Guterres invokes Article 99 for humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza
6/12/2023: Invoking a rarely used article of the UN Charter, Secretary-General António Guterres has summoned the Security Council to call for a full humanitarian ceasefire between Israel and Palestinian militants. This is the first time Mr. Guterres has felt compelled to invoke Article 99 since taking office in 2017.
Source: UN News
Amnesty petitions for ceasefire in Gaza and Israel
10/11/2023: More than a million signatures from people around the world have been gathered for an Amnesty International petition demanding an immediate ceasefire to end hostilities in Gaza and Israel. A ceasefire would allow aid to reach those in desperate need and provide opportunities to secure the release of hostages.
Source: Amnesty International
Call to suspend arms to Israel and Palestinian groups
6/11/2023: Human Rights Watch has called on allies of Israel and backers of Palestinian armed groups to suspend the transfer of arms to the warring parties. The campaign group says that both Israel and Palestinian armed groups have committed serious abuses amounting to war crimes during the current hostilities.
Source: Human Rights Watch
Israel-Gaza crisis: US vetoes Security Council resolution
18/10/2023: The US has vetoed a UN Security Council resolution that would have called for “humanitarian pauses” to deliver lifesaving aid to millions in Gaza. The US Ambassador explained her country’s veto saying “this resolution did not mention Israel’s right of self-defence.”
Source: UN News
Ethiopia: Victims ‘left in limbo’ as rights probe mandate ends
13/10/2023: The final report of the UN-mandated Commission of Human Rights Experts on Ethiopia presents a detailed account of potential war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in Tigray, Amhara, Afar and Oromia, pointing a finger at all parties involved. The Commission's mandate has now ended, leaving victims in limbo.
Source: UN News
Putin to skip BRICS summit in fear of ICC arrest
19/7/2023: Russian President Vladimir Putin will not attend a BRICS nations summit in South Africa next month, ending months of speculation he could be detained under an International Criminal Court arrest warrant. As an ICC member South Africa would be expected to implement the warrant.
Source: The East African
Africa’s fractured relationship with the ICC
17/7/2023: African leaders have complained about wrongful targeting by the International Criminal Court during the 25 years since its founding — but some African legal experts say those claims are unjustified.
Source: DW
ICC launches investigation into surging violence in Darfur
13/7/2023: The Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court is investigating fresh allegations of war crimes in the Darfur region, including the recent killings of 87 members of the ethnic Masalit community. The ICC Prosecutor also called on the warring factions in Sudan to uphold their fundamental obligations under international humanitarian law.
Source: UN News
US destroys remaining chemical weapons stockpile
7/7/2023: America's last remaining weapons containing the GB nerve agent and mustard gas were destroyed last month. The global chemical weapons watchdog said the US was the last "possessor state" and that all declared chemical weapons stockpiles globally have now been "irreversibly destroyed."
Source: DW
Mali’s MINUSMA peacekeeping mission: A foreseeable disaster
4/7/2023: Mali's relations with many of its most important partners has been deteriorating since the military coup of May 2021 and the UN Security Council has now decided to withdraw all its peacekeepers. The withdrawal will impact on the work of aid and development organizations that relied on the protection provided by the UN mission.
Source: DW