رئيسة المفوضية الأوروبية أورسولا فون دير لاين: أمن الاتحاد الأوروبي واستعداده، الرسوم الجمركية، والسوق الموحدة كملاذنا الآمن.
播放器加载中....
欧盟主席冯德莱恩：欧盟安全和准备、关税以及作为我们安全港的单一市场
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen: EU security and preparedness, tariffs, and the single market as our safe haven
播放器加载中....
Présidente de la Commission européenne, Ursula von der Leyen : sécurité et préparation de l’UE, droits de douane, et le marché unique comme notre port sûr
播放器加载中....
Председатель Еврокомиссии Урсула фон дер Ляйен: безопасность и готовность ЕС, тарифы и единый рынок как наша безопасная гавань
播放器加载中....
Presidenta de la Comisión Europea, Ursula von der Leyen: seguridad y preparación de la UE, aranceles y el mercado único como nuestro puerto seguro
As ceasefires grow more fragile and conflicts more unpredictable, UN peacekeeping is having to adapt faster amid rising political tensions, disinformation and confusion over mandates.
Addressing ambassadors in the Security Council, Jean-Pierre Lacroix, head of UN peace operations, highlighted the need for change.
“Ceasefire monitoring can no longer be just about being present, it is about rapidly understanding and acting on what is happening on the ground,” he said.
Advances in technology, he explained, are helping ‘blue helmets’ increase their impact by allowing them to monitor vast and complex landscapes in near-real time – overcoming the need to be physically on the ground.
At the same time, a political process backed by the unified support of Member States, particularly the Security Council, remains vital to secure and sustain peace.
Ceasefires depend on combatants
“While peacekeeping can be an integral part of a ceasefire monitoring regime, the success of any ceasefire remains the sole responsibility of the parties [to the agreement],” he said.
Lieutenant General Aroldo Lázaro Sáenz, Head of the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), also underscored the critical importance of political process.
Originally established in 1978, the mandate of UNIFIL was most recently defined in resolution 1701 of 2006, which called for a full cessation of hostilities between Hezbollah and Israel following the 34-day war in Lebanon.
It reinforced UNIFIL’s mandate to monitor the ceasefire, support the Lebanese Armed Forces deployment in southern Lebanon and facilitate humanitarian access.
However, the conflict between Israeli security forces and Hezbollah following the 7 October 2023 attacks by Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups in southern Israel, complicated UNIFIL’s operating environment, until the cessation of hostilities agreed in November 2024.
“Since this cessation of hostilities and in the absence of a permanent ceasefire, one of the main obstacles has always been that the parties interpret differently their obligations under resolution 1701 and now with respect to the cessation of hostilities understanding,” Lt. Gen. Lázaro said.
Combating disinformation
Another challenge is the rise of misinformation and disinformation, which undermines the credibility of UN peacekeepers and fuels local distrust. It compelled UNIFIL to adapt its approach to safeguard credibility, project impartiality and strengthen trust.
Effective outreach, fact-checking and timely responses are critical to safeguarding the mission’s impartiality, Lt. Gen. Lázaro said, noting that UNIFIL has implemented a structured communication strategy to counter misinformation, ensuring that messages are fact-based, clear and consistent across all peacekeeping units.
“It is essential that government actors also make public statements to sensitize the population to UNIFIL’s role and mandate, to avoid misperception,” he added.
Like UNIFIL, the UN peacekeeping mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) is also combating the growing influence of disinformation, which armed groups exploit to destabilize communities and undermine peacekeeping efforts.
UN Photo/Sylvain Liechti An unmanned aerial vehicle or drone is prepared for flight in Goma, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Misuse of technology by armed groups
Lt. Gen. Ulisses De Mesquita Gomes, MONUSCO Force Commander, highlighted the evolving threats peacekeepers face, particularly from armed groups leveraging modern technologies to evade detection and spread propaganda.
“While important to peacekeeping, surveillance technologies have also been used by armed groups, militia and criminal networks,” Lt. Gen. Gomes said.
“In recent months, we have observed the use of readily available drones for reconnaissance by armed groups and the exploitation of encrypted messaging apps for coordination and propaganda dissemination, circumventing traditional monitoring methods.”
He warned that these tactics, combined with the willingness of armed groups to operate beyond traditional State control, make them unpredictable and difficult to counter.
To address these evolving threats, MONUSCO has adapted its strategies to swiftly integrate new capabilities - both from the private industry and contributing nations – within weeks or months, rather than years.
The UN chief on Thursday called for immediate and unrestricted humanitarian access to Myanmar, where last week’s devastating earthquakes claimed over 3,000 lives and left millions in urgent need of aid.
Speaking to reporters at UN Headquarters in New York, Secretary-General António Guterres warned that the earthquake has “supercharged the suffering”.
“Myanmar today is the scene of utter devastation and desperation,” he said.
He emphasised that even before the disaster, the country was grappling with political turmoil, human rights abuses and a worsening humanitarian situation.
“We need rapid action on several fronts,” he said.
Millions in desperate need
According to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), more than 17 million people have been affected by the earthquakes, with nearly nine million experiencing the highest level of devastation.
Over 370 people remain missing, while thousands of others are injured. Telecommunications, power, and water supply systems have collapsed in the hardest-hit regions, leaving survivors without basic necessities and humanitarians struggling to reach them.
Road access between Yangon and central Myanmar requires detours, delaying aid deliveries, while commercial flights to Mandalay remain suspended.
“The hardest-hit areas remain without electricity and water, while telecommunications and internet access are severely disrupted, cutting off affected communities from essential services,” OCHA said in a flash update.
Meanwhile, entire families, including children, are sleeping in the open due to fears of aftershocks or because their homes have been destroyed.
Makeshift shelters are overcrowded and lack security and privacy, increasing the risk of sexual- and gender-based violence, UN agencies warn, calling for urgent measures to ensure safety and dignity of women and girls.
UN mobilizing support
Mr. Guterres announced that he is dispatching UN Emergency Relief Coordinator Tom Fletcher to Myanmar to oversee relief operations.
“He will be on the ground tomorrow,” Mr. Guterres said, adding that Special Envoy Julie Bishop will visit Myanmar in the coming days to reinforce the UN’s commitment to peace and dialogue.
The UN has also allocated $5 million from its Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) for immediate aid, while the UN Office for Project Services (UNOPS) has mobilized $12 million for food, shelter, water, sanitation, debris removal and healthcare.
However, these funds fall far short of what is needed.
“I appeal to the international community to immediately step up vitally needed funding to match the scale of this crisis,” Mr. Guterres said.
One of the biggest obstacles to relief efforts is the ongoing conflict in Myanmar. The country has been in turmoil since the military overthrew the democratically elected government in 2021, leading to widespread violence and displacement.
While Myanmar’s military and armed opposition groups have announced temporary ceasefires to facilitate aid deliveries, Mr. Guterres stressed that these must translate into lasting peace.
“I appeal for rapid, safe, sustained and unimpeded humanitarian access to reach those most in need across the country,” he said, calling on all parties to uphold their obligations to protect civilians.
Monsoon risks
As humanitarian operations scale up, UN agencies have warned that time is running out. Initial assessments indicate that more than 76 per cent of those surveyed have yet to receive any assistance.
With the monsoon season approaching, the risk of disease outbreaks and further displacement looms large.
Return to democracy
Beyond immediate relief efforts, Mr. Guterres called for the earthquake response to serve as a turning point for Myanmar.
He called for the current tragic moment to become an opportunity for the people of Myanmar, appealing for a political process that includes an end to violence, the release of political prisoners and a pathway to democracy.
“As communities across Myanmar unite in grief, it is also time to unite behind a political solution to end the brutal conflict,” Mr. Guterres said.
In addition to restoring democracy, he stressed the need for a comprehensive solution that includes the safe, voluntary, dignified and sustainable return of Rohingya refugees from Bangladesh.
“The United Nations will keep pushing for peace and lifesaving support for the people of Myanmar in their hour of need.”
© MINUSCA UN peacekeepers patrol Bouar, in western Central African Republic.
UN Photo/Sylvain Liechti An unmanned aerial vehicle or drone is prepared for flight in Goma, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
© UNICEF/Nyan Zay Htet Devastation caused by the earthquake in Mandalay, Myanmar's second largest city.
© UNICEF/Nyan Zay Hte A boy, with his sister beside him, sits on a piece of a collapsed wall of community hall in Mandalay. Thousands of families have lost their homes in the city in the aftermath of the earthquakes.