YouSaid · the spoken record

Oshima

lines on the record: 900
first: 2001-04-23
most recent: 2007-06-22
sittings or episodes: 95
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

“Mr. Oshima: After hearing my agency colleagues and the President of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) so extensively and professionally cover the key issues, I am not certain what is left for me to say. But I would like to make a few salient points, if I may. First of all, I too would like to convey my thanks for the support and encouragement expressed by all the members of the Security Council for the work done by United Nations humanitarian agencies. This is very encouraging and important to all of us engaged in the current humanitarian relief activities at Headquarters and, in particular, in the field under very difficult conditions.”
2003-05-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4762Resumption1 (2003) · source
“It comprises the practical experiences and expertise of relevant United Nations departments and agencies, including the Department of Political Affairs, the United Nations Development Programme, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and OCHA. The creation of the task force reflects the need to learn from lessons and experiences in Bosnia, Kosovo, East Timor and other conflicts. I look forward to the next opportunity to brief the Council on this issue in country-specific and thematic briefings.”
2002-12-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4660Resumption1 (2002) · source
“C6te d'Ivoire is an emerging situation where there are serious problems for humanitarian access. Here, too, a framework agreement between the conflicting parties on cross-line operations to ensure protection and humanitarian assistance would make a difference. Clearly, there is a lot of work to be done in this area. With respect to the rule of law, I would like to mention and emphasize the importance of the work that is being done within the framework of the task force on the rule of law established by the Secretary-General's Executive Committee on Peace and Security, chaired by the Department of Peacekeeping Operations.”
2002-12-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4660Resumption1 (2002) · source
“Specifically, in response to the question as to whether, in addition to Operation Lifeline Sudan and the Somalia Aid Coordination Body, which are specifically mentioned in the Secretary-General's report, structured framework agreements on humanitarian access would provide a stronger basis for the protection of civilians. A number of situations immediately come to mind. In Burundi, for example, there have been attempts at a structured framework, but armed non-State actors there have not committed to that framework. Their inclusion would considerably strengthen progress towards an effective transition. A similar situation exists in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where humanitarian access would be strengthened by a framework shared by all parties to the conflict.”
2002-12-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4660Resumption1 (2002) · source
“The question of terrorism is not reflected in the roadmap, and I believe that it would now be appropriate to identify how it could be updated. The Secretary-General's report committed to undertaking further work on the impact of terrorism on the protection of civilians, including formulating clear guidelines for the future work of the United Nations, which we will do in the coming months. I also wish to acknowledge statements that this issue should be addressed by the Counter-Terrorism Committee of the Security Council. I believe that through joint action we should be able to identify the key issues for future inclusion. I am grateful for the support expressed by the United Kingdom for the work of the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) and the protection of civilians in armed conflict.”
2002-12-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4660Resumption1 (2002) · source
“My office certainly welcomes such initiatives and stands ready to support such review discussions or workshops alongside our colleagues from the Department of Peacekeeping Operations and other relevant United Nations departments and agencies. Also, I would like to thank the Council for its recognition of the value of regional workshops and to encourage the Council to support my office logistically and financially in facilitating additional such workshops in different parts of the world. Let me now address some of the specific questions that have been raised. I welcome the suggestion made by the representative of France on the implications of the involvement of terrorists and terrorist organizations on the protection of civilians.”
2002-12-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4660Resumption1 (2002) · source
“The establishment of standard operating procedures between my office and the Department of Peacekeeping Operations is a first step in this regard. There will be a need to underpin that with common training and a systematic review of areas of joint concern. I hope that you will see the fruits of our collaboration in future briefings to you, as well as in other aspects of our work. In particular, we hope to extend such collaboration to peacekeeping training, where the protection of civilians can provide a useful common basis for support. I have noted the interest of Council members in more regular reviews of peace operation mandates and other country-specific operations from the viewpoint of the protection of civilians.”
2002-12-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4660Resumption1 (2002) · source
“It is, as the Council has stated, a living document, and I note the areas where it feels that revisions and additional input are required. As has also been noted, Security Council resolutions and mandates have progressively included more language on the protection of civilians in recent years. An updated Aide Memoire will clearly reflect that, as well as new challenges, some of which are mentioned in the Secretary-General's report. In this instance, I propose that we work so as to be able to submit an updated Aide Memoire within the next six months. I recognize the importance that the Council has attached to continued integration and collaboration in our work with other departments and agencies.”
2002-12-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4660Resumption1 (2002) · source
“The establishment of an implementation group within the Secretary-General's Executive Committee for Humanitarian Affairs, along with the support group that Norway has so kindly convened, will certainly facilitate addressing the outstanding elements of the roadmap. In my next briefing to the Council, I intend to submit a completed version of the roadmap. That will clarify the status of the recommendations contained in previous reports. It will identify responsibilities for further action and establish a clear timetable for action where appropriate. That, in essence, will constitute a plan of action for the protection of civilians in armed conflict. I am also heartened by the Council's deliberations that it fully recognizes the value of the Aide Memoire.”
2002-12-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4660Resumption1 (2002) · source
“The importance of the respect for and understanding of Governments and all parties to conflict of their obligations under international humanitarian law has been emphasized throughout these discussions. Many of the actions described in the Secretary-General's report will seek to strengthen such understanding, and we will also continue to work with national Governments and relevant regional organizations to reinforce commitments and actions for the protection of civilians. The roadmap that we are trying to develop has been seen by the Council as a document of critical importance. I believe that we now have the mechanisms to make rapid progress in developing that further, as the Council has requested. We will proceed, in consultation with the members of the Council.”
2002-12-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4660Resumption1 (2002) · source
“We are very encouraged and inspired by that. In the light of that, I would like to express my hope and belief that the Council's clear statement of its position, arising from today's deliberations on the protection of civilians, could be an important development. This meeting underscores the importance the Council attaches to this issue and the priority it receives - and I am confident it will continue to receive - on its agenda. It has emphasized today the importance of treating this issue consistently, across the board, for all countries that are of concern to the Council. I would like to state my commitment and that of my office to working closely with the members of the Council, Member States, departments and other humanitarian agencies to ensure the most systematic consideration of the protection of civilians.”
2002-12-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4660Resumption1 (2002) · source
“Mr. Oshima: I would like to express my deep appreciation for the compliments extended to my office, as well as to sister humanitarian agencies and their partners. I would also like to thank Council members for the many encouraging comments and constructive suggestions received today from members and non-members of the Council. The Secretary-General, in his introductory opening statement, emphasized that what we need most of all is practical action and a clear path from policy to implementation. The Council has clearly demonstrated today its strong and energetic commitment to strengthening the protection of civilians in armed conflict and its resolve to see to it that the policy recommendations we have made are implemented and result in real improvement on the ground for the lives of men, women and children caught up in war.”
2002-12-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4660Resumption1 (2002) · source
“We must systematically build awareness, responsibility and support among Governments and armed non-State actors to ensure that where there is conflict there is proper regard for the protection of civilians.”
2002-12-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4660 (2002) · source
“To implement this, we are systematically drawing up plans of action with our partners, and working alongside Member States to put new energy, political will and resources into this ongoing commitment. We must match momentum with action. With the Council's agreement I will report back on our progress in six months, while the Secretary- General will report comprehensively to the Security Council every 18 months. When confronted with a challenge of this magnitude it is important to recognize that progress depends on incremental change. The steps we have taken so far will make a difference in awareness and in the commitment to provide better protection to civilians. The practical actions outlined in the report will help to address some of the most immediate threats challenging civilians today.”
2002-12-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4660 (2002) · source
“In order to facilitate this greater interdepartmental cooperation, we will be conducting joint training for staff, at Headquarters and in the field, within OCHA, DPKO and DPA, and in peacekeeping operations. Our goal is to ensure that United Nations personnel and their national counterparts more systematically give priority to the humanitarian and protection needs of civilians in conflict. In my comments today I have reviewed what I consider to be the three core tasks of the protection of civilians agenda, namely to advocate, to educate and to implement. To advocate and educate we are using the regional workshops, developing training materials and setting up collaborative planning mechanisms to mainstream the protection of civilians in the daily work of the United Nations.”
2002-12-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4660 (2002) · source
“A memorandum of understanding between the Department of Peacekeeping Operations (DPKO) and OCHA has now been signed, committing both departments to collaboration and the protection of civilians in peace operations, as called for in the Secretary-General's report. This collaborative approach has been exemplified by joint OCHA-DPKO briefings to the Security Council on the Mano river in July, which I mentioned earlier, and more recently on the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. OCHA and the Department of Political Affairs (DPA) will also strengthen their collaboration to ensure the full integration of civilian protection issues in the planning and implementation of peace missions and peace processes, particularly during the period of transition from conflict to a sustainable peace.”
2002-12-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4660 (2002) · source
“That group will spearhead the production of the plan of action. Moreover, it will liaise with the Member States' support group for the protection of civilians to which I have just referred, with donors and with members of the Security Council. It will also provide guidance and input for the regional workshops and will work to develop training materials and modules for United Nations staff and national authorities on the subject. For its part, my office, OCHA, will continue to work with concerned departments and agencies to ensure that the United Nations system addresses the implementation of the protection of civilians agenda in a coordinated manner. We will also continue to engage with members of the Inter-Agency Standing Committee throughout this process.”
2002-12-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4660 (2002) · source
“The group aims to develop momentum and focus among Member States by creating a forum to promote conceptual, technical, financial and political support for the protection of civilians in armed conflict. It will also serve as a forum for information exchange between Member States and the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) on behalf of the humanitarian community. I thank the Government of Norway for taking the lead in this very important initiative; we look forward to working closely with the members of the support group. Secondly, within the Secretariat, the Secretary- General's Executive Committee on Humanitarian Affairs, the coordinating body of United Nations agencies dealing with humanitarian concerns, decided recently to create an implementation group for the protection of civilians.”
2002-12-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4660 (2002) · source
“It reorganizes recommendations from the previous two reports, on which the Council has agreed, by theme. It is intended to provide a broad initial picture. A more thorough process of detailed consultation with Member States, United Nations bodies, departments, funds and agencies is now needed. The ultimate objective is to produce a plan of action for implementation, with specific responsibilities assigned, and with time frames where appropriate. Effective implementation of the agenda on the protection of civilians requires the continued engagement and support of Member States. I am extremely encouraged by the establishment this week of a support group of Member States, led by Norway, to create a broader support base for the protection of civilians in armed conflict.”
2002-12-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4660 (2002) · source
“What ultimately matters is the effect those efforts have on the concrete situation of civilians in the field. What matters is the implementation of the recommendations made in previous reports. I am aware that this is not an easy task and that it will require a continuing and persistent effort. However, it is the humanitarian imperative to persist. Great importance is therefore attached to the road map called for by the Security Council in June 2001. Clarity of responsibilities and tasks will help bring about expeditious implementation. The initial road map that has been annexed to the third report of the Secretary-General is a preliminary version, prepared in consultation with the relevant United Nations departments, agencies and funds.”
2002-12-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4660 (2002) · source
“The workshops specifically promote the use of diagnostic tools such as the aide- memoire to assess potential regional threats to peace and security and to identify ways to address them. In that way, the policy work that has been deliberated here in New York is making its way into political capitals and, ultimately, into the communities experiencing conflict. Those are the first steps on a long march towards establishing the culture of protection. The workshops will be followed by at least three more next year, in the Pacific Rim, Africa and Latin America. So far, I am very encouraged by the response of Member States to the workshops and by their commitment. As we all know, progress in protecting civilians cannot be measured in workshops and policy discussions.”
2002-12-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4660 (2002) · source
“The first one, held in South Africa, covered the Southern African region; the second, held in Japan, covered South-East Asia and the Pacific; and the third, recently held in the United Kingdom, covered Europe, including the Balkans and Russia. To date, some 30 countries have participated in those workshops. I wish to express my special thanks to the Governments of South Africa, Canada, Japan and the United Kingdom for their support in that respect. Aiming specifically at Government officials, diplomats and military staff of Member States, the workshops are an important means of familiarizing participants with the basic concept and multiple facets of protection, of providing the tools for more effective physical and legal protection in practice, and of building a growing consensus and constituency around the concept of protection.”
2002-12-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4660 (2002) · source
“The resulting resolution, resolution 1445 (2002), affirmed an expansion and the location of additional resources, taking into account the Council's deep concern over the humanitarian situation throughout the country and, in particular, in the Ituri region. It called for full humanitarian access and guarantees of the physical security of humanitarian workers. That is the implementation we are calling for: the protection of civilians agenda in action. Moreover, as suggested during my last briefing to the Council on this matter, in March, we have now held the first three of a series of regional workshops on the protection of civilians in armed conflict.”
2002-12-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4660 (2002) · source
“Its first practical application came in July as the Security Council convened a workshop reviewing the peacekeeping mandate in Sierra Leone. Along the lines of the aide-memoire, participants reviewed the United Nations mandate in the Mano river region, measuring its operational effectiveness by its success in meeting the protection and assistance needs of civilians. We welcome that approach and look forward to additional and regular reviews of other peace operation efforts in areas of serious concern in terms of the protection of civilians. Also, as indicated earlier, the Security Council has started to take into account the protection needs of civilians in its recent revision of the United Nations mandate in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.”
2002-12-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4660 (2002) · source
“In order to create a culture of protection, the States Members of the United Nations, as well as departments, funds and agencies, have worked collectively to devise the necessary policy and analytical framework for the protection of civilians in armed conflict. In addition, we have intensified our efforts to raise the level of awareness and understanding of Member States and agencies of the multifaceted nature of protection and of the toolkit now available to us. The aide-memoire adopted by the Council in March after an exemplary interactive process among Council members and United Nations departments and agencies is the centrepiece of those efforts. Serving as a checklist for Council deliberations, it also represents the Ten Commandments, as it were, of protection and is the backbone of our training exercises.”
2002-12-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4660 (2002) · source
“This third report of the Secretary-General on the protection of civilians in armed conflict (8/2002/1300) identifies three significant new challenges to the international community, Member States and agencies alike: the gender-based violence in humanitarian crisis and conflict situations; the harmful consequences of the commercial exploitation of conflict; and the escalating threat of global terrorism. At the same time, the report reiterates three key findings of previous reports: the need for safe and unimpeded access to vulnerable populations; the importance of separating civilians from armed elements in camps for displaced persons; and the centrality of vigorously promoting respect for the rule of law in conflict areas.”
2002-12-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4660 (2002) · source
“Civilians are also in dire need of protection and assistance in many other crisis situations around the world. While we continue to move on, jointly, implementing and mainstreaming the recommendations of the previous two reports of the Secretary-General (S/l999/957 and S/200l/33l), we must not forget to bring new challenges to the Council's attention and to remind its member States of the many unresolved challenges that remain in protecting the vulnerable. In my view, the Security Council has been, and continues to be, an appropriate forum in which to discuss those 1ssues.”
2002-12-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4660 (2002) · source
“That is additional proof of the indispensability of engaging the parties to a conflict in a political process and of the responsibility to provide incentives for sustainable peace in which we do not lose sight of protection priorities. However, those encouraging developments must not make us complacent or make us slow down. The establishment of the culture of protection called for by the Secretary-General in his most recent report is still a distant goal. Civilians remain the main casualties of conflict today. The violence and attacks in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, in Cote d'Ivoire, in the occupied Palestinian territory and in Burundi are only the most recent reminders of that fact. Daily, such violence and attacks take an unacceptable, high toll in human life and livelihood.”
2002-12-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4660 (2002) · source
“The Council itself has given greater priority to the protection of civilians and has on several occasions indicated its willingness to apply the findings and lessons enshrined in the Aide Memoire it adopted 15 March 2002 (S/PRST/2002/6, annex). The review of the mandates of the United Nations Mission in Sierra Leone (UNAMSIL) and, just recently, of the United Nations Organization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUC) for the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo is only one example that demonstrates that there is no substitute for the willingness to act if we want to transcend the sheer endless cycles of violence. Also, a number of the world's protracted conflicts- Afghanistan, Angola, Sudan, Sri Lanka and now Aceh in Indonesia - have started to subside or have entered a transitional period from conflict to peace.”
2002-12-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4660 (2002) · source
“Over the past three years, we have provided the Council and Member States with a solid framework of practical measures to protect and assist vulnerable populations caught in conflict situations. Much progress has been made in drawing attention to the plight of the millions of civilians who have died over the last decade alone as a result of armed conflict, the tens of millions who have been displaced by war and the countless numbers of women and children deprived of a future and a life free from fear. We have raised awareness of the steps and measures that are needed to protect civilians more effectively, both physically and legally. We have succeeded in drawing greater attention to the complexity and interconnectedness of the challenges posed by the vulnerability of civilians in violent conflict.”
2002-12-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4660 (2002) · source
“Mr. Oshima: I am grateful for the opportunity to address the Council once again on the issue of the protection of civilians in armed conflict. There could be no more appropriate occasion to review the progress we have made and the challenges remaining in protecting the lives, rights and fundamental freedoms of civilians around the world than this day - International Human Rights Day. In this respect, I would like to take the opportunity to convey the special thanks of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, Sergio Vieira de Mello, for the holding of this open session on protection of civilian populations in armed conflict today, 10 December, World Human Rights Day. This is a clear recognition on the part of the Council that this is a central concern in both the human rights and the humanitarian fields.”
2002-12-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4660 (2002) · source
“To the extent that we are aware, the Government has been cooperative with the United Nations agencies - and, particularly, with my Office, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs - in implementing these principles, not only at the national level but also at the provincial level. So there is an intention to implement them, but clearly, much more needs to be done, given the magnitude of the problems involved.”
2002-07-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4575 (2002) · source
“Concerning refugees, Angola, as mentioned earlier, has a refugee population of slightly less than half a million in the neighbouring countries. As far as I am aware, the conditions are not yet in place for the organized voluntary return of refugees, although spontaneous repatriation movement has apparently begun in some locations. I understand that the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees is preparing for the return of refugees from neighbouring countries to Angola. The guidelines for internally displaced persons that the Angolan Government has adopted in its national legislation are commendable, as I mentioned, but it is important that they be actively implemented.”
2002-07-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4575 (2002) · source
“So that is very much under consideration, and the Government is actively engaged in planning for it, with support from international organizations such as the World Bank. As far as the United Nations is concerned, the Organization provides support, as requested by the Government. Thus far, the Government has requested the Organization to assist the families of ex- combatants, and agencies are currently providing emergency assistance in several family areas. With respect to the time frame for resettlement, we asked that question, but we were not provided with a clear idea as to how the time frame and the details of the resettlement of internally displaced persons are being considered within the Government. I get the impression that very active planning is under way.”
2002-07-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4575 (2002) · source
“We submitted to those ministries a list of high-priority infrastructure repairs, and I think they have taken good note of our concerns as well as of the high-priority repairs that we would like to see take place soon. As to the question about resettlement programmes, I think it could be better answered by the representative of Angola. With regard to the demobilization and resettlement of ex-combatant soldiers, we understand that the Government has a plan to complete the demobilization of nearly 80,000 soldiers by 20 July, and that 5,000 of them will be integrated into the Angolan armed forces. In addition, the Angolan Government has requested the World Bank and other actors to develop a demobilization and reintegration programme.”
2002-07-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4575 (2002) · source
“We continue to raise them so that the most serious effort is made to address these very practical issues. Angola is a vast country. The infrastructure is generally in appalling condition in many parts of the country. Therefore, a lot of humanitarian operations are carried out by air, which comes at a high cost. I believe approximately 60 per cent of humanitarian delivery of assistance is by air, so it is one of the largest humanitarian operations in the world and also the costliest. Repair of roads, bridges and other airstrips - particularly roads and bridges - would therefore be crucial in order to make more resources available for the actual procurement of goods rather than spending resources on air transportation costs. I raised these issues once again in my meeting with the ministries concerned.”
2002-07-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4575 (2002) · source
“But no contributions have so far been received. NGOs separately report problems with funding. This is one area in which we clearly need urgent support from the international community to expand mine action and reorient current activities towards mine-risk education for returning populations. At least 7 provinces, which account for approximately 40 per cent of the countryside, are heavily mined. This is indeed a very serious impediment to the promotion of return and resettlement of the displaced population. Concerning some of the practical issues that we have raised with the Government, such as the repair of roads and bridges, infrastructure, air strips and so forth, these are issues that United Nations agencies have raised over the past years with the Angolan Government.”
2002-07-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4575 (2002) · source
“As mentioned by many delegations, the Government is to be congratulated for recently ratifying the Ottawa Convention. The problem is that mines have been laid over a 30-year period by many different actors. There is also a problem of coordination with the Government that needs to be addressed. Strengthened coordination at the national and provincial levels is necessary, and additional Government funding will be welcome. A national mines survey is needed. I understand that the United States has committed $1 million to a landmine impact study that could start later this year. As far as the United Nations agencies and non- governmental organizations (NGOs) funding request is concerned, in the 2002 Consolidated Appeal process, we have requested $6.3 million to address landmine issues relating to humanitarian operations.”
2002-07-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4575 (2002) · source
“As for the family quartering areas, out of the 35 or 36 areas that have been established by the Government pursuant to the Memorandum of Understanding, the humanitarian communities have been able to access 31. The multisectoral operations are under way in those areas. I think that that is quite an improvement. Access restrictions derive not as much from general insecurity - there is a problem of insecurity, of course - as from mine infestation, to which many representatives of the Council have alluded. Angola is one of the most heavily mined countries in the world and has one of the highest rates of landmine injuries per capita. One thing that is clear is that neither the Government nor UNITA has any need for landmines in today's Angola.”
2002-07-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4575 (2002) · source
“Mr. Oshima: I would like first of all to thank the members of the Council for their support, particularly the kind, encouraging words said about the work of my Office, the United Nations agencies and partners and generally the humanitarian community active in Angola. This has been very encouraging. I think that some of the questions raised could perhaps be better answered by the representative of Angola. But I will try to answer them to the extent that I have been able to see things and hear things after being on the ground. First of all, on the question of access, as I have mentioned, generally, it has considerably improved. There is no doubt about it. The Government has been cooperative in ensuring maximum possible access to populations in need.”
2002-07-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4575 (2002) · source
“Despite the enormous challenges over recent years, the humanitarian effort in Angola saved the lives of many in the midst of tragedies. I think we have here something that we can further build on. More importantly, we must pay tribute to the people of Angola, who have demonstrated incredible resilience and are now ready to build new lives. Meeting the urgent needs for humanitarian assistance in Angola will require the concerted efforts of the United Nations, its partners, donor Governments and the Government of Angola. With such efforts, I hope that the international community can help the people of Angola consolidate their hard-won peace and national reconciliation and help them move into normalcy, which will allow for the reconstruction and development of the country.”
2002-07-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4575 (2002) · source
“I raised these issues with the Government and urged their prompt attention to them. In the light of the changed circumstances and the additional needs created, as I have mentioned, there is a need to revise the Consolidated Appeal for Angola for international donor support. I have already briefed the donor community in Geneva and here in New York. Concurrently, in Angola the United Nations country team is working with the Government, donors and non- governmental organizations to identify the additional funding needed to meet the increased requirements, with the aim of revising the Consolidated Appeal, which should be ready for launch at the end of this month. I would ask Council members and other Member States to be generous in their support of this new appeal for Angola.”
2002-07-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4575 (2002) · source
“We would hope that the Government will step up its efforts to fulfil many of the commitments that have already been made, as well as the new commitments we expect will be made. Many donors have expressed their concern and stressed that visible burden-sharing, transparency and the fulfilment of those commitments are essential. I raised these issues with the Government. I trust they will do their utmost to meet these expectations. Additionally, there are a number of steps the Government can take on their own to facilitate ongoing humanitarian activities. They include repairing road and bridge infrastructure to enable cheaper deliveries by road, expediting customs clearance for humanitarian goods, maintaining the tax-free status of humanitarian goods, and simplifying visa requirements for international humanitarian workers.”
2002-07-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4575 (2002) · source
“There is an expectation in the international community that the Government should be able to assume a greater share of the burden in meeting the needs of its own people. Moreover, now that the war has ended, the people of Angola deserve a peace dividend. There is an expectation that it should come from within the country, because it has the means for this, even while the international community should come in to complement the Government effort. The current situation can, and must, be turned into an opportunity. This will occur if the United Nations and the Government create a new and equitable partnership in the area of humanitarian and development assistance. There is an expectation that this partnership will be based on the concepts of burden-sharing and transparency.”
2002-07-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4575 (2002) · source
“As I mentioned earlier, one of the purposes of my mission was to discuss with the Government ways in which we could improve our working relationship in the light of the new situation. In our discussions, the Government confirmed that it has the primary responsibility to provide assistance and protection to its own people. But, clearly, the problems and tasks facing the Government are of an overwhelming nature, and the Government indicated that it would ask for help from the United Nations and from the international community to meet the momentous tasks and responsibilities at hand. At the same time, we are talking about a country that is richly endowed with oil and other natural resources.”
2002-07-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4575 (2002) · source
“I should emphasize that the situation of the ex- UNITA combatants and their family members who are currently assembled in the quartering areas and the family reception areas requires priority attention, for obvious reasons. They are currently receiving emergency assistance from the Government, from United Nations agencies and from NGOs, but that is not enough. Increased effort in that sector is urgently needed. Moreover, after 20 July, responsibility for these areas will shift from the military to the newly founded Commission for National Reintegration. It remains to be seen whether the Commission has the necessary resources and capacity to cope with the challenge. That situation will require careful monitoring.”
2002-07-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4575 (2002) · source
“The United Nations is working closely with the Government to ensure that those rules are put into practice at the provincial as well as the national level. In that connection, I should also like to note that mine action will play a major part in facilitating safe return and resettlement. Humanitarian access remains hampered by extensive mine infestation. With support from the international community, the Government must take the lead and redouble its efforts with regard to demining activities. Here, I should like to mention that the Government of Angola recently ratified the Ottawa Convention on anti-personnel landmines, which is a step in the right direction on which the Government should be congratulated.”
2002-07-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4575 (2002) · source
“Humanitarian organizations are working, on a priority basis, with provincial authorities to develop plans to facilitate return and resettlement before the next planting season, in mid-August. That needs to be actively supported, for obvious reasons. I should remind the Council that return and resettlement will need to occur in accordance with the principle of voluntary return - as opposed to that of forcible return - and with full attention to protection needs. In that regard, the Council will recall that Angola is at present the leading country in the world to have enshrined in national legislation the guiding principles on internally displaced persons developed by the Representative of the Secretary-General for Internally Displaced Persons, Mr. Francis Deng. That is commendable.”
2002-07-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4575 (2002) · source
“The United Nations 2002 Consolidated Appeal for Angola requested $233 million. To date, just $81 million - or 35 per cent of the funds requested - has been granted. Underfunding, therefore, is now the major constraint on humanitarian action. Looking ahead, the major challenge for the humanitarian community will be the return and resettlement of internally displaced persons. According to the Government, up to 4 million people - a third of the population - are internally displaced. The Government has made return and resettlement a major priority. According to the Government's plan, up to 500,000 people could be resettled by the end of the year. When I visited camps for internally displaced persons in the city of Kuito, I learned that some people were already beginning to leave the camps and to return spontaneously to their home areas.”
2002-07-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4575 (2002) · source
“In other words, altogether, the United Nations and its partners are now targeting approximately 3 million people - almost one quarter of Angola's entire population - in vulnerable situations. The ongoing humanitarian relief operation in Angola is one of the largest in the world, with more than 400 national and international NGOs and 10 United Nations agencies involved in the effort. I should mention that I was greatly impressed by the tireless efforts of the humanitarian community in Angola to respond to both the existing and the newly found caseload. Those efforts are truly commendable. At the same time, it was very clear to me that they are painfully overextended and seriously underfunded. Funding for food, health care, water, sanitation and agricultural support is urgently required.”
2002-07-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4575 (2002) · source