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10 April 2013
At the International Donor Conference for Reconstruction and Development in Darfur, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon urged the government of Sudan to cooperate in facilitating the work of the African Union-United Nations Mission in Darfur (UNAMID), international development partners and humanitarian actors throughout Darfur, while respecting human rights. Mr. Ban said ‘We share a collective commitment to achieving a comprehensive and inclusive peace for the people of Darfur. Resolving the conflict there remains critical to consolidating peace and stability for Sudan as a whole.’
The donor conference hosted by Qatar hoped to raise 7.2 billion US dollars in order to be able to cover development and reconstruction of Darfur over a six-year period. According to reports, 3.7 billion US dollars were pledged.
Source: International Donor Conference for Reconstruction and Development in Darfur | Doha - Qatar | 7-8 April 2013
Source: United Nations Secretary-General | Latest Statements | Secretary-General's message to the International Donor Conference for Reconstruction and Development in Darfur, 7-8 April
10 April 2013
The New York Times reports that the first person killed by a US drone attack, in 2004, was victim of a secret deal, under which the C.I.A. had agreed to kill him at the request of Pakistan. The victim, Mr. Muhammad, was not a top operative of Al Qaeda, but a Pakistani ally of the Taliban who led a tribal rebellion and was marked by Pakistan as an enemy of the state. The C.I.A. agreed to kill him in exchange for access to airspace it had long sought, in order to be able to use drones to hunt down its own enemies.
Source: The New York Times | A Secret Deal on Drones, Sealed in Blood
9 April 2013
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon honoured the memory of the more than 800.000 people who lost their lives during the Rwandan genocide in 1994, and stressed that countries have a ‘shared responsibility’ to prevent mass atrocities from happening again. Mr. Ban said ‘Collectively, we must go beyond words and effectively safeguard people at risk. And individually, we must nurture the courage to care – and the resolve to act.’
He also stressed that since the Rwandan genocide occured, the United Nations has worked every day to prevent a recurrence of such horror, with the Responsibility to Protect having become a global principle.
Source: UN News Centre | On anniversary, Ban honours victims and survivors of Rwanda genocide
6 April 2013
France proposed keeping a French support force of 1.000 men to the United Nations and to the Malian government, which would be permanent, based in Mali and equipped to fight terrorism. Foreign Minister Fabius said that France was pushing ahead with plans to reduce its 4.000-member military presence from the end of April, but planned to maintain a permanent combat force in Mali to support a future UN peacekeeping mission.
Source: The New York Times | Mali: France Proposes Permanent Force
4 April 2013
On 2 April the General Assembly voted in favour of the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) with an overwhelming majority of 154 to 3 with 23 abstentions. The ATT addresses the irresponsible international trade in conventional arms, and prohibits states from authorizing the export of conventional weapons if there is an overriding risk that they could be used to commit or facilitate serious human rights abuses and serious violations of international humanitarian law. The ATT will open for signature on 3 June and enter into force 90 days after being ratified by the fiftieth signatory.
Source: UNGA/11354 | Overwhelming Majority of States in General Assembly Say ‘Yes’ to Arms Trade Treaty to Stave off Irresponsible Transfers that Perpetuate Conflict, Human Suffering
Source: The New York Times | U.N. Treaty Is First Aimed at Regulating Global Arms Sales
Source: Reuters | U.N. overwhelmingly approves global arms trade treaty