YouSaid · the spoken record

Kelapile

lines on the record: 81
first: 2018-11-20
most recent: 2023-02-14
sittings or episodes: 8
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

“As I conclude, I should note that even if we manage those difficult transitions well, uprooting people and their culture and livelihoods involves a huge cost and carries substantive risks for States and social cohesion. In the interests of climate justice, the onus is on those who bear the primary responsibility for climate impacts, and on the international community as a whole, to face these issues head-on, including by providing adequate financing for the most vulnerable countries and communities. We must all live up to our obligations and responsibilities. For Africa and all communities in low-lying coastal areas — our brothers and sisters, especially in the SIDS and Pacific island countries — it is imperative that we act urgently and that we do so today.”
2023-02-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9260Resumption1 (2023) · source
“If we want to prevent further loss and damage from climate change, including its negative impacts on peace and security, people and Governments need to be able to better predict and prepare. Most people do not want to leave the places they call home, and they should not be forced to. In that connection, existing commitments to ensuring climate adaptation financing and universal access to early-warning systems must be kept. Where there is no other option, we must help communities to move out of harm’s way and direct investments towards areas of prospective settlement. Regional organizations should also support joint forecasting and planning among their member States to address cross-border risks and harness opportunities associated with the movement and resettlement of people.”
2023-02-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9260Resumption1 (2023) · source
“In building on the Africa Climate Mobility Initiative and working closely with the Global Centre for Climate Mobility, we are embarking on a national deep-dive process to identify climate risk hotspots and develop a national blueprint for addressing climate mobility and advancing people-centred climate action. It is critical to ensure that responses from our continent and elsewhere are based on the best available data and information, including state-of-the-art forecasting and modelling capabilities, if we are to better anticipate and protect ourselves against climate risks. Botswana is therefore committed to leading from the front by putting people at the core of its response to the climate crisis.”
2023-02-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9260Resumption1 (2023) · source
“Our subregion, Southern Africa, could also see an increase in cross-border mobility owing to the effects of climate change. We all know that people have always moved to escape from harm and to adapt to changes in the environment. It is therefore important that we keep our focus on mitigating the climatic factors that drive such movements and not regard the people who move as a threat. That is why Botswana, under the leadership of President Mokgweetsi Masisi, has undertaken to play a champion role in issues relating to climate mobility data and information.”
2023-02-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9260Resumption1 (2023) · source
“However, we are determined to adapt to the consequences of global warming and prevent further loss and damage to our people, environment, economies and cultural heritage while also preventing climate-change-induced conflicts. Over the past years, we in Africa have witnessed how climate-change-induced incidents, such as prolonged drought, flooding, cyclones and storms, have intensified. Their frequency has brought about hardship and devastation, including large-scale forced migration and displacement. Recent findings by the Africa Climate Mobility Initiative stress that the continent will see an increase in climate-forced migration and displacement over the coming decades, with internal displacement forecast to affect as many as 113 million people by 2050.”
2023-02-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9260Resumption1 (2023) · source
“We are also here to express our solidarity with all low-lying coastal communities and the small island developing States (SIDS), particularly the Pacific island countries, that through no fault of their own are increasingly facing a genuine existential threat from sea level rise with peace and security ramifications. We therefore welcome and fully support the Rising Nations Initiative, which was launched by the leaders of the Pacific atoll countries last year and aims to protect their statehood, preserve their sovereignty and safeguard the rights and heritage of the populations affected. Like the SIDS and the Pacific island countries, Africa contributes very little to global greenhouse-gas emissions, and yet we are suffering the greatest negative impacts.”
2023-02-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9260Resumption1 (2023) · source
“At the outset, let me congratulate and thank Malta’s presidency of the Security Council for creating this timely opportunity for us to participate in today’s open debate on the implications of sea level rise for international peace and security. I would also like to thank this morning’s briefers for their important insights. Botswana is definitely a landlocked country. While we do not face a direct threat from sea level rise, we are affected by other impacts of climate change within and beyond our borders. We therefore have a keen and legitimate interest in this important debate.”
2023-02-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9260Resumption1 (2023) · source
“Lastly, Member States should bring to justice all who are responsible for crimes involving violations against children, including any atrocity crimes, through prompt investigations and, where appropriate, prosecutions. In that context, we encourage Member States to support the accountability measures for perpetrators listed in the annex to the Secretary-General’s report, based on the findings of the Monitoring and Reporting Mechanism.”
2022-07-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9096Resumption1 (2022) · source
“We would like to encourage the Secretary-General to alert the Security Council whenever there is credible information that parties are committing any of the six grave violations against children by including such situations of concern in his annual children and armed conflict report. Fourthly, appropriate legislative and institutional arrangements are essential for comprehensively addressing violations of international humanitarian law and international human rights law against children and young people. We encourage States that have not yet done so to ratify the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the involvement of children in armed conflict. We also acknowledge the efforts of Member States that have endorsed the Paris Principles and Commitments, the Vancouver Principles and the Safe Schools Declaration.”
2022-07-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9096Resumption1 (2022) · source
“A single, complete evidence-based list of all those found responsible for such violations and abuses that accurately reflects the data collected and verified by the Monitoring and Reporting Mechanism should be published in the annexes to the Secretary-General’s report every year. Thirdly, it is important that all existing mechanisms for monitoring, reporting and responding to violations against children be strengthened, including the child protection capacities of United Nations peace operations and political missions and the Office of the Special Representative for Children and Armed Conflict.”
2022-07-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9096Resumption1 (2022) · source
“Ensuring the meaningful participation in conflict resolution and atrocity prevention of children and young people, including those who have experienced atrocities in the past, means recognizing the role that they can play, not just as beneficiaries of interventions but also as partners in peace. Secondly, all perpetrators of the six grave violations against children must be held accountable. The United Nations Monitoring and Reporting Mechanism and the Secretary-General’s annual report and its annexes are essential for ensuring accountability and preventing further violations against children. Those tools will remain powerful only if they maintain their credibility.”
2022-07-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9096Resumption1 (2022) · source
“The Group of Friends of the Responsibility to Protect would like to stress the following points. First, children and young people face distinct atrocity risks. The international community should therefore ensure that every aspect of atrocity prevention — from planning to implementation to monitoring and evaluation — is guided by the general principles of the Convention on the Rights of the Child. Furthermore, children and young people can and should play critical roles in informing early warning and capacity-building and developing more cohesive, inclusive and resilient societies. Those roles will contribute to the prevention and resolution of conflict and peacebuilding.”
2022-07-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9096Resumption1 (2022) · source
“Among the six grave violations, the abduction of children is one of the most difficult to document. Where it constitutes an atrocity crime, abduction may be punishable under the Rome Statute. Moreover, we are especially concerned by the drastic increase in child abductions and the unlawful recruitment and use of child soldiers, including girls. We encourage the United Nations to also further investigate allegations of cross-border abduction and child trafficking for adoption purposes. We firmly condemn such illegal acts — wherever they occur — and welcome the recently presented guidance note on abduction made by the Office of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict. We hope it will contribute to the prevention of child abduction.”
2022-07-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9096Resumption1 (2022) · source
“Today millions of children around the world face the risk of mass atrocities; their safety, protection, dignity and welfare are fundamental to the objectives of the responsibility to protect. Depending on the circumstances, the six grave violations against children during situations of armed conflict, as identified by the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict, may amount to either atrocity crimes themselves or an indication that an atrocity crime may have been committed. Over the past 16 years, the United Nations has verified 266,000 cases of grave violations against children in more than 30 conflict situations. While those cases were verified through the 2005 United Nations-led Monitoring and Reporting Mechanism, the actual figures are most likely much higher, according to UNICEF.”
2022-07-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9096Resumption1 (2022) · source
“I have the honour of delivering this statement on behalf of the Group of Friends of the Responsibility to Protect, consisting of 55 Member States and the European Union, which this year is co-chaired by Costa Rica, Croatia and my own country, Botswana. The Group would like to thank Brazil for organizing today’s important open debate. I would also like to extend our gratitude to the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict, Mrs. Virginia Gamba de Potgieter, the Executive Director of UNICEF, Ms. Catherine Russell, and youth activist Patrick Kumi for their highly informative briefings. As highlighted by the latest report of the Secretary- General (S/2022/428) on the responsibility to protect, children and young people are uniquely — and often disproportionately — affected by conflict and atrocities.”
2022-07-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9096Resumption1 (2022) · source
“It is one among several areas where the Security Council and the Economic and Social Council can work together, in coordination with the General Assembly, in a complementary manner in accordance the respective mandates of the principal organs.”
2021-11-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8906 (2021) · source
“In that regard, I commend you, Mr. President, for also convening the high-level open debate on exclusion, inequality and conflict on 9 November (see S/PV.8900). We in the Economic and Social Council agree that it is imperative to address the root causes of conflict, which often lie in poverty and unequal access to opportunities for a better life. Moving forward, the Economic and Social Council is fully mobilized to ensure a swift recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, including by promoting equitable access to affordable vaccines for everyone. That issue has been at the centre of our work since March 2020 and will continue to be so until the crisis dissipates.”
2021-11-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8906 (2021) · source
“As we move forward, and onward, to the 100th anniversary of the United Nations, let us work together more closely and engender the ambition to give life and meaning to a larger vision of collective security, rooted in sustainable development and conflict prevention. The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic continues to threaten our world and has already reversed many gains made towards the attainment of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The pandemic has hit the poorest and the most vulnerable in our societies hardest. With its multifaceted impacts on health, the economy, food security and education, it has exposed, and further exacerbated, pre-existing inequalities within and among countries, which, if not dealt with in a collaborative way, will be palpable sources of future tensions and conflict.”
2021-11-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8906 (2021) · source
“Those informal coordinators can identify areas where collaboration would be most useful and mainstream a more holistic and coherent approach to our work. Thirdly and finally, we could envision that joint meetings on common themes could also extend to the entire membership of the Security Council, the Economic and Social Council and the Peacebuilding Commission. Joining forces on crises of a global nature, such as pandemics and the climate crisis, will demonstrate to the global public that Member States can put aside their differences for the greater good. It would also mobilize a more coherent, coordinated and accountable United Nations system-wide response. In conclusion, let me emphasize that we need innovative solutions to the multidimensional crises across the pillars of the Organization.”
2021-11-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8906 (2021) · source
“Another option could be regular joint meetings of a composite committee of the bureaus of the Economic and Social Council, the PBC and, of course, a troika of Security Council Presidents of the prior, current and following month. Those meetings could serve to mobilize political will and international solidarity and could be the medium through which to discuss integrated strategies and targeted policy interventions that support conflict prevention. Those meetings could be prepared by existing informal coordinators that have been put in place by the Peacebuilding Commission, the Security Council and the General Assembly. The informal coordinators for the PBC and the Economic and Social Council will be selected very soon.”
2021-11-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8906 (2021) · source
“There are monthly meetings between the Presidents of the General Assembly and the Economic and Social Council, and the two Presidents also convene joint briefings at the beginning of the calendar year. There are also annual joint meetings between the Economic and Social Council and the Peacebuilding Commission. Given that rich and valuable experience, I would also like to propose regular meetings among the heads of the principal organs under the Charter and the Chair of the Peacebuilding Commission. Work programmes could be shared, which could help plan a more systematic approach to engaging the heads of the principal organs where relevant.”
2021-11-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8906 (2021) · source
“The work of the Security Council Ad Hoc Working Group on Africa, which includes, in its terms of reference, strengthening cooperation with the Economic and Social Council, could benefit from the participation of a member of the Economic and Social Council Bureau. While the Ad Hoc Advisory Groups on African Countries no longer exist, the Council’s consideration of South Sudan and the Sahel remain relevant for joint discussion. Secondly, we can also draw on the experience of the existing regular interactions among the General Assembly, the Economic and Social Council and the Peacebuilding Commission (PBC) that have been in place for a number of years.”
2021-11-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8906 (2021) · source
“Those could constitute elements for an institutional framework that could promote comprehensive, integrated solutions that span actions across the peace and security, humanitarian and development pillars of the Organization. First, the Security Council and the Economic and Social Council could build on their previous collaboration in the early 2000s. The Chair of the Security Council Ad Hoc Working Group on Conflict Prevention and Resolution in Africa regularly participated in the work of the Economic and Social Council Ad Hoc Advisory Groups on African Countries Emerging from Conflict. There was even a joint mission to Guinea-Bissau in 2004.”
2021-11-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8906 (2021) · source
“Extreme poverty in South Sudan is rooted in over 50 years of conflict. Haiti’s vast humanitarian needs, structural inequality, governance deficits and vulnerability to climate change require that we work ever more closely together, as the United Nations principal organs, to address the long- term development needs of that country. Currently, those three cases are on the agendas of both Councils and could benefit from joint and complementary approaches. Having said all that, allow me to share some practical options for strengthening inter-Council coordination that will be more visible, transparent, complementary and effective.”
2021-11-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8906 (2021) · source
“The voluntary national reviews of the High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development, convened under the auspices of the Economic and Social Council, also offer valuable insights and lessons learned for the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development in conflict-affected countries. At the High-level Political Forum in July 2022, of the 46 countries that will present their voluntary national reviews on implementation of the 2030 Agenda, approximately 12 have been affected by conflict within the past two decades. I am from a region of the world where surmounting the challenges to peace and development has been most elusive. In the Sahel, we continue to witness untold suffering due to the failure to appreciate the complex interplay of human survival in a very fragile and culturally diverse environment.”
2021-11-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8906 (2021) · source
“The Commission on Narcotic Drugs, the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice and the United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute have also done work at the intersection of conflict and the rule of law. Moreover, the Economic and Social Council’s Commission for Social Development addresses social exclusion and inequality and focuses on those communities often left behind. Its Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues and its Youth Forum also provide a platform for engaging communities that have traditionally been voiceless. Information from the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, which monitors the implementation of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, could constitute an early warning system.”
2021-11-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8906 (2021) · source
“The most recent request by the Security Council to the Economic and Social Council in 1998, inviting it to contribute to the elaboration of a long- term programme of support for Haiti, did not reference Article 65. With over 75 years of development experience and a vast body of knowledge — both of which are increasingly pertinent to the work of the Security Council — the Economic and Social Council, together with its subsidiary bodies, has much to offer. It was the seminal work of the Commission on the Status of Women on gender-mainstreaming that created the momentum for the consideration of the women and peace and security agenda in the Security Council.”
2021-11-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8906 (2021) · source
“We already have the legal basis for inter-Council collaboration and coordination. Article 65 of the Charter clearly provides that “[t]he Economic and Social Council may furnish information to the Security Council and shall assist the Security Council upon its request”. The Economic and Social Council’s own rules of procedure also provide that special sessions can be requested by the Security Council or, alternatively, an item can be proposed on the Economic and Social Council’s agenda. Despite that, we can find only two examples of explicit requests to the Economic and Social Council for assistance by the Security Council referring to Article 65: the first in 1950, regarding the situation in Korea, and the second in 1973, with respect to Zambia.”
2021-11-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8906 (2021) · source
“At its founding, the Economic and Social Council was entrusted with the responsibility to promote the economic and social advancement of all peoples and the promotion and protection of human rights. Protecting our citizens from want, disease and environmental degradation means protecting their security and preventing conflict. The Economic and Social Council’s oversight and coordination of the United Nations development system, including in conflict settings, as well as its work on humanitarian action and coordination, are also highly relevant to the maintenance of peace and security. To date, however, interactions between the Security Council and the Economic and Social Council have remained sporadic and ad hoc. We must acknowledge that today’s complex challenges require more institutionalized collaboration.”
2021-11-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8906 (2021) · source
“Mr. Kelapile: It is a great pleasure for me to address the Security Council in my capacity as President of the Economic and Social Council at this very timely open debate. I wish to thank the Mexican presidency of the Council for convening this debate and for inviting me. The event is, in fact, a very welcome step in the improvement of cooperation and collaboration among the United Nations Charter-based principal organs. The Charter of the United Nations recognizes development as the indispensable foundation of collective security. While there is no dispute that the Security Council has the primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security, conflict prevention is also at the core of the work of the United Nations and must therefore actively involve all principal organs.”
2021-11-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8906 (2021) · source
“We take this opportunity to reaffirm Botswana's solidarity with the Palestinian people, as well as our unwavering support for a sovereign Palestinian State as determined by the pre-1967 international borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital, in line with the relevant Security Council resolutions. We renew our call for the strengthening of coordination of international efforts to that just end.”
2019-04-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8517 (2019) · source
“But the prevailing rift and divisions among the Palestinian leadership in itself greatly undermines their collective ability to engage meaningfully in the peace process as a united negotiating force. Allow me to conclude by once again reiterating our delegation's long-standing position and conviction that there is no alternative to the two-State solution. We believe that bringing about lasting peace in the Middle East, whereby Palestinians and Israelis live side by side in a peaceful and dignified manner regardless of race, religion or otherwise, remains a cause still worth pursuing. That would be the greatest investment and peace dividend by the international community for generations to come.”
2019-04-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8517 (2019) · source
“Our delegation fully supports the international community's continued efforts towards finding a negotiated settlement on the Middle East conflict. We remain optimistic in our collective ability to exert influence on the parties concerned to resume the intra-Palestinian peace talks, with a view to paving the way forward towards relaunching the Israeli-Palestinian dialogue. In that regard, we welcome the momentum maintained throughout several recent gatherings, including the third intra-Palestinian meeting, a conference of a group of Arab and European Foreign Ministers and the first joint summit of the League of Arab States and European Union member States, all held in February. There is certainly a lot to be gained ifthe Palestinian leaders and their people can reunite behind their desirable and well-deserved cause for self-determination.”
2019-04-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8517 (2019) · source
“Our delegation welcomes the report of the Secretary-General on the implementation of resolution 2334 (2016) (S/2019/251), relating to Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territory. We remain troubled by how little progress was achieved during the reporting period. We are particularly concerned about the ongoing settlement activities in the Palestinian territories. We reiterate that those actions are in violation of international law and constitute a significant obstacle to achieving a just, lasting and comprehensive peace in the Middle East. We echo the call for complete adherence to obligations under various international instruments, as well as the call to refrain from any steps that could reverse progress towards the resumption of the peace process.”
2019-04-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8517 (2019) · source
“Without any doubt, the ongoing situation has an adverse impact on the political, economic and security situations of both Palestinians and Israelis. Of further worry is that those trends undermine meaningful negotiations and prospects for achieving lasting peace and the realization of the ultimate goal of a two- State solution. We are especially deeply concerned by reports in Gaza indicating a dire situation that is at risk of major escalation, with retaliatory actions causing severe humanitarian suffering, deaths and injuries of innocent civilians. We therefore call for restraint in the use of excessive and lethal force, for the protection of the lives of all.”
2019-04-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8517 (2019) · source
“We align ourselves with the statement delivered on behalf of the Movement of Non-Aligned Countries; however, we wish to highlight a few points in our national capacity. As we meet here today, the recent mass suicide bombings at places of worship and hotels in Sri Lanka; the shooting at a synagogue in southern California here in the United States; and another attack at a Protestant church in Burkina Faso are sad reminders that the world is becoming increasingly dangerous and call on us to act together and decisively. We condemn in the strongest terms those acts of violence and offer our condolences to all those affected. As the world continues to witness the deteriorating situation in Israel and in Palestine, Botswana remains equally concerned about the developments in the region.”
2019-04-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8517 (2019) · source
“At the outset, our delegation expresses its gratitude for the opportunities to address the Security Council twice this month under your able leadership, Mr. President. We appreciate the convening of this quarterly open debate on the situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question. We thank Ms. Rosemary DiCarlo, Under-Secretary- General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, as well as the co-Directors of EcoPeace Middle East, for their invaluable perspectives on the subject matter. Our delegation also acknowledges the outstanding service of the United Nations Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, Mr. Nickolay Mladenov, in fulfilling what remains one of the most intense yet most important responsibilities of the international community and the Security Council.”
2019-04-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8517 (2019) · source
“Equally important is provision of adequate protection for the rights and needs of victims of sexual Violence in conflict environments. We believe that victims deserve platforms where they can be involved in processes of healing, rehabilitation, reconciliation and reintegration into their societies. We therefore support the continued emphasis on survivor-centred responses. In this regard, we note the work of the Team of Experts on the Rule of Law and Sexual Violence in Conflict, mandated under resolution 1888 (2009), to assist Governments with criminal investigation and prosecution, protection of victims and witnesses, and reparations. In conclusion, Botswana pledges its commitment to working with the international community on effective strategies to prevent violence against women and children in conflict situations.”
2019-04-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8514 (2019) · source
“We therefore encourage closer partnership with other relevant institutions working in this area, such as the AU's Women, Gender and Development Directorate and the Special Envoy on Women, Peace and Security. The Member States have the responsibility to strengthen the capacities of their national institutions as a critical means for ensuring accountability, prevention and deterrence, including compliance with relevant obligations to prosecute all perpetrators of all forms of sexual violence, exploitation and abuse. Targeted training programmes aimed at raising awareness against gender-based violence and sexual exploitation and abuse for personnel deployed in conflict situations should remain central to these efforts.”
2019-04-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8514 (2019) · source
“Our delegation welcomes these and other ongoing efforts to respond to sexual violence, exploitation and abuse. We particularly note the determination to strengthen the system-wide approach through enforcement of the existing United Nations zero- tolerance policy on sexual exploitation and abuse, as well as such other accompanying initiatives as the United Nations Action against Sexual Violence in Conflict. We also believe that enhanced coordination and collaboration among all relevant stakeholders would strengthen global efforts aimed at addressing sexual violence. In this regard, we support, inter alia, the work of UN-Women and the strengthened respective mandates of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Sexual Violence in Conflict and the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict.”
2019-04-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8514 (2019) · source
“Importantly, this year we mark two very important occasions: the lead-up to the commemoration of the twentieth anniversary of resolution 1325 (2000) on women and peace and security and the tenth anniversary of the establishment of the mandate of the Special Representative on Sexual Violence in Conflict. At the continental level, our delegation notes that Africa, as a region that is affected by conflicts, is playing a key role in this important agenda. We are well advised that a total of some 42 instruments on this issue have been adopted by the African Union (AU) and its regional economic communities and regional mechanisms. At the national level, we also note that close to half of the member States of the AU have put in place national action plans in this area.”
2019-04-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8514 (2019) · source
“The international community has indeed come a long way in designing policies and strategies on women, peace and security. We therefore believe that, through the combination of the commitments and measures adopted globally, we are much better situated than before to achieve the purposes of resolution 1325 (2000) and other relevant resolutions addressing sexual exploitation and abuse. Clearly, there is no lack of good intentions and efforts on this issue. Urgently needed are implementation of the common tools and frameworks and better utilization of the data and information already collected on women, peace and security. These would greatly enhance evidence-based policy decisions and identification of obstacles in our way.”
2019-04-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8514 (2019) · source
“That is why Botswana co-sponsored the Safe Schools Declaration. Considering the dire dimensions of the problem and its implications for international peace and security, we agree that conflict-related sexual violence can be comprehensively tackled through a multidimensional and coordinated approach to conflict prevention and sustaining peace. Beyond their being subjects of violence in conflict situations, women must be enabled to play a meaningful role in conflict resolution, preventive diplomacy and peacebuilding. They must be empowered to act as active agents of peace and transformation by creating an enabling environment where they can freely participate on an equal footing without any fear of violent acts or intimidation.”
2019-04-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8514 (2019) · source
“Ending such violations is a moral imperative and one which we must collectively address. This is all the more crucial in conflict situations. Our delegation welcomes the Secretary-General's report contained in document S/2019/280, which offers useful analysis and recommendations for dealing with conflict-related sexual violence. The report once again highlights, inter alia, the fact that sexual violence is applied as a tactic of war and terror. It is observable that such methods are often used by both State and non-State actors. As rightly noted in the Safe Schools Declaration, conflict situations do not only destroy infrastructure in educational institutions. Forced occupation of educational facilities by parties to conflict exposes children and youth to vulnerabilities stemming from sexual violence, abuse and exploitation.”
2019-04-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8514 (2019) · source
“Mr. President, we congratulate you on your assumption of the presidency of the Security Council for the month of April, and we thank you for convening today's important thematic debate. We also appreciate the briefings provided by the Secretary-General, the Special Representative on Sexual Violence in Conflict and the Nobel Peace Laureates, and the statements of the other speakers who took the floor this morning. Botswana supports the statement delivered by the Permanent Observer of the African Union to the United Nations, Ms. Fatima Mohammed, but we wish to add a few points in our national capacity. Conflict-related sexual violence undoubtedly represents one of the most serious forms of violation of international humanitarian law and human rights law.”
2019-04-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8514 (2019) · source
“Our delegation encourages continued attention by the Security Council to climate-related peace and security challenges. In conclusion, the African Union and individual African countries cannot silence the guns by themselves. In addition to existing partnerships, we welcome the recently concluded frameworks between the AU and the United Nations on peace and security, as well as on the Agenda 2063 and the 2020 initiative. We wish to also highlight and express our appreciation for the support of the United Nations for the AU Peace and Security Council initiative to declare September of each year until 2020 as Africa Amnesty Month for the surrender of illegally owned weapons and arms, in line with the Silencing the Guns by 2020 initiative.”
2019-02-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8473 (2019) · source
“The adoption of such relevant instruments as Agenda 2063, the fiftieth anniversary solemn declaration and the AU Master Roadmap ofPractical Steps for Silencing the Guns in Africa by 2020, among others, represent significant commitments. The ongoing implementation of institutional reforms and the enhanced effectiveness of AU peacekeeping operations are also key to the sustainability of the efforts to promote and maintain peace and security on the continent. But beyond the existing threats that continue to fuel conflict, a significant emerging threat is climate change, which exacerbates conflict in Africa. We therefore welcome the recently updated multi-year appeal for the period 2018-2019 issued by the Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs. The acknowledgement of this linkage is very important.”
2019-02-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8473 (2019) · source
“In order to maintain the momentum on legitimate trade in precious minerals, such as diamonds, our delegation takes this opportunity to encourage keen interest in the forthcoming Kimberley Process-driven General Assembly discussions on the role of diamonds in fuelling conflict. Action is expected on a draft resolution on 1 March. Overall, our delegation agrees that Africa is doing its utmost through the AU and its regional mechanisms. For instance, beyond establishing some early-warning mechanisms and some standby forces, as I mentioned, Africa itself has also acknowledged the need to harness its demographic dividend through investing in youth.”
2019-02-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8473 (2019) · source
“A mix ofprudent measures, ranging from leveraging the potential of technological innovations to investing in proper education, is essential to create an enabling environment for peace. We must empower women and youth as agents of peace and development by promoting participatory and accountable governance. For Botswana an important part of achieving effective governance and development is through the effective management of the mineral sector as a catalyst for economic and social development. We therefore welcome the fact that, through the AU's Africa Mining Vision, Africa has recognized the need to work in unison in this area, thereby providing an ideal platform to share experiences. As the concept note before us indicates, the task of silencing the guns cannot always be delinked from the effective management of natural resources.”
2019-02-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8473 (2019) · source
“Although growth has not always been accompanied by meaningful social progress and inclusiveness, in recent years we have seen a sizeable number of African countries in the lead as some of the fastest-growing economies in the world. Africa is also home to a good number of middle-income economies, including our own country Botswana, following sustained development efforts. The continent is blessed with a large population of young people, who, if properly harnessed, constitute a demographic dividend that is key to sustaining additional strong economic growth for our continent. We therefore share the concern that, if we do not manage those contradictions well, dissatisfied groups in our communities - including young people - will make the wrong choice of resorting to arms.”
2019-02-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8473 (2019) · source