I am gravely concerned over the dangerous escalation of violence in Gaza and southern Israel. I deeply regret the loss of life. It is imperative that all sides urgently step back from the brink of another devastating conflict.
I call on Hamas and other Palestinian militants to cease the launching of rockets and incendiary kites and provocations along the fence. And Israel must exercise restraint to avoid further inflaming the situation.
I encourage all to engage...
Bogotá, 20 July 2018 - The United Nations Verification Mission in Colombia and the United Nations System in Colombia celebrate the installation today of the Colombian Congress resulting from the most participative and peaceful legislative elections in decades.
The inclusion in the Senate and House of Representatives of the political party of the Fuerza Alternativa Revolucionaria del Común - FARC -- 20 months after...
Reform of the United Nations peace and security architecture is therefore aimed at ensuring that we are stronger in prevention, more agile in mediation, and more effective in peacekeeping operations.
The complex peace and security challenges we face in Africa are such that neither the United Nations nor the African Union can address the challenges on their own. Partnership is therefore not a choice but a necessity.
The complex peace and security challenges we face in Africa are such that neither the United Nations nor the African Union can address the challenges on their own. Partnership is therefore not a choice but a necessity.
Tunis, 11 July 2018 - A group of internally displaced persons (IDPs), activists, civil society organizations members and some representatives of those displaced from Benghazi attended a two-day consultative meeting in Tunis to discuss the future dialogue process. UNSMIL and UNDP facilitated the consultations as part of the project “Towards National Reconciliation in Libya,” which acts in support of local dialogue processes and mediation efforts throughout Libya. The meeting was...
Welcome everyone and thank you very much for coming here.
As I’m sure you will all agree, over the last few months the situation in Gaza deteriorated rapidly. This was the combination of three factors:
First is the humanitarian factor. People’s life has become more difficult as people have limited money, the economy has collapsed, electricity and water are scarce.
We cannot stand idle when we see 2 million Palestinians in Gaza living in such terrible...
United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres today (Thursday) announced the appointment of Major General Stefano Del Col of Italy as Head of Mission and Force Commander of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL).
Major General Del Col succeeds Major General Michael Beary of Ireland, who will complete his assignment on 7 August 2018. The Secretary-General is grateful to Major General Beary for...
The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) is a strategic partner of the United Nations on issues relating to political affairs and peace and security. The SCO has been an observer in the UN General Assembly since 2005 and starting from 2009, the General Assembly has included an item on “Cooperation between the United Nations and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization” on its agenda every other year resulting in a relevant resolution.
In April 2010, the UN and SCO Secretariats signed the Joint Declaration on Cooperation, which includes information exchange and capacity building. In addition, SCO has also established partnerships with the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), World Trade Organization (WTO), United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), and United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT).
The UN and the SCO pursued their cooperation, particularly in the area of peace and security, including counter-terrorism and prevention of violent extremism, and sustainable development. The Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs (DPPA), as well as UNRCCA (United Nations Centre for Preventive Diplomacy for Central Asia) maintain regular contacts with the SCO Secretariat and its Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure in Tashkent.
The United Nations Secretary-General and other UN high-level representatives regularly attend the SCO Summits.
Since 2017, DPPA has deployed a Liaison Officer to the SCO in Beijing.
I am concerned by the consequences of Israel’s decision to temporarily suspend imports and exports with the exception of basic humanitarian supplies through the Kerem Shalom crossing.
Humanitarian assistance is no substitute for commerce and trade. I urge the authorities to reverse this decision.
Hamas and other Palestinian factions in Gaza should also do their part by maintaining...