YouSaid · the spoken record

Jean-Pierre Lacroix

lines on the record: 212
first: 2020-04-24
most recent: 2021-05-24
sittings or episodes: 15
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

“I thank the President of the Security Council for this opportunity to brief the Security Council on the measures being taken to address the enormous challenges posed by the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic to our peacekeeping operations and to the countries where they are deployed. I am pleased to join Under- Secretary-General DiCarlo and Under-Secretary-General Lowcock in briefing the Council today.”
2020-09-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/897 (2020) · source
“I also wish to pay tribute to MINUSCA personnel who lost their lives while serving the cause of peace in the Central African Republic.”
2020-06-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/572 (2020) · source
“Despite great strides in the implementation of the Political Agreement, it remains fragile, and the upcoming elections will be a major test for all of us. We must therefore redouble our collective efforts in support of peace and stability in the Central African Republic, including by making full use of our respective leverage. The continued active engagement and support of the Council is still needed, as it remains essential to mitigate the risk of a strategic reversal of the hard-won gains made since MINUSCA’s deployment. I would like to conclude by commending the leadership of the Special Representative, Mr. Mankeur Ndiaye, and express my admiration for the commitment and dedication demonstrated by the women and men serving with MINUSCA, who continue to advance the mandate provided by the Council in a very challenging context.”
2020-06-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/572 (2020) · source
“The Mission’s contingency plan includes an integrated framework to ensure a consistent and coordinated response across the United Nations system in the Central African Republic, taking into account the fluid nature of the situation. The Mission is also strictly complying with the Government’s response plan, while supporting national efforts to mitigate the risks of the pandemic. This includes information awareness, delivery of sanitary equipment and building the capacity of the State authorities and civil society. Ensuring the effective participation of women in the COVID-19 response efforts is crucial. I wish to conclude by underscoring the need for continued support to the Central African Republic at this sensitive and complex juncture. The pandemic is exacerbating existing vulnerabilities.”
2020-06-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/572 (2020) · source
“Furthermore, the partial closure of the borders with Cameroon and the Democratic Republic of the Congo has contributed to an increase in prices for imported goods, including basic food items. This situation could lead to negative socioeconomic impacts, affecting the most vulnerable population. Although the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic is impacting our operations, MINUSCA continues to ensure business continuity with a view to performing its mandate, while taking a series of mitigation measures to protect United Nations personnel and prevent the spread of the virus. For example, our uniformed personnel adapted their patrols and operations to ensure that civilians are protected.”
2020-06-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/572 (2020) · source
“Two weeks ago, we held a joint United Nations-AU-ECCAS-EU high-level video-conference with President Touadera to encourage and support efforts to advance the political process. We will continue to jointly engage with other stakeholders to advance peace and stability. The continued armed clashes and the coronavirus disease pandemic are further exacerbating the humanitarian situation and making the work of the humanitarian community in the Central African Republic more challenging. Some 2.6 million people in the Central African Republic are still in need of humanitarian assistance and protection. This is more than half of the population. I appeal to donors’ generosity to continue supporting the 2020 humanitarian response plan to help to address the critical humanitarian needs in the Central African Republic.”
2020-06-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/572 (2020) · source
“In order to preserve the viability of the Political Agreement, MINUSCA is working closely with the guarantors and other partners and engaging with the parties to encourage and facilitate dialogue, while maintaining a robust posture to protect civilians and mitigate threats posed by armed groups and militias. Our partnership with the African Union, the Economic Community of the Central African States, the European Union and other international partners remains crucial, particularly at this delicate juncture for the peace process and in the electoral context. We have adapted our strategic engagement, taking into account the new context of working during a global pandemic.”
2020-06-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/572 (2020) · source
“The adoption of political reform legislation as required by the Political Agreement, the meetings of the follow-up and monitoring mechanisms, the ad hoc high-level engagements between signatories and the deployment of the special mixed security units in the west are encouraging signs of progress. However, I am deeply concerned by continued violations of the agreement, mainly by some signatories. Our main concern at the moment is the tensions between the Government and the leader of Retour, réclamation et réhabilitation, who announced that his armed group would suspend participation in the follow-up and monitoring mechanisms of the Political Agreement and has adopted an aggressive response that does not align with his commitments.”
2020-06-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/572 (2020) · source
“While MINUSCA maintains its robust posture, it is also engaging with national and local stakeholders to facilitate dialogue, reconciliation and social cohesion and to advance the implementation of the Political Agreement for Peace and Reconciliation in the Central African Republic, in close coordination with the guarantors and other facilitators of the agreement. Implementation of the Political Agreement has become more challenging in the present context, although I welcome the significant progress that has been made, particularly by the Government.”
2020-06-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/572 (2020) · source
“These ongoing operations, as well as arrests, have helped to stabilize the situation. We will continue to combine our approach to the protection of civilians with support for the rule of law and the fight against impunity. In the north-west, the Retour, réclamation et réhabilitation armed group continues to expand and challenge State authority. While claiming the protection of its community against attacks by anti-balaka elements, the expansion of the Retour, réclamation et réhabilitation armed group contributed to the deterioration of the security situation in that region. In response, MINUSCA is conducting two military operations to protect civilians, combined with criminal investigations, in order to mitigate the threat posed by that armed group and to prevent its further expansion.”
2020-06-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/572 (2020) · source
“Some of the armed groups, including signatories of the Political Agreement for Peace and Reconciliation in the Central African Republic, have acknowledged the Secretary-General’s appeal for a global ceasefire, while, at the same time, using violence for expansionist aims. In the north-east, violent clashes between rival factions of the Front Populaire pour la Renaissance de la Centrafrique, which began in April, have exacerbated communal tensions in the region and led to mass population displacement. To protect civilians and mitigate serious criminal activities by armed groups and militias, MINUSCA reinforced its forces in the area and launched military operations in Ndélé and in the Sibut-Grimari-Kouango triangle, in the Ouaka and Kemo prefectures, in May.”
2020-06-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/572 (2020) · source
“However, the $41.8-million basket fund of the United Nations Development Programme still faces a funding gap of $10.5 million, which does not account for the costs of conducting elections in neighbouring countries to accommodate Central African citizens who are refugees. I would encourage partners to provide technical and financial support for the elections, as well as electoral observers, as they are essential for the further consolidation of democratic order in the Central African Republic. The security situation remains volatile due to continued threats posed primarily by armed groups and militias against civilians, humanitarian workers, State authority and peacekeepers.”
2020-06-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/572 (2020) · source
“MINUSCA continues to support the electoral preparations as mandated by the Council. However, the issue of the participation of refugees is still not resolved; securing their franchise is essential for the full inclusivity of the electoral process, and therefore for the credibility of the electoral outcomes. The Government has engaged in consultations with neighbouring countries to advance that process, with support from the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS). There is also progress regarding the funding for the elections, with the generous contributions of partners, including the European Union and the United States.”
2020-06-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/572 (2020) · source
“As part of these efforts, there were several joint engagements with the Government, the presidential majority, opposition parties and civil society organizations, which are helping to ease tensions among stakeholders. However, it is important that national actors increase their efforts to engage directly in an effort to find constructive and consensual solutions to these political and other issues and refrain from any destabilization activity. In that context, there is a need for the Council and the broad international community to be vigilant and remain engaged as we approach these crucial elections in December 2020. In that regard, important progress has been made with respect to the electoral preparations, including the launch today of the voter registration process.”
2020-06-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/572 (2020) · source
“However, as the report before the Council observes, political tensions were amplified by an attempt by a group of parliamentarians from the presidential majority to extend the tenures of the President and the National Assembly in the event that the elections cannot be held within constitutional timelines due to “unforeseen circumstances”. The proposal was rejected by the Constitutional Court on 5 June, which has helped to de-escalate political tensions. To encourage political dialogue and support an environment conducive to peaceful, free and inclusive elections, the Special Representative, Mr. Mankeur Ndiaye, continued to work closely with partners, including the group of five plus in Bangui.”
2020-06-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/572 (2020) · source
“I express my heartfelt condolences to the families of the killed and to the Government and people of the Central African Republic. I wish the wounded a prompt recovery. I encourage the national authorities to continue taking the necessary measures to apprehend and bring to justice the perpetrators of such inacceptable attacks. I also wish to reiterate my solidarity with the people and Government of the Central African Republic, whose challenges have been compounded by the pandemic that has affected us all. The political situation remains fragile, dominated by the preparations for the presidential and legislative elections scheduled for December 2020. Political parties are forming coalitions, increasing public statements, announcing candidacies for the presidential elections and challenging legal frameworks for the elections.”
2020-06-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/572 (2020) · source
“It is my pleasure to present the report of the Secretary-General on the situation in the Central African Republic (S/2020/545). I am glad to be joined by Ms. Sylvie Baipo Temon, Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Central African Republic; Commissioner Smaïl Chergui of the African Union (AU); and Mr. Koen Vervaeke of the European Union (EU). At the outset, I strongly condemn the ambush of a joint patrol of the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA) and the Armed Forces of the Central African Republic in Nana-Mambéré prefecture yesterday allegedly by the Retour, réclamation et réhabilitation armed group. This cowardly attack resulted in the death of two national soldiers and seven injured.”
2020-06-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/572 (2020) · source
“Let us together strive for a solution that is the most effective and practical and that makes it possible to bring about lasting change, to the benefit of the most disenfranchised.”
2020-06-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/515 (2020) · source
“Despite the difficult start to this year, there have been some positive developments that give us hope. I welcome the establishment of the Coalition for the Sahel following the summit in Pau in January, which provides a broader framework to coordinate security, development and governance initiatives in the region. It will remain important that we continue to lend our support to regional initiatives, including the Economic Community of West African States and the African Union. In conclusion, let me reiterate that we have a shared responsibility for the Sahel. We must each deliver our part of a promise to help provide much-needed relief and empowerment to the populations across the region who need it most.”
2020-06-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/515 (2020) · source
“We are seeing attempts by terrorist and other groups in the region to capitalize on the pandemic in order to undermine State authority and destabilize Governments. Attacks on national and international forces, as well as civilians, who continue to bear the brunt of the instability, continue unabated. Innocent lives are lost every day. Schools remain closed, and many are denied access to the most basic social services. Even in the best circumstances, it will take years to rebuild affected communities in the Sahel and sustained efforts to ensure that nobody is left behind. In the face of such loss and devastation, we cannot be passive. The international community can be successful in the fight against terrorism only if we stand united and follow a comprehensive, joint approach.”
2020-06-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/515 (2020) · source
“Strengthening the police component of the Joint Force would be an important step not only in improving the oversight of military operations, but also in sustaining efforts by linking them to State-building, support of the justice sector and prison reform and efforts under the human rights compliance framework. I welcome the launch of the Partnership for Stability and Security in the Sahel in that regard. I also urge the Joint Force and the G-5 Sahel member States to spare no effort for the full establishment and implementation of the different pillars of the human rights compliance framework. The past six months have been particularly challenging. The COVID-19 outbreak has added another layer of complexity to the already highly complex and challenging security situation in the Sahel.”
2020-06-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/515 (2020) · source
“As a result of the political commitment at the highest level of its contributing States, the G-5 Sahel Joint Force has laid the groundwork to integrate international human rights law and international humanitarian law obligations into the planning, conduct and review of military operations. However, efforts remain necessary to fully uphold this commitment. Preventing, mitigating and addressing violations during operations are crucial, and the United Nations remains committed to continuing its support to the G-5 Sahel in addressing challenges, in close coordination with other stakeholders.”
2020-06-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/515 (2020) · source
“I call on the international community and the other donors to come forward and support this important cause. The G-5 Sahel Joint Force is on the right track, but there is still a long way to go. Strengthening the Joint Force is only one strand in the comprehensive international approach required to tackle the root causes of instability in Mali and the Sahel region. Improving governance, eradicating poverty and protecting the human rights of all citizens, including the most disenfranchised, remain critical and more needs to be done to ensure that such efforts are given the same weight as military operations.”
2020-06-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/515 (2020) · source
“That would not only allow for predictable and sustainable support, it would also make it easier to pursue a long-term strategy to phase out the support and render the Joint Force autonomous. In addition, it would free up MINUSMA to dedicate itself completely to supporting the peace process and the stabilization of central Mali. Expecting MINUSMA to do more in addressing transportation gaps would require expanding the Mission’s mandate. Any authorization for MINUSMA to do more in support of the Joint Force would require additional resources and consistent and continuous fundraising. The generous financial support of the European Union has been critical to sustain the support MINUSMA has provided to the Joint Force so far, and I express my profound gratitude to the European Union in that regard.”
2020-06-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/515 (2020) · source
“The options include strengthening the G-5 Sahel Joint Force’s capacity to procure and provide life support for its contingents, as well to conduct medical evacuations outside of Mali; readjusting the current support model to allow other partners to contract their own freight-forwarding companies for the delivery of life support closer to the Joint Force’s areas of operations; authorizing MINUSMA to undertake the delivery of life support supplies beyond its area of operations; expanding MINUSMA engineering support. In line with the outcome of the assessment, I would like to iterate once again the Secretary-General’s call for a comprehensive support package, funded by assessed contributions.”
2020-06-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/515 (2020) · source
“It concluded that international support to the Joint Force remained crucial, but that the current support model was not suited to addressing the Joint Force’s transport and equipment shortages. In that regard, the assessment defined different options, ranging from a comprehensive support package to some more modest adjustments to the existing system. The comprehensive support package includes a dedicated, separate United Nations support office providing full logistical and operational support, funded by United Nations assessed contributions or at least supported through a dedicated trust fund. Those would be temporary arrangements to allow the G-5 Sahel Joint Force to build its own capacities. A second category of options aims at addressing immediate challenges in the short term.”
2020-06-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/515 (2020) · source
“However, and as outlined in the reports of the Secretary-General on the Joint Force (S/2020/373) and on Mali, the limitations of the current support model present significant obstacles. Transporting rations and fuel to Joint Force contingents remains the biggest challenge. MINUSMA has done its utmost to accommodate requests within the framework of its mandate and the technical arrangement. The Mission has added additional drop-off locations for life support consumables within Mali as close to the Joint Force’s areas of operation as possible. However, MINUSMA is operating at maximum capacity and cannot go further in its support to the Joint Force with the mandate and resources with which it has currently been bestowed. As requested by the Council, the Secretariat carried out an assessment.”
2020-06-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/515 (2020) · source
“Against that background, MINUSMA’s support to the Joint Force through the provision of water, rations and fuel, as mandated by the Security Council, has also been critical. In the past months, the consumption and disbursement rate of the support provided by the Mission — so generously funded by the European Union — has increased from 21 per cent to almost 50 per cent. I am pleased to note that, on 3 June, the European Union Ambassador to Mali and Special Representative Annadif handed to General Namata Gazama, Commander of the G-5 Sahel Joint Force, its new temporary headquarters. The support of MINUSMA and the European Union ensured a rapid completion of the temporary structures. The provision of life support consumables by the Mission has been proved particularly useful, and at times critical, to sustaining the Joint Force.”
2020-06-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/515 (2020) · source
“Since last year, there has been tangible and encouraging progress in the operationalization of the G-5 Sahel, notably through the reform of its permanent secretariat and the development of management and decision-making tools. At the operational level, progress has been made in strengthening the Joint Force, through force generation efforts, the revision of its strategic concept of operation and the operationalization of the Sahelian Threat Analysis and Early Warning Centre. In addition, the establishment of a joint command mechanism in Niamey has strengthened coordination with other international forces. All of those efforts have resulted in the Joint Force launching a major military operation, known as Sama, which is currently under way and progressing well.”
2020-06-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/515 (2020) · source
“The conclusions of the assessment are taken into account in the Secretary-General’s latest report on MINUSMA of 2 June 2020 (S/2020/476). Since the last meeting of the Security Council on the Sahel on January 15 (see S/PV.8703) and despite the current context of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, the fight against terrorism and the matter of development in the Sahel region continue to mobilize the international community at the regional, continental and international levels in order to stem the violence and create a conducive environment for peace and prosperity. Efforts to mobilize additional resources continue, while the African Union and regional organizations continue to provide political support to the G-5 Sahel’s fight against terrorism and poverty.”
2020-06-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/515 (2020) · source
“I thank you, Mr. President, for giving me the opportunity to address the Council in the presence of His Excellency the Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Mauritania, whose country currently holds the rotating presidency of the Group of Five for the Sahel (G-5 Sahel). My statement is aimed at taking stock of the support that the international community, and more particularly the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA), have provided over the past few months to operationalize the Joint Force of the G-5 Sahel. As members are aware, at the request of the Council the Secretariat has just carried out an assessment of MINUSMA’s support to the Joint Force.”
2020-06-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/515 (2020) · source
“We are also pursuing the implementation of the force adaptation plans S/2020/514 within MINUSMA and the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, as they are indispensable to our operational effectiveness and an integral part of A4P. I would like to thank the three Force Commanders attending this meeting for their service under the Blue Flag and, through them, all their colleagues, as well as the women and men who serve in our military components.”
2020-06-04 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/514 (2020) · source
“Each of these military components have taken appropriate measures and have adapted in their own way, taking into account the contexts in which they operate and the needs and priorities on the ground. However, they all have done that with the same commitment to preventing the spread of COVID-19 and to continuing to carry out their vital peace and security work, from supporting a political process to observing a ceasefire and from protecting civilians to supporting capacity-building and national authorities. In that spirit, the Action for Peacekeeping (A4P) initiative continues to guide us as the organizing framework for strengthening United Nations peacekeeping. In the light of the pandemic, we have reprioritized activities to ensure a focus on specific objectives on which we can, and should, deliver within the next few months.”
2020-06-04 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/514 (2020) · source
“Over the past few months, peacekeeping operations have shown their capacity to adapt to the new context imposed by this pandemic. Our response has been guided by four main objectives: first, protecting our personnel and their capacity to continue critical operations; secondly, containing and mitigating the spread of COVID-19; thirdly, supporting national authorities in their response; and, fourthly, protecting vulnerable communities, while delivering on mandate implementation. Council members will shortly hear about these different dimensions from the Force Commander of MINUSMA, Lieutenant General Dennis Gyllensporre; the Force Commander of the United Nations Mission in South Sudan, Lieutenant General Shailesh Tinaikar; and the Deputy Force Commander of the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force, Brigadier General Maureen O’Brien.”
2020-06-04 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/514 (2020) · source
“A few days ago, we marked the International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers and paid tribute to the women and men who serve in peace operations across the globe. Over the past few months, these peacekeepers — civilian, police and military — have all shown their dedication and commitment as they continue to carry out their mandates in the best way possible given the constraints imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic. We also honoured the memory of those who made the ultimate sacrifice while serving under the Blue Flag. On that day, we were saddened by the passing, for the first time, of two of our colleagues from the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) due to COVID-19. Now more than ever, we pay tribute to, and express our gratitude for, their sacrifice in the service of peace.”
2020-06-04 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/514 (2020) · source
“I am pleased to open this Security Council meeting on peacekeeping, with the participation of some Heads of military components of peacekeeping operations. I will be brief, as the purpose of this meeting is primarily to enable the Security Council to benefit from the experience and analysis of the Heads of military components regarding their efforts to implement the mandates entrusted to them. This briefing has become a yearly occasion, held in June, and even though the challenges related to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic have led us to postpone the traditional Heads of Military Components Conference, we welcome this continued opportunity for some of our Force Commanders to share their insights with the Security Council. As the world faces the challenges of COVID-19, so does peacekeeping.”
2020-06-04 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/514 (2020) · source
“While the months ahead will no doubt bring new and unprecedented challenges as we grapple with the COVID-19 pandemic, the UNISFA leadership will continue to engage with the Governments of the Sudan and South Sudan to facilitate the implementation of the pending aspects of their previous agreements and the UNISFA mandate. UNISFA will also continue to play a stabilizing role in the Abyei Area and along the border regions. I would therefore seek the continued support of the Security Council for the Secretary-General’s recommendation to extend the mandate of UNISFA for a further period of six months, until 15 October 2020.”
2020-04-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/351 (2020) · source
“At the local level, on a daily basis UNISFA conducts sensitization with a large section of interlocutors, including civil society, women’s associations, communities coming to the different marketplaces and dedicated meetings with Paramount Chiefs, judges and prosecutors, to encourage hand-washing and social distancing. As a result of the discussions in detention centres, the chief criminal court decided to release 13 detainees convicted of petty crimes to help decongest the cells and to comply with the World Health Organization guidelines on social distancing. Agencies are also in discussions with the local administration on requirements for screening sites in several locations of the Abyei Area.”
2020-04-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/351 (2020) · source
“Although no cases of COVID-19 have been recorded within UNISFA, the UNISFA COVID-19 task force medical teams are visiting all team sites and sectors to verify the state of preparedness in the mission. Engineering work has been completed to establish a 16-bed quarantine area for uniformed personnel. I welcome the Prime Minister’s assurance that he will soon put together a team to conduct the necessary consultations with the Ministry of Defence and Intelligence for the use of the Athony airstrip, which would significantly improve UNISFA’s medical evacuation capability and address its current logistical challenges.”
2020-04-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/351 (2020) · source
“Freedom of movement for aerial and ground monitoring missions was also fully guaranteed. The team site at Abu Qussa/Wunkur was then successfully established on 13 January. With respect to the current police generation process, the deployment of the three authorized formed police units (FPUs), expected to be on the ground by July, is facing serious delays due to the travel restrictions decided by the Government of the Sudan to prevent the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. The process for the deployment of the first identified FPU from Ethiopia was well advanced by early March, with the completion of the predeployment visit to the mission area. However, all further steps had to be suspended in view of the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak.”
2020-04-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/351 (2020) · source
“Our paramount concern is to sustain the positive dialogue restored between the two communities. Following the completion of the Kolom investigation report by the mission, I will be discussing with the Force Commander what other steps may be undertaken to prevent the repetition of such incidents in the future. In other developments, the Joint Border Verification and Monitoring Mechanism made some progress towards reaching the benchmarks specified by resolution 2497 (2019). Clear guidance for the operational activities of the JBVMM was provided in the outcome document of the ordinary session of the Joint Political and Security Mechanism, held in Juba on 19 February. Both parties have now fully deployed the complete number of national monitors, as per the agreement.”
2020-04-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/351 (2020) · source
“On 16 March, a traditional leaders’ conference, comprising both Ngok Dinka and Misseriya Paramount Chiefs, took place in Diffra, Sector North. The two sides acknowledged the need for peace and agreed not to escalate the situation. A follow- up meeting with the two Paramount Chiefs took place in Diffra on 9 April. While no agreement has yet been reached on the southern migration of Misseriya herders for the forthcoming dry season, these meetings managed to bring together the traditional leaders of the two sides for the first time since the Kolom attacks in January. They were also the first meetings in that format since November 2017, when the leaders met in Addis Ababa during an Abyei Joint Oversight Committee meeting. Although still insufficient to restore stability to the area, these are encouraging steps taken by the two communities.”
2020-04-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/351 (2020) · source
“In a separate incident on the same day, also in Sector Centre, a Misseriya armed group, with automatic assault rifles, engaged with UNISFA troops at the Alal post. With regard to the major escalation of violence between communities, in which, on 19 January, three Misseriya were killed at Nainai by attackers suspected to be Ngok Dinka and, on 22 January, 33 Ngok Dinka were killed by Misseriya armed elements at Kolom in what is believed to be a retaliatory attack, UNISFA established a joint investigative team to conduct a preliminary investigation into the incidents in the aftermath of the attacks. Tensions, which had rapidly escalated, are now slowly easing thanks to the preventive deployments and engagement of the mission with the local communities.”
2020-04-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/351 (2020) · source
“At the local level, the security situation in the Abyei Area remains volatile, with episodes of heightened tensions between the Ngok Dinka and the Misseriya communities, an increase in criminality and the presence of armed elements in UNISFA’s area of responsibility. UNISFA strove to contain insecurity and to keep the Abyei Area a weapons-free zone through rapid response and presence in sensitive areas. However, the movement of armed men reported by the local population on several occasions during the reporting period remained a source of concern. UNISFA troops have also been subject to attacks by armed elements. In the latest incident, on 24 April, in Sector Centre, UNISFA forces challenged an armed Misseriya herdsman in Nainai, who fired upon them.”
2020-04-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/351 (2020) · source
“Given that the African Union (AU) Commission and the AU High-level Implementation Panel are stretched dealing with other priorities, the enhancement of the United Nations support to the African Union through the appointment of a deputy head of mission for UNISFA has become more important while the Special Envoy works with the AU to seek ways to revitalize the political process. In that regard, in a positive development, on 4 March, UNISFA held consultations with Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok of the Sudan to resolve the issues of the Athony airstrip and the appointment of a deputy head of mission. The Prime Minister has expressed his willingness to support the mission in those areas.”
2020-04-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/351 (2020) · source
“I thank you, Mr. President, for this opportunity to brief the Security Council on the developments pertaining to the United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA), including its support to the Joint Border Verification and Monitoring Mechanism (JBVMM). I will also update the Council on recent developments since the publication of the Secretary-General’s report before the Council (S/2020/308). Despite the improving relations between the Sudan and South Sudan, it remains very unlikely that progress will be made in determining the final status of the Abyei Area in the short to medium term.”
2020-04-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/351 (2020) · source
“To that end, making sure that the potential mandates of a follow-on presence has the full support of the Sudanese authorities will be a critical element of the planning process. Their consent is a key aspect of the partnership we envisage with them for the future. Ensuring that all the objectives and mandates of the potential future mission are clearly defined and adequately resourced will also be another crucial aspect of the planning process, as only then would we be able to address the expectations of the Sudanese authorities and the people of the Sudan. Prime Minister Hamdok has asked the United Nations to support the Sudan in this transition and we are ready to do our part. I hope we can count on the Council’s support in this critical phase in the Sudan’s history.”
2020-04-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/336 (2020) · source
“Nicholas Haysom, Special Adviser to the Secretary- General on the Sudan, and I are working on the development of concepts and plans for a possible future United Nations presence in the Sudan, on the basis of our discussions with the Sudanese authorities and the guiding principles in the special report submitted on 12 March on the establishment of a follow-on presence with a Sudan-wide mandate. Under-Secretary-General DiCarlo will brief Council members on the planning process for a possible follow-on presence in the Sudan. Our objective is to achieve a smooth transition to a future United Nations mission that can help the Organization better support the Sudanese people.”
2020-04-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/336 (2020) · source
“Our focus with the follow-on presence in Darfur will be to preserve and consolidate the gains made over the years. In that regard, the new mission would build on the peacebuilding work that UNAMID and the United Nations country team have conducted in the framework of the State liaison functions and reinforce it. The advisory and support role they provide to local authorities and security services could also be reinforced by deploying additional police and military advisers in support of local security committees. The Sudan has entered a new phase of its history. In that regard, it is critical that we create a configuration that would enable us to respond to the needs of the Sudanese people. Ms. Rosemary DiCarlo, Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, Mr.”
2020-04-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/336 (2020) · source
“Indeed, the Mission’s drawdown should not signal that there are no more concerns related to the protection of civilians in Darfur. Conflict drivers persist and some of the largest camps for internally displaced persons remain extremely volatile. The risks of sexual or gender- based violence and of grave violations against children remain acute. It is critical that the departure of UNAMID be accompanied by alternative local and national protection efforts in order to build trust among local populations and internally displaced persons. In that regard, we encourage the Sudanese authorities to engage in such efforts immediately. UNAMID is ready to assist. It is also critical to make progress on the Darfur track of the peace process and that the population of Darfur see peace dividends.”
2020-04-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/336 (2020) · source