Author: Kathleen Downie

Highlights:

China
Papua New Guinea
Yemen
Afghanistan
Occupied Palestinian Territory
Sudan
Nigeria
Myanmar
New Resident Coordinators/Sudan and Bosnia and Herzegovina

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CHINA
Over the long weekend, the Secretary-General was in Tianjin, in China, where he was invited to take part in the Shanghai Cooperation leaders’ summit.
Speaking during the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Plus session yesterday, the Secretary-General said that as we are moving towards a multipolar world, we need principled leadership to strengthen multilateralism, uphold the rule of law, and deliver for people – as reflected in the Pact for the Future. He added that the Shanghai Cooperation Organization is uniquely positioned to help shape a more peaceful, inclusive, and sustainable future.
Turning to the situation in Ukraine, the Secretary-General told the leaders of the Summit it is past time for a ceasefire leading to a just, comprehensive and sustainable peace – in line with the UN Charter, international law, and relevant UN resolutions. 
The Secretary-General also reiterated his call for an immediate and permanent ceasefire in Gaza; an immediate and unconditional release of all hostages; and unimpeded, safe and sustained humanitarian access.
While there, the Secretary-General had several bilateral meetings, including with the President of China, the Secretary-General of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, the Prime Minister of Cambodia and the President of Iran.

PAPUA NEW GUINEA
The Secretary-General has now arrived in Papua New Guinea. Earlier today, he met the country’s Governor General, Bob Bofeng Dadae, as well as the Prime Minister, James Marape.
Later in the day, during a press conference with the Prime Minister, the Secretary-General said he was honoured to be the first UN Secretary-General to visit Papua New Guinea and to join in celebrating fifty years of the country’s independence.
For the past five decades, he said, Papua New Guineans have taken on a profound task: to weave their breathtaking diversity into one people, and one country that leaves no one behind.
Papua New Guinea has long led the charge for climate justice, he said.  And as the UN Climate Conference in Brazil approaches, he added, the world must move faster to keep the 1.5 degrees limit alive and also to produce a credible path to achieve the $1.3 trillion dollar objective decided in Baku during the last Climate Conference.
Tomorrow, the Secretary-General will address a special session of the Parliament to mark the 50th anniversary of the country’s independence.

YEMEN
In a statement issued over the weekend on Yemen, the Secretary-General strongly condemned the arbitrary detentions of UN personnel by the Houthi de-facto authorities in Yemen. He further condemned the forced entry into the premises of the World Food Programme (WFP), the seizure of UN property, and attempts to enter other UN premises in Sana’a.
The total number of UN detained staff in this moment, after this latest action now stands at least at 18. This is in addition to the 23 colleagues already arbitrarily detained, some since 2021. You will recall that one of our colleagues died while being held by the Houthis and that took placein February of this year.
The Secretary-General strongly reiterates his demand for the immediate and unconditional release of all those who have been detained, including all other personnel from the UN, international organizations, NGOs, civil society and diplomatic missions.
UN personnel and from UN partners must never be targeted, they must never be arrested, and they must never be detained while carrying out their duties on behalf of the United Nations.
Meanwhile, the UN Special Envoy for Yemen, Hans Grundberg, justconcluded a visit to Muscat, in Oman, where he met with senior Omani officials, as well as Ansar Allah chief negotiator Mohammed Abdelsalam, and representatives of the diplomatic community.
In these meetings, Mr. Grundberg reiterated his strong condemnation of these detentions, stressingthat these detentions, as well as the forced entry into UN premises and taken of UN property by Ansar Allah, seriously endangers our ability to operate in Yemen and deliver much-needed assistance to the people of Yemen.
He also emphasized that these actions put all UN staff and operations at risk and underscored the fundamental obligation to respect and protect the safety of our colleagues.
Mr. Grundberg also expressed his deep concern over the continuous cycle of hostilities between Ansar Allah and Israel and its repercussions inside Yemen and for the wider region.

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On Tuesday, 2 September, the UN Secretary-General arrived in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea.

At the invitation of Prime Minister James Marape, the Secretary-General takes part in events to mark the 50th anniversary of the Papua New Guinea’s independence.

On Wednesday, 3 September, the Secretary-General is scheduled to deliver an address to the Parliament, during which he will highlight how in just 50 years, in a land of over 800 languages and countless traditions, the people of Papua New Guinea have undertaken the task of forging a nation from profound diversity, with a shared commitment to speak with one voice for peace, for dignity, and for progress.

He will also emphasize that this is his first trip to the Pacific since the landmark advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) – in which the region played a central role.

You will recall that the opinion affirms that addressing the climate crisis is a legal obligation under international law.