Middle East

UN Photo/Mark Garten

Security Council sets up sanctions regime to deter spoilers of Yemen’s political transition

26 February 2014
The United Nations Security Council today adopted a resolution expressing its strong support for the next steps in the political transition in Yemen, and establishing sanctions to be imposed on individuals or entities that seek to obstruct or undermine this process.
OPCW

Joint UN-OPCW mission welcomes mustard gas shipment out of Syria as ‘important step’

26 February 2014
The Joint Mission of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) and the United Nations confirmed today that a shipment of Syria’s stockpile of sulphur mustard, commonly known as “mustard gas,” has left its territory.
UNRWA Archives

Syria: UN agency delivers supplies to besieged camp amid ‘unbelievable devastation’

26 February 2014
Amid “unbelievable devastation,” the United Nations agency charged with ensuring the well-being of Palestinian refugees across the Middle East has today been able to deliver life-saving supplies to families in a camp on the outskirts of Damascus, where nearly every building is an empty shell and the war-weary, desperate people have suffered unparalleled deprivation.

Syria: UN officials urge political solution to crisis, greater efforts to ease civilian suffering

25 February 2014
As the conflict that has inflicted unimaginable suffering on the Syrian people prepares to enter its fourth year, United Nations officials today stressed the need for a political solution to end the crisis, as well as greater efforts to protect civilians and ensure they receive the assistance they desperately need.
UN Photo/D. Berkowitz

Security Council: senior UN official urges strong leadership on Middle East peace efforts

25 February 2014
The Middle East peace process is nearing a defining moment, the top United Nations political chief today told the Security Council today urging Governments to back the peace agenda and to raise awareness of the benefits of peace among their constituents.
UN-ESCWA

Deepening Arab region integration could raise development, UN reports

25 February 2014
Inclusive economic integration in the Arab region would create six million new jobs by 2020 and increase regional gross domestic product by three per cent, the United Nations today reported arguing for a unified model like that of the European Union or other regional economic blocs.
UNICEF/NYHQ2013-1015/Romenzi

UN, humanitarian partners sound global alarm on behalf of Syria’s children

24 February 2014
Moved by the dire plight of more than 5 million war-traumatized Syrian children – both inside and outside the country – United Nations agencies and their partners today joined forces to urge the world to demand an end to the “relentless horror and suffering” those children face before an entire generation is lost.
UNRWA

On visit to besieged camp, UN official urges unhindered access for all civilians in Syria

24 February 2014
A senior United Nations official said today he was shocked by what he saw during a visit to a Palestinian refugee camp in Syria, and underscored the need for full and unhindered access to all conflict-affected communities in the country.
UN Photo/Evan Schneider

Unanimously approved, Security Council resolution demands aid access in Syria

22 February 2014
The United Nations Security Council today unanimously approved a resolution to boost humanitarian aid access in Syria, a move Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said can ease some civilian suffering, if it is implemented quickly and in good faith
UN Photo

Iran: UN human rights office urges death penalty moratorium amid spike in executions

21 February 2014
The United Nations human rights office today urged the Iranian Government to immediately halt executions, after voicing deep concern about reports that 80, and possibly up to 95, people have been put to death in the country since the beginning of this year.