As the end of another year of war looms, “families in Syria remain without respite after almost a decade of conflict”, the UN Emergency Relief Coordinator told the Security Council on Wednesday.
As the end of another year of war looms, “families in Syria remain without respite after almost a decade of conflict”, the UN Emergency Relief Coordinator told the Security Council on Wednesday.
The head of the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), has appealed for the international community to remain focused on the country as it continues to make gains on the political and peacebuilding fronts.
The United Nations has recorded the deaths of 255 people in 66 massacres in Colombia this year, as well as the killing of 120 human rights defenders, the Office of the Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) said on Tuesday.
The United Nations voiced grave concern on Tuesday for the safety of thousands of refugees and internally displaced in the wake of a deadly attack on Toumour, a town in southeastern Niger’s Diffa region, near the border with Nigeria.
New York, 15 December 2020
Fruits and vegetables are the cornerstone of a healthy and varied diet. They provide the human body with an abundance of nutrients, strengthen immune systems and help lower risks for a number of diseases. Yet, despite these tremendous benefits, we do not consume enough of them.
By declaring 2021 as the International Year of Fruits and...
The United Nations Secretary-General has called for the “immediate and unconditional” release of hundreds of boys, believed abducted by suspected bandits, after an attack on their school in northwest Nigeria.
Outstanding issues related to Syria’s initial declaration of its chemical weapons stockpile and programme cannot be considered “accurate and complete”, the head of the world body monitoring States’ implementation of the Chemical Weapons Convention told the Security Council on Friday.
The 51st round of the Geneva International Discussions (GID) took place in the Palais des Nations on 10-11 December 2020.
Against the backdrop of the unprecedented challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, this was the first and only GID round that took place in 2020. In the interim, the Co-Chairs held a series of consultations via videoconference and conducted several visits for in-person meetings with the participants. The holding of an in-person GID round re-confirmed the commitment of all participants to the GID process.
In this regard, the importance of in-person meetings was noted, as was support for continued dialogue and joint efforts, which are aimed at addressing conflict-related issues and defusing tensions and potential misunderstandings. The collective efforts of the Co-Chairs allowed participants to better address issues relating to the security and humanitarian situation of conflict-affected populations on the ground.
During this 51st GID round, the participants once again met in two separate working groups focused on security and humanitarian issues. The security situation on the ground was assessed as relatively calm and stable. The participants reviewed a number of issues on the agenda, including the situation in the Chorchana-Tsnelisi area, recent detention cases, missing persons, and the importance of conflict-affected populations' access to livelihoods. Particular focus was given on the one side to the core agenda item of non-use of force and, on the other, on the impact of COVID-19 on the humanitarian situation on the ground. Efforts to address these challenges jointly were positively noted. Participants could not engage on the issues of IDPs and refugees, due to a walkout of some participants.
The resumption of the Incident Prevention and Response Mechanism (IPRM) in Ergneti with two meetings held this year was welcomed. The Co-Chairs emphasised the need to resume regular meetings of the Gali IPRM.
The Co-Chairs reiterated their call for all participants to increase efforts to build trust and confidence among them, and to ensure constructive cooperation with international humanitarian and human rights organisations.
The participants agreed to hold their next meeting in Geneva on 23-24 March 2021.
As the world marks the fifth anniversary of the adoption of the landmark Paris Agreement on climate change, a promising movement for carbon neutrality is taking shape. By next month, countries representing more than 65 per cent of harmful greenhouse gasses and more than 70 per cent of the world economy will have committed to achieve net zero emissions by the middle of the century.
At the same time, the main climate...
New York, 12 December, 2020
At today’s Climate Ambition Summit, I appealed to leaders worldwide to declare a State of Climate Emergency in their countries until carbon neutrality is reached.
There can be no doubting or denying that the world faces a climate emergency.
The past decade was the hottest on record.
...
New York, 12 December 2020
I am pleased to welcome you to the Climate Ambition Summit on the fifth anniversary of the Paris Agreement.
Five years after Paris, we are still not going in the right direction.
Paris promised to limit temperature rise to as close to 1.5 degrees as possible.
...New York, 12 December 2020
The COVID-19 pandemic has shown us just how important it is for all countries to have strong health systems that provide the entire population with quality services when and where they need them.
This year we have seen the tragedy that strikes when health facilities are overwhelmed by a new, highly infectious and often deadly disease – and when the effort...
This Week in DPPA is a brief roundup of political and peacebuilding events and developments at UNHQ and around the world.
Security CouncilDiCarlo: “Sudan is at a critical juncture”
AfghanistanCall for an end to violence against women in Afghanistan
Central AsiaMeeting of Deputy Ministers of Foreign Affairs
IraqMosul rapper launches new song on Human Rights Day
YemenWebinar on COVID-19 media coverage in Yemen
BoliviaPersonal Envoy concludes work in Bolivia
ColombiaLights, Camera, ¡Peace Actions! |
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Guinea-BissauClosing ceremony for UNIOGBIS
SomaliaSomalia Partnership Forum takes stock of country’s progress
PeacebuildingGroup of Friends of the Peacebuilding Fund meeting
Peacebuilding Commission (PBC) meeting on Sierra Leone
Talking PeaceFinal session of “Talking Peace” Series
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Contact DPPA at dppa@un.org
Amidst “disturbing reports” from Ethiopians fleeing to Sudan, the UN refugee agency called on Friday for “unfettered access to Tigray in order to reach people in need”.
UN humanitarians issued a fresh alert on Friday for war-torn Yemen, warning that time is running out to avoid famine in the country. Out of two million children who need treatment for acute malnutrition, 360,000 are at risk of dying if they do not receive medical care, the World Food Programme (WFP) said.
The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the need for global solidarity and greater international cooperation, and must be turned into an opportunity for fundamental change, UN Secretary-General António Guterres said in a keynote address to the Nobel Peace Prize Forum on Friday.
At a time when Africa is mobilizing resources for pandemic recovery and sustainable development, illicit financial flows (IFFs) are robbing the continent of $50 billion annually, UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed told a high-level virtual meeting on Thursday held under the African Union’s (AU) ‘Silencing the Guns’ initiative.
New York, 10 December 2020
The COVID-19 pandemic has reinforced two fundamental truths about human rights.
First, human rights violations harm us all.
The COVID-19 pandemic has had a disproportionate impact on vulnerable groups including frontline workers, people with disabilities, older people, women and girls, and minorities.
It...
A UN International Media Seminar on Peace in the Middle East concluded on Wednesday, with a vibrant online panel discussion exploring how the systematic spread of untruths has changed the way traditional news outlets cover the Israel-Palestine conflict, and created avenues for citizen journalists to quickly push out stories to express their lived realities.
With so-called vaccine nationalism spreading “with full speed”, the Secretary-General told a journalists, following the fourth annual African Union-UN conference, that the continent must be “effectively supported” to fight the pandemic everywhere.
Mr. President,
Distinguished members of the Security Council,
It is a pleasure to brief the Security Council today on the situation in Central Africa and the activities of the United Nations Regional Office for Central Africa (UNOCA) remotely for the second time this year, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic seems generally under control in the subregion, with only 13,470 active cases as of 7 December, for a total of 88,422 cases and 1,614 deaths officially reported since the beginning of the pandemic, although in recent days the number of infections in some countries have been on the rise again, thus delaying the lifting of some of the restrictions imposed to counter the evolution of the pandemic.
The trends across Central Africa clearly indicate that the early measures enforced by the governments of the subregion to contain and reduce the propagation of the pandemic have proven effective. However, this effectiveness comes at a high socioeconomic cost as the economic slowdown triggered by the pandemic and the different restrictive measures further depleted the already limited capacity of the States to provide basic social services to their populations. I would like to encourage bilateral and multilateral partners to avail their support to all countries in the subregion to help them continue to fight the pandemic and address its economic, socio-political and security impact. I also appeal to international financial institutions to continue to facilitate the release of emergency assistance for all COVID-19 affected countries in Central Africa.
Notwithstanding this peculiar context that impacted the smooth implementation of UNOCA’s mandate, I was able to engage with key UN, national and international partners in the subregion on various issues, including during my recent visits to Cameroon and the Republic of the Congo. On 1 December, I convened a meeting of heads of UN presences in Central Africa, during which we agreed, among others, to reinforce coordination in supporting regional efforts to address the impact of climate change, prevent election-related violence and fight against hate speech.
Mr. President,
I am pleased to report that ECCAS has reached a key milestone in its institutional reform process, with the swearing in of its new Commission on 1 September, including its President, Ambassador Gilberto da Piedade Veríssimo, its Vice-President and five Commissioners. The convening of two ordinary summits of Heads of State and Government is further evidence that regional leaders are determined to enhance regional integration and address peace and security issues in Central Africa. I therefore was pleased to witness such commitment at the 18th ordinary summit of ECCAS held in Libreville, on 27 November, which adopted the ECCAS Indicative Strategic Plan for 2021-2025 and Priority Action Plan for 2021, and decided to appoint a Mediator and deploy an election observation mission for the upcoming presidential and legislative elections in the Central African Republic. Ahead of the Summit, UNOCA has been engaging with the new Commission to identify joint priorities for the years ahead, notably on conflict prevention and regional integration, and enhance coordination of international partners for the implementation of the 2021-2025 Indicative Strategic Plan.
While the reformed ECCAS institutions are gradually becoming operational, the United Nations Standing Advisory Committee on Security Questions in Central Africa (UNSAC) remains a relevant forum where the countries of Central Africa discuss and make recommendations aimed at addressing regional peace and security challenges. The 50th ministerial session of UNSAC took place virtually on 4 December. The Committee reviewed the regional peace and security situation, discussed the situation in the Central African Republic, and held a debate on the impact of COVID-19 on peace and security and on peaceful electoral processes in Central Africa. The Committee adopted declarations on the two latter issues, stressing the need to reinforce regional cooperation in addressing them.
Mr. President,
Several countries of the subregion have been preparing for the holding of elections, including Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Republic of the Congo and Sao Tome and Principe. On 6 December, Cameroon successfully held its first ever regional elections aimed at finalizing the decentralization process in the country, including the implementation of a special status for the North-West and South-West Regions. In the Republic of the Congo, political consultations to discuss preparations for the 2021 presidential election took place on 25 and 26 November, with the participation of opposition parties. In Chad, following the recommendations from the second National Inclusive Forum convened by the authorities from 29 October to 1 November, amendments were voted to the Constitution on 3 December. The amendments included the creation of a position of vice-president, the re-establishment of a senate and a court of auditors as well as the reduction of the minimum age to stand as a candidate in a presidential election from 45 to 40 years.
As election preparations continue in the months ahead, I would like to encourage national authorities and all political stakeholders to promote continued dialogue and consensus on the conditions governing the elections, using political dialogue frameworks where they are in place, as is the case for instance in Chad and the Republic of the Congo, or through ad hoc arrangements. To be effective, such dialogue initiatives should be inclusive both in terms of participation and the issues discussed. I will continue to offer the good offices of the Secretary-General, wherever required, to encourage inclusive and meaningful political dialogue in the countries preparing for elections.
Monsieur le Président,
L'insécurité dans toute l'Afrique centrale a continué d'être une source de préoccupation, y compris lorsqu’elle a une dimension transfrontalière, notamment dans le bassin du lac Tchad et le golfe de Guinée.
Lors de ma dernière visite au Cameroun en novembre, j'ai constaté avec une grande inquiétude la poursuite de la violence dans les régions de l'Extrême-Nord, du Nord-Ouest et du Sud-Ouest. Je déplore le fait que la violence dans les régions du Nord-Ouest et du Sud-Ouest vise maintenant les civils, y compris les élèves et les enseignants, ainsi que les religieux. Au cours de ma visite, j'ai réitéré l'appel lancé par le Secrétaire général à toutes les parties concernées pour qu'elles renoncent à la violence, fassent taire les armes et cessent les attaques contre les civils et les infrastructures civiles telles que les établissements scolaires. À cet égard, je voudrais appeler tous les acteurs à rester engagés en faveur d’un dialogue constructif pour mettre fin à la crise dans les deux régions et construire une paix et un développement durables. Je prends note de l'engagement des autorités nationales à faire avancer la mise en œuvre du programme présidentiel pour la reconstruction et le développement des deux régions, qui sera encore consolidé par un tel dialogue et la cessation des hostilités.
Je suis particulièrement préoccupé par le fait que Boko Haram continue d’être une menace sérieuse dans le bassin du lac Tchad avec la multiplication des attaques et des enlèvements, entre autres. Les groupes terroristes ont continué d'intensifier leurs attaques au Cameroun et au Tchad et de perfectionner leur modus operandi, comme l'a démontré une récente attaque, dans la nuit du 24 au 25 novembre, lors de laquelle quatre soldats tchadiens ont été tués et environ 16 autres ont été blessés après que leur bateau eut apparemment heurté un engin explosif improvisé dans la région de Ngouboua sur le lac Tchad.
On ne saurait trop insister sur la nécessité de traiter la crise dans le bassin du lac Tchad de manière globale, notamment dans le cadre de la Stratégie régionale de stabilisation, de redressement et de résilience des zones du bassin du lac Tchad affectées par Boko Haram. Malgré les difficultés dues à la COVID-19, le Plan d'action régional de la stratégie a été finalisé et les huit territoires les plus touchés sont maintenant en train d'élaborer leurs Plans d'action territoriaux. Je voudrais une fois de plus en appeler à la générosité des membres du Conseil de sécurité et des autres partenaires pour fournir les ressources nécessaires à la mise en œuvre rapide de la Stratégie régionale, afin de permettre aux populations du bassin du lac Tchad de bénéficier du dividende de la paix qui, en retour, renforcera leur résilience à la radicalisation et à l'extrémisme violent.
La proximité et les similitudes entre les situations dans le bassin du lac Tchad et au Sahel justifient que nous les suivions et les analysions conjointement et que nous coordonnions nos réponses aux défis qui s’y posent. Plus concrètement, nous devons établir des liens entre la Stratégie intégrée des Nations Unies pour le Sahel et la Stratégie régionale pour le bassin du lac Tchad afin d'éviter les doubles emplois, rationaliser l'utilisation des ressources et faire en sorte que les deux stratégies se renforcent mutuellement.
Dans le Golfe de Guinée, la criminalité organisée maritime a continué à se développer, notamment le trafic de drogue, la traite des personnes et le trafic illicite de migrants. Tout en saluant les mesures individuelles et les initiatives de coopération bilatérale prises par plusieurs Etats de la région pour faire face à l'insécurité maritime, je tiens à souligner que les réponses aux menaces à la sécurité tant des Etats que des personnes dans le Golfe de Guinée ne seront efficaces que si elles sont coordonnées entre l'Afrique centrale et l'Afrique de l'Ouest, par le biais des mécanismes existants tels que le Centre interrégional de coordination et les centres régionaux de sécurité maritime de l’Afrique centrale (CRESMAC) et de l’Afrique de l'Ouest (CRESMAO). Mon collègue le RSSG Mohamed Ibn Chambas de l'UNOWAS et moi-même avons convenu d'intensifier notre engagement en faveur de la coopération et de la coordination interrégionales en matière de sécurité maritime dans le Golfe de Guinée, ce qui constitue l'une des principales priorités communes de nos deux bureaux. Lors de sa 50ème session ministérielle, l'UNSAC a recommandé la tenue d'une conférence régionale sur la sécurité maritime en Afrique centrale.
La transhumance et les conflits entre agriculteurs et éleveurs se sont poursuivis en Afrique centrale, comme en témoignent les récents incidents sécuritaires dans la sous-région. Le 27 novembre, le gouvernement du Tchad a annoncé que 22 personnes ont été tuées et 34 autres ont été blessées lors d’affrontements entre agriculteurs et éleveurs dans la nuit du 23 au 24 novembre dans la province du Mayo Kebbi Est. Selon le gouvernement, 66 personnes ont été arrêtées à la suite de cet incident, tandis que les autorités ont également imposé un couvre-feu dans la zone. Je réitère l'appel du Secrétaire général aux gouvernements et aux communautés locales d'Afrique centrale pour qu'ils continuent à travailler ensemble afin de relever les défis communs liés à la transhumance. Je réaffirme également l'engagement de l'UNOCA à continuer à soutenir la CEEAC et ses États membres en vue de l'adoption d'une cadre réglementaire sous-régional sur le pastoralisme et la transhumance.
Mr. President,
To conclude, I would like to emphasize that these threats to peace and security in Central Africa also affect other regions, especially West Africa and the Great Lakes. This is the case of the already mentioned instability in the Lake Chad basin. Similarly, the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) is currently present in both Central Africa and the Great Lakes, two regions to which several countries under UNOCA’s purview belong. Addressing these threats requires coordination between all affected regions and between the UN regional offices. On 23 November, SRSG Chambas and I agreed on a set of joint activities that our offices will undertake with regard to the situation in the Lake Chad and the Gulf of Guinea, and support to the implementation of the Lomé Declaration adopted at the 2018 ECCAS-ECOWAS Summit on peace, security, stability and the fight against terrorism and violent extremism. I will also continue to hold regular consultations with my colleagues from the Office of the Special Envoy for Great Lakes Region, UNOAU, MINUSCA, and MONUSCO, as well as UN Resident Coordinators and regional offices to address interregional challenges. All these coordination efforts are intended to improve our understanding of challenges in our areas of responsibilities and to better support the affected countries to address them.
I thank you for your kind attention.
Insecurity continues to plague Central Africa, the UN envoy for the region told the Security Council on Wednesday, highlighting concern for cross-border violence.
During the crisis and violent incidents that followed the general elections of October 2019 in Bolivia, the Secretary-General sent a Personal Envoy to the country to engage with all national actors and offer UN support to find a peaceful resolution to the crisis, including through credible and inclusive elections. The Personal Envoy joined facilitation efforts by the Episcopal Conference of Bolivia, the European Union and Spain in a dialogue among the main political actors that resulted in the de-escalation of the crisis. Under the facilitators’ auspices, on 22 November 2019, the main parties reached an agreement in which they requested the UN system to undertake peace consolidation activities “to help protect life; contain and prevent violence; ensure respect for human rights; promote dialogue; and guarantee the holding as soon as possible of a transparent, credible and inclusive electoral process”.
The dire shortage of food, water, fuel and cash in the Tigray region in northern Ethiopia is seriously affecting people there, including aid workers, the United Nations reported on Tuesday, citing its humanitarian affairs office, OCHA.
International support for Sudan is critical as the country continues on the path to democratic transition, amid challenges that include political disagreements, economic decline, and the COVID-19 pandemic, UN political affairs chief, Rosemary DiCarlo told a virtual meeting of the Security Council on Tuesday.
