YouSaid · the spoken record

Kariuki

lines on the record: 832
first: 2021-08-16
most recent: 2023-12-19
sittings or episodes: 199
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

“Particularly, we should be wary of time-based, rather than conditions-based, withdrawals of peacekeeping operations, which can put lives and peace processes at risk. In conclusion, let me underscore the continued importance the United Kingdom places on United Nations peacekeeping, which remains an essential tool for responding to peace and security challenges. As the Council, we must continue to ensure that peacekeeping is fit for modern challenges and receives our full support. Nationally, we remain fully committed to the Action for Peacekeeping Plus agenda and its eight priority commitment areas.”
2023-09-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9413 (2023) · source
“Missions also continue to suffer from restrictions on the freedom of movement and from violations of status- of-forces agreements, including in Mali, the Central African Republic, Lebanon and Western Sahara. It is not only peacekeeping missions that suffer when host Governments neglect their obligations; it is the people peacekeepers protect who often pay the price. Host States must allow the safe and effective implementation of mission mandates. With the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali withdrawing from Mali and the transition of the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo approaching, we should implement lessons learned from past peacekeeping transitions.”
2023-09-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9413 (2023) · source
“We are also dedicated to advancing the participation of women in peacekeeping and peace processes, through our support for the Senior Women Talent Pipeline and the Elsie Initiative Fund, to which we have contributed $9 million to date. We look forward to discussing those issues further at the Peacekeeping Ministerial conference in Ghana in December. United Nations peacekeeping operations have faced continued challenges, as we have heard today. Disinformation campaigns against United Nations peacekeeping missions are on the rise, undermining their ability to implement mandates safely and effectively. We are grateful to our co-hosts — Rwanda, the Netherlands and Indonesia — for their support ahead of the planned Peacekeeping Ministerial preparatory conference on countering misinformation and disinformation next month.”
2023-09-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9413 (2023) · source
“I thank Under- Secretary-General Lacroix for his briefing and continued leadership of United Nations peacekeeping. The United Kingdom pays tribute to those peacekeepers who lost their lives in pursuit of peace this year. Peacekeeping relies on the determination and dedication of United Nations personnel. As members of the Security Council, we must support them, as must all host nations and Member States, by providing the necessary training and equipment, improving awareness of threats and ensuring medical provision. The United Kingdom continues to play its part, training thousands of United Nations peacekeepers each year. As a top contributor of extra-budgetary funds — more than $2.8 million in 2022 — we remain committed supporters of peacekeeping reform.”
2023-09-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9413 (2023) · source
“The United Kingdom has long been a proud supporter of the Lebanese Armed Forces, and we will continue our support to the LAF and internal security forces in Lebanon as the pillars of Lebanon’s stability. With the adoption of this mandate, we look to UNIFIL to provide the stability that Lebanon needs, and we pay tribute to its personnel.”
2023-08-31 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9409 (2023) · source
“We are pleased that the language clarifying UNIFIL’s long-standing mandate to exercise freedom of movement, which allows UNIFIL to conduct independent patrols and respond quickly to Blue Line violations and was added last year to that end, was retained. However, it is unacceptable that UNIFIL is still unable to access some locations along the Blue Line border, including Green Without Borders sites — in particular give Hizbullah’s self- acknowledged stockpiling of weapons, in violation of resolution 1701 (2006). The support UNIFIL provides the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) has had a positive impact on the situation across the Blue Line. It is therefore disappointing that the logistical support — an important signal of cooperation — was removed from this year’s mandate.”
2023-08-31 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9409 (2023) · source
“Let me begin by thanking France for its efforts as penholder. In a spirit of compromise and consensus, the United Kingdom voted in favour today. The United Kingdom is a strong supporter of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), which has a critical role in maintaining peace and stability across the Blue Line, preventing any further escalation that would be catastrophic for the region. Resolution 1701 (2006) has always been clear: UNIFIL is authorized to take all necessary action to ensure the freedom of movement of its personnel and to fulfil its duties. Resolution 2695 (2023) clearly upholds that principle.”
2023-08-31 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9409 (2023) · source
“Despite the outcome of today’s vote, the United Kingdom remains committed to supporting Mali’s peace agreement and pursuing accountability for human rights violations and abuses.”
2023-08-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9408 (2023) · source
“Against the backdrop of the withdrawal of United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali from Mali, what we need now is renewed commitment to maintain the Agreement on Peace and Reconciliation in Mali in the face of violations of the ceasefire in Timbuktu and Kidal regions. The United Kingdom cannot support Russia’s proposal to dissolve the Panel of Experts on Mali, or its attempt to predetermine the termination of sanctions measures. We pay tribute to the dedication of the members of the Panel, whose rigorous work in challenging circumstances we firmly support. We remain deeply concerned about the worsening political, humanitarian and security situation in Mali.”
2023-08-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9408 (2023) · source
“The United Kingdom thanks France and the United Arab Emirates for all their efforts on draft resolution S/2023/368. Despite having to make a number of difficult compromises, we voted in favour of it because of our strong support for the renewal of the Mali sanctions regime and Panel of Experts’ mandate. These are important Security Council tools in support of peace and stability in Mali. For that reason, the United Kingdom deeply regrets Russia’s reckless use of the veto, which will reduce the Council’s oversight and engagement on Mali’s peace process at a critical juncture.”
2023-08-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9408 (2023) · source
“Finally, as we have said before in the Security Council, the Russian mercenary group, the Wagner Group, is directly linked to human rights atrocities in Mali, including the systematic use of conflict-related sexual violence. As illustrated by recent events in Russia, they are part of the problem, not the solution, in Mali and beyond.”
2023-08-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9407 (2023) · source
“We call on the United Nations to redouble its efforts to support meaningful consultations and mediation among all parties to the peace agreement, and we urge all parties to engage in dialogue in good faith. To deliver the United Nations ongoing role in support of the peace process, the United Kingdom supports the continued presence of a United Nations entity dedicated to supporting an inclusive peace process in Mali. We strongly urge the transitional authorities to engage with the United Nations proposals for ongoing support for the benefit of the Malian people. The United Nations should accelerate consultations with Mali on a detailed strategy for the future of United Nations support to the peace agreement and other key tasks, including delivering on the political transition and the protection and the promotion of human rights.”
2023-08-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9407 (2023) · source
“A rushed withdrawal that imperils the 2015 Agreement on Peace and Reconciliation in Mali emanating from the Algiers process and puts peacekeepers’ lives at risk will have security implications for the whole region. The recent ceasefire violations in Ber demonstrate the pressing need for meaningful, structured dialogue among all parties to the peace agreement prior to the handover of MINUSMA sites, in particular in the Kidal region. The United Nations continues to have a formal and critical role in supporting the peace agreement in Mali. We welcome the Secretary-General’s transition plan, which is an important step to help guide efforts to preserve the legacy of the Mission and its achievements over the past decade.”
2023-08-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9407 (2023) · source
“I thank Special Representative of the Secretary-General Wane for his briefing, and I pay tribute to the courage of all United Nations personnel in Mali, who continue to face constant threats. I also thank Ms. Abouya for sharing her valuable perspective with us today. The complexity of the withdrawal of the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) is unprecedented and takes place amid a deteriorating context of terrorist violence and human rights violations and abuses, including an upward trend in conflict-related sexual violence. The Council mandated MINUSMA to conduct a safe and orderly withdrawal, with the objective of completing the process by 31 December. We continue to believe that the Council should stand ready to revise the timetable if needed.”
2023-08-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9407 (2023) · source
“Resources are diverted away from their basic economic needs. The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea should open its borders and engage with the United Nations. All United Nations States Members have an obligation to fully implement Security Council resolutions, including sanctions on the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. I call on all members of the Council to reiterate their condemnation of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea’s illegal nuclear and ballistic missile programmes, in line with their responsibilities as United Nations Member States and signatories to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons.”
2023-08-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9406 (2023) · source
“They are the message we send to the world about our commitment to preventing nuclear non-proliferation globally. We took note of the presence of permanent members, including the Russian Defence Minister, at a weapons exhibition of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea with intercontinental ballistic missiles on display. Interactions such as those signal support for United Nations-sanctioned weapons programmes. The United Kingdom urges the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea to cease the launches, to return to dialogue and to take credible steps towards denuclearization and peace on the Korean peninsula. We hope its presence at this meeting is a step forward in that regard. The biggest victims of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea’s military programme are the North Korean people.”
2023-08-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9406 (2023) · source
“The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea is not reacting: this is part of a long-established, clearly defined plan that has required extensive scientific and technological investment. Kim Jong Un said it himself in January: the National Aerospace Development Administration will launch the first military satellite at the earliest date possible by pushing ahead with the full preparation for a reconnaissance satellite and its vehicle, a major task to boost the political, ideological, military and technical strength of his army. The Council must take action. All of us here have signed and ratified and support the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons. All of us should be committed to the full implementation of Security Council resolutions. We have a responsibility to uphold those obligations. Our words and deeds matter.”
2023-08-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9406 (2023) · source
“I thank Assistant Secretary-General Khiari for his briefing. I welcome the participation of the representatives of the Republic of Korea and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea at this meeting. On 24 August, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea made yet another failed launch of a military reconnaissance satellite. It triggered Japan’s local alert system in Okinawa. This was yet another grave violation of Security Council resolutions and a brazen effort to further expand the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea’s military programme. The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea has said it will try again. Claims that so-called provocations, or rather, legitimate and transparently declared military exercises, cause those launches are baseless.”
2023-08-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9406 (2023) · source
“The United Kingdom welcomed the adoption of the eighth review of the Global Counter- Terrorism Strategy, through General Assembly resolution 77/298. International coordination with a meaningful role for civil society remains essential to our work.”
2023-08-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9405 (2023) · source
“Last month, the United Kingdom published a refresh of its national counter-terrorism strategy to ensure that we remain agile in the face of an evolving threat and aligned with our international allies. In Africa, Da’esh is expanding fast. All of us in the international community should step up our efforts. We must address the root causes that are driving conflict in the region and enabling the expansion of violent extremist organizations. In the Sahel, the United Kingdom is providing financial support to the United Nations Regional Stabilization Facility for the Lake Chad basin, an initiative that will support local communities. Finally, the United Nations plays a key role in the fight against terrorism.”
2023-08-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9405 (2023) · source
“In Al-Hol camp, the United Kingdom is focusing its efforts on improving the situation through humanitarian assistance by responding to gender-based violence and providing child protection. As we have heard, the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant-Khorasan Province (IS-KP) continues to show that it has the capacity to carry out high-profile attacks on civilian and international targets inside Afghanistan and to encourage attacks abroad. Earlier this year, the United Kingdom convened an inaugural IS-KP diplomatic grouping, which saw 19 countries come together and agree to intensify and coordinate their response in order to counter the threat from IS-KP.”
2023-08-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9405 (2023) · source
“We support Iraq and the United Nations Investigative Team to Promote Accountability for Crimes Committed by Da’esh/ Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (UNITAD) in pursuing accountability for Da’esh perpetrators, and we look forward to renewing UNITAD’s mandate next month to continue that important work. Da’esh continues to suffer blows to its campaign, including the death in April of its leader Abu Al-Husseini Al-Qurashi. However, the threat is becoming less predictable and harder to detect and investigate. We must therefore keep up the pressure. A resurgent Da’esh core in Syria and Iraq remains a real risk. Internally displaced persons camps provide a fertile ground for radicalization in which Da’esh can recruit and operate.”
2023-08-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9405 (2023) · source
“I thank Under- Secretary-General Voronkov and Executive Director Gherman for their briefings today, as well as the Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring Team for its work in producing the report (S/2023/568). I also thank Ms. Khalaf for her powerful testimony. Her harrowing account of Da’esh’s atrocities serves as a reminder of the lifelong impact of those crimes and the poisonous ideology that we are fighting. All survivors of gender-based violence and conflict-related sexual violence, including Yazidis and other communities in Iraq, deserve to see justice delivered.”
2023-08-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9405 (2023) · source
“Russia also has a clear legal obligation under the Fourth Geneva Convention to facilitate communication and reunification between children and their relatives or legal guardian. Russia has failed to provide reliable information about the children it has transferred to its territory, particularly to those children placed with Russian foster families. As the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights reported, children themselves have often been forced to trace and find parents or family members. This is an unacceptable burden to place on children, especially those dealing with the trauma of Russia’s illegal invasion. Just 386 children have so far been returned. We thank the representatives from Save Ukraine for their vital work on those returns.”
2023-08-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9404 (2023) · source
“President Putin and his Presidential Commissioner for Children’s Rights are the subject of arrest warrants issued by the International Criminal Court for their alleged role. For Ukrainian families, those forced transfers and deportations have devastating and life-changing consequences that will be felt for generations. Russia uses fear of that tactic to suppress dissent among Ukrainians living under temporary Russian control. It is also a deliberate attempt to erase Ukrainian culture, identity and statehood. Russia has not attempted to preserve the identities of the children it has forcibly deported, as required by international humanitarian law. Rather, there is growing evidence that Russia has seriously violated that right, forcing children to assimilate with the culture of the State that is seeking to destroy their own country.”
2023-08-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9404 (2023) · source
“If Russia won the war, it would give a green light to a new era of international aggression where big countries can rewrite borders by force. None of us wants that. We are deeply indebted to the Ukrainian people for their immense sacrifice, and we are proud to stand with them. As we mark Ukraine’s independence, we reflect on Russia’s deliberate efforts to target Ukraine’s future — its children. The United Nations has reported that Russia is committing grave violations against children in its war of aggression — the first time a permanent Council member has ever been listed for doing so. The Ukrainian authorities report that, in addition to killing children directly and destroying their homes, schools and hospitals, Russia has, to date, forcibly transferred or deported over 19,000 children since 2022.”
2023-08-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9404 (2023) · source
“I thank Under- Secretary-General DiCarlo, Ms. Rashevska and Mr. Kuleba for their briefings. Let me begin by wishing a happy Independence Day to all Ukrainians. In 1991 Ukraine declared independence from the former Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, with 92 per cent of the country voting in favour of independence in a national referendum. Ukraine’s existence as a sovereign country was recognized by the United Nations, including the Russian Federation. If Russia’s illegal invasion last year had succeeded, there would be one less independent Member State of the United Nations today. The Ukrainians’ heroic resistance in the face of Russian aggression not only protects their freedom but defends the Charter of the United Nations and its basic principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity.”
2023-08-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9404 (2023) · source
“While we welcome the recent efforts to make progress on the political track, proof of the regime’s good faith will be a concrete step in guaranteeing the rights of the Syrian people and in engaging substantively in meetings of the Constitutional Committee.”
2023-08-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9403 (2023) · source
“It is essential to ensure that international law is respected and that any refugee returns are voluntary, safe and dignified. The onus must be on the Al-Assad regime to substantively change its behaviour and provide verifiable protection assurances for prospective returnees, many of whom fear prosecution if they return. If the regime wants to show that its behaviour has changed, genuine engagement on the issue of the missing and detained would be an important step towards demonstrating a safe environment for refugee returns. As the recent conclusions of the Arab contact group have noted, resolution 2254 (2015) remains the only viable route to a lasting and inclusive settlement in Syria.”
2023-08-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9403 (2023) · source
“The regime’s complicity in the production and trafficking of Captagon is a recent example. As ever, the regime and its allies profit while the Syrian people and the region suffer the consequences. As Ms. Alkanawati has clearly articulated, despite the untold hardships faced by women in Syria, many continue to play vital roles in the pursuit of justice, accountability and peace, often in the face of harassment, intimidation and fears for their own safety. We commend them for their courage. The United Kingdom recognizes the enormous generosity of the States of the region that are hosting Syrian refugees and will continue to support them in doing so. While we hope that Syrian refugees will ultimately be able to return home, we agree with the United Nations assessment that the current conditions in Syria do not permit that.”
2023-08-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9403 (2023) · source
“I thank Special Envoy Pedersen and Ms. Alkanawati for their briefings. Twelve years ago, the Syrian people peacefully took to the streets to demand freedom, political reform and a Government that respects and upholds human rights. The Al-Assad regime met those demands with brutality. The ensuing conflict has cost the lives of more than half a million people and left more than 12 million displaced. Through its adoption of resolution 2254 (2015), the Council agreed unanimously on a political path out of the conflict that would protect the rights of all Syrians, with civil society, women and minorities playing a critical role. Eight years on, there has been next to no political progress. The conditions that drove the conflict, including the behaviour of the Al-Assad regime, have not changed.”
2023-08-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9403 (2023) · source
“Civic space should be protected to allow Libyans to hold their leaders accountable and to empower everyone to play a role in developing an open, democratic society that allows for freedom of association, operation and assembly. Let me conclude by calling on Libya’s leaders to consider the impact the political impasse is having on the Libyan people. Libya continues to suffer from the lack of political progress and is unable to make long- term investments for stability, security and prosperity. Libya’s leaders must fulfil their responsibilities and make the compromises needed to deliver elections and unlock longer-term political progress.”
2023-08-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9402 (2023) · source
“I welcome Special Representative Bathily’s ongoing efforts to facilitate a negotiation between Libyan actors to reach a political agreement for elections. Libya’s leaders must urgently engage with the Special Representative to give this process a chance of success. We call on Libya’s leaders to work constructively with the Special Representative Bathily, including by attending any meetings he convenes, to be open to making concessions and to move the country towards elections. Thirdly, Ms. Al Jerbi’s briefing highlights the impact of the crackdown on civil society on ordinary Libyans. Competition over control of civic space by Libya’s institutions and recent reports of arbitrary arrests and clampdowns on civil society activity indicate an alarming trend.”
2023-08-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9402 (2023) · source
“I thank Special Representative of the Secretary-General Bathily and Ms. Al Jerbi for their briefings today. I welcome the participation of the representative of Libya in our meeting. Let me make three points. First, the United Kingdom is deeply concerned by the violence last week in Tripoli, in particular its impact on civilians. We have already seen the cost of violence and instability in Libya’s neighbourhood this year, from the Sudan to the Niger. Libyan actors must heed this warning and fulfil their responsibilities to upholding peace and security across the country. Individuals and entities that threaten the peace and security or obstruct the political process in Libya may be designated under the Libya sanctions regime. Secondly, these clashes underscore the importance of making urgent progress in Libya’s political process.”
2023-08-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9402 (2023) · source
“On Friday 17 August, Israel demolished a West Bank Protection Consortium school in Ein Samiya. The continued demolitions of Palestinian property and the evictions by Israeli authorities of Palestinians from their homes are contrary to international humanitarian law, put Palestinians at risk of forcible transfer, cause unnecessary suffering to ordinary Palestinians and are harmful to the peace process. Israel must also urgently provide a clear, transparent route to construction for Palestinians in Area C. The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) faces a deep funding crisis. UNRWA can only be a stabilizing force in the region while it is able to deliver vital services to Palestinian refugees.”
2023-08-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9400 (2023) · source
“Israeli authorities must do more to hold to account and hinder the efforts of those who have made the lives of Palestinians intolerable, such as in the communities of Al-Qaboun and Al-Mughayyir, including by thoroughly investigating every incident of settler violence in order to bring those responsible to justice and end the culture of impunity. The United Kingdom condemns the abhorrent terrorist attacks perpetrated in Tel Aviv on Saturday 5 August, the West Bank town of Huwara on 19 August and the South Hebron hills just today, which took the lives of a further four innocent Israelis. The Palestinian Authority must tackle terrorism and incitement. We also see continued violations of international humanitarian law in the occupied Palestinian territories, including evictions and demolitions.”
2023-08-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9400 (2023) · source
“I thank Special Coordinator Wennesland for his briefing. The United Kingdom is extremely alarmed by the growth of settler violence in the occupied Palestinian territories. United Nations agencies have recorded 591 settler-related incidents resulting in Palestinian casualties, property damage or both to date in 2023 — the highest monthly average of incidents since records began. That includes the murder by settlers of Palestinian Qusai Jamal Maatan, which the United Kingdom condemns. The displacement of more than 400 Palestinians across seven communities from their land due to ongoing settler violence is unacceptable. As an occupying Power, Israel is obliged under international humanitarian law to properly provide security for the local population.”
2023-08-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9400 (2023) · source
“The human rights situation has not improved while the Council has remained silent. We urge the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea to prioritize the well-being of its citizens over the development of its illegal weapons programmes. We remind the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea that its restrictive coronavirus disease measures must be proportionate and not used as a tool to further constrain the freedom of its citizens or to restrict the ability of the international community to engage with authorities in Pyongyang. We urge them to engage in a genuine and positive spirit with the United Nations Special Rapporteur to bring about permanent change and improvements for the people of North Korea.”
2023-08-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9398 (2023) · source
“The regime fails to acknowledge the 2014 report of the commission of inquiry on human rights in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (A/HRC/25/63) that concluded that wide-ranging human rights violations taking place in the country may amount to crimes against humanity. The United Kingdom also recognizes the suffering of other nationals who have been abducted by the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, and we call for their return. Forced repatriations, State-sponsored abductions and enforced disappearances demand action. We remind all States Members of the United Nations to respect the principle of non-refoulement and not forcibly return those who have escaped the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea to face threats to their safety and human rights.”
2023-08-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9398 (2023) · source
“The authorities of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea divert resources from peoples’ basic economic needs towards their illegal nuclear- and ballistic-weapons programmes. These illegal weapons are financed through forced labour, with workers sent overseas, often under modern slavery conditions. I urge all States Members of the United Nations, especially the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, to fully implement resolution 2397 (2017), including on overseas workers, and end this exploitation. The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea continues to reject United Nations resolutions on the situation of human rights in North Korea. It refuses to cooperate with the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights or with the United Nations Special Rapporteur.”
2023-08-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9398 (2023) · source
“I thank High Commissioner Türk and Special Rapporteur Salmón for their briefings. I also, like others, pay tribute to Mr. Kim for his powerful testimony, and I welcome the presence of the representative of the Republic of Korea at this meeting. The United Kingdom remains deeply concerned about the appalling human rights situation in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. It is clear that human rights violations remain widespread, systematic and completely lacking in accountability. I therefore also thank Albania, Japan, the Republic of Korea and the United States for bringing this issue back to the Security Council for the first time since 2017. Human rights in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea and international peace and security are inextricably linked.”
2023-08-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9398 (2023) · source
“We strongly urge the parties to allow the International Committee of the Red Cross access along all available routes, including via the Lachin corridor, for the organization to be able to undertake its vital work. All parties must refrain from the politicization of humanitarian aid in order to meet the needs of the civilian population. We warmly welcome the ongoing, internationally mediated negotiations between Armenia and Azerbaijan towards a peace agreement, hosted most recently by European Council President Michel last month. We also welcome the efforts of the United States in that regard, with the high-level engagement from Secretary Blinken. We urge all parties to redouble their efforts in those talks towards a lasting settlement.”
2023-08-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9397 (2023) · source
“I thank Ms. Wosornu for the helpful update. I also welcome the participation of Armenian Foreign Minister Mirzoyan and the representatives of Azerbaijan, Türkiye and the European Union at this meeting. The United Kingdom remains deeply concerned about the ongoing disruption to the Lachin corridor, which threatens the supply of life-saving medication, health care and other essential goods and services, resulting in humanitarian consequences for the local population. It is therefore crucial that the order of the International Court of Justice of February 2023 be respected to ensure unimpeded movement along the Lachin corridor in both directions.”
2023-08-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9397 (2023) · source
“I thank Major General Lázaro Sáenz for his additional remarks. I now give the floor to Mr. Lacroix for any final comments.”
2023-07-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9389 (2023) · source
“I thank Lieutenant General Rodrigues De Miranda Filho for his additional comments and responses to the questions. I now give the floor to Major General Lázaro Sáenz to provide us with specific comments concerning the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon.”
2023-07-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9389 (2023) · source
“We no longer have any kind of social media, so that we have only one voice — the MONUSCO voice. That will significantly help to combat misinformation and disinformation, as well as disseminate only one narrative to the population, which has to come from the Special Representative of the Secretary-General in Kinshasa. My last words will once again emphasize the role of Council members in terms of the new MONUSCO mandate. I ask them to please seriously consider the matter to allow us to support the regional forces.”
2023-07-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9389 (2023) · source
“But we have to fulfil our mandate up until the last day in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. That is therefore a big challenge for us, namely, to push the troops of the TCCs to work well and proactively up until the last day of the Mission’s presence in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Someone asked what the greatest challenge before us is. For me, the greatest challenge involves the myths, disinformation and hate speech that not only MONUSCO but other missions have to face in the extremely dangerous environments that we have to deal with now. In order to help the Mission to combat and face that problem, we are strictly following the guidance provided by the Strategic Communications and Public Information Division. I have closed all social media for the force, at the battalion and sector levels, including at my headquarters.”
2023-07-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9389 (2023) · source
“As we think about that, it is very important to consider how we will include the regional forces when we renew the MONUSCO mandate. We need to be able to support the regional forces, as I have no doubt that, alone, the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo will face huge difficulties in replacing us and guaranteeing the protection of civilians for their citizens at the same level. Together with the transition process, one of the most significant challenges for me as Force Commander will lie in being able to push my troops to be proactive and effective. When a mission is withdrawing, the troop- contributing country (TCC) may think: why should I put my life at risk if the mission is almost at the finish line? For some TCCs, perhaps, that makes no sense.”
2023-07-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9389 (2023) · source
“The condition is: when we withdraw from a base or area, the local or regional forces will have to replace us immediately in order to guarantee the protection of civilians in our area of responsibility. The Force Intervention Brigade will also remain in our hands until the end of the process in order to be able to intervene, if necessary, within the entire area of responsibility, which, with the drawdown, we will lose the ability to do. It is therefore extremely important that a strong force remain in the hands of the Force Commander, so that he can continue protection-of-civilians operations, including during the transition process. I would like to emphasize that regional forces will play an important and fundamental role in the transition process.”
2023-07-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9389 (2023) · source
“Therefore, in order to be able to promote the protection of civilians in a mission such as MONUSCO, it is very important that all troop-contributing countries understand the meaning of their mandate. Otherwise, it will be extremely difficult for them to earn and to maintain the trust of the population and the Government. With regard to the transition process, I will not go into deep detail about that, as Mr. Lacroix will soon update the Council with a special report on the transition process in MONUSCO. What I can relay to the Council is that we are doing that in a very responsible way. We are planning to withdraw from the Democratic Republic of the Congo in phases, so that we can guarantee the protection of civilians, which is the main concern of all Council members.”
2023-07-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9389 (2023) · source