YouSaid · the spoken record

Kimani

lines on the record: 811
first: 2021-05-27
most recent: 2023-10-25
sittings or episodes: 113
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

“Unfortunately, that was not to be. In our view, the co-penholders went to great lengths to accommodate the legitimate concerns of all delegations. We are persuaded by the Secretary-General’s assessment that renewing the cross-border mechanism for 12 months is critical for the continuation of logistical support, especially during the winter months in Syria. Going forward, Kenya is ready to work with the co-penholders to explore further options, including a nine-month renewal of the cross-border mechanism. It is our hope that the Security Council can demonstrate unity by manifesting a spirit of compromise for the sake of the people of Syria. As we have stated before, Kenya stands in solidarity with the Syrian people in their quest for peace, stability and prosperity. We think there will be serious consequences from both votes taken today.”
2022-07-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9087 (2022) · source
“Today is a costly day for the Security Council and even more so for the people of Syria. Our lack of unity will have real-life dire humanitarian consequences. We commend and thank the co-penholders, Ireland and Norway, for their immense efforts to have the cross-border humanitarian aid mechanism renewed for another year. We voted in favour of the text presented by the co-penholders (S/2022/538) in solidarity with the millions of Syrian people requiring the humanitarian assistance that is largely accessible through the cross- border mechanism. It is unfortunate that this text, which had the support of all 10 elected members of the Council, has failed to be adopted. It was our hope that a compromise text would have been presented so that the Security Council would once again act in unity, as it did with resolution 2585 (2021).”
2022-07-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9087 (2022) · source
“As an Arab representative on the Council, the United Arab Emirates has made it clear that the Arab countries want a renewal of the mechanism for providing urgent relief to the millions of Syrians in need. The E-10’s pressing interest has been for a united Council on behalf of the Syrian people. Despite the imminent outcome of the voting on the two draft resolutions, we will continue to make every effort to unite the Council.”
2022-07-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9087 (2022) · source
“I would like to thank you, Mr. President, for giving me the floor. I am explaining our vote on behalf of the current 10 elected members (E-10) of the Security Council in Kenya’s capacity as coordinator for the month of July. The E-10 has been in consultations this morning. We appreciate the co-penholders’ extensive efforts to achieve a compromise text that accommodates the legitimate concerns of all delegations while meeting the dire and urgent needs of the Syrian people. All of the E-10 members are in favour of a 12-month renewal of the cross-border humanitarian aid mechanism based on the co-penholders’ draft resolution (S/2022/538), which would enable the humanitarian actors on the ground to operate effectively. As coordinator of the E-10, Kenya has also consulted with the United Arab Emirates.”
2022-07-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9087 (2022) · source
“As a mitigating measure, we support the urgent call by the World Food Programme for the opening of Ukrainian ports on the Black Sea to allow for the export of food. The humanitarian and development response must leave no country or region behind. We commend the efforts of the Chairperson of the African Union and the Chairperson of the African Union Commission for their engagement with leaders who are in a position to enable food to be moved from Ukraine and out into the world. In conclusion, I reaffirm Kenya’s support for the sovereignty, territorial integrity and political independence of Ukraine and our continued call for prioritizing dialogue as the only plausible avenue for resolving serious disputes.”
2022-06-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9056 (2022) · source
“Although as a valid resident of Ukraine he was aware of his rights and the laws outlined in the Charter that allow him right of passage, he experienced discrimination on the train, from which between 15 and 20 German police officers asked him to disembark and demanded that he undergo further processing to be allowed to leave, based on the fact that he was not born in Ukraine. Based on those appalling justifications, every black person on the train was made to disembark and held for 23 hours, enduring unjust and inhumane treatment by law enforcement. We simply have to repeat that people of African descent are equally human and deserving of equal protection and facilitation in line with the Charter. The war in Ukraine continues to worsen food insecurity in many countries, particularly in the Global South.”
2022-06-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9056 (2022) · source
“We are pleased to see women playing a role as agents of change and we advocate for their participation in decision-making at all levels and in all aspects, including diplomatic efforts to find lasting peace and security in Europe and globally. I must once again bring up the plight of the Africans who are trapped in the war. Unfortunately, we continue to see reports of racial discrimination directed at people of African descent who are also seeking safety in Europe, like other fleeing Ukrainians. We recently heard Gerald Ezeani’s heartfelt story of his experience crossing the border from Ukraine to Hungary and then to Berlin.”
2022-06-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9056 (2022) · source
“We especially thank United Nations bodies and agencies, including the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, UN-Women, UNICEF, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, the United Nations Population Fund and the United Nations Development Programme, for their reports and action briefings highlighting the plight of civilians, especially women and children, and for spearheading the response of the United Nations. We applaud the brave women of Ukraine who are fighting for peace and for their country. We recognize with admiration the women who are leading in Government and civil society.”
2022-06-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9056 (2022) · source
“We say that in the full understanding that the truest protection is stopping the war and demonstrating respect for the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine. In the meantime, there is a crucial need for effective cross-border coordination between border-security personnel, early- warning mechanisms and national and regional women protection advisers, as well as humanitarian actors, to protect those in danger of abuse. In that regard, we commend the signing of the United Nations Framework of Cooperation in early May to assist the survivors of sexual violence, with a purview that also covers the prevention of conflict-related trafficking amid increasing displacement. We also commend all the individuals, institutions and Governments helping in every possible way.”
2022-06-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9056 (2022) · source
“Soldiers in the field should be subject to severe discipline for abusing civilians or captured combatants. Political leaders should also be aware that using ideology to label entire populations increases the risk that rank-and-file soldiers will commit atrocities. Leaders should uphold the human dignity, worth and equality of all of the people of Ukraine in all public communications. We urge all the United Nations agencies concerned and those in Ukraine and neighbouring countries to do their utmost to deliver medical and psychosocial support to the survivors of sexual violence and trafficking. More should be done to ensure the establishment of humanitarian corridors and to protect the millions who remain vulnerable in besieged cities and villages from military targeting.”
2022-06-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9056 (2022) · source
“Wars of aggression are transgressions of international law that open the floodgates to serious violations against civilians, particularly when they are wars in breach of the Charter of the United Nations. Even as we justly condemn war crimes, we must not forget that war itself is the greatest crime. Sexual violence against women, children and men is a frequent outcome of war and is also used deliberately and sometimes systematically as a weapon of war. We recognize with the deepest concern the women, girls and boys in Ukraine who have suffered this uniquely horrifying crime. We condemn the violations against them and the violations of international law, the laws of war, the United Nations Charter and the most basic human decency. We call on all military commanders to ensure that those responsible for such atrocities are held accountable.”
2022-06-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9056 (2022) · source
“I thank Special Representative of the Secretary-General Pramila Patten, Ms. Natalia Karbowska and Ms. Sherrie Rollins Westin for their briefings. I also welcome the participation of the Permanent Representative of Ukraine and the Permanent Representatives of the countries affected in the region. It was with a heavy heart this morning that the Kenyan delegation conveyed its condolences to the people and the Government of Nigeria following the brutal murder of dozens of worshippers at the Catholic church of Saint Francis in the town of Owo in Ondo state. Such acts of terrorism are crimes against humanity, which we condemn in the strongest terms. We urge the Council to redouble its efforts to ensure that terrorist groups are met with the strongest possible condemnation and opposition.”
2022-06-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9056 (2022) · source
“Making peace, dialogue and diplomacy — those are the shields for accountability at the national level. In that regard, the Council’s respect for and use of Chapter VIII of the Charter, particularly in Africa in the context of its relationship with the African Union and subregional organizations, will do the most to advance conflict prevention and resolution. Successfully resolving conflicts in that way offers citizens hope that the peace that ensues will deliver to them the stability that is needed for reconciliation, accountability and justice.”
2022-06-02 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9052 (2022) · source
“The more protracted it is, the more it erodes domestic and international mechanisms of justice and accountability. Waging war accrues power to the few; democracy and checks on untrammelled power erode rapidly. Freedom wilts even in nations that are victorious at war. War economies take root, often characterized by criminality, to the detriment of law and order. The military-industrial complex that United States President Dwight Eisenhower warned us about grows in power and promotes even more war, with even greater destructive effects on accountability. For the foregoing reasons, we believe that protecting and expanding accountability in Member States and in the multilateral system requires us to redouble our efforts to prevent and resolve conflict. Otherwise, even domestic systems of accountability will eventually suffer and die.”
2022-06-02 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9052 (2022) · source
“Instead, we have witnessed its use by the powerful to advance their interests rather than to advance the cause of justice. International judicial mechanisms must be impartial and not tipped against those in relatively weak States or regions. We are all witness to the disproportionate focus on Africa, while the strong do what they can. Finally, accountability and justice should go hand in hand with dialogue and reconciliation. There is a powerful link between war and national accountability, and as we have heard this morning, the systems of national accountability are ultimately the ones on which we depend to grant accountability and justice to the people of the world. War is often pursued with impunity by one or more of its protagonists.”
2022-06-02 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9052 (2022) · source
“The veto must also be wielded by those who are closer to the Melians than to the Athenians. Those invoking the veto would also do well to respect General Assembly resolution 76/262, popularly known as the veto initiative, to explain that their action is justified and is not opposed to our common peace. That is a degree of accountability. In addition, we must respond to the fact that the Security Council spends most of its time dealing with conflicts in Africa, with Africans holding neither vetoes nor pens; as long as that is the case, there will be severe limits to accountability in the United Nations. Secondly, the broad system of international accountability will be regarded by the world’s citizens as legitimate only if it holds the powerful to account.”
2022-06-02 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9052 (2022) · source
“We must wake up to the credibility gap between our aspirations and the current state of the multilateral system. Our aspirations for accountability can be realized only by a global system that is as good for the weaker Melians as it is for the stronger Athenians. Otherwise, that system will be little more than a specious pretence. If the Council is to anchor a system that advances accountability and is not dominated by the interests of the powerful, the following changes are required. First, the world will never believe that the multilateral system offers real hope for accountability if there is no reform of the Security Council. At a minimum, in the immediate future, the system of penholding must evolve beyond the bygone contours of colonial empire.”
2022-06-02 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9052 (2022) · source
“Rarely does a day pass in the life of a diplomat to the United Nations when he or she does not hear calls for accountability for serious violations of international law, especially when it comes to threats to peace and security. Nevertheless, the powerful continue to use armed force, threats and the manipulation of our multilateral system to dominate and attack others. Our hope is that the difference between us and the poor Melians is the Charter of the United Nations. In the Preamble to the Charter, accountability takes the pride of place alongside our determination to save ourselves from war and affirm the equal rights of every individual and every nation. Those are noble aspirations, but they are much easier to proclaim than to practice.”
2022-06-02 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9052 (2022) · source
“The sad reality of the world today is most acutely expressed by the words of Thucydides: “The strong do what they can, and the weak suffer what they must.” He wrote that sentence some 2,450 years ago, describing a situation where the leaders of Melos were faced with the choice of whether to submit to Athens, which was in a rivalry with the powerful Spartans. The Melians complained that their choice was between war or slavery. And the Athenian diplomats did not mince their words, saying, “[W]e shall not trouble you with specious pretences […] to make a long speech that would not be believed”. The sentiment and reality expressed in those words are still with us today.”
2022-06-02 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9052 (2022) · source
“I thank you, Mr. President, for giving me the floor. I also thank you for gracing us with your presence at this open debate of the Security Council. I congratulate Albania on its historic assumption of the presidency of the Council this month. Kenya also thanks the delegation of the United States for its responsible and professional leadership of the Council in May. I thank Judge Joan Donoghue, President of the International Court of Justice, Ms. Michelle Bachelet, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, and Professor Dapo Akande for sharing their insights.”
2022-06-02 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9052 (2022) · source
“We reiterate our appreciation to the Secretary-General of the United Nations and the Chairperson of the African Union, as well as all regional and global leaders, for their support for the inter-Congolese peace dialogue. The A3 and France have presented a draft presidential statement for the Council’s consideration in that regard, and we thank members for their robust engagement. We hope to see a strong endorsement from the Council of that initiative. In conclusion, the A3 reaffirms its commitment to the sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.”
2022-05-31 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9051 (2022) · source
“The A3 encourages the countries of the region to implement their commitments, which include establishing and activating internal systems of control, monitoring and verification in order to eliminate the illicit mineral trade. We further encourage them to recommit to strengthening and implementing regional frameworks aimed at creating a peaceful environment conducive to achieving a secure and prosperous region. In the same breath, we encourage dialogue among the countries of the region, with a view to addressing any issues related to mutual security concerns and defusing any tensions that could undermine the ongoing peace efforts. We commend the efforts of MONUSCO and international partners to promote peace and security in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.”
2022-05-31 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9051 (2022) · source
“By strengthening its weapons and ammunition management system, in close cooperation with MONUSCO, the Government has shown a commitment to ensuring the control and monitoring of the weapons and ammunition in its possession. We therefore recommend that the Council respond favourably to the Congolese authorities’ request to waive the notification requirement for the acquisition of weapons and reinforce its support in order to address the illicit proliferation and supply of weapons via trans-border criminal networks. There is no question that poverty is both a root cause and a driver of conflict and instability. Regrettably, the people of the Democratic Republic of the Congo have continued to languish in poverty despite their abundant natural resources.”
2022-05-31 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9051 (2022) · source
“For its part, the United Nations and the international community should support the effective operationalization of the national Disarmament, Demobilization, Community Recovery and Stabilization programme and work with the States of the region to find durable solutions for refugees and internally displaced persons, including their voluntary, safe and dignified return and reintegration into their communities of origin. In the light of the progressive drawdown and withdrawal of the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO), it is vital that the Security Council begin to take stock of the transfer of responsibilities to the Government.”
2022-05-31 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9051 (2022) · source
“Terrorist groups are also operating in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, including those affiliated with the Islamic State in Iraq and the Sham. Those groups regard the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo as fertile ground for recruitment and for generating wealth to carry out their operations around the world. We reiterate our call on all armed groups to participate unconditionally in the inter-Congolese peace dialogue in order to resolve their grievances, embrace the call for peace and pursue opportunities for prosperity by prioritizing participation in the country’s development.”
2022-05-31 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9051 (2022) · source
“It is important that all the parties take ownership of the process and protect it. They must take advantage of the EAC’s initiative and other mechanisms, such as the Economic Community of Central African States, the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region, the African Union and the United Nations. The A3 remains deeply concerned about the dire security situation in the eastern provinces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. We strongly condemn all armed groups operating in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the region and urge them to lay down their arms immediately. The armed groups, including the resurgent Mouvement du 23 mars, continue to exact a heavy toll on civilian and civilian objects. At least 35 people were killed last week in Djugu, in Ituri province, and Beni, in North Kivu province.”
2022-05-31 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9051 (2022) · source
“The major roadblock to that is the chronic and protracted insecurity in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. For that reason, the A3 commends the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo for commencing the inter-Congolese peace dialogue, facilitated by President Uhuru Kenyatta, in line with the outcomes of the second Regional Heads of State Conclave. We also welcome all the armed groups that are participating in the dialogue for their courage and commitment to a course of peace. The briefing to be delivered by Mr. Christophe Lutundula Apala Pen’apala will further inform us about the inter-Congolese peace dialogue and its great potential. After many years of chronic insecurity and instability in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, it is an initiative that holds great promise.”
2022-05-31 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9051 (2022) · source
“The admission of the Democratic Republic of the Congo into the East African Community (EAC) is a historic development. The EAC’s convening in Nairobi of its second Regional Heads of State Conclave on the Democratic Republic of the Congo is a testament to the potential for regional integration to deliver hope for peace and security. At a time when the world is transitioning to green technology, the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s membership in the EAC offers the opportunity to build a dynamic economic pole with a positive global impact. Peace and stability in the Democratic Republic of the Congo would mean decent employment and security for its people. It would enable a just global transition to green solutions powered by Congolese minerals that are extracted ethically and sustainably.”
2022-05-31 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9051 (2022) · source
“I have the pleasure to deliver this statement on behalf of the African members of the Security Council (A3), Kenya, Gabon and Ghana. We welcome His Excellency Mr. Christophe Lutundula Apala Pen’apala, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, to New York. We thank him for his participation and appreciate his Government’s commitment to seeking stability and security in the face of immense odds. We recognize that the fate of this gigantic country, bordering nine others and situated in the heart of Africa, will in many ways determine the future of our region. We also welcome the participation of representatives of neighbouring States in this meeting. The A3 is encouraged by the positive regional developments in East and Central Africa.”
2022-05-31 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9051 (2022) · source
“Finally, Kenya reaffirms its long-standing commitment to nuclear disarmament, non-proliferation and a world free of nuclear weapons.”
2022-05-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9048 (2022) · source
“While we encourage consensus and unity, they must be robust enough to send a clear signal about the importance of halting any further undermining of the stability of the Korean peninsula. We believe that the diplomatic avenues available to the stakeholders in the immediate security situation should be used with more determination to find compromises. Lacking the willingness to compromise in negotiation, we will remain trapped in the risky ground between provocation and blockade. Instead, we encourage all relevant parties to undertake trust-building initiatives. The missile launches should cease, and there should be a review of the sanctions against the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, which have had adverse effects on civilians.”
2022-05-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9048 (2022) · source
“The undermining of the security and stability of the Korean peninsula risks escalating into a crisis that would directly harm a region that is linked to Africa through a great history of trading and investment at a time when development is key to our own peace and security. For that reason, we must appeal to the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea to end its current posture and seek a dialogue that leads to a lasting solution. We also regret the current policy of protracted sanctions, which continue to cause extensive suffering and underdevelopment in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, and we appreciate the willingness of some delegations to seek a statement by the President of the Security Council that would have demanded consensus among its members.”
2022-05-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9048 (2022) · source
“Kenya voted in favour of adopting draft resolution S/2022/431. The Security Council’s resolutions have been clear, but unfortunately the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea has chosen not to comply with them. Instead, its missile launches, particularly in the past five months, have undermined the stability of the Korean peninsula. Added to the launches, one of which threatened the territorial integrity of a Member State, are the statements it has been making about its accelerated development and use of nuclear weapons. What we have learned in the past few months is that actions undermining international peace and security concern not only the countries immediately affected but even the most distant. Today we are suffering from rapidly rising food and energy costs as a result of a conflict that is far from our borders.”
2022-05-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9048 (2022) · source
“In conclusion, we reaffirm our unreserved support for a truly Libyan-led and Libyan-owned peace process. We also reaffirm our respect for Libya’s territorial integrity and sovereignty.”
2022-05-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9047 (2022) · source
“We are saddened by the number of people who died trying to cross the Mediterranean Sea into Europe and those intercepted and returned to Libyan ports, only to be detained and made to suffer more. We condemn that inhumane treatment and call on all involved to desist from it. We also call on those who allocate resources to migration in Libya, including for the establishment of holding areas, to demand strict adherence to human rights and accountability. With respect to our brothers and sisters from Libya, only they fully understand the cost of this unnecessarily protracted conflict. We therefore urge them to be inspired by their shared nationhood to engage in dialogue and reconciliation in building back. Gabon, Ghana and Kenya — and Africa as a whole — recommit to standing with them in this regard.”
2022-05-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9047 (2022) · source
“We also call for the immediate withdrawal of foreign fighters, foreign forces and mercenaries from Libya and the implementation of the comprehensive action plan of the 5+5 Joint Military Commission of October 2021. We remind the Council that all Libya’s frozen assets are to be preserved and eventually returned to, and for the benefit of, the people of Libya. Any actions that affect those assets must be done in consultation with the Libyan authorities. In that regard, the assets freeze should be periodically reviewed to ensure that those assets are protected. We remain deeply concerned over the plight of migrants, refugees and asylum seekers in Libya.”
2022-05-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9047 (2022) · source
“We believe that a Special Representative of the Secretary-General who has a deep understanding of the security threats of the conflict in Libya to the Sahel and the wider region will reinvigorate United Nations efforts in support of the Libyan peace process. Such a Special Representative of the Secretary-General will also contribute to the necessary safeguard against the spillover of instability into the region and beyond. We condemn the continued foreign interference in Libya, especially as manifested by the continued presence of foreign fighters and mercenaries, as well as rampant undue political influence. The reports of the increased politicization of the oil sector, which is Libya’s economic mainstay, for individual gains in deeply concerning. We demand the protection of the Libyan oil resources for the people of Libya.”
2022-05-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9047 (2022) · source
“We continue to urge fellow members of the Council that we provide UNSMIL with the necessary support for the effective execution of its mandate. That includes starting to genuinely work together to achieve a substantive renewal of the mandate in July. We look forward to the implementation of the provisions of resolution 2629 (2022), including the appointment of a Special Representative of the Secretary-General. In that regard, Africa avails its rich capacity, including the critical appreciation of the impact of the conflict in Libya on the region, for the Secretary-General’s consideration.”
2022-05-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9047 (2022) · source
“We believe that dialogue and reconciliation will achieve gradual, yet firm and sustainable outcomes, including a constitutional framework that enjoys the widest possible consensus for the delivery of credible elections. It is important to have it mainstreamed in all tracks and stages of the peace process, which must be inclusive of all stakeholders, including women and the youth. It is for that reason that the African Union has committed to supporting an inclusive and comprehensive national reconciliation process, as highlighted in resolution 2510 (2020). We invite all members of the Council to join in strongly embedding such support in the mandate of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL).”
2022-05-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9047 (2022) · source
“We laud the members of the joint committee for their cooperation and dedication to the talks. That demonstrates the ability of the political class in Libya to opt for dialogue in breaking the current political stalemate. We urge all Libyans to insist on dialogue as the best option for a Libyan-led and -owned peace process. We have noted with concern reports of the mobilization of armed groups in and around Tripoli, as well as sporadic outbreaks of violence. We emphasize that violence cannot deliver peace for Libyans. It will only deliver pain for the vulnerable and a more deeply divided nation. We therefore urge the leadership and people of Libya to exercise restraint, shun violence and seek to resolve their differences by peaceful means.”
2022-05-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9047 (2022) · source
“It is my honour to deliver this statement on behalf of the three African members of the Security Council (A3), namely, Gabon, Ghana and Kenya. We thank Under-Secretary-General Rosemary DiCarlo and Ambassador Tirumurti, Chair of the Committee established pursuant to resolution 1970 (2011), for their briefings. We also welcome the participation of our colleague Ambassador Taher Elsonni, Permanent Representative of Libya. We acknowledge the ongoing efforts by the Special Adviser to the Secretary-General, Ms. Stephanie Williams, in bringing together the joint committee of the House of Representatives and the High State Council in dialogue. We note the positive outcomes of the session, held from 15 to 20 May in Cairo under the auspices of the United Nations.”
2022-05-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9047 (2022) · source
“Thirdly, we must ensure that peacekeeping mandates are fit for purpose to challenge these groups, protect civilians and strengthen national military and police competencies. We must make sure that peacekeeping missions have robust public messaging and counter- narrative capabilities against terrorist groups operating in the same territory. Military action against these groups is not the sole solution; it should be accompanied by other supporting initiatives. But I want to focus on what the Security Council can do and should do. What is untenable is dragging our feet, reluctantly using the tools at our disposal and sending the signal that African lives and emergencies are of secondary importance when attacked by Al-Qaida and ISIS groups.”
2022-05-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9042 (2022) · source
“We simply lack the ability to maintain multigenerational humanitarian action as a primary mode of engagement for the international community. There are a few actions that we can take immediately if we have the will and want to show that African lives do matter. One is to apply the full suite of sanctions to these groups, their funders, recruiters and facilitators. We must also take seriously humanitarian carve-outs. We must stop the self-defeating tension between countering terrorism that causes humanitarian emergencies and humanitarian work. Secondly, we must apply sanctions against individuals and groups that exploit the humanitarian space as a key part of their strategy and operations, to further their terrorist agenda.”
2022-05-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9042 (2022) · source
“If we do not, we will only be passive observers of a spreading catastrophe. If we do nothing, then history will judge us harshly and the whole world will reap the harvest of multiple collapsing or collapsed States. Connected to that is the need for humanitarian actors to understand the need for robust action against these groups. Terrorists are exploiting the humanitarian space and its associated civilian objects. These groups, understanding the humanitarian concerns over civilians who are victims of conflict, utilize the population to generate finances, disguise their operations and recruit from traumatized, uprooted refugees and IDPs. The terrorists must be militarily suppressed. Civilians must be protected from them. And we must work on development.”
2022-05-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9042 (2022) · source
“We all know the solution but keep resisting its implementation. Are African lives not precious enough to move the Council to bold action against terrorist groups who announce daily their aim to dismember States and collapse governance? There are many actions that the concerned Governments should take — from the inclusive management of diversity, the delivery of local development, adherence to human rights protection and increasing competence. But none of those efforts will come close to succeeding if there is no robust, sustained military and police pressure on those groups. We all know this, and the Council is in a position to act on that knowledge. We know that we need to deploy capable regional forces with access to predictable and adequate funding and with access to appropriate intelligence and force multipliers.”
2022-05-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9042 (2022) · source
“If multilateralism is to deliver sustained peace and protection of civilians from terrorism, the Council must get more serious about facing that challenge in Africa. Tens of thousands have already been brutally murdered in the past decade. Livelihoods have collapsed in multiple areas. Hundreds of thousands of refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs) have been produced throughout the Sahel, the Horn of Africa and Southern Africa. The harm to civilians is not an abstract number on a page. Many have perished from suicide bombings, improvised explosive devices, vehicle-borne explosives, torture, mutilation, sexual violence, hunger and pure misery. The status quo will not hold. The piecemeal approaches by the Council will only yield failure and the mass murder of many thousands more.”
2022-05-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9042 (2022) · source
“The citizens of the world are losing hope in the United Nations, particularly the Security Council. We need to show them that we are fit for purpose. For this debate, Kenya would like to focus on terrorism, especially the kind practiced by jihadists affiliated or inspired by Al-Qaida and the Islamic State of Iraq and the Sham (ISIS). Their armed assaults are a form of warfare that is directly aimed at civilians. Groups such as Al-Shabaab in Somalia and its fellow travelers do not cause civilian harm as a collateral result. No, murdering civilians is their primary method of seeking their political aims. Unless Al-Qaida and ISIS-affiliated terrorist groups in Africa, such as Al-Shabaab, are targeted with all the means the Security Council has at its disposal, the resulting harm to civilians will be catastrophic.”
2022-05-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9042 (2022) · source
“We offer our deepest condolences to the United States and the families of the victims of the mass shooting in Uvalde, Texas. I thank the briefers for their contribution to this debate. The principal reason war offends us sufficiently to form the United Nations is its destruction of human life, safety and well-being. We established the Security Council to lead humankind’s united response to threats to international peace and security. On paper, we have all the required tools to resolve conflict and ensure that, where it breaks out, the conduct of the war accords to international humanitarian law. Unfortunately, our multilateral tools are collapsing under the weight of weak political will, the untrammeled pursuit of self- interest by the powerful and the continuing inequality among and within nations.”
2022-05-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9042 (2022) · source
“Last but not least, in view of the current circumstances, the A3 believes that the UNITAMS mandate remains valid and relevant. We therefore support the renewal of the mandate, including its four main objectives. What is critical is for the Council to build the Mission’s capacity to effectively and efficiently implement its mandate. We call on UNITAMS to continue working closely with the Sudanese authorities to facilitate the expeditious implementation of the identified plans and programmes. We also reiterate that all programmes and initiatives should be determined based on the needs and priorities identified by the Sudan. In conclusion, the A3 reaffirms its solidarity with the people of the Sudan and expresses its commitment to continuing to support their endeavour to achieve sustainable peace, security and greater economic development.”
2022-05-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9041 (2022) · source
“The A3 joins the appeal by the Secretary-General for exceptional modalities to support vulnerable communities and protect human and social capital through continued international assistance for the Sudan. We commend the efforts of the international humanitarian donors continuing to provide vital assistance. We urge the Sudanese authorities to facilitate unhindered humanitarian access to all in need, especially in the conflict-affected regions. During this time of a global food crisis, and as we wait and hope for the political track to bear fruit, the A3 urges the international donor community and international financial institutions to reconsider the temporary suspension of aid to the Sudan and to continue their support programmes and projects to sustain the lives and livelihoods of the civilian population.”
2022-05-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9041 (2022) · source