Afghanistan

Stephen O’Brien, Emergency Relief Coordinator, briefing the Security Council on Syria today, voiced his concern about the situation in eastern Ghouta where the United Nations has been unable to get access to some 400,000 people since last October.  He called for a pause in fighting to allow for the delivery of aid.

In Geneva, the Secretary-General called the pledging conference for Yemen a considerable success, with more than half of the $2.1 billion appeal for the year reached.  Those pledges now needed to be translated into effective support for the people of Yemen.  Three things would ensure that:  access, access and access.

More than 25 million children between 6 and 15 years old, or 22 per cent of children in that age group, are missing out on school in conflict zones across 22 countries, according to a UNICEF report issued today.  South Sudan has the highest rate at almost 72 per cent, followed by Chad and Afghanistan.

Expressing serious concern over the potential growth of Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) — also known as Da’esh — the presence of anti-personnel mines and other explosive remnants of war, and the record number of civilian casualties in Afghanistan, the Security Council today adopted a resolution extending the mandate of the United Nations Mission in that country by one year.

The Security Council met for its debate on Afghanistan this morning, during which it renewed the mandate for the United Nations Mission there (UNAMA).  The Secretary-General’s Special Representative highlighted the challenging security environment in the country, which in 2016 resulted in UNAMA recording the highest number of civilian casualties in a single year.

Condemning the recent surge in “abhorrent” terrorist attacks across Afghanistan — including one that killed 30 people at a Kabul military hospital on 8 March — speakers in the Security Council today urged that country’s international partners to deepen their cooperation, target terrorist sanctuaries and help to build up the capacity of the National Unity Government.

The Secretary-General was in Nairobi today.  He expressed his solidarity with the Kenyan people in dealing with the drought that has hit the country.  He added that he had deep gratitude for Kenya’s commitment to multilateralism and also the Government’s commitment to peacekeeping and peace-enforcing.

The following Security Council press statement was issued today by Council President Matthew Rycroft (United Kingdom):

The following Security Council press statement was issued today by Council President Matthew Rycroft (United Kingdom):

Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed, Special Envoy for Yemen, has put out a statement responding to the killing of six women and a girl, as well as the wounding of dozens of people as a result of an alleged air strike that hit a funeral in the Arhab District of Sana’a Governorate on Wednesday afternoon.