YouSaid · the spoken record

Ramaker

lines on the record
9
first
1998-04-24
most recent
1998-04-24
sittings or episodes
1
sources
un-security-council

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  1. “Positive developments in Africa are seen to be gaining momentum. The Netherlands fully endorses the call of the Secretary-General to summon the political will to make a change and to use the momentum which is already under way. If the political will can be summoned, both by the international community and by Africa itself, a better future for Africa, for millions of people who desire to live in peace and to see their living conditions improving, is really within reach.”

    1998-04-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3875Resumption1 (1998) · source

  2. “The Netherlands welcomes the call by the Secretary- General to help reduce the debt burden for the poorest countries. This has been part of the Netherlands development policy for a long time. Over the period from 1991 to 1996, the Netherlands agreed on bilateral debt alleviation to a total of $648 million, constituting a significant contribution to debt redemption worldwide. An important quality of the present report is that it not only looks at the past, but is forward-looking at the same time. Indeed, we share the report's guarded optimism. There are encouraging signs from Africa in areas which constitute vital preconditions for durable peace and development, for democratization, good governance and respect for human rights. For the first time in decades, African economies are reporting sometimes substantial real growth.”

    1998-04-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3875Resumption1 (1998) · source

  3. “In fact, much of the development effort of the Netherlands is geared to that objective. The Netherlands welcomes a critical examination of aid flows. The report cites the example of a huge portion of technical assistance to Africa being spent on foreign expertise. The Netherlands, as is well known, is strongly in favour of increasing the effectiveness of development assistance. We are convinced that assistance meant for Africa should be spent as much as possible in Africa. In fiscal year 1996 - we have no more recent figures available - the Netherlands devoted some $3 billion to development assistance, almost 30 per cent of which, or roughly $800 million, was used for projects and programmes for Africa. It is estimated that of this sum, substantially more than 50 per cent was spent in Africa itself.”

    1998-04-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3875Resumption1 (1998) · source

  4. “Another lesson learned points to the enormous importance to be given to measures to prevent the parties to a conflict from using humanitarian aid flows as a weapon in their struggle. The report notes that a lack of economic development in itself may constitute an important source of conflict. The Netherlands shares the Secretary- General's View that economic reform is needed in many parts of Africa. Indeed, African countries should strive to make foreign investment more attractive. On the other hand, unwanted consequences of economic reform should be kept in check. The Netherlands especially endorses the Secretary-General's appeal that while implementing economic reform programmes the position of the weakest sections of society should be given special attention and consideration.”

    1998-04-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3875Resumption1 (1998) · source

  5. “This clearly shows that we still have a long way to go to meet this requirement, the principle of which remains as valid now as before. The Netherlands will continue to support all efforts aimed at further strengthening United Nations rapid deployment capabilities. The Netherlands shares the Secretary-General's view that humanitarian assistance is of great importance at various stages of conflict. In fact, humanitarian assistance may serve prevention as it reduces the danger of conflicts emerging from emergency situations. Humanitarian assistance during an actual conflict is also essential in order to prevent the population from suffering from strife, and in the phase of post-conflict reconstruction as well, to help stabilize the situation and promote sustainable peace.”

    1998-04-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3875Resumption1 (1998) · source

  6. “The Netherlands feels that one of the lessons learned should be that conflicts tend to escalate quickly and policies developed in response may already be outdated by the time they can be implemented. In peacekeeping, perhaps even more than in other domains, it is of essential importance not to be overtaken by events. When the tragic events unfolded in the Great Lakes region in 1994 before the eyes of the world, the Netherlands pointed to the necessity that the United Nations be provided with the instruments to respond rapidly to emerging conflicts. In the years since, several initiatives have been launched to this effect, but none of those have, much to the regret of the Netherlands, materialized in a concrete military capacity.”

    1998-04-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3875Resumption1 (1998) · source

  7. “The report is clearly based on lessons learned, not only on early warning and conflict prevention, but on conflict management, peacemaking and post-conflict peace- building. In doing so, the Secretary- General was so courageous as not to spare the United Nations and its institutions the critical scrutiny they should be given, as the United Nations has itself been an actor in many conflict situations. We should benefit from reviewing the successes and failures of these actions. On the basis of lessons learned, the Netherlands endorses in particular the report's calls for mediation efforts in conflict situations to start early and to have special envoys or special representatives appointed at an early stage. The report notes that preventive deployment is a proactive response to the threat of conflict.”

    1998-04-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3875Resumption1 (1998) · source

  8. “The report does not merely assess problems; it suggests innovative solutions and ways to contribute to durable peace and economic growth in Africa. Some recommendations are especially directed at the Security Council, and the Netherlands would hope that the Council will give them the attention they deserve. Other suggestions should be discussed in the relevant United Nations bodies, and still others by the Member States themselves at the national level. The Netherlands will not be found wanting in its active participation in further discussions on how best to put the Secretary-General's recommendations into effect. The report notes that the United Nations early warning capabilities have been significantly improved over the past few years. But yes, indeed, early warning without early action remains an empty shell.”

    1998-04-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3875Resumption1 (1998) · source

  9. “The Netherlands subscribes wholeheartedly to the statement of the European Union delivered earlier today by the British Presidency of the Union. Allow me therefore to make just a few additional comments. The Netherlands warmly welcomes the Secretary- General's report on Africa. The report before us will remain a source of reference for a long time for the problems it is addressing. It is comprehensive, thoughtful, critical where necessary, and practical. It shows for the first time clearly how a reforming United Nations, a closely coordinating United Nations system, including the Bretton Woods institutions, hand in hand with civil society, the non-governmental organization world and the regional organizations and Governments in Africa in close cooperation can turn things around.”

    1998-04-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3875Resumption1 (1998) · source