The UN Secretary General spoke at the Munich Security Conference. Top news of the day | Friday: Alexey Navalny, Munich Conference, UNRWA, Senegal UN
The main news of the day in the UN and in the world: the UN – about the death of Navalny, the head of the UN at the Munich conference, lack of funds for UNRWA, in Senegal the decision to postpone the elections was canceled.
Alexey Navalny died in prison
The UN Secretary General is shocked by the news of the death of Alexei Navalny. The UN chief expressed condolences to the family of the Russian opposition leader and called for a full and transparent investigation into the circumstances of his death. The UN Human Rights Office recalled that it had repeatedly expressed serious concern about the charges brought against Navalny and called his arrest “arbitrary.” The state is obliged to protect the lives of persons deprived of their liberty, the Office emphasized.
The UN Secretary General spoke in Munich
The UN Secretary-General addressed world leaders at the Munich Security Conference on Friday. The UN chief said: “We desperately need a just and lasting peace for Ukraine, Russia and the entire international community. This must be peace in accordance with the UN Charter and international law, which obliges respect for the territorial integrity of sovereign states.” The Secretary General also drew the audience’s attention to his “New Agenda for Peace,” presented last July, which aims to update global collective security systems.
Funding for UNRWA
Representatives of the UN Relief Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East said that if funding suspended by a number of donor countries will not be renewed, the agency will be forced to cease operations by the end of February. UNRWA provides support to more than 1.5 million people in southern Gaza. The UN Secretary General called on governments that have suspended funding to reconsider their decision and ensure the continuation of humanitarian activities. In total, about 6 million Palestinians in Gaza, the West Bank, Jordan, Lebanon and Syria depend on UNRWA support.
Elections in Senegal
UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric told a briefing in New York that the Secretary-General called on all stakeholders in Senegal to ensure inclusive and transparent presidential elections within constitutional frameworks. According to Dujarric, the UN chief took note of the decision of the Senegalese Constitutional Council, which declared the postponement of elections illegal and called for their speedy holding. It is reported that the current President of Senegal is ready to comply with the Council’s demands.