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

“We encourage the strengthening of cross-border cooperation in the subregion and with neighbouring States. Cooperation against cross- border threats should be strengthened at the level of the subregional organizations and United Nations offices concerned. It is also important to continue organizing joint bilateral operations, as Chad and the Central African Republic did on 15 May, in order to ensure a strengthened and coordinated response to the subregion’s security challenges. We note that maritime security in the Gulf of Guinea deserves particular attention in view of the surge in attacks by pirates, particularly off the coast of Gabon. The threat that maritime insecurity poses to international peace and security is well known.”
2023-06-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9338 (2023) · source
“We also condemn the violence committed by armed groups in the Central African Republic and the Democratic Republic of the Congo and ask that they immediately and unconditionally join the disarmament, demobilization and reintegration (DDR) programmes and the political consultations under way. With regard to DDR, it is important to remember that those programmes, which are at the heart of peacebuilding processes, are very often hampered by a lack of adequate funding, which in many cases encourages a resurgence of crises in post-conflict countries. Ghana, Mozambique and Gabon once again stress the economic, security and humanitarian impact of the crisis in the Sudan on the Central African region. The Sudan shares borders with the Central African Republic and Chad.”
2023-06-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9338 (2023) · source
“On the security front, the scourges facing several countries in the region include terrorism and violent extremism, cross-border crime, the persistence of armed groups, maritime insecurity, illicit trafficking in natural resources and intercommunal clashes exacerbated by the growing effects of climate change. The A3 condemns terrorist groups’ increasing use of explosive devices, attacks and kidnappings, which have kept children out of school and led to mass displacements, particularly in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. We strongly condemn the persistent terrorist attacks by Boko Haram and dissident groups in Cameroon and Chad.”
2023-06-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9338 (2023) · source
“In that regard, we welcomed the holding in Libreville on 25 May of the first Conference of ECCAS Ministers in charge of Gender and the Advancement of Women, which has enabled a review of the various national institutional mechanisms designed to promote the advancement of women within the region, as well as the holding in Luanda on 25 May of the first International Women’s Forum for Peace and Democracy, dedicated to the struggle of women for equality, emancipation and the development of the continent for peace and democracy. It demonstrates the importance of including women and young people in peace processes, an aspect that the United Nations has repeatedly emphasized.”
2023-06-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9338 (2023) · source
“The release of several hundred fighters from the Front pour l’alternance et la Concorde au Tchad and the amnesty granted to the demonstrators of 20 October 2022 could help to foster a climate of confidence in the country. It is therefore essential to ensure that all political players, including civil society, continue their dialogue. We encourage the countries of the region to continue their inclusive approach to the political and peace processes in Central Africa, paying particular attention to young people and women.”
2023-06-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9338 (2023) · source
“We welcome the commitment of President João Lourenço of Angola and President Evariste Ndayishimiye of Burundi to stabilizing the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the entire region. Such regional involvement is the essence of the principle of African solutions to African problems and reflects the clear interest of the countries in the region in resolving the security crisis in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. With regard to the situation in Chad, the A3 notes with satisfaction the measures taken by the transitional authorities to ease political tensions and prepare for the constitutional referendum and the presidential and legislative elections.”
2023-06-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9338 (2023) · source
“Our statement will focus mainly on the political, security and humanitarian situation in the region covered by the United Nations Regional Office for Central Africa (UNOCA). On the political front, we welcome the smooth conduct of elections in several countries of the region and believe that future elections will maintain the same dynamic. At the regional level, the A3 welcomes crisis-exit initiatives such as the Nairobi and Luanda processes, as well as the deployment of the East African Community regional force, whose mandate has just been renewed. They demonstrate the willingness and commitment of African States to restoring peace in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.”
2023-06-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9338 (2023) · source
“Mr. Biang (Gabon) (spoke in French): I have the honour to make this statement on behalf of the Permanent Representatives of the three African members of the Security Council (A3) — Ghana, Mozambique and my own country, Gabon. We welcome the Secretary-General’s report (S/2023/389) and thank Special Representative Abdou Abarry for his comprehensive briefing and relevant information on the situation in Central Africa. We welcome the participation in today’s meeting of the President of the Commission of the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS), Mr. Gilberto da Piedade Veríssimo, and thank him for his briefing. We listened closely to Ms. Marie Tamoifo, President and founder of Association Jeunesse Verte du Cameroun.”
2023-06-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9338 (2023) · source
“In conclusion, Gabon, Ghana and Mozambique reiterate their solidarity with the Sudanese people at this painful time in their country’s history.”
2023-06-02 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9337 (2023) · source
“Given the alarming humanitarian situation faced by the civilian population, internally displaced persons and the many refugees in neighbouring countries, there is a need to take concerted efforts that are commensurate to the scope of the distress and risk that they face. The international community urgently needs to take action to fund the 2023 humanitarian response plan for the Sudan, as well as those neighbouring countries that are hosting massive numbers of Sudanese refugees. We call for unhindered access for humanitarian actors and stress the need to ensure that humanitarian aid is delivered in the Sudan, as well as in neighbouring countries, in accordance with the guiding principles governing the delivery of humanitarian aid.”
2023-06-02 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9337 (2023) · source
“We support UNITAMS’ continued efforts, through the trilateral mechanism, to help the Sudanese people overcome the challenges they face at this critical time. The three African members of the Security Council call for an immediate ceasefire. We echo the African Union Peace and Security Council’s communiqué of 27 May and underline the importance of the de-escalation plan proposed by the African Union as a benchmark road map for ending the conflict in the Sudan. We reiterate the key role in resolving this crisis played by subregional organizations, in particular the African Union and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development, and stress the need for improving cooperation and coordination on the multiple initiatives.”
2023-06-02 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9337 (2023) · source
“Mr. Biang (Gabon) (spoke in French): Gabon, Ghana and Mozambique just voted in favour of renewing the mandate of the United Nations Integrated Transition Assistance Mission in the Sudan (UNITAMS) in order to enable the Mission to continue its mandate, despite the deteriorating security and political context. The security situation in the Sudan continues to deteriorate. The country is at a critical juncture in its history, facing a heightened risk of civil war if the conflict continues, which could have grave consequences for the entire region. We believe that the presence of UNITAMS is more important than ever in coordinating the United Nations response to the complex challenges facing the country.”
2023-06-02 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9337 (2023) · source
“Above all, it is fundamental and urgent for all the parties to engage in good-faith dialogue to find a definitive solution that can guarantee security and peaceful coexistence in the region.”
2023-06-02 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9336 (2023) · source
“Indeed, the current context, which is marked by a hardening and radicalization of positions, is likely to lead certain States to reconsider their positions of neutrality in terms of military defence or nuclear equipment. Such an outcome would be highly damaging to all the efforts already made in the field of non-proliferation and could generate renewed interest in those weapons of mass destruction. It would run counter to the will expressed by a large majority of States Members of the United Nations to establish nuclear-weapon-free zones. It is important for the Council take a more serious look at the untenable security situation on the Korean peninsula.”
2023-06-02 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9336 (2023) · source
“My country condemns that launch of a military satellite, which poses a threat to the security of neighbouring countries, and calls for de-escalation to put an end to this terrifying cycle for the people of, and merchant shipping around, the Korean peninsula, as well as for strict respect for the relevant resolutions of the Council. As a State party to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, my country is against the development, use or threat of use of nuclear weapons. And we observe with great concern the dangerous trend towards the trivialization and acceptance of nuclear risk in conflicts between Powers.”
2023-06-02 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9336 (2023) · source
“Mr. Biang (Gabon) (spoke in French): I would like to thank Under-Secretary-General Rosemary DiCarlo for her briefing. The Security Council is meeting once again this afternoon, following another launch by the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea of a military device, which crashed off the coast of the Korean Sea. The launch of a reconnaissance satellite confirms the escalation of tensions on the Korean peninsula. And the trajectory of that launch proves that we are by no means safe from a risk that could lead to irreparable damage.”
2023-06-02 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9336 (2023) · source
“The A3 also remains concerned about the presence of foreign military forces, which could undermine regional and international security, and we reiterate that Syria should not be used as a battleground for geopolitical rivalries. In conclusion, the A3 reiterates its support for Mr. Pedersen in his quest for the only possible solution, which is a political one, to the conflict that is tearing Syria apart, and for which the country’s people are paying the heaviest price. All of the parties involved and the international community as a whole should operate within a strictly humanitarian framework, without any politicization, and in the interests of the Syrian people.”
2023-05-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9333 (2023) · source
“We reaffirm the importance of keeping in mind the fact that resolution 2254 (2015) remains the main road map for achieving the desired political solution to the Syrian crisis, and it should be done with respect for the Syrian Arab Republic’s national sovereignty and territorial integrity. The A3 is concerned about the persistence of hostilities, particularly in northern Syria. We reiterate our call for an immediate ceasefire. We also reiterate our call on all the parties to the conflict to respect their obligations under international humanitarian law, in particular by ensuring that no civilians or civilian objects are harmed during military operations.”
2023-05-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9333 (2023) · source
“The fragmentation of Syria’s political class and the crisis of confidence among its various key actors have undermined the chances of fulfilling that dialogue currently taking place within the Constitutional Committee, whose inclusive architecture has nevertheless raised hopes. We urge all the parties to set aside their differences at a time when humanitarian urgency must prevail. We also encourage regional players to play their roles and provide support in the pursuit of peace and stability. A strong, good-faith commitment on the part of neighbouring countries is fundamental to achieving that. In that regard, we welcome Syria’s participation in the summit of the League of Arab States held recently in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.”
2023-05-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9333 (2023) · source
“The A3 notes with interest that the $398 million funding goal for the Syria earthquake flash appeal has been met. We hope that the seventh Brussels conference in support of the future of Syria and the region, scheduled for 14 and 15 June, will attract similar international support. On the political front, national unity must prevail if a political solution that will enable the Syrian people to regain peace and security is to be achieved. The political solution is the main path to peace in Syria. It requires a cessation of hostilities, the restoration of State authority over the entire territory of Syria and an inclusive good-faith dialogue involving all segments of Syrian society, including women, young people and minority groups.”
2023-05-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9333 (2023) · source
“The A3 has continued to closely monitor the United Nations engagement with the parties aimed at reversing that trend, because the population’s needs, which are urgent and growing steadily, far exceed the current response capacities. Proactive measures must be taken to ensure that 2.5 million people do not become food insecure by July. It is important to emphasize that some of the challenges facing Syria have to do with reliable access to sufficient supplies of clean water throughout the north of the country, against a backdrop of the coronavirus disease and cholera pandemics, as well as a total collapse of social and basic services and an increase in protection concerns such as gender-based violence and psychological disorders, particularly among women.”
2023-05-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9333 (2023) · source
“The A3 welcomes the Government of Syria’s decision to extend the emergency measures, including the opening of two new crossings at Bab Al-Salam and Al-Rai for three months, from 13 May to 13 August. Those measures have enabled United Nations agencies to continue delivering humanitarian aid in north-west Syria to populations in need. That is a particularly encouraging development when we consider the impact of the cross- border mechanism. As of 23 May, 2,285 truckloads of aid had been transported since 6 February, with the help of 7 United Nations agencies, via those two additional border crossings and the Bab-Al Hawa crossing. A total of 106 cross-border missions have been carried out in north-west Syria since the first inter-agency convoy crossed into Idlib on 14 February. Aid delivery across the front lines remains marginal, however.”
2023-05-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9333 (2023) · source
“Mr. Biang (Gabon) (spoke in French): I have the honour to make this statement on behalf of the three African members of the Security Council (A3), Ghana, Mozambique and my own country, Gabon. We thank Special Envoy Geir Pedersen and Deputy Director Ghada Mudawi for their informative briefings. We also listened attentively to Ms. Morgan Aveline’s briefing. We welcome the participation of the representatives of the Syrian Arab Republic, the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Republic of Türkiye in today’s meeting. For the past 12 years, Syria has been in the grip of a security and humanitarian crisis whose impact on the population was exacerbated by the earthquake that struck the country on 6 February.”
2023-05-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9333 (2023) · source
“Mr. Biang (Gabon) (spoke in French): At the outset, we would like to thank the delegation of the United States for its involvement and commitment throughout the negotiating process. Gabon abstained in the voting on the renewal of a sanctions regime with regard to South Sudan. That position is in line with our firm conviction that the sanctions remain counterproductive given the efforts undertaken by the Government of South Sudan in recent years. Similarly, we believe that the international community should recalibrate and redouble its efforts and direct them at capacity-building and peacebuilding. Above all, the South Sudanese forces must be given the necessary tools to enable them to carry out their constitutional mandate to defend the territorial integrity of their country more effectively.”
2023-05-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9332 (2023) · source
“Translating these words and commitments into concrete and effective action must remain our constant challenge wherever the aspirations of civilian populations to live in safety and dignity are threatened.”
2023-05-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9327 (2023) · source
“The United Nations must continue to focus on the protection of civilians by keeping protection activities at the core of its peacekeeping mandates and improving the protection of certain categories of people, including women, children, and refugees and internally displaced persons. At the same time, humanitarian organizations such as the ICRC must be given the cooperation they need to continue their protection activities for civilians within their mandate and skills, based on a neutral and independent approach. In all cases, it is imperative that men, women and children in need of protection are placed at the heart of the action taken on their behalf. Women must be at the heart of strategies to combat hunger in conflict situations, whether in the management or distribution of food stocks or in the post-conflict reconstruction phase.”
2023-05-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9327 (2023) · source
“When armed actors engage in crime or banditry, it is less easy to tell them about their obligation to protect civilians. Another factor is the constant evolution of the means and methods of warfare, which are sometimes accompanied by a complete disregard for the protection of civilians. We must work to ensure that respect for international humanitarian law in situations of armed conflict remains at the heart of our mandate and mission, as evidenced by the way we work to protect and assist the victims of armed conflict. At the same time, we must prevent conflict more than ever by addressing its root causes.”
2023-05-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9327 (2023) · source
“Beyond these flagship commitments, the international community must continually reaffirm its commitment to the principles of international law based on justice, the peaceful resolution of disputes and respect for human dignity. We must continually reflect on how to better protect vulnerable civilian populations at the height of crises or in the immediate aftermath thereof, while acting decisively to protect civilians in armed conflict. State actors can take action by removing administrative barriers that impede humanitarian action. In this regard, regional organizations have an important role to play in efforts to strengthen the protection of civilians. Among the factors that put civilians at risk in crisis situations is the phenomenon of the proliferation of non-State armed groups.”
2023-05-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9327 (2023) · source
“We must ensure strict compliance with these commitments, which include providing greater access for humanitarian personnel to civilians in need of assistance; improving the safety and security of humanitarian personnel; improving measures to address the security needs of refugees and internally displaced persons; ensuring that the special protection and assistance needs of children in armed conflict are fully met; ensuring that the special protection and assistance needs of women in armed conflict are fully met; address gaps in the approach to disarmament, demobilization, reintegration, and resettlement activities; address the impact of small arms, antipersonnel mines and unexploded remnants of war on civilians; combat impunity; develop further measures to promote the accountability of armed groups and non-State actors; and ensure that necessary resources are provided to meet the needs of vulnerable populations in forgotten emergencies.”
2023-05-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9327 (2023) · source
“The reality is that in many parts of the world, men, women and children are being killed or raped, forced to flee their homes and abandon everything they own, living in a state of permanent fear. Hospitals are bombed and health workers are attacked. Beyond the fact that civilians are deliberately targeted, the reality on the ground is that in wars people disappear and thousands of prisoners of war are tortured or held in inhuman conditions. The number of missing persons in 2022 reached a frightening 29,000 according to the ICRC. In this context, again, international and subregional mechanisms must be strengthened. The Security Council has made a number of important commitments to the protection of civilians in armed conflict through its relevant resolutions, including resolution 2417 (2018).”
2023-05-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9327 (2023) · source
“Confidence-building through dialogue is an effective way to achieve this and to reverse the trend of mistrust of humanitarians. In the face of significant deterioration in belligerents’ respect for humanitarian law, States must improve training, modernize policies to prevent harm to civilians, adopt better monitoring of victims, investigate incidents and hold those responsible for violations accountable. Accountability for violations must be systematic and universal. The international public order is under unprecedented strain, standing at the opposite end of the spectrum from declarations of principle, resolutions and the proliferation of actors claiming to be engaged in civilian-protection activities. Clearly, the fine words and good intentions in forums such as this one are slow to be translated into reality on the ground.”
2023-05-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9327 (2023) · source
“It is essential that the international community mobilize to take more effective action to address the problem comprehensively by tackling the root causes of conflict that disrupt food systems and markets and perpetuate the vicious cycle of hunger. Combatants in every conflict must change their choice of weapons and tactics and refrain from obstructing humanitarian assistance, in accordance with the Geneva Conventions. States must take concrete steps to protect medical personnel, including making sure that the rules of military engagement respect international humanitarian law. It is important that humanitarian assistance is never politicized and that the commitment of all parties, including armed groups, is ensured to this end.”
2023-05-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9327 (2023) · source
“Attacks on livelihoods are used as a weapon of war by armed groups who steal and destroy villagers’ property, burn their homes and steal their crops and food supplies with the stated objective of creating food shortages in order to subjugate the population and secure resources to finance their criminal activities. In eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, children are killed and maimed when they are not forcibly recruited into armed groups. Schools and hospitals are destroyed or abandoned as the deadly fighting displaces millions of people within their own country or across the region. The interaction between conflict and hunger has seen the threat of famine re-emerge in many areas, creating an exponential increase in people facing unsustainable levels of food insecurity.”
2023-05-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9327 (2023) · source
“The most recent report of the Secretary- General (S/2023/345) indicates a 53 per cent increase in 2022 compared to the previous year; while the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights estimated last year that 306,000 civilians had been killed in 10 years of conflict in Syria. That distressing fact is repeated on the battlefields without making a dent in the use of aerial bombardments or explosive devices, whose indiscriminate and devastating effects are well known and feared by all, and despite the clarity of the provisions of the Fourth Geneva Convention of 1949 which protects civilians during conflicts or in occupied territories. In the Sahel region, most terrorist attacks target civilians. Terrorists have two cruel and shameful strategies: they starve civilians and attack schools.”
2023-05-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9327 (2023) · source
“In his annual report for 2018 (S/2019/373), Secretary-General António Guterres recorded the figure of 22,800 civilians killed or injured, based on figures from six countries at war, namely, Afghanistan, Iraq, Mali, Somalia, South Sudan and Yemen, while indicating those figures were almost certainly underestimates of the actual number of civilian deaths and injuries. Today those figures have been utterly shattered by the chronic nature of numerous conflicts and the emergence of new deadly crises marked by the use of explosive devices in urban and rural areas, most of whose victims are civilians.”
2023-05-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9327 (2023) · source
“The persistence and scale of attacks against civilians in armed conflicts is reflected in the multiplicity of contemporary wars, which have become asymmetrical and urban, making it difficult to gather data on the number of dead and injured civilians. They are often caught up in the violence of armed groups and the response of national armies, and civilians are the primary victims of conflicts which are constantly increasing in different regions of the world, in particular in Africa. In the Sahel, in the Great Lakes region and in the Horn of Africa, the figures from the barometers measuring security during conflict are alarming.”
2023-05-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9327 (2023) · source
“Mr. Biang (Gabon) (spoke in French): I congratulate Switzerland on the initiative of this important debate, and convey the compliments of His Excellency Ali Bongo Ondimba, President of the Gabonese Republic. I welcome the participation in this important meeting of the President of the Republic of Mozambique and the President of the Republic of Malta. I thank the Secretary-General for taking stock of the situation of civilians across the world. I also would like to thank the President of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) for her exemplary commitment, within the mandate of the ICRC, to protecting civilians in armed conflict. I would also like to thank Ms. Aïchatou Mounkaïla for her enlightening briefing.”
2023-05-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9327 (2023) · source
“We remain attentive and stand ready to encourage any initiative to resolve the conflict through diplomatic channels. My country supports the search for viable solutions that allow for a lasting settlement of the conflict to achieve peace and calls on the parties to engage in good faith negotiations to end the deadly war in Ukraine.”
2023-05-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9321 (2023) · source
“In a global economic context greatly impacted by various crises, the resurgence of other armed conflicts, the worsening of the humanitarian crisis, in particular in relation to the rampant food insecurity, the only relevant option for overcoming the crisis seems to be to invest in dialogue with a view to achieving a diplomatic and political solution to end the war. The price to pay, both in human lives and in material reconstruction, is too heavy and every day of war will only make it heavier. My country remains convinced that peace and peaceful coexistence will result from good faith negotiations among all parties. The Black Sea Grain Initiative and the agreement on the exchange of prisoners of war reinforce our conviction.”
2023-05-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9321 (2023) · source
“In particular, we emphasize the need for belligerents to refrain from the use of mines or cluster munitions or other remotely delivered weapons and to take maximum precautions to minimize their effects on civilians, especially women, children and the most vulnerable. The magnitude of the security challenges that are juxtaposed in several hotbeds of tension is putting a strain on international solidarity and making humanitarian mobilization more complex. The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees is warning of shortages of food, water and medicine, the effects of which could be catastrophic if they are not quickly contained. As for the funding needs for the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations rapid response plan for 2023 in Ukraine, it is estimated at $205 million.”
2023-05-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9321 (2023) · source
“The people who are not participating in the combat, in particular vulnerable people such as children, the sick or the elderly, must be able to access essential services such as water, electricity or medicine. We reiterate our continuing call on the belligerents to respect their obligations under international humanitarian law; not to target critical infrastructure or civilian populations; and to refrain from using weapons whose indiscriminate effects inflict unnecessary suffering on civilians or may pose a long-term threat to civilians, including through their effects on the environment.”
2023-05-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9321 (2023) · source
“Despite prompt and consistent international solidarity, humanitarian assistance has not been able to reach all those in need, and, according to statistics from the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs from last week, there are an estimated 17.6 million people in need in 2023. We commend the work of the United Nations specialized agencies and all the organizations in the field, which must meet the humanitarian needs in often difficult conditions. We recognize their efforts to provide urgent relief following the bombings and multifaceted assistance that the populations need on a daily basis when fleeing or in reception facilities. We call on the parties to facilitate access for humanitarian convoys in all areas of operation, especially those closest to the front line, which are the most affected.”
2023-05-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9321 (2023) · source
“Mr. Biang (Gabon) (spoke in French): I thank Under-Secretary-General Martin Griffiths for the information he just shared with us on the humanitarian situation in Ukraine. I welcome the participation of the Permanent Representative of Ukraine, the delegation of the European Union and the representatives of Denmark, Lithuania, Poland and Romania. As we enter the fifteenth month of war in Ukraine, the toll of this deadly conflict in terms of human casualties, suffering and distress continues to grow. Civilians and civilian infrastructure continue to be targeted in deadly fighting and numerous displacements of populations as a result of the bombardments, which makes the daily life of innocent people impossible.”
2023-05-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9321 (2023) · source
“That includes the successful completion of the political process, in accordance with the relevant resolutions of the Council, in particular resolution 2570 (2021), with a view to a peaceful and lasting resolution of the continuing crisis in Libya.”
2023-05-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9320 (2023) · source
“I would therefore like to take this opportunity to once again express my appreciation for the important work done by the United Nations Support Mission in Libya, whose presence on the ground is helping to facilitate the work of the Prosecutor, in addition to its main objective of creating the conditions for a political settlement of the Libyan crisis. In that regard, we encourage the Special Representative of the Secretary- General, Mr. Abdoulaye Bathily, to continue his efforts and assure him of our full support. We welcome the cooperative efforts in the context of the crucial partnership between the United Nations Support Mission in Libya and the Office of the Prosecutor. In conclusion, I would like to emphasize the urgent need to create the conditions conducive to ensuring restorative justice for the Libyan people.”
2023-05-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9320 (2023) · source
“Combating impunity should remain an imperative for all, and that requires the continued support of the international community in order to fully equip the Prosecutor and his Office in their delicate mission with the parties concerned. My delegation is aware of the volatile security context in which the Prosecutor’s new investigative strategy is being employed and appreciates his efforts. The fact is that the military- political crisis that has gone on in Libya for more than a decade remains deeply entrenched today. The armed violence is far from being contained. It goes without saying that in such a climate of terror and fear, victims and witnesses can feel threatened, which makes the exercise of justice even more complex and perilous.”
2023-05-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9320 (2023) · source
“Furthermore, we welcome the implementation of an evidence-management platform using artificial intelligence and machine learning, which will significantly contribute to improving the quantitative and qualitative aspects of the databases. We encourage Mr. Khan to continue to work closely with the Libyan authorities, while also furthering the involvement of international and regional actors and civil society, which could contribute substantially to the success of that vast and complicated undertaking. In that connection, the emphasis on dialogue with victims, victims’ associations, local communities and civil society is essential and should be strengthened. It is vital to prioritize an approach that promotes truth- telling, justice and reparations, as well as guarantees of non-repetition.”
2023-05-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9320 (2023) · source
“That progress includes, in particular, the strengthening of cooperation within the framework of the principle of complementarity between the joint team for Libya and the Office of the Prosecutor, as well as close collaboration between third States and the relevant stakeholders, including the provision by some States parties of national experts whose assistance has facilitated the establishment of evidence, including in the context of crimes committed against migrants. In that regard, the capacity-building of investigators and the inclusion of Arabic-speaking experts are assets. That should enshrine the principle of the rule of law by way of regular judicial proceedings against persons presumed to have committed serious crimes.”
2023-05-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9320 (2023) · source
“In that regard, Prosecutor Khan’s briefing to the Council from Tripoli last year (see S/PV.9187) was very important to strengthening and improving the investigation strategy and process. It also had a positive impact on the conduct of the investigations and the strengthening of cooperation. We note with interest the considerable progress made in the reassessment of the investigation strategy and the analysis of evidence regarding the alleged serious crimes committed in Libya in 201l, as well as crimes related to the military operations in the country between 2014 and 2020 and crimes committed against migrants. We are pleased that the Office of the Prosecutor has stayed the course in implementing its new strategy aimed at accelerating its investigative activities and action plan regarding the situation in Libya.”
2023-05-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9320 (2023) · source
“Mr. Biang (Gabon) (spoke in French): I would like to thank Mr. Karim Khan, Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, for his informative briefing on his twenty-fifth report on the situation in Libya, pursuant to resolution 1970 (2011). I welcome the presence of Mr. Taher Elsonni, the Permanent Representative of Libya, at this meeting. When it comes to the fair and impartial trials we want to see held in Libya, the material search for evidence is of particular importance. It is the outcome of a long process of collective consultations involving a wide range of stakeholders working to ensure that justice is fully rendered. That inclusive approach is crucial to ensuring a thorough examination of the key issues and the identification of the alleged perpetrators.”
2023-05-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9320 (2023) · source