Security Council
Ibn Chambas: “Dialogue is one important arena for the building of national consensus”
Special Representative Mohamed Ibn Chambas on 11 January updated the Security Council on the situation in West Africa and the Sahel and the work of UNOWAS in the region. "Elections are one-time events, but democracy is a constant process of deliberation and consultation, and dialogue is one important arena for the building of national consensus," Mr. Ibn Chambas said.
Read his full remarks here
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Griffiths: “The path to peace in Yemen was never easy”
Yemen Envoy Martin Griffiths on 14 January briefed the Council on peace efforts in the country. “The path to peace in Yemen was never easy. And I believe that it is now a great deal more difficult than it was a month ago. There is a way out. We must remember that, even after all the tragedies that Yemenis across the country have suffered, peace is possible where there is the will to make it happen,” Mr. Griffiths said.
Read his full remarks here
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Afghanistan
Nangarhar university students take peacebuilding discussions to communities
Looking to promote dialogue and contribute to local peace, members of Nangarhar University’s Peace Centre have been engaging communities in the country’s east. At one event, participants strategized on how they could be more involved and support local efforts aimed at fostering peace and social cohesion. “Using our youth volunteer groups, we can reach out to wider communities, including those that are not easily accessible to the government,” said Hila, from Nangarhar's Batikot district. The event was organized and supported by UNAMA’s field office in Nangarhar.
Read more here
Iraq
UN stresses the need for urgent action to alleviate Sinjaris’ hardship
Special Representative Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert visited Sinjar on 10 January to follow up on the implementation of a recent agreement between Baghdad and Erbil aimed at creating stability, security and better living conditions in the town. She was accompanied by Deputy Special Representative and Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator Irena Vojáčková-Sollorano. The UN delegation stressed the need to do more – in unity and at a faster pace - to alleviate current hardships.
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New Deputy Special Representative
Secretary-General António Guterres on 15 January announced the appointment of Ingibjörg Sólrún Gísladóttir of Iceland as his new Deputy Special Representative for Political Affairs and Electoral Assistance of the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI). Ms. Gísladóttir brings a wealth of diplomatic and political experience to the position, including from her recent role as Director of the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights at the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) and most recently as the Head of its Election Observation Mission in Ukraine.
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Tajikistan
Training on countering the financing of terrorism
UNRCCA, the UN Counter-Terrorism Center within the UN Office of Counter Terrorism (UNOCT-UNCCT) and the Eurasian Group on Combating Money Laundering and Financing of Terrorism (EAG) organized from 14 to 15 January a training course for some 30 Tajik officials and civil society representatives on preventing the use of nonprofit organizations for terrorist purposes. The training course focused on a contextual overview of the status of the nonprofit organization sector and its vulnerability to terrorist financing, analysis of international standards, risk-based regulations, mitigation and outreach practices.
Read more here
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Libya
Meeting of the Libyan Political Dialogue Forum
Acting Special Representative Stephanie Williams addressed the meeting of the Libyan Political Dialogue Forum in Geneva on 13 January. “We want a Libyan-made solution, not a solution imposed from the outside. During this meeting, we will not discuss the names of candidates for leadership positions in the unified executive authority, and I will not accept that the Mission plays any role in naming the executive authority as promoted by some. This is a Libyan decision; a Libyan-Libyan solution, a purely Libyan solution,” Ms. Williams said.
Read more here
Somalia
UN delegation visits South West State to discuss support and cooperation in 2021
A delegation of UN officials visited Somalia’s South West State on 14 January to discuss ways in which the world body can assist the Federal Member State in a range of areas in 2021. “It’s the first of our visits to the Federal Member States in the new year, and we have come to discuss with the President and his ministers the work of the UN in support of South West State. This ranges from support for ongoing reconciliation, security and stabilization efforts to providing humanitarian and development assistance,” Special Representative and head of the UN Assistance Mission in Somalia James Swan told the media in the state’s largest city, Baidoa.
Read more here
West Africa
High-level meeting between the Mano River Union and the UN to enhance partnership
The Mano River Union (MRU) and UNOWAS held a two-day high-level meeting in Dakar, Senegal, from 13 to 14 January. The objective of the meeting was to review a joint work plan (2020-2021) and assess its implementation in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. There were also discussions between the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the UN Resident Coordinator Offices of the countries of the region on recent elections in Guinea, Côte d’Ivoire and Liberia.
Read more here
Next Week
Security Council
Sunday 17 January marks the 75th anniversary of the first-ever meeting of the Security Council. That gathering was held in Church House, Westminster, in London, in 1946.
There will be a briefing on cooperation between the UN and the Arab League on 18 January; on 20 January, Syria Envoy Geir Pedersen will update the Council on the situation in the country; Special Representative Carlos Ruiz Massieu will brief on Colombia on 21 January.
Updated programme of work
Niger
Special Representative Mohamed Ibn Chambas will be in Niamey, Niger, from 17 to 18 January in the run up to the second round of the general elections in the country, scheduled for 21 February.
The Work of Peace
Virtual exhibit
Remember to check out our virtual exhibit: The Work of Peace. It highlights the UN’s key role in preventive diplomacy, good offices, mediation and elections over the past 75 years, and looks ahead at what the future may hold for this work.
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