Recent developments in Africa indicate that the continent is increasingly moving in the “direction of peace” and enhanced security, the United Nations Secretary-General told journalists in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa, on Monday.
Bogotá, 5 July 2018 - The United Nations Organization in Colombia vehemently rejects and condemns the killings of human rights defenders and community and social leaders.
The upsurge in violence imperils the conditions for a true stable and lasting peace. The inhabitants of the regions most affected by the armed conflict are those who today are vulnerable to multiple violations of their collective and individual...
The Secretary-General is gravely concerned by the resumption of the military offensive in southwest Syria and its continued devastating impact on civilians. An estimated 750,000 lives are in danger and up to 325,000 people have been displaced. The Secretary-General fully supports today’s statement by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, Filippo Grandi. As the custodian of the 1951 Refugee Convention, he is the authoritative voice of the United Nations on refugees...
On 5 July, Security Council members will hold consultations on Yemen, receiving briefings from UN Special Envoy Martin Griffiths via video-teleconference and from OCHA Director of Operations John Ging.
The Department for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs (DPPA) and the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) have been closely collaborating for the past years on various thematic issues, challenges and conflicts affecting the European continent. This partnership is motivated by the shared goal to strengthen international security and prevent conflicts using multilateral tools and mechanisms of high-level dialogue. To deepen this cooperation and in order to advance the Secretary-General’s objective of strengthening partnerships under Chapter VIII, the Department of Political Affairs established a Liaison Office in Vienna in October 2016. In addition to supporting senior-level and working-level engagements between both organizations on a broad range of issues, the Liaison Office channels expertise from various departments of the UN Secretariat to the OSCE, including by ensuring effective information sharing on relevant peace and security issues as well as relevant policy documents. The Liaison Office also supports inter-agency forums that are regularly organized to facilitate and support high-level and working-level engagements between both organizations.
DPPA's Policy and Mediation Division and the OSCE Secretariat’s Conflict Prevention Centre and its Operations Service signed a joint workplan for mediation support in 2014, outlining several practical areas of cooperation between the two organizations, including staff exchanges, access to mediation expertise and capacity building. In December 2019, the UN Secretary-General and the Chairperson-in-Office of the OSCE issued a joint statement to complement the 1993 Framework for Cooperation and Coordination between the two organizations, marking almost three decades of mutually beneficial partnership and seeking to continue and further strengthen the cooperation and coordination between the UN Secretariat and the OSCE in all areas of mutual interest, in particular, those relating to the maintenance of international peace and security, the promotion of respect for human rights, fundamental freedoms, and the rule of law.
“Events on the battlefield” are the main spoiler to the peace process in Yemen, but political negotiations are the top overall priority for resolving the conflict, according to the UN’s envoy for the country, speaking exclusively to UN News.
Mr. President, Members of the Security Council,
Nearly three years ago, the Security Council unanimously adopted resolution 2231 (2015) to endorse the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) on the Iranian nuclear issue. The Secretary-General, and the international community, welcomed the Plan as a major achievement in nuclear non-proliferation.
Since Implementation Day, 16 January 2016, the International Atomic Energy Agency has reported 11 times to the Security Council that Iran has been implementing its nuclear-related commitments under the JCPOA. Notwithstanding the continued adherence by Iran to its nuclear-related commitments, the agreement is unfortunately at a crossroads.
On 8 May 2018, the United States of America announced its withdrawal from the agreement. The Secretary-General deeply regrets this setback to the JCPOA and believes that issues not directly related to the Plan should be addressed without prejudice to preserving the agreement and its accomplishments.
At the same time, the Secretary-General calls on Iran to consider carefully the concerns expressed by Member States about Iranian activities that are allegedly contrary to the restrictive measures contained in annex B to the resolution.
Mr. President,
I thank you for the opportunity to brief the Security Council on the fifth report of the Secretary-General on the implementation of resolution 2231 (S/2018/602). As guided by the Security Council, and consistent with our last four reports, the one before you today focuses on annex B to the resolution.
First, on the implementation of the nuclear-related provisions, I am pleased to report that the procurement channel continues to function effectively. Thirteen additional nuclear-related proposals were submitted to the Security Council for approval, bringing the total number of proposals to 37 since Implementation Day.
However, in this reporting period, the Secretariat has received information from two Member States on the supply, sale, transfer or export to Iran of dual-use items that may have been undertaken contrary to the resolution. The Secretariat has contacted the relevant Member States, who have informed us that they have initiated internal reviews.
Iran in its response to the Secretariat stressed that it is the “responsibility of the exporting state to seek approval through the procurement channel” and encouraged more outreach activities to address the lack of awareness among some Member States. The Secretary-General will report back on this issue to the Council in due course.
Second, in terms of ballistic missile-related provisions, the report reflects information provided by Israel and Iran to the Secretary-General and the Security Council on two ballistic missile launches by Iran in January 2018, as well as, our findings on the ballistic missiles launched by the Houthis into Saudi territory.
Since our last report, Saudi authorities brought to the attention of the Secretariat nine additional launches of ballistic missiles by the Houthis, which in their assessment were Iranian Qiam-1 missiles. The Secretariat was invited to examine the debris of three of those additional missiles. We provided preliminary observations, in our last report, from our examination of the debris of the missiles launched into Saudi Arabia on 22 July and 4 November 2017.
Based on the information and material analysed, the Secretariat assesses that the debris of the five missiles launched at Yanbu and Riyadh since July 2017 share key design features with the Iranian Qiam-1 ballistic missile.It is also our assessment that some component parts of the debris were manufactured in Iran.
We could confirm that subcomponents of the guidance system in these missiles were produced between 2002 and 2010. We note that the production date range of these subcomponents is incompatible with Scud missiles known to be in Yemeni stockpiles prior to the outbreak of the current conflict in early 2015.
However, we are at present unable to determine whether such missiles, or parts thereof, or related technology, may have been transferred from Iran after 16 January 2016, the date when annex B provisions came into effect.
The report also reflects information received from Israel regarding the possible presence of an Iranian drone in Syria, which was reportedly downed after entering Israeli airspace in 10 February 2018.
The Secretariat did not have the opportunity to examine its debris, but images provided by Israeli authorities show that its wing configuration appears consistent with that of an Iranian drone unveiled in October 2016. The report further notes that, according to Iranian media outlets, several Iranian drones have been deployed in Syria. The Secretariat has no information as to the owner and operator of those drones.
Third, as detailed in the report, the Secretariat examined arms and related materiel seized in Bahrain after 16 January 2016, and obtained additional information on the unmanned surface vessel laden with explosives recovered by the United Arab Emirates. In both cases, the Secretariat is confident that some of the arms and related materiel it examined were manufactured in Iran. However, we are unable to confirm whether these items were transferred from Iran after 16 January 2016.
The report also notes the 21 May 2018 statement by the political leader of Hamas in the Gaza Strip that Iran has provided the Al-Qassam brigades and other armed groups in Gaza with money, military equipment and expertise.
This statement suggests that transfers of arms and related materiel from Iran may have been undertaken contrary to the provisions of annex B.
Fourth, the report highlights the participation of Iran’s Defence Industries Organization for the third year in a row in an arms and defence exhibition in Iraq. It provides information on the foreign activities of Khatam al-Anbiya Construction Headquarters (KAA) in Syria. Since both entities are on the 2231 list, their funds, other financial assets and economic resources on the Iraqi and the Syrian territories should have been frozen.
The report also provides information on an additional travel by Major General Qasem Soleimani.
The Secretary-General has reiterated his call upon all Member States in the region to take the steps necessary to fully implement their obligations in relation to resolution 2231 (2015).
Mr. President,
In closing, I would like to acknowledge the leadership of His Excellency Ambassador van Oosterom of the Netherlands in his role as Facilitator for the implementation of this resolution 2231 (2015). I also thank the Coordinator of the Procurement Working Group of the Joint Commission for our excellent cooperation.
I would like to assure them, and the Security Council, of our fullest support for the continued implementation of UN Security Council resolution 2231 (2015).
Thank you, Mr. President.
New York, 27 June 2018 - The Secretary-General is concerned about the latest developments in Libya's Oil Crescent region. He calls for de-escalation and for the return of all natural resources, their production and their revenues to the control of the recognised Libyan authorities.
The Secretary-General recalls, as stipulated in Security Council resolution 2259 (2015), the need for unity of Libyan institutions and the exclusive right of the National Oil Corporation to...
On 27 June 2018, the 57th meeting of the Gali joint Incident Prevention and Response Mechanism (IPRM) took place under the chairmanship of the United Nations. The meeting was attended by Georgian, Russian, Abkhaz and EUMM (European Union Monitoring Mission) representatives.
The UN and EUMM assessed the general security situation, since the previous meeting of 18 May 2018, as calm and stable. In this regard, the UN highly commended contribution of all participants to prevention of incidents, which is one of key tasks of the IPRM. It was reported that there were 61 hotline activations on 28 different issues, since the previous meeting.
Due to differences on one of the points of the provisional agenda, the meeting could not be concluded. All participants reiterated that the IPRM format is important and useful.
Consultations will continue in search for a compromise on the date of the next meeting.
The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is emerging as an indispensable global partner and role model - it has a vital and growing role to play in ensuring peace and stability in the Asian region and beyond.
The ASEAN-UN partnership continues to grow, especially since the adoption of the “Joint Declaration on Comprehensive Partnership between ASEAN and the United Nations” in November 2011 and the adoption of the first ASEAN-UN Plan of Action for 2016-2020. The Plan of Action sets out strategic priorities, activities and measures to be undertaken by both sides to further enhance their political-security, economic, and socio-cultural cooperation, including on cross-sectoral issues, as well as Secretariat-to-Secretariat collaboration.
Following the successful completion of the first Plan of Action, the 2nd ASEAN-UN Plan of Action (2021-2025) was adopted by the Secretary-General and the ASEAN Foreign Ministers in October 2020, which includes new cross-cutting areas on climate action, gender mainstreaming, and cyber-security, including hate-speech. Under the lead of the DPPA-DPO Assistant Secretary-General for Middle East, Asia and the Pacific, as the UN’s senior official on ASEAN, more than 30 UN departments and UN regional agencies in New York, Bangkok and Jakarta work closely with ASEAN across all areas of technical cooperation to implement the ASEAN-UN Comprehensive Partnership. Regular meetings are held to discuss progress in the partnership at the Secretariat-to-Secretariat-, Senior Official-, and Ministerial-levels. Since 2000, ASEAN-UN Summits have been held regularly, bringing together ASEAN leaders and the United Nations Secretary-General. The Chairman’s Statement of the 11th ASEAN-United Nations Summit held in November 2020 via videoconference, is available here.
In addition to supporting the UN system in its engagement with ASEAN through the Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs (DPPA) Liaison Officer to ASEAN, DPPA is working directly with ASEAN in the areas of sustaining peace, preventive diplomacy and conflict prevention. Among the joint activities, the ASEAN-UN Regional Dialogue (AURED) series provides a regular annual Track 1.5 forum for discussion of regional peace and security challenges. The fourth ASEAN-UN Regional Dialogue was held in Malaysia in December 2017 and focused on Women, Peace and Security (WPS) -- the Role of Women in the Prevention of Violent Extremism. In late 2017, DPPA also co-organized the first ASEAN-UN Electoral Observation training in the Philippines and the first ASEAN-UN Training on the Law of the Sea, including the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea in Indonesia. In December 2019, the 5th AURED was jointly organized with and hosted by Viet Nam and focused on support to the ASEAN-Institute for Peace and Reconciliation toward the goal of developing a ‘pool of experts’ to assist in conflict management and conflict resolution through governments, UN officials, academics, civil society and other experts sharing of knowledge and comparative experiences from the UN, regional organizations and experts. A sixth AURED is being planned for 2022 to focus on advancing the Youth, Peace and Security agenda in ASEAN.
In April 2010, the Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs (DPPA) established a Liaison Team in Gaborone, Botswana, to work with the Southern African Development Community (SADC) through its Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation. DPPA and the SADC Secretariat signed a Framework of Cooperation in 2010 aimed at strengthening collaboration in the areas of conflict prevention, management and resolution to assist both organizations to build their capacities and jointly contribute towards the promotion of peace and security in the Southern Africa sub-region.
Under the Framework of Cooperation of 2010, the two organizations agree on annual joint workplan providing for UN technical support to SADC’s mediation structures, technical support to the SADC Election Support Unit and assistance to SADC in enhancing the implementation of Security Council resolution 1325 on Women Peace and Security in the region. With DPPA's support, SADC has developed a regional mediation training curriculum and rolled out regional and national mediation trainings. DPPA also supports the development of SADC regional strategies for the prevention of election-related violence as well as on the implementation of the regional women, peace and security agenda in the context of the UN resolution 1325.
The European Union is a key strategic partner of the United Nations on issues relating to political affairs and peace and security. The Secretary-General has recognized the EU as a pillar of the multilateralism system and as the most successful peacebuilding project since the end of WWII. The EU Lisbon Treaty provides that "The Union … shall promote multilateral solutions to common problems, in particular in the framework of the United Nations.” The EU Global Strategy on Foreign Policy and Security, unveiled in 2016, refers to multilateralism as its key principle and the UN as a core partner.
The UN and the EU are both committed to help reduce the rising levels of violent conflict globally. The increasingly complex causes of crises, and their linkages to regional and international peace and security challenges such as terrorism and organized crime, make partnership between the two organizations not a choice, but an imperative. Given that the prevention of conflicts saves both lives and resources, the organizations work together to help build effective security and governance institutions over the long term and engage in preventive diplomacy to address emerging crises. The Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs (DPPA) is in the lead on the dialogue with the EU on political affairs and on conflict prevention, and several mechanisms of dialogue have been taking place for many years, including, the High-Level Political Dialogue, which was initiated in 2012 to promote cooperation on political files.
DPPA also participates in mechanisms led by other Departments, in particular the Steering Committee on Crisis Management, led by DPO with DPPA chairing sessions on topics under its sphere of competence. The Steering Committee was established by the 2003 UN-EU Joint Declaration on Crisis Management, agreed after the EU launched its Common Security and Defence Policy. It is further informed by the 2019-2021 Priorities for the UN-EU Strategic Partnership on Peace Operations and Crisis Management that were officially launched in November 2018. These priorities are currently being updated for the period 2022-24 and cover cooperation on aspects ranging from Women, Peace and Security, conflict prevention and the Action for Peacekeeping (A4P) initiative.
DPPA cooperates closely with the EU to support on-going prevention and conflict resolution processes and to build capacities for mediation, including by co-organizing a biannual workshop for mediation support offices from regional and sub-regional organizations. The EU funds the DPPA Standby Team of Senior Mediation Advisers, while the EU’s provides continued support to the UNDP-DPPA Joint Programme on Building National Capacities for Conflict Prevention.
In recognition of the need to develop the UN-EU partnership more systematically in the peace and security area, DPPA, DPO and DOS established the joint UN Liaison Office for Peace and Security (UNLOPS) in Brussels in 2011, serving as a true testimony of enhanced cooperation. In 2018, the Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT) established a Brussels presence within UNLOPS. The EU Delegation in NY also enjoys enhanced observer status at the UN, allowing it to present common positions on behalf of the EU member states.
URGENCY OF REMOVING THE OBSTACLES PREVENTING COMPLIANCE WITH JUSTICE-RELATED COMMITMENTS
Bogotá, 26 June 2018. The Colombian peace process is notable for the emphasis it places on ensuring that the transition from an armed conflict to peace is accompanied by truth, justice, reparation for the victims and non-repetition. Within this commitment, the Special Jurisdiction for Peace (JEP by its Spanish acronym) is...
The Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) was founded in 1971 and currently has a membership of 18 states and territories. As part of its cooperation with regional organizations, the Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs has been increasing its cooperation with the PIF Secretariat to address the unique challenges facing the region, including peace and security, governance, climate change, sustainable development/2030 agenda, gender equality and youth empowerment.
DPPA continues to partner with PIF, the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS), as well as the Office of the High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States (OHRLLS), to convene dialogues on different aspects of the climate change and security nexus affecting small states. For example, in April 2021 an online discussion on the nexus of climate-related security risks and human rights in Small Island Developing States (SIDS) took place involving governments, experts and UN partners. For further information, expert contributions and a summary report of a workshop on Pacific climate security held in May 2019 in partnership with PIF is also available here.
An overview of the role, approach and tools of the United Nations and its partners in preventing violent conflict
The Joint UN Development Programme (UNDP) - UN Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs (DPPA) Programme on Building National Capacities for Conflict Prevention is a signature cross-pillar initiative that aims to enhance UN support to national stakeholders on conflict prevention and sustaining peace. Since its inception in 2004, the Programme has engaged in more than 60 countries and provided catalytic support to UN Resident Coordinators and UN Country Teams to advance the UN Secretary-General’s conflict prevention agenda. The Joint Programme is widely recognized for providing thought leadership on conflict prevention, and is considered a unique example of how the political and development pillars of the UN can successfully work together in pursuit of the prevention of violent conflict.
The Joint Programme’s efforts focus on building existing and emerging national and local capacities to address, and fundamentally transform the underlying causes of conflict. Recognizing that national ownership, inclusivity and sustainability of peace efforts are key to success, the Joint Programme works on a premise that national actors are best placed to carry preventive work forward. Peace and Development Advisors (PDAs) are at the forefront of the Programme’s efforts to empower national stakeholders to strengthen existing mechanisms and capacities for inclusive dialogue, mediation and national peace architectures. PDAs also support the UN system to effectively adapt and respond to complex political situations and identify areas for preventive action. Over the years, the community of PDAs has grown significantly, reflecting the increasing need for conflict prevention as well as the realization of the value of embedding capacities for conflict analysis, conflict sensitive programming, and strategic leadership on conflict prevention within UN Country Teams.
Africa: Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Chad, Comoros, Congo, Côte d'Ivoire, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Liberia, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritania, Mozambique, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Sao Tome and Principe, Togo, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe
Arab States: Algeria, Djibouti, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Tunisia, Yemen
Europe and Central Asia: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, South Caucasus, Tajikistan, Ukraine*
Asia and the Pacific: Bangladesh, Cambodia, Fiji/Pacific, Maldives, Myanmar, Nepal, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Samoa, Sri Lanka, Thailand
Latin America: Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Caribbean, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Guyana & Suriname, Haiti, Honduras, Peru, Venezuela
Regional Programme Specialist: Addis, Amman, Bangkok, Dakar, Istanbul, and Panama
Beyond the deployment of PDAs, the Joint Programme also facilitates deployment of short-term expertise to respond and engage in crisis settings, provides coordinated and complementary UNDP and DPPA support, analysis, and engagement in target countries, and builds on the expert knowledge of its stakeholders to share good practices, lessons learned, and engage in a community of practice. Aiming to serve as a platform that brings together various UN tools and approaches, the Join UNDP-DPPA Programme contributes to coherent UN engagement by working in partnership with other UN entities, such as the Peacebuilding Support Office (PBSO), UN Volunteers (UNV) and UN Women.
Contact the Joint Programme here.
KABUL - Media can follow the live broadcast of the UN Security Council session on the Secretary-General’s latest Report on Afghanistan.
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