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Reports and Policy Documents

2024

  • 2 Feb 2024

    The UN and the Government of Ethiopia have appealed for urgent funding to respond to rising hunger in the northern highlands region, the UN humanitarian affairs office, OCHA, reported on Friday.

  • 2 Feb 2024

    The UN agency assisting Palestine refugees (UNRWA) plays a “critical role” in delivering aid to civilians in the Gaza Strip and it is vital to restore international confidence in the agency, the United States Ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield said on Friday.

  • 1 Feb 2024

    Lifesaving aid operations in Gaza are “in peril” amid ongoing Israeli bombardment because of the funding crisis impacting the UN agency for Palestine refugees, UNRWA, top UN officials reiterated on Thursday.

  • 1 Feb 2024

    UN human rights chief Volker Türk expressed his shock on Thursday at credible reports alleging that Malian armed forces and foreign military personnel executed at least 25 people last week.

  • 31 jan 2024

    It’s another day of intense activity across the UN as the crisis in the Middle East stemming from the war in Gaza continues, both in the region and at UN Headquarters in New York. The Security Council is due to meet at the top of the hour to review the world court’s provisional ruling on genocide allegations, and the UN chief will brief the top UN committee on Palestinian rights with the latest on the struggle to stop the fighting and provide lifesaving humanitarian relief in Gaza. Follow lives updates here…

  • 31 jan 2024

    Deadly clashes and shelling continued in Khan Younis in southern Gaza overnight into Wednesday as top UN humanitarians and NGO chiefs warned of the “catastrophic consequences” of defunding UNRWA, the UN agency for Palestinian refugees facing allegations of collusion with Hamas.

  • 31 jan 2024

    Children in Gaza will likely lose at least a year of education, with the school year suspended, and classrooms closed or turned into shelters. Ziad Taleb, a correspondent for UN News, has been talking to teachers and children at a school in the central Gaza city of Deir al-Balah, which is overflowing with displaced people who have fled their homes in a desperate attempt to find safety.

  • 31 jan 2024

    On the third anniversary of the military coup in Myanmar, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres voiced grave concern over the deteriorating situation in the country.

  • 31 jan 2024

    The International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruled on Wednesday that Russia had violated global anti-terrorism and anti-racial discrimination treaties, but dismissed most of the charges Kyiv brought against Moscow stemming from its 2014 invasion of Ukraine.

  • 31 jan 2024

    Escalating armed violence in Haiti has triggered a profound humanitarian crisis, the UN Children’s Fund, UNICEF, warned on Wednesday. 

  • 31 jan 2024

    The war in Gaza has resulted in an unprecedented level of destruction to its economy which will take tens of billions of dollars and decades to reverse, UN trade and development body UNCTAD said in a new report on Wednesday. 

  • 31 jan 2024

    It has been another day of intense activity across the UN as the crisis in the Middle East stemming from the war in Gaza continues, both in the region and at UN Headquarters in New York. The Security Council reviewed the world court’s (ICJ) provisional ruling on genocide allegations, and the UN chief briefed the top UN committee on Palestinian rights, stressing that the relief agency, UNRWA, is the "backbone" of humanitarian operations in Gaza.

  • 31 jan 2024

    Children in Gaza will likely lose at least a year of education, with the school year suspended and classrooms closed or turned into shelters. Ziad Taleb, a correspondent for UN News, has been talking to teachers and children at a school in the central Gaza city of Deir Al-Balah, which is overflowing with displaced people who have fled their homes in a desperate attempt to find safety.

  • 31 jan 2024
     

    Youth  | UNFPA launches Somali Youth  ...

  • 30 jan 2024

    As the UN chief prepares to meet representatives from countries who donate to the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) late on Tuesday following allegations of collusion with Hamas, the UN health agency, WHO, reiterated that now was not the time to abandon the people of Gaza.

  • 30 jan 2024

    Donor funding cuts stemming from Israel’s allegations against a dozen staff members at the UN agency for Palestine refugees, UNRWA, will be felt within weeks, the UN Spokesperson said on Tuesday, as fears grow that consequences on the ground could contradict recent International Court of Justice (ICJ) orders for temporary measures to prevent “genocidal acts” in Gaza.

  • 30 jan 2024

    Three years after the military deposed the elected Government in Myanmar, the ever-deteriorating human rights crisis in the country is now in freefall, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights said on Tuesday, appealing for greater attention from the international community. 

  • 29 jan 2024

    Special Coordinator Wronecka Meets Lebanon's Caretaker minister of Information

    Amid a climate of...

  • 29 jan 2024

    Ongoing hostilities across the Gaza Strip have been “particularly intense” in the southern city of Khan Younis, UN humanitarians warned on Monday, as the UN agency for Palestinians, UNWRA, reported that its shelters were now four times over-capacity.

  • 29 jan 2024

    Five countries have been awarded for their efforts towards eliminating mass-produced trans fats in food, the World Health Organization (WHO) announced on Monday. 

  • 29 jan 2024

    The international community’s failure to execute warrants issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC) and subsequent lack of accountability are fuelling the violence stemming from the war between rival militaries in Sudan, ICC Prosecutor told the UN Security Council on Monday.

  • 29 jan 2024

    Continuing intercommunal clashes in the disputed Abyei region between Sudan and South Sudan have left more than 50 people dead including two peacekeepers, the UN said on Monday. 

  • 28 jan 2024

    TRIPOLI, 28 January 2024 -

    As part of UNSMIL’s efforts to engage all stakeholders, including political...

  • 28 jan 2024

    A humanitarian worker in Gaza has been documenting her struggles after being displaced on numerous occasions as she and her family flee ongoing bombardments by Israeli forces.

  • 27 jan 2024

    New York – United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres announced today the appointment of Raisedon Zenenga of Zimbabwe as his new Deputy Special...

  • 27 jan 2024

    Galkayo – For many children in Somalia, going to school and receiving a good education is still a dream out of their reach.

    More than three million Somali children are out of school. In many...

  • 26 jan 2024
    A brief roundup of United Nations-related political and peacebuilding events and developments around the world. 

    Two-state solution ‘only way to avoid endless cycles of fear, hatred, violence’, Secretary-General tells Security Council debate on Middle East 

    The Security Council met on 23-24 January to discuss the situation in the Middle East. Opening the meeting, the Secretary-General once again demanded the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages, called for rapid, safe, unhindered, expanded and sustained humanitarian access throughout Gaza and renewed his appeal for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire. He told the Council that a lasting end to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict can only come through a two-State solution. “Any refusal to accept the two-State solution by any party must be firmly rejected,” he said.  

    Read full remarks

    Special Representative Salvador appeals to Member States for timely deployment of Multinational Security Support mission

    Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of the UN Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH) María Isabel Salvador briefed the Security Council on 25 January. She reported that the country remains plagued by escalating violence — with an unprecedented surge in kidnappings, rapes and other crimes committed by armed gangs, which she said increasingly affects the livelihoods of people and undermines our humanitarian activities. Salvador said she will continue to encourage all Haitian stakeholders to effectively prepare for the deployment of the Multinational Security Support mission (MSS) and renewed her appeal to Member States to contribute generously to the non-UN operation.

    Read full remarks

    USG DiCarlo warns of "dangerous trajectory of the war" as attacks against Ukraine intensify

    Rosemary A. DiCarlo, Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, briefed the Security Council on 25 January on the downing of a Russian military aircraft in the Belgorod region on 24 January. In recent weeks, she said the scale and intensity of attacks against Ukraine have only grown, highlighting the dangerous trajectory of the war. DiCarlo emphasized the United Nations' inability to verify the reports or circumstances surrounding the crash, noting that both Russia and Ukraine are conducting separate investigations into the incident. “What is clear is that the incident took place in the context of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and ongoing war,” she said, urging all concerned to refrain from actions, rhetoric, or allegations to avoid further escalation. 

    Read full remarks

    Arria Formula: Member States emphasize comprehensive approaches to peacebuilding and sustaining peace

    On 22 January, the Permanent Missions of Japan, Guyana and Mozambique jointly hosted an Arria formula meeting of the Security Council on “Peacebuilding and Sustaining Peace through Comprehensive Approaches, Investment in People, including Empowerment of Women.” Assistant Secretary-General for the Middle East, Asia and the Pacific Khaled Khiari emphasized that the Secretary General’s “A New Agenda for Peace” provides recommendations for these comprehensive approaches. More than 50 Member States participated and reiterated the importance of national ownership and called for better coordination within the UN system. The implementation of the Women, Peace and Security Agenda was deemed inseparable to conflict prevention and sustaining peace. Many Member States stressed the importance of stronger coordination between the Peacebuilding Commission and the Security Council, recognizing the Peacebuilding Fund as a crucial tool for peacebuilding and prevention.

    UNAMA releases update on human rights situation in Afghanistan 

    This week, the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) released an update on the human rights situation in the country, covering October to December 2023. Instances of officials of the de facto Department for the Propagation of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice impeding women from working or accessing services because they were unmarried or did not have a male escort were recorded by the UN. The update also noted that the de facto authorities continue to implement corporal punishment in public places, usually announcing the punishments, and the crimes for which they were implemented, on social media. 

    Read full update

    Nurturing the future through education in Icononzo, Tolima  

    On 20 January, the UN Verification Mission in Colombia accompanied the "Plowing for Education" graduation ceremony, an initiative of the Norwegian Refugee Council and the Minister of National Education. The event took place in the rural area of the municipality of Icononzo, Tolima, in central Colombia. Fifteen students, including nine former combatants, successfully graduated with a high school diploma. During the ceremony, participants in the reintegration process showcased their productive projects, illustrating their commitment to enhancing their skills and economic opportunities.

    Special Coordinator Wronecka holds consultations with diplomatic community in Lebanon

    Joanna Wronecka, the Special Coordinator of the Secretary-General for Lebanon, held a round of meetings this week with ambassadors of the five permanent members and non-permanent members of the Security Council in addition to ambassadors of regional stakeholders to Lebanon’s security and stability, including Saudi Arabia and Iran. Discussions focused on the importance of preserving Lebanon’s security and stability in this period of regional turbulence, by encouraging the implementation of resolution 1701 and facilitating solutions to Lebanon’s institutional vacuums, notably the presidency.

    In her meeting with caretaker Deputy Prime Minister Saadeh Al Shami, the Special Coordinator discussed fiscal reforms, emphasizing enhanced revenue generation and strengthened social protections. This discussion comes amid Lebanon Parliament’s consideration of the Cabinet’s 2024 budget proposal. Wronecka reiterated the importance of moving forward critical financial and monetary reforms, especially those required by the International Monetary Fund (IMF). They also exchanged views on the impact of the ongoing skirmishes between Israel and Hizbullah across the Blue Line on Lebanon’s fragile economy. They explored ways to protect Lebanon and prevent further escalation.

    Special Envoy Grundberg engages in discussions in Riyadh on Yemen

    Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for Yemen Hans Grundberg held discussions this week in Riyadh. Among others, the Special Envoy discussed on 24 January with the Yemeni Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ahmed Bin Mubarak, current challenges and ways to protect recent progress towards a nationwide ceasefire, measures to improve the lives of people living in Yemen, and the resumption of an inclusive political process under UN auspices. He also met with the Saudi and Emirati Ambassadors to Yemen and the Ambassadors to Yemen of the Security Council’s five permanent members. During these meetings, he stressed the need to maintain a conducive environment for continued dialogue in Yemen and to sustain concerted regional and international support for Yemen.

    Special Representative Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert warns Iraq of escalating risks in the Middle East conflict 

    On 20 January, Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of the UN Assistance Mission in Iraq (UNAMI) Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert issued a statement noting that the Middle East is at a critical juncture, with the conflict raging in Gaza and armed action elsewhere threatening a major conflagration. Despite the Government’s efforts to prevent the escalation of tensions, continued attacks - originating from within and outside of Iraq’s borders - stand to undo the hard-won stability of the country and the achievements it has made in recent years. Hennis-Plasschaert stressed that Iraq’s stability and security are front and centre in all UN engagements, reiterating the appeal to all sides to exercise maximum restraint. 

    UNAMI Human Rights Office organizes national conference on journalistic reporting in Iraq, showcasing impactful training for women in media

    On 20 January, UNAMI’s Human Rights Office and the Iraqi Women Journalists’ Forum (IWJF) jointly organized a national conference on journalistic reporting inclusive of human rights and women’s rights. The event featured presentations of six reportages/videos created during IWJF-run trainings held in 2023 across Iraq, which delved into topics such as employment challenges in Heet city (Anbar Governorate), pollution in the Kufa river (Baghdad), violence against journalists, women candidates' election challenges, the situation of women detainees, and difficulties faced by children with special needs. The conference marked the conclusion of activities led by IWJF, supported by UNAMI’s Human Rights Office. Between 2022 and 2023, a total of 283 women journalists, bloggers, writers, and human rights defenders benefited from the trainings. 

    UNAMI initiatives address climate change through roundtable discussion and clean energy transition

    The UNAMI’s Human Rights Office hosted a roundtable in Mosul on 21 January, focusing on "Human Rights and Climate Change." The event identified climate challenges in Nineveh Governorate, emphasizing the need for improved policies and resources. Participants proposed actionable steps for local authorities and civil society.

    As part of the broader UN initiative against climate change, UNAMI is also actively reducing its carbon footprint in Iraq. UNAMI's solar power project, initiated in 2019, progressed from 11% to a goal of 50% clean energy consumption. It aims to generate over 5 Gigawatts annually, easing strain on the national grid. This multifaceted approach includes local initiatives, marking a significant stride towards a cleaner, greener future, as aligned with the Secretary-General's call for a fair, just, and urgent transition to clean energy.

    Learn more about the climate action initiatives

    Secretary-General appoints new DSRSG in Somalia

    On 26 January, the Secretary-General announced the appointment of Raisedon Zenenga of Zimbabwe as his new Deputy Special Representative in the UN Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNSOM). He has over 30 years of experience in the United Nations, including with United Nations missions in Liberia, Libya, Iraq-Kuwait, Sierra Leone, Somalia and South Sudan, as well as at the UN Headquarters.

    Read more

    Next Week

    The Security Council will discuss the UN Regional Centre for Preventive Diplomacy for Central Asia (UNRCCA) behind closed doors on 30 January. The Peacebuilding Commission (PBC) will hold an ambassadorial-level meeting on Women, Peace and Security on 31 January at 10 a.m. (Trusteeship Council Chamber). On 2 February, the PBC will hold a Formal Meeting (Conclusion of 2023 Chairpersonship and Induction of 2024 Chair) at 3 p.m. (CR1).

  • 26 jan 2024

    Secretary-General António Guterres has asked the head of the UN agency assisting Palestine refugees, UNRWA, to “swiftly” investigate “extremely serious allegations” that several agency staffers were involved in the 7 October terror attacks in southern Israel.

  • 26 jan 2024

    The International Court of Justice (ICJ) on Friday declared that Palestinians had a right to be protected from acts of genocide, calling on Israel to “take all measures within its power” to prevent such actions and allow the entry of desperately needed humanitarian aid into the war-shattered enclave.

  • 26 jan 2024

    Mass evacuation orders issued by the Israeli military to the people of Gaza continue to push them “into ever smaller areas” amid “ever-intensifying violence” in likely violation of international humanitarian law, the UN human rights office, OHCHR, said on Friday.

  • 26 jan 2024

    The UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Filippo Grandi, has warned of dramatic humanitarian suffering throughout Ukraine and worsening conditions as war-affected civilians suffer through the harsh winter.

  • 26 jan 2024

    The International Court of Justice (ICJ) on Friday declared that Palestinians had a right to be protected from acts of genocide, calling on Israel to “take all measures within its power” to prevent such actions and allow the entry of desperately needed humanitarian aid into the war-shattered enclave.

  • 26 jan 2024
  • 25 jan 2024

    UNDER-SECRETARY-GENERAL ROSEMARY A. DICARLO’S

    REMARKS TO THE SECURITY COUNCIL ON

    UKRAINE

    New York, 25 JANUARY 2024

     

    Yesterday, it was reported that a Russian IL-76 military transport plane crashed in the Belgorod region of the Russian Federation, near the border of Ukraine, killing everyone on board.

    According to Russian authorities, the plane was carrying 65 Ukrainian prisoners of war, six Russian crew members and three Russian military personnel.

    According to Ukrainian authorities, the plane may have been carrying missiles for Russia’s military system.  

    We understand both Russia and Ukraine are conducting separate investigations into the incident, and Ukraine has called for an international probe.

    The United Nations is not in a position to verify these reports or the circumstances of the crash.

    What is clear is that the incident took place in the context of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and ongoing war. To avoid further escalation, we urge all concerned to refrain from actions, rhetoric, or allegations that could further fuel the already dangerous conflict.

    Mr. President,

    In one month, we will mark the tragic milestone of two years since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine - in blatant violation of the UN Charter and international law.

    And today is already the Security Council’s fourth meeting on Ukraine since the beginning of the year. 

    In recent weeks, the scale and intensity of attacks against Ukraine have only grown, highlighting the dangerous trajectory of the war.

    Shelling and missile strikes on civilian areas continue to kill and maim civilians and cause massive destruction to critical infrastructure.  

    In total, since February 2022, the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights has recorded 10,312 civilians killed, including 576 children, and 19,530 more injured, including 1,277 children.

    These figures continue to rapidly rise.  On 23 January, at least 18 civilians were reportedly killed, and more than 130 injured, in Russian missile strikes across Ukraine.

    In Kyiv, the latest attacks injured civilians and caused damage to civilian buildings, including next to the United Nations office.   

    In Kharkiv, 10 civilians were reportedly killed and 66 injured. The city continues to experience repeated air strikes, and the consequences are devastating. 

    The recent month is the most intense in terms of attacks and civilian casualties that the city has experienced since September 2022.

    Aerial assaults also caused loss and destruction in Dnipro and Odesa.   

    Furthermore, on Sunday, 21 January, 28 civilians were reportedly killed and 30 injured, in shelling on the Russian-controlled Ukrainian city of Donetsk.

    Cross-border strikes are also reportedly expanding inside the Russian Federation, reaching beyond the immediate border regions.       

    The Secretary-General has been unambiguous in condemning all attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure, wherever they occur. They are prohibited under international law and must stop immediately.  

    The recent incident in the Belgorod region, with its claimed link to a planned prisoner exchange, reminds us of the plight of prisoners of war. We remain deeply concerned about their treatment.          

    Since February 2022, the UN has interviewed over 280 Ukrainian POWs who returned from Russian captivity.  Just in the past week, our colleagues in the Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine interviewed 31 prisoners of war who returned in early January. 

    What we hear in these interviews is harrowing.

    Only very few had been able to communicate with their families during their internment.

    Over 90 per cent say they were tortured.

    Many said they did not receive enough food or medical treatment they urgently needed.

    We continue to urge the Russian Federation to provide independent international monitors unfettered access to POWs.

    The parties must fulfil their obligations under the Geneva Conventions. We commend Ukraine for the progress made in this regard.

    Earlier this month, we welcomed the latest exchange of prisoners of war between Ukraine and the Russian Federation. 

    Notwithstanding the circumstances of yesterday’s incident, the fate of POWs should not be instrumentalized.

    We urge the parties to continue pursuing exchanges of prisoners of war.

    Families on both sides are waiting to be reunited with their loved ones.

    Mr. President,

    The war in Ukraine is a war of choice. Its tragic consequences are clear for all to see.

    The longer it lasts, the more death and destruction it causes, and the more it eats away at the norms agreed to ensure and maintain a peaceful and secure world.

    The United Nations remains ready to support any meaningful efforts to lay the groundwork for just, lasting and comprehensive peace – in line with the UN Charter, international law, and resolutions of the General Assembly.   

    Thank you, Mr. President.  

             

  • 25 jan 2024

    Garowe – Your Excellency, Hassan Sheikh Mohammed, President of the Federal Republic of Somalia; your excellency, Said Abdullahi Deni, President of Puntland; Members of...

  • 25 jan 2024

    War in Sudan is putting the future of its 24 million youngest citizens at risk, the Representative of the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) in the country has warned. 

  • 25 jan 2024

    Attacks on buildings in Gaza where terrified civilians are sheltering are “abhorrent and must stop immediately”, a top UN humanitarian official insisted on Thursday following a direct hit on a United Nations training centre.

  • 25 jan 2024

    The UN “is not in a position” to verify reports surrounding the crash of a Russian aircraft near the border with Ukraine, the Organization’s top political affairs official said on Thursday, calling on the warring sides to avoid fuelling “the already dangerous conflict.” 

  • 25 jan 2024

    The UN expert working to eliminate rape during wartime has been invited to Israel by the Government to gather information on sexual violence reportedly committed in the context of the 7 October Hamas attacks and their aftermath. 

  • 25 jan 2024

    Attacks against shipping in the Red Sea by Houthis are devastating for global trade and supply chains, already reeling under the impacts of the war in Ukraine and climate change-linked conditions in the Panama Canal, said the UN trade and development body, UNCTAD, on Thursday.

  • 25 jan 2024

    More than 8,400 people were victims of gang violence in Haiti last year, including killings, injuries and kidnappings – a 122 per cent increase over 2022, the UN Special Representative for the country told the UN Security Council on Thursday. 

  • 24 jan 2024

    Mogadishu – A group of graduate students from Somalia and elsewhere were today encouraged to put their educational achievements at the service of solving their...

  • 24 jan 2024

    WASHINGTON, January 24, 2024 — Reconstruction and recovery needs following the catastrophic flooding in eastern Libya last September are estimated at $1.8 billion,...

  • 24 jan 2024

    Nine people were killed and 75 injured on Wednesday in a direct hit on a training centre turned shelter in southern Gaza run by the UN agency that assists Palestinians, UNRWA, according to initial reports.

  • 24 jan 2024

    The UN Security Council will hold a second day of debate on Wednesday in search of an end to the devastating conflict in Gaza amid growing tensions in the Middle East, as UN humanitarians reiterated grave concerns for extremely vulnerable Palestinians forced once again to flee the war and evacuation orders.

  • 24 jan 2024

    When fighting between rival militaries erupted last April across the Sudanese capital, UN worker Mohammed Ginish went from providing humanitarian aid to internally displaced persons to becoming displaced himself in Port Sudan, along with many of his colleagues.

  • 24 jan 2024

    Work harder to end the war in Gaza and recognize the State of Palestine were the messages once more from many countries on Wednesday, taking part in the two-day Security Council debate over the Middle East crisis.

  • 24 jan 2024

    In just a matter of years, Africa has become the “global epicentre of terrorism”, with groups such as Da’esh, Al-Qaida and their affiliates exploiting local conflicts and fragilities to serve their own ends, the UN Secretary-General said on Wednesday, calling for violent extremism to be rooted out.

  • 24 jan 2024

    Houthi authorities in Yemen on Wednesday have ordered UN and other humanitarian staff holding US and UK passports to leave the country within a month.

  • 24 jan 2024

    Nine people were killed and 75 injured on Wednesday in a direct hit on a training centre turned shelter in southern Gaza run by UNRWA, the UN agency that assists Palestinians, according to initial reports.