YouSaid · the spoken record

Wenaweser

lines on the record: 709
first: 2002-07-25
most recent: 2023-12-07
sittings or episodes: 107
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

“During the seven years following the attacks of ll September 2001, the United Nations has massively scaled up its global counter-terrorism toolbox, and Member States as well as international and regional organizations have taken numerous steps to that effect; but still the threat of terrorism seems more pervasive than ever. That simple 08-63845 fact underlines the limitations of traditional counter- terrorism measures and the need to systematically address the conditions conducive to the spread of terrorist activities. This Council has a particular role to play in that regard with respect to the need to address a number of long-term conflict situations whose repercussions are being felt all over the world and that are directly related to violent extremism.”
2008-12-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6034Resumption1 (2008) · source
“We strongly agree with the notion reflected in the paper that the use of armed force cannot be the only answer to the scourge of terrorism and that terms such as "war on terrorism" have brought about more problems than solutions, in particular with respect to the uniform application of international humanitarian law. We believe that today's debate provides us with a good opportunity to promote international solidarity in countering terrorism on the basis of a comprehensive approach, as reflected in the United Nations Global Counter-terrorism Strategy of September 2006. Merely reaffirming those commitments, however, will not by itself improve our response to terrorism.”
2008-12-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6034Resumption1 (2008) · source
“On behalf of the Government and the people of Liechtenstein, I would like to express our solidarity with and sincere condolences to all those victimized by the recent terrorist attacks in India. We unequivocally condemn such heinous acts of terrorism - irrespective of their motivation and wherever and by whomever committed - and reiterate our full commitment to international cooperation in the fight against terrorism. We are grateful for the concept paper (S/2008/738) submitted by the President for today's debate, and our statement will be focused on a few specific points.”
2008-12-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6034Resumption1 (2008) · source
“It often is a method of warfare that aims to destroy the social fabric of communities in order to achieve political and military ends. It is against that background that we co-sponsored resolution 1820 (2008) on the protection of civilians from all forms of sexual violence. We also welcome the adoption of presidential statement 2008/28 on children in armed conflict, referring to resolution 1820 (2008), and repeat our call for targeted sanctions against perpetrators of acts of sexual violence.”
2008-10-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6005 (2008) · source
“The ultimate goal must be that the attitude and behaviour of peacekeepers towards women can serve as a model for local communities. Furthermore, the mandates of peacekeeping missions must provide clear guidance, especially for commanders, on how to protect civilians, in particular girls and women, from sexual violence. Predeployment and on-mission 30 training programmes must instruct police, security and humanitarian personnel on how to recognize and react to incidents of sexual violence. Sexual violence is one of the most important aspects of resolution 1325 (2000). While it has always been part of armed conflicts, its systematic and targeted use in numerous situations today is not just a by-product of hostilities, or even just a war crime as recognized in the Rome Statute.”
2008-10-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6005 (2008) · source
“Since girls and women in affected regions often associate uniformed personnel with sexual violence, a higher number of women participating in peacekeeping and police forces will dramatically enhance the access of victims to social and psychological services, including trauma counselling and information-sharing on sexual harassment, abuse and rape. Most importantly, of course, those who are supposed to provide protection must not, under any circumstances, themselves become perpetrators. All acts of sexual violence committed by peacekeeping personnel, including sexual exploitation and child prostitution, are unacceptable. They heavily undermine the credibility and effectiveness of any peace operation, but also of the Organization as a whole. Zero tolerance can therefore be the only policy in that respect.”
2008-10-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6005 (2008) · source
“With the adoption this year of Presidential No. Statement 36, the Security Council noted that women have an important role to play in mediation and the settlement of disputes. In particular at the grass-roots level, their role can be significantly more important than that of men. The Council must therefore institutionalize women's equal and substantive participation at all levels of peace processes and create mechanisms to monitor their equal participation systematically. There is a clear link between an increase in women's participation in peacekeeping missions and the potentially lower level of sexual violence in conflict and post-conflict situations.”
2008-10-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6005 (2008) · source
“Despite repeated expressions of good intent from all sides, a single woman currently serves as Special Representative of the Secretary- General, and women account for 28 per cent of higher- category civilian staff in the Department of Peacekeeping Operations. We therefore fully support and reiterate today the call addressed to the Secretary- General by the Women's Leaders Working Group to establish, as a matter of high priority, a mechanism to increase the number of women in such positions as United Nations Special Representatives and Envoys, as well as heads of peace operations. Existing programmes to increase the leadership and peacemaking capacities of women must be further expanded. We also believe that the creation of a gender unit within the Department of Peacekeeping Operations would contribute to that goal.”
2008-10-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6005 (2008) · source
“Appointing more women to leading positions would have a catalytic effect and truly empower women affected by armed conflict. It would strengthen the perception that women are stakeholders 4 as opposed to mere victims or aid recipients. A few years ago, our then Permanent Representative in New York, Ambassador Fritsche, headed a group of like-minded ambassadors that tried to work towards an increase in the number of women in such positions. The group met regularly to exchange views and met with the Secretary-General for joint lobbying efforts. It was later taken over by the United Kingdom representative, Sir Jeremy Greenstock, but their effort was thereafter discontinued. Several years later, it is sad to note that almost no progress has been made.”
2008-10-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6005 (2008) · source
“We thank you, Mr. President, for organizing this debate, and we thank those who have offered briefings this morning. As a delegation that has supported resolution 1325 (2000) in its entirety since it was adopted, we agree that progress towards achieving its major goals has been slow and uneven. That is particularly true with regard to the low number of women appointed as Special Envoys and the continuing underrepresentation of women in formal peace processes and in peacekeeping missions. Your concept paper, Mr. President, and the report of the Secretary-General make it clear that we must considerably strengthen our efforts in that respect. We hope that the input provided during this debate will finally, eight years after the adoption of the resolution, lead to significant improvements.”
2008-10-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6005 (2008) · source
“The responsibility to protect concept is thus highly relevant to the discussion we are having today, but protection-relevant situations also occur outside of armed conflicts.”
2008-05-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5898 (2008) · source
“The consensus decision at the 2005 World Summit to accept the concept of the responsibility to 32 protect was of historic magnitude, but it has not yet led to a paradigm shift in the protection of civilians. We believe that it is time to operationalize this concept and that the relevant discussions must be carried out with the necessary conceptual clarity. The responsibility to protect, as defined in the Summit Outcome Document (General Assembly resolution 60/1), is not as such linked to armed conflicts, but to the crimes listed in the Outcome Document: genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity. Some of those crimes do not necessarily occur in situations of armed conflict and therefore do not require a connection to armed conflict.”
2008-05-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5898 (2008) · source
“Today more than ever, the safety and security of United Nations and associated personnel continue to be jeopardized. Humanitarian personnel in particular often face life-threatening risks when carrying out their duties. Against that background, the number of States parties to the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Safety of United Nations and Associated Personnel remains very low and must increase. The safety and security of humanitarian personnel has long been a priority for us, and we are currently one of only two countries financing the Saving Lives Together initiative, which aims to provide better security for the United Nations, international organizations and non-governmental organizations in the field. We will continue our financial support for that initiative this year and hope that other donors will join us.”
2008-05-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5898 (2008) · source
“In other situations, access is used as a tool in political bargaining, at the expense of the civilian population. It is worth recalling that facilitating rapid and unimpeded passage to relief activities for civilians is an obligation under international humanitarian law. Both the Council and the General Assembly must therefore give more attention to the question of access, including in specific situations. We thus welcome the efforts of the Emergency Relief Coordinator to set up a mechanism for reporting on and analysis of access constraints in conflict settings. We look forward to receiving that analysis as part of the next report of the Secretary-General. The protection of civilians is particularly fragile when those who should provide it are themselves at risk.”
2008-05-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5898 (2008) · source
“The jurisdiction of the Court extends to a number of crimes that are still being perpetrated on a large scale and sometimes systematically and as part of a policy of intimidating civilian populations. Sexual and gender- based violence and the recruitment of children as soldiers or for other purposes in connection with armed conflicts play a sadly prominent role in this respect. Access to civilians in armed conflicts and in other emergency situations is vital for effective humanitarian assistance. Too often access is unsafe, provided too late or is far from unhindered. In Somalia and Darfur, for instance, access to the populations affected is severely limited, and significant numbers of people cannot be assisted by humanitarian agencies.”
2008-05-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5898 (2008) · source
“In March 2005 the Council exercised this function in connection with the situation in Darfur. More than two years later, the Council must follow up with action to ensure cooperation in the arrest of the persons indicted by the Court. The Council's upcoming visit to Africa offers a unique opportunity for doing so. Beyond the execution of arrest warrants, full cooperation is needed in other areas as well. In the interest of effective protection of civilians, all organs of the United Nations as well as individual States should extend such cooperation - not just States parties to the Rome Statute, even though of course only States parties have a legal obligation to cooperate.”
2008-05-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5898 (2008) · source
“The law of armed conflict, or international humanitarian law, is one of the core achievements in the history of international law, and the Council has a particular responsibility to promote its observance. A central element in this respect is a clear commitment to fight impunity. The establishment of a number of ad hoc and hybrid tribunals was an expression of such a commitment. The key role in the fight against impunity, however, falls on the 08-3528] International Criminal Court. While the Court is seized with a number of specific cases, including situations on the Council's agenda, its activities and mere existence also have a preventive effect in conflict situations beyond those under investigation. The Rome Statute attributes certain functions to the Security Council, including the possibility of referring situations to the Court.”
2008-05-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5898 (2008) · source
“The increasing victimization of civilians in armed conflict is a sad and well-documented fact. While civilian populations have always suffered disproportionately from the consequences of armed conflict, modern warfare and the changed nature of armed conflicts have exacerbated their situation. The Security Council's decisions and actions have a strong and immediate impact on the situation of civilians in armed conflicts. That special responsibility should be expressed through a more consistent and more permanent engagement. We therefore support the recommendation of the Secretary-General to establish an expert-level working group among Council members. We have witnessed an erosion in respect for international law relevant to the protection of civilians.”
2008-05-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5898 (2008) · source
“Since peacebuilding is a form of conflict prevention, it can in principle be very cost-effective. However, experience - such as the examples given in the concept paper - has shown that little or no money may be available during the initial phase after a conflict, when it is most needed and when the direction for the future process is set. Even though the activities are very different in nature, it would appear that there is some similarity, in terms of the funding dynamic, to the humanitarian work of the Organization. Therefore, funding mechanisms designed following the example of the Central Emergency Response Fund - which has served the purposes of humanitarian assistance quite well - seem to be worth exploring.”
2008-05-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5895Resumption1 (2008) · source
“The international community has accumulated extensive experience and expertise on that issue in recent years and has developed various models and modalities to satisfy transitional justice needs. The International Criminal Court can play a particular role in that regard, and we hope that it will be given the required political support, including by the Security Council. In particular, the Council has to recognize that the principles of peace and justice are complementary, mutually reinforcing and, in combination, form an indispensable ingredient of post-conflict peacebuilding. The presidency's concept paper identifies rapid and flexible funding as a major challenge. At a time of rapidly increasing costs for peacekeeping, that challenge is likely to be exacerbated in the near future.”
2008-05-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5895Resumption1 (2008) · source
“That is a very interesting formula that could perhaps also be successfully applied to the work of the Security Council itself. The rule of law plays a central role in the stabilization of countries and societies in post-conflict situations. It is our hope that the Rule of Law Unit, whose establishment required much more time than we had expected, will play a positive role in that respect. Efforts by the United Nations to secure the rule of law over the long term can be successful only if they tap extensively into local and national capacities and if they expand expertise in all relevant areas. In addition, increased attention must be given to transitional justice needs, if and where they exist.”
2008-05-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5895Resumption1 (2008) · source
“The work that the Commission has carried out so far has clearly had positive effects, and we hope that its potential can be fully explored in the future. In particular, it should be able to consider situations immediately after a conflict has ended and a ceasefire or peace accord has entered into force. In addition, it must be understood that post-conflict peacebuilding is always also a tool for conflict prevention and there should be an exchange of best practices from both fields. One feature of the work of the Peacebuilding Commission that merits increased attention and further consideration is its practice of considering situations in various configurations in order to ensure optimal inclusion of the stakeholders.”
2008-05-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5895Resumption1 (2008) · source
“We very much appreciated his presentation this morning, which focused strongly on very practical aspects of post-conflict peacebuilding and, of course, on his first-hand experience. His comments deserve particular attention, especially on the need to create national and local ownership, and to rely, therefore, to the fullest extent possible, on human resources in those countries where peacebuilding activities are undertaken. The fact that some parts of the Brahimi report have still not been implemented after all these years illustrates the fact that progress in this area has been slow. Nevertheless, it has been steady, and it has received an important boost through the establishment of the Peacebuilding Commission, which has turned out to be one of the most important results of the 2005 World Summit.”
2008-05-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5895Resumption1 (2008) · source
“We thank you, Madam President, for organizing this debate as well as for producing a concept paper. This debate comes at an opportune moment. The demand for peacekeeping has reached an unprecedented scale and it is certainly timely for the United Nations membership to take a look at the activities it undertakes after conflicts have ended. The increase in costs for peacekeeping operations certainly entails the risk that the resources necessary for post-conflict peacebuilding may not be made available. Today we are not, of course, discussing a new topic - quite the opposite. The presidency's concept paper illustrates this. It quotes from the Brahimi report published in the year 2000 (S/2000/809), and it is quite appropriate that Mr. Lakhdar Brahimi was invited to address the Council today.”
2008-05-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5895Resumption1 (2008) · source
“Currently, Liechtenstein is one of only two countries financing the initiative "Saving Lives Together", which aims to provide better security for the United Nations, international organizations and non-governmental organizations in the field. We call upon other Member States, which are in a position to do so, to support this initiative as well.”
2007-11-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5781Resumption1 (2007) · source
“We appreciate the fact that the Secretary-General is making this issue one of the priority topics of his tenure, but we also believe that more systematic work needs to be done by us, the Member States, in particular. The protection of civilian populations is, first and foremost, the task of the States on whose territories they reside. Given that the role of the Council is only complementary and only applicable after massive human suffering has occurred, United Nations efforts with regard to the responsibility to protect can usefully focus on strengthening national capacities. Furthermore, the issue of the safety and security of civilians engaged as humanitarian or United Nations personnel needs more attention.”
2007-11-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5781Resumption1 (2007) · source
“We therefore welcome the clear call of the Secretary-General for full cooperation with the Court. It is such cooperation that is indispensable to achieve success in the fight against impunity. The Council has been seized with the protection of civilians for a number of years now. One of the highlights of the Outcome Document of the 2005 World Summit was the acceptance of the principle of the responsibility to protect. This decision was of historic magnitude, but it has not yet led to a watershed in the protection of civilians worldwide. It is important that we put this concept into operation and we support the Secretary-General's efforts in this respect.”
2007-11-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5781Resumption1 (2007) · source
“In the area of sexual violence, impunity certainly plays an even more central role than in other crimes and is exacerbated by the well-known, dramatic underreporting of such crimes. We thus welcome the emphasis the Secretary-General's report places on the need for a more robust response to sexual violence. In addition to the specific measures mentioned in the report, the Council might want to consider stronger action in specific cases under consideration. In the fight against impunity in general, the role of the ICC is clearly a central one. The Court is not only seized with a number of situations, its activities and mere existence also have a preventative effect. But the Court is an institution that was created by States and is owned by States, its independence notwithstanding.”
2007-11-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5781Resumption1 (2007) · source
“The phenomenon of sexual violence is a clear illustration of this gap. The recent past has brought about significant developments in the field of international justice in this respect. For example, the inclusion of gender crimes in the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC) and landmark decisions of ad hoc tribunals, such as in the Akayesu case before the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda. Meanwhile, sexual violence seems to continue unabated, including its most worrisome form of policies aimed at intimidating a civilian population. It is worth noting, in this respect, that two of the situations described in the report, the one in the Democratic Republic of Congo and the one in Darfur, fall under the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court.”
2007-11-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5781Resumption1 (2007) · source
“It is quite clear that the situation of civilians would be far less dramatic if the existing norms of international law were applied and observed. This state of affairs is cause for great concern. We are not observing a continuous movement towards better observance of these standards, but in some instances, quite the opposite. There is an ongoing erosion of the political will to implement international legal standards - among them, those of international humanitarian law. In this context, we wish to emphasize the need for private military companies to abide by applicable rules of international humanitarian law and insist that the primary responsibility for enforcing the implementation of these standards by these actors rests with the States that commission their services.”
2007-11-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5781Resumption1 (2007) · source
“We support the recommendation in the report to establish a working group on protecting of civilians, provided that its mandate is to develop mechanisms to ensure that the issue of protection of civilians is mainstreamed into the decision-making processes of the Council. It must not, however, lead to a situation where the protection of civilians is treated as a niche topic, which would in fact be counterproductive. The numerous topics of direct relevance to the protection of civilians have one thing in common: the central role of international law and its application. Many of the topics covered in the report reveal a glaring gap between existing standards of international law and the realities on the ground.”
2007-11-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5781Resumption1 (2007) · source
“The protection of civilians is one of the most complex topics before the Council. The report before the membership today illustrates the diverse and wide-ranging challenges the Council faces in addressing this topic. They cover almost the full spectrum of United Nations activities, with issues ranging from humanitarian assistance to disarmament. Concerns for the well-being and protection of civilians need, therefore, to be mainstreamed into the activities of the Organization, but in particular, into the decision-making of the Security Council, whose activities have the most direct impact on the situation of civilians in armed conflicts.”
2007-11-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5781Resumption1 (2007) · source
“Our contribution to this discussion is motivated by the desire to strengthen sanctions regimes and to enhance the effectiveness and legitimacy of the Security Council in accordance with the commitment made at the 2005 World Summit, and by our commitment to uphold all applicable standards of human rights. The fight against terrorism concerns all States Members of the United Nations and should therefore benefit from contributions from all partners involved. We therefore believe that it is a good policy choice for the Security Council to continue to engage in dialogue with non-members of the Council. We look forward to cooperating further with the Council on this important 1ssue.”
2007-11-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5779 (2007) · source
“We feel encouraged by the broad interest of Member States in further improving sanctions procedures and by the support expressed on the occasion of the workshop, while also noting that some Council members have reservations about further measures at this point in time. We will continue to reach out to those who are sceptical as well as to those who express support, both members of the Council and States not currently serving on the Council, in order to facilitate an informed and substantive discussion within the Security Council. We are convinced that the issue will remain on the agenda of Member States for some time to come, in particular in the light of domestic and international court proceedings, which can have an impact on the effectiveness of sanctions regimes.”
2007-11-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5779 (2007) · source
“In order to facilitate a constructive discussion on that issue, we organized a round table on de-listing on 8 November 2007. The event was sponsored by the missions of Denmark, Sweden and Switzerland and was open to all States Members of the United Nations and invited representatives of the Secretariat, non-governmental organizations and academia. At that meeting, participants exchanged views on a discussion paper based on the research of Professor Michael Bothe of the University of Frankfurt regarding the establishment of a review panel to deal with petitions for de-listing.”
2007-11-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5779 (2007) · source
“At the same time, we made it clear that, in our View, the mandate of the focal point has mainly improved the access of listed individuals and entities to the de-listing procedures of the sanctions committees, and does not address other important rights, such as the right to an effective remedy. We thus believe that the current system does not provide sufficient safeguards for international human rights standards, as identified in the letter of the Secretary-General of June 2006, to which you yourself referred, Mr. President, in the statement that you delivered in your national capacity. Many Member States still have concerns regarding the requirement of "fair and clear procedures", contained in paragraph 109 of the 2005 World Summit Outcome (General Assembly resolution 60/1), in the Council's use of targeted sanctions.”
2007-11-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5779 (2007) · source
“In general, we believe that there is much room to promote a more integrated approach to United Nations activities on counter-terrorism, and we do support ideas aimed at further consolidating the Council's respective Committees. As in previous statements on this subject, we would like to focus our remarks on the work of the Al-Qaida and Taliban Sanctions Committee. During the most recent meeting on this issue, in May 2007 (see S/PV.5679), we commended the members of the Council for their hard work leading to the adoption of resolutions 1730 (2006) and 1735 (2006). We considered the establishment of a Secretariat focal point for de-listing to be an important step to improve access by listed individuals and entities to the de-listing procedure.”
2007-11-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5779 (2007) · source
“Mike Smith, on his appointment. We are hopeful that he will invigorate the leadership on United Nations counter-terrorism work and, in particular, bring greater coherence to the work of the three Security Council Committees dealing with terrorism. We understand that the CTC made an important step last week in approving letters transmitting Preliminary Implementation Assessments to a number of Member States. We look forward to working with the CTC in this next phase of its work. We have recently received an updated matrix from the 1540 Committee, accompanied by a request to provide further information on the implementation of resolution 1540 (2004). We commend the Committee and its group of experts for their work - and, in particular, for their working methods, which can serve as a best practice for other committees as well.”
2007-11-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5779 (2007) · source
“I have the honour to speak on behalf of Switzerland and my own country, Liechtenstein. At the outset, I thank the Chairpersons of the various Committees that have briefed the Council on their work this morning. I would also like to take this opportunity to reiterate our commitment to international cooperation in the fight against terrorism. We join all other States in the unequivocal condemnation of all terrorist acts, irrespective of their motivation and wherever and by whomever they are committed. Liechtenstein and Switzerland fully support the work of the Counter-Terrorism Committee (CTC) and the Security Council Committees established pursuant to resolutions 1267 (1999) and 1540 (2004). We would like to congratulate the new Executive Director of the Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate (CTED), Mr.”
2007-11-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5779 (2007) · source
“In that context, we welcome the commitment and willingness shown by the Secretary-General this morning, as well as the proposals made, among others, by the delegation of Norway this afternoon.”
2007-04-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5663Resumption1 (2007) · source
“Environmental factors have clearly been neglected in the past, even in cases in which they are of quite obvious relevance. There is much room for improvement there. In order to do so, the Council could increasingly resort to the relevant expertise on those matters which is available in the United Nations system, but not necessarily in those parts of the Secretariat that traditionally service the Security Council. Formal and informal briefings from the competent United Nations agencies and programmes could greatly assist the Council in its efforts to make more informed decisions. The Council could also consider setting up a special entity providing such expertise or simply include it in its capacity in the area of conflict prevention.”
2007-04-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5663Resumption1 (2007) · source
“However, the Council, as the most prestigious United Nations body, can make a significant contribution both by promoting a full understanding of the nature of the threat and by addressing some of its elements on an ad hoc basis and as part of situations that threaten peace and security. We understand that this meeting will not result in a formal outcome. That is in keeping with the character of this debate, the main goal of which is to raise awareness and to promote a shared understanding of the risks we are facing. Nevertheless, we hope that this event will positively affect the manner in which the Council conducts its work in the future. In making its decisions and designing a response to situations that threaten international peace and security, the Council must take into account all relevant factors.”
2007-04-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5663Resumption1 (2007) · source
“It would appear that all existing and potential threats from environmental damage come together in the overarching threat posed by climate change. While that threat was recognized quite some time ago, the collective international response has nevertheless not been very swift and far from adequate. We strongly welcome the personal commitment of the Secretary- General to make the issue of climate change one of his priorities, and we also welcome current efforts to address the threat in a more effective way beyond the year 2012 and beyond the terms of the Kyoto Protocol. There is barely an issue on which multilateral action is more obviously needed and, indeed, indispensable. It will, of course, not be this Council that will make a decision on the collective response to climate change.”
2007-04-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5663Resumption1 (2007) · source
“This debate is therefore an appropriate way to address a potential future threat and a good way for the Council to adopt preventative approaches, wherever possible. It is quite clear that environmental issues already have, in many cases, at least strong corollary effects on situations that threaten peace and security. Several ongoing conflicts are, among other factors, driven, for example, by the scarcity of water resources, and all figures available indicate that this particular issue will be dramatically exacerbated in the near future, since access to clean water will significantly decrease globally over the next few years. Other issues are mass displacement and migration due to adverse environmental conditions, food shortages and lack of cultivable land.”
2007-04-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5663Resumption1 (2007) · source
“Mr. President, we are grateful to you personally and to your delegation for having launched this initiative as well as for having prepared a very useful note in order to provide guidance for this debate. The concept of international peace and security, as provided for under the Charter, has been subject to a broadening interpretation over the past few years, and today's debate constitutes a further step in that evolution. We agree with those who have pointed to the competence of other bodies in the area under discussion today, in particular the Commission on Sustainable Development and, of course, the General Assembly. At the same time, climate change and energy issues certainly have the potential of posing a threat to international peace and security.”
2007-04-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5663Resumption1 (2007) · source
“It is not merely a humanitarian problem- although, of course, it has a strong humanitarian component. There must, however, be an integrated and comprehensive approach to internal displacement, and more conceptual work is needed on issues such as the prevention of displacement and the question of when internal displacement ends. We appreciate the efforts undertaken by the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in this respect and commend the work carried out by the Special Representative of the Secretary-General on the Human Rights of Internally Displaced Persons, Professor Walter Kalin.”
2006-06-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5476 (2006) · source
“We therefore welcome the efforts of the Secretariat to strengthen the United Nations good- offices capacity, including in its mediation activities. It is clear that the effectiveness of the protection of civilians can be significantly enhanced if the mandates of peacekeeping operations are drafted in a clear manner that takes into account the specific needs of civilians in a particular situation. There is a continuing need to give special attention to the situation of internally displaced persons. It is estimated that more than 25 million people worldwide have been forced to flee their homes- mostly as a result of armed conflict - without crossing an international border. Such people often live under the most difficult and trying conditions. The issue of internal displacement is a complex one.”
2006-06-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5476 (2006) · source
“In order to have the intended impact on the ground, such improvements in the operational tools must be supported, however, by the recognition of the right of affected civilians to humanitarian assistance and the acceptance of secure and prompt access for humanitarian organizations and workers by all parties to a conflict, as well as by neighbouring countries, where needed. It is with that purpose that the humanitarian principles of humanity, neutrality, impartiality and independence must be understood and applied. The most recent report of the Secretary-General on the subject also pointed out that a prompt and predictable humanitarian response can bring sustainable relief to civilians caught in an armed conflict only when there is a political solution to the conflict.”
2006-06-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5476 (2006) · source
“Such a reference would have updated and strengthened the resolution in a manner that would have taken into account the major relevant developments since 2000, including the referral of a situation to the International Criminal Court by the Council itself. Important developments have also taken place with regard to the quality of the provision of humanitarian assistance to civilian populations affected by armed conflict. The modernization of the Central Emergency Response Fund and the establishment of clear leadership functions within the United Nations system for prompt and coordinated humanitarian action will significantly contribute to ensuring more predictable humanitarian financing and to enhancing the overall response capacity.”
2006-06-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5476 (2006) · source
“However, we would have welcomed clear language on the role that the Council is willing to assume with regard to the responsibility to protect populations from genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity, as well as on mechanisms for implementation, in accordance with the World Summit Outcome document. While the Council acknowledged that there are a number of national and international justice and reconciliation mechanisms that can be instrumental in ending impunity, we were disappointed to note that the resolution does not contain a reference to the vital role that the International Criminal Court is playing in this respect.”
2006-06-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5476 (2006) · source