YouSaid · the spoken record

James Roscoe

lines on the record: 197
first: 2020-04-07
most recent: 2021-04-30
sittings or episodes: 29
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

“Returning to the global coronavirus pandemic, the United Kingdom is clear- eyed about the challenges faced by vulnerable countries across West Africa and the Sahel and is working hard to support those most in need. We are committed to a global response. Last month, the United Kingdom hosted the Global Vaccine Summit, raising $8.8 billion to support the immunization of 300 million children. We have announced a total of almost $1 billion for the COVID-19 response, including $20 million for the African Union’s response fund.”
2020-07-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/706 (2020) · source
“With presidential elections fast approaching in a number of countries, it has never been more important to prioritize prevention and preserve stability. The United Kingdom is particularly alarmed by violence in Guinea in recent months and by the prospect of seeing more as we approach those elections. Preventing backsliding on governance, accountability, access to justice and human rights is critical to ensure environments conducive to free, fair, timely and credible elections. So it is our sincere hope that, as Mr. Chambas said, 2020 will be defined by democratic consolidation and credible, inclusive and peaceful elections and that where those who are required by those elections to leave power ensure a smooth transition of power.”
2020-07-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/706 (2020) · source
“We call on all parties to respect human rights law and international humanitarian law. In that respect, we should be mindful of the tragic consequences of violations, both on a human level and as a driver of further violence. We call on all the Governments of the Group of Five for the Sahel to undertake fair and transparent investigations into alleged violations by State security forces and to hold those responsible to account. The rise in extremist and terrorist violence in the Lake Chad basin, including the recent targeting of a United Nations humanitarian facility, is also deeply troubling. Such attacks threaten to increase displacement and the number of people in camps for internally displaced persons further still.”
2020-07-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/706 (2020) · source
“The United Kingdom is deeply troubled by the deteriorating humanitarian situation outlined by Special Representative of the Secretary-General Chambas. With more than 15 million people in need of humanitarian assistance and more than 3 million displaced in the Sahel alone, it is critical that our response be able to reach those most in need. In this context, we urge all parties to ensure unhindered humanitarian access and movement in order to allow the delivery of essential goods and services. Without this, food insecurity and protection needs will continue to rise. That is particularly the case for women and girls, who are facing increased exposure to gender-based violence and other human rights abuses. The United Kingdom shares others’ concerns about the deteriorating security situation, particularly in Mali and Burkina Faso.”
2020-07-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/706 (2020) · source
“Those are issues that the United Kingdom cares about as the forthcoming host of the twenty-sixth Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the “rebuilding better” strand of our financing for development work. We know that the confluence of negative factors in the Sahel presents a unique and complex challenge: chronic underdevelopment, extreme poverty, marginalization, insecurity, governance vacuums easily filled by malevolent actors, and competition over resources exacerbated — again, as Ms. Ibrahim said — by climate change. The COVID-19 pandemic risks exacerbating those issues, but it did not create them, and it remains critical that we sustain efforts to address the underlying drivers of poverty and instability in the region.”
2020-07-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/706 (2020) · source
“We are grateful, as ever, to Mr. Chambas for his report on the situation and for the activity of the United Nations Office for West Africa and the Sahel during the first six months of its new three-year mandate. It is clear from Mr. Chambas’ briefing that coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has added a further layer of complexity to an already difficult situation, and the United Kingdom appreciates that he is having to adjust in the face of this new dynamic. I am also very grateful to Ms. Ibrahim for transposing the analysis we read in the reports into a real human story. She brought into stark relief the challenges of climate change for societies in the region and the need for good governance, as well as development and security. There is also, as she put it, the need for a green deal.”
2020-07-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/706 (2020) · source
“The United Kingdom is confident that, working together, Egypt, Ethiopia and the Sudan have the strength and resolve to reach an accord to the benefit of all. In concluding, let me once again reaffirm the United Kingdom’s support for the Governments and the peoples of Egypt, Ethiopia and the Sudan in their endeavours to reach a mutually fair and equitable agreement. I hope that they have all heard the message of Council members today that all three sides refrain from actions that would undermine negotiations and that they engage constructively and urgently, in a spirit of compromise, to conclude negotiations and reach an agreement.”
2020-06-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/636 (2020) · source
“We also thank the Chairperson of the African Union (AU), President Ramaphosa, and the Chairperson of the AU Commission for their actions last Friday and over the weekend to support that effort, with a further round of talks to resolve those issues that remain outstanding. I am grateful to Ambassador Matjila for South Africa’s update on those talks and on next steps. We are encouraged by the engagement and commitment shown. We recognize, however, that reaching agreement requires compromise by all parties. It is important that all parties keep sight of those key principles agreed as part of the Agreement on Declaration of Principles. It is in that spirit that talks should continue and conclude.”
2020-06-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/636 (2020) · source
“We are pleased that many of the key elements needed to reach such consensus are captured in the Agreement on Declaration of Principles, reached by the parties on 23 March 2015, in particular the principles of not causing significant harm and of equitable and reasonable utilization. Since the Agreement on Declaration of Principles, the three parties have continued talks, including with the support of mediation by the United States, to reach a more detailed trilateral agreement on the filling and operation of the dam. The progress and commitment have shown the spirit of cooperation across the Nile. We would like to take this opportunity to thank the Sudan for Prime Minister Hamdok’s current role in brokering talks, even though it is a party to the discussions.”
2020-06-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/636 (2020) · source
“Let me begin by thanking Under-Secretary-General DiCarlo for her briefing and all three parties — Egypt, Ethiopia and the Sudan — for joining the meeting today. The United Kingdom is a friend to all three nations, with partnerships that support each to prosper. We recognize the rights of all three countries to utilize Nile waters and believe that, done right, the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam has, as Ms DiCarlo set out, real potential to be a positive development for the region. The United Kingdom places strong emphasis on consensus between parties on developments that impact a shared natural resource.”
2020-06-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/636 (2020) · source
“In concluding, let me underline what the United Kingdom believes to be the top priorities for MONUSCO in the coming months, namely, to continue to support the Government and the people of the Democratic Republic of the Congo in the context of COVID-19; to implement the Santos Cruz report recommendations; to work on the reform of the Force Intervention Brigade; and the joint development by the Government and MONUSCO of the Mission’s exit strategy. We will be monitoring those issues closely and hope to see progress ahead of MONUSCO’s mandate renewal later this year.”
2020-06-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/598 (2020) · source
“In the spirit of cooperation, we call on the Government and MONUSCO to resume, as soon as possible, the vital initiatives that have been paused due to COVID-19. In particular, we call for the resumption of the Government’s engagement with MONUSCO on security sector reform. We also call for the prompt resumption of discussions between the Government and MONUSCO on the Mission’s exit strategy, as well as the development of clear benchmarks for the transition of the United Nations presence in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.”
2020-06-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/598 (2020) · source
“Delivering protection of civilians on the ground remains challenging, and we are alarmed by the number of civilian deaths during this reporting period. We urge MONUSCO and its troop- contributing countries to pursue the reforms set out in the report Improving security of United Nations peacekeepers by retired Lieutenant General Santos Cruz and to promptly implement the necessary improvements to its Force Intervention Brigade. We welcome the continuation of closer working and coordination between the Forces armées de la République démocratique du Congo and MONUSCO to address the security challenges in the region. We encourage them to continue to deepen their cooperation in order to improve civilian protection.”
2020-06-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/598 (2020) · source
“It is critical to the stability of the Great Lakes region — in particular, the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo — that the momentum is not lost and that States resolve their differences through diplomatic efforts. In this regard, we are concerned by the increasing tension at the Democratic Republic of the Congo-Zambia border and urge a resolution to be found through diplomatic channels. We must not lose sight of the vital work that is still needed to put an end to instability in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. In the difficult circumstances posed by COVID-19, we commend the continuation of MONUSCO’s operations, and the UK welcomes the progress made to review and tailor protection of civilian strategies to each province where MONUSCO is present.”
2020-06-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/598 (2020) · source
“We are disappointed that no armed groups in the Democratic Republic of the Congo have responded to the Secretary-General’s call for a global ceasefire and therefore echo that call and urge all armed groups in the Democratic Republic of the Congo to lay down their weapons. In addition to tackling the threat armed groups pose to civilians in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, sustained efforts must be undertaken to cut the revenue streams that enable them to operate. We heard a bit about this again today. In that regard, we commend the work of organizations such as Save Act Mine and call for the strengthening of regional efforts to address illegal cross-border trade in national natural resources. There has been important progress at the regional level in the past year.”
2020-06-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/598 (2020) · source
“That will require a unified response from the political class of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, as well as support from the international community. The United Kingdom remains a committed development partner and friend to the Democratic Republic of the Congo and its people. In 2019, the United Kingdom was the second largest donor, providing more than $99 million in humanitarian appeals. COVID-19 poses a risk not only to health but also to the progress made on stability in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. We remain concerned about the overall security environment, in particular the deterioration in the security situation in Ituri, where 333 civilians were killed between March and May.”
2020-06-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/598 (2020) · source
“We welcome the response of the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak and commend MONUSCO for its support in responding to the pandemic. It is, however, concerning that COVID-19 preventative measures are hindering humanitarian access. Reallocation of resources and expertise is increasing the vulnerability to other health issues, such as Ebola and measles, of which the Democratic Republic of the Congo is currently dealing with the world’s largest outbreak. We recognize that the secondary efforts concerning COVID-19 will also hit the Democratic Republic of the Congo hard, requiring support to address the socioeconomic impacts of the pandemic.”
2020-06-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/598 (2020) · source
“I would like to thank Special Representative of the Secretary-General Zerrougui and our briefers today. At the outset, I would like to offer the United Kingdom’s condolences following the death of the Indonesian peacekeeper during the attack on the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) on 22 June. Our hearts go out to the families Ambassador Djani wrote to. Nothing can soften the blow or the anguish they feel, but the thoughts of the whole Council are with them. I agree with Ambassador Djani that we should redouble our efforts regarding the protection of our peacekeepers. We also reiterate our condemnation, as a Council, of the senseless attack and call on the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo to ensure that the perpetrators are held accountable.”
2020-06-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/598 (2020) · source
“In that regard, we would like to conclude with a call on the United Nations to continue to improve the collection of gender-disaggregated data on grave violations in order to strengthen its gender-sensitive response to child protection. We need to do better because, as Ms. Fore says, when we fail children, we fail the future. And so we owe it to Mariam, the children of Mali and children across the world to redouble our efforts.”
2020-06-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/594 (2020) · source
“We strongly support the Secretary-General’s call for other States to sign on to the Declaration to strengthen the protection of education from attack because, as Mariam reminded us, children have a right to their childhoods and to an education free from conflict. Mass school closures across the world as a result of COVID-19 have had the biggest impact on girls’ lives. Globally, girls were already more likely than boys never to receive any type of education, and their access is even lower in times of crisis and emergency. They are least likely to return to school following a crisis, facing increased risks of child marriage, teen-age pregnancy, gender-based violence, sexual exploitation and the loss of vital sexual and reproductive health services.”
2020-06-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/594 (2020) · source
“Access to safe, quality education for children affected by armed conflict has an important role in reintegration as well as in providing a route to a better future. Schools can often protect such highly vulnerable children. Education also contributes to a safer and more prosperous world, reduces conflict and increases stability. We are therefore concerned by the annual report’s findings that in 2019 State actors were responsible for more than half of all attacks on schools. In 2018, the United Kingdom endorsed the Safe Schools Declaration, committing to reduce the impact of conflict on education.”
2020-06-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/594 (2020) · source
“The strength of this tool, however, depends on a standardized approach to listing and delisting based on data collected by the monitoring and reporting mechanism and consistent application of the criteria set out in the Secretary-General’s 2010 annual report (S/2010/181). The United Kingdom calls on the United Nations to review its approach and work with Security Council members to reinforce our global commitment to supporting children in armed conflict. We will call on Council colleagues to make greater use of the Working Group’s tools and mechanisms to promote the protection of children and ensure that there is sufficient child-protection capacity in United Nations peace operations and political missions. The United Kingdom supports the emphasis on education at this open debate.”
2020-06-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/594 (2020) · source
“The parameters for this year’s report mean that the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is not covered. But, as we heard from Ms. Fore, its impacts will have a devastating effect on children in conflict. Ensuring that child-protection actors are able to continue to monitor, report and respond to grave violations during this pandemic is paramount. The United Kingdom reiterates its strong support for the Secretary-General’s call for a global ceasefire and urges Member States to collectively enable humanitarian access. The Secretary-General’s annual report and its annexes provide a valuable tool for strengthening compliance with international law, promoting accountability and influencing improvements in the behaviour of parties to conflict.”
2020-06-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/594 (2020) · source
“We call on parties to conflict to adopt and implement action plans to end and prevent grave violations against children and urge Governments to hold perpetrators to account. Since their establishment 15 years ago, the Working Group and the United Nations monitoring and reporting mechanism have achieved great successes, including by contributing to the release of more than 155,000 children associated with parties to conflict. However, 15 years later, it is clear that more work is needed to ensure that those mechanisms remain transparent and credible vehicles for accountability. The Secretary-General’s 2020 annual report on children and armed conflict (S/2020/525) makes for sombre reading. The vast numbers of violations committed against children is abhorrent and must serve as a rallying call to the international community. We must do more.”
2020-06-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/594 (2020) · source
“I wish to thank you, Mr. President, for hosting this year’s annual debate. Our thanks go also to Special Representative Gamba de Potgieter and Executive Director Fore. We also thank in particular Mariam for her very powerful briefing. The United Kingdom is committed to protecting children in conflict. We remain one of the largest donors to the Office of the Special Representative and support its efforts to carry out its mandate. As an active member of the Security Council Working Group on Children and Armed Conflict, we work to ensure that the Council provides pragmatic recommendations to parties to conflict, to address child-rights concerns and encourage systematic follow-up to its conclusions.”
2020-06-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/594 (2020) · source
“Let us all today recommit to ensuring that this year marks a turning point for the Central African Republic and leads to long-term stability and prosperity for the people, because they deserve it.”
2020-06-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/572 (2020) · source
“Secondly, as certain signatories withdraw participation, we must not be complacent about the risks to the Peace Agreement. We stand ready to impose appropriate measures, including sanctions, in line with article 35 of the Agreement, in response to violations. Thirdly, the United Kingdom reiterates the Secretary-General’s call for a ceasefire amid the COVID-19 pandemic in order to allow health and humanitarian needs to be met. We recognize that the secondary impacts of COVID-19 will require support to address the longer-term fallout from the pandemic. In conclusion, while challenges still remain in the Central African Republic, we should reflect on how far the country has come.”
2020-06-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/572 (2020) · source
“While condemning the repeated violations of the peace agreements by members of some signatory armed groups, we welcome the recent progress, including ongoing high-level engagement and the legislation adopted by the National Assembly. The Central African Republic is at a crossroads as it approaches the presidential and legislative elections later this year. As many here said today, those elections must be a turning point. In that regard, I want to underline three points. First, the elections must be held in a peaceful, free and transparent manner, and within constitutional deadlines. All Central Africans must have the chance to be heard. The United Kingdom is in the process of reviewing its financial support to the elections, and we hope to make a contribution shortly.”
2020-06-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/572 (2020) · source
“I want to start by thanking our briefers. We share much of their analysis. I join others in paying tribute to the peacekeepers in the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic, especially those who lost their lives. I also want to express our solidarity with the Government and the people of the Central African Republic as they face the twin threats of continued violence and the coronavirus disease (COVID-19). The 2019 Political Agreement for Peace and Reconciliation in the Central African Republic remains the only viable framework for sustained peace in the Central African Republic, and it must be protected.”
2020-06-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/572 (2020) · source
“We would reiterate once more that goods and medical supplies used for humanitarian purposes are not subject to European Union sanctions, which the United Kingdom continues to apply, and additional exemptions from sanctions are available for humanitarian activity in Syria. I would again note that the United Kingdom and our European partners are among the leading donors to humanitarian aid to Syria, including in regime-held areas.”
2020-06-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/551 (2020) · source
“We urge the regime to make a widespread release of political prisoners and vulnerable people and to ensure medical care is available for those still in detention. This is even more important given the threat posed by COVID-19. We are proud that the United Kingdom is able to support Noura’s work through the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom. Finally, we again today heard criticism of sanctions imposed against the Syrian regime. The way to achieve the removal of these sanctions is clear. Rather than interfering with aid, bombing schools and hospitals, and detaining and torturing its people, the regime must heed the call of its population and engage seriously with Special Envoy Pedersen and the United Nations-led political process to achieve a peaceful end to the conflict.”
2020-06-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/551 (2020) · source
“We note that, last week, Al-Assad sacked his Prime Minister and that, at the end of May, he appointed a new set of governors, undoubtedly to give the impression that he is doing something to address the problems facing Syria and his failure to deal with them. However, that is not what Syrians have been calling for. What they need and what they deserve is a better Syria and for the concerns and grievances that brought them into the streets in 2011 to be addressed. It is in this regard that we greatly commend the work of Noura Ghazi Safadi in promoting the rights of the families of the detained. Time and again in meetings of the Security Council, we have discussed the need for the regime to properly engage on the issue of detainees. Limited prisoner swaps are not enough.”
2020-06-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/551 (2020) · source
“While the crisis intensifies, the United Kingdom continues to support the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs and the World Health Organization in providing life-saving assistance to those who need it most. While the cross-border aid mechanism is a temporary measure to achieve this end, the Secretary-General has made clear in his report (S/2020/401) that there is not yet any alternative either in the north-west or the north-east. It is with that in mind that resolution 2504 (2020) must be renewed for a further 12 months and cross-border assistance into the north- east reauthorized.”
2020-06-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/551 (2020) · source
“The devastating effects of that policy on the Syrian people and the Syrian economy are increasingly clear and have been compounded, as Mr. Pederson informed us, by global factors. The collapsing economy in Syria is exacerbating the plight of civilians in all parts of the country. While COVID-19 and the problems of the Lebanese economy are clearly important contributing factors, the main cause for the state of the Syrian economy is the years of conflict, corruption and mismanagement by the Al-Assad regime. Unless the regime resolves to engage genuinely in political dialogue, focus on reform and address the legitimate concerns and aspirations of the Syrian people, there will be no sustainable solution.”
2020-06-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/551 (2020) · source
“We urge all parties to show restraint and redouble their efforts to work together and with the Secretary- General and his Special Envoy to find a political solution, particularly at a time when the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) poses a severe threat in a country already weakened by conflict. As we agreed unanimously in resolution 2254 (2015) and have reiterated many times since, the only sustainable solution to the crisis in Syria is through an inclusive and Syrian-led political process that meets the legitimate aspirations of the Syrian people. Yet, despite this unanimous agreement, the Syrian regime, aided and abetted by a permanent member of the Security Council, has ignored resolution 2254 (2015) and continued to subordinate the interests of the Syrian people to its pursuit of a military solution.”
2020-06-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/551 (2020) · source
“But in recent weeks we have seen fierce fighting between extremists and regime forces, and in recent days we have heard worrisome reports of renewed Russian air strikes, including those that took place on 8 June, causing civilian casualties and prompting others to flee. The United Kingdom fully supports the request of the United Nations Special Envoy and the Secretary-General for a lasting cessation of hostilities in the north- west and throughout Syria. The Security Council and the United Nations have repeatedly warned that a continued escalation in fighting would have catastrophic consequences for the 3 million Syrian civilians in the north-west.”
2020-06-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/551 (2020) · source
“I would like to begin by once again thanking the Special Envoy for his briefing, and Ms. Noura Ghazi Safadi both for joining us today and for her heartfelt yet clear- eyed appeals for justice. We felt the pain she expressed on behalf of so many Syrians. We remain deeply concerned at the security situation in north-west Syria, and we welcome the 5 March ceasefire agreed between Russia and Turkey that brought a vital period of relative calm to the north-west and allowed some of the 1 million people displaced during the regime’s and Russia’s offensive at the beginning of this year to start returning to their homes.”
2020-06-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/551 (2020) · source
“It is critical that all parties respect the neutrality and impartiality of humanitarian actors and facilitate unimpeded access to ensure that emergency assistance reaches those in need. In conclusion, the United Kingdom will continue to play its part, working with the United Nations, the G-5 Sahel States and all our partners across the region in pursuit of peace, stability, sustainable development and justice for the people of the Sahel.”
2020-06-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/515 (2020) · source
“The United Kingdom welcomes the progress made in implementing the human rights compliance framework for the G-5 Sahel Joint Force, but we would underscore that all reports of human rights violations and abuses — whether by violent extremist groups, “self-defence” militias or State security forces — need to be addressed. That is essential to prevent not only human suffering but also impunity, strengthen the social contract between citizens and the State, and avoid creating grievances that fuel further violence. We urge all G-5 Governments to ensure that any allegations of violations committed by their security forces are thoroughly and transparently investigated and that all perpetrators are brought to justice. The United Kingdom is also concerned by the increasing pressures on humanitarian access in the region.”
2020-06-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/515 (2020) · source
“The United Kingdom is proud to be supporting efforts to stabilize the Sahel through our deployment to MINUSMA later this year, through our non-combat assistance to Operation Barkhane and our ongoing contribution to the European Union training mission in Mali. We are also supporting the G-5 Sahel Joint Force itself with United Kingdom bilateral contributions so far totalling $3.4 million, in addition to our contributions through other organizations. We would welcome all partners who have committed to supporting the Force to deliver their pledges in full. I would like to reiterate that there can be no sustainable peace and security in the Sahel without the protection and promotion of human rights and compliance with international human humanitarian law.”
2020-06-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/515 (2020) · source
“But we recognize that the secondary impacts of COVID-19 will also hit these countries hard, and so we are also helping the Governments of the region to address the longer-term socioeconomic impacts of the pandemic. This is in addition to the $665 million that the United Kingdom is contributing to global efforts to develop vaccines, treatments and testing for COVID-19 and to the International Monetary Fund to support vulnerable economies. In this highly challenging context, we commend the efforts of the G-5 Sahel nations and their partners to address security concerns and tackle cross-border threats. We welcome the increased operational output and improved capabilities of the Joint Force and the positive trajectory of improving coordination with regional and international forces.”
2020-06-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/515 (2020) · source
“The United Kingdom strongly condemns all such attacks and calls for all parties to conflict to respect international humanitarian law and ensure the protection of civilians. Since the Council last discussed the situation in the Sahel (see S/PV.8670), the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has created new challenges to bringing about stability and development in the region. It will increase pressure on limited State resources and risks diverting international attention away from tackling the drivers of instability. In response, the United Kingdom is supporting Governments and our humanitarian implementation partners in the Sahel to manage escalating health and humanitarian needs.”
2020-06-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/515 (2020) · source
“I wish to thank Under-Secretary-General Lacroix and His Excellency the Foreign Minister of Mauritania for their briefings. I want to begin by paying tribute to the forces of the Group of Five for the Sahel (G-5 Sahel), to United Nations peacekeepers serving in the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA), to the international troops deployed in Operation Barkhane, and to all those working to bring peace and security to the people of the Sahel. Our thoughts are with the families of those who have paid the ultimate price in the service of this cause, and with the innocent civilians who continue to suffer the impact of the deteriorating security situation in the Sahel. Just last weekend three attacks by jihadist armed groups in northern and eastern Burkina Faso led to the loss of more than 50 lives.”
2020-06-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/515 (2020) · source
“We therefore call on the Maduro regime to treat these detainees and others in accordance with international human rights standards, including with respect to their access to family, and their rights to a fair trial and to choose their own defence. And we further call on the regime to allow unhindered humanitarian access, as called for by Mr. Lowcock, for all Venezuelans in need and to depoliticize humanitarian aid. This is a crucial time for the Venezuelan people, and the challenges they have already faced are being exacerbated by COVID-19. Finally, we call on the Maduro to constructively engage in dialogue as soon as possible so that the Venezuelan people can move forward in freedom and democracy. This is what they need and this is what they deserve.”
2020-05-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/435 (2020) · source
“The Maduro regime has also used the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) crisis to divert the international community’s attention, focusing, for example, on the thousands of Venezuelans who have returned to their country in recent weeks. As Under-Secretary-General DiCarlo told us, economic pressure on migrant communities grows. Rather than focusing on the 5 million who have left Venezuela, with more than 1.8 million of them alone given a welcome in Colombia, Maduro does everything in his power to draw attention away from the humanitarian crisis and the human rights violations he is perpetrating against his own people. The regime continues to repress the opposition, stifle media freedom and harass journalists and human rights defenders, and it is now failing to guarantee basic rights to those detained as part of this operation.”
2020-05-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/435 (2020) · source
“So far, we have seen the spirit of engagement on the side of interim President Juan Guaidó, who has engaged in several dialogue initiatives, but not from the side of the Maduro regime. That was seen recently when they rejected the United States’ democratic transition framework without considering its potential. Instead, in an attempt to divert attention from the humanitarian catastrophe the Maduro regime has brought upon its own people by drawing the world’s attention to a small group of mercenaries who, it seems, were far from being put in a position to inflict serious harm on Maduro or his regime. So it is this behaviour, rather than failed adventurism, that worries us and on which should be focused.”
2020-05-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/435 (2020) · source
“We welcome the United States Government’s announcement that it has begun investigations into the activities of Silvercorp, its owner Jordan Goudreau and the failed operation, and we welcome the Colombian authorities’ launch of investigations into the incident. The opposition to any form of military intervention in Venezuela is a principle with which the United Kingdom firmly agrees. But, as we have said many times on this subject, the only positive way forward for Venezuela is through a negotiated, democratic and peaceful solution stemming from free and fair presidential elections in accordance with international norms. Such negotiations must be approached with genuine will on both sides to constructively engage.”
2020-05-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/435 (2020) · source
“We hope this means that they will themselves be changing the approach they take in Libya and elsewhere, as the Council heard earlier this week (see S/2020/421). Indeed, we were glad to hear many Council members defend territorial integrity and sovereignty, and we hope to hear similar sentiments, especially those put so vehemently by the Russian delegation, when we discuss the illegal annexation of Crimea tomorrow. For our part, we have seen no evidence that the United States or Colombia were involved in that operation. To the contrary, both Governments have taken steps to address the involvement of individuals from their countries.”
2020-05-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/435 (2020) · source
“I join others in thanking Under-Secretary-General DiCarlo for her briefing. Today we have been convened to speak about what is essentially an independent operation by a rogue group of mercenaries in speedboats, not a threat to international peace and security. The United Kingdom rejects the ridiculous notion peddled by the Russian Federation that this incident was a United States and Colombia-supported attempt to assassinate Maduro and impose a substitute Government, as the Maduro regime has alleged in its letter to the Security Council. This discussion does, however, give the Council a useful precedent for scrutinizing such adventurism by others into sovereign territory in the future, and I, for one, welcome the Russian delegation’s condemnation of the violation of national sovereignty by mercenaries.”
2020-05-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/435 (2020) · source
“In conclusion, the Council’s working methods have perhaps never been under greater scrutiny. While we have made significant progress since March, our ambition should be for the Council to be a leader in innovation and agility. I look forward to continuing discussions on how we can rise to the challenge.”
2020-05-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/418 (2020) · source