“I started feeling very idealistic about the UN, and I’ve never lost that feeling,” Mr. Stewart told UN News in an exclusive interview. In early August, he steps down as the Special Representative of the Secretary-General and head of the UN Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP). His departure comes at a moment of cautious optimism […]
Briefing the Security Council for the last time as head of the UN Verification Mission, Special Representative Carlos Ruiz Massieu said the peace agreement provided a roadmap for addressing the root causes of conflict. “The Final Peace Agreement of 2016 set out the path to be followed: a holistic and comprehensive roadmap for addressing deep-rooted […]
Roza Otunbayeva, the Secretary-General’s Special Representative and head of the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), said the ongoing missile attacks between Iran and Israel are already having a tangible impact. “This conflict is already having an effect in Afghanistan, disrupting trade and increasing the prices of basic goods and fuel, and prompting the return […]
Speaking via videoconference, UN Special Envoy for Yemen Hans Grundberg said the country remains trapped in a prolonged political, humanitarian and development crisis. “Yemen is so much more than the containment of a threat,” he said. “The cost of inaction is high.” Mr. Grundberg stressed the urgent need for progress towards a sustainable political solution, calling […]
The Ocean is in deep crisis. Factors such as acidification, declining fish stocks, rising temperatures and widespread pollution are contributing to a catastrophic decline in biodiversity: over half of marine species are at risk of extinction this century.
Sigrid Kaag, interim UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, said that the man-made crisis unfolding in Gaza has plunged civilians into “an abyss.” “Since the collapse of the ceasefire in March, civilians have constantly come under fire, confined to ever-shrinking spaces, and deprived of lifesaving relief,” she said. “Israel must halt its […]
He described the latest clashes as “unacceptable” and warned of the risk of further escalation in what he called an “extremely fragile situation”. Fighting erupted earlier this week in Ashrafiah Sahnaya, a town southwest of the capital, when unknown gunmen attacked a security checkpoint. The following day, another deadly clash took place in the nearby […]