United Nations A/RES/1/(2025)
General Assembly 2 January 2025
Resolution adopted by the Fourth Committee
of the General Assembly on 2 January 2025
Signatories: Reunion, Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, People’s Democratic Republic
of Algeria, Principality of Andorra, Republic of Austria, Republic of Benin, People’s
Republic of Bangladesh, Federative Republic of Brazil, Burkina Faso, Republic of
Cyprus, Republic of Cameroon, Canada, Arab Republic of Egypt, State of Eritrea,
Republic of Equatorial Guinea, Georgia, Hellenic Republic (Greece), Republic of Guinea,
Islamic Republic of Iran, Republic of Côte d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast), Ireland, Hashemite
Kingdom of Jordan, Republic of Kazakhstan, State of Kuwait, Republic of Mauritius,
Montenegro, Republic of the Union of Myanmar, New Zealand, Republic of North
Macedonia, Republic of Paraguay, Portuguese Republic, Republic of Rwanda, Republic
of the Sudan, Republic of South Sudan, Republic of Suriname, Republic of Senegal,
Republic of San Marino, United Republic of Tanzania, Turkmenistan, and United
Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
The General Assembly,
Guided by the United Nations Charter,
Conscious that conflicts in the Middle East and Africa are among the longest-running in
the world; that they have caused tragic loss of life, destroyed the infrastructure of the
states involved,
Mindful of the urgent need to bring peace and security to the people of the regions
involved under Article 1 of the United Nations Charter,
Noting with concern the far-reaching spillover effects of conflicts which extend far
beyond their immediate regions, destabilizing neighboring states,
Aware of the role geography plays in the settlement of disputes, and understanding of
disputes,
Reaffirms the importance of neutral third party mediating bodies and recognises that
the FDLR in Democratic Republic of Congo is a Terrorist Organisation;
Recognises also the that the DRC has agreed to disarming, demobilizing and
reintegrating the FDLR in the Addis Ababa Framework Agreement;
Recognizing the role of neutral third-party arbitrators to mediate conflicts is not a
violation of sovereign integrity but a commitment to justice and international peace;
Acknowledging the devastating impact of prolonged conflicts in the Middle East and
Africa on civilian populations, infrastructure, and regional stability, as highlighted in
UN reports,
Reaffirming the principles enshrined in the UN Charter, including the promotion of
international peace and security, respect for sovereignty, and the protection of human
rights,
Recognizing the urgent need for sustainable and transparent mechanisms to address
resource exploitation and ensure equitable distribution of wealth in conflict-affected
regions,
Emphasizing the importance of timely and effective delivery of humanitarian aid to
isolated and high-risk areas, facilitated by advanced technologies and global
cooperation,
Recalling the previous successes and challenges of UN peacekeeping missions and the
critical role of regional organizations such as the African Union, Arab League, and
European Union in resolving conflicts,
Noting the potential of early warning systems and AI-based tools to preempt outbreaks
of violence and enable timely intervention in conflict zones,
Highlighting the importance of post-conflict reconstruction, including rebuilding
schools, hospitals, and essential infrastructure, to ensure long-term stability,
Reiterating the need for inclusive governance, free and fair elections, and
representation of all ethnic, religious, and political groups to strengthen post-conflict
states,
Stressing the importance of universal access to education and healthcare in conflict
zones as a foundation for sustainable peace and development,
Desiring to reduce reliance of countries on organizations like the IMF and WB, and
increase self reliance,
Emphasizing the importance of trade routes in conflicts,
Convinced that initiatives like the Belt and Road initiative, are forms of political
intervention, simultaneously trapping countries in debts,
Emphasizing the significance of The Ivorian Plan integrating rehabilitation, economic,
and human rights reforms, including shelter establishment, educational initiatives, and
sustainable development efforts,
Reinforces enhanced international cooperation to address the root causes of conflict,
including economic exploitation, political exclusion, and resource competition,
Taking note of the role of the regional organisations such as the African Union and Arab
league in facilitating dialogue and building peace,
Referring to enhanced international cooperation to address the root causes of conflict,
including economic exploitation, political exclusion, and resource competition,
Aware of the escalation of inter state and intra state tensions which hinder regional
development and exacerbate human suffering,
1. Believes that, according to Chapter VII, of the United Nations Charter, regions
involved in conflict require the mediation of a neutral third-party arbitrator, as a
means of reconciling the parties directly involved in conflict, through:
a. Recognising key conflict regions and the major stakeholders in those
regions,
b. Electing one arbitrator each with the recommendation of the states
involved in conflict,
c. Electing a chair for the arbitration through the mutual decision of the two
elected arbitrators,
d. Presenting the key stances and positions of the major stakeholders in the
arbitration,
e. Reaching a decision with the investigation of the major stakeholders in the
arbitration,
f. Reaching a decision with the investigation of the tribunal chair,
g. Ratifying and committing to the mutual agreement on the decisions of the
tribunal;
2. Affirms to facilitate peacekeeping measures in conflict regions by providing a
moderated platform for states incvolved in conflict to engage in confidence
building measures, thereby creating an interim arrangement that leads to lasting
stability in the region;
3. Recommends to the United Nations Security Council to ensure a ceasefire in
conflicted regions as the immediate first step in the resolution of conflict,
followed by:
a. De-escalating tensions in states directly involved in conflict through the
procedure of mediation as suggested in Clause (1),
b. Demanding that all militias and armed groups lay down their arms, cease
all forms of violence and destabilizing activities, immediately and
unconditionally,
c. Rehabilitating those affected most in regions of conflict with mobilization
of relevant UN and local bodies, such as UN Relief Works Agency
(UNRWA), World Health Organization (WHO), and World Food Program
(WFP),
d. Protecting civilians in regions of conflict through the dispatch of UN
Special Rapporteurs;
4. Calls on the DRC to implement the Addis Ababa Agreement;
5. Urges the facilitation of conflict resolution in regions of dispute through:
a. Adoption of the BUILD (Bringing People Together, Understanding Local
Needs, Invest in Development, Leading by Example, Developing
Partnerships) framework, where:
i. Countries will engage in facilitating peace talks using diplomatic
channels and neutralism to engage in confidence building,
ii. Understanding needs of local civilians, ensuring that their rights are
not violated,
iii. Understanding also the underlying factors for the rise and
recruitment of Non-State Actors and rebel groups,
iv. Collaborating with other neutral parties to invest in regional bodies
and NGOs and ensuring their empowerment, and fund relief in
regions in which there is a civil war, or the imminent threat of a
civil war,
v. Upholding peacekeeping tradition, thereby committing
peacekeeping troops and resources to the United Nations' mission
to lead these operations to restore local people's need for security,
vi. Developing sound ties with international organisations, as well as
regional bodies and NGOs to facilitate coordination and allow for
conflict zones to swiftly receive humanitarian aid and conflict
mediation;
b. Urging the United Nations Security Council to adopt the ECLIPSE
framework:
i) Empowering to build resilient communities,
ii) Equipping local communities with tools for self governance and
conflict resolution by providing capacity using the UNDP and the
World Bank,
iii) Launching targeted programs to empower women, youth, and
marginalized groups,
iv) Capacity building by enhancing local institutions capabilities to
manage security, resources, and governance effectively using the
UNDP,
v) Collaboration for regional and international synergy by:
(1) Building partnerships among local actors and regional
organizations such as the African Union and Arab League,
(2)Coordinating action plan for humanitarian aid, resource
management and economic revitalization using the UN
Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs
(UNDPPA) in collaboration with the UN Country Teams;
vi) Leadership to strengthen governance by,
(1)Implementing and constructing inclusive governance models
that support proportional representation and power sharing
mechanisms to reflect population diversity and establishing
participatory decision making processes across government
levels,
(2)Leadership development through providing training for
emerging leader, particularly women and youth in conflict
zones;
vii) Inclusion to promote social cohesion by ensuring voluntary returns
of refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs)with adequate
housing, health care and education,
viii) Peacebuilding using the UNDPPA and the UN PeaceBuilding
Support Office (UNPBSO) to engage in prevention of conflicts by,
(1)Security sectors reforms,
1) Establishing radicalised and unified police forces and
armed forces to protect civilians taking help from the UN
Office of Project Services,
2) Using mediated ceasefire mechanisms under the UN
Truce Supervision Organization;
6. Proposes the enactment of an interim ceasefire in the Gaza region, along with an
interim period of confidence-building by:
a) Capacity to be provided by the United Nations Department of Political and
peacebuilding Affairs and the United Nation Peacebuilding Fund,
b) Hostage prisoner exchange deal with 1 hostage is exchanged for 4 prisoners,
c) It will be monitored by the United Nations Truce Supervision Organisation
d) Proposes a disarmament, demilitarization and reintegration from all actors in
Gaza including Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad
i) Under the auspices of the United Nations Office on Disarmament
Affairs;
ii) Reintegration of former combatants under UN vocational training and
education;
e) Proposes the establishment of the united nation border management
initiatives;
i) Tri national border commission equal joint management at the
Philadelphi corridor by the UN and Israel and Palestine,
ii) With the implementation of border protocols to strengthen border
security,
A) Vibration sensors to be used to locate presence of tunnels that can
be used for smuggling and also any future development of tunnels
so that they can be stopped from being developed,
B) X-ray scanners for scanning to be used at the crossings on the
Philadelphi corridor;
f) A land swap proposal to settle the issue of the Israeli settlers;
i) UN mediation panel on land agreement to be used which will
consist of panels of experts in mediation,
ii)making use of the Working Party on Land administration which
will ascertain the total area of Israeli settlements,
iii) after the area has been calculated the palestinian state will be
given the same amount of land in terms of area on the israeli side of
the green line;
g) UN led state building efforts to build institutions and infrastructure in Gaza
and West Bank,
i) Directs the UNDPPA and UN office of projects services and the
UNDP to rebuild critical civilian infrastructure in Gaza,
ii) Funding to be provided by the UN peacebuilding fund and
donations from member states of the UN,
iii) Economic revitalization to be carried out by the UNDP and the
World Bank to provide capacity for training and educating
government officials to enhance good and efficient governance;
7. Affirms the establishment of a UN Peacekeeping Oversight Commission (UNPOC)
under the MONARK Framework:
a. Requests the formation of the UN Peacekeeping Oversight Commission
(UNPOC) under the Department of Peace Operations, Tasked with:
i. Conducting regular audits of peacekeeping operations to ensure
transparency and accountability,
ii. Monitoring and addressing issues of misconduct, including
violations reported in the Central African Republic and the
Democratic Republic of Congo,
iii. Promoting ethical conduct through periodic reviews and feedback
mechanisms;
8. Implements mechanisms to hold multinational corporations accountable for use of
conflict minerals:
a. The UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (2011) already
establish that corporations must avoid causing harm and ensure that their
activities do not contribute to conflict:
i. Ensuring mandatory due diligence under international law for all
corporations operating in conflict regions;
1. This could include publicly available reports on how their
operations comply with the OECD Guidelines for
Multinational Enterprises and UN sanctions regimes;
b. UN or regional organizations like the African union impose sanctions on
corporations that fail to comply with these due diligence standards, while
also providing incentives for companies that contribute to peacebuilding:
i. Through peace dividends, where resources extracted contribute
directly to conflict resolution and local development;
9. Recommends the creation of a Comprehensive Peacekeeper Conduct and
Accountability Framework:
a. Recommends implementing rigorous pre-deployment training programs
for peacekeeping personnel, focusing on:
i. Ethical conduct and anti-corruption practices;
ii. Cultural sensitivity tailored to the host nation’s societal norms;
iii. Human rights rights education, emphasising respect and protection
for vulnerable populations,
b. Proposes establishing a specialized investigative body under the UN Office
of Internal Oversight Services (OIOS) with the mandate to:
i. Conduct prompt and through investigations into alleged violations,
ii. Enforce accountability measures for perpetrators,
iii. Provide victim support programs, including psychological
counselling and legal assistance;
10. Recommends the integration of regional governments in peacekeeping missions
by:
a. Advocating for peacekeeping missions to include regional governance
clauses in their mandates, such as MONUSCO or UNITAMS to integrate
specific measures in their mandates that actively facilitate decentralized
political systems,
b. Regional governance agreements would focus on creating regional
councils in conflict-affected areas and should be negotiated under UN
auspices, supported by peacekeepers:
i. Peacekeepers can help set up an autonomous regional council in
conflict ridden regions,
ii. Mandates should include a framework where regional governance is
reviewed every 6 months to ensure implementation,
iii. UNDP (United Nations Development Programme) can fund
projects that facilitate local-level elections to ensure legitimacy and
local leadership in autonomous regions;
11. Deploying Specialized units for regional autonomy with expertise in conflict
mediation and governance:
a. Create peacekeeping sub-units trained to assist with local elections, create
ethnic reconciliation councils, and build local law enforcement to manage
internal security, These specialized units should report to the UN with
updates every quarter on the governance process;
12. Urges the creation of a regional autonomy support network:
a. Work with regional organizations like the African Union (AU) or Economic
Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to set up an Autonomy
Support Network,
b. Advocate for regional peacekeeping missions to be co-managed by both
the UN and regional bodies (such as the African Standby Force or
ECOWAS Mission),
c. Push for the AU’s Peace and Security Council (AUPSC) to mediate
dialogue and use peacekeeping forces to ensure autonomy does not lead to
violence;
13. Recommends the establishment of regional courts for Accountability and Conflict
Resolution:
a. Establish or empower regional judicial bodies that can play a critical role
in holding parties accountable for crimes committed during conflicts
without undermining national sovereignty:
i. These regional courts should operate within the framework of
regional autonomy and focus on addressing human rights
violations, war crimes, and atrocities,
ii. The African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights (AfCHPR) and
the East African Court of Justice (EACJ) can serve as models, while
ensuring they are strengthened through greater international
support and integration with UN peacekeeping missions;
14. Supports of a Peacebuilding Transition Fund (PTF):
a. Encourages the establishment of a Peacebuilding Transition Fund (PTF),
co-designed by international stakeholders:
i. Support post-conflict nations in rebuilding sustainable governance
structures,
ii. Foster economic self-reliance and reduce dependence on external
aid,
iii. Draw inspiration from Libya’s national recovery efforts to develop
actionable blueprints for self-reliance;
b. Suggests active engagement with private sector partners, international
financial institutions, and donor nations to secure funding and ensure
efficient resource allocation;
15. Adopting Flexible and Inclusive Peacekeeping Mandates:
a. Calls for the organization of periodic forums and workshops involving host
nations, UN agencies, and other relevant stakeholders to:
i. Adapt peacekeeping mandates to the evolving needs of conflict
zones,
ii. Minimize unintended impacts on local communities by
incorporating local perspectives and expertise,
iii. Enhance the effectiveness of peacekeeping missions by ensuring
mandates are context-sensitive;
16. Reinforces the Humane Reintegration of Refugees in Palestine:
a. Welcomes the proposals from the delegation of Mauritius and endorses
the following measures for the reintegration of refugees:
i. The establishment of a Global Solidarity Fund for Refugee
Resilience to ensure sustainable living conditions and integration
programs within refugee camps,
ii. Regional economic partnerships between Palestinian refugees and
neighboring countries to utilize refugees’ skills and create stable
income-generating opportunities;
17. Acknowledging Mauritius’ emphasis on mental health support and:
a. Recommends prioritizing trauma recovery programs for conflict-affected
youth, in collaboration with global NGOs,
i. Encourages the establishment of safe spaces for mental health
awareness and assistance;
b. Supports the Mauritius-backed Robust Accountability Mechanism to
ensure:
i. Aid and resources reach intended beneficiaries without
interference,
ii. Transparency and trust between donors, implementing agencies,
and affected populations;
18. Promoting of Context-Sensitive Peacekeeping Reforms:
a. Reaffirms the need for accountable, adaptable, and sustainable reforms in
peacekeeping missions to:
i. Enhance operational effectiveness;
ii. Promote long-term peace and stability in conflict-affected regions;
19. Urges the United States to take responsibility for its role in the resource
exploitation of the Democratic Republic of Congo:
a. Regulation of American corporations operating in the region,
i. Ensuring compliance with international standards on conflict
minerals;
20. Encourages the enforcement of UN Resolution 1373:
a. Implementation of Financial Action Task Force protocols,
b. Imposition of targeted sanctions on member states found to provide direct
or indirect support to nonstate actors including but not limited to groups
such as Hamas and the Wagner Group in order to disrupt their financial
and logistical networks;
21. Recommends the establishment of the United Nations Special commission for
Disputed Territories (UNSCDT), to the UN secretary-General, a subsidiary body
reporting directly to the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) And Special Political
and Decolonization Committee (SPECPOL), to execute the new partition plan which will
be based on the two-state solution based on the Pre-1967 borders:
A. UNSCDT will consist of,
1. Ethnic reconciliation council which will consist of 8 representatives
from Israel and palestine, and 4 countries nominated each by both
israel and palestine,
2. Both israel and palestine should agree to all the representatives
selected,
3. All the 8 representatives will be appointed for a tenure of 5 years,
4. A panel of experts appointed by the UN Secretary-General and UN
Chef de cabinet in international law and conflict resolution;
B. Defined by the SAFE framework, Answers the question of jerusalem by
allocating the west of jerusalem to Israel and the east of jerusalem to
Palestine;
22. Calls for the establishment of Operation Bowdown:
C. Calls for vocational training programmes for refugees;
D. Increase employability, employing them in sustainable sectors like
construction, education etc;
E. Provide incentives like tax cuts and subsidies to businesses employing
refugees;
23. Establish safe humanitarian corridors for cross border security;
24. Usage of Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) technology paired with AI assessment
mechanisms:
What will
Detect underground tunnels used for smuggling of weapons paired with AI
anomaly detection;
25. Implementation of economic independence policies to reverse effects of
colonisation:
i) Introduce SEZs along the borders;
ii) Establish public private partnerships domestically;
26. Advocates for a two state solution as per pre 1967 borders for israel and palestine:
i) Palestine will consist of the west bank, gaza and east jerusalem;
ii) Egypt will be a prime mediator as per UNSC resolution 338;
27. Introduces the leprechaun framework:
i) Expansion of the UN peacekeeper reserve fund, expanding the cap to
$750 million to be funded by voluntary contributions to be used for in
emergency situations or if funding for a UN peacekeeping mission falls
short and there is not time to reform the mandate in the UNSC and get
assessed contributions, under unsc resolution 242, contributors can also
earmark funds for specific aspects of missions or regions, however unspent
earmark funds will revert to the general pool for emergency use, the
granting of an independent Palestinian state free from occupation, deem
all israel expansion settlements as illegal under the geneva conventions
article 49 and asks for the withdrawal of Israelis from these settlements as
they undermine international law:
a) Monitoring and investigation of MNCs, states, and
individuals through the FATF and UN panel of experts;
ii) Expansion of the mandate of the UN peacekeeping missions to include
resource management and humanitarian corridors;
iii) When it comes to the exploitation of resources particularly but not
limited to the African region, we want to ensure that valuable natural
resources are not exploited by armed groups, corrupt officials or external
actors who wish to expand the conflict:
a. Peacekeepers will be deployed to monitor resource sites,
such as mines, forests, and oil fields, to ensure that they have
no influence or are not being exploited by armed groups;
b.Peacekeepers will also oversee the transport and trade of
natural resources to prevent smuggling and ensure that
revenues generated through the extraction of these minerals
are transparently managed;
c. Collaborate with host governments to develop transparent
governance mechanisms to channel resource revenues into
public development projects;
d.We acknowledge that the main goal of the UN peacekeeping
forces is the protection of civilians which is why we will be
using resources security units (RSUs):
A. Rsus are specialized peacekeeping teams that
are specifically trained to secure and monitor
resource sites;
B. RSUs will focus solely on resource security to
ensure the primary mandate of protecting
civilians remains undisturbed;
iv) The 5th committee would overlook the fund as it already overlooks this
fund, however, it would additional reporting quarterly on whose made
contributions to the fund;
28. Calls for the Vienna Bridge implementation:
a) Two-state Solution in Israel-Palestine based on the pre-1967 borders
with an emphasis on tolerance and inclusivity in intensely disputed
areas such as Jerusalem:
1. Emphasis on the rule of law and rights of both parties to
self-determination;
2. Deployment of local peacekeeping force overseen by the UN to
observe and implement;
b) Need for regional blocs to take the lead in regional negations including
but not limited to the African Union, Arab League, and the Organization of
Islamic States:a
i. Promote collaboration between regional and international
organizations (eg the UN) to ensure the inclusivity of perspectives;
c) Ceasefire and de-escalation measures to immediately establish
violence-free zones mediated by a neutral third party:
i. Steps taken to avoid further escalation such as forced
disarmament of extremist reb groups;
d) Humanitarian aid and reconstruction efforts funded by European states
such as Austria as well as other voluntary actors including states, IGOs,
and NGOs:
i) Prioritize humanitarian relief in zones such as Gaza, the West
Bank, and surrounding areas;
ii) Encourage international and regional collaboration to rebuild
infrastructure including facilities such as schools and hospitals;
iii) Calls for the establishment of turkeys peace framework:
A. Promote dialogue through table talks, to reach
agreements and eventually ceasefire;
B. Establish economic aid, the nation of Turkiye is willing
to provide financial assistance for the people of
Palestine to help reestablish a presence;
C. Advocate for adherence to international laws;
D. Coordinate with neighboring nations to reduce
regional instability;
E. Ensure humanitarian relief for affected populations;
29. Advocate for the implementation of the Stand with Humanity:
a) Promote regional mediation,
b) The dispute of the Middle East and Africa also involves the border
countries enforcement of international law,
c) Constitutional development,
d) Political transition,
e) Enforcement of international law,
f) Ratification to ICC and ICJ,
g) Accountability for humanitarian violation,
h) Strengthening international legal framework for corporate
accountability;
30. Advocates for implementation of the hakuna matata framework:
a) Strengthening Peacekeeping Operations:
i) Authorization of the growth of UN peacekeeping missions,
UNMISS (United Nations Mission in South Sudan) and UNIFIL
(United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon) to incorporate
specialized conflict mediation units;
ii) amalgamate Blue helmets with regional forces such as theAfrican
Standby Force (ASF) and Joint Task Force of the G5 Sahel, to
improve interoperability and rapid response:
a) Humanitarian aid and support for refugees:
(1)Increase collaboration with UNHCR, World Food
Programme (WFP), food security, healthcare, and
shelter for displaced populations;
(2)support long-term integration programs for refugees
and IDPs, working with the International
Organization for Migration (IOM);
b) Preventing arms Proliferation:
i) Strengthen the enforcement of arms trade treaty
through stricter border control training programs and
regional monitoring systems;
31. Calls for implementation of the turkmenistan framework, by:
F. Promoting neutral mediation
G. Strengthening humanitarian corridors
H. Focus on infrastructure development
I. Legal accountability
J. Peace and education initiatives
32. Calls for the implementation of the Self-management and Autonomy for
Local Leadership (SMALL) framework:
a) Implementing federalization and subnational autonomy as
practiced in Bosnia and Comoros to give more power to minority
and other ethnic groups, to prevent secessionist movements,
b) Supporting only impartisan foreign military interventions under the
mandate of the UN to lower hostilities and create a conducive
environment for negotiations for peace,
33. Advocates for the Roots for Harmony framework
i) Establishment of Regional Conflict Resolution Centers:
a. Establish regional centers for conflict resolution providing
mediation and peacebuilding resources tailored to the MEA region
b. Achieve this by collaborating with regional bodies like the African
Union, Arab League and international partners to secure
infrastructure, funding, and skilled mediators for long term
effective measures
c. Security Sector Reform (SSR) programs
i) Implement SSR programs to improve local security forces’
efficiency and accountability
ii) Achieve this by partnering with international
peacekeeping organization and civil society to train security
personnel to monitor reforms and ensure compliance with
human rights standards
ii) Cross border economic cooperation and infrastructure
development to foster cross border economic agreements
and development projects
34. Urges the implementation of the Valo framework
a) This framework focuses on guiding conflict-affected regions toward
peace and rebuilding through light and hope, symbolized by the
Finnish word Valo, meaning light:
1. Valo Centre
i) Establish safe community spaces offering vocational
training, mental health support, and opportunities for
intergroup dialogue to promote understanding and
unity;
2. Distribute portable kits containing solar-powered lights,
water filters and essential supplies to displaced populations,
ensuring basic needs are met even in crisis zones,
3. Valo Tech Solutions
ii) Deploy Finnish technological expertise to
implement advanced monitoring systems for ceasefire
verification, blockchain and transparent aid
distribution, and digital education platforms for youth
in conflict areas.