NewzIntel.com

Category: Politics

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: UN chief hails Pope Francis as ‘a transcendent voice for peace’

    Source: United Nations MIL OSI

    The pontiff – born Jorge Mario Bergoglio in Buenos Aires, Argentina – was elected in March 2013.  He was the first priest from the Americas region to lead the Catholic Church worldwide and a strong voice for social justice globally.

    Mr. Guterres described him as a messenger of hope, humility and humanity.

    Legacy and inspiration

    “Pope Francis was a transcendent voice for peace, human dignity and social justice. He leaves behind a legacy of faith, service and compassion for all — especially those left on the margins of life or trapped by the horrors of conflict,” he said.

    Furthermore, he “was a man of faith for all faiths — working with people of all beliefs and backgrounds to light a path forward.”

    The Secretary-General said the UN was greatly inspired by the Pope’s commitment to the goals and ideals of the global organization, a message that he conveyed in their various meetings.

    Strong environmental message

    The Secretary-General recalled that the Pope spoke of the organization’s ideal of a “united human family” during his historic visit to UN Headquarters in New York in 2015.

    “Pope Francis also understood that protecting our common home is, at heart, a deeply moral mission and responsibility that belongs to every person,” said Mr. Guterres, noting that his second Encyclical – Laudato Si – was a major contribution to the global mobilisation that resulted in the landmark Paris Agreement on climate change.

    “Pope Francis once said: “The future of humankind isn’t exclusively in the hands of politicians, of great leaders, of big companies…[it] is, most of all, in the hands of those people who recognize the other as a ‘you’ and themselves as part of an ‘us,’” he added.

    The Secretary-General concluded by saying that “our divided and discordant world will be a much better place if we follow his example of unity and mutual understanding in our own actions.”

    UN Photo/Kim Haughton

    Pope Francis addresses the General Assembly during his visit to United Nations Headquarters in 2015.

    Voice for change

    During his September 2015 visit to the UN, Pope Francis delivered a wide-ranging address to leaders gathered in the General Assembly Hall to adopt the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

    He urged global action to protect the environment and end the suffering of “vast ranks of the excluded.”  He also suggested that the UN could be improved and can “be the pledge of a secure and happy future for future generations”.

    “The international juridical framework of the United Nations and of all its activities, like any other human endeavour, can be improved, yet it remains necessary,” he said.

    Five years later, during the virtual meeting of the UN General Assembly due to the coronavirus“>COVID-19 pandemic, the Pope said the crisis was also an opportunity to rethink our way of life – and systems that are widening global inequality. 

    People over profit

    Pope Francis was a strong supporter of the UN, including its humanitarian work. 

    He engaged with the three UN agencies based in Rome, namely the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the World Food Programme (WFP) and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD).  

    In a message to the FAO Conference in June 2021, he expressed concern over rising food insecurity amid the pandemic and called for developing a “circular economy” that both guarantees resources for all people and promotes the use of renewable energy sources.

    “If we are to recover from the crisis that is ravaging us, we must develop an economy tailored to fit mankind, not motivated mainly by profit but anchored in the common good, ethically friendly and kind to the environment,” he said.

    Ending conflict

    Most recently, the Pope backed UN efforts towards ending the current unrest in South Sudan, where rising political tensions and fresh mobilization of the army and opposing armed groups in some regions have raised fears of a return to civil war.

    The UN Special Representative for South Sudan, Nicholas Haysom, told the Security Council just last week that the UN Mission in the country, UNMISS, was engaged in intensive diplomatic efforts to broker a peaceful solution alongside many stakeholders, including the African Union, regional bloc IGAD, Pope Francis and others. 

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Guterres welcomes election of Pope Leo ‘at a time of great global challenges’

    Source: United Nations MIL OSI

    His Holiness Pope Leo XIV – born Robert Francis Prevost – is the first person from the United States to lead the Catholic Church, although he also holds Peruvian citizenship after working in the Latin American country for many years.

    He was selected by cardinals voting at the Vatican and later greeted thousands gathered in St. Peter’s Square with a message of peace.

    Strong voices needed

    Mr. Guterres extended heartfelt congratulations to the new pontiff and Roman Catholics everywhere. 

     “The election of a new Pope is a moment of profound spiritual significance for millions of faithful around the world, and it comes at a time of great global challenges,” he said.

     “Our world is in need of the strongest voices for peace, social justice, human dignity and compassion.”

    Building on the legacy

     The Secretary-General said he looks forward to building on the long legacy of cooperation between the UN and the Holy See – nurtured most recently by the late Pope Francis – to advance solidarity, foster reconciliation, and build a just and sustainable world for all.

     “It is rooted in the first words of Pope Leo,” he noted.  “Despite the rich diversity of backgrounds and beliefs, people everywhere share a common goal: May peace be with all the world.”

    © FAO/Giuseppe Carotenuto

    António Guterres, UN Secretary-General (fourth from right) greets an official in front of St. Peter’s Basilica at the funeral of Pope Francis.

    Pope Leo, 69, was born and grew up in the midwestern city of Chicago and spent years working as a missionary in Peru, before becoming a bishop and then rising to head the international Order of St. Augustine.

    He became a cardinal in 2023 and went on to run the Vatican office that selects and manages Catholic bishops worldwide. 

    He succeeds Pope Francis – the first Pope from Latin America – who died in April after serving for 12 years.

    Following his death, the UN Secretary-General recalled that “Pope Francis was a transcendent voice for peace, human dignity and social justice” who “leaves behind a legacy of faith, service and compassion for all — especially those left on the margins of life or trapped by the horrors of conflict.” 

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: UN chief calls for major reforms to cut costs and improve efficiency

    Source: United Nations MIL OSI

    Briefing Member States in New York on Monday Mr. Guterres outlined wide-ranging effort to revamp how the UN system operates – cutting costs, streamlining operations, and modernizing its approach to peace and security, development and human rights.

    “These are times of peril,” he said, “but they are also times of profound opportunity and obligation. The mission of the United Nations is more urgent than ever.”

    Three main objectives

    Launched in March, the UN80 Initiative centres on three priorities: enhancing operational efficiency, assessing how mandates – or key tasks – from Member States are implemented, and exploring structural reforms across the UN system.

    The conclusions will be reflected in revised estimates for the 2026 budget in September this year, with additional changes that require more detailed analysis presented in the proposal for the 2027 budget.

    ‘Meaningful’ budget reductions

    Mr. Guterres said the changes are expected to yield “meaningful reductions” in the overall budget. For example, the departments for political and peacekeeping affairs could see a 20 per cent reduction in staff by eliminating duplication.

    This level of reduction, he said, could serve as a benchmark across the UN system – while also considering unique factors for each department.

    Additional examples include consolidating all counter-terrorism work within the main Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT), ending building leases and relocating posts away from expensive “duty stations” where cost of living is high.

    “There might be immediate, one-off costs involved in relocating staff and providing potential termination packages,” he said, “but by moving posts from high-cost locations, we can reduce our commercial footprint in those cities and reduce our post and non-post costs.”

    UN Secretary-General António Guterres briefs on the UN80 Initiative.

    Efficiencies and upgrades

    The first workstream focuses on efficiencies and improvements, developing a new model that improves consolidation, looks at centralising services, relocating to cheaper locations, and expanding the use of automation and digital platforms.

    Mr. Guterres said departments the UN’s headquarters in New York and Geneva have been asked to review whether some teams can be relocated to lower-cost duty stations, reduced or abolished.

    Reviewing mandates

    The second workstream involves a review of how existing mandates are being carried out – not the mandates themselves, which are the purview of Member States only.

    A preliminary review identified more than 3,600 unique mandates for the Secretariat alone. A full and more detailed analysis is now underway.

    Mr. Guterres emphasised that the sheer number of mandates – and the bureaucracy needed to implement them – places a particular burden on smaller Member States with limited resources.

    “Based on this work, Member States may wish to consider the opportunity to conduct themselves a review of the mandates,” he added.

    Structural change

    The third workstream – focused on structural reform – is already underway, Mr. Guterres said.

    Nearly 50 initial submissions have already been received from senior UN officials, reflecting what Mr. Guterres described as “a high level of ambition and creativity.”

    Key work areas have been identified for review. These include peace and security, development, human rights, humanitarian, training and research and specialised agencies.

    UN Photo/Manuel Elías

    A wide view of the informal meeting of the General Assembly plenary that heard a briefing by the Secretary-General on the UN80 Initiative.

    Not an answer to liquidity crisis

    Mr. Guterres also touched on the UN dire cashflow situation, noting that the initiative “is not an answer” to the months-long liquidity crisis but by being more cost effective, it should help limit the impact.

    “The liquidity crisis is caused by one simple fact – the arrears,” he said, adding that structural reform is not the answer to a fundamental failure by some Member States to pay what they owe on time to meet running costs.

    Unpaid dues

    According to information provided by the UN Controller to the General Assembly’s Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary), only $1.8 billion has been received against the $3.5 billion regular budget assessments for 2025 – a shortfall of around 50 per cent.

    As of 30 April, unpaid assessments stood at $2.4 billion, with the United States owing about $1.5 billion, China ($597 million), Russia ($72 million), Saudi Arabia ($42 million), Mexico ($38 million), and Venezuela ($38 million). An additional $137 million is yet to be paid by other Member States.

    For the peacekeeping budget (which runs on a July-June cycle), including prior-period arrears, the unpaid amount totals $2.7 billion. For the International Tribunals, total contribution outstanding was $79 million as of 30 April.

    Close consultation

    The Secretary-General told Member States he would be consulting with them  closely and regularly on the cash crisis and needed reforms, seeking guidance  and presenting concrete proposals for countries to act on.

    UN staff members and their representatives are being consulted and listened to, he added: “Our concern is to be humane and professional in dealing with any aspect of the required restructuring.”

    In conclusion, he highlighted that the UN80 Initiative is a “significant opportunity” to strengthen the UN system and deliver for those who depend on it.

    In response to the suggestion that the UN should focus on just the one key pillar of peace and security, he said it would be wrong to ditch development and human rights – all three are essential he underscored.

    “Let us seize this momentum with urgency and determination, and work together to build the strongest and most effective United Nations for today and tomorrow.”

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: UN needed ‘more than ever before’ says Germany’s candidate to head General Assembly

    Source: United Nations MIL OSI

    Annalena Baerbock presented her priorities during an informal dialogue with Member States held on Thursday at Headquarters in New York. 

    If chosen, she will only be the fifth woman to lead the UN’s main policy-making organ and most representative body, comprising all 193 Member States who elect a new president annually, rotating among regional groups. 

    “As President, if elected, I will serve all 193 Member States – large and small. As an honest broker. As a unifier. With an open ear. And an open door,” she said. 

    No time for despair

    The UN turns 80 this year and Ms. Baerbock noted that the anniversary comes as the Organization faces numerous existential challenges.

    Some 120 conflicts are raging worldwide in places such as Gaza and Ukraine, achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is off-track, and the world body itself is under heavy pressure financially and politically.

    Her vision is grounded in the theme “Better Together” which she weaved throughout her remarks, arguing this is no time to despair.

    “These crises and challenges weigh heavy upon us as the international community. But they also show the United Nations, our United Nations, is needed more than ever before,” she said.

    Making the UN ‘fit for purpose’

    She added that the UN needs to be “fit for the future” and “fit for purpose” – her first priority.

    She pointed to the Pact for the Future, adopted by Member States last year, which laid the groundwork to revitalize multilateralism, turbocharge the SDGs, and adapt the UN system to 21st century challenges.

    She said to maximize its impact, implementation must be linked to the UN80 Initiative.  Launched in March by Secretary-General António Guterres, the plan calls for major reforms to cut costs and improve efficiency. 

    Ms. Baerbock said if elected General Assembly President, she would place strong emphasis on ensuring that the perspectives of all regions and groups are heard in the major reform process. 

    Delivering for the world’s people

    Her second priority highlighted the need for a UN that delivers results. “People must feel that our work makes a real difference in their daily lives,” she said.

    She stressed the need for close cooperation with the Security Council and the Peacebuilding Commission in promoting a more peaceful world.

    “You cannot sustain lasting peace without ensuring that there is no shortage of food, that people have jobs, that children go to school, that women are safe,” she said.

    She also plans to engage with Member States on reforming the financial system, in addition to giving special emphasis to the climate crisis – “one of the greatest threats of our time.”

    A truly inclusive UN

    Ms. Baerbock’s third priority calls for a UN that is truly inclusive and embraces everyone, which includes engaging with civil society and especially young people.

    “The United Nations is there to serve its people. And building a better future is only possible by engaging with the generations to come,” she said.

    “Our work does not end in New York, Geneva, Nairobi or Bonn. But we need to bring our discussions and outreach closer to the people.” 

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Human Rights Council hears alarming updates on executions in Iran and global civic space crackdown

    Source: United Nations MIL OSI

    At least 975 people were executed in Iran in 2024, the highest number reported since 2015, according to a report Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights, Nada Al-Nashif, presented to the Geneva-based Council on Wednesday. 

    Of the total executions, just over half were for drug-related offenses, 43 per cent for murder, two per cent for sexual offenses, and three per cent for security-related charges. At least four executions were carried out publicly. 

    “These cases are marked by serious allegations of torture and due process violations, including lack of access to a lawyer,” said Ms. Al-Nashif. 

    Violence and discrimination against women

    At least 31 women were reportedly executed in Iran last year, up from 22 in 2023. Of the 19 women executed for murder, nine had been convicted of killing their husbands in cases involving domestic violence or forced or child marriage, areas in which Iranian women have no legal protections.

    Some executions were reportedly linked to protests that began in September 2022 under the banner “Women, Life, and Freedom.”

    Beyond executions, femicide cases surged, with 179 reported in 2024 compared to 55 the year before. Many stemmed from so-called “honour” crimes or family disputes, often involving women and girls seeking divorce or rejecting marriage proposals.

    Ms. Al-Nashif also warned that the suspended Chastity and Hijab Law, if enacted, would pose a serious threat to women’s rights. Penalties for violations such as improper dress could include heavy fines, travel bans, long-term imprisonment, or even the death penalty.

    In addition, of the 125 journalists prosecuted in 2024, 40 were women, many reporting on human rights and women’s rights issues.

    Religious and ethnic minorities

    “In 2024, the death penalty continued to have a disproportionate impact on minority groups,” Ms. Al-Nashif told the Council.

    At least 108 Baluchi and 84 Kurdish prisoners were executed in 2024, representing 11 and 9 per cent of the total, respectively.

    The report also raised concerns over the lack of official data on the socioeconomic conditions of ethnic and ethno-religious minorities and non-citizens, which hampers efforts to assess their situation and measure the impact of targeted policies and programmes.

    Looking ahead

    While Iran continued engagement with the Office of the UN High Commissioner and other human rights mechanisms, it denied access to the Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on the Islamic Republic of Iran.

    “Our Office remains ready to continue and build on its engagement with the Iranian authorities on the range of issues highlighted in the report of the Secretary-General for the promotion and protection of all human rights,” Ms. Al-Nashif concluded. 

    Global ‘Super Election’ cycle undermined democratic participation

    In the Council’s afternoon session, Gina Romero, UN Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and association, presented her report on how the 2023–2025 “super election” cycle has affected civic space around the world.  

    In 2024, half of the world’s population elected their local, national and international representatives. While Ms. Romero’s report on this cycle does not assess the integrity of the elections, it identifies troubling global patterns of systematic repression of the exercise of peaceful assembly and association.

    “The misuse of restrictive laws, smear campaigns, disinformation targeting civil society intensified globally in the super electoral cycle, undermining electoral participation and freedom of association,” she said.  

    Political repression and violence

    As criminal justice systems are used to repress the opposition, leaders and members of political parties faced undue restrictions and political persecution. Civil society activists and election observers have also faced harassment, arbitrary detention, torture and murder.  

    “When political parties, civil society, and peaceful assemblies are suppressed, genuine political pluralism and competition cannot exist,” argued Ms. Romero. “I stress that these conditions are incompatible with free and genuine elections and risk legitimising undemocratic rule.”

    Minority representation

    Ms. Romero also underscored that women’s political leadership remains severely underrepresented, while LGBTIQ individuals and their organizations faced attacks during the super electoral cycle.  

    Both groups experienced physical and online political violence, restricting their electoral participation and accelerating the decline of their rights after the elections.

    Calls to protect freedoms  

    Amid global crises and a rapid democratic decline, Ms. Romero emphasized the urgent need to protect the rights to peaceful assembly and association throughout the entire electoral cycle.  

    She outlined key recommendations, including strengthening legal protections before elections, ensuring accountability afterward, regulating digital technologies and promoting non-discriminatory participation throughout.  

    “Dissent is a fundamental element of democratic societies,” she concluded in Spanish. “Rather than being suppressed, it should be welcomed and permanently protected.” 

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: UN warns of mounting humanitarian toll as Israel-Iran hostilities continue

    Source: United Nations MIL OSI

    UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk on Thursday called for “maximum restraint” and reiterated that both Israel and Iran are bound by international humanitarian law.

    “The widescale, continuing attacks by Israel across Iran, and the missile and drone strikes launched in response by Iran, are inflicting severe human rights and humanitarian impacts on civilians, and risk setting the whole region ablaze,” he said in a statement.

    “The only way out of this spiralling illogic of escalation is maximum restraint, full respect for international law, and return in good faith to the negotiating table,” he stressed.

    Appalling collateral damage

    The UN rights chief also expressed deep concern over the impact on civilians.

    “It is appalling to see how civilians are treated as collateral damage in the conduct of hostilities,” he said, adding that threats and inflammatory rhetoric by senior officials on both sides suggest a “worrying intention” to inflict harm on civilians.

    The airstrikes, missile and drone attacks – launched by both Israel and Iran since 13 June – have caused heavy damage to civilian infrastructure and claimed hundreds of lives.  

    According to Iranian authorities, at least 224 people have been killed, while human rights groups report significantly higher figures. In Israel, officials report 24 deaths and more than 840 injuries so far.

    Widespread panic

    Warnings from both governments have also prompted widespread panic among civilians.

    Israel’s call for civilians to evacuate on Tuesday triggered panic across Tehran, resulting in heavy traffic jams on highways. Movement has reportedly been hampered across the country by fuel shortages, leading to hours-long queues at petrol stations.

    Concern for refugees

    The Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) expressed grave concern over the deteriorating humanitarian situation, adding that it is monitoring reports that people are on the move within Iran and that some are leaving for neighbouring countries.

    UNHCR Spokesperson Babar Baloch cautioned that the situation remained fluid and hard to verify.

    “Iran has long hosted the largest Afghan refugee population in the world. Now, its own people are experiencing devastation and fear,” Mr. Baloch added.

    He also emphasised the principle of non-refoulement, calling on neighbouring countries to grant protection to anyone fleeing violence, and not turn them back.

    UNHCR Spokesperson Baloch on the crisis.

    Iran hosts an estimated 3.5 million refugees and those in refugee-like situations, including some 750,000 registered Afghans and over 2.6 million undocumented individuals.

    Regional worries

    There is already regional fallout, with missile launches from Yemen towards Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territory and heightened tensions reportedly involving armed groups in Iraq, according to OCHA.

    “This escalation takes place as the region already grapples with mounting humanitarian needs, sharply reduced funding, and constrained operational space for humanitarian action,” the Office said in a flash update issued on Wednesday.

    “De-escalation is vital to preventing further suffering of civilians and population displacements,” OCHA underscored.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: ‘A fire no one can control’: UN warns of spiralling Iran-Israel war

    Source: United Nations 2

    In an address to the UN Security Council on Friday, Mr. Guterres made an urgent plea for de-escalation, calling the spiralling confrontation a defining moment for the future of global security.

    “We are not drifting toward crisis – we are racing toward it,” he said.

    “This is a moment that could shape the fate of nations…the expansion of this conflict could ignite a fire no one can control,” he warned.

    Widespread panic, destruction

    The Secretary-General’s remarks came amid a mounting civilian toll in both Israel and Iran, and as several nuclear sites in Iran have come under direct military assault.

    Over 100 targets have been struck across Iran, including military and nuclear infrastructure such as the Natanz and Isfahan nuclear facilities and the Khondab heavy water reactor.

    Iranian officials report over 224 civilian deaths, with some estimates twice as high. More than 2,500 have been injured reportedly – while major cities like Tehran have seen mass displacements, fuel shortages and widespread panic.

    Iran has responded with its own barrage of missile strikes on Israel, hitting cities such as Tel Aviv, Haifa and Beersheba. Critical civilian sites, including the Soroka Medical Center and the Weizmann research institute, have been damaged. Twenty-four Israelis are confirmed dead, with more than 900 injured.

    Give peace a chance

    Mr. Guterres urged both parties to give diplomacy a chance, reiterating the need for full Iranian cooperation with the UN nuclear energy watchdog, IAEA, and warning that the “only thing predictable about this conflict is its unpredictability.”

    He also called for unity within the Security Council and adherence to the UN Charter.

    “The Non-Proliferation Treaty is a cornerstone of international security,” he said. “Iran must respect it. But the only way to bridge the trust gap is through diplomacy – not destruction.”

    UN Photo/Manuel Elías

    A wide view of the Security Council meeting on the Israel-Iran crisis.

    Regional fallout expanding

    Rosemary DiCarlo, UN Under-Secretary-General for political affairs, echoed those concerns, providing a grim overview of the violence and rising human toll.

    “The vast majority are civilians,” she said, warning of a “humanitarian crisis in real time.”

    The regional fallout is expanding, with airspace restrictions now spanning Lebanon to Iraq. Missiles from Yemen’s Houthi forces have targeted Israel and occupied Palestinian territory, while armed groups in Iraq are reportedly mobilizing.

    “Any further expansion of the conflict could have enormous consequences for international peace and security,” Ms. DiCarlo cautioned.

    She also highlighted global economic implications, noting that trade through the vital Strait of Hormuz has fallen 15 per cent amid rising tensions.

    Grave warnings on nuclear safety

    The most alarming update, however, came from IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi, who warned the Council that Israeli attacks on Iranian nuclear facilities are degrading critical safety systems and placing millions at potential radiological risk.

    At Natanz, the destruction of electricity infrastructure and direct strikes on enrichment halls have led to internal contamination. While no radiological release has been detected outside the facility, Mr. Grossi warned that uranium compounds now pose significant health hazards within.

    At Isfahan, multiple buildings – including a uranium conversion plant and a metal processing facility – were hit. At Arak’s Khondab reactor site, damage was sustained, though the facility was not operational.

    The greatest risk, however, is the Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant, which remains operational.

    A direct strike, Mr. Grossi warned, “could result in a high release of radioactivity to the environment.”

    Millions at risk

    Even disruption of its external power supply could lead to a core meltdown. In the worst-case scenario, radiation would affect populations hundreds of kilometres away and require mass evacuations.

    Mr. Grossi also warned against any attack on the Tehran Nuclear Research Reactor, which could endanger millions in the capital.

    “Nuclear facilities and material must not be shrouded by the fog of war,” he said. “We must maintain communication, transparency and restraint.”

    Pledge to stay

    Concluding his briefing, Mr. Grossi pledged that the IAEA would continue to monitor and report on nuclear safety conditions in Iran and reiterated his readiness to mediate.

    He stressed the agency “can guarantee, through a watertight inspections system,” that nuclear weapons will not be developed in Iran, urging dialogue.

    “The alternative is a protracted conflict – and a looming nuclear threat that would erode the global non-proliferation regime.”

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: US strikes on Iran’s nuclear sites ‘marks perilous turn’: Diplomacy must prevail, says Guterres

    Source: United Nations 2

    After ten days of airstrikes initiated by Israel aimed at crippling Iran’s nuclear programme which have led to deadly daily exchanges of missile fire between Tehran and Tel Aviv, the UN chief said that diplomacy must now prevail.

    “We now risk descending into a rathole of retaliation after retaliation,” he said, responding to the US intervention overnight in support of Israel’s military campaign, which targeted three facilities involved in uranium enrichment.

    Return to serious negotiations essential

    “We must act – immediately and decisively – to halt the fighting and return to serious, sustained negotiations on the Iran nuclear programme,” Mr. Guterres added.

    He told ambassadors the citizens of the wider Middle East region could not endure yet another cycle of destruction. Demanding a ceasefire, he also put Iran on notice that it must “fully respect” the Non-Proliferation Treaty on the development of nuclear weapons as a cornerstone of peace and security worldwide.

    Iran has consistently denied the allegation from Israel and others that its ambitions are to become a nuclear armed State, versus developing atomic energy for purely peaceful purposes.

    Israel, the US and Iran face a stark choice. “One path leads to a wider war,” the UN chief continued, “deeper human suffering and serious damage to the international order. The other leads to de-escalation, diplomacy and dialogue.”

    Grossi warns of major risks following strikes

    The head of the UN’s atomic energy watchdog, the IAEA, warned ambassadors the recent military strikes by Israel and now the US on nuclear sites in Iran have badly compromised safety and could pose serious risks if the situation worsens.

    International Atomic Energy Agency Director General Rafael Grossi said the attacks had caused “a sharp degradation in nuclear safety and security”, even though there had been no radiation leaks which could potentially impact the public so far.

    The IAEA chief warned ambassadors that if the short window of opportunity to return to dialogue closes then the destruction could be “unthinkable” while the global nuclear non-proliferation regime “as we know it could crumble and fall.”

    Mr. Grossi confirmed that Iran’s main enrichment facility at Natanz had suffered major damage, including to key power infrastructure and underground halls containing uranium materials.

    He said the main concern inside the site was now chemical contamination, which can be dangerous if inhaled or ingested.

    Massive radiation leak still possible

    He also listed damage at other nuclear-related sites across the country, including Esfahan, Arak and Tehran, adding that while radiation levels outside remained normal, the attacks had raised alarm over Iran’s operational nuclear plant at Bushehr.

    Mr. Grossi warned that any strike on Bushehr could trigger a massive radiation release across the region. “The risk is real,” he said. “Military escalation threatens lives and delays the diplomacy that’s needed to resolve this crisis.”

    He urged all sides to show restraint and said the IAEA stood ready to send experts back in to help monitor and protect damaged nuclear sites.

    Senior political affairs official: ‘No military solution’

    Assistant Secretary-General for Political Affairs Miroslav Jenča told ambassadors that the world is facing “a dangerous moment” following the US bombing mission, as Iran considers potential retaliation.

    UN Photo/ Evan Schneider

    He warned the council that the region risks being “engulfed in further instability and volatility”, with “no military solution to this conflict”.

    Mr. Jenča confirmed extensive damage at Iranian sites, citing open-source satellite imagery and Iranian reports that tunnels and buildings at the Fordow nuclear facility had been hit. He urged Tehran to grant IAEA inspectors access “as soon as safety conditions allow”.

    Death toll mounting

    Hostilities between Iran and Israel are now into their tenth day, and Mr. Jenča said the humanitarian toll is mounting. “Most [of the 430 killed in Iran] have been civilians,” he noted, while also citing Israeli reports of 25 dead and over 1,300 injured.

    He also flagged growing threats from non-State armed groups, including the Houthis in Yemen, warning that their retaliation could widen the conflict. Iran’s parliament, meanwhile, has voiced support for closing the crucial trading route through the narrow Strait of Hormuz.

    “The world will not be spared from the ramifications of this dangerous conflict,” Mr. Jenča said, urging countries to act in line with international law and the UN Charter.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Thousands flee homes in Mozambique as conflict and disasters fuel worsening crisis

    Source: United Nations 2

    The latest displacement brings the total number of people uprooted by violence, cyclones and social unrest in Mozambique to nearly 1.3 million, according to the UN refugee agency, UNHCR.

    The situation is particularly dire in Cabo Delgado province, where attacks by non-state armed groups continue to drive displacement, destroy infrastructure and disrupt recovery efforts.

    “Thousands have lost their homes, many for the second or third time and are seeking safety in already overstretched communities,” Xavier Creach, UNHCR Representative in Mozambique told journalists at a regular news briefing in Geneva on Friday.

    A ‘triple crisis’

    Mr. Creach warned that the southeast African country is grappling with a “triple crisis” – armed conflict and displacement, recurring extreme weather events, and months of post-electoral unrest.

    At the same time, extreme weather events – most recently Cyclone Jude in March – have devastated communities already hosting large numbers of displaced families. Food prices have surged by up to 20 per cent in some areas, compounding the strain on households and deepening the economic fragility in one of the world’s poorest countries.

    The risks facing displaced people, particularly women and children, are severe. Protection concerns, including gender-based violence, family separation and limited access to documentation, are rising sharply.

    According to UNHCR estimates, nearly 5.2 million people across the country require some form of humanitarian assistance.

    Dwindling funds

    In the challenging environment, UNHCR’s response is constrained by lack of funding with less than one-third of the $42.7 million funding appeal for the year met so far.

    The agency warned that unless urgent support is mobilized, vital programmes will be at risk.

    The broader UN humanitarian appeal, addressing other critical sectors such as nutrition and food security, health, water and sanitation, and education also faces severe shortages, having received only about 15 per cent of the required $352 million.

    “A perfect storm is gathering. If we turn away now, the country will face a much larger humanitarian emergency,” Mr. Creach said.

    “The crisis is unfolding now. We have a choice. We can act to prevent, support and protect – or we can sit on our hands.”

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: As displacement surges in South Sudan, regional humanitarian crisis deepens

    Source: United Nations 2

    Violence between armed groups in Upper Nile state and other flashpoints has crippled essential services, triggered food insecurity and worsened disease outbreaks, including cholera – forcing some to be displaced repeatedly.

    Roughly 65,000 have been internally displaced in Upper Nile state alone. 

    Access to aid in conflict hotspots is limited, with fighting and movement restrictions cutting off assistance.

    Lifesaving supplies, including medicine and healthcare to curb rising cholera cases, have halted, while rains threaten to worsen the crisis, flooding roads and driving up transport costs.

    South Sudan has also absorbed over a million people fleeing conflict in Sudan.

    Regional crisis

    Another 103,000 South Sudanese have sought refuge in neighbouring countries, pushing the total number of South Sudanese refugees to 2.3 million.

    “This emergency could not have come at a worse time,” said Mamadou Dian Balde, UNHCR’s Regional Director for the East, Horn of Africa and Great Lakes region.

    “Many of the refugees are seeking safety in countries which have challenges of their own or are already dealing with emergencies amidst ongoing brutal funding cuts, straining our ability to provide even basic life-saving assistance.”

    Despite the conflict in Sudan, 41,000 South Sudanese have sought refuge there – 26,000 in White Nile state, where over 410,000 South Sudanese already live, many repeatedly displaced due to ongoing violence in their host country.

    The surge in arrivals in Sudan has created an urgent need for additional space, while essential services are overwhelmed due to cholera outbreaks and ongoing security challenges.

    In the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), 23,000 have arrived amid the country’s own insecurity.

    Some 21,000 South Sudanese have sought refuge in Ethiopia. Previously living in makeshift shelters along riverbanks near the border, new arrivals are now receiving UNHCR aid further from the border; however, infrastructure and services in the area remain severely overstretched, worsened by a cholera outbreak.

    Uganda, which hosts one million South Sudanese refugees, has taken in 18,000 since March – a 135 per cent year-on-year increase. Nearly 70 per cent are children; many forced to take longer and more hazardous routes to safety.

    Call for support

    UNHCR is providing refugees with critical relief items, documentation and specialised support to survivors of gender-based violence. 

    But to provide necessary support for the next six months – including shelter, water, health and nutrition screening, as well as cash assistance – the agency requires $36 million. 

    Calling for an immediate end to hostilities, UNHCR urged all parties to spare civilians further suffering. 

    Unrest in Warrap state

    In related developments, the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) voiced deep concern over escalating intercommunal violence in Tonj East county, Warrap state, urging the Government to intervene and deploy security services to address the situation. 

    The violence has been driven by attempts to recover stolen cattle and revenge for the previous loss of lives, resulting in more than 80 casualties, although the numbers are yet to be verified. 

    UNMISS is intensively engaging with state and local authorities to calm the situation, in addition to increasing patrols, however peacekeepers are experiencing significant challenges reaching some of the impacted areas due to a proliferation of checkpoints manned by armed youth.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: World News in Brief: Women’s health in Sudan, childhood wasting, Belarus trade unions, Guatemala child rights violation

    Source: United Nations MIL OSI

    It warned that without immediate support, women and girls will continue to pay the price of this crisis with their lives, as hundreds of thousands are being left without access to emergency obstetric care or support after rape. 

    Often suffering complications from constant distress, malnutrition, and physical exhaustion, more and more displaced pregnant women are arriving at UN facilities in desperate conditions after months without care, UNFPA said. 

    Due to persistent insecurity, access limitations and inadequate funding, over 1.1 million pregnant women in Sudan currently lack access to antenatal care, safe delivery, and postpartum care, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).

    As UNFPA recently underwent sharp funding cuts, the organization has had to scale back services to survivors escaping violence, shutting down 11 out of its 61 safe spaces in Sudan. Nearly one fourth of the population, most of them women and girls, are now at risk of gender-based violence. 

    “The scale and brutality of violations are beyond anything we’ve previously documented. We have documented numerous cases of adolescent girls who have survived rape and sexual violence,” Dina, a gender-based violence specialist in Sudan, told the agency.   

    “Cuts to humanitarian funding are not just budget decisions — they are life-and-death choices,” said Laila Baker, UNFPA Arab States Regional Director. “The world is turning its back on the women and girls of Sudan.”

    Over 30 million children suffer from ‘wasting’ in 15 countries: WFP 

    Two UN agencies are uniting to tackle wasting – the deadliest form of malnutrition – among 33 million children in 15 countries.

    The life-threatening condition is caused by lack of nutritious food along with frequent illness.

    Children who survive wasting can still suffer “long-term and devastating impacts,” said the World Food Programme (WFP), highlighting the need to act fast and early.

    However, the agency said this is difficult in places where families have been uprooted by violence or extreme weather, such as South Sudan’s Unity state – where Nyanene Gatdoor, a 25-year-old mother-of-three, lives in a displacement camp.

    Cries of hunger

    “When the baby is crying in front of you, and you have nothing to give him, you feel pain in your heart,” she said, referring to her two-year-old son, Tuach, who cries with hunger.

    More than three million South Sudanese mothers and children are at risk of malnutrition this year – that’s more than one-quarter of the country’s total population.

    To help those most in need, WFP has joined forces with the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) to eradicate wasting in South Sudan and 14 other countries. Together, they represent 

    The objective includes delivering nutritious food to communities and sharing key messages on healthy eating and cleanliness, to avoid getting sick.

    Unsplash/Darya Tryfanava

    Minsk, the capital of Belarus.

    Belarus: Trade unionists repressed by ‘climate of fear’, rights experts say

    Trade unions in Belarus continue to face State repression and detention, top independent rights experts said on Thursday.

    The experts called for the immediate release of, and urgent medical care for, imprisoned trade union leaders, stressing that freedom of association at work is “absent” in Belarus.

    The rights experts, who include Gina Romero, Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association, allege that trades unions have been disbanded after being labelled “extremist”. 

    Forced into exile

    Their leaders and members have also been imprisoned, forced into exile and prosecuted while outside Belarus, Ms. Romero said. 

    Many unionists have been left without legal protections, their assets confiscated, and their voices silenced, insisted the rights experts, who report to the Human Rights Council.

    The development comes amid growing concerns over prison conditions in Belarus for opponents of the Government.

    The rights experts who are not UN staff highlighted the human impact of detaining union leaders and called for them to be granted access to independent doctors. 

    They also called for international missions to be allowed to visit those held in prison.

    Guatemala violated child rape victim’s rights by forcing her into motherhood: Human Rights Council

    On Thursday, the UN Human Rights Committee decided a case against Guatemala, ruling the country violated the rights of a 14-year-old girl who became pregnant from rape by forcing her to continue the pregnancy to term and into motherhood.

    The girl was repeatedly raped by an ex-director of the day-care centre she attended as a child who maintained contact with her family. 

    She was then denied access to an abortion, endured an almost fatal delivery, and was forced to assume parental responsibilities despite not wanting to be involved in the child’s care.

    The suffering the victim endured led to two suicide attempts. The child now lives with the victim’s mother, who is struggling to cover his expenses.

    Near-decade of legal proceedings

    After nine years of criminal proceedings against the perpetrator, Guatemala did not properly investigate the rape or take effective action to prosecute the perpetrator.

    The victim and her family then brought the case to the Committee, claiming Guatemala violated her rights under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR).

    The Committee ruled that Guatemala breached the girl’s right to live with dignity and reproductive autonomy and subjected her to treatment comparable to torture, in violation of the treaty. 

    The Committee called on Guatemala to establish a system to track and address cases of sexual violence, child pregnancy, and forced motherhood, as the country has one of the highest rates of forced motherhood and impunity for sexual violence. 

    The authorities also were urged to redress damage done to the victim’s life plans, publicly acknowledge responsibility and ensure education and psychological care for her child. 

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Germany’s Annalena Baerbock elected President of the 80th General Assembly

    Source: United Nations MIL OSI

    She assumes the role at a challenging time, with ongoing conflicts, faltering development goals, mounting financial pressures, and the upcoming selection of the next Secretary-General.

    Ms. Baerbock received 167 votes following the secret ballot. Fourteen delegations abstained.

    She becomes the first woman from the Western European group to hold the post and the fifth woman overall to lead the General Assembly. The presidency rotates among the world body’s five regional groups.

    At 44 years, Ms. Baerbock is also one of the youngest leaders to secure the top job.

    Crucial juncture

    Ms. Baerbock’s election comes at a critical juncture for the multilateral system, spearheaded by the United Nations.

    With the Security Council deadlocked – especially on moves to help end the wars in Ukraine and Gaza – the Assembly has become a vital forum for diplomatic engagement and consensus-building, even without binding authority on peace and security issues.

    As conflicts rage, the Assembly has passed a series of resolutions calling for ceasefires, humanitarian access and the protection of civilians.

    Many now see the Assembly as an essential platform for accountability and maintaining international focus on intractable crises, especially through the “Veto Initiative” adopted in 2022 which ensures that issues blocked by permanent members on the Security Council are debated in the Assembly as a priority.

    A power wielded by the five permanent members – China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States – a veto (or negative vote) can block Council action even when all other members support a motion.

    Pledge to be an honest broker

    In her acceptance speech, President-elect Baerbock acknowledged the current global challenges and pledged to serve as “an honest broker and a unifier” for all 193 Member States, emphasising her theme of “Better Together.”

    She outlined three priorities for her presidency: making the Organization more efficient and effective; advancing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development; and making the Assembly a “truly inclusive forum”.

    She called for a UN “that embraces everyone. I see the diversity of the General Assembly as our strength. This is the place where all nations come together and where every country has a seat and a voice.”

    She also highlighted the importance of promoting gender equality, multilingualism, and engagement with civil society and youth.

    UN Video | Annalena Baerbock elected to lead 80th session of the UN General Assembly

    UN80 initiative

    Ms. Baerbock also touched on the UN80 initiative, which was launched by Secretary-General António Guterres in March.

    “The UN80 Initiative should not be a mere cost-cutting exercise,” she said, stressing the need for bold ambition and readiness to take difficult decisions.

    “Our common goal is a strong, focused, nimble and fit-for-purpose organization. One that is capable of realising its core objectives – we need a United Nations that delivers on peace, development and justice.”

    A career defined by multilateralism

    In congratulating Ms. Baerbock, current President Philemon Yang described her as a leader defined by “an unwavering commitment to multilateralism”, praising her “Better Together” vision.

    Mr. Yang, who steered the Assembly through a year marked by the Summit of the Future and persistent global crises, expressed confidence in her ability to build trust and foster dialogue across divides.

    Secretary-General António Guterres said Mr. Yang’s successor was taking the gavel amid a “difficult and uncertain moment for the multilateral system,” noting she was only the fifth woman to lead the body.

    The UN chief warned that “conflicts, climate catastrophe, poverty and inequality continue to challenge the human family,” and called on the Assembly to unite in forging common solutions.

    UN Photo/Eskinder Debebe

    Annalena Baerbock, President-elect of the eightieth session of the UN General Assembly, speaks to the media following her election.

    The world parliament

    The General Assembly remains the UN’s most representative body, where each Member State has an equal voice – and an equal say in decisions.

    While its resolutions are non-binding, the GA – as the acronym goes in New York – helps define global diplomatic norms, convenes dialogues on worldwide challenges and holds the Security Council to account.

    The 80th session, starting 9 September, is expected to be pivotal – not only for sheer number and intensity of crises ongoing – but for advancing long-term reforms, including the UN80 initiative and the selection of the next Secretary-General before his term ends in 2026.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: International aid: ‘The money isn’t coming back anytime soon’, Fletcher warns

    Source: United Nations MIL OSI

    UN News: You have said that policymakers who signed off on aid cuts should come to Afghanistan to see the effect they’re having on the population. You said the effect of aid cuts is that millions die. Do you use this kind of blunt language when you’re talking to these policymakers in private?

    Tom Fletcher: Yes, I do. Of course, there is a bit of a time lag before you really see the impact of the cuts, but here, 400 clinics closed in the last few weeks. That has a real-world impact and it’s become much more real for me on this trip.

    I’ve just come from a meeting with NGOs, and they’re laying off half their staff. The local NGO’s that we’re keen to protect in the midst of all this, have been the hardest hit.

    We try and find different ways to communicate this in slightly gentler terms, but ultimately, of course, people will die as a result of these cuts.

    That’s the great tragedy at the heart of it now.

    UN News: How do the politicians respond?

    I think there are broadly two camps here. You’ve got politicians who are doing this really reluctantly, forced to make really tough decisions because their economies are struggling and because of pressures from taxpayers to do things differently. They know the importance of humanitarian efforts and they’re very sad about the choices they’re having to make.

    Then there is another group of politicians who, I fear, celebrate, certainly in their public messages. They seem to boast about – and take credit for – aid cuts. That’s the group that I would love to bring to sit with a mother who has lost her child because she was forced to cycle pregnant to a hospital three hours away.

    You show leadership on the world stage by being out there helping countries to deal with these challenges at source. I don’t know which of those arguments work with which constituencies, so we have to adapt and be creative in how we make the case.

    We also have to be firm in defending what we do and take pride in the fact that the humanitarian community has taken millions out of poverty and saved hundreds of millions of lives.

    UN News: You’ve become the UN emergency relief chief at a particularly tough time, in terms of ensuring the UN’s ability to help the most vulnerable. In February you announced 20 per cent cuts to your department. How will you make those cuts in a way that doesn’t make the job even harder?

    Tom Fletcher: It’s rough. Really brutal choices are being made and the sector will probably shrink by one third. The money that’s been cut isn’t going to come back anytime soon, and there may be more funding cuts ahead.

    We will be looking for new partners, and trying to convince the sceptics to bring the private sector in and change the public conversation around solidarity. We have to work with the money that we have, not the money that we need or the money that we wish we had.

    I’m really positive about the way that Marco Rubio, the US Secretary of State, has talked about the need to protect life-saving aid 

    Dialogue is going on, I’m not giving up and I’m really positive about the way that Marco Rubio, the US Secretary of State, has talked about the need to protect life-saving aid. I really want to get into that conversation with him and see what his vision is for America’s role in saving lives around the world.

    UN News: Given the current situation, are we going to have to completely rethink what aid entails and how it’s funded?

    Tom Fletcher: We’re going to have to change. We have to preserve the best of what we’ve learnt and have confidence in what we’ve delivered so far, but we’re going through a process now that we call the “humanitarian reset”.

    First of all, we’re becoming smaller and we’re trying to do that in a way that does as little damage as possible and minimises the hit to the essential life-saving work we do.

    Alongside that, we’re becoming more efficient and smarter. I launched on my first day in office, a big efficiency drive across the sector.

    The IASC, the body that coordinates our sector, has backed that up and actually taken it to the next level in terms of taking the layers out of the system and making sure we end the turf wars and focus on what we each do well, the extra value we bring, and ensure that we do much more at a local level, close to the communities we serve.

    The UN relief chief Tom Fletcher, visits a hospital in Kandahar, Afghanistan.

    UN News: Do many Member States still believe in the importance of international aid?

    Tom Fletcher: Absolutely. A number of donors are staying solid despite the funding crises that they’re all facing. We’ve got new donors emerging and growing. I’ve been in The Gulf, and I was in China last week, and engagement there is deepening.

    We’ve got new donors emerging, and engagement is deepening

    We’ve got more innovative ideas about how to bring in the private sector and also I believe really strongly in the role of individuals in finding ways to ensure that we’re reaching wider movement beyond governments and Member States.

    UN News: Returning to Afghanistan, the de facto authorities [The Taliban] have severely reduced access to education and employment prospects for women and girls. Are you able to have a constructive discussion about this with the regime?

    Tom Fletcher: Yes, we are. There are two really core issues here for us. One is the role of women in humanitarian work: we simply cannot deliver without them. They are brilliant, brilliant colleagues, we rely on them completely and we couldn’t be here without them.

    And the second is the wider issue around rights for women and girls, including education and the fact that millions of girls have had that right stolen from them over the last three years.

    These are difficult conversations, but I come at this as a former diplomat, as someone who believes in dialogue, who believes in respect and trust and listening, and in recognizing that we have different cultures, different traditions, different heritages and different beliefs that I don’t hold.

    Tom Fletcher, the UN humanitarian meets women at an economic development programme in Afghanistan.

    UN News: Before you began this job, did you have a goal in mind, that you want to achieve before the end of your mandate as the head of humanitarian affairs?

    Tom Fletcher: The average head of OCHA lasts about three years, they burn through us pretty quickly. The travel schedule is very hectic and you’re dealing with the world’s worst crises so there’s a bit of wear and tear along the way.

    It’s our job to save hundreds of millions of lives and to define everything we do against that yardstick

    So, my number one objective was to survive as long as possible, because I think it’s traumatic for an organization to get new people in, train them and have them up and running. Being around for a period of time, learning from the organization and from those we serve, and then putting that into action is a serious objective in itself.

    I did come into it with an objective around the reform of the humanitarian sector, well before Donald Trump, Elon Musk and others started talking about efficiency and prioritization and cuts. I do believe that we can do this much more effectively and much closer to those we serve and so I was already determined to deliver that.

    And then thirdly, the big one is ultimately about saving lives. I believe it’s our job to save hundreds of millions of lives and to define everything we do against that yardstick. 

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: ‘Step back from the brink’, Guterres urges India and Pakistan

    Source: United Nations MIL OSI

    Addressing journalists outside the Security Council at UN Headquarters in New York, Mr. Guterres expressed deep concern over deteriorating relations between the two South Asian neighbours, saying they had reached “their highest in years.”

    He reiterated his condemnation of the 22 April terror attack in the Pahalgam area of Jammu and Kashmir, which killed at least 26 civilians and injured many more.

    “Targeting civilians is unacceptable – and those responsible must be brought to justice through credible and lawful means,” Mr. Guterres said.

    “It is also essential – especially at this critical hour – to avoid a military confrontation that could easily spin out of control.”

    India and Pakistan both administer parts of Kashmir but claim the territory in full.

    The Security Council is due to meet behind closed doors later on Monday to discuss the rising tensions between the two nations.

    UN ready to help de-escalate

    He offered his good offices to both governments to help defuse tensions and promote diplomacy, stressing that “a military solution is no solution.”

    “Now is the time for maximum restraint and stepping back from the brink,” he said.

    Mr. Guterres also praised both countries for their long-standing contributions to UN peacekeeping operations and expressed hope that their shared history of cooperation could form the basis for renewed dialogue.

    “The United Nations stands ready to support any initiative that promotes de-escalation, diplomacy, and a renewed commitment to peace,” he said.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: UN Secretary-General urges military restraint from India, Pakistan

    Source: United Nations MIL OSI

    In a note to correspondents issued by his spokesperson on Tuesday, Secretary-General António Guterres called for military restraint from both countries.

    “The world cannot afford a military confrontation between India and Pakistan,” the note said.

    On Monday, the Secretary-General had warned that the tensions between the two South Asian neighbours had reached “their highest in years.”

    He offered his good offices to both governments to help defuse tensions and promote diplomacy, stressing that “a military solution is no solution.”

    Speaking to the media on Monday, Mr. Guterres condemned the 22 April terror attack in the Pahalgam area of Jammu and Kashmir, which left at least 26 civilians dead and many more injured.

    “Targeting civilians is unacceptable – and those responsible must be brought to justice through credible and lawful means,” he said.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: UN aims to transform urgency into action at Nice Ocean Conference

    Source: United Nations MIL OSI b

    The third United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC 3) from 9-13 June will bring together Heads of State, scientists, civil society and business leaders around a single goal: to halt the silent collapse of the planet’s largest – and arguably most vital – ecosystem.

    The ocean is suffocating due to rising temperatures, rampant acidification, erosion of biodiversity, plastic invasion, predatory fishing.

    ‘A state of emergency’

    “Our planet’s life support system is in a state of emergency,” said Li Junhua, head of the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) and the Secretary-General of the upcoming summit. 

    He insisted that there is still time to change course.

    “The future of the ocean is not predetermined.  It will be shaped by the decisions and actions that we are making now,” Mr. Li said on Tuesday during a press briefing at UN Headquarters in New York. 

    In the eyes of the senior official, UNOC 3 “will not be just another routine gathering.” 

    “We hope that it proves to be the pivotal opportunity to accelerate action and mobilize all stakeholders across the sectors and borders.”

    World-class conference

    More than 50 world leaders are expected on the Côte d’Azur, alongside 1,500 delegates from nearly 200 countries. 

    The programme includes 10 plenary meetings, 10 thematic roundtables, a blue zone reserved for official delegations, and a series of parallel forums during five days of negotiations.

    For France, which is co-hosting the conference alongside Costa Rica, the challenge is clear: to make Nice a historic milestone. 

    “This is an emergency,” declared Jérôme Bonnafont, Permanent Representative of France to the UN, during the press conference.

    “An ecological emergency: we are witnessing the deterioration of the quality of the oceans as an environment, as a reservoir of biodiversity, as a carbon sink.”

    France hopes to make the conference a turning point and the goal “is to produce a Nice agreement that is pro-oceans, as the Paris Agreement 10 years ago now was for the climate.” 

    This agreement will take the form of a Nice Action Plan for the Ocean, a “concise action-oriented declaration,” according to Mr. Li, accompanied by renewed voluntary commitments.

    Three milestones

    Three events will prepare the ground for UNOC 3.

    The One Ocean Science Congress, from 4-6 June, will bring together several thousand researchers. The Summit on Ocean Rise and Coastal Resilience to be held the following day will explore responses to rising sea levels. Finally, the Blue Economy Finance Forum, on 7-8 June in Monaco, will mobilize investors and policymakers.

    For Costa Rican Ambassador Maritza Chan Valverde, there is no more time for procrastination.

    “We’re expecting concrete commitments with clear timelines, budgets and accountability mechanisms. What is different this time around, zero rhetoric, maximum results,” she said.

    ‘Transform ambition into action’

    The conference’s theme Accelerating Action and Mobilizing All Stakeholders to Conserve and Sustainably Use the Ocean will address several topics, ranging from sustainable fishing to marine pollution and the interactions between climate and biodiversity.

    “This is our moment to transform ambition into action,” Mr. Li concluded, calling for governments, businesses, scientists, and civil society to come together in a common spirit. 

    He also praised the “visionary leadership” of France and Costa Rica, without whom this large-scale mobilization would not have been possible.

    A slogan promoted by Costa Rica seems to sum up the spirit of the summit: “Five days. One ocean. One unique opportunity.” 

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Nations adopt historic pledge to guard against future pandemics

    Source: United Nations MIL OSI

    The effects of the devastating coronavirus“>COVID-19 pandemic are still being felt. Around seven million people died, health systems were overwhelmed, and the global economy was practically driven to a standstill.

    The global turmoil prompted a stunned international community to pursue an agreement aimed at preventing such a catastrophic event from happening again – and ensuring the world is far better prepared in the future.

    The landmark decision was made at the World Health Assembly, the annual meeting of the World Health Organization (WHO).

    Although the formal adoption was on Tuesday, the WHO’s Member States overwhelmingly approved the agreement on Monday (124 votes in favour, zero objections, 11 abstentions).

    This meant that, rather than a nail-biting vote with last-minute surprises (ahead of the conference, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General, only felt able to express “cautious optimism”), the adoption by consensus had a celebratory feel.

    “The agreement is a victory for public health, science and multilateral action,” declared Tedros. “It will ensure we, collectively, can better protect the world from future pandemic threats.

    “It is also a recognition by the international community that our citizens, societies and economies must not be left vulnerable to again suffer losses like those endured during COVID-19.”  

    WHO/Christopher Black

    WHO Member States approved the first-ever Pandemic Agreement on 19 May 2025

    ‘Once-in-a-lifetime opportunity’

    The pandemic laid bare gross inequities between and within countries, when it came to diagnostics, treatments, and vaccines, and a core aim of the agreement is to plug gaps and treat any future pandemics in a fairer and more efficient way.

    “Now that the Agreement has been brought to life, we must all act with the same urgency to implement its critical elements, including systems to ensure equitable access to life-saving pandemic-related health products,” announced Dr. Teodoro Herbosa, Secretary of the Philippines Department of Health, and President of this year’s World Health Assembly, who presided over the Agreement’s adoption.

    “As COVID was a once-in-a-lifetime emergency, the WHO Pandemic Agreement offers a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to build on lessons learned from that crisis and ensure people worldwide are better protected if a future pandemic emerges.”

    The issue of national sovereignty has been raised several times during the process of negotiating the accord, a reflection of false online claims that WHO is somehow attempting to wrest control away from individual countries.

    The accord is at pains to point out that this is not the case, stating that nothing contained within it gives WHO any authority to change or interfere with national laws, or force nations to take measures such as banning travellers, impose vaccinations or implement lockdowns.

    WHO/ Christopher Black

    WHO Member States approved the first-ever Pandemic Agreement on 19 May 2025

    11 abstentions and a US no-show

    11 countries abstained, including Poland, Israel, Italy, Russia, Slovakia and Iran. Following the vote, the abstaining countries were given the opportunity to explain why they took this decision.

    The Polish delegate explained that they could not support the treaty ahead of a domestic review, whilst Russia raised the issue of sovereignty as a concern. Iran’s representative said that “key concerns of developing countries were not addressed,” and that they regretted the “lack of binding commitments on unhindered access and equitable access to medical countermeasures, technology transfer and knowhow, and continued silence on negative impact of unilateral coercive measures on health systems.”

    During the high-level segment which preceded the vote, a notable intervention came from the United States which has begun the year-long process of withdrawing from the WHO, and did not take part in the vote.

    In a video addressed to the Assembly, US Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy excoriated the WHO, accusing the UN agency of having “doubled down with the Pandemic Agreement which will lock in all of the dysfunction of the WHO pandemic response…we’re not going to participate in that.”

    Next steps

    The adoption has been hailed as a groundbreaking step, but this is just the beginning of the process.

    The next step is putting the agreement into practice, by launching a process to draft and negotiate a Pathogen Access and Benefit Sharing system (PABS) through an Intergovernmental Working Group.

    The result of this process will be considered at next year’s World Health Assembly.

    Once the Assembly adopts the PABS annex, the agreement will then be open for signature and consideration of ratification, including by national legislative bodies. After 60 ratifications, it will enter into force.

    Other provisions include a new financial mechanism for pandemic prevention, preparedness and response, and the creation of a Global Supply Chain and Logistics Network to “enhance, facilitate, and work to remove barriers and ensure equitable, timely, rapid, safe, and affordable access to pandemic-related health products for countries in need during public health emergencies of international concern, including pandemic emergencies, and for prevention of such emergencies.”

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Sudan war exacerbates risk of cholera and malaria: UNICEF

    Source: United Nations MIL OSI

    In a report released Wednesday, UNICEF highlighted the growing threat of cholera in the war-torn country, with more than 7,700 cases and 185 associated deaths reported in Khartoum State alone since January 2025. Alarmingly, over 1,000 cases have affected children under the age of five.

    Since the onset of conflict in April 2023, three million people have been forced to flee their homes, displaced internally and across the region.

    Returning to homes without water

    While improved access to parts of Khartoum State has enabled more than 34,000 people to return since January, many are coming back to homes that have been severely damaged and lack access to basic water and sanitation services.

    Recent attacks on power infrastructure in Khartoum State have compounded the crisis, disrupting water supplies and forcing families to collect water from unsafe, contaminated sources.

    This significantly increases the risk of cholera, particularly in densely populated areas such as displacement camps.

    UNICEF has implemented a multi-pronged approach to the crisis, including distributing household water treatment chemicals, delivering over 1.6 million oral cholera vaccines, supplying cholera treatment kits, and more.

    “Each day, more children are exposed to this double threat of cholera and malnutrition, but both are preventable and treatable, if we can reach children in time,” said Sheldon Yett, UNICEF Representative for Sudan.

    Malaria and new prevention efforts

    Also on Wednesday, UNICEF launched a partnership with the Sudanese government’s health ministry and The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria to distribute nearly 15.6 million insecticide-treated bed nets to prevent the spread of malaria among vulnerable families across Sudan, along with 500,000 additional nets for antenatal and immunization facilities.

    The campaign aims to protect 28 million Sudanese across 14 states.

    As with cholera, ongoing conflict and displacement have created conditions conducive to the spread of malaria. Overcrowded and unsanitary living conditions, coupled with the approaching rainy season, present a serious health risk to millions, particularly those returning to damaged communities.

    In addition, the initiative aims to bolster the availability of anti-malarial medications, rapid diagnostic tests, and investments in strengthening the healthcare system.

    Critical medical supplies reach West Darfur

    In a more positive development, the World Health Organization (WHO) announced Tuesday that El Geneina Hospital in West Darfur has received eight tonnes of medical supplies for nutrition, non-communicable diseases and mental health.

    The delivery, supported by the World Bank Africa, the Share Project, and the European Union, is expected to sustain the hospital’s operations for six months, providing vital support to one of the regions hardest hit by the multiple escalating crises.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: UN faces deepening financial crisis, urges members to pay up

    Source: United Nations MIL OSI

    With a growing shortfall in contributions – $2.4 billion in unpaid regular budget dues and $2.7 billion in peacekeeping – the UN has been forced to cut spending, freeze hiring, and scale back some services.

    Officials warned that this risks eroding the UN’s credibility and its capacity to fulfil mandates entrusted to it by Member States.

    Switzerland, speaking also on behalf of Liechtenstein, said the issue goes beyond accounting. “Each delay in payment, each hiring freeze, each cancelled service chips away at trust in our ability to deliver,” the delegate said.

    Retain unspent funds as ‘protective buffer’

    One proposed solution is to allow the UN to temporarily keep unspent funds at year’s end, instead of returning them to Member States as credits. Currently, this return is mandatory – even if the funds arrive late in the year, giving the UN little time to spend them.

    The suggested change would act as a buffer to keep operations running, particularly in January when payments tend to lag.

    Delegates also backed limited use of “special commitments” — emergency funding tools — early in the year to bridge gaps caused by delayed contributions.

    While these fixes may help, several speakers, including those from Kazakhstan, Norway, and the United Kingdom, emphasized that the root cause is the continued late or non-payment of dues.

    Norway noted such temporary measures won’t solve the underlying problem and urged Member States to support bold financial reforms.

    ‘Real operational risks’

    The European Union stressed that the crisis is not abstract. “These are real operational risks,” its delegate said, adding that the burden cannot fall solely on countries that pay on time.

    Singapore, speaking for the Southeast Asian group of nations, ASEAN, echoed concern that the UN’s liquidity problems have become routine.

    He cited the UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific’s (ESCAP) need to shut its offices for three months and suspend travel and hiring.

    Particularly troubling to many was the fact that one country – unnamed in the meeting but widely known to be the United States – is responsible for over half of all unpaid dues, reportedly withholding funds for political reasons.

    Russia called for more transparency in how the UN manages cash-saving measures, cautioning against actions taken without Member State input.

    Paying dues

    Catherine Pollard, the UN’s top management official, noted that since 9 May, a handful of countries have paid in full across several budget categories, while the number of nations which have paid in full for the regular budget stands at 106 for the year.

    Still, with only 61 countries having met all their obligations in full, the message from Member States was clear: without broad, timely financial support, the UN’s ability to serve the world – especially in times of crisis – is at serious risk.

    For full coverage of all meetings at the General Assembly, Security Council and elsewhere at UN Headquarters please visit our Meetings Coverage Section here. You can find the full report on this meeting, here.  

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: ‘We are at a point of no return’: Grave violations against children surge for third year

    Source: United Nations MIL OSI

    This number represents a 25 per cent increase from 2023, marking the third consecutive year that violations have increased. 22,495 violations were committed against children themselves while the remaining targeted infrastructure such as schools and humanitarian aid intended for and used by children.

    “The cries of 22,495 innocent children who should be learning to read or play ball — but instead have been forced to learn how to survive gunfire and bombings — should keep all of us awake at night,” said the Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict, Virginia Gamba.

    The report only details violations which could be independently verified by the United Nations, meaning the actual number of grave violations and children affected are likely much higher.

    ‘Children should not be a casualty of war’

    The report attributed the increase to indiscriminate attacks — especially urban warfare — in addition to disregard for peace agreements and deepening humanitarian crises worldwide.

    “Children living amidst hostilities are being stripped of their childhood … When we allow this to happen, we are not just failing to protect children – we are taking away their chance to grow up safe, to go to school, and to live a life with dignity and hope,” Ms. Gamba said.

    In addition to the broader increase, the number of children subjected to multiple grave violations increased by 17 per cent.

    The highest number of violations, 8,554, occurred in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories – more than double the number in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) which followed.

    Governments ‘blatantly’ ignore international law

    The report noted that while non-State actors played an out-sized role in violations against individual children, government actors were the main forces responsible for killing and maiming children, attacking schools and hospitals, and denying humanitarian access.

    “Instead of recognizing the special protection afforded to children, governments and armed groups around the world blatantly ignore international law that defines a child as anyone under 18,” Ms. Gamba said.

    The report listed eight countries whose government forces violated international law and committed grave violations against children — the DRC, Israel, Myanmar, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria and Russia.

    ‘A wake-up call’

    In 2024, 16,482 children formerly associated with armed forces or groups received protection or reintegration support, but numbers of violations against children still remain staggeringly high.

    The Secretary-General called on all Member States to adhere to their obligations under international law by upholding the rights and special protections of children while also expanding services to treat children who are victims of conflict.

    Ms. Gamba reiterated this call, saying that the increase in grave violations should be a “wake-up call” and reminding the international community that indifference to such violations will not bring peace.

    “We face a choice that defines who we are: to care, or to turn away …  We all share the duty to act—with urgency, with determination—to bring this suffering to an end. Not tomorrow. Not someday. Today,” she concluded. 

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Human Rights Council hears concerns over displacement, genocide risks and migrant trafficking

    Source: United Nations MIL OSI

    Of the record 83 million people internally displaced worldwide, at least 1.2 million were displaced by crime-related violence in 2024 – more than double the 2023 figure – amid a global decline in support for international norms, human rights and the rule of law.

    The growing reach of organised crime in driving displacement and rights violations was the focus of a report delivered Monday morning by the Special Rapporteur on the human rights of internally displaced persons, Paula Gaviria Betancur.

    Driving displacement

    As violent conflicts worsen globally, displacement is increasingly driven by the threat of violence or the desire of criminal groups to control territory, resources and illicit economies.

    Additionally, in places like Sudan, Palestine and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), occupying powers and criminal groups are systematically uprooting communities to alter demographics, treating IDPs as military targets.

    “Displacement is no longer just a consequence of conflict – it is increasingly its deliberate objective,” Ms. Betancur warned.

    In these regions, either the State enables impunity for violent groups or national security operations worsen the crisis by punishing victims and fuelling further displacement, eroding state legitimacy.

    IDPs in these contexts “face grave violations of their human rights,” including “murder, violent assault, kidnapping, forced labour, child recruitment and sexual exploitation,” she said.

    “The rise in global displacement is the result of systemic failure – the failure of States and the international community to tackle its root causes,” Ms. Betancur concluded, calling for stronger support for the UN and accountability for criminal groups.

    Genocide risks in conflict areas

    Virginia Gamba, Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide, briefed the council on escalating risks in Sudan, Gaza, the DRC and beyond during Monday’s session.

    In Sudan, where over 10.5 million have been displaced since fighting erupted in April 2023, both the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) are committing grave rights violations.

    Ethnically motivated attacks by the RSF in certain regions mean “the risk of genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity in Sudan remains very high,” Ms. Gamba underscored.

    Turning to Gaza, she called the scale of civilian suffering and destruction “staggering and unacceptable,” noting the conflict has also fuelled rising antisemitism and Islamophobia worldwide.

    Hate speech fuelling violence

    As attacks on civilians and ethnic violence continue in the DRC, hate speech and discrimination have surged.

    But this surge is also occurring worldwide, further exacerbating the risk of genocide.

    “Hate speech – which has been a precursor for genocide in the past – is present in far too many situations, often targeting the most vulnerable,” said Ms. Gamba, highlighting refugees, Indigenous peoples and religious minorities.

    For genocide prevention, she urged greater efforts to monitor hate speech, expand education efforts, and strengthen partnerships with regional organizations.

    “The task of preventing genocide remains critical and urgent—the moment to act is now,” she stressed.

    Trafficking of migrant domestic workers

    Special Rapporteur on trafficking in persons, Siobhán Mullally, presented her report on the trafficking risks faced by migrant domestic workers.

    “The specific nature of domestic work, and weak regulatory responses by States, produce a structural vulnerability to exploitation,” Ms. Mullally said.

    The crisis disproportionately affects women, as they make up the majority of domestic workers and 61 per cent of trafficking victims detected globally in 2022.

    Conditions of domestic work

    Many women from disadvantaged communities are promised jobs abroad, but upon arrival, realise they have been conned. They endure violence, labour abuses and sexual exploitation but are unable to pay the exorbitant penalty for terminating their work contracts.

    Ms. Mullally cited the legacy of slavery, gendered and racialised views of domestic work and intersecting discrimination as key factors behind poor conditions and trafficking risks.

    Most States lack the political will to enforce labour laws in the domestic work sector, reinforcing this crisis, she said, calling for stronger labour laws, safe migration pathways, bilateral agreements grounded in human rights and an end to the criminalisation of trafficking victims.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: World News in Brief: Türk speaks out on sexual violence, Brazil floods update, Nicaraguan human rights violations

    Source: United Nations MIL OSI

    “We are not meeting the minimum requirement to prevent women from being silenced, and support their participation and leadership in…building peace,” Mr. Türk said.

    25 years ago, the UN Security Council passed a resolution which affirmed the vital role that women play in preventing and resolving conflict and emphasized the importance of ending impunity for sexual violence in and around conflict.

    Since then, other resolutions have reinforced these principles and UN agencies and their partners have worked to implement them. While this work has led to trials which held perpetrators accountable, gender-based violence is becoming more, not less, prevalent.

    Justice is not the norm

    Mr. Türk’s office has documented thousands of horrific cases in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territory, Haiti, Sudan, Ukraine and many other conflict-affected areas.

    “Fighters are being encouraged or instructed to victimize women, often as a deliberate weapon of warfare – to terrorize communities and force them to flee; and to silence the voices of women who speak out against war-mongering, and seek to build peace,” he said.

    Funding and aid cuts are also impeding the efforts of humanitarians and human rights agencies, impeding the provision of essential medical and psychosocial support for affected women and girls.

    Mr. Türk noted that the failure to provide these essential services has long-term impacts on survivors and “leaves young girls and women alone, outcast and traumatised.”

    Floods in Brazil displacing communities two years in a row

    The UN migration organization (IOM) raised the alarm on Tuesday over heavy rains pounding Brazil’s southern state of Rio Grande do Sul.

    Since mid-June, over 5,000 people have been displaced, four have died, one person remains missing, and 132 municipalities have reported damage.

    This latest disaster comes just a year after record flooding forced many communities from their homes, some now displaced for the second time.

    IOM response

    IOM’s presence and partnerships in the region were expanded and strengthened during the 2024 crisis, allowing for a swift response in 2025.

    This year, the organization is focused on supporting recovery efforts by providing technical expertise and helping authorities assess needs and develop long-term solutions.

    The goal is to ensure aid reaches those most in need and that systems are in place to help communities rebuild safely and sustainably.

    While committed to supporting the people of Rio Grande do Sul, IOM has called for critical support: “As extreme weather events become more frequent and intense, humanitarian action must go hand in hand with investments in preparedness and resilience,” said Paolo Caputo, IOM Chief of Mission in Brazil.

    Nicaraguan dissident killed in Costa Rica is part of a pattern, experts say

    The Group of Human Rights Experts on Nicaragua, independent experts appointed by the UN Human Rights Council, condemned the murder of Nicaraguan exile Roberto Samcam on Tuesday, saying that reports indicate the crime may be part of a larger pattern to silence dissidents abroad.

    Mr. Samcam was killed in Costa Rica on 19 June by someone posing to be a delivery man who shot him five times before fleeing.

    The victim was a retired army major who, in 2018, publicly denounced the current Nicaraguan government led by President Daniel Ortega and his wife Rosario Murillo.

    “We condemn the murder of Roberto Samcam in the strongest terms, and welcome the swift action of Costa Rica, which we trust will expose the motivations behind this terrible act and bring justice to his family,” said Jan-Michael Simon, chair of the group.

    A pattern of silencing dissidents

    Since 2018 when security forces in Nicaragua violently suppressed anti-government protests, independent experts have documented many alleged human rights violations and abuses.

    Most recently, in February, the UN group released a report warning that the repressive actions of the Nicaraguan State have extended beyond their territorial borders, affecting dissidents – real or perceived – living abroad.

    “Nowhere in the world seems to be safe for Nicaraguans opposed to the Government of Daniel Ortega and Rosario Murillo,” said expert Reed Broady.

    The experts noted that there is information to indicate there may be links to the murder of another Nicaraguan dissident Rodolfo Rojas Cordero in 2022 in Honduras and the twice attempted murder of Jaoa Maldonado in 2021 and 2024.

    “States must be held accountable for committing transborder human rights violations,” Mr. Simon said.

    Independent rights experts are not UN staff, receive no salary for their work and and independent of any government or organization.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Yemen: Nearly half the population facing acute food insecurity in some southern areas

    Source: United Nations 2

    Yemen remains trapped in a prolonged political, humanitarian and development crisis, after enduring years of conflict between government forces and Houthi rebels, with populations in the south of the country now facing a growing food insecurity crisis.

    A partial update released Monday by the UN-backed Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) system – which ranks food insecurity from Phase 1 to famine conditions, or Phase 5 – paints a grim picture.

    Starting in May 2025, around 4.95 million people have been facing crisis-level food insecurity or worse (Phase 3+), including 1.5 million facing emergency-level food insecurity (Phase 4).

    These numbers mark an increase of 370,000 people suffering from severe food insecurity compared to the period from November 2024 to February 2025.

    Further deterioration

    The UN World Food Programme (WFP) warned that “looking ahead, the situation [was] expected to deteriorate further,” with 420,000 people potentially falling into crisis-level food insecurity or worse.

    This would bring the total number of severely food-insecure people in southern governorate areas to 5.38 million – more than half the population.

    Multiple compounded crises – such as sustained economic decline, currency depreciation in southern governorates, conflict, and increasingly severe weather – are driving food insecurity in Yemen.

    High-risk areas

    Amid Yemen’s growing food crisis, humanitarian agencies including WFP, the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF), and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) are reorienting their efforts towards high-risk areas, delivering integrated support across food security, nutrition, sanitation, health, and protection to maximise life-saving impact.

    “The fact that more and more people in Yemen don’t know where their next meal will come from is extremely concerning at a time when we are experiencing unprecedented funding challenges,” said Siemon Hollema, Deputy Country Director of WFP in Yemen.

    Immediate support needed

    WFP, UNICEF and FAO are urgently calling for sustained and large-scale humanitarian and livelihood assistance to prevent communities from falling deeper into food insecurity, and to ensure that the UN “can continue to serve the most vulnerable families that have nowhere else to turn,” he said.

    Internally displaced persons, low-income rural households, and vulnerable children are particularly affected, and are now facing increased vulnerability, as approximately 2.4 million children under the age of five and 1.5 million pregnant and lactating women are currently suffering from acute malnutrition.

    The situation is dire, but with urgent support, “we can revitalise local food production, safeguard livelihoods, and move from crisis to resilience building, ensuring efficiency and impact,” said FAO Representative in Yemen, Dr. Hussain Gadain.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Central Africa at a crossroads amid rising tensions and instability

    Source: United Nations 2

    With violence worsening in both the Lake Chad Basin and the Great Lakes, the Security Council met on Monday to examine the threats confronting the wider region.

    “Central Africa remains rich in potential, but the challenges are still significant,” said Abdou Abarry, Head of the UN Regional Office for Central Africa (UNOCA).

    Some progress

    While countries such as Chad and Gabon have made progress in terms of political development, newly elected authorities must capitalise on this momentum to implement key democratic reforms, said Mr Abarry.

    In Chad and Gabon, recent elections and reforms have promoted greater participation of women in the democratic process.

    Today, women represent 34 per cent of Chad’s National Assembly, while Gabon’s new electoral code mandates that women must account for at least 30 per cent of electoral lists provided to voters.

    Political challenges

    In recent months, online disinformation and hate speech have been on the rise in Cameroon, said Mr Abarry. UNOCA reported that 65 per cent of political content shared on social media between January and April this year was either false or previously manipulated.

    At the same time, Cameroon has seen a surge in intercommunal violence in the southern and central regions of the country. This trend underscores the importance of UNOCA’s work in supporting development strategies aimed at preventing conflict related to electoral processes.

    Insecurity hotbeds

    Two major centres of insecurity persist, with violence escalating in both the Lake Chad Basin and the Great Lakes region.

    Around Lake Chad, groups affiliated with Boko Haram extremists and other armed insurgencies have demonstrated “their resilience and their ability to adapt and respond to the coordinated operations of the defence and security forces” of the region, said Mr Abarry.

    Notably, on the night of 24 March, drones carrying explosives killed at least 19 Cameroonian soldiers in southern Nigeria.

    Meanwhile, growing tensions between the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Rwanda have led to large-scale displacement in eastern DRC, where the humanitarian crisis is further compounded by conflict in neighbouring Sudan.

    As budget cuts exacerbate ongoing humanitarian crises in the region, there is growing concern that “the inaction of the international community could lead to a worsening of the humanitarian situation,” the head of UNOCA told ambassadors. 

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Ukraine: Ceasefire a critical first step on the road to durable peace

    Source: United Nations 2-b

    Under-Secretary-General Rosemary DiCarlo addressed ambassadors alongside UN deputy relief chief, Joyce Msuya, who updated on the dire humanitarian situation in the country amid ongoing Russian attacks.

    Ms. DiCarlo said the meeting was taking place at a potential inflection point in the three-year war, as the past few weeks have seen intensified shuttle diplomacy towards a possible peace deal. 

    ‘Glimmer of hope’

    “These initiatives offer a glimmer of hope for progress towards a ceasefire and an eventual peaceful settlement,” she said.

    “At the same time, we continue to witness relentless attacks on Ukrainian cities and towns.”

    Russian forces have carried out recent deadly strikes, such as the massive, combined missile and drone attack last week on several regions, including the capital Kyiv.  

    Multiple residential buildings in the city were hit. At least 12 people were reported killed and more than 70 others injured, including children, making it the deadliest attack on the capital in nine months. 

    This followed several other deadly strikes, including one in Sumy city on Palm Sunday that reportedly killed 35 people.  Another in Kryvyi Rih killed 18, including nine children – the deadliest single strike against children since the start of the full-scale Russian invasion.

    The UN human rights office, OHCHR, verified that as of 24 April, 151 civilians have been killed, and 697 injured so far this month in Ukraine. 

    Verification is ongoing, but numbers are expected to surpass the March figures, which were already 50 per cent higher than in February.

    She also noted recent media reports quoting local Russian authorities that indicate civilian casualties in the Kursk, Bryansk and Belgorod regions in Russia, including alleged Ukrainian strikes on 23 and 24 April that reportedly killed three people in the Belgorod region.

    “We condemn all attacks against civilians and civilian infrastructure, wherever they occur,” she said.

    Diplomatic efforts encouraged

    Ms. DiCarlo noted that the UN Secretary-General has repeatedly called for de-escalation and a durable ceasefire in Ukraine.

    “In this regard, we are encouraged by the diplomatic efforts underway,” she said.

    “We take note of yesterday’s announcement by the Russian Federation of a 72-hour truce planned for the period from 8 to 10 May.”

    It follows a similar Russian announcement on 19 April of a 30-hour Easter truce, “and Ukrainian authorities reportedly agreed to mirror any such steps, reiterating their earlier support for a 30-day ceasefire proposed by the United States,” she said.

    “Regrettably, hostilities continued during Holy Week, with both sides accusing each other of violations.”

    She recalled that a month earlier, the Secretary-General welcomed separate announcements by the US, Russia and Ukraine regarding a 30-day moratorium on strikes against energy infrastructure and the resumption of negotiations on the safety of navigation in the Black Sea.

    “Despite these commitments, however, attacks against energy infrastructure persisted,” she said. 

    Political will valuable

    Ms. DiCarlo said the continued exchange of prisoner of war by both sides – including the largest to date, when 500 people were swapped on 20 April – “shows that with political will, diplomacy can yield tangible results even in the most difficult circumstances.”

    She concluded her remarks by pointing to the forthcoming 80th anniversary of the Second World War, which serves as a reminder “with even greater urgency” of the centrality of the UN Charter and international law in safeguarding peace and security.

    “The Russian Federation’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine stands as an egregious challenge to these fundamental principles, jeopardizing stability in Europe and threatening the broader international order,” she said.

    “What is needed now is a full, immediate and unconditional ceasefire as a critical first step towards ending the violence and creating the conditions for a just, comprehensive and sustainable peace.”

    UN Photo/Eskinder Debebe

    Joyce Msuya, UN Deputy Emergency Relief Coordinator, briefs the Security Council meeting on maintenance of peace and security of Ukraine.

    Millions in need

    Ms. Msuya reported that the humanitarian situation in Ukraine has worsened despite ceasefire opportunities. Overall, nearly 13 million people need assistance.

    “So far this year, not a single day has passed without civilians being killed or injured in attacks,” she said. 

    The operating environment also remains highly dangerous for humanitarians. 

    Aid workers under attack

    “From 1 January to 23 April, there were 38 verified security incidents impacting humanitarian staff within 20 kilometers of the frontline. This has left three aid workers dead and 21 injured while delivering life-saving assistance,” she said.

    Ms. Msuya reiterated earlier calls for the Council to take urgent, collective action on Ukraine in three areas.

    She urged ambassadors to ensure the protection of civilians – including humanitarian and health workers – and critical infrastructure. 

    Her second point stressed the need to increase financial support for humanitarian operations as underfunding is forcing critical programmes to scale down. 

    Finally, she called for a just peace: “Every effort, whether aimed at a temporary pause or a lasting agreement, must prioritize the protection and needs of civilians.” 

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Security Council urged to stand firm as Bosnia and Herzegovina faces deepening crisis

    Source: United Nations 2-b

    High Representative Christian Schmidt briefed on latest developments surrounding implementation of the 1995 General Framework Agreement for Peace in Bosnia and Herzegovina, which ended more than three years of bloodshed and genocide following the breakup of the former Yugoslavia.

    The accord, also known as the Dayton Peace Agreement, established a new constitution and created two entities within the country: the mainly Bosniak and Croat Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the ethnically Serb Republika Srpska.

    Constitutional order under attack

    Mr. Schmidt – whose key role is overseeing implementation of the 1995 agreement – said conditions for the full implementation of the civilian aspects of the deal have vastly deteriorated.

    “The first quarter of this year was marked by a significant rise of tensions, which without question amounts to an extraordinary crisis in the country since the signing of the Dayton Agreement,” he said.

    “I may underline that I see a political crisis. I do not yet have indications for a security crisis.”

    The sudden deterioration stems from reactions following the 26 February conviction of Republika Srpska President Milorad Dodik for failing to enforce the decisions of the High Representative. 

    He was sentenced to one year in prison and banned from political office for six years but has appealed the decision.

    “After the verdict, Mr. Dodik intensified his attacks on the constitutional order of the country by directing the authorities of the Republika Srpska to adopt legislation that effectively bans State-level judiciary and State-level law enforcement in the Republika Srpska and by even putting on the table a draft Entity constitution, hinting at de facto secession,” said Mr. Schmidt.

    He told the Council that given the speed with which the draft laws and constitution were made public strongly suggests that they had been prepared well in advance.

    UN Photo/Eskinder Debebe

    Christian Schmidt, High Representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina, briefs members of the UN Security Council on the situation in the country.

    Fears of disintegration

    He said these acts and legislation fundamentally contradict the implementation of the Dayton Accords and “endanger the territorial and societal integrity of the country and of its peoples by performing secessionist acts.”

    Furthermore, “they also create legal and executive insecurity by establishing Entity laws and institutions that contradict and compete with State law and competence.” 

    He stressed that “it will require institutions created in Dayton, such as the Constitutional Court, to prevent this country from falling apart, and when it comes to safeguarding the functionality of the State, my legal competencies as High Representative as well.”

    As a result, the State-level coalition has been seriously affected, momentum towards European Union (EU) accession has stalled and the functionality of the State is being undermined, while reforms have been sidelined. 

    “This development is not irreversible, but it is severe,” he warned.  “It needs to be addressed without delay, it requires active engagement by the international community.”

    Communities shun extremism

    The High Representative noted that the Serb community “did not pay heed to Mr. Dodik’s unlawful directives.” For example, although ethnic Serbs working in State-level institutions have been pressured to abandon their posts, “these calls and threats have been left overwhelmingly unanswered.”

    Meanwhile, the Bosniak community “has been able to remain calm despite the tensions and to continue on the path of patient dialogue also in order to keep the country’s European integration on the table.”

    He also noticed “a continuing pro-European commitment” on the part of the Croat community, “as well as an increased willingness to engage in inter-ethnic dialogue, including in local disputes.” 

    Mr. Schmidt was adamant that the people of Bosnia and Herzegovina can and do live together.

    “For the most part, the communities in the country do not support extremism or secessionism,” he said. “There is ample evidence for that in daily life, but ethnocentric politics spends too much time on dividing the communities rather than uniting them.”

    Peace accord remains crucial

    While the country is facing complex and varied challenges, he said the current extraordinary crisis is the result of severe attacks against the Dayton Agreement “encompassing the constitutional and legal order” and has nothing to do with the peace deal itself.

    “Bosnia and Herzegovina is facing difficult times. Nobody would have expected 30 years ago that the international community is needed as much today as it is,” he said.

    “But the Peace Agreement that this UN Security Council endorsed 30 years ago remains the very foundation on which the future of Bosnia and Herzegovina with its sovereignty, territorial integrity, and political independence can be built.”

    Although reopening or redefining Dayton challenges the basis for peace and prosperity in the country, “this does not mean we should not talk about necessary amendments and adoptions of this constitution,” he said.

    Attacks threaten ‘very foundation’

    “The way forward includes countering threats and attacks to its very foundation, but also implementing meaningful reforms, including in the context of the country’s European integration,” he continued.

    “It is about strengthening institutional stability and functionality of the State and continuing to reinforce election integrity in view of the country’s general elections in 2026.”  

    Mr. Schmidt concluded his remarks by urging the international community to continue to support and assist the country and the people of Bosnia and Herzegovina to shape their future and to reassure the population that they have not been forgotten.   

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Myanmar on the ‘path to self-destruction’ if violence does not end

    Source: United Nations 2-b

    Since then, “there has been no end to the violence, even though thousands have been killed and thousands more injured,” said UN Special Envoy to Myanmar, Julie Bishop, on Tuesday, briefing the General Assembly.

    “I have stressed consistently that without a ceasefire, a de-escalation of violence and a focus on the needs of the people, there can be no inclusive lasting peace,” she said.

    Call for ceasefire

    Having spoken with survivors among the rubble of homes, hospitals and schools, Ms. Bishop said they “wanted the fighting to end so they could live in peace,” as armed clashes continue to obstruct the aid and reconstruction effort.

    Although some parties to the conflict have announced ceasefires, “they have largely not been observed,” she said.

    Reiterating her call for an end to hostilities she said civilian protection “must be the priority and inclusive and sustainable peace a shared goal.”

    Without an end to the violence she said Myanmar would continue on “the path to self-destruction.”

    Contested elections

    Ms. Bishop warned that unless there is an end to the violence and an inclusive and transparent electoral process, all that could result from any election – which the junta is planning to contest – would be “greater resistance and instability.”

    “It is inconceivable how an election could be inclusive,” she said, with so many political leaders still being held by the regime.

    Ms. Bishop also reiterated the UN’s call for the release of all arbitrary prisoners, including democratically elected leaders Win Myint and Aung San Suu Kyi.

    Rohingya’s plight

    With up to 80 per cent living in poverty, the situation of the mostly Muslim Rohingya minority in both Myanmar and Bangladesh remains dire.

    Caught in the crossfire between the Myanmar military and the Arakan Army, Rohingya civilians in their historic homeland of Rakhine State are being subjected to forced recruitment and other abuse.

    As aid dwindles, Rohingyas living in Bangladesh’s Cox’s Bazar face real consequences, including cuts to food rations and education.  

    “A viable future for Myanmar must ensure safety, accountability, and opportunity for all its communities, including Rohingya, and must address the root causes of conflict, discrimination and disenfranchisement in all its forms,” said Ms. Bishop. 

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: ‘Smart grid’ helps accelerate energy transition in Indonesia

    Source: United Nations 2-b

    With support from the United Nations, the electricity grid on the central islands of Java, Madura, and Bali – home to over 160 million people – is now being upgraded and modernized to accommodate fluctuating energy loads from solar and wind power.

    “As a result of our cooperation with the UN, we now have a blueprint for a smart grid and are working to enable it to seamlessly integrate electricity from renewables in line with national priorities,” said Evy Haryadi, Director of Transmission and System Planning at state-owned electricity company PT Perusahaan Listrik Negara (PLN). “This will represent a huge step forward in decarbonizing Indonesia’s energy system.”

    As emphasized during a recent visit to Jakarta by the UN Secretary-General’s Special Advisor on Climate Action and Just Transition, Selwin Hart, the smart grid initiative—supported by the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS)—is an integral part of the broader UN assistance in Indonesia to ensure a just energy transition.

    UN Indonesia

    Solar power is widely used on the islands of Java, Madura, and Bali.

    This includes work by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to bring renewable energy to remote islands not connected to the national grid, and by the International Labour Organization (ILO) to support the government in developing green skills.

    “The UN in Indonesia works in close partnership with the government to support its energy transition targets in line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs),” said Gita Sabharwal, United Nations Resident Coordinator for Indonesia. “We provide fast response solutions and technical expertise to help accelerate progress toward government objectives in green energy.”

    The country’s 2025–2034 Electricity Supply Business Plan, launched in May, outlines a strategic shift toward a cleaner and investment-driven energy future. It targets 42.6 GW of new renewable power capacity and 10.3 GW of storage, while limiting new fossil fuel capacity to 16.6 GW. The plan is designed to align Indonesia’s climate commitments with the SDGs and enhance national energy resilience.

    The smart grid and, at its core, the control centre that manages electricity supply and demand, are crucial to this effort. The country expects a surge in renewable generation construction once the modernization of the JAMALI Control Center is completed.

    Historically, power grids were designed to receive electricity from sources with relatively constant output—such as coal, natural gas, or hydropower. However, some renewable sources function differently: solar plants generate electricity only when the sun is shining, and wind power only when the wind is blowing. In a so-called “smart grid,” the control centre must be able to adjust electricity intake from renewables and balance it with stable sources like coal, based on real-time weather conditions and consumption patterns. It will also utilize large-scale batteries to store excess electricity—for example, solar energy generated during particularly sunny periods.

    Established in the early 1980s, the JAMALI grid control center covers 79% of Indonesia’s generation capacity. The smart grid system design, delivered by UNOPS, enables the control centre to incorporate renewable energy forecasting capabilities and grid analysis tools to support stability and security, among other advanced features.

    The detailed engineering design for the JAMALI Main Control Center includes plans to consolidate five regional control centres into two to improve efficiency while maintaining redundancy. UNOPS also completed the tendering process and vendor selection for the design’s implementation and is building the capacity of PLN staff involved in control centre operations to manage the new technology effectively.

    From design to implementation

    Construction workers and engineers are now hard at work at PLN’s campus in Depok, just outside Jakarta, implementing the design provided by UNOPS. Completion of the control centre is expected by the end of 2025. During this phase, UNOPS is responsible for monitoring the selected vendors who are constructing, installing, configuring, and ultimately commissioning the new centre.

    UN Indonesia

    Indonesia is modernizing its electricity grid.

    “UNOPS has the project management expertise and know-how to continue supporting us and ensure the seamless and timely delivery of the project, in line with the original specifications,” said PLN’s Mr. Haryadi. “At the same time, we are building our internal capacity to eventually take over the task.”

    The work is progressing on schedule. The new buildings are largely completed, and installation of the industrial monitoring system—central to the control centre’s operation—is about 40 per cent complete. Based on the success of the initiative, discussions are underway to replicate the design for the four control centres that manage electricity supply on other islands across the country.

    UNOPS supports this modernization under the Southeast Asia Energy Transition Partnership (ETP), which provides technical expertise to partner countries in the region to help their national energy commitments in line with Paris Agreement and the SDGs. ETP is a multi-donor partnership, supported by the governments of Australia, Canada, France, Germany, the United Kingdom and philanthropic donors.  ETP operates in Indonesia, the Philippines and Viet Nam, as well as at the ASEAN regional level, and works collaboratively to mobilize and coordinate resources to facilitate a just energy transition in the region.

    “The control centre upgrade promises to be a game-changer for Indonesia’s energy mix,” Ms Sabharwal said. “Our support is an impactful example of the UN’s assistance in middle-income countries: working behind the scenes and providing core technical expertise, we support the government’s priority of energy security by fast-tracking the green transformation.” 

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Responsibility to Protect: An unfulfilled promise, a ray of hope

    Source: United Nations 4

    Addressing the General Assembly, António Guterres said that the world is witnessing more armed conflicts than at any time since the end of the Second World War.

    “Too often, early warnings go unheeded, and alleged evidence of crimes committed by States and non-State actors are met with denial, indifference, or repression,” he told Member States on Wednesday.  

    “Responses are often too little, too late, inconsistent, or undermined by double standards. Civilians are paying the highest price.”

    The pledge

    The Secretary-General’s address marked two decades since the 2005 World Summit, where global leaders made an unprecedented commitment to protect populations from the atrocity crimes of genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing, and crimes against humanity.

    Known as the Responsibility to Protect, or R2P, the pledge affirmed that sovereignty carries not just rights, but responsibilities – foremost among them, the duty of every State to safeguard its own people.

    When national authorities manifestly fail to do so, the international community has a duty to act – collectively, timely and decisively – in accordance with the UN Charter.

    UN Photo/Loey Felipe

    Secretary-General António Guterres addresses the UN General Assembly meeting on the responsibility to protect and the prevention of genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing, and crimes against humanity.

    An unfulfilled promise

    “Two decades on, the Responsibility to Protect remains both an urgent necessity, a moral imperative and an unfulfilled promise,” he said.

    He cited worsening identity-based violence, deepening impunity, and the weaponization of new technologies as compounding threats to populations around the world.

    “No society is immune from the risk of atrocity crimes,” Mr. Guterres continued.  

    A ray of hope

    The Secretary-General also presented his latest report on the Responsibility to Protect, reflecting on two decades of progress and persistent challenges. It draws on a global survey showing that the principle still enjoys broad support – not only among Member States, but also among communities affected by violence.

    “Communities see it [R2P] as a ray of hope,” he said, “but they also call for effective implementation at all levels.”

    Mr. Guterres emphasised that prevention must begin at home: with inclusive leadership, the protection of human rights and the rule of law. And it must be supported worldwide through multilateral cooperation and principled diplomacy.

    “No society is immune from the risk of atrocity crimes,” he said.  

    “[Prevention] must be supported globally – through multilateral cooperation, principled diplomacy, and early and decisive action to effectively protect populations.”

    UN Photo/Paulo Filgueiras

    In September 2005, heads of states and governments from around the world gathered at the UN Headquarters for the World Summit.

    Flashback: 2005 World Summit and the birth of R2P

    The Responsibility to Protect was adopted by consensus at the 2005 World Summit – at the time, the largest-ever gathering of heads of state and government. The Summit also established the Peacebuilding Commission to support post-conflict recovery and the Human Rights Council to uphold human rights.

    The R2P principle is built on three pillars: the State’s responsibility to protect its population; the international community’s role in assisting States in this effort; and the duty to take collective action when States manifestly fail to protect their people.

    Since its adoption, R2P has helped shape international responses to atrocity crimes, guided UN operations, and informed preventive efforts through national, regional, and multilateral mechanisms.

    Keep the promise

    Yet the gap between principle and practice remains a central concern – one the Secretary-General is urging the international community to close.

    “Let us keep the promise,” Mr. Guterres said. “Let us move forward with resolve, unity, and the courage to act.”

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Greed is driving oceans toward collapse

    Source: United Nations 4

    Mr. Guterres’ stark assessment came during a press conference on the second day of the UN ocean summit, known as UNOC3, where hundreds of government leaders, scientists and civil society groups are gathered on France’s Côte d’Azur. Their mission: to confront the escalating emergency facing the world’s oceans.

    Greed is a ‘clear enemy’

    “We are in Nice on a mission – save the ocean, to save our future,” the Secretary-General said, and warned that a tipping point is fast-approaching “beyond which recovery may become impossible.”

    The “clear enemy” that is pushing our oceans towards the brink is greed.

    According to the UN chief, greed sows doubt, denies science, distorts truth, rewards corruption and destroys life for profit. “We cannot let greed dictate the fate of our planet,” he insisted.

    Calling on all stakeholders to assume their responsibility in pushing back against these profit-hungry forces, the Secretary-General said: “That is why we are here this week: to stand in solidarity against those forces and reclaim what belongs to us all.”

    He cited four priorities for governments, business leaders, fishers and scientists, saying “everyone has a responsibility and a vital role to play”:

    • Transform ocean harvesting – It’s not just about fishing, it’s about how we fish. We must meet the globally agreed “30 by 30” goal to conserve 30 per cent of oceans by 2030.
       
    • Tackle plastic pollution: Phase out single-use plastics and improve recycling; and finalize a global treaty to end plastic pollution this year.
       
    • Fight climate change at sea: Countries must submit bold climate plans ahead of COP30 in Brazil. Plans must align with the 1.5°C target and cover all emissions.
       
    • Enforce the High Seas Treaty: Ratify and implement the new treaty, known by the shorthand, BBNJ treaty, to protect marine biodiversity, and urge all nations to join and bring the agreement into force.

    Calling for a grand global coalition of governments, business leaders, fishers, scientists, the Secretary-General urged everyone to step forward with decisive commitments and tangible funding.

    “The ocean has given us so much. It is time we returned the favour.”

    UN News/Heyi Zou

    António Guterres, UN Secretary-General takes a family photo with world leaders to ramp up the ratification of the High Sea Treaty.

    Don’t let the deep sea become the ‘Wild West’

    Responding to questions at the press conference, Mr. Guterres emphasized another critical issue: the fight against deep-sea mining. 

    Reiterating his warning from the opening day of the conference that the deep ocean must not become a “Wild West” of unregulated exploitation, he voiced strong backing for the ongoing work of the International Seabed Authority in addressing this growing concern.

    After his press conference, the Secretary-General visited Nice’s picturesque Port Lympia and boarded the Santa Maria Manuela, a Portuguese four-masted schooner, where he met members of the Oceano Azul Foundation, a Lisbon-based organization promoting efforts to reverse the destruction of ocean environments around the world.

    UN News/Heyi Zou

    Young advocates are playing a role in UNOC3.

    An end to deep sea mining

    As the second day of UNOC3 gets under way, the lines outside the conference venue remain just as long as they were on opening day, but the atmosphere has shifted.

    The stern-faced dignitaries and their security details are still very much present, but they have been joined by a more animated crowd. Grassroots activists and civil society groups now fill the space, bringing fresh energy and determination as they step up to help shape the global conversation on saving our oceans and restoring the planet’s health.

    Among these civil society actors, Arzucan Askin and Gayathra Bandara are Young Ocean Leaders and fellows of the Sustainable Ocean Alliance, one of the largest youth organizations for ocean action.

    They told UN News that the Alliance has been advocating a range of work, from ocean conservation and restoration, to pushing for a moratorium on deep sea mining.

    As a specialized researcher working on the impact of seabed mining with several European and US partners, Mr. Bandara said he sees a big role for scientific data in this effort.

    “I felt very sad when some leaders [at the Conference] said they wanted to…push for more deep-sea mining,” so it was “a great thing” to hear the Presidents of France and Costa Rica, the UNOC3 co-hosts, call strongly for the practice to be suspended.

    Ms. Askin agreed and urged everyone to do more to protect our ocean, which she described as “the home of ancient ecosystems that predate all of us”.

    She said she really hopes that the global community will come together and declare: “We will not be mining the deep sea, we will not be exploiting it but rather we’ll be protecting it for the generations to come”.

    UN News/Heyi Zou

    Martina Burtscher (right) and Udani Hewa Maddumage (left) talk to UN News.

    ‘Save our ocean’ is not just a slogan

    Other grassroots groups at the Conference are echoing the urgency expressed by the Secretary-General and world leaders calling for more and faster action to reverse the damage being done to our oceans and planet.

    UN News spoke to Martina Burtscher and Udani Hewa Maddumage, two young activists from SeaSisters Lanka, a non-profit organization in Sri Lanka that uses swimming, surfing and ocean education as a tool.

    SeaSisters Lanka also aims to empower women from coastal areas, especially in southern provinces in Sri Lanka.

    Ms. Burtscher said it is important for everyone, especially world leaders, to understand that saving the ocean is not just a discussion point; it is the agenda.

    Ms. Hewa Maddumage agreed, saying: “In a way, the ocean doesn’t need us, but we should protect it… because we are the ones who use it, and we are the ones that are ruining it as well.”

    As advocates from a grassroot organization, both said they felt it was important that “all voices are included in decision-making positions”.

    Noting their expectations for the Conference, they further hoped that “women, minority groups and organizations that work directly on the ground together with the coastal communities “can be heard, loud and clear”.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –