In progress at UNHQ

Somalia


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.

In the Central African Republic, nearly 20,000 Central African refugees returned to their homeland voluntarily in 2024. The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) says this was the highest annual number of people returning to the country since the voluntary repatriation programme began in 2017.

SG/A/2346

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres announced today the appointment of James Swan of the United States as his Special Representative for Somalia and Head of the United Nations Transitional Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNTMIS). The Secretary-General expresses his gratitude to Mr. Swan for acting as Special Representative for Somalia and Head of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNSOM)/UNTMIS since May 2024, and is pleased that Mr. Swan accepted to continue to lead the United Nations in Somalia during this critical period.

The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) released a report today stating that human-induced climate change reached new heights in 2024, with some consequences irreversible over hundreds — if not thousands — of years. The report also noted that 2024 was the warmest year in the 175-year observational record.

SC/16010

To enforce the arms embargo on Somalia, the Security Council decided today to reauthorize maritime interdiction of illicit weapons imports and charcoal exports, reiterating its determination that Al-Shabaab’s attempts to undermine peace and security in the region — including through acts of terrorism — constitute a threat to international peace and security.