An upsurge in military action against armed groups in West Africa’s vast Sahel and Lake Chad regions has prompted the United Nations refugee agency to call on all warring parties to protect people caught up in the violence.
The COVID-19 pandemic is creating opportunities for cooperation that Israelis and Palestinians must embrace to sustain Middle East peace efforts and bring an end to decades of conflict, the United Nations’ top envoy in the region said on Thursday.
I would like to extend my best wishes to everyone in Yemen, at the start of the Holy month of Ramadan.
To the people of Yemen: I wish Ramadan brings you its gifts of peace, reconciliation and joy. I hope you will continue to raise your voices to demand peace and to defend your right to a better future.
To the parties to the conflict, I say: be guided by the spirit of the Holy month and put an end to the suffering of your people. Put...
Mister President,
Members of the Security Council,
I brief you today as the Middle East continues to confront the monumental challenge of containing the COVID-19 pandemic.
On 23 March, the Secretary-General launched an appeal for an immediate global ceasefire. On 11 April, my fellow Envoys to the Middle East and I echoed the Secretary-General’s call and restated our firm commitment to preventive diplomacy, to assisting all efforts to respond to the health...
THE SECRETARY-GENERAL
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MESSAGE ON THE BEGINNING OF RAMADAN
I extend my warmest wishes as millions of Muslims around the world begin observing the holy month of Ramadan.
This will, of course, be a very different Ramadan. Many community...
In Libya, ongoing heavy fighting has raised concerns yet further, about the likely devastating impact of the new coronavirus on people there, particularly those repeatedly forced to flee violence.
Mogadishu – Today, the United Nations and partners in Somalia launched the Somalia COVID-19 Preparedness and Response Plan (CPRP) to address the immediate humanitarian impact and socio-economic consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic in the country.
“The impact of COVID-19 is bound to be devastating,” said Mr. Adam Abdelmoula, Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General, Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for Somalia. “The priority now is to avert large-...
Sweeping preventative measures seem to be curbing the spread of COVID-19 in the Great Lakes region of Africa, but the economic impact of the global pandemic threatens hard-won gains made along the long road back to peace and stability, the Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for the region said on Wednesday.
Excellencies,
Distinguished Delegates,
Ladies and Gentlemen.
I would like to thank the co-sponsors for convening this meeting on climate and security risks, particularly on Earth Day.
The response to the COVID-19 pandemic has commanded much of our attention of late. However, we cannot let up on our efforts to address the climate emergency – another global phenomenon with far-reaching implications, including on peace and security.
The recent report by the World Meteorological Organization on the State of the Global Climate underlines the magnitude of the challenge. We have the highest concentration of greenhouse gas emissions in three million years and ocean levels are at record highs. The last decade was the hottest on record. These effects have impact not just on the natural world but on the daily lives of people, communities and nations. They often hit hardest in already fragile contexts.
While climate change is rarely the main driver of conflict, it multiplies existing risks and exacerbates factors that we know can lead to insecurity. The manifestation of these linkages is highly specific to context.
In Sudan, for instance, the convergence of climatic pressures on agriculture and pastoralism with ethno-political factors contributed to the escalation of violence in Darfur and made the conflict harder to resolve. In Syria and Iraq, Da’esh exploited increasing competition over natural resources and weaponized water by controlling access and diverting rivers. In Central America and the Caribbean, the destruction wrought by extreme weather events has devastated critical infrastructure and displaced populations, and in some places, has been linked to a spike in crime rates.
The risk of a vicious cycle of climate disaster and insecurity is real. It is no coincidence that among the 20 countries most vulnerable to climate change according to the Notre Dame Global Adaptation Initiative, half are also dealing with violent conflict.
Excellencies,
The Secretary-General has repeatedly warned that the far-reaching effects of climate change are a danger to peace.
We have seen how climate change undermines our core objectives of conflict prevention and sustaining peace.
In Somalia, for instance, climate stressors are a leading cause of large-scale displacement, which reduces the coping capacity of communities and undermines livelihoods. This in turn lowers the opportunity cost of negative coping strategies, such as recruitment into terrorist or criminal groups, and hampers efforts to build peace.
Climate security is about re-examining our underlying assumptions of prevention and sustaining peace, understanding how climate change affects our mandates and working with partners to find innovative solutions.
I would like to highlight four areas of focus for the Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs as we address climate-related security risks.
1) We are strengthening our capacity for integrated risk analysis.
Climate-related security risks are the product of interactions between climate stressors and pre-existing socio-economic, political and demographic factors. Successful prevention and response strategies depend on an understanding of the context. We must be careful to avoid blanket assertions and template approaches.
Consider the Lake Chad Basin, where a complex web of environmental degradation, socio-economic marginalization and intercommunal tensions has eroded the resilience of 45 million people and created a multidimensional crisis.
To further our understanding of climate risks, DPPA has launched a joint initiative with the UN Development Programme and the UN Environment Programme – called the Climate Security Mechanism. With the aim of building capacity and strengthening partnerships, the mechanism has developed guidance to promote the systematic analysis of climate-related security risks and support response.
I want to stress that gender sensitivity forms a critical part of our analysis. Women often carry a disproportionate burden as inequalities and discrimination increase their vulnerability and undermine their coping capacity. At the same time, as providers of water, food and fuel for cooking, women often possess unique knowledge that may allow them to protect livelihoods. They bring a different perspective to the climate security discourse.
2) We are integrating a climate lens into our efforts at mediation and preventive diplomacy.
As climate change affects resource availability and forces large-scale socio-economic and political transitions, the motivations and calculations of conflict actors may change. Partnering closely with national and regional actors, where possible, we are working to ensure our peacemaking and mediation strategies take these effects into account.
In West Africa and the Sahel, where climate change exacerbates competition over natural resources, our regional office – UNOWAS – leads UN efforts to find peaceful solutions to the increasingly deadly conflicts between pastoral and farming communities. Working with the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), it has identified good practices for local conflict prevention and dispute resolution that factor in climate trends, promote inclusivity, strengthen intercommunal consultation committees, and conduct targeted advocacy.
3) We are investing in peacebuilding programmes to help strengthen the resilience of States and communities to cope with climate-related security risks.
Integrated peacebuilding and climate adaptation programming can reduce vulnerabilities and increase resilience, charting a path of escape from the vicious cycles of climate disaster and conflict.
We count on women and youth as partners and leaders in this regard. As climate change alters traditional gender roles, power relations and livelihood patterns, new entry points for engaging women in conflict prevention and peacebuilding emerge.
For example, where environmental degradation forces men to migrate seasonally in search of livelihood options, women often assume greater responsibility in households and communities.
In the cross-border area of Mali and Niger, for instance, the Peacebuilding Fund aims to reduce conflicts related to natural resources through strengthening the active participation of women in decision-making processes and supporting their economic empowerment.
4) We are committed to working with and learning from our partners.
Communities all over the world have for centuries effectively adapted to the changing environment in peaceful ways. Local knowledge provides a critical foundation for community-based adaptation and peacebuilding.
In parts of the world affected particularly hard by climate change, regional organizations often lead the charge against the negative consequences for peace and security.
The Pacific is on the front lines of climate change and in the Boe Declaration laid out a comprehensive framework to address the implications for regional security. The UN is supporting the Pacific Islands Forum and other partners to operationalize the Declaration and enhance regional capacity to address climate-related security risks.
Further, we welcome efforts by the African Union to integrate climate change into the African Peace and Security Architecture and look forward to continuing our collaboration on climate security in the context of the AU-UN Joint Task Force.
Excellencies,
Climate-related security risks already form part of reality for millions of people around the world. Science tells us that without decisive action, climate change will further accelerate, with compounding implications for peace and security.
The Covid-19 pandemic reminds us that we live in an interconnected world. The notion of a distant, isolated crisis is an illusion. Peace and security risks brought on by climate change in one part of the world could have broader implications beyond that region.
Knowing what we know, the need for our collective action is urgent.
Thank you.
New York, April 2020
The COVID-19 pandemic is a public health emergency — but it is far more.
It is an economic crisis. A social crisis. And a human crisis that is fast becoming a human rights crisis.
...A World Health Organization (WHO) worker has been killed while driving a vehicle carrying COVID-19 samples in Myanmar’s western Rakhine state, the United Nations country office confirmed in a statement on Tuesday.
New-York, 22 April 2020
On this International Mother Earth Day, all eyes are on the COVID-19 pandemic – the biggest test the world has faced since the Second World War.
We must work together to save lives, ease suffering and lessen the shattering economic and social consequences.
The impact of the coronavirus is both immediate and dreadful...
The Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of the United Nations Office for West Africa and the Sahel (UNOWAS), Mohamed Ibn Chambas, continues his meetings with Resident Coordinators of the United Nations System in the countries of the sub-region.
These meetings are part of the work of UNOWAS with regional and international partners to assess the impact of COVID-19, and effectively coordinate United Nations...
We, the Co-Chairs of the Geneva International Discussions (GID), recalling our statement from 31 March, and in the spirit of the call of UN Secretary General Guterres, strongly urge all the GID participants to set aside differences and to refrain from actions that could lead to increased tension.
The focus should be on collaboration, for the good of all people in the region and against the common threat of the COVID-19 pandemic. The reported erection of signs along the South Ossetian dividing line today predictably contributes to a tense atmosphere on the ground and rids the local people of their livelihoods.
In the face of the current global challenge of COVID-19, requiring joint approaches and co-operation amongst all, we hereby repeat our call on all participants to avoid provocative measures and focus on improving the situation of the conflict-affected population.
New York – April 17, 2020. Members of the Security Council reiterated their full and unanimous support for the peace process in Colombia, and reaffirmed their commitment to working closely with Colombia to progress in implementation of the Final Peace Agreement. They welcomed both parties’ continued commitment to this end, and strongly supported complementary efforts by the United Nations Verification Mission and Country Team. They stressed the importance of the...
The head of the UN children’s fund UNICEF warned on Friday that 250 million children around the world living in the “waking nightmare” of conflict desperately need warring parties to stop fighting as the COVID-19 pandemic spreads.
This Week in DPPA is a brief roundup of political and peacebuilding events and developments at UNHQ and around the world.
Donor Support for DPPADPPA launched its Annual Report under the Multi-Year Appeal (MYA) this week. The report showcases how voluntary contributions made a difference in 2019, allowing the Department to be more operational and seize opportunities to prevent violence and defuse tensions in mission and non-mission settings such as Bolivia, El Salvador, Papua New Guinea-Bougainville, Sudan, Ukraine, and Yemen. For the fourth consecutive year, the MYA surpassed its resource mobilization target last year. Against $30 million requested in 2019 to cover its six priority areas, DPPA successfully mobilized $35.3 million in contributions from 30 donors (Appeal 118 per cent funded).Read more here COVID-19Middle East - Joint appeal to end hostilities
Mladenov: “If current trends continue, the damage to the Palestinian economy will be substantial” The Special Coordinator met with Israeli President Reuven Rivlin on 16 April and thanked him for his engagement with the UN during the pandemic. “Now is the time for all to reach across divides and help fight the common enemy. Israelis and Palestinians can and must work together to tackle the health, social and economic effects of COVID-19, Mr. Mladenov tweeted after the meeting. For up-to-date information on COVID-19 and its impact, please visit:
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Security CouncilRuiz Massieu: Coronavirus pandemic is having a profound impact on Colombia, and the peace process will undoubtedly feel its effects
Griffiths “An opportunity has emerged to bring peace to Yemen” Please see the Security Council website for an updated program of work.
AfghanistanVoices from Afghanistan heard in biggest-ever global conversation on world’s future
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Contact DPPA at dppa@un.org
With the COVID-19 pandemic threatening to deepen suffering in Yemen, now is the time for rival parties to commit to ending their conflict, UN Special Envoy Martin Griffiths told the Security Council on Thursday, during an informal meeting via videoconference.
While political actors in Colombia are uniting to confront COVID-19, they must also work together to fight “the epidemic of violence” against civil society leaders, human rights defenders and former combatants, the head of the UN mission in the country said on Tuesday during a Security Council meeting held by videoconference.
DPPA is pleased to present its Annual Report under the Multi-Year Appeal (MYA), showcasing how voluntary contributions made a difference in 2019, allowing us to be more operational and seize opportunities to prevent violence and defuse tensions in mission and non-mission settings such as Bolivia, El Salvador, Papua New Guinea-Bougainville, Sudan, Ukraine, and Yemen.
Thanks to the confidence donors placed in us, and for the fourth consecutive year, the MYA surpassed its resource mobilization target. Against $30 million requested in 2019 to cover its six priority areas, DPPA successfully mobilized $35.3 million in contributions from 30 donors (Appeal 118 per cent funded).
We hope that this support will continue to enable us to respond to the challenges to peace and security that the current COVID-19 pandemic is posing. DPPA and the rest of the UN system are looking closely at the implications of the spread of COVID-19 worldwide, including where our Special Political Missions are deployed and active. The Department has been quick to expand its analytical lens to include COVID-19 along other “stressors” that can trigger conflict or violence. Our political analysis is widely shared and contributes to shaping UN responses.
MYA funding helps us support initiatives by SRSGs and Special Envoys in promoting and following up on the Secretary-General’s call for a global ceasefire. The MYA, with its Rapid Response window, is designed to support new opportunities and crisis-related needs at short notice. DPPA continues to deploy its tools - mediation, electoral assistance, inclusive political analysis -to provide political, technical and operational support to its partners. Demand for our services might take a different form this year but is likely to remain high.
We have witnessed the disproportionate effects of COVID-19 on women and girls, particularly those living in fragile and conflict-affected countries. Together with the wider UN system and its partners, DPPA continues to support women’s participation in politics and all matters of peace and security.
DPPA is currently undertaking an assessment of its MYA projects to re-prioritize and re-purpose unspent programme funds in consultation with Headquarters and the field. We will communicate our new funding target once we have greater clarity on how operations can be conducted in the field. We will strive to keep our partners regularly informed through the Donor Group and other forums.
With competition for resources intensifying, the MYA is more important than ever for our work. We hope to be able to count on support from our donors this year to continue delivering on our mandate as fully and effectively as possible. For any information on the MYA, please contact: dppa-donorrelations@un.org
DPPA is pleased to present its Annual Report under the Multi-Year Appeal (MYA), showcasing how voluntary contributions made a difference in 2019, allowing us to be more operational and seize opportunities to prevent violence and defuse tensions in mission and non-mission settings such as Bolivia, El Salvador, Papua New Guinea-Bougainville, Sudan, Ukraine, and Yemen.
Thanks to the confidence donors placed in us, and for the fourth consecutive year, the MYA surpassed its resource mobilization target. Against $30 million requested in 2019 to cover its six priority areas, DPPA successfully mobilized $35.3 million in contributions from 30 donors (Appeal 118 per cent funded).
We hope that this support will continue to enable us to respond to the challenges to peace and security that the current COVID-19 pandemic is posing. DPPA and the rest of the UN system are looking closely at the implications of the spread of COVID-19 worldwide, including where our Special Political Missions are deployed and active. The Department has been quick to expand its analytical lens to include COVID-19 along other “stressors” that can trigger conflict or violence. Our political analysis is widely shared and contributes to shaping UN responses.
MYA funding helps us support initiatives by SRSGs and Special Envoys in promoting and following up on the Secretary-General’s call for a global ceasefire. The MYA, with its Rapid Response window, is designed to support new opportunities and crisis-related needs at short notice. DPPA continues to deploy its tools - mediation, electoral assistance, inclusive political analysis -to provide political, technical and operational support to its partners. Demand for our services might take a different form this year but is likely to remain high.
We have witnessed the disproportionate effects of COVID-19 on women and girls, particularly those living in fragile and conflict-affected countries. Together with the wider UN system and its partners, DPPA continues to support women’s participation in politics and all matters of peace and security.
DPPA is currently undertaking an assessment of its MYA projects to re-prioritize and re-purpose unspent programme funds in consultation with Headquarters and the field. We will communicate our new funding target once we have greater clarity on how operations can be conducted in the field. We will strive to keep our partners regularly informed through the Donor Group and other forums.
With competition for resources intensifying, the MYA is more important than ever for our work. We hope to be able to count on support from our donors this year to continue delivering on our mandate as fully and effectively as possible. For any information on the MYA, please contact: dppa-donorrelations@un.org
11 April 2020 - On 23 March, the Secretary-General launched an appeal for an immediate Global Ceasefire, urging all warring parties to pull back from hostilities, put aside mistrust and animosity, and silence their guns. Many parties have responded positively to the Secretary-General’s appeal, but more needs to be done to translate these words into actions.
Too many in the Middle East have endured conflict and deprivation for far too long. Their suffering is now...
“I am concerned about the socio-economic consequences of the COVID-19 health crisis on the Palestinian people, particularly vulnerable communities in Gaza.
In addition to the public health implications of the pandemic, the negative shock to the Israeli and Palestinian economies will have profound implications for public welfare, employment, social cohesion, financial and institutional stability.
...In a joint appeal issued on Saturday, the five UN envoys to the Middle East urged warring parties in the region to work towards an immediate end to hostilities, in line with the Secretary-General’s recent call for a global ceasefire during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Joint Appeal by the UN Secretary-General’s Envoys to the Middle East
11 April 2020
On 23 March,...
Religious leaders of all faiths are being urged by the UN Secretary-General to join forces and work for peace around the world and focus on the common battle to defeat COVID-19.
On 23 March, the Secretary-General launched an appeal for an immediate Global Ceasefire, urging all warring parties to pull back from hostilities, put aside mistrust and animosity, and silence their guns. Many parties have responded positively to the Secretary-General’s appeal, but more needs to be done to translate these words into actions.
Too many in the Middle East have endured conflict and deprivation for far...
While the COVID-19 pandemic is first and foremost a health crisis, its implications are more far-reaching and could threaten global peace and security, the UN Secretary-General told members of the Security Council in a closed video-conference held on Thursday.
Page also available in Japanese, Korean and Mongolian.
Northeast Asia: Northeast Asia is home to one fifth of the world’s people and makes up one quarter of the world's gross domestic product. The region is still grappling with historical and territorial disputes. DPPA advocates for differences to be managed and resolved peacefully and encourages Northeast Asian countries to expand their coordination and collaboration.
Korean Peninsula: The situation on the Korean Peninsula is one of the longest-standing issues before the United Nations. The Security Council first adopted a resolution on the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) nuclear issue in 1993, when it urged the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea not to withdraw from the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons. DPPA’s objective is to contribute to furthering efforts to reach a peaceful, negotiated solution of the outstanding issues on the Korean Peninsula, with a priority on supporting the parties to step up efforts to build trust, reduce tension and supporting dialogue for sustainable peace and complete and verifiable denuclearization.
DPPA presence and activities: DPPA is the lead entity supporting the Secretary-General in the UN’s efforts to prevent and resolve conflicts at the global level, and proactively partners with UN Women and other entities in advancing the Women, Peace and Security (WPS), as well as the Youth, Peace and Security (YPS) agendas. DPPA’s Asia and the Pacific Division in New York and the liaison presence in Beijing, which interacts with the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, in a spirit of joint work with other UN entities, prepares briefings to the Security Council, conducts political analysis, supports the Secretary-General's good offices and preventive diplomacy efforts, carries out capacity building, and builds partnerships with other entities.
DPPA’s Programme to Support Cooperation in Northeast Asia allows the UN system to, inter alia: (i) facilitate the participation of regional representatives in UN fora; (ii) support UN/DPPA engagement and partnerships; (iii) facilitate UN initiatives in and on Northeast Asia; and (iv) contribute to UN coherence. DPPA’s Security Council Affairs Division provides support to the functioning of the Security Council as well as to the works of its subsidiary organs, including the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 1718 (2006).
As per the Secretary-General’s vision on prevention, the “UN is not the only actor, and in many cases not even the most important actor. The ultimate goal is not to expand our remit but to make a real difference for people, especially the most vulnerable. As the anchor of multilateralism with universal membership, the UN has unparalleled capacity to convene and mobilize. The UN system is most impactful when truly enabling others. This means building meaningful partnerships with the widest array of Governments, regional organizations, international financial institutions, civil society organizations, academia and the private sector, always being truthful to our mission as the guardian of the international norms that the Organization has generated over the past seven decades”.
DPPA is in regular contact with its governmental, regional and sub-regional organizations counterparts, as well as with other entities. The Department coordinates the UN system in this endeavour, including by ensuring information-sharing and cooperation on regional or country-specific issues of mutual concern. For Northeast Asia, partnerships and cooperation with other entities include:
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Seminar on Women, Technology, and Peace | 16-17 December 2024, Tokyo, Japan
DPPA, in partnership with UN Women and the Global Partnership for the Prevention of Armed Conflict (GPPAC) convened a two-day in-person seminar on the topic “Women, Technology, and Peace” in Tokyo, Japan. The rapid development of emerging technologies and artificial intelligence was discussed in the context of the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) agenda. The seminar provided an opportunity for participants from governments, civil society and cyber, AI, and WPS practitioners to discuss challenges and best practices on issues such as the role of technology in advancing gender equality; the nexus between the WPS agenda and technology; and incorporating a gendered perspective in cybersecurity policies such as in WPS and other National Action Plans.
13-14 June 2023, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
Following, the regional dialogue in December 2019 in Beijing, China, on 13-14 June 2023, DPPA, in partnership with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Mongolia, UN Women, and the Global Partnership for the Prevention of Armed Conflict (GPPAC), convened a two-day in-person dialogue on the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) agenda in Northeast Asia in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. The dialogue brought together government officials, academics, and representatives from civil society from Mongolia, Japan, and the ROK. The participants discussed regional trends, increased tensions and risks, including nuclear, in the region and the continued marginalization of women in peacebuilding, preventive diplomacy, and the security sectors. The dialogue also provided an opportunity for the participants to learn and have a fruitful exchange about Japan and the ROK’s 1325 National Action Plan (NAP) as Mongolia is envisaging to restart discussions on its NAP. This year, a young peacebuilder from Mongolia also joined the interactive discussions, with the participants exploring the nexus between the WPS and the Youth, Peace and Security (YPS) agendas. The dialogue was followed by the Ulaanbaatar Dialogue on Northeast Asian Security and the First Female Foreign Ministers Meeting hosted by the Foreign Minister of Mongolia.
Futuring peace in Northeast Asia is an initiative by the United Nations Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs (DPPA) dedicated to bridging the generational gap and strengthening opportunities for Northeast Asian youth to share their unique observations for regional peace and security with policymakers, scholars, and governments in the region. The aim is to strengthen their advocacy capacities in line with the New Agenda for Peace, the SDG 2030 agenda, and UN Security Council Resolutions 2250 (2015), 2419 (2018) and 2535 (2020) on Youth, Peace and Security (YPS). In a region that lacks common security structures, the project enables the capacity of young people to be at the forefront of regional policy discussions, demonstrating that intergenerational interaction can help identify the challenges and opportunities ahead.
Phase I (2021)
The first phase of the project in 2021 was implemented in partnership with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and focused on building capabilities for digital facilitation and utilizing Futures Literacy methodology considering the specific regional context. During a series of virtual dialogues, over 40 youth peacebuilders from China, Japan, Mongolia, and the Republic of Korea imagined scenarios set in 2040, imagining how digital literacy education, new technologies and innovative approaches could strengthen cross-border ties. They recognized the criticality of building shared regional experiences that would enable a peaceful future through for instance education systems, academic exchanges, and cultural assets such as movies and literature.
Phase II (2022)
In 2022, the initiative was implemented in collaboration with the Swiss foreign policy think-tank foraus and co-designed and co-facilitated by Northeast Asian youth. From April to September 2022, four workshops were held where the youth peacebuilders used strategic foresight tools to develop concrete policy recommendations for policymakers, exploring pathways to a peaceful future for the region. Questions were framed using the “Futures Triangle” approach, probing participants to think about future outcomes by looking at three dimensions: the push of the present, the pull from the future, and the weight of the past. Through collective scenario building and testing, they identified four key policy avenues, including establishing digital literacy programs, furthering educational and technological cooperation, creating a regional youth parliament, and fostering an inclusive Metaverse.
As an outcome of the initiative, a youth-drafted policy report on the future of collaboration and narrative building in Northeast Asia was launched on World Futures Day 2 December 2022 at the United Nations Headquarters in New York, with Assistant Secretary-General for Asia and the Pacific Khaled Khiari, youth peacebuilders, regional experts and UN partners present.
In addition, in 2022 APD supported youth representatives to attend multiple policy platforms. At the Ulaanbaatar Dialogue on Northeast Asian Security (UBD) in June 2022, DPPA, the Mongolian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Institute for Strategic Studies jointly organized a youth panel. Youth participants also attended the Climate Change and Youth Forum in Mongolia in August 2022, where they moderated a session on Global Warming and Greenhouse Gas Emissions and facilitated a group work session on strategic foresight, and at the Transforming Education Summit in New York in September 2022, sharing insights on education and technology as enablers for peace in the region.
UN WebTV video of Ms. Ijun Kim as a youth peacebuilder in the Futuring Peace in Northeast Asia project: Ijun's Future: Foresight for Peace | UN Web TV
Phase III (2023)
In 2023, the project focused on policy bridging and supporting youth voices at relevant regional policy fora through events at: (i) Tsinghua University and the North-East Asia Regional Power Interconnection and Cooperation Forum 2023 organized by ESCAP in Beijing (China); (ii) Yonsei University, the National Assembly Futures Institute (NAFI), and the Jeju Forum (Republic of Korea); (iii) the Ulaanbaatar Dialogue for Northeast Asian Security (Mongolia); (iv) Sophia University and the 2023 Internet Governance Forum annual summit (Japan).
In these foras, youth were given a seat at the table in regional discussions and a platform to share their perspectives on regional issues, enabling them to network and connect with policymakers, government officials, NGOs, scholars, and youth. In the discussions, youth emphasized the importance of dialogue, and the need for regional digital literacy education programs to counter the negative impacts of misinformation and a fragmented internet landscape in the region. They also discussed their proposal for a Northeast Asia Youth Climate Council which could address the gap of a lack of a regional mechanism and inclusion of youth in respective national policy spaces.
UN WebTV video of that follows five youth peacebuilders from Northeast Asia and their session at the 2023 Internet Governance Forum in Kyoto, Japan in October 2023: Beyond Boundaries: Futuring Peace in Northeast Asia | UN Web TV
Phase IV
In 2024, the initiative extended the network of young peacebuilders from Northeast Asia to the Pacific region, to strengthen their advocacy capacities in line with the Pact for the Future and the SDG 2030 agenda. Youth peacebuilders from the two regions worked together to increase regional cooperation to address common challenges such as climate change, unregulated emerging technologies, internet fragmentation, mis- and disinformation and hate speech, and enhancing the representation of women and youth in policy dialogues. Throughout the year, DPPA facilitated active intergenerational discussions between youth peacebuilders, experts, government officials and the UN system in support of inclusive political strategies.
In January 2024, DPPA and Finland co-hosted a Youth, Peace and Security (YPS) roundtable in the UN Secretariat, engaging youth, the UN system and Member States. DPPA Assistant Secretary-General for the Middle East, Asia and the Pacific, Mr. Khaled Khiari, opened the roundtable. The discussion focused on pathways to meaningful youth participation among Northeast Asian youth, and youth peacebuilders presented the status and next steps of their recommendations.
Link to UN WebTV video from Samoa workshop: Empowering Pacific & NE Asia Youth: Peacebuilders & Climate Advocates Workshop | UN Web TV
In May 2024, the initiative supported two youth peacebuilders to participate in a panel session at the Jeju Forum for Peace and Prosperity in the Republic of Korea, discussing regional youth-led initiatives for regional cooperation. Youth participants presented youth policy recommendations focusing on technology, innovation, and digital literacy, and how to avoid internet fragmentation.
DPPA hosted a panel session with youth peacebuilders from China and Mongolia at the Jeju Forum for Peace and Prosperity, Republic of Korea, 29-30 May 2024.
Youth peacebuilders have also continued advancing their policy recommendations from the earlier phases of the project, including for the establishment of a Northeast Asia Youth Climate Council as a dedicated regional entity. Youth with support from DPPA, convened a Preparatory Meeting for the launch of the Northeast Asia Youth Climate Council in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia on 5 June 2024. The meeting was a space for youth representing a wide range of climate organizations in the region to network and was an opportunity to strengthen partnerships and increase visibility of the Council with the UN system and other partners. The Council aims to build capacity for meaningful youth engagement in environmental policy and decision-making. The key findings from the meeting were presented at the Ulaanbaatar Dialogue on Northeast Asian Security (UBD) on 6-7 June 2024 to signal the upcoming launch of the Council and encourage intergenerational solidarity.
These engagements have provided youth peacebuilders with an opportunity to present and discuss the recommendations with experts and have proved valuable opportunities to exchange ideas and perspectives on the regions’ futures and explore ways to promote peace and collaboration. The project received positive feedback from stakeholders and Member States in both regions.
For more information:
Project website: https://futuringpeace.org/NEA/
Interview with participants in DPPA’s Politically Speaking (December 2021) : https://dppa.medium.com/creating-a-collective-language-youth-from-northeast-asia-imagine-the-future-of-the-region-97e411135a7d
UNESCO’s Futures Literacy : https://en.unesco.org/futuresliteracy
DPPA and ODA online learning series with Northeast Asian young leaders, April-December 2020
The UN Security Council Resolutions 2250 (2015), 2419 (2018) and 2535 (2020) on Youth, Peace and Security (YPS) provide a framework for the UN to promote a more meaningful participation of youth in peace and security processes. The adoption by the UN General Assembly of Resolution 74/64 on “Youth, disarmament and non-proliferation”, tabled by the Republic of Korea (ROK) on 21 October 2019 and co-sponsored by 84 Member States, including Japan, the People’s Republic of China and Mongolia, created another entry point for multilateral policy and confidence-building initiatives with young people in the region.
In 2020, DPPA and the UN Office for Disarmament Affairs (ODA) launched a joint project to bring together a group of Northeast Asian young leaders to discuss disarmament and non-proliferation issues. Since April, the joint team has worked with eight youth leaders from the ROK, Japan, China and Mongolia to train and build their capacity on disarmament, non-proliferation, gender, new technologies and civil society action. The participants participated in a series of virtual discussions with UN officials, independent experts, academics and civil society representatives.
The project also connected youth with senior policy makers in the region. On 2 December, a participant of the project spoke at a youth special session convened for the first time as part of the annual ROK-UN Joint Conference on Disarmament and Non-Proliferation Issues, in line with the ambition to build bridges between decision-makers and young people. Members of the group also recorded an episode for ODA’s Disarmament Today podcast and wrote an article for DPPA’s Politically Speaking to reflect on their experiences.
To learn more about DPPA’s youth champions in Northeast Asia, please click here for a poster about the project and the participants.
Please find the links to the young leaders' policy papers and their perspectives:
Note: These policy papers were developed in the course of a regional project and reflect solely the views of their authors. They do not necessarily reflect the official position of the United Nations or its Member States nor do they entail their endorsement.
10 December 2019, Beijing, China
DPPA, in close cooperation with UN Women and the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), organized a regional expert discussion on Northeast Asian countries’ contributions to the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) agenda. The event in Beijing on 10 December gathered more than 30 participants from China, Japan, Mongolia and the Republic of Korea to discuss progress of WPS implementation in the region in light of the 2020 anniversaries of the Beijing+25 process and the 20th anniversary of UN Security Council Resolution 1325. At the event, SIPRI launched its background paper on emerging role of the ROK and Japan in WPS. The Beijing consultations provided an opportunity to strengthen regional networks and allowed experts from the region to discuss challenges and to share best practices amongst each other.
See link to Women, Peace and Security: Voices from Northeast Asia (March 2021).
28 September 2019, New York, USA
I am pleased to again send my warm greetings to the 2019 Global Peace Forum on Korea. Last year, the Korean Peninsula experienced momentous developments. We witnessed summits and family reunions. And many commitments were made. Today, the international community is eager for talks to resume and progress to be made.
I am glad that the United Nations has been a platform for the two Koreas to send messages of collaboration and peace. Over the past 12 months, the Panmunjom Declaration was circulated as an official document of the General Assembly and Security Council; traditional Korean wrestling was listed as Intangible Cultural Heritage thanks to a joint application from both Koreas, and the World Taekwondo and International Taekwon-Do Federation promoted peace at the United Nations Office at Geneva.
These symbolic steps are crucial. But more is needed. The Secretary-General continues to urge the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea to begin working-level talks with the United States, as agreed by the two leaders in June, and to resume inter-Korean dialogue. The summits involving the leaders of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea and the Republic of Korea and United States respectively remain important milestones.
They have built an atmosphere conducive to advancing sustainable peace and complete and verifiable denuclearization on the Korean Peninsula, in accordance with the relevant Security Council resolutions. There could be setbacks, but there is now a foundation to make tangible progress on the core issues. The United Nations system and our Good Offices are available to support the diplomatic efforts of the parties. I wish you great success in the discussions ahead and look forward to the results of the forum. Thank you.
3 to 4 June 2019, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
It is beyond question that young people must be included in discussing peace and security issues, including in peace negotiations. On 3 and 4 June 2019, DPPA, in partnership with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Mongolia, the UN team in Mongolia, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and the United Network of Young Peacebuilders (UNOY) brought together young people from all around Northeast Asia to discuss the youth, peace and security agenda and perspectives for dialogues in the region. Khishigjargal Enkhbayar, a former Coordinator at the UN Youth Advisory Panel in Mongolia, wrote about the experience here. The workshop was mentioned in the Secretary-General’s first report on Youth and peace and security issued on 2 March 2020.
