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

“In addition, bringing in the United Nations mobile cranes that have been stuck for the last four months in Dubai would be an investment in Hudaydah port's civilian character, and would help to get food and fuel to those most in need. Aside from Hudaydah, the parties must commit to ensuring that all other ports and land routes are open for both humanitarian and commercial imports, as humanitarian action alone cannot meet the needs of a population of 27 million people. Access across the country, including in Taiz governorate, must be safe, consistent and unimpeded, and commercial goods must be allowed to reach Yemen's ports without artificial delays and corrupt exactions. It is also imperative that commercial flights to Sana'a resume in order to enable civilians to seek medical treatment and families to reunite. Time is running out.”
2017-05-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7954 (2017) · source
“Where it has normally taken a week to get into the Red Sea ports, it now often takes five times as long. Given the rising costs, major shipping companies are now simply avoiding the ports, thereby depriving the Yemeni people of desperately needed food and fuel. I appeal to Member States to ensure that every effort is made to keep Hudaydah port open and operating. An attack on it is not in the interests of any party, as it will directly and irrevocably drive the Yemeni population further into starvation and famine. In that regard, we continue to support the efforts of the Special Envoy to develop a sustainable solution for the protection of the port as critical civilian infrastructure.”
2017-05-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7954 (2017) · source
“I strongly urge that we ensure that funding is provided in support of the humanitarian strategy and plan, since it is the most effective, neutral and impartial way to reach those most in need. With escalating needs, we will need more resources. Let me now turn to the issue of access. Hudaydah port is a lifeline for Yemen, being the primary point of entry for commercial and humanitarian imports into the country, which has historically been between 80 and 90 per cent dependent on imported food staples. Hudaydah is also the only port in Yemen that can handle fuel, bulk and containerized cargo at scale. Yet vessels have only intermittent access to it, owing to diversions and clearance delays imposed by the coalition, which, coupled with the risk of attacks on the port, has sapped traders' confidence.”
2017-05-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7954 (2017) · source
“As the needs mount, we will need more resources, but our ability to respond is dependent on sustained and predictable funding. As the Council is aware, on 25 April the Secretary-General, together with the Foreign Ministers of Sweden and Switzerland, co-hosted a high-level pledging conference for Yemen to respond to the increasingly acute needs in the country. The conference generated $1.1 billion in very generous pledges. We are grateful to all the donors who have made good on their pledges in full and encourage others to do the same. As of last night, 56 per cent, about $612 million of the pledges, had been paid both within and outside the humanitarian-response plan. That means that the overall humanitarian strategy and plan is only 24 per cent funded, with $489 million received of the $2.1 billion required.”
2017-05-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7954 (2017) · source
“Some 1.6 million people have already been supported through those interventions and we will not cease our efforts until the scourge of cholera is contained. I salute the local health and sanitation workers, who are trying to support all and taking no sides regardless of the warring parties' contemptible attempts to get them to do so. Together with the United Nations and other partners, they are providing round- the-clock assistance, and I would also like to thank those who have provided financial support, including from the region, to make that happen. The humanitarian response to the cholera outbreak is one part ofa much larger effort. In all, humanitarians have reached 5.8 million people this year with food assistance, including at least 3 million people every month.”
2017-05-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7954 (2017) · source
“Nonetheless, I should praise the extraordinary speed and courage of the United Nations and its humanitarian partners, including international and national aid workers from non-governmental organizations, who are doing all they can under the strong leadership of Humanitarian Coordinator Jamie McGoldrick. The United Nations and its partners are working tirelessly to help authorities on all sides meet the challenge posed by this cholera outbreak, from Aden to Sa'ada and from Hudaydah to Taiz. We have worked urgently to scale up assistance, quadrupling the number of diarrhoea treatment centres in the past month and establishing 136 oral-rehydration corners. Synchronized water, sanitation and health efforts, including a nationwide awareness campaign, are in place with a view to ensuring a comprehensive and holistic response.”
2017-05-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7954 (2017) · source
“In the past month alone, twice as many people are suspected of being cholera cases compared to those in the last six months combined, and one third of them are children. It is important to bear in mind that malnutrition and cholera are interconnected, because weakened and hungry people are more likely to contract cholera and less able to survive it. Estimates are projecting 150,000 cases over the next six months, in addition to the roughly 60,000 current suspected cases since April, with 500 associated deaths. As well as being depressingly predictable, the scale of the latest outbreak is a direct consequence of the conflict. Had the parties to the conflict cared, it would have been avoidable.”
2017-05-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7954 (2017) · source
“The strain being placed upon the all-too-fragile Yemeni system became all too evident in the past month, with the extensive, desperate resurgence of cholera. The debilitated health system took longer to detect cholera warning signs because the health workers who would normally have been maintaining disease surveillance systems were not paid. Water and sanitation systems were not functioning, owing to lack of fuel and basic maintenance, leaving more than 8 million people without access to safe drinking water and sanitation. The combination of the rainy season and the uncollected rubbish that has piled up in the streets of large cities has created the perfect conditions for the rapid spread of communicable and water-borne diseases.”
2017-05-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7954 (2017) · source
“By the time I finish my statement to the Council today, another child in Yemen will have died from a preventable disease. Over 1 million civil servants have not been paid for months, which has affected more than 8 million people and pushed more and more families towards poverty and starvation. Families are increasingly marrying off their young daughters in order to have someone else care for them. They often use the dowry to pay for basic necessities. While humanitarians have been working to assist the poorest of the poor, it is now also professionals, such as university professors, who are asking for food assistance. As the crisis continues, pressure on already scarce humanitarian resources will increase and survival for Yemenis will become harder. It will be difficult for Yemen to recover.”
2017-05-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7954 (2017) · source
“The bottom line is that what food there is is largely unaffordable to the vast majority of the population, especially the most vulnerable, such as the 2 million people who remain internally displaced. It is not just the food security situation. The institutional capacity of Yemen to respond to the basic needs of the population is crumbling, exacerbated by the failure of the Central Bank, following its move from Sanna'a to Aden, to operate in the interests of the people it is intended to serve. All parties to the conflict in Yemen have proven their continued inability to put the genuine needs of the Yemeni people first. The health-care system is a shell of what it once was, with half of all health facilities now closed. People are dying because even basic medical treatment, which we would take for granted, is no longer available.”
2017-05-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7954 (2017) · source
“While the United Nations Verification and Inspection Mechanism has facilitated the transfer of over 7.6 million metric tons of goods through Yemen's Red Sea ports, of which 3.8 million metric tons were food, people's ability to buy food is diminishing. We are working hard to enhance the Mechanism and get it funded. In particular, governorates in which active fighting and airstrikes continue, such as Taiz, Hajjah, Sa'ada, A1-Jawf and Marib, remain affected by high and rising prices of commodities. The prices of red beans and wheat flour were 59 per cent and 29 per cent higher in April than they were pre-crisis. The economy is collapsing, employment has all but disappeared, food and fuel prices have skyrocketed and severe disruptions to fishing and agricultural production continue.”
2017-05-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7954 (2017) · source
“Yemen now has the ignominy of being the world's largest food security crisis, with more than 17 million people who are food insecure, 6.8 million of whom are one step away from famine. Crisis is not coming. It is not looming. It is here today, on our watch. Ordinary people are paying the price. Worse still, the threat of famine is driven and exacerbated by conflict. Yemen is not facing a drought. If there were no conflict in Yemen, there would be no descent into famine, misery, disease and death. A famine would certainly be avoidable and averted. We all know that there will be no military solution. And for as long as it takes until a political solution is found, we will continue as humanitarians to do everything in our power in order to avert the famine in Yemen, despite the challenges to our operations by all sides and their supporters.”
2017-05-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7954 (2017) · source
“I would like to thank the Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for Yemen for his briefing, with which I completely align. The people of Yemen are being subjected to deprivation, disease and death as the world watches. That is not an unforeseen or coincidental result of forces beyond our control. It is a direct consequence of actions of the parties and supporters of the conflict. It is also sadly a result of inaction, due to inability or indifference, by the international community. As I have previously briefed the Council in recent months, urgent action is required in order to end the suffering. Yet, based on facts and, as ever, in complete candour, I return to the Council to report that the situation on the ground has continued to spiral towards total social, economic and institutional collapse.”
2017-05-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7954 (2017) · source
“We have a duty to collect the evidence that is so essential for timely legal action against those who attack medical personnel and facilities in violation of international humanitarian law. But we are not fulfilling that duty, not yet. So, today, let us all recommit to using the Council's authority, shouldering our responsibility to prevent conflict, to protect civilians and to hold to account those who violate international humanitarian law and those who violate and abuse human rights. The United Kingdom will continue to show leadership, including as part of the Secretary-General's global campaign.”
2017-05-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7951 (2017) · source
“We support the Secretary-General's commitment to do this within the United Nations system, but it is not enough to collect data; we need to use it. We therefore call for more Council briefings from the whole United Nations family, including the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and the Special Representative for Children in Armed Conflict whenever attacks on medical facilities and personnel occur. Finally, the Council needs to take action when violations occur. When States fail to act, it is our responsibility to decide that these abuses will not be tolerated, that we will hold those responsible accountable. In this Chamber, we have a duty to shine a light on those who fail to comply with international law.”
2017-05-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7951 (2017) · source
“In South Sudan, United Kingdom peacekeepers are helping strengthen the security and accessibility of United Nations protection-of-civilians sites. Secondly, we should share best practices. That means the full participation of women in efforts to protect civilians. It also means full compliance with international humanitarian law by all. In the United Kingdom, we train our military on international humanitarian law throughout their careers, including with country-specific courses before they deploy. We are sharing our expertise to help other Governments and their armed forces comply with international humanitarian law and we are helping them to make their military-justice systems more effective. Thirdly, we need to collect better and more systematic data on attacks on medical facilities and personnel.”
2017-05-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7951 (2017) · source
“This cannot become the new reality of warfare. Fifteen years on from the Council's first formal commitment to protecting civilians in armed conflict, it is clear that we need a new approach. I therefore welcome the Secretary-General's call to reinvigorate a global campaign, which should take practical steps to minimize civilian harm, protect those that are displaced, ensure peacekeepers perform their best and deliver accountability for those who flout compliance with international law. In support, we should all do four things. First, we need to take practical steps to mitigate impacts on the ground. For instance, work is ongoing to fortify health-care facilities in Syria and to provide access to mobile clinics in Yemen.”
2017-05-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7951 (2017) · source
“The year 2016 saw record numbers of people needing assistance and protection, so many of them victims of conflict and of the flagrant violation of international humanitarian law, so many of them becoming victims of sexual violence, trafficking or other forms of slavery. As our briefers make clear, that suffering has been made worse through cruel, unconscionable attacks on medical facilities. Look at the fall of Aleppo last year: time and again the regime and its backers bombed that city until all the hospitals were out of action, so that the city could not even care for its injured. Sadly, the trend is spreading. As the Secretary-General pointed out, the urbanization of conflict in Aleppo, Mosul and Juba has increased the risk of destruction of hospitals, schools, water systems and power supplies.”
2017-05-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7951 (2017) · source
“I thank you, Sir, for holding today's debate and ensuring that this Chamber hears the voices from civil society and your own statement. It is quite rare to get a round of applause from this audience. I also thank the Secretary-General and to the International Committee of the Red Cross and Human Rights Watch for their excellent contributions. I pay tribute to them and their teams' work. The United Nations Charter is clear. Protecting civilians is supposed to be at the heart of what we do. When Governments fail to protect, people look to the Security Council for safety from the scourge of war. But for civilians in Syria, South Sudan and so many other places, this is not about words in the Charter or a debate held once a year; it is a horrific daily reality. The sheer scale of the need is unprecedented.”
2017-05-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7951 (2017) · source
“As I have said on numerous occasions in this Chamber, we also need to restrict the flow of weapons into South Sudan. The Council has a responsibility to do all it can to bring peace to South Sudan. It is a responsibility that we are not yet fulfilling. All of us in this Chamber, in the United Nations and across the region must redouble our efforts. We owe it to the people of South Sudan.”
2017-05-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7950 (2017) · source
“It is long past time for the Government of South Sudan to show genuine commitment to peace and stability, including by reaching out to the opposition. We will, of course, support political efforts that are truly inclusive, but we must learn from the past and not make the same mistake of relying on the promise of dialogue alone. We will also need to keep up the pressure. By that, I mean that we must use all of the tools at our disposal to encourage the Government of South Sudan to take the steps required, and the opposition must follow suit. We need to show that there are consequences should they fail to do so. Earlier today we renewed the sanctions regime that enables us to do just that. We should be willing to use that regime to send a clear message to anyone who continues to fail to deliver peace.”
2017-05-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7950 (2017) · source
“President Kiir must begin withdrawing troops from parts of the country, disband ethnic militias and ensure that humanitarian assistance can reach those in desperate need. Sadly, the Government has repeatedly ignored the request ofthe Security Council,just as it has repeatedly ignored the requests of the African Union and IGAD. Instead of allowing humanitarian access, the Government has endangered the most vulnerable by denying aid to those facing famine in Unity state. Instead ofbeing allowed to fulfil its mandate, UNMISS has faced sustained harassment and worse, with the Sudan People's Liberation Army threatening to shoot United Nations peacekeepers if they moved any further towards Wunkur in Unity state. Such moves are not designed to inspire confidence in the commitments of President Kiir.”
2017-05-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7950 (2017) · source
“On Monday, President Kiir once again declared a unilateral ceasefire and said that he had once again agreed to consider the release of political prisoners. We welcome those statements, but the onus is now on him to prove that they are meaningful commitments, not just words reflecting convenient timing with the start of the rainy season when fighting is made more difficult. I note with scepticism but not surprise that on the day that the ceasefire was announced, Government offences continued in Yei, and attacks by militia groups continue still. We need to see an end to offensive operations and disproportionate responses. We need to see true inclusive engagement with the opposition and civil society, and, in turn, we need to see a commitment to a ceasefire from opposition groups as well.”
2017-05-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7950 (2017) · source
“More than 900,000 South Sudanese have now sought refuge in Uganda. Those figures underlie not only how severe the situation has become but also how hollow those promises sounded to the people of South Sudan when President Kiir made them two months ago. We all know what needs to happen - President Kiir must take the long-overdue steps to which he agreed in the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) statement in March and which we called for in our presidential statement. That means granting sustained humanitarian access, allowing the deployment of the regional protection force, enabling UNMISS to fulfil its mandate and, above all, bringing an end to the fighting - not just in words but through actions that make the people of South Sudan feel safe in their homes in their own country.”
2017-05-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7950 (2017) · source
“I wish to thank Mr. Shearer for his briefing just now and for all of his excellent work. We are meeting two months after President Kiir recommitted to a ceasefire in South Sudan, two months after the Security Council adopted a presidential statement (S/PRST/2017/4) with very clear steps. We should be reflecting today on two months of peace, two months of life-saving aid reaching those in need, two months of the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) protecting civilians. Instead, we meeting today as South Sudan spirals deeper into crisis. As we have heard so many times, the humanitarian and human rights situation is worsening, the economy is collapsing, and fighting has continued unabated. People are no longer fleeing in the tens of thousands but in the hundreds of thousands.”
2017-05-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7950 (2017) · source
“It is the unique selling point of the United Nations, and I encourage everyone involved, including all of us, to keep up the level of ambition, to ensure that the pace of change is fast enough to allow peacekeeping to be modernized and do its job in the twenty-first century ever more effectively and efficiently so that it can really protect the people who need that protection.”
2017-05-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7947 (2017) · source
“Similarly, it was interesting to hear the points of the commander of the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic on how too much red tape is slowing down decisions and making it harder for the more strategic and robust approach to peacekeeping to be effective. I would like to hear other ideas as to how we can get rid of that red tape more broadly, and finally, what we all can further do to continually drive up both the performance of individual missions and the accountability between each mission and the Security Council. In conclusion, I would like to underline, once again, that United Nations peacekeeping, in our view, is the jewel in the crown of the Organization.”
2017-05-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7947 (2017) · source
“What difference do the Force Commanders believe that those efforts have made so far? Are we collectively generating the capabilities that they need? Are the peacekeepers reaching them more quickly than before? I also have a question for the Force Commander of the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, in response to his remarks. What is he doing as Force Commander and what are his colleagues doing to ensure that all of the troops under their command have the same understanding of the basic principles of peacekeeping, including on when the use of force is necessary and appropriate?”
2017-05-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7947 (2017) · source
“Collectively, we are a long way from meeting that commitment of doubling the number of women in peacekeeping by 2020, and it would be very helpful to hear suggestions from Force Commanders about actions that could be taken to meet that very ambitious target. Finally, and perhaps most importantly, I would ask a series of questions on how we can make sure that missions are truly becoming more efficient and effective. How can we get the right people with the right skills, the right equipment and the right training in the right place at the right time? We have been doing a lot through the series of peacekeeping ministerials and through force generation conferences in order to increase the available pool of peacekeepers and thus, the overall capabilities available.”
2017-05-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7947 (2017) · source
“My first point is about the use of intelligence and technology in peacekeeping.There has been much debate on that topic here in New York. Member States have recently called for greater use of peacekeeping intelligence in missions, and it is a part of what we would consider to be the necessary modernization of peacekeeping. It would be interesting to hear the views of the Force Commanders on that issue and on what progress has been made in improving situational awareness in their missions. My second point has to do with the role of women in peacekeeping. At the United Nations Peacekeeping Defence Ministerial in London, many Member States committed to increasing the number of women in peacekeeping, specifically by deploying more female military observers.”
2017-05-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7947 (2017) · source
“There is always more that can be done to make United Nations peacekeeping more efficient and more effective - better mission planning, more pledges of troops and capabilities, and stronger mission performance, not just in driving down all of the sexual exploitation and abuse allegations down to zero, but in other aspects of performance as well. This afternoon we have heard of several of the challenges facing peacekeeping missions, particular those operating in high-threat environments. We heard how missions are changing the ways, means and ends of their operations. My overarching question is whether that change is happening fast enough to keep up with global changes. I would like to illustrate that question with three more specific concerns.”
2017-05-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7947 (2017) · source
“Sadly, that dedication and determination on occasion requires them to pay the ultimate price as two peacekeepers from Chad did yesterday in Mali. We pay tribute to their courage and to their ultimate sacrifice. We should be proud of the service of all United Nations peacekeepers. The employment of peacekeepers is truly one of the greatest achievements of the United Nations over its 72 years of history but, like the rest of the United Nations, it needs to reform. It needs to progress with the times and it needs to be modernized.”
2017-05-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7947 (2017) · source
“I thank you, Sir, for the opportunity to have this interactive discussion with the Force Commanders. Many thanks to them and to Jean-Pierre Lacroix for his briefing. Tomorrow is the International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers, so I want to begin by paying tribute to all of our Force Commanders for their bravery, service and leadership, and to all of the men and women who work for them in support of United Nations peace operations around the world. It is United Nations peacekeepers who turn the words of the Security Council into action in the real world. They are literally on the front line of bringing peace and security to the world, serving in some of the most difficult environments imaginable, and sometimes they have to put their own lives on the line in order to protect the world's most vulnerable people.”
2017-05-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7947 (2017) · source
“Implementing all of this will be a key priority over the coming months. On the international side, we need to coordinate better, provide more coherent support and work together to implement that Somali vision of security. In the months ahead we will need strong political will from Somalia to implement reforms together with the continued support from the international community. This is a moment of opportunity, and we look forward to working alongside the United Nations, the African Union, the European Union and all of Somalia's partners and supporters to convert strong commitments into action.”
2017-05-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7942 (2017) · source
“We thank the Secretary-General for the strategic review of the United Nations presence in Somalia to ensure that the United Nations is best configured to support this next chapter for Somalia. We agree with its recommendations, in particular the emphasis on supporting the federal member states to achieve more inclusive, stable politics across the country. Effective security will be essential to underpin the political and economic progress and to prevent recurring humanitarian crises. The security pact agreed in London sets out the agreed version of Somali- led security institutions and forces. They need to be affordable, acceptable and accountable. They need to have the ability to provide the security and protection that the people of Somalia deserve and need, as part ofa comprehensive approach to security.”
2017-05-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7942 (2017) · source
“However, last week I witnessed the necessary political will to address them, as well as a sense of momentum and energy that now needs to translate into tangible progress. The coming period will be about building a stable federal settlement, most urgently in the area of security. But we also need to ensure that commitments to address fundamental constitutional issues on power and resource-sharing are implemented and get the high-level political attention thatthey need. Finding amodel to make one-person one-vote elections a reality and agreeing an electoral law by 2018 will not be straightforward; but getting those things right will be essential for Somalia's long-term stability. International-community support, coordinated by AMISOM, will be needed to support Somali decision-making.”
2017-05-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7942 (2017) · source
“I was also glad to see the very strong commitment of Somalia's international partners to supporting that progress in Somalia on political and security issues, in a new partnership. A crucial milestone was the conclusion of the electoral process and the peaceful, swift transfer of power, culminating in the appointment of a new Government. That truly was a historic moment in Somalia's emergence from conflict. The new Government has set out its priorities, and it is a daunting list ahead: responding to the draught; tackling corruption; building Somalia's security capacity to tackle Al-Shabaab; reforming the Constitution; implementing the federalism project; and rejuvenating the economy. Those are enormous challenges ahead.”
2017-05-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7942 (2017) · source
“In London last week the Secretary-General presented a revised humanitarian response plan seeking $1.5 billion dollars for 2017 in order to scale up the United Nations response. We must work collectively to help increase Somalia's long-term resilience at the same time as tackling the immediate humanitarian needs. Whereas the drought provides significant reasons for concern, we also recognize that this is a period of hope and optimism for Somalia. There has been good progress on both political and security issues. I was proud to attend the London Conference last week, and I witnessed first-hand the renewed energy and resolve of the Federal Government of Somalia and of the federal member states to seize the opportunities of this new Administration.”
2017-05-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7942 (2017) · source
“I thank the Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General and the Head of the African Union Military Observer Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) for their briefings and for all of the progress that they and their teams are making. This is a well-timed meeting, coming as it does so soon after the successful London Somalia Conference last week on 11 May. We met at what is both a time of struggle but also a time of hope for the people of Somalia. The severe drought continues to cause daily suffering. The risk of famine remains high. Yes, the international community is making progress with significant humanitarian pledges; but we cannot afford to be complacent. There is still much more that needs to be done if we are to avoid a famine.”
2017-05-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7942 (2017) · source
“Finally, I would like to thank the United Nations Mission for supporting the visit and for its tireless work in challenging conditions, as well as the Secretariat for all of its efforts during their visit. I also thank Ambassador Mejia Ve'lez for everything that she and her colleagues and the Government of Colombia have done.”
2017-05-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7941 (2017) · source
“As I said, yes, they are real challenges ahead, but I think that having that united view that peace is now irreversible was a strong message for us all to take home. In conclusion, I think it is worth noting again in this Chamber the strength and the unity of the Security Council support for Colombia, for the people of Colombia, for the Government of Colombia and for the FARC as they continue to implement this crucial Peace Agreement. The issue, I think, is still a ray of sunlight on our agenda, and I hope that we all feel privileged to be able to lend our support to the implementation of the Peace Agreement. As we said in our presidential statement (S/PRST/2OI7/6) upon our return, we all remain fully committed to the peace process and are determined to play a constructive and active role in the months ahead.”
2017-05-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7941 (2017) · source
“Secondly, I think we heard vividly about the impact of the conflict on the communities most affected by it, particularly away from the big cities, and the challenges ahead. We heard about killings of community leaders, as illegal armed groups moved into new areas. We heard about the importance of sustained implementation of all parts of the Agreement, not just the bit about the laying down of arms, and that is going to be crucial, particularly for those communities most affected by the conflict. Thirdly, I think that we were all impressed by the commitment of both parties to stay the course, to see this through, to make sure that every single part of the Agreement is implemented, with continued support from the international community. I think we heard that both on the first day and on the second day, out in the field.”
2017-05-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7941 (2017) · source
“We heard about the difficulties and the obstacles, but, actually, when we consider how much has been done, it is very impressive, particularly given the challenging terrain and so on. Almost 7,000 members of the FARC-EP have arrived smoothly in the transition zones, and they have begun their process of laying down of arms. That Tripartite Monitoring and Verification Mechanism, led by the United Nations, is working well. Twenty per cent of those observers are women. And the local community spoke powerfully about the positive results that they hoped to see as a result of the peace process. It was fascinating to hear FARC members pay tribute to the leadership of the military and the police of Colombia. That is the first point: how far the parties and the people of Colombia have come.”
2017-05-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7941 (2017) · source
“It was a fascinating site to see, at very short notice, all of these families coming to us, carrying their chairs with us to this new place to sit down together and really overcome the conflict, which, until recently, had driven the country apart for 52 years. I mentioned before the challenging weather conditions. Our bus did get stuck completely in the mud on our way back to our helicopter, but we managed to navigate that challenge successfully. I think we all left confident that the parties - between them - can navigate all challenges that the peace process is speeding up. I wantto leave the Council with the three main conclusions that I think we came away. First of all, it is remarkable how much has already happened since the Peace Agreement was signed. Yes, we heard a lot about the challenges.”
2017-05-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7941 (2017) · source
“Then we went on to a town hall-style meeting at a community centre with members of the local community and the Governor of the Meta department. The rain by then was beating down on the corrugated iron roof of the hall, and we were absolutely crammed in shoulder to shoulder. There were many community leaders, women, children, teachers and others present, who gave us fascinating insights into what peace means for that community. Thirdly, and in a way even more remarkably, we had an opportunity to meet members of the FARC-EP at one of the newly built reception centres, just outside their camp area, along with the Special Representative, the Foreign Minister, the Permanent Representative and the High Commissioner for Peace.”
2017-05-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7941 (2017) · source
“We were accompanied by Jean Arnault, Special Representative of the Secretary-General, by senior Government officials, including the Colombian Foreign Minister and the Colombian Permanent Representative, and by the High Commissioner for Peace, plus members of the FARC-EP secretariat, including Ivan Marquez and Pastor Alape. There were three key elements to the day. First of all, when we arrived, we received a fascinating briefing from leaders of the Tripartite Monitoring and Verification Mechanism. They gave us a tour of their site, which gave us an insight into the challenging terrain that they have to operate in but also the unique character of the Mechanism and the remarkable joint working between the United Nations, the Colombian Government and the FARC members of that Mechanism.”
2017-05-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7941 (2017) · source
“I thank the President for organizing, presiding over and co-leading our highly successful visit to Colombia 10 days ago. It was a great privilege to co-lead it with you, Sir. I also want to thank all of the Permanent Representatives around the table for taking part and for participating so energetically. I think we all got a lot from the visit. As the President said, myjob is to briefthe Security Council on the second day of the visit, when the Council travelled to the Vista Hermosa, municipality in the Meta department in the south. It was approximately one hour by airplane, plus an hour by helicopter, south of Bogota. We visited the La Reforma local transitional zone, where the Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia - Ejercito del Pueblo (FARC-EP) are laying down their arms.”
2017-05-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7941 (2017) · source
“Let us then make sure that tackling sexual violence is not something that we talk about only once a year at this debate, but in every single Security Council item where it is relevant, starting with the upcoming AI-Qaida sanctions regime review. Nor can we shy away from the fact that such appalling acts are the direct results of gender discrimination and inequality. Until women are treated equally, paid equally and respected equally, we will have failed, not just to address this issue but also to deliver the global goals that we all agreed less then two years ago. I would like to conclude by paying tribute to former Special Representative Zainab Bangura for all her tireless efforts and exemplary leadership on this important issue. I wish her the best for the future, and I look forward to working with her successor, Pramila Patten.”
2017-05-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7938 (2017) · source
“This is a new tool, developed, again, with civil society, but also with United Nations agencies and Member States, to help policymakers and international organizations tackle stigma through their own work. Ultimately, ifwe want to address the appalling use of sexual violence by and, indeed, by State actors - we need to look "bigger"; we need to look broader. We need to recognize that terrorists and State actors are enabled to carry out those sick acts when peace and security have broken down and when the Council has failed to uphold its duties enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations. What happens in the Council, whether votes in favour or vetoes against, has a very real bearing on that insecurity.”
2017-05-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7938 (2017) · source
“We cannot, however, be deterred. We must all play our part and do everything within our power to ensure that those crimes are reported, that survivors are cared for and that perpetrators, whether terrorists or State actors, are held to account. That is why the United Kingdom, in partnership with the United Nations Team of Experts and Justice Rapid Response, is carrying out a campaign to tackle the stigma that so often surrounds the survivors of sexual violence. It is why we worked with over 200 civil society experts to produce the international protocol that helps document those crimes. And it is why we are now developing the principles for global action to be launched at the General Assembly later this year.”
2017-05-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7938 (2017) · source