YouSaid · the spoken record

Secretary-General

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

Every line below is reproduced as it was said and linked to the record it came from. Nothing here is summarised or generated. Directory · Search · Corrections

“In Idlib, in north-west Syria, we saw a new wave of shelling and airstrikes against hospitals, schools, markets and camps for the displaced, killing, wounding and creating panic among the civilian population. In all conflicts, when explosive weapons were used in populated areas, 90 per cent ofthose killed or injured were civilians. Overall, approximately 1.4 million people were newly displaced across international borders, while a further 5.2 million were internally displaced. Widespread access constraints jeopardized humanitarian and medical assistance to civilians in need. Violence against humanitarian and medical workers and facilities persisted. The World Health Organization recorded 705 attacks against health-care workers and facilities injust eight conflicts, resulting in 451 deaths and 860 injuries.”
2019-05-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8534 (2019) · source
“Security Council resolutions on the protection of medical care in armed conflict and on conflict and hunger have given important focus and urgency to these issues. I look forward to working with Member States to ensure they are implemented. But, despite those advances, grave human suffering is still being caused by armed conflicts and a lack of compliance with international humanitarian law. As my report (S/2019/373) underlines, civilians continue to make up the vast majority of casualties in conflict. In 2018 alone, the United Nations recorded the death or injury of more than 22,800 civilians in just six countries - Afghanistan, Iraq, Mali, Somalia, South Sudan and Yemen.”
2019-05-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8534 (2019) · source
“Security Council-mandated United Nations peace operations have protected and saved countless civilian lives. In South Sudan, nearly 200,000 internally displaced people are currently sheltering at sites for the protection of civilians. In the Central African Republic, the United Nations Mission has supported local peace and ceasefire agreements that are monitored by civilian and military components. Civilian casualty recording by the United Nations in Afghanistan has led to the adoption of measures by pro-Government forces to minimize harm. Millions of civilians receive cross- border humanitarian assistance in Syria. And war criminals, from Cambodia to the former Yugoslavia, have been tried and convicted.”
2019-05-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8534 (2019) · source
“But let us first recall that we have seen some progress over the past 20 years. A culture of protection has taken root, in the Security Council and across the United Nations. To use the Council's own words, the protection of civilians is "one of the core issues" on its agenda. A comprehensive protection framework now exists, based on international law and Security Council practice. The protection of children, and of all civilians, from loathsome acts of sexual violence in conflict has been strengthened through the deployment of specialist advisers in peace operations, thereby reinforcing the work of humanitarian agencies. Monitoring and reporting on grave violations against children in conflicts and engagement with warring parties has led to the demobilization and reintegration of thousands of children.”
2019-05-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8534 (2019) · source
“I thank the Government of Indonesia for convening this open debate on the protection of civilians in armed conflict. This year marks the seventieth anniversary of the Geneva Conventions, a cornerstone of international humanitarian law. And it is with enormous pleasure that I see with us Peter Mauer, President of the International Committee of the Red Cross, guardian of the Geneva Conventions. It also marks the twentieth anniversary of the Security Council's adoption of the protection of civilians as an item on its agenda, a response to the Council's "deep concern" at the erosion of respect for international humanitarian law. However, while the normative framework has been strengthened, compliance has deteriorated. We are rightly critical when assessing the state ofthe protection of civilians, for there is great cause for concern.”
2019-05-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8534 (2019) · source
“We are grateful to those Member States that have sponsored 50/50 male/female officer courses, and we ask more Member States to do so. Improving performance is at the heart of our collective effort. We look forward to our continued collaboration.”
2019-05-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8521 (2019) · source
“Many of the trainees, including 23 female officers, have deployed to missions, including the African Union Mission in Somalia, which we support. Following the success of engineering training in Kenya, we are launching a field medic assistant course in Uganda this year and will conduct engineering training in Viet Nam and Indonesia in 2020. We have made notable progress, but much still needs to be done. Training gaps remain in critical areas such as weapons handling, first aid, human rights and protection issues. To ensure the long-term sustainability of triangular and other partnerships and initiatives, I urge Member States to consider increased funding, in-kind contributions of equipment and the provision of trainers. I must also stress how important it is that we receive far more nominations of women to take part in training.”
2019-05-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8521 (2019) · source
“The Secretariat is helping troop- and police-contributing countries to improve their predeployment training on the prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse, by making core training materials available and deploying mobile training teams to troop- and police-contributing countries in response to requests from those countries. I am pleased that our collective commitment to better train and equip peacekeepers has led to a number of effective triangular partnerships among the Secretariat, Member States that have expertise and resources, and Member States that deploy our uniformed peacekeepers. We have facilitated and conducted training for 330 uniformed engineers and 2,700 uniformed signals personnel.”
2019-05-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8521 (2019) · source
“Strengthening conduct and discipline is one of our key priorities. We are encouraged that the number of allegations of sexual exploitation and abuse in peacekeeping appears to be decreasing. But we are also mindful that we must be vigilant in our prevention efforts and seek accountability whenever the zero- tolerance policy has been violated. We must continue to do so in strong partnership with Member States. Conduct-and-discipline issues are an essential component of predeployment and in-mission induction training, which is mandatory for all civilian, military and police peacekeeping personnel.”
2019-05-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8521 (2019) · source
“We have established a framework of performance standards and assessments based on continuous evaluations of military units, including command and control, protection of civilians, and conduct and discipline. And we have strengthened peacekeeping leadership training for civilians, military and police, including through scenario-based exercises. We are also working to increase the number of women in our peacekeeping operations. A talent pipeline specifically for senior women military officers is under development, and we are looking at how we can make mission environments more conducive to women. The Council's continued support will be essential to enhance those efforts - through the provision of training programmes and mobile training teams, translating training materials into the six official languages of the United Nations and funding.”
2019-05-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8521 (2019) · source
“Strengthening medical training is another key component, and to help address the threat of improvised explosive devices and other dangers, we are working with troop- and police-contributing countries to ensure that units joining our missions meet our operational readiness standards before deployment and that they have undergone predeployment training in accordance with United Nations standards. We are also placing a renewed emphasis on in-mission training to ensure that our peacekeepers benefit from the necessary support in the field. We are particularly keen to develop the use of mobile training teams, and we are encouraging Member States to send such teams to provide targeted, flexible support to our missions.”
2019-05-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8521 (2019) · source
“In the five high-risk missions - the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the African Union-United Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur, the United Nations Mission in South Sudan, the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic and the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali - we have conducted training support and assessment visits. We are also instituting casualty evacuation training, stress testing and crisis management exercises in these five missions.”
2019-05-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8521 (2019) · source
“In doing so, they have reconfirmed the shared responsibility for peacekeeping performance and stated their commitment to providing well-trained uniformed personnel. Today, I would like to update the Council on the Secretariat's progress in fulfilling our commitment to training and capacity-building. On safety and security, we continue to take forward the action plan to improve the security of United Nations peacekeepers. This is supported by the roll-out of a comprehensive training plan.”
2019-05-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8521 (2019) · source
“As such, training is a necessary and strategic investment in peacekeeping and a shared responsibility between Member States and the Secretariat. This system of collaboration was recognized in 1995. The General Assembly confirmed Member States' responsibility for the predeployment training of uniformed personnel, while the Secretariat assists Member States by establishing training standards and providing training materials. The Secretariat is also responsible for training civilian personnel. We need to build on this approach of shared responsibility and deepen our collaboration. I thank the 151 Member States and 4 international and regional organizations that have supported the Action for Peacekeeping initiative by endorsing the Declaration of Shared Commitments on Peacekeeping Operations.”
2019-05-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8521 (2019) · source
“I thank you, Madam President, for convening this important debate on peacekeeping training and capacity-building. It reflects your country's strong engagement in peacekeeping, here in New York as well as in the field. I salute the more than 3,000 uniformed personnel from Indonesia who currently serve in eight of our operations, and I pay tribute to the 37 Indonesian peacekeepers who have made the ultimate sacrifice under the United Nations flag. Improving training is a major shared commitment of the Action for Peacekeeping initiative. Training saves lives. Our peacekeepers are deployed to increasingly complex and often hostile environments. Training prepares them for their vital peacekeeping tasks and improves their performance. As we know, improved performance reduces fatalities.”
2019-05-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8521 (2019) · source
“I commend the efforts of Dr. Mukwege to create a global fund to support victims and call on all Member States to contribute so that the fund can transform the lives ofthose affected and provide a measure ofredress. I thank the members of the Council for their leadership over the past decade. This agenda has benefitted from both the commitment and the consensus of Council members, and I encourage Council members to continue working together to reconcile differences. The global response to these crimes must ensure the punishment of the perpetrators and comprehensive support to survivors, in full respect for their human rights. Together, we can and must replace impunity with justice and indifference with action.”
2019-04-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8514 (2019) · source
“When women are at the peace table, there is greater likelihood of accountability for these crimes. When women are part of ceasefire monitoring, they can ensure that gender-based crimes are monitored and reported. My recommendations also stress the need to strengthen justice and accountability. Despite a handful of high-profile convictions, there is widespread impunity for sexual violence in conflict. Most of these crimes are never reported or investigated, much less prosecuted. My recommendations include increasing support to national authorities as they reform laws, improve their capacities to investigate and prosecute these crimes and protect survivors who testify from stigma and fear of reprisal. They also emphasize the need for greater support for survivors and their families, including health care, reparations and other assistance.”
2019-04-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8514 (2019) · source
“My report (S/2019/280) outlines a series of recommendations that are intended to provide a comprehensive approach to conflict-related sexual violence. Prevention is a strong theme running through the recommendations. I encourage the Council to include the prevention of conflict-related sexual violence in all its country-specific resolutions and in the mandates of peace operations. I also encourage the Council to integrate the issue of conflict-related sexual violence fully into the work of its sanctions committees and to include measures to prevent these crimes in its initiatives on security sector and justice reform. Strengthening prevention in the context of the Council's peacemaking efforts is also critical. Where women are part of peacekeeping missions, we know that reporting on and protection from sexual violence increase.”
2019-04-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8514 (2019) · source
“Prevention must therefore be based on promoting women's rights and gender equality in all areas before, during and after conflict. That must include women's full and effective participation in political, economic and social life and ensuring accessible and responsive justice and security institutions. We must also recognize that there are links between sexual violence in conflict, gender inequality and discrimination and violent extremism and terrorism. Extremists and terrorists often build their ideologies around the subjugation of women and girls and use sexual violence in various ways, from forced marriage to virtual enslavement. Sexual violence continues to fuel conflict and severely impacts the prospects for lasting peace.”
2019-04-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8514 (2019) · source
“Throughout my career, I have heard first-hand accounts of sexual violence in war zones, from the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the former Yugoslavia. In Bangladesh last year, Rohingya refugees told me of the gang rape of women and girls in their homes before they fled Myanmar. That is why the President of the International Committee of the Red Cross, Peter Maurer, and I pledged earlier this year to step up efforts to prevent and end such crimes and to put victims and survivors at the centre of our response. At the same time, we urged Governments to do more to address the issue and to support survivors. We must recognize that sexual violence in conflict largely affects women and girls because it is closely linked to broader issues of gender inequality and discrimination.”
2019-04-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8514 (2019) · source
“To give just a few examples, United Nations peacekeepers now receive consistent training to prevent and to respond to sexual violence in conflict. We have strengthened our ability to investigate crimes of sexual and gender- based violence, deploying dedicated investigators to United Nations commissions of inquiry and to national and international courts. We have improved our data and analysis of such crimes - an essential basis for successful prevention. And we are supporting Governments to improve their response and services for survivors. Despite all those efforts, the reality on the ground has not changed. Sexual violence continues to be a horrific feature of conflicts around the world.”
2019-04-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8514 (2019) · source
“Advocacy groups have demonstrated beyond doubt that sexual violence is deliberately used as a tactic of war to terrorize people, dehumanize communities and destabilize societies so that they struggle to recover for years or even decades. Local civil society organizations, many of them women's organizations, are at the forefront of our efforts to prevent this crime and to provide redress for it, and they deserve our strong and consistent support. Individual heroes, including those with us today, have shown great courage in speaking out on the enormous and lasting damage done by the crime, which is most often perpetrated against women and girls. The United Nations system has stepped up by taking action to implement the resolutions passed by the Council on women and peace and security.”
2019-04-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8514 (2019) · source
“It is 10 years since the establishment ofthe mandate and the Office of the Special Representative on Sexual Violence in Conflict. Over the course of the decade, there has been a paradigm shift in the understanding of the crime of conflict-related sexual violence, its impact on international peace and security, the response required to prevent and end it, and the full range of services required by survivors. That is the result of advocacy and action by individuals, Governments, non-governmental organizations and institutions. I commend all those involved, including the Council, which has established a robust normative framework to address the issue. An increasing number of Governments have shown a willingness to pursue justice and provide services for survivors.”
2019-04-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8514 (2019) · source
“I thank Germany and His Excellency the Foreign Minister, Mr. Heiko Maas, for hosting this important debate. I welcome Nobel Peace Prize laureates Ms. Nadia Murad and Dr. Denis Mukwege and thank them for their extraordinary work. Their advocacy highlights two vital elements of our response to the crime of sexual violence in conflict: the call for justice and the need for support and assistance to victims. While their efforts originate in Iraq and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, they have a global impact. The United Nations is proud to work with victims and survivors to support the movements that they have started. I also welcome Ms. Inas Miloud and Ms. Amal Clooney and thank them for their activism and advocacy.”
2019-04-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8514 (2019) · source
“I also appeal to Member States and their capitals to do their utmost to meet the targets in the uniformed gender-parity strategy, not only through pledges but, more important, through the sustained recruitment and deployment of women within their national services. I am pleased that we are very close to gender parity in the senior leadership of the United Nations for the first time in the history of the Organization, and well ahead of my 2021 commitment - but that is an area where I can decide alone. I am committed to sustaining that progress, which makes clear that what is needed ultimately is political will and persistence. We need to bring the same spirit to our peace operations. This is crucial for our effectiveness, credibility and reputation. We count on Member States' sustained support.”
2019-04-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8508 (2019) · source
“Among police personnel, the representation of women has increased by 300 - more than 3 per cent - since the 2017 Peacekeeping Ministerial. Nine per cent of personnel in formed police units are now women. Furthermore, the number of female heads of United Nations police components in the field has increased, including in Abyei, Cyprus, Darfur and South Sudan. Our uniformed gender-parity strategy also sets targets for uniformed corrections and justice officers in the field. However, that area has been more challenging We in the Secretariat will continue to press ahead in all those areas. But to keep on track, we need assistance from Member States: first, through increased nominations of women officers and, secondly, a sharper focus on women in battalions and formed police units.”
2019-04-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8508 (2019) · source
“The achievement of those targets will represent a significant step towards parity. Since December 2015, the number of women in uniform has increased by approximately 1 per cent. That is clearly not enough. But there are some notable gains on which we can build. The number of women staff officers and military observers has almost doubled since the first Peacekeeping Ministerial in November 2017, with women now representing more than 13 per cent of deployed personnel. Also since that first meeting, 27 countries that had previously not deployed any women at all now do so. And 30 more countries have deployed more than 15 per cent women military observers and staff officers, bringing the total number of countries to 48.”
2019-04-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8508 (2019) · source
“They include addressing conditions in missions to provide more suitable accommodation, facilities, lighting and health facilities. We must also strive to ensure that the rosters from which we recruit are gender-balanced and that the gains we have secured in recruitment in recent years are not eroded during the downsizing of missions. A set of proposals in that regard have already been presented to the Fifth Committee of the General Assembly. This year we rolled out the uniformed gender-parity strategy, which builds on the commitment established in resolution 2242 (2015) and goes further, calling for more than just a doubling of numbers. Targets for women's representation range from 15 per cent to 35 per cent by 2028, inclusive of military, police and justice and corrections personnel.”
2019-04-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8508 (2019) · source
“In support of our commitments in those areas, we have undertaken a range of actions to support and promote women's involvement in our operations. Last year, we launched the gender-responsive peacekeeping operations policy, which commits us to promoting leadership and accountability both for gender equality and for the women and peace and security agenda. For civilian personnel, each field mission has developed its own gender-parity strategies, and our leadership in the field is more than 40 per cent female. I have also established a working group on emergency measures for gender parity in peace operations, to tackle some of the specific challenges we have identified in recruiting and retaining women in field environments, including in our rules and regulations.”
2019-04-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8508 (2019) · source
“The Action for Peacekeeping initiative calls for the full, equal and meaningful participation of women at all stages of peace processes, as well as the integration of a gender perspective into all stages of analysis, planning, implementation and reporting. I thank the more than 150 Member States that have signed on to that commitment. I also thank those Member States that launched the Elsie Initiative on Women in Peace Operations at last week's Peacekeeping Ministerial on overcoming barriers to increasing women's meaningful participation in peace operations. The Action for Peacekeeping Initiative builds on the numerous policies and strategies of the United Nations aimed at strengthening performance, accountability and the implementation of women and peace and security mandates.”
2019-04-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8508 (2019) · source
“As we approach the twentieth anniversary of resolution 1325 (2000), on women and peace and security, we need to do far more to ensure that women's rights, women's voices and women's participation are at the centre of peacekeeping decision-making. This is central to sustainable solutions in all the contexts in which we work. Through resolution 2242 (2015), on women and peace and security, adopted in 2015, the Security Council called on us to double the numbers of women in military and police components of United Nations peacekeeping operations by 2020 and to review the barriers to their recruitment and advancement. We are pressing forward on those goals.”
2019-04-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8508 (2019) · source
“Women in patrol units are better able to reach both men and women in areas of operation, accessing critical intelligence and providing a more holistic View of the security challenges. The presence of women at checkpoints has been credited with promoting a less confrontational atmosphere, and more women in troop contingents is credited with higher reporting of sexual and gender-based violence and lower incidences of sexual exploitation and abuse. Equally, access to women's networks can enable female peacekeepers to consult with a broader section of the population, who may have very different requirements and perspectives on sustainable peace. This lays the ground for another shared goal: more representative and inclusive peace processes.”
2019-04-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8508 (2019) · source
“I welcome this debate on women in peacekeeping as we strive for progress on a key element in the maintenance of international peace and security. With the launch of the system-wide strategy on gender parity, in 2017, the United Nations embarked upon an ambitious and essential system-wide effort to enhance women's representation at all levels and in all arenas. A key priority is to increase the number of women in peacekeeping - both civilian and uniformed - which is where we need the most improvement. This is not just a question of numbers, but also of our effectiveness in fulfilling our mandates. Evidence shows that greater numbers of women peacekeepers lead to protection responses that are more credible and meet the needs of all members of local communities.”
2019-04-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8508 (2019) · source
“We cannot stand by while the humanitarian situation deteriorates, development gaps increase and security risks become unsustainable. I call on all national, regional and international actors to step up efforts to tackle the multiple threats facing Mali and the entire Sahel region. Investing in peace in Mali is investing in global security. I urge our continued full support to MINUSMA, the United Nations humanitarian and development agencies and all partners on the ground. However, that support will never be sufficient. There is no substitute for political will. I call on the Government of Mali, the leaders of the political opposition and the signatory movements to redouble their efforts to overcome the challenges the country faces. Now is the time to work together to bring back peace and stability to Mali.”
2019-03-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8497 (2019) · source
“I call upon all to strengthen efforts to address the root causes of instability and insecurity in Mali through humanitarian aid and support for sustainable development, including programmes on climate change mitigation and adaptation. The situation in Mali is a test of the international community's ability to mobilize in support of peace and stability. That is not a question of charity. It is one of enlightened self-interest. Security in Mali has an impact on the entire Sahel, which in turn affects global stability. The entire Sahel region faces severe transnational challenges, from climate change and drought to growing insecurity, violent extremism and the smuggling of people, weapons and drugs. The Council is aware of the growing threat to stability in Burkina Faso.”
2019-03-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8497 (2019) · source
“MINUSMA and the United Nations agencies, funds and programmes have now adopted an integrated strategic framework that will help to prioritize tasks and define responsibilities to support broader and longer-term sustaining peace efforts by the Malian Government. There are several important international initiatives under way, including the Alliance for the Sahel, launched by France, Germany and the European Union, which aims to invest â‚¬9 billion across the region by 2022. The G-S Sahel held a successful partner and donor conference in Nouakchott in December. While I welcome such initiatives, they are insufficient.”
2019-03-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8497 (2019) · source
“I also urge the international community to continue its support. While we must do more to support the Malian authorities and improve security across the whole country, military approaches alone will not solve Mali's problems. We can only prevent increased violence and instability by tackling root causes such as poverty, climate change, competition for resources, underdevelopment and the lack of opportunities for young people. Some 2.4 million people in Mali need food assistance. There are just three health workers for every 10,000 people in the northern and central regions. More than 800 schools have been closed and nearly a quarter of a million children have no access to education.”
2019-03-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8497 (2019) · source
“I encourage the Government to promote reconciliation and intercommunal dialogue, aimed at ensuring inclusivity, strengthening resilience and creating social cohesion from the ground up. I welcome efforts by the Government to make this process as broad as possible by including political leaders from across the spectrum, the signatory movements and armed groups, experts and members of civil society. The recent meetings initiated by President Keita with the leaders of the democratic opposition, including Souma'ila Cisse, show a willingness on both sides to rise above partisan politics and support the reforms. I urge all Malian parties to redouble their efforts, address differences through dialogue and listen to the voices of the Malian people, so that those gains can be irreversible.”
2019-03-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8497 (2019) · source
“(spoke in English) While the security situation is deteriorating, there have been some important steps in the past six months towards accelerating the implementation of the Agreement on Peace and Reconciliation in Mali. More than 1,400 former combatants in Gao, Kidal and Timbuktu have joined the Malian army as part of the accelerated disarmament, demobilization and reintegration process, which is an important sign of commitment. Interim administrations have been established in all five northern regions. Discussions on enhancing the participation of women in the peace process are under way. The Government has launched a comprehensive political and administrative reform process laying the groundwork for dialogue on how Mali's institutions can best serve the interests of its people.”
2019-03-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8497 (2019) · source
“I want to express my deepest condolences to their families and friends, but their sacrifice will not be in vain. The United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) has enhanced its capacity to respond to attacks, even when heavily outnumbered. But as extremists expand their activities and use increasingly sophisticated weapons, the Malian and international forces must also step up and strengthen their response. MINUSMA works in close coordination with the Malian defence and security forces and the international forces present in Mali - the Joint Force ofthe Group of Five for the Sahel (G-5 Sahel) and the French Operation Barkhane. I welcome the recent operations led by Barkhane and the G-5 Sahel, and the Council is aware of my view of what is needed to make the Joint Force fully operational.”
2019-03-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8497 (2019) · source
“If those concerns are not addressed, there is a high risk of further escalation that could lead to the commission of atrocity crimes. Last year there were more than 240 attacks on civilians, representatives of the Malian Government and national and international forces, up from 183 in 2016. The number of people forced to flee their homes increased from 40,000 a year ago to 123,000 in February 2019, and cases ofthe use of improvised explosive devices in central Mali more than tripled, from 29 in 2017 to nearly 100 in 2018. We owe Special Representative Mahamat Saleh Annadif and his military and civilian staff our gratitude for the work they are doing in this extremely challenging and dangerous mission. Eighteen Blue Helmets from Chad, Guinea and Sri Lanka lost their lives in Mali in the past 18 months.”
2019-03-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8497 (2019) · source
“I urge the Malian authorities to step up efforts to end the violence and bring back peace and stability to central Mali. But as these attacks become deadlier and more frequent, we must decide what the international community can do to better support the Malian authorities and protect all of Mali's people, including the Fulani, who were targeted in the massacre. The security situation is deteriorating rapidly, particularly in the centre of Mali. Terrorist and militia groups are taking over more territory and have become more agile and mobile. The expansion of extremist movements has exacerbated long-standing intercommunal tensions between ethnic groups over access to land and water. The proliferation of small arms and light weapons and the arming of ethnically based self-defence groups have increased violence against civilians.”
2019-03-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8497 (2019) · source
“I thank you, Mr. President, for this opportunity to brief the Council. I welcome His Excellency Prime Minister Maiga. We have all been shocked by the recent surge in violence in central Mali, particularly the killing last weekend of at least 160 civilians in the village of Ogossagou in Mopti province. It appears to have been a premeditated massacre, in which whole families, including mothers and young children, were hacked to death with machetes in their homes, which were then set on fire. And while it may be the worst attack so far, it is not the first. I want to express my deepest condolences to the families of the victims and to the Government and the people of Mali, and I wish the injured a speedy recovery. Impunity only fuels the cycle of violence. This attack must be investigated urgently and its perpetrators brought to justice.”
2019-03-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8497 (2019) · source
“We must also do more to empower women and to address the gender dimensions of mercenary activities. Our work to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals can help us in all of these areas 4 yet another reason to accelerate those efforts. The United Nations stands ready to continue to support Governments in tackling mercenary activities, including by deepening our dialogue with the relevant regional organizations and national institutions. I urge all countries to cooperate with the United Nations Working Group, including those that the Group wishes to visit. Together, let us strengthen our work across the spectrum of this challenge, from prevention to prosecution, and from mitigating the impacts of mercenary activities to addressing the root causes that give rise to them.”
2019-02-04 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8456 (2019) · source
“The United Nations Standing Advisory Committee on Security Questions in Central Africa is a further part of the picture, and Interpol is among the other organizations with an important role to play. Thirdly, we need to examine the political, economic, social and psychological factors that give rise to mercenary activities. The United Nations Working Group on the Use of Mercenaries has recommended a wide range of steps, including combatting exclusion, improving civic engagement, ensuring good governance, delivering equitable public services, and ensuring protection for minorities and other vulnerable groups. Enhanced efforts to create opportunities for young people will be critical to reducing the lure of mercenaries and the threat of radicalization.”
2019-02-04 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8456 (2019) · source
“Such steps could include mixed border commissions, joint border security monitoring mechanisms and regular intelligence-sharing between national defence forces. Cooperation will also be essential for building the capacity of national institutions responsible for justice, security and human rights to carry out these Vital functions and to implement the relevant legal instruments. A State must be able to exercise a monopoly on the use of force within its territory, with armed forces and police capable of protecting people while upholding the rule of law. The strategic partnership between the United Nations and the African Union, the Economic Community of Central African States and countries of the region is vital. I thank African Union Commission Chairperson Moussa Faki Mahamat for his excellent cooperation.”
2019-02-04 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8456 (2019) · source
“The United Nations Regional Office for Central Africa and the United Nations Regional Centre for Peace and Disarmament in Africa will continue to support implementation of these standards, which will help advance the African Union's Silencing the Guns by 2020 agenda. Strengthening the legal regime also means bringing more precision to it. The international legal definition of a mercenary is very narrow, and therefore poses a challenge to effective investigations and prosecutions. Secondly, we need to increase bilateral, regional and international cooperation. Cooperation on border management will be crucial to stemming the largely unhindered flow of weapons and foreign armed actors throughout Central Africa.”
2019-02-04 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8456 (2019) · source
“Equatorial Guinea recently acceded to the Convention and will become the 36th party later this month. Only three current members of the Security Council have done so. I call on those States that remain outside the Convention to accede to or ratify it without delay. The legal framework also includes important African instruments, including the Organization of African Unity Convention for the Elimination of Mercenarism in Africa and the Central African Convention for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons, their Ammunition and All Parts and Components That Can Be Used for Their Manufacture, Repair and Assembly.”
2019-02-04 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8456 (2019) · source
“In retaliation for repeated attacks, pastoralists have hired other armed groups or rebels to protect themselves and their livestock, thereby fuelling the cycle of Violence. Equatorial Guinea itself has reported serious attempts against, its own Government. Indeed, last year, Ambassador Anatolio Ndong Mba of Equatorial Guinea underscored to the Council the need for "vigilance and control of groups that sow insecurity and instability" (S/PV8J56, p. 10). Meeting these challenges requires action on many fronts. First, we must bolster the legal regimes, globally and nationally. Only 35 States are parties to the International Convention against the Recruitment, Use, Financing and Training of Mercenaries, adopted by the General Assembly in 1989 (resolution 44/34).”
2019-02-04 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8456 (2019) · source
“Today, they are exploiting and feeding off other ills, such as transnational organized crime, terrorism and violent extremism. In Africa, the focus of today's discussion, mercenary activities remain a serious concern. We have seen illicit activities and trafficking by terrorist and mercenary groups operating in the Sahel, as well as the alleged involvement of mercenaries in post-election violence in Cote d'Ivoire in 2010. Mercenaries and other foreign fighters have committed innumerable violations of human rights and humanitarian law against civilians in the Central African Republic. They have also suppressed movements of herders along traditional routes, such as the border with Cameroon.”
2019-02-04 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8456 (2019) · source