YouSaid · the spoken record

Wilson

lines on the record: 502
first: 2013-09-05
most recent: 2017-10-27
sittings or episodes: 84
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

“We agree with that sentiment and encourage all levels of Government to continue taking steps along that path over the next six months. The failure to hold elections in 2014, together with the dissolution of Haiti's Parliament, led to uncertainty among Haiti's people. So we also welcome the formation of the Provisional Electoral Council, the publication of an electoral decree and the announcement of the electoral calendar. We are pleased that the Secretary-General's most recent report on MINUSTAH makes a positive overall assessment of the security situation in Haiti and confirms that important progress has been achieved. For example, and as you have just told us now Sandra, the recent polls in August were notably calmer than the previous electoral cycle.”
2015-10-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7530 (2015) · source
“I commend the efforts of all of its peacekeepers in collectively achieving the Mission's objectives, so that we are now contemplating MINUSTAH's final mandate. We should pause to reflect on what an achievement that has been for Haiti and for the United Nations. In January, the Council had an opportunity to see at first hand the contribution of MINUSTAH. It was also a chance to see the positive steps that Haiti is taking to ensure its own development and security. One such step was the recent holding of the first round of legislative elections and the scheduling of the presidential election. In the Secretary-General's words, there are encouraging signs that the political leaders of Haiti have embarked on a positive path.”
2015-10-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7530 (2015) · source
“I would like to thank Ms. Sandra Honore, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General, for her briefing today, and to join others in offering our condolences on the passing of General Jaborandy, who served the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) with distinction. We welcome the latest report of the Secretary-General (S/2015/667) and appreciate the valuable contribution that MINUSTAH has made to stability and progress in Haiti. My statement today will focus on three key points: the collective achievement in stabilizing Haiti, the expected drawdown of MINUSTAH forces by the end of 2016 and the need for early planning for a successor presence of the United Nations. As I said in our last discussion in March (see S/PV.7147), MINUSTAH has successfully delivered for the Council.”
2015-10-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7530 (2015) · source
“It is a fundamental right, as recognized in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. We owe it to the hundreds of thousands killed since we last discussed this issue to ensure that this right is upheld.”
2015-08-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7508 (2015) · source
“As we heard today from Special Representative Bangura, gender- sensitive SSR programmes are an important tool in the fight against sexual violence. We know how much there still is to do on this. Madam President, let me conclude by thanking you again for having brought this important issue back to the Council. It is an issue that my Government cares about deeply. This year, we will spend more than $250 million on security-sector reform. That money is making a difference. To cite just once example, in Sierra Leone it has helped the local Government improve access to security andjustice for nearly 300,000 women and girls in remote districts. We support these programmes and more because we believe that security and access to justice is a basic service, on a par with health care and education.”
2015-08-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7508 (2015) · source
“In practice, this means that efforts to build security capability in the short term must be embedded in longer-term efforts to strengthen accountability and the oversight mechanisms in ministries of defence, the interior and justice. As both Dmitry Titov and Izumi Nakamitsu have said, it means that we have to use all of the tools available to the United Nations, not just the military, to deliver security-sector reform. It means coordinated responses, and, as we heard in this Chamber earlier this week, working with regional and subregional organizations. This is the best way to ingrain coherent security-sector reform plans within peacebuilding strategies. To succeed, we also require reform processes that are fully gender-sensitive and that incorporate the perspectives and concerns of women.”
2015-08-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7508 (2015) · source
“If we get these things right, not only will we decrease the average 15-year lifespan of a peace operation, but we can avoid the tragic relapse into conflict that we see so often. This all requires a strong requirement on the part of the international community to support countries through the whole of the conflict cycle. But it also requires national political leaders to show courage and drive reforms themselves. That is the only way to ensure that the local security sector is able to deliver for its population when a mission ends. It is this concept of local ownership that informs my third point. Locally owned political processes are Vital to the success of security-sector reform, much more so than externally imposed solutions. That is easy to say but hard to deliver.”
2015-08-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7508 (2015) · source
“The fact that Assistant Secretary-General Nakamitsu is here from the United Nations Development Programme today briefing the Council is progress in itself. In addition, for the first time, our global goals on development (SDGs) contain a goal on peace, justice and security. This goal cannot be achieved without effective, efficient security forces that can respond to citizens" needs. But we want to see more. A fully functional and professional security sector is essential to sustainable peace and also for the timely exit of United Nations peace operations. We need better sequenced and better prioritized mandates for peacekeeping operations to achieve this, and we need effective systems to ensure that the progress made on security forces does not fall away once peacekeeping operations leave.”
2015-08-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7508 (2015) · source
“We cannot allow our enthusiasm for getting things done to undermine the help that we are trying to give. Honest engagement can bring risk, and it often requires working with institutions that do not necessarily meet international standards for human rights transparency. But not engaging is not an option. It is precisely these institutional security and justice failures that allow crime and violence to flourish. They are among the key drivers of conflict and extremism. The Council is then left to tackle the violence and dysfunctionality that they bring. The second point that I want to make is that we need to integrate our work on SSR into our longer- term work on conflict prevention, peacebuilding and development. We have made a good start.”
2015-08-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7508 (2015) · source
“Too many of them occurred in countries that were emerging from conflict, where stability, security and justice have yet to be embedded. We all have a role to play to stop these deaths. Ensuring an effective and accountable security sector in these countries is a vital way of doing so. So what can we do, as a Council and as Governments, to achieve this? I think that there are three things. First of all, we need to engage honestly and sensitively with Governments and their institutions. Security and justice are critical to stability, but if not handled properly, these issues can fuel instability. Ill- disciplined, unaccountable security forces operating in fragile political climates can just as easily create grievances as address them. We need to judge our support according to the right political preconditions.”
2015-08-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7508 (2015) · source
“I thank Assistant Secretaries-General Titov and Nakamitsu, as well as Special Representative of the Secretary-General Bangura, for their very thoughtful briefings, as well as for the number of recommendations they made to the us, which I found very creative and which we really need to take seriously as the Council. I also pay tribute to your leadership, Madam President, for having brought this important issue back to the Council once again. It is 18 months since we last discussed security sector reform (SSR), and in that time more than 780,000 people have been killed by armed Violence. That is almost one person every minute. Only a tenth of those deaths occurred at the hands of terrorists or in full conflict situations.”
2015-08-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7508 (2015) · source
“Our ability to discharge that heavy responsibility will only be made stronger by deepening our relationship with regional organizations, which is why we so strongly welcome this important debate today.”
2015-08-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7505 (2015) · source
“This year, we have heard moving and detailed accounts in Arria Formula meetings from individuals brave enough to share their experiences in Darfur, in North Korea and in Syria. Those briefings improve our understanding of what is at stake. The testimony of those on the ground is central in alerting the international community to escalating tensions. We should continue to examine how we can work more effectively with those groups on the challenges that we face internationally. The United Kingdom is convinced that we can and should do more to deepen our cooperation with regional organizations across the world. Our responsibility in the Council is to maintain international peace and security.”
2015-08-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7505 (2015) · source
“Substantive dialogue between the Council and regional organizations is an important tool, and where possible, joint analysis and planning will enable the Council to adopt clearer and better mandates, in particular where regional missions are deployed. We encourage regional organizations to review their own planning authorization, human rights monitoring and governance structures so that together we can create a more coherent international and regional approach to conflict. It is also important for us to work with regional organizations to identify more sustainable ways of funding their operations. The other partner in that for all of us is civil society, the media and other relevant non-State actors.”
2015-08-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7505 (2015) · source
“The Council's ultimate responsibility for the maintenance of peace and security does not exclude the significant talents and perspectives that regional organizations can provide, but it is important for the United Nations to be engaged at all stages of peace processes where we are required to support and implement them. The report of the High-level Independent Panel on Peace Operations (see S/2015/446) has interesting things to say on this. We agree with the Panel that consultative decision-making, a common strategy and division of labour are key components of the relationship between the Council and regional organizations. We also agree that partnerships with regional and subregional organizations should be part of the Council's early engagement on emerging threats.”
2015-08-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7505 (2015) · source
“As a member of the European Union, the United Kingdom is committed to ensuring that Europe plays its part in making the world a safer and more prosperous place. The European Union is engaged across the waterfront of international issues, and it is a key partner for the United Nations in Africa. Its role has also been clear with regard to Iran, where it was a key facilitator in the recent E3+3 Governments talks and helped to achieve an outcome of which the Council was very supportive and endorsed emphatically. We all bring different approaches to tackling issues of peace and security. We make the most progress when we harness our comparative advantages, as the Secretary-General said.”
2015-08-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7505 (2015) · source
“Ajoint team from the African Union and the United Nations recently made important recommendations on strengthening military and political progress in the country. The Security Council endorsed that work through resolution 2232 (2015) in the past month. The results of that close partnership make Somalia one of the few bright spots on the Council's agenda. Bringing an end to the fighting in South Sudan is another challenge that we jointly face. We all said that 17 August was a hard deadline for an agreement to bring peace. If the Government of South Sudan will not sign up to the Intergovernmental Authority on Development-plus deal, then we must all be firm on our next steps. We cannot sit by while leaders fight and their people's suffering grows.”
2015-08-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7505 (2015) · source
“We need the united efforts of international, regional, subregional and local bodies. I think that is most true of all in Africa. The Council has shared objectives and shared challenges on peace and security with the African Union across the continent. Those shared challenges make our relationship with the African Union so important. At its best, that relationship makes the lives of some of the world's most vulnerable people better. Somalia is a good example of that integrated partnership. The African Union's military mission, the African Union Mission in Somalia, supported by United Nations logisticians working alongside a United Nations special political mission, have been at the heart of progress in Somalia.”
2015-08-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7505 (2015) · source
“I would like to thank you, Madam President, for convening today's very important debate. I also thank the Secretary- General for sending a very clear signal to the Council about how important it is that we cooperate effectively with regional and subregional institutions. That relationship between the United Nations and regional organizations is one of the greatest structural issues for the Security Council. At their best, the United Nations and the region work in partnership towards shared objectives, harnessing each other's expertise and making a difference to lives for people across the world. When it works, we are very strong; when it does not, none of us achieve what we want to achieve. Therefore, cooperation is indispensable. The challenges facing the Council cannot be tackled by one body on its own.”
2015-08-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7505 (2015) · source
“Thirdly, we need swifter rapid-response mechanisms, with stronger links between the health and humanitarian sectors, so that they are able to respond to health emergencies in a coordinated way. The response in Sierra Leone showed us the effectiveness of a joint, cross-Government and multinational approach that allowed us to rapidly design and deliver an emergency response - what Sierra Leone's Permanent Representative Vandi Minah calls more vividly a complete "jigsaw puzzle" of a response. All of that was done in very closely partnership throughout with the Government of Sierra Leone, and only President Koroma's strong leadership made it possible. We cannot wipe out the suffering this disease has inflicted, but we can commit clearly today to reaching zero.”
2015-08-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7502 (2015) · source
“Collectively, we must learn the lessons from this crisis to improve the international and national health systems. We therefore welcome the work that is being carried out by the Secretary-General's High-level Panel on the Global Response to Health Crises. It is clear that we need to achieve three things. First, WHO reform at the headquarters, regional and country levels is needed if it is to properly coordinate and lead responses to humanitarian and health crises. Secondly, we need more investment in prevention and preparedness so that national health systems have the early warning triggers and safe affordable technologies to allow them to respond quickly and effectively to future outbreaks.”
2015-08-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7502 (2015) · source
“The affected countries are rightly taking steps to transition out of crisis and into recovery, helping millions of children back to school, restoring basic health-care services and kickstarting economic activity. That all requires the backing of everybody here. We thank the Secretary-General for holding the remarkably successful International Ebola Recovery Conference in July. It will now be important for donors to work closely with both the affected countries and with each other to best coordinate activities for the benefit of the region. The United Kingdom will continue to stand by Sierra Leone and the region. We have pledged $370 million in support ofPresident Koroma's two-year ebola recovery strategy and our commitment to Ebola recovery, including debt relief through the International Monetary Fund, is now over $500 million.”
2015-08-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7502 (2015) · source
“With the expertise of both our military and civilians, we supported a command-and -control function that made both the national and district responses more effective. In total, over 1,300 military and health-care workers deployed to support the response. Throughout the crisis, we responded with pace, ambition and innovation working with many others, including China, Cuba, Denmark, Sweden, New Zealand and Australia. Our collective efforts are working. From a peak of over 500 new cases per week in Sierra Leone, we saw only one last week. But that is still one too many. The international community must remain committed to the region and to getting to zero. As the recent cases in Liberia show, even when a country has reached zero, we cannot drop our guard. To get to zero and stay there we must maintain our resolve and our support.”
2015-08-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7502 (2015) · source
“The Ebola epidemic has been brought under control. The Council usually discusses bad news. Today, we should take a moment to mark that progress and take steps to ensure that it lasts. Curbing the spread of that terrible disease has required hard work and sacrifice, in particular on the part of local people in affected areas, but also ofnational Governments in Sierra Leone, Liberia and Guinea and health-care workers from across the entire world. Tragically, over 11,000 people have died. That number would have been far greater without their dedication. We can be proud that the international community rallied to support the efforts to defeat Ebola. The United Kingdom played its part. In Sierra Leone, we committed over $660 million and built six treatment centres and three diagnostic laboratories.”
2015-08-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7502 (2015) · source
“As others have said, all of us have a great deal to learn from what happened this last time. I want to pay particular tribute to Dr. Fallah's bravery and the power of civil society that he represents in combating this disease. The African Union has made a significant contribution to the fight against Ebola. All 835 African health workers deployed by the African Union, including the 190 Nigerians who volunteered as part of that effort, are a testimony to the region's commitment to defeating Ebola. In September last year, the United States Centres for Disease Control and Prevention predicted that up to 1.4 million cases could emerge in West Africa by early 2015, posing a clear threat to international peace and security. It is important to remember that that was a real risk, but today the number of cases stands at just over 27,000.”
2015-08-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7502 (2015) · source
“I thank you, Madam President, for convening this important meeting, for keeping this theme on the agenda and, in particular, for the way that Nigeria responded to the challenge of Ebola within its own borders, as well as for your leadership in helping so many others. I welcome the briefings by Director-General Chan - and thank her for beaming in from Hong Kong - Special Envoy Nabarro, Mr. Tete Antonio and Dr. Fallah, who spoke so movingly about the determination of communities to survive. I want to express my thanks to Dr. Nabarro for his tireless work in coordinating the international Ebola response and to Dr. Chan for her leadership of the World Health Organization (WHO). I welcome her commitment to better equipping the organization for future responses.”
2015-08-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7502 (2015) · source
“Launching this impartial Mechanism shows our commitment to a rules-based international system where the hard facts will identify those responsible for these crimes. This is an important step forward, but there is more to do. We look forward to the Mechanism starting its work promptly, and we reiterate the Council's call on all States to cooperate fully with United Nations investigators, as well as with the Fact-Finding Mission of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons. They will play a key facilitating role in the work of the Joint Investigative Mechanism. In establishing the Mechanism today, we have demonstrated that the Council can find common ground; we look forward to building on this in order to tackle the other challenges we face on Syria, and to bring an end after so long to the suffering of the Syrian people.”
2015-08-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7501 (2015) · source
“The United Kingdom is pleased to have co-sponsored resolution 2235 (2015). We strongly support the establishment of a Joint Investigative Mechanism into alleged uses of toxic chemicals as weapons in Syria. This Mechanism is a vital step forwards. Through our actions today, we have moved closer to ending impunity and to holding to account those who have used these barbaric weapons. The Mechanism we have established today will be impartial, it will be independent and it will be comprehensive. It builds logically on past investigations. It has a clear mandate to identify individuals, entities, groups or Governments that are perpetrators, organizers or sponsors ofthe use of chemicals as weapons in Syria. This includes chlorine and any other toxic chemical.”
2015-08-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7501 (2015) · source
“I shall speak very briefly just to say that this is a 20-year anniversary of an event in which the United Nations as an institution and the Council were deeply associated. It is therefore absolutely vital and absolutely right that we have focused on this. We were proud to hold the pen on the draft resolution, and seeking to commemorate that event in the way that we have tried to do today has absolutely got to be the right thing to do.”
2015-07-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7481 (2015) · source
“Today, the risks of genocide and mass atrocities still lie beneath the surface, in South Sudan, in Syria, in the spread of the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant. We cannot afford to repeat the mistakes of 20 years ago. We must act where we have early warning. We must find greater unity in the Council and use all of the tools at our disposal to do so. Russia's veto of this draft resolution shows just how difficult it can be to find this unity. But we must persevere, for it is the only way to make "never again" a reality.”
2015-07-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7481 (2015) · source
“The High Commissioner for Human Rights and the Special Advisers on the Prevention of Genocide and the Responsibility to Protect play vital roles. The Secretary-General's Human Rights Up Front initiative and the new framework of analysis for atrocity crimes are welcome developments. And beyond the United Nations, we now have even greater access to information of impending conflict. We can see the signs of any slide toward genocide, through non-governmental organizations, human rights monitors and social media. But early warning is not early action. We knew of the risks at Srebrenica. We saw the reports of ethnic cleansing, the signs of mass graves. We heard the reports from journalists in the field, and yet we did not act. The consequences of our inaction reverberate to this day.”
2015-07-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7481 (2015) · source
“This responsibility is made clear in our promise to save future generations from the scourge of war. And yet, 50 years after the end of the Second World War, 50 years after the signing of the United Nations Charter, we broke our promise and allowed genocide to return to Europe, to a small town in eastern Bosnia, to a United Nations-designated safe haven. Kofi Annan said that the tragedy of Srebrenica would forever haunt the history of the United Nations. Russia's veto shows that it is hard to lay those ghosts to rest. We must nevertheless continue to reflect on the lessons we have learned as individuals, as countries and as an Organization. Twenty years on from Srebrenica, we now have an even greater set of tools to predict and prevent conflict and genocide.”
2015-07-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7481 (2015) · source
“It undermines the prospects for a secure, peaceful future for Bosnia and Herzegovina - a future that all of its citizens deserve. Because, even two decades on, the horrors some choose to deny are still ongoing for families in Bosnia. The remains of hundreds of the victims of the genocide - fathers, sons, mothers and daughters - have yet to be found. The suffering of their loved ones, and their search for truth, continues to this day. Russia's actions will only exacerbate their grief. Despite this veto, we must all continue our support for a peaceful, stable and prosperous future for Bosnia, a future based on an acceptance of the past. Today was an opportunity for the Council to reflect on its responsibility to prevent genocide, both in 1995 and today and in future.”
2015-07-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7481 (2015) · source
“So it is profoundly regrettable that Russia has chosen to side with those who, by their actions, are preventing reconciliation from moving forward those who are unwilling to accept the facts today. Some said that in submitting this draft resolution, we risked ethnic division in the Balkans. The emotional responses in the region in the past weeks show that until past actions are acknowledged and accepted, we cannot move forward. As Adisada Dudic said so poignantly at the commemorative event last week, "Denial does not make the facts go away. It does not change the past. And it certainly does not erase memory". It is denial, and not this draft resolution, that will cause division. Denial is the final insult to the victims.”
2015-07-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7481 (2015) · source
“The United Kingdom is outraged that Russia has vetoed this draft resolution today. Russia's action tarnishes the memory of all those who died in the Srebrenica genocide. Russia will have to justify its decision to the families of the more than 8,000 people murdered in the worst atrocity in Europe since the Second World War. The draft resolution did not point fingers of blame, score political points or seek to reopen painful divisions. It did not link the crimes of Srebrenica to the Serb people. It recognized that there were victims on all sides, and it aimed to send a clear message that the Council supports reconciliation in Bosnia. But reconciliation must be based on a shared acceptance of the fact that genocide occurred at Srebrenica. This is a legal fact, not a politicaljudgement. On this there is no compromise.”
2015-07-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7481 (2015) · source
“We delayed the vote from yesterday until today to make that possibility have best chance of success. We thank all members for their support and patience while we did that. Members of the Council will also know that an unbridgeable gap lies at the heart or our respective differences. The horrific events at Srebrenica amounted to a genocide. That is not a verdict that the Security Council is seeking to establish, but a verdict that is clearly set out in judgments from the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia and the International Court of Justice. To call it anything else now will hinder, and not help, reconciliation. That is why many voices from the region are calling for us to proceed and to vote, and thereby honouring the victims as we do so. For that reason, I think it is vital now that we proceed to a vote.”
2015-07-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7481 (2015) · source
“The draft resolution (S/2015/508) before us is a balanced text. We have worked very hard to make sure that it is so and that it remembers the past respectfully and sensitively. Let me be clear: there were victims on all sides. That is clearly set out in the text. Crimes were committed against all sides and by all sides. Again, that is clear in the text. This draft resolution does not accuse the Serb people; instead, it supports reconciliation. Recognition of the past is a prerequisite for that. It also calls on the United Nations and all of us to learn the lessons and act on the painful lessons from the genocide at Srebrenica. All Council members know how hard we have worked to find a consensus on the text. We have been working on this for over a month.”
2015-07-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7481 (2015) · source
“Australia looks forward to continuing its work with the Afghan Government, the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan and our international partners in order to help the people of Afghanistan deal with the challenges they face in the areas of security, the economy, governance, human rights and human development.”
2015-06-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7467 (2015) · source
“As others have noted, achieving apolitical settlement with the Taliban will be necessary if Afghanistan and the region are to find lasting peace. The National Unity Government has made good progress in strengthening its regional relationships, which is a critical first step. We urge Afghanistan and its partners to continue to approach reconciliation with a sense of purpose and pragmatism and to involve Afghan women in pivotal discussions on Afghanistan's future. A sustainable future for Afghanistan must have strong and sustainable democratic foundations. We continue to urge the Afghan Government to prioritize electoral reform so as to ensure that future elections provide a sound foundation that can enable democracy to mature.”
2015-06-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7467 (2015) · source
“Everything that can be done in that area will not only benefit the Afghan economy, it will also build trust between the Afghan people and the Government. We see 2015 as the start of a critical decade for Afghan women and girls. We support the National Unity Government's efforts to protect and build on the gains of the past 14 years, which include the enrolment of more than 3 million girls in school and women's increased participation in Afghan political life. Australia also welcomes the recent appointment of four women to ministerial roles and the nomination of the first-ever woman to the Supreme Court. We urge President Ghani Ahmadzai and Chief Executive Abdullah to continue to draw women into political life, which will help not only Afghanistan's women and girls but also the economy and society as a whole.”
2015-06-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7467 (2015) · source
“But while they are performing strongly against a persistent insurgency, we can also expect the Taliban to continue its campaign of fear. Along with others before us, we condemn today's attack on the Parliament in Kabul and reaffirm our strong support for Afghanistan's legitimate institutions. It is vital that the national forces continue to build their capabilities, particularly in provincial areas, and Australia is providing $300 million between 2015 and 2017 towards that aim. Among other things, Afghanistan's economy and its Government's finances remain key concerns for Australia. Economic sustainability is key to achieving self-reliance, and we therefore welcome the Afghan Government's focus on improving revenue generation, rationalizing spending and defeating corruption, which must be a major priority.”
2015-06-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7467 (2015) · source
“I would also like to thank Special Representative Nicholas Haysom for his briefing and to acknowledge Permanent Representative Zahir Tanin's continuing contribution. After nine months in office, the National Unity Government has committed to an ambitious reform programme. Its release of the 100-day plans for ministries has shown the global community and the Afghan people the scope of the reform agenda. Australia congratulates Afghanistan and its Government on that initiative and urges them to continue to display determination in carrying out reforms. Since taking over responsibility for providing security for Afghanistan, we note that the Afghan national defence and security forces have demonstrated profound courage, resilience and commitment to the protection of their country and people.”
2015-06-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7467 (2015) · source
“They will continue to have the support of the Security Council and the international community in their efforts. But unless political will can be found by the parties, we will be no closer to the realization ofa political solution. It is high time for that to change.”
2015-04-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7435 (2015) · source
“As the report of the Secretary-General (S/2015/246) notes, there is a growing threat from criminal and extremist activities in the regions adjacent to the territory, and growing frustrations among Saharan youth and Polisario military only compound our concern. Forty years after the start of this conflict, it is clear that the status quo is simply not sustainable. During Ambassador Ross' recent trip to the region, all interlocutors committed to cooperating fully with the United Nations and to finding a solution as soon as possible. We welcome this pledge, but the parties must match their words with actions and do everything they can to honour their commitment and end the stalemate. It is clear that the political future of Western Sahara will be determined only by renewed engagements on the part of the parties.”
2015-04-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7435 (2015) · source
“The United Kingdom welcomes the adoption of resolution 2218 (2015). In co-sponsoring it, we wish to reiterate our full support for the Secretary-General, Special Representative Bolduc and Ambassador Ross. We appreciate their efforts to achieve a lasting and mutually acceptable political solution that provides for the self-determination of the people of Western Sahara. Despite the efforts of Ambassador Ross, it is clear that no progress has been made on the substance of the dispute. This stalemate is regrettable and has implications for the stability and security of the Maghreb region.”
2015-04-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7435 (2015) · source
“Last year, resolution 2171 (2014) affirmed that human rights violations and abuses, including sexual violence, could act as indicators for impending conflict. Ifwe are to uphold international peace and security, the Council must heed and act on these warnings to prevent conflict taking hold. This is difficult work. It is not work that the Council is brilliant at, but it is an area where we can make progress using the tools that we have, and we need to use whatever evidence we have to make progress here. By doing so, we will give women and girls around the world a future that those at Chibok were denied.”
2015-04-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7428 (2015) · source
“This important tool can help national and international justice and human rights practitioners document sexual Violence and pursue accountability for these crimes effectively. The United Kingdom has thus far supported and trained practitioners of the Protocol in areas as diverse as Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Nepal and Colombia. We have also raised awareness with international faith leaders, bearing in mind their often unique position of influence with survivors. Allow me to conclude with this point: if we are to end sexual violence in conflict, we must tackle its root causes as well as its symptoms. We all have a responsibility to end gender inequality and discrimination in our societies, and in the Council we have a unique responsibility to prevent conflicts that allow sexual violence to thrive.”
2015-04-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7428 (2015) · source
“Thirdly, we must ensure greater accountability for all perpetrators and for Governments that do not uphold their responsibility to protect the vulnerable in society. Our support, whether through improved training or more female personnel, can help encourage victims of sexual violence to come forward and help end the stigma associated with this crime. We must match this with more investigations and more prosecutions, including through the International Criminal Court, to show that there is no impunity. We also encourage States to implement the International Protocol on the Documentation and Investigation of Sexual Violence in Conflict, launched at the Global Summit held in London in 2014.”
2015-04-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7428 (2015) · source
“However, so is making our police and military more representative of our societies, with greater recruitment and promotion of women. Until that happens, we are not going to make real, substantive and lasting progress on this issue. United Nations peacekeepers and police can also do more to address the needs of women and girls. We need to empower peacekeeping personnel to prevent and respond to sexual Violence. That must be central to predeployment preparations at all ranks, and fully integrated into mission-wide objectives and mandates, as the representative of France emphasized earlier. We hope that the peace operations review later this year will reflect these important recommendations.”
2015-04-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7428 (2015) · source
“We have given over $1.5 billion in humanitarian support to the Syrian crisis. The United Nations has a particularly important role to play. We strongly support the Secretary-General's recommendation for greater links between the issues of women and peace and security, and fighting extremism. We hope that this will be addressed in the review of resolution 1325 (2000) this year, and I welcome what the Permanent Representative of Spain has just said about the energy and commitment that the Spanish presidency will bring to this issue in October. Secondly, national military and security actors must be responsive to survivors' needs. More focused training, incorporating gender and survivor awareness, and better information-sharing between military and civilians are part of the solution.”
2015-04-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7428 (2015) · source