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 urge political actors to seize the opportunity presented by the agreement to create a dynamic of constructive consultations. Only the Haitians themselves have the ability to sustainably chart their path towards democracy, peace and stability. Ghana, Mozambique and Gabon believe in the important role that the Caribbean Community can play in accompanying Haiti through this painful era in its history. We encourage the countries of the region to strengthen their solidarity with Haiti, which we Africans consider to be an integral part of the sixth region of Africa. We will continue to stand alongside the brotherly Haitian people.”
2023-04-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9311 (2023) · source
“At the political level, the conclusion of the 21 December agreement is a positive development in the search for a consensus to re-establish State institutions. We call on the Haitian authorities to implement it in all its aspects in order to pave as solid a path as possible for the organization of credible elections. The actions taken to create a peaceful climate for the elections, in particular the prevention of electoral violence and the updating of the electoral roll, reflect the will of the Haitian people to tackle the challenges that lie ahead. We welcome the establishment of the High Transitional Council and the creation of a monitoring committee with the objective of advocating for the agreement’s rapid implementation.”
2023-04-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9311 (2023) · source
“It is essential that ongoing judicial cases — particularly those related to the assassination of the late President Jovenel Moïse, as well as those concerning the killings in Grand Ravine and Bel Air — are brought to a conclusion. On the economic and social front, we encourage the various reforms initiated by the Government in the customs and tax sectors, as well as those aimed at improving the social situation. Even bolder reforms are needed to reduce poverty and social inequality and strengthen the resilience of Haitians to tackle the many different crises they face. Haiti must be supported in its efforts to build a more inclusive and resilient economic model that will provide employment opportunities for the thousands of young people who are otherwise obliged to leave the country each year.”
2023-04-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9311 (2023) · source
“We note that the re-establishment of the rule of law in Haiti goes hand in hand with the strengthening of the presence of State institutions, in particular the police, throughout the country. No place should be left to the mercy of gangs. The appointment of eight judges to the Court of Cassation, the measures taken concerning the evaluation of prosecutors and other initiatives launched to improve the judicial system are steps in the right direction. Those laudable efforts should be supported by donors in order form them to achieve their full impact, including with respect to the successful completion of penal reform with a view to combating impunity and corruption in a sustainable manner.”
2023-04-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9311 (2023) · source
“We especially note the Spotlight Initiative, aimed at providing medical care and psychological support for victims of sexual and gender-based violence, as well as measures for returning children to schools that have been occupied by armed gangs. We urge international partners to intensify their efforts to bolster women’s resilience, reduce stigma and strengthen the community fabric. In that regard, we welcome the constructive discussions on establishing the presence of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and the reinstatement of an independent human rights expert in Haiti, as well as the consideration by the Human Rights Council of the human rights situation in Haiti under its agenda item 101.”
2023-04-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9311 (2023) · source
“The situation must be very quickly stabilized to enable those 4.9 million Haitians to be lifted out of acute food insecurity and to provide schooling for the more than 500,000 children who are not in school and are living in gang-controlled areas. We welcome and encourage the initiatives of the specialized agencies of the United Nations, including the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, UNICEF, the World Health Organization, the World Food Programme and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, along with bilateral partners, to meet the urgent humanitarian needs.”
2023-04-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9311 (2023) · source
“With regard to the humanitarian situation, the stabilization of the cholera epidemic appears to have provided a respite in an alarming environment marked by a 15.8 per cent increase in humanitarian needs as compared to 2021, including the 92.3 per cent increase in funding needs for the humanitarian response plan. The humanitarian situation is the result of multiple combined factors, including endemic poverty and insecurity, mass displacement and forced repatriation, which continues to add men, women and children returned from a forced exile caused by the harshness of daily life to a population that is already in difficulties.”
2023-04-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9311 (2023) · source
“In that regard, we welcome all complementary initiatives aimed at strengthening the material, technical and human capacities of the Haitian police and call on donor countries to increase their contribution to the basket fund in support of the professionalization of the Haitian National Police, which to date has received only about $14.9 million of its $28 million goal. We take note of the ongoing consultations on the deployment of a specialized force that will work with the Haitian National Police and encourage discussions aimed at finding a concerted and effective response that can end the prevailing insecurity.”
2023-04-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9311 (2023) · source
“The gang members are more heavily armed and are violating every conceivable right, including human rights. In their attempts to combat the violence, particularly in the Ouest and Artibonite departments, the police, with inadequate supplies of equipment and personnel, are struggling to achieve results and are running out of steam in the face of the scale of the challenges. On 23 April, clashes broke out between the Haitian National Police and armed gangs in the Débussy and Turgeau neighbourhoods of Port-au- Prince. The incident resulted in several deaths, looting and the burning of houses and vehicles. The A3 believes firmly that we must prioritize overcoming the security challenges if we are to restore Haiti’s ability to take control of its destiny.”
2023-04-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9311 (2023) · source
“We are extremely concerned about the fact that such violence does not spare children, who, together with women, are the preferred victims of the gangs that are directly targeting the police and have no qualms about using schools and health-care facilities as bases for their mafia-style operations. Ghana, Mozambique and Gabon firmly condemn the continued use of rape and other forms of sexual violence by armed gangs, which disproportionately affect women and girls with serious consequences for their human rights and health. The statistics speak for themselves. Violence in Haiti has reached unprecedented levels, with a 63 per cent increase in kidnappings and a 21 per cent increase in homicides compared to the last quarter of 2022. The pressure that gangs are able to exert on the police shows that there is a power imbalance in their favour.”
2023-04-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9311 (2023) · source
“We listened very carefully to the Special Representative’s informative briefing on the situation in Haiti, which has continued to deteriorate over the years. It is terrifying on the human front and alarming on the political front, and its economic repercussions are intolerable. All of that should compel every one of us to act, considering that it is happening less than four hours by plane from our meeting today. In terms of security, Haitians continue to face unspeakable terror, fueled by the criminal acts of gangs that are expanding their control in the country with the most heinous crimes, including rape, other forms of sexual violence, kidnapping for ransom, robberies and various forms of illicit trafficking.”
2023-04-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9311 (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), namely, Ghana, Mozambique and my own country, Gabon. We welcome the appointment of Ms. María Isabel Salvador as Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Haiti, and express our support for her during her term as Head of the United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti. We thank Ms. La Lime for her work and commitment during her term in that post. We also thank the Executive Director of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime for her insightful briefing. We welcome the Ministers for Foreign Affairs of Haiti and the Dominican Republic and the Permanent Representative of Canada to this meeting.”
2023-04-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9311 (2023) · source
“We welcome the meeting held in Sharm El-Sheikh on 19 March, under the auspices of the Arab Republic of Egypt, among Jordanian, Israeli, Palestinian and American political and security officials, in the framework of the agreement reached in Aqaba, Jordan in February. Gabon reiterates its commitment to a two- State solution, which cannot be achieved without the resolute political commitment of all the parties, the mobilization of regional players and the firm will of the international community to work harder than ever to restore peace between Israelis and Palestinians. That is the only way to give a greater chance to the two-State solution for which we all yearn.”
2023-04-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9309 (2023) · source
“Free access to the Israeli labour market for Palestinian workers in Gaza and the West Bank, as well as the lifting of all restrictions on access to materials in Gaza, are initiatives to be encouraged. Israel and the Palestinian Authority must centre their actions in a dynamic of appeasement. It is obvious that a complex situation with inextricable stakes cannot be resolved by the protagonists’ unilateral initiatives, but can be resolved only by constructive dialogue in good faith between the parties. Now more than ever, it is time to activate the channels of diplomacy in order to ensure that restraint, reason and respect for the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination and of Israel to security prevail in order to relaunch the peace process.”
2023-04-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9309 (2023) · source
“Such acts contribute to the destabilization of the occupied Palestinian territory, exacerbating tensions in the West Bank and fuelling the victims’ anger and desire for revenge. It is therefore essential to implement resolution 2334 (2016), which calls for an immediate and complete cessation of all settlement activity in the occupied Palestinian territory, including East Jerusalem. In the same vein, the particularly worrisome economic situation of the Palestinian Authority, which has been aggravated by the freezing of tax funds collected by Israel from Palestinian Authority workers on the Authority’s behalf, requires urgent measures aimed at achieving an economic recovery.”
2023-04-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9309 (2023) · source
“My country reiterates its call on the political leaders of both sides to refrain from, prevent, combat and punish the hate speech and intolerant rhetoric that fuel belligerence and undermine peace efforts. On the sensitive issue of the return of human remains to Palestinian and Israeli families, we call on the parties to seek a solution that will generate a climate of confidence for a lasting peace. The issue is all the more sensitive as it concerns respect for funeral rites, which are an integral part of the culture and identity of both parties. The security situation in the occupied Palestinian territory remains precarious and volatile, due in part to the ongoing policy of illegal settlement expansion and the demolition of Palestinian homes and other evictions affecting many Palestinian families.”
2023-04-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9309 (2023) · source
“The upsurge in hostilities in recent weeks, manifested in brutality and the disproportionate use of force against civilians, has led to an increasing number of victims. The year 2023 is set to equal the disastrous and dramatic record of 2022 in terms of the number of civilian casualties, including women and children. In that connection, the impact of the conflict on children is terrifying. They are being killed or seriously injured, if not recruited or used. That is unacceptable. We urge both Israeli forces and Palestinian armed groups to respect their obligations under international humanitarian law, including the principles of distinction, proportionality and precaution.”
2023-04-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9309 (2023) · source
“We also reiterate our support for the efforts of the King of Morocco, as Chair of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation’s Al-Quds Committee, to preserve the special status of the holy city as a symbol of the common heritage of humankind and of the three monotheistic religions, as well as a place of dialogue and mutual respect. We echo the Pope’s call during the celebration of Easter for a resumption of dialogue, in a climate of trust and mutual respect between Israelis and Palestinians, so that peace may reign in the holy city and throughout the entire region. The recent flare-up on the ground — with rocket fire from Gaza, southern Lebanon and Syria towards Israel and bombings by Israeli forces against southern Lebanon, the Gaza Strip and Syria — has served as a reminder of the regional significance of the conflict.”
2023-04-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9309 (2023) · source
“Tensions reached new heights on 4 April, when Israeli forces raided the Al-Aqsa Mosque. That grave incident joins the various other violations of the historical status quo of the holy sites that have occurred since the beginning of this year. Those violations continue to undermine the coexistence of all communities, particularly during such a sensitive period of celebration for the three monotheistic religions of Islam, Judaism and Christianity. The status quo of the holy sites must be respected and preserved. To that end, we recognize the crucial role of the Kingdom of Jordan as the official custodian of the Muslim holy sites in Jerusalem.”
2023-04-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9309 (2023) · source
“Mr. Biang (Gabon) (spoke in French): Exactly one year ago, the Security Council met in this very Chamber to hold an open debate on the situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question (see S/PV.9021). The distressing fact is that the scene is much the same: the same cycle of violence, the same rhetoric and the same deadlock. I thank Special Coordinator Wennesland for his enlightening briefing and his tireless efforts in the search for peace between Israel and the Palestinian Authority. I also welcome the presence of the Foreign Minister of the Observer State of Palestine and the representative of Israel. The Special Coordinator’s briefing on this day of remembrance for Israel augurs more concern than hope. The violence witnessed over the past few weeks has taken place in a particularly volatile context.”
2023-04-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9309 (2023) · source
“We extend our support for the Verification Mission and the Special Representative in their task of monitoring the fulfilment of the commitments of the Peace Agreement, through their engagement with various actors in Colombian society.”
2023-04-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9303 (2023) · source
“Mozambique, Ghana and Gabon note with concern the persistent security challenges, especially in regions historically affected by limitations on the presence of the State, with a record of violence that mostly affects indigenous and Afro-Colombian communities. The presence of State institutions in these regions is critical to the effectiveness and success of ongoing attempts to dismantle criminal organizations. In conclusion, we reaffirm our full support for the Government of Colombia in the implementation of the Final Peace Agreement. We also call on the international community, the United Nations and their partners to sustain their political and financial backing of the Colombian Government as it strives to bring about peace and stability across the country.”
2023-04-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9303 (2023) · source
“Francia Márquez, Vice-President, together with the Unit for the Implementation of the Final Agreement, aimed at improving the implementation of the ethnic chapter with a view to facilitating and improving the social integration of indigenous and Afro-Colombian communities. The issue of rural reform is of utmost importance in building a sustainable peace and an egalitarian society. We therefore welcome the proposed National Development Plan, including the significant budget allocation thereto. We also welcome the legal actions undertaken for the restitution of more than 1 million hectares of land to the five prioritized territories included under the ethnic chapter in Chocó, Guaviare, Nariño and Córdoba.”
2023-04-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9303 (2023) · source
“We encourage the Colombian Government to continue its efforts in search of a ceasefire and put an end to hostilities through negotiation, for the benefit of the good people of Colombia. The successful implementation of the ethnic chapter and the comprehensive rural reform are fundamental to consolidating peace and resolving issues of inequality and exclusion, which mainly affect indigenous Afro- descendent communities. On the ethnic chapter, the report indicates that the implementation rate of its provisions is 44 per cent compared to the average 60 per cent rate of the provisions of the Final Agreement overall. In this context, we encourage the continued work of the Office of Her Excellency Ms.”
2023-04-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9303 (2023) · source
“The A3 encourages the parties to maintain the same level of commitment with a view to holding the third round of negotiations, to take place this month in Cuba. We also support the Colombian Government’s request to expand the mandate of the United Nations Verification Mission to include monitoring and verification of future agreements with other armed groups. Despite the aforementioned efforts made by the Colombian Government, there remain challenges to the peace process. Mozambique, Ghana and Gabon regret and condemn the attack perpetrated by the ELN on 29 March 2023, which resulted in the death of nine Colombian soldiers. We strongly encourage all parties involved to give the negotiation process their full attention and refrain from taking any measures that could undermine efforts to maintain peace and stability.”
2023-04-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9303 (2023) · source
“The improvement of living conditions for former fighters and their families is a necessary component of a successful reintegration programme for these individuals. In this regard, we welcome the approval of 128 collective projects by the National Reintegration Council, of which 118 received financial support benefiting 3,898 former combatants, and the approval of 5,327 individual projects involving 6,419 former combatants. We commend the actions undertaken by President Petro Urrego in his total peace policy, by engaging various armed groups in peace talks. We note with satisfaction the outcome of the second round of peace negotiations between the Government and the Ejército de Liberaciön Nacional (ELN) on 10 March, in Mexico City.”
2023-04-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9303 (2023) · source
“In this regard, we welcome the introduction in Congress of the proposed National Development Plan for the period 2022–2026 as well as the budget of $10.7 billion for its implementation, reflecting such priorities as human security, social justice, climate action, the fight against inequality and the total peace policy. We also welcome the agreement reached between the Colombian Government and the former FARC-EP, to extend, for a period of four years, the mandate of the Commission for the Follow-Up, Promotion and Verification of the Implementation of the Final Peace Agreement. The formal appointment of senior officials by the Government as its representatives before the Commission reflects the importance it attaches to this body in the search for lasting peace and stability.”
2023-04-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9303 (2023) · source
“We reaffirm our full support for the national reconciliation process and the building of lasting peace in Colombia. The information contained in the report of the Secretary-General on the United Nations Verification Mission in Colombia (S/2023/222) over the last three months is very encouraging and commendable, especially with regard to the Government’s actions promoting inclusive dialogue through the involvement of the Colombian society, including communities affected by the conflict, women’s organizations, indigenous and Afro-Colombian people, and former members of the Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia-Ejército del Pueblo (FARC-EP).”
2023-04-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9303 (2023) · source
“I have the honour to deliver this statement on behalf of the African members of the Security Council (A3), namely, Mozambique, Ghana, and my own country, Gabon. We thank the Special Representative of the Secretary-General, Mr. Carlos Ruiz Massieu, the Chair of the Peacebuilding Commission, His Excellency Mr. Ivan Šimonović, and Mr. Rodrigo Londoño Echeverri for their enlightening briefings. We welcome the participation of His Excellency Mr. Álvaro Leyva Durán, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Colombia. Mozambique, Ghana and Gabon recognize the determination and efforts undertaken by President Gustavo Petro Urrego, his Government and the Colombian people, in line with the 2016 Colombia Peace Accord, to build peace and stability in the country after decades of armed conflict.”
2023-04-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9303 (2023) · source
“It is the responsibility of every part of the international community to redouble its efforts to strengthen international unity in order to achieve the goal of non-proliferation of weapons, particularly nuclear weapons, on which the survival of humankind depends.”
2023-04-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9301 (2023) · source
“It will be crucial to respect the treaties that we have concluded and address violations of international non-proliferation commitments with sanctions that provide sufficient deterrence. The Security Council should make it a rule to automatically be seized of such situations when a violation is identified. The Security Council should also take the principled position of underlining the seriousness of such acts by specifying the range of measures or sanctions that it could adopt as a result. In conclusion, I would like to emphasize the critical importance for our collective security system of dispelling any impression of a legal vacuum or weakness that could lead others to believe that breaches or violations of the non-proliferation regime would have no consequences for the States that commit them.”
2023-04-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9301 (2023) · source
“We must focus our action on something that is particularly important to the future of non-proliferation, and that is sanctioning States that do not honour their commitments. This is a call to the Council to take bolder action on the most pressing issues affecting international peace and security and that can be more tangibly manifested within the IAEA and the Review Conferences of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons. That kind of bold action is also vital in dealing with the illegal transfer of conventional arms through closer cooperation at the global and subregional levels, including measures to trace conventional weapons.”
2023-04-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9301 (2023) · source
“The Council is mandated to promote the universality and full implementation of treaties, while at the same time undertaking cooperative efforts to prevent the trafficking of weapons of mass destruction and their means of delivery. The international community must show that it can be united in taking action and can transcend differences between the strategic interests of States or groups of States. In moving beyond ambivalence or ambiguity in national positions and differences in approach, the international community must find a way to unite in a single international and universal instrument all the improvements that the non-proliferation regime requires and pragmatically strengthen all our existing frameworks in order to bind States more firmly to an entire network of other commitments that nonetheless contribute to non-proliferation.”
2023-04-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9301 (2023) · source
“Many countries do not have strict legal controls on the use, export and secure storage of their weapons. It is more important than ever to keep the fight against the proliferation of weapons, particularly nuclear weapons, at the heart of the global security agenda. The Security Council must ensure that the authority and effectiveness of the relevant international instruments are strengthened. Since the Council’s unanimous adoption of resolution 1540 (2004), on non-proliferation, the Council’s responsibility has been at the centre of the fight against proliferation, which is a threat to international peace and security under Chapter VII of the Charter.”
2023-04-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9301 (2023) · source
“Today more than ever, an arms race based on deterrence carries more risks of uncontrolled escalation and poor political control over nuclear forces, not to mention the possibility of internal destabilization owing to the complexity of the contexts and the large number of actors involved. The growing levels of tension between poles of influence and the insatiable quest for hegemony encourage States to renege on their international commitments, which adds to the difficulty of controlling weapons technology transfers. We should also be worried about the fact that new proliferation crises may arise at a time when the threat of mass terrorism has gone beyond the nightmare that a terrorist group might develop a nuclear weapon or attack a nuclear facility. Those scenarios are not academic.”
2023-04-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9301 (2023) · source
“The seriousness of the current situation portends a critical phase for international security, with the risk of a trend to nuclear proliferation and its effects in the years to come, while posing at least three major dangers for international security. The first is the undermining of the credibility of the NPT. The second is a severe risk of international destabilization that could lead to a much more unstable strategic landscape. The third is a heightened concern about the possible links between proliferation and terrorism. Mutual deterrence was undeniably important during the Cold War between the two blocs. Those days are clearly over.”
2023-04-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9301 (2023) · source
“On the one hand, they are fuelled by shortcomings in the international non-proliferation regime; on the other, they are particularly dangerous for international security and call for an urgent response on the part of the international community. The peoples of the world have placed a great deal of hope in disarmament treaties, in particular the international nuclear non-proliferation regime, which is made up of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), the nuclear-weapon-free-zone treaties, the various safeguards agreements concluded by individual States with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and export-control regimes for sensitive items.”
2023-04-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9301 (2023) · source
“Apart from the major recent events themselves, we must take stock of their implications, consider the possible responses available to the international community and draw lessons from our successive crises in order to strengthen the fight against the proliferation of weapons, particularly nuclear weapons, which are part of a much broader problem that includes several other categories of weapons of mass destruction — chemical, biological and radiological weapons of mass destruction — including the development in a growing number of countries of ballistic capabilities that could considerably extend their potential range of action. Regardless of the motivations of the various parties, we must emphasize that the recent and ongoing crises have two main characteristics.”
2023-04-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9301 (2023) · source
“Incomprehensibly, our generation has stood idly by while witnessing a terrible retreat, as if the blood that was shed in the past was not enough, the frenzied destruction was not devastating enough, and humankind had been struck by mass amnesia regarding the recent history that led us to found the United Nations on the funeral ashes of the League of Nations. The demons of wildly excessive armaments are looming and driving humankind towards an irreversible retreat into the abyss.”
2023-04-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9301 (2023) · source
“Today that hope, which led to the adoption of relevant multilateral and regional disarmament instruments and culminated in the adoption of the Arms Trade Treaty in 2013, seems to have lost steam. We saw the heightened level of awareness that prevailed at the end of the Second World War, thanks to the scope of its atrocities and horror, when the peoples of the world said “never again” to war and its death machines. The first words of the Charter of the United Nations are an indelible expression of that sublime aspiration of humankind.”
2023-04-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9301 (2023) · source
“Mr. Biang (Gabon) (spoke in French): I congratulate Mozambique on its exemplary leadership during its presidency of the Security Council in March. I wish Russia every success during its presidency in April. I thank Under-Secretary-General Izumi Nakamitsu for her briefing. The compounded international crises have brought arms proliferation issues to the forefront of international security concerns. The distressing evidence of massive rearmament, which is evident in several crisis-ridden regions of the world, revives the fears and traumas of the two world wars and the concerns regarding the Cold War era’s frantic race towards deterrence. We seem to be moving away from the hope held by the international community to limit, if not contain, the most deadly and inhumane weapons.”
2023-04-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9301 (2023) · source
“After 13 months of destructive and deadly fighting, the Council must be the epicentre of new ideas on how to emerge from the conflict and develop concrete prospects for negotiations and on a commitment by the parties to silence the guns and bring peace and security to Ukraine. My country again calls on the warring parties to respect international law and refrain from any heinous action that could prolong the war. Exacerbating the suffering by continuing to raise the spectre of destruction is untenable. The channels of diplomacy must supplant the risky wagers of brute force, and peaceful coexistence must prevail over the mindset of confrontation.”
2023-03-31 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9300 (2023) · source
“These developments run counter to the international nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation goals prescribed by the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT). They are also a setback to efforts to make the world safer by eradicating the nuclear threat, as well as a contradictory and difficult to decipher signal to non-nuclear-weapon States. Above all, this trend to trivialize nuclear weapons and the show of force is perilous for humankind. History records that the ravages brought about by this category of weapon has horrible and irreparable consequences. My country will never support the use or threat of use of nuclear weapons, or of any other weapon of mass destruction. We reiterate our opposition to this senseless war, which has gone on long enough.”
2023-03-31 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9300 (2023) · source
“Mr. Biang (Gabon) (spoke in French): I thank Mrs. Nakamitsu for her briefing. We are particularly concerned by recent reports of Russia’s deployment of tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus, one month after the suspension of its participation in the bilateral New START Treaty. This information intersects with that relating to massive arms deliveries to Ukraine. Obviously, we are facing a dangerous turning point in the war in which the use of nuclear weapons appears increasingly to be an option. Whether it serves as a deterrent or in the service of belligerents’ propaganda, the rhetoric on resort to nuclear weapons gives rise to the worst fears for the world, and in particular for people in the throes of the conflict, who continue to pay the highest cost.”
2023-03-31 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9300 (2023) · source
“The annual losses of just over $88 billion due to illicit financial flows alone have a significant impact on States’ development. Fighting that scourge is an imperative that can help to curb conflicts and silence the weapons. The adoption of the Yaoundé Declaration, encouraging States to cooperate on taxation and illicit financial flows, shows the interest that African countries have in those issues. In conclusion, I would like to stress the importance of establishing development policies that are in line with the specific needs of African States and their peoples especially. That is the only way that development can have an effective impact on the implementation of the Silencing the Guns initiative. It is a human-centred approach that gives people the tools they need to increase their resilience.”
2023-03-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9299 (2023) · source
“Failing to support countries that are already weakened, especially by terrorism, amounts to ignoring the threat posed to international peace and security. We continue to believe that the risk of escalating conflicts can be reduced by developing reliable development projects and contributing to prevention and peacebuilding efforts through appropriate economic investment. We cannot address the impact of development policies on the implementation of the Silencing the Guns initiative without highlighting the constraints that undermine development in Africa and therefore tend to fuel crises. Illicit financial flows are a major obstacle to Africa’s development, as they drain hard currency holdings and domestic resources and exacerbate poverty and inequality.”
2023-03-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9299 (2023) · source
“States that are fragile or in post-conflict situations and therefore very often unable to fulfil their governance responsibilities are the most exposed to conflict. In order to increase the effectiveness of our actions in support of peace and strengthen the resilience of such countries, we must systematically combine the many crisis prevention and resolution initiatives with the implementation of quick-impact development projects and ensure that the international financial institutions are involved and the private sector is mobilized. In the Horn of Africa and the Sahel, the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund should support reconstruction, infrastructure restoration projects and the restoration of basic services.”
2023-03-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9299 (2023) · source
“Indeed, development plays a crucial role in our efforts to promote peace in Africa. The implementation of the Silencing the Guns initiative and the actions to be taken must therefore be aligned with that reality. The substantial cost of the absence of development on the cycle of violence and the resurgence of conflict is evident. Poverty and a lack of prospects for young people are risk factors for conflict and the resurgence of conflict. Consequently, young people fall prey to armed and terrorist groups, whose activities are a huge factor in the proliferation of guns. It is therefore essential to closely align the work of addressing security issues together with efforts to enact development policies in order to reinforce the conditions conducive to the implementation of the Silencing the Guns initiative.”
2023-03-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9299 (2023) · source
“It continues to support the reconciliation process in Libya and is making a major contribution to concrete solutions in the Sahel. However, despite that progress, conflicts and crises persist in Africa and are affecting the daily lives of African populations. Violent extremism, terrorism, the proliferation of small arms and light weapons and the intrusion of armed groups pose a real threat to peace and security in Africa. Most of those crises are partly driven by poverty, inequality and social exclusion and fuelled by the exploitation of natural resources. The rise in conflicts, and their links to socioeconomic crises, therefore makes it essential to reflect in depth on the nexus between security and development, which are two sides of the same coin, or rather two pillars of conflict prevention, conflict resolution and peacebuilding.”
2023-03-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9299 (2023) · source
“When the African Union launched its Silencing the Guns initiative in 2013, the picture of crises and conflicts on the continent was stark: the Sahel was in turmoil; Somalia, the Sudan and South Sudan in the Horn of Africa were enveloped in major crises; and the Great Lakes region was suffering chronic instability. Ten years after the launch of that initiative, which is rooted in the African Peace and Security Architecture, it is clear that the African Union is playing a more crucial role than ever in preventing and resolving crises on the continent and is bold in its ability to provide African perspectives on peace and security. The African Union has been at the heart of peace agreements in the Sudan, in the search for a solution to the crisis in Ethiopia and in State restoration in Somalia.”
2023-03-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9299 (2023) · source