YouSaid · the spoken record

Wilson

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502

first

2013-09-05

most recent

2017-10-27

sittings or episodes

84

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un-security-council

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1. “I would like to to use this opportunity to add my voice to others on behalf of my Government to thank Special Representative Haysom for the way he has carried out what I think is an extraordinarily tough job, and one that he has done with both flair and commitment. On behalf of my Government, adding what to others have said, I thank him very much indeed. As we heard in today's briefing, Afghanistan still faces an exceptionally tough road ahead. As it works through myriad challenges, the latest civilian casualty figures from the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) remind us of the ongoing human cost. Others have talked about some of the incidents that have happened recently. But looking back over time, nearly 59,000 civilians have been killed or severely injured since UNAMA records began.”

   2016-06-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7722 (2016) · source

2. “The efforts of the Group of Five Sahel - Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali, Mauritania and the Niger - to increase their cooperation and tackle insecurity are a very welcome step forward. It is only through regional ownership and political engagement with international support that we will be able to overcome these challenges and ensure a brighter future for the people of the Sahel.”

   2016-05-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7699 (2016) · source

3. “This programme will build stronger social systems that are able to respond to shocks and stresses, including climate change. By 2018, we will have provided $70 million through this programme. We all recognize the significant threat terrorism and organized crime pose to the Sahel. Through tackling terrorism and insecurity in a holistic manner, by addressing the root causes, including the effects of climate change, we can help those who find themselves drawn to extremist groups. The United Kingdom supports the United Nations Integrated Strategy for the Sahel, and we support the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali and efforts through other actors, including the European Union, to that end. However, collective and coordinated action from the countries of the region will also be needed to combat terrorism.”

   2016-05-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7699 (2016) · source

4. “It now also has a more effective structure in place for implementing that strategy, following the merger of the United Nations Office for West Africa and the Sahel and the Office of the Special Envoy of the Secretary- General for the Sahel. The United Kingdom will play its part. This year we will provide $26 million to the Sahel region to build resilience to extreme climate events. By 2017 that figure will be $79 million. Our projects are creating new coalitions for civil society, of the private sector, Government, media, universities and meteorological offices, to build community resilience and strengthen national and international planning. This year, the United Kingdom is also providing $9 million to the Sahel region for a social protection programme.”

   2016-05-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7699 (2016) · source

5. “That is why there needs to be a holistic and coordinated response from the international community that focuses on long-term factors. We welcome the African Union Peace and Security Council's explicit acknowledgment of the link between climate change and peace and security in March. The Council, as Spain has already said, has also recognized that link and must continue to focus on it as a key part of its conflict- prevention role. The United Nations has a critical part to play in supporting the countries of the region in facing up to these challenges. The United Nations, at the request of the Council, has developed an integrated strategy for the Sahel, which has at its heart building resilience against threats such as climate change and terrorism.”

   2016-05-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7699 (2016) · source

6. “Hindou Oumarou Ibrahim has just set out for us, without access to diverse and productive livelihoods and, crucially, livelihoods that are adapted to climate change, the young people in and of the Sahel will become increasingly disenfranchised and increasingly hungry. They will get even poorer and they will become even more vulnerable to extremist messaging. The Niger has Africa's second-highest rate of population growth and is ranked at the bottom of the United Nations Development Programme's Human Development Index. Competition over scarce resources and employment opportunities will increase, and long- term tensions between pastoralists and farmers will be exacerbated. The call of extremism will thrive in these conditions.”

   2016-05-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7699 (2016) · source

7. “This is not about productivity. This is about stopping children from going hungry and stopping people from slipping back into extreme poverty. With one in nine people already going hungry across the world, we cannot afford to let it become two in nine. Sadly, that risk is becoming a reality, as our briefers set out very clearly. Since the turn of the last century, temperatures in the Sahel have already risen by 1.3 degrees Centrigrade, and rainfall has already decreased by up to 30 per cent. This has led to desertification and reduced organic soil matter. The effects of extreme weather patterns, such as El Nifio, continue to test the resilience of countries in the Sahel. As Ms.”

   2016-05-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7699 (2016) · source

8. “I wish to thank all of our briefers. We are particularly grateful to the Egyptian presidency and to Spain for convening a meeting on the threats posed to the Sahel region by climate change and terrorism. We, like those two delegations and others in the Chamber, are really concerned by the possible adverse effect that climate change could have on the peace and security of what is already a very fragile region. Add climate change to the increasing threat posed by terrorism, and you see the scale of the challenge facing these countries. The Sahel is one of the most vulnerable regions in the world to climate change. With a 2 per cent temperature rise, scientists forecast that yields of millet and sorghum could fall by a quarter by 2018, and 80 per cent in Burkina Faso and Niger. Maize and rice yields could also fall.”

   2016-05-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7699 (2016) · source

9. “Australia calls for all parties to continue to work together in those efforts, particularly to formalize early engagement to enhance communication and information-sharing; undertake joint analysis, coordinated threat assessments and joint early warning assessment missions to ensure common understanding; strengthen operational and policy coherence between the organizations; improve links between the Security Council and the AU Peace and Security Council; and better facilitate transitions between regional and United Nations peace support operations, when required.”

   2016-05-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7694 (2016) · source

10. “Further strengthening the partnership between the AU and the United Nations is one of the most important opportunities to do that. Great strides have been made over recent years to enhance United Nations-AU cooperation. Australia welcomes growing African leadership in maintaining peace and security in the region. But more can be done.”

    2016-05-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7694 (2016) · source

11. “The outcome of the peacebuilding review built further on those findings, specifically encouraging regular exchanges, joint initiatives and information-sharing between the United Nations and the African Union. Australia strongly supports those efforts. The United Nations has long understood that addressing the root causes of conflict is fundamental to finding durable solutions. Local and regional actors, including organizations like the African Union and its subregional economic communities, are often well placed to sound the early warning siren to the international community of emerging threats to peace. It is critical to make the most of the comparative advantages between the United Nations and regional and subregional organizations.”

    2016-05-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7694 (2016) · source

12. “Strategic and operational partnerships between the United Nations and regional and subregional organizations, in line with Chapter VIII of the Charter of the United Nations, are essential to preventing crises, strengthening international responses, increasing coherence and complementarity of efforts, and achieving sustainable peace. Indeed, the need for closer strategic cooperation and partnership between the United Nations and regional and subregional organizations was a consistent finding across the recent reviews on United Nations peace operations, peacebuilding architecture and resolution 1325 (2000) on women and peace and security, with the role of the African Union (AU) particularly emphasized.”

    2016-05-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7694 (2016) · source

13. “I thank you, Sir, for having convened this important meeting today. The scale, nature and compounding impact oftoday's global peace and security challenges are immense and seriously straining the resources and capacity of the United Nations to respond. Those issues have been felt most acutely by a number ofAfrican countries caught in cycles of violence, crisis and relapse. More than half of the world's armed conflicts are taking place in Africa, causing significant suffering and displacement. The majority of United Nations peacekeeping missions are deployed in Africa, and conflicts there dominate the Council's agenda. While the United Nations is rightly at the centre of global efforts to maintain international peace and security, it cannot and should not do it alone.”

    2016-05-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7694 (2016) · source

14. “To do so, we need to see the AU deliver on its own commitment to contributing 25 per cent of AU mission costs by 2020, on which basis the United Nations would be able to regularize its own funding, which is in all our interests. The work of Mr. Kaberuka, High Representative for the AU Peace Fund, on a road map for meeting that commitment is a very important step forward. We look forward to seeing concrete proposals for greater United Nations oversight of AU missions and greater accountability. Through those steps, not only will the finances of AU missions be regularized, but their performance and accountability will improve. That would make a substantial contribution to peace and security in Africa and would have a lasting benefit for so many people outside the Chamber.”

    2016-05-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7694 (2016) · source

15. “and UNSOS to help deliver the electoral process and security for all Somalis. Let me close with one final, broader thought. Somalia shows what we can achieve when our two organizations work together and how important it is to continue to do so. But we know that there is so much more that can be done across Africa. Just think what we could achieve with even stronger cooperation on conflict analysis, on early warning and on mediation. Our efforts are heading in the right direction, but there is always room to do more. That means getting better at standing up, managing and eventually closing African Union-led peacekeeping operations, and as Herve Ladsous said, it means moving AU missions to a more stable and sustainable financial footing.”

    2016-05-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7694 (2016) · source

16. “We must all encourage the efforts of the Federal Government towards greater transparency, and paying salaries on time is key to achieving that goal. For all the gains of the past four years, it is clear that there is much more work to do. The year 2016 is critical for Somalia. It is a crucial milestone towards the democratic, representative future that Somalis so urgently and so desperately deserve. Just after the Council's visit to Somalia last week, the President took a vital step towards that future by approving the electoral model. I am pleased that the Council could welcome that through a press statement agreed yesterday. But that is just one step. Together, the United Nations and the African Union (AU) need to stay the course, so it is vital that the Council continue to support both AMISOM.”

    2016-05-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7694 (2016) · source

17. “To succeed, they need the assistance of the international community - assistance that can help them build an inclusive and integrated Somali national army and police force. Yet one of the most striking things from last week's visit was how slow, fragmented and uncoordinated this effort can be. The Federal Government must articulate clearly the needs and gaps in support in order for donors to be able to help to the best of their ability. We need those who pledge assistance, training, equipment and funds to be transparent and coordinated in their approach as well. That is the only way to secure an effective, professional security force that can take on a greater share of responsibility for security in Somalia, and underpinning that effort must be sustainable financing for the Somali National Army.”

    2016-05-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7694 (2016) · source

18. “AMISOM. continues to play a vital role in underpinning security in Somalia and keeping the pressure on Al-Shabaab. In doing so, they are giving the Somali national security forces crucial time to develop so that those forces can eventually take up the AMISOM. mantel. That process now needs to accelerate, in step with Somali's political transition to a federal future. But it is also critically important that troop-contributing countries stay the course, with the full backing of the Security Council. Early withdrawal would put at risk the brave and significant investment that they and regional partners have made in Somalia. We all know that the long-term responsibility for Somalia's security rests with its own security forces.”

    2016-05-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7694 (2016) · source

19. “Last week, the Security Council saw at first hand how our two organizations work together in that country to make a real difference to the lives of ordinary Somalis after a quarter ofa century of conflict. I must pay tribute to the men and women of the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM). The AMISOM contribution to peace and security in the country and the sacrifices it has made cannot be overstated. I also welcome the contribution of the United Nations Support Office in Somalia (UNSOS). UNSOS logistical support has been crucial to AMISOM's successes against Al-Shabaab. Working together, they are providing space for the political process, allowing the Special Representative and the United Nations Assistance Mission in Somalia to carry out their vital tasks. We are now discussing how to reinforce this within the United Nations.”

    2016-05-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7694 (2016) · source

20. “I thank you, Mr. President, for organizing today's debate. I also thank all our briefers for what they have just told us. I want to underscore the United Kingdom's commitment to the links between the African Union and the Security Council. I said it in the informal session and I will say it here: when we cooperate, we make a real difference. The corollary of that, of course, is that when we do not cooperate, we both lose. I want to focus my remarks on one particular example of this. Others have alluded to it, but I wanted to go into it in a little bit more detail, because it matters so much. The example I have in mind is the cooperation between the United Nations and the African Union in Somalia. We touched on this subject in our formal meeting yesterday, but our time was limited.”

    2016-05-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7694 (2016) · source

21. “They are still missing, and their families and friends are still fearful for their safety. As we debate today how best to tackle this problem, we should do so with all those sailors in mind.”

    2016-04-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7675 (2016) · source

22. “The knowledge that there are long-term consequences to choosing a life of piracy is the best way to deter those who might follow this path. That is why we support bolstering the rule-of- law capacity in the States of the region and why we are currently considering other ways to develop the region's ability to prosecute those involved in maritime crime. Through such steps and more, we know we can make a difference. The incidence ofhij ackings for cargo is falling, but the battle is not yet won. The first quarter of this year has seen a marked increase in the number of kidnaps for ransom. I would therefore like to close by returning to the issue of the two ships attacked earlier this month - the tanker Pali and the container ship Turquoise. Together they lost eight crewmen in those attacks.”

    2016-04-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7675 (2016) · source

23. “We look forward to the next meeting, to be held under Portugal's chairmanship. We recognize, however, that coordination alone will not solve the problem. That is why the United Kingdom is making concerted efforts to assist in building maritime capacity across the region. We are helping to mentor maritime police and navy units in Ghana and Sao Tome and Principe, and we are building port facilities in Sierra Leone to provide a platform for maritime law- enforcement operations. We have enhanced the region's capacity through our contributions to the International Maritime Organization's West and Central Africa Maritime Security Trust Fund. Improving regional coordination and building maritime capacity to stop the pirates are the first steps of the process. What comes next is just as important: investigations and prosecutions.”

    2016-04-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7675 (2016) · source

24. “We urge those bodies and their members to continue their efforts to establish and fully operationalize the regional network of maritime coordination centres, which include the Interregional Coordination Centre in Yaounde, the Regional Centre for Maritime Security in Central Africa in Pointe-Noire in the Republic of the Congo, and the Regional Centre for Maritime Safety in West Africa in Abidjan. The United Kingdom is also playing its part. Our resources and diplomatic efforts to tackle this threat are carefully coordinated with the Gulf of Guinea region, the maritime industry, the European Union and other partners. We are an active member of the Group of Seven Plus Friends of the Gulf of Guinea, which is meeting again soon and is a valuable forum for experts from regional States and donor countries to coordinate and deploy our resources.”

    2016-04-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7675 (2016) · source

25. “We fully support the Yaounde Code of Conduct Concerning the Repression of Piracy, Armed Robbery against Ships, and Illicit Maritime Activity in West and Central Africa. We welcome the commitment shown by the Economic Community of West African States, the Economic Community of Central African States and the Gulf of Guinea Commission and their members. That commitment is seen in their efforts to develop a regional framework for countering piracy and armed robbery at sea. Such a framework will allow the sharing of information and the coordination of operations needed to make a real difference on the seas in the Gulf. But a framework is just a start.”

    2016-04-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7675 (2016) · source

26. “It should concern us all that there were around 100 similar incidents in the Gulf of Guinea last year. It does not take a mathematician to see that the damage done by those acts is not isolated in a far-off place, far removed from the Security Council's attention. Such attacks strike at the interests of all of us and therefore require each of us to focus on them. When the security of shipping and global trade is threatened in this way, the prosperity and stability of the regional States of West and Central Africa are threatened, as is the security of their peoples. That threat can and must be tackled together, through regional leadership and coordinated international support. The United Kingdom commends the efforts that the region has been making so far.”

    2016-04-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7675 (2016) · source

27. “Mr. Wilson (United Kingdom) (spoke in Chinese): Like other speakers today, Mr. President, I would like to welcome your leadership on this issue, and I thank Mr. Zerihoun for his briefing. (spoke in English) As my United States colleague mentioned earlier, two ships were attacked off the coast of Nigeria earlier this month. I would like to echo her concern about the crew members who were kidnapped that day and to call for their release. Those two ships were flagged to Malta and Liberia; their cargo came from Turkey, Greece and Nigeria; and the eight crew members whom we just heard about came from Egypt, the Philippines and Turkey. So on just one day on the seas off West Africa, piracy struck at the people, property and prosperity of seven Members ofthe United Nations.”

    2016-04-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7675 (2016) · source

28. “We urge Member States to ensure that any measures taken comply with the Charter of the United Nations and their other obligations under international law, in particular international human rights law, international refugee law and international humanitarian law.”

    2016-04-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7670Resumption1 (2016) · source

29. “Australia supports the Secretary-General's Plan of Action to Prevent Violent Extremism. In particular, we welcome the Plan's call for countries to develop national and regional plans to prevent violent extremism. The Plan aligns well with Australia's strategy for countering violent extremism and provides a framework for advancing the outcomes of Australia's Regional Summit to Counter Violent Extremism held in Sydney in June 2015. Looking ahead, the June Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy review will be another key opportunity to ensure that our international efforts to combat terrorism are the best they can be. Australia remains firmly committed to working at all levels to bolster international action against terrorism.”

    2016-04-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7670Resumption1 (2016) · source

30. “We need to counter the narrative from terrorist groups such as Da'esh, which have been using social media to spread their destructive ideology. Governments need to work together to contest the social media space. We also need to engage the private sector and industry, because of their significant role in countering violent extremism and extremist messages. We also need to create an environment that is conducive to social and religious tolerance, harmony and cohesion. The issue of foreign terrorist fighters is one of great concern to Australia, with an estimated 25,000 foreign terrorist fighters originating from over 100 Member States involved in the conflict in Syria and Iraq. Australia continues to advocate for full implementation of resolution 2178 (2014), which focuses international attention on the foreign terrorist fighter threat.”

    2016-04-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7670Resumption1 (2016) · source

31. “Its conventions and resolutions on terrorism have set valuable international norms and established legal instruments. United Nations sanctions regimes are also an important enforcement tool, particularly in disrupting the sources of terrorist financing. Australia has established invaluable counter- terrorism partnerships in forums such as the United Nations, the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation, the Global Counter-Terrorism Forum, and the Global Community Engagement and Resilience Fund. We also continue to work bilaterally with various country partners, helping to build their capacity to combat terrorism. Australia also strongly supports the critical role of community groups and civil-society organizations in countering violent extremism and extremist messages.”

    2016-04-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7670Resumption1 (2016) · source

32. “Australia also welcomes the timely initiative of the People's Republic of China in convening this open debate. The debate takes place during a time of great challenges posed by terrorist organizations, such as the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant and Al-Qaida, and other non-State actors threatening the global order. Australia strongly condemns all acts of terrorism, wherever committed and whatever the purported motivation. Terrorism's growing transnational nature, including recruitment, facilitation and funding, and the indiscriminate nature ofattacks and victims underscores the importance of international cooperation to combat that pernicious threat. The United Nations has a unique international role to play in preventing and fighting terrorism.”

    2016-04-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7670Resumption1 (2016) · source

33. “Benomar's team provide the technical support that is so vital to the success of genuine dialogue. Such support is not unconditional. The Council and Mr. Benomar need to be clear that the United Nations will not support a Government that habitually commits human rights violations against its own people. We have sent a clear message today. Through this resolution we have provided valuable tools to help deliver the peace and stability that the citizens of Burundi deserve. Let us now work together to secure that outcome.”

    2016-04-01 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7664 (2016) · source

34. “This evening we have sent a clear and unanimous message. It is time for the Government of Burundi to live up to the commitments President Nkurunziza made to the Secretary-General, to the international community and, most important, to the people of Burundi themselves. That means that the Government of Burundi must commit fully to the mediated dialogue and that the Government must show its firm commitment by agreeing to a timetable and a participants list for genuine and inclusive talks. Support from the United Nations will be critical if the talks are to succeed. We therefore support the strengthening of Special Adviser Benomar's team to buttress the mediated dialogue. But let me be clear: President Nkurunziza needs to commit to working with the United Nations, and he needs to let Mr.”

    2016-04-01 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7664 (2016) · source

35. “To step away now would not only damage the three priorities I have just outlined, but it would also send the wrong signal to the people and the Government of Afghanistan.”

    2016-03-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7645 (2016) · source

36. “It is a chance for them to showcase the reforms they have made so far and the reforms ahead that will lead the country towards self-reliance in the coming years. This will need to include concrete action to combat corruption, a coherent plan for economic growth and a plan for reforming and strengthening the electoral system, one that builds on the Special Electoral Reform Commission. We support the work of UNAMA in this area. I would like to conclude with this final point. Although the onus is on the National Unity Government, the Brussels Conference is also a moment for us, the international community, to match our words with action. It is the moment to set the parameters for the international community's future engagement in Afghanistan and really demonstrate what our commitment means.”

    2016-03-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7645 (2016) · source

37. “I welcome their robust actions supported by their international allies, including to combat the emerging threat of Da'esh affiliates in the east of the country, to which Special Representative Haysom referred in his remarks. My final point is about the National Unity Government. While a strong economy may require security, both can only really succeed with strong governance. The United Kingdom is a strong supporter of the National Unity Government, and I hope we can all show our support today for President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai and Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah as they work together in pursuit of stability and prosperity. The Brussels Conference in October is the moment for the National Unity Government to demonstrate its own commitment to the three priorities I have just outlined.”

    2016-03-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7645 (2016) · source

38. “Therefore, let us all make clear this Council's united support for the peace process, our united call for the Taliban to come to the negotiating table and our united encouragement for Afghanistan and Pakistan to cooperate even more closely to combat the shared threat posed to them by extremism. The UNAMA report (S/2016/218) paints a clear picture of the consequences of such extremism. We wholly condemn the Taliban's continuing attacks, especially those against civilian targets. The violence must stop. The people of Afghanistan have paid too high a price for far too long. I would like to take this opportunity to pay tribute to the bravery and sacrifice of the Afghan Nation Security Forces in their efforts to halt the violence.”

    2016-03-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7645 (2016) · source

39. “As my Foreign Secretary made clear during his visit to Afghanistan last week, the United Kingdom fully supports the crucial work of the National Unity Government and the Quadrilateral Coordination Group on the Afghan Peace and Reconciliation Process. I would like to take this opportunity to welcome the new leadership of the High Peace Council, who will also have an important role to play in these efforts. But it is not just those within Afghanistan or the Quadrilateral Coordination Group who can assist this process. The international community and the region all can provide valuable support.”

    2016-03-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7645 (2016) · source

40. “I therefore congratulate Afghanistan on its recent accession to the World Trade Organization and on its progress on the International Monetary Fund programme. These are vital steps towards creating opportunity, steps that will integrate Afghanistan into lucrative international and regional trade networks, but major challenges remain and a clear strategy on economic reform will be needed by the National Unity Government if long-term growth is to be secured. I hope that Afghanistan's leaders will seize on recent momentum to make this a reality. Turning to my second point, it is clear that an economy cannot flourish without security. Long- term growth needs long-term stability.”

    2016-03-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7645 (2016) · source

41. “As we have just heard from the Special Representative of the Secretary- General, the road ahead will be difficult at times, but together with the international community's assistance and the support of the NATO Resolute Support Mission, I am confident that Afghanistan can successfully navigate the path ahead. UNAMA will play a vital role in that effort. We see three priorities for the coming months. First, economic growth needs to be the linchpin of Afghanistan's development. A growing economy will be the engine of opportunity for all Afghans - opportunity for men and women tired of years of violence, opportunity for the next generation of entrepreneurs and innovators, and of course opportunity that will help Afghans choose a future inside Afghanistan rather than risk fleeing to find an uncertain future abroad.”

    2016-03-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7645 (2016) · source

42. “I welcome Special Representative Haysom and Ambassador Saikal back to the Security Council and thank them for their briefings. I will stick to the five minute rule, particularly since we rigidly enforce it when we are President. The extension of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) today is a welcome Sign of the Council's continued commitment to Afghanistan. It is a commitment to standing by the people and the Government of Afghanistan so that, together, they can forge the safe, stable and prosperous country that all Afghans deserve.”

    2016-03-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7645 (2016) · source

43. “As we do so, it is imperative that we give our full support to the work of the Monitoring Group. They need it in the year ahead.”

    2016-02-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7626 (2016) · source

44. “It can admit the Monitoring Group, have a constructive relationship with the Group and allow the Council to have an informed debate on the propriety of sanctions, or it can continue to choose isolation, with all that entails. I hope that, with a new Monitoring Group now in place, Eritrea will see cooperation as the correct response. In Somalia and Eritrea, we see two contrasting responses to wholly legitimate requests from the Council. On the one side, engagement with the Monitoring Group has supported progress that was once thought unimaginable. On the other, continued stalling and inaction have left Eritrea in isolation. In discussing both countries today in open session, I hope we can bring renewed focus to that contrast and encourage Eritrea to change its approach.”

    2016-02-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7626 (2016) · source

45. “The maturity with which the Government of Somalia approaches its relationship with the Monitoring Group will be an important indicator of how far the country has moved in recent years. Sadly, Eritrea's relationship with the Monitoring Group is not nearly as constructive. In fact, it remains unacceptable. The Group has a Chapter VII mandate from the Council. As we heard so clearly in the open debate on Monday (S/PV.7621), the powers invested by the Charter through Chapter VII are not to be taken lightly, and certainly not to be ignored. Eritrea must cooperate with the Group and admit it into Eritrea. It is frankly outrageous that this has not happened for the past three years. So the ball is in Eritrea's court.”

    2016-02-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7626 (2016) · source

46. “Again, the Monitoring Group has a key role to play by ensuring that the Somali Government is fulfilling the terms of the arms embargo suspension. This must include the Government marking, registering and storing weapons properly, and taking steps to build a truly national army, rather than a series of regional militia. It is important to underline the need for a frank and constructive relationship between the Monitoring Group and the Government of Somalia. This has improved in recent years. Inevitably, with elections approaching, the political temperature will increase. It is imperative in the months ahead that the relationship remain constructive, even if both parties do not agree.”

    2016-02-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7626 (2016) · source

47. “First, it is a sad inevitability that there will be some individuals and entities inside and outside the Government and political institutions who will seek to spoil the political process to serve their own ends. This is exactly the sort of information the Monitoring Group needs to bring to our attention. We then need to show that, as a Council, we are prepared to act. The Somali people deserve a transparent and representative Government. We owe it to them to help make this a reality. Secondly, turning to the military side, we must not underestimate Al-Shabaab. They are down, but they are far from out, which means that it is more important than ever for Somalia to develop a credible and effective security force that can tackle the threat it faces.”

    2016-02-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7626 (2016) · source

48. “I am sure he would have been heartened by the great progress made in that country over recent years. If we are to sustain that progress in Somalia this year, the continued engagement of the Council will be vital. The elections in the autumn are a crucial litmus test for the welcome developments over the past four years. But, as the attempted bombing of the Somali airliner this month showed, real challenges remain. The Council needs to be as attentive as ever. The work of the Somalia and Eritrea Monitoring Group is a vital tool. The Group is essential to keeping the Council informed about What is happening on the ground. Let me set out two ways to achieve that this year.”

    2016-02-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7626 (2016) · source

49. “I thank you, Sir, for convening this briefing. It is well timed, following our discussion of sanctions last week. As this is our first opportunity to do so in the Chamber, I should like to begin by expressing my condolences and those of the United Kingdom to the family of Mr. Boutros Boutros-Ghali and to our Egyptian colleagues following the death of the former Secretary- General on Tuesday. He was an influential leader of the United Nations, presiding over the Organization during one of its most challenging times. One such challenge was, of course, Somalia. He was tireless in his efforts to bring peace and stability to that war-torn country, both by convening the ceasefire talks in 1992 and through the subsequent deployments of the United Nations Operation in Somalia.”

    2016-02-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7626 (2016) · source

50. “It is the issue on which we are most often judged by the world outside of the Council Chamber and yet, it is the hardest on which to make progress. We know that the challenges we face are huge, but we cannot keep holding such debates year after year, without taking concrete steps to stop the suffering. This is the year to take action.”

    2016-01-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7606 (2016) · source