As the United Nations’ disarmament chief urged just and lasting peace in Ukraine before the Security Council today, its members — meeting again, at the Russian Federation’s behest, on Western arms deliveries to that country — alternately reiterated Kyiv’s right to defend itself, pointed to Moscow’s procurement of arms from third States and called for dialogue ahead of a peace summit that will occur in Switzerland on 15-16 June.

The Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, Martin Griffiths, warns that the humanitarian nightmare in El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur, in Sudan, is worsening by the hour, stressing that civilians must be protected, aid must be able to reach them and the fighting must stop now.

Violence often starts with words — words of hatred that spread intolerance, divide societies, and promote and endorse discrimination, a senior United Nations official told the Security Council today, as members examined the international community’s response to such harmful attitude and rhetoric.

Following is UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ message for World Refugee Day, observed on 20 June:

Government representatives will meet in New York from 18 to 28 June 2024 for the fourth United Nations Conference (RevCon4) to review progress made in the implementation of the Programme of Action on combating illicit small arms and light weapons.

On 3 June 2024, the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 1533 (2004) concerning the Democratic Republic of the Congo held informal consultations on “DRC-mined gold, tantalum and tungsten: illicit trading in DRC and internationally”.

On 3 June 2024, the Coordinator and members of the Panel of Experts briefed the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 2127 (2013) concerning the Central African Republic on the Panel’s final report submitted in pursuance of resolution 2693 (2023).

Adopting a decision and amendment concerning the participation of non-governmental organizations in the forthcoming financing for development conference, the General Assembly today also held a debate on unilateral economic coercive measures, with some speakers underscoring that they hinder development, deepen divisions and increase trade inequities, while others upheld them as a tool for maintenance of peace.

Parties that violate the arms embargo in Sudan may be subject to targeted sanctions, the senior United Nations official on that file warned, while Sudan’s representative said that the current sanctions regime has disrupted his country’s ability to maintain security by depriving its Armed Forces of equipment while the Rapid Support Forces continuously violate the measure.

Amid the alarming humanitarian situation in Sudan, the Security Council today adopted by 14 votes in favour — with the Russian Federation abstaining — a resolution demanding that the Rapid Support Forces halt the siege of El Fasher and calling for an immediate halt to the fighting and de-escalation in and around the capital city of North Darfur State.