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UNDER-SECRETARY-GENERAL ROSEMARY A. DICARLO
REMARKS TO THE SECURITY COUNCIL ON
UKRAINE
New York, 21 OCTOBER 2022
Mr. President,
The situation for civilians in Ukraine remains dire.
As of 18 October, the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights has recorded 15,956 civilian casualties: 6,322 killed and 9,634 injured since 24 February 2022. At least 397 children have been killed in the war since 24 February. The actual figures are likely considerably higher.
In a recent and concerning development, the Russian Federation launched a series of attacks against cities and towns across the country.
On the morning of 10 October, Russian armed forces reportedly launched missiles and drones, killing at least 20 civilians and injuring over 100, including in Kyiv, Dnipro and Zaporizhzhia. Many civilian objects – including dozens of residential buildings and critical civilian infrastructure – were damaged.
In total, between 10 and 18 October, at least 38 Ukrainian civilians were reportedly killed and at least 117 injured by missile and drone attacks.
In addition to immediate loss of life, the United Nations is gravely concerned about the destruction of critical energy infrastructure, such as power plants. According to the Ukrainian government, 30 per cent of energy facilities have been hit since 10 October.
Combined with soaring gas and coal prices, the deprivation caused by these attacks threatens to expose millions of civilians to extreme hardship and even life-endangering conditions this winter.
To be clear: under international humanitarian law, attacks targeting civilians and civilian infrastructure are prohibited. So are attacks against military objectives that may be expected to cause harm to civilians that would be excessive in relation to the concrete and direct military advantage anticipated.
Mr. President,
The United Nations continues to support all efforts towards accountability. It is essential that the OHCHR be given complete and unimpeded access to all areas of Ukraine to continue its crucial work.
For its part, the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine submitted its report to the General Assembly this week.
The document states that there are reasonable grounds to conclude that war crimes and violations of human rights and international humanitarian law have been committed in Ukraine since 24 February 2022.
The Commission stated that Russian troops were responsible for the vast majority of the violations identified. The Commission also stated that Ukrainian armed forces have committed international humanitarian law violations in some cases, including two incidents that qualify as war crimes.
According to the Commission, relentless use of explosive weapons with wide-area effects in populated areas has killed and injured scores of civilians and devastated entire neighborhoods.
Additionally, the Commission documented patterns of summary executions, unlawful confinement, torture, ill-treatment, rape and other sexual violence committed in areas occupied by Russian armed forces.
The impact of these violations on the people in Ukraine is immense - and so is the need for accountability. In this regard, the Commission called for a sound coordination of the multiple national and international accountability initiatives in Ukraine.
Accountability remains crucial as new allegations of atrocities have emerged in areas that have recently returned to Ukrainian Government control.
We must not let impunity prevail.
Mr. President,
We welcome the announcement on Monday of another exchange of prisoners of war between Ukraine and the Russian Federation. 110 Russian captives were exchanged for 108 Ukrainians. This was the first exchange in which all freed Ukrainians were women – among them civilians, military personnel and national and border guards.
Building on the constructive spirit of the prisoner exchanges, I want to reiterate the Secretary-General’s appeal to the Russian Federation to grant full access to the International Committee of the Red Cross to all prisoners of war, in accordance with international humanitarian law.
Mr. President,
The global impact of the war in Ukraine is substantial and growing. The UN has detailed its impact on food security, energy and finance.
The Black Sea Grain Initiative has helped to bring down food prices and stabilize and subsequently lower global food prices and move grain from one of the world’s breadbaskets to those in need. As of 19 October, the total tonnage of grain and other foodstuffs exported through the initiative had reached almost 8 million metric tons.
To maintain food security worldwide, it is critical that the initiative be extended beyond November.
It is equally critical that there be unimpeded access to Russian food and fertilizers. The United Nations will spare no effort to achieve greater food security for all populations.
Mr. President,
We are on a path of further escalation, which can only cause more suffering to the people of Ukraine, Russia, and the rest of the world. This trajectory must be reversed.
Any suggestion of the possible use of nuclear or other nonconventional weapons only serves to further heighten tensions and could lead to a dangerous spiral.
Any further damage to the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant – whether intentional or by accident – could have catastrophic consequences. Any military activity against, from or near the site, must cease immediately.
Mr. President,
The General Assembly has been clear. Last week, it stated that the referendums held in regions of Ukraine that are or have been under the temporary military control of the Russian Federation and the subsequent attempted illegal annexations of these regions have “no validity under international law and do not form the basis for any alteration of the status of these regions of Ukraine.”
This week, the Russian Federation announced the introduction of martial law in the regions of Ukraine under its temporary military control and that it has attempted to illegally annex. This decision, combined with the announced evacuation in Kherson amid intensified fighting on the ground, raises serious concerns.
Mr. President,
The General Assembly also expressed strong support for the de-escalation of the current situation and a peaceful resolution of the conflict through political dialogue, negotiation, mediation and other peaceful means, with respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine within its internationally recognized borders and in accordance with the principles of the Charter.
Indeed, an end to the war founded on international law and the Charter is the surest way to ensure that the tremendous suffering of civilians in Ukraine will cease.
Thank you.
<p>Russia’s military escalation in Ukraine will lead to more suffering worldwide and must be reversed, said the UN’s political affairs chief on Friday, adding that further talk of possible nuclear weapons use could lead to a “dangerous spiral”.</p>
<p>The UN human rights office, OHCHR, on Friday appealed for calm and restraint in Chad following a deadly crackdown on anti-government protests</p>
<p>The UN <a href="https://www.un.org/securitycouncil/">Security Council </a>on Friday unanimously approved a sanctions regime for Haiti, targeting gang leaders and those who finance them, in the hope of easing months of violence and lawlessness which has fuelled a major humanitarian crisis.</p>
<p>Protecting women’s rights and promoting greater inclusion is a proven strategy for peace and stability, UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed told the Security Council on Thursday. </p>
<p>Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territory is unlawful under international law due to its permanence and the Israeli government’s de facto annexation policies, a UN-appointed Commission of Inquiry said in its first report, published on Thursday. </p>
<p>Support from UN peacekeepers serving with the mission in the Central African Republic, MINUSCA, has proven decisive in protecting civilians alongside Government efforts and amid widespread continuing insecurity, said the UN Special Representative for the country on Wednesday, briefing the Security Council.</p>
<p>The Director of the World Health Organization (WHO) urged the international community and the media on Wednesday to give the crisis in Ethiopia “the attention it deserves”.</p>
She Stands For Peace | Season 3-Episode 8 | Out Now! Click here to listen: https://unoau.unmissions.org/podcast-series-she-stands-peace
<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>The Independent Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine, presented its <a href="https://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2022/10/un-commission-has-found-... detailed written report</a> to the UN General Assembly on Tuesday, which concludes that there are reasonable grounds to believe “an array” of war crimes, violations of international human rights and humanitarian law have been committed.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p>
<p>The situation in Mali continues to justify sustained international attention and engagement, the top UN official in the West African country told the Security Council on Tuesday. </p>
<p>Parties to the conflict in the Tigray region of Ethiopia must cease all hostilities immediately and work towards a peaceful and lasting solution, the newly appointed UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, appealed on Tuesday. </p>
<p>Thousands of severely malnourished boys and girls in Somalia are at risk of dying, the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) warned on Tuesday, urging donors to step up support amid historic drought. </p>
<p class="x"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>Fighting in the Tigray region of Ethiopia is “spiralling out of control”, and there is no military solution to end nearly two years of brutal conflict which has left tens of thousands reportedly dead, while the “social fabric, is being ripped apart”.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p>
<p><span><span><span><span lang="EN-US" lang="EN-US" lang="EN-US"><span>As the number of children reportedly killed by Iranian security forces in relation to ongoing protests rises to at least 23, the </span></span><span><span><a href="https://www.ohchr.org/en/treaty-bodies/crc">UN Committee on the Rights of the Child</a></span></span><span lang="EN-US" lang="EN-US" lang="EN-US"><span> issued a statement on Monday condemning the killings, noting that hundreds more have been injured, detained and tortured during the Government crackdown.</span></span></span></span></span></p>
<p>A political solution in Haiti continues to be elusive, and on its own is no longer sufficient to address the crisis and save thousands of lives that otherwise will be lost, the UN Special Representative in the country warned the Security Council on Monday.</p>
New York, 17 October 2022
As we mark the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty, we face a harsh truth: the world is moving backwards.
COVID-19 plunged millions into poverty, setting back more than four years of hard-won progress. Inequalities are widening. National and household economies are battered by job losses, skyrocketing food and energy prices, and the gathering...
<p>The UN’s deputy relief chief <a href="https://www.unocha.org/story/un-secretary-general-appoints-joyce-msuya-a... target="_blank">Joyce Msuya</a> stressed on Sunday that life-saving humanitarian assistance and protection in Yemen must be ramped up to protect the lives of millions of vulnerable people across the war-ravaged country.</p>
<p>The UN Secretary-General <a href="https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/sg/statement/2022-10-15/statement-attri... a statement on Saturday</a> expressing grave concern over the escalation of fighting in the Tigray region of Ethiopia, where Government troops and separatist forces have been locked in conflict since November 2020.</p>
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<p>An unrelenting series of crises has trapped vulnerable Haitians in a cycle of growing desperation, without access to food, fuel, markets, jobs and public services, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) warned on Friday.</p>
<p>An unrelenting series of crises has trapped vulnerable Haitians in a cycle of growing desperation, without access to food, fuel, markets, jobs and public services, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) warned on Friday.</p>
<p><span><span>New uncertainty and “a heightened risk of war” now prevails across Yemen, following the end of a long truce which brought significant dividends, the UN Special Envoy Hans Grundberg told the Security Council on Thursday.</span></span></p>
New York, 13 October 2022
Climate disasters are hurting countries and economies like never before.
Ever-rising greenhouse gas emissions are supercharging extreme weather events across the planet.
I saw first-hand the devastation unleashed by the recent floods in Pakistan.
These increasing...
ASSISTANT SECRETARY-GENERAL MARTHA AMA A. POBEE
REMARKS TO THE SECURITY COUNCIL ON
THREATS TO INTERNATIONAL PEACE AND SECURITY:
CLIMATE AND SECURITY IN AFRICA
New York, 12 October 2022
Excellences,
Mesdames et Messieurs,
Je voudrais remercier le Gabon d'avoir organisé ce débat et son Excellence, le Ministre des Affaires étrangères Michaël Moussa-Adamo, pour sa présidence de cette réunion, qui est opportune et importante.
The climate emergency is a danger to peace. And although there is no direct link between climate change and conflict, climate change exacerbates existing risks and creates new ones.
Africa, the continent with the lowest total greenhouse gas emissions, is seeing temperatures rising faster than the global average. Africa lies at the frontlines of the unfolding crisis.
From Dakar to Djibouti, desertification and land degradation drive competition for resources and erode livelihoods and food security for millions.
In the greater Horn of Africa, a devastating drought is forcing families to move far from their homes. In the Sahel, conflicts over resources are intensifying. Violent extremists are adeptly exploiting these for their own ends.
To support the African continent in addressing the impact of climate change on peace and security, we must act on multiple fronts. We can no longer afford to do business as usual.
Unquestionably, we need ambitious climate action, and accelerate the implementation of the Paris Agreement. We look to COP27 in Sharm el-Sheikh in November, an African-owned, African-focused COP, for meaningful commitments from the largest emitters. We cannot hope to achieve lasting peace if we do not meet our climate goals.
There are three additional priorities for action I would like to highlight today.
First, we need to increase our capacity for risk analysis and integrate a climate lens into our conflict prevention, peacemaking and peacebuilding efforts.
This requires more and better data. With the help of innovation partners, we are tapping into new tools to better understand climate projections and trends, in order to reinforce our analytical and early warning capacity.
In Central Africa, for instance, we are working to develop a satellite-powered dashboard to give new insights into water availability and have better understanding of the intersection of transhumance, climate change and conflict.
This kind of work would not be possible without Climate, Peace and Security Advisors deployed in climate vulnerable regions to boost the capacity of UN field missions.
Both our analysis and our resulting engagement must become more regionally-focused. Climate change knows no borders. Its implications for peace and security tend to be most prominent in borderland areas, which require cross-border resource-sharing or human mobility. Yet, existing peacebuilding efforts are often entirely based on single countries rather than reflective of this regional dimension.
It is time we change that. In Central Africa our regional office, UNOCA, earlier this year completed an assessment of the implications of climate change for peace and security across the region. Among its recommendations, the assessment stressed the need for systematic collaboration, cooperation and partnership on climate security at the subregional level. To this end, efforts to develop a shared subregional vision and governance framework to institutionalize joint responses and interventions in the subregion in the short, medium, and long term are needed. The office is now working with partners to support the development of a sub-regional climate change strategy by the Economic Community of Central African States.
And in West Africa, the UN Office for West Africa and the Sahel is working closely with the Economic Community of West African States on good practices to prevent herder-farmer conflicts region-wide, including through land tenure reform and public communication.
Second, our efforts to deliver peace and security must place people at the centre. We need to learn from those who experience daily, the consequences of climate change and leverage their expertise to develop effective climate change mitigation and adaptation strategies.
Women are particularly vulnerable to climate impacts. But they are also crucial agents of change. They often possess unique knowledge that can help decrease tensions and strengthen social cohesion, leading to more sustainable peace outcomes that benefit people.
In Niger, for instance, the Secretary-General’s Peacebuilding Fund has supported local land committees accompanied by women mediators that have helped resolve community conflicts related to land use and management of natural resources.
Youth, too, are key stakeholders driving innovative climate and peacebuilding action. We see their activism across Africa and have heard their testimony in this Chamber. The actions we take today to address the linkages between climate change, peace and security will shape their future.
Third, we must seize opportunities for climate action and peacebuilding to reinforce each other.
The Secretary-General has emphasized this repeatedly.
Peacebuilding and climate action share many of the same objectives, namely resilient, just, and inclusive societies. Coherent policies are good for climate and for peace.
In this connection, the UN Office for West Africa and the Sahel is expanding its capacity to advise partners on conflict sensitive climate mitigation and adaptation strategies. This engagement will help develop the mechanisms to ensure that investment in adaptation and resilience reaches those most vulnerable and affected by conflict.
The Peacebuilding Fund, too, is increasingly adopting a climate lens: Since 2017 the Fund has invested over USD 85 million in more than 40 climate-sensitive projects.
A review of Fund projects currently underway will provide valuable direction for future efforts.
Excellencies,
Vital to this ambitious agenda are multi-dimensional partnerships that connect the work of the United Nations, regional organizations, Member States, international financial institutions, civil society, the private sector, as well as international and local researchers.
The United Nations is committed to expanding existing partnerships and forging new ones.
We have established within our own system, the Climate Security Mechanism - a joint initiative between the Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, the Department of Peace Operations, the UN Environment Programme and the UN Development Programme - to more systematically address climate, peace and security risks.
Delivering on a commitment of international collaboration is a significant undertaking. It will require all of us to work together, in new and unprecedented ways.
We look to affected countries and regions to guide us in these efforts.
Africa’s leadership is essential.
Our response today does not match the magnitude of the challenge we are facing.
Let us move faster. We look forward to more partnerships and collaboration at all levels.
Je vous remercie.
<p>The head of the <a href="https://colombia.unmissions.org/en">UN Verification Mission in Colombia</a> told the Security Council on Wednesday that with the recent election of President Gustavo Petro, expectations were running high for progress towards the full and final implementation of a lasting peace deal, after decades of civil conflict.</p>
<p>African States are on the front line of the climate crisis, a senior UN official told the Security Council on Wednesday, but far more action is needed to turn the tide on rising emissions, and reduce global warming.</p>
<p>The <a href="https://www.un.org/en/ga/">UN General Assembly</a> passed a resolution by a large majority on Wednesday, calling on countries not to recognise the four regions of Ukraine which Russia has claimed, following so-called referendums held late last month, and demanding that Moscow reverse course on its "attempted illegal annexation".</p>
