27 July 2014 – Welcoming the broadly observed 12-hour humanitarian pause in the Gaza conflict, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon renewed his appeal to all parties to declare a week-long ceasefire as a prelude to restarting political negotiations. A statement issued yesterday by Mr. Ban’s spokesperson noted that there were countless images of Gazans trying to return to their daily lives while taking care of their wounded and attending to their dead during the pause, which ended on Saturday. “These images make it clear that we owe to the people of both Israel and Gaza our renewed effort to consolidate…
Author: UN News
25 July 2014 – As ‘gross human rights violations’ continue in Syria, the head of a United Nations-appointed human rights probe today implored Member States to stop supplying weapons to both sides. Speaking to UN Radio ahead of an informal gathering with members of the Security Council, the Chair of the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Syria underscored that there is no military solution to the conflict and echoed Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s calls for an arms embargo on the country. “This arms race must be stopped,” said Paulo Sérgio Pinheiro. “We would like very much that the different Member…
24 July 2014 – The United Nations envoy for West Africa today strongly condemned the latest killing of civilians reportedly by the Boko Haram group in two Nigerian regions. Said Djinnit, the head of the UN Office for West Africa (UNOWA), expressed profound outrage at the attacks which occurred over the weekend and yesterday, resulting, according to initial reports, in the death of more than 130 people. According to a statement released by UNOWA, the violence also forced some 15,000 people to flee to the Borno state capital of Maiduguri as well as to neighbouring towns of Biu and Goniri.…
23 July 2014 – The United Nations Security Council today condemned once again the continued violence in Libya, including the fighting around Tripoli International Airport, and reaffirmed that violence must not be used to pursue political goals. According to a press statement, the Council reiterated once again the need for all sides to engage in political dialogue and refrain from fighting. The country’s recent turmoil is reportedly some of the worst fighting since the 2011 uprising that ousted former leader Muammar al-Qadhafi and the North African nation embarked on its democratic transition. The Council went on to welcome the announcement…
23 July 2014 – South sudan is the most rapidly deteriorating humanitarian crisis in the world today, according to a senior United Nations relief operations official who made an urgent appeal for desperately-needed funding for Ethiopia, which hosts 180,000 mostly women and children South Sudanese refugees. John Ging, Operations Director for the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), just back from Ethiopia, told a news conference at UN Headquarters today: “This is a manmade problem – the result of a political disagreement between two powerful individuals. It is tragic to see this happening in the world’s youngest…
25 July 2014 – The United Nations and its diplomatic partners today called for a seven-day humanitarian ceasefire, as they continue their efforts to bring about an end to the bloodshed and destruction that is tearing apart the lives of so many civilians in Gaza and Israel. “The people of Gaza have bled enough. They are trapped and besieged in a tiny, densely populated sliver of land, every bit of which is a civilian area,” Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said at a press conference in Cairo. “The Israeli people have been living under the constant fear of Hamas rocket attacks. Tensions…
25 July 2014 – Two United Nations human rights experts warned today that ethnic and religious minorities in Iraq are bearing the “devastating and irreversible” brunt of the conflict that has once again engulfed the country. “I am gravely concerned about the physical safety of several minority groups in Iraq, including Christians, Shia – a minority in the North, Shabaks, Turkmen, Yazidis and others, who are being persecuted on the grounds of their religion and ethnicity,” said the Special Rapporteur on minority issues, Rita Izsák, in a joint press release with the Special Rapporteur on the human rights of iIn…
25 July 2014 – Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today spoke with United Nations staff in Gaza via Skype and thanked them for their courageous efforts amid the ongoing conflict, which has now displaced over 140,000 people in the area. Mr. Ban expressed his solidarity with the staff of the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) during the call from Cairo, where he is wrapping up a week-long emergency mission that took him to Qatar, Kuwait, Egypt, Israel, Palestine, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and Iraq. “I’m still working very hard to bring an end to this…
23 July 2014 – Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon today announced the appointment of Ellen Margrethe LØj of Denmark as his top official in South Sudan, replacing Hilde Johnson. Ms. LØj has a “wealth of experience in peacekeeping and international affairs,” according to Mr. Ban’s spokesperson, having served as his Special Representative and head of UN Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) from 2008 to 2012. The Danish national previously held a number of senior positions in her Ministry of Foreign Affairs, including as her country’s Permanent Representative to the UN. Ms. LØj will now be the Special Representative and head of the UN…
23 July 2014 – Marking 100 days since the brazen abduction of schoolgirls in Chibok, Nigeria, by Boko Haram terrorists, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon reiterated his call for their immediate release, while expressing his full support for the worldwide vigils taking place today. “I stand in solidarity with all those taking part in vigils today to demonstrate that the world has not forgotten the girls who were so cruelly abducted from their school 100 days ago,” said Mr. Ban in a message. “I repeat my call for their immediate release and for an end to discrimination, intimidation and violence…