Democratic Republic of the Congo

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

Parties to the conflict in Syria have reportedly reached an agreement to evacuate people from Madaya and Zabadani in Rural Damascus, and Foah and Kefraya in Idleb, known as the Four Towns.  The United Nations was not part of the negotiations or the agreement, but is monitoring developments closely.

The Secretary-General visited the Zaatari refugee camp in Jordan today in what he called a visit of solidarity.  While there, he toured a number of projects run by UN agencies for some 80,000 residents of the camp.  Addressing the press, he appealed to the parties to the conflict in Syria to understand that we must make peace.

The Secretary-General spoke at the General Assembly’s meeting this morning commemorating the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination.  He expressed concern that migrants have become convenient scapegoats and that, far too often, hate speech, stereotyping and stigmatization are becoming normalized.

Delays in holding elections and in implementation of the comprehensive and inclusive agreement signed on 31 December 2016 was prolonging the political uncertainty plaguing the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Security Council heard today, as briefers described the country’s deteriorating security and humanitarian situation as a source of major concern.

The Government of Iraq reports that 180,000 civilians have fled western Mosul since mid-February, when military operations to retake the city’s western districts began.  Humanitarian agencies are bracing for the possibility of an additional 300,000 to 320,000 civilians fleeing in the coming weeks.

A new report by the Joint Human Rights Office of the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo says defence and security forces used excessive, disproportionate and lethal force to prevent and contain last December’s demonstrations, in which at least 40 people were killed.

The Secretary-General welcomes donor pledges made today at the conclusion of the Oslo Humanitarian Conference on Nigeria and the Lake Chad Basin, where 14 donors pledged $458 million for 2017.  The Conference also resulted in an agreement to address longer-term development needs and seek lasting solutions to the crisis.

The following Security Council press statement was issued today by Council President Volodymyr Yelchenko (Ukraine):

David Shearer, Head of the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), sounded the alarm over the lack of information about 20,000 internally displaced people on the west bank of the Nile in the country’s north.  The Mission believes they fled Wau Shilluk to Kodok, as fighting between Government and opposition forces has expanded and shows no signs of abating.