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.
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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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.
The second round of the United Nations-facilitated talks to end fighting in Libya concluded on Sunday in Geneva with “seriousness of purpose and goodwill” in Geneva on Sunday, the UN said today.
Yemen experienced one of the quietest periods of the conflict particularly in the air war.
But recent military escalations since then have demonstrated the exceptional vulnerability of such gains that were made in the absence, in our view, of a political process to give them meaning and direction.
Over the past month and a half, in particular, the military situation has grown more dire.
Both sides have announced expansive military goals and exchanged fierce...
With division and distrust rife among countries that possess nuclear arsenals, the UN disarmament chief is hopeful that the issue will be addressed during an upcoming conference on the Non-Proliferation Treaty.
The “strength, leadership and invaluable contributions in peacekeeping settings” made by women across the world is being highlighted by the United Nations as part of the organization’s ongoing commitment to building global peace.
Statement by United Nations Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, Nickolay Mladenov, on Israeli settlement announcements
Jerusalem, 26 February 2020
“I am very concerned about Israel’s recent announcements regarding the advancement of settlement construction in Giv’at Hamatos and Har Homa, as well as the worrying plans for 3,500 units in the controversial E1 area of...
The Office of the Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for Yemen (OSESGY) is hosting a consultative meeting with a group of Yemeni public and political figures in Amman, Jordan, on 26-27 February 2020.
The meeting brings together a diverse group of Yemeni stakeholders, both men and women, including members of some political parties and independent public figures. Discussions will focus on approaches to resume the...
It is no longer enough to reaffirm past agreements on resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, according to a senior UN envoy, who said on Monday that it is time to “find our way back to a mutually agreed mediation framework” to resume meaningful negotiations towards a two-State solution.
Mister President,
Members of the Security Council,
Two weeks ago, I briefed this Council following the release of the US “Peace to Prosperity” vision for Israelis and Palestinians.
Today, I will provide a regular briefing on the situation on the ground. However, let me begin by addressing the developing situation in and around Gaza.
...United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres welcomed on Saturday the establishment of the Transitional Government of National Unity (TGoNU) in South Sudan.
More than 10,000 civilians in Afghanistan were killed and injured last year, according to a new United Nations report that details record-high levels of civilian harm in the ongoing conflict.
Cheap and easily accessible small arms are increasingly becoming the “weapon of choice” for many terrorist groups, the UN counter-terrorism chief told an event on Friday aimed to raise awareness of the nexus between terrorism, organized crime and illicit small arms trafficking.
Four senior UN officials issued a joint statement on Friday deploring the continued human rights abuses committed against civilians, including women and children, in the south-west and north-west regions of Cameroon.
In a tersely delivered statement on Friday, the UN Secretary-General appealed for an end to the “man-made humanitarian nightmare” currently unfolding in Syria, where ongoing military operations in the north-west have displaced hundreds of thousands amid bitter winter temperatures.
This Week in DPPA is a brief roundup of political and peacebuilding events and developments at UNHQ and around the world.
Security CouncilPeace in Yemen cannot be taken for granted
Critical situation in northwestern Syria
La Lime: “Haitian leaders need to rise to the occasion“
New YorkC-24 kicks off its 2020 session
Peacebuilding Commission discusses Central African Republic and review of peacebuilding architecture The Peacebuilding Commission (PBC) met on 20 February to discuss the 2020 review of the peacebuilding architecture, focusing on effective support in UN transition contexts. Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed, Deputy Joint Special Representative for the African Union-United Nations hybrid operation in Darfur (UNAMID) Anita Kokui Gbeho and Karin Landgren, Executive Director of the organization Security Council Report, briefed the Commission. Member States stressed that nationally-owned and field-driven peacebuilding is at the heart of effective transition processes. They emphasized the unique role of the PBC in bringing different UN actors together to ensure timely and effective system-wide support to national transition strategies. On 19 February, the Chair of the PBC Central African Republic (CAR) Configuration, Permanent Representative of Morocco Omar Hilale, debriefed PBC members on his recent trips to Washington D.C. and to Bangui, CAR. Assistant Secretary-General for Africa Bintou Keita briefed on latest political developments and preparations for upcoming elections. Member States called for support to CAR authorities to help ensure inclusive implementation of the peace agreement, restoration of state authority, strengthening the rule of law and transitional justice, and protection of civilians. They also called for contributions to the UN Development Programme-managed electoral basket fund in support of timely and peaceful elections in the country. |
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CyprusLaunch of gender sensitive socio-economic impact assessment of a settlement to the Cyprus issue ColombiaMassieu: It is a priority to continue working for the security of communities and ex-combatants LebanonSpecial Coordinator visits Egypt
SomaliaPublic consultations on new constitution
UgandaSpecial Envoy visits Uganda
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In Our Common Agenda, the Secretary-General has called for enhanced investment in prevention and peacebuilding, this reflects the recognition that investment in conflict resolution, prevention and peacebuilding is cost-effective.
The year 2023 marked a new beginning for the Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs (DPPA) with the launch of the Strategic Plan for 2023-2026.
Global developments have a direct impact on our work. They have increased prevention, peacemaking, and peacebuilding risks, while curtailing our resources. This places a renewed obligation on DPPA to seek further donor support for voluntary contributions, which have become critical in augmenting DPPA’s regular budget resources.
Voluntary donor funding through DPPA’s Multi-Year Appeal (MYA), our main fundraising tool, will be vital in supporting the full implementation of the Strategic Plan. The MYA supports the breadth of DPPA’s global mandate, including our “core” capacity in conflict prevention, peacemaking and peacebuilding. It enables strengthened support for Special Envoys and Special Representatives of the Secretary-General greater engagement with partners including regional organizations, and continued investments in thematic priorities including women, peace and security; technology and innovation; and climate, peace and security. The MYA also enables DPPA to expand its reach, and stay operational and field-focused. It allows us to maintain vital liaison presences, as well as deploy mediation and electoral assistance support, as requested.
Without the MYA, our ability to engage with partners on the ground would be significantly hampered.
Extrabudgetary funding is the lifeline that allows us to make a meaningful impact.
For more information, please contact the DPPA Donor Relations Team at dppa-donorrelations@un.org.
DPPA's Multi-Year Appeal (MYA) is calling for $170 million for 2023-2026, to make the Strategic Plan a reality.
On average, approximately 70 per cent of MYA funds received are unearmarked. This is invaluable for the MYA and a prerequisite for its success. Unearmarked funding provides DPPA with the flexibility to respond to emerging needs, including to provide timely responses to requests from Member States, regional and sub-regional organizations, and other UN partners. This agility is crucial to maximizing the impact of every dollar contributed.
Every spring, the Department issues a results-focused MYA Annual Report to ensure accountability and enhance transparency. The report includes both financial and substantive reporting on the use of MYA contributions and its main results. In addition, DPPA also produces a midyear update each summer. DPPA also produces thematic factsheets on its work.
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Previous MYA reports can be found here.
For 2024, DPPA is calling for $42 million to support the implementation of the Strategic Plan.
We are deeply grateful to our donors who have made pledges and contributions. For historical information on past donor contributions, please visit the MYA page on the UN Peace and Security Data Hub.
*Pledge as of December 2024
Accompanying the Strategic Plan is a new Results Framework, that measures our contribution to conflict prevention and sustaining peace through key performance indicators. Through mid-year and annual reviews, DPPA will track progress against qualitative and quantitative indicators, which will enable any necessary corrections. In addition, the lower level “theories of action” will allow us to articulate more clearly how/why MYA projects are designed and what they will do to affect positive change.
DPPA continues to make use of the UN secretariat-wide Enterprise Risk Management approach in project planning, implementation and to monitor risks, finances and results and will continue to demonstrate its strategic and operational value building on the Value-for-Money assessment undertaken in 2020.
Developing a risk register helps minimize the exposure and impact to risks. Using the DPPA-DPO risk register, all MYA projects conduct a mandatory assessment to identify risk areas and mitigation measures.
For further information on the Multi-Year Appeal, please contact the DPPA Donor Relations Team at dppa-donorrelations@un.org.
