Bahrain

On 16 April, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres appointed Khaled El Mekwad of Egypt as the United Nations Resident Coordinator in Bahrain, with the approval of the host Government.

The World Health Organization and the United Nations Children’s Fund warned today that disruptions in the delivery and uptake of immunization services caused by the COVID-19 pandemic is causing an alarming decline in the number of life-saving vaccines for children around the world, threatening hard-won progress.

The High Commissioner for Human Rights calls on Bahrain to immediately and unconditionally release human rights defender Nabeel Rajab and ensure that all Bahrainis are able to exercise their rights to freedom of opinion and expression without fear of arbitrary detention.  She urges Bahrain to stop criminalizing dissenting voices.

United Nations Secretary‑General António Guterres has appointed Samir Aldarabi as Director of the United Nations Information Centre in Manama, covering Bahrain, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.  Mr. Aldarabi assumed his duties on 1 August 2018.

The Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process told the Security Council today that despite the relative tranquillity of the Israel-Palestinian conflict compared to other regional crises, the spectre of violence is always near.  He said that all stakeholders must avoid any unilateral action that would prejudge a negotiated final status solution.

The following statement was issued today by the Spokesman for UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon: