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

“When it makes decisions about peacekeeping and political missions, it makes decisions about hunger. And when its members fail to reach consensus, hungry people pay a high price. (spoke in French) At the most basic level, armed conflict creates hunger, as fighting destroys farms and factories, drives people away from harvesting their crops, causes shortages and drives up prices. Today the impact of conflicts is magnified by the climate crisis and economic insecurity, which has been compounded by the pandemic. Consequently, decades of progress in combating hunger are being undone. I saw that with my own eyes when I visited the Sahel two weeks ago. The Niger, for example, faces armed extremist groups and cross-border incursions extending from Mali to Nigeria. Only 6 per cent of its population is fully vaccinated against coronavirus disease.”
2022-05-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9036 (2022) · source
“When war is waged, people go hungry. Some 60 per cent of the world’s undernourished people live in areas affected by conflict. No country is immune. In April, the World Food Programme and its partners distributed food and cash to more than 3 million Ukrainians. Until March, their country was feeding the world with abundant supplies of food. I thank the United States Government for focusing on this crucial issue during its presidency of the Security Council. Last year, most of the 140 million people suffering from acute hunger around the world lived in just 10 countries: Afghanistan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Haiti, Nigeria, Pakistan, South Sudan, the Sudan, Syria and Yemen. Eight of those countries are on the agenda of the Council. Let there be no doubt: when the Council debates conflict, it debates hunger.”
2022-05-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9036 (2022) · source
“We were particularly engaged in making proposals at the spring meetings of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank. The war on Ukraine is senseless in its scope, ruthless in its dimensions and limitless in its potential for global harm. The cycle of death, destruction, dislocation and disruption must stop. It is high time to unite and end this war.”
2022-05-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9027 (2022) · source
“But let me be clear — a meaningful solution to global food insecurity requires reintegrating Ukraine’s agricultural production and the food and fertilizer production of Russia and Belarus into world markets, despite the war. I will do my best to help facilitate a dialogue to help make that a reality. At the same time, the war in Ukraine, in all its dimensions, is setting in motion a crisis that is also devastating global energy markets, disrupting financial systems and exacerbating extreme vulnerabilities for the developing world. That is precisely why I established the Global Crisis Response Group on Food, Energy and Finance — to mobilize United Nations agencies, multilateral development banks and other international institutions to help countries face those challenges.”
2022-05-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9027 (2022) · source
“As I discussed yesterday with President Zelenskyy, the United Nations will continue to scale up humanitarian operations, save lives and reduce suffering. My meetings with both leaders also focused on the crucial issue of global food security. Indeed, the worldwide implications of this war were in full view in my subsequent travels to West Africa. In Senegal, the Niger and Nigeria, I heard direct testimony from leaders and civil society on how the war is unleashing a food security crisis. We need quick and decisive action to ensure a steady flow of food and energy in open markets, by lifting export restrictions, allocating surpluses and reserves to those who need them and addressing food price increases to calm market volatility.”
2022-05-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9027 (2022) · source
“Mothers, children and frail grandparents spoke of their trauma. Some were in urgent need of medical attention. I hope that the continued coordination with Moscow and Kyiv will lead to more humanitarian pauses to allow civilians safe passage from the fighting and aid to reach those in critical need. We must continue to do all we can to get people out of those hellscapes. Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator Martin Griffiths will brief the Council today in greater detail on the most recent efforts in Mariupol and additional steps. High Commissioner Bachelet will brief on reports of violations of international humanitarian law and international human rights law, possible war crimes and the need for accountability.”
2022-05-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9027 (2022) · source
“In the first, concluded on 3 May, 101 civilians were evacuated from the Azovstal plant, along with 59 more from a neighbouring area. In the second operation, completed last night, more than 320 civilians were evacuated from the city of Mariupol and surrounding areas. A third operation is under way, but it is our policy not to speak about the details of any of them before they are completed, to avoid undermining possible success. It is good to know that, even in these times of hyper-communication, silent diplomacy is still possible, and is sometimes the only effective way to produce results. So far, in total, nearly 500 civilians found long- awaited relief, after living under relentless shelling and the scarce availability of water, food and sanitation. The evacuees have shared moving tales with United Nations staff.”
2022-05-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9027 (2022) · source
“We immediately followed up with intense preparatory work with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), along with Russian and Ukrainian authorities. Our objective was to initially enable the safe evacuation of those civilians from the Azovstal plant, and later the rest of the city, in any direction they choose, and to deliver humanitarian aid. I am pleased to report on some measure of success. Together, the United Nations and the ICRC are leading a humanitarian operation of great complexity, both politically and in terms of security. It began on 29 April and has required enormous coordination and advocacy with the Russian Federation and the Ukrainian authorities. So far, two safe passage convoys have been successfully completed.”
2022-05-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9027 (2022) · source
“I entered an active war zone in Ukraine with no immediate possibility of a national ceasefire and with a full-scale ongoing attack on the east of the country. Before the visit, the Ukrainian Government issued an appeal to the United Nations, and to me personally — expressed publicly by the Deputy Prime Minister — regarding the dire plight of civilians in the devastated city of Mariupol, and specifically at the Azovstal plant. In my meeting with President Putin, I therefore stressed the imperative of enabling humanitarian access and evacuations from besieged areas, including first and foremost Mariupol. I strongly urged the opening of a safe and effective humanitarian corridor to allow civilians to reach safety from the Azovstal plant. A short time later, I received confirmation of an agreement in principle.”
2022-05-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9027 (2022) · source
“I welcome this opportunity to address the Security Council on my recent visit to the Russian Federation and Ukraine, where I met with President Putin and President Zelenskyy on 26 April and 28 April, respectively. As part of my visit to the region, I also held discussions with President Erdoğan in Ankara and President Duda in Rzeszów, Poland. Throughout my travels, I did not mince words. I said the same thing in Moscow as I did in Kyiv, which is exactly what I have repeatedly expressed in New York, namely, that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is a violation of its territorial integrity and of the Charter of the United Nations and that it must end, for the sake of the people of Ukraine, Russia and the entire world. I visited Moscow and Kyiv with a clear understanding of the realities on the ground.”
2022-05-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9027 (2022) · source
“The reform I have been calling for of the global financial system is long overdue. All those actions are closely linked with the prevention agenda and with building and sustaining peace. The war in Ukraine must stop now. We need serious negotiations for peace, based on the principles of the Charter of the United Nations. The Security Council is charged with maintaining peace and doing so in solidarity. I deeply regret the divisions that have prevented the Security Council from acting not only on Ukraine, but on other threats to peace and security around the world. I urge the Council to do everything in its power to end the war and to mitigate its impact, both on the suffering people of Ukraine and on vulnerable people and developing countries around the world.”
2022-04-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9011 (2022) · source
“Humanitarian appeals must be fully funded. People caught up in crisis around the world cannot pay the price for this war. On energy, the use of strategic stockpiles and additional reserves could help to ease this energy crisis in the short term. But the only medium- and long-term solution is to accelerate the deployment of renewable energy, which is not impacted by market fluctuations. That will allow for the progressive phaseout of coal and all other fossil fuels, and renewables are already cheaper in most cases. On finance, international financial institutions must go into emergency mode. We need urgent action by the Group of 20 and international financial institutions to increase liquidity and fiscal space so that Governments can provide safety nets for the poorest and most vulnerable.”
2022-04-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9011 (2022) · source
“A series of events led to that, not only the present situation. Natural gas and fertilizer prices more than doubled over the same period. We are already seeing some countries move from vulnerability into crisis and signs of serious social unrest. The flames of conflict are fuelled by inequality, deprivation and underfunding. With all the warning signals flashing red, we have a duty to act. The Global Crisis Response Group on Food, Energy and Finance, which I set up last month, has formulated some initial recommendations for the consideration of Member States, international financial institutions and others. On food, we are urging all countries to keep markets open, resist unjustified and unnecessary export restrictions and make reserves available to countries at risk of hunger and famine. This is not the time for protectionism.”
2022-04-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9011 (2022) · source
“But as Secretary-General of the United Nations, it is my duty to call the attention of the Council to the serious damage being done to the global economy, particularly to vulnerable people and developing countries. Our analysis indicates that 74 developing countries, with a total population of 1.2 billion people, are particularly vulnerable to spiking food, energy and fertilizer costs. Debt obligations take up some 16 per cent of developing countries’ export earnings. In small island developing States, the figure is 34 per cent and rising because of increased interest rates and the need to pay for expensive imports. In the past month alone, wheat prices have increased by 22 per cent, maize by 21 per cent and barley by 31 per cent. Brent oil prices on 1 April were more than 60 per cent higher than at the same time last year.”
2022-04-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9011 (2022) · source
“It has disrupted supply chains and increased the cost of transportation, putting even more pressure on the developing world. Many developing countries were already on the verge of debt collapse owing to the impact of the coronavirus disease pandemic and a lack of adequate liquidity and debt relief, stemming ultimately from the unfair nature of our global economic and financial system. For all those reasons, it is more urgent by the day to silence the guns. That is why I asked the Emergency Relief Coordinator, Martin Griffiths, to travel to Russia and Ukraine to press for an urgent humanitarian ceasefire. Under-Secretary-General Griffiths will update the Council on the humanitarian situation and the results of his contacts so far. Under-Secretary- General DiCarlo will also brief the Council on the political and human rights dimensions.”
2022-04-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9011 (2022) · source
“I will never forget the horrifying images of civilians killed in Bucha, and I immediately called for an independent investigation to guarantee effective accountability. I am also deeply shocked by the personal testimony of rapes and sexual violence that is now emerging. The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights has spoken of possible war crimes, grave breaches of international humanitarian law and serious violations of international human rights law. The Russian offensive has also led to the displacement of more than 10 million people in just one month — the fastest forced population movement since the Second World War. Far beyond Ukraine’s borders, the war has led to massive increases in the prices of food, energy and fertilizers, because Russia and Ukraine are linchpins of those markets.”
2022-04-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9011 (2022) · source
“The war in Ukraine is one of the greatest challenges ever to the international order and the global peace architecture, founded on the Charter of the United Nations, because of its nature, intensity and consequences. We are dealing with the full-fledged invasion, on several fronts, of one State Member of the United Nations, Ukraine, by another, the Russian Federation — a permanent member of the Security Council — in violation of the Charter and with several aims, including redrawing the internationally recognized borders between the two countries. The war has led to a senseless loss of life, massive devastation in urban centres and the destruction of civilian infrastructure.”
2022-04-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9011 (2022) · source
“Looking ahead, we will hold our 15th general cooperation meeting in July to advance our biennial framework, and we will work together on a sectoral meeting on climate change. Today more than ever before, we need to come together and stand together in support of multilateral peaceful solutions. That is why our relationship with the League of Arab States and the strong support from its membership have never been more essential or more appreciated.”
2022-03-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9001 (2022) · source
“Ever-closer cooperation with the Arab League is vital to achieving all those goals. From regular meetings with my Special Envoys and staff exchanges to workshops on mediation and capacity-building exercises on inclusive peacemaking, our relationship is broadening and deepening. We look forward to strengthening our ties further, including through the United Nations Liaison Office to the League of Arab States, which has opened new communication channels between our organizations, at both headquarters and in the field. We are particularly focused on building stronger partnerships with the League in the areas of women and peace and security, disarmament, mediation and peacebuilding. We are expanding our cooperation on youth, peace and security issues through capacity- building and consultations on a regional strategy in the Arab region.”
2022-03-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9001 (2022) · source
“Our shared goal remains two States — Israel and an independent, democratic, contiguous, viable and sovereign Palestinian State — living side by side in peace within secure and recognized borders, on the basis of the pre-1967 lines, with Jerusalem as the shared capital of both States. Political, economic and security conditions across the occupied Palestinian territory are deteriorating as Palestinians experience dispossession, violence and insecurity. At the same time, the existential financial crisis of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) affects the rights and well-being of Palestine refugees across the region. I reiterate my call on Member States to increase their financial support to the Palestinian people and their contributions to UNRWA, a vital pillar of regional stability.”
2022-03-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9001 (2022) · source
“Strengthening regional cooperation and collaboration are also critical in Yemen, where escalating hostilities threaten to further heighten dramatic humanitarian needs and further diminish hopes for peace. I count on the League of Arab States to support United Nations-led efforts to reach a lasting ceasefire, defuse tensions, advance an inclusive political process and provide humanitarian and economic assistance to the Yemeni people. Faced with a catastrophic funding crunch, I urge everyone to do everything possible to prevent hunger and starvation from taking millions of lives. In Israel-Palestine, the League and the United Nations remain committed to finding a path for the peace process to advance and the occupation to end.”
2022-03-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9001 (2022) · source
“We must keep working to chart a political path to sustainable peace on which all Syrians are heard, grievances are addressed, detainees are released and needs are met. There must be no impunity. In Lebanon, we are grateful to the Arab League and its members for urging the Government to address the country’s crisis through meaningful reforms, timely elections, constructive engagement with the International Monetary Fund and the full implementation of resolutions 1559 (2004) and 1701 (2006). In Iraq, we welcome the enhanced strategic cooperation between the Government and members of the League, which includes an observation mission to monitor Iraq’s parliamentary elections last October.”
2022-03-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9001 (2022) · source
“In the Sudan, the League of Arab States and the United Nations have been working closely together, both bilaterally and in the context of the Friends of Sudan Group, to encourage meaningful dialogue towards an inclusive and peaceful transition. In Syria, our two organizations are firmly united in support of the Syrian people, who feel abandoned by the world as they enter the eleventh year of a war that has subjected them to human rights violations on a massive and systematic scale and left the country in ruins. The only way to break the deadlock and alleviate the suffering of the Syrian people is through a credible political process that sees the full implementation of resolution 2254 (2015).”
2022-03-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9001 (2022) · source
“I cannot overstate the severity of the suffering of the people of Yemen. Twenty million Yemenis need life-saving humanitarian assistance and protection, with women and children in the greatest need of support. I appeal to the generosity of members of the Arab League at this critical time. I reiterate my plea to all countries to find creative ways to finance the increased humanitarian and development recovery needs worldwide, give generously and immediately release pledged funds. In Libya, I welcome the League’s constructive engagement to help preserve the unity and hard-won stability achieved since the signing of the Libyan ceasefire agreement in October 2020. I count on the League and its membership to continue prioritizing the agreement on a comprehensive political process and advance the full implementation of resolution 2570 (2021).”
2022-03-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9001 (2022) · source
“Those efforts have an added urgency as we face the profound global ramifications of the war in Ukraine. For example, numerous countries import at least half of their wheat from Ukraine or Russia, including Egypt, Lebanon, Libya, Somalia, the Sudan and Yemen. Food, fuel and fertilizer prices are skyrocketing. Supply chains are being disrupted. And the costs and delays in the transportation of imported goods, when available, are at record levels. All of that is hitting the poorest the hardest and planting the seeds for political instability and unrest around the globe. In addition, we see clear evidence of the war draining resources and attention from other trouble spots in desperate need. Just last week, I was deeply disappointed that our appeal for Yemen received less than a third of the funds so urgently needed.”
2022-03-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9001 (2022) · source
“I welcome this opportunity to address the Security Council on cooperation with the League of Arab States. Strengthening our cooperation with regional organizations is a sine qua non for strengthening multilateralism globally. We need partnership across all levels, from the local to the regional to the global. The League of Arab States is critical across the spectrum of our work. When the coronavirus disease upended societies and economies and threatened new vectors of instability, Secretary-General Aboul Gheit and I appealed to the Council to open space for multilateral efforts, humanitarian action and diplomatic solutions. Scanning the region today, it is clear that those appeals are even more critical. We remain united in our pursuit of multilateral answers to the cascading challenges facing the Arab world and beyond.”
2022-03-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9001 (2022) · source
“So, if indeed an operation is being prepared, I have only one thing to say from the bottom of my heart: President Putin, stop your troops from attacking Ukraine. Give peace a chance. Too many people have already died.”
2022-02-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8974 (2022) · source
“I want to reaffirm what I expressed this morning in the meeting of the General Assembly (see A/76/PV.58), but of course it would not make any sense to bother members reading again the same text that I am sure they are all aware of. In between, during the day, a number of events took place, and with your permission, Mr. President, I would like to ask Ms. Rosemary DiCarlo to be able to brief the Council on those events. But simultaneously, today was full of rumours and indications that an offensive against Ukraine was imminent. In the recent past, there were several situations with similar indications, similar rumours, and I never believed in them, convinced that nothing serious would happen. I was wrong, and I would like not to be wrong again today.”
2022-02-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8974 (2022) · source
“Together, we are accountable for everything we do and how we do it. And we have an ultimate responsibility to the people we serve. We look forward to exploring ways to strengthen the important cooperation between the United Nations and the CSTO in our common quest for a more peaceful and secure future for all.”
2022-02-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8967 (2022) · source
“We are determined to strengthen this work together. We are also counting on the participation of regional organizations in United Nations peace and security efforts. We are counting on their support both politically and in terms of civilian and military capabilities. We have succeeded in strengthening our partnership and are increasingly supporting each other in addressing common threats. One of the main goals of my report Our Common Agenda (A/75/982) is to build, by encouraging partnerships, a more inclusive and effective multilateralism that operates more like a network. To that end, I will continue to hold annual meetings with all the leaders of regional organizations. In all of this, we are guided by the Charter of the United Nations and other instruments of international human rights law and international humanitarian law.”
2022-02-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8967 (2022) · source
“Without determined action, the severe economic contraction, rising unemployment and escalating humanitarian crisis will fuel despair and breed extremism. The threat from illicit drugs and arms flows, as well as criminal and terrorist networks, is increasing. Regional and interregional cooperation are an essential element in our response; so too are strengthened regional dialogue, as well as cross-border law enforcement and judicial coordination. Close cooperation between the United Nations and regional organizations, including the CSTO, will be critical in helping defuse those evolving threats, prevent spillover, promote stability and, ultimately, save lives. (spoke in French) The three areas that I have discussed have a common theme: the fundamental role of regional organizations in our joint efforts to advance peace and security.”
2022-02-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8967 (2022) · source
“CSTO experts recently visited the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon, providing them with first- hand insights into the prevention work done by the mission, as well as highlighting the potential needs and gaps it faces. We also appreciate the participation of senior CSTO officials at United Nations Chiefs of Police Summits, as well as ongoing partnership in support of United Nations training standards. As we deepen our ties in the years ahead, we look forward to receiving further pledges from CSTO members to the United Nations Peacekeeping Capability Readiness System. The third area I want to address is cooperation in the context of Afghanistan. The humanitarian crisis is worsening by the day. Meanwhile, terrorism remains a constant threat — not only to the security of Afghanistan and the region but also to the entire world.”
2022-02-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8967 (2022) · source
“Today, good working relations between the CSTO and our Regional Centre enable constructive early-warning exchanges and regular contacts during security-related events in the region. The Centre is also promoting measures against cross-border crime, terrorism and drug trafficking to ensure conditions for peaceful sustainable development — all areas where we look forward to building our partnership with the CSTO. Secondly, with regard to cooperation on peacekeeping, we are grateful to CSTO countries for their contributions to our peace operations. Further deepening our cooperation in this area will help advance the Action for Peacekeeping initiative and its implementation strategy, Action for Peacekeeping Plus. Regular expert participation in joint working groups already provides an important catalyst of cooperation.”
2022-02-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8967 (2022) · source
“We identified a number of key areas, including early warning, conflict prevention and resolution, peacekeeping, preventing and countering terrorism, the fight against international crime and illicit arms trafficking, disaster preparedness and response, and information-sharing. Let me briefly touch on three priority areas for strengthening relations across the peace and security spectrum. First, with regard to cooperation on conflict prevention, counter-terrorism and counter-narcotics, the United Nations Regional Centre for Preventive Diplomacy for Central Asia has been working in close partnership with the CSTO to address the root causes of potential conflict and develop shared solutions to shared problems.”
2022-02-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8967 (2022) · source
“Several memorandums of understanding and protocols on cooperation between the CSTO and various United Nations entities are testaments to the increasing depth and breadth of our relationship — notably in the areas of counter-terrorism, drugs and crime, refugees and peace and security. Biennial resolutions of the General Assembly welcome and note with appreciation our partnership. And I am pleased that — since the signing of the Joint Declaration on Cooperation between the Secretariats of the United Nations and of the Collective Security Treaty Organization in 2010 — we have continuously strengthened our ties and deepened our response to regional challenges. On the tenth anniversary of the Joint Declaration, Secretary-General Zas and I reaffirmed our commitment to enhancing the scope of our cooperation even further.”
2022-02-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8967 (2022) · source
“I welcome this opportunity to address the Security Council on cooperation between the United Nations and the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO). My thanks go to the Russian presidency for organizing this open debate. Cooperation with regional organizations is at the core of United Nations activities and enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations. Our founders understood that no single organization can alone ensure peace, security and development in a complex and rapidly changing world. It requires partnership across all levels — from the local to the regional to the global. Now more than ever, a more effective United Nations depends on stronger and deeper cooperation with regional organizations. The CSTO has been an important partner for the United Nations.”
2022-02-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8967 (2022) · source
“As a matter of moral responsibility and regional and global security and prosperity, we cannot abandon the people of Afghanistan. They need peace. They need hope. They need help. And they need it now.”
2022-01-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8954 (2022) · source
“But it is also a collective waste of the talents and skills Afghanistan needs as it navigates a precarious future. As a moral imperative — and a practical one — all doors must be kept open for women and girls in schools, in the workplace, in the halls of justice and across all aspects of public life. Opportunities for a new beginning are rare. We urge the Taliban to seize this moment and garner international trust and goodwill by recognizing and upholding the basic human rights that belong to every girl and woman. In the depths of a frigid Afghan winter, renewal and hope can seem distant. For decades — even centuries — Afghanistan has been unfairly used as a platform for political agendas, geopolitical advantage, ideological dominance, brutal conflicts and terrorism.”
2022-01-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8954 (2022) · source
“We must prevent the expansion of all terrorist organizations in the country. And just as I appeal to the international community to step up support for the people of Afghanistan, I make an equally urgent plea to the Taliban leadership to recognize and protect the fundamental human rights that every person shares. A stable, prosperous and peaceful Afghanistan is an inclusive Afghanistan — one in which all people can contribute to its future. This must include the rights of women and girls, who are once again being denied their rights to education, employment and equal justice. This is a tragedy for those women and girls who grew up believing that any dream was within reach and are now helplessly watching those dreams slip away.”
2022-01-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8954 (2022) · source
“Unfettered humanitarian access to all regions of the country is vital. At the same time, every effort must be made to build inclusive Government institutions in which all Afghans feel represented. Promoting security and fighting terrorism is also crucial. For far too long, the country has been a fertile breeding ground for terrorist groups. If we do not act and help Afghans weather this storm, the region and the world will pay a heavy price. Illicit drug flows and criminal and terrorist networks will increase. Without food, without jobs, without their rights protected, we will see more Afghans fleeing their homes in search of a better life. I urge the Taliban to work closely with the global community and the Security Council to suppress the global terrorist threat in Afghanistan and build institutions that promote security.”
2022-01-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8954 (2022) · source
“A collapse of the Afghan economy could lead to a massive exodus of people fleeing the country. Our team in Afghanistan stands ready to work with Member States and others to establish accountable systems to ensure that funds go to the Afghan people most in need and are not diverted. Thirdly, now is the time for the Taliban to expand opportunity and security for its people and demonstrate a real commitment to being a part of the global community. The window for trust-building is open, but this trust must be earned. Inside Afghanistan, Afghan and international female aid workers are hard at work implementing projects, supporting programmes and even leading country operations across the country. They are making a difference on the ground — clearly demonstrating the contribution that women can make when given the opportunity to do so.”
2022-01-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8954 (2022) · source
“I urge the Security Council to consider these recommendations as that country enters a new chapter in its history. Secondly — and deeply connected to the first — we need to jump-start Afghanistan’s economy through increased liquidity. We must pull the economy back from the brink. This means finding ways to free up frozen currency reserves and re-engage Afghanistan’s central bank, and it means exploring other ways to rapidly inject liquidity into the economy. The World Bank Afghanistan Reconstruction Trust Fund transferred $280 million to UNICEF and the World Food Programme last month. We need the remaining $1.2 billion to be freed up urgently to help Afghanistan’s people survive the winter. Time is of the essence. Without action, lives will be lost and despair and extremism will grow.”
2022-01-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8954 (2022) · source
“We need to give financial institutions and commercial partners legal assurance that they can work with humanitarian operators without fear of breaching sanctions. Standing with the people of Afghanistan also includes a strong role for the United Nations. This includes the One-UN Transitional Engagement Framework for Afghanistan, which is being launched today — a plan to extend and accelerate humanitarian and development support to the Afghan people, while sustaining and strengthening essential services and systems throughout this critical period of transition. And it includes recommendations for a new mandate for the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan to support security, progress and human rights, contained in my upcoming report.”
2022-01-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8954 (2022) · source
“We need to suspend the rules and conditions that constrict not only Afghanistan’s economy, but our life-saving operations. At this moment of maximum need, these rules must be seriously reviewed. International funding must be allowed to pay the salaries of public sector workers. From surgeons and nurses, to teachers, sanitation workers and electricians — all are vital to keeping systems up and running, and they are critical to Afghanistan’s future. We need to give them a reason to stay in the country. I welcome the Security Council’s adoption of resolution 2615 (2021), which provides a humanitarian exemption to the United Nations sanctions regime for Afghanistan. I repeat my call to issue general licenses covering transactions necessary to all humanitarian activities.”
2022-01-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8954 (2022) · source
“Last year, the United Nations and its partners reached 18 million people across the country. And our teams are working at scaled-up capacity to reach even more people this year, and keep the country’s food, health and education systems from collapse. The appeal also contains vital support for refugee-hosting countries. I will never forget the generosity of countries like Pakistan and Iran, which for decades have hosted millions of Afghans in need. At this moment, we need the global community and the Security Council to put their hands on the wheel of progress, provide resources and prevent Afghanistan from spiralling any further. First and most urgently, we need to scale up our humanitarian operations to save lives. This goes far beyond our humanitarian appeal itself.”
2022-01-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8954 (2022) · source
“Women and girls are once again being shut out of offices and classrooms. They lost their country overnight — years of steady progress gone in the blink of an eye. And I am deeply concerned by recent reports of arbitrary arrests and abductions of women activists. I strongly appeal for their release. Meanwhile, terrorism remains a constant threat, not only to the security of Afghanistan itself, but to the entire world. When it comes to complex humanitarian emergencies, Afghanistan is as bad as it gets. That is why we launched an appeal two weeks ago — the largest in United Nations history for a single country, more than $4.4 billion for this year. We are ramping up life-saving support around health, shelter, nutrition, protection and emergency education, as well as cash transfers to help families make ends meet.”
2022-01-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8954 (2022) · source
“The country is facing its worst drought in two decades, pushing 9 million people closer to famine. More than 80 per cent of the population relies on contaminated drinking water, and some families are selling their babies to purchase food. The Afghan economy is enduring a bitter winter of its own. There is a danger that the currency could go into free fall and the country could lose 30 per cent of its gross domestic product within the year. Liquidity has evaporated. Sanctions and mistrust by the global banking system have frozen nearly $9 billion in central bank assets. Vital systems are starved of needed funds. A lack of liquidity — particularly in local currency — is limiting capacity to reach Afghans in need. As the economy spirals downward, human rights are also losing ground.”
2022-01-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8954 (2022) · source
“Six months after the takeover by the Taliban, Afghanistan is hanging by a thread. For Afghans, daily life has become a frozen hell. They are in the grips of another brutal winter of blistering winds, cold and snow. Families huddle in makeshift tents under plastic sheets — even burning their possessions to keep warm. Clinics are overcrowded and under-resourced. Ambulances and hospital power generators are running dry because of sky-rocketing fuel prices. Afghans are stalked not only by the coronavirus disease, but by deadly preventable diseases, such as measles, diarrhoea and even polio. Education and social services are on the brink of collapse. Millions of children — critically, girls — are out of school, and 70 per cent of teachers are not getting paid. Over half of all Afghans face extreme levels of hunger.”
2022-01-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8954 (2022) · source
“And all States should develop national policy frameworks for the protection of civilians that build upon these policies and practices. Finally, I urge all Member States to use their influence over their partners and allies to ensure respect for international humanitarian law and the adoption of good practices. The Security Council has a vital role to play in this regard. I count on all Council members to acknowledge the challenges of urban warfare, to call for specific protective measures and to use all the tools at their disposal to end tragic and preventable harm to civilians. And, of course, the best solution would be not to have urban warfare at all.”
2022-01-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8953 (2022) · source
“I urge all Member States to commit themselves to avoiding the use of wide-area explosive weapons in populated areas. Thirdly, effective protection of civilians in urban warfare requires additional good policies and practices that go beyond that commitment. Parties to conflict should track and learn from allegations of harm to civilians and their homes, markets and infrastructure, in order to gauge the impact of their operations and find ways to minimize harm. Such analysis can also inform a more responsible approach to arms sales. Recording casualties can help clarify the fate of missing people, inform ways to minimize civilian harm and help to ensure accountability, recovery and reconciliation. Those involved in conflict should ensure their armed forces are trained to follow these and other good policies and practices.”
2022-01-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8953 (2022) · source