The United Nations has condemned deadly shelling on Zamzam camp, the largest site for internally displaced people (IDPs) in the Darfur region of Sudan.
The United Nations has condemned deadly shelling on Zamzam camp, the largest site for internally displaced people (IDPs) in the Darfur region of Sudan.
The President of the UN General Assembly on Tuesday emphasised that peace and security in Middle East cannot be achieved through force or occupation but only through dialogue, mutual recognition and a commitment to a just, comprehensive, and lasting solution based on international law.
Syria’s status quo has been “radically altered” in a matter of days, with a surge in fighting resulting in an “extremely fluid and dangerous” situation, the UN Special Envoy for the country warned on Tuesday.
The ongoing escalation of violence in northwest Syria linked to the wider conflict in Gaza and Lebanon has left civilians dead and injured, hospitals “overwhelmed” with healthcare attacks on the rise, the UN warned on Tuesday.
On the eighth anniversary of the Colombia Peace Agreement signed in 2016, Under-Secretary-General Rosemary DiCarlo visited the country and took stock of peacebuilding efforts.
Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs Rosemary DiCarlo visited Colombia on 21–23 November for the commemoration of the eighth anniversary of the 2016 Peace Agreement between the Government and the former FARC-EP guerrilla group, which put an end to a long and deadly conflict in the country.
“Colombia’s peace process gives inspiration,” she said speaking in Plaza de Bolívar, in Bogotá’s center, during an event organized on 21 November by the Government of Colombia, the CSIVI Comunes and the UN Verification Mission in Colombia (UNVMC), the special political mission overseen by the Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs (DPPA).
As mandated by the Security Council, since 2017, the Mission has been verifying the accord’s implementation in the areas of reintegration of former combatants, rural reform, security guarantees, restorative justice and the ethnic chapter. Rarely in recent years a long-standing armed conflict has been resolved through negotiations — and with a large participation of women, making the Colombian accord a global example in peace efforts.
“That the Peace Agreement has held and continues to be implemented today with such energy and creativity, is testament to the work of many. To those who wisely crafted it, to the two parties adhering to their obligations, to the institutions established to carry it forward, and to civil society in all its diversity,” USG DiCarlo said.
During her speech, the USG commended the good offices of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General (SRSG) and head of the Mission Carlos Ruiz Massieu and the support of the country’s President Gustavo Petro, who also attended the event.
USG DiCarlo praised the current administration’s commitment to launch parallel dialogues with armed groups and to accelerate the implementation of the Peace Agreement. In October, the members of the Security Council also expressed their support for the President’s efforts to advance the peace process.
These efforts are critical to address security issues that continue to affect many communities of former combatants, particularly indigenous people and Afro-Colombians. While the majority of former combatants remain firm in their commitment to a life in peace, many continue to be exposed to violence, and many are forced to leave their Territorial Areas for Training and Reintegration (TATRs) because of safety issues.
“For the men and women who laid down their arms in good faith, all must be done to ensure their security and to provide them with the guarantees and the support promised under the Peace Agreement,” DiCarlo said on 21 November, giving special recognition to the women peacebuilders “who insisted on a seat at the table.”
On Friday 22 November, USG DiCarlo visited the former TATR of Agua Bonita, in the municipality of La Montañita, Caquetá Department, meeting with former combatants and the local community. The visit included a meeting with HUMANICEMOS DH, a demining organization of people in the process of reintegration.
During her visit in Colombia, the Under-Secretary-General praised former combatants’ commitment to peace “in the face of hardships and uncertainty,” while also remembering those who fell victim to the conflict.
“Peace must deliver on its promise to keep the victims at the center. We commend and we are counting on the pioneering work of the transitional justice system to advance justice and peace through its historic proceedings,” she said.
Ms. DiCarlo concluded her visit concluded with meetings with civil society to discuss how to strengthen the Peace Agreement and its implementation. “Comprehensive and lasting peace, while still in the works, remains within your reach,” DiCarlo said, renewing the UN’s commitment to support Colombians’ efforts to build peace.
Excellencies,
For more than 1,000 days, Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, launched in blatant violation of the UN Charter and international law, has brought horrific suffering to the people of Ukraine.
Thousands of civilians, including hundreds of children, have been killed.
Millions remain displaced.
Residential areas, health and educational facilities, ports and cultural sites have been hit by attacks of the Russian Federation.
And as we enter the cold winter season, Russia’s massive attacks continue to lead to further death and destruction across the country.
Since March this year, Russian armed forces have conducted repeated large-scale, systematic and coordinated attacks on energy infrastructure that is critical to the civilian population in Ukraine.
The complex and coordinated nature of the strikes, the number of attacks across the country, and their regular official acknowledgment are indicators that the attacks against the electricity network are of a widespread and systematic nature, with the apparent aim to damage or destroy Ukraine’s country-wide electricity generating, transmission, and distribution capacity.
We note with concern the widespread use of armed uncrewed aerial vehicles and missiles against civilian energy infrastructure.
We are also concerned about reports of the use of cluster munitions, considering the indiscriminate effects of these weapons and the widespread harm to civilians long after conflicts have ended.
As we informed in our last briefings to the Security Council several major attacks have occurred in the past weeks, as winter set in and temperatures dropped below freezing.
On 28 November, nearly 200 missiles and drones targeting Ukraine’s energy infrastructure reportedly left several people injured and more than a million households without power.
These are just some of the most recent attacks that are adding to the already unbearable toll. More than 60 percent of Ukraine’s energy generation facilities have been damaged, according to UNDP.
The massive destruction risks deteriorating the already dire humanitarian situation in the country and making this winter the harshest so far for the civilian population.
We are particularly concerned about the impact of the extended power cuts on the most vulnerable population, including elderly people, people with disabilities and limited mobility, and those residing in the areas near the front lines.
Sustained donor support remains essential for us to continue delivering life-saving aid to those in need.
The Humanitarian and Resident Coordinator in Ukraine Matthias Schmale will share more details about the impact of these unacceptable attacks hitting civilians and civilian infrastructure in Ukraine, and the United Nations’ response on the ground.
The United Nations strongly condemns all attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure. These attacks are prohibited under international humanitarian law, regardless of where they occur. They must end immediately.
Excellencies,
In addition to the suffering to the civilian population, the war continues to put Ukraine’s nuclear safety and security at risk.
Any incident involving nuclear facilities – whether intentional or by accident – could lead to catastrophic consequences beyond any state borders.
Following the most recent wave of attacks, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on 28 November reported that Ukraine’s three operating nuclear power plants reduced their electricity generation.
While there were no reports of direct damage to the nuclear power plants, the IAEA was informed by the authorities that the strikes impacted electrical substations, which the plants use to transmit and receive off-site power.
Such attacks are dangerous, irresponsible and must not be repeated.
The IAEA will continue to monitor the safety and security in all of Ukraine’s nuclear sites, including at the Europe’s largest nuclear power plant in Zaporizhzhia.
We continue to call for maximum restraint and urge everyone to refrain from any action or rhetoric that could further endanger nuclear safety and security.
Excellencies,
With each passing day of this war, we witness more suffering, death and destruction.
Let me reiterate: all attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure must end now.
And this war must end – in a just, lasting and comprehensive peace, in line with the UN Charter, international law and resolutions of the General Assembly.
We stand ready to use our good offices and to make available all our tools and experience to this end.
Thank you.
Describing the situation in Gaza as “appalling and apocalyptic” the UN Deputy Secretary-General on Monday called on world leaders to act decisively to alleviate suffering and prevent the further devastation of the enclave.
The UN Secretary-General has expressed alarm over the sharp escalation of violence across northwest Syria, calling for an immediate cessation of hostilities and a return to the UN-facilitated political process.
As Haiti grapples with escalating violence and systemic collapse, its children are bearing the brunt of a multipronged crisis that threatens their lives, safety, and future.
A sharp escalation in fighting in Syria’s Aleppo Governorate has displaced thousands and caused heavy civilian casualties, prompting urgent warnings from senior UN officials about the growing humanitarian crisis and threat to regional stability.
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On the Day of Remembrance for All Victims of Chemical Warfare, UN Secretary-General António Guterres called for decisive global action to eliminate chemical weapons, warning that their resurgence threatens decades of hard-won progress.
The UN human rights office, OHCHR, on Friday reiterated its call for Russia to halt attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, adding that those responsible must be held to account.
The final repatriation flight for Brazilians escaping the conflict in Lebanon touched down at São Paulo’s Guarulhos Air Base early Wednesday, as a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah took hold.
As families uprooted by the war in Lebanon begin to return home following a ceasefire deal between Israel and Hezbollah militants, UN humanitarians warned that needs remain "staggering" for devastated communities. The situation is dire in Gaza too, where the enclave's people are struggling to survive "relentless bombardment and deprivation", says the UN aid coordination office, OCHA. Meanwhile at UN Geneva, a special meeting has been taking place to mark the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People. UN News app users can follow here.
Madam President,
Only last week, Under-Secretary-General DiCarlo, on behalf of the Secretary-General, recounted the horrific toll the 1,000 days of Russia’s full-scale invasion have brought to the people of Ukraine. The invasion that was launched in gross violation of the UN Charter and international law.
Yet, in recent days we have seen alarming signs of further escalation in this already explosive war.
The latest developments follow the already disturbing reports of troops from the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea being deployed to the conflict zone.
On 21 November, the Ukrainian city of Dnipro was hit by a ballistic intermediate-range Russian missile. The location hit was reportedly an industrial area southwest of Dnipro city.
According to the Ukrainian authorities, the missile was equipped with six warheads, each with six sub-munitions, and took only 15 minutes to arrive from the launch site in the Astrakhan region of the Russian Federation, some 1,000 kilometers away from Dnipro city.
Hours after the strike, the President of the Russian Federation confirmed that Russia had tested a new conventional intermediate-range missile called “Oreshnik”. He said that the strike was launched in response to the use of Western supplied long-range missiles by the armed forces of Ukraine against the territory of the Russian Federation.
He further stated that Russia would continue testing the new missile in combat.
Yesterday, Russian authorities signaled the likelihood of further such strikes, following additional reported Ukrainian strikes on Russian military targets using the above-mentioned long-range missiles.
The United Nations does not have additional details on these incidents, including on the type of weapons used. However, the use of ballistic missiles and related threats are a very dangerous escalatory development.
Under international humanitarian law, parties are required to “take all feasible precautions in the choice of means and methods of attack with a view to avoiding, and in any event to minimizing, incidental loss of civilian life, injury to civilians and damage to civilian objects”.
We condemn all attacks on civilian targets and critical infrastructure - irrespective of the weapons system used.
We urge all parties to take immediate steps to de-escalate and to refrain from any action or rhetoric that could further intensify this war, bring more suffering to the civilian population and gravely endanger regional and international peace and security.
Madam President,
Amid these concerning reports, systematic Russian aerial strikes have continued to wreak havoc across Ukraine.
Just yesterday, Russia reportedly launched 188 drones against seventeen regions of Ukraine. This was reportedly the record number of drones deployed in a single attack.
Since February 2022, at least 12,162 civilians have been killed and 26,919 injured in Ukraine, according to the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights.
In addition to civilian casualties, relentless attacks hitting residential areas continue to cause severe damage to civilian infrastructure, further deteriorating the living conditions for millions of Ukrainians.
Madam President,
The cost of this war is already too high for the people of Ukraine, and for the world – and it is growing by the day.
We must reverse the dangerous cycle of escalation.
This requires genuine political will and inclusive diplomatic efforts towards a just, lasting and comprehensive peace, in line with the UN Charter, international law and General Assembly resolutions.
We stand ready to use our good offices and to make available all our tools and experience to this end.
Thank you.
Ongoing hostilities across Syria are intensifying an already dire humanitarian crisis, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has warned, amid reports of a deadly airstrike at the Ad Dabousiyah border crossing with Türkiye.
The Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) has filed an application for an arrest warrant against Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, Commander-in-Chief of Myanmar’s armed forces and Acting President, alleging his involvement in crimes against humanity targeting the Rohingya population.
Recent days have seen alarming signs of further escalation in the war in Ukraine, a senior UN official warned the Security Council on Wednesday, appealing for greater efforts to bring an end to Russia’s full-scale invasion of the country.
Recent days have seen alarming signs of further escalation in the war in Ukraine, a senior UN official warned the Security Council on Wednesday, appealing for greater efforts to bring an end to Russia’s full-scale invasion of the country.
The ceasefire agreement in Lebanon represents “the first ray of hope for peace” in the regional war “amidst the darkness of the last few months”, UN Secretary-General António Guterres said on Wednesday in Lisbon.
As the Lebanon ceasefire deal entered into force early Wednesday based on the full implementation of Security Council resolution 1701 (2006) – facilitated by UN peacekeepers UNIFIL and bolstered by an international monitoring committee - UN humanitarians committed to supporting communities uprooted by the war that have already started returning home.
The United Nations has welcomed the announcement of a ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon.
Addressing the General Assembly on Tuesday, President Philémon Yang called for urgent collective action to address the humanitarian crisis in Sudan and stressed the shared responsibility of UN bodies to safeguard global peace and security.
As the security situation in Haiti’s capital Port-au-Prince rapidly worsens due to ongoing gang violence, the United Nations is adjusting its operations to ensure the continued delivery of critical humanitarian assistance.
With 2024 the deadliest year for aid workers on record, the Security Council must clearly condemn attacks against them and ensure accountability for perpetrators, a senior official with the UN humanitarian affairs office, OCHA, said on Tuesday.
With all eyes on a possible ceasefire deal between Israel and Hezbollah militants in Lebanon, UN humanitarians have condemned the ongoing violence in Lebanon, Gaza, and Israel. Meanwhile, at UN Headquarters in New York, a special meeting was held to mark the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People. UN News app users can follow here.
UN human rights chief Volker Türk lent his weight to growing ceasefire calls in Lebanon on Tuesday, as senior Israeli cabinet members were reportedly due to meet on a deal to end more than a year of conflict with Hezbollah militants, sparked by the war in Gaza.
As the security situation in Haiti’s capital Port-au-Prince rapidly worsens due to ongoing gang violence, the United Nations is adjusting its operations to ensure the continued delivery of critical humanitarian assistance.
The United Nations remains concerned by the escalation of hostilities in Lebanon between Hezbollah and the Israel Defense Force (IDF), as well as the widespread destruction and death across the Blue Line, the Secretary-General’s Spokesperson, Stéphane Dujarric, said on Monday.
Heavy rainfall has caused severe flooding across displacement sites in Gaza, further compounding the humanitarian crisis, the UN has reported.
As Gaza teeters on the brink of collapse, a senior UN official on Monday renewed urgent calls for an immediate ceasefire and action to address the humanitarian crisis.
