YouSaid · the spoken record

Issa Konfourou

lines on the record: 35
first: 2020-11-19
most recent: 2021-04-06
sittings or episodes: 3
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

“Here I commend in particular the brave Chadian soldiers of MINUSMA for their courage and responsiveness during the recent terrorist attack on their camp in Aguelhok. I commend also the outstanding work done by the women and men of MINUSMA and the French Barkhane force in the process of the stabilization of Mali and the Sahel. Finally, allow me to congratulate Mr. El-Ghassim Wane on his appointment to the post of Special Representative of the Secretary-General in Mali and Head of MINUSMA and to assure him of the full cooperation of my authorities. I also reiterate the gratitude of the Government and the people of Mali to Mr. Mahamat Saleh Annadif for the outstanding work he did during his five years as Head of MINUSMA. I wish them every success in their respective functions.”
2021-04-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/336 (2021) · source
“However, given the immensity of the challenges on the ground, we reiterate our appeal to the Security Council for a robust and adequate mandate, that is to say, a mandate under Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations and the predictable and sustainable funding of the Joint Force, including through the United Nations. I wish to end by reiterating the gratitude of the people and the Government of Mali to the United Nations and all our bilateral and multilateral partners for the tremendous sacrifices made for the sake of a final and lasting settlement of the Malian crisis. I pay tribute to the memory of all fallen civilian and military victims in Mali, foreigners and Malians both.”
2021-04-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/336 (2021) · source
“I would like to highlight in particular the visits carried out by the Prime Minister and Ministers to camps for displaced persons and the distribution of food to the populations affected. With respect to the regional dimension, the recent terrorist attacks against the Chadian Blue Helmets in Tessalit, civilian populations in the Niger and the Malian Armed Forces in the tri-border area are reminders of the urgent need to strengthen the coordination of our joint actions in the fight against terrorism. In that vein, Mali welcomes the deployment of the Chadian unit in the tri- border area, within the Group of Five for the Sahel Joint Force.”
2021-04-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/336 (2021) · source
“On the issue of human rights, as mentioned in the report (S/2021/299), the Malian Government will continue to take all measures necessary to ensure that all documented cases of violations or abuses are investigated and brought to justice, including those allegedly attributable to the Malian military. I wish to indicate here that the hearings held by the Court of Appeals and the military court of the Mopti region resulted in the convictions of people involved in intercommunal violence and of Malian soldiers in connection with violations committed in the context of counter-terrorism operations. Concerning the humanitarian situation, which was made even more complex by the coronavirus disease pandemic, it should be noted that the Government of Mali has undertaken a number of efforts in crisis-affected areas.”
2021-04-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/336 (2021) · source
“The situation in the central part of the country remains a major concern of the Government, which, with the support of MINUSMA, within the framework of the implementation of the adaptation plan, in particular the protection of the civilian population and the provision of humanitarian aid, continues to promote dialogue between communities with the involvement of the relevant actors, including traditional and religious leaders. We are pleased to note today that that dynamic made it possible to lift, a few days ago, the blockade that had imposed for several months on the town of Farabougou, in the Ségou region.”
2021-04-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/336 (2021) · source
“Regarding the participation of women in the peace process, I am pleased to indicate here that the Government and the other signatory parties are committed to significantly increasing the number of women in the Agreement Monitoring Committee, which will go from 9 to 12 people. In the same vein, women’s representatives will participate in the four subcommittees of the sustainable development fund. The parties also agreed to adopt the text on the establishment of the territorial police; the return of basic social and administrative services; and the handling of organizational issues in relation to the sustainable development fund, with a view to launching the pilot projects that were identified.”
2021-04-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/336 (2021) · source
“Those two delocalized Committee meetings allowed the Malian parties to engage in order to initiate, in the short term, priority actions concerning, in particular, the resumption of consultations at the decision-making level on defence and security issues, which were begun in February; the completion and closure of an accelerated DDR process, in particular the deployment of the third Operational Coordination Mechanism company in Kidal and the operationalization of the reconstituted army battalion already deployed in Kidal, Timbuktu, Gao and Ménaka, as well as the consensual launch of new phases of the DDR process. In that context, the Malian parties will continue to deploy the necessary efforts for the integration of the 1,687 remaining ex-combatants into the Malian Defence and Security Forces in order to reach a total of 3,000 combatants.”
2021-04-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/336 (2021) · source
“Beyond the symbolism represented by the Malian flag flying again in Kidal, that delocalized meeting of the Committee is an additional sign of the gradual return of trust among the Malian parties. The second delocalized session of the Committee was held in Kayes on 29 March in order to ensure better national ownership of the Agreement.”
2021-04-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/336 (2021) · source
“In that context, it is important to note that the Prime Minister met with Malian political leaders on 10 February in order to agree, within the framework of a formal political dialogue, on the reform process to be carried out. I can assure you that that positive dynamic will continue with the involvement of all the active forces of the nation in order to reach a consensus around the timetable for future electoral deadlines as well as the organization of referendum operations and general elections, which will mark the end of the transition. The holding of the fifth high-level meeting of the Agreement Monitoring Committee in Kidal on 11 February was also of major significance.”
2021-04-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/336 (2021) · source
“The committee is made up of 50 personalities from the political class, academia, civil society, the private sector, unions and traditional and religious legitimacy. The goal is also to expedite the review, ownership and implementation of the agreement; accelerate the process of the disarmament, demobilization and reintegration (DDR) of combatants in the northern and central parts of the country; proceed with the effective dissolution of all self-defence militias; and redeploy the defence and security forces nationwide. We in Mali are aware that while the challenges to be met are certainly numerous, the Government has chosen to carry out urgent reforms that are essential to the holding of free and transparent elections, organized in an inclusive process.”
2021-04-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/336 (2021) · source
“I paid close attention to his urgent observations as well as his apt recommendations. I should like to assure him of the determination of the transition and the other Malian parties when it comes to the diligent implementation of the Agreement on Peace and Reconciliation in Mali, which emerged from the Algiers process. That determination on the part of the Malian authorities is reaffirmed in the transitional Government’s action plan, adopted almost unanimously by the National Transition Council. It notably includes stepping up political and institutional reforms. In that regard, I am happy to inform you that the President of the Transition created, by a decree of 31 March 2021, the strategic orientation committee on political and institutional reforms, which is tasked with supporting the Prime Minister in carrying out those reforms.”
2021-04-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/336 (2021) · source
“At the outset, I wish to express the warm congratulations of the delegation of Mali to you, Sir, upon the accession of your country, Viet Nam, to the presidency of the Security Council. It is always a pleasurable duty for me to reiterate the profound gratitude of the President of the Transition, the people and the Government of Mali to the Security Council, Secretary-General António Guterres, troop-contributing countries to the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) and all Mali’s partners for their immeasurable efforts towards peace and stability in Mali and the Sahel. The delegation of Mali takes note of the report of the Secretary-General (S/2021/299) and thanks Mr. Jean-Pierre Lacroix, Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations, for his briefing.”
2021-04-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/336 (2021) · source
“I also commend the outstanding work undertaken by the women and men of MINUSMA on the ground since July 2013, under the able leadership of Special Representative Annadif, in what I know are extremely difficult conditions, far from their families and their countries. I reiterate the gratitude of the transition authorities and the Malian people to the French forces of Operation Barkhane, the troop-contributing countries of MINUSMA and all partners, both multilateral and bilateral, for their constant support with a view to achieving a lasting and definitive settlement of the Malian crisis. I would like to end by paying a particularly heartfelt tribute to all the victims of the Malian crisis, civilian and military, foreign and Malian, who died in action in Mali.”
2021-01-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/47 (2021) · source
“Its success, first and foremost, depends upon the sacred union of Malian stakeholders to save our country, and I can assure the Security Council that the transition authorities are committed to laying the groundwork for the rebuilding of Mali. I must also say emphatically that the success of the sustainable stabilization process also depends upon the quality of international support as we emerge from the crisis. I would like to take this opportunity to express the sincere thanks of the transition authorities and the people of Mali to all our partners for the tireless efforts they are making on a daily basis to support Mali as it emerges from the crisis.”
2021-01-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/47 (2021) · source
“The particularly deadly attack on two villages in the Niger on 2 January near the border with Mali and Burkina Faso has just reminded us that we were right to set up the Group of Five for the Sahel (G-5 Sahel) and its Joint Force. We believe that the G-5 Sahel, through its two pillars of security and development, is a comprehensive, appropriate and sustainable response to the multiple challenges of our common area. We therefore call on our partners once again to continue to support the joint actions of the five countries. In conclusion, I would like to underscore that Mali’s sustainable stabilization process is at a critical point.”
2021-01-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/47 (2021) · source
“Examples of that are the opening of investigations into the cases of the attacks committed against the village of Gouari and others in the Bankass Cercle in July 2020, which resulted in the deaths of civilians and military personnel, and the opening of the hearings of the Mopti Court of Assizes. In addition, the first hearings of the military court of Mopti region, which has jurisdiction over the northern regions, were held and resulted in the conviction of eight Malian soldiers. That means that in Mali the fight against terrorism cannot justify the perpetration of acts of serious human rights violations and war crimes, including within the defence and security forces. The regional dimension of instability remains a source of great concern for Mali and other countries of the Sahel.”
2021-01-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/47 (2021) · source
“That is why, in addition to a military solution, it is working to find political answers, with the involvement of the traditional leaders, with a view to establishing a framework for exchange and dialogue among the different communities and strengthening the security mechanism to protect the populations and their property. In that regard, I would like to thank MINUSMA for its support to the Permanent Secretariat of the Cadre politique de gestion de la crise au centre du Mali, including support for the strengthening of the awareness-raising campaign, in order to promote widespread support among women, youth and vulnerable people for the process. With regard to the human rights situation, I would like to stress that the Government remains committed to respecting and ensuring respect for human rights and to fighting impunity.”
2021-01-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/47 (2021) · source
“Despite a complex national and regional context and the many challenges still facing our peace process, the Government remains aware of the need to continue and intensify efforts to accelerate the implementation of the Agreement so as to enable the people of Mali as a whole to fully enjoy the peace dividend. The situation in the central regions of Mali still remains a source of major concern for the Government. In addition to spreading terror daily in our common space, those forces of evil exploit and pit our populations against each other. Those associations, created and maintained by these criminal groups, continue to fuel intercommunal violence, which has deeply afflicted our country and those of the Sahel region. The Government is aware of the complexity of the situation in central Mali.”
2021-01-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/47 (2021) · source
“Moreover, I would like to point out that the Truth, Justice and Reconciliation Commission, after having collected more than 19,000 victims’ testimonies, held its second public hearing on 5 December, during which 12 survivors of atrocities testified before it. For its part, the Malian judiciary held a session of the Court of Assizes from September to December 2020, during which the Court in particular handed down several convictions in cases of terrorism and other crimes. I am pleased that the Secretary-General mentions some of that progress in his current report.”
2021-01-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/47 (2021) · source
“In February 2021, the Government will organize a round table with the participation of partners for the financing of the specific development strategy for the northern regions of Mali. From the funds available, the Government intends to launch in February 2021 at least one structural project per region in the Development Zone. Finally, in terms of reconciliation, justice and humanitarian issues, the Government aims, first, to expedite the adoption of the law on the role of the qadis and traditional authorities in administering justice by April 2021; secondly. expedite the adoption of the national reparation policy, proposed by the Truth, Justice and Reconciliation Commission, in the first quarter of 2021; and, thirdly, adopt the implementing decree for the National Accord Act by March 2021.”
2021-01-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/47 (2021) · source
“In that regard, the goal of integrating 1,687 ex-combatants into the Malian Defence and Security Forces under the second phase of accelerated DDR by the end of 2020 has been achieved, with the integration of 1,313 ex-combatants from the signatory movements and the registration of the remaining 451. With regard to economic and social development issues, in January 2020 the Government set up a development zone for the northern regions of Mali, the Northern Development Zone, particularly its secretariat through the appointment of the President and Vice-President of the interregional advisory council of the Development Zone and the conditions for the appointment of the Permanent Secretary.”
2021-01-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/47 (2021) · source
“With regard to defence and security issues, the Malian parties have agreed, in the new road map, to hold a meeting at the decision-making level in January 2021 to achieve a common understanding of the concept of the reconstituted Malian Defence and Security Forces, as well as the modalities for its implementation. That meeting will aim to settle definitively the issue of civilian and military quotas, the chain of command and the unfit and former combatants of the Malian Defence and Security Forces. However, the overall DDR and integration process is still ongoing.”
2021-01-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/47 (2021) · source
“Following that important meeting, the inter-Malian consultations continued, leading to the signing, on 18 December 2020, of the revised road map of priority actions for the implementation of the Agreement. With regard to the political and institutional issues, the revised road map sets June 2021 as the deadline for the constitutional review process, in line with the provisions of the Agreement and with the participation of the signatory movements. Similarly, the review of texts, such as the code of territorial authorities and the law on free administration, in line with the revised Constitution and the provisions of the Agreement, will take place in August 2022 at the latest. The texts relating to the territorial police and territorial reorganization will be finalized and adopted in February and March 2021, respectively.”
2021-01-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/47 (2021) · source
“As Council members know, the Agreement on Peace and Reconciliation in Mali and its diligent implementation remain one of the pillars of the transition’s road map. The resumption of the work of the Agreement Monitoring Committee, after several months of suspension in view of the country’s turbulent socio-political situation, therefore marked a major step in the relaunching of the peace process. The Prime Minister, His Excellency Mr. Moctar Ouane, chaired the opening ceremony of the forty-first session of the Agreement Monitoring Committee in Bamako on 16 November 2020. The Prime Minister took the opportunity to call for strengthening the disarmament, demobilization and reintegration (DDR) process, accelerating political and institutional reforms, supporting development actions and relaunching the national reconciliation process.”
2021-01-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/47 (2021) · source
“I also take note of the comments and strong expectations that the members of the Council just expressed with regard to the situation in Mali. I would now like to share with the Security Council the observations of the Government of Mali on the report of the Secretary-General. I begin by affirming that the period under review was marked by the completion of the establishment of the transitional organs, with the installation of the National Transition Council, composed of 121 members drawn from all the political forces of the Malian nation. I recall that the National Transition Council is the transitional legislative body. In that regard, it will play a leading role in the review and adoption of the political and institutional reforms necessary to rebuild the Malian State.”
2021-01-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/47 (2021) · source
“I would not want to conclude such expression of appreciation without reiterating the deep gratitude of the people and the Government of Mali to the Security Council, Secretary-General, António Guterres, the countries contributing troops to the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) and all friendly countries and partner organizations to Mali for their continuing invaluable efforts in support of peace, stability and reconciliation in Mali. The Government of Mali takes note of the report of the Secretary-General under consideration (S/2020/1281), and I thank Mr. Mahamat Saleh Annadif, Special Representative of the Secretary-General in Mali and Head of MINUSMA, for his briefing and updates on the most recent developments in Mali.”
2021-01-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/47 (2021) · source
“At the outset, I would like to congratulate you, Mr. President, on Tunisia’s outstanding presidency of the Security Council for the month of January and to assure you of Mali’s full cooperation. Allow me also to reiterate my warm congratulations and my best wishes for success to India, Ireland, Kenya, Mexico and Norway in fulfilling their mandates as new members of the Council. In the same vein, I would like to thank the delegations of Belgium, Germany, Indonesia, South Africa and the Dominican Republic for their immense contribution to the pursuit of international peace and security over the past two years.”
2021-01-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/47 (2021) · source
“In conclusion, I would like to reiterate the commitment of our leaders to continuing our regional cooperation to address our common challenges. Security and development, including through good governance, respect for human rights and the provision of basic social services to the population, remain our top priorities. We call for more financial support to the G-5 Sahel Joint Force. We continue to call for a robust mandate under Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter and for predictable and sustainable funding for the Joint Force, including through the United Nations. We hope that these observations will be taken into account in the Security Council’s deliberations on this issue.”
2020-11-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1126 (2020) · source
“With regard to the human rights situation, I would like to underscore the commitment of the Heads of State at the Nouakchott summit to conducting counter- terrorism operations with strict respect for human rights. Accordingly, the G-5 Sahel welcomes the exemplary cooperation with MINUSMA and the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights. We are concerned about the humanitarian situation in the Sahel region, which has been greatly exacerbated by the coronavirus disease pandemic. In this respect, we welcome the conclusions of the ministerial round table held in September and organized by the United Nations, the European Union, Germany and Denmark, which pledged $1.7 billion in humanitarian assistance for the central Sahel.”
2020-11-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1126 (2020) · source
“In this perspective, we are working together to improve the living conditions of our populations, particularly women and young people. But we need continued and increased support from our partners to achieve sustainable peace and development in our region. That is why we call on all our partners to accelerate their efforts and contributions to G-5 Sahel initiatives and projects. In this respect, I would like to commend the enormous contribution of the Sahel Alliance, in collaboration with the G-5 Sahel Executive Secretariat, as well as the United Nations Integrated Strategy for the Sahel, which needs to be revitalized and integrated into the overall approach of our partners in the region.”
2020-11-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1126 (2020) · source
“I am pleased to note here that in the report under consideration today, Secretary-General António Guterres underlined this point very well, in the following terms: “Security challenges in the Sahel remain deeply complex. Any initiative to stabilize the region will be successful only if the root causes of instability are addressed in a holistic, integrated and comprehensive manner. Underdevelopment, poverty, the lack of governance and lack of access to basic services and economic opportunities, exclusion and the effects of climate change must be addressed simultaneously” (S/2020/1074, para. 56). This is the sense of the priority that our Heads of State give to the implementation of the G-5 Sahel priority investment programme.”
2020-11-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1126 (2020) · source
“We therefore appreciate the continuation of the strategic partnership we have with France and its Barkhane force, the United Nations, the European Union and the African Union, as well as with individual States members of the Security Council, which is helping to ward off the extremist threat in the Sahel and thereby avoid its expansion to other countries in the region. In the G-5 Sahel, we also know that the security response alone is not a guarantee of lasting stability in our common space. The G-5 Sahel is also involved in structuring development projects for the benefit of our populations, especially women and young people.”
2020-11-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1126 (2020) · source
“Indeed, several dozen terrorists, including jihadist leaders, were neutralized, military and logistical equipment was seized and terrorist bases, particularly in the central deployment area of the Joint Force — the three-border zone of Mali, the Niger and Burkina Faso — were destroyed. Clearly, the G-5 Sahel Joint Force continues to play a crucial role in the regional response to the activities of extremist armed groups in the Sahel region, as well as other cross-border challenges, such as trafficking in persons, including migrants, and other trafficking of all kinds including goods, weapons and drugs. However, despite this encouraging progress, the security situation in the Sahel, as Council members know, remains of great concern, owing to the ongoing criminal activities by terrorist groups against a backdrop of intercommunal violence.”
2020-11-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1126 (2020) · source
“First, the States members of the Group of Five for the Sahel (G-5 Sahel) are encouraged by the positive momentum that the Pau and Nouakchott summits have generated, not only in terms of better coordination of military operations with our partners — the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) and the French-led Operation Barkhane — but also in terms of strengthening the operational capacities of the G-5 Sahel Joint Force. Thanks to this new dynamic, the Joint Force conducted several operations in the region during the period under review and the results are very encouraging.”
2020-11-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1126 (2020) · source
“Let me begin by conveying to members of the Security Council the regrets of the Chairman of our Group, Ambassador Sidi Mohamed Laghdaf of Mauritania. He would have liked to be with us this morning, but as I speak he is presenting his credentials to the Secretary-General. It is therefore my honour to address the Council on behalf of the Permanent Representatives of Burkina Faso, Mauritania, the Niger, Chad and my own country, Mali. First of all, I would like to thank the Security Council for organizing today’s important meeting on the situation in the Sahel. We also thank the Secretary-General for his report (S/2020/1074) and take due note of his comments. Allow me to make the following observations based on the report of the Secretary-General.”
2020-11-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1126 (2020) · source