Peacekeeping

In Haiti, the UN and its partners continue to support thousands of people who fled violence in the Centre Department in the first two weeks of April. More than 50,000 people who were uprooted by clashes in the department continue to live in informal sites or with host families, with limited access to essential services.

A report released today by the UN Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women on how funding reductions are impacting local women-led groups in crisis settings revealed that nearly half of the over 400 organizations in 44 countries expect to have to close their operations within six months.

Following are UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ remarks to the Ministerial Meeting on the Future of Peacekeeping, in Berlin today:

The Secretary-General has appointed experts to develop recommendations for measures that complement or go beyond Gross Domestic Product (GDP). This is a way to recognize that GDP — relied upon as a gauge of prosperity — provides an incomplete picture of the different dimensions of sustainable development.

The Security Council today extended the mandate of the United Nations Mission in the Republic of South Sudan (UNMISS) until 30 April 2026.

As peacekeeping missions continue to evolve in complexity and size and mandates, the Fifth Committee began its consideration of the budget for the support account for those operations during the upcoming fiscal cycle and listened to the findings of a comprehensive review of that account.

The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner on Refugees is gravely concerned by the rapidly increasing number of Sudanese refugees crossing into eastern Chad due to escalating violence in Sudan’s North Darfur region, with nearly 20,000 people — mostly women and children — arriving in the past two weeks alone.

In South Sudan, Acting Humanitarian Coordinator Marie-Helene Verney deplored the deadly air strike Saturday on a hospital in Old Fangak in Jonglei State that led to the suspension of critical medical care for over 100,000 people and destruction of medical supplies. The UN is airlifting vital medical supplies to replenish stocks.

As the Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary) opened the second part of its resumed session today, delegates began consideration of the proposed $5.5 billion budget for United Nations peacekeeping operations for the period from 1 July 2025 to 30 June 2026, emphasizing the need for stringent oversight of the Organization’s resources amid a deepening cash crisis.

In Myanmar, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights called today on that country’s military to stop all attacks on civilians and civilian objects. He said the unremitting violence inflicted on civilians underscores the need for the parties to commit to a genuine and permanent nationwide halt to hostilities.