Pakistan, Sudan, Democratic Republic of the Congo…

The Secretary-General takes note of the ongoing protests that have erupted following the arrest of former Prime Minister Imran Khan yesterday in Islamabad and calls for all parties to refrain from violence. He stresses the need to respect the right to peaceful assembly.

Turning to Sudan, today, the Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, Martin Griffiths, spoke by telephone with frontline responders - including doctors and engineers – in the capital Khartoum. 

In the call, Mr. Griffiths heard firsthand about this community-led humanitarian aid response and their courageous efforts to provide food, shelter and emergency health support amid the ongoing threat of violence and looting. 

In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, MONUSCO peacekeepers are conducting joint operations with the Congolese armed forces against the Allied Democratic Force (ADF), which have been perpetrating attacks northwest of Beni since 27 April.  

The Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations, Jean-Pierre Lacroix, will travel to Kosovo from 11 to 14 May. He will then travel to Serbia from 14 to 16 May.   

This morning, the Security Council held its semi-annual debate on Bosnia and Herzegovina. And in the afternoon, there will be closed consultations on the situation in the Middle East. 

We issued a statement yesterday expressing the Secretary-General’s sadness at the news of the passing of Kemal Derviş, former Administrator of the UN Development Programme (UNDP).  

Today is the third International Day of Argania, celebrated under the theme "Socio-economic development & sustainability of the Argan ecosystem."