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UN underlines solidarity with Ukraine 1,000 days into Russian invasion

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Category: World Hot News

Published: Tuesday, 19 November 2024 12:56

Written by Gentry

© UNICEF/Aleksey Filippov The UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) is helping Ukrainians prepare for winter during the war. (file)

The international community must continue to show solidarity with Ukraine, a senior UN aid official said on Tuesday, marking 1,000 days since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of the country. 

The “grim milestone” fell as Ukraine fired long-range American-made missiles into Russia for the first time, according to media reports.

‘Not just numbers’

Conflict erupted in Ukraine over a decade ago following Russia’s occupation of Crimea in the east and escalated on 24 February 2022 with the full-scale assault on the country.

The UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Ukraine, Matthias Schmale, detailed the death and destruction that has occurred since then.

More than 39,000 civilians have been killed or injured, and over 3,400 schools and hospitals have been damaged or destroyed, while 10 million people have fled their homes.

“These are not just numbers; each one of them represents countless stories of individual unimaginable pain for the people of Ukraine,” he said.

Stand with Ukraine

Although the UN “cannot erase the horrors of the war”, Mr. Schmale said it has worked with national and international organizations and the Government to address the acute needs of the most vulnerable, which includes people with limited mobility and older persons.

“As Ukrainians brace for another winter of war, the UN's support and the solidarity of the international community must remain firm,” he said.

“I urge the international community to stand with Ukraine and to continue recognizing and supporting the heroic work of the many first responders, including volunteers.”

Pain, suffering and rights violations

The UN human rights office, OHCHR, provided further information on the war’s toll in a statement marking the “grim milestone”.

OHCHR has verified that at least 12,162 civilians, including 659 children, have been killed since 24 February 2022, while at least 26,919 have been injured.

“As the High Commissioner has said, it has been 1,000 days too many of senseless pain and suffering. Violations of human rights have become the order of the day, both in the conduct of hostilities and in areas under occupation,” Spokesperson Jeremy Laurence told journalists in Geneva.

© UNOCHA/Dmytro Filipskyy Strikes in Kharkiv in September left dozens of families homeless and caused multiple injuries.

Airstrikes continue

He said that over the past two days, at least 30 civilians have reportedly been killed in a series of deadly strikes in residential areas in Sumy City, Odesa and Hlukhiv.

“In the very latest attack on Hlukhiv, which occurred late last night, nine civilians, including a child, were reportedly killed, and 11, including two children, injured,” he said, noting that search and rescue operations are ongoing.

He added that the Head of the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine, Danielle Bell, visited several locations in Zaporizhzhia on Monday that had recently been struck by Russian glide bombs.

The locations included an oncology centre which was hit on 7 November as cancer patients were receiving chemotherapy, and an apartment building where half the structure was destroyed by another glide bomb the same day. Ten people were killed.

Stop the violence

“We call on all parties to ensure the safety and protection of civilians. Effective measures must also be taken to fully and impartially investigate where there are credible allegations of violations,” said Mr. Laurence.

“The violence must stop – for the sake of the people of Ukraine, the people of Russia, and the world.”

Separately, the UN Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine highlighted the immense suffering caused by Russia’s violations of international human rights and humanitarian law.

Widespread, systematic torture

These include the indiscriminate use of explosive weapons with wide area effects, the targeting of civilian objectives, “massive waves of attacks” on energy infrastructure, and the forced transfer and deportation of children.

The Commission drew attention to its report issued last month which concluded that torture committed by Russian authorities against Ukrainian civilians and prisoners of war amounts to a crime against humanity. 

“Such crimes are among the most serious under international law,” members said, adding that torture “has been widespread, systematic, and committed as a coordinated state policy.”

Warmth and dignity in winter

Meanwhile, 1,000 days of war have left more than 14.6 million Ukrainians in urgent need of humanitarian assistance, including 3.5 million displaced within the country, said Amy Pope, Director General of UN migration agency, IOM.

“As winter arrives, the persistent attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure – decimating 65 per cent of the country’s generation capacity – have left communities struggling without adequate electricity, heating, or water,” she said

“This is a matter of survival for millions of people and requires the international community to stand together in solidarity.”

Ms. Pope called on governments, private sector leaders, and people worldwide to sustain their support for those in greatest need.  

 “Together, we can ensure that even in the darkest of winters, there is warmth, dignity, and the promise of a peaceful future,” she said. 

The spokesperson for the UNSG Stéphane Dujarric, announced at a press briefing the statement from the UNSG congratulating Donald Trump on his election as the next president

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Category: World Hot News

Published: Thursday, 07 November 2024 19:11

Written by Gentry

Noon Briefing by Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesperson for the Secretary-General.Highlights:
-United States
-UN Chief Executives Board for Coordination
-Polio/Gaza
-Occupied Palestinian Territory
-UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East
-Lebanon/Humanitarian
-Afghanistan
-Democratic Republic of the Congo
-International Day United States
In a statement issues this morning, the Secretary-General commended the people of the United States of America for their active participation in the democratic process.
The Secretary-General also congratulated President-elect Donald J. Trump and reaffirmed his belief that the cooperation between the United States and the United Nations is an essential pillar of international relations.
The United Nations stands ready to work constructively with the incoming administration to address the dramatic challenges our world is facing, the Secretary-General said.UN Chief Executives Board for Coordination
This evening, the Secretary-General will head out to the Greentree state where tomorrow and Friday, he will chair the biannual session of the UN System Chief Executives Board for Coordination (CEB), which brings together the heads of the UN system organizations.
This meeting of the CEB is scheduled to discuss current affairs as they impacted and are related to the UN system. Also on the programme are sessions on Multilateralism and Priorities for the Next Two Years as well as the Future of Humanitarian Action.Polio/Gaza
The World Health Organization (WHO) confirms that the second round of the polio vaccination campaign in the Gaza Strip was completed on yesterday.
An overall 556,774 children under the age of ten are vaccinated now with a second dose of polio vaccine.
WHO and the other agencies that participated in this, notably UNRWA and UNICEF, say that this is a remarkable achievement given the extremely difficult circumstances the campaign was executed under.
The campaign, we were told, achieved in central Gaza 103 per cent coverage, which means that they reached more children than they expected, and 91 per cent coverage in southern Gaza. However, in northern Gaza, where the campaign was compromised due to lack of access, there was approximately 88 per cent of coverage, according to preliminary.

November 15, 2024 is the first time the United Nations has established the International Day to Prevent and Combat All Forms of Transnational Organized Crime.

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Category: World Hot News

Published: Friday, 15 November 2024 07:37

Written by Gentry

 

United Nations International Day for the Prevention of and Fight Against All Forms of Transnational Organized Crime. Established by a UN General Assembly resolution on March 21, 2024, this day emphasizes the urgent need to address the harmful effects of transnational organized crime on global security and sustainable development.

 

This day raises awareness about the threats posed by organized crime and highlights its importance in achieving the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Today, Global Initiative released a report looking at organized crime in 2040, revealing that criminal networks could operate as shadow governments bolstered by authoritarian regimes and advanced technology.

Importantly, we must remember and honor all victims of organized crime, particularly those like Minerva Pérez, who have lost their lives to protect communities from the lethal impact of criminal economies. Enhancing protections for frontline workers and ensuring accountability for offenders is vital.

One day is not enough: Raising awareness and taking action must be ongoing efforts. While UN member states recognize the vital roles of civil society, NGOs, the private sector, and academia in combating these crimes, we remain committed to this cause at the Global Initiative and depend on

One of the reasons why United Nations Member States decided to commemorate this International Day is the concern expressed in the resolution that we are "deeply concerned about the negative impact of transnational organized crime on security, stability, the rule of law, and sustainable development." What are the harms caused by organized crime? It fuels and sustains conflicts, potentially threatening national security and international peace and stability, causes violence resulting in tens of thousands of deaths and injuries annually, creates unfair advantages and purchasing power through violence and corruption, secures opportunities and impunity, thereby undermining democracy and the rule of law, leads to environmental degradation, harms economies, disrupts development, severely affects youth as both victims and perpetrators, violates human rights and fundamental freedoms, and disrupts the social fabric of affected communities and societies.

The United Nations Member States recognize the importance of preventing and combating transnational organized crime, especially its significance in implementing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

This requires greater attention to what we refer to as "organized corruption." It also means explaining the harms of organized crime, particularly to those vulnerable to its effects, and providing viable alternatives to illegal livelihoods. Prevention further demands social and behavioral changes to shift attitudes and market dynamics.

your engagement to further strengthen our fight against transnational organized crime.

The Global Initiative is an independent civil-society organization, headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, with a globally dispersed Secretariat and a high-level advisory board.

Its network members include prominent law-enforcement, governance and development practitioners who are dedicated to seeking new and innovative strategies and responses to organized crime.

 

The Global Initiative was born from a series of high-level, off the record discussions between mainly (though not exclusively) law-enforcement officials from both developed and developing countries in New York in 2011–12. At these meetings, the founding members of the Global Initiative, many of whom stand at the front line of the fight against organized crime, illicit trafficking and trade, concluded that the problem and its impacts are not well analyzed; they are not systematically integrated into national plans or strategies; existing multilateral tools are not structured to facilitate a response; and existing forms of cooperation tend to be bilateral, slow and restricted to a limited number of like-minded states.

The result was the creation of the Global Initiative against Transnational Organized Crime, which provides a platform to promote greater debate and innovative approaches, which serve as the building blocks to an inclusive global strategy against organized crime.

Azerenerji ramps up operations to ensure IPU and the Parliament of Azerbaijan to host global MPs at COP29

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Category: World Hot News

Published: Thursday, 07 November 2024 07:57

Written by Gentry

Celebrity Media Editor's Note: The 29th United Nations Climate Summit, known as the "Double Eleven" shopping festival (November 11) in China, is being held in Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan. To this end, we are combining and reissuing the two press releases sent to us for reporting.

Flame Towers, Baku, Azerbaijan © Milli Majlis

The IPU, in partnership with the Milli Majlis of Azerbaijan, will convene parliamentarians from around the world for a Parliamentary Meeting on 16 and 17 November 2024 in Baku, Azerbaijan during COP29, the annual UN Climate Change Conference.

The programme will unite parliamentarians and experts to address critical climate issues, with a focus on the role of parliaments in climate finance, adaptation, technology, health, food security and human mobility.

A key emphasis will be to encourage parliamentarians to push their governments to be more ambitious in their national climate commitments, known as Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) to ensure that countries meet their obligations under the Paris Agreement.

With the 2025 deadline for NDC submission fast approaching, the meeting represents a critical window of opportunity for parliaments to shape their countries’ climate futures.

For the second consecutive year, the IPU meeting will be held on the site of the COP conference, at the heart of the process and negotiations.

The IPU has long advocated for the integration of parliaments into UN climate processes, underlining the critical role they can play in tackling climate change through effective legislation, green budgeting and oversight of government promises.

Since the Copenhagen COP in 2009, the IPU has brought together MPs at the annual UN climate meetings to foster global coordination, share good practices and provide an overall parliamentary perspective to the talks.

In addition to its convening power, the IPU helps parliaments make progress on the Paris Agreement as well as other climate treaties, accelerate decarbonization and reduce the carbon footprint of parliaments themselves through its research and tools. The recent launch of the IPU’s climate campaign Parliaments for the Planet underscores its commitment to driving meaningful parliamentary climate action. 

The IPU is the global organization of national parliaments. It was founded more than 130 years ago as the first multilateral political organization in the world, encouraging cooperation and dialogue between all nations. Today, the IPU comprises 181 national Member Parliaments and 15 regional parliamentary bodies. It promotes democracy and helps parliaments develop into stronger, younger, greener, more gender-balanced and more innovative institutions. It also defends the human rights of parliamentarians through a dedicated committee made up of MPs from around the world.

Azerenerji ramps up operations to ensure uninterrupted power supply during COP29

As Baku gears up to host the 29th session of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP29) from November 11-22, Azerenerji OJSC is transitioning to an enhanced operational mode to ensure uninterrupted and stable power supply to the city and the country as a whole.

Report informs citing Azerenerji that the company, as a member of the COP29 Organizing Committee, is fulfilling all its assigned obligations. In collaboration with relevant government agencies, preventive measures have been taken, ranging from ensuring the cybersecurity of energy facilities to preventing potential emergency outages. To achieve this, a comprehensive inspection of 37 nodal substations, 129 power lines, and 6 power plants located in Baku and the surrounding areas has been conducted, and resources have been identified to maintain additional reserve capacity.