YouSaid · the spoken record

Schwalger

lines on the record: 237
first: 2014-04-25
most recent: 2023-10-24
sittings or episodes: 43
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

“We will never be free of the violence, the loss of innocent lives and the hatred, antisemitism and Islamophobia that have erupted in Israel, the occupied Palestinian territories and around the world since 7 October. As the Secretary-General has said, too many lives — and the fate of the entire region — hang in the balance. We cannot afford to fail. We must act now.”
2023-10-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9451Resumption1 (2023) · source
“We welcome all opportunities to urgently de-escalate the hostilities, including initiatives by the United Nations and other countries in the region and beyond. This is not a time for political posturing or for using the conflict to advance any cause except bringing peace and security to Israel, Gaza and the wider region. It is a time for de-escalation. Finally, New Zealand remains committed to a two- State solution, which envisions an independent State of Palestine living in peace and security alongside the State of Israel. A new political horizon is essential. We call on the international community to take urgent action to advance the Middle East peace process. Without it, the armed conflict may eventually cease, but there will be no winners.”
2023-10-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9451Resumption1 (2023) · source
“Those legal obligations cannot be dispensed with in times of conflict. New Zealand urges all parties, including Israel and Egypt, to facilitate access as soon as possible for the delivery of urgent humanitarian assistance to civilians in Gaza through the Rafah border crossing. We need to see a significant increase from recent levels in the volume of aid arriving in Gaza. For its part, New Zealand is supporting humanitarian appeals for populations in Gaza, the West Bank and Israel. We stand ready to increase our support in the coming weeks. We deeply regret that the Security Council has been unable to adopt a draft resolution and discharge its duties under the Charter of the United Nations. As the Secretary-General has said, we must ensure that we advance all efforts to avoid any regional spillover to the wider Middle East.”
2023-10-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9451Resumption1 (2023) · source
“Health-care facilities should never be used for military purposes or as objects of attack. We are also deeply concerned about the significant flows of internally displaced persons, whose safety and security must be protected. We call for establishing designated safe areas that are strictly off limits as targets or for military use, as well as for humanitarian corridors that can ensure that vital assistance reaches the places where it is most needed. We expect Israel and Hamas to act in accordance with international humanitarian law, which imposes obligations on all parties engaged in armed conflict. Israel also has an obligation under international humanitarian law, particularly the Fourth Geneva Convention, to provide for the basic needs of civilians in Gaza, including food, water, energy and shelter, and to facilitate humanitarian aid.”
2023-10-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9451Resumption1 (2023) · source
“We support Israel’s right to defend itself, in full compliance with international law, including with regard to actions taken in Gaza. Ultimately though, there is no military solution that will bring about a just and lasting peace for Israelis and Palestinians. The protection of civilians and delivery of humanitarian assistance are the most urgent priority. New Zealand joins the calls for a humanitarian pause to provide neutral, impartial and independent humanitarian organizations with an opportunity to assist and protect the people in Gaza who desperately need it. When New Zealand last served on the Security Council, in 2015 and 2016, we championed resolution 2286 (2016), which demands greater protection for health care in armed conflict, including hospitals and medical personnel.”
2023-10-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9451Resumption1 (2023) · source
“I thank Brazil for organizing today’s debate. I also thank Secretary- General Guterres, Special Coordinator Wennesland and Deputy Special Coordinator Hastings for their briefings. Even as the Council convenes, the deadly violence and bloodshed in Israel and Palestine continues. By day’s end, more civilians will have tragically and needlessly lost their lives, some of them infants and children. It is intolerable to see civilians continue to suffer disproportionately as innocent victims of this conflict. New Zealand condemns Hamas’s terrorist attacks on Israel absolutely. We are appalled by their brutality, their targeting of civilians and the taking of hostages, which are clear violations of international law, and we call for the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages.”
2023-10-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9451Resumption1 (2023) · source
“We call upon countries that have not yet done so to endorse these important commitments. We remain a strong supporter of the children and armed conflict mandate, and we wish, like others, to work together to protect our children — who are our future — from the scourge of war.”
2023-07-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9366Resumption1 (2023) · source
“CANZ encourages the Security Council to ensure that child protection tasks and capabilities are included in all relevant peacekeeping and special political mission mandates, and that these are adequately maintained through transitions or during reconfigurations. More child protection expertise is needed to reinforce the children and armed conflict Monitoring and Reporting Mechanism’s capacities. The demands on the system are greater than ever before. All United Nations actors must dedicate resources for the Mechanism in situations on the children and armed conflict agenda, and the international community must do better in supporting United Nations country teams. CANZ is proud to underscore our support for both the Paris Principles and the Vancouver Principles on Peacekeeping and the Prevention of the Recruitment and Use of Child Soldiers.”
2023-07-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9366Resumption1 (2023) · source
“While the situation put forward in this year’s report is alarming, we wish to acknowledge the critical positive steps taken to protect and reintegrate children in the last year. We welcome the signing of action plans — first, by the Government of Iraq in that country, and secondly, by the Houthis in Yemen. We also welcome commitments and developments in other countries with regard to prevention, accountability, national legislation, training and capacity-building. Tackling impunity, through prompt investigation and, where appropriate, prosecution for war crimes, genocide and crimes against humanity, is needed to strengthen our response to grave violations against children. We implore States to cooperate with international justice mechanisms, including the ICC.”
2023-07-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9366Resumption1 (2023) · source
“To this end, CANZ underscores the Special Representative of the Secretary-General’s request that the Taliban immediately revoke their ban on women working for non-governmental organizations and the United Nations in Afghanistan. The 112 per cent increase in attacks on schools and hospitals, including the 66 verified attacks committed by the Myanmar armed forces, along with unlawful abductions, adds to an already dire picture. The protection international humanitarian law provides for civilian persons and civilian objects must be respected in all situations. In addition to our commitment to international humanitarian law, the three CANZ members have all endorsed the Safe Schools Declaration. CANZ welcomes the inclusion of Haiti and the Niger as situations of concern, given the number of violations reported.”
2023-07-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9366Resumption1 (2023) · source
“The recruitment and use of children in Syria is staggering. Some 1,696 children have been deprived of a childhood; instead, they are being recruited by an array of State and non-State actors and used in combat. No childhood should be spent fighting. CANZ condemns the high numbers of verified cases of rape and sexual violence. These are particularly concerning, given the consistent underreporting of this grave violation. This demonstrates the use of sexual and gender-based violence as a weapon of war. The denial of humanitarian access, including in Yemen, Mali and Myanmar, is another deeply worrisome trend. We call on all parties to allow and facilitate safe, timely and unimpeded humanitarian access.”
2023-07-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9366Resumption1 (2023) · source
“The worsening statistics in this year’s report of the Secretary-General (S/2023/363) underline a serious disregard, especially by Government forces, of international humanitarian and human rights legal obligations, which is a trend which we must reverse. CANZ strongly condemns all grave violations committed against children by any State or party, and in any conflict. CANZ calls for Russian armed forces and affiliated armed groups and their leadership to be held accountable for the grave violations they have committed against children during their ongoing war of aggression. The killing and maiming of more than 1,386 Ukrainian children in 2022 are devastating. CANZ recalls guidance of the Secretary-General on contacts with persons who are the subject of arrest warrants or summonses issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC).”
2023-07-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9366Resumption1 (2023) · source
“I deliver this statement on behalf of Canada, Australia and my own country, New Zealand (CANZ). I thank the Special Representative and her Office for their tireless work. It is shocking to CANZ, as it should be to all of us, that 27,180 verified grave violations against children occurred in 2022. In one year alone, 18,890 children around the world were recruited and used in conflict. Unfortunately, these figures probably represent only a small fraction of the number of actual victims around the world. A 112 per cent increase in the number of attacks on schools and hospitals is simply unacceptable. It represents immense suffering for the children affected, their families and their communities. The fundamental measures that protect all civilians, including children, involve respecting international humanitarian and human rights law.”
2023-07-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9366Resumption1 (2023) · source
“We can succeed if we are collectively committed to weaving together the formidable strengths of the United Nations across its three main pillars, the lessons learned from past missteps, and actions that are more inclusive, predictable and adaptable.”
2023-05-03 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9315Resumption1 (2023) · source
“Tools and partnerships, such as the Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs Innovation Cell, can better equip the Council to meet some of the evolving challenges it faces. Climate-related security risks are compounding and exacerbating existing security challenges and straining already limited resources. An effective peacebuilding architecture would respond to those risks in the Sahel, the Lake Chad basin, the Pacific and beyond. Finally, as the New Agenda for Peace takes shape, CANZ wishes to ensure that we avoid duplication or overstretching the efforts of the United Nations. We agree with others that there is much scope to futureproof trust for sustainable peace.”
2023-05-03 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9315Resumption1 (2023) · source
“Without those established rules and norms, which have promoted trust, transparency and mutual understanding for the past 70 years and supported the resolution of emerging challenges, peace will prove elusive. Prioritizing the establishment of resilient institutions, the protection and promotion of human rights and the rule of law strengthens the potential for peace. Sustainable peace also means predictable financing for peacebuilding. In 2023, CANZ countries have together committed $22 million in voluntary contributions to the Peacebuilding Fund. CANZ encourages States to expeditiously agree to the proposal for an assessed contribution for the Fund in the Fifth Committee. To futureproof peace, the United Nations must adapt its practices. That includes using data, science and technology.”
2023-05-03 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9315Resumption1 (2023) · source
“We believe the Council and the wider United Nations system must do the same. Thirdly, we should enhance engagement with relevant organizations, not limited to the African Union, the Organization of American States, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and the Pacific Islands Forum. Genuine engagement with those organizations would support the democratization of the Council’s work and result in better outcomes on the ground. To guarantee peace, the Security Council and all Member States must ensure the continued predictability of adherence to the normative and legal frameworks that we have collectively developed.”
2023-05-03 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9315Resumption1 (2023) · source
“Building trust and confidence in peacebuilding and sustaining peace necessitates inclusion. CANZ sees the need for greater inclusion in several places. First, we must deliver on our commitments to realize the full, equal and meaningful participation and leadership of women in all aspects of peace and security, as noted by many speakers this morning. Rhetoric must finally be matched with decisive action by all of us. Secondly, our three countries are engaged in ongoing efforts to promote the participation of all of our diverse peoples in our own political and peace processes. That is especially so for First Nations and Indigenous persons. We are not perfect; far from it. However, we are committed to ensuring the full participation and engagement of groups whose voices have been traditionally marginalized.”
2023-05-03 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9315Resumption1 (2023) · source
“Trust in the Council’s ability to effectively discharge its mandate to maintain international peace and security and implement resolutions on peacebuilding and sustaining peace is unfortunately low. That trust has been shaken in many contexts across the globe, and further eroded by Russia’s illegal war of aggression on another sovereign Member State, Ukraine. The Security Council has the primary responsibility for international peace and security under the Charter. Yet its members should be reminded of Article 24, that is, that responsibility is conferred by the entire membership, and the Council acts on our behalf. A year on from Russia’s invasion, and 30 years since contemporizing efforts began in the Agenda for Peace, the reform of the Security Council remains long overdue.”
2023-05-03 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9315Resumption1 (2023) · source
“It is an honour to be able to address the Security Council during Switzerland’s first presidency of the Security Council. I thank Switzerland for its leadership on this important issue. I deliver this statement on behalf of Canada, Australia and my own country, New Zealand (CANZ). In 1992, when former Secretary-General Boutros- Ghali released the original Agenda for Peace, he articulated the United Nations modern peace and security mandate: preventive diplomacy, peacekeeping and peacebuilding. While activities under those headings have evolved since 1992, the fundamental ingredients for sustainable peace remain the same, namely, trust, inclusivity, predictability and adaptability.”
2023-05-03 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9315Resumption1 (2023) · source
“New Zealand is a proud member of the core group supporting that initiative because of our active interest in having clarity on the international legal implications of climate change. I want to affirm that Aotearoa New Zealand is committed to supporting countries in taking urgent action on sea level rise so as to build a safer, more prosperous and more sustainable future.”
2023-02-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9260Resumption1 (2023) · source
“We look forward to ongoing engagement with the international community to ensure that the maritime rights and entitlements on which many States rely are preserved, consistent with the principles of equity, certainty and stability that underpin the Convention. Pacific leaders have also recognized the importance of considering the preservation of statehood and the protection of persons affected by sea level rise. Pacific Islands Forum members, including Aotearoa New Zealand, are examining such issues and are being guided and informed by the applicable principles and norms of international law and the relevant international frameworks and standards. Finally, allow me to comment on Vanuatu’s initiative for an advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice on climate.”
2023-02-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9260Resumption1 (2023) · source
“Maritime zones and the resource rights that come with them are essential to countries’ economies, identities and ways of life, especially for small island developing States. We stand behind the 2021 Declaration on Preserving Maritime Zones in the Face of Climate Change-Related Sea Level Rise. Issued by Pacific Islands Forum leaders and firmly grounded in the primacy of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), it sets out our region’s collective position on how UNCLOS applies in the situation of climate change-related sea level rise to promote legal stability and certainty over maritime zones. New Zealand is appreciative of the level of international support that the Declaration has received.”
2023-02-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9260Resumption1 (2023) · source
“While the severity and impacts of sea level rise will vary among States and regions, it is a phenomenon that will have implications for all States, and which will pose specific peace and security threats to the international community as a whole. Sea level rise is already having an impact on vulnerable communities and degrading the habitability of low-lying nations. It has the potential to inundate low-lying territorial features. That would cause immeasurable economic, social, cultural and environmental harm. It is therefore critical that the international community cooperate to develop responses to such issues. The impacts of rising sea levels also raise important legal questions that are relevant to international peace and security.”
2023-02-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9260Resumption1 (2023) · source
“Climate change is a threat multiplier. It amplifies and adds complexity to existing security threats. As the effects of climate change continue to accelerate, the associated impacts will fundamentally affect global security. Climate change remains the single greatest existential threat facing the Blue Pacific. Pacific Islands Forum leaders have declared that the Pacific is facing a climate emergency, which threatens the livelihoods, security and well-being of its people and ecosystems. That is backed by the latest science and the realities lived on a daily basis in Pacific communities. One of the most significant impacts of climate change in the Pacific will be sea level rise. Some Pacific island countries experience up to four times greater sea level rise than the global average.”
2023-02-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9260Resumption1 (2023) · source
“Aotearoa New Zealand thanks Malta for convening this important open debate on sea level rise and its implications for international peace and security. New Zealand aligns itself with the statements to be made on behalf of the Pacific Island Forum and on behalf of the Group of Friends on Climate and Security. Scientists globally agree that climate change is increasing the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events and that those impacts will continue to worsen in future. As Ms. Pasisi pointed out this morning, in my own country, New Zealand, just yesterday we declared a state of national emergency in response to Cyclone Gabrielle, so severe is the widespread damage caused by that unprecedented weather event. This is only the third time in our history that a state of national emergency has been declared.”
2023-02-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9260Resumption1 (2023) · source
“Thirdly, listening to the female civil society briefers today, it is clear that their voices and the diverse voices of female civil society are indispensable to advancing women’s involvement in peace processes. We urge all Member States to prioritize the creation of safe and enabling environments for all women peacebuilders, women human rights defenders and women civil society leaders. It is high time we ensured our actions match our words when it comes to women’s leadership and participation in conflict-resolution efforts. We will continue to do our utmost in pursuing that end.”
2022-10-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9158Resumption1 (2022) · source
“Secondly, New Zealand has seen first-hand the immense value of women peacebuilders, human rights defenders and civil society representatives. That has rung true in our experience supporting peace efforts in the South Pacific, including in Solomon Islands. Within New Zealand’s membership of the Peacebuilding Commission and support for the Peacebuilding Fund, we are committed to advancing the Organization’s peacebuilding gender strategy to ensure gender-responsive engagement in all aspects of the Organization’s peacebuilding work. Inclusion is fundamental to sustainable peace, and we will seek to ground our engagement in gender-responsive peacebuilding and bringing women’s diverse perspectives to the fore.”
2022-10-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9158Resumption1 (2022) · source
“First, it is crucial that we, as Member States, insist on women’s meaningful participation in all peacemaking, peacekeeping and peacebuilding efforts and make that a centrepiece for the new agenda for peace. We strongly support the call for all United Nations-supported peace processes to require and ensure women’s full, equal and meaningful participation and leadership at all stages and levels of United Nations-led peace processes. That means taking concrete measure to address long- standing barriers to women’s leadership and redoubling our efforts to build resilience. For New Zealand’s part, our Wahine Toa Leadership Programme is designed to increase women’s leadership and participation in defence, including in peacekeeping operation and peace processes.”
2022-10-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9158Resumption1 (2022) · source
“Resolution 1325 (2000) represents a significant step forward; nonetheless, we have a long way to go in ensuring the participation of women and incorporating gender perspectives in all United Nations peace and security efforts. This year’s Secretary-General report (S/2022/740) shows the persistent implementation gaps to which we must pay attention. The report also highlights how the combined impacts of the coronavirus disease pandemic, climate and conflict presented greater challenges for women and peace and security. It is now more crucial than ever that we not only recover lost ground, but also redouble efforts to tackle those pressing challenges. Based on our own experience, New Zealand recommends the following three initiatives for strengthening women’s leadership and resilience in conflict settings.”
2022-10-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9158Resumption1 (2022) · source
“I have the honour to deliver this statement on behalf of New Zealand. New Zealand aligns itself with the Group of Friends of Women, Peace and Security statement delivered by the representative of Canada. New Zealand thanks Gabon for choosing to focus on women’s resilience and leadership in conflict settings. Without a doubt, the role of women’s leadership and resilience is a pivotal issue in finding a path out of conflict in many regions around the world. In Yemen, Afghanistan, Ukraine, Myanmar, Syria, Haiti and many other fragile settings, women and girls are leading crucial efforts towards building peace and conflict resolution. They have demonstrated harrowing determination, leadership and resilience amid dangerous contexts where their basic right to life is threatened on a daily basis.”
2022-10-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9158Resumption1 (2022) · source
“It was also a demonstration of the important role elected members of the Council play in advancing the protection of civilians in the work of the Council.”
2022-05-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9042Resumption1 (2022) · source
“Member States should provide trained personnel and resources to support those mandates. Early warning of threats to civilians and mechanisms that provide for timely and effective responses must be a baseline requirement for peacekeeping missions. Improved integration with the United Nations peacebuilding architecture would better protect civilians at all stages of conflict. During New Zealand’s most recent term on the Security Council, we worked with four elected members to secure the unanimous adoption of resolution 2286 (2016), in response to the horrific escalation in attacks against medical facilities and personnel in Syria, Yemen, Afghanistan and beyond. It was an important reaffirmation of our collective commitment to uphold international law in the face of such atrocities.”
2022-05-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9042Resumption1 (2022) · source
“We should support all efforts to reinforce that compliance, including the draft political declaration strengthening the protection of civilians from the humanitarian consequences arising from the use of explosive weapons in populated areas, which New Zealand encourages all States to support. We must also ensure that those who are responsible for violations of international law and international humanitarian law face justice, by deploying the accountability mechanisms we have at our disposal. The erosion of international rules must not be allowed to become our new normal. Council resolutions that were agreed on in order to protect civilians must not become rhetorical commitments. Thirdly, the Security Council should prioritize the protection of civilians in United Nations peacekeeping operation mandates.”
2022-05-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9042Resumption1 (2022) · source
“Listening to our briefers, we took away three key areas where we should redouble our efforts to reverse those terrible trends. First, we need greater determination from the Council in discharging its responsibility to maintain international peace and security. Russia’s abuse of its veto has led to the Council’s inaction in the face of an act of aggression. It must avail itself of every possible tool to prevent conflict, defend fundamental international norms and seek negotiated political solutions. Secondly, we need all Member States to demand universal compliance with international law from both State and non-State actors.”
2022-05-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9042Resumption1 (2022) · source
“That unprovoked and unjustified aggression has caused unbearable heartache and forced 12 million Ukrainians to flee their homes. It has threatened the unthinkable — nuclear conflict. In conflict, civilians pay the highest price. As the Secretary-General (S/2022/381) notes in his report, in 2021 the United Nations reported more than 11,000 civilian deaths across 12 armed conflicts. Health-care personnel, medical facilities and civilian infrastructure were directly targeted, in flagrant violation of international humanitarian law. As our briefers have noted, we continue to see attacks on health-care workers, with 219 deaths in 2021 alone. We also continue to see a lack of respect for international humanitarian law. That is unacceptable. Even war has rules.”
2022-05-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9042Resumption1 (2022) · source
“I would like to thank our briefers from the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, the International Committee of the Red Cross and the International Rescue Committee, as well as Ms. Boketa, of Women for Women International. This annual debate on the protection of civilians in armed conflict is one of the most important topics on the Council’s thematic agenda. Unfortunately, we live in a world where conflicts continue to take a devastating toll on civilians. Our daily news feeds have stories of civilians targeted in conflict zones from Afghanistan to Ethiopia, Ukraine to Syria. Civilian deaths, psychological trauma, sexual violence and family separations are only some of the wounds that will take generations to heal. Today’s debate takes place against a backdrop of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.”
2022-05-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9042Resumption1 (2022) · source
“Extreme weather- related events are predicted to increase in frequency and magnitude, threatening the safe production and distribution of food in our region and around the world. We encourage the Council to take unified action on the worsening food security crisis and, in doing so, demonstrate collective leadership for the benefit of all in the international community.”
2022-05-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9036Resumption1 (2022) · source
“Earlier this month New Zealand signed onto the United Kingdom-led joint statement committing to open and predictable trade in agricultural and food products, delivered to the World Trade Organization (WTO). We urge Member States to ensure that any emergency measures not distort or restrict trade and are temporary, designed with the utmost restraint and consistent with WTO rules. Climate change also contributes to food insecurity. This is a serious concern for New Zealand and our Indo-Pacific region. We are experiencing the effects of climate change on food security in our region, which is evident through an increase in extreme weather-related events, including drought, wildfire, extreme temperatures and flooding.”
2022-05-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9036Resumption1 (2022) · source
“That includes providing flexible and multi-year funding to the Food and Agriculture Organization, the World Food Programme, the United Nations Development Programme and the International Committee of the Red Cross. We are also providing support to specific humanitarian crises to alleviate food insecurity. Now is not the time to lose focus on long-running conflicts or humanitarian crises. Now is not the time for Member States to reduce or divert their development or humanitarian funding. New Zealand strongly supports the call for countries to resist actions that hinder trade in essential foods and agricultural commodities. Export restrictions, hoarding and similar trade-distorting measures only worsen global food security. More than ever, we must keep global agricultural markets open and trade flowing stably.”
2022-05-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9036Resumption1 (2022) · source
“Sanctions are not the cause of the price spikes or food shortages; Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine is. The impact of Russia’s actions are being felt beyond Europe. They are hurting countries that already face dangerous levels of food insecurity. New Zealand is concerned about the potential domestic unrest in countries affected by price increases and shortages of essential items. The most efficient way to mitigate the worsening global food crisis is for Russia to silence its guns, withdraw its troops and end this pointless war. New Zealand is collaborating with its international partners to respond to the growing food security crisis.”
2022-05-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9036Resumption1 (2022) · source
“Conflict, the climate crisis, the coronavirus disease pandemic and surging food and fuel costs have created a perfect storm. This year is forecast to be the most food-insecure year on record globally. We heard from today’s briefers about the extreme scope of the insecurity. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations has reported that 193 million people in 53 countries or territories will experience acute food insecurity at crisis or worse levels this year. That is a sharp increase of nearly 40 million people from 2020. There is no question that conflict is a key driver of food insecurity. New Zealand has watched with concern as the prices of key food commodities and fertilizers have increased rapidly. Russia’s unprovoked and unjustified attack on Ukraine is the primary driver behind those price spikes.”
2022-05-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9036Resumption1 (2022) · source
“I have the honour to deliver this statement on behalf of New Zealand, which welcomes the decision by the United States to choose conflict-driven food insecurity as the theme for today’s open debate. We also thank Ireland for its work as the Security Council’s focal point on conflict and hunger. New Zealand is committed to working with partners to advance international efforts to address food insecurity. Hunger has no place in the twenty-first century. When the Council adopted resolution 2417 (2018), four years ago, it was amid a resurgence in global food insecurity, driven primarily by conflict. Resolution 2417 (2018) reminds us that conflict contributes to hunger both directly through the effects of war and indirectly through the disruption of markets. Sadly, the situation we face today is even more dire.”
2022-05-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9036Resumption1 (2022) · source
“We call on the Security Council and all Member States to hold perpetrators fully accountable for their actions and deny them any exemption from prosecution, regardless of their status.”
2022-04-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9016Resumption1 (2022) · source
“In that regard, New Zealand believes that a comprehensive response to conflict-related sexual violence should also include proactive and purposeful engagement with the security sector. Working to improve the protection and promotion of women’s rights in all instances, including in conflict settings, is one of New Zealand’s top priorities under our international human rights action plan. Sexual violence is already recognized as a war crime, including by the International Criminal Court, and as a crime against humanity. New Zealand will continue to make a steadfast commitment to ending the scourge of gender- based violence in all instances, including conflict.”
2022-04-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9016Resumption1 (2022) · source
“New Zealand is determined to strengthen international and national responses by supporting the legal accountability architecture, including the United Kingdom’s initiative for a new convention on conflict- related sexual violence. The prevalence of sexual violence in conflict will continue unabated unless the culture of impunity is addressed. All Member States must prioritize the implementation of laws and policies that enable a meaningful response. Eliminating impunity by prosecuting those who perpetrate such horrific crimes remains the key to ending the cycle of violence and providing justice for survivors. In operationalizing the conflict-related sexual violence agenda, it is important to recognize the nexus between sexual-violence crimes and security-sector reform processes.”
2022-04-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9016Resumption1 (2022) · source
“Conflict-related sexual violence is no longer seen as an inevitable by- product of war, crises or emergencies. Rather, it is a crime that is punishable under international human rights law, international humanitarian law and international criminal law. Holding perpetrators to account, whether they are States, non-State actors or individuals, must be a priority, along with supporting survivors and ending such heinous crimes, which predominantly target women and girls. Disturbingly, such crimes have become a daily occurrence in places such as Ethiopia, Afghanistan, South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Iraq, Syria, Myanmar and elsewhere. The list is simply too long.”
2022-04-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9016Resumption1 (2022) · source
“New Zealand associates itself with the statement delivered this morning by the representative of Canada on behalf of the Group of Friends of Women, Peace and Security (see S/PV.9016), and would like to add a few remarks in its national capacity. We want to thank the Security Council for convening this open debate, entitled “Accountability as prevention: ending cycles of sexual violence in conflict”, as an item under the women and peace and security agenda. We also want to acknowledge and thank this morning’s briefers for their powerful testimonials and reports, keeping conflict-related sexual violence at the forefront of the Council’s agenda. New Zealand was one of 13 signatories to a joint statement in November 2021 condemning the use of sexual violence and rape as weapons of war as a red line akin to the use of chemical weapons.”
2022-04-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9016Resumption1 (2022) · source
“New Zealand will serve on the Organizational Committee of the Peacebuilding Commission in 2022 and continues to support the United Nations Peacebuilding Fund, and with this we are committed to advancing the Peacebuilding Commission’s gender strategy to ensure that sustained gender-responsive engagement is embedded in all aspects of United Nations peacebuilding work. Inclusion is fundamental to sustainable peace, and we will seek to ground our engagement in gender-responsive peacebuilding, bringing women’s diverse perspectives to the fore. This is our steadfast commitment.”
2022-01-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8949 (2022) · source
“It is clear from listening to our two female civil society briefers today that their voices and the diverse voices of female civil society are indispensable to advancing women’s involvement in peace processes, No women peacebuilders should have their right to participate curtailed in any way, in particular by the threat of violence, intimidation or reprisals. Any reprisals against civil society briefers for merely briefing the Council, as others have mentioned this morning already, are an affront to their basic human rights to participate and to share their experience. We need to leverage this expertise if we want to build peace in all of the conflicts we are witnessing today.”
2022-01-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8949 (2022) · source