The Security Council decided today to extend until 31 March 2020 the mandate of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNSOM), as previously set out in resolution 2158 (2014), and requested the Mission to maintain and strengthen its presence throughout the country, as the security situation allows.Unanimously adopting resolution 2461 (2019), the Council urged the Federal Government of...
Mr. President,
During the 1973 Arab-Israeli war, the Syrian Arab Army crossed the 1967 ceasefire-line on the Golan, known as the Purple Line, initially gaining territory. In a swift counter-attack, Israeli Defense Forces re-captured the lost ground and advanced further, crossing the 1967 ceasefire line and occupying a salient portion of Syrian territory. The conflict quickly reached an unstable stalemate with tensions remaining high for months.
Following US-led diplomatic efforts, on 31 May 1974, Israel and Syria signed the Disengagement of Forces Agreement between Israel and Syria. On the same day, the Security Council welcomed the Disengagement of Forces Agreement and, through Security Council resolution 350 (1974), in accordance with the Protocol to the Disengagement Agreement, established UNDOF.
The situation in the Golan remained generally calm until 2011, when fighting between the Syrian armed forces and armed opposition groups began. In 2018, the Syrian Government re-established full control of the area known as the Bravo Side, thus re-establishing a status quo ante. Throughout this period, Israel has periodically stressed the critical importance of the Golan to its security.
On 25 March 2019, US President Donald Trump signed an official proclamation recognizing Israel’s sovereignty over the occupied Syrian Golan. The Secretary-General has taken note of this development, including Member States’ reactions to the US decision.
Let me reiterate the Secretary-General’s statement that the UN position on the Golan is known and clear. That position is reflected in the relevant Security Council and General Assembly resolutions, notably Security Council resolutions 242 (1967) and 497 (1981).
We hope that the recent developments will not be used as an excuse by anyone to pursue actions that could undermine the relative stability of the situation on Golan and beyond. We will continue to closely monitor developments on the ground and will keep the Council informed, as appropriate.
Thank you, Mr. President.
Eight years ago this month, the Syria conflict began, leading to a humanitarian crisis that remains “far from over”, the UN Security Council heard on Wednesday. 11.7 million need humanitarian assistance and protection, and more than 5.6 million Syrians are living as refugees across the region.
UN human rights staff in Yemen are investigating an apparent airstrike on a hospital in opposition-held territory which reportedly killed at least seven civilians on Tuesday, amid fears that cholera is spreading “like wildfire”, one of the organization’s senior humanitarian officials has warned.
Mr. President and Members of the Council.
Earlier this month, the Syrian conflict entered its ninth year – there have been eight long, horrendous years of suffering by the Syrian people. And it seems far from over.
The Secretary-General has watched, with great concern, the situation in Idlib deteriorate in recent weeks amid escalating violence. We’ve seen reports of exchanges of artillery and mortars; of airstrikes, some reported to have hit civilian targets, causing civilian casualties and further displacement of tens of thousands. There are reports of rocket attacks and cross-line raids by HTS which have resulted in casualties among government soldiers and civilians. The United Nations is worried about the strain this escalation has placed on the Memorandum of Understanding between Russia and Turkey that, since September 2018, has largely contained the scope of military operations in the area. We hope the recently announced coordinated patrols by Russia and Turkey will help avoid further escalation in the northwest, and urge them to uphold their agreed arrangements for Idlib and press all concerned to halt violence and stabilize a dangerous situation.
We also call on the guarantors to work together to address the issue of Security Council-listed terrorist groups in full compliance with international humanitarian law. This is essential to avoid mass displacement, and yet another humanitarian catastrophe from unfolding.
Last week, the Syrian Democratic Forces, backed by the US-led international coalition, proclaimed the capture of Baghouz, the last remaining territory held by ISIL in Syria. This is an important advance in combatting terrorist groups, who have inflicted untold misery on countless victims. Much work remains, however, to fully address ISIL’s threat. Meanwhile, thousands, mostly women and children, are fleeing counter-ISIL operations in Deir ez Zor and have found their way to al Hol camp in Hasakah province. More than 140 people have died on the road or shortly after arriving at al Hol camp. There is a desperate need to maintain and ramp up the response to meet the humanitarian and protection needs of some 72,000 people there, with thousands more expected to arrive.
In the northeast, the United Nations is strongly encouraging international diplomatic efforts to ensure military escalation is avoided at all costs. Any escalation in the northeast could lead to devastating consequences for civilians and could create conditions conducive for ISIL’s re-emergence.
I reiterate the Secretary-General’s reminder to the international community, counter-terrorism operations cannot override the responsibilities to protect civilians.
You will soon hear from my OCHA colleague, but I add my own call for sustained and unimpeded delivery of humanitarian relief to civilians throughout Syria. But, in particular, to Rukban, where the United Nations last delivered assistance in mid-February. We have had reports that other commercial routes have been cut leaving the settlement’s inhabitants in an even more vulnerable position. The United Nations is working with all parties to find a durable solution, including relocation of the settlement’s residents to their areas of origin or of their choosing.
A durable solution can only succeed through a carefully planned, principled approach that ensures respect for core protection standards. It requires constructive engagement and coordination by all parties involved—the Syrian government, the armed opposition group present in the settlement, Russia, the United States, and Jordan. Meanwhile, the United Nations is awaiting approval from the government for humanitarian access for a third convoy of life-saving assistance. I urge all parties to cooperate constructively and with the sense of urgency that these humanitarian issues deserve.
Mr. President,
Sustained de-escalation towards an eventual nation-wide ceasefire and tangible improvements for Syrian lives are essential for a credible political process that can achieve the full implementation of Security Council resolution 2254. In that regard, Special Envoy Pedersen has been seeking to advance the five goals outlined to this Council on 28 February. The goals are:
First: To begin and deepen a sustained dialogue with the Syrian government and the opposition on building trust and confidence towards a safe, calm and neutral environment;
Second: To see more concrete action on detainees, abductees and missing persons;
Third: To engage and involve a wide range of Syrians in the political process;
Fourth: To convene a credible, balanced and inclusive constitutional committee as soon as possible; and
Fifth: To help the international parties deepen their own dialogue towards the common purpose of a credible and sustainable political settlement of the Syrian conflict that can enjoy international legitimacy.
On the first goal, the Special Envoy held a second meeting with the Government of Syria in Damascus and a second meeting with the opposition Syrian Negotiations Commission in Riyadh. Both consultations have gone into depth on the issues covered in resolution 2254. No subject has been off limits and both parties welcome a broad-ranging dialogue. This kind of regular and deep engagement is necessary to identify concrete steps to build trust and confidence towards a safe, calm, and neutral environment.
Our second goal – concrete action on the release of detainees/abductees and the clarification of the fate of missing persons – was also raised in depth with the Government and the opposition. On 18 March in Moscow, the Office of the Special Envoy put forward a number of concrete suggestions to the Working Group on detainees, abductees, and missing persons, of which the United Nations is a member along with Iran, Russia, and Turkey. A key United Nations request was to move beyond one-for-one exchanges and focus on simultaneous release of unequal numbers, which was met with no objection from other members of the Working Group.
However, details about the next release operation, including numbers of those to be released, timing of the release, and monitoring of the release, still need to be worked out in close cooperation with the Syrian parties. Furthermore, the United Nations has proposed that the Working Group meets in Geneva in the near future. Ultimately, the Secretary-General wants these discussions to move from good words to good deeds, and see the release of as many detained persons as possible and clarify the fate of missing persons.
Progress on this file could build confidence that a new Syria is possible, especially for those that want to return. So many Syrian families have been affected and they yearn to see the issue meaningfully addressed.
Mr. President,
On the third goal, engagement continues to ensure that the priorities and voices of a broad range of Syrians – within Syria and across the diaspora - are included in the political process. Most recently, the United Nations heard the diverse voices of the Women’s Advisory Board and the Syrian civil society during the Brussels III conference. We heard about how the conflict has impacted their lives, but also about their strength and resilience in responding to the terrible needs wrought by this conflict. Such broad-based engagement, with all dimensions of Syrian society helps to strengthen Syrian ownership in shaping its future. These necessary, but difficult, discussions are a microcosm of the meaningful engagement required from both of the negotiating parties. The issues affecting Syrians, including obstacles preventing voluntary, safe and dignified returns, must be addressed. A political settlement that meets their needs and legitimate aspirations would help to advance this.
On the Constitutional Committee – the fourth goal to open the door to a broader political process – the discussions so far, including with the Government and the opposition, have led to an agreement, in principle, that a viable launch of a constitutional committee would require a set of understandings to regulate its work.
This would need to include understandings regarding the committee’s mandate, structure, voting and chairing arrangements, the United Nations facilitation role, and assurances regarding the safety and security of all constitutional committee participants. Discussions are also continuing to facilitate the finalization of the “middle third” list of committee members. There are no artificial deadlines, but the Special Envoy hopes now to be able to move forward as soon as possible to convene a credible, balanced, inclusive and viable constitutional committee under United Nations auspices in Geneva. We must remain committed to seeking to a minimum of 30 percent women’s representation on the committee.
The fifth goal is to improve international dialogue and cooperation on Syria. The situations in Idlib, Rukban and al-Hol, the uncertainty over the north-east, and the potential for regional escalation all underscore the need for such continuous cooperation. We must avoid misunderstandings and actions that could escalate matters.
In this regard, the Secretary-General has taken note of the developments regarding the occupied Syrian Golan. The United Nations position is determined by the Security Council and General Assembly resolutions on this issue. The efforts of the United Nations to facilitate a political process in Syria in accordance with resolution 2254 will continue to fully uphold the principles of Syria’s sovereignty, unity, independence and territorial integrity.
Finally,
We welcome the generosity expressed by the donors at the Brussels conference in their record pledges to support the Syrian people and the wide expressions of support by all attendees for a political settlement for Syria under United Nations auspices.
As the Secretary-General reminded us on the grim anniversary of this conflict, it is a moral obligation and a political imperative for the international community to support Syrians to unite around a vision that addresses the root causes of the conflict and forges a negotiated political solution in accordance with this Council’s own resolution 2254.
Thank you, Mr. President.
The UN’s outgoing Special Envoy for Africa’s Great Lakes region on Tuesday said countries there had made “important steps towards durable peace and stability” in the last 20 years, resulting in a region that is now “largely peaceful”.
Training gender advisors and focal points in the Central African Republic (CAR) has earned a Brazilian United Nations peacekeeper a special gender advocate award, it was announced on Tuesday.
Mr. President,
Distinguished members of the Council,
J’ai l’honneur de présenter le rapport du Secrétaire général sur la mise en oeuvre de l'Accord‑cadre pour la paix, la sécurité et la coopération pour la République démocratique du Congo et la région, communément appelé « l'Accord-cadre », qui porte sur la période allant de septembre 2018 à février 2019.
Je tiens tout d’abord à saluer l'évolution positive que la région a connue dernièrement, en particulier la tenue d’élections pacifiques en République démocratique du Congo ; la signature de l’Accord revitalisé sur le règlement du conflit en République du Soudan du Sud sous les auspices de l’Autorité intergouvernementale pour le développement (IGAD) ; et l’accord de paix entre le Gouvernement de la République centrafricaine et 14 groupes armés facilité par l'Initiative africaine pour la paix et la réconciliation de l’Union africaine, ainsi que les efforts actuellement déployés pour consolider ces acquis.
Par ailleurs, je voudrais faire le point sur certaines initiatives importantes que mon Bureau a menées avec détermination au cours de la période considérée, en collaboration avec les autres Garants de l'Accord-cadre.
Firstly, as a follow up to the decision of the 8th Summit of the Regional Oversight Mechanism (ROM) held in October 2017 in Brazzaville, the protracted presence of disarmed FDLR combatants located in transit camps in the DRC was decisively addressed and resolved. As a result of efforts of the Follow-Up Mechanism facilitated by my Office, 98 former FDLR combatants and their dependents were voluntarily repatriated from the DRC to Rwanda, as well as 80 ex-M23 elements and dependents from the camp in Uganda and one ex-M23 from Rwanda to the DRC. Moreover, building on the momentum created by the Follow-up Mechanism, in November 2108, all FDLR camps in eastern DRC were closed by the Congolese authorities and 1,634 disarmed FDLR and dependents were successfully repatriated to Rwanda through bilateral arrangements.
This shows that progress can be made even on the most protracted issue when political will is displayed by the leaders of the region. I seize this opportunity to commend the three countries concerned, the DRC, Uganda and Rwanda, for their commitment and cooperation. I encourage them to sustain this positive momentum to conclude the repatriation of the remaining ex-M23 members in camps in Rwanda and Uganda. It will also be important to monitor and support the effective reintegration of the former combatants into civilian life.
Secondly, during the 9th ROM Summit, leaders of the region stressed the need to strengthen existing security and confidence building mechanisms and to explore avenues to further strengthen the bounds of friendship and cooperation between the core counties of the region. Accordingly, we have been working assiduously with ICGLR towards supporting the operationalisation of these mechanisms, notably the Joint Follow-up Mechanism on the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) and the Expanded Joint Verification Mechanism (EJVM), as important platforms to exchange information and enhance regional cooperation on the neutralization of negative forces. I have also been encouraging leaders, including during my most recent meetings with President Sassou Nguesso of the Republic of Congo, President Museveni of Uganda, President Lourenco of Angola and AU Commission Chairperson Faki, to assist in defusing current tensions between some core countries of the region. In this regard, I welcome the recent initiatives taken by some leaders.
Thirdly, in extended consultations with all stakeholders, we have been highlighting the urgency of addressing the protracted refugee crisis in the region and promoting a common regional approach on this important issue. These efforts culminated in the holding on 7 March of a Ministerial meeting on the refugee situation in the Great Lakes region which I co-chaired together with the Prime Minister of Uganda and the Executive Secretary of the ICGLR. The Ministers stressed the importance of addressing the drivers and root causes of forced displacement, noting that over 4 million out of the 6.3 million refugees on the African continent originate from countries in the Great Lakes region. They reviewed options for durable solutions, including local integration of refugees in host communities. ICGLR was further requested to develop a Regional Strategy and action plan for durable solutions for the region.
Mr. President,
Since this will be my last briefing as Special Envoy for the Great Lakes region, allow me to use this opportunity to take stock of progress and challenges encountered during my tenure.
Indeed, since the 1990s and early 2000s, the region has made important steps towards durable peace and stability. Despite persisting insecurity in eastern DRC, the Central African Republic and South Sudan, the region today is largely peaceful. Where cross-border clashes frequently occurred, differences between member states are now mostly addressed through dialogue, albeit not always conclusively. Serious efforts have been initiated to promote regional cooperation and socio-economic integration which need to be vigorously sustained and supported by international partners.
This progress notwithstanding, the continued presence of negative forces in eastern DRC perpetuates insecurity and mistrust between some countries. Allegations of support by governments of the region or their proxies to such groups, and of cross-border interferences continue to threaten cordial relations and stability. They are compounded by the continuing illegal exploitation and trade of natural resources. The re-emergence of tensions between some countries of the region have further hampered efforts to yield the full potential of cooperation.
These issues require our sustained attention. Greater regional cooperation will be necessary to effectively neutralize the negative forces operating in eastern DRC and transform natural resources into vehicles of shared prosperity. In addition to strengthening existing confidence building mechanisms, there is a continued need to create opportunities for dialogue between the concerned countries to address differences where they exist and strengthen the trust and cooperation between them.
Politically, significant opportunities for consolidating regional peace and stability have emerged, including with the recent developments in the DRC, South Sudan, and the Central African Republic. In this regard, I welcome the recent visits by President Tshisekedi to the countries of the region in efforts to strengthen ties with his country.
This progress, however, remains fragile. We need to capitalize on the opportunities and not waver in our support to the respective parties to live up to their responsibilities.
In the DRC, sustained efforts are required to ensure differences across political parties are addressed and consensus is promoted on ways to achieve peace and development throughout the country.
On Burundi, we need to provide continued support to the East African Community to promote effective decisions on next steps in the facilitation process to ensure a peaceful and inclusive political process towards elections in 2020, in full respect of the Arusha Peace Agreement.
Recognizing these continuing challenges, and in line with the Roadmap which I developed after assuming function as Special Envoy and which you endorsed, I have focused my engagement on key priority areas to support the signatory countries in the implementation of the PSC Framework in the following ways.
First: Strengthening regional ownership of the implementation process.
Upon assuming my function, I realised that the Summit meetings of the Regional Oversight Mechanism held regularly on the margins of the AU Summit and the UN General Assembly were facing diminishing interest and participation by leaders of the signatory countries. In efforts to reinvigorate this mechanism as a forum for regular exchange between the leaders and as the main vehicle to govern the implementation of the PSC Framework, I recommended that the Summit be held in the region, convened and chaired by one of the signatory countries on rotational basis.
Since the endorsement of this reform initiative by the Heads of State in 2016, the chair of the Regional Oversight Mechanism has been held by the Heads of State of Angola, the Republic of Congo, and Uganda successively. The next Summit of the Mechanism is scheduled to be hosted in the DRC in October 2019, followed by Zambia in 2020. The reform was successful in promoting renewed interest and ownership of the signatory countries in the PSC Framework implementation process. The annually rotating responsibility affords the respective chair an opportunity to provide leadership in addressing key outstanding issues related to the regional commitments under the PSC Framework.
Second: Maintaining regional and international focus on the need to strengthen cooperation against the negative forces and build confidence between countries.
On all occasions, I have encouraged opportunities for dialogue between the concerned leaders to address differences where they exist and promote cooperation, most notably on the neutralization of negative forces. This is particularly important in light of persisting mistrust and tensions between some countries of the region. As a result of these engagements, the 9th ROM Summit in October 2018 in Kampala reviewed in a closed-door session the issues that contributed to mistrust between some of the leaders and reflected on ways to resolve them. The Summit asked President Sassou Nguesso and President Museveni to take initiatives in this regard. I am encouraged by ongoing efforts by leaders of the region to help address causes of tensions and promote dialogue in the region. International partners should stand ready to support these engagements in a concerted manner.
Third: Promoting regional cohesion and international attention on the situations in the DRC and Burundi.
Recognizing the importance of political stability at the national level for regional stability, and in line with my mandate, support to peaceful, credible and inclusive political and dialogue processes has been one of my key priorities and a major area of political engagement.
I had been given the opportunity from April to June 2015, to promote a promising dialogue process between the parties in Burundi which had it been effectively supported by all, could have provided the Burundian stakeholders a better forum to address their differences. In the DRC, I was initially requested to explore avenues for the UN to facilitate dialogue.
In addition to frequent visits to the DRC and Burundi to encourage commitment to dialogue and compromise, I promoted a concerted regional and international approach to the situations in these countries. I also facilitated joint action of the Guarantor institutions, which resulted in the holding of six ministerial level meetings as well as a joint visit to Kinshasa in May 2017 to engage national stakeholders on the need for inclusive dialogue.
The role of the Special Envoy, working in collaboration with the SRSG and Head of MONUSCO and the Special Envoy for Burundi, will continue to be critical in highlighting the importance of peaceful and inclusive political processes in the region and promoting sustained concerted support to countries concerned.
Fourth: Situating women’s participation in peace and political processes at the centre of advocacy efforts.
I am pleased with the momentum we have achieved in promoting women’s participation in political and peace processes in the region through strengthened advocacy with the support of the Advisory Board of the Women’s Platform for the PSC Framework. Effective follow-up to the joint UN-AU-ICGLR solidarity missions to Burundi, the Central African Republic, the DRC, and South Sudan, and implementation of the decisions of the Gender Ministers meeting held in Uganda in November 2018 is now required. I call on the Council to support the region in efforts to achieve a minimum quota of 30 per cent women’s representation in political and peace processes by 2020 in the lead up to the 20th anniversary of Resolution 1325 (2000).
Fifth: Encouraging a political conversation on ways to transform natural resources into vehicles of shared prosperity.
In view of the lack of tangible progress in curbing the illicit exploitation and trade of natural resources and addressing their role in fuelling insecurity and building on the efforts by ICGLR, signatory countries agreed to our proposal to initiate a political dialogue on ways to transform the exploitation of natural resources into a driver of peace and shared prosperity. Consultations to this effect have been initiated with the concerned countries.
Sixth: Promoting rule of law and respect for human rights.
Recognizing the centrality of respect for human rights, I am pleased with the operationalization of the Great Lakes Judicial Cooperation Network which supports collaboration between prosecutors and judicial authorities in the region on cross-border crimes and serious human rights violations. In efforts to further foster political commitment to advance the fight against impunity, I am pleased to announce that my office is co-organising together with the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and ICGLR a high-level conference on justice and good governance in May in Nairobi. The support of the Council to this initiative would be much appreciated.
Monsieur le Président,
Permettez-moi de conclure en remerciant le Conseil de l'appui qu'il m'a apporté au cours de mon mandat. J'espère sincèrement que les partenaires régionaux et internationaux continueront de collaborer étroitement en faveur de l'instauration d'une paix durable et de la prospérité partagée dans la région des Grands Lacs.
Je vous remercie de votre attention.
With Yemen now in its fifth year of conflict between pro-Government forces and Houthi rebels, the UN World Food Programme (WFP) is calling for “unhindered access” to the most desperate areas in the frontline regions “to prevent the food security situation deteriorating”.
Mali’s authorities have been urged by the UN to provide justice for the victims and survivors of attacks by so-called self-defence groups, responsible for horrific intercommunal violence in central Mali, after a weekend assault that claimed the lives of more than 150 people, including some 50 children.
Against a backdrop of rising tensions in Israel and Palestine, the UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East, painted a bleak picture once again in the Security Council on Tuesday, cataloguing further terrorist acts, attacks against civilians, reprisals against demonstrators, unlawful demolitions and settlement expansions, and a funding crisis which could have dramatic consequences for the stability of an already volatile region.
The UN Secretary-General said he was “gravely concerned” by the firing of a rocket from Gaza deep into Israel on Monday which reportedly injured seven people, including three children, north of the capital Tel Aviv.
The United Nations has strongly condemned the armed attack on a village in restive central Mali which reportedly left at least 134 people dead and dozens wounded early on Saturday.
United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has welcomed the establishment in the Central African Republic (CAR) of a government in line with an early February peace deal struck with more than a dozen armed groups active in the country.
In the wake of a horrific mass shooting at two New Zealand mosques, UN Secretary-General António Guterres has announced his intention to launch a UN action plan for the safeguarding of religious sites, declaring that “mosques and all places of prayer and contemplation should be safe havens, not sites of terror.”
With Chad at a crossroads of life-threatening challenges ranging from violence to drought, the United Nations and its humanitarian partners appealed on Thursday for $476 million to support the most vulnerable of 4.3 million people relying on aid in the African country.
A lack of safe water, is far deadlier for children than war in more than a dozen conflict-affected countries, the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) said on Thursday, in a report launched to coincide with World Water Day, marked on 22 March.
Peacekeepers from Malaysia serving under the United Nations flag in Lebanon face a “a totally new experience” according to the commander of the Malaysian contingent in the country.
A United Nations appeals court on Wednesday increased the 40-year sentence initially imposed on Radovan Karadžić, former leader of the Republika Srpksa region of Bosnia and head of the Bosnian-Serb Army, to life imprisonment.
Predicting that the “days ahead will prove foundational to the years ahead for Libyans and the region”, the top United Nations official in the country told the Security Council on Wednesday, that it was no exaggeration to describe the oil-rich nation as having reached “a crucial juncture”.
The election of President Felix Tshisekedi in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), marks “an extraordinary opportunity” for the country to advance civil and political rights, said a senior UN official, on Tuesday at the Human Rights Council in Geneva.
Following constructive discussions with both parties, there is significant progress towards an agreement to implement phase one of the redeployments of the Hudayda agreement. Operational details will be presented to the parties in the Redeployment Coordination Committee (RCC) for endorsement shortly.
The Special Envoy welcomes the progress made by the parties and looks forward to the swift endorsement of the plan by...
Human Rights Council-appointed investigators urged Israel on Monday to revise its military rules of engagement, shortly before the one-year anniversary of the start of mass demonstrations at the country’s border fence with Gaza, that have left hundreds of Palestinians dead and thousands more injured.
Despite the relatively peaceful passage of December’s presidential election in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), the UN Special Representative to the country told the Security Council she “remained concerned” over developments in the east, where dozens of armed groups continue to operate.
The UN’s Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process has strongly condemned the violent response by security forces in the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip during the past three days, towards Palestinian protests over the deteriorating economic situation there.
Governments across the world have a “moral obligation” to help Syrians “unite around a vision for their common future”, finally bringing an end to eight years of brutal conflict, said the UN Secretary-General on Friday.
The Co-Chairs of the Geneva International Discussions welcome the reopening of crossings points on 15 March. However, they also reiterate their conviction that the closure was not justified. They had made this position clear through continuous engagement since the first day of the closure on 12 January, as well as at the Ergneti IPRM meeting on 8 February and during their meetings in Tskhinvali on 12 March.
The Co-Chairs have taken note of the public health concerns voiced and, for this reason, have referred to the World Health Organization (WHO), which is the competent international body on such issues. The WHO’s position is that closing crossing points offers no health benefits. Therefore, the Co-Chairs have on numerous occasions restated their firm view that freedom of movement as a basic human right should always be upheld. They have stressed in particular the impact of the closure on people’s lives and have expressed the hope that in any future similar situation both the IPRM and the hotline would be fully used in order to avoid imposing undue hardship on the population.
On the occasion of the first anniversary of the Rome II ministerial conference held on 15 March 2018 under the auspices of the International Support Group for Lebanon and the chairmanship of the United Nations and the Government of Italy, United Nations Special Coordinator for Lebanon Jan Kubis reflected on Lebanon’s commitment to strengthening the security, stability and sovereignty of the country and continuing relevance of the International community’s support to Lebanon as...
The UN Secretary-General António Guterres has urged the international community to ‘stand united against anti-Muslim hatred’ following a mass shooting in New Zealand on Friday targeting two mosques, which has left at least 49 dead and many others wounded, some critically.
