Peace and Security

A MINURSO ceasefire monitoring team drives through the Smara region in Western Sahara.
UN Photo/Martine Perret

Western Sahara: UN welcomes withdrawal of Polisario Front from Guerguerat area

28 April 2017
Africa

The United Nations today welcomed the withdrawal of all Polisario Front elements from the Guerguerat area, between the berm and the border with Mauritania, as confirmed by observers of the UN Mission on Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara, on 27-28 April.

Samar Khel camp, near Jalalabad, where Afghans displaced by war have taken shelter
<a href=http://bit.ly/2pCTxjQ>Bilal Sarwary/IRIN</a>

Afghanistan: UN urges protection of civilians as casualties remain high in first quarter

27 April 2017
Asia Pacific

The United Nations mission in Afghanistan today urged all parties to the conflict to take immediate and concrete measures to better protect civilians from harm, as the latest data for 2017 shows continued high numbers of civilian casualties.

Special Representative for Afghanistan Tadamichi Yamamoto (left) and Abdul Basir Anwar, Afghanistan's Minister of Justice, launch new report on the country's progress in addressing corruption.
UNAMA/Fardin Waezi

Afghanistan makes progress in fighting corruption, yet enormous challenges remain – new UN report

25 April 2017
Asia Pacific

While enormous challenges remain, Afghanistan authorities have made headway in their fight against corruption, according to a United Nations report released today, which also finds that the country is making progress in other areas, such as restoring institutional control over the delivery of public services.

Secretary-General António Guterres (at podium, right) and Moussa Faki Mahamat, Chairperson of the African Union Commission, address the press following the signing of a Joint UN-AU Framework for Enhancing Partnerships on Peace and Security in 2017 (File).
UN Photo/Manuel Elías

UN, African Union sign new partnership framework to better respond to evolving challenges

19 April 2017
Africa

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres and the Chairperson of the African Union, Moussa Faki Mahamat, today signed a new landmark framework to strengthen partnership between the two organizations on peace and security pillars and better respond to the changing dimensions and evolving challenges of peace operations.

Women displaced by fighting in Juba, South Sudan, queue to fill containers with water after UNICEF delivered 100,000 litres of safe water to the site, where many residents had resorted drinking from a nearby stream. UNICEF/UN025202/Irwin

Peacekeepers in South Sudan working to strengthen protection of civilians – UN chief

19 April 2017
Africa

The United Nations peacekeeping mission in South Sudan has done “significant work” to more effectively protect civilians and respond in case of a crisis, Secretary-General António Guterres has said in a letter to the President of the UN Security Council.

Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations Hervé Ladsous speaks to journalists in Bamako, Mali, during his visit.
UN Photo/Sylvain Liechti

INTERVIEW: Fast-response ‘vanguard brigade’ of peacekeepers now a reality

4 April 2017
Global

A “vanguard brigade” of UN Peacekeepers which can be deployed within 60 days to new trouble-spots, would have been “impossible” to envisage just two years ago.