UN Mission condemns suicide bombing in central Somalia as attempt to derail reconciliation process

AMISOM/Tobin Jones

Troops of the Somali National Army and the African Union Mission in Somalia, line up in a convoy on the road leading up to the Al-Shabaab stronghold of Barawe.

28 April 2018

Peace and Security

The United Nations Mission in Somalia (UNSOM) has condemned the suicide bombing on Saturday that reportedly killed government security officers and civilians in the city of Gaalkacyo.

“This attack occurred because extremists feel threatened by the progress that is being made with reconciliation efforts in Gaalkacyo,” said the head of UNSOM, Michael Keating in a press statement.

“The country has suffered enough violence and bloodshed; it is time for reconciliation,” added Mr. Keating, who is also the UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Somalia.

According to initial reports, a suicide bomber detonated his explosives in an area of the city known as Jiiro Abdullahi Yusuf, where security forces were stationed, killing at least two senior security force commanders as well as civilians. Al-Shabaab has reportedly claimed responsibility.

“The people and authorities in Gaalkacyo are courageously finding a way forward; they should not be derailed by this assault on their chances of a peaceful future,” Mr. Keating said.

UNSOM expressed its condolences to the families and colleagues of the victims and wished the injured a full and speedy recovery.

The Puntland and Galmudug state administrations control the northern and southern sections of Gaalkacyo, in north-central Somalia, respectively. This division has been a cause for recurring cycles of violence.

In January 2017, however, an agreement was reached by the Puntland and Galmudug state presidents. The accord stipulated a withdrawal of forces from the disputed city, the removal of all roadblocks to allow free movement of people and goods, and the introduction of joint police training and patrols.



https://news.un.org/en/story/2018/04/1008522
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Два жителя Дамаска погибли, еще 16 ранены в ходе минометного обстрела боевиков

28.04.2018  22:00:00


Хмеймим. 28 апреля. ИНТЕРФАКС - Сирийские боевики совершили минометный обстрел жилых кварталов в южной части Дамаска, есть жертвы, сообщают российские военные.
"В Сирийской Арабской Республике продолжается работа, направленная на мирное урегулирование конфликта и оказание всесторонней помощи мирным гражданам. 

Вместе с тем, отмечаются продолжающиеся нарушения режима прекращения боевых действий со стороны незаконных вооруженных формирований в провинциях Алеппо, Латакия, Хама, Хомс, Дамаск и Деръа", - сообщил журналистам начальник российского Центра по примирению враждующих сторон в Сирии генерал-майор Юрий Евтушенко

Он отметил, что 27 апреля боевики незаконных вооруженных формирований из квартала Мухайям-Эль-Ярмук подвергли минометному обстрелу жилые кварталы Ат-Тадамон, Аль-Мидан и Кадем в южной части Дамаска. 

Погибло двое и ранено 16 мирных жителей.


http://www.militarynews.ru/story.asp?rid=1&nid=480703
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Наблюдатели ОБСЕ отказались мониторить пересменку на ДФС, заявили в ДНР

14:28   28.04.2018



© РИА Новости / Игорь Маслов

ДОНЕЦК, 28 апр — РИА Новости. Представители Специальной мониторинговой миссии ОБСЕ отказались осуществлять мониторинг пересменки рабочих Донецкой фильтровальной станции из-за обстрела, заявил журналистам представитель самопровозглашенной Донецкой народной республики в Совместном центре по контролю и координации режима прекращения огня.



© Фото : КП "Компания "Вода Донбасса"

В ОБСЕ осудили обстрел автобуса с сотрудниками фильтровальной станции в ДНР

Ранее сообщалось, что из-за обстрелов транспорта с рабочими Донецкой фильтровальной станции смена персонала будет проходить под наблюдением мониторинговой миссии ОБСЕ. Данная договоренность позволила расконсервировать станцию и возобновить подачу воды потребителям.

"В СММ ОБСЕ отказались осуществлять наблюдение пересменки рабочей смены Донецкой фильтровальной станции, ссылаясь на нарушение режима тишины. Мониторинг осуществления ротации смен будет возобновлен завтра при соблюдении устойчивого режима прекращения огня. На станции продолжает работать предыдущая смена", — заявил представитель ведомства.

В представительстве ДНР ВСКК напомнили, что вовремя очередной пересменки рабочей смены фильтровальной станции силовики открыли минометный огонь по району, где расположен объект, в результате чего представители МЧС ДНР, СММ ОБСЕ и новая смена персонала не смогли подъехать к станции.


https://ria.ru/world/20180428/1519622844.html
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Вторая по величине фракция парламента Армении поддержит Пашиняна

28 апреля 2018, 19:59


© Фото с сайта gov.am

Фракция «Процветающая Армения» Гагика Царукяна проголосует на досрочных выборах премьер-министра за лидера протестов Никола Пашиняна. Она занимает второе место после правящей Республиканской партии по числу мест в парламенте (31 из 105).

Как пишет РБК со ссылкой на источники, Царукян отказался выдвигаться на пост премьер и призвал депутатов «Процветающей Армении» поддержать Пашиняна.

Ранее сообщалось, что Республиканская партия Армении (РПА), контролирующая 58 мест в парламенте, также не будет выдвигать своего кандидата.


http://www.rosbalt.ru/world/2018/04/28/1700192.html
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Главы МИД России, Турции и Ирана в очередной раз «сверили часы» по Сирии

28 апреля 2018, 20:21

© СС0 Public Domain


Министры иностранных дел России, Турции и Ирана — Сергей Лавров, Мевлют Чавушоглу и Мохаммад Джавад Зариф — обсудили в субботу в Москве сирийское урегулирование и подготовку к девятому раунду переговоров в Астане.

Как сообщает РИА Новости, по итогам переговоров сенсационных заявлений не прозвучало.

По словам главы МИД РФ, министры подтвердили приверженность поиску мирных путей политического диалога в САР и сохранению режима прекращения огня.

«Будем противостоять попыткам подорвать нашу совместную работу. Подчеркнули, что „астанинский формат“ прочно стоит на ногах. Мы продолжим решать принципиальные задачи, которые связаны с деэскалацией, снижением напряженности и конфликтного потенциала», — сказал Лавров.

В итоговом заявлении министров говорится, что стороны продолжат предпринимать усилия по защите мирных граждан и улучшению гуманитарного состояния в Сирии.

На переговорах в Москве стороны обсудили также и идею США по замене американского контингента на арабские силы.

По мнению Мохаммада Джавада Зарифа, иностранная интервенция в Сирии приведет к эскалации напряженности, аглава МИД Турции Мевлют Чавушоглу, в свою очередь, заявил, что любое силовое решение ситуации в Сирии незаконно, оно будет неустойчивым. Вместе с тем, турецкая сторона не собирается сворачивать свои военные действия на севере Сирии против курдских формирований. Вместо этого Анкара призвала США прекратить поддержку курдских партий.

В ходе переговоров министры отдельно остановились на проблеме иранского атома. Сергей Лавров заявил, что Москву сильно тревожит ситуация вокруг иранской ядерной программы.

«Нас эта ситуация сильно тревожит, мы хотели бы обсудить ее достаточно предметно», — заявил Сергей Лавров. На что Зариф отметил, что Тегеран намерен продолжать диалог с Москвой по ядерной сделке. По его словам, президент США Дональд Трамп выдвигает непомерные для Тегерана требования.

«Господин Трамп не выполнял это обязательство, нарушал это обязательство. Сегодня, кроме того, что не хочет вернуться к своим обязательствам, выдвигает непомерные требования, которые не приемлет народ Ирана и другие члены СВПД и международного сообщества», — заявил Зариф.

Добавим, что предыдущая встреча глав МИД трех стран в трехстороннем формате состоялась 4 апреля в рамках подготовки к саммиту РФ-Иран-Турция.


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UN agency urges Greece to upgrade conditions at Evros reception centre amid rising number of refugee arrivals

UNHCR/Achilleas Zavallis

Train tracks alongside the river Evros land crossing from Turkey to Greece. At least eight people have died attempting to make the crossing since the start of 2018. The areas only reception centre in filled to capacity and struggling to cope with registration.

27 April 2018

Migrants and Refugees

Some 2,900 mostly Syrian and Iraqi families have arrived in Evros this month, with eight others losing their lives trying to cross the Evros River from Turkey – prompting the United Nations refugee agency to call on the Greek Government to improve the conditions at its reception area.

Located in the north-eastern part of Greece, the increase in new arrivals is placing a strain on the Fylakio Reception and Identification Centre, the only one in Evros, which is filled beyond its 240-person capacity – including 120 unaccompanied and separated children.

“With the Reception and Identification Centre overwhelmed, and struggling to conduct timely registration and identification, or to provide services such as medical and psycho-social care and interpretation, the authorities initially place people, including many children, in inappropriate police detention facilities in the area while they wait for places at the centre to open up,” Charlie Yaxley, spokesperson for the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) office told a regular press briefing in Geneva on Friday.

He went on to inform the press that some have been held in police detention for more than three months with dismal conditions are dismal and limited services.

“A UNHCR visit found families in one facility sleeping on the floor beside a row of cells,” he elaborated, adding that in a separate police facility, only one doctor and four nurses were available for more than 500 people – including pregnant women, very young children and people in need of medical and psycho-social care.

While welcoming the recent release of more than 2,500 people from detention, UNHCR expressed concern that they are being done without vulnerability screening and information on asylum and other options.

“Their situation must be urgently addressed to enable access to care and asylum procedures,” stressed Mr. Yaxley.

The spokesperson acknowledged the police and the Fylakio Centre were trying to address the challenges, adding that with increasingly stretched resources, the situation has become untenable.

He proposed a number of measures to stabilize the situation, such as immediately setting up reception and identification mobile units and transferring unaccompanied children to safe accommodation and families in detention to safe shelters.

“UNHCR will continue to assist the Greek authorities through the provision of technical and material support, including blankets, clothing, hygiene items, solar-powered lamps and other non-food items,” he concluded.

https://news.un.org/en/story/2018/04/1008442

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UN rights experts voice concerns about ‘structural racism’ in United Kingdom

Fernand de Varennes, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Minority Issues. (screen grab)

27 April 2018

Human Rights

United Nations human rights experts have expressed serious concerns about racism rooted in the fabric of the United Kingdom’s society, given the disproportionate number of people of African descent and of ethnic minorities dying due to excessive use of force by State security.

“The deaths reinforce the experiences of structural racism, over-policing and criminalisation of people of African descent and other minorities in the UK,” they said.

The UK Government last month responded to the concerns of the experts, recognising that further improvements were needed to develop solutions on healthcare in police custody, inquests and legal aid and support to families.

Data disclosed by the Metropolitan Police in August 2017 found that people of African descent and those belonging to ethnic minority groups, in particular young African and Caribbean men were twice as likely to die after the use of force by police officers and the subsequent lack or insufficiency of access to appropriate healthcare.

According to the experts, these deaths occurred in many circumstances, following the use of force involving firearms, tear gas agents, long handed batons, electroshock weapons; physical restraint resulting in the inhibition of the respiratory system and asphyxia; restraint equipment; and denial of appropriate healthcare.

“Failure to properly investigate and prosecute such deaths results in a lack of accountability for those individuals and State agencies responsible, as well as in the denial of adequate remedies and reparation for the families of the victims,” they said.

The Government said it had commissioned the Ministerial Council on Deaths in Custody to implement the recommendations set out in the Report of the Independent Review of Deaths and Serious Incidents in Police Custody, the experts said.

The UN experts include E. Tendayi Achiume, Special Rapporteur on racism, who will visit the UK from 30 April to 11 May at the invitation of the Government; Michal Balcerzak, Chairperson of the Working Group of Experts on People of African Descent; and Fernand de Varennes, Special Rapporteur on minority issues.

Special Rapporteurs and independent experts are appointed by the Geneva-based UN Human Rights Council to examine and report back on a specific human rights theme or a country situation. The positions are honorary and the experts are not UN staff, nor are they paid for their work.

https://news.un.org/en/story/2018/04/1008392

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South Sudan: Peace process under threat as violence surges across country, warns UN Mission

OCHA/Cecilia Attefors

An armed individual in the town of Pibor, in Jonglei state. Pibor has seen violent clashes and confrontations that have resulted in displacement as well as destruction of livelihood and property. (File photo)

27 April 2018

Peace and Security

Surging violence in parts of South Sudan is putting thousands of war-weary civilians at risk and endangering the fragile peace process in the world’s youngest nation, the United Nations peacekeeping mission there has warned.

“Innocent civilians are being caught in the crossfire, including many women, children and elderly people,” David Shearer, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for South Sudan and the head of the UN Mission in the country (UNMISS) said.

“Our teams on the ground are reporting incidents of killing, sexual violence, homes being burnt to the ground, cattle raiding, and the looting of hospitals and schools.”

Intense fighting has been reported in Nhialdiu, Mayendit, Rupchai, Thaker, and Mirinyal, in the vicinity of Leer and Bentiu in the Unity region, as well as around Motot and Akobo in Jonglei.

In Leer, in the northern part of the country, armed clashes have occurred near a temporary UNMISS operating base and peacekeepers have placed on high alert to protect some six hundred internally displaced persons who sought sanctuary nearby, said the UN Mission.

The hostilities have forced the relocation of 30 humanitarian workers resulting in disruption of aid services.

“This surge in violence […] is at odds with the cessation of hostilities agreement that was signed just a few months ago,” explained Mr. Shearer.

“We urge the warring parties to lay down their guns, put the interests of the people first, and work together to build lasting peace.”

In addition , with the upcoming peace talks at the High Level Revitalization Forum, the head of UNMISS underscored the need for all parties to stop fighting and “come together in good faith.”

“Political leaders must demonstrate they are willing to compromise and resolve this conflict which is causing terrible harm to their people.”

Since gaining independence in 2011, South Sudan has spent much of its short life mired in conflict, as what began as a political face-off between President Salva Kiir and former Vice-President Riek Machar erupted into full-blown war late in 2013.

https://news.un.org/en/story/2018/04/1008452

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Israel must address excessive use of force and deaths in Gaza protests – UN rights chief

UN Photo/Jean-Marc Ferré

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein.

27 April 2018

Human Rights

With over 40 Palestinians killed and more than 5,500 injured during protests in Gaza over the past month – many by live ammunition – the top United Nations human rights official on Friday called on Israel to ensure that its security forces do not resort to use of excessive force amid the ongoing demonstrations.


“Every week, we witness instances of use of lethal force against unarmed demonstrators,” said Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, in a news release Friday.

“Warnings by the UN and others have seemingly gone unheeded, as the approach of the security forces from week to week does not seem to have changed.”

According to the High Commissioner’s Office, OHCHR, 35 of those killed were taking part in the ‘Great March of Return’ demonstrations. Most of them appear to have been unarmed or not presenting an imminent threat to the Israeli Security Forces (ISF) at the time of their killing or injury. 1,739 individuals were injured by live ammunition fire by ISF.

“The loss of life is deplorable, and the staggering number of injuries caused by live ammunition only confirms the sense that excessive force has been used against demonstrators – not once, not twice, but repeatedly,” added the High Commissioner.

Also concerning is that over the last four weeks of protest, four children were shot dead by Israeli forces, three of them by a bullet to the head or neck. A further 233 were injured by live ammunition, with some sustaining injuries that will result in lifelong disabilities, including through the amputation of limbs, stated the news release.

“The use of excessive force against any demonstrator is reprehensible, but children enjoy additional protection under international law,” Mr. Zeid said.


It is difficult to see how children, even those throwing stones, can present a threat of imminent death or serious injury to heavily protected security force personnel – High Commissioner Zeid

“It is difficult to see how children, even those throwing stones, can present a threat of imminent death or serious injury to heavily protected security force personnel […] Images of a child being shot as he runs away from Israeli security forces are downright shocking.”

According to OHCHR, a 14-year-old boy, Mohammad Ayyoub, was killed by a bullet to the head on 20 April.

“It is difficult to see how tire-burning or stone-throwing, or even Molotov-cocktails thrown from a significant distance at heavily protected security forces in defensive positions can be seen to constitute such threat,” read the news release.

High Commissioner Zeid also underscored the obligation of every country to ensure that all loss of life and serious injury is investigated and those responsible held to account. Any investigations into the events in Gaza “must fulfil this purpose,” he stressed.

He also voiced concern that continued lack of accountability could lead to future human rights violations in relation to the protests.

“By the end of today – and next Friday, and the Friday after that – more unarmed Palestinians who were alive this morning will have been killed, simply because, while exercising their right to protest, they approached a fence, or otherwise attracted the attention of the soldiers on the other side,” Mr Zeid said.

“Israel’s failure to consistently prosecute violations committed by members of its security forces, encourages them to use deadly force against their fellow unarmed human beings, even when they present no threat.”

https://news.un.org/en/story/2018/04/1008422
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Aid agencies face ‘life threatening’ funding crisis as monsoon rains barrel towards Cox’s Bazar camps – UN

Olivia Headon/IOM

Women and children wait for aid in Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh, where one million Rohingya refugees now live.

27 April 2018

Humanitarian Aid

The lives of tens of thousands of Rohingya refugees hang in the balance as monsoon and cyclone seasons threaten camps in southern Bangladesh, the United Nations migration agency warned Friday, appealing for urgent financial support to prepare the area against floods and landslides.

Without new funding, tens of thousands of people who poured into the camps, fleeing violence triggered in Myanmar last August will be at risk, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) cautioned.

“We cannot wait for funding to come in after the emergency is over and possibly preventable tragedies have occurred,” said John McCue, IOM’s Senior Operations Coordinator in Cox’s Bazar.

“We need to be able to act now if lives are to be saved,” he added.

Almost a million Rohingya refugees live in the Cox’s Bazar district under tarpaulins, on steep, sandy slopes – 25,000 of whom have been have been identified as at the highest risk of landslides.

Without aid, numerous will have to remain in these hazardous locations and hundreds of thousands of others will also be at risk if roads become impassible, blocking access to aid supplies and medical services.

“Tarp stocks are also rapidly running out and IOM, which oversees shelter distribution, reports that by mid-May supplies will fall below critical levels,” maintained Mr. McCue, noting that without more funding, neither new shelters nor replacements would be available to those who lost homes during storms.

He also pointed out that other risks included safe water supply systems, which if collapsed could put hundreds of thousands of refugees in jeopardy of waterborne diseases.

Only nine per cent of a $951million joint agency response plan has been secured. Of that, $182 million allocated to provide Cox’s Bazar with assistance through December 2018 is facing a shortfall of almost $151 million.

Aid staff on the ground are working to improve shelters, secure key access roads and have emergency response services ready should the worst happens, “but the harsh truth is that we cannot keep doing that if we do not have the funds,” said Mr. McCue stated.

IOM, the World Food Programme and the UN refugee agency are working alongside the government of Bangladesh and others to manage the scale of the response in Cox’s Bazar – the world’s biggest refugee settlement.

“If significant funding is not secured in the next few weeks to keep operations running, there is a high likelihood that many children, women and men may die, when they could have otherwise been saved,” concluded Mr. McCue.

https://news.un.org/en/story/2018/04/1008502
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UN encourages Korean leaders to act swiftly on agreements at ‘historic’ summit

Inter-Korean Summit Press Corps
President Moon Jae-in (right) of the Republic of Korea greets Chairman of the State Affairs Commission Kim Jong-Un of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea in Panmunjeom.


27 April 2018
Peace and Security


Following Friday’s summit between the leaders of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) and the Republic of Korea, Secretary-General António Guterres and other top officials expressed hope that the two countries would swiftly implement all agreed actions, including ridding the Peninsula of nuclear weapons.


“The Secretary-General applauds today’s truly historic summit,” said Mr. Guterres’ Spokesman, Stéphane Dujarric, in a statement. “Many around the world were moved by the powerful imagery of the two leaders coming together to advance harmony and peace on the Korean Peninsula.”

According to the declaration signed by both leaders and released after the summit, the two nations agreed on a number of measures, including realizing the common goal of “complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula,” and pursuing phased military arms reduction and talks to declare an official end to the Korean War, which devastated the Peninsula from 1950 to 1953.

An armistice brought about a ceasefire to the Korean War in 1953, but the conflict never officially ended because the parties could not agree to a formal peace treaty.

“The Secretary-General salutes the courage and leadership that resulted in the important commitments and agreed actions outlined in the Panmunjom Declaration for Peace, Prosperity and Unification of the Korean Peninsula,” noted the Spokesman.

The UN chief “counts on the parties to build on their first meeting and swiftly implement all agreed actions to further inter-Korean trust-building and reconciliation; sincere dialogue; and progress towards sustainable peace and verifiable denuclearization on the Korean Peninsula,” Mr. Dujarric said, adding: The Secretary-General “looks forward to these gains being consolidated and advanced” at the US-DPRK summit expected to take place soon.

Echoing that sentiment, Miroslav Lajčák, the President of the UN General Assembly welcomed the historic summit and recalled the spirit of collaboration that he saw at the Pyeongchang 2018 Olympics, as demonstrated by the unified Korean team. Today’s Summit is the continuation of a positive trend.

The Assembly President encouraged the two leaders to implement the agreed-upon measures to advance inter-Korean relations and ease military tensions. “It is in the interests of all Member States to work towards achieving peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula,” he said.

Separately, Lassina Zerbo, Executive Secretary of the UN-partner Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO), applauded the commitment to “complete denuclearization” as pledged in the Panmunjom Declaration.

He especially noted the agreement by the two countries to actively seek the support and cooperation of the international community in the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.

In this spirit, Mr. Zerbo expressed the CTBTO’s readiness to provide all possible assistance.

https://news.un.org/en/story/2018/04/1008412
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Пан Ги Мун: На межкорейском саммите нужно обозначить позицию по денуклеаризации

2018-03-30   16:16:35

На межкорейском саммите, намеченном на 27 апреля, президент РК Мун Чжэ Ин должен чётко обозначить позицию по денуклеаризации. Об этом заявил бывший генеральный секретарь ООН Пан Ги Мун, выступая 30 марта на форуме с лекцией на тему «Денуклеаризация и политическая ситуация на Корейском полуострове». 

По его словам, если этого не сделать, то инициатива перейдёт к США. 

Пан Ги Мун также подчеркнул, что нужно помнить, что северокорейская ядерная программа - это общая проблема, которую нельзя рассматривать как вопрос, касающийся исключительно США и СК. 

Пан Ги Мун подчеркнул, что во внешней политике выигрывает тот, кто строго придерживается принципов и действует последовательно.



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Межкорейский саммит начался

2018-04-27 10:36:55

В Доме мира в 10:17 начался межкорейский саммит. 

В открытой части мероприятия Мун Чжэ Ин и Ким Чон Ын обменялись вступительными словами. 

Первым начал северокорейский лидер. Он выразил надежду на то, что саммит будет очень плодотворным, так как многие возлагают на него большие надежды. Он также отметил, что результаты встречи лидеров двух стран должны оправдать предыдущие годы раскола. 

Мун Чжэ Ин, в свою очередь, подчеркнул, что весь мир в данный момент наблюдает за «весной на Корейском полуострове». Он также сказал, что как только Ким Чон Ын прибыл в пограничный пункт Пханмунчжом это место, бывшее символом разделения Корейского полуострова, стало символом мира. Мун Чжэ Ин также выразил надежду на то, что в ходе встречи им удастся подробно обсудить широкий спектр вопросов, касающийся отношений двух стран. 

На саммите Мун Чжэ Ина сопровождает глава администрации президента Им Чжон Сок и директор Национальной службы разведки Со Хун. 

Ким Чон Ына сопровождала его сестра, замзавотделом пропаганды и агитации ЦК ТПК Ким Ё Чжон, а также заместитель председателя ЦК ТПК Ким Ён Чхоль.

http://world.kbs.co.kr/russian/news/news_Po_detail.htm?No=52755&id=Po

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Регистрация избирателей в регионах Афганистана может быть продлена на месяц

Дата: 10:51, 25-04-2018.



Кабул. 25 апреля. АфТАГ - Процедура регистрации избирателей в центрах афганских провинций может быть продлена на месяц, сообщили представители Независимой избирательной комиссии (НИК) страны, передает Афганское телеграфное агентство (АфТАГ).

Напомним, регистрация избирателей, необходимая для их участия в выборах в парламент и советы уездов, стартовала в стране 14 апреля. Изначально предполагалось, что процесс будет начат 4 апреля и финиширует 3 августа.

Но связи с проемами, в первую очередь обеспечением безопасности, НИК не исключает необходимости продления ее сроков. На данный момент регистрация проходит только в административных центрах провинций.

«Регистрация избирателей в столицах провинций может быть продлена на срок от трех до четырех недель, поскольку население не осведомлено о процессе, который продвигается медленно», – заявил в выступлении перед депутатами парламента член Избиркома Рафиулла Байдар.

https://aftag.info/ru/news/-registratsiya-izbirateley-v-regionakh-afganistana-mozhet-byt-prodlena-na-mesyats-

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Visiting Ethiopia, UN human rights chief urges new Government to ‘keep positive momentum going’

UN Photo/Jean-Marc Ferré

High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein.

26 April 2018

Human Rights

The United Nations human rights chief on Thursday expressed hope that Ethiopia continues its economic development in which human rights are respected and people can freely speak their minds about public policies.

“We all want to see an Ethiopia with continuous economic development where all people benefit, and where people express their views on public policies, unafraid,” said UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein at the end of his official visit to Ethiopia.

His visit followed the country’s recent transition of power from the Government led by Hailemariam Desalegn, who abruptly resigned as prime minister in March, to the new one led by Abiy Ahmed.

A country with one of the fastest-growing economies in world, Ethiopia has also been riven by human rights violations and oppression on protests by those demanding equality.

“Moments of transition are rarely ever smooth. Ethiopia has struggled with a heavy history, but it has the wisdom of a tolerant, vibrant, youthful population to harness,” said Mr. Zeid, encouraging the authorities to keep the positive momentum going and to keep translating the inspiring words in the Prime Minister’s inaugural address into action.

Mr. Zeid was referring to the Prime Minister’s recognition that there is a “need to address existing inequities that led to recent unrest,” that “democracy cannot be realised in the absence of rights – be it civil or economic rights” and that the “right of people to express opinions, rights of people to organise themselves and engage in effective dialogue and participate in the governance system is inherent in our humanity…not for any government to bestow…as it sees fit.”

The UN rights chief also welcomed the release of a large number of people, including bloggers, political opponents and others who had been detained in relation to their participation in protests and their criticism of the Government.

“There was tremendous hope, but also anxiety,” he said, citing the words of a former political detainee, who said: “we have repeatedly been victims of broken promises.”

In this 70th anniversary year of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, when too many leaders risk reversing hard-won human rights gains, we look to Ethiopia to continue to give cause for optimism and hope – UN rights chief

During a visit to the Oromia region, Mr. Zeid met with the regional authorities and the traditional leaders, known as the Aba Gadas, who he said spoke about how they will continue to push for the truth to be told about what has happened over the past few years, including deaths during protests.

“They demanded investigations and accountability for excessive use of force by the authorities. They expressed their desire for justice and human rights for all Ethiopians and for their voices to be heard without fear of reprisal,” Mr. Zeid said.

On Wednesday, the UN Human Rights Office for East Africa and the Ethiopian Government signed an agreement to strengthen the Office’s ability to do human rights work in the country and the region.

The Office has already offered its assistance in revising the charities and societies proclamation, the anti-terrorism legislation and the mass media laws.

“In this 70th anniversary year of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, when too many leaders risk reversing hard-won human rights gains, we look to Ethiopia to continue to give cause for optimism and hope,” Mr. Zeid said.

https://news.un.org/en/story/2018/04/1008312
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FEATURE: Young Afghans call for new focus on ‘local peace’ in a city surrounded by war

Young activists in Kunduz – Habiba Gulustani, Zabihulla Majidi and Wahidullah Rahmani – discuss the prospects for peace in Afghanistan.

26 April 2018

Peace and Security

Sitting for green tea with Habiba Gulustani and her fellow activists provides a lesson in peace, conflict and patience. With her anxious six-year-old daughter spinning on her lap, she has the added disquiet of knowing that her city – Kunduz – was overrun in 2015 and again briefly in 2016 by insurgents, who still encircle the city. The few small airplanes that land here make a classic “corkscrew” landing – from a high altitude and quickly looping down – as a special precaution against potential ground fire.

“In the last five years, our hopes for peace have been dashed by war,” said Habiba, 32. “Earlier we had some optimism because of the dialogue established between local elders and insurgents. But right now, there is less talk of peace and not nearly enough security for making peace.”

Even with that, Habiba and a group of fellow activists in Kunduz say they are willing to continue to work for peace at a local level in a city often described by residents as a “Mini-Afghanistan” because of its diverse ethnic mix of Pashtun, Kazakh, Kyrgyz, Tajik, Hazara, Arab, Uzbek, and Turkmen, among others. It is a city today that is at the centre of an incessant war, but one that is collectively searching for peace on every street corner.

In February, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani made an unprecedented and direct offer of peace talks with the largest anti-government force, the Taliban, who ruled the country until 2001. The offer – put forth at the “Kabul Process II” conference and discussed further by regional and international parties in Tashkent – raised hopes that peace has become not only a global concern, but also a top national priority, particularly in regions that have experienced the brunt of the conflict.

Peace activists and common citizens in Kunduz city, however, see the nation’s hopes for peace less on a national level and more through a local prism, including through their own steady efforts to reconcile and make peace from day to day.


Habiba Gulustani and her daughter are anxious for peace.

Habiba recently spent several weeks with her group “Equality for Peace and Democracy,” interviewing “reconciled insurgents” who took up past offers to drop their armed struggle and return to their families and government-controlled territory.

“Local peace for them is essential, but I must say that most of the families we spoke to this past year, including to former insurgents, remain disappointed by the process thus far. They require more help with transitioning and also need to know they are safe from reprisals after they turn in their arms.”

For Habiba, the interviews she conducted highlighted the longer-term reconciliation needs that will have to be addressed as an Afghan peace deal with international backing takes shape. The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) has advocated for peace and reconciliation through events and media forums, including in Kunduz. More recently, President Ghani welcomed the UN role in future peace efforts, and 2018 is a year flush with fresh initiatives for peace.


In the last five years, our hopes for peace have been dashed by war – Habiba Gulustani

Residents here in Kunduz distinguish between “political peace,” which they see as a national priority, and a “social peace,” on a local level, which can address issues like women’s participation, long-term justice, and broader reunification efforts after years of conflict.

“Seven years ago, when I first took a seat on the provincial peace committee, we worked on harmonizing peace on our own, and there wasn’t much international interest at all,” said Wahidullah Rahmani, 32, an activist, who this year launched a new peace initiative called the Kunduz Rescue Movement.

“During my work with the provincial peace committee, we helped take 500 fighters off the battlefield, but the whole effort fell apart over time. Our overall security in Kunduz has suffered as fighters have returned to the battle. Because Kunduz has been at the centre of the struggle, we fear that – if work for peace is not done now – we’ll be facing a much greater conflict in a year or two.”

Outside the city centre the conflict grinds on: Insurgents sustain themselves by taxing electricity lines and taking a cut from civil servant salaries, according to residents and local officials.

The Kunduz Rescue Movement is concentrating its efforts now on work that needs to be done to secure a lasting peace. “We want security improvements but also development, including new links to the outside world – as in a new airport. Peace will be a ‘local reality’ when we help to reduce the distance between people and the government. We can do this on our own but we also want and need more international support.”

UNAMA/PS
Young activist Zabihulla Majidi talks about the prospects for peace in Afghanistan.

The running conflict and constant uncertainty about the future has led to growing social problems, including a rash of drug addiction among the city’s youth, according to locals.

“For the last three years we have lived under the constant fear that the city’s defenses will collapse again,” said Zabihulla Majidi, who advocates for peace along with Mr. Rahmani. “Recently, the situation has improved a bit, but there are not many new jobs, and young people are confused about their future and they are longing for peace.”

As Habiba holds her daughter, she nods in agreement. Many young men in the region have tried to avoid the inevitability of fighting by fleeing as refugees through expensive and perilous human smuggling rackets. For women, such an escape from the realities of war is rarely an option.

“For the most part, women and girls don’t have the possibility to leave – and that is why we are seeking a greater role in the peace effort.”

UNAMA has a mandate to support the Government of Afghanistan and its citizens in a shared goal of becoming a stable, open, and peaceful nation. This feature piece is meant to tell a human interest story related to how Afghanistan and the UN are working together to overcome the many challenges to achieving this goal.

https://news.un.org/en/story/2018/04/1008322
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‘Gaza is about to explode,’ UN envoy warns Security Council

UN Photo/Eskinder Debebe

Nickolay Mladenov, UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace, briefs the Security Council meeting on the situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question.

26 April 2018

Peace and Security

The Palestinian-Israeli conflict is continuing with no prospects for a political resolution and “Gaza is about to explode,” a senior United Nations official said Thursday, urging both sides to avoid further clashes along the enclave’s border.

“Old wounds continue to bleed and deepen as we speak, risking the outbreak of another war,” Nikolay Mladenov, the UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, told the Security Council during an open debate on the crises affecting the region.

While his briefing covered the situations in Syria, Yemen and Lebanon, it was largely focused on the unfolding crisis along the Gaza fence, which is at the tiny enclave’s border with Israel.

For the last four weeks, tens of thousands of Palestinians in Gaza have converged on the fence to protest the long-standing blockade of the enclave.

The so-called ‘Great March of Return’ demonstrations are expected to continue and culminate around 15 May, and could spread to the West Bank and beyond, Mr. Mladenov said.

Since 30 March, during these demonstrations, 35 Palestinians have been killed and large numbers have been injured by Israeli security forces. No Israeli casualties have been reported, he added.


Israel has accused Hamas, Islamic Jihad and other militants of using the protests, women, children and the elderly, as a cover to infiltrate Israel and commit terrorist attacks.

The UN envoy urged Israel to calibrate its use of force and minimize the use of live fire, and called on Hamas – a Palestinian faction governing the enclave – and the leaders of the demonstrations to keep protestors away from the Gaza fence.

The combination of the security, development and humanitarian deterioration, coupled with the political impasse, makes Gaza “a powder keg,” Mr. Mladenov said, calling for action to prevent another war in the enclave, which was shaken by seven weeks of clashes in the summer of 2014 between Israeli forces and Palestinian militants.

“People should not be destined to spend their lives surrounded by borders they are forbidden to cross, or waters they are forbidden to navigate,” he said. “They should not be destined to live under the control of Hamas, which invests in militant activities at the expense of the population.”

He urged stepped-up efforts to support the parties in advancing a sustainable Israeli-Palestinian peace on the basis of the two-State solution, with Israel and Palestine co-existing peacefully as independent countries.

https://news.un.org/en/story/2018/04/1008362
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At Security Council, UN chief calls for ‘quantum leap’ in funding activities to prevent conflict, address root causes

UN Photo/Evan Schneider

Wide view of the Security Council meeting on peacebuilding and sustaining peace.

25 April 2018

Peace and Security

Peacebuilding and sustaining peace require a more coherent United Nations strategy, as well a ‘quantum leap’ in funding activities that prevent the outbreak, escalation, continuation and recurrence of conflict, Secretary-General António Guterres said Wednesday.


“This is first and foremost about enhancing our strategic coherence to support efforts by national governments and their people […] and enhancing support for inclusivity, particularly of those who are frequently marginalized and excluded,” the UN chief told the Security Council during a briefing on his report, Peacebuilding and Sustaining Peace.

Today’s Council briefing coincided with the UN General Assembly’s two-day meeting on the same topic. In the Assembly, world leaders have recognized that efforts to sustain peace are necessary not only once conflict breaks out but also long beforehand, through preventative measures like dialogue and mediation, and addressing root causes.

In April 2016, the General Assembly and the Security Council concurrently adopted what have become known as the ‘sustaining peace resolutions,’ which Mr. Guterres has said send a clear joint message: while Member States have primary responsibility for building and maintaining peace, “we can all do more to strengthen the foundations of stability, wellbeing and cohesion.”

The Secretary-General told the Council today that “building and sustaining peace requires addressing the roots of conflict, which often lie in poverty, exclusion, inequality, discrimination and serious violations of human rights,” adding that the human and financial cost of focusing on responding to crises was unsustainable.

“Prevention is the foundation of building and sustaining peace,” declared the UN chief, stressing that sustainable, inclusive development – deeply rooted in respect for all human rights – is the world’s best preventative tool against violent conflict and instability.

UN Photo/Eskinder Debebe
Secretary-General António Guterres addresses Security Council meeting on peacebuilding and sustaining peace.

“The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development is our common global blueprint to tackle these root causes and create more peaceful, stable and resilient societies, founded on a fair globalization,” he said.

Calling for smarter investment in UN peacekeeping missions, he noted that his report also set out several options to increase, restructure and better prioritize funding dedicated to peacebuilding activities.


Prevention is the foundation of building and sustaining peace – UN Secretary-General António Guterres

He reiterated his call for a “quantum leap” in Member States’ support for the UN Peacebuilding Fund, concluding that – following the General Assembly’s imminent adoption of a resolution outlining the joint path forward – “now it is time for action.”

Also briefing the Council, Dan NecuIÿescu, of Romania, Chair of the UN Peacebuilding Commission, reflected on that body's role in fostering coherence at the intergovernmental level in the Sahel, Liberia and the Gambia, which in turn allowed the UN to be “more valuable, strategic and effective in the field – where it matters.”

Smail Chergui, Commissioner for Peace and Security of the African Union (AU), spotlighted the implementation of an AU Post-Conflict Reconstruction and Development Policy, which employs both preventative and stabilization dimensions. He also described the AU’ss quick-impact and peace-strengthening projects and work it carries out through its various liaison offices.

Citing critical lessons learned in the AU’s work, he said there is an urgent need to strengthen cooperation in prevention, which remains the most cost-effective, but least-resourced, tool.

There is also a need to shift towards a more people-centred paradigm, with a specific focus on peace dividends, especially for women and girls, he said, also stressing that “local perspectives must be incorporated and marginalized communities must be empowered.”



https://news.un.org/en/story/2018/04/1008302
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DPRK’s suspension of missile tests should lead to ‘irreversible’ commitment to ban nuclear testing – UN-backed treaty body

CTBTO Executive Secretary Lassina Zerbo at the Vienna International Centre.


25 April 2018

Peace and Security


The world’s nuclear proliferation watchdog has welcomed the announcement by the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) to suspend its nuclear and missile tests and shut down its Punggye-ri atomic test site.


It added that the move should lead to a “sure, definite” and “irreversible” commitment to ban nuclear testing.

“Saying is one thing, but until we have a signature and the ratification by the DPRK, to basically solidify the verbal commitment already to cease testing and close the nuclear test site, I think nothing can be for sure, definite, or irreversible,” Lassina Zerbo, Executive Secretary of the UN-partner Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO), told the media at a news briefing in Geneva today.

“I can only welcome and hope for best.”

He also highlighted that the upcoming talks between United States President Donald Trump and DPRK Kim Jong-Un could present a unique opportunity for a lasting contribution to world peace.

“It might be through this negotiation […] that we open up a situation where the DPRK ratify the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty.”

The Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty, or CTBT, bans all nuclear explosions, by everyone, everywhere. It has not yet entered into force despite having been opened for signature and ratification over 21 years ago.

Adopted by the UN General Assembly in 1996, the CTBT is nearly universal with 183 signatures and 166 ratifications.

But 44 specific nuclear-capable nations need to ratify the Treaty before it enters into force. Of these, eight – China, Egypt, India, Iran, Israel, DPRK, Pakistan and the US – are still missing. The last country of the 44 to ratify this treaty was Indonesia, on 6 February, 2012.

Since the Treaty is not yet in force, the CTBTO is officially called the Preparatory Commission for the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization.

https://news.un.org/en/story/2018/04/1008282

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UN-EU conference raises $4.4 billion for war-ravaged Syria; leaders underscore need for political solution

An 18-month-old toddler stands outside a tent where she lives with her family in Saadnayel Camp, an informal tented settlement where Syrian refugees are sheltering, in the Bekaa Valley, Lebanon.

25 April 2018

Humanitarian Aid

International donors at a United Nations-European Union humanitarian conference pledged nearly $4.4 billion on Wednesday to fund critical aid programmes in war-torn Syria throughout 2018.


Gathered in the Belgian capital, Brussels, alongside top officials from over 85 countries and organizations, UN and EU leaders also stressed that the stalled UN-led Syrian political negotiations, known as the intra-Syrian talks, must be revived.

In a video message to the conference, which aimed to boost support for the future of Syria as well as the wider region, which is hosting millions of refugees, Secretary-General António Guterres said that negotiations are the only way forward.

“We see confrontations and proxy wars involving several national armies, a number of armed opposition groups, many national and international militia, terrorist groups, foreign fighters from everywhere in the world – all these creating a bleak panorama of Syria today where there is no military solution to the crisis,” he said

“The solution must be political.”

The UN chief also stressed the importance of Security Council resolution 2254 (2015), which endorsed a road map for a peace process in Syria, and the 2012 Geneva Communiqué, which set out the principles for a political transition in the country.

Mr. Guterres said he will continue to engage with Member States to move towards a genuine and credible political solution that meets the aspirations of the Syrian people to dignity and freedom


Translate every cent into action

Relentless fighting across Syria, a conflict that has now lasted longer than World War II, has claimed hundreds of thousands of lives and left over 13 million in dire need of humanitarian assistance.

It has also forced 5.6 million Syrians to seek refuge in neighbouring countries where vulnerable host communities are reeling under the pressure.

Against this backdrop, the funds committed for 2018, and the additional $3.4 billion for 2019 and beyond, will ensure continuity of critical aid efforts – both for Syrians and refugee hosting communities.

“Every single cent we pledged today needs to be swiftly translated into action, spent in an effective and transparent way, this is our common responsibility,” said Christos Stylianides, the European Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Management, announcing the figures.
The funds will make a ‘real difference’

Mark Lowcock, the UN Emergency Relief Coordinator, welcomed the commitments and said that the resources will make a “real difference” for those suffering in the crisis.

“The pledges announced today are a good start,” Mr. Lowcock said.

He echoed Secretary-General Guterres’ call for a political solution.

“We are appealing on [the Syrian peoples’] behalf for an end to the violence: for a political solution, for a safe future with hope – of education, healthcare, work, and a return home. In other words: for a normal life.”


UNICEF/Khabieh
A vehicle from the UN-Syrian Arab Red Crescent (SARC) convoy drives past destroyed buildings in eastern Ghouta (March 2018). Insecurity and access restrictions have severely hampered delivery of life-saving assistance to people in desperate need across Syria.
Parties to the conflict must respect the rules of war

Meanwhile in New York, Ursula Mueller, the UN deputy aid chief, briefed the Security Council on the humanitarian situation in Syria where called for the full implementation for Council resolution 2401.

In that resolution, the 15-member body demanded an immediate cessation of hostilities to enable aid to flow into the areas in need.

“We need to see firm steps taken to ensure that all parties respect the rules of war,” she said, stressing the need to protect civilians and stop attacks on health facilitates.

Ms. Mueller also called for safe, sustained and unimpeded humanitarian access to all in need and underscored that medical items must stop being removed from convoys.

“There is no reason why items previously agreed with the authorities are removed at the last minute. These are critical life-saving items and they must be allowed on our trucks.”

https://news.un.org/en/story/2018/04/1008232
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Armenia: Welcoming peaceful nature of protests, UN chief asks for continued stability

UN Photo/Eskinder Debebe

Secretary-General António Guterres.

24 April 2018

Peace and Security

Following the resignation of Armenia’s Prime Minister in the wake of mass protests, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has called for the continued respect of the rule of law and human rights, as well as for the maintenance of peace and stability in Armenia and the wider region.


The Secretary-General has “taken note” of the resignation of Prime Minister Serzh Sargsyan, and “welcomes the peaceful nature of the unfolding events and encourages all relevant actors to continue to exercise restraint and prioritize dialogue,” Mr. Guterres’ Spokesman, Stéphane Dujarric, said in a statement issued late Monday.

According to media reports, Mr. Sargsyan served as president for a decade before being elected last week as prime minister with sweeping powers.

The co-chairs of a group within the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), namely France, Russia and the United States, has issued an appeal urging all sides to intensify efforts toward a peaceful negotiated solution to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict involving Armenia and Azerbaijan and to prevent any potential escalations along the line of contact.

The Secretary-General “echoes” this appeal, said the Spokesman.

https://news.un.org/en/story/2018/04/1008082

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New UN-backed action plan promotes hiring of refugees

UNHCR/Gordon Welters

Nastaran Fekri (left) and Rita Butmann (striped shirt) teach a workshop class at the ReDI school in Berlin. Set up for refugees without computer access at home, the school’s three-month course in coding takes students with basic skills to the point where they can build their own online store

24 April 2018

Migrants and Refugees

A newly-launched action plan that encourages employers to expand job opportunities for refugees aims to be a “win-win situation” for both sides, as well as host communities, according to a senior United Nations official.


Launched on Tuesday by the UN refugee agency and the 35-member Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), the plan identifies challenges to integrating refugees into the labour market, but also lists concrete actions to boost their participation.

Volker Türk, the UN agency’s Assistant High Commissioner for Protection, said it supports a “new approach” where refugees are included in communities from the very start and ultimately contribute to local economies.

“This Action Plan shows the way forward to ensure that the economic potential of refugees is fully harnessed, contributing to their social integration and offering a win-win situation to refugees, employers and host communities,” he said.

Refugees account for 22.5 million of the more than 65 million people worldwide who have been forcibly displaced from their homes.

The Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) interviews with refugees found employment and housing as their top concerns, with most saying having a job makes them feel integrated into their new communities.

While receiving countries face major challenges with refugee integration, both in the economy and society, the partners behind the plan believe “refugees also represent a significant opportunity for the host country, given the many skills and aptitudes that they bring.”

The Action Plan was based on extensive consultations with employers, trade unions, civil society organizations and others.

It lays out 10 recommendations, such as taking stock of refugees’ skills, identifying possible gaps and matching “refugee talent” with employers’ needs.

Navigating administrative rules and regulations covering refugees is another area, with public authorities and employment services encouraged to streamline procedures for work permits and other necessary documents.

Employers are also encouraged to make the business case for hiring refugees, for example for jobs that have been difficult to fill.

“Harnessing the full potential of refugees in receiving economies and societies requires a whole of government approach in close partnership with the civil society,” said Stefano Scarpetta, OECD’s Director for Employment, Labour and Social Affairs.

“Employers can and should play a central role in this process, but need to be supported by sound policy and actions from other stakeholders, including at the local level. Together we can make the most of refugee skills, talent and potentials.”


https://news.un.org/en/story/2018/04/1008092
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UN-EU conference on future of Syria opens in Brussels with urgent call for international support

UNICEF/Souleiman

In Al-Tabqa city, Syria, a 12-year-old boy and his friends walk past a destroyed car. He and his family were uprooted twice during the years-long conflict, forcing him to drop out of elementary school. (file)

24 April 2018

Humanitarian Aid

With the conflict in Syria into its eighth bloody year and human suffering worsening by the day, the United Nations and partners on Tuesday made a major appeal for additional funds, as well as for reinvigorating the stalled UN-led Geneva talks.

“We want Syrians to know that they are not forgotten; that we are trying to find better ways to help them in this terrible situation,” said Mark Lowcock, the UN Emergency Relief Coordinator, at the opening of a two-day conference in Brussels, co-organized by the European Union, called Supporting the future of Syria and the region.

“Despite fighting, bombing and violence, we will not give up,” Mr. Lowcock said.

The fighting in Syria, which erupted in March 2011 and has now lasted longer than World War II, has left hundreds of thousands dead and more than 13 million in dire need of humanitarian assistance within the country. Another 5.6 million Syrians have fled to neighbouring countries for refuge.

The first few months of 2018 saw over 700,000 people fleeing their homes – many more than once – as well as 72 reported attacks on medical facilities.

“As the number of people in urgent need of assistance continues to grow, the United Nations has exhausted its resources to respond,” Mr. Lowcock said.

“We call on donors to pledge funds to assist and protect Syrian families wherever they are,” said Mr. Lowcock, who is also the UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs.


According to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), which Mr. Lowcock heads, only $2.3 billion, or about 25 per cent, of the $9.1 billion needed for humanitarian and development assistance in 2018 has been received.

The total includes funds needed to meet needs both within Syria and among some 3.9 million vulnerable people in in communities hosting refugees.

Unless more funding is secured, critical programmes risk closure or sharp reductions in the coming months, with a potentially devastating impact on the most vulnerable and desperate families.

“Of all the humanitarian emergencies facing us today none match Syria’s in terms of scale or in the immensity of need,” said Filippo Grandi, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees.

“Whether for refugees, for host countries, or for host communities those needs are as urgent, as great, as ever.”


Graphic: Where are Syrian refugees registered? Source: UNHCR

Development set back decades

The widespread destruction of livelihoods and infrastructure has pushed 70 per cent Syrians into extreme poverty. At the same time, neighbouring countries are reeling under the strain of the massive influx of refugees from Syria.

“Host countries have demonstrated outstanding generosity to Syrian refugees for many years despite the huge pressure on national services and infrastructure,” said Achim Steiner, the Administrator of the UN Development Programme (UNDP).


Host countries have demonstrated outstanding generosity to Syrian refugees for many years despite the huge pressure on national services and infrastructure – UNDP chief Achim Steiner

“The international community must enhance their support for longer term development efforts to these countries on the front line who have been providing a global public good,” he said.
Conference programme

The two-day conference in Brussels is expected to draw ministerial-level participation from over 85 countries.

On the first day, more than 200 non-governmental organizations from Syria and the region discussed ways to improve services with ministers and top UN and EU officials. Separately, Staffan de Mistura, the UN Special Envoy for Syria and Federica Mogherini, the High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, met with Syrian civil society leaders.

Speaking to the press following the meeting, they called on all parties to the negotiating table.

“They [the civil society] were sitting around the table together today, many of them did not agree with each other, in fact we noticed it, but they were able to sit around the table, that’s exactly what we want at the political level,” said Mr. de Mistura.

Results from the first day of discussions will feed into the plenary sessions on Wednesday, which will cover all key aspects of the conflict, including the political process. Also on day 2, the total amount of aid pledges received will be announced. The co-chairs plan to release a declaration at the closing of the meeting.




https://news.un.org/en/story/2018/04/1008172
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Nicaragua: UN chief calls on all sides to exercise restraint in wake of protests

UN Photo/Violaine Martin (file)

Secretary-General António Guterres.

24 April 2018

Peace and Security

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has expressed his concern about the casualties in recent protests in Nicaragua, and called for restraint on all sides.

“He also calls on the Government of Nicaragua to ensure the protection of human rights of all citizens, particularly the right to peaceful assembly and freedom of expression,” said Mr. Guterres’ Spokesman, Stéphane Dujarric, in a statement issued late Monday.

According to media reports, street demonstrations were triggered by planned changes to Nicaragua’s social security system, and stand-offs between the security forces and protesters resulted in deaths and injuries.

“The Secretary-General supports the call for dialogue as an instrument to address the country’s current challenges,” the Spokesman said.

https://news.un.org/en/story/2018/04/1008122

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