YouSaid · the spoken record

Mminele

lines on the record: 218
first: 2015-01-30
most recent: 2017-11-21
sittings or episodes: 29
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

“We have adopted a national counter- terrorism strategy, which is closely aligned to the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy. Its pillars are, first, understanding and prediction; secondly, prevention; thirdly, mitigation; fourthly, combating terrorism; and fifthly, dealing with its consequences. Our national strategy provides a comprehensive and proportionate response to the threat of international terrorism and extremism to South Africa's democracy. It takes both local and international best practices into account, while upholding human rights and the rule of law. Furthermore, the South African Government works closely with various organizations established by our Constitution to promote and foster social, cultural, religious and linguistic dialogue, as well as social cohesion.”
2016-04-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7670Resumption1 (2016) · source
“Together with the Secretary-General's plan for countering violent extremism, it provides a holistic and multifaceted response to the many facets of that challenge, premised on respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, including the rule of law. At the regional level, recognizing the need to strengthen cooperation and to develop a common and coordinated approach to counter this threat, the Southern African Development Community developed a regional counter-terrorism strategy, formally adopted during its thirty-fifth Summit of Heads of State and Government in August 2015. At the national level, South Africa's counter- terrorism efforts are guided by the values of human dignity, human rights and the rule of law, as enshrined in our Constitution.”
2016-04-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7670Resumption1 (2016) · source
“Promoting political solutions aimed at resolving conflict and creating the conditions for a better future over the long term will go a long way to counter that scourge. Those solutions should be based on all-inclusive dialogue without prejudicing any party. International cooperation in combating terrorism should also include a joint commitment to eradicate poverty and underdevelopment. Countermeasures can never be sustainable ifthose factors are not addressed in tandem with other counter-terror initiatives. The United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy, adopted unanimously by the General Assembly, is a useful and flexible collective tool for guiding the international community's response to terrorism.”
2016-04-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7670Resumption1 (2016) · source
“South Africa reiterates its view that terrorism cannot be defeated militarily and cannot be dealt with solely through the use of force or coercive measures. We believe that the only way for our collective efforts to succeed is to address the root causes ofterrorism. We need to understand and address the conditions that make terrorism an attractive option to the disaffected. It is critical to engage people, including through education, to eliminate inequalities and work with disadvantaged groups of society, particularly the youth, and to develop appropriate strategies at the national, regional and international levels. In that context, it is important to resolve conflicts in all parts of the globe, including through the search for lasting peace in the Middle East.”
2016-04-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7670Resumption1 (2016) · source
“Last but not least, we need to contradict and dispute the terrorist narrative, notably on the Internet. We have all noted that no country can shoulder this burden alone. Therefore the South African Government wishes to renew its pledge to fully support the global campaign against terrorism within the framework of the United Nations. The centrality of the United Nations in coordinating and facilitating international efforts is pivotal if we are to succeed. We also welcome initiatives and efforts that promote dialogue, tolerance, diversity and understanding among peoples, cultures and religions. Acts of mobilization directed against individuals, communities or nations simply because of their faith, language or race cannot be tolerated.”
2016-04-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7670Resumption1 (2016) · source
“Those groups are willing to sacrifice women and children in the service of their cause. South Africa stands firmly with the rest of the international community in its condemnation of those attacks and reiterates its stance that terrorism, in whatever form and from whichever quarter, must be condemned. We are cognizant that no country is immune and that we are all vulnerable to this threat. With terrorism's global reach and changing nature, international cooperation in countering this threat is critical. International efforts should therefore support a comprehensive, multifaceted and integrated approach to deal with the scourge. Efforts should be focused on countering the radicalization and recruitment of individuals. We need to hamper the movement of terrorists and the flow of funds.”
2016-04-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7670Resumption1 (2016) · source
“Mr. President, my delegation would like to commend China for its assumption of the presidency of the Security Council and expresses its appreciation on the convening of this important debate on threats to international peace and security caused by terrorist acts. Recent acts of terrorism across the world have again exposed the callous and heinous nature of terrorism. That is demonstrated by the indiscriminate killing and maiming, the damage to property and infrastructure, the fostering of fear in local communities and the undermining of social and economic confidence. While old threats remain, new threats and vulnerabilities have developed with the emergence of a new, technologically advanced and skilled generation of terrorists who harbour territorial and transnational ambitions.”
2016-04-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7670Resumption1 (2016) · source
“In conclusion, we will continue to work with the rest of Africa and the world to ensure that we protect all women from violence and discrimination.”
2016-03-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7658 (2016) · source
“Women's legal status and rights must be ensured in post-conflict situations. Strengthening the legal framework to address issues of discrimination against women with respect to land ownership, access to economic opportunity and employment, education and health care is an essential component of gender- responsive peacebuilding. South Africa believes that Member States have the primary responsibility to put an end to impunity and to prosecute the perpetrators of sexual violence against women and children. We condemn all violations of international law committed against civilians, women and children in armed conflict and post-conflict situations. We believe the Peacebuilding Commission and the Peacebuilding Fund could play an important role in supporting women's participation in peace processes in Africa.”
2016-03-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7658 (2016) · source
“Participants included ambassadors, officials from Ministries for Foreign Affairs, officers of regional organizations, such as the Southern African Development Community and the African Union, as well as women working in civil society. As our Foreign Minister, Ms. Maite Nkoana-Mashabane, has argued, "women are always peacemakers, and the ones who are always exposed to situations where strong men want to take over power". We will continue to call for increasing the equal participation, representation and full involvement of women in preventive diplomacy efforts in Africa and around the world. South Africa recognizes the importance for women to have unfettered access to justice in conflict and post- conflict settings, including through gender-responsive legal, judicial and security-sector reform processes and other mechanisms.”
2016-03-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7658 (2016) · source
“That would require a systemic shift from women's participation and role in only certain areas, such as advisers on issues of sexual exploitation and abuse, to one that would allow the mainstreaming of women's voices throughout all aspects of governance, development and peace and security-related matters. It is against that backdrop that South Africa launched the Dialogue Forum on Conflict Resolution and Peacemaking. The aim of the Forum is to train and mentor women in conflict resolution and to produce a new pool of mediators. The participants came from different countries all across the African continent who would work in the fields of mediation, peace and security.”
2016-03-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7658 (2016) · source
“A society that takes on board the interests of women in an inclusive approach to governance and development is a more stable society as it ensures the well-being of the entire population. Regrettably, women continue to remain excluded from the various mediation and conflict resolution initiatives at the highest level. The obstacles that impede women's full participation in conflict prevention and peacebuilding include the active, systematic cultural exclusion that continues to exist in many parts of the world, including Africa. We would like to emphasize the need to enhance the inclusion of women as high-level envoys and mediators and to increase women's roles in peacebuilding.”
2016-03-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7658 (2016) · source
“It also stresses the importance of their equal participation and full involvement in all efforts aimed at maintaining and promoting peace and security, and the need to increase their role in decision-making with regard to conflict prevention and resolution. The adoption of the resolution was a milestone, as it constitutes a landmark international framework that addresses the key role women play in conflict management, conflict resolution and sustainable peace. South Africa firmly supports the call for women to be involved in decision-making processes and conflict resolution. As key decision makers in society, we believe that women in Africa and elsewhere have an important role to play in addressing the root causes of conflicts, as well as playing an important role as mediators in conflict situations.”
2016-03-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7658 (2016) · source
“Let me first express my appreciation to Angola, as President of the Security Council, for having organized this important open debate on the role of women in the prevention and resolution of conflicts in Africa. My delegation also wishes to thank the Executive Director of UN-Women for her presentation. South Africa reaffirms its commitment to the full and effective implementation of resolutions 1325 (2000), 1820 (2008), 1888 (2009), 1960 (2010) and 2242 (2015) as the building blocks for advancing the women and peace and security agenda. It is important to acknowledge that resolution 1325 (2000) reaffirms the important role of women in the prevention and resolution of conflicts and in peacebuilding.”
2016-03-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7658 (2016) · source
“Consideration should be given to having the United Nations finance the Peacebuilding Fund from its assessed contributions, as recommended by the Advisory Group of Experts, in order for the United Nations to achieve its objective of sustaining peace.”
2016-02-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7629 (2016) · source
“The United Nations and the international community in general should support and complement national efforts towards the development of institutions immediately after the signing of a peace agreement and the end of open conflict, in order to support the newly found peace. Where peacekeeping operations exist, capacity- and institution-building should be simultaneously pursued if conditions so permit. We support the need for the Peacebuilding Fund to leverage funding so as to catalyse additional voluntary contributions, and for the Fund to consider developing a new funding area around efforts to strengthen the capacity of regional organizations. Finally, my delegation maintains the view that institution- and capacity-building in post-conflict countries requires a substantial injection of resources and more predictable funding.”
2016-02-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7629 (2016) · source
“We encourage the Security Council, working in consultation with the PBC, to make sure that peacebuilding tasks related to institution-building are working in an appropriate synergy with all peacekeeping mandates. The report of the Advisory Group of Experts also calls for a people-centred and inclusive approach at the national level that will provide a common vision to all domestic stakeholders. South Africa fully supports that approach and believes that national ownership of peacebuilding efforts is at the core ofcreating sustainable institutions in the immediate aftermath of conflict. The international community has the obligation to build on national efforts and advise countries, based on the priorities that they have identified for themselves.”
2016-02-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7629 (2016) · source
“It is for those reasons that South Africa supports the recommendation that the challenge of sustaining peace should be assumed by the entire United Nations system, including the three relevant intergovernmental organs. South Africa believes that such efforts should include other role-players, such as the international financial institutions, the private sector, local communities, regional and subregional organizations and donors. My delegation is supportive of having the Security Council exercise some flexibility in its working methods in order to allow the Peacebuilding Commission (PBC) to effectively play its role in advising the Council on institution-building in post-conflict situations.”
2016-02-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7629 (2016) · source
“In that regard, my delegation calls for greater synergy between the efforts of the Peacebuilding Commission and those of regional and subregional organizations, in particular the African Union and its post-conflict reconstruction and development policies and organs. Some of the key conclusions and recommendations emanating from the report of the Advisory Group of Experts on the 2015 review of the peacebuilding architecture also remind us that the United Nations has the core mandate of sustaining peace. As a result, that thread must flow throughout all of the Organization's engagements, from preventative action to peacemaking, peace enforcement, peacekeeping and post-conflict recovery and reconstruction engagement. That mandate must inform and be incorporated across all the sectors and phases of action.”
2016-02-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7629 (2016) · source
“The report of the Advisory Group of Experts on the Review of the Peacebuilding Architecture (see S/2015/490) also acknowledges that the task of sustaining peace globally goes beyond the capacity of what the United Nations can deliver on its own. Partnerships with local communities, regional and subregional actors, donors and civil society are essential to make peace sustainable. South Africa is encouraged by this aspect of the report and the progress made by the United Nations in strengthening its partnerships with regional organizations, particularly the efforts to institutionalize its relationship with the African Union. Cooperation with regional and subregional organizations is critical, as the need for sustainable development in post-conflict scenarios is contingent on the regional environment in which these countries exist.”
2016-02-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7629 (2016) · source
“Please allow me to join other delegations in congratulating you, Mr. President, for having convened this timely and informative debate. Let me also congratulate the co-facilitators of the intergovernmental peacebuilding architecture review, the Permanent Representatives of Angola and Australia, on the excellent manner in which they are moving the process forward. I assure them of South Africa's support. I also wish to thank Ambassadors Kamau, Skoog and Rosenthal for their briefings. My delegation recognizes that the core message of the reviews of the peace operations is that conflict prevention must be a central component when considering the necessity for peace operations. In that respect, United Nations cooperation with regional and subregional organizations is integral to sustaining international peace and security.”
2016-02-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7629 (2016) · source
“I wish to stress that South Africa remains committed to honouring and respecting the provisions of the Charter of the United Nations.”
2016-02-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7621 (2016) · source
“That applies especially in cases involving the United Nations because its processes translate into a longer response time, while the situation on the ground is getting out of hand. In conclusion, the Charter underscores the importance of States Members of the United Nations working together in dealing with challenges to global peace and security. The Security Council should guard against the flouting of international law by Member States to serve their own self-interests. The principles of non-interference and the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all Member States should remain protected by the Charter. South Africa believes that any intervention should be done in adherence with the Charter's principles and Articles and in the framework of international customary, humanitarian and human rights law.”
2016-02-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7621 (2016) · source
“In Chapter VIII, the Charter recognizes that the efforts of the United Nations in the maintenance of international peace and security can be improved by working in cooperation with other organizations. As emphasized at the 2005 World Summit, the Charter further recognizes the importance offorging predictable partnerships and cooperation arrangements between the United Nations and regional organizations aimed at addressing international peace and security challenges. During its non-permanent membership of the Security Council, South Africa worked tirelessly to turn that decision into action, specifically as it relates to the African Union (AU). We believe that it has become essential to allow the AU to respond to conflicts in a proactive and rapid manner, with a view to limiting the escalation of conflict and human suffering.”
2016-02-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7621 (2016) · source
“Fundamentally, it is important to remember that, to achieve lasting peace, there is always a need to vigorously pursue collective security through preventive means first, rather than a reactive approach to conflict resolution. In that regard the Council has been inconsistent and selective. The current state of play in the Middle East is a direct indictment ofthe Council, as over decades it has failed to adequately address the question of Palestine. The Security Council has even failed to enforce its own decisions - a failure replicated in Western Sahara. Furthermore, often when it does act, the Council's first response is to act under Chapter VII with coercive measures, ignoring the Charter's guidance and compulsion for the need to settle differences through peaceful means.”
2016-02-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7621 (2016) · source
“One area we have agreed to improve is the way in which we appoint the Organization's Secretary-General. Our joint commitment to make the process more democratic, inclusive and transparent has to date resulted in a much improved process. Nevertheless, other areas remain in desperate need for change. The most important of which is the long- outstanding reform of the Security Council, which remains unrepresentative. The status quo is particularly discomforting because the Council is the principal organ tasked with the management of the core mandate of the United Nations, namely, the maintenance of international peace and security.”
2016-02-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7621 (2016) · source
“My delegation remains committed to fostering the development of its bilateral and multilateral relations on the basis of the purposes and principles of the Charter. Since its establishment, the United Nations has registered remarkable accomplishments in fulfilling its mandate, including the role it played in the fight against apartheid and colonialism. The Charter of the United Nations is the single most important source of international law, and all Member States have the responsibility to uphold it. The United Nations has also demonstrated that it can be adaptable to new global realities, if the necessary political will exists within its membership. We will all agree that today the United Nations is at a crossroads, requiring our renewed commitment and focus to guide the Organization into a new phase of its rich history.”
2016-02-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7621 (2016) · source
“We would like to thank you, Mr. President, for convening this important and timely debate on the theme "Respect for the principles and purposes of the Charter of the United Nations as a key element for the maintenance of international peace and security". We also thank the Secretary-General for his briefing. The fact that this open debate comes in the year that marks the seventieth anniversary of the founding of the United Nations is highly significant. South Africa wishes to place on record its firm continued commitment to the purposes and principles of the Charter, which remain as valid today as they were 70 years ago. We believe that the world is better off because of the United Nations than it would have been without this Organization.”
2016-02-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7621 (2016) · source
“Acts of violence are also not condonable in whatever form and by whomever they are committed. In that context, we appeal to all the parties involved to cease the violence and to take a peaceful path that ensures that innocent lives are not lost. My delegation considers the international protection of the Palestinian people essential, as they are a people at the mercy of an occupying Power. In conclusion, South Africa welcomes the announcement by the International Atomic Energy Agency that Iran has complied with its side of the 2015 accord. We also express our support for the Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for Syria, Mr. Staffan de Mistura, to convene intra-Syrian negotiations on the 29 January. It is our hope that the process will lead to a new horizon for the country and bring an end to the terrible conflict.”
2016-01-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7610 (2016) · source
“Such actions not only undermine the viability of a two-State solution, but also hinder the Palestinian Authority's ability to expand its economic activity, which in turn undermines political stability and security in Palestine, which will eventually impact the security of Israel. The events in the occupied Palestinian territory over the past months have heightened the urgent need to find a solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. As the Council may recall, numerous concerns have been raised regarding illegal Israeli actions aimed at altering the demographic composition and geographical reality of establishing a contiguous State. The Palestinian people continue to experience injustices, and cases where settlers have burned an entire Palestinian family alive are completely unacceptable and demand our condemnation.”
2016-01-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7610 (2016) · source
“It should concern us all that while we are vacillating, the situation on the ground grows worse by the day because of continued acts of violence against Palestinians and Israelis alike, including ongoing settlement activity and the high rate of demolitions of Palestinian structures. In that context, South Africa deplores the recent announcement by the Government of Israel, declaring 370 acres in the West Bank, South of Jericho, to be so- called State land. Like the Secretary-General, we are concerned that should that decision be implemented, it would constitute the largest land appropriation by Israel in the West Bank since August 2014.”
2016-01-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7610 (2016) · source
“As we have done in the past, today we will again declare our commitment to the two-State solution and reiterate that an essential part of achieving peace in the entire Middle East is through the establishment of a free and sovereign Palestinian State, coexisting side by side in peace and security with the State ofIsrael, based on the 4 June 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital. We will also agree that this can be achieved only through genuine substantive negotiations among all the affected parties. However, our action, or rather lack of action, will expose our words and commitments as hollow because nothing has been done to encourage and move the parties towards restarting the long-stalled negotiations or to prepare the ground for the difficult way forward on negotiating final status issues.”
2016-01-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7610 (2016) · source
“We thank Secretary- General Ban Ki-moon for his briefing and for his tireless efforts to bring about a resolution to the situation in the Middle East, including on the question of Palestine. My delegation associates itself with the statement delivered by the representative of the Islamic Republic of Iran on behalf of the Non-Aligned Movement. South Africa has been actively involved in the Middle East in order to contribute to a lasting peace in the region and attaches great importance to this open debate. South Africa is nevertheless concerned that nothing substantive has been achieved, to our collective shame, which is witnessing the ongoing suffering of the Palestinian people. Yet, we would all agree that the current status quo is undesirable.”
2016-01-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7610 (2016) · source
“Additionally, the United Nations, through the use of Chapter VIII, could rely on the comparative advantage of regional arrangements in advancing the protection of civilians in conflict situations, as demonstrated in Somalia and Darfur. In conclusion, preventative measures, the promotion and protection of human rights and support for development within a stable environment ultimately forms the best long-term strategy for the protection and, indeed, prosperity of civilians under the responsibility of States. It is my delegation's hope that this thematic discussion will result in concrete actions, particularly by the Council, which is entrusted with the maintenance of international peace and security.”
2016-01-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7606 (2016) · source
“The deployment of the Force Intervention Brigade of the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo is a credible example of the success that can be achieved through the use of force against those who obstruct the peace. As highlighted in the report of the High-Level Independent Panel on Peace Operations (see S/2015/446), the three principles of United Nations peacekeeping should not be an excuse for failure to protect civilians or defend the missions proactively, and there should be flexibility in interpreting these principles to ensure that peacekeepers enforce their mandate. This would, however, require that peacekeeping missions be adequately resourced and provided with the requisite mandate and capabilities to implement their mandate.”
2016-01-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7606 (2016) · source
“Ensuring accountability for the most serious crimes, in particular those of international concern, is a very important aspect of ensuring the credibility of the protection of civilians and is key to delivering global justice. Strengthening accountability is therefore an essential element in enhancing compliance by the parties to armed conflict with their international obligations. Last but not least, South Africa holds the view that peacekeepers should be deployed in support of political or peace processes. However, should political or peace processes be obstructed and non-military protection tools be inadequate, peacekeeping missions with an explicit mandate to protect civilians must play their part in the protection of civilians, including through the use of force.”
2016-01-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7606 (2016) · source
“The selective application and abuse of protection-of-civilians mandates undermine the credibility of the international community in pursuing this goal. Furthermore, opting for a military solution, including by arming members of the opposition, blurs the distinction between civilian and combatant and subsequently makes the pacific settlement of disputes a less attractive alternative. Secondly, we wish to underline that while it remains the primary responsibility of States to protect civilians within their borders, armed opposition groups must also bear responsibility for ensuring that unarmed civilians are protected. The Council should ensure that failure by both State and non-State actors to uphold that principle does not go unpunished.”
2016-01-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7606 (2016) · source
“It is therefore critical that in responding to and countering this extreme violence, we ensure that we ourselves are not the perpetrators of acts that bring suffering and death to the very civilians whom we are trying to protect. In adding our voice to today's timely debate, my delegation wishes to make the following three points. First, the protection of civilians could best be achieved by the Security Council strengthening and investing greater efforts in prevention and finding political solutions to conflicts. Palestine, Libya and Syria are glaring examples of the untold suffering that civilians experience as a consequence of the Council's inability to find political solutions to these conflicts.”
2016-01-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7606 (2016) · source
“Mr. President, South Africa wishes to congratulate you and the delegation of Uruguay on assuming the presidency of the Security Council. We also thank you for organizing this timely debate, which is of continuing relevance. States bear the primary responsibility to protect their citizens, in accordance with their legal obligations under international law. However, the international community today is increasingly being challenged by the changing nature of conflicts, which have become asymmetrical and are motivated by the goal of targeting the civilian population, which is the most vulnerable in times of armed conflict. This debate is useful in evaluating our reaction to these circumstances and ascertaining whether the available tools in our arsenal are effective in responding to our collective responsibility.”
2016-01-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7606 (2016) · source
“It is of paramount importance to attend speedily to violent conflicts, which often emanate from areas of the world that are not geographically proximate.”
2015-11-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7561 (2015) · source
“South Africa has experienced the healing effects of bodies such as the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and we wish to encourage countries that are emerging from conflict to investigate the possible use of such restorative mechanisms. The causes of conflict repeat themselves and are never fully addressed when countries emerge from conflict. Therefore, global attention should remain in place even after violent conflicts have been resolved. During that time, consolidating the dividends of peace needs to be the foremost consideration, with a robust emphasis on stimulating economic development. A happy and prosperous society is a peaceful society. That needs to set the tone for preventive action and sustainable peace. We live in a world characterized by greater inter-connectivity and mutual dependence.”
2015-11-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7561 (2015) · source
“The stability of States is increasingly being challenged by their lack of capacity to meet the aspirations of their populations. In an increasingly unequal world, the redistributive capacity of the State must be strengthened. Inclusiveness in governance also needs to be addressed, because a more inclusive governance model is more likely to prevent recourse to armed struggle to further political interests. A healthy civil society that promotes dialogue and provides a voice to those who feel marginalized will go a long way towards providing non-violent forums for the peaceful resolution of political disputes. National reconciliation efforts also need to be put in place in order to address the collective wounds and the recourse to vengeful sentiments that can fuel relapses into conflict.”
2015-11-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7561 (2015) · source
“In addition to working closely with the national authorities of the State, greater collaboration and coordination with regional and continental bodies will be a fundamental prerequisite for greater synergy and strategic coherence in our approaches. There is a need to draw on strong partnerships between the United Nations and regional bodies, not only in terms of their comparative advantage in addressing conflicts and responding to them, but in promoting regional efforts geared towards greater regional development and prosperity. This is underpinned by the realization that instability and underdevelopment in one country have an impact on an entire region, and in turn on global stability, as they create sanctuaries in which transnational crime and terrorism can thrive.”
2015-11-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7561 (2015) · source
“South Africa is of the firm view that it is vital to integrate developmental aspects in international efforts in the areas of conflict prevention, resolution and management, including post-conflict peacebuilding. In that regard, we welcome the work of other members of the international community, including the World Bank as a critical partner in our collective conflict prevention and peacebuilding efforts. In all such efforts, the national context, policy space and specific needs of the host country must be respected and protected. Nationally owned interventions and development strategies must be supported in addressing rising levels of unemployment, poverty reduction and gender inequality.”
2015-11-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7561 (2015) · source
“While it is important for the Security Council to take into account and consideration the developmental and socioeconomic causes of conflict, the Council should not in any way encroach upon the mandate of other principal United Nations bodies, such as the General Assembly and the Economic and Social Council, as well as the Peace Building Commission, which are entrusted with that mandate. It is unfortunate that the Council encroaches upon the mandate of other bodies while neglecting its own mandate as set forth in the Charter of the United Nations. In that regard, the Council remains ineffective, failing to adequately address key peace and security matters in places such as Palestine, Syria and Western Sahara.”
2015-11-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7561 (2015) · source
“In that regard, peace and security will continue to elude us if we do not address the nexus between security and development. By and large, today's conflicts have their origins in disputes related to economic development issues, including socioeconomic marginalization; the disproportionate and unequal distribution of resources, wealth and power within societies; the lack of participatory democratic processes; corruption; and the illegal exploitation of mineral resources, which fuels those conflicts. For sustainable peace and stability to be established, it is essential to promote economic development and good governance, and to build strong State institutions that act to mediate disagreements and disputes within a given country in order to avoid violent conflict.”
2015-11-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7561 (2015) · source
“Let me start by conveying South Africa's condolences to the Government and the people of France, who this past Friday experienced the cruelty of terrorism. We would like to thank you, Sir, for the concept note (S/2015/845, annex) circulated on security, development and the root causes of conflict. We also thank the Secretary-General for his briefing. South Africa associates itself with the statement delivered by the representative of Iran on behalf of the Non-Aligned Movement. We wish to make several additional remarks in our national capacity. South Africa fully supports the assertion in the 2030 Agenda on Sustainable Development to the effect that sustainable development cannot be realized without peace and security, and peace and security will be at risk without sustainable development.”
2015-11-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7561 (2015) · source
“We believe that concerted and unified action by the Security Council is required to restore peace and stability in the entire Middle East, with due respect for the principles and purposes of the Charter of the United Nations.”
2015-10-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7540Resumption1 (2015) · source
“South Africa views developments in the Middle East as intrinsically connected and believes that the only way to achieve sustainable peace in the region is for the international community to work on multiple fronts to bring about the resolution of conflicts. We remain deeply concerned by the civil war in Syria, which has wreaked havoc in that country and beyond for four years. The instability in Syria has affected the entire region and has created ample breeding ground for extremists and terrorism. However, we do not believe that continued or increasing military activity by major Powers can resolve the situation in a satisfactory manner.”
2015-10-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7540Resumption1 (2015) · source
“The Council should also adopt measures for the cessation of collective punishment and settlement activities, which are illegal, as well as for lifting the blockade against Gaza. Urgent measures are required to alleviate the suffering on the ground. We believe that only then can a timeline be set for the resumption of the peace process. My delegation has taken note with interest of the report of the Secretary-General submitted to the Council on 21 October, which provides ample examples of the deployment of international protection forces, and we look forward to further discussions on those options in the Council as well as in the General Assembly.”
2015-10-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7540Resumption1 (2015) · source