I welcome this opportunity to brief the Security Council at this important juncture in our work for peace in the Middle East.
As members of the Council know, I have just returned from visiting Israel and the occupied Palestinian territory, following the meeting of the Quartet in Moscow this past Fr…
I thank the French presidency for having put today’s important item on the Security Council’s agenda. Transnational issues, including drug trafficking and organized crime, are increasingly present on the Council’s agenda, clearly reflecting the gravity of the threat. Drug trafficking and organized c…
I should like to thank France for having taken the initiative to focus our attention on the crucial question of the transition and exit strategies of peacekeeping operations.
In the broadest sense, our objective should be very clear. The Blue Helmets should themselves strive tirelessly to bring the…
Ten days after the earthquake in Haiti, the scale of the disaster has become clear. According to Government estimates, at least 75,000 people have been killed, 200,000 have been injured and 1 million have been displaced. But of course, we do not yet have a complete tally. Search and rescue teams — m…
Before I begin, please allow me to say a few words on the devastating earthquake that occurred in Haiti. I thank the members of the Council for their expression of sympathy, condolences and solidarity at this time of need.
(spoke in French)
I am deeply grieved by the disaster that has just struck …
Let me begin by offering my warmest greetings for the new year, 2010. I hope and trust that it will bring greater peace and serenity, to both the public and private affairs of peoples and nations around the world.
I welcome the new members of the Council: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Lebanon, Ni…
I am honoured to be here today and to welcome this esteemed delegation. Today’s meeting is an important symbol of collaboration between the African Union and the United Nations. It is also another concrete demonstration of our common commitment to work with the Sudanese people in addressing the seri…
I commend the General Assembly for convening this high-level meeting. Conserving the planet’s species and habitats, and the goods and services they provide, is central to sustainable development and the Millennium Development Goals. This year is not only the International Year of Biodiversity; it is…
I am pleased to join the President of the General Assembly in welcoming participants to the five-year review of the Mauritius Strategy. Adopted in 2005, the Strategy sets forth actions and strategies for advancing the sustainable development needs of small island developing States. Nineteen priority…
I would like to thank Mr. Ali Abdussalam Treki, President of the General Assembly, and participants in today’s meeting for being here to share their ideas, experiences and energy as we plan for the summit on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in September. I salute the General Assembly and Pres…
I am pleased to address this High-level Dialogue on Financing for Development. Before I begin, I would like to welcome the presence of His Excellency Mr. Oqil Oqilov, Prime Minister of Tajikistan.
As we meet, the world economy is showing signs of recovery, yet growth remains fragile. Job losses per…
I am honoured to address this special high-level meeting. Transnational organized crime has become a multinational security threat. That is the message of the report entitled “The Globalization of Crime: A Transnational Organized Crime Threat Assessment”, issued today by the United Nations Office on…
Ten years, ago in adopting the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action against racism, the international community acknowledged that no country could claim to be free of discrimination and intolerance.
Ten years later, that is still the case. Certainly we have come a long way. We have seen new l…
I thank the Burkina Faso presidency for putting this important subject on the agenda of the Security Council.
In recent years, drug trafficking has emerged as a leading threat to international peace and security. We see this most clearly in Afghanistan, Colombia and Myanmar, where the production an…
I would like to thank the representatives of Member States for coming together for the people of Pakistan.
Visiting Pakistan on Sunday, I was honoured to carry with me the sympathy and solidarity of all the world’s peoples. This is what I saw: village after village washed away; roads, bridges and h…
I want to express my appreciation to the President of the General Assembly for convening this important thematic debate and panel discussion on human security. Five years ago, heads of State and Government committed themselves to discuss and define the notion of human security. I want to thank Membe…
I thank the Government of Austria for convening this ministerial debate to mark the tenth anniversary of the Security Council’s engagement on the protection of civilians in armed conflict. I commend Foreign Minister Michael Spindelegger for his leadership.
Over the past decade, this issue has come …
We are here today to commemorate a watershed event. The 1994 Cairo Conference marked a major shift in the international mindset on population issues. Countries from around the world affirmed that population, far from being about numbers, is about people, and that women’s health, education, employmen…
I am pleased to address the Security Council again on the subject of resolution 1820 (2008).
At the outset, Madam President, I would like to welcome you again to the United Nations. I would like also to commend your leadership and commitment on all the major goals and ideals of the United Nations, …
This is a historic moment — a moment offering a fresh start towards a new future. I extend a warm welcome to President Obama. We salute his leadership.
This is the first Security Council summit on nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament. I have long advocated a stronger role for the Security Coun…
