have been used in the prosecution of Da’esh members around the world. And it has enabled psychosocial treatment, in partnership with Iraq’s Ministry of Health, providing real impact for survivors. This year, as with every year, we approached this mandate in close partnership with the Government of Iraq and with the shared commitment of Security Council members to counter terrorism. The resolution we adopted this morning (resolution 2697 (2023)) puts us on course to improve evidence-sharing arrangements with the Government of Iraq and to consider options for UNITAD’s future.”

    2023-09-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9419 (2023) · source

46. “We recall that the horrific atrocities committed by Da’esh shocked the world. The Security Council was clear in its response. Da’esh members had to be held to account, and justice had to be delivered for the survivors and victims of their crimes. That is why Iraq and the United Kingdom were at the helm of establishing the United Nations Investigative Team to Promote Accountability for Crimes Committed by Da’esh/Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (UNITAD) through resolution 2379 (2017). Since it was established, UNITAD has supported the excavation of mass graves and facilitated the return of remains to families of victims. It has worked closely with Iraqi judges and prosecutors to build their capacity, in particular on evidence collection.”

    2023-09-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9419 (2023) · source

47. “For example, the United Kingdom has invested in mobile innovation funds, which have supported rapid detection and treatment of cholera. That includes a tool to reduce the cholera detection time from three days to just 30 minutes. That innovation is vital for a disease which has been particularly devastating in Syria, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Myanmar this year. It is clear that public-private partnerships have the potential to transform humanitarian action, and we look forward to continuing to work together to tap into that potential.”

    2023-09-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9418 (2023) · source

48. “We should continue to champion public-private collaboration in support of international peace and security. Secondly, we can use all the tools at our disposal to get ahead of crises before they hit. In that context, the United Kingdom has collaborated with humanitarian and private actors on disaster risk financing. We have supported the risk transfer mechanism of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), which has the potential to unlock $22 million of private funding in humanitarian crises. That could enable the IFRC to reach an additional 6 million vulnerable people. Thirdly and finally, the private sector can support better humanitarian responses through new technology.”

    2023-09-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9418 (2023) · source

49. “The case of the FSO SAFER oil tanker in Yemen is a good example of a private-public partnership that had real impact to an item on the Council’s agenda. By working together, public and private actors removed over 1 million barrels of oil from the decaying FSO SAFER oil tanker. In doing so, they averted a major environmental, humanitarian and economic catastrophe. I want to highlight three further areas in which public and private actors can work together in this spirit. First, we can bring together all efforts to sustain peace. As the Council has heard many times, conflict is the main driver of humanitarian need. The private sector can play a role in peacebuilding and preventing conflict. For example, the United Kingdom has supported the development of peace bonds, a new investment category to develop finance for peace.”

    2023-09-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9418 (2023) · source

50. “I thank you, Mr. President, for convening this important and useful debate. And let me start by thanking Executive Director McCain, Mr. Cohen and Mr. Miebach for their informative briefings. On Tuesday, we rose to offer our condolences to the people of Libya and Morocco following their losses (see S/PV.9415). I do that again today, but this is also a tragic reminder of the need for us to explore every avenue to maximize our humanitarian response to the many challenges the world faces today against a backdrop of soaring humanitarian need. And in that, the role of the private sector is becoming increasingly important. As we have heard, private actors can provide knowledge, expertise and investment to tackle humanitarian need, reduce threats and build resilience.”

    2023-09-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9418 (2023) · source