YouSaid · the spoken record

Norman-Chalet

lines on the record: 254
first: 2019-06-20
most recent: 2020-09-25
sittings or episodes: 40
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

“On 22 July, it was with utter revulsion that the United States heard reports of yet more air strikes by the Al-Assad regime and the Russian air force on a market in the city of Maarat Al-Numan, in Idlib, which killed at least 35 people and left little but rubble behind. It is important that we be clear about the facts about the violence in Idlib and northern Hama. Russia and the Al-Assad regime are devastating civilian infrastructure and hitting medical facilities. As the UnitedNations High Commissioner for Human Rights said in a statement on 26 July, these are civilian objects and it seems highly unlikely, given the persistent pattern of such attacks, that they are all being hit by accident.”
2019-07-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8589 (2019) · source
“For the past three months, the United States has called on the Al-Assad regime and the Russian Federation to immediately stop their military campaign and their attacks on civilians and to cease military operations in Idlib, consistent with the Sochi agreement signed by Turkey and the Russian Federation in 2018. Similar calls from other Council partners and dire warnings from the Under-Secretary-General Lowcock and other senior United Nations officials that an offensive in Idlib would unleash the worst humanitarian crisis in Syria to date have all gone unheeded and ignored by Damascus and Moscow.”
2019-07-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8589 (2019) · source
“Despite the fact that the coordinates of these locations are shared with the Russian Federation through the United Nations deconfliction mechanism, specifically to prevent them from being hit, we have just heard devastating statistics from Under-Secretary-General Lowcock and Ms. Serkin, reminding us all of the grim facts on the ground that should compel us all to put an immediate end to this violence. Over 440,000 people have already been internally displaced since the start of the offensive in April, and the grim reality is that there is simply nowhere else for the more than 3.5 million people in Idlib province to run in order to escape the next airstrike. That fact is well known to the Al-Assad regime and the Russian air force.”
2019-07-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8589 (2019) · source
“The United States condemns in the strongest possible terms the escalation of the Al-Assad regime and the Russian Federation's military operations in north-west Syria, which have had a devastating impact on Syrian civilians, medical workers, humanitarians and civilian infrastructure, with an increasingly deadly air and ground assault. There is no denying that the humanitarian situation in Syria is growing more dangerous by the day. The number of civilians killed and injured is rising, and water facilities, schools and hospitals are targeted by regime and Russian forces.”
2019-07-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8589 (2019) · source
“We have called for a ceasefire and urged for the prompt return to a United Nations-mediated political process, and we call on all sides to work constructively with the Special Representative of the Secretary- General and UNSMIL to achieve a long-overdue political solution to the conflict. As we have said repeatedly in this Chamber, lasting peace and stability in Libya will come only through a political solution. Finally, we want to express our once thanks once again for the Special Representative of the Secretary- General Salame', Deputy Special Representative Williams, who is joining us in New York today, and the entire UNSMIL and country team on the ground for their work.”
2019-07-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8588 (2019) · source
“My remarks will also be brief as we look forward to discussing these issues in consultations. But I wanted to thank Special Representative Salame for his briefing to the Security Council today and for the serious and pressing issues that he has raised. We continue to support his leadership as he works to create the conditions for a resumption of the United Nations political process. As he highlighted, continued fighting in Tripoli, now in its fourth month, is creating opportunities for terrorists to regroup, threatening the stability of Libya's oil production and fuelling a worsening humanitarian situation.”
2019-07-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8588 (2019) · source
“We will do that because it has been proven that women's participation in peace processes result in more sustainable and long-lasting agreements. That effort is supported by the historic legislation on women, peace and security signed by President Trump in October 2017, making the United States the first country in the world with a comprehensive law on this issue. Let me again express our appreciation to the United Nations and other international partners for their support in strengthening the legitimacy of Afghanistan's electoral process and supporting Afghanistan's peace process.”
2019-07-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8587 (2019) · source
“Preparation for the presidential elections, including the publication of the final voter list, the printing of ballots and the recruitment and training of poll workers is continuing apace. Donors are also contributing $59 million of the $149 million election budget, including approximately $29 million from the United States. We continue to urge the Afghan Government, the Independent Election Commission and all political stakeholders to take all necessary steps to ensure that the elections are credible. In closing, allow me to note that, in line with the United States strategy on women, peace and security, we will continue efforts to put women at the centre of our diplomacy and development efforts in Afghanistan, protecting women in conflict and supporting women's meaningful participation in the peace process.”
2019-07-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8587 (2019) · source
“An additional 100,000 women also study at public and private universities. Today women make up 27 per cent of civil service employees in Afghanistan. They have served in key Cabinet positions, including as Ministers of Public Health, Women's Affairs, Counter-narcotics and Mining, and now here in New York as Permanent Representative to the United Nations. The United States shares the desire of Afghans and the international community to protect those gains and our shared investment. We remain committed to all Afghans who support human rights, including the rights of women, girls and ethnic minorities. As Afghans continue to pursue peace, planning for a timely and credible presidential election continues.”
2019-07-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8587 (2019) · source
“Afghans - men and women - are already coming together in support of peace. The Intra-Afghan Conference for Peace, hosted in Doha, Qatar, from 7 to 8 July with the critical support of Germany, marked a positive step forward towards an inclusive dialogue among all Afghan national stakeholders. We were encouraged that women made up nearly 25 per cent of non-Taliban participants at that crucial conference. The strong presence and engagement of Afghan women at the recent talks reflect the gains that Afghanistan has made in the past 18 years. In 2001, conditions for women in Afghanistan were dire. Access to education was limited, with fewer than 900,000 children in school and almost no girls registered. Today 9 million children, including more than 3.5 million girls, attend primary and secondary school.”
2019-07-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8587 (2019) · source
“Special Representative Khalilzad is currently in Kabul for consultations with the Afghan Government on next steps in the peace process, including identifying a national negotiating team that can participate in intra-Afghan negotiations. Special Representative Khalilzad has continuously advocated for Afghan women to be included in those negotiations. Not only should Afghan women have a seat at the negotiating table, they should have meaningful participation and a role in decision-making, as has been said by others this morning and reiterated by Ms. Afghani. Special Representative Khalilzad is also continuing his engagement with representatives of civil society, including peace advocates and women's rights groups, to further encourage broad participation in the peace process.”
2019-07-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8587 (2019) · source
“Our goal is to facilitate an intra-Afghan negotiation so that the Afghans themselves can reach a political settlement and chart a peaceful and prosperous path for their country. In June, during his visit to Kabul, Secretary Pompeo set an ambitious target date of 1 September for the Taliban and the Afghan Government to reach a framework agreement through negotiations. Peace is our priority and it must not wait for the Afghan presidential election scheduled for 28 September. At the same time, we continue to press the Afghan Government and electoral institutions to take all steps necessary to be prepared to hold a credible election.”
2019-07-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8587 (2019) · source
“The United States and the Taliban reached an agreement, in principle, in January that any comprehensive peace agreement must address four interconnected issues: counter-terrorism, foreign-troop presence, intra-Afghan dialogue leading to intra-Afghan negotiations, and a permanent and comprehensive ceasefire. We have continued to talk in more detail about those issues with the Taliban, most recently in Doha last month. We have been clear that we are not negotiating, nor will we negotiate, with the Taliban on behalf of the Government or the people of Afghanistan. While the negotiations with the Taliban continue, we have been conducting parallel talks with the Afghan Government.”
2019-07-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8587 (2019) · source
“This week, President Trump reiterated that there was no military solution to the decades-long war in Afghanistan. Now is the time to seize the opportunity to end the war. The United States efforts are focused on achieving an inclusive political settlement that ends the war in Afghanistan. As we seek a negotiated political settlement to the Afghan conflict, the United States continues to support bringing Afghans together at the negotiating table to decide the future of their own country - one that is inclusive of women, representatives of opposition parties, civil society and minority groups. Let me reaffirm that the United States does not seek a withdrawal agreement. Rather, we are committed to pursuing a comprehensive peace agreement that would guarantee that Afghanistan never again becomes a platform for transnational terrorism.”
2019-07-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8587 (2019) · source
“We alsojoin colleagues today in expressing condolences to the Government of Tunisia on the passing of its President, as well as to the victims' families for the senseless attacks in Kabul yesterday. It is good to see Deputy Secretary-General Mohammed here in the Council. I thank her for her briefing and for the continued hard work that the United Nations undertakes to support peace, human rights and economic development in Afghanistan. As she noted in her remarks, women have a critical role to play in supporting the development of a comprehensive and sustainable peace agreement in Afghanistan. We also appreciate the updates provided by Ms. Rosemary DiCarlo, Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, and the statement by Ms. Jamila Afghani highlighting critical issues.”
2019-07-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8587 (2019) · source
“The United States is committed to supporting the millions of people across the region who have suffered for too long from the worst of such conflict and instability.”
2019-07-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8585 (2019) · source
“Terrorism remains a threat to millions, and affected countries must redouble their comprehensive efforts to counter these actors, protect the civilian population and create the conditions for the safe, dignified return of the displaced. We share the Secretary-General's emphasis on the need to address the root causes of insecurity and instability, including inequality, exclusion and marginalization, human rights Violations and abuses, sexual violence and a lack of opportunity and proper livelihoods. To that end, the United States is working closely with Sahel countries and international partners to support integrated security-sector response efforts. In 2018 alone, we committed more than $242 million in overall security assistance to the G-5 Sahel countries.”
2019-07-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8585 (2019) · source
“It is time to transform the stand-alone report and briefing on the G-5 Sahel Joint Force into a broader discussion on terrorism challenges and root causes across West Africa, with spillover to the littoral States of the Accra initiative. This broader review should draw attention to the impact of the conflicts on millions of people across the region and the efforts of all Governments of the States of the region to prevent and counter radicalization and terrorism in general. We must also focus on the threats emanating from north-eastern Nigeria. Throughout the Lake Chad region, the United States is supportive of coordinated multinational efforts to bring long-term stability to a region that has suffered for far too long from the predations of Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province.”
2019-07-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8585 (2019) · source
“Such violence has negatively affected such institutions as health facilities and schools, which provide basic services, and forced hundreds of thousands from their homes. With the recent renewal of the United Nations peacekeeping mission in Mali (resolution 2480 (2019)), the United States calls on the Government of Mali and the signatory armed groups to use this opportunity to take urgent steps to implement the provisions of the resolution. While the United States is a strong supporter of the Joint Force of the Group of Five for the Sahel (G-5 Sahel) as a long-term security initiative in the region and has provided $111 million to help operationalize it, we must emphasize the need for the Council to comprehensively review the problem of terrorism and its root causes across the whole of West Africa, not just the Sahel.”
2019-07-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8585 (2019) · source
“In Burkina Faso, the terrorism threat emanating from Mali is fuelling instability and has displaced hundreds of thousands, curtailed Government services in some areas and disrupted livelihoods. We are concerned by the potential spillover of the situation into neighbouring countries. We encourage the Government of Burkina Faso to continue to address the root causes ofinstability and work with regional partners to address the growing terrorism threat. In addition, we request that UNOWAS continue its efforts in security sector reform. In Mali, we are troubled by the insufficient progress in implementing the 2015 Agreement on Peace and Reconciliation emanating from the Algiers process, and by the insecurity in central Mali that has exacerbated ethnic and intercommunal tensions.”
2019-07-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8585 (2019) · source
“While we know that such projections are uneven across West African countries, we are nevertheless optimistic that such economic performance, when coupled with responsible fiscal policy and good governance, is a bellwether for the region's future. At the same time, the United States is deeply concerned about the increase in security and governance challenges across the region. Transnational organized crime and the illicit trafficking of narcotics continue to undermine responsible governance and fuel corruption in Guinea-Bissau. We call on Government authorities to maintain the momentum towards genuinely free and fair presidential elections in November and encourage all political leaders to refrain from volatile rhetoric.”
2019-07-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8585 (2019) · source
“UNOWAS has played an important role in West Africa, and the United States deeply appreciates the Office's efforts aimed at supporting long-term peace, security and stability in the region. West Africa has seen several noteworthy positive developments over the past six months, as was highlighted in the Council today. The United States is encouraged by the success of the largely peaceful elections held in Nigeria, Senegal and Mauritania, and we extend our particular appreciation to Special Representative Chambas for his efforts in all countries to emphasize the importance of dispute-resolution processes rather than violence as a means of pursuing grievances arising from the electoral process. In addition, we are encouraged by the Secretary- General's projection of high economic growth across the region for 2019 and 2020.”
2019-07-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8585 (2019) · source
“I wish to thank the Special Representative Chambas, for his informative briefing today and for his leadership of the United Nations Office for West Africa and the Sahel (UNOWAS). The latest report of the Secretary-General on the activities of UNOWAS (S/2019/549) underscored just how varied the realities are in West Africa. From presidential and parliamentary elections where people freely and fairly chose their preferred candidates, to continued insecurity in the Sahel, where terrorism and armed conflict have interrupted livelihoods and made millions subject to food insecurity, the positive and negative developments in West Africa are as big and diverse as the region itself.”
2019-07-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8585 (2019) · source
“We appreciate that the Secretary-General's report to the Security Council (S/2019/575) included performance assessments as well as overall assessments of progress on mandated tasks and would urge the inclusion of even more details. MONUSCO cannot fulfil its mandates without high-performing troops, police and civilians committed to a clear set of standards and to the protection of civilians. We urge the Secretariat and MONUSCO to continue to implement the reforms outlined in resolution 2436 (2018), which will be essential to planning a troop drawdown.”
2019-07-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8584 (2019) · source
“It compromises all other progress to which the Congolese people aspire. We call upon those blocking the formation of a Government to adopt the flexibility required to seat a Cabinet and fulfil the hopes of the Congolese people for a better future. We will continue to consider sanctions designations and visa restrictions for those who engage in or provide support for acts that undermine the peace, stability and security of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. In the light of the aforementioned challenges we welcome the strategic review of MONUSCO and look forward to receiving the report. We place great value on these reviews and other United Nations reports examining peacekeeping activities and performance.”
2019-07-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8584 (2019) · source
“We urge the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the United Nations to finalize and release the enabling-environment pillar as soon as possible so that donors can holistically assess priorities and resource requirements. The United States also encourages all partners to ensure that response efforts align with and enable clearly defined leadership and coordination, engage and empower Congolese actors and address the security, humanitarian and development needs of Ebola-affected communities. Finally, it is important to raise the key concern that progress is slow on a number ofissues, especially DDR and the Ebola response, which has been caused by the absence of a national Government owing primarily to the intransigence of political actors aligned with former President Kabila.”
2019-07-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8584 (2019) · source
“Removing these bad actors is critical to ending cycles of violence in the east. Ending the Ebola outbreak also remains a top priority for the United States. The United States is the largest single country donor to the Ebola response, having contributed more than $98 million to stop the spread ofthe disease. We urge existing and new donors to consider making contributions as well. We also welcome the World Health Organization's recent decision to designate the outbreak as a public health emergency of international concern and to release the public-health pillar of the fourth phase of the strategic response plan.”
2019-07-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8584 (2019) · source
“The United States remains committed to fighting impunity and supporting the rule of law, and we are encouraged by the ongoing trials of warlords, such as Sheka, and by the warrant issued for Guidon Shimiray Mwissa, We applaud MONUSCO's assistance with these efforts. The flow of arms and the illicit trade in gold and other precious minerals enables the violence in the east to persist. We thank Ambassador Alotaibi for leading the recent trip of the Sanctions Committee to the region and the United Arab Emirates, during which we witnessed significant goodwill to help Congolese leaders tackle these challenges. However, we remain concerned that the Congolese generals under United States sanctions, such as General Gabriel Amisi Kumba, continue to participate in illicit gold trafficking.”
2019-07-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8584 (2019) · source
“We encourage key officials to consider whether the DDR process should provide willing former fighters, such as those of the Force de resistance patriotique de l'Ituri militia, a path to transition into a peaceful and productive civilian life rather than simply absorbing them into the armed forces ofthe Democratic Republic of the Congo and risk perpetuating cycles of human rights violations and abuses. We encourage the Government to clarify confusion with regard to the DDR's focal point as well. At the same time, we recognize that DDR is only one part of a larger political solution.”
2019-07-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8584 (2019) · source
“The United States is extremely troubled by the recent clashes across the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, including violence in the provinces of Ituri, South Kivu and North Kivu, which left hundreds dead and displaced hundreds of thousands, as Ms. Zerrougui just highlighted. The United States commends President Tshilombo Tshisekedi's efforts to stem this violence by dispatching senior officials to negotiate peace in South Kivu, launching community dialogue initiatives and ordering a military offensive in Ituri, all of which have helped address the violence. We also welcome the decisions of several militias to lay down their arms since President Tshilombo Tshisekedi took office, and we urge Congolese officials to lead a demobilization, disarmament and reintegration (DDR) process.”
2019-07-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8584 (2019) · source
“I thank Special Representative Zerrougui for her briefing and for the continued efforts of the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic ofthe Congo (MONUSCO) to support peace in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, protect civilians and secure access for public health organizations responding to the Ebola outbreak. We deeply appreciate the Mission's efforts. I also wish to thank Ambassador Alotaibi for his update on his work as Chair of the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 1533 (2004) concerning the Democratic Republic of the Congo.”
2019-07-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8584 (2019) · source
“Transitions are, by nature, a time of flux and instability. However, through careful planning and communication, clear benchmarks and the meaningful participation of women, we can advance the cause of peace, security and stability.”
2019-07-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8579 (2019) · source
“A successful transition will depend, in large part, on progress from the Haitian Government on a range of issues, including holding free and fair elections, the continued professionalization of the Haitian National Police, the reduction of community and gang violence, the protection of human rights and justice-sector reform. The United States remains committed to Haiti's future, and it is essential for the Government of Haiti to seize the opportunity that the United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti represents. In addition to engaging all Haitian stakeholders, including the full and effective participation of women, the Government of Haiti must continue to work closely with the United Nations and international partners. By doing so, Haiti can lay the groundwork for a prosperous and successful future.”
2019-07-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8579 (2019) · source
“In October, the United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti will replace the United Nations Mission for Justice Support in Haiti. The conclusion of the United Nations peacekeeping presence in Haiti, after more than 15 years, and the transition to a special political mission is an important milestone for the country. Once complete, we hope to be able to hold Haiti up as an example of a successfully nationally owned transition. As the Security Council has repeatedly stated, it is the primary responsibility of the Government of Haiti to address the underlying drivers of instability in the country.”
2019-07-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8579 (2019) · source
“Supporting women peace and security experts is a good place to start. In 2018, the Department of Peace Operations and UN-Women piloted efforts to include gender in conflict-analysis work in missions to inform transitions and drawdowns in Liberia, Haiti and Darfur, which helped the host nations and the United Nations to better understand the needs of women as missions shift from peacekeeping to peacebuilding. Benchmarks for United Nations transitions and exits should ensure that they incorporate stand-alone measures on women, peace and security and gender equality, in line with the mission mandates. The United States will continue to advocate for mandates that prioritize strategic assessments that include experts evaluating the needs of women.”
2019-07-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8579 (2019) · source
“For this reason, the United States maintains as one of its peacekeeping principles that every mission must have a clear exit strategy. Ongoing engagement on the exit strategy during the life cycle of a mission ensures that transition planning is considered, discussed and negotiated as early as possible. Benchmarks during transitions serve as a critical metric to ensure that all stakeholders, including the host country, are meeting obligations that will help to ensure lasting peace and security. Distinct and achievable benchmarks provide the transparency and accountability necessary to ensure that the host nation is fully capable of standing on its own without the support of the United Nations. Women must also play a more meaningful role in transitions, from peacekeeping to peacebuilding.”
2019-07-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8579 (2019) · source
“As experience has shown us, managing the transition process efficiently and effectively can be a significant challenge. I will discuss three points today: key ingredients to successful nationally owned transitions, the importance of the role of women in these transitions, and the case of Haiti. A transition owned by the host country, with the full support and partnership of Member States, regional organizations and the United Nations itself, is most likely to result in lasting peace and security. Planning and communication, along with distinct and achievable benchmarks, are also key elements of the process. Successful transitions require significant advance planning and communication among all stakeholders, including the host Government, the Security Council, regional actors, the Secretariat and civil society.”
2019-07-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8579 (2019) · source
“The success of transitions from peacekeeping to peacebuilding is crucial to maintaining lasting stability and security around the world. I would like to thank the Secretary-General for his leadership on peacebuilding initiatives and for the valuable perspectives that he presented earlier today. I would also like to thank Minister Trujillo Garcia, Franck Bousquet and Yero Baldeh for their important contributions to this important debate today. We also welcome the Ministers from Haiti and Timor-Leste. The United Nations has 14 active peacekeeping missions and 11 active special political missions. The goal for each of these missions is to draw down and conclude, as we have recently achieved in Cote d'Ivoire and Liberia, and previously in Timor- Leste.”
2019-07-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8579 (2019) · source
“We must all redouble these efforts to amplify the voices and contributions of young peacebuilders and youth leaders for a peaceful and prosperous future.”
2019-07-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8577 (2019) · source
“We have made progress in establishing young people as partners for peace, but this is just the beginning and we all need to do more. We need to continue building upon resolutions 2250 (2015) and 2419 (2018), which establish youth and peace and security on the Council's agenda. For our part, the United States will continue to support pathways for young people to get the skills they need to become active citizens in shaping the Government and politics of their countries. As I said at the beginning of my remarks, we should continue setting an example by inviting briefers like these young people to brief us in the Council going forward. We encourage each Council member to consider the best ways that they can open doors for the next generation. We cannot afford to ignore or marginalize 4.5 billion people under the age of 30 around the world.”
2019-07-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8577 (2019) · source
“Such engagement has been an important part of our whole-of-society effort, in line with the United Nations Plan of Action to Prevent Violent Extremism in countering ISIS over the past few years. This year, we continue to raise awareness, build partnerships and generate new ideas on youth engagement and leadership. As part of the Economic and Social Council Youth Forum held this past April, the United States hosted an event for global youth delegates in order to hear directly from them about ways to further implement resolution 2250 (2015). A number of youth delegates highlighted the systematic underrepresentation of youth in politics and policymaking. They shared their feelings of being excluded from decisions that affect them and future generations.”
2019-07-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8577 (2019) · source
“These efforts are aimed at building partnerships with promising leaders around the world. The United States also supports programmes that engage youth as partners to foster social cohesion and tolerance. Young people have played a critical role in countering terrorist narratives at home and abroad. Terrorist groups like the Islamic State in Iraq and the Sham (ISIS) have tried to find vulnerable people to recruit, however young people around the world have countered these hateful narratives with innovative tools, apps and approaches. For example, we have partnered with the Peer-To-Peer: Challenging Extremism programme, where students develop and implement online campaigns and content to prevent and counter violent extremism.”
2019-07-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8577 (2019) · source
“The advocacy of the 2018 Nobel Peace Prize laureate, Nadia Murad, who was in her early twenties when she first briefed the Council (see S/PV.7585), was instrumental in bringing attention to the plight of Yazidis and helped spur Council action. Ms. Murad's courage to come to the Council and give us a first-hand account of the brutality she encountered pushed the international community to act. We need to encourage that kind of leadership and give young people the tools that they need to succeed. That is one reason the United States proudly invests in leadership exchanges and programmes aimed at partnering with youth around the world. Our young leader initiatives engage youth in Africa, South- East Asia, Latin America, the Caribbean and across the Atlantic to provide business, civic and leadership development training.”
2019-07-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8577 (2019) · source
“As diplomats, we spend a great deal oftime meeting and talking to each other behind closed doors. As my British colleague noted, those discussions rarely involve people without at least a grey hair or two. However, let us consider the reality. All around us, we see examples of young people setting and driving the political agenda. Young people are not waiting for change to happen; they are the change that is happening. In so many parts of the world, they are the ones demanding an end to the tyranny and speaking up for human rights and accountability. Let us take just one example. Earlier this week, the Council had its second briefing on the United Nations Investigative Team to Promote Accountability for Crimes Committed by Da'esh/Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (see S/PV.8573).”
2019-07-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8577 (2019) · source
“It is tragic that for so many of the conflicts on the Council's agenda, children and young adults are often caught in the crosshairs. They are the most vulnerable victims when schools shut down, hospitals are targeted and aid is blocked. When a generation of young people cannot get an education or start a family because of war, it will take decades to recover. One key lesson we must take away from the discussions on youth and peace and security is that we must work even harder to stop conflicts before they begin. We need to listen directly to young people, as we have today. More often than not, we want nothing more than for the fighting to stop so that they can have a chance at a more secure and prosperous future. I want to focus my remarks today on how we can harness the power of young people to make positive change.”
2019-07-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8577 (2019) · source
“I thank you, Mr. President, for convening today's important meeting. I also thank Ms. Wickramanayake, Ms. Muganda and Ms. Ramyar for their important updates, moving testimony and concrete recommendations. They have brought a very useful perspective into the Security Council and one, as others have said, that we do not usually hear, so it is welcome. We should be hearing directly from people like them more often - young people who are organizing in their communities, making their voices heard and helping make the world a safer and more inclusive place. The United States is pleased that they have a seat at the table today. It is something that we hope will happen even more often in the future. There are many ways that we could talk about youth, peace and security.”
2019-07-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8577 (2019) · source
“In recent weeks, UNITAD has taken the important step of beginning evidence collection in Mosul - once a former ISIS stronghold. UNITAD's work there will send an important message to all Iraqis, including the Sunni community, that the international community has not forgotten the atrocities that they too endured. It is especially important for Iraq to work through a law-based process to hold ISIS perpetrators and collaborators accountable. UNITAD plays a critical role in that effort, including by ensuring that exhumations and evidence collection are conducted in accordance with international standards. We extend our appreciation to the entire UNITAD team for aiming to assure that justice is never beyond the reach for the heinous acts that ISIS committed.”
2019-07-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8573 (2019) · source
“Such close cooperation between UNITAD and the Iraqi Government is essential for the Team's success, as demonstrated by Special Adviser Khan's frequent meetings with key Iraqi political, religious and societal leaders over the last year. We call on the Government of Iraq to continue to give UNITAD the space to operate effectively. Independence and impartiality will be essential to the Team's credibility moving forward. No segment of Iraqi society has escaped ISIS terror, and it is important to develop a balanced and accurate account of events. That will give voice to all Iraqis, including members of all Iraq's religious and ethnic groups who have been subjected to unspeakable atrocities. Iraq needs accountability and reconciliation to begin in order to recover from the trauma that ISIS inflicted on the Iraqi people.”
2019-07-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8573 (2019) · source
“UNITAD's access to those sites is vital to the professional and impartial evidence collection of the unimaginable atrocities that the Yazidis suffered under ISIS. We express our thanks to Member States that have also stepped up to contribute to UNITAD's operations through funding and support means, including the United Kingdom, Germany, Qatar, the Netherlands, the United Arab Emirates, Sweden, Turkey and Saudi Arabia, and call on other Member States to swiftly support UNITAD in order for the Team to collect critical evidence before it is too late. Of course, money alone will not guarantee effective evidence collection. We welcome the Government of Iraq's commitment to working closely with UNITAD.”
2019-07-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8573 (2019) · source
“We are pleased that the Security Council reiterated its unanimous support for UNITAD's mandate during the Council's first-ever trip to Iraq last month, where Council members had a chance to engage with Special Adviser Khan and his team. The United States welcomes the rapid initiation of UNITAD's critical activities on the ground in Iraq over the past year and the details that Mr. Khan provided us this morning. The recent appointment of Iraqi experts to UNITAD, working alongside international experts, is critical to the Team's success, as demonstrated by the appointment of Deputy Salama Hasson Al-Khafaji, who joins us today and whom I welcome. The United States contributed $2 million in support of UNITAD's first exhumation of mass graves sites in Sinjar, which took place earlier this year.”
2019-07-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8573 (2019) · source