YouSaid · the spoken record

Dlamini-Zuma

lines on the record: 70
first: 2000-01-24
most recent: 2009-03-18
sittings or episodes: 9
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

“For its part, South Africa supports that statement but also lends its support to the common endeavours aimed at further enhancing cooperation between the United Nations and regional organizations, in particular. We therefore hope that the Secretary- General will continue his efforts in that direction.”
2009-03-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6092 (2009) · source
“My delegation fully supports the panel's view that its recommendations are only an initial phase in a long-term process of developing and supporting the AU's own capacity. In that regard, South Africa endorses the panel's recommendation that a joint African Union-United Nations team should be established to examine the detailed modalities to support the recommendations made in the report. We would also like to say that we share the views of the Commissioner for Peace and Security of the African Union, Mr. Lamamra, and thank him for being here. In conclusion, we are pleased that the Security Council will adopt a presidential statement that contains language addressing common and mutual challenges and opportunities facing both the United Nations and the AU.”
2009-03-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6092 (2009) · source
“For its part, the United Nations, in particular the Security Council, should augment its efforts in a concrete manner. The issue of capacity-building is equally important. My delegation concurs with the argument raised by the panel on the importance of enhancing the institutional capacity of the AU. We believe that any efforts aimed at improving that area should build on existing mechanisms. In that context, we commend the ongoing efforts by various stakeholders aimed at providing support to the AU in the area of capacity- building. In particular, my delegation would like to acknowledge the continuing pivotal role that the European Union, through the new African Peace Facility, is playing in enhancing the early response mechanism of the African-led mediation and peace support operations.”
2009-03-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6092 (2009) · source
“The issue of the funding of regional peacekeeping operations remains central to enhancing and streamlining the relationship between the United Nations and the African Union. We believe that this recommendation is the first important step towards addressing the most important constraints that limit Africa's capacity to resolve conflicts on our continent. For its part, the AU remains committed to resolving African conflicts. The operationalization of the AU Peace and Security Council and the Continental Early Warning System, post-conflict reconstruction and development and the Panel of the Wise and the African Standby Force are clear indications of that resolve and the basic framework for addressing peace and security on the continent. However, that commitment is not matched by the resources at its disposal.”
2009-03-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6092 (2009) · source
“We also commend the tireless efforts of Mr. Romano Prodi, Chairman of the panel and other members of the panel, in preparing the report. As noted in paragraph 4 of the report, the panel consulted as widely as possible with the United Nations, the African Union and other relevant interlocutors. South Africa welcomes the bold recommendations contained in the report of the panel. It should, however, be noted that those recommendations reflect a work in progress and do not provide conclusive answers on ensuring necessary, sustainable and predictable resources for African peacekeeping operations undertaken by the African Union. My delegation welcomes the panel's recommendations, in particular in paragraph 90 of the report relating to the use of United Nations-assessed contributions.”
2009-03-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6092 (2009) · source
“It is for this reason that, during its tenure as a non-permanent member of the Security Council, South Africa focused on the important question of the enhancement of the relationship between the United Nations and regional organizations, in particular the African Union. Among others, resolution 1809 (2008) recognizes the need to enhance the predictability, sustainability and flexibility of financing regional organizations when they undertake peacekeeping under United Nations authority. Furthermore, the said resolution welcomed the Secretary-General's proposal to establish an African Union-United Nations panel to consider in depth the modalities of how to support peacekeeping operations. South Africa welcomes the report of the African Union-United Nations panel on modalities for support to African Union operations.”
2009-03-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6092 (2009) · source
“We hope that positive development will lead to greater and more systematic cooperation and partnership. Notwithstanding the need for enhanced cooperation and partnership between the United Nations and regional organizations, that cooperation does not seek to absolve the Security Council of its Charter-mandated responsibility in the maintenance of international peace and security. In that context, the Security Council remains the main international body entrusted with the primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security. South Africa believes strongly that we should coordinate our collective security efforts under the auspices of United Nations.”
2009-03-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6092 (2009) · source
“Today, the need to strengthen and enhance the relationship between the United Nations and regional organizations remains more important than ever before because we are seeing an increased reliance on regional organizations in addressing and resolving some of the conflicts facing us. We are encouraged to note that, over the years, the cooperation between the United Nations and the AU has improved. The recent partnership between the United Nations and the AU in the deployment of the African Union-United Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur is testimony to the fact that United Nations cooperation and partnership with regional organizations are crucial. In addition, we commend the decision of the Security Council to adopt a resolution approving the proposals to strengthen and provide support to the 09-2716] African Union Mission in Somalia.”
2009-03-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6092 (2009) · source
“We thank you, Sir, for allowing us to participate and share our views on the important issue of strengthening the relationship between the United Nations and regional organizations, in particular the African Union (AU), at today's open meeting. I also take this opportunity to congratulate you, Mr. President, on your assumption of the presidency of the Security Council for the month of March. My delegation is also grateful to the Secretary- General for his statement and participation in this meeting. Our appreciation also goes to Mr. Romano Prodi, Chairman of the African Union-United Nations panel on modalities for support to African Union operations, for introducing his important report (S/2008/813), and we hope that he will continue to accompany the process to its logical conclusion.”
2009-03-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6092 (2009) · source
“We reiterate that the primary responsibility for peace and security lies with the two sides, but that the Security Council should also do its part and not neglect, as it is currently doing, its Charter-mandated responsibility to assist in the attainment of that goal.”
2008-09-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5983 (2008) · source
“Both parties to the negotiation process, Israel and Palestine, have the obligation to commit to the peace process, but any positive political progress must result in visible progress on the ground. We continue to encourage both Palestinians and Israelis to persist with their negotiations to achieve the goal of the establishment of an independent, economically viable State of Palestine living side by side with Israel, with both States enjoying secure and internationally recognized borders. That vision of a two-State solution has already been enshrined in various United Nations resolutions. But clearly, the increased settlement activity is threatening the possibility of that viable Palestinian State.”
2008-09-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5983 (2008) · source
“My delegation joins the rest of the global community in calling for an end to Israeli settlement activity in occupied Palestinian territory. We urge the Council to demand that Israel immediately and completely freeze all settlement activity, including natural growth, and dismantle outposts erected since March 2001, in order not to change facts on the ground and prejudice final status negotiations. The deadline set by the Annapolis process for a peace agreement by the end of this year is drawing close. Despite assurances that negotiations are continuing, the situation on the ground has not improved significantly since the start of this process. In fact, in some areas such as settlement activity, it has further deteriorated.”
2008-09-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5983 (2008) · source
“We would like to thank you, Mr. President, for convening this meeting. We would also like to thank the representatives of the League of Arab States, Saudi Arabia, Palestine and Israel for their respective statements. We are pleased that we were able to accommodate the request for this meeting this week. After the Annapolis Conference, South Africa thought that settlement activity in the occupied Palestinian territories would cease. The settlements are illegal, change the facts on the ground and are a key obstacle to peace. The 1949 Geneva Convention relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War prohibits the occupying Power from transferring parts of its own civilian population to the territory it occupies.”
2008-09-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5983 (2008) · source
“Our experience is that, when the Council interferes in the mediation efforts of either the Secretary-General or regional organizations, the results have not always been positive. In conclusion, we would like to reiterate that regional and subregional organizations have a crucial role to play in mediation and have a comparative advantage, mostly due to proximity. In this regard, we support the strengthening of the Mediation Support Office of the Department of Political Affairs, as that Office will provide much-needed technical support for regional efforts, in particular, but of course not exclusively, on the African continent.”
2008-09-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5979 (2008) · source
“Therefore, it is important that it be understood that at times the success of a mediation effort cannot be measured in the short term. This process of allowing the parties to find their own solutions tends to be long and painstaking and requires a lot of patience. It is also important that we address the role of the Security Council in this context. In this regard, we believe that once mediators have been appointed, in particular by regional organizations, the Council's role should be to support the process. As the Council, we should avoid the temptation to pre-empt the outcome of mediation efforts through the use of coercive tools that are at the Council's disposal.”
2008-09-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5979 (2008) · source
“Only through communicating with one another and acknowledging their ownership of their situation will they be able to effectively resolve it. In the process of mediation, the mediator receives and deals with confidential information and proposals from the disputing parties. It is important for mediation not to be unduly pressured, either to unnecessarily reveal confidential information or to move the process towards already identified conclusions. Furthermore, direct intervention by others taking sides or influencing the parties in dispute can be a major obstacle to the resolution of the dispute. Also, mediation should not take place in the glare of the media. The test of the success of the mediation should be the durability of the agreements signed or entered into.”
2008-09-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5979 (2008) · source
“Once mediation has been started, it is important that all other parties should play a supportive and constructive role in the process. Fundamentally, mediation must keep the parties focused on resolving the dispute by arriving at a compromise acceptable to all parties. The role of the mediator is not to impose a solution in the parties but to help them arrive at the solution to end the conflict by themselves. It is crucial that mediators and other interested parties should dispense with what others have called "the rescuer syndrome", referring to a lack of belief that people have neither the ability to resolve disputes themselves nor the expectation that they should do so. In mediation, those involved in a dispute should be considered to have ownership and responsibility for resolving it.”
2008-09-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5979 (2008) · source
“However, the root causes of the problem, the specificities of the parties in dispute and socio-cultural factors need to be taken into consideration. It is for that reason that the link between peace and development should be central in all efforts towards conflict resolution, prevention and management. We now wish to share a few lessons learned during mediation in countries, some of which I have mentioned, and also to focus on the important challenges of ownership of the mediation process by the various parties in conflict and on the role of support mechanisms. One of the questions posed in the concept paper is how mediation can be made effective. In our View, the roles of the interested parties in a mediation process should be clearly defined.”
2008-09-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5979 (2008) · source
“Due to the changing profile of global conflicts, wherein more conflicts have become intra- State rather than inter-State, mediation has become an indispensable tool in the prevention and resolution of conflicts. As a result, mediation has become more important than ever before. The Secretary-General, through his good offices, has been engaged in a number of mediation processes internationally. In this regard, the creation of a Mediation Support Unit within the Department of Political Affairs to provide support for these activities is a significant development. Of course, we hope that it will be well resourced. We acknowledge that there are general principles guiding and underpinning mediation.”
2008-09-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5979 (2008) · source
“Our subregional organizations were mandated to develop local mediation processes that would help resolve conflicts at the neighbourhood level. Subregional organizations like the Southern African Development Community, the Economic Community of West African States and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development have played and continue to play a major role in the resolution of conflicts in such countries as the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Cote d'Ivoire, Sierra Leone, Burundi, the Sudan, Liberia, eastern Uganda and Zimbabwe, to mention a few. All of our efforts were anchored in the Charter of the United Nations, particularly Article 33 of Chapter VI, which provides for mediation as one of a number of diplomatic methods for the pacific settlement of disputes.”
2008-09-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5979 (2008) · source
“We would first like to congratulate Burkina Faso on organizing this debate on mediation and settlement of disputes. Of course, we are pleased to see President Compaore presiding over this meeting. We also thank the Secretary-General and Mr. Brahimi for their informative remarks. When the African Union was founded a few years ago, there were three broad objectives our leaders had in mind. One of them was the prevention, resolution and management of conflicts that have scarred the African continent for many decades, and thus the establishment of the Peace and Security Council. The second, of course, was the acceleration of political and economic integration, and the third was to reverse the legacy of poverty and underdevelopment that continue to be the biggest challenge of the twenty-first century.”
2008-09-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5979 (2008) · source
“The end of discrimination against women will go a long way towards addressing the root causes of sexual violence. This is the least we can do for women and girls everywhere.”
2008-06-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5916 (2008) · source
“Finally, we note with satisfaction that the draft resolution before us reaffirms the primary responsibility of the international community to ensure that adequate resources are made available to address the immediate and long-term needs of women and girls who have endured sexual violence. Perhaps even more important, the draft resolution reaffirms the implementation of the obligations of Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, the Convention on the Rights of the Child and the Optional Protocols to both conventions, aimed at addressing discrimination against women and girls. We must work for a non-discriminatory and non- sexist society in which all women and girls are treated as equal citizens.”
2008-06-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5916 (2008) · source
“Women's access to justice and their participation in the legal system would also contribute meaningfully to a well-functioning and gender- sensitive security framework. We are pleased that the United Nations system has become more coordinated in its efforts to address all forms of violence, including sexual violence against women and girls in armed conflict. A better- coordinated United Nations system would ensure that adequate information collection and management systems would be in place in conflict situations to collect data on sexual violence and feed it to the Secretary-General.”
2008-06-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5916 (2008) · source
“Furthermore, the presence of women peacekeepers has a positive transformational impact in terms of redefining the roles that women can play in all aspects of peace processes and of national reconstruction and development. South Africa is proud of its contribution to the representation of women in United Nations peacekeeping operations in Africa, which is rooted in our mainstreaming of gender and human rights in predeployment training. The security sector of conflict and post-conflict countries must be reformed to prevent and better respond to sexual violence. In order to build effective, non-discriminatory and representative security institutions, it is essential to provide personnel with effective and sustainable gender training and capacity- building.”
2008-06-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5916 (2008) · source
“Equally important is the need to ensure that the mandates of United Nations peacekeeping operations include clear guidelines for the protection of civilians from sexual violence. Gender-sensitive training, the deployment of more women peacekeepers and the appointment of more women special representatives and envoys of the Secretary-General should be implemented. There is practical evidence that the deployment of women enhances the impact of peacekeeping, especially for women and children in conflict areas. The deployment of women facilitates engagement with local women through the setting up of women's desks in camps for internally displaced persons and refugees, which assist women to talk about their needs and traumas, including information-sharing on sexual harassment, abuse and rape.”
2008-06-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5916 (2008) · source
“While women may be the first casualties of war, they remain active agents of change and play a meaningful role in the recovery and reintegration of their families and communities. Where women are policymakers , they have been instrumental in bringing about democracy and reconciliation in post-conflict societies. Sexual violence in conflict situations is inextricably linked to gender inequality, and we therefore need to advocate more strongly for the equal participation and full involvement of women in all efforts for the maintenance and promotion of peace and security. In that regard, Member States must continually look at measures to strengthen full and effective implementation of resolution 1325 (2000), particularly by forming partnerships with civil society, the private sector and community-based organizations.”
2008-06-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5916 (2008) · source
“As a result, women and girls are afraid to speak out about their ordeal or even to believe that there could be any recourse for their suffering. The silence around sexual violence in conflict situations must be broken. During South Africa's presidency of the Council in March 2007, we adopted a presidential statement (S/PRST/2007/5) expressing the need for specific measures to be taken to ensure protection against sexual violence and to put an end to impunity. We further recognized that, while the situation of women and girls, particularly in conflict areas, remains desperate and unacceptable, the silence around sexual violence can be broken when we resist seeing women and girls as passive victims.”
2008-06-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5916 (2008) · source
“Sexual violence constitutes a war crime and a crime against humanity when committed as part of a widespread and systematic attack on a civilian population by State or non-State actors. It was for this reason that, when the International Criminal Court was created, South Africa recommended that sexual violence be among the crimes to be referred to the Court, which is a tool against impunity. Yet, despite these milestones, more work still needs to be done to support and protect women and girls in conflict and post-conflict societies. Women and girls continue to make up a disproportionate number of the victims in situations of armed conflict. Those who survive conflict are traumatized, stigmatized and victimized yet again, just because they are women.”
2008-06-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5916 (2008) · source
“We commend the United States for organizing this open thematic debate on sexual violence in conflict situations, and we thank Secretary Rice for presiding over the meeting today. Since its creation, the United Nations has grappled with the issue of sexual violence committed against women and girls in conflict situations. As a result, an international framework specific to women and girls was established and strengthened over time to protect women and girls from all forms of violence, including sexual violence in armed conflict. But, of course, we recognize that violence against women, including rape, sexual slavery, enforced prostitution, forced pregnancy, enforced sterilization and many other forms of sexual violence, still remains today.”
2008-06-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5916 (2008) · source
“It requests the Secretary- General to submit to it recommendations by 15 May 2007 on the role that the United Nations should play to support the implementation of the peace process, taking into account the latest developments in Cote d'lvoire." This statement will be issued as a document of the Security Council under the symbol S/PRST/2007/8. The Security Council has thus concluded the present stage of its consideration of the item on its agenda. The meeting rose at 5.35 p.m. 07-28593”
2007-03-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5651 (2007) · source
“"The Security Council commends the outgoing Prime Minister, Mr. Charles Konan Banny, whose tireless efforts permitted progress in the implementation of the peace process and contributed to restoring a climate of confidence in Cote d'lvoire. "The Security Council takes note of the agreement among the parties on the institutional arrangements, as indicated by the letter dated 27 March 2007 from the Permanent Representative of Burkina Faso to the President of the Security Council, and supports the appointment of Mr. Guillaume Soro as Prime Minister. "The Security Council expresses its readiness to take further steps, in the light of the progress achieved, in order to help the parties in implementing their commitments and to support the peace process in Cote d'Ivoire, in particular the electoral process.”
2007-03-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5651 (2007) · source
“It commends the parties signatory to the Agreement for the spirit of compromise and the sense of responsibility they have displayed, and pays tribute to President Blaise Compaore for his efforts to facilitate the conclusion of the Agreement. "The Security Council takes note of the commitments of the parties to its resolutions on C6te d'Ivoire, including resolution 1721 (2006), and underlines that the Ouagadougou Agreement provides a good basis for a comprehensive and all-inclusive settlement of the crisis in Cote d'Ivoire through the organization of credible elections. "The Security Council takes note of the recommendations of ECOWAS and of the African Union. It endorses the Ouagadougou Agreement of 4 March 2007 and calls upon the Ivorian parties to implement it fully, in good faith and within the timetable set out in the Agreement.”
2007-03-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5651 (2007) · source
“The Council is meeting in accordance with the understanding reached in its prior consultations. I should like to draw the attention of the members of the Council to document S/2007/144, containing a letter from the Secretary-General dated 13 March 2007. Following consultations among members of the Security Council, I have been authorized to make the following statement on behalf of the Council: "The Security Council welcomes the Agreement signed by President Laurent Gbagbo and Mr. Guillaume Soro in Ouagadougou on 4 March 2007 under the facilitation of the Chairperson of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), President Blaise Compaore of Burkina Faso (S/2007/144).”
2007-03-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5651 (2007) · source
“I should like to inform the Council that I have received a letter from the representative of Cote d'Ivoire in which he requests to be invited to participate in the consideration of the item on the Council's agenda. In conformity with the usual practice, I propose, with the consent of the Council, to invite that representative to participate in the consideration of the item without the right to vote, in accordance with the relevant provisions of the Charter and rule 37 of the Council's provisional rules of procedure. There being no objection, it is so decided. At the invitation of the President, Mr. Djedje (Cote d'Ivoire) took a seat at the Council table. The President: The Security Council will now begin its consideration of the item on its agenda.”
2007-03-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5651 (2007) · source
“The Security Council has thus concluded the present stage of its consideration of the item on its agenda. The meeting rose at 5.25 p.m. 07-28586”
2007-03-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5650 (2007) · source
“Members of the Council have before them document S/2007/l75, which contains the text of a draft resolution prepared in the course of the Council's prior consultations. It is my understanding that the Council is ready to proceed to the vote on the draft resolution before it. Unless I hear any objection, I shall now put the draft resolution to the vote now. There being no objection, it is so decided. A vote was taken by show ofhands. In favour: Belgium, China, Congo, France, Ghana, Indonesia, Italy, Panama, Peru, Qatar, Russian Federation, Slovakia, South Africa, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, United States of America The President: There were 15 votes in favour. The draft resolution has been adopted unanimously as resolution 1749 (2007).”
2007-03-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5650 (2007) · source
“I should like to inform the Council that I have received a letter from the representative of Rwanda, in which he requests to be invited to participate in the consideration of the item on the Council's agenda. In conformity with the usual practice, I propose, with the consent of the Council, to invite that representative to participate in the consideration of the item, without the right to vote, in accordance with the relevant provisions of the Charter and rule 37 of the Council's provisional rules of procedure. There being no objection, it is so decided. At the invitation of the President, Mr. Nsengimana (Rwanda) took a seat at the Council table. The President: The Security Council will now begin its consideration of the item on its agenda. The Council is meeting in accordance with the understanding reached in its prior consultations.”
2007-03-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5650 (2007) · source
“We cannot, therefore, be seen to have contributed to the slowing down of the peace process in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda and, indeed, in the rest of the Great Lakes region. We therefore look forward to the discussions this morning as a step forward towards taking the peace process in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Great Lakes region to higher levels.”
2002-08-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4596 (2002) · source
“The need for this Agreement stems from the recognition that progress in establishing lasting peace in the Democratic Republic of the Congo cannot be registered without resolving the conflict between the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda. There is no doubt that the developments of the last month have created a political momentum that must be seized and supported by all actors concerned, including the international community. That momentum, in turn, requires that every one of us do everything necessary to achieve the targets set out in the programme of implementation. This Agreement has given the rare gift of hope to the people of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and to all the countries of the Great Lakes region.”
2002-08-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4596 (2002) · source
“In this regard, we would like to pay tribute to MONUC for its role in supporting peace efforts in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Despite its limited strength and the difficult conditions that prevail, MONUC has managed to carry out its duties. The Durban meeting laid the basis for the peace agreement. It was where both President Kagame and President Kabila asked President Mbeki and Secretary- General Annan to act jointly as a third party guaranteeing the agreement. From the outset we wish to make clear that the agreement signed between the two Governments is a reflection of their wishes and interests. Furthermore, it does not supplant the Lusaka Ceasefire Agreement of 1999 and subsequent agreements but, rather, complements all of them.”
2002-08-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4596 (2002) · source
“We also welcome the commitment of the Government of Rwanda to withdraw its forces from the Democratic Republic of the Congo as soon as those military groups cease to be a threat to the people of Rwanda. At the launch of the African Union, a crucial meeting was held when President Joseph Kabila of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and President Paul Kagame of Rwanda met for the first time. The meeting was held in the presence of President Mbeki and Secretary-General Kofi Annan, who was accompanied by senior leadership of United Nations Secretariat and of the United Nations Organization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUC). Follow- up meetings were later held with ministers from the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda, together with MONUC.”
2002-08-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4596 (2002) · source
“In the years since the signing of the Lusaka Agreement, it has become even more clear that the conflict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo could not be resolved until the matter of the armed groups was addressed. We are all aware that these armed groups operate freely within the territory of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and not only continue to pose a real threat to the people of Rwanda but can destabilize the Democratic Republic of the Congo itself. We welcome the declared wish of the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo not to have those armed groups utilize its territory for launching attacks against its neighbours.”
2002-08-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4596 (2002) · source
“It is very important that we all support and encourage the implementation of this agreement. We cannot be seen to be less than enthusiastic about it. To understand the agreement before us, we must go back to the Lusaka Ceasefire Agreement of 1999. In that agreement, there was a question on how to deal with the foreign forces that had come into the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Everyone acknowledged that the foreign troops would have to withdraw in order to allow the people of the country to decide on their future without any external interference. The problem remained of the presence in the Democratic Republic of the Congo of the armed military groups such as Interahamwe and ex-FAR, which were implicated in the Rwandese genocide.”
2002-08-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4596 (2002) · source
“Last week, the Presidents of the Democratic Republic of Congo and the Rwandese Republic took an important step by signing a peace agreement on the withdrawal of the Rwandan troops from the territory of the Democratic Republic of Congo and the dismantling of the former Rwandan Army (ex-FAR) and Interahamwe forces in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. This peace agreement assumes greater significance in that it comes in the wake of the tremendous progress that was made by the Congolese people in the inter-Congolese dialogue, which was held in our country earlier this year. This agreement is very important, and it is at the centre of the peace process. It therefore gives a strong signal of political will on the sides of both Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to expedite a peace process between themselves.”
2002-08-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4596 (2002) · source
“Mr. President, allow me to congratulate you on your assumption of the presidency of the Security Council for the month of August. Let me also express our sincere gratitude for inviting us to address the Council on an important development in our continent. I would also like to pay tribute to the Secretary-General for his tireless efforts and contribution to bring about peace and stability throughout the African continent. The recent launch of the African Union has highlighted our commitment to peace and development in Africa. We believe that the United Nations can be an important partner as we rebuild our continent, especially using the principles enshrined in the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD).”
2002-08-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4596 (2002) · source
“I would also like to stress the comments made by the representative of the United Kingdom regarding some kind of group that would ensure that there is real follow-up and planning as well as deal with the issues of when to bring people, what to do and what other issues should be raised. I think that this is an excellent suggestion. I am not very familiar with how it would work, but I think that if it can work it would be excellent and should be considered seriously.”
2000-01-31 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4096 (2000) · source
“But it is, in our view, fundamental to a lasting peace in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Lasting peace in that country cannot be achieved if the political situation is not resolved. Everything I have heard is very encouraging. Let me say a few words about the conference that several people have mentioned - a peace conference on the Great Lakes region. I think that this would be an important step, but I would sound a note of caution as to its timing. If the timing is wrong, we may not get the desired results. We must time it in such a way as to get free-flowing and constructive discussions. It is an important conference, it should take place, but the timing will be critical.”
2000-01-31 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4096 (2000) · source
“I think that the Lusaka Agreement does indeed envisage a two- way process by which there would be disarmament and by which the countries of origin would create an environment in which those soldiers would be able to be repatriated and reintegrated into their homelands. I think it is important to look at it as a two-way process and an important part of the Lusaka Agreement aimed at resolving one dimension of the conflict. With respect to the dialogue, it is really encouraging to hear pledges of support for the Facilitator, because President Masire is going to need a great deal of support - political, moral and financial. It will not be an easy process. Even trying to locate a venue for the dialogue will not be easy. He will need a great deal of support to identify all the necessary participants and the venue and to start the process.”
2000-01-31 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4096 (2000) · source
“In addition, I think it was the Argentine Ambassador who said that there should be openness to discussions aimed at finding a political solution, because a military solution cannot be long-lasting. I agree with him there. On the question of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, it is encouraging to hear that there will be a resolution that will mandate the United Nations to send more observers and a force with a Chapter VII to act in that country. It also will be important to make sure to prepare for the next phase - the third phase of the implementation of the Agreement. The Ambassador of the Netherlands raised an important point about the disarming of illegal armed groups and about the fact that there have to be conditions under which they will be able to lay down their arms and return to their homes. I think this is very correct.”
2000-01-31 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4096 (2000) · source