Bienvenidos a las Naciones Unidas

Reports and Policy Documents

2019

  • 23 Mayo 2019

    Thursday’s main stories include: Better safeguards to protect civilians in conflict; UN ramps up coordination to beat Ebola in DR Congo; Obstetric fistula continues to afflict women; UN mission condemns attack in Central African Republic 

  • 23 Mayo 2019

    Thursday’s main stories include: Better safeguards to protect civilians in conflict; UN ramps up coordination to beat Ebola in DR Congo; Obstetric fistula continues to afflict women; UN chief strongly condemns attack in Central African Republic 

  • 23 Mayo 2019

    Marking 20 years since the UN Security Council added the protection of civilians to its agenda, Secretary-General António Guterres told the chamber on Thursday that while safeguards were stronger, “compliance has deteriorated”.  

  • 22 Mayo 2019

    Despite Somalia’s persistent security threats, recurrent political crises, capacity constraints and the difficulties in navigating political obstacles to its reform agenda, the Horn of Africa country remains on a “positive trajectory,” the UN Security Council was told on Wednesday.

  • 22 Mayo 2019

    Today's top stories include: boosting profits at work by hiring more women leaders; saving biodiversity to beat climate change; General Assembly condemns UK over Chagos Islands; just a month of funding left for Gaza; celebrating malaria-free Algeria and Argentina; and justice experts dicuss how best to fight hate crime. 

  • 22 Mayo 2019

    The head of the UN relief and works agency for Palestine refugees (UNRWA) warned on Wednesday that despite weathering a “truly existential crisis” over funding last year, money to continue operations this year in the Gaza Strip will only last until mid-June. 

  • 22 Mayo 2019

    Tripoli, May 2019 - From 1 February to 31 March 2019, the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) documented civilian casualties – 20 deaths and 69 injuries - during the conduct of...

  • 22 Mayo 2019

    New York, 22 May 2019

    From individual species through entire ecosystems, biological diversity is vital for human health and...

  • 21 Mayo 2019

    Mr. President,

    UNSOM began the new year facing a security crisis as a result of the mortar attack on the UN compound on 1 January, and a political crisis as a result of the expulsion of SRSG Nicholas Haysom on the same day.

    The two incidents severely disrupted mandate implementation of the Mission’s engagement with the Federal Government of Somalia and mandate implementation. They also elevated the security risk level for UN personnel and left our staff deeply...

  • 21 Mayo 2019

    Mr. President,

    UNSOM began the new year facing a security crisis as a result of the mortar attack on the UN compound on 1 January, and a political crisis as a result of the expulsion of SRSG Nicholas Haysom on the same day.

    The two incidents severely disrupted mandate implementation of the Mission’s engagement with the Federal Government of Somalia and mandate implementation. They also elevated the security risk level for UN personnel and left our staff deeply...

  • 21 Mayo 2019

    Iraq’s democratic transition – weighed down by political infighting, weak institutions, corruption, and the constant threat of ISIL – needs more international support, “lots of time and lots of hard work,” the top United Nations official in the country said on Tuesday.  

  • 21 Mayo 2019

    Tuesday’s stories include: Libya facing “permanent division”, regional war; Africa event highlights forcible displacement; terrorists’ children ‘secretly detained’ in Syria; Venezuelans need protection; global trade tensions rise.

  • 21 Mayo 2019

    The damage done to Libya will already take “years to mend” but unless fighting around the capital Tripoli stops, the country risks “descending into a civil war which could lead to the permanent division of the country”.

  • 21 Mayo 2019

    SRSG Tetteh briefs on achievements and ways forward in the UN-AU partnership

    The Friends of the UN-AU Partnership initiative was launched at the African Union Headquarters on April 20, 2019....

  • 21 Mayo 2019

    LASHKAR GAH - Panellists in a UN-backed television programme in the southern province of Helmand called on all Afghans to put aside their differences and seize any...

  • 21 Mayo 2019

    ASHGABAT, Turkmenistan

    On 21 May, SRSG Natalia Gherman met with H.E. Mr. Miroslav Lajčák, Minister of...

  • 20 Mayo 2019

    Former FARC-EP combatants located in the communities at the Arquia riverside are working in the formulation of a farming project, that will allow them to move forward to a new life in...

  • 20 Mayo 2019

    This Monday, headline stories include: WFP mulls “last resort” aid suspension in Yemen; highest UN peacekeeping award to be given on Friday; busy pollinators are focus of World Bee Day; Ebola threat still “very high”.

  • 20 Mayo 2019

    On 19 May 2019, during late night hours, a water control station in the Jabal al-Hasawna – southwestern Libya, was deliberately shut down cutting off water supply from the Great Man-Made River (GMMR) to Tripoli and some cities in the western and middle areas of Libya.

    The UN Humanitarian Coordinator, Maria Ribeiro, condemns in the strongest terms this act that aims to deprive hundreds of thousands of already embattled Libyans of safe drinking water. “Such attacks against...

  • 20 Mayo 2019

    The UN emergency food relief agency said on Monday that without full access and “freedom to decide” who receives lifesaving aid, in Houthi rebel-controlled areas of Yemen, it could be forced to implement a “phased suspension”.

  • 20 Mayo 2019

    In recognition of his “brave and selfless” action under fire in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)  ̶  saving the life of a fellow ‘blue helmet’ and helping his colleagues repel an armed group  ̶  the late Malawian soldier Chancy Chitete, will be honoured with the UN’s highest peacekeeping award this coming Friday, by the UN Secretary-General. 

  • 20 Mayo 2019

    It’s an overcast morning, in South Sudan’s capital Juba, and growling thunder announces the start of some light rain. Standing in the drizzle in his military police uniform, is Colonel Channy Vongvannak, the commander of the Cambodian Force Military Police at the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS).

  • 20 Mayo 2019

    ASHGABAT, Turkmenistan

    On 20 May 2019, in Ashgabat, SRSG Natalia Gherman met with H.E. Péter Szijjártó,...

  • 20 Mayo 2019

    DUSHANBE, Tajikistan

    SRSG Natalia Gherman attended the high-level conference on “Countering...

  • 20 Mayo 2019

    KABUL - Continued focus and effort are essential for building on the progress made in implementing Afghanistan’s anti-corruption strategy, finds a new United Nations report...

  • 18 Mayo 2019

    A violent attack against the United Nation's Integrated Stabilization Mission for Mali (MINUSMA) that left one peacekeeper dead on Saturday, drew strong condemnation from Secretary-General António Guterres. 

  • 18 Mayo 2019

    A violent attack against the United Nation's Integrated Stabilization Mission for Mali (MINUSMA) that left one peacekeeper dead on Saturday, drew strong condemnation from Secretary-General António Guterres. 

  • 18 Mayo 2019

     The United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) has concluded the week by harnessing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to support the nation, including by offering free medical services, encompassing SDG 3’s target on health coverage.

  • 17 Mayo 2019

    On Friday, we cover: Fighting in Syria’s Idlib province; UN condemnation of airstrikes in Yemen; UK’s forced-return policy; LGBTI rights; the UN chief’s climate action trip to Tuvalu; and Vesak Day.

  • 17 Mayo 2019

    The UN’s Political and Humanitarian Affairs chiefs on Friday called on the Security Council to unite in support of an immediate de-escalation of fighting around Syria’s Idlib province, and work towards an enduring political solution on behalf of the Syrian people.

  • 17 Mayo 2019

    Accra, 17 May 2019- The United Nations Office for West Africa and the Sahel (UNOWAS) and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), in partnership with...

  • 17 Mayo 2019

    Thursday’s airstrikes on Yemen’s capital Sana’a that reportedly killed five children and injured dozens more, have been strongly condemned by UN agencies, which have warned of the “brutal toll” on civilians of more than four years of conflict.

  • 17 Mayo 2019

    Thank you, Mr President,

    We are at yet another juncture in the Syrian conflict where civilians are paying the price for a never-ending war. We have been here before: in Aleppo, in Eastern Ghouta, and in Raqqa. Today it’s Idlib, where 3 million civilians are at risk.

    Until recently the Russian-Turkish Memorandum of Understanding signed on 17 September 2018 had significantly reduced violence in northwest Syria. However, we now see increasing hostilities on the ground.

    If the escalation continues and the offensive pushes forward, we risk catastrophic humanitarian fallout and threats to international peace and security.

    Therefore, the UN welcomes the announcement made on 15 May of a Turkish-Russian working group as a means towards re-establishing a cessation of hostilities in northwest Syria. That cooperation is desperately needed.

     

    Mr. President,

    The UN has followed with great concern the dangerous intensification of violence in the de-escalation area of northwestern Syria, involving Syrian government forces and their allies, armed opposition forces, and Security Council listed terrorist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (or HTS).

    Between February and March, we received reports of Syrian Government airstrikes resuming on areas inside the Idlib de-escalation area, of HTS stepping up its cross-line raids on government forces, and mutual exchanges of mortars and rockets.

    We have continued to receive reports of HTS launching attacks on government areas, including a Russian airbase.

    On 8 March, Turkey, in coordination with Russia, began patrols inside the “de-militarized zone”. We welcomed these coordinated patrols, which de-escalated violence somewhat. Yet, outside of patrol hours or patrols areas, attacks from both sides continued and increased significantly in late April.

    On 6 May, government forces began a ground offensive, reportedly including Russian air support, opening two fronts: one in northern Hama and the other in northeast Latakia. As of 15 May, the government had seized several towns in northern Hama inside the “demilitarised zone”.

    Turkey reports that two of its soldiers were injured on 4 May by government shelling on a Turkish observation post in northern Hama. As the fighting has moved closer to the observation post, Syrian government and Russian strikes were reported in close vicinity to the post.

    Since late April, this escalation in violence has reportedly killed and injured over a hundred civilians and further displaced 180,000. The aerial bombardment is alarming, including the use of barrel bombs on populated areas.

    Airstrikes, barrel bombs, shelling, and other fighting has damaged or destroyed have also reportedly hit multiple health facilities and schools in greater Idlib.  Several of these had been deconflicted with the UN. There was also reported shelling from the de-escalation zone into areas under the government’s control, including a reported rocket strike on the Neirab camp for Palestine refugees.

    We appeal to all parties to cease hostilities, uphold international humanitarian law and protect civilians. We condemn all attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure, in particular medical facilities and schools, and urge the parties to respect the safety and neutrality of health and humanitarian workers.

    The Secretary-General has called for an urgent de-escalation of the situation and urged the parties to recommit fully to the Russian-Turkish ceasefire arrangements. And he has urged the Astana guarantors—in particular Turkey and Russia—to ensure that this takes place. I strongly reiterate this appeal today.

     

    Mr President,

    The current escalation once again reminds us of the urgent need for a political solution to the conflict.

    The international community agrees that the presence of HTS in Idlib must be addressed. But with 3 million civilians in close quarters, combatting terrorism cannot be allowed to supersede obligations under international law.

    Special Envoy Pedersen has elaborated priorities for the political process. This Council has expressed support for his efforts. Alongside the urgent imperative to end the current violence in northwest Syria, we need to revitalize the UN-facilitated political track.

    We must continue a sustained dialogue with the parties, building trust and confidence. We should work together in support of Russia and Turkey’s recommitment to a ceasefire on Idlib, then we can work towards restoring a nationwide ceasefire and focus on advancing the political roadmap in resolution 2254.  

    We need concrete action on the release of detainees and the clarification of the fate of missing persons. Reported estimates of the number of detained and missing since 2011 are well in excess of 100,000 people. The single greatest contribution that could be made now would be large-scale release of children, elderly, the infirm and women.

    Much progress has been made toward convening a credible, balanced and inclusive constitutional committee. The UN continues to consult parties on a package addressing the committee’s composition and rules of procedure that would be acceptable to both the government and the opposition Syrian Negotiation Commission. With a bit of compromise, it could move forward. And that step could help unlock a broader political process.

    International cooperation and support of the Geneva process is critical if Special Envoy Pedersen is to realize his mandate.

     

    Mr President,

    The conflict in Syria is complex, but there is a path forward.

    Let us unite today for the first step – to support an immediate de-escalation of the violence in greater Idlib and work towards a political solution that meets the legitimate aspirations of the Syrian people.  

     

    Thank you, Mr President.

  • 17 Mayo 2019


     

    11 - 17 May 2019

    This Week in DPPA aims to keep you abreast of developments and events on the agenda of the UN Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, at UN HQ and in the field, and especially those that sometimes "fly under the radar".

    New York

    Security Council Discusses Lebanese Sovereignty, Militia Activity
    On 14 May, Under-Secretary-General Rosemary A. DiCarlo briefed the UN Security Council, in closed consultation, on the latest report on the implementation of Security Council resolution 1559. The report  concludes  that only limited progress has been achieved since the adoption of the resolution inn 2004. Disbanding and disarmament of all Lebanese and non-Lebanese militias, a key provision of the resolution, has yet to be implemented, and the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Lebanon is still being violated. Read the report here

    The Under-Secretary-General also briefed, at the Council’s request, on the situation in Venezuela.
     

    Council Reviews Progress, Setbacks in Yemen
    On 15 May, Martin Griffiths, Special Envoy for Yemen, briefed the Security Council on the situation in the country. The Special Envoy was pleased to report on progress in the implementation of the Hudaydah agreement. Read his full statement here.
     

    Council Briefed on Increased Hostilities in Idlib, Syria
    On 17 May, the Council heard from Under-Secretary-General Rosemary A. DiCarlo on the increasing hostilities seen in recent days in northwest Syria. She called for unity of the Council to support an immediate de-escalation of the violence in greater Idlib and work towards a political solution that meets the legitimate aspirations of the Syrian people. 
     

    Meeting with Representatives of Regional and Other Organizations
    On 17 May, Under-Secretary-General Rosemary DiCarlo chaired a meeting with regional organizations to discuss intensified cooperation across prevention and preventive diplomacy.

     

    African Union

    Consultations in Nairobi on Climate-Related Security Risks
    This week, Hanna Tetteh, Special Representative to the African Union and Head of the United Nations Office to the African Union (UNOAU),  joined UN Resident Coordinators and senior officials of peace operations in Nairobi, Kenya, for high-level consultations on climate-related security risks and the role of mediation and preventive diplomacy in natural resource conflicts, adaptation strategies and other thematic areas.

     

    West Africa and the Sahel

    Chambas Visits Mauritania to Discuss Upcoming Presidential Elections
    Mohamed Ibn Chambas, Special Representative and Head of the UN Office for West Africa and the Sahel (UNOWAS), visited Mauritania from 13 – 15 May to discuss with key stakeholders the presidential elections scheduled for 22 June. The SRSG stressed the importance of the upcoming polls in the consolidation of peace and democracy in the country. He called on all stakeholders to work to enable peaceful and credible elections. Read the full story.

     

    Central Africa

    New Issue of UNOCA Magazine
    This week, the UN Regional Office for Central Africa (UNOCA) issued its latest “UNOCA Magazine”, which reviews the main events of 2018. Read the magazine here (French).

     

    Great Lakes Region

    Regional Conference in Nairobi
    On 15 May, Ministers of Justice and Attorneys General from the Great Lakes Region met in Nairobi, Kenya to review progress and challenges concerning the fight against impunity and the administration of justice in the region. The conference themed “Combating impunity and upholding human rights as key contributions to peace and security” was organized. The meeting was organized by the Office of the UN Special Envoy for the Great Lakes Region under the auspices of the Government of Kenya.

     

    Libya

    UN Libya Envoy in in Brussels
    The Special Representative of the Secretary-General  and Head of UNSMIL, Ghassan Salamé, was in Brussels on 13 and 14 May to brief the European Union Foreign Affairs Council on the situation in Libya. He also met the Secretary General of NATO, Jens Stoltenberg, and the German Minister of Foreign Affairs, Heiko Maas. The SRSG stressed that more than a month after the outbreak of the most recent fighting, it is becoming clear to everyone that a military solution cannot replace a political solution in Libya, and that it is high time now to return to the negotiating table.

     

    Afghanistan

    Preserving hard-fought women’s rights a must, say Bamyan civic leaders
    The gains made in advancing and protecting the rights of women in Afghanistan must be preserved at all costs, said panellists during a UNAMA-backed forum in the central province of Bamyan on 16 May 2019. More than 40 representatives from civil society, women’s rights groups and the Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission came together to take stock of achievements made by Afghan women and to emphasize the crucial need to protect those gains. Panellists stressed the critical importance of women directly participating in Afghanistan’s social and economic development agenda, and in any peace talks. Read the full story on UNAMA’s website

     

    Middle East

    Mladenov Visits Gaza for Launch of Solar Project On 13 May 2019, United Nations Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, Nickolay Mladenov, participated in the activation of a solar plant for Nasser hospital in Gaza. The project, developed by WHO with financial support from Japan, is critical to ensure that the people of Gaza have access to healthcare. He also visited a school in Gaza benefitting from a Qatari-funded cash-for-work programme implemented by UNDP/PAPP. Not only does the programme provide dignified jobs for the people of Gaza but will train and educate people with critical skills. The United Nations is working with all concerned parties to avoid escalation, relieve the suffering of people in Gaza, lift the closures, and support intra-Palestinian reconciliation.

     

    Iraq

    SRSG Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert visits Kurdistan Region, Iraq
    The Special Representative for Iraq of the United Nations Secretary-General, Ms. Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert, met separately on 13 May 2019, with the Prime Minister of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, Mr. Nechirvan Barzani, the Chancellor of the Kurdistan Region Security Council, Mr. Masrour Barzani, and the President of the Kurdistan Democratic Party, Mr. Masoud Barzani. In her meetings, SRSG Hennis-Plasschaert discussed the political, economic and security situation in Iraq and the region, as well as the recent efforts for the formation of the Kurdistan Regional Government.


    UN-facilitated “Iraqi Youth: Pioneers for Dialogue and Stability” workshops kick off in Iraq
    In line with UNAMI’s mandate to support youth and their valuable contributions to the country, a series of workshops under the theme “Iraqi Youth: Pioneers for Dialogue and Stability” are taking place in locations across in Iraq throughout 2019. Deputy Special Representative for Iraq of the United Nations Secretary-General Alice Walpole underlined that, "The fora are a real opportunity for Iraqi youth to get together and talk through the issues that matter to them". She added that "the discussions are really interesting and the ideas that are put forward by the younger members of the community are ones that the politicians will take up". Watch UNAMI video: https://bit.ly/2H9diHf

     

    Colombia

    Former FARC combatants represent Colombia at international rafting championships in Tully, Australia
    "Rafting for Peace" is an initiative that emerged as a productive project to support the socioeconomic reintegration of ex-combatants in the Territorial Area for Training and Reintegration in Miravalle, a region at the heart of the history of the Colombian armed conflict. Five former FARC-EP combatants and three members of the community of Miravalle in San Vicente del Caguán, have worked together to get certified as rafting guides. In recognition of their inspirational story, the International Rafting Federation invited the team to participate under the Peace Flag in the World Rafting Championships in Tully, Australia from 13- 20 May. The project has been supported by the United Nations Verification Mission in Colombia, the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Tourism, the Reintegration and Normalization Agency and Coldeportes.
      

    UN Verification Mission in Colombia Supports Reincorporation of Former Combatants
    In Huila department in Colombia, 19 former combatants of the FARC-EP have established a poultry project with funding support from   DPPA.  On 13 May, representatives of the UN Verification Mission visited the project which is producing eggs daily for the consumption of the former combatants and their families and for sale. The Mission also participated in the inauguration of a Regional Reintegration Board composed of regional and local authorities, former combatants, civil society organizations and academic partners to push forward reintegration efforts across the department and integrate them more closely with regional development efforts.

     

     

     

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  • 17 Mayo 2019

    Bogotá, May 17, 2019 - Within the framework of their mandates, the United Nations Verification Mission in Colombia and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, are monitoring the events of the last few hours regarding Mr. Seuxis Paucis Hernández Solarte, known as Jesús Santrich. The Mission and the Human Rights Office will verify the reactions in the Territorial Areas for Training and Reintegration, and the New Urban and...

  • 16 Mayo 2019

    The five-year-old force working to stabilize Africa’s Sahel has shown great potential, but needs more support from the international community to reach full operational capacity, a top UN peacekeeping official said on Thursday, calling for enhanced political and economic solutions to help tackle the strife-torn region’s myriad challenges.

  • 16 Mayo 2019

    The Yemeni parties met from 14 to 16 May to discuss the implementation of the economic provisions of the Hudayda Agreement in Amman. The meeting was held under the auspices of the Office of the Special Envoy of the United Nations Secretary-General for Yemen (OSESGY) with the presence of representatives of the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund and the United Nations Development Programme.

    The parties held...

  • 16 Mayo 2019

    Starvation “is already starting” in a camp for displaced people in south-east Syria, a senior UN official said on Thursday, while condemning ongoing airstrikes and retaliatory shelling in opposition-held territories in the north-west.

  • 16 Mayo 2019

    Food supplies are dwindling and the humanitarian situation has become increasingly dire in a camp for displaced people in south-east Syria, a senior UN official said on Thursday, while condemning ongoing airstrikes and retaliatory shelling in opposition-held territories in the north-west.

  • 16 Mayo 2019

    Nairobi (Kenya), 16 May 2019 – A high-level regional Conference on Justice and Good Governance in the Great Lakes region was convened in Nairobi, Kenya from 13 to15 May 2019 by the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR), the Office of the Special Envoy of the UN Secretary General for the Great Lakes Region (O/SESG-GL), and the UN Office of the High Commissioner on Human Rights (OHCHR). The meeting brought together Ministers of Justice of ICGLR member states,...

  • 16 Mayo 2019

    The Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of the United Nations Office for West Africa and the Sahel (UNOWAS), Mohamed...

  • 16 Mayo 2019

    The UN Secretary-General has commended the progress made so far between Sudan’s military leaders and opposition forces towards agreeing a timetable for a return to civilian rule, following the overthrow of President Omar al-Bashir just over a month ago.

  • 16 Mayo 2019

    BAMYAN - The gains made in advancing and protecting the rights of women in Afghanistan must be preserved at all costs, said panellists during a UNAMA-backed forum in the central province of Bamyan.

    ...

  • 15 Mayo 2019

    @OSESGY/Malhas

    Thank you very much.

    Thank you, Mr. President for giving me the opportunity to brief this Council.

    Today, of course, I am very pleased to report to the Council on progress in...

  • 15 Mayo 2019

    “Fifteen million children in Yemen are asking you to save their lives” the head of the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) told the 15 members of the Security Council on Wednesday, in an impassioned plea for action to end four years of fighting which has left at least 7,300 children killed or seriously injured. 

  • 15 Mayo 2019

    Nairobi (KENYA), 15 May 2019 - Fighting impunity and promoting human rights and justice is at the core of the commitments that...

  • 14 Mayo 2019

    This Tuesday, we cover: the UN chief in New Zealand’s Christchurch calls for end to hate speech; how a healthy lifestyle can prevent dementia; updates on fighting in Libya and Yemen; the human rights of detainees in Lebanon and people affected by leprosy in Brazil.

  • 14 Mayo 2019

    The UN team set up to monitor the ceasefire agreement between warring parties in Yemen has formally verified the pullout of armed Ansar Allah, or Houthi forces, from port zones in the country that are crucial to the flow of humanitarian aid, describing cooperation they have received so far as “very good.”

  • 14 Mayo 2019

    Growing instances of religious-based violence in the North Western Province of Sri Lanka have prompted two United Nations Special Advisers to call for an end to “hateful attacks” directed towards the country’s Muslim minority.

  • 14 Mayo 2019

    HERAT - Mediation cannot replace the protections provided by the laws of Afghanistan, said Herat panellists in a UN-backed televised discussion focused on improving Afghan women’s access to the country’s formal...