Source The United Nations
Media www.rajawalisiber.com – Marking the beginning of the United States Presidency of the Security Council in August, Permanent Representative Linda Thomas-Greenfield said her country will focus on two of the Biden Administration’s top foreign policy priorities: Combating food insecurity and defending human rights.
Briefing journalists on Tuesday (1 August) in New York, Thomas-Greenfield said that the drivers of the food insecurity global crisis “are complex”, but one thing is for sure: “Where there’s conflict, there’s hunger.”
She explained why this Thursday (3 August), Secretary of State Anthony Blinken will chair a high-level open debate on famine and conflict-induced global food insecurity.
“The Council will look at ways the United Nations member States Civil Society of the private sector can strengthen, coordinate, evaluate food security initiatives and eliminate famine,” Thomas-Greenfield stated.
She added, “We know food security is national security and that, without doubt, it is within our power to feed the world and end famine. But to do so, we must root out conflict-induced food insecurity. Around the world, hostilities breed hunger. And we see this in places like Yemen, Sudan, Syria, and elsewhere.”
The ambassador also said that the United States “will continue highlighting the devastating consequences of Russia’s unprovoked full-scale invasion of Ukraine.”
“We will have a meeting on August 24, to discuss the protection of civilians in Ukraine, including children. And we will not hesitate to call additional meetings on Russia’s war of aggression and other issues of concern to international peace and security as needed throughout the month,” said the Permanent Representative.
Answering a question about Niger, she said, “We support the efforts of ECOWAS to find a path forward that will lead to returning to the power of the democratically elected President of Niger. We have called on the military to stand down and allow President Bazoum to assume his office.”
Answering a question about Niger, she said, “We support the efforts of ECOWAS to find a path forward that will lead to returning to the power of the democratically elected President of Niger.We have called on the military to stand down and allow President Bazoum to assume his office.”
Linda Thomas-Greenfield also answered questions about the humanitarian situation in Syria, noting, “Russia is holding this resolution, they’re holding Syrian people, hostage. And they know that they are not the ones who are providing humanitarian assistance. And it was never clear to me that what Russia put forward was even something that the Syrians themselves supported.”
Asked about a possible reactivation of the Black Sea Initiative, Thomas-Greenfield said that she hopes “that Russia will come to understand the importance of this grain deal.”
She added, “They benefited from this grain deal, and we have seen indications that they might be interested in returning to discussions. So we will wait to see whether that happens.”
Before the press briefing, Dmitry Polyanskiy, the First Deputy Permanent Representative of the Russian Federation, told journalists at the stakeout that his country was not supporting the United States program for the month.
Asked about that decision, Thomas-Greenfield said, “It’s a little stunt that the Russians have pulled, but it will not interfere nor stop us from carrying out our responsibilities in the Council and completing our plan of action during our office as President. So we will conduct ourselves appropriately during this month and put the agenda daily on the table that we intend to.”
During his stakeout, Polyanskiy noted that “the president’s task is to get a common position, to agree on a common position.”
The Russian diplomat added, “So it’s not his task to impose the position of himself or herself or his allies to the rest of the members. Maybe it is quite okay in the rules-based international order, but it’s not okay given the traditions and the practices we have on the Council, and we are guarding this practice. And again, don’t be misled. Russia is not blocking the discussion of Ukrainian issues. Security Council Russia is very much in favor of discussing these issues.”