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Secretary-General visits Russia and Ukraine
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Under-Secretary-General (USG) Rosemary DiCarlo accompanied Secretary-General António Guterres to Russia and Ukraine this week to discuss urgent steps to bring about peace in Ukraine and scale up humanitarian assistance to the Ukrainian people. Before traveling to Russia on 25 April, the Secretary-General met Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in Ankara and expressed support for Turkey’s ongoing diplomatic efforts in relation to ending the war as soon as possible. In Moscow on 26 April, the UN delegation had a working meeting and lunch with Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, followed by a meeting between the Secretary-General and President Vladimir Putin. On their way to Ukraine on 27 April, the Secretary-General met with Polish President Andrzej Duda in Rzeszów, Poland. He expressed his deep appreciation for the generosity of the Polish people in opening their homes to Ukrainian refugees. In Kyiv on 28 April, after witnessing the destruction in the towns of Borodyanka, Irpin and Bucha, the Secretary-General met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and informed him of the UN’s efforts to scale up operations in Ukraine to save lives and reduce suffering. In a tweet, Under-Secretary-General DiCarlo said she had been able to see first-hand the devastation the Russian invasion has wrought and reiterated the Secretary-General's call for an end to “this senseless war.”
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Wennesland: “The ultimate goal remains clear: two States, living side-by-side in peace and security”
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“A serious escalation is avoidable,” Tor Wennesland, the Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, said at the Security Council briefing on 25 April. He urged members not to lose sight of the imperative to end the occupation and advance towards a two-State reality: “The ultimate goal remains clear: two States, living side-by-side in peace and security.” The briefing took place during heightened tension and a month marred by violence in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and terror attacks in Israel, which have killed and injured scores of civilians. In Jerusalem, the situation remains relatively calm, he said, despite inflammatory rhetoric and violent clashes between Palestinians and Israeli Security Forces (ISF) that have taken place at the Holy Sites. “Violence, provocations and incitement must stop immediately and be unequivocally condemned by all,” Wennesland stressed. He urged the parties to maintain calm through the final week of Ramadan so it can be celebrated without interruption.
Read full remarks here
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8th session of the Syrian Constitutional Committee to convene in May
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Briefing the Council on 26 April, Special Envoy Geir O. Pedersen urged Member States to focus on Syria, recalling that it is “a hot conflict, not a frozen one”, with an uptick in airstrikes and intensified clashes in the northeast in the past month, “regular incidents between or involving international actors” as well as the threat of terrorism emanating from the crisis. “The current strategic stalemate on the ground and Syria’s absence from the headlines should not mislead anyone into thinking that the conflict needs less attention or fewer resources, or that a political solution is not urgent,” he stressed. In this regard, Pedersen announced that he had issued invitations for the 8th session of the Syrian Constitutional Committee to be held from 28 May to 3 June in Geneva.
Read full remarks here
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Special Envoy Xia notes steady progress in the Great Lakes region despite persisting challenges
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On 27 April, Special Envoy for the Great Lakes region Huang Xia, in a briefing to the Council highlighted ongoing efforts to strengthen regional cooperation in the region, especially on security and economic integration, in line with the Peace, Security and Cooperation Framework for the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and the region. He hailed the existing climate of dialogue, cooperation and integration, and the continued willingness to address the root causes of instability in the Great Lakes region. Xia pointed out that recent security incidents involving attacks by armed groups in Eastern DRC showcase “how much peace in eastern DRC is still extremely fragile.” He called on Member States to redouble efforts to achieve a region completely free of the horrors of war.
Read full remarks here
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UNSMIL mandate extended for another three months
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The Security Council unanimously adopted Resolution 2629 (2022) on 29 April to extend the mandate of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) until 31 July 2022. The integrated special political mission will continue to support the political process in Libya.
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UNRCCA takes part in conference on water cooperation
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On 26 April, the UN Regional Centre for Preventive Diplomacy for Central Asia (UNRCCA) participated in the Central Asian International Scientific and Practical Conference held in Kazakhstan, entitled “30 years of Water Cooperation in Central Asia: Experience of the Past, Tasks for the Future”. Within the framework of the Conference, UNRCCA, in cooperation with DPPA, organized a separate roundtable on the linkages between climate change, peace and security. The event was arranged within the new UNRCCA Strategy on supporting cooperation between the states of Central Asia on water, energy, environment and climate for 2022-2025. Around 30 experts took part in the roundtable from respective ministries and agencies of the Central Asian states.
Read more here
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UNRCCA completes April series of Preventive Diplomacy Academy training seminars
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In April, within the Preventive Diplomacy Academy (PDA) initiative framework, UNRCCA held two training workshops for youth in Central Asia and Afghanistan. The workshops were attended by 36 PDA participants, including two youth representatives from Afghanistan. The students received learning materials on the definition of emotional intelligence components, their development, and self-control of basic emotions for enhancing stress resistance. They also participated in a three-day workshop on conflict prevention and digital security where they learned about digital security and conflict prevention methods, including digital conflict prevention methods in peacebuilding.
Read more here
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Deputy Special Representative engages with representatives in Herat
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Mette Knudsen, Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General at the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) met with de facto provincial governor Mawlavi Noor Ahmad Islamja on 27 April during her visit to Herat this week. She also met a wide range of representatives from civil society, media and the business community to discuss the current situation and the way forward.
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Special Representative Hennis-Plasschaert discusses political developments with interlocutors
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Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Iraq, met on 24 April in Baghdad with the leader of the Wisdom (Al-Hikma) Movement, Ammar al-Hakim. They reviewed recent political developments in the country, with emphasis on the need for government formation to meet the aspirations of the Iraqi people. On 27 April, the Special Representative visited the Jurisprudence Association in Baghdad and met with Sheikh Abdul Sattar Abdul Jabbar and other members of the Association where they discussed recent political developments and various issues, including human rights, displacement and humanitarian aspects, with an emphasis on social cohesion. On 28 April, she met with Iraqi Council of Representatives Speaker Mohammed al-Halbousi to discuss the political situation in the country. She emphasized the importance of ending the political stalemate, in the interest of all Iraqis.
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Special Envoy Grundberg discusses progress of the truce
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Hans Grundberg, the Special Envoy for Yemen met on 25 April with Jordanian Minister of Foreign Affairs Ayman Safadi to discuss progress on the implementation of the truce in Yemen, particularly the continuous efforts to resume commercial flights from Sana’a. “The parties have reiterated their commitment to uphold the truce,” said the Special Envoy separately in a tweet on 28 April, also calling on the parties to work constructively and in good faith to prioritize the interests of Yemeni civilians. “We are working tirelessly to help them identify solutions to resume flights from Sana’a. We also continue pushing for progress on opening roads in Taiz and other governorates,” he added.
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West Africa and the Sahel
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Special Representative Annadif visits Côte d'Ivoire
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Mahamat Saleh Annadif, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of the UN Office for West Africa and the Sahel (UNOWAS) concluded on 28 April a two-day visit to Côte d'Ivoire. During the visit, he met with Vice-President Tiémoko Meyliet Koné and Prime Minister Patrick Achi, among others. The Special Representative welcomed the closure of the political dialogue in March and the establishment of an inter-community dialogue process in Côte d'Ivoire, with the participation of administrative authorities, civil society organizations, traditional and religious leaders, youth and women's groups. He seized the opportunity of his visit to announce the launch, in May, of the project to strengthen social cohesion in Côte d'Ivoire.
Read more here
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Verification Mission witnesses a milestone for transitional justice
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The UN Verification Mission in Colombia hailed the holding on 26-27 April of the first public hearing by the Special Jurisdiction for Peace (JEP). The Mission was able to witness the courage of the victims, their testimonies and their persistence in the search for the truth, as well as the appearance of the 10 soldiers and the third parties (‘tercero civil’) accused of war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in the Catatumbo region. This hearing, as well as other hearings announced by the Special Jurisdiction for Peace, are decisive steps to guarantee the rights of victims, the construction of peace and guarantees of non-repetition. The UN Verification Mission in Colombia will continue to support transitional justice efforts.
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BINUH hears concerns on security and political situations
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The UN Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH) on 28 April met with representatives of the private sector, professional organizations and civil society to listen to their concerns and proposals on the security and political situation in the country.
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Virtual Reality experience “Sea of Islands” at UN headquarters
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In collaboration with the Government of Japan, the DPPA Innovation Cell developed a Virtual Reality (VR) film to raise awareness on climate security risks with a particular focus on the Pacific region, which was on view this week at UN headquarters. The 14-minute VR experience, filmed in Fiji, explores various climate-related challenges facing Pacific communities, such as threats to food security, displacement, and natural disasters, and highlights examples of community adaptation and resilience. Through this immersive experience, visitors could deepen their understanding of the impacts of climate change in the Pacific region and beyond.
More information on DPPA’s innovation work available on https://futuringpeace.org/
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