YouSaid · the spoken record

Eckersley

lines on the record: 185
first: 2021-11-23
most recent: 2023-12-11
sittings or episodes: 50
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

“We must therefore continue to give Ukraine all the support it needs to defend its sovereign territory. We must demonstrate our resolve to protect and uphold the Charter of the United Nations. And we must ensure that Ukraine secures a just and lasting peace.”
2023-12-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9501 (2023) · source
“The Russian Government is not only sending enormous volumes of weapons to Ukraine; it is also sacrificing the lives of more and more of its own citizens to prolong an invasion that is based on lies — a conveyor belt of Russian fathers and mothers, sons and daughters, being sent to their deaths. Since Russia’s invasion began, over 300,000 Russian soldiers have been killed or wounded, many times more than in the 10 years of Soviet occupation of Afghanistan. President Putin now plans to conscript another 170,000 as cannon fodder for his Government’s war. It is hard to see how it is in the interests of the Russian people that the Russian Government prolongs its aggression. It is certainly not in the interests of the Council that Russia succeeds. Let us not forget that for Russia this is a war of choice; for Ukraine it is a war of survival.”
2023-12-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9501 (2023) · source
“But it is manifestly not in the interest of anyone else around this table to allow Russia, through violence, to violate and undermine the principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity that underpin the international order and that provide stability to our world. That is why we are proud to support Ukraine’s right to self-defence, and that is why we will continue to supply Ukraine with the military assistance it needs for as long as it takes. That is all the more important when Russia itself is sourcing weapons from Iran and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, in violation of Security Council resolutions, and using them to target civilians and Ukraine’s critical national infrastructure.”
2023-12-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9501 (2023) · source
“I thank Mr. Ebo and Ms. Wright for their briefings. This is the seventh time this year that Russia has called for a Security Council meeting on the supply of Western weapons to Ukraine. They have once again invited a Western briefer to support them. It is obvious what they are trying to do. These debates are clear evidence of a campaign to try to influence public opinion in the West and to undermine political support for Ukraine. It is a campaign driven by the Kremlin to serve the Kremlin’s interests alone. This campaign is intended to help Russia to subjugate Ukraine and annex its territory, without Ukraine having the means to defend itself.”
2023-12-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9501 (2023) · source
“For our part, the United Kingdom is committed to working closely with the Government of Iraq and the United Nations to ensure that UNITAD’s unique work is used effectively, both in Iraq and around the world. We are grateful to the Special Adviser and his Team for their dedicated efforts in pursuit of accountability, and we stand with the Government of Iraq in our continued cooperation to deliver justice for Da’esh atrocities.”
2023-12-04 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9493 (2023) · source
“We recognize, however, that the sharing of sensitive evidence is not straightforward, as it is often subject to, among other things, the consent of witnesses. We hope the upcoming report of the Secretary-General will provide clarity on those matters, so that the Council and Iraq can properly understand what evidence has been and can be shared, and how the Council, UNITAD and the Government of Iraq could make further progress on that. It is critical that the evidence collected by UNITAD continue to be available for prosecutions of international crimes. We all agree here on the importance of accountability for Da’esh crimes; we owe that to the victims, as the Special Adviser said.”
2023-12-04 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9493 (2023) · source
“We welcome UNITAD’s important capacity-building work, including training on witness protection and victim-centred approaches to evidence collection, as well as supporting mass grave excavations. All of that is vital to bringing justice and accountability for victims and survivors, while supporting the Iraqi Government in its modernization of judicial processes and investigatory work. We strongly encourage UNITAD and the Government of Iraq to find a way forward for third- party evidence-sharing, as the Council requested in resolution 2697 (2023), which is so critical to ensuring that members of Da’esh cannot escape impunity by fleeing abroad. We also encourage UNITAD to continue working to improve evidence-sharing with the Iraqi authorities and to plan for the future.”
2023-12-04 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9493 (2023) · source
“I would like to thank the Special Adviser for presenting the eleventh report of the United Nations Investigative Team to Promote Accountability for the Crimes Committed by Da’esh/ISIL (UNITAD) and for all the work of the Team. The United Kingdom continues to value UNITAD’s important contribution to holding members of Da’esh accountable for their appalling crimes. We welcome the progress that UNITAD has made since the previous briefing to the Security Council on this issue (see S/PV.9341). As we heard, UNITAD has concluded two reports on critical issues: sexual violence against women and girls and the development and use of chemical weapons by Da’esh. It has delivered 80 field missions and digitized a further 5 million records.”
2023-12-04 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9493 (2023) · source
“Our Foreign Secretary saw the extent of the damage first- hand during his visit to Odesa yesterday. The Russian delegation is presenting itself today as a defender of the Orthodox Christian faith and its values, but is it Christian to covet and steal a neighbour’s land? Is it Christian to disrupt the global supply of food? Is it Christian to kill civilians? The Orthodox faith of course does not encourage those things. It does, however, encourage the confession of sins and repentance. The best way to ensure that Ukrainians can enjoy their freedom of religion and belief, and all of their human rights, is for Russia to end its war of aggression, withdraw its forces and respect Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.”
2023-11-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9481 (2023) · source
“Russia does not share that commitment. Religious leaders are among the people who have been targeted by Russian forces and subjected to torture and enforced disappearances. Russian authorities are carrying out house searches and arbitrary arrests of Crimean Tatars, accusing them of extremism and terrorism when they are just peacefully practising their faith. Russian Orthodox priests have been disciplined for expressing opposition to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, or even defrocked for praying for peace instead of victory, and more than 100 religion sites have been damaged or destroyed since the Russian invasion of Ukraine. That includes the devastating destruction in July inflicted on the Transfiguration Cathedral, Odesa’s largest Orthodox church, previously destroyed under Stalin in 1936.”
2023-11-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9481 (2023) · source
“I thank our briefers, and I also thank the Russian delegation for bringing human rights issues to the Security Council. The United Kingdom has long believed in the link between human rights and matters of peace and security, and we are glad that the Russian delegation now appears to share that view. We look forward to further discussions on human rights in the Council. The United Kingdom is committed to defending freedom of religion or belief for all around the world. We condemn any persecution on the grounds of religion or belief. Ukraine shares those values. It is a pluralist and multi-faith society, with the right to freedom of religion or belief enshrined in its Constitution. Its lawmakers have sought the advice of experts on freedom of religion and belief as they respond to threats to Ukraine’s national security.”
2023-11-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9481 (2023) · source
“Despite the distinct mandates for each of these Committees, they share a common purpose: to tackle the persistent and significant threat to international peace and security posed by terrorist groups and non-State actors. Only through the effective and coordinated implementation of the mandates of these Committees can we address the threat together. We must redouble these efforts.”
2023-11-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9478 (2023) · source
“We also commend the work of the Committee pursuant to resolutions 1267 (1999), 1989 (2011) and 2253 (2015) concerning Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (Da’esh), Al-Qaida and associated individuals, groups, undertakings and entities, and its Chair. The Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring Team’s analysis of the evolving threat and of the effectiveness of sanctions remains a crucial resource for Member States, and we welcome work by the Chair, secretariat and Ombudsperson to uphold transparency and due process. These are critical to ensuring that the 1267 regime retains the broad support and legitimacy that it needs.”
2023-11-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9478 (2023) · source
“The United Kingdom very much appreciates the continued efforts of the Committee established pursuant to resolution 1373 (2001) concerning counter- terrorism and its Chair to tackle the global scourge of terrorism and protect all of our citizens. The terrorist threat is evolving and remains with us. Terrorist groups, including Al-Qaida and Da’esh affiliates, continue to seek to spread hatred and fear around the world, using new technologies and taking advantage of regional instability. The work of the Counter-Terrorism Committee has to evolve to stay ahead of this. For our work to be effective, the perspectives of technical experts, civil society and the private sector are invaluable.”
2023-11-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9478 (2023) · source
“However, despite the Chair’s best intentions and a constructive approach on the part of a majority of Committee members, progress and the provision of support to States has once again been impeded. It is disappointing that two members have maintained their hold since April on the process to replace the 1540 Committee Group of Experts, and that a permanent member is now blocking the Committee’s external engagement activities. The situation severely undermines our ability to support States in implementing a resolution that is designed to prevent chemical, biological and nuclear weapons and related material from falling into the hands of non-State actors, including terrorists. It is hard to understand why any country, let alone a permanent member of the Council, would want to stymie those efforts.”
2023-11-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9478 (2023) · source
“I thank the Chairs for their briefings and for their combined leadership of our counter-terrorism efforts. The Council has been lucky to have such effective and dynamic chairships from the United Arab Emirates, Malta and Ecuador through the course of the year. The United Kingdom is particularly grateful to the new Chair of the Committee established pursuant to resolution 1540 (2004) for his drive since Ecuador took on the role at the start of the year. We commend the Chair for securing Committee agreement for a programme of work to take forward the actions agreed in resolution 2663 (2022), and we welcome the Chair’s intention that the Committee should develop voluntary guidelines.”
2023-11-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9478 (2023) · source
“Russia has destroyed schools, hospitals, grain silos and energy facilities. It has deployed hypersonic missiles, one-way attack drones and a cruise missile with a range of more than 2,000 kilometres. It has used conventional anti-personnel mines and improvised booby traps, including in children’s toys. The weapons that the United Kingdom and others have provided to Ukraine are in support of Ukraine’s defence of its sovereign territory against Russia’s illegal invasion. The weapons that the international community is providing are not what is prolonging the war. The only obstacle to peace here is Russia.”
2023-10-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9457 (2023) · source
“That follows its rejection of modification of the Vienna Document, its withdrawal from the Treaty on Open Skies, its violation of the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty and the suspension of its participation in the New START Treaty. Turning to the situation in Ukraine, Russia’s sourcing of weapons from heavily sanctioned States such as North Korea and Iran violates Security Council resolutions, undermines the Council’s credibility and poses a serious risk to international peace and security. The Russian delegation held up fragments of Western weapons today as if that was a big reveal — it is not. We are open about the support we provide. Russia, on the other hand, still denies that it receives weapons from Iran and North Korea because it knows it is illegal.”
2023-10-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9457 (2023) · source
“I thank Mr. Ebo for his very helpful briefing. Russia wishes to address weapons proliferation. In a happy coincidence, the United Kingdom would also like to address weapons proliferation, but that may be about the only thing we agree on today. Russia has spent the past two decades flouting its obligations in arms control and disarmament. Its systematic efforts to undermine that architecture have only accelerated since its invasion of Ukraine. Russia’s withdrawal from the Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe is yet another step in that direction, along with its announcement that it will withdraw its ratification of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty.”
2023-10-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9457 (2023) · source
“I believe we were asked to this meeting to talk about the inflow of Western weapons to Ukraine. I wonder if we could maybe focus on that rather than on this anecdotal stuff. We appreciate the briefer, but we are a bit limited for time.”
2023-10-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9457 (2023) · source
“To that end, we will continue our regional diplomatic efforts and engage with all Council members to support peace and stability in the region.”
2023-10-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9440 (2023) · source
“We have engaged Kigali and Kinshasa to urge them to engage in dialogue and build trust, recognizing the risk of miscalculation and the horrendous cost of further escalation. The United Kingdom also welcomes continued engagement of the Great Lakes region, in particular the leadership of Presidents Lourenço, Ndayishimiye, Geingob and former President Kenyatta. We reiterate our support for the Nairobi and Luanda processes. We call upon the countries of the region to revitalize those processes and to turn commitments into tangible action to address the shared security challenges, improve humanitarian access and reduce violence. The United Kingdom firmly believes that dialogue, not violence, is the only way to achieve lasting peace in the Great Lakes region.”
2023-10-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9440 (2023) · source
“We acknowledge the request made by the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo to bring forward MONUSCO’s withdrawal, and we encourage it to engage constructively with MONUSCO so as to ensure a responsible, conditions-based withdrawal. A rushed departure of MONUSCO would create a significant security vacuum in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, putting hundreds of thousands of civilians at risk and threatening further deterioration of the humanitarian situation. We welcome the reduction in incidents of cross- border violence between the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda, but we remain concerned about heightened confrontational rhetoric by both countries.”
2023-10-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9440 (2023) · source
“I thank Special Envoy Huang Xia for his briefing. I also thank Mr. Caholo and Ms. Malimukono for their contributions. The United Kingdom is deeply concerned about the intensifying violence and deteriorating humanitarian situation in the Great Lakes region and the recent escalation in fighting between armed groups in North Kivu. We also remain concerned about the worsening humanitarian situation in the Great Lakes region, including the large-scale displacement of people from their homes and high levels of sexual violence, including in internally displaced persons camps. The United Kingdom fully supports the work carried out by the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO), especially in protecting civilians.”
2023-10-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9440 (2023) · source
“To start with, Russia should end its illegal invasion and withdraw its troops from Ukraine’s sovereign territory. It is not complicated. It is what the General Assembly and the International Court of Justice have demanded. A just and lasting peace can be achieved through the broad principles set out by President Zelenskyy and based on the Charter. International support for his initiative is growing, and the United Kingdom is proud to support those efforts.”
2023-10-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9436 (2023) · source
“That is why Russia is relying on heavily sanctioned States such as Iran and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea for help with procuring arms. Iranian drones in Russian hands have killed civilians and caused vast economic damage across Ukraine. Russia is negotiating deals for huge quantities of weapons from the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea to be used against Ukraine. In turn, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea seeks military technology to bolster its own illegal weapons programme, further destabilizing the region. Those deals are a serious risk to international peace and security and violate multiple Council resolutions that Russia itself voted in favour of. The Russian Ambassador said that we had not proposed any solutions. We have — and I will do it again.”
2023-10-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9436 (2023) · source
“And the sham referendums have shown that for Russia, a people’s right to self-determination is found only at the tip of a Russian bayonet. At the same time, the callous sacrifice of many thousands of Russian troops has made clear the value that the Russian Government places on its own people. International assistance to Ukraine is not what is prolonging this war. The fact is that Russia’s military objectives are unachievable. Ukrainians will rightly continue to fight fiercely to defend their land for as long as it takes, and the world is united in supporting Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. That will not change. International assistance to Russia, however, is illegal and immoral.”
2023-10-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9436 (2023) · source
“But much as we are proud to be assisting Ukraine, it is in fact the courage and unity of the Ukrainian people that will ensure that Russia fails and that Ukraine will prevail. The reality is that Russia’s war has already been a failure — a historically shameful one. The Ukrainian people know all too well what Russian conquest would mean for them. There have been more than 100,000 incidents of alleged war crimes committed during the conflict, including the murder and torture of civilians, and unlawful attacks on civilian infrastructure with explosive weapons. There have been acts of torture and sexual and gender-based violence committed by Russian forces that the United Nations and other international bodies have extensively documented.”
2023-10-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9436 (2023) · source
“We would like to thank Mr. Ebo for his very helpful briefing. Russia has made many excuses in the Council about what its illegal war of aggression was supposed to achieve. It claimed its invasion was defensive and born of a desire to protect rights enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations. It claimed that it was about de-Nazification. But now, almost 600 days into its three-day special operation, Russia’s real plan for peace is quite clear. Last week, after relentless Russian strikes on civilian infrastructure, President Putin said that the Ukrainian economy and military would collapse within a week without the assistance of other States. That is the resolution that Russia is striving for — the complete submission of a United Nations Member State. Russia claims that it is Western support that stands in its way.”
2023-10-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9436 (2023) · source
“And let us not forget that while Russia repeatedly brings briefers to the Council from the West who are free to attack Western Governments, it systematically locks up anyone who dares to criticize the Russian Government’s position at home. Russia’s hypocrisy today is nothing new, but this bears repeating: if Russia is seriously concerned about civilian infrastructure, it must cease its relentless attacks and ensure accountability for the appalling destruction and suffering it has caused.”
2023-09-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9424 (2023) · source
“We have seen the systematic bombing of Ukrainian energy and port infrastructure. We have seen more than 480 Russian attacks on schools and hospitals and 120 attacks on religious sites. And beyond infrastructure, what of the lives of civilians themselves? At least 9,600 civilians have been killed and 17,500 more injured in Russia’s war of aggression in Ukraine. Therefore, as we listen to the representative of Russia today, let us not forget what it is doing, deliberately and as a matter of policy. Let us also not forget the callous disregard Russia showed for civilians and civilian infrastructure in Aleppo, Homs and Damascus, when it vetoed nine Council resolutions aimed at ending the Al-Assad regime’s indiscriminate bombing of hospitals and schools.”
2023-09-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9424 (2023) · source
“As we have said before, we do not believe that it is a good use of our time for the Security Council to start to prejudge the outcome of those investigations, dictate how they are conducted or otherwise undermine them. We, and fellow Security Council members, should continue to offer full support to those investigations so that we can establish who was responsible. Before I conclude, let us pause for a moment on the fact that it was Russia who called this meeting. Russia claims that it is concerned about the destruction of civilian infrastructure, so much so that it seeks to commemorate the anniversary of this attack. Yet we all know that almost every single day of the year is an anniversary of a deliberate Russian attack on civilian infrastructure in Ukraine.”
2023-09-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9424 (2023) · source
“I would like to thank the briefers for their perspectives. The international community remains rightfully concerned about the sabotage of the Nord Stream pipelines. We have repeatedly condemned that attack, and we all want clear answers. That is why we support the national investigations of Germany, Denmark and Sweden to determine who is responsible. In July, Germany, Sweden and Denmark offered a detailed update on the progress of those investigations. They highlighted the unprecedented nature of the sabotage and the subsequent complexity of the investigative processes. We understand that those investigations will take time, and we have full confidence in their impartiality and integrity.”
2023-09-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9424 (2023) · source
“We would like to thank all Council members for their cooperation and constructive engagement during negotiations. We would also like to thank the delegation of Colombia and the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for their positive engagement on the draft resolution. The unanimous adoption of this resolution today demonstrates the continued commitment of the Security Council to peace in Colombia. The United Kingdom welcomes the expansion of the mandate of the United Nations Verification Mission in Colombia, and we remain committed to supporting Colombia along its path to peace and security for all its people.”
2023-08-02 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9391 (2023) · source
“There are no more names inscribed on the list of speakers. Before adjourning the meeting, as this is the last scheduled meeting of the Council for the month of July, on behalf of the delegation of the United Kingdom, I would like to express our sincere appreciation to the members of the Council and to the Secretariat for all the support they have provided to us, including the technical support team, conference service officers, interpreters, verbatim reporters and security staff. As we end our presidency, I know I speak on behalf of the Council in wishing the delegation of the United States all the best for the month of August. The meeting rose at 11.25 a.m.”
2023-07-31 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9390 (2023) · source
“Estimates suggest that more than 200,000 Russian soldiers have been killed or injured in Ukraine. Russia is inflicting terror on the Ukrainian people and, in parallel, it is inflicting suffering on its own population and millions across the world. In the face of this, Ukraine has had no choice but to exercise its right to defend itself enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations. It is fighting a war of national survival and defending the right of all nations to live without fear of aggression. The only path to a sustainable peace in Ukraine is for President Putin to end his illegal invasion, withdraw his troops and thereby demonstrate that he is prepared to engage on terms for peace that respect the Charter of the United Nations. Russia started this war, and Russia must end it before it causes any more suffering.”
2023-07-31 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9390 (2023) · source
“We all know that the right to self-defence in those circumstances is enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations. Russia has carried out relentless attacks on civilian infrastructure, including homes, schools, hospitals and, as we saw last week, places of worship. Russian forces are responsible for horrific atrocities on the ground. It is Russia that has been condemned by the Secretary-General for committing grave violations against children. It is Russia that made the unilateral decision to end the Black Sea Grain Initiative, despite widespread calls from the international community, including the Pope and the leaders of the African Union, for Russia to renew the deal. And it is Russia that is sending thousands of its own young men to their deaths.”
2023-07-31 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9390 (2023) · source
“I shall now make a statement in my capacity as the representative of the United Kingdom. More than 100 years ago, Sigmund Freud came up with a psychological concept called projection. It involves denying negative characteristics and behaviours of oneself and falsely attributing them to others. It is often done deliberately as part of a strategy of blame shifting, or it can be indicative of various types of dysfunction. Russia’s claim that it is Ukrainian aggression that is in any way responsible for the ongoing war in Ukraine is absurd. It is a projection of the behaviour of the Russian State itself. There is only one aggressor in this war. We have all seen hundreds of thousands of Russian troops invading that sovereign country illegally and unprovoked.”
2023-07-31 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9390 (2023) · source
“In accordance with rule 37 of the Council’s provisional rules of procedure, I invite the representative of Ukraine to participate in this meeting. In accordance with rule 39 of the Council’s provisional rules of procedure, I invite the following briefers to participate in this meeting: Mr. Raffi Gregorian, Deputy to the Under-Secretary-General and Officer-in-Charge of the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism; and, as requested by the Russian Federation, Mr. Sergey Chaulin, civil activist. The Security Council will now begin its consideration of the item on its agenda. I now give the floor to Mr. Gregorian.”
2023-07-31 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9390 (2023) · source
“Finally, the United Kingdom shares the report’s concerns about the shortfall in the funding for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East. The Agency provides vital services and hope to millions, and we call on all Member States to work together to address the shortfall urgently.”
2023-06-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9361 (2023) · source
“Turning now to the report presented by the Special Coordinator on the implementation of resolution 2334 (2016), let me make three points. First, the report demonstrates the damaging effect of what it calls the relentless expansion of settlements on the prospects for peace. The United Kingdom’s long-standing position remains unchanged. We oppose settlements, which are illegal under international law, and we call on Israel to cease and reverse its policy supporting their expansion. Secondly, the report also makes clear the value and importance of the dialogue that took place between senior Israelis and Palestinians earlier this year to building trust and managing relations. We echo the call for all sides to honour the commitments made in Aqaba and Sharm El-Sheikh.”
2023-06-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9361 (2023) · source
“Terror attacks, such as the killing of four Israelis near the settlement of Eli by Hamas-affiliated gunmen on 20 June, are barbaric and unjustifiable and undermine the safety and security of Israelis and Palestinians alike. The United Kingdom condemns those attacks without qualification. The glorification of the killers by Hamas and other organizations is abhorrent and heightens tensions where de-escalation is needed. We also unequivocally condemn recent scenes of settler violence in Turmus Ayya, where homes and property were burned down and civilians attacked, resulting in the death of one Palestinian. Every perpetrator of such hate crimes should be held to account, and we urge that steps be taken to prevent similar crimes happening again.”
2023-06-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9361 (2023) · source
“Let me start by thanking the Special Coordinator for his helpful update. We also take note of Mr. Zogby’s briefing. As we have heard, the security situation in the West Bank and the occupied Palestinian territory continues to deteriorate. Last week saw more loss of life and showed how quickly and unpredictably events can change. It also underscored the urgent need for restraint, calm and respect for the dignity of human life. Seven people, including two children, were killed in an Israeli raid in the city of Jenin in the West Bank. While the United Kingdom supports Israel’s right to defend itself, its security operations must be in line with international humanitarian law and every effort must be made to avoid civilian casualties.”
2023-06-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9361 (2023) · source
“We look forward to receiving the Secretary-General’s report on that next month. In conclusion, I want to pay tribute to Special Representative of the Secretary-General Keita and MONUSCO for their tireless efforts to help the Government and the people of the Democratic Republic of the Congo achieve the peace and stability that are so desperately needed.”
2023-06-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9358 (2023) · source
“While the United Nations and international partners can play a supporting role, the Government must be willing and able to assume its responsibilities to the civilian population. We should learn lessons from previous peacekeeping closures and make sure that we do not repeat mistakes in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. We welcome MONUSCO’s progress on provincial strategies and agree with a geographic approach to the transition. The United Kingdom is fully committed to supporting a conditions-based withdrawal of MONUSCO, guided by key benchmarks of the joint transition plan. We therefore encourage the Government to continue engaging in serious dialogue with MONUSCO to agree on a process that enables a responsible and sustainable reconfiguration of the United Nations presence in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.”
2023-06-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9358 (2023) · source
“We welcomed the recent joint MONUSCO- FARDC operations that deterred an ADF attack on a hospital and dismantled a major ADF camp. On a daily basis, MONUSCO provides protection for hundreds of thousands of civilians and enables the provision of life-saving humanitarian support in the eastern part of the country. In doing so, it not only supports the Congolese people but also the Government and the security forces of Democratic Republic of the Congo, which would otherwise struggle to protect civilians and facilitate humanitarian assistance. We must therefore consider carefully the implications for the civilian population in the context of the Government’s request for MONUSCO to withdraw.”
2023-06-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9358 (2023) · source
“We are also concerned about the increasing proliferation of weapons within communities and the dangers that it poses long-term. We share the Secretary-General’s concern about the possible integration of armed groups into the Congolese military, which we believe should be a red line. We continue to call on all the parties to deliver on their commitments agreed through the Nairobi and Luanda political processes. We believe those processes provide the best opportunity to achieve lasting peace. We encourage the region to ensure that those processes do not stall completely, and in that regard, we take note of the ongoing quadripartite meeting in Luanda. Against that backdrop, the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) continues to do vital work.”
2023-06-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9358 (2023) · source
“I thank Assistant Secretary-General Pobee for her briefing and welcome the Ambassadors of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda to the Chamber. The United Kingdom remains deeply concerned about the ongoing and intensified violence in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. As we have heard, the situation in Ituri is the worst it has been since 2017, with the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) continuing to expand geographically. In North Kivu alone, 2.3 million people have been displaced by the Mouvement du 23 mars (M-23) and the ADF, and there is evidence that the M-23 and the Forces armées de la République démocratique du Congo (FARDC) are preparing for a military offensive. Conflict-related sexual violence is already at an unprecedented level in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo.”
2023-06-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9358 (2023) · source
“Engagement is needed at all levels, including community-based responses, and the United Kingdom will continue to work closely with partners in support of a coherent and integrated approach to tackling insecurity in the Gulf of Guinea.”
2023-06-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9355 (2023) · source
“Thirdly, it is of course vital that any efforts to tackle piracy and armed robbery comply with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, which is the legal framework within which all activities in the ocean and seas are carried out. In that context, I should add that it is unfortunate that the Peacebuilding Commission was not able to reach consensus on its written advice for today’s meeting. The final point is the most important. As the representative of Gabon just said, the drivers of piracy remain complex and multifaceted. We encourage a continued focus on the impact of poverty, youth unemployment and environmental degradation in creating the conditions for that criminal activity.”
2023-06-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9355 (2023) · source