YouSaid · the spoken record

Prodi

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82

first

2007-09-25

most recent

2013-12-12

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7

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un-security-council

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1. “In addition, the World Bank has contributed $100 million to support a number of activities in the Sahel region identified under the resilience pillar of the United Nations strategy, in partnership with the United Nations Population Fund. Gaps in the current resilience operation have been identified in the areas of urban livelihoods, micro-insurance, community empowerment and pastoral populations. To conclude, I would like to reiterate two messages. First, we must not forget the Sahel, even with so many other problems on the Council's agenda. Secondly, I appeal to the international community to be very generous to the people of the Sahel in terms of both financial and in-kind assistance, as they remain in dire and urgent need.”

   2013-12-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7081 (2013) · source

2. “That is why, in implementing the third objective of the strategy, we have been focusing on fostering better integration between humanitarian and development interventions, and supporting the design of innovative projects and tools for resilience, including by developing shared infrastructure. We have mapped ongoing resilience-friendly intervention in the countries of the Sahel as validated by the United Nations country teams across the regions, and have planned regional strategic invention on resilience by the United Nations system across the Sahel. A regional food reserve has already been developed under the auspice of the Economic Community of West African States, and the World Food Programme will provide technical advice.”

   2013-12-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7081 (2013) · source

3. “For example, under the Integrated Assistance for Countering Terrorism Initiative, the Counter- Terrorism Implementation Task Force and the Counter- Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate have been supporting the development of national counter- terrorism strategies and the establishment of internal coordination and information-sharing mechanisms for integrated border management in Burkina Faso. We are planning to expand that experience in more countries in the Sahel region. The collaborative management of borders is not only about constraining the activities of criminals and terrorists, but also about giving opportunities for legitimate economic activity.”

   2013-12-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7081 (2013) · source

4. “We have also initiated a consultation process with civil society to ensure its participation in the implementation of the strategy, especially in activities that aim to promote community security and fight violent extremism, particularly in the border areas. With regard to the second objective, to strengthen national and regional security mechanisms we have begun to implement activities in the areas of border management and the prevention of violent ideology. Given the vastness of the Sahel region and the length and porosity of many of the borders, we have been focusing on strengthening border management through a combination of capacity- building and confidence-building measures among States.”

   2013-12-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7081 (2013) · source

5. “Djinnit, with the participation of the United Nations Development Programme, the United Nations Office for West Africa and the Regional Humanitarian Coordinator, as well as the regional development teams and the resident coordinators of the Sahel countries. In the area of governance, we have been focusing on the implementation of activities that involve a combination of, first, capacity-building measures aimed at improving the delivery of essential services, and second, political inclusion aimed at promoting broad consensus among the population over the country's priorities. With regard to capacity-building, we have identified two strategic priority areas for intervention: first, support to electoral processes and, second, support to judicial reform and access to justice.”

   2013-12-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7081 (2013) · source

6. “Therefore, I would urge the Security Council that all its decisions dealing with terrorism and conflicts in the Sahel take into account the need for governance reforms in the region. Furthermore, Libya, while not part of the Sahel, has a profound impact on the entire region. I would urge that the situations of the Sahel and Libya be dealt with in coordination with each other, so as to achieve the optimal effect. As requested by the Council, the United Nations system in the region has set up an internal coordination mechanism, chaired by the Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of the United Nations Office for West Africa, Mr.”

   2013-12-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7081 (2013) · source

7. “As mentioned earlier, security, governance and development are linked. The situation in Mali was a cause for serious concern for all of us and remains symptomatic for the entire region. The progress made since the French intervention is encouraging and deserves commendation. But it is very clear that when we talk about security, the problems have no border and thus the solutions should have no borders. As was openly and loudly requested at the ministerial meeting in Bamako on the occasion of the Secretary-General's visit, when security is at stake, the coordination platform should be broadened to surrounding countries. The surrounding countries are Algeria, Morocco, Libya and Senegal, but the case of Libya is especially critical.”

   2013-12-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7081 (2013) · source

8. “It will be extremely important that the Sahel Coordination Forum assume the responsibility of enhancing synergies and avoiding duplication and wastage of resources. I am well aware that the approach I have proposed is new and challenges the current norms of multilateral assistance. However, I believe that it is an innovative way to fill the gap between the ongoing activities on the ground and the long-term development goals set for the region, which will take some time to materialize. I also believe that, given the precarious situation of the peoples of the Sahel, that approach must be given a chance to proceed and should be assessed on the results achieved. At the same time, we must also focus on introducing new and innovative technologies to the Sahel region, as they have the capacity to push and catalyse developmental efforts.”

   2013-12-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7081 (2013) · source

9. “A similar effort in the provision of electricity through solar energy in off-grid areas, in cooperation with the Campaign for the Earth Foundation, is in the pipeline as part of the Millennium Development Goal targets set for the region. Scaling up the existing pilot project in Mali is the final objective. On agriculture, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations has proposed a detailed capacity-building project related to animal health. We are in the process of mobilizing resources for it. Similarly, work on identifying pilot projects for the infrastructure and education pilot projects is ongoing. In addition to that, as the Council heard a few minutes ago, strategic efforts are needed from important multilateral institutions to support the development of the Sahel.”

   2013-12-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7081 (2013) · source

10. “To give examples of where we stand in that process, I am pleased to announce that a pilot project to provide solar-powered water purification equipment to hundreds of families in the Sahel will commence shortly. The resources to supply, at the pilot stage, equipment manufactured by a private European company has been pledged by the Italian Government. That is my vision of a private-sector actor acting with the support of Government to help the people of the Sahel, free of cost and any conditions. In any case, that effort will be managed by the African Development Bank as part of the overall Sahel strategy.”

    2013-12-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7081 (2013) · source

11. “Turn-key development projects by donors as in-kind donations would quickly follow as part of an overall Sahel strategy. The same Fund will have a secretariat supported, of course, by the United Nations. Priorities for those efforts would be set by the Sahel Coordination Forum, led by the five core Sahelian Governments, as decided during the first meeting at the top ministerial level, which has already taken place in Mali, during the visit of the Secretary-General to the region. The innovation brought by the new Fund is substantial and addresses the issues of urgency and efficiency of action. The strategy will be facilitated by replicating the pilot projects from the local to the regional level.”

    2013-12-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7081 (2013) · source

12. “However, simply maintaining attention to the Sahel would not be sufficient, and considerable resources are needed to help the peoples of the region. But I believe that the most important innovation we can offer is that of starting actions that can respond to the need for urgency and efficacy. Therefore, we must put in place a mechanism that can sustain the utilization of the mobilized resources, multilateral and bilateral, both in money and in kind. In that regard, the African Development Bank is in the process of formalizing the hosting of an innovative fund called the Sahel Action Fund. Its particularity is that, as a start, it would use the money share of the Fund as a booster to finalize the design of projects approved by the Governments of the region and implement pilot installations.”

    2013-12-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7081 (2013) · source

13. “I have also decided to involve, as much as possible, local experts from Sahel universities, research institutions and Governments in the identification of the sectors and projects that would be key to starting a strong development process. The strategy for development identified five priorities: agriculture, renewable energy for electrification, infrastructure, education and health. These ideas were then widely shared and discussed it with the relevant stakeholders, including Governments of the region. Thus the strategy was the result of a process empowering Sahelians, and implementation should occur in a similar manner. The recent visit by the Secretary-General to the region, along with the other principals, was another important step in that regard and will go a long way in bringing attention to the situation in the Sahel region.”

    2013-12-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7081 (2013) · source

14. “Efforts to fight extremists and separatists cannot succeed without meaningful progress on good governance. Finally, without a reasonably stable security situation, development and humanitarian activities cannot exert their impact. Peace and development are related. Keeping these factors in mind, I have endeavoured to raise the profile of the challenges facing the Sahel as widely as I could. I have visited many Heads of State throughout the world to raise awareness of the Sahel as a major global problem. In the effort to empower local people at the deepest possible level, my efforts have included visits to the region and interaction with respective Heads of State, consultations with the senior Government officials of key Member States, and participation in several multilateral forums convened to discuss the situation in the Sahel.”

    2013-12-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7081 (2013) · source

15. “The report of the Secretary-General on the Sahel (S/2013/354), issued in June, represented the culmination of the strategy-formulation phase of the process and the commencement of the implementation stage. Many factors will continue to impact our efforts in the Sahel and must be taken into account when we are implementing the strategy. First, the region will have to compete for attention with other, equally serious crises around the world and will struggle to maintain international attention to itself. I say this because that attention is decreasing. Secondly, the current global economic climate limits traditional funding mechanisms and donors. Thirdly, security and governance are intertwined, and making progress on one will be extremely difficult without making progress on the other.”

    2013-12-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7081 (2013) · source

16. “Mr. Prodi: This is probably my last formal briefing to the Security Council as Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for the Sahel, as I shall complete my mandate on 31 January 2014, although I shall be completely at the Secretary-General's disposal after that. I would therefore like to begin by expressing my profound gratitude for the support extended to me by the Security Council and for the confidence shown in me by the Secretary-General by allowing me to undertake this challenging assignment. I have been mandated by the Secretary-General to develop a strategy for the region that would synergize the ongoing efforts and at the same time put in place measures that could help the Governments of the region to sustain peace and security in the long run.”

    2013-12-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7081 (2013) · source

17. “It will constitute a very light administrative and management structure and will act as a training facility to generate local expertise in issues confronting the Sahel. We will request the donor community to second experts on specific issues, as in-kind assistance, to form the faculty and substantive body of the institute. In conclusion, I would like to reiterate two messages. First, we cannot forget the Sahel, or we will have more Malis; secondly, I appeal to the international community to be as generous to the Sahel as it has been towards Mali.”

    2013-06-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6988 (2013) · source

18. “I would like also to clarify that the resource mobilization will be in addition to the assistance required for the ongoing humanitarian development activities of the United Nations in the region. I call upon the donor community to maintain its assistance to that critical project. Finally, taking into account the necessity to bring about long-term sustainability by enabling the peoples and Governments of the Sahel, I have recommended the establishment of a Sahel development research institute, because the people will have to work together, which they have never done. They have worked in Paris and elsewhere, but never together. The research institute will be funded through the Sahel action fund. The institute will be located in the region.”

    2013-06-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6988 (2013) · source

19. “The development proposal has come from Sahel University, with the support of the United Nations. The proposal will become the development plan, after approval by the Governments of the countries of the Sahel. The main sectors addressed will be water and agriculture, new energy sources, decentralized solar energy, transportation infrastructure, and infrastructure for hospitals and schools. An action fund platform is to be established and managed by a pool of international development institutions and coordinated by the World Bank and the African Development Bank; a coordination mechanism will be established among the United Nations, banks and donors to monitor the process.”

    2013-06-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6988 (2013) · source

20. “As I stated, donors will be free to choose the type of assistance they wish to offer, and the peoples of the Sahel will know the source of the assistance. In that regard, I have begun consultations with the African Development Bank. Ihave already met representatives of the World Bank, and tomorrow I will meet the President of the World Bank, in order to explore the possibility of the two Banks co-managing the fund, with support from a pool of other international financial institutions, including the Islamic Development Bank, the European Investment Bank, and others, each of which has already expressed an interest in participating in the effort. At the same time, a coordination mechanism will be needed to monitor progress and to ensure that no resources are wasted due to duplication of efforts. It is an innovative process.”

    2013-06-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6988 (2013) · source

21. “Resource mobilization for the project will be the next critical phase. Any one can choose how to contribute to that. Accordingly, resource mobilization will demand a more innovative approach. It will require a mechanism that is flexible enough to receive any form of assistance, in cash or in kind, by directly delivering the object of their choice. It will enable us to act quickly; most importantly, it will have a low operational cost so that most of the assistance can be expended in the Sahel. In view of these criteria, I am recommending the setting-up of a Sahel action fund that will act as a platform for the resources necessary to meet the needs of the Sahel, which will be defined through the regional development projects.”

    2013-06-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6988 (2013) · source

22. “In line with the principle of empowering the Sahelians in defining solutions to their problems, a second seminar, as a follow-up to the first one of March 2013, was held on 14 June. It was similarly attended by experts from the region and academics working on the Sahel issue. We are in the process of formulating the recommendations of the seminar into concrete, specific, quick-impact regional projects aimed at laying a foundation for long-term structural change in the region. Once finalized and after consultations with the relevant United Nations actors - including the United Nations Development Programme - have taken place, we intend to take the project to the regional Governments for discussion, endorsement and commitments to participate in implementing bottom- up strategies aimed at obtaining concrete results.”

    2013-06-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6988 (2013) · source

23. “There is a need to formulate concrete regional development priorities with short-term impacts, in close collaboration with the Governments of the region, while laying the foundation for sustainable long-term development. That must be followed, of course, by requisite resource mobilization through an innovative coordination mechanism that is capable of progress monitoring. We know that success in all ofthis will be contingent upon progress on good governance, and I am confident that it will happen. In that respect, greater efforts on cooperation and on commitments to good governance and security will foster a greater scope of development. I think it is very appropriate that I am briefing the Council before the start of the implementation phase.”

    2013-06-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6988 (2013) · source

24. “I have met the resident coordinators of the region twice, listened to them, and made it clear to them that I stand ready to help in any capacity that they feel can enhance their efforts or remove any impediments they face. The Sahel undoubtedly suffers from a myriad of governance and security challenges. I have taken a careful look at the situation and the actors and the challenges faced or created by them. In the light of the foregoing, I strongly believe that the development pillar - development that empowers Sahelians to take care of the Sahel themselves - will provide the best opportunity to improve peace and security.”

    2013-06-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6988 (2013) · source

25. “The strategy focuses on five key Sahelian countries in the greatest need. I have taken into consideration Mali, Burkina Faso, Mauritania, the Niger and Chad. As far as the implementation of the strategy is concerned, it requires an innovative approach that clearly shows the peoples of the Sahel that it is no longer business as usual for us. In that regard, I firmly believe that we should focus on peace and security in the Sahel. Let me now elaborate that point further. When it comes to the region's humanitarian requirements, I believe that the humanitarian efforts under way in the region represent a success story - truly, I have never seen such a fantastic effort - and are being well coordinated under the regional coordinator.”

    2013-06-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6988 (2013) · source

26. “The situation in Mali is clearly seen by all to be symptomatic of what will happen in other parts of the Sahel if a timely response is not generated to the challenges facing the entire Sahel region. While the timely intervention of France has preserved the territorial integrity of the country and prevented a takeover of Mali by extremists and terrorists, it is now critical that the success be followed by a credible and all-inclusive political dialogue that addresses the genuine problems of all communities in the country. I am mentioning Mali early on in my brief for two reasons. First, success or failure in Mali will affect the entire Sahel, and secondly, while focus and attention on Mali are critical, they should not be at the cost of the rest of the region. In other words, when we talk about Mali we must never forget the Sahel.”

    2013-06-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6988 (2013) · source

27. “The annex to the report highlights the division of labour within the United Nations system. Within a broader concept, I felt there has been a need to act with urgency from the very outset, while planning for the long run. Urgency is needed not only because of the gravity of the situation, but also to harness global support for the Sahel, as it will not last forever. I am afraid that, with all the problems around the world, if we do not act immediately the problem of the Sahel will take second place. The unanimous international concern over the spread of terrorism in the Sahel has provided me with an opportunity to gain support for the peoples of the region, both for the short and for the long terms. Of course, all of that was triggered by the crisis in Mali.”

    2013-06-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6988 (2013) · source

28. “I have had considerable consultations with the leaders of the Governments of the region as well as with key interlocutors of the international community, in bilateral meetings as well as in multilateral forums on the Sahel. During my visits to the region, I have met with representatives of civil society and traditional tribal, religious and women leaders. As far as coordination within the United Nations system is concerned, I have coordinated closely with the Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of the Office for West Africa, Mr. Said Djinnit, and the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Cote d'Ivoire, Mr. Albert Gerard Koenders, as well as with the former and current Regional Humanitarian Coordinators, Mr. David Gressly and Mr. Robert Piper.”

    2013-06-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6988 (2013) · source

29. “But, in all honesty, I must say that a strategy that only enhances coordination between the current efforts is not sufficient. A wider vision is necessary; hence my vision of a four- by-four strategy based on the four pillars suggested by the Secretary-General - governance, security, humanitarian requirements and development - as articulated when I was appointed, with a request for areas of cooperation between the Governments of the region, the international community, among the peoples of the Sahel and, finally, within the United Nations system. I believe that four-by-four strategy should be the foundation of a collective response to the challenges of the region, and all of us must therefore be engaged in it.”

    2013-06-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6988 (2013) · source

30. “Mr. Prodi: I am very grateful for the opportunity to brief the Security Council for the second time and to present the report of the Secretary-General on the Sahel (S/20l3/354). My appointment as Special Envoy in October was made in recognition of the need to focus on the Sahel as a region and on a strategy that is therefore a strategy for a region, in order to help the people and Governments of the region to sustain peace, security and development in the short and long run. As I mentioned in my last briefing to the Council, in December 2012 (see S/PV.6882), the challenges facing the peoples of the Sahel are immense, and only a strategy that goes beyond existing efforts will allow the Governments of the region to overcome them. The ongoing efforts in the Sahel remain critical, and enhanced coordination between them is essential.”

    2013-06-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6988 (2013) · source

31. “A failure should carry dramatic consequences not just for the region but for the world at large. The people of the Sahel have many hopes and aspirations. I firmly believe that we must help them to realize those hopes and aspirations, for their sake and for the sake of their future generations.”

    2012-12-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6882 (2012) · source

32. “I would emphasize that only the strong engagement of the international community can guarantee a positive outcome of that effort. The situation in Mali presents a challenge that can potentially affect the entire region. Our efforts must ensure that what has happened in Mali does not spread to the entire Sahel. Accordingly, I would like to echo the views of the Secretary-General that any military effort in Mali must be undertaken after careful analysis and thorough preparation and that those efforts should be part of an agreed political process that tackles the roots of the conflict. While the road ahead looks full ofmajor challenges, I remain optimistic that, with the right tools and support in resources and organization, those challenges can soon be overcome.”

    2012-12-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6882 (2012) · source

33. “My point, drawn from my many previous experiences, particularly within the European Union, is that we must prepare them well, guarantee a free and transparent campaign and simply avoid having an election in a divided country being interpreted as sealing the division. In any event, if we want to reach the goal of a united and peaceful country, we have to understand that the tensions between south and north are not a problem of today but are decades old. A platform of decentralization is therefore needed - a platform that, while preserving the unity of Mali, would make possible a credible change in the relations between north and south. How much decentralization is needed will be decided by the direct Malian negotiators.”

    2012-12-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6882 (2012) · source

34. “But we must make every effort to reach our goals - unity, democracy, humanitarian assistance and development - through peaceful means and negotiation. An extended military action always brings as consequences not only a humanitarian tragedy but enormous financial costs and an extended period of economic crisis. As far as timing is concerned, I have simply taken note from all the experts I have met that many months are needed to gather the strength requested for a credible full-range action. As for elections, they must take place as soon as possible, and we should start the necessary technical preparation for them immediately.”

    2012-12-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6882 (2012) · source

35. “As a second step, we must help the opening of a political dialogue with acceptable - I repeat, acceptable - interlocutors in the north. For that purpose, we must act as important and indispensable facilitators, leaving to the Malians full responsibility for the process. Dealing with the entire Sahel, we shall also facilitate cooperation between Mali and its neighbouring countries. It is of course our duty to work to put an end to any act of violence. As can easily be understood, the whole long-term Sahel agenda can be implemented only if we achieve the two main goals of the agenda: political union and the democratic evolution of the country. Regarding military action, we must prepare it with the necessary instruments and speed; otherwise we are not credible even in our efforts to achieve peace.”

    2012-12-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6882 (2012) · source

36. “The resources we mobilize will never eliminate the need for good governance. We must therefore also place the onus on the shoulders of the Governments of the region and help them to take these matters in their own hands. For that reason, the African Union Special Envoy for the Sahel and Mali, President Pierre Buyoya, and I plan to hold in the near future a meeting of all Sahelian countries in order to talk with them about what they need from a strategy on the Sahel. All of that can be implemented only if, in the future, there is a common view among Malian leaders. We have to make every effort to identify and support one, and only one, decision-making centre inside Mali. That is a vital point, even if it is not easy to achieve. Strong leadership is needed in order to negotiate with the north. We need strong leadership in Mali.”

    2012-12-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6882 (2012) · source

37. “I intend to exert all possible efforts to mobilize what is needed. I envisage resource mobilization to take place in two phases. In the immediate and short term, resources would be required to strengthen the ongoing efforts and current mechanisms to alleviate the immediate sufferings of the people. The second phase would involve resources required to bring about some fundamental and structural improvements in the region to drive it towards long-term recovery and development. I will count on grants, loans, direct investments from multilateral institutions - the World Bank, the African Development Bank and so on - and national funds from the Gulfto China. In both phases, I will rely heavily on the support of the Security Council and the international community as a whole.”

    2012-12-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6882 (2012) · source

38. “A multi-donor trust fund specific to the Sahel is also, in my opinion, an urgent necessity. Concerning long-term development, I intend to rely heavily on people who have invested a considerable amount of time and brainpower studying the region and the challenges faced by its people. To that end, we have received generous offers from the best specialists in the world, from Brussels to Washington, including from the top American, European and Chinese universities and research institutions. We will do our best to take advantage of their offers of support. We must not reinvent what has already been studied and analysed. Of course, all such efforts would also involve Governments, civil societies, regional partners, non-governmental organizations and financial institutions. Long-term peace can be sustained only through development.”

    2012-12-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6882 (2012) · source

39. “That is another difficult challenge, but I have been struck by the voluntary offer of quite a few countries to move forward quickly in order to meet the needs stemming from the Sahel emergencies. There are never enough resources in this field, and I am now trying to bring on board the highest number of countries, international institutions and private donors possible. It was widely accepted that the first and most important focus would be the people in need, particularly those affected by the crisis and in dire need of assistance. A meeting of all countries and institutions available to support an urgent humanitarian aid action will be organized very soon, following the Rome meeting, in order to mobilize extraordinary support for responding to the crisis.”

    2012-12-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6882 (2012) · source

40. “Special Representative of the Secretary- General Djinnit and I will travel together to meet key actors to discuss security, political, humanitarian and development issues facing the Governments of the region. Clearly, our interlocutors cannot be only politicians. We have before us the whole of society, and we shall therefore open a dialogue with all its components: intellectuals, religious people, women, businessmen, representatives of tribes. We must listen and talk to all of them. The challenges faced by the Sahelian communities include environmental degradation, youth unemployment, water management, weak institutions, human trafficking, organized crime and terrorism. Those are just some of the immediate issues we must address. To be operational and effective in those fields, substantial resources are needed.”

    2012-12-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6882 (2012) · source

41. “Then I called for a meeting in Rome at the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations - which is so kindly and effectively hosting and supporting our activities - with all the mediators, special envoys and senior United Nations officials working on the Sahel. The purpose was to share our views on the evolving situation in the Sahel and to deepen the means by which the special envoys and mediators could best coordinate their work. The result has been extremely positive, and both coordination and integration are perceived not as an option but as a must. After the Rome meeting, I feel that we are truly a large, strong international cooperation team. Next week I will travel to the region for the third time since my appointment.”

    2012-12-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6882 (2012) · source

42. “It must be clear that this integrated strategy cannot be an occasion to only write an elegant paper. It is a set of actions tailored to face dynamically evolving problems and aimed at bringing urgent relief in humanitarian tragedies, generating new trust among the people of the Sahel and attracting international attention with a view to raising financial and political support. Key to the strategy is close cooperation among all those who are facing the Sahel challenge, wherever they come from. This is why, in the first weeks of my mandate, I had extensive meetings with the leaders of the countries and the African institutions most involved in this process, in Bamako, Addis Ababa, Cairo, Algeria and Morocco, and then in the European Union, the United States, France, the United Kingdom, Germany and Italy.”

    2012-12-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6882 (2012) · source

43. “This is possible because we can count on the strong cooperation of all within the United Nations, all the members of the Security Council, the African Union, the Economic Community of West African States, the European Union and all the main actors of world politics. The mandate established by the Secretary-General was very clear when he summed up to me the scope of my mission, which was to coordinate the efforts of the many who already work very well along four lines, which are complex and different but closely interconnected: peace and security, political stability, humanitarian aid, and long-term development. He asked me to prepare an integrated strategy whereby the international community could work effectively together in helping the countries of the Sahel achieve those goals.”

    2012-12-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6882 (2012) · source

44. “However, nothing can be done in that respect without restoring the unity of Mali in a peaceful Sahel, immediately starting a process that will allow for transparent and free democratic elections as soon as possible. It is clear to every one of us that in order to achieve that difficult but indispensable goal, we need different ideas but common action against any form of terrorism or illegal behaviour. After two months of my mandate, I see that there is now a common will to achieve those goals and that all of us share the belief in the need to avoid the spread of terrorism, now probably the most dangerous prospect facing the world community. This unity is not a common situation. We have to exploit it. We are here in order to translate this common shared View into common action.”

    2012-12-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6882 (2012) · source

45. “Mr. Prodi: I am truly grateful for the opportunity to take the floor before the Security Council as Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for the Sahel. As the Secretary-General just said, the Sahel region is facing a complex and mulifaceted crisis. It is a crisis that may spread if not tackled in time. When I was asked by the Secretary-General to assume the responsibility of being his Special Envoy for the Sahel, I was both honoured and frightened: honoured by the trust, and frightened by the challenge. This is a challenge that we can win only if we are united, working for the same purpose. Our purpose is to organize a worldwide platform aimed at putting in action an efficient network of humanitarian aid and a common strategy for the development of the Sahel.”

    2012-12-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6882 (2012) · source

46. “I repeat: let us now start this long-term effort and work closely with the entire United Nations system in order to coordinate the efforts of all countries in Africa so that Africa can act as a united continent within which cooperation among all countries is indispensable to a better future.”

    2009-10-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6206 (2009) · source

47. “No one thought while writing the report that everything was ready today for full and efficient deployment of peacekeeping efforts. However, if we do not start now, we will never reach our goal. (spoke in French) That is the conclusion reached by our panel. I repeat that the Council will consider all the technical aspects and technical proposals, but the report must be seen in the context of a comprehensive African development plan aiming to provide Africa with all the means it needs for all countries to act collectively and in solidarity to promote development on the continent. (spoke in English) Those are our conclusions. That is our contribution to the discussion today.”

    2009-10-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6206 (2009) · source

48. “I ask, in particular, the countries that have the highest level of responsibility in the world economy, in development and in peacekeeping to analyse the necessity of helping with any major engagement of the African Union and other regional structures, in order to make African development feasible. That is the direction we need to go in. The proposals presented by the panel move towards developing the capacities of the African Union and allowing it to have responsibility for future peace in Africa. To be sure, the objections I hear are logical and understandable. Some say that the existing organization, the African Union, is not strong enough to tackle the problems addressed in the report. I completely agree, but the task before us is to give the African Union the ability to build its strength in the medium and long term.”

    2009-10-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6206 (2009) · source

49. “I invite all the members of the Security Council, which bears such great responsibility for the future of the world, to consider African peacekeeping in this wider context of relations between other continents and Africa. Clearly, this process related strictly to peacekeeping will require long-term capacity-building, on the basis of ownership and full responsibility by the African Union. In this process, a multilateral approach must be at the top of our priorities in dealing with Africa. That is the point of departure, and it is the conclusion of our panel.”

    2009-10-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6206 (2009) · source

50. “Our panel found, and it is also my deep conviction, that we cannot continue dealing with Africa in a bilateral way. Looking at the economic aspects, at the peacekeeping aspects and at all the problems of education and health, we simply cannot go on with this country-by-country approach based on individual relationships between wealthy countries and African countries. If we examine the economic aspects, we cannot find any prospects for development unless we approach African countries in their wider context, as a regional and continental union. Inter-African trade is negligible. Inter-African infrastructure is absolutely insufficient. There is an absolute necessity to improve inter-African cooperation for peacekeeping in the continent.”

    2009-10-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6206 (2009) · source