The UN Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide briefed the Security Council on Tuesday, reinforcing concerns already voiced by other senior UN officials in the chamber, over “the heightened risks” of sexual violence, and trafficking, which are “significantly impacting women and children”, following the Russian invasion of 24 February.
Critical relief supplies for nearly 64,000 people have been delivered to Kramatorsk and Sloviansk, two cities in the Government-controlled areas of the eastern Donetska oblast, or region, in Ukraine, the UN humanitarian agency OCHA reported on Tuesday.
Global cooperation is critical to confront the surge in suffering due to conflict, climate disruption, hunger, the rising cost of living, and the COVID-19 pandemic. senior UN officials said on Tuesday at a meeting organized by the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) to strengthen delivery of humanitarian assistance.
Nuclear weapons are “a deadly reminder of countries’ inability to solve problems through dialogue and collaboration”, UN Secretary-General António Guterres said on Tuesday, urging the international community to abandon them once and for all.
With humanitarian needs in Syria at their highest levels since the start of the civil war more than 11 years ago, UN Secretary-General António Guterres appealed on Monday for the Security Council to renew a resolution on delivering lifesaving aid to millions in northwest Syria, through cross-border operations from neighbouring Türkiye.
STATEMENT ATTRIBUTABLE TO THE SPOKESPERSON OF THE SECRETARY-GENERAL ON COLOMBIA
New York, 20 June 2022. The Secretary-General commends the people of Colombia for their participation and historic voter turnout in the second round of the presidential elections yesterday, 19 June, that resulted in the election of Mr. Gustavo Petro and his running mate Ms. Francia Marquez.
The Secretary-General welcomes the largely peaceful...
With eight months remaining, the window of opportunity is closing for South Sudan to meet critical benchmarks required to complete its transition away from long-running civil conflict, the Special Representative for the country told the Security Council on Monday, pressing parties to the November 2018 peace deal, to implement their commitments in letter and spirit.
New York, 21 June 2022
The International Day of Yoga celebrates the restorative healing and inner peace provided by this ancient practice.
This year’s theme — Yoga for Humanity — reminds us how yoga is truly universal.
With roots in India, yoga is now practiced worldwide, giving people of all faiths and walks of life the tools and...
The Secretary-General strongly condemned on Sunday, an attack in Kidal, a city in northern Mali, against a convoy of UN peacekeepers that claimed the life of a blue helmet.
New York, 20 June 2022
On World Refugee Day, we reflect on the courage and resilience of those fleeing war, violence, and persecution – and we recognize the compassion of those who welcome them.
Today, the global refugee population is at a record high.
...New York, 20 June 2022
Around the world, 222 million children are having their education cruelly interrupted.
Their dreams for the future are snatched away by conflicts, displacement and climate disasters.
In the face of these crises, the UN’s fund for education in emergencies — Education Cannot Wait — is standing with children...
In Colombia, decades of violence and armed conflict created significant obstacles to human development and sustainable peace. To encourage the private sector to move back into hard-hit areas, the UN is financing an innovative project that is supporting local businesses and providing sorely needed job opportunities.
New York, 19 June 2022
Sexual violence in conflict is a tactic of war and repression that terrorizes populations, destroys lives and fractures communities.
Perpetrators rarely face the consequences of their actions. Instead, it is the survivors who carry the burden of stigma and trauma throughout their lives, often doubly brutalized by harmful social norms and victim-blaming.
On this International Day for the...
After two decades of dictatorship, The Gambia is on the road towards democracy and respect for human rights, The UN is working closely with the government on this journey, a process that involves facing up to the country’s violent past.
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Amid the rapidly deteriorating security situation in Haiti, discussions about the country’s future governance remain deadlocked, UN Special Representative Helen La Lime said in a briefing to the Security Council on Thursday.
One-third of Sudan’s population, or 15 million people, are facing acute food insecurity, according to a new assessment released on Thursday by the World Food Programme (WFP).
A UN-partnered bid to address the use of explosive weapons in towns and cities took a further step forward on Thursday, as Member States prepared to gather in Geneva to examine a concrete new plan of action.
A staggering 100 million people have now been forced to flee their homes globally, the UN refugee agency, UNHCR, said on Thursday, highlighting worldwide food insecurity, the climate crisis, war in Ukraine and other emergencies from Africa to Afghanistan as leading causes.
New York, 16 June 2022
The International Day of Family Remittances recognizes the contributions of hundreds of millions of migrant workers to their communities of origin.
Family remittances are not only a main source of income for households, but account for a substantial portion of the Gross Domestic Product in many low-and-middle income countries. Global remittances are three times...
UN Secretary-General António Guterres has strongly condemned a weekend attack in Burkina Faso that left dozens of civilians dead and displaced scores more, his Spokesperson said on Wednesday.
The Women, Peace and Security agenda is “one of our best hopes” for a more peaceful future and a liveable planet, UN Secretary-General António Guterres told the Security Council on Wednesday.
The “unprecedented” truce in Yemen has so far led to a reduction in fighting and other positive developments, but action is needed on its full implementation and to address rising humanitarian needs and insecurity, the UN Security Council heard on Tuesday.
Still suffering from the devastating consequences of the February 2021 military coup, the UN rights chief said on Tuesday that the people of Myanmar remain “trapped in a cycle of poverty and displacement, human rights violations and abuses”.
Food assistance to 1.7 million people in South Sudan has been suspended, the UN World Food Programme (WFP) said on Tuesday, citing a funding crunch and rising needs.
The political crisis unleashed in Myanmar following the 1 February military coup last year, has “opened new frontlines that had long been at peace,” the UN Special Envoy told the General Assembly on Monday, noting that challenges in the country have “both deepened and expanded dramatically.”
Long-term uncertainty related to the length of the transition period in Mali has made it even more difficult to achieve progress on implementing the 2015 peace agreement, the top UN official in the country told the Security Council on Monday.
Madame Vice-President, Distinguished Delegates,
It is an honour to address the General Assembly in my capacity as the Special Envoy of the Secretary-General on Myanmar.
...
New York, 13 June 2022
Every year on 21 September, the United Nations calls on all people to lay down weapons and reaffirm their commitment to living in harmony with one another.
Today, as we mark the 100-day countdown to the International Day of Peace, this shared aspiration is more pressing than ever.
This year’s theme is “End...
The widespread exploitation of men, women, and children at a refugee camp in Malawi has been uncovered by the United Nations Office of Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and the Malawian Police Service.
The UN issued a statement on Saturday calling for attacks on civilians by multiple armed groups in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) to “immediately cease”.
SINGAPORE, 11 June 2022 – The Special Envoy of the Secretary-General on Myanmar Noeleen Heyzer affirmed her commitment today at the 19th Shangri-La Dialogue Asia Security Summit to work with all parties in Myanmar towards the cessation of violence and urgent access for humanitarian aid.
The Special Envoy delivered her address to the Special Session entitled “Myanmar: Finding a Way Forward” focusing on how the international community can best assist the people of Myanmar. She was joined by panelists including His Excellency Saifuddin Abdullah, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Malaysia; Pornpimol Kanchanalak, Adviser to the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Special Representative of the Minister of Foreign Affairs on Myanmar, Thailand; and Derek Chollet, Counselor of the Department, U.S. Department of State.
“There is an urgency for a coherent international response built on regional unity. The people of Myanmar need our collective support to respond to the realities on the ground, and to address the escalating vulnerabilities,” Ms. Heyzer said.
Addressing the inter-governmental security conference, the Special Envoy emphasized that more needs to be done to deliver aid through all existing channels and inclusive processes, to support local humanitarian networks and to build community-based resilience. Humanitarian support must be delivered without discrimination and not be instrumentalized for political or military gain.
Special Envoy Heyzer told the audience of her continuing consultations with all Myanmar stakeholders representing parties to the conflict and civil society, including women community leaders who have highlighted the the urgent need for humanitarian support and protection for women and children. In concert with Her Excellency Retno Marsudi, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Indonesia, Ms. Heyzer continues to explore strategies to advance the Women, Peace and Security platform on Myanmar.
In her bridging capacity helping to amplify the voices of the people of Myanmar and align regional and international efforts, Special Envoy Heyzer emphasized the crucial role of ASEAN in de-escalating the crisis and importance of restarting momentum on the Five-Point Consensus. In addition to the humanitarian obligation to the people of Myanmar, the worsening security situation has major consequences for the entire region.
“The trajectory of growing violence and instability in Myanmar has dire implications beyond national borders,” Special Envoy Heyzer said. “The illegal economy is thriving and spilling over into the region as drug production and trade, human trafficking, export of timber and other illicit activities reach record highs.”
As of 26 May, more than 1 million people have been displaced in Myanmar, with more than half of them losing their homes since the 1 February 2021 military coup. More than 40,200 people have fled to neighboring countries and 12,700 houses, religious buildings and schools have been destroyed.
The Special Envoy will address the United Nations General Assembly on 13 June to brief Member States on the urgent situation.
Press contact: Jeremy Walden-Schertz, Media and Communications Officer, jeremy.walden-schertz@un.org
