India participated in the third UN-led conference on Afghanistan in Doha, marking the Taliban’s first appearance at an international event. While India is cautiously engaging with the Taliban for humanitarian and security purposes, the conference drew criticism over the regime’s treatment of women. External Affairs Minister Jaishankar also visited Doha, strengthening India-Qatar ties across various sectors.
The Taliban will meet with international envoys in Qatar, raising concerns about the lack of human rights on the agenda. The exclusion of women’s rights groups has sparked criticism, while the UN insists this is not a step towards recognition.
Israel has dismissed a UN-backed report highlighting catastrophic hunger in Gaza, claiming it is misleading and biased. The report, published by the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC), stated that 495,000 Gazans are facing severe food insecurity, while another 745,000 are in a food emergency. Despite some improvement in the north, the report warns of a worsening situation in the south, attributed to the May hostilities in Rafah.
India has criticized the United Nations Security Council’s annual report as lacking substance, calling it a mere compilation of meeting details and lacking analysis. India’s representative at the UN also highlighted the need for comprehensive reform of the Security Council, including expansion of both permanent and non-permanent members.
Kenya has sent the first contingent of its 1,000-strong police force to Haiti, despite ongoing legal challenges in Kenya. The deployment is part of a UN-backed multinational mission to tackle gang violence in the country, which has been plagued by instability and humanitarian crises. The US is providing funding and logistical support for the mission, but has ruled out sending its own troops. The deployment has been met with mixed reactions, with some expressing concerns about Kenya’s record on human rights while others hope for a positive impact on Haiti’s security situation.
Pakistan’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations (UN) has fallen victim to a cyber attack, with its official email account and YouTube channel being infiltrated and manipulated. The attack occurred on Friday at 4 pm US time, targeting the email ID used by the Permanent Mission’s information wing and compromising the mission’s YouTube channel, altering its name, banners, and content. The Pakistani UN mission has urged people to ignore any emails or videos shared from these compromised accounts until they regain control.
The United Nations Secretary-General has listed Israel’s military among global offenders for committing violations against children in 2023, prompting outrage from Israel and further straining its relationship with the UN. Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad, militant groups that have engaged in armed conflict with Israel, will also be included on the list. The decision comes despite Israel’s longstanding assertion of having a highly moral military.
Israeli forces have escalated their offensive in southern Gaza, resulting in at least 37 deaths. The majority of casualties were civilians seeking shelter in tents outside the city of Rafah. The incident has sparked international condemnation, with several countries recognizing the Palestinian state as Israel’s isolation deepens. The UN Security Council is considering a draft resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire.
The United Nations has revised India’s economic growth projections for 2024 upward to 6.9%, reflecting robust public investment and resilient private consumption. This represents an increase from the initial forecast of 6.2%. Despite subdued external demand weighing on merchandise exports, the country’s strong performance in pharmaceuticals and chemicals exports is expected to contribute to overall growth. The UN noted that inflation in India is projected to decelerate, remaining within the central bank’s target range. The positive outlook for India is also supported by the region’s projected 5.8% growth, driven by a recovery in Pakistan and Sri Lanka. However, the report highlights that tight financial conditions and external imbalances pose risks to South Asia’s growth trajectory.
Colonel Waibhav Anil Kale (Retd), an Indian national working with the UN in Gaza, was killed on Monday when his vehicle was hit by shots fired from an Israeli tank. The UN has established a fact-finding panel to probe the incident, which is being condemned by UN chief António Guterres and other senior officials.
