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

“I thank you, Sir, for giving me this opportunity to brief my colleagues on the Council's visit to Somalia, to be followed by your own briefing on the visit to Kenya and Egypt. 1 want to begin by thanking you for your initiative to organize the visit to the Horn of Africa, which was an extremely useful and timely one. I want also to thank our colleagues from the Secretariat for their role in organizing extremely valuable programmes, and the Permanent Representatives and Deputy Permanent Representatives who went on the trip. My message to those who did not is: "Bad luck.”
2016-05-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7696 (2016) · source
“The challenges ahead still remain significant, but there are some grounds for optimism. To illustrate that, Iwould like to return to the story of Mr. Mahmoud. Thanks to the love of his family, he never made it to Syria. His brother used Twitter to reach Adnan just before he crossed the border. He persuaded him to return to the United Kingdom to take responsibility for his actions. His brother was that vital, credible voice needed to show Adnan that there was an alternative - and, of course, it was the Internet that enabled him to do so. As we continue our fight against Da'esh, I hope that we can all keep that story firmly in our minds.”
2016-05-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7690 (2016) · source
“As co-Chair of the Global Coalition to Counter the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant in its efforts to tackle Da'esh propaganda, we have invested more than $14 million in the Coalition's communications cell in London. We are not alone. Our partners from Bahrain, Canada, Denmark, Germany and the Netherlands are helping to run the cell, and we are working extremely closely with the United States and the United Arab Emirates. Together, we are taking the propaganda fight to Da'esh, and we know that it is working. Da'esh's media output from Syria has dropped considerably. For every Da'esh supporter on Twitter, we now see at least six Twitter handles speaking out against them. We would like everyone to join them in tweeting about #DefeatingDaesh. In conclusion, of course we cannot be complacent.”
2016-05-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7690 (2016) · source
“It has a unique ability to share emerging evidence of what works, so that we can all learn from one another's best practices. And it is the ability of the United Nations to build longer-term resilience at sub-national, national and regional levels that will ensure that there is a long-term solution to the threat posed by violent extremism. That is why the United Kingdom firmly endorses the Secretary-General's Plan of Action to Prevent Violent Extremism (A/70/674). We call on all States to implement its vital recommendations, many of which bolster the objectives outlined in the presidential statement (S/PRST/2016/6) we have adopted today. Outside the United Nations, the United Kingdom will also play its part.”
2016-05-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7690 (2016) · source
“Those groups bring credibility and authenticity that can counter the narratives of groups such as Da'esh. A whole-of-society approach also means partnerships with technology companies, to help us reclaim the space that Da'esh has occupied on social media. To be clear, that does not mean coercing or restricting tech companies; we cannot beat Da'esh by censoring or restricting access to social media. Instead, we must work together to amplify voices that can persuade, inform and, ultimately, undermine the Da'esh brand. To defeat a network, we need a network. The United Nations has a vital role to play in that effort. Our Organization has a unique ability to convene interested parties, as you have done today, Mr. President.”
2016-05-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7690 (2016) · source
“Take the case of Adnan Mahmoud, a student from Lancashire in the North of England. Through the Internet, he was drawn to the Da'esh brand. He searched for graphic videos of Da'esh's brutality and shared them in an effort to indoctrinate others. The Internet was just the start. Spurred on by what he had seen online, he sought it out in the real world and flew to Turkey in September 2014 to join Da'esh in Syria. How can we respond to that horrific abuse of the Internet? How can we show vulnerable people like Mr. Mahmoud that there is an alternative to the Da'esh brand? Our approach in response must involve the whole of our societies. It is not just about Governments; it is about harnessing the expertise of local communities, civil society and religious leaders.”
2016-05-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7690 (2016) · source
“The same could be said of our brand - the United Nations - or the Security Council. But, sadly, the same can also be said of Da'esh. For the disaffected, the disillusioned, the vulnerable, the Da'esh brand has a terrifying ability to connect and persuade. It offers a false promise of empowerment, identity and belonging. It claims to offer a new society, mandated through a perverse interpretation of one of the world's great religions. It even has its own logo. The black flag is globally recognized, revered by the few, feared by the many. The engine of that brand is, without doubt, the Internet. It has been hijacked to spread the hateful messages of Da'esh in ways previously thought impossible, to reach audiences previously though inaccessible. That is true in my country as much as it is in any of those represented around this table.”
2016-05-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7690 (2016) · source
“At the outset, I would like to join you, Mr. President, and others in expressing our condolences to the families of all those killed in recent terrorist attacks. I would also like to thank the Deputy Secretary-General and the Secretary- General of Al Azhar Islamic Research Academy for their briefings. I often say that the Security Council needs to hear more frequently from those working on the front lines of the challenges we face, and it is a sign of the sophistication of the threats that the Internet is now one such front line. I therefore very much welcome Mr. Crown to the Council and pay tribute to the work he does at the Global Network Initiative and all that it does to protect freedom of expression on the Internet. Microsoft is a brand that we all recognize and understand.”
2016-05-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7690 (2016) · source
“We owe it to the people of Aleppo, the living and the dead, to show that the Council can speak with one voice on that issue and that we can work together to bring this violence to an end. We cannot choose to do nothing in the face of such barbarity. To do so would be tantamount to collusion with the very forces destroying Aleppo.”
2016-05-04 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7687 (2016) · source
“We owe it to the people of Aleppo to be clear and candid about the efforts to stop those attacks. Without such clarity, how can they believe that a cessation of hostilities will not be used as cover for further military advances? I therefore welcome the recent announcement about the agreement between the United States and Russia reaffirming the cessation of hostilities in Aleppo, Latakia and eastern Ghouta. But we must now see an immediate, positive response to that latest development. Only its full implementation will give the people of Syria that much needed clarity for actions speak louder than words. To support that effort, the United Kingdom is today proposing a Security Council statement that condemns the violence in Aleppo and calls for an urgent end to the brutality.”
2016-05-04 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7687 (2016) · source
“How can the shelling of hospitals and schools be justified? Those attacks amount to nothing more than barbaric collective punishment. They are war crimes. I agree with the Secretary-General: those responsible should be held fully accountable, including by the International Criminal Court. The Council has an obligation to the people of Aleppo. We have an obligation to show that we are working for their protection, that we are trying to find that elusive political settlement that will end this war. What confidence can a man, woman or child in Aleppo have in our words today? What faith can they place in any future cessation of hostilities when they have seen this one abused so violently? The only way to build back confidence, to restore that faith, is to stop the violence.”
2016-05-04 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7687 (2016) · source
“Through his actions, Al-Assad has shown that he has no commitment to a political settlement, no commitment to bringing peace to Syria. It has never been clearer: there can be no peace while he remains in power. How can he play a role in the future when he orders his forces to impede access to humanitarian aid in complete disregard of so many of our resolutions; when he wilfully denies those most in need of the very supplies that could save their lives; when he deliberately attacks hospitals, as we heard so painfully yesterday? Al-Assad and his allies will point to the threat of the terrorist group Jabhat al-Nusra in Aleppo. They will claim that their actions are in defence of the Syrian people. But how, under any circumstances, can the assault and encirclement of an entire city be justified?”
2016-05-04 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7687 (2016) · source
“A couple of hours later, at 2.30 p.m., rockets hit the Al-Shaher neighbourhood. I could go on, but I think the point is clear: the cessation of hostilities has effectively ceased to exist in Aleppo. The city is burning; people are dying. In little over a week last month, 253 people were killed in Aleppo, 80 of them were women and children. As Dr. Abo El Ezz put it so painfully, "we are running out of coffins to bury our friends, family and colleagues". The cessation of hostilities was supposed to be one of the three pillars of Special Envoy De Mistura's political settlement in Syria, but like the hospitals and houses of Aleppo, that pillar has been systematically attacked and degraded by the actions of the Al-Assad regime. Any trace of optimism from resolution 2268 (2016) has all but evaporated.”
2016-05-04 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7687 (2016) · source
“I thank you, Mr. President, for responding rapidly to my request for an urgent meeting. I welcome the briefings by Under- Secretary-General Feltman and Under-Secretary- General O'Brien, and I welcome the fact that this is a public meeting of the Security Council. Aleppo has been Syria's cultural capital for centuries, but in this conflict it has become a very different symbol, one of oppression and brutality, a symbol of Al-Assad's willingness to fight to the last breath, even if it means the very destruction of Syria itself. One need only glance at media reports from yesterday. At 11 a.m. local time, two barrel bombs fell on the Al-Huluk neighbourhood of Aleppo city. Four people were killed. Just after midday, regime shelling hit at least seven neighbourhoods.”
2016-05-04 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7687 (2016) · source
“Secondly, we must strengthen the strategic-level guidance, communications and coordination of all United Nations counter-terrorism bodies to get the most value from our resources. The United Kingdom looks forward to engaging with all States in the coming months to achieve those aims.”
2016-05-04 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7686 (2016) · source
“Countering Da'esh, stopping foreign terrorist fighters, strengthening non-proliferation, preventing violent extremism - those are all major challenges that require a unified response and coherent support from the United Nations. United Nations counter-terrorism structures must be fit for purpose; that is why the United Kingdom supports an ambitious review of the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy. To close, I have two key recommendations for that review. First, we need to ensure that the concepts of prevention and an all-of-United-Nations approach, as outlined in the Secretary-General's Plan of Action to Prevent Violent Extremism, are incorporated into the United Nations system.”
2016-05-04 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7686 (2016) · source
“Looking forward, the comprehensive review of resolution 1540 (2004) this summer will be an opportunity to strengthen our collective security on this issue. We should be bold. Areas for improvement could include strengthened regional cooperation, as neighbouring States are best placed to help each other; greater understanding of emerging proliferation challenges, because we need to keep pace with new technology; and well-resourced and structured Secretariat support so that the Committee can fulfil its mandate until 2021 and beyond. We hope that all States will engage with these ideas at the 1540 (2004) conference this summer.”
2016-05-04 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7686 (2016) · source
“Continued allegations of chemical weapons use in Syria and Iraq are exactly what resolution 1540 (2004) and the Chemical Weapons Convention were designed to stop. These are horrific crimes, and all investigations aimed at bringing to justice those responsible for acquisition, development, manufacture or use of chemical weapons must be pursued rigourously. Ultimately, prohibited chemical weapons cannot fall into terrorist hands if they have been destroyed, in line with international law. That is why all Governments in the region should join the Chemical Weapons Convention without delay and all existing signatories must unequivocally fulfil their obligations, including full cooperation with the assessments and fact-finding missions of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons.”
2016-05-04 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7686 (2016) · source
“These include increased numbers ofreturnees and, as Ambassador Van Bohemen said, so-called broken travel - traveling with multiple documents via multiple destinations to circumvent security. These shifts show that we cannot be complacent. The United Nations must facilitate the sharing of best practice and lessons learned in this area. The second threat I want to touch on is proliferation to non-State actors, especially terrorists. Resolution 1540 (2004) is all about preventing the worst-case scenario - toxic, poisonous or radioactive materials falling into the hands of terrorists. Full, universal implementation of the resolution by all States would go quite some way towards preventing such deadly proliferation, but that universal ideal is being challenged.”
2016-05-04 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7686 (2016) · source
“Da'esh is now less able to finance its hatred, less able to carry out its terror and less able to recruit followers to its sick cause. We must sustain that pressure. United Nations bodies play a vital supporting role in that effort. The Da'esh and Al-Qaida sanctions regime is tightening the noose on Da'esh finance, and United Nations panel assessments offer timely recommendations for States to address gaps in their national systems. We look to all States to fulfil their obligations under United Nations sanctions. On foreign terrorist fighters, the Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate is helping to map and understanding recruitment flows. We share and welcome the assessment that the flow ofpeople traveling to fight for Da'esh has slowed, but new trends are now emerging.”
2016-05-04 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7686 (2016) · source
“Groups like Boko Haram terrorize some of the world's poorest people, and the Al-Qaida network has spread to fragile regions across the globe. I therefore hope that we can use the 10-year anniversary of the United Nations Strategy to adapt to this new reality, to refresh the framework and to lay the foundations for another decade of effective support to Member States as we tackle this scourge together. I should like to touch in particular on two aspects of the current threat. First, as many colleagues have noted, Da'esh remains a major threat to international peace and security. The United Kingdom is taking action against that group within the Global Coalition to Counter Da'esh and other forums. Significant gains have been made.”
2016-05-04 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7686 (2016) · source
“I want to begin by thanking the three briefers - notjust for their briefings but for all of their hard work on our collective behalf in chairing the Committees. It has been a decade since the General Assembly unanimously adopted the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy, and in that time the United Nations has developed a comprehensive architecture to counter terrorism. At our disposal we have sanctions and analysis, we have coordination from the Counter- Terrorism Implementation Task Force, and we have project delivery by the United Nations Centre for Counter-Terrorism. But in that decade, the threat has changed. The spectre of Da'esh now hangs over so many of the crises that we deal with in this Chamber.”
2016-05-04 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7686 (2016) · source
“The Council has a responsibility to respond to horrific attacks such as the one on the Al-Quds hospital that took the life of Dr. Maas and so many others. Aleppo is burning, and its civilians are being killed. We therefore request that the Secretary- General give an urgent, open briefing in this Chamber on the situation there. We look to you, Mr. President, and to the Secretariat, to convene such a briefing as a top priority.”
2016-05-03 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7685 (2016) · source
“Taken together, that amounts to nothing less than a systematic campaign against medical workers and the entire health-care system in Syria. We all know who is responsible. The Al-Assad regime has killed Syrian civilians time and again. Time and again, it has killed medical workers trying to save those civilians. Time and again, it has flouted its obligations under international humanitarian law. If Russia genuinely believes in the commitment that we have all just made to protecting medical workers, it must bring its full influence to bear to restrain the Al-Assad regime and bring its merciless attacks to an end. Today's resolution sends the important message that the Council will not tolerate attacks on any medical workers or their facilities. We now have to live up to the standards that we have just committed to. Let us start today.”
2016-05-03 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7685 (2016) · source
“And his story is just one ofhundreds to be found in Syria. Over the past five years, the civil-society group Physicians for Human Rights has recorded 730 killings and 359 attacks on medical facilities. That are three medical workers killed every week and a medical facility attacked every five days. At the same time, we have seen medical equipment and surgical supplies diverted away from opposition areas. In February, the Syrian regime denied entry to besieged areas to 80,000 medical items, and to 19,000 in March. The regime is also stopping urgent medical evacuations from those areas. The consequences are horrifying: two children injured in a landmine explosion in Bukkin died after being denied the evacuation they desperately needed.”
2016-05-03 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7685 (2016) · source
“In a war seemingly without end and without rules or limits, it is sometimes hard to be shocked. But when a city - no, an entire country - is bleeding, it is sickening to see doctors and nurses, the people who can staunch that bleeding, being killed and maimed. In that attack, a leading Syrian paediatrician, Dr. Muhammed Wassim Maas, was killed. To those who knew him, he was the bravest and kindest of souls. His devotion to treating the war's youngest victims was unparalleled. By day he worked in the children's hospital; at night he responded to emergencies at the Al-Quds hospital. As his friend Dr. Hatem put it so poignantly on Facebook this week, he was killed for saving lives. Dr. Maas should have been supported and protected, even celebrated. Instead, he was killed while trying to save others.”
2016-05-03 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7685 (2016) · source
“An ambulance must be a sign of hope, not a target. A doctor or nurse must be a ray of light, not a target. The doctors of Aleppo know that all too well, as the Secretary-General himself reminded us and as is shown by the reports today of yet another attack on a hospital there. In a joint letter issued last week, seven Syrian doctors described the bombing of the Al-Quds hospital, which killed at least 50 people and injured 60 more. It was the third such attack on the hospital since the conflict began. "The city is bleeding", they wrote. They went on to say that their friends, the White Helmets, continue to pull bodies out from the rubble, that those attacking Aleppo have no regard for the sanctity of life or humanity and that soon there will be no medical professionals at all.”
2016-05-03 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7685 (2016) · source
“Coming three weeks ahead of the World Humanitarian Summit, it is a clear signal on the part of the Council ofthe vital need for respect for international humanitarian law, for the protection of civilians and for accountability for those who fail to show that respect or protection. Medical facilities and personnel have clear protection under humanitarian law. However, as we have heard, it is sadly repeatedly necessary to demand compliance with those obligations, as we are doing through today's resolution. Respect for medical neutrality is a tradition that has existed for hundreds of years, but it is slowly unravelling before our very eyes. The red cross or crescent symbol that adorns a hospital or ambulance has become a target, whether in Syria, Yemen, South Sudan or Afghanistan. A hospital must be a safe place, not a target.”
2016-05-03 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7685 (2016) · source
“I join others in thanking the Secretary-General, the president of the International Committee for the Red Cross and the international president of Medecins Sans Frontieres for their important briefings today. The Chamber is far removed from the harrowing realities that their presidents have just described and that their organizations have sadly experienced at first hand. I pay tribute to their bravery and to that of their colleagues. It is vital that we hear from all of them on issues as important as this. The United Kingdom welcomes today's unanimous adoption of resolution 2286 (2016) and the work of Egypt, Japan, New Zealand, Spain and Uruguay in preparing it.”
2016-05-03 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7685 (2016) · source
“The United Nations process will continue to have our full support. As Western Sahara illustrates, there are too many intractable long-running disputes on the agenda of the Council, so today we urge the parties to engage constructively with each other and with the United Nations process, so that together we can find a solution and settle the question of Western Sahara once and for all. Doing so is not only of the utmost importance to the Western Saharan refugees, who continue to suffer from the protracted dispute, but also for the security and economic prosperity of all countries and all peoples in the Maghreb region.”
2016-04-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7684 (2016) · source
“First, it emphasizes the urgent need for MINURSO to be returned to full functionality. Secondly, it contains a review mechanism in the form of a briefing by the Secretary-General within the next 90 days to ensure that that reinforcement happens and an undertaking for the Council to consider how best to achieve that outcome, if it is not fully functional. In the meantime, we urge the resumption of productive talks between Morocco and the United Nations, so that the Council can be satisfied that MINURSO is again fully functional. Our collective focus must also return to the United Nations process and to finding a lasting and mutually acceptable political solution for Western Sahara, one that provides for the self-determination of the people of Western Sahara. The United Kingdom position on that issue remains the same.”
2016-04-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7684 (2016) · source
“The United Kingdom welcomes the adoption of resolution 2285 (2016). Although the past few weeks have been regrettable, today's resolution must mark a turning point in the urgent efforts to bring the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO) back to full functionality. MINURSO's work, including its vital civilian component and political reporting function, is critical to the stability of Western Sahara. Recent events have rendered it unable to deliver on its mandate over the past six weeks. Let me be clear. The Council has the responsibility to protect the integrity of its peacekeeping missions and to preserve their ability to implement their mandate. MINURSO is no exception. In that regard, resolution 2285 (2016), adopted today, contains two important elements.”
2016-04-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7684 (2016) · source
“No matter who fired the shells that killed those poor people, it is clear that, without Russia's actions, they would not have been exposed to the horrific violence that claimed their lives. I therefore end by once again calling on Russia to fulfil its commitments under the Minsk agreements and to allow Ukraine to regain control of its sovereign territory. That can happen only if there is a stable ceasefire.”
2016-04-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7683 (2016) · source
“In the light of the evidence found in United Nations and OSCE human rights reporting, it is perhaps unsurprising that Russia has consistently denied access to international human rights organizations, save for the solitary Council of Europe mission in January. One of the recommendations from that mission, which reported back to the Council of Europe Secretary General this month, called on Russia to open up Crimea to international human rights monitoring mechanisms. We repeat that call today. Russia must grant such access to enable a proper assessment of the situation. Let me conclude with this final point. Through its actions in Crimea and through its support to the separatists, Russia has brought chaos to Ukraine. In that chaos, thousands of lives have been lost, including those four civilians only yesterday.”
2016-04-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7683 (2016) · source
“Our position on that act of aggression will never waiver: Russia must return Crimea to Ukraine. Until it does, it will continue to face the consequences of its illegal actions. Over the past two years, the human rights situation in Crimea has deteriorated. For minorities and political opponents, life under the de facto authorities is now characterized by arrests, ill treatment, torture and intimidation. The Crimean Tartar community has been particularly affected. The banning of their representative institution this week is just the latest in a series of attacks on their community, their organizations and their way of life.”
2016-04-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7683 (2016) · source
“We call on Russia to use its influence for good, to bring the separatists to heel, so that they respect the ceasefire and withdraw banned weapons, so that they allow unhindered access to the Special Monitoring Mission, and so that international humanitarian agencies can finally access all areas of separatist-held territory. It is almost meaningless to discuss any other aspect of Minsk until that has happened. What we are discussing today - the death, the suffering - these are all the bloody consequence of Russia's illegal annexation of Crimea two years ago. That act of aggression went against every treaty, every international commitment, that Russia has ever made. It went against all the rules and norms of international behaviour in the modern world.”
2016-04-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7683 (2016) · source
“The Special Monitoring Mission has repeatedly made that clear. It is the separatists who are harassing OSCE monitors. It is separatists who risk escalating the febrile situation. And it is the separatists who are receiving troops, equipment and weapons from their Russian allies. The continued support from the Russian Federation has sustained the instability in eastern Ukraine. Russia's so-called humanitarian convoys cross the border with no regard for Ukraine's sovereignty, territorial integrity or independence. They do so without any inspection. We therefore call on Russia to prove that they have nothing to hide and allow international access to those convoys. While Russia's support for the separatists fuelled this crisis, Russia's influence can also bring about a conclusion to the madness.”
2016-04-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7683 (2016) · source
“To illustrate how empty the word ceasefire has become: just yesterday, tragically, four civilians were killed. And in response to those harrowing deaths in Olenivka, all we have seen is just claim and counter- claim, That is not good enough. All sides have an obligation to uphold the ceasefire. They all have a duty to protect civilians, especially the vulnerable. What we need to see is a real, meaningful commitment to the ceasefire by all sides. That is the only way to stop the killings. That is the only way for the Minsk agreements to succeed. A ceasefire is the bedrock for Minsk. Without it, all the other measures will falter. All sides have a role to play, but we should be under no illusions as to where the vast majority of responsibility lies. It falls squarely at the door of the Russian-backed separatists.”
2016-04-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7683 (2016) · source
“I thank the Minister for his remarks. I join others in welcoming Assistant Secretary-General Zerihoun, Ambassador Apakan and Ambassador Sajdik back to the Security Council, and I thank them for their sobering briefings today. As those briefings have told us so clearly, the word ceasefire is losing its meaning in eastern Ukraine. Since the start of 2016, it has been broken thousands of times. Those violations are causing almost daily casualties. Weapons banned under the ceasefire are being put to deadly use on the battlefield. The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) Special Monitoring Mission personnel, charged with monitoring the ceasefire, are being harassed and threatened, and worse. People are dying, and those in need are going hungry.”
2016-04-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7683 (2016) · source
“As Somalia works towards these three priorities - elections, security, partnership - the commitments of the international community, including the Security Council, remain essential. But as my Deputy saw first-hand when he visited Mogadishu last week, it is clear that any international commitment will be met with equal if not more dedication by the people living and working in Somalia. Whether they are representatives of the Federal Government, civil society or AMISOM, they all continue to serve bravely with an undiminished commitment to a stable, secure and prosperous Somalia. When the history books are written, let them say that 2016 was a truly decisive year, a year when Somali's fragile gains were consolidated and strengthened by the most representative and democratic electoral process in a generation.”
2016-04-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7674 (2016) · source
“The United Kingdom stands ready to assist where we can, and that is why we are deploying British military personnel to the United Nations Support Office in Somalia, some ofwhom have just arrived in Somalia. My final point concerns partnership. The year 2016 is the final one for the current Somali Compact. The Compact has provided a crucial framework for partnership between the international community and Somalia. We now need to build on that and to agree on a compact type of agreement for 2017 and beyond, which should strengthen the links between Somalia's political, security and development tracks and reaffirm the principles and shared values that bind us together. A central element of the agreement will be the Somalia national development plan, and we welcome the progress made in developing it.”
2016-04-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7674 (2016) · source
“For them to succeed, security sector reform and the development of the Somali National Army and police force need to be fully coordinated with donors. They also need to be accountable and transparent. In the meantime, the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) of course remains a critical enabler to progress. I would like to commend the bravery ofthe AMISOM. men and women and to offer my condolences for the losses suffered by troop-contributing countries. History will show the immense contribution made by AMISOM. to peace in Somalia. The commitments at the recent summit in Djibouti to an early resumption of offensive operations against Al-Shabaab is very welcome. Better coordination and command and control will be essential to success.”
2016-04-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7674 (2016) · source
“But no country can develop successfully if it leaves half its population behind, and we therefore welcome the commitment to reserve 30 per cent of the seats in both Houses for women. That is not a women's issue; it is a peace issue. Engaging women at all levels of decision-making is absolutely crucial to development and stability. The second top issue is security. One of the most sacred responsibilities of any State is to protect its citizens. We have seen the Federal Government in Somalia take welcome steps towards that goal in its high-level partnership commitments on security sector reform and the agreement to a national security policy with the interim regional administrations. I urge the Government to continue those efforts.”
2016-04-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7674 (2016) · source
“First, the election process in August will be a landmark moment in Somalia's political development. The electoral process needs to be transparent, to deliver on time and to be inclusive. Such an electoral process will cement Somalia's positive trajectory to democracy. There can be no place at the table for any group or individual who seeks to deliberately undermine the process. I welcome the decision on an electoral process and the recent agreement on an implementation plan by the National Leaders Forum. It is important now to translate that into action. The United Nations and the international community stand ready to support the process, and in doing so we commit to help Somalia to reach that most vital of goals, that is, one-person/ one-vote elections in 2020.”
2016-04-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7674 (2016) · source
“Their lives were cruelly cut short because they dared to help to build a better Somalia, one of peace, one free from polio, one where all children could receive an education. As we mourn and remember our colleagues and all the victims of terrorism in Somalia, let us reaffirm our commitment today to the future that they dared to build. Since Prime Minister Cameron hosted the London Conference on Somalia in 2012, the British commitment has involved the reopening of our Embassy, an increase in our development assistance and now the deployment of personnel to the United Nations. That commitment will only be strengthen in the years ahead. Such commitments have never been more vital. This is a crucial year for Somalia's future prosperity and stability. For me, it comes down to three things, namely, elections, security and partnership.”
2016-04-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7674 (2016) · source
“I would like to thank all our briefers this morning. Let me take this chance to commend President Mohamud for his leadership. Under his guidance, we have witnessed progress in Somalia that was once thought impossible. He has spearheaded Somalia's return to the international community. As he just stated, Somalia has turned the corner and there is no turning back. I join others in welcoming him to the Security Council. I also warmly welcome Special Representative Keating on his first address in the Chamber in his new role. Tomorrow will mark the first anniversary of the Al-Shabaab attack against the United Nations compound in Puntland. Six people were killed that day; four were UNICEF staff.”
2016-04-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7674 (2016) · source
“We have to leave the regime in no doubt that it must live up to its commitments, show restraint and engage honestly with the political process. Until we see progress on those points, it is right that the Council should receive regular updates from the Secretary- General and his Special Envoy in a public forum. Those who challenge or obstruct peace must be heard by all. There should be no place for them to hide.”
2016-04-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7673 (2016) · source
“Their obstruction of humanitarian aid, especially to Darayya and other areas of rural Damascus, is worsening the suffering, and the failure to agree on mechanisms for the release of arbitrarily detained people is only prolonging horror for a great many individuals, as some of us heard at a powerful event last Thursday. When the Council adopted resolution 2268 (2016), we demanded that the parties fulfil their commitment to the cessation of hostilities, including by accelerating humanitarian delivery and taking confidence-building measures. Such steps were meant to advance a political process. The failure to deliver on those points only undermines that process and erodes the confidence of the Syrian people. I would like to conclude by calling on those with influence on the parties, and especially on the Syrian Government.”
2016-04-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7673 (2016) · source
“Carefully coordinated international efforts over the coming months could help to build consensus on the key threats to a two-State solution and encourage action to address them and re-establish a genuine political horizon. I would now like to turn briefly to Syria. We welcomed the briefing last week by the Special Envoy of the Secretary-General, as well as his resumption of proximity negotiations with the Syrian Government and the opposition's high negotiations committee in Geneva. We hope they can build a basis for face-to-face negotiations following the framework of the Geneva communique (S/2012/522, annex) and resolution 2254 (2015). However, we remain concerned about reports of ongoing violations ofthe cessation ofhostilities. Regime offensives seem intent on encircling Aleppo.”
2016-04-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7673 (2016) · source
“Both parties must work to improve conditions on the ground and take steps in line with past agreements to bring a two-State solution closer. We will continue to support that process and look forward to contributing to further progress at the meeting of the Ad Hoc Liaison Committee in Brussels. The continued development of the Palestinian economy and institutions is vital. While a return to meaningful negotiations appears difficult at present, the international community, including the Security Council, must do what it can to preserve the viability of a two-State solution and get the parties back to a position where political progress is possible. The United Kingdom, as ever, stands ready to support that effort. To that end, we look forward to the Quartet's report and welcome further details of the French initiative.”
2016-04-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7673 (2016) · source