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

“As much as we need to strive to make this relationship more productive, combined with working towards the universalization of the Rome Statute, we also must be prepared to act within the parameters of today's reality. The Court's reach is severely restricted, as the situation in Syria has illustrated for a number of years. Given that the path to the ICC was blocked in the Council through the veto of two permanent members, the General Assembly responded by creating the accountability mechanism known as the International, Impartial and Independent Mechanism for Syria. We were proud to lead that effort in the General Assembly.”
2018-05-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8262 (2018) · source
“The date of 17 July also marks the twentieth anniversary of the Rome Statute, an occasion to both reaffirm our collective commitment to justice and international law and to address the numerous challenges we continue to face. Impunity continues to reign in many situations where grave crimes are committed. Where the seriousness of the situation so requires and where all other options fail f in particular national prosecutions - the ICC must be enabled to act. It is often up to the Security Council to provide the Court with jurisdiction, as indeed it should do with respect to the situations in Syria and in Myanmar. But more than 10 years after its first referral decision, the Council still has much room for a more productive relationship with the Court and lacks a collective commitment to accountability.”
2018-05-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8262 (2018) · source
“The 123 States parties to the Rome Statute made the historic decision to enable the International Criminal Court to prosecute the crime of aggression. Exactly two months from today, on 17 July, the Court's jurisdiction over the crime of aggression will commence - marking the first time that humankind will have a permanent international court with the authority to hold individuals accountable for this crime. That will be a crucial moment also for the Security Council, which will have a new tool at its disposal, namely, the ability to refer situations involving acts of aggression to the ICC. If applied in a meaningful way, that new tool could assist the Security Council in the peaceful resolution of conflicts and in reinforcing the Charter.”
2018-05-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8262 (2018) · source
“In assessing their decisions in that respect, States are now assisted by the first internationally agreed definition, set out in the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC), of a crime of aggression, which is met only in cases where the illegal use of force constitutes a manifest violation of the Charter. At the Nuremberg trials, 12 leading figures of Nazi Germany were convicted of crimes against peace. Since then, no international criminal tribunal has had the competence to hold individuals accountable for the most serious forms ofthe illegal use of force. In the following seven decades, we did not even have an internationally accepted definition of the crime of aggression. In December 2017 that changed.”
2018-05-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8262 (2018) · source
“Not too long ago, we believed that we had firmly transitioned into an era of the primacy of international law. That belief has been weakened in the recent past; however, our determination to make it so has not. Those who believe in the rule of law, as we do, are challenged to stand up for the primacy of international law at the heart of the international order. The prohibition of the illegal use of force is a core provision in that respect. It was incorporated into the Charter of the United Nations in direct response to the destruction caused by the Second World War and has been recognized as a key provision of international law since. It continues to be of crucial relevance. Resorting to the use of force remains one of the most serious decisions a State can take and requires careful legal scrutiny and communication.”
2018-05-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8262 (2018) · source
“One of the few positive developments in the recent past with respect to the situation in the Middle East was the conclusion of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), a highlight of multilateral diplomacy and a testimony to the effectiveness of the Council, which has endorsed that important agreement. We continue supporting the JCPOA and hope that its terms will be honoured by all parties.”
2018-04-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8244 (2018) · source
“The Security Council must live up to its responsibility and protect civilians from the most serious crimes under international law, including the deliberate targeting of civilian populations and infrastructure. We support the new Special Envoy's initiative to recall inclusive peace talks. Council members, in particular those nine that have signed the code of conduct on mass atrocity crimes elaborated by the Accountability, Coherence and Transparency group, should use their procedural majority in the Council to address the situation in Yemen.”
2018-04-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8244 (2018) · source
“We also closely follow discussions on possible action by the Human Rights Council in Geneva. Liechtenstein continues to support a two- State solution, within an international legal framework based on applicable international humanitarian law and relevant Security Council resolutions. The catastrophic humanitarian crisis and the systematic disregard for international humanitarian law in Yemen remain alarming. It is crucial that humanitarian aid have unimpeded, sustained and safe access, as over 20 million people urgently require help. We welcome the Council's call for increased access for humanitarian aid to Yemen through sea and air ports. Nevertheless, we are concerned that hostilities on all sides continue and will lead to a further escalation of the situation.”
2018-04-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8244 (2018) · source
“The peace process in the Middle East, having already been stalled for a considerable time, is now further jeopardized by recent developments in Gaza. We are deeply concerned by the recent violence, in particular the excessive use of force and extrajudicial killings by Israeli security forces. We support the call of the Secretary-General for an independent and transparent investigation and echo the ICC Prosecutor's reminder that the situation in Palestine remains under preliminary examination. According to the principle of complementarity, the primary responsibility to investigate lies with the national judiciaries concerned, with a role for the Court to monitor such proceedings, which have to be conducted in conformity with relevant standards of international criminal law.”
2018-04-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8244 (2018) · source
“We continue to strongly support the International, 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, whose mandate encompasses crimes committed by all parties and, of course, the competence to investigate the use of chemical weapons which is, under all circumstances, a war crime. The Mechanism will soon be fully operational and is already in a position to receive information and evidence. We call on all States to extend this type of cooperation to the Mechanism. We reiterate our view that the Council should refer the situation in Syria to the International Criminal Court (ICC), as called for by the Secretary-General and supported yesterday at the Brussels Conference.”
2018-04-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8244 (2018) · source
“It continues to be characterized by massive violations of international humanitarian law, including the use of chemical weapons and large-scale displacement. Both the briefing we heard yesterday (see S/PV.8242) and the Brussels Conference have made it clear just how far we are from a political solution to this conflict. Accountability must be an integral part of any peace process for Syria, as evidenced by the situation on the ground and called for consistently by Syrian civil society groups.”
2018-04-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8244 (2018) · source
“I thank you, Sir, for this opportunity to discuss the situation in the Middle East. Escalations in different parts of the region and political paralysis in the Council make the participation of the entire membership in this debate particularly important. The ongoing paralysis of the Security Council with respect to the situation in Syria is a reason for deep concern. No less than 12 vetoes have been cast on proposals before the Council to deal with the situation. Moreover, its rare decisions have been ineffective, such as the ceasefire mandated under resolution 2401 (2018), which continues to be disregarded by conflict parties. The conflict has turned from an internal armed conflict into a threat to the stability of the region and beyond.”
2018-04-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8244 (2018) · source
“In December 2017, States parties to the Rome Statute added a new tool to the Council's toolbox by activating the ICC's jurisdiction over the crime of aggression, which will go into effect as of 17 July 2018. That is a landmark development in the history of international law and complementary to the prohibition of the illegal use of force enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations. The Council should therefore use its ICC referral powers with respect to the crime of aggression wisely, as it has the tremendous potential not only to hold leaders who decide to commit illegal acts of aggression accountable, but to deter illegal war- making in the first place.”
2018-02-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8175 (2018) · source
“When possible, States in question should be offered assistance to ensure such accountability in their national systems, with the help of international components, when necessary. But referrals to the International Criminal Court (ICC) by the Council are of course also critical when all other accountability options have failed. The Secretary- General recently renewed his calls on the Council to refer the situation in Syria to the ICC. We support that call. The work of the ICC, in that respect, could be greatly assisted by the International, 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, created by the General Assembly in 2016.”
2018-02-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8175 (2018) · source
“We look forward to working with those States, in particular to ensure that the code of conduct can, over time, bring about a change in the political culture in the Council - a change that is very badly needed. We call on all States that have not yet done so to join the code of conduct as soon as possible. Liechtenstein, as a matter of policy, only supports Security Council candidatures from countries that have joined the code of conduct. Along similar lines, the Council should act as an enforcer of accountability for the most serious crimes under international law. Accountability for atrocity crimes not only reduces impunity for such crimes, it also helps to prevent them in the future and thereby contributes directly to the maintenance of international peace and security.”
2018-02-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8175 (2018) · source
“The Accountability, Coherence and Transparency group has developed a code of conduct regarding Security Council action against mass atrocity crimes, which includes a commitment not to vote against Council action to counter such crimes. To date, 114 States - large and small - from all regions of the world have subscribed to it, including two permanent members of the Council. Those States are also committed to timely and decisive Security Council action against the worst crimes under international law if and when they serve on the Council. This year is the first time since the elaboration of the code of conduct that nine States that support it serve on the Council, which constitutes a procedural majority that could be of crucial importance for placing topics on the Council's agenda.”
2018-02-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8175 (2018) · source
“In this context, the use of the veto has played a central and unfortunate role. In the recent past in particular, the veto has repeatedly been used in stark opposition to the spirit of the Charter of the United Nations, preventing the Council from fulfilling its tasks under the Charter. Examples range from a number of resolutions on Syria to the reaffirmation of relevant international law with respect to the situation in the Middle East. Indeed, permanent members should play a leading role in upholding the Council's decisions as they are binding on the entire membership in accordance with Article 25 of the Charter. We all accepted the veto when joining the United Nations, and while many of us favour its abolition as a matter of principle, working on an understanding on its use is, to our mind, the more promising path.”
2018-02-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8175 (2018) · source
“Allow me to make a few brief comments in addition to the statement of the Accountability, Coherence and Transparency group, which was delivered earlier by the representative of Switzerland. At a time when the world faces so many challenges - from the crisis on the Korean peninsula to the crises of the protection of civilians in Syria, Yemen and Myanmar, among others - the need for an effective Security Council is more obvious than ever. The centrality of the Council in a multilateral response to such crises cannot be overstated. Yet, time and again we have witnessed paralysis in the Council and its inability to carry out its functions effectively on behalf of the entire membership with a dramatic impact on international stability and enormous human suffering as a result.”
2018-02-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8175 (2018) · source
“Liechtenstein shares the concern expressed by many that an already fragile peace process in the Middle East has been further jeopardized by recent developments and that a two-State solution - as the only promising avenue to achieving a comprehensive, just and lasting peace - is becoming increasingly difficult to achieve. We express our continued support for a two-State solution and the international legal framework in which such a solution can be achieved, including applicable international humanitarian law and the relevant resolutions of the Council - in particular resolutions 478 (1980) and 2334 (2016), which continue to be binding on all of us. We support the call of the General Assembly for an intensification and acceleration of efforts aimed at achieving a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in the Middle East.”
2018-01-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8167 (2018) · source
“The humanitarian catastrophe in Yemen, evolving under the watch of the Council, has reached unprecedented dimensions, with more than 20 million people in need of assistance. The United Nations system and humanitarian actors on the ground, in particular the authoritative voice of the International Committee of the Red Cross, continue to sound the alarm about the suffering of the Yemeni people and to remind us of the preventable nature of this single largest humanitarian crisis. We call on the Council - and in particular its nine members that have signed the Accountability, Coherence and Transparency Group Code of Conduct on mass atrocity crimes and that together constitute a procedural majority in the Council - to address the situation in Yemen with the attention and the urgency it deserves.”
2018-01-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8167 (2018) · source
“We call on all States to fully cooperate with the Independent Mechanism by sharing relevant information and evidence and by providing it with the political and financial support necessary for it to implement its mandate. In that regard, Liechtenstein supports the French initiative to forge a partnership to ensure accountability for the use of chemical weapons in Syria. We welcome in particular the specific commitment by the partnership countries to support the work of the Mechanism. The Security 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.”
2018-01-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8167 (2018) · source
“We deplored the discontinuation of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons-United Nations Joint Investigative Mechanism (JIM), whose investigative capacity and preventive dimension continue to be urgently needed. At the same time, we underline that accountability must, and can, be provided through other means, in particular through the Syria accountability mechanism - the International, 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 - whose mandate clearly encompasses the use of chemical weapons by any perpetrator.”
2018-01-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8167 (2018) · source
“I thank you, Mr. President, for this opportunity to discuss the situation of the Middle East in an open format. Developments in different parts of the region make it imperative that the broader membership can express itself on the action needed from the Security Council in order to meet the responsibilities it discharges on behalf of the entire membership. The repeated failure of the Council to act on the most serious crimes in Syria appears in particularly sharp light as attacks with chemical weapons continue unabated, in blatant disregard of the most fundamental rules ofinternational law and with horrific consequences for the Syrian people.”
2018-01-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8167 (2018) · source
“In parallel, we are reaching out to our own financial institutions to discuss how best to work together to analyse and address the relevant risks, and we encourage others to do likewise. We are confident that this is a promising path and look forward to effective follow-up on it in the Security Council and elsewhere.”
2017-11-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8111 (2017) · source
“On the basis of resolution 2331 (2016), we have undertaken, in particular through our partnership with United Nations University, to design measures aimed at disrupting financial chains associated with human trafficking and modern slavery. The tools that have been developed to combat other forms oforganized crime can also be effective in the fight against slavery- related crimes. We have formulated a set of concrete measures in that regard that we will make available through our website and on social media, and we are grateful that the initiative is reflected in the Secretary- General's report (S/2017/939). Our financial intelligence unit has worked with its counterparts in the framework of the Egmont Group, Moneyval and the Financial Action Task Force to discuss and disseminate these measures.”
2017-11-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8111 (2017) · source
“It is a further indication of the potential role ofinternational criminal justice in tackling human trafficking and modern slavery when national legal systems are unable or unwilling to do so. It underscores the importance of the International Criminal Court (ICC) in situations where it has jurisdiction, such as in Libya, where the Security Council's own referral established ICC jurisdiction. Our national efforts to contribute to the fight against human trafficking and modern slavery are focused on the financial side of the crime. This is a business that generates some $150 billion in revenue every year.”
2017-11-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8111 (2017) · source
“The recurrence of the crudest and most brutal forms of modern slavery both exacerbates the situation in Libya itself and puts us all to collective shame. The Convention on the Abolition of Slavery predates the creation of the United Nations by many years and has led to a universally binding norm under international law that prohibits slavery. And yet in Libya and in other countries and regions - some on the Council's agenda, some not - this assault on the most basic sense of human dignity continues, often as part and parcel of organized crime. The recognition in today's resolution that offences associated with trafficking in persons may constitute war crimes or crimes against humanity is important.”
2017-11-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8111 (2017) · source
“We particularly call on all States to contribute to ensuring the universal acceptance of the Protocol against the Smuggling of Migrants by Land, Sea and Air supplementary to the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime. However, prevention requires a more comprehensive approach, as reflected in the resolution adopted this morning. Irregular migration creates high levels of vulnerability and poses a particular challenge. We will need a strong outcome from the forthcoming negotiations on the global compact for migration. Some of the situations on the Council's agenda starkly illustrate the drastic consequences of the lack of regular migration channels. Libya is one such case, as the Council has recognized in its pertinent resolutions, and as has been brought to broader public attention by recent media reports.”
2017-11-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8111 (2017) · source
“We welcome today's discussion and its thematic focus and would like to see it become a regular item on the agenda of the Council, with annual reporting by the Secretary- General. We would like to thank you, Sir, for ably coordinating the preparation of resolution 2388 (2017), adopted earlier today, of which we were happy to be a sponsor. Human trafficking and modern slavery are phenomena whose relevance goes well beyond situations of armed conflict. They need to be tackled on the basis of the comprehensive agreement reflected in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. A strong law-enforcement response to human trafficking is imperative.”
2017-11-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8111 (2017) · source
“We look forward to the early appointment of the head of the Mechanism by the Secretary-General and to its financing from the regular budget of the United Nations. Civilians will always suffer disproportionately in armed conflict. The most effective way to protect them is therefore avoiding armed conflict altogether. We view the effort to criminalize illegal war-making as an essential part of the conflict-prevention agenda and are therefore working, with many other States, towards ensuring the activation of the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court over the crime of aggression at the end of this year. We encourage all States to ratify the Kampala Amendments on the crime of aggression and look forward to jointly writing a chapter of history that is long overdue: criminalizing and thereby deterring illegal war-making.”
2017-05-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7951 (2017) · source
“Given the failure of other initiatives to enhance compliance with international humanitarian law, a key responsibility to do so falls on the Security Council. It has several tools at its disposal, ranging from support for national efforts to ensure accountability to referrals to the International Criminal Court. Its overall record, however, is unfortunately mixed, at best. The people of Syria again have been at the receiving end of the failure of the Council to act. This has prompted the General Assembly to play a more active role in the area of accountability by creating the International, Impartial and Independent Mechanism for Syria. This decision was a very important step forward to ensure that the crimes committed in Syria will not go unpunished and a landmark decision in the accountability work of this Organization.”
2017-05-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7951 (2017) · source
“In his recent report on the protection of civilians (S/2017/4l4), the Secretary-General has called on States to intensify efforts to tackle the root causes of forced displacement. One such effort is the code of conduct regarding Security Council action against genocide, crimes against humanity or war crimes put forward by the Accountability, Coherence and Transparency group and currently supported by 112 States. The code of conduct is a political commitment from these States to take timely and decisive action aimed at preventing or ending atrocity crimes and not to vote against credible draft resolutions put forward to that end. The code of conduct gives a very important role to the Secretary-General in submitting relevant information to the Council and is therefore complementary to his prevention agenda.”
2017-05-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7951 (2017) · source
“Physicians for Human Rights has documented - as the Secretary-General has indicated in his opening remarks - over 400 attacks on medical facilities since 2011, as well as the deaths of hundreds of medical personnel. It is estimated that more than three quarters of Syrian doctors have fled since 2011. In Yemen, there have been 160 documented deadly attacks on hospitals and health professionals over the past two years alone. One year ago, the Security Council strongly condemned attacks against medical facilities and personnel in conflict situations in its resolution 2286 (2016). However, this important text has had limited impact on the ground, and the Council has been unable to enforce its implementation in various conflict situations.”
2017-05-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7951 (2017) · source
“We welcome the focus oftoday's debate on health care in armed conflict. It also illustrates a deeper problem we are facing: the erosion of the respect for international humanitarian law. Article 24 of the First Geneva Convention states: "Medical personnel exclusively engaged in the search for, or the collection, transport or treatment of the wounded or sick... shall be respected and protected in all circumstances." In practice, however, this norm is increasingly violated in a systematic manner, as medical facilities and personnel are targeted in various conflicts around the world, often with the apparent intention to intensify the suffering of the civilian population. Killing one health-care worker can result in the lack of care for hundreds of people. As in other areas, the case of Syria is particularly dramatic.”
2017-05-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7951 (2017) · source
“Within the United Nations membership and among civil society there is a growing momentum towards - finally f ensuring accountability for the crimes committed in Syria. The General Assembly has shown resolve by creating, on 21 December 2016, an accountability mechanism for Syria, the International, Impartial and Independent Mechanism to Assist in the Investigation and Prosecution of Those Responsible for the Most Serious Crimes under International Law Committed in the Syrian Arab Republic since March 2011. The need for such a mechanism was illustrated even more forcefully last week when yet another draft resolution on Syria failed to be adopted because ofa veto. The "Triple IM" offers the only promising path towards accountability for the crimes committed and towards justice for the Syrian people and a sustainable peace for the country.”
2017-04-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7929 (2017) · source
“The Council was, however, unable to formulate any response when one of the oldest and strongest norms of warfare was repeatedly violated - the absolute prohibition against the use of chemical weapons at all times and in all circumstances - not to speak of the many other instances of well-documented war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in Syria. Liechtenstein will continue its advocacy to broaden support for and strengthen the implementation of the Code, which we consider to be an important contribution to the Secretary-General's effort to put prevention at the centre of the United Nations. Since its beginning, the Syrian conflict has been characterized by pervasive impunity, and such impunity continues to fuel it.”
2017-04-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7929 (2017) · source
“But the failure of the Council to act, which comes at the expense of the Syrian people, also constitutes a serious political and institutional challenge for the United Nations. Recent efforts, notably among the Council's elected Members, to bridge the political divide are a welcome effort to help restore the functionality of the Council, so far, unfortunately, without any tangible results. By signing the Accountability, Coherence and Accountability code of conduct regarding Security Council action against genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes, 112 States, including a majority of the Council members, have committed to preventing and ending mass atrocity crimes.”
2017-04-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7929 (2017) · source
“We call on all involved to fully respect the international legal framework, including the one established by the Security Council, and to recommit to the two-State solution as the only viable and sustainable avenue to peace in the region. The crisis in Syria has again occupied the Council throughout this month, once again without result, unfortunately, for the people of Syria, who continue to suffer mass atrocities in plain sight. The inability of the Counciltoputanendtothoseatrocities,letalonetoprovide some form of accountability, are in stark contravention to its designated role to maintain international peace and security, with particular responsibilities bestowed upon the five permanent members.”
2017-04-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7929 (2017) · source
“I thank you, Madam President, for this opportunity to speak in this open debate on the situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question. The Council needs to address a number of critical issues under this agenda item. The prospects for a two-State solution in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict seem to be fading, and hard-won security gains for both sides are in jeopardy while settlement activities in the occupied Palestinian territories continue. Those settlements are illegal, in particular under the Geneva Conventions, and the Council has expressed itself accordingly in its resolution 2334 (2016). Liechtenstein shares the concern of many that we are currently moving further away from a peaceful settlement of the conflict.”
2017-04-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7929 (2017) · source
“We look forward to a consistent political commitment from the Council and remain committed ourselves to our efforts to eradicate this human tragedy.”
2016-12-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7847 (2016) · source
“It is important to note that, without identification and recognition as victims, their access to reparations once transitional justice measures are taken is seriously hampered. We wish to highlight that men and boys should be guaranteed the same access to reparations and services. Recent studies on sexual violence against men and boys suggest that they also suffer from a non-recognition of sexual violence committed against them as sexual violence. That wrong needs to be corrected. The resolution adopted today is a good start. We welcome in particular its gender-inclusive language, but also believe that some paragraphs could have profited from further strengthening - for example, with regard to the important role played by the Financial Action Task Force and regional bodies of that type.”
2016-12-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7847 (2016) · source
“Reports from refugees and migrants arriving in Europe suggest that a vast majority of women and girls have been sexually exploited during their flight from conflict. That is something we need to keep in mind in our humanitarian response, as well as in our migration and human rights policies. We need to strengthen our own capabilities to identify victims and exploitation in migration movements and ensure that victims receive appropriate assistance and remedy. We should also, individually and collectively, assist and protect those vulnerable to, or victimized by, human trafficking and make sure that victims in conflict are not prosecuted or punished for their experience.”
2016-12-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7847 (2016) · source
“The Palermo Anti-Trafficking Protocol in particular can make an important contribution to that end, and we hope that it will be universally ratified soon. Where national judiciaries have failed, there is a clear case for involving and making use of international criminal justice - for example, the International Criminal Court. Given the universal nature of the phenomenon of modern slavery, the Court can play a dual role: creating incentives for States to investigate and prosecute, and doing so itself where the impunity gap persists. Although human trafficking affects a cross-section of the population, some groups are more vulnerable to it than others. Sexual and gender-based violence are exacerbated in armed conflict. Trafficking in situations of armed conflict has a particular impact on women and girls.”
2016-12-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7847 (2016) · source
“Anti-trafficking strategies should be included in the planning for responses to conflict and humanitarian crises. The Council should also encourage the relevant United Nations system entities to carry out targeted information campaigns to protect civilians vulnerable to trafficking. Modern slavery prevails with widespread impunity. An overwhelming number of cases are never prosecuted, even though the duty to prevent and punish slavery is an erga omnes obligation of all States. That large impunity gap has created the space for human trafficking and modern slavery to thrive. There is a clear need for better cooperation among States aimed at prosecuting perpetrators of such crimes, which are often transnational.”
2016-12-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7847 (2016) · source
“One way of combating such crimes is to follow the money - in other words, to disrupt the financial flows associated with it. The involvement of financial institutions, in particular financial intelligence units, is key in such efforts. We welcome the fact that resolution 2331 (2016) refers to the need to use existing criminal laws, including anti-money- laundering, anti-corruption and anti-bribery laws, to investigate, disrupt and dismantle trafficking networks. We are committed to exploring ways to follow up by using the expertise of our national systems. The Council can also play an important role by addressing the protection gap in existing international response mechanisms. The humanitarian cluster system in particular does not address several key areas.”
2016-12-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7847 (2016) · source
“The 2030 Agenda on Sustainable Development provides us with a new platform to address those issues. Slavery and trafficking are mentioned in 3 of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals, an apt reflection of their cross-cutting nature. Fighting human trafficking is not just a law-enforcement challenge, it is a prerequisite for sustainable development and human rights protection. Work on that topic must therefore be pursued with resolve in the General Assembly. Modern slavery and human trafficking represent one of the biggest human rights scandals of our time, but are also among the most lucrative business models of organized crime, as they help to fund armed conflict. Forced labour and human trafficking is a $150 billion industry; that is more than the annual gross domestic product of 70 per cent of the States Members of the Organization.”
2016-12-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7847 (2016) · source
“I have the honour to speak today on behalf of Australia and Switzerland, as well as on behalf of my own country. Modern slavery and human trafficking are both causes and symptoms of instability and conflicts and a threat to both development and peace and security. Trafficking in persons is a human rights violation and can constitute a war crime, a crime against humanity or even genocide. Modern slavery, often resulting from trafficking, exists currently on an unprecedented scale. It undermines the humanity of its victims. The Global Slavery Index estimates that 45 million people live in conditions that qualify as modern slavery, more than ever before, and in spite of the absolute prohibition of slavery under international law. Every single country is affected, which is why it is our joint responsibility to put an end to such crimes.”
2016-12-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7847 (2016) · source
“In situations such as that of Syria, but also in many other post-conflict situations, the Council should ask for accountability as part of a reconciliation process that can lead to long-term stability and peace. Where it is possible and realistic, the countries in question should be offered assistance with their efforts to ensure such accountability under their national systems, with the help of international entities where necessary. Referrals to the International Criminal Court are of course also an option for the Council, provided that they be accompanied by genuine political will to ensure accountability, instead of being the result of transient political expediency. The referrals made thus far have produced very limited results and have been a mixed blessing, both for the victims of the crimes in question and for the Court itself.”
2016-07-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7740 (2016) · source
“However, the manner in which the Council frames its recommendation to the General Assembly for the latter's final consideration of the draft resolution appointing the Secretary-General will be of the utmost importance. For the sake of institutional balance, the Council should limit its recommendation to one or more names for consideration by the Assembly. In turn, the Assembly should forge an agreement on such elements as the duration of the mandate, whether the mandate should consist ofa single term - as we believe it should 7 and on other issues that we hope will be identified in the course of the next week. Finally, we would like to emphasize the need for the Council to perform more effectively its role as enforcer of accountability for the most serious crimes under international law.”
2016-07-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7740 (2016) · source
“We also look forward to tangible progress in the French-Mexican initiative on restrictions in the use of the veto in dealing with situations involving mass atrocities. Secondly, the process of appointing the next Secretary-General has generated considerable interest beyond the confines of this building, not least because of the significantly improved process in the General Assembly. For the first time, the entire membership has an opportunity to engage with the candidates publicly and to assess their qualifications at first hand. Important as those steps are, they must be matched by the Security Council's handling of its part in the appointment process. As a first step, the results of the informal voting rounds, in which the Council will start engaging this week, should be made transparent for the benefit of the entire membership.”
2016-07-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7740 (2016) · source