The UN health agency and partners are helping treat many of those injured during Saturday’s deadly airstrikes by Israeli forces on Gaza’s Al Mawasi area which have reportedly left at least 90 dead and around 300 injured, according to figures from the war-torn enclave’s health ministry.
UN-led talks between Sudan's warring parties were set to continue in Geneva on Friday to advance discussions on humanitarian aid and civilian protection, with “possible local ceasefires” being a means to that end.
At least 25 million people have been caught up in the humanitarian crisis in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) where a neglected health emergency continues to unfold at an alarming rate, the UN health agency said on Friday.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres, standing alongside top officials in New York on Friday, underscored the essential need to bolster the UN agency assisting Palestine refugees (UNRWA) across the Middle East amid continued attacks on its mandate, staff, premises and operations.
Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger’s decision to pull out of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) “even as terrorism and transnational organized crime remain a pervasive threat”, will be damaging to regional relations all round, said the UN’s top official in the region on Friday.
UN-led talks between Sudan's warring parties were set to continue in Geneva on Friday focusing on brokering “possible local ceasefires” to help deliver aid and protect civilians across the country.
Remarks of SRSG Carlos Ruiz Massieu Peacebuilding Commission Ambassadorial-Level Meeting on Colombia 11 July 2024
As delivered
Mr. Chairman,...
UN humanitarians “remain gravely concerned” over the daily fighting that continues to rage in and around the Sudanese city of El Fasher, UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said on Thursday.
The UN General Assembly on Thursday demanded that Russia immediately cease its aggression against Ukraine and unconditionally withdraw all military forces from Ukrainian territory.
Although substantial progress has been made in implementing important aspects of the Peace Agreement in Colombia, challenges still remain, the head of the UN Mission in the country said in a briefing to the Security Council on Thursday.
When applied to conflict mediation and peacebuilding settings, Virtual Reality (VR) can help conflict parties step into their opponents’ shoes and enhance reciprocal understanding of local communities. In this story, we look at the impact and potential of VR communication in mediation and peacebuilding.
Virtual Reality (VR) is an immersive medium that gives the user the sense of being in a different place or time thanks to computer-generated graphics or 360-degree real-world video footage. In the United Nations, it is being used by those involved in conflict resolution and reconciliation efforts to share perspectives and nurture mutual understanding.
Recognizing the possible value of VR in pursuing peace and security, the Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs (DPPA) has integrated the technology into parts of its work. Since 2019, DPPA has produced a series of VR films in collaboration with its special political missions (SPMs). The aim is to get a better understanding of the life of communities affected by conflict and promote engagement among stakeholders.
The 2019 VR series titled Pathways Colombia, for example, showcases, in a personal and empathetic way, the post-conflict reintegration of former combatants as well as justice efforts, with the aim of fostering support for peace processes.
Virtual reality can also be used to simulate possible scenarios for mediators and support decision-making, allowing policy makers to experience situations on the ground with unparalleled immediacy, short of traveling.
“Pathways Colombia was developed with an international audience in mind, to give diplomats in New York and around the world an idea of what it is like to be on the ground in Colombia,” explained Constanza Rubio Garcia, strategic communication officer of the UN Verification Mission in Colombia.
“The response was very positive, as many ambassadors involved in discussing peace and security matters in Colombia had never been to the country,” she added.
Member states support this approach.
“At the German Mission, we made the experience that VR technologies present opportunities to immerse ourselves and our partners in local realities,” Deputy Permanent Representative of Germany to the UN in New York Thomas Zahneisen told Politically Speaking. “This makes them a cost-effective way to help with timely and impactful decision-making.”
One benefit that VR communication tools can introduce in peace processes is shifting mindsets by showing different perspectives to conflict parties, stakeholders and local communities.
“VR has significant potential in supporting perspective taking,” Julie Gregory, a research scientist at the Stimson Center, told Politically Speaking. “Conflict parties in entrenched positions don’t always understand the reality on the ground or the humanitarian consequences of their actions,” she added.
The films produced by DPPA and field missions, for instance, offered insights into Iraq’s post-ISIS transition, allowed stakeholders to virtually engage with Sudanese government officials and activists, explored various aspects of the Colombian peace process, and showcased life in Lebanon.
“While we are aware that new technologies such as virtual reality cannot replace interaction between people, we are convinced that they can be powerful tools to advance storytelling, show other realities, generate empathy, combat stigmatization and hopefully generate commitment to peace,” Rubio Garcia said.
While research points to numerous potential benefits of VR technology in conflict mediation and peacebuilding, its application remains limited, making it difficult to fully grasp its efficacy.
To measure the impact of VR versus non-VR advocacy, the UN Verification Mission in Colombia, together with DPPA’s Innovation Cell, recently conducted a study with 1200 students, dividing participants into groups exposed to either VR or non-VR communication inputs, both UN and non-UN related.
The study found that VR has a similar effect in terms of memory recall as other traditional multimedia interventions, in comparison to pure text-based communication products. However, much more than two-dimensional documentaries, virtual reality gives the opportunity to virtually walk through each other’s journeys, helping build empathy with others.
While highlighting the advantages of VR tools, experts also point to the need for caution. Trust, understanding, confidentiality and consent are key in the use of VR by conflict mediators. Moreover, using such tools requires a degree of technical expertise and significant investments.
And experts cite another crucial consideration. “It is vital to lead with authenticity, ensuring that the narrative is compelling and true to the experiences it seeks to convey,” Martin Waehlisch from DPPA’s Innovation Cell said, adding that it is important to steer clear of sensationalism. “The story must remain at the forefront, engaging and resonating with the audience on a personal level.” For DPPA, working closely with local partners is therefore essential.
As VR develops, collecting more data will be essential to fully grasp and measure its impact on peace and security work. “Using new technologies in peace processes needs to be meaningful and not just a gimmick,” Waehlisch said.
The UN Human Rights Council on Wednesday reiterated its deep concern over the crisis in Myanmar, amid reports of widespread abuses by the military and opposition armed groups, including forced conscription of Rohingya community members and their use as human shields.
Amid reports of intensified heavy shelling in north, central and southern Gaza, the head of the UN agency for Palestine refugees, UNRWA, confirmed on Wednesday that schools-turned-shelters have been “bombed-out” as a result of the latest escalation.
The UN and its partners are offering support to Ukrainian authorities as they address the impact of the deadly Russian airstrikes in Kyiv and other cities earlier this week, the UN aid coordination office (OCHA) reported on Wednesday.
The UN Human Rights Council on Wednesday reiterated its deep concern over the crisis in Myanmar, amid reports of widespread abuses by the military and opposition armed groups, including forced conscription of Rohingya community members and their use as human shields.
The UN human rights office (OHCHR) remains “extremely worried” for the well-being of 13 UN staff and a number of NGO employees arbitrarily detained in Yemen, spokesperson Jeremy Laurence said on Tuesday, demanding their unconditional release.
In Gaza, overwhelmed hospitals, soaring temperatures, hunger and a lack of even basic sanitation present an ever more deadly threat to a population under constant attack, UN humanitarians warned on Tuesday.
The UN’s top humanitarian official has reiterated strong condemnation of deadly missile attacks on multiple Ukrainian cities on Monday, while a senior doctor from the capital’s main children’s hospital described to the Security Council the “real hell” endured by patients and medical staff alike after it came under fire.
The war in Gaza passed the nine-month mark on Sunday with humanitarians left assessing the damage of a fresh Israeli airstrike on a UN school.
Ukrainian cities faced another barrage of missiles fired by Russian forces on Monday with dozens killed and a children’s hospital among the locations hit, UN humanitarians have said.
The security situation in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has resulted in alarming levels of violence and widespread civilian displacement, the UN envoy for the country reported on Monday.
The Supervisory Committee on the Implementation of the Detainees’ Agreement concluded its ninth meeting on Saturday, 6 July, in Oman. Co-chaired by the Office of the Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for Yemen (OSESGY) and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), the Supervisory Committee convenes negotiation delegations from the conflicting parties in Yemen to support them in fulfilling their obligations to...
Earlier today, United Nations Special Coordinator for Lebanon Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert arrived in Israel for a three-day visit. Since assuming office last month, Hennis-Plasschaert has extensively engaged the Lebanese leadership and key interlocutors on ways to deescalate tensions across the Blue Line. Her visit to Israel comes ahead of planned United Nations Security Council consultations on the implementation of Security Council Resolution 1701 (...
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The UN voiced deep concern on Friday at the increase in the intensity of exchanges of fire across the Blue Line, which separates Lebanese and Israeli armed forces.
Fresh fighting in southeast Sudan is exacerbating civilian suffering, with reports that over 136,000 people have fled their homes in search of safety, UN humanitarians have said.
The UN is deeply concerned at the increase in the intensity of exchanges of fire across the Blue Line yesterday, which heightens the risk of a full-scale war . Escalation can and must be avoided. We reiterate that the danger of miscalculation leading to a sudden and wider conflagration is real. A political and diplomatic solution is the only viable way forward.
On 4 July, the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Lebanese Parliament visited UNIFIL to express support for ...
Deep global divisions and conflicts must end to clear a path to tackling world’s two existential threats: climate change and the negative impacts of the artificial intelligence (AI) boom, UN chief António Guterres told the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit in Astana on Thursday.
Bombing continued overnight into Thursday in Gaza where some of the tens of thousands of people uprooted in response to Israeli evacuation orders have had to turn back after finding nowhere to shelter, UN humanitarians reported.
The UN envoy for Haiti on Wednesday welcomed recent strides towards restoring democracy amid alarming levels of violence, while the country’s interim Prime Minister emphasized that the people “continue to fight for a better future.”
A new report from UN human rights monitors in Ukraine has revealed the “horrific toll” of attacks by Russian armed forces, with May recording the highest number of civilian casualties in nearly a year.
The Gaza Strip is virtually “split in two”, with blockades not only restricting the movement of displaced people seeking shelter, but also aid workers trying to assist civilians in desperate need, a UN relief official said on Wednesday.
*The following is a near-verbatim transcript of today’s press conference by Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs Rosemary Dicarlo.
This morning, we heard views from members of Afghan civil society, women and men, who provided us – the special envoys and the UN - with valuable insights on the rights of women and minorities in the country, girls’ education, the media, business and many other issues.
They shared their views and perspectives on the Doha process, as well as on engagement between Afghanistan and the international community generally.
Our exchange was extremely important and useful. You may recall that at Doha II, we also had extensive discussions with a broad range of voices.
This morning, we heard a diversity of views; Afghan civil society is not monolithic.
This wealth of perspectives must continue to be part of this process.
As I said at the meeting this morning and in talks with the de facto authorities, there is a need to build trust on all sides.
We have to have a dialogue that’s built on honesty.
It must also be based on principles - those of the UN Charter and the various human rights treaties that Afghanistan is a party to.
We are still at the beginning of this process. We are going to need patience, a lot of it, and we are going to need to be realistic.
This is a process based on the independent assessment the UN Security Council recognized last November.
That assessment called for a more coordinated and structured process, with clear conditions and expectations for all sides.
It also called for a principled, step-for-step approach with a clear understanding of the outcomes and commitments from all sides.
Human rights, especially the rights of women and girls, and inclusion of all members of society will continue to be an integral part of all our discussions.
Regarding what’s next, as I mentioned yesterday, during the talks with the special envoys and the de facto authorities, there was discussion of creating smaller groups on key issues that are raised in the independent assessment. We will continue that discussion on how to proceed forward.
We are still at the beginning of this process. And it will take time and patience. But our approach has one goal: helping all the people of Afghanistan.
**Questions and Answers
Question (AFI): Thank you so much, Ms. DiCarlo, for this briefing and yesterday’s briefing. My question is regarding the participation of member states at the meeting today. A large number of countries didn’t turn to participate in today’s meeting and meet with society representatives. What do you make of that? They said that this is an important meeting, and yet it wasn’t part of the official meeting that took place in the past two days. Do you agree? Also, some people from Afghanistan and the diaspora community are saying that the people who participated from Afghanistan, either by Zoom or in person, are following the same agenda as the Taliban. Do you agree with that? Do you have anything to share with us?
USG DiCarlo: Thank you. First of all, I think there were a fair number of member states there. Some had travel arrangements and had to leave early. Attendance is optional; the attendance at Doha III is optional. As I said, there were a fair number of countries there who asked some very good questions to the civil society members who were participating. In terms of whether these individuals represented Taliban views or not – they represented themselves, and they were very clear that they were representing themselves. And I think, as I said it’s monolithic. There’s a variety of views. I don’t think there’s a difference for many of us, whether it’s the envoys, the civil society members who were there about an end state. There may be different views on how you get there, but I think it was really rich discussion. We heard a lot of different perspectives. We had people from the business community, from private sector, from the press, from women’s organizations, from business organizations, micro finance organizations, and it was very interesting, and I think quite a rich discussion.
Question (AFI): (inaudible)
USG DiCarlo: Were they upset? Obviously, I think that civil society, many would like to be at the official meeting, but they were pleased to have the opportunity to speak with some of the envoys and explain what they are doing and what their needs are. It’s important for us to understand what is it that various groups need. What are the obstacles to truly either practicing their profession or where do they see as obstacles for a society that’s more inclusive, etc. and we’ve got that perspective.
Question (NHK): Thank you, madam. When will what was discussed today be shared with the de facto government? How many countries today appeared, and how about the members of civil society. How many of them were physically present as well as virtually attending?
USG DiCarlo: I am not going to get into how many were there physically or not physically, but there were eight members of civil society who were there. In terms of number of countries, 15 countries and the EU. I don’t think the EU would mind that we mentioned that they were there. We had different counts, and everyone was sort of counting a little bit differently, but 15, 16 reps were there. Again, we understand that some had to leave because of pressing business. I know one in particular who very much regretted that he could not remain for another day. But again, we don’t mandate people coming to either Doha meeting or civil society meetings, or any other meetings. It was something we wanted to have as a possibility for the envoys to engage.
Question (DW): (inaudible)
USG DiCarlo: No, the discussion was within us. We are not sharing it beyond. People came on their own behalf and expressed views. We really appreciated it, and I think we learned quite a lot.
Question: My question is that we talked to the Taliban delegation, and they said that there were meetings with UN officials based on counter-narcotics, on banking and on supporting the private sector. Regarding girls’ education and inclusive government, and human rights, they said that it’s ‘our’ internal issue, and we will solve it ‘in our country’ according to Sharia, based on their interpretation of Sharia, and they said they will solve it according to ‘our tradition’. Do you think that such big issues could be internal affairs and could be solved in Afghanistan?
USG DiCarlo: OK, let me just explain that, first of all, we had a general session that encompassed the range of issues that were raised in the independent assessment that was done. Then we had two special sessions, one on private sector, and the other on counter-narcotics. We felt that we had to start somewhere and getting into the nitty-gritty of what the obstacles the de facto authority sees, for example, in developing the private sector and hear from the envoys and what they think could be done. So that’s one. In the general session and throughout, issues of human rights, especially women and girls, were raised. You can’t speak about private sector without talking about having women and more women in the private sector. It is not just, let’s say, the right of women to work. But if 50% of the population is not working, that’s pretty bad for a country’s economy. Let’s be perfectly clear here. In terms of counter-narcotics, obviously the issue of women was also raised. We have alternative livelihoods. There were some women who were growing these crops, it wasn’t just men. We have women addicts that need to be treated. This is an issue that absolutely has to be raised. Our role here is to go issue by issue in the independent assessment and cover those issues in a process. That will take time. Human rights, rights of women and girls factor in all of them. The issue of inclusion, inclusivity is a really important issue. It’s not just inclusive governance. It’s also inclusive aspects in the society, and that was raised as well. And that will be raised in subsequent meetings as we go along. Is it just an internal issue? Afghanistan has signed on to a number of treaties, international covenants, and agreements that are focused on human rights, civil rights. They are bound by those agreements. It doesn’t matter that a government changes; the country has signed on as a country. And in that sense, it is not just an internal issue, and we made that clear.
Question (Afghanistan International News Channel): There were a lot of talks and criticism about the secrecy of these three meetings – two official and one side event. About today, the names of the participants didn’t come out, and they try to not reveal the names and who is participating. Just to clear some minds and also some people who were criticizing this, can give us a quick explanation why these people didn’t want to actually have their names come out and introduce themselves? And the whole secrecy about these events – why is it so important for details to not come out from these events?
USG DiCarlo: We respect the privacy of participants in any of our meetings, whether it be on Afghanistan or on any issue. And certainly, we don’t release the names of people we meet with, particularly if they would prefer that they not be released. I think that that is something that we need to continue as an issue. If they want themselves to maintain or say to the press or anyone else that they were part of it, then that is certainly their prerogative. That’s not something that we do, and this is not just on Afghanistan. Our meetings when we meet, particularly with members of civil society, are closed meetings. And we’re not hiding anything, but we want to have good discussions and have any participants feel very comfortable.
Question (VoA): Thank you so much. This time, given the criticism of having a separate meeting with the Taliban and meeting separately with civil society activists, it seems as if the Taliban are not going to agree in the future, also, with anyone else. They’ve made it very clear in these two meetings that you have held in February and now. Would the UN again consider repeating this exercise the same way? Or would you, for future meetings, consider changing the format so that the UN does not receive the type of criticism that it has, because the Taliban would not sit with civil society activists, it’s quite clear.
USG DiCarlo: I would never say never. I think we will see as we go forward how we’re going to manage this issue. I think it’s a decision that not only we have to make, but also those who attend, the envoys who attend, on whether they think.. what they think who should be present, if you will. All we want to be able to do is to continue to speak to everybody and have everyone’s voice heard, and if we can amplify voices who are not, that are not present at a particular event, we are very happy to do that. But again, I would never say never. One thing I want to emphasize is that, if you read the independent assessment, it comes up with a lot of, a number of concerns that Afghanistan has to build its society. It also lists many of the concerns that international community has, where international community feels that Afghanistan is not abiding by its international obligations. A lot of thematic issues. Then at the very end talks about eventually needing an inter-Afghan dialogue. What we are doing is not an inter-Afghan dialogue right now. We are just going through issues at this point, and we want to get various perspectives. But let’s be perfectly honest, the citizens, de facto authorities are not ready for sitting down at the table with each other. At least, they weren’t for this past meeting.
Question: (inaudible)
USG DiCarlo: Thank you and thank you for the interest you have in this process.
The UN’s top political affairs official on Tuesday reiterated that human rights, especially the rights of Afghan women and girls, and inclusion of all members of the society will continue to be an integral part of all discussions.
With their homes shattered and lives upended by war, civilians in Gaza are clinging to their dignity under the most inhumane conditions, Sigrid Kaag, the UN Senior Humanitarian and Reconstruction Coordinator, said on Tuesday.
