At critical moment for peacekeeping in Africa, Ghana steps up to host key summit — Global Issues

The gathering of defence ministers and others committed to peacekeeping efforts will focus on civilian protection, addressing misinformation and disinformation, promoting safety and security, protecting mental health, and boosting the pivotal role of women in UN missions.

Ghana’s Foreign Minister Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, together with senior UN officials, said the flagship biennial meeting will help secure political support and generate pledges to strengthen UN Peacekeeping, in line with Action for Peacekeeping and A4P+.

The meeting is the fifth ministerial summit overall and the first to take place in Africa.

Key multilateral tool

“The 2023 Ministerial is an important opportunity for leaders to reaffirm their commitment and make pledges to UN Peacekeeping, which remains one of the most significant multilateral tools to achieve sustainable peace and development”, said Jean-Pierre Lacroix, head of UN Peace Operations.

“We are grateful to Ghana for hosting this Ministerial meeting and for their critical contributions to strengthening our operations.”

Peacekeeping missions are navigating major challenges including the withdrawal due to government request of MINUSMA in Mali, and MONUSCO in the DR Congo, whose president this week said he wanted blue helmets to pull out a year early, by the end of December.

Fill gaps, boost effectiveness

UN peacekeeping said the Accra summit will focus on securing concrete commitments from Member States to fill gaps, leverage new technologies, and address key priorities to improve the maximum operational effectiveness of all peacekeeping missions.

“In addition to the myriad challenges currently before us, United Nations peace operations are also at a critical juncture in preventing and addressing misconduct as a central element of performance,” said Catherine Pollard, head of Management Strategy, Policy and Compliance.

“This is a collective endeavour,” she emphasised.

Strengthening partnerships

Member States are being encouraged to create or strengthen bilateral and triangular partnerships to ensure proposed improvements are sustainable and have the required impact.

“Ghana and Africa’s contributions to peacekeeping are advancing beyond troop contributions to offering a vital forum in which countries can unite and collaborate on innovative strategies to address current challenges and discuss the future of peacekeeping,” said Atul Khare, who heads up Operational Support for the UN.

“I look forward to the formation of partnerships amongst participants to enhance the effectiveness of our peacekeepers, elevate the quality of their medical care, and foster environmentally responsible operations.”

The meeting in Accra is the latest in a series of high-level events that have seen world leaders pledge resources to help UN peacekeeping missions fully implement their mandates.

Generous contributions by various Member States at similar meetings have helped generate rapidly deployable military units, key aviation assets, better medical capacities, and helped advance the Women, Peace, and Security Agenda.

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UN calls for ‘clear-eyed’ vision for peace and security, as peacebuilders meet in New York — Global Issues

The Secretary-General’s New Agenda for Peace aims to address these complex challenges through multilateralism, rooted in the UN Charter and international law, centred on trust, solidarity, and universality.

It comes amid criticism from some Member States that the UN is no longer playing an effective role in peacebuilding and peacekeeping, as calls for overall reform of institutions like the Security Council grow louder.

Prioritize diplomacy

Representing the UN chief at the meeting, that brought together ministers from Member States and countries on the Commission’s agenda, political affairs chief Rosemary DiCarlo explained the details of the plan.

“Our goal is to present a unifying vision for peace and security – one that is clear-eyed about the magnitude of today’s challenges, and which addresses the concerns and priorities of different constituencies,” she said.

The core of this vision is a call for Member States to prioritize diplomacy, conflict prevention, and peacebuilding, for which comprehensive strategies, political courage and strong partnerships backed by sustainable resources and national leadership are a must.

The Commission, an intergovernmental advisory body launched in 2005, plays a crucial role in supporting peace efforts in conflict-affected countries.

Consisting of 31 Member States elected from the General Assembly, the Security Council, and the Economic and Social Council, it brings together top donorsand troop-contributing countries.

Three pillars of peacebuilding

“Above all, greater trust – among Member States, among people and in the institution of the United Nations itself – is essential,” underscored Ms. DiCarlo, presenting an approach to conflict prevention and peacebuilding that rests on three principles.

Recognizing the broad impact of violence, A New Agenda for Peace urges all Member States to work tirelessly to silence the guns.

It emphasizes that prevention should involve all countries, not just those in conflict, calling on every State to develop national strategies.

Lastly, it stresses that prevention must “be nationally led and owned”, addressing trust issues and aligning national priorities with international support when necessary.

Bigger role in UN overhaul

When it comes to the reform of UN bodies like the Security Council and General Assembly, the Peacebuilding Commission is given a prominent role in fostering discussions on peace and development issues, strengthening cooperation, and formalizing relationships with international financial institutions.

Advocating for more sustainable and predictable financing of peacebuilding activity, Ms. DiCarlo called also for enhanced linkages between the Commission and the Peacebuilding Fund, reminding of the commitment of the General Assembly on financing for peace.

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Peace day, high seas treaty, Palestinian displacement rises, polio in Ukraine — Global Issues

“People and our planet are in crisis”, the UN chief said, highlighting how conflicts continue to drive the vulnerable from their homes, while heatwaves and floods claim lives and division prevails.

‘Leave no one behind’

This year’s Peace Day coincides with the halfway point on the road to the Sustainable Development Goals, and the UN’s message is that the promise of the 2030 Agenda to “leave no one behind” is a key enabler of peace.

Amid the high-stakes political encounters underway at the General Assembly and Security Council in New York, the UN chief also called for the use of the “timeless tools of diplomacy, dialogue and collaboration” to defuse tensions and end conflict.

“Peace is not only a noble vision for humanity. Peace is a call to action,” Mr. Guterres insisted.

Historic treaty opens for signatures at General Assembly

After almost two decades of negotiations, the first-ever international agreement to conserve marine biodiversity and preserve the world’s oceans is now open for signatures at the UN General Assembly.

The so-called high seas treaty was adopted in June, when UN chief António Guterres hailed it as a “victory for multilateralism”. It was signed by 67 countries on Wednesday but must still be ratified by each State according to its own procedures.

The treaty is a legally binding instrument under the UN Convention of Law of the Sea to address the conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity of areas beyond national jurisdiction.

These areas cover over two-thirds of the ocean.

The high seas treaty will come into force 120 days after it’s been ratified by a minimum of 60 countries, which could take years. The UN said it hopes that all Member States will join the agreement.

More and more Palestinians displaced by settler violence

Violence by Israeli settlers against Palestinians has been steadily increasing across the occupied West Bank, displacing over 1,000 people since last year, according to the UN humanitarian affairs coordination office (OCHA).

OCHA said on Thursday that in the first eight months of 2023, an average of three settler-related incidents affecting Palestinians occurred on average every day – the highest rate since the UN started recording this data in 2006.

In an assessment of the humanitarian needs of 63 Palestinian herding communities in the occupied West Bank conducted last month, the UN found that around 12 per cent of the population have been displaced since 2022, citing settler violence and being prevented access to grazing land by settlers as the primary reasons.

Most of those displaced were in the governorates of Ramallah, Nablus and Hebron, which also have the highest number of Israeli settlement outposts.

Four of the communities have been completely displaced and are now empty, OCHA said.

Support self-reliance

The expansion of settlements into grazing land for livestock, takeovers of land by settlers, destruction of crops, confiscation of land and herds following the declaration of a closed military area, and deliberate pollution of water sources, were all cited as issues affecting the lives and livelihoods of Palestinian herder communities.

OCHA said that Palestinian herders “should be self-reliant” based on traditional patterns, but instead, they need humanitarian assistance because of settler violence and the “failure of Israeli authorities to hold perpetrators accountable”.

The ensuing displacement of Palestinians “may amount to forcible transfer”, a grave breach of international humanitarian law, humanitarians warned.

Polio outbreak in Ukraine closed: WHO

The UN World Health Organization (WHO) has declared a poliovirus outbreak in Ukraine officially over.

WHO said it was a “public health success story” that Ukraine had managed to stop transmission of the virus that “threatened the lives and futures of its children” and prevent its spread to other countries, all in the face of the ongoing war.

The outbreak was first detected in a young child in Ukraine in October 2021, subsequently linked to a poliovirus episode in Pakistan.

WHO said that the comprehensive outbreak response initiated by Ukraine’s health ministry faced multiple challenges since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion, including massive population displacement, destruction of healthcare infrastructure and disruption of logistics routes.

The Government response, supported by WHO and partners, included contact tracing, disease surveillance and an accelerated immunization catch-up campaign for children aged six months to six years who had not received the required doses through routine immunization.

The UN health agency said that “tremendous credit” should go to the health professionals and parents who continue to make every effort to vaccinate children on schedule, “even while navigating the daily realities and dangers of war”.

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Afghan rights, Armenia-Azerbaijan ceasefire, road safety campaign — Global Issues

A new report by UNAMA’s Human Rights Service has documented over 1,600 cases of human rights violations including torture, committed by the de facto authorities across the country during the arrest and detention of individuals from 1 January 2022 to 31 July this year.

Commenting on the findings, UN rights chief Volker Türk described as “harrowing” the personal accounts of beatings, electric shocks, water torture and numerous other forms of cruel and degrading treatment, along with threats made against individuals and their families.

“Torture is forbidden in all circumstances,” he insisted.

According to the report, violations of due process guarantees, including denial of access to lawyers, have become the “norm” in the country.

Mr. Türk urged the Taliban to halt the abuses and hold perpetrators accountable.

Afghanistan remains bound as a State Party by numerous international human rights treaties. UNAMA is mandated by the UN Security Council to support their implementation.

Armenia-Azerbaijan: UN reiterates calls for humanitarian access

UN Secretary-General António Guterreshas said that he remained concerned about the humanitarian situation in the South Caucasus where there’s been a flare-up in fighting.

Through his Spokesperson, Mr. Guterres reiterated his call for full-fledged access for aid workers to people in need.

In a statement referring to the situation between Armenia and Azerbaijan, Mr. Guterres said that he was “extremely concerned” over the use of military force in the region and reports of casualties, including among the civilian population.

According to the latest media reports, a cessation of hostilities in the region was announced on Wednesday.

Conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan over the region has persisted for more than three decades, but a ceasefire was agreed almost three years ago following six weeks of fighting, by the leaders of Armenia, Azerbaijan and Russia, leading to the deployment of several thousand Russian peacekeepers.

The UN chief urged “in the strongest terms” for de-escalation and “stricter” observance of the 2020 ceasefire and principles of international humanitarian law.

Just last month, UN humanitarians and partners briefed the Security Council on the need for unimpeded passage of aid in the region through the Lachin Corridor. The key route reportedly reopened last week.

Mr. Guterres said that he regretted that the latest “worrying developments” followed the delivery of “much-needed humanitarian assistance” to the local population on 18 September.

The UN rights chief Volker Türk also said on Tuesday that he was worried about “the impact of renewed use of armed force on civilians”. He insisted that it was “absolutely critical” that Azerbaijan and Armenia return to the peace process and work on an agreement “grounded in human rights”.

UN launches star-studded road safety campaign

Coming soon to a billboard near you: a new global UN road safety campaign launched on Wednesday to help prevent road traffic crashes, which kill 1.35 million people each year.

Crashes are the leading cause of death for people aged five to 29 around the world and developing countries account for a staggering 93 per cent of the victims.

According to the UN Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE), the most vulnerable road users, such as pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists, and the poor are disproportionately affected.

The UN chief’s Special Envoy for Road Safety, Jean Todt, said that road safety was “not high enough” on the political agenda in most countries.

To raise awareness of the issue, the new UN campaign mobilizes celebrities ranging from pop star Kylie Minogue to football icon Ousmane Dembélé who are encouraging road users to adopt safe practices. The billboards will go on display in some 1,000 cities worldwide.

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Empower youth to safeguard democracy: Guterres — Global Issues

The UN chief affirmed that democracy, rule of law, and respect for human rights underpin freedom, promote sustainable development and safeguard the dignity of every person.

“On the International Day of Democracy, we celebrate its promise to societies – and recognize the many threats it faces at this time of tension and turmoil,” he said.

Shrinking civic engagement

Mr. Guterres drew attention to the alarming trend of shrinking civic space. Misinformation and disinformation are major concerns, he warned, noting they “poison public discourse, polarize communities, and erode trust in institutions.”

The theme for this year’s International Day, “Empowering the Next Generation,” spotlights the pivotal role of children and young people in safeguarding and advancing democracy, both today and in the future.

The Secretary-General stressed that merely listening to young voices is insufficient.

Invest in youth

“We must support them with massive investments in education, skills-building, and lifelong learning, and we must protect human rights and advance gender equality,” he said.

In conclusion, the UN chief called for unity across generations and urged collective efforts to build a more just and equitable world for all.

Commemorated annually on 15 September, the International Day of Democracy is an opportunity to review the state of democracy globally.

It was established in 2007 by the UN General Assembly, which reaffirmed that democracy is a universal value based on the freely expressed will of people to determine their own political, economic, social and cultural systems, and their full participation in all aspects of life.

Protect democracy in digital space

Also on Friday, independent UN-appointed human rights experts highlighted the link between the digital world and fundamental democratic rights, urging States to ensure that they are protected in cyberspace.

Special rapporteurs on freedom of expression, the situation of rights defenders, and freedom of peaceful assembly cautioned against the misuse of evolving technology to curtail human rights, shrink civic space, and target rights activists.

“Digital space is not neutral space. At the levels of its physical architecture, regulation and use, different groups exert their interests over it,” David Kaye, Michel Forst and Clément Voule said.

“The principles of international human rights law, however, should be at the centre of its development,” they emphasized.

In conclusion, they reaffirmed that human rights should be at the forefront of considerations regarding the present and future of technology and the internet.

Independent experts

The Special Rapporteurs are independent human rights experts, appointed by the UN Human Rights Council as part of its Special Procedures.

They are mandated to monitor and report on specific thematic issues or country situations and work on a voluntary basis. They serve in their individual capacity.

They are not UN staff and do not receive a salary.

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Managing deceased bodies during crises — Global Issues

The UN health agency together with the IFRC, and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), emphasized that proper care of the deceased also provides emotional closure for surviving families, and promotes public health.

The statement emphasized that the fear and misunderstanding caused by large scale fatalities “is often unfounded”, highlighting that communities need the right tools and information to manage the dead safely.

Dignity amid tragedy

In response to large scale natural disasters or the aftermath of armed conflict, some survivors may choose to expedite burials, often in mass graves, which can have adverse consequences, including long lasting mental distress for family members as well as social and legal problems.

“An unnecessary rush to dispose of bodies of those killed in disasters or conflict deprives families of the opportunity to identify and mourn their loved ones, while providing no public health benefit” said Gwen Eamer, IFRC’s Senior Officer for Public Health in Emergencies and Head of Emergency Operations, Morocco Earthquake Response.

Misconception of epidemic risks

Studies have shown that individuals who have succumbed to injuries resulting from disasters or war, generally do not present a health risk.

However, an exception arises when these bodies are near water sources, potentially contaminating water and increasing the risk of diarrheal and other illnesses.

“The belief that dead bodies will cause epidemics is not supported by evidence. We see too many cases where media reports and even some medical professionals get this issue wrong,” said Pierre Guyomarch, the head of ICRC’s forensics unit.

Burial guidelines

In order to better manage burials, some organisations outline guidance which includes easily traceable and properly documented individual graves in demarcated burial sites.

This guarantees precise information regarding the location of loved ones, along with their associated details and personal belongings.

Caution over mass graves

“We urge authorities in communities touched by tragedy to not rush forward with mass burials or mass cremations. Dignified management of bodies is important for families and communities, and in the cases of conflict, is often an important component of bringing about a swifter end to the fighting,” said Dr Kazunobu Kojima, Medical Officer for biosafety and biosecurity in WHO’s Health Emergencies Programme.

The ICRC, IFRC and WHO strongly encourage all parties involved in conflicts and disaster response, to stick to established principles for the management of deceased individuals.

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UN ‘will never stay neutral’ amid war and human rights abuses — Global Issues

But he stressed the UN “will never stay neutral” when it comes to demanding accountability for war crimes and other human rights abuses.

Final briefing

Volker Perthes, Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Sudan, was addressing the Security Council for the final time.

He announced he will step down from the role, more than six months since the start of a brutal conflict between the rival militaries inside the country.

The resignation will be accepted, Secretary-General António Guterres said in response to a journalist’s question at a press conference, after Mr. Perthes made his announcement.

“He has very strong reasons to resign and I have to respect his will and accept his resignation,” the UN chief said.

Abhorrent violations

Mr. Perthes told ambassadors that while the SAF conducted indiscriminate aerial bombing, most of the sexual violence, lootings and killings were conducted or tolerated by the RSF.

“Both sides are arbitrarily arresting, detaining, and even torturing civilians and there are reports of extrajudicial killings,” he said.

He called for the 15-member Council to “impress on the warring parties that they cannot operate with impunity, and there will be accountability for the crimes committed.”

Full-blown civil war

The conflict, which started between SAF and RSF military formations, “could be morphing into a full-blown civil war”, Mr. Perthes said.

He recalled the situation in April, where both sides did not heed calls for de-escalation and dialogue, instead building up their forces in the capital, Khartoum.

“Let me be clear, for the benefit of history, that regardless of who fired the first shot, both sides were clearly setting the stage for war. The warring parties chose to settle their conflict through fighting, and it is their duty to the Sudanese people to end it.”

The UN envoy informed the Security Council that until the last moment, he and other partners warned that it would only take a spark to ignite armed confrontation.

“This is sadly what happened.”

Stepping down

Mr. Perthes’ stepping down comes amid fierce criticism from the Government, according to media reports.

Calls for his removal reportedly included a letter, in May, to the Secretary-General from military ruler General Abdul Fattah Al-Burhan, Chairman of the Sovereign Council of Sudan.

“The Secretary-General is proud of the work done by Volker Perthes and reaffirms his full confidence in his Special Representative,” Mr. Guterres’ spokesperson said in a tweet at the time.



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UN marks International Day to Protect Education with call to action — Global Issues

Growing concern over safety and security prompted UN Secretary-General António Guterres to address the global phenomenon on Wednesday – during his remarks at an event commemorating the International Day to Protect Education from Attack.

“Children’s education is being snatched away by threats, violence and attacks.” Mr. Guterres said, during his remarks to a group of world leaders and education advocates.

Under fire

According to a new report from the non-profit Global Coalition to Protect Education from Attack, there were more than 3,000 reported attacks on education in 2022 – a 17 per cent increase from the previous year.

The report found more than 6,700 students and educators were killed, injured, abducted or arrested – a 20 per cent increase.

Echoing some of the facts outlined in the report, The Secretary General noted the attacks on education span “from direct assaults on places of learning to schools and universities being used for military purposes – to students and educators abducted, arbitrarily arrested, injured, killed – and even recruited to the fighting.”

Many students attend school under dire circumstances, especially in countries like Ukraine; still suffering through Russia’s full-scale invasion.

According to news reports some children in war-torn Ukraine began the new school year attending class underground for security reasons.

“We cannot always stop conflicts. But we can ensure that the children and young people living through these crises receive the educational support they need,” Mr. Guterres said.

The UN has laid out ways countries around the world can work together to protect education.

Safe schools

“That begins with all countries endorsing the Safe Schools Declaration which details concrete measures and practices to ensure that places of learning – and the people inside them – are protected at all times during armed conflict”, the UN chief noted.

Attacks on the education system are not the only factor keeping children out of school.

Others are out of class because of social, economic or cultural challenges.

According to UN education, science and culture agency UNESCO, an estimated 244 million young people do not attend school.

Sub-Saharan Africa is the region with the most children and youths out of school – an astonishing 98 million.

In second place with the second highest population is Central and Southern Asia, with 85 million, UNESCO added.

We must do more

The UN reiterated the importance of education in creating a pathway to a brighter future for every person and promotes a peaceful world for all. Mr. Guterres urged world leaders to take immediate action for quality education.

“We can – and must – protect education from attack,” he concluded.

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Few worse places to be a child warns UNICEF as twins found boobytrapped — Global Issues

UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) Representative in the country, Grant Leaity, issued the alert on Tuesday, revealing that youngsters in eastern DRC face daily atrocities, including rape, abduction and recruitment by armed groups.

“I visited a centre in Beni and North Kivu for children released from armed groups where I met a couple of one-year-old twins. They were found only a few months back and abandoned in their village, they’re orphans. They were severely acutely malnourished and they had explosive devices attached to their bodies.”

Daily carnage

DR Congo has the highest tally of UN-verified grave violations against children in places experiencing armed conflict. According to UNICEF, children are killed and maimed every day in the east of the country.

Speaking at a scheduled press briefing in Geneva, Mr. Leaity said that there were “few worse places, if any, to be a child” than eastern DR Congo.

According to the UNICEF official, the family of the twins who were wired with explosives had been killed in an attack by one of the many armed groups operating in the eastern DRC.

The expanding use of improvised explosive devices is just one of several recent, depraved trends, he said.

“When they were found, there were only a few months old. This was indeed a booby trap. We got in touch with the anti-mine personnel colleagues who came and were able to take these devices off safely.”

Ruthless hunt for resources

This upsurge in violence and conflict in the country’s east has its roots in ethnic conflict and ruthless competition for resources dating back decades. It has resulted in the worst displacement crisis in Africa, and one of the worst globally this year.

Of six grave violations against children in armed conflicts reported on by the UN in eastern DRC, two have increased sharply in the last 12 months: the recruitment of children by armed groups and killing and maiming of children.

“More than 2.8 million children are bearing the brunt of the humanitarian crisis in the east. I am here today to, I hope, sound the alarm,” Mr. Leaity continued. “On a daily basis, children are being raped and killed. They are being abducted, recruited and used by armed groups.”

In the first three months of 2023 in North Kivu alone, more than 38,000 cases of sexual and gender-based violence were reported. This is a 37 per cent increase compared to the same period in 2021.

Class war

In addition to the devastating violence, around 1.2 million children under five in the east, face the risk of severe acute malnutrition, according to UNICEF. The country is also experiencing its worst cholera outbreak in more than five years, with measles on the rise in particular in and around 12 provinces with over 780,000 cases reported by August this year.

In addition to the immediate physical and mental trauma affecting children, around 2,000 schools have closed in the eastern DRC in the year, as result of the latest uptick in violence.

“There are schools which are directly attacked…they can be shot at or burned down and sometimes they are literally looted and destroyed,” UNCEF’s Mr. Leaity said.

“But there are far greater numbers where schools are being used by internally displaced people who have no other available options for shelter.”

In many other cases, schools that have not been looted or otherwise damaged have had to remain closed because the teachers are themselves amongst the displaced.

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UN official — Global Issues

Briefing the Security Council, Miroslav Jenča, Assistant Secretary-General for Europe, reiterated the UN Secretary-General’s position that “any annexation of a State’s territory by another State resulting from the threat or use of force is a violation of the principles of the Charter and international law.”

He voiced concern over reports of Russia holding so-called elections in areas of Ukraine it controls militarily, stating: “These so-called elections in the occupied areas of Ukraine have no legal grounds.”

Clear UN position

Mr. Jenča recalled the “illegal attempt” by Russia to annex Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhya regions of Ukraine, “through the organization of illegal so-called referendums” in September last year.

“I wish to reiterate that the United Nations remains fully committed to the sovereignty, independence, unity and territorial integrity of Ukraine within its internationally recognized borders, extending to its territorial waters,” he said.

Legal obligations

Mr. Jenča also highlighted that Russia, as the occupying power, is obligated under international humanitarian law “to respect, unless absolutely prevented, the laws of Ukraine in force in the areas that it occupies”.

“We continue to condemn any actions that could further escalate or deteriorate the situation.”

Humanitarian concerns

The senior UN official expressed concerns about the humanitarian needs and human rights situation in Russian occupied areas, as well as the lack of access.

“Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine […] continues to inflict large scale suffering on the people of Ukraine as they face daily, intensifying attacks against civilians and civilian infrastructure,” he said.

Since February 2022, the UN human rights office (OHCHR) has documented 26,717 civilian casualties, including 9,511 killed and 17,206 injured. At least 549 children have been killed and a further 1,166 injured.

Ongoing ‘relentless attacks’

Just this week, a Russian missile attack on a crowded market in Kostiantynivka, in the Donetsk region, claimed the lives of 16 people, including a child.

Ukraine’s agricultural and port facilities have also been subjected to “continuing, relentless attacks”, Mr. Jenča said, adding that Russian strikes, after it decided not to extend the Black Sea Initiative, “risk having far-reaching consequences for global food security”.

“Attacks directed against civilians and civilian infrastructure, including objects necessary for food production and distribution, are prohibited under international law,” he stressed.

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