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This Week in DPPA is a brief roundup of political and peacebuilding events and developments at UNHQ and around the world.
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SRSG Perthes briefs Council on political framework agreement in Sudan
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On 7 December, Special Representative of the Secretary-General (SRSG) and Head of the UN Integrated Transition Assistance Mission in Sudan (UNITAMS) Volker Perthes briefed the Security Council on recent developments on the ground. The dynamics in the country over the past couple of weeks, including the signing of the political framework agreement on 5 December, are a sign that Sudan may find a way out of the crisis and embark on a more sustainable transitional phase, he said. He also warned that the situation remains precarious, with thousands displaced by violence this year and many having suffered the impacts of floods and inflation.
Read his full remarks here
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Security Council recalls importance of UNOCA and preventive diplomacy
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Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of the UN Regional Office for Central Africa (UNOCA) Abdou Abarry briefed the Security Council on 8 December. The Special Representative reported on the political and security challenges facing the Central Africa sub-region, including the effects of climate change, maritime piracy in the Gulf of Guinea, the activities of armed and terrorist groups, the conflicts linked to transhumance, as well as opportunities for the consolidation of democracy and the rule of law around elections.
Read more here
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Security Working Group convenes in Tunis
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On 8 December, Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of the UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) Abdoulaye Bathily co-chaired a plenary session of the Security Working Group meeting in Tunis on 8 December. Participants included the Chief of Staff for the Libyan Army General Mohamed Al Haddad and members of the 5+5 Joint Military Commission (JMC), as well as representatives of the United Kingdom, Türkiye, Italy, and the African Union, and other Berlin Process Member States. The discussion focused on ceasefire agreement implementation, the reunification of Libya’s military institutions, and elections security. In his opening remarks, SRSG Bathily called on the participants “to stand unanimously behind the Libyan authorities and institutions who are willing to lead their country to a better and more stable future by putting aside personal agendas in favour of the good of the nation and of its population.”
Read more here
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West Africa and the Sahel
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UNOWAS discusses women’s empowerment in security sector
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On 7 December, the UN Office for West Africa and the Sahel (UNOWAS) organized a two-day regional round table discussion on promoting gender equality and women’s empowerment in the security sector. The meeting discussed the recommendations from workshops held in The Gambia in July. In his remarks, UNOWAS Director for Political Affairs Moudjib Djinadou noted that coordinated and regular interactions between defense and security forces and parliamentarians on the importance of gender will aid awareness raising on improving the status of women.
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ASEAN and UN hold workshop on advancing the youth, peace and security agenda
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From 7-8 December, youth experts and senior officials from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) member states, together with high-level representatives from the UN and other regional partners, met to discuss the role of youth in peacebuilding. Participants included Laos Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs Thongphane Savanhphet, Deputy Secretary-General of ASEAN for ASEAN Political-Security Community Michael Tene and UN Assistant Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs and Peace Operations of the UN Khaled Khiari. The ASG noted that, “We have an opportunity to focus on youth as agents of peace in an increasingly complex world, and how we can further advance the YPS Agenda in ASEAN so that youth can further contribute to peace and security in the region.”
Read more here
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Special Representative Otunbayeva meets de facto minister to discuss drug ban
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On 4 December, Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) Roza Otunbayeva met with the de facto Deputy Interior Minister for Counter Narcotics, Haji Abdul Haq Akhund. They discussed the drug ban, as well as encouraging efforts with regard to treatment, crop eradication, awareness, and livelihoods.
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Special Coordinator Wronecka joins roundtable discussions on women’s political participation
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Special Coordinator of the Secretary-General Joanna Wronecka and members of the diplomatic community, Lebanese representatives and civil society groups engaged in two separate focused debates this week on how to promote women’s participation in tackling the country’s challenges. The Special Coordinator co-hosted a roundtable discussion on women’s empowerment, as well as opportunities to move towards a gender quota in the Lebanese municipal and parliamentary elections. At a meeting organized by non-governmental organization FiftyFifty and the Dutch Embassy, the Special Coordinator underlined the need for increased gender-balance in decision-making processes, as well as the need to provide women with resources and support in order for them to participate in the electoral process.
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Special Representative Hennis-Plasschaert meets with Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani
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On 7 December, Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of the UN Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert met with Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani in Najaf, central Iraq, together with the High Representative of the UN Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC), Miguel Moratinos. They exchanged views on the importance of inter- and intra-religious dialogue.
Read more here
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UNAMI Human Rights Office focuses on women’s empowerment, legal matters, and minority rights
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On 3 December, the UNAMI Human Rights Office (HRO) concluded a three-day specialized training course in Najaf for lawyers on “Raising the capacities of lawyers towards broader protection of freedom of opinion and expression in Iraq.” The course focused on the national and international frameworks protecting the right to freedom of expression, limits to this right under applicable laws, and the role of UN Human Rights Mechanisms in protecting freedom of expression. On 6 December, the UNAMI HRO organized a high-level panel of experts meeting that brought together attorneys, judges, civil society activists and human rights defenders to discuss institutional and legal reform to enhance the protection of women and girls. On 7 December in Erbil, the UNAMI HRO held a workshop on protecting and promoting minority rights. Discussions centered on the laws, mechanisms, policies, and programs put in place by the Kurdistan Regional Government to promote and protect the rights of people belonging to ethnic and religious groups.
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UNAMI’s Human Rights Office screens film, holds discussion for 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence campaign
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On 5 December in Basra, as part of the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence, the UNAMI Human Rights Office screened its short film Breaking the Silence. The event aimed to strengthen collective advocacy on the pending anti-domestic violence draft law for federal Iraq and identify avenues of engagement with the new parliament. On 7 December in Kirkuk, northeastern Iraq, the UNAMI Human Rights Office facilitated a roundtable discussion focused on effective ways to address domestic violence. Participants included civil society activists, journalists, NGOs, representatives from the Iraqi High Commission of Human Rights, and police representatives.
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UNAMI Climate Action Hackathon supports Iraqi youth political engagement on climate change
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UNAMI organized the Second Climate Action Hackathon in Basra from 1 to 3 December. Iraqi youth had the opportunity to present their ideas to the government on how best to tackle climate change. Twenty women and men from seven provinces engaged with government officials, including the Minister of Youth and Sports, Ahmed al-Mubarqaa.
Read more here
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New shop brings together former combatants, victims of violence
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On 7 December, former combatants, victims of the conflict and civil society gathered in Villavicencio, in Meta department in Colombia, to inaugurate the Sueños de Paz ("Dreams of Peace") store. The store is a project of the Inchik Colombia Multiactive Cooperative, which works to transform the Sacha Inchi seed (a plant of Amazonian origin) into products such as peanuts, arequipe (a type of caramel), and soap. The store also sells products made by former combatants of the Territorial Areas for Training and Reintegration of Vista Hermosa and Mesetas municipalities of Meta, as well as by indigenous Nasa and young people from Meta.
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Former combatants and community learn about coffee to advance in reintegration process.
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On 3 December, together with Colombia’s Government Reincorporation Agency, the Office for Victims assistance and IOM Colombia, the UN Verification Mission in Colombia organized a visit to El Oso Territorial Areas for Training and Reintegration in the municipality of Planadas, department of Tolima, in the midwest of Colombia, to provide training on productive projects to communities from neighbouring villages. The main focus of the training visit was on the machines to process coffee, since this is the third municipality with the highest coffee production in the country. Also, the community and former combatants shared a discussion on stigmatization prevention.
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A call for ideas and vision for the Secretary-General’s ‘New Agenda for Peace’
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DPPA is helping to draft a “New Agenda for Peace,” an initiative aimed at revitalizing how the global community responds to violent conflict, as called for by the Secretary-General’s Our Common Agenda report. Along with Member States, civil society groups and representatives from around the world are encouraged to submit their ideas to the email address NewAgendaForPeace@un.org in any of the six UN official languages by 15 January 2023.
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Podcast:
"Behind the Numbers"
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New episode offers strategies for designing inclusive peace process
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In the latest episode of “Behind the Numbers,” DPPA’s podcast on women peacemakers, Miriam Coronel Ferrer, a former member of the UN Standby Team of Senior Mediation Advisers, recounts her experience as the first female chief negotiator for the Philippines government to sign a final peace accord with a rebel group. She also outlines strategies for designing inclusive peace processes.
Listen to the episode here
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Multi-Year Appeal
This week, DPPA received voluntary contribution from Morocco, the Netherlands and Poland to DPPA's Multi-Year Appeal, which will support our conflict prevention, mediation and sustainable peace work around the world.
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Mission to South Sudan looks at progress made on the implementation of peacebuilding priorities
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From 6-9 December, Peacebuilding Commission Chair Muhammad Abdul Muhith, Vice-Chairs Joan Cedano and Osama Abdelkhalek, and Assistant Secretary-General for Peacebuilding Support Elizabeth Spehar visited South Sudan. The mission focused on the PBC’s support for a collaborative approach towards fully implementing the peace agreement and establishing a strong and robust peacebuilding architecture in South Sudan. The delegation witnessed the progress made on the implementation of peacebuilding priorities presented by the Government at the PBC meeting on South Sudan on 26 October.
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PBF donors visit to Sudan
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From 4-8 December, the Peacebuilding Support Office organized a donor visit to Khartoum and Geneina, West Darfur to highlight the impact of the Peacebuilding Fund’s support. Sudan is one of the largest PBF recipient countries in the Fund’s 2020-24 Strategy period. Representatives of the European Union, Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, and the United Kingdom took part in the visit. The partners had discussions with UNITAMS and the UN Country Team on the Fund’s contribution to UN integration and its catalytic effect in Darfur after the withdrawal of UNAMID. In West Darfur, partners interacted with local authorities, both formal and traditional as well as local communities. They visited PBF-funded initiatives implemented by IOM, UNDP, UNFPA, UNHCR, UN-Habitat and WHO on inclusion and leadership of young women and men for peacebuilding and reconciliation, durable solutions for Internally displaced people, and mental health and psychosocial support. The partners also met with civil society recipients and implementing partners to discuss issues of localization and sustainability. The Fund’s community-based approach, according to Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General, Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator Khardiata Lo N’Diaye, allows the operations on the round to navigate a complex landscape with maximum impact of investments.
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On Tuesday, Special Representative Hans Grundberg will brief the Security Council on Yemen. The Council will hold an open debate on the “New orientation for reformed multilateralism” under the agenda item on Wednesday. Special Representative Abdoulaye Bathily will brief the Council on the situation in Libya on Friday.
An ambassadorial-level Peacebuilding Commission meeting on “Women, Peace and Security: the role of women in peacekeeping and peacebuilding,” is scheduled for Tuesday 9AM to 12PM EDT in Conference Room 11.
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