Leaders in Libya must take immediate steps to resolve their political impasse, which is spilling over into increasing violence, UN political affairs chief Rosemary DiCarlo told the Security Council on Tuesday.
Leaders in Libya must take immediate steps to resolve their political impasse, which is spilling over into increasing violence, UN political affairs chief Rosemary DiCarlo told the Security Council on Tuesday.
Mr. President,
Thank you for the opportunity to brief the Security Council on the main developments in Libya over the past month.
Since the last Security Council meeting on Libya on 25 July, the United Nations has continued to engage with Libyan actors – at all levels – to facilitate a resolution of the political impasse.
I am deeply concerned that the ongoing stalemate and continued delays in implementing the electoral process pose a growing threat to security in and around Tripoli, and potentially to all Libyans.
That threat materialized a few days ago, when Tripoli was again the theatre of violent clashes between armed groups supporting Mr. Dbeibah and Mr. Bashaga, respectively.
The fighting broke out in the early hours of 27 August and rapidly intensified and spread to civilian-populated areas of Tripoli. It involved the indiscriminate use of medium and heavy weapons, affecting civilians and civilian infrastructure.
According to the Libyan authorities, at least 42 people were killed, including four civilians, and 159 injured in the clashes. Fifty families were reportedly displaced, and five health facilities were significantly damaged. Two detention centers for migrants and refugees were affected, involving a total of 560 persons.
This appeared to be attempt of pro-Bashaga forces to enter the capital from the east. However, they were blocked by pro-Dbeibah forces at Zleiten – about 160 km east of Tripoli, and were forced to retreat, following clashes. Attempts by other pro-Bashagha armed groups to advance on the capital from the west and southwest were similarly repelled.
Fighting in Tripoli and its outskirts subsided on 28 August, although the situation remained tense and fluid.
A fragile calm has since prevailed in Tripoli; it is unclear how long it will last.
Retaliatory attacks by both sides and the announced intention by the Government of National Unity to arrest pro-Bashagha elements involved in the fighting may trigger armed clashes that could again affect the civilian population.
Mr. President,
I am very concerned at the limited political progress during the reporting period. The United Nations has consistently underscored that the conduct of elections remains the only way to break the current impasse. Despite our continued efforts, no progress has been made on forging a consensus on a constitutional framework for the elections.
Following their meeting in Geneva in June, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aguila Saleh, and the President of the High State Council, Khaled Mishri, held further discussions in Türkiye on 1 August and in Egypt on 14 August. Regrettably, disagreements persisted, particularly on the eligibility criteria for presidential candidates.
I urge both leaders to complete the work accomplished by the Joint Constitutional Committee. It is critical that an agreement is reached on a constitutional framework and timeline for elections that will enable the Libyan people to choose their leaders.
Mr. President,
There were a few positive developments during the reporting period. I commend, notably, the ongoing efforts of the 5+5 Joint Military Commission to preserve and strengthen the implementation of the Ceasefire Agreement.
Of note, on 27 August the eastern delegation to the JMC called their counterparts in the west to reassure them that the Libyan National Army would not be involved in the fighting.
Earlier, on 9 August, the Joint Military Commission met with UNSMIL in Sirte to enhance the readiness of the Libyan Ceasefire Monitoring Mechanism.
They made progress on the activation of a Joint Operations Room in Sirte. They also finalized the modalities for the withdrawal of foreign forces, foreign fighters and mercenaries from Libya.
On another positive note, on 18 August the General Assembly of the Supreme Court of Libya voted to restore the Court’s Constitutional Chamber, which had been suspended since 2016.
The reactivation of the Chamber could contribute to the resolution of disputes over the legitimacy of decisions taken by Libyan institutions.
I am also encouraged by the progress on national reconciliation, including the efforts of the Presidency Council to implement its “Strategic Vision on National Reconciliation”.
I reiterate the United Nations’ readiness to support Libyan efforts at national reconciliation as well as the African Union’s planned conference on national reconciliation in Libya, to be held at the earliest possible opportunity.
Mr. President,
Turning to economic developments, oil production resumed on 17 July. By the end of July, production had reached pre-shutdown levels of 1.2 million barrels per day. Recently, the Libyan National Oil Corporation announced plans to further increase oil production capacity.
I am concerned, however, that growing public discontent in the southern region over lack of basic services and poor living conditions may lead to renewed closures of oil fields in the area.
The explosion of a fuel tank in the vicinity of Zwiyah on 1 August, which killed 25 people and injured dozens of others, sparked a wave of protests over the longstanding marginalization of communities in the south.
On 21 August, local dignitaries threatened to form a parallel government in the south if their demands for respect of their rights to basic services and stronger representation in State institutions were not met.
Libya’s natural resources belong to all Libyans, and revenues from oil exports should be distributed equitably and fairly.
Mr. President,
I regret to report that human rights violations in Libya continue to be a major concern. On 20 August, armed groups affiliated with the Libyan National Army encircled the town of Qasr Bouhadi, 25km south of Sirte.
Civilians were deprived of their freedom of movement and prevented from leaving their districts, with hospitals, shops, schools, petrol stations and other essential facilities forced to close. On 26 August, military actors withdrew from the town, but continued to control all movement in and out of the town.
I urge relevant actors to immediately lift the continuing restrictions imposed on the population of Qasr Bouhadi and warn that the situation could further escalate to an inter-community conflict.
Individuals peacefully exercising their right to freedom of expression continued to be subjected to abduction, enforced disappearance and arbitrary detention.
Violence against women activists and their unlawful arrest and detention continue. Smear campaigns targeting civil society actors, particularly women, consisting of hate speech and incitements to violence, are deeply concerning and must cease.
Migrants and refugees also continued to suffer serious human rights violations. According to the latest figures, 2,661 migrants and refugees are arbitrarily detained in official detention centres with restricted humanitarian access.
The United Nations continues to call for the immediate release of all those who are arbitrarily detained and for due process for those charged with contravening Libyan laws.
Mr. President,
It is critical that all Libyan actors maintain calm on the ground, refrain from escalatory rhetoric and actions, and take immediate steps to reverse the political polarization that is spilling over into violence.
In light of the deterioration of the political and security climate in Tripoli, the United Nations must continue to provide and enhance good offices and mediation to help Libyan actors resolve the ongoing impasse and seek a consensual pathway to elections.
Libyans, themselves, are responsible for determining their own future. Any support that the parties receive from within or outside Libya should serve to unite them, not divide them.
The Secretary-General has put forward a number of proposals for the leadership of the mission and his good offices. I urge everyone to support the Secretary-General’s efforts to help Libyans forge a path to peace.
Thank you, Mr. President.
New York, 31 August 2022
Each year, the International Day for People of African Descent celebrates the diverse heritage and culture of people of African descent and their enormous contribution to our societies throughout history.
Yet, around the world, millions of people of African descent are still subject to racism and deeply entrenched and systemic racial discrimination. That is...
Humanitarians have stayed and delivered in Afghanistan in the year since the Taliban takeover, and it is imperative that the international community continues to do the same while the de facto authorities must also do their part, the Security Council heard on Monday.
The UN chief on Monday issued a call for “calm and restraint” in the Iraqi capital Baghdad following a day of reportedly violent protests in and around the national parliament building, in the wake of the announcement from political leader and cleric Muqtada al-Sadr that he was leaving politics.
The UN chief on Monday issued a call for “calm and restraint” in the Iraqi capital Baghdad following a day of reportedly violent protests in and around the national parliament building, in the wake of the announcement from political leader and cleric Muqtada al-Sadr that he was leaving politics.
“Irreversible damage” is being caused to the lives of Syrian civilians due to chronic under-funding of the international effort said the UN’s Assistant Secretary-General for humanitarian affairs on Monday, who told the Security Council the future of a whole generation was at stake.
A peacekeeper from Burkina Faso serving in Mali has been honoured for her work to boost trust between the authorities and local communities, including survivors of gender-based violence.
A team of UN atomic energy experts set out on Monday for Zaporizhzya nuclear power station in Ukraine, after months of rising tensions between Ukrainian and Russian forces, who have accused each other of shelling the plant.
Recent fighting near the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) in Ukraine has again highlighted the potential risk of a disaster, the Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) warned on Sunday.
Exports of Ukrainian grain and other foodstuffs under a landmark agreement amid the ongoing war, have surpassed one million metric tonnes, the UN Coordinator for the Black Sea Grain Initiative, Amir Abdulla, reported on Saturday.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres has highlighted the need for dialogue to reduce the nuclear threat after countries failed to reach consensus at a conference to review the landmark Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), his Spokesperson said on Saturday.
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Speaking from Kharkiv in northeast Ukraine, where shelling has intensified in the last week, the UN's top aid official in the country issued an urgent appeal on Friday for guarantees from Russia and affiliated forces, to allow humanitarians to deliver “absolutely necessary” relief items across the contact line.
Managing the conflict between Palestinians and Israelis is no substitute for a real political process, a truth laid bare by recent events, the Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process told the Security Council on Thursday, as he urged delegates to turn their attention to the broader strategy of ending the occupation and realizing the long elusive two-State solution.
On Thursday, the UN-partnered Cluster Munition Monitor civil society group, released their 2022 Cluster Munition Monitor report, on the risk these weapons pose to civilians.
She Stands For Peace | Season 3-Episode 2 | Out Now! Click here to listen: https://unoau.unmissions.org/podcast-series-she-stands-peace
The robbery of over half a million tonnes of fuel from the World Food Programme (WFP) in Ethiopia’s Tigray region will make it impossible to continue operations that support millions of hungry people, the UN agency said on Thursday
It’s been five years since more than 700,000 ethnic Rohingya fled from Myanmar to Bangladesh to escape a brutal military crackdown. The UN chief on Thursday called on the international community to find “comprehensive, durable and inclusive solutions” to help end their plight.
Mr. President,
My last briefing took place just after Israel and Palestinian Islamic Jihad each independently declared a ceasefire, following three days of military escalation.
I am pleased to update the Council that the ceasefire remains in effect, and a fragile calm has been restored in Gaza. The Erez and Kerem Shalom crossings have remained open...
Amidst deteriorating levels of malnutrition and Ethiopia’s worst drought in 40 years, 17 million people are being targeted for humanitarian assistance, the UN spokesperson said on Wednesday.
The “senseless war” in Ukraine is now six months old, with no end in sight, UN Secretary-General António Guterres told the Security Council on Wednesday, repeating his ongoing appeal for peace.
Mr. President,
On 23 February 2022, this chamber heard impassioned pleas to avert a war in Ukraine. To no avail.
Today, exactly six months later, there is no end in sight to the conflict triggered by the Russian Federation’s invasion.
As we meet, the heaviest fighting is concentrated in the eastern Donbas region; in the south near Kherson and Zaporizhzhia; and in the north-east near Kharkiv. But virtually all corners of Ukraine are affected, and no one is out of reach of missile strikes.
At the same time, several attacks, conducted mainly with drones, have also been reported in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol, Ukraine, occupied by the Russian Federation since 2014.
Mr. President,
Civilians are paying a heavy price in this war. During the past 181 days the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights has recorded 13,560 civilian casualties: 5,614 killed and 7,946 injured. These figures are based on verified incidents; actual numbers are considerably higher.
The majority of civilian casualties were caused by explosive weapons with wide area effects. The use of these weapons in and around populated areas has predictable and devastating consequences.
To date, OHCHR has documented damage, destruction, or use for military purposes of 249 medical facilities and 350 educational facilities. Actual figures may be higher.
The indiscriminate shelling and bombing of populated areas, killing civilians and wrecking hospitals, schools and other civilian infrastructure, are actions that may amount to war crimes.
Mr. President,
We continue to receive reports of human rights violations. The arbitrary detention and enforced disappearance of civilians, including local authorities, journalists, civil society activists and other civilians, continues.
OHCHR has documented 327 cases of arbitrary detention and enforced disappearance of civilians by the Russian Federation and affiliated armed groups in non-government-controlled territory.
OHCHR has also recorded 39 arbitrary arrests in Ukrainian government-controlled territory and 28 other cases that may amount to enforced disappearance.
Fourteen victims of enforced disappearances perpetrated by the Russian Federation and affiliated armed groups were found dead or died while in detention – 13 men and 1 woman.
OHCHR has also corroborated allegations of hundreds of willful killings of civilians while parts of Kyiv, Chernihiv and Sumy regions under Russian control in February-March 2022.
It has also verified 43 cases of conflict-related sexual violence, the majority attributable to Russian armed forces.
Mr. President,
We are also concerned about the situation of prisoners of war on both sides.
All prisoners of war are protected under International Humanitarian Law. There is a need for unimpeded and confidential access by the International Committee of the Red Cross to all places of detention, including to places of internment of Ukrainian prisoners of war and civilian detainees in the Russian Federation.
We are concerned by reports that the Russian Federation and affiliated armed groups in Donetsk are planning to try Ukrainian prisoners of war in a so-called “international tribunal” in Mariupol.
Any tribunal must respect the protections afforded to all prisoners of war by international law, including fair trial guarantees. The failure to uphold these standards could amount to a war crime.
Mr. President,
Humanitarian needs continue to rise rapidly. At least 17.7 million people, or 40 percent of the Ukrainian population, need humanitarian assistance and protection, including 3.3 million children.
Humanitarian access is of great concern. Roads are heavily contaminated with explosive ordnance, putting civilians at risk and stopping humanitarian convoys from reaching them.
Over 6.6 million internally displaced persons have been recorded. Another 6.7 million people have left Ukraine to other countries in Europe, most of them women and children.
Mr. President,
As winter approaches, the destruction caused by war, combined with the lack of access to fuel or electricity due to damaged infrastructure, could become a matter of life or death, if people are unable to heat their homes.
An estimated 1.7 million people are already in need of urgent assistance with heating, shelter repair and other winterization preparation, as temperatures in parts of the country are expected to decline to -20 degrees Celsius
The UN’s ongoing winterization efforts aim to complement and support the work led by the Government of Ukraine.
Our revised Flash Appeal requires $4.3 billion to support 17.7 million people in need of assistance through December 2022. Donors have generously provided $2.4 billion, as of 19 August. The humanitarian response has scaled-up to 500 humanitarian organization partners reaching over 11.8 million people with at least one form of assistance.
The war has severely impacted agriculture in Ukraine, leaving thousands of farmers without income, destroying grain storage facilities, and exacerbating food insecurity among vulnerable groups. According to the World Food Programme, 20 per cent of the people of Ukraine have insufficient food.
Mr. President,
As the Secretary-General emphasized, the repercussions of the war in Ukraine are being felt worldwide.
According to World Food Programme (WFP) estimates, 345 million people will be acutely food insecure or at a high risk of food insecurity in 82 countries with a WFP operational presence. This represents an increase of 47 million acutely hungry people due to the ripple effects of the war in Ukraine.
Last month, UNDP estimated that up to 71 million people may have already been pushed into poverty in the three months after the start of the war. Key affected areas include the Balkans, the Caspian Sea region and sub-Saharan Africa, particularly the Sahel.
The global financial situation remains volatile, with concerns about potential stagflation scenarios in the latter part of 2022 and 2023. Energy markets remain under stress, a serious concern as the winter season in the northern hemisphere approaches.
While food prices have stabilized in recent weeks, this has not necessarily translated to lower inflation rates yet. Inflation continued to accelerate in July 2022.
It is breaking multidecade records in developed countries, and yet it is developing countries and LDCs that have been more drastically affected.
The fiscal situation in many developing economies is a particular concern, particularly as their borrowing ability has been fragile following the need to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic with significant expenditures. Today, developing country debts and import bills are coming under further pressure.
We remain concerned that the deteriorating socio-economic situation in developing countries, particularly those in already fragile situations, could lead to social unrest.
While it is difficult to establish a direct link to the war, we have already seen an increase in the number of riots between the first and second quarter of 2022.
Mr. President,
Today’s grim six-month anniversary coincides with Ukraine’s national day. This is an occasion to celebrate the country’s sovereignty and independence and proud heritage, and we congratulate the people of Ukraine on this day.
But let us recall that the human and material toll of the war is tragic, colossal and evident. First and foremost, for Ukraine and its people, and economic consequences for the world are ominous and growing.
The conflict is having another impact that, although less tangible, is just as perilous. In deepening global divisions and exacerbating mistrust in our institutions, the war is weakening the foundations of our international system.
The consequences of a breakdown in how the world manages questions of peace and security are frightening to contemplate.
This war is not only senseless, but exceedingly dangerous, and it touches all of us. It must end.
Agreement is urgently needed to reestablish the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) in Ukraine as purely civilian infrastructure and prevent a potentially “catastrophic” disaster amid the ongoing conflict, UN political affairs chief Rosemary DiCarlo told the Security Council on Tuesday.
The trial of senior Janjaweed leader Ali Kushayb – the first prosecution to get underway at the request of the UN Security Council – represents “a glimmer of hope for justice in Darfur,” Sudan, the International Criminal Court (ICC) prosecutor on the case told the chamber on Tuesday.
Mister President,
The United Nations remains gravely concerned about the dangerous situation in and around the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant in southern Ukraine. The plant continues to be operated by Ukrainian technical personnel but has been under the control of the military forces of the Russian Federation since early March.
In early August, disturbing reports of an escalation of shelling around the plant began to emerge.
The Secretary-General has appealed to all concerned to exercise common sense and reason and to refrain from undertaking any actions that might endanger the physical integrity, safety or security of the nuclear plant – Europe’s largest.
On 15 August, the Secretary-General discussed the issue of the plant’s safety during a call with Russian Minister of Defense Sergei Shoigu.
On 18 August, during his visit to Lviv, he discussed the situation with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
In all his statements and meetings, the Secretary-General has continued to call for all military activities in the immediate vicinity of the plant to cease immediately and for all sides to refrain from targeting its facilities or surroundings.
All military personnel and equipment must be withdrawn from the plant. There should be no further deployment of forces or equipment to the site.
The facility must not be used as part of any military operation, and an agreement on a safe perimeter of demilitarization to ensure the safety of the area should be reached.
Regrettably, despite numerous calls and appeals, instead of de-escalation, we continue to see almost daily reports of alarming incidents involving the plant.
Today the Director General of the IAEA renewed his request
to send an IAEA mission to carry out essential safety, security and safeguards activities at the site.
Preparations for the mission are proceeding, and the IAEA is in active consultations with all parties regarding its efforts to send such a mission as soon as possible. We welcome Ukraine and Russia’s recent statements indicating support for the IAEA’s aim to send a mission to the plant, which would be IAEA’s first to that site since the start of the war.
Mr. President
Common sense must prevail to avoid any actions that might endanger the physical integrity, safety or security of the plant. As the Secretary-General stressed in his briefing at the Council yesterday, the commitment to dialogue and results must be applied to the critical situation at the plant.
If such incidents continue or escalate, we could face a disaster.
The United Nations continues to fully support the critical work of the International Atomic Energy Agency and its efforts to
ensure the safe operation of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant and other nuclear facilities in Ukraine.
In close contact with the IAEA, the UN has assessed that we have the logistics and security capacity in Ukraine to support any
IAEA mission to the plant from Kyiv, provided Ukraine and Russia agree.
We once again urge the parties to provide the IAEA mission with immediate, secure and unfettered access to the site.
Agreement is urgently needed to reestablish Zaporizhzhia as purely civilian infrastructure and to ensure the safety of the area.
We must be clear that any potential damage to the plant, or any other nuclear facilities in Ukraine, leading to a possible nuclear incident would have catastrophic consequences, not only for the immediate vicinity, but for the region and beyond.
Similarly, any damage leading to the plant being cut from the Ukrainian power grid would have catastrophic humanitarian implications, particularly with winter approaching. As the Secretary-General has made clear, the electricity produced at the Zaporizhzhia plant belongs to Ukraine.
At this moment, it is imperative that we receive the expressed commitment of the parties to stop any military activities around the plant to enable its continued safe and secure operations. To paraphrase the Secretary-General’s blunt warning, any potential damage to Zaporizhzhia is suicidal.
Thank you, Mr. President.
The UN Human Rights Office (OHCHR) expressed concern on Tuesday after photos and videos released on social media appeared to show metal cages being built in the philharmonic hall in the devastated Ukrainian city of Mariupol, apparently to house prisoners of war (POWs) during an upcoming “show trial”.
Recommit to “dialogue, diplomacy and mutual trust”, Secretary-General António Guterres urged ambassadors in the UN Security Council on Monday, describing them as “the eternal tools of peace”.
Nearly 1,000 boys and girls have been killed or injured in the war in Ukraine, the head of the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) reported on Monday, underscoring the urgent need for peace.
New York, 22 August 2022
On this day, we honour those who have lost their lives or who have otherwise suffered for simply seeking to exercise their fundamental rights to freedom of thought, conscience, and religion or belief. I reiterate my firm solidarity with these victims.
Despite the concern of the United Nations General Assembly, which instituted this observance in 2019,...
On Sunday, UN Secretary-General António paid tribute to victims of terrorism, marking the international day established to ensure that “victims and survivors are always heard and never forgotten.”
New York, 21 August 2022
The International Day of Remembrance and Tribute to the Victims of Terrorism is a day of reflection, recognition, and action.
We reflect on the pain and suffering of those who lost loved ones; and we resolve to listen to them and learn from them.
We commit to support survivors scarred by heinous acts of terrorism by...
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UN Secretary-General António Guterres has called for wealthier countries to help developing nations purchase Ukrainian grain as supplies begin returning to global markets, in an appeal from the Black Sea port of Odesa on Friday, World Humanitarian Day.
On the eve of World Humanitarian Day, the UN Humanitarian Coordinator in South Sudan, called on Thursday for joint action to address the aid crisis in the country and end attacks against civilians and humanitarian workers.
The UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) condemned on Thursday, a fatal attack on a Mosque in the capital, Kabul.
The UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for Syria, Imran Riza, on Wednesday concluded a four-day mission to the northeast, where he visited camps hosting thousands of displaced persons.
