"DIPLOMACY"

General Assembly elects 18 member States to Human Rights Council, authorizes dates of conference for establishing nuclear‑weapon‑free zone in Middle East.

Addressing root causes of conflict vital for sustaining peace as COVID-19 reverses peacebuilding gains, facilitates intolerance, speakers warn Security Council.

Secretary-General António Guterres told the Security Council that the “unprecedented expulsion” of seven senior United Nations officials by the Government of Ethiopia was “particularly disturbing” and “should be a matter of deep concern for us all as it relates to the core of relations between the UN and Member States.” UNIFEED

Secretary-General denounces Ethiopia’s expulsion of senior United Nations officials as Security Council delegates differ on potential response.

UN Special Envoy for Syria Geir Pedersen announced that an agreement has been reached for the next round of the Constitutional Committee and said, “With military frontlines largely frozen for eighteen months, and concerns from parties regarding the status quo, the time to push for a political process is now.” UNIFEED

Until fair political settlement reached, Syria must remain on international agenda, Civil Society Representative Tells Security Council.

UN High Representative for Disarmament Affairs Izumi Nakamitsu said, “in recent years we have seen a worrisome trend towards the modernization and expansion of nuclear arsenals. As the global arms control regime has crumbled, multilateral nuclear disarmament diplomacy has atrophied. As relations continue to decline amongst States that possess nuclear weapons, we cannot take for granted that the norm against nuclear testing will hold.” UNIFEED

Secretary-General António Guterres told the Security Council that the effects of climate change “are particularly profound when they overlap with fragility and past or current conflicts,” and are “complicating efforts to prevent conflict and to sustain peace.” UNIFEED

Iranian President Seyyed Ebrahim Raisi condemned the “continued illegal US sanctions” levied against his country and demanded that “this organized crime against humanity be recorded as a symbol and reality of the so-called American human rights.” UNIFEED

United States ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield said her country believes its priorities “are not just American priorities, they are global priorities,” adding that next week “must be a moment to strengthen alliances and partnerships.” UNIFEED