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

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“The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime is also working to strengthen the legal and criminal justice capacity of Middle East and North African countries to address the threat posed by foreign terrorist fighters. Resolution 2178 (2014) also recognizes that violent extremism poses a broader threat to international peace and security, affecting political stability, national cohesion and the very foundations of some Member States. The Counter-Terrorism Implementation Task Force is stepping up efforts to assist Member States in addressing the multidimensional challenges of extremist ideologies and violent extremism.”
2014-11-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7316 (2014) · source
“Thirdly, in order to address those gaps, the Counter-Terrorism Implementation Task Force (CTITF) has established a United Nations coordination mechanism to mobilize action to support the needs of Member States. Fourthly, the United Nations Counter- Terrorism Centre has initiated a United Nations system- wide programme on foreign terrorist fighters to develop inter-agency projects to assist Member States. Two major projects have been launched. The Centre is helping Member States analyse the foreign terrorist fighter phenomenon and develop policy responses. I encourage all Member States to participate in this project, particularly those countries most severely affected.”
2014-11-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7316 (2014) · source
“We are increasingly seeing terrorism, drug trafficking and transnational crime grow in intensity and feed off each other. The international community and the United Nations must ensure the full implementation of our many tools for action, including Security Council resolutions and the United Nations Global Counter- Terrorism Strategy. Since the adoption of resolution 2178 (2014), we have taken a number of specific steps. First, the Al-Qaida Monitoring Team provided an oral briefing to the Council's relevant Committee on the foreign terrorist fighters threat. That will be followed by a report in March 2015. Secondly, the Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate (CTED) has prepared a preliminary analysis of the principal capacity gaps in Member States' implementation of resolution 2178 (2014).”
2014-11-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7316 (2014) · source
“That followed closely on the heels of resolution 2170 (2014), adopted in August under the presidency of the United Kingdom. I commend the Council for its unity of purpose. Despite strengthened efforts to combat the threat, the number of foreign terrorist fighters in the conflicts in Syria and Iraq has grown to over 15,000 from more than 80 countries. In addition, terrorist groups spurred by violent extremist ideologies, such as Daesh, the Al-Nusra Front, Boko Haram and Al-Shabaab, continue to carry out brutal acts and cause profound suffering. Millions live under the control of such groups. Technology and globalization have made it easier for them to cause disproportionate harm, exploit narratives and profit from illicit financing. Daesh, for example, has been illegally trading in oil.”
2014-11-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7316 (2014) · source
“Thank you, Madam President, for convening this timely high-level debate. Let me begin by recognizing the global leadership of Australia, which this month successfully chaired the Group of 20 Summit in Brisbane, Australia, in which I had the honour of participating, and is also presiding over the Security Council this month. Therefore, this month Australia is leading on all the issues: peace and security, economic development and human rights. I welcome the Council's increased attention to the growing threat to international peace and security posed by terrorism and violent extremism. Less than two months ago, this body adopted resolution 2178 (2014), which calls for stronger international efforts to address the challenge of foreign terrorist fighters.”
2014-11-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7316 (2014) · source
“I welcome the recommitment of both Lebanon and Israel to their obligations under resolution 1701 (2006), and to cooperating fully with the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon. I thank the members of the Council once again for their attention. Let us work together to bring long- sought peace and lasting stability to the people of the Middle East.”
2014-10-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7281 (2014) · source
“In Lebanon, I am troubled by a dangerous escalation since the August attacks by Daesh and Nusra Front on Arsal, and the latest fighting earlier this month between the Nusra Front and Hizbullah outside the town of Brital. I welcome the efforts of Prime Minister Salam and Lebanese leaders to uphold national unity. The Lebanese parties should urgently demonstrate flexibility to open the way for the election of a president of the Republic without further delay. In this context, the challenge of the refugee presence in Lebanon has become ever more complex. I welcome the upcoming meeting of the International Support Group for Lebanon in Berlin on 28 October. Finally, I would like to underscore the importance of ensuring that calm continues to prevail along the Blue Line. This is vital to the stability of Lebanon and the region.”
2014-10-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7281 (2014) · source
“In addition to the barbarity of the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant, or Daesh, the Syrian Government continues to brutally and indiscriminately attack populated areas, including with barrel bombs. Our long-term strategic objective in Syria remains a political solution based on the Geneva communique (S/2012/522, annex). A purely military response to the vicious new threat posed by Daesh could ultimately contribute to the radicalization of other Sunni armed groups and spark a cycle of renewed violence. I urge the Council to lend its full support to my Special Envoy's efforts to reduce the suffering of the Syrian people and contribute to a political solution.”
2014-10-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7281 (2014) · source
“Ultimately, long-term stability will require a comprehensive peace agreement leading to a viable and independent Palestinian State. Leaders on both sides must overcome their differences and dispense with unilateral initiatives that serve only to fuel mistrust and polarization. The two-State solution is the only viable option for a durable peace. It is time for courage and vision to make the tough compromises that are needed now. I challenge both sides to rise to the occasion. Allow me to take this opportunity to also say a few words about Syria and Lebanon, neither of which can be considered in isolation from the broader context. On Syria, last week I called on all parties to step up to protect civilians in the town of Ayn al-Arab/Kobani. Ayn al-Arab/Kobani is just one of many places across Syria where civilians are under imminent threat.”
2014-10-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7281 (2014) · source
“The international community cannot be expected to continually pick up the pieces of another war and then pick up the bill. As I said in Cairo, let this be the last Gaza reconstruction conference. I welcome the planned resumption of indirect ceasefire talks between Israel and the Palestinians, under Egyptian auspices in Cairo. I also recognize the positive steps taken by Israel to ease restrictions on movement and trade in the West Bank and Gaza. These must be further expanded. But, as I repeated throughout my visit to the region, there is no hope for long-term stability in Gaza without addressing the underlying causes of the conflict: an end to the occupation that has grinded on for nearly half a century, a full lifting of the blockade on the Gaza Strip, and effectively addressing Israel's legitimate security concerns.”
2014-10-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7281 (2014) · source
“I also remain deeply concerned by unilateral actions, restrictions and provocations at the holy sites in Jerusalem. I take note of Prime Minister Netanyahu's personal assurance to me in Jerusalem of his Government's commitment to refraining from altering policies with respect to the holy sites that have been in place over many decades. I am also concerned about mounting numbers of attacks by settlers and others, as well as Israeli plans to relocate some 7,000 Palestinian Bedouins, the majority of whom are refugees, from their current locations in the central West Bank, including in the strategic El area. Such an action, if implemented in a forcible manner, would be contrary to international human rights and humanitarian law. The cycle of build-and-destroy must end.”
2014-10-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7281 (2014) · source
“Civil and administrative reform and other related issues must also become a priority to help unify the two separate strands of administration for the Gaza Strip. I welcome the generous contribution of the Government of Qatar and the Emir, His Highness Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, towards a one-time humanitarian payment by the end of this month in Gaza for a number of civil service employees. Notwithstanding the immediate needs in Gaza, the situation in the West Bank demands renewed attention. In my meetings in Jerusalem, I reiterated my deep concerns about plans to construct residential housing units in occupied East Jerusalem. International law is clear - settlement activity is illegal. It runs totally counter to the pursuit of a two-State solution. I urge the Israeli Government to reverse these activities.”
2014-10-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7281 (2014) · source
“That includes an intra-Palestinian reconciliation agreement, followed by a historic meeting in Gaza of the Cabinet of the Government of national consensus. A united Palestinian Government is beginning to take shape. During my visit, I met with Prime Minister Hamdallah and his Cabinet in Ramallah, and Deputy Prime Minister Abu-Amr and several Ministers in Gaza to further underscore United Nations support for a unified Palestinian leadership. The national consensus Government must be consolidated so it can assume its rightful responsibilities in Gaza, including deployment to the border crossings. That is crucial, as effective management of Gaza's borders will facilitate the flow of construction materials into Gaza and allow the restoration of trade between Gaza and the West Bank.”
2014-10-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7281 (2014) · source
“I fully understand the security threat to Israel from rockets above and tunnels below. At the same time, the scale of the destruction in Gaza has left deep questions about proportionality and the need for accountability. Despite the harsh reality on the ground, I left Gaza with a measure of hope. During my visit to Gaza, the first supplies of urgently needed construction materials entered Gaza under the temporary mechanism brokered by my Special Coordinator. Ifimplemented in good faith, that mechanism can help bring stability to Gaza. I also welcome Turkey's offer of a ship to serve as a temporary power plant, and Israel's positive consideration of that arrangement. That is the kind of action and cooperation needed now to alleviate the situation in Gaza. Palestinians are taking critical steps to forge a united path to the future.”
2014-10-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7281 (2014) · source
“He is now confined to a wheelchair, having lost his legs. I look forward to a thorough investigation by the Israel Defense Forces of this and other incidents in which United Nations facilities sustained hits and many innocent people were killed. I am planning to move forward with an independent board of inquiry to look into the most serious of those cases, as well as instances in which weaponry was found on United Nations premises. Israelis also suffered during the conflict. I travelled to a kibbutz where I met the grieving family of a four-year-old child named Daniel who was killed by a Hamas rocket - another innocent victim of this mindless conflict. As I said in Gaza, firing rockets is unacceptable, and the rockets have brought nothing but suffering. I also visited a tunnel built by militants to launch attacks.”
2014-10-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7281 (2014) · source
“More than 100,000 residents of Gaza remain homeless, with over 50,000 still sheltering in school buildings belonging to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East. Many still lack access to the municipal water network. Blackouts of up to 18 hours per day are common. Meanwhile, Winter is approaching. I urge the international community to move quickly to deliver much-needed assistance. Nothing could have prepared me for what I witnessed in Gaza. I saw mile after mile of wholesale destruction. I visited a United Nations school in the Jabaliya refugee camp, which was shelled during the hostilities. Civilians had sought protection under the United Nations flag. Parents and children shared heart- wrenching accounts of suffering and pain. I met a young man whose brothers and sisters perished in the blasts.”
2014-10-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7281 (2014) · source
“I thank Argentina for organizing this important meeting. As members know, I returned last week from Egypt, Israel and Palestine, which included my first visit to Gaza since this summer's conflict. In Egypt, I attended the International Conference on Palestine, which focused on Gaza's reconstruction. I would like to thank the co-chairs, Egypt and Norway, for their leadership. The event surpassed expectations, with pledges from some 50 countries amounting to $5.4 billion. It is important that those promises quickly materialize into concrete assistance on the ground. The clock is ticking. Some $414 million are immediately needed for humanitarian relief, $1.2 billion for early recovery needs and $2.4 billion for reconstruction efforts.”
2014-10-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7281 (2014) · source
“As the custodian of the Charter of the United Nations, I want to emphasize that all measures must be fully in line with the goals and values and principles of the United Nations. I once again welcome the unity of purpose of the Council on that issue, under the leadership of President Obama. I hope that that spirit will carry over to other pressing issues, particularly finally bringing peace to the people of Syria.”
2014-09-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7272 (2014) · source
“Free and independent societies, free from suffering, oppression and occupation - that is what will kill terrorism. I welcome resolution 2178 (2014), which was just adopted, and its call for strengthening the implementation of the United Nations Global Counter- Terrorism Strategy. Through the Counter-Terrorism Implementation Task Force, we are stepping up efforts in support of Member States and regions seriously affected by terrorism. Through the United Nations Counter-Terrorism Centre, we are working with Member States to enhance understanding of the foreign terrorist fighter phenomenon and to develop and implement policies to combat their flows. Through our collective efforts, we must ensure that all counter-terrorism actions and policies are consistent with international human rights and humanitarian law.”
2014-09-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7272 (2014) · source
“Terrorists must be defeated, but we must do so in a way that avoids the deliberate acts of provocation that they set for us: victimization, further radicalization and more civilian deaths. Eliminating terrorism requires international solidarity and a multifaceted approach, among the many tools we must use. We must also tackle the underlying conditions that provide violent extremist groups the opportunity to take root. Immediate security issues must be addressed. Over the longer term, the biggest threat to terrorists is not the power ofmissiles. It is the politics ofinclusion. It is peaceful societies and respect for human rights. It is education, jobs and real opportunity. It is leaders who listen to their people and uphold the rule of law. Missiles may kill terrorists, but good governance kills terrorism.”
2014-09-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7272 (2014) · source
“A long period of upheaval and, until recently, unresponsive leadership in Iraq, coupled with outrageous human rights abuses in Syria, have created a hothouse of horrors. There can be no genuine protection of civilians if extremist groups are permitted to act with impunity and the Syrian Government continues its assault on its own people. For more than a year, I have sounded the alarm about the vicious and unjustifiable actions of those groups and the danger they pose to Iraq, Syria, the wider region and international peace and security. We need a creative and comprehensive political strategy in Syria and beyond to stem the flow of foreign terrorist fighters.”
2014-09-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7272 (2014) · source
“They brutalize women and girls. They target and slaughter minorities. They are the enemies of faith. As Muslim leaders around the world have said, groups like the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) - or Daesh - have nothing to do with Islam, and they certainly do not represent a State. They should more fittingly be called the Un-Islamic Non-State. Yet those groups have become a magnet for foreign terrorist fighters who are easy prey to simplistic appeals and siren songs. The United Nations Al-Qaida/Taliban Monitoring Team estimates that more than 13,000 foreign terrorist fighters from over 80 Member States have joined ISIL and the al-Nusra Front. The growing phenomenon of foreign terrorist fighters is a consequence, not a cause, of the conflict in Syria.”
2014-09-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7272 (2014) · source
“I congratulate you, Mr. President, on your country's presidency of the Security Council this month. I thank you for your leadership in convening this Security Council summit. This is the second time that you have presided over this Council on a matter with grave implications for international peace and security. The world is witnessing a dramatic evolution in the nature of the terrorist threat. In the last year, terrorist attacks have killed, maimed and displaced many thousands of civilians - the vast majority of them Muslims - from Afghanistan to Somalia to Nigeria, from Iraq to Libya to Mali. Those attacks have been carried out by violent extremists who thrive in conditions of insecurity and injustice, fragility and failed leadership. Those groups ruthlessly hijack religion to control territory and Vital economic resources.”
2014-09-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7272 (2014) · source
“We must race ahead of the outbreak and then turn and face it with all our energy and strength. I count on the Security Council's support and that of the General Assembly and all Member States in meeting this test.”
2014-09-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7268 (2014) · source
“The AU, ECOWAS, the European Union, the World Bank, the African Development Bank, the Gates Foundation and the Global Fund are also engaged. We are looking to all those in a position to do so to help. The business community, for example, is well placed to contribute in the health, transport, communications and information sectors. I also appeal again to major airlines and shipping companies to resume services to the affected countries. Isolation only hampers international efforts to reach people in need. I welcome the draft resolution to be adopted today by the Security Council. Tomorrow I will speak to the General Assembly. One week from today, we will gather at the highest level to mobilize political will to meet this extraordinary challenge. We cannot afford delays. The penalty for inaction is high.”
2014-09-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7268 (2014) · source
“One key enabler is medevac capacity, which is essential if we are to be able to give assurances to the heroic international health and aid workers who are placing themselves at personal risk while serving others. I applaud the leadership of United States President Barack Obama, and warmly welcome his announcement that the United States will deploy 3,000 troops to provide expertise in logistics, training and engineering. I also thank the many Governments that have made contributions, including Canada, China, Cuba, the Democratic Republic ofthe Congo, Ethiopia, France, Germany, Ghana, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Kenya, Norway, Qatar, the Russian Federation, Rwanda, South Africa, Switzerland, Uganda and the United Kingdom. I hope that other countries with the means will follow suit. Airports in Senegal and Spain are serving as logistical hubs.”
2014-09-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7268 (2014) · source
“Our goal is to have the Mission's advance team on the ground before the end of the month. I have written to both the Security Council and the General Assembly with further details. I thank them in advance for their support. Dr. David Nabarro will continue in his vital role as my Special Envoy for Ebola, providing strategic direction and galvanizing international support. My colleagues and I will do everything we can to ensure the success of the new Mission. But its effectiveness will depend crucially on support from the international community. Our best estimate is that we need a 20-fold increase in assistance. Earlier this week, the United Nations outlined a set of critical needs totalling almost $1 billion over the next six months.”
2014-09-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7268 (2014) · source
“This international mission, to be known as the United Nations Mission for Ebola Emergency Response (UNMEER), will have five priorities: stopping the outbreak, treating the infected, ensuring essential services, preserving stability and preventing further outbreaks. Under the leadership ofa Special Representative of the Secretary-General, the Mission will bring together the full range of United Nations actors and expertise in support of national efforts. It will draw on the capacities of many international partners and work in close coordination with regional organizations such as the African Union (AU) and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). It will strive to ensure that these wide-ranging efforts avoid duplication, fill gaps and are aligned with the overall strategy.”
2014-09-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7268 (2014) · source
“The United Nations Volunteers programme has identified more than 200 health-care professionals and other experts willing to be trained and deployed. Despite these wide-ranging efforts, the spread of the disease is outpacing the response. No single Government can manage the crisis on its own. The United Nations cannot do it alone. This unprecedented situation requires unprecedented steps to save lives and safeguard peace and security. Therefore, I have decided to establish a United Nations emergency health mission combining the World Health Organization's strategic perspective with a very strong logistics and operational capability.”
2014-09-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7268 (2014) · source
“Under the leadership of Anthony Banbury, an Ebola response centre is operational. With the support of the Government of Ghana and the United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL), the United Nations peacekeeping mission in Liberia, an air bridge has been established in Accra to facilitate the influx of key health responders and equipment. The United Nations Humanitarian Air Service is operating between the countries. UNMIL is adapting its tasks to the current context, and the Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations, Herve' Ladsous, Visited Monrovia last week to assure Liberia's leaders of the Mission's support. In addition to the many local and international workers already on the ground, WHO, the United Nations Development Programme, UNICEF, the World Food Programme and others are actively delivering emergency assistance.”
2014-09-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7268 (2014) · source
“I applaud the courageous actions of the Governments, communities and individuals on the front lines, including local health workers, Medecins Sans Frontieres, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, and United Nations entities. The gravity and scale of the situation now require a level of international action unprecedented for a health emergency. The leaders of the countries affected have asked the United Nations to coordinate the global response. We are committed to doing what is needed, with the speed and scale required. Under the leadership of Dr. Margaret Chan, the World Health Organization (WHO) is working to identify the best epidemiological ways to address the outbreak. I have activated, for the first time, the system-wide organizational crisis response mechanism.”
2014-09-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7268 (2014) · source
“There will soon be more cases in Liberia alone than in the four-decade history of the disease. In the three countries most affected - Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone - the disease is destroying health systems. More people are now dying in Liberia from treatable ailments and common medical conditions than from Ebola. The virus is also taking an economic toll. Inflation and food prices are rising. Transport and social services are being disrupted. The situation is especially tragic given the remarkable strides that Liberia and Sierra Leone have made in putting conflict behind them. National Governments are doing everything they can.”
2014-09-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7268 (2014) · source
“I would like to thank Ambassador Power and the United States for having convened this meeting of the Security Council on Ebola virus disease. Only twice before has the Security Council met to discuss the security implications of a public-health issue, both times on the AIDS epidemic. Like those meetings, today's meeting on the outbreak of Ebola in West Africa is timely and clearly warranted. The Ebola crisis has evolved into a complex emergency with significant political, social, economic, humanitarian and security dimensions. The suffering and spillover effects in the region and beyond demand the attention of the entire world. Ebola matters to us all. The outbreak is the largest the world has ever seen. The number of cases is doubling every three weeks.”
2014-09-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7268 (2014) · source
“There are millions of people around the world hoping for, and counting on, decisive joint action by the one and only global body entrusted with the obligation to maintain international peace and security.”
2014-08-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7247 (2014) · source
“The Council's consensus on removing chemical weapons from Syria is one recent case in point. Even modest United Nations actions can have an important impact when we have the Security Council's united support - speaking with one voice - for early engagement. However, when consensus is limited or when our actions come late and address only the lowest common denominator, the consequences can be measured in terrible loss of life, grave human suffering and tremendous loss of credibility for the Council and our institution. No more important challenge stands before us than improving our ability to reach stronger and earlier consensus. It is time for a new era of collaboration, cooperation and action from the Security Council.”
2014-08-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7247 (2014) · source
“My Rights up Front initiative places human rights considerations at the very centre of United Nations efforts in the field, at Headquarters and in our discourse with Member States. It seeks to ensure that we avoid the systemic failures of the past and recognize that human rights violations are early-warning signals of mass atrocities. Fifthly, perhaps most important, comes leverage. The Secretary-General can draw on the principles of the Charter of the United Nations and use the power of persuasion. Those are powerful tools in their own right, and they reflect a shared understanding among Member States. But to be effective they require that the international community be closely aligned, empowering the Secretary-General to speak on behalf of a common voice. When Member States join forces, we can achieve much.”
2014-08-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7247 (2014) · source
“We surely have plenty of proof of the cost of not doing so. Secondly, we must hone our skills. Conflict- prevention and mediation are complex and increasingly specialized fields. We have made strides in building up expertise that is high-quality, rapidly deployable and in great demand - in contexts as varied as peace negotiations, constitutional reforms, electoral processes and national dialogues. Thirdly, partnerships are crucial. We can succeed only if we build coalitions. I am encouraged by the number of new peace and security initiatives that have grown out of our strategic partnerships with regional and subregional organizations in the Sahel, the Great Lakes region, the Central African Republic and elsewhere. Fourthly, we must learn from collective mistakes.”
2014-08-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7247 (2014) · source
“First, being present early is essential. I speak not just about early warning, but also about early action: quickly mobilizing effective and unified diplomatic action to defuse tensions in order to urge restraint and to open up space for dialogue before perspectives become hardened and more hostile. In recent cases, the United Nations has played an important role in providing parties with a ladder to climb down from polarized positions. It is said that no news is good news. In many cases the opposite is true - good news is no news. Because of their very success, such cases do not make the headlines. But they nevertheless demand our attention and resources. It takes our collective leadership and courage to address seemingly far-off, simmering problems, particularly when one may never get proof of the value of that investment.”
2014-08-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7247 (2014) · source
“Civil wars are no longer contained by national borders. Complex threat environments tend to emerge in contexts of state fragility, extreme poverty, weak institutions, a lack of unifying leadership, porous borders and marginalized populations. Terrorism and organized crime fuel violence and instability. Distinctions between terrorists, armed opposition and criminal enterprises are blurring. Such evolving patterns of violence pose a major challenge to our prevention work. Are our common tools fit for the purpose? What must we do better? How can we anticipate what lies ahead? The Security Council, which bears the primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security, has a unique responsibility. Hard-won experience has taught us a number of lessons about what works in prevention - allow me to highlight five points.”
2014-08-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7247 (2014) · source
“This year, we mark the one hundredth anniversary of the start of the First World War, which left an estimated 17 million dead. It was called the war to end all wars. Yet in the same generation, a second World War would claim another 60 million lives. The United Nations rose from the ashes of that devastation with a mission to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war. We can take heart, even at this bleak moment, that over the past quarter century wars between States have become rare. Yet we cannot speak of positive trends when we look at Syria, Iraq, Gaza, South Sudan, the Central African Republic, Ukraine and elsewhere. Conflicts continue to exact an unacceptable toll. Events around the world today clearly demonstrate the changing nature and complexity of contemporary conflict. Many countries face repeated cycles of turmoil.”
2014-08-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7247 (2014) · source
“I have no doubt that she will remain a key voice on the issues facing the Security Council and humankind. I am very proud and grateful to have worked with her during the past six years. I am sure she will remain an outstanding leader and honorary ambassador of the United Nations in defending human rights. I wish her all the best. As Secretary-General, one of my core priorities is to improve the Organization's ability to act early and act preventively. We know that, if we do not address emerging crises, they risk becoming bigger and costlier for all. Today's debate takes place as the world is gripped by multiple Violent conflicts. That highlights the enormity of the challenge of prevention, and the need to re-examine and refine our approach.”
2014-08-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7247 (2014) · source
“I thank the United Kingdom presidency for convening this important debate. Before I begin, allow me to pay tribute to an outstanding United Nations leader who joins us for the last time as High Commissioner for Human Rights, Ms. Navi Pillay. As the Secretary-General - and I believe Council members as well - I have benefitted from her honest views and unvarnished reports on the terrible human rights abuses we confront in our world. High Commissioner Pillay tells it like she sees it. When people face discrimination and human rights abuses, they know Navi Pillay is their advocate. Where others may wish to avoid certain issues, Navi Pillay speaks forthrightly, without fear. I am sure the Council joins me in wishing her well in her next chapter.”
2014-08-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7247 (2014) · source
“Over the past decade and a half, the Council has repeatedly shown its confidence in the value of United Nations peacekeeping by deploying missions with complex mandates to tough environments. We are constantly working to keep pace with rising demands and emerging challenges. We are already innovating and applying creative solutions in coordination with our valued partners. The review will help us further improve our mobility and agility so that we can better fulfil our duty to protect civilians in need. The review will also examine the tremendous growth in our partnerships with regional organizations. Deepening and strengthening those partnerships will be critical to our collective efforts to meet the challenges of the future.”
2014-07-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7228 (2014) · source
“I am convincedthat we can, ifwe use existing mechanisms and capacity much more effectively and predictably, and in a way that further strengthens others. The United Nations stands ready to further support the efforts of the AU and the regional economic communities to fully operationalize the African Standby Force. We should also stop looking at different tools in isolation or only through the lens ofthe organizations concerned. Instead, we should see how we can bring them together in a way that will finally allow the international community to respond much more quickly. I recently announced in the Council Chamber my intention to undertake a review of peacekeeping as we approach the 15-year anniversary of the Brahimi report (see S/2000/809).”
2014-07-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7228 (2014) · source
“We have been talking for some time about the need for the United Nations and key regional actors to be able to deploy more rapidly, especially in acute emergencies. The EU Battlegroup was created for that purpose, as was the African Standby Force. But despite years of investment, we are still far from having predictable and effective mechanisms for rapid deployment. In the Central African Republic, the force generation process for the European Union-led peacekeeping force was slower than expected, and the EU Battlegroup was not used. We are in a race against time for the re-hatting of MISCA on 15 September, trying to secure the necessary enablers and other contributions to MINUSCA. We - the United Nations, the AU and the EU, together With other key partners - need to do better.”
2014-07-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7228 (2014) · source
“In that process, it is important that regional organizations play a greater role. But we are conscious that the root causes of the conflicts have not yet been fully addressed, and emerging transnational threats pose new challenges to stability. It is therefore critical to ensure that all precautions are taken. We strongly support cooperation within the framework of the AU, ECOWAS and the Mano River Union to reinforce the individual and collective security of the countries of the subregion. Bearing in mind the evolution of transnational threats, we will need to continue our dialogue on how best to support host Governments. That could include embedding specialized units in our operations so as to provide policing and law-enforcement expertise and capacity-development assistance for host Government agencies.”
2014-07-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7228 (2014) · source
“We will continue to work to enhance the predictability and sustainability of African-led peace-support operations. In Cote d'Ivoire, we will proceed with the establishment of a quick reaction force to support the United Nations Operation in Cote d'Ivoire (UNOCI) and our Mission in Liberia (UNMIL). That effort would not compete with existing mechanisms nor With our support for regional initiatives, such as the African Peace and Security Architecture, including the African Standby Force and its ECOWAS brigade. It is consistent with our effort to transition out of countries where peacekeeping operations have contributed to restoring peace, security and stability. By mid-2015, the peacekeeping footprint in West Africa will be lighter, as UNOCI and UNMIL downsize.”
2014-07-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7228 (2014) · source
“In addition, the United Nations, the AU and the Government of Ethiopia are jointly engaging the Sudan and South Sudan so as to encourage both Governments to consolidate the peace in the disputed territory of Abyei, with the support of the United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei on the ground. Our partnership with the AU and IGAD also extends to Somalia, where my Special Representative is working with the envoys of the AU and IGAD to advance the political process. Partnerships with regional organizations should continue to be based on the comparative strengths of each organization. It is also important that we draw detailed lessons from our recent transition experiences in the context of Mali and, very soon, the Central African Republic.”
2014-07-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7228 (2014) · source
“However, despite our efforts, the Council heard on Wednesday, 23 July, that the situation is the most rapidly deteriorating humanitarian crisis in the world today, worse even than that in the Central African Republic and Syria. I repeat my call to the leaders on both sides to abide by the Cessation of Hostilities Agreement signed on 23 January. In Darfur, despite political and logistical challenges, the United Nations and the AU will continue to intensify their efforts to support the African Union-United Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur so that it can discharge its mandated tasks.”
2014-07-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7228 (2014) · source
“An international mediation team has recently been formed to support the political process, including ECCAS, the United Nations and the AU. I welcome the agreement reached on 23 July under the leadership of President Sassou Nguesso of the Republic of the Congo with the support of the AU, ECCAS and my Special Representatives to the Central African Republic and to Central Africa. That is an essential first step in ensuring durable peace, respect for human rights, the protection of civilians and the rule of law. In South Sudan, our peacekeeping mission, namely, the United Nations Mission in South Sudan, has been working closely with the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) since the outbreak of the crisis in December.”
2014-07-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7228 (2014) · source