"POLITICAL AFFAIRS"

High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet today said failure to ensure accountability for human rights violations, “is a fundamental concern and key aspect” of the crisis in Belarus. OHCHR

Ongoing intercommunal violence between ethnic groups in and around Jonglei, Central Equatoria has led to a renewed push for reconciliation and peace by state authorities and the United Nations peace operation in South Sudan, UNMISS. UNMISS

UN political affairs chief Rosemary DiCarlo told the Security Council that the COVID-19 pandemic “has hindered diplomatic action and complicated our peace-making efforts," adding that “by exacerbating existing fragilities, it has amplified the prevention challenge” and “made the steps needed to address that challenge more urgent.” UNIFEED

The Federal Government of Somalia and its international partners on Monday gathered in the capital Mogadishu for a one-day, high-level meeting dedicated to taking stock of the progress made by the country in various areas, as well as agree on priorities ahead of it. UNSOM

Progress on Sudan political transition, but challenges remain, Security Council hears.

United States President Donald Trump said the world has waged “a fierce battle against the invisible enemy -- the China Virus -- which has claimed countless lives in 188 countries,” adding that, “we must hold accountable the nation which unleashed this plague onto the world: China.” UNIFEED

UN chief of political and peacebuilding affairs Rosemary DiCarlo said, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on peace and security heightened the risk of the erosion of trust in public institutions. UNIFEED

Nearly one hundred UN peacekeepers in Lebanon – military as well as civilians – donated blood for the victims of the horrific 4 August explosions that devastated a part of Beirut, left hundreds dead and thousands injured. UNIFIL

Briefing by Stephane Dujarric, Spokesperson for the Secretary-General.

Non-proliferation agreement remains best way to ensure ‘exclusively peaceful nature of Iran’s nuclear programme’, Under-Secretary-General tells Security Council.