At least 20 civilians were reportedly killed this week in attacks targeting a mosque and a hospital in El Fasher, the besieged capital of North Darfur state in Sudan.
As people celebrated across Gaza and Israel at the news of an agreement that could hasten the end of the two-year war, UN aid teams on Thursday insisted that they were ready to deliver humanitarian relief supplies to the people of the shattered enclave. We'll be covering these developments and more across the UN system today, thanks for joining us. UN News app users can follow our live coverage here.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres has urged Israel and Hamas to “fully abide” by the ceasefire and hostage release deal, calling it a “desperately needed breakthrough” that must mark “the beginning of the end of this devastating war.”
More civilians have been killed and injured in Ukraine over the past three days with most casualties recorded in the Kherson, Sumy, Donetsk and Kharkiv regions, UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric told journalists in New York on Thursday.
As Gazans and Israelis celebrated the news that a potential ceasefire deal had been reached between the Hamas political leadership and Israel, UN aid agencies on Thursday underscored their readiness to inundate the famine-hit enclave with relief supplies, while urging the immediate release of all hostages.
The number of children displaced by violence in Haiti has almost doubled in the past year, with 680,000 now uprooted from their homes, a new UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) Child Alert report found.
The offer sounded almost unreal. The UN was fishing around for someone with a knack for building prisons – preferably a woman – to join its mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). Would she go?
The United Nations has condemned a Myanmar airstrike that killed dozens of civilians, including children, calling it part of a “disturbing pattern” of indiscriminate attacks by the country’s military.
The UN Secretary-General has welcomed the announcement from US President Donald Trump that Israel and Hamas have “signed off” on the first phase of his 20-point peace plan, following days of intensive indirect negotiations in Egypt.
As indirect talks in Egypt seeking to end Gaza’s two-year war continue, the UN World Health Organization (WHO) says rebuilding the devastated health system is critical to securing lasting peace and stability.
Tens of thousands of people went missing in Syria over the past 50 years under the Assad dictatorship, including during 14 years of civil war which began in 2011.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres has stressed the need for dialogue in Madagascar as anti-government demonstrations enter a third week.
Conflicts in Africa cannot be solved through military solutions and peace and security on the continent “demands a proactive preventative” approach, according to the UN’s Special Representative to the African Union.
Two years after his son was taken hostage during the Hamas-led terror attacks, Yehuda Cohen continues to fight night and day for his son’s release, and for a lasting political solution to the Israel-Palestine conflict.
Nearly 22,000 people fled their homes in northern Mozambique in a single week last month due to a resurgence in fighting across Cabo Delgado, the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) warned on Tuesday.
As the Gaza-Israel war enters its third year, sparked by Hamas-led terror attacks on Israel, the UN is appealing for the release of all hostages, an immediate ceasefire and an aid surge to alleviate Palestinians’ suffering – all as talks on a US-driven peace plan continue in Egypt.
The UN Secretary-General António Guterres marked two years since the Hamas-led terror attacks on southern Israel by reiterating his long-standing call for the unconditional and immediate release of the hostages still being held there.
More people are being forced to flee their homes as fighting continues in El Fasher, Sudan, the UN said on Monday, expressing grave concern over worsening conditions in and around the besieged city.
More women must have a role in shaping peace agreements, security reforms and post-conflict recovery plans, UN Secretary-General António Guterres told the Security Council on Monday.
UN aid teams in Gaza are “ready to go” with thousands of tonnes of supplies on standby to alleviate famine, widespread hunger and malnutrition, in the event of agreement being reached over the US peace plan in the coming days.
The head of the UN refugee agency, UNHCR, on Monday took aim at the “deliberate abandonment” of the laws of war today, while rejecting the idea that the international community is powerless in the face of ongoing violations.
Health authorities in Haiti are turning deaths caused by rabies-infected dogs into a public health awakening with the support of the UN’s health agency in the region, PAHO.
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Mr. President,
I am honored to have been appointed by the Secretary-General as his Special Representative in Colombia. I am grateful for the opportunity to brief you today as I prepare to formally assume these new responsibilities in Bogotá later this month.
The Security Council’s involvement has been fundamental to the achievements of Colombia’s peace process. I look forward to working closely with the Council to help ensure that Colombia continues to advance on a path to lasting peace and security.
Asimismo, deseo reconocer la participación hoy de Su Excelencia Leonor Zalabata, Representante Permanente de la República de Colombia. Yo pienso que la presencia de la embajadora es muy importante. La embajadora es una mujer de la Sierra Nevada que es también testigo de lo que ha pasado allá y también testigo de lo que trajo la implementación del acuerdo de paz. Expresamos nuestro agradecimiento al Gobierno de Colombia por su constante colaboración con la Misión de Verificación. En su último informe al Consejo, el Secretario General destaca los esfuerzos del Gobierno y solicita medidas decisivas durante el resto de su mandato para lograr la implementación integral del Acuerdo Final de Paz.
Mr. President, Excellencies,
In September, immediately following my designation, I carried out a preparatory visit to Colombia. I wanted to reiterate the Secretary-General’s strong commitment to the peace process, and to be able to bring to this briefing firsthand impressions to complement his report.
I met during the visit with signatory parties to the Agreement, and a broad range of interlocutors, across the political and social spectrums, in Bogotá and in the field.
The Foreign Minister and the heads of key government offices responsible for peace implementation presented their work across the array of issues addressed by the Agreement – from rural reform, to reintegration, security guarantees, and actions of specific attention to marginalized communities. They highlighted progress but also described frankly the areas where implementation has come up short over the years and needs to be reinforced through concerted state actions.
National leaders of the Comunes party and former combatants I spoke with at the local level shared their expectations and concerns -- security foremost among them -- while reaffirming their commitment to the Agreement and to their peaceful and productive reintegration into society.
Steps to accountability for serious crimes of the conflict were also moving forward during my visit. I met with the President of the Special Jurisdiction for Peace on the eve of the Court’s issuance of the first sentences against former FARC and members of the security forces - a process that is crucial for ensuring truth, justice and reparations to victims. We discussed the critical role ahead for the Mission, as mandated by this Council, to verify compliance with and implementation of the sentences.
I am also grateful to the civil society leaders who generously shared their perspectives about the peace process: women’s leaders, representatives of Indigenous and Afro-Colombian communities, peasant, human rights and youth activists, political sectors and members of the private sector who are investing in peace.
Mr. President,
Consolidating peace in Colombia after decades of conflict is a complex work-in-progress. And as we meet today the country is entering a delicate period that poses additional challenges.
The coming national elections are increasing political tension and polarization. Current fiscal constraints impinge upon financing for peace. Recent tragic acts of violence and patterns of insecurity in certain regions are prompting urgent calls to enhance security.
At the same time, I was struck by the determination of so many actors in Colombia to continue advancing in the implementation of the Final Peace Agreement -- convinced that it remains the country’s essential roadmap for building peace. I heard expressions of appreciation across the board for the work of the Verification Mission and UN system in Colombia, and for the active engagement of the Security Council.
Mr. President,
As the Secretary-General states in his report, Colombia has come a long way over the years on the path to becoming a more peaceful and secure nation. Nevertheless - and especially given recent violence -- he stresses that every effort must be made to ensure that the country does not slip backward, but rather continues to move forward along a trajectory of expanding peace and security. The Peace Agreement, he states, is central to the solution.
Among its key provisions are rural reform —with the potential to unlock greater development opportunities and prosperity across the country— and security guarantees —which can contribute to tackling complex criminal dynamics and illegal economies. Implementing these chapters of the agreement can contribute decisively to stabilizing regions that remain today severely affected by conflict, by extending to these areas an effective presence of the state. Immediate actions coupled with sustained long-term investments are needed to fully realize the transformative potential of the Agreement. With regard to the rural reform, the Secretary-General has welcomed recent progress on land reform, addressing a key factor long enmeshed in Colombia’s armed conflict.
Mr. President, Members of the Council,
The Secretary-General welcomed the issuance of the first restorative sentences by the Special Jurisdiction for Peace as an historic milestone in the pursuit of justice for some of the most serious and emblematic crimes committed during the conflict. This is also a pivotal moment in the implementation of the Agreement.
The conflict inflicted immeasurable suffering on victims and their families. The transitional justice process is delivering unprecedented convictions and acceptance of responsibility by those who committed serious crimes, while involving victims in the process and offering redress to them through restorative action to be carried out by the perpetrators.
The Special Jurisdiction for Peace has announced that such restorative actions include the search for persons who went missing during the conflict, the removal of mines and risk-reduction activities, and the construction of memorials and community infrastructure.
The Verification Mission stands ready to independently and rigorously verify compliance and implementation. Of immediate necessity is the establishment by the Government of the conditions for the prompt translation of these sentences into restorative actions on behalf of the victims. The Special Jurisdiction for Peace called last week on the Government and on Congress to urgently assign additional budgetary resources for this purpose.
Mr. President,
The reintegration of the more than 11,000 former FARC-EP who laid down arms and remain actively part of the peace process is central to the integrity of the Agreement. As described by the Secretary-General in his latest report, this is also a security imperative for Colombia, key to preventing the recurrence of conflict.
The Mission is verifying the relevant commitments on reintegration, highlighting especially issues of security and sustainability. With nearly 500 former combatants killed since the signing of the Agreement, enhancing security for them and – equally important -- for communities, is critical. Yet despite this major concern, we see an impressive commitment of the vast majority of those who laid down arms to peacefully reincorporate into society. At the Llano Grande reintegration area where I traveled, in the department of Antioquia, former combatants were growing coffee and building their first durable housing with government support, since laying down arms nine years ago. They were also joining in common projects with a nearby community.
Various interlocutors stressed to me that that insecurity remains the greatest threat to peace. Persistent violence in various regions of Colombia —fueled by illegal economies and disputes by armed groups over territorial control— is seriously impeding progress in implementing the Agreement, and severely impacting the civilian population. As the Secretary-General has argued, effective security strategies are needed in combination with peace policies. The armed groups must cease all threats and violence against the civilian population.
It will be particularly important for the State to ensure the safe conduct of the coming elections. This was a call conveyed strongly during my visit, and one that the Mission will be following closely in the months ahead. There can be no repeat of atrocious acts of violence such as the assassination of Senator Miguel Uribe.
Mr. President,
Let me conclude by offering the Secretariat’s full readiness to assist the Council as it turns soon to the renewal of the Mission’s mandate.
Since its establishment, the Mission has worked through different phases of the peace process and with successive administrations in Colombia who, with varying approaches, have shouldered the responsibility to implement the Agreement. Throughout, the Mission has provided objective verification and reporting, while working proactively to identify solutions and foster constructive relations among all involved.
The Mission has also advocated for the adoption of measures to help prevent security incidents, raising the alarm on numerous occasions when threats to civilians, including former combatants, were identified. As stated to me repeatedly during my visit, the Mission’s presence builds confidence. The voice of the Security Council, informed by the Mission’s reporting, helps to drive progress on the ground.
I am confident that the Mission can continue to play a critical role while adapting to changing needs and circumstances. As part of the UN80 exercise, the Secretary-General proposed significant efficiencies while preserving the Mission’s core capacity to deliver on its mandate. One of the key assets is its presence in the regions prioritized by the Peace Agreement, including some of the most remote and conflict-affected areas. In line with this broader organizational realignment -- the Mission has already taken steps to streamline operations, including by reducing personnel previously deployed to verify the now inactive ceasefire between the Government and the National Liberation Army (ELN).
Mr. President, Members of the Council,
Colombia is a rare case in which the Council has been able to respond with targeted assistance to a nationally owned peace process. These are favorable circumstances for the United Nations to continue to make a positive and focused contribution.
I thank you for your attention. I pledge to do my utmost to exercise sound leadership on the ground in pursuit of our collective work for peace and security in Colombia.
The leadership of Hamas said late on Friday it was willing to release Israeli hostages in response to the United States peace deal proposal for ending the war in Gaza, provided further negotiations take place through mediators on a number of key details.
The UN’s top humanitarian official in Sudan has warned of an impending catastrophe in Darfur, with civilians facing relentless violence, sexual abuse and starvation.
UN aid teams on Friday highlighted the disturbing situation in Gaza’s makeshift hospitals, where premature babies cry for scant oxygen and medics attempt to save child survivors targeted by airstrikes in their tents and quadcopter victims reportedly shot while fetching bread.
In his first briefing to the UN Security Council on Friday as the newly designated Special Representative for Colombia, Miroslav Jenča reaffirmed the organization’s strong commitment to supporting the country’s nine-year-old peace process.
For people in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) exhausted by years of conflict, the United Nations envoy for the country said she understands their impatience but urges them “not to lose hope” as the Congolese government, the UN and the international community are “determined” to bring peace to the volatile region.
Thursday’s terrorist attack on a synagogue in Manchester, which left at least two worshippers dead on the holiest day in the Jewish calendar, has been strongly condemned by the UN Secretary-General.
Rising violence by gangs in Haiti’s capital is restricting humanitarian access and pushing families deeper into hunger, the UN World Food Programme (WFP) warned on Thursday.
UN human rights chief Volker Türk on Thursday warned that civilians in Sudan’s El Fasher face the imminent risk of large-scale atrocities, as fighting intensifies around the regional capital of North Darfur, besieged for more than 500 days by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) militia.
Nearly 42,000 people in Gaza are living with life-changing injuries from the ongoing conflict – including more than 10,000 children – as the health system collapses under relentless strain, the World Health Organization (WHO) warned on Thursday.
Immunisation experts at the UN World Health Organization (WHO) have warned that global protection against preventable diseases is under threat, in part because of an “information and trust crisis” regarding vaccines.
As Israeli forces continued their push to take full control of Gaza City on Wednesday, reports emerged that another skeletal child whose plight was highlighted by the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has now died. Her name was Jana and she was nine years old.
