YouSaid · the spoken record

Cohen

lines on the record: 977
first: 2008-01-22
most recent: 2023-10-24
sittings or episodes: 157
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

“Similarly, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) has been engaged on Burma and has expressed concern about the humanitarian situation in Rakhine state and its support for the full implementation of the memorandum of understanding signed among Myanmar, the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Refugees and the United Nations Development Programme to facilitate the repatriation process of displaced persons from Rakhine state. The ASEAN Humanitarian Assistance Centre is helping address concerns in Rakhine state. In the past year, the Centre facilitated the provision of relief items to vulnerable Burmese citizens and deployed emergency response and assessment team personnel to assist in the work of Burma's relief and resettlement department.”
2018-12-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8414 (2018) · source
“The OAS established a working group in August, which is the beginning, we hope, of a stronger regional effort to improve the lives of Nicaraguan citizens. We also welcomed the June OAS resolution condemning the 20 May sham elections in Venezuela, which proposes concrete actions to press the regime and highlights the worsening humanitarian crisis. But those steps should be the beginning, not the end, of a stronger regional effort to improve the lives of the citizens of the region.”
2018-12-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8414 (2018) · source
“There is much that regional organizations, such as the African Union, can do to resolve ongoing conflicts and crises, independent of our discussions on new initiatives or new financing mechanisms. Regional organizations bring critical expertise to negotiations, while identifying appropriate options and solutions and mobilizing resources for response. Many times, the only resource required for regional and subregional organizations to play a stronger role is political will and an invitation. We have been pleased to see the Organization of American States (OAS) engage on Nicaragua and Venezuela, particularly the adoption of resolutions at the OAS condemning human rights violations against the people of Nicaragua and encouraging that steps be taken to identify the individuals responsible and demand that para-police groups be disbanded.”
2018-12-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8414 (2018) · source
“I thank you, Sir, for convening and presiding over today's important debate. I also thank the Secretary-General and our briefers from the African Union (AU) and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). The United States remains committed to working with regional organizations to address priority issues of peace and security. Regional organizations can also be force multipliers for the United Nations in meeting the challenges we all face. Nonetheless, the Security Council must always retain its autonomous decision-making authority. We should ensure that new opportunities for cooperation address real and critical political, security, development, human rights and humanitarian challenges.”
2018-12-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8414 (2018) · source
“In our support for post-conflict reconstruction efforts, the United States has identified several common best practices. First, the international community should treat a peace deal or a ceasefire as only the first step in a long process. Secondly, post- conflict reconciliation takes time and cannot be rushed. Thirdly, local actors in societies as a whole must buy into the transition. President Ouattara, you worked with those goals in mind as you supported your country's transition. The Peacebuilding Commission understands those dynamics and is well positioned to support that critical work elsewhere.”
2018-12-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8413 (2018) · source
“With regard to Colombia, the Council approved a narrow and specific mandate for a United Nations special political mission tasked with the monitoring and verification of the ceasefire between the Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia-Ejercito del Pueblo (FARC-EP) and the Government of Colombia. As a result, the FARC-EP relinquished thousands of weapons and explosives, became a political party and participated in recent elections. The successor mission, the United Nations Verification Mission in Colombia, now monitors security guarantees and the reintegration of FARC-EP members into Colombian society. Colombians in the Mission are now working towards the full implementation of a comprehensive peace plan. They are embracing a collaborative, inclusive approach that is already delivering dividends for peace.”
2018-12-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8413 (2018) · source
“Cote d'Ivoire also recognized that the closure of UNOCI meant not that its task had been completed, but that the hard work of peacebuilding was just beginning. The Peacebuilding Commission has been actively engaged across the country, from standardizing identification documents and formalizing citizenship rights, to organizing election-focused civil-society dialogues. The strong coordination among the Security Council, the United Nations peacebuilding community, the Government and local citizens has enabled Cote d'Ivoire to overcome conflict and restore peace. President Ouattara, we recognize the difficult task that you faced, as well as your critical leadership in building a more peaceful society.”
2018-12-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8413 (2018) · source
“Optimally, the United Nations would identify that desired end-state at the start of a peacekeeping mission and pair it with an achievable exit strategy. In that scenario, once the mission had fulfilled its mandate, United Nations efforts would transition to peacebuilding support. Cote d'Ivoire and Colombia are two models of United Nations peacebuilding that have benefited from a clear vision of a more peaceful future. In June 2017, the United Nations Operation in Cote d'Ivoire (UNOCI) closed its doors after having successfully provided support to the peace agreement of 2003 and having helped to address the 2010 political unrest. We made the right call as the Council to terminate a mission whose objective to stabilize a post- conflict country had largely been accomplished.”
2018-12-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8413 (2018) · source
“We encourage countries to provide additional voluntary contributions to the Peacebuilding Fund, but we do not support efforts to tie a percentage of the peacekeeping budget to the Fund. On the whole, greater coordination and communication across the United Nations peacebuilding system should not require additional financial outlays. We face a collective challenge in our approach to peacebuilding. Our statements today will all support the peacebuilding efforts of the United Nations. However, we may all have different, undefined visions of what that work should encompass in each context. To remedy that, we encourage the United Nations, in each specific instance, to identify a vision for an achievable end-state and align resources and stakeholders to get there.”
2018-12-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8413 (2018) · source
“The Secretary-General's move to integrate the Peacebuilding Support Office into the Department of Political Affairs was a signal that the United Nations is seeking to break down institutional silos and marshal the full expertise of the United Nations system to complete that task. The recent report of the Secretary-General on peacebuilding and sustaining peace (S/2018/43) lays out a number of important recommendations, including the development of integrated strategic frameworks, United Nations Development Assistance Frameworks and greater United Nations cooperation on the ground. While some progress has been made, we encourage the United Nations to push forward on the full range of proposals. Some of those proposals may require new resources.”
2018-12-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8413 (2018) · source
“The Council spends much of its time addressing conflicts marked by open fighting, active violence and significant loss of life. But once the hard work of achieving a ceasefire has taken hold, such conflicts often fade from the front pages and from the Council's agenda. It is precisely at that moment when the quieter and arguably harder work begins to heal a society torn apart by conflict. While that work has historically been the responsibility of national Governments or non-governmental organizations, the United Nations has recently scaled up its capacity to play a leading role in peacebuilding.”
2018-12-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8413 (2018) · source
“His unwavering commitment to public service and his accomplishments in both war and peace will continue to inspire generations to come. I would like to thank the President of Cote d'Ivoire, Mr. Alassane Ouattara, for having gathered us today to identify concrete ways in which the Security Council can support peacebuilding and sustaining peace around the world. This meeting provides an opportunity to identify best practices in peacebuilding. It also allows us to reflect on peacekeeping missions that still have a long road to travel before peace is restored. It is our hope that we will leave today with a renewed collective commitment to working with the United Nations peacebuilding community to support each country seeking to transition to a post-conflict environment.”
2018-12-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8413 (2018) · source
“He also shaped a freer, safer world, including with the United Nations, as Secretary- General Kofi Annan's Special Envoy for the South Asia Earthquake Disaster and in this very Council as the United States Ambassador to the United Nations. Here, he worked selflessly to defend justice and promote peace. On a personal note, I had the honour and privilege to work for President Bush. He was the first sitting President of my country whom I met personally. I met him for the first time in New York 27 years ago, in 1991, during the high-level week of the General Assembly. He made an indelible impression as a man of great decency and great dignity. He also left a legacy of towering foreign-policy achievements. We honour the legacy of President Bush.”
2018-12-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8413 (2018) · source
“Today the American people mourn the loss of President George H. W. Bush, the forty-first President of the United States of America. We thank the Security Council and the many delegations and colleagues who have offered their condolences since his passing. Allow me now to make a short statement in his memory. President Bush exemplified a fearless sense of duty to his nation through his lifelong commitment to public service. On his eighteenth birthday, he enlisted in the United States Navy to serve his nation. From his time as a member of Congress, United States Ambassador to China, Director of the Central Intelligence Agency and as President of the United States, he guided our nation to peace and prosperity.”
2018-12-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8413 (2018) · source
“Special Adviser Khan's attendance at Nadia's Nobel award ceremony is an important illustration of the new role of the United Nations in seeking justice for Nadia and the many Iraqis like her. We want to once again thank the Government of Iraq and the Investigative Team for taking important steps towards demonstrating that justice is never beyond reach. ISIS will be held accountable for its many crimes against the Iraqi people once and for all.”
2018-12-04 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8412 (2018) · source
“We see Iraq's future in people like Nadia Murad, whose foundation, Nadia's Initiative, is dedicated to helping women and children who are victimized by genocide, mass atrocities and human trafficking. Through her efforts, Nadia has helped hundreds of Iraqi women and children heal and rebuild their lives, and has set an example to many Iraqis who are following her lead. She has had an immeasurable impact on the global conversation about ending the use of sexual violence as a weapon of war. The United States congratulates her on being awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for 2018. Nadia is one of many Iraqis who bravely called on Council members to come together and adopt resolution 2379 (2017) unanimously.”
2018-12-04 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8412 (2018) · source
“Independence and impartiality are essential to its credibility going forward. In keeping with the Secretary-General's efforts to enhance coherence and collaboration across the United Nations system, it will also be essential for the Team to work closely with the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq and other relevant United Nations offices, as well as civil-society groups, in order to coordinate efforts on the ground. Its efforts must be matched with measures to protect and support the families of victims and the survivors of atrocious crimes, who are still living with trauma from their appalling experiences. There is much to be optimistic about in Iraq today.”
2018-12-04 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8412 (2018) · source
“Of course, money alone will not guarantee the effective collection of evidence. We urge Iraq's new Government to continue working closely with the Team as well. Mr. Khan's meeting with Prime Minister Adil Abdul-Mahdi of Iraq is an important step in beginning that conversation. No segment of Iraqi society has escaped the terror of ISIS, and it is important to develop a balanced and accurate account of events. That will give all Iraqis a voice, including members of every religious and ethnic group in Iraq that has been subjected to unspeakable crimes. The appointment of Iraqi experts to the Investigative Team, working alongside international experts, will be critical to its success. At the same time, the Government of Iraq must give the Team the space to operate effectively.”
2018-12-04 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8412 (2018) · source
“Knowing how pivotal a period it was in Iraq's rich history, Council members quickly responded by unanimously adopting resolution 2379 (2017). History has shown that swift and effective evidence collection after atrocities are perpetrated is critical to the ability to recover and move forward. The recent discovery in Iraq of more than 200 mass graves containing as many as 12,000 bodies makes today's discussions in the Council all the more important. I am pleased to announce today that the United States intends to commit $2 million to support the efforts of the Investigative Team. We thank those who have already contributed, including the United Kingdom, Qatar and the Netherlands, and call on other countries to quickly lend their support as it begins to carry out its mandate.”
2018-12-04 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8412 (2018) · source
“Let me too reiterate in the open Chamber our congratulations to Cote d'Ivoire on assuming the presidency of the Council and our thanks and congratulations to China for its excellent presidency in November. I also congratulate Special Adviser Khan on his appointment. I thank him for being here in person today to brief the Security Council for the first time. The United States looks forward to working closely with him to fulfil the critical mandate of the United Nations Investigative Team to Promote Accountability for Crimes Committed by Da'esh/Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant. Last year, the Government of Iraq asked for assistance in its efforts to hold members of the Islamic State in Iraq and the Sham (ISIS) accountable for atrocities.”
2018-12-04 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8412 (2018) · source
“The instability for many civilians in Idlib is palpable. Just last week, two of Syria's most prominent peaceful resistance activists, Mr. Raed Fares and Mr. Hamoud Jneed, were assassinated there. I would like to express our condolences to the families and friends of Mr. Fares and Mr. Jneed on behalf of my Government. Their selfless dedication to amplifying the voices of the Syrian people and their desire for peace, justice and dignity were sources of inspiration for so many. The Syrian people have been silenced for too long, and the prospect of a constitutional committee represents an important opportunity to move the political process forward in order to finally end the conflict. We ask the Syrian regime to take this opportunity and to make the move towards peace and stability in its country and region.”
2018-11-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8411 (2018) · source
“We can all see how fragile the situation is and that millions of Syrian lives are at stake. Russia committed to a lasting ceasefire in Idlib in the Istanbul summit communique of 27 October. To date, that ceasefire has resulted in very substantial reductions in violence. It is absolutely essential to ensure that the Syrian regime does not seize on false pretexts to undermine the ceasefire and launch a military offensive in Idlib, which would not only lead to a resumption of violence but would seriously jeopardize the prospects for a political solution to the conflict. We continue to engage with the Russian Government and military at senior levels to make it clear that an offensive in Idlib would represent a reckless escalation of the conflict and would put millions of civilians in danger.”
2018-11-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8411 (2018) · source
“Humanitarian conditions in Syria will continue to be dire in the absence of a credible United Nations-led process. The formation of a constitutional committee must move forward as quickly as possible. Despite the relative calm afforded to the people of Idlib in the past two months since the ceasefire agreement was reached between Turkey and Russia, Idlib's 3 million residents live in daily uncertainty. What is certain, however, is that any military escalation would have catastrophic humanitarian consequences for millions of civilians and for the stability and security of Syria's neighbours. We need only look at the events of the past weekend in Aleppo, where there are reports from the Syrian regime of an alleged chemical attack and Russian air strikes inside the Turkish-Russian demilitarized zone.”
2018-11-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8411 (2018) · source
“An unwillingness to approve facilitation letters and other bureaucratic delays is essentially a denial of access, and it continues. As access to people in need across Syria continues to be severely constrained, the United Nations and its partners are providing life-saving aid to some 750,000 people every month through cross-border operations. There is currently no credible alternative for reaching those people. It is therefore absolutely imperative that the Council support the reauthorization of the cross-border humanitarian aid delivery mechanism provided for in resolution 2165 (2014). The United States strongly supports its renewal for an additional 12 months, as the Secretary-General has called for. We look forward to working with our colleagues on the Council to ensure that it is renewed.”
2018-11-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8411 (2018) · source
“We must all continue to push for full, unhindered and sustained humanitarian access throughout Syria for the millions of people in need, including greater access for those in eastern Ghouta and south-western Syria. We urge Russia and Damascus to step up and get humanitarian aid to all the 13 million Syrians who need it. The Syrian regime has the opportunity to demonstrate its willingness and ability to facilitate aid deliveries throughout the territories it controls. But humanitarian access has not improved in communities that are firmly backed by the regime and under its control, in places such as eastern Ghouta, just outside Damascus. Why? Because the regime seeks to punish communities that are outside or were formerly outside its control for what they believe is a lack of loyalty to Al-Assad. That is wrong-headed.”
2018-11-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8411 (2018) · source
“The Rukban aid delivery is clear evidence that Russia and the United States can work together to help the people of Syria and that the Russian Federation can secure the regime's approval for humanitarian deliveries. There is no conceivable reason for the Syrian regime to block future deliveries. We are willing to work with Russia to keep the arrangement going and we hope that the Russian authorities can work with Damascus to facilitate more of those deliveries in the future. We fully support the current United Nations plan to make another delivery to Rukban in mid-December, and we call on Russia and the Syrian regime to do their part to ensure that that happens without delay.”
2018-11-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8411 (2018) · source
“We also worked together to extract the necessary approvals from the Syrian regime to allow the United Nations to make its first humanitarian assistance delivery to the Rukban camp since January, and the first ever from Damascus. The humanitarian needs in Rukban remain immediate and severe. A one-time aid delivery to Rukban is a good start, but it is certainly not enough. It is essential to provide United Nations humanitarian workers with sustained access to the camp. The United States has shown that it will do everything possible to facilitate aid to areas in Syria where we have influence, and we remain ready to provide security for any future deliveries of humanitarian aid through areas under the control of the global coalition to defeat the Islamic State in Iraq and the Sham.”
2018-11-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8411 (2018) · source
“I thank Ms. Ghelani for her briefing and for the important work that the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs is doing to support the Syrian people. We are grateful to the United Nations and the brave workers on the ground who delivered critical humanitarian aid on 3 November that included much- needed vaccinations for 5,193 children and also provided life-saving assistance to more than 50,000 internally displaced persons, most of them women and children. The United States worked for months with the United Nations and like-minded allies and partners to secure a Russian agreement to support the United Nations-Syrian Arab Red Crescent humanitarian assistance delivery.”
2018-11-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8411 (2018) · source
“That decision has adversely affected long-standing initiatives that aim to improve conditions for the Burundian people, including programmes to prevent and treat malaria, HIV/AIDS and malnutrition. We recognize that more than 30 NGOs have had their suspensions lifted. We urge the Burundian Government to lift all remaining suspensions to ensure the continuation of vital services to the Burundian people. There is significant will in the Council to work with the Government of Burundi and the region to address old wounds and to build a brighter future. The elections represent a clear opportunity for Burundi's leaders to reset their relationship with the international community by engaging in good faith in a political process that includes all Burundians. We hope that they will seize it.”
2018-11-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8408 (2018) · source
“At the same time, we encourage opposition political actors to commit to non-violent participation in the 2020 elections. With that in mind, we once again renew our call for the Government of Burundi to resume cooperation with the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights. The Government of Burundi's decision to ban three members of the United Nations commission of inquiry from accessing the country by deeming them persona non grata represents another example of a prolonged unwillingness to cooperate with the United Nations on human rights issues, despite the extension of the commission's mandate by one year. The United States also remains deeply concerned by the Government of Burundi's suspension of all international non-governmental organizations (NGOs).”
2018-11-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8408 (2018) · source
“We also remain deeply concerned about restrictions on civic and political space in Burundi, especially in the media and through the use of harsh prison sentences to intimidate human rights defenders. We are worried by reports of the increasing role of the ruling party's youth wing, the Imbonerakure, in committing human rights abuses. We are deeply concerned by alleged cross-border attacks by individuals or groups operating between Burundi and Rwanda. That situation remains volatile and requires the Council's attention in the lead-up to elections. We also remain concerned by constitutional provisions adopted this year that imposed restrictions on the opposition, and we call on the Government of Burundi to respect the rights of opposition members.”
2018-11-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8408 (2018) · source
“In the aftermath of the fifth round of the dialogue, we also encourage leaders in the region to send a clear signal of their continued engagement and support for peaceful, free, fair and credible elections in 2020. The situation in Burundi has undermined the significant gains achieved through the Arusha Peace and Reconciliation Agreement. We encourage the Arusha guarantors to reinvigorate their diplomatic engagement in support of the Agreement. Additionally, we take note of the Secretary-General's report reference to the fact that the United Nations continues to receive allegations of human rights violations and abuses. We are particularly disturbed that more than 45 bodies were discovered throughout the country in the wake of various attacks, murders and disappearances.”
2018-11-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8408 (2018) · source
“For our part, we can think of no better way to honour their memory than by seeking to bridge Burundi's political divides and putting the country on the path to peace and sustainable development. In their own way and in their own time, both of those men attempted to promote mutual understanding, leading to independence, peace and development and inspiring millions of Burundians, giving us all hope for Burundi's future. We welcome the efforts of the EAC dialogue facilitator and former President, Mr. Benjamin Mkapa, to seek consensus on a road map to elections in 2020. We encourage the Government of Burundi and the opposition parties to renew their commitment to the dialogue in order to reach consensus on such a road map.”
2018-11-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8408 (2018) · source
“I wish to thank Special Envoy Kafando and Ambassador Lauber for their briefings. We deeply appreciate the report of the Secretary-General on the situation in Burundi dated 15 November (S/2018/1028), submitted pursuant to resolution 2303 (2016). We look forward to the next written report. The United States is disappointed, as are so many others, that the Government of Burundi did not participate in the fifth round of the East African Community (EAC) inter-Burundi dialogue in October. Among the reasons cited for its absence, the Government said that it was unable to attend due to a period ofnational mourning to remember fallen national heroes: Prince Rwagasore and President Ndadaye.”
2018-11-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8408 (2018) · source
“A rushed process in a matter of days to make a decision that would change peacekeeping permanently would undercut our progress. Instead, let us continue the good work on all sides to bring our two organizations closer together, with respect for their unique roles, to help the people of Africa create the peaceful, secure and prosperous future they deserve.”
2018-11-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8407 (2018) · source
“In 2018, the United States supported the training of military personnel in African peacekeeping missions in the Central African Republic, Mali, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Darfur, Abyei and South Sudan. The United States also supports security in Africa through hundreds of millions of dollars in counter-terrorism and law-enforcement assistance. Our humanitarian, health and development assistance supports the health and education of millions of women and children as well. In short, the United States is committed to Africa's future stability and prosperity. We are proud of our partnership with the AU and the many African troop-contributing countries. In conclusion, we see today as a step forward in our shared effort to strengthen the partnership of the United Nations with the AU.”
2018-11-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8407 (2018) · source
“The United States is calling for more consideration before we commit United Nations funds to AU peace support operations, but it would be a mistake to interpret our caution as a lack of support for peace, security and human rights on the African continent. The United States has long been and will remain the Organization's top contributor to United Nations peacekeeping missions, but on top of our assessed funds, we are committed to helping troop-contributing countries prepare their troops for deployment to United Nations peacekeeping operations in Africa. Since 2005, we have spent $1.5 billion on training support with 23 active partners in Africa.”
2018-11-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8407 (2018) · source
“There are serious unanswered questions about how to protect the Security Council's authority on matters related to international peace and security in any future arrangement that supports AU peace support operations with United Nations-assessed contributions. Council members must be given time to ensure that there is full political and legislative support from their capitals before making this commitment. Our Congress's agreement is imperative for the United States. I know that is also the case for other countries and their legislatures, and we will not be able to engage our new Congress on this important and complex issue until the new year, which is the soonest we could considerjoining consensus on a new draft resolution.”
2018-11-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8407 (2018) · source
“The Council also asks that there be full financial transparency and accountability and requires AU troops to adhere to high performance standards and maintain good conduct and discipline and respect for human rights. Progress has been made and we congratulate the AU on it, but more work is needed before the Security Council's conditions can be considered fulfilled. It is too soon to make decisions about changing the peacekeeping relationship between the United Nations and the AU when the AU is still working on its internal reforms. Other issues have led us to believe that taking this step now would be premature.”
2018-11-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8407 (2018) · source
“The Security Council is on record as adopting two resolutions - resolutions 2320 (2016) and 2378 (2017) - expressing its desire to work with the AU to find reliable funding structures for peacekeeping. We have also affirmed that the primary responsibility for conflict prevention lies with States and that the Council is ready to work with them to keep the peace. Those resolutions set out clear conditions that the African Union has to meet before the Security Council can even consider using United Nations-assessed contributions to fund AU peace support operations. They include the expectation that the AU must provide at least 25 per cent of the cost of operations.”
2018-11-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8407 (2018) · source
“The question we are asked to address today is how we can improve the unique relationship of the United Nations with the African Union - not for the benefit of the organizations themselves, but to help the people of Africa build apeaceful and prosperous future. It deserves a focused, sustained and honest conversation. Council members must not be rushed into making precedent- setting decisions without careful consideration of their consequences. Many here today have called for the Security Council to make United Nations-assessed contributions available as a predictable and sustainable means of support for African peace support operations. This proposal, in particular, demands that we pause to consider how it would aid peace, security and human rights in Africa.”
2018-11-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8407 (2018) · source
“The African Union (AU) continues to be a strong and necessary partner of the United Nations in advancing political, security, economic and humanitarian goals in Africa. The relationship between the two organizations is unique and special, and must remain so. The United States recognizes the sacrifices that the AU and African troop-contributing countries are already making for peacekeeping operations in Africa. Ethiopia alone has more than 8,000 troops serving in United Nations peacekeeping operations and over 4,000 in the AU Mission to Somalia. Burkina Faso has more than 2,000 troops dedicated to United Nations peacekeeping, and last month paid the ultimate price when it lost two soldiers to a terrorist attack in Mali.”
2018-11-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8407 (2018) · source
“We thank Secretary- General Guterres and Commissioner Chergui for their briefings. I too would like to begin by saying a few words in special tribute to the Malawian and Tanzanian United Nations peacekeepers and the soldiers from the Armed Forces ofthe Democratic Republic ofthe Congo who were killed there last week. This is an important reminder for all of us that the decisions made in this Chamber have real consequences for peacekeepers and their families. Our prayers are with the families of the men and women killed last week and with the wounded who survived. Making our peacekeeping missions more effective and more accountable to the people they serve is a top priority for the United States.”
2018-11-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8407 (2018) · source
“We must urgently seize this fleeting window of opportunity to achieve a political transition and a lasting peace in Syria.”
2018-11-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8406 (2018) · source
“Al-Assad cannot be rewarded for destroying his own country and overseeing the killing of hundreds of thousands of Syrians. The international community must hold Al-Assad accountable, and the Syrian people must have the opportunity to hold him accountable. All those who were displaced or forced to flee the regime's repression must have the opportunity to have a new constitution that will protect them, as well as deliver parliamentary and presidential elections in line with resolution 2254 (2015). Only then will Al-Assad's victims achieve a measure ofjustice and only then will all the people of Syria be able to look forward to a better future. It is long overdue that we begin the difficult task of ending the conflict and providing for the safety and stability of Syria. The Syrian people must not be forced to wait any longer.”
2018-11-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8406 (2018) · source
“If it truly wants a political solution, Russia must end the obstruction of that process. In the past, Moscow has proved that it has the ability to influence its client in Damascus. It must use that influence today to prevent the Syrian regime from continuing to delay the formation of the constitutional committee. The convening of the constitutional committee is a first and critical step towards a political transition in Syria. However, the international community will not even begin to consider providing reconstruction support before a durable and irreversible political process is clearly on track. Providing assistance before that point does nothing to address the root cause of the Syrian conflict: the repression by Bashar Al-Assad and his regime of the Syrian people.”
2018-11-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8406 (2018) · source
“Any further deliberation must be seen for what it is: an artificial delay and a transparent attempt to distract and delay progress towards a political solution in Syria. Neither the Syrian regime nor the Astana group, in particular Iran and Russia, can be allowed to veto the Special Envoy's decision on the membership of the constitutional committee. A committee over which Al-Assad or Iran have veto power is not credible and does not represent the interests of the Syrian people. Let us recall how this began - not with terrorism or with military combat but with a Government violently repressing peaceful demonstrators. That Government must not now be given a veto over fixing the mess that it made. The burden is on Russia to show that it wants its own diplomatic initiative to succeed. Russia must bring the Syrian regime to the table.”
2018-11-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8406 (2018) · source
“The United States reiterates its firm position that the constitutional committee should be convened without delay - in December, before the end of the year, if not sooner. The United Nations and the Special Envoy must move towards that goal by issuing invitations to all 150 committee members without further delay. The Special Envoy and the Security Council have been discussing the formation of that committee for almost a year. The United Nations has compiled the list of the committee members with input from the relevant parties. The list of civil society representatives was to be determined by Special Envoy De Mistura. He has been more than patient and flexible in accepting input from the Syrian regime and from others.”
2018-11-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8406 (2018) · source
“We would like to thank Special Envoy De Mistura for his briefing and for all the work that he has done on behalf of the Syrian people. Today's meeting takes place in an atmosphere of uncertainty and urgency about the future of Syria. The violence on the ground has diminished for now. That de facto de-escalation provides an opportunity to move forward decisively with a political process to bring about a peaceful and permanent resolution of the conflict. At the same time, the longer we allow the Syrian regime to stall and equivocate and to do everything that it can to avoid coming to the table for constructive talks on a political settlement, the greater the danger of a return to the violence that has plagued Syria for nearly eight years will be.”
2018-11-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8406 (2018) · source
“All of us around this table have emphasized a common theme: that the time for progress on the political track is now, that we stand behind Special Envoy Griffiths and his efforts and that we are united in our demand for Mr. Lowcock's five asks, including for unfettered humanitarian access and for a cessation of hostilities. The United States and the members of the Council will be watching the situation closely in the weeks to come, particularly whether the parties cooperate with the Special Envoy's work. We must all use our collective and individual influence to make sure that they do.”
2018-11-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8404 (2018) · source