YouSaid · the spoken record

Marc Pecsteen de Buytswerve

lines on the record: 183
first: 2020-03-31
most recent: 2020-07-29
sittings or episodes: 34
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

“It also refers to recent negative developments, including displacement in Ituri, severe flooding across several eastern provinces, the re-emergence of the Ebola virus and the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. The humanitarian crisis is compounded by the ongoing measles and cholera epidemics, which have unfortunately claimed even more victims than the combined death toll of the Ebola and coronavirus epidemics. Moreover, if not properly handled, the escalating violence in Ituri may degrade the situation even further. It is therefore essential to fully support the 2020 humanitarian response plan and the new national COVID-19 multisectoral humanitarian response plan.”
2020-06-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/598 (2020) · source
“We would like to thank Special Representative Zerrougui and Mr. Usseni for their insightful briefings. They clearly attest to the usefulness of regular discussions on the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO), especially at this critical juncture of a worsened humanitarian situation and a quickly approaching deadline for further MONUSCO transitioning. We also want to seize this opportunity to make a couple of points. First of all, we are concerned with the overall humanitarian situation. The Secretary-General most recent report on this issue (S/2020/554) mentions an estimated 25.6 million people in need of assistance and 5.5 million individuals being internally displaced.”
2020-06-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/598 (2020) · source
“In that regard, we welcome the conference call held on 22 May at the level of Envoys of the Middle East Quartet. We hope that efforts within this format or an enlarged format can continue. We are convinced that only through a negotiated solution based on internationally agreed parameters and respect for international law can just and lasting peace be achieved. The fulfilment of the aspirations of only one side will lead only to more instability in Israel and Palestine and the wider region as well as to the perpetuation of conflict.”
2020-06-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/596 (2020) · source
“We are concerned about the consequences of those developments, specifically their socioeconomic and humanitarian impact.Only through meaningful and direct negotiations will it be possible to arrive at a two-State solution that meets Israeli and Palestinian security needs and Palestinian aspirations to statehood and sovereignty. We have taken note of the Palestinian leadership’s willingness to achieve a just and comprehensive peace, as mentioned in the report. Against that backdrop, it is all the more important that all Palestinian factions invest in the reunification of Gaza and the West Bank under a single, democratic national Government. We strongly encourage the holding of elections once conditions permit it. It is important that the international community put its weight behind efforts to restart meaningful negotiations.”
2020-06-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/596 (2020) · source
“We therefore strongly urge Israel to refrain from any unilateral decision that would lead to the annexation of any parts of occupied Palestinian territory. We also call on the international community, especially those States with influence, to exert all efforts to prevent any such steps. The intention of the Israeli Government to annex parts of the occupied West Bank has led the Palestinian Authority to consider itself absolved of the agreements and understandings with Israel and the United States in the security and civilian areas. On 3 June, the Palestinian Authority announced that it would refuse to receive the clearance funds collected by Israel on its behalf.”
2020-06-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/596 (2020) · source
“Belgium is equally concerned by the negative impact of such a move on human rights and the humanitarian situation in the occupied territory, including through the potential imposition of a two-tiered system of unequal political, social and economic rights based on ethnicity. Not only will it further exacerbate issues related to the occupation — such as movement and access restrictions, basic service delivery and land property — it will also further affect communities that are already among the most vulnerable in the Palestinian population, leading to an increased coercive environment that would further fuel instability. Furthermore, annexation would deliver a devastating blow to the viability of a Palestinian State and the two- State solution and would close the door to future negotiations.”
2020-06-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/596 (2020) · source
“In view of our obligations under international law and European Union law, annexation will have an impact on the bilateral relations between Belgium and Israel and will also inevitably have significant consequences for the relationship between Israel and the European Union, as stated by the High Representative and Vice-President of the European Commission, Josep Borrell. In addition to its legal, political and economic consequences, annexation also risks gravely imperilling the security situation on the ground and in the wider region, thus undermining efforts to achieve regional peace and stability.”
2020-06-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/596 (2020) · source
“A unilateral decision formalizing an annexation, even limited in scope, would constitute a clear breach of international law, as the Secretary-General said, including the United Nations Charter, the Fourth Geneva Convention and the resolutions of the Council. Belgium will not recognize any changes to the pre-1967 borders, including Jerusalem, other than those agreed upon by the parties through direct negotiations. The West Bank will remain an occupied territory under international humanitarian law. We will continue to distinguish between the territory of the State of Israel and the territories occupied since 1967.”
2020-06-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/596 (2020) · source
“I thank the Secretary-General for his introductory remarks. I also thank the Special Coordinator, Mr. Nickolay Mladenov, for his briefing. I welcome the presence of the Secretary-General of the United Nations, the Secretary-General of the League of Arab States and the many ministers present today. We welcome the written report (S/2020/555) and fully subscribe to its observations. We share the deep concern expressed here today by the Secretary-General regarding the stated intention of the Government of Israel to annex parts of the occupied West Bank. It is a concern largely shared by the Council and the wider international community, as was also stated in the report.”
2020-06-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/596 (2020) · source
“As His Majesty King Philippe said before the Security Council in February, “The year 2019 marked the end of a very challenging decade for children in conflict zones. It is up to us all to ensure — with just and concrete measures — that 2020 marks the start of a decade of hope for all children.” (see S/PV.8721, p. 8)”
2020-06-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/594 (2020) · source
“Furthermore, we share the concern, expressed in the report of the Secretary- General (S/2020/525), related to children in detention for association with armed groups, including those designated as terrorists by the Security Council, or on national security-related charges. Those children should be treated primarily as victims and in line with international juvenile justice standards. Detention should be used only as a measure of last resort and for the shortest appropriate period of time. Reintegration is key, and reintegration programmes must be gender- and age- sensitive, include mental-health and psychosocial support, education and vocational training, and access to civil registry, identification documents and to justice.”
2020-06-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/594 (2020) · source
“Evidence-based listing and delisting, accurately reflecting the data collected and verified by the monitoring and reporting mechanism, according to the formal criteria included in the Secretary-General’s annual report on children and armed conflict of 2010 (S/2010/181), are key. The listing mechanism provides leverage to the United Nations to work with listed parties to improve the situation of children on the ground, and is therefore a precious and powerful tool. Delisting parties prematurely takes away that leverage, including for the Working Group, as it is the basis on which it works. Accountability for all violations and abuses against children is at the heart of the mandate on children and armed conflict.”
2020-06-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/594 (2020) · source
“In the light of the Secretary- General’s call for a global ceasefire in response to COVID-19, it is now more relevant than ever that child protection should be a central focus in ceasefire and peace negotiations. Time and again, the Working Group on Children and Armed Conflict manages to find consensus on the protection of children, even in country situations about which the Security Council is often divided. This reflects the Council’s continued strong support for the children and armed conflict mandate. This unity illustrates the importance of maintaining the strengths of the mandate, including the integrity and impartiality of its listing mechanism.”
2020-06-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/594 (2020) · source
“The tireless and often dangerous work of the child protection teams and the country task forces on monitoring and reporting on the ground forms the basis of the children and armed conflict mandate and should be acknowledged and safeguarded. In addition, more attention has been paid to the follow-up and implementation of previously adopted conclusions. In February, Belgium organized a Security Council debate on children and armed conflict, with a statement by the King of the Belgians (see S/PV.8721). On that occasion, the Council adopted a presidential statement (S/PRST/2020/3) calling for the dissemination and use of the United Nations “Practical guidance for mediators to protect children in situations of armed conflict”.”
2020-06-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/594 (2020) · source
“We agreed with Special Representative of the Secretary- General Gamba de Potgieter to increase the frequency of country reports, shortening the reporting periods and increasing their relevance, as more timely conclusions of the Working Group are being adopted. The Working Group is also mainstreaming the topic of children and armed conflict in the work of the Council. For example, video-teleconferences are held with country task forces on monitoring and reporting ahead of mandate renewals of United Nations missions. This illustrates the importance we attach to sufficient child- protection adviser capacity in United Nations missions, whether they be peacekeeping operations or special political missions.”
2020-06-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/594 (2020) · source
“The numbers of incidents of rape and other forms of sexual violence and of attacks on schools and hospitals do not go down, even where action plans are adopted and measures are taken. The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) further exacerbates the situation. We must step up our efforts. It is fitting that we hold today’s open debate under the French presidency of the Security Council, as France was the first Chair of the Working Group on Children and Armed Conflict. Belgium, as the current Chair of the Working Group, stepped into the shoes of its predecessors with ambitious goals. We aim for the Working Group to adopt conclusions on all of the 14 country situations with listed parties within our two-year term.”
2020-06-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/594 (2020) · source
“This year marks the fifteenth anniversary of resolution 1612 (2005), which established the monitoring and reporting mechanism on children and armed conflict and the Security Council Working Group on Children and Armed Conflict. This year also marks the twentieth anniversary of the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the involvement of children in armed conflict. However, despite progress in the implementation of the mandate, there is little to celebrate. Last year, more than 25,000 grave violations against children in 19 country situations were verified by the United Nations. The violation of denial of humanitarian access has seen an exponential increase. The steady erosion of international humanitarian law, international human rights law and respect for civilian lives, in particular of children, continues.”
2020-06-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/594 (2020) · source
“What is his assessment of the impact of climate change on the already existing vulnerabilities of refugees and IDPs displaced by conflict? How is UNHCR adapting its work to better take into account the effects of climate change as an increasing driver of displacement and conflict?”
2020-06-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/560 (2020) · source
“We are proud and grateful to count UNHCR S/2020/560 S/2020/560 as one of our most important humanitarian partners and hope to continue our financial support this year at the same level as in previous years — approximately $21 million. We also want to thank Mr. Grandi for the annual Global Trends report, launched today. I would like to ask the following questions. As Mr. Grandi mentioned, the President of the International Committee of the Red Cross called the COVID-19 crisis a “protection crisis” when he briefed the Council a few weeks ago (see S/2020/465). Based on Mr. Grandi’s assessment of the impact of COVID-19 on the protection needs of refugees and IDPs, could he elaborate on how UNHCR has adapted its strategies to tackle those challenges?”
2020-06-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/560 (2020) · source
“Grandi’s efforts to call for renewed momentum for solutions and for efforts to build sustainable peace, as this is key to resolving refugee flows and internal displacement. We agree that the global compact on refugees is a useful tool in that regard. Noting that 85 per cent of refugees are in developing countries, the Pact rightly prioritizes support for host countries, the sharing of responsibilities and burdens and the quest for durable solutions. Finally, we want to commend Mr. Grandi and all staff of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) around the world for their robust engagement in the response to complex emergencies, especially now, in the face of the COVID-19 crisis.”
2020-06-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/560 (2020) · source
“These elements, including refugee and IDP flows, are indeed often an alarm signal or an early warning for emerging, re-emerging or worsening situations of violence and conflict, and should be analysed as such in reports to the Security Council in order to enhance our capability to react and prevent. Finally, this staggering figure of almost 80 million forced displacements represents a major question mark about the current international and regional cooperation on the matter. Better and purposeful cooperation between the United Nations, the African Union and the European Union is needed. Belgium is grateful for the creation of the High-Level Panel on Internal Displacement and encourages the Panel to keep up the good work despite the hurdles that COVID-19 is presenting. Belgium also supports Mr.”
2020-06-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/560 (2020) · source
“These issues of return and reintegration must form an integral part of every peace process, accompanied by measures such as transitional justice to achieve reconciliation and sustainable peace. We are particularly struck by Mr. Grandi’s accounts of the dramatic increase of refugees and IDPs over the last couple of months in the Sahel; of the horrifying violence, including gender-based violence, against vulnerable populations; and of the risk of the conflict spilling over into neighbouring countries, not to mention of the compounding effects of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) on this already dire situation.”
2020-06-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/560 (2020) · source
“Flows of refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs) are all too often a direct consequence of blatant and repeated violations of international humanitarian law and human rights law. Respect for international humanitarian law by all parties to conflicts would, without any doubt, help decrease forced displacement and better manage internal displacement. Respecting international humanitarian law means facilitating humanitarian assistance to displaced persons and protecting them. Respecting international humanitarian law also means not bombing entire cities or spaces and infrastructure essential to the survival of the civilian population, and thus helping to create an environment conducive to the voluntary, safe, dignified and sustainable return of refugees and IDPs.”
2020-06-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/560 (2020) · source
“We sincerely thank you, Sir, for organizing this briefing, which is without a doubt very timely and relevant in light of the current circumstances. We thank Mr. Grandi very much for his briefing today. His briefing and the Global Trends: Forced Displacement in 2019 report launched today provide us once again with a very sobering account of the unprecedented total of nearly 80 million people displaced, of whom almost 30 million are refugees and others forcibly displaced outside of their countries. These figures seem to have become the barometer of our collective inability to prevent, contain and resolve conflicts. We should not forget that behind each one of these figures, we find the hopes and fears of a woman or a child.”
2020-06-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/560 (2020) · source
“To conclude, let me say a few words about sanctions. The EU sanctions are targeted at those responsible for ordering or carrying out attacks and torture against their own people, making or using chemical weapons, or building their personal fortune on the war economy. They are carefully crafted to avoid any adverse humanitarian effects or unintended consequences for persons who are not targeted.”
2020-06-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/551 (2020) · source
“More than ever before, full humanitarian access must be ensured. Belgium, as humanitarian co-penholder together with Germany, will continue its work towards the renewal of resolution 2165 (2014), concerning cross-border assistance. We urge all Council members to be fully aware of the common responsibility we bear on this topic. We must shoulder this work together, guided solely by the humanitarian interests of Syrian men, women and children. At the end of this month, the fourth Brussels conference will take place. The European Union (EU) and its member States are the most important humanitarian donor for Syria, having contributed over €17 billion since the beginning of this Syrian war. Yet, until this war is over and a political solution is well under way, we reconfirm our position that the EU will not fund reconstruction.”
2020-06-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/551 (2020) · source
“The Constitutional Committee and the wider political process should urgently be reinvigorated, and we fully support the Special Envoy’s efforts as an important contribution to the United Nations-facilitated political process mandated by resolution 2254 (2015), and we urge those Member States with influence over Damascus to use it urgently. Furthermore, any elections, including parliamentary elections, should be fair, transparent and open to the members of the Syrian diaspora, in order to constitute one step on the path to such a political solution. On the issue of political prisoners and missing persons, so far hardly any progress has been made. It is high time for Damascus to move beyond one-for- one prisoner exchanges and to release prisoners and information as an important confidence-building measure.”
2020-06-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/551 (2020) · source
“The war in Syria has now raged for over nine years. We have said it before so many times, and I repeat it today again — there is no military solution to this war. Meanwhile, the devastating effects of the economic collapse brought about by years of mismanagement and corruption are reverberating ever wider throughout Syria. The recent protests unfolding in Suwayda and elsewhere are a mere symptom of a far greater crisis striking at the heart of Damascus. Nine years of violence and brutal suppression have not led to the results the Syrian authorities had hoped for; instead, they have left the country in a shambles. Only a political solution can break the cycle of violence and put Syria back on track.”
2020-06-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/551 (2020) · source
“We would like to start by thanking the Special Envoy for his briefing, as well as Ms. Ghazi for her intervention and powerful testimony. We continue to support the Special Envoy’s call for a nationwide ceasefire, for large-scale releases of detainees and for the need for full humanitarian access. We welcome the relative calm in the north-west of the country since the Russian-Turkish ceasefire arrangement at the beginning of March. However, recent Russian air strikes and Syrian artillery illustrate the fragility of the situation. The risks for hundreds of thousands of vulnerable civilians in this region are enormous. We urge all parties to refrain from violence, reduce tension and exercise maximum restraint. The United Nations should play a central role in the implementation of a nationwide ceasefire, as well as in its monitoring.”
2020-06-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/551 (2020) · source
“On that occasion, I expressed Belgium’s deep concern over recent threats made against the Court’s officials and their families. Unfortunately, the situation has further escalated, and we expect new measures in the coming days. This is very concerning. I must once again reiterate Belgium’s unwavering support for the ICC as an independent and impartial judicial institution. More than ever, the Court and its entire staff can count on my country to continue to uphold and defend the principles and values enshrined in the Rome Statute as well as to preserve its integrity.”
2020-06-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/538 (2020) · source
“Today the hope of the victims has never been greater, not only for accountability but also with regard to achieving and sustaining peace. As attacks on civilians and humanitarian aid workers continue in Darfur, as well as violence against internally displaced persons and incidents of sexual and gender-based violence against women and girls, we need justice more than ever. Belgium therefore counts on the Council and all United Nations Member States to support the Court, as well as the Sudanese authorities, in order to put an end to impunity in Darfur and, as a consequence, participate in a solution for lasting peace in the Sudan. Finally, I would like to come back to the Prosecutor’s briefing on the situation in Libya last month (see S/2020/371).”
2020-06-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/538 (2020) · source
“This not only involves the arrest and surrender to the ICC of the individuals concerned, but also implies granting the Office of the Prosecutor access to the Sudan’s territory so that it can conduct its investigations there for the first time since 2007. It is the cooperation of all States, more than only the Sudan, that is essential to advancing justice for the most serious crimes in Darfur, as demonstrated by the arrest of Mr. Kushayb. In that regard, Belgium encourages neighbouring States to provide the necessary support to the Office of the Prosecutor in its efforts to track Mr. Banda, who remains a fugitive from the Court. We also invite all United Nations missions and agencies to strengthen their cooperation with the ICC in Darfur. Just over 15 years ago, the Council referred the situation in Darfur to the ICC (see S/PV.5158).”
2020-06-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/538 (2020) · source
“We now invite the Sudan to reply positively to the Office of the Prosecutor’s call for dialogue in order to explore all options available to facilitate fair and genuine proceedings against the four other suspects in the Darfur situation, at The Hague or in the Sudan. In accordance with the principle of complementarity enshrined in the Rome Statute, the Sudanese authorities could indeed fully implement their international obligations by initiating prosecutions in the Sudan for the crimes detailed in the ICC arrest warrants, provided that they respect the principles set out in the Statute. In the meantime, however, they remain bound by their obligation to cooperate with the Court, in accordance with resolution 1593 ((2005).”
2020-06-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/538 (2020) · source
“We would therefore like to congratulate the Central African Republic, France, Chad and the Netherlands, as well as the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic, for their support to the Court and their cooperation. The political situation in Darfur has continued to change positively since the Prosecutor’s last briefing in December (see S/PV.8691), including in the field of justice. In February, we were encouraged by the Government’s commitment to transitional justice processes and statements regarding cooperation with the ICC. We welcome the fact that accountability for crimes in Darfur remains a central issue in the peace negotiations between the Government of the Sudan and rebel groups in Juba.”
2020-06-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/538 (2020) · source
“I would like to warmly welcome Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda, and I thank her for her comprehensive briefing to the Security Council. The announcement yesterday of the arrest, surrender and transfer to the International Criminal Court (ICC) of Mr. Kushayb, suspected of war crimes and crimes against humanity allegedly committed in Darfur, is a major breakthrough that Belgium strongly welcomes. It is not only a significant development in the situation that the Security Council referred to the ICC, but, more broadly, for the cooperation with the Court. Once again, we have to underline that the ICC cannot implement its mandate effectively without the assistance of States.”
2020-06-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/538 (2020) · source
“The Committee further received two post-delivery notifications pursuant to paragraph 16 of the resolution, submitted by the Federal Government of Somalia. Lastly, the Committee received an advance delivery notification from a supplying Member State in accordance with paragraph 17 of the resolution. Finally, following the resignation of a member of the Panel of Experts owing to personal and professional considerations, a new expert was appointed by the Secretary-General on 29 May 2020.”
2020-06-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/529 (2020) · source
“In the period, the Committee also received another letter, which made reference to the work of the predecessor of the Panel of Experts, the Somalia and Eritrea Monitoring Group, which it is currently considering. I will now summarize the statistics on arms embargo exemption requests and notifications. The Committee approved an exemption request pursuant to paragraphs 10 and 13 of resolution 2498 (2019), submitted by the Federal Government of Somalia. Pursuant to paragraphs 11 and 13 of the same resolution, the Committee received six advance delivery notifications from the Federal Government of Somalia, and pursuant to paragraphs 11 and 14 of the resolution it received an advance delivery notification from the supplying Member State.”
2020-06-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/529 (2020) · source
“The Committee is currently considering the six recommendations contained in the Panel’s mid-term update. Broadly speaking, these pertain to threats to peace and security in Somalia, particularly Al-Shabaab’s military and financial capabilities; the implementation of the arms embargo through further improvements in weapons and ammunition management; and international humanitarian law issues, including strengthening the protection of civilians.In a previous briefing (see S/PV.8735), I referred to a letter received from a Member State on confidentiality issues, for which a reply was still pending. The Committee dispatched the reply in the current reporting period.”
2020-06-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/529 (2020) · source
“In her statement prepared for the informal discussion of 27 May, the Coordinator of the Panel of Experts highlighted four key areas of the Panel’s midterm update: the reset in relations with the Federal Government of Somalia; the threat posed by Al-Shabaab, including the group’s financial flows; the ban on the export of charcoal from Somalia; and potential consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic. I would like to emphasize in this context that during the informal discussion, the Committee members welcomed the resumption of cooperation and collaboration between the Federal Government of Somalia and the Panel and stated that they looked forward to the return of all Panel members to Somalia once the COVID-19 travel restrictions had been lifted.”
2020-06-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/529 (2020) · source
“If the current chemicals used for Al-Shabaab’s homemade explosives were to become scarce, the group would shift to other sources of explosive materials or precursors, possibly through illicit smuggling. UNMAS encouraged the development of a coordinated approach to controlling the supply of IED components via regional bodies and agreements, as well as donor support for strengthening the Somali National Army, to counter the IED threat. UNMAS also recommended continued sensitization of Member States with respect to their obligations under the sanctions regime for Somalia. Earlier, the Committee had also tasked the Panel of Experts with preparing a draft implementation assistance notice that would provide guidance to all Member States on the implementation of the IED components ban.”
2020-06-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/529 (2020) · source
“In addition to the submission of the mid-term update, since my last briefing, the Panel has also submitted two monthly updates to the Committee. During the informal discussion of 29 April and through documents shared with the Committee, UNMAS briefed the Committee on, inter alia, improvised explosive device (IED) trends in Somalia and recommendations on the implementation of the newly imposed IED-components ban. With respect to Al-Shabaab’s increased use of homemade explosives since 2018, UNMAS stated the view that the continued effort to clear mines and unexploded remnants of war across Somalia had seemed to reduce the group’s access to military-grade explosives, thus apparently triggering a shift away from military-grade explosives.”
2020-06-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/529 (2020) · source
“As mandated by paragraph 11 (g) of resolution 1844 (2008), I have the honour of briefing the Security Council in my capacity as Chair of the Security Council Committee pursuant to resolution 751 (1992), concerning Somalia, covering the period from 28 February 2020 to 9 June 2020. During the reporting period, Committee members met twice in the “informal informals” format via closed video-teleconference. On 29 April, members met to hear a briefing by the United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS), in which officials from the Federal Government of Somalia and the Panel of Experts also participated. On 27 May, they met to hear a presentation by the Coordinator of the Panel of Experts on the Panel’s mid-term update and to share initial views on the recommendations contained therein.”
2020-06-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/529 (2020) · source
“Belgium therefore calls upon the authorities of the relevant States to make it a priority to prosecute war criminals and combat hate speech and any ideology advocating discrimination, in accordance with the values and principles of both the United Nations and the European Union. I would like to conclude by welcoming the Mechanism’s efforts aimed at limiting as much as possible the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on its activities. Belgium also praises the efforts of the President of the Mechanism on the issue of early release, which have led to the recent changes to the directive applicable in this area. The role of the Mechanism in the process of reconciliation between communities, both in Rwanda and in the countries of the former Yugoslavia, remains more fundamental than ever.”
2020-06-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/527 (2020) · source
“I welcome the commitment just expressed by the representative of South Africa in this regard. In addition, greater cooperation from States is also necessary in relation to the resettlement of the nine acquitted or released persons currently residing in Arusha. This year we commemorate the twenty-fifth anniversary of several tragic events, including the Srebrenica genocide, which marked the conflicts in the former Yugoslavia. In this context, it is particularly regrettable to read once again in the Office of the Prosecutor’s report (S/2020/416, annex II) that the denial of crimes and the glorification of war criminals remain more than ever a reality throughout the region of the former Yugoslavia. The same conclusion applies to regional judicial cooperation, which has been at its lowest level in years.”
2020-06-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/527 (2020) · source
“The prosecution of perpetrators of atrocity crimes can only be effective if States cooperate not only among themselves, but also with international courts and tribunals, which is why the Statute of the Mechanism and several Council resolutions established the obligation for all Member States to cooperate fully with the Mechanism as a foundational principle. In this respect, Belgium notes once again with concern that the Office of the Prosecutor has struggled to obtain the necessary cooperation from a number of relevant Member States in connection with the search and arrest of the remaining six fugitives indicted by the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda. We strongly encourage these States to provide all necessary assistance and thereby participate in collective efforts for justice and accountability.”
2020-06-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/527 (2020) · source
“We congratulate the Prosecutor and his team, as well as all the States and organizations involved, on what is an essential milestone in the life of the Mechanism. The message to war criminals, wherever they are, could not be clearer. The international community will not tolerate impunity for the most serious crimes of international law. It will continue to do everything in its power to bring justice to the victims, even if more than 20 years have elapsed since the crimes were perpetrated. This success of the Mechanism gives us the opportunity to highlight even more clearly a principle that we believe is essential in the approach the Security Council must continue to adopt in the field of justice.”
2020-06-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/527 (2020) · source
“I thank Judge Carmel Agius and Prosecutor Serge Brammertz for their briefings. I also present my deep condolences for the two staff members of the International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals who passed away as a result of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19). The date of 16 May will be important in the history of international criminal justice. After nearly 23 years as a fugitive, Félicien Kabuga, indicted by the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda in 2011 for genocide and crimes against humanity allegedly committed in Rwanda in 1994, was finally arrested by the French authorities, as a result of the revised search strategy the Office of the Prosecutor initiated a few years ago, but also of the assistance and support provided by INTERPOL, EUROPOL and the competent authorities of a dozen countries, including Belgium.”
2020-06-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/527 (2020) · source
“Progress on security and development is of course essential but, if human rights and the rule of law are not respected, such progress will remain transitory and terrorism and insecurity will continue to prosper. To conclude, I would like to encourage both the five countries and the Joint Force to strengthen the implementation of the human rights compliance framework, supported by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), as this is one of the main tools that can help prevent possible violations in the future. In that context, I would like to acknowledge the fact that most G-5 countries have accepted such assistance by opening OHCHR offices in their countries in order to fully benefit from its support.”
2020-06-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/515 (2020) · source
“Efforts to fight the stigmatization of particular ethnic groups, provide basic services, including security, and combat impunity, whether financial or criminal, should probably be the highest priority. Another important issue is the allegations of extrajudicial killings by security forces of G-5 countries. These allegations are very serious and warrant a thorough investigation rather than outright rejection. Let me assure the Council that Belgium understands the enormous challenges and fragility of the security forces of our G-5 partners. However, let me be clear that our call for respect for the rule of law and basic human rights is not merely philosophical. In our view, it is an indispensable condition for defeating terrorism.”
2020-06-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/515 (2020) · source
“Nevertheless, since we joined the Council last year, we have always encouraged the G-5 not to condition progress on the availability of resources or equipment. For example, the crucial police component is still in its early development, and we believe further operationalization depends little on additional resources or equipment. That said, let me stress that military operations and development projects alone will not defeat terrorism in the Sahel, as they have not done anywhere else in the world. Since the terrorists make political demands, we believe that countering them needs political commitment and ownership at the highest levels to strengthen the democratic institutions of the Sahel, advance political solutions, where possible, and challenge the terrorist narrative.”
2020-06-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/515 (2020) · source