YouSaid · the spoken record

Secretary-General

lines on the record: 2,998
first: 1995-09-26
most recent: 2021-05-16
sittings or episodes: 363
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

“By acting early and preventively, engaging strategically to address the root causes of conflict and speaking with one voice, the Council can mobilize the international community’s political and financial support, spotlight critical areas of need and foster the commitment of conflict actors where needed. I look forward to continuing our engagement in this area.”
2021-01-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/24 (2021) · source
“I welcome the World Bank’s Strategy for Fragility, Conflict, and Violence 2020-2025, which opens the way for much deeper investment in nationally led prevention efforts. Our country teams and missions on the ground are working closely with Governments and the World Bank in some 40 countries affected by fragility and conflict. Together we are focusing on food insecurity, supporting displaced people and host communities, and creating opportunities for women and young people. I want that partnership to grow in the years ahead. The Security Council has a critical role to play in addressing the links between fragility and conflict.”
2021-01-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/24 (2021) · source
“In a number of circumstances, African Member States have heeded the calls of the international community to respond to major crises with significant regional and global implications, from the deployment of the African Union Mission in Somalia to the Joint Force of the Group of Five for the Sahel and the Multinational Joint Task Force against Boko Haram. African Union peace-support operations authorized by the Security Council require predictable, flexible and sustained financing through assessed contributions. I call on the Council to finalize its discussion on this matter. Partnerships with international financial institutions are another critical way to ensure that adequate funding reaches key areas.”
2021-01-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/24 (2021) · source
“That is why I have repeatedly called for increased financing for prevention and peacebuilding. The Peacebuilding Fund is well placed to help link our responses to multidimensional crises. On 26 January, I will co-chair a replenishment conference for the Fund, and I look forward to the strong support of Member States at that crucial moment. Another area where the lack of sustainable funding continues to hinder our efforts to resolve conflicts relates to the deployment of African peace enforcement operations authorized by the Security Council.”
2021-01-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/24 (2021) · source
“My call for a global ceasefire goes hand in hand with that flagship initiative of the African Union. The United Nations also remains committed to supporting the African Union’s ambitious Agenda 2063. In that context, we have decided to establish a joint United Nations-AU group on the implementation of the Agenda for Sustainable Development and Agenda 2063, including with regard to COVID-19 recovery. We know that prevention and peacebuilding save lives and are cost-effective, especially when strategies come together across the peace, development and humanitarian nexus in support of national priorities. But they also require national leadership, political commitment and financial support. Yet the international community continues to underinvest in those areas.”
2021-01-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/24 (2021) · source
“To address those trends, the United Nations has worked closely with the African Union (AU) and regional economic communities. The United Nations-African Union joint frameworks on peace and security and on sustainable development have been key instruments to prevent and sustainably resolve conflicts in Africa, as well as to strengthen the resilience of States to withstand current threats. One month ago, Chairperson Mahamat and I co-chaired the fourth African Union-United Nations Annual Conference, a clear demonstration of the value that we attach to our partnership and to our strategic cooperation. The meeting was an opportunity for us to identify ways to support the AU’s Silencing the Guns initiative, a groundbreaking effort to address the root causes of conflicts on the continent, including economic and social disparities.”
2021-01-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/24 (2021) · source
“Guaranteeing equal opportunities, protection, access to resources and services and participation in decision-making are not simply moral and legal obligations. They are a necessary condition if countries are to truly break out of the conflict trap. The linkages between conflict and fragility have been particularly visible on the African continent. In the Horn of Africa and the Sahel, fragility has been exacerbated by transboundary threats such as climate change, terrorism, transnational organized crime and the proliferation of armed groups. In the Great Lakes and Central African region, limited State authority, the continued presence and activities of armed groups, human rights violations, the illicit exploitation of natural resources and unemployment continue to drive instability.”
2021-01-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/24 (2021) · source
“In the Sahel, for example, the United Nations Integrated Strategy has sought to close the gap between humanitarian needs and development imperatives. It has focused on helping to reassert State authority throughout the Sahel countries, thereby reversing the pattern of the growing marginalization of poor rural societies, with particular attention to women and youth. The second principle is that of inclusion. The pledge to leave no one behind must be at the centre of our efforts to promote sustainable development as well as to prevent and resolve conflicts. More than 20 years ago, the Security Council recognized, in adopting resolution 1325 (2000), the need for the increased participation of women in peace processes. That promise has yet to be fully realized.”
2021-01-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/24 (2021) · source
“From the Sahel and Central Africa to the Horn of Africa, variability in rainfall patterns is disrupting long-existing patterns of transhumance, resulting in tensions and recurring clashes between communities, including across national borders. If we are to break the cycle of poverty and conflict, we need a more ambitious approach based on two principles enshrined in the Sustainable Development Goals. The first principle is that of interdependence. The 2030 Agenda recognizes that there can be no sustainable development without peace and no peace without sustainable development. A holistic approach to building and sustaining peace, with targeted and tailored investments across the humanitarian-development-peace nexus, is essential.”
2021-01-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/24 (2021) · source
“The COVID-19 pandemic has further exacerbated those trends. In 2020, for the first time in 22 years, extreme poverty was on the rise. The contraction of economic activity in fragile and conflict-affected settings is expected to push an additional 18 to 27 million people into extreme poverty. The gender equality gap is widening, and women’s labour force participation — a key driver of inclusive growth — has been set back decades. The climate emergency is a further driver of insecurity. It is no coincidence that of the 15 countries most susceptible to climate risks, eight host a United Nations peacekeeping operation or special political mission.”
2021-01-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/24 (2021) · source
“According to the World Bank’s report entitled Fragility and Conflict: On the Front Lines of the Fight against Poverty, one of every five people in the Middle East and North Africa lives in close proximity to a major conflict. As a consequence, humanitarian needs have multiplied, reaching the highest levels since the Second World War. The number of people at risk of starvation has doubled, and international conflict-management mechanisms have been stretched to the breaking point. Those trends have placed a number of countries in a vicious circle. Conflict continues to breed poverty and foster institutional fragility, which in turn decreases the resilience of those societies and the prospects for peace. The World Bank estimates that by 2030, two thirds of the world’s extreme poor will live in fragile or conflict-affected countries.”
2021-01-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/24 (2021) · source
“I thank the Tunisian presidency for having organized this debate. Addressing the links between fragility and conflict is an essential component of international peace and security. Fragility and conflict are among the greatest obstacles to the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Even before the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, the conflict landscape was deteriorating. Conflicts have become more complex, fuelled by greater regionalization and the proliferation of non-State armed groups and their linkages with criminal and even terrorist interests. They last longer and become more difficult to resolve.”
2021-01-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/24 (2021) · source
“In short, we need a renewed multilateralism. As we mark the seventy-fifth anniversary of the United Nations, we have embarked on a deep reflection on how we can best move our common agenda forward. I count on the African Union to help lead the way. As Nelson Mandela said, “It always seems impossible until it is done.” May his wisdom, compassion and example help us all and inspire us all to get it done.”
2020-12-04 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1179 (2020) · source
“Our two organizations and our action in Africa would benefit from a number of concrete steps: the further institutionalization of our cooperation at every level, since a sustainable partnership must be grounded in trust between the two organizations, which will also require a stronger collaboration between the United Nations Security Council and the African Union Peace and Security Council; ensuring the predictability of financing African Union peace support operations through assessed contributions; and doing much more to involve and engage women and young people in the peace and security agenda. To foster resilience and prepare for the challenges of the future, we need to build more networked, inclusive and effective institutions to prevent conflict, reinforce good governance and boost service delivery.”
2020-12-04 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1179 (2020) · source
“Earlier this year, I commissioned an independent assessment of the United Nations-African Union partnership and the work of the United Nations Office to the African Union. It revealed a broad consensus that a strong United Nations-AU partnership is essential to addressing the range of peace and security challenges in Africa. Moreover, the United Nations-AU partnership is one of the most important relationships in the domain of international peace and security and a cornerstone of multilateralism. The process highlighted significant progress in our partnership, both in mission and non-mission settings, but also acknowledged areas for improvement.”
2020-12-04 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1179 (2020) · source
“As an example, the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism is working with the African Centre to develop options as part of a suite of United Nations inter-agency projects to assist Mozambique. But more must be done. I reiterate my appeal for African-led peace and counter-terrorism operations to receive Security Council mandates pursuant to Chapter VII of the Charter, as well as predictable funding guaranteed by assessed contributions. I want to reaffirm my full support for the African Union’s initiative, led by South Africa, to resolve grievances through dialogue. More broadly, I repeat my appeal for a global ceasefire. I also thank Chairperson Moussa Faki Mahamat for his call to all belligerents to stop fighting, allow access for the delivery of humanitarian assistance and enable political solutions.”
2020-12-04 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1179 (2020) · source
“As was highlighted in the high-level dialogue with regional and other organizations that I convened a few days ago, we see growing restrictions in civic space and increasing threats to minorities around the world. Furthermore, terrorist and violent extremist groups are exploiting the uncertainty created by the pandemic, as we are observing in the Sahel and the Lake Chad basin. I welcome and support the efforts of United Nations entities aimed at providing assistance to Member States in countering terrorist and related threats in various African countries. Enhanced cooperation with the African Union Commission and its African Centre for Study and Research on Terrorism, along with regional bodies on the continent, is crucial in that regard.”
2020-12-04 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1179 (2020) · source
“We are also cooperating with SADC to facilitate the reconfiguration of the Force Intervention Brigade and the joint strategy on the exit of the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Despite these positive steps, the challenges loom large. New conflicts are erupting, the climate emergency is raging and the COVID-19 pandemic is exacerbating fragilities and disproportionately affecting women and the most vulnerable. As in other parts of the world, trust is being eroded, underscoring the importance of good governance and respect for human rights, which are not just essential to the continent’s development but are also crucial to peace and security. Dealing with the pandemic must not take attention away from maintaining peace and security in Africa.”
2020-12-04 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1179 (2020) · source
“In Somalia, beyond our support for the African Union Mission in Somalia, we are supporting the Government on extending State control to additional areas and preparing for new elections. Our two organizations also worked with the Economic Community of West African States in Côte d’Ivoire and Guinea before and after elections and, in September, joined efforts to facilitate the establishment of the 18-month transition in Mali. Together with the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and the Office of the SADC Facilitator, we are supporting political and institutional efforts towards the implementation of Lesotho’s comprehensive reform process.”
2020-12-04 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1179 (2020) · source
“The United Nations and the African Union continue to cooperate in South Sudan, where the ceasefire has mostly held, and where improved political stability across the country has generated cautious optimism. We are also working closely with the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), including in South Sudan. Through my Special Envoy for the Horn of Africa, the United Nations has also supported IGAD in the development of its regional response strategy for addressing the COVID-19 pandemic. We are also working hand in hand in the Sudan, where a new peace agreement between the Government and armed movements is the culmination of a year of constructive talks and a testament to the commitment of the parties to peace. It opens a new chapter, particularly for people living in Darfur, South Kordofan and the Blue Nile.”
2020-12-04 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1179 (2020) · source
“In the Central African Republic, the United Nations has supported the establishment of the African Union Military Observers Mission, and we have seen progress in the implementation of the peace agreement brokered by the African Union with our support. The United Nations has also reinforced its engagement with the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS), following the establishment of the new ECCAS Commission in September. This stronger collaboration was exemplified by the recent joint visit to the Central African Republic of senior officials from the United Nations, the AU and ECCAS in support of the country’s efforts to consolidate peace. Our joint work and close collaboration will be critical in ensuring peace consolidation through the organization of free, credible and fair elections within the constitutional timelines.”
2020-12-04 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1179 (2020) · source
“In Libya, the parties signed a ceasefire agreement under the auspices of the United Nations, and political talks have resumed. I am grateful for the continued and close engagement of the African Union in support of the ongoing dialogue processes, including as a Chair of the Security Working Group of the International Follow-up Committee. The Contact Group of the African Union High-Level Committee on Libya, chaired by the President of the Republic of the Congo, continues to be an important platform for facilitating the joint engagement of the United Nations and the AU in Libya. We look forward to continuing our cooperation, especially in supporting the African Union’s organization of a Libyan national reconciliation conference.”
2020-12-04 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1179 (2020) · source
“The United Nations has sought to support these initiatives in a number of concrete ways, including through technical assistance to mediation and disarmament capacities, such as the joint implementation of the African Amnesty Month initiative in seven countries in 2020; partnering with the African Union to create the African Women Leaders Network and its 25 national chapters; and investment in youth- empowerment activities, including peace education. I am also pleased to see the expansion of the operational support role of the United Nations, which is becoming not only a partner but also a service provider for the African Union. With the support of United Nations special political missions and peacekeeping operations, our partnership has also yielded significant results at the country level.”
2020-12-04 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1179 (2020) · source
“This partnership is deeply rooted in the principles of complementarity, respect and African ownership, as well as the conviction that no single organization or State can overcome the challenges of our time on its own. Since the beginning of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, the African continent has shown exemplary leadership and solidarity. I commend the African Union and its member States for spearheading a rapid and coordinated response and for establishing a strong partnership between the World Health Organization and the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention. The African Heads of State and Government presented a compelling vision for peace and security through the flagship Silencing the Guns in Africa initiative and the Lusaka Master Roadmap 2016.”
2020-12-04 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1179 (2020) · source
“Let me begin by congratulating South Africa on assuming the presidency of the Security Council for the month of December and on its leadership as Chair of the African Union (AU). I also welcome my dear friend Mr. Moussa Faki Mahamat, Chairperson of the African Union Commission, who is with us today. Cooperation between the United Nations, the African Union and the African regional economic communities and other regional mechanisms has never been stronger. Our joint work has gained in depth and scope, particularly since we signed the Joint United Nations-African Union Framework for Enhanced Partnership in Peace and Security in 2017 and the African Union-United Nations Framework for the Implementation of Agenda 2063 and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development in 2018.”
2020-12-04 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1179 (2020) · source
“As we recover from the pandemic, we face a choice, namely, to continue down the path of increasing militarization, conflict and intergenerational losses or to work towards greater inclusion, equality and prevention of conflicts and crises of all kinds. For Governments and international institutions everywhere, gender equality is one of the surest ways of building social cohesion and trust, and inspiring people to be responsible, participating citizens. For the women mediators, peacebuilders, human rights defenders and essential workers who risk their lives to build peace, and for the millions of women, men, girls and boys whose hopes for peace and security rest on more equal and just societies, we cannot wait another 20 years to implement the women and peace and security agenda. Let us start that work together today.”
2020-10-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1084 (2020) · source
“Their chances of suffering violence may be equivalent to or higher than in a war zone. The COVID-19 pandemic has only increased this threat. The women and peace and security agenda challenges the relentless focus on inter-State conflict at the expense of measures to protect women. In the past 20 years, academic research and practice have demonstrated the close links between gender equality, conflict prevention and peace. The women and peace and security agenda calls for broader consideration of ways to prevent S/2020/1084 conflict, prevent gender-based violence and create peaceful, inclusive communities and societies.”
2020-10-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1084 (2020) · source
“I commend the Council for adopting the first resolution this year focused on women in peacekeeping. The number of women deployed are still too low, but they increased significantly in the past five years. This is important not just because the United Nations must reflect the people it serves, but also because women bring their own perspectives and expertise to every issue — including peace and security. One of the foundational tenets of the women and peace and security agenda is that weapons do not make us safer. This has been proven once again by the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2019, global military expenditure reached $1.9 trillion, following the largest annual increase in a decade. Meanwhile, women in some countries are at greatest physical risk where they should be safest: in their own homes.”
2020-10-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1084 (2020) · source
“And as peace processes move online during the pandemic, efforts to promote women’s participation must keep pace. When I became Secretary-General, ending discrimination against women within the United Nations was one of my first priorities. We achieved gender parity in the leadership of the United Nations at the beginning of 2020, with 90 women and 90 men as full-time senior leaders. We also have parity among our Resident Coordinators, including in countries affected by conflict. In field missions, women’s leadership leapt from 21 per cent to 41 per cent in just three years; in our special political missions, 52 per cent of heads or deputy heads of those missions are now women. I am determined to push for parity at all levels, well ahead of deadlines. Women’s full participation is also relevant for uniformed personnel.”
2020-10-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1084 (2020) · source
“Ensuring that women play their full part in peace processes also requires stronger partnerships among the United Nations, regional organizations, Member States and civil society. We must use the full range of tools at our disposal and find innovative solutions that have a rapid and decisive impact on women’s representation. Temporary special measures, including quotas, can make a huge difference. I witnessed this myself as a politician in my own country. And it is time that we, the United Nations and Member States, consider how we can best use our political influence, funding and support to incentivize and create conditions for women’s equal representation and participation in peace talks. Women must be included as a priority from the outset.”
2020-10-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1084 (2020) · source
“Are women fairly represented in the rooms where the future of Afghanistan is being discussed between the Taliban and the Government, or in Mali as it embarks on a political transition? Is the Sudan on track to meet the 40 per cent quota for women’s representation in parliament, set out in the new Constitutional Declaration? Will South Sudan meet the 35 per cent quota for women’s representation across the executive arm, included in the Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution to the Conflict? Are political actors and conflict parties in Yemen including women at the negotiating table? If the answer to these questions is no, then clearly we face serious obstacles in the task before us. Women’s meaningful and effective participation in mediation matters. It broadens the prospects for peace, stability, social cohesion and economic advancement.”
2020-10-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1084 (2020) · source
“The women’s movement and its allies in Governments and international institutions have changed discriminatory laws, reached milestones in political representation and international jurisprudence and made a difference in peace processes. But gender equality is first and foremost a question of power, and wherever we look power structures are dominated by men. Women lead only 7 per cent of countries. Three quarters of the members of COVID-19 task forces and committees are men. Decisions about international peace and security are still overwhelmingly made by men. Even as S/2020/1084 we improve the representation of women in United Nations mediation teams, they remain largely excluded from delegations to peace talks and negotiations. Let us take some recent examples.”
2020-10-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1084 (2020) · source
“Women’s leadership and decision-making is not a favour to women; it is essential to peace and progress for all. We cannot hope to turn the climate crisis around, reduce social divisions or make sustained peace without the full contributions of all of society. Women’s leadership in all spheres will be critical to finding the fastest, safest route through the pandemic and to building a more peaceful and stable future. Twenty years since the adoption of resolution 1325 (2000), there have been important changes to the ways in which the United Nations works on international peace and security, the resources we invest and the expertise we deploy.”
2020-10-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1084 (2020) · source
“We must recognize these women as the peacebuilders they are, at the local level, in communities around the world. We must also recognize women who step up every day in conflict zones to help those at risk, mediating between groups to enable access by civilians and to humanitarian aid, building trust and strengthening social bonds. Thirdly, the Council’s resolution called for women to be in positions of leadership and decision-making everywhere. We have seen the remarkable success that many women leaders have had in containing the pandemic while supporting people’s livelihoods. This confirms an obvious truth, that is, that institutions, organizations, companies and, yes, Governments work better when they include half of society, rather than ignoring it.”
2020-10-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1084 (2020) · source
“Women are already suffering from rising gender-based violence. There are clear signs that resources are being diverted from women’s health, including sexual and reproductive health. The pandemic could have a long-term impact on girls’ participation in education and on women’s employment. This will contribute to the continued marginalization of women from political decision-making and peace processes, which damages everyone. Secondly, the Council noted that women are playing a crucial role in the response to the pandemic. Women at all levels are on the front lines of the COVID-19 response, dominating sectors of the economy that are critical to daily life. Women caregivers, nurses, teachers, farmers, food vendors and other essential workers are providing the services that keep communities, economies and societies running.”
2020-10-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1084 (2020) · source
“I thank representatives for this opportunity to brief them on women and peace and security, 20 years after the adoption of the landmark resolution 1325 (2000). The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic is the greatest test the international community has faced since the Second World War. In March, I appealed for an immediate global ceasefire so that we could focus on our common enemy, namely, the COVID-19 virus. I built on this call in my address to the General Assembly last month (see A/75/PV.3). In resolution 2532 (2020), supporting a global ceasefire, the Security Council made a strong and valuable link to the women and peace and security agenda. First, the Council said that the pandemic will have a disproportionate negative impact on women and girls. This is proving to be true both in conflict zones and around the world.”
2020-10-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1084 (2020) · source
“Let us move beyond destructive rivalries and recognize what unites us. Let us keep the interests of the people of the region front and centre, including their aspirations for freedom, opportunities, a better standard of living and peace. That, above all, should compel us to intensify our collective efforts.”
2020-10-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1037 (2020) · source
“We also fully support efforts, such as those launched by Kuwait, to promote dialogue and resolve tensions between members of the Gulf Cooperation Council. At a time when unity is needed to address the many challenges facing the region, I hope the dispute can soon be resolved. I want to once again recognize and salute the mediating work of His Highness Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, who tragically passed away earlier this month. With regard to regional stability, the issue of nuclear non-proliferation is critical. Since the beginning, I have always seen the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action as an important instrument against nuclear proliferation and for regional security. The enormity of the challenges ahead should not deter us. Let us work to create a climate of trust and improve the prospects for regional dialogue.”
2020-10-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1037 (2020) · source
“But, remembering Helsinki, I hope it will be possible to establish a similar platform, starting with a number of confidence-building measures. Those may include, for example, ways to combat COVID-19, promote economic recovery, ensure unhindered maritime navigation and facilitate religious pilgrimages. In the longer term, I see the value of establishing a new regional security architecture to address the legitimate security concerns of all stakeholders. As we mark the seventy-fifth anniversary of the founding of our Organization, the United Nations will continue our work to help reduce tensions in the Persian Gulf region. Consistent with the Charter of the United Nations and my own good-offices role, I stand ready to convene any form of regional dialogue that could garner the necessary consensus of all the relevant parties.”
2020-10-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1037 (2020) · source
“I reiterate my call to all parties concerned to exercise maximum restraint and refrain from actions that could have destabilizing effects. The regional situation underscores the urgent need to work collectively to lower tensions and prevent conflict. The first step towards de-escalation is identifying viable confidence-building measures that could address issues of mutual concern. The experience of the Cold War shows that, regardless of the confrontations and the deep divisions at the time, it was possible to launch the Helsinki process. Several countries have made suggestions — as have I — in that regard with respect to the situation in the Persian Gulf region. It has not yet been possible to achieve consensus from all the key actors that need to be involved.”
2020-10-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1037 (2020) · source
“I commend those efforts and urge countries to waive any sanctions that may adversely affect access to vital humanitarian and medical assistance during the pandemic. Whatever our differences, our common humanity should compel us to rise to the challenge in a spirit of solidarity. Looking at the wider Persian Gulf region, it is clear that tensions are running high and confidence is low. Some countries may feel that others are interfering in their affairs or those of their neighbours. Some may hold the belief that their regional role is not recognized. Since May 2019, a number of security incidents have raised tensions to new levels, heightening concerns of a larger conflict. These are a stark reminder that any miscalculation could quickly escalate.”
2020-10-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1037 (2020) · source
“Yemeni women and youth must also be part of the process to ensure an inclusive and sustainable solution. There is no doubt that tensions in the region have complicated our efforts to find a peaceful settlement in Yemen. Yet we know that a swift resolution of the Yemen conflict could contribute to building trust and confidence throughout the region. This conflict is a reminder that, unless we address the urgent and immediate regional challenges, instability could spread farther and wider. Yemen remains the largest humanitarian emergency worldwide. Famine is looming, and the situation is exacerbated by the continued spread of COVID-19, a pandemic that respects no borders. I was encouraged when several Gulf countries expressed support for my global ceasefire call and dispatched humanitarian aid to affected countries around the world.”
2020-10-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1037 (2020) · source
“Meanwhile, the security situation remains fragile. Over recent weeks, we have witnessed a further escalation of conflict, concentrated principally in Al-Jawf, Ma’rib and Al-Hudaydah governorates, with the latter being of significant concern, as it risks undermining the 2018 Stockholm Agreement. Fortunately, hostilities have subsided for now, but that is not enough. We need an immediate ceasefire and a return to the negotiating table to work out a political settlement to end the war. Nothing less will suffice. After the many years of conflict, our collective ambition is high, but necessary. I acknowledge the painstaking compromise being asked of the parties to finalize this set of agreements. I once again call on them to continue engaging with my Special Envoy without preconditions in order to finalize the joint declaration.”
2020-10-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1037 (2020) · source
“But, as I said in my address to the General Assembly (see A/75/PV.4), we need to step up our efforts. The clock is ticking and people are dying. Yemen is exhibit A for the need to implement a ceasefire now. Last week brought a ray of hope. The parties took promising steps by releasing more than 1,000 prisoners — the largest prisoner exchange since the start of the conflict. That action not only reunited many Yemeni families with their loved ones, but also demonstrated that the parties are able to reach agreement and follow through on their commitments. The United Nations continues to facilitate negotiations between the Yemeni parties on the joint declaration, comprised of a nationwide ceasefire, economic and humanitarian confidence-building measures and the resumption of the political process.”
2020-10-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1037 (2020) · source
“Let me begin by thanking Minister Sergey Lavrov and the Russian Federation for this initiative. Given the complex and multifaceted challenges in the Persian Gulf region, it is important to reflect more deeply on how the international community, particularly the Security Council, can work in unison to promote peace and security in this vital part of the world. I remain extremely concerned about the situation in Yemen, a local conflict that has become regionalized over time. Nearly six years of war have devastated the lives of millions of Yemenis and undermined confidence-building efforts in the region. I have appealed for an immediate global ceasefire to focus on the one true fight: the battle against the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. The Security Council has joined this call.”
2020-10-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1037 (2020) · source
“COVID-19 is casting a dark shadow across the world, but it is also a warning that must spur us to action. We have no choice. Either we come together in global institutions that are fit for purpose, or we will be crushed by divisiveness and chaos.”
2020-09-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/953 (2020) · source
“We need multilateral institutions that are fair, with better representation of the developing world, so that all have a proportional voice at the global table. The General Assembly Declaration on the Commemoration of the Seventy- fifth Anniversary of the United Nations has created space for a process of reflection on the future of multilateral cooperation and the post-COVID-19 world. I will report back with analysis and recommendations, guided by a common thread of solidarity within and between societies at the national and international levels and with future generations. Our world is no longer bipolar or unipolar; it is moving towards multipolarity. We experienced polarization and fragmentation without effective mechanisms of multilateral governance 100 years ago. The result was the First World War.”
2020-09-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/953 (2020) · source
“We need more, and better, global governance, based on national sovereignty and expressed through our shared S/2020/953 ideals, eloquently expressed in the Charter of the United Nations. The pandemic has illustrated beyond dispute the gaps in our multilateral system. As countries go in different directions, the virus goes in every direction. A rational and equitable approach to vaccination would reduce preventable deaths by prioritizing front-line workers and the most vulnerable. But we have struggled to mobilize the resources needed to ensure that a vaccine is a global public good, available and affordable to all. We urgently need multilateral institutions that can act decisively, based on global consent, for the global good.”
2020-09-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/953 (2020) · source
“Civil society movements, particularly those led by young people, are global leaders on these issues. Let us face it: global governance mechanisms until now have been exclusive, and the largest group left out in the cold is women — half of humankind. Women watching this week’s general debate have a perfect right to feel that they are not represented and that their voices are not valued. The COVID-19 pandemic has proved what is obvious — women’s leadership is highly effective. We cannot hope to turn the climate crisis around, reduce social divisions or make sustained peace without the full contributions of all of society. Reformed global governance is about approaches and institutions, which must be reformed and strengthened. We need more, and better, multilateralism that works effectively and delivers for the people we serve.”
2020-09-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/953 (2020) · source
“Many of the cross-border challenges that we face today, from the climate crisis to rising inequality and cybercrime, involve interest groups, businesses, organizations and entire sectors that are outside traditional concepts of global governance. Such challenges cannot be addressed effectively by States alone. We need to broaden our idea of global governance to take in businesses, civil society, cities and regions, academia and young people. International conventions are not the only way to reach binding agreements for the common good. We need flexible mechanisms in which different stakeholders come together, adopt protocols and codes of conduct, define red lines and create conditions for successful cooperation. Global governance must also recognize our responsibilities to our planet and to future generations.”
2020-09-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/953 (2020) · source