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 support national initiatives that promote interaction between the entities and the Federation and that will enable Bosnia and Herzegovina to remain in control of its destiny.”
2023-05-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9319 (2023) · source
“We encourage the political leaders of Bosnia and Herzegovina to continue their efforts to unblock the stalled economic development projects and agree on a position on the role of the international community. That political progress will contribute to improving the economic situation. We encourage Bosnia and Herzegovina to address the legacies of the war by taking the necessary action with regard to its victims, returnees, survivors of conflict-related sexual violence and missing persons. In conclusion, my country reiterates its support for the European Union Military Operation in Bosnia and Herzegovina, which is an essential part of the peace and security architecture aimed at helping the country to overcome its security challenges.”
2023-05-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9319 (2023) · source
“We hope that the agreement reached by the parties representing each of the three constituent peoples to form a coalition will enable them to overcome that challenge and that they will work to find a compromise on the contentious issues. We welcome the clear commitment of the members of the new Presidency to accelerating the implementation of the 14 key priorities for integration into the European Union. Building a more inclusive and egalitarian society requires the adoption of measures that promote coexistence, while respecting individual rights and freedoms and human rights, including freedom of religion. We urge all the parties to show restraint and to refrain from any hate speech or divisive rhetoric that could undermine the building of a lasting peace.”
2023-05-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9319 (2023) · source
“We stress the importance of strengthening the implementation of the 1995 Dayton Peace Agreement, which is undoubtedly one of the best guarantees that Bosnia-Herzegovina can build a political future that corresponds to its history and sociological reality, and which takes into account the aspirations of the two entities and the three constituent peoples. My country encourages Bosnia’s political leaders to work together to achieve that goal, including by instituting the necessary reforms, especially strengthening the rule of law. It is essential for the Federation to finally form a Government, because given the fact that elections were held in 2018 and 2022, it is hardly conceivable that the winners of the 2014 elections should remain in interim positions.”
2023-05-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9319 (2023) · source
“We welcomed the significant participation in the 2022 general elections of women, who made up 42 per cent of the 7,258 registered candidates. We also note the greater involvement of young people in the political life of the country, something that should be encouraged to ensure harmonious State-building, provide future prospects for the young and slow down the trend among them of leaving the country, which has led to an outflow of more than half a million young people over the past 10 years and is a significant development challenge for Bosnia and Herzegovina.”
2023-05-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9319 (2023) · source
“Mr. Biang (Gabon) (spoke in French): I thank Mr. Christian Schmidt for his briefing. I welcome the participation in this meeting of Her Excellency Ms. Željka Cvijanović, Chair of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as that of the representatives of Serbia and Croatia and the Head of the Delegation of the European Union. Since our previous meeting, in November (see S/PV.9179), the situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina has been marked by several significant developments that should be highlighted. The holding of elections on 2 October, followed by the formation of the Council of Ministers and an executive, as well as the adoption of the budget within the legal time frame, is a remarkable development that attests to the efforts made by Bosnia and Herzegovina to exercise its full sovereign authority.”
2023-05-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9319 (2023) · source
“In that regard, the A3 commends the African Union and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development for their engagement in support of the bilateral discussions for peace in the region and on defining the status of the Abyei Area. We would also like to warmly commend the UNISFA staff, who are carrying out their mandate despite the difficult conditions. In conclusion, we reiterate our full support to Special Envoy Tetteh and all the stakeholders for their tireless efforts on the ground to find a political solution to the issue of the final status of Abyei.”
2023-05-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9318 (2023) · source
“We offer our sincere condolences to the families of the deceased aid workers in Abyei. It is imperative that every measure be taken to ensure the safety and protection of humanitarian workers, as well as unhindered humanitarian access. We further urge the Sudan and South Sudan to fully respect the status of forces agreement and to facilitate the implementation of UNISFA’s mandate through the issuance of visas and necessary administrative documents for the deployment of troops, civilians and police units. The A3 underscores that a solution on Abyei’s final status can be achieved only if the Sudan and South Sudan stabilize their internal political situations and make concrete the discussions aimed at reaching an agreement on the management of the Area.”
2023-05-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9318 (2023) · source
“The A3 notes that the people of Abyei are experiencing significant difficulties in accessing basic services. The situation is expected to worsen with the humanitarian impact of the clashes in the Sudan, which are leading to the mass displacement of civilians. Given the impact of the situation in the Sudan on the humanitarian situation in Abyei, the A3 stress that it is crucial to strengthen humanitarian assistance and mobilize adequate funding to meet the growing needs of people already suffering in difficult living conditions, which it will be essential to improve by restoring the provision of services, including access to water, health, education, communications and basic infrastructure. The A3 condemns in the strongest terms the armed attacks on UNISFA staff and humanitarian personnel.”
2023-05-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9318 (2023) · source
“The A3 condemns the violation of the Abyei Area’s demilitarized status by the continued presence in southern Abyei of the South Sudan People’s Defence Forces, intelligence officers and members of the South Sudan national police service, as well as the decision of the Government of the Sudan to deploy national police officers to the northern part of Abyei. It is important to keep in mind in that regard that the absence of strong administrative institutions, particularly in terms of security and justice, is rendering the territory permanently fragile. With regard to the humanitarian situation, the serious humanitarian crisis affecting the Horn of Africa due to climate change and the various ongoing conflicts has not spared the Abyei region.”
2023-05-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9318 (2023) · source
“We note President Salva Kiir Mayardit’s commitment to easing tensions between the communities through a meeting of the Governors of Warrap and Lakes states, the Chief Administrator of Abyei and the traditional leaders of the Ngok Dinka and Twic Dinka to discuss their differences. We hope that the creation of a buffer zone through the deployment of security forces in the disputed areas will lead to a de-escalation of the violence. We also welcome the actions of UNISFA aimed at promoting an intercommunal dialogue.”
2023-05-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9318 (2023) · source
“We reiterate that the trilateral mechanism of the African Union, the Intergovernmental Authority on Development and the United Nations should play a crucial role in all of those efforts for a unified, coordinated and concerted response. On the security front, the persistence of intercommunal clashes, armed violence, the destruction of property and sexual violence in Abyei are major sources of concern for the A3. We firmly condemn the intercommunal violence that has occurred, particularly between the Ngok Dinka and Twic Dinka and the Misseriya and Ngok Dinka communities. We call on all parties to refrain from any action that could exacerbate tensions.”
2023-05-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9318 (2023) · source
“In that regard, Ghana, Mozambique and Gabon echo the African Union’s communiqué of 20 April 2023 and call for an immediate and permanent ceasefire, a coordinated and unhindered humanitarian response and the protection of civilians and essential infrastructure in combat zones. We urge other border countries to mobilize to facilitate the repatriation of international personnel and receive refugees from the Sudan. We strongly believe that the current crisis in the Sudan cannot be resolved by military means. We urge all the parties concerned to resume dialogue and work to arrive at an urgent de-escalation plan. We note that there are other efforts under way towards achieving a permanent ceasefire and creating corridors to allow humanitarian assistance to alleviate the suffering of displaced persons.”
2023-05-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9318 (2023) · source
“Regrettably, in practice there has been no major progress in the implementation of the 2011 agreement on temporary arrangements for the administration and security of the Abyei Area for more than a decade. (spoke in French) The A3 notes with regret that the internal political situations and the continuing economic, security and humanitarian challenges in the Sudan and South Sudan are significantly slowing progress on finalizing the status of Abyei. The discussion of that final status naturally compels us to consider the current situation in the Sudan and the continuing deadly clashes between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces. The situation in the Sudan undoubtedly has repercussions for the situation in Abyei and the ongoing political discussions with South Sudan on the management of that territory.”
2023-05-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9318 (2023) · source
“We took positive note of the agreement between the Sudan and South Sudan on strengthening cooperation and resolving outstanding issues following the meeting on the final status of Abyei of the Chairpersons of the national committees of both countries in Khartoum on 24 October 2022. That political will was further demonstrated at the joint meeting between the Sudan and South Sudan on the Abyei region held in Khartoum on 9 April. That positive signal should, however, be translated into action by both countries to enable real progress on the ground towards the finalization of Abyei’s status. However, we are concerned about the fact that the Abyei Joint Oversight Committee has not met since 2017, despite statements by the parties.”
2023-05-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9318 (2023) · source
“I have the honour to deliver this statement on behalf of the three African members of the Security Council (A3), namely Ghana, Mozambique and my own country, Gabon. At the outset, we would like to thank the Secretary- General for his report (S/2023/305), as well as Assistant Secretary-General Pobee and Special Envoy Tetteh for their insightful briefings on the situation in Abyei and the activities of the United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA). Our statement will focus on the political, security and humanitarian situations. At the political level, the A3 notes the continued strengthening of relations between the Sudanese and South Sudanese authorities through the organization of several high-level meetings, particularly on border issues, with a view to finalizing the status of Abyei.”
2023-05-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9318 (2023) · source
“I would like to conclude by stressing the importance of cooperation between the OSCE and the United Nations and by urging OSCE member States to preserve the achievements of the past 50 years by focusing on dialogue, promoting preventive diplomacy and uniting in the pursuit of security and stability, in the spirit of the ideals of the United Nations Charter, for the peoples of the world.”
2023-05-04 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9316 (2023) · source
“It is essential that the OSCE be able to fulfil its entire mandate, a significant part of which consists of field missions through humanitarian support, training and other capacity-building missions, including actions within the framework of the women and peace and security agenda. The contribution of this agenda to the restoration of peace and post-conflict reconstruction is now recognized more than ever. We call on member States to refrain from any initiative or attitude that would impede the normal functioning of the organization.”
2023-05-04 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9316 (2023) · source
“It also undertakes many actions to support its member States in strengthening the rule of law, respect for human rights and the fight against environmental challenges. The OSCE must resolve to prevent, reconcile and promote reconstruction and peaceful coexistence. That is a role that it will not be able to relinquish and for which it must enhance its credibility by positioning itself equidistant from the antagonisms of its member States. To do so, it can rely on its specialized cooperation bodies and forums, which have mechanisms for conflict prevention, protection of national minorities and conciliation or arbitration between the parties.”
2023-05-04 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9316 (2023) · source
“It must show commitment and urge the parties involved to find a lasting solution to the border dispute between Armenia and Azerbaijan and avoid a conflagration that could harm the entire region. Similarly, it is called on to play a stabilizing role in Cyprus, Kosovo and Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as to resolve frozen conflicts that could be reignited by political and economic circumstances and where the stakes are not always controllable. The OSCE has a real ability to bring the conflicting parties — including those to the war in Ukraine — to dialogue. It must use it at every level to ensure that negotiation prevails over a logic of confrontation. We also recognize the role played by the OSCE in terms of humanitarian response in conflict situations in collaboration with United Nations specialized agencies.”
2023-05-04 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9316 (2023) · source
“The latent tensions in Europe, particularly in the Western Balkans and owing to the war in Ukraine, but also in a sociopolitical context marked by nationalism and other transnational threats, are all challenges standing in its way. It is well within the OSCE’s reach to respond to those challenges while preserving the guiding principles governing mutual relations among its member States. Those challenges are unquestionably amplified by the war in Ukraine, not only due to the humanitarian and security consequences, including for food security, resulting from the conflict, but also in a more insidious way through the pressure on member States to choose between the opposing sides. It is more important than ever for the OSCE to deploy its mechanisms for the peaceful settlement of disputes between States within its territorial jurisdiction.”
2023-05-04 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9316 (2023) · source
“In that pivotal role for the security of its members, the OSCE is built around a noble model of unique cooperation, whose foundations are anchored in the Helsinki Final Act and the Paris Charter. That model enshrines the primacy of solidarity as its cornerstone, with the interoperability of all areas contributing to the achievement of lasting peace and security. At the heart of the challenges facing the OSCE today is the crisis of confidence among its member States. That crisis seems to call into question the very nature and scope of the social contract at the heart of the organization, as well as the commitments made by its member States under its founding texts. The OSCE has no choice but to recover from that situation.”
2023-05-04 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9316 (2023) · source
“Mr. Biang (Gabon) (spoke in French): I thank the Chairperson-in-Office of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) for his commitment and his informative briefing. The thirtieth anniversary of the partnership between the OSCE and the United Nations presents a prime opportunity to reaffirm the fundamental nature of cooperation between the United Nations and regional organizations in addressing the security challenges facing the world, in the very spirit of Chapter VIII of the Charter of the United Nations. In Europe, the OSCE has proved to be a real lever for peace for its 57 member States, even if its role and vocation as a stabilizing entity are now under severe strain.”
2023-05-04 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9316 (2023) · source
“The Security Council must be able to strengthen its integrated approach along the entire peace, security, humanitarian and development path in order to promote people-centred solutions.”
2023-05-03 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9315 (2023) · source
“If we are to deal with that, we must renew our confidence in the United Nations so that it remains at the centre of the process of safeguarding the fundamental principles of international law while promoting peace, security and development for all. For its part, the Council must find answers to the security implications of today’s factors driving conflict and insecurity. That must lead us to further engage the entire multilateral system in addressing our multifaceted challenges. In that crucial task, we must be able to revisit the tools of our collective security system and consider the prospects for closer collaboration with the United Nations development system to ensure that the Sustainable Development Goals remain within the reach of fragile States coping with cyclical crises. In any case, I will conclude with this point.”
2023-05-03 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9315 (2023) · source
“The Security Council has the primary responsibility for the maintenance of peace and security, but to fulfil its mandate more effectively, it must work closely with other organs and agencies of the United Nations system in order to address the root causes of conflict in a holistic and systematic manner. Given the increasing interdependence of the various fragmented parts of the international community, and the changing linkages connecting the political, socioeconomic, health and environmental contexts, it is unreasonable to expect that the challenges of peace, security and development can be addressed in a sustainable manner in isolation from one another.”
2023-05-03 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9315 (2023) · source
“Conversely, countries struggling with persistent underdevelopment face challenges in providing security and remain prone to tears in their social fabric, while negative forces such as terrorism, violent extremism, intercommunal violence and organized crime thrive easily in that environment. The emergence of new risk factors, such as pandemics and the ever-increasing threat of climate change, add further complexity to that difficult security environment. Those overlapping and interconnected challenges can be effectively addressed only with comprehensive and coherent strategies.”
2023-05-03 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9315 (2023) · source
“That means strengthening the partnership between the United Nations and regional organizations, which have the advantage of being the most concerned and the best placed to take action. Above all, they are more familiar with the environment and the volatile complexity of issues on the ground. Concerted action and the implementation of common strategies in crisis situations are essential if the action is to be effective and produce the hoped-for results. The clear linkages between peace, security and development have been duly acknowledged. It is a fact that many countries dealing with armed conflict are also facing obstacles to their sustainable development, because their institutional and governance capacities are easily overwhelmed.”
2023-05-03 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9315 (2023) · source
“The effects of climate change and environmental degradation, combined with population growth, considerably reduce the access of the majority to existing resources and are a particular source of instability in a number of regions. Within the United Nations system, the architecture for building and sustaining peace must be more inclusive. Needless to say, it is a recognized fact that exclusion and marginalization are dangerous enemies of trust. Africa must find its rightful place as a full- fledged player on the international scene and not simply as a geopolitical issue for the powers that be. Our approach to peace must be integrated and coherent in order to advance the sustaining peace agenda and counteract today’s drivers of conflict and insecurity.”
2023-05-03 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9315 (2023) · source
“They undermine sustainable development and, conversely, an absence of development can and often does lead to serious social crises that can create unrest in a country or an entire region. Financial, material and technological support for the implementation of sustainable development programmes is a genuine imperative for sustaining peace, especially in developing countries in general and African countries in particular. Adequate funding for Africa’s Agenda 2063 anditsfirst 10-yearimplementation plan, as well as the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its Sustainable Development Goals, must be viewed as a necessity for peacebuilding and sustaining peace. Taking effective account of new challenges in this process of restructuring the United Nations peace architecture should strengthen it and enable a more comprehensive approach.”
2023-05-03 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9315 (2023) · source
“In fact, the inadequacy of the resources allocated to our Organization’s prevention and peacebuilding efforts has greatly contributed either to a resurgence of crises in transition periods or to the emergence of new conflicts. In that regard, it is clear that the most important weapons for peace are, first, supporting United Nations prevention and peacebuilding mechanisms with adequate and predictable funding; secondly, strengthening the synergy between the United Nations pillars of sustainable development and peace and security and thirdly, addressing the root causes of conflict, including inequality, poverty and youth unemployment. Conflicts destroy trust.”
2023-05-03 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9315 (2023) · source
“The crucial confidence that we need to achieve lasting peace demands a genuine structural transformation of our Organization’s peace and security architecture and the adaptation of our peace and security mechanisms to a global context of ever-changing crises and conflicts. While it is clear that the efforts of the United Nations are extraordinary, we are compelled to realize that the ever- increasing and unrelenting threats to international peace and security often take on new forms, which at times fuel feelings of frustration with our collective will and our international institutions and mechanisms. Gabon will continue to affirm that prevention is a critical tool that should be central to our actions if we want consolidated and lasting peace. So far our prevention efforts have been slow, ill-adapted and underfunded.”
2023-05-03 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9315 (2023) · source
“For peace to be sustainable, we must reconfigure the social contract among nations independent of their size or stature, with the peoples of the world, in all their diversity, at the centre, and with the clear understanding that all peoples count and every life counts. Brutal force or power without morals must and cannot be the determining factor in the international community’s coexistence. Above all, we must recast our identity as peoples of the world, as truly united nations, not competing poles of influence. If we do not, we run the risk of continuing to inevitably dig trenches for battlefields where the lifeless bodies of our young people will continue to fall, at the mercy of birds of prey.”
2023-05-03 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9315 (2023) · source
“The ambition, enshrined in the Preamble of the Charter of the United Nations, to prevent war and promote lasting peace is an admirable goal that inspires trust, which must be constantly reinforced. It is obvious that we can indeed have the trust to free ourselves from the cycle of crises — solidarity crises, security crises, humanitarian crises, health crises and identity crises — that dims aspirations and hampers the prospects of peace between and within nations. The debate to which you, Mr. President, have invited us today has the merit of encouraging a renewed ownership of the goals of the Charter of the United Nations and promoting a reconciliation between our Organization and the aspirations of the peoples of the world.”
2023-05-03 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9315 (2023) · source
“Mr. Biang (Gabon) (spoke in French): I congratulate Switzerland on its historic presidency of the Security Council and on the initiative of holding this important debate on strengthening trust to ensure sustainable peace. I thank the briefers who introduced the debate, High Commissioner Volker Türk, Ms. Cynthia Chingwenya and Ms. ‘Funmi Olonisakin, for their enlightening briefings. Since the end of the Second World War, very few structures built by humankind have led to as much hope as the United Nations. Despite the imperfections that are inherent in any human endeavour, it is difficult to imagine the state of the world without the United Nations.”
2023-05-03 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9315 (2023) · source
“In conclusion, the A3 calls on all stakeholders and the international community as a whole to act within a strictly humanitarian framework, far from any politicization, in the interest of the Syrian people.”
2023-04-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9313 (2023) · source
“Mozambique, Ghana, and Gabon believe that the parties to the conflict must seize the momentum of support and attention generated by the earthquakes to engage in a political process to resolve the fundamental issues that fuel the conflict in Syria. This means engaging in the path of Syrian-Syrian dialogue in an inclusive manner under the auspices of Special Envoy Pedersen, with a view to a comprehensive settlement of the Syrian crisis in accordance with resolution 2254 (2015). We closely follow Special Envoy Pedersen’s consultations with civil society, including women, as an essential component of the political process and the building of a lasting peace. We encourage the Syrian Government to develop legislative and policy measures to ensure gender equality, and we call for respect for the human rights of women and girls by all parties.”
2023-04-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9313 (2023) · source
“Some 47 inter-agency cross-border missions have been carried out by the United Nations in north-western Syria since 14 February. It is important to address the issue of detainees, including facilitating the release of such vulnerable detained groups as the elderly, women and children. Clarifying the status of missing persons would also be an important confidence-building measure. Progress in this area will further contribute positively to Special Envoy Geir Pedersen’s progressive approach to the political track. Furthermore, while noting the recent introduction of permanent earthquake-related exemptions in several unilateral sanctions regimes, we reiterate our call for the lifting of these sanctions so as not to impede relief efforts for the Syrian population in need.”
2023-04-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9313 (2023) · source
“We urge all parties to put aside their differences at this time, when humanitarian need and urgency must prevail. For the A3, access to emergency relief is the cornerstone of the mobilization. Accordingly, we welcome, once again, the decision of the Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad to authorize the opening of the two new crossings, at Bab Al-Salam and Al-Rai, for a period of three months, in addition to the Bab Al-Hawa crossing. We hope that in July 2023, given the highly elevated humanitarian stakes on the ground, the Syrian Government will authorize the extension of the cross-border delivery, in cooperation with the United Nations, of humanitarian aid to reach all those in need. We note with interest that, following the opening of the two additional border crossings, humanitarian access to north-western Syria has improved.”
2023-04-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9313 (2023) · source
“According to the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, a total of 58 civilians, including four women and eight children, have been killed as a result of the hostilities. In addition, at least 33 civilians, including eight women and seven children, were injured. We therefore reiterate our call on all parties to the conflict to respect their obligations under international humanitarian law, including ensuring that civilians and civilian objects are consistently spared in the conduct of their military operations. At the same time, we call on all States with influence over the parties to the conflict to convince them to ensure the protection of civilians in Syria. We also reiterate our call for an immediate ceasefire in Syria to facilitate the delivery of aid to victims.”
2023-04-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9313 (2023) · source
“The international community’s mobilization is not to be outdone, with the international donor conference held in Brussels on 20 March, in support of the populations of Syria and Türkiye. Nonetheless, we call for broader support for the Syrian humanitarian response plan, including for early recovery and livelihoods, which unfortunately remains underfunded. (spoke in French) The A3 is concerned about the continuing hostilities in Syria, despite the additional suffering triggered by the earthquake and the numerous calls for a ceasefire throughout the country. In northern Syria, hostilities continue to exacerbate the suffering of civilians, exposing them to death, injury and displacement.”
2023-04-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9313 (2023) · source
“The toll is extremely heavy, with loss of human lives, suffering and destruction of infrastructure. In Syria, 6,000 people died, with tens of thousands injured and 350,000 internally displaced, not counting the massive damage caused to infrastructure, which the World Bank estimates to be $5.2 billion. The ongoing humanitarian crisis has affected the ability of Syrians to meet their immediate food needs and maintain their livelihoods, with approximately million people facing acute food insecurity. Reliable access to safe and sufficient water throughout northern Syrian Arab Republic remains a challenge, all against the backdrop of the coronavirus disease and cholera pandemics. We would like to salute the unwavering commitment on the ground of the United Nations and its partners alongside the Syrians.”
2023-04-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9313 (2023) · source
“I have the honour to make this statement on behalf of the three African members of the Security Council (A3), namely, Ghana, Mozambique and my own country, Gabon. We thank the Special Envoy of the Secretary- General, Mr. Geir Pedersen, and the Director of the Humanitarian Finance and Resource Mobilization Division of the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, Ms. Lisa Doughten, for their enlightening briefings. We welcome the participation of the representatives of the Syrian Arab Republic, the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Republic of Türkiye at today’s meeting. Since 6 February, Syria, which had already been facing 12 years of conflict, descended into unspeakable chaos when it was hit, along with neighbouring Türkiye, by several earthquakes and aftershocks.”
2023-04-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9313 (2023) · source
“We welcome the increasing number of initiatives by the United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK), including its awareness-raising campaigns against early marriage in Kosovo and its strengthened support for the economic empowerment of young people from minority communities, as well as the organization of seminars and conferences by the United Nations Development Programme, UN-Women and international partners on the involvement and contributions of women in peace processes. In conclusion, my country reiterates its support for UNMIK in its efforts on the ground and encourages the parties to maintain their dialogue in order to find a political solution through negotiations.”
2023-04-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9312 (2023) · source
“The remarkable work of the United Nations specialized agencies, especially the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, is to be commended for facilitating the voluntary return of members of minority communities and for providing asylum seekers with access to education, public services, legal aid and psychosocial support. The International Organization for Migration’s investment in housing to create a friendly living environment among returnees and host communities is also commendable, as are efforts aimed at helping to create small businesses for demobilized ex-combatants and their families. The European Union’s fight against corruption, which is an obstacle to development and peaceful coexistence, is also welcome.”
2023-04-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9312 (2023) · source
“A durable peace can be built only as a result of peaceful cohabitation among the various communities. In that regard, my country stresses the need for expatriates to return and notes with interest the 112 voluntary returns recorded during the reporting period. We encourage continued efforts to return all 200,000 displaced persons. It is essential for the authorities in Pristina to put in place legal mechanisms to strengthen the rule of law, including through judicial reform, because good justice is essential for building peace. The completion of the draft law on the documentation of crimes committed during the Kosovo war will contribute to bringing about calm.”
2023-04-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9312 (2023) · source
“We are concerned about the increase in community incidents affecting the religious domain, in particularly with respect to the church and religious leaders, and about the minority communities who are targeted by violence, including sexual violence. We hope that the proposed amendments to the criminal code and the criminal procedure code will be sufficiently dissuasive and a deterrent against such despicable acts and their perpetrators. The disproportionate use of force, as well as the recurrent intimidation by special operations units, is unacceptable. We urge the parties to refrain from any unilateral action, including hate speech, which fuels communal tensions. We call on the authorities in Pristina to ensure the safety of all communities and prevent police violence that could reignite tensions.”
2023-04-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9312 (2023) · source
“In that context, we welcome and support the various initiatives to accompany Pristina in the implementation of that important agreement. It is also crucial for the relevant resolutions of the Security Council, in particular resolution 1244 (1999), of 10 June 1999, to be used as key benchmarks in the search for solutions. We must also not lose sight of — and above all, respect for — the principles of the Charter of the United Nations, in particular the principle of respect for the territorial integrity of States. We note with interest the progress in the facilitation process and call on the parties to remain committed to it and refrain from any unilateral approaches. The community tensions must also be defused and dialogue maintained in order to advance the negotiations in the technical areas that are essential to people’s daily lives.”
2023-04-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9312 (2023) · source
“Community life is being seriously undermined by a range of factors, including arbitrary arrests, an increasing number of incidents, shots being fired at police patrols, attacks on journalists, the looting of stores and physical attacks, all of which contribute to a climate of chronic insecurity. It is essential to reach a long-term political solution in order to defuse tensions and ease the political climate. My country takes note of the European Union’s proposal to breathe new life into the negotiations between Belgrade and Pristina with a view to normalizing relations. Nevertheless, we remain convinced that the normalization of relations between Belgrade and Pristina must be achieved through the implementation of the 2013 Brussels First Agreement of Principles Governing the Normalization of Relations.”
2023-04-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9312 (2023) · source
“Mr. Biang (Gabon) (spoke in French): I would like to thank Special Representative Caroline Ziadeh for her informative briefing and her commitment to the implementation of her mandate. I welcome the participation in today’s meeting of Mr. Ivica Dačić, First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Serbia. We listened carefully to the briefing delivered by Ms. Gërvalla-Schwarz. The acrimonious dispute over vehicle license plates remains a bone of contention and a source of tension between Belgrade and Pristina. It was at the heart of the mass resignation of thousands of Kosovo Serbs from local institutions, as well as the boycott of the municipal elections held in the north, whose historically low turnout of about 2 per cent demonstrates the extent of the divide between communities.”
2023-04-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9312 (2023) · source