YouSaid · the spoken record

Thomas-Greenfield

lines on the record: 1,605
first: 2021-05-27
most recent: 2023-12-22
sittings or episodes: 219
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

“Let me join others in welcoming you, Mr. President, to your new role as President of the Security Council. I would also like to thank Kenya for its extraordinary effort during the previous month. We are very pleased that the Security Council once again reauthorized European Union Military Operation in Bosnia and Herzegovina and sent a clear message of support for the vitally important mission of maintaining peace and security. We are also grateful for High Representative Christian Schmidt’s recent report, which the Secretary-General shared with the Security Council. In line with precedent and the requirements of resolution 1031 (1995) , the report is crucial for keeping the international community informed about the ongoing efforts to ensure enduring stability and prosperity in the region.”
2021-11-03 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8896 (2021) · source
“We hope that other States members of the Security Council will join us in adopting and implementing national action plans and strategies for the women and peace and security agenda. Those important tools hold us all accountable to our commitments, including tracking progress on gender equality, addressing gender-based violence, ensuring women’s participation in decision-making forums that impact us and our commitment. The world’s women and girls need us, and we need them. Let us move forward, do right by women and girls, and use this agenda to advance peace and security for all. As we heard in the film, there can be no lasting peace without women.”
2021-10-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8886 (2021) · source
“That starts with the Security Council’s work to prioritize the safety, perspectives and participation of women in peacekeeping operations and special political mission mandate renewals. Moving forward, we hope to see many more mandates promote the inclusion of women in operations, the perspectives and the needs of women and girls and other groups at risk of violence and exploitation, and the protection of human rights defenders and civil society. We will continue to call for those commitments on behalf of women and girls around the world, but the challenges remain. We must continue to demand and defend the rights of Afghan women and girls. We must stand up against violence and the targeting of women in war. We must defend girls’ rights to education and so much more.”
2021-10-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8886 (2021) · source
“Those women and others need to be included in transition and reconciliation efforts to ensure that there is real, sustainable peace in South Sudan. Or let us look at Colombia, where there has been significant progress following the truly inclusive peace process, which resulted in numerous gender provisions in the Final Agreement for Ending the Conflict and Building a Stable and Lasting Peace. The United States continues to support efforts to monitor and advance the implementation of the peace accord there, including provisions related to the safety and empowerment of women and girls and the development of local peace councils. Those are just two examples of tangible progress, but the world is poised to produce many, many more.”
2021-10-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8886 (2021) · source
“The coronavirus disease pandemic has led to spiking and extraordinary rates of gender-based violence and erased decades of progress on efforts to protect and educate girls. Many of the girls affected will never return to school if the international community chooses to neglect and forget them. We cannot allow that to happen. We need to work together to promote the women and peace and security agenda around the world because we know we make a difference. For example, women played a leading role in the Sudan’s 2019 transition, and women’s representation in subsequent political negotiations was crucial to maintaining peace and security. That was a moment where women took their seat at the table and pushed for resounding change in their country. Of course, the work is not done.”
2021-10-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8886 (2021) · source
“Meanwhile, around the world, the United States Agency for International Development has provided critical health care, psychosocial support, legal aid and economic services to more than 13.5 million survivors of gender-based violence. Our Department of State has invested approximately $138 million in women and peace and security assistance, thereby complementing our diplomatic and policy engagement in 60 countries. My point is that those are not just talking points for us. They are genuine commitments, clearly codified in domestic legislation, that we are meeting as a key part of our overarching foreign policy. In June, the White House provided its first report to Congress tracking our progress on this work. The challenges it detailed are very real.”
2021-10-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8886 (2021) · source
“Since that time, we have made profound and tangible progress towards advancing the women and peace and security agenda, which has greatly increased the safety and security of women, girls and people around the world. Internally, we have improved the capacity and technical expertise of our Government personnel to add a women and peace and security lens. For example, our Department of Defense has overhauled our women and peace and security training and developed additional in-house training to meet the growing needs and demands for women and peace and security instruction. Our Department of Homeland Security has trained hundreds of personnel to integrate women and peace and security principles into their work.”
2021-10-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8886 (2021) · source
“Let me start by stating our firm and unequivocal commitment to the women and peace and security agenda, as laid out in resolution 1325 (2000). By promoting women’s participation and leadership in politics, education, mediation, negotiations and every aspect of public life, we promote more security and peace for all. That should not just be a priority for women; it should be a priority for everyone who values peace and progress. For our part, the United States is proud of its tireless work to advance this landmark resolution and its tenets. The United States passed the Women, Peace and Security Act in 2017, thereby making us the first country in the world with a comprehensive domestic law promoting this key agenda.”
2021-10-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8886 (2021) · source
“I thank Secretary-General Guterres for his report (S/2021/827) and his remarks. I would like to welcome Sima Bahous, the new head of UN-Women. We look forward to working with her in the future. I would like to thank our two briefers, who joined us today for this annual debate on women and peace and security and welcome all our guests. I would also just like to take a moment to call out Bineta Diop and thank her for her years of commitment to African women. Wherever women have faced issues, Ms. Diop has been there for more than 20 years. She has never given up on her commitment, even in the face of some of the most difficult challenges. I thank her. I thank Kenya for convening us to fully reaffirm our women and peace and security commitments and discuss how to further support and amplify ongoing efforts by women to craft and sustain peace.”
2021-10-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8886 (2021) · source
“With that in mind, I again thank Kenya for hosting today’s important debate, and I urge countries of the region to uphold their commitments to addressing the smuggling that is driving so much of this terrible conflict.”
2021-10-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8884 (2021) · source
“The recent planned ISIS-Democratic Republic of the Congo attacks in Rwanda and Uganda highlight the heightened risk of that illegal gold trade for all countries in the Great Lakes region. In addition, strategies for the reintegration of former fighters must be coordinated, developed and fully implemented to counter the threat of violent extremism over the long term. The Great Lakes region has wealth in natural resources, and it has talented personnel, to fund such efforts on its own, if State actors work together to ensure a legal, productive trade that benefits all the people of the region. The difference would be extraordinary. It is entirely possible to put an end to the smuggling and bring greater peace and prosperity to the region.”
2021-10-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8884 (2021) · source
“While armed groups and others continue to profit from minerals, especially gold, smuggled illegally from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, we must pursue greater cooperation across borders on supply- chain standards, traceability, tariff standardization and tax harmonization. The Islamic State in Iraq and the Sham (ISIS) in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, often referred to as the Allied Democratic Forces, has previously funded its activities through illegal taxes on gold producers in Beni. That is why due diligence is so important. To those ends, the United States welcomes the recent meetings among regional Governments on military and non-military measures. Those meetings should pay extra attention to how the smuggling of Congolese gold affects the national security of neighbours of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.”
2021-10-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8884 (2021) · source
“That means treating the responsible management of natural resources as vital to the economic, social and governance development of the region. In addition, the private-sector supply chain must demand due diligence from private-sector operators in the extractive sectors, consistent with the guidelines of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. The due diligence should adhere to the highest standards possible to ensure the sustainable use of such resources, and the parties should work closely with international financial institutions to develop national frameworks that reinforce such commitments.”
2021-10-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8884 (2021) · source
“It is time to push such commitments forward. Today we particularly welcome Kenya’s focus on the illegal exploitation of natural resources, such as minerals, wildlife and timber, by armed groups, corrupt State actors and criminal commercial networks. We concur with the ICGLR Executive Secretary’s comments on that issue today. Such actions clearly fuel conflict in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. They help terrorist groups, and they pose a danger to the entire region. We must do something about that, and we need to do it now. To start, we urge regional Governments to uphold their commitments as ICGLR member States. The Executive Secretary’s presence again highlights his commitment to that.”
2021-10-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8884 (2021) · source
“We enthusiastically welcome the regional partners here with us today. Their role is key to the success of the region. The United States supports the principles set out in the United Nations Strategy for Peace Consolidation, Conflict Prevention and Conflict Resolution in the Great Lakes Region, adopted a year ago, the road map announced this summer and the September recommendations of the Khartoum workshop on natural resources, particularly regarding the gold trade. We are confident that the Special Envoy will act swiftly on the regional strategy through high-level shuttle diplomacy with the region’s leaders to support the full implementation of the Peace, Security and Cooperation Framework for the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Region. We welcome the work towards holding the next meeting of the Regional Oversight Mechanism.”
2021-10-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8884 (2021) · source
“I too want to thank you, Madam President, for Kenya’s initiative to highlight the conflict in the Great Lakes region as part of its presidency of the Security Council this month. We share Kenya’s concern regarding armed groups and violence in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo, as well as its optimism regarding the prospects for peace, reconciliation and development, which could serve as an economic motor to transform the entire subregion. I also thank Special Envoy Huang Xia for presenting the report of the Secretary-General (S/2021/836) and for his briefing. I also want to thank the Executive Secretary of the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR), Mr. Caholo, for his efforts at the ICGLR and Assistant Secretary-General Pobee for her briefing.”
2021-10-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8884 (2021) · source
“Reports of masked men terrorizing a village in Hebron, destroying homes and injuring children on 28 September and similar acts elsewhere in the West Bank are abhorrent. We appreciated the strong and unequivocal condemnation of that violence by Foreign Minister Lapid, Defence Minister Gantz and others in the Israeli Government. We call upon the Israeli authorities to investigate those incidents fully, including the response by Israeli security forces. That kind of violence diminishes the freedom. dignity, security and prosperity of Palestinians and Israelis alike. It stands in the way of peace.”
2021-10-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8883 (2021) · source
“As the international community moves to increase its assistance to the people of Gaza, we call on Hamas to cease its cruel detention of two Israeli civilians. Civilians are not pawns. Similarly, we urge Hamas to return the remains of two Israeli soldiers to their families. I met with Leah Goldin, the mother of one of those soldiers, in June, and I have to say that I was deeply moved by her account of the unnecessary suffering caused by that outrageous act. It is really a matter of basic human decency. Mrs. Goldin’s son’s remains should be returned to her family to bring her closure. We are deeply concerned by the violence perpetrated by Israeli settlers in the West Bank against Palestinians and their property.”
2021-10-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8883 (2021) · source
“That includes funding the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), so that the organization can continue to run schools and health services that support Palestinian families. The United States provided more than $318 million to UNRWA this year, but it still faces a shortfall of roughly $100 million. We applaud Kuwait’s recent contribution of $21.5 million to the Agency and we encourage others to follow Kuwait’s example and help to ensure the continuation of vital services for Palestinian refugees. At the same time, we need to see UNRWA undertake the necessary reforms to ensure its financial sustainability. We will work with UNRWA to strengthen the Agency’s accountability, transparency and consistency with humanitarian principles, including neutrality.”
2021-10-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8883 (2021) · source
“To that end, we also welcome the re-engagement between Israeli and Jordanian leaders, as well as the progress from the Abraham Accords. I had the opportunity to sit down with Prime Minister Bennett last month for a productive discussion about the challenges and opportunities facing Israel here in the United Nations system. We have also been engaging with Palestinian partners, and Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Israel and Palestinian Affairs Amr recently travelled to the West Bank to meet with President Abbas. Gaza continues to have an acute need for humanitarian relief and recovery. Humanitarian actors need regular, predictable and sustained access to Gaza. Member States should provide financial, as well as material, assistance to help meet the needs of the people of Gaza.”
2021-10-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8883 (2021) · source
“I sincerely hope that, going forward, Council members will do their best to take a more balanced approach. In addition, there are other countries and situations in the region that merit Security Council attention and should not be neglected. That said, all of us here sincerely care about providing a better future for Israelis and Palestinians alike. This is a complex crisis with deep suffering on both sides. Along with bringing balance to those discussions, we need to reflect on the actions truly take us closer to the goal of peace. The first step towards resolving any conflict is frank and direct dialogue. The United States, therefore, supports the resumed direct contact between Israeli and Palestinian leaders.”
2021-10-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8883 (2021) · source
“I thank Special Coordinator Wennesland for his briefing. I also thank briefers Hanan Ashrawi and Daniel Levy for sharing their views with us today. I welcome the participation of the observer of the Observer State of Palestine Mansour and Israeli Ambassador Erdan. Before I address what we have just heard, I would like to briefly comment on the content of these monthly meetings. The monthly agenda calls for a briefing on the situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question. The Council spends a great deal of time on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, which is both understandable and consistent with the agenda. But, far too often, the substance of those discussions is centred almost entirely around criticism of Israel and counter- attacks.”
2021-10-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8883 (2021) · source
“Lastly, I want to underscore that the only durable solution to the crisis in the Central African Republic is through the full implementation of the 2019 peace agreement and inclusive political dialogue. We welcome progress towards the organization of a political dialogue and contributions by regional leaders. We urge all partners to align their efforts to support the peace agreement, which would permit humanitarian assistance to reach civilians in dire need. The civilians of the Central African Republic deserve a political solution that will provide peace and prosperity to all and that will save lives. They have suffered far too long. Let us hope that last Friday’s ceasefire announcement is the first step towards that bright future.”
2021-10-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8882 (2021) · source
“We strongly encourage the Office of Internal Oversight Services to continue interviewing victims and to help ensure that they receive the support they require. We also encourage all troop- and police-contributing countries with pending cases to take immediate action and ensure accountability for such offenses. Thirdly, we are concerned that the work of the Panel of Experts on the Central African Republic has been blocked. The Council approved the Panel to ensure independent reporting on the situation in the Central African Republic, and we urge the swift resolution of any concerns that some Council members may have so that the Council can resume that important work.”
2021-10-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8882 (2021) · source
“We hope that the announcement of last week’s ceasefire will bring those activities to a permanent halt. The Government of the Central African Republic has taken an important step in investigating those deeply disturbing allegations and recognizing that perpetrators include so-called Russian support forces. Now, it must provide more detail on crimes identified and hold perpetrators accountable. In addition, Russia must hold its citizens accountable for crimes committed in the Central African Republic — something the country’s Government officials have said they expect Russia to do. In a similar vein, we must press for justice for those harmed by United Nations peacekeepers. I commend the Secretary-General for following the procedures and due process outlined in resolution 2272 (2016).”
2021-10-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8882 (2021) · source
“MINUSCA investigations reveal that most civilian deaths in the past four months have been the result of indiscriminate, disproportionate and excessive use of force by the Forces armées centrafricaines (FACA) and what the Secretary-General refers to throughout his report as “bilaterally deployed and other security forces” (S/2021/867, para. 9). We all know what this term refers to — Russian- supported mercenaries invited by the Government of the Central African Republic. Reports indicate that FACA and individuals notified by the Russian Federation to the Central African Republic sanctions committee as “instructors” have committed numerous violations of international humanitarian law and abuses of human rights in the name of supporting the Government of the Central African Republic.”
2021-10-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8882 (2021) · source
“In building on this positive step, we reiterate our commitment to working alongside with the Central African authorities, the United Nations, the African Union, the Economic Community of Central African States, the International Conference of the Great Lakes Region and other partners to support a peace process. We hope that this will include an inclusive and credible dialogue necessary for Central Africans to resolve questions of identity, end the violence and build a better future for their children. Secondly, the United States remains deeply concerned about reports of human rights violations and abuses against civilians, including those apparently directed at Muslim communities.”
2021-10-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8882 (2021) · source
“Today I would like to briefly discuss four points: the ceasefire announced last week, our concerns about recent human rights violations and abuses and allegations of sexual exploitation and abuse, the work of the Panel of Experts on the Central African Republic, and the future of the Political Agreement for Peace and Reconciliation in the Central African Republic. First, the United States welcomes the important ceasefire announcement. We call on all armed actors to lay down weapons immediately and recommit to the Political Agreement for Peace and Reconciliation.”
2021-10-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8882 (2021) · source
“I also thank Commissioner Adeoye and Ambassador Skoog for their respective efforts and Pamela Derom for her tireless efforts since the Bangui Forum and for speaking to us today. I would also like to give a special thank you — and we all should pause for a moment — to the women and men of MINUSCA for the Mission’s leadership and to the troop- and police-contributing countries for their commitment to peace, security and stability in the Central African Republic. We honour and remember those who have made the ultimate sacrifice.”
2021-10-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8882 (2021) · source
“Let me start by thanking Special Representative of the Secretary-General Ndiaye. It is great to see him again and I thank him for his briefing, which clearly conveys the enormity of the challenges confronting the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA) ahead of next month’s mandate renewal. I would also like to welcome Central African Republic President Touadera and thank him for his leadership in declaring last week’s ceasefire. I hope that represents a real turning point in the conflict in the Central African Republic; in fact — for the sake of the people of the Central African Republic — it has to.”
2021-10-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8882 (2021) · source
“The United States looks forward to the conclusion of the assessment and the opportunity it presents to further strengthen BINUH’s mandate and effectiveness in helping to address the ongoing challenges facing Haiti. Let me be clear — now is not the time for the Security Council to walk away from Haiti. We will not relent in our commitment to ensuring that Haiti receives the assistance and support that it needs. The United States welcomes the mandate renewal and reaffirms its commitment to supporting Haitian-led efforts to address Haiti’s long-standing challenges.”
2021-10-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8881 (2021) · source
“Let me start by thanking all of the Council members here today for supporting the important resolution 2600 (2021). As we all know, the past year has been especially turbulent in Haiti. By renewing the mandate of the United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH), we have helped to ensure that the United Nations can continue its vital efforts to support democratic institutions and planning for elections, strengthen the rule of law and promote stability. We know that decisions about Haiti’s future and whether it will undertake the vital reforms that are so urgently needed are questions for the people of Haiti. BINUH’s role is both advisory and essential. This resolution also calls for an assessment by the Secretary- General in six months to ensure that the mandate remains fit for purpose.”
2021-10-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8881 (2021) · source
“Before I conclude, I want to acknowledge the third report on the situation of children and armed conflict in Yemen (S/2021/761) released by the Office of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict. The report details the ravages that conflict has inflicted on Yemen’s children. It is truly sobering. The conflict is killing Yemen’s children — Yemen’s own future. Those children deserve peace — the kind of peace only a political solution can grant them.”
2021-10-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8878 (2021) · source
“On the FSO SAFER oil tanker, the Houthis must stop negotiating in bad faith with the international community and permit the United Nations to conduct an assessment and urgent repairs without conditions or further delays. The Houthis will bear full responsibility when a leak, spill or explosion occurs. But worse, the Yemeni people will bear the brunt of the suffering. Given those kinds of acts, the United States, like many members of the Security Council, is deeply disappointed by what happened in the Human Rights Council last week. It is appalling that the mandate for the Group of Eminent Experts in Yemen was not renewed. The people of Yemen deserve accountability.”
2021-10-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8878 (2021) · source
“For our part, as Secretary Blinken announced during high-level week, the United States is providing more than $290 million in additional humanitarian assistance for the people of Yemen, bringing our total for fiscal year 2021 to over $800 million. We must all urge donor nations to contribute to the humanitarian response plan. Fourthly and finally, we need to hold all parties accountable for their actions. The reports of flagrant violations of basic human rights and the rule of law in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen are deeply worrisome, particularly the 18 September public execution of nine individuals, one of whom was a minor. The Houthis must respect basic human rights, and all Yemenis must have access to fair trials and due process under international law.”
2021-10-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8878 (2021) · source
“The United States asks members to consider providing targeted financial support to bolster the Prime Minister’s efforts to improve the provision of services for the Yemeni people. That me to my third point: the humanitarian and economic situation in Yemen is dire, and the Yemeni people need our help. Right now, Yemenis cannot obtain basic services, and they are trapped in a downward spiral. To that end, we must press the Houthis, the Yemeni Government and Saudi Arabia to ensure fuel is brought into and distributed throughout Yemen at prices Yemenis can afford. The rest of the international community must do what it can. We are grateful to the European Union, Sweden and Switzerland for co-hosting last month’s pledging event.”
2021-10-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8878 (2021) · source
“The Houthis have consistently refused to commit to a ceasefire, discuss a political resolution to the conflict or engage constructively with the United Nations. It is up to us, as the Security Council, to individually and collectively press the Houthis to engage meaningfully. Secondly, the situation in Aden and beyond remains precarious. The United States condemns the attack against the Government of Yemen officials over the past week. And we extend our condolences to the families of those who were killed. Yemenis deserve peace, and we support the Government of Yemen’s efforts to restore stability and improve the lives of all Yemenis. In that vein, we welcome the Prime Minister’s return to Aden.”
2021-10-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8878 (2021) · source
“Furthermore, the Houthi siege of Al-Abdiyah is putting tens of thousands of civilians at grave risk. We also condemn recent Houthi cross-border attacks against Saudi Arabia at King Abdullah and Abha airports, which wounded more than a dozen innocent people. Those heinous acts, targeting civilian airport employees and travellers, undermine peace efforts. Those actions defy the international and regional consensus on ending the war, and they are the single-biggest obstacle to peace. During this challenging time, the United States believes it is all the more important that the Security Council demonstrate unwavering support for Special Envoy Grundberg’s work and does not shy away from calling out Houthi obstruction.”
2021-10-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8878 (2021) · source
“I thank Special Envoy Hans Grundberg, Mr. Ramesh Rajasingham and Ms. Shujaa Al-Deen for their remarks and continued efforts. And I welcome the presence of the Yemeni Government in the Chamber today. Today I will focus on four aspects of the situation in Yemen: the Houthi offensive, the situation in Aden, the economic and humanitarian situation and the challenge of accountability in this conflict. First, the United States remains deeply concerned by the Houthi offensive against Ma’rib, home to over 1 million internally displaced people. The dramatic escalation has led to hundreds of casualties. In particular, the United States strongly condemns the 3 October Houthi missile attack on Ma’rib, which killed two children and injured an estimated 33 more civilians.”
2021-10-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8878 (2021) · source
“I believe fundamentally, to my core, that embracing diversity and celebrating one’s identity and the identities of those different from oneself are some of the most effective ways in which we can spread peace and security in the world. That work has great urgency, and we must use the extraordinary power of our example to demonstrate our unwavering commitment to inclusion. Together let us work to promote diversity, to prevent conflict, to save lives, to build a more peaceful world.”
2021-10-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8877 (2021) · source
“But, ultimately, the root causes are nothing new. They are the same root causes that have always driven racial, ethnic, regional, partisan and religious conflict. Working together, we can take away the power of those divisive forces, not by shying away from diversity and inclusion but by embracing them. That is why I champion people-to-people diplomacy. When one meets someone in person and is are able to look at them face to face and hear about their goals and their dreams, hatred is harder. Now I am not naïve; not everyone lets hate in their hearts disappear easily. But many people die because of that hatred.”
2021-10-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8877 (2021) · source
“The Peacebuilding Commission has an important convening role to play in this work and helps mobilize attention and commitment to international peacebuilding efforts. Strong local partnerships and international cooperation are critical elements in fostering stability and resilience, particularly in fragile States. The women and peace and security agenda has a vital role to play here too. Women make the world more peaceful and should be empowered to meaningfully participate in those efforts. Without women, we will not achieve the progress that we seek. The stated causes of those conflicts are myriad, but the root causes are often the same — inequality, discrimination, fear, hatred. Social media may amplify those forces; they create an echo chamber and fuel much of the disinformation that causes extreme hatred.”
2021-10-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8877 (2021) · source
“We need to put in greater protections for all racial, ethnic and religious minorities; people with disabilities; lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and intersex people; as well as indigenous people. That is particularly true for the many and burgeoning places where conflict has broken out mainly as a result of identity. I scarcely need to say that, because we deal with these issues almost on a weekly basis here at the Security Council. In situations most vulnerable to this type of threat, regional and subregional organizations should take a more comprehensive approach, including through prevention, peacekeeping, peacemaking, peacebuilding and counter-terrorism. All of us must work together to promote human rights, democracy and the rule of law, especially here in the Security Council.”
2021-10-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8877 (2021) · source
“Addressing brutality and advancing racial equity is a core priority of the Biden-Harris Administration. We encourage every community and country to look internally to advance diversity and inclusion, to be fully transparent about those formidable challenges and to work tirelessly to end racism, sexism, ableism, religious discrimination and xenophobia. We must also collaborate with the United Nations and others to not only ameliorate conflict but to prevent and address the fundamental sources of conflict. The Secretary-General’s Our Common Agenda notably and rightfully includes aspects of addressing racism, discrimination and inequality.”
2021-10-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8877 (2021) · source
“This is a problem that we all share in different ways and that we must all work together to resolve. For our part, the United States believes in being fully transparent about our shortcomings. We do not claim to be perfect. Instead, we aim every single day to form that more perfect union and to strive for justice in our own country. In June, when the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights released a report on racism and police brutality against Africans and people of African descent (A/HRC/47/53), we not only acknowledged the examination of such cases in the United States but we also issued a standing invitation to the Special Rapporteur on Contemporary Forms of Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance and the Special Rapporteur on Minority Issues to visit the United States.”
2021-10-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8877 (2021) · source
“I thank you, Mr. President, for presiding over this meeting today and for the important message you just delivered to us. I would also like to thank the Secretary-General, President Kagame and President Mbeki for their briefings today. And I would like to thank Ms. Koofi for her message and to highlight the important work that she continues to do to promote peace and security. I have spent more than half of my life travelling the world as part of my career, and I have experienced and seen racism in every single place that I have been, including in my own country. I bring this up to acknowledge a simple fact — there is no society, no region and no country that does not face division over diversity. Our discussion today on how we can prevent and stop conflict based on identity must acknowledge that.”
2021-10-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8877 (2021) · source
“We must take appropriate actions — we must take all appropriate actions — to keep civilians safe, promote accountability for human rights violations and abuses and deliver humanitarian relief to Ethiopians in dire need. We must all call on the Government of Ethiopia to reverse the expulsion immediately. Time is of the essence. Lives are on the line. If ever there was a moment to step up and do our duty, it is now.”
2021-10-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8875 (2021) · source
“The United States believes that there must be a political solution to this conflict. We are investing heavily in diplomatic efforts, in partnership with the African Union and the region, to address this crisis and end the carnage. We also believe that there will be no lasting peace in Ethiopia — and the country’s broader project of democratic and economic renewal will not be realized — until there is a wider dialogue, one that includes all Ethiopians, on the future of their State. Today’s meeting therefore represents an important step towards addressing the immediate and wider crisis in Ethiopia, but it cannot be the last. Make no mistake: the Security Council’s credibility is at stake in this regard.”
2021-10-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8875 (2021) · source
“The conflict is spilling over into the Amhara and Afar regions, creating even more instability and humanitarian need. As the Secretary-General said in his letter to us this week, this conflict is spiralling out of control. This is a path Ethiopia’s leaders are choosing: to join the club of the most isolated countries in the international community and to let their own people down. The United States has repeatedly called for the Ethiopian Government and the Tigray People’s Liberation Front — as well as associated regional militias — to end the fighting now, allow humanitarian access and move towards a negotiated ceasefire immediately and without preconditions. The Council should fully support these efforts too. There is still hope. It is not too late to stop this descent.”
2021-10-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8875 (2021) · source
“We should immediately consider all tools at our disposal, including a Security Council resolution, to facilitate this — to save lives and promote international peace and security. Our concerns about the situation in Ethiopia go beyond this immediate humanitarian crisis. Three years ago, we were talking about Ethiopia as one of the fastest growing countries in Africa, full of promise and on the cusp of a major economic and political transformation. Less than one year ago, the current situation was going to be a two-week law-enforcement action. Now we are hearing countless horrific accounts of rape being used as a weapon of war, of violence against civilians, of hunger being used as a tool of war, of famine looming and of United Nations staff being expelled, with Ethiopians killing Ethiopians by the thousands by the day.”
2021-10-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8875 (2021) · source