YouSaid · the spoken record

Le Roy

lines on the record: 386
first: 2008-10-28
most recent: 2016-05-11
sittings or episodes: 28
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

“In September, the Council will receive our first progress report. I must also note that Susana Malcorra is working quite well and progressing on the global field support strategy, on which the Council will also receive a report very soon. 10-47717 To conclude, since I said that I would be very brief, I should like to point out to the Council that Lieutenant General Obiakor will complete his tour of duty in early September. On behalf of the Secretariat, I should like to thank him for his outstanding commitment to the United Nations, first as the Force Commander of UNMIL in Liberia, under very difficult conditions, and for the past two years as Military Adviser. We have greatly benefited from his experience and wise advice. We are extremely thankful and grateful to him, and wish him the best for the future.”
2010-08-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6370 (2010) · source
“There has been, of course, a drawdown of the United Nations Mission in the Central African Republic and Chad and MONUSCO, but we are still at a very significant level. We cannot speak of a really important drawdown; we consider that we have come from a period of surge to a period of consolidation. We are now at a plateau in consolidation, because we do not see any new peacekeeping operation on the way. We do not complain about that. I just want to mention that this consolidation phase will be used by us to consolidate and improve our efficiency in so many fields: planning, oversight, drafting protection of civilians strategies and robust peacekeeping - in brief, our reform agenda. I also want to mention that, of course, we are maintaining our commitment to our reform agenda. Our New Horizon process is going well.”
2010-08-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6370 (2010) · source
“Among those who will speak, we have chosen a panel that is very representative of the broad diversity of our peacekeeping operations, from the oldest - the United Nations Truce Supervision Organization, created in 1948 - to such multidimensional operations as the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO), the United Nations Mission in Liberia, the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti and the United Nations Mission in the Sudan. (spoke in English) I should just like to remind the Council of the current figures. As of 31 July, we had almost 120,000 peacekeepers deployed, among them 84,000 military, 13,000 police officers, and 22,000 civilians. Thus, we have almost 100,000 people in uniform, plus 22,000 civilians.”
2010-08-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6370 (2010) · source
“They are Major General Asarta Cuevas, Force Commander of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNMIL), whom I asked to return to preside over the important tripartite meeting held on Wednesday evening, and Lieutenant General Nyamvumba, Force Commander of the African Union- United Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur, who was compelled to return to his core tasks in the field to address the current tensions in certain camps in Darfur.”
2010-08-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6370 (2010) · source
“The Council has opted to hear representatives from five of these, whom you named a moment ago, Sir. All the others are seated behind us and are prepared to answer any question that the members of the Council should care to address to them. Unfortunately, as Council members are aware, two of 10-47717 them had to leave New York recently, at my request, due to heightened tensions concerning their operations.”
2010-08-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6370 (2010) · source
“I thank you very much, Sir, for this opportunity once again to debate the issue of peacekeeping operations. This discussion demonstrates the ongoing and tireless support of the Security Council for these operations, in particular today in the presence of our Force Commanders and heads of the military components of our operations. I believe that those who work on the front lines of those operations are very pleased and proud to be able to address the Council themselves. My statement will be brief because the Council has had regular opportunities to hear me speak in the past months. Today's meeting will, instead, offer the opportunity for interaction with the Force Commanders. I simply wish to note that there are currently deployed 15 peacekeeping operations, in the strict sense of the word.”
2010-08-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6370 (2010) · source
“An unprecedented level of international attention and resources is invested in Afghanistan, in support of priorities that have been agreed with the Afghan Government and of a strategy of transition to greater responsibility entrusted to Afghans that was also jointly endorsed at the London Conference. We must resolutely work together to take advantage of that occasion and that opportunity to make the difference that that unity of efforts, strategies, priorities and resources allow.”
2010-03-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6287 (2010) · source
“UNAMA's work as an integrated Mission and that of all United Nations agencies, funds and programmes must be continued, sustained and strengthened when necessary, but that must be done by ensuring that the programmes and the staff fulfil duties of the highest priority. 10-27766 We thank the International Civil Service Commission (ICSC) for having approved a three- month extension of the special hazard pay for Afghanistan. We will continue to seek the support of the Council, as well as that of relevant budgetary bodies and the ICSC, to ensure that staff posted to non- family duty stations, such as Afghanistan, are compensated, commensurate with other United Nations staff, for their living conditions and the situation on the ground.”
2010-03-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6287 (2010) · source
“As members know, a new Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary- General for Political Affairs has also been appointed. That is Mr. Kobler, who will deploy to UNAMA in early April. Headquarters and UNAMA's leaders and staff will continue to work jointly to ensure the mandate's effective implementation for a stronger UNAMA. At the same time, and I stress this, even as we pursue and strengthen our efforts and implement the mandate in the most cost-effective way wherever we are present, without overstretching the available staff and resources, the security requirements of all staff in Afghanistan require a careful assessment of the critical nature of the United Nations operations in Afghanistan, including those of UNAMA.”
2010-03-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6287 (2010) · source
“To keep on course at such a critical time for the country and the Mission, Special Representative De Mistura promptly redeployed to Kabul on 13 March, which explains his absence today. He felt it to be important that he reach Kabul as soon as possible. He immediately started a series of fruitful discussions with President Karzai and members of his Government, as well as with other Afghan and international officials, while setting out the Organization's strategy and priorities in the short and medium terms, in accordance with the mandate entrusted to it. We anticipate that the Special Representative will receive the Council's strong support in exercising his duties as coordinator, with the help of his Deputy, the Resident and Humanitarian Coordinators, and the activities of the United Nations agencies, funds and programmes in Afghanistan.”
2010-03-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6287 (2010) · source
“Despite that, as members know, UNAMA opened two additional field offices in 2009 and, thanks to the Mission's assiduous efforts in constructing new accommodation and strengthening existing premises, all staff initially relocated were ultimately redeployed to Afghanistan by mid-March at the latest. Thanks to Headquarters support, and through a combination of delegating authority and taking exceptional temporary measures, UNAMA should be able to reduce the post vacancy rate, which increased following the announcement of new posts expected in the budget and the changes in human resources management and the recruitment procedures, to under 30 per cent this summer. A further decrease of the post vacancy rate is expected from now to year's end.”
2010-03-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6287 (2010) · source
“It will need to be followed and coupled by multiple confidence-building measures on both sides and to be anchored on the common embracing of the progress achieved since 2002. While it is desirable that Afghan and international counterparts maintain a coordinated stance on those initiatives, it is a process that should continue to be Afghan-led. (spoke in French) As the Security Council will debate the renewal of UNAMA's mandate in the coming days, it should keep in mind that, while 2009 was a difficult year for the United Nations in Afghanistan, the Mission - its staff and its leaders - continued to implement UNAMA's mandate with courage and determination. Following the tragic attack on the Bakhtar guest house in October, some staff had to be relocated owing to the lack of accommodation and office space that met security standards.”
2010-03-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6287 (2010) · source
“The Government of Afghanistan committed to developing a peace and reintegration programme and the international community to establishing a peace and reintegration trust fund. UNAMA, with its repository of knowledge and outreach, could play an important role and bring added value to the programme and management of the fund. Clearly, talk about talks has become more than mere talk, and the rhetoric that peace cannot be achieved by military means alone is being complemented by concrete proposals and a clearer policy. President Karzai's active engagement with neighbours and regional players and convening of the Peace Jirga in April are significant steps in that respect. We should not, however, be under the illusion that the process that has started will lead to immediate results.”
2010-03-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6287 (2010) · source
“De Mistura will rely on their support and cooperation in furthering UNAMA's role. At the same time, as we move towards increased Afghan leadership, our collective efforts need to veer towards strengthening Afghanistan's own capacity to coordinate the assistance and aid that it receives, to formulate and spell out its own development priorities 3 and what is required to address them, and to receive and disburse funding where it identifies the greatest needs. Politically, we must not underestimate, on the one hand, the importance and, on the other hand, the complexity of initiating a political process of reconciliation and reintegration. With over 70 countries and organizations attending the London Conference, there was an overwhelming consensus on the need for such a process.”
2010-03-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6287 (2010) · source
“On the development side, for example, we must not lose sight of the continuous need to ensure that our common efforts are coordinated and in support of the priorities - the Afghan priorities - that we have long agreed with. Some progress has been made and has been cited before, but sizable parts of Afghan territory and large segments of the population are still underserved; projects are still carried out that are unsustainable or that duplicate what is already being done by others; and, most worryingly, others are still doing what Afghans could be doing. We greatly welcome the appointment of the new NATO Senior Civilian Representative and the new European Union High Representative in Afghanistan. As lead coordinator of international civilian efforts in Afghanistan, Mr.”
2010-03-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6287 (2010) · source
“That is, of course, a positive development, too. The upcoming National Assembly elections can be another milestone in highlighting the primacy of the constitutional imperative in leading Afghanistan's future, as well as our agreed common strategy of transitioning to increased Afghan ownership and leadership. On the basis of the commitment on electoral reform agreed with the Afghan Government at the London Conference, we need to collectively support the Government in progressing on that reform agenda for those and future elections. Our focus must not be narrowly on those elections, but rather on longer-term reform. At the same time, we must be wary of sidelining all other items on the political agenda and of allowing the elections to absorb all or most of the energy and resources of international and Afghan actors alike.”
2010-03-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6287 (2010) · source
“If the transition to Afghan responsibility is to be reflected in that electoral process, it should be clear that the Independent Election Commission and the Electoral Complaints Commission are responsible for ensuring its transparency and integrity and should perform their mandates effectively, impartially and with the confidence of all Afghan stakeholders. We stand ready to work, along with others, with the Afghan electoral 10-27766 institutions and the Afghan Government towards that end. In that respect and with reference to the announcement on 15 March by President Karzai that two internationals will be part of the Electoral Complaints Commission, President Karzai informed Special Representative De Mistura during their first meeting that he would like the United Nations to nominate such international members.”
2010-03-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6287 (2010) · source
“(spoke in English) On 6 March, President Karzai formally requested the Secretary-General to provide technical and logistical support and to help mobilize donor funding for the National Assembly elections, scheduled for September this year. In conformity with that request and if we are mandated to do so, the United Nations and UNAMA stand ready to play a role, alongside the Afghan electoral institutions and other international partners, in supporting the electoral process by providing technical assistance, coordinating other international actors supporting the process, and channelling donor funds.”
2010-03-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6287 (2010) · source
“We would encourage the early formal appointment of a lead ministry in these preparations, which would provide a single counterpart for all those involved. The London Conference has set a strategic path that is clear in reaffirming the international community's long-term commitment to supporting Afghanistan and equally clear in reiterating determination to move towards greater Afghan leadership. We must follow this path with determination now that we are possibly at the height of international engagement in Afghanistan with a Government that is legitimately eager to be in charge of its future. Clearly, not to do so could lead to a failure in our common efforts and strategies. That cannot be an option.”
2010-03-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6287 (2010) · source
“There is a risk that the concept of transition, on which we have collectively agreed to pin our political and 10-27766 security strategy in Afghanistan, will be overtaken by such events. Our focus must remain firmly on ensuring that Afghanization actually becomes more than the slogan it has been thus far, and that the political calendar before us is premised upon it, with the Kabul Conference formally marking the concrete and systemic beginning of that process, most importantly in the civilian and political spheres. The United Nations, and UNAMA in particular, are supporting Afghan counterparts - who must be in the lead in developing the event's agenda - in the preparations for the Conference.”
2010-03-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6287 (2010) · source
“At the same time, the Afghan Government must concretely demonstrate that it can deliver on the accountability required for a real transition process to be sustainable. In that regard, we learned with satisfaction this very morning that President Karzai has signed a decree giving additional power to the High Office for Oversight and Anti-corruption. Clearly, this is a very positive development. As also noted in the Secretary-General's report now before the Council(S/2010/l27), in the midst of heightened military operations, we face a crowded political calendar, including in light of the planned National Assembly elections in September, the Peace Jirga announced by President Karzai in just over a month, and, of course, the Kabul Conference after that.”
2010-03-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6287 (2010) · source
“Since the renewal of the mandate of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) a year ago, consensus has been reached on the need to transform the relationship between Afghanistan and its international partners to one that sees greater transition to Afghan responsibility and an increasingly supporting role for the international community. The consensus on this process emerged clearly at the London Conference on Afghanistan of 28 January. Now, the tangible shift in that relationship must start. Concrete steps must be taken by the international community to allow Afghans to be in charge of and lead the fate of their country while providing the capacity-building and support required for Afghan institutions to take on this role, including in civilian areas.”
2010-03-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6287 (2010) · source
“The earthquake has, of course, caused unprecedented destruction and suffering, but it has not destroyed that vision. The international community and the United Nations must come together behind the Government of Haiti and align their interventions and long-term plans with a national Vision for reconstruction. This will require a sustainable level of support, in terms of both resources and technical assistance. In doing so, we need to empower the Government and not supplant it. I count on the Council's support to ensure that MINUSTAH will continue to have the means required to help Haiti through this challenge.”
2010-02-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6274 (2010) · source
“This issue will undoubtedly be taken up at the New York conference. To conclude, I would like to recall that the earthquake hit Haiti at the moment when the country was, for the first time in nearly five decades, making significant strides toward stabilization and governance. With the support of MINUSTAH, Haiti had organized successful presidential and parliamentary elections, established an unprecedented level of security, and set strategies in motion for economic reconstruction and development that contributed to two years of successive economic growth. Planning for comprehensive constitutional and administrative reform was very much under way. Haiti finally had a national vision and a road map for sustainable peace and development.”
2010-02-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6274 (2010) · source
“It is a very important process which is led by the Haitian Government and supported by the United Nations, the Inter-American Development Bank, the World Bank and the European Commission, and will provide a crucial basis for the 31 March donors' conference. The outcomes of the post-disaster 6 needs assessment and the discussions at the New York conference will provide a much better basis to plan for MINUSTAH'S future and that of the broader United Nations engagement. Yesterday, Special Representative of the Secretary-General Mulet attended a meeting of development ministers of the European Union on Haiti. Among the topics discussed were the important issue of shelter and the issue of division of labour among donors, which would help to lessen the burden of coordination on the Haitian Government.”
2010-02-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6274 (2010) · source
“And there is no doubt that this will have - as in fact it has already had - implications for the role of MINUSTAH and the broader United Nations. The damage to Haiti's legislative, administrative, socio-economic, educational and cultural centres has been unprecedented. The Government of Haiti has lost much of its infrastructure and a large number of its civil servants, with devastating consequences for its ability to deliver basic services and to deal with the emergency at hand. That Haiti needs assistance - lots of it e is of course very clear. However, much less clear right now is exactly what kind of assistance is required and how such assistance should best be delivered. The post- disaster needs assessment - which was launched, as John Holmes said, on 18 February - should address much of this.”
2010-02-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6274 (2010) · source
“President Preval, in recent weeks, has rightly focused on the relief activities, and his leadership is now required more than ever. It is now more important than ever for the Government to engage all political forces in substantive discussions on key governance issues, to work constructively with the private sector, and to enhance its communication and outreach efforts to the Haitian public. The Government of Haiti is fully aware of this and of the need to reach broad political consensus before the 31 March donors' conference, and the United Nations stands ready to support such an effort by the Government. There is no doubt that the earthquake has fundamentally changed the context in which MINUSTAH is operating.”
2010-02-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6274 (2010) · source
“Several political parties and electoral platforms have engaged in consultations on critical issues ranging from governance, elections and constitutional reform to decentralization. The 5 Prime Minister himself has advocated fundamental changes, including decentralization of the Government and greater focus on the regions. A number of high- profile private sector leaders are actively involved in the humanitarian response and see the current situation as an opportunity to steer reconstruction efforts towards a modernization of the State architecture by initiating critical socio-economic reforms. It is of the utmost urgency that such discussions now be channelled into an executive-led dialogue on the political way forward. Otherwise, spoilers may take advantage of the fluid and fragile political situation to spark instability.”
2010-02-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6274 (2010) · source
“While this decision has been broadly supported by all political forces, it raises very significant constitutional questions about the period following 10 May, when the mandates of the members of the lower house and of a large number of senators expire. Ensuring full legislative capacity beyond 10 May is a key challenge that will need to be resolved quickly. There have also been calls to replace the current Government, for example with a goavernement de salnt public that would include members of the opposition. Others have emphasized the need to restructure the Government and form a new Cabinet that can deal with the complex challenges ahead. Some parties have accused the Government of political favouritism in the distribution of aid. At the same time, there has been no shortage of ideas on how to move forward.”
2010-02-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6274 (2010) · source
“We must critically address this potential source of instability in the weeks and months to come. Security will also depend on our ability to help the police, judicial and penal systems not only to recover the resources that were at their disposal before the earthquake, but also to increase them, inter alia, by training new officers. (spoke in English) Just as important as the physical security of Haiti and its people is the question of political stability, the lack of which has often caused Violent tensions in the past. The legislative elections planned for the end of March have now been postponed by President Pre'val. They may be held later this year or even in 2011.”
2010-02-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6274 (2010) · source
“Some 80 per cent of those who have escaped were in provisional custody. 10-24612 Today, the security situation remains stable, but potentially fragile. The deterioration in living conditions has led to an increase in such crimes as robbery, mugging and looting. Of course, we fear a resumption of gang violence, despite the fact that it has hitherto been limited largely to internal power struggles, as those who escaped seek to regain control of their former turfs. The HNP and MINUSTAH are following the situation very closely. Despite the relative stability, we are aware that the current calm is extremely precarious. If are unable to meet humanitarian imperatives - in particular the need for shelter before the rainy season - Haitians will become increasingly frustrated, opening the door to possible political manipulation.”
2010-02-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6274 (2010) · source
“Nevertheless, since the earthquake the HNP has proved to be very effective and has contributed significantly to restoring the general calm that has prevailed in the affected zones. The judicial apparatus has also been affected. The Ministry of Justice and Public Security, the Palace of Justice, the Court of Cassation and the trial courthouse have been destroyed. Several judges have been killed. Apart from the small number of particularly urgent cases, the judicial process has been largely suspended in the zones affected by the earthquake. Of the country's 17 prisons, eight have been totally or partially destroyed, and nearly 5,000 detainees - 60 per cent of the prison population ~ have escaped. Several hundred of these fugitives are considered to be particularly dangerous.”
2010-02-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6274 (2010) · source
“I was very pleased to receive confirmation in Washington, DC. yesterday that the United States shared that view. Allow me to say a few words about the security situation and the rule of law as a whole. Following the earthquake, one of MINUSTAH's main priorities was to restore law and order in the affected zones and the capacities of the Haitian National Police (HNP). To that end, more than 70 per cent of the MINUSTAH police were redeployed in the affected zones. Like all Government institutions, the HNP was several impacted by the earthquake. Some 40 per cent of its facilities and equipment is no longer operational. While the vast majority of officers have resumed their duties, the HNP's intervention capacity is severely limited by the loss of vehicles, communications systems and essential databases.”
2010-02-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6274 (2010) · source
“In the days that followed the earthquake, MINUSTAH redirected its efforts and, to the extent 10-24612 possible, supported the delivery and distribution of humanitarian assistance. Since then, in close cooperation with the United States and Canadian military on the ground, we have guaranteed security and provided logistical support to the humanitarian effort. This has been a true challenge, but I am convinced that the mechanisms we have established to coordinate the international presence in that area and its support of the Haitian authorities have considerably improved the situation. Our United States and Canadian bilateral partners will gradually reduce their presence, although it is important that those reductions and withdrawals correspond to benchmarks and transfers scheduled jointly with MINUSTAH.”
2010-02-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6274 (2010) · source
“Thanks to the timely decision of the Security Council to increase authorized troop numbers, we are currently strengthening those military and police capabilities. We intend to deploy more than 1,500 troops and up to 500 additional police officers by the second week of March, and they should be operational in April. Of course, I wish to thank the many Member States that have offered troops and police to MINUSTAH in recent weeks. Those reinforcements are crucial at this very critical time. A flexible approach to resource management allowed MINUSTAH to react immediately to the unprecedented challenges raised by the earthquake. In the coming weeks, we shall ask Member States for additional resources, initially on the basis of a preliminary study, before we submit a new, detailed budget.”
2010-02-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6274 (2010) · source
“Since the tragedy of 12 January, the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) has focused on three main objectives: supporting and facilitating relief operations, ensuring law and order and security, and - given its enormous losses in personnel and infrastructure - restoring the Mission's capacities. I should like to begin by referring to the Mission's capacities. MINUSTAH, as members of the Council are aware, has lost 91 staff members, including the head of Mission. Over the past five weeks, we have not only replaced our deceased colleagues, but also deployed additional personnel and resources. More than 300 officers have been dispatched to reinforce the Mission. As everyone knows, military operations have continued, in particular led by the Brazilian and other contingents deployed to MINUSTAH and to our police forces.”
2010-02-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6274 (2010) · source
“It is for us to make use of all the integration tools at our disposal - such as the Integrated Mission Task Force, the integrated mission planning process and the integrated strategic framework - to ensure that the whole host of peacebuilding activities are integrated as soon as possible into peacekeeping efforts. I think that there is consensus on this. Once again, we proposed it in the New Horizon paper, and we are very pleased to take note of today's consensus. Thank you, Mr. President, for making this debate possible.”
2010-02-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6270Resumption1 (2010) · source
“I would just like to thank you, Mr. President, for having organized this debate. I believe it has been very productive and that every statement has been very useful for each of us - for both the Security Council and of course for us in the Secretariat's Departments of Peacekeeping Operations and Field Support. I think that we entirely share the idea that peacebuilding activities should begin as soon as possible in the context of peacekeeping efforts, as we have very clearly said in the New Horizon study. I also think that today's debate validates everything we proposed in that study.”
2010-02-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6270Resumption1 (2010) · source
“In Haiti, as elsewhere, we are continuing our work to build stronger partnerships with critical United Nations actors, Member States and external partners such as the European Union, the World Bank, the African Union and others so that we can contribute to efforts to build coherent strategies in peacebuilding. We believe that strategic discussions with the World Bank, as called for in the Secretary-General's reports on peacebuilding, could be a useful tool for enhancing transition planning. We are also looking carefully at the experiences of past and ongoing missions and countries that have managed transitions so that we can draw on good practices and better articulate how peacekeeping can contribute to longer-term peacebuilding.”
2010-02-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6270 (2010) · source
“We are conducting a study on approaches to transitions in peacekeeping settings which considers the cases of Liberia and Timor-Leste. It also examines the experiences of Haiti, as the study was initiated before the devastating earthquake, which as the Council knows, one month ago took the lives of so many of our colleagues and Haitians. As Council members are aware, considerable progress was made in Haiti in terms of peace consolidation through the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti and under the leadership of Mr. Hedi Annabi and Mr. Luiz Carlos da Costa. Their contributions to the peace and security agenda were invaluable, and their insights and wisdom will be sorely missed.”
2010-02-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6270 (2010) · source
“We need to listen to and understand the expectations and perceptions of national authorities and civil society alike. Of course, the Peacebuilding Commission can also play a key role in that respect. Peacebuilding activities also need to be continued beyond the lifespan of a peacekeeping operation; if they are not, there is a risk that gains made in peace consolidation could be lost. One continuing challenge is the mismatch between the assessed budget and the voluntary funds available to peacebuilding, which can limit the capacities of other actors to step in or increase activities as a peacekeeping mission draws down. I would like to conclude by setting out some of the initiatives under way in the Department of Peacekeeping Operations aimed at strengthening transition strategies. We are working to initiate transition planning earlier.”
2010-02-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6270 (2010) · source
“As we know, not everything that counts can be counted and not everything that can be counted counts. Capturing the ebbs and flows of a peace process needs to go beyond benchmarking, and strategic guidance from the Security Council needs to be based on as comprehensive a picture as possible. National authorities must play a pivotal role in the actual planning for the exit of a peacekeeping operation. Transitions may be a sign of successful peace consolidation, but they are also a very sensitive period. National authorities may have concerns that the exit of a peacekeeping mission may have unintended impacts or coincide with a huge drop in political support or even donor attention. The country may need a security guarantor, as was the case with Sierra Leone.”
2010-02-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6270 (2010) · source
“The United Nations Organization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, for example, is challenged by the need to plan for and respond to different degrees of peace consolidation across a vast country. We need to be able to maintain flexibility to respond to changing circumstances and capacities on the ground, while providing timely information to the Security Council and contributors. This allows us to respond to shifting obstacles and to maximize opportunities as they arise. We need to ensure that critical gaps in peacebuilding are reflected in reports to the Security Council. But as the Secretary-General noted, there also needs to be new thinking on how best to measure actual progress on the ground, given the importance of subjective aspects such as legitimacy, expectations and authority.”
2010-02-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6270 (2010) · source
“States already made fragile by conflict are nonetheless asked to achieve radical and deep reforms across their entire governance systems in a matter of a few years. Expectations must be realistic. Building capacity is not simply a numbers game. Strengthening civil society is not about holding a set number of workshops. Training hundreds of police becomes meaningless if there is no effective interior ministry to plan and support their work, or no legal and judicial structure for them to operate within. The absorption capacity of national authorities can vary across different sectors and geographic areas. Timing and sequencing need to be carefully considered, particularly with regard to the security sector.”
2010-02-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6270 (2010) · source
“A durable peace requires progress on many fronts - a reasonably stable security environment that protects the rule of law, a legitimate political order that can mediate differences and avoid renewed Violence, improved governance and strengthened institution- building, the resumption of basic services and the start of socio-economic recovery. A number of those areas will not be directly mandated tasks of peacekeeping operations, but they could nonetheless be referenced as conditions for a safe drawdown and exit. Ultimately, the defining factor for the drawdown of a peacekeeping operation is progress in the peace process and in the capacity of national institutions, including civil society. However, the strengthening of national capabilities cannot be enforced or imposed.”
2010-02-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6270 (2010) · source
“The early initiation of peacebuilding efforts may enable an earlier exit for peacekeeping. But we must be clear that the exit of a peacekeeping operation should be part of a coherent strategy to support a country emerging from conflict, and not an end in itself. To use a medical analogy, we need to be sure it is safe to leave the emergency room - that is, peacekeeping - before leaving others to ramp up longer-term recovery. That of course entails a partnership and shared Vision among many actors, including regional and bilateral players. It is a heavy burden on national Governments as well as on the Special Representatives and their leadership teams. And it is a challenge for the Security Council and other Member States bodies.”
2010-02-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6270 (2010) · source
“But when the challenge is the institutional transformation of national police institutions, formed police units are not the right tool. Instead, institutional transformation requires a combination of individual police officers and civilian capacities that can support and advise the national police and authorities and assist in strategic planning. We need reliable capacities and capabilities in a range of sectors, including rapidly deployable civilian capacities accompanied by adequate resources. In this area, we are seeking to expand the Standing Police Capacity, complemented by small justice and corrections expertise. Making sure we have the right tools from the beginning requires continuous and constructive dialogue between the Secretariat, the Council and the troop- and police-contributing countries.”
2010-02-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6270 (2010) · source
“von der Schulenberg will of course provide details. In every case, progress is never linear. Peacebuilding inevitably encounters obstacles. And in every case it is essential, as Ms. Malcorra will tell you, to align operational and support functions. (spoke in English) The debate on staying too late versus leaving too soon is only one dimension. Getting a mission's mandate and structure right from the outset is also critical for a successful transition and eventual exit. We need the right tools to address the quickly evolving dynamics and adjust accordingly. For example, more formed police units, rather than troops, were needed in Haiti to manage public order and to address the challenge of gangs and policing.”
2010-02-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6270 (2010) · source
“In his statement the Secretary-General emphasized the risks inherent in leaving before peace has been consolidated. As the Council knows, there was the experience in Timor-Leste and Haiti, of leaving perhaps too early. There have also been instances where consent to United Nations peacekeeping operations has been abruptly withdrawn, as in the case of the United Nations Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea and the United Nations Operation in Burundi. There are, of course, examples such as Sierra Leone, where the national authorities and the Security Council have worked together to continually adjust the United Nations presence according to the evolution of conditions on the ground. The United Nations thus concluded a peacekeeping operation and created, first, an integrated mission and then a peacebuilding office. Mr.”
2010-02-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6270 (2010) · source
“The question is, how do we identify this tipping point? How do we know when the security or stabilization that a peacekeeping mission brings is no longer required? Is there a tendency to overstay? The long duration of some traditional peacekeeping missions - such as the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara, the United Nations Truce Supervision Organization and the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus - is not an indication of failure. Those operations show, rather, that a peacekeeping mission cannot be a substitute for a political process or for the will of the parties concerned. They challenge all of us to define a more creative and constructive political engagement. Is there a tendency to leave too soon?”
2010-02-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6270 (2010) · source