YouSaid · the spoken record

Mclay

lines on the record: 508
first: 2009-06-30
most recent: 2015-04-23
sittings or episodes: 72
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

“As the Council and United Nations counter-terrorism entities focus on supporting States to implement resolutions to counter violent extremism, we strongly urge that we make building durable partnerships with our young people - partnerships that promote peace and combat Violent extremism - an essential feature of the measures that we adopt. The Secretary-General reminded us that young people represent promise, not peril. We should never regard youth as a problem; we should regard it as a solution. This is the last time that I will speak in the Security Council Chamber, so want to thank my colleagues for their friendship, collegiality, support and - I suspect sometimes - for their patience. I wish the Council well as it deals with the many threats to international peace and security.”
2015-04-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7432 (2015) · source
“The most effective counter-violent extremism programmes are those that harness the energy, passion and creativity of young people, who are already collaborating online and who naturally respond to that sort of challenge. Thirdly, we urge States to contribute to and draw from the experience of others, not least, in respect of effective measures initiated by young people themselves. We welcome recent efforts to coordinate international activity and to share experiences, such as the White House Summit on Countering Violent Extremism and the work of the Global Counter-Terrorism Forum, in particular the Abu Dhabi Memorandum on Good Practices for Education and Countering Violent Extremism.”
2015-04-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7432 (2015) · source
“The Council emphasised that very point last year in resolution 2178 (2014), which encourages States to empower community leaders, families, parents and fellow youth to meet the challenge of violent extremism. Too often, families and communities have watched helplessly as groups like Daesh spread their message of hate by using the tools of the modern age with skill and sophistication. As Mr. Neumann urged, we need tailored solutions using those very tools. But even as young people are the targets of radicalization and Violent extremism, those same young people are also well equipped to combat that messaging, and they can do so at a technological, ideological and social level that they know, understand and can use to great advantage.”
2015-04-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7432 (2015) · source
“Partnerships with young people and their communities must be based on inclusion and respect. Families are often the first responders to those starting down the path to Violent extremism, and those families must be supported in their efforts to challenge propaganda, provide leadership and offer credible, alternative narratives to give them that stake in society of which Mr. Neumann spoke, reversing that sense of exclusion. Secondly, we must empower our young people to create a social force - their own social force, not one that we control - which rejects violence as a means of achieving their goals. Mr. Atran described such a programme in North-West Pakistan.”
2015-04-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7432 (2015) · source
“The resulting counter-violent extremism programmes must demonstrate to our young people that they can have a real stake in their society and must help to develop trust in State authority, and - again, as Mr. Atran emphasized - getting young people to trust State Authority is never going to be easy. It never has been easy. They are not necessarily attracted by any notions of the modern nation State. These partnerships of trust should be based on an understanding of radicalization that goes far beyond the security lens, so we thank Jordan for giving this debate that broader perspective as well. Ifwe treat at-risk young people only as the objects of security concern, we grossly oversimplify the issue and perpetuate the marginalization that often contributes to violent extremism.”
2015-04-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7432 (2015) · source
“Even if sometimes presented as an international message and package, the real factors that motivate young people to follow an extremist path are almost always local, as Mr. Atran emphasized in his presentation. If we are going to address youth radicalization successfully, we must identify the domestic or local pressures that marginalize our vulnerable youth. We must ask how terrorist groups are so successful in exploiting and manipulating these pressures in order to radicalize and recruit. Do they make youth dream, as Mr. Atran suggested? We must then specifically tailor our responses to those factors, with Governments, communities and young people all working together in partnership.”
2015-04-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7432 (2015) · source
“The tools of this modern world that we now take for granted, combined with the increasingly young demographic of many countries, contribute to an environment where those with ill intent can target, exploit and radicalize the young with previously unimaginable speed and previously unparalleled intensity. It is wrong to lay blame for violent extremism at the feet of the young; indeed, we are grateful to Jordan for focusing today's debate on the role that youth can play in combatting violent terrorism. New Zealand therefore takes this opportunity to offerjust three suggestions for better tackling the radicalization of youth. First, Governments must recognize that national and local contexts really do matter.”
2015-04-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7432 (2015) · source
“Through you, sir, may I thank His Royal Highness for his presence today and for his insightful comments: not commentary on youth - which is all that I can offer - but commentary by youth, and extraordinarily valuable for that reason, alone. As others have done, we should start by acknowledging that youth has been radicalized throughout history, but in times past, the dissemination of radical ideas, radical advocacy and any radical recruitment took weeks, months and even years. Today, those same messages are transmitted with instant effect. The social media and communication skills of groups like Daesh have accelerated and globalized the dissemination process and made it even more difficult to undertake effective counter-measures. Too often, the damage has been done; the evil has been spread before we even know it.”
2015-04-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7432 (2015) · source
“I thank the delegation of Jordan for convening this truly important debate. Indeed, I think I can say at this stage that it is a quite extraordinary event, for all sorts of reasons. You, Sir, have emphasized the importance of the occasion by bringing your Crown Prince to the table: your country's future, your kingdom's future. Allow me also to thank our two briefers - Mr. Peter Neumann and Mr. Scott Atran - for their quite remarkable presentations. As I listened to the two gentlemen I could not help but ask why I have had to sit for four months, at this particular table, before I heard an outside contribution of that sort of value and that sort of experience. The Security Council needs to hear more of such wisdom and such knowledge.”
2015-04-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7432 (2015) · source
“And so I end with a call for us all to deliver on our responsibility - our collective responsibility - to work together to end conflicts such as that in Syria and that between Israel and Palestine. We have the blueprints, including the Geneva communique for Syria (S/2012/522, annex), the decades of work and the known parameters for the Middle East peace process. We have said that we have the will. What is left is for this Council to find the way.”
2015-04-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7430 (2015) · source
“We endorse resolutions to protect civilians in Libya, but we cannot stop the salvo of barrel bombs in Syria. We talk of populations besieged in Syria, as we have today, but we find it much harder to talk about the same in Gaza. Even when we can discuss the most sensitive issues, key players are often left out of the discussion. New Zealand is a strong believer in the United Nations and in the Security Council. We deeply appreciate that so many in the United Nations membership had the faith in us to elect us to the Council for a two-year term. In seeking that mandate, we promised we would say what we believe and that we would listen and consult with all. We meant what we said.”
2015-04-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7430 (2015) · source
“Therefore, New Zealand stands ready to work with all members to ensure that the next draft resolution that comes to the Council has a genuine chance of bringing the parties to the negotiating table. Like the Ambassador of the United Kingdom, this is the last time I will speak in the Council's monthly debate on the situation in the Middle East. I would like therefore to add some further remarks. I have talked today about the need for the Council and other stakeholders to get around the table to talk about Syria. As we sit here in New York, one must be struck by the fact that discussions in the Council are so formulaic and often disconnected from reality. We exist in a world of diplomatic niceties, carefully avoiding the elephants in the room, and usually, I might add, in a Chamber deliberately screened from the world.”
2015-04-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7430 (2015) · source
“There has already been reference to the fact that France is working with others on a parameters draft resolution. We know how difficult it will be to achieve nine votes in favour and no veto, but we remain convinced that the Council must discharge its responsibilities. We have not seen the latest French text, but if it has a chance of succeeding, New Zealand stands ready to engage and to be helpful. Friends in the region have told us that a second text would complicate the process. Therefore, at this stage, New Zealand is prepared to wait to see how current efforts play out. But we firmly believe that for success and buy-in, it is important that any text be considered through an inclusive and transparent process. We must break the cycle that has undermined previous Council attempts to support the Middle East peace process.”
2015-04-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7430 (2015) · source
“In the January open debate (see S/PV.7360), New Zealand committed to exploring options for the Council to inject new momentum into those negotiations, once elections were concluded in Israel. That time has come. It is appropriate that the Council take action, now that those elections are over and before other election campaigns begin. New Zealand's friendships with Israel and with the Palestinians motivate us to make a constructive contribution and to work for progress. New Zealand wants the Security Council to focus on a practical outcome. We have therefore been working on a draft text that might serve the purpose of getting negotiations started. That is the important next step - to get negotiations started. It will require that both sides step back from their optimum or preferred outcomes and that they both put any preconditions aside.”
2015-04-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7430 (2015) · source
“We also need to convince stakeholders to take difficult, politically costly decisions in the interests of peace and long-term stability. That is not easy, but it is necessary. We will be told that it is not the right time, but it is always "not the right time". There will never be a perfect time. We cannot continue to kick the can down an endless road, as outgoing Special Coordinator Serry said in his briefing to us last month (see S/PV.7417). We all know that if the Council addresses only the symptoms and not the root causes of the conflict, there can be and will be no lasting peace. It is our view that there is a finite window of opportunity for the Council to set that process in motion.”
2015-04-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7430 (2015) · source
“We will also need to overcome the concerns of some who feel that the Council should not play a role at all. While it is clearly for the parties to reach a final agreement, we believe that now is the time for the Council, with its primary responsibility for maintaining international peace and security, to use its moral and legal authority and the practical tools at its disposal to shift the dynamics back to productive negotiations. Again, that will not be easy. If it is to assume that role, the Council will have to form a collective opinion on issues that are sensitive, nuanced and weighed down with historical baggage. We must respect the significant investment that many countries have made over decades and the direct national interest of many States in the final outcome.”
2015-04-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7430 (2015) · source
“What would representatives propose as pragmatic, concrete next steps that the Council can take to alleviate the carnage in Syria? The Council is listening; certainly, it should be listening to those present. On the Middle East peace process, I said in January that New Zealand supported in principle the idea of a suitably balanced Security Council resolution, and I outlined the five points that guided New Zealand's approach to the Middle East peace process (see S/PV.7360). I said that the Council did not just have a responsibility to remain seized of the matter, it should also go further and actively promote negotiations leading to a just, sustainable, long-term peace agreement. Agreeing on a role for the Council is not going to be easy, but New Zealand believes that it is essential.”
2015-04-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7430 (2015) · source
“We admit that it is difficult to apply experience from other situations to Syria; there are so many interests at stake and multiple parties to the conflict. However, of themselves, those differences are not unique; we encounter them in every situation. Moreover, we all know the broad outline of a political transition; it is set out in Geneva communique (S/2012/522, annex). Let us therefore talk about it. We should sit around a table and develop a plan for the next few months. The price of inaction is high, and it is being paid by ordinary Syrians. We would welcome the views of other Council members, but also those of others in the Chamber, many of whom are affected by the Syrian crisis. Permit me to pose a question to all who speak today, whether or not they are members of the Council.”
2015-04-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7430 (2015) · source
“We will hear from him in a few days on how that proposal is progressing, but we understand that, given the modest possibilities, the prospects are not good. We also support the efforts of Russia and Egypt to reinvigorate a political track. However, it is important that all those efforts be coordinated under the United Nations umbrella and that they be based on the Geneva communique (S/2012/522, annex). Until there is a political solution - and there must be one day a political and not a military solution - Syrians will suffer, and Minister Judeh's country of Jordan and Syria's other neighbours will strain under the refugee burden. As with the Middle East peace process, the Council should bring its significant experience with peace processes gained elsewhere to developing a lasting solution in Syria.”
2015-04-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7430 (2015) · source
“I thank you, Mr. President, for coming to New York to preside over today's debate. We are also grateful for Jordan's role in the region. As for your country's generosity in hosting Syrian refugees, we feel that Jordan has been a positive force on the Middle East peace process. Today I will focus my statement on Syria and the Middle East peace process. On Syria, there is a chorus calling for a political solution. With Yarmouk resembling a death camp and many parts of the country witnessing unimaginable human suffering, that call is as important now as it has ever been. It is also just as difficult to achieve. We welcome the efforts of Special Envoy de Mistura to freeze the fighting in Aleppo.”
2015-04-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7430 (2015) · source
“That plan sets out a range of initiatives tailored to our specific needs and circumstances, including tackling domestic violence, which is ever a problem in all societies. The plan also focuses on increasing the number of military and policewomen who are available for senior deployment in peacekeeping operations. Each of the steps I have outlined are small, but every small step can make a difference and, collectively, all of those differences will be important. Only if we all take such steps we can make progress against sexual violence. That is the challenge and, step by practical step, that should be our collective response.”
2015-04-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7428 (2015) · source
“The Secretariat of the Pacific Islands Chiefs of Police, representing 21 Member States, aims to develop practical and ethical policing standards in its member countries, including a Women's Advisory Network to support the professional development and leadership of Pacific Islands policewomen. Preventing and combatting sexual violence is ultimately a national responsibility, and one that is assumed on behalf of organizations such as the Pacific Islands Chiefs of Police. The framework of resolution 1325 (2000) provides useful mechanisms for supporting national and local solutions, including the development of national action plans on women, peace and security. New Zealand is currently finalizing its own national action plan, which is under public consultation at this time.”
2015-04-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7428 (2015) · source
“We therefore echo the Secretary- General's call for sexual violence to be integrated into the approaches taken by the United Nations in conflict and post-conflict settings, including protection of civilians and conflict-resolution strategies, which are, again, practical steps. We also call for particular attention to be paid to combating sexual violence against displaced persons. We have more of them these days than at any time since the Second World War. In our region, Pacific Islands Forum leaders have recognized sexual violence and Violence against women as a pair of the most significant human security issues that face their communities.”
2015-04-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7428 (2015) · source
“All of that demonstrates the progress that can be made when strong, focused and determined national leadership receives targeted support from the Council and the United Nations. We commend the Department of Peacekeeping Operations and others for developing guidance and training on preventing and responding to sexual violence, because it is important that our peacekeepers have access to that sort of guidance. In many conflict situations, barriers to women's participation in decision-making are exacerbated. Women are often excluded from conflict resolution and peacebuilding, thus undermining the effectiveness and sustainability of peace initiatives.”
2015-04-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7428 (2015) · source
“That role can range from active enforcement to providing support or capacity-building to national partners. All of these, wherever they are pitched, are practical steps. New Zealand has witnessed the impact that the United Nations can have on a post-conflict setting. In Timor-Leste, the Government sought the assistance of the United Nations Integrated Mission in Timor-Leste (UNMIT) in developing community-based policing strategies in order to tackle domestic abuse and sexual Violence. Initial support, through UNMIT, translated and transitioned into longer-term bilateral policing programmes; community policing and gender protection principles were integrated into Timor Leste's national legislation, well as the country's policing doctrine and training.”
2015-04-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7428 (2015) · source
“And, as if to emphasize that point and the grimness of the situation, just yesterday we marked the first anniversary of the abduction of 276 Nigerian girls by Boko Haram, of whom 219 are still missing. These are grim statistics on a very sad day. There are many ways in which we could approach this issue, but today I am going to focus on the practical steps that might translate our collective commitments - the words of Council members around this table and the words of many others - into action, and which can result in safer environments for women and girls everywhere. United Nations peacekeeping has a crucial role to play in meeting those commitments, particularly where the capacity of national authorities has been significantly degraded, as is sadly the case in so many of the situations we must review.”
2015-04-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7428 (2015) · source
“I thank to Ms. Bangura and Ms. Allamin for their briefings and, above all, for the dedication and the energy that they bring to a cause to which we should all be committed. May I also say to my colleague, the Ambassador of Spain, that if Spain intends to take an ambitious approach with regard to the review of resolution 1325 (2000), he will find ready support from this part of the table. The report of the Secretary-General (S/2015/203) paints a very grim picture. Civil conflict, the collapse of State authority, unprecedented numbers of displaced people, and the use of sexual Violence as a weapon of war have all exposed more women and girls to the risk of sexual violence than at any other time in living memory.”
2015-04-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7428 (2015) · source
“So we reiterate the call for all parties to facilitate the delivery of humanitarian assistance, and we support the request that the Secretary-General should intensify his efforts to facilitate a humanitarian pause. New Zealand will be actively engaged in following up on progress towards those humanitarian outcomes that we should all be seeking.”
2015-04-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7426 (2015) · source
“We hope that that will create further incentives for the parties to return to the negotiating table, so we reiterate and support the resolution's call for a resumption of the United Nations-led political dialogue. That would be in the best interests of all parties and of the long-suffering people of Yemen. This time the parties must listen. We are also very deeply concerned at the humanitarian situation in Yemen and the impact of the conflict on civilians, and we re-echo the resolution's call for all parties involved in military operations to comply with international humanitarian and human rights law. That is not an option; it is an obligation. Absent a political solution to this crisis, that humanitarian situation will only continue to deteriorate.”
2015-04-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7426 (2015) · source
“New Zealand is pleased that the Council has now been able to agree a response to the conflict in Yemen. It has been a challenging and difficult process to get us to this point, in which you, Madam President, have led us with great patience - infinite patience, I might say. It is important that the Council be seen to be united in this crisis and equally important that we send a clear signal about the urgent need for an end to hostilities and for a return to dialogue and to an inclusive political process, as agreed previously by the Council. Resolution 2216 (2015), which the Council just adopted, imposes consequences for non-compliance.”
2015-04-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7426 (2015) · source
“The Security Council has an important role to play in addressing the persecution and oppression ofreligious and ethnic minorities by strengthening community resilience and fostering inclusive governance and cross- cultural dialogue. As with so much of the Council's agenda, New Zealand stands ready to contribute to that dialogue, and in so doing, to take up Mr. Fabius's dual challenge to show solidarity with the persecuted and to show a determination to fight the perpetrators of these dreadful crimes.”
2015-03-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7419 (2015) · source
“Religious, community and educational leaders all play a central role in promoting peace, tolerance and mutual respect. We therefore urge the United Nations and individual Member States to continue promoting anti-radicalization and to continue countering violent extremism by involving those leaders in a genuinely meaningful manner. It is they who can provide the solutions. New Zealand supports projects in our region that enhance community resilience, such as community policing, which brings together community members and police to apply policing in ethnically diverse environments. We join those who have endorsed the Secretary-General's action plan, and we call for its swift implementation.”
2015-03-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7419 (2015) · source
“Factors such as economic, social and sectarian discrimination, inequality, marginalization, insecurity, and a lack of inclusive and impartial governance must all be addressed. They are the causes: they must be addressed. That requires strong political will and sustained commitment at all levels of Government, as well as inclusive post-conflict initiatives that do not entrench existing divisions. One of the real tests of a society is the extent to which it accommodates minorities, so it is regrettable that in these situations minority voices are all-too-often sidelined, causing ever more discontent and conflict. We need to work with communities. Violent extremism often has its roots at the community level, and must therefore be defeated at that same community level.”
2015-03-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7419 (2015) · source
“The Internet, which was initially largely a product of open, liberal societies, has been turned back on those same societies - the British Under Secretary spoke earlier of the hijacking of the Internet. So, what should be the response from affected States and from the international community? How should we respond? The immediate priority must be to restore security in situations where minorities are particularly vulnerable. That requires stable and inclusive political solutions, and it means providing support to end the conflicts and instability on which extremist groups nurture their ideologies. But security-based approaches will not succeed alone. Affected communities need to find new, post-conflict ways to manage their diversity.”
2015-03-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7419 (2015) · source
“Some of the region's ethnic and religious communities have traditions that go back millennia. And just as we celebrate those traditions, it is equally important that we acknowledge that most Middle Eastern countries have a long history of tolerance and of managing ethnic and religious diversity. The current turmoil is bringing communities that have coexisted peacefully for centuries into brutal conflict, and it threatens irrevocable damage to the region's rich social tapestry. Extremist groups are exploiting instability in order to establish themselves and to spread their brutal sectarian agenda, often displaying considerable skills in the use of social media.”
2015-03-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7419 (2015) · source
“New Zealand is appalled at the upsurge in violence and persecution of ethnic and religious minorities in many parts of the world. This issue is not unique to the Middle East or to any single religion. Violent extremist groups find traction in times of major societal stress, and diverse, multicultural societies worldwide are affected. And they are diminished as a result. But we are particularly concerned at the brutal and ongoing atrocities in the Middle East. As the High Commissioner told us, it is apparent that recent atrocities perpetrated by the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant amounted to genocide against Iraq's Yazidi community. The richness and diversity of the Middle East has been a major contributor to global civilization, and that richness and diversity must be preserved.”
2015-03-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7419 (2015) · source
“That is especially apparent now, with terrorist groups, such as the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant, posing a direct, complex threat to international peace and security. Such groups show no respect for national borders, crossing them at will and drawing support from networks extending to the farthest ends of the earth, my own country included. They revel in publicizing their atrocities and inciting fear. They want us to respond with anger and outrage, and we do just that. It is crucial that the international community acknowledge the threat that these groups pose and that we promote the cause of inclusive, multicultural, multi-religious societies. We therefore see this debate as an important step in galvanizing global momentum towards that end, and in addressing the causes of the conflicts on which those groups thrive.”
2015-03-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7419 (2015) · source
“I thank France for holding this very important debate, which, as the High Commissioner reminded us, is about tolerance versus maniacal ideology - a stark choice indeed. I also thank the two briefers, His Beatitude Patriarch Sako and Mrs. Dakhil, for what they told us through their briefings. While we debate issues in a windowless room, far from events - and there is a lot of symbolism in that - they have breathed real life into our consideration of ethnic and religious attacks and abuses. And I thank them for that. The oppression and persecution of religious and ethnic minorities and religious eradication is, as Minister Fabius reminded us, deplorable, wherever and whenever, and at whosoever's hand it occurs.”
2015-03-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7419 (2015) · source
“We truly value the contribution of the TCCs, and we acknowledge the sacrifices they make in the full delivery of a mission's mandate and, in this case, in carrying out MONUSCO's top priority - the protection of civilians. We are therefore very pleased that we now have two new mechanisms that will more effectively monitor MONUSCO's distinct mandate. We will be active in assessing the effectiveness ofthose new mechanisms, and we commit to seeking out any other measures that might be required to enhance further the Council's very important oversight role.”
2015-03-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7415 (2015) · source
“We seek to make the right decisions in the Council Chamber, but it is equally important that, having made those decisions, we then follow through on how they are being implemented in practice. We owe that to the troops charged with implementing such mandates, and we owe it to the civilian populations they are tasked to protect. It is crucial that we approach that oversight with a supportive and proactive mindset. New Zealand will therefore actively participate in these Council briefings, and if the better flow of information identifies significant risks to civilians or MONUSCO troops, will stand ready to promote any necessary Council action in response. MONUSCO's very existence, let alone its ability to perform its tasks, is dependent on the willingness and the generosity of those countries that contribute their troops - the TCCs.”
2015-03-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7415 (2015) · source
“In the context of this latest mandate renewal, it was with those special characteristics in mind that New Zealand proposed a strengthened oversight mechanism in respect of MONUSCO's operations to neutralize armed groups. We therefore welcome what has now been agreed in that regard - more targeted 90-day reporting, together with a new commitment from the Department of Peacekeeping Operations to provide regular informal briefings on MONUSCO's operations to Council members and troop-contributing countries (TCCs) alike. Once it has performed its Charter function of mandating any peacekeeping operation, the Council must then perform an oversight role in respect of those operations. It is crucial that, in that role, itbe both engaged and responsive.”
2015-03-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7415 (2015) · source
“New Zealand welcomes the adoption of resolution 2211 (2015) and thanks France for its constructive and inclusive leadership, which secured agreement on the text. New Zealand strongly supports the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) and its Force Intervention Brigade, as well as the role MONUSCO continues to play in supporting the Democratic Republic of the Congo as it hopefully enters a period of stability, lasting peace, increased prosperity and security. The inclusion of the Force Intervention Brigade in the MONUSCO mandate makes this a special and unusually complex operation.”
2015-03-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7415 (2015) · source
“So we would encourage the Special Representative of the Secretary- General, UNICEF and others to continue working on that. It is important that we continue to improve child protection practices. We therefore propose that, in collaboration with the United Nations and other stakeholders, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General develop a working paper on engaging non-State armed groups, drawing on the best practices and innovative tools available, some of which have already been identified in the statements made today. That paper could form a basis from which we can work to develop durable solutions to better protect children in armed conflict, giving real meaning and purpose to the present debate, and giving real meaning to the phrase "children, not soldiers".”
2015-03-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7414 (2015) · source
“The Asia-Pacific Group also offers other examples of effective engagement, tailored to local circumstances. We applaud, for example, that in Myanmar the United Nations has agreed on an action plan with State security forces. Engaging ethnic armed groups can be more challenging, but civil society there can often help secure commitments from armed groups, particularly to release child combatants. We must also address the causes that lead children to join non-State armed groups, including socioeconomic marginalization. In situations of protracted conflict, joining armed groups can be a means of survival, or a way out of poverty. It can also confer status on self or family. To reduce the risk of rerecruitment, we need comprehensive reintegration programmes, particularly for girls, and children with disabilities.”
2015-03-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7414 (2015) · source
“However, experience does show us that, in the right circumstances, engaging such groups can produce results - particularly agreement on action plans. We therefore encourage enhanced cooperation between governments, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General and relevant child protection actors to ensure that more of these action plans are agreed with non-State armed groups. It is critical that we find ways to incentivize their engagement - and there, civil society often enjoys an access and legitimacy that is denied to others. The example of Eric, given to us by Save the Children, bears witness to that. In our own Pacific region, New Zealand has supported civil society envoys who can engage communities most affected by day-to-day violence, and can often address highly sensitive issues in a culturally appropriate manner.”
2015-03-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7414 (2015) · source
“We would particularly welcome the provision of guidance for mediators on addressing conflict-related violations against children in ceasefire and peace agreements, and the inclusion of relevant child protection expertise in expert groups on sanctions. Regional organizations also have a role to play. The declaration agreed between the Office of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Violence against Children and the African Union is an excellent example. As the Special Representative of the Secretary- General for Children and Armed Conflict made clear to us, engaging non-State armed groups to prevent abuses against children is complex and sensitive. They have different motives, tactics, structures and degrees of cohesiveness. Extremist groups can also often pose particular challenges.”
2015-03-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7414 (2015) · source
“Whether it be agreeing on an action plan, supporting the "Children, Not Soldiers" campaign, or providing child protection training for our peacekeepers, all 193 of us can do much better. We can certainly do something. For its part, the United Nations must effectively implement its own human rights due diligence policy, and it must undertake thorough vetting of its staff. As you have proposed, and as the representative of Malaysia also emphasized, child protection training should be mandatory for all uniformed and civilian peace-keeping personnel. More can be done to mainstream child protection approaches across the whole of the work of the United Nations.”
2015-03-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7414 (2015) · source
“It also supports the development of the Safe Schools Declaration. We share the outrage of UNICEF at the many situations that we deal with day to day. As you emphasized, Sir, the majority of those who commit some of the most egregious violations of international humanitarian and human rights law against children listed in the Secretary-General's report (S/2014/339) are non-State armed groups. And, for that, as the representative of Save the Children emphasized, there must be consequences. There can be no impunity. Good work has been done to address this, with effective cooperation between the United Nations, States and non-State actors, but we must do more. As States, our own actions must match those we expect of non-State armed groups.”
2015-03-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7414 (2015) · source
“I thank you, Mr. President, for convening this debate and for giving us three action points: action at the diplomatic level, action in operational terms, and stepping up judicial cooperation, all of which are very much at the core of the issues we have to discuss, and which I will address in the course of my statement. I thank the Secretary-General for his strong statement and for the ongoing commitment of the United Nations to this cause. I would also like to thank the four briefers, not just for their statements, but also for their dedication to what is, by any standards, a noble cause. New Zealand strongly supports the children and armed conflict agenda, and reaffirms its support for the Paris Commitments and the Principles on Children Associated with Armed Forces or Armed Groups.”
2015-03-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7414 (2015) · source
“New Zealand welcomes the Afghan Government's wish to take on a greater role in the leadership and ownership of its own security and development. We see that as a natural and necessary step in any emergence from conflict - certainly in any emergence that is consistent with core peacebuilding principles. We therefore wish the Government and people of Afghanistan well and offer our ongoing support for their endeavours.”
2015-03-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7403 (2015) · source