YouSaid · the spoken record

Jonathan Allen

lines on the record

336

first

2020-03-31

most recent

2021-05-26

sittings or episodes

49

sources

un-security-council

Every line below is reproduced as it was said and linked to the record it came from. Nothing here is summarised or generated. Directory · Search · Corrections

1. “In this context, we welcome the commitment of BINUH to supporting and facilitating democratic processes in 2021, working closely with key Haitian institutions. We echo the calls made in the Secretary-General’s report (S/2021/133) encouraging the national authorities to spare no effort in surmounting the logistical challenges to elections, particularly the registration of citizens. We share the Secretary-General’s concern about the deteriorating human rights situation, particularly the worrisome increase in kidnappings and gang-related violence. I echo the concerns of my colleagues over recent reports of kidnappings of citizens of the Dominican Republic. Any impunity for perpetrators of human rights abuses risks undermining the stability of the country and puts Haitian lives at risk.”

   2021-02-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/174 (2021) · source

2. “The United Kingdom welcomes the work of the United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH) and of Special Representative of the Secretary-General Meagher La Lime, not least her efforts to ensure a more integrated United Nations response to Haiti’s multifaceted challenges. At the same time, we remain deeply concerned by the political, social and humanitarian landscape and the entrenchment of the problems facing the Haitian population. The persistent political gridlock is deeply troubling. In what should be a year of democratic renewal for the Haitian people, we call upon all political actors to work together to find common ground in order to build the right conditions for the successful conduct of democratic processes.”

   2021-02-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/174 (2021) · source

3. “We will also emphasize the need to protect and promote human rights and the rule of law while countering terrorism, and we will prioritize prevention and whole-of- society approaches. I want to conclude by associating myself with the comments made by the representative of France in defence of the White Helmets. We are used to hearing these slurs in our Syria debates and have responded in those meetings. It is rather sad to hear it raised in a serious debate on counter-terrorism.”

   2021-02-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/140 (2021) · source

4. “But those who have fought for or supported Da’esh should face justice for their crimes in the most appropriate jurisdiction, often where those crimes were committed. Further afield, we are concerned about Da’esh’s presence worldwide, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa. Its online recruitment and incitement must also be tackled. The United Kingdom remains an active member of the Global Coalition against Daesh. We co-lead coalition efforts to tackle the propaganda threat. At the United Nations level, the United Kingdom will continue to advocate for increasing focus on preventing terrorists’ misuse of the Internet and aviation security, as well as emerging threats beyond Da’esh such as right-wing terrorism.”

   2021-02-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/140 (2021) · source

5. “I join others in condemning this morning’s attack on the 26 United Nations peacekeepers from Togo serving in the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali. We wish all those injured a swift and complete recovery. As the Secretary-General’s report (S/2021/98) underscores, Da’esh continues to pose a global threat. Despite territorial losses, the group remains able to inflict deadly harm in Syria and Iraq. We are concerned particularly by the camps for internally displaced persons highlighted in the report. The United Kingdom facilitates the return of unaccompanied or orphaned children on a case-by-case basis and subject to national security concerns.”

   2021-02-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/140 (2021) · source

6. “There are still many steps to go, but the direction in which Libyans wants to go is clear. We, the international community and the United Nations, must do all we can to support them on that path towards peace and security. We must live up to the promises that we made one year ago at the Berlin Conference and that we endorsed as a Council in resolution 2510 (2020).”

   2021-01-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/97 (2021) · source

7. “We remain deeply concerned by the economic situation in Libya and noted the Secretary-General’s sobering warning in his report that the “Libyan economy is at a precipice” (S/2021/62, para. 44). We welcome recent meetings by the Central Bank Board of Governors and the ongoing talks on budget unification. Those are important steps to building united, inclusive economic institutions that serve all of Libya’s people. But there is a long way to go, and delivering a unified budget needs a unified Government. This is urgent work, and we welcome UNSMIL’s commitment to driving it forward. Libyans have taken important steps over the past few weeks and months towards putting in place a new, unified transitional executive. They want to re-establish their sovereignty and to choose their own future through successful national elections.”

   2021-01-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/97 (2021) · source

8. “It is crucial that all actors, Libyan and international, take all the necessary measures to accelerate the implementation of the ceasefire, while prioritizing the opening of the coastal road between Abu Grein and Sirte and the immediate repatriation of all foreign fighters and mercenaries. We welcome the Secretary-General’s interim report on United Nations-led ceasefire monitoring (S/2020/1309) and support his proposal rapidly to deploy an advance team to Tripoli, reflecting a clear appetite from the Joint Military Commission. We look forward to hearing from the advance team on how UNSMIL’s mandate might be amended to further support the implementation of the 23 October ceasefire agreement.”

   2021-01-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/97 (2021) · source

9. “I would like to underline the importance of the Libyan Joint Military Commission’s work on the ceasefire and wider security issues. We support the Commission’s 24 January statement reaffirming its commitment to the ceasefire and again calling for the withdrawal of foreign fighters and mercenaries, noting with disappointment that the 23 January deadline passed without any sign of progress. Foreign military interference remains a blight on Libya and a brake on progress. Let us be clear: there is no place for foreign fighters and mercenaries in Libya, whether those working for the Russian Wagner Group, the thousands of fighters from Syria or any other external actor infringing Libyan sovereignty, failing to implement the 23 October ceasefire agreement and breaching the United Nations arms embargo.”

   2021-01-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/97 (2021) · source

10. “The United Kingdom welcomes the progress made by the Libyan Political Dialogue Forum in recent weeks, with the agreement on a selection mechanism for a new interim executive authority being of particular importance. We urge the Libyan Political Dialogue Forum and all Libyans to make the most of this opportunity to appoint a new unified, inclusive Government. I think we all recognize how crucial this period is, and that we must give our full support to UNSMIL, making sure that everything we do clearly contributes to Ms. Williams’, and then to Mr. Kubiš’, efforts to help Libyans work together towards a new Government and successful national elections on 24 December of this year. Ensuring that the High National Electoral Commission receives the correct support to facilitate those elections should be a priority for the interim executive.”

    2021-01-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/97 (2021) · source

11. “Let me start by yet again thanking Acting Special Representative of the Secretary-General Stephanie Williams for her leadership of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL). Stephanie, I want to thank her for your dedication to the Libyan people and to achieving peace. And, through her, I want to thank all of those working in UNSMIL. Let me also take this opportunity to welcome the appointment of Ján Kubiš as the Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for Libya, and Raisedon Zenenga as UNSMIL Coordinator. We are delighted that they will be bringing their formidable experience and expertise to bear at this critical time for Libya, building on Ms. Williams excellent work.”

    2021-01-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/97 (2021) · source

12. “As COVID-19 continues to leave its mark around the world, a lasting and comprehensive peace will be vital not just for the safety and security of Colombians but for Colombia’s own aim to build back better from this devastating pandemic. Colombia has been an example on the Council’s agenda, and I wish to remind the Foreign Minister that she can continue to count on the support of the United Kingdom.”

    2021-01-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/77 (2021) · source

13. “It is extremely encouraging that the National Commission on Security Guarantees continues to meet, but it is now time for serious action. We were encouraged by the positive developments outlined in the report of the Secretary-General (S/2020/1301) on reintegration, and in particular the Government’s commitment to accelerating the purchase of land for former combatants from the Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia-Ejército del Pueblo. Despite security challenges and the obstacles posed by COVID-19, the United Kingdom hopes these measures will continue to be prioritized as these thousands of Colombians seek to build a life away from conflict. All parties to the final peace agreement have shown what can be achieved through constructive dialogue and cooperation.”

    2021-01-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/77 (2021) · source

14. “In addition, those who endanger Colombia’s peace, both by arranging and carrying out those attacks, must be brought to justice as swiftly as possible to deter others. The Special Investigations Unit in the Office of the Attorney General is to be commended for its work and for the convictions it has secured so far, but greater cooperation from security forces and improved judicial capacity in the rural areas where this violence is concentrated will be essential for the success of many investigations. As we have highlighted before, Colombia needs a realistic long-term plan to dismantle these armed groups and criminal organizations and to bring State services, security and justice to all citizens; otherwise, a lasting peace will remain out of reach in the areas where this violence is concentrated.”

    2021-01-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/77 (2021) · source

15. “As both the “Pilgrimage for life and peace” and minga marches show, there is rising frustration across Colombia at the risk that this instability is posing to peace and security. The United Kingdom welcomes the Colombian Government’s willingness to engage with those airing these frustrations and hopes the commitments made will be implemented as soon as possible. Sufficient resources must be urgently allocated to guarantee that social leaders and former combatants receive the necessary protection when they request it, and to ensure that women, indigenous and lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex representatives community members in particular are not overlooked. A backlog of over 1,000 protection requests is a source of concern.”

    2021-01-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/77 (2021) · source

16. “As we have noted before, it is extremely pleasing that the three components of the transitional justice system have continued to make progress despite the challenges posed by the coronavirus disease (COVID-19). We encourage all parties to fulfil their responsibility to the victims of the conflict by acknowledging their role and ensuring as full a picture of the truth as possible, so as to pave the way for reconciliation and sustainable peace. In contrast, reconciliation will be much harder for those communities that continue to be affected by insecurity and whose social leaders, human rights defenders and former combatants continue to face serious threats and deadly violence from armed groups every day.”

    2021-01-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/77 (2021) · source

17. “I would also like to welcome Foreign Minister Blum de Barberi to the Council today and thank her and President Duque Márquez for the letter the Council received requesting that the mandate of the United Nations Verification Mission in Colombia be expanded to include verifying compliance with the sentences issued by the Special Jurisdiction for Peace. We welcome this request, and I know that Council members will give it due attention. I will say more about that during our consultations. The Special Jurisdiction’s first sentences later this year will mark an important milestone in Colombia’s reconciliation process and in securing justice for victims.”

    2021-01-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/77 (2021) · source

18. “I offer many thanks to the Special Representative for his briefing and for his summary of the key priorities for 2021. The United Kingdom very much supports those recommendations. As has been noted, we are approaching a milestone: the fifth anniversary this year of the peace agreement. I think that Colombia has a huge amount to be proud of and to celebrate in terms of what has been achieved up to now. However, we cannot lose sight of the significant challenges to peace that remain. Indeed, during our visit in 2019, the Security Council saw both the achievements and the challenges.”

    2021-01-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/77 (2021) · source

19. “I would like to take this opportunity to address a question to her: given the standing exemptions in place for the security forces of the Central African Republic, the procedures for requesting new exemptions when required, and the fact that, to my knowledge, no requests from her Government for exemptions on weaponry have been rejected, could she set out clearly whether — and if so, how — the arms embargo is preventing the Government or its security partners from acting?”

    2021-01-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/76 (2021) · source

20. “As others have highlighted, the arms embargo exists to prevent weapons from falling into the wrong hands and from fuelling armed-group violence. It is not intended to prevent the Government from obtaining the equipment necessary for defence and security sector reform; a number of standing exemptions exist for this very purpose. We believe it is important to maintain these measures, pending further progress on the key benchmarks set out by the Council in April 2019, in particular with regard to weapons management. I welcomed earlier the Foreign Minister of the Central African Republic, who I know is next on the speakers list.”

    2021-01-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/76 (2021) · source

21. “Following the Constitutional Court’s confirmation of the presidential election results, it is now incumbent upon all parties to respect the Court’s ruling. We urge all parties to exercise restraint and abstain from declarations that may destabilize the situation. It is imperative that all political actors, whether they support the Government or the opposition, engage in peaceful and constructive dialogue on the way forward for the country, with the support of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General and the guarantors of the 2019 Political Agreement. The needs of the Central African people, including the many thousands of persons displaced as a result of this latest wave of violence, must come first. In conclusion, I would like to address the issue of the arms embargo. We have taken note of the points raised today.”

    2021-01-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/76 (2021) · source

22. “The United Kingdom also wants to thank the women and men of the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA) for their perseverance in face of such adversity. We again express our deepest condolences to the families and the Governments of the seven peacekeepers whose lives have been lost since December. Any attack on United Nations peacekeepers sent by the Security Council to serve in communities that need them most — any such attack — is reprehensible. We call for those responsible to be brought to justice. Our support for the work of the Mission remains unwavering, and we stand ready to discuss strengthening the Mission so as to meet its operational needs.”

    2021-01-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/76 (2021) · source

23. “I thank Special Representative of the Secretary-General Ndiaye for his briefing today. I also want very much to welcome Foreign Minister Baipo Temon. I look forward to hearing her perspective and vision for how the country can be unified. Let me start by saying that the United Kingdom commends the people of the Central African Republic for their determination in exercising their right to vote in the elections on 27 December, despite the intimidation and violence they faced. We firmly condemn this increase in armed-group violence over recent weeks and stress the need to ensure the protection of civilians and humanitarian workers. We urge all parties to renew their commitment to the 2019 Political Agreement for Peace and Reconciliation in the Central African Republic and to the immediate cessation of violations of that agreement.”

    2021-01-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/76 (2021) · source

24. “Food and medicine are not subject to sanctions, and exemptions are in place for humanitarian aid and the COVID-19 response. As we have said so often, the path to the removal of sanctions is clear. Rather than interfering with aid, bombing schools and hospitals and detaining and torturing its people, the Syrian regime must heed the calls of its population, engage seriously with Special Envoy Pedersen and the United Nations-led political process and achieve a peaceful end to the conflict.”

    2021-01-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/75 (2021) · source

25. “The Syrian regime and its Russian backers blame “Western” sanctions for the failing economy in Syria. In reality, the regime has devastated its own economy through nepotism, corruption and by funding brutal violence against its people. It must bear responsibility for that. On 1 January, the United Kingdom’s autonomous Syria sanctions regime designated 353 individuals and entities responsible for repressing civilians in Syria. It is the United Kingdom’s most extensive sanctions regime. I want to be clear: United Kingdom sanctions target those individuals in the regime responsible for civilian suffering and prevent those who support and benefit from the regime from entering the United Kingdom, channelling money through United Kingdom banks and profiting from our economy.”

    2021-01-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/75 (2021) · source

26. “We hope the regime delegation will arrive in Geneva willing to engage in good faith in the talks. Without a new constitution, free and fair elections involving all Syrians, including members of the diaspora, cannot take place as envisaged in resolution 2254 (2015). Plans to hold elections according to the previous Constitution would contradict the political process by the Council. The United Kingdom will not recognize elections that are neither free nor fair. Free and fair elections should involve all Syrians, including members of the diaspora. If the Syrian regime wants refugees to return, they need to ensure that the conditions set out in paragraph 14 of resolution 2254 (2015) are met and that Syrian citizens will not be returning to the status quo that led to and sustained this conflict. Let me turn to the subject of sanctions.”

    2021-01-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/75 (2021) · source

27. “An improvement in the humanitarian situation is possible only with a reduction in violence. We remain deeply concerned by ongoing violations of agreed ceasefires, with routine violence in the north-west, including shelling and sporadic air strikes, an escalation in tensions in the north-east and a surge in attacks claimed by Da’esh. The political settlement envisaged in resolution 2254 (2015), which the Council adopted unanimously just over five years ago, remains the best means of resolving Syria’s multiple crises. It is vital that the parties engage constructively on the substantive issues of the Constitution during the fifth session of the Constitutional Committee this month. Progress to date has been too slow, but there is a sense that we are approaching a watershed moment.”

    2021-01-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/75 (2021) · source

28. “In order for the humanitarian response to keep up with growing needs, the volume and frequency of aid being delivered via Damascus to north-east Syria needs to increase, including to those areas outside of regime control. That means alleviating bureaucratic hurdles and ending arbitrary denials of access for aid workers, an abhorrent example noted by Under-Secretary-General Lowcock last month of the blocking of food aid to 220,000 people in Raqqa is simply unacceptable. We are also concerned about the recent water crisis in regime-controlled Syria. As with many serious problems, rampant corruption has played its role, with regime diesel supplies designated for the city’s water pump generators being sold illegally. The food, fuel and economic crises, all of the regime’s making, sadly continue.”

    2021-01-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/75 (2021) · source

29. “Efficient, effective cross-border and cross-line access, as we have heard from the United Nations and from non-governmental organizations for many months now, remains essential to meeting the needs of the Syrian people. Over the course of 2020, we saw the loss of three border crossings and a further increase in humanitarian needs by over 2 million people. Cross-line access alone is sadly not enough to sustain the humanitarian needs of 30 million people — that is, about three quarters of the population. Aid running through Bab Al-Hawa has never been more important, and the rationale for renewing the cross-border mandate in the summer has not diminished. Indeed, with the prospect of a vaccine, the delivery of which may well require complex storage and supply chains, it only grows stronger.”

    2021-01-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/75 (2021) · source

30. “The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic continues to compound the humanitarian situation, with confirmed cases having now surpassed 42,000. The true figure is undoubtedly much higher. All donors will need to work together to ensure the equitable distribution of COVID-19 vaccines across Syria, while ensuring that those in most acute need of a vaccine are prioritized. The United Kingdom is committed to working with the United Nations to lay the groundwork for the delivery of vaccines and longer-term pandemic preparedness. There are complex challenges to overcome, but the World Health Organization and other United Nations delivery agencies have the United Kingdom’s full support.”

    2021-01-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/75 (2021) · source

31. “Pedersen seeks action on the Constitutional Committee, that we need to take the proper time as a Council to consider these two issues and return to separate meetings, as has been our practice over many years. As the Syrian conflict approaches its eleventh year, the situation continues to deteriorate. Over 500,000 people have died during the conflict, the vast majority of them civilians. The conditions for the millions of civilians displaced by the conflict are dire. Since the beginning of the crisis, the United Kingdom has given over $4 billion in humanitarian aid in Syria and in surrounding countries. And I encourage others, especially those who support the Syrian regime and who say they are so worried about the impact of sanctions, do more themselves to support the Syrian people.”

    2021-01-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/75 (2021) · source

32. “Let me start by marking Ambassador Craft’s final meeting by simply saying how much I have appreciated her honesty, integrity, compassion and friendship during her time on the Security Council. I have no doubt that she is proud of that too. I also want to thank Special Envoy Geir Pedersen and Under-Secretary- General Mark Lowcock for their briefings. I listened carefully to the Russian Ambassador’s statement, as I always do, and I think he would be the very first to admit that it was a lengthy statement, longer than the five minutes that we, as Security Council members, recommend to each other in presidential note S/2017/507. I, in no way, wish to be impolite about this — is an issue we all have, not only he. And that tells me, as winter bites in Syria and as Mr.”

    2021-01-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/75 (2021) · source

33. “It is therefore vital to ensure that the United Nations Mission in South Sudan is able to carry out its mandate unhindered. Bureaucratic and physical impediments are a direct contravention of the Revitalized Agreement, the status of forces agreement and international peacekeeping norms. In conclusion, as we look to the end of South Sudan’s first decade as an independent nation, our hope remains that a partnership can be forged between the donor community, the United Nations and South Sudan’s Government and that 2021 will see a renewed effort to help end the humanitarian catastrophe in the country. The Government of South Sudan needs to see the donor community and the United Nations as partners helping them to resolve the crisis, and South Sudan’s leaders need to put their people first.”

    2020-12-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1237 (2020) · source

34. “Stability is vital and can be achieved only through a fully inclusive process. We welcome the recent recommitment by non-signatories to the Revitalized Agreement to the Agreement on Cessation of Hostilities between the Government of the Republic of South Sudan and the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement/Army (in Opposition), and we call on all parties to continue to engage constructively in the Rome process. Let me also reiterate our call to South Sudan’s leaders to ensure the full, equal and meaningful participation of women in that process. The fact that famine is likely to occur should be a wake-up call for us all. At this moment of renewed crisis, we call on all parties to redouble their efforts to realize lasting peace and stability.”

    2020-12-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1237 (2020) · source

35. “Efforts to impede the IPC process help no one, and although humanitarian aid is crucial, the bottom line is that the crisis can be resolved only if South Sudan’s leaders show the required political will. We must also recognize the human-made nature of this crisis. Successive cycles of violence have resulted in forced civilian displacement, abductions and notable increases in sexual and gender-based violence. We welcome the positive steps taken to build state-level institutions and we commend the commitment made last week to finalize state- and county-level appointments, which is significant. However, we need to ensure that those structures deliver tangible, positive impacts on people’s lives and that governors and state officials guarantee unfettered humanitarian access as an immediate priority.”

    2020-12-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1237 (2020) · source

36. “In October, we committed a further $10 million in assistance in addition to our humanitarian aid outlay, which has totalled $218 million in the past financial year. But international support and humanitarian aid alone cannot solve the situation. The ultimate responsibility lies with South Sudan’s Government. It is a great shame that the representative of South Sudan has once again not made a request under rule 37 to be with us in the Council today as we discuss the plight facing millions of his compatriots. We call on the Government of South Sudan to accept the gravity of the situation, to support the release of the full IPC analysis and to cooperate with and provide unfettered access to humanitarian partners.”

    2020-12-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1237 (2020) · source

37. “This year we have seen the declining food security picture affecting millions and catalysed by subnational violence, slow implementation of the Agreement and record flooding. As Mark Lowcock made clear, the latest Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) analysis, released on Friday, shows that there is likely to be a famine in western Pibor, and thousands more people living in famine-like conditions in five other counties. Resolution 2417 (2018) puts the onus on the Council to take action when we see a clear link between conflict and food insecurity, and that is unmistakably the case in South Sudan. The situation will only worsen if we do not act. Now is the time for us to step up and show leadership. The United Kingdom is one of the major humanitarian donors in South Sudan.”

    2020-12-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1237 (2020) · source

38. “Let me begin by thanking Ambassador Dang Dinh Quy for his update, as well as Special Representative Shearer and Under-Secretary-General Lowcock. Their briefings today provided a stark illustration of the dire and deteriorating humanitarian situation faced by millions of people in South Sudan, as well as the urgent need for the full implementation of the Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan. I note what David Shearer said about the fact that the violence is by no means as bad as it was previously — which is a mercy — but it is a sad and profound reality that more than two years after the conclusion of the Agreement and one year after the Council’s visit to Juba, millions of people in South Sudan have yet to see real peace dividends.”

    2020-12-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1237 (2020) · source

39. “United Nations missions, where and as mandated, can play an important role in helping to improve the coordination and delivery of SSR by working in partnership with country teams. The United Nations system should continue to prioritize earlier joint planning between missions and country teams to ensure greater coherence and sustainability of SSR activity so that, with funding from the donor community — including, where appropriate, the Peacebuilding Fund — delivery continues during and after a mission’s presence, without interruption.”

    2020-12-03 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1167 (2020) · source

40. “We would like to make clear that the United Kingdom will continue to interpret the content of this resolution as meaning that international security sector reform efforts should be delivered in full accordance with the principles of women’s empowerment and gender equality set out in resolution 1325 (2000) and all other relevant resolutions on women and peace and security. International security sector reform efforts should be delivered in accordance with the principles of inclusion set out in resolution 2282 (2016), on peacebuilding and sustaining peace. National ownership and leadership of security sector reforms should not preclude legitimate external monitoring of the implementation of those reforms.”

    2020-12-03 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1167 (2020) · source

41. “The compressed timeline, lack of rigour and inadequate time for proper negotiations are now, unfortunately, reflected in the product, which in places lacks clarity and does little to take forward the normative and operational framework of security sector reform. Secondly, we know from many years of seeing and supporting SSR around the world that, to be successful and sustainable, it must be inclusive and participatory. International support must also be coherent and support inclusion and accountability. It is unfortunate that the current text does not sufficiently reflect this.”

    2020-12-03 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1167 (2020) · source

42. “The United Kingdom believes firmly in the importance of national and international engagement on security sector reform (SSR), as reflected in our national statement during the Security Council open debate of 3 December. We welcome the intent of the penholder to update resolution 2151 (2014) to reflect progress in the development of normative and operational frameworks on SSR, which now includes emphasis on wider efforts to reinforce the rule of law to support sustaining peace. While we are sufficiently content to vote in favour of resolution 2553 (2020), due to the importance of its subject matter, we wish to highlight the following concerns that have led us to qualify our support. First, the process of penholding ahead of this resolution’s tabling fell far short of the expectations and standards of Council practice.”

    2020-12-03 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1167 (2020) · source

43. “Meanwhile, the United Nations Peacebuilding Fund — to which, I might add, the United Kingdom also remains a key donor — has worked hard to carve out an impressive portfolio of work on security sector reform directly related to building and sustaining peace in countries affected by conflict. The United Kingdom will continue to be a staunch advocate for security sector governance and reform and will work with the United Nations and other partners to enhance the impact of our collective support through maximizing our joint efforts.”

    2020-12-03 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1176 (2020) · source

44. “That is why the United Kingdom supports the Organization’s global efforts in this field, including the United Nations Global Focal Point for Rule of Law arrangement — the principal mechanism of the United Nations for system-wide assistance on the rule of law, including security sector reform. This mechanism, funded through the United Nations Development Programme’s Global Programme on Strengthening the Rule of Law and Human Rights for Sustaining Peace and Fostering Development, has enabled the United Nations to deliver critical results in support of national security sector reform efforts through effective joint approaches between United Nations peace operations and United Nations country teams in countries from Somalia to Libya to the Central African Republic.”

    2020-12-03 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1176 (2020) · source

45. “It should be approached as part of a broader set of institutional safeguards — including law reform processes, work to strengthen accountability, judicial independence and access to justice. Those are the building blocks of societies in which the rule of law provides protections for people and peace can take root. But they also provide the enabling environment for sustainable development and investment. The General Assembly recognized that in its articulation of Sustainable Development Goal 16, which is fundamentally about peace, justice and accountable institutions. The Organization’s work on security sector reform is a key part of international efforts to support countries to strengthen the rule of law at the national level.”

    2020-12-03 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1176 (2020) · source

46. “That is what makes security sector reform relevant not just in post-conflict reconstruction but also in conflict prevention, because trust between citizens and the State is premised on the existence of institutions that serve and protect the needs of those citizens. If that trust is undermined, instability is rarely far behind. Police are often the first point of contact between a State and its citizens; but when corruption and abuse are allowed to flourish, that social contract begins to erode. All too often, we have seen examples of security sector institutions harnessed as instruments of repression. Sadly, the world knows well the direction that leads. Security sector reform is therefore of great importance for peacebuilding and sustaining peace.”

    2020-12-03 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1176 (2020) · source

47. “The United Kingdom very much welcomes this open debate. Security sector reform is not just a process focused on building military and police institutions; it is an important part of a broader peacebuilding enterprise and supports States in their own constitutional and political development. The United Kingdom has invested extensively in security sector governance and reform at home and overseas. We do so because, as we see it, a democratic, accountable and well-functioning security sector is an integral element in a broader system of Government that provides protections for all citizens based on the fundamental principles of universal human rights and respect for the rule of law.”

    2020-12-03 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1176 (2020) · source

48. “Now is the time for us, the members of the international community, to live up to our obligations and play our role in helping them get there. And for some, it is time to get out of Libya.”

    2020-11-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1129 (2020) · source

49. “We are also concerned about the reports of increasing numbers of deaths of migrants at sea and the conditions in detention centres. We are committed to accountability, and we call on the authorities throughout Libya to give their full cooperation to the Independent Fact-Finding Mission on Libya. The recent ceasefire and the progress made on the political track, both brokered by the United Nations, are truly significant. The Libyan parties have demonstrated a readiness to compromise and move forward. I do not want to underestimate the challenges they face, but my message is clear. The Libyans have shown us the direction in which they want to proceed: a political road map, elections and a permanent nationwide end to the conflict that has blighted their lives. They want an end to foreign interference.”

    2020-11-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1129 (2020) · source

50. “We welcome the discussions on new security arrangements at oil installations. It is clear that those arrangements must remain firmly in Libyan hands. The United Kingdom is concerned about the continuing deterioration of the human rights situation in Libya this year, alongside the worsening outbreak of the coronavirus disease pandemic.S/2020/1129 We strongly condemn the shocking killing of the lawyer Hanan Al-Barassi in Benghazi on 10 November, a sombre reminder of the need to protect the freedom of expression and the rights of women. We call for that killing and the disappearance in July 2019 of parliamentarian Seham Sergiwa to be investigated properly, expeditiously and transparently. It seems that not a week goes by without the discovery of a new mass grave site in Tarhunah.”

    2020-11-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1129 (2020) · source