Ladies and Gentlemen, good afternoon,

I have just briefed the Security Council on the crisis in the Central African Republic.

We were joined by the Peace and Security Commissioner of the African Union, a sign of our close cooperation and partnership in addressing the horrendous violence and collapse of law and order.

You will have heard my remarks already, so I will not repeat it, but let me just reiterate three points:

First, we must step up our efforts. The international community is working hard to protect people from atrocities, restore stability and provide emergency relief, but it is simply not enough.

Second, I have put forward a six-point plan for addressing the most urgent priorities and needs: More troops and police to protect the people. More efforts to get a peace process under way. More support for President [Catherine] Samba-Panza to get the Government functioning again. More funding for humanitarian assistance. Accountability for perpetrators of sectarian cleansing and other grave violations of human rights.

Third, time is of the essence. A delay of a week or even a day can mean the difference between life and death for many people.

The United Nations is working with the African Union, the Economic Community of Central African States, the European Union, the World Bank and others to bring all our capacities to bear.

I have called many world leaders to enlist their support. The Emergency Relief Coordinator, Valerie Amos, is in the country now. A UN Commission of Inquiry into human rights violations will arrive next week. We are doing our utmost to contain the violence and get the country back on track.

This crisis is a test for the people of the Central African Republic above all. But it also has implications beyond its borders – both in terms of regional security and as a matter of upholding universal values.

When innocent civilians are being murdered in large numbers – deliberately targeted in the most brutal fashion simply because of who they are – the world must act.

Our vow of "never again" is meaningless without the political, military and financial muscle to back it up.

This is a fundamental calling for the United Nations -- and for the world of dignity and solidarity we are trying to build. What is happening in the Central African Republic matters to us all.

I thank you.