15 June 2015 – Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has strongly condemned a series of deadly bombings in the Chadian capital of N’Djamena which reportedly killed more than 25 people and injured dozens of others, according to a spokesperson for the United Nations. In a statement issued earlier today, the UN spokesperson said the Secretary-General extends his heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims as well as to the Government and people of Chad and wished a “speedy recovery” to those injured. Initial media reports suggest that Boko Haram is responsible for the suicide attacks which targeted two police buildings in…
Author: UN News
15 June 2015 – The international community has not a moment to lose if it is to help end the fighting in Yemen and broker a lasting peace for the country, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon announced today as he urged stakeholders to “make the most of the momentum of opportunity.” Briefing the press at the UN Office in Geneva at the opening of consultations on the situation in the Gulf state, the Secretary-General explained that as total casualty figures surpassed 2,600, the UN and Member States retained “a special obligation to act.” “Today, Yemen’s very existence hangs in the…
12 June 2015 – Condemning the rising number of Government aerial attacks in Syria and the use of indiscriminate weapons, such as barrel bombs, including in civilian populated areas, a group of United Nations officials today warned of retaliatory action by non-State armed groups, which could increase the vulnerability of religious and ethnic minorities perceived to support the Government. “Government air strikes have reportedly killed more than a hundred civilians in the past week. Employing means or methods of combat which cannot distinguish civilian from military objectives is a clear violation of international humanitarian law. Not only has the Government…
14 June 2015 – The top United Nations official in Libya has strongly condemned an attack on the Tunisian consulate in the Libyan capital of Tripoli which resulted in the capture of ten consulate staff members. In a press release issued earlier today, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Libya and Head of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL), Bernardino Leon, called for “the immediate and unconditional release” of the abducted staff and recalled the principle of inviolability of diplomatic and consular premises must be respected. The storming of the Tunisian consulate – which occurred on 12…
11 June 2015 – Concerned at the recent armed clashes amid the ongoing peace talks on Colombia, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, António Guterres, today said these incidents have the potential to “derail” a long sought peace process, increasing risks for the civilian population. “After decades of unrest, Colombians, especially the millions displaced, have longed for peace, pinning hopes on a negotiated settlement. Any disruptions in the peace process could jeopardize its chances of arriving at a positive outcome. I encourage both parties to move forward with negotiations and hope that the talks that have been taking place…
12 June 2015 – Citing efforts to provide humanitarian assistance to children in Sudan who are affected by the war in South Sudan, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) stressed the huge demand and urgency of receiving more financial support to continue its relief work in the Country. “We cannot make these boys and girls suffer even more by failing to provide timely, quality…humanitarian assistance and protection,” said Geert Cappelaere, UNICEF Representative to Sudan, stressing that “children are the main victims of the intensification of conflict in South Sudan.” Representing over 60 per cent of the South Sudanese refugees, as…
11 June 2015 – The United Nations Peacebuilding Commission has called on all stakeholders in Central African Republic (CAR) to help promote an environment conducive to holding elections ahead of the country’s upcoming parliamentary vote. A statement issued today by the Commission’s CAR Configuration said it had taken note of the “commendable progress” to date in the processes of preparation for the elections and welcomed the “determination and commitment” of the international and national stakeholders in implementing the concluding documents of the Bangui Forum. The country’s parliamentary elections are slated for next month and have sparked hope among many in…
10 June 2015 – The United Nations Special Envoy for Syria is continuing a series of critical meetings with Syrian and international stakeholders as part of the ongoing Geneva Consultations and in an effort to find a political solution to the country’s five-year long conflict. According to a spokesperson for the Organization, Staffan de Mistura – who has been engaged since 5 May with representatives of the Syrian Government, the Syrian opposition Coalition and 39 Syrian political and civil society groups – will continue the consultation process into the month of July with the “sincere hope and belief that guns…
10 June 2015 – Amid “very encouraging signs” in the United Nations-facilitated Libyan political dialogue, the Secretary-General’s Special Representative on the North African nation today said that “time has come to make an agreement” and if possible, before or at the beginning of Ramadan, which begins on 17 June. “We now have a draft.This draft provides solution for most of the challenges we have been facing and will be facing in the coming months,” Bernardino León said at a press conference in Berlin today. “The principles of inclusion, balance and consensus are there, at every step, at every institution and…
10 June 2015 – The security situation in Darfur is a very serious one, marked by a “deeply concerning” increase in violent attacks by armed assailants against United Nations peacekeepers and humanitarian personnel, the Assistant Secretary-General for UN peacekeeping operations told the Security Council today. “Most worrisome is the devastating impact that [it] has had on innocent civilians and the obstacles it has created for their protection and for humanitarian assistance,” Edmond Mulet stated this morning, reporting to the Council “very limited progress” in the peace process. Indeed, he stressed, the second phase of the Government’s military offensive, ‘Operation Decisive…