YouSaid · the spoken record

Eyadema Is The Current Chairman Of The

lines on the record: 23
first: 2001-05-14
most recent: 2001-05-14
sittings or episodes: 1
sources: un-security-council

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“In this context, it is important for the United Nations office, working together with ECOWAS institutions, to play a much more active role in terms of preventive diplomacy. Those are a few of the major recommendations made by the Mission that I had the honour of leading- recommendations relating to the countries particularly affected by the crisis in West Africa, recommendations of an institutional nature, and cross- border recommendations on priority issues in West Africa.”
2001-05-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4319 (2001) · source
“Since our arrival, the Department of Peacekeeping Operations has been considering this issue, with a view to further discussions. We hope that those discussions will give rise to proposals that might finally solve this problem - which, as a matter of fact, is often used as a reason for saying that West African countries do not have the necessary equipment to take part in peacekeeping operations. Finally, a last proposal on cross-border matters. The United Nations Office in West Africa should strongly focus on the question of good governance and human rights, especially in the context of the prevention, management and settlement of conflicts and of post-conflict peace-building. Indeed, human rights violations and poor governance often serve as the trigger for crises.”
2001-05-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4319 (2001) · source
“Here we wish to emphasize in particular the circumstances under which several West African countries have been urged to take part in peacekeeping operations. In this connection, we wish to reiterate what was said by most of those we spoke with: that the United Nations propose to West African countries, when they take part in peacekeeping operations, that they choose the option whereby it is up to the countries themselves to provide troops, but up to the United Nations to provide the equipment. This is what we call "dry" leasing. This option is much more in keeping with the financial resources available to the countries of the subregion. Experience in Sierra Leone has shown that those countries that opted for "wet" leasing were not able to comply with their obligations regarding equipment levels.”
2001-05-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4319 (2001) · source
“This is a well-known issue, and, as we are only a few weeks away from the holding here in New York of the United Nations Conference on the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All Its Aspects, let us simply recall the efforts made in West Africa by ECOWAS in the framework of its moratorium to stop the circulation of arms and monitor them. That is why the mission proposed that States Members of the United Nations, and in particular members of the Security Council, become more involved with ECOWAS in this process. The mission even proposed that sanctions be considered against those States that might contravene this moratorium, be they States in the subregion or States that provide arms outside the region. The penultimate point on which specific cross- border proposals have been made is the problem of peacekeeping operations.”
2001-05-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4319 (2001) · source
“It should be considered from a geographical perspective, so as to involve countries that are interconnected, as is the case with the Mano River Union, but also from an economic and social perspective, in order to contemplate the long- and medium-term reinsertion, of the former combatants, especially young boys and girls. In this connection, I should like to remind the Council that one of the conclusions reached the Abuja meeting, to which Mr. Guehenno has just referred, concerns the resumption of the demobilization and disarmament process in Sierra Leone, and the fact that perhaps lessons should be learned, so that this time sufficient resources can be allocated to this process. The next element concerns the proliferation of arms.”
2001-05-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4319 (2001) · source
“Those we spoke with noted that, both in Liberia and in Sierra Leone, the aborted disarmament and demobilization process was one of the reasons for the resumption, prolongation or worsening of conflicts in West Africa. Indeed, abandoned to their fate, the ex- combatants, most of them young people, after a few months' wait have no other option than to take up arms once again. Moreover, in an economic environment of absolute poverty, if a consistent reinsertion and rehabilitation programme is not contemplated, there is a real risk that the international community, rather than being part of the solution to the problem, could be responsible for its aggravation. That is why we appeal for the disarmament, demobilization and reintegration process to be considered in a much broader context.”
2001-05-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4319 (2001) · source
“Aware of the impact they might have on the process of the prevention and settlement of conflicts, I cannot fail to appeal to the international community as a whole, and to the Council in particular, for consistent assistance to these civil society groups. The third element is disarmament, demobilization and reintegration. Our mission was struck by the criticism made in West Africa of the United Nations. It was said that we tended to arrive too late and to adopt mandates that were not in keeping with realities, and that, as soon as a peace agreement was concluded, we were too hasty in withdrawing. Finally, and most importantly, it was said that the disarmament, demobilization, reintegration and resettlement process was very often botched because of a lack of financial resources.”
2001-05-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4319 (2001) · source
“For all of these reasons, we believe that the United Nations Office for West Africa should focus its conflict-prevention and conflict-settlement activities on the issue of national reconciliation. In this connection, we were struck by the decisive contribution made by women's movements to the promotion of negotiated settlements, in particular among member States of the Mano River Union. In her report, Ms. McAskie stressed the role of women's organizations, so I do not need to dwell on this any further. I would, however, like to note that goodwill is the only resource available to these women's organizations. They are cruelly lacking in funds and in capacity.”
2001-05-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4319 (2001) · source
“The Mission had no doubts about the very controversial nature of this proposal and felt itself duty-bound to report on it to those concerned. Since our arrival, the Department of Peacekeeping Operations and the Department of Political Affairs have worked together on this idea, which will require further analysis. But we should recall once again that the proposal was made in the context of an integrated subregional approach, which was the reason why our mission was sent to the field. The second recommendation concerns national reconciliation. Many of us have noted that, in most of the countries of West Africa, it is the absence of dialogue and national reconciliation that has led to marginalization and exclusion, which in turn are conducive not only to triggering conflicts but also to aggravating existing ones.”
2001-05-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4319 (2001) · source
“McAskie, who a while ago stressed the need to take into account the humanitarian aspect in this interrelationship and who believed that it would be difficult to deal with humanitarian problems on a country-by-country basis. It is exactly in that context that we must place the proposal made by several of our interlocutors, and which we echo, to expand the mandate of the United Nations Mission in Sierra Leone (UNAMSIL) to include Guinea and Liberia. According to those with whom we spoke, doing so would not only help in dealing with the problems of Sierra Leone but would also create the necessary conditions for monitoring the situation on the borders between Guinea and Sierra Leone and Guinea and Liberia.”
2001-05-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4319 (2001) · source
“But there is today a need to give it a much more solid foundation, as there is a need to deal with the economic and financial consequences of such an expanded base. Those are the institutional recommendations. I now come to the last category of recommendations, those having to do with the most important trans- border questions. The first recommendation has to do with peacekeeping and security operations in the Mano River Union region. In that regard, during our Mission we took note of concerns expressed by ECOWAS heads of State facing the need to envisage, in the overall context of an integrated approach, the peacekeeping and security operations in particular in the region of the Mano River Union, in a way that takes the interrelationships into account. I need not repeat here what was said by Ms.”
2001-05-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4319 (2001) · source
“The office should have as its principal role gathering, harmonizing and using the synergies that exist between United Nations bodies already in the field and other partners so as to create the dynamics for an overall, integrated approach to cope with West Africa's priority needs. This is why the Mission believes that the office should not simply be an office that swallows up funds, but one which would have the minimum number of necessary staff. We hope that the Council will express to the Secretary-General its support for the creation of the office. The second recommendation of an institutional nature is to create an inter-agency working group. As I have said, such a group already existed before the Mission's trip to the field.”
2001-05-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4319 (2001) · source
“Since the Mission took place we have shared the report with the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, the Organization of African Unity (OAU), the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the World Bank, the European Union, United Nations country teams in the field and other partners. We have done so in order to get their views, observations and recommendations with regard to implementing the proposal to create a United Nations office for West Africa. Of course, comments and concerns may be expressed with regard to the risk of bureaucratization of that office. The Mission has clearly thought about all the implications of setting up such an office.”
2001-05-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4319 (2001) · source
“First of all, the Mission proposed the establishment of a United Nations office for West Africa. This is the logical result of the overall approval garnered for the idea the Council itself initiated after its mission to the countries of the Mano River Union last October. The mission received guidelines from the Secretary-General to consider an overall subregional and integrated approach to West Africa's problems, rather than continuing to act on a sectoral and country- by-country basis. Following the general approval for such an approach, we proposed the establishment of a United Nations office for West Africa. The competencies of that office were clearly set out in the report and in the recommendations, so I do not feel there is a need to revisit them.”
2001-05-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4319 (2001) · source
“It turns out that since our Mission ended, the international commission of inquiry set up by the Secretary-General has also returned to New York. It is now in the process of drafting its report and conclusions on the grave violations of human rights that took place during the presidential election. The commission believes that it should be able to submit its report by the end of the month. Nothing in the talks we have had with the Chairman of the commission interferes with the proposal our Mission has made for the holding of a meeting in support of Cote d'Ivoire. Those are the recommendations in the first category. With regard to recommendations in the second category - namely, those having to do with institutional arrangements - there are essentially two types.”
2001-05-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4319 (2001) · source
“That is to say, account must be taken of the economic impact of the C6te d'Ivoire on other countries of the subregion in general and on those of the West African Economic and Monetary Union in particular, as C6te d'Ivoire's economy represents 40 per cent of the economic power of the Union. That is why the Mission proposed here that - in tandem with the pressure and influence exerted upon the Government of C6te d'Ivoire to bring it to engage effectively in a dialogue leading to national reconciliation - it is important to ensure that the economic and financial crisis of C6te d'Ivoire not be made worse so as not to further exacerbate its effect on the Economic and Monetary Union. That is also why we have also called here for assistance from the international community.”
2001-05-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4319 (2001) · source
“There is also economic instability due, on the one hand, to the decline of the country's resources, especially the price of cashews, which has fallen 40 per cent on the international market, and further, to the fact that donors have not followed up the commitment they made in 1998 to assist the country. The situation is extremely fragile. We believe that because of this, and because of the traditional conditions imposed by financial institutions on countries emerging from crises, it is important to organize an international conference on financing for development and for urgent humanitarian needs in Guinea-Bissau. Finally, with regard to cote d'Ivoire, the Mission determined that the economic situation should be taken into account not just as it exists in the country but also as it has effects beyond its borders.”
2001-05-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4319 (2001) · source
“With regard to Guinea-Bissau, which is geographically outside the Mano River Union, the prevailing precarious and unstable situation in the country resulted from a lengthy crisis that occurred in three stages - the overthrow of the legal Government of President Nino, the establishment of a long period of transition dominated by the military and, finally, the organization of presidential and legislative elections to install a new regime - and has left its mark on the economic and social structure of the country. Political instability in particular continues.”
2001-05-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4319 (2001) · source
“The Mission is of the View that in the face of the current threat to stability in the country, and because of the long-standing impact of refugees there, where they make up as much as 10 per cent of the total population, Guinea, which furthermore has been making outstanding efforts to improve its macroeconomic situation - as the Bretton Woods institutions acknowledge - deserves greater support. This is why the Mission reiterates its proposal to hold such an international conference.”
2001-05-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4319 (2001) · source
“Regarding Guinea, the Mission suggested the holding of an international conference to mobilize funds in order to help Guinea cope with its humanitarian and social situation. The Council will recall that in 1999 an initial round table was held. Unfortunately, the plan to hold a second international conference did not materialize, first of all because of the prevailing political situation in Guinea, and also because of the deteriorating situation in the Mano River Union.”
2001-05-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4319 (2001) · source
“After the briefings given by my two colleagues, I shall not address the relaunching of the peace process or the humanitarian situation, except perhaps to emphasize that within the framework of the outcome of the recent Abujan Summit, which has opened there a window of opportunity for relaunching the peace process, it is important to plan elections in Sierra Leone at the end of the year, taking into account all dimensions and implications. In fact, the Mission was of the View that due to the prevailing situation in Sierra Leone it was, at the very least, premature to consider organizing elections in Sierra Leone by the end of the year, for much of the country is under de facto rule by the Revolutionary United Front (RUF) and much of the population consists of internally displaced persons and refugees abroad.”
2001-05-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4319 (2001) · source
“That is why I reiterate this recommendation, especially to members of the Security Council that might have some influence on one or more of the heads of State concerned. It is obvious that the deteriorating military situation, especially with the worsening of the situation in Liberia, now allows us, paradoxically, to begin a dialogue on a basis that might be much more durable. Along with this, it would be desirable for the Security Council once again to appeal to and urge the three heads of State to open a dialogue. The second aspect focused on in the report is the situation in Sierra Leone.”
2001-05-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4319 (2001) · source
“Mr. Eyadema is the current Chairman of the Organization of African Unity (OAU) and Mr. Obasanjo is the President of the country most involved in peacekeeping in West Africa. I must note that, in spite of this initiative, it has not yet been possible to have the three heads of State sit down at the same table for discussions. Even the idea of organizing a preparatory meeting of the Ministers for Foreign Affairs of these three countries has not received a positive response from all the potential partners. This means that the situation has continued to deteriorate since the time of the Mission that I led to West Africa. In the report we suggest that the members of the Security Council, together with the members of ECOWAS, see to it that such a dialogue can be established.”
2001-05-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4319 (2001) · source