New York, 25 June 2020
Seafarers are among the world’s unsung heroes.
The International Day of the Seafarer is a time to honour the world’s two million seafarers whose dedication and professionalism keep the vast majority of world trade moving safely, delivering vital goods – including food, fuel and medical...
New York, 25 June 2020
Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome. We mark tomorrow’s 75th anniversary of the adoption of the United Nations Charter at a time of colossal global upheaval and risk. From COVID-19 to climate disruption, from racial injustice to rising inequalities, we are a world in turmoil. At the same time, we are an international community with an enduring vision – embodied in the Charter – to guide us...
New York, 24 June 2020
Today we face a global pandemic.
Worldwide, people rightly raise their voices against racism.
Confronting problems is a start. But we also have to solve them.
We have a timeless guide to tackle our...
New York, 23 June 2020
As the world continues to grapple with the deadly COVID-19 pandemic, public servants have been on the frontlines of the crisis response.
They are the nurses, doctors and paramedics who provide life-saving care;
The sanitation workers who disinfect and clean public spaces;
The transportation...
New York, 20 June 2020
Nearly 80 million women, children, and men around the world have been forced from their homes as refugees or internally displaced people. Even more shocking: ten million of these people fled in the past year alone.
On World Refugee Day, we pledge to do everything in our power to end the conflict and persecution that drive these appalling numbers.
...This Week in DPPA is a brief roundup of political and peacebuilding events and developments at UNHQ and around the world.
COVID-19Afghanistan: Young Afghans speak out for peace – voluntarism in context of the COVID-19 pandemic Peacebuilding Commission meeting on The Gambia DiCarlo: “Our works goes on despite challenging conditions”
For up-to-date information on COVID-19 and its impact, please visit:
Security CouncilPedersen calls for action on the release of detainees and abductees
La Lime: “reform of the Constitution is required to break the circle” BoliviaNew agreement between the Government and the UN |
|
Colombia'Mountain Honey,' a contribution to peace
|
Subscribe to This Week in DPPA by clicking here: Sign Up Now
Contact DPPA at dppa@un.org
New York, 19 June 2020
Sexual violence in conflict is a brutal crime, mainly perpetrated against women and girls, but also affecting men and boys.
It reverberates throughout communities and societies, perpetuating cycles of violence and threatening international peace and security.
...
New York, 19 June 2020
The COVID-19 pandemic has turned the world of work upside down.
Every worker, every business and every corner of the globe has been affected.
Hundreds of millions of jobs have been lost.
...The new report – Gender, Climate & Security: Sustaining Inclusive Peace on the Frontlines of Climate Change – by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), UN Women, the UN Development Programme (UNDP), and the UN Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs (UNDPPA) reveals the close links between gender, climate, and security, and shows that women on the frontlines of climate action are playing a vital role in conflict prevention and sustainable, inclusive peace.
Mr. Chairman,
Excellencies,
Distinguished delegates,
First, I would like to thank, His Excellency, Ambassador Mohammed Hussein Bahr Aluloom, for convening this meeting.
I would also like to thank the co-facilitators of this agenda item, Finland and Mexico, for their continued support to special political missions.
I am pleased to have the opportunity to address the Fourth Committee during these challenging times and would like to focus on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and its implications for our special political missions.
The impact of the pandemic is truly multidimensional. The unprecedented health crisis is rapidly expanding humanitarian needs across the globe.
The economic impact of the virus is devastating as jobs have disappeared and businesses have suffered; it has increased poverty and marginalization; it is exacerbating various human rights challenges.
The pandemic is also a peace and security crisis. It has already led to social unrest in some countries and could potentially trigger violence that would both greatly undermine our ability to fight the disease and reverse the fragile gains for peace we have achieved over the last few years. It could also increase the suffering of vulnerable populations of refugees and forcibly displaced persons.
As the Secretary-General stated in his briefing to the Security Council on 9 April, we face multiple risks, including: an erosion of trust in public institutions if populations perceive that authorities have not addressed the pandemic effectively; an escalation of violence by conflict actors - including violent extremist groups - that think the confusion caused by the pandemic may give them a tactical advantage; and the rise of stigma and hate speech against various groups.
Across all of these areas, women too frequently bear the brunt of the social, economic and security consequences of the pandemic. As the Secretary-General has pointed out, the rise in domestic violence since the outbreak of COVID-19 has been particularly worrying.
Mr. Chairman,
The COVID-19 pandemic has affected every facet of our work, at Headquarters and for our special political missions in the field.
There has already been some impact on the operational capabilities of our missions, largely due to measures taken to limit the spread of the virus. Some peace processes have stalled, as the world responds to COVID-19. Our good offices and mediation engagements have felt the impact. Restrictions on movement may continue to affect the work of various confidence-based mechanisms, as well as our ability to engage in crisis diplomacy to de-escalate potential conflicts.
Despite these constraints, special political missions continue to fulfill their mandates. They are guided by four key objectives:
(1) to support national authorities in their response to COVID-19;
(2) to protect our personnel and their capacity to continue critical operations;
(3) to ensure that our own personnel are not a contagion vector; and
(4) to help assist vulnerable communities and continue to implement mission mandates.
For example, in Colombia, the UN Verification Mission, along with the UN Country Team, helped distribute sanitation kits to areas where former combatants are located.
In Somalia, UNSOM provided prefabricated buildings to be used for isolation facilities, and together with WHO, a testing laboratory in Mogadishu.
In Guinea Bissau, UNIOGBIS and the UN Country Team have established a Communication Task Force to support national communication efforts for COVID-19 response, particularly geared towards women as well as vulnerable groups.
Mr. Chairman,
SPMs are increasingly using technology to remain actively engaged with parties to peace negotiations and other stakeholders. Technology has also allowed us to reach out to communities while maintaining physical distancing rules.
Last week, with the support of the DPPA Innovation Cell, the Office of the Special Envoy for Yemen carried out a first of its kind large-scale interactive virtual dialogue with hundreds of Yemenis on the opportunities and challenges for peace in the country. The consultation allowed over 500 Yemenis to express their thoughts on the prospect of a nationwide ceasefire, expectations for the peace process, and key humanitarian and economic measures that are needed, including to improve the country’s response to the pandemic.
Mr. Chairman,
Recognizing the urgency of the crisis, on 23 March, the Secretary-General called for a global ceasefire, urging warring parties to silence their guns to help create conditions for the delivery of aid and to open up space for diplomacy.
The response to the appeal was initially positive. Support came from every corner of the globe, including world leaders, regional partners, civil society and religious leaders. A number of conflict parties responded to the appeal and took first steps to stop fighting.
However, early gestures of support have not translated into concrete change on the ground. Some of the initial ceasefires have not been extended. Many conflict parties do not yet see the impact of the pandemic; some are even using it to press their advantage.
Special political missions are playing a key role in operationalizing the Secretary-General’s ceasefire call. Our SRSGs and Envoys continue to engage with their interlocutors to urge them to put their differences aside to combat COVID-19. On some occasions, their interaction is through virtual means.
The acting Special Representative in Libya, for example, is in close contact with the warring parties to work on a de-escalation of hostilities and facilitate ceasefire talks, which have recently resumed virtually. In Yemen, the Special Envoy is in dialogue with the parties to build trust and move towards a ceasefire and resumption of the political process. And in Afghanistan, our new Special Representative is engaging in support of the launch of intra-Afghan negotiations.
Our SPMs will continue to work to make the Secretary-General’s global ceasefire call a reality. This will require a collective effort, including by Member States, in order to regain momentum and allow the space for dialogue.
Mr. Chairman,
In addition to the above measures taken by the SPMs, various bodies of the UN have been playing their role to support their efforts. The Security Council has been holding virtual meetings and has approved mandates of SPMs to ensure the smooth running of their operations. The Peacebuilding Commission has been playing a critical convening role by bringing together national governments, SPMs, International Financial Institutions and other actors to support national and regional COVID-19 response measures.
In this regard, the ongoing review of the peacebuilding architecture is a critical process, as peacebuilding and sustaining peace are integral components of the work of special political missions.
For the third time since the creation of the UN peacebuilding architecture, Member States have the opportunity to strengthen the work of the UN in supporting conflict-affected countries. The review allows us to take stock of our support to nationally owned and led peacebuilding.
It has been a broad and inclusive process, guided by the Peacebuilding Commission, and informed by meetings open to all Member States, as well as regional and thematic consultations held around the world. Many of these consultations were conducted online due to the pandemic.
We are currently finalizing the report of the Secretary-General on peacebuilding and sustaining peace – which was consulted widely and will be the main input into the review. The report will take stock of the achievements we have made so far – working better together, breaking silos, and strengthening coherence and cross-pillar coordination. It will also point to enduring challenges and address how the UN can maximize its impact to promote a sustainable peace.
We look forward to working closely with Member States through the appropriate mechanisms to ensure that the review of the peacebuilding architecture reaches a successful outcome.
Mr. Chairman,
In closing, I would like to once again express my deep appreciation to Member States for their continued support to special political missions. Your support is indispensable for the missions to discharge their mandates.
I would also like to pay tribute to all our staff serving in special political missions, often in difficult conditions and under significant personal sacrifices, in order to help contribute to conflict prevention, peacemaking and peacebuilding – and to assist the people we serve.
Thank you.
New York, 17 June 2020
The health of humanity depends on the health of the planet.
Today, our planet is ailing.
Land degradation affects some 3.2 billion people.
Seventy 70 per cent of the world’s land has been transformed by human activity.
We can reverse this trend and bring solutions to a wide...
Thank you, Mr. President (France, Nicolas de Rivière)
1. Last month, I told you how struck I was by the depth of concerns among ordinary Syrians at the current state and future of their beloved country.
2. A month on, I have heard these messages even louder -- including in continued consultations with Syrians participating in the Civil Society Support Room and with the Women’s Advisory Board.
3. I have heard many of the appeals you are familiar with – a thirst for progress on the 2254 political process, for an end to all violence and terrorism and a nationwide ceasefire, for actions on detainees and abductees and missing persons, and for progress in creating conditions for Syrian refugees and IDPs to return to their homes in a safe, voluntary and dignified manner.
4. I heard a new level of alarm at the dramatic collapse in economic conditions throughout the country. It is easy to understand why. During just one week during the reporting period, the Syrian lira’s market rate depreciated more than in the entire nine years prior, before rallying somewhat. But currency and price volatility remain acute. And the inflation rate has hit peak levels in the past six months.
5. The economic crisis is hitting every part of Syria, regardless of territorial control: from Damascus and the southwest … to Aleppo and the northwest … and to the northeast. Medicine is more expensive, and scarce. Food prices have skyrocketed and supply chains have been disrupted. The purchasing power of ordinary Syrians has seriously diminished as wages - both private and public sector - are vastly inadequate to meet the demands of the day.
6. Before this recent deterioration, over 80% of Syrians were estimated to be living below the poverty line. The situation is undoubtedly more severe today, and the intensity of that poverty is likely more acute. The World Food Programme now estimates that some 9.3 million people are food insecure, with over 2 million more at risk, a rise of some 42 per cent in the past year. As WFP Executive Director Beasley recently warned: if this situation deteriorates, “famine could well be knocking on [the] door”.
7. Syrian women – the primary breadwinners in many families – are disproportionately affected and forced to shoulder caretaking responsibilities while financially supporting the household. Many women, including those in refugee communities, are facing higher risks of exploitation and abuse as they struggle to provide for the day-to-day needs of their families.
8. In recent weeks, we have seen many Syrians begin to express new fears - even panic in some quarters. We have heard of shops and pharmacies forced to close, unable to cope with the recent volatility; of jobs being lost; of remittances drying up. In some areas of northwest Syria, reports have emerged of locals increasingly using foreign currencies.
Mr. President,
9. The decade-long conflict in Syria has wrought destruction on Syria’s people, its environment, its infrastructure and the very fabric of its society – the bonds of trust that underpin any economy. Syria’s economic governance has also been characterized by recurrent fiscal and monetary mismanagement and corruption.
10. In recent months, new factors have joined these underlying structural problems, pushing the economy to the brink. The banking crisis in nextdoor Lebanon has had a significant impact. The repercussions all societies and economies have experienced from measures to combat the COVID-19 pandemic have also played their part.
11. Another factor in this context is significant sanctions by the United States and the European Union. These target individuals and entities affiliated with the government, and also restrict activity in the financial, banking, oil and gas and military sectors as well as exports and multilateral lending to and investments in Syria. Further US secondary sanctions - which have been foreshadowed since the passage of legislation 6 months ago - will begin entering into force as early as tomorrow, aimed at deterring foreign business activity with the Syrian government.
Mr. President,
12. Against this backdrop, we have seen some Syrians take peacefully to the streets in a few areas in recent weeks - such as Sweida, Daraa and Idlib - protesting a range of grievances.
13. Moreover, in Syria’s southwest, what was set to be a major violent confrontation, centred around the town of Tafas, has been averted for now - with the assistance of Russian mediation. However, we are concerned that there have since been further security incidents and tensions that might result in renewed escalation of violence. This is an area where there are broader geopolitical tensions, which appear to be growing more acute. I further note that this month again saw reports of Israeli airstrikes inside Syria. Southern Syria is also an area where ISIL cells appear to remain active.
14. Meanwhile, in the northwest, the calm brought about by Russia and Turkey is by-and -large holding. However, we have seen worrying signs: increased mutual shelling, reports of reinforcements on both sides, the first reported pro-government airstrikes in three months; and reports of new civilian displacement. Last week, the extremist wa-Harid alMu’minin operations room launched another cross-line attack that resulted in the deaths of several Syrian soldiers. Two of its leaders were subsequently killed in a US drone strike on 14 June. It and other small extremist factions have now formed a new operations room – a likely harbinger for future attacks. I have been assured by both Russia and Turkey that they are working to contain the situation and sustain the calm, and I note there has been further progress in Russian-Turkish cooperation on the work of joint patrols on the ground.
Mr President,
15. I continue to appeal for calm to be sustained in Idlib and elsewhere and for a nationwide ceasefire, in line with resolution 2254. I underscore the importance of addressing the challenge posed by listed terrorist groups through a cooperative, targeted and effective approach that safeguards stability, protects civilians and fully respects international humanitarian law. The same is true regarding efforts to prevent ISIL’s resurgence, whose attacks continued in and around the central desert.
Mr. President,
16. I am ready to convene and facilitate a third session of the Syrian-led and Syrian-owned constitutional committee. Conscious that global travel restrictions remain in place, I am hopeful that a session in Geneva may be possible towards the end of August.
17. But obviously, the realities facing the Syrian people cannot be solely addressed by discussing the constitution. And the Syrian parties will face great difficulties in resolving Syria’s problems without real diplomacy among the key international players with influence. After all, there are still five international armies operating across the country, and active measures by many countries as regards Syria.
18. There are real and substantive differences among those international players, as there are between the Syrian parties. Indeed, we have seen the depth of these differences in debates over sanctions in recent weeks. And we continue to see it in competing assessments regarding the political will of different actors to work to resolve the conflict. These issues are not going to be resolved by positioning. They need to be the subject of real discussion and diplomacy. Unlocking progress will need mutual and reciprocal steps, on the basis of clear understandings, by the Syrian parties and by international partners. I am convinced that there are common interests on which to build such a diplomacy, and there is a common stated commitment to advancing resolution 2254 and supporting the Syrian-led, Syrian-owned, UN-facilitated political process.
19. Let me also reiterate at this critical time the Secretary-General’s emphasis on the importance of full, sustained and unimpeded humanitarian access, using all modalities, including scaled-up cross line and cross border access. Humanitarian access remains imperative, not only given the increasing suffering of the Syrian people, but also given that there is still a risk from the COVID-19 pandemic. Syria now has reported 183 cases in total.
20. Meanwhile, I reiterate my appeal for the Syrian government and all other Syrian parties to carry out large-scale and unilateral releases of detainees and abductees – especially of women, children, the elderly and the sick – and for more meaningful actions on missing persons. The COVID-19 pandemic is still a risk and should serve as an extra impetus for such action, as it has in other countries.
Mr. President,
21. Syria is going through a time of great flux. Nobody involved in the conflict should presume that time is on their side. Nobody should be sure there will be better openings down the road. What is required is the
readiness of all to deal seriously with the realities of the conflict. Guided by resolution 2254, with your support I will continue to work with the Syrian parties and all international stakeholders to facilitate a way forward that addresses all features and outcomes of the conflict, that restores the sovereignty, unity, independence and territorial integrity of Syria, that ends the acute suffering of the Syrian people. and that enables them to shape their own future.
Thank you, Mr. President.
New York, 16 June 2020
On the International Day of Family Remittances, and in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, we recognize the determination of 200 million migrants who regularly send money home, and the 800 million family members living in communities throughout the developing world who depend on those resources.
Last year, remittances to low- and middle-income countries reached...
