YouSaid · the spoken record

Cohen

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977

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2008-01-22

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2023-10-24

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un-security-council

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1. “We also see the country's future in the ethnically diverse students from the town of Jajce, who protested the further segregation of schools after local authorities sought to build a school just for Bosnian Muslim class members. The United States looks forward to a time when Bosnia and Herzegovina fully satisfies the objectives and conditions for the closure of the Office of the High Representative, also known as the 5+2 agenda, as established by the Peace Implementation Council.”

   2018-11-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8392 (2018) · source

2. “Those steps must be taken in concert with efforts to strengthen the rule of law, tackle corruption, increase economic opportunity and otherwise respond to the needs of all the citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina, regardless of their ethnicity or religion. There is much to be optimistic about. We see Bosnia and Herzegovina's future in the 23-year-old poet who organized a nationwide poetry contest to fight hate speech. We see the country's future in the work of its Interreligious Council, which just celebrated its twentieth anniversary and dedicates its time to promoting interfaith dialogue and visiting the sites of attacks on religious institutions, four of which it has visited in the past year.”

   2018-11-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8392 (2018) · source

3. “We renew our collective commitment to upholding the Dayton Peace Accords by maintaining the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the country. The United States will hold accountable those who threaten Bosnia and Herzegovina's peace, security and stability. Accountability is essential to discouraging spoilers to the country's political process. Let me reiterate a position that we have repeatedly made clear in the Chamber. Bosnia and Herzegovina's leaders must demonstrate the political will to follow through on the commitments necessary to cementing their country's path into the European Union and NATO. Euro-Atlantic integration is the only path for Bosnia and Herzegovina's future as a responsible global player.”

   2018-11-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8392 (2018) · source

4. “We consider the role of High Representative Inzko to be essential, especially in the aftermath of the October general elections and as the country continues to contend with the divisive nationalistic rhetoric that threatens to undermine gains made under the agreement. We also commend the continued work of the European Union-led peacekeeping force Operation Althea and its role in preserving a safe and secure environment in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The United States is pleased to support the renewal of its mandate. We are concerned about those who seek to weaken the constitutional order of the single State of Bosnia and Herzegovina, composed of two entities and three constituent peoples, and we call on the members of the Council to remain vigilant against any efforts to undermine Bosnia and Herzegovina's State-level institutions.”

   2018-11-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8392 (2018) · source

5. “I thank High Representative Inzko for his work in Bosnia and Herzegovina for the past nine years and for his dedicated leadership of the Office of the High Representative. The Office's mission reflects the very ideals that the Security Council envisions for a modern Bosnia and Herzegovina, a peaceful and viable democracy that is on course for Euro-Atlantic integration and responsible for its own destiny and future. The United States reiterates its strong support for the mandate of the High Representative under the Dayton Accords as the final authority on the interpretation of the civilian implementation of the Dayton Peace Agreement.”

   2018-11-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8392 (2018) · source

6. “We strongly support the implementation of the OPCW's attribution arrangements for cases where the Fact- finding Mission has determined that use or likely use has occurred. Attribution for the use of chemical weapons in Syria is one of the steps necessary for accountability and preventing future use. The United States continues to hope that the Council will unite around the notion, which was thought to have been well established and accepted for 100 years, that chemical weapons have no place in our world. All of us, and particularly the Syrian people, deserve to live without fear of those horrific weapons.”

   2018-11-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8390 (2018) · source

7. “There must be an end to the provocations and disinformation from the Al-Assad regime and Russia, including their continued attempts to falsely accuse humanitarian first responders and heroes - the White Helmets - of planning chemical-weapon attacks in Idlib or elsewhere. This is especially ridiculous considering that independent mechanisms created by this very Council have found the Syrian regime to be the party responsible for the use of chemical weapons in Syria. The United States once again expresses its strong support for the Fact-finding Mission in the Syrian Arab Republic of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) in its work of investigating allegations of the use of chemical weapons in Syria.”

   2018-11-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8390 (2018) · source

8. “The Al-Assad regime's use of chemical weapons, independently confirmed by the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Syrian Arab Republic and the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons-United Nations Joint Investigative Mechanism, is a clear demonstration of why the United Nations-led political process must move, make progress and succeed without further delay. The regime used deadly chemical weapons on its own people. There must be accountability for that, and there must be a political transition, in accordance with resolution 2254 (2015), that ensures justice and prevents anyone, particularly the Al-Assad regime, from using chemical weapons again.”

   2018-11-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8390 (2018) · source

9. “I thank Under-Secretary-General Nakamitsu for her briefing. The United States is pleased that the agreement to establish a demilitarized zone in and around Idlib continues to hold. We again note that any military offensive in Idlib would be a reckless escalation that would bring further instability. The United States is standing with Special Envoy Staffan de Mistura to support his effort to make progress towards a durable political solution as the best chance of forestalling additional episodes in which the Al-Assad regime might again consider using chemical weapons.”

   2018-11-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8390 (2018) · source

10. “We also unanimously agreed in September to list Libyan militia leader Ibrahim Jadhran for attacking Libya's oil facilities earlier this summer. That should be a warning to others who may try to seize Libya's resources for themselves, and this mandate clearly authorizes the Security Council to act in the future. One key factor that has not changed in Libya is the potential of the Libyan people and their desire to create a better country for themselves. The Security Council must continue to do its part.”

    2018-11-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8389 (2018) · source

11. “Today's vote to renew the mandate authorizing Security Council sanctions on illicit petroleum exports from Libya and asset freezes and travel bans on Libyan political spoilers should have been unanimous. It should have sent a clear message to the Libyan people that we are united behind them and that we on the Security Council will hold Libyan spoilers to account for their actions. The Security Council unanimously agreed to list six migrant smugglers earlier this year for their abuses in Libya, marking the very first time that we have ever used sanctions to respond to migrant trafficking. These criminal gangs cannot operate with impunity, and we remain deeply concerned about the welfare of the migrants they seek to exploit.”

    2018-11-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8389 (2018) · source

12. “Terrorists, armed groups and criminal gangs must not be allowed to act with impunity. Those responsible for egregious abuses and atrocities must be held accountable, not only to bring victims a measure of justice, but also to signal to all future abusers that such crimes will not be tolerated. The United States is committed to pursuing justice in Libya. We remain a steadfast partner of the Government of National Accord, the Security Council and our international partners in working toward that goal and towards a more peaceful and prosperous Libya. In closing, I reiterate the concerns of the United States with regard to the activity of the Court with respect to the situations in Afghanistan and the West Bank and Gaza, including our objection to any investigations or other activity of the Court concerning United States or Israeli personnel.”

    2018-11-02 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8388 (2018) · source

13. “We further welcome the Council's unanimous adoption in October of resolution 2437 (2018), which authorizes Member States to continue to inspect and seize vessels involved in migrant trafficking and smuggling off the coast of Libya. The United States looks forward to continued collaboration with the Libyan authorities, fellow Security Council members and other allies to fight the scourge of human trafficking and smuggling and Libya and around the world. Let me repeat the words of Ambassador Haley - there is no place in our world for such abuses of human rights and human dignity. In looking over the broad landscape of where Libya is today, much work remains to be done to create lasting and stable peace. It is appropriate in today's setting to emphasize the crucial role that accountability plays in achieving that goal.”

    2018-11-02 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8388 (2018) · source

14. “The continuation of that type of fighting puts people across the country at risk of violence at the hands of criminals and of terrorists. The United States remains deeply concerned about the vulnerability of migrants, refugees and asylum seekers in Libya, who are preyed upon by human smugglers and traffickers. Those responsible must be brought to justice. We encourage the Government of National Accord to continue efforts to hold such individuals accountable, including any complicit Government officials. We also welcome the Council's action in June to designate for sanctions six individuals involved in human trafficking and the smuggling of migrants in Libya. The United States is pleased to have implemented concurrent sanctions against those individuals who threaten the peace, security and stability of Libya.”

    2018-11-02 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8388 (2018) · source

15. “SaifAl-Islam Al-Qadhafi and Al-Tuhamy Mohamed Khaled, the former head of the notorious Libyan Internal Security Agency, must be held to account for their crimes, including the murder and persecution of hundreds of civilians and the alleged torture of individuals perceived to have been enemies of the Al-Qadhafi regime. We also reiterate our calls for the relevant Libyan authorities to ensure that Major Al-Werfalli is held accountable for alleged unlawful killings. We repeat our warning that those who tamper with security in Tripoli or elsewhere in Libya will be held accountable for their actions. As I said before the Council in September (see S/PV.8341), a handful of political spoilers should not be permitted to thwart the process of achieving a more secure and stable Libya.”

    2018-11-02 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8388 (2018) · source

16. “In the past two months, over 100 people have been killed in clashes in and around Tripoli. Hundreds more have been wounded and thousands displaced all due to the unacceptable actions of spoilers to Libya's political process. The United States has strongly condemned the recent violence in Tripoli. The political process cannot proceed under the threat of violence and the Tripoli ceasefire must be respected. As we have said many times before in briefings on the situation in Libya, the human rights situation in that country is grave and the perpetrators of violence must face justice.”

    2018-11-02 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8388 (2018) · source

17. “Allow me to congratulate China on assuming the presidency of the Security Council and to ensure you, Sir, of our support through the course of this month. I also want to thank Prosecutor Bensouda for her briefing on her efforts, pursuant to resolution 1970 (2011), to bring to justice those responsible for atrocity crimes committed in Libya. Seven years ago, in the face ofthe horrific atrocities being committed by the Muammar Al-Qadhafi regime, the Security Council unanimously referred the situation in Libya to the International Criminal Court. Today, much has changed in Libya, but it is still the case that Libyans are not free from violence, conflict or instability. Just last month, one of Libya's most vital economic institutions, the National Oil Corporation, was attacked by terrorists.”

    2018-11-02 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8388 (2018) · source

18. “As we said in April, the United States will continue to stand by the core principle that peacekeeping missions must support political solutions, and we will assess MINURSO's future performance accordingly. The United States will continue doing everything possible to support Personal Envoy Kohler and to advance negotiations.”

    2018-10-31 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8387 (2018) · source

19. “Renewing MINURSO's mandate for only six months reflects our continuing resolve to see the negotiations proceed swiftly, in good faith and without preconditions. It also makes clear that the Security Council will not let Western Sahara and MINURSO slip into the shadows. As the political process resumes, the United States will carefully evaluate the MINURSO mandate going forward. Further renewals will not be automatic and will hinge on whether or not MINURSO is contributing to a political solution. With the launch ofa political process, we have started to rectify one of the key challenges to MINURSO, which is making sure that the peacekeeping Mission supports a political solution. That change was pivotal to our decision to continue extending the mandate of the peacekeeping Mission.”

    2018-10-31 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8387 (2018) · source

20. “We express our gratitude to and full support for Personal Envoy Kohler and his team. We welcome the Personal Envoy to the Security Council at any time to brief it on the status of his efforts. We also express thanks to the Special Representative of the Secretary- General for Western Sahara, Colin Stewart, and all those working tirelessly as part of MINURSO. We thank the Government of Switzerland for hosting the upcoming talks. There are those among us who would have preferred a 12-month mandate. However, the political process now beginning under the Personal Envoy's leadership requires the Security Council's close attention and support. Shortening MINURSO's mandate to end in April 2019 signals that the Council is determined to accelerate the political process and move beyond the status quo.”

    2018-10-31 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8387 (2018) · source

21. “The parties must remain committed to negotiations at the December round table and throughout to a successful conclusion. The meeting in December is not a one-off event. It must be the beginning of a process of direct negotiations. We fully support Personal Envoy Kohler and believe that the Security Council should do everything it can to ensure that he can actively lead and advance the political process, while building on the momentum we hope Geneva will generate, in order to achieve a long-overdue political solution. The United States further calls on the parties to respect their relevant obligations and assurances and refrain from any actions that could undermine United Nations- facilitated negotiations or further destabilize the situation in Western Sahara.”

    2018-10-31 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8387 (2018) · source

22. “We are pleased that Morocco, the Frente Popular para la Liberacion de Saguia el-Hamra y de Rio de Oro, Algeria and Mauritania have all accepted Personal Envoy Kohler's invitation in good faith and without preconditions. We urge that they engage constructively with the Personal Envoy throughout the duration of the process in order to realize a realistic, practicable and enduring political solution. However, we caution against any notion that we have crossed a finish line. The political process is only beginning. We believe that direct negotiations under United Nations leadership offer a real opportunity to achieve a mutually acceptable solution, and the upcoming meeting in Geneva will be a critical first step in the process.”

    2018-10-31 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8387 (2018) · source

23. “As the United States said in April (see S/PV.8246), we have embarked on a new approach to the mandate of the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO). First, there can be no more business as usual on Western Sahara. Secondly, we must lend our full support to the Personal Envoy of the Secretary-General for Western Sahara, Mr. Kohler, in his efforts to achieve a just, lasting and mutually acceptable solution that will provide for the self-determination of the people of Western Sahara. We are encouraged by the progress made in the past six months. We welcome Personal Envoy Kohler's decision to restart a direct negotiation process, beginning with a round table in Geneva.”

    2018-10-31 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8387 (2018) · source

24. “Unfortunately, Russia continues to impede the peace process and is, we believe, deliberately stalling in those discussions and in talks between United States Special Representative Kurt Volker and Russian Presidential Adviser Vladislav Surkov. We call on Russia to cease its obstructionist activities and artificial delays. The United States reiterates its strong condemnation of Russia's destabilizing actions in Ukraine. We will continue to impose sanctions against Russia for its action in Donbas and Crimea until it fully implements the Minsk agreements and returns the Crimean peninsula to Ukraine.”

    2018-10-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8386 (2018) · source

25. “We encourage all parties to allow affected Ukrainians to have unfettered access to humanitarian aid and Government services and to guard against further civilian losses and damage to critical infrastructure. Beyond eastern Ukraine, Russia's occupation of the Crimean peninsula and its aggressive actions in the Sea of Azov, where Russia is harassing and obstructing international shipping bound for Ukraine's ports, further demonstrate Moscow's blatant violation of Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity and its readiness to undermine regional stability. We greatly appreciate the efforts of France and Germany in the Normandy format to push for the implementation of the Minsk agreements.”

    2018-10-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8386 (2018) · source

26. “The 11 November balloting will satisfy none of those conditions. The Minsk agreements also call for the disarmament of illegal groups and the withdrawal of foreign armed formations from eastern Ukraine. However, Russia is using those so-called elections to achieve the opposite. It seeks to bolster the positions ofthe so-called Donetsk People's Republic and the Luhansk People's Republic. Both entities are inseparable from the illegal armed groups controlled by Moscow. We also express our concern about the humanitarian crisis in eastern Ukraine, with 3.4 million Ukrainians requiring assistance and more than 1.5 million internally displaced. The humanitarian crisis will continue until a ceasefire is implemented and basic commitments under the Minsk agreements are met.”

    2018-10-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8386 (2018) · source

27. “I thank Under-Secretary-General DiCarlo and Assistant Secretary-General Mueller for briefing the Security Council today. The United States joins others in condemning the announcement by the so-called Donetsk and Luhansk People's Republics that they intend to hold what they call elections on 11 November. Such actions are clearly illegitimate and have no basis in Ukrainian law. The sham elections, staged by Russia, run directly counter to efforts to implement the Minsk peace agreements. They also obstruct and undermine efforts to end the ongoing conflict in eastern Ukraine, which has killed more than 10,000 people and causes more casualties daily. The Minsk agreements state that the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) must supervise elections, which are to be held in accordance with Ukrainian law and OSCE standards.”

    2018-10-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8386 (2018) · source

28. “A timeline that does so as quickly as possible is not an artificial deadline; it is a moral necessity and precisely why we have the Council and the United Nations and why it is essential to act now. The constitutional committee represents an important opportunity to improve humanitarian conditions throughout Syria by securing an end to the conflict. We have no time to lose. We must not tolerate the imposition of more artificial delays. We must see that committee launched. Shame on us all if we do not now expend every effort to prevent another humanitarian tragedy in Syria.”

    2018-10-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8384 (2018) · source

29. “The regime's excuses have never been acceptable, but absent of the most basic signs of progress, those excuses are increasingly implausible. Finally, I want to reiterate that we must move forward with the formation of the constitutional committee as quickly as possible as a first step towards an irreversible political transition, in accordance with resolution 2254 (2015). This is not an artificial deadline. The years of suffering of millions of refugees and IDPs argue strongly that the parties and the United Nations must seize the closing window of opportunity provided by the Idlib ceasefire and act now. We are talking about saving people's lives.”

    2018-10-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8384 (2018) · source

30. “The United States is the leading donor of humanitarian assistance for the Syrian response, providing more than $9 billion in aid throughout Syria and to neighbouring countries, which have hosted more than 5.6 million Syrian refugees since the start of the crisis. The United States is proud of its long- standing and significant support for the people of Syria. However, the responsibility for the safety, dignity and well-being of Syrians belongs first and foremost to the Syrian authorities, not to Syria's neighbours, the international community or donors. We therefore call on the Syrian regime to uphold its most basic obligations to the Syrian people under international law, as well as their obligations to the Council, including by allowing for sustained humanitarian access to territories under their control.”

    2018-10-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8384 (2018) · source

31. “Reported conditions of continued insecurity and regime reprisals, arbitrary arrests and disappearances, such as in the south-west of Syria, demonstrate that the international standards for refugee returns - and indeed, the removal of the cause of well-founded fears of persecution that led refugees to flee in the first place - have not yet been met. Without the verifiable repeal of Law 10 and other similar laws, Syrian refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs) face credible fears over their ability to return to their homes and rebuild their lives in safety and dignity, without prejudice to the demographic makeup of Syria. Syrian refugees and IDPs must be allowed to make their own decisions about returns that are safe, free and informed, and not premature or under pressure.”

    2018-10-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8384 (2018) · source

32. “Despite shifting battle lines and territorial control, there has been no improvement in the ability ofrelief organizations to reach those in need. That is why the United States fully supports the United Nations assessment that conditions in Syria are not yet conducive to large-scale refugee returns. The Al-Assad regime continues to do little to demonstrate its willingness to create security and humanitarian conditions on the ground that would allow people to feel safe voluntarily returning to their homes.”

    2018-10-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8384 (2018) · source

33. “While we look forward to the arrival of a joint United Nations-Syrian Arab Red Crescent convoy reaching Rukban, we need to be clear that this is only a first step in addressing the dire humanitarian conditions people in Rukban face every day. The United States has offered the United Nations all the necessary security assurances to allow that delivery to proceed. But a one-time delivery is not good enough. A one-time delivery does not allow for safe, rapid, unhindered and sustained access. Moscow and Damascus must ensure that the United Nations has regular and unimpeded access to provide humanitarian assistance to Rukban and all areas in need throughout Syria. As the Secretary-General's report also notes, yet another month has gone by with no uptick in humanitarian access, even to territories that are now under regime control.”

    2018-10-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8384 (2018) · source

34. “United Nations cross-border deliveries are authorized by resolutions 2165 (2014) and 2393 (2017), and must be enabled by the parties to the conflict. To that end, the United States strongly supports the Secretary- General's assessment noted in the September report (S/2018/845) that the renewal of the cross-border humanitarian assistance mechanism of the United Nations, as set forward by resolution 2165 (2014) and subsequent resolutions, is vital for some 5 million Syrians who currently depend on those cross-border humanitarian deliveries. In other areas like Rukban, the Syrian Government has kept civilians under siege by denying humanitarian aid to the camp.”

    2018-10-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8384 (2018) · source

35. “Provocations and disinformation by Damascus must stop, including the regime's and one Council member's continued attempts to falsely accuse the brave humanitarian first responders - the White Helmets - of planning chemical-weapons attacks in Idlib province. That is especially ridiculous given that independent mechanisms created in the Security Council have found the Syrian regime to be the party guilty of chemical-weapons use in Syria. Returning to the issue of humanitarian access, it is no surprise that sustained humanitarian access from Damascus remains elusive in far too many parts of Syria. For the 3 million people living in Idlib alone, cross-border humanitarian assistance is a vital lifeline.”

    2018-10-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8384 (2018) · source

36. “But I think we all agree that, to support the political effort, the Organization's work to prepare for the worst in Idlib remains absolutely essential. The United States applauds the heroic efforts of the United Nations and its partners for their brave work to preposition humanitarian aid in Idlib and to ensure that the international community is prepared to respond should the regime break the ceasefire and trigger a humanitarian catastrophe. The United States urges Russia and Turkey to make this ceasefire agreement durable, and for Russia to prevent the Syrian regime from launching any military offensive into Idlib.”

    2018-10-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8384 (2018) · source

37. “We cannot trust them to uphold the military agreement or basic humanitarian principles in Syria. The best way to ensure that the Council can prevent another humanitarian tragedy from unfolding in Idlib and the countryside in Syria is to show genuine and urgent movement towards a political solution to the crisis, fully consistent with resolution 2254 (2015). The United States and the other members of the small group - Egypt, France, Germany, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and the United Kingdom - are exerting every ounce of diplomatic effort to see the constitutional committee launch as quickly as possible, while one other Council member seeks to invoke what is has called "artificial deadlines" to prolong the dangerous status quo.”

    2018-10-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8384 (2018) · source

38. “We have seen this over and over again in this year alone with the Russian and the regime's offensives in eastern Ghouta, Yarmouk and Dara'a, and now Idlib. While we were encouraged by the United Nations assessment that Turkey and Russia's creation of a demilitarized zone in Idlib contributed to a reduction of violence in the past month, we are gravely concerned about the scale of the humanitarian crisis we would face if and when Al-Assad decides that the Idlib ceasefire has outlived its usefulness to him. That would likely be the largest catastrophe yet in this already devastating conflict. Syria and Russia have shown that they feel absolutely no obligation to uphold de-escalation zones in eastern Ghouta, Dara'a or even Idlib, based on recent developments.”

    2018-10-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8384 (2018) · source

39. “I thank Under- Secretary-General Lowcock for his sobering briefing. The timing of this meeting is especially important. On Friday, we heard the Syrian representative issue a chilling warning, in crystal clear terms, that the regime will "fully recover Idlib when we deem it necessary." (S/PV8383, p. 15). Later that day, we saw reports of regime strikes on areas inside the Idlib zone. What that means is that the window of opportunity to prevent the slaughter of millions of Syrian civilians living in Idlib, created by Turkey and Russia's agreement on a demilitarized zone, is closing. And it can close fast. Once that window closes, as Under- Secretary-General Lowcock reminded us this morning, a catastrophic humanitarian crisis will be on our hands. Civilians will die. Thousands will be displaced.”

    2018-10-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8384 (2018) · source

40. “Further obstruction of the committee's formation is unacceptable. Further delay risks squandering the window of opportunity provided by the Turkish and Russian demilitarized zone, which succeeded in preventing further bloodshed in Idlib and beyond. The parties have been consulted. No one should doubt that the United Nations Special Envoy has the mandate to move forward to establish the constitutional committee. Any list in that respect, by whomever proposed, must have the approval of the Special Envoy, not just in its membership but in how it is compiled. That is his charge, and not just from Sochi, but from paragraph 2 of resolution 2254 (2015). We should be in full agreement as to the fact that there is no alternative to a United Nations political process as described in that resolution and agreed by unanimous decision of the Council.”

    2018-10-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8383 (2018) · source

41. “I thank Special Envoy De Mistura for his briefing. The United States, along with all other members of the small group - Egypt, France, Germany, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and the United Kingdom - and other like-minded Security Council partners are united in our position that the United Nations should move swiftly to convene the constitutional committee. We continue to strongly support Special Envoy De Mistura's efforts towards the formation of that committee in November. As the Special Envoy noted, the constitutional committee must be credible, balanced and representative of the Syrian people, and we note, despite what the Special Envoy heard in Damascus, that the United Nations has exclusive control over the committee's membership, schedule and scope of work, as affirmed by the Russian Federation in its January 2018 Sochi declaration.”

    2018-10-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8383 (2018) · source

42. “That is why the United States strongly supported language in this year's renewal of the United Nations Global Counter- Terrorism Strategy condemning the use of civilians to shield military objectives from attack, including when terrorists are using schools or other civilian facilities to advance their violent aims. If we hope to prevent conflicts and build lasting peace, promote better governance and advance sustainable economic growth, we must empower women as full and equal partners at every step. Women are half the population. It is only right that they be full participants in the discussions and decisions that shape our present and those that will shape our futures.”

    2018-10-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8382 (2018) · source

43. “It has unlocked the multi-trillion-dollar investment opportunity that women's economic participation truly represents. Empowering women economically starts with ensuring that girls have access to education. That is a complicated issue, but I want to highlight one particular area: the attacks on schools and their misuse in armed conflict. Girls suffer most when there are attacks on schools or when combatants misuse schools to support combat operations. Even when the fighting ends, parents are particularly wary of sending their daughters to school where there is a risk of violence. Girls are also less likely to return to education once conflict has interrupted schooling. Terrorists, with their disregard for the welfare of civilians, are among the worst abusers, as we have seen with Hamas, among others.”

    2018-10-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8382 (2018) · source

44. “That focus on the substantive inclusion of women is particularly important in United Nations peacekeeping. Turning to women's economic empowerment, the United States is working to build communities that are more resilient to conflict. We have invested $50 million in the Women Entrepreneurs Finance Initiative, an innovative multi-donor facility that is aimed at expanding access to finance and technical assistance for women entrepreneurs. Fourteen other Governments have already joined us since we launched this initiative at the Group of Twenty summit last year. Together we have committed more than $340 million to the fund and leveraged more than $1.6 billion from public and private sectors to support women entrepreneurs in developing countries.”

    2018-10-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8382 (2018) · source

45. “The meaningful participation of women at all levels of security work, including in uniform, can help counteract that worrying trend. When women serve as military members, they make the security sector more representative of the population. They help security forces understand the communities in which they operate, serve their needs and earn their trust. Women's leadership in the security sector also reinforces the importance of women's participation in every aspect of society and opens up opportunities for other women. While we support those efforts in our own armed forces, we are also working with Governments around the world to support them in bringing the skills, leadership and untapped potential of women into their security forces.”

    2018-10-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8382 (2018) · source

46. “The United States strongly supports the design and implementation of national action plans on women and peace and security worldwide. In Iraq and Afghanistan, we have supported civil-society monitoring and advocacy initiatives related to national action plans. We are also working with the African Union to strengthen its capacity to review, monitor and implement national action plans on the continent. Finally, we have provided support to develop national action plans in Eastern Europe and Central Asia. But the women and peace and security agenda is about more than peace; it is also about security. The United States believes strongly that countries with high rates of gender inequality are more likely to experience instability and deadly conflict.”

    2018-10-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8382 (2018) · source

47. “It is up to leadership to drive the culture change that we need to deliver results we want to see. We know that the best ideas on the women and peace and security agenda often come from outside the Secretariat, outside the Council and outside ministries and capitals. That is why it is essential that we fight efforts to limit the space for civil society and bring outside voices in, particularly women's voices, to inform and drive our work here. From women civil-society leaders to human rights defenders, to peace negotiators, the work women do is essential, often dangerous, and we should look to leverage their successes. We also continue to call on and support more Governments taking leadership on this critical issue.”

    2018-10-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8382 (2018) · source

48. “Through efforts like the Security Council's Informal Expert Group on Women and Peace and Security, we are better integrating gender analysis into the Council's discussions and decisions. The women and peace and security agenda is now in more peacekeeping mandates than ever before. However, it is only when that agenda is a priority task in mandates, as is the case with the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, that we really start to see the issue treated as the priority that it is and should be. We encourage United Nations leadership here in New York and through the Special Representatives of the Secretary-General in the field to take the lead on the women and peace and security agenda, empowering gender advisers and facilitators to support their work.”

    2018-10-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8382 (2018) · source

49. “The United States has also identified Yemeni women experienced in conflict resolution, security and policing, and is encouraging the United Nations Special Envoy for Yemen and UN-Women to expand female involvement in the peace process and conflict- resolution efforts there. While the report of the Secretary-General (S/2018/900) points to progress in the United Nations system and at the regional and national levels, there is much more work to do. Translating the women and peace and security agenda into action requires long-term commitment. At the United Nations, we continue to call for the integration of the tenets of the women and peace and security agenda across all operations, which will enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of our work.”

    2018-10-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8382 (2018) · source

50. “That historic milestone reaffirms the United States' long- standing belief that the meaningful participation of women is at the heart of efforts to promote security and to advance peace. Our renewed commitment to women and peace and security aims to ensure that women's voices are at the centre of efforts to secure peace. Our legislation also provides an opportunity to renew efforts to bring women from all backgrounds to the peace table. Our experience shows that women often have the best understanding of the needs of their communities. In one example, our Government collaborated with Notre Dame's Kroc Institute to monitor the implementation of the Colombian peace accord, including its inclusivity and gender provisions. The parties to the accord used Kroc's data to guide strategic decision-making at the national and territorial levels.”

    2018-10-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8382 (2018) · source