UN Special Envoy for Syria Geir Pedersen briefed the Security Council on Tuesday, pointing to the devastating violence on the coast earlier this month, which marked a grim new chapter in Syria’s fragile transition to a lasting peace.
UN Special Envoy for Syria Geir Pedersen briefed the Security Council on Tuesday, pointing to the devastating violence on the coast earlier this month, which marked a grim new chapter in Syria’s fragile transition to a lasting peace.
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk on Tuesday condemned the recent attack on a mosque in Kokorou village, in western Niger, in which at least 44 worshippers were killed and 20 injured.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres has called for the immediate release of 52 United Nations personnel currently detained worldwide, including 23 being held by the de facto authorities in Yemen.
The UN Secretary-General on Monday took the “difficult decision” to reduce the aid operation inside the Gaza Strip following the resumption of deadly Israeli airstrikes – but pledged that “the UN is not leaving” the enclave.
South Sudan is teetering on the brink of a return to full-scale civil war as violence escalates and political tensions deepen, the head of the UN Mission in the country (UNMISS) warned on Monday.
Staff members of the United Nations around the world who are recruited locally are “particularly vulnerable” to detention and should be released and allowed to go home according to the UN Secretary-General, António Guterres.
United Nations peace operations are facing mounting challenges as conflicts become more protracted, geopolitical divisions widen and transnational threats multiply, Secretary-General António Guterres warned on Monday.
The tight Israeli blockade of humanitarian supplies is pushing Gaza closer to an acute hunger crisis, Philippe Lazzarini, the head of the UN agency for Palestine refugees (UNRWA), said on Sunday.
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Israel’s renewed bombing campaign and intensifying ground operation in Gaza are reversing gains achieved during the brief ceasefire, UN humanitarians inside the devastated enclave said on Friday.
Classes cut short by air raid sirens have become a routine part of school life for many Ukrainian youngsters in the three years since Russia’s full-scale invasion began, a new UN report published on Friday details.
The Israel-Palestine conflict is descending further into violence, with mounting civilian casualties in the West Bank and a deepening humanitarian crisis in Gaza, the UN’s top envoy for the region warned on Friday.
The UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) on Friday strongly condemned the looting of vital humanitarian supplies from Al Bashair Hospital in the Sudanese capital, Khartoum, warning that the theft puts thousands of malnourished children and mothers at risk.
Assistant Secretary-General Khaled Khiari
Briefing to the Security Council
on the situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian Question
20 March 2025
Madam President,
Members of the Security Council,
Thank you for the opportunity to brief the Council regarding the humanitarian situation faced by the remaining hostages in Gaza.
I would like at the outset to recognize Mr. Eli Sharabi and his unimaginable experience of pain and his remarkable resilience in the face of such immense loss. I extend to him my condolences for the tragic loss of his dear family - wife, two daughters and brother. I pay him, all hostages, living and deceased, and their families and loved ones my deepest respect and support.
I again extend my deepest condolences to all the bereaved families who lost their family members and loved ones during and after the horrific attacks by Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups in Israel on 7 October 2023.
The UN continues to unequivocally condemn the appalling acts of terrorand continued holding of hostages in Gaza. Nothing can justify the intentional killing, torture, sexual violence, and destruction -- entire families murdered, burned in their homes, taken hostage. The events of that horrific day will not be forgotten.
The participation in Security Council meetings of surviving hostages, and their heart-wrenching testimonies, and many months of agony, serve as a stark reminder but also as a crucial symbol of endurance and hope for those still waiting to see their loved ones back home.
Since the attacks, the Secretary-General and other senior UN officials have regularly met with the families of hostages and have been deeply moved by their stories, and by the torment and anguish they have endured.
Madam President,
The ceasefire and hostage release deal that took effect on 19 January offered a glimmer of hope and respite by reuniting 25 Israeli hostages with their loved ones and returning the remains of eight deceased hostages, who were killed on 7 October or while in captivity, to their families.
Their release and return were sadly also a moment of great anxiety, as most of the living hostages were paraded in front of crowds, and the coffins of the deceased, including those of two young children who were killed in captivity, were displayed publicly by Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups during appalling ceremonies that violated international law.
The UN has repeatedly condemned the parading of coffins containing the bodies of dead Israeli hostages and public displays accompanying the release of living and deceased hostages, including statements made under duress.
As of today, at least 59 hostages, alive and deceased, including Eli’s brother’s body, Yossi Sharabi, are still being held captive by Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups. The testimonies of those released provide terrifying accounts of their captivity, including physical and psychological torture, sexual violence and deprivation, indicating that those left behind continue to suffer in horrific conditions, exposed to trauma and suffering since their abduction.
The hostages must be released immediately and unconditionally.
Until their release, they must be allowed to receive visits and support from the International Committee of the Red Cross, and they must be treated with dignity and respect in line with humanitarian principles.
Madam President,
The resumption of hostilities on 18 March adds further despair and uncertainty for those remaining hostages, their families and their loved ones.
This resumption of hostilities amidst significant Israeli airstrikes in Gaza has also been devastating for the civilian population in the Strip. Hundreds of Palestinians have been killed, including women and children.
Since the resumption of hostilities, one United Nations Office for Project Service (UNOPS) staff member has also been killed and several have been insured. Commissioner-General of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) Lazzarini also informed that in the past few days another five UNRWA staff have been confirmed killed.
I reiterate that civilians must be protected, including UN personnel.
The rights and dignity of all those affected by the conflict – whether in Israel, the Occupied Palestinian Territory, or elsewhere – must be respected and protected.
We call on all parties to uphold their obligations under international humanitarian law and international human rights law.
The return to hostilities threatens all civilians in Gaza, I echo the Secretary-General’s call for the resumption of serious negotiations for the ceasefire to be respected, for unimpeded humanitarian assistance to be re-established, and for the remaining hostages to be released immediately and unconditionally.
With every passing day we move further away from the objective of returning the remaining hostages safely to their homes.
This was also very clear from the rescued hostage Ms. Noa Argamani’s remarks to the Council last month, where she told us that every moment under captivity was lived in danger. The resumed hostilities in Gaza, compounded with the lack of access and rapidly deteriorating humanitarian situation, are exposing the remaining hostages to constant danger and life-threatening conditions.
As USG Fletcher briefed you earlier this week, a renewed ceasefire is the best way of protecting civilians – in Gaza, in the Occupied Palestinian Territory and in Israel – releasing hostages and detainees and allowing aid and commercial supplies in.
We remain steadfast in our commitment to protecting human rights, defending humanitarian principles, and supporting all efforts that promote peace, stability, and a more hopeful future for all people in the Middle East.
We are also convinced that the only path to durable peace will be achieved when Israel and Palestine live side by side in peace and security, in line with international law and relevant UN resolutions, with Jerusalem as the capital of both states.
The UN stands ready to do all it can to support the parties in reaching that objective and it will continue to do all it can to support an end to this suffering.
Once again, I reiterate the Secretary-General’s deep concern for this conflict’s unbearable impact on the victims and his urgent call for the immediate and unconditional release of the hostages.
Thank you,
Madam President.
A recent IMF paper provides further evidence that the return on investment of conflict prevention can be substantial.
The relationship between macroeconomic policy and armed conflict remains a largely underexplored area of research. This gap persists despite the high stakes: the number of armed conflicts is at an all-time high, with devastating human and economic consequences. Globally, efforts to prevent conflict have too often fallen short. However, new research from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), recently presented at the Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs (DPPA), offers fresh evidence and compelling arguments in support of more effective prevention strategies.
In “The Urgency of Conflict Prevention — A Macroeconomic Perspective,” IMF experts and academics argue that well-targeted macroeconomic policies can reduce the risk of armed conflict in a number of cost-effective ways, with far-reaching results. The IMF paper, prepared as the institution implements its Strategy for Fragile and Conflict-Affected States (FCS), draws on machine learning and dynamic optimization models (analytical tools used in economics to make predictions and solve complex problems) to estimate the potential returns of conflict prevention through economic policy and to simulate how investments in prevention could yield long-run benefits. The paper’s findings show that the return on investment for conflict prevention can be substantial, especially when compared to the costs of conflict.
“Prevention can pay off,” said Christopher Rauh (IAE-CSIC, University of Cambridge, Barcelona School of Economics), who co-authored the paper alongside Hannes Mueller (IAE-CSIC, Barcelona School of Economics), Benjamin Seimon (Fundacio d’Economia Analitica), and Raphael Espinoza (IMF). Speaking at a recent event hosted by DPPA, Rauh said that when they started their research, he and his fellow authors set out to ask, “Why is this the case, despite the very low probabilities of conflict?” The answer, he said, is because of the “potentially huge cost of conflict, which compound due to repeated cycles of violence. Therefore, even low levels of risk warrant great attention.” With that in mind, he said, macro-economic policies can be implemented to help stabilize fragile countries.
Rauh and his colleagues also developed their own methodology, using new technology, to approach the subject. “We used Artificial Intelligence to predict conflict — and simulated what happens if you intervene in a country versus if you don’t — and then looked at its future trajectory.”
Rauh said that the team developed “a dynamic early warning and action model where we forecast future violence”, factoring in conflict damages and an estimate of costs to simulate the future of an economy. The result, he said, answers the question of “what would happen if I had intervened when a country diverted off its good path? How well I can do that depends on how well I can predict future risk.”
The research, he said, found that countries that had not recently experienced violence could expect returns ranging from $26 to $75 per $1 spent on prevention. Nations that had recently suffered from violence could see a return on investment as high as $103 for every $1 spent on preventing future conflict. By investing in prevention early, countries could avert the economic costs of war, including destruction of infrastructure and loss of human capital. Moreover, by addressing the economic grievances that all too often underpin violent conflict, prevention measures can create more stable and resilient societies. “We found that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure,” Rauh said.
Partnerships between the UN, international financial institutions, and national governments
The “Pathways for Peace” framework, upon which the IMF paper builds, provides a roadmap for translating economic insights into policies. While noting that conflict drivers are context-specific, it identifies common “arenas of contestation” that can drive grievances underpinning violent conflict: for example, related to poverty, inequality and socio-economic exclusion. The IMF suggests that international institutions and regional organizations should work closely with national governments to address identified risks effectively. By creating a coordinated approach that combines financial support, technical expertise, and diplomatic engagement, the global community can help countries address specific challenges and shore up their resilience to external shocks.
Gillian Sheehan, Senior Partnerships Advisor at the Peacebuilding Support Office (PBSO), welcomed the paper’s findings, highlighting that the IMF’s work helps reinforce the case for a “prevention lens” in targeting peace and development investments. She noted that the UN Secretary-General has called for countries to consider establishing national prevention strategies, which international partners can support in a range of ways; as for example, the World Bank does through its dedicated envelope for fragility, conflict and violence. Sheehan notes that “In countries like Chad, Central African Republic and the Gambia, the Secretary-General’s Peacebuilding Fund is working closely with development finance institutions to help Governments define and implement national prevention and peacebuilding plans — while the UN Peacebuilding Commission offers a platform for Governments to share challenges and successes at political level”. PBSO’s Partnership Facility helps catalyse collaboration at country level between UN and IFI teams.
Sheehan especially welcomed the IMF paper’s mention of youth unemployment and social exclusion as drivers of conflict, noting that PBSO works on initiatives aimed at improving the empowerment of young people in conflict-affected regions. By engaging marginalized communities and promoting inclusive governance, PBSO helps build resilience and reduce fragility, with the aim of preventing conflict before it can escalate.
“Conflict prevention requires a shift in policy priorities, focusing on the most fragile states,” said Sheehan. “The cost of inaction is immense, and DPPA’s work emphasizes that early engagement in fragile contexts — whether through diplomacy, mediation, or supporting local peacebuilding efforts — helps reduce the risk of full-scale violence.”
UN chief António Guterres on Thursday hailed positive announcements from the White House, Kremlin and Kyiv aimed at stopping crippling attacks on energy infrastructure in Ukraine and Russia, linked to Russia’s full-scale invasion of its neighbour.
Dozens of civilians, including local humanitarian volunteers, have been killed by artillery shelling and aerial bombardment in the eastern part of Sudan’s capital, Khartoum, the UN Human Rights Office (OHCHR) reported on Thursday.
A senior UN political affairs official called for Israel and Hamas to restore the shattered ceasefire in Gaza on Thursday and release all remaining hostages, while one of those freed told the Security Council of his 500-day ordeal in captivity.
An increase in attacks on media outlets in Haiti by armed gangs which control most of the capital Port-au-Prince is intended to intimidate journalists and instill chaos according to the UN agency for culture, UNESCO.
Israeli bombardments continued across Gaza on Wednesday, killing hundreds more people – many of them women and children – and leaving widespread destruction in its wake, according to local authorities.
In just one month, intensifying violence has forced over 60,000 people to flee their homes in Haiti’s capital, Port-au-Prince, marking another grim record in the country’s worsening humanitarian crisis.
At least one UN staffer has been killed and at least five others injured – several very severely – following an explosion at two UN guesthouses in Deir al Balah in the central Gaza Strip on Wednesday.
The UN Security Council met in New York on Tuesday on the Middle East crisis, exactly two months since the start of the fragile Gaza ceasefire and hostages deal came into effect. That's been shattered by deadly Israeli airstrikes overnight following a two-week aid blockade which has strained critical supplies. Well over 400 Palestinians have been killed and hundreds more injured, according to local authorities. We'll have reaction from across the UN and agencies on the ground. UN News app users follow live here.
UN-led efforts to kick-start talks on the divided Mediterranean island of Cyprus have resulted in agreements on new trust-building measures.
The UN Secretary-General on Tuesday spoke of new “intolerable” suffering for Gazans following the resumption of deadly Israeli airstrikes, underscoring three immediate needs: a renewed ceasefire, unimpeded humanitarian access and the unconditional release of hostages.
The UN Security Council meets at 10 AM in New York to discuss the situation in Middle East, as heavy Israeli airstrikes hit Gaza and a two-week aid blockade strains critical supplies. Over 400 people have reportedly been killed. Stay tuned for updates.
A relative of two Syrians tortured and murdered by the Assad regime has spoken of the anguish caused by their enforced disappearance during the country’s civil war.
The Security Council on Monday extended the mandate of the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) for another year, as UN agencies reported sharp declines in resources for lifesaving aid.
Fourteen years of war have left Syria’s people in desperate need – but international support is dwindling, UN Secretary-General António Guterres warned on Monday, calling for urgent investment in the country’s recovery.
The UN on Monday expressed concern over the continued threat posed to shipping in the Red Sea by Houthi attacks from their bases in Yemen as well as recent airstrikes by the United States which have left over 50 reportedly dead.
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For Waad Al-Kateab, the fall of Bashar Al-Assad’s regime in Syria in December 2024 felt almost unreal. “I thought the ending of my story was dying in exile,” she told UN News. “And it just happened out of the blue.”
Marking 14 years since the start of the Syrian conflict, top UN officials raised alarm over renewed violence and growing instability, warning that without urgent action, Syria’s fragile transition could be at risk.
On a visit to Bangladesh, UN Secretary-General António Guterres underscored the pivotal moment the country is facing as it navigates a period of significant transition and reform.
Fresh fighting in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has displaced tens of thousands of families, with children particularly at risk, the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) warned on Friday.
The UN Secretary-General has urged everyone to speak out against xenophobia and discrimination to combat a “disturbing rise” in anti-Muslim bigotry.
Indigenous Peoples are among those most affected by climate-related risks. But they remain under-represented in the forums and processes where these issues are addressed, despite their knowledge and expertise.
Last December, the UN General Assembly called for Indigenous Peoples’ participation in peace negotiations, transitional justice, mediation, and conflict resolution. The decision aims to redress the historical exclusion of Indigenous Peoples from peace efforts affecting them. In the wake of the Assembly vote, on 7 February 2025, DPPA’s Policy and Mediation Division (PMD), as a member of the Climate Security Mechanism (CSM), together with the DPPA-DPO Americas Division invited two Indigenous women leaders — Hindou Oumarou Ibrahim, and Binalakshmi Nepram, UN Member States and practitioners for a UN Community of Practice on Climate, Peace & Security (CPS) meeting to discuss Indigenous Peoples’ peacebuilding in climate and conflict hotspots.
From concern to inclusion: Indigenous Peoples as partners in peace
At the meeting, participants discussed how building a better planet entails shifting mindsets about Indigenous Peoples and decision-making processes. “Please don’t worry about us, just include us” said Binalakshmi Nepram, Fellow at the Asia Centre, Havard University and Founder-President, Global Alliance of Indigenous Peoples, Gender Justice and Peace.
According to a report authored by UNEP-WCMC and ICCA Consortium, Indigenous Peoples manage around 25% of the world’s land and safeguard 80% of the world’s biodiversity, yet they experience higher rates of landlessness and forced displacement than other groups. Violence against and criminalization of environmental defenders represent additional challenges faced by Indigenous Peoples and peacebuilders in a climate changing world. Throughout the meeting, participants sought to better understand these challenges while also reflecting on examples of climate-informed peacebuilding efforts driven by actors from Indigenous Peoples, such as 3D participatory mapping exercises in Chad that aided mediation between farmers and pastoralists and also improved environmental sustainability. Indigenous Peoples mapped and documented their ancestral nomadic corridors, food, and medicines, bringing conflicting communities together around shared resources.
The environmental knowledge of Indigenous Peoples does not only contribute to climate adaptation, but also to conflict resolution and peacebuilding efforts. Participants at the meeting explored two implications of a recent study that found that 80% of armed conflicts between 1950 and 2000 occurred in biodiversity hotspots covering 2.4% of the Earth’s land mass. Most of these conflicts were on Indigenous Peoples’ land, yet the anthropogenic and environmental impacts of conflict were lower on Indigenous Peoples’ land than non-Indigenous land.
Participants observed that correlative evidence suggested that Indigenous Peoples were better positioned to steward and sustainably manage their land, even during conflict, demonstrating the need to integrate Indigenous Peoples peace and reconciliation practices into climate-informed peacebuilding. Second, conflicts stemming from resource exploitation — such as critical mineral mining — in biodiversity hotspots can be better prevented by including Indigenous Peoples in decision making about just transition and by codifying Indigenous Peoples rights in legislation. As tensions over critical minerals continue to rise, the absence of meaningful engagement between Indigenous Peoples and the private sector was also recognized as a critical gap to be addressed. Other suggestions stemming from the discussion included recognizing past harms to begin healing processes and engaging in good faith dialogues between government representatives and Indigenous Peoples.
Looking Ahead: Climate Change, Indigenous Peoples’ Peacebuilding, and the UN System
Within the multilateral system, international climate funds could create channels for Indigenous Peoples to directly access financing, strengthening their ability to manage their ecosystems on their own terms. The conversation then explored potential avenues to improve Indigenous People’s participation within the UN’s peacebuilding architecture and for Member States and UN entities to jointly advance the implementation of the previously mentioned resolution A/RES/79/159 on Indigenous Peoples in peacebuilding, including the possibility of dedicated a UN Peacebuilding Commission meeting on Indigenous Peoples peacebuilding in 2025.
Throughout the discussion, participants emphasized the need to ensure that Indigenous Peoples peacebuilders are meaningfully integrated into Climate, Peace and Security frameworks, decision-making, and peace processes. Doing so fosters more just, inclusive, contextually relevant, and sustainable solutions to the complex peace and security challenges linked to climate change. Alexandra Fong, Chief for Policy and Guidance at DPPA’s Policy and Mediation Division, stressed that, “Indigenous Peoples have a vital role, and DPPA and the CSM are committed to ensuring their inclusion in our climate, peace and security work.”
The Constitutional Declaration issued by Syria’s caretaker authorities marks a pivotal moment in the country’s turbulent transition, with UN Special Envoy Geir Pedersen expressing cautious optimism about its potential to fill a legal vacuum and pave the way for a “credible and inclusive political transition”.
Sudan is now the world’s largest and most devastating humanitarian crisis, the head of the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) warned on Thursday. After two years of war, over 30 million people – more than half of them children – are living in the grip of mass atrocities, famine and deadly disease.
The UN Secretary-General warmly welcomed the presidential signing of the State Border Treaty by Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan on Thursday following decades-long negotiations.
Following 11 days of an Israeli aid blockade in Gaza, “crucial progress” made during the first six weeks of the ceasefire between Israeli forces and Hamas militants “continues to unravel”, said UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric on Wednesday.
Prices for opium in Afghanistan have increased tenfold since the de facto authorities imposed a drug ban in 2022 following their takeover in Kabul, latest UN data shows.
