YouSaid · the spoken record

Hoxha

lines on the record: 1,795
first: 2014-02-19
most recent: 2023-12-29
sittings or episodes: 264
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 latest developments on the Russian-Ukrainian border are a well-known playbook. We saw them in Georgia in 2008 and in Ukraine repeatedly since 2014, unfortunately at the cost of thousands of lives, both civilian and military. Russia has used military violence as a means of achieving its political and geopolitical goals. Russia is a big country and has a role to play in European and world geopolitics. It can play an important part in making the world a better and safer place. Unfortunately, it is doing the contrary. The narratives of spheres of influence in Europe or dictating by threats the geostrategic orientation of other countries are tools of another century, of another time reminiscent of the Cold War.”
2022-01-31 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8960 (2022) · source
“The signatories also reaffirmed their commitment to seeking Security Council action to provide assistance to Ukraine should it become a victim of an act of aggression. We call on Russia and the Security Council to expressly confirm respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine. It would be wrong to consider the threat of a military attack by Russia against Ukraine as another crisis between Russia and the West. It is a challenge to the European security order and to the whole international security architecture, which is based on the Charter of the United Nations. It is an affront to the 1975 Helsinki Final Act and its decalogue, upon which the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) was founded and of which Russia is a part.”
2022-01-31 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8960 (2022) · source
“Those include heavy combat forces, tanks, artillery, air defence systems and ballistic missiles. Several thousand Russian troops have also been sent to Belarus. That movement of troops and weaponry is very worrying. It has caused anxiety and fear among people in Ukraine and justifiably serious international concerns, particularly for us in Europe. Let me reaffirm our unwavering support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine within its internationally recognized borders. In 1994 — 27 years ago — Ukraine received security assurances through the Budapest Memorandum, whereby Russia, together with the United States and the United Kingdom, pledged “to respect the independence and sovereignty and the existing borders of Ukraine”, in exchange for Ukraine giving up its nuclear arsenal.”
2022-01-31 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8960 (2022) · source
“I thank you, Madam President, for convening this open meeting. I also thank Under-Secretary-General DiCarlo for her briefing. The primary responsibility of the Security Council is to maintain peace and security with a view to preventing conflicts in the world. We have argued here several times that, in terms of prevention, the Council still has a long way to go. The Council has been seized many times to discuss the situation in Ukraine since the beginning of the aggression in 2014, and here we are again today. We express our deep concern regarding Russia’s military build-up near Ukraine in recent months. Dozens of battalions have already been relocated to the Ukrainian border. Military troops are being dispatched from the east to the west of Russia.”
2022-01-31 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8960 (2022) · source
“We are working in close cooperation with our partners to ensure their rehabilitation, adaptation and long-term reintegration into normal lives. In our view, they deserve to start their life anew, and we are doing what we think is best to help them do so.”
2022-01-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8958 (2022) · source
“We deplore that in the prisons, where ISIS terrorists and foreign fighters are held, there are hundreds of children who have been born into a hellish place of darkness surrounded by death. No effort should be spared to save children and women from the inhuman and degrading conditions in which they are being held. They need to be repatriated and helped to reintegrate into society. Since 2020, Albania, has done exactly that. We have taken decisive steps to address the outrageously dire situation of children and women of Albanian origin caught in the several refugee camps in Syria and Iraq. In the course of the past two years, some 24 women and children have been repatriated. It is not an easy subject to handle, but it is needed.”
2022-01-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8958 (2022) · source
“Albania continues to play its role as a member of the Global Coalition Against Da’esh, but military options and means will not be sufficient to eradicate terrorism. We must also tackle its many sources — the social, political, historical and religious grievances that lure young people to this enterprise of death. The description of Syria that we have heard these days, of the political process, of meeting the huge humanitarian needs and of providing people with prospects of a better future go in that direction. We must work collectively to give people hope to live, lift them up and remove their pretexts to die. We must do everything in our power to rid Syria and everywhere else of the plague of terrorism.”
2022-01-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8958 (2022) · source
“I thank you, Madam President, for organizing this meeting. I too thank Under-Secretary-General Voronkov for his information. We join other speakers in condemning in the strongest terms the heinous terrorist attack by the Islamic State in Iraq and the Shams (ISIS) at a prison in north-eastern Syria. This attack is a rude awakening that reminds us of the constant threat posed by terrorism to the Syrian people and other people in the region and beyond. We must remain vigilant and committed. There are no good or bad terrorists; they are all murderers. They should be treated as such, and they must be brought before justice. Accountability for crimes committed is not negotiable. All possible means must be used to defeat terrorism.”
2022-01-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8958 (2022) · source
“Albania will continue to support the Syrian people as they pursue their future in peace and justice and hopes that the voice of the Syrians will be heard.”
2022-01-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8957 (2022) · source
“We fully support the recommendations and measures contained therein. We strongly believe that the measures need to be extended through all available corridors. The measures need to be extended through all available corridors. We call on the United Nations and its Member States to take the necessary actions to ensure respect for international humanitarian law, including as it relates to the protection of civilians. We call on all parties to the conflict to allow and facilitate the rapid and unimpeded passage of humanitarian relief for all civilians in need. Finally, people in Syria must be protected. We should support the Syrian people in what they need, what they deserve and what they are entitled to, in terms of humanitarian assistance and protection.”
2022-01-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8957 (2022) · source
“While there is no political solution in sight and the Government neglects the needs of its people, cross- border assistance remains life-saving for millions of people in need in the north-west of the country. The Security Council has shown many times that it has the power to take action and to make change. When the Council is united, it can make a difference to the lives of millions of people. This is why cross-border assistance is so important and why it must continue. We urge the Council to reopen the Al-Yarubiyah and Bab Al-Salaam border crossings, in addition to preserving Bab Al-Hawa, in order to allow aid workers to do their work and reach those millions of people I have mentioned with basic aid. We welcome the latest report of the Secretary General on cross-border assistance (S/2021/1030).”
2022-01-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8957 (2022) · source
“Further, over 90 per cent of the population has been pushed below the poverty line — the majority of them women and children, many of whom are especially vulnerable, such as persons with disabilities. More than 12 million people are displaced internally or are refugees abroad, and they must battle with the harsh winter cold to survive. Further to the 500,000 victims, around 100,000 people have been unlawfully detained or have disappeared. We strongly believe that saving lives must be the number-one priority, but there is more to saving a life than just to provide food and medicine, when even this is a challenge. The people of Syria need education, they need freedom and rights, they need hope. People need an end to the conflict, early-recovery support and respect for their fundamental human rights.”
2022-01-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8957 (2022) · source
“Let me thank Under- Secretary-General Griffiths and Mr. Egeland for their valuable information on the situation on the ground. At the outset, we fully support the efforts of the United Nations and civil society organizations, which, as we heard in today’s briefings, provide life-saving assistance to the men, women and children of Syria. After nearly 11 years since the start of the Syrian crisis, the humanitarian situation remains catastrophic. The figures are staggering. More than 14 million people depend on humanitarian aid. More than 12 million people in Syria, which equals 60 per cent of the population, have trouble meeting their basic daily food needs.”
2022-01-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8957 (2022) · source
“We support all international and national efforts to hold the perpetrators of the heinous crimes committed in Syria to account, including through the referral of the case in Syria to the International Criminal Court and the application of universal jurisdiction by national courts. Millions of Syrians want answers. It is our duty to help them.”
2022-01-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8955 (2022) · source
“The massive and systematic violations of international law, human rights and international humanitarian law in Syria demand redress for the Syrians affected and an overhaul of the structures that have allowed evil to take root in Syria. What has happened in Syria must never happen again — there or anywhere else — and we can prevent it by combating impunity. Accountability and justice for the victims are vital to a meaningful political transition that results in a democratic Syria — a State that respects the fundamental rights of its citizens and lives in peace alongside its neighbours.”
2022-01-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8955 (2022) · source
“A nationwide ceasefire, the release of all political detainees, the immediate and full halt of all attacks on civilian areas, arbitrary arrests, disappearances, extrajudicial and targeted killings, full cooperation with the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, and economic support and early recovery are all basic but necessary steps that must be taken. But they are only initial steps. They represent the floor, not the ceiling. We would also like to see a workplan with concrete and measurable indicators to verify how bilateral consultations with relevant stakeholders have contributed to advancing the political process, where the obstacles lie and what the Council should do to overcome them. (spoke in French) A viable political transition is hardly possible without transitional justice.”
2022-01-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8955 (2022) · source
“Given the Council’s inability to stand united, and in the absence of any timetable or deadlines, the Constitutional Committee risks becoming a smokescreen for inaction and the perpetuation of the status quo. The constitutional process will not change the grim reality overnight, but it can serve as a catalyst for a new democratic Syria. It can be the heart of a transformative process that spreads in concentric circles, ultimately involving all segments of Syrian society, and leading to democratic institutions that adhere to the rule of law and uphold the human rights of all. I reiterate my delegation’s support for the Special Envoy’s step-by-step approach. Incremental, concrete and verifiable steps can serve to build the trust that is necessary to advance the political process.”
2022-01-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8955 (2022) · source
“The Constitutional Committee is the only existing platform for envisaging and pursuing a political transition, but so far it has mainly produced disappointment. That is primarily due to a lack of genuine involvement and investment on the part of the regime. The Committee is preparing to convene for its seventh session, as we heard, without having produced any tangible progress. It keeps beating its own record with not much to deliver. We wholeheartedly support the tireless work of Special Envoy Pedersen, including the initiative he communicated today to consult with stakeholders to move the political process forward. He also deserves the Council’s full backing in putting the necessary pressure on all concerned, including the regime, in order to advance the political process.”
2022-01-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8955 (2022) · source
“The perpetuation of this status quo is unsustainable and is contrary to what the Council stands for. We must upend it to ignite hopes for a better future for the Syrian people. The Council has a responsibility to save Syria from hell. It can and should prioritize the protection of civilians and unimpeded humanitarian assistance to all in need and remove the systematic threats to peace and security. Resolution 2254 (2015) provides the basis for a real, inclusive political transition with the full, equal and meaningful participation of women. Its full implementation should therefore be an absolute priority for the Council, a priority that the Syrian regime has disregarded in the past and continues to disregard as we speak.”
2022-01-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8955 (2022) · source
“I would like to welcome Special Envoy Pedersen, thank him for his briefing and commend him for his work and efforts. I also thank Ms. Hijazi for her passionate plea. We have become so used to the violence and suffering emanating from Syria that the harrowing stalemate in which that ravaged country finds itself today may strike some as somewhat positive. But as we heard from the Special Envoy, the fighting and violence, including activity by the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant, have not stopped. The current stalemate is not something that the Council can build on to overcome the situation. It worsens the suffering of the Syrian people, the incessant violence against civilians, the hunger, extreme poverty, fear, angst, terror and the shattering of hopes for a brighter future for ordinary Syrians.”
2022-01-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8955 (2022) · source
“Albania will remain engaged in efforts aimed at helping the Afghan people to build their future. More than 2,000 Afghan refugees who have found shelter in Albania have seen their lives transformed. We would soon like to see similar prospects realized for all Afghans, including children, girls and women, in their own country. We must judge the authorities, as Special Representative Lyons rightly pointed out, not by their words but by their actions.”
2022-01-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8954 (2022) · source
“The Taliban must unambiguously break ties with all international terrorist organizations. Fifthly, Albania supports the vital role and activities of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan in the country. We commend the work of the Mission on the ground despite the financial shortfalls, the logistical challenges and the increasingly complex geopolitical situation. We look forward to the Secretary-General’s report and its recommendations and advocate for a stronger role and a strengthened mandate of the United Nations in Afghanistan. (spoke in French) The Council can and must do more to help the Afghan people. If we are to keep our promises, it is essential that we act with clarity, with determination and, most important, with unity.”
2022-01-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8954 (2022) · source
“The Council needs to stand firmly in favour of the rights of women and girls to full and equal access to education, to health care, to freedom of movement in their own country and to participate fully in public life. Those are not gifts — they are universal rights. Women and girls in Afghanistan must be treated as equal citizens. Gender-based discrimination and violence against women and girls have no place in Afghanistan, or anywhere else in the world. Fourthly, there is no doubt that terrorism remains a danger in Afghanistan. The country must never again become a haven for international terrorism, and its authorities must stand by the standards and norms of international law. Afghan territory must not be used to threaten or attack any other country, to shelter or train terrorists or to plan or finance terrorist acts.”
2022-01-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8954 (2022) · source
“Secondly, it is impossible not to be alarmed by the humanitarian situation in Afghanistan, especially during the winter. We applaud the tremendous efforts that the United Nations is making on the ground, despite various challenges, to alleviate the suffering of those in absolute need as much as possible. We urge the Taliban to facilitate full, safe and unimpeded access to humanitarian organizations and their personnel, regardless of gender. Thirdly, respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, including freedom of the press, in Afghanistan should remain an important objective. Living in safety, security and dignity for all, including women and girls, young people, children and minorities, should not be a dream but a reality.”
2022-01-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8954 (2022) · source
“It must understand that a responsible Government needs the full strength, talent and diversity of the Afghan people. We have seen it elsewhere and we also know from our own experience that the full, equal and meaningful participation of women is a prerequisite for social cohesion, political stability and meaningful progress. Albania urges the Security Council to place a clear priority on women’s involvement in the processes that shape their future. We owe that to the Afghan women, many of whom have given everything and risk their lives for peace and dignity, including those today who are unaccounted for and for whom the Taliban must answer. Ms. Seraj is just one among those courageous women who have not given up and are not afraid of men with weapons.”
2022-01-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8954 (2022) · source
“With such prospects, it is not easy to find a glimmer of hope. Let me make five key points. First, calls for an all-inclusive Government in Afghanistan have so far not been answered. We support the people of Afghanistan in their hopes and expectations of peace, justice and development. The country needs to engage in an Afghan-led and Afghan- owned process of national reconciliation. Only an inclusive and negotiated political settlement offers a sustainable future for all the Afghan people. We welcome the ongoing talks in Oslo. The important gains achieved in the past 20 years are not only under serious and continuous threat but as we heard are being systematically dismantled. The Taliban must be clearly and firmly told that is the wrong course.”
2022-01-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8954 (2022) · source
“Let me also thank the Secretary-General for his evaluation of the situation and Special Representative of the Secretary-General Lyons and Ms. Seraj for the information they provided. I also thank our colleague from India, in his capacity as Chair of the Committee established pursuant to resolution 1988 (2011), for his update on the work of the Sanctions Committee. Six months after the Taliban takeover, Afghanistan continues to be at a crossroads. Every indicator is in the red and the world remains rightfully concerned about a wide range of key issues linked to the dire humanitarian situation, bleak economic prospects, poor governance, weak institutions, serious threats to the rights of women and girls, fear of terrorism, increasing internal instability and the mass exodus of refugees.”
2022-01-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8954 (2022) · source
“Albania strongly believes that Member States, local communities, civil society and international organizations can contribute to policy frameworks, based on good practices, to prevent, respond to and protect civilians. We must learn from good practices to consolidate political will, participation and the implementation of such initiatives. (spoke in French) Let me conclude by stating that we believe that there is nothing more precious, important, imperative or noble than the protection of innocent civilians and saving lives, which is best achieved by avoiding and preventing conflicts. In our view, that must be at the core of the work of the Security Council.”
2022-01-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8953 (2022) · source
“First, Council Members should not allow political differences to undermine collective action to protect civilians. The Council must reach consensus and stand united in taking all the necessary measures to prevent and end armed conflicts in compliance with international humanitarian law and always ensure the protection of civilians. Secondly, all Member States should support the United Nations and others actors on the ground in engaging with non-State armed groups to develop policies to protect civilians, including in urban settings. Thirdly, all Member States must always ensure accountability for crimes committed, refuse and reject impunity and bring perpetrators before justice.”
2022-01-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8953 (2022) · source
“We strongly believe that States and all parties to armed conflict must, as a matter of priority, ensure compliance with international humanitarian law and the protection of civilians in urban settings by adopting specific national policies, based on best practices; make the protection of civilians a strategic priority, in all military operations in urban settings; avoid the use and stocking of explosive weapons in populated areas and undertake mitigation measures to reduce the consequent risk of harming civilians; and, lastly, protect essential services to mitigate the humanitarian consequences in urban settings. Albania urges all States to seek and agree on the best way to protect civilians. To that end, we recommend the following actions.”
2022-01-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8953 (2022) · source
“Nowhere has that been truer than in urban environments, such as in Mosul, Taiz, Sana’a and Donetsk, to mention some of the most appalling cases. Urban warfare, in particular the use of explosive weapons with wide-area effects in the urban contexts, always leads to mass civilian casualties, displacement and the destruction of critical infrastructure and systems, such as water, food, health services, education and sanitation. Those long-term and cumulative effects of urban warfare on people’s lives require joint humanitarian, development and peacebuilding efforts and actions. It is therefore important to develop a comprehensive approach that goes beyond the humanitarian aspect, in line with humanitarian principles.”
2022-01-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8953 (2022) · source
“The 2021 annual report of the Secretary-General (S/2021/423) on the protection of civilians, as we heard from him earlier, reveals worrisome trends in armed conflict, with devastating impacts for civilians. Deaths, injuries, trauma, displacement and severe damage to essential civilian infrastructure and services, resulting in dramatic humanitarian crises, are the well-known consequences of urban warfare. That is what we have seen in the armed conflicts in Syria, Yemen, Libya, the Central African Republic, Mozambique, Somalia and Ukraine. They all tell the same story. When cities become theatres of war, houses are reduced to rubble, streets become deathbeds for innocent civilians and services are destroyed, with long-term devastating effects on people’s lives.”
2022-01-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8953 (2022) · source
“I would like to thank Norway for organizing this high-level open debate on such an important topic. I also thank Prime Minister Støre for chairing it — testimony of its paramount importance for all of us. I thank the Secretary-General, Mr. Peter Maurer, President of the International Committee of the Red Cross and Ms. Al-Mutawakel for the information they provided today. This debate brings us to the heart of reflections on the disastrous humanitarian consequences of conflicts in urban settings and on the need to seek and take appropriate measures to protect civilians, in line with international humanitarian law. Armed conflicts in urban settings always take a terrible toll on innocent civilians. Tens of mil-lions of civilians around the world are currently affected.”
2022-01-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8953 (2022) · source
“When we speak about the future, we need to keep in mind and highlight that economic recovery and good governance, security and stabilization based on the rule of law, human rights and gender equality are key prerequisites for moving from a country in stagnant crisis to one with real prospects of development and progress. The Security Council must address these major challenges in order to be able to move towards achieving the common goal of stabilizing Libya through sustainable political processes for the sake of and to the benefit of the Libyan people. An active and in-country mediation role by the United Nations remains crucial. To that end, we should ensure that the recommendations of the strategic assessment be duly implemented in the framework of UNSMIL’s mandate renewal, beginning with the return of the Head of Mission to Tripoli.”
2022-01-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8952 (2022) · source
“The October report of the Independent Fact-Finding Mission on Libya (A/HRC/48/83) documented evidence of child recruitment and use, including cross-border recruitment, as well as children detained in harsh conditions, subject to beatings and torture. In that regard, Albania welcomes the adoption last October of the Human Rights Council resolution on technical assistance and capacity-building to improve human rights in Libya (A/HRC/48/L.25), extending the mandate of the Fact- Finding Mission to Libya for a further nine months.”
2022-01-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8952 (2022) · source
“The situation of human rights in Libya remains deplorable, as stated in the report of the Secretary- General (S/2022/31), but also as we heard from Ms. Saudi. The most vulnerable remain women and girls and children. The unlawful detentions of children in military facilities and the use of sexual violence against women and girls are unacceptable, should not be tolerated and are against Security Council resolutions. Perpetrators must be held accountable and, yes, accountability makes the world smaller for them. We have similar concerns about the protection of migrant and refugee children held in inhumane conditions in detention centres.”
2022-01-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8952 (2022) · source
“For that to happen successfully, political uncertainties must be avoided and the full implementation of the ceasefire of 23 October 2020 should continue. Moreover, the withdrawal of mercenaries, foreign fighters and foreign forces should be seen as an important confidence-building measure. In the meantime, we should carry on supporting the work of the 5+5 Joint Military Commission (JMC), while urging the implementation of its action plan. It is crucial to underscore that those processes are firmly under the JMC control. We hope that coordination between the authorities of the west and those of the east can continue pragmatically and on a concrete basis, fully involving the 5+5 JMC in their activities.”
2022-01-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8952 (2022) · source
“There can be no alternative to holding elections through credible electoral processes in a reasonable and realistic future. Elections are the only way for the country to distance itself from the past and meet the current challenges of building a united, sovereign, stable and prosperous Libya and the only way for the Libyan people to decide their future themselves. Those who stand in the way and deny the right of the Libyans to hold elections must be held accountable. The members of the Security Council should be united in affirming the international commitment to help Libyans overcome the decade-long crisis and engage with the Libyans in support of their spirit of national unity and reconciliation.”
2022-01-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8952 (2022) · source
“The renewal of the mandate of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) later this week will be an opportunity for the members of the Security Council to reaffirm their commitment to the Libyan-led and Libyan-owned inclusive political process facilitated by the United Nations. We believe that can be achieved through the implementation of the strategic review of the Mission. This day one month ago, the international community was prepared to celebrate Libya’s first step towards the establishment of democracy, after more than 10 years of political and security instability. The Libyans’ aspirations for free, fair, inclusive and credible presidential and parliamentary elections of 24 December 2021 were, unfortunately, not met.”
2022-01-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8952 (2022) · source
“Let me welcome Under- Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs Rosemary DiCarlo and thank her for the detailed information provided and commend her for the very consistent engagement with Libya. I thank also Ms. Elham Saudi for her remarks. She showed the high spirit of resilience and the important role women civil society representatives play. I thank also her for the recommendations. Let me also thank Ambassador Tirumurti for his report (see S/2021/1058). The Special Adviser on Libya, Stephanie Williams, has been steering United Nations engagement in Libya for the past six weeks. We applaud her engagement with all the stakeholders and actors inside Libya and in the region. Albania supports the United Nations- led efforts through the Berlin process.”
2022-01-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8952 (2022) · source
“Today it is showing what is needed to build peace through reconciliation, reintegration, justice, investing in people’s lives and building a common future together, in peace and security. Colombia and Colombians should be proud of their achievements, and we support their efforts. We hope that the upcoming elections in May will bring another boost to the successful implementation of this crucial process for the Colombia of today and the Colombia of tomorrow.”
2022-01-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8951 (2022) · source
“There is no alternative to continued engagement and continued dialogue, especially in the context of the National Reintegration Council regarding key issues, including security, land and housing, productive projects and the other priority concerns of former combatants. As we heard, political reintegration remains essential. We would like to highlight the importance and role of women in peacebuilding. We were happy to hear from Ms. Giraldo — a leader in reintegration initiatives. The fact that 64 per cent of women former combatants participate in productive projects is both testimony to the gender-based focus in the implementation of the agreement and highlights the undisputed role of women. (spoke in Spanish) Colombia has shown a concrete example of how to bring a terribly long and bloody conflict to an end.”
2022-01-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8951 (2022) · source
“More must be done, such as the successful action taken against the Clan del Golfo, to break any links between illegal armed groups and criminal organizations for social, territorial and strategic control, which aggravate violence against civilians, including former combatants, hinder implementation and governance and alter the lives of entire communities. Ensuring accountability remains essential for the overall success of the security guarantees provisions of the Final Agreement. Authorities in Colombia must continue making full use of their institutional toolbox of constructive dialogue with various parties to sustain progress in addressing challenges in efforts to put an end to conflict and build lasting peace.”
2022-01-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8951 (2022) · source
“In that context, we welcome the work of the Truth Commission, whose mandate was extended by the Constitutional Court until August 2022, in order to continue to deal with individual responsibility for crimes committed during the conflict. We support that process. As we heard today, many challenges lie ahead. We must redouble efforts to counter violence against communities and individuals participating in the transitional justice process. State authority must be fully established and strengthened where it is challenged by dissident groups of the Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia-Ejército del Pueblo.”
2022-01-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8951 (2022) · source
“We welcome the visit of the Secretary-General in commemorating that benchmark to show the strong support of the United Nations, which Colombia rightfully chose to involve, and to take stock of the implementation of the agreement. No one has any doubt that building peace is a long, complex and always demanding road. The briefers pointed out several difficulties. However, we believe that the efforts and progress made by the Government and the people of Colombia thus far deserve due recognition and our praise. The agreement outlined a clear path to deal with the root causes of the conflict, heal the profound wounds caused by more than five decades of conflict and prevent atrocities from recurring. The transitional justice system put in place ensures justice for victims and survivors. We see it as an important investment for lasting peace.”
2022-01-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8951 (2022) · source
“Let me welcome Mr. Emilio José Archila, Presidential Adviser for Stabilization and Consolidation of Colombia, to today’s meeting. I thank Special Representative of the Secretary- General Carlos Ruiz Massieu for his briefing and Ms. Luz Marina Giraldo for her insights. We appreciate the work and contribution of the United Nations Verification Mission in Colombia. Last November, Colombia marked the fifth anniversary of the Final Agreement for Ending the Conflict and Building a Stable and Lasting Peace. That landmark act of courage and wisdom represents a true commitment of hope and inspiration, not only for Colombia. It set an example of how true commitment can produce concrete and genuine results.”
2022-01-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8951 (2022) · source
“That means doing all we can to support processes and initiatives that enable people — everyone, Israelis and Palestinians both — to live in security and dignity, in peace and prosperity, with full and equal rights, in practice and not just in principle.”
2022-01-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8950 (2022) · source
“A strong and vibrant civil society is critical to empower people and plays a vital role in strengthening mutual understanding through people-to-people contacts and to counter prejudice, hatred and hostility. Our concerns regarding the designation of six Palestinian non-governmental organizations are well known. But we are also deeply concerned about the shrinking space for civil society in the areas controlled by the Palestinian Authority, especially Hamas. In conclusion, let me say that the Council’s inability to find a solution should not discourage it from continuing to seek one. That means, as mentioned earlier, focusing on the people and supporting their aspirations here and now.”
2022-01-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8950 (2022) · source
“In that respect, we remain of the opinion that the expansion of settlements is wrong, as it threatens that two-State reality and goes against the prospect of a peaceful resolution of the conflict. We welcome the Abraham Accords. We want to believe that as relations between Israel and the Arab States improve considerably, that will also have an impact on relations between Israelis and Palestinians. We support the preservation of the status quo regarding the Holy sites in Jerusalem. They are part of the shared heritage of the three great monotheistic religions that should be recognized and respected by all. It is a symbolic case of the need for mutual recognition, without which peaceful coexistence is unsustainable. The concept of democracy would be mostly theoretical without a free and developed civil society.”
2022-01-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8950 (2022) · source
“That is why we call on both parties to do everything they can to create the necessary conditions and to refrain from any acts that go against that spirit. We are encouraged by the small but welcome steps taken lately by the Israeli Government after the recent meeting between President Abbas and Minister Gantz, such as the increased number of employment authorizations from both the West Bank and Gaza, the transfer of tax payments and additional permits for businesspeople to enter Israel. But much more needs to be done, and more such steps and initiatives that help improve the climate, build trust and enable people to live in dignity, with enjoyment of their rights, are needed.”
2022-01-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8950 (2022) · source