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Reports and Policy Documents

2023

  • 28 Jul 2023

    Russia has not offered any free grain to the UN food relief agency so far, and its policy of buying supplies from Ukraine has been based on its competitive price and quality, a senior WFP official said on Friday.

  • 28 Jul 2023

    Heads of UN peacekeeping forces on Thursday highlighted the work of ‘blue helmets’ in some of the most challenging environments, protecting those in need not only from war and terror but also increasingly from natural disasters and disinformation.

  • 28 Jul 2023

    Humanitarian operations, development support and peace programmes in Niger continue in the wake of the military coup this week, the top UN official in the country said on Friday in a briefing to journalists in New York. 

  • 28 Jul 2023

    Civilians fleeing attacks by extremist groups in Burkina Faso must be allowed to shelter in neighbouring countries and not sent back, amid a spike in violence and horrifying rights abuses, the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) said on Friday.

  • 28 Jul 2023

    Humanitarian operations, development support and peace programmes in Niger continue in the wake of the attempted military coup this week, the top UN official in the country said on Friday in a briefing to journalists in New York. 

  • 28 Jul 2023

    Heads of UN peacekeeping forces on Thursday highlighted the work of ‘blue helmets’ in some of the most challenging environments, protecting those in need not only from war and terror but also increasingly from natural disasters and disinformation.

  • 28 Jul 2023

    Participants at the High-table of the RCNR meeting: Ambassador João Samuel CAHOLO ICGLR Executive Secretary (l) with other panelists during the meeting on the fight against the...

  • 27 Jul 2023

    Council condemned in the strongest terms possible, the military coup d’état in the Republic of Niger, which resulted in the ousting of a democratically...

  • 27 Jul 2023

    ASSISTANT SECRETARY-GENERAL MOHAMED KHALED KHIARI’S
    REMARKS TO THE SECURITY COUNCIL ON
    THE SITUATION IN THE MIDDLE EAST

    New York, 27 JULY 2023

    Madam President,

    Members of the Security Council,

    Since Special Coordinator Wennesland’s last briefing to the Council on 27 June, the deterioration of the security situation in the occupied West Bank has continued, punctuated by a two-day Israeli operation in Jenin, the most intensive of its kind in nearly twenty years.

    This deterioration is taking place alongside ongoing unilateral steps that undermine a two-State solution, the absence of a peace process and the continuing economic challenges facing Palestinians and the Palestinian Authority (PA). It is critical that all parties take urgent steps to stop the downward spiral and engage with each other to seek a constructive path forward.

    Madam President,

    From 27 June through 24 July, in the occupied West Bank, 21 Palestinians, including five children, were killed and 249 Palestinians, including five women and 22children, were injured by Israeli security forces during demonstrations, clashes, search-and-arrest operations, attacks and alleged attacks against Israelis, and other incidents. Another 20 Palestinians, including one woman and five children, were injured by Israeli settlers or other civilians in shooting attacks, stone-throwing and other incidents.

    According to Israeli sources, two Israeli security forces personnel were killed, while another 39 Israelis, including four women, three children and eight Israeli security forces personnel, were injured by Palestinians in shooting and ramming attacks, clashes, the throwing of stones and Molotov cocktails, IEDs and other incidents.

    The period saw a significant escalation in the ongoing wave of violence in the West Bank. 

    From 3 to 4 July in the Jenin Refugee Camp in Area A of the occupied West Bank, ISF carried out an operation, marked by multiple drone airstrikes and over 1,000 ground troops. Twelve Palestinians, including four children, were killed and over 140 injured – the most in a single operation in the West Bank since the UN began tracking casualties in 2005. According to eyewitnesses, a 17-year-old was killed was unarmed and not engaged in the fighting at the time he was shot. Palestinian Islamic Jihad’s (PIJ) Al-Quds Brigades claimed eight of the twelve fatalities as members, including the 17-year-old and other children. Israeli authorities said that none of the Palestinians killed in the operation had been noncombatants. One Israeli soldier was killed by live fire, in circumstances that IDF said were unclear, and another was injured.

    ISF said that they destroyed multiple caches of explosives and weapons, including two under a mosque, as well as operation centers used by militant groups. Targeted sites included locations adjacent to UN facilities and a school. In addition, exchanges of fire took place near a hospital and other health facilities, with reports of ISF firing tear gas in or around the facilities. The only UNRWA health clinic inside the camp was damaged and remains closed.

    In addition, on 3 and 21 July, two Palestinians – including one child – were killed by ISF in clashes following protests near Beit El checkpoint north of Ramallah and in the village of Umm Safa, respectively. Also in Umm Safa, on 7 July, a Palestinian was killed by ISF during clashes following a confrontation between Palestinians and Israeli settlers. On the same day, two armed Palestinians, whom ISF accused of having perpetrated a shooting attack, were killed in an ISF operation in Nablus. On 20 July, ISF killed a Palestinian man during an armed exchange in Nablus during a heavily secured visit by Israelis, including Israel’s Police Commissioner and settler leaders, to Joseph’s Tomb, in accordance with established procedures.

    Palestinians carried out a number of attacks or alleged attacks against Israelis, including: a 4 July ramming and stabbing attack in Tel Aviv that injured eight Israeli civilians, including a pregnant woman; and a shooting attack near the Kedumim settlement on 6 July, in which an Israeli soldier was killed; an attack on 10 July near the settlement of Halamish in which a Palestinian man allegedly shot and threw an explosive device towards ISF; and on 21 July, an alleged ramming attack against Israeli soldiers in the village of Sebastiya. Four Palestinians were killed while carrying out such attacks.

    In addition to the use of IEDs in Jenin, the period also witnessed Palestinians from the so-called al-Ayyash Brigades, for a second time in two weeks, attempting to launch rudimentary rockets from the Jenin area towards Israel or Israeli settlements on 10 July. Two rockets landed in open areas in Israel, with no damage or injuries reported. 

    Settler violence continued, albeit not at the scale witnessed in June. On the night of 3 July, Israeli settlers attacked Deir Dibwan village, near Ramallah; in subsequent confrontations, in the presence of ISF, Palestinians threw stones and settlers fired live ammunition, injuring one Palestinian. On 13 July, settlers assaulted Palestinian herders in Arab al-Kholi in the northern West Bank, injuring four elderly men, two in serious condition; at least one Israeli was injured.

    Amid the escalating violence, Palestinian Security Forces (PSF) conducted a series of arrests across the occupied West Bank, including, on 17 July, of a senior Palestinian Islamic Jihad leader in Bethlehem accused of forming armed groups and a senior Hamas official from Tubas on 20 July. Both were subsequently released. In a 17 July statement, a PIJ spokesperson noted that ten of its members had been arrested by PSF to date.

    While the situation in Gaza remained relatively calm, militants fired five rockets from Gaza towards Israel, responding to the operation in Jenin, on the night of 4 July. All were intercepted by Israel’s aerial defense system, with shrapnel landing in the city of Sderot. In response, the Israeli Air Force carried out airstrikes against what it said were Hamas targets in the Strip. On both sides, property damage but no injuries were reported. On 3 and 4 July, during demonstrations near the security fence east of Gaza City, six Palestinians were injured by ISF, two by live ammunition.

    Madam President,

    Eight Israeli civilians were placed by Israeli authorities under administrative detention for their involvement in the violent attacks against Palestinians in June; and, on 12 July, Israeli authorities indicted an Israeli civilian and an off-duty Israeli soldier, on charges that include carrying out acts of terrorism against Palestinian civilians during the attacks in June.

    Madam President,

    I reiterate that acts of terror and the targeting of civilians are unacceptable and must be condemned and rejected by all. All perpetrators of violence must be held accountable and swiftly brought to justice.

    Israel has an obligation to protect Palestinians and their property in the Occupied Palestinian Territory and ensure prompt, independent, impartial and transparent investigations into all acts of violence.

    As the Secretary-General has noted, security forces must exercise maximum restraint and use lethal force only when strictly unavoidable to protect life.

    I am appalled that children continue to be the victims of violence and that militant factions have claimed some as members. Children must never be the targets of violence, used or put in harm’s way.

    I also reiterate that the indiscriminate launching of rockets by Palestinian militants towards Israeli population centers is a violation of international humanitarian law and must cease immediately.

    Madam President,

    The humanitarian situation in the occupied West Bank remains concerning and the large ISF operation in Jenin Refugee Camp had a devastating humanitarian toll on the camp and its residents.

    Over 460 houses were damaged, including 70 severely damaged or destroyed, and there was extensive damage to roads, as well as to water and sewage infrastructure. Around four kilometers of road were dug up by Israeli forces, which they said was to neutralize buried IEDs. Of the 3,500 residents who fled the violence, some 20 families remain internally displaced due to damage to their homes or lack of basic services.

    Throughout the operation, access to the camp was limited by ISF to one entrance, initially hindering most ambulances from reaching casualties, and was fully restored on 5 July; though movement around the camp remains difficult due to the widespread damage and contamination by unexploded ordnance left by both sides.

    Assessments by the UN and its humanitarian partners identified a number of priority needs, including: clearance of unexploded ordnance; restoration of water and sewage provision; food, rental and psychosocial assistance to the most affected families; restocking of medical supplies; and repair to schools and the UNRWA clinic.

    The Palestinian Authority has committed to repairing the damages sustained in Jenin. Financial pledges have also been made by donors to help with the reconstruction, including USD30 million from Algeria to the Palestinian Authority and USD15 million from the United Arab Emirates through UNRWA. 

    Despite this generous response, severe funding shortages continue to curtail UN ability to provide support to Palestinians throughout the Occupied Palestinian Territory. UNRWA faces a gap of some USD 200 million to maintain services from September onwards and USD 75 million to sustain the food pipeline in Gaza. In addition, the World Food Programme requires USD 41 million to continue providing assistance to the prioritized 350,000 Palestinians in need until the end of the year.

    Madam President,

    On 3 July, in response to the Israeli operation in Jenin, the Palestinian leadership adopted a number of decisions. These include freezing all contacts with Israel, including continuation of an announced suspension of security coordination, and stepping up Palestinian international efforts, including joining UN agencies and bodies and pursuing prosecution of Israel at the International Criminal Court. The leadership also called for a meeting of all Secretaries-General of Palestinian factions, scheduled for 30 July in Cairo. 

    On 12 July, President Mahmoud Abbas visited the Jenin refugee camp. He laid a wreath in memory of Palestinians killed and delivered remarks praising the camp as an “icon of struggle” and vowing that the Palestinian Authority would rebuild it.

    Madam President,

    On 9 July, Israel’s Security Cabinet voted to act to -- quote “prevent the collapse of the Palestinian Authority,” end of quote -- noting that the Prime Minister and Defense Minister would present the Cabinet with --  “steps to stabilize the civil situation in the Palestinian sector”. 

    Separately, Israeli authorities took some steps in recent weeks with a view to relieving pressure on the Palestinian Authority fiscal situation, including reducing the handling fee for fuel Israel transfers to the Palestinian Authority and expanding electronic payments to Palestinians working in Israel.

    On 17 July, Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu spoke by phone with U.S. President Biden, and, between 18 and 21 July, Israeli President Herzog conducted an official visit to the United States. According to official readouts, the leaders discussed, inter alia, steps to restore calm in the West Bank, including through reconvening in the Aqaba-Sharm el Sheikh format, in addition to regional developments and proposed changes to the judiciary in Israel.

    On 24 July, following months-long protests, the Israeli Knesset passed a law barring Israeli courts from reviewing the “reasonableness” of Government actions and appointments. The so-called “reasonableness standard” had been used by courts in the past to block or limit certain Government actions, including those related to policies in the occupied Palestinian territory.

    Madam President,

    As violence in the West Bank has surged, Israeli steps to expand settlements continued.

    Israeli authorities demolished, seized or forced owners to demolish 44 Palestinian-owned structures in Area C and 12 in East Jerusalem, displacing 70 Palestinians, including 38 children. The demolitions were carried out due to the lack of Israeli-issued building permits, which are nearly impossible for Palestinians to obtain.

    On 11 July, Israeli Security Forces evicted a Palestinian family from their home in the Muslim Quarter of Jerusalem’s Old City and handed the property over to a settler organization, after a decades-long legal battle ended several months ago with the Supreme Court rejecting the family’s last appeal. Close to 1,000 Palestinians, including 424 children, face possible eviction in East Jerusalem.

    On 10 July, 36 Palestinians, including 20 children, left their community of al-Baqaa, near Jerusalem, following the establishment of a settlement outpost in their community on 21 June and subsequent settler attacks.

    Madam President,

    Turning to the region, on the Golan, the ceasefire between Israel and Syria has been generally maintained despite continued violations of the 1974 Agreement on Disengagement of Forces by both parties. On 19 July, UNDOF observed the Israel Defense Forces fire at least 350 machine gun rounds, and on 24 July, five projectiles into the area of separation. UNDOF has continued to notice the presence of Syrian armed forces personnel also in the area of separation. UNDOF remains in contact with both sides to prevent any escalation of tensions.

    As the Special Coordinator for Lebanon and USG Lacroix highlighted in their briefings to the Council on 20 July, tension along the Blue Line continued to be witnessed, in particular in the Shab'a Farms and Northern Ghajar related to the occupation of Northern Ghajar by Israel, and the construction works by the Israel Defense Forces in sensitive areas as well as the placement of a tent south of the Blue Line, claimed by Hezbollah. The United Nations reiterates the importance of all concerned parties exercising restraint and utilizing the liaison mechanisms of UNIFIL to de-escalate tensions.

    Madam President,

    I am deeply alarmed by the scale of violence and scope of destruction we have witnessed in recent weeks, particularly during the 3-4 July ISF operation and ensuing armed exchanges in Jenin, as well as the attacks this past month that have targeted Palestinian and Israeli civilians.

    I reiterate the call on all parties to take concrete steps to deescalate tensions on the ground and ensure that all civilians are protected.

    The UN remains engaged in extensive contacts with all parties, including regionally, to help lower tensions and prevent a renewed outbreak of violence.

    As the Special Coordinator has emphasized, such steps must be integrated into a broader effort by all parties to restore a political horizon and address the underlying drivers of the conflict. The United Nations remains committed to helping Palestinians and Israelis resolve the conflict and end the occupation with the aim of achieving a two-State solution, in line with relevant United Nations resolutions, international law and bilateral agreements.

    Thank you.

  • 27 Jul 2023

    Khaled Khiari, Assistant Secretary-General for Middle East, Asia and the Pacific in the Departments of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs and Peace Operations, briefs...

  • 27 Jul 2023

    The conflict in Sudan has sparked a health crisis for the 3.4 million people forced to flee to safety, whether within the country or across its borders, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Thursday. 

  • 27 Jul 2023

    Insecurity and violence increased rapidly in the occupied West Bank over the last month, punctuated by one of the most intensive Israeli military operations in nearly two decades, the Security Council heard on Thursday.

  • 27 Jul 2023

    The UN Secretary-General on Thursday demanded the release of Niger’s President Mohamed Bazoum “immediately and unconditionally”, as military officers continue to hold the democratically-elected leader captive after declaring a coup.

  • 27 Jul 2023

    UN Secretary-General António Guterres on Thursday highlighted the need for a “surge in diplomacy” in the Korean Peninsula, urging the two nations to resume talks towards a lasting peace.

  • 27 Jul 2023

    Niamey, Niger

    The Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of the United Nations Office for West Africa and the Sahel (UNOWAS), Léonardo Santos Simão, is deeply concerned by...

  • 26 Jul 2023

    From 25 to 27 July, UNOAU attended a Methodology and Planning Workshop on the African Union Peace and Security Council (AUPSC)-mandated...

  • 26 Jul 2023

    ASSISTANT SECRETARY-GENERAL MOHAMED KHALED KHIARI’S
    REMARKS TO THE SECURITY COUNCIL ON
    UKRAINE

    New York, 26 JULY 2023


    Madam President,

    Members of the Council,

    As we return to this Chamber for the third time in ten days to address the crisis in Ukraine, we continue to witness the widespread destruction and suffering caused by the war. This week, the port city of Odesa has been the target of a devastating wave of air strikes.

    On Sunday, a Russian missile attack damaged the UNESCO-protected Transfiguration Cathedral and other historical buildings in the Historic Centre of Odesa, a World Heritage site. In this shocking attack, one person was reportedly killed, and several others, including children, injured. The attack also caused extensive damage to an important place of worship with religious and cultural significance to Ukraine and beyond.

    Sites like the Cathedral are protected under the World Heritage Convention. Attacks against them are a violation of the 1954 Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict.

    Sunday’s attack followed several successive nights of deadly Russian missile and drone strikes targeting Odesa and other cities in southern Ukraine including Mykolaiv and Chornomorsk, killing at least three people and injuring dozens of others.

    I reiterate the Secretary-General’s strong condemnation of these attacks.

    Unfortunately, Sunday’s attack was not the first targeting Ukrainian culture and heritage. In fact, since 24 February 2022, UNESCO has verified damage to 274 cultural sites in Ukraine, including 117 religious sites. 

    As the Secretary-General stated this weekend, we are concerned about the threat that this war increasingly poses to Ukrainian culture and heritage, and we urge the Russian Federation to immediately cease attacks against cultural property protected by widely ratified international normative instruments.

    Madam President,

    As was underscored by Under-Secretary-General DiCarlo and Under-Secretary-General Griffiths in this Council last Friday, attacks against Ukrainian Black Sea port facilities risk having far-reaching impacts on global food security, in particular, in developing countries.

    We have now seen disturbing reports of further Russian strikes against port infrastructure, including grain storage facilities, in Reni and Izmail ports on the Danube River – a key route for shipment of Ukrainian grain, not far from Ukraine’s borders with Moldova and Romania.

    Deliberately targeting infrastructure that facilitates the export of food to the rest of the world could be life-threatening to millions of people who need access to affordable food.

    These attacks targeting Ukraine’s grain export facilities, similarly to all attacks against civilians and civilian infrastructure, are unacceptable and must stop immediately. I must emphasize that attacks against civilians and civilian infrastructure may constitute a violation of international humanitarian law.  

    The Secretary-General stated last week that he would “not relent in his efforts to ensure that Ukrainian and Russian food and fertilizer are available on international markets” as part of his ongoing efforts to fight global hunger and ensure stable food prices for consumers everywhere.

    Madam President,

    The humanitarian response plan for 2023 is 29 per cent funded. We are grateful to donors for ensuring that the humanitarian community in Ukraine can continue to support Ukrainians whose lives have been so brutally disrupted by this war. But further funding is desperately needed to help all of those in need.

    In the first six months of 2023, some 7.3 million people have received humanitarian assistance in Ukraine. 

    The United Nations and its humanitarian partners remain committed to providing life-saving humanitarian assistance and safeguarding the lives and dignity of persons affected by the war.

    Madam President,

    In the wake of Russia’s withdrawal from the Black Sea Initiative, these latest attacks signal a calamitous turn for Ukrainians and the world. Port cities that allow for the export of grain such as Odesa, Reni and Izmail, are a lifeline for many. Now they are the latest casualties in this senseless, brutal war.

    As long as the war continues, civilians continue to suffer. Ukrainians have suffered enough. The world has suffered enough. I reiterate the Secretary-General’s call for just and sustainable peace, in line with the UN Charter, international law and relevant resolutions of the General Assembly.

    Thank you.   

                      

  • 26 Jul 2023

    The UN Secretary-General António Guterres has strongly condemned an attempted power grab in the West African nation of Niger, following reports that the democratically elected president is being held by some of his own guards inside his official residence.

  • 26 Jul 2023

    The recent wave of devastating Russian attacks targeting Odesa and other key Ukrainian port cities marks a “calamitous turn” in the 15-month war, a senior UN official told the Security Council on Wednesday. 

  • 26 Jul 2023

    How does your country’s border define you? Your nationality, the laws you abide by, the land your property resides on? For many, these exist as fundamental certainties. Yet for families living along the Cameroonian/Nigerian border, this is...

  • 25 Jul 2023

    TRIPOLI, 26 July 2023 - The United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) takes note of the approval of a roadmap and the announcement of nominations for a new government...

  • 25 Jul 2023

    SRSG Abdoulaye Bathily, co-chairs of the Security Working Group, and the 5+5 Joint Military Commission members in Benghazi / © UNSMIL

    As the United...

  • 25 Jul 2023

    Dakar, 25 July 2023 - The Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of the United Nations Office for West Africa and the Sahel (...

  • 25 Jul 2023
    UNVMC Commission visited the Alto Sinú indigenous reservation to verify and coordinate aid for the health and security crisis

    Between June 12 and 16, the...

  • 25 Jul 2023

    The UN has started a complex operation to transfer crude oil from a decaying supertanker stranded off the coast of Yemen since 2015.

  • 25 Jul 2023

    While national elections in West Africa and the Sahel provide an important opportunity for voters to effect change, they also expose “real challenges” which must be addressed moving forward, the UN’s top envoy for the region said on Tuesday. 

  • 25 Jul 2023

    The UN on Tuesday began siphoning one million barrels of oil from a decaying supertanker off the coast of war-torn Yemen, a crucial step in the race against time to prevent a potential environmental disaster.

  • 25 Jul 2023

    MEETING OF SECURITY WORKING GROUP FOR LIBYA IN BENGHAZI / © UNSMIL

    ***As delivered ***

    ...
  • 24 Jul 2023

    The Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security of the ECCAS Commission (Mangaral Bante), the Ambassador of Sao Tome and Principe in Gabon, also President of the UNSAC Committee...

  • 24 Jul 2023

    Months of “potentially significant diplomacy” to resolve the crisis in Syria have not yielded any outcomes or political momentum for the war-weary population, both within the country and those displaced outside, the UN Special Envoy for the country said on Monday. 

  • 23 Jul 2023

    Senior UN officials have strongly condemned the deadly Russian missile strikes in the Ukrainian city of Odesa on Sunday which damaged several historic buildings.

  • 22 Jul 2023

    The top UN humanitarian official in Yemen on Saturday called for justice in the wake of the recent attack against World Food Programme (WFP) staff that left one person dead and another injured. 

  • 21 Jul 2023
    This Week in DPPA is a brief roundup of political and peacebuilding events and developments at UNHQ and around the world. 

    Security Council

    Briefing on Ukraine, USG DiCarlo tells Security Council “This senseless, unjustified war must stop”

    On 17 July, Under-Secretary-General (USG) Rosemary DiCarlo briefed the Security Council on the situation in Ukraine. Noting that it had been over 500 days since the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion, she said that 9,287 civilians have been killed and 16,384 injured, most under Russian armed forces fire, according to the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR). Those figures were only the confirmed figures, she continued, highlighting that the actual number of victims was likely to be considerably higher. The USG went on to state that, on 27 June, Russian missiles hit the city of Kramatorsk, reportedly killing 11 people and injuring at least 60 more. On 6 July, bombardments hit Kyiv, Odesa and Lviv. On 8 July, Russian artillery shelling reportedly killed at least eight civilians and wounded 13 in Lyman. “Nowhere is safe in Ukraine,” DiCarlo said, underscoring that “for the sake of the Ukrainian people and for the sake of our global community, this senseless, unjustified war must stop.”

    On 21 July, briefing the Security Council for the second time this week on the situation in Ukraine, the USG said that Russia’s termination of its participation in the Black Sea Initiative, coupled with its bombardment of crucial ports, will further compound the crisis in Ukraine. Food prices, she said, were already rising around the globe, and underlined that “Russia’s missile and drone strikes against Ukraine’s Black Sea ports in Odesa, Chornomorsk and Mykolaiv were “a further blow to global food security.” The USG also outlined attacks against civilians and civilian infrastructure, including documented damage to over one thousand health care facilities and 3,467 educational institutions. Read her remarks here

    Special Coordinator for Lebanon briefs on implementation of Resolution 1701

    On 20 July, Special Coordinator of the Secretary-General Joanna Wronecka briefed the Security Council on the implementation of Resolution 1701 (2006) in a closed meeting. She emphasized the critical importance of resolution 1701 to the security and stability of Lebanon, Israel and the region and of moving forward on outstanding commitments that remain for both parties.

    Read more here

    A New Agenda for Peace

    Secretary-General presents “A New Agenda for Peace” to Member States

    On 20 July, Secretary-General António Guterres presented to Member States his policy brief “A New Agenda for Peace.” The brief, he said, outlines his vision for multilateral efforts for peace and security. He went on to highlight that the world is facing new and developing threats that require urgent and united action, while conflicts had become more “complex, deadly, and harder to resolve.” 'A New Agenda for Peace’ outlined an extensive and ambitious set of recommendations that recognize the inter-linked nature of the challenges the world faces, he said, and is framed around the core principles of trust, solidarity, and universality that are foundations of the Charter and of a stable world. The policy brief is one of a series that will support Member State deliberations in preparation for the Summit of the Future in 2024.

    Mozambique

    Tánaiste of Ireland visits Mozambique to mark progress on peace process 

    On 20 July, the Personal Envoy of the Secretary-General for Mozambique, Mirko Manzoni, welcomed the Tánaiste of Ireland and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Minister for Defence, Micheál Martin, to an exhibition on the progress achieved in the Mozambican Peace Process. The event was also attended by the Secretary General of the Department of Foreign Affairs of Ireland Joe Hackett and the Director General of Irish Aid Ruairí de Búrca. During the exhibition, the Tánaiste had the opportunity to speak with former Renamo combatants who have taken part in the disarmament, demobilization and reintegration process. 

    West Africa and the Sahel

    SRSG Simão concludes visit to Conakry

    On 18 July, Special Representative of the Secretary-General (SRSG) and Head of the UN Office for the Sahel and West Africa (UNOWAS) Leonardo Santos Simão concluded his two-day visit to Conakry, Guinea. The SRSG had meetings with the Prime Minister, Bernard Goumou, and the Minister of Foreign Affairs and African Integration, Morissanda Kouyaté. He also met with the UN country team and representatives from the diplomatic corps. During his meetings, he stressed the importance of doing everything possible to restore constitutional order, in coordination with the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the international community, and in harmony with the Guinean people's aspirations for stability, peace, democracy and development.

    Read more here

    Somalia

    Special Representative Laing visits Hargeisa

    On 18 July, Special Representative of Secretary-General (SRSG) and Head of the UN Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNSOM) Catriona Laing concluded her two-day visit to Hargeisa, Somalia. She met with the President of the Republic of Somaliland Muse Bihi Abdi, members of his team, and civil society groups for discussions on a range of issues, including Somalia-Somaliland dialogue, the conflict in Laascaanood, economic development and human rights.

    Read more here

    Iraq

    Deputy Special Representative Isaczai delivers speech on anti-corruption 

    On 15 July, Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General, Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for Iraq, Ghulam Mohammad Isaczai, delivered a speech at the national conference on “Strengthening Public-Private Dialogue on Anti-Corruption and Integrity Issues” held in Basra Governorate. The DSRSG noted that "Corruption hampers economic, political, social development, and the rights of everyone. It is our collective responsibility to uphold integrity and combat corruption. Now is the time to come together to take action against corruption for a safer, better and fairer future for all".

    Full remarks here

     

    Deputy Special Representative Isaczai visits southern Iraq, meets with local farmers, UN project beneficiaries

    From 15-17 July, Deputy Special Representative Isaczai visited southern Iraq. The DSRSG and an accompanying delegation of UN agency representatives met with governorate officials and had insightful discussions with local farmers, civil society representatives and UN project beneficiaries. They spoke about development challenges, the impact of climate change, and water scarcity affecting the livelihoods of people in the southern governorates. 

    UNAMI Human Rights Office organizes roundtable discussion in Kirkuk on accountability for domestic violence

    On 18 July, the UNAMI Human Rights Office (HRO) organized a roundtable discussion in Kirkuk on accountability for domestic violence. The event brought together representatives of civil society, Family Protection Units, journalists and clerics from Kirkuk, Diyala and Salah al-Din governorates. The aim of the meeting was to take stock of the current challenges related to domestic violence and to exchange experiences, lessons learned and recommendations from different perspectives. UNAMI’s Human Rights Office gave an overview of the international legal framework on violence against women and girl, which was followed by a presentation delivered by representatives of Family Protection Units.

    Learn more here  

     
    UNAMI’s Human Rights Office and Iraqi Women’s Journalist Forum train journalists in Najaf

    From 14-15 July, UNAMI’s Human Rights Office, in collaboration with Iraqi Female Journalist Forum, delivered a two-day capacity-building training in Najaf for 20 Iraqi journalists (16 women and 4 men) from Najaf governorate. The training aimed to equip Iraqi journalists with tools to integrate human rights and gender perspectives into their journalistic reporting and media content, including by developing an understanding of the diverse perspectives, challenges and experiences of women, to ensure accurate and inclusive representation in news and reports. 

     
    UNAMI Gender Unit holds discussions on women’s participation and empowerment

    On 17 and 18 July, UNAMI’s Gender Unit and the Women Empowerment Directorate led roundtable discussions in Najaf and Karbala on women’s participation in political processes, the implementation of the National Action Plan on UN Security Council resolution 1325, the National Strategy for Iraqi Women (2023 – 2030), and SDG 5 on promoting the empowerment of women and girls. The discussions were attended by local governorate officials, civil society activists and former provincial council members.  

    Central Asia

    UNRCCA conducts national consultations on counter-terrorism early warning network

    In July, the UN Regional Centre for Preventive Diplomacy for Central Asia (UNRCCA), in close partnership with the UN Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT), held a series of national consultations on the Counter-Terrorism Early Warning Network for Central Asia. Its purpose was to discuss substantial and operational issues related to the Early Warning Network, in order to coordinate the work of different national and regional counterparts related to Afghanistan.  Participants also analyzed the latest developments in Afghanistan and identified possible focus areas for the Early Warning Network.

    Read more here

    Climate, Peace and Security

    Peacebuilding Support Office holds training on climate, peace and security 

    From 19-21 July, DPPA’s Peacebuilding Support Office (PBSO), together with the UN System Staff College, the Climate Security Mechanism, and independent think tank Adelphi, co-organized a training course on climate peace and security peacebuilding programming in Turin, Italy. This training, designed in response to the findings of the PBSO’s newly launched Thematic Review on Climate Security and Peacebuilding 2023, provided an opportunity for participants to improve their programming capacity and projects design for new national and cross-border peacebuilding projects being developed for the Peacebuilding Fund (PBF). 

    Youth Inclusion

    Peacebuilding Fund works with students from Western Balkans on social media and inclusion

    From 17-20 July, as part of the regional UN initiative “Youth 4 Inclusion, Equality & Trust,” the Peacebuilding Fund supported the organization of a youth camp in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Twenty students from across the Western Balkans met to work on social media campaigns promoting inclusion, cultural diversity and shared cultural heritage. The youth were part of a workshop programme on media and information literacy, which focused on public advocacy campaigning. In addition, mentors encouraged young people to advocate for their priorities and be active contributors to positive transformation in and across their communities.

    Next Week

    On Monday, the Security Council will discuss the situation in Syria. On Tuesday, SRSG Simão will brief the Council on West Africa and the Sahel. On Wednesday, the Council will meet to discuss threats to international peace and security. 

    On Monday, at 10:00 a.m. (EDT), the General Assembly will hold a debate on Report of the Peacebuilding Commission (A/77/720); Peacebuilding and sustaining peace; Report of the Secretary-General on the Peacebuilding Fund (A/77/756 and A/77/756/Corr.1). The debate will take place in the Trusteeship Council Chamber or live streamed on UN WebTV via this link here

     

     

     

     

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    Contact DPPA at dppa@un.org

  • 21 Jul 2023

    UNDER-SECRETARY-GENERAL ROSEMARY A. DICARLO’S
    REMARKS TO THE SECURITY COUNCIL ON
    UKRAINE

    New York, 21 JULY 2023

     

    Madam President,

    On Monday, when speaking to this Council, I reiterated the Secretary-General’s deep regret over the decision by the Russian Federation to terminate its participation in the Black Sea Initiative – including the withdrawal of Russian security guarantees for navigation in the north-western part of the Black Sea.

    As a result, food prices are rising around the globe, adding to existing agricultural, energy and financial crises that are already severely impacting the world’s most vulnerable people.

    We have now witnessed a further blow to global food security, as Russia for the fourth consecutive day struck Ukraine’s Black Sea ports in Odesa, Chornomorsk and Mykolaiv with missiles and drones, destroying critical port infrastructure, facilities and grain supplies.   

    These attacks have also resulted in civilian casualties.

    Yesterday, in Odesa, one person was reportedly killed and at least eight others were injured. In Mykolaiv, Russia’s attack reportedly killed two, while 19 more were injured.

    We strongly condemn these attacks and urge Russia to stop them immediately. 

    As the Secretary-General stated yesterday, the bombardment of the Black Sea ports in Ukraine contradicts Russia’s commitments under the Memorandum of Understanding with the United Nations, which states that “the Russian Federation will facilitate the unimpeded export of food, sunflower oil and fertilizers from Ukrainian controlled Black Sea ports.”

    The new wave of attacks on Ukrainian ports risks having far-reaching impacts on global food security, in particular, in developing countries.

    Furthermore, as we have repeatedly stated, attacks against civilian infrastructure may constitute a violation of international humanitarian law.  

    Madam President,

    Threats regarding potential targeting of civilian vessels navigating in the Black Sea waters are unacceptable.

    We are also concerned about the reports of sea mines laid in the Black Sea, endangering civilian navigation.

    We strongly urge restraint from any further rhetoric or action that could deteriorate the already dangerous situation.

    Any risk of conflict spill over as a result of a military incident in the Black Sea – whether intentional or by accident - must be avoided at all costs, as this could result in potentially catastrophic consequences to us all.

    Madam President,

    Attacks against civilians and critical civilian infrastructure are not a new trend in this conflict, but rather its tragic pattern.

    The World Health Organization has documented damage to over one thousand health care facilities, resulting in 101 deaths and 139 injuries.

    Since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, UNESCO has verified damage to 270 cultural sites, including 116 religious sites, 27 museums, 95 buildings of historical significance, 19 monuments, 12 libraries and one archive.

    Moreover, 3,467 educational institutions have also suffered from bombing and shelling with 335 of them destroyed.

    According to UNESCO, 12 journalists and media workers have been killed since the start of the war.

    Also, children in Ukraine continue to be disproportionately affected by the appalling high level of grave violations in this conflict. Children are being killed and maimed by explosive weapons with wide area impact in populated areas.

    Millions of Ukrainians, including nearly two-thirds of Ukrainian children, have been forced to leave their homes.

    For those who remain, the damage and destruction of critical infrastructure continues to cause hardships, as access to basic services are disrupted.

    The destruction of the Kakhovka Dam on 6 June and the subsequent flooding have far-reaching, long-term environmental and humanitarian consequences.

    According to Ukraine's Agriculture Ministry, almost 600,000 hectares of farmland no longer have access to irrigation water following the dam destruction.  This compounds the existing challenges that Ukrainian farmers face, in addition to mines and unexploded ordnance.

    The flooding also worsened the already volatile situation at the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant.

    Experts of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) continue to closely monitor the availability of cooling water for the Plant. Ensuring its safety and security remains of utmost importance not just to Ukraine, but to the broader region.  

    Madam President,

    Land mines will continue to pose dangers to civilians for years to come as almost one third of the country is reportedly contaminated with unexploded ordnance, landmines and cluster munitions.

    We are working with the Government of Ukraine and other partners to tackle this threat of unexploded ordnance. So far, our mine action efforts have reached almost 3.5 million people.

    But these figures are not the whole story.  The war has impacts that are harder to measure.

    A generation of Ukrainian children has been traumatized, and the impacts of the war on the mental health of children and adults will be long-lasting.

    Madam President,      

    When I briefed the Council on Ukraine earlier this week, I did not foresee that I would be returning to this Chamber again today.

    The events of the past week are but the latest developments in the Russian Federation’s senseless war against its neighbour, a war with consequences that can be felt around the world.

    Russia’s termination of its participation in the Black Sea Initiative, coupled with its bombardment of crucial ports, will further compound the crisis.

    The Secretary-General has been clear: we will not stop our efforts to facilitate the unimpeded access to global markets for food and fertilizers from both Ukraine and the Russian Federation.

    Madam President,

    The only way to halt the catastrophe unfolding in Ukraine is to forge an end to the war based on international law and the principles enshrined in the Charter, and in line with General Assembly resolutions.

    Thank you, Madam President.

  • 21 Jul 2023

    Russia’s bombardment of Ukrainian ports along the Black Sea could have far-reaching impacts on global food security, UN political affairs chief Rosemary DiCarlo said on Friday in a briefing to the Security Council. 

  • 21 Jul 2023

    A long-serving staffer with the UN World Food Programme (WFP) has been shot and killed in Yemen.

  • 21 Jul 2023

    ASHGABAT, Turkmenistan

    In July 2023, the United Nations Regional Centre for Preventive Diplomacy for Central Asia (UNRCCA), in...

  • 20 Jul 2023
    Security Council Press Statement on Colombia 

    New York, 20 July 2023. The members of the Security Council reiterated their full and unanimous support for the peace process in Colombia....

  • 20 Jul 2023

    Secretary-General António Guterres on Thursday strongly condemned Russian attacks on Odesa and other Ukrainian ports in recent days, following Moscow’s decision to withdraw from the UN-brokered Black Sea Initiative earlier this week. 

  • 20 Jul 2023

    The mayor of a city in southern Ukraine has described its inhabitants as “heroes” and has pledged the city will emerge from the full-scale invasion of his country as a model for other urban areas devastated by the war, even as residents cope with an overnight attack on Thursday.

  • 20 Jul 2023

    The UN Secretary-General on Thursday launched a new policy brief outlining his vision of a more robust multilateral framework to boost peace and security, for a world in flux.

  • 20 Jul 2023

    A new report reveals how projects supported by the UN Trust Fund for victims of sexual exploitation and abuse by UN personnel, are helping victims regain their dignity, learn new skills, and improve their livelihoods.

  • 19 Jul 2023

    On 20 July, the AU PSC convened its 1162nd meeting on the situation in the Sahel region. The meeting, which was chaired by the Permanent Representative of Senegal and...

  • 19 Jul 2023

    Secretary-General António Guterres briefs the General Assembly on the report “Our Common Agenda” during an informal meeting of the plenary. 2/13/2023 ©UN Photo/Manuel Elías

    SG/SM/21885

    ...
  • 19 Jul 2023

    On 20 July, the AU PSC convened its 1162nd meeting on the situation in the Sahel region. The meeting, which was chaired by the Permanent Representative of Senegal and...

  • 19 Jul 2023

    Life-saving relief programmes should not be held hostage by political interests, the President of the General Assembly said on Wednesday, as Member States gathered to debate the use of the veto by a permanent member of the Security Council, that halted vital cross-border aid last week into northern Syria. 

  • 19 Jul 2023

    The United Nations family came together on Wednesday to pay tribute to the 77 members of staff who died in the line of duty in 2022. 

  • 19 Jul 2023

    Dakar, July 19, 2023 - Pursuing his regional familiarization tour following his appointment as Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General for...

  • 19 Jul 2023

    Hargeisa – Somalia-Somaliland dialogue, the conflict in Laascaanood, economic development and human rights were among the topics covered in a top United Nations...

  • 18 Jul 2023

    Targeting of civilians and civilian infrastructure in Ukraine and threats of use of nuclear weapons, severely undermines trust “within and in our institution”, the President of the UN General Assembly said on Tuesday.