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

“Member States would, of course, have the option to put forward proposals, but there is no need for automaticity. We believe that important value would be added and significant improvement made in the area of accountability by holding discussions on vetoed decisions with the involvement of the entire membership.”
2019-06-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8539 (2019) · source
“As Members of the Organization that are politically invested in multilateralism, we cannot just sit on the sidelines and occasionally voice our frustration. We have to claim ownership and, where possible, step in through action in the General Assembly when the Council fails in its duties. The creation of the International, Impartial and Independent Mechanism for Syria through the General Assembly illustrates that that can be done, and done effectively. The ultimate expression of the Council's inability to operate is when its decisions are blocked by the veto, as has happened 15 times in the past five years. We are therefore of the View that the General Assembly should be automatically convened every time a veto is cast. That should be done without prejudice to a possible outcome of such a discussion.”
2019-06-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8539 (2019) · source
“The most relevant point for us is ensuring open debates that are organized in such a way that they can help make the decision-making process more inclusive among Council members and thereby more legitimate. The easiest way to do that is by separating the debate from the moment at which a decision is adopted. That, as we understand it, is the case today. We thank the Kuwaiti presidency for leading by example. In conclusion, the mandate of the Security Council deals with the core original task of the United Nations. The effectiveness of the Organization as a whole therefore depends on the manner in which the Council carries out its work. Deep political divisions among the permanent members of the Council, pressure to reduce funding for necessary peacekeeping operations and increasing political disengagement are therefore alarming signals.”
2019-06-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8539 (2019) · source
“We see no good reason for not taking that decision and hope that the Council will respond expeditiously to the call of the wider membership in that respect. We participate actively and regularly in wrap-up sessions whenever they are organized at the end of a Council presidency. Those are important opportunities for us to voice our opinions and ask questions, and they provide valuable opportunities for the Council to hear from us, its constituency. We look forward to seeing further improvements in the format of those meetings and we welcome the proposals that have been made in that respect. We hope that those meetings will be institutionalized to take place at the end of every month. The format of open debates, such as the one we are holding right now, is also much talked about.”
2019-06-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8539 (2019) · source
“We fully subscribe to the statement delivered by the representative of Sweden and we would like to thank Mr. James Cockayne from the United Nations University for his very insightful briefing on this topic earlier today. The establishment of the Office of the Ombudsperson 10 years ago was an important and overdue step, following legal challenges in the courts of various Member States. The work of the Ombudsperson has been effective and hardly controversial, contrary to the expectations of many, yet the Council denies the Office the appropriate institutional arrangements and continues to labour over the obvious next step that is necessary - to extend the mandate of the Ombudsperson to the remaining sanctions regimes.”
2019-06-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8539 (2019) · source
“We welcome in particular the suggestion that the delegation chairing the sanctions committee on a specific country situation should also have a joint leadership function with the traditional penholder in drafting resolutions on that situation. More than anything else, this seems to be an issue of quality management and common sense. We would also like to see the chairmanships of subsidiary bodies more equitably distributed among the Council's membership. Having permanent members taking on their share of those tasks is a good way of ensuring a healthier working relationship in the Council. We have, for many years, paid particular attention to the work of the Council on sanctions, rooted in our commitment to the rule of law and the requirements of due process.”
2019-06-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8539 (2019) · source
“More precisely, our expectation in electing them is that they fully and effectively contribute to the work of the Council; after all, they are directly accountable to the membership. For us, subscribing to the code of conduct on mass atrocities, developed by the ACT group, is a minimum standard for Council membership and a precondition for our support in Council elections. However, we also believe that some of the practice that has evolved in the recent history of the Council is detrimental to the active role of elected members. We therefore favour agreements under which elected members can serve as penholders on resolutions submitted for the Council's consideration.”
2019-06-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8539 (2019) · source
“In that respect, it is certainly helpful that the elected members of the Council work in closer coordination, both inside the Council and with partners outside of it, such as the Accountability, Coherence and Transparency (ACT) group, of which we are a member. We very much commend the joint statement delivered earlier today by our colleague from South Africa on the issue of the Council's working methods. The Security Council was not designed as a democratic organ, given that its permanent members have the competence to single-handedly block majority decisions. For that reason, we expect the elected members to play a dynamic and independent role on the Council.”
2019-06-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8539 (2019) · source
“I would like to express my country's appreciation of your personal leadership, Mr. President, on the topic under discussion today. We hope that it will be possible to reach agreement on some of the measures on which there have been informal consultations. We are disappointed to note that that has not yet been possible. Efforts to make the Security Council more inclusive, transparent and accountable are of essential importance and need to be discussed with the wider membership. Progress on this file has been steady, albeit uneven and certainly slow. The most difficult aspect remains the inconsistent application of working methods issues that the Council itself has agreed on over the past years. We look forward to seeing further improvements on the implementation of those working methods.”
2019-06-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8539 (2019) · source
“The Council has a crucial responsibility to protect civilians from the most serious crimes under international law, including the deliberate targeting of civilian populations and infrastructure and preventing the delivery of urgently needed humanitarian aid. With more than 20 million people in need of assistance, that responsibility is more acute than ever. We call on the members of the Council, in particular the 10 signatories of the Accountability, Coherence and Transparency Group code of conduct on mass atrocity crimes to live up to that responsibility.”
2019-04-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8517 (2019) · source
“Despite the sobering track record of the Council, we continue to call on it to finally refer the situation in Syria to the International Criminal Court. Like many, we consider the Stockholm Agreement of December 2018 on Al-Hudaydah a milestone that brought hope to the people of Yemen for progress towards an end to the conflict. Its swift and effective implementation is crucial to reaching a sustainable political settlement. Like many as well, we are disappointed by the painfully slow progress to date and call on the Council to put its full weight behind the efforts of the Secretary-General's Special Envoy to ensure that all parties and stakeholders deliver on their commitments.”
2019-04-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8517 (2019) · source
“The mechanism is operational and fully part of the institutional framework of the United Nations, as a subsidiary body of the General Assembly. Last week's submission of the report of the Mechanism (see A/73/741) to the General Assembly made it clear that the Mechanism currently represents the best hope that the Syrian people will one day see justice served. There can be no sustainable peace without justice, in particular not for a conflict characterized by the use of chemical weapons, the systematic use of torture and summary executions, as well as sexual and gender-based violence and the indiscriminate shelling of civilian areas. Justice must be an integral part of any political settlement, and we welcome the strong signal to that effect emanating from the third Brussels Conference, held in March.”
2019-04-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8517 (2019) · source
“There is an entire generation of children who have not known life without war. The entire region has been destabilized by an armed conflict shaped by foreign actors. The Security Council has failed in the task of addressing the crisis and human suffering in any meaningful manner. Six single and six double vetoes have been exercised, with tremendous human costs and far-reaching negative consequences for the United Nations as a whole. By creating the Impartial and Independent Mechanism to Assist in the Investigation and Prosecution of Persons Responsible for the Most Serious Crimes under International Law Committed in the Syrian Arab Republic since March 2011, the General Assembly stepped in to counter the Council's inaction and ensure that the worst crimes committed will not go unpunished.”
2019-04-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8517 (2019) · source
“With respect to recent developments concerning the Golan, Liechtenstein stresses that the prohibition of the annexation of territory is a cornerstone of the rules- based international order. The annexation of territory as a result of any use of force runs counter to the established norms of international law. Annexation also amounts to an act of aggression - the worst form of the illegal use of force - which is not only forbidden by international law but also subject to individual criminal accountability, including under the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court. Last month marked the eighth anniversary of the beginning of the war in Syria. Hundreds of thousands of people have been killed and many more have been injured and displaced. The country has suffered large-scale destruction.”
2019-04-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8517 (2019) · source
“I thank you, Mr. President, for personally presiding over this open debate. We welcome this exchange in the light of developments in different parts of the Middle East and hope that the Security Council will engage in open debates on other countries' situations as well. We repeat our view that the two-State solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict remains the only viable avenue leading to sustainable peace between Israelis and Palestinians and for the entire region. Our position remains unchanged: settlement activities in the occupied Palestinian territories, including in East Jerusalem, are illegal under international humanitarian law. The decisions taken by the Council in that regard, including resolution 2334 (2016), must be respected and fully implemented by all parties and relevant actors.”
2019-04-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8517 (2019) · source
“We also commend the work of the International, Impartial and Independent Mechanism for Syria, whose annual report was discussed in the General Assembly today (see A/73/PV.76). It has already made significant progress in operationalizing its mandate to effectively address sexual and gender-based crimes. We expect the accountability mechanism established by the Human Rights Council for Myanmar to build on this good practice.”
2019-04-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8514 (2019) · source
“States have the primary responsibility in this respect, but international criminal justice mechanisms, in particular the International Criminal Court, can significantly contribute to strengthening national capacities, as called for in Sustainable Development Goal 16, on the basis of the principle of complementarity. The Court has made sexual and gender-based crimes one of its strategic priorities, which is a reflection of the very progressive stance of the Court's founding Statute on this issue. There is a particular responsibility for the Security Council to ensure accountability for these crimes, in accordance with the Accountability, Coherence and Transparency group code of conduct against mass atrocity crimes, supported by two thirds of the Council's membership.”
2019-04-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8514 (2019) · source
“This call has paved the way for the Liechtenstein Initiative for a Financial Sector Commission on Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking, a public-private partnership, carried out in cooperation with the Governments of Australia and the Netherlands and with support from the United Nations University. This work will result in a set of measures for the global financial sector that will be presented publicly in September in New York. My final point relates to the importance of accountability as an essential part of the fight against conflict-related sexual violence.”
2019-04-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8514 (2019) · source
“And yet sexual violence against men and boys remains seriously underreported, due to a culture of taboo and the stigmatization of the victims, which also restrains them in their already limited access to services. We welcome the progress made today in the adoption of resolution 2467 (2019) to ensure timely and safe survivor-centred assistance for all survivors, including psychosocial and health-care services. Thirdly, we reiterate our strong commitment to the fight against human trafficking and modern slavery, for which conflict situations pose a special risk. We support in the particular the call in resolution 2331 (2016) to engage all relevant stakeholders in the fight against illicit financial flows stemming from human trafficking, including sexual slavery.”
2019-04-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8514 (2019) · source
“In Libya, migrant women and girls are very vulnerable to conflict-related sexual violence. Many are exposed to forced prostitution and sexual exploitation, amounting to conditions of sexual slavery. In Syria, displacement camps pose a high risk of sexual violence and abduction for women and girls. Such violence during arrest predominantly affects women and girls residing in the home of a targeted male, while both males and females are among the victims in detention settings. Secondly, women and girls are particularly vulnerable to conflict-related sexual violence, but research, including by the All Survivors Project, documents that men and boys are also specifically targeted, for example, in Burundi, the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and South Sudan.”
2019-04-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8514 (2019) · source
“Let me commend you, Mr. President, for the hard work of your delegation in bringing the negotiations on resolution 2467 (2019) to a successful conclusion. Allow me to offer a few short remarks at the end of a long day. In the first instance, we want to refer to some of the situations that are particularly relevant for our discussions today. In Myanmar, there have been patterns of widespread atrocities, including sexual violence, against Rohingya women and girls. There is strong evidence that the threat and use of sexual Violence have been a push factor for forced displacement on a massive scale. We would like to hear from the Special Representative how we can best address the increasing prevalence of children born of wartime rape and provide necessary services to mothers and children without contributing to their stigmatization.”
2019-04-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8514 (2019) · source
“Given this reality, the Council should treat climate change as a direct threat to our global collective security. Finally, all action on climate change must be underpinned by our resolute commitment to multilateralism, epitomized by the Paris Agreement on Climate Change. We must take the spirit of that Agreement forward and work together ambitiously to create effective and sustainable solutions.”
2019-01-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8451 (2019) · source
“The melting of Arctic summer ice creates incentives for increased contestation over resources, the extraction of which will further exacerbate climate change and spur further degradation of the Arctic environment. The increased attention to the region poses challenges for regional institutions, including the Arctic Council. We should also mention the impact of competition for resources on the indigenous peoples of the Arctic region, whose relationship with their historic lands, territories and resources should be respected. For many States Members of the United Nations, in particular small island developing States, climate change is an existential threat. Its effects - mass displacement and loss of homes and livelihoods - echo the outcomes of those armed conflicts that the Security Council addresses in its daily work.”
2019-01-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8451 (2019) · source
“The Security Council should also specifically address marginalized groups such as women and young people, who will be particularly vulnerable to the detrimental effects of climate change, for example due to a lack of educational and employment opportunities. In situations such as those in Libya, South Sudan, Yemen and Syria, climate change has exacerbated the severity of man-made conflict by increasing extreme weather patterns. We hope that the Council will be able to mainstream its consideration of climate in its resolutions while at the same time maintaining a focus on those responsible for causing and perpetrating these conflicts. Looking forward, we are also aware that our changing climate may create conditions for conflict in areas that so far have been peaceful.”
2019-01-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8451 (2019) · source
“In areas such as the Lake Chad basin, where 90 per cent of the economy relies on agriculture and pastoralism, it is self-evident that a deteriorating climate will negatively affect peace and security, exacerbating vulnerability than can be exploited by malicious actors and driving mass displacement. We also welcome the Council's inclusion of similar language addressing climate in its resolutions covering the United Nations Regional Office for Central Africa, Mali, Somalia and Darfur. But more can be done on these issues: in addition to mandating Governments and the United Nations to address the effects of climate change, the Council should also encourage measures to prevent and mitigate its effects as a root cause of conflict itself.”
2019-01-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8451 (2019) · source
“We are pleased that the Administrator of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has been invited to brief the Council today and encourage strengthened coordination with other United Nations bodies with responsibility for addressing climate change. We also hope that the Council will continue to advocate for enhanced analysis and information on climate issues. We are pleased to see that the Security Council has begun to integrate climate issues into its country and region-specific work, building on the precedent set in resolution 2349 (2017), on West Africa and the Sahel.”
2019-01-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8451 (2019) · source
“This open debate brings necessary attention to the key issue of our time. Since the first discussion of this issue in this Chamber, in 2007 (see S/PV.5663), Member States have become increasingly aware of the fact that climate change is a driver of insecurity and a threat multiplier for conflict, as well as a threat to our collective security. Although there are other United Nations organs with the competence to address climate change, including the Economic and Social Council and the General Assembly, it is essential that the Council engage to address the international and transnational threat that climate change poses to peace and security. One cannot fully address the root causes of conflict or take on the mantle of prevention emphasized by the Secretary- General without acknowledging our changing climate.”
2019-01-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8451 (2019) · source
“There is no doubt that the global order rooted in international law and multilateralism is under attack today. The Organization is the ultimate expression of the belief in the power of the law. Its continued relevance depends on our ability to further strengthen the rules enshrined in the Charter, to meet the challenges of tomorrow, and to stand up for that belief.”
2018-11-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8395 (2018) · source
“It rests in the ability of every State individually and the Council collectively to benefit from an internationally agreed definition of an act of aggression when engaging in complex decision-making processes on the use of force. Recent trends indicate very clearly that armed conflict between States, in Violation of the Charter of the United Nations, is an ever more present threat. And, as we heard this morning, the nature of modern warfare is changing rapidly. The risks of cyberwarfare cast an ever-darker shadow, which makes it a truly burning challenge to thoroughly discuss the international law aspects of those trends. The definitions laid out in the Rome Statute offer the best framework for a discussion on regulating the threats of cyberwarfare.”
2018-11-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8395 (2018) · source
“After a successful ratification process and consensual activation decision last December, the Council has had, since 17 July, an additional tool at its disposal to enforce the rules of the Charter of the United Nations on the use of force through its ability to seize the ICC with situations in which those rules have manifestly been violated. We are aware, of course, of the difficult political dynamic in the Council and of its chequered relationship with the ICC in particular, but if the Council is serious about its role as the guardian of the Charter of the United Nations, it now has an additional tool available to enforce a decision on the legality of the use of force. The importance of that development does not lie in the likelihood ofa large number ofcases before the ICC.”
2018-11-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8395 (2018) · source
“The crime of aggression, on the other hand, is defined as a leadership crime. Only individuals in leadership positions - military or political, for example - can be held criminally responsible. After the agreement on the complex definitional issues, States parties also forged a consensus on the conditions for the exercise of the ICC's jurisdiction over the crime of aggression. The role of the Council was a crucial aspect in that discussion, owing to the Council's competence under Article 39 of the Charter of the United Nations to make a determination that an act of aggression has been committed. The primacy of the Council's role in that respect was never challenged and is fully safeguarded in the Rome Statute ofthe ICC.”
2018-11-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8395 (2018) · source
“Various States, including some assembled at this table today, contributed actively to that effort and supported the consensual agreement on both definitions before the Review Conference of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, held in Kampala in 2010. Grounded firmly in existing international law, that definition has a number of important features. It establishes a high threshold for a determination that an act of aggression has been committed. Such an act has to constitute a manifest violation of the Charter of the United Nations by its character, gravity and scale. In other words, being in violation of the rules governing the use of force under the Charter of the United Nations does not automatically constitute an act of aggression, and therefore would not lead to individual criminal responsibility.”
2018-11-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8395 (2018) · source
“Those discussions have been rather opaque and limited to a small number of States, but there was also a process aimed at codifying the laws and norms on the use of force, a process that was open ended, inclusive and transparent, a process in the framework of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC) aimed at developing a legally binding definition of an act of aggression, as well as that of a crime of aggression. Stretching over several years, that process was open to all Member States, including those that had not ratified the Rome Statute. The decision to have a process open to the entire membership was made owing to the overall significance of the effort, not least the work of the Council.”
2018-11-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8395 (2018) · source
“A key aspect of the Charter, and therefore a fundamental task for the Security Council, is to enforce the rules governing the use of force. Born out of the desire to "save succeeding generations from the scourge of war", the Charter has made the use of force illegal, with only two exceptions: self-defence in accordance with Article 51 and the authorization of the use of force by the Council. In recent years, we have witnessed a widening interpretation by some of which actions qualify as self-defence, without much discussion or consequence. Unfortunately, we have also witnessed the unilateral use of force without the prior authorization of the Council, and the attempt to expand the rules enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations.”
2018-11-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8395 (2018) · source
“For the Security Council to discuss the importance of multilateralism in the maintenance of international peace and security can seem like discussing a truism. After all, the United Nations is the embodiment of the very idea of multilateralism. But this is, indeed, an important moment to recommit, and this is an important debate, as we have heard this morning, so we are grateful to you, Mr. President, for convening it. My statement will focus on the question of the legality of the use of force, but I also want to echo the speakers who have spoken about the importance of discussing the role of the veto and the effectiveness of the work of the Council. I want to reference the code of conduct on mass atrocity crimes in that connection. The United Nations is the ultimate expression of the rule of law at the international level.”
2018-11-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8395 (2018) · source
“Women remain unevenly represented in transitional justice and rule-of-law institutions. Only if we address those disparities can we achieve Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 5, on gender equality, SDG 10, on reduced inequalities, and SDG 16,, on peace, justice and strong institutions, all of which are not merely end goals in themselves but also preconditions for the successful implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development as a whole.”
2018-10-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8382 (2018) · source
“We have high hopes for the accountability mechanism newly established for Myanmar by the Human Rights Council to investigate sexual and gender-based violence committed against the Rohingya and other minorities, and we value the work of Justice Rapid Response aimed at strengthening accountability. However, justice, peace and equality remain utopian concepts for many women and girls around the world. There are still discriminatory laws and practices that prevent them from enjoying full and equal protection under the law and from achieving just outcomes for violations of their human rights. Structural inequalities, poverty and discrimination in both conflict and non-conflict contexts reduce the opportunities for women and girls to be informed of their rights and to access justice before, during and after conflict.”
2018-10-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8382 (2018) · source
“Only ifwe understand the underlying factors of those crimes - irrespective of the victim's gender - can we find comprehensive and sustainable solutions for all. Accountability is an essential part of the fight against conflict-related sexual violence. International criminal-justice mechanisms - including the International Criminal Court, which reflects the very progressive stance on sexual and gender-based violence enshrined in the Rome Statute, adopted 20 years ago - have done ground-breaking work. The accountability mechanism for Syria has supported investigations into sexual violence and gender-based crimes.”
2018-10-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8382 (2018) · source
“In the past year and up until July 2018, the Human Rights Council received reports from independent human rights investigations in Burundi, the Kasai region of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Myanmar, South Sudan, Syria and Yemen that document grave endemic sexual and gender-based violence, including sexualized torture, rape and mutilation of sexual organs. Women and girls have been disproportionately affected. However, there are also numerous men and boys among the victims. A recently published report by the All Survivors Project documents the use of rape and other forms of sexual violence and torture by Syrian authorities and associated militias against male detainees. Sexual violence against men and boys continues to be underreported, owing to cultural taboos and the fear ofbeing stigmatized.”
2018-10-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8382 (2018) · source
“There is evidence linking gender inequality and gender-based violence to the greater vulnerability of societies to civil and inter-State war. Sexual and gender- based violence is highly prevalent in conflict situations and continues to be used as a weapon of war. Harmful gender stereotypes and abusive power dynamics form the basis on which systemic and widespread sexual violence can thrive. We are particularly concerned about the devastating trend ofconflict-related sexual violence, with 800 cases documented by the United Nations last year, amounting to a 56 per cent increase from 2016.”
2018-10-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8382 (2018) · source
“Women human rights defenders, political leaders, justice and security-sector actors, peacekeepers and mediators, journalists, activists and civil-society leaders all significantly contribute to a more peaceful, sustainable and prosperous world. Yet, in order to enable women to be agents of change, we need to create an environment that is enabling and free of discrimination, unfair social norms and attitudes, and does not deprive them of their rights and opportunities. We welcome progress in integrating gender perspectives and promoting women's meaningful participation and representation in the Organization's work on conflict prevention, conflict resolution and sustaining peace, including in mediation teams and leadership positions.”
2018-10-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8382 (2018) · source
“We live in a world where violence, inequality and injustice are obstacles to peace. Global military spending amounts to $1.6 trillion, and therefore greatly exceeds global health spending - $37.6 billion - let alone global education spending, at $6.8 billion. Gender equality helps prevent conflict, and women's voices are particularly relevant in the field of peace and security. Ironically, the budget of the global women's rights movement is less than the cost of two F-35 fighter planes. Past decades have brought some progress in reducing gender inequality. Yet women's economic and political empowerment remains one of the major challenges of our time. We welcome that today's open debate is dedicated to that important topic.”
2018-10-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8382 (2018) · source
“From 17 July, which is the twentieth anniversary of the adoption of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, the Court will have jurisdiction over an additional crime - the most serious forms of the illegal use of force. We therefore call on all States to ratify the Amendments to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court on the crime of aggression, thereby giving the ICC jurisdiction over that crime.”
2018-05-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8264 (2018) · source
“The Council has so far shown an unfortunate inclination to separate the justice dimension from the humanitarian crisis when it seems clear that the latter cannot be addressed without the former. In our View, that will not work. That situation remains an' excellent illustration of the fact that the Council needs to address mass atrocities in order not only to protect civilians but also to do its work effectively. In conclusion, let me echo the call of the Secretary- General, who this morning asked for the full support of all States for the International Criminal Court, and join the many speakers who called for the universal ratification of the Rome Statute. We would also like to remind the Council that armed conflict itself poses the greatest threat to civilian populations.”
2018-05-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8264 (2018) · source
“There is little indication that the Council will address the accountability dimension of the ongoing crisis. However, it is clear that ensuring justice is part of the conditions necessary to allow for the safe and voluntary return of the forcibly displaced Rohingya population. It is precisely for such kinds of situations that the International Criminal Court (ICC) was created 20 years ago. We commend the Court's Prosecutor for exploring the option of investigating the forced displacement of the Rohingya as a crime against humanity. However, we also continue to believe that the Security Council should use its competence to refer the situation 4 and therefore all crimes committed in the conflict - to the Court.”
2018-05-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8264 (2018) · source
“We hope that more States will soon subscribe to that important political commitment, especially those that are interested in serving on the Security Council. We will continue to work towards its consistent implementation by requesting its application and by engaging with the United Nations system to that end. We encourage the Secretary-General to continue to bring to the attention of the Council situations where atrocities are committed or where an outbreak of violence is likely, in line with the powers of his Office under the Charter of the United Nations. The situation of the Rohingya in Myanmar is among the most pressing examples of such situations. We welcome the recent visit of the Security Council to Myanmar and Bangladesh. At the same time, the visit has not inspired a sense ofurgency in the Council's actions.”
2018-05-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8264 (2018) · source
“The many violations include starvation, sexual and gender-based violence as a method of warfare - often also committed against men and boys, such as in the Central African Republic - and attacks on medical workers and facilities, which continue to increase at an alarming rate despite the strong condemnation by the Security Council in resolution 2286 (2016). The continued lack of implementation of that resolution should be a call for action to the Security Council, and the membership as a whole, as the erosion of the international rule of law is of concern to all of us. Preventing mass atrocities from occurring in the first place is the most effective protection of civilians. We are encouraged by the fact that 116 States have joined the code of conduct of the Accountability, Coherence and Transparency group on mass atrocity crimes.”
2018-05-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8264 (2018) · source
“Protecting civilians in armed conflict is a universal obligation under international humanitarian law, not a policy decision by States. Targeting civilians, health-care providers, schools or other protected persons or facilities is a crime, irrespective of considerations of military necessity. Nevertheless, we have witnessed a gradual and dramatic erosion of respect for the most basic rules of warfare. It is our collective responsibility to reverse that trend through the special role entrusted to the Security Council, at the core of whose mandate is the protection of civilians. The large-scale suffering of civilian populations continues in many ongoing conflicts - in Syria, Yemen, Myanmar and the Central African Republic, among other places.”
2018-05-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8264 (2018) · source
“In its consequence, that is an effort to undermine the international legal order and the United Nations itself, which is at the heart of that order and not only with respect to the maintenance of international peace and security. The Organization is the ultimate expression in the belief of the power of the law. Its continued relevance depends on our ability to stand up for that belief.”
2018-05-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8262 (2018) · source
“The Mechanism acts as a model for future action, in that the General Assembly should step in where the Council is paralysed and therefore unable to take on its responsibility to ensure accountability in line with its authority under the Charter. The collective commitment of the United Nations membership to fight mass atrocity crimes is also expressed in the Accountability, Coherence and Transparency group's code of conduct on mass atrocities. We echo the call by many speakers in the Chamber on all Member States to join that initiative, which is supported by 116 States. There is no doubt that international norms and international law are under attack today.”
2018-05-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8262 (2018) · source