2025

• 5 أغسطس 2025
  ASG Jenča warns Security Council of catastrophic risks as violence escalates in Gaza; urges immediate ceasefire and hostage release

  Assistant Secretary-General for Europe, Central Asia and the Americas Miroslav Jenča

  Departments of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs and Peace Operations

  Remarks at the Security Council meeting on Situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian Question

  New York, 5 August 2025

   

  Mr. President, Excellencies,

  The situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory and Israel continues to deteriorate, with Palestinian and Israeli civilians, including the remaining hostages in Gaza, continuing to suffer immensely as a result.

  In the past week, Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad released images and videos of two  hostages – Evaytar David and Rom Braslavsky – looking visibly emaciated, as they described the appalling conditions of their captivity. The scenes of Evaytar apparently being forced to dig his own grave are appalling. These images, and their own accounts of their treatment, have horrified us all. They are an affront to humanity itself. I would like to acknowledge the presence of Ilay David, the brother of Evyatar David, who we will hear from shortly.

  Mr. David,

  Please know that we at the United Nations recognize the profound pain and hardship endured by the families and loved ones of those who remain in captivity. Nearly two years have passed, with the immeasurable suffering and fear intensifying with every passing day. I am especially mindful that this week, the Jewish community commemorated Tisha B’Av, a day of mourning and remembrance of historical tragedies endured by the Jewish people — a time that echoes with the pain of loss across generations. I pay tribute to your courage and determination, and I share your dearest wish: for your brother, and all hostages held in Gaza, to be immediately and unconditionally released.

  Mr. President,

  Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups continue to hold 50 hostages, 28 of whom are thought to be deceased,  in captivity in horrific conditions. Released hostages have relayed distressing accounts of deprivation, ill-treatment, and abuse. Since 7 October 2023, Hamas and other armed groups have circulated dozens of videos of hostages, including statements made by hostages under duress and clearly suffering, including the most recent footage of Evaytar David and Rom Braslavsky.

  International law is clear. Hostage-taking is prohibited – it is a war crime. Those deprived of liberty must be treated humanely and with dignity and allowed to receive visits from the International Committee of the Red Cross. They must never be subject to ill-treatment, abuse, or humiliation, as these would also constitute violations of relevant rules of international law. I reiterate the Secretary-General’s call on Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups for the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages. They must be freed– now.

  Mr. President,

  The situation in Gaza is horrifying – it is unbearable. Palestinians are subjected to squalid, inhumane conditions on a daily basis.

  Since the beginning of the conflict, over 60,000 Palestinians have been killed, according to the Gaza Ministry of Health. Since the end of May, over 1,200 Palestinians have been killed and over 8,100 injured while trying to access food supplies, including in the vicinity of militarized aid distribution sites. The deaths and injuries continue to mount, day by day, with no end in sight to the suffering.

  Israel continues to severely restrict humanitarian assistance entering Gaza, and the aid that is permitted to enter is grossly inadequate. Hunger is everywhere in Gaza, visible in the faces of children and in the desperation of parents risking their lives to access the most basic supplies.

  I would like to echo the Secretary-General’s condemnation of the ongoing violence in Gaza, including the shooting, killing, and injuring of people attempting to get food for their families. International law is clear. Civilians must be respected, protected and never targeted or deliberately deprived of food or access to other lifesaving aid – doing so is a war crime.

  Israel must immediately allow and facilitate rapid and unimpeded passage of sufficient amounts of humanitarian relief for civilians in need, to avert further suffering and loss of life.

  Mr. President,

  the latest reports regarding Prime Minister Netanyahu’s possible decision to expand Israel’s military operations through the entire Gaza Strip, if true, are deeply alarming. This would risk catastrophic consequences for millions of Palestinians and could further endanger the lives of the remaining hostages in Gaza.

  International law is clear in this regard. Gaza is and must remain an integral part of a future Palestinian State. As declared by the International Court of Justice, in its Advisory Opinion of 19 July 2024, the State of Israel is under an obligation to cease immediately all new settlement activities, and to evacuate all settlers from the Occupied Palestinian Territory, and to bring to an end its unlawful presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory – Gaza and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem – as rapidly as possible.

  Mr. President,

  The United Nations has been clear: there is only one path to ending the ongoing violence and humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza — a full and permanent ceasefire. The immediate and unconditional release of all hostages. Life-saving humanitarian aid must flow into Gaza at scale and without obstruction, and civilians must be guaranteed safe, unhindered access to assistance.

  There is no military solution to the conflict in Gaza or the broader Israeli-Palestinian conflict. We must establish political and security frameworks that can relieve the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza, start early recovery and reconstruction, address the legitimate security concerns of Israelis and Palestinians, and secure an end to Israel’s unlawful occupation and achieve a sustainable two-State solution - Israel and a fully independent, democratic, contiguous, viable and sovereign Palestinian State, of which Gaza is an integral part – living side by side in peace and security within secure and recognized borders, on the basis of the pre-1967 lines, with Jerusalem as the capital of both States.

  Thank you.

• 5 أغسطس 2025
  Gaza crisis deepens as UN warns children are ‘dying before reaching hospital’

  Children in Gaza are dying not just from hunger, but from the total collapse of the systems meant to protect them, UN agencies warned on Tuesday.

• 5 أغسطس 2025
  World News in Brief: Child deaths in Pakistan, Ukrainian rail station attack, new UN-India development partnership

  On Tuesday, the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) reported the deaths of five children with a dozen seriously injured, following the detonation of an unexploded mortar shell in the city of Lakki Marwat in Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province over the weekend. 

• 5 أغسطس 2025
  SECURITY COUNCIL LIVE: Israel calls for focus on Gaza hostages’ plight

  The Security Council is meeting to discuss rising concern in Israel and elsewhere over the dire conditions facing the hostages who remain in Gaza. It follows the release of recent videos by Hamas and other Palestinian militants showing emaciated captives, which the UN Secretary-General called “an unacceptable violation of human dignity.” A senior UN political affairs official reiterated the "unbearable" conditions faced by Palestinians across the war-ravaged enclave. Stay with UN News for live updates in coordination with UN Meetings Coverage. App users can follow the coverage here.

• 5 أغسطس 2025
  Children are ‘skin and bones’ as Sudan marks a grim milestone

  Famine was declared in the Zamzam camp in North Darfur one year ago. And since then, little has changed – no aid trucks have reached the region, the nearby city of El Fasher is still under siege and food prices are four times higher than other parts of the country.  

• 5 أغسطس 2025
  Gaza: Security Council meets on hostage crisis amid ‘unbearable’ conditions facing Palestinian civilians

  As conditions in the Occupied Palestinian Territory and Israel continue to deteriorate, a senior UN official upheld the need for a political solution to the crisis in Gaza that can lead to a lasting peace between the two peoples.  

• 5 أغسطس 2025
  Media influence during conflict: Libyan journalists discuss propaganda, bias and misinformation 

  Elizabeth Stuart / UNSMIL

  TRIPOLI – During times of conflict or instability, media can deepen divides and incite violence by spreading...

• 4 أغسطس 2025

  On 5 August, Ambassador Eloy Alfaro de Alba, Permanent Representative of Panama to the United Nations and President of the Security Council for the month of August, and Ambassador Dr. Mohamed Khaled, Permanent Representative of Algeria to the African Union and Chairperson of the Peace and Security Council for August, convened their informal monthly consultative meeting. This meeting was facilitated by the United Nations Office to the African Union (UNOAU).

  ...
• 4 أغسطس 2025
  From Commitments to Action: How the UN is Supporting Indigenous-led Peacebuilding

  From land disputes in Guatemala to youth leadership in Colombia, Indigenous Peoples are leading efforts to resolve conflict and build sustainable peace in their communities. At a time of rising inequality and growing demand for natural resources, Indigenous rights and leadership is becoming ever more central to preventing conflict and restoring trust in fragile settings. Ahead of the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples on 9 August, the UN Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs (DPPA) highlights how, together with its partners, it is working to support and amplify Indigenous-led peacebuilding efforts around the world.

  Earlier this year, DPPA co-sponsored a high-level discussion titled “Indigenous Peacebuilding as a Pathway Towards Healing Peoples, for Peace & Planet” on the margins of the twenty-fourth session of the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (UNPFII), which took place from 21 April to 2 May 2025. In her remarks, Awa Dabo, Deputy Head of the Peacebuilding Support Office (PBSO) highlighted the significance of the UN General Assembly resolution on the rights of Indigenous Peoples (A/79/455), adopted in December 2024. “Peacebuilding must honour and respect Indigenous governance and institutions, while upholding their right to full participation in political, economic, social, and cultural life,” she said. The resolution affirms that sustainable peace must be anchored in the recognition and protection of Indigenous rights, including meaningful participation in peace agreement negotiations, transitional justice, conflict resolution, and mediation efforts. The resolution also emphasizes the role of indigenous women in advancing inclusive peace and stresses the need to address historic injustices and strengthen Indigenous institutions as a foundation for long term reconciliation.

  
  

  DPPA is helping turn these commitments into reality through a range of projects backed by the Secretary-General’s Peacebuilding Fund (PBF).

  In Colombia, War Child’s “Intercultural Mae Kiwe” project promotes the safe and meaningful participation of Afro-Descendant and Nasa youth in political and peacebuilding activities, focusing on the protection of their rights and integrating traditional practices into local peacebuilding efforts. In Guatemala’s Polochic Valley, a joint OHCHR and FAO initiative has trained 582 Qeqchi leaders from 10 communities, strengthening their capacity to manage agrarian conflicts and engage in land and food security governance. In the Democratic Republic of Congo, a collaboration among FAO, UNHCR, and UNICEF has helped reduce the marginalization of the Indigenous Twa by securing legal land titles, supporting reconciliation ceremonies, and establishing community committees with significant Twa representation. In the Philippines, IOM, UNFPA, and UN Women are facilitating dialogue between minority non-Moro Indigenous Peoples and government taskforces, building their capacity for effective participation in peace processes.

  These projects reflect a broader strategic shift: recognizing Indigenous Peoples not only as beneficiaries of peacebuilding but as active agents shaping it. The initiatives also illustrate how support from the Peacebuilding Fund is helping close the implementation gap between global norms — such as A/79/455 — and realities on the ground. During the event, Member States including Australia, Guatemala and Mexico shared national experiences and emphasized the importance of Indigenous peacebuilders, mediators and facilitators. “We must ensure the strengthening of the capacities and empowerment of Indigenous Peoples to enable their participation in all peace initiatives, negotiations, and mechanisms,” said Ambassador José Alberto Bríz Gutiérrez, Permanent Representative of Guatemala to the United Nations. Participants, including Indigenous representatives, echoed these calls, advocating for continued DPPA support to ensure their communities have the resources, platforms and protection needed to contribute to peace.

  

  Participants also underscored the need to respond to long-standing sources of tension affecting Indigenous communities. The UN Permanent Forum has warned that the unprecedented demand for critical minerals is intensifying tensions between extractive industries, authorities, and Indigenous communities whose lands are rich in these resources. As these tensions grow, genuine partnership with Indigenous Peoples will be key to preventing violence and fostering sustainable peace.

  “The United Nations, Member States, Indigenous Peoples, all have to engage on the way forward to include and amplify Indigenous wisdom, knowledge and voices in multilateral peace efforts — in peace talks, mediation and reconciliation processes,” said Binalakshmi Nepram, founder of the Global Alliance of Indigenous Peoples and Indigenous peacemaker from Manipur. “This is about our shared humanity, and we thank DPPA for the valuable support and partnership.”

• 4 أغسطس 2025
  Mounting civilian casualties in Sudan as fighting intensifies

  As conflict intensifies between rival militaries in Sudan, the UN humanitarian wing (OCHA) expressed alarm on Monday over mounting civilian casualties and worsening humanitarian conditions across the country. 

• 4 أغسطس 2025
  First Person: Documenting despair and finding hope amidst the rubble of Gaza

  The daily struggle to survive an ongoing war in Gaza and to protect one’s family – while reporting on the fear and chaos that conflict brings – has become an unrelenting obligation for a UN News correspondent in the embattled enclave.

• 4 أغسطس 2025
  Gaza: As aid trucks enter, videos of Israeli hostages and attack on Red Crescent staffers spark outrage

  In Gaza, UN aid teams continue to report that Gaza is on the brink of famine with the UN human rights chief on Monday denouncing images of starvation inside the enclave as “an affront to our collective humanity.”  

• 4 أغسطس 2025
  UNRCCA CALLS FOR STRENGTHENING THE ROLE OF PARLIAMENTS IN ADVANCING PEACE, TRUST AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

  AWAZA, Turkmenistan

  SRSG for Central Asia and Head of UNRCCA, Mr. Kaha Imnadze, took part in...

• 4 أغسطس 2025
  Special Coordinator Hennis-Plasschaert underscores need for social cohesion and army support in Lebanon

  This week, Special Coordinator of the Secretary for Lebanon Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert met with President Joseph Aoun, Prime...

• 4 أغسطس 2025
  Statement of United Nations Special Coordinator Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert

  Five years have passed since the explosion at the Beirut Port shattered lives and neighbourhoods and shocked the world. The United Nations Special...

• 4 أغسطس 2025
  Statement of Special Coordinator Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert

   

  Five years have passed since the explosion at the Beirut Port shattered lives and neighbourhoods and shocked the world. The United Nations Special Coordinator for Lebanon, Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert, today expressed solidarity with all those affected by the blast, many of whom continue to bravely pursue justice.

   

  Following a meeting with families of several victims last week, the Special Coordinator stressed that progress in judicial proceedings...

• 3 أغسطس 2025
  Violence in northern Mozambique forces thousands to flee, straining aid efforts

  Recent attacks by armed groups in northern Mozambique displaced tens of thousands in July alone, deepening an already dire humanitarian crisis in Cabo Delgado and straining limited aid supplies.

• 3 أغسطس 2025
  Cholera spreads in North Darfur, 640,000 children under threat, UNICEF warns

  Cholera is ripping through North Darfur, Sudan, threatening thousands of children already weakened by hunger and displacement, UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) warned on Sunday, as aid convoys struggle to reach cut-off communities amid escalating conflict.

• 2 أغسطس 2025
  Political inclusion, how to deal with spoilers—SRSG Tetteh answers Libyans' questions

  Elizabeth Stuart / UNSMIL

  TRIPOLI – Special Representative of the Secretary General Hanna Tetteh engaged with 239 Libyans Friday in an open Zoom call, discussing issues ranging...

• 1 أغسطس 2025
  This Week in DPPA: 26 July - 1 August 2025

  A brief roundup of United Nations-related political and peacebuilding events and developments globally.

  UN peace operations must adapt to new global realities and refocus on political solutions, Security Council hears

  Addressing the Security Council on 29 July, Assistant Secretary-General Martha Pobee, delivering remarks on behalf of Under-Secretary-General Rosemary DiCarlo, emphasized the need for United Nations peace operations to adapt to today’s multipolar world and complex conflict landscape. She highlighted key lessons from the history of special political missions and outlined three priorities: doubling down on diplomacy, ensuring national ownership, and maintaining adaptability while keeping political solutions at the core. Quoting DiCarlo, Pobee noted: “Politics, diplomacy, dialogue, and indeed peacemaking are the core work of this Organization. They remain our best tools—not only for resolving conflicts, but also for building trust, easing strategic rivalries, and bridging global divides.” She urged renewed consensus and commitment from Member States to strengthen peace operations as essential instruments of multilateral action.

  Read her full remarks

  Escalating violence in Ukraine underscores urgent need for diplomacy, says ASG Jenča at Security Council

  On 1 August, the Security Council convened to discuss the situation in Ukraine following a series of devastating missile and drone attacks across the country. Addressing the Security Council, Assistant Secretary-General for Europe, Central Asia and the Americas Miroslav Jenča called for an immediate and unconditional ceasefire to open space for peace efforts. “Diplomacy, not fighting, needs to escalate in the coming days and weeks,” he said. Read his full remarks

  UN Envoy urges course correction in Syria after deadly Sweida clashes

  Briefing the Security Council on 28 July, Special Envoy of the Secretary-General Geir Pedersen said recent violence in Sweida has further shaken Syria’s fragile political transition, underscoring the need for course correction on security and governance. He also condemned Israel’s intervention and dangerous airstrikes in Damascus. Pedersen emphasized the urgency of a unified, sovereign state that upholds the rule of law and protects all Syrians, calling for a credible process of transitional justice, security sector reform, and an inclusive political transition. He also expressed concern over shrinking civic space and urged broad participation in the upcoming formation of the People’s Assembly.

  Read his full remarks UN conference calls for collective action to achieve two-State solution From 28 to 30 July, the UN hosted the High-level International Conference for the Peaceful Settlement of the Question of Palestine and the Implementation of the Two-State Solution in New York. Co-chaired by France and Saudi Arabia, the conference concluded with a call on Member States to endorse the New York Declaration, which outlines political, humanitarian, and security steps to end the war in Gaza and realize the two-State solution on a timebound and irreversible basis. In his remarks, Secretary-General Guterres warned that “a one-State reality where Palestinians are denied equal rights… is not peace, not justice, and not acceptable,” urging an immediate ceasefire and renewed commitment to a negotiated solution. Read more Peacebuilding Commission highlights value of South-South and Triangular Cooperation On 29 July, the Peacebuilding Commission convened an Ambassadorial-level meeting on the role of South-South and Triangular Cooperation (SSTC) in building and sustaining peace. Briefers included the Minister of Planning and Economic Development of Sierra Leone, who also chairs the g7+, an organization composed of conflict-affected countries; the Director-General of Colombia’s Presidential Agency for International Cooperation; the President of Portugal’s Camões Institute; and a civil society peacebuilder from South Sudan. The Acting Administrator of UNDP delivered opening remarks. The meeting showcased good practices such as Colombia’s South-South Cooperation Programme for Peacebuilding and the g7+’s Fragile-to-Fragile Cooperation model. Member States emphasized the value of peer-to-peer learning and called for sustained investment in SSTC as a key modality to advance nationally owned peacebuilding efforts. Libyan committees agree on need to amend electoral framework The 6+6 Committee and the Advisory Committee concluded a two-day consultative meeting in Tripoli, facilitated by the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL), with consensus on amending Libya’s constitutional and legal framework to enable credible presidential and parliamentary elections. Participants committed to revising electoral laws and advancing a political settlement that includes a unified government with a time-bound electoral mandate. The meeting also underscored the need to strengthen local governance, ensure election security, promote reconciliation, and improve fiscal transparency. Read more

  UNSMIL and Italy convene Libya’s first Mine Action Support Group

  On 30 July, UNSMIL and the Government of Italy convened the first Mine Action Support Group meeting in Tripoli to strengthen international coordination on mine action in Libya. Special Representative of the Secretary-General (SRSG) and Head of UNSMIL Hanna Tetteh called for urgent support to reduce contamination and protect civilians, noting over 420 casualties since 2020. Participants highlighted efforts to clear explosive hazards, strengthen national capacity, and finalize a new National Mine Action Strategy and revised standards. Read more

  Special Coordinator Hennis-Plasschaert underscores need for social cohesion and army support in Lebanon This week, Special Coordinator of the Secretary for Lebanon Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert met with President Joseph Aoun, Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, Foreign Minister Youssef Raggi, and Defense Minister Michel Menassa to discuss advancing Lebanon’s stability through full implementation of Security Council resolution 1701 (2006). Marking the country’s 80th Army Day, she commended the Lebanese Armed Forces for extending State authority and urged stronger international and domestic support. In meetings with Mufti of the Republic Sheikh Abdel-Latif Derian and Sheikh Aql of Druze community Sami Abil-Mona, she welcomed the role of religious leaders in promoting social cohesion amid regional tensions.

  SRSG Abarry participates in the inaugural edition of the Sahel Governance Forum in Banjul  Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of the United Nations Regional Office for Central Africa (UNOCA) Abdou Abarry participated in the inaugural Sahel Governance Forum, held from 30 to 31 July in Banjul under the theme: “The Future of Governance: (Re)building Social Cohesion and Public Trust.” Abarry contributed insights and forward-looking analysis during discussions, including as a speaker on the high-level panel “The State of Governance in the Sahel – Looking Back and Setting Foundations for a Transformed Sahel.” Participants underscored the importance of sound policy, legal and regulatory frameworks, effective public institutions, and citizen engagement in shaping sustainable governance across the region. SRSG Al Hassan engages leaders in Baghdad, Kurdistan Region and visits Yazidi IDPs Between 28 and 31 July, SRSG and Head of the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) Mohamed Al Hassan held a series of meetings across Iraq. In Baghdad, he joined UN Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights Nada Al-Nashif for talks with Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani on enhancing UN-Iraq cooperation on human rights. He then visited the Kurdistan Region, where he met with senior political leaders, including President Nechirvan Barzani and Prime Minister Masrour Barzani, to discuss national unity and accountability for recent drone attacks. On 30 July, the SRSG visited Yazidi IDPs in Sharya Camp, Duhok, marking 11 years since the ISIL onslaught and calling for urgent action to enable their safe and dignified return to Sinjar. UNAMI joins Yazda to mark 11th anniversary of Yazidi genocide

  On 28 July in Erbil, UNAMI participated in a commemorative event organized by the non-governmental organization Yazda marking 11 years since the 2014 genocide against the Yazidis. Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General (DSRSG) Claudio Cordone stressed that the wounds of the atrocities committed by Da’esh remain deep, with thousands still displaced and some 2,600 people still missing. He emphasized the need for reparations, accountability, and dignified, voluntary returns, while reaffirming the UN’s commitment to justice and survivor empowerment, including through initiatives such as Yazda’s “Know Your Rights” programme.   Read more

  DSRSG Isaczai meets with Housing Minister following Wasit fire On 29 July, DSRSG and Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator Ghulam Isaczai and UN-Habitat Head Muslim Qazimi met with Iraq’s Minister of Construction, Housing and Public Municipalities, Bankin Rikani, to express condolences over the recent deadly fire in Wasit Governorate and offer UN support. They emphasized the need to strengthen building safety standards and discussed finalizing Iraq’s National Housing Policy, slated for launch in August.

  Coffee and reconciliation blend in Miranda as Café Espíritu de Paz reopens

  On 28 July, peace signatories in Miranda, Cauca, inaugurated a newly refurbished venue of Café Espíritu de Paz, a collective project born out of commitment to reconciliation and sustainable development. Supported by the United Nations Verification Mission in Colombia (UNVMC), the reopening event gathered signatories and community members to discuss upcoming initiatives under the Sustainability Strategy, in coordination with the Agency for Reintegration and Normalization (ARN). The café stands as a symbol of how peace in Miranda is cultivated—through dialogue, cooperation, and a shared cup of coffee.

  UN Mission Supports Launch of Youth-Led Peace Initiatives in Cali

  On 31 July, UNVMC joined the launch of Parches en Paz in Cali—an initiative by the Government of Valle del Cauca that supports 93 youth-led peacebuilding projects across nine municipalities. The projects harness art, culture, ancestral knowledge, and youth leadership to promote peace and reconciliation. The Mission welcomed the initiative as a vital step in empowering young people as key agents of sustainable peace in the region.

  Slovenia contributes to DPPA’s Multi-Year Appeal  This week, we thank Slovenia for its generous contribution of $29,483 to DPPA's Multi-Year Appeal to support our conflict prevention and mediation work.. Learn more about our Multi-Year Appeal

  Next Week Under Panama’s presidency, the Security Council will discuss the West Africa and the Sahel on 7 August.

• 1 أغسطس 2025
  Escalating violence in Ukraine underscores urgent need for diplomacy, says ASG Jenča at Security Council

  Assistant Secretary-General for Europe, Central Asia and the Americas Miroslav Jenča

  Departments of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs and Peace Operations

  Remarks at the Security Council meeting on Ukraine

  New York, 1 August 2025

   

   

  Mr. President,

  First, allow me to join you in thanking Pakistan for successfully presiding over the Security Council in the month of July. I wish also to congratulate Panama for taking over the Council presidency during the month of August and wish them all the best.

  Mr. President,

  With only one week since our last briefing to this Council on the situation in Ukraine, we are meeting again as the Russian Federation continues its brutal attacks across the country.

  Overnight, between 30 and 31 July, yet another large-scale Russian missile and drone attack hit Kyiv.

  At least 31 people, including five children, were reportedly killed.

  159 people, including at least 16 children, were reportedly injured. The number of children injured in this attack was the highest in a single night in the city since the beginning of the Russian Federation’s full-scale invasion.

  According to local officials, the strike damaged 27 locations across four districts of the capital, including a school, a preschool, a pediatric wing of a hospital and a university building. An entire section of an apartment block was also reportedly destroyed, leaving many trapped beneath the burning rubble.

  Following the attack, humanitarian partners, including UN agencies and local non-governmental organizations in Kyiv, provided immediate emergency assistance to affected families. Aid workers also distributed emergency shelter kits to repair damaged windows, offered initial psychological aid, legal counselling, and psychosocial support to residents.

  In addition to Kyiv, seven other regions of Ukraine - Vinnytsia, Donetsk, Dnipropetrovsk, Zhytomyr, Zaporizhzhia, Cherkasy, and Chernihiv - were targeted that night with at least 120 civilian casualties reported across the country.

  In the frontline Donetsk region of Ukraine, two people were reportedly killed and 10 others injured.

  In the Kharkiv region, one person was reportedly killed and seven others injured.

  Civilian casualties were also reported in Sumy, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions.

  These most recent terrible and devastating attacks follow a deadly wave of daily, relentless Russian air strikes.

  On the night of 28 July and the early hours of 29 July, at least 25 people were reportedly killed and dozens more injured across Ukraine.

  In Bilenke, the Zaporizhzhia region of Ukraine, a reported Russian attack hit a prison facility, killing 16 and injuring 35 people.

  In the city of Kamianske in the Dnipropetrovsk region, a reported Russian attack hit a hospital. Three people, including a young pregnant woman, were killed, and at least 22, including 10 medical workers, were reportedly injured.

  In the village of Novoplatonivka in the Kharkiv region, six people were reportedly killed in an attack that hit people gathered to receive humanitarian aid.

  On 27 July, a drone struck a civilian bus near Ivolzhanske, Sumy region, reportedly killing three elderly women and injuring 19 other passengers.

  These continuing horrendous attacks are simply unacceptable.

  In total, according to the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), since the start of the Russian Federation’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 until 30 June, launched in blatant violation of the UN Charter and international law, 13,580 civilians, including 716 children, have been killed. 34,115 civilians, including 2,173 children, have been injured.

  Since our last briefing, we have also continued to see reports of civilian casualties, including civilian deaths in the Belgorod, Bryansk, Kursk and Rostov regions of the Russian Federation.

  According to the Russian authorities, in the Belgorod region, between 25 and 29 July, at least two civilians were reportedly killed and seven others were wounded as a result of drone and missile strikes.

  In the Bryansk region, between 26 and 28 July, two civilians were reportedly injured as a result of drone strikes.

  In the Kursk region, between 25 and 26 July, one person was reportedly killed and six others were reportedly injured as a result of drone attacks and a mine explosion.

  In the Leningrad region, on 28 July, debris from a crashed drone reportedly caused a fire, killing one civilian and injuring three.

  In the Rostov region, on the night of 29 July, a reported drone strike killed a driver and triggered a fire at a railway station.

  While the United Nations is not in a position to verify these reports, we remain concerned about the increasing impact of the reported Ukrainian strikes on the civilian population in the Russian Federation.

  We also reiterate that attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure are prohibited under international law and must stop immediately – wherever they occur.

  Mr. President,

  Last week, we commended the parties for the continuing prisoners of war exchanges that reunited thousands of people with their families.

  The situation of the remaining captives, however, remains of serious concern.

  Since early June, OHCHR has interviewed nearly 140 male Ukrainian prisoners of war who were recently released, many after up to three years of captivity.

  Nearly all of the former prisoners interviewed by OHCHR reported having been subjected to torture or ill-treatment, including severe beatings, electric shocks, sexual violence, dog attacks, suffocation, mutilation, or conditions so inhumane that they resulted in the deaths of fellow prisoners. These findings confirm the previously documented patterns of widespread and systematic torture.

  Civilians detained by the Russian Federation and interviewed by OHCHR also continued to recount widespread and routine torture and ill-treatment, as well as arbitrary detention and enforced disappearance.

  Disturbingly, OHCHR has also recorded credible allegations of the execution of 106 Ukrainian soldiers captured by the Russian armed forces between late August 2024 and May 2025.

  We continue to urge the sides to fulfill their obligations under international humanitarian law in their treatment of prisoners of war. We also encourage them to continue the exchanges to bring all prisoners home.

  Mr. President,

  Ukrainian people have endured nearly three and a half years of unimaginable horrors, death, devastation and destruction.

  They urgently need relief from this nightmare.

  We therefore reiterate our urgent call for an immediate, unconditional, and complete ceasefire to pave the way towards a just, lasting and comprehensive peace.

  A peace that is in line with the Charter of the United Nations, international law, and relevant UN resolutions in full respect of the sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of Ukraine, within its internationally recognized borders.

  Diplomacy, not fighting, needs to escalate in the coming days and weeks.

  Diplomacy that leads to real, tangible, verifiable and lasting results that would be felt by the long-suffering people on the ground.  

  The United Nations remains ready to support all meaningful efforts to this end.

  Thank you.

• 1 أغسطس 2025
  UN official decries deadly Ukraine strikes, urges return to diplomacy

  A senior UN official on Friday warned of mounting civilian casualties and worsening humanitarian conditions in Ukraine, as a wave of Russian missile and drone strikes this week killed dozens and injured scores across multiple regions – including pregnant women and children.

• 1 أغسطس 2025
  Gaza: ‘No one should ever be forced to risk their life to find food,’ says UN humanitarian agency

  As Gaza faces famine-like conditions, large numbers of people reportedly continue to be killed and injured while searching for food, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said on Friday. 

• 1 أغسطس 2025
  LIVE: UN Security Council meets on crisis in Ukraine

  The UN Security Council meets Friday afternoon to discuss the ongoing crisis in Ukraine, where recent attacks have left dozens dead or injured. A senior UN political affairs official is expected to brief on the situation. Follow our live coverage from UN News, in coordination with UN Meetings Coverage, for real-time updates and key developments from the chamber. UN News App users can follow the coverage here.

• 1 أغسطس 2025
  Haiti: More than 1,500 killed between April and June

  Two gangs in Haiti took over a radio station in April. They broadcasted propaganda and played hip-hop supportive of their activities. Upon leaving, they took all the equipment with them and burned down a nearby market — a reminder that armed violence in Haiti is not only taking people’s lives but also destroying their livelihoods.  

• 1 أغسطس 2025
  Gaza: Nearly 1,400 Palestinians killed while seeking food, as UN warns airdrops are no solution

  Despite Israel’s 27 July announcement of daily military pauses in western Gaza “to improve humanitarian responses,” Israeli forces continued attacks along food convoy routes and near Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) aid sites, according to the UN human rights office in Palestine (OHCHR). 

• 31 يوليو 2025
  6+6 Committee and Advisory Committee Conclude Consultative Meeting on Electoral Framework

  TRIPOLI – At the end of their two-day consultative meeting under the auspices of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL), the 6+6 Committee...

• 31 يوليو 2025
  On brink of famine, Gazans forced to scour dirt for food

  In Gaza, UN aid teams continued their efforts on Thursday to help people of the war-shattered enclave by retrieving urgently needed fuel and other supplies from the Kerem Shalom crossing in the south of the Strip.

• 31 يوليو 2025
  SECURITY COUNCIL LIVE: Meeting on the situation in Ukraine

  The UN Security Council met on Thursday morning to discuss threats to international peace and security, with a focus on the situation in Ukraine. The meeting was requested by Russia. Follow our live updates as UN News, in coordination with UN Meetings Coverage, brings you key highlights and takeaways from today’s session. UN News app users can follow the coverage here.

• 31 يوليو 2025
  Russian attack on Ukrainian capital kills at least 11 civilians

  At least 11 civilians were killed and over 130 injured in Russian strikes overnight in Ukraine’s capital Kyiv, the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in the country, HRMMU, reported on Thursday. 

• 31 يوليو 2025
  Gaza Strip: Humanitarians warn of worsening famine conditions, attacks on civilians

  Famine conditions are tightening their grip on the Gaza Strip, as the latest UN humanitarian update warns of soaring malnutrition-related deaths, relentless civilian attacks, and mounting obstacles to aid access amid deepening crisis. 

• 31 يوليو 2025
  In Myanmar, conflict and floods collide as UN warns of deepening crisis

  As Myanmar reels from deadly floods, renewed fighting and widespread displacement, the United Nations warned on Thursday that urgent humanitarian needs are going unmet due to escalating violence and blocked access.

• 31 يوليو 2025
  Charting a mine-free future: UNSMIL and Italy convene Libya’s first Mine Action Support Group

  TRIPOLI – The United Nations Support Mission in Libya and the Government of Italy brought together international partners for the first Libya Mine Action...

• 30 يوليو 2025
  With Gaza smouldering, ministers renew push for two-State solution at UN

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• 30 يوليو 2025
  Gaza children starving despite Israeli ‘tactical pauses’, UN says

  Despite daily “tactical pauses” declared by Israeli forces, humanitarian conditions in Gaza remain catastrophic, with children starving, aid workers overwhelmed and fuel and water supplies critically low, UN humanitarians reported on Wednesday.

• 30 يوليو 2025
  Haitians in ‘despair’ following abrupt suspension of US humanitarian support

  People in Haiti have expressed “despair” following the “abrupt suspension” of a wide range of humanitarian services, according to the UN aid coordination office, OCHA, in the Caribbean country.

• 30 يوليو 2025
  LIVE COVERAGE: Day 3 of high-level conference on two-State solution for Israel and Palestine

  Welcome to our live coverage of the third day of high-level international conference at UN Headquarters, aimed at advancing practical steps toward achieving a two-State solution to the Israel-Palestine conflict. Mandated by the General Assembly meeting features plenaries, working groups and interventions from senior UN officials and Member States. UN News app users can follow here.

• 29 يوليو 2025
  SRSG to the AU and Head of UNOAU participates in the 13th High-Level Dialogue on Democracy, Human Rights, and Governance

  On 29 and 30 July, SRSG Parfait Onanga-Anyanga participated in the 13th High-Level Dialogue on Democracy, Human Rights, and Governance, which took...

• 29 يوليو 2025
  UN peace operations must adapt to new global realities and refocus on political solutions, Security Council hears

  Briefing by Under-Secretary-General Rosemary DiCarlo

  to the Security Council

  (Delivered by ASG Martha Pobee)

  “Adapting peace operations for the pursuit of political solutions – priorities and challenges”

  New York, 29 July 2025

   

  Mr. President,

  Excellencies,

  I thank the Permanent Mission of Pakistan for convening this important briefing and creating this opportunity to hear the views of the members of this Council as we conduct the review of United Nations peace operations mandated by the Pact for the Future.   

  The Pact recognized UN peace operations – which comprise peacekeeping operations and special political missions – as essential instruments of multilateral action for peace.

  For nearly eight decades, these operations have enabled the United Nations to deliver tailored responses to critical peace and security challenges.

  Today, however, their work is shaped in new ways by a number of trends:

  • The post-Cold War era has ended, and a multipolar order is emerging.

  • The frameworks that States have used in the past to manage disagreements have eroded.

  • Lack of trust among States is hindering collective action on urgent issues that pose a critical threat to humanity.

  • Normative frameworks are challenged or interpreted differently by different parts of the Membership. This includes not only human rights norms, but also the norm of peaceful settlement of conflict.

  Growing geopolitical fragmentation has led to increasing divergences of opinion – especially within the Security Council and among host states – around how our missions should function, what mandates they should be given, and under what circumstances they should be deployed.

  Meanwhile, peace operations confront an evolving and more complex conflict landscape:

  • Non-state armed groups continue to proliferate. Many use terrorist tactics or espouse unclear political objectives, challenging traditional peacemaking;

  • New technologies bring opportunities, but also risks where they are being weaponized, from AI to drones;

  • Transnational drivers of conflict, such as organized crime and the impact of climate change, are increasingly prevalent.

  And yet, just as these threats are converging, increased competition at the geostrategic level is making international cooperation to address them more difficult.

  In light of the challenges facing peace operations, there is a clear need to reflect on their future.

  Mr. President,

  As part of our reflections for this review, we went back into the history of special political missions since 1948 to distill ideas for the future.

  During the Cold War, political tensions ran high and ideological divisions hindered multilateral cooperation. But this Council was able to find common ground through the work of our missions, which provided impetus for parties to settle disputes peacefully and avoid armed confrontation. 

  To mention a few cases:

  In 1969, the diplomatic engagement by the Secretary-General’s Representative to Equatorial Guinea facilitated an agreement on the withdrawal of the Spanish forces stationed in the country, leading to the end of the dispute.

  In 1970, envoys of the Secretary-General helped advance self-determination, such as in Bahrain.

  In 1974 they conducted fact finding on the border dispute between Iraq and Iran.

  From the decolonization process in Africa ushering the birth of new nations in the 1960s to Central America in the 1980s and early 1990s in the dying days of the Cold War, UN special political missions have helped Member States navigate political transitions at times of heightened tensions and advance peace and security.

  Our support to South Africa at the end of apartheid furthered the National Peace Accord, amidst a charged political atmosphere as old structures crumbled and new ones emerged. Our political mission helped observe the elections that inaugurated a democratic, non-racial, and united society with the election of Nelson Mandela.

  There are important lessons from this rich history of UN special political missions:

  First, many of our political deployments were timebound and targeted. The focus was on a political task – as a matter of priority – and without a plethora of additional activities overextending their mandate. 

  Second, the missions were proactive in the use of the Secretary-General’s good offices, both through his immediate office and that of his representatives and the UN Secretariat.

  Third, they came about sometimes with Security Council and Member State support, and at other times, they were a result of the Secretary-General expanding the diplomatic space in the most discreet fashion and away from the glare of the public spotlight and away from Security Council dynamics.

  Fourth, the majority of these missions were nimble, easy to deploy, relatively economical to maintain and without major overheads and costs. In other words, small was beautiful. This is a valuable lesson to remember.

  Fifth, the political and good offices work of these mission was based on consent, as must all mediation and dialogue be. In a time of divisions when external actors are viewed sometimes with suspicion and mistrust, it is essential that the work of UN special political mission, of small missions sent by the Secretary-General, be based on the consent and willingness of the host government, of the parties concerned and of the people of that country. The trust deficit we see today did not exist with many of our more successful missions in the past – this rich history must be re-explored and mined.

  Mr. President,

  Based on reflections on the past and indeed our present, I see three priorities to make special political missions more effective in the new era we are entering:

  First, we must double down on diplomacy and peacemaking.

  Politics, diplomacy, dialogue, and indeed peacemaking are the core work of this Organization.  They remain our best tools—not only for resolving conflicts, but also for building trust, easing strategic rivalries, and bridging global divides.

  As the Security Council recognized in resolution 2788 last week [on 22 July], Member States must make full use of the mechanisms for the pacific settlement of disputes outlined in Article 33 of the Charter. When they do so, special political missions can play an important role in advancing the peaceful resolution of conflicts.

  To make peace, there is no alternative than to bring conflict parties to the table and help them reach agreement. But it is painstaking work and requires patient, often dogged, as well as responsive engagement.

  Syria is a case in point. Over a decade, the people of Syria endured a terrible war, but changes in the political circumstances on the ground suddenly shifted the prospects for diplomacy. Thus, since December last year, our Special Envoy has engaged with Syrians across all of society, including the Syrian interim authorities, to support an inclusive political transition, de-escalate violence, protect civilians, and prevent regional spillover.

  Second, to be successful, our political missions must be responsive to the needs of their host State or States – and, conversely, enjoy the support of their host State or States.

  The responsibility for achieving political solutions rests with national actors. It is only logical, therefore, that national actors should be not just consulted, but rightfully heard, throughout the entire life cycle of a mission. We must walk away from missions that seem imposed by this Council or the international community.

  Well defined mandates designed to address specific issues help manage expectations and maintain the confidence of the parties, as the work of our mission in Colombia demonstrates. The close collaboration between the Government of Colombia and the UN Mission there is a fine example of the possibilities that UN political missions can bring to a country implementing a peace agreement.

  Just as crucially, given that peace is an all-of-society effort, our missions are most effective when they actively engage women and youth as well as civil society and marginalized groups in their work.  

  Inclusion must be at the heart of all our efforts. This means actively promoting the participation of women in political processes, as we have endeavored to do, for example, in Libya, in Syria, in Yemen, and in electoral processes in West Africa and the Sahel. Here, how we do such work matters, including through the use of digital technologies and AI to enhance inclusion, outreach, and new ideas for political solutions.

  Third, we must maintain adaptability in the design of special political missions while ensuring that their core focus is always political.

  When the Council finds common ground, we have the capacity to design profoundly innovative missions: from eliminating Syria’s chemical weapons through the OPCW-UN Joint Mission, for example, to promoting accountability for crimes committed by Daesh/ISIL through the creation of UNITAD in Iraq.

  Special political mission run the gamut from envoys’ offices to regional offices, to investigative missions, to in-country field presences, to ceasefire monitoring missions, and electoral missions.  They are diverse and responsive to the context at hand.  But irrespective of the form they take, their core work is to pursue political solutions.

  We must maintain this adaptability and this clarity of focus.

  Mr. President,

  Throughout its history, the United Nations has grappled with intractable conflicts and deep divisions, much like those we are witnessing today.  We have been there.

  Throughout its history, the United Nations has grappled with intractable conflicts, but one clear lesson is that amid acute geopolitical tensions, peace operations have helped Member States mount tailored responses to challenges to international peace and security. They exemplify collective action for peace. Their work is hard. It requires tenacity.  But it is doable.

  This review on the future of all forms of UN peace operations is a chance for reflection, self-awareness and honesty.  We must ask ourselves:

  How can we rebuild consensus and trust among Member States around these essential instruments? 

  How can we better engage with a laser like focus on matters of peace and security in which our missions have a comparative advantage – a re-emphasis on the politics? 

  How can we ensure that we have both Security Council and Member States support for such missions even as we enable the Secretary-General to utilise his diplomatic toolbox?

  The answers are not easy.  But we look forward to continued engagement with this Council throughout the review process and to working together to making peace operations a more effective instrument in the service of political solutions, and indeed for peace.

  Thank you.

   

• 29 يوليو 2025
  Personal Envoy Sudan

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• 29 يوليو 2025
  UN peacekeeping can work in a fractured world if there is political will

  In an era marked by geopolitical fragmentation and rising global tensions, United Nations peace operations face unprecedented challenges, but senior officials told the Security Council on Tuesday that with renewed political will and strategic adaptation, these missions remain indispensable tools for conflict resolution and protection of civilians worldwide.

• 29 يوليو 2025
  Russian attack on Ukrainian prison kills 16: UN rights monitors

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• 29 يوليو 2025
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• 29 يوليو 2025
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• 29 يوليو 2025
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• 28 يوليو 2025
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• 28 يوليو 2025
  Guterres: ‘Breaking point’ reached in Israel-Palestine conflict, urgent action needed on two-State solution

  UN Secretary-General António Guterres has warned that the Israeli-Palestinian conflict has reached a breaking point, calling for bold political action to salvage the two-State solution and halt what he described as the systemic dismantling of peace efforts. 

• 28 يوليو 2025
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• 28 يوليو 2025
  UN condemns deadly attack on worshippers in DR Congo

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• 28 يوليو 2025
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