Peace and Security

I just briefed the Security Council in relation to the Berlin Conference on Libya. I think it's very important to recognize that this is a major step.

Chancellor Merkel,
Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

We are here for an urgent and pressing reason: to stop Libya’s downward spiral.

I thank Chancellor Merkel for bringing us together to support efforts to end the conflict in Libya.

I am grateful to the Federal Republic of Germany for this important initiative – and I welcome the presence today of such a large number of distinguished Heads of State and Government. 

I would like to express my deep gratitude to Chancellor Merkel and the German Government for convening this conference.

Dear Chancellor, your consistent, continuous and I would say enthusiastic commitment to support all the efforts to bring peace and stability to Libya are absolutely remarkable and as Secretary-General of the United Nations I want to express my very deep appreciation and gratitude.

The New Year has begun with our world in turmoil.

We are living in dangerous times. 

Geopolitical tensions are at their highest level this century.

And this turbulence is escalating.

Even nuclear non-proliferation can no longer be taken for granted. 

This cauldron of tensions is leading more and more countries to take unpredicted decisions with unpredictable consequences and a profound risk of miscalculation. 

At the same time, we see trade and technological conflicts that fracture world markets, undermine growth and widen inequalities. 

I thank the Vietnamese Presidency of the Council for organizing this timely debate and I congratulate Viet Nam for the Presidency of the Security Council at the beginning of your tenure in the Security Council itself. 
 
I also welcome the presence of the Chair of the Elders, Mary Robinson.
 
And I am pleased that we begin the year of the 75th anniversary of the United Nations with a discussion on its founding document.
 

E’ un grande onore per me essere qui, a Palazzo Madama, per rivolgermi a voi e, tramite voi, a tutto il popolo italiano, per la mia ultima visita di quest’anno.

L'Italia è un partner fondamentale delle Nazioni Unite; il vostro paese dà un importante contributo alle operazioni di pace dell’ONU ed ospita alcune delle sue istituzioni.

I thank the United States and our co-hosts, India, Portugal, Senegal, Uruguay and Vietnam, for convening this event, and for their support to United Nations peacekeeping operations.
 
Our peacekeepers represent the last, best hope for millions of people around the world. Some of them operate in highly dangerous environments, just short of full-blown conflict. We can never forget their service and sacrifice.

I thank the Chair of the Peacebuilding Commission for convening this meeting, open to all Member States, to launch the 2020 review of the peacebuilding architecture.
 
We are joined by the Vice President of the General Assembly and the President of the Security Council, a clear indication of strong inter-governmental commitment to this endeavour.

I thank the UK Presidency for convening this debate as reconciliation processes supported by the international community can have a critical impact on the lives of the people we serve. 
 
Successful reconciliation contributes to preventing a recurrence of conflict and building more peaceful, resilient and prosperous societies, particularly in the aftermath of large-scale violence and human rights violations.
 

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