Tag: Peace and security

European Commission President — Global Issues

UN Secretary-General António Guterres is in the Belgian capital to participate in the second high-level dialogue between the global body and the European Union (EU).

The two days of talks will centre around issues that include Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and its ripple effects worldwide, climate change, and the promise and perils of the digital revolution.

International cooperation critical

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen expressed the bloc’s steadfast commitment to the strong partnership with the UN in the face of these unprecedented challenges.

“We both know that we can only tackle these through international cooperation, now more than ever. And in other word words, this means that the world needs the United Nations now more than ever,” she said.

Ms. von der Leyen provided an overview of the agenda for their talks, including the “big topic” of Ukraine grain exports amid the ongoing war.

Hopes for grain deal

She thanked the Secretary-General for his tireless efforts to extend the Black Sea Grain Initiative, the UN-brokered deal signed last July that is set to expire within days.

“The world needs it,” she said. “Russia has a responsibility to prolong it, otherwise global food insecurity will be the consequence. So now the ball is in President Putin’s court, and the world is watching.”

She also underlined EU support for the peace plan put forward by Ukraine’s President, Volodymyr Zelenskyy “because it is based precisely on the principles of the UN Charter and every word is deducted from UN resolutions.”

Multilateralism under attack

Mr. Guterres noted that the dialogue is taking place “at a time when international cooperation is challenged at its core.” He thanked the EU for its contributions to UN efforts in areas such as climate action, sustainable development, peace and security, human rights and gender equality.

“We live in an ever more multipolar world, and this calls for enhanced forms of cooperation and multilateral governance, anchored in international law. And the European Union must be an essential pillar of this new global order,” he said.

He underscored the need to work together to bridge political divides and rebuild trust among countries, warning that “we do not have a moment to lose.”

Call for climate action

With sustainable development efforts off-track, Mr. Guterres highlighted how the EU can play a role in transforming the global financial system “so that it works for everyone and fulfills its role as a global safety net.”

On climate change, he also stressed the need for greater international cooperation on both mitigation and climate justice. The UN chief repeated his call for a climate solidarity pact that would see wealthier polluting nations make an extra effort to cut emissions.

He further stressed the need for governments, regional organisations, the private sector and civil society to ensure that technology serves both human rights and the common good.

The initial high-level dialogue between the EU and the UN was held last July just outside New York City.

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You don’t dare ask refugees where the men have gone, say UN aid teams — Global Issues

From the World Food Programme (WFP), Chad Country Director Pierre Honnorat, said that 20,000 people crossed into Chad just last week.

Speaking to journalists via Zoom from Zabout refugee camp in Goz Beida, Mr. Honnorat described desperate scenes: “We can see that they have suffered, many lost family members and we don’t even dare ask them, ‘Where are the men?’ The answer from the mothers is often that they were killed. So, you just see many women, many children”.

The new arrivals are among the more than 230,000 refugees and 38,000 returnees who’ve been uprooted by deadly clashes in west Sudan’s Darfur states.

‘We need support, not hope’

Many are seriously wounded and have harrowing stories of the violence they have experienced, Mr. Honnorat said, as he appealed for financial support to help the victims of Sudan’s conflict, which began on 15 April and has been marked by the use of heavy weaponry and airstrikes involving rival military forces.

“This is not over at all, we really need support, it’s no longer about hope, we give them hope, safety, but they really need to eat every day,” the WFP official said, adding that “the situation is really critical.”

In order to scale up WFP’s response on the Chad-Sudan border, the UN agency needs a minimum of $13 million every month.

Dying at nutrition centres

Urgent priorities include treating the wounded and helping dangerously malnourished children crossing from Darfur into Chad. According to WFP, one in 10 displaced youngsters from Sudan is malnourished.

“Every week children are dying at the nutrition centres, this is a reality,” Mr. Honnorat said. “The malnutrition rate for children now is just too high and we need to be extremely quick in prevention to make sure that that who are under what we call moderate to acute malnutrition can urgently get what they need so they don’t fall into the severe malnutrition.”

According to the UN refugee agency, UNHCR, the conflict has displaced more than 2.5 million people inside the country and across borders into neighbouring countries. Before the crisis erupted, there were 1.1 million refugees in Sudan, mainly from South Sudan, Eritrea, Ethiopia and Syria.

Latest data from UNHCR indicates that Chad has opened its borders to more than 190,000 refugees, second only to Egypt, which shelters more than 250,000.

‘So little funding’

In recent weeks, WFP has constructed six temporary health units, including two now used as a makeshift hospital and medical logistics, and four as transit points for new refugees crossing into Chad.

“I’ve rarely seen such an important crisis with so little funding”, said the WFP country director. “I was also at the border, on the bridge, what’s left as a bridge. It’s a constant flow and the ones that are coming now are in much worse situations than those who arrived in the first days.”

Many of those arriving in Chad from the Darfurs are seriously wounded amid reports that fleeing civilians have been deliberated targeted with an increasing ethnic dimension to the violence.

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Security Council fails to reach consensus on Syria aid lifeline — Global Issues

The disruption comes as humanitarian needs are at an all-time high after more than 12 years of war and in the wake of the devastating double earthquakes that struck the region in February.

The UN and partners were hoping for a 12-month extension of the mandate to transport aid through the Bab al-Hawa crossing point – a lifeline for four million people in northwest Syria, the last opposition stronghold.

UN Photo/Eskinder Debebe

Ambassador Sérgio França Danese of Brazil addresses the Security Council meeting on the situation in Syria.

Rival resolutions

The first draft resolution, tabled by Brazil and Switzerland, called for a nine-month extension and included a paragraph on the expansion of crossline operations, increased funding, enhanced early recovery activities and humanitarian mine action.

Speaking before the vote, Brazilian Ambassador Sérgio França Danese said they “spared no effort to try to achieve a text as consensual as possible.”

Although 13 of the 15 countries in the Council voted in favour of the resolution, it was struck down by a no vote from Russia, one of the five permanent members. China, another permanent member, abstained.

The second resolution for a six-month extension was submitted by Russia, which China supported. Three countries voted against and 10 abstained.

Consensus efforts to continue

The Security Council first established the cross-border mechanism in 2014, initially through four border crossings. Bab al-Hawa is the only one remaining.

Every month, trucks deliver medicines, safe water, food, shelter supplies and other items for some 2.7 million Syrians. Damascus opened up two additional crossings in the aftermath of the earthquakes.

Swiss Ambassador Pascale Baeriswyl said the resolution her country co-sponsored would have assured the continuation of humanitarian assistance by all cross-border and crossline modalities,

“Brazil and Switzerland as co-pen holders are guided by the humanitarian imperative. We will therefore not let this veto cease our tireless efforts to find a solution,” she said.

Russia votes against

In explaining Russia’s vote, Ambassador Vasily Nebenzya said the cross-border mechanism “looks completely anachronistic today”. He highlighted the need to uphold Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.

“Blessing the mechanism within which the terrorists from Idlib will, with impunity, disallow humanitarian assistance into the enclave through crosslines; where Western countries are funding the early recovery and humanitarian projects only on those territories which are not under Government control, and Syria itself is being suffocated with inhumane sanctions, is not something that we’re going to do,” he said.

UN Photo/Manuel Elías

Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia of the Russian Federation addresses the Security Council meeting on the situation in Syria.

‘A sad moment’

The resolution’s failure represented a sad moment for the Syrian people and the Security Council, “save for one country”, said United States Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield.

“Russia has not lived up to its responsibility as a permanent member of this Council. And it’s beneath the dignity of this body,” she said.

“This is a gross affront to the values we all hold dear to our efforts to advance peace and security, and above all, to the Syrian people who have endured so much needless suffering and violence at the hands of the Assad regime.”

Transition to crossline delivery

After the vote on the Russian draft, China expressed regret that the Council was unable to reach consensus on the renewal of the cross-border mechanism.

“We have all along maintained that humanitarian assistance to Syria should be provided in a way that respects the sovereignty of Syria and the Syrian Government’s ownership,” said Ambassador Jun Zhang.

The pipeline was a temporary arrangement under specific circumstances, he said, adding that “there is a need to speed up the transition to crossline assistance and to phase out the cross-border mechanism over time until its eventual discontinuation.”

© UNICEF/Khaled Akacha

Displaced children living in an informal settlement in northwest Syria.

UN chief disappointed

UN Secretary-General António Guterres has voiced his disappointment over the Council’s inability to reach agreement, his Spokesperson said in a statement issued following the meeting.

“UN cross-border assistance remains a veritable lifeline for millions of people in northwest Syria as humanitarian needs have reached an all-time high since the start of the conflict, while the impact of the devastating February earthquakes still acutely felt,” it said.

Mr. Guterres urged Council members to redouble their efforts to support the continued delivery of cross-border assistance to millions in dire need “for the longest possible period.”

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Transfer of oil from decaying ship expected to start next week — Global Issues

Carrying over 1.1 million barrels of oil, the supertanker FSO Safer was abandoned off Yemen’s Red Sea port of Hudaydah after the civil war broke out in the country in 2015. Since then, the vessel has deteriorated significantly in absence of any servicing or maintenance, prompting fears of a major environmental disaster.

According to David Gressly, UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for Yemen, the vessel Nautica is preparing to sail from Djibouti. It will moor alongside the Safer and once the transfer starts, it will take about two weeks.

“The completion of the ship-to-ship transfer of the oil by the start of August will be a moment when the whole world can heave a sigh of relief,” Mr. Gressly said, adding that the “worst-case humanitarian, environmental and economic catastrophe from a massive oil spill will have been prevented.”

After the oil has been off-loaded, the next critical step will include delivery and installment of a catenary anchor leg mooring (CALM) buoy, which is secured to the seabed, and to which the replacement vessel will safely be installed. The CALM buoy needs to be in place by September.

Generous donors and crowdfunding

Backed by generous funding from Member States, the private sector, and the general public, which contributed $300,000 through a crowdfunding campaign, UN raised about $118 million of the $148 million estimated budget for the undertaking.

The broad coalition working to prevent the catastrophe also includes environmental groups, including Greenpeace and, in Yemen, Holm Akhdar; as well as several UN entities.

Situation remains ‘fragile and challenging’

At a separate meeting of the 15-member Security Council on Monday, UN Special Envoy for Yemen, Hans Grundberg, called on the warring parties to reach a “serious breakthrough” in the ongoing discussions to finally end the conflict between an international coalition backing the recognized Government, and Houthi rebels.

He said that despite a period of relative calm, the situation in crisis-ridden Yemen remains fragile and challenging, and that the country “cannot afford a seasonal peace”.

The Special Envoy underscored the need for the parties to the conflict to “to make further, bold steps toward a peace that is sustainable and just.”

“This means an end to the conflict that promises accountable national and local governance, economic and environmental justice, and guarantees of equal citizenship for all Yemenis, regardless of gender, faith, background or race,” he said.

In his briefing, Mr. Grundberg outlined a course of action including an immediate halt to military provocations and a sustainable nationwide ceasefire, economic de-escalation and addressing longer term economic priorities.

He added the parties need to agree a clear path to restarting an intra-Yemeni political process, under UN auspices.

© UNICEF

A boy is photographed carrying a water container in the Ala’amaseer area of the city of Aden, Yemen, on 29 April 2020.

Humanitarian needs still high

Assistant-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Deputy Emergency Relief Coordinator, Joyce Msuya, also briefed and told Security Council members that humanitarian needs in Yemen will remain high for the foreseeable future.

In 2023, relief agencies aim to reach 17.3 million people, out of a staggering 21.6 million people in need of assistance, she said, adding that halfway through the year, the Humanitarian Response Plan for Yemen is funded at just 29 per cent.

“As the political process progresses, we must remain vigilant and active on the humanitarian front. With better funding and more access, we can expand our reach and improve the protection of civilians – but we also need to see support for measures to improve Yemen’s economy,” she concluded.

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UN chief condemns air strike that killed at least 22 people in Sudan — Global Issues

Mr. Guterres offered his condolences to the families of the victims and expressed hopes for a speedy recovery to the dozens who were injured, UN Deputy Spokesperson Farhan Haq said in a statement issued that day.

The Sudanese army and rival military group, the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), have been battling since mid-April. Hundreds of people have been killed and nearly three million have been displaced, including to neighbouring countries.

Mr. Haq said the Secretary-General was appalled by reports of large-scale violence and casualties across Darfur.

Civil war fears

“He is also concerned about reports of renewed fighting in North Kordofan, South Kordofan and Blue Nile States. There is an utter disregard for humanitarian and human rights law that is dangerous and disturbing,” he added.

The UN chief remains deeply concerned that the ongoing war between the sides has pushed Sudan to the brink of a full-scale civil war, potentially destabilising the entire region.

Mr. Guterres reiterated his call for the Sudanese Armed Forces and the RSF to cease fighting and commit to a durable cessation of hostilities.

“He also urges these parties to abide by their obligations under international humanitarian and human rights law to protect civilians and to enable humanitarian action,” the statement said.

Meanwhile, the UN continues to push for the cohesion of international efforts under the auspices of the African Union, and welcomes the strong engagement of the East African bloc IGAD.

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Bringing lifesaving expertise back home — Global Issues

“People are suffering greatly due to landmines,” Mr. Lobov told UN News, adding that experts have reported that almost one third of the country is contaminated with unexploded ordnance.

“Many adults and children have died,” he said. “We have the highest rate of such losses in the world. No one knows what will happen in a few months because the war is not over.”

New level of complexity

Explosive objects are scattered over an area double the size of Austria, putting 14 million Ukrainians at risk, according to UNDP, which reported that these deadly weapons have killed 226 people, including 17 children.

While more than 366,000 landmines have already been cleared, making Ukraine safe is a difficult and very expensive long-term prospect, Mr. Lobov said.

The World Bank estimates that the full demining package will cost more than $37 billion. Ukraine cannot solve such a problem alone, so international partners are helping, with UNDP becoming the lead coordinator of mine action in the country.

UNDP in Ukraine / A. Ratushniak Debris in just 40 settlements in the Kyiv region, where hostilities were fought, is so voluminous, it could pave a road from Ukraine’s capital to Berlin.

Since the First and Second World Wars, the Ukrainian Government has been managing risks associated with unexploded ordnance, but the current full-scale war is a whole new level of complexity, according to UNDP.

Unrolling new approach

Tackling this challenge requires additional equipment, tools, new skills, and assistance in coordinating efforts, Mr. Lobov said.

For its part, UNDP is rising to the challenge as well as supporting the victims and conducting information campaigns, with funding from the European Union and Croatia, Denmark, France, Japan, and the United Kingdom.

“Amid hostilities, a lot of ammunition does not detonate,” Mr. Lobov said. “If the fighting continues for an hour or two, there may be several thousand rounds of ammunition. If this is not two hours, but a day or a month or if hostilities continue for years, then we can only imagine how much ammunition our land will be contaminated with.”

UNDP in Ukraine/Alexander Ratushnyak

Explosive objects in Ukraine are scattered over an area double the size of Austria.

Rubble trouble

One of the important tasks of mine action is the removal of rubble, Mr. Lobov said. In just 40 settlements in the Kyiv region where there has been fighting, the rubble could pave a road from Ukraine’s capital to Berlin, according to UNDP.

While the actual volume is unknown, Mr. Lobov said, following its removal, all hazardous waste must be processed and disposed of safely.

Typically, 30 to 50 per cent of unexploded ordnance fails to detonate, but the rest remain active, with any physical impact potentially provoking an explosion, Mr. Lobov said.

Keeping people informed

Mine action is not limited to physical clearance alone, Mr. Lobov said, emphasizing that a set of new measures are needed.

“Many people in Ukraine still do not realize the seriousness of this problem,” he said. “One of the most important tasks is to inform the population. It is necessary to teach people how to behave in territories contaminated with mines and explosive objects.”

For instance, while demining activities have been conducted in eastern Ukraine since Russia’s invasion in 2014, information campaigns should now target the residents of western regions, those who were abroad, or refugees, he said.

New mine action culture

Mine action should become the culture of Ukraine “because it will be for decades”, Mr. Lobov said.

“The descendants of our generation will face this problem,” he said. “We need to convey this knowledge to children through the education system and to adults, for example, through enterprises where people work.”

The main message should become “the norm”, Mr. Lobov said: “Stay away! Don’t touch! Call 101! The State Emergency Service will respond immediately.”

Teaching safety guidelines should have a positive impact, without using shocking photographs, because a person can panic, realizing what danger is right next to him, he said.

To transfer mine action knowledge, he has taught school psychologists how to convey this information to children constructively. Mine action information should simply form the basis of a culture of behavior, such as the need to cross the road only on a green light, he said.

UNDP in Ukraine

Alexander Lobov inspects buildings to determine whether emergency services must be called or whether it is possible to begin to dismantle the rubble.

Tough choices

The priority is the safety of people, but another consequence of widespread landmine contamination threatens, among other things, Ukraine’s economy and access to critical resources.

This results in hard choices over priorities in light of limited resources and the high cost of demining, he said.

When protecting the agricultural sector, for example, he said deminers might notice a power line in a field. Because the country depends on this electricity source, paying attention to the power line becomes the primary task, he explained.

New realities trigger fresh approaches

New realities require new approaches, Mr. Lobov said, highlighting optimized processes for seizing unexploded ordnance.

For the first time, deminers are fencing off infrequently used areas. Search mechanisms are also seeing improvements, including the use of mechanical detectors and systems involving rats, which have more sensitivity than dogs, he said.

For now, Ukraine will have to build its own system and work out a long-term strategy, according to UNDP, which remains on the ground with experts like Mr. Lobov, to help the nation tackle demining even while the war is still being fought.

UNDP in Ukraine / Alexander Ratushnyak

Debris in just 40 settlements in the Kyiv region, where hostilities were fought, is so voluminous it could pave a road from Ukraine’s capital to Berlin.

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‘Grim milestone’ as Ukraine war reaches 500-day mark — Global Issues

The war began on 24 February 2022, and the UN’s Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine (HRMMU) has confirmed that more than 9,000 civilians, including over 500 children, have been killed since then, though the real number could be much higher.

“Today we mark another grim milestone in the war that continues to exact a horrific toll on Ukraine’s civilians,” said Noel Calhoun, deputy head of the Mission.

Recent deadly attacks

The HRMMU reported that overall monthly casualties decreased earlier this year when compared to 2022, but the average number rose again in May and June, with the last two weeks among some of the deadliest since fighting began.

Recent attacks include the missile strike on a busy shopping area in the eastern city of Kramatorsk on the evening of 27 June, which killed 13 people.

Among the victims was award-winning writer and human rights defender Viktoriia Amelina, who succumbed to her injuries earlier this week.

Just days after the attack, 10 civilians were killed in another missile strike in Lviv, located in western Ukraine.

Thousands of casualties

The information about civilian deaths is contained in the latest report on civilian casualties in Ukraine, published by the UN Human Rights Office, OHCHR, which covers the period from the start of the war through 30 June 2023.

Overall, 25,170 civilian casualties were recorded, with 9,177 killed and 15,993 injured.

Of this number, and whose sex was known, 61 per cent were men and 39 per cent were women. Boys comprised more than 57 per cent of casualties among children whose sex was known, and girls 42.8 per cent.

OHCHR also received information regarding 22 civilian casualties in Russian-occupied Crimea and the city of Sevastopol. They included five men and one woman who were killed, and 16 people who were injured – two children and 14 adults, whose sex is yet unknown.

Nuclear power plant update

Meanwhile, experts deployed by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) at the Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) in southern Ukraine have not observed any visible indications of mines or explosives there, Director-General Rafael Mariano Grossi said on Wednesday.

Europe’s largest nuclear plant has been in Russian hands since the early days of the war, and both sides have accused the other of shelling the facility.

The IAEA had previously indicated that it was aware of reports that mines and other explosives have been placed in and around the plant, which is located on the frontline of the conflict.

“Following our requests, our experts have gained some additional access at the site. So far, they have not seen any mines or explosives, but they still need more access, including to the rooftops of reactor units 3 and 4 and parts of the turbine halls,” Mr. Grossi said, expressing hope that access will be granted soon.

The experts have inspected parts of the plant in recent days and weeks, and continued to conduct regular walkdowns across the site.

On Wednesday, they were “also able to check a wider section of the perimeter of the ZNPP’s large cooling pond than previously”, the IAEA said.

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OHCHR ‘very concerned’ over militarization of public security in Honduras — Global Issues

OHCHR Spokesperson Marta Hurtado told journalists in Geneva that the Government had issued a 45-day extension on Wednesday.

“The state of emergency, in force in 17 of the 18 departments in Honduras, enables the military police to support the national police in carrying out public security tasks. It also derogates the right of personal liberty, freedom of association, assembly, and movement, and allows security and armed forces to carry out arrests and searches without a warrant,” she said.

Military operations

The Spokesperson said that on 21 June, the authorities announced that the command and control of the entire Honduran prison system was being transferred to the military police.

“This decision came in the wake of a violent incident at the national women’s prison in the town of Tamara, where 46 female inmateswere killed when members of one gang attacked a part of the prison housing members of a rival gang,” said Ms. Hurtado.

Rights violations

She also voiced concerns about human rights violations and adequate access to food, water, and the practice of subjecting inmates to sleep deprivation. Ms. Hurtado also reported ill treatment of inmates by the military police.

“Initial monitoring by our Office, as well as information from civil society organizations and other sources with regard to military operations in prisons, indicates that inmates, in particular those allegedly associated with gangs, have been beaten and kicked by military police,” she said.

Criminal justice challenges

She called on authorities to end the abuse, halt violence against inmates, and prevent further violations of human rights. She also called for accountability and prompt investigation of allegations of unnecessary or disproportionate use of force.

“Efforts should immediately be redoubled to address long-standing criminal justice and prison challenges. These include the extensive use of incarceration, overcrowding, unsuitable living conditions, the lack of basic services, and inmates controlling some prisons,” Ms. Hurtado said.

“All efforts to address the prison challenge should be based on international human rights law and standards, including the UN Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners (known as the Nelson Mandela Rules),” she said, empasizing that OHCHR in Honduras remains available to provide technical assistance.

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UN-brokered grain and fertilizer deals ‘indispensable’ to global food security — Global Issues

In a statement issued by his Deputy Spokesperson, António Guterres reiterated “the importance of full and continued implementation” of the agreements signed last July in Istanbul, known as the Black Sea Initiative – allowing Ukrainian grain and foodstuffs safe passage to world markets – and the Memorandum of Understanding with Moscow over fertilizer exports.

Russia is still weighing up if it will continue to be a part of the deal, agreed with Ukraine and administered along with the UN and Türkiye, past a deadline of 17 July. Last May, Russia had agreed to a 60-day extension, and the UN has been leading negotiations to ensure its continuation.

A Joint Coordination Centre in Istanbul with representatives from all parties administers the deal, but in recent weeks, shipping movements have declined along with vessel inspections.

Smooth passage

The UN chief’s statement said it was vital to ensure that food and fertilizers from Ukraine and Russia can keep on heading to countries in need, “smoothly, efficiently and at scale”.

“These agreements are an all-too-rare demonstration of what the world can do when it puts its mind to the great challenges of our time,” he said.

“Together, the agreements are contributing to sustained reductions in global food prices, which are now more than 23per cent below the record highs reached in March last year.”

Harvest season approaching

Earlier on Friday, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization’s chief economist, Maximo Torero, said the initiative to allow grain to leave Ukrainian ports had allowed the delivery of 32 million tonnes, much of it to meet the needs of developing nations, as well as food aid for the World Food Programme (WFP).

The renewal would happen on “a critical date because it’s when the harvest starts”, he said. “We hope it will be renewed, and if not, then we will observe a spike in terms of the prices of cereal commodities.”

‘Lifeline’ for food security

In a note to correspondents last week, the UN said the agreements were “a lifeline for global food security” at a time when 258 million people face hunger in 58 countries.

“The Secretary-General and his team remain fully committed to building on the progress already made and are in constant contact with a wide range of stakeholders in this regard,” the Deputy Spokesperson, Farhan Haq, said in his Friday statement.

“The Secretary-General calls on all concerned to prioritize global food security,” he said.

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Guterres appeals for humanitarian, security and political action to end Haiti’s ‘living nightmare’ — Global Issues

He said citizens of the Caribbean nation are “trapped in a living nightmare” as armed gangs encircle the capital, Port-au-Prince, blocking roads, controlling access to food and healthcare, and undermining humanitarian support.

Mr. Guterres was speaking at UN Headquarters fresh from a visit to the country and a summit of regional leaders, held in Trinidad and Tobago, during which he participated in a special session on Haiti.

Terrorizing local communities

He told reporters that predatory gangs there are using kidnappings and sexual violence as weapons to terrorize entire communities.

“I have heard appalling accounts of women and girls being gang-raped and of people being burned alive,” he said.

During his one-day visit to Haiti on Saturday, Mr. Guterres met with Prime Minister Ariel Henry and representatives from many sectors of society, acknowledging signs of hope and possibility.

Fund humanitarian ‘lifeline’

“But, it requires action on several fronts and a recognition of a core truth,” he said.

“There can be no sustainable security without a political solution that allows for the restoration of democratic institutions. And there can be no lasting and inclusive political solutions without a drastic improvement in the security situation.”

Mr. Guterres urged the international community to take action in what he called three essential areas, starting with addressing the urgent humanitarian needs in the country. A $720 million plan to support more than three million people there is currently only 23 per cent funded.

“I appeal to the world to extend a lifeline of support and fill that financial gap without delay,” he said.

Deploy multinational force

The Secretary-General also appealed to the UN Security Council “and all relevant potential contributing countries” to create the conditions for allowing the deployment of a multinational force to assist the Haitian National Police, which the Government had requested back in October.

“I repeat: We are not calling for a military or political mission of the United Nations,” he said. “We are calling for a robust security force deployed by Member States to work hand-in-hand with the Haitian National Police to defeat and dismantle the gangs and restore security across the country.”

He added that the police force will also need financing, training, and equipment, which are all critical to restoring State authority and delivery of vital services.

Step up political efforts

Mr. Guterres also appealed for all social and political actors in Haiti to step up efforts toward a desperately needed political solution. He expressed full support for mediation efforts by the regional bloc, CARICOM.

“Taken together, these three vital and simultaneous steps are fundamental to breaking Haiti’s cycle of suffering by addressing dramatic humanitarian and security challenges and forging a political pathway out of the crisis,” he said.

Support for international force

Later in the day, the head of the UN Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH), urged the UN Security Council to continue to support its vital work amid the myriad challenges gripping the country.

Special Representative María Isabel Salvador updated ambassadors on progress in the implementation of an agreement on inclusive transition and transparent elections, signed in December by the Prime Minister, several political parties, civil society, and the private sector.

She noted that there is widespread backing for the deployment of an international force to assist the Haitian National Police.

Ms. Salvador said that while the political transition and the fight against gangs should remain on separate tracks, they are inextricably linked.

“Improved security and continuous political dialogue would bring about the possibility to hold elections, a critical step on the path to reestablishing democratic institutions and elected officials at all levels of government,” she said.

UN Photo/Loey Felipe

The UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative María Isabel Salvador, who also heads the UN Integrated Office in Haiti, briefs the Security Council.

Vigilante groups, rising displacement

Addressing the dire security situation, she noted that the violence continues and has intensified, moving beyond the capital.

“The appearance of vigilante groups adds another layer of complexity,” she added. “Since April, BINUH has documented the killing of at least 264 alleged gang members by vigilante groups.”

Ms. Salvador said insecurity also has a detrimental impact on economic and social rights, as access to education, food, water, sanitation, and healthcare services has been severely limited.

The increase in violence in the Port-au-Prince metropolitan area has also displaced nearly 128,000 people from their homes, sparking a rise in migration.

‘Grim’ humanitarian outlook

Meanwhile, the humanitarian situation in Haiti is “increasingly grim and likely to deteriorate even further”, she said. Some 5.2 million people, including nearly three million children, require urgent support and protection.

Haiti has one of the highest levels of food insecurity in the world, with some 4.9 million people affected, and the healthcare system is on the verge of collapse.

The country also remains highly vulnerable to climate change and natural disasters. Deadly floods, followed by an earthquake, killed 58 people last month and impacted 45,000 households.

Solidarity and action

As BINUH’s mandate is set to expire mid-month, Ms. Salvador made the case for its renewal.

“I ask for your support in ensuring that BINUH is adequately resourced to effectively and efficiently deliver its mandate and help Haiti out of these crises while ensuring the safety and security of UN personnel,” she said.

“This is a critical moment, which we cannot afford to waste. This is a time for international solidarity and immediate action.”

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