YouSaid · the spoken record

Kelly Craft

lines on the record: 426
first: 2020-03-31
most recent: 2021-01-20
sittings or episodes: 61
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

“And from my personal viewpoint, it has been an incredible honour to serve here, and to serve my country by doing so. I thank the Council for allowing me the opportunity to serve with the finest club, I believe, in the world. And I am forever grateful and will forever be watching and cheering the Council from the sidelines. And I just know that it will continue to make differences for people who do not have a voice.”
2021-01-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/75 (2021) · source
“The anxieties flowing from a pandemic very likely, and only naturally, may detract somewhat from the mindfulness of the causes all Governments must serve, and the values all Governments must cherish. Of those, again I say, freedom and democracy are cardinal. As the wisest of all our Presidents reminded my nation, in another period of terrible turbulence, both are always being tested or challenged. Lincoln is a star in the firmament, and he surely never shone more brightly that when, in the briefest of all presidential addresses, he gave voice to the hope and prayer that “government by the people, for the people and of the people” should not “perish from the earth.” Freedom and democracy are always under test. That is why this body exists.”
2021-01-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/75 (2021) · source
“This kind of politicizing and weaponizing of aid should outrage the Council and trigger immediate action to deliver aid to this community now. My time as my country’s representative to this body comes to its close. There is nothing more certain that I have learned in time: to everything there is a season. For me it concludes as it began, with still the strongest conviction that the heart of all Government is stewardship — not to rule, but to serve. That it is as agents and delegates of the people that we hold what offices we fill. And it is by our fidelity to the principles of freedom and democracy, upon which the security and welfare of all our citizens are secured, that we will be measured. We are surely, as the world most always is, in turbulent times. This body grew out of a historic turbulence.”
2021-01-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/75 (2021) · source
“Failure to renew that mandate will send a signal that the Council is not on the side of the Syrian people, but rather supporting a regime that has terrorized and systemically starved its people in the dogged pursuit of its own power. The United States looks forward to working closely with the new co-penholders, Ireland and Norway, and every member of the Council later this year to renew resolution 2533 (2020). Anything short would be an abdication of our responsibilities. The situation in Rukban continues to demand the attention of the Council. It has now been 16 months since the Al-Assad regime allowed the last humanitarian delivery to Rukban. Let me repeat that: 16 months. The Al-Assad regime and Russia must allow unhindered humanitarian access to the camp, including United Nations humanitarian delivery convoys.”
2021-01-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/75 (2021) · source
“From the points along the Turkish border you can see people — internally displaced from their homes, their lives uprooted — living in informal camps huddled against the fence that separates Turkish soil from Syria. These are the people, the majority of whom are women and children, who have entrusted us in the Council to keep them safe, to keep them alive. When resolution 2533 (2020) is up for renewal, in July, I urge members not to abandon the Syrian people. I urge them to do everything in their power to keep this indispensable border crossing, Bab Al-Hawa, authorized for United Nations deliveries of food, shelter and medical supplies to millions of Syrians.”
2021-01-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/75 (2021) · source
“They pleaded for the world to wake up to the horrors of this conflict and take action to restore Syria to a place of peace. And I must say that we have to count on people — the honest press, like Sena Alkan at CNN Turkey — to continue to be the voice of refugees and to continue to highlight what Turkey has done in taking in Syrian refugees. And each month our Russian colleagues tell us a very different story to this body, a story breathtaking in its dishonesty and cynicism. To all those struggling to survive the reality in Syria, displaced by the murderous regime and disregarded by its allies, the United States says this: we are with you. Last March, I visited the Bab Al-Hawa crossing to see the United Nations humanitarian operation in action.”
2021-01-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/75 (2021) · source
“The Syrian people should not have to wait one more day for action on the release of detainees and missing persons. Millions of Syrians have fled to Jordan, Lebanon and Turkey, and many millions remain internally displaced since the beginning of the conflict. We thank Syria’s neighbours for their incredible generosity. I had the great privilege of meeting with the Syrian refugees in Turkey. These are real people, not just numbers that we repeat each month in the Council. I recall meeting the brave, selfless members of the White Helmets — Ammar, Isameel, Abdulhadi, Maisaa and Afnan. They told me of the despair and suffering inside Syria, the children without adequate food, the pregnant women without access to health care and the communities living in terror.”
2021-01-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/75 (2021) · source
“The Constitutional Committee is only one aspect of the necessary political steps to be taken under resolution 2254 (2015), and we urge the Special Envoy to redouble efforts to advance progress in the other aspects of the political file. As many as 130,000 Syrians remain missing after being arbitrarily detained by the regime and continue to suffer inhumane conditions without access to adequate health care. We condemn the Al-Assad regime’s systematic campaign of arbitrary detention, torture and mistreatment of prisoners. There must be an immediate and serious effort led by the Special Envoy to secure the immediate release of arbitrarily detained persons held by the Al-Assad regime, to provide information on missing persons to their families and to allow humanitarian access to detention facilities.”
2021-01-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/75 (2021) · source
“Clearly, the Al-Assad regime hopes to use the 2021 Syrian presidential elections to further the false narrative that the Al-Assad regime has participated constructively in the political process per resolution 2254 (2015), that Al-Assad’s rule is legitimate and that reconstruction and normalization should follow. That could not be further from the truth. This cynical ploy ignores the tragic realities faced by millions of Syrians who have been uprooted from their homes, by the families whose loved ones remain arbitrarily detained and are missing and by the civilians killed or injured by the regime and its craven allies’ barbaric attacks. The United States will withhold reconstruction funding until the United Nations political process is completed.”
2021-01-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/75 (2021) · source
“The vast majority of the international community and reputable non-governmental organizations agree that the current elections framework in the 2012 Syrian Constitution does not meet the most basic international standards. The United States will not recognize the elections as legitimate per resolution 2254 (2015), a policy shared by nations on this call. Syria must undertake steps, as unanimously agreed in resolution 2254 (2015), to enable the participation of refugees, internally displaced persons and the diaspora in any Syrian elections that occur pursuant to a new constitution.”
2021-01-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/75 (2021) · source
“The United States welcomes plans for the convening of the fifth round of the Constitutional Committee next week in Geneva. The important work of drafting a new constitution has been delayed for far too long. The Al-Assad regime must meaningfully participate in the Committee’s work to deliver a constitution that represents the entirety of the Syrian people. We also underscore Special Envoy Pedersen’s authority to take measures he deems appropriate to facilitate the parties’ efforts to begin work on a new constitution itself. We are under no illusions here. It is clear that the Al-Assad regime is deliberately stalling the Committee’s progress to distract the international community as the regime prepares to carry out a sham presidential election this year. Any such election would be illegitimate.”
2021-01-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/75 (2021) · source
“The United States has worked tirelessly with partners to push for a change in the political dynamics that afflict the Council and continue to deny the Syrian people a path towards peace, stability and hope. The Council is failing millions of Syria’s civilians, not just today but for more than a decade. It is appalling. As Ambassadors, we serve our respective countries. However, we have the responsibility to be selfless public servants who work to improve the lives of people around the world. To Mark Lowcock and Geir Pedersen, my sincere gratitude for their untiring efforts and those of their respective teams. They have, and they will continue to have, the full support of the United States for their work to alleviate suffering and to bring this conflict to a peaceful, negotiated solution.”
2021-01-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/75 (2021) · source
“This meeting marks my final opportunity to address the Security Council as the Permanent Representative of the United States of America. When I assumed this position, in September of 2019, I vowed to speak in this body with moral clarity, to always have in mind those who could not be present themselves — families fleeing the abominable Maduro regime, Rohingya communities desperate for a return to normalcy, South Sudanese women exhausted by the inaction of political leaders. And the besieged people of Syria — bombed, starved, displaced and tormented by the Al-Assad regime and its supporters. That this body has failed to do more to address the needs of the Syrian people and promote real, positive action towards a peaceful resolution to this crisis is scandalous.”
2021-01-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/75 (2021) · source
“Peacekeeping operations are a key tool for both advancing international peace and security and creating the space for States to address the root causes of conflict. As part of our efforts to help address fragility, the United States continues to lead the world’s contributions to United Nations peacekeeping operations, contributing 25 per cent of the Organization’s peacekeeping budget. I thank Tunisia again for convening today’s debate. The Security Council’s mandate to address threats to international peace and security, including threats deriving from intra-State conflict, means that we must be prepared to address those issues in practical terms, beyond just these useful debates. We must turn our words into actions; we look forward to working with one and all to do just that.”
2021-01-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/24 (2021) · source
“We will continue to encourage other Governments to contribute to the collective response against complex crises and fragility. Countries with higher rates of gender inequality are more vulnerable to conflict. We therefore prioritize the meaningful participation of women in efforts to prevent and resolve conflicts. The United States demonstrated our global leadership and commitment through President Trump’s signing of the United States Women, Peace, and Security Act of 2017 and the Administration’s release of our bold and innovative women and peace and security strategy in June 2019. The new United States Strategy to Prevent Conflict and Promote Stability incorporates women and peace and security principles into all elements of country and regional planning processes.”
2021-01-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/24 (2021) · source
“Seventy per cent of all assistance provided by the United States Agency for International Development goes to fragile States, accounting for roughly 50 per cent of all United States foreign assistance. Over the past five years, the United States has provided approximately $30 billion in foreign assistance to the 15 most fragile countries, as identified by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). In November, the OECD commended the United States for its prominent role in fighting transnational corruption, which undermines good governance and responsive State institutions. The United States will continue to be a leader in providing such assistance, and we welcome increased efforts by our partners in that regard.”
2021-01-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/24 (2021) · source
“The United States has reaffirmed its commitment to preventing conflicts and addressing fragility through the 2019 Global Fragility Act and the recently released United States Strategy to Prevent Conflict and Promote Stability. That important strategy places local solutions, ownership and accountability at the heart of the United States approach to preventing conflict, stabilizing conflict-affected areas, promoting partnerships for long-term stability and building resilience and self- reliance in States. The United States supports locally driven political solutions to address the political factors that cause fragility, and we target our foreign assistance accordingly.”
2021-01-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/24 (2021) · source
“Fragile States can export their fragility to their neighbours, since violence, pollution and similar issues do not stop at boundaries and can threaten wider international peace and security. We must refine the role of the Security Council in addressing conflicts and State fragility. United Nations missions that operate in complex emergencies or conflicts must not be politicized. Instead, we should strive to make them more effective. That means providing principled humanitarian assistance that is timelier and more efficient through greater burden-sharing and improved coordination of our humanitarian, development and peacekeeping efforts.”
2021-01-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/24 (2021) · source
“Iran, for example, is undermining the stability of its neighbours by using fragile States or non-State actors as proxies, thereby contributing to protracted conflicts and complex humanitarian crises. Fragility and conflict have given rise to historic levels of displacement and humanitarian need. There are now an estimated 51 million internally displaced people globally, while the number of refugees has doubled to 20 million people. Humanitarian needs continue to outpace available resources by billions of dollars every year, and in 2021 a record number of people — at least 235 million — will need humanitarian assistance. For those reasons, we must help fragile States improve their internal stability lest they become failed States. Each of us has a critical role to play because problems in fragile States do not remain inside their borders.”
2021-01-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/24 (2021) · source
“The rise of terrorist activities and violent extremism makes them even more vulnerable. The coronavirus disease pandemic has exacerbated that fragility, undermined public health, contributed to mass unemployment, threatened food security, increased violence against women and reinforced — or even created — political and social divisions. Within fragile States, weak institutions, corruption, diminished respect for the rule of law, and authoritarianism increase the risks for violent conflict and instability in the long term and open the door to more cycles of political subversion and violence. Externally, malign actors are seeking to weaponize instability against other States.”
2021-01-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/24 (2021) · source
“I would like to thank President Saïed and his country’s delegation for organizing this open debate. This is a timely issue to discuss as we begin a new year of work in the Security Council. I would also like to thank the Secretary-General, the Chairperson of the African Union Commission and the former President of Liberia for their comprehensive overviews this morning. Fragile States are often characterized by their vulnerability to armed conflict, large-scale violence or other forms of instability, including the inability to manage transnational threats. Fragility can result from ineffective and unaccountable governance, weak social cohesion or corrupt institutions or leaders who do not respect human rights. Fragile States are particularly susceptible to destabilizing violence and armed conflict.”
2021-01-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/24 (2021) · source
“A peace deal would bring much needed economic support and investment to the Palestinians and open up an even broader world of opportunities — for Palestinians, regional partners and the world. We look forward to the day, hopefully soon, when the Security Council no longer needs to debate this matter. Last week, Jewish communities in Israel and around the world celebrated Hanukkah, the festival of lights, and there is a brightly lit Christmas tree in Manger Square at the Church of the Nativity. I hope that, amid the darkness of the winter, a global pandemic and far too many conflicts around the globe, we as a Council, and the international community more broadly, which represents so many religious and cultural traditions, will embrace the light represented by the Abraham Accords.”
2020-12-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1275 (2020) · source
“For decades, we had also seen little progress in resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict as parties continued to reflexively resort to the same old tired rhetoric and hardened positions. Today we see instead practical, real examples of genuine economic and cultural ties being formed. As a result, all of us in the Security Council should think long and hard about what else we may have missed or misinterpreted over the years. We once again encourage our regional partners and the members of this body to thoughtfully consider the United States Vision for Peace. We continue to urge the Palestinians to consider the opportunities within the Vision and to negotiate with Israel and present their objections within the context of direct talks based on the Vision.”
2020-12-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1275 (2020) · source
“In less than four months, four States opened diplomatic relations with Israel, paving the way for still more engagement that will help bring about the prosperity envisioned under President Trump’s peace plan. For decades, the prevailing assumption was that the world would see normalized international relations with Israel only following a resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian dispute, but we have proven that assumption wrong. Instead, Israeli entrepreneurs are now making regular trips to Dubai and Manama to explore economic opportunities that will benefit all their citizens, while Emirati and Bahraini entrepreneurs travel freely to Israel with the same goals. Those economic exchanges are a bright spot in a global economy that has been overshadowed by the regional conflict and the coronavirus disease.”
2020-12-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1275 (2020) · source
“The following month, Bahrain joined the United Arab Emirates in signing the Abraham Accords declaration at the White House, committing to an exchange of Ambassadors and launching a flurry of activity, including the first direct flights between those countries, as well as cooperative initiatives across a broad range of sectors, each of which was a major step forward in achieving an enduring and warm peace in the region. By October, the Sudan and Israel had also agreed to end the state of belligerence between them, thus extending the reach of the Abraham Accords to the African continent. Finally, on 10 December, Morocco announced that it would resume diplomatic relations with Israel and expand economic and cultural cooperation to advance regional stability.”
2020-12-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1275 (2020) · source
“President Trump’s Vision for Peace saw Israel commit itself to working towards a two-State solution at an event that was witnessed by other Arab nations, including the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, which attended the initial presentation of the Vision. Building on that momentum in August, the President then brokered a historic agreement to normalize relations between the United Arab Emirates and Israel — now known as the Abraham Accords — which was the first such agreement between Israel and an Arab country since 1994.”
2020-12-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1275 (2020) · source
“Since 1948, there has been a stream of efforts to resolve the conflict, yet they have generally failed. Those decades-old approaches have not only fallen short but they have stymied regional economic cooperation and growth and have largely prevented Israelis and Palestinians from establishing friendly relations. Recognizing the impasse we found ourselves in, President Trump presented a bold new vision for Middle East peace — a realistic, detailed plan to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, while making Israelis, Palestinians and millions of others in the region both safer and more prosperous.”
2020-12-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1275 (2020) · source
“I thank Special Coordinator Mladenov for his briefing. We are incredibly grateful for his dedicated and honourable service as the United Nations Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace for more than five years; his diligent efforts to help resolve this conflict have been invaluable. We wish him all the best as he makes the transition out of Jerusalem, and I look forward to seeing him in the next couple of days and working with him on his next assignment. As this year comes to a close, I would like to reflect on the progress we have made to date and how that progress has overturned a number of assumptions that framed our thinking on Middle East peace in ways that stood in the way of progress. The dispute between the Israelis and the Palestinians in this forum dates back to the earliest days of the Security Council.”
2020-12-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1275 (2020) · source
“The United States is committed to supporting the Afghan Government and civil society in their efforts to hold perpetrators accountable and protect and support victims. All Afghans, including those negotiating peace, must recognize and respect the universal human rights of people belonging to disadvantaged and marginalized groups in their country, whether they be women, children or members of ethnic and religious minority groups. A sincere commitment to inclusion is the foundation for future peace and stability. In that regard, there is a need for continuing efforts by the United Nations and other international partners to strengthen Afghan civil society in order to create a foundation for successful peace talks and democratic institutions so Afghanistan can move forward. I thank Ambassador Djani once again for having brought this forward.”
2020-12-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1274 (2020) · source
“This discussion is an important opportunity to keep the international community focused on what lies ahead and on the need to increase funding for life- saving humanitarian aid in Afghanistan as the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees continues to provide crucial assistance to displaced and returning Afghans. The United States has also provided more than $33 million for the coronavirus disease response in Afghanistan. The pandemic has only exacerbated the challenges facing vulnerable groups. We also remain deeply concerned by the continued exploitation of children in Afghanistan, including through the practice of sexual abuse known as bacha bazi and the recruitment and use of child soldiers. Impunity is a major challenge to ending those harmful practices.”
2020-12-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1274 (2020) · source
“We call on Afghanistan to follow through on its plans to support returning refugees, including by allocating land and providing identity documents. Over the last year, the Trump Administration has provided nearly $277 million in humanitarian assistance for internally displaced persons and returnees in Afghanistan, and for Afghan refugees in the region. Meanwhile, Afghanistan’s humanitarian needs are still growing at an alarming pace, with a record 18.4 million people in the country likely to require humanitarian assistance in 2021 — nearly double the number a year earlier. Nearly half of Afghanistan’s children under 5 face acute malnutrition.”
2020-12-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1274 (2020) · source
“United States reductions in posture remain conditions-based per the agreement and will continue to be implemented after consultation with the United States Congress and in coordination with our NATO allies and partners. Meanwhile, United States efforts to stabilize Afghanistan continue through our support to Afghan security forces and our delivery of critical aid to the Afghan people. As a sign of our commitment, the United States pledged $300 million in civilian assistance for 2021 during the 2020 donors’ conference, with another $300 million available depending on progress in the peace process. That pledge comes with continuing calls for progress on economic reforms, anti-corruption efforts and human rights. We welcome the discussion at the conference of the voluntary return and sustainable reintegration of refugees.”
2020-12-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1274 (2020) · source
“The recent finalization of rules and procedures was a significant step forward and demonstrates that the two sides are capable of tackling difficult topics. The first meeting of the leadership committee of the High Council for National Reconciliation was a second significant and positive development in recent weeks. We cannot afford to lose momentum, however, while the parties consult on a proposed agenda. We urge the parties to resume talks on 5 January as agreed, to deny spoilers any opportunity to slow the process and to accelerate their peace efforts and end the country’s long war. Earlier this year, the Council adopted resolution 2513 (2020), endorsing the United States-Taliban agreement, which outlines the prospective timeline for United States forces’ withdrawal from Afghanistan.”
2020-12-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1274 (2020) · source
“It is an outrage that women leaders, such as reporter and activist Malalai Maiwand, who was gunned down last week, and Mayor Zarifa Ghafari, who survived multiple assassination attempts and then lost her father to assassins, are being targeted. Afghan Government officials also continue to be prime targets, with the senseless assassination on Tuesday of the Deputy Governor of Kabul and the deputy head of the Ghor provincial council. That violence must stop. This concerning pattern of violence gives the utmost urgency to the need for a comprehensive ceasefire as a critical step towards peace for the Afghan people. An immediate reduction in violence will also help the peace process advance and is what the people of Afghanistan yearn for.”
2020-12-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1274 (2020) · source
“Sadly, in continuation of what we heard during our previous meeting on this item (see S/PV.8759), the people of Afghanistan continue to face terrible violence. The rocket attack on 21 November, which killed eight people and wounded over 30 near Kabul’s Green Zone, is one of the latest crimes committed by the Islamic State in Iraq and the Shams. The last few months have also seen barbaric attacks on educational institutions. It is time for the Government of Afghanistan, the Taliban and all Afghans to band together against this group. We also strongly condemn targeted and unlawful attacks on media representatives, religious leaders, human rights defenders, students and civilians.”
2020-12-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1274 (2020) · source
“It is always such a treat to be able to see Special Representative Lyons. I thank her for her briefing and her leadership role in guiding the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan in support of peace, human rights and development in Afghanistan. I would also like to thank Ambassador Djani for chairing the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 1988 (2011) over the past two years. I also thank all the Council members for all their hard work. Finally, I would like to thank Ms. Zadran for bringing the Council into the digital age as she uses social media to engage with young Afghans so that they can participate in building a future for themselves in Afghanistan.”
2020-12-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1274 (2020) · source
“We call on the Syrian regime to provide medical services equitably in all areas under its control and to allow humanitarian actors to deliver the needed supplies. In conclusion, I would like to speak directly to the Syrian people. The United States will never stop supporting their legitimate aspirations for an immediate and just end to this conflict. As the largest humanitarian donor to Syria, the American people have given more than $12 billion in assistance since this tragic conflict began. They can trust that we will continue to do everything in our power to deliver the aid that they need to survive this upcoming winter and keep COVID-19 at bay. Let us renew our hopes and redouble our efforts for peace in this new year.”
2020-12-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1257 (2020) · source
“That kind of politicizing and weaponizing of aid cannot continue without outrage from the Council. Over the past 10 years, the Syrian regime has destroyed much of the country’s health infrastructure, killed health-care workers and blocked the ability of civilians in opposition-held areas to seek medical treatment. That has resulted in a health- care system that was unable to meet basic needs even before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. With COVID-19 now taking hold throughout the country, the regime is prioritizing health care in loyalist areas, leaving regions such as Dar’a, where the Syrian uprising began, with a shortage of medical professionals and supplies and very little humanitarian access. The pandemic has allowed the regime to continue its inhumane siege tactics to break the spirits of the Syrian people.”
2020-12-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1257 (2020) · source
“In the midst of a pandemic, north-eastern Syria continues to face critical shortages of medical equipment due to the closure of the Al-Yarubiyah S/2020/1257 crossing almost a year ago. Al-Yarubiyah should be reopened, and the United Nations must be allowed full and unhindered access to Syria so that the humanitarian needs of every Syrian can be addressed. The regime’s humanitarian blockade of Rukban also demands the attention of the Council. It has been 15 months since the Al-Assad regime allowed the last humanitarian delivery to Rukban, and the people in the camp have been without medical aid for just as long. We demand that the Al-Assad regime and Russia immediately allow unhindered access to the camp, including humanitarian delivery convoys.”
2020-12-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1257 (2020) · source
“We would like to commend Belgium and Germany for their principled leadership over the past two years as humanitarian co-penholders. They have worked tirelessly to keep the Council focused on its core responsibility — helping to ensure that life-saving humanitarian aid reaches Syrians in need. The United States is determined to see the Council renew the vital cross-border humanitarian aid mechanism that is sustaining millions of desperate Syrians next year. The reauthorization of resolution 2533 (2020) is necessary to keep civilians alive. Bab Al-Hawa must therefore remain operational. Yet it is clear that one crossing point is insufficient to meet the growing needs, as evidenced by the current shortages of critical supplies, longer delivery times and the higher cost.”
2020-12-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1257 (2020) · source
“The Al-Assad regime’s failed economic policies are also inflicting a worsening toll on the Syrian people. Decades of corruption and mismanagement, coupled with years of waging war against the Syrian people, are responsible for the devastating economic conditions. The United States has imposed sanctions with robust humanitarian exemptions. I repeat — there are humanitarian exemptions designed to address any concerns. The sanctions promote accountability for the Al-Assad regime’s violence and destruction, which have killed hundreds of thousands of civilians. The United States will continue to apply economic pressure against those who are robbing the Syrian people of their livelihoods through corruption, intimidation and violence.”
2020-12-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1257 (2020) · source
“Turning to the humanitarian situation, the recent practice of combining the Council’s monthly meetings on the political and humanitarian situations is short- sighted and sends a dangerous signal to the Syrian people that the Council does not care and will not act to alleviate their suffering. That tactical manoeuvre, orchestrated by the Russian Federation and followed by its supporters, protects Bashar Al-Assad. Combined meetings further politicize the Council’s discussions on Syria and leave little opportunity to truly address Syria’s worsening humanitarian situation. Going forward, the United States supports separate monthly briefings to ensure that the Council remains focused on the needs of the Syrian people, not on what best serves the political narratives of Moscow and Damascus.”
2020-12-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1257 (2020) · source
“We express our strong support for the International, Impartial and Independent Mechanism to Assist in the Investigation and Prosecution of Persons Responsible for the Most Serious Crimes under International Law Committed in the Syrian Arab Republic since March 2011 as a means to gather evidence of the atrocities that the Al-Assad regime and ISIS have perpetrated, which will pave the way for a legitimate political solution. The International, Impartial and Independent Mechanism should be fully funded by the General Assembly and should not be attacked by those Member States that may be held accountable for the crimes they perpetrated against the Syrian people.”
2020-12-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1257 (2020) · source
“Without that, millions of Syrian refugees and internally displaced persons will not return to Syria; the United States and the international community will withhold reconstruction and development funding to the regime, in keeping with the principles and parameters of the United Nations; and the United States will continue to sanction the regime and its supporters for obstructing the legitimate aspirations of the Syrian people for a political solution. One essential element for lasting peace is to promote accountability for those who have committed atrocities in Syria.”
2020-12-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1257 (2020) · source
“While the Constitutional Committee process is under way, the United Nations and the Council must also redouble efforts to make progress on the other elements of resolution 2254 (2015). The United States supports the Special Envoy’s call for a nationwide ceasefire. Moreover, we call on the Special Envoy and the United Nations to press the Al-Assad regime for the immediate release of arbitrarily detained persons and for the regime to provide the families of the more than 100,000 missing Syrians with information on the whereabouts of their loved ones.In the new year, the Syrian people need to see the United Nations-facilitated political process achieve tangible results to implement resolution 2254 (2015).”
2020-12-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1257 (2020) · source
“We underscore Special Envoy Pedersen’s authority to take the measures that he deems appropriate in facilitating the parties’ efforts to begin work on the new constitution itself. It is increasingly apparent that the Al-Assad regime is delaying the Committee’s work to buy time as it prepares to carry out a sham presidential election in 2021 and wash its hands of the United Nations-facilitated political process. Syrian elections will not be recognized as legitimate by the United States and the international community if they are not in line with resolution 2254 (2015). The international community will not allow the Al-Assad regime to impose a military victory on the Syrian people with an illegitimate presidential election and no political reforms.”
2020-12-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1257 (2020) · source
“The only way forward for peace and stability in Syria is for the Al-Assad regime to support the political road map outlined in resolution 2254 (2015). The United States will continue to oppose any attempts by the Al-Assad regime and its allies to bypass resolution 2254 (2015). We take note of the fourth round of the Constitutional Committee earlier this month and welcome the Special Envoy’s plans to convene a fifth round in January. But the Al-Assad regime must meaningfully participate in the process and stop putting up new roadblocks. We urge the Al-Assad regime and Russia to ensure that the January round produces immediate progress towards the drafting of a new Syrian constitution.”
2020-12-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1257 (2020) · source
“The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) continues its uncontrolled spread, in particular among those already displaced by the regime’s violence. Sadly, this month marks the fifth anniversary of the adoption of resolution 2254 (2015) and five years with little meaningful progress towards a political solution that would end the conflict and create the foundation for a sustainable and peaceful future. Despite the grim reality, the Al-Assad regime and its enablers seek to convince the Council that the situation is improving. Unfortunately, for the people of Syria that is far from the truth. We have said many times and will say it again — there is no military solution to this conflict. Even if the guns are silenced, the social and political wounds from this decade-long horror story will fester.”
2020-12-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1257 (2020) · source
“I thank Special Envoy Pedersen and Under-Secretary-General Lowcock for their critical updates. We appreciate their efforts this year to try to end the daily suffering of the Syrian people. As 2020 comes to a close, there is little to celebrate in Syria and much to mourn. More than 9 million Syrians need food assistance, the largest number since the outbreak of the conflict nearly a decade ago. We must not forget that it was Russia and China that forced the Security Council to slash the United Nations cross-border humanitarian access in half amid a global pandemic. The Al-Assad regime’s use of barrel bombs, air strikes and shelling in north-western Syria, arbitrary detention and torture have killed and injured thousands of Syrian civilians. The Islamic State of Iraq and the Sham (ISIS) has been weakened but remains a threat.”
2020-12-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1257 (2020) · source
“We are confident that this development will herald a new phase in the relationship between the Sudan and the United States and open new and expanded opportunities in the Sudan’s relationship with the international community.Lastly, we commend the Sudanese people for their generosity in welcoming their Ethiopian neighbours. It is heartening and so reassuring to see people who are already facing significant challenges themselves embracing humanity and sharing what they have.”
2020-12-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1183 (2020) · source