YouSaid · the spoken record

The Secretary-General

lines on the record: 436
first: 1992-01-31
most recent: 2023-12-08
sittings or episodes: 52
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

“Any annexation of a State’s territory by another State resulting from the threat or use of force is a violation of the Charter of the United Nations and international law. Thousands of Ukrainian civilians, including hundreds of children, have been killed and injured, mostly by Russian bombardment of urban areas. Every day, an average of five children are killed or injured. Almost every child in Ukraine has been scarred by the nightmare of war, from violence to family separation. Some 14 million people, the majority of them women and children, have been forced to flee. The situation will only get worse with winter approaching and gas and electricity supplies dwindling. At the global level, the conflict has brought about a triple crisis of food, energy and finance.”
2022-09-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9135 (2022) · source
“Russia’s war in Ukraine shows no sign of letting up. The past seven months have seen unspeakable suffering and devastation. The latest developments are dangerous and disturbing. They are further steps away from any prospect of peace and towards an endless cycle of horror and bloodshed. As I have said from the start, this senseless war has unlimited potential to do terrible harm — in Ukraine and around the world. The idea of nuclear conflict, once unthinkable, has become a subject of debate. That in itself is totally unacceptable. All nuclear-armed States should recommit to the non-use and total elimination of nuclear weapons. I am also deeply concerned by reports of plans to organize so-called referendums in areas of Ukraine that are currently not under Government control.”
2022-09-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9135 (2022) · source
“The outcome document sought to address the issue of the safety and security of nuclear power plants in armed conflict zones, including in Ukraine. But the Conference failed to reach consensus to utilize the opportunity to strengthen the Treaty. I appeal to all States to use every avenue of dialogue and diplomacy to make progress on those critical issues. Looking ahead, I trust that the IAEA experts now deployed to Zaporizhzhya will be able to carry out their work without hindrance and contribute to ensuring lasting nuclear safety and security at the plant. All of us have a stake in the success of their critical mission. Let us commit to do everything we can to support them. And let us resolve to continue working for peace in line with international law and the Charter of the United Nations.”
2022-09-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9124 (2022) · source
“The Zaporizhzhya facility and its surroundings must not be a target or platform for military operations. As a second step, an agreement on a demilitarized perimeter should be secured. Specifically, that would include a commitment by Russian forces to withdraw all military personnel and equipment from that perimeter and a commitment by Ukrainian forces not to move into it. Operators at the plant must be able to carry out their responsibilities, and communications must be maintained. Now is the time to urgently agree on concrete measures to ensure the safety of the area. Regrettably, last month, the tenth Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons fell victim to the war in Ukraine.”
2022-09-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9124 (2022) · source
“(spoke in English) I remain gravely concerned about the situation in and around the Zaporizhzhya plant, including reports of recent shelling. Let us tell it like it is. Any damage — intentional or not — to Europe’s largest nuclear power plant in Zaporizhzhya or to any other nuclear facility in Ukraine could spell catastrophe, not only for the immediate vicinity but for the region and beyond. All steps must be taken to avoid such a scenario. Common sense and cooperation must guide the way forward. Any action that might endanger the physical integrity, safety or security of the nuclear plant is unacceptable. All efforts to re-establish the plant as purely civilian infrastructure are vital. As a first step, Russian and Ukrainian forces must commit not to engage in any military activity towards or from the plant site.”
2022-09-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9124 (2022) · source
“I thank you, Mr. President, for convening this briefing on developments in and around the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant in southern Ukraine. I want to salute the courageous efforts of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the mission led by Director General Grossi. Allow me to also thank the parties for their cooperation. I will leave it to Director General Grossi to provide an overview of what he and his team observed during their stay. The Secretariat proudly supported the IAEA in its critical mission to ensure the safe operation of the plant. I want to personally thank all the colleagues assisting their mission, especially the 13 United Nations support and security professionals who played an essential role in allowing for the successful deployment of the IAEA mission.”
2022-09-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9124 (2022) · source
“(spoke in French) The future of humankind is today in our hands. At this juncture of maximum risk to our world, it is time to renew our commitment to the Charter of the United Nations and the ideals it represents. The best way to fulfil the Charter’s promise to save future generations from the scourge of war is to replace division with dialogue and diplomacy, to negotiate and compromise and to be accountable for the future. The Council and our Organization represent the nations of the world and humankind’s best hope for building a better and more peaceful future. As we develop our New Agenda for Peace, let us prove that we have learned the lessons of the past. Let us reiterate our commitment to the eternal instruments of peace, namely, dialogue, diplomacy and mutual trust.”
2022-08-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9112 (2022) · source
“The tenth Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, which meets this month, must demonstrate that progress is possible. I renew my call on all States parties to demonstrate flexibility and a willingness to compromise across all negotiations. Countries with nuclear weapons must commit to the principle of no first use of those weapons. They must also assure States that do not have nuclear weapons that they will not use or threaten to use nuclear weapons against them and that they will be transparent throughout. Nuclear sabre-rattling must stop. We need all States to recommit to a world free of nuclear weapons and to spare no effort when coming to the negotiating table to ease tensions and end the nuclear arms race once and for all.”
2022-08-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9112 (2022) · source
“It includes putting human rights first in political and financial investments that can address the root causes of conflict, from social protection and education to programming to end violence and discrimination and to increase women’s participation across civic and political life. It includes the capacity to establish new social contracts that build and strengthen the bonds of trust between people who inhabit the same borders, as well as in the Governments and institutions representing them, so that all people can lend their hands to building peace. It includes joint efforts to gather countries around the need to reduce the risks stemming from cyberwarfare and lethal autonomous weapons. And it includes accelerating efforts to eliminate the nuclear threat once and for all.”
2022-08-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9112 (2022) · source
“Through it, we are exploring the diplomatic toolbox of the Charter of the United Nations to end conflicts, especially the Chapter VI provisions on negotiation, enquiry, mediation, conciliation, arbitration and judicial settlement. We are also placing a focus on prevention and peacebuilding. That includes strengthening our foresight of future threats and anticipating flashpoints and long-standing conditions that could explode into violence. It includes exploring new and expanded roles for regional actors and groups, particularly as cross- border threats to peace and security emerge.”
2022-08-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9112 (2022) · source
“Many of the systems established decades ago are now facing challenges that were unimaginable for our predecessors, including cyberwarfare, terrorism and lethal autonomous weapons. The nuclear risk has risen to its highest point in decades. The tools that have kept us from catastrophic world war are more important than ever, but they must be fit for today’s rapidly deteriorating international peace and security environment. We need to reforge a global consensus around the cooperation required to ensure collective security, including the work of the United Nations. That is also the driving force behind my proposal for a New Agenda for Peace, as contained in the report entitled Our Common Agenda (A/75/982).”
2022-08-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9112 (2022) · source
“The Security Council represents a vital part of the process of peace and prevention through resolutions to ease conflicts, support reconciliation and provide humanitarian assistance and support to millions of people in need. However, today’s collective security system is being tested like never before. Our world is riven by geopolitical divides, conflicts and instability, from military coups to inter-State conflicts, invasions and wars that stretch on year after year. Lingering differences between the world’s great Powers — including in the Council — continue to limit our ability to respond collectively. Humanitarian assistance is stretched to breaking point. Human rights and the rule of law are under assault. Trust is in short supply.”
2022-08-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9112 (2022) · source
“That comprehensive plan is crucial for the world’s most vulnerable people and countries, who are desperately counting on those food supplies. Above all, it is a concrete example of how dialogue and cooperation can deliver hope, even in the midst of conflict. The same commitment to dialogue and results must be applied to the critical situation at the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant. I reaffirm that the United Nations in Ukraine has the logistics and security capacities to support an International Atomic Energy Agency mission from Kyiv to Zaporizhzhya. We continue the relentless search for peace in Ukraine and across the globe in line with the Charter of the United Nations and international law.”
2022-08-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9112 (2022) · source
“I thank you, Sir, for convening the Security Council on such an essential topic. Our collective security demands that we seize every moment to forge a common understanding of the threats and challenges before us and, most important, to shape united responses to them. As the focus of this briefing makes clear, the path to peace is forged by dialogue and cooperation. I just returned from Ukraine, Türkiye and Moldova, and I look forward to speaking further about that visit on Wednesday. There, I saw the Black Sea Grain Initiative — an initiative to get grain and other vital food supplies moving again through Ukrainian ports — in action. In parallel, we have an agreement to facilitate unimpeded access to global markets for food and fertilizers originating from the Russian Federation.”
2022-08-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9112 (2022) · source
“We must be seen as a trusted source of information by providing engaging, factual content, facilitating inclusive dialogue, demanding the removal of harmful speech, calling leaders to account and promoting peace and unity. Member States, especially those present on the ground alongside our peacekeepers, are crucial partners in that vital effort. Access to information is a human right, and in the places where our peacekeepers operate, it can be a matter of life and death or the difference between peace and war. I look forward to working with the Security Council to strengthen our peacekeeping operations through improved strategic communications and to pursue our shared goal of peace.”
2022-07-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9090 (2022) · source
“That is why our missions continue to conduct town hall-style gatherings in local communities with village elders, young people, women’s groups and others to listen and learn. Sixthly, we are deploying strategic communications to strengthen accountability and support efforts to end misconduct by personnel and partners, including combating sexual exploitation and abuse. (spoke in French) United Nations peacekeeping represents a remarkable enterprise of multilateralism and international solidarity. But for it to succeed amid new threats and mounting challenges, we must all play our part. All aspects of our operations must be adapted to respond to new realities. The field of communications is becoming more important every day. The United Nations must take a deliberate stand as an information actor in conflict environments.”
2022-07-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9090 (2022) · source
“Thirdly, we are providing guidance and training to missions, including collecting and sharing best practices. Fourthly, we are working with partners, including technology and media companies and Member States, to identify and deploy the best tools to better detect and counter misinformation, disinformation and hate speech. Fifthly, we are continually monitoring and evaluating the efficacy of our information campaigns to ensure that we adjust as necessary, adapting our strategy to the tactical necessities of the specific contexts we operate in. While we live in an increasingly digital world, direct person-to-person communication often remains the most powerful way to build trust and counter false narratives.”
2022-07-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9090 (2022) · source
“I would now like to briefly outline six concrete actions that we are taking improve strategic communications in peacekeeping. First, we are adopting a whole-of-mission approach across uniformed and civilian components to foster a networked communication in the field. To that end, we are looking for military and police officers skilled in strategic communications. I encourage all contributing countries to provide personnel with these kinds of skill sets, because any effective strategic communications strategy requires communications teams properly staffed and equipped to implement it. Secondly, we are holding mission leaders accountable to own and lead strategic communications and ensure their full integration into all aspects of mission planning and decision-making.”
2022-07-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9090 (2022) · source
“Strategic communications that are credible, accurate and human-centred are one of our best and most cost-effective instruments to counter that threat. More than just defusing harmful lies, engaging in tailored two-way communication itself builds trust as well as political and public support. It strengthens understanding among the local populations of our missions and mandates, and in return strengthens our peacekeepers’ understanding of the local populations’ concerns, grievances, expectations and hopes. It can create a safe space for reconciliation and peacebuilding to work and provide women, young people and civil society with greater access to peace processes. But to be effective it must be grounded in evidence, based on verified data, open to dialogue, rooted in storytelling and delivered by credible messengers.”
2022-07-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9090 (2022) · source
“It transforms our blue flag from a symbol of security into a target for attack. A recent survey found that nearly half of all peacekeepers consider that misinformation and disinformation can severely affect mandate implementation and threaten their safety and security. We see more and more instances where fake news spreads like wildfire, hindering our missions in carrying out their life-saving and life-changing work. To give just one example, in Mali, a fake letter alleging that our peacekeepers were collaborating with armed groups was posted on Facebook. It went viral on WhatsApp and was picked up by the national media. That fake letter stirred up hostility and resentment towards our peacekeepers, making their vital task of protecting civilians that much harder.”
2022-07-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9090 (2022) · source
“For all those reasons, strategic communications are critical across the spectrum of our peacekeeping mandate and crucial to achieving our mission to protect civilians and prevent violence; secure ceasefires and safeguard political settlements; investigate and report on human rights abuses and violations; advance the women and peace and security agenda and promote the role of women as peacekeepers, peacemakers and peace leaders; and all the while ensure the safety and security of our peacekeepers and the communities they serve. That is why strategic communications are a top priority within the Action for Peacekeeping Plus initiative. We know that disinformation is not just misleading. It is dangerous and potentially deadly. It fuels open violence against our personnel and partners.”
2022-07-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9090 (2022) · source
“Peacekeepers are facing terrorists, criminals and armed groups and their allies, many of whom have access to powerful modern weapons and a vested interest in perpetuating the chaos in which they thrive. The weapons they wield are not just guns and explosives. Misinformation, disinformation and hate speech are increasingly being used as weapons of war. The aim is clear. It is to dehumanize the so-called other, threaten vulnerable communities — as well as peacekeepers themselves — and even give open licence to commit atrocities.”
2022-07-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9090 (2022) · source
“In the years since, we have embarked on an ambitious global communications strategy to do just that, and we are determined to do more. Our communications work, after all, is designed not just to inform but to engage audiences in support of the vital mission of the United Nations. Strategic communications in peacekeeping illustrate precisely why that is so crucial. The landscape in which our peacekeepers operate is more hazardous today than at any time in recent memory. Geopolitical tensions at the global level reverberate locally. Conflicts are more complex and multilayered. International discord often translates into heightened tensions on the ground, with warring parties disincentivized from making the necessary concessions for peace.”
2022-07-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9090 (2022) · source
“I thank the Government of Brazil for organizing this discussion and I commend your vision and foresight, Mr. President, in choosing this topic. For the first time the Council is devoting a high-level debate to the critical role of strategic communications in peacekeeping operations, which is helping to highlight a fundamental point. Communications are not a side issue or an afterthought. More than ever, strategic communications are central to the success of all our work. As I said when I was sworn in as Secretary-General in 2016, we must be able to communicate better about what we do in ways that everybody understands. We need a substantial reform of our communications strategy, upgrading our tools and platforms to reach people around the world.”
2022-07-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9090 (2022) · source
“We have improved access and built resilience. But the only way to end the humanitarian tragedy in Syria is a truly nationwide ceasefire and a political solution that enables the Syrian people to determine their own future. We must show the courage and determination to do everything that is necessary to reach a negotiated political solution, in line with resolution 2254 (2015). I urge all members of the Council to do everything in their power to encourage the parties to engage in meaningful negotiations for peace. We cannot give up on the people of Syria.”
2022-06-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9068 (2022) · source
“The United Nations cross-border operation in Syria is one of the most heavily scrutinized and monitored aid operations in the world. There is no doubt that our aid reaches the people in need. While increasing cross-line assistance was an important achievement, in the current circumstances it is not at the scale needed to replace the massive cross- border response. I strongly appeal to the members of the Security Council to maintain consensus on allowing cross-border operations by renewing resolution 2585 (2021) for an additional 12 months. It is a moral imperative to address the suffering and vulnerability of 4.1 million people in the area who need aid and protection. Some 80 per cent of those in need in north- west Syria are women and children. Together, the international community has helped avoid a total collapse in Syria.”
2022-06-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9068 (2022) · source
“When it comes to delivering life-saving aid to people in need across Syria, all channels should be made and kept available. After the Council united last year to adopt resolution 2585 (2021), the United Nations responded. Despite the incredibly challenging operating environment, the United Nations has delivered aid across front lines into the north-west. Five cross-line convoys have now provided life-saving assistance to tens of thousands of people in need, and efforts continue every day. We anticipate that more cross-line convoys will follow. We have also taken full advantage of the cross- border authorization to save lives. Hundreds of trucks now cross from Turkey every month. Since cross-border aid was authorized in 2014, more than 50,000 trucks have crossed into Syria to provide assistance to those in need.”
2022-06-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9068 (2022) · source
“Those programmes also help communities get back on their feet by providing opportunities for work and generating income. Needs in north-western Syria continue to increase, with 2.8 million people, mostly women and children, displaced. Many live in camps or informal settlements. More than 90 per cent of the people in the north-west are in need of aid. They have suffered particularly heavily during 11 years of conflict and humanitarian crisis. The massive humanitarian response that the United Nations and its partners are conducting in Syria has staved off the worst, but more is required. That is why I have consistently emphasized the importance of maintaining and expanding access, including through cross-line and cross-border operations.”
2022-06-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9068 (2022) · source
“The generous pledges made the at the sixth Brussels Conference must be honoured. I appeal to donors to follow through and increase their support. The international community must help communities build resilience and create conditions that can facilitate the voluntary, safe and dignified return of refugees and displaced people. The needs in Syria are too great to address through immediate life-saving efforts alone. More than one quarter of our appeal is therefore intended to support early recovery and resilience. In some sectors of the response, including education, that represents around half of all projects, a meaningful increase from previous years. Through projects that are already under way, millions will benefit from the rehabilitation of damaged hospitals, schools, water systems and other basic infrastructure.”
2022-06-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9068 (2022) · source
“The figures are stark: 14.6 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance; 12 million people are food insecure, unsure where their next meal is coming from; 90 per cent of the population is living below the poverty line; infrastructure, destroyed by years of conflict, is crumbling; and economic activity has been halved during a decade of conflict, regional financial crises, sanctions and the coronavirus disease pandemic. The economy is set to contract further this year, according to the World Bank. People are living on the brink, no longer able to cope. Our current humanitarian appeal requires $4.4 billion to assist people inside Syria and another $5.6 billion to support refugees in the region. We have made great strides in scaling up the response, but we need to do more.”
2022-06-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9068 (2022) · source
“The humanitarian situation in Syria remains dire for millions of children, women and men across the country. Needs are at the highest point since the war began, more than 11 years ago. The world’s largest refugee crisis continues to have an impact on the region and the world. I have just issued another report (S/2022/492) on the humanitarian situation in Syria, and after my short introduction, the Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs will brief the Security Council on the latest developments.”
2022-06-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9068 (2022) · source
“At this time of proliferating crises, the international community must pursue proven strategies for maintaining peace and stability. Protecting and promoting women’s rights is such a strategy. The women and peace and security agenda is one of our greatest assets in building a more peaceful future on a sustainable planet.”
2022-06-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9064 (2022) · source
“That is one reason that my proposed New Agenda for Peace, included in my report Our Common Agenda (A/75/982), puts women and girls at the centre of security policies. But, despite all the evidence, the women and peace and security agenda continues to be challenged, and even reversed, around the world. I urge Council members and all Member States to consider why that is. I urge participants to reflect on the fact that, despite general agreement on the value of women at the negotiating table, there is still such a huge gap in their participation and in the implementation of commitments to their protection, human rights and dignity. I encourage participants to commit to increasing support to women’s civil society, conflict prevention and peacebuilding work.”
2022-06-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9064 (2022) · source
“Supporting survivors of sexual violence, as well as women peacebuilders and activists, is key. There is increasing evidence that ensuring women’s rights, including their right to equal participation at all levels, is essential to building and maintaining peace. The participation of women in mediation and decision-making processes is vital to conflict resolution. Their analysis is critical to understanding conflict dynamics and building effective response and prevention strategies. Studies also show that the active engagement of women peacebuilders increases the chances of lasting peace. That is why we need full gender parity across election monitoring, security sector reform, disarmament, demobilization and justice systems, including by setting quotas.”
2022-06-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9064 (2022) · source
“(spoke in French) The United Nations continues to demonstrate its commitment to supporting women and civil society organizations working for peace through its peacebuilding and political missions around the world. In Afghanistan, we are unequivocal about the fundamental rights of women and girls, including their right to complete their education and pursue a career. I commend the Security Council for its unanimous support in that regard. In all our peacekeeping and political missions, we continue to support survivors of sexual violence and invest in partnerships with local women leaders and peacebuilders, including by increasing the number of women personnel at all levels. At the most senior level, we are in particular working to maintain the parity achieved among Heads and Deputy Heads of Missions since early 2021.”
2022-06-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9064 (2022) · source
“In West and Central Africa, we are working closely with both the Economic Community of West African States and the Economic Community of Central African States. Our collaboration on women and peace and security extends to joint planning and programming and joint engagement with civil society platforms to ensure that women are involved in early warning and mediation. We have also been deepening our collaboration with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations on such issues over the past five years. That will be crucial to finding a solution to the crisis in Myanmar that reflects the needs of all the country’s people, including women in the diaspora and in Rohingya refugee camps in Bangladesh.”
2022-06-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9064 (2022) · source
“In the Sudan, for example, we are working closely with the African Union and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development, through a trilateral mechanism, to steer the political process back to an agreed and legitimate constitutional order. As they launched intra-Sudanese talks, all three envoys asked every delegation to ensure that at least 40 per cent of participants are women. We have also supported the formation of a stand- alone group of women from all regions of the Sudan with a background on gender equality and experience working on women’s rights at the local level to bring women’s perspectives to the political talks. I urge regional organizations to strengthen their engagement with that group.”
2022-06-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9064 (2022) · source
“Alleged perpetrators of human rights violations remain in power; key reforms are delayed; and violence against women continues. In all those conflicts, we have men in power and women excluded, their rights and freedoms deliberately targeted. When conflict erupts, neighbouring countries and regional organizations can make a significant difference to the women and peace and security agenda by ensuring that commitments are implemented. I am therefore pleased that we are joined today by representatives of the European Union, the African Union, the League of Arab States and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe. Our collaboration on the women and peace and security agenda with those organizations is reflected not only in joint statements and resolutions, but also in our daily work on the ground.”
2022-06-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9064 (2022) · source
“Last week, the Security Council heard that, as of 3 June, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights had received 124 reports of conflict-related sexual violence across Ukraine, mostly committed against women and girls. We know that for every woman who reports those horrific crimes, there are likely to be many more who remain silent or unrecorded. Women refugees are taking on leadership roles and supporting the response in host countries. Inside Ukraine, women who chose not to evacuate are at the forefront of health care and social support. It is important that Ukrainian women fully participate in all mediation efforts. In the Sudan, two years after women’s role in the revolution was celebrated, another coup interrupted the transition and dashed those hopes.”
2022-06-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9064 (2022) · source
“Nearly 20 million Afghan women and girls are being silenced and erased from sight. In Myanmar, a large proportion of women’s organizations have been forced to close since the military coup. Offices were raided and ransacked; activists were detained. Many fled the country. Women cannot express themselves openly and have no route to political participation. In Mali, women are becoming poorer and more marginalized as the country goes through successive military coups and extremists pose an even greater threat. The Russian invasion of Ukraine has forced millions of women and children to flee their country overnight, putting them at high risk of trafficking and exploitation of all kinds.”
2022-06-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9064 (2022) · source
“Around the world, the recent shift away from inclusive politics shows once again that misogyny and authoritarianism are mutually reinforcing and are antithetical to stable, prosperous societies. We meet several times a year on this issue. There is consensus among Member States on the importance of this agenda. I issue regular reports; the Security Council has adopted several resolutions. But on the ground the situation is going backwards. The reason is simple. Women’s equality is a question of power. Today’s political deadlocks and entrenched conflicts are just the latest examples of how enduring power imbalances and patriarchy are continuing to fail us. In Afghanistan, the Taliban appointed a Government of men, closed girls’ schools, banned women from showing their faces in public and restricted their right even to leave their own homes.”
2022-06-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9064 (2022) · source
“Gender equality offers a path to sustainable peace and conflict prevention, and yet we are moving in the opposite direction. Today’s conflicts are amplifying gender inequality, poverty, climate disruptions and other forms of inequality. Women and girls are affected differently and disproportionately by the violence and by the long- term social and economic impacts of those cascading crises. Millions of girls are out of school, with no prospect of training, a job or financial independence. Rising numbers of women and girls are suffering from violence in the home. In some countries, extremists and military actors have taken power by force, cancelling previous commitments on gender equality and persecuting women for simply going about their daily lives.”
2022-06-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9064 (2022) · source
“I urge everyone to demonstrate the same generosity that has been shown to Ukraine to all other countries in need. Official development assistance is more necessary than ever. Diverting it to other priorities is not an option when the world is on the brink of mass hunger. Indeed, the deep connections between conflict and hunger mean that generosity is not just an act of altruism. Feeding the hungry is an investment in global peace and security. In our world of plenty, I will never accept the death from hunger of a single child, woman or man. Neither should the members of the Council.”
2022-05-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9036 (2022) · source
“As I said at yesterday’s Global Food Security Call to Action ministerial meeting, any meaningful solution to global food insecurity requires the reintegration of Ukraine’s agricultural production and Russia and Belarus’s food and fertilizer production into world markets, despite the war. We are working to find a package deal that will enable Ukraine to export food not only by train but also through the Black Sea, while bringing Russian food and fertilizer production to world markets without restrictions. That will require the goodwill of all the countries concerned. Fourthly, donors must fund humanitarian appeals in full. Almost halfway into 2022, our global humanitarian response plans are just 8 per cent funded. In global terms, those are minuscule amounts.”
2022-05-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9036 (2022) · source
“The Council has a critical role to play in demanding adherence to international humanitarian law and pursuing accountability when the law is breached. I urge it to take maximum action to fulfil that role. Thirdly, the interconnected risks of food insecurity, energy and financing require far greater coordination and leadership. There is enough food for everyone in the world. The issue is distribution, and it is deeply linked to the war in Ukraine. I established the Global Crisis Response Group on Food, Energy and Finance in March to provide data and analysis and to propose solutions. The Group immediately recommended lifting all food export restrictions, releasing strategic reserves and allocating surpluses to countries in need.”
2022-05-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9036 (2022) · source
“I believe there are four actions that countries can take now in order to break the deadly dynamic of conflict and hunger. First, they should invest in political solutions to end conflicts, prevent new ones and build sustainable peace. Most important of all, we need to end the war in Ukraine. I call on all Council members to do everything in their power to silence the guns and promote peace in Ukraine and everywhere else. Secondly, international humanitarian law, as reflected in resolution 2417 (2018), specifies that goods and supplies that are essential to civilians’ survival — including food, crops and livestock — must be protected. It also states that humanitarians must have unimpeded access to civilians in need.”
2022-05-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9036 (2022) · source
“They confirmed that we are on the brink of a perfect storm that threatens to devastate people and economies. Our humanitarian operations are gearing up to help, backed by a proven record of success. Humanitarian agencies and their partners helped to bring six counties in South Sudan back from the brink of famine last year. Over the past six years of conflict in Yemen they also ensured that the worst outcomes did not materialize, with food aid reaching more than 10 million people per month in 2021. But humanitarians too are suffering from the impact of rising prices. In East Africa, the cost of food assistance increased by 65 per cent on average in the past year. The WFP has already been forced to reduce its support to 8 million hungry people in Yemen.”
2022-05-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9036 (2022) · source
“As always, women and girls are the worst affected, which is reflected in rising rates of trafficking, forced marriage and other abuses. More than half a million people in Ethiopia, South Sudan, Yemen and Madagascar are already at IPC level 5, meaning in catastrophic or famine conditions. The war in Ukraine is now adding a frightening new dimension to that picture of global hunger. Russia’s invasion of its neighbour has effectively ended its food exports. Price increases as high as 30 per cent for staple foods are threatening people in countries across Africa and the Middle East, including Cameroon, Libya, Somalia, the Sudan and Yemen. I discussed the deeply troubling situation with the leaders of Senegal, the Niger and Nigeria during my most recent visit.”
2022-05-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9036 (2022) · source
“But it is a drop in the ocean. It brings the funding channelled through the Central Emergency Response Fund to the Sahel since the start of the year to almost $95 million. I am also deeply concerned about the food security situation in the Horn of Africa, which is suffering its longest drought in four decades. More than 18 million people are affected, and the World Food Programme (WFP) has warned that millions in Somalia will be facing famine within months. The perilous state of food security in Ethiopia and Somalia is compounded by continued conflict and deep insecurity. Around the world, 49 million people in 43 countries are at emergency levels of hunger, known as Integrated Phase Classification (IPC) 4 — just one step away from famine. In other words, they are facing starvation and doing anything they can to survive.”
2022-05-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9036 (2022) · source
“While the Niger is ranked at the bottom of the Human Development Index, it is also among the 10 countries most vulnerable to the climate crisis. The number of people who face acute food insecurity in the Niger has more than doubled over the past two years and, unless there is an immediate response, that number could reach 4 million this year. The Niger and its neighbours are in urgent need of a coordinated large-scale international effort to strengthen the links among peace, humanitarian action, adaptation to the impacts of climate change and sustainable development. (spoke in English) To help respond to this growing crisis, I am pleased to announce today that we are releasing $30 million from the Central Emergency Response Fund to meet the urgent food security and nutrition needs in the Niger, Mali, Chad and Burkina Faso.”
2022-05-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9036 (2022) · source