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Special Envoy warns of wider regional implications after unrest in Sudan
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Parfait Onanga-Anyanga, Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for the Horn of Africa, briefed on 27 October on the situation between Sudan and South Sudan. He underlined the importance of Sudan and South Sudan abiding by the 31 December deadline set by the Joint Political and Security Mechanism to withdraw all armed forces from Abyei. He said that the recent coup in Sudan reflects the shaky transitions that many countries are going through, adding his hope that the recent positive trend between Sudan and South Sudan will not be derailed.
Full remarks at the Security Council here
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Pedersen stresses the need for common ground for the Constitutional Committee to continue its work
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Geir Pedersen, Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for Syria, briefing the Security Council on 27 October, reported on last week’s meetings of the Constitutional Committee in Geneva. He said the 45 members of the Small Body were not able to move from submitting and discussing initial draft constitutional texts to developing a productive textual drafting process. And he added that an agreement on dates and a commitment to meet twice before the end of the year was regrettably not possible. “"We need constructive Syria diplomacy to help save lives, ease suffering, promote stability and further the implementation of resolution 2254", said the Special Envoy.
Full remarks at the Security Council here
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Our partnership with the African Union and sub-regional organizations is a necessary condition for peace, security, humanitarian, development, and justice in Africa
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Speaking on behalf of the Secretary-General to the high-level debate on cooperation between the UN and the African Union on 28 October in the Security Council, Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed said that we are seeing a rise in seizures of power by force. She said that there is growing cooperation among the United Nations, African Union and subregional organizations on sustainable development, elections and peace processes throughout the African continent. She also noted a key role that the United Nations Office to the African Union is playing in this regard, especially through Cooperation Frameworks for peace and security, humanitarian and for sustainable development; our blueprint for joint integrated action.
Full remarks at the Security Council here
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Verification Mission in Colombia mandate extended for another year
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The Security Council unanimously voted on 29 October to extend the mandate of the United Nations Verification Mission in Colombia until 31 October 2022. The Council noted the 5th anniversary of the Colombia peace agreement and urged the parties to build upon the progress made and address ongoing challenges, in particular the continued violence in conflict-affected areas.
Read more here
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Women Leaders’ Caucus Conference on Sustainable Development and Women’s Leadership in Central Asia
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Natalia Gherman, Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of the United Nations Regional Centre for Preventive Diplomacy for Central Asia (UNRCCA), addressed on 28 October the Regional Conference “Sustainable Development and Women’s Leadership in Central Asia”. The conference was organized by the Central Asia Women Leaders’ Caucus (CAWLC), a platform launched in December 2020 with the support of UNRCCA and UNDP, to enhance the political, economic and social participation of women in the region. In her remarks, Special Representative Gherman addressed the need for inclusive and comprehensive approaches among actors within and across countries of the region.
Read more here
Learn more about Women Leaders’ Caucus here
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UNRCCA co-organizes an online meeting on water and energy cooperation
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On 27 October, UNRCCA organized an online meeting of national experts from the Central Asian states, to discuss issues pertaining to support of regional cooperation in the field of water, energy, and climate. Representatives of the ministries and state agencies of the Central Asian countries as well as international experts attended the event. The participants expressed their initial views on the draft of the renewed UNRCCA project to support regional cooperation in Central Asia on water, energy and climate for 2022-2025 and highlighted the importance of UNRCCA’s regional platform for facilitating dialogue on transboundary water management within its mandate through preventive diplomacy.
Read more here
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Special Envoy visits United Arab Emirates
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Hans Grundberg, Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for Yemen, concluded on 28 October his first visit to the United Arab Emirates where he held meetings with senior Emirati officials and Yemenis from various political components and the private sector. During his meetings with Yemeni interlocutors, Special Envoy Grundberg expressed his concern over the rapidly deteriorating situation in Yemen, including intensification of the war, fragmentation of state institutions, the impact of the conflict on the economy, and delivery of basic services. “It is high time that progress be made toward immediate and longer term political, economic and security priorities in the best interest of Yemenis.”
Read more here
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“All parties must immediately return to dialogue and engage in good faith to restore the constitutional order”
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Volker Perthes, Special Representative for Sudan and Head of the United Nations Integrated Transition Assistance Mission in Khartoum (UNITAMS), briefed the press on 25 October on the situation in Sudan. He said that over the past four weeks he’s been shuffling between the different political and military actors in Khartoum urging dialogue, the maintenance of the constitutional partnership, and warning everybody not to squander the achievement of the first two years of the transition period. He renewed his call on the military to release all those that are unlawfully detained and asked all stakeholders to return to dialogue and restore the constitutional order to not put domestic peace and political transition at risk.
Watch the press briefing here
Statement by the Special Representative here
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Special Representatives travels to Nigeria
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François Louncény Fall and Mahamat Saleh Annadif, the Secretary-General’s Special Representatives for Central Africa and for West Africa and the Sahel, respectively, travelled to Nigeria on 28 October to meet with Government and military officials, as well as humanitarian and development partners, as well as to visit internally displaced people and refugee camps, as part of the third leg of a tour of Lake Chad Basin countries affected by Boko Haram before headed to Niger. Special Representatives Annadif and Fall encouraged the countries affected by the resurgence of Boko Haram, and other extremist groups, to pool their efforts to confront terrorism.
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New episode of “She Stands for Peace”
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This week’s episode features Betty Acahn Ogwaro, the Member of Parliament and Former Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Cooperatives of South Sudan. In this episode of “She Stands for Peace”, Ogwaro offers insights on important sociocultural contexts in understanding the challenges of disarmament and the successful implementation of the peace agreement.
Listen to the episode
For more information on the podcast series, click here
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“Behind the Numbers”: Mary Robinson speaks WPS agenda
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In the second episode of the "Behind the Numbers" podcast series, Mary Robinson, Chair of the Elders, former Special Envoy for the Great Lakes and seventh president of Ireland, stressed that gender lenses are not only crucial in conflict resolution and peacebuilding, but also in addressing climate security. “Behind the Numbers” is a podcast on the meaningful participation of women in peacemaking efforts. Episodes include conversations with peacemakers and decision-makers on the challenges and opportunities of the UN’s women, peace and security (WPS) agenda. Launched on the 20th anniversary of Security Council Resolution 1325 in 2020, the series continues in 2021.
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PBC meeting on the Central African Republic
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The Peacebuilding Commission (PBC), chaired by the Kingdom of Morocco, discussed on 28 October the political, electoral and rule of law situation in the Central African Republic (CAR). The Prime Minister Henri-Marie Dondra briefed on the recent holding of presidential and legislative elections, the Political Agreement, the ongoing Republican Dialogue, the unilateral ceasefire announced by President Touadéra on 15 October, as well as the importance of the Configuration as a partnership forum, reiterating the Government’s support for the renewal of MINUSCA’s mandate in November. The Member States welcomed the ceasefire and noted the necessity of an inclusive national dialogue, the meaningful participation of women and youth and the strengthening of the rule of law and transitional justice to fight against impunity to advance the process in CAR.
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PBC meeting on The Gambia
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The PBC discussed on 27 October progress in the transitional justice process in The Gambia, encouraging prompt finalization of the report of the Truth, Reconciliation and Reparations Commission (TRRC) and robust follow-up to its recommendations, with international support. The Commission took note of plans to finalize the TRRC report, which is expected to contain 415 findings covering a wide array of human rights violations and 180 recommendations to deliver justice to the victims and promote healing and long-term reconciliation, including by building capacity and accountable institutions. The Commission also discussed ongoing and interrelated political and security reforms and preparations for elections. At the Government’s request, the Commission reiterated its commitment to continue to mobilize support for the consolidation of peace and democracy in The Gambia.
Full recording of the meeting here.
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Noeleen Heyzer announced as new Special Envoy on Myanmar
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Secretary-General António Guterres announced the appointment of Noeleen Heyzer of Singapore as Special Envoy on Myanmar, succeeding Christine Schraner Burgener. She was the first woman to serve as the Executive Secretary of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific from 2007-2014. From 2013-2015, she was also the United Nations Secretary-General's Special Adviser for Timor-Leste, working to support peacebuilding, state-building and sustainable development.
Read more here
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On Monday, Mexico will take over the presidency of the Security Council for the month of November.
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