"FREEDOM OF MOVEMENT"

The Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, Tor Wennesland, told the Security Council that “while the ceasefire is holding" between Israel and Palestine, "conflict mitigation efforts must also be met with steps by both sides – supported by the international community – to reset a trajectory out of the cycle of violence.” UNIFEED

The Special Envoy for Yemen, Hans Grundberg, said, “While sporadic military incidents continue to occur, levels of hostilities are significantly lower than before the truce.” UNIFEED

The situation in Afghanistan, Security Council, 9314th meeting

The Special Envoy for Yemen, Hans Grundberg told the Security Council, “I believe we have not seen such a serious opportunity for making progress towards ending the conflict in eight years. But the tide could still turn unless the parties take bolder steps toward peace.” UNIFEED

United Nations top officials condemned today in the strongest terms the Taliban’s decision to ban Afghan women from working with the UN in Afghanistan. UNIFEED

The Special Representative of the Secretary-General in Afghanistan, Roza Otunbayeva, warned the Security Council that the country “under the Taliban remains the most repressive country in the world regarding women’s rights.” UNIFEED

The Special Representative of the Secretary-General in Mali, El-Ghassim Wane, said that the security environment in the country had remained complex in recent months, particularly in the Center and the tri-border area between Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger. UNIFEED

UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed told reporters, “We cannot leave and abandon the women of Afghanistan. It's not when it gets hard that we drop off. It's when it gets hard that they see more of us and that we're there in solidarity with them.” UNIFEED / UNAMA

Several members of the Security Council expressed “grave concern regarding the critical situation” of women and girls in Afghanistan, urging the Taliban to “immediately reverse all oppressive measures against women and girls, adhere to their commitments set out in Security Council resolution 2593, and respect the rights of women and girls.” UNIFEED

The UN peacekeeping mission in Abyei (UNISFA) responded rapidly to quell violence in the village of Rumamer, in the southern part of Abyei, after an attack that took place today and resulted in 13 people being killed, a UN Spokesperson informed. UNIFEED