YouSaid · the spoken record

Guehenno

lines on the record: 1,147
first: 2000-11-14
most recent: 2011-05-12
sittings or episodes: 58
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 Council of Europe Election Observation Mission confirmed that the election was "... in line with Council of Europe principles and international standards for democratic elections." The day after the elections, on 27 October, the Kosovo Albanian Municipal Assembly President of Suva Reka, who belonged to President Rugova's Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK), was killed alongside two others. Two Kosovo Albanians suspects have been arrested; there is no evidence of a politically motivated crime, but the suspects may have personal connections with a rival political group. This year's preparations saw an increased hand- over of electoral responsibilities to local institutions. Municipal Election Commissions played a lead organizational role, and some 12,000 domestic observers were accredited for the vote.”
2002-11-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4643 (2002) · source
“The conclusion of technical agreements with the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Albania and Slovenia and, most recently, discussions on police cooperation with the authorities of Bosnia and Herzegovina are all part of UNMIK's regional approach. It is within that context that two additional border crossings with Albania were opened in October. As members of the Council are aware, UNMIK has been conducting Kosovo's external relations from the outset, and the Council has been kept informed of that through successive reports of the Secretary-General. The third election in three years was held on 26 October, to renew the mandate of Municipal Assemblies first elected in 2000, this time for a period of four years. The election campaign was largely free of violence and election day itself passed peacefully.”
2002-11-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4643 (2002) · source
“As noted by Prime Minister Rexhepi at the launch of the Task Force, integrating non-majority communities now living in Kosovo into the broader Kosovar society is crucial for the future return of those not yet living in Kosovo. Funding those efforts remains another crucial aspect for the success of future returns. UNMIK presented its 2003 Returns Strategy to the donors' conference in Brussels, held on 5 November. The total funding requests for the strategy amount to 37 million euro, which includes funding for the Housing and Property Directorate as well as unmet needs for 2002. (spoke in English) UNMIK continued to foster mutually beneficial relations, both with the authorities of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and with the wider region.”
2002-11-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4643 (2002) · source
“There has, unfortunately, been a rise in security incidents against the Kosovo Serb community in areas where they have returned or in places where return is planned. The deteriorating climate in some areas of Kosovo is partly attributable to the period of impending municipal elections, as a result of which many Kosovo Albanian municipal leaders were unwilling to engage in the sensitive issue of returns. On 1 November, a Task Force on Returns was formed, comprising representatives of UNMIK, the Kosovo Force (KFOR), the Provisional Institutions and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, in order to coordinate and invigorate the return process by providing the process with the necessary political backing and logistical support.”
2002-11-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4643 (2002) · source
“Half of the candidates are women. Those posts are to be distributed in courts throughout Kosovo, including four courts that have reopened in Leposavic and Zubin Potok. (spoke in French) I would now like to say a few words about the returns situation. As the Secretary-General's report highlighted, the state of inter-ethnic relations, and thus the climate for return, varies from one area to another. While in some municipalities there has been an improvement in freedom of movement, improved security for minority communities and increased integration into administrative structures and social services - without problems, in others municipalities there has been a deterioration in inter-communal relations, often sparked by the spontaneous return of internally displaced persons, property disputes and security incidents.”
2002-11-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4643 (2002) · source
“The Mission marked a milestone in the development of the Kosovo Police Service (KPS), with the total number of KPS officers - approximately 5,300 * exceeding for the first time the number of UNMIK Police officers. An extra police training course was added to the training programme of the Police Service School in September, specifically to train Kosovo Serb recruits from northern Mitrovica. UNMIK is also getting close to enhancing the multi-ethnic composition of the local judiciary. After intensive efforts to integrate minority communities into the judicial system, the Kosovo Judicial and Prosecutorial Council-has sent to the Assembly for endorsement a list of recommended candidates for appointment to 42 posts in the local judiciary. Of these, 19 are Kosovo Albanians, 21 are Kosovo Serbs, one is Bosniac and one is Gorani.”
2002-11-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4643 (2002) · source
“Based on an examination of the evidence, including video footage of the riots, the charges against him were reduced to inciting a violent demonstration. The suspect was released on bail. Turning to UNMIK's fight against crime, the period under review saw an increase in the amount of contraband seized and a subsequent increase in the number of arrests on charges of economic crime and corruption. Efforts were also made to bolster the operational capacity of the Kosovo Organized Crime Bureau. Thanks to valuable contributions by Member States, the Bureau now has the necessary equipment and technical support, as well as the personnel, to get up and running. UNMIK's increasing effectiveness on the judicial front is seen, indeed, in the growing prison population - currently 1,022 out of a capacity of 1,130.”
2002-11-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4643 (2002) · source
“As reported, current legal provisions and material resources remain insufficient to deal with this problem, notably through an effective witness protection programme. Regrettably, there have been further attacks against members of the Kosovo Serb community. On 10 October, there was a reprehensible attack against 50 elderly Kosovo Serbs from Osojane who had gone to Pec to register for their pension. Five suspects have since been arrested. This period also saw unrest in Mitrovica as a result of the attempted arrest by UNMIK Police on 8 August of a Kosovo Serb leader on charges of attempted murder during the April riots. Si,nce the Secretary-Generalis report was finalized, there has been a positive development in connection with this case. On 9 October, the suspect handed himself in to UNMIK Police.”
2002-11-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4643 (2002) · source
“The multi-ethnic character of the civil service is still hampered by obstacles, such as security concerns, inter-ethnic tensions in workplace, limitations on freedom of movement and a limited pool of minority-community applicants with the requisite qualifications. Turning now to the security situation, the demonstrations that followed the arrests over the summer of former members of the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) have subsided and did not resume with the start of the trial of two former KLA members arrested earlier this year, accused of crimes against Kosovo Serbs in 1999. As the number of arrests of this nature increase, the extent of intimidation of witnesses has become apparent.”
2002-11-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4643 (2002) · source
“In this connection, the Assembly's resistance so far to including the university in northern Mitrovica in the higher education system is regrettable. On 1 November, Mr. Steiner sent a draft law on higher education back to the Assembly for further deliberation, as he was not satisfied that the interests of the non-majority communities had been duly taken into account. In the interim, as reported, UNMIK has established an ad hoc Regional Education Board consisting of representatives of all communities, which is temporarily responsible for discharging the responsibilities of the Ministry of Education in northern Kosovo. The consolidation of sustainable institutions depends on an effective public administration, the recruitment of which remains slow, and training requirements are indeed enormous.”
2002-11-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4643 (2002) · source
“Mr. Guehenno: I am pleased to introduce the report of the Secretary-General on the United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK), which was circulated on 18 October, and to provide members of the Council with an update of events, particularly on the outcome of the municipal elections held on 26 October. Turning first to the main findings of the report, it was concluded that the Kosovo Government has made a concerted effort to improve its work and that there has been substantive progress in the ministries, notably in the health and education fields. There have, however, also been negative developments in these areas, particularly the continued existence of parallel structures.”
2002-11-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4643 (2002) · source
“That is why it is so important not just to have the right discipline, the right code of conduct, the right gender training, but to also have in the mission, as I was saying this morning, someone at the senior level who can think through all the implications of taking into consideration the gender dimensions, so that we can be more successful.”
2002-07-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4589Resumption1 (2002) · source
“But all that, I would say, addresses just one side of the issue. I think it was the Ambassador of Colombia, this morning, who was noting that women and girls in conflict are not just victims. They can also be actors. Strengthening discipline and having a good code of conduct addresses only the Victim side of the issue. It does not address the positive side of really empowering women so that we have greater success in our peace processes. To achieve that, you need to think through, in each specific peace operation, how you are going to integrate the gender dimension. That does not come automatically, as we have heard from many speakers throughout the day.”
2002-07-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4589Resumption1 (2002) · source
“This is all the more so as there is not yet at Headquarters the senior advisor for gender mainstreaming who could make sure that the missions that have not had the benefit of gender advisors could benefit from the successes in those missions that do have them. In those missions where we do not have such support, what we have done is to strengthen, through regional training, the capacity of our people to demonstrate the right behaviour and the right sensitivity. What we can do is to make sure that on such issues as discipline, the standards of the United Nations are upheld, that the code of conduct is interpreted in the strictest possible fashion, that disciplinary action follows when there is misconduct and that criminal prosecution follows when there is criminal conduct. All that needs to be done.”
2002-07-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4589Resumption1 (2002) · source
“Mr. Guehenno: Let me first say how grateful we are for this debate and for the support that has been expressed by many delegations for the efforts of the Department to mainstream gender and to strengthen the capacity of the Department to do precisely that. This morning the Ambassador of Canada noted that I was discussing the five missions where we have made, I think, significant progress, and he wanted to know more about the other missions. I think that I have to be very candid. If we have made such progress in five missions, it is because indeed there we had senior gender advisors who could take proactive action and really move the process forward. When we do not have such advisory - and that is the case of the 10 other peacekeeping missions - what we can do is indeed much more limited.”
2002-07-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4589Resumption1 (2002) · source
“It also has to be shared with the troop-contributing countries so that the mindset we need to create in missions can be prepared through a joint effort with the Member States. To conclude my answer to Ambassador Mahbubani's question, I would say it is essential that we have a partnership on this issue with the Member States. In that respect I commend the efforts of Chile, with its regional initiative. This kind of initiative moves things forward. As pointed out by several delegates, Member States also need to have the right resources at the right level so that the issue is addressed more systematically, not as isolated examples in different missions. We must learn from our successes so that we can transfer what has been done right in, let's say, East Timor, to what could be done better in this or that mission.”
2002-07-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4589 (2002) · source
“If we want to win the battle, it is essential that there be a dialogue at the senior level and at Headquarters, where it is important that the issue of gender mainstreaming not be taken as just one of the many tasks that have to be performed, like managing planes, like a sort of technical issue or an afterthought in a myriad of issues. It is something that has to cut across and therefore must be addressed at the senior level. Ignorance means there is a need for a lot of training at all levels, beginning with the briefing packages and briefings organized for SRSGs and the senior staff at the missions and continuing through all levels of staff, as well as the military and the police. A lot of work has already been done. There is now a training module that has to be systematically implemented with our troops and police.”
2002-07-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4589 (2002) · source
“However, that is certainly not enough. It is fundamental that men who run a number of our missions must have the right awareness, sensitivities and the right priorities. In order to make sure this happens, it is important that they be engaged at the highest level, that we have senior gender advisors in the office of the SRSG. I emphasize the word "senior" because I think that although our people often have the right values, a lot of ignorance still exists. The issue is not always understood, because it is not always put in concrete terms and because we have to fight centuries of neglect and, in some cases, arrogance.”
2002-07-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4589 (2002) · source
“Mr. Guehenno: The ambassador of Singapore asked a very pointed question: how can we make sure that gender mainstreaming gets the priority and attention it deserves? He correctly stressed this is more than a question of procedures and having the right administrative unit here or there. It is a mindset and an issue of the core values the United Nations should always embody. We must begin from the top if we want to get it right. The Special Representative of the Secretary- General (SRSG) in each mission must set the example. When we have women SRSGs there can be a natural awareness that is not always there when we have only men. Until recently, there were no women SRSGs in a peacekeeping mission. I am pleased that our Mission in Georgia is now led by a woman and that we are also beginning to have Deputy SRSGs in missions.”
2002-07-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4589 (2002) · source
“Yet the fact that a few years ago these same ideas may not have been understood as clearly is a testament to the ability of Council debate to alter our thinking and approach. Put simply, the adoption of Security Council resolution 1325 (2000) has precipitated a change in perceptions and it is natural that this process of change can sometimes be slow, face setbacks and scepticism. Inevitably, however, misguided cynicism will be overtaken by the facts. It is only a matter of time.”
2002-07-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4589 (2002) · source
“They make a real difference in ensuring that all parts of an operation are made aware of the gender dimensions of their work, beginning first by speaking to the women of the country concerned, who are best placed to set the agenda in a way that is sensitive to local traditions and context. Gender advisers offer suggestions on practical steps to address gender concerns in a manner appropriate to each unique mission circumstance and, consequently, significantly enhance our ability to implement resolution 1325 (2000). While much has been done to date, far more remains to be done, both in the field and at Headquarters. In conclusion, much of what I have said about the importance of gender mainstreaming in peacekeeping may seem self-evident today.”
2002-07-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4589 (2002) · source
“Furthermore, through collaborations with United Nations and national partners, and by the deployment of HIV-AIDS policy officers in four field missions, United Nations Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea (UNMEE), United Nations Organization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUC), United Nations Mission of Support in East Timor (UNMISET) and United Nations Mission in Sierra Leone (UNAMSIL), we are developing and implementing strategies to reduce transmission of HIV-AIDS. Much of the progress we have achieved to date in our missions in East Timor, Kosovo, Bosnia- Herzegovina, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Sierra Leone is in large part due to the presence of full-time gender advisers.”
2002-07-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4589 (2002) · source
“Lastly, I should like to reiterate that the Secretary-General maintains a zero-tolerance policy on the engagement of peacekeepers in acts of sexual exploitation, harassment, and trafficking of women and girls. We urge troop- and police-contributing countries to take appropriate disciplinary, and if needed, criminal action against a national who commits such acts. For its part, the Department is improving preventive measures and strengthening its policies and procedures for disciplinary action against anyone accused of being involved in such unacceptable acts. Our training material and the admission programmes are being revised to place particular emphasis on this point.”
2002-07-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4589 (2002) · source
“As a result, women represented 27 per cent of the total number of candidates returned to the Constituent Assembly, the highest percentage ever under a United Nations-sponsored election. At Headquarters, a handbook on multidimensional peacekeeping operations is being finalized, which features a key chapter on gender mainstreaming in peacekeeping, as well as best practices and lessons learned from mission experiences. In addition, in collaboration with the Office of the Special Adviser on Gender Issues (OSAGI), we are developing specific guidelines for different elements of peacekeeping operations on mainstreaming gender issues, and monitoring and evaluating the outcomes.”
2002-07-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4589 (2002) · source
“In Kosovo, the United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo promulgated a Trafficking in Human Persons Regulation for the protection of victims. In the United Nations Organization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, mission personnel received training and advice on how to mainstream the gender perspective into all areas of their work. This covers all areas from human rights monitoring, including dealing with crimes of sexual abuse, gender violence and exploitation, to dealing with the different needs of male and female, and child, ex-combatants. In East Timor - which is perhaps the best example of how maintaining the focus on gender, or gender mainstreaming, can yield significant results - political parties voluntarily included women on the tickets after considerable debate within the Timorese civil society.”
2002-07-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4589 (2002) · source
“Since the United Nations Mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina (UNMIBH) launched a nationwide domestic violence project in November 2001, more than 300 cases of domestic violence and sexual abuse have been reported and acted upon by the police. Anti- trafficking efforts of UNMIBH have been enhanced since March 1999, by creating the so-called STOP programme - Special Trafficking Operations Project- in July 2001, which has since conducted over 400 operations against bars and brothels. Some 1,442 women and girls have been interviewed and offered assistance with repatriation. Three safe houses for trafficking victims have been established in coordination with the International Organization for Migration.”
2002-07-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4589 (2002) · source
“Five special focus areas stand out in particular, as follows: addressing gender-based violence; responding to the trafficking in women and children; incorporating gender perspectives into the process of disarmament, demobilization and reintegration of refugees and displaced persons, including former combatants; facilitating the participation of women in constitutional and electoral reform and civil administration; and lastly, combating the spread of HIV/AIDS. We have done quite a lot of work in each of these five areas, though in deference to time limitation on our opening statement, I will just note a few highlights at this stage.”
2002-07-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4589 (2002) · source
“There can be a gender dimension to virtually every aspect of what peacekeepers do, whether it would be dealing with the perpetrators of crime, the victims of violence, or the political actors and civic leaders with whom the real prospects of sustainable peace reside. Recognizing these facts and taking action accordingly is what gender mainstreaming is all about. As far as DPKO is concerned, we do not need further convincing that gender awareness must feature more prominently in our work. I am pleased to report that the Department of Peacekeeping Operations has made some concrete progress in implementing resolution 1325 (2000) within specific peacekeeping operations, notably in East Timor, in Kosovo, in Bosnia and Herzegovina, in Sierra Leone and in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.”
2002-07-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4589 (2002) · source
“It may not immediately occur to many that not all prisoners are men. There are women who commit crimes, and they are in quite separate prison facilities. As a result, there is a requirement to hire women corrections officers, often through proactive recruitment. In order to properly budget for these distinct requirements, among others, one needs to be able to forecast crime rates among women. The United Nations Transitional Administration in East Timor (UNTAET), facing urgent demands, did not think about this until its work was considerably advanced. It thus had to address this issue post facto, once the recruitment process for prison guards was almost complete. Taking all of these factors into account is not political correctness. It is just part of the job. The example that I have just given is a very small one among hundreds.”
2002-07-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4589 (2002) · source
“In some case, women's groups comprise individuals who were not engaged in combat, and thus might be more open to dialogue. In other cases, the women's group concerns can be more radicalized, because they consist of those whose husbands, fathers and sons were killed during the fighting. Furthermore, we should not assume that all combatants are men. There are women combatants, and, sadly, child soldiers as well. The need for heightened gender perspective applies to all areas of work in a peacekeeping mission, including in areas one might otherwise overlook. Take, for example, a very small but illustrative case. In East Timor, the United Nations was given the unprecedented role of administering the territory. This included running the prisons and building correctional facilities.”
2002-07-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4589 (2002) · source
“It is now plainly obvious, though, that such an attitude is not only misguided; it is also a drastic misunderstanding of what gender mainstreaming is all about. Gender mainstreaming in peacekeeping is about recognizing that all segments of society are affected by conflict, sometimes in different ways, and that all segments of society also have a role to play in helping to end the violence and lay the foundation for sustainable peace. Traditionally, we have underestimated this point, because we wrongly assumed that conflict and peace are gender-blind. They are not. Certain crimes, whose incidents can increase in a conflict setting, are specifically targeted at women and girls. Certain efforts at reconciliation have a totally different dynamic when women are included in the peace process.”
2002-07-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4589 (2002) · source
“Mr. Guehenno: I am grateful for the opportunity to participate in this discussion, as we prepare to mark, this October, the second anniversary of Security Council resolution 1325 (2000), on women, peace and security. Before addressing the areas in which the Department of Peacekeeping Operations (DPKO) has made concrete progress in implementing that resolution, I would like to say something on a personal note. When I arrived at the head of the DPKO, almost two years ago, I sensed from various quarters some scepticism about the dialogue about gender mainstreaming. Many appeared to misperceive it as a superficial exercise in political correctness. I should confess that I was not always immune from this misperception.”
2002-07-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4589 (2002) · source
“Mr. Guehenno: I would say, as the Foreign Minister of Sierra Leone just said, that the challenge now is to move from a peacekeeping situation to a peace-building situation, to transform what is indeed a real success into a sustainable success. That is where, now, the international community must stay the course. Peacekeeping is funded through assessed contributions; development will require voluntary contributions. I think the future of the peace process in Sierra Leone very much depends now on the sustained efforts of the international community in partnership with the Government and the people of Sierra Leone to consolidate the results so far achieved.”
2002-07-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4577 (2002) · source
“In the case of Sierra Leone the proactive role taken by your country, Madam President, certainly helped focus the attention of the international community on the need to have a sustained effort in that part of West Africa.”
2002-07-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4577 (2002) · source
“How can you disarm combatants if you do not have an economic and reintegration strategy? So my answer to the question is that there are degrees of integration, but that certainly integration is the right answer. The second question was how we can give the Council a greater sense of urgency. I think there we all share responsibility. As the Brahimi report said in an often quoted sentence, we should tell the Council what it needs to know, not what it wants to hear. There is a responsibility on the part of the Secretariat to call the attention of the Council to unfolding crisis situations. If I may say so, there is also a responsibility for Member States which have a particular understanding of a region to call the attention of Council members to an unfolding situation.”
2002-07-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4577 (2002) · source
“In the case of Angola that is now being considered, there will also be a need for a major effort of the international community to support the reconstruction of a country that has been torn by many years of war. There, again, I would think that an integrated model is in order. The way in which one of the two number twos in the Mission federated the efforts of the development community and the humanitarian community has proved to be very effective in Sierra Leone. The various agencies, funds, and programmes provide the substantive backstopping with their expertise, but there is an operational integration that is of the essence and we see, for areas such as disarmament, demobilization and reintegration (DDR), that the links among the political, military, humanitarian and economic are very close.”
2002-07-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4577 (2002) · source
“Mr. Guehenno: Your first question was whether there a single model for the integration of the various efforts of the international community. I think there are degrees of integration; it will vary from one mission to the other. However, I do believe that in any peacekeeping or peace-building operation - and we see more and more that the two have to be closely linked - there has to be a unity of effort on the part of the international community. I think that the international community weakens its hand when it goes into a crisis situation in a scattered way, so to speak. I think part of the success achieved by the Afghanistan mission is very much linked to its integrated nature. It is often thought that it could be even more integrated.”
2002-07-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4577 (2002) · source
“We must now turn our attention towards supporting the Government's efforts to achieve goals such as long-term development and the creation of a viable economy, effective and transparent control and administration of national resources, capacity-building, national reconciliation, security-sector development and the full reintegration of ex-combatants. Close coordination between the Government, international agencies and bilateral assistance will be vital. Much, indeed, remains to be done. But the strength of resolve and spirit of partnership that the international community brought to bear on the crisis of May 2000 must be maintained. It will now have to be turned towards consolidating the gains made and securing regional stability. I am confident that if this is done, a peaceful Sierra Leone can finally fully emerge.”
2002-07-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4577 (2002) · source
“In conclusion, let me say that with the national elections and the installation of President Kabbah, Sierra Leone has entered a new phase. It is only right that the Government now take on a progressively bigger share of the responsibility for peace, stability and development in Sierra Leone. Clearly, an extraordinary, unified effort has created a solid foundation where once the peacekeeping mission was in crisis. The exit strategy for UNAMSIL lies in ensuring that the Government can carry out the functions that peacekeepers and the international community have fulfilled.”
2002-07-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4577 (2002) · source
“UNAMSIL is discussing two options with the Government. One would have United Nations Civilian Police lead the project, and the other would involve a bilateral, IMATT-type arrangement, with a lead country pulling together the training team and resources. Further details on these proposals will be submitted in the report of the Secretary-General in September. The question of how salaries are to be paid is also critical. Even the best-trained police cannot be expected to perform without pay. Also, we have learned from other operations that, ultimately, the police cannot provide for internal security unless their efforts are linked to judicial and penal institutions that can ensure that the rule of law is upheld.”
2002-07-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4577 (2002) · source
“Here, also, the major contribution of the United Kingdom in building capacities in Sierra Leone must be acknowledged. While the United Kingdom-led International Military Assistance Training Team (IMATT) project has made considerable advances in training the national army, it is, however, not yet ready to fully take over from UNAMSIL. Therefore, a security-sector strategy must be developed with benchmarks linking UNAMSIL's drawdown to the capacity of the national army and the police. UNAMSIL is discussing options for developing the police with the Government, the police command and the Commonwealth. If the police are to be brought to a level capable of ensuring internal security, assistance will be needed to recruit an additional 2,500 personnel and train, equip and pay the force in a programme that the Government can sustain.”
2002-07-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4577 (2002) · source
“But this leaves some 25,000 who need to be reintegrated if they are to make a living without a gun, in a normal economy. However, the reintegration programme currently faces a funding shortfall of $13.5 million. This weakness in the DDR process may in turn weaken the other gains made in Sierra Leone. The lesson here is that longer-term commitment, beyond the life of a peacekeeping mission, is necessary to consolidate the fragile peace gained and build upon it. In the next stages of the Mission, a strategy must be developed to allow the Government and other partners to progressively take on UNAMSIL's responsibilities in a sustainable manner, while consolidating the gains we have made. A progressive, staged drawdown of United Nations forces must be accompanied by a build-up of Sierra Leonean capacity.”
2002-07-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4577 (2002) · source
“However, with a measure of self-criticism, I think it would be fair to say that greater and earlier attention could have been paid to developing a coherent international strategy to address the regional aspects. The conflict in Liberia, which the previous speakers have discussed, remains a serious threat to the Sierra Leone and the region, and will require a comprehensive strategy to avert regional destabilization. I believe the Council is well aware of the advances that UNAMSIL was able to make in the disarmament, demobilization and reintegration (DDR) process, which was formally completed last January. Forty-seven thousand combatants were disarmed and demobilized, and some 22,000 are now engaged in programmes to reintegrate into civilian life.”
2002-07-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4577 (2002) · source
“It is equally important to recognize that, while the United Kingdom so ably and so generously filled an urgent need for credible force projection, that need might not have arisen if UNAMSIL itself had had the requisite resources from the outset. While the handover of peacekeeping duties from ECOMOG to UNAMSIL forces was done quickly, continuity of ECOWAS's political engagement also proved absolutely vital. This subregional organization worked closely with UNAMSIL and brought critical influence to bear on the RUF in support of UNAMSIL goals. There are important lessons to be learned about how peacekeeping missions must often be supported by a regional strategy. The pressure applied by the Council through sanctions and the ban on illegal diamond exports was also precedent-setting and contributed to the progress made in Sierra Leone.”
2002-07-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4577 (2002) · source
“In this regard, I should like to emphasize another crucial point. The role played by your country, Madam President, must be seen as a key element of the international community's response to May 2000. The rapid assistance of your country's troops in critical locations on the ground, and later, the "Over the Horizon" presence, reinforced the message sent by UNAMSIL's strengthened, robust force in a decisive way. There are important lessons to be drawn from this experience. Undoubtedly, in specific circumstances, the need for a lead nation, with the capacity to project forces quickly and convincingly, will arise again. However, I would also submit to the Council that the approach taken for UNAMSIL will not necessarily be applicable in all future situations.”
2002-07-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4577 (2002) · source
“Another Deputy Special Representative focused on operational and management issues. Integration of all United Nations elements with a peace effort is now a general aim sought in all complex missions. UNAMSIL also took steps to strengthen its public information capacity. The use of the Trust Fund for quick impact projects also underlined the importance of confidence-building measures for the population. More broadly, I would like to emphasize that the success that has so far been achieved is, in large part, the result of the integrated nature of the Mission. Peacekeepers could not have been successful if they had not been working side by side with human rights specialists, with development experts and with the humanitarian community. And we are proud to be part of that joint and integrated effort.”
2002-07-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4577 (2002) · source
“UNAMSIL implemented a well-conceived strategy of negotiation and the progressive demonstration of deterrence, gradually deploying throughout the country, including in the economically vital diamond areas. UNAMSIL deployed in strength, and by so doing it gave concrete meaning to the concept of robust peacekeeping. The peacekeeping force was not deployed to wage war, but to close the option of war. A clear message was thus sent that the use of force was no longer a viable strategy for those tempted to destabilize the process. And thus, deterrence was achieved. Non-military elements of the Mission were also restructured. A key element was the integration of various United Nations elements operating in the country through one Deputy Special Representative, who at the same time served as the United Nations Resident Coordinator.”
2002-07-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4577 (2002) · source
“The Council, the troop-contributing countries, the Secretariat and UNAMSIL each played a role in reassessing the Mission in light of the changed circumstances on the ground. An assessment mission, led by General Eisele, a former senior official of the Department of Peacekeeping Operations, was dispatched at the end of May 2000 and made broad recommendations to the Secretary-General on strengthening the Mission. In addition, a review of the force command structure led to a more integrated field command. The Special Representative of the Secretary- General ensured that the Mission's leadership understood and adhered to its two-track strategy of peace and strength. Deploying the limited number of troops thinly, or waging war on the RUF without the requisite mandates or equipment, might have had disastrous consequences.”
2002-07-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4577 (2002) · source
“The United Kingdom played a decisive role in that respect; its valuable assistance must be acknowledged. Training provided under various bilateral arrangements also contributed to building a truly capable and credible force, and this will continue to be needed through the final phases of the Mission. This experience underlines the fact that we must think of the means available to a mission as more than simply the numbers of personnel. Their training, the support provided to them and the political guidance behind the mission will all determine whether a mission has the means to implement the mandate. The May 2000 crisis was also characterized by the willingness, at all levels, to painstakingly review UNAMSIL's performance and its structure and operations.”
2002-07-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4577 (2002) · source
“Also, UNASMIL faced command and control difficulties, which stemmed in part from the "re-hatting" of forces originally deployed through regional arrangements. Lines of command from UNASMIL headquarters to the field were not always strong enough, and some UNASMIL contingents continued to rely primarily on instructions from their national headquarters. However, the experience of "re-hatting" the troops demonstrated the importance of early and close coordination between the United Nations and the regional organization engaged in the areas of crisis. The operational and logistic capabilities of various contingents were enhanced through innovative measures. Their equipment was supplemented directly from United Nations resources, as well as arrangements made with third parties.”
2002-07-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4577 (2002) · source