YouSaid · the spoken record

Khan

lines on the record: 485
first: 1992-11-16
most recent: 2023-11-08
sittings or episodes: 38
sources: un-security-council

Every line below is reproduced as it was said and linked to the record it came from. Nothing here is summarised or generated. Directory · Search · Corrections

“We have an important aspect coming up: we have received funding from the European Union. Together with the Government of Iraq, we hope to create a digitization programme that allows Iraq to have a digitized version of its records and information that are relevant to Da'esh crimes. It will also allow UNITAD to harvest those and build cases in accordance with international standards. In my previous report, I intimated that UNITAD would imminently be feeding into domestic courts, which we have done. I am glad to report that we received a request from Finland, which had a case relating to the Camp Speicher massacre. It was before the court of appeal.”
2019-11-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8675 (2019) · source
“They have also set up an intergovernmental task force, which was created in order to hopefully ensure the effective transmission of requests from the Investigative Team and an effective receipt of information as we try to ensure accountability. A technical assistance programme has also been pursued. The mandate, of course, repeatedly emphasizes that we are required to share knowledge with the Iraqi members of the Team, who work on an equal footing with us, but also to share our technical knowledge and enhance some capacities. We have done so through a number of measures - not only exhumations and the identification of victims, but also with other trainings and assistance, whether related to drones, 3D laser scanners or rapid DNA machines. We have conducted trainings for all of those.”
2019-11-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8675 (2019) · source
“We have completed a competitive recruitment process in accordance with United Nations rules, identified candidates for the posts that are to be occupied by Iraqi candidates and now we are at a working group-level stage of mutual consultations with the Government of Iraq to make sure that the Iraqi experts that we recruit have the confidence of the Government of Iraq and, again, that we work together in concert to the greatest possible extent. That unity of purpose in terms of collaboration and cooperation on logistics and support for the investigations has been mirrored by the cooperation and assistance given by the President and the Prime Minister of the Kurdish Regional Government. In the same way, I can only describe their support as exemplary, which is extremely positive.”
2019-11-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8675 (2019) · source
“I think that the Government of Iraq should be applauded for that foresight as well. The mandate repeatedly talks about the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Iraq, and it is important that we have representatives from the entire territory of Iraq to make sure that we speak and work with one voice as effectively as possible. I met that new committee on 4 November in Baghdad and will meet with it again on my return on 10 November. Our recruitment is moving at a good pace.”
2019-11-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8675 (2019) · source
“Similarly, in relation to Camp Speicher and the awful massacre of mostly Shia cadets at Tikrit Air Academy, we have had unbelievable support from the national investigative commission that the Republic of Iraq established to look into that. I will come back to that a little bit later with regard to how we have managed to work together and build cases. Following the unanimous renewal of the mandate of the Investigative Team in September, I have also reached out and tried to ensure even closer communication and understanding with the Government of Iraq. I am delighted to say that, after the renewal, the Office of the Prime Minister set up a new national coordinating committee within his Office - it is a new composition - and includes a representative of the Kurdish Regional Government.”
2019-11-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8675 (2019) · source
“While I must pay my thanks to the Chief Justice, all the judges of Iraq who we have dealt with have made meaningful contributions to allow UNITAD, together with the Government ofIraq, to meet the requirements of justice. An example of that is in Mosul, where we have had quite extensive discussions with the Counter-Terrorism Court in Tallkayf. We have gathered thousands of pages of material pertaining to 37 case files, and further volumes of evidence are also being digitized. That will be an advantage and an asset to UNITAD, and it is also of mutual benefit to the Iraqi investigative judges, so that they can actually access the material that they have once it is digitized.”
2019-11-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8675 (2019) · source
“Without the support and the real, meaningful assistance of the Government of Iraq, this hope and prayer for justice would fall on fallow ground. Only by that hand guiding us step by step can we achieve on the promise of justice that we all wish to see. Since my previous report, over the past six months we have conducted 203 field- based investigative activities with the direct support of the Iraqi authorities. These missions are planned and facilitated with the support of the National Operations Centre within the Office of the Prime Minister. Once again, without that support, which has been critical, we simply could not move outside of Baghdad. Our engagement with the Iraqi judiciary has been essential. I think, personally, that it is one of the key aspects that the Team has managed to move forward as dynamically as it has done.”
2019-11-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8675 (2019) · source
“For example, just in relation to the crimes that targeted the Yazidi community alone, we have identified more than 160 perpetrators of massacres against the Yazidis, particularly in Kojo, and elsewhere, and we are focusing our work to build solid cases, hopefully, in relation to each of those that may be presented to domestic courts - Iraq, of course, is the primary intended recipient - but any courts that are willing and able to hold members of Da'esh accountable. The progress achieved by the Team in the past six months has continued to build on our relationship of mutual support and collaboration with the national authorities of Iraq, and their support and assistance has been exemplary. I used that word when I had the honour of delivering my second briefing to the Council. I am glad to say that that has continued to be the case.”
2019-11-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8675 (2019) · source
“As I address the Council today, we have two field-based missions that are actively conducting investigations in the Ninawa governorate. In fact, at this moment they are investigating crimes that targeted in particular judges, religious clergy, journalists and health-care professionals - because, as we see, among many other aspects, Da'esh seems to have targeted some of the leaders, some of the informers of Mosul, when they strangled that city and then suffocated it when they took over completely. Based upon those activities, the Investigative Team has identified a number of individual ISIL members as primary targets for further investigations in relation to each of the areas that we have previously identified - the three investigative priorities that were detailed in my previous report.”
2019-11-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8675 (2019) · source
“We have also garnered together the successful use of social media and reviewed some of the social media to put forward the photographs of individuals who appear in the Da'esh propaganda videos and elsewhere. We have received thousands of responses that have helped us identify the names of those protagonists, which will further inform the investigations of the Team. We have also worked hand in glove with the Iraqi domestic authorities to continue to gather DNA samples from the remains of mass gravesites so that hopefully we can build cases, as well as identify the remains and, together with the mass graves directorate of Iraq, return them to their loved ones for burial, in accordance with their religious and cultural practices.”
2019-11-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8675 (2019) · source
“It is also a very useful aid when one is speaking to a witness, who can, without going into areas that may still be dangerous and traumatic, actually position themselves in that 3D modelling in a way that will bring clarity to their accounts and hopefully assist domestic courts in assessing criminal responsibility. We have continued to collect evidence and interview witnesses, including witnesses who endured sexual and gender based-violence, rape or slavery, as well as other witnesses, from Dohuk and elsewhere. We have managed to do that with full respect for international standards - as the Council requires of us - by way of our witness protection unit and our clinical psychologists, who we recruited with the kind assistance of the Netherlands.”
2019-11-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8675 (2019) · source
“By using the trust fund, we have also ensured that we have expanded the scope of investigations to make sure that all the diverse communities - regardless of race, religion, tribe or ethnic origin - that were targeted by Da'esh will have investigations carried out that focus on the crimes that they endured in order to ensure criminal responsibility based on evidence. The breadth of the field work conducted by the Team during the reporting period has been reflected in key evidence-collection activities, even in recent weeks. We have managed, for example, to complete 3D laser scanning of crime scenes, which will help bring to life, by way of modern technology, scenes that may be known in Iraq or unknown in third countries.”
2019-11-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8675 (2019) · source
“The establishment of that core infrastructure has provided a basis for significant progress in the collection, gathering and analysis ofdigital, testimonial and forensic evidence with respect to the three core areas that I adumbrated in my previous report, namely, crimes in Mosul, in Sinjar and in Speicher - the Tikrit Air Academy. At the same time, we have ensured that we have a responsibility to meet quickly and meaningfully the requests that we have received from third States and other domestic courts.”
2019-11-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8675 (2019) · source
“As reflected in my report, over the past six months, the Investigative Team has sought to draw on this imperative for urgent action in the delivery of its mandate. One year after our deployment to Iraq, I am pleased to inform the Council that the Team is now fully operational. We had about five staff members when we first deployed in Iraq, and we now have 107 members. I am delighted that, as we have grown, we have managed to maintain a good gender balance - 53 per cent of our substantive and support staff are women, and more than 50 per cent of our senior leadership positions are occupied by women. At the same time, I am glad to say that we have achieved geographical diversity - all regional groups of the United Nations continue to be represented in our Team.”
2019-11-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8675 (2019) · source
“The effects of Da'esh still linger. Not only have the crimes been endured, but communities are still grappling with the aftermath. The courage of the survivors gives one pause for thought because in their engagement with us, they had to speak and relive hell on Earth, which is what they experienced. They spoke with such engagement and willingness that it put into sharp relief the heavy responsibility that lies with all of us to ensure that their cries, their tears and their suffering are met with purposeful action and credible investigations. It is, of course, the responsibility of all of us - the Security Council, me and the Team - to ensure that not only are words spoken, but that we have the collective stamina and focus to make sure that proper investigations and accountability are realized in practice.”
2019-11-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8675 (2019) · source
“It is, of course, essential that their voices and experiences be heard as we conduct our investigations to build credible cases in order to ensure accountability. In the past six months since my last report (see S/2019/407), I have visited and met with tribal leaders throughout Iraq, family members and survivors - not only in Baghdad, but in Erbil, Tall Afar, Mosul, Ninawa Plains, Diyala and elsewhere in Iraq - to ensure that those accounts are recorded and that the interactions of the Investigative Team can be as informed as possible in order to understand the experiences of the victims and witnesses and to ensure proper investigations. Last week, I visited two displacement camps in Dohuk and I saw women and children who had suffered awful slavery and sexual abuse, as well as men, trying to live with dignity in very difficult conditions.”
2019-11-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8675 (2019) · source
“Mr. Khan: It is indeed an honour to be able to present the third report (see 8/2019/878) of the United Nations Investigative Team to Promote Accountability for Crimes Committed by Da'esh/Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (UNITAD). Since my last briefing to the Council (see S/PV.8573), the Investigative Team has worked with some purpose and continued to ensure that the experiences and needs of the survivors of crimes committed by the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), as well as their families and victims, are placed at the centre of our work - and not simply by paying them lip service, but through demonstrable action of members of the Team. All communities, whether Shabak, Kaka'i, Shia, Sunni, Christian, Turkmen or Yazidi, have suffered the unbelievable brutality and cruelty of the most un- Islamic State called Da'esh.”
2019-11-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8675 (2019) · source
“President, for the opportunity to present the second report of the United Nations Investigative Team to Promote Accountability for Crimes Committed by Da'esh/Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant.”
2019-07-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8573 (2019) · source
“Secondly, we have understood that the ultimate success of our work will depend on our ability to draw on our independent and impartial status to harness this unity of purpose and to make our work a product of a collective endeavour between the Council and the people of Iraq, between the national authorities and local actors and between NGOs and universities. The whole ofhumanity - all those groups - needs to come together and be harnessed. Hopefully, we will then have an opportunity to deliver on the mandate and ensure justice, not in the abstract but by way of evidence collected by UNITAD that can feed into independent and impartial trials. Only if we succeed in both parts will the full purpose of UNITAD be fulfilled. I thank you, Mr.”
2019-07-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8573 (2019) · source
“The courage and strength that we have seen among the religious divides and across political divisions from all parts of the political spectrum and of Iraq and, most notably, the courage of survivors to come forward with unbelievable bravery to recount what has befallen them, what they have seen and what they have known have demonstrated quite eloquently the abject failure of Da'esh to sow lasting division in the territory of Iraq, nor has Da'esh succeeded in intimidating the people of Iraq into silence. Every time a witness comes to UNITAD and gives their account, that is a very eloquent and powerful riposte to Da'esh.”
2019-07-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8573 (2019) · source
“The first is that, despite the scale, depravity and barbarity that were unleashed by Da'esh on innocent civilians, they have not succeeded in dividing the people of Iraq. Rather, the gaps that existed have been narrowed and a great deal of unity has been created, which, if properly harnessed, can be very important not only to the future of Iraq but also to the continued fulfilment of the UNITAD mandate. The call from all Iraqis for justice is resolute and clear.”
2019-07-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8573 (2019) · source
“Those contributions are essential not only in further strengthening our capacity to conduct effective investigative activities but also in reinforcing the message that the Council and the international community remain ad idem and united and that the imperative of justice is not simply an incantation but that the Council and international community are committed to ensuring that it is realized by way of not only proper investigations but also fair trials that will stand the test of time. Through our work in Iraq to date, our engagement with victims, our cooperation with national and regional actors and our dialogue with religious bodies and leaders, two fundamental truths have become apparent.”
2019-07-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8573 (2019) · source
“I would like once again to express my thanks to the Member States that I highlighted in particular in the written report presented to the Council. I am also pleased to announce that last week we were given a commitment by the United Arab Emirates of another generous contribution and the Government of Qatar is planning on financing and supporting an international conference in Doha at the end of this year. Apart from financial assistance to the trust fund, gratis personnel are sorely needed. I would like to applaud and thank Germany, Saudi Arabia, Sweden and Turkey for their very generous contributions to UNITAD, which have filled a need. The latter three - Saudi Arabia, Sweden and Turkey - have promised and made commitments to provide gratis personnel to forensics and other areas.”
2019-07-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8573 (2019) · source
“In short, the cooperation that the Government of Iraq has extended to UNITAD thus far has been, in my considered view, exemplary. While significant progress has been made in the past six months, I wish to underline that the ability of the Team to deliver on its mandate remains dependent on the consistent and continued support of the Council and the international community more broadly. In that regard, we have been greatly assisted by the very generous contributions to the trust fund that Member States have provided to UNITAD. We have used the funds for very good purposes. They have helped us with exhumations in the field and to purchase the leading technology for DNA analysis, drones and 3-D scanners. They have been used to recruit psychological and psychosocial support for the victims.”
2019-07-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8573 (2019) · source
“Tangible evidence of that cooperation can be found in the collection of forensic material from mass grave sites, in line with international standards, and the transmission of evidence and case files from national and local authorities to the Investigative Team to ensure that our work is conducted in a manner that is complementary to ongoing domestic proceedings. They have also facilitated, in the past few days before I came to this meeting, my visit to some of the detention centres in Iraq. I am also extremely grateful for the unfailing support provided by the relevant national security agencies and the National Operations Centre, which has facilitated our nimble, mobile investigative work in the field of Iraq itself.”
2019-07-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8573 (2019) · source
“In addition, the support of the Kurdistan Regional Government has been unrelenting and extremely significant, and I extend my thanks to the President, Prime Minister and the Deputy Prime Minister of the that Government for the assistance they have provided in the formative stages of UNITAD's work. Our effective working-level engagement with Iraqi and local authorities, in line with the terms of reference, has, in my respectful submission, been one of the most notable and greatest successes of UNITAD in these initial stages.”
2019-07-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8573 (2019) · source
“Based on our discussions with relevant national authorities, it is my hope that within the next two weeks we will be able to provide tangible support with respect to at least one ongoing case before a national court of a Member State, which would mark an important milestone in the young life of UNITAD. Our cooperation and collaboration with the Government of Iraq and Iraqi national authorities have remained crucial to the ability to deliver on our mandate. I take this opportunity to express my thanks for the support that has been given to me and to UNITAD by the President of Iraq, the Prime Minister of Iraq, the Foreign Minister of Iraq, the President of the Judicial Council and, indeed, the Permanent Representative of Iraq to the United Nations, who is at this meeting today.”
2019-07-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8573 (2019) · source
“In recognition of that imperative, the Investigative Team has already held in-depth discussions in recent months in order to create, identify and strengthen potential channels for evidence collected by the Team to feed into domestic proceedings in a manner consistent with UNITAD's terms of reference. I am also pleased to be able to inform the Council that a number of other Member States have - at this early stage, six or seven months after our deployment to Iraq in terms of the new year - already approached us in relation to ongoing domestic proceedings within their jurisdictions.”
2019-07-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8573 (2019) · source
“In addition, we have received 600,000 videos in the past two weeks that are very relevant to our investigations and more than 15,000 pages of insider ISIL documents that they themselves produced, which were collected from the battlefield by leading investigative journalists. I have repeatedly stated that the collection of evidence in itself does not represent satisfactorily the culmination of our work. It is not an end in itself, and that needs to be underlined. It is not sufficient for UNITAD simply to have an archive of interesting material, important though that is. To fully deliver on our mandate, we must ensure that our work contributes tangibly to domestic accountability efforts.”
2019-07-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8573 (2019) · source
“In the past 10 days alone, we have had a team out that has been in the village of Kojo, in Sinjar, collecting evidence or supporting the Iraqi authorities in collecting evidence and giving them guidelines regarding what international standards require so that we have the greatest opportunity to feed evidence into domestic courts, in line with legal considerations. In northern Iraq, we have been conducting interviews with Yazidis, Turkmen Shia, Christians and Sunni Arabs. It is very encouraging that we have already found very important evidence from individuals and witnesses who had not hitherto given a statement to any investigative entity or non-governmental organization (NGO).”
2019-07-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8573 (2019) · source
“The team is preparing evidentiary files with respect to a broad category of other crimes. This is important because all communities, as I said at the outset, have been targeted by Da'esh. There was no preference or mercy shown whether one was Christian or Yazidi, Shia or Sunni, Kaka'i or Turkmen or Shabak, for that matter. All of those communities suffered horrendously at the hands of that most un-Islamic State. In conducting the work of UNITAD, we have sought to draw on its independent and impartial status in order to engage with all actors - whether international, regional or local - so that we can get the greatest body of material and collect it in line with international standards. That inclusive and collaborative approach is reflected in the evidence collection that we have undertaken only in the past few weeks.”
2019-07-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8573 (2019) · source
“I want to thank UNAMI and the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Iraq for their constant support as we move from being a start- up entity into the operational stage of our work. All along, we have been endeavouring to move the mandate from the paper of resolution 2379 (2017) into something concrete, and we have done that initially by focusing on three main areas: first, in the Sinjar area, attacks against the Yazidi communities; secondly, in Mosul, which is, as I have said repeatedly, a microcosm in many respects of the crimes of Da'esh, we see crimes against religious minorities and women and children, crimes of sexual slavery and crimes of sexual and gender- based violence; and thirdly, we have been focusing on this awful massacre to create an academy in June 2014.”
2019-07-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8573 (2019) · source
“Her appointment shows in a very Vivid and obvious manner the support of the Government of Iraq and how, by harnessing the quality, ability and experience of the people of Iraq, we can complement the investigative capacity within Iraq and hopefully also feed evidence into the court systems of other Member States. In April, we were fortunate in leaving the hotel where we were based and then the engineering compound on the premises of the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI). We have our own facilities where we can safely store our material and the evidential work product that we generate. Importantly also, we now have videoconference facilities, so that we can use our offices to transmit testimony not only into the courts of Iraq, but also, more immediately, the courts of other Member States.”
2019-07-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8573 (2019) · source
“In line with the Secretary-General's policy on gender parity, I am extremely pleased to announce that more than 55 per cent of the Team is female and more than 50 per cent of the senior leadership of UNITAD is also female. In May, I was delighted, together with His Excellency the Prime Minister of Iraq, to announce my appointment of Ms. Salama Hasson Al-Khafaji. She is sitting right behind me. I really want to take this opportunity, in this Chamber, to publicly applaud Ms. Salama Hasson Al-Khafaji for her extraordinary commitment to the rule of law and to justice. Already, her experience, wise counsel and sincere efforts to deliver accountability have made a meaningful contribution to the Team.”
2019-07-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8573 (2019) · source
“Over the past six months, we have sought to harness our resources and the unity of purpose that we have seen in Iraq and the Council in the most effective way. I am pleased to report that since my last briefing to the Council (see S/PV.8412), very significant progress has been made. We are now receiving evidence, information and witness statements in all forms - digital, electronic, documentary - in line with the investigative strategy that I detailed in my previous report (see 8/2018/1031). The Team is expanding rapidly. At the beginning of the year, we had 10 staff members in UNITAD. As of today, we have 79 staff members from all geographical regions of the United Nations.”
2019-07-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8573 (2019) · source
“Perhaps most striking, to me at least, has been the fact that when I have engaged with these victim communities among the various components of Iraq, their message is one of seeking not revenge or reprisals, but justice. They seek justice, not as an abstract but rather based on proper, solid evidence - without hearsay or gossip - that can be presented in a court of law and subjected to challenge so that independent and impartial judges may make determinations that will stand the test of time The resilience and the fortitude of the people of Iraq from all communities need to be applauded right at the outset. It is only through fair trials that the corrupt and perverted ideology of Da'esh, as well as its most un-Islamic practices, can be fully and completely exposed in a manner that will brook no answer at all.”
2019-07-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8573 (2019) · source
“The Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) must be held responsible for the crimes that were committed. In Mosul to Tikrit, from Erbil to Dahuk and Sinjar, and elsewhere in Iraq, victims have given harrowing accounts to our Team of mass killings, of whole families being wiped out and women and children taken as slaves. The courage those individuals have demonstrated in coming forward and giving their accounts about Da'esh underlines, in very real terms, their commitment to justice, their heroism and the urgency with which we at UNITAD must work, together, if we are to fulfil the hopes, aspirations and promises that were made in September 2017 by the Council in resolution 2379 (2017).”
2019-07-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8573 (2019) · source
“Mr. Khan: I would like to start by congratulating Peru on assuming the presidency of the Council this month. It is indeed an honour to present to the Council the second report (see S/2019/407) of the United Nations Investigative Team to Promote Accountability for Crimes Committed by Da'esh/Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (UNITAD). From the outset of our work in Iraq, we have sought to ensure that the experiences and voices of survivors, witnesses and communities are placed at the centre of our work. These survivors come from all communities across Iraq. All communities have been impacted in some way, shape or form by the crimes of Da'esh, and their message has been clear and consistent. Their demand is a simple one, but it goes to the heart of the mandate.”
2019-07-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8573 (2019) · source
“Finally, the African Union and its regional mechanisms have devised several useful instruments to prevent, manage and resolve conflicts. Sustained progress requires enhanced cooperation with relevant stakeholders, improvements in governance, the strengthening of existing mechanisms, the monitoring and evaluation of agreements, and ensuring adequate resources for their implementation. Most significantly, the role of women as key participants and decision makers in all aspects of conflict resolution and prevention must be fully promoted. Pakistan remains committed to achieving a conflict-free Africa and will continue its cooperation to realizing the goal of lasting peace, security and development in Africa.”
2019-02-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8473 (2019) · source
“In this regard, the growing dialogue between the Security Council and the African Union for a better and more effective response to peace and security issues is a welcome development. As one ofthe largest troop-contributing countries to United peace operations, Pakistan's peacekeepers have served and continue to serve in Africa, contributing to many of Africa's success stories. We take pride in our contribution to bringing peace and security to Africa and remain committed to improving peacekeeping initiatives as environments and needs evolve. Investment in sustainable resources, formulation of achievable mandates and better utilization of triangular cooperation mechanisms are crucial for strengthening our efforts.”
2019-02-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8473 (2019) · source
“Thirdly, the eradication of poverty and inequality are essential to ending conflicts. Towards this end, the AU's partnership with the United Nations offers a strong foundation. Robust efforts are needed to strengthen the implementation of the AU's Agenda 2063, and to build on the synergies with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Mobilization of international support for Africa's development priorities and its inclusive transformative agenda are vital. Fourthly, stabilization of conflict situations and resolution of disputes are critical for a peaceful, secure and prosperous Africa. A comprehensive approach to peacekeeping, relying on strong African Union-United Nations cooperation, is required.”
2019-02-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8473 (2019) · source
“With United Nations support, these efforts have contributed to strengthening peace and stability and creating favourable conditions for Africa's development in the last decade. Despite these achievements, significant challenges persist. Parts of Africa remain mired in conflict, while new threats are emerging. Allow me to make five specific points. First, addressing the root causes ofconflicts in their widest dimensions is imperative for ending conflict as well as to prevent relapses into cycles of violence. The key drivers of violence, extremism and terrorism must be tackled. Secondly, the illicit trade of small arms and light weapons exacerbates violence and insecurity and undermines development. A holistic approach, including international assistance and cooperation, is needed to address this challenge.”
2019-02-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8473 (2019) · source
“The fiftieth anniversary solemn declaration of the African Union (AU) importantly pledged to end conflicts in Africa. The AU Master Roadmap of Practical Steps for Silencing the Guns in Africa by 2020 presents a significant milestone towards achieving the aspirations of Africans for their continent. Considerable progress has been made towards preventing, managing and resolving conflicts in Africa. Many of the devastating conflicts in Africa now stand resolved. Reconciliation between Ethiopia and Eritrea, agreements in South Sudan and the Central African Republic, and the holding of elections in Madagascar, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Mali are success stories that testify to the enhanced capacity of the African Union and its regional mechanisms for dealing with crises.”
2019-02-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8473 (2019) · source
“Mr. President, I would like to thank you for presiding over this important meeting. I also wish to thank the briefers for their insightful contributions. Our world is confronted with unprecedented challenges. Many of the world's regions are witnessing prolonged periods of instability and conflict, growing turmoil, extremist violence and terrorism, and, of course, mass human dislocation and suffering. These challenges are compounded by persistent poverty, unemployment, inequality, water and food scarcity and human rights violations - factors that diminish the gains made so far and further exacerbate violence. Nowhere are these threats more pronounced than in Africa. Against this backdrop, we welcome today's meeting and hope that it will generate greater awareness of the challenges confronting the continent.”
2019-02-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8473 (2019) · source
“Simultaneous, the completion of our investigative activities will be dependent on securing the cooperation, support and trust of all elements of Iraqi society. It is by harnessing those dual elements, both international and national, that we will be able to successfully fulfil the mandate the Council has provided and deliver justice for the victims of ISIL. As we look forward to the commencement of our investigative activities in Iraq, it is ultimately them and the cause of justice that we seek to serve.”
2018-12-04 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8412 (2018) · source
“In conclusion, I wish to underline to the Council that the preparatory work completed by the Team has reinforced my view that our dual initial imperatives - ensuring independence and seeking cooperation, and demonstrating impartiality and pursuing national engagement - do not present a dichotomy. There is no contradiction in upholding independence while supporting national accountability. Indeed, the opposite is true. It is only by establishing the Investigative Team as an independent, objective and trusted source of evidentiary material capable of conducting its work to the highest possible standards that we can best support the Government of Iraq and other Member States in our common and necessary pursuit of accountability and justice.”
2018-12-04 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8412 (2018) · source
“It is my hope that the commitment to efficiency demonstrated in our proposed budget will be reflected on positively by Member States in the coming weeks as it is finalized and approved. In addition, I would emphasize paragraph 14 of resolution 2379 (2017), which created a trust fund. I request that States also consider making supplementary contributions to the trust fund for key activities. Those activities are not just for the security and the staff costs of the team, but include exhumations, DNA analysis and witness support activities. I take this opportunity to state and underscore my appreciation for the very generous and absolutely vital contributions made thus far by the United Kingdom, the Kingdom of the Netherlands and the Government of Qatar. I also know that various other States are working towards pledging further support.”
2018-12-04 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8412 (2018) · source
“It is my sincere belief that we have presented a very streamlined organizational structure with a limited objective to meet our mandate. There is no fat in that budget. We have specifically designed a substantive capacity that will allow us to conduct our work in accordance with international standards and thereby ensure the broadest possible use of evidence within Iraq and, domestically, within States elsewhere. That plan, strategy and organizational structure are complemented by a very lightweight mission support mechanism that draws on existing United Nations in-country assets to ensure the maximum focus of resources where it is needed, which is in the substantive work of investigating the crimes themselves.”
2018-12-04 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8412 (2018) · source
“The delivery of this mandate and the successful completion of these activities require not just the historic, united and unanimous support of the Council, but collegiality and solidarity going forward. Without the political will and political support of Member States that have been fortunately evidenced to date, the significant challenges that are obvious on the face of the mandate will not be overcome. By the same token, with that solidarity the challenges and the scale of the evidence will not be insurmountable by the application of our collective will and the resources available in the international community and within the Team. On a related topic, I take this opportunity to mention that the proposed budget of the Investigative Team has been submitted to the General Assembly for consideration.”
2018-12-04 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8412 (2018) · source
“Thirdly, we must collect, gather and analyse the evidence within Iraq, and by that I mean that the central Government, the regional authorities, third States, non-governmental organizations, international actors and neighbouring States must bring all of that information together so that it can be subjected to analysis, so that patterns can be discerned and so that it can lead to the fourth stage, which relates to the activities of the Investigative Team to fill the gaps that have been identified. I look forward to presenting my next report in May 2019, which will provide a fuller update on those activities. However, I wish to be candid with the Council in one additional respect.”
2018-12-04 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8412 (2018) · source