,Madam President, Members of the Security Council
The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea – DPRK – has intensified the pace of its launches using ballistic missile technology. Indeed, it has launched more missiles in the past five months than in the prior two years combined.
On 4 May, the DPRK launched a missile using ballistic missile technology which covered a range of 470 km and reached an apogee of 780 km. It was launched from the Sunan area near Pyongyang. The DPRK launched a ballistic missile of possible intercontinental range from the same location on 24 March. The DPRK launched another missile on 7 May, possibly from a submarine, which reportedly covered a range of 600 km and reached an apogee of 60 km. The DPRK did not issue public information on any launch, nor did it issue airspace or maritime safety notifications.
Madam President, the Secretary-General strongly condemns the DPRK’s continued development of missiles using ballistic missile technology. Such actions are clear violations of relevant Security Council resolutions and contribute to increasing tensions in the region and beyond.
It should be recalled that the Security Council, in resolution 2397 (2017), reaffirmed its decisions that the DPRK shall not conduct any further launches using ballistic missile technology.
Madam President, there have been other troubling developments since our last briefing on 25 March.
On 16 April, the DPRK carried out its first launch of a system it characterised as intended for use in quote “tactical nuclear operations”. The system in question covered a range of 110 km. Developing such systems was among the core defence development tasks for the 2021 to 2025 period set forth during the 8th Party Congress of the Korean Workers’ Party in January 2021.
The DPRK leader also made statements on 25 April and again on 30 April that Pyongyang could pre-emptively use its nuclear weapons. Statements of this nature are deeply concerning.
Finally, there are indications of resumed construction activities at the Punggye-ri nuclear test site, which was declared shut down in 2018.
Madam President, these developments all relate to the DPRK’s continuing pursuit of its nuclear programme. While some States continue to rely on nuclear weapons in their security policies, nuclear weapons pose an existential threat to humanity. Their existence heightens the risk of unintended escalation or miscalculation. We must strengthen our efforts to eliminate nuclear weapons.
We have consistently conveyed our concerns to the DPRK. The DPRK, by continuing to pursue its nuclear weapons programme, including its development of missiles using ballistic missile technology, however, continues to defy the repeated demands of the Council to cease such activities.
Madam President, the Secretary-General reaffirms his commitment to working with all parties for sustainable peace and the complete and verifiable denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.
He urges the DPRK to comply with the decisions of the Council, reset the course to dialogue and build on previous diplomatic efforts.
Further, the United Nations welcomes and encourages the regular contact and cooperation among the key parties regarding the Korean Peninsula. We commend the parties for their willingness to engage in dialogue with the DPRK without preconditions.
Madam President, the Secretary-General reiterates the importance of addressing the critical humanitarian needs of people in the DPRK.
The United Nations remains engaged and stands ready, along with its humanitarian partners, to assist people in need in the DPRK, whose vulnerability has likely increased since the pandemic outbreak and border closures in 2020.
We reiterate our call for the entry of international staff, including the United Nations Resident Coordinator, and the unimpeded entry of humanitarian supplies, to allow for a timely and effective response.
We also acknowledge the work of Member States toward resolving the banking channel for humanitarian operations and emphasise the growing urgency for its conclusion.
Madam President, let me close by reiterating that the unity of the Security Council in this matter is essential to ease tensions, overcome the diplomatic impasse and avoid a negative action-reaction cycle.
Thank you.
The world is facing “multiple and interlinked global crises,” the UN chief told journalists in Austria on Wednesday during a joint press conference with Chancellor Karl Nehammer and Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg.
The world is facing “multiple and interlinked global crises,” the UN chief told journalists in Austria on Wednesday during a joint press conference with Chancellor Karl Nehammer and Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg.
The latest deadly prison violence in Ecuador has again highlighted the urgent need for a comprehensive reform of the country’s criminal justice system, the UN human rights office, OHCHR, said on Tuesday.
Responses to terrorism must be anchored in the rule of law, human rights, and gender equality to ensure their effectiveness, Secretary-General António Guterres told a UN-backed counter-terrorism meeting that opened in Málaga, Spain, on Tuesday.
As Syria begins 12 years of conflict amidst soaring humanitarian needs, UN agency heads launched during a European Union conference on Tuesday, a joint appeal for $10.5 billion.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres has urged authorities in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) to investigate deadly armed group attacks in Djugu Territory, Ituri Province, on Sunday.
Secretary-General António Guterres said on Sunday that he was appalled by an attack on a school in Bilohorivka, eastern Ukraine, where many people were sheltering from the ongoing fighting.
Chisinau in spring – the chestnut trees are in bloom, music pours from sidewalk cafés, and young people are everywhere. Although it seems peaceful in the capital of Moldova, if you listen, you can hear everyone speaking about the war, discussing the latest news from Ukraine and exchanging alarming prognoses.
Chisinau in spring – the chestnut trees are in bloom, music pours from sidewalk cafés, and young people are everywhere. Although it seems peaceful in the capital of Moldova, if you listen, you can hear everyone speaking about the war, discussing the latest news from Ukraine and exchanging alarming prognoses.
A newly published United Nations report highlights the urgency of adopting a more strategic approach to address the economic and fiscal crisis faced by the Palestinian Authority and Government. It urges a coordinated and integrated response to resolve this precarious situation.
The report, issued by the office of...
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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Excellencies,
It is a pleasure to join you today.
As the Secretary-General underscored in his briefing to the Peacebuilding Commission in March, peace is the most important task we have at the United Nations. And this is a task that is becoming greater and more complicated.
Today, we are facing a series of overlapping threats that have far-reaching implications for the global collective security architecture, and that affect the ability of the UN to carry out its work.
These threats are manifest at various levels and in different realms.
At the geopolitical level, conflicts have become more fragmented, regionalized and thus harder to resolve. They increasingly test the effectiveness of many of our traditional conflict management and resolution tools.
Climate change is exacerbating risks and creating additional sources of stress – particularly in the most fragile settings.
This is not a future challenge, but a present one. We are seeing, for example, the increasing frequency and intensity of violent conflicts between farmers and herders across many countries in Central and West Africa, which have significant consequences for stability.
Technological disruption is shaping conflict across the world. Conflict is increasingly hybrid, fought in the battlefield as well as online through cyber operations that create potential for miscalculation, and which often target infrastructure that is critical for civilians.
Increasing use of sophisticated new weapons challenge existing legal frameworks – and may create risks of unprecedented escalation.
Disinformation and hate speech are widespread, crossing from online realms to offline action, engendering polarization and violence.
A perceived failure of governance – of the ability of States to deliver essential services that respond to the aspirations of their people – is giving rise to tensions and social unrest in many regions.
Exclusion and inequalities of all kinds — economic, social and cultural — exact a devastating toll on security.
The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated many of these risks, while at the same time putting significant pressure on the ability of States to deliver. The pandemic also showed the real limitations of global preparedness and solidarity – all of which are essential to our work in prevention.
These phenomena, on their own but particularly in combination, have dire consequences for the most vulnerable communities.
Women and girls, especially, have already been disproportionately affected by the deteriorating security and socio-economic environment – including with the unprecedented spike in domestic and gender-based violence during the pandemic.
The confluence of these factors also makes our work to prevent and resolve conflicts much more difficult, particularly at a time when there is growing skepticism about multilateralism. And just when there is more need for collective solutions.
This is why the Secretary-General has emphasized the importance of conflict prevention and peacebuilding in “Our Common Agenda”. We must get better at addressing these challenges before conflicts breakout.
Recent events only confirm the urgency of our collective task.
The war in Ukraine is having a global impact – what the Secretary-General refers to as a triple crisis, as food security, energy and finance are affected by the ongoing conflict.
In these times, the contributions the Peacebuilding Commission makes to advance our efforts to avert conflict and build lasting peace are invaluable. Even more important will be considering how the Commission can be even more effective, a question I know is of utmost importance for you, too.
A decade ago, I sat where you are as a member of the PBC. The Commission was still deciding its agenda and profile.
Since that time, the PBC has grown into a most valuable body for fostering consensus and action on key areas that are essential for sustaining peace.
The ambitious programme of work for 2022 you adopted in March highlights several priorities that, when implemented, will further reinforce the Commission’s central role.
We strongly support the Commission’s decision to expand its geographic and thematic scope as well as the continued emphasis on inclusive approaches in support of national peacebuilding initiatives. We cannot achieve lasting impact without engaging and empowering women and youth.
Helping countries build more inclusive societies, based on trust, social cohesion, and human rights, requires a coherent approach.
And the Commission’s convening role has been instrumental in bringing the UN system together.
Further the Commission’s efforts to build stronger partnerships with regional and sub-regional organizations, civil society organizations and the private sector have been vital.
I remember the first time the PBC briefed the Security Council. And I can tell you that not all Council members were enthusiastic about letting you into the club.
Since that time the Commission’s advisory role has expanded considerably and your contribution to Council deliberations has become essential.
Excellencies
Let me conclude by noting that at last week’s General Assembly High-level meeting on peacebuilding financing, we heard, loud and clear, that Member States are convinced of the need to invest more in peacebuilding and prevention work.
Member States agree that it is cost-effective but underfunded. We heard appreciation for the work of this Commission and testimonies regarding the critical role of the Peacebuilding Fund as a flexible and agile tool to support national peacebuilding priorities.
More needs to be done to secure increased resources for the Peacebuilding Fund, including through assessed contributions.
I really want to thank the Commission for its valuable input to the General Assembly in advance of the High-level meeting and for continuing to prioritize financing as a key requirement for effective peacebuilding initiatives.
I hope that this retreat has provided you with the space and opportunity to build on the excellent 2022 programme of work.
We are all invested in helping realize the full potential of the PBC as an indispensable tool of the UN peace and security architecture.
I congratulate you for what you have accomplished and look forward to your continued support and to backing your good work to build peace.
Thank you.
The UN chief welcomed on Friday afternoon, the unity of the Security Council in support of peace in Ukraine, while also assuring that he would continue to “spare no effort” in saving lives, reducing suffering and finding the path of peace.
Ports in the Odesa area of southern Ukraine must be re-opened urgently to prevent the global hunger crisis from spinning out of control, the World Food Programme (WFP) said on Friday.
Already reeling from COVID-19, the fighting in Ukraine has introduced significant and worrying new risks likely to heavily impact Africa, UN development experts warned on Friday.
Ten weeks into the war in Ukraine, UN humanitarians on Friday said that they were urgently ramping up efforts to provide vulnerable children with specialist and psychosocial support, amid “tremendous” mental health needs and ongoing dangers linked to the Russian invasion and sexual and gender-based violence.
Briefing the Security Council on his shuttle diplomacy last week in Russia and Ukraine, Secretary-General António Guterres declared that he “did not mince words” during meetings with Presidents Putin and Zelenskyy, on the need to end the brutal conflict.
The UN’s leading expert on issues facing children caught up in war, on Thursday released a new analysis on the importance of considering how gender differences impact young people during armed conflicts.
The number of people facing acute food insecurity, requiring urgent life-saving food assistance and livelihood support, continues to grow at an alarming rate, according to a joint UN report released on Wednesday.
The “enormous challenges” faced by the northeastern Nigerian state of Borno, which include a continuing terrorist insurgency, need to be recognized by the international community to create what the UN Secretary-General has called a “state of hope and a state of reality”, in a region which he said did not live up to its reputation for “terrorism, violence, displacement or despair.”
Rows of temporary shelters covered in sheeting which has been blanched by the sun and sand blasted by winds blend into the grey, dusty and parched environment. It’s midday, and temperatures have reached a punishingly hot and dry 44 degrees Celsius (111 F).
Women’s rights do not end when wars begin, a senior UN official said in Ukraine on Tuesday, outlining measures towards ensuring justice and accountability for sexual violence committed during the conflict in the country.
Clashes in Haiti between rival gangs in the capital, Port-au-Prince, have forced hundreds of people to flee their homes, the UN Deputy Spokesperson said on Tuesday.
In Ukraine on Tuesday, UN humanitarians began to help the first evacuees arriving from Mariupol’s devastated Azovstal steel works, more than two months since Russia’s invasion began, and said that they would do everything possible to assist those still trapped.
New York, 3 May 2022
On World Press Freedom Day, we shine a spotlight on the essential work of journalists and other media workers who seek transparency and accountability from those in power, often at great personal risk.
Throughout the Covid-19 pandemic, many media workers have been on the...
The number of terrorist attacks in the Sahel region of Africa “continues to increase” according to the UN Secretary-General António Guterres, who arrived in the capital of Niger, Niamey, on Monday, the second of three countries he is visiting on a tour of West Africa to mark the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.
The war in Ukraine is aggravating a “triple food, energy and financial crisis,” across Africa, according to the UN Secretary-General António Guterres.
A United Nations and Red Cross (ICRC) operation to evacuate desperate civilians trapped in the Azovstal steel plant in the Ukrainian port city of Mariupol is underway, the Spokesperson for the humanitarian affairs office in the country confirmed on Sunday.
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The United Nations has condemned a deadly explosion at a Sufi mosque in Afghanistan’s capital, Kabul, on Friday, which reportedly killed at least 10 people and injured up to 15 more, many of them seriously.
Commemorating the 25th anniversary of the historic Chemical Weapons Convention on Friday, the UN chief described the treaty as “a major achievement” in disarmament.
