Peace and Security

UN Mission in Colombia

Reintegrating former rebels into civilian life a ‘serious concern’ in Colombia: UN Mission chief

10 October 2018
Americas

The reintegration of former members of the Colombian FARC-EP rebel movement, which signed an historic peace deal with the country’s government in 2016, remains a subject of serious concern, said the head of the UN Verification Mission set up to monitor the deal, on Wednesday.

UNMISS/Isaac Billy

FROM THE FIELD: One South Sudanese woman’s harrowing escape to UN camp

10 October 2018
Africa

A South Sudanese woman has been telling a high-level delegation of officials from the African Union and United Nations how she walked for five days and nights to find sanctuary in a UN protection site,  from violent clashes.

UNAMA/Fraidoon Poya

Afghanistan: Civilians continue to die in record numbers, new UN report shows

10 October 2018
Asia Pacific

The conflict in Afghanistan continues to exact a terrible toll on civilians, with the highest number of fatalities recorded for the first nine months of this year, since 2014, a United Nations report has revealed.

MINUSMA/Marco Dormino

With boundaries blurring between crime and terror, international cooperation’s vital, UN highlights

8 October 2018
Global

The constantly-evolving ‘nexus’ between crime and terrorism, ranging from simple deals to complex symbiotic relationships, demands greater understanding to break the illicit flow of black-market cash across borders, a United Nations meeting heard on Monday.

UN Photo: Isaac Billy

‘Stronger’ effort must be made to cement peace deal for South Sudanese women and girls: UN Women chief

8 October 2018
Africa

Putting the latest peace deal into real effect across South Sudan, must include addressing “in a stronger manner, the challenges facing women and girls”, said the UN’s leading voice for gender-equality, who is part of a joint United Nations-African Union delegation to the country this week.

UNAMA/Fardin Waezi

Afghanistan: Civilian casualties caused by IEDs has reached ‘extreme levels’, UN warns

7 October 2018
Asia Pacific

The United Nations on Sunday called on anti-Government elements in Afghanistan to immediately stop using improvised explosive devices (IEDs) in civilian areas, after the UN mission in the country recorded a sharp rise in civilian casualties caused by the explosives this year.

MONUSCO/Michael Ali

In DR Congo, UN Security Council says December polls are ‘historic opportunity’ for country

6 October 2018
Africa

The United Nations Security Council is on a visit to the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), where on Saturday the body’s 15 members pledged to support the process in the run-up to long-delayed elections, set for late December, and called for the polls to be credible and peaceful.

UN Photo/Mark Garten

UN chief urges peaceful, free and fair elections in Cameroon

4 October 2018
Africa

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has called for a peaceful, credible and inclusive elections in Cameroon, as the country prepares to hold presidential elections this coming Sunday.

© UNICEF/Aaref Watad

Syria: UN Humanitarian Coordinator calls for unimpeded access from within the country

4 October 2018
Middle East

Highlighting the “complexities of the situation in Syria” with close to 13 million people in need of life-saving assistance, the United Nations Humanitarian Coordinator in the country called on warring parties to allow access to all areas from within the country, so aid can reach those in need “fast and efficiently”.

OPCW

Dutch authorities brief world chemical weapons watchdog on alleged Russian cyber attack

4 October 2018

The Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs briefed the Director-General of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) on Thursday, over allegations that a cyber attack was being plotted in April, against the headquarters of the OPCW, orchestrated by Russia.