YouSaid · the spoken record

Byrne Nason

lines on the record: 1,154
first: 2018-04-16
most recent: 2022-07-29
sittings or episodes: 170
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

“I call on the Russian Federation once again to put an end to this needless suffering, comply with its obligations under international law and to withdraw all its forces unconditionally from the entire sovereign territory of Ukraine.”
2022-07-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9104 (2022) · source
“Parties to the conflict must comply with international humanitarian law, including the obligation to distinguish between civilians and combatants and to attack only military objectives, the prohibitions against indiscriminate and disproportionate attacks, and the obligation to take all feasible precautions in attack. I have said it before, and I will say it for the last time: compliance is not optional. We urge the parties to facilitate full, safe and unhindered humanitarian access to those in need of life-saving assistance and medical support. Russia alone bears responsibility for this war. Russia alone can end it. It is high time.”
2022-07-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9104 (2022) · source
“Across Ukraine, attacks on civilian infrastructure have also left millions without access to basic health services, including water, electricity, gas and adequate shelter. We have all seen the images, and we have read the reports. Women are giving birth in bomb shelters and hospital basements, with no electricity for incubators. That is unconscionable. Children are at imminent risk of being cut off from safe drinking water. Families are forced to flee due to fear of bombardment and war or because the lack of electricity and heat in their own homes has made them unliveable. Needs are expected to grow as long as hostilities continue, promising to exacerbate an already dire humanitarian situation as winter now soon approaches. We once again call on the Russian Federation to comply with its obligations under international law. Full stop.”
2022-07-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9104 (2022) · source
“Across the country, civilians are being targeted, displaced and dying as a consequence of a war not of their making in any way. Just this month, a Russian cruise missile hit civilian areas of Vinnytsia in central Ukraine, killing at least 22 people and injuring more than 100. Among those reported to have been killed was a 4-year-old girl with Down syndrome. That is absolute depravity. That is not Russia’s first attack on Ukraine’s towns and cities, as we know too well. However, it speaks to a worrisome trend of attacks on civilian targets that appear to have just one goal in mind: to intimidate and terrorize the civilian population. Let me be clear: those responsible for such attacks must be held to account.”
2022-07-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9104 (2022) · source
“While we welcome last Friday’s agreement, we must not forget why this agreement was needed in the first place. For more than five months, Russia has waged an unprovoked and unjustified war against Ukraine in violation of international law — a war that is an absolute affront to the Charter of the United Nations. Most of us here dedicate ourselves every day to protecting and promoting the Charter. The Charter is our touchstone. This war is a violation of that precious Charter. With each passing day, new harrowing testimony emerges. Innocent men and women are targeted by gunfire while evacuating to save their own lives. Children are condemned for life to relive the indiscriminate bombing and shelling of their homes, schools and playgrounds. Elderly Ukrainians speak of being brutalized and starved in their own homes.”
2022-07-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9104 (2022) · source
“That is why the Russian attack on the port of Odesa less than 24 hours after the agreement was signed was particularly cynical. We condemn that reprehensible act outright. All parties made clear commitments to ensure the safe movement of Ukrainian grain to global markets to help address the global food crisis, reduce pressure on high prices and ease the suffering of millions, including in places already devastated by hunger, such as Somalia, Ethiopia, Yemen and Lebanon. We urge all sides to act in good faith and to implement their commitments without delay. Ireland has been crystal clear since joining the Security Council on the irrefutable link between conflict and hunger. We encourage those who have been reluctant — I would say unwilling — to recognize this link to think again, reconsider their position and look at this global crisis.”
2022-07-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9104 (2022) · source
“We commend Ukraine and Russia for overcoming the obstacles necessary to make it possible. We deeply appreciate the tireless efforts of the Secretary-General and his team. We also recognize the important contribution of President Erdoğan and the Government of Türkiye to bring the sides closer together. In the words of the Secretary-General, the agreement is a ray of hope in a world darkened by global crises. In the past year, global food prices have risen by nearly one third, and up to 95 million more people, many of whom were already enduring hunger exacerbated by the impacts of climate change, conflict, disease and the global impacts of the coronavirus pandemic, could be plunged into acute food insecurity as a result. We urge the full and immediate implementation of the initiative. Simply put, it could not be more urgent.”
2022-07-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9104 (2022) · source
“I thank you, Mr. President, for your very generous tribute to me at the start of what is my last meeting in this chair at this table. Your remarks were very warm and touching. Go raibh maith agat. I would also like to thank all of my colleagues for their kind remarks. I will miss them and will also miss working alongside them in this Chamber. Working alongside them in defence of international peace and security — most of the time, as we do — has been the privilege of a lifetime and career. Again, Go raibh maith agat. On 22 July, Ireland warmly welcomed the signing of the Black Sea grain initiative, which, once implemented, will help reduce pressure on those countries suffering as a result of food supply constraints and high prices. We know that the agreement did not come easily.”
2022-07-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9104 (2022) · source
“But to those who seek to use the Charter as a means — or some might say as an excuse — to protect their own power instead of fulfilling their obligations to maintain international peace and security, I ask them what they are really afraid of. We know that the road to sustainable peace is long. It does not end with the signing of a deal. It takes time, commitment, fortitude and — always — hope. As I conclude my time as Ireland’s Permanent Representative, I call on the Council to open the doors of this Chamber to those possibilities, strengthen its cooperation with the Peacebuilding Commission, open our ears to the calls of our Members and open our minds to those on the front lines who strive for peace every day. Millions of vulnerable people are relying on us to do just that. We cannot let them down.”
2022-07-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9101 (2022) · source
“That is true not only of our deliberations here in New York but also of our impact on the ground, where it matters most. This is not about overstepping mandates; it is about using mandates to their full potential. I ask the Council: is that not the essence of multilateralism? Is it not the pooling of our strengths, our resources and our knowledge to work side by side — super-Powers and small islands alike — for the betterment of our shared and vulnerable planet? As I listened today to the examples of protecting the gains of peacekeeping transitions, empowering women and young people in peace processes and addressing the interplay of climate and conflict, I am encouraged by what we have achieved, both at the Council and at the Peacebuilding Commission.”
2022-07-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9101 (2022) · source
“Thirdly, the Council needs to respond to the changing world around us and empower others, including the PBC. Every month, the PBC empowers us with knowledge and advice. It is high time for us to turn that advice into action, where we can. It is vital that we ensure that the PBC and the Member States it represents are empowered to fulfil their important role. The recent PBC briefing on the United Nations Office for West Africa and the Sahel (see S/PV.9086), its engagement on regional issues and its advice on enhancing the links between peacekeeping and peacebuilding are all concrete examples of how we can effectively work together. I want to be clear: enhancing the synergies between the PBC and the Security Council makes our work here more effective.”
2022-07-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9101 (2022) · source
“The PBC has engaged with youth issues in a tangible manner, particularly in regions on the Council’s agenda, such as the Great Lakes region and the Sahel. That requires and deserves our full support. Similarly, the PBC has an important role to play in ensuring women’s full, equal and meaningful participation. Let me be clear here: gender equality is neither naïve idealism nor an aspiration that we can reserve for peace time. Women are demanding fulfilment of their right — fulfilment of our right — to participate in peace processes, to be in the room and at the table where peace is made. Our participation disrupts the status quo that begot the conflict in the first place. It establishes an inclusive and sustainable vision of peace. Put simply, it leads to better and longer- lasting peace.”
2022-07-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9101 (2022) · source
“That should be matched with a genuine commitment to ensuring that peacebuilding activities are adequately supported and sustainably financed. I would like to commend and encourage the PBC’s convening role on discussions on peacebuilding financing, most notably on synergies with the Peacebuilding Fund. Secondly, the Council could learn valuable lessons from the PBC’s work on promoting inclusivity, most notably of women and young people. As Council members know, my country is no stranger to conflict. For generations of young people, myself included, violence on our island was a daily reality. Our conviction, borne of that experience, is that we cannot build lasting peace without including those who ultimately inherit it.”
2022-07-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9101 (2022) · source
“It means moving away from our default position of responding to crises and taking a more proactive role in actually preventing them. Sitting around this table, we hear of similar situations around the globe: situations of poverty, gender inequality, food insecurity and human rights violations. The question is: when will we wake up and face the facts? The writing appears on the wall long before the first bullet is fired. The longer we take to invest in prevention, the hungrier people grow, the more destitute their poverty becomes and the more likely conflict is to arise. The time to act is now. Just as no one country can address those challenges alone, the same is true for the United Nations. We need to respond in a coordinated manner, including by providing support for the Secretary- General’s New Agenda for Peace.”
2022-07-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9101 (2022) · source
“They seek not to make headlines but headway. I believe the Peacebuilding Commission is one such body. In my time as Ireland’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, I have had the privilege of serving as an elected member of both the Security Council and of the Peacebuilding Commission. Both the Council and the Commission work towards the same goal, albeit from different angles. Both are critical to building and sustaining peace. I would like to offer some reflections on how we can learn from and support each other to do just that: to build peace and finally live up to our promises under the Charter of the United Nations. First and obviously, we need to invest in prevention. That makes sense not only politically and morally but also financially — prevention saves both lives and money.”
2022-07-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9101 (2022) · source
“I want to begin by thanking Brazil for organizing this crucial debate. Ireland has long advocated for a strengthened relationship between the Security Council and the Peacebuilding Commission (PBC). As I approach the end of my term as Permanent Representative of Ireland, I am reassured that there remains such staunch support for that important United Nations body around this table. I want to warmly welcome the current and former Chairs of the PBC present here today and to recognize Kenya’s role as informal coordinator. The presence and briefings of the speakers are powerful reminders that, while we come into this Chamber, day in and day out, with eloquent words in support of peace, there are other United Nations bodies that simply put their shoulder to the wheel and get the job done. They do it quietly and without fanfare.”
2022-07-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9101 (2022) · source
“In conclusion, Ireland calls on the Council to reinvigorate its efforts through coherent and effective action towards ending the occupation.”
2022-07-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9099 (2022) · source
“As I leave for a new posting next month, this is my last statement on this file as Permanent Representative of Ireland. Unfortunately, the prospects of reopening a political horizon for meaningful negotiations between the parties on achieving a two-State solution are as remote today as when I arrived at the United Nations five years ago, in 2017. I deeply regret that. The same can be said for accountability. Accountability is not something separate from the peace process and a political horizon. It cannot wait for political conditions to be right, and it cannot be substituted by economic development. Ireland will continue to draw attention to violations by all duty bearers and will continue to call for accountability.”
2022-07-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9099 (2022) · source
“Moreover, Ireland calls on the Palestinian Authority to ensure a safe space for civil society and human rights defenders, who must be allowed to operate freely without fear of being subjected to intimidation, arbitrary arrest or abuse. We call on the Authority to exercise greater responsibility, within the constraints faced under the occupation. The PA must work to reduce tensions and violence, reinvigorate preparations for essential, inclusive elections and increase meaningful efforts on intra-Palestinian reconciliation. Ireland underlines our support for the work of the United Nations in the occupied Palestinian territory and calls on Israel to facilitate that work. The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East plays a vital role in regional stability and merits strong support, including regionally.”
2022-07-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9099 (2022) · source
“Neither have there been any measures to ensure accountability for the indiscriminate firing of rockets towards Israel in breach of international humanitarian law or for other possible violations of international humanitarian law. Civil society has a vital role to play in shining a light on violations of international law and promoting accountability for those responsible. We are alarmed at the reduced space for civil society in the occupied Palestinian territory. We will continue our strong cooperation with and support for Palestinian civil society, as affirmed by Ireland and eight other member States of the European Union in a statement made on 12 July. Ireland supports the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Right’s call on Israel to revoke the designations against Palestinian civil society organizations as terrorist entities.”
2022-07-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9099 (2022) · source
“Recent removals of water tanks are gravely concerning. The people of the Gaza Strip continue to suffer. Cycles of violence and war and an illegal blockade have resulted in extreme hardship, including poverty and food insecurity. We welcome Israel’s granting of additional permits and its easing of some restrictions, but such measures will never be a substitute for ending the blockade. During the escalation of hostilities in May 2021, Israeli attacks may have violated international humanitarian law principles of distinction, proportionality and feasible precautions, as documented by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights. However, more than a year later, we are not aware of any criminal investigation of those incidents.”
2022-07-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9099 (2022) · source
“Ireland is particularly concerned about the situation in Area C, which is part of the occupied Palestinian territory and, in line with the Oslo Accords, should be gradually transferred to Palestinian jurisdiction. We reiterate the critical importance of social and economic development in Area C and call on Israel to allow more access and control for the Palestinian Authority (PA). We also call on Israel to cease evictions and the demolitions of Palestinian homes and related structures, in line with its obligations under international humanitarian law. The recent Masafer Yatta eviction decision in the South Hebron Hills in the occupied West Bank is one of the more egregious examples, which increases the risk of the forcible transfer of some 1,200 Palestinians and the demolition of their homes.”
2022-07-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9099 (2022) · source
“An independent investigation into the killing of Shireen Abu Akleh remains essential. It is now well overdue. We strongly condemn settler violence and other ideologically motivated violence. Action to bring perpetrators to justice remains extremely limited. We urgently need to reverse that trend and hold those responsible accountable. Ireland remains of the view that ongoing Israeli settlement activity gravely undermines the prospects of a two-State solution. Immediate action is required to preserve the viability of that goal. That applies particularly to those settlements, including Givat Hashaked, Lower Aqueduct, Givat Hamatos and Area E-1, that would gravely undermine the viability and contiguity of a future Palestinian State.”
2022-07-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9099 (2022) · source
“I would like to thank Deputy Special Coordinator Hastings for her briefing. I also want to thank the Permanent Representative of the United States for updating us on President Biden’s visit to the region. Last month, the Security Council held an open debate on strengthening accountability and justice for serious violations of international law (see S/PV.9052). Accountability is vital across all files on the Council’s agenda, particularly in the context of the issues that we are discussing today. In the first six months of this year, 60 Palestinians were killed and more than 5,900 injured by Israeli security forces. We are concerned about the pervasive culture of impunity for incidents of possible excessive use of force by Israeli security forces, or even for potentially unlawful killings.”
2022-07-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9099 (2022) · source
“At this moment of political transition, truth and accountability, Colombia stands at an important juncture. The support of the Security Council and the international community for the implementation of the Colombian peace accord is as vital as ever. Ireland will continue to stand with the Colombian Government and the Colombian people. We remain committed to a shared, equitable, inclusive and peaceful future.”
2022-07-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9094 (2022) · source
“In particular, we know the cost for women who stand up for themselves and their communities, such as Jesusita Moreno in Cali: it is often fatal. Accountability for such crimes must be ensured, and impunity eradicated. Effective resourcing of the Comprehensive Programme for Safeguards for Women Leaders and Human Rights Defenders is absolutely essential. The full and timely implementation of the gender provisions of the peace agreement will further aid these efforts. Progress is also required on the National Commission on Security Guarantees, including the adoption and implementation of the public policy to dismantle illegal armed groups. Those guarantees are critical to reducing violence and providing safety and security to those who have committed themselves to peace.”
2022-07-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9094 (2022) · source
“While working to acknowledge the injustices of the past, we must also recognize and address those that still occur in the present. For communities across Colombia, particularly indigenous and Afro- Colombian communities, violence remains an everyday reality, through victimization by armed groups, sexual and gender-based violence, forced displacement, confinement and forced child recruitment. Those who stand up in support of peace, human rights and dignity continue to be targeted, threatened, and, in some cases, they lose their lives. The continued killing of signatories to the peace agreement, most recently Ronald Rojas, is a deplorable and unacceptable price to pay for committing to a peaceful future.”
2022-07-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9094 (2022) · source
“We look forward to continued progress in those and other cases and to the first issuance of restorative sentences later this year. The final report of the Truth Commission, as powerfully shared earlier by Padre de Roux, contains important recommendations and presents a platform upon which national reconciliation and healing can and must be built. The Unit for the Search for Persons Deemed Missing continues its critical work in providing deserved closure to grieving families. The continued safe and meaningful participation of victims in those processes is essential to the legitimacy of the institutions and is also fundamental to ensuring dignity and non-repetition. I look forward to facilitating an in-depth discussion on the transitional justice system in Colombia at this afternoon’s Arria Formula meeting.”
2022-07-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9094 (2022) · source
“This is an opportunity for actors from across Colombian society to recommit to the full implementation of the accord. As a new Congress is inaugurated next week, the formation of the “peace and victims’ caucus”, consisting of the 16 representatives of the special transitional electoral districts for peace, will further bring the voices of victims and survivors to the table. We also welcome efforts to engage Colombian youth in political participation and peacebuilding, including by the platform of women’s organizations Ruta Pacífica de las Mujeres. The Colombian transitional justice system took significant steps over the reporting period. The public acknowledgement of responsibility and truth in Cases 01 and 03 of the Special Jurisdiction for Peace represented historic progress in addressing legacy injustices in Colombia.”
2022-07-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9094 (2022) · source
“I wish to thank the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for his assessment today and to offer special thanks to Padre De Roux for his thoughtful and really inspirational briefing. I also thank Jineth for her powerful words to us today as well. I would like to especially welcome Vice-President Ramírez and thank her for her sincere and consistent engagement with the Council and its members. The past reporting period has borne witness to a number of historic moments in Colombia. We welcome the largely peaceful conduct of presidential elections in May and June and the commitment of all candidates to upholding the Final Agreement for Ending the Conflict and Building a Stable and Lasting Peace. We stand ready to support the incoming Government throughout the transition period and beyond.”
2022-07-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9094 (2022) · source
“As a country with a long-standing record of contributing to peacekeeping, Ireland is fully committed to building strategic communications capacity in peacekeeping. We thank the Brazilian presidency again for raising that issue.”
2022-07-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9090 (2022) · source
“It is vital that transition planning incorporate the design of an effective communications strategy to ensure that the roles and responsibilities of a reconfigured United Nations presence are clearly understood by all, particularly the local population. It is vital that no group feel left behind and that we see engagement with civil society as key. As I conclude, I also want to note that the digital revolution has fundamentally changed our world, of course, and, importantly, how audiences receive their information. Peacekeeping operations are no exception and must adapt to those new realities. The effective use of strategic communications can play a significant role in mandate implementation and in ensuring that our peacekeepers and those they are deployed to protect are safer.”
2022-07-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9090 (2022) · source
“We must take every opportunity to raise our voice in the name of those who cannot raise their own. We must oppose narratives of hate; we must refute misinformation and disinformation; and we must ensure a zero-tolerance policy for all forms of sexual exploitation and abuse. Creating protective environments requires engagement with local actors, including young people, as well as the promotion of women’s participation and leadership. We want to underline and commend the work being done in some of the most challenging contexts to promote women’s role in peace and security. We believe that strategic communications are particularly important during United Nations transitions.”
2022-07-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9090 (2022) · source
“Irish troops serving in United Nations peacekeeping missions have always placed strong emphasis on outreach operations to ensure effective communications with the local authorities and populations. In the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon, for example, that is done through key leader and community engagement, as well as through civil and military cooperation projects. In the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force, it is done through quick-impact projects. Strategic communications cannot take place in a knowledge vacuum. Peacekeeping intelligence should inform coherent strategic communications strategies. That, in turn, will help to enhance the safety and security of our peacekeepers, while also improving mandate implementation. We see that as particularly important for the protection of civilians.”
2022-07-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9090 (2022) · source
“Clearly explaining to populations on the ground — in particular those that are hard to reach or most at risk of harm — why peacekeepers are there and the role they can play, as well as managing expectations in that regard, is critical. That requires a concerted whole-of-United Nations approach, from the highest strategic levels to the operational and tactical levels. We have learned through experience the hugely negative impact that misinformation, disinformation and hate speech can have on both peacekeepers and the civilians they are sent to protect. Put simply, effective strategic communications enhances force protection and can reduce violence and help sustain peace.”
2022-07-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9090 (2022) · source
“The deployment of a peacekeeping mission should send a clear message of hope to populations on the ground in conflict environments. That message should make it clear that the international community stands with them and that we are working to give them the chance of a better life in their own countries. But for such missions to succeed, it is critical that they be able to communicate effectively and systematically with local communities, host countries and all parties to conflicts. The importance of strategic communications is clearly reflected in the Secretary-General’s own Action for Peacekeeping Plus implementation strategy. Peacekeeping operations are deployed to the most complex environments, often with competing narratives around conflict.”
2022-07-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9090 (2022) · source
“I want to welcome the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Brazil to the Chamber today and thank Brazil for organizing this discussion. We certainly look forward to the adoption of a presidential statement later this morning. I would also like to thank our briefers this morning. Ireland shares with Brazil and many others here today a deep and long-standing commitment to peacekeeping. The Security Council deploys peacekeepers to the most difficult contexts. Too many of them have made the ultimate sacrifice in the cause of peace. Therefore, we around this table have a real responsibility to ask what more we can do to ensure that peacekeepers come home safely. Effective strategic communications is an essential tool in that regard.”
2022-07-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9090 (2022) · source
“Now it is time for the Council to assume its responsibilities. We command this draft resolution to the Council, and we ask all members to support it.”
2022-07-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9089 (2022) · source
“We recognize that a six-month renewal is shorter than we, as co-penholders, aimed for when we started this negotiation. We also recognize that the vast majority of the members of the Council shared that view and that of humanitarian actors on the ground that a 12-month mandate was needed. What is most important today is that, with this draft resolution, the Council keeps the cross-border of mechanism open and operating and that humanitarian assistance continues to reach those in need. This draft resolution will facilitate further early-recovery efforts and encourage regular follow-up meetings on implementation. This draft resolution represents a delicate balance between the different positions of Council members at this time. We are grateful to all Council members for their engagement to that end.”
2022-07-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9089 (2022) · source
“Throughout this process, like so many around this table, Ireland and Norway have been guided solely by the humanitarian needs of the Syrian people. The authorization for the cross-border operation expired at midnight on Sunday night. For the Syrian people and for all those humanitarians who work diligently to assist them, this has been a long and uncertain couple of days. The fear that vital supplies of aid would be cut generated significant uncertainty and fear. The draft resolution before us now will renew the border crossing at Bab Al-Hawa for six months. It anticipates the further extension of an additional six months, which will require a separate resolution. Importantly, a special report from the Secretary-General on the humanitarian needs in Syria will inform that decision.”
2022-07-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9089 (2022) · source
“I deliver this statement on behalf of Norway and Ireland. Today we are meeting to vote on draft resolution S/2022/546, put forward by Ireland and Norway, which would authorize the cross-border humanitarian aid operation in Syria. It is no secret that this was a difficult negotiation. As co-penholders, Ireland and Norway engaged diligently and constructively with all Security Council members. After draft resolution S/2022/538, which we put on the table last week, was vetoed, we redoubled our efforts to find a path through so that the Council could adopt a resolution that would allow humanitarians to continue to reach those in dire need in Syria. The result of our efforts is now before the Council in the form of a new draft resolution.”
2022-07-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9089 (2022) · source
“The Council has a responsibility in that regard, and we will continue to engage with all members to seek to ensure that it lives up to that responsibility. We need to reach a solution in the immediate term — a solution that renews the mandate for cross-border aid. There is simply no time to waste. The Syrian people are counting on us.”
2022-07-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9087 (2022) · source
“The cross-border operation is a lifeline for millions of Syrians who are dependent on humanitarian aid. The humanitarian situation is not getting any better; on the contrary, it has only worsened over the past year. People lack food and food prices are rising. We think that every member of the Council can agree on that. We appreciate the engagement from all sides during the negotiations. We also appreciate the support that our text received from the large majority of Council members. However, we deeply regret that our compromise was rejected through the use of the veto. Ireland and Norway’s views on the veto are well known. We regret the veto’s existence and deeply regret its use today, but we are not daunted by it — this is not the end of the road. What matters to us as co-penholders is getting humanitarian aid to those who need it.”
2022-07-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9087 (2022) · source
“Ireland and Norway are extremely disappointed that the Security Council did not adopt draft resolution S/2022/538, on cross- border humanitarian aid into Syria, on which we just voted. Having engaged carefully with all Council members, we put forward the draft resolution in good faith and as our best effort towards a compromise that could command the support of the Council. The draft resolution’s text would have made it possible for life-saving humanitarian assistance to reach those in need in north-west Syria by all modalities — both cross-border and cross-line. It would have facilitated continued and enhanced early-recovery efforts. It would have renewed the cross-border mechanism for 12 months, unless the Council decided otherwise after six months.”
2022-07-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9087 (2022) · source
“The United Nations system, including the Security Council, has a critical role to play in enabling those actions. West Africa and the Sahel are at a crossroads. The challenges faced by the region are complex and far- reaching, but they are not insurmountable. Achieving political stability through inclusive democratic governance, addressing the drivers of violence and alleviating the humanitarian crisis will help us to ensure that the hard-won gains of recent years will not be eroded. In that context, we hope that the Council will unite in support for the continued work of the United Nations Office for West Africa and the Sahel and unanimously agree on a presidential statement — which we will propose alongside our Ghanaian colleagues — to guide its vital work over the next six months.”
2022-07-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9086 (2022) · source
“We are also extremely concerned about the increasingly dire humanitarian situation. Climate shocks have contributed to the dramatic food crisis, and we remain concerned about the adverse implications of climate change for peace and security in the region. In that regard, Ireland was delighted to co-organize April’s regional conference on climate change and peace and security in West Africa and the Sahel, to which the Special Representative of the Secretary- General referred earlier. We welcome the adoption of a call to action, through which the countries of the region clearly recognized the challenges presented by climate-related security risks. We hear their call for more inclusive and evidence-based analysis and policymaking, integrated partnerships and scaled-up conflict-sensitive climate finance.”
2022-07-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9086 (2022) · source
“We share the Secretary-General’s concern about the impact of unconstitutional changes of Government on the stability of the subregion, as well as on political, economic and social progress. The role of the Economic Community of West African States is key. We welcome the outcome of the recent summit and its efforts to support political transitions in Mali, Burkina Faso and Guinea. We also commend its work on the review of the 2001 Supplementary Protocol on Democracy and Good Governance. Those transition processes must be genuinely inclusive. They should result in free, fair, transparent and credible elections and a return to constitutional order. Ireland deeply regrets the growing restrictions of civil liberties, as well as the continued under- representation of women in decision-making processes across the region.”
2022-07-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9086 (2022) · source
“The increased terrorist threat has led to an intensification in counter- terrorism responses. We call on all national authorities to ensure that international law is always obeyed in counter-terrorism activities. Reports of human rights violations allegedly perpetrated by security forces, in some cases accompanied by foreign mercenaries, are deeply troubling. Failure to ensure accountability serves only to further drive radicalization. To prevent the further spread of terrorism, greater focus must be placed on addressing the underlying drivers of radicalization. We know that a military solution alone will not suffice when the drivers of violence remain unaddressed.”
2022-07-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9086 (2022) · source
“We offer our sincere condolences to the families of the peacekeepers of the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali who were killed in further heinous attacks this week. The threat of violence and insecurity, which was already catastrophic in Mali, Burkina Faso and the Niger, continues to intensify and has expanded southward into the coastal States. That expansion should not come as a surprise to any of us. We have been warned about it time and time again. Regional leadership and cooperation are crucial to facing those threats. We welcome the intensified collaboration under the Accra Initiative. However, we remain concerned that cooperation within the Group of Five for the Sahel has weakened at a time when the security situation is deteriorating.”
2022-07-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9086 (2022) · source
“Before I start, I would like to congratulate you, Sir, and your team on assuming the presidency of the Security Council. We wish you every success. I would also like to express my gratitude to Albania for its excellent stewardship of the Council’s business for the month of June. Let me start today by thanking Special Representative of the Secretary-General Annadif and our dear friend and colleague Ambassador Rabab Fatima, for her statement on behalf of the Peacebuilding Commission, whose work Ireland strongly supports. I have looked forward to hearing from Ms. Djibo Magagi. The security situation in the region has deteriorated rapidly since January. Ireland strongly condemns the deadly attacks carried out against civilians and peacekeepers.”
2022-07-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9086 (2022) · source