Statement to the press by Minister Mauro Vieira after the briefing of the UN Security Council High Commissioner for Refugees

I’m addressing you in my capacity as Minister of Foreign Affairs of Brazil.

October is traditionally the month with the busiest schedule for the Security Council. In October, the UNSC adopted 7 resolutions and a presidential statement. The first of these resolutions, concerning the issue of Haiti, was adopted on our first day in the presidency.

Brazil always sought dialogue with the aim of finding compromise among the UNSC members, always focusing on the human aspects of conflicts.

Brazil has concluded its presidency today; however, we’ll continue to engage in conversations with the Security Council members with a view to achieving compromise on the pressing and grave situation in the Middle East right now.

Today, we kept hearing concerning developments on the ground, as we’ve worked hard with the E10 to achieve an agreed text on the need for humanitarian pauses and release of hostages.

These developments and the risks related to them require additional time to be properly assessed before we decide on moving forward with another draft resolution.

We hope that the Security Council members will find a way to unlock decisions on the Middle East.

As I highlighted yesterday, the Middle East continues to be the most thwarted issue on the agenda, with 1/3 of the vetoes cast against matters related to the region. Since 2016, no resolution is passed on the question of Palestine. As the human crises unfolds before our eyes, this pattern in the Security Council must change.

I repeat: there can be no rescue of hostages or humanitarian aid under shells.

As I mentioned yesterday in the open debate on the matter, it is disheartening to watch the conflict claim the lives of so many innocent people and not be able to reach consensus on the need to stop human suffering on both sides. In the context of the current deadlock in the Security Council, the 10th Emergency Special Session of the General Assembly, convened last Friday on the principle of uniting for peace, sent a strong message calling for a humanitarian truce leading to a cessation of hostilities.

The ongoing crisis between Israel and Hamas has mobilized much of the Security Council's attention during the Brazilian presidency. Several meetings were held on the issue, including two emergency meetings on October 8 and October 13.

On October 24, I presided over the quarterly open debate of the Council on the situation in the Middle East. The significant number of ministerial attendance on the occasion revealed the concern of the world with the human crises unfolding in the region and the threat of spillover.

On October 30, at the request of the United Arab Emirates, I chaired another emergency session to discuss the dire situation in the Gaza Strip, when we heard very disturbing reports on the situation on the ground by the briefers, as well as many calls for the Security Council to act.

Throughout this period, there were multiple attempts to pass resolutions regarding the situation in Gaza.

Four draft resolutions were rejected by the Council (one Brazilian, two Russian, and one American), either through the use of veto or by failing to secure the minimum number of positive votes (9).

Along with representatives of the elected Council members (E10), Brazil has led efforts to negotiate a new draft resolution that calls for the urgent establishment of humanitarian pauses. As long as we remain in the Security Council, we will continue to work for a responsible answer to the dramatic human crises unfolding in Israel and Gaza. The world is waiting for an unequivocal decision of the Council that calls for the end of the human suffering.

As the current President of the Security Council, Brazil has been working to prevent an escalation of the conflict, protect the civilian population, and alleviate the dramatic humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip.