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Perthes: “Our commitment and support to the Sudanese people is unwavering”
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“Unless the current trajectory is corrected, Sudan will head towards economic and security collapse as well as significant humanitarian suffering,” Volker Perthes, Special Representative and Head of the UN Integrated Transition Assistance Mission in Sudan (UNITAMS), warned in his briefing to the Council on 28 March. Time is not on Sudan’s side, he stressed. Perthes said the UN-led broad consultations on a political process – involving more than 800 participants from all parts of the country – have found “visible” consensus on many issues, including on the need to end the violence, establish a technocratic Government and an oversight body, and adopt critical legislation. The consultations also found common ground on a minimum of 40 per cent representation of women in transitional institutions, and on mechanisms to advance women’s rights, he reported. An intensive phase of talks is expected to start in the next couple of weeks with a view to a return to constitutional order and an empowered civilian-led government to steer Sudan through the transitional period.
Full remarks to the Security Council here
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Special Representative meets with Chinese Ambassador to Afghanistan
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On 30 March, Deborah Lyons, Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), discussed with Chinese Ambassador to Afghanistan Wang Yu expectations and collective efforts, including by regional countries, on education, governance and the economy. The meeting took place as China kicked off a two-day meeting of the foreign ministers of Afghanistan’s neighboring countries and a separate meeting of the Special Representatives for Afghanistan from China, the United States and Russia. She conveyed her hopes for strong outcome to reassure Afghans of the region’s support.
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Special Envoy visits Cambodia
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The Special Envoy of the Secretary-General on Myanmar, Noeleen Heyzer, was in Cambodia from 30 March to 1 April, where she met with the Cambodian Prime Minister and Chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), Hun Sen, as well as the ASEAN Special Envoy, Prak Sokhonn and other senior officials. The mission was undertaken against the backdrop of escalating violence throughout Myanmar.
Read more here
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Special Representative Gherman stresses regional approach for energy security and climate action
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Natalia Gherman, Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of the UN Regional Centre for Preventive Diplomacy for Central Asia (UNRCCA), took part on 29 March in the International Investment Forum “Oil and Gas of Turkmenistan”. In her keynote address, Special Representative Gherman commended the countries of Central Asia for stepping up joint efforts in the implementation of the Paris Agreement, with a particular focus on finding clean and efficient technological solutions and improving environmental performance. She stressed the importance of adopting a joint regional approach on the entire spectrum of issues pertaining to climate change mitigation, adaptation and finance.
Read more here
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UNRCCA co-organizes national workshop for Tajik authorities on counter-terrorism
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On 28-30 March, UNRCCA in partnership with the UN Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT) and the Counter-Terrorism Executive Directorate (CTED) organized a national workshop for the Tajik authorities to raise awareness and enhance capacity in the responsible use and sharing of biometric data to detect, prevent, investigate and prosecute terrorist offences and other serious crimes at borders. More than twenty representatives from law enforcement structures and other state institutions of Tajikistan were acquainted with the best practices in the use and sharing of biometric data, including the UN compendium of the recommended practices covering legislative and regulatory frameworks, operational capacities and technical readiness. Specific attention was paid to the implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 2396 (2017) on the collection of biometric data to identify terrorists.
Read more here
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UNRCCA Preventive Diplomacy Academy discusses Youth, Peace and Security
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This week, UNRCCA held another online training session of its Preventive Diplomacy Academy. Forty-three participants hailing from all the Central Asian countries and Afghanistan learned about the UN system and the foundations of multilateral cooperation. The course also focused on UN Security Council resolutions 2250 (2015) and 2353 (2020) on Youth, Peace and Security.
Read more here
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Two-month truce agreement reached
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Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for Yemen Hans Grundberg announced on 1 April that a 2-month truce in Yemen will come into effect on 2 April at 7pm, local time, Agreeing on a a United Nations proposal, the parties to the conflict accepted to halt all offensive military air, ground and maritime operations inside Yemen and across its borders. They also agreed for fuel ships to enter into Hudaydah ports and commercial flights to operate in and out of Sana’a airport to predetermined destinations in the region.
Read more here
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UNAMI-IHEC workshop discusses lessons-learned from 2021 electoral processes
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The UN Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) and the Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC) concluded on 30 March a four-day workshop held in Sulaymaniyah. The IHEC Board of Commissioners (BoC) and senior leadership together with senior officials from UNAMI’s Office of Electoral Assistance brainstormed on the challenges and lessons-learned from the 2021 Council of Representatives elections and agreed upon recommendations to further improve Iraq’s electoral processes.
Read more here
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UN in Iraq trained over 500 staff members on Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse
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The United Nations in Iraq, through the Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA) Coordinator attached to the Office of the Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Iraq, rolled out a series of PSEA training sessions for UN and non-UN personnel, including the UN Guard Unit. The training expanded on the Secretary-General's 2017 Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA) strategy, including his six core principles and the UN’s zero-tolerance policy on sexual exploitation and abuse, among others.
Read more here
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High-level joint visit to Chad and Cameroon
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UN Assistant Secretary-General (ASG) for Africa Martha Pobee and Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of the UN Regional Office for Central Africa (UNOCA) François Louncény Fall visited Chad and Cameroon this week. In N'Djamena, ASG Pobee encouraged all Chadians to participate in the inclusive dialogue as part of the political transition process leading to sustainable peace. In Yaoundé, she met with national authorities, political parties, civil society groups and traditional leaders and highlighted the UN’s strong partnership with Cameroon on regional and national peacekeeping, peacebuilding, humanitarian and development issues.
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Ruiz Massieu: “Arauca must be a territory of peace, and Colombia deserves to move towards a comprehensive peace”
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Carlos Ruiz Massieu, Special Representative of the Secretary-General (SRSG) and Head of the UN Verification Mission in Colombia, visited on 29 March the department of Arauca, eastern Colombia. In the past three months, Arauca has suffered a spike in violence with more than 130 people killed and 3,000 forcibly displaced. In his meeting with members of civil society, the Special Representative expressed his solidarity and recognized the fundamental role of social leaders, the importance of non-stigmatization, and the need for a comprehensive State response. In a meeting with the Public Prosecutor’s Office, he highlighted the valuable work they carry out with victims despite the risks and limited resources and warned that it is essential to strengthening territorial entities to respond to this crisis.
Read more here
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Training course on electoral violence prevention
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DPPA’s Electoral Assistance Division kicked off on 28 March a training course for UN system staff on the prevention of electoral violence. The course has been offered regularly in collaboration with the UN System Staff College since 2012. Twenty-three women and 17 men from 28 different duty stations across the UN system, are attending the training. The course aims to deepen insight into the connection between elections and violence, and to build the capacity to develop prevention strategies. It also includes modules on the political participation of women, preventing violence against women, in collaboration with UN Women, and, since 2021, social media and elections. For the first time, a youth, peace and security (YPS) perspective is being incorporated into the course. The training will end on 6 April.
Read the latest ‘Politically Speaking’ article on UN Electoral Assistance
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