YouSaid · the spoken record

Matar

lines on the record: 38
first: 2016-08-02
most recent: 2023-12-06
sittings or episodes: 7
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

“Accordingly, the United Arab Emirates urges all parties to work together to end the war and achieve peace, and we stand ready to support all serious efforts to that end. We look forward to the day when lasting security and stability are restored in Ukraine, in line with the Charter of the United Nations, and Ukraine’s unity, independence and territorial integrity are preserved.”
2023-12-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9494 (2023) · source
“Although the figures will change when adding the attacks launched on health facilities in the Gaza Strip, that does not change the concerning reality of the situation in Ukraine. We therefore demand that all conflicting parties around the world comply with international humanitarian law, regardless of who is violating the law, against whom and where the violation is taking place. Armed conflicts around the world have reached their peak. The suffering of civilians has exceeded what can be tolerated or contained. It has become increasingly urgent to intensify our international efforts to find a path to peace in Ukraine and in other conflict-affected countries. Diplomacy, dialogue and political solutions must remain the primary and only option to resolve differences and permanently end the suffering of people.”
2023-12-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9494 (2023) · source
“We also stress the special protection, under international humanitarian law, afforded to medical and humanitarian personnel engaged exclusively in medical duties. That protection extends to their means of transportation, as well as hospitals and other medical facilities. In that context, we regret that relief aid from a non-governmental organization was damaged during the attack in Kherson on 4 December. We are also concerned about the continued attacks on health facilities in Ukraine, especially near the front lines. More than half of the attacks that targeted health-care facilities globally between February and October occurred in Ukraine, according to the World Health Organization.”
2023-12-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9494 (2023) · source
“We also regret that ongoing fighting has led to the evacuation of civilians, including children, from Donetsk and other areas. The long-term repercussions of this conflict, especially on children, are also concerning — 3,800 educational facilities have been damaged or destroyed, 5 million children have had their education disrupted and only 30 per cent of Ukraine’s children are attending school full time. That means an entire generation is at risk of losing their right to education, which hinders their acquisition of the skills and capabilities that would empower them to be active in building and developing their future communities. The severe damage to basic infrastructure in Ukraine raises further concerns about the living conditions of civilians and their access to basic services, especially during the current winter season.”
2023-12-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9494 (2023) · source
“Ms. Matar (United Arab Emirates) (spoke in Arabic): At the outset, I would like to thank the briefers for their detailed statements. The war in Ukraine will soon be approaching its second anniversary, and there is no sign of a peaceful solution that would put an end to the suffering of the Ukrainian people and to the severe humanitarian crisis caused by the conflict. The gravity of the situation is underscored by the internal displacement of more than 3.5 million people and the nearly 6 million people seeking refuge abroad. They have endured significant suffering in their pursuit of security and safety. That is in addition to the killing of thousands of people, the division of families and the separation of children from their parents. More than 17 million people are in need of humanitarian aid.”
2023-12-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9494 (2023) · source
“Constructive engagement by religious leaders can strengthen community resilience and build the foundation for peace. In conclusion, intolerance and destruction of religious and cultural sites serve only to escalate and prolong conflicts. We must therefore be unequivocal in our condemnation of such acts and focus our efforts on restoring peace and security in Ukraine. On our part, the United Arab Emirates remains resolute in its support for all serious efforts to achieve just and sustainable peace, based on the principles of the Charter of the United Nations, while respecting Ukraine’s sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity.”
2023-11-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9481 (2023) · source
“Therefore, one of our top priorities must be to strive to protect cultural heritage sites during conflict and to restore and rebuild such sites when peace is achieved. Religious and cultural sites are very important for their communities, in particular amid the upheaval of conflict. Furthermore, they are important for post- conflict recovery and reconstruction. Creating a culture of tolerance is a core element of conflict resolution and post-war recovery efforts and must be an important consideration for the Security Council and the parties to the conflict. As the Council has confirmed, religious leaders play a key role in establishing and consolidating peaceful coexistence among communities and in conflict prevention and resolution.”
2023-11-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9481 (2023) · source
“We are also concerned about ongoing damage to cultural sites during the war in Ukraine. Since February, UNESCO has verified damage to more than 300 cultural sites, including 124 religious sites and 142 buildings of historical and artistic significance. The destruction of cultural buildings undermines one of the key pillars of mutual understanding. Cultural sites, including historic sites and places of worship, are protected under international humanitarian law, including article 53 of the first Protocol Additional to the Geneva Conventions. In resolution 2347 (2017), the Security Council further underlined that the destruction of cultural heritage, including religious sites, can exacerbate conflict and hamper reconciliation efforts.”
2023-11-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9481 (2023) · source
“Ms. Matar (United Arab Emirates) (spoke in Arabic): At the outset, I would like to thank Ms. Brands Kehris for her briefing. We also took note of Mr. Kipshidze’s briefing. The United Arab Emirates believes in the importance of promoting tolerance, peaceful coexistence and respect for cultures and religions. Our region has suffered from the consequences of intolerance, extremism and incitement to hatred and violence based on religion or race. In the context of today’s discussion, we express our deep concern about any reports of religious intolerance. As recognized by the Security Council in resolution 2686 (2023), intolerance can contribute to the outbreak, escalation and recurrence of conflict. We must therefore reject hatred before and during the outbreak of any conflict.”
2023-11-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9481 (2023) · source
“We commend the United Nations Mission in South Sudan’s engagement in support of the country and the critical role that United Nations policing capacities continue to play within the Mission. As the United Arab Emirates is the sponsor of the 2024 United Nations Chiefs of Police Summit, I would like to express my country’s renewed commitment to working closely with the United Nations Police Division and the Department of Peace Operations in the roll-out of the New Agenda for Peace.”
2023-11-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9475 (2023) · source
“Finally, increasing the participation of women in United Nations policing and police forces across the world is vital to achieve less violent, more peaceful and more inclusive societies. The United Arab Emirates commends the Police Division for achieving its gender participation target in such a short time frame, but we must also recognize that the current target of 13 per cent is far from representing parity. Increasing that ambition and raising the target beyond the current 13 per cent goal for uniformed gender parity is critical to ensure the full, equal and meaningful participation of women in peace efforts, including in the field. Before concluding, I would like to reiterate our gratitude to Commissioner Fossen for the warm welcome during the recent visit of the Military and Police Advisers’ Community to South Sudan.”
2023-11-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9475 (2023) · source
“Furthermore, through the International Initiative of Law Enforcement for Climate, the United Arab Emirates facilitated the launch of five initiatives to combat environmental crimes across the world: an INTERPOL- led climate operations unit; a global preparedness assessment; research by UNODC on environmental crimes; an eco-readiness initiative; and a global training centre emerging in Abu Dhabi. This year, the United Arab Emirates will host for the first time a ministerial forum on climate resilience, entitled “Empowering Law Enforcement for a Greener Future”, on the margins of the twenty-eighth Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, to be held in Dubai at the end of the month.”
2023-11-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9475 (2023) · source
“Our partners include the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), INTERPOL, the Environmental Systems Research Institute, the Police Community of the Americas, AFRIPOL, the Association of Heads of Police of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, the Gulf Cooperation Council Police, the Association of Caribbean Commissioners of Police, the United States Department of Homeland Security and the Joint Environment Unit of the United Nations Environment Programme and the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. The United Arab Emirates is pleased to collaborate with those organizations in order to enhance the ability of law enforcement agencies to prevent and combat crimes that affect the environment and climate change.”
2023-11-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9475 (2023) · source
“The United Nations must lead the way in walking the talk and ensuring that its peacekeeping missions do no harm to the environment. The United Arab Emirates has been spearheading efforts to support the United Nations Secretariat in its transition towards more renewable energy use in its peacekeeping operations, including through the energy compact on renewable energy in United Nations peacekeeping. As a patron of the International Initiative of Law Enforcement for Climate and in support of the environmental strategy of the United Nations Secretariat, the United Arab Emirates is working closely with the United Nations Police Division and other stakeholders.”
2023-11-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9475 (2023) · source
“The work of the United Nations Inter-Agency Task Force on Policing is an important opportunity to assess the effectiveness of United Nations policing assistance efforts, identify gaps in support and develop the kinds of synergies among United Nations, regional and subregional policing mechanisms. Thirdly, United Nations peacekeepers must be good stewards of the environments in which they serve. In addition to the long-standing drivers of conflicts, climate change is increasingly becoming a contributing factor to instability, as noted by Police Commissioner Fossen in her briefing. The changing climate affects agricultural patterns, fuels confrontations between communities and provokes competition over scarce natural resources.”
2023-11-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9475 (2023) · source
“The early declaration of caveats, trainings and other pre-deployment elements can decisively contribute to operational readiness and boost the performance of United Nations policing. That is why, in September, in support of the Police Division’s efforts, the United Arab Emirates hosted for the second time a United Nations police performance workshop in Abu Dhabi. We brought together the leadership of police components, peace operations and special political missions to exchange views on questions of performance and accountability. Secondly, United Nations policing can benefit from regional partnerships. The United Arab Emirates believes that collaborative mechanisms with regional policing organizations — such as the African Police Cooperation Organization (AFRIPOL), for example — can be critical to ensuring context-informed policing.”
2023-11-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9475 (2023) · source
“The United Arab Emirates supports the Secretary- General’s New Agenda for Peace and the United Nations 2.0 Quintet of Change initiative, which is aimed at modernizing the United Nations peace and security architecture, including policing, so that it is better equipped to handle current and emerging challenges. In that context, I would like to make four key points. First, the application of United Nations police performance standards remains critical to ensure that they are not only fulfilling their missions, but also perceived as doing so by their host communities. Increased transparency and incident reporting and the utilization of data can be critical enablers of policing work within the framework of the Comprehensive Planning and Performance Assessment System and the Integrated Peacekeeping Performance and Accountability Framework.”
2023-11-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9475 (2023) · source
“I would like to thank Under-Secretary-General Lacroix, Police Adviser Shahkar, Police Commissioners Fossen and Bizimungu, and Ms. Landgren for their briefings today. Around the world, we are seeing an increase in the number of conflicts, a deterioration of the rule of law and eroding trust in United Nations police operations. Despite those challenges, United Nations policing capacities remain an important contributor to protecting civilians, ensuring the safety and security of communities and bolstering fragile national institutions. I would like to acknowledge all fellow officers serving in their stations around the world.”
2023-11-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9475 (2023) · source
“That primarily means that our meetings must be effective, both in frequency and content. We all share the responsibility of evaluating our work on that dossier. We should therefore reconsider the number of meetings held by the Council regarding the chemical weapons track. When there are developments that require convening a meeting, my country will support it. The issue of chemical weapons is important, and achieving any related progress could contribute, in addition to other factors, to paving the way for an end to the Syrian crisis.”
2022-10-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9164 (2022) · source
“We believe that communicating solely through written correspondence will not achieve that purpose, and we stress the need to work on a sustainable solution to move forward on that dossier. We therefore look forward to the expected meeting between the Syrian Minister for Foreign Affairs and Expatriates and the Director-General of the OPCW, and we hope that the meeting will be productive. It is unfortunate that the most recent OPCW report (see S/2022/727, annex) does not contain any new developments that warrant convening this meeting. Our positions have not changed and are clear to everyone. They are also documented in our statements and in the meeting records. In that regard, I would like to remind my colleagues of the importance of using the time and resources of this organ wisely.”
2022-10-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9164 (2022) · source
“Ms. Matar (United Arab Emirates) (spoke in Arabic): I thank Mrs. Izumi Nakamitsu for her briefing today. In the context of today’s meeting on the chemical dossier, the United Arab Emirates reiterates its explicit position of rejection and outright condemnation of the use of chemical weapons under any circumstances, by anyone and anywhere. Their use constitutes a flagrant violation of both the provisions of the Chemical Weapons Convention and international law. My country also reiterates the importance of continuing a constructive dialogue between the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) and the Syrian authorities in order to resolve pending issues.”
2022-10-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9164 (2022) · source
“If obtained by terrorist groups that seek to use them for their dangerous purposes, such weapons pose a serious threat to regional and international security and stability. We underscore the importance of promoting our efforts in the fight against the Da’esh organization to prevent it from reorganizing its ranks or acquiring chemical weapons, especially since we have recently witnessed its ongoing attempts to launch attacks and develop fighting capabilities. In conclusion, the United Arab Emirates stresses the importance of making progress on the chemical dossier and on all other dossiers related to resolving the Syrian crisis.”
2022-07-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9097 (2022) · source
“Considering that a round of limited consultations between the Syrian authorities and the Declaration Assessment Team of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons was not held in Beirut, we reiterate that such consultations and constructive dialogue are critical to assessing the status of outstanding issues and making progress on this dossier. That requires that the parties concerned reach a compromise. We hope that the obstacles to holding the consultations will be overcome before the next meeting of the Council on the matter. We underscore once again that chemical weapons must be eliminated and that no one should have access to or use them, inside or outside Syria.”
2022-07-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9097 (2022) · source
“Ms. Matar (United Arab Emirates) (spoke in Arabic): I thank Mrs. Nakamitsu for her briefing. In my statement today, I would like to reiterate what we have repeatedly said on the chemical dossier, while stressing once again the principled position of the United Arab Emirates, which rejects and forthrightly condemns the use of chemical weapons anywhere, by anyone and in any circumstances. Their use constitutes a flagrant violation of the provisions of the Chemical Weapons Convention and of international law.”
2022-07-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9097 (2022) · source
“For our part, as the United Nations, we will continue to consult widely and build bridges wherever we can. The Special Envoy will continue to press for an end to the violence and work towards a resumption of the Constitutional Committee and further detainee releases. He will also continue to seek to unlock the kind of comprehensive political process that would result in a lasting political settlement that meets the legitimate aspirations of the Syrian people and respects and restores Syria’s sovereignty, unity, territorial integrity and independence in line with resolution 2254 (2015).”
2020-01-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8708 (2020) · source
“Such an environment would also help give confidence to refugees about the possibility of a safe, voluntary and dignified return and to those who wish to support the reconstruction of the war- torn country. The Special Envoy believes that there are modest openings to further pursue that work, and he will be doing so with deliberation and care. Nevertheless, it still requires genuine dialogue among key international players to deepen. We continue to prioritize accommodating the full range of Syrian voices in the process. Last week, we had the honour to welcome Syrians from inside and outside Syria to consultations of the Syrian Civil Society Support Room in Geneva. They raised humanitarian, socioeconomic and political concerns and stressed the need for maximum transparency and inclusivity in the political process.”
2020-01-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8708 (2020) · source
“In all his international engagement this month, including valuable consultations with senior European, United States, Arab and Turkish officials in Rome and in Davos and recent wide-ranging positive talks in Moscow with the foreign and defence ministers of Russia, the Special Envoy has continued to stress the importance of their working together to support a broader process. Indeed, it is apparent from all his consultations that the Constitutional Committee is not sufficient to address the real concerns of all parties. There is a need for a broader process that builds trust and confidence step by step. It could develop with reciprocal and mutually reinforcing actions by Syrians and outsiders alike, delivering tangible improvements for Syrians with a view to establishing a safe, calm and neutral environment.”
2020-01-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8708 (2020) · source
“That was impressed upon us by the Syrian Women’s Advisory Board, which convened in Geneva last month. They shared frustrations and first-hand experiences of the daily suffering of Syrians living with severe shortages of basic commodities. The Syrian Women’s Advisory Board spoke of the suffering of Syrian women in that context, many of whom are now primary breadwinners and face hate and risks of violence and exploitation. We believe a broader process must deliver in that regard too.”
2020-01-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8708 (2020) · source
“A sustainable arrangement inclusive of all actors that respects Syria’s sovereignty, unity, independence and territorial integrity remains imperative. Protracted tensions in southern Syria also remain a source of concern. The de-escalation of violence leading to a cessation of hostilities across all of Syria is more critical than ever, and the presence of five foreign armies operating in the country is a reminder of the continuing dangers the crisis presents to international peace and security and of the challenges to the restoration of Syria’s sovereignty. The Council is aware of the serious humanitarian challenges in Syria. Let me also stress that the economic situation of all Syrians, in all areas, has continued to sharply decline, with a number of factors combining to increase the economic hardship facing the population.”
2020-01-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8708 (2020) · source
“Countering Security Council-listed terrorist groups is imperative. It is true that Hayat Tahrir Al-Sham and other proscribed groups, including foreign fighters, are a major force in Idlib. As the Special Envoy has stressed, countering such groups must be done through an approach that ensures the protection of civilians and fully respects international humanitarian law and human rights law, and it is likely to be effective only with genuine cooperation among the relevant players. In the north-east, the various ceasefires and understandings that were reached continue to provide relative calm. However, the situation remains turbulent, with some impact on civilians. In recent weeks, armed activity has continued, as have other tensions, including between international actors.”
2020-01-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8708 (2020) · source
“Special Envoy Pedersen underlined the importance of that issue in his consultations today with the Government of Syria. Let us recall, however, that there is a grave, and in many ways worsening, situation on the ground. The alarming scale of military operations in the north-west has resulted in devastating humanitarian consequences for the 3 million people in the Idlib area, including hundreds of thousands of displaced persons, reported airstrikes, including on civilian infrastructure, mutual shelling and civilian deaths in and around the north- west. We reiterate the Secretary-General’s call for an immediate ceasefire and continue to press all parties for a sustained de-escalation in the entire north-west, along with all other areas of Syria, as well as reminding all parties of their obligations to protect civilians.”
2020-01-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8708 (2020) · source
“He hopes that the Constitutional Committee’s sessions will continue with a steady rhythm in the months ahead. There is a need to build trust and confidence, which can contribute to opening the door to a broader political process. Meanwhile, I am pleased to officially inform the Security Council that, for the first time, the working group on the release of detainees/abductees, the handover of bodies and the identification of missing persons — made up of Iran, Russia, Turkey and the United Nations — will convene, as part of an ongoing rotation, in Geneva later in February. We realize that progress on that file is not easy, but it would be of enormous significance to many Syrians to see the pace and scale of releases increase.”
2020-01-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8708 (2020) · source
“As per the Special Envoy’s briefing to the Council last month (see S/PV. 8696), disputes between the co-Chairs over the agenda prevented the meeting of the small body during the second round. The Special Envoy and the Syrian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr. Al-Moualem, agreed in Damascus today on the importance of strict observance of the agreed terms of reference and rules of procedure. They also discussed all issues related to the overall political process. After communications with the co-Chair nominated by the Syrian Negotiations Commission in late December and talks today in Damascus with the co-Chair nominated by the Government of Syria, the Special Envoy is working to narrow the differences and hopes to be in a position to convene the Constitutional Committee shortly.”
2020-01-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8708 (2020) · source
“Ms. Matar: It is an honour for me to brief the Security Council today. The Special Envoy is in Damascus, where he is seeking to de-escalate the situation in the north-west and to renew progress in the United Nations-facilitated political process. Let me update the Council on where we currently stand. First, on the political track, the Special Envoy continues to engage the Syrian parties and key international stakeholders to unblock progress on the difficult path out of the Syrian conflict and towards the implementation of resolution 2254 (2015). One aspect of that effort is the Constitutional Committee, which has been established and has been convened twice in Geneva. It comprises representatives nominated by the Government of Syria, representatives nominated by the Syrian Negotiations Commission and a middle third of civil society.”
2020-01-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8708 (2020) · source
“We call upon the international community to endeavour to take the necessary steps to end this phenomenon, in particular via cooperation and the provision of technical and logistical support to ensure that those who perpetrate such crimes do not enjoy impunity.”
2016-08-02 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7753 (2016) · source
“While we condemn their acts in general, however, we especially condemn those targeting children. Today's debate is a crucial step forward in terms of evaluating the progress that has been made to address serious violations against children's rights. We therefore welcome that the coalition for the re-establishment of legitimacy in Yemen has been removed from the annex to the annual report (S/2016/360) of the Secretary- General. We would draw the Council's attention to the fact the coalition in fact invited a United Nations group to visit Riyadh to observe what is being done in humanitarian and military terms by the coalition. In conclusion, we reiterate the need to make serious efforts to end these acts against children.”
2016-08-02 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7753 (2016) · source
“While the international community has recognized that children do not belong in war zones, we nevertheless see ongoing systematic violations of children's rights. Children and victims and soldiers. They die in bombings. Extremist armed groups, sush as Da'esh, Al-Qaidia in Iraq, Libya and Syria, the Houthi militias in Yemen 4 all of them violate the rights of children. Not only have they destabilized regions, these extremist terrorist groups are kidnapping children in order to recruit them into their ranks and to exploit them in suicide bombings, which have become commonplace in all those conflicts. For its part, the Israeli occupation is violating the rights of children in the occupied Palestinian territories. The Kingdom of Bahrain therefore condemns the violations of human rights by violent extremist groups.”
2016-08-02 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7753 (2016) · source
“Mrs. Matar (Bahrain) (spoke in Arabic): At the outset, I would like to thank Malaysia for organizing this open debate on the issue of children and armed conflict. I also thank the Secretary-General for his briefing at the beginning of this debate, as well as his Special Representatiave Leila Zerrougi and Mr. Anthony Lake, Executive Director of UNICEF, for their respective briefings and their commitment to children. We have seen a horrendous increase in recent years in the number of crimes against children during armed conflict, especiallly in Africa and the Middle East. Those conflicts are the source of long suffering for many families in the war zones. Owing to their greater vulnerability, this constitutes a violation of the rights of the child.”
2016-08-02 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7753 (2016) · source