YouSaid · the spoken record

Lauber

lines on the record: 271
first: 2006-09-28
most recent: 2019-11-19
sittings or episodes: 26
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

“Finally, the ACT group welcomes the efforts of Japan as Chair of the Informal Working Group to prepare a new note that would consolidate and streamline all decisions taken regarding working methods since the publication of presidential note S/2010/507. We encourage the Council to provide an updated, strong and comprehensive document that can lay the groundwork for further positive developments in this domain. Implementation will of course remain at the centre of our attention.”
2016-07-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7740 (2016) · source
“While we welcome the fact that the Council acts quickly with regard to urgent situations, we need also to underline that the enhanced use of "Any other business" and closed meetings does not add to the transparency of the Council's work. The ACT group also welcomes the practice of providing public wrap-up meetings and informal briefing sessions to non-members. More recently, Council members have also conducted joint informal briefings by the presidency at the end of the month. That practice has shown that formal public wrap-ups and informal briefings do not replace each other and, on the contrary, may be mutually reinforcing.”
2016-07-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7740 (2016) · source
“We are pleased that the period of observation for incoming Council members has been extended to three months. We call on Council members to implement that provision to the maximum extent possible, as stated in the note. The ACT group also welcomes the arrangement regarding the appointment of the Chairs of subsidiary bodies no later than 1 October each year and the fact that the process will be facilitated jointly by two members of the Council, thereby providing an enhanced role for the elected 10 members of the Council. Sixty-two per cent ofthe Council's meetings in 2015 took place in the format of closed consultations, which is a significant increase in comparison with previous years. In addition, the Council also considered 56 issues under "Any other business".”
2016-07-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7740 (2016) · source
“Following the October 2015 open debate on working methods (see S/PV.7539), the Council adopted presidential statement S/PRST/2015/ 19. The ACT group welcomes the commitment therein to holding an annual open debate on working methods. That statement also takes note of the efforts of the Informal Working Group on Documentation and Other Procedural Matters to enhance the transparency of its activities, including by providing regular briefings to interested Member States. The ACT group looks forward to participating in such meetings. We also believe that the report prepared by Spain containing recommendations gleaned from the 2015 open debate could serve as guidance for the work of the Informal Working Group, and we encourage the Group to consider it fully. The ACT group welcomes presidential note S/2016/619, adopted last week.”
2016-07-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7740 (2016) · source
“The ACT group believes the wider membership needs to be informed of the outcome of that and subsequent polls and strongly encourages close communication between the President of the Council and the President of the General Assembly in that regard. The ACT group also reiterates that it is the prerogative of the General Assembly to draft the resolution on the appointment of the next Secretary-General. The ACT group calls on all States to adhere to the code of conduct, a pledge to support timely and decisive Security Council action in situations involving atrocity crimes. So far, 112 Member States have joined the code. We encourage them to make sure that the code is being implemented. That means applying and invoking it consistently in all relevant country situations before the Council.”
2016-07-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7740 (2016) · source
“The ongoing process to select the next Secretary- General is just one example of the strong interest of the general membership in a more transparent Security Council. For the first time in history, 12 individuals have taken part in informal dialogues organized by the President of the General Assembly, after they submitted their curriculums vitae and vision statements. The ACT group calls upon any potential future candidates to be presented as early as possible and to participate in the same General Assembly process. We understand that the first straw poll of the Security Council will take place later this week.”
2016-07-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7740 (2016) · source
“I am pleased to take the floor in my capacity as Coordinator ofthe Accountability, Coherence and Transparency (ACT) Group. As you mentioned, Mr. President, it has been 10 years since the adoption of presidential note S/2006/507. I take this opportunity to acknowledge the improvements in the Council's working methods that we have seen since then, and in particular Japan's efforts and contributions, which have added to that positive development. At the same time, we must recognize that the world's expectations vis-a-vis the Council have certainly not decreased, but rather increased, over the past 10 years. We therefore insist that our common efforts to improve the accountability, coherence, transparency and, ultimately, the effectiveness of the Council must continue. Let me make some specific points in that connection.”
2016-07-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7740 (2016) · source
“Finally, missions can succeed only ifboth uniformed and civilian personnel act in the spirit ofthe mandate as well as of the overarching goals of the United Nations. Repeated incidents of sexual exploitation and abuse by United Nations representatives in peacekeeping missions have painfully reminded us how devastating the actions of a few individuals can be for an entire organization and in particular for the lives of those whom they should be protecting.”
2016-06-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7711 (2016) · source
“Let us also not forget that there are pressing protection challenges in several conflicts, including situations on the Council's agenda, where there are currently no peacekeeping operations, and that these also have to be addressed. A gender perspective is a key component of effective protection. Field-based United Nations missions must reach out to women and girls not only to ensure that their specific needs are taken into account but also to realize their full potential and engage them as protectors. The Group of Friends also takes note of the Kigali Principles on the protection of civilians currently endorsed by 30 countries aiming at reinforcing the protection of civilians by troop- and police-contributing countries in the framework of peacekeeping operations.”
2016-06-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7711 (2016) · source
“Enhanced conflict analysis is also necessary for mission planning, and we welcome the decision of the Secretary-General to revise existing conflict-analysis methodologies and to set up a centralized analysis and planning capacity in the Secretary-General's Office. Furthermore, protection of civilians must be an integral part of the pre-deployment training for both uniformed and civilian personnel. A coherent approach across the United Nations system is fundamental for efficient cooperation between the United Nations and local actors, non-governmental organizations and regional and other international organizations.”
2016-06-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7711 (2016) · source
“We also need a systematic review of mandates after an initial period, in close consultation with troop- and police-contributing countries. We see benefits in mandates that give clear guidelines on the distribution of tasks. In this context, we welcome the establishment of senior protection-of- civilians advisers and comprehensive protection-of- civilians strategies in all missions with such a mandate. Such approaches pave the way for close cooperation with all actors involved and for the further development of best practices and approaches that are tailor-made to specific contexts.”
2016-06-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7711 (2016) · source
“We also believe that establishing accountability is essential to making progress on protection issues and in this regard welcome the fact that missions such as the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali and the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic are tasked with supporting the fight against impunity and the work of the International Criminal Court. We further believe that tailored mission planning is crucial for the effectiveness of peacekeeping operations. In this context, we see great potential for a phased mandating process that ensures a sound alignment between the needs on the ground and available resources.”
2016-06-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7711 (2016) · source
“Mission leadership can play an essential role, and the civilian and police components of missions can contribute to protecting civilians just as much as the military components, depending on the situation. Political engagement and support for political settlements should be seen as an integral part of this effort. The best way to protect civilians is by preventing armed conflict in the first instance and, if this fails, by ending armed conflicts through a negotiated and inclusive settlement.”
2016-06-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7711 (2016) · source
“Turning to peacekeeping operations, we want to stress that protecting the civilian population and persons who are no longer taking part in hostilities is not just another task of the United Nations; it is seen by many as the essence of the United Nations. The implementation of the recommendations emanating from the peace operations review presents a key opportunity; the review highlights the tools we need to enable United Nations peacekeeping missions to leverage all their components to effectively protect civilians. Such a mission-wide task requires a solid foundation in the form of clear and pragmatic mandates that reflect what is feasible on the ground. A whole-of-mission approach to the protection of civilians is essential.”
2016-06-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7711 (2016) · source
“Despite the numerous violations observed in recent years, international law is clear: the wounded and the sick, medical personnel and humanitarian personnel exclusively engaged in medical duties, their means of transport and equipment, as well as hospitals and other medical facilities, must be respected and protected. At the World Humanitarian Summit in Istanbul, States, civil society and humanitarian leaders consistently asserted that international humanitarian law, human rights law and refugee law are more relevant than ever. Global leaders announced significant commitments to enhance compliance with international humanitarian law and human rights law through a spectrum of concrete measures.”
2016-06-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7711 (2016) · source
“Schools and medical personnel and facilities are regularly and increasingly targeted. Access restrictions on humanitarian workers impede the delivery of assistance. A growing number of parties to armed conflict openly disregard long-established rules of international humanitarian law, especially with regard to the conduct of hostilities or of persons no longer participating in hostilities. In that context, the unanimous adoption of resolution 2286 (2016) by the Council, on health care in armed conflict and the protection of medical personnel and facilities - an adoption with a large number of sponsors - sends an important signal.”
2016-06-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7711 (2016) · source
“It is right that the protection of civilians be discussed by the Security Council on a regular basis, to reaffirm the necessity for full respect and implementation of the norms and principles related to the protection of civilians as enshrined in international human rights law, human rights and refugee law and in international criminal law. Parties to armed conflict must be reminded time and again that even wars have rules, and that those rules apply to all. We continue to call on the Security Council to systematically uphold core protection-of-civilians standards. The latest report (S/2016/447) of the Secretary-General on the protection of civilians clearly indicates that the situation is worsening in a number of areas. Indiscriminate attacks on civilians are widespread in many contemporary conflicts.”
2016-06-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7711 (2016) · source
“I am pleased to take the floor on behalf of members of the Group of Friends of the protection of civilians in armed conflict, namely, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, the United Kingdom, Uruguay and my own country, Switzerland. The Group of Friends thanks the French presidency of the Security Council for organizing today's open debate and for keeping protection of civilians high on the agenda. We also thank today's briefers for their statements.”
2016-06-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7711 (2016) · source
“We must avoid premature disengagement while remaining watchful and ready to react to any events likely to provoke or exacerbate a conflict in the future.”
2016-03-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7653 (2016) · source
“They must also offer a vision of hope to the inhabitants of the region and help create the necessary conditions so that future elections can take place in a democratic, pluralistic and stable environment. Allow me to conclude by stressing the importance of prioritizing the resurgence of conflicts in the Great Lakes Region. Recent developments show that decades- old conflicts cannot be resolved in the space ofjust a few years, despite the presence of the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the largest and most onerous peacekeeping operation in United Nations history. The grievances of certain groups within the societies of the region and the violations of human rights can easily become drivers of conflict.”
2016-03-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7653 (2016) · source
“That is why we encourage bilateral and multilateral actors to maintain or appoint special envoys for the Framework, and to provide close coordination and cooperation. In order to help galvanize the Framework and to encourage a coherent international response to the problems of the region, Switzerland will propose the organization this year of a series of consultations and a public conference with the key actors in Geneva. Coherence between the United Nations, the African Union, the East African Community and other regional and international actors is essential to the success of preventive measures in the Great Lakes region. Our peacebuilding efforts in the region must be coordinated and cannot be confined to simply bringing to an end the grievances of the past.”
2016-03-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7653 (2016) · source
“A coherent response to the problems of the region therefore requires a regional approach, and we particularly welcome the ongoing commitment of regional organizations and forums. The regional dimension is at the heart of the Peace, Security and Cooperation Framework for the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Region. Switzerland supports the Framework, especially its goals of peacemaking, the provision of its good offices in Burundi and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and providing platforms for dialogue, as well as its own expertise. We appreciate the work on implementation carried out by the Framework and trust that we can build on the momentum generated thus far. The Framework is tailored to promote coordination among the various national, regional and international actors.”
2016-03-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7653 (2016) · source
“Peacebuilding assumes different forms depending on the context and requires a long-term commitment and investment on the part of national actors and regional and international partners. It is to that specific end that Switzerland has for many years supported the peacebuilding activities conducted in the Great Lakes region. As we all know, the Great Lakes remains a region beset by troubles. The causes and effects of the problems confronting the region are largely of a transnational nature. The illicit exploitation of natural resources, narrow political space and tensions among different social and non-State armed groups are factors that transcend borders and weigh on regional security.”
2016-03-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7653 (2016) · source
“While the Security Council has a broad range of instruments, including coercive measures to prevent the imminent outbreak or escalation of a conflict, the preventive potential of peacebuilding resides in its long-term, structural and inclusive nature. Peacebuilding is intended primarily not to be an instrument for conflict management or conciliation, but rather an approach that addresses the root causes of conflict in a society, in close cooperation with national authorities. The goal of peacebuilding is to combat socioeconomic inequalities and the lack of inclusiveness, ideologies of division and post-conflict trauma. It seeks to promote social changes that reduce the risk of a conflict breaking out.”
2016-03-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7653 (2016) · source
“Mr. Lauber (Switzerland) (spoke in French): I thank you, Sir, for having organized this important debate, which comes at a timely moment. Within the framework of the ongoing reviews of peacekeeping operations, peacebuilding and resolution 1325 (2000), a broad debate has been developing around the potential of the United Nations and its various bodies in terms ofconflict prevention. Ifwe take the cases ofthe Security Council and the Peacebuilding Commission, we note that both have considerable potential to prevent conflicts. Their respective potentials are very different, obviously, but they are complementary.”
2016-03-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7653 (2016) · source
“A systematic dialogue between the Government of Burundi and international donors would help to clarify mutual expectations. In that regard, the next cycle of the Burundi poverty- reduction strategy paper provides a crucial opportunity to redefine the Government's vision and to reset cooperation with international partners.”
2016-03-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7652 (2016) · source
“I also welcome the recent visit to Burundi by three independent experts mandated by the Human Rights Council, which will be followed by additional visits between now and July. That sort of impartial monitoring and engagement can also help to clarify allegations and ease tensions within Burundian society. Thirdly, there is a need to draw attention to the possible regional implications of the crisis. Fourthly, the socioeconomic dimension of the current crisis must not be overlooked. In line with the holistic approach to peacebuilding, the Burundi configuration can continue to serve as a platform for including the socioeconomic dimensions in the international debate on Burundi. For my part, I will continue the configuration's engagement with the main development partners of Burundi.”
2016-03-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7652 (2016) · source
“Such a process can only benefit from the accumulated experience of those three organizations, if the three join their efforts. In that regard, the Security Council's overall guidance and support will be critical. Secondly, the increased international presence in Burundi can considerably help to improve the security and human rights situation and to reduce violence. It therefore remains crucial that the Security Council continue its discussion in consultation with the Government of Burundi on the options for United Nations engagement. I am glad that the African Union and the Government of Burundi have agreed to increase the number of human rights and military observers.”
2016-03-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7652 (2016) · source
“With regard to the Peacebuilding Fund (PBF), the joint steering committee that oversees PBF activities in Burundi decided, on 9 March, to launch new initiatives in various areas of dialogue, including support for women's roles in the dialogue process, the promotion and protection of human rights, and support for victims, youth engagement, community security and social cohesion. From my discussions in the region and within the Burundi configuration of the PBC, I have drawn the following conclusions. First, the resolution of the current crisis in Burundi will require maximum coherence among international and regional organizations, in particular among the United Nations, the AU and the EAC. Coordinated efforts will be crucial for establishing a viable, inclusive and intensified political dialogue.”
2016-03-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7652 (2016) · source
“They also expressed support for the Special Adviser, particularly for his efforts aimed at ensuring coherence between the different actors. The members of the configuration further welcomed the recent appointment of the former President of Tanzania, Mr. Benjamin Mkapa, to facilitate the dialogue process under the East African Community mediator, President Museveni of Uganda. EAC members considered the AU decision to deploy an additional 100 human rights monitors and 100 military experts a positive step towards achieving general stabilization and an improvement in the human rights situation. The Peacebuilding Fund is planning to support the 32 AU human rights observers, who are already in the country and are cooperating closely with OHCHR. Other partners are encouraged to consider contributions to the deployment of additional observers.”
2016-03-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7652 (2016) · source
“The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) and the human rights observers of the African Union, whom I met with in Bujumbura, confirmed that current incidents might be less Visible than those that took place after the events of 11 December, but they reported allegations of forced disappearances, killings, torture, ill-treatment, hate speech and sexual violence. On 9 March, I briefed members of the Burundi configuration of the Peacebuilding Commission on my mission. In a subsequent discussion, the PBC members reiterated their rejection of violence committed by either side. Many members expressed grave concern about the ongoing violence and human rights violations. Members welcomed the work being done by the Special Adviser of the Secretary-General, Mr. Benomar, and the deployment of his team in Burundi.”
2016-03-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7652 (2016) · source
“In parallel to a political dialogue process, the Government of Burundi and international donors might therefore want to intensify their conversation on the socioeconomic impact of the crisis. I share the assessment of previous briefers that the ongoing political crisis and insecurity persists, while the patterns of violent acts committed by elements of the security forces and armed opposition seem to change. The use of grenades in public places appears to be a new trend.”
2016-03-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7652 (2016) · source
“I was told by development partners that the political crisis had slowed the implementation of strategic programmes, such as those on infrastructure, roads and electricity. Furthermore, I was informed that the cycle of cooperation strategies and key assistance mechanisms used by the main financial and development partners of Burundi would end in 2016. Negotiations on a new cycle might take place in a context of uncertainty, if the current political crisis continues. Consequently, envelopes allocated to Burundi might be affected, or the disbursement of funds further delayed. On the other hand, international donors appeared to be ready to re-engage if they saw clear sigs towards the resolution of the current crisis and a more conducive environment being established.”
2016-03-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7652 (2016) · source
“Some national and many international observers I met with expressed concerns that tensions in Burundi could rise if the current process evolved into a campaign to revise the Arusha Agreement. My discussions in Bujumbura also showed that there was a considerable risk that the economic downturn could become an additional driver of the crisis. After 10 years of steady economic growth, the country experienced negative growth of 4 per cent in 2015. The Government of Burundi expressed its regret about the fact that some partners had reduced their cooperation with Burundi. The suspension of direct budgetary support will have an immediate impact on public expenditures, which will decrease by 22 per cent in 2016.”
2016-03-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7652 (2016) · source
“Diverging views on the specifics of an inclusive dialogue persist, however. In Bujumbura, I had an opportunity to meet with the National Commission for the Inter-Burundian Dialogue. The Commission depicted the dialogue as a series of large gatherings in which participants elaborate their views on how to create democratic conditions for the Burundian elections in 2020. Preliminary findings by the National Commission seem to indicate that a key request of the population is to amend the Constitution and to revise the Arusha Peace and Reconciliation Agreement for Burdundi, including with regard to ethnic quotas, term limits for the President and dual citizenship.”
2016-03-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7652 (2016) · source
“After my departure, and prior to the visit of the Secretary-General and the high-level AU visit of five African Heads of States and Government, the Government of Burundi announced a series of decisions, which included the release of prisoners, the reopening of two radio stations and the revocation of the arrest warrants against approximately 15 members of the opposition, to which the Secretary-General referred earlier. The members of the Burundi configuration of the Peacebuilding Commission welcome those steps and encourage their rapid implementation, as well as additional steps to reinforce the momentum created by those measures and the recent high-level political engagement. The urgent need for a Viable, inclusive and intensified dialogue process was underlined by most interlocutors in Bujumbura, Kigali and Addis Ababa.”
2016-03-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7652 (2016) · source
“In Addis Ababa I held consultations with high-ranking officials ofthe African Union, including His Excellency Mr. Smail Chergui, Commissioner for Peace and Security of the African Union, representatives of AU member States and partners and the United Nations Special Representative to the African Union. The special focus of my discussions in Addis Ababa was the AU engagement in Burundi and cooperation between the AU and the United Nations. I have shared the detailed written report of my visit with members of the Security Council through the established channel. Today, I would like to share with it the main takeaway points of my visit and reflect on the PBC's continued engagement with Burundi, including recent contacts with the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank.”
2016-03-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7652 (2016) · source
“Pierre Nkurunziza, and members of his Government, representatives of political parties, religious leaders, representatives of the opposition, the Commission for Truth and Reconciliation, the National Commission for the Inter-Burundian Dialogue, civil-society organizations, international and regional financial institutions, human rights and military observers of the African Union (AU) and representatives of the international community and the United Nations family. From Bujumbura I travelled to Kigali, where I focused on the humanitarian and regional dimension of the crisis in my discussions with the Minister for Disaster Management and Refugee Affairs of Rwanda and with the country representative of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.”
2016-03-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7652 (2016) · source
“From 15 to 20 February, I undertook my second regional Visit as Chair of the Burundi configuration of the Peacebuilding Commission. I held consultations in Bujumbura, Kigali and Addis Ababa. The main objective of my visit was to pursue the policy dialogue with the Government of Burundi and other national and international stakeholders in order to complement ongoing peacebuilding efforts by the United Nations, the African Union and the East African Community (EAC). In Bujumbura I met with the President of the Republic, His Excellency Mr.”
2016-03-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7652 (2016) · source
“Mr. Lauber: I am grateful to have this opportunity to brief the Security Council today on my recent visit to Burundi, Rwanda and Ethiopia and on the latest discussions within the Burundi configuration of the Peacebuilding Commission (PBC). Iam also pleasedthat His Excellency Mr. Alain Aime Nyamitwe, Burundi's Minister for External Relations and International Cooperation, is participating in today's debate, and I would like to use this opportunity to express my gratitude to him for the cooperation that the PBC enjoys with the Government of Burundi in its peacebuilding engagement. The following remarks were discussed and agreed on by the member countries of the Burundi configuration of the Peacebuilding Commission, including the country concerned, Burundi.”
2016-03-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7652 (2016) · source
“We further call on Member States and relevant actors to continue their efforts to ensure the centrality of protection in humanitarian action, including gender considerations and the protection of other vulnerable groups. That will require political commitment, strong leadership, effective coordination, extensive capacity- building efforts and systematic monitoring, reporting and follow-up of protection issues by us all.”
2016-01-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7606 (2016) · source
“The Group of Friends highlights the Secretary-General's zero- tolerance policy on sexual exploitation and abuse as being ever-more relevant in the light ofrecent allegations, particularly in the Central African Republic. We welcome the Secretary-General's efforts to strengthen the United Nations response and call on Member States, including troop- and police-contributing countries, to do the same. In May 2016, the world will gather in Istanbul for the first-ever World Humanitarian Aummit. The Summit should pave the way for more coherent and vigorous action for the protection of civilians in armed conflict. We call upon all Member States to seize that event as a unique opportunity to reaffirm the importance of ensuring respect for international humanitarian law, human rights and refugee law.”
2016-01-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7606 (2016) · source
“Political engagement and support for political settlements should be seen as an integral part of this effort. The best way to protect civilians is by preventing armed conflict in the first instance and, failing that, by ending armed conflict through a negotiated and inclusive settlement. The Group of Friends fully supports the call by the Secretary-General for the Council to bring its collective political leverage to bear on behalf ofpolitical solutions. The Group of Friends also takes note of the Kigali Principles on the Protection of Civilians, adopted in May 2015, aimed at reinforcing the protection of civilians by troop- and police-contributing countries in the framework of peacekeeping operations.”
2016-01-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7606 (2016) · source
“We expect all Governments to engage constructively and in good faith in that intergovernmental process, to be co-facilitated by Switzerland and the ICRC. The Group of Friends welcomes the recommendations of the Secretary-General contained in his report entitled "The future of the United Nations peace operations: implementation of the recommendations of the High-level Independent Panel on Peace Operations (S/2015/682), as well as the recommendations of the report of the Panel on peace operations with respect to the protection of civilians (see S/2015/446). The review presents a key opportunity to strengthen the capacity of United Nations peace operations to leverage all their components, including civil affairs, to effectively protect civilians. We look forward to engaging on how to achieve that end.”
2016-01-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7606 (2016) · source
“They include sexual and gender-biased violence, the protection of the delivery of health care, the protection of persons deprived of their liberty and compliance with international humanitarian law. With regard to the latter, we regret the lack of willingness to comit to a more expeditious and more resolute way forward. However, the International Conference recognized the gaps and the weaknesses in the implementation of international humanitarian law and the need to address them. It paved the way for an intergovernmental process to find agreement on the functions and features of a potential forum of States on international humanitarian law and ways to enhance the implementation of international humanitarian law using the potential of the International Conference and the regional international humanitarian law forums.”
2016-01-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7606 (2016) · source
“The Group of Friends welcomes in particular the reques madet of the Secretary-General to submit a report to the Council every 12 months, which is an important step towards more frequent reporting about the protection of civilians to the Council. The aide-memoire contained in the annex to the presidential statement is an excellent instrument for the implementation of the protection of civilians, and should be used in a more systematic manner by all the relevant stakeholders. Ensuring better respect for international humanitarian law remains the key challenge for the protection of civilians in armed conflict. At the thirty- second International Conference of the Red Cross and Red Crescent, held in Geneva in December 2015, consensus was reached on a number of pressing issues and possible ways to address them.”
2016-01-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7606 (2016) · source
“That includes standing up to reported atrocities, establishing facts and the truth about alleged violations, making referrals to the International Criminal Court and following up thereon, staying firm on addressing accountability for past crimes in all situations and tasking peacekeeping operations, within their respective mandates, to support the fight against impunity. The Security Council must demonstrate its leadership and systematically and vigorously endeavour to uphold the core protection of civilian standards whenever the need arises. In that regard, the Group of Friends welcome the Council's presidential statement on the protection of civilians of 25 November 2015 (S/PRST/2015/23), which reaffirms its commitment regarding the protection of civilians and its intention to continue to review the issue regularly.”
2016-01-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7606 (2016) · source
“For example, respect for the obligations governing the conduct of hostilities, including distinction, proportionality and precaution, as well as the prohibition on deliberately targeting civilians and civilian objects, is eroding, including in situations under the consideration of the Council. All too often the lack of respect for the most basic principles of humanity goes hand-in-hand with a pervasive climate of impunity and utter lack of redress for victims. We therefore must insist on bringing to justice those responsible for the most serious crimes of international concern. The Security Council is uniquely positioned to promote peace and justice. We call upon the Council to make use of its numerous options to promote and ensure accountability.”
2016-01-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7606 (2016) · source
“Parties to conflict must be reminded time and again that even wars have rules and that those rules apply to all. The latest report of the Secretary-General on the protection of civilians (S/2015/453) is a stark reminder that we need to continue our collective efforts to address the challenges posed to the protection of civilians in armed conflict. Indiscriminate attacks on civilians have become a recurrent feature in many contemporary conflicts. Schools and medical facilities are not spared. Complex and dynamic security environments, as well as access restrictions applied to humanitarian workers, impede the delivery of humanitarian assistance. A growing number of parties to armed conflicts openly disregard the validity of long-established rules of international humanitarian law.”
2016-01-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7606 (2016) · source
“We particularly welcome the initiative of the presidency to invite representatives of those two very important non-governmental organizations to participate in today's meeting. As noted by the Secretary-General and by the President of the ICRC in their joint warning on 31 October 2015, the world is a turning point, and we must react vigorously to a growing lack of respect for international humanitarian law and the disregard for the protection of civilians in many conflicts. We cannot be indifferent to the immense human suffering caused by armed conflicts, and its consequences for international peace and security. The international community must reaffirm the principles related to the protection of civilians as enshrined in international humanitarian law, human rights law and refugee law, as well as in international criminal law.”
2016-01-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7606 (2016) · source