Tag: UN affairs

Marking the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty, Mr. Guterres pointed out that nearly 700 million people are living on less than $2.15 per day and over a billion don’t have access to basic needs like food, water, health care and education.

Billions more lack sanitation and access to energy, jobs, housing and social safety nets, he added.

Distress is being deepened by conflicts, the climate crisis, discrimination and exclusion – particularly against women and girls, the UN chief said.

According to Mr. Guterres, an outdated and unfair global financial system will lead to almost 500 million people living in extreme poverty in 2030, which he stressed was simply unacceptable.

”Ending poverty is the challenge of our time. But it is a challenge we can win,” he said.

‘Situation dire’ in Afghanistan’s West after earthquake terror

The UN humanitarian aid coordination office OCHA, has launched a multi-sectoral Earthquake Response Plan in response to the series of powerful earthquakes that have rocked Afghanistan’s Herat Province since 7 October.

In an update, OCHA reported that at least 1,480 people have been killed and 1,950 wounded.

Satellite imagery indicates that 289 villages have been severely impacted with many destroyed. The most recent earthquake on Sunday affected an estimated 30 new villages, forcing families to live in makeshift shelters or informal settlements. with more, here’s Katherine Carey, deputy head for OCHA in Kabul.

“In reality, people clearly reside in tents for several weeks before they do require some more sustainable form of shelter or transitional shelter to give them better protection so really right now obviously the priority is to ensure people aren’t living out in the open and they have some form of protection and even if it is minimal.”

To date, nearly 66,000 people across six districts have been directly affected by the quakes.

Health services

World Health Organization (WHO) spokesperson Tarik Jasarevic said that the immediate focus now is to save the lives of the injured and to ensure survivors have access to humanitarian relief, including essential health services.

“Women, children and vulnerable populations are gravely affected by the disaster,” he said, adding that female health workers in the country continue to attend to patients, with no discrimination.

Mr. Jasarevic confirmed that the UN health agency has provided enough supplies to treat 650 injured patients at Herat Regional Hospital.

An additional 25 metric tonnes of medicines and medical supplies have also been sent to Herat, while 54 mobile health teams, including three by WHO, have been deployed in the affected areas.

He warned that displacement caused by the disaster poses a significant health risk, including increasing the transmission of infectious diseases, such as measles, acute respiratory infections and acute watery diarrhoea.

Nearly 4,000 killed and civilian property destroyed during raging Darfur conflict

Conflict in Sudan’s Darfur region has had a devastating toll on civilians, UN humanitarians warned on Tuesday.

An alert from UN refugee agency UNHCR, reported that almost 4,000 lives have been lost and 8,400 individuals injured since fighting erupted six months ago.

Testimonies have also been gathered on severe human rights violations against innocent civilians, including refugees and internally displaced people since the conflict began in mid-April.

Speaking in Geneva, UNHCR spokesperson Eujin Byun said they believed that many of the casualties were targeted primarily because of their ethnicity, particularly in West Darfur.

Displaced children have also found themselves caught in the crossfire, with schools damaged or destroyed by shelling, Ms. Byun added, before warning that those who have managed to reach safety are grappling with acute psychological distress.

Indiscriminate shootings

According to the UNHCR spokesperson, civilian property has also suffered greatly, with at least 29 cities, towns and villages in Darfur being looted, burned, or destroyed.

Indiscriminate shootings and heavy shelling in camps and gathering sites have also resulted in hundreds of casualties.

Children are also without access to education and safe spaces, increasing their vulnerability to various dangers, including sexual violence, psychological trauma, and family separation.

Ms. Byun called on all parties involved in the conflict to prioritize the protection of civilians, including refugees and internally displaced people, and to facilitate the safe delivery of humanitarian aid.

That’s according to Humanitarian Coordinator Denise Brown, who led a convoy at the weekend carrying aid for around 1,000 civilians to Chasiv Yar, just six kilometres from the frontline in the Donetsk region.

The UN aid coordination office OCHA warned on Monday that civilians are facing “daily attacks” along frontline areas in the east and south.

“In recent days, homes, schools, healthcare facilities, port infrastructure and aid distribution points have all been hit”, said UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric, briefing reporters in New York.

No water for a year

Civilians told Ms. Brown they had been cut off from water, electricity and gas for more than a year. Most homes and civilian buildings and roads have been damaged. Around 90 per cent of the population has fled.

“This year, we have organized more than 90 inter-agency convoys to frontline communities in northern, eastern and southern Ukraine, with one-third delivering aid to the Donetsk region”, said Mr. Dujarric.

The UN and partners have reached more than 8.3 million people in Ukraine with humanitarian assistance so far this year alone.

Peacekeepers in Mali begin withdrawing from restive Kidal region

UN peacekeepers from the Mali mission MINUSMA announced on Monday that they have begun withdrawing from the northern camps in the Kidal region, as security conditions worsen.

More than 300 ‘blue helmets’ have lost their lives during the decade-long civilian protection mission, which is due to fully drawdown by the end of this year, at the request of Mali’s military authorities.

Extremist violence and rampant insecurity have been constant, made worse by major political unrest which has seen several coups in the past three years. Violence has only increased in the past few weeks across the centre and north of the country.

Exit ‘as soon as possible’

The UN Spokesperson said that MINUSMA was “doing everything it can” to complete the withdrawal process “as soon as possible, in the midst of the rapidly deteriorating security situation and also increased risk to the lives of hundreds of peacekeepers.”

Mr. Dujarric acknowledged that “this is becoming increasingly difficult” and said personnel from the Mission were forced to seek shelter in bunkers due to an exchange of fire in Tessalit earlier on Monday.

“All parties, including the Government and including the signatory armed movements, have an obligation to ensure the secure, safe, and unimpeded withdrawal of the Mission personnel and equipment.”

He reminded reporters of a statement at the weekend outlining the increasing likelihood that the MINUSMA will be forced to leave “without being able to repatriate equipment belonging to Troop-Contributing Countries and the UN.”

The Mission is now intensifying engagement with the Malian authorities to convey its concerns and underscore their responsibilities as the host nation for the safety and security of peacekeepers.

Top humanitarian official in Chad calls for urgent support

The UN Humanitarian Coordinator in Chad, Violette Kakyomya, warned on Monday that the country is facing multiples humanitarian crises, issuing an urgent call for support.

The conflict in Sudan between rival militaries which has now raged for six months, has had a strong impact on Chad, with nearly 490,000 Sudanese refugees – mostly women and children – having crossed the border into the eastern part of the country to seek safety.

In total, there are one million refugees are living in Chad.

The conflict in Sudan is also affecting Chad’s food supply chain, with prices of basic commodities more than doubling since the outbreak of the conflict, the UN Spokesperson told correspondents in New York.

Chad is also vulnerable to climate change. Last year, the heaviest rains since the 1960s triggered a major crisis, impacting 1.4 million people and destroying 350,000 hectares of valuable farmland.

Ms. Kakyoma underlined the extreme generosity of the people in Chad who continue to welcome refugees and call for support to ensure seven million Chadians – out of a population of 18 million – receive humanitarian assistance this year.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres expressed deep concerns for the civilian population, urging maximum restraint and that “all diplomatic efforts” are made “to avoid a wider conflagration”.

Dozens of deaths and hundreds of injuries continued to be reported during the day, including from rocket fire by Palestinian militants in Israeli cities and Israel’s airstrike response in the Gaza Strip.

The UN Security Council decided to convene emergency consultations on Sunday at 3pm at UN Headquarters in New York to discuss the crisis.

Deadly quake pummels Afghanistan

A major earthquake struck Herat, Afghanistan early Saturday killing at least 100 people and triggering a spate of rescue and assessment missions by UN agencies, partners, and the de facto authorities.

Initial assessments indicate that the 6.3 magnitude quake caused deaths across eight villages, with a further 500 people injured, according to the latest update from the UN humanitarian agency (OCHA).

Partners and local authorities expect a spike in deaths as rescue missions are mounted to save those trapped in collapsed buildings.

Humanitarian partners have initiated relief efforts, deploying medical and trauma support to regional hospitals alongside emergency shelter, food, supplies, and assistance to people in affected areas.

Response plan for refugees in Armenia

The UN and its partners launched an emergency response plan to help 136,000 refugees, appealing for $97 million to respond to urgent needs of those who fled the Karabakh region and their hosts in Armenia.

“We call upon the international community to urgently support refugees and their hosts,” said Filippo Grandi, UN High Commissioner for Refugees. “International support is crucial to sustain this welcome and to enable us to respond to immediate needs and to also build upon the resilience of this population.”

Following the escalation of hostilities at the end of September, more than 100,000 refugees from the Karabakh region arrived in Armenia in less than a week.

“It is important that we understand the issues of concern to Member States not only at the global level, but also regionally, noting the differences in priority and emphasis,” said Joachim Harris, Chief of the Digital and Promotion team in the UN’s Department of Global Communications.

His team data crunched all speeches made at the 78th session of the UN General Assembly in late September from the 178 world leaders and ministers who laid out what matters most to them.

Capturing the results, his team began with a global analysis then moved across geographical regions.

Here’s what they found:

Africa

Among African world leaders, climate and development featured prominently, as did security. But, the continent itself was the most mentioned topic, according to AI-generated findings.

Asia and the Pacific

Cooperation and multilateralism were common themes among Members States from Asia and the Pacific and across all regions, reflecting a shared commitment to collaborate on global challenges. Calls for reform were also heard, highlighting the desire to continue efforts to improve the effectiveness of international institutions.

Latin American and the Caribbean

Climate was the most mentioned topic by Member States from Latin America and the Caribbean, with the issues of development and peace also featuring prominently in their statements.

Eastern Europe

While globally, climate was the leading issue mentioned most frequently, the war in Ukraine was the most mentioned topic by Member States from Eastern Europe, while Karabakh also featured, a reflection of the upheaval in that region.

Western Europe and other Member States

World leaders from Western Europe and other Member States focused primarily on climate and peace concerns. Human rights, AI, and the war in Ukraine also featured prominently.

“I condemn today’s attack by Israeli settlers against Palestinians and their property in the town of Huwwara in occupied West Bank,” UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, Tor Wennesland, said in a statement.

Huwara is located on the main road connecting the northern city of Nablus to Ramallah and Jerusalem and is surrounded by Israeli settlements.

The town has become the scene of repeated settler assaults on Palestinians, military restrictions and shooting attacks on Israelis.

On Thursday, a suspected Palestinian gunman shot at a car in Huwara carrying three members of an Israeli family who were unharmed. Israeli security forces tracked him down and killed him.

This came hours after two Palestinian gunmen and five Israeli soldiers were wounded in separate clashes.

“I’m outraged by the continued incitement, provocations, and lack of accountability for these violent crimes,” Mr. Wennesland said.

“I call on leaders to work now to reduce tensions, hold perpetrators accountable and stop this senseless cycle of violence.”

Humanitarian Coordinator visits Hroza

The UN Humanitarian Coordinator in Ukraine, Denise Brown, visited Hroza on Friday, less than 24 hours after an attack there killed dozens of civilians.

According to news reports, a Russian missile strike killed at least 51 people, including a child, in the village, which is located near the eastern city of Kupiansk.

Ms. Brown said it is a barbaric consequence of the war in Ukraine that 20 per cent of a community can be wiped out in mere seconds.

According to the latest death toll, the attack wiped out about one fifth of the village, which was home to 330 people

The humanitarian community is working to support civilians in the area. The UN and partners are mobilizing assistance – including medical supplies and health support, shelter maintenance kits, non-food items, cash and hygiene assistance – as well as mental health and psycho-social support.

UN to Launch Advisory Group on Local and Regional Governments

UN Secretary-General António Guterreslaunched his Advisory Group on Local and Regional Governments, through its first hybrid meeting among its 20 members.

“As we consider ways to make multilateral institutions more effective, and to meet the current and future challenges facing people and planet, we need the perspectives and engagement of local and regional authorities”, he said during the opening of the meeting on Friday.

The Advisory Group encompasses 15 representatives of local and regional governments, nominated by the Global Taskforce, and leaders from five countries, Colombia, India, Nigeria, the Philippines, and Spain, with responsibilities or recognized expertise on multi-level governance.

Members will work over a one-year period and meet with the Secretary-General on three occasions to inform on local and regional governments’ dimensions for consideration in preparatory processes of the Summit of the Future next September.

The Summit will provide an opportunity for countries to enhance cooperation on critical challenges and reaffirm commitment to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), among other objectives.

The Advisory Group will also address modalities and means to enhance institutional mechanisms to strengthen engagement of local and regional governments.

It is expected to produce a set of recommendations with strategic guidance in the run up to the Summit of the Future.

“We call on world leaders to launch negotiations of a new legally binding instrument to set clear prohibitions and restrictions on autonomous weapon systems and to conclude such negotiations by 2026,” UN Secretary-General António Guterres and ICRC President Mirjana Spoljaric said on Thursday.

“In the current security landscape, setting clear international red lines will benefit all States,” they added, highlighting that “autonomous weapon systems – generally understood as weapon systems that select targets and apply force without human intervention – pose serious humanitarian, legal, ethical and security concerns.”

In addition, the two leaders said clear restrictions are needed for all other types of autonomous weapons, to ensure compliance with international law and ethical acceptability.

These include limiting where, when and for how long they are used, the types of targets they strike and the scale of force used, as well as ensuring the ability for effective human supervision, and timely intervention and deactivation.

Heightened concerns

The development and proliferation of the weapon systems have the potential to significantly change the way wars are fought and contribute to global instability and heightened international tensions.

By creating a perception of reduced risk to military forces and to civilians, they may lower the threshold for engaging in conflicts, inadvertently escalating violence.

“We must act now to preserve human control over the use of force. Human control must be retained in life and death decisions,” Mr. Guterres and Ms. Spoljaric said.

In their joint appeal, the UN and ICRC noted that the autonomous targeting of humans by machines is a moral line that should not be crossed, stressing that “machines with the power and discretion to take lives without human involvement should be prohibited by international law.”

“Our concerns have only been heightened by the increasing availability and accessibility of sophisticated new and emerging technologies, such as in robotics and Artificial Intelligence technologies, that could be integrated into autonomous weapons,” they said.

International humanitarian law

International law, particularly international humanitarian law, prohibits certain weapons and sets general restrictions on the use of all others.

States and individuals remain accountable for any violations. However, without a specific international agreement governing autonomous weapon systems, States can hold different views about how these general rules apply.

According to the organizations, new international rules on autonomous weapons are therefore needed to clarify and strengthen existing law. They will be a preventive measure, an opportunity to protect those that may be affected by such weapons and essential to avoiding terrible consequences for humanity.

“We urge Members States to take decisive action now to protect humanity,” Mr. Guterres and Ms. Spoljaric said.

Sounding the alarm

The very scientists and industry leaders responsible for such technological advances have also been sounding the alarm.

Mr. Guterres and Ms. Spoljaric said to harness new technologies for the good of humanity, world leaders must first address the most urgent risks and avoid irreparable consequences.

“This means prohibiting autonomous weapon systems which function in such a way that their effects cannot be predicted. For example, allowing autonomous weapons to be controlled by machine learning algorithms – fundamentally unpredictable software which writes itself – is an unacceptably dangerous proposition.”

Prohibitions and restrictions

In addition, they said clear restrictions are needed for all other types of autonomous weapons, to ensure compliance with international law and ethical acceptability.

These include limiting where, when and for how long they are used, the types of targets they strike and the scale of force used, as well as ensuring the ability for effective human supervision, and timely intervention and deactivation.

They went on to say that “despite the increasing reports of testing and use of various types of autonomous weapon systems, it is not too late to take action.”

After more than a decade of discussions within the UN, including in the Human Rights Council, under the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons and at the General Assembly, the foundation has been laid for the adoption of explicit prohibitions and restrictions.

“Now, States must build on this groundwork, and come together constructively to negotiate new rules that address the tangible threats posed by these weapon technologies,” Mr. Guterres and Ms. Spoljaric concluded.