YouSaid · the spoken record

Simão

lines on the record
21
first
1999-09-30
most recent
2023-07-25
sittings or episodes
2
sources
un-security-council

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  1. “(spoke in English) To conclude, I would like to share with Council members the progress achieved by the Cameroon-Nigeria Mixed Commission, which is another example of peacebuilding beyond the limelight of everyday news. Of note, final mapping and the construction of pillars demarcating the border between the two countries are proceeding steadily, with only three areas of disagreement remaining. To assist in these sensitive processes, financial support will be required to stimulate confidence-building between the affected communities. I would like to thank the Council for its continued support of UNOWAS. You may rest assured, Mr. President, that, in line with our mandate, we will continue to work together with our regional and international partners to consolidate much-needed peace, security and democracy in West Africa and the Sahel.”

    2023-07-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9384 (2023) · source

  2. “The rate of food insecurity is alarming, particularly in areas where instability has interrupted agricultural production. The 6.3 million people across the Sahel who have been displaced are another gravely worrisome humanitarian consequence. A growing number of these displaced populations are seeking refuge in coastal countries, including Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana. I appeal to all stakeholders to work together to preserve the dignity of refugees and the security of host and transit countries. Insecurity also has a direct impact on future generations. Before our very eyes, more than 11,000 schools are closed across Burkina Faso, Mali, the Niger and Nigeria, depriving children of education and prospects, thereby mortgaging their fundamental rights and the future of their countries.”

    2023-07-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9384 (2023) · source

  3. “(spoke in English) The security situation in the Central Sahel has deteriorated further, with multiple attacks against civilians and defence and security forces, especially in the Liptako-Gourma area. Encouraged by the recent decision by ECOWAS to fully operationalize the 2020–2024 Action Plan for the eradication of terrorism in the region, using mandatory contributions from its members. I would like to appeal to partners to lend robust and decisive support to this commendable initiative. Leveraging our comparative advantages, we need to join forces with the African Union, ECOWAS and affected Member States to make a decisive move to stem insecurity in the Sahel. (spoke in French) I would like to emphasize the humanitarian impact of the crisis facing our region.”

    2023-07-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9384 (2023) · source

  4. “Accordingly, I welcome the participation of the President of the ECOWAS Commission, Mr. Omar Alieu Touray, in today’s meeting of the Security Council. The summit’s decisions demonstrate, if proof were still needed, the concern of the Heads of State, as well as their unequivocal determination to tackle the crises and re-establish contact between ECOWAS mediators and the authorities of the countries in transition. The decision to hold an extraordinary ECOWAS summit at the end of August, preceded by a meeting of Ministers of Defence and Finance, will enable the region to focus more closely on the burning issues of insecurity, including in the countries in transition.”

    2023-07-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9384 (2023) · source

  5. “I intend to visit Bamako as soon as possible to discuss the situation with the authorities, partners and United Nations colleagues. The crisis in the Sahel crisis is the sum of complex circumstances, and its resolution requires concrete, realistic and long-term support from the region and beyond, in order to achieve lasting peace. The people of the region are constantly reminding us of our collective obligation to support the efforts of their countries to resolve these crises and put an end to the scourge of terrorism that has marked their daily lives for too long. In this respect, I would also like to bear witness to the commitment of the States in the region, reiterated at the sixty-third ordinary summit of ECOWAS Heads of State and Government, which I attended.”

    2023-07-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9384 (2023) · source

  6. “Those visits enabled me to talk to the authorities about the transitions under way and to understand the scale of the crisis in the Sahel. In Burkina Faso, I noted the determination of the transitional authorities to re-establish security throughout the country and their willingness to tackle the many challenges facing their country and the subregion. I also take note of the processes under way in Guinea and Mali to return to constitutional order within the allotted time, and I believe that our efforts must converge towards that major objective. In Mali, we are facing the major challenges of a difficult transition, given the imminent departure of the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA).”

    2023-07-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9384 (2023) · source

  7. “Moreover, with more than 60 per cent of the population being younger than 25, young people are an important group whose voice is not yet being fully heard in peacebuilding efforts. UNOWAS has continued to advocate for greater inclusiveness of youth in electoral and decision-making processes. In that regard, I was pleased to engage students and young professionals at the regional youth forum organized by UNOWAS in Cabo Verde, which resulted in the Mindelo call to action. (spoke in French) As part of my introductory visits to the region since taking office, I have been received by the authorities of Senegal; Guinea-Bissau; Nigeria, through the ECOWAS Commission; Côte d’Ivoire; Burkina Faso; Sierra Leone; the Niger; Cabo Verde and Guinea.”

    2023-07-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9384 (2023) · source

  8. “Notably, in collaboration with the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), UNOWAS is partnering with the West African Bar Association to strengthen justice systems and will organize a regional conference in August in Accra. Despite the encouraging steps towards democratic consolidation, the continued underrepresentation of women across the region in political processes and decision-making not only deprives half of the population of essential rights, but is also a massive impediment to development. Therefore, notwithstanding some notable advances registered during the period, I call upon all stakeholders, in particular Governments and political parties, to promote legislation and ensure the effective application of existing instruments on women’s empowerment and gender equality.”

    2023-07-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9384 (2023) · source

  9. “The ongoing proactive implementation of the recommendations of the dialogue is noteworthy as Senegal moves to hold its presidential election in February next year. For its part, UNOWAS supported the various electoral processes — not only through high-level good offices, but also through support for pre-electoral interparty dialogues and confidence-building initiatives among stakeholders in Benin and Nigeria, amid other initiatives. I would also like to highlight how UNOWAS is enhancing its partnerships with regional partners to reinforce the rule of law, against the backdrop of concerns over the impartiality of the judiciary in parts of the region.”

    2023-07-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9384 (2023) · source

  10. “In Nigeria, voters, especially young voters, injected a new vibrancy into the electoral competition. In Guinea-Bissau, the opposition secured an absolute majority after peaceful parliamentary elections, whose results were accepted by all. That notwithstanding, the often keenly contested polls also exposed real challenges. In a number of countries, there were concerns over a shrinking civic and political space and the lack of transparency in vote tabulation and transmission, which undermined citizens’ trust in the electoral processes. Those challenges should be addressed way ahead of future elections. In that context, I welcome the national dialogue convened by President Macky Sall of Senegal.”

    2023-07-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9384 (2023) · source

  11. “Mr. Simão: I am honoured to present today the Secretary-General’s report (S/2023/490) on the situation in West Africa and the Sahel and the activities of the United Nations Office for West Africa and the Sahel (UNOWAS) for the first time since assuming office. I would also like to congratulate the United Kingdom presidency of the Security Council for this month for its leadership. Allow me to start by welcoming the holding of elections in several countries in West Africa and the Sahel, namely in Benin, the Gambia, Guinea-Bissau, Mauritania, Nigeria and Sierra Leone. These elections have marked important steps towards democratic consolidation, offering opportunities for citizens to choose their leaders and representatives at the national and subnational levels.”

    2023-07-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9384 (2023) · source

  12. “The success of the Security Council, and of the United Nations as a whole, will be judged by the degree of success it achieves in the least developed of all our planet's continents. Together we shall succeed.”

    1999-09-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4049Resumption2 (1999) · source

  13. “Similar regional mechanisms, such as our SADC Organ on Politics, Defence and Security, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and other regional mechanisms, are also capable of playing a meaningful role. What we need is to endow these arrangements with adequate financial and technical resources so that they also can launch and participate in peacekeeping missions in Africa. We call on the United Nations to collaborate closely with Africa to enhance Africa's capacity to shoulder its own responsibility to help maintain peace and security within Africa. We call also on the international community to provide the necessary resources in amounts sufficient to allow these objectives to be realized.”

    1999-09-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4049Resumption2 (1999) · source

  14. “Cost should not be a determining factor because it has never been a determining factor in dealing with conflicts in other parts of the world. In the case of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, what SADC is proposing is a strong and structured partnership with the United Nations in order to guarantee the implementation of the Lusaka Agreement. Africa has the potential to solve its own problems as has been demonstrated on many occasions. Our continental organization, the Organization of African Unity (OAU), has been involved in the search for solutions for the many conflicts devastating the continent. Through its Central Organ of the OAU Mechanism for Conflict Prevention, Management and Resolution, Africa can indeed play a pivotal role in the maintenance of peace and security.”

    1999-09-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4049Resumption2 (1999) · source

  15. “To that end, the early and timely deployment of peacekeeping forces, with an appropriate mandate under Chapter VII of the Charter, and with enough manpower and resources, is imperative for the achievement of lasting peace and stability in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. All SADC countries, and indeed many African and other nations, are ready to contribute troops for this peacekeeping mission. It is our hope that, unlike previous occasions elsewhere, solving the security issue will not be a precondition for the deployment of peacekeeping forces. We are concerned that a step-by-step approach by the Security Council may jeopardize the smooth implementation of the Lusaka Agreement. It is regrettable that whenever the international community is faced with taking action to solve a conflict in Africa the issue of cost is always raised.”

    1999-09-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4049Resumption2 (1999) · source

  16. “Taking this into account, the SADC countries are ready to collaborate with the United Nations to monitor the implementation of sanctions against UNITA. We think that this will complement the efforts of the Security Council, and indeed of the whole international community, to achieve lasting peace in Angola. The situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has seen some positive progress, with the signature of the Lusaka Agreement by all parties involved in the conflict. However, the slow pace of implementation of this Agreement constitutes a major concern for the whole region. In this regard, we call upon the Security Council to adopt practical measures to ensure an effective ceasefire.”

    1999-09-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4049Resumption2 (1999) · source

  17. “It is also urgently necessary to ensure that humanitarian assistance is provided to mitigate the plight of the people of Angola and avoid a human catastrophe. We commend the work done by the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 864 (1993), chaired by Ambassador Robert Fowler of Canada, which recommended effective measures for the implementation of Security Council sanctions imposed against UNITA. We encourage the Committee to continue with its work. The maintenance of peace and security is the main responsibility of the Security Council. However, regional arrangements must also contribute to ensuring the attainment of that objective. After all, in the particular case of SADC, instability in Angola and in the Democratic Republic of the Congo also affects that whole region.”

    1999-09-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4049Resumption2 (1999) · source

  18. “Regrettably, conflicts in Africa continue to be a source of concern for all of us on the continent as well as for all peace- loving countries. We are all involved in the search for solutions for those conflicts which are undermining the development of the African countries. We are conscious that in Southern Africa our concern remains Angola and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Without peace there is neither stability nor development. With regard to the situation in Angola we deeply regret the resumption of war, caused by UNITA, which is denying Angola the well deserved peace and stability which are so long overdue. Hence, the sanctions imposed by the Security Council against UNITA as a way to force Mr. Savimbi to comply with resolutions 864 (1993), 1127 (1997) and 1173 (1998) must be both reinforced and implemented.”

    1999-09-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4049Resumption2 (1999) · source

  19. “While recognizing that the fate of our continent lies in our hands, we strongly believe that the international community must provide the necessary support to ensure the continuity of the progress so far achieved. Africa is still marginalized. Therefore, the international community must take practical steps to complement the efforts of Africa towards regional integration, thus allowing the continent to be fully integrated into the world economy. In this regard, developed countries must reverse the decline in official development assistance for Africa, provide debt relief or cancellation and mitigate the impact of the deterioration in terms of trade while allowing access of African goods to world markets. The 1999 United Nations Development Programme Human Development Report contains staggering statistics on African countries.”

    1999-09-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4049Resumption2 (1999) · source

  20. “These positive aspects have been gradually undermined by a combination of factors which have had a negative impact on the continent's development. The colonial legacy, poverty, the deterioration of the terms of trade and the debt burden are among the main obstacles to the attainment of peace and economic and political stability in Africa. However, we are proud to note that African States, including the Southern African Development Community (SADC) countries, are introducing political, social and economic reforms, such as the adoption of multi-party political systems and free market economies. This in our view signals the Africans' commitment to seek solutions to their own problems, aiming at achieving sustainable development and stability as well as the well-being of the peoples of the continent.”

    1999-09-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4049Resumption2 (1999) · source

  21. “Let me begin by congratulating you, Sir, upon your assumption of the presidency of the Council for the current month, and pay a well-deserved tribute to your predecessor, the Permanent Representative of Namibia, for the diligent manner in which he discharged his duties during the month of August. I would also like to express my appreciation, Sir, for your initiative in convening this debate on the situation in Africa. As we approach the new millennium, we think it is high time to reflect on the developments and challenges confronting our continent. I thank all countries which have expressed kind and encouraging words to my country. Africa is well known as the cradle of ancient civilizations that contributed to the scientific advance of the world. It is also endowed with huge human and natural resources.”

    1999-09-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4049Resumption2 (1999) · source