A brief roundup of United Nations-related political and peacebuilding events and developments globally. USG DiCarlo on the situation in Lebanon: “Further escalation benefits no one” On 11 March, Under-Secretary-General Rosemary DiCarlo briefed the Security Council regarding the situation in Lebanon. She said the decision by Hizbullah to attack Israel on 2 March had drawn the country into a conflict it neither sought nor could afford. She said…
If Bunia Could Speak: When poetry becomes a space for healing and advocacy for peace
“If Bunia could speak, it will wake up with hope tomorrow. It will ask to stop bleeding. It will ask to breathe peace.” Inside the conference room of MONUSCO’s logistics base in Bunia, these words were spoken in a single voice. They did not come from one poet alone, but from a group of women — community mediators, women’s rights advocates, young leaders and female peacekeepers — gathered for a poetry workshop. The text they were reading had just…
Displaced families in Mundri live in limbo amidst persistent violence between armed forces
The usually quiet church compound in Mundri has turned in a bustling hub of activity with more than 4,000 people crowded together in makeshift shelters. These families have sought sanctuary at the site after being forced to abandon their homes and flee for their lives during military confrontations between armed forces in Greater Mundri a few months ago. Thirty-eight-year-old Aida Stephen is among those struggling to support her family in dire…
UN Security Council extends UNAMA mandate for three months
On 16 March, the UN Security Council unanimously adopted Resolution 2818 (2026), extending UNAMA’s mandate for an additional three months.
Advancing women, peace and security
Members of the Libyan Women’s Caucus hold an online meeting with young women to capture perspectives and recommendations for the Structured Dialogue
TRIPOLI – In an online meeting on Monday 9 March, members of the Structured Dialogue’s (SD) Libyan Women’s Caucus met with around 30 young women from across the country to brief them on their work and hear their perspectives on key issues related to governance, economy, security, national reconciliation and human rights. Supporting effective participation of women of all ages and person with disability in the SD, and ensuring that their concerns…
An UNMISS- supported dialogue seeks to build social cohesion, counter hate speech
JONGLEI - “Information is the backbone of communication. When the public lacks accurate information, rumors and misinformation can quickly spread and create conflict.” This warning from civil society leader Bol Deng Bol reflects growing concern among community leaders in South Sudan’s Jonglei, where peace actors are intensifying efforts to counter hate speech and strengthen peaceful coexistence between communities. A dialogue supported by the…
New Special Protection Unit in Maridi boosts confidence in reporting violence against women
WESTERN EQUATORIA - A newly established Special Protection Unit (SPU) in Maridi a county in South Sudan’s Western Equatoria state, has had a tangible impact on increasing women’s protection. This confidential space for community members to report violence against women has led to a noticeable reduction in incidents over the past year. “After the Special Protection Unit was fully functioning, we have seen a distinct increase in reports related to…
In Bor, survivors of sexual violence and abduction finally find safety, support
JONGLEI – “I don’t want to return home. It will only remind me of what we have been through.” Nyakim’s * tragedy began with her husband being killed and her home being burnt down when armed actors attacked her village in northern Jonglei last month. But it didn’t stop there: she and her seven children were abducted by the perpetrators, alongside 22 other women and children. What followed can only be described as a seemingly never-ending nightmare…
Over 13 tons of food items donated for displaced people in Tyre
As part of UNIFIL’s continued efforts to support communities affected by ongoing exchanges of fire in south Lebanon, the mission’s Italian peacekeepers made substantial food donations to internally-displaced persons (IDPs) in Tyre last week. On 13 March, peacekeepers delivered more than 13 tons of packaged food items – in addition to essential medical kits, medicines and hygiene kits – to the Disaster Management Unit (DMU) of the Union of Tyre…
Governance
Speech of the SRSG | Exchange Meeting on the Implementation of the National Pact for Stability and the Organization of Elections
Ladies and Gentlemen, I am pleased to have the opportunity to address a few words to you at the opening of this meeting, at such an important moment for the life of the country. The adoption of the National Pact for Stability and the Organization of Elections constitutes an important step in the current phase of the transition. I welcome the presence of representatives of political parties, whether signatories to the National Pact or not, as well…
Since its formation in 2013, South Sudan’s main opposition force, the Sudan People’s Liberation Army in Opposition (SPLA-iO), has wanted to cultivate a stronger professional culture amongst its troops, making more efforts to…
The 3 rd Division of the South Sudan People’s Defence Forces in the Northern Bahr-el-Ghazal region has reiterated its commitment to protect and respect the rights of children. “We should not use children in conflict, because…
Mogadishu – The Federal Government of Somalia and its international partners gathered in the country’s capital today for the 2019 Somalia Partnership Forum (SPF) – an opportunity for all concerned to take stock of the…
Women make up more than half of the world's population. They have always been involved in finding solutions to the various conflicts in many societies. Nations cannot develop without the effective involvement of women…
Following a rash of enigmatic livestock deaths earlier this September, local authorities in the Fashoda and Central Upper Nile regions have turned to the bovine expertise of the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS)…
Following a rash of enigmatic livestock deaths earlier this September, local authorities in the Fashoda and Central Upper Nile regions have turned to the bovine expertise of the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS)…
The Special Envoy for Yemen, Martin Griffiths, has just arrived in Sana’a for a two-day visit. He commended once again yesterday's unilateral release of detainees by Ansar Allah. “Such initiatives help create a conducive…
Following days of intensifying protests in Haiti, Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said on Monday the UN was “concerned by reports of violence and arson” across the country. At the dailypress briefing in New York, he told…
Mr. President, In one month, on 30 October 2019, I intend to convene 150 Syrian men and women for the launch of a Syrian-led, Syrian-owned, credible, balanced and inclusive Constitutional Committee facilitated by the United…
Last week, the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) conducted a joint verification mission to the Ngo-Halima base of South Sudan’s main opposition army to identify and remove soldiers from within their ranks. “I was…
At the tender age of ten, Captain Leonie Niyonsaba was admitted to hospital in her home country Rwanda. She remembers being so well cared for that she decided to become a doctor. “But that was long after I had already made up…
Tripoli, 30 September 2019 - The United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL), condemns the threats directed against the Ministry of Finance by members of an armed group on 25 September. This deplorable act constitutes a…