YouSaid · the spoken record

Pierce

lines on the record: 1,742
first: 2006-06-20
most recent: 2020-03-12
sittings or episodes: 239
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

“Resolution 2510 (2020), which we just adopted, is viable. We all want to see it implemented. I must say, it is the first time that I have heard a period of three weeks after a conference described as a rush. Some of us might think it is a bit leisurely given the situation on the ground. However, the important thing is that the resolution gives concrete expression to the commitments that leaders, including President Putin, adopted at Berlin, so that the international community and the United Nations can take action to uphold the arms embargo, assist the parties in arriving at a ceasefire, make preparations to look at options for monitoring it before it is agreed and monitor that ceasefire once agreed. The most important thing, though, is that the players are now in no doubt as to the strong will of the Security Council.”
2020-02-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8722 (2020) · source
“We would like to renew our calls for children’s views to be taken into account on issues that affect them, in accordance with best practice, and for the Security Council to do more to implement resolution 2282 (2016), which recognizes that security, development and human rights are closely interlinked and mutually reinforcing.”
2020-02-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8721 (2020) · source
“I also take this opportunity to urge all mediators, facilitators and negotiators involved in peace and mediation processes to use it as a tool in their work, noting that engaging on issues of children and armed conflict may open doors to discussion of other priorities. In the Arria Formula meeting that we hosted alongside Belgium and Poland in November, the United Kingdom called for the United Nations system to take a more holistic and coherent approach across its departments and agencies to ensure that child protection and development was integrated across the conflict cycle. This guidance is a very good example of that, and we hope there will be further efforts to integrate approaches across the United Nations system.”
2020-02-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8721 (2020) · source
“Doing so is essential in order to ensure that negotiating parties commit to upholding their international, regional and national child-protection obligations; to guarantee that the special needs of children and young people are taken into consideration and embedded in efforts to build and sustain peace; and to improve the sustainability and success of peace efforts, given the central role of children’s issues in reconciliation and development in post-conflict situations. We welcome the Secretary-General’s personal investment in the guidance and we look forward to its broad dissemination.”
2020-02-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8721 (2020) · source
“The scale of the impact of conflict on children is clear, but when it comes to peace and efforts for peace, their needs and their views are often neglected. That is why we welcome the launch today of the United Nations practical guidance for mediators to protect children in situations of armed conflict. As the guidance points out, the Security Council has highlighted on numerous occasions the importance of integrating child protection issues into mediation and peace processes.”
2020-02-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8721 (2020) · source
“Insecurity, attacks and threats on schools and teachers, the absence of State authorities and a lack of equipment have led to the closure of more than 900 schools, at the last count. As with Syria, children are suffering both the immediate effects of conflict and long-term effects on their mental well-being, as well as a lack of access to services such as medical care and attention. In Cameroon, the impact of conflict on children in the Anglophone region is significant. Children’s education is used as a political bargaining chip by the separatists, who have closed down schools and taken children hostage. UNICEF estimates that 80 per cent of schools have remained closed since 2016, and the ban on education has affected more than 600,000 children.”
2020-02-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8721 (2020) · source
“And that trend is far from over. As Under-Secretary-General Lowcock told the Council last week (see S/PV.8715), the bombardment of Idlib has seen the continued killing of civilians and attacks on civilian objects, and the displacement of more than 300,000 children in north-eastern Syria since early December alone. And, as the Commission of Inquiry report finds, the mental health of children is and will continue to be deeply affected for years to come. Children and young people have sustained crucial damage to their long-term prospects and a huge number have missed out on years of education. Turning to Mali, children continue to suffer the effects of the ongoing conflict, particularly in central Mali, where they are killed and maimed as direct targets of attacks in the course of intercommunal violence.”
2020-02-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8721 (2020) · source
“Instead, I would like to highlight a couple of case studies that really illuminate how this impact devastates children’s lives. In Syria, as stated in the recent report on children’s rights by the United Nations Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Syrian Arab Republic, children continue to be “[r]obbed of their childhood and forced to participate in a brutal war” (A/HRC/43/ CRP.6, p.1). They have been killed, maimed, raped, abducted and detained. They have been forced to act as combatants and, in the case of the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (Da’esh), as executioners. Places where they are meant to be safe and nurtured, such as schools and hospitals, have been targeted. Over 2.5 million children have been displaced in Syria, leaving many at the mercy of the elements and without adequate sustenance or services.”
2020-02-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8721 (2020) · source
“I want to thank Their Majesties for graciously being with the Security Council today. It enhances the reputation of the Council to have them here. I also want to thank them for the amazing efforts that Belgium has long made on the issue of children in armed conflict. I am very pleased to be able to salute those efforts and the progress that this important dossier has made under Belgian leadership. I also wish to welcome the ministers here today and thank them for being with us. Finally, I would like to thank the Secretary-General, Commissioner Chergui and Ms. Becker for their important briefings. We have all seen and heard of the dreadful and lasting effects that global conflicts have on children, their communities and their future, so I will not repeat them.”
2020-02-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8721 (2020) · source
“We hope that President Abbas returns to negotiations, but if he cannot, that would not justify annexation. Any changes to the status quo cannot be taken forward without an agreement negotiated by the parties themselves. Let me conclude by reiterating the contention of my Prime Minister and Foreign Secretary. We must now take the first step on the road back to negotiations. There is no other way forward.”
2020-02-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8717 (2020) · source
“However, where there is disagreement or even outrage, the only path to resolution is dialogue. The United States proposals now on the table, the United Kingdom looks to the Palestinian leadership to offer its own vision for a settlement and to find a way of re-engaging with the negotiation process so that its concerns can be considered and discussed. Let me be clear: unilateral action by either party is unacceptable. The United Kingdom Government, including our Foreign Secretary, most recently in his statement on 31 January, has made clear our serious concern about reports of possible moves towards annexation of parts of the West Bank by Israel. I have said in the Council before, and I repeat, that any such unilateral moves would be contrary to international law and damaging to renewed efforts to restart peace negotiations.”
2020-02-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8717 (2020) · source
“The United Kingdom does not believe the proposals are the end of the road, but we hope that they may lead to a first step. Both Israeli and Palestinian leaders owe it to their people to give them due consideration. Let me, if I may, extend the regards of my Prime Minister to President Abbas. President Abbas has long championed peace and dialogue. We have not forgotten. All of us here today understand that the proposals put forward by the United States may feel very different to what has been discussed before. Time will be needed to digest them, and members of the Council should strive to provide that. President Abbas has expressed serious concerns with the proposals, as is certainly his right. It is for Israeli and Palestinian leaders to determine whether the plan meets the needs and aspirations of those they represent.”
2020-02-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8717 (2020) · source
“Israelis deserve to live free of terrorist rocket fire and in a future characterized by fruitful cooperation with their neighbours in the region. That can be achieved only by finding a path back to negotiations and securing a settlement that is acceptable to all parties. No other path to peace exists. It has been over a decade since the last direct negotiations, as we have heard today. A resolution of the issue has only become harder, illegal settlements have expanded, acrimony between Palestinian factions has deepened. If we try again only in another half decade, a settlement will be harder still. Our American colleagues have offered proposals to break the deadlock that represent genuine desire to resolve the conflict.”
2020-02-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8717 (2020) · source
“We support a negotiated settlement leading to a safe and secure Israel living alongside a viable and sovereign Palestinian State based on the 1967 borders, with agreed land swaps, Jerusalem as the shared capital of both States and a just, fair, agreed and realistic settlement for refugees. The United Kingdom’s commitment to the resolutions of the Council is unwavering, and we support what the German representative said about Israel’s security. We need to acknowledge that progress towards meaningful peace has stalled. The absence of dialogue risks a prolonged political vacuum that will only fuel instability and extremism. Israelis and Palestinians deserve better. They deserve a durable resolution that provides all with dignity and security. Palestinians deserve self-determination and freedom from occupation.”
2020-02-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8717 (2020) · source
“I welcome you to the Security Council, Sir, for Belgium’s presidency. I join others in welcoming President Abbas and the Secretary-General of the League of Arab States. I also thank Secretary-General Guterres and Mr. Mladenov for their remarks. As we have heard today, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict has blighted an entire region and untold lives. To this day, its implications are felt across the Middle East and around the world. It is almost as old as the Security Council and has gone on for too long. The United Kingdom’s long-standing position on the Middle East peace process is clear and has not changed.”
2020-02-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8717 (2020) · source
“I would like the Syrian representative to explain why the conflict is continuing when it is hurting so many of his own people. Finally, I want to conclude with a tribute to the United Nations, on both the political and the humanitarian sides, for the work that it does in those terrible circumstances and without the necessary assistance from the host Government.”
2020-02-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8715 (2020) · source
“For the record, we continue to support the Special Envoy’s work on the political process and encourage him to pursue all of the elements of resolution 2254 (2015). As discussed at last week’s humanitarian briefing (see S/PV.8707), the mass destruction and displacement are already inflicting a terrible toll on the people of north-west Syria. There are more than 3 million people stuck in that ever-shrinking pocket, which has a population density greater than that of the Gaza Strip. The United Kingdom is already providing more than $50 million in humanitarian assistance to north-west Syria this fiscal year, and we are looking at what more we can do to help. We have spent more than $3 billion to help Syria since the conflict began.”
2020-02-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8715 (2020) · source
“The offensive being perpetrated in Idlib and the failure of multiple ceasefires serve only to underline that it is the United Nations and the Security Council — and not the Astana format — that should remain the guardians of the political process, and that our absolute priority should be to achieve a sustainable solution in order to address the humanitarian disaster in north-west Syria. Mr. Lowcock has set out exactly what that means in terms of numbers. I would also like to use this opportunity to encourage the Secretary-General to consider whether the United Nations, beyond the critical humanitarian role it is already playing, can assist in any way in achieving a lasting ceasefire. As a Security Council member, the United Kingdom stands ready to support any United Nations-backed agreement.”
2020-02-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8715 (2020) · source
“Lowcock described as the largest single allocation from the Central Emergency Response Fund since the war began. How many more imperatives are we going to need before the Syrian authorities commit and adhere to a ceasefire? I think it would be very good if the Syrian representative could explain in his intervention why there should not be a ceasefire and why the ceasefires that have been agreed already should not be adhered to. We never get a very clear answer to that question, and yet the number of people, including children, who are suffering from current Syrian policies continues to increase. Council members have said time and again that the only sustainable way forward for Syria is a political solution under resolution 2254 (2015).”
2020-02-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8715 (2020) · source
“Multiple ceasefires have been broken — often— and they are violated as quickly as they are announced, after one or two days. Mr. Pedersen outlined the attacks that we have seen in the last few days, which led to Turkish fatalities and increased the risk of a further regional conflagration. We are deeply concerned about the impact of that escalation on Turkey, which is already hosting more than 3.5 million refugees who fled the repression in Syria. Therefore, the United Kingdom, along with France and the United States, called for this meeting so that we can call once again for an immediate, genuine and lasting ceasefire in Idlib and for a lasting solution to the situation there. Both of the United Nations representatives briefing us today have stressed the imperative of that. We have heard a lot of superlatives today, including what Mr.”
2020-02-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8715 (2020) · source
“We know that an investigation by the United Nations board of inquiry is under way to determine why deconflicted sites have been targeted. We have heard the statistics of those who — sadly — were killed in January, including as a result of air strikes that incapacitated Al-Shami hospital, the last remaining surgical hospital serving southern Idlib. The continued onslaught by Syrian forces, backed by Russian and Iranian forces, has displaced over 550,000 people since 1 December, more than the entire population of Sochi. Turkey has made efforts to seek a peaceful solution in Idlib and prevent millions more Syrians having to seek refuge. However, we have seen the Syrian authorities frustrate and ignore the memorandums of understanding.”
2020-02-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8715 (2020) · source
“I think that the worst nightmare concerning Idlib has come to pass. As Mark Lowcock just told us, the United Nations has been warning of this day for a long time. And this is within an environment in which nightmares happen 24/7. Idlib has long been, as it were, the refuge of last resort for all those people who had to flee the attacks on Aleppo and elsewhere. Now, having thought that they were safe in Idlib, they find themselves under even greater attack. As my Foreign Secretary has said, this is vicious campaign of attrition, and it continues to force civilians to flee by targeting their schools, hospitals and emergency first responders. We condemn the repeated flouting of international humanitarian law. Mr. Lowcock explained that millions of people are currently facing a protection crisis.”
2020-02-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8715 (2020) · source
“Preventing sexual violence in conflict also remains a top priority for my Government. We are very proud to give Prime Minister Rama our full support for his chairmanship of the OSCE.”
2020-02-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8714 (2020) · source
“We welcome the OSCE’s partnership with the Security Council’s counter-terrorism bodies and look forward to the OSCE joint forthcoming conference with the Office of Counter-Terrorism in Switzerland on foreign terrorist fighters. The unique value of the OSCE lies in the consensus approach to principles and verifiable commitments allowing for mutual benefits and the prevention of miscalculation or escalation. In particular, the United Kingdom would like to see the preservation and enhanced delivery of existing confidence- and security- building mechanisms in 2020, including the Open Skies Treaty and the Vienna Document. We commend the focus of Prime Minister Rama on the twentieth anniversary of resolution 1325 (2000) and the promotion of the role of women in peace and security.”
2020-02-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8714 (2020) · source
“We welcome the OSCE chairmanship’s prioritization of conflict resolution, including the work of the Special Monitoring Mission and the Trilateral Contact Group on Ukraine, as well as the resolution of the other protracted conflicts in the OSCE area. Like others, we attach great importance to the work of OSCE field presences across the region. The United Kingdom has the honour to support Prime Minister Rama’s chairmanship by chairing Security Committee of the OSCE. We are very grateful for his determination to tackle organized crime and underline the importance of ensuring that action is taken in compliance with international human rights standards. The OSCE’s cooperation with the United Nations on countering terrorism and violent extremism is particularly strong.”
2020-02-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8714 (2020) · source
“We look to Russia to abide by the Minsk agreements commitments it signed up to and to use its influence to ensure the separatists do the same. We also call on Russia to play its part to enable further disengagement and full access by the International Committee of the Red Cross to non-Government-controlled areas. Russia needs to fully respect Ukraine’s independence and territorial integrity, withdraw its forces from all of Ukraine and end its illegal annexation of Crimea and Sevastopol. Crimea and Donbas are part of Ukraine — what Russia has done and continues to do there breaches its obligations under international law and presents a serious challenge to the international rules-based order.”
2020-02-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8714 (2020) · source
“As other speakers have mentioned, we, too, are deeply concerned by the deterioration of human rights in Crimea since the illegal annexation, including arrests, ill-treatment, torture and intimidation against political opponents and minorities and the denial of basic human rights and religious freedoms to those who do not accept the forced imposition of Russian legislation and citizenship on the peninsula. Therefore, the United Kingdom urgently calls on Russia to immediately release the 89 or more political prisoners currently detained in Russia and in Crimea. We welcome President Zelenskyy’s commitment to finding a diplomatic solution to the conflict in eastern Ukraine. Ukraine’s recent delivery of confidence-building measures led to the December Normandy Format summit in Paris and a further prisoner exchange.”
2020-02-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8714 (2020) · source
“As other speakers have noted, the people of Ukraine feel that need particularly acutely. We welcome Mr. Rama’s recent visit to Ukraine, where he had an opportunity to witness at first-hand the reality for people living near the line of contact. We believe that he is correct to prioritize the OSCE’s response to the conflict in eastern Ukraine. The United Kingdom supports the push for full, safe and unimpeded access for the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine, as well as adequate resources to ensure that it is able to fulfil its mandate.”
2020-02-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8714 (2020) · source
“I thank you, Mr. President, for scheduling this important debate today. I also wish to thank Mr. Edi Rama, Prime Minister of the Republic of Albania, for taking the time to come here, as I think it is very important for the Security Council to hear from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE). We congratulate him on assuming the role of Chairperson-in-Office and wish to assure him of the United Kingdom’s support. The OSCE is a key pillar of the rules-based international system, just like the United Nations itself. It is a crucial institution for European and Euro-Atlantic security. As Prime Minister Rama highlighted, it is important that, in discharging that responsibility, the OSCE be able to make a real difference on the ground.”
2020-02-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8714 (2020) · source
“We understand and share the deep frustration on all sides at the lack of progress on the Middle East peace process. A just and lasting resolution that ends the occupation and delivers peace for both Israelis and Palestinians is long overdue. We remain committed to achieving a two-State solution and our long-standing position is clear. We support a negotiated settlement recognized by all sides, leading to a safe and secure Israel living alongside a viable and sovereign Palestinian State, based on the 1967 borders, with agreed land swaps, Jerusalem as the shared capital of both States and a just, fair, agreed and realistic settlement for refugees. We look forward to working with colleagues to advance our shared objectives of peace and prosperity in the year ahead.”
2020-01-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8706 (2020) · source
“We reiterate our long- standing concerns about the manner in which the Israel Defense Forces police non-violent protests, including the use of live ammunition and excessive force, and we call on Israel to adhere to the principles of necessity and proportionality. Turning to the economic and humanitarian situation in Gaza, as we have heard, it remains dire. The United Kingdom will provide approximately $21 million in humanitarian assistance to Gaza in this financial year and, to help address the underlying causes, we are more than tripling our spending on economic development programming, providing some $75 million between 2018 and 2023. Ultimately, only peace, stability and the easing of movement and access restrictions will allow the necessary investments to be made in a sustainable way.”
2020-01-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8706 (2020) · source
“Thirdly, we call on the Palestinian Authority to set a date for free and fair elections in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and in Gaza as soon as possible. Genuine democratic national elections for all Palestinians are crucial to the establishment of a viable and sovereign Palestinian State. The Security Council has a role to play in identifying and containing future flashpoints in conflicts. The resumption of the Great March of Return protests in March is once such possible flashpoint. Hamas operatives have cynically exploited those protests in the past. The United Kingdom’s commitment to Israel’s security is unwavering. Any protests must adhere to the principle of non-violence.”
2020-01-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8706 (2020) · source
“We call on the Israeli authorities to provide a clear and transparent route to construction for Palestinians in Area C. Turning to the responsibilities of the Palestinians, first, we unreservedly condemn the indiscriminate attacks against Israeli civilians by groups such as Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad. Such attacks are completely unacceptable and a violation of international law and need to cease immediately. Secondly, there should be renewed efforts towards Palestinian reconciliation. We encourage those involved in the reconciliation process to allow the Palestinian Authority to fully resume its Government functions in Gaza and ensure compliance with the Quartet principles.”
2020-01-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8706 (2020) · source
“We condemn the Israeli Government’s advancement this month of yet more plans for more than 1,900 housing units across the West Bank. It is the United Kingdom’s long-standing position that settlements are illegal under international law and undermine the viability of the two-State solution. Secondly, Israel must avoid any suggestion that parts of the occupied Palestinian territories should be annexed. Such a move would be contrary to international law and damaging to peace efforts and could not pass unchallenged. Thirdly, there must be an immediate end to the demolition of Palestinian-owned homes and structures, as well as the eviction of Palestinians from their homes. The targeting of donor-funded structures in Area C is of particular concern.”
2020-01-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8706 (2020) · source
“I would like to echo what the German representative said about recognition of Israel in this context. As demonstrated by the briefings we heard today, it is right the Security Council also remain engaged to resolve one of the longest-standing conflicts on its agenda, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. We have made clear our concern over the situation on the ground, which, as the Secretary-General noted in his assessment last month (see S/2019/938), has deteriorated over the past three years, and the figures that the Under-Secretary- General cited are troubling and compelling. All sides have a responsibility to arrest that deterioration and to create an atmosphere more conducive to peace. For Israel, that means, first, an immediate halt to settlement expansion.”
2020-01-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8706 (2020) · source
“Before I start, I want to pick up on what both the American and the German Ambassadors said about the Holocaust commemoration, which of course takes place this year. It is a very important commemoration. Some of us will be joining the Secretary-General at the weekend in New York to commemorate this important anniversary. Turning to the open debate, the year 2020 opened with a new crisis in the Middle East following the killing of Qasem Soleimani in response to strikes by Iraqi militias against coalition bases, and the downing if Ukrainian Airlines Flight PS-752. The United Kingdom continues to urge all parties to de-escalate following the events and Iran to take the opportunity to come in from the cold and pursue its legitimate interests in the region peacefully and with full respect for international rules.”
2020-01-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8706 (2020) · source
“We look forward to an ongoing injection of hard currency and greater public financial transparency because the foreign currency shortfall faced by the central bank is extremely concerning and could have serious implications for the humanitarian situation. To come back to where I started, all of this is obviously leading up to an expression of support for Mr. Griffiths as he tries to take the broader political process forward. However, it is clear from what we have heard today that we cannot afford any let-up in our support for that and the Special Envoy’s work.”
2020-01-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8704 (2020) · source
“I want to take this opportunity to support the statement that the Emergency Relief Coordinator issued on 23 December 2019, condemning attacks on the premises of several humanitarian organizations in Al-Dhale’e that month. Aid workers must be allowed to deliver their life-saving support in safety. Concerning the oil tanker, we can only echo what Director Rajasingham said. We do need the issue to be resolved. The consequences of a rupture or explosion would be phenomenal. Accordingly, we urge the Houthis to let the United Nations assessment team have access to the tanker. Continued inaction can only be described as reckless; therefore, we hope that this can be resolved soon. The economy is obviously a very difficult issue. We continue to encourage constructive engagement on the economy.”
2020-01-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8704 (2020) · source
“The core message that stands out there is that this is still the largest humanitarian crisis. It was alarming to hear that some of the factors that brought Yemen to the brink of famine are returning. We therefore share the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs’ sense of urgency in that regard. We also hope that humanitarian workers can be allowed to do their work properly, and we pay tribute to the work of the Humanitarian Coordinator and the country team. What Mr. Griffiths told us about World Health Organization mercy flights is obviously extremely important and a bit of good news. I understand that there has been intimidation of humanitarian workers and that it is not limited to Houthi areas.”
2020-01-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8704 (2020) · source
“The announcement on 20 September that the Houthis would cease strikes on Saudi Arabia is particularly welcome, but obviously that needs to be properly enforced and carried out. We must not allow this small window of hope to close. That is one message I took away from what Mr. Griffiths was saying. It is vital that Yemen does not become hostage to a wider regional crisis, and we do hope that the international community can come together to press the Houthis not to become a vehicle for wider retaliation from Iran in the region. Ultimately, though, as we know, any sustainable peace process needs to be underpinned by a comprehensive security agreement, and brazen strikes, such as the Iranian missile strike on the ARAMCO facilities last year, place that prize in jeopardy. On the humanitarian side, I thank Director Rajasingham for his briefing.”
2020-01-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8704 (2020) · source
“Starting with the Riyadh agreement, we strongly support this Saudi-brokered agreement, which is vital to stabilizing the south and key for an overall peace process. Therefore, the announcement on 9 January of a military agreement to make progress on the Riyadh agreement, together with the reports of prisoner exchanges, is very welcome. I was interested in what Special Envoy Griffiths had to say about reconvening the prisoner-exchange committee. Let us therefore hope that it goes well. Announcements do need to be followed by implementation on the ground, and the formation of a new Yemeni Government is critical to progress. On de-escalation, it is very welcome that there has been a tangible decrease in inflammatory rhetoric and an apparent decrease in violence around the Saudi border, which are good demonstrations of political will.”
2020-01-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8704 (2020) · source
“I wish to welcome once again the Special Envoy to the Security Council. I also welcome the Director. I thank both of them for their briefings and for their tireless efforts and those of their teams on this very acute problem. I think it is clear from what we have heard today that the political settlement is the only way to bring long-term stability to Yemen and also to address the humanitarian crisis. The Security Council has a vital role to play in supporting the peace process. I would therefore like to begin by welcoming the unanimous adoption of resolution 2505 (2020) on Monday renewing the mandate of the United Nations Mission to Support the Hudaydah Agreement (see S/PV.8701). There are a number of things I would like to say, so I will break them down into different headings.”
2020-01-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8704 (2020) · source
“Implementing individual components of the Final Agreement for Ending the Conflict and Building a Stable and Lasting Peace may produce limited outputs, but the outcome of inclusive, stable and lasting peace in Colombia will not be possible unless all components progress simultaneously and in a coherent fashion. In that regard, we encourage the Colombian Government to take advantage of the national dialogue process it began following the recent protests to build consensus with diverse sectors and ensure that implementation continues in an effective and comprehensive manner. The United Kingdom recognizes the important progress that has been achieved so far in Colombia. We look forward to continuing to support the Colombian Government to ensure a lasting peace enjoyed by all.”
2020-01-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8702 (2020) · source
“Efforts should be made to ensure legal accreditation and access to income-generating projects for former FARC-EP combatants living both inside and outside the former territorial areas for training and reintegration. More widely, we encourage the Government to work with all stakeholders to resolve outstanding questions about the long-term status of those areas, particularly concerning the land on which they are located. Finally, in his report, the Special Representative emphasizes the interconnected nature of all elements of the peace process.”
2020-01-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8702 (2020) · source
“We encourage prioritization of the action plan of the Intersectoral Commission on Security, Women Leaders and Human Rights Defenders, which has the potential to transform departmental security conditions for the better. We also welcome recent steps to strengthen the protection of former FARC-EP combatants and note yesterday’s announcement of an operation to thwart a plan to attack FARC political party leader Rodrigo Londoño Echeverri. We encourage the Government to ensure the extension of protection measures to territorial areas for training and reintegration and informal settlement of former FARC-EP combatants. Secondly, we urge the Colombian Government to accelerate reintegration programmes, which are crucial to maintaining the faith of ex-combatants and communities in the process.”
2020-01-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8702 (2020) · source
“First, we are deeply concerned about the persistent level of violence and threats towards human rights defenders, community leaders, including women, and former Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia-Ejército del Pueblo (FARC-EP) combatants. We have highlighted this point on previous occasions, but we are concerned that the situation is not improving despite the Government’s stated commitment to tackling the issue. In that connection, we welcome last week’s meeting of the National Commission on Security Guarantees and encourage full, ongoing use of that mechanism, including engagement with civil society, to further implementation.”
2020-01-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8702 (2020) · source
“The newly elected local authorities have a key role in the implementation of the peace agreement, especially through the development programmes with a territorial focus. We welcome the Government’s support for these programmes, including through expanded financing, and encourage coordination between national, departmental and local authorities to ensure effective implementation. However, there are some areas in which urgent efforts are necessary to preserve the gains of the past three years. Fortunately, the mechanisms to address them already exist; the challenge is to make more effective use of them.”
2020-01-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8702 (2020) · source
“I should also like to welcome the announcement by President Duque that he would like the United Nations Verification Mission in Colombia to stay in that country for the duration of his Government. That is an important indication of the Government’s commitment to peace. October saw the first local elections since the accords were reached and the first in which the Fuerza Alternativa Revolucionaria del Común (FARC) political party took part. Despite the concerning levels of violence during the campaign, election day showed the strength and inclusivity of Colombian democracy, with more candidates from across the political spectrum competing than ever before and the highest turnout in modern times. We were encouraged, too, by the overwhelming commitment of those elected to continue along the path to peace.”
2020-01-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8702 (2020) · source
“Before I start on Colombia, let me thank you, Mr. President, for having arranged the two moments of silence and also used this occasion to pay tribute to His late Majesty Sultan Qaboos of Oman. Turning to Columbia, I would like to welcome the Foreign Minister. We are very pleased to have her here and wish her all the best in her new role. I also thank the Special Representative for his report and for his briefing to the Council today. We very much share his analysis of events in Colombia over the past three months. This reflects both the achievements and the challenges of the implementation of the Final Agreement for Ending the Conflict and Building a Stable and Lasting Peace.”
2020-01-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8702 (2020) · source
“I know time marches on; I will be brief. I have a practice in the Security Council of defending the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) here at the United Nations whenever the Syrian representative attacks it. I wish to point out that, on this occasion, the same will apply. OCHA and the United Nations do a fantastic job in the most difficult of circumstances on the ground. I heard what the Syrian representative said about how much aid the Syrian authorities deliver to their own people, and we will be pursuing that in future meetings. I will take it as a commitment from the Syrian authorities to allowing non-governmental organizations access into Syria and permitting them to distribute humanitarian assistance to the people most in need. We will be holding him to account with regard to his remarks.”
2020-01-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8700 (2020) · source