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The UN’s top aid official in Ukraine expressed concern on Friday about “continuous attacks” on energy production sites and distribution facilities.
More details continued to emerge on Friday of atrocities committed during and after the fall of El Fasher to the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) militia in Sudan’s Darfur region.
Mr. President
Since my last briefing to this Council, the conflict in Sudan has deteriorated even further. It has caused widespread suffering and new surges of horrific violence.
After more than 500 days under siege, the city of El Fasher in North Darfur has been captured by the Rapid Support Forces. Only small pockets of resistance remain.
The fall of the city marks a significant shift in the security dynamics. The implications for the people of Sudan and the region are significant.
Other parts of the country have not been spared from the relentless violence.
In recent weeks, fighting has intensified in the Kordofan region. This is likely the next arena of military focus for the warring parties.
In North Kordofan, the city of Bara, just 40 kilometers from the state capital of El Obeid and a strategic location for both sides, was captured by the Rapid Support Forces last week. This marked another escalation on the ground.
Drone strikes by both parties are also affecting new territories and new targets. These include Blue Nile, Khartoum, Sennar, South Kordofan and West Darfur, suggesting that the territorial scope of the conflict is broadening.
Following the announcement of its reopening, the airport in Khartoum quickly became the target of a barrage of drone attacks. This showed that control of the city remains contested, and that no part of Sudan is beyond reach.
The implications of these drone strikes are clear – mounting civilian casualties, increased humanitarian and protection needs, and the continued erosion of essential infrastructure and livelihoods.
Mr. President,
Shifting military dynamics continue to shape the course of the conflict. The human cost is profound.
The risk of mass atrocities, ethnically targeted violence and further violations of international humanitarian law, including sexual violence, remains alarmingly high across the country, and particularly in El Fasher.
The situation is simply horrifying. In the past week, the UN Human Rights Office has documented widespread and serious human rights violations in and around El Fasher. These include credible reports of mass killings in various locations and summary executions during house-to-house searches and as civilians have tried to flee the city.
Communications have been cut off. The situation is chaotic. In this context, it is difficult to estimate the number of civilians killed.
Despite commitments to protect civilians, the reality is that no one is safe in El Fasher. There is no safe passage for civilians to leave the city.
There are also reports of large-scale atrocities perpetrated by the Rapid Support Forces in Bara, in North Kordofan, following the recent capture of the city. These included reprisals against so-called “collaborators”, which are often ethnically motivated.
At least 50 civilians have been killed over the past few days in Bara, both during fighting and as a result of summary executions. This allegedly includes the summary execution of five Red Crescent volunteers.
The United Nations will continue to call for all those with influence to act now to prevent further violations and atrocities.
Efforts towards accountability will also continue to be essential to end the cycles of violence. The recent renewal of the UN Fact-Finding Mission’s mandate, and the ICC verdict in the case of Ali Muhammad Ali Abd-Al-Rahman signal the international community’s continued commitment to justice and accountability in Sudan.
Mr. President
This week the Secretary-General once again renewed his call for an immediate cessation of hostilities.
It is high time to take the first step towards lasting peace for the Sudanese people.
The parties must return to the negotiating table, in good faith. They must pursue a sustainable resolution to the conflict.
An immediate end to the fighting and sustained dialogue are needed to reverse Sudan’s spiraling descent into de facto fragmentation.
The Secretary-General has also been unequivocal in his call for external interference in Sudan’s conflict to stop.
External support is enabling the conflict. Weapons and fighters continue to flow into Sudan, further contributing to the already desperate situation.
Mr. President,
Given the deteriorating situation on the ground, Personal Envoy Lamamra has invited both parties to separately enter into technical talks with the United Nations, focused on de-escalation and the protection of civilians.
He has received encouraging indications from both parties of their willingness to commit to this process.
We urge Member States with leverage over the parties to encourage them to take this critical step which could lead to an improvement in the protection of civilians throughout Sudan.
Mr. President,
Coordination among Sudan’s international partners is essential to maximize our collective efforts to end this war. In this regard, Personal Envoy Lamamra has intensified his engagements with regional and international actors.
The Quartet mechanism - comprising the African Union, the Intergovernmental Authority on Development, the League of Arab States and the United Nations - is preparing an inter-Sudanese dialogue, under the auspices of the African Union, which could pave the way for a Sudanese-owned and led political process.
Consultations are ongoing with key Sudanese stakeholders to refine the design, timeline and criteria for participation, and map out the role of the sponsoring organisations.
Personal Envoy Lamamra is also coordinating his efforts with members of the Quad initiative - comprising Egypt, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and the United States.
Mediation efforts by regional and international actors are welcome and essential. To be effective and deliver solid outcomes, they must be underpinned by strong coordination, ensuring complementarity and coherence with other efforts.
In that regard, Personal Envoy Lamamra is currently finalizing consultations with the African Union on the next Consultative Group meeting, to be jointly convened at Ministerial level by the African Union and the United Nations in Addis Ababa.
This meeting will provide an opportunity for all mediation actors to exchange information, take stock of efforts and map out areas of complementarity and comparative advantage as they consider next steps.
Mr. President,
As the conflict reaches yet another critical point, we must intensify our call for an urgent and lasting solution.
Reports and warnings about the unfolding catastrophe in El Fasher have been issued for months. Thus far, the Unted Nations Security Council has not taken decisive action to prevent the situation from deteriorating.
We must all play our part in helping to bring this devastating war to an end. We must stand with the people of Sudan who have suffered far too much for far too long.
I call on the Council to use all the tools at its disposal to demand peace in the Sudan. We count on the Council to lead the way.
Reports of mass atrocities in and around the newly-captured city of El Fasher in Darfur mark a new low in Sudan's brutal civil war and the Security Council met in emergency session on Thursday morning in New York to address the rapidly deteriorating situation. Civilians are facing starvation and mass displacement as the UN continues providing lifesaving aid throughout the country. Follow our in-depth live coverage; UN News app users can go here.
Russian armed forces conducted another large-scale combined attack across Ukraine in the early hours of Thursday, reportedly targeting critical energy infrastructure, said the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission for Ukraine.
El Fasher has “descended into an even darker hell,” senior UN officials warned on Thursday, as the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) militia seized control of the North Darfur capital after a 500-day siege, forcing tens of thousands to flee on foot amid reports of mass executions, rape and starvation.
Incidents of mass killings and torture in post-Assad Syria are tempering early optimism about the transitional government’s ability to put an end to entrenched cycles of violence, the head of the UN-mandated independent investigative body on Syria said on Thursday.
The newly appointed Head of the UN Verification Mission in Colombia, Miroslav Jenča, has praised the country’s peace process as “a global model,” while urging greater financial support to strengthen the Mission’s work.
South Sudan faces a renewed slide into full-scale conflict unless urgent international action is taken, the UN-appointed independent investigative body examining human rights there warned on Wednesday.
The UN General Assembly on Wednesday has – for the 33rd consecutive year – adopted a resolution calling for an end to the decades-long United States embargo against Cuba.
Myanmar stands at a crossroads between impunity and humanitarian crisis, as escalating military airstrikes, widespread civilian casualties and mounting evidence of war crimes continue to devastate the country.
Horrific stories of mass-atrocities committed by the RSF militia continue to emerge, along with the tens of thousands of civilians who have fled the North Darfur city of El Fasher in Sudan.
The UN Secretary-General has strongly condemned the killing of civilians, including children, in Israeli airstrikes across Gaza overnight into Wednesday, calling for all parties to uphold their commitments to the fragile ceasefire
Mounting nuclear risks – from Ukraine’s war-torn power plants to Iran’s unresolved safeguards, and renewed inspection efforts in Syria – are testing the global non-proliferation regime like never before, the UN’s nuclear watchdog warned on Wednesday.
Aid teams in Gaza are racing to meet urgent needs with tens of thousands still displaced, sheltering in damaged buildings and makeshift sites, while reports of renewed fighting between Israeli forces and Hamas threaten to derail the ceasefire.
After 500 days of siege, the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) militia have reportedly taken control of the key Sudanese city of El-Fasher in Darfur, triggering widespread fear among families, and forcing thousands of civilians to flee.
Airstrikes and ongoing conflict in Ukraine are leaving civilians – including thousands of children – without homes, power, water and basic services, as humanitarians warn the approaching winter is heightening the risks for communities along the frontlines.
Amid deepening global divides and economic uncertainty, the United Nations called for stronger multilateral cooperation and sweeping reforms to global financial and governance systems, emphasising the need for a “networked, multipolar world” where equity and inclusion guide decision-making.
Funding cuts are dismantling the frontline organisations working to end violence against women and girls, the UN’s gender equality agency warned on Monday.
More than 470,000 movements by civilians heading north inside the Gaza Strip have been recorded since the ceasefire began, said the UN aid coordination office (OCHA) on Monday.
The UN’s top humanitarian official has called for an immediate ceasefire in El Fasher, the capital of Sudan’s North Darfur region, amid reports of significant civilian deaths, attacks on hospitals and the city’s reported capture by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
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Secretary-General António Guterres on Friday warned that the “fragile” legitimacy of the Security Council could endanger global peace if it remains gridlocked and fails to fulfil its primary purpose.
The UN and its partners are accelerating deliveries of life-saving aid across Gaza, but relief efforts remain constrained by access restrictions and overwhelming humanitarian needs, officials said on Friday.
As the United Nations turns 80, while pursuing change and reform, Lebanon is passing through a momentous period of its modern history that will determine its path forward. Meanwhile, major regional shifts and global forces continue to shape a new security and geopolitical landscape.
In 1945, Lebanon was one of the founding States which gathered to form the United Nations as an attempt to avoid further suffering for...
The Gaza ceasefire provides a rare opportunity to end one of the most destructive phases of the wider Israel-Palestine conflict, the UN’s deputy Middle East envoy told the Security Council on Thursday.
Over 900 days of brutal conflict, widespread human rights violations, famine, and the collapse of essential services have driven millions of people in Sudan to the “brink of survival” – with women and children bearing the heaviest burden.
The UN Security Council meets at the top of the hour in New York to debate the Middle East, with Ramiz Alakbarov, Deputy Special Coordinator for the region expected to brief. The session comes amid faltering progress on the fragile Gaza ceasefire and mounting humanitarian needs after two years of war, with famine still looming in parts of the territory. Ambassadors will likely discuss yesterday's ICJ advisory opinion affirming Israel’s obligation to allow agencies aid access under international law. Follow our in-depth live coverage from 10am; UN News app users can go here.
Gaza’s health system remains in ruins despite the fragile ceasefire holding, with hundreds of thousands still facing urgent medical and humanitarian needs, the head of the World Health Organization (WHO) warned on Thursday.
As Syria’s humanitarian needs soar and aid funding dries up, UN officials urged the Security Council on Wednesday to step up support, warning that millions face continuing hardship even as the country rebuilds its political institutions.
The people of Haiti have not given up and “their fortitude gives us hope,” the UN Special Representative to the country told the Security Council on Wednesday.
Following renewal of the Security Council’s sanctions regime in Haiti and a resolution to create a new Gang Suppression Force to combat the scourge of gang violence, ambassadors heard this afternoon from the top UN official in the country. In his first briefing as head of the UN office in Haiti (BINUH), Carlos Ruiz Massieu reported on latest developments, as brutal violence and insecurity continues to rage, increasing pressure on diplomats to act fast and decisively to protect millions of Haitians facing impunity and chaos. UN News app users can follow live coverage here.
Russian forces carried out “another massive wave of overnight attacks” targeting energy facilities, the UN said on Wednesday, killing and injuring civilians – including children.
In Buluma Village, Malawi, Patuma, 82, woke at 4 a.m. to make her way to the Changamire Polling Centre to cast her vote in the country’s recent general elections. She hoped to elect a candidate who could bring down the price of fertilizer — a vital need for her family.
Across the globe, people head annually in great numbers to the ballot box — from remote villages to urban centres, from first-time voters to elders like Patuma. Each vote cast is a personal act of hope, trust and political participation — a symbolic yet tangible moment in democratic processes. Elections are among the largest peacetime mobilization efforts any country undergoes. They are also the moment when each individual citizen gets a meaningful say in the decisions that shape their lives.
In any given year close to one hundred countries might hold elections. Behind a number of these elections is the support of the United Nations. Working alongside national institutions and local partners, the UN system helps foster electoral processes that are peaceful, inclusive and credible — and has done so in over one hundred countries worldwide. At any given moment, more than 40 countries receive UN support — always at the request of the Member State or by mandate, and under national ownership. Most support is technical: strengthening electoral bodies, improving laws, furthering inclusion and providing operational assistance to ensure that every eligible citizen can take part.
In Malawi, where voters like Patuma took part in the recent general elections, the UN supported national efforts to strengthen electoral institutions, promote participation and help ensure that citizens had access to information.
But Malawi is just one example.
In Liberia, the UN helped reinforce electoral institutions. In Vanuatu, it assisted with organizing elections after a major earthquake. In Ecuador, the UN supported efforts to strengthen information integrity and civic engagement.
Support in each country looks different. In some contexts — such as the Central African Republic or Libya — assistance is multidimensional, part of UN peacekeeping or special political missions. In others, like Armenia, Panama or Timor-Leste, support has been more targeted. In every case, the approach is guided by national priorities and adapted to local contexts.
In countries without a UN peacekeeping or special political mission, UNDP plays a leading role as the UN system’s main provider of support — while also contributing to efforts in mission settings — helping strengthen institutions, sustain national capacities and forge partnerships.
As part of its support, the UN also works to make elections more inclusive — helping ensure that women, youth, persons with disabilities and other groups can take part in shaping their country’s political future.
Around the world, women continue to face barriers to participation in elections — from discriminatory laws to online harassment. UN electoral assistance places inclusion at the centre of its work, helping ensure that women not only vote, but can also stand as candidates, lead electoral bodies and shape their communities’ futures.
In Jordan, the UN supported efforts to make elections more accessible for women and persons with disabilities. In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Sierra Leone, Liberia and Mozambique, hundreds of women benefited from UN-supported training and outreach initiatives. Through partnerships with regional organizations, the UN has helped bring together women electoral officials and supported training on women’s leadership and inclusion.
These efforts continue to reflect a simple but powerful idea: every voice — including women’s — should be heard and recognized.
As the Organization marks its 80th anniversary, demand for UN electoral assistance shows no sign of slowing. In the past two years alone, 43 Member States have formally requested electoral assistance — including several for the first time — a clear sign of continuing trust in the UN’s role and expertise.
The Secretary-General’s latest report on electoral assistance (A/80/277) takes stock of UN support over the last two years, noting that during this period 58 Member States and territories received some form of UN electoral support. That demand also reflects a broader recognition that credible elections require constant attention and commitment.
At the same time, the report notes that declining funding — particularly in non-mission settings — risks limiting the UN’s ability to respond. It underscores that UN electoral assistance remains a cost-effective investment in good governance and conflict prevention.
Echoing the Secretary-General’s message in her recent presentation of the report to the Third Committee, Assistant Secretary-General for Africa Martha Ama A. Pobee said:
“Genuine elections that reflect the will of the people are not guaranteed. Gains can be reversed. Sustained commitment and investment are essential to ensure inclusion, protect electoral integrity and maintain public trust.”
Behind every election supported by the UN is a network of people — staff, experts, volunteers — who work with quiet dedication. Some work with national election commissions to train officials or support voter education; others help procure materials or move them across difficult terrain. Still others focus on fostering inclusion and helping enable a peaceful electoral environment.
This work is led and coordinated by the Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs (DPPA), the UN’s focal point for electoral assistance, supported by the Department’s Electoral Assistance Division. Across these system-wide efforts, DPPA, the Department of Peace Operations, UNDP, UN Women, OHCHR, UNOPS, UNESCO, UNV and others each contribute according to their mandates and areas of expertise. Together, these efforts give tangible meaning to the UN’s commitment to support Member States at their request.
From young voters to displaced communities, from national commissions to civil society, the UN continues to support elections — one vote, and millions of voices at a time. For voters like Patuma, the simple act of marking a ballot is a reminder that every vote counts.
More than a million people have returned to Sudan’s war-ravaged capital in the past ten months, the UN migration agency said on Tuesday, warning that basic services remain shattered amid continuing disease outbreaks.
Women and girls in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) are trapped in one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises and face rampant insecurity, a senior United Nations official warned on Tuesday following a visit to the country.
