среда, 31 июля 2024 г.
вторник, 30 июля 2024 г.
Venezuela: Guterres calls for ‘complete transparency’ following disputed presidential election
UN Photo/Manuel Elías
UN Secretary-General António Guterres (file).
29 July 2024
Peace and Security
UN Secretary-General António Guterres has commended the people of Venezuela “for their determination to express their will peacefully through the ballot box,” his Spokesperson said on Monday.
Following hours of delays, incumbent Nicolás Maduro was formally declared winner of the disputed presidential election held on Sunday, securing a third term in office.
“We have taken note of the announcement made by the electoral authorities as well as the concerns expressed by political actors and members of the international community,” UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric told journalists in New York.
Appeal for moderation
“The Secretary-General calls for complete transparency and encourages the timely publication of the election results and a breakdown by polling stations,” he said.
“The Secretary-General trusts that all electoral disputes will be addressed and resolved peacefully and calls on all Venezuelan political leaders and their supporters for moderation,” he added.
Furthermore, the UN chief “recalls that electoral authorities should undertake their work independently and without interference to guarantee the free expression of the will of the electorate.”
UN expert panel
Reporters also asked Mr. Dujarric about the UN Panel of Electoral Experts deployed to Venezuela ahead of the vote who will produce an independent internal report for the Secretary-General on the overall conduct of the elections.
He said the Panel travelled to the country earlier this month and it is assumed that they will report to the Secretary-General at some point during the coming week.
A Panel of Electoral Experts is among the various types of electoral assistance that the UN may provide to Member States at their request. Unlike UN electoral observation missions, which are extremely rare and require a specific mandate by the Security Council or the General Assembly, these Panels do not issue public statements on the overall conduct of electoral processes or their results.
https://news.un.org/en/story/2024/07/1152606
понедельник, 29 июля 2024 г.
Аргентина отказалась признавать победу Мадуро на выборах президента Венесуэлы
Президент Аргентины Милей отказался признавать победу Мадуро на выборах
Президент Аргентины Хавьер Милей заявил, что его страна не признает победу Николаса Мадуро на выборах президента Венесуэлы. Об этом он написал на своей странице X.
Политик отметил, что лидером по итогам голосования стал оппозиционер Эдмундо Гонсалес. «Аргентина не признает очередной обман и надеется, что вооруженные силы на этот раз защитят демократию и волю народа», — заявил политик.
Ранее штаб Мадуро заявил о его победе на выборах. Глава штаба и спикер парламента Хорхе Родригес призвал дождаться официальных цифр Национального избирательного совета CNE, «поскольку мы уважаем законы нашей страны и конституцию».
Президентские выборы в Венесуэле прошли в воскресенье, 28 июля. На них зарегистрировались десять кандидатов, в том числе правящий с 2013 года президент Николас Мадуро и основной кандидат от оппозиции Эдмундо Гонсалес Уррутиа.
https://m.lenta.ru/news/2024/07/29/argentina-otkazalas-priznavat-pobedu-maduro-na-vyborah-prezidenta-venesuely/?from=amp
суббота, 27 июля 2024 г.
UN urges peace and respect for Olympic Truce as Paris Summer Games begin
© IOC/Greg Martin
UN Secretary-General António Guterres (left) and Thomas Bach, President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), in Paris ahead of the opening of the Paris 2024 Summer Olympic Games.
26 July 2024
Migrants and Refugees
As the Summer Olympics and Paralympics get underway in Paris on Friday, UN Secretary-General António Guterres called for global respect of the Olympic Truce – a custom of halting all hostilities from before to after the Games.
In November, the UN General Assembly adopted a vote to observe the truce in Paris.
“In a moment like this, it's important to say that the first recorded in history real peace initiative was the Olympic Truce,” Mr. Guterres said during a press encounter in the French capital alongside International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach.
“And so, in a moment in which the Olympic Games are going to start, it's time to remind the world of the importance of the Olympic Truce and to make the world understand that we must silence the guns,” he added.
The UN chief noted many points of existing conflict across the globe including in Gaza, Sudan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and more. He said the Olympic Games symbolise “cooperation and loyal competition, instead of division and conflict”. Therefore, he encouraged countries to foster unity the way athletes are during these games.
Mr. Guterres is set to attend the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games.
© IOC/Greg Martin
The 2024 Refugee Olympic Team Paris is presented by Chef de Mission Masomah Ali Zada at the Palais des Congrès, Grand Amphithéâtre.
Refugee Olympic Team
Meanwhile, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees encouraged everyone across the globe to promote “peaceful co-existence and mutual respect” as the refugee team competing in the Games is doing.
“Sport is a symbol of hope and of peace, which are sadly in short supply in our world today,” The High Commissioner, Filippo Grandi, said.
“The refugee team is a beacon for people everywhere. These athletes show what can be achieved when talent is recognised and developed, and when people have opportunities to train and compete alongside the best. They are nothing short of an inspiration,” he added.
This year’s squad consists of 37 athletes – the largest since the 2016 Rio Games when refugee teams first debuted.
Olympic Laurel
On Tuesday, the IOC announced that Mr. Grandi would be the third recipient of the Olympic Laurel, an award created to “honour outstanding individuals for their achievements in education, culture, development and peace through sport.”
He will receive this award during the Olympic opening ceremony.
Gender equality history
UN Women is recognising the 2024 Olympic Games as the first time in history where an equal number of male and female athletes are competing.
“This 50:50 representation of athletes makes the Summer Games the first to reach gender equality,” UN women said.
The agency said the Paris Games are set to ensure a more balanced coverage of the sports events, creating a “spotlight” for all athletes.
However, UN Women recognises that many gender gaps remain in sporting events and says that progress does not stop with balanced gender competitors at the Olympic Games.
https://news.un.org/en/story/2024/07/1152541
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четверг, 25 июля 2024 г.
World News in Brief: Rights chief ‘horrified’ at deadly PNG violence, Lebanon-Israel ‘knife edge’, Sudan refugees suffer sexual violence
© IOM/Peter Murorera
UN migration agency IOM and local authorities conduct an assessment of a displacement-affected community in Southern Highlands, Papua New Guinea (file photo).
24 July 2024
Peace and Security
Recent attacks on three villages in East Sepik province, Papua New Guinea, resulted in at least 26 deaths - including 16 children – an event that has left UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk “horrified”, he said in a statement on Wednesday.
The attacks, which took place on 16 and 18 July reportedly occurred because of a land, lake ownership and user rights dispute.
These attacks reportedly stem from conflicts resulting from tribal violence in the southwest Pacific nation in February where about 26 people were also killed.
The UN human rights office (OHCHR) had urged the government at that time to address the issue and ensure the protection of civilians - particularly women and girls.
Preventing more bloodshed
The High Commissioner said the number of those killed in the attacks in East Sepik province could rise to 50 as local authorities continue to look for missing people.
Further, over 200 villagers left the province as their homes were being torched.
“I urge the authorities to conduct prompt, impartial and transparent investigations and to ensure those responsible are held to account,” Mr. Türk said.
“It is also vital that victims and their families receive reparations, including adequate housing, effective protection against further attacks and necessary psychosocial support.”
The High Commissioner also calls on authorities to address the main causes of land and lake disputes in the affected communities to “prevent recurrence of further violence.”
Diplomatic off-ramp to avoid Lebanon-Israel still possible: Special Coordinator
Lebanon and the wider region remains on a knife edge as the war in Gaza grinds on and exchanges of fire continue across its southern border with Israel, the UN Special Coordinator told the Security Council on Wednesday.
Briefing ambassadors behind closed doors, Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert gave her update alongside the UN Peace Operations chief Jean-Pierre Lacroix, following the latest report on the UN mission which monitors the so-called Blue Line frontier between Lebanon and northern Israel.
She said Lebanon, along with the wider region, remains on a knife-edge, yet a diplomatic way out is still possible, according to a press release on the proceedings.
Rejecting the notion of an all-out conflict as inevitable, she said both Lebanon and Israel had stated they were not seeking war and she expressed hope that a “Gaza deal” would lead to an immediate return to the cessation of hostilities across the Blue Line.
Tinderbox
The Special Coordinator echoed concerns, however, that a miscalculation by either side could easily ignite a regional war.
She therefore urged no effort be spared to bring both sides back from the brink, while stressing implementation of resolution 1701 as the pathway towards long-term security.
She also explained that, amid an “ongoing presidential impasse” the erosion of State authority and its institutions, was a material fact on the ground.
“She lamented that Lebanese people are forced to survive on remittances or by juggling multiple jobs, and underlined the urgency of reviving progress on economic and financial reforms”, the release issued by her office said.
Sexual violence against Sudanese refugees 'chronically under-reported'
Following disturbing reports of conflict-related sexual violence in the Eastern provinces of Chad, the UN Special Representative who monitors the scourge Pramila Patten visited the Ouaddaï region to assess the situation and meet survivors.
UN Photo/Eskinder Debebe
Pramila Patten, Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Sexual Violence in Conflict, briefs UN Security Council members on the situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question.
Of the 620,000 refugees who have fled there due to the ongoing hostilities in Sudan, around 90 per cent are women and children.
The numbers of refugees are only increasing, with more than 3,200 people continuing to flee to eastern Chad every week.
Ms. Patten met with refugee women and learned first-hand how sexual violence remains a continuing threat for vulnerable civilians during the ongoing conflict in Sudan.
Cases involved multiple perpetrators, the use of ethnically motivated sexual violence, instances of rape in front of family members and the targeting of women activists and first-responders.
The women also shared their experiences about the challenges they faced in accessing essential services, including legal assistance, mental health care and trauma counselling.
“In any conflict, sexual violence is a chronically under-reported crime, and this case is no exception,” Ms. Patten said.
Surviving without help
“Survivors of sexual violence have not been able to report their cases or access lifesaving assistance due to the magnitude of the crisis, the distance to and paucity of health structures as well as shame and stigma rooted in harmful social norms.”
She said that in most cases, women who were subjected to sexual violence in Sudan or during their flight only sought medical assistance when they realised they were pregnant.
The Special Representative is calling on “all parties to the conflict to comply with international human rights and humanitarian law and in particular to guarantee immediate and complete cessation of all violence against civilians, including sexual violence”.
https://news.un.org/en/story/2024/07/1152481
среда, 24 июля 2024 г.
UN chief welcomes agreement between Palestinian factions Fatah and Hamas
© WHO
A group of men walk through the destroyed streets of Gaza.
23 July 2024
Peace and Security
The UN Secretary-General has welcomed a new agreement signed on Tuesday in Beijing by Hamas and Fatah, together with smaller Palestinian factions, aimed at ending years of political rivalry as the war in Gaza grinds on.
In response to questions at the regular daily briefing in New York, UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said António Guterres “very much welcomes the signing of the Beijing Declaration by the Palestinian factions”, adding that it was “an important step towards furthering Palestinian unity.”
Hamas has ruled the Gaza Strip since 2007 when it forced Fatah out of the enclave after winning a majority of votes in an election the previous year. Fatah governs in the West Bank and previous attempts to end the faction fighting have proved elusive.
The Chinese-facilitated new accord known as the Beijing Declaration involved 14 different Palestinian groups, and a joint statement from Fatah and Hamas announcing the deal, as a prelude to a new unified government, reportedly provides no timetable or details on implementation.
Call for more dialogue
“The Secretary-General encourages all factions to overcome their differences through dialogue and urges them to follow up on the commitments that were made in Beijing and the Declaration they signed on to”, said Mr. Dujarric.
“We've seen this before, we've talked about it before, and I think all steps towards unity are to be welcomed and encouraged. Palestinian unity, as we've said many a time, is crucial for peace and security and for advancing the aspirations of the Palestinian people for self-determination and for a fully independent, democratic, contiguous, viable and sovereign Palestinian State”, he added.
Mr. Guterres expressed his appreciation for the diplomatic efforts being made by China “as well as efforts of other countries involved in facilitating the process.”
Two States
The UN is committed to working towards a comprehensive two-State solution to the Israel-Palestine conflict with secure, recognized borders on the basis of pre-1967 lines which would have Jerusalem as the capital of both States, in line with UN resolutions and international law.
The United States and other Western nations have refused to recognize any Palestinian Government that includes Hamas representatives without express recognition of the State of Israel. The US, United Kingdom and others, officially list Hamas as a terrorist organization.
Israel has vowed to destroy Hamas as its central war aim in Gaza and has up to now, indicated that it will not relinquish control of the enclave or allow the current Palestinian Authority to become the governing power there.
https://news.un.org/en/story/2024/07/1152431
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понедельник, 22 июля 2024 г.
UN chief expresses deep concern over Israel strikes on Yemen, and risk of regional escalation
UN Tajikistan/Didor Sadulloev
UN Secretary-General António Guterres (file)
21 July 2024
Peace and Security
UN Secretary-General António Guterres has responded to Israel’s airstrikes on the Yemeni port city of Hudaydah, which reportedly killed at least six people and injured more than 80, by calling for all parties involved in the conflict to “exercise utmost restraint”.
In statement, Mr. Guterres noted that Israel had claimed responsibility for the strikes, which took place on Saturday, as a response to previous attacks on Israel by the Houthis – formally known as Ansar Allah – a group which controls swathes of territory in Yemen, including Hudaydah.
The strikes came after a drone attack on the Israeli city of Tel Aviv on Friday killed one person and wounded 10 more. The attack was claimed by the Houthis and led to a senior Israeli Government minister vowing to “settle the score”. The Israelis strikes on Saturday hit electricity infrastructure and a refinery, creating a large fire.
Efforts to mediate between the Houthis and Yemeni government have stalled in recent months and, following the onset of the war in Gaza in October, the Houthis pledged to attack what they deemed to be pro-Israeli shipping interests along the Red Sea coast, as a demonstration of solidarity with the Palestinians in Gaza.
In turn, a United States (US)-led coalition defending shipping in the Red Sea has continued to strike areas controlled by Houthis in Hudaydah, the capital Sana’a and Ta’iz.
The Houthis reportedly warned that the group’s response to the Israeli airstrikes “will be huge” and that the group would continue to attack Israel and that there would be no “red lines”.
The Yemeni conflict, which began in 2015, has been disastrous for the civilian population. The UN says the war has destroyed most sectors in Yemen, including healthcare, and caused one of the worst humanitarian crises in the world. Around half of the population, some 18.2 million people, are in need of some form of assistance.
https://news.un.org/en/story/2024/07/1152346
воскресенье, 21 июля 2024 г.
Sudan aid obstacles impact lifesaving relief effort
© UNICEF/Ahmed Mohamdeen Elfatih
A child and mother peer through a window in Alsabaat community, Kassala state.
19 July 2024
Humanitarian Aid
Heavy fighting in Sudan has severely curtailed humanitarian aid deliveries across vast areas of the southeast, the UN World Food Programme, WFP, said on Friday.
In an alert, WFP expressed deep concern about “the escalation of fighting” in Sudan’s Sennar State. More than 136,000 people have already fled their homes, many for the second or third time since the conflict started.
To date, the UN agency has provided support to 46,000 people who fled to neighbouring Blue Nile state and to another 3,000 who’ve sought refuge in adjoining Gedaref state.
In an update, the WFP said that the violence had “severely affected” operations across the region, including White Nile, Blue Nile, Kassala and Gedaref states.
‘Completely cut off’
“Fighting in Sennar cut off key supply routes for food and fuel into the state, leaving residents unable to access basic needs,” WFP explained, adding that its logistics hub in Kosti in White Nile state “is completely cut off” from Port Sudan on the coast, after rival paramilitary force the RSF moved in on 29 June.
“The route from Port Sudan to Kosti (that) cuts through Sennar is currently inaccessible,” WFP continued, describing the route as “a lifeline to get assistance to hundreds of thousands of people in Sudan, including many communities at risk of famine in the Kordofans and the Darfur region”.
Staying with the west of Sudan, the UN food agency also reported that getting assistance into Darfur from neighbouring Chad has “halted”, too.
“The Adre crossing from Chad is still closed and the Chad to Darfur crossing via Tine is inaccessible due to heavy rains and flooding brought by the rainy season.
The last WFP aid delivery via Tine was in mid-July, the UN agency said. “This leaves many areas cut off from assistance,” it continued, in an appeal for all humanitarian corridors to be open so that aid teams “can reach all those in need”.
Support for millions displaced
So far this year, WFP has supported more than four million internally displaced people, refugees and vulnerable host communities across Sudan, including 1.4 million in June alone. But the needs are far greater, it warned.
“Sudan is the world's largest hunger crisis. We need to be delivering food also on this scale.”
Talks end, call for ‘tangible progress on the ground’
In a related development in Geneva, UN-led talks between Sudan’s warring parties concluded on Friday. Leading the negotiations with representatives from the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces, the Personal Envoy of the Secretary-General, Ramtane Lamamra, held around 20 meetings in total with the delegations.
He said in a statement that he now counted on the parties “to promptly translate their willingness to engage with him into tangible progress on the ground” in Sudan, where around 10 million people have been uprooted by 15 months of war and humanitarians have warned that famine, disease and fighting are closing in on the population.
https://news.un.org/en/story/2024/07/1152286
Guatemala: UN rights chief concerned over polarization, inequality, racism
UN Photo/Violaine Martin
United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk.
19 July 2024
Human Rights
The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights on Friday highlighted changes and ongoing challenges in Guatemala – including corruption, racism and gender inequality - following a four-day official visit to the Central American country.
“It was a priority for me to come to Guatemala at a crucial moment in its history, and to support the country in its efforts to strengthen democracy, the rule of law, to fight against corruption and establish a clear and transformative human rights agenda,” Volker Türk said in a statement.
Preserving democracy
The UN rights chief said that what happened during the 2023 electoral period was of utmost concern to him.
President Bernardo Arevalo, who campaigned on tackling corruption and insecurity, was elected last August but opponents repeatedly challenged the results.
“I feared that the regressive forces who had co-opted the State structures would also succeed in overturning the popular will expressed at the ballot box,” he said.
“The efforts and determination of many sectors of society, especially the 106-day mobilization of Indigenous Peoples and social movements, have been successful in preserving democracy and the rule of law.”
Mr. Türk said he saw the Government’s “firm commitment” to the rule of law, democracy and human rights, and that the “human rights agenda” is part of the Executive's programmes and activities.
Polarization and corruption
He warned, however, that the three powers of Government are not yet working in harmony.
“There is enormous polarization between State institutions,” he said. “Public opinion is highly fragmented. Corruption levels remain very high. Mistrust between different groups is growing.”
The High Commissioner stressed the need to tackle some of the country’s main problems, including high levels of inequality, gender equality and violence against women and girls.
“Change is possible and it is already happening,” he insisted. “An example of that is the appointment by President Arévalo of six women governors.”
Discrimination, inequality and racism
He said among the most pressing challenges in Guatemala is the “devastating” structural discrimination, racism and inequality faced by Indigenous Peoples and people of African descent, who constitute the majority of the country’s population.
LGBTIQ+ community, people with disabilities and other vulnerable groups also face discrimination, he added.
Stop persecuting activists
Mr. Türk expressed deep concern over the misuse of criminal law to persecute human rights defenders, justice officials, journalists, students and indigenous authorities. Dozens now “face judicial proceedings based on spurious grounds”, and more than 50 have fled the country.
“I urge the Attorney General to adopt the necessary measures so that this persecution ends immediately. All those in exile should be able to return immediately and in safe conditions,” he said.
In pursuit of justice
Mr. Türk said it was particularly regrettable that people working to stamp out corruption, or expose it, are being persecuted. Also affected are those seeking to ensure that serious human rights violations that occurred in the context of the internal armed conflict from 1960 to 1996 do not go unpunished
He noted the lack of progress in the search for justice, in particular the trials related to the internal armed conflict. Provisions of the Peace Accords have not been fully implemented, especially the guarantees of non-repetition.
“This is why I am concerned about the case of the ‘Alaska Summit Massacre’ in 2012, in which seven people died and dozens were seriously injured when the army opened fire on a peaceful demonstration, and that it took nearly 12 years for this case to come to trial,” he said.
While the challenges in Guatemala are “manifold”, Mr. Turk said he was reassured that Government, civil society, Indigenous Peoples and the private sector “can reverse the course of the last decades and improve the promotion and protection of human rights in Guatemala.”
He urged the international community to continue supporting the Government’s efforts in this regard.
https://news.un.org/en/story/2024/07/1152321
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четверг, 18 июля 2024 г.
World News in Brief: Bangladesh student protests, South Sudan attacks continue, opportunity knocks for climate action in Africa
OHCHR
United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk.
17 July 2024
Human Rights
As violent protests continued at university campuses in Bangladesh on Wednesday, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights urged authorities to engage with students demanding an end to the quota system for government jobs amid rising unemployment.
The demonstrations erupted two weeks ago, and students have been clashing with their pro-government counterparts and the police in the capital, Dhaka, and other cities.
The Bangladeshi Government closed all public and private universities after the protests turned deadly on Tuesday, with six people killed and scores injured, according to media reports.
Writing on social media, UN rights chief Volker Türk said that all acts of violence and use of force, especially resulting in the loss of life, must be investigated and perpetrators held to account.
“Freedom of expression and peaceful assembly are fundamental human rights,” he added.
The students are protesting quotas which reserve a third of government jobs to the children of veterans of the 1971 war of independence from Pakistan.
The quotas were abolished in 2018 but reinstated earlier this month.
South Sudan: Community-based militias continue attacks on civilians
Widespread attacks against civilians - driven primarily by sub-national armed violence involving community-based militias and civil defense groups — are continuing in South Sudan, the UN Mission in the country, UNMISS, said on Wednesday in its latest quarterly report.
Between January and March, UNMISS documented 240 incidents of violence impacting 913 civilians nationwide.
Of this number, 468 were killed, 328 injured and 70 abducted, with 47 subjected to conflict related sexual violence. This represents a 24 percent rise compared to the 194 violent incidents reported during the same period in 2023.
The Mission said inter and intra-communal violence by community-based militias and/or civil defense groups remains the primary source of sub-national violence, accounting for 87 percent of victims, or 796 persons.
On a positive note, the report also showed a 30 per cent decrease in the number of documented abductions compared to the fourth quarter of 2023 (from 100 to 70). Similarly, incidents of conflict-related sexual violence decreased by 25 per cent, of from 63 to 47.
The Head of UNMISS, Nicholas Haysom, called for collective action by authorities and communities to resolve longstanding grievances peacefully, particularly as South Sudan approaches its first elections, scheduled for December.
“Building a culture of human rights is fundamental to achieving sustainable security, peace, and democracy,” he said.
UNDP/Karin Schermbrucker for Slingshot
Solar panels help to power the a rural hospital in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe.
New UNDP report highlights climate action opportunities in Africa
Also on Wednesday, the UN Development Programme (UNDP) launched the third edition of its Africa Investment Report Climate Opportunities at the Africa Impact Summit 2024 in Nairobi, Kenya.
The report outlines private sector opportunities with economic, social and environmental potential for sustainable development in Africa, and presents data and trends on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) investments across the continent.
“Through the UNDP Africa Investment Insights Report, we turn Africa’s climate challenges into investment opportunities for the private sector, as per the continent’s own ambition captured in national NDCs,” said Maxwell Gomera, Director of the UNDP Africa Sustainable Finance Hub.
Private sector opportunity
This third edition of the report highlights climate-related investment opportunities using insights from 16 African SDGs Investor Maps. Partnering with UNDP’s Climate Promise, it shows how the private sector can support African countries' Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) under the Paris Agreement.
The report emphasises that climate action presents significant opportunities for the private sector, with over half of the identified SDGs investment opportunities in Africa contributing to climate action and NDCs.
Mr. Romera said UNDP is calling on investors to participate in “realising opportunities for positive climate action.”
https://news.un.org/en/story/2024/07/1152221
среда, 17 июля 2024 г.
World News in Brief: Sudan displacement ‘grim milestone’, UN deputy chief in West Africa, Côte d’Ivoire joins UN water treaty
© UNICEF/Osman Rajab
Families arrive at a school in Gedaref after fleeing Sinja in southern Sudan
16 July 2024
Peace and Security
More than 10 million people in Sudan have been displaced since war erupted last April, UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said on Tuesday, citing the International Organization for Migration (IOM).
The “grim milestone” means that 20 per cent of the population has been forced to flee in the span of just 15 months, he added.
“The majority of those displaced are inside the country – that is almost eight million human beings – and over half of those are children,” said Mr. Dujarric, speaking during his daily media briefing from UN Headquarters in New York.
“Meanwhile, more than two million people have crossed into neighbouring countries, countries that often are facing their own humanitarian challenges.”
Major humanitarian challenges
Mr. Dujarric said the humanitarian community in Sudan is doing everything possible to scale up assistance for people in need, including those who have fled the fighting.
On Tuesday, the UN refugee agency, UNHCR, reported the delivery of relief items for some 2,000 displaced and vulnerable families in East Darfur.
This followed the announcement over the weekend by the World Food Programme (WFP) that food assistance had been delivered for more than 120,000 internally displaced people in South Kordofan.
He warned, however, that aid organizations in Sudan continue to face major challenges, including the ongoing insecurity, access constraints, and funding shortfalls.
“Although the funding for this year’s Humanitarian Response Plan has increased over the past week, we are still at just 30 per cent of funding more than halfway through the year, with $820 million so far received in cash of the $2.7 billion that are needed,” he said.
On behalf of the UN, he appealed “to those who have pledged to turn those pledges into cash, and those who have not pledged to turn in pledges and cash.”
UN deputy chief on West Africa mission to review SDG challenges
UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed arrived in Senegal on Tuesday – the first stop on a mission to West African countries where she will take stock of challenges in delivering the Sustainable Development (SDGs) and work with stakeholders to find pathways towards acceleration.
Her visit follows the SDG Summit held at UN Headquarters last September to ramp up progress towards achieving the 17 goals before the 2030 deadline.
Ms. Mohammed held meetings in the Senegalese capital, Dakar, with President Bassirou Diomaye Faye, and the Ministers for Finance, the Economy and Foreign Affairs.
Reaffirming UN support
“During those meetings, the Deputy Secretary-General reaffirmed our support to the Government toward key transitions to achieve the SDGs, including food systems transition, renewable energy, and the digital economy,” UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric told journalists in New York.
Ms. Mohammed is scheduled to meet with Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko on Wednesday, and with the UN country team and civil society representatives, including women and youth groups.
She will then depart Senegal for Conakry, Guinea, to continue her tour of the region, which will also take her to Mali.
Following the visit, Ms. Mohammed will head to Ethiopia to preside over the opening of the First session of the Preparatory Committee for the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development.
Côte d’Ivoire joins UN treaty on cross-border water management
Côte d’Ivoire has become the latest country to sign on to a UN treaty to improve joint water management across borders, the UN Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) said on Tuesday.
The West African nation is the 53rd Party, and the 10th in Africa, to join the UN Water Convention, officially the 1992 Convention on the Protection and Use of Transboundary Watercourses and International Lakes.
The move further consolidates the strong momentum for water cooperation in Africa, where over 90 per cent of water resources are in 63 basins shared by two or more countries, according to the UNECE, which services the Convention.
“Côte d’Ivoire’s accession is a milestone for multilateralism and reaffirms the role of the UN Water Convention as a tool to support water cooperation for peace, sustainable development and climate change adaptation across borders,” said Tatiana Molcean, the UNECE Executive Secretary.
Côte d’Ivoire has a population of some 30 million and shares eight transboundary river basins with neighbouring countries, including Ghana, Burkina Faso, Mali, Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone.
Meeting the water needs of the country’s population, which is growing by 2.5 per cent annually, brings significant challenges in the face of threats such as urbanisation, and climate change impacts - including drought and flooding.
At the same time, water quality is deteriorating due to pollution from agricultural, industrial waste, illegal gold panning and untreated wastewater. Water resources are also unevenly distributed across the country, with the north and north-east particularly affected.
“In the context of increasing water scarcity and high demand for water in Africa, Côte d’Ivoire's accession as the 10th African Party to the 1992 Water Convention is a significant step for the continent,” said Claver Gatete, Executive Secretary of the UN Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA).
Parties to the Convention will next meet in Ljubljana, Slovenia, in October.
https://news.un.org/en/story/2024/07/1152186
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/legalcode
вторник, 16 июля 2024 г.
South Sudan faces growing humanitarian crisis, warns WHO
© UNICEF/Ahmed Mohamdeen Elfatih
Children collect clean water from a pipe connected to their household.
15 July 2024
Humanitarian Aid
Twelve years on from independence the people of South Sudan continue to face huge challenges, exacerbated now by the war in neighbouring Sudan, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Monday.
The UN health agency insisted that the humanitarian, economic, social and political crises that began with brutal civil conflict in 2013 have been worsened by the recent influx of refugees from Sudan following the war between rival militaries there - with over 650,000 new arrivals since April 2023.
Right now, approaching six million people - or 46 per cent of the population – face crisis levels of food insecurity – a number that’s expected to rise to around 7.1 million during the current lean season.
El Niño and flooding
The WHO report also highlighted that the 2023-24 El Niño weather phenomenon - one of the strongest on record - brought dry conditions, erratic rainfall and significantly impacted harvests.
It also resulted in year-round flooding, which occurred in new previously unaffected areas.
Severe flooding, recurrent violence, weak governance, poverty and lack of infrastructure have created a complex humanitarian crisis which is hindering South Sudan’s development, the UN health agency warned.
A staggering 8.9 million people mostly in flood and conflict-affected areas have been affected, with women, children, the elderly and people with disabilities at higher risk.
UNHCR´s first-ever Forced Displacement Survey (FDS)
A pilot household survey by The UN refugee agency (UNHCR) on Monday, further underscores the dire conditions, revealing alarming levels of suffering among both refugee and host communities.
The Forced Displacement Survey (FDS) was conducted between April and December 2023 and covered around 3,100 households in South Sudan.
It found that all communities face many challenges including limited services, high unemployment, no education, poor infrastructure and overcrowded shelters.
74 per cent of households going hungry
Food is a major issue with 74 per cent of both refugee and host community households experiencing hunger in the past month.
And over 40 per cent of both groups had less income than the previous year. Refugees from the Sudan crisis have added to the already volatile areas and overstretched services. The conflict has also affected South Sudan’s economy by closing the main oil pipeline.
Marie-Helene Verney, UNHCR Representative in South Sudan, said that “we need to link humanitarian assistance to stabilization and development programmes to the extent possible…Substantive long-term investments are crucial to improving the wellbeing of refugees and the communities hosting them.”
South Sudan has over 460,000 refugees from Sudan, DRC and Ethiopia.
With the conflict in Sudan, South Sudan is receiving 1,600 people daily including refugees and returnees. The FDS provides comprehensive socioeconomic data on refugees and host communities to inform programming and policy. This data is key to targeting assistance where it matters most and bridging the humanitarian-development gap.
https://news.un.org/en/story/2024/07/1152106
суббота, 13 июля 2024 г.
Gaza: There is no alternative to UNRWA, Guterres declares
© UNRWA
UNRWA has been providing vital humanitarian assistance to civilians affected by the ongoing conflict. (file photo)
12 July 2024
Humanitarian Aid
UN Secretary-General António Guterres, standing alongside top officials in New York on Friday, underscored the essential need to bolster the UN agency assisting Palestine refugees (UNRWA) across the Middle East amid continued attacks on its mandate, staff, premises and operations.
Speaking at a pledging conference for the agency, the UN chief outlined the countless challenges facing Palestinian civilians in Gaza who are “forced to move like human pinballs across a landscape of destruction and death”.
“Hopelessness is the greatest ally of instability,” he warned, stressing that through its work, “UNRWA is one of the greatest factors providing hope and stability across a troubled region.”
The agency has been supporting critical services including education, health and social services to some 5.9 million Palestine refugees, including vulnerable groups such as women, children, and persons with disabilities.
It also administers 58 refugee camps, addressing the dire humanitarian needs of over 1.6 million people across Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, the Gaza Strip, and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem.
The annual pledging conference, held under the auspices of the General Assembly, serves as a vital platform to raise funds for these operations.
This year is different
This year, however, the conference is being held under vastly different circumstances.
Gaza has become a place of immense suffering amidst daily military barrages in a conflict that was precipitated by the 7 October terror attack by Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups in southern Israel. Over 1,200 Israelis were killed and over 200 were taken hostage. Dozens among them still remain in captivity, presumed to be in Gaza.
In the Gaza Strip, more than 38,000 Palestinians are reported to have been killed, a further 88,000 injured and about 90 per cent of population displaced – many several times.
Tensions are also boiling over in the West Bank, and there are mounting fears of a spillover of the war into Lebanon as Israeli forces exchange daily fire with Hezbollah militants.
With humanitarian needs across the enclave sharply skyrocketing, UNRWA also faces a severe funding crisis, with many donors suspending their funding after allegations made by Israel that some agency personnel were involved in the 7 October attacks.
Lacking clear evidence, many donor countries have resumed contributions following UN actions in response.
Of the 12 people implicated, the agency terminated the contracts of 10, another two are confirmed dead. An investigation by UN’s Office of Internal Oversight Services (OIOS) was also immediately launched and is ongoing.
Separately and prior to the allegations, the Secretary-General commissioned former French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna to lead an independent review to assess UNRWA’s commitment to the humanitarian principle of neutrality.
She submitted her final report in April with key recommendations, which are being implemented.
UNRWA nevertheless faces massive gaps in matching resources with the needs and requires $1.2 billion to cover critical humanitarian needs until the end of the year.
There is no alternative
The UN chief warned that without more support and financing for UNRWA, Palestine refugees “will lose a critical lifeline and the last ray of hope for a better future.”
“My appeal to everyone is this: Protect UNRWA, protect UNRWA staff, and protect UNRWA’s mandate – including through funding. Let me be clear: there is no alternative to UNRWA,” he stressed.
Mr. Guterres once again underscored the need to end the ongoing war, starting with an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza and an immediate and unconditional release of all hostages.
“Ultimately, only a political solution can bring an end to this conflict – one that realizes a vision of two States – Israel and Palestine – living side by side in peace and security, with Jerusalem as the capital of both States,” he said.
“I urge you to act now: act to instil hope in a place where it is in short supply; act to uphold the mandate of this General Assembly to sustain UNRWA; act in solidarity with Palestine Refugees and all the Palestinian people,” the UN chief concluded.
Question of survival
General Assembly President Dennis Francis echoed the Secretary-General’s call for support, urging donors to “transform rhetoric into reality” by ensuring that agency is sufficiently funded.
He urged all stakeholders – UN Member States as well philanthropic organizations, the private sector and individuals to contribute to the agency.
“This is not merely about funding, nor about the survival of an agency. It is about people and the survival of Palestine refugees – especially the children – across the Gaza Strip, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, the West Bank, and East Jerusalem,” he said.
© UNRWA
Nearly 190 UNRWA installations, many sheltering displaced people, have been damaged or destroyed during the conflict. Pictured here, the remains of an UNRWA school.
Suffering everywhere
UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini emphasized the immense suffering of both Palestinians and Israelis. He once again condemned the October 7 attack and called for the immediate release of all hostages.
Gaza has been “decimated”, he said, with over two million people living in dire conditions.
Children and women are particularly affected, with many children killed or severely injured. He highlighted a similar tragedy unfolding in the West Bank, with hundreds of Palestinians killed by Israeli forces and settlers.
Targeted because UNRWA protects
Mr. Lazzarini also stressed that despite decades of providing stability and essential services, UNRWA is struggling under relentless attacks, with significant loss of life and damage to its facilities.
He also decried the mistreatment of UNRWA personnel and the use of its premises for military purposes by both Palestinian armed groups and Israeli forces, and criticized efforts to dismantle UNRWA, including social media attacks and legislative moves to label it a terrorist organization.
“UNRWA is targeted,” he stressed, “because of its role in safeguarding the rights of Palestine refugees, and because it embodies an international commitment to a political solution.”
He warned that a failure to push back will leave other UN entities and international organizations exposed to similar attacks.
UNRWA is the backbone
The UNRWA Commissioner-General reiterated that the agency “is the backbone" of the humanitarian response in Gaza, and that it will remain critical for the transition from ceasefire to “day after”, providing essential services.
“If we maintain the status quo, the agency will crumble and millions of children, women and men will pay a heavy price”, he concluded.
Strong message of solidarity
At a press conference later in the day (► video), Mr. Lazzarini highlighted the “strong message of solidarity and support” the agency had received at the pledging conference.
“The day started with the commitment [expressed] by 118 Member States, it was re-echoed at the conference,” he said, adding that pledges announced by Member States would sustain UNRWA’s core budget until end September.
“The agency now has enough resources to function until the end of September…basically this means in the coming couple of months, I will focus to make sure we are bridging the financial gap between September and the end of December.”
He added that his concern remains that UNRWA’s $1.2 billion emergency appeal for the ongoing crisis in the Occupied Palestinian Territory and the separate $416 million appeal for the regional crisis, “remain severely underfunded.”
UNRWA’s core programme budget goes directly towards serving more than 5.6 million Palestine refugees it is mandated to protect and assist. Under this mandate, it delivers essential services in the areas of education, health, protection, relief and social services, microfinance and camp improvement.
The emergency appeals focus on responding to the crisis with critical humanitarian and lifesaving interventions.
Top official warns of weakened regional security following withdrawal from West African economic bloc by Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger
UNOCHA/Eve Sabbagh
A women hold her baby in a cap for displaced people in Maiduguri in northeastern Nigeria.
12 July 2024
Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger’s decision to pull out of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) “even as terrorism and transnational organized crime remain a pervasive threat”, will be damaging to regional relations all round, said the UN’s top official in the region on Friday.
Leonardo Santos Simão, who heads the UN Office for West Africa and the Sahel (UNOWAS), told the Security Council that by “renouncing ECOWAS”, the three military-led governments would be “relinquishing key benefits” including regional integration, freedom of movement, security cooperation and an integrated regional economy, hurting both themselves and remaining ECOWAS members.
The three transitional governments severed ties with ECOWAS after senior officers staged military takeovers in 2021, 2022, and 2023, respectively.
Military leaders have consequently “postponed the return to constitutional rule and sparked fear of prolonged uncertainty”, as civic space “continues to shrink” said the UN Special Representative.
Instability in the Sahel
The transitional regimes have added to instability in the already precarious and vast Sahel region, marked by increasing insecurity, worsening humanitarian crises, and slow economic growth exasperated by political vulnerability, he said.
Approximately seven million people are displaced within the countries of West Africa or have fled across borders, and these numbers are only continuing to rise.
Citizens are also dealing with a widespread lack of electricity, closure of health centres, and a shutdown of over 8,000 schools, depriving hundreds of thousands of children access to education and undermining the foundation of regional development.
Mr. Simão remarked in his address that it remains “very concerning” that the humanitarian response plan launched by the UN is funded at only about 15 per cent.
Emerging democratic practices
On a more optimistic note amid profound challenges, Mr. Simão emphasized the remarkable strides towards robust democratic frameworks made by some West African States.
He praised Mauritania, Senegal, Ghana, and Liberia for their recent successful presidential elections, specifically applauding the women who stood as presidential candidates in Senegal amid the otherwise low representation of female leadership in West Africa.
Mr. Simão also highlighted the persistence of justice and accountability at the heart of many regional conflicts. The ongoing trial in Guinea on the brutal military repression 15 years ago, for example, “exposes the deep societal rifts and the desire for justice and reconciliation.”
Meanwhile, in Liberia, the establishment of a War and Economic Crimes Court more than 20 years after the end of the civil war there, acts as “a vehicle for national healing and reweaving the fabric of society.”
The decision by Cameroon and Nigeria last month to pursue a plan to settle border disputes within the framework of the Cameroon-Nigeria Mixed Commission, chaired by Mr. Simão himself, instead of referring back to the International Court of Justice, was also commended.
‘Staying the course’
Ultimately, against a backdrop of instability, the Special Representative affirmed that UNOWAS will “stay the course.”
“I shall continue advocating for democratic principles and practices, building consensus, promoting good governance, and insisting on the observance of human rights and humanitarian principles,” he said.
Moreover, he committed UNOWAS to continue resilience-building against increasingly volatile climate conditions which damage food security and inter-communal conflicts, as well as to harnessing the power of women in public life and youth empowerment.
“I can assure you that the United Nations continues to be looked up as a vital rescuer in these challenging times, as the peoples in the region expect us to embody the values of humanity, neutrality and impartiality” Mr. Simão concluded.
Watch the Special Representative briefing the media after the Council meeting, here:
https://news.un.org/en/story/2024/07/1152076
пятница, 12 июля 2024 г.
Top aid officials call for greater solidarity and support for Haiti
© UNICEF/Ralph Tedy Erol
Thousands of families continue to flee their homes in Port-au-Prince due to gang-related violence.
12 July 2024
Humanitarian Aid
Three senior humanitarians appealed on Friday for more support for Haiti, where ongoing gang violence in the capital, Port-au-Prince, is affecting the entire population.
Although the crisis has sparked immense needs, a nearly $680 million humanitarian plan launched in February is less than a quarter funded.
“It is very clear for many people of Haiti that they are paying the heavy price of the violence, again, that has ravaged the country,” said Edem Wosornu, Director of Operations and Advocacy at UN emergency relief agency OCHA, briefing journalists in New York.
Lives upended by violence
She was speaking from the Haitian capital alongside Lucia Elmi, Director of Emergency Programmes at the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and Andrea Koulaimah of the European Commission’s Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations department, known as ECHO.
The top officials concluded a four-day visit to the Caribbean country, where 11 million people - the entire population - “have in one way or another had their lives shaken by the violence,” according to Ms. Elmi.
The situation has forced nearly 600,000 Haitians to flee their homes, and displacement has risen by 60 per cent since March. Roughly five million people are facing acute hunger, with almost 1.6 million at risk of starvation.
‘Window of opportunity’
Haiti’s health and education systems have also been heavily impacted. Only two out of five hospitals are functioning, and more than 100 schools have closed, depriving some 200,000 children of an education.
“We have only eight weeks before the start of the new school year, so there is a window of opportunity that we really need to seize to get those schools not only open again but functioning,” she said.
Sexual violence cases rising
Ms. Elmi noted that women and children have been disproportionately affected by the crisis and the level of brutality and violence they have suffered “has been really very, very painful”.
Sexual violence has increased 400 times with respect to last year, when some 100,000 cases were reported, she said.
She recalled a visit to a centre in Port-au-Prince that supports survivors, including a 14-year-old girl whose family had been kidnapped, and some members killed. Even though the teenager was raped and beaten for days, she remains determined to finish her studies and become a social worker.
Government commitment assured
The humanitarians travelled to other parts of Haiti, including Gonaïves in the north and Les Cayes, located in the south, and spoke to a wide cross section of people, including farmers, children out of school, mothers and “fierce” women entrepreneurs.
They also held talks with the authorities, notably new Prime Minister Garry Connille.
Ms. Koulaimah said that although the crisis requires a stronger and better-funded response, it will not be solved by humanitarian aid alone.
“It has to be solved by the Haitians themselves, and the Government has assured us of the commitment to do everything in their hands in order to transition out of the current crisis, and they need our support,” she said.
Stressing the need for more funding, she insisted that humanitarian aid is being delivered and “reaching its objective”, despite access difficulties.
Stand with Haiti
Ms. Wosornu added that “Haiti needs real lasting solutions to enhance development”, which includes restoring schools, health centres and other basic services.
Throughout the visit, Haitians repeatedly called for three simple things: peace, an end to the violence, and to reclaim their lives, she said.
“We wrap up our visit by reiterating our call to the international community to stand with the people of Haiti,” she said.
“We owe it to the women, we owe it to the children, and we owe it to the old men and women and all the people of Haiti that we've met across the country.”
https://news.un.org/en/story/2024/07/1152061
DR Congo: Conflict escalation linked to deadly Mpox threat
© WFP/Benjamin Anguandia
Food assistance is distributed to displaced people in the eastern DR Congo.
12 July 2024
Peace and Security
At least 25 million people have been caught up in the humanitarian crisis in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) where a neglected health emergency continues to unfold at an alarming rate, the UN health agency said on Friday.
For decades, conflict in the mineral-rich eastern DRC has triggered alarming levels of violence, mass displacement, widespread disease, gender-based violence and severe mental trauma, explained Dr Adelheid Marschang, Senior Emergency Officer at the World Health Organization (WHO).
‘Chronic and acute shock’
Today, the vast central African nation now has the “highest number of people in need of humanitarian aid in the entire world, with 25.4 million affected” and many in “chronic and acute shock”, she told journalists in Geneva.
A staggering 7.4 million people have been displaced, including 2.8 million in North Kivu alone.
The number of people forcibly uprooted has increased since the separatist M23 movement launched a major offensive in 2022, prompting national and regional military responses that have struggled to restrain the militia's advance.
Left with nothing
The resulting mass displacement has overwhelmed water and sanitation systems and brought an additional burden to the population’s scarce resources, the WHO official warned.
“About 40 per cent of the population, that is 40.8 million people, face serious food shortages, with 15.7 million facing severe food insecurity and as a result, a higher risk of malnutrition and infectious diseases,” Dr Marschang said. “If immediate action is not taken to address basic needs in DRC, over one million children will suffer from acute malnutrition.”
Mpox one of many health threats
Outbreaks of cholera, measles, meningitis, Mpox and plague have all been reported, exacerbated by severe flooding and landslides.
Specifically on Mpox – which remains a global health threat with 26 countries reporting cases to WHO this month – Dr Marschang said that DRC has seen 20,000 cases and more than 1,000 deaths from the virus since the start of 2023.
Over 11,000 cases, including 443 deaths, have been reported so far this year, “again affecting mostly children”, she noted.
Mpox spreads through close contact, causing flu-like symptoms and skin rash. Scientists raised the alarm last month about the spread of a dangerous new strain of Mpox in South Kivu and fear it will spread in overcrowded camps in and around Goma.
Military activity around those camps has made it difficult for health authorities to contain the virus if security is not granted, the UN health agency explained.
Rights crisis neglected
Earlier this week, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General, Bintou Keita, told the UN Security Council that the DRC faces one of the most severe and neglected humanitarian crises of our times.
Dr Marschang echoed that observation, explaining that the Humanitarian Response Plan for 2024 aims to assist 8.7 million people and requires $2.6 billion for all UN and partner agencies.
“The underfunding is severe,” she stressed, as “16 per cent of the Humanitarian Response plan is currently funded. For WHO, we are looking for something like $30 million to address the situation until the end of the year.”
Soundcloud
The deterioration of the security situation has accompanied the full withdrawal from South Kivu of the UN Stabilization Mission in DRC (MONUSCO), ending the first phase of disengagement from DRC following a request to close the mission from the Government in Kinshasa.
MONUSCO’s operations began winding down in January after two decades of operations, but its Head, Bintou Keita, told the UN Security Council on Monday there should not be a rush to further disengagement since this process has thrown up unexpected challenges. She explained the rebel activity from the M23 carries a “very real risk of provoking a wider regional conflict”.
Violent insecurity in DRC has reached alarming levels, UN human rights chief Volker Türk has warned, “with an absence of State authority over large swathes of territory has also cleared the way for brutal levels of violence and attacks”.
https://news.un.org/en/story/2024/07/1152031
World News in Brief: Concern mounts over fate of El Fasher, call for consensus over South Sudan elections, indigenous rights in Brazil
© UNICEF/Mohamed Zakaria
Children shelter in the shade in Tambasi centre in El Fasher, North Darfur.
11 July 2024
Peace and Security
UN humanitarians “remain gravely concerned” over the daily fighting that continues to rage in and around the Sudanese city of El Fasher, UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said on Thursday.
Residential areas, markets, hospitals and sites holding displaced people are all being impacted, he told reporters at the daily briefing in New York.
As many as 329,000 people were displaced during the past three months from the last remaining city under Government control in Darfur, according to the UN migration agency (IOM).
Civilians must be protected and those fleeing the fighting must be afforded safe passage, said Mr. Dujarric.
“It is critical that the parties de-escalate to prevent further suffering for civilians and to enable the unimpeded delivery of life-saving assistance”, he stressed.
Response continues
“Meanwhile, we and our partners continue our efforts to respond to those needs, including by trying to get health kits to areas around El Fasher, including in gathering sites for civilians.”
The UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) is also strengthening nutrition support at displacement sites in El Fasher, as well as the towns of Tawila and Dar As Salam in North Darfur state.
Conflict is also intensifying in Sennar state – close to the border with Ethiopia – causing further civilian suffering and more serious rights violations, UN humanitarians have warned.
According to the UN aid coordination office (OCHA), more than 136,000 people have been displaced as clashes between the rival Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and Rapid Support Forces (RSF) militia spread across the state.
Civilians are facing multiple protection risks, including widespread looting. Reports indicate that the RSF has occupied Sinja Teaching Hospital, using patients and staff as human shields and disrupting medical services.
Forced displacement has spread to neighbouring states including Gedaref, Blue Nile and Kassala, where humanitarian partners are scaling up their response. But aid teams have warned that the rainy season has begun and conditions at displacement sites are dire.
OCHA is already working with state authorities and humanitarian partners to address the crisis. But it warned that the situation is getting worse as protection concerns grow, with civilians reporting looting of shops and markets, leaving them without basic needs.
UN Mission in South Sudan calls for consensus on electoral roadmap
The UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) published a joint statement on Thursday urging the parties to the long-delayed peace agreement “to reach consensus” on the best way forward for holding free and fair elections across the world’s youngest nation.
UNMISS, the African Union Mission in South Sudan, and the regional bloc known as the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) began their statement by congratulating the country on its 13th anniversary of independence.
But they urged the Government and political rivals who six years ago signed the so-called Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of Conflict to “provide clarity on the electoral roadmap.”
Reflect ‘will of the electorate’
They noted the numerous different positions being adopted and expressed on transition measures, saying that while it was “the sovereign prerogative” of South Sudanese leaders to decide, the pathway to successful elections must happen “in accordance with agreed processes, procedures, and timelines.”
National elections are due to be held in December but there is no agreement yet on the basic ground rules for moving forward.
Hundreds of thousands of South Sudanese died and millions were displaced during the 2013-18 war between Government forces and rival militia but although some issues have been resolved, many remain outstanding.
The AU mission, IGAD and UNMISS appeal for everyone to work collectively: “In this regard, the partners reiterate their full support for all efforts to ultimately deliver peaceful, free, fair, and credible elections that reflect the will of the electorate.”
Soundcloud
Rights expert calls on Brazil to protect indigenous rights amid controversial new law
The UN is calling on the Brazilian Supreme Court and Senate to protect the rights of Indigenous Peoples to lands, territories and natural resources.
UN Human Rights Council-appointed independent rights expert José Francisco Calí Tzay is urging immediate action to suspend the new law that can dispossess or evict indigenous communities.
Mr. Calí Tzay praised the Brazilian Supreme Court for rejecting the ‘Marco Temporal’ doctrine that requires Indigenous Peoples to prove they were occupying their lands on October 5, 1988.
But he said he was very concerned over the hasty passage of the new law by Congress that effectively brings back the doctrine.
Beyond the bounds
The rights expert argued that the law goes against international human rights standards that protect indigenous rights without time limits.
He stressed the importance of indigenous lands for biodiversity and climate balance and warned that mining, gold exploitation and cattle breeding can cause significant environmental damage.
He also called on the Supreme Court to suspend the law until it’s declared constitutional.
Special Rapporteurs and other Human Rights Council-appointed rights experts are independent of any government, receive no salary for their work and serve in their individual capacity.
https://news.un.org/en/story/2024/07/1152006
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