As the security situation in Haiti’s capital Port-au-Prince rapidly worsens due to ongoing gang violence, the United Nations is adjusting its operations to ensure the continued delivery of critical humanitarian assistance.
UN human rights chief Volker Türk lent his weight to growing ceasefire calls in Lebanon on Tuesday, as senior Israeli cabinet members were reportedly due to meet on a deal to end more than a year of conflict with Hezbollah militants, sparked by the war in Gaza.
With all eyes on a possible ceasefire deal between Israel and Hezbollah militants in Lebanon, UN humanitarians have condemned the ongoing violence in Lebanon, Gaza, and Israel. Meanwhile, at UN Headquarters in New York, a special meeting was held to mark the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People. UN News app users can follow here.
With 2024 the deadliest year for aid workers on record, the Security Council must clearly condemn attacks against them and ensure accountability for perpetrators, a senior official with the UN humanitarian affairs office, OCHA, said on Tuesday.
As the security situation in Haiti’s capital Port-au-Prince rapidly worsens due to ongoing gang violence, the United Nations is adjusting its operations to ensure the continued delivery of critical humanitarian assistance.
Addressing the General Assembly on Tuesday, President Philémon Yang called for urgent collective action to address the humanitarian crisis in Sudan and stressed the shared responsibility of UN bodies to safeguard global peace and security.
The United Nations has welcomed the announcement of a ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon.
Heavy rainfall has caused severe flooding across displacement sites in Gaza, further compounding the humanitarian crisis, the UN has reported.
The United Nations remains concerned by the escalation of hostilities in Lebanon between Hezbollah and the Israel Defense Force (IDF), as well as the widespread destruction and death across the Blue Line, the Secretary-General’s Spokesperson, Stéphane Dujarric, said on Monday.
As Gaza teeters on the brink of collapse, a senior UN official on Monday renewed urgent calls for an immediate ceasefire and action to address the humanitarian crisis.
The number of children being recruited into armed groups across Haiti has increased by 70 per cent over the past year, the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has reported. The unprecedented spike also reveals the alarming deterioration of child protection amid escalating violence in the Caribbean nation.
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The past two months of intensifying Israeli bombardment in Lebanon have been the “deadliest and most devastating” in decades as communities uprooted from the front line flee continue to flee across the border to Syria, UN humanitarians said on Friday.
The mpox outbreak continues to constitute a public health emergency of international concern, the World Health Organization (WHO) said in a statement on Friday following the conclusion of a meeting of its emergency committee convened in Geneva.
Myanmar has become the world’s deadliest country for landmine and unexploded ordnance casualties, with over 1,000 victims in 2023 alone, surpassing all other nations, according to separate studies by the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the International Campaign to Ban Landmines.
The crisis in Gaza, Lebanon and Israel continues unabated as people struggle to live in the midst of conflict. Follow this live blog for the latest updates from humanitarians on the ground, our colleagues in Geneva and at UN Headquarters in New York. UN News app users can follow here.
The delivery of life-saving aid across Gaza “is grinding to a halt” amid a surge in armed looting targeting humanitarian convoys, the senior aid official in the region said on Thursday.
Children in Myanmar are increasingly caught in the crossfire of intensifying conflict, climate disasters and a collapsing humanitarian system, the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) reported.
This year of conflict in Syria is “on track to be the most violent since 2020”, with the potential for even greater devastation looming on the horizon, the UN Deputy Special Envoy for Syria told the Security Council on Thursday.
Gang violence is escalating at alarming rates in Haiti: tens of thousands have been forced from their homes, and critical supply chains have collapsed. Despite the rising peril, the UN has committed to remain in the country, helping the most vulnerable to survive the current crisis.
UN humanitarians warned on Thursday that one in four people in the Democratic Republic of the Congo suffers from “crisis or worse” levels of hunger that affects a staggering 25.6 million people.
Madam President, Excellencies,
Haiti is at dire crossroads.
Extreme levels of gang violence continue to erode state authority and pose an alarming threat to the people of Haiti and to international peace and security in the region, with no improvement in sight.
The country is now in its third year of political transition following the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse in 2021. On 11 November, the Transitional Presidential Council appointed a new Prime Minister, Mr. Alix Didier Fils-Aimé, after weeks of intense standoff with the former Prime Minister Mr. Garry Conille. Mr. Fils-Aimé is the fourth Prime Minister to hold office during this political transition.
We are deeply concerned about the slow progress on Haiti’s roadmap for restoring democratic institutions. Time is of the essence and, to ensure that general elections can be held in 2025, it is crucial to complete the appointment of all nine members of Haiti’s Provisional Electoral Council. I want to reiterate the Secretary-General's call for all national stakeholders to set aside their differences and work constructively for the benefit of the people of Haiti and its institutions, who are faced with immense challenges.
BINUH continues to use its good offices to support the political process, including to boost civil society participation in the transition, with particular focus on youth.
Excellencies,
Haiti’s security crisis keeps intensifying.
On the very day of the new Prime Minister’s installation, a series of shocking incidents unfolded as four commercial aircraft were struck by gang-related gunfire, resulting in the reported injury of one crew member. As a result, Port-au-Prince’s International Airport remains closed, the US Federal Aviation Administration prohibited US commercial flights to and from Haiti until 12 December, and many international carriers have indicated even longer suspensions.
These measures suspended international access to the capital and severely restricted our ability to transport UN and other international personnel by air as needed. Regular movement in and out of the capital and rest of the country are also disrupted. Today, thanks to concerted UN efforts, the UNHAS helicopter was able to resume its operations in and out of Port-au-Prince.
This is the second time this year that armed gangs exploit moments of political instability to tighten their stranglehold on Port-au-Prince by targeting the airport. Unlike in March of this year, armed gangs directly targeted commercial aircraft with multiple passengers on-board, during their landing and takeoff. Following the resulting closure of the International Airport, armed gangs have further intensified their coordinated and well-orchestrated attacks.
Having encircled the capital and all access roads, armed gangs have made territorial advances in strategic areas and according to some estimates now control 85% of the capital. They are also attacking the remaining pockets of relative safety. increasingly including government buildings and infrastructure. In the night of 18 November, armed gang coalitions launched a coordinated attack to gain control of the Petion-Ville suburb, which is home to most international staff, UN offices and diplomatic missions. While the Haitian National Police tried to push gangs back, clashes in these areas have reportedly resulted in several dozen fatalities. Desperate Haitians are increasingly turning to vigilante groups, establishing roadblocks, taking justice into their own hands.
This is not just another wave of insecurity; it is a dramatic escalation that shows no signs of abating.
The humanitarian consequences are severe. We are deeply concerned about the safety, basic needs and human rights of people residing in gang-controlled areas, in particular those of women and children. Predatory armed gangs systematically attack communities, using extreme forms of violence, including sexual violence, as a weapon to subjugate them. We condemn in the strongest terms the widespread sexual violence used by armed gangs.
The International Organization for Migration reports a staggering rise in displacement, with 20,000 people fleeing gang violence in just four days in November. This adds to the approximately 700,000 internally displaced persons in Haiti as of September 2024. In addition, over 167,000 Haitians have been deported from several countries so far this year, including 35,000 since 1 October.
The United Nations’ remains fully committed to standing with Haiti through these challenging times, but more resources are needed to provide vital assistance and support. At present the $674 million Humanitarian Response Plan for Haiti is only 43 percent funded.
Madam President,
The start of deployment on 25 June of the Multinational Security Support (MSS) Mission authorized by this Council marked an important milestone in the international response to Haiti’s request for assistance. The multinational effort was made possible by personnel contributions from Kenya, which is leading the mission, the Bahamas, Belize and Jamaica. Furthermore, voluntary financial contributions, equipment and logistical support from donor countries, including Canada, France, Germany and the United States, have been crucial. However, with just over 400 of the initially planned 2,500 personnel currently deployed, the MSS remains in its deployment phase and is unable to demonstrate its full potential. The UN Trust Fund for the MSS has a pledged amount of only $96.8 million. Much more is needed. And it is needed now.
To fully deliver on the MSS mandate and achieve its envisioned strength, international donors and personnel contributors must step up immediately. Without a substantial and sustained increase in voluntary contributions from Member States, there is a real risk that the MSS will never be fully equipped, fully deployed, or able to sustain its support for the Haitian National Police.
Despite the magnitude of the challenges, the Haitian National Police persist and continue to conduct anti-gang operations. However, they face significant shortages of human, material, and financial resources, making it difficult to sustain their operational successes. Any further delays or operational gaps in providing international security support to the Haitian National Police, whether through the MSS or bilateral assistance, present a catastrophic risk of collapse of national security institutions. This could lead to a complete breakdown of state authority, rendering international operations and the support to Haitians in need in the country untenable.
Such an outcome would be inexcusable for the people of Haiti, who have endured far too much already.
Excellencies,
In his address to the UN General Assembly on 26 September, the former President of the Transitional Presidential Council, Mr. Edgard Leblanc Fils, called for the start of a discussion on the transformation of the MSS Mission into a UN peacekeeping operation. His successor in the rotating presidency, Mr. Leslie Voltaire, reiterated this request in a letter to the Security Council on 21 October, seeking the MSS’ transformation as soon as possible. A resolution passed by the Permanent Council of the Organization of American States on 13 November urged the Security Council to urgently support Haiti’s request to transition the MSS mission into a UN peacekeeping operation.
Ongoing Security Council discussions about international engagement in Haiti’s security and stability to succeed the MSS highlight the need for the Government of Haiti and the international community to have a long-term vision. The Secretary-General urges Council members to maintain the unified approach demonstrated in the adoption of the recent resolutions regarding Haiti.
What is required is a sizable increase in internationally provided enhanced security support that complements the Haitian National Police. This support must include adequate capabilities, weapons, equipment, and specialized expertise that the Haitian National Police needs in order to remain the primary actor in the response against armed gangs. A robust mandate, already authorized for the MSS, coupled with Rules of Engagement allowing proactive engagements against armed gangs, is essential. This must be accompanied by efforts to build up national police capabilities to support the Government in sustainably delivering security.
In the current climate of violence, Haitian stakeholders have also made calls for support to strengthen the Haitian Armed Forces, to which some Member States have already responded.
BINUH’s support to the Haitian National Police remains essential for the continued and long-term development of the institution, but the immediate, robust operational support needed now falls outside BINUH’s mandate.
To ensure that security gains are sustained, more must be done to counter the illicit flow of drugs, weapons and ammunition. Corruption that incubates the illicit economy, and the patronage of armed gangs by corrupt political and private sector elites must also be tackled. To this end, national anti-corruption and accountability mechanisms need to be strengthened. The UN sanctions regime concerning Haiti must be utilized to its full potential to address the root causes of gang violence, including the collusion between individuals in the political, economic and security sectors, which would lead to increased confidence in the political process.
Madam President,
Robust international security support is required now.
There are no ideal options for addressing the severe and multifaceted crisis in Haiti. But as time passes and the situation deteriorates, we are left with less options and the Haitian people are left with less hope. It is high time we turn commitments into action to prevent any further erosion of security and state authority in Haiti.
I thank you.
As the conflict continues in Gaza and Lebanon, the United States vetoed the latest resolution on Gaza in the UN Security Council in New York which demanded an immediate, unconditional and permanent ceasefire as well as the release of all hostages and full humanitarian access for civilians. UN News app users can follow here.
The United States on Wednesday vetoed a UN Security Council draft resolution that demanded an immediate and unconditional ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.
Gang violence in Haiti continues to escalate, displacing thousands from Port-au-Prince and straining already limited aid resources, according to the UN Resident Coordinator, Ulrika Richardson.
Haiti is at a dire crossroads, with extreme levels of gang violence continuing to degrade State authority with “no improvement in sight”, a senior UN political affairs official told the Security Council on Wednesday.
Since 2017, the UN Verification Mission in Colombia (UNVMC) has helped implement the 2016 Peace Agreement between the Government of Colombia and the former FARC-EP guerrilla group. As Colombia prepares to celebrate the 8th anniversary of the historic accord on 24 November, we look back at the impact of the conflict and the Mission’s work throughout the years.
The UN Verification Mission in Colombia, overseen by the Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs (DPPA), was established by the UN Security Council to verify the Peace Agreement’s implementation and assist Colombia in its commitment to building peace. It started its operations in 2017, succeeding the UN Mission in Colombia, which had been tasked with verifying the laying down of arms, the definitive bilateral ceasefire and cessation of hostilities.
The Final Peace Agreement was signed on 24 November 2016 by the Government and the guerrilla group known as the FARC-EP, ending a conflict that racked the country for 50 years.
The violence reached its deadliest level between 1995 and 2004, when 45 per cent of total victims were recorded. Between 1985 and 2018, it is estimated that 450,664 people lost their lives because of the conflict. Ninety-eight per cent of victims belonged to ethnic groups.
The UNVMC verifies the implementation of the Agreement in relation to rural reform, the reintegration of former combatants, security guarantees, restorative sentences, the ethnic chapter and efforts to broaden peace.
Rural reform is one of the central elements of the Peace Agreement and includes formalizing land ownership to those owning land but lacking legal documents to prove it, and adjudicating land to new beneficiaries. From 2017 to 2024, almost 3 million hectares of land have been formalized to rural inhabitants, while 129,656 hectares of land have been adjudicated to beneficiaries.
Overall, a total of 13,829 people took part in the social, economic and political reintegration of former combatants, and today 85 per cent are still involved in the process. 10,900 former combatants take part in productive projects, while 5,397 former combatants have obtained a university degree.
To date, 21 per cent of people involved in the reintegration process belong to ethnic groups, namely indigenous people and Afro-Colombians, while 25 per cent are women.
Women played a key role in the negotiation of the agreement as well as in its implementation, making the Colombian peace process an example globally.
“It was not pre-ordained that Colombia’s peace process would set a global standard for the inclusion of women in a peace process and for the incorporation of specific gender-related provisions in a peace agreement,” said Carlos Ruiz Massieu, Special Representative of the Secretary-General (SRSG) for Colombia and Head of the UNVMC, during a Security Council briefing on 15 October 2024.
He added that the inclusion of women was driven by the demands of Colombian women’s leaders.
A total of 187 women observers took part in the verification of the ceasefire, the highest number of women to participate in such a process worldwide. Thanks to the strong advocacy of women’s civil society organizations, the Peace Agreement also includes 128 gender-specific measures. Their implementation is monitored through gender indicators.
“Women’s voices continue to be heard very strongly as they advocate for greater progress overall and in the implementation of the gender provisions of the Agreement, and for the effective inclusion of women in the newer dialogue processes,” SRSG Ruiz Massieu said.
Despite efforts to build peace, violence continues to affect both women and men. From the signature of the Agreement to 26 September 2024, the Mission has verified 432 murders, 151 attempted homicides and 42 disappearances.
The complex security situation in several regions of the country, where signatories of the Agreement and social leaders continue to be targeted by armed actors fighting for territorial control, remains one of the major obstacles to peacebuilding.
Meanwhile, the quest for justice for the victims continues. The Special Jurisdiction for Peace (SJP), instituted to prosecute crimes committed during the armed conflict, is working on 11 macro-cases in which it investigates, judges and punishes those accountable for the most serious crimes of the conflict. 11,000 individual victims have been represented in judicial processes.
While much remains to be done to fully implement the Peace Agreement, the laying down of arms in Colombia remains one of the most successful processes in which the United Nations have taken part.
After 2016, the Mission received 8,994 weapons belonging to former FARC-EP combatants- all of them operational. The weapons were disabled and the material was used to create three monuments to underline Colombia’s commitment to peace.
One is ‘Fragments’ by Doris Salcedo in Bogotá, made with 37 tons of weaponry, and the other one is ‘Kusikawsay’ by Mario Opazo, made with 7 tons of incinerated ammunition and installed at the United Nations in New York earlier this year. A third monument will be installed in Havana, Cuba.
Data source: UNVMC
Fighting is becoming more violent and destructive either side of the UN-patrolled Blue Line separating Lebanon and Israel, UN peacekeepers said on Tuesday. Meanwhile, conditions continue to worsen in Gaza, particularly in the north at stricken Kamal Adwan Hospital. Stay tuned for live updates from UN headquarters and the field. UN News app users can follow here
Andrea Tenenti, spokesperson for the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), told reporters in Geneva that ground clashes inside Lebanon – some of them very close to UNIFIL positions – have become “more violent”.
Mr. President,
1,000 days have passed since the Russian Federation launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine – in brazen violation of the UN Charter and international law.
1,000 days of widespread death, destruction and despair that continue unabated for millions of Ukrainians.
1,000 days in, this war rages on, undiminished.
Deadly battles engulf more and more of eastern and southern Ukraine.
Entire cities, villages and towns have been reduced to rubble. Bakhmut, Avdiivka,
Vovchansk and Vuhledar have been virtually wiped off the map.
Since February 2022, at least 12,164 civilians have been killed, including over 600 children. At least 26,871 others have been injured.
And these are just the confirmed numbers. The actual death toll is likely much higher.
The past several months have seen a significant increase in civilian casualties.
October and November saw some of the most intense and large-scale missile and drone attacks of the war.
Over the weekend, Russia launched one of its largest combined strikes, reportedly involving 120 missiles and 90 drones and targeting energy infrastructure in all Ukrainian
regions, resulting in severe damage and casualties.
Last night, there were also media reports that Ukrainian forces would be given authorization to use long-range weapons supplied by partners for strikes within Russia.
I want to be clear: all parties must ensure the safety and protection of civilians, regardless of their location.
Across Ukraine, residential areas have increasingly come under attack.
The people of Kyiv are again being forced to take shelter from nightly drone and missile barrages.
Critical civilian and energy infrastructure in Ukraine are systematically targeted and decimated, depriving many Ukrainians of access to basic needs.
At least 580 medical facilities have been damaged or destroyed, with many first responders and medical personnel killed and injured.At least 1,358 educational facilities have been damaged or destroyed.
Ukraine has now become one of the world’s most heavily mined places – with almost one quarter of its territory contaminated with mines – an area four times the size of
Switzerland.
The environmental degradation caused by the war -- including from the destruction of critical infrastructure -- such as the Kakhovka Dam, has resulted in long-term consequences
for local ecosystems, as well as Ukraine’s agriculture.
Millions of traumatized people are dependent on life-saving humanitarian aid.
Nearly four million remain internally displaced, and more than 6.8 million have fled the country.
As in every conflict, women are disproportionately impacted by the economic and social consequences of the war.
An entire generation of children is being deprived of proper education as attacks have driven schools online or underground in shelters.
Meanwhile, human rights continue to be systematically violated.
Mr. President,
The Black Sea remains a flashpoint. Renewed Russian attacks on civilian vessels and port infrastructure, particularly in Odesa, are once again exacerbating global food insecurity.
I am determined to continue my engagement with all concerned to support the freedom and safety of navigation in the Black Sea.
Mr. President,
The targeted devastation of Ukraine’s energy infrastructure may make the coming winter the harshest since the start of the war.
It is not difficult to imagine how daily and prolonged power cuts aggravate living conditions, acutely affecting the more than two million people whose homes have been damaged or destroyed and those near the frontlines.
The United Nations remains fully mobilized to support Ukraine’s reconstruction and recovery efforts.
This includes critical support to enhance the resilience of the country’s energy infrastructure.
Our immediate focus is on the Winter Response Plan. But without required resources the most vulnerable will lack sufficient protection.
Unimpeded humanitarian access is essential to reach some 1.5 million people in regions of Ukraine occupied by the Russian Federation.
Those areas remain beyond our reach.
At the same time, the operating environment for humanitarian actors has become more dangerous. This year so far, at least nine humanitarian workers have been killed in the
line of duty and more than 35 injured. This is unacceptable.
Despite the international community’s grave concerns, the risk of nuclear incident remains all too real, as military activities continue to be reported near Europe’s largest nuclear power plant in Zaporizhzhia and other sensitive locations in the conflict zone.
The consequences of such an event would be catastrophic and should make us all shudder. It is imperative for all parties to act responsibly to ensure nuclear safety and
security.
Mr. President,
The recent reported deployment of thousands of troops from the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea to the conflict zone and involvement in the fighting is alarming.
This would add fuel to the fire, further escalating and internationalizing this explosive conflict.
There is little doubt that this war at the heart of Europe is a conflict with global implications. It undermines regional stability and deepens geopolitical divisions.
It must end.
Reversing the current dangerous path will require concerted diplomatic efforts and political will.
It is high time for a just peace in line with the UN Charter, international law and General Assembly resolutions.
We stand ready to use our good offices and to make available the tools and experience of the United Nations in support of all meaningful efforts towards a just, lasting and
comprehensive peace.
Thank you.
