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2003-03-18

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2008-08-04

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un-security-council

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1. “Finally, for Sierra Leone and many countries in a similar situation and with similar experiences, the current food and oil crises pose potential risks to peace and security that the Council can ill afford to ignore. Already, the crises have stretched our fragile economy nearly to the limits of its elasticity. We need more help.”

   2008-08-04 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5948 (2008) · source

2. “As an example, we need sustained support to achieve the goals set in the Sierra Leone Peacebuilding Cooperation Framework, namely, those related to developing the energy, justice and security sectors, youth employment and integration, governance and capacity-building in the public service. It is no overstatement to suggest that a gap will appear in the success story of the United Nations in Sierra Leone if the goals in those priority areas, set by Sierra Leone and the Peacebuilding Commission, are not fully accomplished. I assure members that the Government 08-44826 and the people of Sierra Leone remain f1rmly committed to fulfilling their own part of the agreement.”

   2008-08-04 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5948 (2008) · source

3. “Since the armed conflict ended in 2002, Sierra Leone has conducted two democratic presidential, parliamentary and local council elections, and has made considerable efforts to revive the economy, to recover from the ravages of the war and to relaunch the country on the path of development. We have not done those things alone. We thank the United Nations and our other international community partners, as well as our bilateral supporters, for their investment in the efforts to achieve lasting peace, to pursue the ideals of 08-44826 democracy and human rights and to lift Sierra Leone from the bottom of the human development index. We have made gains, but we are far from having crossed the bridge.”

   2008-08-04 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5948 (2008) · source

4. “The delegation of the Republic of Sierra Leone wishes to express its profound appreciation to the Security Council for the resolution that has just been adopted. We warmly welcome the resolution, mainly because it marks another significant phase in the United Nations experiment in post-conflict peacebuilding, with Sierra Leone as the laboratory. In particular, the transformation of the United Nations Integrated Office in Sierra Leone (UNIOSIL) into an integrated peacebuilding outfit, the United Nations Integrated Peacebuilding Office in Sierra Leone (UNIPSIL), on the basis of the achievement of carefully measured benchmarks is a reassuring indication of the country's progress in consolidating peace and stability.”

   2008-08-04 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5948 (2008) · source

5. “We note with satisfaction that the Council has requested the Secretary-General to ensure that there is adequate capacity, expertise and resources 07-65497 within UNIOSIL to assist the various commissions and institutions. Of course, the Government acknowledges that it bears primary responsibility for peacebuilding and long-term development in the country. We would therefore like to reiterate that the Government, bearing in mind the mandate it received in the recent national elections, is determined to intensify its effort to ensure that the people of Sierra Leone see and enjoy the dividends of peace within the shortest possible time. We continue to count on the support of the Peacebuilding Commission, the United Nations system and bilateral and multi-national partners in fulfilling this objective.”

   2007-12-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5813 (2007) · source

6. “We welcome the fact that the Council has emphasized the importance of UNIOSIL providing assistance to national commissions and institutions in fulfilling their respective responsibilities. We already have a relatively large number of such bodies for elections; the promotion of good governance and accountability; combating corruption; the promotion of human rights, including the rights of the child; and constitutional review. They should be seen in the context of national ownership. They are an integral part of the structure of peacebuilding and sustainable development. Accordingly, there is an urgent need to support and strengthen them.”

   2007-12-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5813 (2007) · source

7. “In this regard, we are grateful to the Security Council for responding positively to President Koroma's request for the extension of the presence of UNIOSIL as currently structured, and also to the recommendation of the Secretary-General for a new office to replace UNIOSIL at the end of September 2008. In his letter to the Secretary-General of 22 October 2007 (S/2007/659, annex), President Koroma acknowledged the important role that UNIOSIL has played during the past two years in the consolidation of peace in Sierra Leone. My delegation joins the Security 07-65497 Council in commending what the Council rightly describes as the valuable contribution that the Office has made to Sierra Leone's recovery from conflict and to the country's peace, security and development.”

   2007-12-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5813 (2007) · source

8. “In the next several months, the Security Council is expected to authorize the establishment of yet another type of office in the country. All these developments suggest at least two things. First, in spite of many seemingly insurmountable challenges, Sierra Leone has made and continues to make remarkable progress in the consolidation of peace after a devastating ll-year armed conflict. Secondly, the United Nations has not abandoned Sierra Leone, and it is thus prepared to adapt its post-conflict presence and mandate in response to the emerging situation in the country.”

   2007-12-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5813 (2007) · source

9. “Mr. President, I should first of all thank you and the other members of the Council for giving my delegation the opportunity to say a few words in connection with the final extension of the mandate of the United Nations Integrated Office in Sierra Leone (UNIOSIL). Today's decision marks yet another important phase in the process of peacebuilding in Sierra Leone. It comes only nine days after the adoption by the Peacebuilding Commission of a Peacebuilding Cooperation Framework for Sierra Leone. As UNIOSIL prepares its exit or completion strategy, we recall the departure of the Organization's operations under the United Nations Mission in Sierra Leone (UNAMSIL) exactly two years ago, after the successful completion of its peacekeeping mission.”

   2007-12-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5813 (2007) · source

10. “As intangible as what we have to offer may seem at the moment, I am sure that future generations may one day say, yes, our predecessors invested so much for peace and stability in Sierra Leone, but the result of the experiment has made our work easier and saved the world lives and billions of dollars.”

    2007-10-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5761 (2007) · source

11. “Since the Commission was established jointly by the General Assembly and the Security Council, perhaps at the end of this first year of the Commission's work the Council itself may wish to come up with general proposals to address some of the challenges outlined in the Commission's report. In conclusion, let me assure the Security Council that we are prepared and ready to share with the rest of the world what I prefer to call the Sierra Leone experience, in the days of the United Nations Mission in Sierra Leone and now in the days of the United Nations Integrated Office in Sierra Leone and the Peacebuilding Commission. For now, that is perhaps all that we can give to the world for its support.”

    2007-10-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5761 (2007) · source

12. “The Commission might also consider the question of working relationships among the Commission, the Security Council and the General Assembly, while recognizing their respective responsibilities and functions under the Charter. We acknowledge that the Commission shall request advice from the Security Council, the Economic and Social Council or the General Assembly. In our view, there is also need for the Commission to start thinking of ways in which it can assist the Security Council by providing relevant advice, for instance in the establishment of new United Nations post-conflict integrated offices, or even in developing peacekeeping mandates.”

    2007-10-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5761 (2007) · source

13. “Given very weak - and in some cases non-existent - institutions, owing partly to a scarcity of appropriately trained and experienced personnel, the Peacebuilding Commission may want to consider introducing a scheme for experience transfer to needy countries that are within its purview. The programme, as a critically urgent gap-closer in the recovery process, should be flexible, adaptable and in harmony with those already in place. Fourthly, in the light of the fluid nature of conflict in the West African subregion, a carefully coordinated regional approach, in particular within the Mano River Union, will be an investment worth considering by the Commission. Lastly, the institution of a strong monitoring and evaluation mechanism for the programmes in operation should be considered.”

    2007-10-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5761 (2007) · source

14. “Now that the elections are over, we should try as expeditiously as possible to conclude it so that this issue does not stand in the way of progress in the implementation of the Sierra Leone programme. Secondly, country ownership of the Peacebuilding Commission both in principle and in practical terms, should be the foundation for the operations of the Commission. Thirdly, resource mobilization is one of the responsibilities of the Commission. That should now be brought to the fore of its activities, including, possibly, through a pledging conference with all our partners fully involved.”

    2007-10-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5761 (2007) · source

15. “We are aware that this support comes with the responsibility to make sure that the people of Sierra Leone enjoy, in tangible terms, the benefits of peace, democracy and human rights, and, in particular, the realization of the promise of the Peacebuilding Commission. That is why our new President both in his maiden speech to parliament and during the recent visit of Ambassador Majoor, declared his commitment to the cooperation of his Government with the United Nations in general and with the Peacebuilding Commission in particular. As a demonstration of our readiness to discharge our responsibility, let me make the following observations and recommendations. First, work on the framework document on cooperation between Sierra Leone and the Peacebuilding Commission was slowed down by the elections.”

    2007-10-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5761 (2007) · source

16. “But with tolerance, understanding and the overriding need to reconcile and move forward for the general good, even the pain, the mud and thorns we have travelled through for peace have been the greatest of healers. Today, we can reflect with pride on the two presidential and parliamentary elections and the one local government election we have had since the war formally ended in 2002. These represent giant strides in our peace and democratization processes and a solid foundation for sustainable peace. The recent elections, in particular, speak eloquently of our political maturity and determination to achieve lasting stability. Again, we thank the United Nations and all other multilateral and bilateral partners of Sierra Leone for their support.”

    2007-10-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5761 (2007) · source

17. “My delegation would like to thank all those whose efforts put the Commission on the path we envisaged at the conceptual stage, particularly the Commission itself, the first Chairman, the Peacebuilding Support Office and the Chairs of the country-specific configurations. Let me pay a special tribute to the Chair for Sierra Leone, Ambassador Frank Majoor, for his devotion to Sierra Leone. Of course, we thank the Commission for selecting Sierra Leone as one of the two countries for its initial operation. In Sierra Leone, as in many other places that have been afflicted with Violent and devastating conflict, the road to peace has not been altogether smooth.”

    2007-10-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5761 (2007) · source

18. “As Council members know, we had the fortune of becoming one of the two countries for the Commission's first country-specific interventions. Thus, we have witnessed with unflagging interest the birth and growth of the Peacebuilding Commission. The report before us is an account of how that birth and growth took place, of the challenges the Commission has had to conquer and of challenges that are yet to be conquered. We welcome and appreciate the report. Now we have a torch, in the form of the report, to show us the way into the future. In spite of the Commission's teething problems, most of which were not totally unexpected, all of us should be proud of the achievements of the Peacebuilding Commission during its short period of existence.”

    2007-10-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5761 (2007) · source

19. “Sierra Leone congratulates you, Sir, on your assumption of the presidency of the Council for the month of October 2007. We assure you, and the Council, of our full and unwavering support. We deeply appreciate the opportunity to the contribute to the discussion of the first report of the Peacebuilding Commission (S/2007/458) for the second time in two weeks. The prominence that has been given to the report by two principal organs of the United Nations - the Security Council and the General Assembly - is an indication of the significance they attach to the Peacebuilding Commission and its partner, the Peacebuilding Fund. We were compelled by our own painful experience with conflict to play an active role in the establishment of the Peacebuilding Commission.”

    2007-10-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5761 (2007) · source

20. “We share the conclusion of the Secretary-General that the enforcement of Security Council resolutions on sanctions would depend on the political will and relevant technical capacity of Member States. However, since, as is often recalled, the Security Council has primary responsibility under the Charter for the maintenance of international peace and security, we expect the Council to take the lead and to assume a more proactive role in our collective effort to rid the world of the scourge of the illicit trade in and excessive accumulation of small arms. We would also like the Council to endorse the Secretary-General's recommendation that it explicitly articulate, in the mandates of peacekeeping operations, the role of peacekeeping missions on disarmament, demobilization and reintegration.”

    2006-03-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5390 (2006) · source

21. “Perhaps the most interesting development in the enforcement of the arms embargo in the West African subregion is the conclusion reached by the Group of Experts on C6te d'Ivoire that countries have suspended or blocked the export of military goods and services to Cote d'Ivoire, as well as the conclusion that, currently, neither the Government nor the Forces nouvelles have a strategic need or the financial capability to procure heavy and light weapons. That should contribute to the control and circulation of illicit arms in the subregion. We note with interest the proposal mentioned earlier this morning by the Ambassador of France, in particular with regard to the problems of transporting those illicit weapons, as well as of their financing. We hope that the Security Council will soon address those problems directly.”

    2006-03-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5390 (2006) · source

22. “In particular, and of interest to Sierra Leone as a State that has emerged from conflict in the troubled West African subregion, we commend the United Nations Operations in Cote d'Ivoire (UNOCI) for the action it has taken to enforce the arms embargo by carrying out inspections, including without notice, of cargo aircraft at ports, airports, airfields and military bases, as well as at border crossings in that country. The identification of an embargo expert to advise UNOCI on ways to improve the effectiveness of the arms embargo inspection teams is also commendable.”

    2006-03-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5390 (2006) · source

23. “We suggest that the Council go one step further by explicitly encouraging the conclusion of an international arms trade treaty in the same way that it has affirmed its support for multilateral treaties aimed at eliminating or preventing the proliferation of nuclear, chemical or biological weapons. We welcome with appreciation the Secretary- General's latest follow-up report on his recommendations on ways and means in which this Council could contribute to dealing with the question of the illicit trade in small arms and light weapons. We commend the Security Council for establishing and mandating expert monitoring mechanisms for the effective implementation of sanctions, including arms embargoes.”

    2006-03-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5390 (2006) · source

24. “We believe that the Council should now, today, in the draft resolution under consideration, go beyond the 1998 expression of grave concern and state categorically and unequivocally that the excessive accumulation and circulation of small arms, particularly illicit small arms, constitute a threat to international peace and security. Such an explicit affirmation would underscore the seriousness of the issue and the determination of the Council to deal with it more effectively. Last year, in a presidential statement, this Council encouraged the arms-exporting countries to exercise the highest degree of responsibility in small arms and light weapons transactions according to their existing responsibilities under relevant international law.”

    2006-03-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5390 (2006) · source

25. “Did the Council not, accordingly, reaffirm that the proliferation of nuclear, chemical and biological weapons, as well as their means of delivery, constitutes a threat to international peace and security? In that context, we share the View expressed by the Secretary- General in his report entitled "In larger freedom: towards development, security and human rights for all", that States must strive just as hard to eliminate the threat of illicit small arms and light weapons as they do to eliminate weapons of mass destruction.”

    2006-03-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5390 (2006) · source

26. “In those circumstances, we do not believe that the Security Council should, year in, year out, continue to issue presidential statements expressing, for instance, its grave concern that the destabilizing accumulation of small arms has contributed to the intensity and duration of armed conflicts. We share Argentina's view - expressed by you, Sir, a few minutes ago - that the time has arrived for the Security Council decisively and promptly to send a strong political message through a resolution on small arms and light weapons. Two years ago, in resolution 1540 (2004), did this Council not express its grave concern at the threat of terrorism and the risk that non-State actors might acquire, develop, traffic in or use nuclear, chemical and biological weapons and their means of delivery?”

    2006-03-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5390 (2006) · source

27. “We heard the Foreign Minister of Peru this morning cite figures to the effect that half a million deaths each year are attributable to small arms and light weapons. United Nations peacekeepers in Sierra Leone and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, for example, have also been deliberately killed in the course of conflicts in which those weapons are used. The Organization continues to spend billions of dollars in peacekeeping operations that are directly or indirectly related to the excessive accumulation and circulation of illicit small arms and light weapons.”

    2006-03-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5390 (2006) · source

28. “In the first, resolution 1209 (1998), the Council recognized the close relationship between the problem of illicit arms flows to and in Africa and international peace and security. It expresses, in paragraph 1, "grave concern at the destabilizing effect of illicit arms flows, in particular of small arms, to and in Africa and at their excessive accumulation and circulation, which threaten national, regional and international security and have serious consequences for development and for the humanitarian situation in the continent". That was eight years ago. We know that, since then, millions of innocent people have become victims of the direct and indirect use of those weapons, not only in Africa but also in other parts of the world.”

    2006-03-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5390 (2006) · source

29. “My delegation would like to thank you, Sir, for your initiative in convening this special meeting of the Security Council. I say "special" because this is not just another annual debate on the important issue of small arms, to be followed by a presidential statement. Today, I think Argentina has raised the issue to a higher political level in the Council, and we thank you for that. We understand that, instead of a presidential statement, there will be a draft resolution. If adopted, it will be the first resolution concerning small arms in the global context. Actually, despite the devastating consequences of the illicit circulation and use of small arms and light weapons, the Security Council has adopted only two resolutions on the issue.”

    2006-03-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5390 (2006) · source

30. “The Group, however, holds the view that a debate on this subject matter falls within the domain of the responsibility of the General Assembly, which, according to the Charter, is the deliberative, policy- making and representative organ of the United Nations. In fact, the General Assembly is actively seized of this subject and is expecting reports on the matter from the Secretary-General. The African Group therefore views this debate as an encroachment on the authority of the General Assembly, particularly at a time when efforts are being made to strengthen and revitalize the Assembly. We look forward to the Secretary-General's report, which I am sure will recommend strategies for tackling the problem of transparency and accountability in the procurement system of peacekeeping operations.”

    2006-02-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5376 (2006) · source

31. “In that regard, the Group appreciates any effort designed and appropriately channelled to make the Organization more efficient and capable of delivering its objectives. It is with that view that the African Group is resolved to support measures aimed at correcting weaknesses in the management of peacekeeping operations, particularly in procurement, that have absolutely no place in the United Nations. The African Group is aware that peacekeeping is so central to the work of the United Nations that any mismanagement of its process can damage the image of the Organization, and we cannot afford that.”

    2006-02-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5376 (2006) · source

32. “It is my honour and duty, on behalf of the African Group, to contribute to this debate on management of the United Nations peacekeeping operations. The African Group associates itself with the statements of the Group of 77 and the Non-Aligned Movement. Let me begin by joining those who have spoken before me in congratulating you, Sir, on your assumption of the responsibility of directing the work of the Security Council for the month of February. I would also like to thank Mr. Mark Malloch Brown for his very helpful briefing this morning. The United Nations is at the height of a process of historic reforms, and I assure all members of the Security Council that the African Group has been and will continue to be totally committed to pursuing the objectives of the reforms to their desired conclusions.”

    2006-02-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5376 (2006) · source

33. “We look forward to the operationalization of the new the United Nations Integrated Office in Sierra Leone. Of course, we anxiously look forward to the work of the new Peacebuilding Commission. Lastly, I would like to all thank all those who have asked the international community to continue to support Sierra Leone. Clearly, continued support is far less expensive in the long run than a relapse into conflict.”

    2005-12-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5334 (2005) · source

34. “However, we hope that the Security Council and the international community will remain engaged in the efforts towards the maintenance of security and stability in the subregion. We must not forget the destabilizing role that external forces played in fomenting and sustaining the conflict in Sierra Leone. Let me take this opportunity to express our sincere thanks to all the countries that contributed military, police and civilian personnel and other forms of support to the United Nations operations in Sierra Leone. We promise that their efforts and sacrifice will not have been in vain. I would also like to thank the Special Representative of the Secretary-General and his team for the good work that they have done. I would like to extend that appreciation to the mandate to his predecessor, Ambassador Oluyemi Adeniji.”

    2005-12-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5334 (2005) · source

35. “The departure of UNAMSIL is a clear indication that the Government of Sierra Leone has resumed full responsibility for the security of the country. I would like to assure the Council that the people of Sierra Leone are determined to muster the same resilience that carried us through those dark days of the rebel conflict to prevent the outbreak of another so-called fratricidal war. We wish to assure the international community that Sierra Leoneans have pledged that never again will Sierra Leoneans give the United Nations, the Economic Community of West African States or any individual State, for that matter, cause to bring troops into our country to end a civil conflict. Of course, we remain concerned about the situation in the West African subregion.”

    2005-12-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5334 (2005) · source

36. “As the report of the Secretary-General notes, UNAMSIL forged an effective partnership with the United Nations country team, countries of the subregion, the donor community, civil society, the Government and, of course, the people of Sierra Leone. Without such partnership, UNAMSIL would not have accomplished its task. In that connection, I should add that UNAMSIL succeeded because the people of Sierra Leone made it possible for it to succeed. Indeed, as the report of the Secretary-General puts it, the Government and the people of Sierra Leone also deserve commendation for their remarkable resilience and for making good use of the opportunity offered by international partners to lift their country from crisis. I am convinced that we have demonstrated that, with some assistance, Sierra Leone is capable of fulfilling its responsibilities.”

    2005-12-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5334 (2005) · source

37. “In that context, allow me to pay special tribute to our subregional organization, the Economic Community of West African States, and its Monitoring Group (ECOMOG), for the vital and timely contribution they made to the safety and the security of the people of Sierra Leone before the deployment of UNAMSIL. ECOMOG troops exchanged their hats for blue berets to serve under the flag of the United Nations. Another symbol of partnership and cooperation in United Nations peacekeeping was the parallel contribution of the United Kingdom to the maintenance of stability in the country. We thank them for the role that they have played and continue to play.”

    2005-12-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5334 (2005) · source

38. “At the same time, notwithstanding the difficult challenges it faced - what the Secretary- General described as trials and tribulations - in the early days of the operation, UNAMSIL bears testimony to the triangular partnership that must be at the centre of all United Nations peacekeeping: regional organizations, troop-contributing countries and the United Nations. As the Secretary-General observed in his final report (S/2005/777), UNAMSIL was the first United Nations peacekeeping operation to "re-hat" a parallel sub-regional peacekeeping force.”

    2005-12-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5334 (2005) · source

39. “This meeting marks an important milestone in the history of United Nations peacekeeping. I am therefore grateful to the Council for the honour of participating in its proceedings on behalf of the Government of Sierra Leone. The United Nations Mission in Sierra Leone (UNAMSIL) has every reason to be proud of what it has accomplished in Sierra Leone during the past six years. The Mission has turned out to be one of the most successful peacekeeping operations undertaken by the United Nations in an internal conflict in the last three decades.”

    2005-12-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5334 (2005) · source

40. “It is much better and much cheaper to invest in post-conflict peacebuilding, which is also preventive in nature, than to expend scarce resources on relapses that can be prevented.”

    2005-05-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5187Resumption1 (2005) · source

41. “But we need more - much more - to sustain the momentum for achieving lasting peace and stability. That is the most reliable guarantee against sliding back into conflict. In conclusion, it is fair to say that the United Nations is at a crossroads, poised for fundamental reform in response to identified weaknesses and strengths and to challenges imposed by its ever expanding functions. One of those challenges is armed conflict in all its aspects and manifestations. Now we have the unprecedented opportunity to take decisions on reforms and on the creation of new institutions for the elimination of armed conflict and, more urgently, for helping countries emerging from conflict to achieve lasting peace and stability.”

    2005-05-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5187Resumption1 (2005) · source

42. “We appreciate the role of the United Nations organs and agencies in our post-conflict recovery, but we wish that no "gaping hole" existed and that the United Nations were more involved in this phase. In spite of that, and in spite of many difficulties, Sierra Leone is proud of its rapid progress in many areas, including rebuilding the justice system and strengthening the rule of law; raising new, better, trained, disciplined and efficient security forces; restoring social services; rehabilitating the road infrastructure; capacity-building; governance reforms; reviving the economy; reintegrating ex-combatants; and resettling the displaced population. We owe those developments to the generosity of the international community and our bilateral friends. We thank them all.”

    2005-05-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5187Resumption1 (2005) · source

43. “The problem of abandoning post-conflict countries to struggle with their own fate has been aptly described by the Secretary-General as "a gaping hole in the United Nations institutional machinery" (A/59/2005, para. 114). That is why Sierra Leone welcomes - and with great expectations - the Secretary-General's recommendation to create a Peacebuilding Commission charged with the responsibility of promoting assistance for post-conflict countries to transit from war to lasting peace. Naturally, we look forward to the establishment and operationalization of the Commission, particularly in the light of the withdrawal from my country of the United Nations Mission in Sierra Leone (UNAMSIL). It is common knowledge that the United Nations has scored major successes in Sierra Leone and that UNAMSIL is on the verge of completing its withdrawal.”

    2005-05-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5187Resumption1 (2005) · source

44. “But it is also a phase that is characterized by expectations for a better standard of living, justice, human rights, freedom, rapid development, social services and, of course, participatory governance. After all, it is the lack of access to these that generates most conflicts in the world today. The fear and anxiety of post-conflict countries stem from a failure to deliver on those expectations, and, often, many post-conflict countries have neither the resources nor the capacity to deliver on them. Unfortunately, moreover, post-conflict peace management or consolidation has never been a priority of the international community. Making sure that the guns are silent, but not making sure that they are silent forever, has been erroneously interpreted as peace. Hence the bitter experience of frequent reverses in peace efforts.”

    2005-05-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5187Resumption1 (2005) · source

45. “Naturally, we are delighted to participate in this debate, and we are doing so from the perspective of our practical experience and our expectations. The post-conflict phase of a peace process is supposed to address the issues that generated the conflict and to lay the foundation for lasting peace and development. It is a period for reconciliation, confidence- building and the rebuilding of institutions, especially those for the administration of justice, democracy, human rights and accountable governance. It is a period for a country in war-to-peace transition to reflect on the past and to cultivate attitudes that will facilitate the avoidance of the mistakes that culminated in the conflict.”

    2005-05-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5187Resumption1 (2005) · source

46. “The delegation of Sierra Leone wishes to congratulate you, Sir, on your assumption of the presidency of the Security Council for the month of May 2005. We extend to you and to the other members of the Council our deep appreciation for selecting for public debate a subject that is closer to our heart than we can express. The choice of post-conflict peacebuilding as the subject of this debate is an indication of the significance that your delegation and the Council attach to that critical aspect of the peace process. We view this debate as a prelude to an opportunity for more exhaustive discussion of the Secretary-General's proposed Peacebuilding Commission. As all are aware, Sierra Leone is a post-conflict country.”

    2005-05-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5187Resumption1 (2005) · source

47. “In conclusion, let me emphasize that justice and respect for the rule of law are the foundation, as well as the lubricant of the wheels, of peace and stability, development, accountable governance and democracy. By providing support for emerging democracies and post-conflict transitions to establish and/or strengthen mechanisms for enforcing justice and the rule of law, the United Nations will be adding a critical dimension to its efforts for peace. We look forward to the implementations of the recommendations contained in the Secretary-General's report.”

    2004-10-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5052Resumption1 (2004) · source

48. “I have the honour to inform the Security Council that one of the accountability mechanisms established in Sierra Leone, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, released its report yesterday. The Commission was established with the assistance of the United Nations and the international community. This event is in itself an eloquent testimony of what the international community can achieve in fostering the rule of law. I should like to extend the profound thanks of the Government and the people of Sierra Leone to the international community for this practical contribution to the rule of law in Sierra Leone and the rule of international law.”

    2004-10-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5052Resumption1 (2004) · source

49. “In this regard, let me renew our appeal for continued voluntary contributions, as well as the requested subventions for the Special Court from the regular budget of the United Nations. We recall President Kabbah's observation during the formal opening of the Court in March. He said this: "This is a Special Court for Sierra Leone, a symbol of the rule of law and an essential element in the pursuit of peace, justice and national reconciliation for the people of Sierra Leone. It is also a Special Court for the international community, a symbol of the rule of international law." The least we can do for the victims of the heinous crimes committed in Sierra Leone is to ensure that justice is not only done but seen to be done. One sure way of doing this is to provide the Court with the funds it needs to perform its responsibilities.”

    2004-10-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5052Resumption1 (2004) · source

50. “We have here another example of the important role the international community can play in providing concrete assistance in the promotion of the rule of law. My delegation is also concerned about the serious financial situation of the Special Court for Sierra Leone, which was established in my country to address impunity and foster respect for the rule of law. Let me reiterate that the efficacy of the Court, and indeed its credibility, could be questioned unless urgent measures are taken to address its problems of funding. The Secretary-General, in paragraphs 40 and 41 of his report (S/2004/616), acknowledged the important role that ad hoc tribunals and hybrid courts such as the Special Court for Sierra Leone play in the quest to end impunity and bring about peace and reconciliation.”

    2004-10-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5052Resumption1 (2004) · source