S/PV.6392 Security Council

The Security Council will now begin its consideration of the item on its agenda. The Security Council is meeting in accordance with the understanding reached in its prior consultations. Members of the Council have before them document S/2010/495, which contains the text of a draft resolution concerning the measures imposed by resolution 1171 (1998) and the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 1132 (1997), submitted by the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Members of the Council also have before them document S/2010/496, which contains the text of a draft resolution on the United Nations Integrated Peacebuilding Office in Sierra Leone, submitted by the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Members of the Council further have before them document S/2010/471, which contains the fifth report of the Secretary-General on the United Nations Integrated Peacebuilding Office in Sierra Leone. It is my understanding that the Council is ready to proceed to the vote on the draft resolutions before it. Unless I hear any objection, I shall put the draft resolutions to the vote now. There being no objection, it is so decided. I shall first put to the vote the draft resolution contained in document S/2010/495, concerning the measures imposed by resolution 1171 (1998) and the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 1132 (1997).

There were 15 votes in favour. The draft resolution has been adopted unanimously as resolution 1940 (2010). I shall now put to the vote the draft resolution contained in document S/2010/496, on the United Nations Integrated Peacebuilding Office in Sierra Leone.

There were 15 votes in favour. The draft resolution has been adopted unanimously as resolution 1941 (2010). I give the floor to the representative of Sierra Leone.

I have the privilege and honour to address the Security Council this morning to express our thanks and appreciation for the very effective and speedy way the Council has treated some of the issues affecting my country, Sierra Leone. We are grateful that the Council has deliberated on this matter and that its voice was unanimous in arriving at decisions affecting the sanctions issue and the renewal of the mandate of the United Nations Integrated Peacebuilding Office in Sierra Leone. These decisions mark a very important milestone in the ongoing recovery of my country from conflict. The lifting of the sanctions imposed on Sierra Leone serves as an important signal that we are indeed moving along the right path in our post-conflict recovery process. Although of course there are still some bottlenecks to be resolved, we think that there will now at least be a free-trade flow of goods. Some other issues that were affecting the growth of the economy will now be resolved, and problems relating to insurance freight and some of the doubts that had been entertained about dealing with us because of the existence of the sanctions will now go away. The Council’s decision to lift the remaining sanctions on Sierra Leone has created quite an important enabling environment for the Government to continue the implementation of the priorities it has laid out for itself based on the Agenda for Change. The multiplier effects of peace consolidation and economic development will of course undoubtedly continue. I would also like to acknowledge and commend the Council’s very speedy response and action, and we hope that this unanimity will continue. For our part, the political will is there, and we will continue to make sure that we do not disappoint expectations and that the trust and confidence shown in Sierra Leone are not misplaced. We will continue to do our part to make sure that we follow the dictates of international norms and pursue the right path. We thank Council members for their magnanimity, and will never forget it.

There are no further speakers on my list. The Security Council has thus concluded the present stage of its consideration of the item on its agenda.