Renewed trust, confidence, and cooperation between international players and Syrians could finally “unlock progress”, putting the country on a political path towards lasting peace, the UN Special Envoy for Syria told the Security Council on Monday.
Mr. President,
Since my last report, I have engaged widely among Syrians from all parts of the country, who have been keen to communicate with the United Nations at this time when all of us are finding new ways to be in touch. I have been struck by how deep their concerns are about the current state and future of their beloved country, Syria.
I have heard relief that the COVID-19 pandemic has so far not hit Syria at the scale initially feared – but also fears that it still could do so. I sense deep anxiety over the fact that, even if violence has for the moment somewhat abated, it does continue, and it can escalate at any moment. I have heard immediate concerns at the further decline of the economy and the suffering this is causing. There is a profound apprehension and worry about the fate and wellbeing of detainees, abductees and missing persons. There is, frankly, disappointment that the political process has not really delivered tangible improvements in the lives of Syrians. And there is a widespread sense that international competition is more prominent than cooperation, with Syrians paying the price.
I share these concerns. And I take them as a strong reminder to the international community of the importance of building a constructive Syria diplomacy to support a political solution. It is hard, but it is not impossible, and we must try.
Mr. President,
We have elements to build on. In the northwest, this month saw further progress in Russian-Turkish cooperation on the ground, pursuant to their March agreement that brought relative calm to Idlib. We all hope that this bodes well for sustaining calm there.
But this calm has been punctuated by violent incidents and mutual attempts at cross-line offensives - most notably, one by the extremist wa-Harid al-Mu’minin operations room. A number of Syrian soldiers were killed during this attack. This prompted an escalation, including increased artillery strikes on areas inside Idlib, as well as rocket fire towards Hmeimim airbase in Latakia, before the episode was contained.
Meanwhile, there have also been further incidents of mutual shelling, IED attacks around Afrin and the northeast; further tensions, targeted killings, military build-up and clashes in the southwest; further reports of Israeli airstrikes in Deir-ez-Zor and Aleppo; as well as further incidents pointing to an ISIL resurgence in the eastern desert.
In short, Mr. President, violence continues and there is a constant risk of escalation which could unravel existing arrangement. We see such dangers right now in Daraa. We must at all costs avoid reversion to the all-out fighting and abuses and violations we have seen before.
Let us also remember that Syria’s instability reverberates elsewhere too – including as far as Libya, given reports of fighters being recruited in Syria in large numbers and sent to fight on both sides of that conflict.
This Council has called on all parties to ensure a sustained period of calm throughout the country. Key players should be working together – and I stand ready to assist in that -- so that significant calm in many areas is sustained, enhanced and expanded into a nationwide ceasefire, as called for in resolution 2254. Let me reiterate my belief that the presence of listed terrorist groups only underlines the need for a cooperative approach in countering them – one that ensures stability, protects civilians and fully respects international humanitarian law.
Mr. President,
Syria has thankfully not to date experienced mass COVID-19 outbreaks that have been the fate of many other countries. Bearing in mind testing limitations, the officially reported caseload is 64, of which 58 are in Government-controlled areas and 6 in the northeast. No cases have yet been reported in the northwest. We note the early measures enacted by the Syrian Government and other de facto authorities to address the pandemic – some of which are now being eased. Of course, as in all countries, the risk of broader outbreak remains – and given the Syrian context, any such development could have devastating consequences in the country and beyond it too.
Under-Secretary-General Mark Lowcock will update you on the humanitarian issues when he briefs you tomorrow. Let me note the importance of full, sustained and unimpeded humanitarian access, using all modalities, including scaled-up cross line and cross border access, to deliver assistance. As we scale up prevention and protection against COVID-19 in Government-controlled areas and in the northwest, such access is absolutely critical elsewhere too, including in the northeast, where gaps in medical supplies have widened.
Further to the Secretary-General’s global call for the waiver of sanctions that can undermine the capacity of countries to ensure access to food, essential health supplies and medical support to respond to the pandemic, let me note the public assurances by relevant States that their sanctions programs relating to Syria neither ban the flow of humanitarian supplies nor target medicine and medical devices. I welcome their commitments to fully and expeditiously apply humanitarian exemptions. I continue to closely follow this issue.
Mr. President,
We are still awaiting concrete news on the issue of detainees, abductees and missing persons. Large-scale and unilateral releases as well as more meaningful actions on missing persons have never been more needed. I continue to urge the Syrian government and all other Syrian parties to step up their efforts in this regard. I believe they could follow the example of those governments in the region and elsewhere who have already carried out large-scale releases on an exceptional basis as part of their pandemic response.
The COVID-19 crisis has added a new layer to Syria’s grave and worsening economic predicament, the result of many internal and external factors and measures over a decade of conflict. The Syrian Pound has continued to depreciate in recent weeks, with implications on the purchasing power of ordinary Syrians. Significant price increases and shortages in basic commodities are widespread across the country, with implications for food security.
Mr. President,
We know that the crisis in Syria will not be resolved by a new constitution alone. But if the Constitutional Committee could work seriously, it could build trust, make an important contribution to a political settlement, and be a door-opener. I am ready to convene a third session of the Small Body of the Constitutional Committee in Geneva as soon as global travel conditions allow. We do not know, of course, when that will be. But let me stress, as both co-chairs have affirmed to me, the importance of a substantive third session on the agreed agenda and the equal importance of there being no preconditions to moving on to other items of the constitution in subsequent sessions, consistent with the mandate and Terms of Reference and Core Rules of Procedure.
We remain in contact with both co-chairs as we assess when the next session will be possible. I also recently offered a briefing to the civil society members of the Small Body. Those who wished to attend and could do so were updated on the agenda agreed between the co-chairs. I believe that all three components of the Committee have been offered the information they need to prepare themselves for a substantive and forward-looking session when conditions permit.
Mr. President,
I have remained in close contact with the Syrian Women’s Advisory Board, whose members have been meeting virtually for the past several weeks. They emphasize the active leadership role that Syrian women are assuming in their communities, in a context of the severe economic crisis and humanitarian needs of Syrians across the country and beyond its borders. They have asked for special priority to help and protect the most vulnerable Syrians including refugees and internally displaced; children and the elderly; women who suffer from violence and abuse; and detainees and abductees who are now at greater risk because of the pandemic. They reiterate to me that a political process within the framework of resolution 2254 is the only way forward, with Syrian women as full partners at the table.
I have also heard from a wide range of Syrian men and women, including civil society interlocutors across Syria and the region, via our Civil Society Support Room. Many continue to impress upon me their ability and desire to build bridges within Syrian society. Almost all of them perceive that the political process is not limited to the Constitutional Committee, and that all of it has stalled. All of them continue to highlight the critical importance of real progress on the file of detainees, abductees and the missing. Calls for accountability for serious offenses and violations of international law are often raised. All are concerned about the declining economic reality across Syria. Debates continue on the issue of sanctions. Many noted also that COVID-19 has created new stresses for Syrian refugees – and for the countries hosting them. All seek the emergence of tangible steps towards the creation of a safe, calm and neutral environment across Syria upon which a comprehensive and credible political solution can be built. These are the same conditions that would allow the safe, dignified, voluntary and well-informed return of refugees and internally displaced Syrians.
Mr. President,
Many civil society interlocutors also raised the issue of elections. We take note that parliamentary elections have been postponed, as one of the precautionary measures against the transmission of COVID-19 announced by the Syrian Government. I take this opportunity to note that these elections would be under the current constitutional framework. The United Nations is not specifically mandated nor have we been requested to engage on these elections. I remain focused, in the context of the UN-facilitated political process pursuant to resolution 2254, on working towards free and fair elections pursuant to a new constitution that are administered under UN supervision in accordance with the highest international standards of accountability and transparency and are inclusive of all eligible Syrians, including the diaspora.
Mr. President,
In conclusion, let us recall that there have been too many episodes in the past decade where fleeting opportunities to turn dynamics towards a political path were lost. Those missed moments were followed by renewed violence and a hardening of positions among regional and international actors. We must not repeat this pattern. With some calm, with the common threats of COVID and ISIS, and with the Syrian people continuing to suffer, I want to stress that renewed and meaningful international cooperation, building trust and confidence between international stakeholders and with Syrians, including through reciprocal measures, is essential -- and could unlock progress.
I believe that Russian-American dialogue has a key role to play here, and I encourage them to pursue it. The states that discuss Syria in the Astana and Small Group formats are key players too, as are you the Members of this Council. Ultimately there is a need to come together to support a renewed effort in a Syrian-led, Syrian-owned, UN-facilitated political process guided by Security Council resolution 2254, towards a political settlement that can meet the legitimate aspirations of all Syrians and fully restore Syria’s sovereignty, unity, independence and territorial integrity.
ADDIS ABABA, 17 May 2020 – The African Union Commission and the Secretariat of the United Nations have been following the unfolding of the electoral campaign in Burundi and remain concerned about reports of intimidation and violent clashes between supporters of opposing sides.
They call on Burundian authorities to provide a safe and secure environment which will allow Burundians to exercise their political and civil rights in tolerance, peace and mutual acceptance.
...New York, 18 May 2020
Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, dear colleagues and friends,
Thank you for this opportunity to address you on the greatest challenge of our age.
The COVID-19 pandemic has demonstrated our global fragility.
Despite the enormous scientific and technological advances of recent...
Ahead of presidential and local elections in Burundi on Wednesday, the African Union (AU) Commission and the United Nations (UN) urged the authorities to provide a safe and secure environment for citizens to cast their votes.
New-York, 17 May 2020
The world marks International Day against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia (IDAHOT) at a time of great challenge.
Among the many severe impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic is the increased vulnerability of LGBTI people. Already facing bias, attacks and murder simply for who they are or whom they love, many LGBTI people are experiencing heightened stigma as a...
New-York, 17 May, 2020
Information technology can be a beacon of hope, allowing billions of people around the world to connect.During the COVID-19 pandemic, these connections – with loved ones, with schools and colleges, with workplaces, with healthcare professionals and essential supplies– are more important than ever.The International Telecommunication Union continues to work with the...
Productive Sectors Development Essential for Achieving #TheLebanonWeWant
Beirut, Lebanon
Friday, 15 May 2020 (United Nations) – The Lebanese economy is suffering from the consequences of longstanding development challenges and multiples crises. Starting from the Syrian crisis in 2011, to the...
This Week in DPPA is a brief roundup of political and peacebuilding events and developments at UNHQ and around the world.
COVID-19Stockholm Forum - DiCarlo calls on influential countries to do more to help silence the guns
Afghanistan – Calls for solidarity amid concerns of rising domestic violence during COVID-19 West Africa - COVID-19 tests the region’s resilience Mohamed Ibn Chambas, Special Representative and Head of UNOWAS, participated on 13 May in The Debate, a discussion programme on French broadcaster France 24. What has West Africa learned since the Ebola outbreak, when is the moment to ease lockdown, and what are the conditions for staging elections during the current crisis were among the issues discussed. Mr. Ibn Chambas said that this was not the ideal time to go to the polls, but he backed Benin’s decisions to stage local elections on 17 May. Watch the debate here New report on impact of COVID-19
Security CouncilHennis-Plasschaert: “Iraq must move away from endless crisis management towards a more productive approach” Griffiths expresses hope instead of reporting success
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IraqMeeting with new Prime Minister
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The World Health Organization (WHO) was on Thursday seeking to clarify why authorities in Burundi have expelled its top official in the country and three other staff members, the UN agency’s Regional Director for Africa told journalists during a press briefing on COVID-19.
UN Special Envoy for war-weary Yemen, Martin Griffiths, told the Security Council on Thursday, that he believed an end to the fighting “is within close reach”, but cautioning that he had come “yet again to express hope, instead of to report success”.
UN Special Envoy for war-weary Yemen, Martin Griffiths, told the Security Council on Thursday, that he had been in intensive negotiations with the warring parties in Yemen over a lasting peace deal, with "significant progress" made, especially towards making the UN's call for a complete silencing of the guns, a reality.
Decades of neglect and underinvestment in addressing people’s mental health needs have been exposed by the COVID-19 pandemic, the UN said on Thursday, in a call for ambitious commitments from countries in the way they treat psychological illness, amid a potential global spike in suicides and drug abuse.
Statement of the International Support Group
Beirut, 13 May 2020
The ISG takes due note of the unanimous adoption by the Government of Lebanon of its Financial Recovery Plan as a constructive framework for future reforms as well as its...
The South Sudanese Government has confirmed that two cases of COVID-19 have been identified inside a Protection of Civilians (PoC) site in the capital, Juba, although the world’s youngest nation has been relatively unscathed by the pandemic, with 74 cases recorded so far.
New-York, 13 May 2020
Mental health is at the core of our humanity.
It enables us to lead rich and fulfilling lives and to participate in our communities
But the COVID-19 virus is not only attacking our physical health; it is also increasing psychological suffering....
Perpetrators behind two separate deadly attacks in Afghanistan on Tuesday must be brought to justice, top UN officials have said.
Despite compounding crises that include the COVID-19 pandemic and plummeting oil revenues, a more prosperous and inclusive Iraq can be achieved provided the political will is there, the top UN official in the country told the Security Council during a virtual meeting held on Tuesday.
New York, 12 May 2020
Let me begin by thanking Ambassador Omar Hilale of the Kingdom of Morocco for this very timely initiative. It is heartening to see so many religious leaders joining forces today in a spirit of solidarity.Our world faces a crisis like no other. The COVID-19 pandemic is not just a global health emergency. It is...
Three UN peacekeepers from Chad were killed in northern Mali on Sunday when their convoy hit a roadside bomb near Aguelhok, in the restive Kidal region. The improvised device also seriously injured four others who are now receiving medical care, the UN Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) said in a statement.
Bogotá, 9 May 2020 - The UN Verification Mission in Colombia condemns the murder of Wilder Daniel Marín Alarcón, a member of the Revolutionary Alternative Force of the Common (FARC) party, occurred on 7 May in the municipality of Bello, Antioquia. With Wilder, there are already 24 cases of murders, in 2020, of those who are committed to their process of reincorporation.
During the COVID-19 context, violence in the conflict-affected areas has continued. Since the...
The UN Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) has condemned several recent attacks on civilian areas of the Libyan Capital, Tripoli, which have reportedly caused deaths and injuries.
On 8 and 9 May, the UN commemorates the millions who lost their lives during the Second World War, the tragic conflict that led to the birth of the United Nations. In a video message released late on Friday, UN chief António Guterres warned that divisions still exist, and called for a world based on peace and unity.
The COVID-19 outbreak could trigger a humanitarian catastrophe in Haiti, endangering many years of hard-won progress in the Caribbean nation, the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) said on Friday.
As civilian casualties mount across Syria and human rights violations continue unabated, the UN rights chief expressed serious concern on Friday that some parties to the conflict, including ISIL terrorist fighters, may be using the COVID-19 pandemic as “an opportunity to regroup and inflict violence on the population”.
This Week in DPPA is a brief roundup of political and peacebuilding events and developments at UNHQ and around the world.
COVID-19Colombia: Need to put the armed conflict on lockdown
Peacebuilding: Joint blogpost on COVID-19 in fragile settings
Central African Republic: Impact of COVID-19 on upcoming elections
Security CouncilHigh-level meeting on the 75th Anniversary of the End of the Second World War in Europe |
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Women, Peace and SecurityWebinar on women’s participation in peace processes
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Contact DPPA at dppa@un.org
UN Secretary-General António Guterres is calling for concerted global action to quash the “tsunami” of hate speech that has risen alongside the COVID-19 pandemic.
Thank you, Mr. Minister, for the invitation to participate in today’s meeting to commemorate 75 years since the end of the Second World War in Europe. This is another opportunity to reflect on the toll of that horrific conflict and its legacy, for Europe and the world.
It is both poignant and ironic that we are not able to meet in person today, because we are facing one of the greatest challenges to humanity since the end of the Second World War. How we react to the new challenge before us - the COVID-19 pandemic - could be as significant as how the world rebuilt after fascism was vanquished.
In May 1945, visionary leaders chose multilateralism and international cooperation over division and isolation. A choice that led to the establishment of the United Nations Organization.
These same leaders created a rules-based system with mechanisms to resolve differences peacefully, and all committed to the principle of collective security. The rules-based system was also built on the respect of human rights and human dignity, a necessary value to overcome the legacy of the Holocaust and atrocities of the conflict.
European countries played a large role in this architecture. For the past 75 years, the countries of Europe have been stalwart supporters both of multilateralism and conflict prevention, lending indispensable support to the United Nations.
The creation of the European Economic Community and European Union signalled that countries would put aside their differences and work toward a more prosperous future of benefit to all members. And the adoption of the Helsinki Accords and the establishment of the Organization of Cooperation and Security in Europe was key to reducing tensions between East and West during the post-War period.
And while this system created after the war has brought relative peace to Europe and other parts of the world, tensions and violent conflicts persist, including in Europe.
Preventing and resolving violent conflicts around the world is at the heart of the United Nations peace and security pillar. The Secretary-General has made prevention one of his highest priorities, including the full and effective implementation of the women, peace and security agenda.
His vision focuses on the need to mitigate wider stressors and shocks that can lead to political crises and violent conflict. He has repeatedly called for a “surge in diplomacy for peace”.
In his briefing to the Security Council on “Conflicts in Europe” at the beginning of his tenure, the Secretary-General urged all stakeholders to intensify their efforts to define a peace and security agenda that could effectively address current complex challenges.
I would like to recall his appeal to the Security Council for an honest reflection on the conflicts in the region. Europe is not immune from instability, and we should not take peace and prosperity in the region for granted.
The United Nations contributed to bringing an end to brutal wars in the Western Balkans in the 1990s. And yet, full peace and reconciliation have still not been achieved there. Meanwhile, there remain several protracted conflicts on the continent, and the crises in Georgia in 2008 and in Ukraine in 2014 showed that new outbreaks of violence were all too possible.
Meanwhile, seventy-five years since the end of the war, we are hearing disturbing echoes of the past. The voices of populism, authoritarianism, nationalism, and xenophobia are making themselves heard ever more loudly. We must confront those who would drag the world back to a violent and shameful past.
The United Nations continues to engage in peace efforts in Europe, including negotiations to reach a comprehensive and durable settlement to the long-standing Cyprus question. We are also working with regional organizations in the Geneva International Discussions.
In addition, we fully support the lead role and vital work of the Normandy Four and Trilateral Contact Group for Ukraine, the OSCE-led Minsk Group Co-Chairs process on Nagorno-Karabakh, the OSCE-led “5+2” settlement process for Transnistria, and the EU-led Belgrade-Pristina dialogue. It is time to find negotiated solutions to these conflicts and build lasting peace. This will require political will, courage and leadership by all concerned.
Yes, this is easier said than done. But if ever there was a time to look beyond narrow interests, this is it. Europe, with international help, built a more prosperous and peaceful future after the cataclysm of the war three quarters of a century ago.
Today, a deadly pandemic threatens us all. But it also gives us an opportunity to unite our efforts to first overcome the crisis and then create a more equitable and peaceful world.
Mr. Minister
Recognizing the unprecedented global challenge of COVID-19, the Secretary-General called on 23 March for a global ceasefire. He urged all warring parties to silence their guns in order to facilitate conditions for the delivery of humanitarian aid, create the space for diplomatic engagement, and address the needs of those most vulnerable to the pandemic.
His appeal has garnered endorsements from many Member States, regional organizations, religious leaders and civil society platforms, as well as several armed groups. The voice of European Member States has been critical in amplifying this call.
Regrettably, in many places, support for the Secretary-General’s call has yet to translate into tangible results. We need a concerted international effort to move conflict parties to stop the fighting, especially as the pandemic injects countries with far-reaching humanitarian, socio-economic and potentially political consequences.
The COVID-19 pandemic has indeed highlighted, once again, the importance of working collectively. When the Secretary-General decided last year that the UN would mark its 75th anniversary by looking forward not backward to what citizens around the world expected from the United Nations of the future, no one could have predicted we would be facing a crisis of this scale.
Out of concern that the world was growing more divided, the Secretary-General called for a return to the spirit of the Charter, to “We the peoples”, to renew international cooperation.
As we look back on the lessons of the past 75 years, we must find opportunity in this time of crisis, to put aside our differences and strengthen the channels for dialogue and cooperation. We must also exercise the solidarity needed to help the more vulnerable countries respond to the challenges they are now facing, understanding that their security and well-being affects us all. We must also find that community of purpose that existed in the immediate post-war period.
This is essential for safeguarding lasting peace and stability, in Europe and beyond.
Thank you, Mr. Minister
Ashgabat, TURKMENISTAN
Special Representative of the Secretary- General for Central Asia, Natalia Gherman, on behalf of the Secretary-General, Antonio Gutterres, expressed support to the collaborative efforts of Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan aimed at mitigating the consequences of the breach at the Sardoba dam that happened on 1 May.
High-level interaction and the personal attention of...
Ashgabat, TURKMENISTAN
Special Representative of the Secretary- General for Central Asia, Natalia Gherman, on behalf of the UN Secretary-General, António Guterres, expressed support to the collaborative efforts of Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan aimed at mitigating the consequences of the breach at the Sardoba dam that happened on 1 May.
High-level interaction and the personal attention...
UN Secretary-General António Guterres and his Special Representative in Iraq, welcomed the long-delayed formation of a new Government in Baghdad on Thursday and called for meaningful reforms to be put into place to better the lives of the Iraqi people and strengthen democratic institutions.
THE SECRETARY-GENERAL'S GLOBAL APPEAL TO ADDRESS AND COUNTER
COVID-19-RELATED HATE SPEECH
COVID-19 does not care who we are, where we live, what we believe or about any other distinction. We need every ounce of solidarity to tackle it together. Yet the pandemic continues to unleash a tsunami of hate and xenophobia, scapegoating and scare-mongering.
Anti-foreigner sentiment has surged online...
