YouSaid · the spoken record

Frankinet

lines on the record: 176
first: 2013-04-17
most recent: 2016-07-28
sittings or episodes: 29
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

“Despite the solid legal grounds on which the proposal was based and the broad support it enjoyed, it was not possible to reach an agreement on it within the Security Council, which we can only regret. We must remain committed so that justice can be done, for this is our responsibility towards the victims and their next of kin. This responsibility is shared by our five countries and by the other grieving nations as well as by all countries which, like us, consider that impunity not only is unacceptable, but could also have disastrous consequences for international peace and security. We are ready to move forward and intensify our contacts and demarches in order to make a reality of what resolution 2166 (2014) asking of us - that all States associate fully with the efforts undertaken to assign responsibility.”
2015-07-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7498 (2015) · source
“Ms. Frankinet (Belgium) (spoke in French): After the vote on draft resolution S/2015/562 introduced by Malaysia and sponsored by many other countries affected, including mine, by the grief of their citizens, as well as by several members ofthe Security Council, I wish first of all to express our solidarity with Australia, Malaysia, the Netherlands and Ukraine, our partners in the Joint Investigation Team. Our judicial authorities are making every effort to shed light on the circumstances of the destruction of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH-17 and ensure that justice is rendered to the families and next of kin of the victims of this tragedy. What we were proposing today to the Council, the establishment of an international tribunal, would have made it possible to reach this objective.”
2015-07-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7498 (2015) · source
“My country also calls on those States that have yet to ratify the relevant international instruments, to do so as soon as possible, particularly the conventions banning anti-personnel mines and cluster munitions.”
2015-06-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7466 (2015) · source
“A climate of impunity, characterized by a lack of disciplinary procedures, sanctions and criminal prosecutions, contributes to creating an environment filled with risks for children. Belgium wishes to underline the importance of ensuring effective access to justice for victims of sexual violence. In conclusion, we would like to stress that the indiscriminate use of weapons - including barrel bombs - is prohibited under international humanitarian law. We are shocked by the indiscriminate attacks in civilian areas in Syria, which continue to kill and maim thousands of people many of whom are children. In that context, Belgium would also like to reiterate its concern overthe use of explosive weapons-particularly in densely populated regions - and calls on all parties to armed conflict to renounce their use.”
2015-06-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7466 (2015) · source
“The information contained in the report shows that, given the increased frequency and number of abductions, children need to be better protected. Belgium supports the request of the Secretary-General to the Council to increase the types of tools available, which include those used by child-protection agencies to collect and share information on child abductions. In that regard, Belgium believes that it would be useful to add the abduction of children as a trigger violation in compiling the lists annexed to the annual report. For that reason, my country decided to sponsor resolution 2225 (2015), adopted by the Council today. The report also shows that children continue to be victims of rape and other forms of sexual violence. The impunity that the perpetrators of sexual violence enjoy remains a subject of deep concern.”
2015-06-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7466 (2015) · source
“Ms. Frankinet (Belgium) (spoke in French): I thank you, Madam President, for allowing my delegation to speak in this debate. Belgium fully aligns itself with the statement delivered by the observer of the European Union and would like to make the following statement in its national capacity. My country welcomes the annual report of the Secretary-General on today's topic (S/2015/409) and deplores the fact that armed conflict continues to affect children disproportionately. In fact, the annual report notes that we faced unprecedented challenges in 2014 in attempting to ensure the protection of tens of millions of children growing up in countries affected by conflict. One phenomenon that is becoming increasingly common, according to the report, is that of the mass abduction of civilians - including children.”
2015-06-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7466 (2015) · source
“Protecting their rights and their physical integrity becomes ever more urgent, as does that of recognizing their activities. The media and reporters contribute to the vision of the world of citizens and political decision-makers. Without journalism there is no information, and without information there is no possibility of forming an opinion or, when necessary, of taking the required decisions. In situations of conflict, reporters exercise their responsibilities at a personal risk. It is therefore essential to reaffirm our determination to have them protected and to prosecute those who deliberately put them in danger.”
2015-05-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7450Resumption1 (2015) · source
“This, in particular, would have to be a matter of developing the preparation for a mission, supporting reporters who are in captivity and ensuring psychological follow-up for reporters who are suffering from post-traumatic effects. In this digital era, we also need to raise the awareness of reporters and other media players with respect to protecting their sources of information. Thirdly, the media landscape has been changing. Many reporters and bloggers are working independently now and do not have the benefit of any of the protection that traditionally would come from affiliation with major media bodies or press agencies. They are therefore in a more vulnerable situation. The same holds for their colleagues in the local press, who are also more exposed to violence or persecution for the very same reasons.”
2015-05-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7450Resumption1 (2015) · source
“Secondly, Belgium is convinced that we must invest in prevention to fight all forms of violence against reporters, and this in close cooperation with non-governmental organizations and professional associations. On 7 May, during World Press Freedom Day, my delegation associated itself with the International Federation of Reporters for the holding of an event that was called "Finding security in unsafe passages". It is reporters themselves and media experts who put forward their strategies for protection and the resources that they need to implement those strategies. A framework for support for reporters could be created via non-governmental organizations that are actively working in this area.”
2015-05-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7450Resumption1 (2015) · source
“It is to be regretted that State actors continue to be responsible for the bulk of the acts of violence perpetrated against journalists. It is unacceptable that in certain cases journalists are identified with one of the parties to a conflict for having voiced an opinion that is different from that of the official version of events. Under international law with respect to human rights, States bear direct responsibility for respecting and promoting the freedom of expression. On the one hand, they must take effective measures to prevent attacks against journalists and other individuals exercising their right to this freedom of expression, and, on the other hand, they must take every possible measure to fight the impunity for perpetrators of crimes committed against reporters.”
2015-05-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7450Resumption1 (2015) · source
“Now one sees that, despite the heightened attention given to the killing of reporters, little progress has been made to protect them. There are many journalists who have been imprisoned or killed. Their number is not on the decline, and we are seeing no more perpetrators of such crimes being prosecuted. My delegation joins the statement made on behalf of the European Union. I would therefore limit my statement to three points that relate to the issue of protecting journalists in situations of conflict. These are, first, the role of States; secondly, the importance of prevention; and, thirdly, new actors in the media sphere. First, the principles enshrined in resolution 1738 (2006) must be clearly reaffirmed. That is what we did this morning.”
2015-05-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7450Resumption1 (2015) · source
“Let me, at the outset, underscore the essential contribution that journalists provide to maintaining and promoting democratic values in our societies, as well as their contribution to the exercise of the right to information and freedom of expression, and also their contribution to identifying responsibilities of States and non-State players in situations of conflict. The evolution of the nature of conflicts, which involves not only State players but also a multitude of non-State players, as well as terrorist threats, make the task of journalists even more complex and dangerous, not only in terms of the international press but also the local press. As a result, protecting journalists working in high-risk environments poses a major challenge.”
2015-05-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7450Resumption1 (2015) · source
“Ms. Frankinet (Belgium) (spoke in French): I should like to thank Deputy Secretary-General Eliasson for his briefing this morning, as well as Mr. Deloire, Director-General of Reporters Without Borders, and Ms. Mariane Pearl, for having shared with us their personal experiences. Those statements underscore the gravity of the issue of impunity with respect to acts of violence against journalists. In fact, since the adoption of Security Council resolution 1738 (2006), progress has been slow. We therefore commend the unanimous adoption under the presidency of Lithuania of resolution 2222 (2015), which we co-sponsored.”
2015-05-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7450Resumption1 (2015) · source
“Next month, governmental experts will meet at the United Nations in order to ensure the effectiveness in the future of the International Tracing Instrument. The success of that meeting, which could provide input into the 2018 Review Conference on the Programme of Action will be very important in our continued fight against the illicit trafficking in small arms and light weapons. Belgium will contribute to those efforts on the basis of a document that we have elaborated along with Germany and other States.”
2015-05-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7442 (2015) · source
“Regional organizations and exchanges within the framework of the Arms Trade Treaty, bilateral notifications, the broader use of the INTERPOL Illicit Arms Records and Tracing Management System and non-governmental initiatives, such as the iTRACE project run by Conflict Armament Research, can all also contribute to the tracking and sharing of results. In 2014, during the fifth Biennial Meeting of States within the framework of the United Nations Programme of Action to Prevent, Combat and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All Its Aspects, States noted that technological developments and the design of small arms and light weapons had had an impact on the effectiveness of the marking, registry and tracing of such weapons. They recognized the challenges but also the potential of such developments.”
2015-05-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7442 (2015) · source
“We support the inclusion of stockpile security, where appropriate, in the mandates ofUnited Nations missions. All of those results can be achieved only through cooperation and information-sharing. Information on any illicit trafficking identified should therefore be compiled and made accessible to the relevant authorities. That sharing of information should take place at the national, regional and international levels. For that reason, the reports of the groups of experts are essential to the achievement of that end. We also believe that the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs has a role to play in extracting the relevant data from those reports and in compiling it in the appropriate databases.”
2015-05-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7442 (2015) · source
“Do weapons collected as part of a disarmament, demobilization and reintegration (DDR) effort later reappear on the black market? The trademarks of the black market and the diversion of small arms and light weapons that have been made visible through tracing can be used to improve efforts at controlling weapons. That information can help exporting States in evaluating the risk of diversion before issuing export licenses and to reduce these risks before and during the transfer of these weapons. All of this is required by article 11 of the Arms Trade Treaty. This information can also improve the effectiveness of DDR operations as well as security sector reform operations and the integrated management of borders and better secure weapons stockpiles and arsenals.”
2015-05-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7442 (2015) · source
“Last year, Belgium organized a seminar devoted to the tracing and tracking of illicit weapons in conflict zones, and we included the results ofthis seminar in our contribution to the 2015 review of the United Nations peacekeeping operations. The tracing of illicit weapons in conflict zones can provide answers to the following questions. Where do non-State actors obtain their weapons and ammunition? Is there any unauthorized re-exporting, and, if so, is the original supplier aware of this? Who are the end-users, brokers and shippers who present a heightened risk of diversion towards conflict zones. Which Governments' stockpiles are sold on the black market and on what scale? Which elements of the armed forces are possibly involved in the diversion ofweapons?”
2015-05-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7442 (2015) · source
“Belgium therefore is in favour of including in the mandates of the United Nations missions monitoring of arms embargoes in close cooperation with the sanctions committees and the relevant panels of experts - an approach that is already reflected in resolution 2117 (2003) and in the conclusions of meetings held within the framework of United Nations Programme of Action to Prevent, Combat and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All Its Aspects. The Secretary-General's report referrs to positive experiences of the United Nations Operation in Cote d'Ivoire, the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and of the role played by the United Nations police units.”
2015-05-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7442 (2015) · source
“3) Too often, civilians, especially women and children, are the primary victims of armed violence and the proliferation of small arms and light weapons. The availability of the latter is one of the factors that fuels sexual violence in conflict and post-conflict zones. While the fight against the illicit trafficking in small arms and light weapons cannot by itself resolve these issues, it remains nevertheless an essential component in a comprehensive approach. Arms embargoes imposed by the Security Council will be effective only if the violations of these embargoes are detected and dealt with, bringing those who breach them to justice. In this respect the sanctions committees and their expert groups play an essential role.”
2015-05-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7442 (2015) · source
“Ms. Frankinet (Belgium) (spoke in French): I would like to congratulate Lithuania on its initiative to hold this debate, a debate allowing us to reaffirm and bolster the commitment on the Security Council, on the basis of the Australian initiative and resolution 2117 (2013). Belgium also supports the idea of adopting a new draft resolution based on objectives defined in the concept note circulated by the Lithuanian presidency (S/2015/306, annex). As the Secretary-General underscores in his report, "Each crisis or conflict dealt with by the Security Council has its own characteristics.Yet,a key common denominator in all issues on the Council's agenda is that availability, ownership and use of weapons and ammunition significantly determine the dynamics of the crisis." (S/2015/289, para.”
2015-05-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7442 (2015) · source
“The countries oforigin, assisted by the international community, will have to find creative means to rebuild the bridges between the various components of their societies. To that end, Belgium encourages the new Iraqi Government to continue its efforts towards greater inclusiveness . The new European Union strategy on Syria and Iraq, which Belgium fully endorses, can certainly help in this regard.”
2015-03-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7419 (2015) · source
“The international community must pay special attention to the need to bring to justice those responsible for crimes, regardless of who they may be. To that end, we support the work of the United Nations Commission of Inquiry and call on all countries of the region, Iraq in particular, to accede as soon as possible to the Rome Statute. The Security Council can also play a key role by referring the situation in Syria to the International Criminal Court. Thirdly and lastly, we must ensure that persecuted minorities can eventually return to their homes. While at present humanitarian assistance and the efforts of some countries to host them are the only realistic responses, their rightful place is in their own homes. Given the seriousness of the conflicts and their duration, the road ahead will no doubt be rough.”
2015-03-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7419 (2015) · source
“Belgium, serving as President of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe, will organize a conference on 8 May on the theme "Tolerance is stronger than hatred", which will show how the diversity of our societies is an asset rather than a liability. My country, which also has its own share of foreign combatants, has been developing a new strategy to prevent radicalization, and we are committed to working at the national, regional and international levels towards that goal. Cooperation with the other countries concerned will be essential. The second action is to tackle impunity. There can be no lasting peace in the region if this condition is not met. Daesh's actions are tantamount to crimes against humanity, if not genocide.”
2015-03-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7419 (2015) · source
“We must ensure that we promote inclusive democracies, the rule of law and equitable economic development. We must also ensure that public authorities protect all their citizens, ensure respect for human rights and ensure the freedoms of expression, religion and belief. Those are the best weapons at our disposal. We must strongly promote all of them, given our political responsibility to our peoples and to our international commitments. If we are to tackle those threats, concrete actions must be taken without delay. I should like to highlight three of them. First, we must bring to life our values within our societies, especially among young people.”
2015-03-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7419 (2015) · source
“We cannot fall into the traps set for us by those radical groups: The first trap is to believe that we are facing a clash of civilizations or a new religious war. That trap is the primary objective of those radical groups. Based on it, they draw their strength and increase their capacity to mobilize. What we are dealing with is their exploitation of religion to gain power. If we are to fight against and escape that trap, we must make every effort necessary to ensure that our citizens do not fall prey to such rhetoric. The second trap is to believe that we must choose between the brutality of repressive military regimes and that of radical Islamic regimes. They are, however, the best of enemies and feed off each other. Yet other options, so often defended by the United Nations and my country, are open to us.”
2015-03-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7419 (2015) · source
“The emergence of radical Islamist groups, of which Daesh is the most reprehensible, has dramatically accelerated that trend and has radicalized it to the point of horror in their desire to eradicate, physically, culturally and historically, anyone who is not like them. Whether Christian, Yazidi or others, minorities pay an enormously high toll. That global ideology, both radical and dehumanized, and the threat to the world that it creates, recall the worst period of twentieth-century European history. With an awareness of the horrors committed and that global threat, Belgium decided in the summer of 2014 to actively participate in the political and military coalition against Daesh.”
2015-03-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7419 (2015) · source
“Ms. Frankinet (Belgium) (spoke in French): I thank you, Sir, for organizing this debate on a major challenge of the twenty-first century. Belgium endorses the statement given on behalf of the European Union and wishes to add to it in order to complete its own statement. The Security Council has had several opportunities to address the situations in Syria and in Iraq and the countless victims ofconflicts in the Middle East, mostly Muslims of various denominations. In the past century, the proportion of Christians in the East, a faith that once held a secular presence in the region, has fallen from 30 per cent to 5 per cent of the total population.”
2015-03-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7419 (2015) · source
“Finally, Belgium would like to recall the importance of the Paris Principles on Children Associated with Armed Forces or Armed Groups for child victims of non-State armed groups. They include tools designed to assist action to prevent children's recruitment by such groups, and we would invite those countries that have not yet signed the Paris Principles to do so as soon as possible.”
2015-03-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7414 (2015) · source
“Belgium remains very concerned about the fact that many perpetrators of violence against children do so with impunity. The greatest challenge in that area is unquestionably the increasing number of persistent violators, who continue to deliberately ignore the relevant Security Council resolutions. In that regard, we would like to reiterate that the Council has no choice but to increase the pressure on those who perpetrate serious abuses against children, particularly those identified as persistent violators, and to continue to consider ways to apply targeted measures against such criminals. That is quite simply a matter of accountability and of holding those who commit grave violations against children to account. We all know that combating impunity and determining responsibility are important and effective deterrents.”
2015-03-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7414 (2015) · source
“Children are often recruited by force or abducted, but some join non-State armed groups because of economic, social or security pressures, and must be offered genuine alternatives to such groups. In our view, prevention is the only lasting solution to the problem of children's participation in armed conflict. In that regard, it is essential that States come up with prevention plans that cover every aspect of the issue - a plan that effectively prevents the recruitment and exploitation of children and that, among other things, provides schooling in safety. A recent study has shown that investing in prevention can in some ways generate a good return on that investment. The total cost of children's association with armed groups is estimated to be between $120 and $144 million a year.”
2015-03-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7414 (2015) · source
“Ms. Frankinet (Belgium) (spoke in French): Belgium associates itself fully with the statement delivered earlier by the observer of the European Union. I would like to add the following remarks in my national capacity. Belgium deplores the fact that armed conflicts continue to have a disproportionate effect on children. The year 2014 has been called a very bad one for children, and there are no prospects for improvement in 2015. As the Special Representative of the Secretary- General indicated in her annual report to the Human Rights Council, the indoctrination of children by extremist groups is creating new challenges in terms of their protection, psychosocial rehabilitation and reintegration. The recruitment and use of children by non-State armed groups is growing.”
2015-03-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7414 (2015) · source
“The Security Council has a special responsibility in that regard, and should be prepared to use all instruments that the Charter has placed at its disposal. The use of the veto - for example, to block the adoption ofresolutions on the situation in Syria - is an unfortunate illustration of the shortfalls of the system and a failure of the Council to shoulder its most fundamental responsibilities. That is why Belgium fully supports France's initiative in favour of a voluntary abstention of the use of the veto with respect to situations involving atrocity crimes. Belgium hopes that the permanent members of the Security Council will be able to agree on a modus operandi in that respect, which we believe would be an important contribution to the ongoing work on United Nations reform.”
2015-02-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7389 (2015) · source
“Belgium, which currently holds the presidency ofthe Committee ofMinisters ofthe Council ofEurope, will organize the next high-level conference on the theme "Tolerance is stronger than hatred" in Brussels on 8 May. It will highlight how the diversity of our societies is an asset, rather than a risk. Belgium has also developed a new strategy to prevent radicalization. In that context, it is committed to working for the development of counter-discourse at the national and international levels. But when a State does not exercise its responsibility to protect its population - wither because it does not want to or because it cannot - the international community cannot remain indifferent and must take action.”
2015-02-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7389 (2015) · source
“The responsibility to protect is rooted in the fundamental principles of the Charter of the United Nations, and is based on a very simple core concept. In the face of genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity and ethnic cleansing, all human beings have the right to be protected. The responsibility for their own peoples clearly falls first and foremost to Governments; it is incumbent on them to create legitimate and accountable national institutions that serve all citizens, are credible in the eyes of the people, and respect human rights and the rule of law . Our Governments must all encourage the creation of an environment conducive to mutual respect and resistant to intolerance. Combating hate speech through education and counter-discourse is essential in that regard.”
2015-02-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7389 (2015) · source
“Belgium welcomes the Secretary-General's Rights Up Front initiative, as well as the establishment, through the Secretary General's Special Advisers on the Prevention of Genocide and for the Responsibility to Protect, of a framework for analysis for the prevention of atrocity crimes. Despite such progress, the very violent conflicts that we are witnessing today demonstrate the extent to which we need to operationalize the system that we have created. These preventive mechanisms will continue to remain irrelevant if we do not have the political will to use them and to act before it is too late. That is why we must strengthen our resolve to implement at the national, regional and global levels the commitments that we undertook in 1945 and 2005.”
2015-02-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7389 (2015) · source
“For example, while the European Union was built as a project ofpeace, today it is witnessing along its borders serious violations of the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine. Yet, for many years, we have been working to develop the instruments and mechanisms that would allow us to better prevent and better respond to atrocity crimes and serious violations of human rights. We created the International Criminal Tribunals for the former Yugoslavia and Rwanda, and later the International Criminal Court. We have strengthened the mandates of peacekeeping operations for the protection of civilians, and at the 2005 Summit we unanimously we reaffirmed our responsibility to protect populations from the most serious crimes. In that regard, we have made progress, it is true, in the area of early warning.”
2015-02-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7389 (2015) · source
“However, conflicts have continued, including genocides, as in Rwanda or Srebrenica. One look at the map of the world is enough to see how fragile international peace and security are, and how important it is to remain fully engaged in the implementation of the objectives and principles of the Charter of the United Nations. Indeed, the Charter enshrines the principles that should guide our actions for peace and international security: respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of States, the peaceful settlement of disputes, and non-interference in the internal affairs of States. Seventy years later, we are still implementing those principles selectively.”
2015-02-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7389 (2015) · source
“Ms. Frankinet (Belgium) (spoke in French): I thank you, Sir, for giving me the floor and for organizing this open debate, which gives us an opportunity to reflect on our shared history and the principles that guide our work for international peace and security. My statement is based on that made of the European Union and that to be delivered by the representative of Austria on behalf of the Group of Friends of the Rule of the Law. As many have already underscored, 2015 is a special year. We commemorate the seventieth anniversary of the liberation of the Nazi concentration camps and the end of the Second World War. Beyond these commemorations, we will also celebrate the anniversary of the creation of the United Nations and the institutions and mechanisms that the world created to safeguard future generations from the scourge of war.”
2015-02-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7389 (2015) · source
“Secondly, the exchange of information at the international level and other levels is also necessary in order to identify those who contribute to terrorist activities and to enable us to take action against such individuals and groups. Thirdly, terrorism and terrorist groups must be cut off from the international financial system, and to that end our financial institutions must very rigorously apply the principles of transparency and due diligence.”
2014-11-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7316 (2014) · source
“Indeed, we must focus our efforts at the local level - be it local authorities or civil society - in order best to wage the fight against the phenomenon of radicalization. Finally, the fight against the financing of terrorist groups should form an integral part of a wider counter- terrorism effort. Belgium recently participated in a number of discussions on how to more effectively fight terrorist financing, and we would like to mention several points in that regard as part ofthose discussions. First, we must fully implement existing United Nations sanctions regimes. With regard to the financing of terrorism, resolutions 2170 (2014) and 2178 (2014) provide us very useful guidance.”
2014-11-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7316 (2014) · source
“In order to tackle the problem of foreign terrorist fighters, the Belgian Government has adopted a new strategy to prevent violent radicalization that is based on the following principles: improve our understanding of the radicalization process, promote social measures in order to address the root causes of radicalization, and build the resilience of vulnerable groups. The strategy also involves efforts to increase awareness of the phenomenon of radicalization at the local level. A new unit responsible for preventing radicalization has also been set up within the Ministry of the Interior. It is tasked with supporting local strategies to counter radicalization and promoting such efforts.”
2014-11-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7316 (2014) · source
“In that context, Belgium underscores the importance of the role played by the United Nations Counter-Terrorism Centre in promoting the Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy. Belgium welcomes and supports the Centre's initiatives aimed at increasing understanding of the foreign fighter phenomenon. Prevention must be a major component of our response to terrorism and violent extremism. Resolution 2178 (2014) rightly calls for strengthened international action to counter violent extremism.”
2014-11-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7316 (2014) · source
“It reminds us every day of the appalling methods that terrorists use to threaten both the international community and local communities and of how this undermines international peace and security. Belgium remains firmly convinced that the United Nations has a leading role to play in responding to these threats, through international coordination of various efforts and initiatives and through efforts to ensure policy coherence. The United Nations Global Counter- Terrorism Strategy, whose fourth biennial review was concluded in June, should continue to guide our actions. Belgium welcomes the adoption by the Security Council of resolutions 2170 (2014) and 2178 (2014), and calls on Member States to take the steps necessary to ensure their comprehensive implementation.”
2014-11-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7316 (2014) · source
“Ms. Frankinet (Belgium) (spoke in French): Belgium would like to associate itselfwith the statement delivered by the Head of the Delegation of the European Union and would like to add a few comments in its national capacity. Belgium is one of the countries that has been most affected by the foreign terrorist fighter phenomenon. It has also been one of the most involved in the fight against the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL). In that regard, we are very pleased to be able to take part in today's debate. The threat posed by ISIL and other terrorist groups, not only in Syria but also in Iraq and throughout the broader Middle East and the Sahel, as well as in other parts of Africa and elsewhere, is indeed a reality and extremely significant.”
2014-11-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7316 (2014) · source
“Belgium is also of the opinion that the Government armed forces listed in the annexes to the report of the Secretary-General on the plight of children in armed conflict should not be able to provide troops to peacekeeping operations until they have fully implemented action plans to end violations against children. Finally, Belgium welcomes, as the Secretary- General does, regional and subregional organizations' initiative and the important contribution they make in termsofconflictprevention,mediationandpeacekeeping operations. My country therefore echoes the invitation extended to them by the Secretary-General to further include elements for the protection of children when developing their policies, planning missions, training personnel and conducting peacekeeping operations.”
2014-09-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7259 (2014) · source
“The Government must also ensure that those responsible for serious violations are not recruited into or from its security services. Belgium would like to reiterate its concern regarding the use of explosive weapons, particularly in densely populated areas, and calls on all parties to armed conflict to renounce their use, in particular given the harm they cause to children. My country also calls upon States that have not ratified the relevant international instruments to do so as soon as possible, in particular the conventions banning anti-personnel mines and cluster munitions.”
2014-09-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7259 (2014) · source
“Belgium welcomes the appointment by the Democratic Republic of the Congo of a presidential adviser on sexual violence and recruitment of children. My country welcomes the progress made in the national security forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, particularly following the adoption of the national action plan in 2012. However, the recruitment and use of children in armed conflict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has continued, indicating that efforts must also continue. The impunity enjoyed by perpetrators of sexual violence also remains a serious concern. For those reasons, my country calls on the Congolese Government to fully and effectively implement the action plan and encourages it again to take all possible measures to bring perpetrators of sexual violence to justice.”
2014-09-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7259 (2014) · source
“Ms. Frankinet (Belgium) (spoke in French): Belgium aligns itself fully with the statements by the observer of the European Union and the representative of the Group of Friends of Children and Armed Conflict. I would like make the following observations in my national capacity. My country welcomes the annual report of the Secretary-General (S/2014/339) and his report on the plight of children in armed conflict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (S/2014/453). Belgium regrets that armed conflicts continue to affect children disproportionately. Indeed, the annual report notes a significant spike in 2013 in the number of cases of killing and maiming of children in several countries. In addition, the recruitment and use of children in conflict remain endemic. Impunity also remained a worrying problem.”
2014-09-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7259 (2014) · source
“Like others who preceded me have done, Belgium launches an appeal to all the parties to guarantee full access to the disaster site, not only for the search and rescue teams but also for the investigators. A full, detailed, thorough and impartial international investigation should be conducted to determine the exact circumstances surrounding the MH-17 disaster. In that regard, Belgium supports the proposal of Australia that the Security Council adopt a draft resolution that stresses the need for guaranteed access to the site and for the conduct of a full, independent international investigation. We owe it to the victims and their families, as well as to ourselves, to shed full light on what happened yesterday in eastern Ukraine.”
2014-07-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7219 (2014) · source