Statement on Ukraine by Mami Mizutori, Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Disaster Risk Reduction

I express my solidarity with the people of Ukraine and call for an immediate cessation of hostilities.

This escalating violence -- which is resulting in civilian deaths, including children – is totally unacceptable.

As the UN Secretary-General said after the General Assembly Resolution, the message is “loud and clear: end hostilities in Ukraine — now; silence the guns — now; open the door to dialogue and diplomacy — now.”

This is a major regional crisis with potentially disastrous implications for us all.

Conflict directly exacerbates people’s vulnerability to all other disasters contributing to the already significant challenges we face in terms of climate change, food security and poverty. We are still witnessing the cascading impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic against a backdrop of growing climate change risk. Conflict undermines the resilience of all, in particular the most vulnerable, and exacerbates inequalities. 

UNDRR stands in solidarity with the people of Ukraine and, alongside the UN’s partners, is committed to provide all possible assistance within its mandate to ensure that the hard-won progress that Ukraine has made on its sustainable development pathway is safeguarded.