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Category: United Nations

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Mind your language: The battle for linguistic diversity in AI

    Source: United Nations 2

    By Fabrice Robinet

    Culture and Education

    For two years, one international organization under the umbrella of the UN has been leading a relentless campaign in the corridors of global digital diplomacy. Its mission? To bring linguistic diversity to English-dominated artificial intelligence.

    With his signature geeky glasses and TED-Talk-style headset, Sundar Pichai looked straight out of a Silicon Valley incubator.

    That Monday, February 10, Google’s chief executive took the stage at the Artificial Intelligence Action Summit in Paris. From the Grand Palais podium, he heralded a new golden age of innovation.

    “Using AI techniques, we added over 110 new languages to Google Translate last year, spoken by half a billion people around the world,” said the tech mogul, his eyes fixed on his notes. “That brings our total to 249 languages, including 60 African languages – more to come.”

    Delivered in a monotone, his statement barely registered among the summit’s attendees – an assembly of world leaders, researchers, NGOs, and tech executives.

    © Permanent Mission of Canada

    But for advocates of linguistic diversity in artificial intelligence, Mr. Pichai’s words marked a quiet victory – one achieved after two years of intense, behind-the-scenes negotiations in the arcane world of digital diplomacy.

    “It shows the message is getting through and tech companies are listening,” said Joseph Nkalwo Ngoula, digital policy advisor at the UN mission of the International Organisation of La Francophonie, in New York.

    Linguistic divide

    Mr. Pichai’s speech was a far cry from the linguistic missteps of early generative AI – a branch of artificial intelligence capable of creating original content, from text to images, music and animation.

    When OpenAI launched ChatGPT in 2022, non-English speakers quickly discovered its limitations.

    A query in English would generate a detailed, informative response. The same prompt in French? Two paragraphs, followed by a sheepish apology: “Sorry, I haven’t been trained on that,” or, “my model isn’t updated beyond this date.”

    Such a gap lies in the intricate mechanics of AI tools, which rely on so-called large language models (LLMs) like GPT-4, Meta’s LlaMA, or Google’s Gemini to digest vast troves of internet data that help them understand and generate text.

    But the internet itself is overwhelmingly Anglophone. While only 20 per cent of the world’s population speaks English at home, nearly half of the training data for major AI models is in English.

    Even today, ChatGPT’s responses in French, Portuguese, or Spanish have improved but remain less illuminating than their English counterparts.

    UN Photo/Elma Okic

    Sharper focus

    “The volume of available information in English is much greater, but it’s also more up to date,” said Mr. Nkalwo Ngoula. By default, AI models are conceived, trained, and deployed in English, leaving other languages struggling to catch up.

    The divide isn’t just quantitative. AI, when deprived of robust training in any given language, starts to “hallucinate” – generating incorrect or absurd answers with unsettling authority – much like an overconfident friend bluffing his way through trivia night.

    A classic AI hallucination consists of responding to a request for biographical details about a famous person by inventing a Nobel Prize or coming up with an odd parallel career, as in this example generated by ChatGPT, at the behest of UN News:

    UN News: ‘Who is Victor Hugo?’

    Hallucinating AI: “Victor Hugo, the 19th-century French writer, was also a passionate astronaut who contributed to the early design of the International Space Station.” 🚀😆

    Black box

    “It’s a black box absorbing data,” Mr. Nkalwo Ngoula explained. “The results might be formally coherent and logically structured, but factually, they can be wildly inaccurate.”

    Beyond factual errors, AI tends to flatten linguistic richness. Chatbots struggle with regional accents and language variations, such as Quebecois French or Creole languages spoken in Haiti and the French Caribbean.

    AI-generated French often feels sanitized, stripped of its stylistic nuances.

    “Molière, Léopold Sédar Senghor, Aimé Césaire, Mongo Beti – they’d all be turning in their graves if they saw how A.I. writes French today,” joked Mr. Nkalwo Ngoula.

    The issue runs deeper in multilingual countries, as in the diplomat’s native Cameroon, where youth commonly speak Camfranglais – a hybrid of French, English, Pidgin, and local languages.

    “I doubt young people could ask an AI something in Camfranglais and get a meaningful response,” he said. Expressions like “Je yamo ce pays” (I love this country) or “Réponds-moi sharp-sharp” (Answer me quickly) would likely leave A.I. models bewildered.

    UN Photo/Loey Felipe

    Shadow Campaign of La Francophonie

    Mr. Nkalwo Ngoula’s organization, La Francophonie – which brings together 93 states and governments around the use of French, representing more than 320 million people worldwide – has made this linguistic gap a centerpiece of its digital strategy.

    The group’s efforts culminated in last year’s UN Global Digital Compact, a framework for AI governance adopted by the Member States. From 2023 onward, La Francophonie leveraged its diplomatic network – including the influential Francophone Ambassadors’ Group at the UN – to ensure linguistic diversity became a core principle in AI policymaking.

    Along the way, unexpected allies emerged. Lusophone and Hispanic advocacy groups joined the fight, and even Washington sided with their cause. “The US defended language inclusion in AI development,” Mr. Nkalwo Ngoula noted.

    Their push paid off. The final Global Digital Compact explicitly recognizes cultural and linguistic diversity – an issue that had initially been buried under broader discussions on accessibility. “Our goal was to bring it to the forefront,” he said.

    The movement even reached Silicon Valley. At the UN Summit for the Future in September 2024, where the Compact was officially adopted, Sundar Pichai, Google’s CEO, surprised many by emphasizing the need for A.I. to provide access to global knowledge in multiple languages.

    “We’re working toward 1,000 of the world’s most spoken languages,” he pledged – a commitment he reaffirmed in Paris months later.

    Limits of the Global Digital Compact

    Despite these gains, challenges remain. Chief among them is visibility. “Francophone content is often buried by platform algorithms,” Mr Nkalwo Ngoula warns.

    Streaming giants like Netflix, YouTube, and Spotify prioritize popularity, meaning English-language content dominates search results.

    “If linguistic diversity were truly considered, a French-speaking user should see French-language films at the top of their recommendations,” he argued.

    The overwhelming dominance of English in AI training data is another hurdle sidestepped by the Compact, which also omits any reference to UNESCO’s Convention on Cultural Diversity – an oversight that, according to Mr. Nkalwo Ngoula, should be rectified.

    “Linguistic diversity must be the backbone of digital advocacy for La Francophonie,” Nkalwo Ngoula insisted.

    Given the pace of AI development, those changes can’t come a moment too soon.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Secretary-General’s video message for Earth Hour [scroll down for French version]

    Source: United Nations secretary general

    Download the video:
    https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/downloads2.unmultimedia.org/public/video/evergreen/MSG+SG+/SG+EARTH+HOUR+21+FEB+25/3341592_MSG+SG+EARTH+HOUR+21+FEB+25.mp4

    Earth hour is about solidarity, hope, and the power of collective action.

    Every year, millions of people turn off the lights to illuminate the need for climate action.

    Today I ask that you are one of them.

    Earth needs you.

    Human-made climate calamity is here and now.  

    We’ve just had the hottest year, the hottest decade, and the hottest seas on record. And we’ve seen historic fires, storms and droughts as a result.

    Moving away from polluting fossil fuels – the leading cause of this chaos – towards renewable power holds immense promise for us all – it’s healthier, cheaper and more secure. 

    So please, join us – switch off your lights on March 22nd at 8:30 p.m. local time. 

    Give an hour to Earth.

    And use your power to push for a better world for us all.

    ***
    L’Heure pour la Terre symbolise la solidarité, l’espoir et le pouvoir de l’action collective.

    Chaque année, des millions de personnes éteignent les lumières en faveur de l’action climatique.

    Aujourd’hui, soyez l’une de ces personnes.

    La Terre a besoin de vous.

    Les catastrophes climatiques causées par l’homme sont déjà bien là.

    Cette année et cette décennie ont été les plus chaudes jamais enregistrées, et la température de la mer n’a jamais été aussi élevée. Il en résulte des incendies, des tempêtes et des sécheresses sans précédent.

    Les combustibles fossiles polluants étant la principale cause de ce chaos, le passage aux énergies renouvelables – plus saines, moins chères et plus sûres – suscite de grands espoirs.

    Comme nous, le 22 mars à 20 h 30, où que vous soyez, éteignez la lumière.

    Offrez une heure à la Terre.

    Et utilisez votre pouvoir pour promouvoir un monde meilleur pour tous.

    ***
     

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Seventy-third session of the Specialized Section on Standardization of Fresh Fruit and Vegetables (GE.1)

    Source: United Nations Economic Commission for Europe

    The session is open for participation by all UN Member States. Representatives from relevant international organizations and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) and the private sector can also participate as observers. This session will be held with simultaneous interpretation into English, French and Russian. Prior registration is required, please register through the registration button.

    An audio channel will be available in English, French, and Russian on the days of the event, at: https://listen-live.unog.ch/en/

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Press Release 22 March 2025 WMO Secretary-General: We are more than just weather forecasters

    Source: World Meteorological Organization

    This year marks the 75th birthday of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) as a United Nations specialized agency, which has overseen the free and unrestricted exchange of data, products, and services underpinning decisions ranging from daily leisure activities to seasonal crop planting to multi-billion dollar infrastructure investments.

    “We are more than just weather forecasters,” said Celeste Saulo. “WMO makes the world safer, more secure, and prosperous.”

    WMO’s transformation of science into action for the global good is more necessary than at any time in its history. 

    WMO recently confirmed that 2024 was the hottest year on record. Ocean warming and sea level rise is accelerating. Glacier retreat and melting ice threaten long-term changes. This is accompanied by more extreme weather events such as rapidly intensifying tropical cyclones, devastating rainfall, storm surges, flooding, deadly droughts, and wildfires.

    “The theme of this year’s World Meteorological Day – Closing the Early Warning Gap Together – reminds us that, in this new climate reality, early warning systems are not luxuries. They are necessities and sound investments – providing an almost ten-fold return,” said UN Secretary-General António Guterres in a message. 

    “Yet, almost half the world’s countries still lack access to these life-saving systems. It is disgraceful that, in a digital age, lives and livelihoods are being lost because people have no access to effective early warning systems,” he said.

    World Meteorological Day is observed on 23 March each year. It showcases the essential contribution of National Meteorological and Hydrological Services to society and to building a safer, more resilient world.

    “The staff of National Meteorological and Hydrological Services are like doctors and nurses – working 24/7 to safeguard and promote public well-being,” said WMO Secretary-General Celeste Saulo. 

    “During the past 75 years, we have brought billions of dollars in added value to the global economy. We have saved billions more in averted economic losses from weather, climate and water-related hazards. And we have saved hundreds of thousands of lives,” she said.

    75th birthday of the World Meteorological Organization

    Advances and Gaps

    Every minute of every day, data flows from monitoring stations across the world to weather prediction centers. Millions of individual measurements – from satellites, from stations on the ground, from weather balloons, from ocean buoys and ships, from satellites, from aircraft – and more.

    Without WMO coordination and its unified network, each country would face the impossible task of collecting global data on its own.

    While forecasting capabilities have advanced significantly, gaps remain in observation networks, forecasting accuracy, and access to high-quality climate and hydrological data. 

    Strengthening National Meteorological and Hydrological Services (NMHSs) in developing nations is not only vital for climate adaptation – it is essential for global resilience, security, and economic stability.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Secretary-General’s message on World Water Day [scroll down for French version]

    Source: United Nations secretary general

    The theme of this year’s World Water Day reminds us of a cold, hard truth: glacier preservation is essential for security, prosperity, and justice.

    Glaciers are nature’s vaults, holding a precious resource: nearly 70 per cent of all freshwater on Earth.

    As glaciers melt, they quench the thirst of communities, sustain ecosystems, and support agriculture, industry, and clean energy.  But scorching temperatures are draining these vaults at record speed – from the Himalayas to the Andes, from the Alps to the Arctic.

    Deadly floods are being unleashed, impacting billions of people, in cities and rural areas alike.  Low-lying communities and entire countries are facing existential threats, while competition for water and land is aggravating tensions. 

    Glaciers may be shrinking, but we cannot shrink from our responsibilities.

    The Pact for the Future, agreed by countries last September, commits countries to ambitious action to protect, restore and sustain the world’s glaciers and strengthen community resilience. I have also appointed a Special Envoy on Water to strengthen international cooperation on the sustainable management of freshwater resources.

    Action this year is critical.  Every country must deliver strong national climate action plans – or NDCs – aligned with limiting global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius.

    Funding for climate adaptation and resilience must increase, supported by reform of the international financial architecture to unlock sustained and massive climate finance.
    Together, let’s act to preserve these frozen lifelines for humanity.

    ***
    Cette année, le thème de la Journée mondiale de l’eau nous rappelle une dure réalité : la préservation des glaciers est essentielle pour la sécurité, la prospérité et la justice.

    Les glaciers sont des réservoirs naturels qui renferment une ressource précieuse : près de 70 % de toute l’eau douce de la planète.

    En fondant, les glaciers étanchent la soif des populations, alimentent les écosystèmes et soutiennent l’agriculture, l’industrie et l’énergie propre. Or, les températures caniculaires assèchent ces réservoirs à une vitesse record, de l’Himalaya aux Andes, en passant par les Alpes et l’Arctique.

    Des inondations meurtrières se déchaînent dans les zones urbaines et rurales, frappant des milliards de personnes. L’existence même des populations vivant dans des zones de faible élévation, voire de pays entiers, est menacée, tandis que la concurrence pour l’eau et les terres aggrave les tensions.

    Si les glaciers reculent, nous, nous ne pouvons pas reculer devant nos responsabilités.

    En adoptant le Pacte pour l’avenir en septembre dernier, les pays se sont engagés à prendre des mesures ambitieuses pour protéger, restaurer et préserver les glaciers de la planète et améliorer la résilience des populations. J’ai également nommé une Envoyée spéciale pour l’eau, qui a pour mission de renforcer la coopération internationale dans le domaine de la gestion durable des ressources en eau douce.

    Il est indispensable d’agir cette année. Chaque pays doit mettre en œuvre de solides plans d’action nationaux pour le climat, ou des contributions déterminées au niveau national, qui cadrent avec l’objectif consistant à limiter à 1,5 degré Celsius le réchauffement planétaire.

    Il faut augmenter le financement de l’adaptation et de la résilience face aux changements climatiques et l’accompagner d’une réforme de l’architecture financière internationale qui permette de débloquer un financement durable et massif de l’action climatique.
    Ensemble, agissons afin de préserver ces poumons gelés pour toute l’humanité.
     

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Seventy-second session of the Specialized Section on Standardization of Dry and Dried Produce (GE.2)

    Source: United Nations Economic Commission for Europe

    The session is open for participation by all UN Member States. Representatives from relevant international organizations and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) and the private sector can also participate as observers. This session will be held with simultaneous interpretation into English, French and Russian. Prior registration is required, please register through the registration button.

    An audio channel will be available in English, French, and Russian on the days of the event, at: https://listen-live.unog.ch/en/

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Outreach Seminar on the Updates of Statistical Manuals (2025 SNA and BPM7), online

    Source: United Nations Economic Commission for Europe

    06 – 07 March 2024

    Document title 

    		   Documents
    English Russian
    Agenda   PDF PDF
    Joint Session      
    Main Objectives, Priorities, and Procedures for Updating the Balance of Payments and International Investment Position Manual and the System of National Accounts   PDF PDF
    Building Blocks: Integrated Framework, Accounting Principles, Economic Territory, Institutional Sectors, and Residence   PDF PDF
    Globalization   PDF PDF
    Digitalization   PDF PDF
    Communicating and Disseminating Economic Statistics   PDF PDF
           
    Selected BPM7 issues      
    Main Features and Outline   PDF PDF
    Cross-cutting themes   PDF PDF
    Current and Capital Accounts   PDF PDF
    Integrated International Investment Position: Direct Investment and Portfolio Investment   PDF PDF
    Integrated International Investment Position: Financial Derivatives, Other Investment, and Reserve Assets   PDF PDF
    BPM7. Draft Annotated Outline (September 2023)   PDF PDF
           
    Selected 2025 SNA issues      
    Overview and Main Changes   PDF PDF
    Financial Issues   PDF PDF
    Wellbeing and Sustainability, Informal Economy   PDF PDF
    Thematic and Extended Accounts   PDF PDF

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: General Assembly Adopts Texts, Marks International Day for Elimination of Racial Discrimination

    Source: United Nations General Assembly and Security Council

    The poison of racism remains in the veins of global institutions, laws and everyday practices and must be fought in all its forms, speakers urged the General Assembly today, as the body commemorated the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination in addition to taking action on three draft texts.

    One of these, the draft resolution titled “Permanent neutrality of Turkmenistan” (document A/79/L.59), was introduced by that country’s representative.  She affirmed neutrality as a fundamental principle of her nation’s foreign policy — “a beacon of peace, stability and constructive engagement in the international community for three decades”.  The Assembly then adopted the draft resolution without a vote.

    By the text, the Assembly called on Member States to respect and support this status of Turkmenistan and to respect its independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity.  It further welcomed the decision of the Government of Turkmenistan to host an international forum, in December 2025, devoted to the International Year of Peace and Trust, the International Day of Neutrality and the thirtieth anniversary of the permanent neutrality of Turkmenistan.

    The Assembly also adopted without a vote the draft decision titled “United Nations Pledging Conference for Development Activities” (document A/79/L.61).  By its terms, the Assembly decided to convene the next such Conference in 2026.  Also adopted without a vote was the draft decision titled “Speakers for the opening segment of the ‘World Social Summit’ under the title ‘the Second World Summit for Social Development’” (document A/79/L.65).

    International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination

    At the outset of the meeting, Philémon Yang (Cameroon), President of the General Assembly at its seventy-ninth session, recalled that peaceful protesters stood against injustice in Sharpeville, South Africa, 65 years ago.  While 69 lives were lost that day, “their courage ignited a movement — one that continues today,” he stated.  And, on the sixtieth anniversary of the adoption of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination — to which 182 Member States are party — he said:  “We must recommit to its provisions that prohibit racial discrimination in all its forms.”  Further, he called on the international community to “take decisive action to enforce antidiscrimination laws and ensure they are effective”.

    Urging States to invest in inclusive education, raise public awareness and challenge harmful stereotypes, he emphasized that the fight against racial discrimination is not just a moral duty, but essential to achieving the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.  And, while Africa has long carried the weight of historical injustice, he stressed that the continent is also a beacon of resilience and leadership that “has shown the world how to successfully end abhorrent examples of institutional racism and bigotry”.  The international community must therefore listen to African voices and fully integrate their perspective into global anti-racism efforts.  Additionally, he called on the next generation to “carry forward the fight against racial discrimination with hope and determination”.

    Speaking next was Courtenay Rattray, Chef de Cabinet of the Executive Office of the Secretary-General, who said that the poison of racism is the toxic legacy of historic enslavement and colonialism.  Today, it continues to corrupt communities and erode the foundations of justice, stoked by “growing inequalities and algorithms that capitalize on polarizing content”, he stated.  Forged amidst the civil rights and anti-Apartheid movements of the 1960s, the Convention remains a beacon of hope.  Calling for its universal ratification, he urged business leadership, civil society and everyday people to take a stand against racism in all its forms.

    Ilze Brands Kehris, Assistant Secretary-General for Human Rights, then emphasized that race, colour, descent or origin must never silence people, block their opportunities, make them targets or endanger their lives.  While the Convention was a milestone treaty, she warned that “we once again find ourselves in a period of turmoil” — with racism still permeating institutions, social structures and everyday life in all societies.  While diversity is profoundly human and enriches societies, “because of it, millions of people are treated as sub-human”, she stated.  Condemning the resurgence of nationalist populism and ideologies of racial superiority, she called today’s gathering an opportunity for States, national human-rights institutions, civil society, the private sector and United Nations entities to commit to concrete steps to combat the scourge.

    Echoing calls for universal ratification, Michał Balcerzak (Poland), Chair of the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, also encouraged Member States to recognize the competence of his Committee to receive individual communications to provide effective access to justice for victims.  “Formal ratification is essential, but not sufficient,” he said, noting that various provisions were included in the Convention to address historical injustice and structural racism — such as the obligation to adopt special or affirmative measures.  “We witness today the challenging of these measures in many countries,” he pointed out, calling on States and judicial bodies to protect them.  He added:  “Racist and xenophobic discourse are not only increasing, but also encouraged by some politicians and public figures.  This is not the time to remain silent.”

    For her part, Sarah Lewis, Associate Professor at Harvard University, noted that she is “the descendant of enslaved men and women from, we believe, Ghana and Nigeria, and also from slave owners who came from the United Kingdom”.  While this anniversary is a chance to salute the extraordinary progress made to confront racial discrimination, she emphasized that “much more is needed today in many parts of the world to combat injustice”.  Stressing that the racial divide around the world is built on the fiction of racial superiority, she cited ignorance — for example, that slavery could ever be construed as beneficial for the skills it taught the enslaved.  She recalled the words of civil-rights leader Frederick Douglass, who spoke of internalized narratives that seemed to justify inequity, making the case for the power of culture as an overlooked tool for ending racism.  “He said it might take over 150 years for society here, and around the world, to understand these ideas,” she observed.

    During the ensuing discussion, South Africa’s delegate recalled that, “on this day 65 years ago”, people gathered around police stations in his country without carrying the dompas — the document that restricted the movement of people based on their race.  During this peaceful protest, Apartheid security forces and police opened fire on a crowd in Sharpeville, killing 69 and injuring 130.  “Most were shot in the back,” he said.  While the equal enjoyment of human rights is a basic principle of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights — adopted in 1948 — he noted that, in 1965, “it was obvious that this was not a universal understanding”.  This is why the global community recognized the need to establish international law to protect human rights, regardless of race.  The Convention, he recalled, remains the only active legal instrument against racism and racial discrimination.

    Echoing those sentiments, the representative of Equatorial Guinea, speaking for the African Group, stressed the need to address contemporary forms of racism and new forms of slavery, such as human trafficking.  All States must eliminate systemic barriers and racial discrimination faced by people of African descent in housing, healthcare, education and other sectors.  Further, global reparatory justice is crucial for equitable sustainable development.  In a similar vein, Jamaica’s delegate, speaking for the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), said that the injustice of the transatlantic slave trade lingers and affects the lives of people of African descent today.  He also expressed concern about “the growing incitement of hatred and intolerance, including through the use of new and emerging technologies”.

    Echoing that, the representative of Greece, speaking for the Group of Western European and Other States, affirmed the collective “responsibility to address all factors that ignite racist harassment, hate speech, hate crimes and all other forms of incitement”.  Moreover, nationalist and populist ideologies and rhetoric that erode social cohesion have no place in societies.  The representative of Fiji, speaking for the Asia-Pacific Group, strongly condemned racial profiling and negative stereotyping on any grounds and against any persons.  Meanwhile, Suriname’s delegate, speaking for the Group of Latin America and Caribbean Countries, expressed solidarity with all victims of racial discrimination around the world.  He further highlighted the intersection of racial and gender discrimination, calling for gender-responsive policies. 

    However, the representative of the Russian Federation recalled that the international community is far from consensus on fighting racism, with the various documents and decisions adopted by the General Assembly lacking support from Western countries.  “We all know that, in Europe, discrimination flourishes,” she said, spotlighting bans on studies in one’s native language and on participating in elections.  Condemning Western Governments for “turning a blind eye” to their racist, xenophobic and colonialist pasts, she voiced support for the objectives of the Second International Decade for People of African Descent.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Security Council Press Statement on Attack against United Nations Mission in South Sudan

    Source: United Nations MIL OSI b

    The following Security Council press statement was issued today by Council President Christina Markus Lassen (Denmark):

    The members of the Security Council condemned in the strongest terms the attack perpetrated on 7 March against the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) in Nasir, Upper Nile State, by the White Army.  In the attack, two United Nations helicopters conducting an evacuation came under fire, resulting in the death of a crew member, injuries to two others and the loss of South Sudanese lives.

    The members of the Security Council expressed their deepest condolences and sympathy to the family of the UN personnel killed.  They also expressed their condolences to the United Nations Mission in South Sudan.  They further expressed their deepest condolences to the families of the deceased and to the people of South Sudan for the lives lost.

    The members of the Security Council reiterated that attacks against peacekeepers may constitute war crimes and reminded all parties of their obligations under international humanitarian law.  They called for those responsible for the attacks to be held accountable.  The members of the Security Council called on all parties to the 2018 peace agreement to refrain from further violence and engage in national dialogue to restore and maintain peace.  They underscored that dialogue and negotiation remain the only means for resolving differences and called upon the leadership of all the parties to the Revitalised Transitional Government of National Unity to immediately de-escalate tensions.

    The members of the Security Council reiterated their full support for UNMISS and further stressed the importance of UNMISS having the necessary capacities, and the support of the Revitalised Transitional Government of National Unity to fulfil its mandate in full and without interference or obstruction, and in line with the status of forces agreement, and promote the safety and security of the United Nations peacekeepers, pursuant to Security Council resolution 2729 (2024).

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Security Council Speakers Warn of ‘Gazafication’ of West Bank, Urge Israel to End Illegal Settlements, Occupation

    Source: United Nations General Assembly and Security Council

    Israeli West Bank Operations Aimed at Dismantling Iran’s Terror Networks, Says Delegate

    Speakers in the Security Council today warned of the expansion of illegal settlements in the West Bank and its “Gazafication” amid Israel’s ongoing counter-terrorism operations, which its representative described as efforts to dismantle Iran’s terror networks.

    “The relentless expansion of Israeli settlements is dramatically altering the landscape and demographics of the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, presenting an existential threat to the prospect of a contiguous, viable, independent Palestinian State,” said Sigrid Kaag, United Nations Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process ad interim.  Presenting the latest Secretary-General’s report on the implementation of Security Council resolution 2334 (2016) — a measure calling on Israel to “immediately and completely cease all settlement activity in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem” — she pointed out that settlement activity has nevertheless continued at a high rate, with Israeli planning authorities advancing or approving approximately 10,600 housing units in settlements in the occupied West Bank, including 4,920 in East Jerusalem.

    Demolitions and seizures of Palestinian-owned structures accelerated across the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, she continued, reporting that Israeli authorities demolished 460 structures and displaced 576 people, including 287 children and 149 women, because they did not possess Israeli-issued building permits, which are almost impossible for Palestinians to obtain.  Meanwhile, “alarming levels” of violence continued, with 123 Palestinians, including 6 women and 19 children, killed amidst Israeli forces’ air strikes, operations, armed exchanges and other incidents, she said, adding:  “Most Palestinians were killed in the context of Israeli operations in Area A, including during exchanges of fire with armed Palestinians.”

    Israel’s largest operation in the occupied West Bank since 2002 began on 21 January and has since expanded across the northern West Bank in what Israeli authorities described as a counter-terrorism operation, displacing 40,000 people, she continued.  On 9 February, Israeli operations expanded into Nur Shams Camp in Tulkarem where Israel Defense Forces soldiers shot and killed two Palestinian women, one of whom was pregnant, she said, adding that two Palestinian children were killed by Israeli soldiers in incidents in Jenin and Hebron on 21 February, bringing the total number of children killed to eight across the occupied West Bank since the operation began.  Detailing other developments in the occupied West Bank, including widespread movement restrictions, the arrest of 1,711 Palestinians, settler-related violence in 11 Palestinian towns and villages, and Palestinian attacks against Israelis, she called on both parties to refrain from provocative actions and inflammatory rhetoric, which has, unfortunately continued.

    Echoing the Secretary-General’s observations on the implementation of resolution 2334 (2016), she drew attention to the emptying out of refugee camps in the northern West Bank during Israeli operations.  She also voiced concern that any long-term presence of Israeli security forces in the camps would further undermine the Palestinian Authority and contravene Israel’s obligation to end its unlawful continued presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, as affirmed by the International Court of Justice.

    Clear Response Needed at International Conference in June

    “Israel’s goal has always been maximum Palestinian land with minimum Palestinians,” said the Permanent Observer for the State of Palestine, adding:  “Instead of ending its occupation, it is attempting to end the occupied people.”  Pointing to the ongoing genocide in Gaza and the “most massive ethnic-cleansing campaign since 1967” in the northern West Bank, displacing 40,000 Palestinians in weeks, he underscored the need for accountability, emphasizing:  “Confronted with this unprecedented Israeli escalation, there must be an unprecedented escalation of international measures in response.”

    Voicing concern that Israel aims to entrench its occupation, rather than reverse or end it, he spotlighted the International Conference for the Peaceful Settlement of the Question of Palestine and the Implementation of the Two-State Solution in June, hoping it would be a platform for mobilization and action.  “Israel’s intentions have never been clearer.  The international response needs to be equally clear,” he emphasized, calling for “unprecedented decisions by States” to change the course of history.

    Israel’s delegate, denouncing “morally obscene” remarks equating Israeli hostages with Palestinian terrorists “legally arrested by Israel”, said his country had “no choice” but to act decisively, considering Hamas’ rejection of the offer to release the remaining hostages for a continued ceasefire.  It has struck targets with precision, eliminating “arch-terrorists” such as Mahmoud Abu Watfa, head of Hamas’ internal security forces and Issam al-Daalis, head of Hamas’ Government in Gaza.  The group has a choice:  “Come back to the table and negotiate or wait and watch as its leadership falls one by one.”

    His country’s operations in “Judea and Samaria” intend to break down Iran’s terror networks there, he continued, citing 2,000 attempted terror attacks originating there over 11 months.  The Palestinian Authority left the job of “taking care of the terror cells” in [refugee] camps in Jenin and Tulkarm to his country, he said, stressing that terrorists will be given no sanctuary, in Gaza, Judea and Samaria, Yemen or Iran.

    United States Dismisses Passage of Resolution 2334 (2016) as ‘Mistake’

    The United States’ delegate, characterizing the passage of the Council resolution 2334 (2016) as “a mistake”, called on the UN Secretary-General to join the United States in putting pressure on Hamas.  Just as Hamas could end the war by releasing the hostages, Iran “could chose to join the community of nations by ending its support for terrorist proxy groups and providing transparency on its nuclear programme”, she added, reiterating her Government’s support for the Israel Defense Forces and the Palestinian Authority Security Forces in rooting out extremists in Jenin and Tulkarm.  “The future of the Middle East must look different.  Fresh thinking is needed for a better tomorrow,” she added.

    France’s representative, however, stated that the reason evoked by Israel to justify its new massive bombardments does not hold water, and delays in the hostages’ release cannot justify the punishment of the entire people.  Noting that settlements in the West Bank are becoming more violent, with active participation of Israeli security forces, he reiterated that France opposes any annexation in the West Bank or Gaza.  To that end, his Government has been working with all countries to find a mechanism and to use ceasefire as a starting point for resuming dialogue.

    Pakistan’s representative warned that “daily military raids, settler violence and illegal land annexations are part of a systematic effort to ethnically cleanse the Palestinian people in the West Bank,” he said.  The Security Council, and the world community, cannot sit back and watch this ongoing ethnic cleansing.  “A failure to halt this brutal war will unleash the worst instinct of powerful and predatory States,” he said, urging the elected Council members to initiate measures to end “this cruel war”.  Somalia’s delegate called on States to present a united front against forced demographic changes, displacement from Palestinian communities or attempts to annex territories in either Gaza or the West Bank, a point echoed by China’s delegate, who urged Israel to “abandon its obsession with the use of force”.

    Unchecked Settlements Darken Prospect of Palestine’s Statehood

    Many speakers echoed alarm over the threat posed by unchecked settlement activities in the West Bank to the prospects for Palestinian statehood, with the representative of Denmark, Council President for March, who spoke in her national capacity, stating that such developments “rob Palestinians of their land, [and] push them into isolated enclaves, making it virtually impossible to form a connected and viable land for a future Palestinian State”.  Any unilateral attempt to change the geography of the occupied Palestinian territories is unacceptable, she said, stating that some settlements come about through settler violence.  She added:  “We have the frameworks.  What is needed is full implementation of resolution 2334 (2016).”

    “We have been witnessing what many are calling the Gazafication of the West Bank,” echoed Slovenia’s delegate, noting that, not only dights, but also dynamics “remind us of Gaza”.  “The one radical solution is a real peace,” he said, calling for the end of occupation and return of displaced persons.  Pages of history already written, including those contained in the reports of accountability mechanisms, must be a wake-up call for a new chapter to take place, he added.

    Greece’s representative, calling the Arab plan for Gaza’s recovery and reconstruction “a constructive proposal”, deplored the increase of settlement activity in the West Bank, a concern echoed by the representative of the Republic of Korea, who called the ongoing violence and vandalism by Israeli settlers unacceptable.

    On that, the representative of the United Kingdom highlighted three rounds of sanctions on violent settlers and their supporters imposed by his country to bring accountability for abuses of human rights, in the absence of sufficient Israeli action.  “The level of restrictions on Palestinian movement in the West Bank are crippling,” he observed, underscoring the importance of ensuring that religious freedoms are respected, especially during Ramadan.

    Many speakers emphasized the urgent need for progress towards a political solution, including the delegates of Guyana and Panama, with the latter stating that, in the future, Gaza — free from extremist groups, together with the West Bank and East Jerusalem — can be integrated into a territorial and political structure.  Sierra Leone’s representative, also calling for the political process to be revitalized, expressed hope for the recovery and reconstruction of Gaza, guided by the proposal tabled by the League of Arab States in Egypt.

    Noting that the West Bank “risks repeating the Gaza scenario”, the representative of the Russian Federation underscored that what is happening in the West Bank is a “good illustration” that there is no alternative to political solutions.  Israel’s settlement actions are aimed to undermine a two-State solution, he said, adding that, while Israel is using “crude force” to ensure their security, he said it is not surprising that the radical forces are popular among regular Palestinians.  The only sensible alternative is for Israel to return to negotiations, he noted, stating that the Council can and should play a role in this process.

    Algeria’s delegate said that the Israeli occupying Power’s objective in the West Bank is clear:  total sovereignty over it.  Their modus operandi is also well-known:  killing, forced demolition, displacement, dispossession and settlement.  Over 40,000 people have been forcibly displaced in the past two months in the West Bank.  Striking a note of urgency, he asked:  “When will we rise to the level of our obligations and impose respect and implementation for our collective decision to establish a Palestinian State with Al-Quds al-Sharif as its capital?”

    Rounding out the meeting, the representative of Jordan recalled that the Arab League summit held in Cairo at the beginning of the month confirmed the bloc’s rejection of any attempt to displace the Palestinian people from their occupied lands, and approved the Gaza Early Recovery and Reconstruction Plan presented by Egypt.  This is a comprehensive Arab plan, based on joint Egyptian-Palestinian efforts, to organize an international conference on recovery and reconstruction in Gaza, in cooperation with the UN, he said.  Deploring the dangerous escalation in the West Bank and occupied East Jerusalem, marked by recurrent military incursions into Palestinian towns, population displacements and home demolitions, he called on the Council and the international community to address these violations.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: PUBLIC EVENT: INTERNATIONAL DAY OF FORESTS 2024

    Source: United Nations Economic Commission for Europe

    The United Nations Economic Commission for Europe celebrated the International Day of Forests with a two-part event.

    I. “Forest Talk: Innovation 4 Climate” (10:00 – 11:30, Auditorium (H.200, ground floor), Building H, Palais des Nations, and online): Experts from diverse industries presented ongoing research on innovative applications of wood components.

    II. “Glacial Threads: From Forests to Future Textiles” (12:00 – 13:00): A symbolic ceremony involving the unrolling and laying of a glacier fleece made from wood-based fibers onto Michelangelo Pistoletto’s iconic sculpture, “Rebirth.” This segment was held outdoors. 

     

    The main event was followed by a reception hosted by the Permanent Mission of Italy. 

     

    For more information contact Secretariat

     

    Event organized with the generous support of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry of Finland.

     

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Daily Press Briefing by the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General

    Source: United Nations General Assembly and Security Council

    The following is a near-verbatim transcript of today’s briefing by Farhan Haq, Deputy Spokesman for the Secretary-General.

    **Guest

    Alright.  Good afternoon, everyone.  As you know, tomorrow [22 March] is World Water Day.  I will be joined here shortly by Bhanu Neupane, the Process Coordinator for the UNESCO [United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization] World Water Development Report, who will talk to you about the report.

    **Secretary-General’s Travel

    The Secretary-General is about to leave Brussels. Earlier today, he was in Leuven, where he accepted an honorary doctorate given to the United Nations by the universities KU Leuven and UC Louvain.  In his remarks, Mr. [António] Guterres said that by bestowing this honour, the universities are sending a message of support for the mission of the United Nations — a message of solidarity to all those working to make it real — and a message of inspiration for us to keep up the fight.

    He said the universities’ 600th anniversary coincides with a moment of reflection for the United Nations, which marks its own eightieth anniversary as an organization at the epicentre of multilateralism.  Standing here in Europe, the Secretary-General added, we know this same commitment to multilateralism is the beating heart of the European Union – a powerful reminder of our shared responsibility to the world’s most vulnerable people, and proof that isolationism is an illusion, never a solution.

    Turning to the situation in Gaza, the Secretary-General renewed his appeal for the ceasefire to be restored, for unimpeded humanitarian assistance to be reestablished and for the remaining hostages to be released immediately and unconditionally.  His full remarks have been shared with you.

    This afternoon, the Secretary-General also had a meeting with the Prime Minister of Belgium, Bart De Wever.  I believe the readout of this meeting had just been made available. The Secretary-General will be back in the office on Monday morning.

    **Security Council

    Sigrid Kaag, the UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process ad interim, briefed the Security Council this morning on Israel and Palestine, and she said that hostages must be released immediately and unconditionally. She strongly condemned the reported ill-treatment of hostages, as well as the fact that there are reasonable grounds to believe that hostages may be subjected to sexual violence and abuse.

    Ms. Kaag unequivocally condemned the widespread killing and injury of civilians and the destruction of civilian infrastructure in Gaza. Nothing can justify the collective punishment of the Palestinian people, she said.  She mourned the UN staff killed in Gaza and strongly condemned the killing of all humanitarian personnel and called for the full investigation of all such incidents.

    The Special Coordinator reiterated her call for a sustained ceasefire and urged the parties to redouble efforts to end human suffering. She rejected the forced displacement of the Palestinian population from any part of the Occupied Palestinian Territory, which would constitute a grave violation of international human rights and humanitarian law.  Ms. Kaag added that the escalation of violence in the occupied West Bank is deeply troubling.  Alongside the rising death toll, Palestine refugee camps in the northern West Bank are being emptied and are sustaining massive infrastructure damage during Israeli operations.

    **Occupied Palestinian Territory

    Turning to Gaza, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) says that as hostilities continue across the Strip, the Israeli closure of all crossings for incoming cargo has entered its twentieth day — the longest shutdown since 7 October 2023.  As a reminder, the crossings were also completely closed for two weeks starting on that date.  This latest closure is having a devastating impact on people already facing catastrophic conditions.  Each passing day further erodes the progress made by the UN and our humanitarian partners during the first six weeks of the ceasefire.

    Beyond the depletion of stocks, OCHA warns that humanitarian operations are now being severely hampered by hostilities.  Civilians, including aid workers, and civilian assets have come under attack.  The UN is seeking concrete assurances for the safety of our staff and operations in Gaza, following the killing of six UN personnel and injury of several others this week, including in the attack on a clearly designated UN compound.  As Tom Fletcher, the Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, said Wednesday, we demand answers on their behalf and for those who continue the work.

    As attacks continue across multiple areas of the Gaza Strip, OCHA warns that the steady flow of trauma injuries is putting even more pressure on an already shattered healthcare system.  Our humanitarian partners estimate that more than 120,000 Palestinians have been displaced once again this week, driven by intensified attacks and new Israeli evacuation orders across the Gaza Strip.  That’s about 6 per cent of the surviving population.  A new evacuation order covering areas in northern Gaza was also issued today, following reports of rocket fire by Palestinian armed groups.

    And turning to the West Bank, OCHA has just released the findings of a rapid survey of movement obstacles across the occupied territory. It recorded nearly 850 checkpoints, gates and other physical obstacles — the highest number documented in any of the 16 surveys OCHA has conducted over the past two decades. In just the past three months, three dozen new movement obstacles have been established — most of them following the announcement of the Gaza ceasefire in mid-January.  Road gates account for a third of all obstacles — and most of them are frequently kept closed.

    Philippe Lazzarini, the Commissioner General of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), noted that today marks 60 days since Israeli began its military operations in Jenin Camp in the West Bank.  He said that such large-scale, militarized operations cannot become the new norm in the West Bank.  This trend of escalating violence — which started even before 7 October 2023 — must be reversed.  OCHA adds that it has received just over 4 per cent of the roughly $4 billion required to meet vast needs across the Occupied Palestinian Territory — in the West Bank and Gaza — this year.

    **Democratic Republic of the Congo

    Turning to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs reports that clashes continue in parts of North Kivu, South Kivu and Ituri.  In North Kivu Province, fighting continued yesterday in several areas of Walikale Territory, damaging a humanitarian partner’s logistics base and other civilian infrastructure.  We and humanitarian organizations in the area have relocated staff to Kisangani, in the neighbouring Province of Tshopo.

    In South Kivu, people from Burembo and Fizi-Centre have fled fighting among armed groups in several waves since 5 March.  And in Ituri, clashes in the town of Fataki yesterday continued to displace people.  Since 18 March, many humanitarian partners have suspended their activities there due to the ongoing insecurity.  OCHA reiterates that all parties to the conflict must uphold their obligations under international humanitarian law to protect civilians and civilian infrastructure in military operations.

    **Sudan

    Turning to Sudan:  Today, the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has condemned in the strongest terms the looting of vital humanitarian supplies from Al Bashair Hospital in Jabal Awlia in Khartoum.  These supplies are intended to support malnourished children and provide critical healthcare to mothers and newborns.

    The Al Bashir Hospital is one of the last functioning medical facilities in Jabal Awlia.  UNICEF had managed to deliver these critical supplies on 20 December 2024, marking the first successful humanitarian shipment to Jabal Awlia in over 18 months.  The looting of these supplies will compound an already dire humanitarian catastrophe for children and families in the area.  We reiterate our urgent call for an unimpeded humanitarian access to reach children and families in need and we call for the protection of hospitals and other civilian infrastructure in line with international humanitarian law.

    **South Sudan

    Our peacekeeping colleagues in South Sudan have an update on the intensive diplomacy that is under way in the country.  The Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), Nicholas Haysom, is working with international and regional partners, including Heads of States, the African Union and others, to try and de-escalate tensions and stop the aerial bombardment of civilian areas in Upper Nile State, which could spill over into wider conflict.

    Mr. Haysom is also engaging with influential national partners to promote a peaceful resolution.  He is urging the parties to adhere to the ceasefire and peace agreement, and to resolve tensions through dialogue rather than military confrontation. Mr. Haysom stresses that the already troubled region cannot afford another war.  And in fact, on Monday, our guest will be Nicholas Haysom.  He will join us virtually to brief on the situation in South Sudan.

    **Ukraine

    Today in Ukraine, authorities and our humanitarian partners confirmed that hostilities across multiple regions killed a dozen civilians and injured many others, with widespread damage to homes.  In Odesa, a large-scale drone attack injured children and damaged shops, warehouses and vehicles.  Most casualties were reported in the Donetsk region, while in the Kharkiv region, local authorities report intensified hostilities and disrupted electricity in Kupiansk town and neighbouring villages.

    Yesterday, the Humanitarian Coordinator for Ukraine, Matthias Schmale, condemned an attack in the central Ukrainian city of Kropyvnytskyi, in which children were among many civilians injured.  Apartment buildings were also damaged.  Mr. Schmale stressed that international humanitarian law is clear:  Civilians and civilian infrastructure must be protected.

    Amid relentless hostilities, evacuations from high-risk areas continue, with scores of people leaving front-line areas each day.  Humanitarians are supporting the most vulnerable — especially families with children and people with limited mobility — through medical evacuations, psychosocial support and basic items.  Most evacuees have remained within their home regions, while some have been relocated to central and western Ukraine.

    OCHA reports that in the first two months of the year, seven humanitarian staff were injured in six separate incidents near the front line. Attacks also damaged humanitarian assets and facilities in the Kharkiv, Odesa, Zaporizhzhia, Mykolai, and Sloviansk regions, further hampering the response.

    **Haiti

    Turning to Haiti, our humanitarian colleagues tell us that the recent United States funding freeze is having a devastating impact on the overall HIV response, including treatment and prevention.  The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) says that, as a result of the freeze, most pre-exposure prophylaxis services, also known as PrEP — which are key to reducing HIV infections — had to be suspended, affecting 80 per cent of interventions.

    The National HIV Programme estimates that at least 35,000 people living with HIV and receiving antiretroviral treatment are being affected by the freeze on USAID-funded health services.  The Programme also foresees an increase between 30 and 50 per cent in new HIV infections in the absence of prevention activities.  HIV/AIDS affects an estimated 140,000 people in Haiti.

    The health sector, as part of the broader humanitarian response, needs $43.5 million to address the urgent needs for healthcare services and support to vulnerable people in Haiti.  The Government, World Health Organization (WHO) and UNAIDS are exploring alternatives to ensure that health services can continue.

    **International Days

    Today we have multiple International Days.  It’s the Day of Days, as we call it.  Starting off with the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination.  In a message, the Secretary-General says that the poison of racism continues to infect our world.  He urges everybody, including business leadership, civil society and ordinary people to take a stand against racism in all its forms.

    Today is also the International Day of Nowruz.  In his message, Mr. Guterres says that Nowruz celebrates new beginnings and the arrival of spring.

    Today is World Down Syndrome Day.  People with Down syndrome need support to live and be included in the community, like everyone else.

    Today is also World Poetry Day.  On this Day, we celebrate one of humanity’s most treasured forms of cultural and linguistic expression and identity.

    And moving on to environment-related days.  Today is the World Day for Glaciers, and coincidentally, this year was declared the International Year of Glaciers’ Preservation.

    And if that’s not enough, today is also the International Day of Forests, and the theme this year is “Forests and Food”.

    And tomorrow is World Water Day and the theme this year is glacier preservation.  Our guests will be here to talk more about this, but I just want to mention that in his message, the Secretary-General said that glaciers may be shrinking, but we cannot shrink from our responsibilities.

    And Sunday is World Meteorological Day and the theme is “Closing the early warning gap together”.  So, those are all the days; anything before we go to our guest?  Yes, Edie.

    **Questions and Answers

    Question:  Thank you, Farhan.  Does the Secretary-General have any comment on the Israeli Defence Minister’s announcement ordering an increase in an intensified military operation in Gaza?

    Deputy Spokesman:  This is completely contrary to what the Secretary-General has been calling for days.  And even today, in Belgium, and in the previous days, he’s said repeatedly that what we need is to get back to a ceasefire.  In what I just read at the first part of this briefing, it’s clear that all of our efforts to help the people of Gaza are at a standstill as long as this goes on.  There are millions of people who need for this to end now.

    Question:  On Sudan, with the Government forces claiming they’re back in the Presidential Palace in Khartoum and other areas, is Mr. [Ramtane] Lamamra going to make any kind of a fresh effort to bring both sides together for peace talks?

    Deputy Spokesman:  Yeah.  On that, regarding Mr. Lamamra’s efforts, he continues to engage the parties with the aim of bringing them closer to a peaceful resolution.  He’s intensifying consultations with the parties and other key stakeholders on modalities to strengthen the protection of civilians and to deescalate the conflict.  A sustainable resolution to this devastating conflict can only be achieved through an inclusive political process.  And from the Secretary-General’s side, I can say that he, the Secretary-General, renews his appeal for the parties to immediately cease the fighting and take steps towards the lasting peace that the people in Sudan demand.  Benno?

    Question:  Thank you, Farhan.  There has been quite a number of stories of people that were either denied entrance to the United States recently or have been arrested and deported or tried to being deported.  I want to focus on these last cases.  In many cases, they were not based on actual crimes, but the authorities said the people were parts of protests that they deemed as antisemitic or dangerous for the United States’ security.  Do you have any comment on this ongoing situation in the United States?

    Deputy Spokesman:  I think it’s important that all of the basic rules in terms of dealing with entrants into the United States, including migrants, including refugees and others, follow the accepted norms of international law.  And part of what you’re saying is that there are many cases where people were moved without sufficient due process, and it’s important that everyone’s due process rights be respected.

    Question:  Do you see that there is an implication for free speech in the United States, especially when we see the Columbia [University] protest and other university protests last year?  Does the UN have an opinion or a standpoint if pro-Palestinian protests are also antisemitic protests at the same time?  This is how the US Government obviously portrays it right now.

    Deputy Spokesman:  Well, certainly for us, it’s important that freedom of speech and freedom of peaceful assembly be protected.  So, obviously, if there are expressions of racial hatred, of actual antisemitism, those are things that authorities need to respond to. But, that shouldn’t impede the rights of people to conduct peaceful protest.  Yes, Denis?

    Question:  So, there are reports that head of UNCTAD [United Nations Conference on Trade and Development), Rebeca Grynspan, will head to Moscow.  So, when will she go to Moscow, and what is her programme in here?

    Deputy Spokesman:  Yes, I can confirm that Rebeca Grynspan and her team will have their next consultation in Moscow on 24 March. That’s part of regular consultations to discuss the implementation of the memorandum of understanding between the UN and the Russian Federation on food security.

    Question:  So, will she discuss alleviating sanctions from Russian fertilizers — so, easing the access of Russian fertilizers to world markets?

    Deputy Spokesman:  I think I’ll wait for the discussions to take place before we provide more details.  But, like I said, it’ll concern the various aspects of the memorandum of understanding.  Yes, please?

    Question:  Thank you.  Do you have any updates on the condition of the UN staff who were wounded in Gaza and their whereabouts?  Thank you.

    Deputy Spokesman:  They’re receiving hospital assistance.  As you know, there were five people who were injured. One of them was lightly injured; two of them, I believe, have ever remained in intensive care, and their condition is being monitored.  And we hope that they will all recover.

    Question:  Could you help with the nationality of the two who remain in intensive care, please?

    Deputy Spokesman:  I believe we’ll provide those details further down.  The hiring organization, the UN Office for Project Services (UNOPS), I believe is in touch with the respective Governments and family members at this stage.  Benny, I think you have a question online, and then we’ll go to Ephrem.  Are you there?  Are you there?

    Question:  Thank you, Farhan.  The ban on UNRWA, it’s been a few weeks now since it entered into effect.  How would you say it is being felt on the ground so far?

    Deputy Spokesman:  It’s affected the ability of UNRWA staff to move in and out in terms of getting visas for UNRWA personnel.  But, to the extent that UNRWA is capable of going about its work, including in Gaza and the West Bank, UNRWA continues to go about its work.  And Benny, are you online?

    Question:  I have a question, Farhan.  Can you hear me?

    Deputy Spokesman:  I can hear you.

    Question:  Should I go ahead?  Farhan, I want to ask you about the Turkish Palestinian Friendship Hospital in Gaza, which was built by Türkiye, and it was actually operated by local authorities as a cancer treatment centre.  You may have seen images online.  It was completely blown up by Israel.  And Israel argued that it was used being used by Hamas.  But, in fact, you may recall that after 7 October [2023], there are also many images that showed Israel deploying many military vehicles around the hospital.  So, I would just like to ask you, why is there no mention of this in your briefing today?  I mean, have we become so accustomed to Israel blowing up hospitals that we don’t need to bring it up?  And does the Secretary-General have a reaction to this hospital being blown up?  Thank you.

    Deputy Spokesman:  Yes.  On that, we certainly are against any of the attacks on medical infrastructure.  All attacks against medical infrastructure by any of the parties is a violation of international humanitarian law, and we stand opposed to this.  And we have reported, as you know, regularly on the fact that all of the hospitals in Gaza have sustained at least some damage over the course of this conflict, and that is an intolerable situation for the suffering population.  And with that, let me go to our guest.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Deputy Secretary-General’s trip to Namibia

    Source: United Nations secretary general

    The Deputy Secretary-General, Amina J. Mohammed, is in Windhoek, Namibia, for the 35th Independence Anniversary celebrations and the inauguration of the fifth President of the Republic of Namibia, H.E. Ms. Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah – the first woman to hold the office and currently one of only two female Heads of State in Africa.

    The Deputy Secretary-General met with the newly inaugurated President. They discussed the importance of multilateralism, the advancement of the Sustainable Development Goals in Namibia and the implementation of the Pact for the Future. They also exchanged on the country’s efforts in advancing gender equality.

    On the margins of the inauguration, she also met with H.E. Mr. Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, Chairperson of the African Union Commission, and H.E. Mr. João Manuel Gonçalves Lourenço, President of the Republic of Angola.

    She will return to New York on Sunday, 23 March.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Thirty-third session of the Specialized Section on Standardization of Meat (GE.11)

    Source: United Nations Economic Commission for Europe

    The session is open for participation by all UN Member States. Representatives from relevant international organizations and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) and the private sector can also participate as observers. This session will be held with simultaneous interpretation into English, French and Russian. Prior registration is required, please register through the registration button.

    An audio channel will be available in English, French, and Russian on the days of the event, at: https://listen-live.unog.ch/en/

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Middle East crisis spirals amid mounting civilian deaths, aid blockade

    Source: United Nations 2

    Peace and Security

    The Israel-Palestine conflict is descending further into violence, with mounting civilian casualties in the West Bank and a deepening humanitarian crisis in Gaza, the UN’s top envoy for the region warned on Friday.

    Sigrid Kaag, UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process (ad interim) briefed the Security Council on the latest report relating to resolution 2334 (2016), which calls for an immediate halt to Israeli settlement activity in the Occupied Palestinian Territory.

    She detailed continued violations, escalating military operations and rising attacks against civilians, including deadly assaults by both Palestinian militants and Israeli forces.

    Between 7 December 2024 and 13 March this year, at least 3,897 Palestinians were killed in Gaza, according to the enclave’s Ministry of Health, and 59 Israeli hostages are still being held captive by Hamas and other groups, according to Israeli sources.

    In the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, Israeli military operations during the same period led to the deaths of 123 Palestinians, while 10 Israelis were killed in Palestinian attacks. Women and children were among the victims on both sides.

    Israeli settler violence also continued to displace Palestinian communities.

    “The Secretary-General is alarmed by the lethal attacks carried out by Israeli settlers against Palestinians, including sometimes in the proximity and with the support of Israeli security forces, as well as by Palestinians against Israelis,” Ms. Kaag said.

    “All perpetrators must be held accountable,” she stressed.

    Settlement expansion continues

    She also reported that Israeli planning authorities advanced or approved about 10,600 housing units in settlements in the occupied West Bank, including 4,920 in East Jerusalem. Demolitions and seizures of Palestinian-owned structures also accelerated in the region.

    “Citing the lack of Israeli-issued building permits, which are almost impossible for Palestinians to obtain, Israeli authorities demolished, seized, sealed or forced people to demolish 460 structures, displacing 576 people, including 287 children and 149 women,” Ms. Kaag said.

    Israel’s aid blockade of Gaza

    Ms. Kaag further reported that the humanitarian situation in Gaza continues to remain dire.

    Though 57,000 metric tons of food aid were delivered in the first month of the ceasefire, Israel halted all humanitarian and commercial supply entries on 2 March, worsening food, water and medical shortages.

    At least 600,000 Gazans now lack access to clean water after Israel cut power to a desalination plant.

    In addition, between 12,000 and 14,000 people, including over 4,500 children, require urgent medical evacuation, according to the UN World Health Organization (WHO).

    Echoing the Secretary-General’s call for the urgent resumption of negotiations to reinstate a ceasefire, Ms. Kaag also underscored the need for unimpeded humanitarian access across the Gaza Strip and for the immediate and unconditional release of remaining hostages.

    Two-State solution

    Concluding her briefing, Ms. Kaag reiterated the UN chief’s call to establish a political framework that outlines tangible, irreversible and time-bound steps to be taken by Israeli and Palestinian leaders.

    “The occupation must end as rapidly as possible,” she said, stating that a viable two-State solution – Israel and Palestine, of which Gaza is an integral part, living side-by-side in peace and security, “is long overdue”.

    “The United Nations will continue to support all efforts towards that goal.”

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Children, refugees pay hefty price of global aid funding crisis

    Source: United Nations 2

    Humanitarian Aid

    Children, refugees and displaced people worldwide are paying the price for the deep-seated funding crisis that has engulfed the international aid sector, made worse by pronounced cuts in Washington, the UN children’s and refugee agencies said on Friday. 

    Spokespersons for UNICEF and UNHCR in Geneva warned that the liquidity crunch has jeopardized lifesaving work, including progress in reducing child mortality, which has fallen by 60 per cent since 1990.  

    By slashing severe acute malnutrition by one-third since 2000, UNICEF’s efforts have kept 55 million children alive, through simple interventions, it insisted.

    “There are ways in which we can still be optimistic if we know that we can do it,” said Kitty van der Heijden, UNICEF’s Deputy Executive Director said from Abuja, Nigeria.  

    But that work can only get done with the support of a “conveyor belt” of partners in government, philanthropy, and the private sector.  

    Donors are essential to delivering lifesaving assistance to children and mothers worldwide, Ms. Van der Heijden insisted: “We never do this alone.”

    Advances being rolled back

    But these gains are now at risk of being rolled back by recent pullouts, she warned, adding that the issue does not lie with a single benefactor.  

    “It is the fact that it’s a cumulative set of donors that are doing this. That really risks rolling back that progress,” she said.  

    “These decisions have impacts on real children, real lives every day in the here and now.”

    Due to funding shortages, around 1.3 million children could lose access to life-saving support and ready-to-use therapeutic foods this year in Nigeria and Ethiopia.

    In 2025, some 213 million children in 146 countries will need lifesaving humanitarian support, according to the UNICEF spokesperson.

    Supply chain break down 

    In the Afar region of northeast Ethiopia, UNICEF runs 30 mobile clinics – which Ms. van der Heijden visited last week and described as a “sheet under a shaded tree”.

    The facilities, aimed at supporting impoverished pastoralist communities that are on the move, provide pregnant and lactating mothers as well as children with the “bare minimum”, she said, including supplementary vitamin A, iron deficiency, malnutrition and malaria treatments.

    Only seven out of these 30 clinics remain, with the others shut by the wave of financial cutbacks.

    “Without new funding, we will run out of our supply chain by May,” she said. “And that means that 70,000 children in Ethiopia depend on this type of treatment cannot be served.”

    Similarly, in Nigeria, UNICEF could run out of supplies between this month and May.

    Beyond treatment, prevention

    Investing in prevention, nutrient supplementation and early screenings is also crucial to preventing more unnecessary deaths.  

    “It’s not just about the treatment. We have to be able to prevent it getting to this stage.”  

    Earlier this week, Ms. van der Heijden visited a Nigerian hospital and saw a child so malnourished that his skin was peeling off.  

    “That’s the level of malnutrition that we’re seeing here,” she said, stressing the importance of prevention.

    “As needs are rising, we need the global community to step up to the plate, to rise to the occasion, to keep investing in the art of the possible,” Ms. Van der Heijden stressed, adding that UNICEF will not retreat.  

    “All over the world, the price is the same. It’s children that bear the brunt of decisions in capitals.”

    Failing the children

    “If you’re holding a child that is about to die of a totally preventable, treatable disease. It is nothing short of heartbreaking,” said Ms. van der Heijden. “We should not allow the global community to fail children in this way.”

    The severe financial crisis underway is also posing a security risk to staff, hampering humanitarians’ ability to deliver.  

    UNHCR downsizing operations

    Finding itself in a similar position, UNHCR has also announced cuts to operations and programmes.

    It is the latest agency to face painful cutbacks in the field and at headquarters following the announcement of a drastic drawdown in funding from the United States Government.

    “The biggest concern that we have is, of course, in all of this for refugees, for the displaced, they will be feeling the brunt of these cuts,” said Matthew Saltmarsh, a spokesperson for UNHCR.

    Mr. Saltmarsh said the agency was conducting a review to determine how many staff would have to be let go.   

    UNHCR has already has to halt multiple initiatives including in South Sudan, Bangladesh and Europe, and closed offices in countries like Türkiye.

    In Ethiopia, the organization has suspended operations at a safehouse for women facing death threats, Mr. Saltmarsh said.

    “In South Sudan, only 25 per cent of the dedicated spaces supported by UNHCR for women and girls at risk of violence are currently operational. That has left some 80,000 people without access to services like emergency psychosocial support and legal and medical assistance.” 

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    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Eightieth session of the Working Party on Agricultural Quality Standards (WP.7)

    Source: United Nations Economic Commission for Europe

    The session is open for participation by all UN Member States. Representatives from relevant international organizations and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) and the private sector can also participate as observers. This session will be held with simultaneous interpretation into English, French and Russian. Prior registration is required, please register through the registration button.

    An audio channel will be available in English, French, and Russian on the days of the event, at: https://listen-live.unog.ch/en/

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Readout of the Secretary-General’s meeting with H.E. Mr. Bart de Wever, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Belgium

    Source: United Nations secretary general

    The Secretary-General met with H.E. Mr. Bart de Wever, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Belgium.

    The Secretary-General expressed appreciation for the cooperation between Belgium and the United Nations. They discussed multilateralism, as well as the implementation of the Pact for the Future. They also exchanged views on the situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: End of eternal ice: Many glaciers will not survive this century, climate scientists say

    Source: United Nations MIL OSI b

    Climate and Environment

    Glaciers in many regions will not survive the 21st century if they keep melting at the current rate, potentially jeopardising hundreds of millions of people living downstream, UN climate experts said on the first World Day for Glaciers.

    Together with ice sheets in Greenland and Antarctica, glaciers lock up about 70 per cent of the world’s freshwater reserves. They are striking indicators of climate change as they typically remain about the same size in a stable climate.

    But, with rising temperatures and global warming triggered by human-induced climate change, they are melting at unprecedented speed, said Sulagna Mishra, a scientific officer at the World Meteorological Organization (WMO).

    Hundreds of millions of livelihoods at risk

    Last year, glaciers in Scandinavia, the Norwegian archipelago of Svalbard and North Asia experienced the largest annual loss of overall mass on record. Glaciologists determine the state of a glacier by measuring how much snow falls on it and how much melt occurs every year, according to UN partner the World Glacier Monitoring Service (WGMS) at the University of Zurich.

    In the 500-mile-long Hindu Kush mountain range, located in the western Himalayas and stretching from Afghanistan to Pakistan, the livelihoods of more than 120 million farmers are under threat from glacial loss, Ms. Mishra explained.

    The mountain range has been dubbed the “third pole” because of the extraordinary water resources it holds, she noted.

    ‘Irreversible’ retreat

    Despite these vast freshwater reserves, it may already be too late to save them for future generations.

    Large masses of perennial ice are disappearing quickly, with five out of the past six years seeing the most rapid glacier retreat on record, according to WMO.

    The period from 2022 to 2024 also experienced the largest-ever three-year loss.

    “We are seeing an unprecedented change in the glaciers,” which in many cases may be irreversible, said Ms. Mishra.

    Ice melt the size of Germany

    WGMS estimates that glaciers, which do not include the Greenland and Antarctica ice sheets, have lost more than 9,000 billion tonnes of mass since 1975.

    “This is equivalent to a huge ice block of the size of Germany with a thickness of 25 metres,” said WGMS director Michael Zemp. The world has lost 273 billion tonnes of ice on average every year since 2000, he added, highlighting the findings of a new international study into glacier mass change.

    “To put that into context, 273 billion tonnes of ice lost every year corresponds about to the water intake of the entire [world] population for 30 years,” Mr. Zemp said. In central Europe, almost 40 per cent of the remaining ice has melted. If this continues at the current rate, “glaciers will not survive this century in the Alps.”

    Echoing those concerns, WMO’s Ms. Mishra added that if emissions of warming greenhouse gases are not slowed “and the temperatures are rising at the rate they are at the moment, by the end of 2100, we are going to lose 80 per cent of the small glaciers” across Europe, East Africa, Indonesia and elsewhere.

    A trigger for large-scale floods

    Glacial melt has immediate, large-scale repercussions for the economy, ecosystems and communities.

    The latest data indicates that 25 to 30 per cent of sea level rise comes from glacier melt, according to the World Glacier Monitoring Service.

    Melting snowcaps are causing sea levels to rise about one millimetre higher every year, a figure that might seem insignificant, yet every millimetre will flood another 200,000 to 300,000 persons every year.

    “Small number, huge impact,” glaciologist Mr. Zemp said.

    © WMO

    Glacier cumulative mass balance change since 1970.

    Everyone is affected

    Floods can affect people’s livelihoods and compel them to emigrate from one place to another, WMO’s Ms. Mishra continued.

    “When you ask me how many people are actually impacted, it’s really everyone,” she stressed.

    From a multilateral perspective, “it is really high time that we create awareness, and we change our policies and…we mobilise resources to make sure that we have good, policy frameworks in place, we have good research in place that can help us to mitigate and also adapt to these new changes,” Ms. Mishra insisted.

    A day to consider world’s glaciers

    Providing added momentum to this campaign, the World Day for Glaciers on 21 March aims to raise awareness about the critical role that these massive frozen rivers of snow and ice play in the climate system. It coincides with World Water Day.

    To mark the occasion, which is one of the highlights of the 2025 International Year of Glaciers’ Preservation, global leaders, policymakers, scientists and civil society representatives are due to gather at UN Headquarters in New York to highlight the importance of glaciers and to boost worldwide monitoring of the cryospheric processes of freezing and melting that affect them.

    WGMS’s Mr. Zemp, who also teaches glaciology at the University of Zurich, is already preparing for a world without glaciers.

    “If I think of my children, I am living in a world with maybe no glaciers. That’s actually quite alarming,” he told UN News.  

    “I really recommend going with your children there and having a look at it because you can see the dramatic changes that are going on, and you will also realise that we are putting a big burden on our next generation.”

    © USGS

    Scientists collecting data on South Cascade Glacier in the US state of Washington.

    Glacier of the Year

    This year’s Glacier of the Year 2025 is South Cascade Glacier in the US state of Washington.

    The body of ice, which has been continuously monitored since 1952, provides one of the longest uninterrupted records of glaciological mass balance in the western hemisphere.

    “South Cascade Glacier exemplifies both the beauty of glaciers and the long-term commitment of dedicated scientists and volunteers who have collected direct field data to quantify glacier mass change for more than six decades,” said Caitlyn Florentine, from the U.S. Geological Survey.

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  • MIL-OSI United Nations: WHO give clean bill of health to cities taking action on preventable diseases

    Source: United Nations MIL OSI b

    Climate and Environment

    Three cities that share a healthy vision for their residents won UN World Health Organization awards on Thursday for their smoke-free parks, clean air initiatives and obesity-busting school lunch initiatives.

    Córdoba in Argentina, Fortaleza in Brazil and Manchester in the UK picked up accolades at a healthy cities summit, co-hosted by the UN World Health Organization (WHO), Bloomberg Philanthropies and Vital Strategies.

    The Argentinian city won recognition for its policy to eliminate sugary and artificially sweetened drinks – along with ultra-processed foods – from all schools by 2026. So far, 15,000 primary schoolchildren in 26 schools have benefited.

    “We’re seeing a lot of progress in local leadership and mayors from across the world taking on the fight and trying to lower rates of the world’s biggest killers, heart disease, diabetes, cancers and respiratory diseases,” said Jaimie Guerra, Communications Officer at WHO.

    The Summit in Paris brought togethers mayors and officials from 61 cities around the world to discuss how to build healthier local communities.

    WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus congratulated the three winners, who he said were a model for other cities to follow, at the forefront of the fight against non-communicable diseases and injuries.

    Non-communicable illnesses include heart disease, cancer, diabetes and chronic respiratory disease. They are responsible for the vast majority of fatalities, said UN Special Envoy on Climate Ambition and Solutions, Michael Bloomberg, who was also at the summit in France.

    The diseases “are responsible for more than 80 percent of all deaths globally, but the good news is, they are preventable”, said Mr. Bloomberg, founder of Bloomberg LP and Bloomberg Philanthropies and the three-time former mayor of New York City.

    Breathing more easily

    Winner Fortaleza established its first legal framework for air quality surveillance in a bid to curb air pollution and help people breathe more easily.

    The Brazilian city authorities in 2023 adopted a decree ensuring local monitoring of air pollutants and the installation of low-cost sensors for better data collection.

    Greater Manchester meanwhile has continued its efforts to curb tobacco use, introducing its first smoke-free 6.5-acre park.  

    The northern English city also launched a smoke-free toolkit for hospitals and is developing a broader toolkit to support organizations to create tobacco-free spaces.

    Soundcloud

    Tackling the world’s biggest killers

    Participants in the healthy cities summit included representatives from Dhaka in Bangladesh, Helsinki in Finland, the Sri Lankan capital of Colombo, Lusaka in Zambia and Quito in Ecuador.

    The participating urban centres are part of the Partnership for Healthy Cities, a global network of 74 cities launched in 2017 to prevent non-communicable diseases and injuries through policy and programmes.  

    “These programmes are really making a difference,” said WHO’s Ms. Guerra. “And in the partnership, most of the cities are one million-plus people. In total, it covers more than 300 million people.” 

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Gaza: ‘Bring them all home now’, freed hostage tells Security Council

    Source: United Nations 2

    Peace and Security

    A senior UN political affairs official called for Israel and Hamas to restore the shattered ceasefire in Gaza on Thursday and release all remaining hostages, while one of those freed told the Security Council of his 500-day ordeal in captivity.

    Briefing ambassadors, Khaled Khiari, Assistant Secretary-General at the Department of Political Affairs (DPPA), reiterated the UN’s unequivocal condemnation of the horrific attacks by Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups on Israeli communities on 7 October 2023.

    More than 1,200 Israelis were brutally killed and over 250 taken hostage. At least 59 people – alive and deceased – remain in the custody of Hamas and other armed groups inside the enclave.

    “Nothing can justify the intentional killing, torture, sexual violence, and destruction – entire families murdered, burned in their homes, taken hostage,” Mr. Khiari said.

    “The events of that horrific day will not be forgotten.”

    Escalating conflict

    Mr. Khiari also reported on the worsening situation in Gaza following the collapse of the two-month ceasefire and hostages release deal – and    resumption of full-blown conflict.

    Israeli airstrikes have resulted in the deaths of hundreds of Palestinians, including women and children, he said, adding also that six UN staff members have been killed in the past three days.

    Calling for an urgent return to the ceasefire, Mr. Khiari warned that “with every passing day, we move further away from the objective of returning the remaining hostages safely to their homes.”  

    He recalled UN relief chief Tom Fletcher’s briefing to the Council earlier this week, “a renewed ceasefire is the best way of protecting civilians – in Gaza, in the occupied Palestinian territory and in Israel – releasing hostages and detainees and allowing aid and commercial supplies in.”

    UN Photo/Eskinder Debebe

    Khaled Khiari, Assistant Secretary-General for Middle East, Asia and the Pacific, briefs the Security Council.

    A survivor’s testimony: I came back from hell

    The Security Council also heard from Eli Sharabi, an Israeli survivor who spent 491 days in Hamas captivity. Taken from his home in Kibbutz Be’eri on 7 October 2023, Mr. Sharabi was held underground, chained, starved and subjected to psychological and physical abuse.

    “I have come back from hell,” he told ambassadors.

    “For 491 days. I was kept mostly underground in Hamas terror tunnels…held captive in the darkness, isolated from the world by Hamas terrorists,” he continued.

    “For 491 days. I held on to hope, I imagined the life we would rebuild, I dreamt of seeing my family again,” he said.

    However, only when he returned home last month, he learned the truth that his wife and two daughters had been killed by Hamas on 7 October.

    ‘Telling their stories’

    Mr. Sharabi emphasised that he appeared before the Security Council today to tell the story of his brother, Yossi, who was also taken hostage and killed, and others still in Gaza.

    “My brother Yossi, murdered in Hamas captivity, his body still held hostage, still 50 metres underground. I swore to him that I would tell his story,” Mr. Sharabi said, “for every hostage still in Hamas’ hands, I am here to tell you the whole truth.”

    He described the events of 7 October when Hamas attacked Kibbutz Be’eri, how he and his wife, Lianne, tried to protect their daughters and how he was taken away.

    ‘Begging was our existence’

    Mr. Sharabi detailed the horrors of captivity, describing how hostages were deprived of food, medical care and basic hygiene.

    “We had to beg for food, beg to use the bathroom. Begging was our existence,” he said, adding, “Hamas [terrorists] ate like kings while [we] starved.”

    Mr. Sharabi was freed on 8 February, as part of the hostage release and ceasefire deal. Since his release, he has met both US President Trump and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, narrating the plight of hostages and appealing for their release.

    “Now, I am here before you at the United Nations to say – bring them all home. No more excuses, no more delays. If you stand for humanity, prove it. Bring them all home.”

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  • MIL-OSI United Nations: 20 March 2025 Departmental update WHO announces the development of updated guidance on HIV service delivery

    Source: World Health Organisation

    WHO is convening a Guideline Development Group (GDG) for the development of updated recommendations on adherence support interventions for people living with HIV receiving antiretroviral therapy, and integration of diabetes, hypertension and mental health services with HIV services. This guidance will focus on individual and public health benefits.

    GDG members will contribute to the review of systematic reviews, evidence summaries, and formulation of recommendations. They will participate in the GDG meeting, which will be held virtually from 8 – 10 April 2025. 

    Following WHO guidance for guideline development, the GDG will be composed of members from all WHO regions acting in their individual capacity rather than as representatives of affiliated organizations. GDG members were selected by WHO technical staff based on their technical expertise, their role as end-users (e.g., programme managers and health-care providers), and their representation of affected communities. GDG members are not commissioned and do not receive any financial compensation.

    In line with WHOs policy on conflict of interest, members of the public and interested organizations can access the biographies of the GDG members and inform WHO of any feedback. All comments should be sent by email to hiv‑aids@who.int by 3 April 2025. 

    This feedback helps WHO develop high-quality guidelines that reflect diverse perspectives and respond to the needs of communities worldwide.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: 20 March 2025 News release WHO calls for urgent action to address worldwide disruptions in tuberculosis services putting millions of lives at risk

    Source: World Health Organisation

    On the occasion on World Tuberculosis (TB) Day, marked on 24 March, the World Health Organization (WHO) is calling for an urgent investment of resources to protect and maintain tuberculosis (TB) care and support services for people in need across regions and countries. TB remains the world’s deadliest infectious disease, responsible for over 1 million people annually bringing devastating impacts on families and communities.

    Global efforts to combat TB have saved an estimated 79 million lives since 2000. However, the drastic and abrupt cuts in global health funding happening now are threatening to reverse these gains. Rising drug resistance especially across Europe and the ongoing conflicts across the Middle-East, Africa and Eastern Europe, are further exacerbating the situation for the most vulnerable.

     Under the theme Yes! We Can End TB: Commit, Invest, Deliver, World Tuberculosis Day 2025 campaign highlights a rallying cry for urgency, and accountability and hope. “The huge gains the world has made against TB over the past 20 years are now at risk as cuts to funding start to disrupt access to services for prevention, screening, and treatment for people with TB,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. “But we cannot give up on the concrete commitments that world leaders made at the UN General Assembly just 18 months ago to accelerate work to end TB. WHO is committed to working with all donors, partners and affected countries to mitigate the impact of funding cuts and find innovative solutions.”

    Funding: threat to global TB efforts

    Early reports to WHO reveal that severe disruptions in the TB response are seen across several of the highest-burden countries following the funding cuts. Countries in the WHO African Region are experiencing the greatest impact, followed by countries in the WHO South-East Asian and Western Pacific Regions. Twenty seven countries are facing crippling breakdowns in their TB response, with devastating consequences, such as:

    • Human resource shortages undermining service delivery;
    • Diagnostic services severely disrupted, delaying detection and treatment;
    • Data and surveillance systems collapsing, compromising disease tracking and management;
    • Community engagement efforts, including active case finding, screening, and contact tracing, deteriorating, leading to delayed diagnoses and increased transmission risks.

      • Nine countries report failing TB drug procurement and supply chains, jeopardizing treatment continuity and patient outcomes.

      The 2025 funding cuts further exacerbate an already existing underfunding for global TB response. In 2023, only 26% of the US$22 billion annually needed for TB prevention and care was available, leaving a massive shortfall. TB research is in crisis, receiving just one-fifth of the US$5 billion annual target in 2022—severely delaying advancements in diagnostics, treatments, and vaccines. WHO is leading efforts to accelerate TB vaccine development through the TB Vaccine Accelerator Council, but progress remains at risk without urgent financial commitments.

      Joint statement with civil society

      In response to the urgent challenges threatening TB services worldwide, WHO’s Director-General and Civil Society Task Force on Tuberculosis have issued a decisive statement. The joint statement released this week, demands immediate, coordinated efforts from governments, global health leaders, donors, and policymakers to prevent further disruptions. The statement outlines five critical priorities:

    • Addressing TB service disruptions urgently, ensuring responses match the crisis’s scale;
    • Securing sustainable domestic funding, guaranteeing uninterrupted and equitable access to TB prevention and care;
    • Safeguarding essential TB services, including access to life-saving drugs, diagnostics, treatment and social protections, alongside cross-sector collaboration;
    • Establishing or revitalizing national collaboration platforms, fostering alliances among civil society, NGOs, donors, and professional societies to tackle challenges;
    • Enhancing monitoring and early warning systems to assess real-time impact and detect disruptions early.

      • “This urgent call is timely and underscores the necessity of swift, decisive action to sustain global TB progress and prevent setbacks that could cost lives,” said Dr Tereza Kasaeva, Director of WHO’s Global Programme on TB and Lung Health. “Investing in ending TB is not only a moral imperative but also an economic necessity—every dollar spent on prevention and treatment yields an estimated US$43 in economic returns.”

      New guidance on TB and lung health

      As one of the solutions to combating growing resource constraints, WHO is driving the integration of TB and lung health within primary healthcare as a sustainable solution. New technical guidance released by WHO outlines critical actions across the care continuum, focusing on prevention, early detection of TB and comorbidities, optimized management at first contact and improved patient follow-up. The guidance also promotes better use of existing health systems, addressing shared risk factors such as overcrowding, tobacco, undernutrition and environmental pollutants.

      By tackling TB determinants alongside communicable and non-communicable diseases, lung conditions, and disabilities through a unified strategy, WHO aims to reinforce the global response and drive lasting improvements in health outcomes.

      On World TB Day, WHO calls on everyone: individuals, communities, societies, donors and governments, to do their part to end TB. Without concerted action from all stakeholders, the TB response will be decimated, reversing decades of progress, putting millions of lives at risk and threatening health security.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Guterres welcomes deals to halt energy attacks in Ukraine, Russia

    Source: United Nations 4

    Peace and Security

    UN chief António Guterres on Thursday hailed positive announcements from the White House, Kremlin and Kyiv aimed at stopping crippling attacks on energy infrastructure in Ukraine and Russia, linked to Russia’s full-scale invasion of its neighbour.

    “Any ceasefire is welcome because it saves lives, but it is essential that a ceasefire paves the way for a just peace in Ukraine,” the UN Secretary-General said, speaking in Brussels, on the sidelines of high-level meetings and discussions with European partners.

    A “just peace” in Ukraine “is a peace that respects the UN Charter, international law and Security Council resolutions, namely about the territorial integrity of Ukraine”, the UN chief stressed.

    His comments followed an earlier statement in which he welcomed further declarations by President Trump and President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine seeking to extend the ceasefire to the Black Sea – a crucial trade route for food and fertilizer exports to the wider world.

    “Reaching an agreement on safe and free navigation in the Black Sea, with security commitments and in line with the UN Charter and international law would be a crucial contribution to global food security and supply chains,” the Secretary-General said, in a statement issued by his spokesperson’s office. “It would reflect the importance of trade routes from both Ukraine and the Russian Federation to global markets.”

    Key shipping lane

    The UN has been heavily invested in ensuring that Ukrainian grain exports via the Black Sea can happen safely, along with the transport of Russian food and fertilizer, to halt spiralling food prices worldwide and stave off famine in vulnerable countries.

    The UN-brokered Black Sea Initiative was agreed by Russia, Ukraine, Türkiye and the UN in Istanbul in July 2022. It allowed more than 30 million tonnes of grain and other foodstuffs to leave Ukraine’s ports and played an “indispensable role” in global food security, Mr. Guterres said at the time.

    A parallel accord was also agreed between the UN and Moscow on grain and fertilizer exports from Russia, known as a Memorandum of Understanding.

    In July 2023, the UN Secretary-General expressed his deep regret at Russia’s decision to terminate its involvement in the grain initiative.

    “The Secretary-General has consistently supported the freedom of navigation in the Black Sea,” his statement continued, adding that he remains “closely engaged in the continued implementation of the Memorandum of Understanding with the Russian Federation on global food security”.

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  • MIL-OSI United Nations: UNECE discusses revisions to the standard on seed potatoes to support trade

    Source: United Nations Economic Commission for Europe

    The quality of seed potatoes is an important factor in determining crop yield, health and productivity.  Good quality seed potatoes allow for more production with less land, thus contributing to enhanced food security with reduced environmental impact.

    During the 52nd session of UNECE’s Specialized Section on Standardization of Seed Potatoes (18–20 March 2025) in Geneva, delegates agreed on revisions to the UNECE Standard for Seed Potatoes (S-1), following a three-year review process. Initially adopted in 1961, the standard helps improve seed potato quality and safety worldwide, ensure fair competition and facilitate trade.

    The review was led by the delegation of Finland and included the delegations of France, Germany, the Netherlands, Spain, the United Kingdom, the United States, the Australian Seed Potato Industry Certification Authority, Euroseeds, and Potato Certification Service South Africa. Their collaboration has ensured that the standard reflects the latest industry needs and best practices.

    The revised standard will be presented for adoption by the UNECE Working Party on Agricultural Quality Standards at its 80th session on 17-19 November 2025.

    Why this update matters

    The UNECE Standard S-1 sets a common terminology and minimum quality requirements for certifying high-quality seed potatoes for international trade.

    It is used by government authorities, farmers, exporters, and buyers to ensure seed potatoes meet global standards. Clear, harmonized certification rules help buyers and sellers understand seed potato quality, reducing technical barriers. At present, this standard is the only international framework covering all key aspects of seed potato certification:

    • Varietal identity and purity
    • Traceability and disease control
    • Pest prevention and quality checks
    • Labelling and record-keeping

    “This revised standard is a crucial tool for the global seed potato industry. By ensuring clear and consistent certification rules, we are helping producers, certifying agencies and traders ensure quality seed potatoes. In today’s trade environment, having a reliable framework like this is more valuable than ever,” noted Hanna Kortemaa, Chair of the Specialized Section on Standardization of Seed Potatoes and Director of the Plant Production Department at the Finnish Food Authority.

    Key updates in the standard

    The revised UNECE Standard S-1 includes:

    • Improved certification process – a more transparent system to ensure that certified seed potatoes meet strict quality standards.
    • Stronger disease and pest control measures through updated inspection rules to prevent the spread of diseases.
    • Better traceability and labelling through clearer labelling and record-keeping requirements to help track seed potatoes across the supply chain.
    • Alignment with global trade rules, including European and North American trade standards.

    The future of seed potato trade

    With global seed potato exports amounting to 1.1 billion USD or 1.7 million tons in 2023, UNECE plans to continue its work by focusing on helping countries apply the revised standard in their national systems.

    For more details on UNECE guidance on seed potato certification and inspection, see the UNECE website.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: 20 March 2025 News release Three cities honoured for public health achievements at 2025 Partnership for Healthy Cities Summit

    Source: World Health Organisation

    Today, during the annual Partnership for Healthy Cities Summit in Paris, three cities were recognized for their achievements in preventing noncommunicable diseases and injuries: Córdoba, Argentina; Fortaleza, Brazil; and Greater Manchester, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. The Summit, co-hosted by Bloomberg Philanthropies, the World Health Organization (WHO), Vital Strategies, and the City of Paris, convened mayors and officials from 61 cities in the Partnership for Healthy Cities network to address pressing public health issues and share effective strategies for saving lives and building healthier communities at the local level.

    “Noncommunicable diseases, including heart disease, cancer, and diabetes, and injuries are responsible for more than 80% of all deaths globally, but the good news is, they are preventable,” said Michael R. Bloomberg, founder of Bloomberg L.P. and Bloomberg Philanthropies, WHO Global Ambassador for Noncommunicable Diseases and Injuries, and 108th mayor of New York City. “Cities are leading the way in implementing policies that are protecting public health and saving lives. This year’s winning cities are proving that progress is possible with strong leadership and political will, and we look forward to seeing the results of their efforts.”

    The recipients of the 2025 Partnership for Healthy Cities Awards were chosen because they have made demonstrable progress in preventing noncommunicable diseases and injuries, setting an example that can be replicated in other jurisdictions.

    All three winning cities are part of the Partnership’s Policy Accelerator, which provides training and support for drafting policies and establishing the political strategies needed to develop and enact them. These cities are working with the Partnership to improve public health in the following ways:

    • Córdoba, Argentina, passed a new policy committing the city to promoting healthy school food environments by eliminating sugary and artificially sweetened beverages and ultra-processed products from all schools by 2026. The program has benefited 26 schools to date, reaching 15 000 of the city’s 138 000 primary school children.
    • Fortaleza, Brazil, established the city’s first legal framework for air quality surveillance. The 2023 decree guarantees the local monitoring of air pollutants to estimate their impact on residents’ health, along with the installation of low-cost sensors to improve data collection. Reliable data will help inform city policies that can significantly reduce air pollution.
    • Greater Manchester, United Kingdom, expanded the number of outdoor smoke-free areas as part of efforts to reduce smoking, including opening its first smoke-free park, covering 6.5 acres of public space. Greater Manchester also conducted a series of community consultations and workshops with residents to help with decision-making; launched a smoke-free toolkit and communication guidance for National Health Service (NHS) hospitals and sites; and is scaling this initiative by developing a broader smoke-free spaces toolkit for other organizations and groups that want to create smoke-free spaces.

    “Cities are at the forefront of the fight against noncommunicable diseases and injuries. The progress made in Córdoba, Fortaleza, and Greater Manchester is not only improving health today but also setting a model for others to follow,” said WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. “WHO is committed to working with cities to build healthier, safer and more resilient communities for all.”

    “Local leadership has emerged as a powerful force for addressing the complex challenges presented by noncommunicable diseases and injuries,” said Dr Mary-Ann Etiebet, President and CEO, Vital Strategies. “We applaud the work of city leaders around the globe in their efforts to create healthier, safer environments for their populations. Their efforts are having a significant impact on people’s lives and well-being, while also demonstrating to national governments that there is significant support for these policy solutions.”

    Launched in 2017, the Partnership for Healthy Cities is a global network of 74 cities working to prevent noncommunicable diseases and injuries. Supported by Bloomberg Philanthropies, in partnership with the World Health Organization and Vital Strategies, this initiative empowers cities worldwide to implement high-impact policy or programmatic interventions to reduce noncommunicable diseases and injuries in their communities. Through this network, city leaders are enacting transformative measures to improve the health of 300 million people across the globe.

    The mayors participating in the Partnership for Healthy Cities Summit include:

    • Mayor Carlos Fernando Galán, Bogotá, Colombia
    • Municipal Commissioner Palitha Nanayakkara, Colombo, Sri Lanka 
    • Intendant Daniel Passerini, Córdoba, Argentina
    • Honorable Administrator Mohammad Azaz, Dhaka, Bangladesh
    • Municipal President Verónica Delgadillo, Guadalajara, Mexico
    • Mayor Juhana Vartiainen, Helsinki, Finland
    • Mayor Erias Lukwago, Kampala, Uganda
    • Mayor Chilando Chitangala, Lusaka, Zambia
    • Intendant Mauricio Zunino, Montevideo, Uruguay
    • Mayor Anne Hidalgo, Paris, France
    • Mayor Pabel Muñoz López, Quito, Ecuador
    • Governor Claudio Benjamín Orrego Larraín, Santiago, Chile.

    About Bloomberg Philanthropies

    Bloomberg Philanthropies invests in 700 cities and 150 countries around the world to ensure better, longer lives for the greatest number of people. The organization focuses on creating lasting change in five key areas: the arts, education, environment, government innovation, and public health. Bloomberg Philanthropies encompasses all of Michael R. Bloomberg’s giving, including his foundation, corporate, and personal philanthropy as well as Bloomberg Associates, a philanthropic consultancy that advises cities around the world. In 2024, Bloomberg Philanthropies distributed US$ 3.7 billion. For more information, please visit bloomberg.org, sign up for ournewsletter, or follow us onInstagram,LinkedIn,YouTube,Threads,Facebook, and X.

    About the World Health Organization
    Dedicated to the well-being of all people and guided by science, the World Health Organization leads and champions global efforts to give everyone, everywhere an equal chance at a safe and healthy life. We are the UN agency for health that connects nations, partners and people on the front lines in 150+ locations – leading the world’s response to health emergencies, preventing disease, addressing the root causes of health issues and expanding access to medicines and health care. Our mission is to promote health, keep the world safe and serve the vulnerable. For more information, visit www.who.int and follow WHO on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok, Pinterest, YouTube.

    About Vital Strategies

    Vital Strategies believes every person should be protected by an equitable and effective public health system. We partner with governments, communities and organizations around the world to reimagine public health so that health is supported in all the places we live, work and play. The result is millions of people living longer, healthier lives. To find out more, please visit www.vitalstrategies.org or follow us on LinkedIn.

    Media Contacts

    Veronica Lewin, Bloomberg Philanthropies, veronical@bloomberg.org

    Erin Pallotta, Allison Worldwide, bloomberghealth@allisonworldwide.com

    Jaimie Guerra, World Health Organization, guerraja@who.int

    Christina Honeysett, Vital Strategies, choneysett@vitalstrategies.org

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Note to Correspondents: on US – Russia – Ukraine understandings

    Source: United Nations secretary general

    The Secretary-General welcomes the announcements by President Donald Trump of the United States and President Vladimir Putin of the Russian Federation regarding an energy infrastructure ceasefire, as well as negotiations towards implementing the initiative concerning the safety of navigation in the Black Sea. He also welcomes the announcement that President Trump and President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine agreed on a partial ceasefire against energy and that technical teams will discuss broadening the ceasefire to the Black Sea.  These steps represent important confidence-building measures that can facilitate further discussions among all relevant actors towards de-escalation of the war. He hopes that it will pave the way for achieving a just, comprehensive and lasting peace that fully respects Ukraine’s independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity.
     

    Reaching an agreement on safe and free navigation in the Black Sea, with security commitments, and in line with the UN Charter and international law would be a crucial contribution to global food security and supply chains. It would reflect the importance of trade routes from both Ukraine and the Russian Federation to global markets.
     
    The Secretary-General has consistently supported the freedom of navigation in the Black Sea.
     
    The Secretary-General also remains closely engaged in the continued implementation of the Memorandum of Understanding with the Russian Federation on global food security.
     

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Women Champion Environmental Justice, Biodiversity, Commission Hears

    Source: United Nations 4

    In an interactive dialogue on environmental conservation, protection and rehabilitation, the Commission on the Status of Women today heard from speakers who called on Governments to bridge the gap between policy and practice and empower Indigenous women and other marginalized groups in a world where progress is “being slashed by anti-rights actors that are in the league with fossil-fuel industries and tech billionaires”.

    The Commission’s two-week annual session has centered on accelerating the implementation of the Platform for Action adopted at the 1995 World Conference on Women in Beijing, where world leaders pledged to achieve gender equality and uphold women’s rights.  Today’s panel discussion centred on cultivating a coordinated response to the triple planetary crisis — climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution — while emphasizing the need to reinvigorate efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).  Another dialogue was held on peaceful and inclusive societies.

    Lorena Aguilar, Executive Director at Kaschak Institute for Social Justice for Women and Girls at Binghamton University in New York, said that the discussion will centre on the key barriers Indigenous women face in securing land and resource rights, exploring how Governments and non-State actors, including academia, civil society and international organizations, can more effectively support Indigenous communities in overcoming these challenges.  Speakers will also examine the disconnect between policy and practice, particularly the obstacles preventing young women from pursuing education and careers in fields that foster their meaningful participation in the green and blue economies.  Looking ahead to 2030, she said, the dialogue will showcase best practices and scalable strategies that align the Beijing Platform for Action with the SDGs, advancing gender-responsive climate and environmental action.

    Exclusion of Women from Green, Blue Economies

    Manasiti Omar, Founder and Executive Director of Spring of the Arid and Semi-Arid Lands, said that, as a young Indigenous woman who has personally encountered the barriers hindering young women’s participation in the green and blue economies, she knows that the promise of a just transition will remain unfulfilled if powerful obstacles persist.  Too often, young women especially those from Indigenous, rural and marginalized communities struggle to access education, employment and leadership opportunities in climate and environmental action.  “The reality is a system designed to exclude young women,” she said.  On paper, many Governments have policies promoting environmental education, technical training and gender inclusion, yet these commitments rarely translate into real, tangible opportunities.  Structural inequalities, financial constraints, cultural biases and a lack of mentorship or institutional support create layers of exclusion that prevent young women from fully engaging in the green and blue economies.  It is important to dismantle these barriers, bridge the gap between policy and practice, and create pathways that empower young women to lead in climate and environmental action.  “I have seen first hand that, when young women are given the right opportunities, we don’t just participate, we transform entire communities, but we cannot do it alone,” she said.

    Need to Address Structural Inequalities

    Astrid Puentes Riaño, United Nations Special Rapporteur on the human right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment, said that she is the first woman to serve as a UN Rapporteur and the first person from the Global South in this role, covering not only the environment, but also climate, toxins and water.  “This is the kind of changes, of course, that we need,” she added.  However, true progress isn’t about checking boxes; it requires a systematic and sustained approach to breaking barriers that have historically excluded women, particularly those from marginalized and Indigenous communities.  Looking ahead to 2030 and beyond, she said it is essential to ensure that policies promoting gender inclusion in environmental governance translate into real opportunities.  This means addressing structural inequalities, ensuring access to education and leadership roles, and creating pathways for women to actively participate in shaping climate and environmental action.  The need for expertise-driven, inclusive leadership is more critical than ever, and only by dismantling these barriers can truly create a just and sustainable future.  “Women and girls in marginalized situations are not only victims; we are also key actors for change,” she stressed.

    Hopes Slashed by Anti-Rights Actors

    “I am angry at what is happening in the world today,” said Sascha Gabizon, Executive Director of Women Engage for a Common Future and Co-Facilitator of the Women’s Major Group on SDGs.  She recalled working in Beijing at the fourth World Conference on Women 30 years ago.  “We had so much hope that we could make this world a better place,” she added, emphasizing:  “But, unfortunately, our work is being slashed by anti-rights actors that are in the league with fossil-fuel industries and tech billionaires that are clearly only interested in their own profit.”   Authoritarian regimes are trying to silence and criminalize climate activists and women environmental rights defenders.  In the Caucasus, where she works, the Government has rolled back gender equality laws and institutions and silenced feminist and civil society organizations through what they call foreign agent laws, a tactic which is spreading also now in other countries.  Half of the CO2 emissions come from only 36 fossil-fuel corporations annually, she noted.  Each year, $700 billion go into subsidies for fossil fuels.  “That is where we should be cutting,” she said, adding that “billionaires produce more carbon in 90 minutes than each of you in your entire life”.  She urged the need to continue to mobilize and collectively organize, to engage in policy processes, “to claim our seats, to go on strikes, to go onto the streets and to implement gender just solutions on the ground”.

    Solar Farming

    Valbona Mazreku, Founder and Director of Milieukontakt Albania, said that integrating gender-responsive policies into climate adaptation is crucial.  Over 50 per cent of rural women in Albania are engaged in agriculture, yet they have limited access to resources and technology, and “only 8 per cent of agricultural land is owned by women”, restricting their ability to make sustainable land-use decisions.  Highlighting the high cost of water, she said her organization worked with a group of farmers from a small village in south-east Albania to develop Piskova Solar Farming, a renewable energy cooperative.  It also created a curriculum on renewable energy aimed at young people “to influence women’s career aspirations in the energy sector”, she said.  Noting that the organization’s trainers and experts are women, she said:  “We not only break down gender stereotypes, but also prepare the next generation for participation in the green economy.”  Women should not just be seen as victims of climate change, but as key agents of change, she said, calling on UN-Women to partner with local organizations.

    Fisherwomen ‘Guardians of Local Biodiversity’

    Yuli Velásquez, Director of the Federation of Artisanal, Environmental and Tourist Fishermen of Santander, Colombia, speaking via video, said that, while her fishing community is male dominated, it is the fisherwomen of the Federation who serve as guardians of local biodiversity.  They are on the front lines of fighting for environmental justice, she said, highlighting several examples, including their work gathering evidence about water pollution in the Magdalene River.  Highlighting the crucial role of “community water monitoring”, she said:  “We are now learning how to do so with technical tools and instruments,” to facilitate this data-collection.  Women in her community who spoke out against corruption have received threats. “We have spoken out robustly,” she said, but due to prevailing impunity, the cases are often closed.  This demonstrates the need for stronger State institutions to ensure investigation and prosecution of crimes against social and environmental activists.

    __________

    * The 16th meeting was not covered.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Gaza: ‘Dramatic escalation’ as bombardments intensify and displacement surges

    Source: United Nations 2

    Peace and Security

    Israeli bombardments continued across Gaza on Wednesday, killing hundreds more people – many of them women and children – and leaving widespread destruction in its wake, according to local authorities. 

    The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported that leaflets were dropped over Beit Lahiya and Beit Hanoun in the shattered-north, as well as eastern Khan Younis in the south, ordering residents once again to leave their homes.

    UN Special Advisers Virginia Gamba and Mô Bleeker warned of an alarming and potentially “irreversible” escalation as Israel intensifies pressure on Hamas to release hostages.

    “Thousands of people have already been displaced”, said UN Deputy Spokesperson Farhan Haq briefing journalists in New York.

    No safe place to go

    As strikes continue following the collapse of the two-month ceasefire, families are scrambling to find shelter.

    In southern Gaza, UN humanitarian partners reported that many have fled from east to west Khan Younis, seeking shelter with relatives or in open areas.

    In Rafah, growing numbers of displaced people are moving back toward the Mawasi area and other locations along the coast, while in the north, those escaping Beit Hanoun have sought safety in UNRWA-run schools in western Gaza City or in Beit Lahiya.

    Meanwhile, OCHA warned that Israeli military operations are expanding into new areas.

    On Wednesday morning, “Israeli forces raided Ein Beit el Ma refugee camp in Nablus, ordering five families to vacate their homes, which were turned into military zones,” said Mr. Haq.

    The families were told not to return for three days. Fearing an extended operation in the camp, about 45 additional families have pre-emptively fled, he added.

    The blockade continues

    The closure of crossings into Gaza – now in its 18th day – is “severely disrupting relief operations and worsening an already catastrophic situation,” noted Mr. Haq.  

    Humanitarian organizations warned that food, potable water, clothing and blankets are in critically short supply.

    UN partners working in food security reported that food distributions have been disrupted due to the deteriorating security situation and the proximity of distribution points to evacuation zones.

    Around 30 community kitchens providing cooked meals were forced to shut down on Tuesday, and those in east Khan Younis and North Gaza remained closed on Wednesday.

    Education has also been affected, with learning activities in 163 temporary learning spaces suspended, leaving thousands of students without access to education.

    Soundcloud

    Immediate steps

    With conditions in Gaza deteriorating by the hour, UN officials are urging all parties to take immediate steps to protect civilians, halt the violence, and work toward a political solution.

    “It is essential that the mutual imperatives of the peace process, integrating aspects of prevention and protection are prioritised urgently,” Mr. Dujarric emphasised.

    Without urgent intervention, officials warn that the humanitarian crisis will only deepen, with devastating consequences for those caught in the crossfire. 

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Statement by UNFPA Executive Director Dr. Natalia Kanem on the resumption of attacks on Gaza

    Source: United Nations Population Fund

    UNFPA is shocked by the resumption of airstrikes across the Gaza Strip. Already a meaningful number of civilians have been killed. UN staff have also been caught up in the violence, with staff members tragically killed in attacks this morning. As fighting resumes, the number of dead will soar higher. 
     
    During the ceasefire, UNFPA and partners worked against immense odds to reinstate basic services for women and girls, delivering and equipping makeshift health centres, which have provided critical maternal health care to thousands of pregnant women. The resumption of hostilities and an aid blockade entering its third week, now threaten to erase even these small gains.
     
    This is subjecting women and girls to yet another cycle of deprivation and suffering. A lack of electricity and fuel has disabled hospital operations, and life-saving maternal health medicines have run out, again – particularly dangerous for the one in two pregnant women in Gaza who face a high-risk pregnancy.  
     
    Malnutrition is high among pregnant and breastfeeding women, leading to increased pregnancy complications. Folic acid, multivitamins, and other crucial supplements are on the verge of disappearing. In February, at least one in five newborns were born with complications, including low birth weight, requiring advanced medical care that is now increasingly unavailable. Portable incubators, ultrasound devices, and oxygen pumps, among other essential equipment, are now stalled at the border. 
     
    International humanitarian law is clear: civilians must be protected. They must be assured access to the essentials needed to survive, including food, water, shelter, and healthcare. UNFPA strongly appeals for the ceasefire to be respected. All hostages must be released unconditionally. The unimpeded movement of humanitarian assistance must be established and basic services restored. 
     
    Ultimately, women and girls need a permanent end to hostilities and a pathway to peace.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –