YouSaid · the spoken record

Halimah DeShong,

lines on the record
178
first
2020-04-23
most recent
2021-05-24
sittings or episodes
32
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

  1. “Aside from being enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, it is a moral imperative for all actors in the international system to promote the political inclusion, social welfare and economic participation of all persons, without discrimination of any kind. In pursuing this shared responsibility, the principles of international law, including international humanitarian law and refugee law, must be upheld, while the sovereignty, territorial integrity and political independence of all States, including those affected by conflict, are fully respected.”

    2020-06-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/560 (2020) · source

  2. “In that regard, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines welcomes today’s initiative as an opportunity to further strengthen the institutional nexus between the Security Council and other agencies operating across the peace and security, human rights and development pillars of the United Nations. The work of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees is essential to our efforts to promote lasting peace and security. We therefore commend the High Commissioner and his staff for their tireless efforts despite the challenges posed by COVID-19. The rights of refugees, internally displaced persons and those made stateless as a result of political, socioeconomic and environmental forces over which they exert little influence must be safeguarded, as these individuals are also empowered to live dignified lives.”

    2020-06-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/560 (2020) · source

  3. “Let me begin by thanking High Commissioner Filippo Grandi for his useful and timely briefing. As the international community continues to navigate the complex risk landscape of the twenty-first century, of which the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is but the latest emergent threat to international peace and security, we must renew our efforts to protect those rendered most vulnerable. In order to do so successfully, integrated and comprehensive strategies are urgently needed to unify and mobilize the entire United Nations system so as to address both the root causes and the symptoms of insecurity.”

    2020-06-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/560 (2020) · source

  4. “Finally, my delegation remains confident in the ICC’s fundamental role of providing justice for the victims of genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity, as well as ending impunity for perpetrators of these atrocities. We stand in solidarity with the people of the Sudan and reiterate our commitment to the ICC. Saint Vincent and the Grenadines looks forward to the day when all States Members of the United Nations can ratify the Rome Statute.”

    2020-06-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/538 (2020) · source

  5. “Equally, we are cognizant that all States are required to fulfil their international obligations in accordance with the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations. With the adoption of resolution 1593 (2005), both the Sudan and the ICC were encouraged to cooperate and engage constructively to tackle impunity and do justice by the victims of atrocity crimes. In this context, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines stresses the importance of cooperation and reiterates the principle of complementarity in the application of international criminal law. We applaud the efforts of countries that led to the surrender of Mr. Ali Kushayb. We also emphasize that the jurisdiction of the ICC is invoked only when States are unable or unwilling to prosecute alleged perpetrators.”

    2020-06-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/538 (2020) · source

  6. “However, we remain concerned about the protracted security and humanitarian challenges in Darfur, including threats against internally displaced persons; grave violations against children, persons with disabilities, women and youth made most vulnerable; and sporadic inter-communal conflicts. We therefore renew our call for institutional strengthening and capacity-building to protect the most dispossessed groups, and for the prosecution of perpetrators of atrocity crimes. We also look forward to the implementation of resolutions 2525 (2020) and 2524 (2020) to assist in this regard. My delegation is mindful that the Sudan is not party to the Rome Statute and that its national judiciary is primarily responsible for prosecuting atrocity crimes.”

    2020-06-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/538 (2020) · source

  7. “I join Council members in thanking Ms. Fatou Bensouda, Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC), for presenting her Office’s the thirty-first report to the Security Council pursuant to resolution 1593 (2005). Efforts by the Government of the Sudan to bring justice to the victims of the conflict in Darfur, as outlined in the Prosecutor’s report, are laudable. Together with the ongoing negotiations in Juba, they are pivotal for restoring peace and stability in Darfur and reconciliation throughout the entire country. Saint Vincent and the Grenadines welcomes these positive developments.”

    2020-06-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/538 (2020) · source

  8. “In order to achieve long-term peace and reconciliation among all persons of all communities, it is important that there be inclusive national ownership over the political and peace processes. Regrettably, the High Representative notes in his report that there has been no serious commitment to implementing the objectives and conditions of the Steering Board of the Peace Implementation Council. We hope that the parties can break that deadlock. Finally, we call for greater representation of women, whose role in society can be neither dismissed nor diminished. The women and peace and security agenda must be brought to the forefront, and to that end we emphasize the need for gender justice in all spheres.”

    2020-05-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/379 (2020) · source

  9. “In this regard, we acknowledge the preparedness of the political and institutional leaders to cooperate and coordinate their response to this crisis, as stated in the High Representative’s report. We urge all parties to refrain from any divisive rhetoric that may hamper the response and have an adverse impact on the political environment. The novel coronavirus pandemic is a collective action problem that requires the unity and cohesion of all parties. As it relates to the Peace Agreement, we continue to encourage collaboration among the parties in accordance with international law, and emphasize the need for diplomacy. We further underscore the need for constructive dialogue among communities within Bosnia and Herzegovina.”

    2020-05-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/379 (2020) · source

  10. “Saint Vincent and the Grenadines extends its gratitude to Mr. Valentin Inzko for his briefing and his most recent report on the implementation of the Peace Agreement in Bosnia and Herzegovina (S/2020/345, annex). We recognize his enduring commitment to his mandate and to the people of Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as the objectives and conditions established by the Steering Board of the Peace Implementation Council. We also thank Ms. Irena Hasić for her informative briefing, and welcome all representatives to this meeting. We begin by expressing our concern over the coronavirus disease pandemic, which has already had a crippling effect on the world.”

    2020-05-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/379 (2020) · source

  11. “We call on all parties to adhere to the stipulations outlined in the outcome documents of the ordinary sessions of the Joint Political and Security Mechanism held in Juba on 13 October 2019 and 19 February 2020. UNISFA remains an interim security force, and therefore it is critical to resolve the status of Abyei. Saint Vincent and the Grenadines stands in solidarity with the people of Abyei and reaffirms its commitment to UNISFA. We also thank Ethiopia for its invaluable contribution through its peacekeepers, and we reiterate our support for the critical mediating role played by the African Union.”

    2020-04-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/351 (2020) · source

  12. “Likewise, the dreadful environmental conditions in the region, which are compounded by the adverse effects of climate change, continue to negatively alter the security, economic and social landscape. Amid these immense challenges, we emphasize the need for unhindered humanitarian service delivery to those who require urgent assistance. My delegation encourages the inclusion of women in the decision-making process in Abyei. We welcome the work of UNISFA in support of the women and peace and security mandate. We also note marginal progress on the Joint Border Verification and Monitoring Mechanism and some progress on the benchmarks specified by resolution 2497 (2019).”

    2020-04-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/351 (2020) · source

  13. “We also welcome the advances within the framework of the Joint Political and Security Mechanism, and we urge the Abyei Joint Oversight Committee to convene regular meetings. The difficulties in Abyei will not be resolved unless the key drivers of intercommunal conflicts are robustly tackled. We therefore urge the parties to fulfil their obligations as stipulated in the 2011 agreement between the Government of the Republic of the Sudan and the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement on temporary arrangements for the administration and security of the Abyei Area and the 2012 cooperation agreement between the Republic of the Sudan and the Republic of South Sudan. We remain concerned about the dire humanitarian situation in Abyei, which is expected to be exacerbated by the coronavirus disease pandemic.”

    2020-04-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/351 (2020) · source

  14. “We condemn those attacks and lament the heightened tensions between the Ngok Dinka and the Misseriya communities. We welcome UNISFA’s efforts to investigate those violent incidents and encourage the authorities to proceed with the joint investigation as agreed during the 19 February Joint Political and Security Mechanism meeting in Juba. Equally, we urge the Abyei communities to exercise the utmost restraint, and we call on the Governments of the Sudan and South Sudan to cooperate fully with UNISFA. UNISFA’s tireless efforts to ensure peace and stability in the region, including to maintain Abyei as a weapons-free zone, are laudable. We commend UNISFA for its regular constructive engagements with the administrative and traditional leaders, as well as with the joint community peace committee.”

    2020-04-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/351 (2020) · source

  15. “My delegation thanks Under-Secretary-General Lacroix and Special Envoy Onanga-Anyanga for their briefings on the United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA). Saint Vincent and the Grenadines welcomes the positive political developments in both the Sudan and South Sudan. We remain hopeful that this momentum will translate into greater cooperation and a renewed commitment between the two countries to find a just political resolution to the final status of Abyei. We acknowledge the progress and challenges highlighted in the Secretary- General’s recent report (S/2020/308). In particular, we note the fragile security situation in Abyei, including the ongoing intercommunal violence — as evidenced in the Nainai-Kolom attacks on 19 and 22 January.”

    2020-04-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/351 (2020) · source

  16. “That necessarily entails greater efforts from the international community to mobilize the necessary resources to adapt to and mitigate the effects of climate change — the greatest threat facing young people. Young people, in their diversity, have often been misunderstood and silenced, but they have always spoken. They have always had a voice. It is our responsibility to develop the apparatus with which to meaningfully engage youth and ensure their full participation in decision- making as we collectively reimagine and craft a future marked by social justice and social transformation.S/2020/346”

    2020-04-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/346 (2020) · source

  17. “With the pandemic amplifying existing inequalities, we call for responses that engage and account for the intersections of the women and peace and security and the youth, peace and security agendas in order to ensure young women’s leadership and participation in peacebuilding and to address the escalating levels of sexual and gender-based violence. In addition, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines would welcome further reporting and focus on the youth, peace and security agenda. The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development is inextricably linked to youth, peace and security programming. Future generations must be offered the freedom of a safe and secure world.”

    2020-04-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/346 (2020) · source

  18. “With that in mind, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines wishes to reiterate the following strategic interventions. We must continue to fund the Peacebuilding Commission and to support even greater policy coherence within the wider peacebuilding architecture of the United Nations system. In particular, young people from diverse groups must continue to be engaged as crafters of policies rather than simply as policy recipients. Funding must target the high levels of unemployment and the barriers to education and training that render youth vulnerable to recruitment, criminality and violence. That is even more urgent considering the almost-universal drastic increase in unemployment and overall despair occasioned by the pandemic.”

    2020-04-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/346 (2020) · source

  19. “We take note of initiatives to promote peace among Haitian youth through the use of sports in neighbourhoods gravely affected by violence, and of the many contributions of young people to the peace process in Colombia. The youth, peace and security agenda is particularly relevant for Africa, the continent with the largest youth population. It is heartening to see that young leaders such as Mr. Gatkuoth remain committed to building a fairer, more peaceful future on the continent by tackling a range of issues from terrorism and unemployment to climate change. National and regional progress notwithstanding, sufficiently funded, focused and strategic action is required to accelerate this agenda all over the world, especially in the light of enduring legacies of anti-youth ideologies and the increased threat posed by the coronavirus disease.”

    2020-04-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/346 (2020) · source

  20. “We join Council members in thanking the Dominican Republic for arranging this timely open debate via video-teleconference with a focus on accelerating the youth, peace and security agenda. We also thank Secretary-General Guterres, Ms. Wickramanayake, the Secretary-General’s Envoy on Youth, and Mr. Gatkuoth for their insightful briefings, and we look forward to the upcoming briefing by Ms. Al-Sakkaf. Saint Vincent and the Grenadines regards the participation and leadership of youth as a key pillar of the whole-of-society approach that is necessary for achieving lasting peace, security and sustainable development worldwide. Saint Vincent and the Grenadines is encouraged by the continued evolution of the youth, peace and security infrastructure in the Caribbean and Latin America.”

    2020-04-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/346 (2020) · source

  21. “Saint Vincent and the Grenadines commends UNMIK’s efforts in promoting security and stability in Kosovo and welcomes all initiatives to that end, which include engagement with young people and the implementation of the recommendations of the 2018 United Nations Kosovo Trust-Building Forum. We also acknowledge UNMIK’s close cooperation with the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and domestic bodies as it discharges its mandate. As we conclude, we note with concern the challenging political situation in Kosovo and hope for a peaceful and workable solution.”

    2020-04-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/339 (2020) · source

  22. “Saint Vincent and the Grenadines emphasizes the need for the good-faith commitment of both parties to a peaceful political solution. In that regard, we urge the parties to utilize the tools of diplomacy, including dialogue, mediation, political negotiations and other peaceful means. We take this opportunity to condemn the incidents targeting religious sites and cemeteries, as mentioned in the Secretary-General’s report. Such actions prevent the creation and maintenance of an environment conducive to stability and progress. We underscore the significance of women’s participation in the peace process and commend UNMIK’s work in helping advance women’s political participation.”

    2020-04-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/339 (2020) · source

  23. “We thank Special Representative of the Secretary-General Tanin for his valuable updates, for the continued cooperation with the Security Council and for presenting the comprehensive report of the Secretary-General (S/2020/255) on the activities of the United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK). We welcome all representatives to this virtual meeting. We begin by acknowledging all efforts aimed at responding to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, which continues to have far-reaching consequences for international peace and security. This response must be collaborative, and in that regard we encourage all States and multilateral bodies and agencies to engage constructively with each other.”

    2020-04-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/339 (2020) · source

  24. “Let me conclude by expressing our continued support for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East in responding to the COVID-19 pandemic. We must act collectively to support the Agency and to respond to the public-health needs and immediate humanitarian consequences of the pandemic in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and the Gaza Strip. In these times, we encourage the Israelis and Palestinians to immediately come together around the negotiating table in order to restore peace and prosperity to the occupied Palestinian territory and end the pain of the Palestinian people.”

    2020-04-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/341 (2020) · source

  25. “Therefore, we reiterate that all United Nations resolutions that call for an Israeli withdrawal from the occupied territories are to be enforced. We also call for the immediate and effective application of the Fourth Geneva Convention, which Israel has ratified. Saint Vincent and the Grenadines also reiterates its support for the principles embodied in the relevant United Nations resolutions, including Security Council resolution 2334 (2016), the Madrid terms of reference, including the principle of land for peace, the Arab Peace Initiative and the Quartet road map. We hope for stability and peace throughout Palestinian territory through the rule of law and the support of the international community.”

    2020-04-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/341 (2020) · source

  26. “We firmly believe that a two-State solution provides the most coherent framework for a democratic Israeli State living in peace and security next to an independent and sovereign Palestine and would bring stability and prosperity to the wider region. The deteriorating humanitarian and economic situation in Gaza requires immediate action and the broad support of the international community. The Israeli and Palestinian leaderships ought to be pragmatic as they pursue the compromise necessary to secure a peaceful and prosperous future for their peoples. To that end, we reiterate the call for ending the 13-year blockade on the Gaza Strip in the face of COVID-19 and the humanitarian crisis. Israeli settlements are one of the biggest impediments to the peace settlement.”

    2020-04-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/341 (2020) · source

  27. “At the same time, the potential for better cooperation will be stymied by continuing illegal settlement activity and the threat of annexation of the occupied Palestinian territory. We welcome and fully support the joint appeal by the Secretary-General’s Envoys to the Middle East to all parties to engage, in good faith and without preconditions, in negotiating an immediate cessation of hostilities, sustaining existing ceasefires and putting in place more durable and comprehensive ceasefires to achieve longer-term resolutions to the conflicts across the region. The two-State solution is facing serious challenges today. In addressing any political reality, solutions must adequately address the needs of all parties. Imposed solutions will not work.”

    2020-04-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/341 (2020) · source

  28. “I wish to thank you, Mr. President, for having convened today’s open video- teleconference. Let me also thank Special Coordinator Mladenov for his valuable and comprehensive briefing on this important issue. Today’s meeting comes at a moment of great uncertainty for the occupied Palestinian territory. The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic is the greatest challenge we have faced in a generation, with far-reaching health, sociopolitical and security implications. It is also accompanied by the worst economic shock since the Great Depression of the 1930s, with repercussions in every country, including Palestine. We commend the solidarity and support between the Palestinian and Israeli authorities sparked by the COVID-19 pandemic and urge both parties to continue to enhance their cooperation.”

    2020-04-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/341 (2020) · source