Category: United Nations

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Japan’s ambassador to Afghanistan visits WFP nutrition site

    Source: World Food Programme

    KABUL – H.E. Takayoshi Kuromiya, Japanese Ambassador to Afghanistan, and Mutinta Chimuka, acting WFP Country Director in Afghanistan, visited a malnutrition clinic in the country’s capital Kabul, where hundreds of pregnant and breastfeeding mothers and their children receive life-saving nutrition services. The visit highlights Japan’s strong and steadfast commitment to WFP’s operations in Afghanistan, where nearly one third of the population is in need of emergency food assistance.

    “It was heartbreaking to see a number of Afghan mothers and children suffering from malnutrition, but it was also encouraging to see the work done by WFP and its partners to provide critical assistance to them and improve their nutrition and health,” said Takayoshi Kuromiya, Japanese Ambassador to Afghanistan. “The Government of Japan remains committed to help Afghan families through the crisis.”

    The visit followed a recent US$7 million contribution from the Government of Japan to WFP in Afghanistan. This funding enables WFP to deliver emergency food assistance to 30,000 families (200,000 people) for three months and to support 60,000 malnourished pregnant and breastfeeding mothers and children. The contribution will also support daily school snacks for 30,000 school children, enhancing their ability to learn and focus during their classes.

    “Women and girls continue to bear the brunt of the crisis in Afghanistan, which is currently witnessing the highest levels of child malnutrition in recent history,” said Harald Mannhardt, WFP Deputy Country Director in Afghanistan. “Only thanks to the generosity of partners like the Government of Japan, can WFP still support women and children across the country despite critical funding shortfalls.”

    Last year, WFP supported 3 million children and 1.8 million pregnant and breastfeeding mothers with malnutrition treatment or prevention services across the country. 

    The Government of Japan has been a steadfast supporter to WFP’s mission in Afghanistan. Since 2021, Japan has contributed US$93 million towards WFP’s emergency food assistance, nutrition and school meals programmes. After the devastating earthquake that struck the west of the country in October 2023, Japan also provided US$1 million for immediate emergency response for the affected population.

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    The United Nations World Food Programme is the world’s largest humanitarian organization, saving lives in emergencies and using food assistance to build a pathway to peace, stability and prosperity for people recovering from conflict, disasters, and the impact of climate change.

    Follow us on Twitter: @wfp_media @WFP_Afghanistan

    MIL OSI United Nations News

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: WFP and EFSD Partner to Improve Food Security by Strengthening Water Management Systems in Armenia

    Source: World Food Programme

    Yerevan, ARMENIA – The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) and the Eurasian Fund for Stabilization and Development (EFSD) are joining forces to improve food security in Armenia through better water management. An agreement for the “Capacity Strengthening of Water Users Associations of Armenia” initiative has been signed with the Government of Armenia, represented by the Armenian Territorial Development Fund (ATDF). The initiative aims to strengthen food security, reduce reliance on assistance, and build community resilience in Armenia.

    “At the EFSD, investments in the rehabilitation of basic infrastructure are among our strategic priorities. However, we recognise that ensuring the sustainability of projects in the irrigation sector requires more than physical efforts. To address this, we place a strong emphasis on building the capacity of water user associations and strengthening sector institutions, enabling them to manage water resources more effectively and independently in the long term,” said Garik Arabyan, Head of the Project at the EFSD.

    WFP will work with 15 Water User Associations (WUAs) across Armenia, training over 125 WUA leaders and community water managers in practical water management skills. These include optimizing irrigation schedules, maintaining infrastructure, and adopting efficient practices like drip and sprinkler irrigation. The training will strengthen irrigation systems and support food-insecure communities in managing water more effectively for agriculture.

    This is particularly important in regions facing water scarcity due to aging infrastructure, overuse of groundwater, and climate change – factors that have contributed to low crop yields and food insecurity. Improved irrigation management will reduce water waste, minimize crop failure risks, and ensure better water access during key growing seasons.

    Although 125 individuals will be trained directly, they manage systems serving thousands of smallholder farmers nationwide. More efficient water use is expected to boost yields of water-intensive crops, increase rural incomes, and improve household food access.

    “Improved water management leads to improved food security,” said Nanna Skau, WFP Representative and Country Director in Armenia. “By investing in water systems and building the knowledge of the people who manage them, we’re laying the foundation for stronger food systems and more resilient communities across Armenia.”

    WFP remains committed to supporting food-insecure communities across Armenia and aligning with the priorities of the Government. By investing in water user associations and local communities, the initiative will help farmers and their families improve income levels and gain consistent access to nutritious food.

     

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    About the World Food Programme

    The United Nations World Food Programme is the world’s largest humanitarian organisation saving lives in emergencies and using food assistance to build a pathway to peace, stability and prosperity for people recovering from conflict, disasters and the impact of climate change.

    Follow us on Twitter @WFPArmenia 

                                                                         

    About the EFSD

    The Eurasian Fund for Stabilization and Development (EFSD) is a regional financing arrangement totalling over US $9 billion, established in 2009 by the Republic of Armenia, the Republic of Belarus, the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, the Russian Federation and the Republic of Tajikistan. The EFSD aims to promote economic and financial stability in its member states and support their sustainable development.

    MIL OSI United Nations News

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: 30 April 2025 Departmental update Restoring balance: Traditional Medicine at the World Health Summit Regional Meeting 2025

    Source: World Health Organisation

    The next World Health Organization (WHO) Traditional Medicine Global Summit, 2–4 December 2025, was unveiled during a keynote plenary session at the World Health Summit Regional Meeting 2025 in New Delhi, India, on 25 April. The session, organized by the WHO Global Traditional Medicine Centre, brought together government ministers, private sector directors, scientists and United Nations leaders to explore how combining ancient wisdom and modern science can expand access to safe, effective and people-centred Traditional Medicine (TM) and strengthen global health equity.

    Stewards of a collective future

    Delhi-based broadcaster Rini Simon Khanna opened the session, entitled: “ Restoring balance: Scaling up access to evidence-based traditional medicine for health and well-being”. She emphasized that the audience had gathered as “stewards of a collective future in health”, with TM serving as “a bridge connecting ancestral knowledge and modern science”. Prataprao Jadhav, India’s Minister of State for the Ministry of Ayush, addressed the gathering via pre-recorded video, stressing the need to integrate traditional knowledge with modern health systems in response to global challenges. The Minister took the opportunity to introduce the second WHO Traditional Medicine Global Summit, to be held in December 2025, and encouraged people to continue the dialogue at the Summit and “be a part of this shared journey towards global health harmony”.

    An evolving global health system

    Dr Rajesh Kotecha, Secretary and Vice-Minister, Ministry of Ayush, opened the panel discussion, telling participants, “TM is not just a thing of the past, it is a living, evolving component of many health systems around the globe”, offering relevance and promise in delivering affordable, accessible, people-centred care.

    The first panellist, Drungtsho Dorji Gyeltshen, Traditional Medicine Physician at National Traditional Medicine Hospital, Bhutan, showcased how the country’s traditional system of health care, Sowa-Rigpa, is accessible to rural and hard-to-reach communities and offers trusted, free and culturally relevant care. Sowa-Rigpa plays a key role in Bhutan’s Gross National Happiness, which is aligned to four pillars: good governance, social and economic development, preservation and promotion of culture, and environmental conservation.

    Global strategy for TM

    Dr Saima Wazed, Regional Director for WHO South East Asia Regional Office, explained how the draft WHO Global Strategy for Traditional Medicine, 2025–2034 (scheduled for discussion at the Seventy-eighth World Health Assembly) will support WHO Member States in integrating TM into primary health care. She stressed the need to develop evidence-based programmes to reduce misinformation, for greater confidence in TM. She also highlighted the need for culturally reflective policies and regulatory bodies, communicated in understandable language.

    The role of evidence

    Aditya Burman, Non-Executive Director of Dabur India, emphasized the need to shift from anecdotal to evidence-based TM, just as biomedicine did. He added, “We hear anecdotal a little too much when it comes to TM, and we’d like to change that”. When discussing how to drive future growth in the TM sector, Mr Burman said, “It’s not about shouting louder [about the benefits of TM], it’s about allowing the other side to be receptive – building effective products and proving their effectiveness in a globally understood language”.

    Professor Georg Seifert, a Senior Lecturer in Paediatrics at Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Germany, built on this point by explaining that more research is urgently needed, particularly on TM’s cost-effectiveness and sustainability. He also noted that integration of TM and biomedicine requires trust between those working in both systems, which grows from transparency about the strengths and limitations of TM. Professor Seifert also remarked on cross-cultural collaboration: “I can envisage a global network of integrative clinical centres that aid a diverse care model using rigorous but flexible methods, tailored to cultural and therapeutic contexts”, he said.

    Voices of youth

    Tanushree Jain, Chair of Public Health at the International Pharmaceutical Students’ Federation and member of the WHO Youth Council, discussed the generational shift in young people’s attitudes towards wellness, which includes preventive practices that incorporate ethics and sustainability. She highlighted that young people want to see TM validated through science and integrated safely in modern care. “When traditional knowledge is adapted with rigour and relevance, it earns our trust”, she stated.

    Digital tools like mobile health apps and fitness trackers are making traditional practices more accessible to youth and driving behaviour change. When these tools are engaging, educational, inclusive and sustainable, they empower young people to integrate personalized holistic care into their daily lives.

    Bridging the gap between science and policy

    Dr Soumya Swaminathan, former Chief Scientist at WHO and Chair of MS Swaminathan Research Foundation, stated, “No system of medicine has the answer to everything, and this is why we need to think about integrative medicine”. She stressed that there are currently different terms and diagnostic systems in use by traditional healers and allopathic doctors. She explained that to bridge the gap between science and policy, culturally significant practices need to be evaluated and integrated using robust, context-sensitive scientific methods, with a common language and vocabulary. Dr Swaminathan also highlighted the importance of harnessing the opportunities presented by modern tools, such as AI for diagnostics, through a multidisciplinary approach.

    The future of TM

    Dr Rajesh Kotecha asked each of the panellists one final question: “Looking ahead to the next five years, what is the one thing that is needed most for TM to advance the health and well-being of all?”

    • Drungtsho Dorji Gyeltshen said that establishing Bhutan as a centre of excellence, and focusing on sustainable and innovative practices will preserve and promote Sowa-Rigpa, ensuring it remains relevant, accessible and contributes to global health;
    • Dr Saima Wazed emphasized bringing data and knowledge together from global TM practices in a standardized format, so they can be shared on a global platform;
    • Aditya Burman noted that it is important to ensure TM becomes part of the mainstream vocabulary, suggesting inclusion on medical TV shows and films, to show that TM is not a niche “out there” idea;
    • Professor Georg Seifert said that he sees big potential in preventive medicine and integrated health care models, but strong evidence and good business models are needed to show cost-effectiveness;
    • Tanushree Jain highlighted establishing evidence in scientific research and using that to build trust in TM;
    • Dr Soumya Swaminathan stressed that this is the time to come together to bring the disciplines together, to not fight over which one is better, but to develop the science and communicate it effectively to people, for the best person-centred care.

     

    The session concluded with a question-and-answer session with the audience. One participant said that, as an editor at The Lancet medical journal, they noted a lack of submissions and publications on TM. They highlighted the need to bring TM to the global stage, through high-quality journal articles and clinical trials, for people to have trust. The panellists suggested some challenges, such as language or cultural understanding, as well as constructive feedback, such as the need for greater outreach or funding programmes. Dr Swaminathan added that there is also an evidence feedback loop – if the right research has not been published in the literature, then it is difficult to validate findings, as per publication policies, and suggested journals like The Lancet help create publishing opportunities for TM research.

    Restoring balance

    In his closing video address, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General, reminded the audience that TM is as old as humanity itself and that for hundreds of millions of people, TM is just medicine. Through GTMC, WHO is supporting research to harness the power of these ancient practices.

    Moderator Rini Simon Khanna remarked that this is “not the conclusion of our conversation but the beginning of a shared journey”, which is as much about restoring balance within ourselves, our communities, the health system and our relationship with the natural world. That journey continues at the second WHO Global Traditional Medicine Summit in December. The summit video was unveiled, which sets out how the next Summit will help unlock the full potential of TM. The Summit offers not just a space for dialogue, but a call to action to explore how the nexus of TM and modern science can restore balance and well-being for people and our planet. Ms Khanna closed, “Restoring balance is not just a policy goal, it is a personal and planetary commitment.

    MIL OSI United Nations News

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Midwives on the front line: Health workers, humanitarians, heroes

    Source: United Nations Population Fund

    Statement by UNFPA Executive Director Dr. Natalia Kanem on the International Day of the Midwife (5 May 2025)

    When bombs fall or floods wash away roads and homes, where services are severed and infrastructure has collapsed, midwives are often the first responders and the last line of defence. They often travel across even the most remote and dangerous terrain to ensure essential services that save lives and safeguard health and human rights. 

    In humanitarian settings, women are twice as likely to die in childbirth. Deploying midwives as part of every humanitarian and national disaster response is a life-saving and cost-effective way to reduce preventable maternal deaths. 

    Midwives can provide 90 per cent of essential sexual, reproductive, maternal and newborn health services, including family planning. They also support survivors of gender-based violence, which skyrockets during crises. 

    Midwives often put themselves at enormous risk when they venture out to provide care to women and girls in hard to reach homes and communities in crisis settings.

    Yet, midwifery is still not always recognized as the vital health profession it is. Chronic underinvestment in midwifery has translated to inadequate training, a lack of infrastructure and supplies, and low salaries – barriers that are present in times of stability and only grow worse in times of crisis.

    Recent severe funding cuts to humanitarian assistance threaten to widen these gaps, with tragic impacts on women and girls in some of the world’s most challenging places. Already, midwives are reporting rising death rates among women and newborns in conflict zones and fragile contexts – an ominous sign in settings where over 60 per cent of global maternal deaths are reported. 

    We know that midwives could avert two thirds of maternal and newborn deaths, while delivering vast economic and social benefits – from lower healthcare costs to more productive workforces. Women and entire societies would be both less vulnerable to crisis and more equipped to recover from it. 

    On this International Day of the Midwife, we call on governments and donors to join UNFPA and partners in the Midwifery Accelerator initiative, which aims to increase financial and programmatic investments in midwives – and the systems that support them – before more lives are lost.

    Midwives save lives. Let us work together to end the global shortage of nearly 1 million midwives and to ensure that we can end preventable maternal deaths once and for all.

    MIL OSI United Nations News

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Global Safe Hub

    Source: UNISDR Disaster Risk Reduction

    Mission

    The Global Safe Hub’s mission is to provide a one-stop shop platform for sharing knowledge, best practices, and training in innovative disaster risk reduction and management by providing communities, researchers, relevant organisations and governments with reliable data and effective tools.

    These are its objectives:

    Data Management

    • Provide up-to-date datasets from reputable and reliable sources.
    • Provide real-time data analysis and visualization to support decision-making.

    Training

    • Offer free online and specialized certified courses in disaster risk reduction.
    • Collaborate with institutions to provide high-quality training materials.

    Knowledge sharing

    • Provide a knowledge-sharing platform for communities and professionals to share experiences and best practices.

    Spatial Analysis Services

    • Provide customized spatial analysis solutions to empower your decision-making.

    MIL OSI United Nations News

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Calls for Proposals: Strengthening Community Multi-Hazard Early Warning Systems in the Caribbean Region

    Source: UNISDR Disaster Risk Reduction

    UNDRR is the United Nations’ focal point for coordinating disaster risk reduction, working closely with countries and a wide range of partners and stakeholders to support the implementation, monitoring, and review of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030. This work is aligned with the 2030 Agenda and other relevant instruments, with the ultimate goal of achieving multi-hazard management of disaster risk in development and significantly reducing disaster risk and losses.

    In accordance with UN Financial Regulations and Rules, UNDRR provides grants to apolitical and non-profit-making organizations to facilitate, implement, or carry out activities that align with UNDRR’s and its partners’ mandates and work programs.

    To this end, UNDRR is pleased to invite non-profit-making organizations to submit grant proposals that focus on the following project: Strengthening Community Multi-Hazard Early Warning Systems in the Caribbean Region.

    Rationale

    As an implementing partner of the Climate Risk and Early Warning Systems (CREWS) Caribbean Initiative, the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) recognizes the critical role that strategic partnerships play in enhancing multi-hazard early warning systems (MHEWS) across the Caribbean. The Caribbean’s unique vulnerabilities, including its geographic isolation and dependence on climate-sensitive sectors, make community-based multi-hazard early warning systems a critical component of long-term disaster resilience. Effective multi-hazard early warnings at the community level enable timely evacuations, safeguard livelihoods, and minimize disruptions to essential services, ultimately protecting development gains. A well-funded and coordinated approach to strengthening community MHEWS will ensure that warnings are not only issued but also understood and acted upon, closing the last-mile gap in disaster risk reduction.

    Strengthening community-based MHEWS is essential to enhancing disaster resilience in the Caribbean, where vulnerable populations are often the first to experience the impacts of hydro-meteorological hazards. Community MHEWS serve as the frontline of disaster preparedness, ensuring that multi-hazard early warnings are effectively communicated to those most at risk, including marginalized groups, persons with disabilities, and remote communities. By supporting a grant that prioritizes community engagement, capacity-building, and localized risk communication strategies, UNDRR and its regional partners can bridge the gap between national multi-hazard early warning mechanisms and community action. This alignment will foster a culture of preparedness where residents have the knowledge, tools, and networks necessary to respond proactively to disasters, reducing loss of life and property.

    Investing in community-driven MHEWS also strengthens the sustainability and effectiveness of broader these systems by integrating local and scientific knowledge. Traditional warning methods, such as the use of community leaders and cultural practices, can complement modern technologies, enhancing the accessibility and trustworthiness of alerts. Additionally, empowering local actors-such as community disaster committees, schools, and civil society organizations-to participate in the co-design of warning messages ensures that information is context-specific and actionable. By establishing this grant, resources can be allocated to expand risk awareness campaigns, improve response, and provide targeted training, all of which are vital to building a robust, inclusive, and people-centered multi-hazard early warning system.

    Purpose

    Establish a grant between UNDRR and an experienced (sub) regional partner to enhance existing community level disaster preparedness and response capacity including training on community vulnerability assessment.

    Outcome

    Strengthened MHEWS at the community levels within CDEMA Participating Sates through improved local level disaster risk knowledge, enhanced community disaster response team and improved local level MHEWS strategies.

    Outputs and suggested activities

    1. Improved and contextualized MHEWS guidelines for addressing vulnerabilities of specific groups in the Caribbean region.
    2. Strengthened sub-national coordination mechanisms for MHEWS through supporting the development and implementation of local strategies for disaster risk reduction.
    3. Enhanced MHEWS local coordination in the Caribbean through participatory approaches
    4. Improved understanding of community vulnerabilities and exposure.
    5. Improved community response capabilities.

    Suggested activities

    1. Output 1: Improved and contextualized MHEWS guidelines for addressing vulnerabilities of specific groups in the Caribbean region
      • Development of a regional workshop with Ministries in charge of addressing gender concerns and the needs of vulnerable groups and last-mile communities, including those with disabilities and Gender Bureaus, to discuss how MHEWS can be more inclusive, gender-responsive and transformative.
      • Development of guidelines, recommendations and commitments that will strengthen MHEWS in at least 3 countries that are inclusive, gender responsive and transformative.
    2. Output 2: Strengthened sub-national coordination mechanisms for MHEWS through supporting the development and implementation of local strategies for disaster risk reduction
      • Implementation of the MHEWS addendum of the resilience scorecard in 4 selected Caribbean local government in close coordination with UNDRR and the grantee.
      • At least four local governments have improved sub-national coordination for MHEWS through the developed local resilience plans with the implementation of the MCR2030 MHEWS Addendum and resilience scorecard
    3. Output 3: Enhanced MHEWS local coordination in the Caribbean through participatory approaches
      • Facilitate consultation between national, local stakeholders, civil society and community organizations to support the review and alignment of MHEWS strategies within the Caribbean region to improve national level coordination.
      • Develop reports on at least 4 local government areas on consultations aligning MHEWS with community resilience.
    4. Output 4: Improved understanding of community vulnerabilities and exposure
      • Facilitate regional training on Enhanced Vulnerability Capacity Assessment (eVCA) for Red Cross-National Societies and National Disaster Risk Management Offices for improved capacity for community engagement and assessment.
      • Improved risk knowledge with one regional baseline survey on knowledge and capacities of Red Cross-National Societies and National Disaster Risk Management Offices in the Caribbean.
      • Strengthened capacity of national stakeholders with one regional training on the Enhanced Vulnerability Capacity Assessment in a selected Caribbean territory with an eVCA and report.
      • A second eVCA conducted in a selected sub-national Caribbean territory with a report being developed.
    5. Output 5: Improved community response capabilities
      • Establishment, training and equipping of Community Disaster Response Teams (CDRTs) for prioritized hazards.
      • At least one in-person regional training on community early warning system.
      • Enhanced preparedness and response capacity in countries with at least four Community Disaster Response Teams established and equipped to respond to hazard impacts

    Resources

    Elements specific to the project that the grantee should know

    1. All International, (sub) regional and national non-governmental organizations that wish to be considered for partnership opportunities with UNDRR will need to register and create a profile on the United Nations Partner Portal (UNPP).
      1. Following verification of the profile information, partners will be eligible to apply to partnership opportunities with UNDRR as well as the UN Secretariat and all other participating UN Organizations.
      2. We encourage you to start the registration as soon as possible to avoid delays. Only registered organizations whose profile has been successfully verified will be considered eligible partners to apply for grant opportunities with UNDRR.
      3. For more details on registration procedures please visit the UN Section of UNPP (https://www.unpartnerportal.org/registration)
    2. Furthermore, the United Nations system requires all partners to be assessed regarding their capacity to prevent and respond to sexual exploitation and abuse. UNDRR encourages implementing partners to use the Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA) module in the UNPP. PSEA Module User Guide CSO Partner Members
    3. The grantee must have a proven track record in working with government authorities, both at the national and local levels with experience in risk data aggregation to improve early warning and impact-based forecasting [Mandatory].
      1. Applicant to confirm that it has expertise in disaster risk reduction and community resilience sector and to provide certificates or qualifications of persons implementing the grant.
      2. Applicant to confirm that it has a minimum 20 years’ experience in disaster risk reduction and community resilience sector, demonstrated with clear examples of at least 10 programmes/projects of similar scope.
      3. Applicant is expected to provide relevant information of their local expertise, including experience of working with regional and local key stakeholders, and established consultation and feedback mechanisms with local communities
    4. For all training, workshops, consultative meetings, etc., grantee must provide a summary outcome of the events, list of participants with disaggregate information including names, affiliation, gender, email address, city, and country of representation. All events must be accompanied by relevant reports with photos as proof of evidence. [Mandatory].

    Budget and administrative-related aspects

    The duration of the proposed project cannot exceed December 31st 2026. The maximum amount requested from UNDRR for the implementation of this project cannot exceed USD$315,000.00. The project proposal must not exceed 10 pages (attachments such as scanned copies of entity’s registration, CVs of staff etc. do not count).

    For this purpose, please fill in duly all the sections of the application form, include the required documents (scanned copy of NGO/IGO’s registration certificate, CVs of staff etc.) and budget excel sheets, and send the complete application package (application form, budget excel sheets, entity registration certificate, CVs of staff, etc.) to the following email address: [email protected] cc: [email protected] and [email protected]

    Reference: UNDRR CfP 2025/003Call for Proposals – Strengthening Community Multi-Hazard Early Warning Systems in the Caribbean Region

    Deadline for applications: May 9th 2025 midnight New York, USA EST (Eastern Standard Time). Incomplete and/or late applications will not be considered.

    Projects’ activities can include, amongst others, the following:

    • seminars, workshops, trainings;
    • capacity building activities;
    • institutional strengthening activities and
    • advocacy

    The following types of activity will not be covered:

    • capital expenditure, e.g. land, buildings, equipment and vehicles;
    • individual scholarships for studies or training courses;
    • supporting political parties; and
    • sub-contracting

    Due to the number of applications, only short-listed applicants will be notified.

    Please note that UNDRR may publish information about the grant agreement. Please note that the grant payment schedule will be determined with the selected grantee when finalizing the agreement. UNDRR standard practice is: not to exceed 40% of the requested amount upon signature of the grant agreement; remaining payments made based on a schedule of payments linked to production of project milestones and the final payment, 20%, will be paid after the end of the project, once final documents have been received, verified and approved by UNDRR.

    Refund of grants: UNDRR may request organizations to refund, either in part or in whole any amounts paid in respect of a grant when:

    • the project was not implemented in full or in part;
    • the grant was spent for ineligible expenditures other than those mentioned in the budget proposal submitted to, and approved by UNDRR;
    • no narrative, financial or audit report was submitted within the deadline established by the grant agreement;
    • a narrative report and/or a financial report submitted was determined to be unsatisfactory;
    • a negative evaluation of the project by UNDRR;
    • any other valid reason provided by the UNDRR.

    MIL OSI United Nations News

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Experts of the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination Commend Gabon on Special Contingent Composed of Indigenous Persons, Ask Questions on Treatment of Hausa Gabonese Population and Human Trafficking

    Source: United Nations – Geneva

    The Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination today concluded its consideration of the tenth periodic report of Gabon, with Committee Experts commending the State on the establishment of a special contingent in the National Guard made up of indigenous persons, while asking questions on the treatment of the Hausa Gabonese population and steps taken to combat human trafficking.

    Régine Esseneme, Committee Expert and Country Rapporteur, said the Committee was informed that the President of the Transition, the current Head of State, had set up a special contingent in the National Guard composed of members of the indigenous peoples’ communities, with a view to protecting the environment, which was a commendable action.

    Ms. Esseneme asked about the situation of the Hausa Gabonese since their naturalisation as Gabonese citizens in 2015, in terms of facilitating their national integration? What measures were being taken to ensure effective access to birth registration for members of ethnic minorities and indigenous peoples and to ensure the issuance of official identity documents and passports, especially in remote areas?

    Bakri Sidiki Diaby, Committee Expert and Country Co-Rapporteur, asked what was the proportion of Gabonese nationals who were victims of trafficking? What were the main forms of trafficking found in Gabon? What was the profile of the perpetrators of human trafficking, their gender and their nationality? What were the measures for reparation and rehabilitation of victims of trafficking? What was being done by the State to prevent and combat trafficking in persons, including for the purpose of labour exploitation, sexual exploitation and domestic servitude, including of non-citizens, especially children?

    The delegation said the Hausa Gabonese benefitted the same as any other citizen who held Gabonese nationality. A naturalisation decree had been implemented which granted Gabonese nationality to all Hausa people living in the country at the time; this was around 1,000 people. Some people had tried to fall through the cracks and benefit from this decree without actually meeting the requirements, which had a negative impact on the administrative situation. The Ministry of Justice was currently verifying the validity of these documents.

    The delegation said in 2023, Gabon completed the procedure required for the State to be in a position to proactively identify cases of human trafficking by identifying irregular movements. The country was also collecting data in this regard, to identify trends and receive up to date information on this phenomenon in Gabon. Underground networks operated the trafficking of women and children, and irregular migration was the driving force behind this phenomenon. Gabon was working with Benin to find a solution to this issue. The State was fully committed to rolling out the project to have practical solutions to these issues, including police investigations into these cases.

    Introducing the report, Paul-Marie Gondjout, Minister of Justice, Keeper of the Seals of Gabon and head of the delegation, apologised for the late submission of the report, which should have been submitted more than 20 years ago. Since the “ coup of liberation” of 30 August 2023, the country had been engaged in a democratic transition process under the aegis of the President of the Transition. Structured around profound institutional reforms, this inclusive process had laid the foundations for more transparent and democratic governance. A new Constitution was adopted in December 2024, which brought substantial innovations in governance; and the Electoral Code adopted in January 2025 introduced greater involvement of electoral observers, two seats of deputies for the Gabonese diaspora, and the guarantee of the right to vote for incarcerated citizens.

    In concluding remarks, Ms. Esseneme congratulated Gabon for the multi-sectoral approach taken to the dialogue, which had been productive and fruitful. Gabon was urged to do its utmost to implement the recommendations contained in the concluding observations, to ensure ongoing collaboration with the Committee.

    Mr. Gondjout, in his concluding remarks, thanked the Committee for the constructive and respectful exchange which had taken place. Gabon would continue engaging with the Committee and looked forward to the concluding observations and follow-up. It would respond within the timeframes indicated.

    The delegation of Gabon consisted of representatives of the Transitional National Assembly; Ministry of the Interior; Ministry of Health; Ministry of Energy and Water Resources; Ministry of Women and Child Protection; Ministry of National Education; Directorate of Human Rights Protection; Directorate of Criminal Affairs; Directorate of Equal Opportunities; Labour Inspectorate; Central Directorate of Financial Affairs; Directorate of Documentation and Immigration; Immigration Task Force; and the Permanent Mission of Gabon to the United Nations Office at Geneva.

    The Committee will issue its concluding observations on the report of Gabon after the conclusion of its one hundred and fifteenth session on 9 May. The programme of work and other documents related to the session can be found here . Summaries of the public meetings of the Committee can be found here , while webcasts of the public meetings can be found here .

    The Committee will next meet in public on Thursday, 1 May at 3 p.m. to consider the combined eleventh and twelfth periodic reports of Kyrgyzstan (CERD/C/KGZ/11-12).

    Report

    The Committee has before it the tenth periodic report of Gabon (CERD/C/GAB/10).

    Presentation of Report

    PAUL-MARIE GONDJOUT, Minister of Justice, Keeper of the Seals of Gabon and head of the delegation , apologised for the late submission of the report, which should have been submitted more than 20 years ago. It covered the period from 1999 to 2021 and was drafted in an inclusive, participatory process. Since gaining sovereignty, Gabon had promoted equal dignity among all citizens by prohibiting any distinction of race, origin or religion. The country had made the fight against all forms of discrimination one of the priorities in its resolute commitment to building a State governed by the rule of law that respected and protected human rights and guaranteed access to rights for all.

    Since the “ coup of liberation” of 30 August 2023, the country had been engaged in a democratic transition process under the aegis of the President of the Transition. Structured around profound institutional reforms, this inclusive process had laid the foundations for more transparent and democratic governance. A new Constitution was adopted in December 2024, which brought substantial innovations in governance; and the Electoral Code adopted in January 2025 introduced greater involvement of electoral observers, two seats of deputies for the Gabonese diaspora, and the guarantee of the right to vote for incarcerated citizens. The presidential election was held on 12 April, which would be followed on 3 May by the inauguration of the President of the Republic, thus putting an end to the transition. Transitional authorities had taken determined action to periodically update the legislative arsenal to bring it into line with ratified international treaties.

    Statistical data was a major challenge for Gabon. To address this, the Directorate General of Statistics had set up a technical body to carry out the seventh national census, which would provide data on age, gender, ethnicity, nationality and language spoken for the total population, indigenous peoples, ethnic minorities and migrants, as well as information on employment, income level and social protection. The project for the harmonisation and improvement of statistics in West and Central Africa was providing financing of statistical activities between 2025 and 2029, ensuring the production of reliable and regularly updated statistics.

    The Convention was directly applicable in Gabon and took precedence over national laws. To raise awareness of the Convention, several initiatives were implemented during the reporting period, from capacity-building workshops to the dissemination of multilingual communications. In various training schools, the Convention was presented in the module on human rights.

    No Gabonese text defined racial discrimination in the same terms as those in article one of the Convention. However, the Constitutions of 1991 and 2024 had adopted and enshrined the main principles of article one, targeting discrimination based on race, colour, national or ethnic origin and covering several sectors of the population. The Constitution also enshrined the equality of citizens before the law and the courts and the presumption of innocence for accused persons. The Government envisaged developing a national plan of action to combat racial discrimination and related intolerance in the coming year. Training sessions on the issue had been organised and a committee had been set up to develop a draft.

    A law on the reorganisation of the National Human Rights Commission was promulgated in November 2024. The process of re-establishing the institution would be completed in the coming weeks after the selection of the commissioners by the Bureau of the National Assembly. Premises for the Commission were made available in 2014, and it had recruited staff since 2012. Its budget has increased from 12,000,000 CFA francs in 2016 to 592,000,000 in 2025.

    During the period under review, measures were taken to ensure that the Criminal Code and other legislation complied with the Convention. State laws prohibited and penalised acts of racial, religious and ethnic discrimination and regionalist propaganda; secular or religious associations that provoked hatred between ethnic groups; and the dissemination, including online, of racist hate speech, which constituted an aggravating circumstance.

    The High Authority for Communication had imposed sanctions on media outlets on several occasions, but no decision condemning hate speech had been handed down by courts to date. A digital campaign entitled “Gabon against hate” was launched in December 2023 to educate citizens on the dangers of hate speech and disinformation, and in December 2024, the Government organised a workshop on the Central African strategy and action plan for the prevention and response to hate speech and incitement to violence, which led to the drafting of a national action plan.

    The new Constitution recognised civil society organizations as a part of pluralist and participatory democracy. A bill was also submitted in September 2024 on the protection of human rights defenders. Civil society organizations, including the network of human rights defenders, were strongly involved in the transition process, both in the Government and in Parliament.

    To align legislation on migrants with international standards, Gabon prepared a draft law establishing rules governing the admission and residence of foreigners in the Republic. The Government planned to integrate the issue of migrants into the curricula of training schools, particularly at the National School of the Judiciary and the National Police Academy, which also had a module on trafficking in persons.

    Gabon had made commitments at international, regional and national levels to combat trafficking in persons through local initiatives and partnerships with international actors. In 2023, the State party created a commission that was mandated to strengthen the capacities of actors addressing trafficking and establish coordinated mechanisms for the identification, care and protection of victims in each province. In addition, a proposed strategy and action plan on trafficking for the period 2025-2029 would implement actions to prevent the phenomenon, protect victims and prosecute perpetrators.

    Questions by Committee Experts

    RÉGINE ESSENEME, Committee Expert and Country Rapporteur , extended warm congratulations to the elected President of the Republic, Brice Oligui Nguema. She said the Committee had considered Gabon’s last report in 1998 in the absence of a delegation. The State submitted its next report 26 years late in 2024. The report did not provide sufficient information on the implementation of the Committee’s previous concluding observations. However, Ms. Esseneme congratulated the State party on significant developments that had been made in the legal and institutional framework, particularly the prohibition of hate speech.

    Gabon’s new Constitution of 2024 did not contain all the grounds of discrimination provided for in article one of the Convention, including skin colour, national origin and ancestry. Was this Constitution currently in effect? By what mechanism could the Convention be invoked before national courts? Could the delegation give examples of court cases in which Convention provisions had been applied? Were there plans to adopt comprehensive anti-discrimination legislation in line with the Convention? Gabon’s Common Core Document dated from 1998 and did not contain precise information on equality and non-discrimination. Were there plans to update it?

    Was there any legislation in the State party explicitly prohibiting racial profiling by police? Gabonese police reportedly carried out racial profiling checks and extorted foreigners staying in Gabon, demanding sums of money from them that varied depending on whether they held a residence permit. What measures were envisaged to prevent, prohibit and expressly punish racial profiling?

    Was the Government drafting a new Criminal Code that incorporated all the provisions of article four of the Convention? Since the events of 30 August 2023, there had reportedly been a rise in racist hate speech against Gabonese of foreign origin, including the Hausa Gabonese group, and foreigners. What measures had the State party taken to counter this hate speech? Had the Prosecutor’s Office received cases of discriminatory acts against Hausa Gabonese?

    The situation seemed to have deteriorated since the presidential election. Some 500 vehicles belonging to non-nationals employed in a private scheme for disadvantaged people had been seized and impounded. Could the State party provide an update on this case, which appeared to amount to racially motivated violence?

    Did Gabon’s law hold persons from a dominant group to account when they destroyed the property of or committed violence against a member of a minority group? What measures were in place to improve the reporting and monitoring of racist hate crimes and hate speech? What progress had been made through the “Gabon against hate” campaign?

    BAKRI SIDIKI DIABY, Committee Expert and Country Co-Rapporteur, called for data on the demographic composition of the population based on self-identification, disaggregated by ethnic origin; data on migrants, refugees, asylum seekers and stateless people; and disaggregated economic and social indicators on the different groups living in the territory, in particular minority groups? The Committee was concerned about the State’s general lack of disaggregated data, including on ethnicity, needed to monitor progress on human rights and inform policymaking. How was the State addressing this? Did it plan to establish a comprehensive data collection and reporting system that would provide insight into racial discrimination, socio-economic inequalities and implementation of the Convention?

    Responses by the Delegation

    The delegation apologised for Gabon’s lateness in submitting the report. The State party was fully committed to working with the Committee. The transitional authorities sought to fulfil the country’s international obligations.

    The Constitution reflected the principles of the Convention, even though it did not reproduce its provisions word for word. There had been no complaints submitted to courts on racial discrimination. The President would take office in three days’ time, when the new Constitution would enter into force.

    The Convention had supremacy over all domestic laws, and when there were Convention provisions that were contrary to the Constitution, the Constitutional Court could recommend amendments to the Constitution. The Criminal Code was last revised in 2020 and Gabon was engaging in work to further revise the Code to formalise within it all elements of article one of the Convention.

    Police officers apprehended persons based on the acts that they conducted. They did not consider persons’ racial or ethnic identity; State law prohibited racial profiling. The Government worked to promote unity between different ethnic groups and ensure that hate speech did not gain ground.

    Data on ethnic origin was not collected in the previous census of 2013, though data on nationality was. The next census would collect data on age, gender, ethnic origin and languages spoken. The Government had undertaken a project to reform the national statistics system, which aimed to provide more resources to the national statistics institute and to establish officers on statistics in each ministerial department, who would collect data on the implementation of the Convention.

    Last year, a leader of a political party made a statement against an ethnic group; investigations into this incident were ongoing. The State party embraced the Hausa Gabonese and other populations of foreign origin, promoting their integration into society. It sought to resolve institutional friction to ensure such integration. It was not aware of reports of seizing of non-nationals’ vehicles.

    Follow-Up Questions by Committee Experts

    RÉGINE ESSENEME, Committee Expert and Country Rapporteur, asked whether the President would need to approve legislation to bring the new Constitution into force. What happened when constitutional or domestic legal provisions ran counter to international norms? Did victims need to lodge complaints related to hate speech for criminal investigations to start? Did the law on the protection of personal data include measures to prevent racial profiling?

    A Committee Expert said the Committee was very pleased to see the delegation of Gabon after nearly a quarter-century and looked forward to continued dialogue with the State. In 2011, a law was implemented that addressed ritualistic crimes against children. What measures had the State party taken to protect children from these crimes? How many children were affected by such crimes?

    Responses by the Delegation

    The delegation said the new Constitution was in force, but its content on ceasing the transitional process was not applicable immediately. The Constitutional Court assessed new laws to ensure that they were aligned with the Convention and the Constitution. It informed the Government when laws contained provisions that did not align with the Convention and called for their revision.

    The Higher Authority on Communication could suggest administrative sanctions against media agencies that disseminated hate speech.

    There were no legal provisions that specifically referred to “ritualistic crimes”, but there were provisions punishing related acts, such as murder and removal of vital organs, as aggravated crimes.

    Questions by Committee Experts

    RÉGINE ESSENEME, Committee Expert and Country Rapporteur, said Gabon had not adopted a plan of action to combat racial discrimination. What measures had the State party taken to develop such a plan and implement the Durban Programme of Action, and what results had it obtained?

    The National Human Rights Commission was reorganised in November 2024. Had the State party applied for accreditation from the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions? The Commission received and examined complaints from individuals and victims. What was the procedure for this, and how many complaints had it examined, including related to racial discrimination? How was the Commission raising awareness about human rights protections? The Commission’s financial resources had been significantly increased; the Committee hoped that this would strengthen the Commission’s ability to combat racial discrimination.

    The registration procedure for non-governmental organizations was reportedly very expensive and inconsistent, which discouraged organizations from carrying out their activities. The Committee had not received any alternative report from civil society. How was the State party encouraging this? What progress had been made in establishing a consultation framework between the State and civil society, and in developing a law on human rights defenders? Human and environmental rights defenders in the country were highly vulnerable to abuses and reprisals, including women, farmers and indigenous peoples fighting against deforestation. What measures were being taken to ensure the protection of human rights defenders who fought against racial discrimination and defended indigenous peoples and migrants?

    The Committee welcomed that the State automatically appointed a lawyer to accused persons who could not afford one, and that such persons benefitted from the presumption of innocence. How many persons had benefitted from legal aid in the last two years, including persons from ethnic minorities?

    What continuous training or awareness raising activities were being carried out for the judiciary, law enforcement officials and the public on human rights, international human rights treaties, non-discrimination and minority rights? Did training on human rights for security and defence forces address the Convention? What measures had been implemented to support the filing of complaints and claims for redress in cases of racial discrimination, particularly for ethnic minorities, indigenous peoples and non-citizens? Victims often struggled to prove that they had been discriminated against when perpetrators held positions of authority. Did the State party intend to introduce a reversal of the burden of proof in favour of victims of discrimination? How would the State bring the administration of justice closer to rural areas inhabited by indigenous peoples, and remove obstacles related to linguistic diversity?

    What progress had been made on introducing human rights education into school curricula and higher education? Did curricula address the Convention, combatting racial discrimination, and the history, culture and traditions of the different ethnic groups and indigenous peoples? What difficulties did the State party encounter in promoting education on national languages? Were there any community radio stations in the State party where information was disseminated in local languages and indigenous languages such as Baka? What programmes were in place to promote ethnic cultures and traditions and social cohesion?

    BAKRI SIDIKI DIABY, Committee Expert and Country Co-Rapporteur, said the new Constitution stipulated that citizens’ gatherings, demonstrations or parades in public spaces needed to be authorised under the conditions provided for by law. This seemed to restrict freedom of assembly and contradict 2017 legislation calling only for a declaration of planned gatherings. Why had this regressive change been made? How would the State party bring its rules on freedom of assembly in line with international standards? Were remedies available for persons whose demonstrations had been banned?

    In February 2021, tear gas and grenades were used in Libreville and Port Gentil to disperse a crowd demonstrating in opposition to the restrictions imposed during the COVID-19 pandemic. What justified this use of public force? Had investigations been carried out to establish responsibility? Could legislation on assembly be used to restrict private meetings? What measures had the State party adopted to ensure that indigenous peoples, ethnic minorities and non-citizens could exercise their right to freedom of assembly without discrimination, including at demonstrations in opposition to infrastructure projects or calling for protection of the environment and natural resources?

    FAITH DIKELEDI PANSY TLAKULA, Committee Expert and Follow-Up Rapporteur , said she was encouraged by the State’s desire to strengthen its institutions. How were the members of the National Human Rights Commission appointed and to whom were they accountable? The State party had not ratified the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance. Did it plan to do so?

    Responses by the Delegation

    The delegation said that the National Human Rights Commission would apply for accreditation with the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions. Funding for the Commission had increased exponentially. Legislation on the re-establishment of the Commission was in line with the Paris Principles; it had been developed with the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights. There had not been any complaints of racial discrimination submitted to the Commission yet. The State party would work to raise awareness of the Commission’s complaints mechanism.

    The Commission and civil society were involved in drafting the State party’s reports to treaty bodies. Civil society had submitted alternative reports to the Human Rights Committee, and training had been provided to civil society on preparing such reports. Reports that the procedure for creating non-governmental organizations was onerous were false. There were no costs associated with creating such organizations in Gabon.

    Gabon sought to rebuild its institutions based on justice. It had set up a legal aid office, which provided legal aid to vulnerable persons, and sought to strengthen this system and make it accessible throughout the country. There was no discrimination in the provision of legal aid. All plaintiffs appearing before a criminal court needed to be represented by a lawyer. The State party would consider revising the Criminal Code to reverse the burden of proof for cases involving racial discrimination.

    The new Constitution enshrined the principles of freedom of expression and assembly for all citizens. Legislation set up a system of declaration for public demonstrations; there was no authorisation system. Individuals who had been banned from holding demonstrations could file administrative appeals and appeals with the courts. There were no barriers to the freedom of expression in Gabon.

    Human rights education was part of the Gabonese civic education programme from primary level onwards. There had been an initiative to bolster this programme and to provide human rights education in vocational training institutions. Teaching on national languages was provided in religious establishments, and there were plans to include national language education in the general primary and secondary curricula.

    The new members of the National Human Rights Commission would be appointed by an ad-hoc committee within the National Assembly through a transparent process that ensured appropriate geographic balance. These members would be standing, independent members. Members’ reports would be sent to relevant institutions for follow-up.

    Initial training for members of the magistracy included a module on human rights, and ongoing training was provided on certain issues, for example concerning migrants and trafficking.

    Questions by a Committee Expert

    RÉGINE ESSENEME, Committee Expert and Country Rapporteur, asked which groups in Gabon self-determined as national minorities, even though the State declared it did not grant them legal status? What was the situation of the Hausa Gabonese since their naturalisation as Gabonese citizens in 2015, in terms of facilitating their national integration? According to information received by the Committee, the State was struggling to issue birth certificates and national identity cards to ethnic and indigenous minorities. What measures were being taken to ensure effective access to birth registration for members of ethnic minorities and indigenous peoples and to ensure the issuance of official identity documents and passports, especially in remote areas?

    It was reported that in 2022, people returning from holidays, whose surnames sounded foreign, had had their passports taken away by border police officers, and they had to go and collect them and justify their Gabonese nationality. What was at the origin of this search for the original “Gabonness” that seemed to be coming back in force since the events of August 2023? What was the State party doing to ensure social cohesion in these circumstances?

    How many members of the indigenous peoples’ communities held positions of responsibility in the central and local State administration? What measures were being taken to strengthen the political and administrative capacities of the members of these communities for better representation? What was the proportion of women, and particularly women from indigenous peoples and the Hausa Gabonese minority, in elective and decision-making positions in the civil service? Did it mean the State would prefer to appoint a less qualified man to a senior job in the State rather than a highly qualified woman, if the 30 per cent quota for women was reached? What measures had the State party taken to prevent and combat racial discrimination in the workplace, as well as abusive practices and labour exploitation, in particular against indigenous peoples and other minorities?

    From the report, it appeared the State party was made up of the Baka, Babongo, Bakoya, Baghame, Barimba, Akoula and Akwoa ethnic groups that were settled in different regions of Gabonese territory. What were the legal and institutional frameworks, as well as policies and programmes established for the promotion and protection of the specific rights of these indigenous peoples? What measures had been taken to enable indigenous peoples to enjoy genuine equality of opportunity and treatment with other members of the population? How many indigenous peoples were there in Gabon?

    What mechanism had been implemented to conduct prior consultations to obtain the free and informed consent of the indigenous peoples concerned by projects, including the deployment of fibre optics, and to involve them in their implementation? Was there a permanent framework for cooperation with community leaders or associations that represented these populations? Who were the ethnic groups of the indigenous inhabitants of the 26 villages concerned by the development project, being conducted with the United Nations Children’s Fund?

    The Committee was informed that the President of the Transition, the current Head of State, had set up a special contingent in the National Guard composed of members of the indigenous peoples’ communities, with a view to protecting the environment, which was a commendable action. It was hoped this would not be an isolated act.

    According to available information, entire villages populated by indigenous communities had been displaced without prior consent for mining projects in Bakoumba, and had been relocated to undesirable and polluted areas, with no action taken by the authorities to follow up on the complaints of those affected by the pollution. Could information on this situation be provided? What measures were being taken to ensure the right of indigenous peoples to own, develop, control and use the lands, resources and community territories that they traditionally occupied or used? What tools did the Government use to promote equal opportunities in education and training? How were the specific needs of indigenous peoples taken into account? Did pre-primary and primary education include the teaching of mother tongue languages?

    The Gabonese Government had adopted a commendable housing policy with the home savings plan put in place since March 2019. However, a World Bank report from 2020 revealed that more than one in two households did not have access to decent housing. What was the real situation in terms of housing? Could information be provided on the poverty rate among indigenous peoples and other minorities and their access to basic services?

    The education system had specialised facilities for children with hearing impairments, including those belonging to indigenous peoples and other minorities. What was the situation of the education of other children with special needs, such as autistic children, considered in some societies to be evil or sorcerous children? Given that some 50 national languages were spoken in Gabon, what languages were used within the media and what methodology was used to choose these languages? Were there programmes in the Baka and Koya languages that were spoken by indigenous peoples? What measures had been taken to promote the dissemination of and respect for the traditions and culture of the different ethnic groups in Gabon, and to protect indigenous languages, such as Baka and Koya?

    Responses by the Delegation

    Regarding the Hausa whose passports were removed if their names sounded foreign, the delegation said there were people who had not been careful to keep up with the administrative situation in the country in which they lived. They may not see the importance of having birth and identity documents. This meant today, when the State was focused on restoring its institutions, these matters came to the surface. There had been some confusing situations which arose because many people had held fake documents for a long time before. The Government was looking into this issue as a matter of national security.

    Members of the Hausa population benefitted the same as any other citizen who held Gabonese nationality. A naturalisation decree had been implemented which granted Gabonese nationality to all Hausa people living in the country at the time; this was around 1,000 people. Some people had tried to fall through the cracks and benefit from this decree without actually meeting the requirements, which had a negative impact on the administrative situation. The Ministry of Justice was currently verifying the validity of these documents.

    It was true that there were more women than men in Gabon. However, when it came to elections, not many women wanted to participate in political life, and the State wanted to change this. This was why legislation had been developed which established quotas; this aimed to be positive discrimination for women. The quotas intended to encourage more women to become involved in political life at the local and national level. The 30 per cent minimum quota was in place for all political parties, with the requirement that 30 per cent of all candidates should be women. The State also aimed to encourage more young people and persons with disabilities to become involved in political life.

    Indigenous peoples were included in Gabon’s social protection coverage. They were covered by the social protection system and received unemployment and health benefits. The 26 villages covered by the support programme were villages with people from Baka, Bango and other groups. Work was done with pregnant women to ensure neonatal services were provided, especially in remote parts of the country where many indigenous groups lived. The State had set up a centre for autistic children and aimed to roll this out to other parts of the country.

    In 2016, a programme was launched to combat all forms of discrimination in employment, healthcare and education, and other areas of public life. The State sought to support all levels of society in Gabon through this programme, which covered indigenous peoples, women and other vulnerable groups. All programmes were intended to promote equality of opportunity for all. Indigenous peoples, regardless of where they were located in the country, could benefit from State programmes.

    In Gabon, there was an observatory which focused on the issue of equality and undertook various studies, including a recent one on the equality of opportunity for indigenous peoples in Gabon. On the basis of this study, an action plan had been developed, with policies to be rolled out to address the situation of indigenous peoples in the country. The most recent census had enabled the State to identify 15,000 persons with disabilities who needed additional support, and actions relating to education and health were carried out in this regard. Gabon was on the right track in terms of indigenous peoples, as the State was pursuing inclusive policies, taking into account all persons on the territory of the country.

    Questions by Committee Experts

    RÉGINE ESSENEME, Committee Expert and Country Rapporteur, said several questions had not been answered, namely on the languages used in the media; the use of land by indigenous peoples; and the medicinal practices of indigenous peoples. There had been a case where indigenous peoples were forcibly removed from their village and transported to polluted areas; could this be addressed? Was it correct that the 30 per cent quota was a minimum? If there was a list of candidates which did not reach the minimum threshold, was it then rejected? Was the State considering an individualised approach to the Hausa Gabonese?

    A Committee Expert asked if the State looked at issues which might be particularly harmful to indigenous peoples, and then adopted policies and programmes to address these issues?

    Another Committee Expert asked what members of the delegation meant when they said they did not recognise minorities as a legal concept? Did this mean these minorities did not qualify for legal protection?

    An Expert asked if the State had investigated what held women back from applying for election posts?

    A Committee Expert said Gabon had last reviewed the Constitution in 2011. How had Gabon addressed the issues of discrimination in education?

    Responses by the Delegation

    The delegation clarified that Gabon had a brand-new Constitution. The law on data protection stated that it was prohibited to collect or process any data which revealed the racial or ethnic background of an individual, their political or religious views, and data related to their sex life or health, among other points. The profiling of children was strictly prohibited, except when strictly necessary. Personal data could be accessed on the grounds of State security defence. When the police were carrying out controls or checks, they treated all passengers in stopped vehicles the same; everyone was asked to show their identity documents.

    When the 30 per cent quotas were not achieved, steps were taken to encourage favourable treatment for women, by ensuring a male and female alternance for candidates in electoral lists, to achieve the 30 per cent representation. This was a “carrot rather than stick” approach. Women were being encouraged to overcome cultural blocks and stand for leadership roles. A workshop had been held last week which sought to address the grassroot social issues, including that women were typically viewed as homemakers and housewives. The quota law aimed to break these traditional mindsets.

    Gabon had enacted specific measures, including the law on persons with disabilities, which mandated that education was compulsory for all children with disabilities. Education was compulsory by law for all children between ages three and 16 in Gabon. A forum was organised in 2019 on the implementation of inclusive education. New schools being built were required to meet accessibility standards, to ensure free and easy access for children with motor disabilities.

    The relocation of individuals in certain areas had been required, but the fact that they were relocated to polluted areas was refuted. Some people had to accustom themselves to living in a new location, but it was the sovereign right of the State to ensure they could tap their resources for the overall benefit of the country. More information about the claims would be appreciated. There were community radio stations which broadcast programmes in local indigenous languages.

    Questions by Committee Experts

    RÉGINE ESSENEME, Committee Expert and Country Rapporteur, said there had been no shadow report received from Gabonese civil society. The information regarding the relocation of indigenous peoples had been received by the Committee members which was why they asked the question. State sovereignty should not be used against the population, but rather for their wellbeing.

    What measures had been adopted, including special measures or affirmative action measures, with a view to combatting inequalities and multiple forms of discrimination, including racial discrimination, with regard to ethnic minorities and indigenous peoples, such as the Baka, Babongo, Bakoya, Baghame, Barimba, Akoula and Akwoa? To what extent did the 2018 national strategy to combat gender-based violence and the law on the elimination of violence against women take into account the specific needs of indigenous girls and women? What other measures had been adopted to address the multiple and intersecting forms of discrimination faced by women belonging to ethnic minorities, indigenous peoples, and other vulnerable groups?

    BAKRI SIDIKI DIABY, Committee Expert and Country Co-Rapporteur, said law no. 5/86, establishing the regime for the admission and residence of foreigners in the Gabonese Republic, provided for severe fines and imprisonment for foreigners in an irregular situation, which considerably reduced the scope of protection for persons who arrived in Gabon irregularly or those already in Gabon in need of international protection. What measures had been taken by the State party to harmonise its national legislation, including this law, with international obligations, in particular to decriminalise irregular migration? What measures had been adopted to prevent and combat racial discrimination and xenophobia against migrants, asylum seekers, refugees and stateless persons, and to facilitate the integration of non-citizens?

    What measures had been adopted by the State party to ensure that the practical application of the policy of “Gabonisation” of employment did not lead to cases of discrimination in hiring and dismissal on the basis of race, colour, descent or national or ethnic origin? According to a provision within the refugee act, the majority of refugees in Gabon lived with families. What was the profile of these families? How was the legal integration of refugees carried out? What were the socio-demographic, spatial and legal-administrative characteristics of the descendants of refugees in Libreville? Clear procedures were needed to ensure the prompt identification of persons seeking international protection at land borders and arrivals by sea; what measures were being taken in this regard? What had been done to strengthen the National Commission for Refugees?

    The Committee had been told that asylum seekers remained excluded from the national medical insurance scheme and did not have access to medical services pending a decision on their refugee status. What steps had been taken to extend primary health care to asylum seekers who were awaiting a final decision on their refugee status? What efforts had the Gabonese Government made to develop and implement a statelessness determination procedure? The Committee had been informed that many foreigners were forced by the administrative services to add so-called “Gabonese” surnames to their surnames, which discouraged some parents of children born in Gabon from finalising the procedures for obtaining Gabonese nationality or identity documents; what measures had been taken to address these situations?

    What was the proportion of Gabonese nationals who were victims of trafficking? What were the main forms of trafficking found in Gabon? Did forced labour include domestic servitude, commercial exploitation and sexual exploitation? What was the profile of the perpetrators of human trafficking, their gender, and their nationality? How many cases had been prosecuted and convicted? What were the measures for reparation and rehabilitation of victims of trafficking? What was being done by the State to prevent and combat trafficking in persons, including for the purpose of labour exploitation, sexual exploitation and domestic servitude, including of non-citizens, especially children? Had appropriate resources been allocated to the National Commission for the Prevention and Combatting of Trafficking in Persons to enable it to carry out its mandate?

    Responses by the Delegation

    The delegation said a guide had been produced to inform people on how to tackle different forms of violence, including sexual violence, and how to support victims. A specific programme had been developed for indigenous children with nomadic lifestyles. Gabon provided support to refugees and asylum seekers as required. The right to health was recognised as a universal human right. Those in an irregular situation received healthcare regardless of their status.

    There was a small number of cases of irregular migration in Gabon today. In recent years, it was ensured that migrants in an irregular situation had been provided with documents and put into a regular situation.

    In 2023, Gabon completed the procedure required for the State to be in a position to proactively identify cases of human trafficking by identifying irregular movements. The country was also collecting data in this regard, to identify trends and receive up to date information on this phenomenon in Gabon. Transnational networks existed, operating by both land and sea. Underground networks operated trafficking of women and children, and irregular migration was the driving force behind this phenomenon. Gabon was working with Benin to find a solution to this issue. The State was fully committed to rolling out the project to have practical solutions to these issues, including police investigations into these cases. Trafficking was a transnational problem, and it was important to go back to the country of origin.

    Everyone in Gabon enjoyed the right to freedom of assembly. Indigenous peoples were dealt with on an equal footing, the same way as other citizens in Gabon. They were appropriately supported if they wished to establish associations. If the laws on equal treatment were not respected, appropriate penalties would be handed down.

    Legislation established the National Commission for the Prevention of Human Trafficking in Gabon. The Commission spearheaded a national strategy to counter trafficking. Gabon was a party to the 1951 Geneva Convention on Refugees. An appeals mechanism existed for those who were not satisfied with their asylum decision. There were no refugee camps in Gabon; refugees and asylum seekers shared the same schools and hospitals as Gabonese citizens. A refugee held the same rights as a Gabonese citizen. A refugee card was issued and gave access to many of the same rights as an identity card.

    BAKRI SIDIKI DIABY, Committee Expert and Country Co-Rapporteur, congratulated Gabon on the mechanism adopted to tackle human trafficking. Could statistics on the number of stateless people be provided? 

    A Committee Expert asked what steps had been taken by the Gabonese Government to push back against hate speech and xenophobia? Would Gabon ratify the Convention on the Rights of Migrants and Members of their Families?

    Another Expert asked if history education was compulsory in the State party at all levels of the education system? Given the colonial legacy of the State party, to what extent did the educational curricula cover this issue? Was Gabon supportive of the concept of reparations for colonial wrongs?

    A Committee Expert asked if any measures had been taken to eradicate malaria, particularly among migrants and asylum seekers?

    Another Expert asked how refugees were cared for in Gabon, including accommodation needs, in light of the fact that there were no camps?

    An Expert said Gabon had made good progress in regard to the education of children with disabilities. Had Gabon ratified the Convention on the Protection of Persons with Disabilities, and instruments on displaced persons.

    One Expert paid tribute to the father of the Gabonese nation.

    Responses by the Delegation

    The delegation said in history classes in public schools, there was no political link with colonialism. The curriculum was based on the programme drafted by a national pedological institution.

    Closing Remarks

    FAITH DIKELEDI PANSY TLAKULA, Committee Expert and Follow-up Rapporteur , said it would be the first time that Gabon would receive recommendations with a follow-up. Several recommendations would be highlighted for follow-up within one year.

    RÉGINE ESSENEME, Committee Expert and Country Rapporteur, congratulated Gabon for the multi-sectoral approach taken to the dialogue, which had been productive and fruitful. Ms. Esseneme thanked all those who had made the dialogue possible, especially in the hybrid format. Gabon was urged to do its utmost to implement the recommendations contained in the concluding observations, to ensure ongoing collaboration with the Committee.

    PAUL-MARIE GONDJOUT, Minister of Justice, Keeper of the Seals of Gabon and head of the delegation , thanked the Committee for the constructive and respectful exchange which had taken place. The Committee’s questions had provided an opportunity to share more information about the situation in Gabon. Gabon would continue engaging with the Committee and looked forward to the concluding observations and follow-up. Gabon would respond within the timeframes indicated. Gabon would take steps to ensure the optimal implementation of the provisions enshrined within the Convention, working with all stakeholders involved in human rights.

    _______________

    CERD25.007E

    Produced by the United Nations Information Service in Geneva for use of the media; 
    not an official record. English and French versions of our releases are different as they are the product of two separate coverage teams that work independently.

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  • MIL-OSI United Nations: IOM Deputy Chief: Escalating Displacement Crisis in DRC Demands Urgent Collective Solutions

    Source: International Organization for Migration (IOM)

    Geneva/ Kinshasa, 1 May 2025 – During a visit to the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), International Organization for Migration (IOM) Deputy Director General for Management and Reform SungAh Lee called for urgent and sustained action to alleviate the suffering of millions already displaced by conflict in the country, along with greater efforts to address the root causes of the crisis.

    “The massive scale of displacement in the DRC demands renewed global attention and coordinated action,” said Deputy Director General Lee. “This is a pivotal moment to act in solidarity with the Congolese people and help forge a path toward sustainable peace and recovery.”

    During her visit, the Deputy Director General met with development partners, government officials including ministries leading efforts in human rights, foreign affairs, anti-trafficking, and disarmament, demobilization and reintegration, with an aim of strengthening institutional partnerships and stakeholder engagement towards developing lasting solutions.

    “Over the past days, I have witnessed both the extraordinary resilience of Congolese communities and the urgent needs that remain unmet,” said DDG Lee. “IOM will continue to stand alongside the DRC, working to expand lifesaving support, strengthen institutions, and invest in solutions that empower communities to recover and thrive.”

    The DRC faces one of the world’s most urgent and complex displacement crises, with nearly seven million people uprooted by ongoing conflict, instability, and climate shocks. The scale of the humanitarian needs has reached a tipping point, requiring collective action from national and international actors.

    The situation in eastern DRC is particularly dire. Since January 2025, over 660,000 people have been re-displaced in the Goma region alone, many without access to critical services including safe shelter, health care, or protection assistance. Women, children, and people with disabilities are among the hardest hit, facing increased risks in overcrowded and under-resourced displacement sites.

    Critical gaps persist in health, protection, and access to basic services. IOM continues to scale up its efforts to ensure lifesaving aid reaches those in need, while also supporting institutional reforms that can strengthen resilience over the long term.

    In collaboration with national authorities and UN partners, IOM is working to address immediate needs while also laying the groundwork for durable solutions—including safe, voluntary returns, local integration, and resettlement—aligned with national priorities, the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework and community aspirations.

    Deputy Director General Lee’s visit underscores IOM’s commitment to listening, learning, and advocating for the sustained support that displaced communities urgently need.

    For more information, please contact IOM Media Centre 

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  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD)

    Source: UNISDR Disaster Risk Reduction

    Mission

    Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD) seeks to be the leading institution for in-depth research and dialogue to promote inclusive policymaking in Bangladesh, and strengthen regional and global economic integration. CPD was established in 1993 with the vision of creating an inclusive society based on equity, justice, fairness and good governance. Its vision is to contribute towards building an inclusive society in Bangladesh that is based on equity, justice, fairness and good governance.​
     

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  • MIL-OSI United Nations: G20 Working Group advances its 2025 agenda and with Africa at the forefront

    Source: UNISDR Disaster Risk Reduction

    The second meeting of the Group of Twenty (G20) Disaster Risk Reduction Working Group put the issues facing Africa in focus as it made progress on its agenda for the year in the lead-up to the Ministerial meeting in October.

    Held under South Africa’s G20 Presidency, with the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) serving as Secretariat, the Working Group met for two informal days (8 and 9 April) and two formal days of discussions (10 and 11 April) in eThekwini, South Africa.

    The centrality of disaster risk reduction to development and prosperity was reaffirmed by the Chair of the meeting, Mr. Mbulelo Tshangana, Director-General of South Africa’s Department of Cooperative Governance, who said at the opening: 

    “Disaster risk reduction is not merely a technical agenda. It is a development imperative, it speaks to equity, justice, and sustainability. And it requires our unwavering commitment, political will, and solidarity.”

    This was echoed by Dr. Abhilash Panda, Deputy Chief of the Intergovernmental, Interagency Cooperation and Partnerships Branch at UNDRR, who emphasized the important role of the G20 in driving cooperation around disaster risk reduction:

    “Disasters have far-reaching impacts on growth, stability, and development gains. By embedding DRR into the G20’s economic agenda, we have the opportunity to drive smarter investments, protect livelihoods, and build more resilient economies for the future.” 

    The meeting highlighted for the first time Africa’s unique challenges and innovations in disaster risk reduction —through site visits, side events on early warning and extreme heat, and examples of locally led solutions from across the continent. 

    The Working Group also made progress in advancing the priorities and deliverables that were presented at the first meeting, especially around financing.  In this regard, UNDRR presented to the group an initial draft of the “high-level principles for financing in DRR” for the group’s consideration, and Norway briefed the group on the outcomes of the Oslo Policy Forum on DRR Financing that it hosted with UNDRR in March. 

    Looking ahead, the third meeting of the Working Group will be held in Johannesburg from 7 to 10 July, which will set the stage for the Ministerial-level meeting in October 2025.

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  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Risk Sciences (Science Direct)

    Source: UNISDR Disaster Risk Reduction

    Mission

    Risk Sciences is a general-interest journal that publishes academic research and industry practices on risks and disruptive technologies across all fields including agriculture, economics, engineering, environmental science, finance, health, law, management, natural sciences, and public administration. 

    Risk Sciences encompass all scientific areas that study the identification, quantification, analysis, communication and governance of risks and uncertainties across all walks of life and society. It has become a fast-evolving interdisciplinary domain with the increasing sophistication of human civilization at this day and age. An important aim of this journal is to become a leading platform for coalescing research interests across multiple disciplines and building the synergy for the advancement of Risk Sciences.

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  • MIL-OSI United Nations: A new international day to protect against earthquakes

    Source: UNISDR Disaster Risk Reduction

    The UN General Assembly has designated the 29th of April of every year as the International Day in Memory of the Victims of Earthquakes, highlighting both the need to support earthquake survivors and to build resilience against earthquakes.

    Earthquakes are among the deadliest natural hazards and are responsible for some of the largest disasters in human history. Currently, Myanmar is in the midst of responding to the earthquake that struck it on 28 March, which killed over 3,700 people, as of 24 April. In Türkiye and Syria, millions are still struggling to rebuild their lives two years after the devastating earthquakes of 2023, which killed over 55,000 people. 

    Recognizing the tremendous toll of earthquakes on lives, economies and sustainable development, Chile, Phillippines, and Uzbekistan introduced a resolution that was adopted by the UN General Assembly on 29 April designating the day as the International Day in Memory of the Victims of Earthquakes. The resolution also invites the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) to facilitate the observance of the new international day.

    “We express our heartfelt appreciation to all Member States who participated in the informal consultations and contributed to the drafting process. We also extend sincere thanks to the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction for its invaluable support and cooperation,” said Ulugbek Lapasov, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Uzbekistan to the UN in New York, noting that, “it should be emphasized that the adoption of this resolution is not only an act of commemoration but a call to action on earthquake risks.”

    The resolution specifies two distinct needs that this day aims to highlight. The first is the need to support the victims of earthquakes, including the provision of international assistance for recovery and long-term psychosocial support. The second is the need to raise awareness around earthquake risks and how they can be reduced. 

    “By honoring those affected worldwide, this day seeks to strengthen solidarity with impacted communities, raise awareness, and promote resilience and preparedness. It also encourages the implementation of measures to improve response, recovery, and disaster risk reduction, ensuring better support for future earthquake events,” said Paula Narváez Ojeda, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Chile to the UN in New York.

    While earthquakes cannot be prevented, their destructive impacts can be greatly reduced through proactive disaster risk reduction measures. This includes supporting countries to better understand their earthquake risks, strengthening disaster risk reduction plans and governance, increasing investments in resilience building, and enhancing preparedness to “build back better” in the aftermath of earthquakes. All of these are key priorities for action within the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030.

    Kamal Kishore, Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Disaster Risk Reduction and Head of UNDRR, has called on countries to do more to reverse the trend of growing earthquake-related disaster costs:

    “Our understanding of the physics of earthquakes has improved. We also understand how buildings and infrastructure respond to earthquakes, and we know how to make them safer. From designing a simple structure to a complex physical infrastructure, engineering knowledge is at an all-time high. Yet the risk of losses from earthquakes is rising in most seismic countries. But trend is not destiny. It can be arrested. It can be reversed.”

    Ambassador Lapasov encouraged countries to actively support commemorations of the new international day:

    “We encourage all Member States to consider making voluntary contributions and urge earthquake-prone countries to organize meaningful national activities in observance of this day. A robust commemoration will serve not only as a tribute to victims but also as a catalyst for advancing disaster prevention and preparedness.”

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  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Myanmar earthquake: Investing in disaster risk reduction to save lives and protect sustainable development

    Source: UNISDR Disaster Risk Reduction

    One month has passed since the devastating 7.7 magnitude earthquake that struck Myanmar on 28 March 2025, which was also felt in Thailand and southwest China. UN-Habitat and the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) reiterate their condolences for the tragic loss of life and call for greater investment in disaster risk reduction and urban resilience in earthquake-prone countries – to help prevent such tragedies in the future. This call carries special significance today, as the UN General Assembly votes to designate 29 April as the International Day in Memory of the Victims of Earthquakes.

    Earthquakes are among the deadliest natural hazards and are responsible for some of the most devastating disasters in human history. Their sudden nature means proactive disaster risk reduction is essential to reducing deaths and economic losses. And as it is often said, it is not earthquakes that kill people, but the collapse of buildings. Hence, countries in earthquake-prone zones must proactively invest in building their resilience. This means updating and enforcing building codes to ensure all new structures are earthquake-resistant as well as retrofitting old ones to meet resilience standards.

    The impact of the earthquake in Myanmar, which as of 24 April resulted in the death of over 3,700 people, injuries of nearly 4,800, and the destruction of almost 65,000 structures, including homes, schools, and hospitals, is a sad reminder of the terrible cost of disasters.  Moreover, the existing vulnerabilities, from years of conflict and instability, worsened the earthquake’s impact, highlighting the importance of disaster risk reduction in countries affected by conflict, violence, or fragility.

    However, there is an opportunity for Myanmar to emerge from this disaster more resilient if the recovery process is based on the “build back better” approach, as called for in the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030. UN-Habitat and UNDRR are committed to supporting countries to accelerate the implementation of the Sendai Framework in the remaining five years to help them avoid the worst impacts of disasters.

    This includes recognizing the vital role of housing in resilience building, as Anacláudia Rossbach, Executive Director of UN-Habitat, states: “In these challenging times, our unwavering commitment is to support the communities affected by the earthquake. Since establishing our office in Myanmar following Cyclone Nargis, we have focused on risk-sensitive urban development to enhance resilience. Earthquakes do more than just damage buildings; they profoundly affect lives and the fabric of communities. Together with our partners and the communities themselves, we are dedicated not only to rebuilding housing and infrastructure but also to instilling hope, ensuring that each step we take makes the rebuilt areas stronger and more resilient than before.”

    UN-Habitat has been engaged in a range of projects across Myanmar, as detailed in the Country Programme Overview 2024–2026, which include essential initiatives such as solid waste management, climate action, and the implementation of nature-based solutions for disaster risk reduction. These efforts are complemented by upcoming initiatives aimed at developing nature-based solutions, climate-resilient schools, and resilient villages. This integrated approach ensures that resilience-building activities are both comprehensive and inclusive, addressing the immediate and long-term needs of Myanmar’s communities.

    Enhancing bilateral and multilateral cooperation is key to responding to these challenges, and the United Nations stands ready to support on this front. That is why international assistance to Myanmar must be increased to address urgent humanitarian needs, in urban and in hard-to-reach rural areas, and to support recovery efforts. This includes support to help Myanmar better understand the climate and disaster risks it faces and to strengthen its early warning system, which was impacted by the earthquake. 

    Kamal Kishore, Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Disaster Risk Reduction and Head of UNDRR, echoed the call made by the UN Resident Coordinator and Humanitarian Coordinator, urging the international community to step up its support in this critical time: “The people of Myanmar urgently require unwavering support from the international community in these trying times. I call on all nations to redouble their efforts in reducing disaster risks and bolstering resilience, ensuring that communities are better protected against all hazards.”

    He also emphasized the importance of proactive measures to reduce earthquake disaster losses, noting: “Our understanding of the physics of earthquakes has improved. We also understand how buildings and infrastructure respond to earthquakes, and we know how to make them safer. From designing a simple structure to a complex physical infrastructure, engineering knowledge is at an all-time high. Yet the risk of losses from earthquakes is rising in most seismic countries. But trend is not destiny. It can be arrested. It can be reversed.”

    UN-Habitat and UNDRR are committed to supporting countries to build their disaster resilience and are cooperating in several areas. UN-Habitat has been an active member of the UNDRR-hosted International Recovery Platform since its inception. Additionally, both UN agencies are co-organizing sessions on resilient housing and reconstruction ahead and during the 8th Session of the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction (GP2025), which will be held this June in Geneva.  

    Little can be done to prevent hazards like earthquakes from occurring. However, plenty can be done to prevent the damage they cause. Investing in disaster risk reduction and urban resilience building is the best way to save lives and protect sustainable development.

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  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Experts of the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination Commend Mauritius on Intercontinental Slavery Museum, Raise Questions on Mandatory HIV Testing for Migrant Workers and the Treatment of the Chagossian People

    Source: United Nations – Geneva

    The Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination today concluded its consideration of the combined twenty-fourth and twenty-fifth periodic reports of Mauritius, with Committee Experts commending the State on the Intercontinental Slavery Museum, while raising questions on mandatory HIV testing for migrant workers, and the treatment of the Chagossian people.

    Pela Boker Wilson, Committee Expert and Country Rapporteur, said the Committee commended the State party for the 20 October 2020 official launch of the Intercontinental Slavery Museum under the theme “breaking the silence”, to remember the suffering, resilience and struggle for freedom of the forefathers, and to honour interculturality and promote remembrance and reconciliation.

    Chrispine Gwalawala Sibande, Committee Expert and Country Co-Rapporteur, said Mauritius still applied HIV related restrictions on the entry, stay and residence of non-nationals, with migrant workers being required to provide evidence of their negative HIV status to qualify for work and residence permits.  Would the delegation clarify reports that Mauritius required HIV testing for any residency permit longer than 90 days, and applicants were denied on the basis of HIV status?  What had the Government done to make sure it did not violate the rights of people, especially migrants, on the basis of HIV status?  What were the plans to reform the HIV/AIDS and immigration laws in Mauritius? 

    Ms. Boker Wilson also asked what steps the State party had taken to ensure the rights of the Chagossian people in negotiations with the United Kingdom’s Government?  Another Committee Expert said the Chagossian people had suffered a harm that had been significant.  They were due reparations and restitutions and needed to be involved in these negotiations.  Those who were descendants of a system of enslavement enforced on people in Mauritius were victims of a harm which needed to be repaired.  It was important to look at best practice examples from other countries. Had there been restitutions for the Chagossian people who had been disadvantaged? 

    Introducing the report, Gavin Patrick Cyril Glover S.C, Attorney General of Mauritius and head of the delegation, said the Government Programme 2025–2029 announced the setting up of a Constitutional Review Commission to make recommendations on constitutional and electoral reforms. The work of the Commission would also address several issues of direct relevance to the Committee’s concerns, including the future of the Best Loser System, the use of Kreol as a parliamentary language, and broader questions of equality and representation in Mauritian institutions.  He concluded by stating that Mauritius reaffirmed its deep commitment to the Convention and looked forward to a constructive exchange. 

    Mr. Glover, responding to questions, said all migrant workers had to comply with the law and present a HIV negative test result before being granted access to the country.  If a test was positive, they were not allowed to work and had to leave the country.  For those who contracted the disease in the country, they received the same treatment as nationals, regardless of their origin.  There were currently 60 foreign workers receiving treatment for HIV/AIDS. There was no discrimination when this test was applied; it was applied across the board, wherever you came from. It was implemented as a public health policy by the Government, due to Mauritius’ small size.  Unfortunately for the time being, this would stay in place. 

    Mr. Glover said since 1999, the Chagossians welfare fund act was established.  Dedicated educational support, including scholarships, and healthcare programmes were also provided, and the State conducted regular visits to the communities. The Government remained firmly committed to the resettlement of the Chagossians in the Chagos Archipelago and ensuring the full human rights of this group.  Mauritius was in the process of finalising with Great Britain the return of the Chagos Archipelago.  It was expected that the terms would result in a positive outcome. 

    In concluding remarks, Ms. Boker Wilson extended sincere thanks and appreciation to the delegation for the interactive dialogue. The delegation had delivered on its pledge to ensure openness and accountability, and the State party’s commitment to continuity was appreciated. 

    Mr. Glover, in his concluding remarks, extended thanks for the dialogue which had taken place.  Mauritius viewed this exchange as an opportunity to reflect openly and recommit the State to the principles of the Convention.  History left long shadows, but Mauritius believed that progress was possible.  The State was committed to achieving unity, dignity and justice for all.   

    The delegation of Mauritius consisted of representatives of the Attorney General’s Office; the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Regional Integration and International Trade; and the Permanent Mission of Mauritius to the United Nations Office at Geneva.

    The Committee will issue its concluding observations on the report of Mauritius after the conclusion of its one hundred and fifteenth session on 9 May 2025.  The programme of work and other documents related to the session can be found here. Summaries of the public meetings of the Committee can be found here, while webcasts of the public meetings can be found here.

    The Committee will next meet in public on Tuesday, 29 April at 3.p.m to review the combined twentieth to twenty-second periodic reports of the Republic of Korea (CERD/C/KOR/20-22).

    Report

    The Committee has before it the combined twenty-fourth and twenty-fifth periodic reports of Mauritius (CERD/C/MUS/24-25).

    Presentation of Report

    BRIAN NEIL JOSEPH GLOVER, Permanent Representative of Mauritius to the United Nations Office at Geneva, expressed appreciation to the Committee for allowing the dialogue to take place in a hybrid format. He then introduced the delegation of Mauritius.

    GAVIN PATRICK CYRIL GLOVER S.C, Attorney General of Mauritius and head of the delegation, said that since the combined report was submitted in July 2021, several developments had affected the application of the Convention in Mauritius.  In retrospect, Mauritius recognised that paragraphs 4 and 5 of the report should have engaged more meaningfully with the concerns of the Committee; this approach had been reassessed and today the State was committed to more openness and accountability.  In November 2024, a new government was elected with a vision which included a renewed commitment to human rights.  During the dialogue, the State would aim neither to disown the past nor engage in political blame, but would reaffirm Mauritius’ enduring commitment to the Convention. 

    Some of the issues relating to disaggregated data, ethnic identification, and racial disparities were deeply complex and sensitive in Mauritius.  It was a proudly diverse society, but also one shaped by a painful history of division.  Against this backdrop, classifying individuals along ethnic lines remained politically sensitive and socially divisive.  However, the State accepted that the absence of such data must not become an excuse for blindness to discrimination.  Mauritius welcomed the guidance of the Committee to chart a path forward that was principled and mindful of the national context.  To mark the sixtieth anniversary of the Convention, it was being translated by the Government into Kreol Morisien for public dissemination.

    The Government Programme 2025–2029 announced the setting up of a Constitutional Review Commission to make recommendations on constitutional and electoral reforms.  The work of the Commission would also address several issues of direct relevance to the Committee’s concerns, including the future of the Best Loser System, the use of Kreol as a parliamentary language, and broader questions of equality and representation in Mauritian institutions.  Since the submission of the report, Mauritius had enacted several important legislative reforms, including the private recruitment agencies act 2023; the combatting of trafficking in persons (amendment) act 2023; the immigration act 2022; the protection and promotion of the rights of persons with disabilities act 2024; and a gender equality commission bill. 

    The Best Loser System continued to operate within Mauritius’ electoral framework. 

    Following the 2024 general elections, and with the operation of the Best Loser System, the National Assembly now comprised of 36 members from the Hindu community, nine members from the Muslim community, two members from the Sino-Mauritian community, 19 members from the general population, and one non-elected member.  Many civil society groups had called for the abolition of community-based classifications, while others urged updating the census, believing that the Best Loser System could still offer an important safeguard for minorities.

    Navigating this dilemma would be one of the challenges that the Constitutional Review Commission would be called to address. 

    The Government of Mauritius remained strongly committed to implementing a resettlement plan in the Chagos Archipelago and supported the aspirations of Chagossians, as Mauritian citizens, to be able to resettle in the Chagos Archipelago if they wished.  An amount of Rs 50 million had been earmarked for 2024-2025 for visits to be undertaken to the Chagos Archipelago as groundwork for a proper resettlement.  In Mauritius, out of a population of 1,233,097, Kreol was the language habitually spoken by 968,952 persons.  Regarding the use of Kreol in Parliament, meetings were being organised with a view to looking into the practical hurdles that needed to be cleared before introducing the Kreol Morisien language in the National Assembly. 

    A new public website would shortly offer free access to updated legislation and all international treaties binding Mauritius, including the Convention.  The State’s legislation criminalised hate speech and incitement to racial or religious hatred. Human rights education remained a national priority, and the National Human Rights Commission conducted workshops and collaborated with civil society to promote equality.  Sensitisation campaigns targeted both youth and the wider public, including the distribution of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in Kreol Morisien.  Mr. Glover concluded by stating that Mauritius reaffirmed its deep commitment to the Convention and looked forward to a constructive exchange. 

    MICHAL BALCERZAK, Committee Chair thanked the delegation for the invaluable contribution of Committee Expert Yeung Sik Yuen Yeung Kam John, from Mauritius. 

    Questions by a Committee Expert

    PELA BOKER WILSON, Committee Expert and Country Rapporteur, said 

    regrettably, the Committee noted the State party’s persistent position that the collection of data disaggregated by ethnicity ran contrary to national unity and the fostering of a rainbow nation.  The Committee recognised the State’s priorities in promoting national unity.  The State party was encouraged to meet its obligation of collecting and publishing data disaggregated by grounds of discrimination, recognised in international human rights law.  Notwithstanding this position, could the State party share how the rights guaranteed under the Convention were being enjoyed by the various ethnic groups, including the Creoles, Chagossians and Ilois? What steps had Mauritius taken to collect and evaluate socio-economic indicators across various ethnic minorities to develop evidence-based socio-economic policies?  Could information be provided on the composition of the population in respect of non-nationals such as migrants, refugees, asylum seekers and stateless persons disaggregated by residence status, sex and age?

    Had the State party taken any action, in the form of training or awareness raising, on anti-discrimination for magistrates, judges, prosecutors and police to further the application of the Convention by domestic courts?  Had there been any steps by the State party to enact comprehensive anti-discrimination legislation as a means of ensuring that victims had access remedies for discrimination?  Could examples be provided of cases in which the Convention had been directly applied by judges, or invoked before the courts? 

    The Committee had requested the State party to hold countrywide consultations to bring about a change of the existing classification of groups, including in the Constitution, giving due account to the principle of self-identification and the Committee’s general recommendation no. 8 (1990) concerning the interpretation and application of article 1 (1) and (4) of the Convention.  Had such consultations been held? 

    Could information be provided regarding awareness-raising campaigns and educational programmes aimed at showcasing the contribution of each ethnic group to the development of the State party’s society? Did the State party have updated information on the preparation of a human rights action plan for the period 2024-2030? What measures had the State party undertaken to implement a comprehensive strategy and national action plan to combat racism, racial discrimination, intolerance, and any manifestation of racial or caste-based superiority?

    The Committee encouraged the State party to give due consideration to revising the equal opportunities act, with a view to include language among the prohibited grounds of discrimination, and to introduce a legal provision on special measures aimed at accelerating the full and equal enjoyment of rights by disadvantaged groups.  Could the State party provide information on the overall implementation of the act?  What claims had been filed under it and what effects had it had? 

    Had the State party undertaken efforts at ensuring its recommendation regarding the jurisdiction of the Equal Opportunities Commission to investigate complaints against civil servants, and the handing down of sanctions commensurate with the gravity of the offences?  How was the development of the land division dealing with land dispossession and ownership claims?  What impact had the recent changes to the law against human trafficking had on the fight against human trafficking in Mauritius? 

    What efforts had been undertaken to ensure that the Criminal Code and other relevant legislation prohibited and punished racist hate speech, as well as organizations that promoted and incited racial discrimination?  Were there updated statistics on complaints registered with the courts or any other national institution for acts of racial discrimination, racist hate speech and racist hate crimes, including over the Internet and through the media?

    The Committee commended the State party for the 20 October 2020 official launch of the Intercontinental Slavery Museum under the theme “breaking the silence”, to remember the suffering, resilience and struggle for freedom of the forefathers, and to honour interculturality and promote remembrance and reconciliation.  Could information be provided on the implementation of other recommendations of the Truth and Justice Commission relating to land dispossession and ownership claims?  What had the Truth and Justice Commission done to investigate and respond to the lingering effects of colonialism and the slave trade in Mauritius?  What other measures was the State party considering that could address the racial disparities and legacies of colonialism and the slave trade?

    Responses by the Delegation

    GAVIN PATRICK CYRIL GLOVER S.C, Attorney General of Mauritius and head of the delegation, said it was regretful that the Equal Opportunities Commission had not been a model of what it could be. The State took the suggestion of the inclusion of language as a possible segment of discrimination very seriously. Primary and secondary education was free in Mauritius and all students were taught English and French, whatever their economic and social background.  No one was left behind, but it was recognised that those falling out of the system needed to be helped.  It was possible that an amendment could be introduced to cater to those who slipped through the net. 

    Based on a population census in 2020, there were more than 1.2 million people living in the Republic of Mauritius, with the majority being of Mauritian nationality.  Around 40 per cent of those had reported their religion as Hindu; 32 per cent had reported their religion as Christian, 18 per cent had reported their religion as Muslim; and the remaining identified as “other” or did not supply the religion.  Some 79 per cent of the population spoke Kreol at home. 

    Statistics regarding the prison population were difficult to pinpoint, given the movement of people within the prison system.  Information on ethnic origin was not collected, but information on religion and citizenship was provided.  As of April 2025, the Mauritian prison system housed 2,858 detainees, with 60 per cent being Roman Catholic.  Foreign nationals represented 9.7 per cent of the prison population.  As of January 2025, there were more than 48,000 migrant workers in Mauritius with valid work permits, working across various sectors, including manufacturing, retail and trade, among others.  There were no reported cases of stateless persons in Mauritius.

    Questions by Committee Experts

    PELA BOKER WILSON, Committee Expert and Country Rapporteur, asked what the delegation meant about the movement of the detained persons; could this be clarified?

    The attention of the Committee was drawn to the vagrancy act of 1867, which criminalised individuals who lacked a fixed residence, means of subsistence, or regular employment.  There had been reports that the history of the law was related to colonialist and racist efforts that controlled the movement of Indian labourers, referencing a historical event where thousands of Indians were reportedly imprisoned under brutal conditions.  Did the State party have plans to repeal this act? 

    There had also been reports that the morality clauses in article 6 of the immigration act were rooted in colonial-era mentalities, and could have a disproportionate and discriminatory impact on minorities.  Had Mauritius investigated this?  Article 5 of the immigration act banned individuals with infectious, contagious, or communicable diseases.  This could encompass HIV/AIDS, which disproportionately affected marginalised groups.  Had Mauritius investigated this?

    A Committee Expert asked if the racial tensions in the country had disappeared?  What had caused more harmonious relations? 

    Another Expert asked what percentage of descendants of slavery were a part of the Mauritian population today? 

    A Committee Expert said the Truth and Justice Commission addressed the issue of land confiscation; what results had been achieved by the court set up to address these cases?  Was the State certain that when it revoked the citizenship of a person, they would not become stateless?

    An Expert said Mauritius had unfortunately experienced the effects of British colonisation, and English people were still present within the country.  The people were waiting for Mauritius to be liberated from the British presence. Mauritius had the resources to help Africa to emerge from the long colonial night of slavery. 

    Responses by the Delegation

    GAVIN PATRICK CYRIL GLOVER S.C, Attorney General of Mauritius and head of the delegation, said Mauritius was fully committed to complete the decolonisation process of Africa, for those in the Chagos Archipelago, and it was hoped that this would become a reality in the coming weeks.  In 1995, a law was passed, and all Mauritians who came of age after this date were automatically granted Mauritian nationality.  There was a willingness and necessity for the piece of legislation to be changed today, so everyone could be on the same level. 

    There was no prosecution in Mauritius for being a vagrant, but there had been prosecutions under the offence of being a “rogue or vagabond” which was a different matter.  There were more than 800 of these cases prosecuted in 2024. This was a matter which would be taken up in the reform of the criminal justice system.  The State was aware of the discrepancies of the immigration act regarding communicable diseases, and acknowledged there was a need to review this legislation.  There had previously been an abominable piece of legislation, the Hoffman law, which enabled a citizenship provided to a non-citizen to be revoked.  This would also be reviewed. 

    There was a latent possibility of tensions rising and the State had to be careful not to stoke any of these factors.  There were instances, such as in the last election, where the whole nation came together and showed that the multicultural society could work. 

    Questions by Committee Expert

     

    CHRISPINE GWALAWALA SIBANDE, Committee Expert and Country Co-Rapporteur, asked what steps Mauritius had taken to ratify the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of their Families? 

    The Committee would still like an update regarding disaggregated data by ethnicity?  What were the unique challenges that people of African descent faced in Mauritius?  Would the delegation update the Committee on steps being taken to ratify and accept the individual communication article under the Convention?  According to the State report, there were currently three distinct cases against the State in court by lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex persons.  Could an update on the human rights issues being raised in these three cases be provided?

    Mauritius had not signed the 1951 Convention relating to the status of refugees and its 1967 Protocol Convention.  Would the delegation update the Committee on the plans being developed to have a legislative and policy framework in place to ensure refugees were well protected under the law?  What were the plans to ratify the 1951 Convention relating to the status of refugees and its 1967 Protocol Convention?  What measures was Mauritius taking to address matters of statelessness and compile data on stateless persons?  Could the delegation update the Committee on birth registration and citizenship laws available?

    What were the legislative, policy and effective action points being taken to make sure that all ethnic groups were treated equally in Mauritius?  How was the Government handling the allegations that certain ethnic groups were getting preferential treatment? 

    What legislative, policy and enforcement action points had been put in place to address discrimination on issues of wages affecting Creoles and Muslims of Indian origin communities?  Would the delegation update the Committee on measures being taken to address underpayment for overtime in the textile and apparel industries, including issues on differences in legislation and calculation of overtime hours?  What were the legislative and policy reform steps being taken to address matters concerning the informal sector that accounted for 10 per cent of all workers? 

    The garment sector of Mauritius was a significant destination for migrant workers from Bangladesh.  Some reports found that Bangladesh nationals incurred significant debt to pay recruitment fees; were unable to review their contracts prior to signing or departing for Mauritius; and had a limited understanding of their salaries, among other issues.  Had Mauritius reviewed the recruitment procedures of foreigners and migrant workers, especially the recruitments that involved agents?  What measures had the Republic of Mauritius taken to address the concerns of persons belonging to certain nationalities, including Bangladesh citizens? 

    What measures had the State taken to minimise these challenges and make sure that all international labour instruments by the International Labour Organization on the treatment of migrant workers were compiled and enforced? When would Mauritius sign and ratify several International Labour Organization Conventions? 

    Responses by the Delegation

    GAVIN PATRICK CYRIL GLOVER S.C, Attorney General of Mauritius and head of the delegation, said the three cases referred to were determined by the Supreme Court in 2023.  The Supreme Court decided that criminalising consensual same-sex relations between males was unconstitutional. 

    It was estimated that around one third of Mauritians descended from slaves.  Mauritius would update its citizenship laws regarding refugees and asylum seekers. The current laws did not address statelessness and this would be addressed.

    Migrant workers should typically enjoy the same benefits and laws as any Mauritians.  However, there were cases where migrant workers had been lured to come to Mauritius and became enslaved by certain employers.  The Government was taking a strong stand on this issue and had recently publicised a well-published case in this regard, where they worked to bring the perpetrators who had abused the migrant workers to justice. Large companies with clientele in Europe and America were strict in their adherence to the law, and dealt with all processes relating to migrant workers correctly.  Mauritius was firmly committed to enforcing its immigration laws while ensuring the rights of migrant workers were upheld.  In cases where unscrupulous employers had not declared workers or where they did not renew their visas on time, these migrant workers were considered to be victims. 

    Questions by Committee Expert

    CHRISPINE GWALAWALA SIBANDE, Committee Expert and Country Co-Rapporteur, asked for more data on domestic workers?  Mauritius still applied HIV related restrictions on the entry, stay and residence of non-nationals, with migrant workers being required to provide evidence of their negative HIV status to qualify for work and residence permits.  Would the delegation clarify reports that Mauritius required HIV testing for any residency permit longer than 90 days, and applicants were denied on the basis of HIV status?  What had the Government done to make sure it did not violate the rights of people, especially migrants, on the basis of HIV status?  What were the plans to reform the HIV/AIDS and immigration laws in Mauritius? 

    The Government of Mauritius had demonstrated overall increasing efforts compared with the previous years on issues of combatting human trafficking and had therefore been upgraded to tier 2.  However, the Government did not meet the minimum standards to combat human trafficking in some key areas, including not convicting any traffickers in court for the second consecutive year in a row.  Would the delegation update the Committee on the data available on cases prosecuted?  What concrete measures was Mauritius taking to combat human trafficking, including perpetrators of human trafficking prosecuted under the combatting of trafficking in persons act?  What had the Government of Mauritius done to make sure that the courts dealt with the backlog of cases?  What programmes were being initiated and rolled out, whether through legislation, policy or action points, to make sure citizens were encouraged to report cases of human trafficking and sex trafficking? 

    A Committee Expert asked why the Human Rights Commission was not present before the Committee and if it was influenced by the Prime Minister’s office? 

    Responses by the Delegation

    GAVIN PATRICK CYRIL GLOVER S.C, Attorney General of Mauritius and head of the delegation, said from June 2021 to March 2025, there were 41 cases of trafficking reported, and six were prosecuted.  The backlog of cases was a systemic problem in the criminal justice system.  A police and criminal justice bill was being prepared to set up the parameters in which the judicial processes would be carried out, to ensure diligent hearings and adjudication of various cases. 

    All migrant workers had to comply with the law and present a HIV negative test result before being granted access to the country. If a test was positive, they were not allowed to work and had to leave the country.  For those who contracted the disease in the country, they received the same treatment as nationals, regardless of their origin.  There were currently 60 foreign workers receiving treatment for HIV/AIDS.  Article 5 of the immigration act was a precautionary measure and was a new provision on the application for working in Mauritius.  There was no discrimination when this test was applied; it was applied across the board, wherever you came from.  It was implemented as a public health policy by the Government, due to Mauritius’ small size.  Unfortunately for the time being, this would stay in place. 

    There were no restrictions on civil society to protest, provided they stayed within the parameters of the law.  The State had just received the report of the Human Rights Commission for 2024, and this would be shared with the Committee. 

    Questions by Committee Expert

    CHRISPINE GWALAWALA SIBANDE, Committee Expert and Country Co-Rapporteur, asked what was being done to ensure that civil society participated in the review of Mauritius? 

    Another Expert said the mandatory HIV test was not compliant with the Convention.  It was ineffective as a public health policy and cast a negative stigma on migrant workers. 

    PELA BOKER WILSON, Committee Expert and Country Rapporteur, asked how the different ethnic groups in Mauritius enjoyed their rights under the Convention?

    Another Committee Expert said it was understood that civil society had not suffered intimidation, but was it consulted prior to the dialogue?  Why did the Human Rights Commission not report directly to parliament or the public? 

    Responses by the Delegation

    GAVIN PATRICK CYRIL GLOVER S.C, Attorney General of Mauritius and head of the delegation, said he took on board the views that the mandatory HIV law was ineffective and discriminatory and would act as an advocate in this regard.  All domestic workers had to obtain a resident and work permit to work in Mauritius. 

    The Chairperson of the National Human Rights Commission was appointed on the recommendation of the Prime Minister, and could be seen to not be totally independent.  The Commission had carried out its work well, and a new Chairperson would be appointed in the coming days.  It was expected that the Constitutional Review Commission would now have a say in the processes of the appointments of these kinds of positions. 

    Questions by a Committee Expert

    PELA BOKER WILSON, Committee Expert and Country Rapporteur, said during the previous dialogue, the Committee urged the State party to adopt and implement a well-resourced strategy to address the deep-rooted discrimination faced by the Creoles, including those living on Agaléga and Rodrigues Islands.  What steps had been undertaken to implement this strategy?  What measures were in place to ensure ethnic minorities had equal enjoyment of economic, social and cultural rights?  Had measures relating to adequate housing, health-care service and quality inclusive education been designed in close collaboration with the communities concerned and relevant civil society organizations?  What measures had the State party undertaken to ensure effective participation and representation of ethnic minorities in public and political life?  What measures were envisaged to grant national language status to Creole?

    Could information be provided on the impact of climate change, tourism and development projects on marginalised communities, particularly ethnic minorities?  What was the State party’s national plan on business and human rights? The Committee would appreciate updated information from the State party regarding the assessment of current measures, including the Best Loser System, and the process of electoral reform? What steps had the State party taken to ensure the rights of the Chagossian people in negotiations with the United Kingdom’s Government? 

    Responses by the Delegation

    GAVIN PATRICK CYRIL GLOVER S.C, Attorney General of Mauritius and head of the delegation, said the Government was adamant that all races, communities and religious groups were treated on an equal footing and guaranteed full enjoyment of economic, social and cultural rights. The first of February was a holiday in Mauritius, marking the abolition of slavery in the country.  Pieces of legislation had been passed to ensure the Creoles were not left behind, as well as the Chagossians.  Since 1999, the Chagossian welfare fund act was established. Dedicated educational support, including scholarships, and healthcare programmes were also provided, and the State conducted regular visits to the communities.  The Government remained firmly committed to the resettlement of the Chagossians in the Chagos Archipelago and ensuring the full human rights of this group. 

    The Best Loser System was implemented to ensure that underrepresented communities received representation.  The State recognised it was not the best system and was outdated; two levels of amendments would be introduced in this regard. The Judicial and Legal Commission had been established for the appointment of judicial officers, and consisted of the Chief Justice and the President of the Public Service Commission. This Commission had the exclusivity of appointing all judicial and legal officers. 

    In the National Assembly, people addressed the chamber in English and French.  Members were also able to address a few lines in Creole when appropriate.  Recently, one member wanted to make a whole address in Creole and she was ruled out by the speaker.  Following this, the speaker raised the issue of introducing Creole in the Assembly, which they expected would be supported by most members. 

    A student behaviour policy was introduced in schools to reinforce tolerance and diversity in schools.  There had been a decline in bullying cases, and an anti-bullying policy was being drafted within the Ministry of Education.   

    Questions by Committee Experts

    PELA BOKER WILSON, Committee Expert and Country Rapporteur, asked if strategies concerning Creoles were developed with their participation?  Were the welfare programmes based in law or were they policies which could change depending on the Government?  What kind of scholarships were provided?  Who were the target beneficiaries? 

    A Committee Expert said welfare systems did not reconcile with the past.  Had there been restitutions for the Chagossian people who had been disadvantaged? 

    Another Expert asked if all groups embraced the celebrations of the first of February?  Could more information be provided on the Creole group of Mauritius? 

    Responses by the Delegation

    GAVIN PATRICK CYRIL GLOVER S.C, Attorney General of Mauritius and head of the delegation, said there were national celebrations on the first of February, but ethnic lines were well demarcated when it came to attendees.  Creole referred to a certain category of people with a mixed descent.  A programme entitled “bridge to the future” had been produced, which was an overhaul of the election and judicial system in the country, concentrated in the hands of the Constitutional Reform Commission which would likely begin its work next month. 

    The previous Government had opened negotiations with Great Britain to find a solution for the Chagos Archipelago.  The United Kingdom recognised Mauritius’ sovereignty over the territory and negotiations were currently underway. The Best Loser System was outdated and was based on the census of 1972 with no relevance today.  The changes made would be implemented within the Constitution and removed the need to declare a candidate’s race or community when standing for parliament. 

    Questions by Committee Experts

    A Committee Expert said the Chagossian people had suffered a harm that had been significant.  They were due reparations and restitutions and they needed to be involved in these negotiations.  Those who were descendants of a system of enslavement enforced on people in Mauritius were victims of a harm which needed to be repaired.  It was important to look at best practice examples from other countries.

    Another Expert asked how the First Decade of People of African Descent was marked and what programmes were undertaken?  Had Mauritius started to think about the Second Decade?  Would the State think about establishing more sites of memory for people of chattel enslavement in the Second Decade? 

    FAITH DIKELEDI PANSY TLAKULA, Committee Expert and Follow-up Rapporteur, said the Committee had made a mistake in the follow-up paragraphs for the last dialogue and appreciated that Mauritius had accommodated their mistake.  It was appreciated that the national mechanism for reporting and follow-up had been established.  It was noted that information had been provided on the roadmap for teaching Creole and on the use of Creole in parliament.  Could an update on the use of Creole in the administration and in the judiciary be provided?  Had the State considered developing a roadmap for the Chagossian people? 

    An Expert said Great Britain was being allowed to continue to dominate Mauritius, and still had sway over the country and its people.   Mauritius had suffered too much to return to the past.  It was hoped Mauritius could come together as one country. 

    Responses by the Delegation

    GAVIN PATRICK CYRIL GLOVER S.C, Attorney General of Mauritius and head of the delegation, said Mauritius did not focus on division, but rather on unity.  Recently there had been no complaints registered for acts of racial discrimination and racist hate speech.  There had been a case of stirring racial hatred where the perpetrator was sentenced to two years in prison in 2022. 

    The political agreement reached in October for the Chagossian people did not set out the various elements of the treaty. Mauritius was trying to move away from the divisions imposed by colonial masters.  All communities were aware that whichever Government was in power ensured the equality of all segments of the population.  Mauritius had no definite plans yet for the Second Decade of People of African Descent. 

    While English was the primary language in courts, French and Creole were also accepted.  Around 90 per cent of people in Mauritius understood the Creole language and it was used in the courts.  Government documents were in English.  There was a dedicated channel for Parliament and Mauritius was looking into setting up a second channel which carried a simultaneous translation of proceedings in Parliament into Creole. 

    Mauritius was in the process of finalising with Great Britain the return of the Chagos Archipelago.  The United Kingdom had to have the support of the United States before coming to terms with Mauritius.  It was expected that the terms would result in a positive outcome. 

    Questions by Committee Experts

    CHRISPINE GWALAWALA SIBANDE, Committee Expert and Country Co-Rapporteur, said the Committee discussed the topic of different ethnic groups in Mauritius, solely to ensure that some were not receiving preferential treatment.  Could data be provided on migrant workers and how they were being taken care of?  What measures had Mauritius taken in terms of training, education, culture, information and awareness about the Convention, the human rights provisions in the Constitution of Mauritius, and other laws in Mauritius?  Were issues of human rights covered in the curriculum at primary, secondary and tertiary level?  How was Mauritius combatting racial discrimination through school curricula, university programmes and teacher training? 

    Could more information be provided on judicial authorities, jurisprudence and judgments on matters of racial discrimination, including the principles of the Convention?  What human rights training was offered to law enforcement agencies? What measures would be taken to ensure that non-governmental organizations and the national human rights institution fully participated in human rights education and awareness? 

    Reports indicated that the Government had decreased funding for protection and assistance services to victims of human trafficking, including sex trafficking.  What measures had been taken to make sure there was adequate funding to combat trafficking, including providing protection and assistance services to victims?  What programmes had the State rolled out for providing education to combat human trafficking?  There had been difficulties reported in accessing healthcare for irregular migrants, stateless persons and asylum seekers, who might not have access to the National Health Insurance Card.  What programmes had been implemented to provide human rights awareness on matters of healthcare?

    Responses by the Delegation

    GAVIN PATRICK CYRIL GLOVER S.C, Attorney General of Mauritius and head of the delegation, said reports relating to discrimination of migrant workers regarding healthcare were unfounded as everyone in Mauritius was afforded free public healthcare, whether they were a migrant or not. Mauritius had not hidden from the prejudices within its society.  Human rights principles were embedded in formal school curricula.  In 2024, the National Human Rights Commission conducted public campaigns reaching over 100,000 individuals, including parents, students and teachers, and had also produced materials, including the translation of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights into Creole. Non-governmental organizations had provided input into important State documents, including the national human rights plan, as well as in preparation for the Universal Periodic Review. 

    Questions by Committee Experts

    CHRISPINE GWALAWALA SIBANDE, Committee Expert and Country Co-Rapporteur, said the law in Mauritius prevented internet users from posting anything that could cause “annoyance, humiliation, inconvenience, distress or anxiety to any person” on social media.  Anyone found guilty faced up to 10 years’ imprisonment. There were reports that police arrested two people on allegations of drug trafficking because they made critical comments against the Government or police.  What was the outcome of these cases?  What measures was the State taking to ensure citizens were not punished merely for criticising the State through expressing freedom opinion?  Had the cases of three journalists from the Defi Media group who filed complaints of harassment been addressed?  How was it ensured that journalists could operate freely in Mauritius?  It was reported that many buildings in Mauritius remained inaccessible to persons with disabilities; what was the Government doing to overcome this? 

    A Committee Expert applauded the efforts of the State party to create a harmonious society out of the calamity of colonialism. 

    Responses by the Delegation

    GAVIN PATRICK CYRIL GLOVER S.C, Attorney General of Mauritius and head of the delegation, said the two cases of those arrested in relation to drug charges were high profile cases in Mauritius and were ongoing.  The accused had been extremely critical of the previous regime.  There had been no prosecutions of alleged drug offences so far. The journalists arrested were also extremely critical of the previous regime, and due to the usual process adopted by that regime, they were attacked.  The inquiry had not yet been completed, and if there was enough evidence to convict the persons behind the cowardly attacks on these journalists, appropriate actions would be taken.

    Questions by a Committee Expert

    CHRISPINE GWALAWALA SIBANDE, Committee Expert and Country Co-Rapporteur, said French and English were considered de facto languages of Mauritius.  What measures was the Government taking to ensure all languages were recognised in Mauritius?  Was there recognition of the various groups, including Chagossians in the country? 

    Responses by the Delegation

    GAVIN PATRICK CYRIL GLOVER S.C, Attorney General of Mauritius and head of the delegation, said all courtrooms in Mauritius provided adequate access for persons with disabilities.  Irrespective of the descent of any Mauritian, more than 90 per cent of the population understood and spoke Creole.  The State had begun translating the Convention against Torture into Creole and would eventually work to translate all other Conventions into Creole. 

    Closing Remarks

    FAITH DIKELEDI PANSY TLAKULA, Committee Expert and Follow-up Rapporteur, said the Committee would send concluding observations which contained a follow-up for recommendations which needed to be implemented within one year. 

    PELA BOKER WILSON, Committee Expert and Country Rapporteur, extended sincere thanks and appreciation to the delegation for the interactive dialogue.  The Government of Mauritius should be commended on its reassessed approach to the review which contributed to the quality of the exchange.  The delegation had delivered on its pledge to ensure openness and accountability, and the State party’s commitment to continuity was appreciated. 

    CHRISPINE GWALAWALA SIBANDE, Committee Expert and Country Co-Rapporteur, thanked everyone who had been involved in the dialogue. 

    GAVIN PATRICK CYRIL GLOVER S.C, Attorney General of Mauritius and head of the delegation, extended thanks for the dialogue which had taken place.  Mauritius viewed this exchange as an opportunity to reflect openly and recommit the State to the principles of the Convention.  The contribution of Committee member Yeung Sik Yuen Yeung Kam John was very much appreciated.  Mauritius had celebrated the richness of its cultural heritage and honoured the memory of historical injustices.  The establishment of a Constitutional Review Commission marked an important step forward. History left long shadows, but Mauritius believed that progress was possible.  The State was committed to achieving unity, dignity and justice for all. 

    MICHAL BALCERZAK, Committee Chair, thanked all for the dialogue.  During these turbulent times, it was important to celebrate 60 years of the Convention, and the Committee looked to Mauritius to join them in these celebrations. It would be a good opportunity for Mauritius to consider accepting article 14 of the Convention on individual communications.   

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    not an official record. English and French versions of our releases are different as they are the product of two separate coverage teams that work independently.

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    MIL OSI United Nations News

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: New Permanent Representative of France Presents Credentials to the Director-General of the United Nations Office at Geneva

    Source: United Nations – Geneva

    Céline Jurgensen, the new Permanent Representative of France to the United Nations Office at Geneva, today presented her credentials to Tatiana Valovaya, the Director-General of the United Nations Office at Geneva.

    Prior to her appointment to Geneva, Ms. Jurgensen served as the Permanent Representative of France to the United Nations in Rome, including to the Food and Agriculture Organization, the World Food Programme, and the International Fund for Agricultural Development, since 2020. She was also posted at the Permanent Mission of France to the United Nations in New York from 2010 to 2012.

    From 2016 to 2020, Ms. Jurgensen was the Director for Strategy and Policy at the Military Applications Division of the French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission, a French scientific and research organization.  From 2014 to 2016, she was Deputy Assistant Secretary for Human Rights and Humanitarian Affairs at the United Nations, International Organizations, Human Rights and Francophonie Directorate of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. In 2012, she joined the Ministry of Defence as Deputy Director for Strategic Affairs.

    Ms. Jurgensen joined the French Foreign Ministry in 2003 and was assigned to the Legal Affairs Directorate.  She graduated from the Paris Institute of Political Studies and the National School of Public Administration, class of 2003.  In addition to her professional activities, Ms. Jurgensen has lectured at the École Normale Supérieure in Paris, and at the Aix-Marseille University. 

    ___________

    Produced by the United Nations Information Service in Geneva for use of the media; 
    not an official record. English and French versions of our releases are different as they are the product of two separate coverage teams that work independently.

     

     

    CR25.019E

    MIL OSI United Nations News

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Mr. Jens Wandel of Denmark – Adviser on the UN80 Initiative

    Source: United Nations MIL-OSI 2

    nited Nations Secretary-General António Guterres announced today that he has invited his Special Adviser on Reforms, Jens Wandel of Denmark, to also act as an Adviser on the UN80 Initiative, reporting through Under-Secretary-General for Policy, Guy Ryder, to the Secretary-General.  This will ensure complementarity between the ongoing reform streams and the UN80 Initiative.

    MIL OSI United Nations News

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: IOM Strengthens Humanitarian Lifeline for Displaced and Deported in Haitian Border Towns

    Source: International Organization for Migration (IOM)

    Port-au-Prince, 30 April 2025 – The International Organization for Migration (IOM) is urgently scaling up its humanitarian response in the border towns of Belladère and Ouanaminthe amid a sharp rise in deportations by land, with about 20,000 vulnerable Haitians returned in April — the highest monthly figure recorded this year.

    “The situation in Haiti is becoming increasingly dire. Each day, deportations and gang violence worsen an already fragile situation,” said IOM Director General Amy Pope. “Support from donors and the international community has helped strengthen the humanitarian lifeline, but far more is needed, as the number of vulnerable people continues to grow.”

    Especially alarming is marked increase in the number of highly vulnerable people – including women, children, and newborns – being forcibly returned. At the Belladère and Ouanaminthe border crossings, IOM, in collaboration with the National Office for Migration (ONM) and other state agencies, has been helping an average of 15 pregnant women and 15 lactating mothers per day just since 22 April. In total, 3,500 deportees have received help since 22 April.

    These deportations coincide with a separate humanitarian emergency in the Centre department. Gang violence that erupted in late March in Mirebalais and Saut d’Eau has displaced more than 51,000 people, according to the latest IOM displacement tracking data. Most have sought refuge with host families, while more than 12,500 are sheltering in 95 newly established spontaneous displacement sites, with limited access to basic services. In Belladère alone, over 4,000 displaced people found refuge.

    Gang control over Mirebalais has effectively severed Belladère from the rest of the country, blocking safe access for humanitarian staff, medical supplies, and aid. This isolation is compounding already dire conditions for deportees and displaced populations alike, who remain unable to reach their hometowns. Basic items, including food, water, and medical supplies, are running low.

    “This is a compounded crisis spreading beyond the capital, with cross-border expulsions and internal displacement converging in places like Belladère,” said Grégoire Goodstein, IOM Chief of Mission in Haiti. “Delivering assistance is becoming increasingly difficult as humanitarian actors find themselves trapped alongside the very people they are trying to help.”

    IOM, in coordination with the General Directorate for Civil Protection (DGPC) is responding with expanded life-saving support. This includes the provision of safe drinking water, and hygiene kits tailored to women’s and children’s needs. First aid, medical referrals, and psychosocial support are being made available for the most vulnerable. Temporary shelter arrangements have also been established, such as hotel accommodation for lactating mothers. Furthermore, IOM is closely coordinating with ONM and the Ministry of Public Health to ensure newborns and mothers receive immediate health support and vaccination. 

    For more information, please contact IOM Media Centre 

    MIL OSI United Nations News

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: 29 April 2025 Departmental update Educating future doctors and nurses in mental, neurological and substance use care

    Source: World Health Organisation

    One in eight people live with mental, neurological or substance use (MNS) conditions but most do not receive mental health care, partly because of a shortage of mental health professionals. While increasing the number of specialists is important, we also need to ensure that general health-care providers, like primary health-care (PHC) doctors and nurses, are well-equipped to support people with MNS conditions. These professionals are often the first point of contact for those in need, yet many lack thorough training in MNS care.

     To bridge this gap, WHO has developed Educating medical and nursing students to provide mental health, neurological and substance use care: a practical guide for pre-service education.

    A competency-based approach
    At the heart of the new guide are 12 core competencies that all medical and nursing students should develop before they graduate. These competencies integrate essential attitudes, skills and knowledge needed to provide quality MNS care.

    The guide outlines practical activities and considerations for integrating these competencies into undergraduate medical and nursing curricula. It covers, among other things, advocating for enhanced curricula, setting new learning objectives, rethinking teaching methods, and evaluating effectiveness of curriculum changes.

    A collaborative effort
    Creating this guide was a global collaborative effort. It involved input from a wide range of stakeholders around the world, including people with lived experience, students, educators, university administrators and professional associations such as the International Council of Nurses, the World Psychiatric Association and the World Federation of Medical Education. 

    Collaborative workshops held in Geneva (2022) and Shanghai (2024) played a key part in shaping the guide and planning its dissemination. 

    Pre-service education in mental brain and behavioral health: scaling up implementation
    and 
    dissemination workshop in Shanghai, China, 13 – 14 March 2024

    A flexible tool
    The guide can be used by universities, educators and workforce planners to enhance existing curricula or develop new ones, or to strengthen accreditation standards and quality improvement initiatives.

    What makes this guide so valuable is its adaptability to different contexts and resource settings. It does not provide a one-size-fits-all solution but rather a flexible framework that can be tailored to meet specific needs of different educational institutions and health-care systems.  Even small changes can help medical and nursing students develop the competencies they need to provide more effective MNS care.

    By serving to strengthen pre-service education in MNS care, we hope this guide will ultimately help improve the extent and quality of care for people with MNS conditions globally.

    MIL OSI United Nations News

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Palau Establishes Steering Committee to Guide Passport Digitalization

    Source: International Organization for Migration (IOM)

    Ngerekebesang, Palau – The Government of Palau, in partnership with the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and with support from the Government of Japan, has launched its first official meeting under the Enhancing Border Management Capacity through the Introduction of an E-Passport for the Republic of Palau project.

    Launched at the Embassy of Japan in Ngerekebesang on 18 April 2025., the project marks a significant milestone in the country’s efforts to align Palauan passports with international good practices to augment security of the passport issuance system. This shift will not only protect Palauan passport holders from identity theft but also ensure seamless access to passport application for all citizens.

    The meeting convened key stakeholders including Gustav Aitaro, Minister of State, Hiroyuki Orikasa, Ambassador of Japan to Palau, senior officials from the Ministry of State, Finance, Justice and the Judiciary Branch along with representatives from IOM and the Embassy of Japan.

    The USD 4.5 million initiative, funded by the Government of Japan, will transition Palauan passports to electronic, machine-readable passports (e-MRPs) that feature embedded biometric data, significantly improving security and global compatibility. Over the next three years, the project will digitalize Palau’s passport application and issuance systems and introduce new technologies and infrastructure to strengthen the country’s identity management capacity.

    In his opening remarks, Minister Aitaro, reaffirmed the government’s commitment to strengthening travel document integrity and enhancing service delivery to Palauan citizens.

    Ambassador Orikasa emphasized Japan’s strong partnership with Palau in building effective border systems.

    Salvatore Sortino, IOM Chief of Mission for Micronesia, highlighted the project’s potential to improve travel convenience, reduce identity fraud, and strengthen regional security.

    A key outcome of the meeting was the formal establishment of the Project Steering Committee, which will provide strategic oversight and ensure inter-agency coordination throughout the life of the project. Chaired by the Minister of State, the Committee comprises senior representatives from the Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Justice, Judiciary Branch, and Embassy of Japan (as an observer), with IOM serving as the Secretariat.

    The E-Passport Project is a timely intervention that responds to the evolving mobility needs of Palauans and the realities of international travel in a post-pandemic world. It represents a major step forward in strengthening Palau’s border infrastructure and expanding access to secure, reliable travel documents for all its citizens. The members of the Steering Committee will meet again in August to review project progress.

    ***

    For more information, please contact at IOM Micronesia: Yohan Senarath at ysenarath@iom.int in Palau or Haimanot Abebe at haabebe@iom.int, +691 320 8735 in the Federated States of Micronesia

    MIL OSI United Nations News

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Deputy Secretary-General’s remarks at the closing of the 2025 ECOSOC Forum on Financing for Development [as prepared for delivery]

    Source: United Nations secretary general

    H.E. Mr. Bob Rae, President of ECOSOC, Excellencies, Dear Colleagues,

    As we conclude this year’s Financing for Development Forum, I will not offer a summary – but rather sound an urgent call to action, as we consider the critical decisions ahead of us in the FfD4 process.

    Tomorrow marks the beginning of the fourth preparatory committee session, followed by the second intersessional to advance negotiations on the outcome document.

    The renewed global financing framework that we are about to deliver has to meet the scale and urgency of the moment.

    Over the past two days, we have heard, again and again, that we are in the midst of a development crisis.

    At its core, exacerbated by geopolitical tensions, lies a chronic failure of the global financial system to deliver adequate, equitable, and predictable financing to those who need it most.

    Yet if we act with determination and solidarity, the Sevilla conference can mark a historic breakthrough.

    As we’ve heard, we must deliver a more effective, inclusive, and responsive financing system – one that moves resources towards clear outcomes, and delivers real results on the ground.

    This means aligning financial flows with real development gains – and ensuring they reach the communities, countries, and sectors where the needs are greatest.

    We also need to change how we think about financing.

    It cannot be fragmented.

    Financing must be a catalyst for transformation – designed to put economies onto more sustainable, equitable, and resilient pathways.

    And it should reflect the leadership and priorities of developing countries – placing them at the center of decision-making.

    Their role is not to follow, but to shape the agenda – and their future – through fair access to resources and enhanced capacity to thrive in the global economy.

    Encouragingly, the draft outcome document already points in the right direction.

    It includes proposals for expanding the role of public development banks, reducing the cost of capital, scaling up liquidity management support, and reinforcing the global financial safety net.

    It also sets out critical reforms to the international debt architecture and calls for more inclusive and representative global economic governance.

    But turning these reforms from paper to practice will require your continued leadership and engagement.

    I invite you to take part in the Sevilla Platform for Action – which brings together governments and other key stakeholders to launch high-impact initiatives aligned with the outcome of the conference.

    These efforts should be forward-looking, grounded in the UN Charter, and built around clear goals, concrete timelines, and dedicated resources.

    The submission window will open on May 1st.

    I encourage you to lead, to partner, and to mobilize.

    Let us turn commitments into coalitions – and ideas into implementation.

    Sevilla must be more than a conference.

    It must be a turning point – towards a new chapter in financing for development. Let’s seize this opportunity together.

    Thank you.

    MIL OSI United Nations News

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Secretary-General’s remarks to the General Assembly event in Commemoration of His Holiness Pope Francis [trilingual, as delivered; scroll down for All-English and All-French versions]

    Source: United Nations secretary general

    Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen,

    His Holiness Pope Francis was a man of faith — and a bridge-builder among all faiths.  

    He was a champion of the most marginalized people on earth.

    He was a voice of community in a world of division…

    A voice of mercy in a world of cruelty…

    A voice of peace in a world of war.

    And he was a steadfast friend of the United Nations, addressing Member States from this very podium in 2015.

    During that historic visit, he also spoke of our organization’s ideal of a “united human family living in harmony, working not only for peace, but in peace, working not only for justice, but in a spirit of justice.”

    On behalf of our UN family, I extend by deepest condolences to the Catholic community and to so many others around the world grieving this tremendous loss.

    Excellencies,

    Pope Francis was at the helm of the Roman Catholic Church for a dozen years — but that was preceded by decades of service and good works.

    As a young man, Pope Francis found his calling in the slums of Buenos Aires, where his dedication to serving the poor earned him the title “Bishop of the Slums.”

    These early experiences sharpened his conviction that faith must be an engine of action and change.  

    Pope Francis put that engine into overdrive as an unstoppable voice for social justice and equality.  

    His 2020 encyclical, Fratelli Tutti, drew a straight line between greed and poverty, hunger, inequality and suffering.

    While decrying the inequality that defines our globalized economy, he also warned against what he called “globalization of indifference.”  

    I will never forget the first official visit he undertook as Pope, at a time when I served as High Commissioner for Refugees.

    Pope Francis chose to go to the Mediterranean island of Lampedusa in 2013 — to put a global spotlight on the desperate plight of asylum seekers and migrants.

    He warned against “the culture of comfort, which makes us think only of ourselves, makes us insensitive to the cries of other people.”

    And on last year’s World Refugee Day, he called on all countries “to welcome, promote, accompany and integrate those who knock on our doors.”

    When I met with him at the Vatican as Secretary-General in 2019, I was struck by his humanity and his humility. 

    He always saw challenges through the eyes of those on the peripheries of life. 

    And he said we can never look away from injustice and inequality — or close our eyes to those suffering from conflict or acts of violence.   

    Always a pilgrim for peace, Pope Francis ventured to war-torn countries around the world — from Iraq to South Sudan to the Democratic Republic of Congo and beyond — decrying bloodshed and violence, and pushing for reconciliation.  

    He stood with conviction for innocents caught in war zones such as Ukraine and Gaza.

    He did it with his global platform — but he also did it in much more personal and profound ways.

    Every day without fail, precisely at 7:00 p.m., he would quietly call the Church of the Holy Family in Gaza City.

    As someone at the Church said, “He would ask us how we were, what did we eat, did we have clean water, was anyone injured? It was never diplomatic or a matter of obligation. It was the questions a father asks to their son.”

    And in his final message on Easter Sunday, Pope Francis underscored the vital importance of ending these conflicts.      

    Jusqu’au bout, le pape François aura incarné l’appel à la justice – pour les peuples et pour la planète.

    Grâce à son encyclique Laudato Si publiée en 2015, il a contribué à l’adoption de l’Accord de Paris en appelant les dirigeants à protéger « notre maison commune ».

    Il a également mis en évidence les liens manifestes entre la dégradation de l’environnement et la dégradation de la condition humaine.

    Le pape François comprenait que ceux qui avaient le moins contribué à la crise climatique en subissaient les conséquences les plus graves – et que nous avons le devoir spirituel et moral d’agir.

    Excelencias:

    En el mundo actual de división y discordia, es particularmente significativo que el Papa Francisco haya proclamado 2025 como el año de la esperanza.

    Él fue siempre un mensajero de esperanza. 

    Ahora nos corresponde a todos nosotros llevar adelante esta esperanza.

    En su funeral del sábado, me conmovió profundamente ver a líderes de todas las religiones y tendencias políticas unirse en solidaridad para honrar la vida y los logros del Papa Francisco – un raro espíritu de unidad y reflexión solemne que necesitamos ahora más que nunca.

    Nuestro mundo sería un lugar mucho mejor si siguiéramos su ejemplo de unidad, compasión y comprensión mutua a través de nuestras propias palabras y acciones.  

    Mientras lloramos la muerte del Papa Francisco, renovemos nuestro compromiso con la paz, la dignidad humana y la justicia social – las causas a las que dedicó cada momento de su extraordinaria vida.

    Muchas gracias.

    ***
    [All-English]

    Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen,

    His Holiness Pope Francis was a man of faith — and a bridge-builder among all faiths.  

    He was a champion of the most marginalized people on earth.

    He was a voice of community in a world of division…

    A voice of mercy in a world of cruelty…

    A voice of peace in a world of war.

    And he was a steadfast friend of the United Nations, addressing Member States from this very podium in 2015.

    During that historic visit, he also spoke of our organization’s ideal of a “united human family living in harmony, working not only for peace, but in peace, working not only for justice, but in a spirit of justice.”

    On behalf of our UN family, I extend by deepest condolences to the Catholic community and to so many others around the world grieving this tremendous loss.

    Excellencies,

    Pope Francis was at the helm of the Roman Catholic Church for a dozen years — but that was preceded by decades of service and good works.

    As a young man, Pope Francis found his calling in the slums of Buenos Aires, where his dedication to serving the poor earned him the title “Bishop of the Slums.”

    These early experiences sharpened his conviction that faith must be an engine of action and change.  

    Pope Francis put that engine into overdrive as an unstoppable voice for social justice and equality.  

    His 2020 encyclical, Fratelli Tutti, drew a straight line between greed and poverty, hunger, inequality and suffering.

    While decrying the inequality that defines our globalized economy, he also warned against what he called “globalization of indifference.”  

    I will never forget the first official visit he undertook as Pope, at a time when I served as High Commissioner for Refugees.

    Pope Francis chose to go to the Mediterranean island of Lampedusa in 2013 — to put a global spotlight on the desperate plight of asylum seekers and migrants.

    He warned against “the culture of comfort, which makes us think only of ourselves, makes us insensitive to the cries of other people.”

    And on last year’s World Refugee Day, he called on all countries “to welcome, promote, accompany and integrate those who knock on our doors.”

    When I met with him at the Vatican as Secretary-General in 2019, I was struck by his humanity and his humility. 

    He always saw challenges through the eyes of those on the peripheries of life. 

    And he said we can never look away from injustice and inequality — or close our eyes to those suffering from conflict or acts of violence.   

    Always a pilgrim for peace, Pope Francis ventured to war-torn countries around the world — from Iraq to South Sudan to the Democratic Republic of Congo and beyond — decrying bloodshed and violence, and pushing for reconciliation.  

    He stood with conviction for innocents caught in war zones such as Ukraine and Gaza.

    He did it with his global platform — but he also did it in much more personal and profound ways.

    Every day without fail, precisely at 7:00 p.m., he would quietly call the Church of the Holy Family in Gaza City.

    As someone at the Church said, “He would ask us how we were, what did we eat, did we have clean water, was anyone injured? It was never diplomatic or a matter of obligation. It was the questions a father asks to their son.”

    And in his final message on Easter Sunday, Pope Francis underscored the vital importance of ending these conflicts.      

    Throughout, Pope Francis was a clear voice of justice for people and planet.

    He helped secure the adoption of the Paris Agreement with his 2015 encyclical Laudato Si that called on leaders to protect “our common home.”

    He also highlighted the clear ties between environmental degradation and the degradation of humanity.

    Pope Francis understood that those who contributed the least to the climate crisis suffered the most — and that we have a spiritual and moral duty to act.

    Excellencies,

    In today’s world of division and discord, it is particularly meaningful that Pope Francis proclaimed 2025 to be the year of hope.

    He was forever a messenger of hope. 

    Now it falls to all of us to carry this hope forward.

    At his funeral on Saturday, I was deeply moved to see leaders from across all faiths and political stripes come together in solidarity to honour the life and achievements of Pope Francis — a rare spirit of unity and solemn reflection that we need now, more than ever.
    Our world would be a much better place if we followed his lifelong example of unity, compassion and mutual understanding through our own words and actions.  

    As we mourn the passing of Pope Francis, let us renew our pledge to peace, human dignity and social justice — the causes for which he dedicated every moment of his most extraordinary life.

    Thank you.

    ***
    [All-French]

    Excellences, Mesdames et Messieurs,

    Sa Sainteté le pape François était un homme de foi – et un bâtisseur de ponts entre toutes les religions.

    Il s’était fait le champion des personnes les plus marginalisées sur Terre.

    Il était une voix de solidarité dans un monde de clivages…

    Une voix de compassion dans un monde de cruauté…

    Une voix de paix dans un monde de guerre.

    C’était aussi un grand ami de l’Organisation des Nations Unies et il s’était exprimé en 2015 devant les États Membres depuis cette même tribune.

    Lors de cette visite historique, il avait évoqué l’idéal de notre Organisation, à savoir « une famille humaine unie, vivant en harmonie, travaillant non seulement pour la paix, mais dans la paix ; travaillant non seulement pour la justice, mais dans un esprit de justice. »

    Au nom de notre famille, celle des Nations Unies, j’adresse mes plus sincères condoléances à l’ensemble des catholiques et aux nombreuses autres personnes qui, partout dans le monde, souffrent de cette terrible perte.

    Excellences,

    Le pape François a été à la tête de l’Église catholique romaine pendant 12 ans, mais son pontificat a été précédé par des décennies de service et de bonnes œuvres.

    Jeune homme, il a trouvé sa vocation dans les quartiers défavorisés de Buenos Aires, où son dévouement au service des pauvres lui a ensuite valu le titre « d’évêque des bidonvilles ».

    Ces premières expériences ont renforcé sa conviction que la foi devait être un moteur d’action et de changement.

    Restant fidèle à cette conviction, il a défendu sans relâche la cause de la justice sociale et de l’égalité.

    Dans son encyclique de 2020, Fratelli Tutti, François a établi un lien direct entre la cupidité, d’une part, et la pauvreté, la faim, l’inégalité et la souffrance, d’autre part.

    Tout en dénonçant les inégalités qui caractérisent notre économie mondialisée, il a également mis en garde contre ce qu’il appelait la « mondialisation de l’indifférence ».

    Je n’oublierai jamais sa première visite officielle en tant que pape, à une époque où j’étais Haut‑Commissaire pour les réfugiés.

    En 2013, François avait choisi de se rendre sur l’île méditerranéenne de Lampedusa pour appeler l’attention du monde entier sur la situation désespérée des demandeurs d’asile et des migrants.

    Il avait alors mis en garde contre « la culture du bien-être, qui nous amène à penser à nous-même, nous rend insensibles aux cris des autres ».

    L’année dernière, à l’occasion de la Journée mondiale des réfugiés, il a exhorté tous les pays à « accueillir, promouvoir, accompagner et intégrer ceux qui frappent à nos portes ».

    Quand je l’ai rencontré au Vatican en 2019 en ma qualité de Secrétaire général, j’ai été frappé par son humanité et son humilité.

    Il voyait toujours les problèmes à travers les yeux de celles et ceux qui sont relégués aux périphéries.

    Il disait qu’il ne fallait jamais détourner le regard de l’injustice et de l’inégalité, ni fermer les yeux sur celles et ceux qui subissent les conséquences d’un conflit ou d’actes de violence.

    Infatigable pèlerin de la paix, le pape François s’est rendu dans des pays déchirés par la guerre – de l’Iraq au Soudan du Sud, en passant par la République démocratique du Congo – pour dénoncer la violence et les affrontements sanglants et prôner la réconciliation.

    Il défendait avec conviction les innocents qui se trouvent dans des zones de guerre, comme en Ukraine et dans la bande de Gaza.

    Il le faisait depuis sa tribune, mais aussi à un niveau beaucoup plus personnel.

    Tous les jours sans exception, à 19 heures précises, il se retirait pour appeler l’église de la Sainte-Famille, à Gaza.

    L’un de ses interlocuteurs a raconté ces conversations : « François nous demandait : “comment allez-vous ? Qu’avez-vous mangé ? Avez-vous de l’eau ? Y-a-t-il des blessés parmi vous ?” Il ne le faisait pas pour des raisons diplomatiques ou par obligation. C’était le genre de questions qu’un père aurait posées ».

    Et, dans son tout dernier message, le dimanche de Pâques, le pape François a souligné à quel point il était vital de mettre fin à tous ces conflits.

    Jusqu’au bout, le pape François aura incarné l’appel à la justice – pour les peuples et pour la planète.

    Grâce à son encyclique Laudato Si publiée en 2015, il a contribué à l’adoption de l’Accord de Paris en appelant les dirigeants à protéger « notre maison commune ».

    Il a également mis en évidence les liens manifestes entre la dégradation de l’environnement et la dégradation de la condition humaine.

    Le pape François comprenait que ceux qui avaient le moins contribué à la crise climatique en subissaient les conséquences les plus graves – et que nous avons le devoir spirituel et moral d’agir.

    Excellences,

    Dans ce monde de division et de discorde, le fait que le pape François ait proclamé 2025 année de l’espérance revêt une signification particulière.

    Il aura été jusqu’au bout un messager de l’espérance.

    Et c’est à nous qu’il revient maintenant de continuer de faire vivre cette espérance.

    À ses funérailles, samedi, j’ai été profondément ému de voir des dirigeants de toutes confessions et toutes tendances politiques réunis dans la solidarité pour rendre hommage à la vie et à l’œuvre du pape François, dans un esprit d’unité et de réflexion solennelle rares dont nous avons plus que jamais besoin aujourd’hui.

    Notre monde serait bien meilleur si nous suivions, dans nos propres paroles et actions, l’exemple d’unité, de compassion et de compréhension mutuelle qu’il a donné tout au long de sa vie.

    Que ce deuil soit l’occasion de renouveler notre engagement en faveur de la paix, de la dignité humaine et de la justice sociale, causes pour lesquelles le pape François a consacré chaque instant d’une vie pour le moins extraordinaire.

    Je vous remercie.
     

    MIL OSI United Nations News

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Secretary-General’s remarks at the 2025 ECOSOC Forum on Financing for Development [Bilingual, as delivered; scroll down for All-English and All-French versions]

    Source: United Nations

    Mr. President of the General Assembly, Mr. President of ECOSOC,

    Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen,

    This year’s ECOSOC Forum comes at a pivotal time.

    We are in the final stretch of preparations for the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development in Sevilla.

    And we face some harsh truths. 

    The harsh truth of donors pulling the plug on aid commitments and delivery at historic speed and scale.

    The harsh truth of trade barriers being erected at a dizzying pace.

    The harsh truth that the Sustainable Development Goals are dramatically off track, exacerbated by an annual financing gap of an estimated $4 trillion.

    And the harsh truth of prohibitively high borrowing costs that are draining away public investments in everything from education and health systems, to social protection, infrastructure and the energy transition.

    But there’s another, much larger — and more dangerous — truth underlying all these challenges:  
    The harsh truth that global collaboration is being actively questioned.

    Look no further than trade wars. 

    Trade — fair trade — is a prime example of the benefits of international cooperation.

    And trade barriers are a clear and present danger to the global economy and sustainable development – as demonstrated in recent sharply lower forecasts by the International Monetary Fund, UNCTAD, the World Trade Organization and many others.

    In a trade war, everybody loses — especially the most vulnerable countries and people, who are hit the hardest.

    Excellencies,

    Against this turbulent background, we cannot let our financing for development ambitions get swept away.

    With just five years to reach the Sustainable Development Goals, we need to shift into overdrive.  

    That includes making good on the commitments countries made in the Pact for the Future in September:

    From an SDG stimulus to help countries invest in their people…

    To vital and long-awaited reforms to the global financial architecture…

    To the Pact’s clear commitments to open, fair and rules-based trade…

    To its call for an analysis of the impact of military expenditures on the achievement of the SDGs, with a final report out by September…

    To the Pact’s urging for an ambitious outcome to July’s Conference on Financing for Development.

    As you continue negotiations on the draft outcome document for Sevilla, I push for action in three key areas.

    First — on debt.

    When applied smartly and fairly, debt can be an ally of development.

    Instead, it has become a villain.

    In many developing countries, gains are getting crushed under the weight of debt service, siphoning away investments in education, health and infrastructure.

    And the problem is getting worse.

    Debt service for developing economies has soared past $1.4 trillion a year.

    Debt service now exceeds 10 per cent of government revenue in more than 50 developing countries — and more than 20 per cent in 17 countries — a clear warning sign of default.

    The Sevilla Conference should emerge with a commitment by Member States to lower the cost of borrowing, improve debt restructuring, and prevent crises from taking hold.

    This includes establishing a dedicated facility to help developing countries manage their liabilities and enhance liquidity in times of crisis.

    The G20 must also continue its work to speed up the Common Framework for Debt Treatments and expand support for countries that are currently ineligible — including middle-income countries in difficulties.

    And credit ratings agencies need to rethink ratings methodologies that drive up borrowing costs for developing countries.

    At the same time, the IMF and World Bank should push forward on reforming debt assessments to account for sustainable development investments and climate risks.

    These proposals and the many others contained in the draft outcome document provide an ambitious roadmap to help developing countries use debt in a constructive and sustainable way.

    Second — we need to unlock the full potential of our international financial institutions.

    If finance is the fuel of development, Multilateral Development Banks are its engine.

    And this engine needs revving up. 

    We will keep pushing to triple the lending capacity of Multilateral Development Banks, making them bigger and bolder, as called for in the draft outcome document.

    This includes recapitalization, stretching their balance sheets and substantially increasing their capacity to mobilize private finance at reasonable costs for developing countries.

    We must ensure that concessional finance is deployed where it is most needed.

    And we need to see that developing countries are represented fairly — and have a voice — in the governance of these institutions they depend on.

    Troisièmement, nous devons prendre des mesures concrètes pour augmenter tous les flux de financement.

    Oui, les temps sont durs.

    Mais c’est d’autant plus dans les périodes difficiles qu’un investissement responsable et durable s’impose.

    Au niveau national, les gouvernements doivent mobiliser davantage de ressources internes et les diriger vers des systèmes essentiels tels que l’éducation, la santé et les infrastructures…

    Ils doivent collaborer avec des partenaires privés pour multiplier les options de financement mixte…

    Et intensifier la lutte contre la corruption et les flux financiers illicites.

    Au niveau mondial, nous devons poursuivre nos efforts en vue d’établir un régime fiscal mondial inclusif et efficace, et veiller à ce que les règles fiscales internationales soient effectivement et équitablement appliquées.

    Les donateurs doivent tenir leurs promesses en matière d’aide publique au développement et s’assurer que ces précieuses ressources parviennent aux pays en développement.

    Pour notre part, nous donnerons aux équipes de pays des Nations Unies tous les moyens pour collaborer avec les gouvernements hôtes, afin qu’un maximum de ressources soit affecté au développement durable aux niveaux national et régional.

    Et nous saisirons toutes les occasions, y compris la COP30 au Brésil, pour demander aux dirigeants de trouver des sources innovantes de financement de l’action climatique dans les pays en développement – afin de mobiliser 1 300 milliards de dollars par an d’ici à 2035.

    Tout cela exige des efforts particuliers en terme de sources innovantes de financement.

    Excellences,

    À bien des égards, l’avenir du système multilatéral dépend du financement du développement.

    Il en va de notre conviction que le règlement des problèmes mondiaux – tels que la pauvreté, la faim et la crise climatique – demande des solutions mondiales.

    Tirons le meilleur parti de ce moment charnière, alors que nous nous préparons pour la conférence de Séville.

    Maintenons nos ambitions à la hauteur des enjeux, et agissons pour les populations et pour la planète.

    Et je vous remercie.

    ***
    [All-English]

    Mr. President of the General Assembly, Mr. President of ECOSOC,

    Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen,

    This year’s ECOSOC Forum comes at a pivotal time.

    We are in the final stretch of preparations for the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development in Sevilla.

    And we face some harsh truths. 

    The harsh truth of donors pulling the plug on aid commitments and delivery at historic speed and scale.

    The harsh truth of trade barriers being erected at a dizzying pace.

    The harsh truth that the Sustainable Development Goals are dramatically off track, exacerbated by an annual financing gap of an estimated $4 trillion.

    And the harsh truth of prohibitively high borrowing costs that are draining away public investments in everything from education and health systems, to social protection, infrastructure and the energy transition.

    But there’s another, much larger — and more dangerous — truth underlying all these challenges:

    The harsh truth that global collaboration is being actively questioned.

    Look no further than trade wars. 

    Trade — fair trade — is a prime example of the benefits of international cooperation.

    And trade barriers are a clear and present danger to the global economy and sustainable development – as demonstrated in recent sharply lower forecasts by the International Monetary Fund, UNCTAD, the World Trade Organization and many others.

    In a trade war, everybody loses — especially the most vulnerable countries and people, who are hit the hardest.

    Excellencies,

    Against this turbulent background, we cannot let our financing for development ambitions get swept away.

    With just five years to reach the Sustainable Development Goals, we need to shift into overdrive.  

    That includes making good on the commitments countries made in the Pact for the Future in September:

    From an SDG stimulus to help countries invest in their people…

    To vital and long-awaited reforms to the global financial architecture…

    To the Pact’s clear commitments to open, fair and rules-based trade…

    To its call for an analysis of the impact of military expenditures on the achievement of the SDGs, with a final report out by September…

    To the Pact’s urging for an ambitious outcome to July’s Conference on Financing for Development.

    As you continue negotiations on the draft outcome document for Sevilla, I push for action in three key areas.

    First — on debt.

    When applied smartly and fairly, debt can be an ally of development.

    Instead, it has become a villain.

    In many developing countries, gains are getting crushed under the weight of debt service, siphoning away investments in education, health and infrastructure.

    And the problem is getting worse.

    Debt service for developing economies has soared past $1.4 trillion a year.

    Debt service now exceeds 10 per cent of government revenue in more than 50 developing countries — and more than 20 per cent in 17 countries — a clear warning sign of default.

    The Sevilla Conference should emerge with a commitment by Member States to lower the cost of borrowing, improve debt restructuring, and prevent crises from taking hold.

    This includes establishing a dedicated facility to help developing countries manage their liabilities and enhance liquidity in times of crisis.

    The G20 must also continue its work to speed up the Common Framework for Debt Treatments and expand support for countries that are currently ineligible — including middle-income countries in difficulties.

    And credit ratings agencies need to rethink ratings methodologies that drive up borrowing costs for developing countries.

    At the same time, the IMF and World Bank should push forward on reforming debt assessments to account for sustainable development investments and climate risks.

    These proposals and the many others contained in the draft outcome document provide an ambitious roadmap to help developing countries use debt in a constructive and sustainable way.

    Second — we need to unlock the full potential of our international financial institutions.

    If finance is the fuel of development, Multilateral Development Banks are its engine.

    And this engine needs revving up. 

    We will keep pushing to triple the lending capacity of Multilateral Development Banks, making them bigger and bolder, as called for in the draft outcome document.

    This includes recapitalization, stretching their balance sheets and substantially increasing their capacity to mobilize private finance at reasonable costs for developing countries.

    We must ensure that concessional finance is deployed where it is most needed.

    And we need to see that developing countries are represented fairly — and have a voice — in the governance of these institutions they depend on.

    And third — we need concrete action to increase all streams of finance.

    Yes, these are tough times.

    But it is in difficult periods that the imperative for responsible, sustainable investment is even more critical. 

    At the country level, governments need to strengthen the mobilization of domestic resources and channel them towards critical systems like education, health and infrastructure…

    To work with private sector partners to increase blended finance options…

    And to scale-up the fight against corruption and illicit financial flows.

    At the global level, we must keep working to shape an inclusive and effective global tax regime, and ensure that international taxation rules are applied fairly and effectively.

    Donors must keep their promises on official development assistance, and ensure those precious resources reach developing countries.  

    For our part, we will fully deploy our UN Country Teams to work with host governments to channel the maximum amount of resources towards sustainable development at the national and regional levels.
     
    And we will use every opportunity — including COP30 in Brazil — to call on leaders to identify innovative sources of climate finance for developing countries leading to the mobilization of $1.3 trillion annually by 2035. 

    All this requires a focus on innovative sources of finance.  

    Excellencies,

    In many ways, financing for development is integral to the future of the multilateral system.

    It’s about our conviction in the power of global solutions to global problems like poverty, hunger and the climate crisis.

    Let’s make the most of this critical moment as we prepare for Sevilla.

    Let’s keep our ambitions high and deliver for people and planet.

    And I thank you.

    ***
    [All-French]

    Monsieur le Président de l’Assemblée générale, Monsieur le Président de l’ECOSOC,

    Excellences, Mesdames et Messieurs,

    Le Forum du Conseil économique et social de cette année tombe à un moment charnière.

    Les préparatifs de la quatrième Conférence internationale sur le financement du développement, qui se tiendra à Séville, entrent dans leur dernière ligne droite.

    Parallèlement, nous nous heurtons à de dures réalités :

    Des donateurs qui reviennent sur leurs engagements et renoncent à verser l’aide promise à une vitesse et à une ampleur sans précédent ;

    Des barrières commerciales qui sont érigées à un rythme effréné ;

    Des objectifs de développement durable qui sont encore bien loin d’être atteints et qui pâtissent d’un déficit de financement annuel estimé à 4 000 milliards de dollars ;

    Ou encore des coûts d’emprunt prohibitifs qui tarissent les investissements publics dans tous les domaines, de l’éducation et des systèmes de santé à la protection sociale, en passant par les infrastructures et la transition énergétique.

    Mais il y a une autre réalité – bien plus importante et bien plus dangereuse – qui est à la base de tous ces problèmes.

    Cette réalité, c’est la remise en question de la collaboration internationale.

    Inutile de chercher un exemple bien loin : prenons les guerres commerciales.

    Le commerce – un commerce équitable – illustre parfaitement les avantages de la coopération internationale.

    Les barrières commerciales constituent un danger réel et immédiat pour l’économie mondiale et le développement durable – comme le montrent les récentes prévisions en forte baisse du Fonds monétaire international, de la CNUCED, de l’Organisation mondiale du commerce et de bien d’autres organismes.

    L’Organisation mondiale du commerce prévoit déjà que le commerce international de marchandises se contractera de 0,2 % cette année – un revirement brutal par rapport à la hausse de 2,9 % enregistrée l’année dernière.

    Dans une guerre commerciale, tout le monde est perdant, en particulier les pays et les populations les plus vulnérables, qui sont les plus durement touchés.

    Excellences,

    Dans ce contexte mouvementé, nous ne pouvons laisser s’envoler nos ambitions en matière de financement du développement.

    Il ne reste que cinq ans pour atteindre les objectifs de développement durable ; il nous faut donc passer à la vitesse supérieure.

    Il faut notamment honorer les engagements pris par les pays dans le cadre du Pacte pour l’avenir en septembre :

    Du plan de relance des objectifs de développement durable, qui vise à aider les pays à investir dans leurs populations…

    Aux réformes vitales et longuement attendues de l’architecture financière mondiale…

    Aux engagements clairs pris dans le Pacte en faveur d’un commerce ouvert, équitable et régi par des règles…

    À l’analyse qui y est préconisée de l’impact des dépenses militaires sur la réalisation des objectifs de développement durable, qui fera l’objet d’un rapport final publié d’ici à septembre…

    Et au résultat ambitieux qui y est fixé pour la Conférence internationale sur le financement du développement de juillet.

    Alors que les négociations sur le projet de document final de Séville se poursuivent, j’insiste pour que des mesures soient prises dans trois domaines clés.

    Premièrement, la dette.

    Lorsqu’elle est exploitée de manière intelligente et équitable, la dette peut être une alliée du développement.

    Or, elle est devenue une ennemie.

    Dans bon nombre de pays en développement, les acquis obtenus dans le domaine du développement croulent sous le poids du service de la dette, qui ponctionne les investissements dans l’éducation, la santé et les infrastructures.

    Et le problème ne fait qu’empirer.

    Le service de la dette des économies en développement s’est envolé à plus de 1 400 milliards de dollars par an.

    Il dépasse aujourd’hui de 10 % les recettes publiques dans plus de 50 pays en développement – et plus de 20 % dans 17 pays – un signe évident de défaillance.

    À l’issue de la conférence de Séville, les États Membres devraient s’engager à réduire le coût des emprunts, à mieux restructurer la dette et à empêcher les crises de perdurer.

    Pour ce faire, il faudra notamment mettre en place un dispositif pour aider les pays en développement à gérer leurs dettes et à améliorer leur situation de trésorerie en temps de crise.

    Le G20 doit également poursuivre ses travaux afin d’accélérer la mise en œuvre du Cadre commun pour le traitement de la dette et d’apporter un plus grand appui aux pays qui ne remplissent pas les conditions requises pour bénéficier de l’Initiative de suspension du service de la dette, notamment les pays à revenu intermédiaire.

    En outre, les agences de notation doivent revoir leurs méthodes, qui font grimper les coûts d’emprunt pour les pays en développement.

    Dans le même temps, le FMI et la Banque mondiale devraient faire avancer la réforme de l’évaluation de la dette de sorte que les investissements dans le développement durable et les risques climatiques soient pris en compte.

    Ces propositions, comme les nombreuses autres propositions faites dans le projet de document final, constituent un plan d’action ambitieux devant aider les pays en développement à utiliser la dette de manière constructive et durable.

    Deuxièmement, nos institutions financières internationales doivent pouvoir exploiter tout leur potentiel.

    Si le financement est le carburant du développement, les banques multilatérales de développement en sont le moteur.

    Et ce moteur doit être rendu plus performant.

    Nous continuerons à faire pression pour tripler la capacité de prêt des banques multilatérales de développement, en les agrandissant et en les rendant plus audacieuses, comme le prévoit le projet de document final.

    Il s’agit notamment d’augmenter leur capital, d’étendre leurs bilans et d’accroître considérablement leur capacité à mobiliser des financements privés à des coûts raisonnables pour les pays en développement.

    Il faudra également veiller à ce que des financements à des conditions favorables soient accordés là où ils sont le plus nécessaires.

    Et il faudra que les pays en développement soient représentés équitablement – et aient voix au chapitre – dans la gouvernance de ces institutions, dont ils dépendent.

    Troisièmement, nous devons prendre des mesures concrètes pour augmenter tous les flux de financement.

    Oui, les temps sont durs.

    Mais c’est d’autant plus dans les périodes difficiles qu’un investissement responsable et durable s’impose.

    Au niveau national, les gouvernements doivent mobiliser davantage de ressources internes et les diriger vers des systèmes essentiels tels que l’éducation, la santé et les infrastructures…

    Ils doivent collaborer avec des partenaires privés pour multiplier les options de financement mixte…

    Et intensifier la lutte contre la corruption et les flux financiers illicites.

    Au niveau mondial, nous devons poursuivre nos efforts en vue d’établir un régime fiscal mondial inclusif et efficace, et veiller à ce que les règles fiscales internationales soient effectivement et équitablement appliquées.
    Les donateurs doivent tenir leurs promesses en matière d’aide publique au développement et s’assurer que ces précieuses ressources parviennent aux pays en développement.

    Pour notre part, nous donnerons aux équipes de pays des Nations Unies tous les moyens pour collaborer avec les gouvernements hôtes, afin qu’un maximum de ressources soit affecté au développement durable aux niveaux national et régional.

    Et nous saisirons toutes les occasions, y compris la COP30 au Brésil, pour demander aux dirigeants de trouver des sources innovantes de financement de l’action climatique dans les pays en développement – afin de mobiliser 1 300 milliards de dollars par an d’ici à 2035.

    Tout cela exige des efforts particuliers en terme de sources innovantes de financement.

    Excellences,

    À bien des égards, l’avenir du système multilatéral dépend du financement du développement.

    Il en va de notre conviction que le règlement des problèmes mondiaux – tels que la pauvreté, la faim et la crise climatique – demande des solutions mondiales.

    Tirons le meilleur parti de ce moment charnière, alors que nous nous préparons pour la conférence de Séville.

    Maintenons nos ambitions à la hauteur des enjeux, et agissons pour les populations et pour la planète.

    Et je vous remercie.
     

    MIL OSI United Nations News

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Readout of the Secretary-General’s meeting with H.E. Mr. Santiago Peña Palacios, President of the Republic of Paraguay [scroll down for Spanish version]

    Source: United Nations secretary general

    The Secretary-General met on Monday, 28 April 2025 with H.E. Mr. Santiago Peña Palacios, President of the Republic of Paraguay.  The Secretary-General and the President discussed Paraguay’s support to the strengthening of multilateralism and the United Nations system.  The Secretary-General commended Paraguay’s support to UN Peacekeeping Missions.

    ***

    El Secretario General sostuvo el lunes, 28 de abril de 2025 una reunión con el Excelentísimo Señor Santiago Peña Palacios, Presidente de la República del Paraguay.  El Secretario General y el Presidente conversaron sobre el apoyo de Paraguay al fortalecimiento del multilateralismo y del sistema de las Naciones Unidas.  El Secretario General elogió la contribución de Paraguay a las misiones de mantenimiento de la paz de las Naciones Unidas.

    MIL OSI United Nations News

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Readout of the Secretary-General’s telephone calls with H.E. Mr. Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, Prime Minister of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan and H.E. Mr. Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, Minister for External Affairs of the Republic of India

    Source: United Nations secretary general

    The Secretary-General spoke separately today by telephone with H.E. Mr. Muhammad Shebaz Sharif, Prime Minister of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan and H.E. Mr.  Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, Minister for External Affairs of the Republic of India.

    The Secretary-General reiterated his strong condemnation of the 22 April terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir.

    The Secretary-General noted the importance of pursuing justice and accountability for these attacks through lawful means.

    The Secretary-General also expressed his deep concern at rising tensions between India and Pakistan and underscored the need to avoid a confrontation that could result in tragic consequences. He offered his Good Offices to support de-escalation efforts.
     

    MIL OSI United Nations News

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Secretary-General’s remarks to the Security Council – on the Middle East [as delivered; scroll down for all-English and all-French]

    Source: United Nations secretary general

    Monsieur le Président, Excellences,

    Je remercie la présidence française d’organiser cette réunion au niveau ministériel sur le Moyen-Orient, y compris la question palestinienne.

    La région traverse des bouleversements fondamentaux, marqués par la violence et la volatilité, mais également porteurs d’opportunités et de potentiel.

    Au Liban, le cessez-le-feu et l’intégrité territoriale doivent être respectés et tous les engagements doivent être mis en œuvre.

    En Syrie, nous devons poursuivre nos efforts pour accompagner le pays sur la voie d’une transition politique inclusive de toutes les composantes de la population syrienne – une transition qui garantisse la reddition de comptes, favorise la réconciliation nationale, et jette les bases du redressement à long terme de la Syrie ainsi que de son intégration future au sein de la communauté internationale. 

    Cela inclut la situation dans le Golan syrien occupé, qui demeure précaire en raison de violations majeures de l’Accord de désengagement des forces de 1974 – notamment la présence continue des Forces de défense israéliennes dans la zone de séparation, ainsi que leurs multiples frappes contre des sites au-delà de la ligne de cessez-le-feu.

    À travers le Moyen-Orient, les populations réclament et méritent un avenir meilleur – et non des conflits et des souffrances sans fin.

    Nous devons agir ensemble pour faire en sorte que cette période de turbulences et de transition réponde à ces aspirations – et qu’elle apporte justice, dignité, droits, sécurité, et une paix durable.

    Cela commence par la reconnaissance de deux faits fondamentaux : 

    Premièrement, la région se trouve à un moment charnière de son histoire. 

    Et, deuxièmement, que toute paix vraiment durable au Moyen-Orient dépend d’une question centrale.

    Un élément essentiel que ce Conseil de sécurité a affirmé et réaffirmé, année après année, décennie après décennie : une solution à deux États, Israël et la Palestine, vivant côte-à-côte dans la paix et la sécurité, avec Jérusalem comme capitale des deux États.

    Mr. President,

    Today, the promise of a two-State solution is at risk of dwindling to the point of disappearance. 

    The political commitment to this long-standing goal is farther than it has ever been.

    As a result, the rights of both Israelis and Palestinians to live and peace and security have been undermined – and the legitimate national aspirations of the Palestinians have been denied – while they endure Israel’s continued presence that the International Court of Justice has found unlawful. 

    And since the horrific 7 October terror attacks by Hamas, it has gotten worse on every front.

    First, the unrelenting conflict and devastation in Gaza – including the utterly inhumane conditions of life imposed on its people who are repeatedly coming under attack, confined to smaller and smaller spaces, and deprived of lifesaving relief. 

    In line with international law, the Security Council has rejected any attempt at demographic or territorial change in the Gaza Strip, including any actions that reduce its territory. 

    Gaza is — and must remain — an integral part of a future Palestinian state.

    Second, in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, Israeli military operations and the use of heavy weaponry in residential areas, forcible displacement, demolitions, movement restrictions, and settlement expansion are dramatically altering demographic and geographic realities. 

    Palestinians are being contained and coerced.  Contained in areas that are subject to increasing military operations and where the Palestinian Authority is under growing pressure – and coerced out of areas where settlements are expanding. 

    Third, settler violence continues at alarmingly high levels in a climate of impunity, with entire Palestinian communities facing repeated assaults and destruction, sometimes abetted by Israeli soldiers.

    Palestinian attacks against Israelis in both Israel and the occupied West Bank also continue.

    Mr. President,

    The world cannot afford to watch the two-State solution disappear. 

    Political leaders face clear choices — the choice to be silent, the choice to acquiesce, or the choice to act.

    Mr. President,

    In Gaza, there is no end in sight to the killing and misery.

    The ceasefire had brought a glimmer of hope – the long-sought release of hostages and delivery of lifesaving humanitarian relief.

    But those embers of opportunity were cruelly extinguished with the shattering of the ceasefire on 18 March. 

    Since then, almost 2,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza by Israeli strikes and military operations – including women, children, journalists, and humanitarians.

    Hamas also continues to fire rockets towards Israel indiscriminately – while the hostages continue to be held in appalling conditions. 

    The humanitarian situation throughout the Gaza Strip has gone from bad … to worse … to beyond imagination.   

    For nearly two full months, Israel has blocked food, fuel, medicine and commercial supplies, depriving more than two million people of lifesaving relief. 

    All while the world watches.

    I am alarmed by statements by Israeli government officials about the use of humanitarian aid as a tool for military pressure.

    Aid is non-negotiable. 

    Israel must protect civilians and must agree to relief schemes and facilitate them.

    I salute the women and men of the United Nations and all other humanitarian workers – especially our Palestinian colleagues — who continue to work under fire and in incomprehensibly difficult conditions.

    And I mourn all of the women and men of the United Nations who were killed – including some with their families.

    The entry of assistance must be restored immediately — the safety of UN personnel and humanitarian partners must be guaranteed – and UN agencies must be allowed to work in full respect of humanitarian principles:  humanity, impartiality, neutrality and independence.

    There must be no hindrance in humanitarian aid – including through the vital work of UNRWA.

    We need the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages.

    And we need a permanent ceasefire.

    It’s time to stop the repeated displacement of the Gaza population – along with any question of forced displacement outside of Gaza.

    And the trampling of international law must end.

    I call on Member States to use their leverage to ensure that international law is respected and impunity does not prevail.

    This includes for the 19 March incident for which Israel has now acknowledged responsibility in firing on a UN guesthouse, killing one colleague and injuring six others … the 23 March killing of paramedics and other rescue workers in Rafah … as well as many other cases.

    There must be accountability across the board.

    Mr. President,

    Advisory proceedings are ongoing at the International Court of Justice on the obligations of Israel, as an occupying Power and a Member of the United Nations, in relation to the presence and activities of the United Nations in and in relation to the Occupied Palestinian Territory.

    In February, the United Nations Legal Counsel submitted a written statement to the Court – and yesterday, she made an oral statement before the Court – both of which on my behalf.

    The statement to the Court includes points that I have made on a number of occasions.

    Specifically, that all parties to conflict must comply with all their obligations under international law, including international human rights law and international humanitarian law.

    That Israel, as an occupying Power, is under an obligation to ensure food and medical supplies of the population.

    That Israel has an obligation to agree to and facilitate relief schemes in the Occupied Palestinian Territory.

    That humanitarian, medical and United Nations personnel must be respected and protected.

    And I emphasize the obligation under international law to respect the privileges and immunities of the United Nations and its personnel, including the absolute inviolability of United Nations premises, property and assets – and the immunity from legal process of the United Nations. 

    Such immunity applies to all UN entities in the Occupied Palestinian Territory – including UNRWA – a subsidiary organ of the General Assembly.
    I call on Member States to fully support all of these efforts. 

    Mr. President,

    In this period of turmoil and transition for the region, Member States must spell out how they will realize the commitment and promise of a two-State solution.

    This is not a time for ritualistically expressing support, ticking a box, and moving on.

    We are past the stage of ticking boxes – the clock is ticking.

    The two-State solution is near a point of no return. 

    The international community has a responsibility to prevent perpetual occupation and violence.

    My call to Member States is clear and urgent:

    Take irreversible action towards implementing a two-State solution.

    Do not let extremists on any side undermine what remains of the peace process.

    The High-Level Conference in June, co-chaired by France and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, is an important opportunity to revitalize international support.

    I encourage Member States to go beyond affirmations, and to think creatively about the concrete steps they will take to support a viable two-State solution before it is too late.

    At the same time, the Palestinian Authority needs stepped-up and sustained support – politically and financially.  This is crucial to ensure the continued viability of Palestinian institutions, consolidate ongoing reforms, and enable the PA to resume its full responsibilities in Gaza.

    Mr. President,

    At this hinge point of history for the people of the Middle East – and on this issue on which so much hinges – leaders must stand and deliver. 

    Show the political courage and exercise the political will to make good on this central question for peace for Palestinians, Israelis, the region and humanity.

    Thank you.

    ***
    [all-English]

    Mr. President, Excellencies,

    I thank the French presidency for convening this ministerial-level meeting on the Middle East, including the Palestinian question.

    The region is undergoing fundamental shifts, marked by violence and volatility but also opportunity and potential.

    In Lebanon, the ceasefire and territorial integrity must be respected and all commitments implemented.

    In Syria, we must keep working to support the country’s path towards a political transition that is inclusive of all segments of the Syrian population – one that ensures accountability, fosters national healing, and lays the foundation for Syria’s long-term recovery and further integration into the international community. 

    This includes the situation in the occupied Syrian Golan — which remains precarious with significant violations of the 1974 Disengagement of Forces Agreement, with the continued presence of the Israel Defense Forces into the area of separation and their several strikes targeting locations across the ceasefire line.

    Across the Middle East, people demand and deserve a better future, not endless conflict and suffering.

    We must collectively work to ensure that this turbulent and transitional period meets those aspirations — and delivers justice, dignity, rights, security and lasting peace.

    It starts by recognizing two fundamental facts: 

    First, that the region is at a hinge-point in history. 

    And, second, that truly sustainable Middle East peace hinges on one central question.

    On a core issue that this Security Council has affirmed and re-affirmed decade after decade, year after year:  a two-state solution, Israel and Palestine, living side-by-side in peace and security, with Jerusalem as the capital of both states.

    Mr. President,

    Today, the promise of a two-State solution is at risk of dwindling to the point of disappearance. 

    The political commitment to this long-standing goal is farther than it has ever been.

    As a result, the rights of both Israelis and Palestinians to live and peace and security have been undermined – and the legitimate national aspirations of the Palestinians have been denied – while they endure Israel’s continued presence that the International Court of Justice has found unlawful. 

    And since the horrific 7 October terror attacks by Hamas, it has gotten worse on every front.

    First, the unrelenting conflict and devastation in Gaza – including the utterly inhumane conditions of life imposed on its people who are repeatedly coming under attack, confined to smaller and smaller spaces, and deprived of lifesaving relief. 

    In line with international law, the Security Council has rejected any attempt at demographic or territorial change in the Gaza Strip, including any actions that reduce its territory. 

    Gaza is — and must remain — an integral part of a future Palestinian state.

    Second, in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, Israeli military operations and the use of heavy weaponry in residential areas, forcible displacement, demolitions, movement restrictions, and settlement expansion are dramatically altering demographic and geographic realities. 

    Palestinians are being contained and coerced.  Contained in areas that are subject to increasing military operations and where the Palestinian Authority is under growing pressure – and coerced out of areas where settlements are expanding. 

    Third, settler violence continues at alarmingly high levels in a climate of impunity, with entire Palestinian communities facing repeated assaults and destruction, sometimes abetted by Israeli soldiers.

    Palestinian attacks against Israelis in both Israel and the occupied West Bank also continue.

    Mr. President,

    The world cannot afford to watch the two-State solution disappear. 

    Political leaders face clear choices — the choice to be silent, the choice to acquiesce, or the choice to act.

    Mr. President,

    In Gaza, there is no end in sight to the killing and misery.

    The ceasefire had brought a glimmer of hope – the long-sought release of hostages and delivery of lifesaving humanitarian relief.

    But those embers of opportunity were cruelly extinguished with the shattering of the ceasefire on 18 March. 

    Since then, almost 2,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza by Israeli strikes and military operations – including women, children, journalists, and humanitarians.

    Hamas also continues to fire rockets towards Israel indiscriminately – while the hostages continue to be held in appalling conditions. 

    The humanitarian situation throughout the Gaza Strip has gone from bad … to worse … to beyond imagination.   

    For nearly two full months, Israel has blocked food, fuel, medicine and commercial supplies, depriving more than two million people of lifesaving relief. 

    All while the world watches.

    I am alarmed by statements by Israeli government officials about the use of humanitarian aid as a tool for military pressure.

    Aid is non-negotiable. 

    Israel must protect civilians and must agree to relief schemes and facilitate them.

    I salute the women and men of the United Nations and all other humanitarian workers – especially our Palestinian colleagues — who continue to work under fire and in incomprehensibly difficult conditions.

    And I mourn all of the women and men of the United Nations who were killed – including some with their families.

    The entry of assistance must be restored immediately — the safety of UN personnel and humanitarian partners must be guaranteed – and UN agencies must be allowed to work in full respect of humanitarian principles:  humanity, impartiality, neutrality and independence.

    There must be no hindrance in humanitarian aid – including through the vital work of UNRWA.

    We need the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages.

    And we need a permanent ceasefire.

    It’s time to stop the repeated displacement of the Gaza population – along with any question of forced displacement outside of Gaza.

    And the trampling of international law must end.

    I call on Member States to use their leverage to ensure that international law is respected and impunity does not prevail.

    This includes for the 19 March incident for which Israel has now acknowledged responsibility in firing on a UN guesthouse, killing one colleague and injuring six others … the 23 March killing of paramedics and other rescue workers in Rafah … as well as many other cases.

    There must be accountability across the board.

    Mr. President,

    Advisory proceedings are ongoing at the International Court of Justice on the obligations of Israel, as an occupying Power and a Member of the United Nations, in relation to the presence and activities of the United Nations in and in relation to the Occupied Palestinian Territory.

    In February, the United Nations Legal Counsel submitted a written statement to the Court – and yesterday, she made an oral statement before the Court – both of which on my behalf.

    The statement to the Court includes points that I have made on a number of occasions.

    Specifically, that all parties to conflict must comply with all their obligations under international law, including international human rights law and international humanitarian law.

    That Israel, as an occupying Power, is under an obligation to ensure food and medical supplies of the population.

    That Israel has an obligation to agree to and facilitate relief schemes in the Occupied Palestinian Territory.

    That humanitarian, medical and United Nations personnel must be respected and protected.

    And I emphasize the obligation under international law to respect the privileges and immunities of the United Nations and its personnel, including the absolute inviolability of United Nations premises, property and assets – and the immunity from legal process of the United Nations. 

    Such immunity applies to all UN entities in the Occupied Palestinian Territory – including UNRWA – a subsidiary organ of the General Assembly.

    I call on Member States to fully support all of these efforts. 

    Mr. President,

    In this period of turmoil and transition for the region, Member States must spell out how they will realize the commitment and promise of a two-State solution.

    This is not a time for ritualistically expressing support, ticking a box, and moving on.

    We are past the stage of ticking boxes – the clock is ticking.

    The two-State solution is near a point of no return. 

    The international community has a responsibility to prevent perpetual occupation and violence.

    My call to Member States is clear and urgent:

    Take irreversible action towards implementing a two-State solution.

    Do not let extremists on any side undermine what remains of the peace process.

    The High-Level Conference in June, co-chaired by France and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, is an important opportunity to revitalize international support.

    I encourage Member States to go beyond affirmations, and to think creatively about the concrete steps they will take to support a viable two-State solution before it is too late.

    At the same time, the Palestinian Authority needs stepped-up and sustained support – politically and financially.  This is crucial to ensure the continued viability of Palestinian institutions, consolidate ongoing reforms, and enable the PA to resume its full responsibilities in Gaza.

    Mr. President,

    At this hinge point of history for the people of the Middle East – and on this issue on which so much hinges – leaders must stand and deliver. 

    Show the political courage and exercise the political will to make good on this central question for peace for Palestinians, Israelis, the region and humanity.

    Thank you.

    ***
    [all-French]

    Monsieur le Président, Excellences,

    Je remercie la présidence française d’organiser cette réunion au niveau ministériel sur le Moyen-Orient, y compris la question palestinienne.

    La région traverse des bouleversements fondamentaux, marqués par la violence et la volatilité, mais également porteurs d’opportunités et de potentiel.

    Au Liban, le cessez-le-feu et l’intégrité territoriale doivent être respectés et tous les engagements doivent être mis en œuvre.

    En Syrie, nous devons poursuivre nos efforts pour accompagner le pays sur la voie d’une transition politique inclusive de toutes les composantes de la population syrienne – une transition qui garantisse la reddition de comptes, favorise la réconciliation nationale, et jette les bases du redressement à long terme de la Syrie ainsi que de son intégration future au sein de la communauté internationale. 

    Cela inclut la situation dans le Golan syrien occupé, qui demeure précaire en raison de violations majeures de l’Accord de désengagement des forces de 1974 – notamment la présence continue des Forces de défense israéliennes dans la zone de séparation, ainsi que leurs multiples frappes contre des sites au-delà de la ligne de cessez-le-feu.

    À travers le Moyen-Orient, les populations réclament et méritent un avenir meilleur – et non des conflits et des souffrances sans fin.

    Nous devons agir ensemble pour faire en sorte que cette période de turbulences et de transition réponde à ces aspirations – et qu’elle apporte justice, dignité, droits, sécurité, et une paix durable.

    Cela commence par la reconnaissance de deux faits fondamentaux : 

    Premièrement, la région se trouve à un moment charnière de son histoire. 
    Et, deuxièmement, que toute paix vraiment durable au Moyen-Orient dépend d’une question centrale.

    Un élément essentiel que ce Conseil de sécurité a affirmé et réaffirmé, année après année, décennie après décennie : une solution à deux États, Israël et la Palestine, vivant côte-à-côte dans la paix et la sécurité, avec Jérusalem comme capitale des deux États.

    Monsieur le Président,

    Aujourd’hui, la promesse de la solution des deux États court le risque de s’effilocher au point de disparaître.

    L’engagement politique en faveur de cet objectif de longue date n’a jamais été aussi ténu.

    De ce fait, les droits des Israéliens et des Palestiniens de vivre en paix et sécurité ont été mis à mal – et les aspirations nationales légitimes des Palestiniens ont été niées – alors qu’ils continuent de subir une présence israélienne que la Cour internationale de justice a jugée illicite.

    Depuis les effroyables attaques terroristes perpétrées par le Hamas le 7 octobre, la situation s’est aggravée sur tous les fronts.

    Premièrement, avec le conflit incessant et la dévastation que subit la bande de Gaza : les conditions de vie sont absolument inhumaines, les habitants sont la cible d’attaques à répétition et sont confinés dans des espaces de plus en plus réduits et privés d’une aide vitale.

    S’appuyant sur le droit international, le Conseil de sécurité a rejeté toute tentative de changement démographique ou territorial dans la bande de Gaza, y compris tout acte visant à réduire le territoire.

    Gaza fait partie intégrante d’un futur État palestinien et doit le rester.

    Deuxièmement, en Cisjordanie occupée, y compris Jérusalem-Est, les opérations militaires israéliennes et l’emploi d’armes lourdes dans des zones résidentielles, les déplacements forcés, les démolitions, les restrictions de circulation et l’expansion des colonies transforment radicalement les réalités démographiques et géographiques.

    Les Palestiniens sont cantonnés dans certains endroits et contraints d’en quitter d’autres. Ils sont cantonnés dans des zones où les opérations militaires se multiplient et où l’Autorité palestinienne est soumise à des pressions croissantes, et contraints de quitter les zones où les colons étendent leur emprise.

    Troisièmement, la violence exercée par les colons se poursuit dans un climat d’impunité, parfois avec la complicité de soldats israéliens, et atteint des niveaux alarmants : des communautés palestiniennes tout entières sont agressées et victimes de destructions à répétition.

    Les attaques menées par des Palestiniens contre des Israéliens en Israël et en Cisjordanie occupée se poursuivent également.

    Monsieur le Président,

    Le monde ne peut pas se permettre de voir la solution des deux États s’évanouir.

    Les dirigeants politiques ont le choix : se taire, acquiescer ou agir.

    Monsieur le Président,

    À Gaza, rien ne laisse entrevoir la fin de la tuerie et des souffrances.

    Le cessez-le-feu avait apporté une lueur d’espoir : la libération des otages, tant attendue, et l’acheminement d’une aide humanitaire vitale.
    Hélas, cette lueur d’espoir s’est éteinte avec la rupture du cessez-le-feu le 18 mars.

    Depuis, les frappes et les opérations militaires israéliennes ont fait près de 2000 morts parmi les Palestiniens dans la bande de Gaza, y compris des femmes, des enfants, des journalistes et du personnel humanitaire.

    Le Hamas continue également de tirer des roquettes sur Israël sans discernement – tandis que les otages sont toujours détenus dans des conditions épouvantables.

    Déjà mauvaise, la situation humanitaire dans la bande de Gaza n’a fait qu’empirer et dépasse aujourd’hui l’entendement.

    Depuis près de deux mois, Israël bloque les livraisons de nourriture, de carburant, de médicaments et de marchandises, privant ainsi plus de deux millions de personnes d’une aide vitale.

    Et ce, au vu et au su du monde entier.

    Je suis alarmé par les déclarations de représentants d’Israël concernant l’utilisation de l’aide humanitaire comme moyen de pression militaire.

    L’aide humanitaire n’est pas négociable.

    Israël est tenu de protéger les civils ; il doit accepter les programmes d’aide et en faciliter l’exécution.

    Je rends hommage au personnel des Nations Unies, femmes et hommes, ainsi qu’à tous les autres agents humanitaires, en particulier à nos collègues palestiniens, qui continuent à travailler malgré les frappes et dans des conditions inouïes.

    Et je pleure toutes les femmes et tous les hommes des Nations Unies qui ont été tués – y compris certains avec leurs familles.

    L’acheminement de l’aide doit être rétabli immédiatement, la sécurité du personnel des Nations Unies et des partenaires humanitaires doit être garantie et les entités des Nations Unies doivent pouvoir travailler dans le plein respect des principes humanitaires : humanité, impartialité, neutralité et indépendance.

    Il ne doit y avoir aucune entrave à l’aide humanitaire, notamment au travail vital que fait l’UNRWA.

    Il faut que tous les otages soient libérés immédiatement et sans conditions.

    Et il faut un cessez-le-feu permanent.

    Il est temps de mettre un terme aux déplacements répétés de la population de Gaza, ainsi qu’à la question des déplacements forcés en dehors de Gaza.

    Et il faut cesser de bafouer le droit international.

    J’engage tous les États Membres à user de leur influence pour que le droit international soit respecté et que l’impunité ne l’emporte pas.

    Je veux parler notamment de la frappe du 19 mars contre une résidence des Nations Unies, qui a fait un mort et six blessés parmi nos collègues et pour laquelle Israël a désormais reconnu sa responsabilité … de l’attaque du 23 mars, dans laquelle du personnel paramédical et d’autres secouristes ont trouvé la mort à Rafah … et de bien d’autres encore.

    Aucun acte ne saurait rester impuni.

    Monsieur le Président,

    Une procédure consultative a été engagée à la Cour internationale de Justice sur les obligations d’Israël, Puissance occupante et membre de l’ONU, en ce qui concerne la présence et les activités des entités des Nations Unies dans le Territoire palestinien occupé et en lien avec celui-ci.

    En février, la Conseillère juridique de l’ONU a soumis en mon nom une déclaration écrite à la Cour, et hier, elle a fait une déclaration orale devant la Cour, également en mon nom.

    Cette déclaration reprend des points que j’ai soulevés à plusieurs reprises.

    En particulier, le fait que toutes les parties au conflit sont tenues de s’acquitter des obligations que leur impose le droit international, y compris le droit international humanitaire et le droit international des droits humains.

    Qu’Israël, Puissance occupante, est tenu d’assurer l’approvisionnement de la population en produits alimentaires et fournitures médicales.

    Qu’il est tenu d’accepter les programmes d’aide et d’en faciliter l’exécution dans le Territoire palestinien occupé.

    Que le personnel humanitaire et médical, ainsi que le personnel des Nations Unies, doit être respecté et protégé.

    Je tiens à insister sur l’obligation faite en droit international de respecter les privilèges et immunités des Nations Unies et de leur personnel, y compris l’inviolabilité absolue des locaux, des biens et des avoirs des Nations Unies, ainsi que l’immunité de juridiction des Nations Unies.

    Cette immunité s’applique à toutes les entités des Nations Unies dans le Territoire palestinien occupé, y compris l’UNRWA, organe subsidiaire de l’Assemblée générale.

    J’engage les États Membres à soutenir tous ces efforts.

    Monsieur le Président,

    En cette période de tourmente et de transition pour la région, les États Membres doivent énoncer clairement comment ils concrétiseront l’engagement qu’ils ont pris et la promesse qu’ils ont faite quant à la solution des deux États.

    Ce n’est pas le moment d’exprimer rituellement son soutien, de cocher une case et de passer à autre chose.

    Nous avons dépassé le stade des cases à cocher : le temps presse.

    Pour la solution des deux États, le glas a presque sonné.

    La communauté internationale a la responsabilité d’empêcher l’occupation et la violence perpétuelles.

    L’appel que je leur lance est urgent et sans équivoque :

    Prenez des mesures irréversibles pour concrétiser la solution des deux États.

    Ne laissez pas les extrémistes de tout bord saper ce qu’il reste du processus de paix.

    La Conférence de haut niveau qui se tiendra en juin, co-présidée par la France et le Royaume d’Arabie saoudite, est une véritable occasion de revitaliser le soutien international.

    J’encourage les États membres à aller au-delà des affirmations et à réfléchir de manière créative aux mesures concrètes qu’ils prendront pour soutenir une solution viable à deux États avant qu’il ne soit trop tard.

    J’encourage les États Membres à traduire les paroles en actes et à réfléchir de manière créative pour déterminer les mesures concrètes qu’ils prendront pour soutenir une solution viable de deux États – avant qu’il ne soit trop tard.

    Parallèlement, l’Autorité palestinienne a besoin d’un soutien accru et durable, tant sur le plan politique que financièrement parlant. C’est une condition essentielle pour garantir la viabilité des institutions palestiniennes, asseoir les réformes engagées et permettre à l’Autorité palestinienne d’exercer de nouveau toutes ses responsabilités dans la bande de Gaza.

    Monsieur le Président,

    À ce moment charnière de l’histoire pour les peuples du Moyen-Orient – et vis-à-vis de cette question dont dépendent tant de choses – les dirigeants doivent concrétiser leur promesse.

    Faites preuve de courage et de volonté politiques, tenez vos engagements vis-à-vis de cette question centrale pour la paix : pour les Palestiniens, les Israéliens, la région et l’humanité tout entière.

    Je vous remercie.

    MIL OSI United Nations News

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Cambodia, KOICA and WFP launch initiative to boost national homegrown school feeding programme

    Source: World Food Programme

    PHNOM PENH, CAMBODIA – The Royal Government of Cambodia, through the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport (MoEYS), in partnership with the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) and the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP), has launched a US$ 10 million initiative from 2025 to 2029 to accelerate the expansion of Cambodia’s national homegrown school feeding programme.

    The programme currently reaches 190,000 children across 686 schools. The renewed support from South Korea builds on the achievements of Phase I (2020—2024) and will enable MoEYS and WFP to provide hot, nutritious meals to 133,300 schoolchildren across 428 schools. These schools will be progressively integrated into the national programme with full government ownership and management expected by 2028. 

    “The Ministry is deeply grateful for the continued support from the Government of the Republic of Korea, KOICA, and WFP,” said H.E. Hang Chuon Naron, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education, Youth and Sport. “Through this programme, we are not only improving access to nutritious food but also investing in Cambodia’s future by building a stronger, more resilient education system that supports our national development goals.” 

    The Royal Government of Cambodia has shown strong leadership and commitment to school meals. In August 2024, it approved the School Feeding Policy, a landmark step that formalized the programme’s role in contributing to education, nutrition, agriculture and social protection. This approach aligns closely with Cambodia’s broader human capital development agenda and the priorities of the Pentagonal Strategy—building a healthier, more educated, and resilient generation.

    “We are honoured to continue this important collaboration with the Royal Government of Cambodia and WFP,” said Moon Jung Choi, Country Director of KOICA Cambodia Office. “This second phase of support reaffirms the Government of Republic Korea’s commitment to inclusive and sustainable development for the Cambodian people by supporting national systems that deliver lasting improvements in education, nutrition and rural livelihoods.”

    The national school feeding programme adopts a home-grown approach, linking education and nutrition with local agriculture by sourcing food from smallholder farmers. In a country where over half of the population relies on agriculture, this approach stimulates local economies, strengthens food systems and serves as a safety net for vulnerable families affected by recurrent shocks.

    “WFP is proud to continue supporting Cambodia’s journey towards a nationally owned, sustainable school feeding programme,” said Claire Conan, WFP Representative in Cambodia. “The renewed partnership with KOICA and MoEYS is a powerful example of how partnership can improve children’s well-being, enhance learning, and build more resilient communities.”

    In addition to meal provision, the programme focuses on capacity strengthening, infrastructure upgrades and institutional development at national, sub-national, and school levels. These efforts are designed to enable MoEYS to take ownership, while ensuring the quality, efficiency, and sustainability of the programme. 

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    The United Nations World Food Programme is the world’s largest humanitarian organization, saving lives in emergencies, building prosperity and supporting a sustainable future for people recovering from conflict, disasters and the impact of climate change.

    MIL OSI United Nations News

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: New Data: Since 2014, 52,000 Migrants Died Fleeing Humanitarian Crises; IOM Urges Collective Action 

    Source: International Organization for Migration (IOM)

    Berlin/Geneva, 29 April 2025 – A new report from the International Organization for Migration (IOM) reveals that most people who die while migrating are not taking dangerous journeys purely out of choice, but out of desperation – fleeing insecurity, conflict, disaster, and other humanitarian crises.  

    Since 2014, more than 52,000 people have died while trying to escape crisis-affected* countries. That’s nearly three-quarters (72%) of all migrant deaths recorded globally during this period. These include over 39,000 people who died within crisis zones, often while trapped in unsafe conditions, and more than 13,500 who died while trying to flee conflict or disaster.  

    “These numbers are a tragic reminder that people risk their lives when insecurity, lack of opportunity, and other pressures leave them with no safe or viable options at home,” said IOM Director General Amy Pope. “We must invest to create stability and opportunity within communities, so that migration is a choice, not a necessity. And when staying is no longer possible, we must work together to enable safe, legal, and orderly pathways that protect lives.” 

    Crisis Zones: The Deadliest Places for Migrants  

    More than half (54%) of all recorded migrant deaths since 2014 occurred in or near countries affected by conflict or disaster. For example:  

    • In Afghanistan, over 5,000 people have died in transit, including thousands who perished while fleeing the country following the 2021 political upheaval.  
    • Among the Rohingya people from Myanmar, more than 3,100 people have died – many in shipwrecks or while crossing into Bangladesh.  
    • The Central Mediterranean remains the deadliest single migration route worldwide, with nearly 25,000 people lost at sea.  

    A Call for Stronger Global Cooperation  

    Despite the scale of the crisis, migrants are often overlooked in humanitarian planning. Needs assessments and aid appeals frequently fail to include targeted efforts to protect those on the move – even though nearly one in four missing migrants came from a crisis-affected country.

    “Too often, migrants fall through the cracks,” said Julia Black, coordinator of IOM’s Missing Migrants Project and the report’s author. “And due to data gaps – especially in war zones and disaster areas – the true death toll is likely far higher than what we’ve recorded.”  

    IOM is urging States and humanitarian partners to work together to ensure migrants are not excluded from crisis responses. This means expanding legal pathways, improving access to aid and healthcare, and investing in data systems that can better track and protect those at risk.  

    Note to Editor:  

    * For the purposes of this report, “countries in crisis” refers to 40 countries with an active Crisis Response Plan (CRP) or Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP) listed by IOM and/or UN OCHA as of December 2024.   

    Click here to access the Missing Migrants Project 2024 annual report.  

    The analysis in this press release is based on data available as of 1 March 2025. For the latest figures, click here.   

    IOM’s Missing Migrants Project is currently maintained with financial support of the governments of Switzerland, Norway, Denmark and the European Union. The preparation of this year’s report was co-funded through IOM’s Flexible Funding Mechanism (FFM), enabling the use of data and evidence to save lives and protect people affected by humanitarian crises. IOM appreciates the generous unearmarked and softly earmarked voluntary contributions from our donors to the Flexible Funding Mechanism, which made this initiative possible.  

    For more information, please contact IOM Media Centre  

    MIL OSI United Nations News

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: The Government of France contributes EUR 1 million to WFP resilience projects in Afghanistan

    Source: World Food Programme

    KABUL – The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) in Afghanistan welcomes a contribution of EUR 1 million from the Government of France in flexible funding which has been programmed towards WFP’s resilience projects.

    For a period of six months, this funding will allow WFP to reach over 1,100 families with vocational trainings, support farmers in remote regions and create assets that help communities become more resilient to the impacts of the climate crisis. Additionally, when a family member participates in asset creation or vocational skills training, they receive food or a monthly allowance of AFN 6,400 (approximately US$90) for six months to help cover basic food needs. 

    “The climate crisis is destroying Afghanistan’s farms, homes, and hopes. With flash floods on top of years of drought, millions are left with no way to grow food or earn a living,” said H.E. Ms Céline Jurgensen, Ambassador, Permanent Representative of France to the United Nations in Rome. “Afghan communities need long-term solutions to be able to achieve economic independence and sustainable livelihoods.” 

    WFP’s vocational training programmes empower Afghan women by teaching them marketable skills. The programmes focus on tailoring, carpet weaving and food value chains such as jam making and food preservation. They serve as a vital source of livelihood and offer some of the few remaining safe spaces for Afghan women outside their homes.

    To help Afghan communities stand on their own feet, WFP supports them – especially women – with vocational trainings and the creation of climate-resilient infrastructure including building irrigation canals, dams and flood protection walls, which mitigate the impacts of extreme weather and boost farming productivity,” said Mutinta Chimuka, WFP Country Director a.i. in Afghanistan, “WFP thanks the Government of France for their support to the vulnerable communities of Afghanistan.”

    Last year, via resilience projects in Afghanistan, WFP reached over half a million people – nearly half of them being women and girls – by distributing 5,400 metric tons of food and nearly US$ 24 million in cash for food. This year, WFP plans to reach 50,000 families (350,000 people) through resilience projects, covering 61 districts across 30 provinces of Afghanistan. 

    The Government of France has proven to be a steadfast partner in supporting WFP operations in Afghanistan, contributing approximately EUR 50 million from 2021 to 2024. 

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    The United Nations World Food Programme is the world’s largest humanitarian organization, saving lives in emergencies and using food assistance to build a pathway to peace, stability and prosperity for people recovering from conflict, disasters, and the impact of climate change.

    Follow us on Twitter: @wfp_media @WFP_Afghanistan

    MIL OSI United Nations News

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Madagascar: Improving Infrastructure Resilience to Reduce Climate-Related Economic Losses

    Source: UNISDR Disaster Risk Reduction

    Madagascar: Improving Infrastructure Resilience to Reduce Climate-Related Economic Losses

    (In collaboration with UNDRR and CDRI)

    One of the world’s largest islands, located in the tropical south-west Indian Ocean, Madagascar needs new roads, schools, electricity networks, and more to lift large portions of its 30 million population out of poverty. But even as it builds this new infrastructure, its progress remains fragile. Tropical cyclones and other extreme hazard events can wipe out these development gains, and climate change multiplies that threat. 

    The challenge is significant. Madagascar is the world’s fourth largest island, and its relatively small population is spread out, much of it in rural hard-to-access areas. Most villages are isolated and they lack access to decent roads, drinking water or electricity, preventing sustainable development and poverty reduction too. Rapid population growth increases the pressure to build new infrastructure fast, but Madagascar must also find new ways to protect its transport networks, energy supplies, water supplies, and more from the growing threat of climate change. 

    Building resilience into infrastructure will bring significant benefits. Madagascar’s infrastructure currently suffers damage worth roughly USD 100 million each year. Cyclones account for 85 percent of this damage and are expected to increase with climate change.  

    With that in mind, Madagascar has become one of four countries – together with Bhutan, Chile, and Tonga – to pioneer the Global Methodology for Infrastructure Resilience Review. Developed by the UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) and the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI), the methodology helps countries to identify and prioritize strategies that will make their infrastructure more resilient through a five-step approach. 

    • Developing the plan
    • Developing the plan

      “With this new way of looking by zooming out, we have more of an overall vision of everything that makes infrastructure vulnerable,” Randrianandrasana Lila Norolalaina, Head of Disaster Risk Reduction at the Ministry of Education, says.

      Together, these stakeholders looked at six specific sectors – transport, energy, water, telecommunications, health and education – analyzing them against ten key hazards. Cyclones account for most of Madagascar’s recorded losses, but floods, rising sea levels, variations in rainfall patterns, and heatwaves also have an impact. 

      Cascading disasters were central to the analysis, since a failure in one infrastructure sector can spread to others. Electricity failure impacts communication, transportation, and water supply systems, for example. And pumping equipment loses power and is unable to keep floodwaters under control around the capital Antananarivo, then an electricity failure would lead to other disasters, for example. Understanding these interdependencies helps to prevent a chain of failures and thus much bigger crises

      The UNDRR stress testing tool simulated various scenarios and assessed the potential impact on different sectors. It helped decision-makers to understand their vulnerabilities and to analyse the possibilities for cascading disasters. Finally, it concluded that telecommunications and energy were the sectors most likely to trigger further failures, while wastewater management was the most vulnerable to disruptions from elsewhere. 

      Interdependencies of Functions and Cascading Effects

    • Energy
    • Energy

      Discussed within the context of resilient infrastructure, energy is also vital for Madagascar’s human development. It is, however, in short supply throughout the country and this shortage prevents the country from industrialising its key sectors, especially farming. Some 80 percent of the workforce is involved with subsistence farming, for example, while failure to industrialise prevents the creation of higher paying jobs. The lack of energy also slows the modernisation of Madagascar’s young mining sector, a major contributor to GDP, through exports of nickel, cobalt, chromium, titanium, and heavy metals.

      Madagascar aims to connect 70 percent of its population to electricity by 2030, from just 15 percent at present. For those who are connected, however, power cuts and voltage fluctuations are frequent, causing serious disruptions to daily life and economic development alike. The issue is often acute in rural areas, where just 5 percent of the population is connected.

      Stress-testing analysis, Energy

      Inadequate maintenance is part of the problem, but cyclones, heavy rains, landslides, and strong winds all lead to widespread interruptions and power outages. Two of six power stations are vulnerable to rising water levels, while earthquakes and cyber-attacks can also damage production. Droughts and fires threaten serious impacts to water supplies. They can therefore limit the production of electricity from hydropower, which accounts for 31 percent of Madagascar’s energy. 

      Resilience is a vital priority. Part of Madagascar’s resilience plan is to move away from imported fossil fuels towards renewables. Oil and coal, for example, account for 49 and 19 percent respectively of the island’s energy production, but they depend heavily on Madagascar’s transport, which is also vulnerable to storms. Madagascar wants renewables to account for 80 percent of its energy production by 2030, up from 33 percent at present. 

      Even before the review of infrastructure resilience, Madagascar had already begun to improve its energy infrastructure, through its 2015-2030 New Energy Policy (NPE). One key element of NPE is to integrate disaster risk management into the energy sector. In case of emergency, Madagascar has also developed a contingency plan to ensure continuity of essential services. With support from the World Bank, Madagascar is enhancing its energy sector management and improving service quality.

      These opportunities mainly link to information and data. Stakeholders discussed the need to strengthen and update data for monitoring and evaluation, as well as to request information and disaster risk best practices from private operators in the sector. By mapping the state of energy infrastructure, including an assessment of vulnerability and resilience levels, Madagascar will be better placed to prioritise its interventions.

      Following the Global Methodology for Infrastructure Resilience Review, therefore, Madagascar has already begun to work with other partners. The Global Risk Modelling Alliance (GRMA), for example, is working with Madagascar to improve their data through better hazard modelling.

    • Transport
    • Transport

      Made up of four sub-sectors – air, sea, road, and rail – Madagascar’s transport illustrates the country’s challenges effectively too. Even without the natural hazards, Madagascar’s transport networks are limited. To the south, for example, one single trainline connects a region of roughly 100,000 people to the rest of the country. Also in the South, covering 500km by road can take three days. 

      With limited internal roads and railways, Madagascar uses its air network to connect different parts of the vast country, especially in the rainy season or when humanitarian aid is needed urgently. Its ports are also vital for the country’s economy, exporting vanilla and other agricultural products, together with minerals and seafood products. 

      Much of this infrastructure is, however, vulnerable to disasters, such as cyclones, cyber-attacks, fire hazards, and even pandemics. Cyclones, landslides, and flooding routinely damage roads and – in the wake of Cyclone Gamane in March 2024 – reconstruction of road infrastructure was set to cost USD 76 million.

      International financial institutions, such as the World Bank and European Investment Bank, support Madagascar to recover from cyclone damage and to make their transport infrastructure more resilient. The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) is supporting the USD 640 million expansion of Toamasina port, the gateway for about 75 percent of Madagascar’s international freight, while the African Development Bank (AfDB) is also considering rehabilitation of the port at Manakara. 

      Policies on rigorous maintenance, disaster planning, and construction or rehabilitation of new infrastructure, such as Ivato International Airport, will also help Madagascar to strengthen its infrastructure resilience. 

      Stress-testing analysis, Transportation

      However, the Infrastructure Resilience Review brought new insights, enabling Madagascar to prioritise its interventions. Data analysis identified:

      Stakeholders discussed the need to improve regulations and institutions alike, including by incorporating resilience principles. More work is needed on climate adaptation, while Madagascar would also benefit from better engagement with financial institutions and the insurance sector too. Better coordination would improve national adaptation plans and coastal area management. 

      Stakeholders also discussed the need for more data analysis, preventive maintenance, capacity building, and emergency planning, as well as the need to involve the private sector and facilitate more competition. 

      One key topic was the importance of resilience norms, especially in the transport sector. How does Madagascar develop these and then ensure compliance? These norms – and stakeholder compliance – are essential in reducing the amount of substandard construction, a major boost for resilience. 

    • Lessons for other countries
    • Lessons for other countries

      The Infrastructure Resilience Review represents an important step forward by Madagascar towards infrastructure resilience. Stakeholders hope it will also benefit donors and provide key lessons for other countries. 

      Resilient infrastructure is important because it enables and protects sustainable development. All too often, ferocious storms have destroyed donor-financed infrastructure, which means – in other words – that insufficient resilience puts development progress at risk.

    MIL OSI United Nations News

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Bhutan: Protecting hydropower and water from climate and other risks

    Source: UNISDR Disaster Risk Reduction

    Building energy resilience

    Water also plays a vital role in Bhutan’s hydropower sector, which serves as the backbone of both its energy generation and exports.

    Indeed, Bhutan’s human and economic development is closely tied to the growth of its hydropower. Some 99.7 percent of households have access to electricity, which is also essential for hospitals, schools, and communication networks. Besides supporting domestic sectors, hydropower also enables industrial growth.

    But Bhutan’s hydropower sector faces increasing risks linked to the growing challenges to its water supply. Climate change is expected to exacerbate challenges such as droughts, glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs), heavy rainfall, and flash floods. Additionally, Bhutan’s seismic activity makes hydropower assets vulnerable to loss and damage. 

    The country’s electricity transmission and distribution network is also at risk from geological events like earthquakes and landslides, as well as from fires and flash floods. At the same time, this network itself is a potential fire hazard, which could endanger surrounding infrastructure, settlements and forests.

    The Assessment identified several resilience measures, including some which are already well-advanced and which reflect a proactive approach to risk reduction. Bhutan is exploring investments into reservoirs and pumped storage projects, for example, to increase its water storage capacity. 
    However, the Assessment also highlighted several areas for improvement. It noted gaps in grid stability, real-time monitoring, and the ability to respond quickly to transmission and distribution outages. To address these challenges, the assessment recommended upgrades to safety standards and the introduction of mandatory risk reporting as a regulatory requirement for electricity transmission and distribution. Establishing feedback loops and mechanisms will also help to improve the network’s resilience.

    MIL OSI United Nations News