YouSaid · the spoken record

Robinson

lines on the record: 242
first: 1999-09-16
most recent: 2022-11-03
sittings or episodes: 12
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

“There is, additionally, an urgent need to develop global norms and rules around cyberconflict prevention. Currently, there is no international mechanism to regulate offensive cyberthreats, and States and non-State actors alike are able to operate with a large degree of impunity. As a minimum, we need to develop a process whereby States and Governments become more transparent about their cybercapabilities and deterrence mechanisms. The international community must not wait until a major tragedy occurs to develop those rules. We believe that the Security Council is uniquely placed to lead the efforts to find a progressive, inclusive consensus. I thank you again, Mr. President, for the opportunity to raise those issues with the Council today. It is now my pleasure to hand over to my colleague, His Excellency Mr.”
2019-06-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8546 (2019) · source
“As Elders, we make no claims to be part of the vanguard of the debate here, but again I would recall a wise epigram from Kofi Annan: "You are never too young to lead, and never too old to learn." We need to listen to and learn from the young people e the digital natives who are fluent in the brave new world of technology but who also risk paying the price for progress as previously secure jobs and career paths become obsolete. Youth unemployment is especially high in the Middle East and Africa and has been a driver of social unrest in many countries. Similarly, social media, while being a powerful tool for connecting people around the world, has also been used as a tool for enabling violent extremism and for spreading misinformation, which has contributed to violence and social unrest.”
2019-06-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8546 (2019) · source
“We support the creation of an institutional focal point, in the form of a Special Representative of the Secretary- General, to pull together expertise on climate change from across and beyond the United Nations in order to help the Council assess the diverse, complex and shifting impacts of climate change on conflicts. The third is the impact of technology. Another aspect of a more long-term and more holistic view of the causes of conflict and how to prevent it needs to be the impact of technology, including artificial intelligence and automation.”
2019-06-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8546 (2019) · source
“The United Nations has shown commendable leadership on the issue, brokering the Paris Agreement on Climate Change in 2015 and ensuring that climate is an integral element of the Sustainable Development Goals. The Elders are pleased to see that the issue of climate change continues to be of concern to the Security Council. We feel that if the Council were to adopt a more holistic approach to conflict prevention, including climate change, this would both make it more effective and support the mandate of other parts of the United Nations system.”
2019-06-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8546 (2019) · source
“The Council has shown leadership on that issue in past years, particularly through the adoption of resolution 1325 (2000). It should now redouble its collective efforts to make sure that women's perspectives and experiences are reflected in the mainstream of peacekeeping and conflict prevention policy. I echo the strong emphasis of the Secretary-General today on the full participation of women. Overall, the international community has too often not paid enough attention to all those issues, and the citizens of conflict-blighted countries and regions have paid far too high a price for that neglect. The second is climate change. Together with nuclear weapons, there is no greater existential threat to our planet than climate change.”
2019-06-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8546 (2019) · source
“But that should not be narrowly viewed in terms of securing immediate security and stability or distorted to justify deals with unscrupulous leaders who pay lip service to peace and mediation as a way to retain power without ever taking the necessary steps to address the root causes of conflict and division. Inclusive government and a commitment to justice and human rights are also crucial. Violations of or disrespect for the fundamental values of human rights and undemocratic and unaccountable actions by long- serving leaders have often festered to become bigger crises. I have also felt for a long time that insufficient attention has been paid to the role and voice of women on the ground in terms of conflict prevention.”
2019-06-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8546 (2019) · source
“In the words of my immediate predecessor as Chair of The Elders, the late and sorely- missed Kofi Annan, "you cannot put down a veto, paralyse operations, create a stalemate and not propose a way forward". To propose positive ways forward in our deliberations today, I would like to focus on three specific areas where we, The Elders, believe that the Council can play a proactive and positive role on conflict. The first is the importance of prevention. Everyone here in the Chamber will recognize that prevention is by far the most effective way to deal with conflicts.”
2019-06-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8546 (2019) · source
“In all these cases and so many more the world over, the Security Council should be seen as an instrument of deliverance, a defender of rights and a provider of protection. But too often over the decades the Council and, in particular, its five permanent members have failed to live up to their responsibilities and favoured realpolitik or short-term power stratagems rather than meeting the solemn commitments outlined in the Charter of the United Nations. Nowhere has this been more apparent than in the repeated use of the veto by certain permanent members on draft resolutions aimed to prevent mass atrocities, including the use of chemical weapons on civilians.”
2019-06-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8546 (2019) · source
“When Nelson Mandela founded The Elders in 2007, he charged us with a precise mandate: "Support courage where there is fear, foster agreement where there is conflict and inspire hope where there is despair." I believe it is testament to both Mandela's perspicacity but also to the grim realities of our world that his words continue to feel as urgent in 2019 as they did when he uttered them on stage in Johannesburg a dozen years ago - not least when we think of conflict prevention and mediation. Fear, conflict and despair are all too obvious, from the streets of Khartoum to the townships of Harare; the bombed-out hospitals of Idlib to the ruined schools of Yemen; and the slums of Gaza to the Rohingya refugee camps of Cox's Bazar in Bangladesh.”
2019-06-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8546 (2019) · source
“The Elders want to urge all members of the Security Council today to approach the topics under discussion in the same spirit ofinclusive dialogue and willingness to work for compromise and consensus in the interests of peace. We know that the world is more divided and polarised at the moment, but the Council has a unique responsibility under the Charter of the United Nations, and we encourage the 10 elected members to play as full a part as possible in their work.”
2019-06-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8546 (2019) · source
“On behalf of all the Elders, I would like to sincerely thank His Excellency Sheikh Sabah Khalid Al Hamad Al Sabah, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs of the State of Kuwait, for extending the invitation to address the Council as part of Kuwait's presidency. I recall when serving as the Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for the Great Lakes of Africa and the Democratic Republic of Congo in 2013 and 2014, how invaluable it was to have a united Security Council to report to. I know that President Santos had the same appreciation of the support of the Security Council for his work on peace in Colombia.”
2019-06-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8546 (2019) · source
“Ms. Robinson: It is a privilege to speak to the Council today at this important meeting on conflict prevention and mediation - two issues that lie at the very heart of the mission of the Security Council and the wider multilateral rules-based system. I am speaking today in my capacity as Chair of The Elders, the group of independent global leaders founded by Nelson Mandela, who work for peace, justice and human rights. I am honoured, too, to be here alongside someone who needs no introduction to people in the Chamber: His Excellency Mr. Ban Ki-moon, former Secretary-General, who today serves as one of the Deputy Chairs of The Elders, together with Graca Machel. I am also happy to be joined by President Juan Manuel Santos Caldero'n.”
2019-06-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8546 (2019) · source
“In conclusion, I would like to thank the Chef de Cabinet of the Office of the Secretary-General, the Department of Political Affairs, the Department of Field Support and my Special Adviser, Modibo Toure, and staff members in Nairobi, as well as Martin Kobler and his team in MONUSCO, for their tireless efforts to support the implementation of my mandate. I firmly believe that through working together with the region, and with a common approach and political will, we have a framework of hope that will ensure that we reach that point in Seamus Heaney's poem when "hope and history rhyme".”
2014-08-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7237 (2014) · source
“We must continue to nurture the Framework and work with the leadership in the region for as long as it takes, in order to reap the necessary benefits for the peoples of the region, who continue to bear the consequences of conflict. 1 call on the Council to extend to my successor, Mr. Said Djinnit, all the support he will need to carry out his mandate as Special Envoy. He will lead a fine team in Nairobi, and will benefit, as I did, from the support of the senior leadership at the United Nations.”
2014-08-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7237 (2014) · source
“It will be critically important to work with the authorities, not only in Burundi but in all the other countries in the region where elections are scheduled over the next few years, in order to ensure adequate political space, including individual and group freedoms, necessary for free and fair elections. The Peace, Security and Cooperation Framework offers solutions to cycles of conflicts that were decades in the making. It would not be realistic to expect solutions to arrive overnight. We must therefore take a long-term view if we are to ensure tangible returns on the commitments made in this historic plan for the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the region.”
2014-08-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7237 (2014) · source
“If anything, the process has created a worrying dynamic in the region and beyond that must be carefully observed and handled in order to preserve the earlier consensus-building on illegal armed groups generated within the region, and to remain focused on the relevant Security Council resolutions on neutralizing the FDLR in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. The positions taken have been very clear that all negative forces must be removed, and it is hoped that the forthcoming mini summit will give a clear signal in that regard. Concerning electoral calendars in the region, I note the positive steps taken in Burundi, notably those having to do with improvements in the electoral framework and the adoption by consensus of the electoral code. However, the Government must do much more to curb politically motivated armed violence.”
2014-08-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7237 (2014) · source
“My office is currently engaged at the working level with the relevant United Nations regional focal points in taking stock of the refugee and IDP situation. The findings should provide the necessary background for further engagements at summit level in the region. Council members will recall that on 31 May I welcomed the announcement by the Forces democratiques de liberation du Rwanda of their voluntary surrender. However, the process has yet to gain sufficient traction to show that it is credible, and Martin Kobler has again shown the very worrying lack of progress in recent weeks.”
2014-08-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7237 (2014) · source
“I call on the parties, with the support of the ICGLR Chair, to follow-up rapidly on the recent technical visits to Uganda and Rwanda by a delegation of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, in order to begin the process of repatriation of eligible former members of the Mouvement du 23 mars and to implement other provisions of the Nairobi declarations. There should be a timetable and careful monitoring of the implementation of that process. I take note of the recent progress made by the National Oversight Mechanism of the Democratic Republic of the Congo in concluding benchmarks and indicators of progress on national commitments. That should be followed up by concrete actions in order to address root causes, as stipulated in the Peace, Security and Cooperation Framework.”
2014-08-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7237 (2014) · source
“Those challenges include the slow implementation of the provisions of the Nairobi declarations that followed the conclusion of the Kampala dialogue, the humanitarian situation, including the state of human rights, persisting impunity, the ongoing plight of refugees and internally displaced persons, the restoration of State authority in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, the acceleration of security sector reform and the voluntary disarmament process of the Forces democratiques de liberation du Rwanda (FDLR). In addition, the region faces political tensions and general anxiety generated by transitional politics and electoral calendars in several signatory countries in the next couple of years, along with the prevailing mistrust in the region.”
2014-08-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7237 (2014) · source
“In September, Angola will host a ministerial-level regional consultation that will bring together the Framework signatory countries, private sector representatives and international development partners in order to endorse an investment opportunity brief for the region and finalize discussions for the investment conference. While some progress has been achieved thus far, much more work is required in the days ahead, and serious challenges confront the attainment of irreversible peace, as my friend and colleague Martin Kobler has already indicated. If the issues are not immediately and effectively addressed, the challenges have the potential to undo the progress achieved and ultimately undermine peace and security.”
2014-08-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7237 (2014) · source
“To that end, I have worked with the current Chair of the ICGLR, President dos Santos and the ICGLR secretariat to ensure progress is achieved on the planned private sector investment conference for the Great Lakes region, endorsed by the Regional Oversight Mechanism. On 11 June, in conjunction with the United Nations Global Compact, I convened a round table on responsible investment in the Great Lakes region in Addis Ababa, which drew over 100 participants from the private and public sectors, signatory countries, development partners and regional and international development finance institutions.”
2014-08-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7237 (2014) · source
“My last field assignment, a short time ago, was to attend the extraordinary summit of the ICGLR on the fight against youth unemployment in the Great Lakes region, a project supported by the trust fund I established in the Office of the Special Envoy to support the implementation of the Framework. I am encouraged by the determination of Governments in the region to address the looming danger of a fast-growing youth population with stagnant, if not dwindling, opportunities across the region. Fast-tracking the implementation of the development pillar of the Framework remains a key priority of my efforts. When people have livelihoods and the economy grows, the clouds of violence and insecurity inevitably lift.”
2014-08-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7237 (2014) · source
“I have worked with civil society in the region to establish a women's platform for the Framework, not as a separate mechanism but as a reinforcing platform to support all regional and national efforts aimed at giving voice to women and facilitating their active involvement in the implementation of the Framework. National and regional planning workshops are currently ongoing with the support of my office, MONUSCO and the United Nations country teams, for the establishment of a civil society coalition in the region, in order to ensure that Governments are held accountable for their commitments under the Framework. I am indeed gratified to see the emerging galvanization of those critical segments of society towards the achievement of the objectives set forth in the Peace, Security and Cooperation Framework.”
2014-08-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7237 (2014) · source
“I would like to thank my colleagues, members of the international team of envoys, the International Contact Group, the African Union Commission, the World Bank, the Africa Development Bank, MONUSCO and the United Nations country teams in the region, to name only a few, for the useful collaboration and support provided to me in the implementation of my mandate, and for the evolving understanding of the critical need to align respective programmes and policies in the region in support of the Framework. Equally central to the success of the Framework is the full participation of civil society, particularly women and youth, who are too often left out in critical decision making processes, despite their significant proportional stake in the affairs of the region.”
2014-08-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7237 (2014) · source
“I therefore wish to take this opportunity to thank, in particular, Presidents Eduardo dos Santos, Yoweri Museveni, Joseph Kabila, Paul Kagame, Uhuru Kenyatta, Jakaya Kikwete and Jacob Zuma for their untiring efforts to ensure the actualization of the goals of the Framework. Indeed, I thank all other Heads of State and Government of signatory countries, and the secretariats of the ICGLR and the Southern African Development Community for the emerging collaboration and synergy, which I have appreciated as vital in order to support the implementation of the Framework. International support by key partners remains crucial, now and in the immediate future.”
2014-08-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7237 (2014) · source
“Those have indeed been significant preliminary steps for a region known to have gone to war not too long ago in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. Implementing the Framework in the last 18 months has resulted in a strengthening of collective governance and ownership in the region. My efforts have greatly benefited from the proven determination by the leadership in the region to take ownership and responsibility for finding solutions for peace, security and development. Evidence of that is the mini-summit of Heads of State to be convened next week by President dos Santos, as Chair of the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR), to address the current issues.”
2014-08-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7237 (2014) · source
“Implementing the provisions of the Framework has provided a significant forum, the Technical Support Committee, comprised of principal representatives of Heads of State and Government, under my auspices together with the African Union, to deliberate and offer advice on the actualization of the regional commitments. These periodic high-level interactions, supported by my office in Nairobi, have significantly improved communication flow and mutual understanding, and have heightened the sense of urgency for collective actions, as reflected in the formulation of the regional action plan setting out priority actions, as well as a monitoring and evaluation mechanism for the implementation of the commitments of member States.”
2014-08-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7237 (2014) · source
“Nevertheless, hope was not lost. The Peace, Security and Cooperation Framework for the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Great Lakes Region offered a unique opportunity for comprehensive solutions at national, regional and international levels, with the inclusive and active participation of civil society, including women and youth, in order to bring durable peace with security and development to the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the region. While efforts to implement the Framework have met with anticipated challenges, I remain encouraged by the prospects and opportunities generated by the Framework and by the significant achievements recorded so far.”
2014-08-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7237 (2014) · source
“I am pleased to note, as evidenced from this meeting and the related discussions this afternoon, that the Council's commitment to the implementation of the Peace, Security and Cooperation Framework for the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Region remains unwavering. I would also take this opportunity to thank the United Kingdom presidency for organizing this special meeting at a critical moment for peace and stability in the Great Lakes region, just before the Regional Oversight Mechanism meets in New York in September to take stock of the progress made in the implementation of the Peace, Security and Cooperation Framework. Despite the tremendous human and material resources found in the Great Lakes region, decades of war and deep mistrust had caused great damage and misery at the time I assumed duty, about 18 months ago.”
2014-08-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7237 (2014) · source
“Mrs. Robinson: I am honoured to address the Council in my last appearance as Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for the Great Lakes Region on Africa. I must confess that I am actually suffering withdrawal pains, and I am sure that they will become even more severe over the coming weeks. I would like to echo what Martin Kobler said and express my deep appreciation for the close working relationship I have with him and his colleagues in the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO). I would also like to express my gratitude to the Secretary-General for the privilege of serving in this capacity, as well as to the Council members, for the resolute support extended to me during the past 18 months.”
2014-08-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7237 (2014) · source
“Let me conclude with a personal word regarding a special memorial event that is imminent - the twentieth anniversary of the genocide that occurred in Rwanda. As I said to the Council during my first briefing as Special Envoy, in May 2013 (see S/PV.6960), I recall vividly my first visit to Rwanda after that tragic event, and the images of the atrocities remain indelible in my mind. As we commemorate the genocide, I would like to encourage all of us to reflect deeply on the lessons learned from the past work together, to ensure that the succeeding years - the next 20 years and well beyond 4 in the Great Lakes region of Africa will be characterized by tolerance, peace, stability and development.”
2014-03-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7137 (2014) · source
“Of course, I will continue to work closely with Special Representative of the Secretary-General Kobler, with whom, as he has also said, I have an excellent relationship. We work very closely together, and I think that is a strength. We both understand the need to complement each other, but also to work very closely together. I will also work increasingly with civil society, including women's groups, and with international partners, including the team of envoys, with whom I also have an excellent relationship, to assist the Government in accelerating the implementation of key national reforms, including security sector reform, the consolidation of State authority throughout the country, national reconciliation and democratization, particularly as we approach the next election cycle.”
2014-03-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7137 (2014) · source
“In the coming months, with the kind support of the Council, I intend to continue my engagements with President Dos Santos and Foreign Minister Chikoti to seek further collaboration in the political dialogue among leaders ofthe region on sensitive issues. It is my sincere hope that, beginning with the ongoing dialogue on illegal armed groups, the process will develop to include dialogue on other critical issues that would otherwise severely limit the achievement of the goals of the Peace, Security and Cooperation Framework. I shall also continue my efforts with the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and will support the ICGLR secretariat's efforts to ensure the effective implementation and follow-up of the Kampala Dialogue Declarations.”
2014-03-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7137 (2014) · source
“While it is important to hold Member States accountable for the implementation of their commitments and to provide support in that regard, we must not fail to be guided by the fact that achieving peace and stability in the region will be an incremental process. The region will therefore require time, as well as dedicated support, to achieve the objectives of the Peace, Security and Cooperation Framework. More important, international engagements and messaging to Member States must be strong, constant, well coordinated and coherent to achieve the desired results. Despite the other pressures on members of the Council - and I know they are very real - I would plead for the continuation of the strong support that members have shown for the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the region.”
2014-03-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7137 (2014) · source
“At the national level, the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo needs to quickly implement the provisions of the Kampala Dialogue Declarations, including the administrative and technical steps to facilitate the repatriation of the almost 2,000 former M-23 combatants who fled to Rwanda and Uganda last year. Further delay in that process could be costly to peace and regional stability. The national DDR programme also needs to gain immediate traction. It remains stalled due to the lack of an agreed approach and an agreed funding plan with international partners. Concrete actions in fair and independent courts would also be required against those who have committed serious violations of human rights and international crimes. I welcome the proposal for the establishment of mixed courts.”
2014-03-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7137 (2014) · source
“Before travelling to Burundi, I will be in Goma, on 18 March, one year to the day from when my mandate started, for an announcement and press conference about the "peace one day", 21 September, which will be celebrated in the Democratic Republic of the Congo this year. It will be an opportunity for the world to take stock, in a sense, of both the progress and the needs in that country. In the coming months, certain courses of actions will be critical if further meaningful progress is to be achieved in the implementation of the Framework.”
2014-03-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7137 (2014) · source
“Recently, at a breakfast in Kinshasa on 3 March, I met Catherine Samba-Panza, interim President of the Central African Republic. We spoke at length. She informed me of the urgent need for additional capacity to be provided by the United Nations to support peacekeeping in her country and requested that I bring this dire need to the attention of members of the Council today. In addition, and in a way that I think requires our attention, the growing tensions in another signatory country, Burundi, are also quite worrisome. I will travel to Bujumbura on 19 March to engage with the Government and stakeholders, in close coordination with Special Representative of the Secretary-General Parfait Onanga-Anyanga.”
2014-03-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7137 (2014) · source
“We must therefore find the means and courage to address all underlying causes of conflicts, promote reconciliation and tackle the obstacles that impede the voluntary return of refugees in safety and in dignity. Furthermore, efforts should be geared towards working with the region to build trust, without which economic and social cooperation cannot thrive. While efforts should remain focused on stabilizing the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, we must equally be mindful of the impact of developments in the Central African Republic and South Sudan, also signatories to the Framework and neighbours to the Democratic Republic of the Congo. I am very concerned - as I know members of the Council are - about continuing reports of gross violations of human rights in those countries and the prevailing security situation.”
2014-03-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7137 (2014) · source
“During my recent visit to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, I was pleased to learn from both Prime Minister Matata Ponyo Mapon and the Coordinator of the national oversight mechanism, Francois Mwamba, that support to the mechanism and coordination with the Government was improving. Despite the modest progress recorded in the past year, we still have a long way to go to achieve the objectives of the Framework. The security and humanitarian situation in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo remains fragile. I would say it remains unacceptable, because there is still not the security needed by women and their families in particular.”
2014-03-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7137 (2014) · source
“In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, more needs to be done to consolidate State authority throughout the country, reform the security sector - again, I agree with Martin Kobler that this has to be more of a priority, particularly with regard to the army - and promote good governance, reconciliation, tolerance and democratization. While efforts are ongoing to align various national plans with the Peace, Security and Cooperation Framework, for optimal results the Democratic Republic of the Congo national oversight mechanism needs to be further strengthened to efficiently carry out its mandate.”
2014-03-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7137 (2014) · source
“During my recent visit in the region, I raised the issue of the former M-23 combatants with the relevant authorities. I am glad that some progress is being made in relation to DDR and that there are active discussions with international partners. But this is a critical issue on which more progress is needed, as my colleague and friend Martin Kobler has emphasized. I continue to be engaged with Ugandan Minister of Defence Kiyonga, the ICGLR and the national oversight mechanism in the Democratic Republic of the Congo to fast track the establishment of the follow- up mechanism, as agreed under the Kampala Dialogue Declarations. Meanwhile, several critical issues remain that require urgent attention.”
2014-03-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7137 (2014) · source
“I commend President Kabila and the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo for promulgating the amnesty law, in line with the Kampala Dialogue Declarations, which formally ended the conflict with the M-23. I think we must all recognize that it was not an easy step for a Government to take and that it was a sign of leadership that the Government was determined that it had to be part of the process. The amnesty, as we know, will not be extended to those responsible for serious crimes and human rights violations. However, more actions are required to follow up, particularly on the repatriation from Uganda and Rwanda of former M-23 combatants and the beginning of an effective disarmament, demobilization and reintegration (DDR) process for eligible members.”
2014-03-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7137 (2014) · source
“My recent interactions with civil society organizations from across the region - which took place in Addis Ababa on the margins of the African Union January Summit and in follow-up meetings, both in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and lately in The Hague, during the meeting of the International Contact Group - have clearly revealed the readiness of that critical group to play an active role in the implementation of the Framework. I look to Council members to lend their support to all of those initiatives, which would directly impact the lives of the people of the region. Related progress has been achieved at national level, as well since the endorsement of the plan of action for the implementation of the Peace, Security and Cooperation Framework.”
2014-03-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7137 (2014) · source
“The social and economic pillars of the Peace, Security and Cooperation Framework also recorded some achievements with the establishment of the Women's Platform for the Framework, which I had the privilege to help launch on 28 January in Addis Ababa, during the AU summit. The ICGLR opened the regional training facility on sexual and gender-based violence in Kampala, on 16 February, for the training of security personnel in the region. Collaboration is ongoing with the ICGLR and other partners to operationalize those important mechanisms.”
2014-03-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7137 (2014) · source
“The conference will promote a shared understanding of the role of the private sector in advancing the economic pillar of the Framework, inspire actionable policy recommendations for the consideration of decision makers and create a venue for public and private stakeholders of the signatory countries to identify business and investment opportunities. It will also create a space for business leaders to forge relationships, expand their professional networks and share experiences. My Office will convene the conference jointly with the ICGLR, the Southern African Development Community and the African Union, in close consultation with other United Nations agencies, countries of the region and with the support of the bilateral and multilateral institutions.”
2014-03-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7137 (2014) · source
“As we move into the second year of implementation, it is equally important that we fast-track the social and economic aspects of the Peace, Security and Cooperation Framework. As I have always said, peace cannot take root without tangible evidence on the ground that jobs and businesses are able to flourish, with people feeling a difference in their lives. Following the endorsement by the regional oversight mechanism of the convening of a private sector investment conference for the region, I have been working, together with my team, with the ICGLR, the African Union (AU), the European Union, the World Bank, United Nations agencies and with a number of Member States to hold the conference before the end of this year.”
2014-03-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7137 (2014) · source
“President Kabila's commitments in Luanda to address the FDLR threat in a comprehensive manner by the end of the year and his Government's ultimatum on 24 February to the FDLR, as well as the recent actions by the FARDC, supported by MONUSCO and the Force Intervention Brigade, are very encouraging signs. Tackling the FDLR presence in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo should indeed go a long way to address Rwanda's concerns and ease tensions in the region. It would form the building blocks for trust and mutual confidence, with multiplier effects to facilitate regional economic and social cooperation. It would also facilitate efforts for the full restoration of State authority in the Kivu regions of eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo.”
2014-03-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7137 (2014) · source
“Operations have now started against the FDLR, as the Council has heard. Those are indeed important developments. However, I believe they should take into account the regional plan and the steps agreed in Luanda and align efforts for optimum results. It is my sincere hope that robust operations against FDLR elements who refuse to surrender will be vigorously sustained and concluded speedily. Those who surrender and who have not been involved in the genocide or other serious crimes should have the option to return to Rwanda in dignity through the established processes.”
2014-03-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7137 (2014) · source
“It was agreed, inter alia, that the military chiefs of staff of the five countries involved in the dialogue would come together and examine ways to support the plans of the Democratic Republic of the Congo to address the FDLR. I believe that a regional plan borne out of dialogue holds good prospects, and I am strongly encouraging the political leadership of President Dos Santos to ensure coherence and to be a rallying point for the coordination of efforts in the region. My several meetings with President Dos Santos have been very encouraging, and I firmly believe that much progress can be achieved by Angola's leadership of the ICGLR in the next two years. As I was saying earlier, the FARDC, supported by MONUSCO and its Force Intervention Brigade, are making significant progress in their operations against the ADF.”
2014-03-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7137 (2014) · source
“At the latest Summit of the International Conference on Peace, Security, Democracy and Development in the Great Lakes Region, held in Luanda in January, President Dos Santos shared a vision for his tenure that complements the objectives of the Peace, Security and Cooperation Framework. The President initiated a political dialogue with Presidents Kagame, Kabila, Museveni and Zuma on illegal armed groups such as the Forces de'mocratiques de libe'ration du Rwanda (F DLR) and the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), during which they agreed on a plan to tackle the sources of insecurity in the Democratic Republic ofthe Congo and the region.”
2014-03-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7137 (2014) · source