YouSaid · the spoken record

Rycroft

lines on the record: 1,262
first: 2015-05-12
most recent: 2018-01-10
sittings or episodes: 197
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

“As we have heard, last week it was 13-year-old Hallel Jaffa-Ariel, last month Mahmoud Rafad Badran, It is almost unspeakable that future generations of Israelis and Palestinians are now victims ofa conflict and occupation that belongs firmly in the past. Children like Hallel and Mahmoud should be looking ahead to seven decades of peace and hope, not falling victim to seven decades of hate and fear. This violence is only moving us away from peace, not towards it. Secondly, we need to send a clear message today that it is not enough just to stop the Violence. The shocking trends in the West Bank are unacceptable and must stop.”
2016-07-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7736 (2016) · source
“I know there are disagreements about some aspects ofthe report, what it does and what it does not cover. But I hope that we can all acknowledge that, whatever our disagreements, it is absolutely clear that progress must now be made to stop this possible reality from coming to pass and that we must advance, indeed save, the two-State solution. There are three messages that I hope we can all agree on today. The first is that the violence must stop. Leaders on both sides must do more to clamp down on inflammatory rhetoric and incitement. It is simply not acceptable to stand by while this continues. Sadlly, the violence that we have seen over recent months continues. Even as the report was being published, violence was claiming more innocent victims.”
2016-07-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7736 (2016) · source
“I thank the Secretary-General for his briefing today. I want to begin by welcoming the Quartet's report on the situation in Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories. I join others in thanking the Quartet Envoys and principals for all their hard work in producing that important analysis on the situation facing ordinary Israelis and Palestinians. The trends that the report highlights are, sadly, familiar: settlements, annexations and demolitions, violence, incitement and suffering - on both sides. If we cannot reverse those shocking trends, the report is clear what the future holds. It is "a future of a one-State reality, of perpetual occupation and conflict" - and thus a future without security, a future without Statehood. And that is no future at all.”
2016-07-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7736 (2016) · source
“We have welcomed positive developments in other areas, such as the Government of the Sudan's adoption of an action plan for the protection of children from violations in armed conflict, and we have welcomed the Government's signing of the road map agreement proposed by the African Union High-level Implementation Panel. We urge non-signatory groups to join them and sign this important document. I am confident that this resolution provides the basis for a strong relationship between the Council, the African Union, UNAMID and the Government of the Sudan. I hope that it will enable us all to work together in a spirit of mutual cooperation to the benefit of those suffering in Darfur.”
2016-06-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7728 (2016) · source
“For the Government of the Sudan, it is an honest but fair message. Through this resolution, we have not shied away from the situation in Darfur. We have clearly expressed our concern at the fighting in Jebel Marra and the impact on civilians, especially of aerial bombardments. We have also called on the Government of the Sudan to ensure unfettered access for UNAMID and humanitarian personnel and to release all UNAMID shipments. It is essential that UNAMID have the food and equipment that it needs to deliver on its mandate. We welcome the recent progress on this issue and trust that it will continue.”
2016-06-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7728 (2016) · source
“The resolution is much more than a simple mandate renewal; it is a vital recommitment to protecting civilians in Darfur, to improving the delivery of humanitarian assistance, and to supporting mediation, both between the Government and the Darfur armed groups, as well as among communities. The text strikes a balance. It enables UNAMID to provide the protection and support necessary for the vulnerable in Darfur, but it also seeks to help deliver progress on the benchmarks that will ultimately enable UNAMID to leave Darfur, as my Egyptian colleagues and others have just set out. In adopting the resolution unanimously today - and I very much agree with the comments made by my Venezuelan colleague on the importance of unanimity - we have sent an important message of support to UNAMID and to the people of Darfur.”
2016-06-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7728 (2016) · source
“As the Security Council's penholder for Darfur, the United Kingdom wholeheartedly welcomes the unanimous adoption of resolution 2296 (2016), which extends the important work of African Union-United Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur (UNAMID) for another year. I also welcome the constructive spirit in which all members of the Security Council engaged with us during the negotiations. The situation in Darfur for many is desperate. Millions of people have fled their homes. Millions of people need humanitarian assistance just to survive. To the United Kingdom, the need for UNAMID is therefore clear.”
2016-06-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7728 (2016) · source
“The mandate is fully in line with the principles of peacekeeping. The Mission is authorized to take action in self-defence and in defence of the mandate. I pay tribute to the peacekeepers risking their lives in Mali. This mandate demonstrates the shared commitment of the Council to help create a more stable and secure Mali. The Government of Mali and northern signatory groups must now use this opportunity to implement the terms of the Peace Agreement without delay.”
2016-06-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7727 (2016) · source
“Like others, allow me to begin by expressing my sincere condolences to the Government and people of Turkey for the appalling attack on Istanbul International Airport. Very briefly, with regard to Mali, I welcome the unanimous adoption of resolution 2295 (2016). It provides the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) with the capabilities and terms to carry out its mission successfully. As well as providing additional troops, the resolution clearly states that peacekeepers will take robust action to defend themselves against attacks from groups that are intent on disrupting the Agreement on Peace and Reconciliation in Mali. Therefore, this mandate strengthens MINUSMA's ability to tackle asymmetrical threats, for example by providing an enhanced intelligence capability for the Mission.”
2016-06-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7727 (2016) · source
“So in adopting this resolution today, let us also reassert our support for the European Union mission, Operation Sophia, and all that it is doing to address the migrant crisis. We fully support its efforts to build the capacity of the Libyan coast guard, and as the British Prime Minister made clear at the Group of Seven Summit, we stand ready to provide an additional ship to increase interdiction efforts further. Let me close by thanking all the members of the Council, including our European colleagues from Spain and France, for their support for this resolution today. Together, we have taken an important step forward that will help secure the coast of Libya, that will limit Da'esh's freedom of movement, and that will ultimately help tackle the migration crisis.”
2016-06-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7715 (2016) · source
“It enables us to inspect, seize and dispose of weapons and to divert vessels to a suitable port to facilitate that disposal. In adopting this resolution today, let us remember that we have taken but one step. It is sensible, proportionate and necessary. The Libyans need our support, and I want to pay tribute to the courage of the Libyan forces fighting and increasingly defeating Da'esh in Benghazi, in Sirte and elsewhere. But Libya faces a twin threat. Just as Da'esh continues to exploit Libyan territory, criminal gangs continue to exploit the fear of people seeking a safer future. The waters of the Mediterranean are now synonymous with suffering; so many people feel they have no choice but to flee, to risk all they have, so that they might escape to safety.”
2016-06-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7715 (2016) · source
“We do so as a sign of our support for the Libyan Government of National Accord. It is making progress, taking control of the machinery of Government in Tripoli, and beginning to assert their authority, but it is clear that such progress still faces challenges. The existing arms embargo has not fully stopped the flow of weapons. Illicit weapons are undermining the peace and security of the region. They are enabling terrorists to murder, to maim, to bring yet more chaos to the people of Libya and the region, who have suffered for too long. So this resolution authorizes all Member States and regional organizations to take specific and measured steps in response. It enables us to interdict vessels on the high seas off Libya when we believe that there are arms going to or from Libya on board.”
2016-06-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7715 (2016) · source
“At the outset, I would like to offer my sincerest condolences to the representative of the United States following the horrific attack in Orlando on Saturday. This was a hateful act of terror against the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community, and the United States has the fullest support of the United Kingdom and, I hope, of the whole Council as it comes to terms with this unspeakable tragedy. Sadly, it is clearer than ever that we are all threatened by terrorism and those who follow terrorist ideologies. It is absolutely imperative that we fight these threats together - that we fight them as a united Council. So I warmly welcome the unanimous adoption of resolution 2292 (2016) today. As the penholder on this issue, the United Kingdom has made it a priority to take meaningful action against the illegal flow of weapons to Libya.”
2016-06-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7715 (2016) · source
“I hope that we can build on the London-Syria conference commitments and the compact of ideas, and find comprehensive and sustainable solutions. Let me close by stressing that the United Kingdom is committed to playing our part to enhance the protection of civilians. It is why we have deployed personnel to United Nations peacekeeping missions in Somalia and South Sudan in recent weeks, and it is why we are hosting a peacekeeping defence ministerial meeting in September. Because through those commitments, and more - everything else that we are doing - I believe that we can help Nadia and all civilians under threat, across the world, so that they too can have hope; so that they too can believe that justice is on their side.”
2016-06-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7711 (2016) · source
“Through resolution 2272 (2016), we pledged to tackle the scourge, but to make progress we need a commitment from the entire international community to making zero tolerance a reality. My final point is that the protection of civilians is not confined to those under attack. It extends to those who risk everything to flee across land and sea to find refuge. So we welcome the Secretary-General's report on large movements of refugees and migrants (A/70/59) and the planning under way for the high-level events of the General Assembly. Together we need to deliver a framework for better global management of migration, one that places greater emphasis on global responsibility-sharing to provide real protection for refugees.”
2016-06-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7711 (2016) · source
“When they cannot or will not, international mechanisms such as the International Criminal Court have an important role to play. Accountability is crucial to improving the protection of civilians in peacekeeping. Enhanced reporting mechanisms are needed, including independent mission observers. Commanders must monitor for violations and missions should work closely with local communities and non-governmental organizations. They all must be able to report their findings independently and regularly to us. There is no greater need for accountability than for those sexually exploited and abused by peacekeepers - those who have been betrayed by the people sent to protect them.”
2016-06-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7711 (2016) · source
“When they starve and besiege, when they attack schools and hospitals, or when they impeded humanitarian access, we see unimagineable suffering, populations fleeing, economies collapsing, a whole country left staring into the abyss. We recognized at the World Humanitarian Summit that the humanitarian system needs reform. I am pleased that the Summit included a renewed commitment to international humanitarian law. However * and this is my third point-to deter future breaches of international humanitarian law, we need greater accountability for when there is no compliance, or when the protection of civilians is ignored or violated. The Secretary-General talks of a pervasive lack of accountability. That must be tackled. States must investigate crimes that occur in their jurisdiction.”
2016-06-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7711 (2016) · source
“In that way, we can create a new generation of peacekeeping - one with the protection of civilians at its heart. Secondly, the tragedies of Syria, South Sudan and Yemen show that there needs to be better compliance with international humanitarian law. The Secretary- General's report makes clear that strengthening compliance with international humanitarian law and human rights law is a prerequisite for improving the protection of civilians. Those laws are binding on all sides of any conflict. They strike a balance between military necessity and basic humanity. When those laws are breached, everyone loses. The primary responsibility for complying with those laws lies with the parties to conflict, as the Secretary-General and, indeed, my Russian colleague reminded us today.”
2016-06-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7711 (2016) · source
“To answer those questions, we need to recognize that as threats to civilians change, so peacekeeping must change too. This means that all of us must look into the future so that we can better understand operating environments and the threats that civilians and peacekeepers face. New technology and better intelligence can help, but to maximize impact and sustainability personnel need to be trained and equipped to use those new tools. President Obama's summit on peacekeeping last September successfully increased the quantity of peacekeepers available to the United Nations. We now need to improve the overall quality. The United Nations needs a mechanism to choose only those troops who can definitively protect civilians effectively, and to replace those who are unable or unwilling to fulfil their mandated tasks.”
2016-06-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7711 (2016) · source
“But too often, peacekeeping is failing to live up to the high standards that victims rightly require. Yesterday I met with Nadia Murad f the Yazidi woman whom I mentioned in my statement last week (see S/PV.7704). She told me, very movingly, how 19 girls were burned alive this week in her community. That is the barbarity that civilians now face. It is almost unspeakable. And yet she told me that she still has hope because she feels that justice is on her side. Our job today is to show people like Nadia that there is cause for hope i that we can and will protect civilians. I see four steps that we need to take. First, we need to prepare peacekeepers for this seemingly impossible task. How can we best train, equip and deploy them? How can we ensure that they make a real difference to the communities that they are sent to protect?”
2016-06-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7711 (2016) · source
“Let me begin by welcoming President Touadera to the Council and thanking him and Mr. Maurer for their briefings. I also want to thank the Secretary-General for his remarks and for his report on the protection of civilians in armed conflict (S/2016/447). My conclusion from this debate so far, sadly, is that the protection of civilians in conflict is in crisis. Whether in Syria or in South Sudan, we are failing the most vulnerable when they need us the most - when they are being targeted in their homes, when they are being targeted in hospitals and even when they are being targeted by the very peacekeepers sent to protect them. The United Nations invented peacekeeping in order to prevent war, so civilians benefit hugely when peacekeeping works.”
2016-06-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7711 (2016) · source
“Once the relevant permissions are in place and the Security Council draft resolution on the issue is adopted, the next phase of this operation to intercept naval vessels carrying illicit arms will begin, and the United Kingdom will deploy a further ship to the Mediterranean. Together, these developments will continue to help tackle the migrant crisis and limit the operational capabilities of Da'esh in Libya. In conclusion, EU-United Nations cooperation has proved to be invaluable on numerous occasions - in peacekeeping, mediation and tackling crises - and so has the EU cooperation with other regional organizations. We look forward to continued cooperation and partnership, which can only serve to strengthen the principles and purposes of both the Charter of the United Nations and the EU.”
2016-06-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7705 (2016) · source
“The tragic loss of life in the Mediterranean and the refugee flows into Europe have highlighted the need for stronger regional and global approaches to migration and refugees. The United Kingdom and the EU see a need for greater international burden-sharing to address those issues. We are actively pursuing that through the Khartoum process and the Compact approach, highlighted at the London Syria Conference. In addition to the EU work on tackling illegal migration, the EU is building the capacity ofthe Libyan coast guard. The United Kingdom will play our part in that effort. My Prime Minister announced in Japan, at the Summit of the Group of Seven, that the United Kingdom has increased our contribution to the EU Operation Sophia.”
2016-06-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7705 (2016) · source
“The United Kingdom welcomes the close cooperation between the EU and the United Nations in the Libyan political dialogue process that led to the establishment of the Government of National Accord. The EU support and that of a number of EU member States, in close coordination and cooperation with the United Nations, is supporting the new Libyan Government. That is crucial and contributes to the unity of the international community behind the Government of National Accord. The EU has already provided financial support to the Stabilization Facility for Libya Project Board to fund quick-impact projects that will make a difference on the ground. That leads me to my third point, namely, the important role that the EU and its member States play in providing practical support to address ongoing crises.”
2016-06-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7705 (2016) · source
“Secondly, in addition to peacekeeping, the EU and its member States play a significant role in creating the conditions for peace through mediation and forging new peace agreements. The EU, along with several of its member States, is playing an important role in the International Syria Support Group and the political process, which is the only way of ending more than five years of conflict. The EU and its member States have also played a significant role in supporting Syrian refugees and internally displaced persons. Such support comprised nearly two-thirds of the 2016 pledges made at the Supporting Syria and the Region Conference held in London this year. The EU is also actively supporting peace in Libya.”
2016-06-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7705 (2016) · source
“First, the EU and its individual member States play an active role in peacekeeping by directly participating in United Nations missions. The EU also provides complementary support to United Nations missions and the operations of other regional organizations through its own Common Security and Defence Policy missions and through the provision of training, mentoring and financing. That cooperation is crucial to the success of United Nations efforts to maintain international peace and security. We saw that cooperation first-hand during our visit to Somalia last month. The EU plays a crucial role there in supporting the African Union Mission in Somalia, in training the Somali National Army and in supporting projects to bring long-term peace to Somalia.”
2016-06-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7705 (2016) · source
“Let me begin by welcoming Ms. Mogherini, High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, back to the Council today. I thank her for her informative briefing this morning. As the High Representative and other have set out, the European Union (EU) and regional organizations as a whole are fundamental to how the United Nations operates and how it delivers across the world. Both the United Nations and the European Union were born of the scourge of war, so it is unsurprising that we share so many values, such as peace, human rights and development, to name but three. Together, our shared values underpin our collective ability to promote and maintain international peace and security. Today, I want to focus on three ways that we do so.”
2016-06-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7705 (2016) · source
“Those organizations empower women, and they can empower our efforts to ensure that women and girls are no longer treated as merchandize in markets. We need to be letting them in, not shutting them out. I therefore call on the Economic and Social Council Committee on NGOS to stop these arbitrary deferrals and let these NGOs in. I hope all here willjoin me in that call.”
2016-06-02 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7704 (2016) · source
“If we are to succeed in ending these crimes, as the Yazidi acitivist Nadia Murad implored us to do, we will need the widest possible support from the grass roots all the way up to global organizations. To do that means working with non-governmental organizations (NGOs). They are Vital partners. The United Kingdom works with such organizations as Tearfund to support survivors of sexual violence in the most remote parts of eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. They help women and girls in desperate need in places Governments struggle to reach. Yet over the past week, over 250 NGOs have had their bids to gain accreditation with the United Nations either delayed or rejected - the majority for spurious reasons. Many of these NGOs lead the charge on human rights and on women and gender issues.”
2016-06-02 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7704 (2016) · source
“We have done so in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Colombia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Iraq, Kosovo, Nepal, Syria and Uganda. Such efforts must lead to more investigations and more prosecutions through the International Criminal Court and through hybrid and domestic courts. There can be no impunity for the perpetrators of those crimes. In step four, we need to challenge the harmful stigma directed towards survivors of sexual violence in conflict. Survivors and children born of rape are too often ostracized by their families and exiled from their communities. When a survivor escapes the horror of sexual violence, she should find hope and support, not rejection and silence. So together, let us all challenge any culture that accepts, condones or justifies sex. Let me close with this final thought.”
2016-06-02 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7704 (2016) · source
“We all have a role to play. Our own countries' police and military need to be more representative of our societies, with greater recruitment and greater promotion of women. If the United Nations itself is to play its full role in ending the scourge of sexual violence, it cannot - it must not - be a part of the problem. No one wearing a United Nations blue helmet should ever take part, or even be associated in any way, with sexual violence, exploitation and abuse. Anyone who commits such crimes, whether a peacekeeper or a Da'esh fanatic, must face justice. Accountability cannot be selective. That is why, for step three, the United Kingdom is building the capacity of Governments, judiciaries, police, military and civil society to strengthen the prosecution of sexual violence.”
2016-06-02 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7704 (2016) · source
“Slowly, our efforts to defeat Da'esh are working. They have already lost over a third of the territory they once controlled in Syria and Iraq. But that is just the first step. Step two: we also need to ensure that militaries and security forces can prevent and respond to sexual violence, and that they are trained and equipped to do so. For instance, the United Kingdom is training Peshmerga troops in Iraq so that they can respond sensitively and appropriately to the needs of survivors of the sexual violence and trafficking of Da'esh. We recognize that this is not an issue confined to one corner of the globe. That is why we are also training African peacekeepers and soldiers, including the army in Mali. It is why we are training our own troops, as well as those from Croatia, Romania, Slovenia, Morocco and Kyrgyzstan.”
2016-06-02 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7704 (2016) · source
“Step one: we must begin by bringing order to the chaos that groups such as Da'esh and Boko Haram thrive in. Those groups do not recognize laws. They do not recognize borders. They operate with impunity, with no regard for the legitimate authorities or the human rights of those they enslave and traffic. That is why the United Kingdom is playing an active role in the coalition to defeat Da'esh and take back the land they claim to govern. It is why we are working tirelessly on Syria, as part ofthe Council and part ofthe International Syria Support Group, to forge a peaceful political solution, one that ends the crisis that has driven the growth of Da'esh. And it is why we are working so closely with other countries that face the destabilizing influence of extremists, so that their hatred cannot take hold.”
2016-06-02 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7704 (2016) · source
“"Merchandise to be sold in markets" - those are the words of Nadia Murad Basee Taha, the Yazidi activist who addressed the Security Council in December. She ended her statement saying, "These crimes against women and their freedom must be brought to an end today." (ibid, p. 7) That was six months ago. Sadly, as the briefers and the Secretary-General's report (S/2016/361) make clear, we are not there yet. We have not yet brought these crimes to an end. The crimes continue - in Syria, in Iraq and in places as far afield as Afghanistan and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. In response, we cannot be deterred. Our efforts must be unrelenting and, equally, far-reaching. I look forward to working with Spain on Roman's five operational points. I have my own four steps to put forward today.”
2016-06-02 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7704 (2016) · source
“Mr. Rycroft (United Kingdom) (spoke in French): At the outset, allow me to congratulate you, Mr. President, on the start of your presidency for the month of June. (spoke in English) I am very grateful that France scheduled this debate today. The women and peace and security agenda is a high priority for the United Kingdom, and I am very glad that my country is the penholder on this issue in the Security Council. Ijoin others in welcoming the briefings we heard from speakers this morning, which I found humbling and moving. If I may, I would like to quote the words of an earlier briefer: "[t]he Islamic State did notjust come to kill us but to take us as merchandise to be sold in markets " (S/PV.7585, p. 6).”
2016-06-02 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7704 (2016) · source
“I therefore look forward to a Council process that builds on the Assembly's excellent work on the hearings last month and next month, too, no doubt. In doing so, I believe we will build on the steps taken this month towards fostering a more open and responsive Security Council. This has not been about votes, negotiations or discussions, but about showing that we are in the business of getting things done. I look forward to our efforts continuing, both under the French presidency and others to come.”
2016-05-31 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7703 (2016) · source
“That is why we fully support the call from the International Syria Support Group for air drops to besieged areas, should access not be granted by land by tomorrow. That deadline is looming fast. Should the regime continue to prevent aid from reaching those who need it, we will all have to work to turn the Support Group's pledge into action. My final point is about our work on the appointment of the next Secretary-General. I would like to pay tribute to you, Mr. President, for beginning informal discussions on how the Council will conduct that vital selection process. The General Assembly hearings have set a high bar for us to follow. There are huge expectations, both inside and outside this building.”
2016-05-31 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7703 (2016) · source
“In doing so, we helped contribute to the public pressure that eventually brought about a recommitment to the cessation of hostilities. But even that simple act was far too difficult to achieve. Even as Aleppo burned, the Council took too long to agree to hold a simple meeting. Actions outside the Chamber - such as removing medicine from convoys, stopping urgent medical evacuations from besieged areas, or denying basic aid to those most in need - speak louder than the words within it. Those are the actions of the Syrian regime, and they are deafening in comparison to the words of the Security Council. So our response must not be limited to calling another meeting. It cannot be even more words.”
2016-05-31 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7703 (2016) · source
“It reaffirmed that we speak with a powerful voice when we are united and when we urge progress in the name of peace and security. As our Japanese colleague just said, we saw that when the Somali President approved the electoral model to be used in this year's crucial elections shortly after our departure. In doing so, he overcame an important hurdle to the democratic, representative future that he people of Somalia so urgently deserve. I therefore encourage future presidencies to mirror the example set by the Egyptian presidency and arrange more visits to countries on our agenda. If Somalia shows how we have got it right this month, sadly, Syria typifies the opposite. Following the powerful debate on health care workers in armed conflict (S/PV.7685), it was right that the Council met to discuss the deteriorating situation in Aleppo.”
2016-05-31 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7703 (2016) · source
“I believe that all three are examples of the need for us to take an action-oriented approach so that we can exert pressure and make a real difference in the world and foster progress in a way that goes beyond our usual business of adopting resolutions and products. Let me take each briefly in turn. Our visit to Somalia formed part of a good month for cooperation with regional bodies, joining the visits from both the African Union Peace and Security Council and the European Union Peace and Security Committee to New York. Those are important load- bearing relationships that we must continue to invest in and to strengthen for the future. But the visit to Somalia also demonstrated something else. It reaffirmed that Security Council trips to countries on our agenda can have a positive, tangible influence.”
2016-05-31 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7703 (2016) · source
“Let me begin, Mr. President, with warm congratulations and thanks to you and to your whole team for a very successful presidency. Once again, it has been a busy month. I am therefore glad that you have made time for this wrap-up session so that we may capture the lessons learned from the past few weeks and share them transparently in this open meeting. I very much agree with our colleagues from Uruguay and Spain who said that it would be even more effective if the session were to be interactive and informal. In keeping with the useful concept note that the President circulated, I will focus on three points today: the Council's visit to Somalia; the situation in Syria; and our work on appointing the next Secretary- General.”
2016-05-31 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7703 (2016) · source
“The lack of diversity in the Security Council in terms of gender equality was also notable, and noticed by those women. Finally, I want to thank Michael Keating, who is doing an excellent job as the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Somalia. I also thank his outstanding team in the United Nations Assistance Mission in Somalia, which made the visit ofthe Council possible and allowed us to take full advantage of the visit and advance this crucial agenda. I am glad to say that the Council issued a press statement on Monday welcoming the progress on the political track. I know that we will all want to continue to follow developments in Somalia very closely and to support Somalia throughout this critical year. I thank the President of the Council once again for organizing the visit.”
2016-05-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7696 (2016) · source
“We were able to look at both the long-term consequences of the conflict in Somalia and also some of the root causes. That, in my view, is an essential part of our work on every issue facing us on the Security Council's agenda. As part of that wider work, I was very glad that we were able to meet representatives of civil society. One of the groups was made up ofwomen who are active in Somali politics and in ensuring that the role of women in Somalia goes from strength to strength. They underlined the importance of the Federal Government of Somalia adhering to its commitment to reserve 30 per cent of seats in both the upper and lower houses for women. The Security Council voiced its strong support for that commitment during our visit, as it had done in press statements earlier this year.”
2016-05-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7696 (2016) · source
“Similarly, with the Somali national army, I was very struck by the scale of what still remains to be done. A lot of us have done a lot in that area over the years, but a huge amount remains to be done in order to allow the Somalis to create a genuinely effective set of security forces. I think there is a lack of clear coordination, both on the Somali side and on the international side. I also think that, between us, we need to do a better job of coordinating the various offers of assistance in terms of the security architecture in order to maximize the impact of that assistance. I also want to say a word about the broader context. We were able to talk to United Nations and other actors who are involved in the region and in other parts of Somalia's development. We looked at the humanitarian situation and sustainable development.”
2016-05-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7696 (2016) · source
“I think that we owe them a huge debt of gratitude. Some of them paid the ultimate sacrifice in that work. We need to continue working with AMISOM. and the Somali national army and police in order to create the sort of conditions that will allow Somalia to become a much more peaceful, stable and normal member of the international community. The challenges for AMISOM. are significant and we will have an opportunity - as we will shortly renew its mandate - to look at those in more detail. There are issues related to the desire of troop-contributing countries to continue, or not, their commitment. There are also issues related to commander control and coordination. I think those of us who were on the trip have come back with a much clearer sense of the scale of those challenges.”
2016-05-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7696 (2016) · source
“We also met the Special Representative ofthe African Union for Somalia and Head ofthe African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM), Ambassador Francisco Madeira, other senior AMISOM. leaders and the leadership of the United Nations Support Office in Somalia. Between them, they outlined the scale of the challenges ahead. I think it was clear to all on the Council's side of the table that security remained a very significant concern in Somalia. As such, I want to take this moment to pay tribute to the men and women of AMISOM, who are doing sterling work in difficult circumstances to try to bring stability and security to Somalia, as well as to the men and women ofthe Somali national army and the police who, likewise, are doing all they can to fight Al-Shabaab and to make their country safe for the future.”
2016-05-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7696 (2016) · source
“I also think - taking a step back from the details - that this is an example of how a Council visit can make a positive difference, either in terms of preventing things from getting worse, in terms of preventive diplomacy, or - in this case - as a way of encouraging a country to do the right thing and actually to move things forward in a positive direction. I am very glad that we were able to do that. That is a summary of what we are discussing on the political track. We also spent a lot of time on security issues. We had a good meeting with the Somali Deputy Prime Minister, who is in charge of developing the national security architecture for Somalia. That will provide, among other things, civilian oversight of the Somali security forces.”
2016-05-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7696 (2016) · source
“I am very pleased to say that, shortly after the Council left Mogadishu, in the early hours of Sunday morning, President Hassan Sheik Mohamud did indeed take the necessary step of issuing a presidential decree to ensure that there were no extension to the constitutionally mandated terms of Somalia's executive and legislative orders. I think that was a good outcome of the visit to the central question of the electoral process in the run-up to elections, which are due to take place in August.”
2016-05-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7696 (2016) · source
“However, when we arrived in Mogadishu, on Thursday, that process was in deadlock. The President and the regional Presidents whom we met had reached an agreement on the electoral model earlier in the year. but the Parliament had not been able to endorse the agreement, leading to a delay in preparations for the August elections. We therefore met President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, Prime Minister Sharmarke and the regional leaders of Puntland, the South-West administration and Galmudug to express our concern at that delay and to urge swift adoption of the model. The President gave assurances that he would continue to work for the Parliament's adoption of the model. He also said that, if that were not possible, he would use his presidential decree, which is absolutely within his rights to do, in order to get the model validated and endorsed.”
2016-05-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7696 (2016) · source
“You missed a good and very productive visit." During the Somalia leg of the visit, the Council had an opportunity to reaffirm its oversight, in detail, of what is happening in the country and to reaffirm its commitment to continue the journey with the Somali people as they progress towards stability and prosperity. The visit came at a crucial time in an important year for Somalia. We are halfway between 2012 and 2020. In 2012 the Somali people set out their four-year vision, entitled Vision 2016, which is due to culminate in elections in August. By 2020 there will be one person, one vote elections in Somalia, which will conclude the transitional phase. The electoral process is a central part of that transition and one that, as the Council, we have paid a lot of attention to over the years.”
2016-05-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7696 (2016) · source