May 2021 — Page 3 of 11 — Human Rights & Charity

UN rights chief urges Libya, EU, to protect migrants crossing the central Mediterranean

Calling for urgent reform of current policies and practices on search and rescue “that too often rob migrants of their lives, dignity and fundamental human rights”, she said “the real tragedy” is that much of the suffering and death at sea is preventable.

“Every year, people drown because help comes too late, or never comes at all. Those who are rescued are sometimes forced to wait for days or weeks to be safely disembarked or, as has increasingly been the case, are returned to Libya which, as has been stressed on countless occasions, is not a safe harbour due to the cycle of violence,” Ms Bachelet said.

Rights and dignity at risk

The High Commissioner’s Office, OHCHR, has issued a report which states evidence suggests the lack of human rights protection for migrants at sea “is not a tragic anomaly, but rather a consequence of concrete policy decisions and practices by the Libyan authorities, the European Union (EU) Member States and institutions, and other actors that have combined to create an environment where the dignity and human rights of migrants are at risk.”

Despite a significant drop in the overall number of migrants arriving in Europe via the central Mediterranean route in recent years, OHCHR said hundreds of people continue to die, with at least 632 deaths recorded so far this year.

Migrants who have been rescued also suffer. Some remain stuck for days or weeks on board vessels that are not suitable for long-term accommodation. The situation has become more acute in the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the report, with some migrants forced to quarantine at sea. Other challenges await them onshore, including inadequate reception conditions, as well as the risk of mandatory, prolonged or otherwise arbitrary detention.

Cutback in rescue operations

The report noted that the EU and its Member States have significantly cut back on maritime search and rescue operations, while humanitarian NGOs have been blocked in carrying out this work. Additionally, private commercial vessels increasingly avoid helping migrants in distress due to delays and stand-offs over bringing them to a safe port.

EU border and maritime authorities have encouraged the Libyan Coast Guard to take more responsibility for search and rescue operations in international waters. However, OHCHR said this has occurred “without sufficient human rights due diligence and safeguards”, resulting in an increase in interceptions and returns to Libya.

Call for action

The report calls for the European Commission and EU countries to ensure all agreements with Libya on migration are consistent with their obligations under international law.

Coordination on search and rescue also should be conditional upon assurances that rescued migrants will not be disembarked in Libya but instead at a port of safety.

Ms Bachelet underlined the need for more action to deploy sufficient search and rescue operations in the central Mediterranean. She also pressed for greater support for NGOs working in this field, and adoption of a common and human-rights based arrangement for timely disembarkation of people rescued at sea.

“Until there are sufficient safe, accessible and regular migration channels, people will continue to try to cross the central Mediterranean, no matter what the dangers or consequences,” she added. “I urge EU Member States to show solidarity to ensure that frontline countries, such as Malta and Italy, are not left to shoulder a disproportionate responsibility.”

UN chief following Mali crisis ‘with concern’ as Security Council strongly condemns arrests

According to news reports, the detention on Monday of top civilian leaders by Colonel Assimi Goita – acting Vice President – who led the overthrow of former president Ibrahim Boubacr Keita last year, was because they had failed to consult him over a government reshuffle.

In a statement released after the emergency meeting, the Security Council “strongly condemned the arrest of the transitional President “and other officials by elements of the Defence and Security forces in Mali”.

They called for the safe, immediate and unconditional release of all the officials detained and urged the Defence and Security personnel “to return to their barracks without delay.”

Ambassadors also reaffirmed their support for the civilian-led transition in Mali and called for its immediate resumption, leading to elections and constitutional order within the established 18-month timeline agreed following the coup last year.

Unacceptable use of force

“They called on all Malian stakeholders to prioritize building trust, engaging in dialogue and to be willing to compromise to achieve these objectives. They affirmed that imposing a change of transitional leadership by force, including through forced resignations, is unacceptable. “

News of their arrest on Monday was met with concern by UN Secretary-General António Guterres, who said his Special Representative in the region was working closely with the regional economic community ECOWAS, the African Union and others, which are supporting the transition.

The UN mission in Mali, MINUSMA, joined international partners in condemning Monday’s “attempted coup”.

They demanded the immediate and unconditional release of President Bah Ndaw and Prime Minister Moctar Ouane and stressed that those “military elements” responsible for detaining them will be held “personally responsible” for their safety.

Dialogue on the ground

Briefing reporters on Wednesday, UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said that MINUSMA “continues to work closely with the delegation from ECOWAS, which is currently in Bamako, the capital of Mali.

“Our Special Representative and head of the Peacekeeping mission, El-Ghassim WANE, took part in the meetings that the ECOWAS delegation was having”, he added.

He said MINUSMA was continuing to support the efforts of ECOWAS and “calls on all actors concerned to cooperate fully with a view to a rapid resumption of the normal course of the transition, within the framework provided by the Charter.

‘Crucial’ to resolve crisis

Mr. Dujarric said it was “crucial that this crisis be resolved urgently as it constitutes an additional challenge that would negatively affect the implementation of the Peace Agreement.”

Mr. Guterres meanwhile, continues to follow the situation in Mali “with concern and continues to be engaged.”

The Security Council emergency meeting began at 3pm New York time, and was requested by France, Niger, Tunisia, Kenya and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.

During relative calm, growing humanitarian suffering in Syria, a ‘tragic irony’

“It is a tragic irony that this time of relative calm, compared with earlier years of the conflict, is also a period of immense and growing humanitarian suffering of the Syrian people”, Geir O. Pedersen said via videoconference.

To-do list

With a view towards a UN facilitated, Syrian-led and owned political solution, backed by “constructive” international diplomacy, the Special Envoy highlighted several necessary steps, beginning with a nationwide ceasefire and the need to shut down Security-Council-listed terrorist groups.

He also stressed tackling the “dire” humanitarian situation with urgency, while underscoring the importance of avoiding sanctions that exacerbate the plight of ordinary Syrians.

Mr. Pedersen saw as “a key priority” the unilateral release of detainees and abductees along with “meaningful action” to locate those who have gone missing.

Steps were needed to create a “safe, calm and neutral environment”, one conducive for refugees and internally displaced persons to return home.

The meaningful participation of Syrian women and civil society in the political process was another goal.

Finally, Mr. Pedersen called international diplomacy “essential” to overcome the mistrust of international participants and Syrian parties, as it can help develop “mutual and reciprocal steps” with parallel implementation and verification.

Elections

The Special Envoy noted that a presidential poll is being held under the auspices of the current constitution.

He pointed out that this was not called for in Security Council resolution 2254, which includes elections, in accordance with a new constitution, administered under UN supervision with all Syrians, including the diaspora, eligible to participate.

“The UN is not involved in this election”, he said, calling the implementation of resolution 2254 “the only sustainable path to ending the conflict and the suffering of the Syrian people”.

Progress on hold

With no progress towards advancing resolution 2254, with participants unwilling to take the first step toward conflict resolution, Mr. Pedersen feared that Syria will become another protracted conflict, “lasting generations”.

“There are great dangers in not seizing the opportunity that the current period affords us”, he said. “Syria needs serious attention so that we can build on this dynamic”.

Water shortages

UN Emergency Relief Coordinator Mark Lowcock highlighted the humanitarian situation, beginning with the key water shortages in the northeast.

Reduced levels in the Euphrates have impacted nearly 5.5 million people who rely on it for drinking water and the Tishreen dam in north-eastern Aleppo governorate, which stands at less than half of the operational minimum, faces a complete shutdown.

Meanwhile downstream in ar-Raqqa governorate, water levels at the emergency backup Tabqa dam are now 80 per cent depleted, according to the Humanitarian Coordinator.

Ongoing economic crisis

Despite a relative calm, the economic situation has hardly improved and Syrians seem to be inching towards “an even deeper abyss”, observed the UN official.

He described historically high food prices that have left 40 per cent of the population unable to afford nutritious food, with nearly half of Syrian families surveyed saying that adults are eating less so children can eat, and fuel shortages continue across the country.

Civilian protection

He described the impact on one facility, the Atareb Surgical Hospital in Western Aleppo Governate, of being attacked, noting it served more than 200 patients before the onslaught, which has now dropped to just 50.

One of the longer-term consequences of assaults on healthcare facilities, he said, was that “those attacks instil fear in the civilian population”, discouraging them from seeking these services, “even though many are in desperate need”.

And with 46 murders reported since January and continued security problems, Al -Hol, the largest camp for refugees and internally displaced people in the country, has witnessed the exit of over 10,000 Syrian and non-Syrian nationals over the last two years.

“But more than 60,000 remain, and they are living in unacceptable conditions”, underscored Mr. Lowcock, reminding the Council that “this is a camp of children”, mostly younger than 12, and nearly 14,000 as young as five.

“They do deserve a future”, he stressed.

Humanitarian access

Since 2019, the UN been unable to deliver aid to Rukban, the remote area on the Syrian border, while the country’s northeast continues to lack essential health supplies as COVID cases increased by 50 per cent.

A first batch of UN-backed COVAX vaccines are due to cover 9,000 health workers but as the rest of the country needs inoculations, it is “a drop in the ocean”, said the Humanitarian Coordinator.

Security Council authorization for UN cross-border assistance into the northwest expires in just over six weeks. Without an extension, monthly food deliveries for 1.4 million people, millions of medical treatments, nutrition assistance and educational supplies, will peter out.

The UN relief chief told ambassadors that “the cross-border operation…a lifeline for more than 3 million people, cannot be substituted”.

“We look to this Council to ensure that that lifeline is not severed”, he concluded.

Pandemic making life harder for older refugees in Latin America

The global crisis is damaging their well-being and access to vital rights and services, by heightening pre-existing threats to their physical and mental health, nutrition, finances and legal status.

“Older persons in forced displacement have long encountered neglect and insufficient protection. Their full inclusion in national responses to the pandemic, including in COVID-19 vaccination plans, is key in order to safeguard their dignity and rights”, said Jose Samaniego, Director of UNHCR’s Regional Bureau for the Americas.

Challenges in health care

The study, titled A claim to dignity: Ageing on the Move, focuses on five countries: Colombia, Ecuador, El Salvador, Honduras and Peru.

Overall, 865 older persons took part via telephone, and consultations were also held with caretakers, service providers and other key personnel through interviews and online surveys.

Most of those interviewed reported limited access to healthcare. Forty-two percent were not receiving treatment for prior conditions, while six per cent of those infected with COVID-19 said they did not get adequate care.

Displaced older people have also seen a reduction in daily contact with their families, as well as limited community activities or opportunities for recreation, which has significantly aggravated feelings of loneliness and isolation.

Missing more meals

Prior to the pandemic, one in four had to skip meals, and the crisis has caused 41 per cent to further reduce their food intake.

Agapito Escobar, 64, left his native Colombia two decades ago and found refuge in neighbouring Ecuador, where he lives with his wife, Wilma, who is 79.

“There are days when we only eat breakfast… and in the afternoon, we just drink a glass of water”, he told UNHCR. The couple also relies on candlelight as their electricity was cut off due to lack of payment.

Job losses and evictions

Meanwhile, 64 per cent of those surveyed had no monthly income before the pandemic. Of those who did, 62 per cent felt it was not enough to meet their basic needs.

Many more have seen their economic situation compounded, with one third of respondents in Honduras losing their jobs. The figure was closer to half in the Andean region.

“Besides increased humanitarian support, older displaced people need greater livelihoods opportunities, to become financially independent,” Mr Samaniego said.

Despite their increased vulnerability, many older persons said they still have to serve as breadwinners for their households, as well as caretakers for other family members.

Sixty per cent are looking after children, and five per cent are caring for people with disabilities. One fifth of those interviewed said their housing conditions have worsened, as they were unable to afford rent, and five per cent have been evicted.

‘Urgent change is needed’

The pandemic has also intensified the challenges these senior citizens face in obtaining documentation. Almost a quarter of the “older people on the move” in the Andean region have irregular status, rising to 32 per cent among those with disabilities.

“Aging and human mobility are global trends, whose intersectionality manifests itself in poverty and exclusion, while older people are treated as if they are invisible”, said Marcela Bustamante, HelpAge Regional Representative for Latin America and the Caribbean.

“Governments and the international community must do everything they can to enable older people on the move to live in dignity. Urgent change is needed.”

Use Africa’s rich heritage as ‘catalyst’ for transformation, urges Guterres

Opening the 2021 Africa Dialogue Series, Secretary-General António Guterres said that the discussions highlight “the importance of arts, culture and heritage in building the Africa we want”.

“I welcome your focus on cultural identity”, he added.

New social contract

Against the backdrop of a global spread of hate and intolerance, the UN chief stressed that “we must not only defend diversity but invest in it”.

“Societies today are multi-ethnic, multi-religious and multi-cultural”, he reminded. “This is a richness, not a threat”.

To ensure that every community feels its culture and identity is being respected, Mr. Guterres underscored that better ways must be found to “redress the ills of he past that have bred mistrust and division”.

He asserted that an emphasis on culture, heritage and shared values can help “build unity and common purpose”, which could also help overcome disruption due to COVID, and foster peaceful, sustainable development.

“We need to move towards sustainable economic growth that protects the environment, promotes human rights and strengthens the social contract…[and] a stronger sense of solidarity and multilateral cooperation to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)”, he said.

Pursue ‘solidarity’

As the impacts of the pandemic continue, the Secretary-General called for “clear solidarity” with the continent.

He said it was “unacceptable” that vaccines are still not fully available across Africa, citing it as the reason why Africa is “dramatically lagging” in shot distribution.

“I have been insisting with the G20 countries to create a global vaccination plan to reach everybody everywhere and…an emergency taskforce…to make sure that we are able to double the production of vaccines and at the same time to have a network of distribution”, the UN chief explained.

Mr. Guterres said he was also concerned to see 6 per cent projected growth in the international economy but only 3.2 per cent for Africa.

“It is absolutely essential that African countries receive the financial support they need at the present moment to protect their citizens and to be able to relaunch their economies”, calling for “effective debt relief [to] be put at the disposal of African countries”.

Transformative agenda

The Special Adviser on Africa, Cristina Duarte, urged participants to “seize the opportunities” provided by COVID to “change our mindset” and approach Africa’s development with “forward-thinking”.

She saw it as an opportunity for an African cultural renaissance, inculcating “the spirit of Pan Africanism, tapping into Africa’s deep well of rich heritage and culture to ensure that our destiny is built and owned by us”.

Understanding that culture goes beyond artistic demonstrations and entails a deep feeling of belonging to a community ready to exercise ownership of its own development, the UN official called it “a trigger of sustainable development”.

Bridging the gap

The Special Adviser drew attention to a widening divide each time a global milestone or major development is realized.

“The rollout of the COVID-19 vaccines is just a new example, that follows the digital divide, the energy divide, and a long etcetera”, she said.

Ms. Duarte concluded by saying: “This is our opportunity to put an end to a vicious cycle by promoting far-reaching transitions that, based on the spirit of global solidarity, enable a transformation in all areas of development”.

‘Key’ development driver

General Assembly President Volkan Bozkir said that the societal impact of culture “cannot be overstated”.

“Culture shapes our identities…gives meaning, purpose and a sense of belonging…and is imperative for social cohesion”, he elaborated.

During an Assembly meeting last week, the President said that Member States showcased best practices to leverage cultural and creative industries in recovery plans to support the delivery of the SDGs and hailed it as is “a key driver of sustainable development” with the unique ability to shift human behaviour.

5 things you should know about ICAO, the UN aviation agency

1) ICAO was set up at the dawn of international civil aviation

The Second World War was a period of rapid developments in aircraft technology. Towards the end of the conflict, in 1944, in anticipation of the growing popularity of civilian and freight air travel, the US Government invited delegates from allied states to Chicago to thrash out the first international Convention on Civil Aviation, commonly known as the “Chicago Convention”.

The prime objective of this document is the development of international civil aviation “in a safe and orderly manner”, and the establishment of air transport services “on the basis of equality of opportunity and operated soundly and economically.”

In 1947, ICAO was set up as a UN Specialized Agency, to organize and support the intensive international co-operation which the fledgling global air transport network would require. It is based in Montreal, Canada.

2) Today, the agency ensures the smooth running of the global network…

The international air transport network, says the agency, is one of the greatest practical examples of international cooperation, but ensuring the network functions, means making sure that everyone is following the same rules. This remains ICAO’s key role.

The agency researches new air transport policy, and standardization innovations; holds events to explore the latest developments in this area; and provides governments with advice on establishing new international standards and recommended practices for civil aviation.

It also conducts educational outreach, develops coalitions, and conducts auditing, training, and capacity building activities worldwide.

3) …but it does not police the skies

Like the UN as a whole, the strength of ICAO lies in its ability to bring together large numbers of countries, to forge international agreements. However, it is not a global regulator, and has no power to police the skies.

ICAO cannot arbitrarily close or restrict a country’s airspace, shut down routes, or condemn airports or airlines for poor safety performance or customer service. Countries make their own regulations, which airline operators must follow when they enter national airspace and airports.

If a country does breach standards that have been internationally agreed and adopted through ICAO, the agency’s role is to help countries to come up with a coordinated response, such as this week’s incident.

4) ICAO ‘strongly concerned’ by the Belarus incident…

On Sunday, 23 May, a Ryanair flight from Greece to Lithuania was reportedly diverted to Minsk airport, where several passengers were forced off the plane, including high-profile opposition journalist, Roman Protasevich.

A chorus of condemnation from nations, rights organisations and the UN system followed: the UN Secretary-General, António Guterres, expressed his deep concern, and called for a full, independent investigation, and the spokesperson for the Office of the High Commission for Human Rights (OHCHR) said that the manner in which Mr. Protasevich was abducted, and brought to Belarus, “was tantamount to an extraordinary rendition”.

ICAO responded by publishing a Tweet, on the day of the incident, in which the organisation noted that it was “strongly concerned by the apparent forced landing of a Ryanair flight and its passengers, which could be in contravention of the Chicago Convention.” A day later, the agency announced, again on Twitter, an urgent meeting of the ICAO Council on 27 May.

5) …but what can it do?

This is far from the first time that a plane has been diverted from its destination by force, but some experts believe that this is the first time that ICAO has had to discuss allegations that one of its own Member States has been responsible for such an incident.

Belarus, meanwhile, is reportedly insisting that the diversion was necessary due to a bomb threat, and has denounced condemnation of the incident as a planned provocation.

It is possible that the urgent ICAO meeting leads to the “full, independent investigation” that the Secretary-General is calling for but, as mentioned above, the agency is not a global regulator, and does not have the power to take action against Belarus, such as shutting down the country’s airspace, or any other sanction.

In the meantime, European Union leaders have announced economic sanctions and plans to ban Belarusian airlines from European airspace and airports. These moves have been welcomed by the United States, where the Biden administration says that it is assessing “appropriate options”.

World now likely to hit watershed 1.5 °C rise in next five years, warns UN weather agency

The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) said there was a 40% chance of the watershed global warming mark being met during the time frame, and these odds are increasing with time.

The 1.5°C mark was established as the desirable target for all the countries of the world who signed up to the Paris Agreement to limit temperature rises, in order to prevent permanent changes that threaten the wellbeing of all life on earth. The agreement calls for limiting rises to 2°C or below.

There is a 90% likelihood of at least one year between 2021-2025 becoming the warmest on record, which would dislodge 2016 from the top ranking, according to the Global Annual to Decadal Climate Update, produced by the United Kingdom’s Met Office, the WMO lead centre for such predictions.

More rain, cyclones

Up to the end of 2025, high-latitude regions and the Sahel are likely to be wetter, the report suggests, and there is an increased chance of more tropical cyclones in the Atlantic compared to the average, taken from the start of the 1980s.

The annual update harnesses the expertise of internationally acclaimed climate scientists and the best prediction systems from leading climate centres around the world to produce actionable information.

“These are more than just statistics”, said WMO Secretary-General Petteri Taalas. “Increasing temperatures mean more melting ice, higher sea levels, more heatwaves and other extreme weather, and greater impacts on food security, health, the environment and sustainable development,” he said.

‘Yet another wake-up call’

“This study shows – with a high level of scientific skill – that we are getting measurably and inexorably closer to the lower target of the Paris Agreement on Climate Change.

“It is yet another wakeup call that the world needs to fast-track commitments to slash greenhouse gas emissions and achieve carbon neutrality”, said Professor Taalas. “Technological advances now make it possible to track greenhouse gas emissions back to their sources as a means of precisely targeting reduction efforts”, he noted.

Climate adaption

He said the report also underlines the need for climate adaptation. “Only half of 193 WMO Members have state of the art early warning services. Countries should continue to develop the services that will be needed to support adaptation in climate-sensitive sectors – such as health, water, agriculture and renewable energy – and promote early warning systems that reduce the adverse impacts of extreme events” he said.

“Besides limitations in early warning services we are having severe gaps in weather observations especially in Africa and island states. This has a major negative impact on the accuracy if the early warnings in those areas and globally. We need to invest in the basic networks as well.” he concluded.

Temperatures rising

In 2020 – one of the three warmest years on record – the global average temperature was 1.2 °C above the pre-industrial baseline, according to the WMO’s report on the State of the Global Climate 2020, released in April. It highlighted the acceleration in climate change indicators like rising sea levels, melting sea ice, and extreme weather, as well as worsening impacts on socio-economic development.

And Thursday’s update confirms that trend. In the coming five years, the annual mean global temperature is likely to be at least 1°C warmer – within the range 0.9°C – 1.8°C – than preindustrial levels.

The chance of temporarily reaching 1.5°C has roughly doubled compared to last year’s predictions, said WMO. This is mainly due to using an improved temperature dataset to estimate the baseline rather than sudden changes in climate indicators.

This current year and the crucial climate change negotiations, COP26, in November, have been widely described as a “make-or-break” chance to prevent climate change spiralling ever more out of control, noted WMO. Tackling climate change is high on the agenda of the G7 leaders summit, due to be hosted by the UK from 11-13 June.

Belarus: UN human rights office calls for ‘immediate release’ of Roman Protasevich

On Sunday, Roman Protasevich was flying on a Ryanair jet from Greece to Lithuania which was forcibly diverted to the Belarusian capital Minsk, “apparently under false pretenses and with the express purpose of capturing him”, said OHCHR spokesperson Rupert Colville.

The manner, through threat of military force, in which Mr. Protasevich was abducted from the jurisdiction of another State and brought within that of Belarus, “was tantamount to an extraordinary rendition”, he added.

Mr. Colville said that such blatant abuse of power against a journalist for exercising his rights that are protected under international law merited the strongest condemnation possible.

An ‘astonishing episode’

Calling for his immediate release, the spokesperson described Mr. Protasevich’s detention and the circumstances surrounding it as an “astonishing episode” that constitutes a new phase in the country’s campaign of repression against journalists and civil society in general.

He explained that penalizing a journalist just for being critical of the government went against freedom of expression and is a violation of Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

“Under human rights law, the mere act of organizing a peaceful assembly should never be criminalized under domestic laws, including counterterrorism laws, and the arrest or detention of someone as punishment for the legitimate exercise of their rights to freedom of opinion and expression and freedom of assembly, is considered arbitrary”, Mr. Colville underscored.

He added that the arbitrary arrest is a sign of an extremely worrying escalation in the crackdown of dissenting voices, not just of journalists but also of Belarusian human rights defenders and other civil society actors, including those living abroad.

The spokesperson emphasized as well that the forced landing of the Ryanair plane terrorized passengers on board and exposed them to unnecessary danger, in violation of their human rights.

Fears of torture

Mr. Colville said OHCHR feared for the dissident journalist’s safety and is seeking assurances that he is being treated humanely and will not be subjected to ill-treatment or torture.

“His appearance on state TV last night was not reassuring, given the apparent bruising to his face, and the strong likelihood that his appearance was not voluntary, said the OHCHR official, and that the “confession” had been under duress.

“Such forced confessions are prohibited under the Convention against Torture”, said Mr. Colville, briefing reporters in Geneva. The concern extends also to Mr. Protasevich’s girlfriend, Sofia Sapaga, who has also reportedly been arbitrarily arrested.

Share gains from extracting precious raw materials more equitably, guard against pitfalls: UN chief

Speaking at the Global Roundtable on Transforming Extractive Industries for Sustainable Development, Secretary-General António Guterres said: “Our shared responsibility is to ensure that the benefits of mineral resources reach all people in society, not just elites, while safeguarding the natural environment today and for future generations”.

Extractive industries refers to businesses that take raw materials from the earth, including oil, coal, precious metals, and other minerals, by drilling, pumping, quarrying and mining.

Mineral potential

As one of Earth’s “great endowments”, he said that their extractions play a “dominant role” in the economies of 81 countries, generating large foreign exchange earnings, foreign direct investment and government revenues.

“They have the potential to drive economic growth and poverty reduction”, said the UN chief.

While mineral-rich countries account for a quarter of global Gross Domestic Product, half the world’s population – nearly 70 per cent of their people – live in extreme poverty. And of the world’s 72 low or middle-income countries, 63 have increased their dependence on extractive industries over the past two decades.

They have the potential to drive economic growth and poverty reduction — UN chief

Mr. Guterres noted that some call mineral extractions “the resource curse” because of their association with “a litany of ills” – from corruption, exploitation and racism to environmental degradation, worsening climate change and biodiversity loss, along with armed conflict, gender-based violence and human rights violations.

Common thread

Common to all regions has been the need for the extractives sector and resources generated to be managed “sustainably, inclusively and equitably”, according to the UN chief.

“This means taking into account the needs and rights of women, indigenous peoples, local communities and other stakeholders who are affected by the industry yet excluded from the design and benefits of extractive operations”, he spelled out.

Improve governance, reduce dependency

The Secretary-General highlighted four imperatives that must be enacted, beginning with the improved governance of extractive resources, including for independent monitoring and addressing corruption, revenue mismanagement and illicit financial flows.

“This is especially important regarding new minerals and metals on which the technological revolution depends”, he said.

Secondly, the UN chief upheld that countries must reduce their dependency revenues from these industries by diversifying their economies, adapting tax systems to new needs and accelerating work on a just transition for employees and communities dependent on extractive resources.

“Overall, the sector should be supporting investment in public services, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and human rights”, he said.

A low-carbon future

In his third point, Mr. Guterres advocated for more investment in a low-carbon future by aligning all public and private finance in the extractives sector with the SDGs and Paris Agreement.

Recalling that countries representing 73 per cent of carbon emissions have committed by mid-century to net zero, he said: “Decarbonization of the global economy is inevitable”.

Rapidly deploying renewable energy technologies and phasing-out fossil fuel must be supported by ending the use of coal, shifting subsidies from fossil fuel to renewable energy and promoting technology transfer, according to the UN chief.

“I urge multilateral development banks, development finance institutions, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and other institutions to support this process decisively”, he said.

Strengthen cooperation

Greater regional and global coordination to “manage shocks and ensure a smooth, just and sustainable transition process”, was the UN official’s final point.

He said that the UN Regional Economic Commissions will continue to play an important role this regard and also invited Member States and others to create a UN-hosted Working Group on Extractive Industries to help transform the sector.

‘All hands-on deck’

The Secretary-General closed by calling for “all hands-on deck” to address the triple threat of climate disruption, biodiversity loss and pollution and to promote equitable, inclusive development where no one is left behind.

“I…look forward to working together to reap the benefits of extractive industries for all while guarding against the pitfalls”. 

Africa essential for sustainable development, poverty reduction and peace

“This year’s Africa Day highlights arts, culture and heritage as levers for building the Africa we want”, Secretary-General António Guterres said in his commemorative message.

Africa Day marks the 1963 founding of the Organization of African Unity, now known as the African Union (AU), and provides an annual opportunity to reflect on the challenges and achievements of the Governments and peoples of the continent.

Countering COVID

COVID-19 has triggered a global recession that has “exposed deep-seated inequalities and vulnerabilities”, according to the UN chief – endangering hard-won development gains throughout Africa and beyond.

The pandemic has also heightened the drivers of conflict by increasing inequalities and revealing the fragility of governance in many nations – particularly in delivering basic services, such as healthcare, education, electricity, water and sanitation.

The impact of the pandemic has also been exacerbated by the climate crisis, which disproportionately affects developing nations.

Currently, there is a “profound imbalance” in vaccine distribution among countries, with the latest figures revealing that African countries have received just two per cent of vaccines, said the top UN official.

To end the pandemic, support economic recovery and achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), he stressed the need for “equitable and universal access to COVID-19 vaccines”.

The UN chief upheld that Africa Day can “can provide a strong foundation for inclusive economic progress as the continent strives to meet the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic”.

“On this Africa Day, I renew my call to developed nations to stand in solidarity with Africa”, concluded the Secretary-General.

Support the continent

Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed, a former senior government minister in Nigeria, observed that Africa Day “comes at a difficult time as we are countering the COVID-19 pandemic and its consequences with its acute impacts on Africa”.

She also noted that Africa has experienced a slow-down in economic growth, which is expected to increase only three per cent this year, “about half the world’s average”.

“While world leaders must continue to support our AU partners, we also call upon African leaders to further their efforts in establishing good governance, fighting corruption and supporting Africa’s youth”, she said.

Social media tributes

Other senior UN voices marked the day on Twitter.

“We celebrate the generous hospitality given in many African communities to refugees and displaced people, and we pledge to support them as they share limited shelter, food, services and resources with those fleeing war and violence” tweeted UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi.

The UN health agency chief, Tedros Ghebreyesus wished a happy Africa Day to his “brothers and sisters across the continent”, with the hope of working “even harder together to make Africa a more prosperous, peaceful, healthier, safer and fairer place for our children!”.

And the UN refugee agency in the Horn of Africa and Great Lakes region offered “a huge thank you” to citizens there for generously opening their doors to refugees.