Category: Africa

Southern African countries hit hard by tropical Cyclone Freddy are reeling from disease outbreaks, with health services stretched to the limit, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Thursday.

22 March 2023Health Tanzania confirmed its first-ever cases of Marburg Virus Disease after conducting laboratory tests in the country’s northwest Kagera region, the World Health Organization (WHO) said in a statement on Wednesday. Lab tests were carried out after eight people in the region developed symptoms of the “highly virulent” disease, including fever, vomiting, bleeding,… Continue reading Tanzania confirms first-ever outbreak of deadly Marburg Virus Disease

20 March 2023Humanitarian Aid Humanitarians have strongly condemned the latest deadly assault on aid workers in South Sudan, urging the Government to step up security and bring those responsible to justice. The appeal comes after a convoy of more than 100 trucks transporting food and other assistance was ambushed on Friday in Jonglei state. Two… Continue reading South Sudan: Humanitarians call for justice after latest deadly attack

17 March 2023Health Health authorities in Burundi on Friday said that they had detected eight samples of polio, officially declaring the landlocked African nation’s first outbreak in more than 30 years. Heath authorities said there was a confirmed case in an unvaccinated four-year-old child in Isale district, in western Burundi, as well as two other… Continue reading Burundi announces first polio outbreak in more than 30 years

As the oil-rich North African nation continues to be ravaged by instability and clashes between rival authorities and armed groups, the Council’s statement outlined some of its pressing concerns. Libyan-owned process Members reaffirmed their strong commitment to an inclusive, Libyan-led and Libyan-owned political process, facilitated by the UN and supported by the international community. It… Continue reading UN Security Council reaffirms strong support for the Libyan people

The storm – which has been raging since 6 February – made landfall for a second time on the African continent over the weekend, barreling into Malawi on Monday, and strong winds and torrential rains continue to cause extensive damage and loss of life in 10 districts.  Weather hampering efforts “We are mobilizing additional teams,… Continue reading UN steps up support to Malawi following deadly cyclone

13 March 2023Human Rights South Africa must swiftly set up a watchdog mechanism to examine prisons, detention centres, and other facilities, UN independent experts on torture prevention said on Monday, citing “entrenched” ill treatment. The experts offered several recommendations after observing a range of concerns, from poor detention conditions to allegations of corruption, on the… Continue reading UN experts call on South Africa to create torture prevention body

In an appeal for $178 million to support humanitarian assistance across the seven affected countries in the Greater Horn region, veteran WHO worker Liesbeth Aelbrecht warned that the situation was worse than anything she’d seen in more than two decades in Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan and Uganda. “These 48 million people do include as… Continue reading Horn of Africa hunger emergency: ‘129,000 looking death in the eyes’

“It is hard to imagine peace while State actors continue to be involved in gross human rights violations,” said Commission member Barney Afako, presenting the latest report to the Human Rights Council in Geneva. “A true demonstration of the Government’s stated commitments to peace and human rights would involve dismissing the responsible officials and initiating… Continue reading Impunity drives cycles of ‘horrific’ crimes in South Sudan, Human Rights Council hears

3 March 2023Human Rights UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk expressed his support on Friday for the “restoration of civilian rule and the transition to democracy” in Sudan following the country’s military coup in October 2021. During an update to the Human Rights Council in Geneva, the UN rights chief highlighted the death… Continue reading Sudan: New effort needed to restore civilian rule, transition to democracy

Today in Somalia, Ethiopia and Kenya, more than eight million people require food assistance and around 332,000 “urgently need food, otherwise their lives are at risk”, said UNHCR spokesperson Olga Sarrado. A full eight in 10 of the displaced are women and children, the UNHCR official continued, while UN migration agency, IOM, warned that failed rains and conflict… Continue reading Refugee agency appeals for $137 million to help displaced in Horn of Africa

16 February 2023Humanitarian Aid The UN launched a $1.3 billion appeal on Thursday to help six million people severely affected by conflict, disease, and disaster in northeast Nigeria. “The large-scale humanitarian and protection crisis shows no sign of abating,” said Matthias Schmale, the UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for Nigeria. “An estimated 2.4 million people… Continue reading Nigeria: $1.3 billion drive to stop ‘ticking time bomb’ of child malnutrition

The rare yet severe viral haemorrhagic fever is similar to Ebola and has a fatality rate of up to 88 per cent.   So far, there have been nine deaths and 16 suspected cases with symptoms including fever, fatigue and blood-stained vomit and diarrhoea, WHO reported on Monday. Further investigations are ongoing.  Rapid action, expert… Continue reading WHO supports Equatorial Guinea in combatting country’s first-ever deadly Marburg virus outbreak

14 February 2023Human Rights The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, has voiced concern over the deepening crackdown in Tunisia targeting perceived political opponents of President Kais Saied as well as civil society, his Office, OHCHR, reported on Tuesday.  Spokesperson Jeremy Laurence said that since Saturday, at least nine people have been reportedly… Continue reading Tunisia: UN rights chief concerned over crackdown on opposition

Across the continent, cases in January were 30 per cent higher than for the whole of last year.  Most new infections and deaths have occurred in Malawi, which is facing its worst outbreak in 20 years.  10 countries affected  Overall, 10 African countries are affected by cholera.  The waterborne disease causes acute watery diarrhoea and… Continue reading WHO reports exponential rise in cholera cases in Africa

8 February 2023Humanitarian Aid Humanitarians are seeking $2.6 billion to assist some 7.6 million people in Somalia this year, the UN and partners announced on Wednesday, together with the Federal and State authorities.  Somalia is in the midst of the longest and most severe drought in its history, following five consecutive poor rainy seasons, which… Continue reading Somalia: $2.6 billion appeal to support millions amid historic drought and famine fears

Kavugwa Shebulike Cadet, a baker and a refugee from the Democratic Republic of the Congo poses with his freshly baked bread at his bakery in Nyankanda refugee camp. 4 February 2023Humanitarian Aid A UN-supported refugee from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) who was left for dead after being attacked by armed men, has… Continue reading From the Field: Earning a crust from bread

2 February 2023Humanitarian Aid UN humanitarians on Thursday reported that aid access in the north is continuing to improve with aid operations expanding following last November’s ceasefire agreement, but some civilians in the battle-scarred region “remain hard to reach.” Associate Spokesperson Florencia Soto Niño​ told correspondents at the regular noon briefing in New York that… Continue reading Ethiopia: Northern aid access improving but some areas still hard to reach

Millions of Congolese face severe food insecurity, particularly in the northeast, where fighting has uprooted millions of people. As part of his three-day DRC visit, the Pope is expected to meet families displaced by conflict in the east.  This staggering number includes more than half a million uprooted from their homes in recent months, the UN… Continue reading Pope Francis in DR Congo: WFP highlights Africa’s biggest hunger crisis

1 February 2023Health Trafficked medical products kill almost half a million sub-Saharan Africans every year, and action is needed to stem the flow, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) states in its new threat assessment report. A lack of access to healthcare and medicines has been fuelling a host of opportunists aimed at… Continue reading Fake medicines kill almost 500,000 sub-Saharan Africans a year: UNODC report

The first ministerial meeting of the Global Alliance to end AIDS in children marked a step up in action to ensure all boys and girls with HIV can access life-saving treatment, and that HIV-positive mothers can have babies free from the virus.  Ministers and representatives laid out plans which include providing testing to more pregnant… Continue reading African leaders commit to end AIDS among children by 2030

1 March 2019Health Worsening security in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo marked by attacks on Ebola clinics have made it a “given” that the deadly virus will spread further, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Friday. In Geneva, spokesperson Christian Lindmeier condemned the “deplorable” targeting of two Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) facilities earlier… Continue reading DR Congo: Insecurity and attacks mean Ebola will keep spreading, warns world health agency

1 March 2019Humanitarian Aid The land is sandy, dry and scorched by the searing sun of the African Sahel, but that has not stopped the planting of some 50,000 trees at a camp for Nigerian refugees in the far north-east corner of Cameroon. Small trees, including neem, acacia, moringa, leucaena and moringa, dot the landscape… Continue reading Trees in ‘green’ Cameroon refugee camp, bring shade and relief from ‘helter-skelter’ of life

1 March 2019Peace and Security An agreement by Libya’s Prime Minister and a key rival military leader to improve political stability across the country through new general elections, has been welcomed by the UN Secretary-General. In a statement on Friday, António Guterres commended the progress made by Prime Minister Faiez Serraj, who also presides over… Continue reading UN chief hails Libyan leaders’ agreement to hold general election

1 March 2019Peace and Security The Secretary-General António Guterres said on Friday that he “strongly condemns the deadly terrorist attacks” that took place in the Somali capital Mogadishu late on Thursday local time, which reportedly killed more than 20 people, with scores injured. According to news reports, all three gunmen from the al-Shabab extremist group, who… Continue reading UN chief urges Somalis not to be ‘deterred’ by latest deadly terror attack

28 February 2019Humanitarian Aid An urgent scale-up in humanitarian relief is required to provide “critical food and livelihood support” for hard-hit people across Zimbabwe, the UN’s Emergency Relief Coordinator said on Thursday, speaking during the middle of a fact-finding mission to the southern African country. Announcing the allocation of US$10 million from the UN’s Central… Continue reading Prolonged economic crisis and drought demands urgent response for Zimbabwe’s ‘hardest hit’: UN relief chief

28 February 2019Culture and Education A teacher holds up a drawing of an adolescent girl who has just been caught unawares by her first menstruation cycle, while at school. She’s addressing neat rows of young women sitting in class, in the town of Bol, in Chad. “We spoke about puberty and periods and looked at… Continue reading Easing fears and promoting gender equality in Chad’s girls-only classrooms

27 February 2019Peace and Security Arms control, the illegal exploitation of natural resources, and the United Nations’ role in “silencing the guns in Africa” were the focus of a Security Council’s debate on Wednesday, aimed at conflict prevention across the continent. Noting that two years of joint UN-African Union (AU) efforts have strengthened the continent’s… Continue reading Keep Africa’s guns ‘from firing in the first place’, UN political chief urges

25 February 2019Peace and Security Sudan’s President Omar Bashir may have declared a country-wide “cessation of hostilities” but in the face of continuing nationwide protests against his rule, the peace process in Darfur has “once again” come to a standstill, a senior UN official told the Security Council on Monday. Assistant Secretary-General for Africa, Bintou… Continue reading Darfur peace process at a ‘standstill’ as demonstrations against Sudanese Government continue

25 February 2019Human Rights The UK Government is “under an obligation” to end its administration of the Chagos Archipelago “as rapidly as possible” the International Court of Justice, the principal judicial body of the UN, stated in an Advisory Opinion released on Monday. The Opinion calls the continued administration of the archipelago “unlawful,” and “a wrongful act.” The… Continue reading UK must end ‘unlawful’ administration of Chagos Archipelago ‘as rapidly as possible,’ top UN court rules

23 February 2019Peace and Security The United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres and the UN Security Council condemned on Saturday in the strongest terms the attack against vehicles of the peacekeeping mission in Mali (MINUSMA), which took place on Friday and in which three “blue helmets” from Guinea were killed and at least another injured. The peacekeepers were killed in… Continue reading Mali: UN mourns three Guinean peacekeepers killed, condemns attack ‘in strongest terms’

22 February 2019Human Rights Fifteen death row inmates have been executed in Egypt so far this month despite claims from many that they were tortured to secure a confession, the UN human rights office, OHCHR, said on Friday. According to OHCHR, nine people were executed on Wednesday and six others were subjected to the death… Continue reading UN rights office urges Egypt to halt death row executions amid torture allegations

22 February 2019Humanitarian Aid “Alarming” food insecurity threatens nearly seven million people in South Sudan, according to a new report by three United Nations agencies appealing for greater assistance and better access to humanitarian relief. The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the World Food Programme (WFP), in collaboration with the… Continue reading Without scaled-up humanitarian assistance ‘more and more people’ at risk in South Sudan

21 February 2019Peace and Security Despite the signing of a recent peace deal between the Government of the Central African Republic (CAR) and 14 armed groups, “we should not forget that the situation in the country remains serious,” a senior UN envoy told the Security Council on Thursday. “The signing of the Global Agreement for… Continue reading Agreement on new peace deal ‘only one step’ on challenging road ahead for Central African Republic, says UN envoy

21 February 2019Health Reversing an earlier decision, the World Health Organization (WHO) now recommends vaccinating pregnant and breastfeeding women against the Ebola virus. The announcement was issued on Wednesday from Beijing after a consultation meeting by the Strategic Advisory Group of Experts (SAGE) on Immunization, which the WHO Director-General established in 1999 to provide guidance… Continue reading Pregnant, nursing women can now be given Ebola vaccine, UN health agency announces

“There is a confirmed pattern of how combatants attack villages, plunder homes, take women as sexual slaves and then set homes alight – often with people in them,” Yasmin Sooka, Chair of the Commission on Human Rights in South Sudan said in Nairobi at the launch of the launch of the three-member expert-body’s third report. … Continue reading South Sudan: ‘Outraged’ UN experts say ongoing widespread human rights violations may amount to war crimes

19 February 2019Peace and Security An inter-Burundian, inclusive dialogue remains the only viable option for lasting settlement of the political crisis and the holding of elections in 2020 in a peaceful environment, the United Nations Special Envoy for the country, Michel Kafando, told the Security Council on Tuesday. On the political front, Mr. Kafando noted… Continue reading Burundi: Inclusive dialogue ‘only viable option’ for resolving country’s political crisis says, UN envoy

18 February 2019Peace and Security Hailing the recent peace agreement signed by 15 warring parties in the Central African Republic (CAR), the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) stressed on Monday that “now is the time for action” and outlined concrete steps that armed groups, judicial authorities and the Government can take so the future of millions… Continue reading Central African Republic: UNICEF outlines key actions so fresh peace deal can make real difference for children

Arriving Thursday 14 February in the Ivoirian capital, Abidjan, Ambassador Anatolio Ndong Mba of Equatorial Guinea, Council President and co-lead of the mission along with Côte d’Ivoire, and the Council delegation, met with Foreign Minister Marcel Amon-Tanoh and Vice-President Daniel Kablan Duncan. The Council also participated in a roundtable on the transition from peacekeeping to… Continue reading In West Africa, UN Security Council visits Côte d’Ivoire and Guinea-Bissau

15 February 2019Law and Crime Prevention As Nigerians get ready to head to the polls on Saturday, the Head of the UN Office for West Africa and the Sahel (UNOWAS), described the pre-election period as “largely, peaceful and participatory”, and called for that spirit to prevail through election day and beyond. In a statement on… Continue reading ‘Maintain calm’ and ‘exercise patience’ UN envoy urges, as Nigeria heads to polls

15 February 2019SDGs The students in the Tanzanian town of Bagamoyo once had to decide between getting sick or being thirsty all day long. Students atTanzania’s Bagamoyo secondary school now have more time to study and less days off sick thanks to a UN Environment-supported rainwater harvesting system., by UN Environment/Hannah McNeish Drought, rising sea… Continue reading FROM THE FIELD: ‘Harvested’ rainwater saves Tanzanian students from stomach ulcers, typhoid

12 February 2019Climate and Environment After completing a historic 500km journey from the Kenyan island of Lamu to the Tanzanian island of Zanzibar, the world’s first ever traditional “dhow” sailing boat made entirely from recycled plastic, known as the Flipflopi, has successfully raised awareness of the need to overcome one of the world’s biggest environmental… Continue reading Boat made of recycled plastic and flip-flops inspires fight for cleaner seas along African coast

12 February 2019Peace and Security The state of human rights and security across Mali is a “cause of grave concern,” the independent UN rights expert for the northwest African nation said in a statement on Tuesday, in which he called for an “effective military response” to end the violence and protect the civilian population. Alioune… Continue reading ‘Urgent need’ to stop Mali violence with ‘effective’ military response: UN expert

12 February 2019Peace and Security Over the past few days thousands of desperate civilians have been fleeing a fresh outbreak of violence in South Sudan’s Equatoria state, seeking safety in neighbouring Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), many “suffering from trauma.” Some 5,000 people have settled in several villages along the border near the town… Continue reading Thousands flee fresh violence in South Sudan, many ‘suffering from trauma’

11 February 2019Human Rights The dismissal of Nigeria’s Chief Justice may constitute a grave attack on judicial independence from the State, a UN-appointed independent rights expert said on Monday, warning of “threats, pressures and interferences” made against the lawyers defending him. Chief Justice Walter Onnoghen, was suspended on 25 January, the independent UN Special Rapporteur… Continue reading Judicial independence under threat in Nigeria, warns UN rights expert

10 February 2019Peace and Security UN Secretary-General António Guterres has thanked African Member States and the African Union Commission for supporting peace operations in Africa, saying that the service and sacrifice of African peacekeepers is “at the forefront of our minds.” The UN chief’s praise for the work of Blue Helmets and other peacekeeping personnel… Continue reading Service and sacrifice of African peacekeepers ‘at the forefront of our minds’: UN chief

9 February 2019Migrants and Refugees African nations are setting an example for richer countries when it comes to the treatment of refugees, UN Secretary-General António Guterres said in a press conference on Saturday, following a meeting with the Chairperson of the African Union Commission in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The UN chief is in the Ethiopian… Continue reading African continent ‘an example of solidarity’ towards migrants and refugees: UN chief

9 February 2019Women Young female African coders are “on the front-line” of the battle to change traditionally male power relations and bring about a more equitable balance between men and women, UN Secretary-General António Guterres said during his visit to Ethiopia to attend the African Union Summit in Addis Ababa. The UN chief was speaking… Continue reading Female African coders ‘on the front-line of the battle’ to change gender power relations: UN chief

8 February 2019Human Rights After a recent “savage” killing and the abduction of a one-year-old baby in Malawi, United Nations experts have urged the Government to take immediate action to protect people with albinism and “end the ongoing atrocities”. “We urge the authorities to step up their investigations into these incidents and bring the perpetrators… Continue reading ‘End the ongoing atrocities’ against people with albinism in Malawi, say UN rights experts

8 February 2019Migrants and Refugees The head of the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) has praised Tanzania for the long-standing welcome it offers hundreds of thousands of refugees, describing it as a “regional peacemaker” in an unstable part of Africa, that deserves more international support. Speaking at the end of a four-day visit to the east… Continue reading In Tanzania, UN refugee chief praises ‘regional peacemaker’ role, and efforts to welcome neighbours on the run

6 February 2019Peace and Security Following the signing of a peace agreement between the Government of the Central African Republic (CAR) and 14 non-state armed groups active in the country on Wednesday, the United Nations Secretary-General, António Guterres, congratulated all stakeholders and encouraged them to now “live up to their commitments”. CAR has been grappling… Continue reading Central African Republic: UN chief hails signing of new peace agreement

23 January 2023Human Rights Authorities in Eswatini must launch a probe into the killing of a prominent human rights lawyer gunned down this past weekend, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk said on Monday.  Thulani Maseko, who was also a pro-democracy activist, was shot dead in his home in the city of Mbabane… Continue reading UN rights chief condemns ‘cold-blooding killing’ of Eswatini human rights lawyer

Focusing on remote Androy and Anosy regions – some four hours’ drive from the capital, Antananarivo – WFP’s Rapid Rural Transformation initiative delivers solar-powered hubs, a sustainable water source and digital health check-ups, in partnership with the Government. The benefits for communities are multiple and welcome: energy, water and digital platforms, all provided in an environmentally… Continue reading Madagascar: innovative relief project offers hope for sustainable future

19 January 2023Human Rights A South African court has allowed a group of UN-appointed experts to intervene in a class action lawsuit against a mining company based in Zambia, the UN human rights office, OHCHR, reported on Thursday.  The lawsuit against mining giant Anglo American was filed on behalf of women and children in Zambia’s… Continue reading UN experts to intervene in Zambia lead pollution case

17 January 2023Peace and Security Some 50 women and girls in Burkina Faso who were abducted last week while looking for food must be released immediately, the United Nations said on Tuesday.  Unidentified armed groups reportedly kidnapped the women and girls on Thursday and Friday near the town of Arbinda, located in the north.  UN… Continue reading UN calls for immediate release of 50 women and girls abducted in Burkina Faso

“I cannot imagine them giving birth without the support of a skilled health professional”, said Mark Epeyon, a community health volunteer at the Katilu hospital in Kenya’s Turkana County. Since November, the motorbike ambulance has protected lives that would have been lost without prompt transportation to their nearest health facility.  Help on wheels Even before… Continue reading Motorbike ambulance saves mothers and babies in Kenya: UNFPA

Infections had occurred in the major cities of Kampala and Jinja, fuelling concerns that the disease could extend well into 2023. In 2019, Uganda experienced an outbreak of the Zaire strain of Ebola. Head of the UN health agency, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, congratulated the authorities for their “robust” response to the outbreak, less than four… Continue reading Uganda declares end of Ebola virus outbreak

6 January 2023Human Rights The decision by Zambia to abolish the death penalty is “a historic milestone’, the UN team in the country said on Friday in a statement.  President Hakainde Hichilema announced the move on 23 December, which “followed years of advocacy efforts by concerned stakeholders, such as the National Human Rights Commission, civil… Continue reading Zambia: Abolition of the death penalty ‘a historic milestone’

2 January 2023UN Affairs The UN Secretary-General António Guterres on Monday expressed his deep sadness over the reported death of at least 34 people in South Africa, due to a fuel tanker explosion in a suburb of the capital, Johannesburg, on Christmas Eve. The blast in Boksburg severely damaged the roof of the emergency department at the Tambo… Continue reading UN chief ‘deeply saddened’ at deaths from South Africa gas tanker explosion

30 December 2022Health UN agencies, the Ethiopian authorities and partners kicked off on Friday, a nationwide integrated measles vaccination campaign targeting more than 15 million children. Announcing the news, the World Health Organization (WHO) said that it has already begun contacting communities to ensure a smooth operation.  Measles, which is preventable, remains a major health problem in Ethiopia, with several outbreaks reported in different parts of the country,… Continue reading Ethiopia: Nationwide measles vaccination campaign integrates other live-saving interventions

“I have never experienced a drought as bad as this in my life”, 28-year-old Akure Ewar told UNFPA. At seven months pregnant, she complains that she is hungry and often feels dizzy when going about her day. “The dry seasons have been progressively getting worse over the last three years, but our animals kept us… Continue reading Kenya: Severe drought fuels malnutrition, reduces hospital-delivery births in Turkana County

22 December 2022Humanitarian Aid The number of children suffering from dire drought conditions across Ethiopia, Kenya and Somalia has more than doubled in five months, the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) said on Thursday. Around 20.2 million children are under threat of severe hunger, thirst and disease – compared to 10 million in July – as… Continue reading Horn of Africa faces most severe drought in more than two generations – UNICEF

Interconnected shocks have had a devastating impact on the most vulnerable, said the UN humanitarian office, OCHA. “This funding will support reducing people’s vulnerability and protection risks through activities implemented by the United Nations humanitarian agencies in South Sudan”, stated Sara Beysolow Nyanti, Humanitarian Coordinator for South Sudan. And it will ensure that the assistance… Continue reading South Sudan: Amidst ‘unimaginable suffering’, over 260,000 in need slated for humanitarian support

21 December 2022Human Rights Large numbers of children working on tobacco farms in Malawi are missing school, 13 UN-appointed independent human rights experts said on Wednesday, urging the Government and tobacco companies there to step up human rights protection across the supply chain. “Despite the abolition of the tenancy system, serious concerns persist in relation to… Continue reading Malawi: Child trafficking and forced labour push thousands to work on tobacco farms

However, there is still time to meet the needs of rural communities who are among those most at risk, the UN agency said, adding that large-scale investment in resilience and livelihood support is also required to break the hunger cycle.  “Sustained levels of at-scale support will be required well into mid to late 2023, if… Continue reading Somalia: Urgent support needed for rural communities facing famine

14 December 2022Humanitarian Aid The UN chief is “deeply saddened” by the loss of life and heavy damage triggered in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) during the worst floods to hit the country since 2019, his spokesperson said on Wednesday.  Floods in the capital, Kinshasa, and some provinces have destroyed homes and farmland, as… Continue reading UN chief ‘deeply saddened’ by flood-triggered deaths in DR Congo 

In a statement, Mr. Türk said he was appalled by attacks against civilians by armed elements amid a surge in violence, urging the authorities and community leaders to act urgently to end the bloodshed.  Over the past four months, at least 166 civilians have been killed, and 237 injured, as clashes have intensified between armed… Continue reading South Sudan: UN rights chief appeals for end to ‘senseless violence’ in Upper Nile state

In an update on food insecurity in Somalia, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said that famine had been avoided because host communities and relief teams had helped those in most need. Despite their efforts, food insecurity remains “catastrophic”, OCHA said, based on the latest IPC report, which classifies levels of… Continue reading Somalia: Famine narrowly averted – so far, warn UN humanitarians

More than 35 million people, including 6.7 million children, are currently unable to meet their basic food and nutrition needs, according to latest analysis from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF), and the World Food Programme (WFP).  Numbers could rise unless urgent and long-lasting solutions to address the crisis are… Continue reading UN agencies warn again of record hunger next year in West and Central Africa

New data from the World Health Organization (WHO) indicates that by 2030 in sub-Saharan Africa, 390 women will die in childbirth for every 100,000 live births.   This is more than five times higher than Sustainable Development Goal (SDGs) targets – and well above the global average of 211. “For many African women, childbirth remains a… Continue reading Africa’s advances in maternal, infant mortality face setbacks: WHO 

In an interview with UN News, Mr. Dunford said: “Unfortunately, we have not yet seen the worst of this crisis. If you think 2022 is bad, beware of what is coming in 2023. What that means, is that we need to continue to engage. We cannot give up on the needs of the population in… Continue reading ‘We cannot give up’ on the millions suffering in drought-stricken Horn of Africa, urges WFP official

26 November 2022Women Inspector Muna Meah is a Commander in the Liberia National Police Force, and the county coordinator for the Women and Children’s Social Protection Centre in Sanniquille, north-central Liberia. For the past seven years, she has investigated cases of violence against women and children and supported survivors to access the help they need.… Continue reading First Person: The Liberian police inspector working to end sexual and gender-based violence

Presenting the Secretary-General’s latest report on the issue, Martha Pobee, an Assistant Secretary-General in the Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs (DPPA), warned of a shifting situation that will require greater response. The decline in incidents is the result of concerted efforts by national authorities, supported by regional and international partners, both on land and… Continue reading Stronger action required to address changing dynamics of piracy in the Gulf of Guinea

The funding will be used to scale-up life-saving reproductive health and protection services, including establishment of mobile and static clinics in locations such as displacement sites.  Overall, more than 36 million people across Ethiopia, Somalia and Kenya require humanitarian assistance because of the drought.  Safeguarding critical services  Conflict, locust infestations and the lingering impacts of… Continue reading Horn of Africa: UNFPA launches $113 million appeal for drought-impacted women and girls

“The present climate of irresponsible business practices provides profit for companies but does little for people”, members of the UN Working Group on Business and Human Rights said in a statement marking the conclusion of their first visit to the country.  “A sustainable and stable peace calls for accountability, transparency, equality, social cohesion, the rule… Continue reading Liberia: Put people before profit, experts on human rights and business urge

“Terrorists and violent extremists including Da’esh, Al-Qaida and their affiliates have exploited instability and conflict to increase their activities and intensify attacks across the continent”, Amina Mohammed said on behalf of Secretary-General António Guterres.   “Their senseless, terror-fuelled violence has killed and wounded thousands and many more continue to suffer from the broader impact of terrorism… Continue reading Terrorism intensifying across Africa, exploiting instability and conflict 

“If we are willing to forge new partnerships…look at new ways of working together…[and] coalesce around human values…we can do much better in delivering justice for the people of Libya and hopefully that will assist in a wider hope for sustainable peace”, ICC Prosecutor Karim Khan told the ambassadors via video link. Recounting his experiences… Continue reading Delivering justice for Libya not ‘Mission Impossible’, Security Council hears

8 November 2022Human Rights UN Human Rights High Commissioner Volker Türk on Tuesday appealed for Egypt to free a prominent blogger and activist whose life is in imminent danger following a seven-month hunger strike, that has escalated with the start of the COP27 climate summit being hosted there.  Alaa Abdel Fattah has been arrested many… Continue reading Egypt: Rights chief calls for immediate release of jailed blogger and activist

Humanitarians must urgently prepare to continue their life-saving work in Ethiopia, Kenya and Somalia, as the drought – the longest and most severe in recent history – is set to run well into the coming year.  Even though nearly 21 million people are highly food insecure – with some areas of Somalia still projected to… Continue reading Humanitarians call for greater support to prevent famine in Horn of Africa

“There are 5.2 million people in need of humanitarian assistance in Tigray; that number includes 3.8 million people who are in need of health assistance and we need to reach these people,” said Ilham Abdelhai Nour, World Health Organization Team Lead for Ethiopia, Incident Management System and Emergencies Operations. ‘No access to Tigray’ “We have… Continue reading Northern Ethiopia facing devastating spike in preventable disease: WHO

To break the country’s cycle of turmoil, they also called for an independent accountability and transitional justice mechanism with a mandate to address human rights violations committed during protests.  This would also involve a focus on the gendered nature of the violence, and the provision of suitable reparations to victims.  Ongoing abuse  “Over the past… Continue reading Sudan: Justice for protesters against coup, key to ending cycle of violence

Human Rights High Commissioner Volker Türk has deplored the deadly use of force against demonstrators, including killings by live ammunition, the Office said in a statement.  Thousands took to the streets in the capital, N’Djamena, and other cities on Thursday, to protest the 24-month extension of the transition to civilian rule.  ‘Lethal repression’  Some 50… Continue reading UN rights chief deplores deadly use of force against protestors in Chad

20 October 2022Culture and Education African leaders gathered in Mauritius on Thursday, to mull solutions to the education gap highlighted by a new UN education agency report which shows children on the continent are five times less likely to learn the basics, than those living elsewhere. The ability of education systems to ensure even rudimentary literacy… Continue reading Children in Africa five times less likely to learn basics: New report

The appeal by the members of the UN Commission on Human Rights in South Sudan follows a visit to Ethiopia where they urged African countries, and other stakeholders, to renew support for the deal’s implementation.  They said the conflict in South Sudan has become increasingly complex but the level of suffering for millions of civilians… Continue reading Rights experts calls for urgent action to implement South Sudan peace deal

So far, 39 people have died, he reported.  Overall, there have been 64 confirmed cases, and 20 probable cases, while 14 people have recovered from the disease.  Authorities are conducting active follow-up of more than 660 contacts. “Our primary focus now is to support the Government of Uganda to rapidly control and contain this outbreak,… Continue reading WHO supports Uganda Ebola response, faces challenges fighting Haiti cholera outbreak

He called on all leaders – in the Council, on the continent and beyond – to spare no effort in supporting the AU so that it can achieve its goals.    ‘A unique partnership’  The 55-member body was founded in July 2002, and ambassadors met to discuss how UN collaboration with the organization has grown,… Continue reading Guterres: UN-African Union partnership a ‘cornerstone of multilateralism’

11 October 2022Peace and Security More than 140 people have been killed in horrific intercommunal violence in the west of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). The UN refugee agency, UNHCR, said on Tuesday, briefing journalists in Geneva, that some victims had been beheaded. The conflict between the Teke and Yaka communities was reportedly… Continue reading DR Congo sees deadly surge in intercommunal violence

“This desperate situation requires all concerned to ensure that no migrant is compelled to accept assisted return to an unsafe or unsustainable situation in their country of origin”, said acting UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Nada Al-Nashif. Amidst a lack of protection within and outside Libya, migrants are subjected to sub-standard treatment in a… Continue reading UN rights report details ‘unconscionable’ violations of migrants returning from Libya

UNODC chief Ghada Waly said there were around 3,500 victims of terrorist acts in sub-Saharan Africa last year, nearly half of those recorded worldwide. The vast Sahel region in particular has become home to some of the most active and deadly terrorist groups, and it is essential to gain more understanding of the links between… Continue reading Nearly half of world’s terror victims are African, with organised crime increasingly entrenched

6 October 2022Health Did you know that Africa has the highest suicide rate in the world? To reverse that worrying statistic, the UN health agency WHO on Thursday launched a social media campaign to raise awareness around mental health illness, which is believed to account for up to 11 per cent of the risk factors that… Continue reading Make suicide prevention in Africa a priority, UN health agency urges governments

Torture is “widespread” and underestimated in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), and the abuse involves armed groups and State forces, UN investigators said on Wednesday.

Throughout Ethiopia’s Tigray, Afar and Amhar regions, women and girls are becoming increasingly vulnerable to abduction and sex trafficking as they flee ongoing armed conflict, a group of UN-appointed independent human rights experts warned on Monday.

Around thirty per cent of girls in The Comoros become child brides, and they make up the vast majority of sexual violence cases reported across the African country.

The UN chief on Wednesday paid tribute to the hundreds of victims and their families, of a 2009 stadium massacre in the capital of Guinea, as some of the ringleaders allegedly responsible for the gruesome death of more than 150 people that day, went on trial.

Deeply disturbing violence is escalating “all over” South Sudan, top independent UN human rights experts have warned.

Ethiopia’s people are once again “mired…in the intractable and deadly consequences” of conflict between Government troops and forces loyal to Tigrayan separatist fighters, who are all likely responsible for war crimes, top rights investigators said on Thursday.

Abdel-Fattah Al Burhan Abdelrahman Al-Burhan, the President of the Transitional Government of Sudan, called for more multilateral action to find sustainable solutions to global challenges and to reduce terrible repercussions for people worldwide, particularly in countries affected by conflict and in the least developed countries.

The UN Secretary-General expressed on Saturday his deep concern regarding the unfolding developments in Burkina Faso, where according to media reports, a group of military officers overthrew the man who had seized power in a coup only nine months earlier.

The UN envoy for the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) on Friday denounced the recent violence against the Organization’s stabilization mission in the country, which has been the target of “manipulation and stigmatization”.

Libyan President Muhammad Yunus Al-Manfi told the 77th session of the UN General Assembly on Tuesday that as it moves towards building a State of institutions and establishing principles of democracy, his country has through a decade of “pain and hope”.

Civilians are in increasing danger, while humanitarian needs across Sudan “are growing exponentially”, the head of the UN mission in Sudan told ambassadors in the Security Council on Tuesday.

Torture is “widespread” and underestimated in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), and the abuse involves armed groups and State forces, UN investigators said on Wednesday.

5 October 2022Peace and Security The UN Secretary-General has expressed his deep sadness over the death of three peacekeepers from Bangladesh who were killed on Monday in the Central African Republic (CAR), following a roadside bomb explosion near the border with Cameroon. Others were injured, and one remains in a critical condition. The ‘blue helmets’… Continue reading Guterres says Central African Republic must ‘spare no effort’ to help bring killers of UN peacekeepers to justice

3 October 2022Human Rights Throughout Ethiopia’s Tigray, Afar and Amhar regions, women and girls are becoming increasingly vulnerable to abduction and sex trafficking as they flee ongoing armed conflict, a group of UN-appointed independent human rights experts warned on Monday. The protracted conflict in the three northern regions have heightened risks of trafficking for sexual exploitation… Continue reading Fight against human trafficking must be strengthened in Ethiopia’s wartorn north

Tackling this scourge was the theme of a recent UN event held during the opening session of the General Assembly, at which senior officials called for measures to ensure that perpetrators are held accountable for their crimes. “I followed him into the house. I didn’t know he was going to rape me.” At just 13… Continue reading Delivering justice for abused child brides in The Comoros

Special Representative Bintou Keita told the UN Security Council that following a resurgence of the M23 rebel movement, confidence in the UN mission, known by its French acronym, MONUSCO, has deteriorated. ‘Hatred, hostility and violence’ Violent demonstrations and serious incidents have caused the death of several dozen protesters and four mission staff, she said, strongly condemning… Continue reading DR Congo: Humanitarian situation worsens; UN mission continues to battle armed militias

The UN chief on Wednesday paid tribute to the hundreds of victims and their families, of a 2009 stadium massacre in the capital of Guinea, as some of the ringleaders allegedly responsible for the gruesome death of more than 150 people that day, went on trial. Alongside the deaths, during the opposition rally protesting military rule on… Continue reading Guinea: UN pledges support for justice and accountability, as stadium massacre trial begins

Deeply disturbing violence is escalating “all over” South Sudan, top independent UN human rights experts have warned. Women and girls continue to be gang-raped and survivors have been described as “zombies, physically and emotionally dead”, according to the UN Commission on Human Rights in the world’s youngest nation. Police the peace In an alert, Commission… Continue reading South Sudan violence proliferating, warn independent rights experts

The trial of a paramilitary commander accused of carrying out or ordering crimes against humanity and war crimes in the Central African Republic (CAR) began on Monday in The Hague. “The victims all hope that the trial which opens today before you constitutes a guarantee that never again such crimes will be committed.” – Sarah… Continue reading Central African Republic: Said trial opens at International Criminal Court

UN Secretary-General António Guterres and African leaders have launched a high-level panel to assess the situation in the Sahel and make recommendations on ways to foster international engagement and map out responses to the region’s complex challenges. The independent panel was formally announced on Saturday in New York on the margins of the General Assembly’s… Continue reading High-level independent panel on security and development in crisis-torn Sahel region launched at UN

Egypt, which is hosting the 2022 UN Climate Conference this November, is calling on the international community to act on climate pledges made to developing countries, the country’s Minister for Foreign Affairs, declared on Saturday. In his speech to the high-level segment of the UN General Assembly, Sameh Hassan Shoukry Selim said that the world… Continue reading Egypt’s Foreign Minister calls for improved climate commitments at COP27

The process to restore civilian rule in the wake of the August 2020 military coup in the West African country will conclude in March 2024, when power will be transferred to elected authorities.  “I’m pleased to underline that some significant progress has already been made,” he said, referring to the passing of the electoral law,… Continue reading Mali reports progress in political transition process, fighting terrorism

The situation for Sudan’s most vulnerable children is so desperate that half of the most severely malnourished youngsters are expected to die without urgent humanitarian intervention, UN agencies said on Friday. “As we speak today, 650,000 kids are suffering from severe acute malnutrition. If not treated, half of them will die,” said UN Children’s Fund… Continue reading Half of Sudan’s most vulnerable children could die without aid

The Revitalized Peace Agreement, signed by the Government and opposition groups four years ago, ended years of conflict in the world’s youngest nation, independent since July 2011.  “Owing to relative peace, the internally displaced and the refugees have been voluntarily returning home, although more formal reintegration remains a challenge due to limited resources,” said Mr.… Continue reading South Sudan: Vice-President highlights commitments and challenges to peace

On the recent political developments in Sudan, he reiterated his commitment to peaceful transition to establish real democracy that includes fair, free and transparent elections at the end of the transition period, in order to establish a civilian regime that represents all Sudanese people. The Sudanese President went on to share that starting in July,… Continue reading Sudan committed to achieve national reconciliation, General Assembly hears

Despite efforts to move past decades of drought and conflict, Somalia is facing some of the most complex crises in the world, its President said today at the UN General Assembly, urging international partners to help the nation avert a looming famine and defeat the scourge of terrorism. “In Somalia, we are working tirelessly to… Continue reading Somalia committed to tackling twin threats of looming famine and terrorism, President tells UN Assembly

In their first, extensive report to the Human Rights Council in Geneva, the International Commission of Human Rights Experts on Ethiopia said that they believed that crimes against humanity had also been committed in the on-off war that erupted in the northern region in November 2020. #HRC51 | Commission of Human Rights Experts on Ethiopia told the Human Rights Council… Continue reading Ethiopia: Civilians again mired in intractable and deadly war, Human Rights Council hears

The UN health agency, WHO, announced on Wednesday that it is speeding up efforts to respond to a fresh outbreak of the deadly, infectious Ebola disease in Uganda. So far, seven cases of the rare Sudan strain of the virus, including one death, have been confirmed in the east African country. The announcement comes two… Continue reading Seven Ebola cases, one death confirmed in Uganda, WHO scales up response

It was doubtful that any generation of Earth’s inhabitants has ever witnessed “such a perfect storm of global economic chaos, a war with global consequences, and an unwillingness or inability to find a consensus to deal with the catastrophe,” the President of Ghana told the UN General Assembly on Wednesday. President Akufo-Addo’s address to the… Continue reading As global economic crises ‘pile up’, Ghanaian leader says it’s time for urgent attention

Libyan President Muhammad Yunus Al-Manfi told the 77th session of the UN General Assembly on Tuesday that as it moves towards building a State of institutions and establishing principles of democracy, his country has through a decade of “pain and hope”. He upheld his commitment to the Libyan Political Agreement, and as “the supreme political… Continue reading Libya working towards a democratic transformation, President tells UN

Referring to a world in a state of turbulence, President Paul Kagame of Rwanda on Wednesday called for multilateral cooperation and efforts to address intersecting crises, including climate change, food price inflation, conflict and migration.  The Secretary-General’s landmark report Our Common Agenda has only grown in value since it was launched one year ago. But… Continue reading Africa is doing its part but must do more, says Rwandan President Kagame

“Peace and security for all, controlling climate change, relaunching the global economy post-COVID economic recovery; combatting poverty and promoting collective well-being” are today’s most pressing challenges, he said.  Overcoming them will require working in greater concert, with more cooperation and solidarity between States and nations, the DRC leader said in his adress to the opening… Continue reading DR Congo President denounces ‘aggression’ by Rwanda, calls on UN to support African-led mediation

An outbreak of Ebola virus has been declared in Uganda after a case was confirmed in Mubende district, in the centre of the country. The UN World Health Organization (WHO) said on Tuesday that a sample taken from a 24-year-old man was identified as the relatively rare Sudan strain. It is the first time in… Continue reading Rare Ebola outbreak declared in Uganda

Despite commitments and measures taken by the government, the human rights situation there has not changed in a substantial and sustainable way, said Fortuné Gaétan Zongo, who was appointed on 1 April as Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Burundi. “It is crucial and urgent to initiate reforms and a credible and inclusive democratization process… Continue reading Burundi must engage in ‘credible and inclusive’ move towards democratic rule

Catastrophic hunger levels in Somalia have left more than 513,000 children at risk of dying, 173,000 more than during the 2011 famine, UN humanitarians warned on Tuesday. In a call for immediate funding to help vulnerable communities hit by successive droughts, high food prices and conflict, the UN Children’s Fund UNICEF, the World Food Programme… Continue reading Catastrophic hunger levels leave 500,000 children at risk of dying in Somalia

Despite commendable progress on legal and policy safeguards for older persons, a UN-appointed independent human rights expert said on Friday that Nigeria must implement already adopted measures to protect them against ageism and age discrimination, both of which are still prevalent. Ending a 12-day visit to the country, Claudia Mahler, the Independent Expert on the enjoyment of… Continue reading Nigeria: UN expert calls for more advances in protecting older persons

With the COVID-19 pandemic delaying meningitis vaccination campaigns for more than 50 million children in Africa, the region is at a heightened risk of outbreaks of meningitis type A, the UN health agency said on Thursday. The World Health Organization (WHO) and partners have launched a roadmap to stop by 2030, bacterial meningitis outbreaks on… Continue reading UN health agency kicks off meningitis vaccination campaigns in Africa

Somalia is at a “tipping point”, with hundreds of thousands of people at immediate risk of famine, the heads of the UN’s highest-level humanitarian coordination forum have warned.  In a statement issued on Monday, the principals of the Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC) called for increased support and humanitarian access to save lives. Famine is already unfolding in Baidoa… Continue reading Somalia: UN’s top humanitarian forum warns of ‘tipping point’ as famine risk rises

As UN relief chief Martin Griffiths warned of an unfolding humanitarian catastrophe on Monday, the World Food Programme (WFP) announced that it is delivering more food aid to Somalia than ever before. WFP noted that, despite so far reaching an unprecedented 3.7 million people with relief and over 300,000 with nutrition support, famine is an… Continue reading Somalia receiving unprecedented levels of food aid, with ‘famine at the door’

Following criminal proceedings over the death of a 21-year-old student who was subject to the brutal practice in the Bonthe District, three Special Rapporteurs issued a statement condemning female genital mutilation as “a grave form of violence against women and girls that amounts to torture”. “It violates the fundamental rights of its victims, including their physical integrity and… Continue reading Sierra Leone: Female genital mutilation ‘amounts to torture,’ impunity must end

“The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the fragility of our continent’s health infrastructure and the urgent need to strengthen the overall health system to secure access to quality care for all Africa’s people, when and where they need it, without incurring financial hardship,” said WHO’s Africa Regional Director Matshidiso Moeti. Rebuilding good health To rethink and rebuild… Continue reading UN steps up post-COVID support in Africa; battles cholera in Malawi

With the burden of cardiovascular disease, mental and neurological disorders and diabetes rising in the region, African health ministers on Tuesday, endorsed a new strategy to boost access to the diagnosis, treatment and care of severe noncommunicable diseases. The health ministers, gathering for the seventy-second session of the UN World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Committee… Continue reading African Health Ministers announce ‘pivotal’ new strategy to combat communicable diseases

Ebola has resurfaced in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) following confirmation of a case in the restive eastern province of North Kivu, the World Health Organization (WHO) reported on Tuesday, citing authorities in the country.  The case concerns a 46-year-old woman who died on 15 August in the town of Beni.  She had… Continue reading WHO supports DR Congo authorities as Ebola resurges in volatile east

On Tuesday, UN Children’s Fund UNICEF warned that children in the Horn of Africa and the vast Sahel region “could die in devastating numbers” without urgent intervention and support. In the last five months, the number of people in Ethiopia, Kenya and Somalia without reliable access to safe water, has risen from 9.5 million to… Continue reading Africa drought: Some children just ‘one disease away from catastrophe’ UNICEF warns

As the threat of famine looms in the Horn of Africa, the World Food Programme (WFP) announced on Friday that it is scaling up operations to support millions going hungry who “cannot wait” for assistance. The region is in the grip of a historic drought, brought on by four consecutive failed rains.  The crisis has… Continue reading WFP scales up support for millions who ‘cannot wait’ for food aid amid Horn of Africa drought

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’