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USG DiCarlo briefs on the Resolution 1559
Under-Secretary-General Rosemary Dicarlo briefed the Security Council on 11 May in closed session on the latest report on the implementation of resolution 1559, which seeks to support sovereignty, territorial integrity, unity and political independence of Lebanon.
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Wennesland briefs Council members in closed sessions
Tor Wennesland, Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, updated the Security Council on the situation in occupied East Jerusalem, once on 10 May and again on 12 May as conditions on the ground continued to deteriorate. He highlighted that these devastating cycles of violence, which destroy the lives and futures of Palestinians and Israelis alike, will only stop with a political solution to the conflict; an end to the occupation and a realization of a two‑State solution on the basis of UN resolutions, international law and existing agreements, with Jerusalem as the capital of both States.
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Hennis-Plasschaert stresses that October elections are Iraqi-owned and Iraqi-led
Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert, the Special Representative for Iraq and Head of the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) told the Security Council on 11 May that the country is just five months away from holding its national elections, which are scheduled to take place on 10 October. She added that the elections are a central demand of the protest movement, and yet many of its members continue to be persecuted with impunity. “A trusted electoral process, with free and wide-ranging participation, can help steer the country towards the prosperous future Iraqis deserve”, she said.
Full briefing to the Security Council here
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Griffiths: The differences between the parties are not unbridgeable
Martin Griffiths, Special Envoy for Yemen, told the Council on 12 May that the parties are not closing in on a deal to reach a peaceful resolution to the conflict, despite redoubled efforts in recent months. Griffiths underscored that, in the absence of a political process, there had been a relentless military escalation by Ansar Allah in Marib. He called on the group to immediately stop its attack, to lift the restrictions on imports through Hudaydah, and to open Sana’a airport. “A deal can be achieved if the key political leaders make the right decision to end the fighting...The opportunity is still there for the parties. But time is of the essence. What is currently on the table might not be available later. Stalling the negotiations serves no one,” he said.
Full briefing to the Security Council here
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Security Council unanimously adopts resolution to renew mandate of Verification Mission in Colombia
On 11 May, the Security Council extended the mandate of the United Nations Verification Mission in Colombia until 31 October, by adopting resolution 2574 (2021). By the terms of the text, the Council decided to support the implementation of the Final Agreement to end the conflict and build a stable and lasting peace.
For more information
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West Africa and the Sahel
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Special Representative meets President of the Republic of Senegal
On 11 May, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of the United Nations Office for West Africa and the Sahel (UNOWAS), Mahamat Saleh Annadif, met the President of Senegal, Macky Sall. They discussed aspects of cooperation between the United Nations and Senegal, as well as the need to strengthen their partnership to better support Senegal in facing multiple challenges. The meeting also addressed various topics relating to peace, security, and stability in the sub-region.
Read more here
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Special Envoy travels to Italy
Ján Kubiš, Special Envoy for Libya and Head of United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) arrived in Rome on 12 May on an official visit with Italian and EU officials to discuss ways to further the peace process in Libya. He met with the Italian Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio and Minister of Interior Luciana Lamorgesea, among others. The meeting focused on the implementation of Resolutions 2570 (2021) and 2571 (2021), including the full implementation of the ceasefire agreement and the Libyan Political Dialogue Forum (LPDF) Roadmap in the run-up to the elections on 24 December.
Read more here
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UNSMIL co-chairs Committee on Libya’s Economic Working Group
On 11 May, UNSMIL convened the International Follow-up Committee on Libya’s Economic Working Group. With Egypt, the European Union, and the United States as co-chairs, meeting participants discussed how best to harness the expertise of the international community and the Libyan Economic Expert Commission to support the Government of National Unity, Parliament, and other relevant Libyan institutions in tackling the economic challenges created by years of division and conflict.
Read more here
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Special Representative meets with coalition of women to discuss Juba peace talks
Volker Perthes, Special Representative for Sudan and Head of UNITAMS, met on 11 May with women from various political parties and civil society organizations in Sudan to discuss the upcoming peace talks in Juba. They emphasized that women should be equally represented in all phases of the negotiations.
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A new episode of “She Stands for Peace” is out
The latest installment of the podcast, released on 13 May, focuses on “Youth, Peace and Security”, and explores the careers of young women peacebuilders. The panelists include Hajer Sharief, cofounder and project manager of the Together We Build it organization in Libya, and Karabo Mokgonyana, the African Youth Ambassador for Peace at the African Union. They discuss their careers as well as social media led activism as a natural habitat for youth participation. Listen to this episode on iTunes, Stitcher, TuneIn, YouTube, Deezer, Spotify, Audible and Amazon Music.
For more information on the podcast series, click here
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Martin Griffiths appointed as new USG for OCHA
Secretary-General António Guterres announced the appointment of Martin Griffiths, who has served as Special Envoy for Yemen since 2018, as Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) on 12 May. He will succeed Mark Lowcock. Griffiths brings extensive leadership experience in humanitarian affairs at headquarters and country levels, as well as extensive experience in international conflict resolution, negotiation and mediation. He will continue to serve as Special Envoy for Yemen until a transition has been announced.
Read more here
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The Security Council will hold an open debate on Sunday, 16 May, to discuss the escalating violence between Israel and Palestinian militants. Under-Secretary-General Jean-Pierre Lacroix will brief on peace and security in Africa on 18 May. On 19 May, the Council will hold an open debate on the same topic, with a focus on post-pandemic recovery. Special Representative Volker Perthes will brief the Council on developments in Sudan and UNITAMS on Thursday, 20 May. Special Envoy Ján Kubiš will brief on Libya on Friday, 21 May.
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PBSO, Colombia and Germany to host high-level roundtable on peacebuilding financing
Ahead of the high-level meeting on peacebuilding financing at the 76th General Assembly, a high-level roundtable is to take place virtually with the support of the Peacebuilding Support Office (PBSO) and the governments of Colombia and Germany on 18 May, titled “Innovative Financing for Peace: Finding new solutions to meet local peacebuilding needs.”
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