Special envoy of the United Nations Secretary General to the Great Lakes Huang Xia urges the international community not to let up on its support for the region.

Huang Xia says the number of coronavirus infections in the Great Lakes approaches 5 000. COVID 19 has killed 131.

The strict travel restrictions and quarantine has brought agriculture, mining and transportation to a standstill in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Burundi, Rwanda, Uganda and South Sudan. 

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The statement from Pretoria calls on Morocco and the Saharawi liberation movement POLISARIO to observe the ceasefire called by UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres during the pandemic.

The hard-hitting South African statement calls Western Sahara Africa’s last case of colonialism.

It points out that the International Court of Justice has ruled that Morocco is an illegal occupying force in the territory abandoned by Spain.

The South African position, says the statement, is driven by its opposition to the occupation, its determination to see decolonisation and its concern for human rights 

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He says he’s extending his call for peace in war zones to include safety in people zones.

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The COVID 19 pandemic is daily presenting shocking statistics.

UN boss Antonio Guterres says another involves women and children facing the largest threat where they should be safest: at home.

“During the last week, when social and economic pressures and fear have grown, we have seen a horrifying global surge in domestic violence. In some countries the number of women calling domestic support services has doubled,” he said

Guterres says government must increase investment in online and civil society support for threatened women, Judicial systems must continue to prosecute abusers.

Emergency warnings must be placed at pharmacies and grocery stores and

Women should have safe ways of seeking support without alerting their abusers.

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He describes the pandemic as the common enemy and a threat to all mankind.

Antonio Guterres has instructed the UN Secretary General’s special envoys in every conflict zone to work for a global ceasefire.

This is ahead of a $2-billion appeal he’s making to stop the pandemic spreading into refugee camps caused by fighting around the world.

Libya is leading by example.

The UN-backed Government of National Accord and the Russian-backed rebels led by Khalifa Haftar have agreed to a ceasefire to allow the medics to fight CORONA 19

Guterres says he hopes the ceasefire will become immediate and permanent.

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The gathering in Madrid is being seen seen by environmental analysts as activists as a wasted opportunity.

United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres says he’s disappointed with the outcome of COP25 that went into two extra days and nights.

Exhausted delegates could only agree that  new pledges on the key question of curbing carbon emissions will have to be on the table by the next climate summit in Glasgow next year.

They could ntw agree on carbon markets and on closing the gap between what scientists say is necessary to avoid a global crisis and the status quo which will see the world pass the threshold in the next decade.

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He tells the climate summit in New York that mankind has the tools and technology  to win the contest.

The UN chief urged world leaders to leave their beautiful speeches at home and come to the climate summit in New York with concrete plans.

Antonio Guterres says his generation has failed in its obligation to protect the planet.

However he does not  despair.

Young people,  above all young people, are here providing solutions and insisting on accountability and demanding urgent action. They are right,” he says

Guterres says the climate crisis is caused by us and the solution must come from us.

Irrefutable science teaches us that it is not too late to limit warming but it will require fundamental transformation in all aspects of society.

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The mandate for the force known as  MONUSCO has been extended for a year with 3 600 fewer troops.

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The United States lead the push for the reduction in the nearly 20 000-strong MONUSCO, calling the DRC corrupt.

Critics of the troop cut have called the UN move penny pinching.

The council instucted the UN Secretary General to strategically review MONUSCO’s operations and examine its relevance.

President Joseph Kabila, who’s clinging to power following the expiry of his constitutional mandate, says there’s not need for MONUSCO.

The Security Council urges him and other stakeholders to implement their deal struck last December to hold free elections in the DRC this year.

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