ASG Jenča warns of deepening crisis in Haiti, urges urgent international action to prevent collapse

Briefing the Security Council on 2 July, Assistant Secretary-General (ASG) for Europe, Central Asia and the Americas Miroslav Jenča described the rapid erosion of state authority in Haiti, where brutal gang violence continues to affect nearly every aspect of public and private life. Without increased action by the international community, he warned, the total collapse of state presence in the capital could become a very real scenario. ASG Jenča reiterated the Secretary-General’s recommendation in February to establish a UN support office for the Multinational Security Support (MSS) mission, calling it a realistic step to meet Haiti’s immediate security needs.

ASG Khaled Khiari updates Security Council on Gaza crisis, urges ceasefire and respect for international law

On 30 June, ASG for the Middle East, Asia and the Pacific Khaled Khiari briefed the Security Council on the worsening crisis in the Occupied Palestinian Territory. He described the level of suffering and brutality in Gaza as “unbearable” and called the continued collective punishment of the Palestinian people unjustifiable. ASG Khiari also voiced alarm over Israel’s ongoing settlement expansion in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and the escalating violence in the area. He noted that military operations by Israeli forces in the northern West Bank have led to high civilian casualties, mass displacement, and the destruction of homes and critical civilian infrastructure, particularly in refugee camps.

ASG Pobee briefs Security Council on escalating crisis in Sudan

Briefing the Security Council on 27 June, ASG for Africa Martha Pobee warned that the conflict in Sudan poses severe risks to civilians and regional stability. She cited indiscriminate aerial assaults, escalating violence in Darfur and the Kordofans, and attacks on hospitals and infrastructure. Expressing alarm over widespread sexual violence and a surge in arbitrary killings of civilians, she called for a time-bound humanitarian pause and urged parties to honor their commitments under the Jeddah Declaration. “Too many lives have been lost, too much trauma has been inflicted, and the risk of regional conflagration is too great to allow this conflict to fester any longer,” she said. ASG Pobee also stressed the need for coordinated regional diplomacy and intensified support for the Secretary-General’s Personal Envoy to help end the crisis.

UN to reconvene informal meeting on Cyprus in New York

The Secretary-General announced on 2 July that he will convene an informal meeting on Cyprus on 16 and 17 July at UN Headquarters in New York. The meeting follows the broader-format talks held in Geneva in March and will bring together Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot leaders, as well as representatives of the guarantor powers—Greece, Türkiye, and the United Kingdom—to continue dialogue and review progress since the previous round in March. 

Special Coordinator Hennis-Plasschaert discusses situation in Palestinian refugee camps in Lebanon

Earlier this week, Special Coordinator of the Secretary-General for Lebanon Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert met with Palestinian Ambassador to Lebanon Ashraf Dabbour to discuss developments in Lebanon and the region. The discussion focused on the situation in Palestine refugee camps and emphasized the importance of implementing Security Council resolution 1701 and respecting Lebanon’s sovereignty, security, and territorial integrity.

Personal Envoy Lamamra continues de-escalation efforts in Sudan

The Personal Envoy of the Secretary-General for Sudan, Ramtane Lamamra, continues to advance his good offices efforts to end the war in Sudan. His team is finalizing consultations for the next Consultative Group meeting, to be co-organized with the African Union in Addis Ababa. He is also working to launch a preparatory consultation process on protection of civilians, aiming to initiate proximity talks with the warring parties as soon as possible.

UNOWAS supports Ghana’s post-election dialogue for stronger democracy

From 2 to 4 July, the United Nations Office for West Africa and the Sahel (UNOWAS) supported Ghana’s Post-2024 Elections Evaluation Dialogue, hosted by the National Peace Council under the theme “Dialoguing for a Stronger Democracy and Social Cohesion.” In her keynote, Deputy Special Representative Barrie Freeman stressed that Ghana’s democracy is a shared achievement that requires vigilance, humility and courage. She reaffirmed UNOWAS’s commitment to Ghana’s democratic consolidation and its role as a model for the region.

Special Envoy Grundberg visits Aden, calls for progress on Yemeni-led political process and release of detained staff

On 2 July, Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for Yemen Hans Grundberg visited Aden for meetings with Prime Minister Salem Bin Buraik and other Yemeni officials. Discussions focused on the urgent need to advance a Yemeni-led, Yemeni-owned political process supported by the region. Grundberg also raised the continued arbitrary detention of UN and NGO staff by Ansar Allah, reaffirming the UN’s commitment to securing their release through sustained diplomatic engagement. While in Aden, he also met with civil society members and women leaders from political parties and various other components.

SRSG Al Hassan meets with Central Bank Governor and former Prime Minister

On 1 July, SRSG and Head of the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) Mohamed Al Hassan met with the Governor of the Central Bank of Iraq, Ali Mohsen Al-Allaq, in Baghdad. The discussion focused on shared priorities to support reforms in Iraq’s financial and banking systems.

A day earlier, on 30 June, the SRSG also met with former Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kadhimi. Their meeting covered regional developments and emphasized the importance of maintaining Iraq’s stability amidst broader Middle East tensions.

DSRSG Isaczai chairs steering committee on support to returnees from Syria

On 29 June, Deputy SRSG, Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator Ghulam Isaczai chaired the ONE UN Plan Steering Committee meeting in Baghdad. UN agencies and development partners reviewed progress in supporting the return and reintegration of Iraqi nationals from Al Hol and Al Roj camps in northeast Syria. The meeting addressed service delivery challenges at Al Amal Center and in return areas, and produced key recommendations to strengthen service delivery for returnees to Al Amal center and onward in return communities. 

UNAMI engages Kirkuk stakeholders ahead of November elections

Between 1 and 2 July, a UNAMI delegation led by Principal Electoral Adviser Aamir Arain met in Kirkuk with representatives from Arab, Turkmen, and Kurdish communities to discuss electoral preparations. The meetings focused on ensuring inclusive participation and resolving local electoral concerns ahead of the 11 November Council of Representatives elections. The UNAMI delegation also met with the IHEC Kirkuk Electoral Office to assess progress and raise stakeholder concerns, reaffirming its commitment to supporting credible and inclusive elections across Iraq.

ASG Spehar highlights links between peace finance and development in Seville

From 30 June to 3 July, ASG for Peacebuilding Support Elizabeth Spehar participated in the Fourth Financing for Development Conference in Seville. She was a panelist in various side events, including an event on ”Unlocking investment for climate security and land restoration in fragile and conflict-affected contexts”, where she represented DPPA/Climate Security Mechanism. The ASG underscored the interlinkages between peace and development, emphasizing the importance of integrating peace finance into broader development financing efforts. DPPA’s Peacebuilding Support Office (PBSO) also co-hosted a side event on “Innovative Finance for Peace,” alongside Germany, South Africa, UNCDF and Interpeace. 

PBSO highlights importance of data in peacebuilding

Deputy Head of PBSO Awa Dabo spoke on 1 July at an event on “Leveraging Data to Strengthen Peacebuilding Architecture,” organized by the Permanent Mission of Italy to the United Nations in collaboration with the Institute for Economics and Peace, held in connection with the launch of the Institute for Economics and Peace’s 2025 Global Peace Index and the ongoing Peacebuilding Architecture Review. She stressed the need to make a strong case to sustain funding and political will for peacebuilding. Highlighting research on the economic benefits of conflict prevention, she emphasized the importance of generating evidence-based insights and better collecting and analyzing data on peacebuilding – key aims of PBSO's Peacebuilding Impact Hub.

UN convenes working group meetings on counter-narcotics, private sector

On 30 June, the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) convened technical working group meetings in Doha on Afghanistan’s private sector and counter-narcotics. These sessions follow up on the third Meeting of Special Envoys held in Doha, Qatar last July, in line with recommendations of the Independent Assessment submitted to the Security Council (S/2023/856). Participants included Member States, UN agencies, and representatives of Afghanistan’s de facto authorities. The meetings reviewed progress and identified new priorities to support structured international engagement with Afghanistan.

Youth stress need for clear, realistic roadmap in online consultation

Deputy SRSG for Libya Stephanie Koury held an online discussion on 30 June with 57 young Libyans across the country. Participants called for a clear, realistic political roadmap and meaningful inclusion of marginalized communities. They criticized delays in presenting a roadmap to the Security Council and stressed the need for transparency and youth economic opportunities. DSRSG Koury confirmed that the roadmap will be shared in August and underscored the importance of continued, nationwide consultations.

Applications open for third cohort of Ra’idat leadership programme in Libya

On 1 July, the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) and UN partners launched the third round of applications for the Ra’idat training programme, inviting young Libyan women aged 18–30 to apply by 15 July. The year-long initiative, supported by UNDP, UNICEF, and UN Women, builds participants’ skills in leadership, communications, advocacy, and human rights. SRSG and Head of UNSMIL Hanna Tetteh praised the programme’s impact and encouraged broad participation from all regions and cultural groups, including women with disabilities.

Mine action partners step up coordination to address UXO threats in Libya

On 3 July, UNSMIL hosted a meeting with mine action partners in Tripoli, co-organized with LibMAC and the Mine Action Programme. LibMAC presented updates on its strategy and identified high-risk areas in Tripoli and eastern Libya. Partners reviewed a recent UXO response in 14 neighborhoods, with awareness activities reaching nearly 19,500 people. Fatma Zourrig, Chief of the UN Mine Action Programme, called for stronger collaboration and access to remote areas. Discussions also addressed funding gaps and the risks of scrap metal collection, which continues to cause civilian casualties.

Carlos G. Ruiz Massieu appointed as new Special Representative for Haiti

Secretary-General António Guterres appointed on 2 July Carlos G. Ruiz Massieu of Mexico as his new Special Representative and Head of the United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH). He brings more than 30 years of experience in diplomacy and public service, most recently serving as the Special Representative in Colombia, where he currently leads the UN Verification Mission supporting peace implementation until he assumes his new functions in August.

UNRCCA and UNODC partner to empower youth on drug prevention

On 28 June, the United Nations Regional Centre for Preventive Diplomacy for Central Asia (UNRCCA) and the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) held an interactive online session with 44 young people from Central Asia and Afghanistan, focusing on drug prevention through the lens of preventive diplomacy. Held as part of the Preventive Diplomacy Academy, the session emphasized youth as agents of change and explored the drivers of substance use, healthy coping strategies, and peer resistance.

Denmark contributes to DPPA’s Multi-Year Appeal

This week, we thank Denmark for its generous contribution of $304,294 to DPPA's Multi-Year Appeal to support the efforts of the Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for Syria.

Learn more about our Multi-Year Appeal

Next Week

The Security Council will discuss the situation in Yemen on Wednesday, 9 July.