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Find Shola Lawal's articles, email address, contact information, Twitter and more

Violet Gonda Productions Spotlight on Zimbabwe brings you a post-election analysis titled – Zimbabwe Elections 2023 – what happened?

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A brief roundup of United Nations-related political and peacebuilding events and developments globally. Secretary-General calls for renewed action on women, peace and security   On 7 October, the Security Council held its annual open debate on women, peace and security (WPS), marking the 25th anniversary of resolution 1325. In his remarks, the Secretary-General stressed that women’s leadership is central to just and lasting peace, warning that progress on the WPS agenda remains fragile and, in many areas, is reversing. He urged Member States to accelerate commitments under the Pact for the Future through concrete measures — including increased funding for women’s organizations, binding targets for participation, accountability for gender-based violence, and protection for women peacebuilders.   Ahead of the briefing, he visited the Through Her Lens: Women Rising for Peace exhibit, located in the plaza outside the General Assembly building. The display features powerful images by local women photographers, showcasing women peacebuilders, human rights defenders, UN peacekeepers and community leaders working for peace in fragile contexts. The exhibit will remain open through October. Security Council discusses UN–AU cooperation on peace and security   On 7 October, the Security Council held a meeting on cooperation between the United Nations and the African Union (AU). Special Representative of the Secretary-General (SRSG) to the African Union and Head of the United Nations Office to the African Union (UNOAU) Parfait Onanga-Anyanga highlighted the progress achieved through strengthened political collaboration, joint operations and strategic coordination between the two organizations. He underscored that the partnership remains central to addressing Africa’s peace and security challenges. Assistant Secretary-General (ASG) for Africa Martha Pobee, speaking on behalf of DPPA and DPO, emphasized the importance of predictable financing for AU-led peace support operations, as well as continued joint planning, analysis and capacity-building to advance collective security efforts across the continent. Special Envoy Huang Xia discusses regional peace efforts in Doha   During a visit to Doha, on 5 October, Special Envoy of the Secretary-General (SESG) for the Great Lakes Region Huang Xia met with Minister of State at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Qatar Mohammed bin Abdulaziz bin Saleh Al Khulaifi. The Special Envoy briefed his Qatari counterparts on ongoing peace and dialogue initiatives in the Great Lakes Region, particularly regarding the situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. He underlined the importance of regional and international support to de-escalate tensions and sustain political dialogue. The visit formed part of the Special Envoy’s broader diplomatic outreach to strengthen partnerships for peace and stability in the Great Lakes Region. Read more High-level workshop on natural resource governance in Botswana   On 7–8 October, SESG for the Great Lakes Region Huang Xia convened a high-level workshop in Gaborone, Botswana, on “Enhancing the ICGLR Regional Certification Mechanism through Lessons Learned from the Kimberley Process.” Co-organized with the ICGLR Secretariat, the Kimberley Process Secretariat, GIZ, and supported by the Government of Botswana, the event gathered over 60 senior participants, including former President Mokgweetsi Masisi, and representatives of the AU, EU, World Bank, civil society and the private sector. Discussions focused on strengthening compliance, traceability and inclusive governance in natural resource management to advance peace, stability and sustainable development across the Great Lakes Region. A race for peace in Sucre   As part of Peace Month, on 3 October the United Nations Verification Mission in Colombia participated in the third Observation Race under the theme “The Road that Unites Us: Human Rights and Peace” in Sincelejo, Sucre. The event aimed to foster peaceful coexistence and strengthen trust between public institutions and civil society. Through collaborative activities, teamwork and problem-solving exercises, participants promoted citizen engagement and a shared commitment to building a more just, inclusive and peaceful society. “Mirémonos de Cerca”: Promoting peace through community sports   On 4 October, in Puerto Rico, Caquetá, the United Nations Verification Mission in Colombia joined the Colombian Agency for Reincorporation and Normalization (ARN) for a sports day held under the national campaign “Mirémonos de Cerca” (“Let Us Look at Each Other Closely”), aimed at preventing stigmatization. The event brought together former combatants, local residents and institutional representatives to strengthen social cohesion, promote mutual understanding and foster reconciliation through teamwork and dialogue. The initiative forms part of ongoing local efforts to advance peacebuilding and support the reintegration of former combatants into community life. UNAMI and OHCHR advance human rights-based approaches to anti-corruption in Iraq   On 6 October, the UNAMI Human Rights Office and OHCHR, in cooperation with the Federal Commission of Integrity (CoI), held a workshop in Mosul on integrating human rights principles into anti-corruption efforts. The event brought together 42 representatives from civil society, the media, the legal community and local authorities in Ninewa Governorate. Participants discussed how corruption undermines human rights and explored ways to strengthen collaboration between the CoI and local communities, including through public engagement, reporting mechanisms and whistleblower protection. The workshop is part of the third phase of the UNAMI/OHCHR–CoI project, which includes capacity-building and outreach activities to promote accountability and transparency across Iraq. Second cohort of Ra’idat women visit Rome to learn about international peacebuilding   Six young women from the second cohort of the UN in Libya’s Ra’idat leadership programme concluded their training with a study visit to Rome, supported by the Government of Italy. Coordinated through the United Nations Support Mision in Libya (UNSMIL) in close cooperation with the UN Country team, the three-day mission exposed participants to international examples of women’s leadership in peace and governance through meetings with government officials, diplomats, and peacebuilders. The tailor-made programme included visits to the Italian Senate, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, LUISS University, and NGOs active in Libya. The Ra’idat programme, now in its second year, trains 35 young Libyan women annually in communication, leadership, and advocacy. The 2025–26 cohort, selected from nearly 900 applicants, will begin training later this month. Read more Peacebuilding Impact Hub hosts training on impact evaluations for peacebuilding   From 8 to 10 October, the Peacebuilding Impact Hub of DPPA’s Peacebuilding Support Office organized a training session on impact evaluations for peacebuilding, in collaboration with the Peacebuilding Fund (PBF), the World Bank, the International Initiative for Impact Evaluation (3ie), and the International Security and Development Center (ISDC). The training aimed to strengthen the capacity of practitioners, researchers, and policymakers to design and conduct impact evaluations for peacebuilding projects, drawing on examples from PBF initiatives supported by Canada and Germany. This was the second such training organized by the Impact Hub, following the first session held in April 2025 after the launch of an impact evaluation of the Fund’s work in East Darfur. SRSG Imnadze participates in the 2nd Meeting of Speakers of Parliaments of the Member States of the Group of Friends of Neutrality On 8 October SRSG Kaha Imnadze, Head of UNRCCA, participated in the 2nd Meeting of Speakers of Parliaments of the Group of Friends of Neutrality, hosted by Turkmenistan’s Parliament in a hybrid format. The event gathered representatives from Central Asia, Russia, Belarus, China, Qatar, the Inter-Parliamentary Union, and CIS Interparliamentary Assembly. In his statement, SRSG Imnadze underlined the significance of Turkmenistan’s long-standing commitment to neutrality and its contribution to strengthening international peace and trust. He stressed that neutrality should not be perceived as passivity but as an active commitment to dialogue, humanitarian engagement, and multilateral solutions. Marking 25 years of women, peace and security in Yemen   To mark the 25th anniversary of Security Council resolution 1325, the Office of the Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for Yemen is amplifying the voices of Yemeni women, whose leadership continues in the struggle for peace in the country. Their stories highlight women’s resilience and their essential role in advancing dialogue, reconciliation and recovery efforts across Yemen. Read more Japan contributes to DPPA’s Multi-Year Appeal   This week, DPPA thanks the Government of Japan for its contribution of $143,610 to the Department’s Multi-Year Appeal (MYA). The funding will support the work of the Special Envoy of the Secretary-General on Myanmar, including efforts to promote inclusive stakeholder engagement and advance peace initiatives.  Next Week  On 13 October, the Security Council will hold a meeting on the Great Lakes region, focusing on regional peace and security developments. On 14 October, the Council will be briefed on the situation in Libya by UNSMIL.

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