������ҹ������

CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC 

Ahead of presidential, legislative, regional and municipal elections in the Central African Republic on 28 December, the Secretary-General calls on all Central Africans to participate in the electoral process and also calls on authorities to ensure that the polls are conducted in a peaceful, orderly, inclusive and credible manner.   

The Secretary-General urges all stakeholders to refrain from actions that could incite violence or undermine the credibility of the process and underlines the importance of safeguarding the rule of law, human rights and fundamental freedoms throughout the electoral period.  

The Secretary-General notes that municipal elections, which have not been held in the Central African Republic since 1988, are a key provision of the 2019 Political Agreement for Peace and Reconciliation in the Central African Republic. Their conduct represents an historic milestone in the peace process and a critical step towards consolidating the decentralization of state authority.  

The Secretary-General acknowledges the continued support to national authorities provided by the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA) for the organization and conduct of these elections, in coordination with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). 

He notes the efforts of the Central African authorities and all those involved in preparing these elections. The Secretary-General reiterates the continued commitment of the United Nations to support the Central African Republic in its efforts to consolidate peace, stability and democratic governance. 

DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO / BURUNDI 

Emergency Relief Coordinator Tom Fletcher has allocated US$13.5 million from the UN Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) to address the worsening humanitarian toll of displacement driven by the conflict in the east of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, which has led to an outflow of refugees into Burundi. $10 million will support the provision of immediate, life-saving assistance in the DRC, with $3.5 million bolstering urgent response efforts in Burundi. 

Since early December, escalating armed conflict in the DRC’s South Kivu province has resulted in the population movement of an estimated 500,000 people, with families sheltering in public spaces and overcrowded sites, or with overstretched host communities. In Burundi, 85,000 new arrivals, including Congolese refugees and Burundian returnees, have further strained an already fragile system, with border points and transit centres operating at almost double their capacity. In both contexts, people are facing acute shortages of food, water, shelter, protection services and healthcare, amid heightened risks of disease outbreaks. 

The new funds from CERF, the UN’s global emergency fund managed by the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), will support the most vulnerable displaced and host communities in the DRC’s South Kivu and Tanganyika provinces, with a focus on life-saving programmes. In Burundi, the additional resources will go toward helping stabilize conditions at reception centres, reducing overcrowding, and supporting relocations to the Bweru site, all while delivering vital aid. 

OCCUPIED PALESTINIAN TERRITORY  

The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reports that teams across the Gaza Strip and in the region continue responding to people’s needs, despite significant restrictions and impediments.  

On Monday, out of nearly 4,000 pallets of aid offloaded at the Gaza crossings, about 65 per cent contained food supplies; 12 per cent carried shelter items; another 12 per cent were water, sanitation and hygiene items; and 7 per cent comprised health and nutrition supplies. Two thirds of the supplies were offloaded at the Kerem Shalom/Karem Abu Salem crossing in the south, and the remaining third at the Zikim crossing in the north. This data excludes bilateral donations and the commercial sector.   

On Tuesday, out of five attempts by the UN to coordinate humanitarian movements with Israeli authorities inside Gaza, three were facilitated, one was initially approved but never received clearance to proceed, and another was cancelled by the organizers. As a result, teams could redeploy staff and carry out some of the planned collection of food and health supplies from Kerem Shalom crossing, alongside other missions in areas where coordination with the Israeli authorities was not required.   

Meanwhile, partners leading on education say that on Monday, one partner distributed more than 2,000 winterization kits to vulnerable children aged 12 to 14. On the same day, education partners deployed and distributed 58 specialized tents across 16 learning centres throughout the Strip to expand classroom space. This additional infrastructure is expected to accommodate nearly 25,000 children for in-person learning.  

Partners leading on mine action continue inspecting key areas for potential explosive hazards. On Monday, two such assessments to support the removal of rubble were carried out in Deir al Balah and Gaza City. 

VENEZUELA 

Assistant Secretary-General Khaled Khiari briefed the Security Council on Tuesday, telling Council members that the United States’ military presence and operations in the Southern Caribbean, off the coast of Venezuela, have increased since this Council last discussed the situation on 10 October, further heightening tensions between the two countries.

Regarding the tensions between the countries, Mr. Khiari recalled that the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) issued a statement on 1 December noting that “Article 1 of the 1944 Convention on International Civil Aviation recognizes that every State has complete and exclusive sovereignty over the airspace above its territory.” 

He noted that on 17 December, at his request, President Nicolas Maduro of Venezuela held a telephone conversation with the Secretary-General. The Secretary-General reaffirmed the United Nations’ position on the need for Member States to respect international law, particularly the United Nations Charter, exercise restraint and de-escalate tensions to preserve regional stability. 

The Secretary-General stands ready to support all efforts at diplomatic engagement, including the exercise of his good offices, if both parties so request it. He welcomes initiatives by Member States, offers for mediation and proposals for peaceful solutions.