YouSaid · the spoken record

Van Bohemen

lines on the record: 705
first: 1993-08-27
most recent: 2016-12-31
sittings or episodes: 114
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

“Our first proposal is simple. We propose that the Council be more structured in its consideration of these findings of non-cooperation. There is currently no consistent practice. In most instances, despite these findings being relayed by the Secretary-General in accordance with the Relationship Agreement between the United Nations and the International Criminal Court, the Council does not even discuss them, and certainly not in any fulsome way. In our View, when a non-cooperation finding is received, the Council should discuss it. As we would with other issues, we should consider all the tools the Council has at its disposal, such as a resolution or another product, even a press statement, a letter from the Council or a meeting with the concerned country.”
2015-12-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7582 (2015) · source
“The Council unanimously adopted presidential statement S/PRST/2007/35, condemning this attack and demanding that no effort be spared in identifying and bringing to justice its perpetrators. The Prosecutor of the ICC has taken up this call and is trying to pursue Mr. Banda. She is, however, stymied in her efforts. The Government of the Sudan refuses even to receive her communications on the case, let alone cooperate in any practical or tangible way. Mr. Banda, whom the Council committed to bringing to justice, is at large in the Sudan, and the Council has done nothing to support the one institution seeking to bring him to justice. In the face of that contradiction, New Zealand would like to make two proposals. They are not a substitution for or in contradiction to the proposals just outlined by the Prosecutor, which we also fully endorse.”
2015-12-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7582 (2015) · source
“Indeed, it undermines the credibility of all of its decisions. That is a serious issue. Sadly, it is a regular issue. The Secretary-General has relayed 11 findings of non-cooperation to the Council. The most recent was last Friday. That finding relates to Mr. Abdallah Banda, an indictee from a rebel group who is alleged to be responsible for a deadly attack against African Union peacekeepers in South Darfur and Darfur in 2007. It is alleged that Banda led a group which attacked an African Union Mission in the Sudan (AMIS) camp with anti-aircraft guns, artillery guns and rocket- propelled grenade launchers, killing 12 peacekeepers from Nigeria, Mali, Senegal and Botswana.”
2015-12-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7582 (2015) · source
“However, we are realistic and we know there are non-States parties around this table that may not share those concerns. As such, today we will focus on a concern that every member of the Council and every Member of the United Nations must share - non-compliance with Chapter VII resolutions of the Council. The Sudan is required, under resolution 1593 (2005) and the Charter of the United Nations, to cooperate with the ICC investigations in Darfur. The Sudan's non-cooperation with the Court amounts to non-compliance with a Council resolution and its obligations under the Charter. As the Prosecutor has reminded us so clearly and uncomfortably today, the Council has responded with deafening silence to the situation. The Council's inaction in the face of this non-compliance with its own resolution undermines its credibility.”
2015-12-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7582 (2015) · source
“We, too, thank Ms. Bensouda for her briefing. We are deeply concerned about the situation in Darfur. At Ms. Bensouda's most recent briefing on this item (see S/PV.7478), New Zealand spoke at some length about the gravity of the situation and the need for accountability. While, as Ms. Bensouda has reported, nothing has really changed, I will not reiterate the statements I expressed in June. Instead I want to focus on non-cooperation with the activities of the International Criminal Court (ICC) in the Sudan. That is the key issue before us today. It has been the key issue before us at these briefings for more than 10 years. As a State party to the Rome Statute, New Zealand is concerned by all instances of non-cooperation, whether they occur in relation to a Security Council referral or otherwise.”
2015-12-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7582 (2015) · source
“The Council has previously determined to remain seized of the situation in Ukraine. Until fundamental issues have been resolved, it is right that the Council continues to monitor the situation very closely.”
2015-12-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7576 (2015) · source
“As we have also heard, critical infrastructure has been damaged in the conflict and is in need of repair. Many are without adequate shelter owing to the shelling of residential areas. Secure access to food has become increasingly challenging. Landmines and unexploded ordnance are posing a critical risk to civilians, thereby underscoring the need for mine clearance and mine awareness on both sides of the conflict line. The difficult situation facing civilians has been greatly exacerbated by the restrictions imposed on humanitarian actors in recent months, such as purported registration requirements enforced by the separatists. We call on all parties to do everything within their power to ensure that humanitarian assistance can freely reach those who need it in Ukraine.”
2015-12-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7576 (2015) · source
“The twelfth report on the human rights situation in Ukraine by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights records a troubling list of human rights abuses in eastern Ukraine and Crimea, including a lack of protection and justice for victims, impunity for perpetrators on both sides and a prevailing climate of fear in the separatist-controlled territories. We call for urgent independent oversight of places of detention and for investigation and accountability for all violations of human rights. It is clear that the humanitarian problems are large, with millions of affected people in the conflict area. As we have heard today, the situation is already dire in some areas. With the further onset of winter, the already difficult lives of civilians affected by conflict in Ukraine will become even more perilous.”
2015-12-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7576 (2015) · source
“The restoration oflasting peace to the region requires the restoration of Ukraine's control over its border with Russia. In order for that to occur, the parties will need to reach agreement on, and implement, all of the political elements of the Minsk agreements. All parties to the conflict agreed that the OSCE would play a special role in monitoring and verifying compliance with the Minsk agreements. Yet the OSCE continues daily to report significant restrictions on its access throughout eastern Ukraine. The separatists must comply with all the obligations undertaken in Minsk, including by ensuring that OSCE monitors are able to carry out their work effectively and safely. We call on Russia to use its considerable influence over the separatists to ensure such compliance.”
2015-12-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7576 (2015) · source
“As the briefers have outlined today, the continuing presence of foreign fighters and the flow of weapons and ammunition into the separatist-controlled areas make the renewal of hostilities a constant possibility. New Zealand calls on all the parties to the conflict to deliver on their commitments to a genuine and sustained ceasefire and to the verified withdrawal of proscribed weapons. On the political track, a number of key outstanding elements of the Minsk process still need to be resolved. We urge the parties to reach agreement on the modalities for free and fair elections in the conflict areas, in accordance with Ukrainian law and with Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) standards, and for elections to be monitored by the OSCE.”
2015-12-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7576 (2015) · source
“I would like to thank Deputy Secretary-General Eliasson, Mr. Simonovic', Mr. Ging and Ambassador Apakan for their briefings today. I also welcome the participation of the Foreign Ministers of Ukraine and Lithuania in this meeting. In resolution 2202 (2015), the Council unanimously called on all parties to implement the package of measures for the implementation of the Minsk agreements, which was to have been completed by the end of this year, less than 20 days from now. We are very concerned at the slow progress, and we urge renewed efforts to ensure full compliance with the commitments under the agreements, which, as others have noted, offer the best chance for a durable peace.”
2015-12-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7576 (2015) · source
“Member State cooperation in accordance with the relevant Security Council resolutions continues to be vital to the success and timely completion of the work of all tribunals. Finally, I would like to thank Ambassador Cristian Barros Melet of Chile for his work in chairing the Informal Working Group on International Tribunals.”
2015-12-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7574 (2015) · source
“It is implementing many of the lessons learned from the Tribunals. We would encourage the Mechanism to work collaboratively with Rwanda on legacy issues, including with regard to the final location of the Rwanda Tribunal archives and original documentation and evidence. The Council also needs to continue to support the Yugoslavia Tribunal through to the end of its mandate. As we have been reminded today, some of the judgements yet to be handed down are among the most important that the Yugoslavia Tribunal will deliver. We need to ensure that the Tribunal has the resources needed to complete this important work. Negotiations on a draft resolution to extend the judges' terms will begin shortly.”
2015-12-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7574 (2015) · source
“We need to have a serious conversation about how to practically, sustainably and cost-effectively ensure accountability for serious international crimes. In these conversations we need to face up to the reality that real justice has real costs; it always has. Part of this conversation also needs to be about how the Council can do better in ensuring practical support for the machinery of international justice and thus assist it in expediting its work. Looking forward, we reiterate our support for the Residual Mechanism. It has an important role to play as the Rwanda and Yugoslavia Tribunals complete their work. The Mechanism's first review is under way. There is, of course, still room for improvement, including drawing on lessons learned from the Tribunals. But overall, we believe the Mechanism should be commended for its work to date.”
2015-12-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7574 (2015) · source
“The experience of the Lebanon, Sierra Leone and Cambodia tribunals has highlighted the many challenges that a wholly voluntary funding model presents. It is true that we now have a standing judicial body in the International Criminal Court (ICC). That is an important and positive part of the way forward. But we are nonetheless seeing an ongoing demand for ad hoc judicial solutions, in order to meet local characteristics or requirements related to specific peace processes. The Special Criminal Court established in the Central African Republic is a current example of this; it complements the ICC and responds to the need for wider national accountability. New Zealand wants to put firmly on record our View that a reliance on voluntary funding alone is not adequate for such bodies.”
2015-12-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7574 (2015) · source
“Judicial processes are slow. We know this only too well from our domestic experiences. We all knew this would be the case in 1993 and 1994, and we also knew that teething problems and initial inefficiencies were likely; they always are when you create something new. We accept that there have been administrative and other problems that might have been avoided. The Tribunals have not been perfect. But we reject any suggestion that this should lead to the conclusion that the Tribunals have failed. We also take issue with any assertion that the experience of these two Tribunals means that future efforts to establish ad hoc tribunals must rely solely on voluntary contributions. Begging- bowl justice is unseemly and unsustainable over time.”
2015-12-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7574 (2015) · source
“New Zealand also congratulates all those countries that have cooperated with the Tribunals to help bring accused persons to trial, and those countries that provided other forms of practical assistance to the Tribunals, not least the Netherlands and Tanzania. Unfortunately, the Security Council itself has been a less supportive parent to the Tribunals than it should have been, and it has failed to support the International Criminal Court with regard to cases that it has referred to it. We also believe that it is necessary to speak out against an unfortunate trend that has developed in the Council in recent years. A budget-driven mentality seems to have distorted the conversation about the role and performance of the Tribunals. While justice must be delivered efficiently and expeditiously, judicial machinery is inherently expensive.”
2015-12-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7574 (2015) · source
“In 1994, New Zealand played a leading role in pushing the Council to respond to the unfolding genocide in Rwanda, and later that year we took the initiative in the Council to prepare the draft statute and led the negotiations on the text. When we look back at what the Tribunals have achieved, we are all the more convinced that the Council made the right decision in establishing these bodies. We should be proud of what was created. We should warmly thank the judges, Tribunal staff and United Nations personnel who have worked tirelessly to deliver justice and provide some measure of closure to Victims, and, above all, to send a clear message that there can be no impunity for perpetrators of atrocities, even at the highest levels.”
2015-12-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7574 (2015) · source
“I should like to thank the Presidents and the Prosecutors for the clarity and specificity of their briefings. They have reminded us of the significant practical issues that need to be addressed as the Rwanda and Yugoslavia Tribunals wind up their work. They need our continuing support as they go through this important period. With the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda closing this month and the International Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia expected to close in the foreseeable future, it is timely for us to take a step back and reflect on the value and significance of their work. New Zealand has a very strong sense of identification with both Tribunals. As a Council member in 1993, New Zealand was an early and strong advocate for the establishment ofthe Yugoslavia Tribunal.”
2015-12-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7574 (2015) · source
“If we work together, then the security gains made so far will be harnessed and will better prepare us for future challenges.”
2015-11-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7566 (2015) · source
“Fourthly, we encourage the Special Envoy to continue her outreach to all international and regional actors focused on the Sahel. The fact that there are currently a multitude of strategies being pursued by various actors risks duplicating resources and undermining efforts to support the region. We welcome, therefore, the increasing cooperation between the Office for the Special Envoy for the Sahel and the United Nations Office for West Africa. We urge continued and long-term engagement with the African Union, the Economic Community of West African States, the Lake Chad Basin Commission and leaders of the Group of Five for the Sahel. Further cooperation will significantly improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the combined efforts in the Sahel. Our pursuit of international peace and stability in the Sahel must be conducted in unison.”
2015-11-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7566 (2015) · source
“The actions, missions and strategies that the Council mandates in the Sahel must be carefully considered within the context of international support. Thirdly, we need to acknowledge the impact of the continued instability in Libya on the wider security of the Sahel. The illicit flow of arms, drugs and people across the region undermines national Governments and exposes the countries of the Sahel to unpredictable to unpredictable security vulnerabilities. A resolution of the conflict in Libya is important not only for the people of Libya but for the wider region. New Zealand recognizes the increasingly important role that regional organizations play in addressing regional issues. In that regard, we encourage the United Nations, the African Union and the European Union to harmonize efforts to support the Sahel region.”
2015-11-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7566 (2015) · source
“Cooperation among States of the region, such as through the establishment of the multinational joint task force by the countries of the Lake Chad Basin Commission, will be critical to reduce the ability of terrorist groups to operate freely across borders. Secondly, we need to maintain a concerted focus on humanitarian support. Combating trends such as food insecurity and malnutrition are critical to resolving the root causes of conflict and instability. Social and demographic issues, including gender inequality, entrenched poverty, unemployment, lack of access to education and a growing contingent of disenfranchised youth, also undermine political stability and national cohesion across the Sahel. Ultimately, addressing those challenges requires a long-term approach.”
2015-11-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7566 (2015) · source
“The United Nations Integrated Strategy for the Sahel acknowledges that the threats to international peace and stability within that vast region are interlinked. Terrorism, political instability and the flow of arms, to name but a few, cannot be dealt with without reference to each other and without the region acting in close coordination with the international community. As we know only too well, those threats are not contained within any one of the Sahelian countries, or even within the whole of the Sahel region. The risks of migration, radicalization and terrorism were rightly highlighted by the Special Envoy in her briefing. Looking ahead, and picking up on the observations and conclusions in the Secretary-General's report, we consider that four steps are critical. First, ongoing military cooperation in the region is essential.”
2015-11-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7566 (2015) · source
“Making progress will require sustained long-term focus by the Governments of the region and support from the international community. New Zealand hopes that we will be able to adopt a draft presidential statement as a clear acknowledgement of the challenges to peace, security and stability across the Sahel. We have learned time and time again that the security threats that face one country or region are not contained borders, deserts or, indeed, oceans. That is precisely why the Council has had to become involved in situations that, while largely within the territory of one country, pose a threat to the peace and security of the wider region and, as in the case with the Sahel, well beyond the region. It is too often that the issues before the Council are considered and acted upon in isolation.”
2015-11-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7566 (2015) · source
“I would like to express the condolences of the Government of New Zealand to the Malian people and those affected by the attack in Bamako on Friday. Such attacks seem endless, and we are horrified anew every time. In the light of Friday's attack, it is all the more important that the parties to the Mali peace process continue to consolidate the hard-won gains made this year to move forward with the implementation of the agreement on peace and reconciliation in Mali. Similarly, it is vital that the peace process in Libya does not falter and is brought to a successful conclusion. I would like to thank the Special Envoy for the Sahel, Ms. Hiroute Guebre Sellassie, for her briefing and for her work across the Sahel. The challenges detailed in the Special Envoy's briefing and the Secretary-General's report (S/2015/866) are immense.”
2015-11-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7566 (2015) · source
“New Zealand stands in solidarity with the victims, families, fellow citizens and Governments who have suffered from the recent horrendous attacks perpetrated by the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL). We are today one week from the terrible events in Paris, and less than a day from those in Bamako. As others have noted, those are but two episodes in a bloody, continuing story. The Security Council must speak out in times of crisis. We are pleased that today the Council has sent a strong, unified message of its shared result to prevent and suppress the terroist threat posed by ISIL and other terrorists in Syria and Iraq. In the face of ISIL's barbarity and senseless killing, we are reminded of the important role of the Council in uniting the international community around our shared commitment to peace and collective security.”
2015-11-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7565 (2015) · source
“The Secretary-General's report and the report of the High-level Panel provide clear analysis of key problems facing United Nations peace operations and a wealth of useful proposals to address them. But the debate has never suffered from a dearth of problem definition or proposed solutions. What we need is a sustained commitment to fixing things in a real-world sense and to set aside narrow interests and fixations with doctrinal purity to make the changes that can make a practical difference. Pragmatism and practicality underlay the original conception of peacekeeping. It is important that they continue to inform our responses to modern realities.”
2015-11-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7564 (2015) · source
“We understand that such a practice used to exist. It would provide Council members a more regular and relevant flow of information on key points across all United Nations peace operations to assist mandate implementation, safety and security, and the protection of civilians. Finally, we need to get much better at addressing ongoing allegations of sexual exploitation and abuse by United Nations peacekeepers. We must get past ritualistic expressions of condemnation and zero tolerance. We think that a key missing piece of the puzzle is implementation of the recommendations of the 2005 report (see A/59/710) by His Excellency Prince Zeid Ra'ad Zeid Al-Hussein for a more independent and confidential process to receive and register complaints in place in missions.”
2015-11-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7564 (2015) · source
“We have requested more regular informal briefings for Council members on specific missions, beginning with the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. That has already proved valuable in providing operational-level information and insights. The Secretariat briefings provided in informal triangular consultations on specific mandate renewals have also been similarly useful, but we believe there is scope for a more systematic approach. We would see merit in the Council receiving regular situational awareness briefings, led by the United Nations Operations and Crisis Centre and supported by other United Nations stakeholders. That is consistent with what is called for in the High-level Panel's report, several of the Secretary-General's reports and resolution 2171 (2014).”
2015-11-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7564 (2015) · source
“As a recent International Peace Institute-organized workshop that New Zealand co-hosted with Chad and Uruguay, there was discussion about that method. It was concluded that there is no single answer to the issue. Rather, safety and security need to be key concerns in the development and review of mandates, along with the training and equipping of peace operations personnel, access to information, and the Secretariat's planning and management practices. Fifthly, in order to be effective, mandates need to fit the real-world context. Understanding that context is critical to effectiveness. That means we need to enhance the Council's access to the information necessary for making sound decisions. New Zealand has proposed options for addressing that issue.”
2015-11-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7564 (2015) · source
“In particular, there needs be more consistent and meaningful engagement among the Council, troop- and police-contributing countries and the affected States, as well as with the Secretariat. As the concept note indicates, New Zealand has been active in promoting informal discussions along these lines with positive results. Such interaction should be part of everyday Council and Secretariat culture and practice. Moreover, to be useful, the conversations need to focus on the practical and avoid formality. Formalistic and formulaic consultation is not useful for any us. Fourthly, we need to enhance the ability of the United Nations to ensure the safety and security of United Nations peace operations personnel. Countries will not make soldiers and police available if they feel their people may be exposed to unacceptable risk.”
2015-11-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7564 (2015) · source
“They are both a concrete demonstration of the Council's interest in a situation and a means for the Council to both influence and obtain a better understanding of conditions on the ground. Such missions should work with the relevant regional organizations. In our view, there should be standing arrangements for such missions so that funding is not at the expense of the on-the-ground operation. Secondly, the Council needs to put into practice its commitment to clear, focused and realistic mandates. We agree with the High-level Panel that we should use two-stage mandates for missions being established or reconfigured and allow for operations to be built up and drawn down according to clear priorities and the situation on the ground. Thirdly, the Council needs to consider changes to the way it develops, considers and approves mandates.”
2015-11-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7564 (2015) · source
“The reports set out useful recommendations to address long-standing challenges, including the growing mandate resource gap and the need for enhanced political strategies and engagement and more timely deployments, together with innovative and flexible support and financing arrangements, a number of which the Secretary-General touched upon this morning. Today I wish to focus on several issues New Zealand considers to be of particular importance. First, we support the calls for a much stronger investment by the Security Council and the wider United Nations system in conflict prevention, and for a way to better harness the Organization's collective political leverage in pursuit of political settlements. New Zealand sees merit in making greater use of timely missions by the Council, including mini-missions to the field.”
2015-11-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7564 (2015) · source
“I thank you, Mr. President, for scheduling today's briefing and for your concept note (S/2015/848, annex), and I thank the Secretary-General for attending today and for giving us his briefing. Today's topic and the Secretary-General's briefing address the role and effectiveness of some of the Council's mostpowerful tools for maintaining peace and security. We welcome the reports and recommendations of the Secretary-General (S/2015/682) and the High- level Independent Panel on Peace Operations (see S/2015/446). Both provide an important basis and opportunity for change.”
2015-11-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7564 (2015) · source
“New Zealand will continue to champion greater up-front attention, investment, practical innovation and courage in exercising the Security Council's responsibilities under the Charter of the United Nations for preventing conflict.”
2015-11-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7561 (2015) · source
“We therefore strongly support the recommendation of the High-level Independent Panel on United Nations Peace Operations for much greater investment in the political component ofpeace operations, and in conflict- prevention efforts more generally. It is for these reasons that New Zealand has recently significantly increased its funding to the Department of Political Affairs. We also acknowledge the good work being done by United Nations Development Programme on conflict prevention. Our understanding of the requirements of conflict prevention and the relationship between peace and development has advanced significantly in the past decade. It is incumbent on the international community, and the United Nations in particular, to translate these understandings into action.”
2015-11-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7561 (2015) · source
“It also means reaching out to enhance cooperation with others beyond the United Nations system, including the international financial institutions, regional organizations, non-governmental organizations and bilateral donors. We have yet to fully realize the potential of the Peacebuilding Commission to coordinate peacebuilding actors or to achieve the kind of partnership with the Council that was originally envisaged. We firmly believe that there must be closer engagement with and more systematic involvement of country configuration Chairs in Council discussions, given the valuable knowledge and insights they can provide. We also need to ensure that United Nations missions are equipped with the resources and expertise they need to identify and address the drivers of conflict and to manage emerging threats.”
2015-11-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7561 (2015) · source
“The Council needs to ensure that it reflects these understandings in its mandates. Its interventions need to be tailored to the specific drivers of conflict in each setting, and to be based on a clear assessment ofthe roles that Council-mandated missions can most effectively play, based on the Council's comparative advantage. The Council must also be proactive in seeking more effective coordination with other international actors. Where it mandates development-related activities, whether they be quick impact projects or targeted support to core institutions, the Council is invariably reliant on other international development actors with more specialized expertise and longer time horizons. This means bridging the silos between different pillars of the United Nations, including development, security and human rights.”
2015-11-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7561 (2015) · source
“This relationship between a stable, secure environment and sustainable development was also acknowledged in the Small Island Developing States (SIDS) Accelerated Modalities of Action Pathway, agreed at the 2014 International Conference on SIDS, and was also a strong theme of the open debate convened by the Council in July on the peace and security challenges facing small island developing States (see S/PV.7499). As we all know and acknowledge, the Security Council is not the primary actor in addressing many of these challenges, but it can and must play an important role in addressing them and in ensuring that its work in addressing threats to peace and security is linked up with and complements the work of the wider United Nations system and with relevant regional actors.”
2015-11-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7561 (2015) · source
“There is a growing recognition - led by the pioneering work of post-conflict countries themselves through the g7+ initiative, under the leadership of Timor-Leste - that security and development needs are closely interlinked, particularly in fragile and post- conflict States. For most societies, inclusive growth and development are critical elements in preventing the emergence or reoccurrence of conflict. But prospects for development are in turn contingent on maintaining a stable environment, underpinned by institutions that provide security, effective governance, and the rule of law. As others have noted, this has been acknowledged in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (General Assembly resolution 70/1), notably through Goal 16.”
2015-11-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7561 (2015) · source
“It has led us to support discrete, informal options for Council engagement on emerging crises that are sensitive to concerns regarding national sovereignty. We have encouraged informal briefings by the Secretariat where appropriate, and see potential in making greater use of the Ad Hoc Working Group on Conflict Prevention and Resolution in Africa. We have also made efforts to explore targeted interventions, such as statements and Council missions, and to call for more meaningful coordination with regional actors, who are often at the forefront of prevention efforts. Conflict prevention will remain a primary focus for New Zealand for the remainder of its term. Today's debate offers the opportunity to consider one specific aspect ofprevention. To sustain peace, we need to get better at addressing the root causes and drivers of conflict.”
2015-11-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7561 (2015) · source
“We share the assessment of most speakers today that this debate marks an important recognition by the Council that security and development are intrinsically linked and must be considered in their interconnections. The Council does not and cannot operate in a theoreticl vacuum. New Zealand has made no secret of its belief that the Security Council should do more to prevent conflict. Since joining the Council in January, we have pushed for a greater focus on the part of the Council and the wider United Nations system on emerging crises and preventing countries from sliding into conflict. This has led us to call for attention to developments in Burundi and, earlier this year, in Guinea Bissau, and for a credible response to the situation in Israel and the occupied territories, which we regard as dangerous and unsustainable.”
2015-11-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7561 (2015) · source
“We thank the United Kingdom for convening this debate and you, Madam Secretary, for presiding over this meeting. We want also to express our condolences to the Government and people of France over the horrific attacks that took place in Paris on Friday, and to the Governments of Lebanon and Iraq over the attacks in Beirut and Baghdad. As others have said, terrorism is a scourge that affects all of us. I want also to thank the Secretary-General and Ambassador Skoog, as well as Nobel laureate Ms. Bouchamaoui, for their briefings. I pay particular tribute to Ms. Bouchamaoui for the inspiration that Tunisia and her colleagues have given the rest of us.”
2015-11-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7561 (2015) · source
“Last is the question of host country relationships. We recognize that this is a particularly big deal for the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo at the moment, and it is a big challenge for the Council. Are there things that the Police Commissioners can do, or that we can do for them, to help improve the host country engagement, because in those sorts of environments, even though the three situations that each of the Police Commissioners have spoken about re so very different, there is a commonality of challenges in the remarks they made.”
2015-11-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7558 (2015) · source
“The first is the issue ofprescription. In the Council, we love to have long discussions and negotiating sessions on mandates, but it occurs to me that if one is operating in the field having a very prescriptive mandate may be rather unhelpful, so I would be interested in the Police Commissioners' views about how prescriptive they need our directions to be in terms of the job they are doing. Secondly - and without wanting to tread on anyone's toes - how does it work for the Police Commissioners when they are operating in a military and police environment? How do the command-and- control issues get resolved, especially when complex criminal gangs are operating in the margins of those internally displaced persons and guerilla groups? I would be interested in how that works. Is there something we can do to help in relation to that?”
2015-11-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7558 (2015) · source
“In the past, there were complaints that peacekeeping operations were the only tool at our disposal. We discarded that notion by the wayside when we needed to do something. We do not want to risk police becoming another variety of that problem, but the Police Commissioners do offer - I would be interested if they disagreed with us - a more flexible and community-oriented response to some of the situations that we face on the ground. Let me say that it is a given that New Zealand is a very strong supporter of United Nations police operations, and we see the value of the work that they do. We know from our own experience in the Pacific how important getting people out into the field and being part of the community is to bringing some stability and order to society. I have three questions that I want to ask the Police Commissioners.”
2015-11-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7558 (2015) · source
“I particularly highlight the call for a clear political strategy that Mr. Ladsous made of us, and the request for a clear and credible mandate, based on the circumstances of the country, which is an issue highlighted in the report of the High-level Independent Panel on Peace Operations (see S/2015/446), as a number of speakers have noted. We believe that the challenges of resources and training and the relationships with host countries are the questions that are particularly challenging, and bear on the central task of the protection of civilians, which we all recognize as a fundamental part of United Nations police operations. As others have noted, policing is an extremely important, relatively new expanding tool for the United Nations and the Security Council.”
2015-11-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7558 (2015) · source
“I thank you, Mr. President, and let me also thank and congratulate the United Kingdom for organizing this briefing. We fully agree with the comments of Ambassador Power of the United States that this is an important event and that we should annualize it. It might seem slightly odd for those operating in the field to see the Council in this rather remote environment from the realities that the Police Commissioners confront on the ground, so I think that it is very important that we have a chance to interact with them. I will ask some questions in relation to the different perspectives that we bring to those different issues. I want to thank all of the briefers -Under-Secretary- General Ladsous and the Police Commissioners. Their frank briefings are very helpful and address the issues of concern to them.”
2015-11-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7558 (2015) · source
“The non-payment of Somali soldiers is a continuing example of that, and one that will undoubtedly affect security both in the short term and the long term. We welcome the Federal Government's efforts to tackle corruption, including by investigating the non-payment of soldiers, and urge it to continue those efforts. It is almost 25 years now since Somalia last knew peace. Through the courage, determination and sacrifice ofthe Somali leadership and people, AMISOM contributors and other international partners, we now have the real possibility of a different Somalia - one of unity, stability and prosperity. The Council must continue to play its part in making this a reality. Finally, let me thank Nicholas Kay for his signal contribution to Somalia's recovery.”
2015-11-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7551 (2015) · source