Security Council
ASG Khiari briefs the Security Council on ongoing tensions and violence in the occupied West Bank
On 5 January, Assistant Secretary-General for the Middle East, Asia and the Pacific Khaled Khiari told the Security Council that the recent visit by Israel’s new National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir to the Holy Sites, the first since 2017 by an Israeli minister, was “particularly inflammatory” and warned that any incident or tension there can spill over and cause violence throughout the Occupied Palestinian Territory, in Israel, and elsewhere in the region. “With that reality in mind, I reiterate the Secretary General’s call for all parties to refrain from steps that could escalate tensions in and around the Holy Sites, and for all to uphold the status quo, in line with the special role of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan,” he said, adding that UN’s engagement with relevant parties to de-escalate the situation continues.
Read full remarks here
Read more in UN News here
December UN Security Council in Review released
DPPA’s Security Council Affairs Division (SCAD) has circulated its "United Nations Security Council in Review" for December 2022. The monthly newsletter offers an overview of the activity of the Security Council for the previous month. It is an addition to the existing research tools and information products available here.
Read the December newsletter here
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Ukraine
Secretary-General disbands Fact-Finding Mission regarding incident at Olenivka
Secretary-General António Guterres has announced, though his spokesperson, the disbandment of his Fact-Finding Mission (FFM) regarding the 29 July 2022 Incident at Olenivka in Ukraine, citing the absence of conditions required for the deployment of the Mission to the site. The Fact-Finding Mission was established in August 2022 following requests from the Governments of Ukraine and the Russian Federation.
Afghanistan
DSRSG Potzel holds meetings to discuss education of girls in Afghanistan
This week, Deputy Special Representative Markus Potzel met with the director of the civil society organization Pen Path, Matiullah Wesa, to acknowledge its awareness-raising and advocacy for the reopening of girls’ schools in Afghanistan. DSRSG Potzel said that Wesa’s call to Afghans not to lose hope in the face of extreme challenges was inspirational. Potzel also met with the former president of Afghanistan, Hamid Karzai, in Kabul. They exchanged views on the damage being inflicted on Afghanistan by Taliban orders that deny girls and women an education, and forbid Afghan women to work for aid agencies.
Sudan
Trilateral Mechanism and Joint Coordination Committee meet to discuss political process
The Trilateral Mechanism and the Joint Coordination Committee held a series of meetings this week to prepare the next phase of the political process. AU-IGAD-UN will provide expertise and support to the planned broad consultations on a range of issues.
UNITAMS meets with internally displaced persons
Also this week, the UNITAMS Regional Office in Darfur held a meeting with representatives of Internally displaced persons (IDPs) from surrounding camps of El Fasher town in North Darfur. They exchanged views on the Political Framework Agreement, which was signed on 5 December 2022.
Yemen
Special Envoy Grundberg meets with President of Presidential Leadership Council
On 5 January, Special Envoy of the Secretary-General Hans Grundberg met with the President of the Presidential Leadership Council of the Republic of Yemen Rashad Mohammed Al-Alimi in Riyadh. They discussed the recent developments in Yemen and underlined the importance of a Yemeni-led political process and outlined the way forward for a comprehensive settlement of the conflict.
Podcast: "Behind the Numbers"
New episode offers insights on women’s meaningful participation
In the latest episode of “Behind the Numbers,” DPPA’s podcast on women peacemakers, Donald Steinberg, a former diplomat and peace negotiator engaged in peace processes in Angola, Haiti, Sudan and beyond, explains why women’s meaningful participation is critical to ensuring the success of a peace process.
Listen to the episode here
Next Week
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On Tuesday, Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General Giovanie Biha will brief the Security Council on the situation in the West Africa and the Sahel. On Wednesday, Special Representative of the Secretary-General Carlos Ruiz Massieu will brief on Colombia. On Thursday, the Council will hold an open debate on the promotion and strengthening of the rule of law in the maintenance of international peace and security: the Rule of Law among Nations.
