UN Special Representative for Iraq Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert briefed members of the Security Council. Top news of the day | Thursday: Ukraine, Iraq, International Court of Justice, Haiti UN
The main news of the day in the UN and in the world: the UN coordinator in Ukraine condemned the strikes on Kherson, a Security Council meeting on the situation in Iraq, South Africa’s lawsuit against Israel in the International Court, armed gangs in Haiti.
Shelling of Kherson
Tragic news came from Ukraine again today, this time from Kherson, where dozens of civilians, including two children, were injured by shelling, UN Humanitarian Coordinator in Ukraine Denise Brown said in a statement. According to her, in this already war-ravaged city, residential buildings and an educational institution were again damaged. The attack came the day after Brown returned from Kharkov, where she saw the effects of intense attacks by the Russian Federation’s armed forces. Thousands of people were forced to flee.
UN Security Council on Iraq
On Thursday, the UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Iraq, Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert, briefed Security Council members. She noted that a relatively stable security situation currently prevails in Iraq. Hennis-Plasschaert added that with another parliamentary vote expected on Saturday, it was hoped that a new speaker would be confirmed soon. The Special Representative recalled that she was addressing Council members for the last time: she was leaving her position at the end of May.
South Africa vs. Israel
The International Court of Justice is hearing a case brought by South Africa on May 10 to stop Israeli military operations in and around Rafah. According to the lawsuit, the attack on Rafah poses extraordinary risks to humanitarian supplies, medical services and the “survival of Palestinians in Gaza” and creates conditions “that cause irreparable harm to the rights of the Palestinian people.” Israel categorically denies all accusations. The Court will hear the Israeli side’s arguments on Friday.
Violence in Haiti
Violence in Haiti has increased sharply since February 2024, according to a report released this week by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. In the first two weeks of March, organized crime groups intensified their attempts to gain control of the capital, Port-au-Prince, and neighboring areas. A new phenomenon for the country was coordinated activity aimed at capturing strategic objects. Escalating violence by armed gangs has led to mass migration. It is estimated that more than 338 thousand of the country’s citizens left Haiti in 2023.