This archive report was first published on 22 May 2020.
Published on May 22, 2020, a UN call for a global ceasefire during the coronavirus pandemic has been largely ignored, with over 660,000 people displaced from their homes in conflict zones around the world since March.
The Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) reported that armed conflict has continued during the pandemic, with 661,000 people displaced in 19 countries since March 23.
The highest number of displaced people was in the Democratic Republic of Congo, where clashes between armed groups and the country's military forced 482,000 people to flee their homes.
Jan Egeland, Secretary-General of the NRC, criticized the UN Security Council for failing to show leadership and encourage peace talks.
"While people are being displaced and killed, powerful members of the UN Security Council squabble like children in a sandbox," Egeland said.
The NRC is appealing to UN Security Council members to issue a "clear call" to warring parties to halt the conduct of hostilities and settle their conflicts through talks.
