Airstrikes and a ground offensive by Turkey in northern Syria against Kurdish forces have left civilians dead and forced tens of thousands to flee, UN agencies said on Friday, amid fears of another “humanitarian catastrophe” in the war-torn country.
Airstrikes and a ground offensive by Turkey in northern Syria against Kurdish forces have left civilians dead and forced tens of thousands to flee, UN agencies said on Friday, amid fears of another “humanitarian catastrophe” in the war-torn country.
The winner of this year’s Nobel Peace Prize has been praised by the UN Secretary-General for creating a pathway to stability in the Horn of Africa region.
A recap of Thursday's stories: Guterress calls for military de-escalation in Syria's north-east; the role of cities in the climate crisis; new UN data resource to support refugees; reintegration of Colombia's ex-rebels; global community raises billions to eliminate diseases.
A de-escalation of renewed conflict in northern Syria is “absolutely essential,” the UN Secretary-General António Guterres said on Thursday. His comments follow the launch of airstrikes and a ground offensive by Turkey on Wednesday just days after the United States announced it would pull its troops out of Syria.
Thousands of former fighters from Colombia’s largest rebel group remain committed to the historic 2016 peace deal which ended more than five decades of civil conflict, but attacks against the ex-combatants have been a continuous cause for concern, the Security Council heard on Thursday.
The scale-up in military operations in north-east Syria has forced tens of thousands of civilians to seek safety, the UN refugee agency, UNHCR, said on Thursday, one day after Turkey launched airstrikes and a ground offensive across the border.
Efforts to eradicate the deadly Ebola epidemic in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) are proving successful but “now we have to kill the virus”, the UN health agency said on Thursday.
The translation of the Compendium of good practices on the protection of critical infrastructure against terrorist attacks in Russian was finalized at the end of July 2019. The translation of this documents was suggested by Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate (CTED). It was realized in the framework of the third phase of the project “Towards the implementation of the Joint Plan of Action of the United Nations Counter-Terrorism Strategy...
The killing of two people outside a synagogue in Germany on Wednesday has been characterized by the UN Secretary-General as “another tragic demonstration of anti-Semitism.”
Recent positive trends could help transform the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) into a stable country, the head of the UN operation there told the Security Council on Wednesday.
The 49th round of the Geneva International Discussions (GID) took place today.
In Working Group I dealing with security issues, the exchanges focused on the situation on the ground and the worrisome developments of August 2019, in particular in the Chorchana – Tsnelisi area. In this context, the Co-Chairs welcomed the continuous efforts undertaken in the framework of the Incident Prevention and Response Mechanism (IPRM) in Ergneti to defuse tensions on the ground. The Co-Chairs also welcomed the participants’ commitment to de-escalation and called on relevant actors to continue their dialogue to find a mutually acceptable solution.
The exchanges in Working Group I also touched upon various other issues, including extensive discussions on non-use of force and international security arrangements. The Co-Chairs urged the participants to renew efforts to achieve progress on these core issues. In addition, the Co-Chairs reiterated their call for the resumption of the work of the Gali IPRM without further delay.
While acknowledging the recent lifting of crossing restrictions imposed at the Abkhaz administrative boundary line (ABL) in June 2019, the Co-Chairs stressed the need to reopen all crossing points along the South Ossetian ABL.
In Working Group II dealing with humanitarian issues, the co-moderators noted the impact of such restrictive measures on the freedom of movement and livelihoods of the conflict-affected population. The participants also discussed issues relating to missing persons, mobility, documentation, public health, education, cultural heritage and environmental challenges. The participants welcomed ongoing efforts to address the problem of environmental pests and agreed on the need to continue them.
It was once again not possible to complete discussions on the issue of internally displaced persons/refugees due to a walkout by some participants in Working Group II. The Co-Chairs express regret at this disruption and remind participants of the need to engage constructively on all agenda items.
An information session on the topic “Public health: best practices for managing communicable diseases” with experts from the World Health Organization and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control was held on the eve of this round.
The participants agreed to hold the next GID round on 10-11 December 2019.
“Multiple” airstrikes by the US military on alleged methamphetamine drug labs in a remote area of western Afghanistan earlier this year, killed or injured dozens of civilians who should not have been treated as military targets, the UN said on Wednesday.
Tuesday’s top stories: Global need for eye care is set to increase ‘dramatically’; work and reforms of the UN ‘at risk’; progress on Mali security; South Sudan peace accord anniversary; Rights chief Bachelet urges rollback on Australia migration policies; and an interview with Maha Mamo, living proof of why statelessness needs to end worldwide.
The UN chief on Tuesday expressed “great concern” over recent policy statements made regarding northeastern Syria, following the announcement from the United States at the start of the week, that it would withdraw troops from the area close to the border with Turkey.
Tripoli, 08 October 2019 - The Deputy Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General, UN Resident Coordinator and Humanitarian Coordinator for Libya, Yacoub El Hillo, strongly condemns all attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure in Libya.
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Some progress has been made towards restoring peace and stability in Mali as outlined in a fragile 2015 peace deal, yet sustainable peace developments are not happening fast enough, the Security Council heard on Tuesday.
The members of the Security Council met on 3 October 2019 to discuss the situation in the Great lakes region and the implementation of the Peace, Security and Cooperation (PSC) Framework for the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Region. They were briefed by Mr Huang Xia, Special envoy of the Secretary General for the Great Lakes region.
For the first time, part of the original manuscript of Tolstoy’s epic novel, War and Peace, has been unveiled amid tight security in Geneva, where it is the highlight of an exhibition helping to mark 100 years of cooperation between nations.
The Security Council’s strong engagement with its Member States, partner organizations and institutions in conflict prevention efforts on the African continent is needed “more than ever”, the Secretary-General told the 15-member peace and security body on Monday.
The UN Secretary-General has strongly condemned two separate attacks on Sunday against the organization’s Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) which left one peacekeeper dead and four others injured.
The UN Secretary-General is encouraged by the release of the leader of the main opposition party in Cameroon. Maurice Kamto had spent the past nine months in jail following peaceful protests disputing the outcome of the October 2018 presidential election in which he was a candidate.
This Week in DPPA aims to keep you abreast of developments and events on the agenda of the UN Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, at UN HQ and in the field, and especially those that sometimes "fly under the radar".
Security CouncilPedersen: Constitutional Committee breakthrough offers ‘sign of hope’ for long-suffering Syrians Huang Xia, Special Envoy for the Great Lakes Region, told Council member in his briefing on 3 October that there was a golden opportunity now to address the deep-rooted causes of the instability in the region. He cited recent positive developments, such as strengthened diplomatic engagement following the election of a new President in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) last December, the signing of an agreement aimed at easing tensions between Rwanda and Uganda, and regional cooperation to counter armed groups in the eastern DRC.
New YorkZero tolerance for sexual exploitation and abuse ColombiaSRSG visits Putumayo department to verify the progress of the reintegration process
The largest Model UN in the world took place in Bogotá
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AfghanistanVote counting underway in Afghanistan
Central AsiaNew initiative to increase cooperation and trust between communities
SomaliaPartnership Forum to map out a course for Somalia The GambiaYoung people reflect on current peace and security situation in The GambiaThe importance of young people as change agents in sustaining and promoting peace in The Gambia is critical. On Tuesday 2 October, the Gambia National Youth Council and UNFPA, supported by the UN SG’s Peacebuilding Fund’s Women and Youth Project held in Banjul a youth reflection event on peace and security. . The gathering, bringing together about 70 young people from all the regions of the country, was an opportunity to create a space for young men and women to reflect on the current peace and security situation and identify how they can work to ensure sustainable peace for national development. Following these discussions, participants will help develop a youth position paper on peace and security in The Gambia that would be used as a policy brief to inform policy and decision-makers about the concerns of Gambian youth and the need for action to address potential conflict and promote tolerance and peaceful coexistence in country. Read the full story on UNFPA’s website
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The United Nations is urging authorities in Iraq to allow citizens to exercise their right to freedom of expression after the security forces opened fire on mass anti-government protests which began earlier this week.
The international community must step up efforts to end instability around Africa’s Great Lakes so that millions there can benefit from its riches, the UN Special Envoy for the region told the Security Council on Thursday.
The Somalia Partnership Forum concluded on Wednesday in the capital Mogadishu, with attendees - including the UN Special Representative for the country - taking stock of progress made, while also noting remaining challenges and agreeing on a set of priorities moving forward.
A recap of Wednesday's top stories: Kyrgyz lawyer honoured by UN refugee agency; Positive but realistic outlook in runup to Syria talks; Security Council debates how African youth can bolster peace; refugees in Mexico pursue innovative labor initiatives; UN laments violent clashes in Iraq; Roadblocks in humanitarian aid for Haiti.
The United Nations condemned on Wednesday, with “the utmost energy”, simultaneous terrorist attacks on military camps in central Mali, close to the border with Burkina Faso, that left dozens dead and scores missing.
Recognizing the potential of African youth caught up in conflict to forge peace, is crucial for nurturing their developing identities, and could help them turn away from violence, a youth representative told the Security Council on Wednesday.
On Wednesday, the global community marks the International Day of Non-Violence, which this year coincided with the 150th anniversary of the birth of the global peace icon who led India to independence, Mahatma Gandhi.
