YouSaid · the spoken record

Le Drian

lines on the record: 90
first: 2017-09-20
most recent: 2021-09-23
sittings or episodes: 9
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

“Therefore, in conclusion, I would like to express my hope that our discussions in the Security Council will also help to convince everyone of the need to commit to making the twenty-sixth session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change a success by making commitments to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions that are commensurate with the challenges facing our planet. Member States can count on France’s full mobilization in that regard.”
2021-09-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8864 (2021) · source
“In February, President Macron made some very concrete proposals to this end: that the Secretary- General prepare a biannual report for the Security Council on the consequences of climate change for international peace and security; that recommendations be made for targeted action in high-risk areas; and that a special envoy for climate security be appointed to lead the international community’s action and engagement on this issue. The threats of our century are not simply accumulating; the fact is that they are interlinked and are likely to exacerbate one another. Everyone understands that the cost of inaction would be immense.”
2021-09-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8864 (2021) · source
“Today, of the 20 countries most affected by conflicts in the world, 12 are also among the most vulnerable to climate change. Where there are serious security threats, we need to build a virtuous cycle of development and climate action. An example of this is the Great Green Wall project in the Sahel, which is a flagship programme to combat climate change and desertification, which is helping to combat insecurity. The fact that there was real engagement shown at the recent One Planet Summit in Paris on this subject — in the form of pledges of $18 billion — is a sign that we can act to combine development and action for the climate. Thirdly, we must work to better take into account the security dimension of climate and environmental issues.”
2021-09-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8864 (2021) · source
“I am thinking in particular of the aftermath of Cyclone Winston in 2016, where there was real European — and French — engagement in the Indo-Pacific, reaching the most remote places of the Fiji archipelago to help the populations and thereby contributing to the stability of this region. Secondly, we must prevent violent and terrorist groups from taking advantage of the confusion and distress generated by the effects of climate change in areas already fraught with tension and fragility. To achieve this, we cannot rely solely on the commitment of our armed forces and the Blue Helmets deployed in peacekeeping operations. As the Secretary-General has reminded us, they are already active in this way, showing great engagement and dedication, but we must also give ourselves the means to strengthen the resilience of States and populations.”
2021-09-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8864 (2021) · source
“The first is that we must strive to foresee and deal with the consequences of climate tragedies, and in this respect we must first help our most vulnerable partners anticipate the risks linked to these disruptions, for example, by improving the mapping of people vulnerable to risks, in order to design emergency plans that include pre-established funding; by maintaining our efforts in the area of early warning through such initiatives as the Climate Risk and Early Warning Systems initiative, in order to improve prevention and information for populations and States on the risks of dangerous climatic events; and by strengthening our aid to the victims of climatic disasters with the emergency humanitarian aid they need.”
2021-09-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8864 (2021) · source
“The fight for the climate, far from being only environmental, is therefore also a fight for peace and security. It is a geopolitical issue, which is why the Security Council is fulfilling its proper role when it looks at the new threats linked to climate change with a view to anticipating and trying to deal with them. I would therefore like to thank Prime Minister Micheál Martin and Secretary-General António Guterres for having taken the initiative to hold today’s debate. I would like to make France’s contribution to the discussion by sharing three convictions with the Council. I believe these convictions are widely shared.”
2021-09-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8864 (2021) · source
“Mr. Le Drian (France) (spoke in French): Climate change is causing a chain of disruptions in the life of our societies and on the international scene. In recent years, droughts, floods, storms, tropical cyclones and extreme temperatures have directly caused nearly 2 million deaths, to say nothing of the human tragedies linked to the conflicts sometimes precipitated by these disasters. Climate change is increasingly becoming a multiplier of crises and security risks. Entire regions are at risk of falling into instability and violence. Food insecurity, destruction of habitats, depletion of resources, forced migrations, exacerbation of tensions between communities — for example, between sedentary farmers and nomadic herders — are the consequences of climate change.”
2021-09-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8864 (2021) · source
“We are proud to be able to contribute by promoting the Humanitarian Call to Action, which I launched with my German counterpart in 2019 and now includes 50 signatories. I hope that all Council members will join that appeal. This will be a key issue for France during our presidency of the European Union in the first half of next year, as Europe, the primary humanitarian donor in the world, has a special responsibility on the issue. We take this opportunity to announce that we will organize a European humanitarian conference, together with the European Commission, in the first half of 2022. I now resume my functions as President of the Council. I shall now give the floor to those members of the Council who wish to make statements. I call on the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Mexico.”
2021-07-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8822 (2021) · source
“Lastly, taking action also involves strengthening the warning system and preserving the humanitarian space from within the United Nations by enhancing the crucial efforts of the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East. I would therefore like to thank the Deputy Secretary-General for announcing the forthcoming appointment of a Special Adviser for the Preservation and Strengthening of the Humanitarian Space. We very much look forward to working very closely as soon as possible with that person. The Council can count on France to continue the fight.”
2021-07-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8822 (2021) · source
“The Council just introduced that criterion in the regime concerning the Democratic Republic of the Congo, which I mentioned earlier. It should be extended to other regimes. At the national level, we must open investigations and start prosecutions. In France, the Public Prosecutor’s Office will be encouraged to seek the most severe penalty for the crimes they prosecute. We are prepared to strengthen our international judicial cooperation with our partners on the issue. The path to international criminal justice must also be forged, as crimes against humanitarian workers are within the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court. It conveys a strong message.”
2021-07-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8822 (2021) · source
“We have also expressed our unequivocal support for the principle of non-discrimination against the intended final beneficiaries of humanitarian aid provided by humanitarian NGOs, in line with international humanitarian law and humanitarian principles. We are currently assessing the legal impact of those principles. Taking action also involves protecting humanitarian workers. We must be resolute in our fight against impunity for crimes and attacks against humanitarian workers in order to deter such attacks. We must punish more frequently the perpetrators of and those who orchestrated attacks on humanitarian and medical workers. That presupposes that sanctions regimes can target those responsible for crimes against humanitarian workers.”
2021-07-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8822 (2021) · source
“We therefore established a direct communication channel in France between banks and NGOs in order to build a dialogue of trust to ensure that the two sectors can learn to better understand and engage with each other. To develop good practices, the guidelines were updated for banks and NGOs. Under the auspices of the French Justice Minister, we have also prepared a circular that encourages the Public Prosecutor’s Office to take into consideration the special nature of the work conducted by humanitarian workers when applying anti-terrorist criminal legislation. The text stipulates that simply providing impartial medical or humanitarian assistance to civilians in areas where terrorist groups are present cannot be punished.”
2021-07-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8822 (2021) · source
“They should not be imprisoned for treating people and allegedly “assisting combatants”. Similarly, the funding of humanitarian operations, in line with international humanitarian law, should not be undermined by excessive compliance by banks, which could, de facto, deprive humanitarian workers of the possibility of conducting their work. We paved the way for that with the adoption of resolution 2462 (2019). We should continue to strive to better incorporate those specific concerns into the texts we adopt. The recent review of the sanctions regime concerning the Democratic Republic of the Congo has led to considerable progress without undermining the usefulness of the regime. France is again of the view that action is also required at the national level.”
2021-07-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8822 (2021) · source
“France, which is already engaged in the Sahel, just adopted a new international humanitarian law training plan to be implemented in partnership with French Government stakeholders working to address such issues and with our partners — armed forces, parliamentarians, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and French companies interested in the effort. Taking action also means mobilizing so that impartial humanitarian workers are not prosecuted or convicted solely because they have conducted humanitarian work in line with international humanitarian law and humanitarian principles. Humanitarian medical personnel should not be selective in treating the wounded for reasons that are foreign to medicine. That attitude would be at variance with their professional ethics.”
2021-07-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8822 (2021) · source
“That is why it is incumbent upon us to take action — first and foremost to raise awareness of and ensure respect for international humanitarian law. The Security Council has a major role to play to remind armed forces and non-State groups involved in conflicts of the principles of international humanitarian law. We must also ensure that the troops engaged in peacekeeping operations receive the right training. Each one of us can and should support those efforts by extending those duties to national armed forces and their partners.”
2021-07-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8822 (2021) · source
“I thank Ms. Grosjean for her briefing. I shall now make a statement in my capacity as the Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs of France. All three briefers just painted an extremely worrisome picture — an unprecedented shrinkage of the humanitarian space to the extent that respect for international humanitarian law is being undermined, and an increase in the number of attacks of all kinds perpetrated against humanitarian and medical workers. The briefers recalled that civilians in crisis zones pay the price. That is particularly worrisome as we have never before been in such dire need of international solidarity, given the upsurge in the number of crises and the disastrous situation across the world, which continues to deteriorate.”
2021-07-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8822 (2021) · source
“I wish to draw the attention of Council members to document S/2021/618, which contains the text of a letter dated 1 July 2021 from the Permanent Representative of France to the United Nations addressed to the Secretary-General, transmitting a concept note on the item under consideration. I now give the floor to the Deputy Secretary- General.”
2021-07-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8822 (2021) · source
“I wish to warmly welcome the Deputy Secretary-General, the Ministers and the other representatives present in the Security Council Chamber. Their presence today underscores the importance of the subject matter under discussion. In accordance with rule 39 of the Council’s provisional rules of procedure, I invite the following brieferstoparticipateinthismeeting: Mr. Robert Mardini, Director-General of the International Committee of the Red Cross; and Ms. Lucile Grosjean, Delegate Director for Advocacy at Action Against Hunger. The Security Council will now begin its consideration of the item on its agenda.”
2021-07-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8822 (2021) · source
“We must consider how effectively Nigeria, Chad, the Niger and Cameroon engaged in the fight against Boko Haram in the early stages. I therefore wish to commend the work undertaken by the Secretary-General and the African Union Commission on this issue. Significant progress has been made, such as the commitment made by African States at the Kigali Summit to fund 25 per cent of the cost of those operations by 2020, through the African Union Peace Fund. We still have a way to go in several areas, but we sincerely hope that we can make enough progress in the coming months to see rapid and effective results.”
2019-09-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8627 (2019) · source
“France supports the African Union's approach, which is ultimately aimed at the Security Council authorizing, on a case-by-case basis and in accordance with specific modalities, the use of mandatory contributions, in addition to the African Union contribution, to finance those operations. We are convinced that African peace operations meet a triple need: first, a political need, as nothing can replace the determination of African countries to advance peace on their own continent; secondly, a strategic need, because the capacity to conduct peace operations is still lacking; and, thirdly, an operational need, as African contingents are best placed to achieve tactical success, thanks to their knowledge and expertise on the ground.”
2019-09-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8627 (2019) · source
“In his Action for Peacekeeping initiative, the Secretary-General places great emphasis on long-term partnerships, with good reason. Our capacity for collective action depends upon, first of all, our common vision. That is why we are actively participating in the annual consultations between the Security Council and the Peace and Security Council of the African Union. We must also enhance information sharing with regard to early- warning, as has been mentioned already several times, in order to better anticipate and prevent crises. We must also go further with regard to joint African Union-United Nations funding of upcoming African peace operations. As we know, the current African members of the Council are asking us to ensure the sustainability and predictability of our funding.”
2019-09-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8627 (2019) · source
“Heads of State and Government called for improved coordination between international efforts and for enhanced cooperation among the States ofthe region to halt the spread of the threat. It is within that framework that France and Germany have proposed the establishment of a new partnership for security and stability in the Sahel. That partnership will serve to strengthen coordination among the various defence and internal security actions, as well as to broaden the perimeter, enabling further work to be undertaken in the countries bordering Lake Chad. But today it falls to us to further strengthen the partnership among the United Nations, the African Union and regional organizations in accordance with Chapter VIII of the Charter of the United Nations and the role of the Security Council.”
2019-09-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8627 (2019) · source
“Furthermore, in the Sahel, joint action by the United Nations, the African Union, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the Group of Five for the Sahel (G-5 Sahel) is essential to ensuring that the Agreement on Peace and Reconciliation in Mali - outcome of the Algiers process - is implemented, and that the United Nations and the African Union play a key role in the Implementation Monitoring Committee. It is also Vital in the fight against terrorism, where the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali provides logistical support to the Joint Force of the G-5 Sahel. Such cooperation must be strengthened and expanded. France supports the initiatives taken by Heads of State and Government at the expanded ECOWAS summit held in Ouagadougou.”
2019-09-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8627 (2019) · source
“We could cite several examples in that regard, such as recently in the Sudan, and Madagascar, where the efforts of the African Union have enjoyed the support of the United Nations, the Southern African Development Community and other partners, including France and the European Union. Those joint efforts enhanced the transparency and credibility of the 2018 presidential elections and serves as a successful model for crisis prevention. In the Central African Republic, the joint effort by the African Union and the United Nations led to the signing of the peace agreement between the Government and armed groups on 6 February. The vigilant and coordinated engagement of all international partners must continue in order to guarantee the full implementation of that agreement.”
2019-09-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8627 (2019) · source
“That will be the focus of the next Africa-France Summit, which we will organize in Bordeaux in June 2020. In our View, that partnership approach also applies to collective security. Close cooperation among the United Nations, the African Union and regional organizations allows us to combine our political efforts and define our strategies more closely in line with realities on the ground. It also makes it possible to optimize the means at our disposal, in the interest of efficiency. We see today that the partnership between the African Union and the United Nations today is proving to be of great value in terms of crisis prevention, mediation and operations.”
2019-09-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8627 (2019) · source
“Mr. Le Drian (France) (spoke in French): At the outset, I would like to thank the Russian Federation for convening today's very important discussion on the strategic partnership among the United Nations, the African Union and regional organizations. The Council is well aware of President Macron's personal commitment to Africa. In his statement in Ouagadougou in November 2017, he described the challenge for France's new relations with Africa - that of shared responsibility. It means that we cannot rely on old patterns. Africa does not expect our generosity; it expects partnership. France will work with Africa to build lasting economic partnerships among equals that lead to investment in the private sector, African innovations and Africa's young people.”
2019-09-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8627 (2019) · source
“As Council members will have understood, France will continue to work to ensure that the main equilibrium of our nuclear non-proliferation system is maintained and that we are able to strengthen it with new binding measures. We are at the disposal of all those who wish to embark on this path in good faith.”
2019-04-02 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8500 (2019) · source
“Fifthly, the reduction of strategic risks associated with nuclear weapons is based on the transparency of nuclear doctrines, dialogue between political and military leaders, crisis communication instruments and reassurance measures. Much has been done since the birth of deterrence; those efforts must continue. In conclusion, let me say a few words on civil nuclear power, which must be pursued in the best conditions of safety and security. Through numerous partnerships, France supports countries that wish to embark on this path or develop it. France's voluntary contribution to the IAEA Technical Cooperation Fund will be maintained in this regard.”
2019-04-02 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8500 (2019) · source
“Secondly, the negotiation in the Conference on Disarmament of a treaty banning the production of fissile material is essential to exclude the risk of a resumption of the arms race. It is an essential step on the road to a world without nuclear weapons. Thirdly, the early entry into force of the Comprehensive Nuclear- Test-Ban Treaty remains essential. It is the necessary key to preventing new weapons from being designed. We call on all the States concerned to sign and ratify this instrument and to support the Comprehensive Nuclear- Test-Ban Treaty Organization. Fourthly, work on the verification of nuclear disarmament is also important for confidence-building, and it is worth extending.”
2019-04-02 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8500 (2019) · source
“And because the threat of nuclear or radiological terrorism is real, all measures in support of resolution 1540 (2004) must be strengthened. Moreover, for the future, we must promote progressive nuclear disarmament. The NPT was conceived 50 years ago when the role of nuclear deterrence was recognized - a role that remains in several regions of the world. Yet France wants all States to commit themselves to creating the conditions for a world without nuclear weapons, with undiminished security for all. That is also consistent with the goal of general and complete disarmament set out in article VI of the Treaty. Accordingly, in terms of concrete actions, we can propose several. First, the United States and Russia, which still hold nearly 90 per cent of the nuclear arsenals, must continue their concerted efforts to reduce them.”
2019-04-02 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8500 (2019) · source
“The latter must implement the complete, verifiable and irreversible dismantling of its nuclear and ballistic programmes in accordance with the resolutions of the Council. At that point, the sanctions can be lifted. With regard to Iran, our objective in the nuclear field is twofold: preserve the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action and come to an agreement on how to oversee Iran's nuclear programme for the long term. There is no way we will accept Iran acquiring nuclear weapons. I would add that agreement will have to be reached to reduce the threat of Iran's missile programme, which is only growing despite the Security Council's calls. Beyond crises, we will continue to rely on the IAEA. France hopes that States that have not yet done so will be able to accede to the additional protocol.”
2019-04-02 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8500 (2019) · source
“Finally, safeguarding the NPT is essential because energy needs are constantly increasing all over the world and the fight against carbon dioxide (C02) emissions also involves nuclear energy, which has made it possible for France, for example, to be below the world average for carbon dioxide CO2 production per capita. How, then, can we consolidate the NPT, and what should our collective road map be? Above all, the balance of the three pillars of the NPT must be respected. As mentioned by several speakers, it is a legitimate expectation of everyone. First, we must adopt a firm and united response to nuclear proliferation, with the highest priority necessarily being resolving the North Korean crisis. The North Korean nuclear and ballistic threat remains intolerable. NPT States parties must make clear their expectations of North Korea.”
2019-04-02 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8500 (2019) · source
“The NPT has survived despite that succession of shocks because its States parties have remained determined to preserve it. Accordingly, despite a risky environment, safeguarding the NPT is more essential than ever. It is more essential than ever because the threat posed by the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and their means of delivery has not disappeared. It is essential because the reduction in the American and Russian arsenals, by far the most massive, remains in place. The expectation for nuclear disarmament remains high in international opinion, which has led some to favour an exclusively declaratory approach by seeking a ban on nuclear weapons, while disarmament cannot be decreed. Only concrete actions count.”
2019-04-02 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8500 (2019) · source
“Finally, the NPT has led to drastic reductions - on the order of 80 per cent - in nuclear arsenals from the levels seen during the Cold War. That success has not been achieved without crises along the way. Clandestine nuclear facilities and activities, which were not declared to the IAEA, were discovered first in Iraq and then in North Korea, Libya, Iran and Syria. Non-state clandestine networks, in particular the Abdul Qadeer Khan Network, played an important role in that series of crises. The involvement of the Security Council, the perseverance of its members, the determination of everyone and the work of the IAEA made it possible to overcome them, with the notable exception of that of North Korea, despite the recent decrease in tensions. In most cases, those results were achieved diplomatically.”
2019-04-02 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8500 (2019) · source
“The NPT remains the cornerstone of global strategic stability. It represents an irreplaceable bulwark against the risk of nuclear proliferation. Fifty years after its signing, the Treaty is an undeniable success for three reasons. First, since 1968 the NPT has led a number of States in Europe, Latin America, Africa, Asia and the Pacific to abandon their nuclear weapons. Only a few States have developed arsenals outside the NPT. Secondly, the NPT has enabled the peaceful development of nuclear energy under the auspices of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Today, nuclear energy is an important source of low-carbon electricity for some 50 States. Non-energy applications of nuclear technology are even more widespread.”
2019-04-02 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8500 (2019) · source
“Mr. Le Drian (France) (spoke in French): At the outset, I would like to thank you, Mr. President, for having taken the initiative to convene this important debate. I would also like to thank Mrs. Nakamitsu and Mr. Amano for their very enlightening briefings at the beginning of our meeting. As the international security environment continues to deteriorate and the nuclear threat is making a forceful reappearance, it is crucial to preserve the integrity of existing non-proliferation norms and to consolidate a multilateral, rules-based order. As President of the Republic Emmanuel Macron recalled in this Chamber last September (see S/PV.8362), it is important to reaffirm unambiguously the essential nature of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) for international security.”
2019-04-02 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8500 (2019) · source
“Heiko Maas and I have decided today to launch a call for international mobilization for humanitarian action, to be known as the Humanitarian Call for Action, which we hope will lead to the adoption of a declaration of commitment by States on the margins of General Assembly at its next session. Conflicts are becoming increasingly long and complex, while their impact on civilian populations is as severe as in the era of major global conflicts. In the face of that situation, international humanitarian law constitutes a remedy, and sometimes the last resort, against arbitrariness. It is up to us to remind ourselves that its application is not a moral option, but a legal obligation.”
2019-04-01 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8499 (2019) · source
“International cooperation, in particular among European judicial authorities, the Commission of Inquiry and the International, Impartial and Independent Mechanism to Assist in the Investigation and Prosecution of Persons Responsible for the Most Serious Crimes under International Law Committed in the Syrian Arab Republic since March 2011, led to the arrest in February of three former members of the Syrian intelligence services, as part ofa Franco-German investigation, and the issuance of international arrest warrants against senior officials of the repressive Syrian apparatus. It must be possible to systematize that type of cooperation. Our discussions today prove the need for international mobilization to safeguard and strengthen the humanitarian space. That is why Mr.”
2019-04-01 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8499 (2019) · source
“In that regard, France reiterates its call for the universalization of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court and congratulates Malaysia on its recent accession. A unit has been set up in France that is specifically responsible for war crimes and crimes against humanity.”
2019-04-01 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8499 (2019) · source
“International humanitarian law is an integral part of our security and defence cooperation, in particular through the training provided to military and civilian staff in national regional schools in Africa, including in conjunction with the ICRC. I take this opportunity to pay tribute to the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement and the International Committee of the Red Cross, which, as guarantors of the Geneva Conventions, play an essential role in the fight for the dissemination and implementation of international humanitarian law. Thirdly, let me address the fight against impunity. We must do everything we can to strengthen national capacities and ensure systematic, impartial and independent investigations and, where national mechanisms are insufficient or inadequate, support the use of international mechanisms.”
2019-04-01 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8499 (2019) · source
“The Security Council must also ensure that the non-United Nations forces it supports conduct their operations in strict compliance with international humanitarian law, which, for example, is made possible by the human rights compliance framework of the Joint Force of the Group of Five for the Sahel, which the Security Council has supported with the goal of limiting the impact of the Force's operations on civilians. It is also up to States to lead the way. With regard to France, international humanitarian law is the rule of conduct for all its operations, and it is integrated as soon as the planning phase, as currently illustrated by Operation Barkhane in the Sahel, where we maintain close dialogue with the ICRC.”
2019-04-01 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8499 (2019) · source
“Sanctions are a deterrent tool that must be used more systematically against violations of international humanitarian law, in particular against those responsible for sexual violence. Moreover, France stands particularly ready to make attacks against humanitarian personnel a designation criterion in sanctions regimes, such as is now the case concerning the Central African Republic. I had an opportunity to remind the Council of the imperative of protecting children associated with armed forces and groups. I am pleased that the Dominican Republic and Djibouti have endorsed the Paris Principles and the Paris Commitments since the call for their universalization at the open debate of the Security Council in October 2017 (see S/PV.8082).”
2019-04-01 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8499 (2019) · source
“We must also take measures to ensure that humanitarian personnel are not unduly prosecuted for activities conducted in strict compliance with humanitarian principles. That is a key element with regard to the credibility of our collective commitment to combating terrorism. Secondly, the Council shoulders the responsibility for preventing violations of international humanitarian law. That is what we do when we place the protection of civilians, including women and children, at the core of peacekeeping missions, such as the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali and the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic.”
2019-04-01 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8499 (2019) · source
“We are also witnessing the use of starvation and sexual Violence as weapons of war, as well as the recruitment of child soldiers, which is intended to achieve the same goal - to win faster by maximizing the human cost of the conflict. Improved compliance with international humanitarian law requires in particular three types of action to which the Security Council can contribute: first, ensuring access for humanitarian aid to populations in need; secondly, developing preventive measures; and, lastly, combating impunity. First, humanitarian personnel must have access to civilians, which means that they must be protected from all forms of violence and threats. It is unacceptable that in South Sudan and the Central African Republic, for example, humanitarian workers and aid convoys are targeted.”
2019-04-01 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8499 (2019) · source
“The 1949 Geneva Conventions, whose seventieth anniversary we will commemorate on 12 August, bear the mark of the history of our two countries - France and Germany - and the tragedies that have punctuated our shared history and that of our continent. As Mr. Maurer, President of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), mentioned earlier, the Geneva Conventions and their Protocols Additional, of which we call for the universal ratification, are today violated in many conflicts. Certain parties go so far as to intentionally integrate their violation into their military strategies. Humanitarian workers and medical infrastructure are being deliberately attacked to deprive people of any relief and to secure their surrender. That was the topic of the Arria Formula meeting that we convened this morning.”
2019-04-01 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8499 (2019) · source
“Mr. Le Drian (France) (spoke in French): First of all, I to express to you, Sir, my support for the German presidency, wish it every success and underscore the powerful, as well as operational, symbolism represented by the consecutive French and German presidencies. For together with our friend Mr. Heiko Maas, we wanted for the Security Council to act so as to safeguard what we refer to as humanitarian space, or the ability of humanitarian workers to carry out their work safely and effectively in accordance with the principles of impartiality, flexibility and independence. The first condition necessary for ensuring the sustainability of that space is respect for international humanitarian law.”
2019-04-01 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8499 (2019) · source
“As we end our presidency, I know I speak on behalf of the Council, beginning with the representative of the Dominican Republic, in wishing good luck to the delegation of Germany during its presidency in the month of April. The meeting rose at 6.05 pm.”
2019-03-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8498 (2019) · source
“There are no more names inscribed on the list of speakers. Before adjourning the meeting, as this is the last scheduled meeting of the Council for the month of March, I would like to express the sincere appreciation of the delegation of France to the members of the Council and the Secretariat for their support. After a busy month, we can congratulate ourselves on reaching consensus on several important issues within our purview. We could not have done it alone or without the hard work, support and positive contributions of every delegation and the representatives of the Secretariat, including the conference service officers, interpreters, translators, verbatim reporters and security staff.”
2019-03-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8498 (2019) · source
“Starting on Monday, we will have the opposite experience. I now give the floor to the representative of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.”
2019-03-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8498 (2019) · source
“I shall now give the floor to the other members of the Council who wish to make statements. I call on the Minister for Foreign Affairs of C6te d'lvoire.”
2019-03-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8498 (2019) · source