Strengthening international cooperation and delivering on a UN pact that calls for reforming global governance, among other measures, was the focus of debate in the Security Council on Tuesday.
The UN human rights office (OHCHR) on Tuesday sounded the alarm over escalating rights abuses in Sudan, warning that impunity is driving violations as fighting spreads and more armed groups become involved.
The humanitarian emergency in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has deteriorated sharply with serious human rights violations and abuses, including reported summary executions of children and generalised sexual violence.
Mr. President,
In one week, we will mark three tragic years since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, launched in violation of the UN Charter and international law.
The invasion represented an inexcusable escalation of the conflict that started in 2014, with the attempted illegal annexation by the Russian Federation of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol, Ukraine, followed by the outbreak of fighting in the regions of Donetsk and Luhansk in the east of Ukraine.
Civilian casualties continue to rise. The global impact of the war continues to be felt far beyond Ukraine.
In this context, today’s ten-year anniversary of Security Council resolution 2202 - that called for the full implementation of the now defunct Minsk agreements - is an opportunity to recall past diplomatic efforts towards de-escalation and a peaceful settlement of the conflict. It also invites reflection on what happens when peacemaking fails.
Since the beginning of the conflict, the United Nations has remained fully committed to the sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of Ukraine, within its internationally-recognized borders.
Over the past ten years, while not directly involved, the United Nations has consistently supported the various diplomatic processes and mechanisms aimed at restoring the peace and security of Ukraine. These included efforts led by the Normandy Format countries and by the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) in the Trilateral Contact Group, focusing on the implementation of the 2014 and 2015 Minsk agreements.
In line with Chapter VIII of the UN Charter, we made available our expertise and international experience to the OSCE and its Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) in areas such as ceasefire monitoring and women, peace and security.
We commend the dedication of the professionals who served with the OSCE’s Special Monitoring Mission. For eight difficult years, they played a crucial role in monitoring and reporting ceasefire violations. They helped maintain dialogue to reduce tensions and prevent escalation.
We reiterate our gratitude to the OSCE and the SMM for the constructive cooperation over the years.
As underlined in the Pact for the Future, the role of regional and subregional organizations in diplomacy, mediation and the pacific settlement of disputes remains essential. In Europe, this is particularly relevant for the OSCE on the 50th anniversary of its founding document, the Helsinki Accords.
Mr. President,
It is important to consider some of the key lessons of the past ten years of conflict and peacemaking in order to succeed in ensuring a just, lasting and comprehensive peace in Ukraine.
The Secretary-General has underlined, time and again, that any peaceful settlement must respect the sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of Ukraine, in line with the UN Charter, international law and resolutions of the General Assembly.
In the Pact for the Future, Member States recommitted to the promotion of cooperation and understanding between states to defuse tensions, seek pacific settlement of disputes, and resolve conflicts.
This approach must also apply to put an end to the war in Ukraine.
The United Nations encourages dialogue among all stakeholders and welcomes all genuine efforts and initiatives, with the full participation of Ukraine and the Russian Federation, that would alleviate the impact of the war on civilians and de-escalate the conflict.
The Minsk agreements have taught us that agreeing on a ceasefire or the signing of an agreement alone do not ensure a durable end to the violence.
Ensuring that the conflict does not reoccur and does not escalate will require genuine political will and understanding of its multi-dimensional complexity, for Ukraine and for the region.
Mr. President,
We renew our appeal of ten years ago for all stakeholders to step up their efforts to end the fighting. We reiterate the Secretary-General’s call on all countries to help prepare the ground for a just peace. And we stand ready to use our good offices and to make available all our tools and experience in support of such efforts.
Thank you.
A senior UN political affairs official on Monday reaffirmed that any peace deal in Ukraine must respect the country’s sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity, in accordance with the UN Charter and international law.
The UN World Food Programme (WFP) has condemned the looting of thousands of tonnes of relief supplies in the city of Bukavu in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), after Rwanda-backed M23 rebels swept in at the weekend, reportedly meeting little resistance.
The 24th Meeting of the UN-AU Joint Task Force on Peace and Security in Africa was held on Feb 17, 2025 at the AUC Headquarters. Photos available here: https://flic.kr/s/...
UN Secretary-General António Guterres has welcomed the latest round of hostage releases in Gaza and the continued implementation of the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.
The UN Secretary-General, António Guterres, emphasized the potential of Africa and its young population and called for global reforms to right the injustices of the past, in remarks delivered to the high-level African Union (AU) summit on Saturday.
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Denmark’s unearmarked contributions to the Multi-Year Appeal (MYA) have helped the Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs (DPPA) to swiftly bolster the UN’s response to an increasingly complex and ever-evolving peace and security landscape. This support has been instrumental in enabling and sustaining peacebuilding efforts, mediation and political processes worldwide.
We are living in an age of complex and overlapping crises. Today, one-quarter of the world’s population lives in countries affected by violent armed conflict. For every $1 spent on prevention, between $26 and $103 could be saved on humanitarian aid and post-conflict reconstruction. The benefits to those who are spared the disasters of war are incalculable.
DPPA’s critical work in conflict prevention, mediation, peacemaking, and peacebuilding is backed by some 35 donor Member States each year through its Multi-Year Appeal. All recognize that operational deployments or engagements with the right actors can make a difference on the ground and influence the trajectory of conflicts. Pooled resources enable DPPA to maximize impact by combining earmarked and unearmarked funds operational deployment or engagement with the right actors can make a difference on the ground.
Denmark has long been a long-standing partner. Last year, 73% of Denmark’s total contribution significantly contributed to our swift response to emerging crises and supporting underfunded and forgotten crises. The funds were received in the first quarter of the year, facilitating better planning.
DPPA provides support to over 30 United Nations special political missions, from Afghanistan to Libya, the Horn of Africa, Myanmar, Sudan and Syria, among other contexts. These missions help prevent conflicts, mediate disputes, support peace processes, and assist in post-conflict stabilization.
Here are three contexts where unearmarked funding from Denmark helped DPPA’s response to tackle global crises and conflict:
Throughout 2024, UN Special Envoy Geir Pedersen continued years of efforts to try to move the political track and bring the Syrian parties closer towards a negotiated solution. It also played a key role in advancing Security Council resolutions, advocating for detainee issues, supporting women’s participation in the political process, and coordinating with UN agencies on humanitarian access and accountability efforts. Following the fall of the Assad regime on December 8, we were able to respond quickly, forging a UN response, working on Security Council deliberations. Work is currently underway on the Day After and DPPA is providing technical support (on constitutional arrangements, elections). Despite the caretaker authorities' stated commitment to a political transition, ongoing conflicts and unresolved security challenges threaten to derail the UN-facilitated process, necessitating continued strategic engagement and risk mitigation efforts.
DPPA deployed surge capacity to our Office in Jerusalem (UNSCO), which is leading UN efforts related to the Middle East peace process, in the immediate aftermath of the 7 October attacks by Hamas, strengthening UNSCO’s crisis response and planning at a pivotal moment. As the conflict escalated and spread to other parts of the region, including Lebanon, the need for swift surge support to missions and offices on the ground became even more urgent. We continued to facilitate access to conflict-affected areas for fact-finding, while also providing critical political and technical support.
As the war in Ukraine enters its third year, our real-time analysis informs UN leadership on political, diplomatic, and security developments, with daily reports contributing to over 160 briefings to the Security Council delivered by the Secretary-General and senior UN officials. Our Liaison Office in Kyiv is our eyes and ears on the ground, and plays a crucial role in monitoring the situation, engaging with local stakeholders, and supporting inclusive peace processes.
The MYA is our lifeline and makes DPPA more operational. Thanks to the MYA, we can deploy expert staff or senior mediators at short notice in peace negotiations (funding more than 100 deployments a year) and promote concrete action to boost women’s participation in peace processes. On the electoral front, DPPA coordinates electoral assistance to dozens of countries a year. In 2024, we provided technical support to about one-third of the elections conducted globally.
The UN Secretary-General on Friday called on the international community to urgently scale up funding and diplomatic action to ease the suffering of millions of Sudanese facing hunger and displacement as rival militaries continue battling each other for control.
The UN human rights office, OHCHR, on Friday condemned the intensifying Israeli military operation in the northern West Bank, warning that nearly 40,000 Palestinians have been displaced already amid an “alarming wave” of violence and destruction.
A dire displacement crisis is escalating in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo as M23 rebels make headway while aid routes are cut off, UN humanitarians warned on Friday.
Ukrainian authorities said on Friday a Russian drone strike with a high explosive warhead struck the former Chernobyl nuclear power plant overnight, damaging a protective shield which was built following the 1986 disaster in order to prevent further radiation leaks.
Adopted by the Peace and Security Council (PSC) of the African Union (AU) at its 1261st meeting held on 14 February 2025 on Consideration of the Situation in Sudan:
The Peace and Security Council,
Recalling its previous decisions and pronouncements on the situation in Sudan, particularly, Communiqués [PSC/PR/COMM.1235 (2024)] adopted by the PSC at its 1235th meeting held on 9 October 2024...
The Peace and Security Council, acting under Article 7 of its Protocol, expressed grave concern over the deteriorating security and humanitarian situation in eastern DRC, emphasizing the need for collective action. It reaffirmed respect for DRC’s sovereignty and territorial integrity while unequivocally condemning the activities of M23, ADF, FDLR, and other armed groups, demanding their immediate withdrawal. The Council endorsed key regional communiqués, called for humanitarian...
The UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) on Thursday issued a stark warning over escalating violence in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), where hundreds of civilians have been killed and tens of thousands displaced as M23 rebels continue to attack and seize control of towns and villages.
As M23 rebels continue to gain ground in South Kivu in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), the country’s top UN humanitarian official has told UN News that increasing “complexity and needs” are fuelling a crisis which had already left more than a million people displaced before the latest surge in fighting.
A lasting peace is still possible in Yemen but requires commitment, courage, and action from all sides, the UN Special Envoy for the country told the Security Council on Thursday.
Lifesaving aid continued to reach Gaza on Thursday while UN humanitarians warned that needs remain enormous after 15 months of constant Israeli bombardment.
The UN Special Envoy for Syria on Wednesday called on the country’s caretaker authorities to make the transition to democratic rule inclusive, warning that transparency, rule of law and fair elections – particularly for women taking part – remain key concerns.
The UN Secretary-General has strongly condemned the killing of a Tunisian peacekeeper serving with the UN Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic, MINUSCA.
The repression of mass protests in Bangladesh last year that toppled longtime prime minister Sheikh Hasina left as many as 1,400 people dead in just 46 days – the vast majority shot by security forces, UN human rights chief Volker Türk said on Wednesday.
A return to war in Gaza must be avoided at all costs, UN Secretary-General António Guterres insisted on Tuesday, amid fears that the three-week-old ceasefire agreement between Hamas fighters and Israel is about to end.
Thousands of people affected by the fighting in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) are leaving displacement sites in and around Goma for safer areas, the UN humanitarian affairs office OCHA reported on Tuesday.
In January 2025, short-range drones caused more casualties than any other weapon in Ukraine, the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine (HRMMU) said in a new report released on Tuesday.
As the Israeli military completed its withdrawal at the weekend from a key security corridor in Gaza that had cut the enclave in two, UN humanitarians issued a fresh appeal for an end to all aid restrictions which continue to prevent the delivery of lifesaving relief.
The terrorist group Da’esh, also known as ISIL, remains a serious global security threat despite years of sustained efforts to dismantle its operations, UN counter-terrorism officials warned during a Security Council meeting on Monday.
The Office of the Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for Yemen (OSESGY) concluded on 19 December 2024 another round of political dialogues in Amman, Jordan, as part of its ongoing efforts to foster an inclusive and sustainable peace process for Yemen. These dialogues - held from 24 October to 19 December 2024 - engaged representatives from key Yemeni political parties and entities, ensuring the representation of women, including...
In a significant move towards eliminating Syria’s chemical weapons programme, the head of the UN-backed international watchdog dedicated to ending the scourge has been visiting Damascus, together with a high-level delegation.
During the turbulent early years of Timor-Leste’s independence, the UN was a constant presence, helping to maintain peace and stability. Twenty-four years on, the country has made the successful transition from a host nation for UN peacekeeping operations, to one that contributes to supporting missions elsewhere.
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UN peacekeeping must be fit for purpose as the nature of conflict evolves in the 21st century along with new weapons technology, more than 60 nations heard this week at a global forum on the future of peace operations, taking place in Indonesia.
The civilian death toll in Sudan has surged dramatically, with at least 275 people killed between 31 January and 5 February, the UN human rights office, OHCHR, reported on Friday.
UN human rights chief Volker Türk on Friday expressed profound concerns at the ongoing violent escalation in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) caused by the ongoing Rwanda-backed M23 offensive. “If nothing is done, the worst may be yet to come, for the people of the eastern DRC, but also beyond the country’s borders,” he told a Special Session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva.
