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

“The new mandate enhances and clarifies the role of the Force Intervention Brigade, addressing the concerns of Congolese civilians who wanted a more immediate response to attacks by armed groups. The Security Council’s willingness to adapt and refine mandates to meet needs on the ground helps to ensure that missions are fit-for-purpose. To better protect civilians in conflict, the United States and 46 Member States have endorsed the Kigali Principles on the Protection of Civilians. We encourage all Member States to join us so that we can help peacekeepers effectively implement their protection of civilian mandates.”
2020-05-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/465 (2020) · source
“The United States supports the Secretary-General’s call for national protection frameworks to strengthen respect for international humanitarian law and promote monitoring and reporting mechanisms. Leveraging technology for more robust crisis-mapping and data analysis will be needed to establish early-warning systems. Likewise, we support the Department of Peace Operations revised protection of civilians policy. Peacekeeping creates the space for political and peace processes to take shape, enabling host States to find durable solutions to armed conflict. In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Security Council has adapted the mandate of the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo to meet the difficult challenge of protecting civilians in the eastern part of the country.”
2020-05-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/465 (2020) · source
“We support the Secretary-General’s call for a global ceasefire to enable health officials to address COVID-19, and for unhindered and safe access for human rights and humanitarian workers. It is critical that access be ensured for humanitarians, health- care personnel and supplies to all people in need in order to provide life-saving humanitarian assistance. Civil society, including journalists and human rights defenders, plays an important role in investigating violations and abuses. The Council must help to protect these individuals from reprisals. Member States must also address violations and abuses of international humanitarian and human rights law through relevant national, regional and international legal mechanisms.”
2020-05-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/465 (2020) · source
“We applaud the efforts of 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, which is collecting and preserving evidence of crimes committed in the country, and the United Nations Headquarters Board of Inquiry, which recently investigated perpetrators of attacks on civilian infrastructure. In line with resolution 2254 (2015), we call for the full, equal and meaningful participation of women in Syrian political and peace processes. Protecting civilians in armed conflict is a collective effort.”
2020-05-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/465 (2020) · source
“For instance, the Secretary- General’s report on the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (S/2020/210) notes that anti-Government elements were responsible for the majority of civilian deaths. In Myanmar, the United Nations Independent International Fact- Finding Mission on Myanmar documented the security forces’ long-standing practice of attacking civilians from ethnic and religious minority groups. In Syria, the Al-Assad regime and its military allies, Russia and Iran, continue to put civilians at risk by using barrel bombs and improvised rocket-assisted munitions. These have killed countless children.”
2020-05-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/465 (2020) · source
“Consistent with the United States strategy on women and peace and security, we are working to ensure that our assistance includes local strategies to mitigate COVID-19’s acute risks to women and girls, including conflict-related sexual and gender-based violence. The United States strongly believes that all parties to conflict must comply with international humanitarian law and international human rights law. Promoting training and sensitization to these laws, consistent with the United Nations Human Rights Due Diligence Policy, as applicable, will be critical. The United States has shared and built upon best practices, including bilaterally and during coalition operations. We encourage others to do the same. Globally, attacks on civilians are all-too common.”
2020-05-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/465 (2020) · source
“I thank Sven, the Secretary-General, Mr. Maurer and President Sirleaf for their informative presentations today. This annual briefing is especially timely in the context of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19). As the Secretary-General’s report on the protection of civilians (S/2020/366) states, the pandemic has the potential to devastate conflict-affected countries and overwhelm already weak health-care systems. It will continue to exacerbate vulnerabilities for women and girls, refugees, displaced persons, and older persons, making conflict mediation more challenging. The United States has already provided over $1 billion in health and humanitarian aid to combat COVID-19. Our foreign assistance is saving lives and helping address economic devastation around the world.”
2020-05-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/465 (2020) · source
“As these investigations move forward, our focus must remain on the Venezuelan people, on the return of genuine democracy to the country, on the delivery of humanitarian aid to those in need, and on the specific and undeniable abuses committed by the illegitimate Maduro regime. In the end, today’s meeting is about whether we are willing, collectively and individually, to acknowledge plain truths. For our part, the Trump Administration will not avert its eyes from the evil the regime has visited on the Venezuelan people. Thankfully, the same can be said for many Council members here today, but not for all of them. And I can only hope that a time will come when all members see fit to disavow such wilful blindness.”
2020-05-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/435 (2020) · source
“We encourage the Council to look closely into the role of the Maduro regime in creating this supposed crisis, and especially into interference by the vast Cuban intelligence apparatus in Venezuela. Furthermore, we reiterate President Juan Guaidó’s call for unbiased investigations into the round-ups, extrajudicial killings and torture that have resulted from Maduro’s repression. As the United States investigates the alleged operation, more details are coming to light. We cannot yet share all that we have learned, but we can say this. It is obvious that the alleged operation was discovered long before. It was even publicly noted almost a week before, as there was a public address by the regime laying out its plans and highlighting that any efforts had been fully penetrated by the regime.”
2020-05-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/435 (2020) · source
“I will repeat that again — the United States has not entered Venezuela and categorically rejects any claims to the contrary. The United States was not involved in the alleged armed incursion of 3 and 4 May. In fact, the only nations that appear to be violating Venezuela’s sovereignty are Russia and Cuba, which, without approval from the National Assembly, routinely send military officers and mercenaries into the country. I must admit, it is perplexing to see these self-appointed champions of the Venezuelan people doing everything in their power to prevent ordinary Venezuelans from even expressing their political desires, let alone acting on them.”
2020-05-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/435 (2020) · source
“It engages in torture and human trafficking, and its strategy for combatting the coronavirus disease involves detaining medical professionals and independent journalists who attempt to inform the public of the risks posed by the virus. There is no question that these are the regime’s choices, freely made. Of course, it would be inconvenient indeed for the regime to acknowledge its decisions to murder, starve and traffic the Venezuelan people. So, instead, it attempts to distract and misdirect, as it is doing now with claims of a supposed coup attempt, with the aim of providing cover for even more extrajudicial killings and murders. President Trump and Secretary Pompeo have already made clear that the United States was not involved in Operation Gideon.”
2020-05-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/435 (2020) · source
“I thank Under-Secretary-General DiCarlo for her briefing today. It is most unfortunate that some Council members have insisted on wasting her time today. The letter from the illegitimate Maduro regime that prompted today’s meeting is, as such letters always are, a long-winded compilation of fantastical accusations and demonstrable falsehoods. Unfortunately, for the second time in less than a month, our Russian colleagues have indulged their client regime’s habit of blaming others for its appalling choices. But I am here today to tell the Council that the United States has no plans to cooperate with such attempts to avoid responsibility. Since 2018, this corrupt, criminal and illegitimate regime has overseen some 7,000 — I am going to say that again — 7,000 extrajudicial killings. It has used food as a political weapon.”
2020-05-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/435 (2020) · source
“With regard to that, we as the Council need to encourage the Palestinians to see this initiative as an opportunity to realize their aspirations. But it is also a starting point, as I have said many times. I truly believe that we all want to see an end to this conflict. Moreover, we have all expressed a conviction that conversation between the parties is the only way forward. But if that conviction is sincere, then we must concentrate our efforts on bringing the parties to the table, not on Council statements that, I think, we all have to admit have grown a little bit repetitive. Let me close by quoting President Trump: “All humanity should be able to enjoy the glories of the Holy Land. This part of the world is forever connected to the human soul and the human spirit.”
2020-05-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/430 (2020) · source
“It will take place at a table at which both the Israelis and the Palestinians are seated. The question for us should be not only about our individual concerns. The question is how we can each play a more proactive role in getting the parties to speak directly with one another to address their concerns. If both sides are serious about talking, it is time for them to prove it. And if the Council is serious about wanting to see progress in the Middle East, then I urge all present to look seriously at the steps they can take to encourage direct negotiations. President Trump presented our vision for peace because we think it is realistic and implementable. We heard this morning about President Abbas’s recent announcement.”
2020-05-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/430 (2020) · source
“We listened closely to what each Council member has to say about this matter and what they said in February, March and April. So, I want to note, as I have before, that we understand that many of them have concerns with, and objections to, elements of the Trump Administration’s vision for peace. But statements of concern from Council members will get us only so far. What is needed right now, if we hope to take even a first step in the right direction, is for the parties to sit down with one another. The Council cannot dictate the end of this conflict. We can only encourage the parties to sit down together to determine how they wish to make progress. For those here who have concerns, I want to stress that this monthly briefing is not where the real problem-solving will take place.”
2020-05-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/430 (2020) · source
“I thank Nickolay Mladenov for his briefing. As always, his efforts and those of his team are to be applauded, and I thank him warmly once again. I know that he does not have an easy job and, therefore, there is all the more reason to tell him how much we appreciate the fairness with which he works to address this conflict. At recent Council meetings on this issue, we have highlighted the encouraging cooperation that has occurred between Israelis and Palestinians in the fight against the coronavirus disease (COVID-19). Combating the virus, as well as that cooperation, are both still important, but that is not what I am going to focus on here today. Today I want to speak about what needs to be done to move in the direction of meaningful progress in the Middle East.”
2020-05-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/430 (2020) · source
“We urge both the Government of National Accord and the LNA representatives to return to ceasefire talks as agreed upon in Geneva earlier this year. Acting Special Representative Williams and UNSMIL have our full support in carrying this urgent work forward.”
2020-05-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/421 (2020) · source
“The United States endorses the obligation on all Member States to comply with the United Nations-Libya arms embargo, as well as the ban on illicit oil exports and petroleum products. We are supportive of the European Union Naval Force Mediterranean Operation IRINI, which is aimed at enforcing the arms embargo in accordance with resolution 2292 (2016), including through the use of aerial, satellite and maritime assets. We urge Member States to share information with the Panel of Experts operating under the auspices of the Committee established pursuant to resolution 1970 (2011) related to potential arms embargo violations. Finally, let me reiterate our strong support for the United Nations-facilitated dialogue to achieve a comprehensive political settlement for Libya.”
2020-05-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/421 (2020) · source
“Additionally, the Security Council must help Libya quickly find a political path to stability, facilitated by UNSMIL. The United States opposes the now more-than-year-long military offensive against Tripoli by the Libyan National Army (LNA), and we strongly reject any unilateral moves to change Libya’s governing structures. There is only one legitimate path for Libyan leaders, and that is full buy-in to the United Nations-facilitated three-track process, which encompasses political, security and economic reforms. Any attempt to short-circuit this route would not only disregard existing Security Council resolutions, but it would also short-change the Libyan people. Libya’s future governance must be determined through a representative political process and, ultimately, Libyan-led and Libyan-owned elections.”
2020-05-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/421 (2020) · source
“It has been great to see Acting Special Representative of the Secretary-General Stephanie Williams this past week and even better to be able to converse with her. I thank her for her time and for the updates that she provided the Security Council today, and we wish her and the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) team the best of luck on the ground in the country. To begin, I want to be clear about the following points today. All actors involved in the conflict in Libya must immediately suspend military operations. They must halt the ongoing transfer of foreign military equipment and personnel to Libya, including, as the representative of the United Kingdom mentioned, Wagner Group mercenaries. They must allow local health authorities to respond to the alarming health challenges posed by the coronavirus disease.”
2020-05-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/421 (2020) · source
“As we have noted before, the crowded and inhumane conditions of these centres dramatically increase the risk of a rapid spread of COVID-19. We demand the immediate release of all civilians detained arbitrarily, especially women, children and the elderly. The Al-Assad regime must also immediately grant impartial and independent entities, including medical and health organizations, access to regime detention facilities in order to prevent the spread of COVID-19. There is one way forward: full implementation of resolution 2254 (2015). It bears repeating that the only way forward is the full implementation of resolution 2254 (2015). That is what will move Syria towards a future of peace, prosperity and dignity for all its people. Accordingly, that is the approach we must pursue as a Council.”
2020-05-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/420 (2020) · source
“In the light of these dreadful, irrefutable facts, we must collectively ask how the Security Council can help restore stability in Syria. The answer lies in making progress on all tracks of resolution 2254 (2015). The Council must make every effort to ensure the Al-Assad regime reverses its destructive pattern of behaviour against its own people and agrees to a comprehensive, enduring and verifiable nationwide ceasefire. Equally important is making progress on the Constitutional Committee, whose stakeholders have agreed on an agenda, but which has not met because of the regime co-Chair’s unwillingness to convene virtually. The Trump Administration calls once again for the Al-Assad regime to protect the fate of thousands of civilians held arbitrarily in detention centres.”
2020-05-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/420 (2020) · source
“When Russia and China forced the reduction of cross-border aid points from four to two, they said that the United Nations should engage the regime to facilitate cross- line aid from Damascus to Syrian civilians. The United Nations has engaged. But since then, the Secretary-General has reported that efforts to gain approval from the regime to deliver medical aid to COVID-19 hotspots are taking months — and this, from a regime that has already used chemical weapons against its own people, deprived its people of food and water, and destroyed medical facilities. Years of such appalling behaviour prove that the Al-Assad regime will stop at nothing to pursue a military victory, even if it means refusing to deliver medical supplies that are essential for suppressing COVID-19.”
2020-05-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/420 (2020) · source
“I thank United Nations Special Envoy Geir Pedersen for his briefing today. The United States fully agrees with him that there should be an immediate nationwide ceasefire in Syria. Not only is a ceasefire an essential element of resolution 2254 (2015), but a ceasefire would also enable efforts to suppress the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19). I want to reiterate in this context that the United Nations must be at the centre of any effort to establish a ceasefire and that Special Envoy Pedersen has the authority to monitor lines of contact to ensure that the ceasefire agreements are honoured. What is becoming increasingly clear is that the Al-Assad regime is intent on exploiting the COVID-19 crisis for its own strategic political and military advantage.”
2020-05-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/420 (2020) · source
“The Houthis must stop blocking a solution to this problem and permit required assessments and repairs. Finally, we urge all Member States to fully comply with the targeted arms embargo established by resolution 2216 (2015), and we note our continued concern at ongoing reports of Iranian interference in the conflict, including through the provision of lethal aid to the Houthis.”
2020-05-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/411 (2020) · source
“But further progress is critical, especially on biometric registration and ensuring that humanitarian staff can implement and monitor their programmes. The United States also strongly encourages the Houthis to be fully transparent and report COVID-19 cases in order to facilitate an effective response for the Yemeni people. As we have said on previous occasions, the United States again calls on the Houthis to allow United Nations inspection and maintenance of the FSO SAFER oil tanker. United Nations officials must have immediate access to the FSO Safer in order to prevent an environmental catastrophe, which would have far-reaching effects in Yemen and around the Red Sea. We are grateful to Martin Griffiths for continuing to raise this issue in Sana’a.”
2020-05-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/411 (2020) · source
“We call on the Southern Transitional Council and the Government of the Republic of Yemen to re-engage in the political process provided for under the Riyadh agreement. In addition, we remain concerned about the limitations on humanitarian access in Houthi-controlled areas. The Houthis’ deliberate interference in assistance operations, which is in flagrant defiance of humanitarian principles, continues to limit the ability of the United Nations and other humanitarian organizations to provide for the needs of the most vulnerable Yemenis. We acknowledge some steps taken by the Houthis in certain areas. These include the decision to lift the 2 per cent levy on aid projects, sign agreements with non-governmental organizations and approve key independent needs assessments.”
2020-05-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/411 (2020) · source
“We urge the parties to the conflict to continue to review and provide meaningful feedback on the Special Envoy’s draft proposals, which represent the spirit of consensus required to move towards a lasting political settlement. We note with concern the recent declaration by the Southern Transitional Council of its so-called self-administration of Yemen’s southern governorates. Such actions by the Southern Transitional Council will only distract from United Nations- led efforts to secure a nationwide ceasefire and a political solution. We are also concerned by reports of increasing interference by the Southern Transitional Council in the operations of the Central Bank of Yemen. All parties must continue to respect the Government institutions underpinning Yemen’s political and economic stability.”
2020-05-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/411 (2020) · source
“The United States stands with the Yemeni people, who have suffered every imaginable hardship and are simply trying to survive in the midst of conflict, food insecurity, devastating floods and now the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19). In the light of those hardships, we welcome the Saudi-led coalition’s extension of its unilateral ceasefire in support of the United Nations peace process and efforts to fight COVID-19. The United States strongly urges the Houthis to join the Government of Yemen in support of this ceasefire by halting offensive operations so that all parties can focus their efforts on countering COVID-19 and working towards a lasting political resolution of the conflict. The Houthis must recommit to de-escalation, followed by a resumption of talks aimed at reaching a political solution.”
2020-05-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/411 (2020) · source
“I would like to thank the President of the Security Council. I would also like to thank Special Envoy Martin Griffiths, in particular. Through the Secretary-General, I have been following all of Martin’s meticulous work and I find his cautious optimism quite contagious. We have people rooting for him back here, especially in Kentucky. I know that this is a critical time for Yemen and that this is issue is extremely delicate. The Special Envoy has our support. We know first-hand the many countless hours that he is investing in peace and security in Yemen. I also thank Mr. Rajasingham for his briefing, as well as both briefers’ teams for all their work to achieve peace and security in Yemen.”
2020-05-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/411 (2020) · source
“With UNAMI’s help, the Iraqi Government can restore public faith in elections and can provide a credible vehicle for carrying out the people’s will.”
2020-05-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/397 (2020) · source
“UNAMI’s work is invaluable in monitoring and documenting such human rights violations and abuses. Iraq’s new Government must follow the paper trail and bring to justice those responsible for human rights abuses. The Special Representative highlighted UNAMI’s continued engagement on the Kuwaiti missing persons and archives file. We once again welcome those efforts.Finally, I would like to reiterate our strong belief that credible elections represent Iraq’s best opportunity to usher in structural change, genuine reforms and a better life for all Iraqi citizens. We urge UNAMI to heed the call of Iraqis across the political and social spectrum — a call demanding United Nations-supported, Iraqi-led and Iraqi-owned elections that, as the Special Representative said, must be free and fair.”
2020-05-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/397 (2020) · source
“It also builds upon my country’s long- term investment in Iraq — more than $70 billion of assistance over the past 20 years, including nearly $4 billion for the health sector. But funding alone will not be enough. And on that note, we must recognize that many relief actors, including United States partners, continue to report access constraints for the provision of humanitarian assistance on the ground. We commend UNAMI’s advocacy to resolve that issue, and we urge the Iraqi authorities to find a permanent solution to ensure the delivery of vital assistance. We cannot and will not forget the Iraqi protesters from all walks of life expressing their legitimate economic and governance grievances. We will also not forget the human rights abuses perpetrated against them in recent months.”
2020-05-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/397 (2020) · source
“The Trump Administration looks forward to helping Iraq’s new Government realize its bold agenda and deliver a life of dignity, security and prosperity to all Iraqis. The COVID-19 pandemic is a global threat, the likes of which we have not seen in 100 years. As we know all too well, this virus knows no borders and does not discriminate based on communal or sectarian identities. Iraq’s new Government will have to be vigilant and proactive to ensure that COVID-19 does not reverse our hard-fought progress in restoring Iraqi stability. To help prevent any such reversal, the United States has provided nearly $30 million in COVID-19 assistance for Iraq. That funding is helping to implement a public-health emergency plan, prepare laboratories for medical work and much more.”
2020-05-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/397 (2020) · source
“I thank her so much for her time with me this morning, because it has given me the confidence to go back to the Trump Administration, which, as the Council knows, spoke with Iraq’s Prime Minister yesterday. I feel very confident in our conversation. Last week’s confirmation of Prime Minister Al-Kadhimi by Iraq’s Council of Representatives marks a tremendous achievement. In the face of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), low oil prices and long-standing economic and security challenges, including State control of armed groups, Iraq could not have asked for a more capable leader. With Al-Kadhimi as Prime Minister and Special Representative Hennis-Plasschaert leading the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI), Iraq is well-positioned to navigate its many challenges.”
2020-05-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/397 (2020) · source
“I would like to begin by expressing our condemnation of the 10 May attack against a convoy belonging to the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali and express our deepest condolences to the victims’ families in Chad. We underscore the importance of ensuring the safety and security of peacekeepers, and we call on the Government of Mali to swiftly investigate the attack and bring the perpetrators to justice. It was my distinct pleasure to have had a conversation this morning with Special Representative Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert. I agree with her that the challenges are many. I can tell the Council that she is certainly up to the challenge. After speaking with her, I echo her statement and feel more confident than ever that Iraqi elections will be by and for the Iraqi people.”
2020-05-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/397 (2020) · source
“Bosnia and Herzegovina must continue to stay the course towards European integration and trans- Atlantic cooperation. We look forward to the full satisfaction of previously agreed objectives and conditions for the closure of the Office of the High Representative. These objectives can most assuredly be achieved, and in the process the security, the stability and the prosperity of Bosnia and Herzegovina will be greatly enhanced.”
2020-05-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/379 (2020) · source
“Nationalist leaders continue to deny war crimes and glorify convicted war criminals. Senior political figures and certain segments of society are increasingly challenging the rulings of international tribunals, which are charged with prosecuting serious violations of international humanitarian law. External actors continue to target Bosnia and Herzegovina’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, and malevolent actors look to undermine State-level institutions. Those attitudes and actions pose a serious and credible threat to the prospects of lasting reconciliation in the country. The Trump Administration is committed to assisting the people of Bosnia and Herzegovina in their pursuit of a more free, just and democratic society.”
2020-05-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/379 (2020) · source
“Bosnia and Herzegovina’s leaders must take steps toward political reconciliation, and they must also implement long-overdue reforms, including ensuring fiscal sustainability, tackling corruption and addressing organized crime. We encourage the swift adoption of the State-level budget for 2020, as it remains a precondition for holding elections in Bosnia and Herzegovina, elections that are currently slated for October. Should these elections be delayed due to the pandemic, we must not lose sight of the goal of free and fair elections that reflect the will of the people. The United States objects in the strongest terms to the efforts undertaken by malign actors to exploit the political landscape in Bosnia and Herzegovina for personal, political and financial gain.”
2020-05-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/379 (2020) · source
“Further, we commend the continued work of the European Union military mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina’s Operation Althea and its role in preserving a safe and secure environment. Bosnia and Herzegovina, much like the rest of the world, has had to take extraordinary measures to combat and mitigate the effects of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. Political and institutional leaders in Bosnia and Herzegovina have cooperated in the response efforts — proof that the Government can function and govern in a manner that serves the people when there is the will to do so. Efforts to combat the pandemic and mitigate its effects must continue to be well designed and precisely targeted, and they must fully adhere to the country’s constitutional and legal framework.”
2020-05-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/379 (2020) · source
“The United States of America envisions a modern, multi-ethnic, stable and prosperous democracy in Bosnia and Herzegovina — one that is responsible for its own destiny. Valentin’s latest reports demonstrate that while there are encouraging signs, there is still much work to do — and that is another thing that he was very honest about this morning — whether it be to move the country forward from the 2018 general elections or prepare for the upcoming municipal elections. Regardless of when those elections are called, institutional work can be done right now to ensure the transparent execution of elections. We strongly support his mandate under the Dayton Accords as the final authority on the civilian aspects of the Peace Agreement.”
2020-05-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/379 (2020) · source
“It is really refreshing to hear all the comments about the youth, and it was really great to have this conversation this morning with Valentin, just to be able to discuss, personally, the youth and the importance of the movement and making certain that they, too, understand their engagement and their contribution to the future of the country. It was nice to hear the representatives of Indonesia and Germany talk about the importance of the youth, and I think that is, in any country, vitally important. Obviously, as Valentin and I discussed this morning, his representation for the international community is much appreciated and has made such a huge difference in the trajectory of the country. I personally offer him our gratitude from the Trump Administration.”
2020-05-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/379 (2020) · source
“The Secretary-General has outlined a reform agenda to make immediate and long-term efforts more effective and efficient, and I want to close by taking note of two important and concrete elements of that agenda. First, we must improve coordination among humanitarian, development and peace actors. Secondly, we must prioritize the timely and reliable financing of relief aid. These two areas are ones where the Council can, should and must make greater strides towards reducing hunger and conflict-related suffering — strides that are in keeping with our responsibility to care for those on the margins.”
2020-04-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/340 (2020) · source
“States simply cannot ignore applicable obligations under international humanitarian law and international human rights law. As we speak, humanitarian needs are at unprecedented levels. With this in mind, it is of paramount importance that the Security Council call out those States that are failing to uphold their most basic responsibility to protect the people within their borders. We all know that international humanitarian assistance is vital, but it is only a temporary solution for meeting human needs — needs that are created, in many cases, by conflict. The only long-term solution is for States to act responsibly in the interests of all people living within their borders.”
2020-04-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/340 (2020) · source
“Furthermore, we cannot turn a blind eye to the horrific and continuing impact of armed conflict on millions of Syrians and Yemenis. Innocent people are suffering because they are unable to acquire or produce food. What this means, practically speaking, is that because of constant insecurity — or, as in the case of Syria, inter alia, the use of humanitarian aid as a weapon by a despotic regime — families and individuals cannot sustain themselves. It is deeply troubling that in some cases States use hunger as a tactic of war; they deploy siege tactics to prevent civilians from gaining access to food and even impede and harass humanitarian actors trying to help. These types of behaviour are cruel and inexcusable under any circumstance, but they are especially so in the midst of a global health crisis.”
2020-04-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/340 (2020) · source
“The United States would also like to thank the Dominican Republic for encouraging the Security Council to return to the topic of food insecurity and hunger. Today’s conversation is especially important as we approach the two-year anniversary of the adoption of resolution 2417 (2018), which acknowledged the clear connection between conflict and hunger. In a perfect world, our discussion today would focus on the positive trajectories we are beginning to see in some countries, where there has been progress in the decoupling of violence and hunger. However, we cannot ignore the downward trends we are seeing in places like north-eastern Nigeria, South Sudan and Cameroon. In these areas, insecurity and a lack of humanitarian assistance access are causing enormous disruption to the lives and livelihoods of millions of women, children and men.”
2020-04-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/340 (2020) · source
“I thank the Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Dominican Republic, Mr. Miguel Vargas Maldonado, for being with us today. It is of course always a great pleasure to see my friend Mr. David Beasley. I am glad that he is doing well and that he is healthy. It is absolutely great to see him. I particularly thank Director-General Qu Dongyu for his briefing and so much more. Indeed, we owe him such a tremendous debt of gratitude for his advocacy for those on the margins of society. Ensuring that every single person on the planet has enough to eat is one of the fundamental ways we meet that obligation. I also wish to commend our other briefers today for all their contributions and their particular efforts aimed at ensuring that every single person in the world does have access to food.”
2020-04-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/340 (2020) · source
“Accordingly, the voices of young women and men must be heard, their views must be valued and their participation must be ensured.”
2020-04-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/346 (2020) · source
“Our efforts are aimed at building partnerships with promising young leaders around the world and across the United Nations system, so that the voices and perspectives of young people can be amplified. In addition to the work undertaken by UNICEF, the United Nations Development Programme and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees to protect and strengthen youth participation, United Nations field missions in the Central African Republic, Liberia and elsewhere are enabling young people to develop national security strategies. We encourage this kind of engagement in policymaking decisions, especially in post-conflict environments. Just and peaceful societies are ones that listen to and incorporate the opinions and aspirations of all their people. I know these are the societies we wish to build.”
2020-04-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/346 (2020) · source
“I will repeat that because I think it is important that we understand that young people, when marginalized or discriminated against, do become targets, and it becomes much easier for terrorist groups to recruit them. As leaders, we have real work to do in this space; indeed, we have a responsibility. Thankfully, many young people are already showing us how to be a part of the solution, just as our three young briefers have done today. They have played an essential role in preventing violent extremism by reaching out to their peers in positive ways through friends and social media. For our part, the Trump Administration will continue to help young people acquire the skills they need to shape the governance and politics of their countries.”
2020-04-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/346 (2020) · source