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War on Ukraine is senseless in its scope, ruthless in its dimensions, limitless in its potential for global harm
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Secretary-General António Guterres briefed the Security Council on 5 May on his recent travel to Moscow and Kyiv. "The war on Ukraine is senseless in its scope, ruthless in its dimensions and limitless in its potential for global harm," he said. Guterres reported progress in the evacuation of civilians from besieged Mariupol in efforts coordinated with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). “It is good to know that even in these times of hyper-communications, silent diplomacy is still possible and is sometimes the only effective way to produce results,” he said.
Read full remarks here
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Twenty years after Bojayá massacre, victims demand implementation of Peace Agreement
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The UN Verification Mission in Colombia, on 2 May, participated in the commemoration of the 20th anniversary of the Bojayá massacre in the department of Chocó, in which more than 100 people were killed during clashes between former FARC-EP guerrillas and paramilitaries in 2002. The victims reiterated the importance of non-repetition, pointed out the increasing insecurity in the area and stressed the need for the full implementation of the Peace Agreement. The event was coordinated by local ethnic and social victims’ organizations, UN Human Rights, and international NGOs, with the participation of the ambassadors of Germany, Spain and Switzerland, and the Integral System of Truth, Justice, Reparation, and Non-Repetition.
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Haitian National Police and civil society representatives discuss public security
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The UN Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH) held a working lunch on 4 May with the High Command of the Haitian National Police and representatives of civil society to discuss public security issues. This exchange allowed participants to better understand the challenges for the Haitian population brought on by the current situation and to strengthen their collaboration to address them.
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Special Envoy stresses need for safe and unimpeded access for humanitarian actors
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In a statement on 4 May, Special Envoy on Myanmar, Noeleen Heyzer, welcomed the convening of the Consultative Meeting on ASEAN Humanitarian Assistance to Myanmar on 6 May and strongly urged ASEAN leaders and donors to prioritize principled engagement with diverse local humanitarian networks to effectively deliver aid to all communities in need. Given the complexity of Myanmar’s conflict, Heyzer stressed that it is imperative that humanitarian assistance is delivered through a diverse range of channels, without discrimination or favor, and reaches the most vulnerable in every part of the country. “Safe and unimpeded access for all aid actors is non-negotiable,” she said.
Read full statement here
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Focus on parliamentary elections
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Special Coordinator for Lebanon Joanna Wronecka on 4 May discussed with Commander Gen. Joseph Aoun the Lebanese Armed Forces’ (LAF) efforts to safeguard security in Lebanon, particularly ahead of the elections. On 5 May, Prime Minister Najib Mikati briefed the Special Coordinator on the situation in Lebanon in the run up to the polls. She then, together with UNDP and UNHCR in Lebanon, led a discussion with the international community on pre- and post-electoral dynamics. The Special Coordinator also discussed with President Michel Aoun how Lebanon’s security, stability and development agenda could best be served within the framework of cooperation between Lebanon and the UN.
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Digital youth dialogue in Lebanon
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The Office of the UN Special Coordinator for Lebanon (UNSCOL), supported by DPPA’s Innovation Cell, held a digital youth dialogue on 5 May to hear views of the public in light of the upcoming parliamentary elections on 15 May. Most of the participants (59%) identified as women, and 67% of the participants were under the age of 35. Participants weighed in on issues such as the upcoming elections, the candidates, the importance of inclusivity and how they view Lebanon’s future. Some of the main concerns included lack of trust in the current system and the possibility of change, freedom of choice, fake news and misinformation, electoral fraud, voter intimidation and hate speech.
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Meeting of the UN-AU Joint Task Force on Peace and Security
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The United Nations-African Union Joint Task Force on Peace and Security held its 21st consultative meeting on 5 May 2022. During the virtual meeting, the group discussed coordinated peace and security efforts in Ethiopia, Libya, Mozambique, Somalia, the Sahel region and the Sudan and underscored the need to a timely return to constitutional order in Burkina Faso, Chad, Guinea and Mali.
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Special Envoy Tetteh in New York
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During a visit to UN headquarters, Special Envoy for the Horn of Africa Hanna Tetteh met on 3 May with Linda Thomas-Greenfield, Permanent Representative of the United States to the United Nations. They discussed the challenges within the Horn of Africa and recent developments in Ethiopia. On 4 May, Tetteh met with Taye Atske Selassie, Permanent Representative of Ethiopia to the UN. They exchanged views on a wide range of issues with reference to peace and security challenges in the Horn of Africa region. The same day, she also met with Martin Kimani, Kenya's Permanent Representative to the UN.
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Williams prepares for second round of Joint House of Representatives/High Council of State Committee meeting
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In Tripoli on 5 May, Stephanie Williams, Special Adviser on Libya, met separately with Faouzi el Nuweiri, First Deputy for the House of Representatives (HoR) and Head of the High Council of State (HCS) Khaled el Mishri to brief them on her recent visits to various European capitals to discuss current events in Libya. Both confirmed the commitment of the HoR and the HCS to taking part in the second round of meetings of the Joint HoR/HCS Committee in Cairo on 15 May, with the aim of agreeing the necessary constitutional arrangements for taking Libya to national elections as soon as possible.
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UN leadership discusses Somali state-building and upcoming presidential elections
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The UN joined some of Somalia's international partners on 3 May to meet the newly elected Speaker of the House of the People, Sheikh Aden Mohamed. The ensuing discussion focused on concluding the electoral process peacefully, and the need to advance Somalia’s state-building agenda. Support for advancing Somalia’s state-building priorities after the elections was also the focus of discussion on 5 May between UN Deputy Special Representative for Somalia Kiki Gbeho and the Chairperson of the Somalia Non-State Actors (SONSA), Osman Moallim.
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Ahead of Somalia’s presidential elections and as part of his regular meetings with political figures, UN Special Representative James Swan, on 6 May, met with candidate Dr. Abdinur Sheikh Mohamed to learn about his policy priorities and vision for the country.
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West Africa and the Sahel
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Steering Committee of the UN Integrated Strategy for the Sahel meets in Chad
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The 13th meeting of the Steering Committee of the UN Integrated Strategy for the Sahel opened on 5 May in Ndjamena, Chad under the co-chairmanship of Special Representative Annadif and Mar Dieye, UN Special Coordinator for the Sahel. The meeting was held “to take stock of our responses, readjust our actions according to the needs of the populations and emerging risks, and strengthen our cooperation with local and regional partners,” Dieye noted. In his opening remarks, Special Representative Annadif underlined the impact of the Ukrainian crisis on the Sahel region: “The inflationary spiral we are witnessing [...] poses significant risks to political and social stability in the region.” Referring to the political situation and governance in the Sahel, he stressed that unconstitutional regimes jeopardize the integration and cohesion of the region. On the security front, Annadif indicated that national and regional responses are being strengthened both in the Central Sahel as well as the Lake Chad Basin. The morning of 6 May was dedicated to discussions focused on challenges related to climate change, food security and governance, gender and education, especially for young girls in the Sahel, and resource mobilization and partnerships.
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On World Press Freedom Day on 3 May, Somali journalists, representatives from the police, the attorney general's office and civil society organizations came together for a one-day panel discussion on press freedom in Somalia, organized by the Federation of Somali Journalist (FESOJ) and supported by the UN Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNSOM). In a statement issued for the occasion, Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of UNSOM stressed: “Somalia’s media are a key component for the growth of democracy, and they need to be able to go about their work free from threats, intimidation and harm so they can carry out their important work.”
Read the full statement here
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A number of Afghan journalists and media advocates attended an event in Kabul on 30 April marking World Press Freedom Day, organized by the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) and UNESCO. The event offered a platform to exchange views on the shrinking and restrictive media space in the country and the way forward. UNAMA Deputy Head Mette Knudsen paid tribute to the hard-working journalists for their tenacity and resilience. “Let me assure you that UNAMA and the UN family in Afghanistan stand firmly in solidarity with your clarion call for safety, professional independence and a free press,” she said.
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