YouSaid · the spoken record

Zinsou

lines on the record: 354
first: 2004-02-17
most recent: 2015-05-13
sittings or episodes: 46
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

“In Benin's View, given the scale, impact and devastating human cost of this phenomenon, only a global approach founded on the shared responsibility of importers, exporters and arms manufacturers, supported by international cooperation and assistance and effective exchanges of information, will enable us to put an end to the problem and respond decisively while respecting the principles of the Charter of the United Nations.”
2015-05-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7442 (2015) · source
“To achieve that, our View is that the various forthcoming international conferences, such as the second Open-ended Meeting of Governmental Experts, the Biennial Meeting of States to Consider Implementation of the Programme of Action and the first Conference of States Parties to the Arms Trade Treaty, should be utilized to make a comprehensive assessment of current international approaches on small arms and light weapons. There should be special emphasis on cooperation and assistance to developing countries in the areas of registration, keeping records of weapons and ammunition, border control, arms and ammunition transfers, tracing techniques and stockpile management, since ineffective and poor management are at the heart of the illicit proliferation of small arms and light weapons.”
2015-05-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7442 (2015) · source
“A major challenge in the immediate future will be establishing a system designed to harmonize the Arms Trade Treaty with various projects and programmes relating to existing mechanisms, particularly the Programme of Action and the International Tracing Instrument. The reality is that very few States in West Africa, including Benin, have mastered what the Tracing Instrument involves, including weapons tracing techniques, not to mention simply maintaining the registry. We should focus more on active cooperation and effective help with building national capacity and competence in using the International Tracing Instrument, the Programme of Action and the Arms Trade Treaty.”
2015-05-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7442 (2015) · source
“In that regard, I welcome the mechanisms and ongoing programmes aimed at developing national, subregional and regional expertise and capacity in order to limit the availability of such weapons and to improve transfer controls. The Programme of Action to Prevent, Combat and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All Its Aspects, the International Tracing Instrument, the Firearms Protocol and the United Nations Register of Conventional Arms are essential tools for enhancing regional and international security, which have recently been strengthened by the adoption of the Arms Trade Treaty. We welcome its entry into force.”
2015-05-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7442 (2015) · source
“Some veterans also consider their weapon a means of economic survival. Women and children are exposed to the dangers of those weapons, sometimes even within their households, creating a vicious cycle of crime and violence. According to recent studies, over half a billion small arms are in circulation worldwide, and l in 12 people carries a generally inexpensive light weapon. Research has shown that in some places around the world, an AK-47 or Kalashnikov assault rifle costs less than a bag of corn or rice, facilitating their acquisition by criminal networks and drug traffickers and thus fomenting internal conflicts, crime, violence, assaults of all kinds, burglaries, robberies and rapes. The international community must intensify efforts to stem the flow of weapons and destroy illicit stocks.”
2015-05-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7442 (2015) · source
“Trafficking in small arms and light weapons in Africa in general, and in the West Africa subregion in particular, constitutes a major challenge to peace and security. Such an uncontrolled epidemic carries a significant human cost. Some 90 per cent of victims of the hundreds of millions of light weapons and small arms circulating in West Africa consist of able-bodied people, women and children, all of whom indisputably constitute human factors of development. According to data collected by the UNICEF, the use of small arms and light weapons in conflicts maims and traumatizes whole generations of children, both physically and psychologically. Long after peace agreements are concluded, the number of small arms and light weapons that remain in post-conflict societies helps perpetuate a culture of violence.”
2015-05-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7442 (2015) · source
“Like the Conferences on the Humanitarian Impact of Nuclear Weapons, the theme of today's debate will increase international public awareness of the devastating consequences of the accumulation and illicit circulation of small arms and light weapons, as well as of the urgent need to work in a coordinated and integrated manner to end them. I would like to thank the Secretary-General for his report (S/2015/289), of which my delegation has taken note. I would also like to express my great appreciation to Prince Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, for his contribution to the debate, and to welcome Mr. Karamoko Diakite, President of the Cote d'Ivoire chapter of the West Africa Action Network on Small Arms.”
2015-05-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7442 (2015) · source
“Mr. Zinsou (Benin) (spoke in French): I, too, would like to congratulate you, Madam President, on your country's accession to the presidency of the Security Council for this month and, at the same time, to express my gratitude for inviting me to take part in the debate on the human cost of the illicit transfer, destabilizing accumulation and misuse of small arms and light weapons, a topic that is of paramount importance to my country, Benin. My delegation welcomes the maintenance of the small arms issue on the agenda of the Council.”
2015-05-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7442 (2015) · source
“The General Assembly also endorsed the initiative during its adoption on 15 December 2014 of resolution 69/140 on the promotion of interreligious and intercultural dialogue, understanding and cooperation for peace. One of the high points of the Cotonou symposium will be the adoption ofa manifesto on tolerance, dialogue and understanding. This is a new commitment that could lead to lasting peace through the strengthening of love and reason in spite of the difficulties we are encountering today. Youth will be a key stakeholder in this new approach to combating terrorism and extremism of all stripes. Benin needs the support of all to ensure that the promises of this initiative become a reality.”
2015-04-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7432 (2015) · source
“The initiative seeks to find a happy medium among religions by providing shared spaces where people can live together and exhange views. It also seeks to promote projects and innovations for harmony and to strengthen the idea of living together, social progress and balanced development which benefits all. The African initiative will bring together various religious and secular leaders for honest dialogue has been supported by numerous partners, including the Alliance of Civilizations, UNESCO, the United Nations Development Programme and the Economic Community of West African States. Moreover, the initiative is one element of an important decision taken the twenty-fourth regular session of the Conference of Heads of State and Government of the African Union on 30 and 31 January in Addis Ababa.”
2015-04-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7432 (2015) · source
“We reiterate the importance of the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy, one pillar of which is the elimination of conditions that lead to the spread of terrorism. The strategy must continue to be implemented by taking into account the new dimension of the issue of religious extremism. In making its humble contribution to achieving this goal, Benin has launched the African Initiative for Education in peace, development and interreligious and intercultural dialogue. The official launching will be in Cotonou from 26 to 28 May, during the international symposium that Benin will be hosting. This is but one example of my country's efforts along those lines. The initiative is essentially to stop religious extremism in Africa by attacking its root causes, as recommended in the preambular paragraph of the UNESCO Charter.”
2015-04-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7432 (2015) · source
“Such education must be based on universal values, which can give youth resiliency in countering propaganda on the Internet. In this process, States will have to increasingly avoid exclusion practices such as favortism and corruption and instead choose programmes that draw upon the merits of individuals where youth can demonstrate their own skills, create and innovate for the common good of their countries. The international community must provide means to change the situation of millions of disenfranchised youth if it does not want the rug to be pulled out from under them by religious extremists, leading to a total delegitimatization of societies by terrorist movements such as Boko Haram, the Islamic State, Al-Qaida and others.”
2015-04-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7432 (2015) · source
“It is Benin's hope that, through shared prosperity, taking into account the limited resources of our planet, the implementation of the development programme from the post-2015 period, which is currently being finalized, will be a transformative one that creates conditions for States to have necessary resources that give rise to opportunities for youth and provide them with means to flourish and have faith in the political systems of their countries. We also need to mobilize civil society so as to counter extremism wherever it may emerge. Skill and knowledge are necessary to create employment and to access universal values such as secularism, respect for human dignity and others, and acceptance of coexistence and diversity.”
2015-04-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7432 (2015) · source
“My delegation therefore believes that there would be a need to invest in young people such that they can enjoy their fundamental rights and participate in decisions having to do with their own flourishing. My delegation also feels that there must be further investment in human security so as to strengthen the resiliency of populations in general and youth in particular, in order to promote private-public partnership for economies that generate employment for youth. All of these things require good governance to accelerate economic growth, harness demographics and effectively combat poverty and inequality when distributing wealth. The judicious use of public administration is quite important to re-establishing equality and combating inequality, as peace requires inclusive development.”
2015-04-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7432 (2015) · source
“The recruitment of child soldiers and the kidnapping of young girls, youths, essentially as sexual slaves are clear demonstrations of this. We have seen how recruiters from terrorist groups exploit gaps in societies so as to spread their theories and radicalize youth. Economic and social inequalities, poverty and particularly frustration arising from situations of youth unemployment, underemployment and social exclusion in double standard societies, which are increasingly elitist, where the social elevator seems to have definitely broken down, all of these things my delegation feels are circumstances and root causes leading to radicalization and the endoctrinement of young people.”
2015-04-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7432 (2015) · source
“Mr. Zinsou (Benin) (spoke in French): Let me first congratulate Jordan on its assumption of the presidency of the Security Council for the second time during its mandate, and to thank it for having organized this debate on the maintenance of international peace and security, with a focus on the role of youth in countering violent extremism and promoting peace. In particular I would like to thank his Royal Highness Crown Prince Al Hussein bin Abdullah II, for his Visit to New York so as to preside over this meeting. I would also like to hail his most instructive statement. My delegation is pleased that the Security Council is focusing on the consideration of matters relating to peace and security and youth. As also stressed by other delegations, young people are prey to conflicts and extremism.”
2015-04-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7432 (2015) · source
“In this respect, it is important to welcome the judgement of the International Criminal Court against Thomas Lubanga for conscripting, enlisting and using child soldiers. That judgement is, without a doubt, a very strong message that shows the determination of the international community to put an end to this shameful practice. On 3 August 1990, the Government of Benin ratified the Convention on the Rights of the Child, which was adopted in New York on 20 November 1989, and later ratified its 2000 Optional Protocol on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography. Benin has also has a legal code for children that protects them against any practice that could endanger their physical and moral integrity, including their involvement in armed conflict.”
2015-03-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7414 (2015) · source
“To that end, it is important that the United Nations ensure that peace agreements contain firm commitments to children in the context of disarmament, demobilization and reintegration programmes so as to ensure that they are integrated into normal working life in a rewarding manner and able to obtain the resources necessary to sustain their existence and achieve their full development. The recognition of the recruitment and use of children in conflict as a crime against humanity opens the way for prosecution. We must work to strengthen legal action, through advanced legal cooperation aimed at depriving criminals any sanctuary and bringing them before international criminal courts. The International Criminal Court should be encouraged to seize itself of such cases and prosecute the perpetrators of such crimes.”
2015-03-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7414 (2015) · source
“The United Nations must continue to explore the most appropriate channels to make contact with non-State armed groups so as to lead them to commit to sparing children from recruitment and violent action. In this regard, we strongly support the ongoing work by the United Nations and civil society to increase the number of non-State groups and Governments concerned that are signing agreements and action plans to put an end violence against children and negotiate the release of those already enlisted. We must work to find suitable formulas and mechanisms for the sustainable reintegration of demobilized children.”
2015-03-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7414 (2015) · source
“My country believes that, in order for the fight against the recruitment and use of children in armed conflict to be effective, it must incorporate both universal adherence to relevant international instruments and scrupulous respect for them, as stated so clearly in the Principles and Guidelines on Children Associated with Armed Forces or Armed Groups, which Benin fully supports. States should also place particular emphasis on strengthening national mechanisms for resilience and the protection of children and should raise further awareness about the harmful effects of the practice. It is important to firmly combat extremist movements such as Boko Haram. Military action must continue to go hand in hand with diplomatic efforts to secure the release, recovery and rehabilitation of children affected by armed conflict.”
2015-03-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7414 (2015) · source
“I would note in particular the lack of clearly defined battlefields, the increased diversity of parties to the conflict, and the fact that places such as schools and hospitals, which traditionally were shelters, are now deliberately targeted. Children and students are kidnapped, enlisted and indoctrinated. For example, there is extremist sect Boko Haram's standard procedure of using children as suicide bombs to carry out terrorist attacks. That extremist sect massacres children on a daily basis by destroying schools, health centres and entire villages and carries out massive abductions of girls in order to force them into marriage, slavery or to carry explosives.”
2015-03-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7414 (2015) · source
“We hope that this trend will continue and be strengthened so as to enable us to achieve the lofty goals that our Organization has set, namely eradicating the phenomenon of child soldiers. Significant progress has been made since then. However, 10 years after the resolution's adoption, the phenomenon of child soldiers unfortunately persists. I salute the commitment of people of good will who have worked to strengthen the mechanism, to expand its jurisdiction and to support the work of the Council's Working Group. The nature of armed conflict and the tactics used by combatants have changed dramatically.”
2015-03-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7414 (2015) · source
“Benin aligns itself with the statement made on behalf of the African Union. The United Nations and the international community are moving towards the celebration, in July 2015, of the tenth anniversary of the adoption of resolution 1612 (2005), through which the Security Council established a monitoring and reporting mechanism and a Working Group on Children and Armed Conflict. We will mark, in March, the first anniversary of the "Children, Not Soldiers" campaign. We will assess the level of commitment of the various stakeholders and the progress made and explore new avenues for work that is as efficient as possible. Benin, which in 2005 introduced and participated in the negotiations on resolution 1612 (2005), is delighted to have been able to promote a mechanism that continues to prove its effectiveness.”
2015-03-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7414 (2015) · source
“Mr. Zinsou (Benin) (spoke in French): I would like to first of all congratulate France for taking the initiative to organize this meeting on the plight of children in armed conflict, a theme specifically centred on child victims of non-State armed groups. I welcome the remarks of Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, which highlight the nature and the extent of the phenomenon, the efforts by the United Nations and its future work on the issue. I pay tribute to Ms. Leila Zerrougui, Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict, and Ms. Yoka Brandt, Deputy Director General of UNICEF, whose remarks commanded our full attention. I welcome the representatives of civil society organizations, including Ms. Julie Bodin, and the highly moving testimony by Mr. Junior Nzita.”
2015-03-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7414 (2015) · source
“Today, armed violence related to drug trafficking, natural disasters caused by climate change, poverty and the lack of social protection threaten human security and hinder development. We must take all those concerns into account not only in the post-2015 development agenda, but also in conflict-prevention efforts. My delegation therefore wishes to express its support for the presidential statement adopted by the Security Council on the subject of today's debate and also the contents of the concept note addressed to the Secretary-General by the Ambassador of Chile, President of the Security Council (S/2015/6).”
2015-01-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7361 (2015) · source
“The Peacebuilding Commission could also contribute to that end were it not for the restrictions that have been imposed upon that body through its enabling resolutions. In that regard, we cannot insist strongly enough on the need for political leaders, whatever group they belong to, to go beyond speeches and rhetoric to take concrete account of the linkages among the ideas of development, peace and security. The actions taken by the United Nations on the ground in terms of security and the promotion of sustainable development must more than ever be coordinated with governmental activities in the beneficiairy countries in order to continue to make a significant and effective contribution to stabilizing and improving the security situation, protecting civilians and promoting social inclusion of the victims of social exclusion.”
2015-01-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7361 (2015) · source
“Those concerns were addressed in resolution 1625 (2005) negotiated by Benin during its most recent membership in the Council. The African Union Peer Review Mechanism also seeks to achieve that end. There is no harm in the Security Council, the principle body responsible for international peace and security, persistently encouraging States Members of the Organization to undertake the necessary reforms to eliminate such dysfunctions, which pose a threat to peace and security. Furthermore, this problem could be the subject of information-exchange between the Security Council and the Economic and Social Council under Article 65 ofthe Charter ofthe United Nations, as explicitlynotedinpresidentialstatement S/PRST/2015/3, adopted this morning.”
2015-01-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7361 (2015) · source
“Radicalization is always possible when a certain level of tolerance for frustration is overstepped. Development is an issue for all social strata living within a given country, and all members of society need to be involved and to enjoy the benefits that their country provides. Development must be inclusive. Young people, women and minorities, who are often marginalized in some countries although they have immense potential to contribute to development, must be taken into account. Reforms promoting inclusive development and shared prosperity can help prevent war and ensure lasting peace. In that regard, the international community must be more focused on the structural dysfunctions within States, which, although they are a domestic concern, also have a real impact on international peace and security.”
2015-01-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7361 (2015) · source
“Sometimes the State's structural weakness has reached such a level that those persons suspected of financial crimes may also enjoy the benefits from that lapse and, despite everyone being aware of their crimes, they can enjoy an opulent lifestyle and the benefits of their crimes without any restrictions. The illicit amounts involved leaving Africa are incommensurate with the resources that come to the continent through legal means. Such situations, because of the crises we have seen in recent years, have on several continents led to revolts and civil wars that have undermined all the efforts made in the past and all the economic progress achieved over many years. The persistence of major socioeconomic inequality between and within States can fuel radicalization and, above all, promote asymmetrical conflicts.”
2015-01-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7361 (2015) · source
“The worst of it is that such ill-gotten gains are used to buy public awareness in order to maintain a remuneration system that undermines national institutions and makes them even less capable of undertaking their statutory functions. Such evils are without doubt catalysts for potential conflicts, with devastating consequences. Not prosecuting financial crimes serves to promote a culture of impunity and lawlessness and favours the existence oftax havens and the practice ofsecret banking that makes it possible to off-shore illegally obtained gains and to provide the perpetrators of economic crimes a golden retirement abroad.”
2015-01-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7361 (2015) · source
“But the problem of exclusion as one of the major root causes of the rupture of national consensus on the social contract has not received the attention it deserves. The marginalization of important social groups, such as youth and women, or of certain regions for the benefit of urban areas or favouring those in power, even certain ethnic or religious minorities, constitutes a factor of delegitimization, not only of those who govern but also of the State infrastructure that tolerates and promotes the emergence of destablizing social divisions. The decline in ethics and the fight for access to natural resources promotes corruption and the diversion of public funds to personal use and deprives the State of the means to ensure vital public services.”
2015-01-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7361 (2015) · source
“Mr. Zinsou (Benin) (spoke in French): At the outset, I would like to commend the choice of the extremely interesting theme of this Security Council debate, entitled "Maintenance of international peace and security: Inclusive development for the maintenance of peace and security". This debate seems very timely, as we are entering the last stage of the negotiations that will lead to the adoption, in September 2015, of a post- 2015 development agenda. Today, the correlation between peace, security and development needs no further demonstration, because the events taking place throughout the world further demonstrate the intrinsic links between those three dimensions. My country, which hosted the Fourth International Conference on New or Restored Democracies, dealt with this issue within that framework.”
2015-01-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7361 (2015) · source
“Benin believes that combating terrorism, along with military measures and the provision of technical assistance appropriate for strengthening the security structures of States, must also include measures designed to promote sustainable development, eradicate poverty in all its forms, create jobs, fight hunger, empower women and create opportunities for young people in order to save them from the allure of criminals. The success of the Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy depends on it.”
2013-05-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6965 (2013) · source
“It is from that perspective that the Security Council summit held on 14 September 2005 (see S/PV.5261) adopted two important resolutions. I am speaking ofresolution 1624 (2005), on terrorism, which calls for a ban on terrorist propaganda, and resolution 1625 (2005), on conflict prevention, particularly in Africa, which advocates for the elimination of the underlying causes of conflict. Both resolutions are part of a complementary approach that must be maintained in the efforts that are currently under way.”
2013-05-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6965 (2013) · source
“It is also necessary for international solidarity to be deeply involved, along with the meaningful implementation of the global strategy for the Sahel that is being developed. There should also be debt forgiveness measures, improved access to markets and support for the private sector and for the creation of businesses, in order to permit the establishment of sustainable peace and security in Africa. In that respect, we should emphasize that the resilience of individual States is an essential factor in combating terrorism. The global counter-terrorist machinery is as strong as its weakest link. Building national capacities is therefore vital. There is an obvious correlation among the fragility of States, poverty, conflicts and terrorism. That is truly a challenge for Africa.”
2013-05-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6965 (2013) · source
“The establishment of the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali will allow for integrated assistance for the rebirth of Mali. Benin is ready to make its modest contribution to the effort. The situation that the international community had to face in Mali has shown the limits of the continental peace architecture for Africa. It also illustrated the obvious need to correct the situation, the reasoning for which emerged during the high-level thematic debate held in the General Assembly on 25 and 26 April. Interregional compartmentalization, not only with respect to markets but also with respect to security, must be eliminated, so as to be able to conduct an integrated fight against the new threats.”
2013-05-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6965 (2013) · source
“The report of the Chairperson of the African Union Commission on terrorism and violent extremism in Africa, presented during the summit that was held in January, focuses on evidence of collusion between extremism and transnational crime in the various regions of the continent. As a negation of the fundamental values of the free world, narco-terrorism must be fought with determination wherever it emerges. It is fortunate that the international community has correctly sized up the global nature of the challenge posed by the phenomenon in Africa and is doing what it can to put in place an effective partnership to eliminate it. We reiterate our support for the operations launched by France and supported by Chad, which made it possible to save the Malian State and recover territories occupied by terrorists in the northern part of the country.”
2013-05-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6965 (2013) · source
“Owing to its many vulnerabilities, Africa has become a favourite target for terrorist entities operating under the cover of violent extremism and religious fanaticism and in collusion with global criminal networks seeking to set up sanctuaries on the African continent by destabilizing its countries. The phenomenon, which we have seen manifested in Mali, is liable to repeat itself in other places on the continent already under siege, given the adverse effects of the proliferation and illicit circulation of small arms and light weapons. The flood of dirty money, produced from all sorts of trafficking, further contributes to making States more fragile.”
2013-05-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6965 (2013) · source
“Mr. Zinsou (Benin) (spoke in French): First of all, Mr. President, on behalf of the President of the Republic of Benin, Mr. Boni Yayi, I would like to convey to you the congratulations of our Government on your country's assumption of the presidency of the Security Council. We were very happy with the choice of theme for today's debate, a topic that makes the issue of security in Africa a central concern on the international agenda. My delegation fully subscribes to the analysis contained in the concept note presented by Togo (S/2013/264, annex).”
2013-05-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6965 (2013) · source
“In conclusion, I can only say that the best protection of civilians is that which is ensured above all by the prevention of conflicts, in accordance with the provisions of resolution 1625 (2005), the promotion of a culture of peace and sustainable development, as a guarantee for human security and the stability necessary for their full development. The question of good governance is of crucial importance, as are the strengthening of resilience to external shocks and efforts to combat the proliferation of small arms. In that regard, we urge States to work towards a consensus for the adoption of a robust and balanced arms trade treaty during the forthcoming final conference planned for March. The entire United Nations system should endeavour to strengthen the effectiveness of the efforts of the international community in that sphere.”
2013-02-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6917Resumption1 (2013) · source
“We need to take appropriate steps in due course to carry out demining and the retrieval of non-explosive devices, which expose civilians to considerable danger in both conflict and post-conflict situations. Benin has a regional demining centre, which is prepared to cooperate with the United Nations in that sphere. The protection of civilians requires us to fight effectively against the use of children in armed conflicts and the sexual exploitation of women and young girls and against acts endangering the vulnerable living conditions of the elderly. The Council must continue its efforts to ensure the effectiveness of steps undertaken in implementation of resolutions 1612 (2005) and 1820 (2008) designed to shield children and women from certain particularly harmful forms of human rights violations.”
2013-02-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6917Resumption1 (2013) · source
“In low-intensity conflict situations that do not require the deployment of peacekeeping operations, the United Nations could rely on civil society organizations to ensure the protection of civilians through daily mediation among the communities on the ground. In that connection, the concept of unarmed peacekeeping performed by civil society organizations is making headway. We have to find the necessary guidelines in order to take advantage of the opportunities available for helping the peace process at a lower cost to the international community. The Council should address the question of the use of explosive devices by warring parties in densely populated areas, which have a disproportionate effect on the civilian population. We should also pursue the efforts under way to criminalize the use of such weapons.”
2013-02-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6917Resumption1 (2013) · source
“In that connection, Member States must achieve consensus on issues pertaining to the rules of engagement of peacekeeping operations, so that the United Nations will not be forced to standby helplessly while the cardinal principles of the Organization are being flouted, as is the case currently in Syria. It is important for peacekeeping operations to ensure the safety and inviolability of humanitarian assistance personnel in order to discourage the acts of violence that are often committed against them. The action undertaken on their behalf should be carried out with wisdom in order to preserve the neutrality of humanitarian assistance and of those individuals who are trying to provide it.”
2013-02-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6917Resumption1 (2013) · source
“Benin would like to express its gratitude to France for the priceless contribution it has made to the liberation of the Malian people suffering under the yoke of international terrorism and for the efforts it continues to make, together with the Malian and African forces taking part in the African-led International Support Mission in Mali, to restore security in the cities that have been retaken and help to build peace in the country. Peacekeeping operations should be given a clear- cut mandate and appropriate resources for its execution so that they can ensure the protection of civilians when they are under imminent threat of violence.”
2013-02-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6917Resumption1 (2013) · source
“The effectiveness of its action depends on the authority that international humanitarian law, particularly the 1949 Geneva Conventions and its Additional Protocols, carries in the eyes of the parties to a conflict. To reinforce it, the Council should make violators of that law pay a heavier price. Those responsible for serious crimes should be excluded from conflict settlements and tried, including by the International Criminal Court, depending on the seriousness of the crimes committed.”
2013-02-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6917Resumption1 (2013) · source
“Mr. Zinsou (Benin) (spoke in French): I would first like to congratulate you, Mr. President, on your country's assumption of the presidency of the Security Council for this month. On behalf ofBenin, I would like to thank the Republic of Korea for organizing this open debate on the protection of civilians in armed conflict. Benin agrees with the Secretary-General's analysis of the issues in his latest report of May 2012 (S/2012/376) and in his statement this morning on the protection of civilians. It is essential that we follow up on his recommendations, including those concerning the responsibility to protect. I have some remarks to make on the topic. Faced with conflict situations, the Security Council should have the determination to assure civilians as reliably as possible that they are protected.”
2013-02-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6917Resumption1 (2013) · source
“The United Nations must ensure that the terrorists answer for their acts before an appropriate international jurisdiction. Beyond the military campaign, it is necessary to redouble efforts to promote dialogue at the level of the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations in order to counter all kinds of fanaticism and fundamentalism. In that way, we can prevent the resurgence of practices of past ages in order to promote the progress of humankind in upholding the common values of respect for dignity and the integrity of the individual for the greater good of its nations and peoples.”
2013-01-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6905 (2013) · source
“The prompt success ofthe military action under way will make it possible to launch the democratic process that will lead to free and transparent elections open to all Malians, from north to south, east to west, pursuant to resolution 2085 (2012). The United Nations must take all necessary measures to support that campaign and to prepare the ensuing political process. My delegation welcomes the deployment of the advance team of the United Nations political mission. The political process should be conducted in strict respect for the national loyalty owed by all communities that make up Mali to the Malian nation and for their increasing inclusiveness, while taking fully into account their influence in relation to the country's demography.”
2013-01-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6905 (2013) · source
“Beyond the military campaign in Mali, the international community should redouble efforts to cut the supply lines and financial channels to the terrorist groups raging in the Sahara desert and should put an end to the trafficking from which they live. Benin has decided to actively participate in AFISMA by making available the most battle-tested elements of its armed forces. In this Chamber, Benin launches an urgent appeal for international solidarity, in particular the material and financial support of all countries devoted to peace andjustice, and to the troops of African States being deployed to commit themselves as soon as possible alongside the French troops and the Malian armed forces.”
2013-01-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6905 (2013) · source
“In that regard, we thank the Secretary-General for his relevant proposals to the Security Council, on which we have been briefed here. We urge him to act on the most appropriate options to respond to the urgent situation on the ground so that the lack of resources and assistance does notjeopardize the lives ofthe deployed troops. We encourage France to maintain its active presence on the ground and to maintain its offensive position to prevent the terrorist groups from retaking the initiative. That said, their leaders, who have the greatest responsibility for the crimes committed against humanity, should be sought out, found and brought before international justice for their heinous crimes.”
2013-01-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6905 (2013) · source