Lord Ahmad participates in UN Security Council debates on the Sahel and Children in Armed Conflict
Lord Ahmad, Minister for the United Nations, visited New York on 30 to 31 October to participate in 2 debates at the UN Security Council.
These sessions, convened by France as part of her Security Council presidency and chaired by the French Minister for Foreign Affairs, Jean-Yves Le Drian, discussed international support to the G5 Sahel Joint Force and Children and Armed Conflict.
The Minister outlined the UK’s strong political support for the G5 force and the ongoing commitment to peace and security across the Sahel. He called for a redoubling of efforts for peace, noting that a successful peace process is at the heart of any strategy to defeat terrorism and traffickers in the Sahel.
In response to the Secretary-General’s report on Children and Armed Conflict, Lord Ahmad expressed concern at the increasing number of grave violations being committed against children in areas of conflict, including an alarming rise in the number of cases of humanitarian access being denied to those most in need. He expressed strong support for the work of the Special Representative for Children and Armed Conflict and called on the UN to do more to help protect children’s rights.
During the visit, Lord Ahmad also met the Deputy Secretary-General, Amina Mohamed, Jane Connors, Victims’ Rights Advocate for the United Nations and the Foreign Ministers of Mali, France and Sweden.