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UN envoy says solution ‘closest’ to end political crisis in Sudan

Many areas of consensus have emerged in the consultations on five contentious issues among them the dismantling of the old regime and security sector reform, Perthes said…reports Asian Lite News

The top UN envoy for Sudan has said that a solution to end political crisis in Sudan now is “closest” despite enormous challenges ahead.

“Today, we are the closest we have been to a solution, although challenges remain,” Volker Perthes, special representative of the UN secretary-general to Sudan, told a Security Council briefing.

On December 5, 2022, Sudan’s military and civilian leaders signed a political framework agreement to end the political impasse and institute a two-year transitional civilian authority.

The agreement was “a watershed moment” and ushered into a new phase of the political process which aims to lead to a new transitional period, Perthes said.

He outlined the progress achieved since then, including the start of broad consultations in the form of workshops on Jan. 9 by the signatories to the framework agreement, with the facilitation of the Trilateral Mechanism that consists of the African Union, the Intergovernmental Authority on Development and the United Nations.

Many areas of consensus have emerged in the consultations on five contentious issues among them the dismantling of the old regime and security sector reform, Perthes said.

“Today, Sudanese stakeholders are closer than they have ever been to a settlement and the return to a civilian government,” he said.

Admitting the process is “certainly not perfect” and occasionally criticized for “being too slow,” Perthes stressed that it has managed to get a broad and sufficiently inclusive group of stakeholders to near agreement, particularly military authorities and civilian opposition parties.

Meanwhile, he warned that the scale of challenges facing the Sudanese people and any new government are enormous.

A record 15.8 million people in the country, about a third of the population, are requiring humanitarian assistance this year, Perthes said, adding that high food prices and rising hunger remain a serious concern.

As the Sudanese navigate the last hurdle of the political process, collective efforts from the international community are needed now more than ever, he said.

The envoy called for supporting the next Sudanese government with the required capacity to tackle major issues such as addressing root causes of conflict, significantly improving people’s lives and preparing free and fair elections.

ALSO READ-India supports peace process, capacity building in South Sudan

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Black Sea grain deal to get 120-day extension

Ukraine dispatches biggest convoy of grain ships.(photo:facebook/MinInfra.UA)

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said on Tuesday the addition of 60 days was a “goodwill gesture” on Russia’s part when asked by reporters why the deal had not been extended by 120 days…reports Asian Lite News

The United Nations has said the Black Sea grain agreement would be extended for 120 days after Russia agreed to a 60-day extension of the deal after negotiations in Geneva.

The Black Sea Grain Initiative is an agreement between Ukraine and Russia, brokered by the UN and Turkey, that was established in July 2022 to guarantee safe passage for ships carrying grain and oilseeds — some of Ukraine’s most important exports. “The agreement is public, it’s an open document. It foresees a rollover of 120 days,” UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said.

As the Black Sea grain agreement expires this weekend, Russia agreed to the 60-day extension.

Russian state-run news agency RIA, citing Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko, reported on Monday that Russia and the UN had agreed to a 60-day extension of the grain deal after the negotiations in Geneva.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said on Tuesday the addition of 60 days was a “goodwill gesture” on Russia’s part when asked by reporters why the deal had not been extended by 120 days.

Earlier, on November 2, Russia resumed its participation in the Black Sea grain deal, after securing guarantees from Ukraine on the non-use of the humanitarian corridor and ports designated for the export of agricultural products for military operations.

“With the help of an international organisation and Turkey, the necessary written guarantees from Ukraine on the non-use of the humanitarian corridor and Ukrainian ports designated for the export of agricultural products for military operations against the Russian Federation were obtained and submitted to the Joint Coordination Centre (JCC) on November 1,” the Russian defence ministry said in a statement.

“The Russian Federation believes that the guarantees received at this time are adequate and resumes implementation of the agreement – the Initiative for the Safe Transportation of Grain and Food from Ukrainian Ports (the Black Sea Initiative) – which had been halted following the terrorist attack in Sevastopol,” the statement added.

The UN-brokered Black Sea Grain Initiative was signed during a ceremony in Istanbul in July. Under the deal, ships transporting grain from three Ukrainian ports travel along an agreed corridor to markets worldwide. (ANI)

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-Top News Europe

Germany ramps up funding for UN entity for gender equality

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz(https://twitter.com/MunSecConf)

In Germany, nearly three out of four women do not think they have equal opportunities with men, according to a survey published by YouGov on Wednesday. Particularly large differences were perceived at the workplace…reports Asian Lite News

Germany has pledged 26 million euros ($27.6 million) to UN Women in 2023, the country’s Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) said.

The funding for the United Nations’ entity for gender equality and the empowerment of women has almost doubled since two years ago, BMZ said.

When women have equal rights, there is less poverty and hunger and more stability in the world, said Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development Svenja Schulze. “It is therefore worthwhile to strengthen the rights, resources, and representation of women and girls.”

Germany’s announcement came on International Women’s Day, celebrated annually to highlight the women’s rights movement and bring attention to issues such as gender equality, and violence and abuse against women.

“The world is facing numerous crises,” said UN Women’s Executive Director Sima Sami Bahous on Wednesday. Catastrophes such as the earthquake in Turkey and Syria, the Covid-19 pandemic, and the energy crisis “affect everyone, but women and girls are the hardest hit”, she stressed.

In Germany, nearly three out of four women do not think they have equal opportunities with men, according to a survey published by YouGov on Wednesday. Particularly large differences were perceived at the workplace.

Although the gender pay gap in Europe’s largest economy has been declining in recent decades, the average hourly wages of women were 4.31 euros, or 18 per cent, lower than those of men in 2022, according to the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis).

“The pay gap is closing far too slowly,” Minister of Labour and Social Affairs Hubertus Heil said on Tuesday. “Equal work deserves equal pay.”

ALSO READ-Germany to face severe economic losses due to climate change

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‘Women deeply under-represented in govt leadership roles’

However, women are still deeply under-represented in government leadership roles, and remain a minority as heads of state and government, according to the report…reports Asian Lite News

More women than ever hold political decision-making posts worldwide but gender parity is still far off, according to a report jointly released by the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) and the UN Women.

The report, presenting the latest rankings and regional distribution of women in executive positions and national parliaments as of January 1 of this year, showed the number of women in political leadership roles has increased overall, Xinhua news agency reported.

However, women are still deeply under-represented in government leadership roles, and remain a minority as heads of state and government, according to the report.

At the very start of this year, 11.3 per cent of countries have women heads of state (monarchy-based systems excluded), and 9.8 per cent have women heads of government. These represent an increase from a decade ago, when figures stood at 5.3 per cent and 7.3 per cent respectively.

According to the report, only 13 countries, mostly in Europe, have gender-equal cabinets, with 50 per cent or more women cabinet members serving as ministers. Nine countries have no woman cabinet member heading any ministry.

The report also showed that men continue to dominate policy areas such as economy, defense, justice and home affairs portfolios. Women only comprise 12 per cent of cabinet ministers leading defence and local government portfolios, 11 per cent in energy, natural resource fuels and mining portfolios, and 8 per cent in transport portfolios.

“We’re witnessing ongoing progress in the number of women in politics this year, which is encouraging. However, we still have a long way to go to reach gender equality when we see the current rates of growth,” said IPU Secretary General Martin Chungong.

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-Top News Africa News

UN says 8.3 mn people require humanitarian aid in Somalia

Food insecurity in Somalia to worsen by May 2022: UN.(photo: twitter.com/OCHASom)

OCHA said the current drought is the longest and most severe in recent history and has surpassed the 2010/2011 and 2016/2017 droughts in terms of duration and severity…reports Asian Lite News

More than 8.3 million people require humanitarian assistance in Somalia where significant segments of the population are on the brink of famine, the United Nations relief agency said on Wednesday.

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said that in the absence of adequate funding and enhanced capacity, famine is projected between April and June in the three population groups including Baidoa and Burhakaba rural districts as well as internally displaced people (IDPs) in Baidoa and Mogadishu.

“Somalis are hungrier, sicker, and more vulnerable than a year ago, pushing an ever greater number of people into reliance on humanitarian assistance for survival,” OCHA said in its latest update on the humanitarian situation in Somalia.

It said even if no famine emerges, the humanitarian situation is extremely alarming since more than 6.3 million Somalis are expected to face high levels of food insecurity between January and March, including 322,000 in catastrophic levels of food insecurity.

“The cumulative levels of excess mortality could be as high as in 2011 when almost 260,000 people lost their lives, at least half of them children. In 2022 alone, 1,049 children died in nutrition centers and many more without even accessing the centers,” OCHA said.

The crisis is caused by the historic failure of four consecutive rainy seasons, persistent conflict, displacement, and high food prices that have left millions of people at risk and are pushing people in Somalia to the brink of famine.

OCHA said the current drought is the longest and most severe in recent history and has surpassed the 2010/2011 and 2016/2017 droughts in terms of duration and severity.

It also said the recent escalation of the military offensive against al-Shabab, in addition to ongoing political and inter-clan tensions, has resulted in significant humanitarian impacts including increased displacement and reprisal attacks.

“Overall, it is expected that up to 450,000 additional civilians will be displaced due to conflict in 2023,” it warned, noting that protection concerns include widespread forced family separation, indiscriminate attacks against civilians, freedom of movement restrictions, forced recruitment, abductions and destruction of civilian infrastructure.

OCHA believed the ongoing military operations offer both an opportunity for expanded access into areas previously under al-Shabab control as well as the increased likelihood of widespread insecurity and acute deterioration of humanitarian access.

“This uncertainty will require partners to exercise flexibility in programming to adapt to shifting insecurity, to assess and provide assistance in newly recovered areas as well as to engage in coordinated advocacy for the protection of civilians,” OCHA said.

ALSO READ-Somalia hails UAE relief to those affected by drought

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-Top News UK News

UN experts say UK racism is “institutional, systemic”

Ugandan expert Catherine Namakula, who chairs the UN working group, called for accessible, independent and effective complaint mechanisms to address racism…reports Asian Lite News

Racism is “structural, institutional, and systemic” in Britain, a group of United Nations experts concluded on Friday, warning that people of African descent were witnessing the “erosion of their fundamental rights.”

Public spending cuts have exacerbated racial discrimination and intolerance, the UN Working Group of Experts on People of African Descent said following an official visit to Britain.

“We have serious concerns about impunity and the failure to address racial disparities in the criminal justice system, deaths in police custody, ‘joint enterprise’ convictions, and the dehumanising nature of the stop and (strip) search” police tactic, they said.

The five-member group is mandated by the UN Human Rights Council to report to the UN’s top rights body. The experts are unpaid and do not speak for the UN.

The group said it had documented the “trauma” felt by people of African descent who were suffering racial discrimination and injustice in Britain.

“A decade of austerity measures in the UK had exacerbated racism, racial discrimination and other intolerance people of African descent encounter, which had an adverse impact on their fundamental rights,” they found.

They said people of African descent felt public institutions and the private sector both perpetuated racial hierarchies.

“Racialised acts targeting people of African descent have remained steadfast, and the experience is similar across different parts of the UK,” the experts said, after visiting London, Birmingham, Manchester and Bristol.

“They are victimised and have no assurance of effective redress from authorities or the justice system.”

In October, a report by a top UK lawyer and the University of Manchester said it found evidence of “institutional racism” in the justice system in England and Wales, particularly in the treatment of black and Asian defendants.

The UN experts welcomed “emerging efforts towards reparation for the legacies of the trade and trafficking in enslaved Africans.”

They encouraged the British government to do more to ensure the “rehabilitation, restoration and reconciliation of the state with its people.”

In what became known as the Windrush scandal, it was revealed in 2017 that thousands of Britons of Caribbean origin, who arrived legally between 1948 and the early 1970s without needing documentation, had been wrongly caught up in new hardline policies targeting illegal immigrants.

Some were detained or deported.

On Thursday, British media reported that interior minister Suella Braverman had scrapped some reforms the government had promised to introduce in order to address the Windrush scandal.

Ugandan expert Catherine Namakula, who chairs the UN working group, called for accessible, independent and effective complaint mechanisms to address racism.

“Ensuring police accountability, fair trial guarantees for all persons, and redress to all persons affected by the Windrush scandal are imperative,” she said.

“Austerity to the peril of fundamental rights is a costly undertaking for the UK,” she added. The group will present its findings and recommendations to the Human Rights Council in September

ALSO READ-EU raises the alarm on soaring asylum requests from ‘safe’ countries

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UN envoy calls for int’l support for Libya

Libyan army's 444th brigade of the Government of National Unity garthers in Tripoli, on May 17, 2022. (Xinhua/Hamza Turkia/IANS)

Libya failed to hold general elections in December 2021 as previously scheduled due to disagreements over election laws among the Libyan parties…reports Asian Lite News

The Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Libya Abdoulaye Bathily called for international support to help country overcome its crisis.

Bathily made the remarks after attending a consultative meeting of the Arab foreign ministers on Sunday in the Libyan capital Tripoli, during which issues of common concern were discussed, reports Xinhua news agency.

“I call on all international stakeholders, including Libya’s neighbours, to speak with one voice and step up their support to help Libya overcome its long-term crisis,” Bathliy tweeted.

He also urged all Libyan parties to come together and find ways to overcome their differences so that “Libya can once again play a leading role as an African-Arab country … and as an active member of the UN”.

“Over a year ago, 2.8 million Libyans registered to vote. This shows the will and determination of the Libyan people to choose their representatives, restore legitimacy to their institutions and chart their way forward to stability through a democratic political process,” he said.

Libya failed to hold general elections in December 2021 as previously scheduled due to disagreements over election laws among the Libyan parties.

The UN envoy said he considered the consultative meeting of Arab foreign ministers as “the expression of solidarity and support for the Libyan people in establishing a peaceful and prosperous future”.

Following the meeting, Libyan Foreign Minister Najla al-Mangoush told a press conference that “the meeting is not particularly about Libya, but an affirmation of a previous agreement of the Arab Foreign Ministers to intensify consultations among the members of the Arab League, in order to unify the Arab position on all issues of common concern”.

The participants of the meeting expressed their support for stability in the country, the unity of the Arab position, as well as the efforts of the UN Support Mission in Libya to achieve stability and support the Libyan elections, Al-Mangoush added.

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-Top News China

UN panel calls on China to probe Xinjiang rights violations

It asked Beijing to ensure that victims of human rights violations, including Uyghurs and other ethnic Muslim communities, are provided with adequate and effective remedies and reparation…reports Asian Lite News

A UN committee has called on China to immediately probe all allegations of human rights violations in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR), including those of torture, ill-treatment, sexual violence, forced labour, enforced disappearances and deaths in custody.

Acting under its early warning and urgent action procedure, the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) also called on China to immediately release all individuals arbitrarily deprived of their liberty in the XUAR, whether in so-called Vocational Education and Training Centres (VETCs) or other detention facilities. In a statement, UN Human Rights Office said the Committee urged the State party to immediately cease all intimidation and reprisals against Uyghur and other ethnic Muslim communities, the diaspora and those who speak out in their defence, both domestically and abroad.

It asked Beijing to ensure that victims of human rights violations, including Uyghurs and other ethnic Muslim communities, are provided with adequate and effective remedies and reparation.

According to OHCHR, the committee also recommended that China undertake a full review of its legal framework governing national security, counter-terrorism and minority rights in the XUAR to ensure its full compliance with its obligations as a party to the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination.

Furthermore, it urged the State party to effectively implement its 2018 recommendations, as well as the 2015 Concluding Observations of the Committee against Torture, and the UN Human Rights Office’s assessment of human rights concerns in XUAR of August 2022.

“CERD’s early warning and urgent action procedure primarily aim to consider situations which might lead to conflicts in order to take appropriate preventive actions to avoid full-scale violations of human rights under the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (ICERD),” Human Rights Office said.

A total of 182 States are party to ICERD. They are required to undergo regular reviews by the Committee of 18 independent international experts on how they are implementing the Convention.

In 2018, the Committee reviewed the periodic reports submitted by China and issued Concluding Observations in which it expressed a number of concerns, including about human rights violations of Uyghur and other Muslim minorities in the XUAR. (ANI)

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Asia News

Iranian FM, UN chief discuss regional, int’l issues

He hailed Iran for laying emphasis on diplomacy and said a revival of the JCPOA would guarantee the interests of all sides…reports Asian Lite News

Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian and UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres held a phone conversation, discussing regional and international issues, Iran’s Foreign Ministry said on its website.

Making the remarks concerning the technical talks between the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) and the IAEA, Amir-Abdollahian on Friday described cooperation between the two sides as “appropriate”.

The Iranian Foreign Minister also introduced the recent indirect exchange of messages between Iran and the US about the revival of the 2015 nuclear deal, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

Amir-Abdollahian stressed the continuation of efforts for the maintenance of a ceasefire in Yemen, Xinhua news agency reported.

“Iran will continue to play a role to help bring about an extension of the ceasefire and cooperation with UN,” said the Iranian Foreign Minister, adding that “any decision related to the continuity of the ceasefire and a complete removal of the siege of Yemen will be taken by Yemen’s leaders and people”.

Amir-Abollahian criticised some Western governments’ attempts to raise anti-Iran issues at the upcoming meeting of the UN Human Rights Council and warned against what he called “negative repercussions of a political move” at the Human Rights Council on relations between Iran and the West.

For his part, Guterres referred to his recent meeting with envoys of Iran and other Gulf littoral countries, expressing hope for the formation of a new format for regional cooperation which would promote peace and stability in the region, according to the website.

He hailed Iran for laying emphasis on diplomacy and said a revival of the JCPOA would guarantee the interests of all sides.

The UN Chief also described the continuation of cooperation between Iran and the IAEA as a positive step.

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India News

India backs UN’s agenda on achieving early warnings

He also informed that India has been working on strengthening end-to-end early warning systems for all hydro-meteorological hazards…reports Asian Lite News

Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav on Monday said that India fully supports UN Secretary General’s agenda to achieve Early Warnings for All, which would help in cutting down vulnerabilities and ensure swift response towards natural hazards.

Yadav made the assurance in his address at the UN Secretary General High Level Round Table to launch the Early Warnings for All Executive Action Plan, at the World Leaders’ Summit, COP27, in Egypt’s Sharm El-Sheikh.

“We fully support the Secretary General’s agenda to achieve Early Warnings for All. The global pace of climate mitigation is not enough to contain the rate of climate change. There is an urgent need for the world to acknowledge the cascading natural hazards that cause substantial losses around the world,” he said.

He however added that “these issues focus our minds for a moment and then soon lose attention as the countries most able to do something about it are the least affected. They are also the biggest contributors to climate change. The most vulnerable regions are located between the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn. Much of the developing world, including India, lies between these tropics. Public expenditures and loss of revenues following the onset of external disasters have already begun to rise in this region with the least coping capacity”.

Yadav noted that with climate finance still scarce, climate adaptation in the form of early warning dissemination is key in safeguarding lives, and livelihoods. Early Warnings For All play a part in not just containing the immediate physical impacts, but also mitigating the far-reaching long-term socio-economics implications that follow.

He also informed that India has been working on strengthening end-to-end early warning systems for all hydro-meteorological hazards.

“This has led to concrete results. We have reduced mortality from cyclones by up to 90 per cent over the last 15 years. On both east and west coasts, we have nearly 100 per cent coverage of early warning systems for cyclones. Similarly for other hazards – such as Heat waves – we are making swift progress, leading to much greater resilience of our communities,” he said.

India’s Web-DCRA (Dynamic Composite Risk Atlas) enables swift and advanced action on early warnings, he said.

The Environment Minister also informed that India spearheaded the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI) which is working towards developing applications of climate forecast and early warning for reducing infrastructure losses and disruption in basic services.

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