YouSaid · the spoken record

Evstigneeva

lines on the record: 1,001
first: 2020-08-10
most recent: 2023-12-29
sittings or episodes: 153
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

“I would like to underscore that the Syrian side, despite the unprecedented pressure and the double standards employed by the Technical Secretariat, continues to scrupulously discharge its obligations under the Convention. The Syrian side does not refuse to cooperate and demonstrates the political will to continue dialogue with the leadership of the Technical Secretariat, and to do so at a high level. Even today, our Syrian colleagues stand ready to provide the Council with the most recent information on these issues. Lastly, at the very least, we are surprised about the fact that, as a justification for a number of anti-Syria conclusions, the report again refers to remarks made by the Director-General of the OPCW, Mr. Fernando Arias, at the Security Council in June (see S/PV.8785).”
2021-09-02 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8849 (2021) · source
“We are left with the impression that there is a lack of real evidence of any violation by Damascus of the Chemical Weapons Convention. The Technical Secretariat is clinging to routine nuances of bilateral interactions and attempting to present Syrians as difficult negotiating partners. At the same time, there is a time lag with developing events, and steps taken by the Syrian side are overlooked. That gives the impression that delays are taking place because of the Syrians. For example, nothing is being said about the fact that it was the Director-General of the OPCW who suggested a later date for the next round of consultations with the initial Declaration Assessment Team, when he publicly stated that summer in Syria is uncomfortable for inspectors deployed in the field.”
2021-09-02 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8849 (2021) · source
“We would like to request that the Council reflect on who stood to benefit from the air strike and from getting rid of important material evidence in the context of investigating the incident in Douma. Logic dictates that it was certainly not the Syrians who stood to gain from it — because Syria, just like Russia, is calling upon the Technical Secretariat to conduct an objective investigation. However, those who are not interested in such an investigation and are inconvenienced by the proof of manipulation in preparing the infamous Fact-Finding Mission report certainly stood to benefit from destroying the cylinders. What is striking is the overabundance of details in the report on purely technical issues, such as the visa issue.”
2021-09-02 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8849 (2021) · source
“Still no assessment of the egregious air strike itself — an air strike that was carried out on the territory of a sovereign State — can be found in the report, and neither is there any reaction to it by the Secretary-General or the Office for Disarmament Affairs. As we saw at the previous meeting (see S/PV.8830), our Western colleagues are also very careful to sidestep the issue of the air strike itself, while highlighting the relocation of the cylinders by Syrians. Even if that were true — and the Syrian delegation provided exhaustive clarifications on the issue at that meeting — does it justify the use of armed force against a sovereign State?”
2021-09-02 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8849 (2021) · source
“Nakamitsu for her briefing on the 95th monthly report of the Director-General of the OPCW on the implementation of resolution 2118 (2013) (S/2021/764, annex). Regrettably, that document is unbalanced, as was the case in the past. We are particularly dismayed about the fact that, as was also the case in the past, the report intentionally shifts the emphasis as it describes the air strike that took place on 8 June on the declared chemical weapons facility in Syria. During that air strike, two cylinders were destroyed. Those cylinders are related to the incident that occurred in Douma in April 2018.”
2021-09-02 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8849 (2021) · source
“Ms. Evstigneeva (Russian Federation) (spoke in Russian): Given that today’s meeting of the Security Council is the first open-format meeting in September, I would like to start by thanking the delegation of India for presiding over the Security Council in August and by wishing Ireland every success as President of the Council this month. September — this month — will mark a year since the Council started discussions on the issue of the implementation of resolution 2118 (2013) in open format. Over that time, it has proved effective to discuss the Syrian chemical dossier in that format. Transparency is particularly important when discussing the Syrian chemical issue, in the light of the course of action taken by the Technical Secretariat of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW). We would like to thank Mrs.”
2021-09-02 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8849 (2021) · source
“In that regard, we intend to continue our efforts to revitalize the activities of the Quartet. We call on our Quartet colleagues to respond positively to our initiative to hold a ministerial meeting in New York in September on the margins of the high-level week of the General Assembly, as well as consultations in an expanded format with the participation of States of the region. At the same time, we are counting on the international community’s support for such efforts.”
2021-08-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8847 (2021) · source
“In that context, we call upon the parties concerned to start building a stable and conflict-free Middle East in the spirit of our recently updated concept of collective security in the Gulf region, with an emphasis on its regional dimension. Such a system is meant to be a prelude to building a common post-crisis architecture for the Middle East region. We support the relaunching of direct Palestinian- Israeli negotiations, resulting in meeting the legitimate Palestinian aspirations for an independent State, with East Jerusalem as its capital, and providing for the understandable Israeli national security concerns. We accord a special role to the Middle East Quartet in helping to achieve that goal as the only internationally recognized mechanism for facilitating an Israeli- Palestinian settlement.”
2021-08-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8847 (2021) · source
“The prolonged stagnation in the peace process, the provocative unilateral steps and the attempts to score domestic political points through acts of force further complicate the already explosive situation in the conflict area. In that regard, we believe that it is important to preserve and strengthen the international consensus on a Palestinian-Israeli settlement, in accordance with the relevant Security Council and General Assembly resolutions and the two-State solution. The most recent serious escalation of tension in the Palestinian-Israeli conflict in May this year once again reminded us of the risks and threats to regional and international security posed by the lack of a settlement.”
2021-08-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8847 (2021) · source
“The Russian Federation’s position remains unchanged: Israel’s illegal settlement activity and expropriation of land and property in the occupied territories is a violation of international law. Such actions significantly impede international efforts aimed at resuming direct Palestinian-Israeli negotiations as quickly as possible so as to make sure that the parties arrive at a comprehensive settlement of final status issues. At the same time, it is impossible to achieve lasting stability without restoring the political horizon and reviving the peace process on the universally agreed international legal basis, with the two-State solution as the key element. We also welcome the Egyptian mediation efforts aimed at breaking the deadlock in a Palestinian-Israeli settlement.”
2021-08-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8847 (2021) · source
“Ms. Evstigneeva (Russian Federation) (spoke in Russian): We welcome Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla’s personal participation in today’s meeting. We also thank Tor Wennesland for his informative briefing. We are watching with concern the continued tension in the Palestinian territories, in particular in the Gaza Strip and East Jerusalem. The risk remains that clashes in the border areas of Gaza could escalate into full-scale hostilities. There is also the ongoing threat of forced evictions of several Arab families from the Sheikh Jarrah neighbourhood of East Jerusalem. On 2 August, the Israeli Supreme Court postponed the hearings in the case indefinitely, which could lead to another round of escalation.”
2021-08-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8847 (2021) · source
“We are also concerned by the continuing attempts of the authors of the document to include therein a great deal of language on human rights issues. Our colleagues from Somalia do not need to be mentored by the Security Council on how to work to protect and defend human rights. They are perfectly capable of preparing and implementing draft legislation on those matters themselves. We need to take into account the specific features of Somali society. Artificial recipes from outside will hardly be successful in Somalia.”
2021-08-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8846 (2021) · source
“However, we see no reason to use the resolution on Somalia to enshrine in the Security Council mandate activities relating to efforts in the area of climate change. We believe that it would also be wrong for the special political mission to work on this issue because that would dilute its most important task of extending assistance to the Federal Government in conducting extremely important elections, as well as in the continued process of transferring responsibility for security from the African Union Mission in Somalia to the national security forces. We are convinced that the issues related to climate change should be tackled by the specialized bodies of the United Nations. Involving the Security Council in this issue is not desirable and is counterproductive.”
2021-08-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8846 (2021) · source
“Ms. Evstigneeva (Russian Federation) (spoke in Russian): We would like to welcome you, Sir, as Foreign Secretary of India, to the President’s chair. The Russian Federation voted in favour of resolution 2592 (2021), on extending the United Nations Assistance Mission in Somalia, put forward by the United Kingdom. At the same time, and similar to what was said by my Chinese colleague, we would like to express our regret at the fact that the British side this year made insistent efforts to introduce into the document a great deal of additional language on the climate issue. We understand that the droughts, floods, plagues of locusts and other natural disasters affecting Somalia are compounding the situation in the country.”
2021-08-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8846 (2021) · source
“Olusegun Obasanjo, former President of Nigeria, as High Representative of the African Union for the Horn of Africa. It is important to understand that attempts to undermine the situation and exert pressure on the democratically elected Government of Ethiopia, including through the adoption of unilateral sanctions, will only further escalate the conflict. It is also not possible to resolve the crisis through discussions in the Security Council. It would be more effective if each Council member made its own contribution to resolving the situation. We believe that emphasis should be placed on low-key diplomacy and bilateral channels of trust- based communication. The Russian Federation stands ready to contribute to that end.”
2021-08-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8843 (2021) · source
“We are convinced that this dialogue should be led by Ethiopians themselves with the support first and foremost of the African community. Any possible external assistance must be carried out with scrupulous respect for the sovereignty, territorial integrity and political independence of the country. The general elections held in Ethiopia in June this year convincingly demonstrated the ability of the federal authorities to unify Ethiopian society. We are convinced that they can independently find ways to normalize the situation and generally put the country back on the right path for development. African partners and the international community should simply support the efforts of the Ethiopian Government. In this regard, we also note the appointment of Mr.”
2021-08-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8843 (2021) · source
“Neither can we agree with the shift in the public focus to the work of humanitarian agencies in Tigray. It is important to pay attention to other regions, including Amhara, Oromia and Somali, which also have significant humanitarian needs owing to droughts, floods, locust infestations and problems with crop cultivation. General Assembly resolution 46/182 and the United Nations guiding principles of humanitarian emergency assistance should continue to serve as the basis for those efforts. We call on the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs to pay particular attention to establishing trust-based constructive dialogue with the Federal Government. We fully support the efforts of the Secretary- General to launch a political dialogue as soon as possible.”
2021-08-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8843 (2021) · source
“We welcome the efforts of the Ethiopian authorities in recently ensuring the passage of a humanitarian convoy of the World Food Programme in Semera. We also welcome the establishment in the region of an emergency coordination centre, which we hope will help to implement plans to deliver 100 truckloads of humanitarian assistance every day to Tigray and to resolve the situation of Eritrean refugees, who are in a particularly precarious situation. We are convinced that in order to resolve the situation, it is necessary first and foremost to depoliticize the humanitarian file of northern Ethiopia. Providing humanitarian assistance in the context of the ongoing political confrontation and a toxic media atmosphere has little chance of success.”
2021-08-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8843 (2021) · source
“Units from the Tigray People’s Liberation Front continue to fight and have taken control of several regions — not only in Tigray but also in the neighbouring regions of Afar and Amhara, which had previously not been affected by the conflict. Of particular concern are the attempts by Tigrayan forces to cut off humanitarian assistance delivery routes, including their taking control of the strategic highway linking Ethiopia and Djibouti, which threatens to worsen an already complex humanitarian situation and increase the flow of refugees and internally displaced persons. The humanitarian situation in the region indeed remains difficult. However, the Federal Government continues to make significant contributions to alleviating it.”
2021-08-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8843 (2021) · source
“Ms. Evstigneeva (Russian Federation) (spoke in Russian): At the outset, I cannot but echo the condolences to all victims and casualties of the terrible terrorist attacks in Kabul, which were clearly carried out by the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant. We thank Secretary-General António Guterres for his assessments of the developments in northern Ethiopia. We also welcome the participation in today’s open briefing by the Permanent Representative of Ethiopia to the United Nations, Taye Atskeselassie Amde. The Russian Federation is closely following the military and political developments in the region. We regret that the unilateral humanitarian ceasefire announced by Addis Ababa at the end of June has broken down.”
2021-08-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8843 (2021) · source
“In that regard, we believe that all actors involved in the fight against terrorism in Iraq must respect the sovereignty of the Iraqi State and coordinate their actions with Baghdad. We believe that the presence of foreign military units in the country is acceptable only with the consent of the Iraqi authorities or following a relevant Security Council decision. We call on all external players interested in stabilizing the internal situation in Iraq to refrain from unilateral destructive steps that would negatively impact the situation both within and beyond the country. Iraq must not become an arena for settling scores and regional confrontation.”
2021-08-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8842 (2021) · source
“We invite all countries in the region, including Iraq, to cooperate in that area, including within the framework of Russia’s updated collective security concept in the Persian Gulf. We are concerned by the continued high level of the terrorist threat. Despite the successes achieved by Iraqis on the counter-terrorism front, the security situation in the country remains fragile. That is due, in part, to the increasing activity of underground terrorist groups that regularly carry out attacks in various parts of the country, including through the use of suicide bombers. That challenge can be effectively countered only through the broadest possible coordination of counter-terrorism efforts.”
2021-08-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8842 (2021) · source
“Baghdad and Kuwait deserve particular support in efforts aimed at the swift resolution of all outstanding issues in the Iraq-Kuwait dossier, taking into account the stable and positive trends observed in that process. That will serve the interests of strengthening peace, security and stability in the Middle East. We welcome Baghdad’s growing role in regional affairs, including across the Arab region. We believe that progress towards stability in the region must be gradual and based on equal cooperation among all regional and other stakeholders in resolving conflict situations and developing confidence-building and monitoring measures, which will ultimately lead to the establishment of a coherent mechanism for collective security and cooperation in the subregion.”
2021-08-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8842 (2021) · source
“We commend the continuation of dialogue aimed at restoring mutual trust and managing existing differences between Baghdad and Erbil. There is no doubt that further improvement of relations between them will help Iraq to strengthen its own security. Meanwhile, the resolution of accumulated ethnic and religious problems will make it possible to effectively leverage the country’s economic potential for the benefit of the entire Iraqi nation. In turn, the international community should support Baghdad in developing comprehensive measures aimed at rebuilding the socioeconomic and humanitarian sectors, especially in the context of the coronavirus disease pandemic. The country also needs to reconstruct the areas affected by the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant.”
2021-08-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8842 (2021) · source
“At the same time, we understand that over the years a host of problems have accrued, owing to obvious reasons, and that they simply cannot be eliminated overnight. Iraq has had to recover from the events of 2003 and the subsequent challenging struggle against terrorists. We understand that one of the priority tasks for the Council of Ministers at the current stage is to prepare for the early parliamentary elections scheduled for October. We note the progress made in preparations for the electoral process and trust that the elections will go ahead as planned. We understand how difficult it will be for the Iraqi leadership to incorporate the views of the entire political, social and ethnoreligious spectrum in the country. At the same time, we are convinced that such an inclusive dialogue will help to overcome internal divisions in Iraq.”
2021-08-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8842 (2021) · source
“Ms. Evstigneeva (Russian Federation) (spoke in Russian): We thank the Special Representative of the Secretary-General, Ms. Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert, for her briefing on the situation in Iraq. We also welcome the presence of the representative of Iraq at today’s meeting. We are closely following the changes taking place in the friendly country of Iraq, where the situation remains unstable. The precarious socioeconomic situation is triggering demonstrations among the people. The situation is aggravated by the sharp decline in State revenue owing to the fall in global oil prices, as well as the ongoing coronavirus disease pandemic. In that regard, we support the efforts of the Government led by Mustafa Al-Kadhimi to stabilize the situation in the country, including ensuring security and the rule of law.”
2021-08-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8842 (2021) · source
“In that regard, we draw attention to the updated Russian concept for collective security in the Persian Gulf region, which we recently circulated within the Security Council and the General Assembly.”
2021-08-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8840 (2021) · source
“Hans Grundberg, will be able to develop fresh approaches to resuming the comprehensive negotiation process under the auspices of the United Nations. We eagerly look forward to his first briefing before the Security Council in September, as well as to actions and initiatives to achieve a swift political settlement. We hope that he will act impartially and neutrally. For our part, we will continue to assist United Nations mediation in Yemen through regular contacts with all parties concerned. We believe that the role of the Security Council is not to take sides but to support the Special Envoy, including by creating a constructive environment in relations among the parties concerned in the region. We call on colleagues once again to cooperate together at the international level to achieve a region-wide de-escalation.”
2021-08-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8840 (2021) · source
“Furthermore, we are convinced that mutually acceptable solutions, free from hidden political agendas, can also be found to resolve the issue of the FSO SAFER oil tanker. Unfortunately, we are compelled to note that talks have yet to bring about the desired result. At the same time, it is important that other nationally conceived solutions to the issue have emerged and that the Ansar Allah movement is showing its willingness to engage in dialogue with the United Nations. Confidence-building measures constitute one of the keys to solving the FSO SAFER issue. In that regard, we count on the assistance and efforts of the new Special Envoy to restore such measures through contacts with all Yemeni and regional stakeholders. We hope that the new Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for Yemen, Mr.”
2021-08-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8840 (2021) · source
“We are convinced that a cessation of hostilities must be accompanied by the implementation of a number of confidence-building measures in the political, military and socioeconomic spheres, which would truly help alleviate the dire situation of the Yemeni population, which the United Nations has characterized as the worst humanitarian crisis in the world. We call on donors to scale up efforts to provide the necessary financial support for United Nations humanitarian assistance. At the same time, we stress the need to fully lift the naval, land and air blockade of Yemen and restrictions on the delivery of food, medicines, fuel and other essential goods. We would recall that the assistance provided must not be biased or discriminatory.”
2021-08-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8840 (2021) · source
“In that regard, we call on all parties to the conflict to immediately and fully cease military operations, strictly observe the provisions of international humanitarian law and pursue political and diplomatic paths towards resolving all differences. We intend to continue to support the relevant United Nations efforts to achieve a comprehensive and lasting settlement to the conflict and actively encourage all sides to adopt a constructive approach to and show a readiness for compromise. In that context, we note and welcome the mediation efforts of the States of the region, including Oman.”
2021-08-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8840 (2021) · source
“Ms. Evstigneeva (Russian Federation) (spoke in Russian): We are grateful to our briefers today, Mohamed Khaled Khiari, Martin Griffiths and Henrietta Fore, for the information that they provided. We are concerned about the continuing escalation of violence in Yemen. Reports indicate an increase in the number of Yemeni deaths in Ma’rib province as a result of the Houthis’ attempts to take control of the city and the Government army’s retaliation, with massive air support from the Arab coalition. Attacks on civilian infrastructure, including in Saudi Arabia, are of serious concern to us. In the six years since the conflict began, it has become clear that there is no alternative to intra-Yemeni talks that take into account the interests and concerns of all.”
2021-08-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8840 (2021) · source
“We call upon the United Nations and international and regional partners to continue assisting Somalia while strictly respecting its sovereignty, territorial integrity and political independence, without any interference in its internal affairs.”
2021-08-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8833 (2021) · source
“We are convinced that all decisions in that respect need to be very carefully considered and that a security vacuum must be averted at all costs. This month the Security Council will be asked to extend the mandate of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNSOM). We advocate the constructive inclusion of UNSOM in the process of State-building in the country on the basis of the agreements reached between the federal authorities and the regions. We see the goal of the draft resolution as sending signals to all key Somali actors that the electoral process needs to be completed, that State-building needs to be intensified and that the fight against the extremist threat needs to continue.”
2021-08-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8833 (2021) · source
“We call upon the Government of Somalia and African Union peacekeepers not to relent in their fight against extremists. In that context, we note the particular importance of the initiative of the federal Security and Justice Committee. The initiative is aimed at implementing the May agreements on preparing, through the efforts of the Federal Government and AMISOM, special police units to ensure safety and security at polling stations. We continue to believe that the African Union peacekeeping mission remains a key element in Somali security. We expect that the African Union and the federal authorities will work out a mutually acceptable configuration for the future mission and the parameters needed to transfer responsibility for security in the country from AMISOM to the Somali National Army.”
2021-08-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8833 (2021) · source
“We call on all political forces in Somalia to continue constructive work so as to implement the 29 June agreements, with the goal of conducting presidential and parliamentary elections as soon as possible and the creation in the country of a resilient federative framework. We also welcome the contacts between Somalia and Kenya. Like the Secretary-General, we, too, expect that they will result in the full resumption of friendly relations between those two countries, which play a pivotal role in maintaining peace and stability in the region. The security situation in Somalia remains tense. Al-Shabaab continues to exert increasing pressure on the federal authorities and AMISOM, in the centre of the country as well as in the outlying regions. The fighters openly threaten those who intend to participate in the elections.”
2021-08-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8833 (2021) · source
“We note that since the previous meeting of the Security Council on this issue (see S/PV.8779), the political forces in Somalia have managed to move forward significantly on a whole slew of issues relating to general elections. The new timetable for the elections has been approved, and the process of Senate elections has begun. Overall, the easing of political tensions has become possible thanks to the constructive position taken by the central authorities, including the fact that President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed declined to extend his mandate by two years and the reversion to the agreement of 17 September 2020 between the Federal Government and the states on the modalities of the electoral process. We also take note of the contribution to the achieving of mutually acceptable solutions made by Prime Minister Mohamed Hussein Roble.”
2021-08-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8833 (2021) · source
“Ms. Evstigneeva (Russian Federation) (spoke in Russian): We are grateful to Mr. James Swan, Special Representative of the Secretary-General, and Mr. Francisco Madeira, Special Representative of the Chairperson of the African Union Commission for Somalia and Head of the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM), for their traditionally informative briefings. We also listened carefully to the information provided by the representative of Somali civil society, Ms. Batula Sheikh Axmed Gaballe. We welcome the participation of the Permanent Representative of Somalia, Abukar Dahir Osman, in this meeting. We studied the most recent report of the Secretary- General (S/2021/723) very carefully.”
2021-08-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8833 (2021) · source
“With that in mind, we facilitated the adoption in June 2020 of resolution 2524 (2020), on setting up the United Nations Integrated Transition Assistance Mission in the Sudan (UNITAMS). We also supported the renewal of UNITAMS’ mandate for one year, in line with resolution 2579 (2021), of 3 June 2021. We trust that the work of that United Nations presence will bolster Khartoum’s capacity in a range of key areas, including the peacekeeping track; the long-term stabilization of the situation in various regions of the country, including Darfur; and the conduct of economic reforms, and that it will also include fostering internal peace and law and order.”
2021-07-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8825 (2021) · source
“We hope that the agreement will also be signed by those armed Sudanese armed groups that are not yet signatories. We are pleased to note that the dynamic in Darfur has not been significantly negatively impacted. There were isolated outbreaks of intercommunal clashes in several States at the beginning of the year, but they did not change the overall picture. The swift and coordinated response of the authorities to the incidents as well as the implementation of the National Plan for the Protection of Civilians demonstrate that Khartoum is taking a comprehensive approach to stabilizing the situation. It is our view that UNAMID has coped well with the tasks entrusted to it. The time has come to prioritize the region’s recovery and economic development.”
2021-07-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8825 (2021) · source
“It has led to an increase and the number of refugees from African States and also to the spread of the coronavirus disease. A number of socioeconomic difficulties still need to be resolved. Under these circumstances, we believe that it is very important to maintain fair- handed contacts with the Sudanese authorities and to assist their efforts to implement the Constitutional Declaration of 17 August 2019, whose aim is to bring internal stabilization. We welcomed the signing in October 2020 in Juba of the peace agreement between the transitional Government of the Sudan and the Sudanese Revolutionary Front. Implementing the peace agreement will be an important step towards achieving national reconciliation and would also help to resolve existing urgent social economic problems.”
2021-07-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8825 (2021) · source
“Ms. Evstigneeva (Russian Federation) (spoke in Russian): We thank Mr. Atul Khare, Under-Secretary- General for Operational Support, for his briefing on the drawdown and withdrawal of the African Union-United Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur (UNAMID). We note the work of the Secretariat and the personal contribution of Mr. Khare to that complex task. We cannot fail to recognize the courage and dedication of the peacekeepers, who made it possible to overcome a difficult period in the history of Sudanese Darfur and stabilize the region. In that regard, we express our sincere gratitude to the contributing countries of the peacekeeping and police contingents of the mission. The Sudan now faces many challenges. This is having a negative impact on events in neighbouring Libya.”
2021-07-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8825 (2021) · source
“The situation in the Central African Republic has been growing worse for many years. Various international actors have been trying to help. What has been done to stabilize the situation? What were the successful results? For those who have a short memory, in December 2020, a military coup was planned and declared in the Central African Republic. It was derailed largely thanks to the fact that a number of bilateral partners, including Russia, came to the assistance of the legitimately elected authorities of the country. Russia will remain open to working together with all constructively motivated actors.”
2021-06-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8802 (2021) · source
“Yet the United States, which has accusations for us at every turn, seems always to be trying to shift the attention of the international community from focusing on the destructive activities of the illegal armed groups in the Central African Republic, which are precisely the activities that are at the heart of the new cycle of escalation of violence in the country. We have often said that, in the Central African Republic as well as in the African continent as a whole, there is enough room to welcome mutually reinforcing efforts by all countries that are ready to help Africans return to the path of peace and resolve some of their chronic problems. Many of those chronic problems are the result of the colonialist and neo-colonialist policies of our Western colleagues.”
2021-06-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8802 (2021) · source
“Everything that the United States does is good, whereas everything that everyone else does, especially Russia, is evil. At the same time, the opinions of the African States whose issues come before us are of no interest to anyone at all. In the course of every one of our statements in the Council, whether it is on Iraq or on Afghanistan, we consistently draw attention to two instances of violations of humanitarian law or of human rights committed by the United States, namely, detainees in Guantánamo and inhumane interrogation, both of which are well documented.”
2021-06-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8802 (2021) · source
“For example, just a few days ago, the Government of the Central African Republic confirmed the outcome of an investigation of the recent murder of the of the mayor and sultan of the city of Koui, and a number of Western colleagues and media accused the Russian instructors of his death. The involvement of Russian instructors in the victim’s death has not been proven, whereas the investigation confirmed that the main culprits were fighters from the Return, Reclamation, and Rehabilitation movement. As far as the unfounded allegations coming from the United States are concerned, they are not made by chance. Our colleagues seem to see Russian instructors — or, rather, so-called Russian mercenaries — everywhere. The impression this gives is that people in Washington are living in a virtual reality.”
2021-06-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8802 (2021) · source
“If one undertakes a Google search on the Central African Republic on the Internet, hundreds of references to American and French media reports about so-called Russian mercenaries come up. At the same time, there is no evidence provided for these allegations. The sources are anonymous, supposedly to guarantee the safety and security of these witnesses. Further, the pictures that are shown do not correspond at all to the text of the articles. Can this not be considered an information campaign? I would like to ask the Ambassador of France this question: was France not the target of a similar information campaign in 2014 and 2015? Once again, let me repeat: any possible cases of violations of international humanitarian law and human rights must be investigated by the national authorities.”
2021-06-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8802 (2021) · source
“At the request of the authorities of the Central African Republic and with the knowledge of the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 2127 (2013), concerning the Central African Republic — the specialized sanctions committee — Russian instructors are present and working in the country. They are successfully enhancing the professional expertise of the Central African security forces without taking part in combat operations against the illegal armed groups. However, in recent days, we have witnessed constant attempts to discredit our instructors on the basis of highly dubious reports, which looks like an anti-Russian political hit job.”
2021-06-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8802 (2021) · source
“However, the arms embargo hinders this task. We once again draw the attention of our colleagues in the Security Council to the need to listen to the appeals of the Central African Republic itself and partners in the region to lift the restrictions against Bangui. On the whole, we are in favour of closer coordination between MINUSCA with Bangui and bilateral partners on the ground. We are convinced that fully fledged implementation of the mandate of the peacekeeping mission can be achieved only by maintaining mutual trust and confidence with the authorities of the host country.”
2021-06-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8802 (2021) · source
“It is also our firm belief that, in selecting additional contingents to serve in MINUSCA, the United Nations Secretariat must closely coordinate with Bangui and heed the views of the Central Africans themselves, including with respect to the national make-up of the police and military contingents deployed. This is the only way to enhance the Mission’s performance and improve the quality of cooperation between the United Nations and the Central African authorities. At the same time, it is important to realize that MINUSCA cannot and should not be a substitute for the efforts of the national authorities, who bear the main responsibility for the fate of their country and for protecting their population. In this regard, it is important to continue building the capacity of the Central Africans forces.”
2021-06-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8802 (2021) · source