YouSaid · the spoken record

Geraldine Byrne Nason

lines on the record: 366
first: 2021-01-05
most recent: 2021-09-30
sittings or episodes: 53
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

“The current pandemic is, or course, contributing to this deterioration, though the health system and humanitarian aid workers have already had to contend with a further Ebola outbreak and with cholera, malaria and measles; these are also continuing to be ongoing challenges. We condemn attacks against humanitarian workers in the strongest, most unequivocal, terms. With over the half of the population in need in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, it is absolutely vital that humanitarian workers be able to operate and that humanitarian space be respected. In conclusion, it is obvious that we are at a critical moment in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Progress on the political front is encouraging, but it cannot be denied that several challenges remain in relation to the security and humanitarian situation.”
2021-03-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/316 (2021) · source
“Ireland is a strong supporter of the work of the ICC, which plays a key role in the fight against impunity not only in the Democratic Republic of the Congo but also worldwide. Survivors must be provided access to the necessary care and services. Reports of sexual and gender-based violence and conflict-related sexual violence, as we have heard, remain in a matter of real concern. The situation of children in armed conflict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo must also remain in focus in light of the ongoing and serious challenges. The humanitarian situation is stark. Some 19.6 million people now in need of assistance.”
2021-03-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/316 (2021) · source
“Similarly, effective disarmament, demobilization and reintegration are essential for that durable and sustained peace. The ambush of a World Food Programme convoy last month, resulting in three deaths, including that of the Ambassador of the Republic of Italy, was tragic. Sadly, this incident is not an exception, but is a stark reminder of the ongoing insecurity and danger faced by the Congolese people themselves on a daily basis. Human rights violations and abuses are of deep concern. It is essential that there be accountability for such violations. Ireland therefore welcomes the news this morning that the International Criminal Court (ICC) Appeals Chamber has upheld Bosco Ntaganda’s conviction and sentence for war crimes and crimes against humanity.”
2021-03-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/316 (2021) · source
“Central to this is the prioritization of the protection of civilians. We welcome the deployment of the Geolocation Threat Analysis Unit to MONUSCO. We see this as part of broader efforts to support the Intervention Brigade to intervene in a timely manner to protect civilians when and where required. For Ireland, it is crucial that the withdrawal of MONUSCO be conditions- based and in step with the security situation on the ground. It is also important that the transition be coordinated with other agencies on the ground. How MONUSCO manages the Kasai withdrawal will be watched closely. We believe that the implementation of the drawdown must also include reforms in the justice, disarmament and security sectors, drawing on tools and actors across the peace, humanitarian and development nexus.”
2021-03-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/316 (2021) · source
“What matters, of course, and what makes the difference is that women be in the room and at the table when peace is made. Ireland knows well that the more inclusive the process, the more durable the result. The full, equal and meaningful participation of women is not just a mantra, it is critical. Women need to have a say in shaping peace in their own country. We call on the Government, with the active, focused support of the United Nations, the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) and all relevant actors to make this a reality. Significant challenges, as we have heard this morning, remain to be overcome in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The deteriorating security situation, particularly in the eastern provinces, highlights how vital MONUSCO’s engagement remains.”
2021-03-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/316 (2021) · source
“We welcome the deepening of regional cooperation led by President Tshisekedi. This includes dialogue with neighbouring countries on common threats, including the continued activity of armed groups. To repeat what Ms. Keita said this morning, the election of President Tshisekedi as Chairman of the African Union could deepen the engagement of the African Union in the region and facilitate cooperation with other regional organizations, such as the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region. Ireland welcomes President Tshisekedi’s prioritization of the participation of women in peace negotiations during his African Union term. We recognize the important steps that are being taken domestically. The President’s commitment to ensuring that 30 per cent of the new Government will be women sends a strong signal.”
2021-03-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/316 (2021) · source
“I too would like to congratulate and thank the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Bintou Keita, on her appointment and her very important and relevant briefing this morning. I would also like to thank Ms. Sandrine Lusamba for her enlightening briefing and concrete recommendations. For Ireland, the current political transition in the Democratic Republic of Congo constitutes a unique opportunity to seize in order to create momentum and chart a positive course. The establishment of a new coalition within the Union sacrée de la nation coalition has created the possibility of change and reform. This could benefit the Congolese people in a significant way, including by strengthening the stability and systems of governance and the fight against impunity corruption.”
2021-03-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/316 (2021) · source
“Ireland remains convinced that continued international engagement is also essential, and Ireland stands ready to engage with the parties and the international community to help build a reinvigorated approach by the Quartet and others, under the aegis of the Council.”
2021-03-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/302 (2021) · source
“I have personally witnessed the political engagement of Palestinian women at the Commission on the Status of Women, and they have participated in events in Ireland, sharing experiences of peacebuilding. They have so much to contribute. We need their voices to help break through the stalemate. We must bring them in to the process. Ireland recognizes the vital contribution that a vibrant civil society can make, especially in supporting the electoral process; we wish to stress the importance of safeguarding open, free and fair independent civil society engagement in the occupied Palestinian territory and in Israel. We believe that both sides need to take concrete steps to advance a two-State solution and avoid unilateral measures that make it more difficult to achieve.”
2021-03-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/302 (2021) · source
“We call on Israel to exercise its responsibility as the occupying Power in ensuring equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines for the Palestinian population in Gaza and throughout the occupied Palestinian territory. Ireland and its European Union partners stand ready to support inclusive elections across the occupied Palestinian territory and welcome the constructive meeting of Palestinian groups in Cairo last week. Ireland asks Israel to facilitate elections across the occupied Palestinian territory, in particular in East Jerusalem. We strongly encourage steps to ensure the full, equal and meaningful participation of women in the elections and the engagement of young people in the democratic process.”
2021-03-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/302 (2021) · source
“Ireland is extremely concerned that the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), which is a vital source of stability and security for so many vulnerable Palestine refugees, this year faces a $200-million shortfall. More immediately, UNRWA faces a cash-flow gap of $50 million next month. We encourage all States, including those on the Council and in the region, to join Ireland and others in providing sustainable, predictable and sufficient funding to UNRWA’s critical operations and to assist with its immediate cash flow challenges. Ireland reiterates its call on Israel to end the blockade of Gaza, where unemployment is at an all-time high, partly due to the impact of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic.”
2021-03-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/302 (2021) · source
“Recent demolitions in Humsa Al-Bqai’a, in the Jordan Valley, are particularly troubling, given the vulnerability of the affected population. We remain deeply concerned at the confiscation and impediment of humanitarian assistance. We are also concerned at the increased threat of evictions and demolitions, especially in East Jerusalem, particularly in Silwan, Al-Walaja and Sheikh Jarrah. Ireland condemns all acts of violence committed on both sides, which are contrary to resolution 2334 (2016). They erode trust between the parties and have a corrosive effect. Tor, we echo your call for restraint on both sides. Ireland is concerned about the impact of occupation and violence on children and reminds parties of their obligations under international human rights and international humanitarian law.”
2021-03-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/302 (2021) · source
“They degrade adjacent Palestinian agricultural land, severely affecting the olive harvest in particular. They are also affecting the availability of already scarce water resources and causing pollution. Settlements are an obstacle to peace and undermine Israel’s own security. Ireland once again condemns Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territory, including East Jerusalem. Ireland assures the Council of our commitment to the principle of differentiation and the implementation of resolution 2334 (2016). Ireland is extremely concerned at the increased rate of demolitions and seizures of Palestinian-owned structures in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem. So far this year, more than 280 structures have been demolished across the occupied Palestinian territory.”
2021-03-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/302 (2021) · source
“We believe that a two-State solution, with a viable State of Palestine based on the 1967 borders, alongside the State of Israel and with Jerusalem as the capital of both States, offers the only prospect for sustainable peace. More than four years ago in 2016, the Council adopted a resolution stressing that “the status quo is not sustainable” (resolution 2334 (2016), tenth preambular para.). And yet, the very activities that undermine the viability of a two-State solution, which that resolution sought to address, have not stopped. Last year saw continued settlement expansion, alongside infrastructure projects in Area C, which are designed to meet the needs of ever-increasing settlements and which entrench division and inequality. Settlements negatively impact Palestinian communities daily.”
2021-03-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/302 (2021) · source
“I would like to thank our Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process. I thank you, Tor, for your briefing this morning, in particular on the implementation of resolution 2334 (2016). Those who have experience of prolonged, seemingly at times intractable conflict know the painstaking work and difficult compromises that are needed to pave the way for peace. It is, in part, because of a shared experience of conflict that the Israel-Palestine conflict resonates deeply with us. It’s also why Ireland remains committed to a comprehensive and lasting solution to the question of Palestine, in accordance with internationally agreed parameters.”
2021-03-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/302 (2021) · source
“In conclusion, I want to say that this is a time of hope and expectation for the Libyan people. We have faith in their commitment to traveling on the difficult path to a peaceful future for all Libyans. We stand ready to do all in our power to support the people of Libya in arriving at that well-deserved destination, as Ján Kubiš said this morning, with determined political will and receptivity to the desires of the Libyan people themselves.”
2021-03-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/292 (2021) · source
“My country shares concerns about the continued detention of migrants at unofficial centres and urges further action by the Libyan authorities. We also urge access to these centres for international humanitarian organizations. We call on the Libyan authorities to put in place measures to protect and assist detainees who have suffered or are at risk of sexual and gender-based violence, including by transferring women detainees to facilities with sufficient female guards. The Council should also urge the Libyan authorities to adopt anti-trafficking legislation and, with the support of the United Nations, we can work to strengthen Libyan rule of law institutions to ensure that allegations of sexual and gender-based violence can be effectively investigated and prosecuted.”
2021-03-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/292 (2021) · source
“Operation IRINI works impartially, and in accordance with the relevant resolutions of this Council. Ireland calls for further progress on the human rights track. The Council should highlight the need for accountability, including in respect of the massacres at Tarhouna, as well as credibly documented work by human rights organizations and the Government of National Accord. Ireland strongly supports the work of the United Nations Independent Fact-Finding Mission on Libya and welcomes the willingness expressed by the Libyan government to engage and cooperate with the Fact-Finding Mission. The Council should condemn threats, attacks and killings of women leaders, including women human rights defenders.”
2021-03-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/292 (2021) · source
“The Council should ensure that the proposed ceasefire monitoring arrangements fully integrate a gender perspective, and we encourage continued dialogue with women’s organizations on that point. Ireland reiterates the need for effective implementation of all provisions of the 23 October ceasefire agreement, in particular the immediate withdrawal of all foreign fighters and mercenaries. I welcome the publication last week of the report of the Panel of Experts on Libya established pursuant to Security Council resolution 1973 (2011) (S/2021/229), and in this context reiterate our call for an end to breaches of the United Nations arms embargo. As acknowledged by the Panel of Experts, the EU European Union military operation in the Mediterranean (Operation IRINI) has provided support to the Panel’s investigations.”
2021-03-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/292 (2021) · source
“Ireland urges the Libyan Government to restructure and to activate the Women’s Empowerment Unit and also to ensure that it is adequately staffed and resourced. Ireland also encourages the Libyan Government to facilitate a safe operating environment for all of civil society to undertake its crucial work freely and effectively. I want to thank the Secretary-General and his team for the report on the ceasefire monitoring preparations (S/2021/281), which we know now must be a Libyan-led process. We welcome the openness to have monitors from the EU and other regional organizations. We urge further confidence-building measures, including the reopening of the coastal road from Sirte and the creation of conditions for the safe and effective deployment of the monitoring mechanism itself around Sirte.”
2021-03-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/292 (2021) · source
“We wish Prime Minister Dbeibah, his Government and the Presidency Council well. We commend former President Serraj for his leadership and his facilitation of a smooth transition of power. The new Government now must work together to provide improved basic services, especially health care and the provision of electricity. This will demonstrate to the Libyan people themselves that they will be directly benefitting from political change. Ireland welcomes the appointment of women to senior ministerial positions. We hope that the 30-per cent target set out by the Libyan Political Dialogue Forum will be achieved at the earliest opportunity. As women delegates themselves to the Forum have said, we must ensure that political participation by women is empowered and effective, as well as full, equal and meaningful.”
2021-03-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/292 (2021) · source
“Thank you very much indeed Madam President, and I want to also say welcome and thank you to Special Envoy Ján Kubiš for his briefing this morning. The endorsement of the Government of National Unity by the House of Representatives on 10 March was indeed a welcome step towards unified institutions and national reconciliation. Ireland welcomes the historical political milestone — as Ján Kubiš called it this morning — the Government’s formal swearing in on 15 March, as well as its firm commitment to holding inclusive elections on 24 December. We hope to see the new Government accord the highest priority to preparations for those free and fair national presidential and parliamentary elections. Ireland and its European Union (EU) partners are ready to assist in whatever way we can.”
2021-03-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/292 (2021) · source
“In conclusion, the challenges facing Afghanistan are many and complex. But peace would create the space in which they could be tackled. As we have heard, a stable and peaceful Afghanistan is also critical for regional security, stability and development. We value the role played in Afghanistan by UNAMA and also welcome the appointment of Mr. Jean Arnault as Personal Envoy of the Secretary-General on Afghanistan and Regional Issues. Together with the EU and our international partners, Ireland continues to stand with the people of Afghanistan at this moment of hope and expectation, to achieve a dignified peace that will build a stable, inclusive and prosperous future for all Afghans.”
2021-03-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/291 (2021) · source
“The Special Representative’s briefing on the scale of the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan today was really marked and stark. Half of the population, some 18.4 million people, are in humanitarian need. The ongoing violence is exacerbating this crisis. Interference with humanitarian access is always unacceptable and always prolongs the suffering of vulnerable people. We are gravely concerned about the impact of drought, combined with the coronavirus disease, on what is already the world’s second worst — I underline this — the world’s second worst food-insecurity crisis. At a time where the humanitarian plan for Afghanistan is chronically underfunded, Ireland, the EU and the wider international community will continue to stand with the Afghan people to provide the required assistance.”
2021-03-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/291 (2021) · source
“Women’s participation in the room and at the negotiating table is fundamental to the success of any peace process. I am very concerned at the shockingly low levels of female representation at the meetings in Moscow last week. I share the opinion expressed by Habiba Sarabi, the sole female delegate, that “the views of 51 per cent of people should not be ignored”. As my good friend Adela Raz has often said, “peace will fail if women’s rights are not guaranteed”. The report of the Secretary-General (S/2021/252) highlights the extremely high levels of violence faced by women and children in Afghanistan, as well as the difficulties victims of gender-based violence encounter in accessing justice. I echo the call on the Afghan Government to strengthen the implementation of the law on the elimination of violence against women.”
2021-03-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/291 (2021) · source
“As a long-standing partner of and significant donor to Afghanistan, the European Union (EU) can make an important contribution to any future discussions, while recognizing that, above all, it is the Afghan people — all Afghans, including men, women, youth, and minorities — who belong at the heart of their own process, building their own future together — a future based on equality, democracy and the rule of law. Only an inclusive peace, which upholds the inalienable rights of the Afghan people, will be sustainable. Ireland is very proud to co-chair, with Afghanistan, the United Nations Group of Friends of Peace Processes. We are committed to ensuring that all peace initiatives, including the full, equal and meaningful participation of women, occur not just in words, but in actions.”
2021-03-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/291 (2021) · source
“We urge all parties to work in good faith to reach a negotiated settlement and a fully inclusive and sustainable, dignified peace that reflects and respects the needs and wishes of the Afghan people, who, after decades of conflict and instability, deserve no less. Special Representative Lyons said this morning that building peace takes more than a deal among elites, that the process must be inclusive, which is a point that we reiterate. It is vital that all peace negotiations protect the hard-won gains of the last two decades and reinforce fundamental rights. The international community has a role to play in supporting these negotiations.”
2021-03-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/291 (2021) · source
“Akbar recently wrote powerfully about the terror and fear that those attacks have generated, including forcing many into silence or into leaving their own country, Afghanistan. She highlighted that this would create a void in the country that will take another generation to fill. This violence and intimidation cannot stand. In response to the escalating threats, Ireland is increasing the assistance we provide in the country to support those who are in danger. Today we are also at a critical juncture on the path to peace — with new initiatives, we hope — in addition to the ongoing Doha negotiations. It is crucial that Afghans themselves remain engaged at the core of all processes.”
2021-03-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/291 (2021) · source
“Through Special Representative Lyons, I want to express Ireland’s appreciation and full support for the critically important work that the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) has taken on under her leadership, in what we all know are really challenging circumstances in the country. The Security Council’s recent condemnation of targeted attacks against women, human rights defenders, journalists and media workers, medical personnel and humanitarian workers, among others, demonstrates the scale of — but also the unity of our own purpose against — this horrific violence. Ireland stands in support of those in Afghanistan who demonstrate such bravery in the face of threats, lest we forget, as Mrs. Raz poignantly said this morning. Ms.”
2021-03-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/291 (2021) · source
“I want to thank Special Representative Lyons and Ms. Akbar for their informative — and, I must say, sobering — briefings today. I also want to welcome to the Security Council my dear friend and colleague Ambassador Adela Raz, whose compassion for her people humbles many of us in this meeting today. Today’s debate comes at a pivotal moment for the country and the people of Afghanistan. We have heard a lot to remind us of the truism that peace really is a process and not a moment. We have heard about the ongoing challenges for the country, including the high levels of violence. We are forced once again to call for an end to that violence and for a comprehensive and permanent ceasefire. This is clearly what the Afghan people desire and demand, and it is surely what the Afghans deserve.”
2021-03-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/291 (2021) · source
“I echo the words of the Yemeni woman peacebuilder Rasha Jarhum, who joined us at that meeting and said, “without women, and without gender equality, peace is not an attainable goal”. As we look with hope to the potential of new diplomatic efforts despite everything that we have heard today, we reiterate the fundamental point that no negotiating table should be without women. We must reject and address barriers to the full, equal and meaningful participation of women in political and public life. We call for an end to the human rights violations that aim to prevent such participation, such as arbitrary detention and sexual and gender-based violence. The Council took concrete steps towards that goal with the adoption of resolution 2564 (2021) last month, but we can, and must, do more. We cannot accept that it be otherwise.”
2021-03-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/266 (2021) · source
“A further catastrophic humanitarian and environmental threat also looms in the form of the FSO SAFER oil tanker. We call once more on the Houthis to facilitate immediate access for an assessment to be carried out. We have seen previous explosions and oil spills in recent memory cause tremendous devastation and a lasting impact. For the Houthis to allow such a catastrophe to unfold, when help is being offered, would be simply unforgivable. At last week’s Arria Formula meeting, which Ireland hosted, and in which you, Madam President, indeed participated, we heard the strong support of Member States for the direct and substantive participation of women in United Nations-led peace processes, including in Yemen. Twelve Security Council members sponsored that call.”
2021-03-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/266 (2021) · source
“We know that it is a struggle on a daily basis for people simply to survive, with half the population facing acute food shortages and millions — we repeat that to ourselves, millions — facing famine. Half of all children under five in Yemen will face acute malnutrition this year, with nearly 400,000 already suffering from severe acute malnutrition and likely to die if we do not ensure that they get urgent assistance. The international community shares responsibility for that situation. We must step up to ensure that adequate humanitarian assistance reaches those facing those multiple threats to their survival. We share the Secretary-General’s concerns about resources for humanitarian assistance following the pledging conference at the beginning of this month.”
2021-03-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/266 (2021) · source
“It is quite simply fundamental to everything that we have heard from the speakers this morning that all parties in Yemen turn towards peace. There are no two ways to say this: it is time to return to the negotiating table. The insidious, and I would say horrific, link between conflict and hunger that we discussed in the Council under your presidency, Madam, just last week is absolutely crystal clear in Yemen. As Martin Griffiths pointed out, those are not coincidences. It is difficult to overstate the peril of food insecurity facing most Yemenis as a result of this conflict, and Mark Lowcock’s repeated reference to a protracted process of prolonged starvation is truly a shocking indictment of the situation in which we find ourselves as an international community.”
2021-03-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/266 (2021) · source
“I am therefore reiterating the Council’s call for an immediate de-escalation and a nationwide ceasefire, as outlined in resolution 2564 (2021), adopted just four weeks ago. The ongoing Houthi escalation in Ma’rib, in an area that we have already heard has 1 million people already internally displaced, continues to be deeply worrying and clearly inflicts unacceptable civilian suffering. We once again call on the Houthis to cease that offensive immediately, without preconditions. Ireland condemns in the strongest possible terms the intensified cross-border attacks on the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. We are also concerned by the increased attacks on Sana’a, and call for a de- escalation and ceasefire. Violations of international humanitarian and human rights law continue to be perpetrated at what are now alarming levels.”
2021-03-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/266 (2021) · source
“We welcome Special Envoy Griffiths’s relentless efforts, together with other envoys, despite the conditions on the ground, to try to inject new political momentum into those talks. We see that as a shared objective for a genuine and inclusive political process, bringing what I can only describe as a modicum of hope to the increasingly desperate Yemeni people. Putting an end to fighting, we know, offers the only route to bringing an end to this conflict and to the suffering of the Yemeni people. We implore all actors to hear the call of the Yemeni people and of the international community to end the fighting and to end it now. The overwhelming humanitarian crisis in Yemen makes it imperative that there be an urgent end to this conflict.”
2021-03-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/266 (2021) · source
“I thank, as always, Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for Yemen Griffiths and Under-Secretary General Lowcock for their briefings. We particularly welcome hearing the voice of Ms. Shawky here today. We know the incredible work that CARE International and other non-governmental organizations do on the ground in Yemen, and I have to say that she struck a particularly deep chord with all of us this morning, bringing a perspective of the depth and the seriousness of the humanitarian crisis right across Yemen, so I thank her. Even by our own standards within the Council in the discussion of Yemen, I must say that today’s briefings by both Martin Griffiths and Mark Lowcock were particularly sobering. We have clearly reached a critical point in the conflict in Yemen, described as a moment of great fragility.”
2021-03-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/266 (2021) · source
“This weekend’s developments have highlighted how continued tensions can have a detrimental impact on an already fragile region. We must do our utmost to avoid this. This dispute must be settled through diplomacy. And the engagement of regional organizations, particularly the African Union, including its leadership on mediation efforts, is vital.”
2021-03-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/246 (2021) · source
“However, as we have heard, it is of vital importance that the Sudanese authorities immediately finalize the status-of-mission agreement with the United Nations. We do not underestimate it — the challenges facing the transitional Government and the Sudanese people are immense, not least in terms of humanitarian challenges. An estimated 13.4 million people will need humanitarian assistance in 2021. The food security situation is worrisome and is being exacerbated by the Sudan’s economic difficulties. In this context, I want to commend the solidarity shown by the Sudanese people to the more than 60,000 refugees who have arrived in eastern Sudan from the Tigray region of Ethiopia. This needs to be recognized. Finally, tensions around the border in the Fashaqah region are worrisome.”
2021-03-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/246 (2021) · source
“I call on the Government of the Sudan to set out concretely what is needed and how the Sudan’s partners can help. The recent looting of the former UNAMID site Saraf Umrah in Darfur is shameful. This former UNAMID site was due to be used as a vocational training centre for the benefit of the Sudanese people. Such looting, which is unfortunately part of a historic pattern in Darfur, robs the community locally of a long-term asset. We welcome the steps taken by the Government to address the challenges associated with the drawing down of UNAMID, including the creation of a new department at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs to support both United Nations missions in a more integrated manner.”
2021-03-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/246 (2021) · source
“The perpetrators of that violence must also be held accountable. That is critical to breaking the cycle of impunity, which is fuelling repeated attacks on civilians in the same locations. There is now an urgent need for the swift implementation of the national plan for the protection of civilians and the implementation of the security pillar of the S/2021/246 Juba Agreement for Peace in the Sudan. We believe that the civilian protection force needs the scale and capacity to do its job effectively. The Security Council, the United Nations Integrated Transition Assistance Mission in the Sudan and the Sudan’s international partners can offer technical support and capacity-building, including on post-conflict and community police training.”
2021-03-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/246 (2021) · source
“We also believe that the new draft law to combat violence against women is welcome, but it will need to be implemented. We heard that the security situation in Darfur remains very concerning. There is ongoing fighting and recruitment of fighters in Darfur, including, tragically, the recruitment of children, by signatory and non-signatory parties to the Juba Agreement for Peace. In January alone, attacks in Darfur forced more people to flee their homes in three days than in the whole of 2020 in the Sudan as a whole. As the protection-of-civilian mandate of the African Union-United Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur (UNAMID) ends, the Sudanese Government must step up to its responsibility. The Government’s strong response to recent violence in North Darfur has been encouraging and should be sustained.”
2021-03-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/246 (2021) · source
“That is the least that they deserve. We believe their call must be heeded. Seeing the benefits of the Agreement materialize on the ground will actually be the most effective way of maintaining support and attracting those forces outside the Agreement to join it. We welcome the launch last month of the Samarat Family Support Programme, to which Ireland was one of the first contributors. Women, such as the 22-year-old student Alaa Salah, were clearly instrumental in bringing about the transition in the Sudan. They must not be shut out of the political process. Barriers to their full, equal and meaningful participation simply must be addressed. Women in the Sudan also urgently require better protection against sexual and gender-based violence. In that regard, the Personal Status Law needs to be reviewed.”
2021-03-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/246 (2021) · source
“As we already heard from many speakers, the Sudan is clearly making strong efforts to advance the transition and implement the Juba Agreement for Peace in the Sudan. Nevertheless, we of course know that peace processes are at their most fragile in their infancy. A comprehensive, civilian-led approach, with the full inclusion of civil society, will be needed to bring all parties into closer political agreement. At the same time, the challenge is to move beyond the existing power-sharing arrangements to actually implementing the Agreement’s substantive components, and to do that as swiftly as possible. The next steps must include the formation of the Transitional Legislative Council and the commissions envisaged under the Agreement. The people of the Sudan have demanded transparent, civilian-led democratic governance in the Sudan.”
2021-03-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/246 (2021) · source
“I want to thank both Special Representative of the Secretary-General Perthes and Under-Secretary-General Khare, as well as Ms. Khair, for their really insightful briefings this morning. As this is the Special Representative of the Secretary- General’s first meeting since assuming his role, I want to congratulate him and welcome him among us. Of course, I also want to wish him luck. He has a challenging and ambitious mandate to implement. The timing is critical. He comes in at a really important moment as the United Nations continues to grapple with the implications of what, I think by any standards, is a complex transition. On the other hand, we believe that the scale of his challenge is matched only by the opportunity for the people of the Sudan.”
2021-03-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/246 (2021) · source
“My last point is in response to the findings of the Fact-Finding Mission and the IIT on the use of chemical weapons by the Syrian Arab Air Force in Ltamenah in March 2017. The OPCW Executive Council set out clear actions for Syria to take to return to compliance with the CWC. Ireland deeply regrets that Syria chose not to act on those. We would again today urge Syria to act immediately to comply with that decision. Given such circumstances, Ireland has supported the decision put to the Conference of the States Parties to the CWC for its meeting in April. In the absence of any action on the part of the Syrian authorities to meet the international community’s concerns, we believe that the Conference of the States Parties must take all appropriate actions to address Syria’s non-compliance.”
2021-03-04 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/226 (2021) · source
“Such gaps and inconsistencies by Syria have increased in number and substance over the past seven years. Overall, that paints an unfortunate picture of evasion by Syria, with an ongoing effort to avoid its obligations under the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC), OPCW Executive Council decisions and resolution 2118 (2013). We note the recent consultations between the Declaration Assessment Team and Syria, which took place between 7 and 25 February, and we really hope to hear of progress having been made in addressing the 19 outstanding issues under Syria’s declaration. Again, we must be really clear: the Syrian authorities bear the responsibility to fully address and answer those issues. I would today again urge the Syrian authorities to cooperate actively, openly and in good faith with the OPCW.”
2021-03-04 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/226 (2021) · source
“It has been clear where evidence was insufficient to come to a conclusion. It has also been clear where evidence points to use by terrorist groups. On several occasions to date, the OPCW found that the evidence warranted attribution of use to the Syrian authorities. Given the OPCW’s technical expertise and experience, as well as its mandate, we do not believe that we should seek to second-guess those findings. Rather, the international community, and the Council in particular, should act urgently, in unity, to address the issue of such documented use of chemical weapons in Syria. My second point is that we remain deeply concerned by the gaps and inconsistencies in Syria’s initial declaration. Those are particularly important given the documented, repeated use of chemical weapons by the Syrian authorities since 2013.”
2021-03-04 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/226 (2021) · source
“It serves to protect all our interests, including, I would like to underline, those of the people of Syria, in ensuring the global elimination of chemical weapons. We are therefore seriously concerned by the ongoing efforts of some members to question the professionalism and impartiality of the OPCW Technical Secretariat and its investigation mechanisms. In our view, that risks lasting damage to this vital organization and undermines the multilateral approach to disarmament and non- proliferation, which is enshrined in the Chemical Weapons Convention. In the case of Syria, the OPCW, through the Joint Investigative Mechanism and the Investigation and Identification Team (IIT), has provided factual, evidence- based and impartial conclusions on numerous reported instances of chemical- weapons use in Syria.”
2021-03-04 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/226 (2021) · source
“I would like to thank Under-Secretary General Nakamitsu for her briefing today. It is good to see her with us. Once again, Ireland unequivocally condemns any use of chemical weapons at any time and anywhere. As the instances of their use in Syria and elsewhere make clear, they have a devastating and indiscriminate impact on their victims and on communities. We must act together to uphold the established global norm against the use of those appalling weapons. Today I would like to make three points. First, Ireland is unwavering in its view that the role of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) is crucial in addressing the possession and use of chemical weapons. For us, it represents an essential and effective part of the global disarmament and non-proliferation architecture.”
2021-03-04 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/226 (2021) · source