On 26 October, Under-Secretary-General for Safety and Security Gilles Michaud presented the Secretary-General’s Report on “Safety and security of humanitarian personnel and protection of United Nations personnel” to Member States.

The report analyzes the global security environment and impact on United Nations and humanitarian personnel in 2020 and the first half of 2021.

Although security incidents affecting UN personnel were below the five-year average, the number of abductions almost tripled from 2019 to 2020. Equally worrisome is the upward trend on attacks against United Nations and humanitarian vehicles over the past 18 months.

“By mid-2021, 238 million people required humanitarian assistance and protection,” Mr. Michaud noted. “That is one in 33 people worldwide. We will overcome any security challenge to ensure that UN programmes reach them: over 7,000 UNDSS personnel are committed to this mission."

In the past 18 months, seven UN personnel died from violent acts. No deaths were attributed to terrorism.  

Direct attacks against United Nations premises decreased in 2020, with 32 compared to 53 in 2019, and those targeting United Nations vehicles in 2020 totalled 110, an increase from 89 in 2019.

The number of reported sexual assaults against personnel fell, from 12 in 2019 to seven in 2020.

In today’s highly complex security environment, strategic partnership is key to tackling multi-dimensional security challenges. Closer collaboration with host Governments, humanitarian implementing partners, including local actors, regional organizations as well as other international partners, is imperative to strengthen the monitoring and management of security risks.

Michaud expressed appreciation for the crucial support from Member States for the work of the Department of Safety and Security. The report highlights the continued deterioration of the humanitarian situation, rolling back the progress made over the past four decades.

This situation was exacerbated by the effects of COVID-19, which affected the global economic environment, created challenges for governments to meet the needs of their citizens, leading to a surge in global protests, and hindering the work of UN personnel due to travel restrictions.

Support from the Member States remains critical:

  • to ensure that resources are available for the protection of UN personnel,

  • to support efforts to bring to justice the perpetrators of crimes against United Nations and humanitarian personnel,

  • to remain engaged on the issue of safety and security of United Nations personnel, and

  • to provide support to the United Nations Security Management System.

The online event was hosted by the European Union.