YouSaid · the spoken record

Biang

lines on the record: 1,385
first: 2021-12-09
most recent: 2023-12-21
sittings or episodes: 203
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

“Gabon encourages the States concerned to cooperate closely with the two branches of the Mechanism in order to maximize the collection of evidence essential for the opening of future judicial investigations that is extensive enough to establish the facts of serious crimes that have been committed. We take this opportunity to denounce the glorification of perpetrators. I would like to conclude by expressing the hope that the work of the Mechanism will continue unhindered, with the full and effective cooperation of the international community. In addition to fulfilling its vital mandate, the Mechanism’s work embodies the search for truth and justice and is a moral bulwark against arbitrariness and mass atrocities.”
2023-12-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9502 (2023) · source
“I would also like to take this opportunity to welcome the Secretary-General’s appointment of Judge Lydia Mugambe of Uganda to replace Judge Elizabeth Ibanda-Nahamya. The Mechanism has now reached a crucial phase in the arrest of fugitives. We applaud the tireless efforts of Prosecutor Serge Brammertz and his Office to carry out the arrests of Charles Ryandikayo and Charles Sikubwabo, who are now considered the remaining two fugitives since the arrest of Fulgence Kayishema and the confirmation that Aloys Ndimbati died in 1997. Combating impunity must remain an imperative for the international community.”
2023-12-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9502 (2023) · source
“In that particularly sensitive context, which the President of the Mechanism highlighted, we encourage the President to maintain close and continuous collaboration with the Security Council and stakeholders. In the context of judicial proceedings, the conclusion of the case Prosecutor v. Jovica Stanišić and Franko Simatović represents a crucial step in connection with the violations of law and customs of war and the deportations, inhumane acts and crimes against humanity that were committed in the Balkans in 1992. It brings significant hope to the victims and gives them confidence that justice will be done, however long it takes. We commend the judges of the Mechanism for their tireless efforts to bring that high-profile case to a conclusion.”
2023-12-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9502 (2023) · source
“We see that approach, which prioritizes the strengthening of existing working methods and tools, as a suitable way to enable an effective transition towards the completion of the Mechanism’s residual functions, which will be an essential step in ensuring the legacy of the ad hoc tribunals and the Mechanism. To that end, Gabon supports all the measures taken to achieve that goal, in particular the creation of the draft framework of operations to complete the residual functions. That document, which summarizes the Mechanism’s residual functions, also provides a forecast of the workload, including in terms of tracking down fugitives, monitoring cases referred to national jurisdictions, monitoring the execution of sentences, managing archives and protecting witnesses.”
2023-12-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9502 (2023) · source
“Gabon fully supports the efforts made by the Mechanism during the period under review, despite the numerous challenges it faced in carrying out its residual functions in accordance with resolution 1966 (2010). We appreciate the efficiency and speed of the judicial proceedings, the respect for the fundamental rights of defendants and the protection of witness’ identities. Gabon welcomes the fact that the Office of the President has maintained its focus on the implementation of the road map, the strategy behind which has led to a completely residual institution. We welcome the priority afforded to recruiting highly competent staff through a fair process, as well as to strengthening cooperation among the relevant governance bodies in order to accomplish remaining tasks within the expected time frame.”
2023-12-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9502 (2023) · source
“I am convinced that the implementation of that resolution will contribute significantly to the achievement of our common objective to fight impunity in the name of peace and security and justice. Before continuing my remarks, I would like to express my best wishes to my successor, to whom I offer my full availability, as well as that of my delegation, in order to support their efforts whenever they deem it necessary. Today’s meeting is taking place exactly 30 years after the creation by the Security Council, in May 1993, of the International Tribunals for the Former Yugoslavia and for Rwanda in order to render effective the fight against impunity in those two countries following the grave events that affected them. I would like to underscore that the fight against impunity is essential for international peace and security.”
2023-12-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9502 (2023) · source
“This will undoubtedly be my final intervention in that capacity, and therefore I would like to take this opportunity to express my deep gratitude to all Member States for the invaluable support they have given me and the spirit of cooperation that they have demonstrated throughout my tenure. I would also like to thank the Secretariat for the quality of its technical assistance, which facilitated the conduct not only of our chairpersonship, but also of our work. I would also like to renew my warmest congratulations to everyone on the spirit of compromise and high sense of responsibility that prevailed throughout our deliberations, which enabled the adoption by consensus of resolution 2637 (2022).”
2023-12-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9502 (2023) · source
“Mr. Biang (Gabon) (spoke in French): I thank you, Mr. President, for convening this meeting on the on the progress report (see S/20223/566) of the International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals. I would also like to thank the President of the Mechanism, Judge Graciela Gatti Santana, and Prosecutor Serge Brammertz for their respective briefings in the context of the twenty-third progress report on the work of the International Mechanism, in accordance with resolution 1966 (2010) and paragraph 12 of resolution 2637 (2022). It is my honour to take the floor as Chair of the Informal Working Group on International Tribunals.”
2023-12-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9502 (2023) · source
“There must always be a place in this Chamber for the rejection of horror, whoever the perpetrators may be. There must always be a place in this Chamber for the respect of international humanitarian law. There must always be a seat around this table from which to call for a humanitarian ceasefire, and we must very promptly return to that seat and assume the full weight of our responsibilities.”
2023-12-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9499 (2023) · source
“There will be no echo on the ground in response to today’s exceptional and unprecedented appeal by the Secretary-General through his invocation of Article 99 of the Charter of the United Nations, which calls for urgent and coordinated action to save human lives. I am talking about the lives of thousands of children and women who have no recourse to anything other than international humanitarian law and the decisions of the Council. The Council must draw on the humanity of each of its members to show that it has intensified its engagement and to bring an end to the hostilities in Gaza. The Council must step up its efforts to justify and live up to its vocation and mandate to stop wars, if not prevent them. The Council must overcome differences when faced with tragedy, because it reflects the universal conscience.”
2023-12-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9499 (2023) · source
“Mr. Biang (Gabon) (spoke in French): Gabon voted in favour of draft resolution S/2023/970, submitted to us this evening at the initiative of the United Arab Emirates. We did so out of a sense of responsibility, because it is time to stop the murderous violence and intolerable bloodshed among the civilian population. The Security Council once again failed to move beyond its divisions to respond unanimously to the chaotic situation being endured by civilians, women and children in the ruins of Gaza. To our great regret, there will be no ceasefire tonight in the war between Israel and Hamas.”
2023-12-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9499 (2023) · source
“Such a solution must be implemented without further delay, and the indispensable channels for achieving it are dialogue and negotiations, with the United Nations playing a central role.”
2023-12-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9498 (2023) · source
“We also reiterate the imperative need for all the hostages to be released. We repeat that the use of civilians as human shields is unacceptable, as is military action that collectively punishes the civilian population. And we repeat that Israel’s right to self-defence must respect the principles of proportionality, distinction and precaution. The Council must demonstrate a greater commitment to ensuring accountability for the serious violations of international law that have been committed since Hamas’s barbaric attacks of 7 October — which my country firmly condemned. Gabon believes that achieving a solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict depends on a resumption of dialogue and a peace process aimed at a two-State solution, with both States coexisting peacefully on the basis of internationally recognized borders.”
2023-12-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9498 (2023) · source
“Given the gravity of the situation for regional and international security, in addition to the risk of a spillover, we must rekindle the hopes that were raised by the Council’s adoption of resolution 2712 (2023) on 15 November. We cannot resort to calculations when it comes to saving human lives. Gabon firmly condemns all attacks targeting civilian populations and calls on all the parties to show restraint and respect their obligations under international humanitarian law. It is more urgent than ever to establish a humanitarian ceasefire. The Council must work tirelessly for that if we are to save human lives, particularly of children, women and civilians, in Gaza and the region. We urge for the unhindered delivery of humanitarian aid, in sufficient quantities and with respect for human rights.”
2023-12-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9498 (2023) · source
“Mr. Biang (Gabon) (spoke in French): I thank the Secretary-General for his work and his efforts to uphold the letter and spirit of the Charter of the United Nations in the war between Israel and Hamas, whose scale of murderous violence and destruction has reached inhumane proportions. We want to express our deep appreciation and support to the Secretary-General for taking the important and responsible step to invoke Article 99 of the Charter. The Security Council must respond without further delay to the Secretary-General’s unprecedented appeal, in view of the scope of the intolerable humanitarian catastrophe unfolding before our eyes in the siege on Gaza. It is crucial that we redouble our efforts to achieve an immediate ceasefire to stop the tragedy in Gaza.”
2023-12-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9498 (2023) · source
“I would like to conclude by underscoring the need to shore up coordination and cooperation among States and enhance interregional partnerships, including strengthening cooperation among the United Nations and regional and subregional organizations.”
2023-12-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9497 (2023) · source
“That is why my country reiterates its support for the work of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) in monitoring the proper implementation of existing tools, such as the United Nations Convention against Transnational Crime, the Palermo Convention, and in carrying out capacity-building initiatives in highly fragile States. The partnership with UNODC must be maintained, including with regard to the implementation of the United Nations Global Counter- Terrorism Strategy to combat both violent extremism and drug trafficking. It will be crucial for the Security Council to address the root causes of organized crime with greater resolve, including by choking off the financing of armed groups and organized criminal networks, which creates instability and violence in many parts of the world.”
2023-12-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9497 (2023) · source
“The biennial resolution recognizes illicit trafficking in wildlife as a type of transnational organized crime that poses an immediate threat not just to ecosystems but to security, the rule of law and good governance. We must intensify our efforts to counter organized transnational trafficking, including terrorism financing. It is clear that in the light of the proven links between terrorism financing and organized crime, from which terrorist organizations profit via illicit trafficking of various kinds, the international community must maintain and step up its efforts to counter such trafficking throughout supply chains.”
2023-12-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9497 (2023) · source
“It also responds to the challenges that analysts and investigators face daily, including in identifying criminal networks and determining the patterns and structures of gangs, among other things. Besides that, Gabon’s national agency for national parks is actively countering illicit trafficking in mining products and in wildlife and oil in protected areas, and we have established a defence and security task force to enhance security on our coasts in the light of the threat of piracy at sea. In that context, together with Germany and the Group of Friends on Illicit Wildlife Trafficking, Gabon sponsored General Assembly resolution 77/325, on tackling illicit trafficking in wildlife to bolster efforts against an international scourge that is a threat to species and ecosystems and undermines our collective efforts to protect biodiversity.”
2023-12-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9497 (2023) · source
“Strengthening cross-border security cooperation through joint regional operations, the sharing of financial and security information among countries, the fight against environmental crime, asset freezes, extrajudicial cooperation, the fight against the illicit trade in small arms and light weapons and combating money-laundering are all measures that should be coordinated and implemented at the national, regional and international levels. Because we recognize that imperative, Gabon has become the fifth African country to establish a criminal intelligence analysis centre in cooperation with INTERPOL. The mechanism enables countries to adopt proactive strategies to counter organized crime and strengthen investigative and intervention mechanisms.”
2023-12-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9497 (2023) · source
“Criminal gangs finance themselves through multifaceted resource supply channels, developing underground criminal economies in certain parts of States and cross-border areas, which finance armed extremist and terrorist groups. That parallel economy is maintained by armed gangs, security companies, buyers and brokers, and clandestine exporters, most of whom have regional and international affiliates. The absence of genuine inter-State and regional cooperation is fuelling the growth of transnational crime in Africa and throughout the world and contributing to the creation of veritable centres of power.”
2023-12-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9497 (2023) · source
“Transnational crime is driven by vulnerabilities stemming from structural deficits caused by the fragility of States, together with those of judicial and security institutions, and is strengthened in contexts of conflict, taking different forms ranging from money laundering to drug and arms trafficking, as well as human trafficking, cybercrime, corruption, the illicit trade in wildlife and the illicit export of natural resources. The illicit export of natural resources is a major source of financing for armed groups, terrorist groups and transnational criminal networks. Africa, a continent with countless natural resources, is exposed to organized trafficking, which contributes to spreading terror across cities and towns, where people indiscriminately suffer despicable atrocities.”
2023-12-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9497 (2023) · source
“It is not only one of the main sources of insecurity, but also a major challenge to the political, social and cultural stability and economic growth in many countries. Crime contributes to corruption, which contaminates political life, undermines social values, weakens the economic fabric and compromises development. Conflicts, terrorism and uncontrolled migration are among the factors contributing to the fragility of entire African regions and the failure of a number those States. However, above all, the new security risks generated by transnational organized crime are of particular concern because they weaken the authority of States in certain areas.”
2023-12-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9497 (2023) · source
“Mr. Biang (Gabon) (spoke in French): I congratulate you, Mr. President, on taking the initiative of holding this important debate, which affords us the opportunity to address the issue of transnational organized crime, which is a growing threat to international peace and security. I would like to thank Secretary-General António Guterres for his enlightening briefing. I would also like to thank the Director-General of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), Ms. Ghada Waly; Professor Melani Cammett and Ms. Nyanjura for her moving testimony. The fact that transnational organized crime has taken root in a number of grey areas around the world makes it a formidable factor in the destabilization of entire regions.”
2023-12-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9497 (2023) · source
“Each day that passes is one too many, and every death that occurs is one too many. I would like to conclude by reiterating my country’s call on the countries with influence over the warring parties to urge them to give priority to the channels of diplomacy and good-faith negotiations, in order to give peace and peaceful coexistence a chance.”
2023-12-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9494 (2023) · source
“Moreover, the consequences of the destruction of the Kakhovka dam must be addressed swiftly, with a view to repairing the extensive damage done to the people of the region, helping them to protect themselves from environmental risks and, in the long term, enabling them to return to their activities, in particular farming, fishing and forestry, without fearing for their health. We also call on the warring parties to refrain from the use of weapons of mass destruction with indiscriminate effects, such as mines, cluster munitions and other remote-guidance weapons. My country calls on all the parties to commit to the search for a diplomatic solution. We encourage the countries of the region and regional and subregional organizations to promote dialogue between the parties, to rebuild trust and to re-establish communication.”
2023-12-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9494 (2023) · source
“They must also facilitate unhindered access for humanitarian relief to those in need, in particular women and children, who continue to pay the highest price in this war. We are alarmed by the attacks on health infrastructure, education facilities and agricultural facilities. Such attacks are unacceptable, especially in a global context of ever-increasing humanitarian needs, in which disruptions to food supply chains are likely to worsen the food security of already-vulnerable countries or regions. My country stresses the urgent need for strengthened vigilance in the protection of energy facilities in order to prevent any grave incidents from occurring. The incident that occurred a few days ago, in which the power supply to the Zaporizhzhya power plant was disrupted, narrowly avoided becoming a potentially fatal catastrophe.”
2023-12-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9494 (2023) · source
“The increase in humanitarian need is indeed directly related to the fact that civilian populations and infrastructure, including essential infrastructure, continue to be targeted in bombings, which are forcing many civilians to flee their homes. It is important to remember that war is not a lawless situation, and that the warring parties are obliged to comply with their commitments under international humanitarian law, in particular the Geneva Conventions of 1949 and their Protocols Additional. The warring parties have a responsibility to protect — without discrimination — people who do not take part in the fighting, essential infrastructure, humanitarian personnel and those injured in the war.”
2023-12-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9494 (2023) · source
“Mr. Biang (Gabon) (spoke in French): I thank Assistant Secretary-General Miroslav Jenča and Director Ramesh Rajasingham for their informative briefings. Millions of people in Ukraine are in need of humanitarian aid. With temperatures dropping and the fighting ongoing, those needs are growing, notwithstanding the winter response plan, which runs until March 2024. Of the $3.9 billion required for the plan, only $2.2 billion has been received, which means there is a shortfall of 44 per cent in the funding still needed to cover all the current needs. It goes without saying that the needs assessments and projections are only indicators, as the situation is affected by multiple factors, such as developments in the fighting on the ground, inclement weather and human factors.”
2023-12-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9494 (2023) · source
“It is essential that the parties be able to work towards the necessary de-escalation and rebuild trust in order to find a diplomatic solution. Negotiation remains the best way to find common ground among the various parties and achieve the denuclearization of the Korean peninsula. It is vital that the international community reaffirm its determination to strive for the complete and verifiable denuclearization of the Korean peninsula for the peaceful coexistence of the countries in the region. I would like to conclude by reaffirming my country’s desire to see a world that is free of weapons of mass destruction and free of nuclear weapons.”
2023-11-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9485 (2023) · source
“My country condemns the new missile launch and calls on the parties concerned to open channels for discussion to find a lasting solution to this situation, which has become untenable. We remain convinced that it is through dialogue that a lasting and mutually satisfactory solution can be reached. The threat of the use of nuclear weapons is becoming increasingly urgent. The dismantling of disarmament agreements and the reversals of certain countries regarding their commitments to disarmament and nuclear non-proliferation are contributing to the current situation, which is marked by the trivialization of the use of nuclear weapons and weapons of mass destruction. The levels of tension and the lack of progress in talks since 2018 on the situation on the Korean peninsula is particularly worrisome.”
2023-11-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9485 (2023) · source
“Mr. Biang (Gabon) (spoke in French): I would like to thank the Assistant Secretary-General Khaled Khiari for his briefing. I also welcome the participation of the Permanent Representatives of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea and of the Republic of Korea in this meeting. Gabon is concerned about the launch of a military reconnaissance satellite and its placement in Earth’s orbit by the Democratic Republic of Korea on 21 November. The missile launch adds to a long list of such launches since the beginning of the year and increases the security threat on the Korean peninsula. The regular alerts caused by those missile launches are not only an unbearable source of stress for the people in the region but also a veritable danger for air and maritime navigation.”
2023-11-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9485 (2023) · source
“I would like to conclude by reiterating Gabon’s commitment to the two-State solution, in which Israel and Palestine live side by side in peace and on the basis of internationally recognized borders. Dialogue and negotiation are the essential channels to achieve that, with the United Nations playing a central role.”
2023-11-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9484 (2023) · source
“The logic behind the collective punishment of civilian populations is unacceptable and contrary to international humanitarian law. We reiterate our call for unhindered, safe and sustainable access for the delivery and distribution of essential goods and services for the millions of people in need. Gabon notes with interest and is carefully following developments in the talks relating to the release of hostages. To that end, we welcome the involvement and commitment of the mediators, in particular Qatar, Egypt and the United States. However, it goes without saying that we must go above and beyond the agreed pauses in order to broaden the sphere of hope, particularly for children. We reiterate that all hostages must be released without conditions or blackmail.”
2023-11-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9484 (2023) · source
“We must also demonstrate greater commitment to accountability for serious violations of international humanitarian law. We will never cease to repeat that the solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict must be political and diplomatic, conducted through dialogue and negotiations in good faith while ensuring respect for the legitimate concerns of each party. Gabon reiterates its strong condemnation of all indiscriminate and murderous violence and is deeply shocked by the multiplicity of strikes against schools, hospitals and ambulances, as well as refugee camps. The recent attack on the Indonesian hospital in Gaza, resulting in the death of 12 people, is unacceptable. The state of siege under which Gaza has been kept cannot continue.”
2023-11-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9484 (2023) · source
“The devastating testimonies in the three briefings we heard this morning appeal to our very humanity, in particular the situation of women giving birth in indecent conditions, especially those having to undergo caesarean sections without anaesthesia, and the situation of the premature children dependent on incubators but without electricity. Those terrible situations must instigate greater concern than ever among all members of the Council — we cannot be complacent about the status quo. For the children, we must be more engaged as a Security Council and achieve a cessation of hostilities. We have a duty to protect the children, which is a part of both our mandate and our vocation. Once again, Gabon calls on all parties to exercise restraint and respect their obligations under international humanitarian law.”
2023-11-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9484 (2023) · source
“It was a genuine hope to reconnect with international humanitarian law in the ruins of Gaza and in the risky exodus of its people. That hope is shrinking by the day in view of the ongoing fighting, which is increasing the terrible human and material toll in Gaza and the occupied West Bank. The barbaric attack by Hamas against Israel on 7 October left approximately 1,200 people dead, 4,629 injured and more than 230 taken hostage into Gaza, including women and children. To date more than 11,078 people have been killed during military operations in Gaza, including 3,027 women, 4,506 children and 102 personnel of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East.”
2023-11-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9484 (2023) · source
“Mr. Biang (Gabon) (spoke in French): I thank you, Mr. President, for convening this meeting and thank the United Arab Emirates and Malta for the initiative to hold this important briefing, which allows the Security Council to remain mobilized in the face of the unprecedented scope of the deadly violence in the war between Israel and Hamas. I also thank Executive Director Sima Bahous, of UN-Women; Executive Director Catherine Russell, of UNICEF; and Executive Director Natalia Kanem, of the United Nations Population Fund, for the information shared with the Security Council and for their poignant testimonies. The adoption, on 15 November, of resolution 2712 (2023) was a source of hope from the perspective of saving human lives, particularly those of children, women and civilians.”
2023-11-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9484 (2023) · source
“In a global context marked by increasing food insecurity, with the risk of famine in certain fragile countries, we want to emphasize that agricultural infrastructure must not be the target of armed attacks. The effects of the destruction of the Kakhovka dam on such key economic sectors as agriculture and fishing are a potential threat to the livelihoods of people in the surrounding areas. It is crucial to manage those effects properly and take adequate measures to ensure resilience on the part of the populations affected. In conclusion, we reiterate our appeal to the countries with influence over the belligerents to use diplomatic channels to bring this deadly conflict to an end. Gabon encourages all parties to prioritize dialogue with a view to achieving peace and peaceful coexistence.”
2023-11-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9483 (2023) · source
“Nearly 3,800 schools have been damaged by the fighting or destroyed outright, and there have also been numerous attacks on health facilities. Gabon reminds the belligerent parties of the importance of respecting their obligations under international humanitarian law and all the relevant Council resolutions. We want to reiterate that civilians and anyone else who is not a participant in the fighting must not be targeted for attack. We are alarmed by the proliferation of drone attacks, which are a major factor exacerbating the effects of the conflict on people’s daily lives. We reiterate our call on all the parties to refrain from using any weapons with indiscriminate and inhumane effects.”
2023-11-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9483 (2023) · source
“Mr. Biang (Gabon) (spoke in French): I would like to thank Assistant Secretary-General Jenča and Mr. Hollingworth of the World Food Programme for their briefings. The scale of the humanitarian needs arising from the war in Ukraine continues to grow as attacks continue to target critical infrastructure, hospitals, Black Sea ports, schools and homes. The living conditions of the more than 3.7 million displaced people are becoming increasingly difficult as winter draws on. In its latest update, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs underscores that almost 1.7 million people will need assistance in the next few months. The civilian toll has been particularly alarming since the war in Ukraine began.”
2023-11-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9483 (2023) · source
“I want to emphasize the centrality of a culture of peace by reaffirming that there is only one path towards sustainable peace, a peace that can withstand the crises of our time, and that is the path of sustainable development.”
2023-11-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9482 (2023) · source
“In the name of indivisibility of peace, it is the responsibility of the Security Council and the international community more broadly to support nations and regional and subregional organizations by encouraging them to adopt and implement strategies aimed at reinforcing institutions and political and socioeconomic systems in order to address the challenge of achieving lasting peace throughout the world. I would like to conclude by stressing that the perspective of the Secretary-General’s New Agenda for Peace is one of a rendezvous with hope that we cannot miss if we are to reconnect the shared goal of sustainable development to its fundamental pillars — development and respect for all human rights.”
2023-11-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9482 (2023) · source
“In that regard, the role of international financial institutions such as the World Bank and the African Development Bank is essential, particularly in financing training programmes, job creation and the implementation of quick-impact projects and development programmes. And it is necessary to go well beyond the multilateral arena to mobilize the public and private sectors, including civil society, to build a genuine global socioeconomic development pact for the benefit of fragile States, particularly those in post- conflict reconstruction phases, which are especially in need of substantial funding for the recovery process.”
2023-11-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9482 (2023) · source
“Above all, an inclusive approach based on conflict prevention, with the adequate and predictable allocation of financial resources to the relevant sectors, must be prioritized so as to facilitate countries’ development and address the root causes of conflicts in a sustainable manner. Particular emphasis should be placed on education, poverty eradication and youth employment in order to protect young people from networks of violence and exploitation. It is essential to provide a unified and diversified response to enable fragile States to emerge from the multifaceted crises that they are dealing with.”
2023-11-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9482 (2023) · source
“That has the merit of underscoring the importance of people-centred development, which constitutes the matrix of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Gabon has focused its international commitment to the implementation of the 2030 Agenda and the African Union’s Agenda 2063 by focusing on five key pillars, the economic, social, environmental and sustainable development dimensions, and the dimension of peace, justice, effective institutions and global-level partnerships. In order to cultivate peace, it must start with substantial investments that are commensurate to our global challenges.”
2023-11-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9482 (2023) · source
“In that regard, it is essential to invest massively in development so as to pave the way towards lasting peace. That is crucial if we are to break the vicious cycle of instability, because it is more relevant to address the root causes of State fragility than to dwell on the symptoms of crises. Above all, our collective action is more effective when we reinforce societal resilience in order to prevent and reduce the heavy human and financial toll of conflicts, which compromise peace, security and sustainable development in the world in general and in Africa in particular. We agree with the Secretary- General’s 2022 report on peacebuilding and sustaining peace (S/2022/66) that the best defence against violent conflict is inclusive development that leaves no one behind.”
2023-11-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9482 (2023) · source
“In a recent report (S/2023/861), the Secretary-General highlighted the fact that 19 million children will not attend school in the Sudan as a result of the current crisis. In another report, UNICEF says that since 2020 more than 8 million children aged between 6 and 14 in the Sahel region have not attended school, which is almost 55 per cent of that age group. We know that approximately 3.2 million children have not attended school in the Democratic Republic of the Congo since November 2022. It is clear that in several regions of the world, development deficits represent a genuine challenge that is a threat to communities’ peaceful coexistence. They fuel the negative impact of antagonisms, weaken State institutions and allow intolerance to flourish.”
2023-11-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9482 (2023) · source
“I am referring here to the Sahel region, the Horn of Africa, the Great Lakes region and the Lake Chad basin region. The horizon of lasting peace is clearly blocked by a series of crises linked to underdevelopment, geopolitical rivalries, a lack of international solidarity and the paucity of action with regard to the climate crisis. The consequences of that insecurity are reflected in people’s living conditions when they are not causes or factors of exacerbation. The destruction of schools not only amplifies fundamental economic and structural problems but is a crucial factor in recruitment for terrorists and armed groups, while it also maintains the cycle of instability and poverty of countries in conflict.”
2023-11-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9482 (2023) · source
“Mr. Biang (Gabon) (spoke in French): I congratulate China for taking the initiative of convening this important debate and thank the Secretary-General for his tireless commitment to the promotion of peace and development as two essential facets of sustainable global security. I would also like to thank President Dilma Rousseff and President Jeffrey Sachs for their particularly edifying contributions to this public debate. Since the end of the Second World War, the quest for lasting peace in the world has remained hindered by a multiplicity of violent conflicts that are bleeding several regions dry. Nearly 2 billion people, or a quarter of humankind, are prey to war or cyclical crises, especially in Africa, where several hotspots of instability are becoming chronic and are sometimes forgotten.”
2023-11-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9482 (2023) · source