YouSaid · the spoken record

Nusseibeh

lines on the record: 1,026
first: 2014-04-25
most recent: 2023-12-29
sittings or episodes: 151
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

“A further step of profound significance is the EU’s announcement that Kosovo and Serbia have agreed on the text of the declaration on missing persons. An endorsed declaration can help to provide closure to families while honouring those who are no longer with us. And we offer our full support to Kosovo and Serbia’s renewed commitment on that critical matter. I would like to take this opportunity to commend the efforts of the United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo to build trust and social cohesion across Kosovo. By promoting initiatives and forums that enhance constructive engagement between communities, they play an important role in building mutual understanding, tolerance and dialogue — the cornerstones of sustainable peace. Those pillars of their work could be developed further.”
2023-04-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9312 (2023) · source
“While the resolve of each party has led them from the ashes of war to agreement, taking it from the drawing board to reality is the next chapter and necessitates considerable work ahead, as we heard in the Chamber today. Last week’s events provided a glimpse of the remaining challenges on the ground. Sunday’s local elections in Kosovo, conducted without the participation of significant political actors in the four Serb-majority municipalities in the north, underlined the complexity of the situation. That said, the Brussels and Ohrid agreements offer the possibility of a path forward. By outlining specific measures that can support stability and strengthen civic participation, there is greater clarity today on the ways in which the situation can be improved, not only in those municipalities, but across Kosovo as a whole.”
2023-04-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9312 (2023) · source
“The recent agreement between Serbia and Kosovo is the most significant breakthrough in relations between both States in over a decade, and we must all support that welcome trajectory. The United Arab Emirates therefore welcomes the agreement reached in Brussels in February on the path to normalization, as well as the implementation road map agreed in Ohrid last month. Neither would have been possible without the leadership and goodwill of both parties. We commend the European Union (EU) for its dedication in facilitating dialogue and diplomacy. The United Arab Emirates affirms its full support for those efforts. We are pleased to see concrete steps towards the implementation of those agreements, such as the establishment of the Joint Monitoring Committee.”
2023-04-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9312 (2023) · source
“I would also like to begin by thanking Special Representative Ziadeh for her informative briefing, and I welcome the participation of Mr. Dačić, First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs, and Ms. Gërvalla- Schwarz, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs, today. The United Arab Emirates has a strong relationship and affinity with both Kosovo and Serbia. Those ties were marked just last month, during the visit of Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan to both Belgrade and Pristina on a regional tour. During the visit, discussions focused on bilateral relations and regional stability and prosperity. Peace is not a simple story of a before and after. There are many chapters.”
2023-04-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9312 (2023) · source
“That is why all actors — regional, national and international — must unite their efforts and remain resolute in our calls for a permanent ceasefire with a view to bringing the crisis to an end. We support the Secretary-General’s efforts in that regard and will continue to work tirelessly for an end to the conflict.”
2023-04-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9310 (2023) · source
“We also remain actively involved in efforts to de-escalate the situation on the ground. Alongside our partners, including the AU, IGAD, the League of Arab States, the quad — Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, the United States and the United Kingdom — the European Union and the Sudan’s neighbouring countries, we will continue to support all efforts to de-escalate and make the space for dialogue, as we have been doing in the past two weeks. In conclusion, stability will not come from violence. Rather, fighting will cause further unbearable suffering and lead to greater numbers of casualties. There will be no military victory in the conflict and Sudanese civilians alone will pay the price.”
2023-04-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9310 (2023) · source
“In the past 24 hours, Mohamed El-Gharawi, an official at the Egyptian Embassy in Khartoum, also lost his life. We offer our condolences to Egypt following that loss. We also unreservedly condemn those actions and share our condolences with all grieving families in the Sudan today and in the days ahead. The United Arab Emirates is taking concrete steps to alleviate the urgent humanitarian situation on the ground and provide evacuation support for all those requesting it. As an immediate measure, we are contributing $50 million in emergency humanitarian aid. Prioritizing the most vulnerable, including women and children, the sick and the elderly during the evacuations, the United Arab Emirates will continue providing care and accommodation assistance to the evacuees who come to our country.”
2023-04-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9310 (2023) · source
“That demonstrates the dangerous conditions in which Sudanese medical professionals find themselves. I would like to commend here the heroic efforts of those who continue to do their life-saving work, and call for full assurances for their protection as they conduct those necessary activities. We are also extremely concerned about reports today that technicians cannot access the Sudan’s national public health laboratory to secure potentially hazardous biological material. We call on the parties to allow unhindered access for the World Health Organization and local public health officials in order to secure and verify the safety of the material. Aid workers and diplomatic staff are in danger. Five Sudanese aid workers have been killed since the outbreak of violence.”
2023-04-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9310 (2023) · source
“The regionalization of the conflict will succeed only in making a dire situation worse. Our briefers today have also highlighted the critical situation that millions of Sudanese people are facing. Khartoum is under fire, and life has become unsustainable. With no food or water and unreliable electricity and connectivity, people are desperately fleeing to safety. Meanwhile, the fighting continues unabated in other parts of the country, leading to further displacement. The crisis has crippled aid operations serving nearly 10 million Sudanese people and is preventing aid agencies from responding to the needs of the newly displaced. Almost one third of Sudan’s medical facilities are now out of service, while others have come under fire or have been looted.”
2023-04-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9310 (2023) · source
“The agreement brokered by the United States will help pave the way for crucial humanitarian relief, but we also need assurances of full implementation by all the forces on the ground, which according to our information on the ground remains a challenge. We commend the dedication of the region’s leaders to de-escalating the crisis, and we need to maintain that momentum. Last week, in their statements, the African Union (AU), the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) and the League of Arab States decisively called for a ceasefire. As regional and international actors work together to support the Sudan, we must all be focused on preventing any regional spillover. We should ensure that the Security Council’s own work is aligned with and reinforces those critical efforts.”
2023-04-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9310 (2023) · source
“To date, we have evacuated individuals from 19 countries out of Khartoum to Port Sudan and, in collaboration with Egypt, helped secure the safe return of Egyptian soldiers in the Sudan. But at the same time, as we focus on the evacuation of international citizens and diplomats, we must not forget those who remain. The safety of Sudanese civilians is of equal priority to the United Arab Emirates. We mourn the 427 lives already accounted for as having been lost to the conflict. Due to the lack of data on the ground, those numbers could be much higher, as Special Representative Perthes just said in his briefing. It is now more important than ever to halt the hostilities and maintain the 72-hour ceasefire that began at midnight last night.”
2023-04-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9310 (2023) · source
“I would like to thank all our briefers today for their sobering remarks. I thank Special Representative Perthes in particular for providing us with the most recent updates, and I join others in expressing our hope that the United Nations team is holding up and staying safe under such difficult circumstances. I also add our voice to all those who have offered their gratitude for his hard work and express the condolences of the United Arab Emirates to the families of our United Nations colleagues who have lost their lives in service. Like many countries around the world, the United Arab Emirates has been focused on urgently getting our citizens and those of other nations to safety since the outbreak of conflict on 15 April.”
2023-04-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9310 (2023) · source
“The United Arab Emirates knows first-hand the necessity of cooperation and information-sharing during investigations. For that reason, we are encouraged by Denmark’s invitation to the pipeline operator to retrieve an object possibly related to the sabotage. We hope that it is a signal that greater cooperation between investigating countries and stakeholders will be forthcoming in the near future. We abstained in the voting on draft resolution S/2023/2212 because the national investigations are continuing. We encourage the expansion of last week’s cooperative efforts, as well as a clear deadline for the investigations’ conclusions. Committed to addressing the issue, we emphasize that global energy security is vital to every country and reiterate the paramount importance of protecting energy infrastructure.”
2023-03-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9295 (2023) · source
“The United Arab Emirates unequivocally condemns the September 2022 sabotage of the Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines. Those criminal acts caused severe environmental harm and endangered global energy security. The sabotage of transboundary energy infrastructure is of serious concern to the international community. The principles of sovereignty and international cooperation are vital to addressing threats to global energy security. We recognize the importance of the ongoing national investigations by Denmark, Germany and Sweden and stress the need for national authorities to conduct thorough inquiries. We also urge transparency in sharing their findings with the relevant actors. Global energy security demands sovereign States’ collaboration.”
2023-03-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9295 (2023) · source
“In conclusion, the United Arab Emirates remains steadfast in its commitment to supporting the Sudanese people in their quest for stability and prosperity.”
2023-03-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9289 (2023) · source
“Thirdly, while the Secretary-General has reported a decrease in security incidents, the continuing security challenges need to be tackled. We remain concerned about the increase in intercommunal violence, including the events that led to the death of a peacebuilding adviser in Blue Nile state. We are encouraged by the efforts being made by local and religious leaders to defuse tensions. The dialogues facilitated by UNITAMS at the community level in various areas of the Sudan that contribute to alleviating tensions between communities should be built on. Those efforts remain an essential pillar for the consolidation of peaceful coexistence in the country. We also recognize the vital role of the Darfur Permanent Ceasefire Committee as it continues its activities and engagement with the parties to ensure implementation.”
2023-03-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9289 (2023) · source
“Humanitarian actors estimate that about 15.8 million people — around a third of the population — will need humanitarian assistance this year. That is 1.5 million more than last year, and that figure is at its highest since 2011. Peace does not occur in a vacuum. The material conditions for progress are critical to addressing inequalities and promoting sustainable peace. The Sudan needs international support to be able to develop its own capacity to respond to emergencies and channel critical resources to achieve long-term stability. In the light of the Sudan’s vulnerability to climate shocks, we emphasize the need for a comprehensive response that also enables climate adaptation and community resilience.”
2023-03-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9289 (2023) · source
“We believe that what unites Sudanese stakeholders far outweighs whatever divides them, and in that regard we commend the recent efforts to expand the range of parties involved in the political process. We are under no illusions that crafting a way forward will not require huge efforts by all actors, both to overcome their differences and to work for a consensus while also building trust. In our view that is the only way to achieve a truly Sudanese-led and -owned solution and a peaceful way forward. Secondly, the ongoing diplomatic efforts in the political process must be accompanied by decisive support to the Sudanese economy. The two tracks are complementary and mutually reinforcing. The economy tipped into recession last year and inflation remains in triple digits, among the highest in the world.”
2023-03-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9289 (2023) · source
“With those positive steps in their early stages, the United Arab Emirates believes that it is more important than ever to ensure that the Council and the broader international community unite in support of the Sudan and its people. First and foremost, that means helping to address the challenges and obstacles that the Sudan has faced, including the lack of the financial resources it needs to implement the Juba Peace Agreement. It also means creating the environment necessary for the Sudanese people to forge meaningful and lasting progress in the political process. With that in mind, I would like to focus on three critical issues. First, the completion of the transitional period in the Sudan remains contingent on a broad political consensus.”
2023-03-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9289 (2023) · source
“Almost two decades after the imposition of those measures, a sunset clause of that kind is critical as we chart a course for lifting sanctions in the near future. Today’s meeting also coincides with the launch of the final phase of the political process. Despite the challenges faced throughout the past year, the Sudan launched a dialogue, supported by the trilateral mechanism, with the aim of achieving a sustainable political solution led and owned by the Sudanese people. As Special Representative Perthes highlighted in his statement, the commitment of the Sudan has borne fruit since the signing of the political framework agreement in December, including the plans for signing the final political agreement and adopting a transitional constitution.”
2023-03-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9289 (2023) · source
“I thank Special Representative Perthes for updating us on the recent developments in the Sudan. We recognize and continue to support the collective efforts of the African Union, the Intergovernmental Authority on Development and the United Nations Integrated Transition Assistance Mission in the Sudan (UNITAMS). I also welcome the participation of Ambassador Mohamed in today’s meeting. Our meeting comes at a historic moment for the Sudan. Earlier this month the Security Council adopted resolution 2676 (2023), which sets the tone for United Nations engagement in the Sudan going forward. The resolution, submitted at the initiative of the three African members of the Council and the United Arab Emirates, outlines a clear time frame for determining the future of the Sudan’s sanctions regime.”
2023-03-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9289 (2023) · source
“We regret to see the leaders of North Korea directing the country’s limited resources towards its illegal weapons programme while its people are in dire need of humanitarian assistance. The United Arab Emirates continues to believe that dialogue is the only way forward on the question of the Korean peninsula, both for improving the lives of those suffering and for obtaining true and lasting peace. It is high time for the Security Council to speak with one voice to address the situation and for diplomacy to prevail. We should also encourage the Secretary- General to use his good offices on this file, in parallel with other de-escalation efforts.”
2023-03-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9287 (2023) · source
“Today, we must bear in mind the clear and detailed information reported by the Panel on how the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea’s nuclear posture has shifted to be more aggressive, increasing the risk exponentially. The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea’s recent tests of short-range ballistic and cruise missiles for so-called tactical nuclear purposes should raise a red flag here. The Panel of Experts has also reported that the production of nuclear missile materials has continued, which is a critical concern for the Security Council. Millions of North Koreans continue to suffer from food insecurity and impoverishment, which has been exacerbated by the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea’s coronavirus disease measures.”
2023-03-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9287 (2023) · source
“Last year, we urged the Council to act and not to treat such provocative behaviour as the norm. Unfortunately, one year later, the escalation continues, and we are no closer to stability on the Korean peninsula. The United Arab Emirates calls on the Security Council to unite in condemning such actions by the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. The United Arab Emirates is grateful for the work of the Panel of Experts of the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 1718 (2006), which has extensively detailed the actions of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea to evade sanctions at sea, as well as reporting on alarming cyberthreat actors and activities.”
2023-03-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9287 (2023) · source
“The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea also launched a short-range ballistic missile on 19 March local time, demonstrating an alarming escalation of its testing programme. It is deeply regrettable that the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea continues that dangerous and irresponsible behaviour, threatening its neighbours and challenging global non-proliferation norms. It is not just a threat to the region but also a threat to all of us and to our stability. The erosion of the non-proliferation regime continues to threaten international peace and security. The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea must respect international law and the Charter of the United Nations. It must abide by Security Council resolutions and return to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons.”
2023-03-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9287 (2023) · source
“I thank Assistant Secretary-General Jenča for his briefing and welcome the participation of the representative of the Republic of Korea here today. We join the Secretary-General in condemning, in the strongest possible terms, the launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) by the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea on 15 March — the tenth of its kind in 12 months. The missile fell a mere 200 kilometres from Japanese soil, not only endangering lives but also putting at risk maritime and aviation traffic. This time last year, the Council met to discuss the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea’s first ICBM test launch following a hiatus of five years (see S/PV.9004).”
2023-03-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9287 (2023) · source
“The Security Council must work to find solutions to the ongoing conflict, and we all need to maintain our focus on resolving conflicts in other countries and regions that also remain in dire need, working together as a Council on those contexts as well in the coming period. The ravages of war are giving rise to a humanitarian crisis both within and beyond Ukrainian borders. We therefore share a universal, clear and urgent interest in bringing this war to a peaceful, just and enduring end.”
2023-03-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9286 (2023) · source
“The United Arab Emirates is now working on the delivery of a $100 million assistance package to Ukraine to ease the suffering on the ground. But as we have said before in this Chamber, another year of this conflict will mean another year of lives lost, of communities destroyed and of global division. Now firmly in its second year, the war is no longer a tragedy of a time and place, but risks becoming a protracted, immutable conflict with no end in sight. The continued pursuit of a complete military victory is a barrier to securing a just and lasting peace. We welcome efforts by China, among others, to try to bring the two sides together for mediated talks.”
2023-03-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9286 (2023) · source
“Within just one year, that was estimated to drop more than 40 per cent, and areas available to grow corn have fallen by 30 per cent since the outset of war. Energy is another area that has been thrown into turmoil as a result of the ripple effects of this conflict. The United Arab Emirates remains committed to working with the international community on this and to be a responsible partner. Even though the negative impacts of the war extend far beyond this conflict, they cannot compare to the dismal humanitarian situation on the ground. The impact on children in Ukraine alone is horrifying. Every day this conflict goes on, more children are exposed to the risk of injury and death. We underline the absolute importance of the protection of children in armed conflict as an irrefutable obligation.”
2023-03-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9286 (2023) · source
“We also note that relevant international humanitarian law obligations with regard to civilian vessels remain in force, even if the Black Sea Grain Initiative lapses. The United Arab Emirates also urges the full implementation of the memorandum of understanding on Russian fertilizer and food products. We encourage good faith efforts to address any ongoing issues related to insurance, financial and logistical infrastructure, and we stand ready to support this in any way. Yet even if implemented in full, the contagion effect of war will continue to affect agriculture. Blackouts across Ukraine, financial constraints for Ukraine’s farmers and once-fertile land that now sits fallow all contribute to a new, more difficult, reality for food production. In 2021, Ukraine saw record levels of grain harvested.”
2023-03-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9286 (2023) · source
“Some 24 million tons of grain and over 1,600 secure-vessel voyages have made it through the Black Sea thanks to the agreement, and 55 per cent of these food exports are going to developing countries. These movements represent more than simply the grain being shipped. Injecting more food into the global market brings food prices down. Therefore, even though exports may not be going only to the poorest countries, they are positively benefiting global market prices for all, and they need to be preserved. Accordingly, we strongly support the Secretary-General’s and Türkiye’s continued engagement with Russia and Ukraine to ensure the Initiative’s full renewal and address any issues that impede its implementation.”
2023-03-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9286 (2023) · source
“Looking back at the outset of the conflict last year, a spike in food prices threatened to send tens of millions into extreme poverty around the world. Within a week, prices of wheat futures had jumped almost 60 per cent. As the global humanitarian system struggles to respond to the overwhelming need around the world, it is forced to contend with the further strain of these price rises — all of which is taking place against the backdrop of an already stressed post-pandemic global economy. But there is cause for some hope. The impact on global markets has been cushioned by the Black Sea Grain Initiative. The United Nations estimates that the reduction of prices for staple foods, as a result of the Black Sea Grain Initiative, has indirectly prevented some 100 million people from falling into extreme poverty.”
2023-03-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9286 (2023) · source
“I would like to join others in thanking Under-Secretary-General Griffiths for his informative briefing today. We support his strong message on the ripple effects of this conflict across the globe. The war in Ukraine does not exist in a vacuum. Food insecurity is just one way the conflict manifests on the global stage, and it becomes a greater threat with each passing moment. We are meeting in the Security Council Chamber the day before the expiration of the Black Sea Grain Initiative, one of the few successes amid the tragedy of this conflict. For the purposes of today’s discussion, I will focus on the immediate humanitarian needs worldwide that Martin Griffiths has just outlined. Let us remember why the Initiative is so important, the good it has done, and why we support its full renewal.”
2023-03-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9286 (2023) · source
“Without a persistent and coordinated international effort, the status quo that contributed to the worst women’s rights crisis in the world is likely to continue. If we all share the objective of a secure, stable, prosperous and inclusive Afghanistan — and we believe that today we have shown that we do — then we all must be working towards the same objective in unity. For this, we must prioritize integration and coherence between the efforts of all the relevant actors within and outside the United Nations System, including those from Member States and regional and multilateral organizations. We are grateful for the spirit of cooperation and the sense of responsibility demonstrated throughout the negotiation process, and we believe it will continue to be necessary if we are to live up to our commitment to Afghanistan and its people.”
2023-03-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9283 (2023) · source
“On the second resolution we voted on today, I would like to express our deep appreciation for the constructive and valuable engagement of Council members on the proposal requesting an independent assessment of the international approach to Afghanistan. This proposal reflects our recognition that Afghanistan faces an exceptional set of challenges, from the severe deterioration of the rights of women and girls to the rise in humanitarian needs and the escalating security threat, as well as the unsustainable economic situation. The scale of the crisis demands our departure from business as usual. In requesting this assessment, the Security Council is not only demonstrating its deep concern with the alarming trajectory in Afghanistan, but it is choosing to do something about it.”
2023-03-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9283 (2023) · source
“I have the honour of delivering this statement on behalf of Japan and the United Arab Emirates in our capacity as co-penholders on Afghanistan. Today, the Security Council unanimously adopted two resolutions concerning the situation in Afghanistan (resolutions 2678 (2023) and 2679 (2023)). The first extends the robust mandate of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan for another 12 months in an unequivocal show of support for the Mission and the leadership of Special Representative of the Secretary-General Otunbayeva. At a time when the Afghan people are facing a set of profoundly difficult challenges, the Council has responded with a strong and unified message: Afghanistan, and in particular its women and its girls, will not be abandoned.”
2023-03-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9283 (2023) · source
“While we had hoped we would have established clear, well-identified and realistic benchmarks, we are confident in the Sudan’s ability to demonstrate progress, and we trust in the Council’s ability to take appropriate measures next year based on the developments on the ground. In conclusion, the A3 and the United Arab Emirates, as regional representatives, are committed to constructively engaging within the Council to support the progress in the Sudan, including by ensuring that the decisions taken by the Council do not have unintended negative consequences. The meeting rose at 3.25 p.m.”
2023-03-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9278 (2023) · source
“We appreciate Council members’ support and openness to engage on the initiative of the A3 and the United Arab Emirates for a sunset clause. Overall, however, we believe that additional improvements could have been made, and there were still opportunities for us to continue to engage to build consensus for the consolidation of a text that would better reflect the views of all. The reality in Darfur today is very different from the security and political contexts in 2005 that led the Council to impose the sanctions regime under resolution 1591 (2005). Substantial progress has been made in the implementation of the Juba Peace Agreement, and the parties remain committed to finding solutions to materialize its provisions.”
2023-03-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9278 (2023) · source
“Nevertheless, the A3 and the United Arab Emirates voted in favour of this text (resolution 2676 (2023)) in the spirit of compromise and in order to recognize that some progress has been made. In particular, the adoption of a sunset clause that changes the sanctions regime from open-ended to time-bound is an important development as we chart a pathway for the lifting of sanctions. In that regard, the A3 and the United Arab Emirates would like to make clear that sanctions are not intended to be an end or to last forever; they are simply tools intended for maintaining or restoring international peace and security. The A3 and the United Arab Emirates would like to reaffirm their principled position, which is the full lifting of the sanctions on Darfur.”
2023-03-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9278 (2023) · source
“I deliver this explanation of vote on behalf of the three African members of the Security Council (A3) — Ghana, Gabon and Mozambique — and the United Arab Emirates. The A3 and the United Arab Emirates would like to recognize and thank the penholder for its efforts in facilitating the negotiations process. In the same vein, we negotiated in good faith by laying bare our concerns and engaging with all Council members throughout the negotiations. We regret that the proposal by the A3 and the United Arab Emirates for a sunset clause of 12 months’ duration was not adopted, as we felt that it reflected both the current best practice of the Security Council on sanctions measures and the strong support expressed by Council members during the negotiations process.”
2023-03-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9278 (2023) · source
“The situation in Afghanistan is exceptional, and it demands an exceptional response. We can acknowledge that and work on coalescing the international community’s integrated and coherent approach, coordinate our efforts and reinforce UNAMA; or we can proceed with business as usual, to the detriment of Afghanistan and its people.”
2023-03-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9277 (2023) · source
“As co-penholders, we believe the Council needs to reconsider and initiate a more strategic overview of international engagement in Afghanistan. We need to articulate a well-defined pathway that serves to advance the well-being of all Afghans. The ultimate objective of that process would be creating the forward-looking, unified and integrated international approach that we so clearly lack today. What is certain is that, when it comes to Afghanistan and its people, we are too often trapped in a cycle of re-litigating the past, when we should be creating a new path to move forward. UNAMA is the face of the international community on the ground and deserves our continued support. However, by not taking action and not seeking to change the current course, the Council is failing to live up to its responsibilities and failing the Afghan people.”
2023-03-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9277 (2023) · source
“But what we have been hearing over the past two months from within the United Nations and from individual countries, and what the developments since August 2021 have borne out, is that we lack a political strategy for Afghanistan. And that sentiment is echoed in the discussions that I have had with many Afghan women, including this week during the session of the Commission on the Status of Women, asking us not to abandon the fate of Afghan women to those forces. Today, on International Women’s Day, there is no better time to express our solidarity in that respect with the women of Afghanistan. We must do more than that. Often in times of crisis, we mistake activity for good policy, when what we actually need is a strategic reassessment of the way forward.”
2023-03-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9277 (2023) · source
“The report of the Special Rapporteur describes in grim detail the deterioration of the human rights situation in the country, due in large measure to the systematic discrimination against women and girls — “among the most draconian in the world” (A/HRC/52/84, para. 14). As members of the Security Council, we bear the responsibility for ensuring that the international approach supports a more prosperous, more self- sufficient Afghanistan that is neither a threat to its people nor its direct neighbourhood or beyond. With that in mind, our support for UNAMA should be unwavering and must remain the centrepiece of the Council’s engagement on Afghanistan.”
2023-03-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9277 (2023) · source
“It provides the space for the Mission to work with stakeholders on the ground in an attempt not only to alleviate suffering, but also to improve lives. There is no doubt that the Mission is delivering to the best of its ability in what is a highly challenging political and security environment. Nonetheless, it is undeniable that the overall situation in Afghanistan is worsening. There has been little to no progress in terms of the expectations set out by the Council on human rights, inclusive governance and counter-terrorism. The Secretary- General’s latest report (S/2023/151) points to increasing humanitarian needs, shrinking political space and the continued presence of foreign terrorist fighters.”
2023-03-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9277 (2023) · source
“In the 19 months since the Taliban’s takeover, the hope of a stable, secure and prosperous future for Afghanistan has been hanging in the balance. Since that meeting in December, Council members and the broader international community have been on a quest to identify the most effective ways to respond to this deterioration in Afghan society. It is against that backdrop that we are considering the renewal of mandate of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), which is due to expire in a little more than a week from now. Around this table and during consultations, by myself and the co-penholder, it is clear that we all strongly support UNAMA and the robust and comprehensive work it is tasked with, as configured by resolution 2626 (2022).”
2023-03-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9277 (2023) · source
“At the outset, I would like to thank Special Representative Roza Otunbayeva for her updates, as well as and today’s briefer, Ms. Zubaida Akbar, for her powerful testimony. The Security Council last met in this setting in December (see S/PV.9227). While in the Chamber, we received news of the Taliban’s decision barring girls from attending university. Restrictions on the employment of Afghan women by national and international non-governmental organizations swiftly followed that announcement. We unreservedly condemned those decisions then, and we condemn them now. They systematically deprive women and girls of their fundamental human rights simply because they are women and girls. I want to say again here that those decisions have nothing to do with Islam or Afghan culture and risk further entrenching the country’s international isolation.”
2023-03-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9277 (2023) · source
“That is the path the United Arab Emirates has chosen and the path we have pursued in defence of the Charter for a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in Ukraine, preserving its sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders.”
2023-02-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9269 (2023) · source
“Richard Holbrooke once described an effort to end another war in Europe as something like a combination of chess and mountain climbing. Reaching the summit at which this war ends will require a series of small moves — renewing the Black Sea Grain Initiative; realizing the memorandum of understanding on Russian fertilizer and food products; preserving the non-proliferation regime; enhancing humanitarian assistance; continuing prisoner exchanges; and refraining from turning multilateral institutions into a battlefront. To achieve all of that, we must aspire to coordination in our approaches, not conformity, and we must encourage — and indeed nurture — all efforts motivated by a genuine desire to peacefully resolve this war. To do so, we must value, not vilify, open lines of communication.”
2023-02-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9269 (2023) · source
“Leaders across the world are responding with mediation efforts and peace plans. Now is the time to invest in inclusive and imaginative diplomacy by truly leveraging the global majority for peace. We must reinforce the Secretary- General’s offered role as a mediator with consistent, robust and determined backing. The post-war vision must also incentivize Russia and Ukraine to come to the negotiating table, not the battlefield. The war will not end if either side is more threatened by the alternative. Steered by the Charter and by history, we can dedicate ourselves to working for a peace that is neither vindictive nor callous. We are under no illusions that such efforts will be easy — too much blood has been spilled and too much damage done — but all of us should dread, with equal certainty, what looms in the wake of its failure.”
2023-02-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9269 (2023) · source