YouSaid · the spoken record

Feridun H. Sinirlioğlu

lines on the record: 115
first: 2020-04-27
most recent: 2021-10-19
sittings or episodes: 13
sources: un-security-council

Every line below is reproduced as it was said and linked to the record it came from. Nothing here is summarised or generated. Directory · Search · Corrections

“We must act before food emergencies turn into full-blown famines. We need to put in place solid institutional reforms and strengthen our efforts to improve the resilience of the agricultural sector against droughts and floods. Agrotechnology practices could be useful and provide us with valuable solutions in that regard. Also vital is preventing speculative food prices in marketing and trade and supporting the continuation of supply chains. Moreover, the strengthening of existing financial assistance mechanisms and the establishment of new funds will help address the needs of the people living in conflict areas or food-insecure countries. Enhanced cooperation between international financial institutions and humanitarian organizations will undoubtedly facilitate efforts on the ground.”
2021-03-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/250 (2021) · source
“The mechanism ensures that international aid is directly delivered to 4.1 million people in need, including 2.7 million internally displaced persons, in the north of Syria. In view of those appalling conditions, the Security Council has no other option but to renew the United Nations cross-border humanitarian mechanism next July, with additional border gates and the Bab al-Salam crossing point in particular, to resume aid delivery for 1.3 million people in northern Aleppo. To that end, the S/2021/250 S/2021/250 Council should uphold its responsibility and take action to alleviate the suffering of the Syrian people. While reports of hunger and the threat of famine are growing, we cannot stand idly by. As the international community, we need to adopt a preventive approach to the growing challenge of acute hunger and food insecurity.”
2021-03-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/250 (2021) · source
“In this human-made disaster, United Nations cross-border humanitarian operations remain the only hope and a crucial lifeline that is vital to the survival of the millions of people who are trapped in a vicious circle of violence in the north- west, in lamentable conditions. The response by the international community, particularly the United Nations, to the victims of the Syrian crisis has been carried out through that mechanism. Within that framework, more than 40,000 truckloads of United Nations humanitarian assistance have been sent through Turkey to north- west Syria. We commend the efforts of the World Food Programme in delivering almost 30,000 truckloads of food assistance under that mechanism as well as contributing to the devising of better logistical conditions under its status of “cluster lead agency”.”
2021-03-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/250 (2021) · source
“For too long, the Syrian regime has left civilians without access to food and has deprived them of their most basic humanitarian necessities. The harsh winter conditions in north-west Syria, the increased morbidity from flooding and the burning of unsafe materials for heating or cooking have caused the nutrition situation to deteriorate further. According to the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, across the region there has been a 55 per cent increase in cases of severe acute malnutrition as of January 2021 compared with the same period last year. Chronic malnutrition, currently affecting one third of children, is also on the rise.”
2021-03-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/250 (2021) · source
“Failing to achieve that fundamental goal will have dramatic social, economic and political implications. Conflict continues to pose the biggest threat to global food security. Clearly, there is an urgent need to increase cooperation on creating conditions for peace so as to end conflicts. Through resolution 2417 (2018), the Security Council recognized for the first time the intrinsic link between hunger and conflict. The effective implementation of that resolution is essential in humanitarian settings such as Syria and Yemen and in various parts of Africa. The use of starvation as a weapon of war is unacceptable. Unfortunately, we are witnessing this heinous crime as a frequent tactic of war in Syria.”
2021-03-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/250 (2021) · source
“Food insecurity remains a global concern, threatening political stability, worsening humanitarian crises and derailing hard-won progress in global health. The coronavirus disease pandemic has further complicated the situation. Economic downturns and disrupted supply chains have led to a lack of adequate, safe, affordable and nutritious food for millions of people. Food insecurity is likely to worsen, with extreme climate events threatening all aspects of agricultural production as well as distribution channels and market flows. The world’s population is expected to increase to 10.9 billion in 2100, potentially resulting in a substantial surge in food demand. Unfortunately, we are losing sight of our global commitment to ending hunger by 2030.”
2021-03-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/250 (2021) · source
“More than ever, we need a robust multilateral response led by the United Nations and WHO in the next stages of our efforts aimed at fighting this unprecedented crisis. Turkey will continue to be a steadfast member of the international community as we strive to overcome the adverse consequences of the pandemic. We also look forward to contributing to the efforts aimed at enhancing the United Nations partnership with all relevant stakeholders to deliver COVID-19 response tools, including vaccines, to the most vulnerable people and countries.”
2021-02-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/157 (2021) · source
“The pandemic has exposed and compounded the fragility of economic and health-care systems in the face of an emergency like the coronavirus disease pandemic. The crisis has laid bare the fact that no country can overcome the COVID-19 threat on its own, regardless of its size or power. It also demonstrated that in the face of such a daunting challenge, our fates are closely interlinked — across borders, cultures and generations. The recovery from this crisis will be assured only by coordinated multilateral efforts, with a strong response from the United Nations system on the ground. The reinvigorated United Nations development system, together with the Organization’s funds and programmes, is well-positioned to live up to this task.”
2021-02-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/157 (2021) · source
“Unfortunately, diagnostic tests and basic medical equipment are still out of reach in many least developed countries, which face imminent challenges of conflict and fragility. To prevent further economic costs and other drivers of instability, we need to increase our efforts to ensure that the least developed countries are not left behind, especially in the provision of an affordable and rapid supply of vaccines. Importantly, we should improve our policies on sharing technical know-how to enable the manufacture of drugs and vaccines in developing countries. With this understanding, the United Nations Technology Bank for Least Developed Countries launched the Tech Access Partnership initiative last year to increase the local production of essential medical technologies in the least developed countries.”
2021-02-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/157 (2021) · source
“We expect the United Nations to plan implementing a vaccine campaign for those living in north-west Syria as well as in the Ras Al-Ayn and Tel Abyad regions, in addition to dispatching additional test kits and personal protective equipment. The cross-border mechanism remains the only instrument to channel COVID-19 vaccines to the most vulnerable in north-west Syria. It is incumbent upon the Council to uphold its responsibilities and secure the continuation of the cross- border humanitarian operations with the inclusion of the Bab Al-Salam crossing point in the mechanism. The Council should not fail to prevent a new catastrophe with negative humanitarian and security repercussions in the region and beyond.”
2021-02-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/157 (2021) · source
“In Syria, the failure of the Security Council to reauthorize the Bab Al-Salam crossing point within the United Nations cross-border mechanism has exacerbated the already dire situation of 1.3 million civilians living in northern Aleppo. More than 4 million people in north-west Syria depend on these operations. Since December 2020, the number of COVID-19 cases in north-west Syria has increased by over 7 per cent, and associated deaths rose by around 46 per cent. To date, WHO has dispatched 141,100 test kits and other pandemic-related items from Turkey to north-west Syria through the United Nations cross-border mechanism. The Turkish Red Crescent, in cooperation with the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs and WHO, delivered pandemic response items in the north-west worth around $7.7 million.”
2021-02-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/157 (2021) · source
“We invite all Member States and international organizations to adopt the guiding principle of “leaving no one behind” in their vaccination programmes. We also take pride in the fact that 18 vaccine candidates developed in Turkey are listed in WHO’s list. Our first domestic COVID-19 vaccine is expected to be ready for deployment in the spring. The situation of vulnerable groups in emergency settings has been aggravated by relentless attacks, the spread of COVID-19 and harsh winter conditions. It is time for the international community, and in particular the members of the Security Council, to heed the voices of these people.”
2021-02-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/157 (2021) · source
“We must first recognize that vaccines and diagnostic tests and treatments must be global public goods. We must also improve our joint efforts aimed at overcoming operational challenges on the ground, including logistics, storage and humanitarian access. Turkey has been actively engaged in multilateral efforts to contain the virus and mitigate its impact. We support equitable access to effective and affordable COVID-19 vaccines and pledged $53 million to the COVID-19 Vaccine Global Access (COVAX) Facility initiative. We aim to inoculate 60 per cent of our population in the coming months. Millions of displaced Syrians and people of other nationalities who have taken refuge in Turkey benefit from medical services free of charge and are naturally part of our vaccination programme.”
2021-02-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/157 (2021) · source
“The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) crisis has been devastating for millions of people across the world, with far-reaching implications for international peace and security. The emergence of new variants further complicates our plans to return to normal. Although we take heart from the safe and effective development of COVID-19 vaccines, their equitable distribution to all remains another challenge. The World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF recently stated that more than three quarters of the 128 million vaccine doses administered to date were allocated to only 10 countries. Clearly, this strategy will not help us end the pandemic. Vaccine nationalism is morally wrong and counter-productive in practical terms, undermining the efforts to bring COVID-19 under control.”
2021-02-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/157 (2021) · source
“His mere presence here is an affront to the millions of Syrians who have suffered countless crimes at the hands of this regime. Therefore, I will not honour him with a response.”
2020-11-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1147 (2020) · source
“We will not hesitate to take steps necessary to safeguard our national security and ensure that peace and stability prevail. To conclude, let us remember how we reached this point. The regime, instead of meeting the legitimate aspirations of the Syrian people, has employed all instruments of violence in its disposal to prolong its grip to power. The people of Syria have been punished brutally, including by chemical weapons, barrel bombs, demographic change, sexual violence, arbitrary detentions, torture, starvation and sieges. These are facts. They are all well documented. We all know the blunt reality. The persistent lies of the regime do not change that. As to the delusional remarks of the regime representative, I would like to emphasize that I do not consider him to be my legitimate counterpart.”
2020-11-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1147 (2020) · source
“The PKK/YPG continues to release Da’esh detainees en masse through so-called amnesties, when it serves its interest. According to media reports, in the last two months alone PKK/YPG released over 1,000 Da’esh members. In the face of such brazen acts, it truly defies logic when some Member States still insist on portraying the PKK/YPG as a reliable partner in the fight against terrorism. How can anyone in their right mind trust one terrorist group to combat another? How many more Da’esh members need to be arbitrarily released by PKK/ YPG before the international community reacts? The international community can no longer remain silent in the face of these terrorist acts, infiltrations and harassments. Turkey will certainly not remain idle.”
2020-11-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1147 (2020) · source
“Let me briefly touch upon the situation in Al-Hol camp, which has increasingly become a source of concern. Over 63,000 people, 94 per cent of whom are women and children, live in extremely miserable conditions in the camp, where security incidents and reports of deaths continue to be recorded. Family reunification and repatriation remain crucial for long-term solutions to this lasting problem. In this part of Syria, the actions of the terrorist organization Kurdish Workers Party/Kurdish People’s Protection Units (PKK/YPG) threatening the territorial integrity of Syria have been steadily increasing. Yesterday’s bomb attacks carried out by the PKK/YPG in Afrin and Al-Bab, resulting in scores of civilian casualties, are the latest testaments to the total disregard which that terrorist organization has for human life.”
2020-11-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1147 (2020) · source
“With 4 million Syrians living in Turkey and 5 million under our care and protection in Syria, we are aware of the demands and expectations of the Syrian people from the international community. It is a shame that the Al-Assad regime is organizing meetings under the pretext of discussing the return of refugees. These are attempts by that murderous regime to add insult to injury. Through mechanisms in place not only with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees but also with neighbouring countries, we have been discussing the issue of returns in full compliance with United Nations criteria. We are ready to support any initiative reflecting United Nations parameters on this matter, with agreed modalities and scope. We will continue to oppose any initiatives attempting to support the regime’s agenda and its unlawful actions.”
2020-11-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1147 (2020) · source
“We welcome the announcement that the next two rounds of the Constitutional Committee will be held during the course of next week and in January 2021, respectively. We believe that it is crucial to accelerate the work of the Committee through regular meetings. The next rounds should focus on the substance and the constitutional process should, in due course, yield results that address the legitimate aspirations of the Syrian people. Syrians should not wait another decade for their expectations to be met. Advancing the work of the Committee and the political process in general will contribute to the common goal of creating an environment conducive to the voluntary, safe and dignified return of Syrians.”
2020-11-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1147 (2020) · source
“While we are making every effort to alleviate the human suffering and taking all the necessary measures to preserve the ceasefire in Idlib, we also continue to contribute to advancing the political process in line with resolution 2254 (2015) (2020). Turkey, in its capacity as an Astana guarantor, played a leading role in the establishment of the Constitutional Committee. Currently, the Committee is the sole functioning mechanism within the political process. We wholeheartedly support Special Envoy Pedersen’s efforts to facilitate the Committee’s work in a systematic manner. We reiterated our strong support for his facilitation role during his visit to Ankara on 2 and 3 November.”
2020-11-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1147 (2020) · source
“Preserving the ceasefire in Idlib is a sine qua non for the protection of millions of vulnerable civilians living in dire conditions. Turkey remains fully committed to ensuring a lasting ceasefire in Idlib. We continue to engage with Russia in technical talks and in joint efforts towards the full implementation of the additional protocol. Unfortunately, there is a worrying increase in ceasefire violations targeting civilians and moderate opposition groups in the Idlib de-escalation Area. These attacks risk triggering a new humanitarian crisis and provide a pretext for terrorist organizations to exploit the situation. All ceasefire violations in contravention of the additional protocol and existing agreements must be stopped.”
2020-11-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1147 (2020) · source
“The unimpeded flow of humanitarian assistance is essential. With limited cross-border operations, the United Nations is making enormous efforts every month to reach 1.3 million people in northern Aleppo who were previously served via the Bab Al-Salam crossing point. Since the adoption of resolution 2533 (2020) in July, around 2,500 trucks have crossed into the north-west through Bab Al-Hawa. This figure corresponds to only half of the volume channelled through our crossing points within the same timeframe prior to the adoption of resolution 2533 (2020). If the Council fails to reauthorize the Bab Al-Salam crossing point, it will condone the further deterioration of the humanitarian situation. This might have security repercussions for the whole region and beyond.”
2020-11-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1147 (2020) · source
“Since the previous Security Council meeting on Syria (see S/2020/1049), the percentage of health-care workers among current cases increased to 15. Half the number of the health-care workers infected throughout Syria are in the north-west. We have mobilized all our resources in order to minimize the impact of COVID-19 on vulnerable groups, especially women and children. In accordance with the recent trilateral agreement on the fight against COVID-19, the Turkish Red Crescent, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs and the World Health Organization have started to deliver health aid and items in the north-west, which are worth around $7.7 million. We will also continue to support and strengthen the resilience of the Syrian people through our own means and by facilitating the cross-border humanitarian operations.”
2020-11-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1147 (2020) · source
“I would like to thank Deputy Special Envoy Khawla Matar and Acting Assistant Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Rajasingham for their briefings. People in Syria are trapped in an endless war. They are subject to crimes against humanity at the hands of Al-Assad’s ruthless regime. They are striving to survive in lamentable conditions. The situation at our doorstep in north-western Syria is alarming, with a sharp rise in cases of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19). Some 1.5 million out of 4 million Syrians in that region live in hundreds of overcrowded camps for internally displaced persons and are directly exposed to COVID-19, without any means of prevention and isolation. Hospitals and health facilities are struggling.”
2020-11-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1147 (2020) · source
“This is a terrorist organization that usurps the natural resources of Syria; promulgates so-called legislation to provide a legal cover for the confiscation of private property; denies education to other communities, including Christians; and recruits children and denies them their right to education and freedom. Furthermore, the PKK/YPG tries to create faits accomplis on the ground, in blatant violation of principles of the territorial integrity and unity of Syria, as enshrined in resolution 2254 (2015).”
2020-10-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1055 (2020) · source
“Since October 2019, PKK/YPG has carried out more than 250 terrorist attacks targeting civilians in areas where Turkey conducted operations to establish stability and calm. Those attacks resulted in hundreds of civilian casualties. The international community must demonstrate a united front against terrorism by unequivocally condemning the PKK/YPG’s terrorist attacks, without hesitation. In addition to targeting civilians, PKK/YPG seeks to consolidate its power throughout north-eastern Syria through oppression and economic incentives.”
2020-10-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1055 (2020) · source
“The regime’s military build-up around the Idlib de-escalation area and ceasefire violations aim at disrupting the calm on the ground and derailing the political process. Turkey will continue to take all necessary measures to protect civilians. The Security Council should also raise its voice and not allow the regime to undermine the ceasefire in Idlib. Turkey’s resolve to fight terrorism in Syria is firm. We will not allow terrorist organizations to find safe haven in our neighbourhood to launch cross-border attacks on our territory. The terrorist organization Kurdistan Workers’ Party/People’s Protection Units (PKK/YPG) also threatens the stability and unity of Syria with its increasingly brazen actions. This is a terrorist organization that has the blood of both Turkish and Syrian civilians on its hands.”
2020-10-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1055 (2020) · source
“That can be realized only with the open and strong support of the international community. I would like to highlight a couple of points on Syria. We continue our efforts to accelerate the political process and ensure the implementation of all the provisions of resolution 2254 (2015). We actively support Special Envoy Pedersen’s efforts to convene the Constitutional Committee regularly and set the agenda for consecutive meetings. The fourth round of the Committee should be held without further delay and focus on the substance. The constructive efforts of the opposition and the Special Envoy in that regard should be reciprocated. Turkey remains fully committed to stabilizing the situation on the ground and ensuring a lasting ceasefire in Idlib. The regime has been exploiting the 5 March ceasefire as an opportunity to regroup.”
2020-10-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1055 (2020) · source
“We urge the Middle East Quartet and the international community to redouble efforts to restart the Israeli-Palestinian peace talks. In that regard, we welcome and support the call of President Abbas to the Secretary-General to convene an international conference to launch a genuine peace process. It is high time for us, the Member States, to act on our collective commitment to the ideals and shared values of democracy, accountability and prosperity for everyone. The international community must redouble its efforts to achieve a negotiated two-State solution based on the 1967 borders and the establishment of an independent, sovereign and contiguous State of Palestine, with East Jerusalem as its capital.The people of Palestine deserve to live in freedom, side by side with Israel, in peace and security.”
2020-10-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1055 (2020) · source
“The international community should refrain from taking any steps that would be tantamount to condoning these illegal actions. Therefore, the intention of certain Member States to relocate embassies to Jerusalem or open them there is a source of grave concern. The status of Jerusalem is a fundamental issue that remains at the heart of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The final status of Jerusalem will be part and parcel of the comprehensive solution of the conflict. In order to reach a negotiated two-State solution, achieving intra-Palestinian reconciliation is an urgent necessity. We are pleased with the outcome of the unity talks between Fatah and Hamas. We hope that this process will lead to the successful conduct of elections.”
2020-10-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1055 (2020) · source
“The latest example of Israel’s steps as the occupying Power, in complete disregard of international law and United Nations resolutions, is the approval of more than 5,000 additional illegal settlements in the West Bank. If the international community is sincere about finding a just solution to the conflict on the basis of internationally recognized parameters, then it is incumbent upon the international community to stop Israel from further expanding those illegal settlements. The measures taken by Israel to consolidate its unlawful annexation of Jerusalem and its surroundings threaten the legal status of the city as well as its demographic composition and its historically multicultural and multireligious character.”
2020-10-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1055 (2020) · source
“Any initiative aimed at a just solution to the question of Palestine must consider the legitimate aspirations of the Palestinian people, engage Palestinian leadership and be based on the two-State solution, according to international law, United Nations resolutions and agreement between the parties. The recent normalization agreements, which failed to meet any of those criteria, can in no way bring us closer to a two-State solution to the Israel-Palestine conflict. Contrary to the announcements made, the expansion of illegal settlements in the Palestinian territories has not halted. Those new settlements will be the building blocks of future annexation plans. That is to say, Israel is physically continuing to implement its annexation plans.”
2020-10-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1055 (2020) · source
“We look forward to that report and call the Security Council to also shoulder its fair share of responsibilities and take urgent action to counteract the threat of annexation. Some claim that recent developments bode well for the settlement of the conflict and that the threat of annexation has been thwarted. Facts on the ground show otherwise. As pointed out in the latest report of the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People (A/75/35), the agreements recently signed neither bound Israel to negotiations with the Palestinians, guided by the internationally agreed parameters, nor included the Palestinian people.”
2020-10-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1055 (2020) · source
“Annexation would be a grave violation of international law and the relevant Security Council resolutions, as well as of the United Nations Charter and the Geneva Conventions of 12 August 1949. It would exacerbate the grievances and suffering of Palestinians at the hands of the occupying Power. The Palestinian land and the people of Palestine should not be sacrificed for the sake of Israel’s brazen policies of violence and occupation. An overwhelming S/2020/1055 majority of the international community objected to Israel’s plans. The Human Rights Council condemned the annexation plans and called for the High Commissioner for Human Rights to compile a report on the impact of a possible annexation.”
2020-10-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1055 (2020) · source
“Despite facing the worst financial crisis in its history, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) remains on the front lines in providing vital educational, health, relief and social services, as well as emergency assistance. We call upon the international community to step up its support to UNRWA, which provides a lifeline for millions of Palestinians. Until a just and lasting solution to the Israeli- Palestine conflict has been reached, the work of UNRWA will remain absolutely indispensable. It is our collective and moral duty to support the Agency. Today the most immediate and pressing challenge facing the Palestinians is the Israeli Government’s illegal plans for the annexation of the West Bank.”
2020-10-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1055 (2020) · source
“As Special Rapporteur Lynk stated, “We are no longer on the edge of a humanitarian crisis, but in the middle of one…there is no comparable situation in the world where a substantial population has endured such a permanent lockdown.” The recurrent electricity and fuel shortages have severely undermined the delivery of essential health care and water and sanitation services. Chronic shortages of medical supplies and hospital beds, combined with population density and the dilapidated infrastructure, have significantly increased the risk of a major COVID-19 outbreak. We welcome and support the health measures that the Palestinian Government has implemented against the spread of the virus.”
2020-10-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1055 (2020) · source
“Attempts to erode the status of Jerusalem, the inhumane blockade in Gaza and the illegal settlements have all been part of a recurring pattern that severely curtails the fundamental rights and freedoms of Palestinians. The people of Palestine live in a permanent state of emergency. Decades of occupation and blockade have severely weakened the Palestinian economy, as well as its critical infrastructure and health system. The tragedy of Palestinians has been compounded by the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, which has had devastating socioeconomic repercussions in addition to its public-health implications. The situation in Gaza remains particularly fragile. The illegal Israeli blockade of the Gaza Strip has entered its thirteenth year.”
2020-10-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1055 (2020) · source
“The Israeli-Palestinian conflict continues to imperil the prospects for peace and stability in the Middle East. At a time when we need a spirit of reconciliation and political determination, oppression by Israel in the occupied Palestinian territories continues unabated. As documented in numerous United Nations reports, the demolition of Palestinian houses, regular attacks by settlers and movement restrictions remain as daily practices. Those egregious practices undermine the two-State solution and the established parameters for a just and durable peace. The use of excessive and disproportionate force against civilians, arbitrary arrests and the impunity with which Israeli forces operate also constitute a serious threat to the rules-based international order.”
2020-10-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1055 (2020) · source
“Since the start of the pandemic, the Kurdish Workers Party/People’s Protection Units have perpetrated more than 30 terrorist attacks in northern Syria, including mortar and rocket shelling, targeting civilians. It is noteworthy that all these attacks have occurred at a time when the so-called Syrian Democratic Forces pretend to comply with the Secretary-General’s appeal for a global ceasefire. Whether we are donors or recipients, or both, we share a responsibility towards humankind. The protection of civilians is a long-term investment for our collective security, peace and prosperity. This week marks the fourth anniversary of the first- ever World Humanitarian Summit, which has been key in advancing the agenda for humankind. It is time to revisit existing commitments to strengthen the centrality of protection.”
2020-05-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/465 (2020) · source
“In that regard, we welcome the work of the International, Impartial and Independent Mechanism to Assist in the Investigation and Prosecution of Persons Responsible for the Most Serious Crimes under International Law Committed in the Syrian Arab Republic since March 2011 and the establishment of the Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar. We also commend the efforts of the Gambia in bringing a case before the International Court of Justice in 2019, which led to a landmark provisional ruling for Rohingya Muslims. At the same time, much work still needs to be done to hold perpetrators accountable. This also requires avoiding any engagement with terrorist organizations that would risk conferring legitimacy.”
2020-05-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/465 (2020) · source
“In the face of the pandemic, we need the United Nations cross-border mechanism for Syria more than ever, and the Council has the responsibility to authorize it without delay and for at least 12 months. This will be a litmus test for the Council and its members as to how able they are to address the request of millions of people who are completely dependent on these deliveries. Targeting civilians can have no justification. All parties to conflict have an international legal obligation to respect international humanitarian law. We must act and establish genuine accountability mechanisms in order to end impunity.”
2020-05-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/465 (2020) · source
“Meanwhile, Turkey now hosts 20 per cent of all refugees around the globe. We will continue to assist Syrians in need in our homeland, and also across our borders with Syria. We will continue to mobilize our resources for these people, including by facilitating United Nations cross-border operations — a lifeline mechanism for Syrian civilians. Delivering humanitarian aid is our common responsibility, and we see it as a crucial element to achieve international peace and stability. In fact, humanitarian access is a requirement of international humanitarian law, and it cannot be a matter for negotiation. I therefore reiterate the request that I made to the Council last week.”
2020-05-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/465 (2020) · source
“The suffering that engulfs people in the different complex emergencies is also experienced by humanitarian personnel, who are doing their best to provide relief for those in need. We would like to commend the tireless efforts of the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, as well as other United Nations humanitarian agencies, in their life-saving work. As Member States, we need to increase our financial resources in order to help the United Nations in its humanitarian activities. Turkey is committed to continuing its leading role in various humanitarian efforts across a wide geographical area, from Syria, Yemen and Palestine to Somalia and Myanmar. The medical assistance we have provided to 93 countries since the start of the pandemic is in addition to our regular humanitarian aid deliveries throughout the world.”
2020-05-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/465 (2020) · source
“The recent attacks on health infrastructure by General Haftar’s forces and their backers diminish the capacity of Libyans to mitigate the effects of the pandemic. In Syria, a health facility was attacked every four days last year. The majority of the attacks occurred in the north-west. In Yemen, where civilians face the largest humanitarian crisis of our time, 8.9 million people remain in acute need of medical care; yet only 50 per cent of medical facilities function due, in part, to conflict-related damage. It is therefore more urgent than ever that the global ceasefire appeal by the Secretary-General is implemented in order to help create conditions for the delivery of humanitarian assistance. This is also important for the adaptation of peacekeeping operations to evolving situations so as to ensure the protection of civilians.”
2020-05-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/465 (2020) · source
“Millions of these people have been denied access to basic rights such as education, health care, employment and freedom of movement. In humanitarian crises women and children continue to suffer the most from sexual violence and other violations of international humanitarian law. The spread of the coronavirus disease has further worsened the already dire conditions in many parts of the world by exacerbating the vulnerability of the least protected people. The current situation of health-care systems in certain parts of the world gives a grim outlook for the upcoming months. In Libya, conflict and the pandemic present a significant threat to life. According to a recent survey of the World Health Organization, only 20 per cent of primary health centres are delivering services in the country.”
2020-05-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/465 (2020) · source
“We now live in a world where one person is forcibly displaced every two seconds as a result of conflict or persecution. In 2019, more than 41 million people were displaced in their own country. In Libya, the number of internally displaced persons has almost doubled, to around 350,000, due to the military campaign to overthrow the legitimate Government in Tripoli. In Syria, only last year 1.8 million people were displaced, 1 million of whom escaped from the indiscriminate attacks of the Al-Assad regime in the north-west towards the Turkish border. In Myanmar, fighting displaced more civilians in the first three months of this year than in all of 2019. The number of refugees continues to grow, reaching 25.9 million, more than half of whom are under the age of 18.”
2020-05-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/465 (2020) · source
“I would like to thank Estonia for organizing this timely meeting, as well as the Secretary-General for his insightful presentation. I also thank the briefers. It is 70 years since the adoption of the Geneva Conventions, and 2019 marked the twentieth anniversary of the inclusion of the protection of civilians on the agenda of the Security Council. We are equipped with comprehensive rules, reliable tools and a strong framework. However, while the number of human-made disasters is increasing, we cannot provide adequate and timely responses to such crises. We witness the erosion of humanity, day by day. As the Secretary-General reports, conflicts forced millions of civilians to flee their homes last year, adding to the 70.8 million people already displaced by conflict and violence by the beginning of 2019 (see S/2020/366).”
2020-05-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/465 (2020) · source
“As usual, I will not honour the delusional state of mind of the previous speaker with a response. He does not represent the Syrian people. I will provide an answer, on behalf of my country and the nearly 9 million Syrians whom we protect, once there is a legitimate representative behind the name plate of the Syrian Arab Republic.”
2020-05-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/420 (2020) · source
“By way of massacring thousands of innocent civilians, the Syrian regime has gained control over some parts of Syria. Yet it has no legitimacy in the eyes of the Syrians. There are millions who cannot go back to their homeland for the simple reason that their most fundamental right — the right to life — is under threat. These millions of people are not represented in Damascus or here in New York, but their voices need to be heard. Their grievances need to be addressed. That can be achieved only through an election, as described by the Permanent Representative of France, in accordance with resolution 2254 (2015). In the tenth year of the civil war in Syria, we need to do more, not less. And it is our collective duty to make sure that these Council meetings have a meaningful outcome beyond words.”
2020-05-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/420 (2020) · source