Gang violence in Haiti has displaced hundreds of thousands of people and many are finding shelter in former schools where belief in the power of education remains strong.
Gang violence in Haiti has displaced hundreds of thousands of people and many are finding shelter in former schools where belief in the power of education remains strong.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Amid violent clashes in southern Syria’s Suweida governorate, a picture of grave human rights abuses and rising humanitarian needs is emerging by the hour, the UN said on Friday.
Mohammed Saad sits with others inside a homemade cart pulled by a car carrying several passengers, waiting to travel to Gaza City in one of the “uncomfortable and extremely expensive” means of transportation used to get around the Strip.
Major cuts to aid budgets have already left people fleeing wars in Sudan and beyond without the assistance and protection they need, the UN refugee agency, UNHCR, said on Friday.
The UN humanitarian affairs office OCHA is stressing the need to scale up support for displaced families in Haiti amid ongoing insecurity and violence.
Colombia has changed profoundly since the 2016 peace deal, but uneven state presence, lingering armed groups and mounting political tensions threaten to erode confidence unless implementation accelerates, the top UN envoy for the country said on Friday.
Mr. President,
Thank you for convening this timely meeting, as Syria contends with another episode of violence that puts at risk its path to a peaceful, credible, orderly and inclusive political transition. Before I brief you on the latest strikes on Syria’s territory, allow me to first address the volatile context.
On 12 July, a series of mutual kidnappings in the Druze-majority governorate of Suweida, southern Syria, escalated into armed clashes between Bedouin tribes and local Druze armed groups. On 14 July, the Syrian authorities started deploying security forces under the auspices of the Ministries of Defense and Interior, with the stated aim of “halting the clashes, restoring order, and pursuing those responsible for the events and bringing them before the competent judiciary.” The Syrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs informed Special Envoy Pedersen and diplomatic missions that some of these security forces were attacked by Druze armed groups, ten were killed and others were abducted. There were also reports of the authorities’ security forces carrying out violations against civilians as they entered Suweida.
The ensuing fighting resulted in hundreds of casualties among the Damascus security forces and Druze fighters, and tragically among Druze and Bedouin civilians, including women, children and elderly. Hundreds were also injured. There were further alarming reports of civilians, religious figures and detainees being subjected to extrajudicial executions and humiliating and degrading treatment. Footage of desecration and mutilation of corpses, as well as incidents of sectarian incitement and looting of private property, was widely circulated on social and conventional media, causing further trauma and fueling intercommunal tensions and violence.
According to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), civilians caught up in ongoing violence continued to face serious risks, with significant displacement and reports of damage to critical infrastructure, including water, electricity and telecommunications networks. Medical facilities in Suweida and Daraa are at or near capacity and further impacted by the cuts to electricity and water. Commercial supplies have been disrupted and access to the impacted areas remains severely constrained due to insecurity and road closures. The World Health Organization has dispatched emergency medical supplies to Daraa to support trauma care, but deliveries to Suweida remain pending due to security access. The UN and humanitarian partners are engaging with relevant authorities and are mobilizing to send teams to assess the needs and provide essential assistance as soon as the conditions allow.
Mr. President,
I reiterate the Secretary-General’s unequivocal condemnation of all violence against civilians, including all acts that fan the flames of sectarian tensions and rob the people of Syria of their opportunity for peace and reconciliation after fourteen (14) years of brutal conflict. Special Envoy Pedersen and his team on the ground are actively engaged with all parties to address the situation.
Against this backdrop, I take note of the statement by the Syrian Office of the Presidency condemning the violations and committing to investigate and hold to account those responsible for them. I appeal to the Syrian authorities to ensure this investigation is transparent and in line with international standards, and is also completed fast, not least to instill confidence among all Syrians that their State will guarantee protection and justice for all citizens without distinction. As this Council has underlined in its Presidential Statement of 14 March 2025 (S/PRST/2025/4), “inclusive and transparent justice and reconciliation processes” are both important and urgent for sustainable peace in Syria.
I further urge all parties to take constant care to protect civilians, including allowing them to move freely to seek safety and medical assistance. I call on all parties to safeguard infrastructure providing critical services like water and electricity; and to facilitate humanitarian access to people in need.
Mr. President,
Against this complicated and volatile backdrop, citing the violations against the Druze community and pledging to protect them, between 12 and 16 July, Israel resumed and intensified its airstrikes on Syrian territory. In this respect, I echo the Secretary-General's condemnation of Israel’s escalatory airstrikes, including on Suweida, Daraa, and in the center of the capital, Damascus. The strikes targeted the Damascus authorities’ forces and official buildings including the Ministry of Defense and the vicinity of the Presidential Palace, as well as the Mazzeh military airport. The Permanent Representative of Syria has informed the Secretary-General and the Security Council in his letter dated 16 July 2025 (S/2025/470) that these attacks have resulted in casualties among civilians and security forces. Israel also made statements regarding the redeployment of additional IDF troops on the Golan.
Mr. President, on 15 and 16 July, hundreds of members of the Druze community from the occupied Syrian Golan and Syria gathered on both sides of the ceasefire line, in the presence of the IDF, in solidarity with the Druze community in Suweida. Some from the occupied Syrian Golan crossed the ceasefire line and traveled to Hadar on the Bravo side before subsequently returning.
Mr. President,
In addition to violating Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, Israel’s actions undermine efforts to build a new Syria at peace with itself and the region and further destabilize Syria at a sensitive time. It is essential that both Israel and Syria uphold the terms of the 1974 Disengagement of Forces Agreement to preserve the ceasefire between both parties, and refrain from any action that would further undermine it and the stability on the Golan.
Mr. President,
I take note of ongoing efforts to establish a ceasefire, including as President al-Sharaa stated, through American, Arab and Turkish mediation. The situation on the ground is fluid, and as I speak, there are troubling reports of renewed violence in some areas that appears to be targeting Bedouin communities after the withdrawal of the Damascus security forces. I hope that the situation will solidify into genuine and lasting de-escalation on the ground that includes all sides and stakeholders. I take note of the arrangement announced by President al-Sharaa that security in the governorate will be maintained by “some local factions and spiritual leaders.” And I welcome his tribute to the Syrian people’s sacrifice over fourteen (14) years and their aspirations for freedom, dignity and equality, and that the Druze community is an integral part of the Syrian social fabric.
Security and stability in Suweida, and indeed in post-Assad Syria can only be achieved through genuine reconciliation and with the participation of all components of Syria’s diverse society. I urge all Syrian stakeholders to commit to dialogue and emphasize the United Nations’ readiness to work alongside the Syrian people to support an inclusive and credible political transition that ensures accountability, fosters national healing and lays the foundation for Syria’s long-term recovery and prosperity.
Allow me to conclude by reiterating this Council’s call, in the wake of another episode of sectarian violence and avoidable bloodshed in March 2025, for “the implementation of an inclusive, Syrian-led and Syrian-owned political process, facilitated by the United Nations and based on the key principles listed in resolution 2254 (2015). This includes safeguarding the rights of all Syrians, regardless of ethnicity and religion. This political process should meet the legitimate aspirations of all Syrians, protect all of them and enable them to peacefully, independently and democratically determine their futures.” Only then, can Syria truly emerge from the legacy of conflict and embrace a peaceful future. The United Nations, with the guidance from this Council, stands ready to assist in this process.
Thank you, Mr. President.
A surge in sectarian violence in southern Syria and Israeli airstrikes reaching central Damascus have pushed the war‑scarred country into a volatile juncture, a senior UN official said on Thursday, warning that renewed violence could shatter prospects for peace and fuel wider regional instability.
The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk has deplored deadly attacks in Sudan’s Kordofan region this week, his office said in a statement on Thursday.
Reporting “constructive” discussions on Cyprus, UN Secretary‑General António Guterres announced on Thursday that four previously agreed trust‑building measures have been realized, technical work continues on two others, and the parties have agreed to expand cooperation on youth, environment, culture and civil society.
The Security Council met on Thursday afternoon for an emergency session on Syria after deadly violence in the south and a wave of Israeli airstrikes that reportedly hit military sites and key locations in Damascus. Khaled Khiari, a senior UN political affairs official briefed ambassadors, warning that renewed bloodshed could derail prospects for a credible, inclusive political transition and widen regional fault lines. UN News App users can follow here.
From makeshift furniture in Gaza to metro classrooms in Ukraine and solar-powered tablets in Sudan, the UN is working to bring education to millions of crisis-affected children.
The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk has deplored deadly attacks in Sudan’s Kordofan region this week, his office said in a statement on Thursday.
The UN humanitarian office (OCHA) reported mass displacement in Swedia, Syria after five days of sectarian violence between Bedouin tribal fighters, government forces and Druze militias.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres has strongly condemned the Israeli strike on Thursday that hit the only Catholic church in the Gaza Strip.
DPPA is requesting $800,000 in earmarked contributions for its work on Ukraine to enhance access to conflict-affected areas, conduct fact-finding, and strengthen political analysis and support to UN actors both on the ground and at Headquarters. In today’s dynamic environment, a fully funded Multi-Year Appeal (MYA) is essential to ensure an agile and effective UN response to one of the world’s most pressing political crises.
DPPA is requesting $1.7 million in earmarked contributions for its work on Sudan to respond to escalating crisis demands, strengthen political analysis and reporting, and advance strategic planning. A fully funded Multi-Year Appeal (MYA) will also enable follow-up to the Pact for the Future, which calls on the Secretary-General to actively leverage his good offices and ensure the United Nations is adequately equipped to lead and support mediation, good offices, and peacemaking in this rapidly evolving context.
DPPA is requesting $3 million in earmarked contributions for our work on the Middle East to sustain mediation, political analysis, and strategic engagement amid multiple interlocking crises. A fully funded Multi-Year Appeal (MYA) will also enable follow-up to the Pact for the Future, which calls on the Secretary-General to actively leverage his good offices and ensure the United Nations is adequately equipped to lead and support mediation, good offices, and peacemaking in this rapidly evolving context.
More than 450 civilians were killed in recent “horrific attacks” in Sudan’s North Kordofan state which the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has condemned in the strongest possible terms.
Conditions in Gaza have reached an unspeakable level of devastation with children paying the highest price, top UN officials told the Security Council on Wednesday, warning of soaring child deaths, starvation and a shattered health system amid continuing bombardment and displacement.
In Gaza, illness, poverty, mass displacement and depleted services are leading to soaring stress levels and causing an increase in domestic violence, sexual exploitation and abuse, according to the UN sexual and reproductive health agency (UNFPA).
New evacuation orders in Gaza issued by the Israeli military have uprooted tens of thousands of Palestinians, amid ongoing bombardment, aid agencies have warned.
The UN Security Council is meeting on the escalating humanitarian crisis in Gaza, where fresh Israeli evacuation orders have uprooted tens of thousands amid relentless bombardment claiming hundreds of civilian lives in recent weeks – many of them children. “Food is running out. Those seeking it risk being shot. People are dying trying to feed their families,” UN relief chief Tom Fletcher has just told ambassadors. Follow our real-time updates and key moments through our live UN Meetings Coverage page. UN News App users can join here.
In violence-wracked Haiti, more than 5.7 million people are estimated to be food insecure, with many unable to meet their daily food needs.
Clashes between Bedouin tribal fighters, caretaker government forces and Druze militias stretched into their fourth day in Sweida on Wednesday while Israeli forces struck the Syrian capital, Damascus.
Inter-ethnic violence in Syria’s predominantly Druze city of Sweida has been met with government intervention, Israeli airstrikes – and on Tuesday, a reported ceasefire announcement by Syria’s defence minister.
Nearly 900 desperate and hungry Gazans have been killed in recent weeks trying to fetch food, with most deaths linked to private aid hubs run by the so-called Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), the UN human rights office, OHCHR, said on Tuesday.
Intensifying clashes in Sudan’s Kordofan region between rival militaries have killed hundreds and wounded many more in recent days, warned the UN humanitarian affairs office (OCHA) on Tuesday.
Relentless missile and drone strikes by Russian forces have killed and injured hundreds of civilians in Ukraine this month, continuing a devastating pattern of attacks far from the frontlines.
The Security Council on Monday renewed the mandate of the UN mission in Yemen’s key port city of Hudaydah, as regional tensions spike and international concern mounts over recent Houthi rebel attacks on shipping in the Red Sea.
The head of UN child rights agency UNICEF has called for Israel to review its rules of engagement in Gaza after seven children were killed while waiting for water at a distribution point.
Clashes on Sunday between Sunni Bedouin tribal fighters and Druze militia have reportedly left at least 30 dead in Syria’s predominantly-Druze city of Sweida.
Amid runaway gang violence and crumbling state authority, the Security Council on Monday unanimously extended the mandate of the UN’s political mission in Haiti until the end of the year, amid escalating gang violence, political paralysis and a deepening humanitarian crisis threatening the country’s collapse.
The fuel crisis in Gaza has reached a breaking point, threatening to bring all humanitarian operations to a halt and endangering the lives of everyone reliant on aid inside the enclave, UN agencies warned in a powerful joint statement on Saturday.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Survivors, families of victims and distinguished guests,
It is an honour to join you today, on behalf of the United Nations Secretary-General, in solemn remembrance of the victims of the genocide in Srebrenica.
As we mark the United Nations International Day of Reflection and Commemoration of the 1995 Genocide in Srebrenica, we stand in grief with survivors and families. We pay tribute to their strength, dignity and enduring pursuit of justice.
The genocide in Srebrenica remains one of the darkest chapters in Europe’s recent history – a stark reminder of the consequences of hatred, division and the failure to protect civilians.
As the Secretary-General stated at the General Assembly commemoration on 8 July: “We acknowledge hard truths. Thirty years ago, the United Nations and the world failed the people of Srebrenica. This collective failure was not an accident of history. It was the result of policies, propaganda and international indifference.”
The pain of Srebrenica is still deeply felt. Recognition of the facts as established by courts of law, acknowledgment of victims’ suffering, and accountability for the crimes committed are essential for building mutual understanding, trust, and lasting peace – and for preventing future atrocity crimes.
Denial of genocide and historical revisionism harm survivors and erode the foundations of peace and justice.
As we commemorate the victims, we also acknowledge the suffering of all innocent civilians during the conflict in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Rebuilding trust is a long road – one that begins with remembrance.
We urge all political leaders to seize this moment to address the legacy of the past with dialogue, responsibility and a commitment to fostering an environment of respect and inclusion, laying the foundations for a stable and democratic society for everyone in this beautiful country.
The United Nations remains steadfast in its support for the people of Bosnia and Herzegovina in their efforts to build a peaceful, just and inclusive society.
The legacy of Srebrenica must be a world that never again turns away in the face of atrocity.
Thank you.
Between October 2024 and June this year, Haiti has been caught in a vicious and unending cycle. First, gang violence expanded westward into the Artibonite and Centre Departments.
