New York
USG DiCarlo highlights indispensable role of Special Political Missions
Under-Secretary-General Rosemary DiCarlo briefed the UN General Assembly’s Special Political and Decolonization Committee (4th Committee) on 3 July. In the Interactive dialogue with Member States on policy matters pertaining to Special Political Missions (SPMs), Ms. DiCarlo highlighted the indispensable role SPMs play around the world. “Providing SPMs with clear, credible and achievable mandates as well as adequate resources will contribute to increasing their impact in the ever changing political and security context of their operations,” she said.
Read her full statement here.
Security Council discusses Central Asia and Libya
Natalia Gherman, Special Representative and Head of UNRCCA, briefed the Security Council on the situation in Central Asia on 2 July. Following the airstrike at the Tajoura migrant detention center east of Tripoli on 3 July 2019, Under-Secretary-General DiCarlo briefed the Council on the situation in Libya. Both sessions came in the form of “consultations”, meaning they took place behind closed doors.
For more information, please contact DPPA
New Zealand announces multi-year agreement with DPPA
New Zealand will contribute NZ$ 1.5 million to DPPA in response to the Department’s appeal for voluntary contributions, the country’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Craig Hawke, announced on 1 July during a meeting with Assistant Secretary-General Mohamed Khaled Khiari.
For more information, please contact DPPA
Innovation
AI for Peace Workshop: Leveraging Social Media Analysis
UN staff and Artificial Intelligence (AI) researchers and designers came together on 4-5 July at the American University of Beirut (AUB), Lebanon, to explore ways of using AI and social media to enhance political analysis. At the workshop, organized by DPPA and focusing on UN missions in the Middle East and North Africa, participants explored the automatization of social media content analysis by teaching machines to better understand Arabic dialects.
or more information, please contact DPPA
Burkina Faso
Assistant Secretary-General Keita in Burkina Faso
Assistant Secretary-General Bintou Keita visited Burkina Faso this week to take stock of progress in expanding the United Nations presence in the country outside of the capital, Ouagadougou. Her visit was also an opportunity to engage with national authorities, including the President of Faso, the Prime Minister, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Minister in charge of Social cohesion and the Minister of Security on the current security and humanitarian crisis in the country and inform them about ongoing UN efforts to revamp support to the country.
For more information, please contact DPPA
Great Lakes
President of South Sudan visits UN in Nairobi
President Salva Kiir of the Republic of South Sudan made an official visit to the UN Office in Nairobi, Kenya, on 1 July. He was welcomed by Huang Xia, Special Envoy for the Great Lakes region, and representatives of other UN entities.
For more information, please contact DPPA
Somalia
Special Representative congratulates Somalia on Independence Day
The Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Somalia, James Swan, congratulated the people and Government of Somalia on the 59th anniversary of the country’s independence on 1 July. “Hambalyo! This is a great day for all Somalis, here and around the world. Despite the many challenges they continue to face, this is a day for Somalis to take pride in the progress that is being made,” said Mr. Swan. “This celebration comes at a moment of opportunity that offers hope for a more peaceful and prosperous future."
Read the press statement on UNSOM’s website.
Lebanon
Special Coordinator meets Grand Mufti
Ján Kubiš, Special Coordinator for Lebanon, met with Grand Mufti Derian on 1 July. They discussed developments in Lebanon and the region and the activities of the UN. Mr. Kubiš informed the Grand Mufti about the new UN Strategy and Plan of Action on Hate Speech. They agreed to continue working on this subject, which was also an element in combatting violent extremism.
Read the full story on UNSCOL’s website.
Special Coordinator stresses importance of improving border control and migration management
Special Coordinator Kubiš attended the closing ceremony of the project “Support to the Government of Lebanon in Addressing Security/Humanitarian Border Management at the Masnaa Border Crossing Point” on 2 July, which was part of Lebanon’s integrated border management strategy implementation. “Enhancement of migration management operations, solidifying legal movement of people and goods improves Lebanon’s ability to manage and protect its borders and contributes to the country’s good governance, development, and stability,” he said.
Read his full remarks here.
|
|
Iraq
Security Council reaffirms support for UNAMI
The members of the UN Security Council visited Iraq on 29 June, where they met with the leadership of the UN Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) and of the UN Country Team. The members reaffirmed their support for UNAMI and Special Representative for Iraq Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert to continue to support and assist the Government of Iraq to, among other objectives, promote inclusive political dialogue, national and community-level reconciliation, regional cooperation, security sector reform, and judicial and legal reforms. This was the first Security Council mission to Iraq.
Read the full press statement on UN Iraq’s website
Art exhibition for minority communities
UNAMI’s Human Rights Office (HRO) in Baghdad hosted on 1 and 2 July an exhibition of artwork by representatives of minority communities from around Iraq Thirty-four artists (including three women) from the minority communities of Shabak, Bahai, Christian (Chaldean, Armenian, Assyrian and Syriac), Yazidi, Kaka’i and Faili Kurds took part. During the exhibition many of the artists, including sculptors, painters and photographers, explained how their art reflects the strength, resilience and vibrancy of their respective communities.
Read the full story and see photos on UNAMI’s website
Special Representative visits Erbil
Special Representative Hennis-Plasschaert during her visit to Erbil on 2 July, met with President of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) Nechirvan Barzani, Prime Minister-designate Masrur Barzani and Deputy Prime Minister Qubad Talabani. They discussed the political situation in Iraq and in the Region including the formation of the new KRG cabinet, and Erbil-Baghdad relations.
For more information, please contact DPPA
Yemen
Special Envoy visits Russia and the UAE
Martin Griffiths, Special Envoy for Yemen, visited the Russian capital on 30 June. There, he met with Sergey Lavrov, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation. “I am grateful for the continued support from Russia for my efforts and I welcome Russia’s constructive engagement in our endeavors to achieve peace in Yemen”, Mr. Griffiths said.
Continuing onwards to the UAE, the Special Envoy met with Anwar Gargash, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, and Reem Ebrahim Al Hashimy, Minister of State for International Cooperation in Abu Dhabi on 2 July. They discussed advancement of the peace process in Yemen and steps needed to implement the Stockholm agreement.
For more information, please contact DPPA
Syria
Special Envoy, in Moscow, calls for urgent stabilization of Idlib
During a visit to Moscow from 4-5 July, Special Envoy for Syria Geir O. Pedersen stressed the need to urgently stabilize Idlib and establish the Constitutional Committee agreed in Sochi, Russia, in January 2019 with a view to creating a new more inclusive system of governance in Syria.. He also called for action on detainees and missing persons and confidence-building measures.
For more information, please contact DPPA
Afghanistan
Crucial role of civil society spotlighted at UN-backed symposium on elections
Civil society representatives came together recently in Afghanistan’s southeast province of Paktika to strategize on ways to coordinate with local communities and electoral management bodies to enhance participation in the upcoming presidential elections. In the UN-backed event, which drew journalists, women’s rights advocates and provincial officials, participants discussed the recently concluded top-up voter-registration process and exchanged ideas on the most effective ways local communities can participate in Afghanistan’s political life.
Read the full story on UNAMA’s website.
Effective coordination essential for protecting woman’s rights, say Balkh leaders
Strong synergy between government officials, civil society members, rights advocates and other community leaders is essential for protecting the human rights of women and girls, said participants at a recent symposium in the northern province of Balkh. The event, organized by UNAMA’s Mazar regional office, drew more than 20 community leaders to discuss ways to improve accountability for crimes of violence against women by coordinating through Balkh’s Commission on the Elimination of Violence Against Women.
Read the full story on UNAMA’s website.
Deputy Head visits Paktya to discuss elections, peace process and security
During a two-day visit to Paktya, in eastern Afghanistan, UNAMA's Deputy Special Representative Ingrid Hayden met with Provincial Governor Shamim Khan Katawazai, with civil society and political party representatives, tribal elders, religious leaders and electoral officials to discuss upcoming elections, the peace process and security.
For more information, please contact DPPA
Colombia
Special Representative visits Reintegration Area in Cauca
Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of the UN Verification Mission in Colombia Carlos Ruiz Massieu visited the Territorial Area for Training and Reintegration of Santa Rosa, located in the village of Los Monos, Cauca department, on 29 June, to learn first-hand how the reintegration of former combatants and their security guarantees are advancing. Mr. Ruiz Massieu spoke with former FARC combatants and visited an agricultural project and an artisan tailoring project.
For more information, please contact DPPA
Envoy meets representatives of women’s organizations
Special Representative Ruiz Massieu met on 4 July with representatives of the Platform of Women’s Organizations to talk about the progress achieved on the gender approach in the implementation of the Peace Agreement.
For more information, please contact DPPA
|
