<p><span><span>The lives of thousands of children in overcrowded, unsanitary camps for internally displaced people (IDPs) in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) are seriously at risk, the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) warned on Monday.</span></span></p>
<p>The top UN disarmament official told the Security Council on Monday that “gaps, inconsistencies and discrepancies” identified in Syria’s declaration over its use of chemical weapons, in accordance with the Chemical Weapons Convention (<a href="https://www.opcw.org/chemical-weapons-convention">CWC</a>). “cannot be considered accurate and complete”. </p>
Introductory Remarks by Ms. Rosemary DiCarlo, Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, on the occasion of the briefing to the Fourth Committee on “Comprehensive Review of Special Political Missions”
4 November 2022, 3:00pm
Mr. Chair [H.E. Mr. Mohamed Al Hassan (Oman)],
Excellencies,
Distinguished delegates,
Let me start by congratulating you, Mr. Chair, and the members of the Bureau, on your election. I wish the Fourth Committee a fruitful session.
Let me also thank Finland and Mexico for their leadership on this agenda item.
I am pleased to be joined by Atul Khare, Under-Secretary-General for Operational Support. His department is an invaluable partner, providing critical support to special political missions.
And it is my pleasure to introduce today the tenth report of the Secretary-General on this item.
Mr. Chair,
During the General Debate in September, global leaders expressed concern about the deteriorating international peace and security environment. They noted that multiple major challenges are rapidly converging — more complex conflicts, rising inequalities, climate change, technological disruption, terrorism, the rocky recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, and skyrocketing food and oil prices.
Meanwhile, the ability of Member States to take collective action to address these interlocking challenges is being undermined by renewed geostrategic competition at levels we have not seen in decades.
It is clear that the world is at an inflection point – and that Member States need to work together to navigate this uncertain moment.
Two years ago, the UN75 Declaration echoed these concerns. It underscored that “multilateralism is not an option but a necessity as we build back better for a more equal, more resilient, and more sustainable world.”
The UN75 Declaration dedicated particular attention to promoting peace and preventing conflict. It noted that the “diplomatic toolbox of the Charter” should be used to its full potential, including preventive diplomacy and mediation. It called on the Secretary-General to enhance it.
Special political missions are a vital part of this toolbox. Through their work in preventive diplomacy, peacemaking, and peacebuilding, they play an important role in helping Member States prevent conflict and build sustainable peace. Their diversity and flexibility have allowed us to design different types of responses to many of the peace and security challenges we face today.
From Myanmar to Syria, the Horn of Africa and the Great Lakes, our missions are working with conflict parties and regional stakeholders to advance complex peace processes.
Allow me to share a few examples:
In Yemen, through intense diplomatic efforts, the Special Envoy helped broker a nationwide truce that was in effect for six months, leading to a significant reduction in violence and civilian casualties.
Despite the lack of agreement between the parties in early October on renewing the truce, there are no reports of a return to open hostilities, even if the situation remains tense. Urging the parties to continue to exercise maximum restraint, the Special Envoy has continued his shuttle diplomacy with the parties to find a way forward to achieve an extended and expanded truce.
In Somalia, Libya and elsewhere, our missions are supporting national authorities in managing political transitions and electoral processes.
In Iraq, UNAMI provided enhanced electoral assistance to the parliamentary elections in October 2021. The mission deployed 150 United Nations international electoral experts and approximately 550 national support personnel to all Governorates and provided support to strengthen the electoral administration and processes.
Following the election, the mission conducted non-stop engagements with all the parties to overcome the political stalemate, from participating in dialogue initiatives and meeting with many stakeholders to preparing roadmaps and conducting shuttle diplomacy in various forms.
Our missions also work hand-in-hand with host governments in the aftermath of conflict in order to help build sustainable peace.
In Colombia, the United Nations Verification Mission is working closely with the parties to the 2016 Agreement to build confidence and consolidate inclusive, lasting peace in the country. The Mission is supporting multiple peacebuilding initiatives, notably on reintegration, security guarantees, and transitional justice and reconciliation, in close coordination with the UN Country Team.
This has allowed the Mission to make important contributions to the nationally-led peace consolidation process, for instance by helping promote the sustainable reintegration of over 13,000 former combatants.
Mr. Chair,
This tenth report by the Secretary-General covered a spectrum of policy issues. For today’s discussion, I would like to highlight the following two examples.
First, the women, peace, and security agenda.
Despite our commitments to promote women’s full, equal and meaningful participation in peace and political processes, we are still falling far short when it comes to implementation. Special political missions are playing an essential role in translating commitments into concrete outcomes.
In line with Security Council resolution 2493 (2019), we are convening high-level strategy meetings to help promote women’s participation in peace processes. So far, we have organized such meetings for the Geneva International Discussions, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen.
In Libya UNSMIL advocated at all levels for the inclusion of women in political processes and decision-making bodies. Following engagement from the Mission, the House of Representatives and the High State Council agreed to endorse a 25 percent quota for women to be applied to all future electoral processes.
Since arriving in Libya to take up his functions in mid-October, SRSG Bathily has engaged with women activists and political candidates to seek their views on how to further achieve progress in inclusive intra-Libyan talks.
In Sudan, UNITAMS facilitated country-wide consultations, which resulted in the establishment of a Women’s Rights Group to amplify the voices of Sudanese women. This group is now positioned to participate in the next phase of political talks in Sudan, and bring women’s perspectives to all priority agenda items under discussion.
Second, promoting a regional approach to peace and security.
Strengthening United Nations partnerships with regional and subregional organizations is integral to the Secretary-General’s vision for a networked and inclusive multilateralism. It is also critical for our conflict-prevention and peacemaking work, both nationally and regionally.
Our three regional offices [UNOWAS, UNOCA and UNRCCA] and two regional envoys [Horn of Africa and Great Lakes Region] have regional mandates.
They serve as forward platforms for preventive diplomacy in their regions, helping Member States address cross-border and cross-regional issues such as countering terrorism and managing shared natural resources. They also have helped institutionalize our strategic partnership with regional and subregional organizations.
Nowhere is this partnership more visible than in Africa, where we celebrate an important milestone this year: the 20th anniversary of the establishment of the African Union.
We are also celebrating this year the 20th anniversary of the creation of the UN Office for West Africa and the Sahel (UNOWAS).
Since its establishment in 2002, UNOWAS has developed a deeply connected partnership with Economic Commission Of West African States (ECOWAS) that has proved essential for peace and stability in the West Africa and the Sahel. An example of the value of this partnership is the joint engagement of UNOWAS and ECOWAS in Burkina Faso, Guinea and Guinea-Bissau.
Together, the two organizations have advocated for the swift return to constitutional order in countries that experienced military coups, called for inclusive political dialogue and consensus building ahead of key elections, and engaged with political actors and other stakeholders to defuse tensions following contested electoral outcomes.
Mr. Chair,
In order to address the current complex global environment , the Secretary-General, in his report on “Our Common Agenda,” committed to preparing a New Agenda for Peace. This document will offer a robust vision for strengthening our work in prevention, peacemaking, and peacebuilding – which lies at the heart of the mandates of special political missions.
Delivering on these commitments will require all of us to work together. DPPA , which is leading the preparation of this document, will engage closely with Member States to seek your views and priorities in this process.
Mr. Chair,
I would also like to highlight that May 2023 will mark the 75th anniversary of the deployment of the first United Nations special political mission in 1948 in the Middle East.
DPPA looks forward to working with Member States to commemorate this event and to reflect on the important and successful history of special political missions in advancing peace and dialogue throughout the history of the organization.
In conclusion, I would like to express my department’s appreciation to all Member States for their continued engagement on this agenda item and strong support of special political missions. In particular, I want to stress our gratitude to those countries that are hosting special political missions.
I also want to pay tribute to the dedicated and courageous United Nations personnel serving in special political missions deployed worldwide.
I look forward to a rich discussion. Thank you.
ASSISTANT SECRETARY-GENERAL KHALED KHIARI’S
REMARKS TO THE SECURITY COUNCIL ON
NON-PROLIFERATION/DPRK
New York, 4 November 2022
Mr. President, according to various government sources, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) launched an unprecedented number of ballistic missiles and other types of systems on 2 and 3 November. The DPRK has yet to publicly provide details of these launches.
One of the missiles launched on 3 November was assessed to be an intercontinental ballistic missile. It reportedly covered a range of 760 km, and reached an apogee of around 1,920 km, indicating that the launch may not have been successful. One of the DPRK ballistic missiles launched on 2 November reportedly impacted in waters in proximity of the territorial sea of the Republic of Korea.
Mr. President, the Secretary-General strongly condemns the launch of a ballistic missile of reported intercontinental range by the DPRK as well as the barrage of various missiles over recent days. He calls on the DPRK to immediately cease any further reckless acts and to comply fully with its international obligations under relevant Security Council resolutions.
Mr. President, it is troubling that the DPRK has consistently disregarded any consideration for international flight or maritime safety. While the DPRK National Aviation Administration stated on 8 October that its missile launch did not pose a risk to civil aviation or the region, aircraft operators are required to assess safety of their own flight operations. To meet this obligation, operators rely on coordination amongst air traffic services authorities, as well as the promulgation of timely information on hazards.
Mr. President, the Secretary-General is deeply concerned about the tension on the Korean Peninsula and the increase in confrontational rhetoric, including the DPRK’s messaging related to nuclear weapon use. This is the ninth time the Council has met to discuss the DPRK in 2022. Following our last briefing on 5 October, the DPRK claimed that its seven earlier missile launch events were all part of quote “tactical nuclear operation units” end quote.
While all concerned seek to avoid an unintended escalation, the spate of missile launches and military exercises contributes to a negative action-reaction cycle. To lower the risk of miscalculation and reduce tensions in the region, it is critical to immediately strengthen communication channels, including inter-Korean and military to military.
The Secretariat remains in close contact with all parties, including the DPRK. Given the potential risks associated with any military confrontation, in exercise of its primary responsibility, the Security Council needs to do all it can to prevent an escalation. Unity in the Security Council is critical. Security Council unity also creates an opportunity to seek off-ramps and sustained diplomatic engagement.
The Secretary‑General urges the DPRK to immediately return to the negotiating table. He also urges the key parties to resume their diplomatic efforts with a view to achieving sustainable peace and a complete and verifiable denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.
Mr. President, separately, the Secretary-General remains concerned over the humanitarian situation in the DPRK. The United Nations system, in coordination with international and humanitarian partners, is ready to send staff and assistance to help the DPRK Government address medical and humanitarian needs, including those related to the COVID-19 pandemic. To allow for a timely and effective response, we reiterate our call for the unimpeded entry of international staff and humanitarian supplies.
Mr. 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 the negative action-reaction cycle.
Thank you.
<p>The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) launched “an unprecedented number” of cruise and ballistic missiles over the course of just 48 hours this week, the UN Assistant Secretary-General for the Middle East, Asia and the Pacific, told the Security Council in an emergency meeting on Friday.</p>
<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Russia’s decision to rejoin the <a href="https://www.un.org/en/black-sea-grain-initiative">Black Sea Grain Initiative</a> and the Ethiopian agreement to end the war in Tigray demonstrate the power of multilateralism in action, said the UN chief on Thursday, in a call for countries to also rebuild trust between the North and South at the UN’s COP27 climate conference in Egypt.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p>
<p>UN peace operations, which include peacekeeping and special political missions, “provide the space for political solutions” in some of the world’s most complex hotspots, Secretary-General António Guterres <a href="https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/sg/statement/2022-11-03/secretary-gener... the Security Council</a> on Thursday. </p>
<p>The UN on Thursday launched a new online course that provides wikiHow platform users with vital tips on how to stay safe from the dangerous misinformation and deliberate disinformation, that is increasingly populating social media platforms. </p>
<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Amid continuing gang warfare and a vacuum of law and order, Haiti is “on the verge of an abyss” said the UN human rights chief Volker Türk on Thursday, warning that any hope of a sustainable recovery requires “urgent and sustained action” to tackle the root causes of the overlapping crises afflicting the island nation.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p>
<p>The UN Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide expressed grave concern on Thursday over a reported resurgence of ethnic clashes in the Blue Nile region of Sudan. </p>
<p>Responses to climate change must also consider its link to both conflict and the displacement it causes, UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Filippo Grandi, said in a briefing to the Security Council on Wednesday. </p>
<p>Despite severe constraints on access, UN and other humanitarian workers in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) have begun helping thousands displaced by renewed fighting between the Congolese army and the M23 armed group around the eastern region of North Kivu, close to the border with Rwanda and Uganda.</p>
<p>A peace deal between the Ethiopian Government and the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) signed on Wednesday in South Africa, represents “a critical first step” towards ending the brutal two year war, <a href="https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/sg/statement/2022-11-02/statement-attri... the UN chief</a>.</p>
<p>The UN Secretary-General on Wednesday i<a href="https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/sg/statement/2022-11-02/statement-attri... a statement </a>warmly welcoming Russia’s decision to resume its participation in the <a href="https://www.un.org/en/black-sea-grain-initiative/vessel-movements">Black Sea Grain Initiative</a>, which has allowed nearly ten million metric tonnes of vital foodstuffs to be shipped from Ukraine.</p>
<p>UN officials stationed at the Joint Coordination Centre (<a href="https://www.un.org/en/black-sea-grain-initiative/background">JCC</a>) for the UN-brokered Black Sea Grain Initiative have said there will be no movement of vessels on Wednesday, in the light of Russia’s decision to suspend its involvement in the deal.</p>
<p>Amid growing geopolitical divides and deepening inequalities, cooperation is the only way forward, UN Secretary-General António Guterres said in Algiers on Tuesday, addressing the Summit of the League of Arab States. </p>
<p>The landmark agreement to export grain and related foodstuffs from Ukraine must be kept alive amid the ongoing war and the global cost of living crisis, two senior UN officials told the Security Council on Monday.</p>
<p>The UN Secretary-General has <a href="https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/sg/statement/2022-10-30/statement-attri... target="_blank">expressed deep concern</a> over the uptick in fighting between Government troops in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and M23 rebels in the east, which in the past ten days have seen multiple civilians killed, “massive displacement” and four peacekeepers from the UN Stabilization Mission (MONUSCO) injured.</p>
<p>The landmark agreement to export grain and related foodstuffs from Ukraine must be kept alive amid the ongoing war and the global cost of living crisis, two senior UN officials told the Security Council on Monday.</p>
New York, 31 October 2022
On this World Cities Day, we recognize the critical role of urban areas in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.
Next year marks the mid-point to the deadline to reach the SDGs.
Yet an honest look reveals a bleak picture.
Across a range of critical goals – from...
<p><span><span><span><span>Handling heavy machinery is not one of the first skills that comes to mind when we think of UN peacekeepers, but construction skills are an important component of the blue helmets’ competency toolkit. </span></span></span></span></p>
<p><span lang="EN-US" lang="EN-US" lang="EN-US"><span><span><span>A two-day meeting of the UN Security Council Counter-Terrorism Committee in India has ended with the adoption of a document committing Member States to prevent and combat digital forms of terror, notably using drones, social media, and online terrorist financing.</span></span></span></span></p>
<p><span><span><span>UN Secretary-General António Guterres has reaffirmed his “unwavering commitment” to agreements aimed at ensuring that grain and fertilizers from Ukraine and the Russian Federation reach global markets at the speed and price needed to avert a global food crisis and ensure food security.</span></span></span></p>
<p><span><span><span>Throughout Syria’s civil war, women have risked their security to mediate the various conflicts that have affected their communities. Since international efforts to end the fighting have stalled, their role has grown in importance.</span></span></span></p>
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<p>“It is my appeal to all the representatives of States, to ensure there is no safe haven provided to any kind of terrorism whatsoever”: the words of Nidhi Chaphekar, a survivor of the 2016 Brussels terrorist attacks, opening a Special Meeting of the United Nations<a href="https://www.un.org/securitycouncil/ctc/?_gl=1*4wy0c8*_ga*MTA1MzAzOTkzOC4... Counter-Terrorism Committee</a> in India on Friday.</p>
<p>With daily violence spiralling out of control in the occupied West Bank, leaders in both Israel and Palestine need to take steps to restore calm as best they can, “with the full support of the international community”, said the UN’s top official in the region on Friday.</p>
She Stands For Peace | Season 3-Episode 9 | Out Now! Click here to listen: https://unoau.unmissions.org/podcast-series-she-stands-peace
United Nations Special Coordinator for Lebanon, Ms. Joanna Wronecka, warmly welcomed today the handover of letters delineating the maritime boundary between Lebanon and Israel following successful US mediation, under the leadership of Special Presidential Coordinator Amos Hochstein.
“This is a historic achievement at many levels. I hope it will serve as a confidence-building measure that promotes more security and stability in the region and economic benefits...
<p>The United Nations is not aware of any biological weapons programmes in Ukraine, a senior official in the Office for Disarmament Affairs (<a href="https://www.un.org/disarmament/">UNODA</a>) reiterated on Thursday in a briefing to the Security Council. </p>
<p>Israel’s occupation is illegal and indistinguishable from a “settler-colonial” situation, which must end, as a pre-condition for Palestinians to exercise their right to self-determination, the UN’s independent expert on the occupied Palestinian territory <a href="https://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2022/10/dismantling-israels-ille... target="_blank">said on Thursday</a>.</p>
<p>The growing threat posed by new and emerging technologies to global security is the focus of a special meeting of the UN Security Council <a href="https://www.un.org/securitycouncil/ctc/">Counter-Terrorism Committee</a>, which opens on Friday in India. </p>
<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>The United Nations Security Council <a href="https://www.un.org/securitycouncil/ctc/">Counter-Terrorism Committee</a> holds a special meeting in Mumbai and New Delhi beginning on Friday, focused on the growing threat posed by new and emerging technologies.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p>
