Tag: Peace and security

senior UN official — Global Issues

“There needs to be a negotiated solution to end this war as soon as possible. There is no other alternative,” said Martha Pobee, the UN Assistant Secretary-General for Africa, whose portfolio covers both political and peacebuilding affairs.

“The longer this war continues, the greater the risk of fragmentation, and foreign interference and erosion of sovereignty, and the loss of Sudan’s future, particularly its youth,” she warned.

Reopening old wounds

More than 100 days have passed since fighting erupted between the Sudanese Army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), with Khartoum State remaining the epicentre of the conflict.

Clashes continue there and in other parts of the country, including Bahri, Omdurman and Darfur, “with neither side achieving victory nor making any significant gains,” she said.

“The parties have exacted tremendous suffering on the people of the Darfur region. The fighting in Darfur continues to reopen the old wounds of ethnic tension of past conflicts in the region,” she added.

“This is deeply worrying and could quickly engulf the country in a prolonged ethnic conflict with regional spill overs.”

Millions on the run

The conflict is having immense repercussions on Sudan and the region. Four million people have fled their homes, with nearly one million flocking to neighbouring countries such as Chad, South Sudan, Egypt and Ethiopia.

Ms. Pobee said sexual violence continues to be perpetrated on a large scale, and children have been killed or victimized, or are at risk of being recruited into the hostilities.

“The systematic abductions and killings of human rights defenders in Darfur and Khartoum are on the rise,” she noted.

“The parties to the conflict must take concrete actions to end and investigate these violations, and support must be provided to strengthen human rights defenders’ networks and better protect human rights defenders.”

UN supports mediation efforts

The United Nations through its mission in Sudan, UNITAMS, remains committed to supporting efforts by the African Union and the regional bloc IGAD to end the war.

She also welcomed efforts by the United States and Saudi Arabia, which have been facilitating talks between the sides, and also by Sudan’s neighbours.

“The common thread among these initiatives is the call for a permanent cessation of hostilities, facilitation of humanitarian access, and engagement with civilian stakeholders in an inclusive political process,” she said.

Lives lost

Edem Wosornu, a Director in the UN humanitarian affairs office, known as OCHA, also briefed the Council on her visit to Sudan two weeks ago.

“Everyone had a story of parents, children, colleagues and friends who had perished in this devastating conflict, with fears of many more to come as the conflicting parties push on regardless of the consequences,” she said.

More than 20 million people, over 40 per cent of the population, are facing high levels of acute food insecurity. The banking system and public services have been disrupted, and 80 percent of hospitals nationwide are not functioning.

Negotiating humanitarian access

Ms. Wosornu said although the intense fighting and dangerous conditions are hampering aid delivery, the UN and partners have restored the flow of humanitarian supplies, particularly in the Darfur states where access was most limited.

Humanitarians have so far reached nearly three million people nationwide; however, this is but a fraction of the 18 million people they are trying to assist, including nearly 14 million children.

“It is urgent that we re-establish a forum for direct and regular contact on humanitarian issues with the parties at a senior level, to negotiate access and protect the space for humanitarian operations in Sudan,” she said. “We need the strong support of Member States to facilitate this.”

Ms. Wosornu highlighted another obstacle as a $2.6 billion humanitarian appeal for Sudan is just 24 per cent funded. She urged the international community to step up support.

Check out our Latest News and Follow us at Facebook

Original Source

‘Unimaginable violence’ against women, children, reports UNICEF — Global Issues

According to UNICEF, nearly 300 confirmed cases were reported in the first six months of 2023, almost matching the total number documented over 2022 and close to three times the number in 2021.

“The stories we are hearing from UNICEF staff and partners on the ground are shocking and unacceptable,” Gary Conille, UNICEF Regional Director for Latin America and the Caribbean, said in a news release.

“The growing trend in kidnappings and abductions is extremely worrisome, threatening both the people of Haiti and those who have come to help,” he added.

In most instances, children and women are forcefully taken by armed groups and used for financial or tactical gains. The victims who manage to return home grapple with deep physical and psychological scars, possibly for many years.

Women and children are not bargaining chips

The overall situation in Haiti is catastrophic. Today, an estimated 5.2 million people, or close to half of the entire population, require humanitarian assistance, including almost three million children.

Children find themselves in the crossfire, or directly targeted, and women and girls face extreme sexual violence, as armed groups terrorize the population in their fight for territory and control, mainly in the capital, Port-au-Prince, and also in other regions.

“Women and children are not commodities. They are not bargaining chips. And they must never be exposed to such unimaginable violence,” Mr. Conille said, calling for the immediate release and safe return of all those who have been kidnapped.

Health system on verge of collapse

On top of crime and violence, reports indicate that local healthcare systems are teetering on the brink of collapse amid a resurgence of cholera and severe malnutrition.

The increase in violence, looting, road blockades, and the pervasive presence of armed groups severely obstruct humanitarian efforts, making it difficult to deliver much-needed aid to affected communities, UNICEF said, noting that as months go by, it adds an increasing layer of fear and complexity to an already challenging environment for those delivering life-saving aid.

The assassination of the President of Haiti in 2021 plunged the country into a deep political crisis, which has been exacerbated by an unprecedented breakdown in security.

Armed criminal gangs are said to be “imposing a regime of terror” and violence in most parts of Port-au-Prince, severely impacting the humanitarian, human rights and socio-economic situation in a country already hit hard by poverty, disease and disasters.

Commitment to support those in need

The UN agency added that it stands steadfast in its commitment to deliver critical aid and support for Haiti’s children who have been impacted by these traumatic events.

Beyond its initial crisis response, UNICEF supports the children and victims of the crimes, and working alongside partners, provides life-saving assistance, ensuring access to medical care, psychosocial support, and safe spaces where children can begin the process of healing and recovery.

“I have witnessed the remarkable resilience of Haitian children, women and families as they face seemingly insurmountable challenges, refusing to surrender,” said Mr. Conille.

“However, their bravery is being met with increasing, unthinkable terror. It must stop now.”

Check out our Latest News and Follow us at Facebook

Original Source

UN pushes disarmament talks amid fears that drums of nuclear war are beating again — Global Issues

In a message to mark the 78th anniversary of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima, Mr. Guterres urged the international community to learn from the “nuclear cataclysm” that befell the Japanese city on 6 August 1945.

“The drums of nuclear war are beating once again; mistrust and division are on the rise,” the UN chief said in a statement to the Hiroshima Peace Memorial, delivered by UN’s High Representative for Disarmament Affairs, Izumi Nakamitsu. “The nuclear shadow that loomed over the Cold War has re-emerged. And some countries are recklessly rattling the nuclear sabre once again, threatening to use these tools of annihilation.”

UN chief’s peace agenda

Pending the total elimination of all nuclear weapons, Mr. Guterres appealed to the international community to speak as one, as outlined in his New Agenda for Peace. Launched in July this year, the Agenda calls on Member States to urgently recommit to pursuing a world free of nuclear weapons and to reinforce the global norms against their use and proliferation.

“States possessing nuclear weapons must commit to never use them,” he insisted, as he stressed the UN’s commitment to continue working to strengthen global rules on disarmament and non-proliferation, notably the Treaty on Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) and the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons.

NPT talks are taking place at the UN in the Austrian capital until 11 August, where Ms. Nakamitsu reiterated her warning to the forum that not “since the depths of the Cold War” has the risk of a nuclear weapon being used so high – just as the rules-based order intended to prevent their use has never been “so fragile”.

“This is, to a large extent, because of the volatile times in which we live,” Ms. Nakamitsu continued, pointing to the “existential” threat facing the world today, which is the result of “the highest level of geopolitical competition, rising tensions and deepening divisions among major powers in decades”.

Trillion dollar question

Coupled with rising global tensions is a record level of world military expenditure which reportedly reached a $2,240 billion in 2022.

This situation has led to an increased emphasis on nuclear weapons, “through modernization programmes, expanded doctrines, allegations of growing stockpiles and most alarmingly…threats to use them”, explained the UN High Representative for Disarmament Affairs.

“The fact that in the last 12 months nuclear weapons have openly been used as tools of coercion should worry us all,” she added.

The 1968 Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty (NPT) is one of the only international agreements signed by both nuclear and non-nuclear states, aimed at preventing the spread of nuclear weapons and furthering the goal of nuclear disarmament.

After entering into force in 1970, 191 states have since become party to the treaty – the most signatories of any arms limitation agreement.

Bold goals

The treaty centres on the idea that non-nuclear States agree to never acquire weapons and nuclear-weapons states in exchange agree to share the benefits of the technology, whilst pursuing efforts towards disarmament and elimination of nuclear arsenals.

In addition to the Vienna talks now under way and which come ahead of the NPT’s five-yearly review in 2026, countries have also exchanged on disarmament and non-proliferation issues at the UN’s Conference on Disarmament in Geneva in the past week.

In recent days – and despite ongoing concerns that the Conference remains deadlocked by geopolitical developments – the forum’s 65 Member States heard briefings from the UN Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA) and the United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research (UNIDIR) on the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in the battlefield.

The aim of such discussions is to establish a mechanism that allows for regular multilateral dialogue and the inclusion of the views of countries that are not actively involved in the development of artificial intelligence, to ensure the responsible development and deployment of AI in the military domain.

The Conference on Disarmament – which was established in 1979 – is not formally a UN body but reports annually, or more frequently as appropriate, to the UN General Assembly.

Its remit reflects the Organization’s conviction that disarmament and non-proliferation remain indispensable tools to create a security environment that is favourable to human development, as enshrined in the UN Charter.

In addition to convening the Conference on Disarmament, Member States gather in Geneva to discuss a range of multilateral disarmament agreements and conferences including the Anti-Personnel Landmine Convention (APLC), the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC), The Convention on Cluster Munitions, The Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons (CCW), as well as NPT review panels.

Check out our Latest News and Follow us at Facebook

Original Source

Nearly 14 million children in Sudan need humanitarian support: UNICEF — Global Issues

Ted Chaiban of the UN children’s agency, UNICEF, and Edem Wosornu with the UN humanitarian affairs office, OCHA, briefed journalists on their recent mission to the country and Chad, one of several neighbouring nations hosting some 900,000 people who fled the violence.

Fighting between the Sudanese Army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) recently passed the 100-day mark. Overall, 24 million people across the country require aid.

Dreading another Darfur

Mr. Chaiban, UNICEF’s Deputy Executive Director for Humanitarian Action and Supply Operations, expressed hope that ongoing talks in Saudi Arabia will lead to a cessation of hostilities. He said the conflict is threatening the lives and futures of children and young people, who make up over 70 per cent of Sudan’s population.

“I saw the total of the atrocities committed against children and women during the darkest days of the Darfur conflict 18 years ago. Both Edem and I were there. And I think we’re deeply concerned that we could be looking at a repetition of these terrible days,” he warned.

In Sudan, children are being killed, injured, abducted, and even recruited into armed groups. They have fallen victim to ethnic- and gender-based violence, while the schools and hospitals they depend on are being damaged, destroyed and looted.

Mr. Chaiban said nearly 14 million children desperately need humanitarian relief – a number that is equivalent to all the boys and girls in Colombia, France, Germany or Thailand. Some 1.7 million have been driven from their homes, adding to the nearly two million who were already uprooted before the crisis.

© UNICEF/Abdulazeem Mohamed

Ted Chaiban, UNICEF Deputy Executive Director speaks to staff on the ground in Atbara in northeastern Sudan.

Impossible choices

“Parents are making the impossible choice of deciding whether to stay or leave, and leave everything behind they have known,” he said. “And those children who are on the move, both within Sudan and neighbouring countries, are vulnerable to hunger, disease, violence and separation from their families.”

Furthermore, three million under-fives in Sudan are malnourished, with 700,000 at risk of severe acute malnutrition and mortality. Some 1.7 million children could miss out on critical vaccinations, raising the risk of disease outbreaks.

“In White Nile State we currently have what is usually a lethal combination, which is acute watery diarrhea, measles and malnutrition in the same place, and that needs to absolutely be contained because otherwise the consequences are severe,” he said.

‘The world needs to wake up’

This week, UN agencies reported that more than 20 million people across Sudan now face severe hunger and six million are on the brink of famine. Nearly four million people alone have fled their homes to seek safety, including across the border into Chad, South Sudan, the Central African Republic, Ethiopia and Egypt.

Of those who remain, scores have been flocking to Port Sudan, the city on the Red Sea where the UN established a hub shortly after the fighting broke out. The arrivals are being hosted by family and friends who can barely meet their own needs as rents skyrocket and civil servants go unpaid, said Ms. Wosornu, Director of OCHA’s Operations and Advocacy Division.

She met with women in Port Sudan and the nearby town of Sinkat, “and their stories keep me awake at night.” These women spoke about seeing their homes “obliterated in one minute”, or difficulties in accessing lifesaving medicine such as insulin.

“We are receiving credible reports of all sorts of horrors and the world needs to wake up and hear this,” she said.

Delivering aid to millions

Ms. Wosornu pointed to “the good news amidst all this gloom”, as the UN and 93 humanitarian partners have been delivering aid wherever they can.

“We have been able to get to hard-to-reach areas,” she said. “We’re able to move trucks from Port Sudan to Darfur, and this is through de-confliction, talking to the parties to the conflict, allowing us to move goods as we could.”

OCHA has facilitated the movement of some 780 trucks carrying 35,000 metric tons of relief supplies since fighting broke out in mid-April. “Each of these movements requires extensive painstaking negotiations to ensure that we don’t get more deaths of civilians or the 18 aid workers that have been killed so far,” she said.

People just want peace

Between April and June, humanitarians reached at least 2.5 million people. However, their target is 18 million, underscoring the need for greater financial support and fewer bureaucratic impediments. A $2.6 billion appeal for Sudan is just a quarter funded, or $625 million. UNICEF alone urgently needs $400 million to continue operations over the next 100 days.

“Overall, I think the message is that we can’t accept the toll that this war is taking on Sudan’s children, their families and the future,” said Mr. Chaiban.

He added that their message to the warring parties is also clear: stop fighting and commit to a durable cessation of hostilities, protect civilians, prevent grave violations against children, and ensure humanitarians can safely reach people in need.

“There are talks in Jeddah underway; there are other negotiating processes that we hope and urge can make urgent progress in this regard,” he said.

Ms. Wosornu underlined the need for unhindered and unconditional humanitarian access. “Everyone I spoke to, some people said ‘I don’t want food. I don’t want water. I just want peace. I want to go home.’ So, this is the message to parties to the conflict as well.”

Check out our Latest News and Follow us at Facebook

Original Source

Guterres welcomes start of ceasefire between Government and ELN — Global Issues

The six-month truce between the authorities and the largest remaining rebel group in the country followed 10 months of negotiations and marks the next step in an ongoing peace process.

“By adhering to the ceasefire in good faith and with a clear commitment to alleviating the suffering of civilians, the parties can significantly reduce violence while enhancing trust at the peace table,” the statement said.

The Secretary-General also praised the establishment of the National Participation Committee, launched in tandem with the ceasefire.

Peace efforts advancing

He underlined the UN’s readiness “to support the critically important work of the National Participation Committee in facilitating the inclusive participation of Colombian society in the peace process.”

“Colombia’s persistent efforts to expand peace through dialogue are advancing,” the UN chief said, urging the international community to support these initiatives both politically and through support for the implementation of agreements.

The UN Verification Mission in Colombia will monitor the ceasefire, following the unanimous adoption of a resolution by the Security Council on Wednesday, which also authorized the deployment of up to 68 additional international observers.

“In accordance with the mandate given to it yesterday by the Security Council, the Verification Mission is ready to do its part in the monitoring and verification of the ceasefire,” the statement said.

The UN Mission was established following the signing of the 2016 Peace Agreement between the Colombian Government and the FARC rebel group, which ended more than 50 years of civil war.

The ELN and another group, EMC, did not sign onto the accord.

The Security Council also expressed willingness to consider mandating the UN Mission to monitor a ceasefire with EMC “when the Secretary-General confirms a ceasefire including appropriate verification protocols has been reached”.

Check out our Latest News and Follow us at Facebook

Original Source

FAO raises alarm on escalating food crisis in Sudan — Global Issues

FAO said 20.3 million individuals in Sudan face severe hunger, a figure that has nearly doubled since last year.

Projections indicate that 42 per cent of the population endures high levels of acute food insecurity, exacerbated by disruptions in the market and skyrocketing food prices, which hinder access to essential goods and services.

According to the latest Integrated Food Security Phases analysis, the common standards for classifying food severity, the situation is critical with 14 million people facing ‘crisis’ and more than six million people, around 13 per cent of the population, are now one step away from famine.

The regions most severely impacted include Khartoum, South and West Kordofan, as well as Central, East, South and West Darfur.

‘Unimaginable suffering’

Abdulhakim Elwaer, FAO’s Assistant Director-General and Regional Representative for the Near East and North Africa, said “The conflict has had devastating consequences on the food and nutrition security and well-being of millions of people. Families are facing unimaginable suffering.”

The displacement of over four million people due to ongoing fighting has also resulted in critical infrastructure damage, further exacerbating food insecurity and malnutrition.

FAO warned that insufficient resources continue to impede humanitarian efforts to address the situation.

Funding shortfall

The UN agency has urgently appealed for an additional $65 million in funding to assist over six million people and support farmers in preparing for the upcoming planting season.

The UN food agency expressed concern at the the projections for the period from October 2023 to February 2024 – with around 15 million people likely to face a food crisis.

“It is vital that FAO is stepping in to support more than one million farmers this season to produce enough food for Sudanese people,” said Mr. Elwaer.

Since mid-April, the conflict between Sudan’s armed forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has caused displacement, death, injury and an unfolding humanitarian crisis. This week, UN agencies confirmed that over four million people have been displaced due to the conflict, the majority of which within Sudan itself.

The UN humanitarian affairs office, OCHA, on Wednesday warned that hunger and displacement due to the war are spiraling out of control.

Check out our Latest News and Follow us at Facebook

Original Source

UN official — Global Issues

Globally, over 250 million people suffered acute hunger in 2022, the highest in recent years, with about 376,000 people facing famine-like conditions in seven countries – all affected by armed conflict or extreme levels of violence. Another 35 million people are on the edge, Reena Ghelani said.

Hunger and conflict “feed off of each other,” she continued, briefing the Security Councilopen debate on famine and conflict-induced global food insecurity convened by the United States during its August presidency.

“Armed conflict destroys food systems, shatters livelihoods and drives people from their homes, leaving many extremely vulnerable and hungry. Sometimes these impacts are by-products of war, but all too often they are inflicted deliberately and unlawfully – with hunger utilized as a tactic of war,” she said.

Ms. Ghelani added that food insecurity itself also fuels instability, citing research that shows how food insecurity, when coupled with pre-existing grievances, poverty and inequality, causes people to choose violence over peace.

“It is the straw that breaks the camel’s back, leading to conflict,” she said.

Humanitarians under attack

Those helping people and providing assistance to stave off famine are also not spared by the fighting, Ms. Ghelani noted further.

Hundreds of humanitarians are killed, injured and kidnapped in conflict situations every year, and aid facilities and supplies are often attacked, looted or used for military purposes.

“The difficulties the United Nations, NGOs, and its partners are facing in Sudan is a stark example,” Ms. Ghelani said, offering condolences to the families of the 11 humanitarian workers killed there in recent weeks.

Climate change a threat multiplier

Climate change and economic shocks further compound the crisis.

“Climate change is increasingly becoming a threat multiplier,” Ms. Ghelani added, with stress over water and other natural resources leading to competition over dwindling natural resources, displacement, and, ultimately, conflicts and hunger.

At the same time, insecurity in conflict-affected countries hinders climate adaptation efforts.

“This leaves already vulnerable communities even poorer, hungrier and less resilient,” she said.

With key steps, progress is possible

Ms. Ghelani emphasized that despite overwhelming challenges, progress is possible, and outlined key steps that must be taken to address the crisis.

These include ensuring parties to conflicts respect international humanitarian law, especially protecting food and water systems and facilitating unimpeded humanitarian access.

She also urged better use of early warning systems, with effective follow-up; adequate humanitarian funding; and being bold and creative in finding ways to mitigate the impact of war on the most vulnerable.

At the same time, women and girls must be at the centre of our efforts, Ms. Ghelani said.

“Crises and hunger affect them disproportionately, and they also hold the key to lasting solutions. Research shows that involving local women in peacebuilding increases the probability that violence will end by 24 per cent,” she highlighted.

‘Eerie silence is deafening’

In conclusion, Ms. Ghelani recounted a personal experience where she visited communities teetering on the brink of famine.

“I have sat with mothers in too many nutrition wards, in too many displaced camps. And as their small children fought for their lives, they were too weak to cry, even make a sound […] that eerie silence is deafening. It never leaves you,” she said.

Check out our Latest News and Follow us at Facebook

Original Source

UNRWA appeals for end to deadly clashes at Palestine refugee camp in Lebanon — Global Issues

The fighting between Palestinian armed groups at Ein El Helweh camp has also forced thousands to flee their homes that have been damaged.

Ein El Helweh is one of 12 camps in Lebanon operated by the UN agency that assists Palestine refugees, UNRWA. It provides services to nearly 50,000 people.

Dorothee Klaus, UNRWA Director in Lebanon, said clashes continued on Wednesday night despite the announcement of a ceasefire.

Education under fire

She said an UNRWA school complex inside the camp, that provides education to 3,200 children during the academic year, was used for the fighting.

“We have not been able to enter the camp and deliver much needed assistance,” she said.

“UNRWA calls for an immediate cessation of fighting in the camp in order for civilians to get respite and for the Agency to be able to provide assistance and conduct needs assessments.”

Supporting displaced residents

Ein El Helweh is located near Lebanon’s third largest city, Saida, which shut down as shelling and artillery fire reached commercial and residential areas.

The camp was established in 1948 and residents mostly came from coastal Palestinian towns but a large number were displaced from other parts of Lebanon,

Ms. Klaus said 360 UNRWA staff live there. While some were trapped, and one was injured, others fled, with some continuing to work to respond to the needs.

UNRWA and partners are currently hosting 600 displaced persons in two schools at another of its camps and in Saida city. The agency is also providing fuel to a hospital operating inside Ein El-Hilweh camp.

Ms. Klaus called for the protection of all UNRWA schools and other facilities at all times, including during the fighting.

Check out our Latest News and Follow us at Facebook

Original Source

UN migration agency — Global Issues

Latest data from IOM’s displacement matrix indicates that the clash between the Sudanese army and paramilitaries has uprooted a staggering number of people, with more than 926,000 seeking refuge abroad and a total of 3.02 million internally displaced.

According to IOM’s latest humanitarian situation update, individuals have been forced to leave all of Sudan’s 18 states. Those with the highest proportions of displaced people are River Nile (15 per cent), North (11 per cent), North Darfur (9 per cent) and White Nile (9 per cent).

IOM field teams have reported that the majority of internally displaced individuals, 71 per cent, originated from Khartoum State.

The UN organization emphasized that the current estimate of displacements over the past 108 days surpasses the total recorded for the previous four years. But it also noted that access to many areas remains impossible because of the fighting, meaning that current assessments have been based on preliminary reports or estimates.

Shelter across borders

A total of 926,841 people have now sought refuge in neighboring countries such as Egypt, Libya, Chad, the Central African Republic, South Sudan, and Ethiopia. Sudanese nationals accounted for more than two-thirds of these arrivals, while foreign nationals and returnees made up the remaining third, IOM said.

To mark 100 days since the start of the conflict on 24 July, UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi said that it was “time for all parties to this conflict to immediately end this tragic war”, amid growing concerns for refugees fleeing Sudan.
According to the UN refugee agency, UNHCR, conditions have been “harrowing” for those reaching shelter in neighbouring countries, where displacement camps are overcrowded and the looming rainy season has made relocation and aid deliveries harder.

Echoing those concerns, the IOM also warned on Wednesday that the rains pose a significant risk of flooding and could exacerbate the already fragile conditions.

Horrors of war

Since mid-April, the conflict between Sudan’s armed forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has caused displacement, death, injury and an unfolding humanitarian crisis. Reports of looting, attacks on public institutions and the occupation of private homes continue in the capital Khartoum, while clashes persist in four out of the five Darfur states.

Last week, the World Health Organization (WHO) reported cases of infectious diseases and other illness among displaced populations who have sought shelter in hard-to-reach locations, where health services are limited. The UN agency also reported that more than 50 health facilities have been attacked.

Although the WHO is supporting health services both in Sudan and bordering countries, the organization warned that the health crisis has impacted the entire region. And as efforts continue to bring about an end to the fighting, humanitarians fear that the situation could worsen for already vulnerable civilians caught up in the conflict.

Check out our Latest News and Follow us at Facebook

Original Source

Time running out on election timeline for South Sudan, UN official warns — Global Issues

“With only 17 months remaining on the Roadmap timelines before elections in 2024, I repeat what I had said in an earlier press conference, that 2023 is a ‘make or break’ year,” Nicholas Haysom said.

Mr. Haysom heads the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) which reported that “a race against time” is now underway in the world’s youngest nation as the vote looms against a backdrop of surging intercommunal violence and the impacts of the crisis in its neighbour to the north.

Road to transition

The elections, which were originally scheduled for February 2023, will mark the completion of democratic transition following years of conflict.

South Sudan gained independence in July 2011 but fighting erupted in December 2013 between forces loyal to President Salva Kiir and his former deputy, Riek Machar. A 2018 peace deal ended the war.

Mr. Haysom noted that with the countdown on for the elections, “foundational tasks” necessary for South Sudanese to head to the polls remain incomplete.

Credibility is crucial

Chief among them is the need to reconstitute three essential bodies, namely, the National Constitutional Review Commission, the National Elections Commission, and the Political Parties Council.

“These foundational tasks also encompass the drafting of a new Constitution, where the parties must reach consensus on the constitutional provisions and have realistic expectations on what can be done in the remaining time and within existing resource constraints,” he added.

Leaders will also have to finalize transitional security arrangements and create a conducive political and civic environment that promotes free and open debate.

“Simply holding elections is not enough – the credibility, transparency and inclusivity of the process is what brings legitimacy,” he said.

“This includes that political parties must be able to register and campaign freely; a civil society that will serve as extended arms for civic education and act as observer watchdog of the process. It includes a media that can report on the process and give space to the variety of voices and opinions for voters to make informed choices.”

Sudan war’s impact

Mr. Haysom reiterated the UN Mission’s ongoing support for electoral and constitution-making processes in, together with regional partners such as the African Union and the East African bloc IGAD.

He also highlighted the impact of the Sudan crisis on the country.

“The war in Sudan dominates regional and global attention, while South Sudan bears a share of the crisis. Food prices have increased, lowering the ability of vulnerable households’ access food and meet basic requirements, while reduced cross-border trade has led to localized scarcity of food commodities,” he said.

South Sudan has so far received some 190,000 people who have fled the fighting, most of whom are returnees. With numbers rising, humanitarians have urgently appealed for $26.4 million to provide the arrivals with onward transportation from border areas. He also pointed to the potential for violence, given the daily influx of people.

“The congestion and increased competition over scarce resources could exacerbate existing inter-communal tensions between the returnees and host communities and between some of the returnee communities and this needs to be averted,” he said.

In response, UNMISS has intensified patrols and reinforced its military presence in the border town of Renk to mitigate and prevent any outbreak of violence.

Strengthen trust

Mr. Haysom also spoke about other critical issues, including ongoing efforts by UNMISS to protect civilians in and around the city of Malakal following communal clashes last month in the UN Protection Site, and its proactive response to reported escalations in Jonglei and Greater Pibor.

In conclusion, he highlighted the pressing need within South Sudan to deepen mutual trust between communities and their leaders, build common purpose and a shared vision of the future.

“I believe there will be international willingness to support the peace process and the elections if there are demonstrable actions by the principal stakeholders in those elections and the right frameworks to allow for the receipt of such assistance,” he said.

“But key decisions about electoral, constitutional and security structures must be made urgently; and these decisions do not require special additional resources. Success in this area will persuade donors and international partners that a peaceful and secure South Sudan is a viable place for investment and support.”

Check out our Latest News and Follow us at Facebook

Original Source

Exit mobile version