Peace and Security

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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Minister Çavuşoğlu,
Ministers, Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen
 
It is a great pleasure to join you for the 6th Istanbul Mediation Conference. This is an important opportunity to consider how we approach mediation, one of our most important tools to reduce and end conflict.
 
As the tragedy in Syria grinds on for an eighth year, with civilians paying the hightest price, there could be no clearer illustration of the importance of political solutions to conflict. 

The Women, Peace and Security agenda is clearly one of the top priorities of the United Nations as a whole. 
 
We see this in the adoption of a great many resolutions by the Security Council, including the landmark resolution 1325 and its many follow-up decisions.
 
We see it in the global recognition of the central role that women must play in preventing and resolving conflicts.
 
And we see it when we gather to discuss the issue. 
 

It is a pleasure to be visiting Denmark, a very good friend of the United Nations and a strong supporter of international cooperation.
 
The Prime Minister and I had productive discussions on a wide range of challenges, but of course the climate crisis was high on the agenda.
 
I had the occasion to thank Denmark for hosting today’s gathering of mayors from 70 of the world’s leading cities, known as C40, an important follow-up o the Climate Action Summit that was convened in New York just two weeks ago. 
 

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This very beautiful monument of a great artist, Amin Gulgee, will remain forever in the UN premises, in New York, and when we see those hands pointing to the sky, but also those hands united, they represent, I believe, a symbol of hope and a symbol of solidarity.
 

This is clearly the happiest moment I have in this High-level week.
 
If one year ago, we would be forecasting the possibility of this meeting, I think nobody would believe [it], but the fact is that we are here, and we are here celebrating a new Sudan.
 
I have a special emotional relationship with the people of Sudan.
 
Sudan was the first country in which the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees has established an operation, an active operation, many decades ago.  I was located there.