Many global programmes aimed at countering violent extremism have negative impacts on human rights and may even ‘foster radicalization’ rather than preventing it, an independent UN human rights expert warned on Wednesday.
Difficult winter weather conditions, road congestion and military manoeuvres are restricting humanitarian aid delivery to desperate civilians in the Syrian province of Idlib, where a Government operation to weed out extremists has uprooted nearly one million people since December.
Positive developments in South Sudan have “moved the country further along the road to sustainable peace”, the top UN official there told Security Council members on Wednesday.
Political leaders in Iraq will have to “step up to the plate” and prioritize national interests if the country is to realize a more just and prosperous future, the top UN official there said in the Security Council on Tuesday.
The United Nations is “determined to stand by” civilians across Syria’s war-torn northwest, as “a grave humanitarian crisis” continues, the UN emergency relief chief said on Tuesday.
After serving more than two years as the UN’s Special Representative in charge of finding a way to a lasting peace in war-torn Libya, Ghassan Salamé - who also heads up the UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) - handed in his resignation on Monday, citing failing health caused by the immense stress of the job.
Humanitarian assistance needs to be scaled up significantly to more than a million people displaced by fighting in northwest Syria, a senior UN aid official said on Monday, amid reports that children are freezing to death on the Turkish border.
On Saturday the United Nations called for further reductions in violence in Afghanistan, and for the conditions for intra-Afghan peace talks to be met, following the announcement of an agreement between the United States and the Taliban.
This Week in DPPA is a brief roundup of political and peacebuilding events and developments at UNHQ and around the world.
Security CouncilUN Envoy warns against escalating situation in the Middle East
Security Council extends Yemen travel ban and asset freeze
DiCarlo: "We must all assume our responsibility to do all we can to stop this violence"
Central AmericaAssistant Secretary-General Jenča visits Guatemala and Mexico Continuing to Mexico, the Assistant Secretary-General met with Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard on 27 February. They discussed Agenda 2030 for sustainable development, the Comprehensive Development Plan, UN cooperation to prevent violence against women, and exchanged views on sub-regional issues.
ColombiaEx-combatants attend Colombia's most important tourism fair |
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YemenConsultative meetings in Jordan LibyaSecond round of Libya talks concludedThe second round of the 5+5 Libyan Joint Military Commission (JMC) talks to reach a lasting ceasefire and to restore security to civilian areas concluded on 23 February at the Palace of Nations in Geneva. Ghassan Salamé, Special Representative and Head of UNSMIL, attended the talks The JMC is one of the three tracks which UNSMIL is working on, in addition to the economic and political tracks, in compliance with UN Security Council Resolution 2510 (2020), which calls upon the two parties to reach a lasting ceasefire agreement. Read more on UNSMIL’s website New YorkPeacebuilding Commission holds meetings on Guinea-Bissau and Burundi Jürg Lauber, Chair of the Burundi PBC Configuration and Permanent Representative of Switzerland, convened an Ambassadorial-level meeting on 25 February to debrief on his visit to the Burundian capital Bujumbura, which he undertook together with Assistant Secretary-General for Africa Bintou Keita. Albert Shingiro, Permanent Representative of Burundi, discussed preparations for the elections, informing that his government covers most election-related costs. East African Community (EAC) Secretary-General, Ambassador Libérat Mfumukeko, presented EAC plans to deploy an Election Observation Mission and appealed for financial support. Barrie Freeman, Deputy and Political Director of the Peacebuilding Support Office (PBSO), presented the peacebuilding activities supported by the Peacebuilding Fund (PBF), and stressed the need to maintain focus on socio-economic priorities before and after elections. Member States called for peaceful, inclusive and transparent elections and encouraged continued dialogue at local and provincial levels.
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With the Security Council meeting in emergency session on Syria following the death on the battlefield of dozens of Turkish troops, the UN strongly urged Russia and Turkey on Friday “to build on previous agreements to secure a fresh ceasefire” across the war-torn northwest.
The United States’ announcement of a new vision for ending the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, touted as the “Deal of the Century”, is a “mockery”, the Prime Minister of Malaysia told an international conference in Kuala Lumpur on Friday.
Thank you, Mr. President,
The security situation has continued to gravely deteriorate in and around Idlib. Let me recall some of the key events.
In the last nine days, Syrian Government forces, with support from the Russian air force, have continued to advance, taking a large swath of villages in southern Idlib. Air strikes also continue in both frontline areas and population centers far removed from the fighting. During the same period, non-state armed groups launched a counterattack in eastern Idlib, retaking the city of Saraqib, which they lost to Syrian Government forces in recent weeks. This action cut the Syrian Government’s control of the strategic M5 highway. Turkish forces reportedly played a supporting role in this operation.
Delegations from the Russian Federation and Turkey resumed their talks, from 26 February, in Ankara. These discussions have continued until today, along with presidential contacts by phone.
On 27 February, there were strikes on Turkish troops inside Syria. The Turkish Minister of Defense noted that 33 Turkish soldiers were killed and 32 wounded by strikes that Turkey has attributed to the Syrian Government. Russian Ministry of Defense officials confirmed that an unspecified number of Turkish soldiers, who they said were co-located with non-state armed groups, had been hit by Syrian Government shelling. Turkish Defense Ministry officials have noted that after the strikes on Turkish soldiers, Turkey targeted Syrian Government positions with aircraft, weaponized drones and artillery.
Mr. President,
We strongly urge Russia and Turkey to build upon their previous agreements to secure a fresh ceasefire for north-west Syria.
These latest developments are unfolding in the context of a broader military escalation that was already devastating for civilians in the north-west.
For months now, bombing and shelling by the Government of Syria, supported by its allies, has continued in the so-called de-escalation zone of Idlib. Strikes have been launched on populated areas from both air and ground, seemingly without regard for civilians. Nearly a million people have been displaced since early December, many multiple times, including more than 560,000 children. They are fleeing north, away from the intensifying aerial and ground bombardment and into ever-shrinking areas where they still hope to find relative safety.
The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights has verified at least 1,750 civilians have been killed since last April. The actual number is probably higher. 351 civilians have been killed in the last two months alone. While the majority of these civilian deaths—94%—has occurred in opposition-held areas exposed to bombardment by pro-government forces, 6% occurred in government-held areas. This serves as a reminder that Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, which is designated by this Council as a terrorist organization, and other non-state armed groups have also struck populated areas indiscriminately. Civilians are killed in IDP camps, schools and hospitals. This is happening in plain sight, night and day, day in and day out. Hospitals destroyed. Schools destroyed. Peoples’ lives destroyed. And it is happening under our watch.
Mr. President,
We continue to come before you with an ever-growing record of destruction and atrocity. The Secretary-General has consistently expressed alarm at the dangerous escalation in north-west Syria.
The UN has countless times reminded all parties that any attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure are simply unacceptable. We have repeatedly called for a ceasefire. We have reaffirmed to the parties that all military operations must respect the rules of international humanitarian law. If such horrific acts and tactics persist despite global outrage, is it largely because their authors do not fear accountability and justice?
Civilians in Idlib are living under daily threat and terror, seeking refuge from airstrikes and volleys of shells and mortar rounds. They are NOT asking for a pause in the fighting. They are asking for an end to the killing. We must all assume our responsibility to do all we can to stop this violence.
Thank You.
Rapidly escalating conflict in northwest Syria has created healthcare “mayhem”, amid reports of displaced people moving closer to the Turkish border in search of shelter, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Friday, as the UN Secretary-General appealed for all warring parties to "step back from the edge of further escalation."
The 21st century must be the century of women’s equality, UN Secretary-General António Guterres said on Thursday evening, in a call to transform the world by ensuring equal participation for all.
Amman, 28 February 2020 - The UN Special Envoy for Yemen, Martin Griffiths, strongly condemns the recent military escalation in Al Jawf governorate in northern Yemen. He calls on all involved in the conflict to freeze all military activity in Al Jawf, Ma’rib and Nihm areas and to work with his office to achieve that goal.
“I’m deeply disappointed and dismayed with the continued wave of military escalation in Yemen....
Lack of political consensus on national priorities could threaten further progress in Somalia which is preparing to hold its first “one-person, one-vote” election in 50 years, UN Special Representative James Swan told the Security Council on Monday.
Cross-border humanitarian deliveries from Turkey last month reached more people in northwest Syria than at any time since operations began more than five years ago, the UN’s Deputy Emergency Relief Coordinator told the Security Council on Thursday.
The second round of the United Nations-facilitated talks to end fighting in Libya concluded on Sunday in Geneva with “seriousness of purpose and goodwill” in Geneva on Sunday, the UN said today.
Yemen experienced one of the quietest periods of the conflict particularly in the air war.
But recent military escalations since then have demonstrated the exceptional vulnerability of such gains that were made in the absence, in our view, of a political process to give them meaning and direction.
Over the past month and a half, in particular, the military situation has grown more dire.
Both sides have announced expansive military goals and exchanged fierce...
With division and distrust rife among countries that possess nuclear arsenals, the UN disarmament chief is hopeful that the issue will be addressed during an upcoming conference on the Non-Proliferation Treaty.
The “strength, leadership and invaluable contributions in peacekeeping settings” made by women across the world is being highlighted by the United Nations as part of the organization’s ongoing commitment to building global peace.
Statement by United Nations Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, Nickolay Mladenov, on Israeli settlement announcements
Jerusalem, 26 February 2020
“I am very concerned about Israel’s recent announcements regarding the advancement of settlement construction in Giv’at Hamatos and Har Homa, as well as the worrying plans for 3,500 units in the controversial E1 area of...
The Office of the Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for Yemen (OSESGY) is hosting a consultative meeting with a group of Yemeni public and political figures in Amman, Jordan, on 26-27 February 2020.
The meeting brings together a diverse group of Yemeni stakeholders, both men and women, including members of some political parties and independent public figures. Discussions will focus on approaches to resume the...
It is no longer enough to reaffirm past agreements on resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, according to a senior UN envoy, who said on Monday that it is time to “find our way back to a mutually agreed mediation framework” to resume meaningful negotiations towards a two-State solution.
Mister President,
Members of the Security Council,
Two weeks ago, I briefed this Council following the release of the US “Peace to Prosperity” vision for Israelis and Palestinians.
Today, I will provide a regular briefing on the situation on the ground. However, let me begin by addressing the developing situation in and around Gaza.
...United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres welcomed on Saturday the establishment of the Transitional Government of National Unity (TGoNU) in South Sudan.
