YouSaid · the spoken record

Carrera

lines on the record: 62
first: 2010-10-26
most recent: 2013-12-18
sittings or episodes: 7
sources: un-security-council

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“With all its imperfections, the Council has succeeded in avoiding major global conflagrations and, at the same time, has managed to mitigate and often overcome conflicts of limited geographical scope. It has been a source of profound satisfaction for my country to be part of this organ for the very first time. We trust that, in the not too distant future, we shall return. We believe in all due modesty that we have made a contribution to the collective work of the Council. We leave enriched for the experience we have gained.”
2013-12-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7090 (2013) · source
“I would therefore like to take this opportunity to bid farewell to members and to say that it has been a privilege to be able to contribute to the noble and irreplaceable work of the Council to maintain international peace and security. The Council has been criticized for its obvious shortcomings, its inequitable composition and its insufficiently transparent working methods. Many of those criticisms are merited, and there is little doubt that this organ needs to adapt to the new global realities. We ourselves have formulated specific ideas on the matter and expressed them in other instances. For now, however, the Security Council is the only thing we have in the multilateral setting to maintain international order that.”
2013-12-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7090 (2013) · source
“In order to advance the interregional dialogue, Guatemala has already expressed its readiness to support the establishment of forums for dialogue between the Americas and the countries of West Africa, with a view to jointly identifying and developing new policies and strategies to address the global drug problem. We all agree that combating illicit drug trafficking is a major challenge for all of humakind and one that we must decisively address. The special session of the General Assembly on the global drug problem, mandated by the Assembly to be held in 2016, will provide us an exceptional opportunity to hold such a broad and open debate at the global level. As I said at the beginning of my statement, Guatemala will conclude its term as a non-permanent member of the Security Council in a few days.”
2013-12-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7090 (2013) · source
“We note that there is broad interregional cooperaiton in West Africa and the Sahel region, promoted especially by the Economic Community of West African States. In the Americas as well, we have numerous mechanisms of intraregional cooperation under the aegis CICAD and the Organization of American States. However, in spite of the enormous commonalities between the two regions in that matter, there is little or no cooperation among different regions of the world. In our view, that situation should be addressed because, for example, West Africa and the Americas have much to learn from each others' accumulated experiences through an open dialogue. I should point out that such South-South cooperation should be complemented by a healthy dose of cooperation from the principal consuming countries.”
2013-12-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7090 (2013) · source
“It was with that goal in mind that, in our western hemisphere, the Declaration of Antigua, Guatemala, of the General Assembly ofthe Organization of American States, signed in June 2013, marked a milestone that has served to officially establish an intergovernmental debate on the drug problem in the Americas. That effort continues to take root in regional forums such as the Inter-American Drug Abuse Commission (CICAD) and the Pan American Health Organization. It is clear that cooperation is necessary to confront the world drug problem - just as today's concept note suggests and as stated in the presidential statement issued by the Council on 21 February 2012 under the presidency of Togo (S/PRST/20l3/2).”
2013-12-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7090 (2013) · source
“The principal strategy of that framework entails repression and interdiction through the criminal justice system. From Guatemala's perspective, with the support of other countries in the Latin American region and the rest of the world that share the same view, we are seeking a new model to address the global drug problem, one that is centred on regulation, public health, reducing harm and seeking the well-being of citizens, all based on respect for human rights. We need to move from partial and inefficient responses towards an integrated response that provides us with better results. To that end, we need to have a broad discussion at the global level that aims to find alternatives to the existing framework, which unfortunately has failed to provide more and better results.”
2013-12-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7090 (2013) · source
“Undoubtedly, the engine that drives the drug trade is the same one at the global level, whether in producing, consuming or transit countries, that is, the immense profits generated by the trafficking in narcotics. It must be said that the corrosive power of major financial flows originates mainly in consuming countries. Equally important is the flow of weapons from consuming countries that pours into transit and producing countries. That is Why it is no exaggeration to say that arms trafficking and the illegal financial flows from the North to the South are undermining the foundations of democratic institutions, not only in West Africa and the Sahel but, with to varying degrees, also in our region. To date, the response framework at the global level has been based on a prohibitionist approach in regard to the market for drugs.”
2013-12-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7090 (2013) · source
“The concept note draws attention to the important similarities shared by West Africa and Central America as regions that are gravely affected as countries of transit between the main markets of production and consumption of illicit drugs. In the case of the Mesoamerican territory, that involves 90 per cent of the drugs that move from the South to the North of the American continent. That situation of transit countries has led to the proliferation of narco-trafficking organizations, accompanied by much criminal violence and especially violent homicides in our territory. Fortunately, however, in the past three years Guatemala has a chieved a significant reduction in homicides, thanks to the strengthening of our security and justice institutions.”
2013-12-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7090 (2013) · source
“Mr. Carrera (Guatemala) (spoke in Spanish): I am pleased to be participating once again in a meeting of the Security Council when Guatemala is 12 days from concluding its tenure as an elected member for the biennium 2011-2012. Let me begin by thanking Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, Executive Director Yury Fedotov of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime and Special Representative of the Secretary-General for West Africa Said Djinnit for their respective briefings. We also thank Ambassador Ge'rard Araud of France, President of the Security Council for the month of December, for his lucid concept note (S/2013/728, annex).”
2013-12-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7090 (2013) · source
“We believe that it essential that any Government established by inclusive and that it take advantage of the positive aspects of the institutions developed over decades by the Syrian State. In conclusion, we can only reaffirm our commitment to the objectives contained in the Charter of the United Nations and the Final communique of the Action Group for Syria (S/2012/523, annex) of 30 June 2012, and express our hope that a ceasefire will soon finally be reached.”
2013-09-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7038 (2013) · source
“We recognize, therefore, the importance of cooperation between the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons and the United Nations, especially in terms of the access and safety of personnel, operational support, privileges and immunities, and sufficient financial resources to properly carry out their duties. Thirdly, and as a result of the aforementioned points, we hope that, in the short term, the intention to convene the international "Geneva II" conference in November can be fulfilled, that a transitional Government with full executive powers can be established with the mutual consent of all parties, and that all parties shall engage constructively in the search for stability and reconciliation.”
2013-09-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7038 (2013) · source
“It is great victory for the United Nations and, through the United Nations, a great victory for all of humankind. Given those factors, we would like to stress the following points. First, although we understand the sensitivity and sense of urgency surrounding this particular situation, we would have preferred to have a greater opportunity to participate in the development of the resolution. We could have contributed positively to it. Secondly, it is necessary to prepare for and commit to ensuring strict implementation of the resolution just adopted.”
2013-09-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7038 (2013) · source
“That also explains why my delegation co-sponsored resolution 2118 (2013), which was just adopted and which establishes a mechanism for the verification and destruction of chemical weapons, upholds the principle of accountability, stresses the urgency of a political transition process, and emphasizes the need for Syria's due compliance with the conditions set forth in that agreement. The adoption of the resolution is of vital importance, considering that the Council had adopted its most recent resolution on the situation in Syria (resolution 2043 (2012)) in April 2012. I would also emphasize that this decision was taken unanimously by the Council, and that is why it does not represent a victory for any single country in particular.”
2013-09-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7038 (2013) · source
“We congratulate Minister Sergey Lavrov and Secretary of State Kerry for their initiative that gave rise to the Framework for Elimination of Syrian Chemical Weapons of 14 September. We also appreciate their efforts in codifying that agreement so that both the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons and the Security Council could act today. We believe that this step is highly significant for its intrinsic value and because it breathes new life into efforts to resolve the underlying issues, end the violence, resolve the humanitarian situation and meet the demands of the Syrian population. That is why we have consistently supported the Final communique of the Action Group for Syria (S/2012/523, annex) of 30 June 2012 and the need to convene an international conference with a view to its implementation.”
2013-09-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7038 (2013) · source
“Mr. Carrera (Guatemala) (spoke in Spanish): For the past 18 months, our delegation has lamented the fact that the Security Council has been incapable of stepping up to one of the bloodiest and most painful internal conflicts of our times. I am referring, of course, to the situation in Syria, and its impact on its neighbours and painful humanitarian cost. Despite the fact that we came together on two occasions to produce resolutions 2042 (2012) and 2043 (2012), internal divisions of which we all are aware subsequently prevented further progress. As a result, the emergence of a point of convergence between the Russian Federation and the United States of America over one issue - the rejection of the use of chemical weapons - should be welcomed.”
2013-09-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7038 (2013) · source
“It is disturbing that, of the $703 million necessary to provide for the basic needs of the Yemeni community, only 44 per cent has been collected. Yemen is a country that is facing multiple and concurrent humanitarian crises. That is why it so urgently requires that assistance. The number of displaced persons, the stalled economy and the destruction of infrastructure represent only some of the challenges facing the Yemeni people daily. In conclusion, Guatemala is confident that the Yemeni authorities will continue to progress on the path of democracy and to implement policies to alleviate the major social and humanitarian problems facing its people.”
2013-09-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7037 (2013) · source
“We hope that those acts will not interfere with the security sector reforms made to date, and that the reforms will bear fruit in the short term. It is also important that the Yemeni authorities understand that serious socioeconomic problems can be resolved only once the security situation has improved. Likewise, it is important for the Government to develop national reconciliation policies based on social development. We welcome the ministerial meeting of the group of Friends of Yemen, held on 25 September here in New York under the co-chairmanship of Saudi Arabia, the United Kingdom and Yemen. The meeting focused on the political transition, the humanitarian situation and reform of the security sector and of the economy. We reiterate the urgency of financing the humanitarian assistance programme for Yemen.”
2013-09-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7037 (2013) · source
“We salute the spirit of inclusion promoted by Yemen during this period and hope that it will continue to serve as an example to other countries around the world. We continue to consider it important, in addition to all of the efforts undertaken to date, that general elections are to be organized and held in February 2014. Nevertheless, we are aware that the elections do not represent an end in themselves. The Yemeni people and authorities must be prepared for future challenges generated by that process. We must not lose sight of the serious security problems persisting in Yemen, including the ongoing presence of Al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula. In that respect, we vigorously condemn the attacks of 20 September that killed more than 56 Yemeni soldiers and police officers. Those terrorist acts must not go unpunished.”
2013-09-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7037 (2013) · source
“In that respect, the agreement fostered by the Gulf Cooperation Council has established the grounds for an inclusive negotiating process that have served as the basis of the new Yemen. However, we must point out that any final agreement achieved must take into account the issue of the South and the operations of armed groups. Guatemala believes that the transition in Yemen is a process. That is why it must continue beyond the time established in the transition agreement. The National Dialogue Conference has set a stage that has made it possible to reform the State and its institutions, which must be replicated within the other power structures in Yemen. The commitment made to marginalized groups, including women and young people, must also be long- term. Those groups must continue to be part of the change.”
2013-09-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7037 (2013) · source
“Since the beginning of our membership of the Council, we witnesses the difficult road travelled by the Yemeni people. That is why we applaud the progress made to date in the National Dialogue Conference. We are confident that, notwithstanding the delays in the Conference, it will be possible to finalize all of the reports of the working groups, which will provide the basis and principles of the text of the constitution that will forge a new stage of the democratic process in Yemen. The National Dialogue Conference has also provided the people of Yemen with a historic opportunity that has opened doors to groups that have been politically and socially marginalized for decades to become involved in the future of their country.”
2013-09-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7037 (2013) · source
“Mr. Carrera (Guatemala) (spoke in Spanish): We commend the initiative of the Australian presidency to hold this important informational meeting at a critical time in Yemen's political transition. We thank Mr. Jamal Benomar, Special Adviser of the Secretary-General on Yemen, for his comprehensive briefing on the situation in Yemen and his assessment of its prospects in the coming few months. We also appreciate the presence of Mr. Abubaker A. Al-Qirbi, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Yemen and Mr. Abdul Latif bin Rashid Al Zayani, Secretary General of the Gulf Cooperation Council, and thank them for their statements, which show the commitment on the part of both the Gulf Cooperation Council and the Republic of Yemen to the transition process that began in November 2011.”
2013-09-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7037 (2013) · source
“This is a world with more shared responsibilities, and therefore greater demands on international cooperation - a world that is more interconnected, not a fragmented one. I would like to conclude my statement by thanking you, Madam President, for the informative concept note circulated by your delegation (S/2013/446, annex), which helps guide today's debate. I am also pleased to express our full support for the presidential statement that was adopted today (S/PRST/2013/l2), which reflects the content of our deliberations.”
2013-08-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7015 (2013) · source
“It reflects a slow but definite transition from the post- war world, which gave birth to the Council, towards a multipolar world where dialogue and peace are increasingly urgent and basic in order to preserve the planet and the life on it, maintain human development and overcome poverty. That is in addition to the need to preserve peaceful coexistence based on mutual respect and face the common challenges that threaten peace and security at the global level. Regional organizations are called upon to be active partners in this multipolar world by shouldering their responsibilities vis-a-vis the international community to ensure peace and sustainable development, thus complementing the efforts made though the United Nations.”
2013-08-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7015 (2013) · source
“What is clear, in light ofthe experience ofhistory, is that regional and global efforts must acknowledge that the overcoming of conflicts and the path to sustainable peace depend on a joint endeavour intertwining the agendas of security, justice, the respect for human rights and sustainable development. In each of those areas, there are diverse strengths and complementarities among the United Nations and regional organizations, and the acknowledgment of those strengths and complementarities will open a distinct and fruitful space for institutional cooperation at the multilateral level among regional and global entities. The twenty-first century is giving rise to increasingly stronger and more responsible regional institutions. The United Nations, in particular the Security Council, should be pleased with that trend.”
2013-08-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7015 (2013) · source
“In addition, it must be recognized that those partnerships are not always exempt from difficulties, which normally arise either from differences with regard to the territorial issues of the parties or from different criteria with regard to the course of action to be followed. When there is no mechanism to reconcile those differences through dialogue and understanding, they can become serious obstacles to the proper functioning ofjoint activity. That suggests that there is a need to reconcile decisions taken by regional organizations with those adopted by the United Nations, including those of the Security Council, in light of the provisions of Article 103 of the Charter of the United Nations.”
2013-08-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7015 (2013) · source
“The same is happening in the Middle East, where the Council has collaborated with the League of Arab States and the Gulf Cooperation Council on some matters. Naturally, the content and scope of the partnerships of the Council with other organizations will vary from one situation to the next, and could even vary over time in the same situation, depending on changing circumstances. Our general position of support for this type of partnership is nuanced by the acknowledgment that there are no universally valid formulas in this matter. Rather, the exact characteristics of the partnerships must be defined on a case-by-case basis.”
2013-08-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7015 (2013) · source
“In that respect, since we became a member, we have supported, as a general objective, cooperation between the Security Council and regional and subregional organizations, each in its respective purview and based on their comparative advantages. The long and fruitful association between the Council and the African Union, which has even given rise to joint efforts in peacekeeping, has provided tangible and valuable benefits. Those benefits are being reproduced at the subregional level by organizations such as the Economic Community of West African States, the Economic Community of Central African States and the Southern African Development Community, as well as the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region.”
2013-08-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7015 (2013) · source
“Latin America, together with the United Nations, contributed significantly to the establishment and maintenance of peacekeeping missions that supported El Salvador and my country in their return to the institutional and democratic path. At present, as we all know, the only specific item on the Council's agenda concerning our region, which enjoys the extraordinary support of Latin America and the Caribbean, concerns the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti, in which several Latin American countries and my own country have the honour of participating with our troops. The fact that our region is no longer a threat to international peace and security does not mean that we are absent from the indispensable activities of the Council at the international level.”
2013-08-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7015 (2013) · source
“Not only do we consider our region's peace to be an irreversible achievement, but the many affinities and common interests between the countries of our subregion have also contributed to strengthening respect for the principle of resolving all conflicts or misunderstandings among us by peaceful means, with priority given to diplomatic-political dialogue. I would further add that our culture of intraregional cooperation extends to our entire region of Latin America and the Caribbean. It should be recalled that the so-called Contadora Group, which eventually became the Rio Group and today inspires the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States, was born of the interest of brotherly neighbouring countries in resolving Central American conflicts themselves.”
2013-08-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7015 (2013) · source
“The degree of economic interdependence among the countries of the Central American Common Market and the Central American Integration System is high in terms of trade and reciprocal investment, and the ever wider and greater integration of our markets and societies. In addition, we have adopted a culture of intraregional cooperation aimed at resolving common problems through joint action, supported by a web of institutions and intergovernmental mechanisms. One manifestation of that network is the daily communications between our Heads of State and other senior officials. In addition, having overcome the internal conflicts that affected our Central American region so adversely in the 19705 and 1980s, the emphasis today is on spurring our economic and social development.”
2013-08-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7015 (2013) · source
“We also appreciate the presence this morning of Secretary- General Ban Ki-moon and the representatives of regional and subregional organizations from all parts of the globe. I also welcome Ambassador Samantha Power, whom we know to be committed to human rights and humanitarian law, and who has written books on Sergio Vieira de Mello, a Brazilian and Latin American hero in the fight for human rights and international multilateralism. I thank Ambassador Power very much for her presence. I come from a country, Guatemala, and a subregion, Central America, that have accumulated more than 60 years of successful experience in the realm of intraregional cooperation, driven by common multilateral organizations.”
2013-08-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7015 (2013) · source
“Mr. Carrera (Guatemala) (spoke in Spanish): I thank you, Madam President, and your delegation for organizing this timely debate and for honouring us with your personal participation this morning. In particular, I would like to extend to you the warm and fraternal greetings of our President, Mr. Otto Perez Molina, who has asked me to reiterate his admiration for your national and regional leadership, which honours your country, Latin America and the women of the world. The long, deep and fraternal relations between our peoples and Governments have been further strengthened by Argentina and Guatemala in 2013 by the Latin American and Caribbean presence in the Security Council, where we share strong commonalities in our actions aimed at maintaining international peace and security.”
2013-08-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7015 (2013) · source
“In any case, it is important to not forget that State-building, democracy building or even more so with regard to nation building is not a job for the international community; it is the job of sovereign States. In conclusion, I would like to refer to the fact that, just a month ago, we met here in the Chamber to adopt resolution 2106 (2013), on sexual violence against women and children in armed conflict (see S/PV.6984). In line with resolution 2098 (2013), that meeting, which was held under the presidency of the United Kingdom, was fundamental. We should not forget the words expressed then, which would serve as a guide for peace in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. I hope that we are now on the path towards peace and that we will continue advancing towards the prosperity and development of a region that truly needs it.”
2013-07-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7011 (2013) · source
“Sixthly, as is known, my delegation has expressed its reservations about the new trend of the Council to assign peace-enforcement duties to missions conceived under the cardinal principles that have shaped our peacekeeping operations, including especially the principle of impartiality. However, in spite of those reservations, ultimately we accepted the incorporation of the so-called Intervention Brigade into the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo as the lesser of two evils, given the imminent threat to the civilian population by the Mouvement du 23 mars and other militant groups in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, and with the understanding that this would be a stop-gap measure.”
2013-07-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7011 (2013) · source
“We are pleased that, in addressing the problems in a holistic and comprehensive manner, we are assigning the duties to be addressed, not only within the United Nations, according to the speciality of each entity, but also within the United Nations system and between the latter and other multilateral bodies. We also continue to hope that the new manifestation of cooperation between the United Nations and the World Bank will extend to the agendas of the Economic and Social Council, the Peacebuilding Commission and the General Assembly. We see the World Bank as not only the financial arm of development, but also the financial arm of peace.”
2013-07-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7011 (2013) · source
“Fourthly, we commend the partnerships that the United Nations has built with the regional and subregional entities of the African continent, in this case with the African Union, the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region and the Southern African Development Community. We consider the synchronized and cooperative work of the multilateral entities, each with its own specific purview, to be of special importance. Fifthly, along the same lines, we commend the joint initiative of the Secretary-General and the President of the World Bank to undertake a joint mission to the Great Lakes region and to appear together again before us. It is difficult to conceive of economic and social progress without the involvement of multilateral financial institutions.”
2013-07-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7011 (2013) · source
“That model, with the host country serving as the main protagonist and the international community in a complementary role, has emerged as a paradigm of development in recent times, in particular since the Paris Declaration. Secondly, the commitment to address the root causes of the conflict in a comprehensive and holistic manner, including the economic, social, political, governance and security issues, also appears to be essential if we are to restore stability and overcome the violence that afflicts the country. Thirdly, it is encouraging to see the presence of 11 countries and four multilateral institutions involved in the Framework for Peace, Security and Cooperation. It is our view that the establishment of the so-called ll+4 oversight mechanism shores up expectations that commitments undertaken by all parties will be met.”
2013-07-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7011 (2013) · source
“Despite the many obstacles to be overcome, which the report also openly describes, we agree with the assessment of the Secretary-General and with the words of Special Envoy Robinson. I would like to underscore some of the elements that undergird our cautious optimism. First, although the Framework for Peace, Security and Cooperation for the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Region involves commitments both for the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and for the other countries of the region, as well as for the international community, it is clear that the primary responsibility falls on the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, as it should.”
2013-07-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7011 (2013) · source
“We also greatly value the presence of Secretary- General Ban Ki-moon and President of the World Bank Jim Yong Kim, and we would like to thank them for their presentations. We also appreciate the briefings of Ms. Mary Robinson, United Nations Special Envoy for the Great Lakes Region, and the Commissioner for Peace and Security of the African Union. The report of the Secretary-General (S/2013/387), which serves as a background document to this meeting, refers to the relatively encouraging expectations that exist today that the protracted crisis in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, especially in the eastern part of the country can, be resolved in the broader context that shapes the future of the Great Lakes region.”
2013-07-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7011 (2013) · source
“In spite of this long history, the signing on 24 February of the Peace, Security and Cooperation Framework for the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Region has opened the possibility of injecting renewed momentum into the efforts to achieve peace, stability and prosperity in the Great Lakes region in general and the Democratic Republic of the Congo in particular. For that reason today's debate is timely and relevant, and for that we are grateful to the delegation of the United States, and in particular to Secretary of State Kerry, for proposing it and for circulating the concept note on the matter (S/2013/394, annex). We also appreciate the gesture of Secretary Kerry of personally presiding over today's meeting.”
2013-07-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7011 (2013) · source
“Mr. Carrera (Guatemala) (spoke in Spanish): Thirteen years have passed since the United Nations first established a peacekeeping operation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. My own country has participated in that Mission as a troop contributor since 2005; in fact, we lost eight troops in a well- known incident in Garamba National Park in January 2006. I would like to honour their memory by reciting their names here: Abelino Pop, Ramon Xi Che, Edgar Morales Guzman, Valeriano Rax Hul, Calixto G6mez Pe'rez, Mario Enrique Tee Caal, Teodoro Tilom Paau, and Orlando Augusto Hernandez Alonzo. Five of those soldiers were Guatemalans of Mayan descent - Mayans fighting for peace and security in the Great Lakes region.”
2013-07-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7011 (2013) · source
“I would like to say here, before my 13-year-old daughter, that in the twenty- first century the world needs freedom and dignity for women and security for them in their lives, so that no young girl or adolescent can ever suffer sexual violence because of an armed conflict or any other circumstance. In conclusion, we cannot sit by impassably in the face of any kind of sexual violence as a cause or result of armed conflict. We must combat it with every means at our disposal, not only by promoting awareness of its scale, scope and characteristics but also by taking specific actions to address it decisively.”
2013-06-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6984 (2013) · source
“As part ofthe fight against impunity regarding sexual violence, that statement also included a firm condemnation of all acts against women and girls that violate international law on armed-conflict and post-conflict situations. Before concluding, I would like to go off script to mention that my l3-year-old daughter Laura is with me in this Chamber. At 13 years of age I met a victim of sexual violence in conflict for the first time, a woman who was tortured and raped about 40 times. Subsequently, I have to say that I have witnessed such victims in Nicaragua, El Salvador, Guatemala, Argentina, Chile, Uruguay, Brazil and Colombia. We are thus discussing an issue that many Latin American women have suffered from.”
2013-06-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6984 (2013) · source
“As has been done in Guatemala, the issue of sexual violence in conflict and post-conflict situations should be reflected in concrete decisions included in peace accords, especially in matters related to security and transitionaljustice. We support the Council's promotion of peace and reconciliation processes and agreements ending conflicts that address the issue explicitly and thus promote respect for the dignity of victims. Finally, Guatemala strongly supports the elimination of obstacles to women's access to justice in conflict and post-conflict situations. That was one of the subjects of presidential statement S/PRST/2012/23, issued under Guatemala's presidency of the Security Council in October.”
2013-06-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6984 (2013) · source
“We recently enacted a law against murder and other forms of violence against women, and one prohibiting sexual violence, exploitation and human trafficking, which has enabled us to reform the codification of various crimes in the Guatemalan penal code. Furthermore, in a measure designed to improve the access of female victims of violence to justice, various programmes have been established in the executive and judicial branches to help eliminate impunity as it affects women. In that regard, our Ministry of the Interior, the Office of the Prosecutor and the courts, with technical and financial support from various United Nations agencies, have strengthened their capacity for prosecuting crimes related to violence against women.”
2013-06-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6984 (2013) · source
“For that we unquestionably need political will, as we have heard, but we also need effective institutions. It is equally crucial to act on current situations where most of the victims of such crimes face a wall of impunity. We must act so that the truth comes out regarding the suffering of women and so that the perpetrators are held accountable for their acts. Acknowledging the truth and undertaking efforts aimed at achieving justice and promoting reconciliation are the minimum we should do to restore and re-establish the dignity of the victims. Guatemala's own internal conflict was resolved over 15 years ago, but there still are hundreds of victims of sexual violence committed by various armed perpetrators. Happily, and as I have already indicated, preventing violence against women is a priority of the Guatemalan State today.”
2013-06-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6984 (2013) · source
“However, the phenomenon persists, as we have sadly seen in situations such as those in Syria, Mali, the Central African Republic and the Democratic Republic of Congo. In other words, the Council is acting, but, without denying the value of our proactive stance, we must recognize that our concrete impact on the ground continues to be relatively modest. The question we must ask, then, is what more can we do so that our decisions are translated into concrete action? One promising approach lies in insisting more firmly that States make an ongoing priority of rule of law reform and strengthening their national institutions, including the civil and military justice systems, in order to address sexual violence in conflict and post-conflict situations, and to combat impunity for those that commit this type of crime.”
2013-06-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6984 (2013) · source
“It has been the subject of numerous debates, presidential statements and resolutions of the Council in this very Chamber. Its development is built on the basic premise of resolution 1325 (2000), which is that without security for women, lasting peace is impossible. That was followed by resolutions 1820 (2008), 1888 (2009) and 1960 (2010), and has culminated today in the adoption of resolution 2106 (2013), aimed at expanding the conceptual framework of the struggle against this scourge. At the same time, we have established concrete policies, including the creation of the post presently occupied by Ms. Bangura and the assignment of experts to many peacekeeping operations, among others.”
2013-06-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6984 (2013) · source
“President, for the concept note you have circulated (S/2013/335, annex), and to express our appreciation to the briefers we have heard today, especially Secretary- General Ban Ki-moon and Ms. Zainab Bangura. We are also grateful for the Secretary-General's most recent report (S/2013/ 149), and would like to express our appreciation to the delegations of India and Rwanda for having organized debates on the subject during their respective presidencies in November 2012 and April this year. Sexual violence in situations of armed conflict is an unacceptable phenomenon, a crime against humanity, and an insult to the world's conscience, as expressed through the actions of the Security Council and every organ of the United Nations.”
2013-06-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6984 (2013) · source
“Fourthly, I should say that in my professional life I have always been concerned with the grave problem of Violence against women in general and on the impact it has on every aspect of economic and social development. This type of Violence, which is particularly associated with the impunity that results from weak rule of law institutions, will surely form part, among other things, of the post-2015 development agenda that we will be debating in the General Assembly. Finally, I can state that President Otto Perez Molina views combating violence against women as an absolute priority of his Government. If we do not eradicate gender violence we will not have security and peace in Guatemala or anywhere else in the world. Before moving on, I would like to thank you, Mr.”
2013-06-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6984 (2013) · source