Attacks on water and sanitation facilities in conflict zones around the world are putting the lives of millions of children around the world in danger, and are a much greater threat than violence itself, warns the UN Children’s agency, UNICEF, in a report released on Tuesday.
The UN Secretary-General said on Monday he was “deeply concerned” over the apparent forced landing of a commercial passenger jet over Belarus, and the subsequent detention of a prominent dissident and journalist by authorities there.
Although the World Food Programme (WFP) is ramping up support to people in Yemen’s worst hunger hotspots, in efforts to prevent famine, sustaining response through the rest of the year is uncertain, the UN agency warned on Monday.
UN blue helmets face an increasing number of attacks throughout the complex environments in which they work, the head of the Organization’s peacekeeping operations told the Security Council on Monday.
New York, 25 May 2021
This year’s Africa Day highlights arts, culture and heritage as levers for building the Africa we want. Africa’s rich and diverse cultural and natural heritage is important for sustainable development, poverty reduction, and building and maintaining peace. It can provide a strong foundation for inclusive economic progress as the continent strives to meet the challenges posed by...
The UN chief on Monday, commended an award-winning Kenyan peacekeeper for her gender-mainstreaming work while serving in the restive Darfur region of Sudan.
On 23 May, the Co-Chairs of the Economic Working Group (EWG) including the UNSMIL Coordinator Raisedon Zenenga, together with the Ambassador Mohamed Abubakr of Egypt, Special Envoy and Ambassador Richard Norland of the United States of America, and Ambassador Jose Sabadell of the European Union convened a meeting with the Government of National Unity to review the Economic Track and discuss collaboration on the way forward.
The Government of National Unity was...
Out now! Season 2 | Episode 4 | She Stands For Peace | Click here: https://unoau.unmissions.org/podcast-series-she-...
A young soldier from the United Kingdom says he must stay on his “A-game” on patrol with the United Nations peacekeeping mission in Mali, to keep himself, colleagues and Malians safe in one of the most dangerous UN postings anywhere in the world.
The UN Security Council on Saturday made it’s first statement on the conflict that erupted between Israel and Palestinian armed groups in Gaza, calling for a “full adherence to the ceasefire” that brought 11 days of fighting to an end early on Friday morning.
This Week in DPPA is a brief roundup of political and peacebuilding events and developments at UNHQ and around the world.
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On the heels of recent positive developments, the Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for Libya pointed to renewed hope for peace in the conflict-affected country, and stability across the wider region, in a briefing to the Security Council on Friday.
New York, 22 May 2021
A healthy planet is critical for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.
Yet biodiversity is declining at an unprecedented and alarming rate, and the pressures are intensifying.
We are depleting resources faster than nature can replenish them.
COVID-19 has further...
The humanitarian community has welcomed the ceasefire agreed in the Occupied Palestinian Territory and Israel but warned that the destruction in Gaza will take years, if not decades, to fix.
The UN chief has welcomed the ceasefire declared between Israel and Palestinian militant group Hamas, following 11 days of rocket and air attacks, which have left more than 240 reportedly dead and thousands injured, the majority in the occupied Palestinian enclave of Gaza.
Moving from Sudan’s current fragile transition period towards stable civilian rule, requires a continued “spirt of unity, partnership and collaboration”, a senior UN official told the Security Council on Thursday.
New York, 21 May 2021
Culture is the flower of the human being – the fruit of our minds, the product of our traditions, the expression of our yearnings. Its diversity is wondrous, part of the rich tapestry of civilization.
Culture is also a powerhouse – an employer of millions, an engine of economic progress, a force for social cohesion.
...The co-chairs of the Berlin Process Political Working Group (Algeria, Germany, League of Arab States and UNSMIL) convened a meeting of the Working Group on 19 May to take stock of progress on Libya's political track. They reiterated that the holding of national elections on 24 December 2021 remains the overarching priority to complete Libya’s preparatory phase and democratic transition as agreed in the Libyan Political Dialogue Forum (LPDF) Roadmap...
The past ten days have witnessed a “dangerous and horrific” surge in deadly violence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT), particularly Gaza, and in Israel, the UN chief told the General Assembly on Thursday.
The UN health agency has added its weight to calls for regular humanitarian access to Gaza, where two dozen medical facilities have now come under attack through Israeli air strikes, along with healthcare personnel.
Women and young people must be part of Africa’s plans to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, which is feeding factors driving conflict on the continent, UN Secretary-General told the Security Council on Wednesday.
Millions of children trapped in protracted conflict in Syria continue to endure severe violence with little support for survivors, according to the UN Secretary-General’s third report on the situation, launched on Wednesday.
Tripoli, 19 May 2021 - The United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSML) is pleased to announce that it will convene a two-day virtual meeting for the Libyan Political Dialogue Forum (LPDF) on 26 and 27 May to finalise the proposed constitutional basis for parliamentary and presidential elections to be held on 24 December 2021 (see attached documents below), as agreed by the LPDF Legal Committee during its meeting in Tunis from 7- 9 April 2021 and during subsequent...
At least 60 youngsters have been killed in Gaza and another 444 have been injured in less than 10 days of conflict with Israel, the head of UN Children’s Fund has said, in a call for an immediate ceasefire and aid access to “stave off disaster”. On Wednesday, the UN relief agency for Palestine refugees (UNRWA) launched a flash appeal for $38 million, to deal with the spiralling humanitarian crisis.
Despite a deteriorating security situation and the reverberating effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, regional troops deployed to combat terrorists in Africa’s Sahel region have scaled up the tempo of their operations in recent months, efforts that must be matched by a spirit of solidarity among their global partners, the senior UN peacekeeping official told the Security Council on Tuesday.
The international community must do “all it can” to de-escalate the violence in Gaza and Israel which has left hundreds dead and injured, said the UN’s political affairs chief on Tuesday, calling on all those involved in the fighting to allow for the “intensification of mediation efforts”, which can also help stem a growing humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Excellencies,
It gives me great pleasure to welcome you to the United Nations Forum on the Question of Palestine.
We convene at a time of grave concern over the situation in the occupied Palestinian territory and in Israel. Clashes and violence in occupied East Jerusalem as well as the launching of rockets from the Gaza Strip towards Israel, followed by Israeli airstrikes on Gaza, have dramatically deteriorated an already fragile situation. The fighting has claimed more than two hundred civilian lives, including children. The suffering, damage and destruction are immense.
The scenes of communal violence within Israel have been unprecedented. Continued escalation of the situation will have devastating consequences for Palestinians and Israelis, as well as for the region. Humanitarian needs are bound to rise considerably, particularly in Gaza where the situation was already desperate due to long years of closures, intra-Palestinian divisions, recurring hostilities and the Covid-19 pandemic.
Excellencies,
The United Nations has been actively involved in mediation efforts with all sides with a view to ending the violence immediately. I echo the Secretary-General’s call on the parties to allow for the intensification of mediation efforts, which are also crucial for delivering much needed humanitarian aid to the affected people in Gaza.
I commend those Member States who have intensified their diplomatic efforts to bring the parties back from the brink. The international community must do all it can to de-escalate the situation immediately, urge the parties to end the hostilities, and chart a path toward negotiation.
This recent escalation is a tragic reminder of the urgency of a viable political path towards ending this conflict once and for all. All relevant international actors, including the Middle East Quartet, should do their utmost to revitalise the peace process, which remains the only path towards a just and lasting solution.
In the absence of such a process, we are – regrettably – bound to witness more episodes of tensions and desperation. People on both sides deserve much more than that.
The ongoing hostilities are also taking place against the backdrop of rising tensions and violence in occupied East Jerusalem, where hundreds of Palestinian residents of Sheikh Jarrah and Silwan neighbourhoods are under threat of eviction from their homes.
These evictions are pending final court rulings. If implemented, they would constitute a violation of international law. I join the Secretary-General in urging Israel to halt demolitions and evictions, in line with its obligations under international humanitarian and human rights law.
Excellencies,
Parliamentarians, through their legislative power and advocacy, can play a crucial role in reinforcing the global consensus on the two-State solution, a solution in accordance with international law, relevant United Nations resolutions and bilateral agreements, based on the 1967 lines with Jerusalem as the capital of both states.
I hope this Forum today will create a shared understanding of the urgency to act resolutely on the question of Palestine.
Let me reiterate the call by the Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process to the members of the Middle Quartet, key Arab and international partners, as well as to the Israeli and Palestinian leadership to intensify and strengthen efforts to return to meaningful negotiations towards a viable two-state solution.
I can assure you that the United Nations will continue to do all that we can to support a peaceful resolution of the Question of Palestine.
I wish you a fruitful discussion. Thank you.
Accountability is an important step on the road to peace in Libya, the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) told the Security Council on Monday.
Out now! Season 2 | Episode 3 | She Stands For Peace | Click here: https://unoau.unmissions.org/podcast-...
New York, 17 May 2021
LGBTIQ+ people around the world face discrimination simply because of who they are. The COVID-19 pandemic is exacerbating the situation.
Since the start of the pandemic, the United Nations has documented a worsening of discrimination, violence, hate speech, social and economic exclusion, stigma and obstacles in accessing healthcare, education,...
New York, 17 May 2021
Digital technologies sustain life, work, health and learning for billions of people. In the face of COVID-19, businesses, governments and the digital community have proven resilient and innovative, helping to protect lives and livelihoods. These challenging times have accelerated the transformation everywhere.
Yet 3.7 billion people – nearly half...
The current “senseless” cycle of violence in the Middle East must end now, UN Secretary-General António Guterres said in remarks to a Security Council meeting held on Sunday morning in response to the crisis.
The current “senseless” cycle of violence in the Middle East must end now, UN Secretary-General António Guterres said in remarks to a Security Council meeting held on Sunday morning in response to the crisis.
Mr. President,
Excellencies,
Members of the Security Council,
The past week has seen a deadly escalation between Israeli military forces and Palestinian armed groups in Gaza that is the most serious we have seen in years. We have also witnessed dramatic scenes of violence across the...
More than 40 children have been killed in the current crisis in the Middle East, a senior official with the UN Children’s Fund, UNICEF, said on Saturday.
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The Secretary-General appeals to all parties to immediately cease the fighting in Gaza and Israel.
The ongoing military escalation has caused great suffering and destruction. It has claimed scores of civilian lives, including, tragically, many children. The fighting has the potential to unleash an uncontainable security and humanitarian crisis and to further foster extremism, not only in the...
The UN Secretary-General on Friday issued an urgent appeal for all parties involved in this week's escalation of violence in the occupied Palestinian enclave of Gaza, and Israel, to "immediately cease the fighting", or risk creating an "uncontainable security and humanitarian crisis".
UN Secretary-General António Guterres and Russian President Vladimir Putin have discussed the importance of renewed commitment to multilateralism during talks held on Thursday.
The conflict in Yemen forced Asia El-Sayeed Ali and her family from her home in Aden’s Al Tawahi district, where there was active fighting, in 2015. Today, she works at a health clinic supported by the World Food Programme (WFP), where she cares for children, and their mothers, suffering from malnutrition.
De-escalation of the Palestine-Israel conflict is “an absolute must” said the UN Secretary-General on Wednesday, declaring that the mounting death toll, including children, was totally unacceptable.
