This Monday, we cover: a record high number of civilian casualties in Kashmir this year; a new UN study showing that more people die due to homicide than war; how neo-Nazis target children online to expand their ranks; and condemnation by the UN human rights chief, Michelle Bachelet, over detention conditions for migrants in the USA.
Some 464,000 people across the world were victims of homicidal violence in 2017, more than five times the number killed in armed conflict over the same period, UN researchers said on Monday.
According to the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF), at least seven children were killed in an airstrike against displaced civilians on Saturday on the village of Mhambel, in the outskirts of Idlib, in northwest Syria. News reports state that over 20 civilians were killed in this attack led by Government forces using missiles and barrel bombs.
Friday’s main news stories include: Guterres welcomes Sudan power-sharing deal; six children are among 53 confirmed dead after Libya detention centre airstrikes; Monsoon rains wreak havoc in Rohingya camps; and Bachelet calls for “time and space” in Venezuela.
This Week in DPPA aims to keep you abreast of developments and events on the agenda of the UN Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, at UN HQ and in the field, and especially those that sometimes "fly under the radar".
New YorkUSG DiCarlo highlights indispensable role of Special Political Missions Security Council discusses Central Asia and Libya New Zealand announces multi-year agreement with DPPA
InnovationAI for Peace Workshop: Leveraging Social Media Analysis
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IraqSecurity Council reaffirms support for UNAMI
Special Representative visits Erbil
Yemen
SyriaSpecial Envoy, in Moscow, calls for urgent stabilization of Idlib
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UN Secretary-General António Guterres said on Friday he was “encouraged” by reports of a newly-inked power-sharing deal between the Forces for Freedom and Change – a coalition of opposition and protest groups – and Sudan’s ruling military council.
The toll from Tuesday’s reported airstrikes on a detention centre in the suburbs of Tripoli has risen to 53 dead and more than 130 injured among the “severely traumatized” surviving migrants and refugees, UN aid agencies said on Friday, reiterating their appeal to close all such facilities in the embattled country.
The toll from Tuesday’s reported airstrikes on a detention centre in the suburbs of Tripoli has risen to 53 dead and more than 130 injured among the “severely traumatized” surviving migrants and refugees, UN aid agencies said on Friday, reiterating their appeal to close all such facilities in the embattled country.
The 48th round of the Geneva International Discussions (GID) took place today.
The discussions were held in a business-like atmosphere against the backdrop of recent developments on the ground.
The Co-Chairs welcomed the participants’ commitment to the Discussions and reiterated their call for a result-oriented approach in order to achieve concrete progress on the core issues. However, they regretted the crossing restrictions imposed on 27 June at the Abkhaz administrative boundary line. They called for these restrictions to be lifted without delay. It was noted that these measures have negatively affected freedom of movement, especially of persons in need of medical assistance and students travelling to take exams.
In Working Group I, the overall security situation was described as relatively calm and stable. The value of Incident Prevention and Response Mechanisms (IPRMs) and hotlines was highlighted. In this context, the need to resume the suspended meetings of the Gali IPRM was once again stressed. The functioning of the Ergneti IPRM was positively mentioned.
In Working Group II, the participants reviewed the humanitarian situation on the ground, in particular the impact of the crossing restrictions. They also discussed missing persons and agreed on the need to make progress on all cases. The participants furthermore exchanged views on documentation, public health, education and environmental challenges. While the participants agreed on the importance of the issue of internally displaced persons/refugees, it could not be addressed in substance due to a walkout by some participants. In this regard, the Co-Chairs regretted the disruption of the round and call on participants to constructively engage on all agenda items.
The participants agreed to hold the next GID round on 8-9 October 2019.
In the news this Wednesday: “Outraged” Guterres demands independent inquiry into fatal Libya migrant centre airstrike deaths; Violence and broken promises in Sudan and South Sudan, while Rohingya violations continue in Myanmar; “xenophobia” and citizenship in India’s Assam state.
Mr. Chair,
Distinguished delegates,
I am pleased to join you today for this sixth interactive dialogue on overall policy matters pertaining to special political missions. Together with my colleague, Lisa Buttenheim [Assistant Secretary-General for Support Operations], we hope to have a rich discussion.
Allow me to thank the Bureau and Secretariat of the Fourth Committee for their support and collaboration in organizing this meeting. I express my appreciation to Finland and Mexico, the co-facilitators of this agenda item, for their leadership.
At the outset, I wish to pay tribute to the United Nations personnel serving in special political missions, who work under challenging conditions to advance the promise of the Charter. We greatly value and appreciate their commitment and dedication.
Mr. Chair,
Special political missions vary considerably in their mandates, scope, structure, and approaches. Many of them operate in increasingly complex and unstable security situations that are characterized by conflicts with intercommunal, national and regional dimensions, large numbers of refugees and displaced persons, and cross-border threats, such as transnational organized crime, arms proliferation, and terrorism.
Today, I would like to focus on four political and security dynamics with a direct impact on how special political missions carry out their mandates. I will also share with you four of several approaches used by the missions, with support from Headquarters, to adapt to these changes.
First, conflicts are becoming more intractable, despite every effort by our and other mediators. According to the recent UN-World Bank study Pathways for Peace, violent conflicts involving state forces previously lasted on average 14.5 years, while contemporary conflicts are lasting 27 years on average. We know that the longer a conflict lasts, the more difficult it becomes to resolve, as it evolves and acquires more complex dimensions.
Second, many of today’s conflicts are marked by a multiplicity and fragmentation of actors. In Libya, Syria and Yemen, as elsewhere, non-state armed groups are numerous, often operating in decentralized structures with loose and fluid chains of command; a variety of external actors are also involved. This presents challenges for the UN in assessing and encouraging the commitment of parties to political settlements.
Third, civilians continue to pay the highest price. In Afghanistan, for instance, the annual report on the protection of civilians prepared by UNAMA and OHCHR documented close to 11,000 civilian casualties in 2018. This includes over 3,800 deaths and over 7,100 injured, the highest numbers since 2009. Of these, over 1,100 were women, representing 10 per cent of all casualties.
More broadly, statistics show the differentiated and disproportionate impact of conflict on women. The targeted sexual violence perpetrated against Yazidi women and girls in Iraq and the use of rape in Myanmar are two examples of many. Meanwhile, in some contexts, the UN itself is a target. According to the Department of Safety and Security, nine UN civilian personnel, including two women, lost their lives as a result of acts of violence in 2018.
Fourth, major global trends, such as those related to climate change and new technologies, are shaping the environments in which our missions operate.While climate change does not cause violent conflict in and of itself, it can act as a threat multiplier that exacerbates drivers of conflict, particularly in fragile contexts. New technologies, meanwhile, offer immense opportunities but also present unprecedented challenges.
They are being used to manipulate information, undermine trust, influence internal political processes and disrupt or sabotage critical infrastructure.
Mr. Chair,
Distinguished delegates,
In this evolving peace and security context, special political missions are adopting approaches that allow them to better implement their mandates despite the challenges they face. Allow me to briefly touch on four of them:
First, special political missions are prioritizing engagement, political dialogue and mediation with all parties to build confidence and find durable political solutions. The settlement of the “name issue” in south-eastern Europe between Athens and Skopje after 27 years of quiet diplomacy demonstrates that even seemingly intractable long-standing disputes can be resolved through patiently tended dialogue and political will.
On the ground, to deepen and sustain our engagement, our missions continue to adjust their posture by increasing, strengthening or simply adapting their presence to the needs of the context in which they operate. This also enables more continuous and adequate support to national and local institutions in fragile settings.
The demand for mediation support services is at an all-time high. In 2018, the Standby Team of senior mediation advisers deployed over 130 times, providing support to special political missions including on issues such as transitional security arrangements and process design. In the first quarter of 2019 alone, Team members undertook 48 assignments in about 20 different contexts, including to support our missions working on Iraq, Syria and Yemen. Meanwhile, the Secretary-General’s High-Level Advisory Board on Mediation has provided counsel to the Secretary-General on various political processes.
In cases of protracted conflicts, we are working to strengthen the ability of SPMs to effectively engage with local processes, both as a means to help resolve local level conflict and to help create an enabling environment for national level processes.
In Somalia, for example, the Mediation Support Unit provided technical and strategic advice to the Mission on its approach to the implementation of local transitional security arrangements, including subnational ceasefires.
In Afghanistan, UNAMA’s field offices supported local mediators and promote local peace initiatives.
In Yemen, the diplomatic efforts led by the Special Envoy and his team resulted in the signing of the Stockholm Agreement in December 2018 between the Government of Yemen and the Houthi opposition to demilitarize the Red Sea port city of Hudaydah. We deployed a new special political mission in its support. The UN Mission to support the Hudaydah Agreement works in operationally challenging circumstances, while the Special Envoy and his team are intensifying their engagement with the parties in Yemen and in the region to sustain the agreement and work towards a wider political process.
In West Africa, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for West Africa and the Sahel, together with ECOWAS, engaged with national stakeholders, advocating for transparent, credible and peaceful elections in Benin, Mauritania, Nigeria and Senegal. The joint high-level missions conducted by the Special Representative of the Secretary-General, the Chair of the Peacebuilding Commission and the Assistant Secretary-General for Peacebuilding Support, to Burkina Faso, Cote d’Ivoire and the Gambia in October last year was another initiative to sustain our political engagement in these countries and support national peace and reconciliation efforts.
Second, special political missions are collaborating more closely than ever with regional and other organizations. This is in recognition of the fact that unity of international partners is essential to the sustained success of political solutions, especially in a context of global polarization and the questioning of the rule-based global order.
In West and Central Africa, the United Nations Office for West Africa and the Sahel (UNOWAS) and the United Nations Office for Central Africa (UNOCA) undertake regular joint missions with the heads of their respective subregional partners, ECCAS and ECOWAS, to engage with national stakeholders in support of political and peace processes.
The UN Regional Centre for Preventive Diplomacy for Central Asia supports regional dialogue on transboundary water management and promotes water diplomacy, in close cooperation with national governments and the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea.
These efforts with our regional and subregional partners contribute to foster what the Secretary-General has called ‘networked multilateralism’.
Third, special political missions are adopting more inclusive and integrated approaches in fulfilling their mandates. We can only achieve and sustain peace if all segments of society are involved, including women. We must also focus on integrating youth into our peacemaking and peacebuilding efforts more consistently.
To strengthen implementation of the women, peace and security agenda – which has faced setbacks in some areas, including related to the participation of women in peace and political processes – in June I issued a new department-wide Policy. This tasks missions and staff to systematically include gender sensitive analysis in their work; to promote inclusion and women’s meaningful participation in all our peacemaking and peacebuilding efforts and in political and electoral processes; to step-up efforts to prevent and address conflict-related sexual violence; and to ensure we integrate a gender lens and women’s participation in our projects on the ground, including through allocation of resources.
Our missions are already doing a lot to advance the Women Peace and Security agenda. As an example, in Colombia, the UN Verification Mission developed a “Practical Guide on Gender-Sensitive Verification of Female Former Combatants”. This provides local verification teams with the tools needed to conduct gender-sensitive analysis on the social, economic and political reintegration of female former combatants, as well as gender-sensitive analysis of security guarantees. The Mission, in partnership with UNDP, also funded ten initiatives led by female former combatants to strengthen their income generation and enhance their reintegration into society.
In Iraq, UNAMI, as part of its efforts to promote the effective participation of women in electoral, political and decision-making processes, launched the nationwide #WhyNot (#Shakobeha) campaign. This campaign provides an opportunity to mobilize religious leaders, provincial councils and civil society groups in support of effective participation of women in political and decision-making processes in Iraq.
In May 2019, UNOWAS and ECOWAS organized a training of trainers for over 30 women peacebuilders from eleven countries in the region, in Accra, Ghana. The objective was to reinforce their skills in conflict analysis and prevention for stronger advocacy on peacebuilding and sustaining peace in their respective countries.
SPMs are also advancing the youth, peace and security agenda throughout their work. With the Prevention Academy project, the UN Regional Centre for Preventive Diplomacy for Central Asia is building the capacities of youth and supporting their initiatives for preventive diplomacy in border areas throughout Central Asia.
Fourth, and finally, we are investing in understanding and addressing emerging issues related to climate change and new technologies. For instance, UNOWAS is working with ECOWAS on studying climate-related security risks and developing regional prevention strategies. Through our small inter-agency Climate Security Mechanism in New York, established jointly with UNDP and UN Environment, we are exploring how to support these efforts and how to assist in strengthening critical capacities in the field.
We are also maximizing the potential of technological innovation in our operations. To this end, I have asked my staff to establish a small but dedicated capacity in New York, in line with the Secretary-General’s vision on System-wide innovation. This team will support the use of new technologies and new methods to make our work more effective and efficient across our core mandate areas at Headquarters and in the field.
This builds on initial work that saw DPPA, in cooperation with the Center for Humanitarian Dialogue, launch in April a “Toolkit on Digital Technologies and Mediation in Armed Conflict”. This resource provides concrete advice to mediators on opportunities and risks that digital technologies offer to the field of mediation in conflict analysis, engagement with parties, inclusivity and strategic communications.
Another recent initiative, this time in Iraq, has seen UNAMI test a pilot project on Virtual Reality (VR), which allows the use of the 360-video and integrated data visualization to provide an immersive briefing on the activities of the Mission and Country Team.
Mr. Chair,
Allow me to briefly touch on the ongoing UN reform process. Despite the usual challenges that arise from any change process, we are seeing positive results especially in system-wide coherence and integration. That the Peacebuilding Support Office is now part of DPPA allows us to better advise missions on how to leverage the Peacebuilding Fund and to work more closely with the Peacebuilding Commission. The new configuration has also helped strengthen the alignment of our work with the development and human rights pillars.
The UN reform efforts are enhancing our work on conflict prevention, including in the context of UN transition processes. The upcoming UN transitions in Guinea Bissau and Haiti present opportunities to work together to ensure smooth and successful transitions. We are supporting our missions to better plan and manage their transitions through the deployment of planning capacities, conducting in-country trainings, and collecting and sharing good practices and lessons learned. Such institutional efforts have as their ultimate goal the prevention of relapse into instability or conflict.
Mr. Chair,
Distinguished delegates,
In conclusion, I would like again to underscore the critical role played by special political missions in the maintenance of international peace and security.
The individual and collective cooperation and support of Member States and regional partners remain essential to the success of our SPMs. I am grateful to this Committee and the broader Membership for the continued support in this regard.
Providing SPMs with clear, credible and achievable mandates as well as adequate resources will contribute to increasing their impact in the ever changing political and security context of their operations.
I look forward to hearing your views and responding to your questions.
I thank you.
Marginalized communities in Myanmar still face “grievous human rights violations” at the hands of security forces, a UN-appointed independent expert said this week, while repeating her call for an international and independent probe into the 2017 exodus from Rakhine state.
After nationwide protests across Sudan on Sunday, UN human rights chief Michelle Bachelet on Wednesday called on Sudanese authorities to lift restrictions on the internet and launch independent investigations into all acts of violence against demonstrators, and allegations of excessive force, including attacks on hospitals.
An airstrike on a detention centre in Tripoli that killed scores of migrants and refugees “deserves more than condemnation”, UN agencies said on Wednesday, as both the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and the head of the UN mission in Libya (UNSMIL), insisted that it may amount to a war crime.
Bogotá, 2 July 2019. In his most recent quarterly report to the United Nations Security Council on the Verification Mission in Colombia, the UN Secretary-General invites Colombians to work together and maintain an inclusive dialogue in the face of new challenges in the implementation of the Peace Agreement. He also renews "the commitment and determination of the United Nations to help Colombians realize their aspirations for a more peaceful future.”...
Food aid is being tripled for troubled Ituri province in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), to respond to what the World Food Programme (WFP) has described as the world’s second largest hunger crisis in the world, after Yemen.
This Monday, we cover: Guterres welcomes possible US-DPRK diplomatic upgrade; Taliban attack hits schools; UN-Syria action plan on child soldiers; Climate change heat stress impacts economy; and first-ever Security Council visit to Iraq.
Scores of children were among the casualties following a bomb attack on a Government building in the Afghan capital of Kabul today, that hit nearby schools. The bombing was described by Henrietta Fore, Executive Director of the UN Children’s Fund, UNICEF, as “horrific.”
The top UN official charged with representing the interests of children caught up in armed conflict, has signed a landmark new agreement on child protection with the Force Commander of a main Syrian opposition military alliance, it was announced on Monday, aimed at ending and preventing the recruitment and use of children under the age of 18.
The Security Council has concluded a first-ever visit to Iraq on Saturday, five years on from the proclamation, by the ISIL terrorist group, of a “caliphate” in the country. The visit, which also took in a trip to Kuwait, saw the members meet senior government, UN and humanitarian officials to discuss the development of Iraq, the humanitarian situation, and the ongoing security challenges faced by the Government.
As the clicking of cameras and flash of lightbulbs captured on Sunday the first sitting United States President to set foot inside the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), Secretary-General António Guterres offered his full support to a potentially reset relationship that may render a denuclearized Korean Peninsula.
As the clicking of cameras and flash of lightbulbs captured on Sunday the first sitting United States President to set foot inside the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), Secretary-General António Guterres offered his full support to a potentially reset relationship that may render a denuclearized Korean Peninsula.
Bogotá, 1 July, 2019. The United Nations Verification Mission expresses its concern at the decision of Mr. Seuxis Paucis Hernández Solarte, known as Jesus Santrich, to depart from his security scheme, given the implications that deriver from it, including risks to his personal security. The Verification Mission urges Mr Hernandez to attend and comply with his obligations, including the summons to the Supreme Court of Justice on July 9.
...This Friday, we cover: UN chief appeals for stronger climate action commitment; report on migrant children deaths and disappearances; Ebola fight in DR Congo as violence goes on; and global over-heating.
This Week in DPPA aims to keep you abreast of developments and events on the agenda of the UN Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, at UN HQ and in the field, and especially those that sometimes "fly under the radar".
Security CouncilSecurity Council authoizes new political mission in Haiti
African UnionLatest edition UNOAU Highlights
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SomaliaNew Special Representative arrives in Mogadishu
LebanonSpecial Coordinator visits refugee camp IraqUN emphasizes importance of a survivor-centered approach towards victims of ISIL abuses
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The vital work of tracing people infected with deadly Ebola virus disease in north-east Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is progressing, despite evidence of “several” massacres in the affected area earlier this month, the UN said on Friday.
The heads of 11 global humanitarian organizations warned on Thursday that the embattled rebel-held province of Idlib in Syria, stands on the brink of disaster, with three million civilian lives at risk, including one million children.
Following last week’s public threats by Taliban militants to deliberately target media outlets in Afghanistan, the United Nations mission chief in the country reiterated his call on Thursday for journalists’ rights to be protected, underlining the power of press freedom to advance peace, justice and human rights.
Mr President,
Let me start with the very worrying situation in and around the Idlib de-escalation area. Regrettably the fighting continues, with reports of: airstrikes, shelling, rockets and mortar attacks , all too often involving the indiscriminate use of force. Civilians continue to be killed and hundreds of thousands have been displaced. Front-lines have not shifted – at least not significantly.
Security Council-designated terrorist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham is a significant presence within the de-escalation area. Its attacks must cease. But all due protection must be afforded to the up to 3 million civilians in Idlib, many of whom fled there from earlier fighting – and to civilians in the surrounding areas too. As the Secretary-General said last week: “Even in the fight against terrorism, there needs to be full compliance with international human rights and humanitarian law.” Strikes against civilians and civilian infrastructure – including de-conflicted health facilities and humanitarian workers - are absolutely unacceptable. They must cease without delay.
Reports of close military exchanges, between the Syrian Government and Turkish observation posts are also of grave concern. They remind us that Idlib is not just a humanitarian issue, nor just about Syria - but a potential powder-keg of regional escalation.
Undoubtedly, there is no easy solution for Idlib. But the only way to find one is for hostilities to stop, and for key stakeholders to engage in a cooperative approach towards countering terrorism – an approach that safeguards the protection of civilians. Both Turkey – which I visited earlier in the month - and the Russian Federation – which I will visit next week - have reassured me that they remain committed to the September 2018 Memorandum of Understanding and have set up a working group. But we must see this assurance reflected on the ground. I strongly reiterate the Secretary-General’s appeal to Russia and Turkey to stabilize the situation without delay.
Mr President,
We must in fact pursue a nationwide ceasefire, as envisaged in resolution 2254. We see the importance of this when we see unrest across Syria. There are exchanges of fire and fatalities in northern rural Aleppo and continued signs of instability in the south-west. The fate of the north-east remains unresolved, demanding a solution.
There are immense humanitarian and protection needs across the country and outside too. There is a grinding poverty, exacerbated by commodity shortages and rising prices in many parts of Syria. We have seen a terrible spate of fires ravaging wheat fields and jeopardizing Syria’s food security.
The internally displaced are acutely vulnerable. In addition to Idlib, two grave humanitarian situations – in Rukban and Al-Hol – remain at the top of our agenda. Emergency Relief Coordinator Lowcock briefed you on this two days ago. Today, my Senior Humanitarian Adviser, Najat Rochdi, urged the Humanitarian Task Force here in Geneva to support the UN’s efforts for humanitarian access, to support protection of civilians and civilian infrastructure and to find durable solutions.
The current escalation and unrest also sends exactly the wrong signal to Syrian refugees. It only reinforces their doubts over security conditions, conscription, and livelihoods in Syria.
We must stabilize the situation in Idlib. If that is achieved, we must then avoid the risk of a “no-war-no-peace” scenario: front-lines mostly frozen but still periodic conflict and unrest; still five international armies in perpetual risk of confrontation; Syria’s sovereignty, territorial integrity and independence still violated; IDPs and refugees still not returning – at least not in any critical mass; the tragedy of the detained, abducted and missing still unresolved; a strengthened ISIL insurgency with terrorist groups and foreign fighters, still regrouping and still posing a challenge; and still no political solution.
Mr President,
We all agree, there is no military solution to this conflict. I have sought to revive a Syrian-led and -owned political process, based on resolution 2254. An immediate priority has been to launch -- if it is possible -- a credible, balanced and inclusive, Syrian-led, Syrian-owned, UN-facilitated constitutional committee, fully respecting Syria’s sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity. This has been a key item in my sustained dialogue with the two parties - the Government of the Syrian Arab Republic and the opposition Syrian Negotiations Commission. I have also ensured the continued support for a common way forward among the Sochi co-convenors and others, including the so-called Small Group, who I saw in Paris earlier this week - and the Secretary-General himself discussed the issue with the Russian leadership during his recent trip to St Petersburg.
Mr. President,
I believe the path to concluding the constitutional committee’s composition and the rules of procedure now may be open. I look forward to testing directly, in my upcoming engagements, whether a formula that I have been careful to ensure has the buy-in of all, can move forward the establishment of a committee. I appreciate recent engagement by senior Russian officials to support the UN’s efforts. I look forward to consulting the Government in Damascus in the near future -- and to consulting the leadership of the Syrian Negotiations Commission. It is time to finalize outstanding details, to enable the UN to facilitate the work of the constitutional committee in Geneva.
The constitutional committee can be a door-opener. But it will not alone solve the conflict or the challenges facing Syria. This can only unfold if we begin to see real trust and confidence developing, via tangible and reciprocal steps, including on the ground.
I strongly believe that progress on detainees, abductees and missing persons– if done in a meaningful way and at meaningful scale – could make such an impact. I have prioritized action on a unilateral release of women, children, the sick and elderly. Improving access to information and communication is another step. The Government and the opposition should compile and consolidate lists of individuals they hold or have information on – and also who they seek.
We will continue to engage in earnest on this very difficult but critical file - both myself and Deputy Special Envoy, Khawla Mattar. We will continue in parallel also to press Russia, Turkey, Iran – with whom we are working in a working group on this issue - to exert the efforts needed to try to achieve more concrete results on this file. My invitation for the Working Group, to have its next meeting in Geneva stands.
Mr. President,
In truth, a series of steps will be needed if a cycle of trust and confidence is to develop. This has been impressed upon me by Syrians from many walks of life.
I have met with many civil society actors and networks recently – including through the Civil Society Support Room. All of these Syrians, from both inside and outside, and irrespective of their political orientations or backgrounds, are eager, even desperate, for a political solution. But it strikes me that they do not really believe that a real process that could lead to a solution is likely.
This week I also engaged with the Syrian Women’s Advisory Board, who met in Geneva to deepen their understanding of how constitutional processes can protect and advance women’s rights. They and many others stress the critical importance of at least 30% women participating in a constitutional committee. But they too emphasized the deficit of faith that Syrians, men and women, have in the political process.
This is why a political process must be about more than just meetings in Geneva – it must include concrete actions on the ground, to inspire trust and confidence. I will therefore continue to intensively consult the widest spectrum of Syrians on what they see as practical and constructive entry points for trust-building actions.
But ultimately of course, it falls upon the parties to take those actions. Unblocking the impasse will be difficult. There is much mistrust. Positions are entrenched. But I believe that international discussions and cooperation can help Syrians overcome these obstacles. This is not to undermine the Syrian-led and owned nature of the process. It is simply a recognition of the extent of international involvement in Syria and the centrality of international support for any viable future for Syria. So real steps on the ground could and should see international actions too. This would build trust and confidence among Syrians -- and also between Syria and the international community.
Mr President,
At present, no currently active international grouping brings together all key international players whose support can guarantee concrete and reciprocal steps, across all dimensions. I believe my effort should be helped by bringing together the will embodied in the Astana format, the Small Group format and the permanent membership of this Council. This is why I continue to work on inviting a group of key players to a common forum, to support a Syrian-led and owned process in Geneva in a very practical way.
Mr President,
Tomorrow, at the G20 Summit, world leaders will have many items on their agenda. The Secretary-General and I have urged that Syria should be high among them. We hope that Russia and Turkey can work at the highest level to stabilize the situation in Idlib. We hope that Russia and the United States can build on recent talks and deepen their dialogue at the highest level too, because cooperation between them will be a key element for international cooperation on Syria. And we also hope that cooperation can be built in a way that all other key players are involved – supporting a Syrian-led and owned process facilitated by the United Nations in the discharge of its mandate from this Council.
Mr. President,
Since the beginning of my tenure, this Council has offered its full support for my mission, and I have greatly appreciated that. Six months into the job, I appreciate just how complex and difficult it is – but also I see the possibilities to chart the path out of this conflict. It is now time for the Idlib situation to be stabilized and a nationwide ceasefire pursued. It is in fact past time to launch a constitutional committee. It is also time to try to develop a climate of confidence-building measures. And we clearly need a renewed international support format.
These are the kinds of actions that would signal that we are at least moving down a political path in line with resolution 2254 -- through a constitutional committee unfolding in a safe, calm and neutral environment, paving the way for free and fair UN-supervised elections as envisaged in the resolution, and a lasting political settlement.
Reaffirming faith in human rights, promoting social justice and saving the world from the “scourge of war”: just some of the founding principles of the United Nations, which appear in the Organization’s bedrock Charter, signed exactly 74 years ago in San Francisco.
