I am concerned by the consequences of Israel’s decision to temporarily suspend imports and exports with the exception of basic humanitarian supplies through the Kerem Shalom crossing.
Humanitarian assistance is no substitute for commerce and trade. I urge the authorities to reverse this decision.
Hamas and other Palestinian factions in Gaza should also do their part by maintaining...
Bogotá, 5 July 2018 - The United Nations Organization in Colombia vehemently rejects and condemns the killings of human rights defenders and community and social leaders.
The upsurge in violence imperils the conditions for a true stable and lasting peace. The inhabitants of the regions most affected by the armed conflict are those who today are vulnerable to multiple violations of their collective and individual...
The Secretary-General is gravely concerned by the resumption of the military offensive in southwest Syria and its continued devastating impact on civilians. An estimated 750,000 lives are in danger and up to 325,000 people have been displaced. The Secretary-General fully supports today’s statement by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, Filippo Grandi. As the custodian of the 1951 Refugee Convention, he is the authoritative voice of the United Nations on refugees...
On 5 July, Security Council members will hold consultations on Yemen, receiving briefings from UN Special Envoy Martin Griffiths via video-teleconference and from OCHA Director of Operations John Ging.
Collaboration between the United Nations Department for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs (UN DPPA) and the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) has been instrumental in fostering peace and stability across Europe and Eurasia for over three decades. This partnership is even more important as the OSCE region is facing challenges with both protracted and new conflicts.
The UN-OSCE partnership is founded on Chapter VIII of the UN Charter and revolves around one overarching goal: to resolve political differences peacefully. The 1993 Framework for Co-operation and Co-ordination laid a foundation for the two organizations to harness their respective strengths and mandates to tackle pressing global challenges. The Framework has been reinforced by a host of agreements, including a joint statement of the UN Secretary-General and the Chairperson-in-Office of the OSCE in 2019 to complement the 1993 Framework, which has cemented high-level political collaboration and ensured co-operation on the ground. In the framework of the New Agenda for Peace, the two organizations are identifying complimentary ways for their work on peace and security. To deepen the cooperation between the two Organizations, in 2016, the Department of Political Affairs established a Liaison Office in Vienna. In addition to supporting senior-level and working-level engagements between both organizations on a broad range of issues, the Liaison Office channels expertise from various departments of the UN Secretariat to the OSCE, including by ensuring effective information sharing on relevant peace and security issues as well as relevant policy documents. The Liaison Office also supports inter-agency forums that are regularly organized to facilitate and support high-level and working-level engagements between both organizations.
DPPA's Policy and Mediation Division and the OSCE Secretariat’s Conflict Prevention Centre and its Operations Service signed a joint workplan for mediation support in 2014, outlining several practical areas of cooperation between the two organizations, including staff exchanges, access to mediation expertise and capacity building.
“Events on the battlefield” are the main spoiler to the peace process in Yemen, but political negotiations are the top overall priority for resolving the conflict, according to the UN’s envoy for the country, speaking exclusively to UN News.
Mr. President, Members of the Security Council,
Nearly three years ago, the Security Council unanimously adopted resolution 2231 (2015) to endorse the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) on the Iranian nuclear issue. The Secretary-General, and the international community, welcomed the Plan as a major achievement in nuclear non-proliferation.
Since Implementation Day, 16 January 2016, the International Atomic Energy Agency has reported 11 times to the Security Council that Iran has been implementing its nuclear-related commitments under the JCPOA. Notwithstanding the continued adherence by Iran to its nuclear-related commitments, the agreement is unfortunately at a crossroads.
On 8 May 2018, the United States of America announced its withdrawal from the agreement. The Secretary-General deeply regrets this setback to the JCPOA and believes that issues not directly related to the Plan should be addressed without prejudice to preserving the agreement and its accomplishments.
At the same time, the Secretary-General calls on Iran to consider carefully the concerns expressed by Member States about Iranian activities that are allegedly contrary to the restrictive measures contained in annex B to the resolution.
Mr. President,
I thank you for the opportunity to brief the Security Council on the fifth report of the Secretary-General on the implementation of resolution 2231 (S/2018/602). As guided by the Security Council, and consistent with our last four reports, the one before you today focuses on annex B to the resolution.
First, on the implementation of the nuclear-related provisions, I am pleased to report that the procurement channel continues to function effectively. Thirteen additional nuclear-related proposals were submitted to the Security Council for approval, bringing the total number of proposals to 37 since Implementation Day.
However, in this reporting period, the Secretariat has received information from two Member States on the supply, sale, transfer or export to Iran of dual-use items that may have been undertaken contrary to the resolution. The Secretariat has contacted the relevant Member States, who have informed us that they have initiated internal reviews.
Iran in its response to the Secretariat stressed that it is the “responsibility of the exporting state to seek approval through the procurement channel” and encouraged more outreach activities to address the lack of awareness among some Member States. The Secretary-General will report back on this issue to the Council in due course.
Second, in terms of ballistic missile-related provisions, the report reflects information provided by Israel and Iran to the Secretary-General and the Security Council on two ballistic missile launches by Iran in January 2018, as well as, our findings on the ballistic missiles launched by the Houthis into Saudi territory.
Since our last report, Saudi authorities brought to the attention of the Secretariat nine additional launches of ballistic missiles by the Houthis, which in their assessment were Iranian Qiam-1 missiles. The Secretariat was invited to examine the debris of three of those additional missiles. We provided preliminary observations, in our last report, from our examination of the debris of the missiles launched into Saudi Arabia on 22 July and 4 November 2017.
Based on the information and material analysed, the Secretariat assesses that the debris of the five missiles launched at Yanbu and Riyadh since July 2017 share key design features with the Iranian Qiam-1 ballistic missile.It is also our assessment that some component parts of the debris were manufactured in Iran.
We could confirm that subcomponents of the guidance system in these missiles were produced between 2002 and 2010. We note that the production date range of these subcomponents is incompatible with Scud missiles known to be in Yemeni stockpiles prior to the outbreak of the current conflict in early 2015.
However, we are at present unable to determine whether such missiles, or parts thereof, or related technology, may have been transferred from Iran after 16 January 2016, the date when annex B provisions came into effect.
The report also reflects information received from Israel regarding the possible presence of an Iranian drone in Syria, which was reportedly downed after entering Israeli airspace in 10 February 2018.
The Secretariat did not have the opportunity to examine its debris, but images provided by Israeli authorities show that its wing configuration appears consistent with that of an Iranian drone unveiled in October 2016. The report further notes that, according to Iranian media outlets, several Iranian drones have been deployed in Syria. The Secretariat has no information as to the owner and operator of those drones.
Third, as detailed in the report, the Secretariat examined arms and related materiel seized in Bahrain after 16 January 2016, and obtained additional information on the unmanned surface vessel laden with explosives recovered by the United Arab Emirates. In both cases, the Secretariat is confident that some of the arms and related materiel it examined were manufactured in Iran. However, we are unable to confirm whether these items were transferred from Iran after 16 January 2016.
The report also notes the 21 May 2018 statement by the political leader of Hamas in the Gaza Strip that Iran has provided the Al-Qassam brigades and other armed groups in Gaza with money, military equipment and expertise.
This statement suggests that transfers of arms and related materiel from Iran may have been undertaken contrary to the provisions of annex B.
Fourth, the report highlights the participation of Iran’s Defence Industries Organization for the third year in a row in an arms and defence exhibition in Iraq. It provides information on the foreign activities of Khatam al-Anbiya Construction Headquarters (KAA) in Syria. Since both entities are on the 2231 list, their funds, other financial assets and economic resources on the Iraqi and the Syrian territories should have been frozen.
The report also provides information on an additional travel by Major General Qasem Soleimani.
The Secretary-General has reiterated his call upon all Member States in the region to take the steps necessary to fully implement their obligations in relation to resolution 2231 (2015).
Mr. President,
In closing, I would like to acknowledge the leadership of His Excellency Ambassador van Oosterom of the Netherlands in his role as Facilitator for the implementation of this resolution 2231 (2015). I also thank the Coordinator of the Procurement Working Group of the Joint Commission for our excellent cooperation.
I would like to assure them, and the Security Council, of our fullest support for the continued implementation of UN Security Council resolution 2231 (2015).
Thank you, Mr. President.
New York, 27 June 2018 - The Secretary-General is concerned about the latest developments in Libya's Oil Crescent region. He calls for de-escalation and for the return of all natural resources, their production and their revenues to the control of the recognised Libyan authorities.
The Secretary-General recalls, as stipulated in Security Council resolution 2259 (2015), the need for unity of Libyan institutions and the exclusive right of the National Oil Corporation to...
On 27 June 2018, the 57th meeting of the Gali joint Incident Prevention and Response Mechanism (IPRM) took place under the chairmanship of the United Nations. The meeting was attended by Georgian, Russian, Abkhaz and EUMM (European Union Monitoring Mission) representatives.
The UN and EUMM assessed the general security situation, since the previous meeting of 18 May 2018, as calm and stable. In this regard, the UN highly commended contribution of all participants to prevention of incidents, which is one of key tasks of the IPRM. It was reported that there were 61 hotline activations on 28 different issues, since the previous meeting.
Due to differences on one of the points of the provisional agenda, the meeting could not be concluded. All participants reiterated that the IPRM format is important and useful.
Consultations will continue in search for a compromise on the date of the next meeting.
ASEAN-UN Regional Dialogue on Climate, Peace and Security in Indonesia, November 2023
The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) remains an indispensable partner and role model for regional cooperation - it has a vital and growing role in promoting peace and stability in the region and beyond.
The ASEAN-UN partnership continues to strengthen, especially since the adoption of the “Joint Declaration on Comprehensive Partnership between ASEAN and the United Nations” in November 2011 as well as the adoption of the first ASEAN-UN Plan of Action for 2016-2020 and a second ASEAN-UN Plan of Action 2021-2025. The Plans of Action set out strategic priorities, activities and measures to be undertaken by both sides to further enhance political-security, economic, and socio-cultural cooperation, including on cross-sectoral issues, as well as Secretariat-to-Secretariat collaboration. The current Plan of Action includes provisions that enable joint initiatives related to key DPPA mandate areas, including conflict prevention, Women, Peace and Security (WPS), Youth, Peace and Security (YPS, strengthening electoral capacities and cyber-security, including addressing online hate-speech.
Under the political lead of the DPPA-DPO Assistant Secretary-General for Middle East, Asia and the Pacific, the UN works closely with ASEAN across all areas of cooperation to implement the ASEAN-UN Comprehensive Partnership. Regular meetings are held to discuss progress in the partnership at the Secretariat-to-Secretariat and Ministerial levels. Since 2000, ASEAN-UN Summits have been held regularly, bringing together ASEAN leaders and the United Nations Secretary-General. The Chairman’s Statement of the 13th ASEAN-United Nations Summit held in September 2023 in Jakarta, Indonesia, is available here.
In addition to supporting the UN system in its engagement with ASEAN through the DPPA Liaison Officer in Jakarta, DPPA works directly with ASEAN in the areas of sustaining peace, preventive diplomacy and conflict prevention. Among the joint activities, the ASEAN-UN Regional Dialogue (AURED) provides a regular Track 1.5 platform for discussion of regional peace and security issues, which have covered such topics as prevention of violent extremism, the creation of an ASEAN pool of experts on conflict management, and advancement of the WPS and YPS agendas in Southeast Asia. These dialogues have helped advance progress in these critical areas within ASEAN, such as 2022’s launch of an ASEAN Regional Action on Women, Peace and Security, which was developed with UN support.
The most recent AURED in November 2023 was co-organized by the Indonesian Foreign Ministry, ASEAN Institute for Peace and Reconciliation and the UN in Jakarta, Indonesia. It brought together experts, policymakers and practitioners as well as representatives of other regional organizations to formulate recommendations on advancing the Climate, Peace and Security agenda in ASEAN.
In April 2010, the Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs (DPPA) established a Liaison Team in Gaborone, Botswana, to work with the Southern African Development Community (SADC) through its Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation. DPPA and the SADC Secretariat signed a Framework of Cooperation in September 2010 aimed at strengthening collaboration in the areas of conflict prevention, management and resolution to assist both organizations to build their capacities and jointly contribute towards the promotion of peace and security in the Southern Africa sub-region.
Accordingly, the DPPA-SADC Liaison Team ensures effective implementation of the Framework of Cooperation. The Liaison Team maintains regular, swift and effective communication with the SADC Secretariat; advises DPPA and other departments/offices on relevant strategic and policy issues in order to strengthen the partnership; collaborates closely with the SADC Secretariat Directorate of the Organ to identify areas for potential cooperation and/or support capacity building activities identified by SADC towards the maintenance of regional peace and security; mobilizes UN internal technical and other resources to assist SADC initiatives in peace and security; facilitates coordination of UN system wide assistance to SADC peace and security efforts. In the absence of a regional special political mission for Southern Africa, the Liaison Team advises UN leadership on general matters of peace and security for both regional and national levels and serves as a DPPA outpost in the region.
Under the Framework of Cooperation of 2010, the two organizations agree on annual joint workplan providing for UN technical support to SADC’s mediation structures, SADC Election Support Unit, and assistance to SADC in enhancing the implementation of Security Council resolution 1325 on Women Peace and Security in the region. With DPPA's support, SADC developed a regional strategy on women, peace and security, a regional mediation training curriculum as well as the roll out of regional and national mediation trainings. DPPA also supports the development of SADC regional strategies for the prevention of election-related violence, as well as the implementation of the regional women, peace and security agenda, in the context of the Security Council resolution 1325.
In line with Chapter VIII of the United Nations Charter, the United Nations engages actively with regional organizations, including key global actors such as the European Union (EU). Secretary-General Guterres has highlighted that cooperation with regional organizations is at the core of UN activities and that ensuring peace, security and development in a complex and rapidly changing world requires partnership from the local to the regional to the global levels.
Further, the Secretary-General has called for enhanced forms of cooperation and multilateral governance and argued that a more effective United Nations also depends on stronger and deeper cooperation with regional organizations. Secretary-General Guterres has argued that the EU must be an essential pillar of multilateralism in the new global order and that the partnership between the EU and the United Nations is a component of networked multilateralism – a concept that is set out in the Secretary-General’s New Agenda for Peace.
Over time, the UN and the EU have forged a strong relationship, based on shared principles and values. The EU Lisbon Treaty provides that "The Union … shall promote multilateral solutions to common problems, in particular in the framework of the United Nations.” The Global Strategy for the European Union's Foreign and Security Policy, unveiled in 2016, refers to multilateralism as its key principle and the UN as a core partner. In the EU’s Strategic Compass for Security and Defense, presented in 2022, the EU stressed that the strengthened strategic partnership with the UN is necessary to uphold rules-based multilateralism and the principles of the UN Charter. In this regard, the EU is actively supporting UN efforts in work relating to conflict prevention, mediation, peacemaking, peacekeeping, peacebuilding, the prevention of violent extremism and counter-terrorism. The Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs (DPPA) is in the lead on the dialogue with the EU on political affairs and conflict prevention, and several mechanisms of dialogue have been taking place over the years. DPPA also participates in dialogues led by the Department of Peace Operations (DPO).
Priorities for the UN-EU partnership in the area of peace and security include the Women, Peace and Security agenda and support to political processes.
The UN Liaison Office for Peace and Security (UNLOPS) represents the Departments of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs (DPPA), Peace Operations (DPO), Operational Support (DOS) and the UN Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT) in Brussels and liaises on all matters related to peace and security that fall under the remit of these four entities.
The EU Delegation in New York enjoys enhanced observer status at the UN, allowing it to present common positions on behalf of the EU member states.
URGENCY OF REMOVING THE OBSTACLES PREVENTING COMPLIANCE WITH JUSTICE-RELATED COMMITMENTS
Bogotá, 26 June 2018. The Colombian peace process is notable for the emphasis it places on ensuring that the transition from an armed conflict to peace is accompanied by truth, justice, reparation for the victims and non-repetition. Within this commitment, the Special Jurisdiction for Peace (JEP by its Spanish acronym) is...
Secretary-General Guterres meets PIF Leaders and Secretariat, September 2023. UN Photo/Mark Garten
The Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) was founded in 1971 and currently has a membership of 18 states and territories. As part of its cooperation with regional organizations, the Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs has been increasing its cooperation with the PIF Secretariat to address the unique challenges facing the region, including peace and security, governance, climate change, sustainable development/2030 agenda, gender equality and youth empowerment.
DPPA continues to partner with PIF, the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS), as well as the Office of the High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States (OHRLLS), to support national and regional peacebuilding objectives. In 2023 this included convening environmental peacebuilding dialogues with PIF Ambassadors to the UN to discuss different aspects of the climate change and security nexus affecting small states. For example, in May 2023 DPPA convened an informal exchange on developing gender-sensitive responses to climate-related security challenges in the Pacific. In 2022, DPPA supported the Peacebuilding Fund, UNDP and IOM on the Climate Security in the Pacific pilot project, in close coordination with local communities and Governments in three atoll nations (Kiribati, Republic of Marshall Islands and Tuvalu). The project undertook inclusive consultations to identify the most pressing climate-related security risks, including through an embedded environmental peacebuilding expert in the PIF Secretariat. Pilot briefs for the three initial countries can be found here and a phase two is being developed. In April 2021, an online discussion on the nexus of climate-related security risks and human rights in Small Island Developing States (SIDS) took place involving governments, experts and UN partners. In May 2019, DPPA in partnership with OHRLLS hosted a workshop on Climate Change, Conflict Prevention and Sustainable Peace: Perspectives from the Pacific. The summary report of the workshop is available here.
An overview of the role, approach and tools of the United Nations and its partners in preventing violent conflict
The Joint UN Development Programme (UNDP) - UN Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs (DPPA) Programme on Building National Capacities for Conflict Prevention is a signature cross-pillar initiative that aims to enhance UN support to national stakeholders on conflict prevention and sustaining peace. Since its inception in 2004, the Programme has engaged in more than 60 countries and provided catalytic support to UN Resident Coordinators and UN Country Teams to advance the UN Secretary-General’s conflict prevention agenda. The Joint Programme is widely recognized for providing thought leadership on conflict prevention, and is considered a unique example of how the political and development pillars of the UN can successfully work together in pursuit of the prevention of violent conflict.
The Joint Programme’s efforts focus on building existing and emerging national and local capacities to address, and fundamentally transform the underlying causes of conflict. Recognizing that national ownership, inclusivity and sustainability of peace efforts are key to success, the Joint Programme works on a premise that national actors are best placed to carry preventive work forward. Peace and Development Advisors (PDAs) are at the forefront of the Programme’s efforts to empower national stakeholders to strengthen existing mechanisms and capacities for inclusive dialogue, mediation and national peace architectures. PDAs also support the UN system to effectively adapt and respond to complex political situations and identify areas for preventive action. Over the years, the community of PDAs has grown significantly, reflecting the increasing need for conflict prevention as well as the realization of the value of embedding capacities for conflict analysis, conflict sensitive programming, and strategic leadership on conflict prevention within UN Country Teams.
Beyond the deployment of PDAs, the Joint Programme also facilitates deployment of short-term expertise to respond and engage in crisis settings, provides coordinated and complementary UNDP and DPPA support, analysis, and engagement in target countries, and builds on the expert knowledge of its stakeholders to share good practices, lessons learned, and engage in a community of practice. Aiming to serve as a platform that brings together various UN tools and approaches, the Join UNDP-DPPA Programme contributes to coherent UN engagement by working in partnership with other UN entities, such as the Peacebuilding Support Office (PBSO), UN Volunteers (UNV) and UN Women.
Contact the Joint Programme here.
KABUL - Media can follow the live broadcast of the UN Security Council session on the Secretary-General’s latest Report on Afghanistan.
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