With absent political progress, ongoing violence and a worsening humanitarian situation in Syria, terrible risks could be on the horizon for that beleaguered country and the global community, the Secretary-General's Special Envoy warned the Security Council, as he called for a de-escalation of hostilities, starting in Gaza, and a comprehensive engagement among all stakeholders to arrive at a lasting solution to the 14-year Syrian conflict.
Stressing the grave and unprecedented challenges to peace and security, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees told the Security Council in a briefing today that 2024 is even worse than last year in terms of the number of refugees and internally displaced people worldwide.
The Security Council today extended for one year the sanctions regime — including asset freezes, travel bans and an arms embargo — imposed on South Sudan, reiterating its readiness to review arms embargo measures through modification, suspension or progressive lifting, in light of progress achieved on critical established benchmarks, as numerous speakers highlighted that the text fails to acknowledge Juba’s positive achievements and, instead, hinders its efforts to peace and stability.
The Committee on Non-Governmental Organizations continued its 2024 resumed session today, taking up new applications and new requests for reclassification of status.
Briefing the Security Council on the situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian Question, the Special Coordinator for that region’s peace process urged Member States to support Gaza’s political future, work with the new technocratic Palestinian Government and develop a framework of its recovery, as many speakers, condemning the recent strike on Rafah, renewed calls for a ceasefire to enable humanitarian aid deliveries to the Palestinian people.
As the Fourth International Conference on Small Island Developing States entered its third day, speakers from international organizations and entities reaffirmed support for those countries and exchanged ideas on how to assist them in building sustainable, climate-resilient economies and societies.
Small island developing States face a diversion of expenditure from sustainable development to recovery from the impacts of climate-change-induced disasters, speakers told the Fourth International Conference on Small Island Developing States in Antigua and Barbuda today, to highlight the critical importance of financial support and access to finance.
From Gaza and Ukraine to Sudan and Afghanistan, women, youth and children are bearing the brunt of conflicts, war and an ever-increasing global rollback of human rights, the Security Council heard today, as speakers outlined best practices to improve the participation of women and young people in conflict prevention and peacebuilding.
The Committee on Non-Governmental Organizations began its 2024 resumed session today with election of officers and adoption of its agenda.
As the Fourth International Conference on Small Island Developing States opened in Antigua and Barbuda today, speakers highlighted its theme — “Charting the Course Toward Resilient Prosperity” — and detailed, over the course of a day-long debate, the unique challenges that such countries face, the distinctive perspectives they hold and the tailored support they require to unlock their transformative potential.
