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

“In Colombia, women’s organizations are key partners of the United Nations Verification Mission, and we are working closely with them to monitor the implementation of the peace agreement. And in Afghanistan, the United Nations is staying and delivering and will continue to promote and defend the rights of women and girls in all our engagements with the de facto Taliban authorities. We will not stop until girls can go back to school and women can return to their jobs and participate in public life. As part of our Action for Peacekeeping Initiative, we are also investing in partnerships with local women leaders and peacebuilders and increasing the number of women across our peacekeeping operations.”
2021-10-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8886 (2021) · source
“We want to fast-track women’s full and equal participation in every aspect of life. That includes across peace processes and political transitions. Women represented only 23 per cent of delegates in peace processes led or co-led by the United Nations last year. Even getting to that point required innovation, persistence and leadership. Sometimes, I would also say stubbornness. But we are working to accelerate those gains. As we have seen in Libya and Syria, for example, measures including bold targets, inclusive principles and incentives can be a powerful way to increase women’s participation in mediation and peace processes. I am committed to expanding measures like those everywhere I can.”
2021-10-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8886 (2021) · source
“In Ethiopia, we hear chilling reports of sexual violence being used as a weapon of war — an outrage. Despite courageous efforts, Yemeni women continue to be excluded from the overall political process by the warring parties, and the latest Government failed to include a single woman minister, something unseen in 20 years. In Mali, after two coups in nine months, the space for women’s rights is not just shrinking, but closing. And in Afghanistan, girls and women are seeing a rapid reversal of the rights they achieved in recent decades, including their right to a seat in the classroom. We need to fight back and turn the clock forward for every woman and girl. That commitment is at the heart of my report Our Common Agenda as well as my call to action for human rights.”
2021-10-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8886 (2021) · source
“(spoke in English) The power imbalance between men and women remains the most stubborn and persistent of all inequalities. It finds expression in many ways: in the rising rates of violence and misogyny that women and girls face in every society; in the extreme under- representation of women in decision-making positions; and certainly in the myriad challenges faced by women in situations of conflict. In every humanitarian emergency, the clock on women’s rights has not stopped; it is moving backwards. In Myanmar, where women have long been a force for peace — including in the civil disobedience movement — a number of women’s organizations have had to close their operations due to security reasons after the military coup. Many are now continuing their efforts underground.”
2021-10-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8886 (2021) · source
“Military coups are coming back. Power-grabbing is with us again. A new arms race is being launched, and the nuclear threat is at its highest level in almost 40 years. As a percentage of gross domestic product, military spending last year saw the biggest annual increase since 2009. It now stands at around $2 trillion per year, tying up funds that could be spent on development at a time they are needed the most. Those are not separate issues. Conflict prevention and disarmament are precisely at the heart of the movements for peace led by women for more than a century. And, as this year’s report illustrates (S/2021/827), there is a direct link between increased investment in weapons and increased insecurity and inequalities affecting women.”
2021-10-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8886 (2021) · source
“They are peacebuilders, change-makers and activists, defenders of human rights, decision-makers and leaders. They are mediating and negotiating with armed groups, implementing peace agreements and pushing for peaceful transitions. And they are fighting for women’s rights and social cohesion in their communities. Yet, too often, women remain on the periphery of formal peace processes and are largely excluded from rooms where decisions are made. Today women’s leadership is a cause; tomorrow it must be the norm. We can no longer exclude one half of humankind from international peace and security. (spoke in French) As I said to the General Assembly last month (see A/76/PV.3), the time has come for truth. We face the biggest avalanche of crises in generations. Our world is moving backwards, and more and more rapidly.”
2021-10-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8886 (2021) · source
“We just came from the exhibition you mentioned before the start of the meeting, Madam President. Indeed, we saw true women heroes. I think their struggle, commitment and courage is an inspiration for us all. I would say that nothing could better start off our debate than the testimony of this group of women heroes. Seen through the lenses of talented women photographers, the exhibition — In Their Hands: Women Taking Ownership of Peace — vividly brings to life the inspiring stories of women around the world who are dedicating their lives to the most important and consequential cause of all, peace. From the safety of this Chamber, we discuss and debate pathways of peace for countries around the world. But the women portrayed in the exhibition are on the front lines of the fight for peace.”
2021-10-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8886 (2021) · source
“It is a source of strength and an anchor of peace and stability in parts of the world that have seen too little of either. It is also a rallying point for every person to contribute to a better future for themselves and for their societies. As a global community, let us find new ways to make that happen. My thanks again to Kenya for highlighting this important issue.”
2021-10-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8877 (2021) · source
“In Somalia, for example, the United Nations Assistance Mission in Somalia has trained young political aspirants from different political parties, and the Mission has supported the Government and women leaders in fully implementing the 30 per cent gender quota in their country’s elections. The Deputy Secretary- General recently travelled there to highlight the critical importance of women’s leadership in building and sustaining peace and security. As a global community, we must continue encouraging and supporting the full and effective participation of women and young people on that journey. For countries emerging from the horrors of conflict and looking to a better future — indeed, for all countries — diversity must not be seen as a threat.”
2021-10-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8877 (2021) · source
“Governments must find new ways to move the population forward together in unity through constant dialogue while recognizing and respecting differences, even if that means devolving certain areas of authority. That is why the United Nations, through its missions and country offices, strives to facilitate a constant dialogue between national institutions and local populations and groups. That is the condition for all people to contribute to shaping the future of their country. (spoke in English) Indeed, women, young people and the most marginalized must be involved at every step along the way. Building and sustaining peace requires their voices and actions. That is why our peacekeeping operations and special political missions place strong emphasis on the greater inclusion and meaningful participation of women and young people.”
2021-10-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8877 (2021) · source
“That means protecting and promoting human rights, including people’s right to health, education, protection and opportunity. It means implementing policies and laws that protect vulnerable groups, including laws against discrimination based on race, ethnicity, age, gender, religion, disability, sexual orientation or gender identity. It means working with all partners to develop strong national capacities anchored in human rights that can serve all people equally. (spoke in French) Secondly, countries should consider giving more space to subnational regions. Countries emerging from years or even decades of instability cannot afford to ignore the views of broad swathes of the population and thereby risk stirring up future enmities.”
2021-10-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8877 (2021) · source
“That idea is at the heart of the twin Security Council and General Assembly resolutions adopted at the conclusion of the 2015 (resolution 2282 (2016) and General Assembly resolution 70/262) and 2020 (resolution 2558 (2020) and General Assembly resolution 75/201) peacebuilding architecture reviews. It is also at the heart of my new agenda for peace, as part of the report entitled Our Common Agenda. When we open the door to inclusion and participation, we take a giant step forward in conflict prevention and peacebuilding. I want to emphasize three areas in particular. First, national institutions and laws must work for all people. The proposed new agenda for peace includes a strong emphasis on inclusion at every step of a country’s journey, whether before, during and after conflict and once State-building takes hold and gathers speed.”
2021-10-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8877 (2021) · source
“the coronavirus disease pandemic has compounded inequalities and reversed development and peacebuilding gains. Those inequalities and weak governance structures create a vacuum that is easily filled by the voices of intolerance and extremism that can lead to violent conflict. Conversely, inclusion is foundational to resilience and sustainable peace. Nowhere is that clearer than in the linkages between women’s inclusion, gender equality and sustainable peace and security, as the Council will discuss later this month. As countries look to build sustainable peace, they need to include and involve all segments of the population in the process of rebuilding communities and sustaining peace.”
2021-10-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8877 (2021) · source
“We are also seeing a rise in military coups and, as the joint United Nations-World Bank study entitled Pathways for Peace: Inclusive Approaches to Preventing Violent Conflict found, many conflicts are deeply rooted in long-standing inequalities among groups. People feel excluded and marginalized. They are denied the same opportunities and justice as their neighbours because of their culture, race, skin colour, ethnicity or income. While inequalities exist in every country, they are particularly rampant in countries where social services like health, education, security and justice are lacking and where the scars of colonialism are still visible, seen in arbitrarily drawn borders and historical advantages for certain groups over others. Against that backdrop.”
2021-10-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8877 (2021) · source
“Long- standing grievances, inequalities, mistrust and social divisions do not simply vanish when the fighting stops; they can easily flare up again. They can be worsened if people in groups hungry for change do not see their needs and vision for the future being addressed. We see that cycle playing out all around us. Each week, the Chamber echoes with updates on the grinding conflicts that scar our world and on their devastating humanitarian toll. One undeniable trend is the sharp increase in the number of non-State armed groups at the heart of conflicts, including rebels, insurgents, militias, criminal gangs and arms traffickers, terrorists and extremist groups. Many coalesce around joint identities or shared beliefs. Others are opportunistic, driven by the profits of crime or the promise of power.”
2021-10-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8877 (2021) · source
“My thanks to the Government of Kenya for convening today’s open debate on the important issue of diversity, State-building and peace. Your theme, Mr. President, captures a crucial but often overlooked idea — that peace is not found in a piece of paper. It is found in people — more specifically, a diversity of people from different backgrounds coming together to chart a common course for a country. Parties to conflicts can agree to end hostilities. They can agree to begin the long process of rebuilding the country, and they can even join forces to reconstitute the Government. But, without including a wide range of diverse voices at every step of the process and bringing all people along, any peace will be short-lived.”
2021-10-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8877 (2021) · source
“We believe that Ethiopia is violating international law in doing so, and we are ready to cooperate with the Government of Ethiopia concerning any situation in which it feels that any staff member of the United Nations is not behaving in total impartiality and independence under humanitarian law and in accordance with established humanitarian principles. I say to the representative of Ethiopia that we want to cooperate with the Government of Ethiopia because we have only one agenda in Ethiopia, and that agenda is the people of Ethiopia — Tigrayans, Amharans, Afaris and Somalis. The people of Ethiopia are suffering. We have no other interest but to help stop that suffering.”
2021-10-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8875 (2021) · source
“I would then have to investigate what happened within my Organization. I therefore ask the representative of Ethiopia to provide me with the copy of any written documents by the Government of Ethiopia about any of the eight who were expelled by Ethiopia. In that regard, I recall that I told the Prime Minister twice that, if there were concerns about a lack of impartiality on the part of the United Nations staff, he should inform me of such situations so that I could investigate them. I asked the Prime Minister twice. To date, I have received no response to that request. For us, the question is therefore very simple. We believe that Ethiopia does not have the right to expel those eight United Nations staff members.”
2021-10-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8875 (2021) · source
“If there is anything that I have cherished during this entire period, it has been maintaining a very effective and operational relationship with the Government of Ethiopia and its Prime Minister — to the extent that I received much criticism in the global media accusing me of being biased towards the Ethiopian Government. It is therefore in a spirit of complete ease that I would like to ask the representative of Ethiopia as to whether any written document has been provided by the Ethiopian Government to any United Nations entity concerning any of the eight United Nations staff members who were expelled? I would like to receive a copy of that document, because I have no knowledge of any. It would be very useful for me to determine if documents were provided to the United Nations without my knowledge.”
2021-10-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8875 (2021) · source
“Without peace, the challenges facing Ethiopia will intensify and further destabilize the broader Horn of Africa region and beyond. We have an obligation to avoid such a dire outcome at all costs. Dialogue is the foundation for peace, and peace is the foundation for a stable and prosperous future. Let us all work to help secure that future for all Ethiopians and the peoples of the region.”
2021-10-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8875 (2021) · source
“The mandate conferred by the election carries a responsibility to unite all Ethiopians, to focus on the future and to return Ethiopia to its place as a strong, unified, stable leader among the nations of the world. I encourage the newly inaugurated Government to use that mandate and work with renewed determination to be a Government for all. I welcome the Prime Minister’s inauguration remarks prioritizing an inclusive political dialogue involving all segments of the community to resolve the ongoing challenges facing the country. I also note the many messages from African Heads of State emphasizing the need for harmony, national unity, development and peace. I urge all sides to grasp the peace initiative from the African Union and its High Representative for the Horn of Africa, His Excellency Mr. Olusegun Obasanjo.”
2021-10-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8875 (2021) · source
“As I said then, “all parties must immediately end hostilities without preconditions and seize the opportunity to negotiate a lasting ceasefire; foreign forces should leave the country; unrestricted humanitarian access to all areas in need must be guaranteed; humanitarian workers must be respected and public services must be re-established.” (S/PV.8843, p. 3). That appeal is even more pressing today. Any further escalation of the conflict would only make the situation more tragic. Important political events have taken place in Ethiopia since my most recent Security Council briefing in August. Just two days ago, a new Government of Ethiopia, led by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, was inaugurated.”
2021-10-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8875 (2021) · source
“The delays we have witnessed in the recent past are another obstacle to effective humanitarian aid. It also means that personnel inside the country be treated with dignity and respect as they carry out their vital work. Our focus remains on ensuring humanitarian assistance to every Ethiopian who needs it. We must save lives and restore livelihoods. I urge the Government to allow the unrestricted movement of desperately needed fuel, cash, communications equipment and humanitarian supplies into all regions in need. I appeal to all members of the Security Council to do all they can to support those calls and to unify behind the efforts of the United Nations and its partners in Ethiopia. In August, here in the Council, I called for action on several fronts.”
2021-10-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8875 (2021) · source
“In other words, there is a proper, formal procedure — and that procedure was not followed. The United Nations will continue to play its mandated role and work with the Government of Ethiopia and with local and international partners to support millions of people in need of humanitarian assistance in Tigray, Amhara and Afar and across the country, in full accordance with the Charter of the United Nations and General Assembly resolution 46/182. I now call on the Ethiopian authorities to allow us to do that without hindrance and to facilitate and enable our work with the urgency that the situation demands. That means ensuring that visas for incoming personnel from United Nations entities and from our partners are issued quickly so that we can augment our capacity.”
2021-10-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8875 (2021) · source
“As expressed in the note verbale to the Mission of Ethiopia from the Office of Legal Affairs, which was shared with the Council a few days ago: “A declaration by a State that an official of the United Nations is persona non grata accompanied by a request or demand that the Secretary-General consequently relocate that official out of its territory is not consistent with the Charter obligation and is inconsistent with the fundamental principles of the international civil service enshrined in the Charter.” The procedure on such matters is clear. As the note verbale states, if the Government has any specific issues concerning any individuals, the relevant information should be brought to the attention of the United Nations to enable the Secretary-General to make a decision as to whether any appropriate actions should be taken.”
2021-10-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8875 (2021) · source
“That makes last Thursday’s announcement by the Government of Ethiopia to expel seven senior United Nations officials — most of them humanitarian staff — particularly disturbing. That unprecedented expulsion should be a matter of deep concern for us all, as it relates to the core of relations between the United Nations and Member States.”
2021-10-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8875 (2021) · source
“And in locations where screening has been possible, we are seeing acute malnutrition rates that remind us of the onset of the 2011 Somalia famine. We are also seeing deeply worrisome reports of violations and human rights abuses perpetrated by all sides. I am particularly concerned about chilling accounts of violence against women and children, including sexual and gender-based violence. The United Nations is also actively engaged in humanitarian support to other regions of Ethiopia with pressing needs. The country is facing an immense humanitarian crisis that demands immediate attention. All efforts should be squarely focused on saving lives and avoiding a massive human tragedy.”
2021-10-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8875 (2021) · source
“Some minor improvements — which are welcome — did not change the fundamental nature of the problem. Vital fuel supplies continue to be blocked, as are essential medicines and equipment. Humanitarian organizations continue to lack the cash they need to operate and to pay their staff. Access to electricity remains precarious. Millions of people are cut off from communications networks and vital services, such as health care. And fighting in Amhara is another serious impediment to humanitarian access. As a result of all those facts, life-saving humanitarian operations are being crippled. Our colleagues on the ground are sharing increasingly alarming eyewitness testimony of the suffering, including growing accounts of hunger-related deaths.”
2021-10-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8875 (2021) · source
“I welcome this opportunity to brief the Security Council concerning the situation in Ethiopia. In August, I warned the Council that a humanitarian catastrophe was unfolding before our eyes in Ethiopia (see S/PV.8843). Since then, the crisis has worsened. Up to 7 million people in Tigray, Amhara and Afar are now in need of food assistance and other emergency support. That includes more than 5 million people in Tigray, where an estimated 400,000 people are living in famine-like conditions. Humanitarian aid is still not reaching the area at anywhere close to the levels needed. The only option for road transportation into Tigray is along the Afar corridor, where movements are being severely restricted by official and unofficial checkpoints, insecurity and other obstacles and challenges.”
2021-10-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8875 (2021) · source
“Guided by the United Nations Environmental Strategy for Peace Operations, we are working on new approaches to shift energy supply to renewable energy producers, with the intention of supporting renewable energy capacity, including beyond the lifetime of our missions. We are all part of the solution. Let us all work together to mitigate and adapt to climate disruption to build peaceful and resilient societies.”
2021-09-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8864 (2021) · source
“The initiative will help the Economic Community of West African States and other regional, governmental, national and local bodies to harmonize their efforts aimed and reducing the risks of climate change on security in the subregion. Ninety-five per cent of the population in South Sudan lives on herding and agriculture, and they are therefore affected by unseasonable droughts and flooding. The United Nations Mission in South Sudan works with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and IOM to facilitate the peaceful settlement of disputes between farmers and herders. We are also aware of our responsibility to decrease the United Nations carbon footprint. Eighty per cent of Secretariat carbon emissions come from our six largest peacekeeping operations.”
2021-09-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8864 (2021) · source
“The Climate Security Mechanism helps missions on the ground, United Nations country teams and regional and subregional organizations analyse and address the risks that climate change has on security and to shape swift and integrated responses. That work encompasses countries and regions where the Security Council has acknowledged that climate and ecological change undermine stability. The United Nations Office for West Africa and the Sahel, in coordination for the International Organization for Migration (IOM), the United Nations Environment Programme and the Framework Convention on Climate Change, has launched a new initiative on peace, climate change and environmental degradation.”
2021-09-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8864 (2021) · source
“For example, in the Sava River basin, in Eastern Europe, transboundary water cooperation was the starting point of regional reconciliation and cooperation after the deadly war in the Balkans in the 1990s. Across all those efforts, women are critical agents of change. The Security Council has long recognized and sought to strengthen women’s role in sustaining peace. Women and girls face severe risks from both climate change and conflict. Their meaningful participation and leadership bring about more sustainable results that benefit more people. (spoke in French) The United Nations takes climate risks into account in its political analyses as well as in its conflict-prevention and peacebuilding initiatives.”
2021-09-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8864 (2021) · source
“They must ensure that it reaches the most affected populations. The quality of that financing is also key. Grant financing is essential, as loans will add to already crushing debt burdens in the most climate-vulnerable countries. Thirdly, climate adaptation and peacebuilding can — and should — reinforce one another. For example, in the Lake Chad region, dialogue platforms for cooperatively managing natural resources, supported by the Peacebuilding Fund, have promoted reforestation and improved access to sustain livelihoods. In West and Central Africa, cross-border projects have enabled dialogue and promoted more transparent management of scarce natural resources — a factor of peace. As climate change is impacting water resources worldwide, we must leverage water for peace, drawing lessons from the past.”
2021-09-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8864 (2021) · source
“It is essential that at least 50 per cent of climate financing globally be committed to building resilience and supporting adaptation. That need is urgent, as global climate impacts remind us daily. Annual adaptation costs in developing countries are estimated at $70 billion and are expected to reach up to $300 billion a year by 2030. Huge gaps remain in adaptation financing for developing countries. We simply cannot achieve our shared climate goals, or achieve hope for lasting peace and security, if resilience and adaptation continue to be the forgotten half of the climate equation. That neglect is seriously endangering our collective efforts on the crucial road to COP 26 in November. Developed countries must uphold their promise, before COP 26, to deliver $100 billion in climate financing annually to the developing world.”
2021-09-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8864 (2021) · source
“The threats are clear and present. But it is not too late to act to ensure that climate action contributes to international peace and security. Let me highlight three absolute priorities on climate action. First, we need unambiguous commitment and credible actions by all countries to limit global warming to 1.5°C in order to avert the most catastrophic impacts of climate change. I urge all Member States to show more ambition in their nationally determined contributions by the holding of COP 26 and to translate their commitments into concrete and immediate action. Collectively, we need a 45 per cent cut in global emissions by 2030. Secondly, to deal with the already dire impacts of climate disruption on the lives and livelihoods of people all over the world, we need a breakthrough on adaptation and resilience.”
2021-09-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8864 (2021) · source
“In the Middle East and North Africa, which are among the world’s most water-stressed and climate-vulnerable regions, a major decline in precipitation and the increase in extreme weather events are harming water and food security. Last year more than 30 million people were displaced by climate-related disasters. Ninety per cent of refugees come from countries that are among the most vulnerable and least able to adapt to the effects of climate change. Many of those refugees are in turn hosted by countries that are also suffering the impacts of climate change, compounding the challenge for host communities and national budgets. As the devastation caused by the coronavirus disease pandemic continues to cause immense suffering, it is undermining Governments’ ability to respond to climate disasters and build resilience.”
2021-09-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8864 (2021) · source
“The effects of climate change are particularly profound when they overlap with fragility and past or current conflicts. It is clear that climate change and environmental mismanagement are risk multipliers. Where coping capacities are limited and there is high dependence on shrinking natural resources and ecosystem services such as water and fertile land, grievances and tensions can explode, complicating efforts to prevent conflict and sustain peace. In Somalia, more frequent and more intense droughts and floods are undermining food security, increasing competition over scarce resources and exacerbating existing community tensions, from which Al-Shabaab benefit.”
2021-09-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8864 (2021) · source
“I thank the Irish presidency for organizing this timely open debate. Last month, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change released a deeply alarming report. It shows that climate disruption caused by human activities is widespread and intensifying. The report is indeed a “code red” for humankind. Much bolder climate action is needed ahead of the twenty-sixth Conference of the States Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP 26), with Group of Twenty nations in the lead, to maintain international peace and security. Our window of opportunity to prevent the worst climate impacts is rapidly closing. No region is immune. Wildfires, flooding, drought and other extreme weather events are affecting every continent.”
2021-09-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8864 (2021) · source
“I therefore look forward to working with the Council to continue strengthening the transition process and pursuing our shared goal of peace for all people in all countries.”
2021-09-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8851 (2021) · source
“We need to ensure that parties to conflict live up to their obligations under international law. We need the help of the Council to address any remaining threats to civilians. For example, the situation in Darfur is a stark reminder of the need to remain vigilant. The Juba Peace Agreement, signed in October 2020, was an inspiring sign of progress but the drawdown of the peacekeeping mission and the establishment of the political mission have been accompanied by recurring intercommunal violence. Those and many other deeply concerning situations remind us that peace is a long process. The path is seldom straightforward. The role of the world and the global community remains essential as those countries continue their journeys. Peace is possible. Peace is necessary. Peace is the only pathway to a sustainable future.”
2021-09-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8851 (2021) · source
“Support for transitions is one of the three priority windows for the Fund, with a target of 35 per cent of annual investment dedicated to that context. However, many more resources will be needed. I welcome the General Assembly’s decision to convene a high-level meeting on financing for peacebuilding next year. As demand for support from the Peacebuilding Fund continues to outpace available resources, we must build momentum. We need to match the commitment of Member States to peacebuilding with concrete outcomes in how the commitment is financed. The first lesson is to support national authorities as they protect people and rebuild for the future. When a United Nations mission closes, the risks to civilians and vulnerable groups do not simply vanish. We need to help Governments establish security and protection systems.”
2021-09-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8851 (2021) · source
“It also includes support for the Democratic Republic of the Congo as it strengthens economic, security, legal and justice systems and institutions for the future. The leaders and the peoples of countries in transition must be the ultimate architects of peace, with the United Nations and the global community playing supporting roles. The third lesson is the importance of sustainable transition financing. As global attention wanes, the attention of donors can soon follow. The closure of a United Nations mission often coincides with shrinking and less predictable aid flows. That financial cliff can be a huge risk for a country still taking those first tentative steps towards sustainable peace and development. The Peacebuilding Fund is aimed at partially closing those gaps.”
2021-09-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8851 (2021) · source
“We want to make sure that national Government institutions, partners and civil society groups, especially those representing women, minorities and young people, are all working together to carry peace forward and build truly representative, responsive and accountable institutions. For example, the conclusion of the mandate of the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in the Kasaï provinces was followed by a detailed benchmark transition plan for full withdrawal by 2024, should the conditions for peace be met. The plan was developed with the national Government, working shoulder to shoulder with the United Nations country team and the Council.”
2021-09-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8851 (2021) · source
“For example, the tireless work of the United Nations Office for West Africa and the Sahel was critical to sustaining engagement in Côte d’Ivoire, Liberia and Guinea-Bissau. In the Sudan, the United Nations managed one of the most complex reconfigurations in recent history, drawing down the peacekeeping mission while scaling up a special political mission. That mission was dedicated to a sustainable and nationally owned peace process as the country continues its journey towards recovery and sustainable development. That brings me to the second lesson, namely, the importance of national leadership and ownership of the transition. Peacekeeping missions can help put the country on the right track, but only national stakeholders can keep it there over the long term. That idea is at the heart of our Action for Peacekeeping Plus initiative.”
2021-09-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8851 (2021) · source
“Three years ago, I launched the Action for Peacekeeping initiative to make our operations more efficient and impactful, including after mission transitions. Earlier this year, I launched the Action for Peacekeeping Plus initiative to focus on key areas of work and protect hard-won gains as countries make that shift. We are committed to constantly improving the transition process and learning from the lessons of past missions. The first lesson is that political engagement needs to be sustained throughout the transition and beyond. After the transition, we need to intensify our focus on collaborating with local and national Governments to rebuild vital systems. The work of the Peacebuilding Commission, United Nations country teams, regional offices and envoys is more important than ever.”
2021-09-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8851 (2021) · source
“Success depends on early and sustained collaboration among field missions, host Governments, United Nations country teams and local and global partners. It also depends on building trust with the people and communities that we are there to serve. The drawdown of United Nations peacekeeping can be an exciting moment for a country emerging from conflict and looking forward to peace, but it is also a moment of heightened risk. Years of peacebuilding and protection gains are at stake. Global attention and focus, including perhaps the focus of the Council, can vary. There is still work to do to make sure the seeds of peace can blossom. Consolidating peace, building resilience and averting conflict relapse are at the heart of my prevention agenda.”
2021-09-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8851 (2021) · source
“My thanks to Ireland for convening today’s debate on the important issue of peacekeeping transitions. As the Security Council knows well, United Nations peacekeepers are an extraordinary group of women and men who put themselves in harm’s way to protect people, create space for dialogue and political trust and plant the seeds of peace for the future. But their missions are never intended to be permanent, and transitions do not come with an on-off switch. Transitions are complex processes that are individual to each country’s context. They involve a careful reconfiguration of the presence, strategy and footprint of the United Nations in a country. They begin not only when a mission is nearing its end, but when the first boots hit the ground.”
2021-09-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8851 (2021) · source
“Allow me to express one final word of profound regret about the tragic events unfolding in Ethiopia. Ethiopia is a country full of promise, driven in large measure by the energy and initiative of its youth. It is heartbreaking to see many young Ethiopians being instrumentalized and mobilized in war efforts. Their energy is being channelled into a path of division and destruction, instead of one of building a better future for all Ethiopians. They will be the ultimate casualties in this needless conflict. In every sense, the future of Ethiopia is at stake. Let us pledge to do all we can to advance the path of national cohesion and peace.”
2021-08-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8843 (2021) · source
“I believe that there is an opportunity to address the conflict peacefully, which the parties must seize in the interest of Ethiopia, and conditions must be created for the start of an inclusive national political dialogue in order to address the underlying causes of the conflict and ensure that Ethiopian voices direct the pathway to peace. On these issues, I have been in contact with Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed. I also received a letter on this matter from the president of the Tigray region, as elected at the time, in response to my appeal, which was also addressed to the President of the Security Council. The United Nations is ready to work together with the African Union and other key partners to support such a dialogue. In the period ahead, the attention and unity of the Security Council will be critical.”
2021-08-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8843 (2021) · source