"INDEPENDENCE"

UN Special Envoy for Syria Geir Pedersen told reporters that the discussion today which concluded a week-long session of the Constitutional Committee was a “big disappointment.” UNTV CH

Afghanistan’s economy is imploding, with all but three per cent of households expected to fall below the poverty line in coming months, the UN said on Thursday. To help ordinary Afghans, the UN Development Programme (UNDP) has announced the launch of a “people’s economy” fund, to provide desperately needed access to cash. UNTV CH

UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process Tor Wennesland said the international community should have “no illusions about the current state of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict” adding that there has been “no progress towards realizing a two-state solution.” UNIFEED

UN Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression Irene Khan said this particular right is “not a monopoly of western countries” adding that the safety of journalists and media freedom are top priorities for her. UNIFEED

Following the completion of a technical assessment, the Secretariat of the United Nations has responded positively to the request of the National Electoral Council of Venezuela to deploy a UN Panel of Electoral Experts for the November 2021 regional and municipal elections, A UN spokesperson told reporters in New York. UNIFEED

Following a series of security incidents in Kosovo, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General, Zahir Tanin, called for dialogue and said, “history in the region has tragically and repeatedly shown that ostensibly small incidents, misreading of intentions, and outright mistakes can trigger an unstable security escalation that puts lives at risk and benefits no-one.” UNIFEED

Flare-up over license plates threatens progress between Serbia, Kosovo, Special Representative tells Security Council amid debate on future of interim mission.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is deeply concerned about the violence witnessed in Beirut today and called on all concerned to “immediately cease acts of violence and refrain from any provocative actions or inflammatory rhetoric,” according to a spokesperson. UNIFEED

Failure in delivering aid for Yemenis ‘the worst international response to a humanitarian crisis’, civil society briefer tells Security Council.

The UN human rights office (OHCHR) said it was “extremely worried about the continued suffering of migrants and asylum seekers in Libya who are experiencing a myriad of daily violations and abuses at the hands of both State and non-state actors,” according to a spokesperson. UNTV CH