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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“It is a great pleasure to welcome the Ministers attending this important meeting. I thank Foreign Secretary Hague for using the United Kingdom's presidency of the Security Council to focus on the dramatic developments that have taken place in the Middle East and that are still in motion as we speak. The remarkable events of the past year have transformed the region and changed the world. We see a newly democratizing Tunisia - the country that produced the initial spark that has since spread far and wide. We see Libya putting decades of dictatorship behind it. We see Yemen with a newly elected President.”
2012-03-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6734 (2012) · source
“My Special Representative will elaborate on these and other developments, as well as on plans for the remaining transitional period. As I emphasized at the London conference, in particular to Somali leaders, a new window of opportunity for peace and stability has opened. But it is a narrow window. All stakeholders must act with urgency and unity of purpose. We cannot afford to miss this opportunity.”
2012-03-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6729 (2012) · source
“12-25034 Maintaining this momentum is critical. I thank Turkey for agreeing to host the second Istanbul conference, which I look forward to attending and which I encourage others to attend at the highest level. If it is to keep the Somalis committed and accountable, this Council must show its continued engagement and support in the political, security and recovery processes. I ask the Security Council to encourage all participants in the London conference and the entire international community to support the implementation of the London communique. For UNPOS in particular, this will require immediate human and financial resources to put in place the processes and structures for ending the transition period in a satisfactory manner within a tight time frame.”
2012-03-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6729 (2012) · source
“The initial deployment is focusing on the core business of the United Nations Political Office for Somalia (UNPOS), which encompasses the provision of good offices to the Transitional Federal Institutions and major Somali political and security actors in Mogadishu, including the Joint Security Committee; support for the road map process; coordination with AMISOM; the Intergovernmental Authority on Development, the United Nations country team and the international community in Mogadishu; the provision of timely and accurate information and analysis on political issues; and outreach to key constituencies on fundamental mission priorities and mandated tasks. Additional staff will deploy as accommodation and other logistical facilities become available. Our intention is to move more staff from Nairobi to Somalia in the coming weeks.”
2012-03-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6729 (2012) · source
“I also discussed the challenge of Somali piracy with Mr. Koji Sekimizu, Secretary-General of the International Maritime Organization. We agreed not only on the need for security, deterrence and prosecutions, but also, and just as importantly, for education and jobs. Following the announcement I made during my visit to Mogadishu in December, I am pleased to report that my Special Representative has relocated to the capital.”
2012-03-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6729 (2012) · source
“Sustained high levels of humanitarian assistance and an exceptional harvest have improved the situation. However, this progress is extremely fragile and will likely deteriorate in the coming months as we move into the lean season before the next and most important harvest period in August. Somalia is not out of danger. In London, I held a wide range of meetings, including with President Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed, key stakeholders and regional leaders. My interlocutors thanked the United Nations, urged continued assistance and welcomed the Council's decision to support AMISOM. I received assurances that the guard force, as authorized by the Security Council, would be deployed. But of course I look forward to the day when Somalia forces themselves ensure security and that force will no longer be needed.”
2012-03-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6729 (2012) · source
“The military gains need to be consolidated through continued progress by Somalia's political leaders in the implementation of the road map for ending the transition, which is the basis for lasting peace and stability in Somalia. The London conference reiterated the commitment of the international community to strongly support the establishment of the new institutions that would lead to ending the transition, to provide support to AMISOM 12-25034 that would allow it to sustain the political process, and to provide sustained international support for recovery and development. London also strengthened the collective resolve to protect human rights and increase humanitarian assistance. The London conference occurred during a respite in Somalia's humanitarian crisis.”
2012-03-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6729 (2012) · source
“I particularly welcome the inclusion of a requirement that women hold a minimum of 30 per cent of the seats in the Independent Electoral Commission, the Constituent Assembly and the new Federal Parliament. The decision of the Security Council to endorse the expansion of the African Union Mission in Somalia follows major gains by AMISOM, the forces of the Transitional Federal Government and their partners in the military effort against Al-Shabaab. This new support will be crucial in enabling the Transitional Federal Government to extend its authority across a wider area of southern and central Somalia, and to significantly degrade the insurgency's military capability across the country.”
2012-03-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6729 (2012) · source
“Since my last briefing to the Council (see S/PV.6494), three major developments have provided momentous impetus to the Somalia peace process: first, the second Somali National Garowe Consultative Constitutional Conference held last month; secondly, the adoption of resolution 2036 (2012) on an expanded and well-resourced African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM); and thirdly, the London conference held just 11 days ago. These developments, coming in quick succession within less than a month, present a rare opportunity to the Somali people and the international community to rapidly advance the peace process, albeit with guarded optimism, and to bring Somalia fully back to the international arena. The Garowe Principles provide clear steps to end the transition by August of this year and launch a new political dispensation.”
2012-03-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6729 (2012) · source
“I thank you, Sir, for this opportunity to update the Security Council on the situation in Somalia. I thank His Excellency Mr. Henry Bellingham, United Kingdom Parliamentary Under Secretary of State, for chairing this meeting during his country's presidency of the Council. I commend the leadership and efforts of the United Kingdom for sustaining international support for Somalia following the London conference. This is a critical moment for Somalia.”
2012-03-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6729 (2012) · source
“We have a responsibility to cooperate even more closely with Member States, as well as with regional and international organizations. Our common goal must be to ensure durable peace and stability in West Africa and the Sahel region.”
2012-02-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6717 (2012) · source
“This should include drug trafficking, illicit fishing, illicit dumping of toxic waste and illegal or clandestine immigration or migration. As the Council continues its discussions, I would like to reiterate the assessment mission's recommendation that a regional summit of Gulf of Guinea heads of State be convened as early as possible in 2012 with a view to developing a comprehensive regional anti-piracy strategy. The United Nations is already deeply engaged in helping the countries of West Africa and the Sahel to combat crime, drug trafficking, piracy and terror. We have seen this toxic brew in other regions, in Africa and elsewhere. We must now be ready to do even more to keep the situation from escalating. The warnings are there. The trends are clear.”
2012-02-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6717 (2012) · source
“The consequences of inaction could be catastrophic, especially for oil-producing countries that are frequently targeted for their high-value petroleum assets, and for countries - both coastal and in the hinterland - that rely extensively on their ports for national revenue. Just last week, off the coast of Nigeria, an incident of piracy resulted in the murder of the ship's captain and engineer. The Council will recall that in November 2011 I deployed an assessment mission to the Gulf of Guinea to assess the threat and help the Government of Benin in formulating its response. The mission highlighted that any comprehensive maritime security strategy to combat piracy should be encompassed within a wider transnational organized crime response.”
2012-02-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6717 (2012) · source
“We must also strengthen the capacity of peace operations in the region by embedding specialized units in our missions to complement the efforts of host State police and other law enforcement agencies. I am especially disturbed by reports of terrorist activity. The assessment mission I dispatched in December 2011 to look at the effects of the Libya crisis on the Sahel found that terrorist groups, such as Al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb, have begun to form alliances with drug traffickers and other criminal syndicates. Such alliances have the potential to further destabilize the region and reverse hard-won democratic and peacebuilding achievements. The growing incidence of piracy in the Gulf of Guinea exacerbates the situation.”
2012-02-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6717 (2012) · source
“It also presents a serious challenge to the peace operations in the region authorized by this Council. To address the issue, we are working closely with the authorities in Cote d'Ivoire, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia and Sierra Leone in the context of the West Africa Coast Initiative. We have begun to build transnational crime units trained by United Nations police. But this is merely the beginning of what we must do. The Governments of the region will need the support of regional organizations and the wider international community to build and sustain the required capacity in information-sharing, prevention, investigation, law enforcement and border management. This should unfold in parallel with the creation of alternative sustainable livelihoods and addressing the challenges of poverty, human insecurity and underdevelopment.”
2012-02-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6717 (2012) · source
“There is even fear that we could see in this region a crisis of the same magnitude of that affecting the Horn of Africa. That must be avoided at all costs. This meeting is thus very timely, and I commend the initiative of Togo in using its presidency of the Council to highlight the urgency of the various threats. (spoke in English) Transnational organized crime, including drug trafficking, affects peace, security and stability wherever it occurs. It undermines the authority and effectiveness of State institutions, erodes the rule of law and weakens law enforcement structures. As West Africa remains a transit point for drug traffickers between South America and Europe, the potential for instability will continue to grow. This is horrendous for the people of the region of the Economic Community of West African States.”
2012-02-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6717 (2012) · source
“Let me offer a special welcome to President Gnassingbe and thank him for having taken the time to come to New York to preside over this important meeting. Despite the encouraging progress in certain countries with regard to the development of peace and security, stability in West African and the Sahel region is of increasing concern, and with good reason. Organized crime, drug trafficking and piracy are on the rise. The sudden upheaval in Libya is having repercussions such as the influx of weapons. A growing food crisis rooted in drought, high food prices and conflict currently affects millions of people, and the situation could become still worse. There are reports of links between insurgent groups, criminal groups and terrorist organizations.”
2012-02-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6717 (2012) · source
“It will take commitment from the international community and the Security Council to see that justice is done where justice is due.”
2012-01-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6705 (2012) · source
“We must also support innovative initiatives such as the deployment of civilian justice and corrections experts on missions. And we should use the United Nations Rule of Law Indicators, designed to monitor criminal justice institutions, during and after conflicts. But when national justice systems fall short, the international community must be able to respond with international prosecutions, particularly before the International Criminal Court. The United Nations was established in the name of the world's peoples. As their demands for justice rise, we must respond. We have to create a world where the rule of law, social justice, accountability and a culture of prevention are the foundations of sustainable development and durable peace.”
2012-01-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6705 (2012) · source
“That means giving them the opportunity to speak out to truth commissions and to participate in judicial proceedings. It also calls for supporting remedies and reparations, and it requires strengthening national prosecutions for serious international crimes. The primary obligation for accountability rests with domestic justice systems. It will require the development of security institutions that are accountable to laws and to the people. It will take more funding for women's access to justice, and it will demand greater attention to the economic and social roots of gender inequality. We have made progress in helping vulnerable groups, but we need to do more to include their perspectives when we design rule of law activities and when we carry them out.”
2012-01-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6705 (2012) · source
“Our approach has three basic components: first, promote accountability and reinforce norms through transitional justice; secondly, build justice and security institutions to promote trust; and thirdly, focus on justice for women and girls to foster gender equality. The Security Council has helped bring these priorities to the top of the international agenda, but the Council can do more. 12-2096] I encourage the Council to include the promotion of transitional justice measures more broadly in the mandates of peacekeeping and political missions. I also encourage the Council to reject any endorsement of amnesty for genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity or gross violations of human rights and international humanitarian law. I urge members to bring justice closer to the Victims.”
2012-01-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6705 (2012) · source
“We are supporting legal aid. We are training public defenders. We are raising awareness, since it is often those who most need the rule of law who also know least about their rights. We are working on strategies to counter the growing threats posed by piracy, drug trafficking and organized crime. For societies traumatized by years of fighting and gross violations of human rights, nothing is more critical than establishing the rule of law. When the guns fall silent, the United Nations is often the first organization on the ground, helping fractured countries to start building peace and strengthening key institutions. Our goal is to quickly demonstrate the value of the rule of law. That builds public confidence in political settlements.”
2012-01-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6705 (2012) · source
“This Security Council meeting is part of a broader international push to rise to this moment. Earlier this week, the United Nations gathered officials, ambassadors and distinguished thinkers on the rule of law for a two-day meeting dealing with justice, human rights, peacekeeping and related issues. In September, we will convene a high-level meeting on the rule of law - the first event of its kind and the first time since 2005 that these issues will be discussed by top leaders. The United Nations work to promote the rule of law extends to more than 150 countries. Our efforts to combat transnational crime, build confidence and capacity in State institutions, and battle discrimination against women are all part of this effort. United Nations programmes have already helped tens of thousands of vulnerable individuals to obtain justice.”
2012-01-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6705 (2012) · source
“I should like to thank Ambassador Baso Sangqu, President of the Security Council, for having organized this important meeting. Today's open debate comes at a time of breathtaking political change driven by people's calls for accountability, transparency and the rule of law. Women and men everywhere want their rights to be respected. They are risking their lives in peaceful protest to demand the opportunities, dignity and secure future that every individual deserves. There is no silencing this cry for justice. Repression only raises the volume. Our task is to usher in an era of respect for the law in every field, from peace and security to trade and development; from the high seas to local communities. Never has the United Nations rule of law sector faced such great challenges or such historic opportunities.”
2012-01-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6705 (2012) · source
“So does the United Nations, not least the weight of international law and the primary responsibility of the Security Council in the maintenance of international peace and security. Finally, let me say that I am eager to attend the African Union summit later this month. It will be my sixth African Union summit in a row. I look forward to my meetings with African leaders and to continuing to explore how we can make our strong partnership even stronger in the years ahead.”
2012-01-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6702 (2012) · source
“We can do so by learning new lessons, developing new tools and intensifying our engagement with civil society and women's groups active in mediation and conflict prevention, particularly at the local level. As we look ahead, we will need to ensure flexibility, so that each new situation is addressed on its own merits. We must also promote innovative arrangements in complex situations that may require joint actions, joint operations or enhanced partnerships. As we do so, let us strive to maximize our collective efforts and limited resources, and ensure that each partnership arrangement has a clearly defined division of labour and roles and responsibilities for each organization. Regional organizations have comparative advantages.”
2012-01-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6702 (2012) · source
“Fourthly and finally, joint assessment missions have also been essential in ensuring a common understanding of emerging issues. For example, we recently deployed such a mission to the Sahel to assess how developments in Libya are affecting the region. We also have just dispatched a joint mission to the four countries affected by the LRA. And under the leadership of the AU, we have worked together to develop a strategic concept for future AMISOM operations, which is now under consideration by the Security Council. I am greatly encouraged by the concrete progress we have made in recent years. Let us pledge to do even more to enhance our partnership.”
2012-01-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6702 (2012) · source
“Examples abound, including the African Union- United Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur and joint mediation efforts there, United Nations logistics and planning support to AMISOM, joint efforts to combat the threat posed by the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA), cooperation between Special Envoy Menkerios and the African Union High-level Implementation Panel led by President Mbeki, and much more. The United Nations Office for West Africa, working closely with the AU and the Economic Community of West African States, has also been active in defusing tensions throughout the subregion. The newly established United Nations Regional Office for Central Africa, in cooperation with the Economic Community of Central African States, can play a similar role.”
2012-01-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6702 (2012) · source
“Secondly, we have revamped our Office in Addis Ababa to further strengthen our cooperation, including by improving early-warning information that will help foster timely action and joint threat analysis. Through military and police planners based in Addis Ababa, we have supported the AU's planning for its expansion of the operations of the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM). We also continue to work closely on other key areas, such as elections, conflict prevention and post-conflict reconstruction. Thirdly, our regional offices, peacekeeping operations and special political missions are cooperating closely with the AU and subregional organizations.”
2012-01-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6702 (2012) · source
“Organizations with different mandates, membership and perspectives will occasionally have differences in approach. The question is how we manage those differences - how we work together. My report (S/2011/805) and this discussion are about building on our successes, improving coherence and harmonizing decision- making from a firm foundation of shared values and principles. Over the past few years, we have strengthened our partnership with the African Union at the Secretariat level in several concrete ways. First, the United Nations-African Union Joint Task Force on Peace and Security has proven to be an effective mechanism for consultations on an array of issues, including Cote d'Ivoire, Libya, Somalia and the Sudan.”
2012-01-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6702 (2012) · source
“Here at the United Nations, activities to enhance stability in Africa take up a significant part of the agenda of the Security Council and they are among my leading priorities. Over the past decade, the AU and subregional organizations have significantly bolstered their own role in building an architecture for peace and security on the African continent. Together, our collective efforts in conflict prevention and mediation, peacekeeping and peacebuilding are making a real difference throughout the continent. Of course, there is more room for improvement. We often face complex and fast-moving crises, and we are establishing mechanisms to build common understanding and approaches. The annual meetings between the Security Council and the AU Peace and Security Council are one important example. There will be differences. That is natural.”
2012-01-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6702 (2012) · source
“They have done much to bring credit to the Council, and their contributions will be long remembered. The African Union (AU) is a vital strategic partner to the United Nations, and South Africa is utilizing its presidency to deepen that relationship. I welcome its continued engagement. I also recognize Ambassador Ramtane Lamamra, Commissioner for Peace and Security of the African Union, and welcome the recent and first-ever AU report on United Nations-AU cooperation. I thank the Chairperson of the African Union Commission, Jean Ping, for his initiative and leadership. As Secretary- General, my remit is global, but I attach great importance to the role of regional and subregional organizations, as recognized in Chapter VIII of the United Nations Charter.”
2012-01-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6702 (2012) · source
“I would like to begin by commending you, Sir, for having organized this very important meeting at the beginning of the new year, 2012. At the outset, I would like to welcome most warmly the delegations of Azerbaijan, Guatemala, Morocco, Pakistan and Togo, which have joined the Security Council as the newest non-permanent members. I look forward to their active participation and to their committed involvement in the various agenda items before the Council. Their contributions will be greatly valued by the Council, as well as by the Secretariat. I wish them a very productive engagement in this Chamber. I would also like to express my deepest appreciation to the delegations of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Gabon, Lebanon and Nigeria for their committed involvement and hard work during the past two years.”
2012-01-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6702 (2012) · source
“This is a crucial moment for the international community. We must seize this moment for the sake of the people of Somalia and the stability of the region.”
2011-12-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6681 (2011) · source
“However, millions are still in crisis. To add to the suffering, on 28 November Al-Shabaab occupied the compounds of 16 organizations operating in areas under its control in south-central Somalia. I condemn those actions and once again call on all parties to immediately allow unimpeded humanitarian access and to refrain from actions which threaten the safety of Somalis and those assisting them. Recent developments and our work in Somalia are detailed in the report before the Council (S/2011/759). I renew my thanks to my Special Representative, Mr. Mahiga, and to all our colleagues and partners who serve in such difficult and dangerous circumstances. I look forward to attending the high- level meeting on Somalia that Prime Minister Cameron of the United Kingdom intends to organize in London early next year.”
2011-12-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6681 (2011) · source
“Prior to my visit, I travelled to Kenya and met with President Mwai Kibaki in Nairobi. I expressed my 11-63462 gratitude for his leadership and asked for his continued generosity to and support for those fleeing Somalia. I also visited the Dadaab refugee complex in Kenya. It now hosts almost half a million Somali refugees, including more than 190,000 people who have fled famine and insecurity in the past year. I met one family that had lost two children during their hard journey. I was deeply moved and saddened by their suffering. I assured all parties of our strong commitment to ending the transition so that these refugees can return home and rebuild their lives. Generous donor contributions and concerted relief efforts have saved hundreds of thousands of lives. Parts of southern Somalia have been lifted out of famine.”
2011-12-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6681 (2011) · source
“As more territory is liberated, the TFG must strengthen its outreach to the local population and form new regional entities in line with the Transitional Federal Charter. On the military front, we must not exclude the incorporation of new forces and the expansion of AMISOM. We are undertaking a joint assessment on the ground and will revert to the Council with a proposal. In the meantime, I echo African Union and AMISOM. troop contributors and ask the Council to reconsider the financial and logistical arrangements for supporting AMISOM. operations in the next phase. We must also boost our efforts to safeguard civilians and the safety of the relief supply route. I have urged the Government of Kenya, AMISOM. and the TFG to uphold the rights of civilians, refugees and Somali asylum-seekers.”
2011-12-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6681 (2011) · source
“President Sharif assured me of his Government's commitment to a broadly inclusive implementation of the road map. He cited the upcoming meeting on the constitution-making process as an important step. Beyond Mogadishu, the Islamist insurgents in Somalia are retreating under mounting pressure from Government forces and their militia allies, backed by Kenyan and Ethiopian forces. This represents a unique opportunity to help stabilize the country at large. The United Nations is helping the African Union and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development to develop coherent military planning in the country. We must ensure that the military strategy is aligned with political objectives.”
2011-12-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6681 (2011) · source
“They thanked the United Nations and urged that continued assistance be provided. The leadership has heeded the Security Council's call to work together. Nonetheless, despite some progress, important deadlines have been missed. I asked the leadership to intensify its efforts to implement the road map. I made clear the fact that the transition must end in August 2012. In particular, I urged them to accelerate constitutional and 11-63462 parliamentary reforms, which require not financial resources, but political will. I echoed the Council's statement that continued international assistance rests on continued reform. I encouraged them to build trust by ensuring accountability and transparency. I warmly welcomed the active engagement of civil society and of the Somali diaspora.”
2011-12-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6681 (2011) · source
“During my visit, I announced that the United Nations Political Office for Somalia (UNPOS) would relocate to Mogadishu in January 2012. That will begin with my Special Representative, Mr. Mahiga, and his core team and expand gradually as more resources become available. I also asked the United Nations country team to work more closely with UNPOS to support the TFG's efforts in governance, recovery, development and capacity-building. For all of that to be possible, we must expedite arrangements for protecting United Nations and AMISOM. civilian personnel. I also renew my appeal for supporting the United Nations recovery and stabilization plan. In Mogadishu, we were welcomed by President Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed, Prime Minister Abdiweli Mohamed Ali, Speaker Sharif Hassan Sheikh Aden and other leaders.”
2011-12-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6681 (2011) · source
“All city districts are now effectively under the control of the Transitional Federal Government (TFG), with the support of AMISOM. I congratulated the brave TFG and AMISOM. soldiers and extended my condolences to the families of the fallen soldiers and to the Governments of Somalia, Burundi and Uganda. The AMISOM. Force Commander, Major General Fred Mugashi of Uganda, explained the difficult circumstances they faced and the need for adequate military assets to fight an asymmetric terrorist war. In an urban environment, we must secure gains and extend them beyond Mogadishu. That requires AMISOM. to deploy at its full strength of 12,000 troops. It also demands the necessary force enablers, including air assets, such as helicopters, and military engineering capabilities.”
2011-12-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6681 (2011) · source
“A few years ago, people tended to think of Somalia only as a place of famine or bloodshed. Often, when I spoke about Somalia, people wanted to change the subject; I wanted to change the way we saw Somalia. We finally face a moment of fresh opportunities, and we must seize it. That is why the President of General Assembly and I travelled together to Mogadishu on 9 December. That was the first visit by a United Nations Secretary- General in more than 18 years and, of course, the first 2 time ever in the history of the Organization that the President of the General Assembly and the Secretary- General travelled together to Somalia. That my visit was even possible is a sign of improved security and the investment that the United Nations has made in supporting the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM).”
2011-12-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6681 (2011) · source
“I am pleased to attend this meeting on Somalia and to have this opportunity to share with the Security Council my perspectives on the situation based on recent developments and on my own visit to Somalia last Friday. I travelled to the region from Durban. As the Council discussed climate change in July (see S/PV.6587), let me say very quickly that leaders in Durban showed once again that multilateral negotiations on climate change can deliver. We agreed on a clear target and timeline for reaching a legally binding deal; a recommitment to the Kyoto Protocol; and significant advances on technology and financing, including the Green Climate Fund. Now we must implement those decisions and keep the Durban spirit of cooperation and progress alive. Since I took office, Somalia has been a priority.”
2011-12-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6681 (2011) · source
“I am pleased that at this meeting, the Council will hear from my colleagues Antonio Guterres, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees; Yury Fedotov, Executive Director of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC); and Ms. Margaret Chan, Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO). The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and UNODC have constructive ties with the Security Council. At the same time, there is ample room to increase contact with WHO, and I hope the Council will pursue this. I thank the Council again for addressing such issues. As the nature of the threats that we face continues to evolve, the Council, so central to our ability to keep the peace, must also keep pace.”
2011-11-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6668 (2011) · source
“That idea is relevant to today's discussion as well. We are all aware of the risk that a warming world will facilitate the spread of deadly diseases. But there are other links as well. In some parts of the world, drug trafficking has led to an increase in intravenous drug use. This, in turn, has become one of the main drivers in the spread of HIV/AIDS. Our response to crime, meanwhile, cannot be limited to law enforcement. It must encompass public health, institution-building and human rights. Our economic and social development efforts must become more crime-sensitive. More broadly, it is crucial to address the social inequalities and economic injustice that give rise to frustration and unrest. Ultimately, security must be rooted in opportunity, freedom and hope.”
2011-11-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6668 (2011) · source
“In addition, rising sea levels put at risk the very survival of all small island States. These and other implications for peace and security also have implications for the United Nations itself. 11-60560 First, no country and no region, no matter how powerful, will be able to address these threats alone. They can be addressed only through regional and global cooperation. The United Nations will continue to play a lead role in fostering such cooperation. Secondly, these are complex and multilayered threats that require multidisciplinary responses. The United Nations is well placed to promote an integrated mix of political, development and capacity-building responses. All present here have heard me talk about connecting the dots among energy, food, health, disaster risk reduction and other issues in our response to climate change.”
2011-11-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6668 (2011) · source
“By undermining State capacity and State institutions, these threats have clear and increasing implications for peace and security. As the World Bank pointed out earlier this year in its World Development Report, countries affected by violence are home to 43 per cent of people living with HIV/AIDS. Criminal groups, in their efforts to control trafficking routes, spread fear and insecurity, and, in some cases, have triggered the outbreak of political violence. Today, many more people die as the result of criminal and gang violence than in civil wars. We are seeing an increasing convergence between organized crime and terrorist groups. Climate change, in some regions, has aggravated conflict over scarce land and could well trigger large-scale migration in the decades ahead.”
2011-11-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6668 (2011) · source
“Climate change is the quintessential global challenge. These threats are also increasingly acute because the combined stresses of crime, pandemics and climate change are pushing many poor and fragile countries close to the breaking point. Some have seen their life expectancy cut in half by HIV/AIDS - a horrible toll not only on families and loved ones, but also on the labour force, businesses, the civil service and the armed forces. Organized crime groups use corruption and violence to hollow out weak institutions from the inside. In addition, the extreme weather and other consequences associated with climate change are exacerbating already difficult struggles with desertification, drought, floods and volatility in food prices.”
2011-11-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6668 (2011) · source
“I thank the Portuguese presidency for focusing the Security Council's attention on three of the defining challenges of our times: transnational organized crime, pandemics and climate change. I also thank the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Portugal for taking the time to preside over this very important meeting. None of these challenges is new. What is new, however, is that they are increasingly transnational, increasingly acute and have ever greater implications for human, State, regional and international security. They are increasingly transnational because of the growing ease with which people, goods and money can cross borders. The recent movie Contagion was more science than fiction. Organized crime groups are particularly adept at exploiting the openness of globalization to traffic humans, drugs and weapons.”
2011-11-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6668 (2011) · source
“I urge the Council to closely study the recommendations that emerged from last week's workshop on accountability convened by Portugal and the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Protection is essential. Yet, we must not lose sight of the need to address the causes of conflict, not just its symptoms. Humanitarian actors can contribute to the survival of affected populations. Ultimately, though, only political solutions can end and prevent the vast majority of conflicts and ensure the safety and well- being of those who would otherwise bear the brunt.”
2011-11-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6650 (2011) · source