Tag: United Nations

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France, Germany and the United Kingdom urged Iran to “take the necessary steps to address the international community’s serious concerns over its nuclear program, reiterating that the triggered mechanism to reimpose international sanctions on Tehran “does not mark the end of diplomacy.”

UK Ambassador Barbara Woodward spoke to reporters today (29 Aug) in New York, together with Ambassadors from France and Germany.

On Thursday (28 Aug), the three countries notified the Security Council that they “believe Iran to be in significant nonperformance of its commitments under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action,” Ambassador Woodward said.

She explained, “Since 2019, Iran has increasingly and deliberately ceased performing almost all of its JCPOA commitments. This includes the accumulation of high enriched uranium stockpile, which lacks any credible civilian justification. In fact, according to the IAEA, Iran the only country without nuclear weapons producing high enriched uranium. Iran has stopped providing IAEA access agreed under the JCPOA.”

“Moreover, it has recently significantly reduced the access to nuclear material and sites. It is obliged to provide under the NPT,” the UK Ambassador added.

She noted that her country, France and Germany are “making every effort to resolve this diplomatically,” by offering Iran an extension to snapback, “should Iran take specific steps to address our most immediate concerns.”

“Our asks were fair and realistic,” Ambassador Woodward explained, “Iran’s resumption of negotiations on a comprehensive agreement, Iran’s compliance with its IAEA obligations, and steps to address our concerns regarding the high enriched uranium stockpile.”

However, she said, as of today, “Iran has shown no indication that it is serious about meeting them. It is not implementing its obligations to cooperate with the International Atomic Energy Agency. It has not reengaged in negotiations with the United States with a view to reaching an acceptable diplomatic resolution.”

“Our notification to the Security Council has now triggered a 30 day period. It does not mark the end of diplomacy,” the UK Ambassador highlighted, adding that the extension offer “remains on the table.”

“We urge Iran to reconsider this position to reach an agreement based on our offer, and to help create the space for a diplomatic solution to this issue for the long term. Otherwise targeted UN sanctions focused on tackling Iranian nuclear proliferation return at the end of this 30 day period,” Ambassador Woodward said.

She reiterated, “We remain determined that Iran must never acquire a nuclear weapon. While we have been left with no choice but to take this course of action, we remain committed to diplomacy and to the peaceful resolution of threats to global peace and security.”

Highlights:
Sudan
Commissioner of the International Commission against Impunity/Guatemala 
Ninth Austrian World Summit
Human Rights/Climate Emergency
Deputy Secretary-General/Travels
Gaza
Occupied Palestinian Territory
Syria
Ukraine
South Sudan
Democratic Republic of the Congo
Photo Exhibition
World Bicycle Day
Financial Contribution
Briefings – Today

SUDAN
You will have seen the horrific developments in Sudan in which five members of a UN humanitarian convoy were killed last night and several more were injured during an attack near Al Koma in North Darfur.
I can tell you that we condemn in the strongest terms this horrendous act of violence against humanitarian personnel who literally put their lives at risk attempting to reach vulnerable children and families in the famine-impacted areas.
This joint WFP-UNICEF 15-truck convoy had travelled over 1,800 km (just about 1,118 miles) from Port Sudan, and they were carrying food and nutrition supplies. The Agencies were negotiating access to complete the journey to El Fasher when it was attacked. The route was shared in advance, and parties on the ground were notified and aware of the location of the trucks.
Multiple trucks were burned in the attack, and critical humanitarian supplies were damaged. It is devastating the supplies have not reached the civilians in need. This is the first UN humanitarian convoy that was going to make it to El Fasher in over a year.
All attacks on humanitarian personnel, their facilities and vehicles must stop. They are a violation under international humanitarian law. And we call for an urgent investigation and for the perpetrators to be held to account.
We call for safe, secure operating conditions and for international humanitarian law to be respected by all parties, not just in Sudan, but in all conflict-impacted countries. Under international humanitarian law, aid convoys must be protected, and parties have the obligation to allow and facilitate rapid and unimpeded passage of humanitarian relief for civilians in need.
And for those who were killed in line of duty in Sudan, we extend our condolences to their families and loved ones, and we wish a speedy recovery for the wounded. Shirin

COMMISSIONER OF THE INTERNATIONAL COMMISSION AGAINST IMPUNITY/GUATEMALA 
The Secretary-General is concerned about the announcement by the Public Prosecutor’s Office of Guatemala regarding the issuance of arrest warrants against former Commissioner of the International Commission Against Impunity in Guatemala (CICIG), Iván Velásquez, former CICIG Head of Investigations Luz Adriana Camargo — now Colombia’s Attorney General — along with 24 other former CICIG national staff and independent justice officials who collaborated with CICIG.
The Secretary-General reiterates that the Commission’s international personnel, under the terms of the agreement between the UN and the Government of Guatemala regarding the establishment of the Commission, enjoys immunity from legal process with respect to acts done in the performance of their mission which continues even after the completion of their employment with CICIG. He recalls that under this agreement, the Government of Guatemala agreed to protect the personnel of CICIG – whether international or national – from abuse, threats, reprisals or acts of intimidation in virtue of their work for CICIG. 
The Secretary-General reiterates his concern at the numerous reports that criminal prosecution is being carried out against those who sought to shed light on cases of corruption and worked to strengthen rule of law and the justice system in Guatemala.

“It’s tragic and it’s unimaginable, but at the same time, people live their lives and they do the best they can, and they remain generous and warm, despite the circumstances that they live in. You go to these places and you see the worst and you see the best, and it’s all in one package, and it is just something that really, really touches you. It’s not like a regular job.”

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Highlights:
Security Council/Middle East
Occupied Palestinian Territory
Lebanon/Israel
Sudan
Security Council
World Lake Day
Guest Tomorrow

SECURITY COUNCIL/MIDDLE EAST
This morning, the Security Council held its monthly meeting on the situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian Question. Briefing the Council members via videoconference were Ramiz Alakbarov, our Deputy Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, and Joyce Msuya, the Deputy Emergency Relief Coordinator.
They both expressed their ongoing deep concern about the situation on the ground in the Occupied Palestinian Territory.
Mr. Alakbarov described the situation in Gaza as one that is sinking deeper into disaster, with mass displacement, high human casualties and now famine. Hostages held by Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups continue to languish in appalling conditions, Mr. Alakbarov reminded Council members.
He urged all sides to put an end to this brutal war immediately.
Ms. Msuya, for her part, called for safe, rapid and unimpeded humanitarian access through all entry points into Gaza and to all people in need across the Gaza Strip.
She said that in order to meet the needs of 2.1 million hungry and starving people, we need to bring in, and deliver, greater volumes of life-saving assistance. We need the restrictions on essential items to be lifted. And we need to halt the delays and the denials that impede and hamper our work on the ground every single day.

OCCUPIED PALESTINIAN TERRITORY
The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) today said that ongoing strikes have intensified especially in and around Gaza city, killing and injuring people, causing destruction, and forcing displacement.
While some medicines and medical supplies have reached Gaza, medical equipment and spare parts, which are items subject to Israeli restrictions, are urgently needed. As mentioned yesterday, hospitals are reporting shortages of blood, placing more lives at risk as hospitals continue to receive mass casualties.
Colleagues working on water, sanitation, and hygiene warn that access to water remains extremely limited.
With the majority of infrastructure destroyed over the course of the war, the entry of spare parts, generators and equipment must be facilitated so it is to rehabilitate critical water facilities. Partners have also noted that ongoing operations in northern Gaza and the recent displacement orders mean that people could be forced away from areas where facilities indispensable for their survival are actually accessible. The facilities themselves could also be damaged or destroyed.
Meanwhile, multiple organizations’ attempts to bring shelter items into the Gaza Strip are being rejected by the Israeli authorities. As we repeatedly said here, many tents and tarpaulins that are being used by civilians who are being forced to move and been displaced multiple times, those items have worn out and must urgently be replaced. In addition, high tides overnight have submerged tents on the beach, which impacted about 200 families, according to what our colleagues are telling us.
Tents and other shelter equipment must be allowed into all parts of Gaza, including directly to northern Gaza and into Gaza city, where they are desperately needed.
And just to mention an occasion that is supposed to be a happy one in the lives of children and their families: the new school year, is approaching. Gazan children for the third consecutive year will miss this occasion. Education is a fundamental right, and no child should be denied this right. Access to education must be protected, it must be restored, as the current crisis threatens the future of an entire generation of children in Gaza.
UN mine action partners also tell said that the expansion of military operations in Gaza will put more people at risk of harm due to explosive ordnance. Explosive ordnance risk education is an important part of ensuring people’s safety, and partners continue to offer these sessions to communities and carry out explosive hazard assessments to reduce the risks to all aid workers.
Finally, the UN reiterates once again that a permanent ceasefire and an immediate and unconditional release of all hostages being held in Gaza and those arbitrarily detained remains paramount.

Highlights:
Artificial Intelligence
Deputy Secretary-General Travel
Occupied Palestinian Territory
Sudan
Security Council
Water, Sanitation and Hygiene
Thailand

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
The Secretary-General warmly welcomes the General Assembly’s decision to establish two new mechanisms within the United Nations to promote international cooperation on the governance of artificial intelligence (AI).
The establishment of the United Nations Independent International Scientific Panel on AI and the Global Dialogue on AI Governance marks a significant step forward in global efforts to harness the benefits of artificial intelligence while addressing its risks. This pathbreaking milestone underlines Member States’ commitment to build on the Global Digital Compact adopted as part of the Pact for the Future in September 2024.
The Global Dialogue on AI Governance will provide an inclusive platform within the United Nations for states and stakeholders to discuss the critical issues concerning AI facing humanity today.
The Scientific Panel on AI will serve as a crucial bridge between cutting-edge AI research and policymaking. By providing rigorous, independent scientific assessments, it will help the international community to anticipate emerging challenges and make informed decisions about how we govern this transformative technology.
The Secretary-General will shortly be launching an open call for nominations for the Scientific Panel, which will present its annual reports at the Global Dialogue on AI Governance to take place in July 2026 in Geneva and 2027 in New York.
The Secretary-General calls on all stakeholders to support this historic initiative and contribute to building a future where artificial intelligence serves the common good of all humanity.

OCCUPIED PALESTINIAN TERRITORY
Turning to the situation in the Gaza Strip, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs cites a report today from the Ministry of Health that another three people have died from malnutrition and starvation in the past 24 hours, bringing the total number of such reported deaths to 303, including 117 children.
At the same time, the Israeli military has issued a new displacement order covering approximately one square kilometre in Gaza City’s Ad Daraj and Ash Sheikh Radwan neighbourhoods.
People continue to flee in fear for their lives, seeking safety wherever possible. Between 14 August – when the offensive on Gaza City was announced – and yesterday, partners tracking population movements in Gaza recorded more than 36,200 displacements, including over 11,600 from the north to the south of the Strip.
The majority of displaced people came from neighbourhoods in Gaza City, with more than two thirds moving to Deir al Balah and nearly a third heading to Khan Younis.
Turning to the health situation, yesterday, hospitals in Gaza warned of severe shortages of blood units, with daily needs exceeding 350 units. With many patients critically injured by hostilities, more blood is needed to save lives, yet community donations have plummeted due to famine and malnutrition. The Ministry of Health has issued an urgent appeal to replenish blood stocks in hospitals.
Meanwhile, obstructions imposed by the Israeli authorities on the flow of aid into and within the Gaza Strip continue to constrain delivery of life-saving assistance by the UN and its partners. Yesterday, six out of 12 planned missions that required coordination with the Israeli authorities were facilitated; most of them were to move supplies into and within southern Gaza and collect fuel from the Kerem Shalom crossing.
Another three missions to collect cargo from Kerem Shalom and Zikim were impeded and therefore only partially accomplished, while two other missions had to be cancelled by the organizers. One mission to carry out road repairs in Khan Younis was denied by the Israeli authorities.
OCHA stresses that with famine now confirmed in Gaza governorate, the humanitarian consequences of ongoing hostilities, displacement, and aid obstruction are even more devastating. We urgently call for an immediate ceasefire and full, unhindered humanitarian access across the entire Strip to bring an end to the suffering of civilians.