United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres announced today the appointment of Jessica Faieta of Ecuador as his new Deputy Special Representative for Colombia and Deputy Head of the United Nations Verification Mission in Colombia.
The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and humanitarian colleagues express concern about persistent forced displacement of indigenous people and farming communities in rural Colombia. Since 19 January, violence in Caceres has displaced at least 822 people; in Bajo Cauco murders have increased.
The United Nations Verification Mission in Colombia condemned the murder of Wilman Asprilla Allim and Ansel Montoya Ibarra, two Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) political party members who were participating in electoral activities in Peque municipality. The Mission urges all the competent institutions to investigate and prosecute those responsible for this crime.
United Nations Secretary‑General António Guterres traveled on Saturday, 13 January, to Bogotá, Colombia, for an official visit to the country to support the peace efforts there.
The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs reports that $430 million is needed this year to help 2.8 million people in Afghanistan, assisting those displaced by conflict or natural disaster, feeding malnourished children and helping vulnerable families returning home after years in Iran or Pakistan.
Although the reintegration of former guerrilla combatants in Colombia was on track, the level of accumulated frustration with that process would not be easily overcome, the Security Council heard today, as representatives also expressed concern about the possible ramifications stemming from the broken ceasefire between the Government and the National Liberation Army (ELN).
The following Security Council press statement was issued today by Council President Kairat Umarov (Kazakhstan):
The World Health Organization (WHO) warns that heavy rains and flooding in the Democratic Republic of the Congo may exacerbate the country’s ongoing cholera epidemic. The current outbreak, which began in July, is one of the most severe in years. The latest reports find 55,000 cases, including nearly 1,200 deaths, for 2017 alone — double the number of cases in 2016.
The following Security Council press statement was issued today by Council President Sebastiano Cardi (Italy):
The International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia today convicted Ratko Mladiæ on charges of genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes, giving him a life sentence. Prosecutor Serge Brammertz said the judgment was a milestone in the Tribunal’s history and international criminal justice.
