The Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) in Ukraine is now reconnected to its only back-up power line after four months, but the power situation at the site remains “highly vulnerable”, warned Rafael Mariano Grossi, head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on Monday.
KABUL - The United Nations in Afghanistan issued today its Strategic Framework for Afghanistan for the period 2023-2025, outlining the priorities of the organization in support of the Afghan...
In Port-au-Prince on Saturday, UN Secretary-General António Guterres expressed solidarity with the Haitian people “facing a terrible and mutually reinforcing cycle of… crises”, and urged deployment of an international force to assist the National Police in combating gang violence.
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Myanmar’s military is killing civilians, destroying food and homes, and keeping the most vulnerable from receiving lifesaving aid, according to a new report from the UN human rights office (OHCHR).
With over 18,000 near-Earth objects (NEOs) lurking beyond the stratosphere, 2,000 of which are classified as potentially hazardous, the UN Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA) is using Friday’s International Asteroid Day to raise awareness across the planet.
The Security Council on Friday unanimously approved the complete withdrawal of UN peacekeeping forces in Mali, although it will take six months for the final “blue helmets” to depart.
Read here the latest UNSOM Quarterly Newsletter.
AUC Chairperson issues communiqué on the situation in Senegal
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The 2022 edition of DPPA’s Evaluative Exercises report contains summaries and key findings from a range of lessons learned and other evaluative exercises conducted over the past year. The majority of these studies were funded by DPPA’s Multi-Year Appeal, highlighting the importance of the fund in supporting departmental learning and accountability exercises.
Syrians are facing an “ever worsening humanitarian crisis” amid the ongoing 12-year-long conflict, top UN officials told the Security Council on Thursday, as the General Assembly adopted a resolution to create a first-of-its-kind institution to address the issue of more than 100,000 people still missing in the country.
Immediate action needs to be taken by the international community to address conditions in Haiti, otherwise “it’s hard to imagine a decent future” for the Caribbean nation, said the head of the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) on Thursday.
The protection of civilians should remain the top priority amid the continued full-scale invasion of Ukraine by Russia, and strict control over weapons supplies is needed to prevent diversion, the UN disarmament chief told the Security Council on Thursday.
The Secretary-General condemned on Wednesday Israel’s recent advancement of plans for over 5,500 housing units in settlements in the occupied West Bank. He also denounced the retroactive regularization of three outposts adjacent to the settlement of Eli.
Violations of international law regarding children and armed conflict continued to have a “devastating impact”, the UN’s top official on the issue said on Tuesday, with a 112 per cent rise in the number of attacks on schools and hospitals.
Unless decisive steps are swiftly taken to rein in Israeli-Palestinian violence, there is a “significant risk” that the situation could deteriorate, the top UN Middle East official told the Security Council on Tuesday.
Humanitarian needs have soared among people displaced by fighting in Sudan, with the number of those fleeing expected to surpass projections while aid access remains extremely uncertain, the UN refugee agency, UNHCR, said on Tuesday.
For “countless civilians” caught in current conflicts around the world, taking responsibility for protecting them to prevent atrocities is more critical than ever, a senior UN official told the General Assembly on Monday.
UN rights experts marked the International Day in Support of Victims of Torture on Monday, by reiterating their call for an “absolute prohibition” on the use of torture during armed conflict, calling also for a push to end the international trade in instruments of torture.
A senior UN official warned the Security Council on Monday that the security situation in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has continued to deteriorate over the past three months, despite a lull in fighting between M23 rebels and the national army (FARDC).
The UN human rights office (OHCHR) on Saturday said it was gravely concerned at reports of “wanton killings” by “Arab” militia in Sudan’s West Darfur backed by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), primarily targeting men from the Masalit community.
The Ukrainian city of Kharkiv had just survived another missile attack in the spring of 2022 following Russia’s full-scale invasion, when historian, architect, and documentary filmmaker Maxim Rosenfeld stood in the penthouse of a ruined office building, presenting his concept for a new urban landscape after a UN-supported team of international and local architects adopted his vision.
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UNDER-SECRETARY-GENERAL ROSEMARY A. DICARLO’S
REMARKS TO THE SECURITY COUNCIL ON
MAINTENANCE OF PEACE AND SECURITY OF UKRAINE
New York, 23 June 2023
Madam President,
As we are all only too aware, the killing, destruction and suffering continue unabated in Ukraine. Sixteen months since the beginning of the full-scale Russian invasion, the prospects for peace remain desperately dim.
Indeed, since the last time I briefed the Council on Ukraine, the war has escalated and become more fluid and unpredictable.
The impact of the intensifying violence on civilians remains our gravest concern. Russian missile barrages and drone attacks across Ukraine nearly tripled in May.
The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) has recorded 24,862 civilian casualties to date.
The breakdown is as follows: 9,083 civilians killed, including 530 children, and 15,779 injured, including 1,086 children.
Since my last briefing, then, 2,131 civilians have been confirmed killed. The actual figures are likely considerably higher.
Since February 2022, OHCHR has also verified a total of 1036 attacks impacting educational and medical facilities. 649 attacks occurred on territory controlled by the Government of Ukraine, 301 on territory occupied by the Russian Federation and 86 on territory that was contested at the time of the attack.
The World Health Organization has verified over a thousand cases of attacks on health care with 101 deaths and 139 injuries. Of these, 898 incidents have affected health facilities, and 273 impacted health supplies. Most attacks involved the use of heavy weapons.
Also, UNESCO has verified damage to 260 sites since February 2022, including 112 religious sites, 22 museums, 94 buildings of historic significance, 19 monuments, 12 libraries and one archive.
Madam President,
The most significant destruction on civilian infrastructure to date took place on 6 June when the Kakhovka Dam was damaged.
While the exact circumstances remain unclear, this is a catastrophe that will have massive adverse consequences.
Some 80 communities along the Dnipro River were reportedly flooded, with tens of thousands of people directly affected. Dozens of people have lost their lives.
The Kakhovka Reservoir – one of Europe’s largest and a source of drinking water for at least 700,000 people – has lost 70 per cent of its capacity, according to Ukrainian authorities.
Concerns continue to mount that the floodwaters could shift landmines into previously cleared areas, further endangering lives.
Damaged sewer systems and the lack of clean water heighten the risk of waterborne diseases.
Inundated farmland is a further blow to the already beleaguered agriculture and food production sector. The UN is already engaged in assessing the extent of the environmental and ecological needs stemming from this human-made catastrophe.
As reported by the IAEA, the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant is planning to resume pumping water that remains accessible despite a major loss of water in the Kakhovka Reservoir. However, the safety and security situation at the plant is extremely fragile.
Any threat to the plant and other sensitive infrastructure is dangerous and unacceptable.
Madam President,
As part of our immediate response to the incident, the UN and humanitarian partners have rushed to deliver supplies and evacuation support for hundreds of thousands people in the affected area.
The UN Country Team has been fully mobilized in this vital effort, in close cooperation with the Ukrainian authorities and local partners. We are deeply disturbed by reports that evacuating civilians and emergency personnel have been shelled.
There are still people we are unable to reach, especially in low lying communities under Russian control. The Russian Federation has so far declined our request to go to these areas.
The UN will continue to seek the necessary access. We urge the Russian authorities to act in accordance with their obligations under international humanitarian law and ensure safe and unfettered access to all areas in need. Aid cannot be denied to people who need it.
We are also concerned about the reported damage to the Tolyatti-Odesa pipeline, the world's largest ammonia conduit, in Ukraine's Kharkiv region. The circumstances of the incident remain unclear.
Let me say it again: Attacks against civilians and civilian infrastructure are prohibited under international law. All such attacks must stop immediately, whether they be on Ukrainian or Russian territory.
Madam President,
The United Nations continues to monitor and report on human rights violations and to support efforts toward accountability.
To date, OHCHR has documented 158 cases of conflict-related sexual violence, with the majority committed by members of Russian armed forces and penitentiary system personnel.
We remain deeply concerned about the cases of forcible transfers of protected persons, including children, to territories of Ukraine under Russian control and consequent deportations to Russia.
This critical issue impacting the most vulnerable needs to be addressed urgently, prioritizing the reunification of families.
Separately, we welcome the continued efforts by the parties to enable the return of prisoners of war and urge the sides to fulfill their obligations regarding the treatment of prisoners of war and other detainees.
Accountability for all violations of international humanitarian and human rights law remains of paramount importance.
Madam President,
Since its signing in July last year, the Black Sea Initiative has enabled the safe transportation of over 32 million metric tons of foodstuffs, helping to drive down global food prices. More than half of what has been exported has gone to developing countries.
We are, however, disappointed by the slowing pace of the implementation of the Initiative.
Food exports through the maritime humanitarian corridor have dropped from a peak of 4.2 million metric tonnes in October to 1.3 million metric tonnes in May, the lowest volume since the Initiative began.
We urge all obstacles to be removed to ensure the continuation of this agreement.
The United Nations is also fully committed to supporting the implementation of the Memorandum of Understanding on Russian food and fertilizer exports.
Before war began, we consistently warned about the impact a major conflict in Ukraine and what it could have on the region and beyond. Recent developments are not reassuring in this regard.
The announced deployment of Russian tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus, for example, and the accompanying rhetoric have raised regional tensions further. We urge all involved to act responsibly and in accordance with international obligations.
We reiterate that any threat to use nuclear weapons is unacceptable.
As the conflict has intensified, there have also been increased diplomatic efforts and initiatives by Member States seeking de-escalation and calling for a peaceful settlement.
The UN stands ready to support all meaningful efforts to bring a just and sustainable peace to Ukraine. In this we are guided by the UN Charter, international law and relevant General Assembly resolutions, as the Secretary-General emphasized during his visit to Ukraine in March and as I reiterated last week in Moscow.
Madam President,
This war has created a humanitarian and human rights catastrophe, traumatized a generation of children and accelerated the global food and energy crises.
It has weakened the international collective security system we have all pledged to uphold. We cannot discount further dangerous knock-on effects.
An end to the war founded on international law and the Charter is the surest way to ensure that the tremendous suffering of the last sixteen months will cease.
Thank you, Madam President.
Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the war “has weakened the international collective security system we have all pledged to uphold”, the top UN political affairs official told the Security Council on Friday, briefing ambassdors on the current situation on the ground.
The Peacebuilding Commission (PBC) convened for an ambassadorial-level meeting in New York on Friday to tackle the issue of organized crime in the Sahel. Poverty, institutional fragility and massive insecurity have created favourable conditions for the proliferation of organized crime across the vast African region.
ASSISTANT SECRETARY-GENERAL MARTHA AMA A. POBEE’S
REMARKS TO THE SECURITY COUNCIL ON
PEACE AND SECURITY IN AFRICA
New York, 21 June 2023
Madam President,
Distinguished Members of the Council,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
I thank you for this opportunity to brief the Security Council on maritime security in the Gulf of Guinea.
Since my last briefing to the Council on this subject in November 2022, instances of piracy and armed robbery at sea in the Gulf of Guinea have continued to steadily decline. This decrease, which began in April 2021, is due to the significant efforts of national authorities, who bear the primary responsibility for countering piracy and armed robbery at sea in the region, and the support of regional and international partners. Regular naval patrols by Gulf of Guinea coastal states and the systematic deployment of naval assets by international partners have, together, continued to serve as an effective deterrent against the actions of criminal groups.
Another key factor that has contributed to this positive trend is the ongoing operationalization of the interregional maritime security mechanism, the Yaoundé Architecture, which was established following the signing of the Yaoundé Code of Conduct in 2013. We welcome the steady progress made by the Gulf of Guinea states and sub-regional organizations, notably ECCAS, ECOWAS and the Gulf of Guinea Commission, with the active support of international partners, towards operationalizing key pillars of the architecture over the past ten years. Specifically, four out of the five Multinational Maritime Coordination Centers have been successfully activated. These comprise all three planned Multinational Maritime Coordination Centers in the ECOWAS maritime space, covering Zones E, F and G, and one out of the two projected Multinational Maritime Coordination Centers, in Zone D, of the ECCAS maritime space.
The operationalization of the Yaoundé architecture, though not fully completed, has also significantly increased maritime security cooperation in the Gulf of Guinea. More specifically, it has resulted in enhanced information sharing between all concerned parties, as well as a simplified process for disseminating actionable maritime security-related information with relevant stakeholders, including with the naval assets of international partners deployed to the region. Additionally, it has facilitated the efficient use of limited naval assets, through the formation of joint naval task groups. This effective pooling of the resources of Gulf of Guinea states has allowed for the bridging of national and regional capacity gaps, while ensuring interoperability of maritime assets.
Madam President,
As we reflect on the laudable achievements and progress made over the past ten years, we urge increased support to address the several challenges and gaps holding back the full operationalization of the Yaoundé Architecture. These comprise insufficient staffing across various layers of the interregional maritime security architecture, including at the Interregional Coordination Centre, a lack of appropriate equipment and logistical support across the structures, and a lack of predictable and sustainable financing.
Rapidly addressing the challenges that hamper the full operationalization of the Yaoundé architecture is critical to maintaining current gains as piracy incidents continue to threaten the safety of maritime traffic in the region. Recent figures already suggest that incidents are steadily shifting from the waters of ECOWAS towards the ECCAS maritime domain.
Madam President,
In light of these developments and in keeping with resolution 2634 (2022), I encourage ECCAS, ECOWAS, the Gulf of Guinea Commission and the Interregional Coordination Centre - in their central role as custodians of the Yaounde Code of Conduct - to bolster efforts towards the review of the status of its operationalization. The review will be essential for galvanizing further support and inputs needed to accelerate the process. In this regard, we take note that the upcoming Fourth Annual Meeting of Senior Officials of the Interregional Coordination Centre, with the participation of the Gulf of Guinea Commission, ECOWAS and ECCAS, to be held in Abuja, would include a discussion on the tenth anniversary of the “Yaoundé process and way forward”.
Madam President,
The United Nations system is committed to providing the necessary political and technical assistance to the Gulf of Guinea states in their efforts to fully operationalize the Yaoundé maritime security architecture.
UNODC continues to assist in the implementation of the provisions of the Yaoundé Code of Conduct, including through the harmonization of coordination and response mechanisms to maritime insecurity. Technical and logistic support is provided for the conduct of joint patrols in the ECOWAS Zones E, F and G in an effort to address challenges associated with the lack of adequate material and other logistical difficulties, which is currently hindering the establishment of the envisioned naval task groups and the conduct of joint patrols.
In line with their respective mandates to enhance regional and sub-regional partnerships to address cross-border and cross-cutting threats to peace and security, UNOWAS and UNOCA have also, at the request of the Interregional Coordination Centre, developed an interregional project, aimed at supporting the Centre to conduct the review of the Yaoundé Code of Conduct to assess the status of operationalization of the Yaoundé Architecture. UNOCA, UNOWAS and UNODC continue to engage and coordinate their efforts with the G7++ Group of Friends of the Gulf of Guinea, as well as with ECOWAS, ECCAS and the Gulf of Guinea Commission, and are committed to further supporting regional initiatives to commemorate the tenth Anniversary of the Yaoundé Code of Conduct.
Madam President,
In closing, I wish to note that any reflection and review of the Yaoundé Code of Conduct must include a focus on three key issues. First, is the legal framework. The criminalization of acts of piracy and the establishment of universal jurisdiction over such acts under national law, in accordance with the relevant provisions of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea of 1982, remains necessary to address the threat posed by piracy. It is, therefore, vital that all signatory parties continue their efforts to update their legal frameworks, in line with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, and any other complementary international and regional legal frameworks.
Second, is the importance of addressing the root causes of piracy as outlined in the Secretary-General’s report of November 2022. To effectively eliminate the threat posed by piracy and armed robbery at sea, national stakeholders, regional and sub-regional organizations and international partners must also actively seek to address the underlying social, economic and environmental challenges that underpin the recruitment of individuals into maritime criminal networks. Without traction on this front, overall progress in curbing this menace will be limited. In this regard, it would be important for the review process, when launched, to include a focus on prevention. Linked to this, it would be necessary to consider ways of (i) enhancing more participatory community-based engagements in the architecture; and (ii) generating sex-disaggregated data on the impact of maritime crime on women, girls, men, and boys to better inform policy options and actions.
Third, it cannot be overemphasized that enhanced coordination between the signatory parties, the Interregional Coordination Centre, the Gulf of Guinea Commission, ECOWAS and ECCAS remains vital. We look to their joint leadership in defining a strategic outlook and roadmap for the next decade to complete the operationalization of the Yaoundé Architecture. We call on willing partners to provide the requisite support to these regional efforts.
I thank you for your kind attention.
Ukraine’s severely damaged agricultural sector will receive a boost from two UN agencies they announced on Thursday, partnering with a Swiss mine action foundation to help make land safe and productive again amidst the ongoing Russian invasion.
Despite gains made in tackling terrorism and advancing the electoral process in Somalia, top UN officials warned the Security Council on Thursday that extra effort and funding are needed to address multiple threats, from climate shocks to spates of violence amid a looming food crisis.
