“Israel’s airstrikes and ground operations in a crowded refugee camp were the worst violence in the West Bank in many years,” said António Guterres, referring to the two-day-long military assault in Jenin, which began on Monday morning, involving the use of airstrikes and missiles fired from drones.
According to the Palestinian health ministry, 12 people were killed, including three children, during what Israel described as a counter-terror operation. At least 120 were wounded, including 20 still in critical condition.
Gun battles broke out between Israeli forces and Palestinian militants, with some roads torn up and many homes and properties damaged. At least 3,000 people were reportedly forced to flee their homes.
A car ramming attack in Israeli’s largest city, Tel Aviv, in apparent retaliation for the Jenin operation left nine injured. The Palestinian man who drove the vehicle into pedestrians was shot dead at the scene.
On Thursday, Israel said it had responded with artillery fire after a rocket was launched into Israeli territory from southern Lebanon.
Exercise restraint
Addressing correspondents at UN Headquarters in New York, the Secretary-General noted that schools and hospitals had been damaged in Jenin along with water and electricity networks.
“All those injured must have access to medical care, and humanitarian workers must be able to reach everyone in need,” he said. “I once again call on Israel to abide by its obligations under international law, including the duty to exercise restraint and use only proportional force and the duty to minimize damage and injury and respect and preserve human life.”
Jenin refugee camp borders the Jenin municipality and is the northernmost camp in the West Bank.
He described the use of airstrikes as “inconsistent with the conduct of law enforcement operations”, and reminded Israel that as the occupying Power, it is responsible for ensuring civilians are “protected against all acts of violence”.
More violence ‘is not the answer’
Mr. Guterres said he understood Israel’s legitimate concerns over its security, “but escalation is not the answer; it simply bolsters radicalization and leads to a deepening cycle of violence and bloodshed.”
He said it was in Israel’s long-term interest to abide by the two-State solution, which envisages an independent Palestine next door.
“Restoring the hope of the Palestinian people in a meaningful political process, leading to a two-State solution and the end of the occupation, is an essential contribution by Israel to its own security.”
Watch the UN chief’s full remarks at the UN Security Council stakeout, where he also speaks about the crisis in Haiti:
The report covers 26 situations in five regions worldwide, representing another high.
Countries include Ethiopia, Mozambique and Ukraine, which are being featured for the first time. New situations in Haiti and Niger are mentioned and details will appear in next year’s edition.
Killed, recruited, abducted
The UN has verified that 18,890 children suffered grave violations during wartime in 2022. Some 8,630 were either killed or maimed; 7,622 were recruited and used in combat, and 3,985 were abducted.
Ms. Gamba said these three violations remained the ones verified at the highest levels, and they all increased last year.
“Children were killed or injured in airstrikes, by explosive weapons, by live ammunition, in crossfire, or in direct attacks. In many cases, they fell victim to explosive remnants of war,” she said.
Rape and sexual slavery
Furthermore, 1,165 children, mainly girls, were raped, gang-raped, forced into marriage or sexual slavery, or sexually assaulted. Some cases were so severe that the victims died.
The senior UN official underlined the need to never forget that these numbers represent actual children whose individual stories are not told.
She cited examples such as the case of three girls in South Sudan who were gang-raped over a five-day period, a 14-year-old girl abducted and burned alive in Myanmar, and boys killed by an improvised explosive device in a school in Afghanistan.
Faces behind the figures
“This is why we must remember that behind the figures are the faces of children suffering from armed violence around the globe. We must do more to prevent and protect our children from the ravages of armed conflict,” she said.
Ms. Gamba also noted that some child victims are punished for their circumstances instead of receiving protection. Last year, 2,496 children were deprived of liberty for their actual or alleged association with parties to conflict.
“Being particularly vulnerable at the hands of authorities, children under detention were exposed to further violations of their rights, including torture and sexual violence. In some cases, they were even sentenced to death,” she said.
Schools and hospitals attacked
The report further revealed verified attacks on 1,163 schools and nearly 650 hospitals in 2022, representing a 112 per cent increase over the previous year. Half of these attacks were carried out by Government forces.
She said the use of schools and hospitals for military purposes also remains a major concern, with a verified “sharp increase” of over 60 per cent in cases last year, both by armed forces and armed groups.
Aid under fire
Meanwhile, humanitarians and the vital aid they provide – often the “only hope” for children and communities affected by conflict – have increasingly come under fire.
The UN verified more than 3,930 incidents of the denial of humanitarian access to children last year. Aid workers were also killed, assaulted and abducted, while humanitarian supplies were looted, and assets and vital infrastructure destroyed.
The Deputy Executive Director of the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF), Omar Abdi, also briefed the Council.
He recalled that the highest numbers of grave violations against children were verified in longstanding protracted conflicts, including in places such as the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Israel and Palestine, and Somalia.
Concern for Sudan
Although the current conflict in Sudan erupted outside the reporting period, UNICEF is also gravely concerned about its impact on the 21 million children there.
“More than one million children have now been displaced by the fighting and the UN has received credible reports, under verification, that hundreds of children have been killed and injured,” he said.
Mr. Abdi was adamant that the UN mandate on Children and Armed Conflict is effective, noting that armed groups have released at least 180,000 boys and girls from their ranks over the past 23 years.
However, he said that “as the number of countries on the children and armed conflict agenda grows, so too does the number of children in need of our protection and support”, urging greater international support for UN efforts.
“We have seen across the world, and time, how social media has become a major vehicle in spreading hate speech at an unprecedented speed, threatening freedom of expression and a thriving public debate,” said Alice Wairimu Nderitu, Special Adviser to the UN Secretary-General on the Prevention of Genocide, who is the global focal point on the issue.
“We saw how the perpetrators in the incidents of identity-based violence used online hate to target, dehumanize and attack others, many of whom are already the most marginalized in society, including ethnic, religious, national or racial minorities, refugees and migrants, women and people with diverse sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, and sex characteristics,” said Ms. Nderitu.
Key recommendations include:
The need to ensure respect for human rights and the rule of law when countering online hate speech, and apply these standards to content moderation, content curation and regulation.
Enhancing transparency of content moderation, content curation and regulation.
Promoting positive narratives to counter online hate speech, and foster user engagement and empowerment.
Ensuring accountability, strengthen judicial mechanisms and enhance independent oversight mechanisms.
Strengthening multilateral and multi-stakeholder cooperation.
Advancing community-based voices and formulating context-sensitive and knowledge-based policymaking and good practice to protect and empower vulnerable groups and populations to counter online hate speech.
The policy paper builds upon earlier initiatives, including The UN Strategy and Plan of Action on Hate Speech, which seeks to enhance the UN’s response to the global spread and impact of hate speech.
The Strategy makes a firm commitment to step up coordinated action to tackle hate speech, both at global and national levels, including the use of new technologies and engaging with social media to address online hate speech and promote positive narratives.
Role for tech, social media
“Digital technologies and social media play a crucial role in tackling hate speech, through outreach, awareness-raising, providing access to information, and education,” noted the Special Adviser.
“The transformation of our lives into a hybrid format, with the share of our life spent online ever increasing, ensuring that we all enjoy the same rights online as we do offline has become ever more important,” noted Dr. Ahmed Shaheed, Deputy Director, Essex Human Rights, Big Data and Technology Project and former UN Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief.
‘Mass atrocities’
He warned of “the acts of violence that follow from online incitement to violence, including mass atrocities”, beyond the digital divides created by online hate.
“Unfortunately, our investment in countering online hate has not yet matched the reality of its dissemination and impact online. And it remains our responsibility – all relevant stakeholders – to step up our efforts to preserve the hard-won gains achieved to-date in advancing non-discrimination and equality,” concluded Special Adviser Nderitu.
In a statement from his spokesperson on Monday, Mr. Guterres affirmed that all military operations must be conducted with full respect for international humanitarian law.
The incursion follows another operation in the camp on 19 June, which left four Palestinians killed and 91 others injured.
Rising death toll
The UN’s humanitarian affairs coordination office (OCHA) said on Tuesday that as a result of the air and ground operations taking place in the West Bank town, 10 Palestinians including three children were killed, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health.
At least 100 others have been injured, of whom 20 are reportedly in critical condition, OCHA said. Thousands of residents have reportedly left the camp since the operation began.
In an apparent retaliatory attack in the Israeli city of Tel Aviv on Tuesday, seven people were injured, three seriously, when a Palestinian man drove into pedestrians standing outside a shopping centre, according to news reports.
The attacker was shot and killed by an Israeli citizen at the scene. Palestinian militant group Hamas reportedly described the attack as a direct response to the military operation in Jenin.
Lack of basic essentials
Airstrikes in Jenin “significantly damaged” structures in which people were living in both the camp and surrounding neighbourhoods. The agency warned that due to damage to infrastructure, most of the Jenin camp has lost access to drinking water and electricity.
The UN agency for Palestine refugees (UNRWA), which runs four schools, one health centre and other facilities in the Jenin camp, said that many residents were in urgent need of food, drinking water and milk powder for children.
As of Monday, all UNRWA installations in the camp, operated by 90 staff members, were out of service due to the heavy exchanges of fire, the agency reported.
Ambulances denied access
Meanwhile, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Tuesday that the extent of people’s injuries was placing strain on the “fragile and underfunded” health system and that it was working with partners to deliver more life-saving medical supplies to Jenin Hospital.
UN humanitarians said that the destruction of roads in the refugee camp was restricting access for medical teams and ambulances, and Israeli forces were conducting checks on vehicles, including ambulances, at the entrance of the camp.
According to the UN health agency, ambulances with medical teams have been prevented from entering parts of the refugee camp and reaching persons who have been critically injured.
Attacks on healthcare
At least two hospitals have also been affected by attacks involving use of ammunition and gas canisters.
“Attacks against healthcare, including prevention of access to persons injured, are extremely concerning”, WHO said, calling for “respect and protection of healthcare”, including safe passage to health services in Jenin and across Palestine.
The agency recalled that there had been a “significant increase” in attacks on healthcare in the West Bank this year. The first five months of 2023 saw “at least” 124 WHO-documented attacks, resulting in 39 health worker injuries and affecting 117 ambulances.
António Guterres was addressing the Council of The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), the world’s largest regional security body in terms of landmass and population which currently includes China, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and new member Iran.
The UN has had a cooperation agreement with the Asia-focused SCO since 2010, which also partners with multiple UN agencies. This year the summit is being hosted via videoconference by India.
Ukraine, COVID factor
The UN chief told Member States the growing divisions had been aggravated by different national and reasonable responses to global crises, differences over security threats, the consequences of COVID and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
“But today’s global challenges, from the climate crisis to growing inequality and the governance of new technology, can only be resolved through dialogue and cooperation. And the only way that can happen is together.”
Solutions needed on three fronts
He said there were three main areas where he believes “we can and must seek and unite for solutions.
“First, the climate crisis. Unless humanity acts together, we are heading for disaster. We need to team up – and speed up”, he said.
He cited his Climate Solidarity Pact aimed at big carbon emitters and developing countries, backing support for emerging economies.
“Climate action is the fight of our lives, and SCO members have an important role to play”, he emphasized.
Checks on AI
Next, he said solutions needed to be forthcoming as the world sleepwalks “completely unprepared” into the new tech era.
Artificial Intelligence (AI), autonomous weapons, and bioengineering are three areas where our abilities to safely develop and regulate the industry and companies pioneering it, “are falling far behind.”
To help forge international consensus on the rules, he cited the UN’s proposed Global Digital Compact to bring together governments, regional organizations, the private sector and civil society.
He said a new UN High-Level advisory group on Artificial Intelligence would be created.
“I am open to any initiative by Member States to create an international agency for AI”, he added. “SCO members are global leaders in many of these areas and we count on your engagement and support.”
‘Reduce injustice’
Thirdly, he reiterated the breakdown in trust within and between countries which has sparked rising inequality. The pandemic only widened it, while saddling developing economies with too much debt and interest payments, swallowing up money that could have gone on climate action and sustainable development.
“The solution to unjust globalization is not to reduce globalization. It is to reduce injustice.
He called on States to work for fair globalization, climate justice, and global finance reforms that bring equity and balance to both the Bretton Woods institutions and the Security Council.
“We are calling for deep reforms to make global frameworks more representative of developing and emerging economies, and more responsive to their needs. And I am also calling for an immediate SDG Stimulus to increase liquidity, reduce the debt burden on developing economies, and get the 2030 Agenda on track.”
He said at the national level, a strong focus was needed on social protection and jobs. A new social contract needs to be based on respect “for all human rights”, he added.
Afghanistan and human rights
The SCO is well placed he said to advance peace and security in Eurasia and counter violent extremism and terrorism.
He welcomed the commitment of Afghanistan’s neighbours to a peaceful and united Afghanistan “with an inclusive broad-based Government” following the 2021 Taliban takeover, which is returning the country to rule by religious fiat and totally undermined women’s rights.
He said Afghans needed “a Government that will safeguard the rights of all its people, particularly women and girls, and prevent the country from becoming a centre for terrorism and violent extremism.”
Mr. Guterres welcomed the SCO’s commitment to deepening cooperation with the UN and called for “strong engagement” from States ahead of the SDG Summit, Climate Ambition Summit and his planned Summit of the Future next year.
“Let us work together for global solutions that advance peace and security, sustainable development and human rights for all.”
Since then, as international funding has stalled amid skepticism about the Taliban’s return, the UN has been acting as the world’s “eyes and ears” in Afghanistan. After shifting mainly to humanitarian work, UN agencies and partners are finding ways to help the long-suffering population meet basic needs and preserve hard-won development gains.
UN News was recently in the Afghan capital Kabul to learn more about what the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) is doing to support national partners in addressing the needs of drug-affected communities and helping to backstop overstretched drug treatment facilities.
While there, we also spoke with Markus Poztel who serves as the Deputy Special Representative for the UN Assistance Mission in the country, known as UNAMA.
In this exclusive interview, Mr. Poztel talks about the Mission’s efforts to combat drug abuse and trafficking in Afghanistan as well as the work to restore and protect basic rights in the country, particularly the rights of women and girls.
He highlighted the UN’s role as a “bridge builder” in a very complex setting where the needs are as great as the challenges.
While acknowledging work with the de facto authorities in many areas, he tells UN News “there is no middle ground” on the issue of women and girls’ education and that broader human rights and the decrees banning women’s participation in society “should be reversed as soon as possible”.
This interview has been edited for clarity and brevity.
UN News / David Mottershead
Deputy UN Special Representative for Afghanistan Markus Potzel speaking to UN News in Kabul, Afghanistan.
Markus Potzel:Afghanistan is still the world’s largest producer [of opium]. We’ve recently seen a ban [enacted by the Taliban] on poppy cultivation, production, and trafficking. Initial field reports suggest that there has been a decline in poppy cultivation, which we commend.
We also see efforts to do more for drug rehabilitation centres. The de facto authorities could allocate more [budgetary funding] to equip these centres with medicine, food, and clothes. But, I also call on the international community to do more. We do cooperate with countries in the region who actually are willing to support the de facto authorities on drug rehabilitation.
In terms of livelihoods, there must be more support by the international community because it’s in all our interests – in the interests of Afghans, but also of donor countries in the West and regional countries, all of whom are suffering from drug abuse and trafficking.
UNAMA is addressing [this issue] with the political leadership here, and we are trying to find some common ground to fight drug abuse and drug trafficking and provide the means for alternative livelihoods.
UN News:How are you able to balance between the work that you need to do on the ground in Afghanistan and dealing with what is considered by many an illegitimate authority?
Markus Potzel: The basis of our activity here is the mandate that the Security Council has given us, which encourages us to interact with all political interlocutors, including the de facto authorities.
We have to face the realities on the ground. The Taliban control … almost all of the country.And that’s an opportunity for the Taliban to stabilize and pacify the country. It is also a responsibility because they have to provide services to the people. They have to provide good governance and the rule of law. This is where we see deficits. The authorities have an interest in talking to us because they see us as a bridge builder. We can help convey messages from Afghanistan to the outside world, and we do it the other way as well.
We have 11 field offices throughout the country. So, we are here. We are the eyes and ears, the antennae of the international community. We convey messages, and by talking to the de facto authorities, we also try to foster cooperation and help them get out of this isolation.
We think isolation is not an option, at least not a good option, for the future of Afghanistan.
UNICEF / Mark Naftalin
Students enter the UNICEF-supported Fatah Girls School in Herat, Afghanistan, on 15 June 2022.
UN News:The ban on women and girls’ education has been devastating for the country’s development. While we’ve been here, we have even heard this from people working in institutions that are run by the Taliban. How can a middle ground be found on an issue like this one?
Markus Potzel:There is no middle ground on this issue. Afghanistan is the only country in the world which doesn’t allow girls to go to school beyond grade six, or to university. There is no discussion about this; it’s not a bargaining chip. It has to be reversed.
I’m sure that most of the Afghan population, including the Taliban, are against these decrees. They are in favour of girls’ education. I have not met any officials from the de facto authorities who are in favour of the decrees banning girls from going to school or university.
[These decrees] are detrimental to economic progress. Girls should have a say. Women should have a say in this society. [The de facto authorities] should revoke the ban as soon as possible. Otherwise, there will always be a shadow on the relations Afghanistan has with the international community.
UN News:If the vast majority of Afghans disagree with this ban, including their own people, why do the Taliban authorities continue to implement it?
Markus Potzel:The Emir in Kandahar and his inner circle give a mix of religious arguments and cultural narratives [for implementing the decrees]. But, on the religious argument, Islamic countries around the world don’t have this ban. No other country in the world has this ban. The Quran says “Iqra” which means “read”. It encourages all people – men, women, boys and girls – to read, to write, to learn.
And in terms of culture, there is a tradition in this country that girls and boys learn. Under the Republic, not every girl went to school. In remote areas, they didn’t have the chance, but they were given the right, by the constitution and in law, which does not exist anymore.
UN News: Have you received any kind of cooperation from Islamic countries in helping you deliver this message to the Taliban?
Markus Potzel:Yes, of course. There was a delegation of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) that came here and tried to convince the decision makers in this country of the view that education is part of Islam. So far to no avail, but they will come back. These are scholars from Islamic countries, including Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Qatar, and Indonesia. [During the earlier visit] a woman was part of the scholars’ delegation. Islamic countries probably have better access and are probably more convincing in talking to the Taliban. We hope that in the end, all our efforts will bear fruit.
UN News/Ezzat El-Ferri
A mountain range and winding road between Kabul and Jalalabad.
UN News: Prior to the political change, the Taliban were the biggest threat to the UN’s work. After August 2021, what is the biggest challenge now facing the UN’s work in Afghanistan?
Markus Potzel:In terms of security, it’s definitely Da’esh, the Islamic State of Khorasan Province.
The circumstances for the UN are getting more difficult because Afghan women now are not allowed to work for non-governmental organizations (NGOs), nor are they allowed to work for the UN.This really complicates things because we rely heavily on women in our work. Without women, it’s very hard … to keep the aid organizations running. We need women to reach out to women.
There are tens of thousands of women-led households in this country because a lot of men in families have lost their lives in war. And without women, NGOs and UN organizations are not able to function properly [so] fewer people get access to aid.
UN News:What is your message to the de facto authorities?
Markus Potzel:I think that the de facto authorities in Afghanistan should let girls go to school beyond grade six. They should let girls go to university. They should let women work for international NGOs, for national NGOs, and for UN organizations. And they should let women participate in social life. If this happens, I can imagine that Afghanistan would be integrated into the international community again, and international donors would also rethink and probably reinforce engagement with Afghanistan. Afghanistan needs international help. And we, as the UN, want to help them help themselves.
“While the reconnection of the back-up power line is positive, the plant’s external power situation remains highly vulnerable, underlining the precarious nuclear safety and security situation at the site,” Mr. Grossi said.
Much needed back-up
According to IAEA, the plant’s connection to the single remaining 330 kilovolt (kV) power line out of six that existed before Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022 was restored on Saturday.
The connection had been cut on 1 March due to damage sustained on the other side of the Dnipro River. The four-month-long effort to restore the connection reflects the challenging security situation in the region.
The ZNPP had been relying solely on a single main 750 kV power line for essential functions like reactor cooling and nuclear safety since the conflict began. Prior to Russia’s military invasion of Ukraine, the plant had four such power lines.
The newly energized 330 kV line will serve as a backup and will be available to supply power to the ZNPP in case the main line becomes unavailable or damaged.
Since February 2022, the plant has experienced seven instances of complete power loss from external sources, compelling temporary reliance on emergency diesel generators for electricity, according to IAEA.
‘So far’ no mines or explosives observed
No mines or explosive devices have been detected around the plant by a team of agency experts, Mr. Grossi had announced on Friday. The IAEA inspection team had also noted that the plant had the reserves of water available for use despite the destruction of the downstream Kakhovka dam more than three weeks ago, he said.
In inspection was spurred by reports that mines and other explosives had been placed in and around the plant, including mines near the cooling pond, Mr. Grossi said, adding that IAEA takes such reports very seriously.
“I have instructed our experts at the site to look into this matter and request the access they need for doing their job,” he said. “Until now they have not observed any mines or other explosives. Further access will still be needed.”
The UN chief expressed deep concern at the extreme vulnerability faced by the Haitian people – especially women and girls – because of brutally violent and “predatory” armed gangs, like those encircling the capital, blocking main roads and controlling access to water, food, health care.
“I condemn in the strongest possible terms the widespread sexual violence which the armed gangs have used as a weapon to instil fear,” he said, calling on the entire international community to urgently “put the victims and the civilian population at the centre of our concerns and priorities.”
Deployment of an international force
Speaking to reporters in the Haitian capital, Mr. Guterres said that lasting and fully representative political solutions in Haiti would be impossible without a drastic improvement in the security situation.
“Every day counts. If we do not act now, instability and violence will have a lasting impact on generations of Haitians,” warned the Secretary-General, calling on all partners to increase their support for the national police in the form of financing, training or equipment.
However, such assistance alone might not be enough to restore the authority of the State.
“I continue to urge the Security Council to authorize the immediate deployment of a robust international force to assist the Haitian National Police in its fight against the gangs,” emphasized the UN chief.
Political entente to end the crisis
During his one-day visit to the Haitian capital, the Secretary-General he met with Prime Minister Ariel Henry, the High Transitional Council, members of civil society and the political parties, speaking to all of them on the need for ‘a political entente to end the crisis’.
“I call on all actors to create the conditions necessary for the restoration of democratic institutions,” said Mr. Guterres, inviting all parties involved to “rise above personal interests and make concessions” enabling emergence of a common vision and setting a viable and credible electoral pathway.
He commended the recent inter-Haitian talks, facilitated by the CARICOM Eminent Persons Group, aimed at reaching agreement on the formation of a national unity government and the expansion of the High Transitional Council.
“Only an inclusive national dialogue – with the full participation of women and young people – will help end the insecurity and find lasting political solutions,” Mr. Guterres said, and added that the UN Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH) and the entire UN system would continue to back these efforts.
‘A matter of moral justice’
While in Port-au-Prince, the Secretary-General met local men and women.
“I felt all the exhaustion of a people who have long been grappling with a cascade of crises and unacceptable living conditions. I listened to their call for help,” said the UN chief, noting that currently, one in two Haitians lives in extreme poverty, suffers from hunger, and does not have regular access to drinking water.
With the Haitian people facing such grave challenges, the Secretary-General lamented that the UN humanitarian response plan, which requires $720 million to assist more than three million people, is only 23 per cent funded.
It is “a matter of solidarity and moral justice” that the international community step up, he stated.
He specially commended the courage and dedication of humanitarian workers who provide assistance despite many obstacles and asked all stakeholders to uphold human rights and international law and to ensure safe and unhindered humanitarian access to people in need in Haiti.
‘No solution without the Haitian people’
Only inclusive and sustainable development will help to break the historical cycle of crises, address the humanitarian and security challenges, and create a stable constitutional and political environment, stated the UN chief.
“No solution can be found without the Haitian people,” he continued, but acknowledged that the scale of the problems demands the full support of the international community.
To garner that and more, the Secretary-General said that he is heading on Sunday to Trinidad and Tobago, where will participate in the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Summit, which brings together the region’s 20 countries, among others.
Security Council members reiterated strong support for the full withdrawal of the decade-old UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA), and the transfer of security responsibilities to the country’s transitional Government, which has been in power since a coup in 2021.
Commending the peacekeeping operation and its staff, UN Secretary-General António Guterres called for the “full cooperation of the transitional Government for an orderly and safe withdrawal of the mission’s personnel and assets in the coming months”, said Farhan Haq, his deputy spokesperson.
However, the UN chief remains concerned by the fact that the level and duration of the financial commitment authority required to facilitate the drawdown process have been significantly reduced during budget negotiations in the General Assembly’s Fifth Committee, the deputy spokesperson said, adding that “this increases the complexities and risks of the drawdown operation”.
Meanwhile, the Secretary-General will continue to engage with the transitional Government on how best to serve the interests of the people of Mali in cooperation with the UN Country Team in Mali, the UN Office for West Africa and the Sahel (UNOWAS) and other partners.
Security Council’s unanimous support
By the terms of the adopted resolution, MINUSMA will begin drawing down its presence on Saturday and will completely withdraw from Mali by 1 January 2024.
The Council also authorized the mission to respond with force to imminent threats of violence to civilians and contribute to the safe civilian-led delivery of humanitarian assistance, up to 30 September.
Established by the Council in 2013 following a coup the previous year, the mission’s presence, as of February 2023, stands at more than 15,000 personnel, according to MINUSMA.
Media reports have depicted a grim security landscape. Over the past decade, Mali and the Sahel region have seen a surge in clashes and attacks by armed groups and terrorist affiliates, with 303 peacekeepers killed, according to MINUSMA.
Conditions have also worsened due to climate shocks, and rising intercommunal tensions over scarce resources that have become the main drivers of continued violence, mass displacement, instability, and cross-border trafficking.
UN mission’s ‘crucial role’
Echoing a common message from Council members, Ghana’s Ambassador Harold Adlai Agyeman said the resolution marks a milestone, adding that MINUSMA has played a “crucial role” in securing Mali amid many challenges.
Many Council members agreed that the mission’s drawdown does not end the international community’s assistance to Mali. Russia’s Deputy Ambassador Anna Evstigneeva said Moscow will continue to provide support, including on a bilateral basis.
Several Council members, including the United Kingdom’s Ambassador Barbara Woodward, cautioned that the withdrawal is occurring at a time of fragility in the Sahel region.
Reflecting those concerns, Ambassador for the United States Jeffrey DeLaurentis said all efforts should be made to address such issues as the presence of armed actors, including the Wagner Group, a Russia-based private security contractor that media reports have indicated as being active in Mali.
“Although we regret the decision of the transitional Government to abandon MINUSMA and the fact that this will harm the Malian population, we voted in favour of the resolution since we are satisfied with the withdrawal plan adopted,” he said.
Mali: Government pledges full support
While MINUSMA did not achieve all of its goals, Mali’s Ambassador Issa Konfourou said the mission has made gains in such areas as human rights.
Ahead of the withdrawal, he said the Malian Government will ensure compliance with the terms of the mission’s disengagement within the established timeframe.
In addition, Mali will continue to work tirelessly to protect civilians over all its territory, he said, paying tribute to peacekeepers’ contributions.
However, he regretted that the Council continues to consider the current situation in Mali as a “threat to international security”, pointing to such gains made as a resumption of constitutional order and the advance of the Algiers Process towards achieving lasting peace.
For more details on this and other meetings occurring throughout the UN system, visit our dedicated UN Meetings Coverage page.
The chief of OHCHR’s Myanmar team, James Rodehaver, explained that since their February 2021 coup, the country’s military rulers have been instilling a “climate of fear” to subjugate the civilian population, restricting aid access and using “all means” at their disposal to clamp down on civil society.
Brutal tactics
He said the military’s tactics had included the use of heavy weaponry on civilian areas and airstrikes, the burning of villages, and the use of landmines to prevent those forced to flee from returning home.
“Another thing that they have done regularly has been to burn food stores, crops and seed stores, to destroy medical facilities and to target medical workers.”
Over 17.6 million people, or a third of the overall population of Myanmar need aid.
OHCHR Spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani briefing in Geneva on the comprehensive human rights update for Myanmar, stressed that intentional obstruction or denial of humanitarian assistance may amount to serious violations of international law.
Aid workers treated as opponents
“The military has operated as if those providing aid are helping those opposed to their rule, rather than respecting their need for protection and facilitating their access and assistance to the civilian population in a time of crisis”, she said.
She cited the military’s “four cuts” strategy outlined in the report “to kill and injure thousands of civilians while destroying goods and infrastructure necessary for survival, including food, shelter, and medical centres”.
An estimated 1.5 million people have been internally displaced, and approximately 60,000 civilian structures have reportedly been burnt or destroyed, she said.
Between the overthrow of the civilian Government and April 2023, credible sources have verified that at least 3,452 people had died at the hands of the military and its affiliates, and 21,807 individuals had been arrested.
Dramatically worse
“Notably, our report says the security situation has dramatically worsened for humanitarian workers since the coup. Aid providers are consistently exposed to risks of arrest, harassment or other mistreatment, or even death”, Ms. Shamdasani added.
“In the context of armed conflicts, intentional obstruction or denial of humanitarian assistance may further constitute war crimes such as wilful killing, torture and other degrading treatment, starvation, and collective punishment”, she warned.
Intentional denial can also constitute crimes against humanity, she continued, such as murder, “extermination, torture and other inhumane acts, or persecution, when committed in the context of a widespread or systematic attack against a civilian population.”
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