New-York, 17 May 2020
The world marks International Day against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia (IDAHOT) at a time of great challenge.
Among the many severe impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic is the increased vulnerability of LGBTI people. Already facing bias, attacks and murder simply for who they are or whom they love, many LGBTI people are experiencing heightened stigma as a...
New-York, 17 May, 2020
Information technology can be a beacon of hope, allowing billions of people around the world to connect.During the COVID-19 pandemic, these connections – with loved ones, with schools and colleges, with workplaces, with healthcare professionals and essential supplies– are more important than ever.The International Telecommunication Union continues to work with the...
Productive Sectors Development Essential for Achieving #TheLebanonWeWant
Beirut, Lebanon
Friday, 15 May 2020 (United Nations) – The Lebanese economy is suffering from the consequences of longstanding development challenges and multiples crises. Starting from the Syrian crisis in 2011, to the...
This Week in DPPA is a brief roundup of political and peacebuilding events and developments at UNHQ and around the world.
COVID-19Stockholm Forum - DiCarlo calls on influential countries to do more to help silence the guns
Afghanistan – Calls for solidarity amid concerns of rising domestic violence during COVID-19 West Africa - COVID-19 tests the region’s resilience Mohamed Ibn Chambas, Special Representative and Head of UNOWAS, participated on 13 May in The Debate, a discussion programme on French broadcaster France 24. What has West Africa learned since the Ebola outbreak, when is the moment to ease lockdown, and what are the conditions for staging elections during the current crisis were among the issues discussed. Mr. Ibn Chambas said that this was not the ideal time to go to the polls, but he backed Benin’s decisions to stage local elections on 17 May. Watch the debate here New report on impact of COVID-19
Security CouncilHennis-Plasschaert: “Iraq must move away from endless crisis management towards a more productive approach” Griffiths expresses hope instead of reporting success
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IraqMeeting with new Prime Minister
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The World Health Organization (WHO) was on Thursday seeking to clarify why authorities in Burundi have expelled its top official in the country and three other staff members, the UN agency’s Regional Director for Africa told journalists during a press briefing on COVID-19.
UN Special Envoy for war-weary Yemen, Martin Griffiths, told the Security Council on Thursday, that he believed an end to the fighting “is within close reach”, but cautioning that he had come “yet again to express hope, instead of to report success”.
UN Special Envoy for war-weary Yemen, Martin Griffiths, told the Security Council on Thursday, that he had been in intensive negotiations with the warring parties in Yemen over a lasting peace deal, with "significant progress" made, especially towards making the UN's call for a complete silencing of the guns, a reality.
Decades of neglect and underinvestment in addressing people’s mental health needs have been exposed by the COVID-19 pandemic, the UN said on Thursday, in a call for ambitious commitments from countries in the way they treat psychological illness, amid a potential global spike in suicides and drug abuse.
Statement of the International Support Group
Beirut, 13 May 2020
The ISG takes due note of the unanimous adoption by the Government of Lebanon of its Financial Recovery Plan as a constructive framework for future reforms as well as its...
The South Sudanese Government has confirmed that two cases of COVID-19 have been identified inside a Protection of Civilians (PoC) site in the capital, Juba, although the world’s youngest nation has been relatively unscathed by the pandemic, with 74 cases recorded so far.
New-York, 13 May 2020
Mental health is at the core of our humanity.
It enables us to lead rich and fulfilling lives and to participate in our communities
But the COVID-19 virus is not only attacking our physical health; it is also increasing psychological suffering....
Perpetrators behind two separate deadly attacks in Afghanistan on Tuesday must be brought to justice, top UN officials have said.
Despite compounding crises that include the COVID-19 pandemic and plummeting oil revenues, a more prosperous and inclusive Iraq can be achieved provided the political will is there, the top UN official in the country told the Security Council during a virtual meeting held on Tuesday.
New York, 12 May 2020
Let me begin by thanking Ambassador Omar Hilale of the Kingdom of Morocco for this very timely initiative. It is heartening to see so many religious leaders joining forces today in a spirit of solidarity.Our world faces a crisis like no other. The COVID-19 pandemic is not just a global health emergency. It is...
Three UN peacekeepers from Chad were killed in northern Mali on Sunday when their convoy hit a roadside bomb near Aguelhok, in the restive Kidal region. The improvised device also seriously injured four others who are now receiving medical care, the UN Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) said in a statement.
Bogotá, 9 May 2020 - The UN Verification Mission in Colombia condemns the murder of Wilder Daniel Marín Alarcón, a member of the Revolutionary Alternative Force of the Common (FARC) party, occurred on 7 May in the municipality of Bello, Antioquia. With Wilder, there are already 24 cases of murders, in 2020, of those who are committed to their process of reincorporation.
During the COVID-19 context, violence in the conflict-affected areas has continued. Since the...
The UN Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) has condemned several recent attacks on civilian areas of the Libyan Capital, Tripoli, which have reportedly caused deaths and injuries.
On 8 and 9 May, the UN commemorates the millions who lost their lives during the Second World War, the tragic conflict that led to the birth of the United Nations. In a video message released late on Friday, UN chief António Guterres warned that divisions still exist, and called for a world based on peace and unity.
The COVID-19 outbreak could trigger a humanitarian catastrophe in Haiti, endangering many years of hard-won progress in the Caribbean nation, the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) said on Friday.
As civilian casualties mount across Syria and human rights violations continue unabated, the UN rights chief expressed serious concern on Friday that some parties to the conflict, including ISIL terrorist fighters, may be using the COVID-19 pandemic as “an opportunity to regroup and inflict violence on the population”.
This Week in DPPA is a brief roundup of political and peacebuilding events and developments at UNHQ and around the world.
COVID-19Colombia: Need to put the armed conflict on lockdown
Peacebuilding: Joint blogpost on COVID-19 in fragile settings
Central African Republic: Impact of COVID-19 on upcoming elections
Security CouncilHigh-level meeting on the 75th Anniversary of the End of the Second World War in Europe |
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Women, Peace and SecurityWebinar on women’s participation in peace processes
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Contact DPPA at dppa@un.org
UN Secretary-General António Guterres is calling for concerted global action to quash the “tsunami” of hate speech that has risen alongside the COVID-19 pandemic.
Thank you, Mr. Minister, for the invitation to participate in today’s meeting to commemorate 75 years since the end of the Second World War in Europe. This is another opportunity to reflect on the toll of that horrific conflict and its legacy, for Europe and the world.
It is both poignant and ironic that we are not able to meet in person today, because we are facing one of the greatest challenges to humanity since the end of the Second World War. How we react to the new challenge before us - the COVID-19 pandemic - could be as significant as how the world rebuilt after fascism was vanquished.
In May 1945, visionary leaders chose multilateralism and international cooperation over division and isolation. A choice that led to the establishment of the United Nations Organization.
These same leaders created a rules-based system with mechanisms to resolve differences peacefully, and all committed to the principle of collective security. The rules-based system was also built on the respect of human rights and human dignity, a necessary value to overcome the legacy of the Holocaust and atrocities of the conflict.
European countries played a large role in this architecture. For the past 75 years, the countries of Europe have been stalwart supporters both of multilateralism and conflict prevention, lending indispensable support to the United Nations.
The creation of the European Economic Community and European Union signalled that countries would put aside their differences and work toward a more prosperous future of benefit to all members. And the adoption of the Helsinki Accords and the establishment of the Organization of Cooperation and Security in Europe was key to reducing tensions between East and West during the post-War period.
And while this system created after the war has brought relative peace to Europe and other parts of the world, tensions and violent conflicts persist, including in Europe.
Preventing and resolving violent conflicts around the world is at the heart of the United Nations peace and security pillar. The Secretary-General has made prevention one of his highest priorities, including the full and effective implementation of the women, peace and security agenda.
His vision focuses on the need to mitigate wider stressors and shocks that can lead to political crises and violent conflict. He has repeatedly called for a “surge in diplomacy for peace”.
In his briefing to the Security Council on “Conflicts in Europe” at the beginning of his tenure, the Secretary-General urged all stakeholders to intensify their efforts to define a peace and security agenda that could effectively address current complex challenges.
I would like to recall his appeal to the Security Council for an honest reflection on the conflicts in the region. Europe is not immune from instability, and we should not take peace and prosperity in the region for granted.
The United Nations contributed to bringing an end to brutal wars in the Western Balkans in the 1990s. And yet, full peace and reconciliation have still not been achieved there. Meanwhile, there remain several protracted conflicts on the continent, and the crises in Georgia in 2008 and in Ukraine in 2014 showed that new outbreaks of violence were all too possible.
Meanwhile, seventy-five years since the end of the war, we are hearing disturbing echoes of the past. The voices of populism, authoritarianism, nationalism, and xenophobia are making themselves heard ever more loudly. We must confront those who would drag the world back to a violent and shameful past.
The United Nations continues to engage in peace efforts in Europe, including negotiations to reach a comprehensive and durable settlement to the long-standing Cyprus question. We are also working with regional organizations in the Geneva International Discussions.
In addition, we fully support the lead role and vital work of the Normandy Four and Trilateral Contact Group for Ukraine, the OSCE-led Minsk Group Co-Chairs process on Nagorno-Karabakh, the OSCE-led “5+2” settlement process for Transnistria, and the EU-led Belgrade-Pristina dialogue. It is time to find negotiated solutions to these conflicts and build lasting peace. This will require political will, courage and leadership by all concerned.
Yes, this is easier said than done. But if ever there was a time to look beyond narrow interests, this is it. Europe, with international help, built a more prosperous and peaceful future after the cataclysm of the war three quarters of a century ago.
Today, a deadly pandemic threatens us all. But it also gives us an opportunity to unite our efforts to first overcome the crisis and then create a more equitable and peaceful world.
Mr. Minister
Recognizing the unprecedented global challenge of COVID-19, the Secretary-General called on 23 March for a global ceasefire. He urged all warring parties to silence their guns in order to facilitate conditions for the delivery of humanitarian aid, create the space for diplomatic engagement, and address the needs of those most vulnerable to the pandemic.
His appeal has garnered endorsements from many Member States, regional organizations, religious leaders and civil society platforms, as well as several armed groups. The voice of European Member States has been critical in amplifying this call.
Regrettably, in many places, support for the Secretary-General’s call has yet to translate into tangible results. We need a concerted international effort to move conflict parties to stop the fighting, especially as the pandemic injects countries with far-reaching humanitarian, socio-economic and potentially political consequences.
The COVID-19 pandemic has indeed highlighted, once again, the importance of working collectively. When the Secretary-General decided last year that the UN would mark its 75th anniversary by looking forward not backward to what citizens around the world expected from the United Nations of the future, no one could have predicted we would be facing a crisis of this scale.
Out of concern that the world was growing more divided, the Secretary-General called for a return to the spirit of the Charter, to “We the peoples”, to renew international cooperation.
As we look back on the lessons of the past 75 years, we must find opportunity in this time of crisis, to put aside our differences and strengthen the channels for dialogue and cooperation. We must also exercise the solidarity needed to help the more vulnerable countries respond to the challenges they are now facing, understanding that their security and well-being affects us all. We must also find that community of purpose that existed in the immediate post-war period.
This is essential for safeguarding lasting peace and stability, in Europe and beyond.
Thank you, Mr. Minister
Ashgabat, TURKMENISTAN
Special Representative of the Secretary- General for Central Asia, Natalia Gherman, on behalf of the Secretary-General, Antonio Gutterres, expressed support to the collaborative efforts of Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan aimed at mitigating the consequences of the breach at the Sardoba dam that happened on 1 May.
High-level interaction and the personal attention of...
Ashgabat, TURKMENISTAN
Special Representative of the Secretary- General for Central Asia, Natalia Gherman, on behalf of the UN Secretary-General, António Guterres, expressed support to the collaborative efforts of Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan aimed at mitigating the consequences of the breach at the Sardoba dam that happened on 1 May.
High-level interaction and the personal attention...
UN Secretary-General António Guterres and his Special Representative in Iraq, welcomed the long-delayed formation of a new Government in Baghdad on Thursday and called for meaningful reforms to be put into place to better the lives of the Iraqi people and strengthen democratic institutions.
THE SECRETARY-GENERAL'S GLOBAL APPEAL TO ADDRESS AND COUNTER
COVID-19-RELATED HATE SPEECH
COVID-19 does not care who we are, where we live, what we believe or about any other distinction. We need every ounce of solidarity to tackle it together. Yet the pandemic continues to unleash a tsunami of hate and xenophobia, scapegoating and scare-mongering.
Anti-foreigner sentiment has surged online...
In the face of the pandemic, DPPA, at UN headquarters and in the field, has adapted its operations in order to continue providing support to Member States and partners. The Department is closely watching the impact of Covid-19 and government responses in individual countries, especially those hosting our Special Political Missions (SPMs).
Bosnia and Herzegovina is weathering the COVID-19 outbreak better than some other nations, but there’s a real danger that corruption will undermine global efforts to help it contain the pandemic, the international community’s High Representative to the Western Balkan country told the Security Council on Wednesday.
As senior UN officials spread the alarm over the rapid spread of COVID-19 through prisons – where physical distancing is nigh on impossible, and hygiene is often inadequate – UN Corrections, Justice and Human Rights teams are working to protect prison staff and detainees from the ravages of the virus.
Unabated violence, particularly in and around the Libyan capital, has now been raging for more than a year, the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) told the Security Council in a virtual briefing on Tuesday, warning that war crimes may have been committed.
New-York, 6 May 2020
The COVID-19 crisis is affecting every aspect of our societies, revealing the extent of exclusion that the most marginalized members of society experience.
Today, I would like to highlight how the pandemic is affecting the world’s 1 billion people with disabilities.
Even under normal circumstances, persons with disabilities are less...
