YouSaid · the spoken record

Coleman

lines on the record: 83
first: 2016-11-08
most recent: 2018-02-08
sittings or episodes: 13
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

“When we all looked at those maps of ISIS expanding in 2014, it was hard to imagine that three years later we would see such a dramatic change for the better. Through the strength of our collective will, we have turned the tide. We will do the same in the years to come until ISIS is defeated for good and consigned to the dustbin of history, where it belongs.”
2018-02-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8178 (2018) · source
“To that list we should also add resolution 2379 (2017), which established an investigative mechanism to document crimes committed by ISIS in Iraq. Accountability for atrocities committed by ISIS is a crucial part of recovering from the group's reign of terror. The final deadline for agreeing to the terms of reference for the ISIS investigative mechanism is coming up tomorrow. We hope that Iraq and the United Nations can reach agreement so that the resolution can be fully and rapidly implemented. The United States is proud of our steadfast effort to stand up to ISIS and rally a global response to defeat the threat. It is true that the threat posed by ISIS is adapting in new and dangerous ways. When we look back at what our campaign has achieved so far, we should use that success to strengthen our resolve for this new chapter.”
2018-02-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8178 (2018) · source
“It includes crucial measures aimed at strengthening border security and information-sharing, as well as provisions to improve judicial and law enforcement cooperation. Resolution 2396 (2017) sets high standards for how States should improve their border-control tools. It also strongly encourages Governments to develop prosecution, rehabilitation and reintegration strategies, alongside civil society, to help break the cycle of terrorism. The United States urges all Member States to implement their obligations under this resolution as soon as possible, and United Nations counter-terrorism bodies to be prepared to assist Member States in that task. There should be no doubt about the need to use all the tools we have established under the Security Council to fight ISIS.”
2018-02-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8178 (2018) · source
“All Member States have an obligation to freeze the assets of all terrorists on the list of the Committee established pursuant to resolution 1267 (1999), concerning Al-Qaida and the Taliban and associated individuals and entities, including those of ISIS and Al-Qaida. Member States must take that obligation seriously and implement their obligations comprehensively. The United States will exercise maximum vigilance to locate and disrupt the funding networks for ISIS and Al-Qaida. We must all enhance our efforts to disrupt the flow of foreign terrorist fighters across borders. They constantly look for ways to break our defences and evade capture. That is why resolution 2396 (2017), which we adopted in December, is so important.”
2018-02-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8178 (2018) · source
“As the fight against ISIS enters a new phase, much of the work will fall to our dedicated law enforcement and intelligence professionals, who will need to pool their resources and information to stop attacks from happening in the first place. There is no time to waste in looking for ways to deepen our cooperation on that front. We have introduced vital tools here at United Nations that can help such efforts. First of all, Member States must step up their efforts to crack down on the sources of financing for ISIS and Al-Qaida. In the coming months, we fully expect that ISIS will try to infiltrate legitimate businesses in Iraq and Syria to look for new ways to raise money.”
2018-02-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8178 (2018) · source
“Together with Al-Qaida, ISIS cells and affiliates present a grave threat that the spread of terror will be expanded to communities around the world. We see those despicable attacks happening already. Just a few weeks ago, ISIS claimed responsibility for a cowardly attack in Afghanistan against Save the Children, a humanitarian non-governmental organization that helps more than 700,000 Afghan children. Last fall in Egypt, ISIS claimed responsibility for a despicable attack against a mosque that reportedly killed more than 300 people, in the middle of prayers. Even as we roll back ISIS on its core territory, the need for all of us to be vigilant and to work together to defeat this evil is obvious.”
2018-02-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8178 (2018) · source
“Today, in 2018, the maps tell a different story. The territory ISIS controls has collapsed. Iraq has been liberated from ISIS. The United States led a decisive coalition of Member States that helped to significantly weaken ISIS, together with partners across Syria and Iraq. Our resolve for an enduring defeat of ISIS will not falter. We will continue the fight until the maps no longer show ISIS territory at all. But even then our work will not be done. That is because ISIS is adapting its tactics. ISIS is losing its so-called State, but its remaining fighters will try to undermine stabilization and reconstruction in Iraq and Syria. ISIS foreign terrorist fighters will also try to return to their homes and take their fight to new fronts.”
2018-02-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8178 (2018) · source
“I thank Under-Secretary-General Voronkov for his briefing, especially because it is his first briefing on this threat since the Office of Counter-Terrorism was established last year. The United States looks forward to its continued cooperation with him and his team to help Member States fight terrorism. The maps of the territory occupied by the Islamic State in Iraq and the Sham (ISIS) in Iraq and Syria tell a powerful story. In 2013 and 2014 ISIS was on the march. It had seized large portions of Syria and Iraq for its self-proclaimed caliphate of terror. Some of the region's largest cities, such as Mosul, had fallen to ISIS. Those terrorists committed unspeakable human rights abuses against the people of Iraq and Syria in the areas ISIS controlled, while they used their safe haven to plan attacks around the world.”
2018-02-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8178 (2018) · source
“The Gambian people have placed their faith in ECOWAS and the international community to safeguard the integrity of the election, and we must not let them down. We welcome the ECOWAS decisions from the fiftieth ordinary summit, held 17 December 2016 in Abuja. We applaud continued efforts by ECOWAS, the African Union and the United Nations to broker a peaceful transition, and call on all parties to exercise restraint and to avoid bloodshed. It is important that we support Adama Barrow, the democratic choice of the Gambian people. We are eager to work closely with Mr. Barrow and his team in order to help achieve the aspirations of the Gambian people.”
2017-01-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7866 (2017) · source
“The United States welcomes the adoption of resolution 2337 (2017). With the unanimous adoption of this resolution, the Security Council stands united in calling for a peaceful transition of power from one president to another; endorses the mediation of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS); and upholds the clear determination of ECOWAS and the African Union that the will of the Gambian people - clearly and peacefully expressed - must be respected. The patience and commitment to peace demonstrated by Adama Barrow and the Gambian people since December have been remarkable. Gambian civil society organizations have refrained from violent demonstrations; instead, they have made their voices heard by issuing statements calling for a peaceful transfer of power.”
2017-01-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7866 (2017) · source
“That is why peacebuilding efforts must start long before the peacekeeping mission ends. Indeed, such efforts should be well under way already, and they must accelerate immediately. To that end, resolution 2333 (2016) directs the Secretary-General to prepare a report on a peacebuilding strategy for Liberia that would guide the transition of UNMIL's civilian tasks not only to the Government of Liberia but also to the appropriate United Nations, multilateral and bilateral partners that can bolster the Government's efforts. Liberia's continuing peace, stability and prosperity and all that the Liberian people, Government and the international community have invested in the country depend on getting the transition right. We all have a stake in ensuring that it succeeds.”
2016-12-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7851 (2016) · source
“This mandate recognizes that the Government of Liberia has risen to the challenge of ensuring security throughout the country since the 30 June transition, and further reduces the size ofUNMIL, cutting the military presence by two-thirds and the police presence by half. We expect a further reduction in the civilian presence as well. But it also ensures a continued UNMIL presence to support the Liberian security services through this historic election in order to consolidate the hard-earned security gains that Liberia has made. In March 2018, UNMIL will close, but Liberia's ongoing reconciliation and reconstruction efforts will continue, as will its work to strengthen good governance and transparency, improve accountability and meet the basic needs of the Liberian people.”
2016-12-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7851 (2016) · source
“As the country's first peaceful and democratic transition of power from one living President to another in seven decades, the election holds the promise of elevating Liberia alongside other models of post-conflict transition in the region that contrast undemocratic trends elsewhere on the continent, where leaders have refused to hold elections, rigged their outcomes or rejected the results when they have lost. We are committed to working with the Liberian Government to ensure a peaceful and secure environment in which the people can participate in free, fair and peaceful elections in October 2017 and through the stable transition to a new Government in January 2018.”
2016-12-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7851 (2016) · source
“We commend the brave men and women who have served as United Nations peacekeepers and police, as well as the countries from which they come, which played a critically important role in restoring a climate of security that enabled Liberia to emerge from conflict and rebuild. But despite more than a dozen years of peace, Liberia's recovery is unfinished, its institutions are fragile, and corruption and impunity remain all too common. The deadly Ebola outbreak that began in 2014 paralysed the country, taking the lives of nearly 5,000 Liberians and undercutting some of the progress the country had made. In 2017, Liberians will elect a new leader to succeed President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf.”
2016-12-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7851 (2016) · source
“Liberia will soon mark 14 years of peace - the same period of time as the devastating civil wars that inflicted immeasurable suffering on the country's people, ravaged the country's infrastructure and left a generation mired in poverty. And yet, since that time so much that was destroyed has been rebuilt with the support of the United States, the United Nations and others in the international community, including roads, power generation, electricity grids, schools, hospitals and the social fabric of communities torn apart by war. As Liberia has made this progress, it has taken on more responsibility for functions that were once carried out by the United Nations. On 30 June, Liberia assumed full responsibility for its own security from the United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL).”
2016-12-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7851 (2016) · source
“My last point is that my delegation would like to thank Ambassador Van Bohemen and the delegation of New Zealand for its able stewardship of the Committee established pursuant to resolution 1267 (1999) concerning Al-Qaida and the Taliban and associated individuals and entities over the past two years. We consider that Committee an important tool, not just for countering the threat of the Taliban, but also for promoting peace and reconciliation in Afghanistan.”
2016-12-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7844 (2016) · source
“The National Unity Government needs to institutionalize clear, consultative, multi-ethnic selection processes for ministers and senior officials. Anti-corruption initiatives must demonstrate the ability to hold officials accountable regardless of rank, in order to ensure that Afghanistan's resources are used for development, security and public services. After the promising progress made in naming an Independent Election Commission, we look forward to the completion of key election reforms and credible parliamentary elections at the appropriate time. Against that backdrop, UNAMA has played a critical role in helping Afghanistan build its future. In upcoming months, we also encourage UNAMA to help prepare Afghan women to run as political candidates and serve as community leaders.”
2016-12-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7844 (2016) · source
“To date, 372,000 Afghan refugees have returned from Pakistan and 662,000 undocumented Afghans have returned from Iran and Pakistan. The number of persons internally displaced by the conflict in Afghanistan also continues to increase significantly. We remain concerned by those numbers and the possibility of a humanitarian emergency as winter sets in. We are also aware that returns to Afghanistan may increase again in the spring, which could potentially overtax an already stressed humanitarian response system. In order to avoid a humanitarian emergency, the return of refugees and migrants to Afghanistan should be voluntary, humane and in line with applicable international law. Amid those clear challenges, some specific steps could help Afghanistan make progress.”
2016-12-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7844 (2016) · source
“We are concerned that continued attacks by the Taliban, affiliates of the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant and other armed groups are undermining security and hindering the development that Afghanistan so desperately needs. As we have seen since the beginning of the conflict, the vast majority of victims in those attacks are civilians. In the first nine months of 2016, the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) documented 2,562 civilian deaths and 5,835 injuries. Those are tragic additions to a needless toll of death and suffering that includes many Government workers and members of security forces. Since mid-July, Afghanistan has experienced a spike in the number of Afghan refugees and undocumented Afghan migrants returning from Pakistan.”
2016-12-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7844 (2016) · source
“However, they are welcome to lay down their arms, negotiate peace and choose to contribute to the future of their country. Meanwhile, recent strong commitments made by the international community are encouraging. The $15.2 billion in development assistance through 2020 that was pledged at the Brussels Conference on Afghanistan in October is an important example. Also at the Brussels Conference, President Ghani and Chief Executive Abdullah underscored their commitment to establishing a functional, accountable and sustainable Government through the implementation of the Afghanistan National Peace and Development Framework and the Self-Reliance through Mutual Accountability Framework. We support them in those efforts. Of course, difficult challenges remain.”
2016-12-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7844 (2016) · source
“In spite of the escalating attacks against the Afghan National Defence and Security Forces, Government officials and civilians, which were highlighted in Special Representative of the Secretary-General Yamamoto's briefing, we commend the Afghan Government for its continued commitment to an inclusive, Afghan-led peace process. The agreement signed on 29 September between the Afghan Government and Hizb-i Islami establishes a precedent for the Government to negotiate a political settlement with armed groups in the interests of Afghans. We continue to call upon the Taliban to enter into negotiations with the Government. Our message to the Taliban and armed groups is that they will not be able to derail Afghanistan's future through terrorist attacks.”
2016-12-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7844 (2016) · source
“Since we last met to discuss Afghanistan in September (see S/PV.7771), we have been encouraged by notable progress on a number of fronts. Perhaps most significantly, President Ghani and Chief Executive Abdullah are working together to strengthen the cohesion of the National Unity Government. The transparent and consultative process to select the members of the Independent Election Commission, who were sworn into office on 22 November, demonstrates the commitment of both leaders to build a merit-based, ethnically inclusive Government that is committed to promoting peace, stability and prosperity in Afghanistan.”
2016-12-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7844 (2016) · source
“We have already seen a glimpse of what the high cost of the latter would be, with reports of thousands of women and girls having been raped and gang-raped, people fleeing their homes en masse and the spectre of widespread hunger following a disruption of normal agricultural production due to continued conflict. With resolution 2327 (2016), the Council recognizes those high stakes and commits to trying to return the country to peace and stability.”
2016-12-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7840 (2016) · source
“Similarly, we believe that targeted sanctions can be an effective tool in sending a message from the Council about our disapproval of leaders, on both sides, who are responsible for inciting violence in South Sudan. We are prepared to support imposing such measures in response to the worsening violence that includes Government offences, the Government's ongoing obstruction of UNMISS and the regional protection force - despite pledges to the contrary - and the role played by individual actors in perpetuating the cycle of violence in South Sudan. South Sudan is on a precipice. The country can return to the peace process towards greater stability or allow further violence to devolve into outright ethnic war.”
2016-12-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7840 (2016) · source
“The resolution is a reflection ofthe briefings we have heard over the past few months from high-level United Nations officials on the deteriorating situation in South Sudan and is focused on ensuring that UNMISS has the right mandate and has the tools it needs to implement it. The resolution expresses our continued commitment to considering the use of sanctions and an arms embargo as tools to reduce the ability and incentives of those who attack civilians and derail the peace process. While some have argued that those measures would be counterproductive or irrelevant, we cannot think of a more appropriate measure than an arms embargo that would impede the flow of arms, particularly heavy weapons, to a Government intent on pursuing violence at the expense of its people and to rebel factions that aim to disrupt the peace agreement.”
2016-12-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7840 (2016) · source
“Both of those steps are intended to strengthen the Mission's ability to protect civilians. The resolution also retains the other key responsibilities of UNMISS, including the monitoring and investigating of human rights abuses and violations and creating the security conditions for humanitarian assistance to reach all those who need it. Furthermore, the resolution calls on peacekeepers to do more to prevent and respond to sexual violence and urges the United Nations to incorporate lessons learned from the attacks on the protection of civilians sites in Malakal and Juba. In that regard, we note our expectation that the United Nations will implement reforms to better enable the Mission to protect civilians and will report to the Council on its progress.”
2016-12-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7840 (2016) · source
“What all that tells us is that the status quo in South Sudan is unbearable and cannot persist. Today, the Security Council has taken a necessary and important step in helping address that bleak situation. Today's resolution 2327 (2016), unanimously adopted, urges parties to return to the peace process as the primary means of ending the conflict. The resolution also ensures, in the face of the heightened tensions I have described, that the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) has the necessary tools to carry out its core mandate - the protection of civilians. The resolution decides to continue the deployment and full operationalization of the 4,000-strong Regional Protection Force, which we first mandated four months ago, and it responds to the Secretary-General's request to increase the number of police assigned to UNMISS.”
2016-12-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7840 (2016) · source
“Last month, the Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide, Mr. Adama Dieng, warned the Security Council that there was a strong risk of violence escalating along ethnic lines, with a potential to spiral into genocide. Just this week, the head of a team of United Nations human rights investigators in South Sudan echoed Dieng's message, saying that South Sudan is on the brink of an all-out civil war, which could destabilize the entire region. The horrors facing the South Sudanese people are extraordinary. We know that 7.5 million people - 75 per cent of the population - are in desperate need of humanitarian assistance. That is not the only appalling condition in South Sudan. Rape has also been an element of an apparently intentional strategy for terrorizing and punishing the population.”
2016-12-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7840 (2016) · source
“It is critical that the African Union-United Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur have access throughout Darfur to ensure that any alleged violations of the cessation of hostilities can be investigated. Ultimately, accountability for the atrocities committed in the Sudan is essential for building adherence to the rule of law and breaking the cycle of impunity, where past crimes beget future crimes. Instead, justice can give us a different path of breaking that cycle of impunity and restoring dignity to victims and their families through a public acknowledgement of the gravity of the wrongs done to them. Now is a time for all of us to recommit to the pursuit ofjustice in the Sudan.”
2016-12-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7833 (2016) · source
“In that vein, we are heartened by the many States that continue to refuse to welcome to their countries the individuals subject to ICC arrest warrants in the Darfur investigation, and we commend those who have spoken out against President Al-Bashir's continued travel. There is a path forward for a peaceful, stable future in the Sudan. A comprehensive peace process that addresses the political, security and humanitarian issues at the root of the Sudan's conflict is critical. We welcome the recent decrease in fighting in many parts of Darfur and the announcements that the Government and three of the four largest armed groups in the Sudan have committed to extend their cessation of hostilities through the dry season. We call on the Sudan Liberation Army-Abdul Wahid faction to do the same.”
2016-12-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7833 (2016) · source
“Justice can succeed if we persevere in focusing on the interests of victims and in supporting the institutions with a mandate to bring truth to light and power to account. We have been reminded over and over again of that fact after turning Cambodia into a grave yard for almost 2 million people decades ago. Nuon Chea and Khieu Samphan will serve the remainder of their lives in prison for their crimes against humanity, and Hissene Habre, under whose rule 40,000 people were killed and others were subject to widespread sexual violence and forced disappearances and torture, is now serving his sentence in Senegal.”
2016-12-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7833 (2016) · source
“However, we should be alarmed that there has been far more attention of late paid to criticizing the efforts of the International Criminal Court (ICC) in Darfur than to seeking justice for the Sudanese victims of mass killings, widespread rapes and destruction of communities, which led this organ to refer the situation in Darfur to the ICC Prosecutor. We also remain deeply concerned that President Al-Bashir and others who face arrest warrants in the ICC situation in Darfur continue to be welcomed by certain Member States. The hundreds of thousands of victims of atrocities in Darfur who saw their loved ones injured or killed, their homes burned and their communities destroyed must see us stand with them.”
2016-12-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7833 (2016) · source
“We commend the Prosecutor and her Office for her deep dedication to the pursuit of justice for the victims of atrocity crimes in Darfur, even in the face of tremendous political and logistical challenges. It is clear that the need for justice continues. In that regard, it is far too easy to miss the tremendous suffering of Victims, especially when the tempo of conflicts in Syria, South Sudan and elsewhere has meant that the long-lasting conflict in Darfur can all too often slip off the front pages.”
2016-12-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7833 (2016) · source
“With this in mind, we hope that this matter can be resolved expeditiously. Thanks to the unrelenting dedication of these Tribunals, the victims of horrific atrocities have received a meaningful measure of justice. Promoting justice and accountability is all the more critical in the present moment when leaders' horrific acts against civilians have so far been met with impunity in places such as Syria and South Sudan. The successful completion of the work of the Mechanism will serve to prove that justice is not an afterthought in the work of advancing international peace and security but the core of it.”
2016-12-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7829 (2016) · source
“The pursuit of justice for victims in Rwanda and the former Yugoslavia must not end with the closure ofthese Tribunals. While both Tribunals have successfully tried many high-level perpetrators, further accountability for crimes committed depends on fair and effective trials for alleged mid- and lower-level perpetrators in national courts. The United States remains deeply concerned about the Mechanism's casework, which has been severally impaired while Judge Aydin Sefa Akay, who was expected to be working on a case before the Mechanism, remains detained in Turkey. We recall that the Security Council designed the Mechanism in a way that provides for judges to work remotely, except for sittings or as directed by the President. We reiterate the importance of judges being able to carry out this important work on behalf of the United Nations.”
2016-12-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7829 (2016) · source
“The United States commends recent efforts by the Prosecutor's Office to review its fugitive tracking efforts and implement revised strategies to address key challenges so that the eight remaining fugitives from the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda may be swiftly located, arrested and brought to justice. The United States is unwavering in its commitment to ensuring that these fugitives are apprehended and brought to justice, and we continue to offer a reward of up to $5 million for information leading to the arrest or transfer of these eight men. The United States would also like to express our sincere appreciation for the Tribunal's efforts, especially the Office of the Prosecutor, in building capacity among national prosecutors.”
2016-12-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7829 (2016) · source
“The United States remains concerned that three arrest warrants for individuals charged with contempt of court in relation to witness intimidation in the Seselj case have remained unexecuted in Serbia for 22 months. Recognizing that cooperation is an ongoing obligation essential to the functioning of the Tribunal, the United States calls on Serbia to execute these arrests expeditiously. Failure to fully cooperate with the Tribunal in accordance with its statutes and the resolutions of the Security Council compromises the core functions of the international justice system and must be addressed with appropriate urgency.”
2016-12-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7829 (2016) · source
“Radovan Karadeic' and Prosecutor v. Vojislav Seselj. The ICTY establishes facts through judicial process, which is critical to countering those who seek to distort facts, revise history or rewrite reality. The United States notes with great concern the detrimental impact of increasingly diverse and divisive political speech in the region about the pursuit ofjustice for war crimes committed in the former Yugoslavia. Such inflammatory rhetoric can harm regional cooperation among the States of the former Yugoslavia, which is essential to promoting accountability for war crimes. The United States would like to reiterate the importance of full cooperation of all concerned States with the ICTY.”
2016-12-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7829 (2016) · source
“Earlier this year, former Republika Srpska President Radovan Karadzie was found guilty and sentenced to 40 years in prison for genocide, crimes against humanity and Violations of the laws and customs of war - a historic conviction that once seemed impossible. Just this week, the International Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia (ICTY) commenced closing arguments in the case of Bosnian Serb military commander Ratko Mladic', who stands accused of genocide of Bosniaks from Srebrenica, terrorizing the population of Sarajevo and taking United Nations peacekeepers hostage. The United States supports the work of the International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals to conclude expeditiously the retrial of the case in Prosecutor v. Jovica Stanisie and Fran/co Simatovic' and the appeals proceeding in the cases of Prosecutor v.”
2016-12-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7829 (2016) · source
“The United States extends its sincere appreciation to President Agius, President Meron and Prosecutor Brammertz for their briefings today to the Security Council as well as for their leadership and contributions to advancing justice for victims of the worst atrocities committed in the former Yugoslavia and Rwanda. Without the diligence and determination of jurists and staff at their tribunals, perpetrators of the worst crimes known to humankind - genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity - could continue to live freely in impunity, which is an unacceptable outcome. The persistent efforts ofthese international criminal tribunals resulted this year in reaching significant milestones that serve to warn would-be perpetrators everywhere that there will be no escape from justice.”
2016-12-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7829 (2016) · source
“The Government's failure to move forward with undertaking and completing this task is not a technical problem. It is a problem of political will. We support CENCO's efforts to revisit the electoral calendar. The Security Council preaches the mantra of preventive diplomacy, but to put these words into practice, the Council must maintain its pressure on the Democratic Republic ofthe Congo stakeholders to come to a consensual agreement on the way forward. We must also continue to press for respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, and we must continue to press for a clear timeline and a path forward that ensure that elections proceed and that President Kabila steps down.”
2016-12-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7826 (2016) · source
“Secondly, it is now time for President Kabila to make a clear, public statement that he will not seek a third term. Thirdly, the Democratic Republic of Congo also needs increased electoral safeguards to ensure free and fair elections, such as changes in the leadership of the Independent National Electoral Commission, guarantees for a transfer of power and an electoral timeline that holds presidential elections in 2017. On the technical side of the electoral process, the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo has known since 2011 the timing for elections and the need to revise the voter rolls. We are highly sceptical of the recent conclusion by the Commission that an election cannot be held until December 2018. A range of technical experts have indicated that presidential elections could take place in 2017.”
2016-12-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7826 (2016) · source
“The Security Council knows what is ahead if a consensual way forward is not found. The violence and loss of life that we have repeatedly seen in Kinshasa surrounding previous electoral periods and the deadly events of September 19 and 20 remind us ofthe need for consensus on holding presidential elections in 2017 and guaranteeing the country's first democratic transition of power. To ensure a smooth, peaceful transition, the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo must take several steps. First, the Democratic Republic of the Congo needs to protect political space and respect for human rights, including the rights to peaceful assembly and freedom of expression. When the Government cuts off legitimate means of expression, it forces individuals to use more confrontational methods to have their voices heard.”
2016-12-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7826 (2016) · source
“CENCO's efforts represent the best hope for reaching a consensus agreement among key stakeholders that ensures timely elections and a peaceful transition of power in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The United States is not alone in its support for CENCO's efforts or in our concern for the increasing risk of instability and violence in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. During the Security Council's visit to Kinshasa, Council members agreed that the only way ahead was on a clear consensual path that could forestall violence and allow for elections and a transition of power. I would particularly like to thank France and Angola for their leadership during the Security Council trip to the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Angola. The type of direct, united messaging that we heard during that visit was exactly what was needed.”
2016-12-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7826 (2016) · source
“I wish at the outset to thank our briefers. As we approach the constitutionally mandated end of President Kabila's term, on December 19, the United States is increasingly concerned about the risk of widespread violence and instability. We thank the African Union for facilitating the national dialogue that led to the October 18 accord, which was a good start but, unfortunately, lacked the buy-in of major opposition parties, lacked adequate guarantees to ensure a transfer of power and included in unnecessary delay in the timeline for presidential elections, a delay until April 2018. The ongoing mediation efforts by the Congolese National Conference of Bishops (CENCO) are an important step towards improving the agreement and make it more inclusive.”
2016-12-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7826 (2016) · source
“Finally, sound data and impartial analysis are essential to developing a common view of the challenges and opportunities that face us, and they help provide a foundation for decision-making. A project in the Okavango River basin, which is shared by Angola, Namibia and Botswana, effectively used data to give early warning of locations at risk of resource conflict, thereby allowing the parties involved to proactively resolve potential issues before they could develop. To conclude, I would like to reiterate our support for developing creative, win-win solutions to transboundary water challenges. I thank you, Mr. President, for calling our attention to this very important issue.”
2016-11-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7818 (2016) · source
“The programme enabled the construction of a permanent diversion dam, which benefited nearly 2,000 farmers and residents. Secondly, institutions and processes can help lock-in progress. The establishment of regional organizations, bilateral agreements and information-sharing platforms can all play a role in institutionalizing and maintaining cooperation. The United States has been working with several other donors to develop the Shared Waters Partnership, which supports cooperative efforts on transboundary waters in regions where water is or may become a source of conflict. The programme is a resource to any country looking for support to resolve water issues.”
2016-11-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7818 (2016) · source
“Drawing from that partnership and others, I would like to share some thoughts on best practices we have learned in helping to keep water disputes from erupting into conflict. First, the international community should support regional resolution of water disputes by building the capacity of States and stakeholders. Countries require the ability to negotiate, resolve disputes and implement agreements relating to their water resources. That includes the technical skills needed to understand emerging challenges and opportunities, as well as the means to address them. One model of capacity-building is the programme funded by the United States Agency for International Development in the Kadamjay region of Kyrgyztan, which provided technical assistance and resources to better manage water inefficiencies.”
2016-11-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7818 (2016) · source
“With 50 states that share 21 large rivers and more than 20,000 watersheds, we have had to learn to cooperate. For more than 100 years, the United States has had close relationships on water management with both our neighbours, and all three countries have benefited. For example, our 2012 bilateral agreement with Mexico permits Mexico to store water in the United States for drought protection, but it also allows United States entities to invest in water conservation projects in Mexico and then share in the water that is saved. That model has proved to be successful in strengthening water security for both countries and in encouraging investments in water conservation and sound resource management.”
2016-11-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7818 (2016) · source
“Support to local Governments to help build capacity for rehabilitation and reconstruction would also go a long way in helping to ensure lasting peace and stability. Conflict over water is not exclusive to the Lake Chad basin, of course. In Syria, poor drought management resulted in the loss of livelihood for thousands of farmers, leading to mass migration to urban areas and farming the flames of what was already a deep- rooted discontent with respect to Government policies. In Iraq, the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant has manipulated strategic dams on the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers as a key component of its strategy. I doubt that there is a single country represented in this Chamber that is immune to water challenges. I know that the United States is not.”
2016-11-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7818 (2016) · source