Category: Africa

The Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO) on Wednesday highlighted the need to support millions facing starvation and disease in the Horn of Africa. Speaking from Geneva, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said drought, conflict, climate change and increasing prices for food, fuel and fertilizer, are all contributing to lack of access to sufficient food.  The… Continue reading WHO warns of disease threat amid Horn of Africa drought

A $10 million loan from the UN’s Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) will allow the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) to scale up the procurement of fertilizers to support farmers in the restive Tigray region in northern Ethiopia, the agency announced on Monday.  Since conflict erupted in November 2020, Tigray and other regions have seen… Continue reading Ethiopia: Loan from UN fund allows FAO to scale up fertilizers for farmers in Tigray

Healthy life expectancy among Africans living in mainly high and upper middle-income countries on the continent, has increased by almost 10 years, the UN health agency, WHO, said on Thursday. The World Health Organization announced the good news after examining life expectancy data among the 47 countries that make up the WHO African Region from 2000 to 2019,… Continue reading Healthy life expectancy in Africa grows by nearly 10 years

Three UN-appointed independent human rights experts returned from Ethiopia on Tuesday after working to negotiate access to areas important for investigations. The UN International Commission of Human Rights Experts on Ethiopia is mandated to conduct a thorough and impartial probe into allegations of violations and abuses of international human rights law. Specifically, it will investigate violations… Continue reading UN delegation returns from human rights fact-finding mission in Ethiopia

The UN World Food Programme (WFP) in Sudan has received a $100 million contribution from the World Bank to assist with critical emergency cash and food sustenance in Sudan. In the first-ever direct contribution between the two UN agencies in the country, the Sudan Emergency Safety Nets Project aims to provide cash transfers and food… Continue reading Sudan: World Bank provides $100 million in emergency support

Issued by the region’s Inter-Governmental Authority on Development, the IGAD Regional Focus on Food Crises report sounds the alarm over escalating food insecurity and malnutrition in Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan, and Sudan. “The current food security situation across the Horn of Africa is dire after four consecutive rainy seasons have failed, a climatic event not seen… Continue reading Hunger still rising across East Africa, says new UN-backed report

An independent UN human rights expert on Monday hailed a decision by the African Court on Human and People’s Rights, to award reparations to the Ogiek indigenous peoples, for harm that they suffered due to “injustices and discrimination.” The historic ruling follows a landmark judgment delivered by the Court on 26 May 2017, finding that… Continue reading Kenya: UN expert hails historic reparations ruling in favour of indigenous peoples

A group of independent UN human rights experts have condemned reports of escalating violence targeting foreign nationals in South Africa, and called for accountability against rising xenophobia, racism and hate speech aimed at migrants, refugees, asylum seekers – and even citizens perceived as outsiders – throughout the country. In a statement released on Friday, the… Continue reading South Africa ‘on the precipice of explosive xenophobic violence’, UN experts warn

Diseases transmitted from animals to people in Africa have jumped 63 per cent in last decade, compared with the previous ten year period, according to a World Health Organization (WHO) analysis released on Thursday. “And more than 75 per cent of emerging infectious diseases, are caused by pathogens shared with wild or domestic animals,” WHO… Continue reading Animal-to-human diseases on the rise in Africa, warns UN health agency

Preliminary findings of two Marburg virus cases have prompted Ghana to prepare for a potential outbreak of the disease. If confirmed, these would the first such infections recorded in the country, and only the second in West Africa. Marburg is a highly infectious viral haemorrhagic fever in the same family as the more well-known Ebola… Continue reading Ghana prepares for possible first-ever Marburg virus outbreak

Khatir Mahamat Saleh Annadif was presenting the latest report of the UN Office for West Africa and the Sahel (UNOWAS), which he heads, covering developments over the past six months in areas such as politics, security and human rights.  Mr. Annadif highlighted some of the dichotomies across a vast region that continues to “develop at… Continue reading Greater democratic rule vital to boost security in West Africa and the Sahel

“We have repeatedly raised our concerns about the excessive and lethal use of force used by Brazilian law enforcement officials and the disproportionate impact on Brazilians of African descent,” the three experts said in a statement. “However, the latest reports of police brutality appear to show that such human rights violations continue with impunity”. Human… Continue reading Brazil: ‘Racialized’ police killings, evidence reforms are needed, say experts

A sharp increase in essential goods in the Central African Republic (CAR) linked to war in Ukraine will likely have a devastating impact on the already dire humanitarian situation there in coming weeks, the UN World Food Programme (WFP) said on Tuesday. Some 2.2 million people are already acutely food insecure in the Central African Republic, meaning… Continue reading UN needs $68.4 million to help Central African Republic where 2.2 million are acutely food insecure

The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has declared the end of its 14th Ebola outbreak after less than three months, the UN World Health Organization (WHO) said on Monday. There were four confirmed cases of Ebola and one probable case, all of whom died, the WHO said in a statement. The outbreak was the third… Continue reading DR Congo declares end to latest Ebola outbreak

New suspected mass graves have been uncovered in Tarhuna, Libya, a Human Rights Council probe reported on Monday, highlighting continuing extreme rights abuses in the country that have affected children and adults alike. Speaking in Geneva, Mohamed Auajjar, chair of the Independent Fact-Finding Mission on Libya, told journalists that a culture of impunity still prevailed… Continue reading Libya: new suspected mass graves found in Tarhuna, says UN human rights probe

The island nation of Cabo Verde is facing record levels of food insecurity due to drought, the COVID-19 pandemic and the conflict in Ukraine, affecting some 181,000 people, or 32 per cent of the country, the World Food Programme (WFP) reported on Thursday.  Recent hard-won gains in food security and nutrition are at risk, the… Continue reading Cabo Verde: ‘Unprecedented’ food insecurity triggers social and economic emergency

“The combination of conflict and drought have caused inflation to soar,” the World Food Programme (WFP) added, noting that as of April, the Food Price Index in Ethiopia was up by 43 per cent compared to the same month last year. Meanwhile, the prices for vegetable oil and cereals are up by over 89 per… Continue reading Conflict, drought, and dwindling food support threaten 20 million Ethiopian lives

UN humanitarians issued an alert on Tuesday over the deteriorating situation for millions of mainly women and children in northeast Nigeria who continue to be affected by protracted armed conflict, just as the country enters the lean season. Well over eight million people are in need of assistance in Borno, Adamawa and Yobe (BAY) states,… Continue reading Nigeria: crisis in northeast will worsen without urgent help, says OCHA

With eight months remaining, the window of opportunity is closing for South Sudan to meet critical benchmarks required to complete its transition away from long-running civil conflict, the Special Representative for the country told the Security Council on Monday, pressing parties to the November 2018 peace deal, to implement their commitments in letter and spirit… Continue reading Window of opportunity closing for South Sudan, on road to lasting peace

The resolution of a civil conflict fuelled-displacement crisis in Côte d’Ivoire, that at its height forced more than 300,000 people to flee to neighbouring countries and beyond, is “a welcome bright spot amid a rising global trend of forced displacement”, said the UN refugee agency, UNHCR, on Monday. The process to formally end refugee status… Continue reading Côte d’Ivoire welcomes families home, as refugee status formally ends

In Burkina Faso, UN humanitarians on Friday appealed to the international community for help, after attacks by armed groups forced thousands to flee their homes in the east of the country. According to an alert from the UN refugee agency, UNHCR, almost 16,000 mostly women and children, have been displaced to Dori, after gunmen killed at… Continue reading Urgent support needed for 14,000 who fled following Burkina Faso massacre

The reported use of live ammunition by security forces in Tanzania, against ethnic Maasai herders, and the death of a police officer, have been condemned by top UN-appointed independent rights experts. The development follows the alleged encroachment on traditional Maasai lands and housing and the potential eviction of 150,000 tribespeople, to make way for a… Continue reading Tanzania: more violence feared over bid to evict Maasai from ancestral lands

To illustrate continuing deep concern about emergency levels of malnutrition in Somalia and the wider Horn of Africa, UN Children’s Fund UNICEF reported meeting parents who had to bury their emaciated children by the roadside, as they trekked hundreds of kilometres to seek medical help. News Release: Food insecurity and malnutrition are worsening across Somalia. The risk… Continue reading Horn of Africa braces for ‘explosion of child deaths’ as hunger crisis deepens

The UN chief has called for military authorities in Sudan and civilian representatives and political leaders, to enter direct talks over the future of the country in “good faith”, following continued unrest. A military coup in October, led to the suspension of a power sharing between civilian representatives and senior officers, which had been established… Continue reading Sudan: UN chief calls for ‘good faith’ effort by all, ahead of direct talks

Women and girls face “deadly consequences” in the Somali region of Ethiopia due to the worst drought conditions for forty years, according to the United Nations Population Fund, UNFPA. A family in the Somali region of Ethiopia build a temporary shelter after fleeing their home., by © UNFPA Ethiopia/Paula Seijo More than 286,000 people have… Continue reading From the Field: Ethiopia’s worst drought threatens ‘deadly consequences’ for women

That’s down from a “catastrophically high” average of 970 fatalities each day last year to around 60 a day by the end of 2022. “The low number of deaths expected this year is a huge achievement for the region and a testament to the efforts of countries and partners,” WHO Regional Director for Africa Matshidiso… Continue reading Africa: Dramatic drop forecast in COVID deaths, but no time to ‘sit back and relax’

“The situation is extremely dire and grim: 7.1 million people are going to be affected by this drought situation before the end of this year,” said the Humanitarian Coordinator for Somalia, Adam Abdelmoula. 1.4 million children ‘facing acute malnutrition’ He said that around 1.4 million children were facing “acute malnutrition this year, and 330,000 are likely… Continue reading Somalia: ‘Dire and grim’ drought, impacting more than 7 million

Food insecurity is soaring in the country, driven by the combined impacts of armed conflict, drought, the COVID-19 pandemic, low production of key staple crops due to infestation by pests and diseases, and economic turmoil.   [email protected]‘s largest allocation of funds to @FAO comes at a critical time. Thanks to this generous contribution, we will… Continue reading FAO ramps up support to Sudan farmers as starvation threat grows in East Africa

Zambia’s plan to abolish the death penalty adds to the growing global chorus against the practice, the UN Human Rights Office, OHCHR, said on Friday in welcoming the decision.  President Hakainde Hichilema announced the development on Tuesday in a speech on the eve of Africa Day, according to media reports.  “We warmly welcome the Zambian… Continue reading Rights office welcomes Zambia’s pledge to abolish the death penalty

As 18 million people in Africa’s Sahel region teeter on the edge of severe hunger over the next three months, the UN released on Friday an additional $30 million from its emergency humanitarian fund, to boost the humanitarian response across four countries. Food insecurity is set to reach its highest level since 2014, warned the… Continue reading 18 million in Africa’s Sahel on ‘the brink of starvation’

The number of people in need has risen by around 10 per cent this year so far, the UN’s humanitarian affairs chief said on Thursday. Martin Griffiths, who is also the Emergency Relief Coordinator, said that around 303 million living in 69 countries, were in need of humanitarian aid and protection, compared with 274 million… Continue reading Demand for lifesaving aid up 10 per cent this year: UN relief chief

Health authorities in Mozambique declared an outbreak of wild poliovirus on Wednesday after confirming that a child in the country’s north-eastern Tete province, had contracted the disease. This marks the second imported case of wild poliovirus in southern Africa this year, following an outbreak in Malawi in mid-February, said the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Regional… Continue reading First polio outbreak in 30 years declared in Mozambique

Humanitarians continue to call for scaling up assistance in the Horn of Africa, where the worst drought in 40 years is affecting some 15 million people across Kenya, Ethiopia, and Somalia.  The drought follows four consecutive failed rainy seasons, and the fear is the number could jump to 20 million if the current below-average rains… Continue reading Relief chief underlines need for urgent support as millions face drought in Horn of Africa

Responding to a question from UN News, WHO said it was in touch with the authorities in DPRK but has yet to receive an official report from the country’s health ministry. Edwin Salvador, the WHO Representative to the country, also known as North Korea, said that the UN agency had supported the country in developing… Continue reading WHO ready to support DPR Korea battle COVID-19 infections

A convoy carrying desperately needed humanitarian aid arrived in the capital of the restive Tigray region in northern Ethiopia this past weekend, the UN reported on Thursday.  The 27 trucks delivered nearly 1,000 metric tonnes of food and other essential items to the city of Mekelle, UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric told journalists in New York. … Continue reading Ethiopia: Essential aid reaches Tigray region, but more still needed

Mali’s ban on two major international broadcasters operating inside the country is a worrying development in itself but it also reflects growing regional intolerance towards freedom of expression, the UN rights office, OHCHR, said on Friday. Highlighting the “pervasive chilling effect on journalists and bloggers” of the situation in the west African nation, OHCHR spokesperson… Continue reading Mali’s Press ban reflects growing regional intolerance, says UN rights office

An Ebola vaccination campaign has begun in northwest Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), to halt the spread of a deadly new outbreak in the country, where the disease is endemic. The UN World Health Organization (WHO) said on Wednesday that people have now been inoculated in Mbandaka, the capital city of Equateur Province west. It follows… Continue reading Ebola vaccination campaign begins in DR Congo to counter new outbreak

Ethiopia’s eastern Somali Region has been hit by three consecutive below-average rainy seasons, worsening the already deteriorating humanitarian situation for around 3.5 million people, more than half the local population. As a result of the drought, Zeineba, 60, was forced into the most difficult decision of her life: to leave her neighborhood behind and move… Continue reading ‘This is the worst drought in forty years’: Millions of Ethiopians at risk from failed rains

Time is fast running out, the UN agency warned, with Somalia facing “the very real risk of famine” in the coming six months.    🔴#Somalia: risk of famine in coming months🔴#Kenya: half a million people facing emergency levels of hunger🔴#Ethiopia: 7.2 million people in drought-affected areas wake up hungry every day Extended drought is fueling… Continue reading Worsening drought in Horn of Africa puts up to 20 million at risk: WFP

The UN has allocated $100 million to fight hunger in Africa and the Middle East as the spillover effects of the war in Ukraine threaten to push millions even closer to famine.  The contribution from the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF), announced on Thursday, will go towards relief projects in six African countries and Yemen. … Continue reading UN releases $100 million to fight hunger in 6 African countries and Yemen

COVID-19 cases in Africa have fallen for the past 16 weeks, and deaths have dropped during the last eight, marking the longest-running decline in infections on the continent since the start of the pandemic, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Thursday.  Infections have plummeted from over 308,000 cases weekly at the start of the… Continue reading Africa experiencing longest-running decline in COVID-19 infections

The conflict in Ukraine is driving up global food and fuel prices which is affecting efforts to feed millions in West Africa, where hunger levels have reached a 10-year high, the World Food Programme (WFP) reported on Thursday.  Operational costs for 2022 are set to rise by $136 million in the region alone, the agency… Continue reading West Africa: WFP working to feed millions amid record hunger, rising costs

A UN human rights expert on Wednesday called for a full and independent investigation into alleged mass crimes committed in central Mali’s Mopti region late last month, and pleaded with all parties to ensure the “absolute protection” of civilians and an end to the current vicious cycle of violence. Alioune Tine, the Independent Expert on… Continue reading Mali: UN expert calls for independent probe into Moura massacre

The first trial of a person accused of war crimes and crimes against humanity in Sudan’s Darfur region, has got underway at the International Criminal Court (ICC) in the Hague. Ali Muhammad Ali Abd-Al-Rahman (also known as “Ali Kushayb”) appeared in Trial Chamber I of the ICC on Tuesday, with Judge Joanna Korner presiding, alongside Judge… Continue reading Darfur war crimes suspect appears before International Criminal Court

The UN and partners on Thursday launched a $1.7 billion Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP) for South Sudan, to meet the needs of some 6.8 million vulnerable people this year.  The funding will be used to provide urgent life-saving assistance and protection in a country where it is estimated more than two thirds of the population,… Continue reading South Sudan: $1.7 billion plan launched to meet humanitarian needs

On the sidelines of the Human Rights Council in Geneva, head of the Fact-Finding Mission on Libya, Mohamed Auajjar, told journalists that investigators had uncovered further evidence of serious rights violations, which they first made public last October. These abuses against migrants, refugees and asylum seekers are detailed in a report which will be presented… Continue reading Libya detention centres remain places of violations and abuse: experts

A deepening crackdown on civil society in Libya, has prompted the concern of the UN human rights office, which noted on Friday that arbitrary arrests and a campaign of social media vilification are having “a seriously chilling effect on human rights defenders, humanitarian workers, and other civil society actors.” Members of the Internal Security Agency… Continue reading Human rights crackdowns in Libya having ‘a seriously chilling effect’

More than 70 percent of South Sudan’s population will struggle to survive the peak of the annual ‘lean season’ this year, as the country grapples with unprecedented levels of food insecurity caused by conflict, climate shocks, COVID-19, and rising costs, the UN’s World Food Programme (WFP) warned on Friday. While global attention is focused on… Continue reading South Sudan bracing for ‘worst hunger crisis ever’

Tropical Storm Ana left a trail of destruction in its wake in Malawi, particularly in hardest-hit southern districts, after it struck the country in late January. The UN Population Fund (UNFPA) has been at the forefront of efforts to help pregnant women and mothers by providing medical supplies, and reproductive services. “The prospect of another… Continue reading Restoring safety and dignity to women in Malawi, displaced by Tropical Storm Ana

The interagency convoy of 59 trucks was carrying WFP food and nutrition assistance on Monday when it was attacked by armed gunmen near Gadiang, located in Jonglei state, some 160 kilometres from the state capital, Bor.  UNMISS peacekeepers were protecting the convoy, which was travelling to various locations to preposition much needed assistance for some… Continue reading South Sudan: Condemnation for attempted ambush on food convoy

Secretary-General António Guterres has called for the release of four members of the UN peacekeeping mission in the Central African Republic (CAR) who were arrested in the capital, Bangui, earlier this week, his spokesperson said on Wednesday.  Local gendarmerie arrested the personnel on Monday while they were escorting a senior military officer from the mission,… Continue reading Guterres strongly condemns arrest of UN personnel in Central African Republic

Local elections in the Central African Republic (CAR), which have been pending since 1988 and are slated for September, will deepen efforts to decentralize power and expand political space, the UN envoy for the country told the Security Council on Tuesday, encouraging the new Government to “deploy all possible efforts” to calm the political climate.… Continue reading Long-awaited local elections will offer Central Africans opportunity to expand political space

Egypt, Kenya, Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa and Tunisia will be the first countries on the African continent to receive the technology needed to produce game-changing mRNA vaccines, which have proved crucial to the fight against COVID-19, the head of the UN health agency said on Friday. The announcement was made at a ceremony hosted by… Continue reading WHO reveals countries to produce first COVID-busting mRNA vaccines in Africa

In Madagascar, child sex abuse is “widespread and tolerated” in tourist hotspots, UN-appointed rights experts said on Thursday. In a call to the authorities to take action to protect youngsters from child prostitution and other violations, the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child heard that the majority of children who had sex for money, do so to… Continue reading Child sex abuse in Madagascar ‘widespread and tolerated’

As the Sahel region “stares down a horrendous food crisis”, the UN emergency food relief chief warned on Wednesday that the number of people on the brink of starvation has “increased almost tenfold” over the past three years and “displacement by nearly 400 per cent”. The vast Sahel, which runs nearly the breadth of the… Continue reading Africa’s Sahel region facing ‘horrendous food crisis’

The UN Humanitarian Coordinator in South Sudan on Wednesday strongly condemned the continued violence across the country, which is affecting the safety of civilians and humanitarian workers, constraining humanitarian access, and disrupting the delivery of aid and services to thousands of vulnerable people. In a statement, Sara Nyanti, condemned the killing of a nurse working… Continue reading South Sudan: ‘violence against aid workers must stop’, humanitarian coordinator urges

The UN together with humanitarian partners on Monday, launched the 2022 Humanitarian Response Plan for Mali, seeking $686 million from donors to help 5.3 million of the most vulnerable people in the country. The level of needs is higher than at any point since 2012, with an overall total of around 7.5 million Malians in… Continue reading Mali Humanitarian Response Plan seeks $686 million

Mozambique may have been spared by Tropical Cyclone Batsirai, but it is still reeling from the devastating impacts of Tropical Storm Ana. Humanitarians are continuing to support the country’s recovery, and the UN’s sexual and reproductive health agency, UNFPA is focusing on fortifying their services to support women and girls.  Making landfall on 24 January in Angoche District… Continue reading Mozambique: Sexual and reproductive health services boosted in wake of Storm Ana 

Humanitarians are continuing to support Madagascar in the wake of Cyclone Batsirai which hammered the island nation this past weekend, the UN said on Thursday.  The storm left 92 people dead and has affected another 112,000, the UN humanitarian affairs office, OCHA, wrote on Twitter.  Some 17,000 homes were damaged.  Latest on Cyclone #Batsirai –… Continue reading Madagascar: Emergency teams deploy to areas hit hard by deadly cyclone

Africa is on track to control the COVID-19 pandemic this year if current trends continue, but vigilance will remain key, the head of the World Health Organization’s (WHO) regional office said on Thursday.  Since the first case on the continent was identified nearly two years ago, Africa has faced four waves of COVID-19, each with… Continue reading Africa on track to control pandemic this year but vigilance is key: WHO

Uganda must pay the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) $325 million in reparations related to the brutal conflict between the two nations from 1998 to 2003, the UN’s highest court ruled on Wednesday.  Delivering its judgement, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) broke down the compensation, awarding the DRC $225 million for damage to… Continue reading UN’s top court orders Uganda to pay $325 million to DR Congo

Dissolving the Tunisian body that deals with judicial independence, known as the High Judicial Council, is a “clear violation” of the country’s obligations under international human rights law, UN human rights chief Michelle Bachelet warned on Tuesday. Tunisian President Kais Saied announced his decision to dissolve the Council on Sunday, which is mandated to ensure… Continue reading Tunisia: Dissolution of judicial independence body a ‘big step in the wrong direction’

Three consecutive failed rainy seasons in Ethiopia, Kenya and Somalia, have decimated crops and caused abnormally high livestock deaths, while, shortages of water and pasture are forcing families from their homes and triggering conflict between communities. “Harvests are ruined, livestock are dying, and hunger is growing as recurrent droughts affect the Horn of Africa”, said… Continue reading Severe drought threatens 13 million with hunger in Horn of Africa

António Guterres also argued that, for the last 20 years, the African Union (AU) “has helped to bring this hope to life, in order to enable the continent to realize its enormous potential.” The UN chief addressed the 35th Assembly of the Heads of State and Government of the AU, taking place in Addis Ababa this weekend,… Continue reading Guterres says Africa is ‘source of hope’ for the world

In Somalia, over 90 per cent or more of girls and women, have been subjected to female genital mutilation, or FGM. Despite the practice having devastating health ramifications for women and girls – including pain, bleeding, permanent disability and even death – discussion over how to end the harmful tradition, remains taboo. The United Nations… Continue reading Daughters of Somalia, a continuous pledge to end female genital mutilation

The COVID-19 vaccination rate in Africa needs to increase six-fold for the continent to meet the 70 per cent target set for the middle of this year, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Thursday.  Although vaccine supplies have risen significantly, the continent is struggling to expand rollout, with only 11 per cent of the population fully vaccinated. To… Continue reading Africa needs to ramp up COVID-19 vaccination rate six-fold

Meanwhile, across all three conflict-affected regions of the north, more than nine million people now need humanitarian food assistance, the highest number so far, since conflict erupted in November 2020, between Government and rebel forces.  According to the Tigray Emergency Food Security Assessment, 83 per cent of people are food insecure. Families are exhausting all means to… Continue reading Northern Ethiopia: A record 9 million now need food assistance

“Needs are growing faster than generosity” in the central Sahel, the Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs told a group of senior officials on Thursday, meeting to discuss the worsening humanitarian situation across the vast African region.  According to Martin Griffiths, nearly 15 million people in Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso, will need humanitarian assistance this year. That’s four… Continue reading In central Sahel, ‘needs are growing faster than generosity’

UN teams are on the ground in Mozambique assisting thousands of people affected by Tropical Storm Ana, which made landfall in central and northern regions of the country earlier this week.  More than 45,000 people, including 23,000 women and children, are likely to need humanitarian aid, UN children’s agency, UNICEF, said on Thursday.  UNICEF is… Continue reading UN assisting thousands affected by Tropical Storm Ana in Mozambique

For the United Nations’ Secretary General, Brigadier General Constance Emefa Edjeani-Afenu, who passed away this week in her home country, Ghana, was “a true pioneer.”  In a heartfelt statement released on Tuesday night, António Guterres said Brigadier Edjeani-Afenu “made history in peacekeeping as the first female Deputy Force Commander in the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in… Continue reading UN mourns ‘true pioneer’: Brigadier General Constance Emefa Edjeani-Afenu 

Emergency Relief Coordinator Martin Griffiths, has ended a four-day visit to Nigeria, pledging support and promising the United Nations will do everything it can to help rebuild the lives of vulnerable families who have been impacted by violence and extremism there.  The UN humanitarian affairs chief travelled to the country to see firsthand the humanitarian… Continue reading UN relief chief pledges support for Nigeria

At least 1.5 million children are not receiving life-saving treatment for severe wasting in Eastern and Southern Africa, warned the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) on Friday.  The number represents almost half of the estimated 3.6 million children in urgent need, who are not being reached in time to save their lives or keep them from permanent… Continue reading 1.5 million children lack treatment for severe wasting in Eastern and Southern Africa

Extreme poverty in West Africa rose by nearly three per cent in 2020, another fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic, a UN-backed report launched on Thursday that looks at the socio-impact of the crisis has revealed.  The proportion of people living on less than $1.90 a day jumped from 2.3 per cent last year to 2.9… Continue reading West Africa: Extreme poverty rises nearly 3 per cent due to COVID-19

Newly reported cases fell by 20 per cent in the week that ended on 16 January, while deaths dropped by 8 per cent. South Africa, where the Omicron variant was first sequenced, and which has accounted for the bulk of cases and deaths, has now recorded a downward trend for the past four weeks. Cases… Continue reading Cases drop for first time as Africa’s fourth COVID-19 wave ebbs

After a six-week surge, Africa’s fourth pandemic wave, which has been mainly driven by the Omicron variant, is flattening, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Thursday. WHO said that this marked the shortest surge since the pandemic began on the continent, where total cases have exceeded 10.2 million. Recorded cases of infection show that… Continue reading Africa’s fourth COVID wave flattens out after six-week surge

With the crisis escalating in Sudan, there have been 15 reports of attacks on healthcare workers and health facilities since last November, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Wednesday.  According to WHO’s Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean, Dr. Ahmed Al-Mandhari, the Organization is following the escalating crisis “with great concern”.  So far, 11 incidents have been confirmedin the capital, Khartoum, and other cities.  “Most of these attackswere committed against healthcare workers in the… Continue reading Sudan: 15 attacks on health facilities and workers in two months

Authorities in Tunisia are being urged to immediately release – or properly charge – former justice minister Noureddine Bhiri, and another man, who have been detained under suspected terrorism offences, the UN human rights office, OHCHR, said on Tuesday. Mr. Bhiri, a parliamentarian with the Ennahdha party, was taken outside his home on 31 December… Continue reading Tunisia: UN rights office calls for release of former justice minister

Three Tanzanian peacekeepers  serving on the United Nations’ mission in Central African Republic (MINUSCA) were injured on Thursday, when their vehicle struck an unidentified explosive device.   One of the soldiers was seriously hurt, and needed to be evacuated to Bouar for treatment and then on to the capital, Bangui, MINUSCA informed.  The ‘blue helmets’ were in the… Continue reading Three Tanzanian peacekeepers injured in Central African Republic 

Last Tuesday evening, a World Food Programme (WFP) warehouse located in the Borsa area of El Fasher town, the capital of North Darfur State, came under attack from unknown armed groups.  Over 1,900 metric tons of food commodities that were meant to feed 730,000 vulnerable people for a month were stolen.  The incident followed the looting and reported violence last week at the former UN-African Union Hybrid Operation (UNAMID) base in… Continue reading Sudan: Food looted in Darfur, 730,000 people left without 

Roughly 7.7 million people in Somalia will need assistance and protection in 2022, a 30 per cent rise in just one year, the UN and partners said on Monday, launching a nearly $1.5 billion Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP) for the country.  The funding will support 5.5 million of the most vulnerable as Somalia faces its… Continue reading Lives on the line as UN and partners launch 2022 humanitarian plan for Somalia

The latest Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s (DRC) North Kivu Province that began in October, is officially over, national health authorities announced this Thursday.   The end of the outbreak, the second in 2021, was declared after no new cases were reported at the end of 42 days, the equivalent of two incubation periods since the last confirmed case… Continue reading Democratic Republic of the Congo declares Ebola outbreak over 

An 83 per cent surge in COVID-19 cases during the past week in Africa, driven by the Delta and Omicron variants, is causing fewer deaths than previous spikes, the World Health Organization (WHO) revealed on Tuesday, but more waves could be on the way, due to the continent’s slow vaccine rollout. Updated forecasts warn that… Continue reading COVID cases surging in Africa at fastest rate this year, but deaths remain low

The UN continues to take steps to address allegations of sexual misconduct by peacekeepers in the Central African Republic (CAR) in the wake of the repatriation of Gabonese troops three months ago.  Updating journalists on Monday, Deputy Spokesperson Farhan Haq reported on action by the UN mission in the country, MINUSCA, and engagement with troop-contributing… Continue reading UN steps up action on sexual misconduct in wake of CAR allegations

On Wednesday morning, seven UN peacekeepers from Togo died and three others were seriously injured when their vehicle hit an improvised explosive device in the Bandiagara region in central Mali.  The peacekeepers were part of a convoy travelling from Douentza to Sevare, informed the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General. António Guterres strongly condemns this heinous attack, he told correspondents in New York at the regular daily briefing.   Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said the UN… Continue reading Seven UN peacekeepers killed in latest Mali attack 

Growing food insecurity that is already affecting tens of millions of people across West Africa and the Sahel, must not be ignored by the international community, UN humanitarians said on Tuesday. The alert comes as new data from the region indicated that almost 36 million people are expected to be acutely food insecure by the… Continue reading 35.8 million face lean season food crisis in West Africa and Sahel

As Gambians prepare to choose their next president on Saturday, the UN Secretary-General asked on Friday for voters to help foster “a peaceful environment” at the polls.   In a statement released by his Spokesperson, António Guterres calls “on the electoral management body, candidates, political party leaders and their followers, through their conduct, to ensure a peaceful environment conducive to a credible, inclusive and… Continue reading The Gambia: Guterres calls for ‘credible and transparent’ election 

In a statement issued on Friday, they expressed grave concern about the widespread sexual and gender-based violence attributed to Ethiopian, Eritrean, Tigray and Amhara forces, as well as allied militia.  These incidents constitute some of the most egregious violations of human rights and humanitarian law, according to the experts.  ‘A deliberate strategy’  “They appear to… Continue reading Rights experts call for end to violence against women in Tigray conflict

Over 700,000 children have been impacted by school closures due to often brutal violence in Cameroon, according to an analysis released by the UN humanitarian arm, OCHA, on Thursday.  Two out of three schools are closed in the North-West and South-West regions of the country. On 24 November, four children and one teacher were killed in an attack in Ekondo Titi, in the South-West.  Lockdown  A recent lockdown imposed by a non-State armed… Continue reading Violence in Cameroon, impacting over 700,000 children shut out of school 

This feature has been edited for clarity and length. Eddie Ndopu was talking to Melissa Fleming, the United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Global Communications. You can hear the full interview on the UN podcast, Awake at Night. “At the age of two, I was diagnosed with spinal muscular atrophy, a degenerative condition that affects the muscles… Continue reading First Person: ‘Disability reminds us that there is no such thing as normal’

“Today, 9.4 million people are living their worst nightmare,” Tomson Phiri, the agency’s spokesperson, told journalists in Geneva.  80 per cent ‘behind battle lines’  Of the people across northern Ethiopia in need of assistance, more than 80 per cent – 7.8 million – “are behind battle lines”.    The largest jump in numbers has occurred in Amhara region with 3.7… Continue reading 9.4 million people are ‘living their worst nightmare’ in northern Ethiopia due to ongoing conflict 

According to the UN World Health Organization (WHO), preliminary evidence also suggests an increased risk of reinfection with this variant of concern, as compared to other strains, such as Delta. Currently the number of cases appears to be increasing in almost all provinces in South Africa. WHO explains that the variant has been detected at… Continue reading WHO labels new COVID strain Omicron, designates it a ‘variant of concern’

With the dire humanitarian situation in Tigray, Ethiopia, continuing to deteriorate, it is critical to establish a regular flow of humanitarian aid into the region, the Deputy Spokesman for the UN Secretary-General said on Wednesday.  Yesterday, almost 40 trucks with humanitarian supplies, including food, left the Afar capital of Semera for Tigray – the first convoy to do so since 18 October.   Meanwhile, trucks containing fuel and medical supplies are still waiting for clearance in Semera.  Around… Continue reading Ethiopia: Humanitarian aid needed as situation deteriorates in Tigray

With about 2.3 million people already suffering with serious water, food and pasture shortages in Somalia, a rapidly worsening drought could lead to an “extreme situation” by April next year.   The warning comes from the United Nations and the Somali Government. Climate projections show that the country is facing a fourth consecutive failed rainfall season.  In a joint statement on Friday, the organizations said it is… Continue reading Worsening drought affects 2.3 million people in Somalia 

The international community must step up support to Madagascar, where more than one million people in the south are facing severe hunger, the top UN aid official there said on Thursday in a renewed appeal for solidarity and funding.  The impacts of the most acute drought in over 40 years, combined with sandstorms and pests,… Continue reading Madagascar: ‘World cannot look away’ as 1.3 million face severe hunger

At least 39 people have been killed by security forces in Sudan since the 25 October military coup, 15 of whom were reportedly shot dead on Wednesday, according to the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights.   On Thursday, Michelle Bachelet condemned the killings, saying it is “utterly shameful” that live ammunition keeps being used against protesters.   “Shooting into large crowds of unarmed demonstrators, leaving dozens dead and many more injured, is… Continue reading Bachelet condemns killings of peaceful protesters in Sudan 

Although progress has been made in Somalia’s electoral process, it has been slow and uneven, the UN Special Representative for the country said in a briefing to the Security Council on Wednesday. James Swan, head of the UN Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNSOM), welcomed completion of the indirect elections for the Upper House of the… Continue reading Completion of Somalia elections more important than ever: UN envoy

Over the past week, mass arrests of people reportedly of Tigrayan origin have continued in the Ethiopian capital of Addis Ababa and elsewhere, the UN rights office said on Tuesday.  The alert from the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) comes as the World Food Programme (WFP) described the aid situation for vulnerable people in Tigray as “hand-to-mouth”.  Citing reports, OHCHR said that at least 1,000 individuals are believed… Continue reading Ethiopia: Mass arbitrary arrests target Tigrayans, says UN rights office

The report on children and armed conflict in CAR highlighted that between 1 July 2019 and 30 June 2021, 1,280 children suffered one or more grave violations, with girls accounting for more than 40 per cent of all victims.   While most were committed by armed groups, five per cent were attributed to the national armed forces, FACA.  “The security situation in the Central African Republic has… Continue reading Central African children in crosshairs, UN calls for their protection 

As the humanitarian crisis grows in Ethiopia’s conflict-affected north, the UN announced on Monday that $40 million in funds have been made available to scale up emergency operations.  The UN’s top emergency relief official, Martin Griffiths, said that millions of people in northern Ethiopia are now “living on a knife-edge, as the humanitarian crisis is growing deeper and wider”.  After returning from visiting Ethiopia, the Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief… Continue reading Ethiopia: $40 million in aid relief for victims ‘living on a knife-edge’