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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“Let us all do our utmost to bring genuine change and hope into the lives of people throughout the region who are struggling to move beyond today's suffering and reach better days.”
2004-03-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4933 (2004) · source
“Therefore, I urge Governments of the region to build on the gains they have recently made and establish solidly democratic institutions and effective regional organizations. West Africa is blessed with a vibrant civil society that has wide-ranging experience in conflict prevention, peace-building and development. States must draw on their experience in addressing their problems. I also urge the international community to respond with all possible assistance, including politically. Finally, for its part, the United Nations will continue its work and its efforts to work better as a team to support the wishes of the region's people and to strengthen cooperation with ECOWAS in pursuit of our shared goal of peace, stability and development.”
2004-03-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4933 (2004) · source
“Ould-Abdallah will also be doing more to promote synergies between United Nations peace operations and the Organization's humanitarian and development efforts. The root causes of the region's problems - and indeed of the conflicts that spawn or exacerbate them - were beyond the report's scope. But as we all know, those root causes are linked above all to questions of governance, human rights and transparency. Regrettably, such abuses are all too prevalent in the region. Until they are addressed with real resolve, until there is a fundamental break with authoritarianism and the culture of violence, exclusion and impunity, I fear that whatever inroads we manage to make in handling cross-border problems will remain just that: temporary inroads, and fragile ones at best.”
2004-03-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4933 (2004) · source
“Special attention should therefore be paid to the proliferation of small arms, the illegal exploitation of natural resources and the use of child soldiers and mercenaries, as well as to roadblocks, which greatly impede the movement of persons and goods in the subregion. With this in mind, and to build on this report and meeting, I have asked my Special Representative for West Africa, Mr. Ahmedou Ould-Abdallah, who is here with us today, to convene a meeting in the region in the near future to explore how ECOWAS and the relevant United Nations entities can best move ahead. One important step forward has already been taken with the new arrangement whereby all my Special Representatives and Force Commanders in the subregion meet at regular intervals, under Mr. Ould- Abdallah's chairmanship. In the same context, Mr.”
2004-03-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4933 (2004) · source
“As such, they are directed at a wide range of players, including the Security Council and other parts of the United Nations system, bilateral and multilateral development partners, the ECOWAS secretariat, individual Member States in West Africa, civil society organizations and non-State actors such as suppliers of small arms and light weapons. The overarching theme is that, if we want the region's problems to be dealt with in an effective and sustainable manner, these recommendations cannot be carried out solely on a country-by-country basis. Their implementation requires a multifaceted regional approach. At the same time, it is clear that certain issues have a particularly strong bearing on security and stability, without which no other progress will be possible.”
2004-03-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4933 (2004) · source
“This open debate is another significant step in the Council's efforts to promote a regional approach to those challenges, and yet another illustration of the good working relationship between the Council and ECOWAS member States. The report before the Council (S/2004/200) is the first one devoted specifically to cross-border problems in the subregion. The report's recommendations are practical. They have been grouped not in order of priority, but rather under broad thematic headings such as security-sector reform, disarmament, extortion, naming and shaming and the proliferation of small arms. They are not a shopping list for donors, but rather a call to action.”
2004-03-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4933 (2004) · source
“I would like to welcome the Ministers who are present, including the French Minister Delegate for Cooperation and Francophonie, who is in the Chair, and the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ghana. I also welcome Mr. Chambas, the Executive Secretary of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). Mr. Wiltzer, it is very good to see you here and see you presiding over this meeting. I would also want to begin by saying to my compatriot Nana Akufo-Addo "akwaaba", which means "welcome". ECOWAS has recently taken important initiatives to tackle the serious challenges to peace and security faced by the people of West Africa. As the Security Council has acknowledged, these initiatives have demonstrated the resolve of Africans to settle African problems in cooperation with the international community.”
2004-03-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4933 (2004) · source
“I thank NATO for its decision to reinforce its troops in Kosovo. The violence must cease. The leaders of Kosovo's communities and the representatives of its Provisional Institutions must work with the international community, with each other and with the people of Kosovo to restore calm. Allow me in particular to remind the leaders of the Kosovo Albanian community that as the largest ethnic group, they have the responsibility to protect and promote the rights of all people within Kosovo, particularly its minorities. I trust that the Security Council will give the situation the urgent and serious attention it requires.”
2004-03-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4928 (2004) · source
“We must also condemn, in the strongest possible terms, deliberate attacks on representatives of the international community - in particular the staff of the United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) and the troops serving with KFOR. The situation in Mitrovica has become sufficiently serious to warrant the relocation of international staff from Mitrovica to a safer place in the region. The recent events have highlighted the fragility of the structures and relationships in Kosovo. It shows that despite the progress that has been made since 1999, we have not come far enough. Mutual respect between different communities is still not the accepted norm that it should be. It is clear that we need to study very carefully the implications for Kosovo's future. Our first priority must be to restore safety and security.”
2004-03-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4928 (2004) · source
“The Secretariat briefed the Council this morning on the deplorable events of the past two days in Kosovo. The overall security situation throughout Kosovo is still highly unstable. The number of fatal casualties now stands at 31. I cannot emphasize strongly enough my deep disappointment and sadness at this resurgence of violence, which has already left many people dead and hundreds wounded. We cannot close our eyes to the fact that this violence is ethnically motivated, with communities attacking each other. Such violence must be strongly condemned. The deliberate targeting of houses as well as religious sites - such as churches, cemeteries and monasteries - is shameful and inexcusable, as are the subsequent attacks against mosques in other parts of Serbia and Montenegro.”
2004-03-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4928 (2004) · source
“The progress made by the Ivorian parties in recent weeks has given fresh impetus to the peace process. The adoption of this resolution shows that the international community is determined to support that progress and to help ensure that there is no turning back.”
2004-02-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4918 (2004) · source
“I am particularly pleased that the various United Nations offices and missions in the subregion have already begun to work in close cooperation. Every effort must be done to strengthen that cooperation. In that context, I intend to present proposals concerning a residual United Nations presence in Sierra Leone in my next report to the Security Council, in March. The operation in Cote d'Ivoire comes at a time when other United Nations and non-United Nations operations, either recently established or expected in the near future, require significant additional resources. But I hope and trust that, guided by a spirit of solidarity, the international community will provide all the necessary resources, including well-equipped and well-trained military and police personnel, for the operation to be fully effective.”
2004-02-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4918 (2004) · source
“It will also facilitate the provision of humanitarian assistance and the restoration of State authority throughout the country, contribute to the promotion of human rights and the re-establishment of the rule of law and help the country prepare for the holding of fair and transparent general elections in 2005. I trust that, for their part, the Ivorian parties will continue to push forward, in a consensual manner, the political reforms they have embarked upon, in accordance with the letter and the spirit of the Linas- Marcoussis Agreement. There is no doubt that the deployment of a United Nations operation in Cote d'Ivoire will also have a positive impact on the efforts to stabilize the West African subregion as a whole.”
2004-02-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4918 (2004) · source
“Their forces continue to play a crucial role in monitoring the ceasefire and preventing the resumption of conflict. In my report of 6 January to the Security Council (S/2004/3), I recommended the deployment of a United Nations peacekeeping operation in cote d'Ivoire. The establishment of such an operation, which has been requested by all Ivorian parties, will send a clear message that the international community supports the Ivorian peace process and is determined to play its role in the maintenance of peace and security in Africa. A strengthened United Nations presence in Cote d'Ivoire will make it easier for the Government of National Reconciliation to implement the DDR programme.”
2004-02-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4918 (2004) · source
“I would like to commend President Gbagbo and Prime Minister Diarra for taking, together with the Forces nouvelles, important political initiatives which S/PVADIS have opened the way out of the impasse in the peace process. I urge them to continue working together. However, there are some hard-line elements among the various Ivorian parties that remain determined to undermine the peace process. They must not be allowed to succeed. The international community must therefore provide support to those who are working to promote peace in Cote d'Ivoire. In that context, I would like to commend in particular the Economic Community of West African States and France, which have contributed significantly to the normalization of the situation in the country.”
2004-02-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4918 (2004) · source
“The lifting of checkpoints established by the Forces armees nationales de C6te d'Ivoire and the Forces nouvelles is also close to completion. In addition, the parties have recently agreed on arrangements to implement the disarmament, demobilization, reintegration and repatriation (DDR) programme. Prime Minister Diarra has announced that the programme would start on 8 March. Another positive development since the return of the Forces nouvelles to the Government of National Reconciliation on 6 January is that the Council of Ministers has begun considering the draft legislation and other reforms envisaged in the Linas-Marcoussis Agreement.”
2004-02-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4918 (2004) · source
“I would like to commend members of the Security Council for adopting this resolution in support of the peace process in C6te d'Ivoire. Cote d'Ivoire has come a long way from the crisis that erupted in September 2002. The conclusion of the Linas-Marcoussis peace Agreement in January 2003 was an important achievement. Most of last year, progress in the peace process was mixed, with many delays in implementing the Agreement. Just recently, however, the Ivorian parties have taken some further significant steps in the right direction. (spoke in English) I am particularly encouraged that last December the parties completed the quartering of heavy weapons, as verified by the international community, including the United Nations Mission in C6te d'Ivoire.”
2004-02-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4918 (2004) · source
“You are also, of course, one of our leading global citizens, and the international community is that much stronger for having your skills and judgement at its disposal.”
2004-01-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4893 (2004) · source
“At the same time, I think we can all recognize that for all the gains made under the Bonn process so far, there is a need to reinvigorate the process. With that in mind, and as mentioned in my report, I have suggested that the international community, the Afghan Government and all Afghans committed to peace in their country should come together, assess the progress made and make the necessary commitments to complete the transition. Mr. Brahimi will have more to add on this when he takes the floor. Finally, I would like to pay tribute to my Special Representative, Mr. Lakhdar Brahimi, for the superb job he has done in Afghanistan these past two years. Lakhdar, you have richly earned your honorary Afghan citizenship.”
2004-01-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4893 (2004) · source
“The delegates to the Loya Jirga showed wisdom, flexibility and sensitivity to the needs of all Afghans - a spirit which bodes well for the hard work ahead. Of course, the Constitution will not by itself guarantee peace and stability. Afghans, with the necessary support from the international community, must now go on to address the impediments to the peace process that existed before the Loya Jirga, and that means tackling the deeply troubling security situation, ensuring an inclusive and broadly representative Government, and quickening the pace of reconstruction. Indeed, if the next step in the Bonn process - elections - is to be credibly achieved, these challenges demand immediate action. I would also like to thank the international community for its sustained commitment to peace in Afghanistan.”
2004-01-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4893 (2004) · source
“The Council has before it my latest report on the situation in Afghanistan. Since its release, an important and very encouraging development in the implementation of the Bonn peace process has occurred: the adoption on 5 January by the Constitutional Loya Jirga of Afghanistan's new Constitution. The Constitution, which has now entered into force, provides a permanent foundation for re- establishing the rule of law in Afghanistan. It defines a political order through a strong presidential system of government with a bicameral legislature. It establishes a judicial system in compliance with Islam, and it includes provisions aimed at ensuring full respect for fundamental human rights, including equal rights for women. I would like to congratulate the people and the Government of Afghanistan on this major accomplishment.”
2004-01-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4893 (2004) · source
“Political, financial and military assistance will be required for some time to come. As emphasized in my report, the Iraqi people need to be reassured that the international community - current Coalition and non- Coalition members alike - will respond generously to their requests for help. And they need to be confident that this commitment will be maintained down the road, when a provisional Government has been formed and when the situation in Iraq may no longer dominate news headlines. The 26 million people of Iraq have endured decades of war, sanctions, tyranny and misery. They are now living through a process that will define the future of their country, for their sake, and for the memory of those who have given their lives to help.”
2003-12-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4883 (2003) · source
“We should not expect that the end of the occupation and formation of a provisional Government will automatically bring about an end to insecurity, even though we should expect some improvement. Events of the past three days should remind us that we must remain prudent in our assessments. There is no panacea. But a credible and inclusive transition - one that broadens the base of support for the provisional Iraqi Government - offers the best hope of stability, and of political mobilization by Iraqis against the violence. At every step along the road, there will be formidable challenges. But these challenges will not be insurmountable if a genuinely national Iraqi agenda is forged, and if it is supported by a united international community, including Iraq's neighbours and key States in the region, which have a crucial role to play.”
2003-12-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4883 (2003) · source
“That is not, as some have concluded, a formula for the United Nations to stand aloof from the process. The stakes are too high for the international community just to watch from the sidelines. Rather, I have called for clarity because, in taking the difficult decisions that lie ahead, I need to weigh the degree of risk that the United Nations is being asked to accept against the substance of the role we are being asked to fulfil. I therefore need to know how responsibilities will be allocated and who will be taking what decisions. Above all, I need to know what the Iraqis expect of the United Nations, and whether we will be in a position to meet those expectations. Iraq is likely to remain a difficult environment.”
2003-12-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4883 (2003) · source
“But there is much that we can do, and that we are already doing, from outside the country. I myself remain in close contact with heads of State or Government, Foreign Ministers and ambassadors, trying to help forge international consensus on the way forward. To that end, on 1 December I convened a meeting of members of the Security Council and States of the region. For its part, the core team of UNAMI based in the region will keep abreast of key developments on the political and human rights fronts and will explore avenues for United Nations assistance while preparing the ground for United Nations involvement in the longer term. Meanwhile, as my report indicates, we need much greater clarity on what is expected of the United Nations, by Iraqis and by the Coalition, in terms of assistance to the political transition.”
2003-12-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4883 (2003) · source
“Meanwhile, however, our on-the-ground engagement in important political and human rights work has suffered tremendously as a result of the 19 August bombing, which decimated the Office of the Special Representative, the core part of the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI). The Office needs to be reconstituted. I have started that process with the appointment of Ross Mountain as my Acting Special Representative. He will head our efforts to establish a core of UNAMI based outside the country. He will also lead our planning for the Mission's eventual and incremental return to Iraq as soon as circumstances permit. We cannot say with any certainty when circumstances will indeed permit the return of international staff to the country on a permanent basis.”
2003-12-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4883 (2003) · source
“The Security Council, in resolution 1511 (2003) of 16 October 2003, resolved that the United Nations should strengthen its vital role in Iraq. But the Council was also mindful of the fact that, owing to persistent security concerns, few international United Nations staff could continue to operate inside the country for the time being. Our challenge, therefore, has been to find creative ways of intensifying our engagement despite diminished capacity on the ground. The report before the Council explains how we have attempted to meet that challenge and how we propose to do so in the coming months. As my report makes clear, despite the temporary relocation of international staff outside the country, the United Nations has not disengaged from Iraq - far from it. Nor does it mean that we will not return in full force when circumstances permit.”
2003-12-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4883 (2003) · source
“Every segment of Iraqi society should feel represented in the nascent institutions of their country. No one should feel excluded, pending the subsequent holding of free elections for a constituent assembly and a parliament. Iraqis must have real ownership of the process by which they are governed. Let me also say that it is right that Hussein should be held to account for past deeds, through a procedure that meets the highest international standards of due process. Accounting for the past will be an important part of bringing about national reconciliation - a process that is vital to Iraq and to all Iraqis. The United Nations is ready to play its full part in helping Iraqis resume control over their destiny and build a better future. The report before the Council (S/2003/1149) sets out my thinking on this in considerable detail.”
2003-12-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4883 (2003) · source
“We meet three days after the capture by Coalition forces of Saddam Hussein. His capture is not just a symbol of the downfall of the former regime in Iraq. It is also an opportunity for a new beginning in the vital task of helping Iraqis to take control of their destiny - of helping them to create a secure, stable and independent Iraq which can once again take its proper place in the region and in the international community. The task of restoring the effective exercise of sovereignty to Iraqis, in the form of a provisional Government, is urgent. While there may not be time to organize free, fair and credible elections for that purpose, it is essential that the process leading to the formation of a provisional Government be fully inclusive and transparent.”
2003-12-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4883 (2003) · source
“I intend to send an assessment mission to Cote d'Ivoire soon to review the situation on the ground, so that I can prepare recommendations for the consideration of the Council, pursuant to resolution 1514 (2003), which requested me to report on how efforts of the United Nations Mission in Cote d'Ivoire to facilitate peace and stability in Cote d'Ivoire might be improved, including through the possible reinforcement of the United Nations presence in the country. Finally, let me appeal once again to all the members of this Council, and to the international community as a whole, to remain engaged in Cote d'Ivoire and to provide the necessary support to enable the ECOWAS forces to continue their useful work in that country.”
2003-11-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4873 (2003) · source
“Those measures include the following: the Forces nouvelles must rejoin the Government of National Reconciliation without delay; all parties must accept the Government of National Reconciliation as fully constituted after the appointment of the Defence and Security Ministers on 12 September; all militias must begin to disband immediately; the armed groups must be cantoned and disarmed as soon as possible, while at the same time the country's security forces are restructured; the de facto partition of the country must end at once; and the National Assembly must adopt, as soon as possible, the reforms proposed in the Government's work programme. The United Nations reaffirms its commitment to continue to work closely with ECOWAS in the pursuit of peace in Cote d'Ivoire and to help implement the Linas-Marcoussis Agreement.”
2003-11-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4873 (2003) · source
“It is indeed essential that the Government be able to carry out the tasks assigned to it under the Linas-Marcoussis Agreement with the necessary means and authority. The undertakings made by the President and Prime Minister in Accra must be matched by deeds. In this regard, all parties concerned must demonstrate genuine political will to honour their commitments and implement the Linas-Marcoussis Agreement in good faith. In order to jump-start the stalled peace process, the parties must tackle the fundamental issues behind the deadlock. As indicated in my latest report to the Security Council, issued on 4 November, implementation of the key provisions of the Linas- Marcoussis Agreement must begin without delay. I urge the Ivorian parties to take the key measures identified in that report immediately.”
2003-11-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4873 (2003) · source
“Already, there are signs that the situation in some parts of the northern provinces controlled by the Forces Nouvelles is degenerating into lawlessness. Tension between the Forces nouvelles and the Forces armees nationales de Cote d'Ivoire is also escalating. In that context, the Forces nouvelles has declared a state of emergency in areas under their control, and accused President Gbagbo of preparing to attack their positions. There is clearly a danger that Cote d'Ivoire could slip back into conflict. I was pleased to note, however, that, during the summit of seven ECOWAS leaders held in Accra on 11 November, President Gbagbo and Prime Minister Diarra worked closely together to ensure that the Government of National Reconciliation is able to function and to implement the work programme developed by the Government last May.”
2003-11-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4873 (2003) · source
“May I first of all commend the leaders of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), and in particular Presidents Kufuor and Obasanjo on their tireless efforts to find a solution to the crisis in cote d'Ivoire. I also wish to thank all of those countries that have provided contingents to the ECOWAS mission in Cote d'Ivoire. They are fulfilling their mandate in extremely difficult conditions, but thanks to them and to the French forces of the Licorne operation, an escalation of the conflict has, thus far, been avoided. However, I am deeply concerned by the current political stalemate created by the withdrawal of the Forces nouvelles from the Government of National Reconciliation on 23 September. Unless urgent steps are taken to resolve that impasse, the tenuous security situation in the country could deteriorate still further.”
2003-11-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4873 (2003) · source
“I hope their colleagues serving in the centre and the south of Iraq - over eight hundred of them in all - will receive similar consideration. We take pride in the fact that we have achieved an orderly handover of such a large and expensive programme on time and in spite of the current insecurity in Iraq and the disruptive bomb attack on our headquarters. Especially since the cruel loss of life and injuries on 19 August - not just of our international staff, but of our local staff as well - all of us at the United Nations now feel intimately connected to the trauma that Iraqis are living through day by day. We are closing the oil-for-food programme, but we remain determined to continue helping Iraq's long-suffering people in whatever ways are still open to us, and we are determined to implement the other mandates you have given us.”
2003-11-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4868 (2003) · source
“At midnight tomorrow, in accordance with Security Council resolutions, we are handing over all these responsibilities, together with the remaining funds and assets - assets ranging from schools to electrical power stations and some $8.2 billion worth of food, medicines and other essential supplies - to the Coalition Provisional Authority. The actual delivery of those items will continue well into next year. Any unspent or undisbursed amounts will be transferred to the Development Fund for Iraq after the programme closes. I am glad to say that the Coalition Provisional Authority is making arrangements to transfer most of the 2,500 Iraqis who have been working for the United Nations in the three northern governorates to posts in the local government.”
2003-11-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4868 (2003) · source
“Let me stress that the bulk of all the work performed by the oil-for-food programme in Iraq has been carried out by Iraqi nationals working for the United Nations. I wish to express my gratitude and admiration for the competence, loyalty and devotion of the national staff, many of whom have incurred considerable risks in carrying out the programme. Indeed, a significant number have lost their lives, and I pay special tribute to them. Let me also pay tribute to the international staff who have worked on the programme, and particularly to its Executive Director, Benon Sevan. He has served the Organization in this, as in his many previous capacities, far beyond the call of duty.”
2003-11-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4868 (2003) · source
“Under it, nine different United Nations agencies, programmes and funds developed and managed humanitarian operations in Iraq, meeting the needs of the civilian population across some 24 economic and social sectors. During these seven years, the programme delivered food rations sufficient to feed all 27 million residents of Iraq. As a result, the malnutrition rate among Iraqi children was reduced by 50 per cent, national vaccination campaigns reduced child mortality from preventable diseases, and as of today, there have been no reported cases of polio in Iraq for almost three years. Electricity blackouts in Baghdad were reduced under peak summer loads. Clean water became more available for personal use. And the programme enabled the overcrowded schools throughout the country to operate in two shifts instead of three.”
2003-11-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4868 (2003) · source
“It was not until May 1996 that the Government of Iraq agreed to sign a memorandum of understanding. The first Iraqi oil export under the oil-for-food programme was in December 1996 and the first shipments of food arrived in March 1997. Under the programme the Secretary-General was required to supervise the sale of Iraqi oil and to monitor the spending of the proceeds on specific groups and services for the benefit of the Iraqi people. In nearly seven years of operation, the oil-for- food programme has been required to meet an almost impossible series of challenges, using some $46 billion of Iraqi export earnings on behalf of the Iraqi people.”
2003-11-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4868 (2003) · source
“As early as 1991, with growing concern over the humanitarian situation in the country, the United Nations proposed measures to enable Iraq to sell limited quantities of oil to meet its people's needs. The Government of Iraq declined these offers contained in Security Council resolutions 706 (1991) and 712 (1991). By 1995, with the door to exports and imports closed, Iraq's essential services from electricity to hospital care and education had been severely degraded. Yet, there was still no sign that Iraq would soon comply fully with the conditions the Council had imposed for the lifting of sanctions. In April 1995, rightly considering that innocent Iraqis should, as far as possible, be spared the consequences of their Government's refusal to comply, the Council adopted resolution 986 (1995) establishing the oil-for-food programme.”
2003-11-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4868 (2003) · source
“The Council meets today to mark the completion of one of the largest, most complex and most unusual tasks that was ever entrusted to the Secretariat - the only humanitarian programme ever to have been funded entirely from resources belonging to the nation it was designed to help. The mandate you gave us to assume temporary custody of Iraq's oil exports and apply the revenue to a humanitarian programme is unprecedented in the history of the United Nations. It was a task that arose from the sanctions imposed on Iraq, also by this Council, after the invasion and occupation of Kuwait in August 1990. At that time, few of us could have imagined that those sanctions would remain in place for nearly 13 years, or the terrible toll they would impose on the health and nutrition of millions of innocent people, particularly the most vulnerable.”
2003-11-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4868 (2003) · source
“Since this will be the last time I will speak in this Chamber in the presence of my friend Ambassador Aguilar Zinser from Mexico, let me also say how much we will miss him, his wit, his sense of humour, his independent spirit and his keen sense of justice and fair play. He has made a contribution and I am happy to know that even though he is leaving us, the United Nations and the Security Council, the United Nations will be with him and he will be one of our ambassadors out there, and will speak about the important and indispensable role of this Organization. We will miss you, Mr. Ambassador, and you can leave with the full knowledge that you have made a difference and you have made a contribution.”
2003-11-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4868 (2003) · source
“One challenge is for the core countries themselves to find a way to go further than they have to date in addressing in detail the substantive issues of the conference. Another is to ensure that adequate financial, technical and human resources are made available, including for the Office of my Special Representative for the Great Lakes region. To meet these challenges, I invite all involved to work closely with my Special Representative in support of the Conference. I also encourage all development partners to assist in providing the necessary support and resources to the effort. And I look forward to the strong support of the Council for the conference - a conference that is long overdue and which holds the promise of a better future for the long- suffering people of the countries of the Great Lakes region.”
2003-11-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4865 (2003) · source
“There is a new dynamic in the region, and we must capitalize on it. People are becoming more aware of the need to address peace, security and development issues regionally to consolidate advances made in national peace processes. This has helped set the stage for the preparations of the conference to proceed as planned. So, too, did the meeting held during the general debate in September, when the Declaration of Principles on Good-Neighbourly Relations and Cooperation was adopted among countries of the region. Obviously, there will be a relationship between progress in the peace processes in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Burundi and progress in the conference. And there will also be a relationship between our ability to meet certain challenges and the success of the conference.”
2003-11-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4865 (2003) · source
“The core countries also stressed the principle of regional ownership. To this end, they have established national preparatory committees. In addition, the African Union has been, and will remain, a full partner of the United Nations in every stage of the process. Equally vital is the need for international partnership. While the Governments of the region bear responsibility to consolidate peace in their countries, the international community has a duty to assist them at all levels, as it has done and is doing in other parts of the world. Indeed, the conference requires wide and sustained participation, not only from the Governments of the core countries but also from civil society, neighbours and friends in the region, subregional organizations and international development partners.”
2003-11-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4865 (2003) · source
“These consultations were undertaken in close partnership with the African Union, on the basis of a concept paper which I submitted to them. As a result, the core countries - Burundi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, and Uganda - agreed to the proposed international conference, and the preparatory process was launched in June 2003 in Nairobi. The Nairobi meeting was essential in determining the future direction that the conference would take and in defining its objectives, themes, structure, composition and tentative timetable. The core countries stressed that the conference should be action oriented and focus on specific themes: peace and security, democracy and good governance, economic development and regional integration, and humanitarian and social issues.”
2003-11-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4865 (2003) · source
“(spoke in English) That is why, ever since its presidential statement on Rwanda of 14 October 1994 (S/PRST/1994/59), the Council has supported an international conference on the Great Lakes. This support was reiterated in numerous subsequent statements and resolutions, including the presidential statement (S/PRST/1997/22) of 24 April 1997 on the Great Lakes region and, earlier this year, in resolutions 1457 (2003) and 1493 (2003) on the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The first exploratory steps towards the organization of such a conference were taken between 1996 and 1997 by my Special Envoy for the Great Lakes. To expedite the process, in 1999 I appointed a Special Representative based in Nairobi to consult with the leaders of the region on the objectives and the organization of such a conference.”
2003-11-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4865 (2003) · source
“You have before you, Mr. President, the report (S/2003/1099) in which I have described the preparations for an international conference on the Great Lakes region. This is an old idea which has been revived by developments in the situation on the ground. Everyone knows that conflicts and instability in one country of the Great Lakes region, even if the result of internal factors, rarely remain internal for very long. They tend quickly to spread because of the close social, economic, cultural and linguistic links between the inhabitants of the entire region. That is why a comprehensive approach is necessary to attack the underlying and interdependent causes of conflict in the region.”
2003-11-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4865 (2003) · source
“As Secretary-General, I shall do my utmost to implement the mandate established by the Security Council, bearing in mind the constraints on building up the required capacity and my obligation to care for the safety and security of United Nations staff. I am grateful to the Council for the flexibility that the new resolution gives me in this respect. Although at this moment the United Nations has only a skeletal presence on the ground, we are determined to continue helping the Iraqi people as best we can, from both inside and outside the country, primarily in providing humanitarian assistance. As circumstances permit, I plan to proceed with the other tasks indicated in the resolution. I have no doubt that we all look forward to the earliest possible establishment of an elected Government that will return Iraq to full sovereignty.”
2003-10-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4844 (2003) · source
“May I commend the members of the Security Council for having reached this significant agreement on what, obviously, is a particularly important resolution to address the complex situation in Iraq. The process has been difficult. But the outcome is a clear demonstration of the will of all the members of the Security Council to place the interests of the Iraqi people above all other considerations. Our common objective is to restore peace and stability to a sovereign, democratic and independent Iraq as quickly as possible. It is critical to the Iraqi people, the region and the entire international community that we succeed in reaching the goal of an Iraq that is at peace with itself and with its neighbours, and is contributing to stability in the region.”
2003-10-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4844 (2003) · source