Latest news with #UN-brokered
Mint
10-07-2025
- Politics
- Mint
Killer gangs are inches from ruling all of Haiti
The collapse of Haiti's government in April last year was a challenge but also an opportunity. An interim government called the Transitional Presidential Council was installed. A UN-brokered, Kenyan-led security mission arrived soon after. But a year later things are worse than ever. 'We are approaching a point of no return,' María Isabel Salvador, the UN's top official in Haiti, told its Security Council at a meeting on April 21st. Tasked with preparing for elections that in theory will be held in November, the council is now mired in allegations of corruption. The security force of around 1,000 people (less than half the number originally planned) has not been able to stem the chaos. Its funding runs out in September. The council is a 'transitional authority that controls nothing', says Claude Joseph, a former prime minister. 'It's an unsustainable catastrophe. We could lose Port-au-Prince at any time.' Port-au-Prince, the capital, now sees daily gun battles in which police and civilian vigilantes face off against a gang coalition called Viv Ansanm ('Living Together'). It has seized control of much of the city. The international airport has been all but shut down; the only way in or out is by helicopter, or by a barge that skirts the coast to bypass gang territory to the south. On May 2nd the United States designated Viv Ansanm and a sister organisation as terrorist groups, opening the door to tougher criminal penalties for those who provide them with money and weapons. The collapse of public life is accelerating. Most schools are shut. Cholera is spreading. The Marriott, one of the last functioning hotels, has closed its doors. Gangs have surrounded the offices of Digicel, Haiti's main cellular network, through which most people connect to the internet. 'If Digicel goes down, the country goes dark,' warns a security expert. The gangs don't need it. Increasingly sophisticated, they use Elon Musk's Starlink satellite system to communicate, organising themselves to the extent that they have been able to keep control over access to Haiti's ports. They also extort lorry drivers and bus operators moving along many of the country's main roads. The UN reports that in February and March more than 1,000 people were killed and 60,000 displaced, adding to the 1m, nearly 10% of the population, who have fled their homes in the past two years. Circulating videos show gang members playing football with severed heads, bragging: 'We got the dogs.' Central Haiti, once relatively peaceful, is fragmenting into fiefs. Mirebalais, a city which lies between Port-au-Prince and the border with the Dominican Republic, is now controlled by gangs. 'The country has become a criminal enterprise. It's the wild, wild West,' says a foreign official. Patience is running thin at the UN Security Council. The United States has already committed $600m to the security mission, but is unlikely to offer more. 'America cannot continue shouldering such a significant financial burden,' said Dorothy Shea, the US ambassador to the UN. Few other countries want to donate. The Transitional Presidential Council is so desperate that it is exploring deals with private military contractors. It has been talking to Osprey Global Solutions, a firm based in North Carolina, according to multiple sources. A spokesperson for Osprey says it 'has not had any contact or discussions' with the council or any other government body. The founder of Blackwater, Erik Prince, visited Haiti in April to negotiate contracts to provide attack drones and training for an anti-gang task force. The council declined to comment. The Haitian police are overwhelmed; an estimated 12,000 officers police a population that approaches 12m, barely half the UN-recommended ratio. Weak leadership, poor co-ordination with the Kenyan-led force, and calls for the ousting of the police chief point to deep institutional rot. In Canapé-Vert, one of Port-au-Prince's last gang-free pockets, a former policeman known as 'Commander Samuel' leads a vigilante group called Du Sang 9 ('New Blood' in Creole). Gangs have thinned its numbers. It is all that stands between them and the prime minister's office. Clarification (June 3rd 2025): Paragraph eight of this article has been amended to make clear that the council exploring deals is the Transitional Presidential Council. Update (June 5th 2025): Before this story was published The Economist contacted Osprey Global Solutions to seek comment. On June 4th a spokesperson for the firm said: 'Osprey has not had any contact or discussions with the 'Transitional Presidential Council,' the current Haitian government or other governmental or multilateral institution regarding operations in Haiti.' This story has been updated accordingly.
New Indian Express
10-07-2025
- General
- New Indian Express
More than 17 million people in Yemen are going hungry, including over 1 million children, UN says
UNITED NATIONS: More than 17 million people in conflict-torn Yemen are going hungry, including over a million children under the age of 5 who are suffering from 'life-threatening acute malnutrition,' the United Nations humanitarian chief said Wednesday. Tom Fletcher told the UN Security Council that the food security crisis in the Arab world's poorest country, which is beset by civil war, has been accelerating since late 2023. The number of people going hungry could climb to over 18 million by September, he warned, and the number of children with acute malnutrition could surge to 1.2 million early next year, 'leaving many at risk of permanent physical and cognitive damage.' According to experts who produce the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification, a leading international authority that ranks the severity of hunger, more than 17,000 Yemenis are in the three worst categories of food insecurity — crisis stage or worse. Fletcher said the UN hasn't seen the current level of deprivation since before a UN-brokered truce in early 2022. He noted that it is unfolding as global funding for humanitarian aid is plummeting, which means reductions or cuts in food. According to the U.N., as of mid-May, the U.N.'s $2.5 billion humanitarian appeal for Yemen this year had received just $222 million, just 9%. Yemen has been embroiled in civil war since 2014, when Iranian-backed Houthi rebels seized the capital of Sanaa, forcing the internationally recognized government into exile in Saudi Arabia. A Saudi-led coalition intervened months later and has been battling the rebels since 2015 to try and restore the government. The war has devastated Yemen, created one of the world's worst humanitarian disasters, and turned into a stalemated proxy conflict. More than 150,000 people, including fighters and civilians, have been killed.
Scoop
10-07-2025
- Politics
- Scoop
Libya: UN Urges Restraint As Military Buildup Threatens Renewed Violence In Tripoli
9 July 2025 In a statement late on Wednesday (local time), the UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) expressed deep concern over continued reports of armed group mobilisation in densely populated areas, urging all parties to refrain from the use of force and inflammatory rhetoric. ' The Mission strongly urges all parties to avoid any actions or political rhetoric that could trigger escalation or lead to renewed clashes,' it said. UNSMIL stressed that protection of civilian lives and property under international law remains a binding obligation for all political and security actors. ' Those responsible for attacks against civilians will be held accountable,' the Mission said. Pursue dialogue, not violence The Mission reiterated its support for the implementation of security arrangements developed by the Truce and Security and Military Arrangements Committees, emphasising that ' forces recently deployed in Tripoli must withdraw without delay. ' It also underscored that dialogue – not violence – remains the only viable path to achieving sustainable peace and stability in Tripoli and across Libya. The appeal comes amid reports of military movements in the capital and renewed clashes between armed groups, reflecting the persistent volatility that has plagued Libya since the fall of former leader Muammar Gaddafi in 2011. Political stalemate The country remains divided between rival administrations in the east and west, with unity efforts repeatedly stalled. A UN-brokered ceasefire signed in 2020 raised hopes for national elections, but progress has been hampered by political deadlock and sporadic outbreaks of violence – particularly in Tripoli. In May, clashes erupted in several districts of the capital, reportedly triggered by the killing of a prominent militia leader. The fighting, which involved heavy weaponry in densely populated areas, forced hundreds of families to flee and further strained the city's already fragile infrastructure.
Scoop
09-07-2025
- Politics
- Scoop
Yemen Deserves Hope And Dignity, Security Council Hears
9 July 2025 For over a decade, Yemen has endured conflict between Houthi rebels and government forces. Millions of lives and livelihoods remain at risk, and the conflict shows no sign of ending. ' The appetite for a military escalation remains,' Hans Grundberg, UN Special Envoy for Yemen, told ambassadors. While violence remains an immediate threat, he noted that the economy has now become the 'most active frontline' of the conflict: the national currency in free fall and purchasing power rapidly declining, poverty is a daily threat. ' The little money people do have in their pockets is either falling in value or literally falling apart,' he said. Currently, 17 million people face food insecurity – a number that could rise to 18 million by September without swift and expanded humanitarian aid. More than one million children under the age of five are suffering from life-threatening malnutrition, putting them at risk of permanent physical and cognitive harm. 'We haven't seen this level of deprivation since before the UN-brokered truce in early 2022,' said Tom Fletcher, UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs. Regional instability deepens the crisis Broader instability in the Middle East has further worsened Yemen's situation, Mr. Grundberg said, pointing to recent attacks by Ansar Allah (as the Houthi rebels are formally called) on commercial ships in the Red Sea and retaliatory strikes by Israel on key Yemeni infrastructure, including ports and a power station. ' Yemen must not be drawn deeper into the regional crisis that threatens to unravel the already extremely fragile situation in the country. The stakes for Yemen are simply too high,' he said. Nevertheless, he noted that the ceasefire between Iran and Israel did spark hope that momentum for negotiations in Yemen might resume. Still, he stressed that Yemen's peace process must solely depend on regional dynamics. 'Yemen must advance regardless, moving from simply managing shocks and volatility to developing practical steps that lay the groundwork for lasting solutions,' he said. Negotiations must prevail Without meaningful peace negotiations, Yemen's humanitarian crisis will only deepen, Mr. Grundberg warned. ' A military solution remains a dangerous solution that risks deepening Yemen's suffering,' he said. He highlighted recent progress in Taiz governorate, where both parties agreed to jointly manage water supplies – a move that will provide safe drinking water to over 600,000 people. This agreement also promotes sustainable water access, reducing reliance on humanitarian aid. 'While negotiations may not be easy, they offer the best hope for addressing, in a sustainable and long-term manner, the complexity of the conflict,' Mr. Grundberg said. Call for international support Mr. Grundberg called on the Security Council to continue prioritizing Yemen. He also reiterated UN calls for all detained humanitarians, including UN staff, and called on donors to ensure sufficient funding to sustain aid organizations on the ground. ' Yemen's future depends on our collective resolve to shield it from further suffering and to give its people the hope and dignity they so deeply deserve,' Mr. Grundberg said.
Morocco World
28-06-2025
- Politics
- Morocco World
Sahrawi NGOs Condemn Polisario Attack on Es-Smara, UN Mission Launches Field Investigation
Rabat – A coalition of Sahrawi NGOs has strongly condemned the recent projectile attack near the southern Moroccan city of Es-Smara, calling it a 'hostile act' and a grave violation of Morocco's sovereignty and international law. The incident, which caused panic among residents but resulted in no casualties, is widely believed to be the latest in a series of attacks carried out by the Polisario Front. The explosions occurred in an uninhabited area a few kilometers outside the city, close to a MINURSO camp. Images and videos shared online showed debris from the projectiles scattered in the area. The United Nations Mission in the Sahara (MINURSO) visited the impact sites on Friday evening to conduct an on-the-ground assessment, according to local reports. The field visit, conducted in coordination with members of Morocco's Royal Armed Forces, aimed to assess the damage and collect data for a detailed report that will be submitted to UN Secretary-General António Guterres. In a statement released after the incident, the coalition of Sahrawi NGOs expressed deep concern over what it described as the Polisario Front's continued breach of the UN-brokered ceasefire agreement. It accused the group of intentionally targeting areas close to civilians in a desperate attempt to destabilize the region and spread fear. Algeria under scrutiny The coalition said local authorities recovered explosive shells near the urban center of Es-Smara, warning that such acts were aimed at harming civilians and striking at Morocco's territorial integrity. The attack 'signals an intentional targeting of a civilian urban environment in order to impose a new, unstable reality in the region,' the group said, adding that Algeria's support and silence made it complicit in the escalation. The statement blamed Algeria for allowing a non-state armed group to operate from its territory and carry out attacks against Morocco. According to the coalition, Algeria's failure to control its borders and prevent such escalations makes it fully responsible for the ongoing military provocations. It also warned that this incident reflects a pattern of indiscriminate violence and deliberate targeting of populated areas, contradicting Polisario's claims that it only strikes military sites. 'This, it argues, constitutes a breach of international law, norms, and conventions, and must be met with an appropriate international response.' The NGO coalition reiterated its solidarity with the residents of Es-Smara and called on the UN Security Council to act swiftly to preserve peace and stability in the region. It urged Algeria to support peaceful dialogue and UN-led efforts to find a political solution to the conflict, instead of backing armed provocations. This latest incident comes less than two years after a similar attack in Es-Smara in 2023, which killed one person and injured three others. In that case, Morocco's UN ambassador Omar Hilale stated that the blasts struck civilian neighborhoods and noted that the Polisario had issued a statement indirectly taking responsibility. 'There were no military installations at any of the sites,' Hilale said in a press conference after the incident, adding that 'targeting civilians is a terrorist act under international law, and those responsible will not go unpunished.' Hilale also emphasized that those behind the attacks, as well as those who arm and support them, must be held accountable. He specifically referred to Algeria, which has been hosting, financing, and fully backing the Polisario for decades. Polisario faces US pressure Meanwhile, in the United States, a bipartisan effort is underway to designate the Polisario Front as a foreign terrorist organization. US Republican Senator Joe Wilson and Democratic Representative Jimmy Panetta recently introduced the bill, which cites the group's attacks on civilians and its renewed armed activities following the collapse of the 2020 ceasefire. Wilson described Polisario as a 'Marxist militia backed by Iran, Hezbollah and Russia providing Iran a strategic outpost in Africa and destabilizing the Kingdom of Morocco, a US ally for 248 years.' The legislation cites the Polisario's indiscriminate attacks on civilians and its rearmament after the collapse of the 2020 ceasefire. Lawmakers from both parties argue that this designation would enable enhanced sanctions, travel bans, and financial restrictions against the group. The bill reflects growing US concerns over renewed violence, especially following the ceasefire ending in late 2020. Meanwhile, Morocco's Autonomy Plan for Western Sahara has been gaining significant diplomatic backing recently. Rabat's comprehensive plan currently receives support from at least 113 countries, and the momentum is quickly growing. In 2020, the US officially recognized Moroccan sovereignty over Western Sahara and expressed support for the Autonomy Plan, with American officials recently reiterating this stance. In addition, France positively shifted tone in July 2024, labeling Morocco's 2007 autonomy proposal 'the only basis' for a just, lasting, UN-compliant settlement On June 1 this year, the United Kingdom became the third permanent UN Security Council member, after the US and France, to endorse Morocco's autonomy plan, calling it 'the most credible, viable and pragmatic' path forward. Tags: AlgeriaEs SmaraPolisarioSaharaWestern sahara
