YouSaid · the spoken record

Kamara

lines on the record: 303
first: 1999-10-22
most recent: 2019-08-02
sittings or episodes: 33
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

“We need funding, especially for disabled people, including children. All forms of disability need to be addressed, but special focus is required for people who have been disabled owing to the impacts of war. In Sierra Leone, there are many cases, including mine. I am a good example, in fact. In some places, I do not have the right to do the things that I want because of disability. I have been subject to discrimination. We need those things to stop. We cannot do it alone. Security Council members have the tools and the power to make those things stop, to make violence stop. I know that there are rules of war and the law of war. Who made those laws? The Council has to stand up and make those laws more effective.”
2019-08-02 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8591 (2019) · source
“We need the Security Council to stand up and do more. Yes, its members are doing something, but we need them to do more. As a UNICEF special representative, I believe in providing those people with the tools necessary for a better future through education. It is not just about reintegration, even if that is part of it. It is not just a question of releasing those kids from the war zone or from the bad people. They need life, they need futures - brighter futures. If we leave them outside on the street, what do we think we are creating? Clearly we are creating more conflict, because those kids are going to go right back to where they started. They do not have the proper training, tools or resources to go back to their communities and make positive changes for themselves. We therefore need education, training and counselling.”
2019-08-02 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8591 (2019) · source
“They write and publish their thoughts and views for their communities so as to raise awareness of what they have been through. During my trip to Sierra Leone with UNICEF, I also visited schools and camps in rural areas and spoke to them about forgiveness and the importance of hope and faith and of finding the strength to move forward. I have also been working for a while on my own project in Sierra Leone for women and children war amputees, providing counselling mainly for the girls, who have been traumatized and mentally affected and often feel forgotten. Some final thoughts: all of us here have the right to do what we want to do. When you have children and families, you wish the best for them. We also wish the best for our friends and colleagues around the world who are affected by senseless wars.”
2019-08-02 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8591 (2019) · source
“I do this by promoting their rights and raising awareness about their condition throughout the world, with the goal of ensuring that such atrocities will not be allowed to continue. Serving as a UNICEF Special Representative for Children and Armed Conflict is an honour for me. It gives me an opportunity and a platform to share my story and the stories of many, and to help educate the world about the impact of war on children throughout the world. I first participated in this work when UNICEF took me back to Sierra Leone for the first time to visit and to see the wonderful work it has been doing there to promote the rights and welfare of children in Sierra Leone. I visited a centre where children affected by armed conflict are given the opportunity to share their stories as they go through the healing process.”
2019-08-02 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8591 (2019) · source
“It was in Canada that I was able to go to school and get an education for the first time in my life. I studied in the Assaulted Women's and Children's Counsellor/ Advocate programme, in Toronto. Some years ago, I managed to transform my life story into a book called "The Bite of the Mango", with the help of my family, my friend Susan McClelland and Annick Press, the publisher. I have been working for the protection of children in armed conflict. A few years ago, I was named a UNICEF Special Representative for Children and Armed Conflict. That assignment gave me the opportunity to reach out to those who have never had the chance to share their stories; to raise awareness; and to advocate for children affected by armed conflict.”
2019-08-02 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8591 (2019) · source
“A few hours later I found myself in the middle of dead bodies, bleeding profusely, scared and very confused. I managed to make my way into the deep, dark forest, where I spent the night. The next morning, I met a man who helped to save my life. After all this savagery and brutality, I forged on, and with the help of strangers and my own strong will to survive, I made my way to the hospital in Freetown. After my treatment, I left the hospital and spent a lot of time - years begging for money, food and clothing while living in an amputee camp in Freetown. At the camp, I joined a theatre group along with many other young amputees that helped to raise awareness of our country's plight. Through the kindness of a family from Canada, I was able to come to Canada. Moving to Canada was the step I needed to pursue a change in my life.”
2019-08-02 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8591 (2019) · source
“I am honoured to make this statement before the Council and hope that it will inspire it to make a move in a positive direction. My name is Mariatu Kamara. I was born and raised in a small village in the West African country of Sierra Leone. In 1999, when I was 11 years old and living through the 11-year civil war in my country, my life was changed forever. We lived in a brutal and lawless land, and one day the rebels attacked my village, captured my three cousins and myself and held us hostage for a day. During that time, I witnessed acts of great brutality: killing, maiming and the burning of houses. Yet my life was spared. The rebels left me for dead in the dark of night, after they had used machetes to completely cut off both of my hands.”
2019-08-02 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8591 (2019) · source
“Following that bloody armed conflict, men, children and women were left with permanent trauma and stigmatization. Today these children are seen as enemies, unwanted or unaccepted by their communities and even their own family members. The possibility of a brighter future for them is limited by the lack of proper resources, including education, counselling, vocational training and psychological assistance, which would equip them with the tools necessary to give them hope for a promising future. Every once in while we come across the story of someone's life experiences, and we have to take a breath and reflect. This story is not the plot of a movie or a novel, the fruit of someone's imagination. This story is mine; it is about my life.”
2019-08-02 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8591 (2019) · source
“Ms. Kamara: I wish to convey my special thanks to the Permanent Mission of the Republic of Poland to the United Nations, the Government of Poland and the President of the Security Council for giving me this wonderful opportunity. I also thank the Secretary- General for his outstanding report on children and armed conflict (S/2019/509). When the Revolutionary United Front began its attacks on the Liberian border in 1991, one of the bloodiest civil wars in the past 30 years was initiated. Sierra Leone became a part of that brutal, senseless and bloody war, which changed the lives of 95 per cent of Sierra Leone's people. Children became targets, used by lawless land leaders to fight against their will. Killing, rape and maiming were common.”
2019-08-02 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8591 (2019) · source
“As this is a critical time in Liberia's recovery process from the Ebola health crisis, we count on the continuing support of international partners to translate those commitments into reality. We express special recognition and gratitude to UN-Women for the steadfast and consistent support it has provided to our gender equality initiatives. We believe that resolution 2242 (2015), adopted yesterday and which we were privileged to co-sponsor, offers a new framework as well as new opportunities for global collaboration to achieve the goals of the women and peace and security agenda. Liberia commits to remain engaged.”
2015-10-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7533Resumption1 (2015) · source
“The Government of Liberia resolves to increase its allocation in the national budget to support the implementation of resolution 1325 (2000) across the country, with the aim of reinforcing economic empowerment programmes and expanding their coverage for the benefit of women and girls in rural areas. That is critical for the achievement of the objectives of our national agenda for transformation. Finally, the Government, through the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection and in collaboration with partners, is conducting a review of the national action plan to develop a bridging strategy to address gaps in implementation. The Government has also embarked upon the revitalization of the resolution 1325 (2000) secretariat through the recruitment, retention and training of staff and the provision of funding.”
2015-10-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7533Resumption1 (2015) · source
“Secondly, the Government commits to ensuring that the outcome of the ongoing constitutional review process will guarantee and institutionalize women's full and equal participation in governance and national affairs. Thirdly, to improve women's access to justice throughout the country, the Government commits to working with the judiciary to initiate the decentralization of Criminal Court E to all counties of the country, so that rural-based sexual and gender-based violence survivors may have recourse. Fourthly, the Government commits to implement its decision to establish gender units within each ministry and agency of the Government.”
2015-10-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7533Resumption1 (2015) · source
“Foremost among them are inadequate financial resources, lack of capacity, a weak justice system and poor coordination among the relevant stakeholders. As we move towards achieving inclusive development, through which we hope that women will enjoy full participation across every sector, the Government of Liberia will undertake the following measures before the end of the current Administration. First, in order to strengthen women's protection, the Government will ensure the passage into law of the draft domestic violence act, which was endorsed by the Liberian Cabinet on 15 June and which is currently under consideration by the Liberia National Legislature.”
2015-10-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7533Resumption1 (2015) · source
“Under a joint programme of the Government of Liberia and the United Nations, psychosocial, medical and economic support is being provided for survivors of rape and sexual and gender-based violence offenses. The economic empowerment of women and adolescent girls continues to be supported through microcredit, agricultural schemes and training iin business and life skills. To complement the active participation of women at the national level, the Government has integrated a gender perspective into the decentralization process, which will open up opportunities for women to serve in leadership positions at subnational and local levels. Clearly, much has been achieved, but so much more needs to be done. Many challenges persist, and are impediments to the resolution's successful implementation in Liberia.”
2015-10-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7533Resumption1 (2015) · source
“It rests upon four pillars, namely, protection, prevention, participation and empowerment and promotion. Working in collaboration with UN-Women and other United Nations agencies, as well as bilateral partners and civil society organizations, significant progress has been made in the implementation of the resolution in Liberia. Such progress includes the creation of a civil society observatory on resolution 1325 (2000) and the establishment of the Angie Brooks International Centre for training women in leadership, conflict resolution and peacebuilding. A Special Criminal Court E was established in Monrovia in 2008 for the adjudication of cases of sexual and gender-based violence.”
2015-10-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7533Resumption1 (2015) · source
“The positive impact of the presence of Liberian women at the negotiations in 2003, which led to the comprehensive peace agreement in Liberia, is well documented and requires no further elaboration. Suffice it to say, the Government of Liberia continues to provide opportunities for women to participate in ongoing processes of peacebuilding and peace consolidation. Based on our national experience, we embraced resolution 1325 (2000) and set out to apply it within our domestic context. In 2009, Liberia was the first country in Africa to complete the formulation of its five-year national action plan to give meaning to the resolution. The plan was developed as the framework to drive the implementation of resolution 1325 (2000) at the national level.”
2015-10-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7533Resumption1 (2015) · source
“My delegation commends the Government of Spain for convening this high- level review on women and peace and security, which coincides with the fifteenth anniversary ofthe adoption of resolution 1325 (2000). We were privileged to have had the presence of the President of Spain yesterday and to hear insightful briefings by the Executive Director of UN-Women and the three women representatives of civil society organizations. We have been enriched by their testimony. Just 15 years ago, when the Council adopted resolution 1325 (2000), Liberia was embroiled in civil conflict. Our journey to peace bears testimony to the vital contribution of women to peace, security and conflict resolution.”
2015-10-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7533Resumption1 (2015) · source
“Finally, as I may not appear before the Council before 2015, I would like to express special appreciation to all of the members that will be vacating the Council at the end of this year for their support to Liberia with regard to the Ebola crisis and the peacekeeping operation in Liberia, the United Nations Mission in Liberia. We expect to continue our normal collaboration outside this Chamber as a Member State of the United Nations.”
2014-11-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7318 (2014) · source
“Acknowledging the difficult circumstances under which the elections are being held, our President has appealed to all Liberians to comply with the regulations, admonishing them that "we can enjoy democracy only if we are healthy and alive". Cognizant of the need for the transparency and credibility of the polls, President Sirleaf also requested an Economic Community of West African States delegation that visited Liberia last Tuesday to provide observers to monitor the senatorial elections. I would like to assure you, Mr. President, and members of the Council that, at this critical time in our nation's history, everything is being done to maintain tranquillity and ensure social cohesion in the country as we move forward in the response to the Ebola virus.”
2014-11-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7318 (2014) · source
“Farmers have not been able to cultivate, and there are reports that, as the food-security situation worsens, farmers are resorting to consuming the seed rice intended for the planting and local production of rice. The Ambassador of Argentina has already spoken about this eloquently, and I thank her. Succinctly, I would say that we need to avert a food crisis in the New Year. On the political front, as I indicated at an earlier meeting of the Council, the Liberian Legislature has approved December 16 as the date for holding the suspended senatorial elections. Mindful of the rapid spread of the disease through contact, the Government, through the powers granted to the Minister of Health, has issued a regulation restricting mass rallies during the campaign period.”
2014-11-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7318 (2014) · source
“We also see that United Nations agencies are beginning to frame project proposals around some of the social issues that are indeed the direct consequences of the Ebola virus. Together and individually, the Governments of the three countries most affected have mentioned that assistance through budget support is important. I am pleased to acknowledge and express appreciation to the World Bank and the European Union for the significant contributions made in this regard. We also thank Governments that have made similar gestures at a bilateral level. Support for livelihoods remains important. The people are experiencing hardships in accessing food due to high prices and the limitations of local supplies.”
2014-11-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7318 (2014) · source
“We have said consistently that the effects of this disease upon our society and our people are multidimensional. As we progress in containing the disease, we should explore any opportunities that may arise to address, however preliminarily, some of the social and economic effects that create tension and instability and threaten the hard-won peace dividends. We need to reflect on measures that enable the Government to fulfil its basic obligations to its people so as to restore the confidence between the Government and the people. In that regard, we commend the Chairs of the three Configurations of the Peacebuilding Commission for the attention that they have given to these issues.”
2014-11-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7318 (2014) · source
“They have renewed our hope and lifted the level of optimism within the Liberian Government and among the Liberian people that the disease will eventually be overcome. Although infections are continuing, we believe that the prospects of the outbreak reaching the 1 million mark by January 2015 are less likely. The worst-case scenario at this present stage may well have been averted. I wish to recognize the critical role of the Council, which garnered support for the international efforts now under way in our region. We offer our thanks to all Member States, non-governmental organizations, regional organizations, international financial institutions, the private sector and all partners for their valuable support, and we encourage them to fulfil their commitments and to remain engaged until we can together claim victory over Ebola.”
2014-11-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7318 (2014) · source
“We intend to continue with stronger support for community care centres, which support community members in taking responsibility and ownership in working with health teams in contact tracing, support to those quarantined and help to those who face stigmatization after discharge, free of the virus. Our next step in this integrative process is to upgrade regular health-care facilities throughout the country through training, equipment and supplies. This will minimize the chances of the virus recurring and ensure that those suffering from other diseases will be properly treated. A final step in the process is obviously to obtain the support of partners for our economic recovery to reverse the decline in growth, in delayed infrastructure and in job creation". Recent developments are a source of great encouragement for us.”
2014-11-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7318 (2014) · source
“After two months, we can now assert that modest positive results are being achieved, but the battle is far from won and the war against Ebola must be intensified. In their briefings Mr. Nabarro and Mr. Banbury confirmed that the rates of infection and death due to Ebola had declined considerably in Liberia. It is clear, however, that the Ebola virus disease is not yet under control. The Government continues to warn Liberians to remain vigilant and avoid complacency. President Johnson- Sirleafrecently indicated in a recent statement: "With the determination of the Liberian people and support from partners worldwide, we have made good progress in containing the virus.”
2014-11-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7318 (2014) · source
“The first meeting and discussion in the Council on the Ebola virus disease, held on 18 September (see S/PV.7268), was a turning point in the fight to contain the Ebola epidemic in West Africa. The initiative of the Council effectively globalized the response to the disease and gave great impetus to the international community to begin a robust scaling-up of efforts. It gave a welcome boost to national efforts to confront the disease. It was in this Chamber also that we heard the announcement of the creation of the United Nations Mission for Ebola Emergency Response, which is making its presence felt positively on the ground. That first Council meeting, held under the presidency of the United States, owes much to the credit and determination of Ambassador Power. We appreciate her visit to the region and commend her passion and commitment.”
2014-11-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7318 (2014) · source
“I thank you, Mr. President, for the opportunity to participate in this second briefing of the Council on the Ebola crisis. I also extend my appreciation to the members of the Council for maintaining the focus on this deadly disease and on the global effort to contain it in the countries most seriously affected in the West Africa region. I thank Mr. Nabarro and Mr. Banbury for their briefings and the deep insights we have become accustomed to receiving from them. We pay tribute to them for their engagement and commitment. I also thank the representative of the International Committee of the Red Cross for sharing the perspective from Guinea. Liberia is also benefitting immensely from the valuable support of the Red Cross, especially for safe burials.”
2014-11-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7318 (2014) · source
“We humbly suggest that a declaration by the World Health Organization that Liberia is Ebola- free should provide an opportunity for the Council to authorize a comprehensive assessment of the conditions on the ground. As was the case in the past, the outcome of such an assessment would guide further action by the Council.”
2014-11-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7310 (2014) · source
“It is our hope that, in its deliberations, the Council will bear in mind the incessant and unremitting threat posed by the virus, including the threat to the peace and security of the country and to social cohesion. As we are all aware, peacekeeping missions, such as UNMIL, have valuable assets - human and material. We believe that the UNMIL assets would make a difference if deployed to complement the efforts of the Government, the United Nations Mission for Ebola Emergency Response and partners to strengthen the response to the virus. In this light, my Government appeals to the Council to extend the mandate of UNMIL for the full one-year period and to defer further any consideration of the recommendations in the Secretary-General's twenty- eighth progress report pertaining to the reconfiguration of the Mission.”
2014-11-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7310 (2014) · source
“Unemployment, especially among the youth, is being exacerbated by the suspension of business operations in the private sector. Public confidence will continue to erode in the coming months if financial constraints further impede service delivery. A major problem revolving around the means of livelihood can already be foreseen, underscoring the need for social safety nets to assist acutely vulnerable groups, such as orphaned children and widows. The success achieved in the fight against the disease needs to be monitored both in the short and long term, as the political and social environments in Liberia remain vulnerable to shocks.”
2014-11-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7310 (2014) · source
“I thank the Special Representative of the Secretary-General, Ms. Karin Landgren, for her personal support and engagement, and pay tribute to the peacekeepers and police units for their courage and strong sense of duty. In a sombre reflection, I again extend, on behalf of the Government and the people of Liberia, and in my own name, profound condolences to the families of two UNMIL staff members who lost their lives due to Ebola. My Government believes that the situation has not ameliorated sufficiently to withstand drastic changes that could affect the prevailing equilibrium in regard to peace, security and social cohesion. From a cursory assessment of the impact it is evident that the disease has accentuated fragilities and vulnerabilities, which have the potential to trigger violence if not adequately addressed.”
2014-11-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7310 (2014) · source
“The withdrawal of peacekeepers from the country at that critical juncture would have had a serious psychological consequence on our people. It would have sent an unintended message that the country was being isolated and not the disease. A strong international presence in the country was important then and it remains a critical stabilizing factor in a situation where the social, political and economic environment is fluid and delicate. As difficult as it has been for members ofthe Mission to remain in Liberia with the disease causing havoc around them, police- and troop-contributing countries have shown their commitment, not only to the Mission but also to the core values ofpeacekeeping, by assisting Liberia in preserving national stability. They deserve special commendation. We appeal to them to stay the course in Liberia.”
2014-11-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7310 (2014) · source
“Almost three months ago, the Security Council convened (see S/PV.7263) to consider the twenty- eighth report of the Secretary-General on the activities of the United Nations Mission in Liberia (S/2014/598). Appreciating the magnitude of the Ebola crisis, the Council, in its wisdom, decided to suspend consideration of the recommendation contained in the report and approved a three-month technical rollover of the mandate of United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL). That was a significant decision, and another demonstration of the Council's commitment to its Charter obligation to maintain international peace and security. The decision implicitly recognized that the disease had the potential to undermine the gains made by UNMIL in stabilizing the security situation in Liberia.”
2014-11-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7310 (2014) · source
“Without underestimating the resilience of the Liberian people in the face of this pandemic, we must acknowledge that the scaled-up international assistance has been indispensable to the progress made so far in containing the disease in Liberia. Iwish, therefore, again to thank the Secretary-General, the Security Council, the President of the General Assembly and the entire membership of the United Nations for the support which Liberia is receiving. I also commend the leadership of our continental and regional organizations, the Africa Union and the Economic Community of West African States for their strong support in mitigating the effects of the disease.”
2014-11-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7310 (2014) · source
“The expiry of the state of emergency means the restoration of certain freedoms, including the freedom of movement and assembly. As people move and interact, the likelihood of the virus resurfacing in areas thought to be under control remains high. The Government of Liberia is committed to continuing its vigilance, including collaboration with the other affected countries. At the same time, the Government is already reflecting on the initial steps that must be taken to begin early recovery. The continued robust and coordinated support of the international community at the regional and global levels is also essential for the success of this fight. This effort embodies the imperative for commitments and pledges to be fulfilled.”
2014-11-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7310 (2014) · source
“During the emergency, certain rights enjoyed by the Liberian people under the Constitution were suspended. Consequently, the Government could not conduct the senatorial election in October, intended to replace 15 Senators whose tenure will expire early next year. The new date for the elections, 16 December, was set by the legislature yesterday. It is hoped that conditions in the country will have improved significantly to permit the smooth conduct of elections next month. Reports are now emerging that the spread of the disease may be declining in Liberia. This is, of course, a welcome development for the Government and people of Liberia, indeed for the global community. But caution must be exercised so as not to induce complacency in the fight against the disease. The disease is unpredictable and one infection can have a cascading effect.”
2014-11-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7310 (2014) · source
“The World Bank recently gave a gloomy depiction of the economic effects of the disease on the three most affected countries - Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone. With budget shortfalls and a projected negative domestic revenue generating capacity, the Government's ability to meet its responsibility to the Liberian people remains greatly hampered. Agricultural activities continue to suffer. In many locations, marketplaces remain closed and access to basic food items especially for rural communities is constrained. Schools remain closed, greatly undermining efforts to rebuild and strengthen the educational system. Needless to say, peacebuilding activities have also been disrupted. The state of emergency declared by President Sirleaf three months ago has expired.”
2014-11-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7310 (2014) · source
“I congratulate you, Mr. President, on your assumption of the presidency of the Council for this month. I also extend to you and to the other members of the Council the deep appreciation of my President, the Government and the people of Liberia for the steadfast support that the Council has given to Liberia over the years and for its continued engagement with Liberia. I thank the previous speakers, Mr. Ladsous and the representative of Ambassador Grunditz, for sharing their perspectives with us. The last couple of months have been critical for Liberia. The outbreak of the Ebola disease and its rapid spread presented multiple challenges to the country. The devastating effects of the disease are very present.”
2014-11-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7310 (2014) · source
“Liberia looks to the future with what I would say is guarded optimism, inspired by the resilience of its people and the heartwarming demonstration by the international community of care and belief in our common humanity.”
2014-10-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7279 (2014) · source
“This will require support to stimulate our productive sectors, in particular agriculture, and enable our people to resume self-sustaining livelihood endeavours. The more they remain idle, the greater the prospects for trouble. As we have heard in many forums, especially from the Deputy Secretary-General, peace, development and human rights are intertwined. We must protect the gains made in Liberia on all three fronts, to which the Council has contributed immensely, and we must support and protect those on the front lines. We should also continue to bring all our energies to bear in the response at the national level and with our regional and global partnerships.”
2014-10-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7279 (2014) · source
“In the spirit of my President's statement to the World Bank last week, Liberia urges that all efforts be made to contain the disease through a more timely and decisive response. This means the construction of treatment and testing centres that are fully staffed and functional as soon as possible and the identification of burial sites. It also means improving and strengthening the regular health-care system because many deaths are resulting from a lack of access to health facilities to treat routine illnesses. Concurrently, we must remain mindful of the imperative of mitigating the economic consequences of the Ebola crisis, which have caused a shifting of resources from ongoing development activities under our Agenda for Transformation.”
2014-10-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7279 (2014) · source
“A state of emergency, the closure of educational institutions and extended leave for non-essential civil servants - all of these measures remain in place. The senatorial elections, scheduled to take place this month, have had to be postponed to 2015. Paltry resources, already almost exclusively reallocated to the Ebola response, are still inadequate to address the demands of health workers threatening strike action. I hope that I have provided insights, in addition to what was said by Assistant Secretary-General Zerihoun and Under-Secretary-General Ladsous said, into a set of circumstances full of triggers for conflict. Injected into an already fragile post-conflict country, this could be a recipe for disaster. Or this could be the fuse that ignites the international community to do even more.”
2014-10-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7279 (2014) · source
“Even the formula for a responsible drawdown of UNMIL had been agreed and was under implementation. Youth unemployment and containing the spread of small arms and light weapons and transnational crime were challenges high on the national agenda. On all of these fronts, much progress had been registered and Liberians had begun to enjoy some dividends of peace. The Ebola onslaught, because it is nothing less than that, interrupted these activities and now presents some risks to the gains that we had made. Our society has been placed under immense stress by this virus. Access to food is limited by the high prices of local and imported goods. Livelihoods have been lost or threatened. The movement of and interaction among people are restricted by necessity.”
2014-10-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7279 (2014) · source
“Liberia is immensely grateful for all of the expressions of solidarity, which have taken various forms, including from the media. We are grateful for the very generous contributions and commitments made by Member States. Our common challenge now is to urgently translate those commitments into tangible and impactful support on the ground. It is a challenge we all share. As Council members are aware, Liberia was actively engaged in the implementation of a joint programme with the Peacebuilding Commission when the Ebola virus struck. We were focused on strengthening the rule of law, implementing measures for security sector reform and promoting national reconciliation, as well as very much engaged in a constitutional review process, all in an effort to consolidate peace and reinforce a fledgling democracy.”
2014-10-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7279 (2014) · source
“The Government, with support of UNMIL, the United States military and many other faithful partners, is racing against time to establish new isolation and treatment centres, which remain the single most critical need, because if we cannot take in people reporting the disease, we can do nothing - we cannot do a contact trace or manage the case until we have the facilities to bring people in when they report themselves. Such facilities do not exist at present. Other needs include professional medical staff, medical supplies, including protective gear and equipment, and transport facilities. There are also important non-medical needs, such as upgrading the airport tarmac, augmenting storage facilities and increasing food stocks.”
2014-10-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7279 (2014) · source
“The actions taken to rapidly establish UNMEER in Accra were but one example; there are many others - of people dipping into their pockets and of action being taken. While the situation on the ground is undoubtedly improving a little, we must be honest and admit that it has not changed substantially. Liberia, with a population of 4 million, the smallest of the three most affected countries, is still leading in the rate of infections and deaths. The spread of the disease continues to outpace action; meaning that we are not yet ahead of the curve.”
2014-10-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7279 (2014) · source
“In the month of September alone, this body was addressed on two separate occasions by the Minister of National Defence and the Minister of Foreign Affairs ofLiberia (see S/PV.7268). They outlined in great detail the multidimensional impact of the disease on our country and its citizens: the erosion of the very fabric of the society, the assault on culture, the deepening of existing divisions, the loss of lives and livelihoods, the dwindling revenue, and the dire projections of economic growth. The Council is aware of all of these things. The welcome initiatives undertaken by the Secretary-General, the Council and the General Assembly brought into sharp focus the urgent need for international action. And we have indeed witnessed a higher level of engagement.”
2014-10-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7279 (2014) · source
“I thank you, Madam President, for the opportunity to participate in this briefing to the Council on the implications of the continuing spread of the Ebola virus disease on peace and security in the Mano River Basin. I would also like to thank the previous speakers - the Head of the United Nations Mission for Ebola Emergency Response (UNMEER), Mr. Anthony Banbury; the Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations, Mr. Herve' Ladsous; and the Assistant Secretary-General for Political Affairs, Mr. Taye-Brook Zerihoun - for their enlightening presentations and the insights they have shared. Allow me to pay tribute to the fallen heroes and heroines: - the medical staff, national and expatriate alike, such as those of the United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL), and others who have died in the course of the Ebola response.”
2014-10-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7279 (2014) · source
“I think it would be very appropriate, by the end of the discussions at the General Assembly's sixty-ninth session, for us to be very clear and come up with definitive conclusions on how to not only contain the spread of Ebola, but treat Ebola, or more particularly how to move forward in the treatment of other infectious diseases. To those countries that, through panicked reactions, have closed their borders and cancelled flights and shipping arrangements, I want tojoin my colleagues from Liberia and Guinea to plead for a return to normalcy. Ebola was not the making of any one of those three countries. It just came. I hope that, in the not-too-distant future, it will go back as fast as it came.”
2014-09-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7268 (2014) · source
“I am sure many of them have been taken aback, including the World Health Organization (WHO), and we understand that there have been complaints from the media and from the citizens of Sierra Leone. That happened simply because there was a time when we had a patient - the most recent casualty, a woman doctor - and I think there was an appeal to WHO for evacuation. But again, there was a lack of understanding. The WHO does not have global hospitals. WHO has planes. But that is the reality when one is suffering, when one is there on the ground. I also want to state that I would not be surprised if the discussions at the sixty-ninth session were overshadowed by discussions on Ebola.”
2014-09-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7268 (2014) · source