YouSaid · the spoken record

Mcaskie

lines on the record: 133
first: 2000-11-28
most recent: 2007-01-31
sittings or episodes: 6
sources: un-security-council

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“I hope that I have commented on all the points that were raised as questions. Once again, let me thank the members of the Council very much for their very strong words of support for the humanitarian community in their interventions this afternoon.”
2000-11-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4237 (2000) · source
“In the interim, we have made a much greater concerted effort this year - with the full encouragement of donors - to include in the consolidated appeals a particular appeal for paying the cost of the security elements of each mission. Out of the total amounts being requested, we are requesting between $13 and $14 million across the board, not just for the Congo, for the cost of security. I mention now, because this applies particularly to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, that we would encourage donors planning to contribute to humanitarian projects to also ensure that they fund this vital security line. Without a proper security regime in place for the humanitarian workers in the Congo, there is a very real danger that the projects themselves that we wish to support will not be able to go ahead. I thank you very much, Mr. President.”
2000-11-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4237 (2000) · source
“In fact, a multi-agency visit to the Democratic Republic of the Congo that took place just last week has recommended better organization of the coordination arrangements and even closer cooperation between the civilian aspects of MONUC and the humanitarian community. Let me just add one point with regard to security. There are reports of the Secretary-General to the General Assembly on the security of United Nations and other humanitarian staff, and we know, of course, that the potential for raising budgetary funds for this is constrained by the fact that we will have to wait until the next biennium, as that is the budget cycle.”
2000-11-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4237 (2000) · source
“I think that, given the situation prevailing in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, we would welcome the security MONUC that would provide in terms of potential access and escorts and with regard to the issue of international witnesses. With regard to the related question of civilian observers, which was raised by our French colleague, it is true that the deployment of civilian observers would increase MONUC's potential to see and report on human rights violations. Obviously, it should be noted that there are already 11 humanitarian affairs officers and child protection officers within MONUC who are working very closely with the humanitarian community.”
2000-11-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4237 (2000) · source
“Currently, the greatest difficulties we have been facing have been in South Kivu, and also in Katanga. As I mentioned, we hope that further deployment of MONUC will expand the security envelope, which will promote the ability of humanitarian organizations to gain access to the populations. In response to the question of my Canadian colleague, we do in fact believe that the presence of MONUC, with the additional security that it would provide, will facilitate humanitarian assistance. It is true that the presence of the United Nations is seen as controversial and that questions have been raised as to whether or not the humanitarian workers should go it alone.”
2000-11-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4237 (2000) · source
“We have the choice of going for the cheaper one or going for the safer one. That will also be an issue in the request which Mrs. Ogata has made to MONUC - a request to which the Department of Peacekeeping Operations has gladly acceded - for assistance with MONUC transport in the assistance to refugees in the Central African Republic and in the Republic of the Congo. Again, the issue of cost will come in. And this money is coming out of donor contributions to the humanitarian effort. One way or another, we pay; the question is do we pay through the assessed peacekeeping budget or do we pay through the voluntary humanitarian budgets. I leave that particular conundrum to the Council to consider. In terms of the greatest security threats, these vary with the changing military situation.”
2000-11-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4237 (2000) · source
“But there is one specific area in which the Council might wish to consider taking action. At the moment, the funds voted for peacekeeping operations are very specific in the sense of being limited to activities undertaken by peacekeepers in the performance of their peacekeeping duties. There have been a number of instances where the humanitarian community has sought the help of a peacekeeping operation for transport, for example, because it is much more secure. Now, in the case of MONUC, in Kisangani for example, we had a recent instance of MONUC providing transport to the humanitarians. Because that is not budgeted in the peacekeeping effort, they have to charge us at cost, and their cost is twice as much as it would cost us to hire commercial transport on the local market.”
2000-11-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4237 (2000) · source
“In fact, with the support of authorities at all levels, the United Nations is currently organizing a workshop on health and education issues in rebel-held Kisangani with the participation of specialists from all over the Democratic Republic of the Congo. In other areas, the Government is helping us with access to schools and to clinics. So it is a bit of this and a bit of that; there is no one specific answer. In answer to a more specific question raised by the United Kingdom about where the United Nations Organization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUC) could assist, the obvious area, of course, will be security for access. That goes without saying, and I think it is something we have consistently hoped for should MONUC be able to fully deploy.”
2000-11-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4237 (2000) · source
“And a lot of the river traffic right now is dominated by military movements and rebel movements. What that means is that the humanitarians are denied access to the only form of transport in and out of some areas. What we would be looking for is guarantees of river access. But we would also want to be in a position to negotiate humanitarian access across the lines of conflict. With respect to other constraints to the humanitarian effort, I mentioned the issue of child- combatant recruitment. I mentioned the exchange rate, and I could repeat that: the exchange rate issue is one that we would hope will be solved. On the better side, as I said, in some areas our relationships with the authorities are very good.”
2000-11-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4237 (2000) · source
“But at the same time, I recall the comment I made in my opening remarks about one notable instance of being unable to get access to an estimated 300,000 displaced persons in Equateur: that was because of delays in issuing travel permits - not that I would ever consider that that was deliberate. But it was an unfortunate byproduct of the very complicated and difficult situation on the ground. In terms of our working with rebel groups, it is true that they welcome humanitarian assistance. But no rebel movement is able to guarantee security for us. What is interesting about the situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo is that in many parts of the upcountry areas it is not that the roads are deteriorating; it is that there are virtually no roads. As the representative of the United States mentioned, a lot of the traffic is by river.”
2000-11-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4237 (2000) · source
“In terms of relations between the United Nations and the local authorities - the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo - and in terms of United Nations relations with parties to the conflict and of what obstacles are seen in those relations, perhaps I could just refer again to the issue of access. We find that access has been constrained, sometimes hampered, but sometimes also assisted. There is good and bad in every situation. Certainly, the Minister of the Interior of the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo has helped overcome certain bureaucratic constraints.”
2000-11-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4237 (2000) · source
“We see much closer cooperation between the United Nations and non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and I see - not just in the Democratic Republic of the Congo but also in other crises - a breakdown of the "them and us" mentality that has characterized relations between the NGO and the United Nations communities in the past. We recognize that some NGOs have very specific niches and that they should be respected; provided that we respect each other's roles, we find that it is getting easier and easier to work very positively within the framework of an overall common objective.”
2000-11-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4237 (2000) · source
“We were very gratified by greater donor interest at a meeting held in October in Geneva, where a number of donors urged us to mount a much more aggressive humanitarian programme in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. That is one of the reasons why the consolidated appeal being distributed now is considerably larger than that for 2000. There is definitely interest in a broader strategic approach. What one needs to understand is that the evolution of the consolidated appeal process means that that process now in fact represents a common humanitarian action plan, which is outlined in the document and which has in itself become a tool for a much more coordinated approach.”
2000-11-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4237 (2000) · source
“Ms. McAskie: First of all, I wish, through you, Mr. President, to thank the members of the Council for their very sincere expressions of concern and support for the humanitarian effort, in terms of support for the victims, support for the humanitarian agencies working on the ground, and support for the coordinating role of the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. I find particularly gratifying the growing synergy between humanitarian and political discussions which has increasingly characterized the work of the Security Council. Let me touch first on some points raised by the representative of the United Kingdom, who made some comments about the coordinated aid strategy.”
2000-11-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4237 (2000) · source
“We recognize that a commitment from the international community to address the humanitarian situation will not by itself solve the conflict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. We fully support the efforts of the Security Council to continue to seek lasting solutions to address the military and political issues, in concert with humanitarian efforts. While the humanitarian situation is extremely grave, we know that a humanitarian response is not viewed as a substitute; nor should it preclude the search for a long- term solution.”
2000-11-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4237 (2000) · source
“The achievements could be rated as significant despite the enormous difficulties. But the low level of funding means that humanitarian operations remain on a hand-to-mouth basis. The Democratic Republic of the Congo is under political, social and economic stress, and its problems are deeply interconnected with those of its neighbours. The people of the Congo are becoming exhausted, no longer able to cope with the violence and impoverishment to which they are subjected on a daily basis. The failure to sustain any semblance of normalcy must be recognized as the result of decades of poor government and an absence of governance. Ironically, it is that absence of governance that has taught the people of the Congo how to survive and that has sparked their resilience.”
2000-11-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4237 (2000) · source
“We would like to draw the attention of the international donor community to what we see as the crucial symbiosis between peace and humanitarian assistance in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. We hope that increased donor assistance can reinforce common objectives of life-saving, rebuilding livelihoods and promoting peace and security. Particular attention could be given to the security of aid workers operating in highly insecure and volatile areas of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. A particular request is made in the consolidated appeal for support for the security element. I would say that this past year has been a year that signified the departure from a passive to a more challenging and result-oriented approach to tackling the devastating effects of war.”
2000-11-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4237 (2000) · source
“It would be of paramount importance for all parties to the conflict fully to respect international humanitarian law, human rights law and the principles of engagement for humanitarian assistance in the Democratic Republic of the Congo drawn up by the humanitarian agencies, in order to ensure that civilians will not be targeted by violence or forced to flee their homes, and that humanitarian personnel will be provided with the necessary guarantees of safety and security. Moreover, the world community must realize that the means currently available to the relief community are not commensurate with the magnitude of what is certainly one of the world's gravest humanitarian crises.”
2000-11-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4237 (2000) · source
“As the humanitarian situation becomes increasingly grave for growing numbers of Congolese, the efforts of the United Nations and its implementing partners are being hampered by the lack of security, limited access to affected populations and critically few resources for life-saving interventions. What is needed now is a genuine commitment by all parties to ensure that access for humanitarian agencies is improved. I would urge Council members to impress upon all parties to the conflict the need for cooperation to ensure full humanitarian access across the Democratic Republic of the Congo.”
2000-11-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4237 (2000) · source
“To prevent an even larger humanitarian catastrophe, this is one of the few appeals in which we have vastly increased the amount of money requested, but to a relatively modest $139.5 million- modest, that is, in relation to the need. A keystone of humanitarian response will be the emergency humanitarian intervention mechanism that we have created, which provides funds for rapid emergency response to situations such as those that arose in Kisangani last June and most recently in Equateur province. It makes funds available locally through donations from our donors, funds we can access immediately to respond to an on-the-spot crisis.”
2000-11-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4237 (2000) · source
“The 2001 appeal for the Democratic Republic of the Congo articulates a humanitarian strategy with the following elements: immediate provision of life-saving support; enhancing survival strategies and coping mechanisms of war-affected populations; facilitation and promotion of free circulation of persons and goods across the front line; and support to community-based self-recovery initiatives. Members of the Council will see from the information package provided that this coming year's consolidated appeal includes projects that target different levels of intervention, from household food security and health interventions at the local level, to wider assistance programmes requiring participation from all parts of the country.”
2000-11-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4237 (2000) · source
“However, more than 80 per cent of the funding provided was for food assistance and food security programmes, with critically low funding received for primary health, epidemics control, child protection, human rights and confidence-building sectors. Because of the magnitude of the crisis, the net impact of the humanitarian assistance provided in the Democratic Republic of the Congo can only be described as minimal. In 2000, of the 16 million war-affected people, less than 50 per cent received humanitarian assistance, and even that on a sporadic basis. Earlier today, the Secretary-General launched the appeals for 2001.”
2000-11-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4237 (2000) · source
“This year, significant success was achieved- and we have indeed had some success - through the implementation of a nationwide polio eradication campaign that reached more than 10 million children under the age of five, and through other country-wide and cross-front-line initiatives. For example, this year's State examination campaign included 28,000 students. It is hard to tell how many children are in school in the Democratic Republic of the Congo these days; estimates range from 35 per cent to 50 per cent of school-age children receiving primary education. Against that backdrop, the consolidated appeals for funds for the year 2000 requested $71.4 million. The response to date has been 61 per cent: $43.6 million.”
2000-11-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4237 (2000) · source
“That has resulted, for instance, in a number of breakthrough operations in some of the most critical conflict-affected areas, including Kasai, northern Katanga, Equateur, Ituri and South Kivu. The United Nations maintains a country- wide presence in all 11 provinces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The United Nations agencies and the Humanitarian Coordinator enjoy the extremely close and useful collaboration of the United Nations Organization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUC), and the comprehensive support of Mr. Kamel Morjane, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General. I would say that this is one of the best examples of political and humanitarian cooperation in the realm of United Nations exercises.”
2000-11-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4237 (2000) · source
“In Government areas, the problems stem from strict administrative procedures surrounding the granting of access, while in rebel-held areas lack of access derives from the prevailing lack of security. In one notable instance where obstacles prevented access, an estimated 300,000 displaced persons in southern Equateur and another 150,000 internally displaced persons in northern Katanga were left without desperately needed humanitarian assistance despite the fact that the humanitarian agencies had both the means and the capacity to undertake delivery; they were prevented from entering. Despite those problems, the United Nations agencies on the ground continuously work hard to respond to the situation at hand.”
2000-11-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4237 (2000) · source
“Humanitarian agencies find it increasingly difficult to operate in this environment and to provide the level of assistance needed to save lives. The war has had the twin effects of creating new populations in need and at the same time creating untenable security environments that impede access to those same populations. This is further exacerbated by logistical constraints which render the delivery of assistance to many remote areas extremely difficult, if not impossible. These problems are encountered both in Government-controlled regions of the country and in areas controlled by all three rebel entities: the Rally for Democracy (RCD), the Movement for the Liberation of the Congo (MLC) and the Rally for Democracy- Liberation Movement (RCD-ML).”
2000-11-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4237 (2000) · source
“It means that the economy has all but crumbled, leaving the vast majority of the country's population to face dire financial hardship. The war, compounded by deep-rooted economic and social problems, mismanagement and neglect, has rendered food shortages commonplace and has sparked a devastating increase in malnutrition. There are extreme food deficits ranging from 20 per cent to 55 per cent of demand in some parts of the country. The foreign exchange rate is at twice its previous valuation; there is a standing ban on the use of foreign currency, and the already limited resources available for humanitarian activities have depreciated seriously, putting at risk those who are most in need of assistance.”
2000-11-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4237 (2000) · source
“As far as refugees are concerned, there are currently over 300,000 in neighbouring countries, with a rapid and recent exodus from Equateur province into the Republic of Congo - a tragic situation for a country that has recently been coming out of a war of its own, now to suffer the double burden of a tremendous inflow of refugees; 100,000 have fled to the Republic of Congo alone and another 10,000 to the Central African Republic. In the past two weeks, 5,000 more people have fled from Katanga into Zambia. The Democratic Republic of the Congo, however, is also, conversely, host to over 330,000 refugees who have fled civil strife in the neighbouring countries of Rwanda, Burundi, Angola, Uganda and the Sudan. What does this mean for the Democratic Republic of the Congo?”
2000-11-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4237 (2000) · source
“This is further complicated by the presence of armed groups, which use random violence against civilians as a strategy of war. Of particular concern is the situation of large numbers of people who have opted for refuge in the rainforest - around 200,000 in all. Many of them have suffered repeat displacements; they have fled to remote areas, subsisting mainly on wild berries and raw food, with little or no access to health care. We also continue to learn of internally displaced persons who are systematically subjected to forced labour, finding themselves in the hands of the military or various militia groups as prisoners or hostages. Children suffer an equally terrible fate and we continue to hear reports of recruitment of Congolese children, some of them being taken to neighbouring countries.”
2000-11-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4237 (2000) · source
“The study suggests that child mortality rates in the Democratic Republic of the Congo are among the highest in the world and, tragically, this is likely to increase even further. Flagrant human rights violations prevail throughout the Democratic Republic of the Congo and occur in an atmosphere of total impunity. In terms of displaced persons, civilians in the Democratic Republic of the Congo are afforded no protection, but are, on the contrary, systematically targeted by all parties to the conflict. We have provided a series of briefing maps to the Council from which members will see that over two million people have been displaced. Of particular concern is the situation of the Kivus and Orientale province, where insurgencies, counter- insurgencies and ethnic tensions have led to some 950,000 civilians being displaced.”
2000-11-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4237 (2000) · source
“In three years of protracted civil war, the number of conflict-affected from the Democratic Republic of the Congo has soared to around 16 million people - a full 33 per cent of the population. Council members are familiar with a study issued earlier this year by the International Rescue Committee, which concluded that up to 1.7 million people - approximately 600,000 of them children under five - are likely to have died as a result of the war in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo alone. About one third of those deaths are actually attributable to violence. The rest are due mainly to preventable diseases and malnutrition caused by the lack of access, the lack of assistance and the sheer inability of people to live a normal life.”
2000-11-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4237 (2000) · source
“The Council is familiar with the unfortunate events that occurred in Kisangani a few months ago, having itself sent a mission to the region. United Nations agencies and non-governmental organizations have been forced repeatedly to suspend or forgo operations throughout the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. In most parts of Orientale province and parts of Equateur province not under government control, many areas remain inaccessible as a result of a dilapidated or non-existent road network and rampant insecurity. There are recurrent epidemics, a scarcity of medicines and a collapsed health-care system. The figures of people affected by this conflict are staggering.”
2000-11-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4237 (2000) · source
“Ms. McAskie: Let me thank you, Sir, for this opportunity to brief the Council on the humanitarian situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It is particularly pertinent at this moment, for, thus far, all diplomatic and military efforts to end what has been described as "Africa's First World War" have not shown results, while the humanitarian crisis in the Democratic Republic of the Congo remains one of the worst in the world in terms of both intensity and magnitude. The overall situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, in our view from the humanitarian side, continues to deteriorate as military activity occurs with varying intensity and skirmishes from time to time develop into full-scale battles.”
2000-11-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4237 (2000) · source