S/PV.7681 Security Council

In accordance with rule 37 of the Council’s provisional rules of procedure, I invite the representative of Côte d’Ivoire to participate in this meeting. The Security Council will now begin its consideration of the item on its agenda. Members of the Council have before them document S/2016/381, which contains the text of a draft resolution submitted by France, as well as document S/2016/386, which contains the text of a draft resolution submitted by Angola, Egypt, France, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, Senegal, Spain, Ukraine, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the United States of America and the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela. I wish to draw the attention of the members of the Council to document S/2016/254, which contains the text of a letter dated 15 March 2016 from the Chair of the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 1572 (2004), concerning Côte d’Ivoire, addressed to the President of the Security Council. I also wish to draw members’ attention to document S/2016/297, which contains the special report of the Secretary-General on the United Nations Operation in Côte d’Ivoire . The Council is ready to proceed to a vote on the draft resolutions before it. I shall first put to the vote the draft resolution contained in document S/2016/381.

The draft resolution received 15 votes in favour. The draft resolution has been adopted unanimously as resolution 2283 (2016). I shall now put to the vote the draft resolution contained in document S/2016/386.

The draft resolution received 15 votes in favour. The draft resolution has been adopted unanimously as resolution 2284 (2016). I shall now give the floor to those members of the Council who wish to make statements following the voting.

It is very rare for the Security Council to encounter a situation in which, seeing a return to peace and stability, it can decide that its efforts have achieved their goals. That is the case today with Côte d’Ivoire, with regard to which the Council has just taken two major decisions. On the one hand, resolution 2283 (2016) decides to lift all United Nations sanctions on Côte d’Ivoire. On the other hand, resolution 2284 (2016) grants the United Nations Operation in Côte d’Ivoire (UNOCI) a final mandate, with the goal of organizing the mission’s final departure by 30 June 2017. France welcomes the adoption of those two resolutions. Above all, today’s resolutions reflect the length of the road travelled by Côte d’Ivoire towards reconciliation, peace and security. They are a tribute to the determination shown by the Ivorian people and the country’s authorities to turn the page on the crisis. Côte d’Ivoire has proved its determination to fully take its future into its hands and itself to consolidate the achievements made in the areas of peace, security and lasting reconciliation. We commend that commitment. We support it. And we will continue to do so fully. In a world where, unfortunately, crises continue to proliferate, rather than being resolved, the example of Côte d’Ivoire proves that the Security Council’s tools can indeed achieve results in helping a country successfully get back on its feet following a crisis. In that context, UNOCI and the sanctions regime contributed to re-establishing peace and security in Côte d’Ivoire. In that regard, I pay particular tribute to the troop-and police-contributing countries, as well to all of UNOCI’s personnel, who have done an outstanding job, and will continue to do so up until the mission’s closing. This approach has borne fruit. The resolutions that we have just adopted symbolize that success. We are pleased both for Côte d’Ivoire and for the Security Council, as well as for the United Nations.

My Permanent Representative, Ambassador Yoshikawa, has allowed me to deliver this statement on the occasion of today’s adoptions, as I was personally present in the Ivorian crisis exactly five years ago. The worst of the Ivorian crisis took place in April 2011, while I was Japan’s Ambassador in Côte d’Ivoire, during which my residence was attacked. The French army and the United Nations Operation in Côte d’Ivoire (UNOCI) saved my life and that of my colleagues. I once again extend my thanks to the courageous French operation and to UNOCI. It is for that reason that I am very moved to be here today. Japan welcomes the unanimous adoption of resolutions 2283 (2016) and 2284 (2016). We would like to express our sincere appreciation to the Permanent Mission of France for taking the lead in preparing the resolutions. I would also like to take this opportunity to thank the Chair of the sanctions committee, the Permanent Representative of Uruguay, and to the Group of Experts for their dedication to their work. Throughout the period of the sanctions regime, Côte d’Ivoire made undeniable, outstanding progress in consolidating peace. Japan would like to commend Côte d’Ivoire for its perseverance in the effort of stabilizing the country. Some issues remain, but Japan has trust that Côte d’Ivoire and the Ivorian people will rise up to those challenges. We would also like to pay tribute to UNOCI for its work and its commitment to peace during the past 12 years. The Security Council must make sure that UNOCI concludes successfully, thereby becoming a good example United Nations peacekeeping overall. We hope that the Government of Côte d’Ivoire and UNOCI will coordinate even more during this final cycle of the mandate. Japan will continue to contribute to consolidating peace and stability in Côte d’Ivoire, both as a member of the Security Council and as an important bilateral partner.

Today, as a reflection of the significant progress towards restoring peace and security in Côte d’Ivoire, the Security Council has taken the important decision to terminate the United Nations sanctions regime and to lay out a timeline for the full withdrawal of the United Nations Operation in Côte d’Ivoire (UNOCI). Resolutions 2283 (2016) and 2284 (2016) are notable examples of how multilateral tools that are thoughtfully conceived and managed can serve our shared peace and security interests. In 2004, Côte d’Ivoire was plagued by political turmoil and violence, which threatened its own stability as well as that of the region. The Council responded by establishing an arms embargo designed to prevent an influx of weapons from worsening the conflict. Over time, the Council added targeted financial sanctions and travel bans, including against those individuals who threatened the peace and national reconciliation process in Côte d’Ivoire, as well as an embargo on Côte d’Ivoire’s diamond trade, one of the principal sources of funding for those fuelling the violence. Those measures were carefully designed to deter those who were undermining Côte d’Ivoire’s peace and stability, prevent their access to financial resources and weapons and promote Côte d’Ivoire’s return to the path of peace, stability and greater prosperity for its people. Indeed, after the electoral crisis in late 2010, we saw the important effect of international diplomatic pressure and the arms embargo in preventing greater violence and arriving at a peaceful resolution by April 2011. In Côte d’Ivoire sanctions worked because of the effective collaboration of international partners and mechanisms, including the sanctions committee and the Group of Experts, UNOCI and, significantly, the Ivorian Government. Today’s decision to terminate the sanctions on Côte d’Ivoire is testament to what can be achieved when sanctions are targeted, deployed with purpose and grounded within a clear strategy for promoting international peace and security. We also welcome the steps taken today towards the transition and closure of UNOCI. The transition must be done in a responsible manner that allows for proper planning and coordination with the United Nations country team. As we move towards the 30 June 2017 for UNOCI’s closure, we encourage the Government of Côte d’Ivoire to complete and enforce its security sector reform plan, which is critical to the sustainability of the nation’s progress, and to redouble its efforts to achieve deeper national reconciliation and ensure fair and equitable justice. We also encourage the Government to continue its work on improving natural resource governance, particularly in the diamond and gold sectors, to ensure that potential local conflicts over land use and mining do not become flash points. We also encourage the Government to continue to fulfil requirements under the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme. The United States will continue to work closely with Côte d’Ivoire as it consolidates its progress towards peace and stability. Today we celebrate this transition and the role the Council has played in helping to restore peace to Côte d’Ivoire.

The Senegalese delegation strongly welcomes the adoption by the Security Council of resolutions 2283 (2016) and 2284 (2016) on Côte d’Ivoire, concerning the total lifting of sanctions against that brotherly country and the extension for a final term of the mandate of the United Nations Operation in Côte d’Ivoire (UNOCI) until 30 June 2017, respectively. I take this historic opportunity to extend the heartfelt gratitude and congratulations of my delegation to the delegations of France and Uruguay for the excellent work accomplished over the course of the process that led to today’s double adoption. For both the United Nations and Côte d’Ivoire, this moment demonstrates yet again that peacekeeping operations, as well as the judicious use of sanctions, are effective tools for maintaining international peace and security. The remarkable progress made by the Ivorian Government on all fronts — which I will not detail here — bears witness to that reality and made it possible to obtain the results we welcome today. It deserves all of our support and acknowledgement. In that regard, my delegation extends its warm congratulations to Côte d’Ivoire, through Ambassador Bouah-Kamon, whose firm political will and unfailing commitment were decisive. There will much to be do after the definitive withdrawal of UNOCI to consolidate the political and security gains made over the years. Senegal shares a great deal with Côte d’Ivoire, both bilaterally and at the subregional level, in particular through the West African Economic and Monetary Union and the Economic Community of West African States. Côte d’Ivoire is a pillar of both those organizations. We are convinced that, in spite of ongoing challenges, Côte d’Ivoire shall remain on its feet and will continue to play its perennial role as economic engine in the West African subregion. With regard to 30 April 2017, when all UNOCI military components will be withdrawn, the quick-reaction reserve force, which my country is honoured to oversee, will still be present. This afternoon, the Working Group on Peacekeeping Operations, which Senegal has the honour to chair, will hold its second meeting. Ambassador Bouah-Kamon is warmly invited to share his country’s experience of a peacekeeping operation over the years. The brotherly country of Côte d’Ivoire can always count on the support of Senegal and the international community, in particular the Security Council.

I will be very brief. I have made the impromptu decision to speak, having been encouraged by the words of praise my delegation has received from some of my colleagues here with regard to our work in the Committee established pursuant to resolution 1572 (2004), concerning Côte d’Ivoire. To be quite frank, my delegation played a very limited role. In reality, we merely reaped the benefit of the work done by the person who preceded me in the chairmanship of the Committee, Ambassador Cristián Barros Melet of Chile, who is present in the Chamber today. He and the Chilean delegation are far more deserving of congratulations than am I.

I shall now make a statement in my national capacity. Thanks to the common efforts of the Government of Côte d’Ivoire and the international community, the situation in Côte d’Ivoire has remained stable of late. Comprehensive progress has been achieved in such areas as political dialogue, national reconciliation, security sector reform, demobilization and the fight against impunity. The reconstruction of the country and economic development have begun on a good footing. China appreciates the efforts of the Government and people of Côte d’Ivoire to maintain peace and stability. We congratulate that country on its achievements and wish it every success in attaining prosperity and wealth at an early date. China welcomes the comprehensive lifting of sanctions against Côte d’Ivoire by the Security Council. That is of great significance, as it represents the international community’s due recognition of Côte d’Ivoire’s achievements in the peace process and development. It is an example that the Council can refer to when dealing with other African hotspot issues. At present, some African countries are still subject to Council sanctions. China hopes that these countries and the international community can engage in common efforts to push for the speedy relaxation of the situation, achieve progress in their respective political processes, and embark as soon as possible down the path towards stability, development and the comprehensive and speedy lifting of sanctions. Sanctions are not an end in themselves. The Council should keep itself abreast of the progress being made and, in keeping with developments in the countries concerned, adjust and eventually lift sanction measures in a timely manner so as to create conditions that are conducive to the re-establishment of peace and the development of economies. I now resume my functions as President of the Council. I give the floor to the representative of Côte d’Ivoire.

The Security Council has just unanimously adopted resolutions 2283 (2016) and 2284 (2016) in which, respectively, it lifts the sanctions regime concerning my country and extends the mandate of the United Nations Operation in Côte d’Ivoire (UNOCI) for a final term, until June 2017. Мy delegation welcomes the adoption of these two resolutions, and sees them as a recognition of the many efforts made by the Ivorian Government since the end of the Ivorian crisis in 2011. In them, we also see the effectiveness of the resolute commitment of the United Nations and the entire international community to Côte d’Ivoire. My Government takes this opportunity to express its gratitude to the United Nations, and through it to the Secretary-General, the Presidents and members of the Council, the successive chairs of the sanctions committee, the troop-contributing countries and France, a great country whose support for my country has never been lacking. With the lifting of the sanctions regime, to which my country was subject since 2004, the Government will henceforth devote itself, among other things, to addressing important issues related to security and the implementation of laws overhauling its military and security structures, with a view to modernizing them and making them more effective. My country is aware of the remaining challenges that still need to be overcome. In that regard, I would like to emphasize that my country will shoulder all of its responsibilities commensurate with its commitments and obligations. In accordance with paragraph 14 of resolution 2283 (2016), the mandate of the United Nations Operation in Côte d’Ivoire will come to a definitive end in June 2017. My country welcomes the untrammelled success of the mission and would like to assure the United Nations and the international community of its firm determination to continue our exemplary cooperation with UNOCI so that, by the end of its final mandate, the mission, which — as we are all aware — has already enjoyed great success, will be celebrated and go down in the history of United Nations peacekeeping operations as a success story to be replicated in other parts of the world.