Colombia

United Nations Children’s Fund Representative (UNICEF) in Nigeria Peter Hawkins calls on those responsible for the mass abduction of girls from a State-run school in Zamfara to release them immediately and for the Government to take steps to ensure their safe release and the safety of other schoolchildren in the country.

The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and the International Organization for Migration today began preparing asylum seekers in the Matamoros camp for entry to the United States as the country ends a policy that forced some 25,000 people to wait in Mexico for their immigration hearings.

The following statement was issued today by the Spokesman for UN Secretary-General António Guterres:

The following Security Council press statement was issued today by Council President Tarek Ladeb (Tunisia):

Foreign Minister Cites Threat Posed by Armed Groups, Drug Traffickers, Highlighting Safety, Security Challenges

As Colombia enters the fifth year since signing its landmark Peace Agreement, the Head of the United Nations Verification Mission outlined five priority areas in which to make further gains, as Security Council members expressed concern about continuing deadly attacks against former combatants and vulnerable communities, during a videoconference today.

Following is the text of UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed’s video message at the Women’s Civil Society Organizations’ Commemoration of United Nations Security Council Resolution on Women, Peace and Security, in Bogotá on 29 October:

Following is the text of UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed’s video message at the international conference on “Emerging Contemporary Responses to Atrocities” organized by Colombia’s Special Jurisdiction for Peace, held on 29 October:

The Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations, Amina Mohammed, held a virtual visit to Colombia on 28 and 29 October.  She was accompanied by Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, Under-Secretary-General and Executive Director of the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN-Women); , Rosemary A. DiCarlo, Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs; and Pramila Patten, Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Sexual Violence in Conflict.

Marking the twentieth anniversary of resolution 1325 (2000) on women, peace and security, the Secretary-General told the Security Council today that the world has a choice: continue down the path of increasing militarization, conflict and inter-generational losses or work towards greater inclusion and gender equality.

A new Food and Agricultural Organization report warns that the Sustainable Development Goals will not be achieved by 2030 unless the world’s forests are restored.  Regional responses are making significant advances and 63 countries and other entities have committed to restoring 173 million hectares, but more needs to be done.