YouSaid · the spoken record

Minah

lines on the record: 98
first: 2008-10-21
most recent: 2016-07-28
sittings or episodes: 8
sources: un-security-council

Every line below is reproduced as it was said and linked to the record it came from. Nothing here is summarised or generated. Directory · Search · Corrections

“In conclusion, the Government of Sierra Leone reaffirms its unwavering commitment to promoting sustainable peace and security within its borders and reaffirms its resolve in advocating and promoting peace in the subregion. Sierra Leone and its people have embarked on a journey from fragility to stability. The Government of Sierra Leone believes that with the commitment and support of its partners, Sierra Leone and Africa can develop the necessary institutional resilience to create, embed, deepen and sustain the peace we all desire.”
2016-07-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7750 (2016) · source
“The two institutions must work together in a more focused manner, utilizing their comparative strengths. The Peacebuilding Fund has proven itself to be an essential instrument of support of critical peacebuilding processes in many post-conflict areas and communities. However, unpredictable, inadequate and fragmented financing for peacebuilding continues to impede the effectiveness and consistency of critical catalytic interventions. We must all support the pledging conference for the Peacebuilding Fund to be held in September and respond positively. The Peacebuilding Commission must also be supported, together with the Peacebuilding Support Office. In particular, the Peacebuilding Support Office should not be left to scramble for funds, resources and personnel. If we believe in the cause of peace, we must invest in the cause of peace.”
2016-07-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7750 (2016) · source
“The capacity of the State should be built to create an enabling environment for the private sector, which would lead to the growth we all want. It is important that all citizens benefit from that growth. Finally, we also recognize the fact that building the necessary alliances at the subregional and regional levels is important to ensure that transnational criminal activities such as drug trafficking, illicit trade in small arms and light weapons and mercenary activities are curtailed. Sierra Leone fully subscribes to the call contained in the report ofthe Advisory Group ofExperts on the Review of the Peacebuilding Architecture (see S/2015/490) that better coordination between the Security Council and the Peacebuilding Commission is desirable.”
2016-07-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7750 (2016) · source
“Institutions such as anticorruption commissions must be consolidated and strengthened with true national ownership and meaningful inclusiveness. An integrated and coordinated approach to peacebuilding is required to ensure the catalytic support of all national processes, sustainable development priorities and economic revitalization. Sustaining peace must be every citizen's business and should therefore continue to be at the core of the work of the United Nations system. Women must be fully included in all peacebuilding processes. Women, as has been learned, can play an important role in ensuring that peace processes are kept on track and reach their successful conclusions. Women can also play a role in governance and economic recovery. It is quite simple - a nation that empowers its women is a nation that empowers itself.”
2016-07-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7750 (2016) · source
“We ask for support for our poverty-reduction strategy - the Agenda for Prosperity, which is anchored on the New Deal that is championed by the g7+ States. The Government of Sierra Leone is mindful of the challenges of the twin shocks of the Ebola Virus - recently vanquished - and of the shock of the drop in commodity prices. Accordingly, we have maintained, we have harmonized, the poverty- reduction strategy with the promotion of the Sustainable Development Goals and the post-Ebola recovery strategy. On the basis oflessons learned, and the lessons that we continue to learn in Sierra Leone, let me make a few observations. Sierra Leone is aware of the critical need to ensure fair and transparent institutions that would prevent relapse into conflict and ensure sustainable peace.”
2016-07-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7750 (2016) · source
“Since the closure of the peacekeeping mission, Sierra Leone has made considerable progress in identifying and resolving tensions and threats of potential conflict, in monitoring and promoting human rights, and in consolidating a series of good governance reforms. We have learned through the painful lessons and no longer bear the stigma ofbeing a blood-diamond nation. Preserving these gains and achieving the country's sustainable development objectives require an unshakable and never-ending commitment to consolidating and empowering our democratic institutions. Sierra Leone remains committed to a strong partnership with the United Nations system and the donor community. We urge the international community to continue to invest in the achievement of our economic development.”
2016-07-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7750 (2016) · source
“This year marks 14 years since the conflict in Sierra Leone was officially declared over. Since then, with the support of the United Nations, we have made outstanding progress in charting the path for a peaceful, secure, democratic Sierra Leone. We have also reduced our international risk profile as a post-conflict country and, in turn, increased confidence for foreign direct investment. Sierra Leone has made the transition from a near- failed State on the agenda of the Security Council to a nation that is regarded as a storehouse of lessons on how to successfully move away from war to peace, from despair to hope.”
2016-07-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7750 (2016) · source
“In June, we were honoured to receive in Sierra Leone the presence of Ambassador Macharia Kamau, Chair of the Peacebuilding Commission, and his team on a fact- finding visit. We were heartened by his inspiring words and his comments concerning the remarkable progress Sierra Leone has made, especially in identifying and resolving tensions and threats of potential conflicts. It is a fact that Africa has made tremendous efforts in strengthening its capacity to prevent and resolve conflicts. However, it is imperative that we, the United Nations, maintain the global solidarity required to continue to develop Africa's capacity in preventive diplomacy. We need cooperative and coordinated true partnerships to strengthen capacities in order to ensure that we can respond better to tensions and threats of conflict.”
2016-07-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7750 (2016) · source
“I wish to take this opportunity to also express our profound appreciation to the members of the Sierra Leone Configuration of the Peacebuilding Commission through the Chair, Ambassador Marc- Andre' Blanchard of Canada, for his relentless advocacy and for demonstrating strong support in the pursuit of peace, security and stability in Sierra Leone. Resolution 2282 (2016) and General Assembly resolution 70/262, both unanimously adopted in April, demonstrate quite clearly our collective commitment towards a comprehensive approach to transitional justice and an accountable security sector. Both of these are prerequisites for consolidating peace and reducing poverty, as well as for preventing countries from relapsing into conflict.”
2016-07-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7750 (2016) · source
“I congratulate Japan for assuming the presidency of the Security Council for the month of July. I thank Japan for organizing this open debate on peacebuilding in Africa. I would also like to thank the Secretary-General, Cabinet Secretary Amina Mohamed and the African Union Commissioner for Peace and Security for their insightful briefings on the initiatives at the continental and regional levels in Africa. At the outset, let me convey the apologies of the Honourable Samura M. W. Kamara, the Minister for Foreign Affairs, for his absence due to unavoidable circumstances. On behalf of the President and the Government of Sierra Leone, I would like to register the deep gratitude of my delegation to this Council for the support and assistance rendered to Sierra Leone in sustaining hard- won peace and security.”
2016-07-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7750 (2016) · source
“I hope that the deliberations on the draft resolution will produce a resolution worthy of its name and worthy of the efforts of the members of the Advisory Group of Experts. We owe succeeding generations no less. The core objective of the Council's responsibility is the search for peace, and as members of the General Assembly, the principle organs and intergovernmental entities, we all must collectively assist the Council in the search for peace. We welcome once again the efforts of the Experts, but now it is the turn of the diplomats to match their work and also ensure that the search for peace is fully realized.”
2016-02-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7629 (2016) · source
“Beyond ending the conflict, it is important that the economic drivers of peace be fully embedded. That requires the work of the development financial institutions and international financial institutions and bold, creative and innovative thinking on the part of the World Bank and other premier financial institutions. The link between the Council, the Organization and those other financial institutions must be strengthened and deepened. We are all called on not only to be the makers and enforcers of peace, but also the sustainers of peace. Collectively, our actions as diplomats, politicians, ministers, representatives of civil society and citizens must make a difference.”
2016-02-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7629 (2016) · source
“In order for them to do more, it is important that we answer the question of financial sustainability and that we also ensure that they have the political impetus and direction to evolve as they should. We welcome the deliberations and efforts on the part of all organizations, including civil society and other multilateral and financial entities, which are focused on the issue of peacebuilding and the future of peace sustainability. It is perhaps fitting that the Council, which gave birth to the peacebuilding architecture, remains engaged today on the issue. The test of our efforts and the test of any success that we can claim will be borne out when the least advantaged of populations in conflict societies can see a measure of hope and a future where the conflicts that have inflamed them will end.”
2016-02-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7629 (2016) · source
“That integrated mission was not integrated simply as a matter of theory, but actually as a matter of fact. The concept of the Executive Representative of the Secretary-General, combining the roles of the Resident Representative and of the Resident Coordinator of the United Nations Development Programme arm, was novel and worked successfully. In effect, the mission - the integrated office - was domesticated within the national institutions of Sierra Leone. By that I mean that the Executive Representative of the Secretary-General had full access to all the organs of the Government, including the presidency. While we look to the past for examples, we must look to the future and commend the work that the Peacebuilding Fund, the Peacebuilding Support Office and the Peacebuilding Commission have undertaken to date.”
2016-02-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7629 (2016) · source
“But as the report clearly indicates, there are markers before one gets to the full-blown conflict, that is, indicators that the peace, stability or security of the State are jeopardized. The report quite properly calls for our attention and focus at that time, prior to conflict, the outbreak of hostilities and the breakdown of society, and we welcome that focus. I do not believe that we need to have an in-depth debate about what the report posits as peace sustainability or sustaining peace. I do believe that we should concentrate our attention on the challenges of peace sustainability. That requires in-house reform, the evolution of the institutions within the house and efforts on the ground. Sierra Leone has also been posited as an example of a situation where the mission evolved from a classic peace operation into an integrated mission.”
2016-02-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7629 (2016) · source
“From our darkest hours, days and months, we have evolved into a fully functioning State, with institutions that are growing stronger every day. As everyone is aware, the advent of Ebola knocked back some of the gains made in peacebuilding and threatened others. However, with the support of the Organization, we believe that we are on our way to economic recovery. It is quite true that peacebuilding can only be an adjunct to the efforts of the national Government. All national Governments have the authority to take care of their citizens in terms of stability and economic security. However, when one has a situation in which the national Government has perhaps collapsed, asymmetric warfare has taken hold and rebel groups roam the territory of a particular nation, it is time for the United Nations to step in.”
2016-02-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7629 (2016) · source
“However, as has been reported and noted here in the Council, the figure, the symbolic 1 per cent is a mere drop in the ocean ofthe billions in funds that are devoted to peacebuilding and humanitarian programmes. It is not, therefore, wildly ambitious; we believe that it is, in fact, quite modest. We believe that the Secretary-General's marker of 15 per cent for gender mainstreaming in all peacebuilding programmes is similarly modest and something that we should heartily embrace. Research shows that, in any peacebuilding process, the effect of having women fully involved increases the chances of success. Sierra Leone has been cited as an example of a relative success in terms of peacebuilding, and for that we are grateful for the work of the Council and all those who supported us on our journey.”
2016-02-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7629 (2016) · source
“The need for funding is critical to all that we hope the Peacebuilding Fund, the Peacebuilding Support Office and the Peacebuilding Commission will evolve and become. Without it, they will not fulfil our best hopes. The issue of financing is one that I believe we can resolve. It is possible to create a mechanism of oversight that can look at both a twin track of assessed and voluntary contributions and report to the Council and to the Commission on its success during a pilot phase. I do not believe that we have to choose one or the other. The course of the deliberations during the discussions on the draft resolutions appears to have moved away from the symbolic 1 per cent, the $100 million mark.”
2016-02-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7629 (2016) · source
“We welcome the deliberations on the draft resolutions, but we are concerned that the question of financing seems to be a sticking point. It is quite clear that for peacebuilding, or rather sustainable peace, to take hold, there has to be clear, predictable financing. We take on board the concerns of those States and those delegations that are concerned that assessed contributions may not be the way to go. However, we believe that multi-year voluntary contributions must be the minimum standard. It is for those delegations that consider that the assessed contributions route might be problematic, given the United Nations financial system, namely, the Fifth Committee and the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions, to make the case that there is another option that is equally satisfactory.”
2016-02-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7629 (2016) · source
“Time is of the essence. The Organization, both within its core institutions, agencies and committees in-house and those in the field, needs to evolve and adapt to the new realities. Africa, as one of the primary beneficiaries of peacebuilding efforts, welcomes a greater, innovative partnership with the United Nations. We believe that the African Union Peace and Security Council and the Security Council together can deepen their relationship for the benefit of all. With the reports that were recently delivered to us-the Advisory Group of Experts report and the Secretary-General's report (S/2015/716) on women and peace and security and the implementation of resolution 1325 (2000)- and with all the elements that we have to consider, it is important that we do not waste time.”
2016-02-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7629 (2016) · source
“It is now a question of the evolution not only of our thinking but also of practical, political and diplomatic responses to the report. The old thinking of peacebuilding as post-conflict, or thinking of peacebuilding as something that happens when considering a relapse into conflict, is now outdated. We fully concur with that position. Peacebuilding encompasses a whole range of activities on conflictprevention. It starts before a conflict is fully realized, when we see the causes of conflict gathering. In the deliberations we have had today, the issues have focused on financing and the viability of the report. I do believe that the consensus is that the report is well received and its core recommendations are worthy of our strong consideration. But beyond accepting the report and beyond praising the report, it calls for compelling action.”
2016-02-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7629 (2016) · source
“The issue of sustaining peace is the central focus of the Advisory Group of Experts report. For that we commend Ambassador Rosenthal and his team for focusing our attention on the urgency of the matter. As far as Africa is concerned, it has been a key beneficiary of the peacebuilding efforts of the Organization and of key partners. We realize, however, that we need to do more. We fully expect and hope that the guns of conflict will grow silent by 2020, and that is reflected in our "Agenda 2063: The Africa We Want". Africa welcomes the key recommendations of the Advisory Group of Experts report, and we believe that it provides us a way forward. On the issue of the definition of sustaining peace, or peace sustainability, we believe that on this issue a compelling case has been put forward by Ambassador Rosenthal and his team.”
2016-02-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7629 (2016) · source
“I wish to commend the Venezuelan presidency of the Council for convening this important debate. It is indeed timely that we are here today while elsewhere deliberations continue on the twin draft resolutions concerning the Advisory Group of Experts report (see S/2015/490). I would like to commend the work of the Swedish chairmanship of the Peacebuilding Commission and wish Ambassador Kamau the very best as he assumes the post of Chair. I would also like to acknowledge the work of the co-facilitators of the intergovernmental process and commend them for the way in which they are guiding our work. With your indulgence, Mr. President, I will submit my written comments as part of the record, but I will now address certain salient points which I believe have arisen during the course of our debate.”
2016-02-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7629 (2016) · source
“All principal organs of the United Nations and the United Nations system must focus on that broader objective, and we must consider new approaches that can break down institutional silos and ensure that we work collectively as one.”
2015-11-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7561 (2015) · source
“The question is, of course, how to achieve peace and progress without creating avenues for waste or unnecessary duplication within the Organization. The business of peacebuilding must inform our inputs and must focus our minds on making sure that the recommendations contained in the reports of the Advisory Group become a reality. Of primary importance is the need to deploy the necessary resources to meet our overall aspirations of peace, security and development. In conclusion, as we consider the critical link between peace, security and development, partnerships with regional organizations and other relevant institutions must be given consideration. We also believe that the work of the Peacebuilding Commission and other actors must focus on the broader ideal and principle of sustaining peace before and after conflict.”
2015-11-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7561 (2015) · source
“The broad focus of the review will be critical, given the need for comprehensive, integrated approaches in that area. We welcome the report of the Advisory Group of Experts on the Review of the Peacebuilding Architecture (see S/2015/490), which, in our view, covers most of the discussions and recommendations made repeatedly over the years by Member States, including countries on the Peacebuilding Commission's agenda, the Chair of the Peacebuilding Commission, the Chairs of the country-specific configurations, civil society and partners, such as the international financial institutions. We must take the bold steps needed to translate our deliberations into a resolution that can bring about the transformation that we all seek. Peacebuilding is the work of all and must be at the core of the work of this Organization.”
2015-11-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7561 (2015) · source
“The peaceful settlement of disputes can only be achieved through frank and open dialogue based on mutual respect. Conflict prevention is a much more cost-effective and sustainable option than force. Mediation and prevention efforts, facilitation and the use of good offices remain central tools in managing situations of imminent and latent conflict. The African Union's contribution to United Nations peacekeeping efforts demonstrates its strong commitment to the search for peace and stability, and it stands ready to increase its profile in the peacekeeping landscape. The ongoing 10-year review of the peacebuilding architecture is timely. It compels all of us to face head- on the challenges of building and sustaining peace and the ever-present risk of lapses or relapses into conflict.”
2015-11-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7561 (2015) · source
“In January of this year, in Addis Ababa, the African Union adopted Agenda 2063 as its 50-year transformative agenda for peace, security and development. Over the past two decades, Africa has made considerable progress in strengthening democratic governance through the support of regional and subregional organizations. The continent has adopted measures to address tensions and the threat of conflict. It also continues to monitor and promote human rights, build peace and security, and consolidate good governance. Much has been done, but much still remains to be done. The African States note the need for greater efforts to implement the peaceful settlement of disputes, as envisaged in Article 33 of the Charter of the United Nations.”
2015-11-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7561 (2015) · source
“In this era of global transformation, peace, security and development have become ever more closely interlinked and mutually reinforcing. The African States emphasize the importance of peace and security as a necessary precondition for development, not only on our continent, but in the rest of the world. There can never be development in the absence of true peace and stability. As we proceed to implement the post-2015 development agenda, adopted recently in the form of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (General Assembly resolution 70/1), the African States would like to emphasize the imperative need for peaceful and inclusive societies as a key component for sustainable development. The African continent has made remarkable progress in becoming more prosperous and peaceful.”
2015-11-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7561 (2015) · source
“We call on the international community to adopt a zero-tolerance policy towards all acts of terrorism and to eradicate the structures of terrorism, its network of supporters, its financing centres, its training facilities and all those who seek to establish and foster incubators of hate. It is patently clear to all of us that national solutions are no longer sufficient to meet the current security threats, which are cross-border in structure and complex in nature. It is time for the United Nations to demonstrate the necessary political will to agree on a comprehensive convention on international terrorism. It is time to consolidate the normative framework against the increasingly complex and terrorist challenges that we face around the world.”
2015-11-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7561 (2015) · source
“The Organization has since then become the fundamental actor in joint efforts to seek common solutions to common problems that challenge humanity. The multiplicity of terrorist acts, the spread of organized crime and the growth of illegal economic activities in the world are impediments to the development that we seek and represent a growing risk to the stability and survival of some of our Member States. Terrorism remains one of the most potent threats to international peace and security. The recent events in Kenya, Lebanon, France and Egypt have once again demonstrated the need for the Organization to assume its role as the preeminent multilateral forum to address today's crises and challenges. In that context, let me state Africa's strongest condemnation of all terrorist acts.”
2015-11-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7561 (2015) · source
“I have the honour to deliver this statement on behalf of the African States. Let me, at the outset, express our thoughts and prayers for all those who continue to suffer from the scourge of terrorism, not only most recently in France, but also in Lebanon and Egypt. We are deeply grateful to the United Kingdom presidency for calling for this debate at this time. We would also like to thank Secretary of State Greening and the Secretary-General for their statements. We associate ourselves with the statement made by the representative of Iran on behalf of the Non-Aligned Movement. The United Nations, as we know, was founded to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war, to reaffirm our faith in fundamental human rights, and to promote social progress and better standards of life in larger freedom.”
2015-11-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7561 (2015) · source
“We remain convinced of the need for comprehensive reform that takes into account the principles, objectives and ideals of the United Nations Charter, for a fairer world based on universalism, equity and regional balance.”
2015-10-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7539Resumption1 (2015) · source
“The fact that after 70 years the Council's rules of procedure remain provisional underscores the urgency of addressing this issue. We note that the main thrust of all the positions of the various groups and delegations has been to ensure that the Security Council becomes transparent, inclusive, accountable and accessible in its working methods. The Group of African States supports those initiatives. We would therefore like to reiterate Africa's readiness to work with all interest groups and Member States to achieve decisive and irreversible progress, but as a comprehensive package of reform, not in isolated silos. General Assembly decision 62/557 continues to be our guiding light.”
2015-10-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7539Resumption1 (2015) · source
“Sustained cooperation between the Council and regional organizations will yield immense benefits in addressing the present and future challenges to international peace and security. Despite these positive developments, we are concerned about the inconsistency of the Security Council's decisions by its demonstrated selectivity in addressing issues that are of grave concern to regional organizations. In conclusion, improving the working methods of the Security Council is an integral part of the question of equitable representation on and increase in the membership of the Security Council. All five issues of Security Council reform are interrelated and must be addressed in a holistic manner. It has been several decades since the Security Council has been seized of the matter of the review of its working methods.”
2015-10-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7539Resumption1 (2015) · source
“The role of the General Assembly, including questions relating to international peace and security, as provided for in the relevant Articles of the Charter, need to be enhanced and strengthened in order to enable it to play its proper role as the most representative and democratic policymaking body of the United Nations. We commend the enhanced cooperation between the African Union Peace and Security Council and the Security Council, which has led to a more structured and effective annual consultation between the two bodies. We continue to urge for the enhanced coordination between them in order to ensure predictable and sustained funding for African Union peacekeeping operations and to support post-conflict reconstruction and development on the African continent.”
2015-10-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7539Resumption1 (2015) · source
“The relationship between the Council and the General Assembly remains, for all delegations, a matter of paramount importance on the reform agenda. In January, the Security Council underscored the interlinkages between security and development, including their mutually reinforcing nature. It is therefore key that we remain focused on this aspect as a means for attaining sustainable peace. Maintaining the balance between the two principal organs of the United Nations: the Security Council and the General Assembly, is extremely necessary in order to enable the United Nations to meet existing and emerging threats. It is also necessary for the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (General Assembly resolution 70/1).”
2015-10-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7539Resumption1 (2015) · source
“The two clusters remain inextricably linked and, while there has been some convergence of Views on how to improve them, key elements of the reform have not come to fruition. Notwithstanding the efforts made by various delegations, certain proposals that are worthy of consideration remain on the table. These include how to improve transparency and access to the Council and the creation of established rules of procedure for the Council. We maintain that the Security Council and the General Assembly must work closely together within their respective spheres of responsibility to seek solutions to the plethora of challenges confronting the international community, with the Security Council focusing on issues as mandated under the Charter, in order to foster harmonious interaction and a cooperative relationship between the two organs.”
2015-10-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7539Resumption1 (2015) · source
“We therefore reiterate our call for a comprehensive reform as contained in decision 62/557 and, in that regard, we stress the interlinkage of the five clusters of Security Council's reform. On two ofthose clusters - the relationship between the Security Council and the General Assembly, on the one hand, and the working methods, on the other - we have at all times maintained a principled position. Our position is the one we submitted to the Chair of the intergovernmental negotiations on 22 April and is reflected in the framework document; it underscores the need to uphold the primacy of and full respect for the provisions of the United Nations Charter that pertain to the powers and functions of the General Assembly.”
2015-10-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7539Resumption1 (2015) · source
“We remain convinced that cosmetic changes to the working methods will not advance the fundamental need for comprehensive reform of the Security Council and expansion of its membership in both the permanent and non-permanent categories, as contained in General Assembly decision 62/557. The status quo continues to be inconsistent with the principles, purposes and spirit of the Charter of this great and noble Organization, in that we have a Security Council in which Africa and other regions remain underrepresented or unrepresented in both categories. Our continued participation in this debate is firmly rooted in our commitment to working with the entire United Nations membership in achieving comprehensive reform of the Security Council along the lines elucidated in the African Common Position.”
2015-10-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7539Resumption1 (2015) · source
“We also take note of efforts to address issues such as penholdership, chairs of subsidiary bodies, preparation of annual reports and monthly assessments. We consider these to be modest but meaningful steps towards improving the work of the Council. We note that the main focus of the Security Council's Informal Working Group on Documentation and Other Procedural Matters has been on the Council's annual report to the General Assembly. We further note that elected members of the Security Council have not made much progress in pushing for the implementation of certain issues and we hope that things will improve in the future. We encourage the Council to continue to build on the important advances made through further improvement of its working methods by implementing actions outlined in note 5/2010/507 and subsequent relevant notes.”
2015-10-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7539Resumption1 (2015) · source
“I have the honour to deliver this statement on behalf of the Group of African States. At the outset, Iwould like to thank you, Mr. President, for including the issue of Security Council reform on the Council's programme of work. I would also like to congratulate Spain for its assumption of the presidency for the month of October 2015. We welcome the concept note circulated by the Permanent Representative of Spain (S/2015/793, annex) and take note of the issues contained therein regarding efforts by the Security Council to improve its working methods. We take note of the improvement in the working methods of the Council, including the use of the informal interactive dialogue, to interact and engage informally with individual Member States, the Peacebuilding Commission and regional and subregional organizations.”
2015-10-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7539Resumption1 (2015) · source
“As we go forward and approach the busiest period in the diplomatic calendar, it is gratifying that the various agencies and institutions of the United Nations family have remained focused on the Ebola virus disease and its eradication. Our watchword must be vigilance so that we can achieve the much-desired resilience.”
2015-08-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7502 (2015) · source
“Therefore, there has to be a medical firewall and a system of improvement. In closing, while we aspire to a system of medical excellence, we have now made sure that our Ministry of Health aspires in the short term to a national health system of reasonable competence - in other words, one that can deliver satisfactorily to its citizens whenever we have this kind of pandemic or epidemic. It has been a year and a half of fear, but going forward I do believe that we have learned the hard lessons and can therefore look forward with hope and cautious optimism. The international community has stood by Sierra Leone and the affected States, and it is incumbent on the affected States to stand by their citizens.”
2015-08-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7502 (2015) · source
“There is a sense at the global-community level that we are all in it together and that if we can establish the firewall in West Africa, the risk to the rest of the world will diminish correspondingly. We are all committed to seeing the back of this disease, but beyond that we are grateful for the efforts being made at the regional, subregional, continental and global levels to ensure that there is a proper system of disease control, not only at the regional level but also at the continental level, so as to make sure that any epidemic and pandemic that does come along will be swiftly dealt with. As our medical doctors in Freetown have said to us, it would be a tragedy if we were to successfully deal with Ebola, only to have cholera come down the line in two months' or half a year's time.”
2015-08-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7502 (2015) · source
“Our relationship with the United Nations system has been strengthened, and we believe that the strength of any relationship lies not in whether there are disputes, disagreements or discord, but in how we deal with those disputes when they arise. I do believe that the nascent Ebola recovery and resilience communities that have arisen - which of course include Dr. Nabarro and Dr. Chan - are ones that now understand each other. From the national systems, the national leadership and the national Ebola recovery response teams, there is a sense that the medical protocols that have been developed have to be followed. There is a sense within the communities now that the Governments of the respective affected countries now work for them.”
2015-08-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7502 (2015) · source
“We also appreciate the efforts of the non-governmental organizations that were out in the field at the very outset, including Medecins Sans Frontieres, which made the call and continued to sound the alarm loudly and vociferously. They also now warn that we should not be complacent and that, as we approach the last mile, we should not start celebrating prematurely. It has, as I said before, been a long and difficult path that has led to losses and bereavement and had a heavy cost. National democratic systems of governance have been fully tested and pushed to the breaking point. There were missteps and mistakes, but I believe that at the end our relationship with the international community has been strengthened.”
2015-08-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7502 (2015) · source
“We are fully mindful of our national failings, and realize that we must do better by our populations without reluctance or hesitation. There is a sense that the first public health mission is perhaps something of an anomaly; some consider it a bit far-fetched, perhaps, but it has shown its mettle. It has proven to us all that it is worthwhile. The risk in setting up such a health mission of unprecedented proportions has met with success. Resilience, quite simply put, means that the nations affected must be able to withstand any future pandemic or epidemic that comes down the line. The Ebola virus disease, unfortunately, has threatened our peacebuilding gains, and we therefore welcome the strong and vocal initiative of the Peacebuilding Commission and the peacebuilding architecture to take the lead in sounding the alarm and the warnings.”
2015-08-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7502 (2015) · source
“We are also informed by the best scientific minds that in any region where Ebola has appeared, it might reappear again. The question is not if Ebola will reappear; it is how we respond as a nation and a community when it does. Therefore, the health systems, the early warning systems and the cross-border surveillance must be in place. We look to Nigeria and Uganda as States that have effectively and efficiently combatted the appearance of the Ebola virus disease so asto learn lessons about early warning and about how to move swiftly and effectively to curtail the threat. I speak to the Council as the national of an exhausted but grateful nation that looked to the world community, put out a hand seeking assistance, and received the assistance it needed. As I said before, we are fully mindful of our national responsibilities.”
2015-08-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7502 (2015) · source
“Within the United Nations, the Secretary-General has made it quite clear that the various institutional silos should not operate as such, but operate as one. Within the subregion of West Africa, we fully embrace the belief that if one State remains affected, all of us are still at risk. Therefore, Guinea's successes are Sierra Leone's successes and Liberia's successes; Liberia's relapse is also the relapse of Guinea and Sierra Leone. Therefore, we stand together and we hope that we shall succeed together. There is a sense in this crowded global diplomatic agenda that each issue should enjoy its 15 minutes of fame and promptly move off the stage. However, we know that that should not be the case with Ebola. We are told that even after 42 days of no new cases, there is a possibility ofrelapse.”
2015-08-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7502 (2015) · source