The road to peace in Afghanistan is still long, but with united support for the country’s ownership of the peace process, there is reason for cautious optimism, the Special Representative told the Security Council today, stressing that ongoing talks between the United States and the Taliban offer hope for ending years of fighting in the Central Asian country.
The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan condemned the deliberate targeting of civilians by anti-Government elements throughout the holy month of Ramadan, citing more than 100 civilian casualties in Kabul alone. The Secretary-General’s Special Representative said that by definition these are war crimes.
A recent spike in clashes in north-western Nigeria has forced some 20,000 people to flee to neighbouring Niger since April, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) said today. UNHCR is working closely with authorities in Niger to provide basic assistance and register these people.
Due to sporadic rainfall in Bangladesh’s Teknaf peninsula, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and aid partners will truck water in the coming days to 140,000 Rohingya refugees, where water rationing due to limited supply has raised concern about the potential for water-borne diseases.
A new United Nations report on Afghanistan has found that continued focus and efforts are needed to advance the nation’s anti-corruption reforms. It describes how corruption there is eroding public trust and confidence in Government institutions and hindering efforts to bring peace and prosperity to the country.
The first day for redeploying Ansar Allah forces from Yemen’s three ports of Hodeidah, Salif and Ras-Issa went according to established plans on Saturday, Lieutenant General Michael Lollesgaard, Chair of the Redeployment Coordination Committee, said yesterday. Formal verification is expected on Tuesday.
In Libya, the Secretary-General’s Special Representative, Ghassan Salamé, continues his outreach to interlocutors, meeting with Government officials, a group of elders and tribal leaders to offer the United Nations full support to help thousands of civilians affected by heavy fighting in southern Tripoli.
High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet today strongly condemned the beheading of 37 men in Saudi Arabia, most of them Shi’a Muslims, despite the repeated appeals by the United Nations about the lack of due process and fair trial guarantees. She appealed to the authorities to halt pending executions.
The International Labour Organization (ILO) called for action to better manage the 50 million tons of electronic waste, known as e-waste, the world produces annually so it can be turned into a valuable source of decent work. Currently, only 20 per cent of all e-waste, valued at $62 billion, is formally recycled.
The following Security Council press statement was issued today by Council President Christoph Heusgen (Germany):
