Nearly a year on from the fall of Assad, Syrians still lack many basic necessities as the transitional government works to shore up the economy and build social cohesion.
Nearly a year on from the fall of Assad, Syrians still lack many basic necessities as the transitional government works to shore up the economy and build social cohesion.
Living conditions for Gazans – particularly children – are still dire as temperatures drop and families return to bombed-out homes as the fragile ceasefire holds, UN aid workers said on Wednesday.
As UN Secretary-General António Guterres hailed Monday’s Security Council resolution paving the way for a consolidated ceasefire via a temporary International Stabilization Force in Gaza, UN aid teams warned that many Palestinian children in the enclave are in no shape to endure another harsh winter.
UNICEF has strongly condemned a deadly attack on a school in Kebbi State, northwest Nigeria, which left the Vice-Principal dead and resulted in the reported abduction of at least 25 students.
Expanding terrorist networks, mass displacement and the collapse of essential services in West Africa and the Sahel are a growing concern worldwide.
Ending hunger by 2030 would cost just $93 billion a year — less than one per cent of the $21.9 trillion spent on military budgets over the past decade, according to the UN World Food Programme (WFP).
The UN is prepared to play “any role” needed to advance the breakthrough Security Council resolution endorsing the United States-led Gaza peace plan.
The UN Security Council is expected to vote at 5pm in New York today on a US-sponsored draft resolution that would authorise the creation of an international stabilisation force in the Gaza Strip.
For millions of people worldwide caught up in conflict, “war and hunger are often two faces of the same crisis,” UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed told the Security Council on Monday, as it met to examine how food insecurity fuels fighting.
The UN refugee agency has welcomed aspects of the United Kingdom’s proposed changes to its asylum system, while emphasising the importance of fair, efficient protection for those fleeing conflict and persecution.
UN relief chief Tom Fletcher held “useful” and “tough” discussions with the two sides battling for control of Sudan this week, pushing for access to aid for those in desperate need, he told journalists in New York on Monday.
The Security Council has passed a US-backed resolution which will establish an international force to restore order in Gaza, protect civilians and open the way for large-scale aid and rebuilding. There were 13 votes for, none against – while Russia and China abstained amid concerns that Russia might veto the text. US ambassador Mike Waltz thanked ambassadors, hailing it as an “historic and constructive resolution” which charts a new course for the Middle East. Follow live below, check out full meetings coverage here, and UN News app users, follow here.
The UN Security Council adopted a resolution on Monday that endorses a peace plan for Gaza put forward by United States President Donald Trump and a temporary international force in the enclave following two years of war.
Ukraine is facing what has been described as an “unprecedented housing crisis” three and a half years after the full-scale invasion of the Eastern European country by Russia.
On Sunday, a foot patrol of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) was targeted by an Israeli army Merkava tank from an Israeli position in Lebanese territory.
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Images emerged this week of what appear to be mobs of masked Israeli settlers carrying out arson attacks on Palestinian homes and property, the UN human rights office (OHCHR) said on Friday.
Just how many people are still trapped in the Sudanese city of El Fasher? That’s the burning question for relatives of the many thousands of people believed to still be there, since paramilitary fighters overran the regional capital of North Darfur last month, after a 500-day siege.
Several civilians were killed and many others injured, including children, in a large-scale Russian attack on Ukraine’s capital and the wider Kyiv region early on Friday.
More than 21 million people in Sudan, 45 per cent of the population, are not getting enough to eat as the war between rival militaries continues, according to the World Food Programme (WFP).
More than nine in 10 children in Gaza are displaying signs of aggressive behaviour linked to more than two years of war between Hamas and Israel, welfare agencies have reported.
Mr. Chair (Ambassador José Alberto Bríz Gutiérrez, Permanent Representative of Guatemala),
Excellencies,
Distinguished delegates,
It is my honor to introduce, on behalf of the Secretary-General, his latest report on overall policy matters pertaining to special political missions.
I am joined today by my colleague, Assistant Secretary-General Lisa Buttenheim of the Department of Operational Support.
Let me also express my appreciation to Finland and Mexico for their continued leadership on this agenda item.
Mr. Chair,
The peace and security landscape is increasingly volatile.
Across the world, conflicts are destroying lives, displacing millions, and robbing people of hope and dignity. Conflict parties continue to flout international humanitarian law—attacking civilians, obstructing aid, and destroying essential infrastructure.
Extremist insurgencies, transnational crime, and armed gangs are driving violence, also with devastating consequences for civilians.
In Haiti, gang violence has turned cities into battlegrounds, displacing over a million people and leaving 5.7 million – almost half of the population – facing acute food insecurity.
Multilateral action is struggling to keep pace.
Geopolitical competition is deepening divides, fueling uncertainty, and weakening our ability to act together.
Charter norms—sovereignty, territorial integrity, non-intervention, and human rights—are increasingly being violated.
Comprehensive peace agreements are becoming rare. We see more partial agreements, such as ceasefires and truces. These are often fragile and prone to collapse.
New technologies—from artificial intelligence to drones—are being weaponized on an unprecedented scale, spreading disinformation and hate speech, and expanding both the reach and lethality of conflict.
Eroding solidarity and financial pressures are weakening multilateral efforts in humanitarian relief, development, and peacebuilding—just when global cooperation is needed most.
Mr. Chair,
As the global peace and security environment further deteriorates, our efforts to end violence, find political solutions, and build sustainable peace must be redoubled.
SPMs remain at the forefront of this effort. Through sustained—and often quiet—diplomacy, they are helping create space for dialogue, de-escalation and compromise.
In Libya, amid deep national and international divisions, our mission, UNSMIL, is advancing a Libyan-led roadmap to reunify state institutions, uphold Libya’s sovereignty, and promote an inclusive political process. The clashes in Tripoli last May revealed the fragility of the situation—UNSMIL worked to calm tensions and sustain dialogue among key security actors.
In Colombia, our Verification Mission continues to accompany the implementation of the 2016 Final Peace Agreement, as the country makes significant progress on its path toward lasting peace and stability. Building durable peace depends on the full reintegration of former FARC-EP combatants into Colombia’s social, economic, and political life. More than 11,000 former combatants have laid down arms and remain active part of the peace process, and nearly 9,000 weapons have been destroyed under UN verification.
And in Iraq, UNAMI is finalizing preparations for its departure after two decades. Established in 2003, the mission has supported the Government and people of Iraq through multiple periods of transition. UNAMI will complete its phased drawdown and transfer of mandated activities by 31 December 2025. The mission’s drawdown reflects Iraq’s progress over the past two decades and offers valuable lessons on how SPMs can be designed and adapted. We are grateful for the strong cooperation with the Government of Iraq throughout these 22 years of partnership.
Mr. Chair,
As we mark the 25th anniversary of Security Council resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security, we commemorated this milestone with recognition of the progress achieved and a renewed call for concrete action, which remains vital. To that end, last month, we convened a high-level meeting to advance implementation of the Secretary-General’s Common Pledge on Women’s Participation in Peace Processes.
Inclusion—and in particular the political participation of women—remains a priority across all SPMs. In Haiti, for example, BINUH is helping to advance women’s leadership, protection, and participation. It has supported the training of 124 women—including civil society leaders and community police officers—as peace ambassadors in conflict resolution and mediation, with many now training others in their communities.
Mr. Chair,
In light of the challenges facing peace operations, including SPMs, there is a clear need to reflect on their future.
The review of all forms of UN peace operations, requested in the Pact for the Future, offers an opportunity to rebuild consensus and reimagine how our missions can adapt and deliver more effectively in an increasingly complex environment. This is fully in line also with the Secretary-General’s vision for UN80.
To inform this review, we have engaged in extensive consultations with Member States—including the General Assembly and the Security Council—and received valuable written input from Member States and civil society. I wish to express our deep appreciation for these contributions.
From these consultations, several clear messages have emerged:
First, mandates should be more focused on political solutions. SPMs are most effective when their mandates are realistic, have clearly defined political objectives, and are anchored in the Organization’s comparative advantages.
Second, mandates should be more adaptable to rapidly changing conditions on the ground. Conflicts evolve rapidly—interests shifts and alliances change. Mandates should be reviewed more regularly to ensure that missions remain aligned with political realities on the ground and maintain domestic and international support.
Third, we need a clearer articulation of the long-term objectives and end states that our missions are set up to achieve. Mandates and resources must be aligned with these objectives, and missions should be regularly assessed based on their progress toward these goals.
Fourth, host-State consent and active partnership are critical. SPMs accompany national efforts. They have greater impact when they operate in close cooperation with host authorities, based on mutual trust and respect for sovereignty.
Fifth, the role of United Nations Country Teams operating alongside special political missions is critical. Country Teams are present before, during and after the deployment of a mission. Their support to national priorities ultimately goes hand in hand with the work of peace operations on the ground, as the Review of the UN Peacebuilding Architecture demonstrates.
Sixth, regional partnerships. In almost all of the places where we work, we have collaborated closely with regional actors. We understand that joined-up efforts are necessary to address the complex drivers of conflict we face. We must continue to invest and prioritize these partnerships.
And finally, we need more investment in peacemaking and political settlements. Many SPMs now operate in contexts without a comprehensive peace agreement—this means that instead of being able to support an agreed framework for peace, SPMs must work to prevent violence, facilitate and sustain ceasefires, or support emerging peace processes. These efforts are vital, but lasting peace requires durable political solutions. The UN remains an indispensable actor in this regard, and our efforts—as recognized in the Pact for the Future—must be intensified. Effective good offices and peacemaking are intrinsically linked to the success of peace operations.
In the coming weeks, consultations on the review will continue, including engagements with all regional groups. We look forward to a continued dialogue with Member States as we shape recommendations to ensure that SPMs—and peace operations as a whole—remain fit for purpose: adaptable, effective, and focused on political objectives.
In conclusion, I wish to pay special tribute to United Nations personnel serving in SPMs, who work under challenging conditions to advance the promise of the Charter. We deeply value their dedication and commitment.
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
The 65th round of the Geneva International Discussions (GID) took place on 11-12 November 2025 in the UN Palais des Nations in accordance with the six-point agreement of 12 August 2008 and implementing measures of 8 September 2008.
The participants reiterated their commitment to this important process, emphasizing once again the need for the GID to make tangible progress and deliver on its core agenda items for the benefit of all those affected by conflict.
In Working Group I, the participants reviewed the security situation on the ground since the 64th round held in June 2025, engaging in a substantive exchange of views on the matter. They continued their discussions with a particular focus on non-use of force and international security arrangements. The participants also exchanged views on and reiterated their desire to further explore a possible political statement on non-use of force as a step, which would stress their respective commitments to this principle.
In Working Group II, the participants discussed humanitarian issues, including crossings, documentation, livelihoods and missing persons. Building on previous rounds, they also had a detailed discussion on freedom of movement and external mobility, recognizing the need to find practical solutions to ensure mobility within and outside the region. Due to a walkout by some participants, the agenda item “returns” of internally displaced persons and refugees could not be discussed. In this context, the Co-Chairs call on participants to address all agenda items without pre-conditions.
The participants expressed interest in continuing the practice of holding information sessions and discussed potential concrete topics for the next rounds.
The participants agreed to hold the next round in March 2026 in Geneva.
Civilian casualties in Ukraine were 27 per cent higher from January to October 2025, compared to the same period last year, according to the latest UN human rights report on the situation in the eastern European country.
Some 90,000 people have been displaced following the fall of El Fasher in Sudan’s North Darfur - with another 50,000 fleeing violence in the Kordofans, according to the UN migration chief.
South Sudan is entering a period of rising instability marked by political polarisation, renewed armed clashes, and severe humanitarian strain, senior UN officials told the Security Council on Tuesday.
Hundreds of protesters and others have been killed and an unknown number injured or detained in Tanzania following protests surrounding last month’s elections, according to reports obtained by the UN human rights office (OHCHR).
In war-torn Sudan, rape is likely being used as a weapon of war and simply being a woman there is “a strong predictor” of hunger, violence and death, the UN’s gender equality agency warned on Tuesday.
The world is facing a cross-border “chain of violence” driven by small arms and light weapons, UN disarmament and law enforcement officials told the Security Council on Monday.
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Independent UN human rights investigators have heard first-hand accounts of torture, unlawful detention and the forced transfer of civilians during their first visit to Ukraine in more than a year.
Independent UN human rights investigators have heard first-hand accounts of torture, unlawful detention and the forced transfer of civilians during their first visit to Ukraine in more than a year.
The crisis in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) continues to worsen amid ongoing fighting that has driven tens of thousands of people from their homes and created acute hunger, the UN World Food Programme (WFP) said on Friday.
Around 1.5 million Jamaicans have been impacted by Hurricane Melissa – the worst climate disaster in the Caribbean nation’s history, said the top UN development official in the region on Thursday.
The United Nations said on Thursday that Israeli authorities have rejected more than 100 requests to bring relief materials into Gaza since the ceasefire began nearly a month ago.
From Gaza to Ukraine and beyond, conflict has caused widespread death and destruction, but it has also devastated natural resources such as water systems, farmland and forests.
The Security Council on Thursday adopted a resolution to remove Syria’s transitional President Ahmed al-Sharaa and Interior Minister Anas Khattab from sanctions measures targeting members and supporters of terrorist groups ISIL and Al-Qaida.
