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This Week in DPPA, 22 - 28 June 2019


 

22 - 28 June 2019

This Week in DPPA aims to keep you abreast of developments and events on the agenda of the UN Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, at UN HQ and in the field, and especially those that sometimes "fly under the radar".

Security Council 

Security Council authoizes new political mission in Haiti
With the adoption of resolution 2476 (2019), the Security Council decided on 25 June to authorize the establishment of a UN “Integrated Office” in Haiti, BINUH, designed to support the country’s government in strengthening political stability and good governance. The new Special Political Mission will replace the current peacekeeping mission, MINUJUSTH, on 16 October 2019.
Read more in DPPA’s  Politically Speaking


“Recent events in the Gulf are a reminder that we are at a critical juncture”, UN political chief tells Security Council
While briefing the Security Council on the implementation of Resolution 2231 (2015) on the Iranian nuclear issue, Rosemary DiCarlo, Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, emphasized the need to de-escalate tensions in the Gulf. “Recent events in the Gulf are a reminder that we are at a critical juncture. The Secretary-General calls on all Member States to avoid actions that may result in a further deterioration of the current situation”, she said. The briefing took place on 26 June.
Read her full statement here.


“No easy solution for Idlib”, Special Envoy warns
In a Security Council briefing on 27 June, Special Envoy for Syria Geir O. Pedersen, reported continued fighting in Idlib, including airstrikes, shelling, rockets and mortar attacks, “all too often involving the indiscriminate use of force”. Civilians continue to be killed and hundreds of thousands have been displaced, he told the Council.
Read his full statement here.

 

African Union

Latest edition UNOAU Highlights
This Week, the United Nations Office at the African Union launched its monthly newsletter – UNOAU Highlights. Here, you can read more about the third annual AU-UN conference and UNOAU capacity enhancing support to the African Union, among other things.
Read the newsletter here.


Horn of Africa

“We need a surge in diplomacy for peace in every part of Africa”, Special Envoy says
Parfait Onanga-Anyanga, Special Envoy for the Horn of Africa, attended the Africa Regional Trade Forum 2019 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on 27 June. The Forum is facilitated by, among others, the UN Economic Commission for Africa (ECU). “Africa is still at the crossroads. We need boldness to deal with critical issues facing the continent. We need to realize that no country can overcome the challenges of the 21st century alone. We need a surge in diplomacy for peace in every part of Africa”, the Special Envoy said.
For more information, please contact DPPA

Guinea-Bissau

The Guinea-Bissau constitution simplified to help revision
Constitutional revision is one of the priority reforms listed in the roadmap to end the political crisis in Guinea Bissau. To make the process inclusive, the Faculty of Law recently produced an “annotated version”, which aims at providing a basis to identify flaws in the current constitution. The version was recently presented to civil society organizations which have created a network to monitor state reforms. “The new proposal has 304 articles”, said Jose Carlos da Fonseca, Secretary General of the National Assembly and member of the Parliamentary Commission for the Revision of the Constitution, who worked on the annotation, “we want to explain the conflicting issues in a simple way, so all Bissau Guineans can understand them.” In addition to national efforts, UNIOGBIS is holding a series of community outreach events on promotion of citizenship, rule of law, human rights, electoral process, and planning to present the simplified version to audiences across the country. The annotated version of the Constitution was done by one international and two national legal experts from the Law Faculty with the support of the United Nations Peacebuilding Fund and UNIOGBIS.
For more information, please contact DPPA

 

West Africa and the Sahel

Women and youth to further engage for peacebuilding in West Africa and the Sahel
The United Nations Office for West Africa and the Sahel (UNOWAS) and its partners celebrated the 10-year anniversary of the Women, Youth, Peace and Security Working Group in West Africa and the Sahel (WYPSWG-WAS) on 24 - 25 June. The WYPSWG-WAS is a platform for sharing experiences and evaluating initiatives in the implementation of the UN Security Council resolution 1325 on women, peace and security. Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General  Ruby Sandhu-Rojon, called the WGWYPS  “an asset that must be safeguarded, particularly in a regional context which keeps experiencing complex challenges.”
Read the full story on UNOWAS website.

 

 

 

Somalia

New Special Representative arrives in Mogadishu
The recently appointed Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General (SRSG) for Somalia and Head of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNSOM), James Swan, arrived in Mogadishu on 25 June to take up his duties. Mr. Swan is a career diplomat with extensive experience working in sub-Saharan Africa.
Read the full story on UNSOM’s website.

 

Lebanon 

Special Coordinator visits refugee camp
The UN Special Coordinator for Lebanon, Ján Kubiš and the Director of UNRWA Affairs in Lebanon, Claudio Cordone, visited the Palestine refugee camp of Mieh Mieh and Mieh Mieh municipality in southern Lebanon on 24 June. They met with representatives of Palestinian Factions and Popular Committees of Mieh Mieh camp and discussed the political, social and economic situation with them.
Read the full story on UNSCOL’s website.

Iraq

UN emphasizes importance of a survivor-centered approach towards victims of ISIL abuses
Speaking on behalf of the UN family in Iraq, Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General (DSRSG) Alice Walpole urged the Iraqi government to implement a survivor-centered approach to the prevention and response to conflict-related sexual violence, in line with UN Security Council Resolution 2467. The DSRSG spoke at a meeting in Baghdad on 26 June, marking the International Day for the Elimination of Sexual Violence in Conflict. Ms. Walpole said the UN in Iraq will continue to support the Government in protecting the rights of survivors of gender-based violence, including survivors of sexual violence in conflict, as part of its commitment to advancing human rights and facilitating the achievement of sustainable peace and stability.
For more information, please contact DPPA


Afghanistan

Statement on Taliban threats against media in Afghanistan
Tadamichi Yamamoto, Special Representative and head of the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), issued a statement on 27 June where he responded to Taliban publicly threatening to turn media outlets into military targets.  “I unequivocally condemn this threat and call for it to be rescinded, as words must never be met with violence. The only acceptable challenge to words is to advance a better argument,” the Special Representative stated.
Read the full statement on UNAMA’s website.


Colombia

"On Air" - the first radio station for peace
On 25 June, a regional team of the UN Verification Mission in Colombia traveled to Chaparral, Tolima, in the west of the country to accompany the launch of the first of 20 radio stations for peace. They are being established as a result of the Peace Agreement. The radio aims to help rebuild the social fabric in the communities most affected by violence. The 20 radio stations will be part of the national public broadcasting system.
For more information, please contact DPPA



Special Representative visits Medellín, Antioquia
This week, Carlos Ruiz Massieu, Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of the UN Verification Mission in Colombia visited Medellín, Antioquia, to meet with different sectors about the implementation of the Peace Agreement. Ruiz Massieu learned about the expectations and proposals of the private sector and social organizations regarding post-conflict, security guarantees, and the reintegration of former FARC combatants. He also met with some victims’ representatives and social leaders, who presented an overview of their situation in this region of the country.
For more information, please contact DPPA

 

 

 

 

 

 

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