"PEACE AND SECURITY"

Special Envoy for Syria Geir Pedersen reiterated his appeal for a complete immediate nationwide ceasefire throughout Syria “to enable an all-out effort to counter COVID-19 and spare all Syrians additional suffering,” a UN spokesperson said. UNIFEED

The Security Council will turn to technology in April to tackle the humanitarian crises in Yemen and Syria, address conflict-induced hunger, promote the youth, peace and security agenda, and respond to the threat of COVID-19, says its President for the month, José Singer Weisinger, Special Envoy from the Dominican Republic.

Ambassador José Singer of the Dominican Republic, President of the Security Council for the month of April, announced that the Council will begin holding open briefings via video teleconference (VTC), including a meeting on the issue of COVID-19, currently under discussion. UNIFEED

Security Council renews mandate of United Nations Mission in South Sudan, unanimously adopting resolution 2514 (2020).

The UN Mission in Iraq has called for ‘maximum restraint’ following a deadly attack on foreign forces serving under the United States-led coalition against the militant group ISIL, according to the UN spokesperson. UNIFEED

Security Council issues presidential statement calling for greater efforts to help Africa fight terrorism, as delegates denounce ‘insufficient’ current approaches.

Security Council issues presidential statement calling for greater efforts to help Africa fight terrorism, as delegates denounce ‘insufficient’ current approaches.

In her remarks to the Security Council on countering terrorism and extremism in Africa, UN chief of political affairs Rosemary Dicarlo said, “the threat of terrorism is often a consequence of development, humanitarian, human rights and security challenges that terrorist groups seek to exploit. Security and military solutions are thus not sufficient.” UNIFEED

Security Council welcomes significant steps towards ending war in Afghanistan, unanimously adopting resolution 2513 (2020).

Former Secretary of State of the United States Hillary Clinton said Afghan women “are rightly afraid” that gains made in recent years, “will be washed away in a rush to achieve a peace that will not hold anyway.” UNIFEED