The global number of confirmed cases of the new coronavirus disease, COVID-19, has surpassed 100,000, the World Health Organization (WHO) reported on Saturday.
The United Nations has underscored its solidarity with Afghanistan following a deadly attack in the capital, Kabul, on Friday.
Marib, 7 March 2020 – The UN Special Envoy for Yemen, Martin Griffiths, concluded today a one-day visit to Marib, northern Yemen.
Mr. Griffiths met during his visit with local government officials, tribal chiefs, civil society including women and youth groups and internally displaced Yemenis.
“I came here today to listen to the people of Marib and their concerns and make sure that...
In a visit to northern Yemen on Saturday, UN Special Envoy Martin Griffiths repeated his call for an immediate freeze on military activities and for warring parties to work towards a de-escalation in fighting.
This Week in DPPA is a brief roundup of political and peacebuilding events and developments at UNHQ and around the world.
Security CouncilHennis-Plasschaert: ‘Critical’ window of opportunity closing fast in Iraq
Security Council discusses DPRK missile launch
New YorkLongstanding conflict between Equatorial Guinea and Gabon formally ends
DPPA and East Africa Community signs agreement to enhance cooperation
Peacebuilding Commission meets on Burkina Faso
Great LakesSpecial Envoy visits the United Arab Emirates
Political Coordination meeting in Nairobi |
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LibyaSpecial Representative steps down SomaliaConsultation meeting on Somalia’s new constitution in Hirshabelle
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The UN human rights office is calling on authorities in Yemen to revoke death sentences imposed against 35 parliamentarians allegedly for treason charges.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman, for the timely organization of this important meeting. I would like to extend a warm welcome to Minister Kabore of Burkina Faso. Thank you, Mr. Minister, for traveling from Ouagadougou to be with us today and for the comprehensive briefing on your country’s commendable efforts to respond to a very challenging and fast evolving situation. I am pleased that our Prevention and Peacebuilding Assessment (PPBA) partners, namely the World Bank, the African Development Bank and the European Union, together with members of the Peacebuilding Commission and other Member States and organisations have joined us today in support of your efforts.
I would also like to extend greetings to UN Resident Coordinator, Ms. Makhetha, Mayor Dialogue of Dori, and Ms. Compaoré from Coordination Regionale des Organisations Feminines du Sahel , – as well as a number of locally based Ambassadors and partners who are joining us from Ouagadougou. And I am pleased that UNDP Resident Coordinator Mr. Ciowa has joined us in New York today.
This meeting is a clear demonstration of the fact that we have built a new and strong partnership for prevention and peacebuilding in Burkina Faso. It marks the conclusion of Phase I of PPBA - an important milestone - as we now have clear priorities for immediate action. This is also an opportune time to reiterate our commitment to help accelerate development and sustain peace in Burkina Faso through the government’s forthcoming National Development Plan (2021-2025).
In my recent visit to Burkina Faso, I discussed with the President and several ministers the worsening security situation, which has multiplied the humanitarian challenges facing the country. I share the government’s grave concern over the increasing attacks on the population by extremist and other armed groups, intercommunal violence, and human rights violations in many regions of the country.
The number of internally displaced people has rapidly risen, going from 87,000 in January last year to over 765,000 in February this year. Similarly, the number of people in need of humanitarian assistance has increased from 1.5 million in December 2019 to 2.2 million in January 2020. The Humanitarian Response Plan, launched on 27 February by the UN and the Government, is appealing for US$ 321 million, to provide direct lifesaving assistance to more than 1.2 million people. The complex security and humanitarian situation is threatening social cohesion and the culture of solidarity that the people of Burkina Faso have long enjoyed and taken pride in. Protracted insecurity has detrimental and long-term effects on a country’s development trajectory, its macro-economic stability and the resilience of the population, especially women and youth.
The Government of Burkina Faso has been working to respond to these emerging threats, including through dedicated measures such as the Emergency Program for the Sahel, which has been expanded to take into account threats beyond the North and the Sahel regions. Following the PPBA exercise in July 2019, the government and its international partners worked for months to ensure that preventive and peacebuilding support is fully aligned with the needs and priorities of the Government and the people of Burkina Faso. This led to the identification of priority actions that focus on Security and Rule of Law; Social Services; Local Governance; and Resilience and Social Cohesion, a clear sign of leadership and national ownership. A detailed description of these actions has been shared with all of you in advance of the meeting.
We must work to strengthen the resilience of the people in Burkina Faso. As the Minister just stated, security and rule of law remain key priorities. The Government recently finalised its first ever national security policy. Coordinated and coherent support for its implementation is now urgently needed.
n implementing the action plans, priority should be given to the meaningful participation of women and youth in prevention and peace processes, including through direct support to women-led and youth-lead initiatives that aim to promote social cohesion, counter violent extremism and radicalization and offer livelihood opportunities.
It is encouraging that the government has taken steps towards the strengthening of its infrastructure for peace by investing in mechanisms for conflict prevention, management, resolution and peacebuilding at all levels of society.
The Government’s openness towards broad and inclusive dialogue as a means for consensus building on issues of national interest, including on tackling the security crisis facing the country, is equally important.
The UN remains committed to providing fully integrated and system-wide support across humanitarian, development and peacebuilding areas of work, including through our strengthened presence in the five regions of the Sahel Emergency Program. In addition, the Secretary-General’s Peacebuilding Fund (PBF) continues to support prevention and peacebuilding activities, in line with the government’s priorities.
I am happy to report new PBF commitments to (i) strengthen UN interventions in the Sahel, North and Center North regions; (ii) help broaden geographic support to the east within the context of the government’s Emergency Program for the Sahel; and (iii) improve cross-border cooperation in the Liptako-Gourma region (focusing on transhumance and farmers-herders conflicts), and in the border areas of Burkina Faso, Benin and Togo to prevent violent extremism and further expansion of the crisis to Western coastal states.
All PBF programmes in Burkina Faso promote the meaningful engagement of women and youth in peacebuilding processes, including by strengthening their participation in local decision-making processes.
In view of the increasing insecurity, attacks by armed groups, and threats to social cohesion values, UN support is also critical in helping to ensure the holding of credible elections in November 2020.
The United Nations remains committed to accompanying the people of Burkina Faso on their peacebuilding and sustainable development journey, together with all the partners present here today.
In conclusion, I wish to thank the Commission for helping to ensure that Burkina Faso receives the attention it deserves. I strongly encourage immediate support for the priorities articulated in the action plans. Once again, I thank you Minister Kaboré for your clear explanation of the need for urgent action to help the people of Burkina Faso.
I thank you Mr. Chairman.
Countries meeting in New York next month to review progress on nuclear non-proliferation are being urged by the UN Secretary-General to use the opportunity to strengthen global peace and security.
The UN Secretary-General said on Thursday that he hoped the latest ceasefire agreement between Russia and Turkey to end fighting across Syria’s stricken Idlib region, would finally lead to “an immediate and lasting cessation”, that would protect civilian lives.
Prosecutors have been given the green light to investigate alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity in Afghanistan - and beyond its borders – linked to Afghan, Taliban and US troops, the International Criminal Court said on Thursday.
Many global programmes aimed at countering violent extremism have negative impacts on human rights and may even ‘foster radicalization’ rather than preventing it, an independent UN human rights expert warned on Wednesday.
Difficult winter weather conditions, road congestion and military manoeuvres are restricting humanitarian aid delivery to desperate civilians in the Syrian province of Idlib, where a Government operation to weed out extremists has uprooted nearly one million people since December.
Positive developments in South Sudan have “moved the country further along the road to sustainable peace”, the top UN official there told Security Council members on Wednesday.
Political leaders in Iraq will have to “step up to the plate” and prioritize national interests if the country is to realize a more just and prosperous future, the top UN official there said in the Security Council on Tuesday.
The United Nations is “determined to stand by” civilians across Syria’s war-torn northwest, as “a grave humanitarian crisis” continues, the UN emergency relief chief said on Tuesday.
After serving more than two years as the UN’s Special Representative in charge of finding a way to a lasting peace in war-torn Libya, Ghassan Salamé - who also heads up the UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) - handed in his resignation on Monday, citing failing health caused by the immense stress of the job.
Humanitarian assistance needs to be scaled up significantly to more than a million people displaced by fighting in northwest Syria, a senior UN aid official said on Monday, amid reports that children are freezing to death on the Turkish border.
On Saturday the United Nations called for further reductions in violence in Afghanistan, and for the conditions for intra-Afghan peace talks to be met, following the announcement of an agreement between the United States and the Taliban.
This Week in DPPA is a brief roundup of political and peacebuilding events and developments at UNHQ and around the world.
Security CouncilUN Envoy warns against escalating situation in the Middle East
Security Council extends Yemen travel ban and asset freeze
DiCarlo: "We must all assume our responsibility to do all we can to stop this violence"
Central AmericaAssistant Secretary-General Jenča visits Guatemala and Mexico Continuing to Mexico, the Assistant Secretary-General met with Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard on 27 February. They discussed Agenda 2030 for sustainable development, the Comprehensive Development Plan, UN cooperation to prevent violence against women, and exchanged views on sub-regional issues.
ColombiaEx-combatants attend Colombia's most important tourism fair |
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YemenConsultative meetings in Jordan LibyaSecond round of Libya talks concludedThe second round of the 5+5 Libyan Joint Military Commission (JMC) talks to reach a lasting ceasefire and to restore security to civilian areas concluded on 23 February at the Palace of Nations in Geneva. Ghassan Salamé, Special Representative and Head of UNSMIL, attended the talks The JMC is one of the three tracks which UNSMIL is working on, in addition to the economic and political tracks, in compliance with UN Security Council Resolution 2510 (2020), which calls upon the two parties to reach a lasting ceasefire agreement. Read more on UNSMIL’s website New YorkPeacebuilding Commission holds meetings on Guinea-Bissau and Burundi Jürg Lauber, Chair of the Burundi PBC Configuration and Permanent Representative of Switzerland, convened an Ambassadorial-level meeting on 25 February to debrief on his visit to the Burundian capital Bujumbura, which he undertook together with Assistant Secretary-General for Africa Bintou Keita. Albert Shingiro, Permanent Representative of Burundi, discussed preparations for the elections, informing that his government covers most election-related costs. East African Community (EAC) Secretary-General, Ambassador Libérat Mfumukeko, presented EAC plans to deploy an Election Observation Mission and appealed for financial support. Barrie Freeman, Deputy and Political Director of the Peacebuilding Support Office (PBSO), presented the peacebuilding activities supported by the Peacebuilding Fund (PBF), and stressed the need to maintain focus on socio-economic priorities before and after elections. Member States called for peaceful, inclusive and transparent elections and encouraged continued dialogue at local and provincial levels.
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Contact DPPA at dppa@un.org
With the Security Council meeting in emergency session on Syria following the death on the battlefield of dozens of Turkish troops, the UN strongly urged Russia and Turkey on Friday “to build on previous agreements to secure a fresh ceasefire” across the war-torn northwest.
The United States’ announcement of a new vision for ending the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, touted as the “Deal of the Century”, is a “mockery”, the Prime Minister of Malaysia told an international conference in Kuala Lumpur on Friday.
Thank you, Mr. President,
The security situation has continued to gravely deteriorate in and around Idlib. Let me recall some of the key events.
In the last nine days, Syrian Government forces, with support from the Russian air force, have continued to advance, taking a large swath of villages in southern Idlib. Air strikes also continue in both frontline areas and population centers far removed from the fighting. During the same period, non-state armed groups launched a counterattack in eastern Idlib, retaking the city of Saraqib, which they lost to Syrian Government forces in recent weeks. This action cut the Syrian Government’s control of the strategic M5 highway. Turkish forces reportedly played a supporting role in this operation.
Delegations from the Russian Federation and Turkey resumed their talks, from 26 February, in Ankara. These discussions have continued until today, along with presidential contacts by phone.
On 27 February, there were strikes on Turkish troops inside Syria. The Turkish Minister of Defense noted that 33 Turkish soldiers were killed and 32 wounded by strikes that Turkey has attributed to the Syrian Government. Russian Ministry of Defense officials confirmed that an unspecified number of Turkish soldiers, who they said were co-located with non-state armed groups, had been hit by Syrian Government shelling. Turkish Defense Ministry officials have noted that after the strikes on Turkish soldiers, Turkey targeted Syrian Government positions with aircraft, weaponized drones and artillery.
Mr. President,
We strongly urge Russia and Turkey to build upon their previous agreements to secure a fresh ceasefire for north-west Syria.
These latest developments are unfolding in the context of a broader military escalation that was already devastating for civilians in the north-west.
For months now, bombing and shelling by the Government of Syria, supported by its allies, has continued in the so-called de-escalation zone of Idlib. Strikes have been launched on populated areas from both air and ground, seemingly without regard for civilians. Nearly a million people have been displaced since early December, many multiple times, including more than 560,000 children. They are fleeing north, away from the intensifying aerial and ground bombardment and into ever-shrinking areas where they still hope to find relative safety.
The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights has verified at least 1,750 civilians have been killed since last April. The actual number is probably higher. 351 civilians have been killed in the last two months alone. While the majority of these civilian deaths—94%—has occurred in opposition-held areas exposed to bombardment by pro-government forces, 6% occurred in government-held areas. This serves as a reminder that Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, which is designated by this Council as a terrorist organization, and other non-state armed groups have also struck populated areas indiscriminately. Civilians are killed in IDP camps, schools and hospitals. This is happening in plain sight, night and day, day in and day out. Hospitals destroyed. Schools destroyed. Peoples’ lives destroyed. And it is happening under our watch.
Mr. President,
We continue to come before you with an ever-growing record of destruction and atrocity. The Secretary-General has consistently expressed alarm at the dangerous escalation in north-west Syria.
The UN has countless times reminded all parties that any attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure are simply unacceptable. We have repeatedly called for a ceasefire. We have reaffirmed to the parties that all military operations must respect the rules of international humanitarian law. If such horrific acts and tactics persist despite global outrage, is it largely because their authors do not fear accountability and justice?
Civilians in Idlib are living under daily threat and terror, seeking refuge from airstrikes and volleys of shells and mortar rounds. They are NOT asking for a pause in the fighting. They are asking for an end to the killing. We must all assume our responsibility to do all we can to stop this violence.
Thank You.
Rapidly escalating conflict in northwest Syria has created healthcare “mayhem”, amid reports of displaced people moving closer to the Turkish border in search of shelter, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Friday, as the UN Secretary-General appealed for all warring parties to "step back from the edge of further escalation."
The 21st century must be the century of women’s equality, UN Secretary-General António Guterres said on Thursday evening, in a call to transform the world by ensuring equal participation for all.
Amman, 28 February 2020 - The UN Special Envoy for Yemen, Martin Griffiths, strongly condemns the recent military escalation in Al Jawf governorate in northern Yemen. He calls on all involved in the conflict to freeze all military activity in Al Jawf, Ma’rib and Nihm areas and to work with his office to achieve that goal.
“I’m deeply disappointed and dismayed with the continued wave of military escalation in Yemen....
Lack of political consensus on national priorities could threaten further progress in Somalia which is preparing to hold its first “one-person, one-vote” election in 50 years, UN Special Representative James Swan told the Security Council on Monday.
Cross-border humanitarian deliveries from Turkey last month reached more people in northwest Syria than at any time since operations began more than five years ago, the UN’s Deputy Emergency Relief Coordinator told the Security Council on Thursday.
