Category: Uncategorized

Painting a grim landscape of the world’s war zones, Virginia Gamba, the UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Children and Armed Conflict, briefed ambassadors, citing grave concerns, from war-torn Gaza to gang-ravaged Haiti, where famine looms amid rampant violence and displacement. Denying aid access has long-lasting effects on children’s wellbeing and development, she said. Virginia Gamba, Special… Continue reading ‘Shocking’ increase in children denied aid in conflicts

In a statement, Volker Türk urged authorities in Kampala to repeal it in its entirety, together with other discriminatory legislation passed into law by parliamentary majority. “Close to 600 people are reported to have been subjected to human rights violations and abuses based on their actual or imputed sexual orientation or gender identity” since being… Continue reading World News in Brief: Rights chief dismay over Uganda anti-LGBT law, Haiti update, aid for Sudan, executions alert in Egypt

The move will allow for further evaluation of the security issues that impact both personnel on the ground and the people they are trying to serve, UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said on Tuesday during the noon briefing for reporters in New York. The UN World Food Programme (WFP) reports that daytime operations are continuing, including… Continue reading Gaza: Aid worker killings prompt temporary halt to UN operations after dark

UNRWA on Tuesday launched a $414.4 million appeal for Palestine refugees in Syria and those who have fled the country for neighbouring Lebanon and Jordan due to the conflict. Continue the support  The funding will be used to keep cash and in-kind food assistance running, along with healthcare, education, and technical and vocational training.  “We… Continue reading $414 million appeal for Palestine refugees in Syria, Lebanon and Jordan

Charles Birch, known as Mungo, was working with his team in Gaza long before the 7 October conflict, clearing unexploded munitions from the occupied territory. He told Conor Lennon from UN News that all of their earlier work has been undone by the bombardments that have rained down on Gaza over the last six months.… Continue reading Millions of dollars needed to make Gaza safe from unexploded bombs

António Guterres was addressing a UN General Assembly meeting on the topic of “human security”, which he described as a useful framework that could promote “bold, decisive, collective action” amid growing turbulence worldwide. He said civilians in Gaza “have no security at all” in the face of relentless Israeli attacks, adding that Israelis themselves “feel… Continue reading World News in Brief: Aid worker deaths ‘inevitable result’ of Gaza war tactics, ‘waste trafficking’ update, Malawi drought

2 April 2024Peace and Security A senior UN official on Tuesday urged the Security Council to work to avert further escalation in the Middle East following the deadly airstrike on the Iranian consulate in Syria’s capital, Damascus.  Briefing ambassadors a day after the attack, Assistant-Secretary-General Khaled Khiari stressed the need for restraint.   “We appeal to… Continue reading UN calls for restraint following attack on Iranian consulate in Damascus

“The Haitian population cannot wait any longer,” Volker Türk said in a video statement to the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, part of an interactive dialogue on his most recent report on the country.  State of emergency  Mr. Türk said the already alarming situation in Haiti has deteriorated in recent week as gangs launched… Continue reading Haitians ‘cannot wait’ for reign of terror by gangs to end: Rights chief

In a stark assessment of the closure of 750-bed facility Al-Shifa hospital in Gaza City, the World Health Organization (WHO) maintained that aid teams had been waiting for “days and days” for Israeli permission to reach the stricken facility, where staff and patients endured “horrific levels of violence”. “We’ve had contact with the staff, the… Continue reading Gaza: UN aid teams still waiting for Israeli green light to relieve stricken northern hospital

30 March 2024Peace and Security The UN peacekeeping force in south Lebanon (UNIFIL) announced that it is investigating an explosion that injured four unarmed peacekeepers on a foot patrol along the Blue Line, which divides Israel from Lebanon and the disputed Golan Heights. In a statement released on Saturday, UNIFIL spokesperson Andrea Tenenti, said that… Continue reading UN launches investigation into Lebanon explosion that injured peacekeepers

This in effect abolishes the monitoring of UN sanctions against the country, more commonly known as North Korea, blocking the extension of the panel for another year. Russia’s Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia said the sanctions regime adopted with the intention of preventing nuclear weapons proliferation, was losing its relevance and also “to a great extent, detached… Continue reading World News in Brief: Russia vetoes DPR Korea sanctions resolution, children under fire in Sudan, drought plagues Malawi

In a social media post, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said that only 10 out of 36 hospitals are now partially functioning in the enclave. Al-Amal hospital in the southern city of Khan Younis closed on Tuesday, Tedros noted, after media reports indicated that Israeli troops forced medical teams and patients to evacuate. The development came as… Continue reading Health system ‘barely surviving’, as OCHA calls on Gaza aid restrictions to end

Corruption, impunity, and poor governance, compounded by increasing levels of gang violence, have eroded the rule of law in the Caribbean country and brought State institutions close to collapse. The impact of generalised insecurity on the population is dire and deteriorating, severely affecting human rights. Prevent further suffering  “Tackling insecurity must be a top priority… Continue reading Bold action needed now to address ‘cataclysmic’ situation in Haiti

27 March 2024Climate and Environment “What you do makes me cry at night,” 13-year-old Severn Cullis-Suzuki told the 1992 Earth Summit in Brazil in a message that resonates today as the world grapples with climate change. Ahead of Zero Waste Day, marked annually on 30 March since 2022, we looked back at how that simple but… Continue reading Stories from the UN Archive: A seminal moment for youth climate action

Sudan, and Darfur in particular, are facing a humanitarian and security crisis after a war broke out in April 2023 between the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), although ethnic conflicts in Darfur date back more than two decades. Fatima*, a resident of the city of El Geneina in West Darfur state, where… Continue reading First Person: ‘We had to avoid stepping on the bodies in the streets’ in Darfur

Ms. Keita, who also heads the UN peacekeeping mission in the country, MONUSCO, sounded the alarm over the humanitarian disaster “unfolding before our very eyes”. More than seven million people in the country are displaced, particularly due to the operations of armed groups such as the M23 and the Allied Defense Forces (ADF) across the… Continue reading DR Congo mission chief says humanitarian disaster ‘unfolding before our very eyes’

News reports said that residential buildings in the northern city of Kharkiv had been hit, killing one and injuring 16, quoting the city’s mayor.  Four children were wounded, with images posted to social media showing extensive damage and a body visible lying on the floor. The UN’s Denise Brown said that international law must be… Continue reading World News in Brief: Civilian deaths in Ukraine, refugees in Cameroon at risk, older women facing abuse, cholera in Somalia

The UN Environment Programme’s Food Waste Index Report 2024 highlights that latest data from 2022 shows 1.05 billion tonnes of food went to waste. Some 19 per cent of food available to consumers was lost overall at retail, food service, and household levels. That is in addition to around 13 per cent of food lost in the… Continue reading With 783 million people going hungry, a fifth of all food goes to waste

27 March 2024Peace and Security The intense Israeli bombardment of Gaza in response to Hamas-led terror attacks in Israel has included “direct hits” on 212 schools in the enclave, UN-partnered analysis indicated on Wednesday. Satellite imagery pointed to at least 53 schools “totally destroyed” since conflict erupted on 7 October 2023 and a near nine per… Continue reading Gaza war: ‘Direct hits’ on more than 200 schools since Israeli bombing began   

26 March 2024Human Rights The UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine (HRMMU) issued a new report on Tuesday, revealing a surge in credible allegations of torture and executions of captured Ukrainian prisoners of war (POWs) at the hands of Russian forces. According to the Monitoring Mission, interviews conducted with 60 recently released Ukrainian POWs… Continue reading UN report: Credible allegations Ukrainian POWs have been tortured by Russian forces

This was a reminder of the ongoing impact of a conflict which has now dragged on for more than 12 years and rarely makes headlines, even though it continues to have a devastating effect on the civilian population.  In early March, the United Nations Syria Commission of Inquiry released a report which detailed an escalation… Continue reading ISIL growing stronger in Syria, as war enters its thirteenth year

Findings from the recent Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) analysis indicate an alarming 19 per cent increase in the number of children estimated to suffer from severe acute malnutrition in Haiti this year. Around 1.64 million people are facing emergency levels of acute food insecurity, (IPC Phase 4), which increases the risk of child wasting… Continue reading World News in Brief: Malnutrition crisis risk grows in Haiti, clashes in DR Congo, peacebuilding in Colombia

The call by Special Coordinator Tor Wennesland followed Monday’s adoption by the Security Council of a resolution “demanding” an immediate ceasefire in the enclave for the remainder of Ramadan, and the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages. However, intense hostilities have continued between Israeli forces and Hamas fighters, with reports of many killed overnight,… Continue reading UN envoy backs demand for immediate Gaza ceasefire amid ‘cataclysmic suffering’

The continuing violence came despite an immediate ceasefire call for the remainder of Ramadan from the Security Council on Monday, prompting urgent appeals from UN aid agencies for the resolution to be respected immediately, to prevent more people dying. Speaking from Rafah in southern Gaza, UN Children’s Fund spokesperson James Elder said that 13,750 children… Continue reading Gaza: ‘Double-digit’ number of children reported killed overnight

This was the Council’s first explicit call for an immediate ceasefire since Israel began a military offensive in the Gaza Strip following last October’s brutal attack by Hamas and other Palestinian groups against settlements in southern Israel, in which over 1,200 people were killed and more than 250 taken hostage. Israel’s military operation has since… Continue reading UN Security Council demands ‘immediate ceasefire’ in Gaza, ending months-long deadlock

According to the UN health agency (WHO), almost 18 million people need medical assistance and half of that number are children. Nearly one in two under-fives also suffer from moderate to severe stunting, said WHO, pointing out that this adds up to nearly 2.4 million children. “It’s important to step back and remember that hungry… Continue reading World News in Brief: 17 million Yemenis need health support, cholera in Somalia, OCHA chief stepping down, Haiti crisis update

09:30 AM – Disagreement in the Council has seen several rounds of drafts quashed by one or more of its five veto-wielding permanent members (China, France, Russia, United Kingdom, United States) since the war began in October following the Hamas-led terror attacks on southern Israel. The current draft that ambassadors will consider around the iconic… Continue reading UPDATING LIVE: Security Council due to hold emergency vote demanding Gaza ceasefire

“The need is urgent,” Mr. Guterres said in Amman, alongside Jordan’s Foreign Minister Ayman Safady, as he pledged to keep pushing “for the removal of all obstacles to life-saving aid, for more access and more entry points” into Gaza. The UN chief’s appeal came amid increasingly dire scenes reported by UN humanitarians and other aid… Continue reading We must push for lasting peace in Gaza, UN chief insists, as starvation threat nears

23 March 2024Climate and Environment The largest global environment movement is happening on Saturday, when the UN invites people around the world to shut the lights to remember the planetary crisis during Earth Hour as young partners find new ways to drive climate action. “Turn off the lights, and move the world towards a better… Continue reading Earth Hour: Lights off, climate action on

22 March 2024Peace and Security The UN chief condemned in the strongest possible terms Friday’s deadly terrorist attack at a concert hall outside Moscow. Gunmen stormed the Crocus City Hall in Krasnogorsk, killing at least 40 people and injuring more than 100 others ahead of a sold-out rock concert. The media is reporting that a terrorist… Continue reading UN condemns deadly attacks in Moscow

This is being compounded by an increase in child and forced marriage, and the recruitment of boys by combatants in the continuing war between rival generals that erupted nearly a year ago. All this is happening against the backdrop of the deteriorating humanitarian crisis in the country that has caused an unprecedented mass displacement of over… Continue reading World News in Brief: Sex trafficking and child recruitment in Sudan, new mass grave in Libya, children at risk in DR Congo

22 March 2024Peace and Security Top UN officials and agencies on the ground in Ukraine on Friday condemned overnight large-scale coordinated Russian strikes on energy plants across the country that killed at least five people and left 1.5 million without electricity. “The targeting of energy infrastructure providing essential public services is a black-and-white issue – it… Continue reading UN officials outraged at Russian strikes on Ukraine’s energy plants

22 March 2024Peace and Security A draft resolution from the United States is due to be voted on in the UN Security Council on Friday which says it is “imperative” to have “an immediate and sustained ceasefire to protect civilians on all sides”, facilitate “essential” aid delivery and support ongoing talks between Israel and Hamas… Continue reading UPDATING LIVE: Security Council to vote on US resolution stating imperative of an ‘immediate and sustained ceasefire’ in Gaza

The UN’s top aid official in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, Jamie McGoldrick, reached Kamal Adwan hospital in Beit Lahia on Thursday, where children with the most severe and life-threatening hunger are being treated at a new World Health Organization (WHO)-supported specialised feeding facility. “Without swift treatment, these children are at imminent risk of death,” UN… Continue reading Gaza: UN aid team reaches stricken north, confirms ‘shocking’ disease and hunger

Global perspective Human stories A woman fetches water by bicycle in near Boromo in Burkina Faso. 21 March 2024Human Rights Large parts of Burkina Faso are being terrorized by armed groups and the rampant insecurity is “beyond alarming”, said the UN human rights chief on Thursday following a brief visit to the country. High Commissioner… Continue reading Armed groups continue terror campaign across Burkina Faso

Last year saw a three per cent contraction, equalling roughly $1 trillion, compared to the record high of $32 trillion in 2022. Despite this decline, the services sector showed resilience with a $500 billion (eight per cent) increase from the previous year, while trade in goods experienced a $1.3 trillion, or five per cent, decline compared… Continue reading World News in Brief: Global trade rebound forecast, e-waste mountain grows, 7,000 preventable TB deaths in Europe during COVID-19

“When we live in a chaotic world it’s very important to stick to principles and the principles are clear: the UN Charter, international law, the territorial integrity of countries and international humanitarian law,” the UN chief said, speaking at the opening of the European Council in Brussels.  “That is the reason why we believe it… Continue reading Amid ongoing strife in Gaza and Ukraine, UN chief reiterates peace call

When volunteer firefighter Marlizar noticed smoke billowing over a quarter-hectare of peatland while on a routine patrol in 2019, he dispatched his colleague to their base in Riau province’s Teluk Maranti village, seven kilometres away, and faced the fire alone. As Marlizar’s colleague sped off to retrieve a clunky hose unit, the 42-year-old attempted to beat back… Continue reading Indonesia leads the way in taming forest fires

The international day on Thursday highlights that theme, as well as the importance of recognition, justice and development opportunities for those of African descent, said Secretary-General António Guterres. He said the results of entrenched racism continue to be devasting: “opportunities stolen; dignity denied; rights violated; lives taken and lives destroyed.” The African diaspora faces a… Continue reading World News in Brief: Dignity and justice key to end evil of racial discrimination, methane emissions update, Mpox latest, peacebuilding boost

“As we approach the one-year anniversary of the conflict, we cannot make clearer the desperation that civilians are facing in Sudan,” said Edem Wosornu of the UN humanitarian affairs office, OCHA – one of three senior officials who briefed ambassadors. The meeting was convened following OCHA’s submission of a white paper on food insecurity in… Continue reading Conflict driving hunger crisis in Sudan, UN officials tell Security Council

20 March 2024Peace and Security Less than half of the UN aid convoys planned for Gaza’s hunger-ravaged north have made it so far this month, despite repeated appeals from the international community to ramp up relief to more than one million people on the brink of starvation, UN humanitarians said on Wednesday. In its latest update,… Continue reading Gaza: Less than 1 in 2 UN aid convoys allowed into northern zones this month

19 March 2024Humanitarian Aid Humanitarians continue to deliver aid in Haiti, where the situation in the capital, Port-au-Prince, remains tense and volatile in the face of escalating gang violence and political instability.  The UN said on Tuesday that its children’s agency UNICEF and partners have delivered over 242,000 gallons of water since early March, while… Continue reading Haiti: Aid efforts continue amid violence and volatility

Heatwaves, floods, droughts, wildfires and rapidly intensifying tropical cyclones caused misery and mayhem, upending everyday life for millions and inflicting many billions of dollars in economic losses, according to the WMO State of the Global Climate 2023 report. “Sirens are blaring across all major indicators… Some records aren’t just chart-topping, they’re chart-busting. And changes are… Continue reading Records smashed – new WMO climate report confirms 2023 hottest so far

“What doctors and medical staff are telling us is more and more they are seeing the effects of starvation; they’re seeing newborn babies simply dying because they (are) too low birth weight,” said Dr Margaret Harris from the UN World Health Organization (WHO).  “Increasingly, we’re seeing children that are at the point, brink of death… Continue reading Gaza: Increasing numbers of newborns on brink of death, agencies warn

Rampant gang violence has created a humanitarian crisis in the Caribbean country, whose Prime Minister, Ariel Henry, resigned last week. UN children’s agency UNICEF reported that on Saturday, one of its containers was looted at the main port in the capital city.  The container held essential items for maternal, neonatal and child survival, including resuscitators,… Continue reading World News in Brief: Haiti aid delivery continues, South Sudan violence, pandemic treaty talks near end, Guterres on Myanmar crisis

18 March 2024Human Rights As the war in Sudan marks its one-year anniversary next month, the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child (CRC) on Monday warned of a staggering toll of the crisis on children, with an estimated 24 million teetering on the brink of a “generational catastrophe”. Since the conflict erupted in… Continue reading 24 million Sudanese children facing ‘generational catastrophe’

Calling for disarmament now, he urged States with nuclear arsenals to lead the way across six areas for action that include dialogue and accountability. “Nuclear weapons are the most destructive weapons ever invented, capable of eliminating all life on earth. Today, these weapons are growing in power, range and stealth.  An accidental launch is one… Continue reading Guterres urges disarmament now as nuclear risk reaches ‘highest point in decades’

“Famine is projected to occur anytime between now and May 2024 in the northern governorates,” the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) said, upon publication of a new Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) report on Gaza. Meanwhile, in response to the unfolding situation at Al-Shifa, UN World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus,… Continue reading Famine could happen ‘anytime’ in Gaza’s northern governorates, warn UN humanitarians

Global perspective Human stories MONUSCO peacekeepers on a trip to North Kivu province in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. (file) 17 March 2024Peace and Security The UN chief on Saturday condemned an attack which saw eight peacekeepers from the UN Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, or DRC, wounded during clashes… Continue reading UN chief condemns attack on peacekeepers in DR Congo

“Russia’s intention to conduct presidential elections from today, 15 March, until 17 March in areas of Ukraine under its control are unacceptable,” said Rosemary DiCarlo, Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, said. Under international humanitarian law, the occupying power – in this case, Russia – must uphold the laws of Ukraine in the occupied territories, she… Continue reading Top UN official slams Russia’s illegal elections in occupied Ukraine

“I am appalled by the recurrent mass abductions of men, women and children in northern Nigeria. Children have been abducted from schools and women taken while searching for firewood. Such horrors must not become normalised,” he said. News reports indicate at least 564 people have been abducted since 7 March. More than 280 pupils were… Continue reading World News in Brief: Rights chief appalled at Nigeria mass abductions, ‘pervasive’ hunger in streets of Sudan, Syria child crisis

Global perspective Human stories Children stand in front of a house demolished by a bombardment in the city of Rafah, south of the Gaza Strip… 15 March 2024Peace and Security The war in Gaza has left a staggering almost 23 millions tonnes of rubble and unexploded weapons scattered across the enclave, UN humanitarians said on… Continue reading Gaza: Nearly 23 million tonnes of debris ‘will take years to clear’

Latest graphic findings from the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine – created by the Human Rights Council two years ago – highlight the ongoing grave impact of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine on 24 February 2022. “I lost any hope and the will to live,” one Ukrainian soldier and former prisoner of war… Continue reading I lost hope and will to live in Russian jail, says Ukraine prisoner of war

The UN Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH) said on Wednesday that the air corridor will enable the transport of aid and ensure the safe relocation of staff both in and out of the country. Speaking to reporters in New York on Thursday, UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric confirmed that it was already in operation. On the… Continue reading Haiti crisis: UN mission announces airbridge to facilitate aid relief

Six Palestinians are believed to have died in the Gaza City incident and 83 more were wounded as they waited for aid trucks to arrive at Kuwait Roundabout, according to news reports. The development came after relief chief Martin Griffiths condemned the bombardment on Wednesday of a warehouse and food distribution centre in southern Rafah… Continue reading Gaza: Aid missions risk being halted without security guarantees

Rosemary DiCarlo, Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs told ambassadors at the Security Council that conflict prevention is a cornerstone of the UN’s mission. “Prevention saves lives and safeguards development gains. It is cost effective,” she said. Recalling the Secretary-General’s policy brief on A New Agenda for Peace, Ms. DiCarlo said prevention needed to be… Continue reading Diplomacy and national leadership crucial in preventing war, Security Council hears

The 2024 Joint Response Plan backed by the UN refugee agency, UNHCR, and migration agency, IOM, is led by the Government of Bangladesh. It seeks to alleviate the plight of around one million Rohingya refugees living in densely-populated camps in Cox’s Bazar and on the island of Bhasan Char after they fled ethnic violence in… Continue reading World News in Brief: $850 million plan to support Rohingya refugees, child rights, Haiti aid update

13 March 2024Peace and Security Amid reports of fresh Israeli airstrikes in Gaza overnight into Wednesday, the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, said that more children have been killed there in recent months than in four years of conflict worldwide.  “This war is a war on children. It is a war on their childhood… Continue reading Gaza: Number of children killed higher than from four years of world conflict

“The UN remains a landmark in the turmoil, a lantern in the thick fog through which we search our way every day, trying to look for a solution – it is a ray of light, a sign of hope,” Josep Borrell, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, told ambassadors at the Security… Continue reading UN an ‘unsinkable compass’ for humanity, says top EU official

The World Food Programme announced the operation on Tuesday and warned that lifesaving programmes in Chad will stop because of a funding crunch “in a matter of weeks”. Thousands of Sudan refugees continue to stream over the border into Chad to escape heavy fighting between warring generals that began last April.   Around one million… Continue reading World News in Brief: WFP boosts aid in Chad amid Sudan crisis, Ukraine education boost, counter-terrorism, the right to privacy

“Any food and other emergency aid that comes into Gaza, as we all know, is desperately needed; there is no question about it,” said Jens Laerke, spokesperson for UN aid coordination office, OCHA.  “So it’s highly appreciated…But it’s not a substitute for the overland transport of food and other emergency aid into Gaza and particularly… Continue reading Gazans on verge of famine need ‘exponential’ aid boost, says UN

The UN Syria Commission of Inquiry, which reports to the Human Rights Council, warned that fighting escalated on 5 October last year, when consecutive explosions at a military academy graduation ceremony in government-controlled Homs killed at least 63 people, including 37 civilians. The Syrian Government and Russian forces “responded with bombardments” that struck at least… Continue reading World News in Brief: Syria violence intensifying, heavy weapons threat in Myanmar, justice call for Thai lawyer

11 March 2024Peace and Security Amid worsening humanitarian conditions in the war in Gaza, the UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative on Sexual Violence in Conflict, Pramila Patten, is due to brief the Security Council this afternoon at 3:00 PM (New York time) on her sexual violence report relating to the 7 October attacks, and incidents in… Continue reading UPDATING LIVE: Security Council briefing on sexual violence in Israel, Gaza and West Bank

Council members urged the armed gangs to “immediately cease their destabilizing actions” and reiterated the call for the “perpetrators of these abhorrent acts to be brought to justice”, according to a statement issued following a closed-door briefing last week by the Secretary-General’s Special Representative and Head of the UN Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH). In… Continue reading Waves of violence hit Haiti hard, as Security Council condemns gang attacks

“Even though Ramadan has begun, the killing, bombing and bloodshed continue in Gaza…My strongest appeal today is to honour the spirit of Ramadan by silencing the guns and removing all obstacles to ensure the delivery of lifesaving aid at the speed and massive scale required.”  All remaining hostages taken during Hamas-led terror attacks in Israel… Continue reading Ceasefire in Gaza, urges UN chief on first day of Ramadan

9 March 2024Peace and Security The UN Secretary-General on Saturday highlighted the urgent need for a negotiated political solution in Syria, emphasizing the protection of civilians and the dire humanitarian situation. March marks the thirteenth anniversary of the conflict in Syria, with systematic atrocities and untold suffering of civilians. According to UN estimates, 16.7 million… Continue reading UN chief urges ‘genuine, credible’ political solution in Syria, as conflict approaches thirteenth anniversary

“We condemn all attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure,” said Khaled Khiari, Assistant Secretary-General at the UN Departments of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs and Peace Operations. “They are prohibited under international law; they are unacceptable and must stop now.” “Regrettably, our repeated calls for protection of civilians appear to fall on deaf ears,” he said,… Continue reading Ukraine war: Alarm raised in Security Council over civilian attacks

8 March 2024Peace and Security The UN Security Council on Friday adopted a key resolution on Sudan, calling for an immediate cessation of hostilities in the wartorn country during the month of Ramadan, which begins on Sunday. In resolution 2724 (2024), adopted with 14 votes in favour and one abstention (Russia), the Council also called… Continue reading Security Council calls for immediate cessation of hostilities in Sudan

8 March 2024Humanitarian Aid An international maritime aid corridor to Gaza could be in operation as early as Sunday according to the head of the European Commission, working closely with the UN’s Senior Humanitarian Coordinator and other international partners. In a joint statement released on Friday, the Commission, Cyprus, the United Arab Emirates, the United… Continue reading Gaza: Kaag working closely with partners on new maritime aid lifeline

Spokesperson for Volker Türk in Geneva, Jeremy Laurence, told journalists that an already catastrophic situation could “slide deeper into the abyss” in the coming days if Israeli forces make their move on the southern border city, carrying through with their threat to invade, unless Hamas militants hand over remaining hostages by the start of Ramadan.… Continue reading Gaza: Rafah ground assault would increase risk of atrocity crimes

In a statement, Tor Wennesland reminded that all Israeli settlements the Occupied Palestinian Territory are illegal under international law. Permits for the new dwellings were approved by Israeli authorities on Wednesday, the first since the war in Gaza erupted on 7 October. According to news reports, the permits mean that more than 20,000 housing units… Continue reading World News in Brief: Israeli settlement plan condemned, abductions in northern Nigeria, alarm over reported pre-election attacks in India

The war between rival militaries Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), now in its eleventh month, has not only claimed thousands of lives but has created a massive internal displacement crisis. More than six million are seeking refuge within Sudan and 1.7 million have been forced to flee to neighbouring countries.… Continue reading UN chief appeals for Sudan ceasefire, now: ‘Values of Ramadan must prevail’

7 March 2024Peace and Security Days from the beginning of the holy month of Ramadan and with no ceasefire agreement in sight for Gaza, UN humanitarians reiterated deep concerns on Thursday that a growing number of children are dying of starvation.  “The situation is appalling. Every minute, every hour, it is getting worse,” the UN… Continue reading Gaza: Starvation claiming a growing number of young lives, warns UN

For months, the UN has been warning of a looming famine, particularly in northern Gaza as everything needed to sustain life has either been destroyed or simply run out. This is now being translated into , not as a result of shells and bullets, but for lack of proper nutrition – or any nutrition at… Continue reading ‘They destroyed us’: North Gazans flee homes in search of food and shelter

Ahead of an expected closed-door Security Council meeting, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, called for the urgent deployment, with no further delay, of the Council-mandated multinational security support mission in Haiti. “The reality is that, in the current context, there is no realistic alternative available to protect lives,” the High Commissioner… Continue reading Haiti: UN officials say ‘we are running out of time’ amid escalating crises

6 March 2024Peace and Security The UN envoy for Afghanistan on Wednesday repeated her call for the Taliban to reverse its numerous restrictions on the lives of women and girls in violation of their human rights, warning that the longer they remain in place, the more damage will be done. Briefing ambassadors in the Security… Continue reading UN envoy calls again for removal of restrictions on Afghan women

These are “children who survived bombardment but may not survive a famine,” the World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros said on X, formerly Twitter.  Accompanying the WHO chief’s warning, video testimony from Kamal Adwan Hospital paediatric unit highlighted the massive scale of needs which UN humanitarians and partners have been unable to relieve, citing aid… Continue reading Allow more aid into Gaza now, pleads UN health agency chief

“Not many architects think that climate change is something that they need to think about, but we’re trying to change that,” says Rosie Paul, co-founder of Bangalore-based architecture firm Masons Ink.  “For us, it’s obvious that climate change directly affects the shelter that you’re going to live in, and you need to start building resilient… Continue reading Path to low-carbon construction is clear as mud

The northeast African country is already in the grip of the world’s largest displacement crisis, the UN World Food Programme, WFP, noted.  Fighting between the Sudanese Army and a rival group known as the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has left thousands dead and eight million displaced. A staggering 14 million children are in desperate need… Continue reading 11 months into Sudan war, ‘world’s worst hunger crisis’ looms

Global perspective Human stories Humanitarians warn that hunger has reached catastrophic levels in northern Gaza. 5 March 2024Peace and Security Efforts by the UN World Food Programme (WFP) to deliver desperately needed food supplies to northern Gaza resumed on Tuesday but were largely unsuccessful, the agency reported. The emergency relief agency said that a 14-truck… Continue reading Gaza: Efforts to deliver food aid to stricken north ‘largely unsuccessful’

5 March 2024Peace and Security The UN Secretary-General reiterated his deep concern on Tuesday over the “rapidly deteriorating” security situation in Haiti as violent gangs tighten their grip on the country in the wake of a jailbreak at the weekend which saw nearly 4,000 criminals return to the streets. UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric told reporters… Continue reading Haiti crisis: UN chief calls for ‘urgent action’ to end rampant insecurity

5 March 2024Peace and Security With only nine months remaining before the polls in December, South Sudan is not ready to hold elections and a lot more needs to be done, the head of UN peace operations said on Tuesday. Briefing ambassadors at the Security Council, Jean-Pierre Lacroix said that if the parties display greater… Continue reading South Sudan: Top UN official calls for greater political investment as polls loom

The Unjust Climate report highlights the reality that every year in low and middle-income countries, female heads of households in rural areas suffer significantly greater financial losses than men. On average, female-headed households lose eight per cent more of their income due to heat stress and three per cent more due to floods compared with male-headed households.… Continue reading World News in Brief: Climate change in the countryside, Yemen polio drive success, development and peace

“WHO and partners managed to access (Al) Shifa (hospital) in the north and deliver fuel, some lifesaving supplies for 150 patients and treatment of 50 children suffering from severe acute malnutrition and also bring it vaccines,” said Dr. Rik Peeperkorn, UN World Health Organization (WHO) Representative for the Occupied Palestinian Territory.  For the first time… Continue reading North Gaza aid mission reveals more infants may die from hunger

On a mission to the Horn of Africa nation, Executive Director Waly underscored on Friday that “Somalia faces daunting challenges that range from terrorism to resurgent piracy, poverty and the consequences of climate change.” A complicated crisis Speaking to UN News in Mogadishu, Ms. Waly said interlinked threats included piracy, illegal fishing, different types of… Continue reading UN crime prevention chief pledges enhanced cooperation in Somalia

Pramila Patten added in a press release issued along with the report, that there are also reasonable grounds to believe that such violence, which includes other “cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment”, may be continuing against those still being held by Hamas and other extremists in the Gaza Strip. The report from her Office, arose from… Continue reading ‘Clear and convincing information’ that hostages held in Gaza subjected to sexual violence says UN Special Representative

4 March 2024Human Rights Dozens of elections taking place this year around the world will likely be “free from hatred” and respect the will of the people, but there are warning signs that several polls may not – from Bangladesh to Chad, Hungary, Russia and Senegal, UN rights chief Volker Türk warned on Monday. In… Continue reading ‘Mega election’ 2024 could be a landmark for democracy: UN rights chief

10:51 AM Israel: Ceasefire must have pre-conditions Gilad Menashe Erdan, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Israel to the UN, said that it has been 150 days since Hamas committed “the most brutal and barbaric massacre since the Holocaust”. “Once again, this body [General Assembly] has convened not to condemn Hamas, no. Not to condemn their… Continue reading UPDATING LIVE: General Assembly meets to examine US veto of Gaza draft resolution

Negotiations for a ceasefire in Gaza continued in Egypt for a second day on Monday as the UN’s top rights official warned that the war there risked morphing into a much “wider conflagration” enveloping every country in the Middle East and beyond. 

3 March 2024Climate and Environment UN Secretary-General António Guterres called for action now to protect nature in his message to mark World Wildlife Day on Sunday. Human activities have devastated our wildlife. Human ingenuity can help to save it,” he said. This year’s theme focuses on how digital technologies can drive wildlife conservation at a… Continue reading Human ingenuity can help to save nature, Guterres says on World Wildlife Day

2 March 2024Climate and Environment More funding is needed to support Small Island Developing States (SIDS) on the frontlines of climate change, UN Secretary-General António Guterres said on Saturday in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. Mr. Guterres visited a project that is helping the Caribbean nation to combat the effects of coastal erosion and rising… Continue reading UN chief appeals for greater support for small islands fighting climate change

2 March 2024Humanitarian Aid The UN Security Council has underscored the need to protect civilians in Gaza after more than 100 Palestinians were killed on Thursday, and several hundred others injured, while waiting for food at an aid convoy. Council members issued a statement on Saturday expressing their deep concern, noting that an Israeli investigation… Continue reading Security Council reiterates call for immediate and safe aid delivery to Gaza

2 March 2024Women The Gaza conflict “is also a war on women”, who continue to suffer its devastating impacts, the UN agency championing gender equality has said. UN Women estimated that 9,000 women have been reportedly killed by Israeli forces since the war erupted nearly five months ago. However, the figure is likely to be… Continue reading Roughly 9,000 women killed so far in Gaza war: UN Women

With more than 7,000 delegates from 182 UN Member States and more than 170 ministers participating in Nairobi, UNEA-6 adopted a package of action plans, from promoting sustainable lifestyles to the sound management of chemicals and waste and sand and dust storms, issuing calls for immediate steps to rein in overconsumption and take smarter, greener steps towards sustainability. “The… Continue reading From AI to fast fashion, ‘world’s environment parliament’ adopts bold action plans

1 March 2024Humanitarian Aid The UN refugee agency, UNHCR, has voiced deep concern over the escalating humanitarian crisis in the restive Cabo Delgado province in northern Mozambique following a recent surge in violence and attacks by armed groups.  More than 70,000 people have fled their homes for southern districts since the start of the latest… Continue reading UNHCR assists thousands fleeing armed group violence in northern Mozambique

1 March 2024Human Rights The crisis in Myanmar is a “never-ending nightmare” for the country’s people happening far away from the international spotlight, UN rights chief Volker Türk told the Human Rights Council on Friday.  In a scheduled update to the UN’s top rights forum, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights explained that the… Continue reading Myanmar: Unbearable levels of suffering and cruelty

Summarizing the state of the climate, the month ended with extreme heat in the southern hemisphere where it’s summer, while high temperatures atypical of the northern hemisphere winter prevailed. Parts of North and South America, northwest and southeast Africa, southeast and far eastern Asia, western Australia and Europe, all saw record-breaking temperatures, either on a… Continue reading World News in Brief: Another month of extreme heat, Sudan exodus continues into Chad, Zero Discrimination Day

“The official records yesterday or this morning said there was a tenth child officially registered in a hospital as having starved to death,” said UN health agency spokesperson Christian Lindmeier. “A very sad threshold…(but) the unofficial numbers can unfortunately be expected to be higher.” The development followed media reports overnight that four children had died… Continue reading Gaza: Worst famine fears realised as 10th child reportedly ‘starves to death’

“Your efforts are urgent,” he said in a video message to the sixth edition of the UN Environmental Assembly (UNEA-6).  “Our planet is on the brink, ecosystems are collapsing, our climate is imploding, and humanity is to blame.”  Action now  The UNEA is the world’s highest decision-making body on the environment and aims to help restore… Continue reading Senior officials call for action and solutions at UN Environment Assembly

“Tragically, an unknown number of people lie under rubble”, António Guterres added, in a statement issued by his Spokesperson, reiterating his call for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire and unconditional release of all the hostages seized during the Hamas-led terror attack of 7 October. “He once again calls for urgent steps so that critical humanitarian aid… Continue reading UN chief appalled by ‘tragic human toll’ of Gaza war

Global perspective Human stories Clashes and insecurity in Sudan continues to force people to flee their homes in search of safety. 29 February 2024Peace and Security António Guterres expressed his strong commitment to the people of Sudan on Thursday as the UN assistance mission based there comes to an end, in line with a Security… Continue reading UN chief ‘committed’ to Sudan as mission ends

“The war in Gaza must end,” Mr. Türk said, insisting that it was “well past time” for peace, accountability and investigations into the “clear” violations of international humanitarian law and possible war crimes by both sides. Horrors of war “There appear to be no bounds to – no words to capture – the horrors that… Continue reading ‘Carnage’ in Gaza must end, UN rights chief tells Human Rights Council

Ulrika Richardson, UN Humanitarian Coordinator in Haiti, was speaking from the capital, Port-au-Prince, a day after the Government and partners launched the plan to provide food, shelter, health, education and protection services for 3.6 million people this year.  “This is a call for increased solidarity, and Haiti needs it,” she said, noting that the country… Continue reading Humanitarians launch $674 million appeal urging ‘increased solidarity’ with Haiti

Global perspective Human stories The Al-Shaboura neighborhood in Rafah, lies in ruins. In his latest report on the situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory scheduled to be delivered to the Human Rights Council later on Wednesday, Mr. Türk repeats his condemnation of the Hamas-led massacres in Israel on 7 October that left some 1,200 butchered… Continue reading All parties to Gaza crisis may have committed war crimes: UN rights chief

“Regional spillover is only the latest accelerant to a conflict that is growing in complexity and with each passing year. The situation is worsening on almost all indicators and the status quo is unsustainable and unmanageable,” he said. Airstrikes and casualties Multiple airstrikes attributed to Israel were carried out this month in Syria, including on… Continue reading UN Syria envoy appeals for urgent de-escalation across the Middle East

3:05 PM Guyana hold the presidency of the Security Council for February and their Permanent Representative Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett has just gavelled the meeting open.  ‘Complete agricultural collapse’ looms by May in northern Gaza OCHA deputy chief Ramesh Rajasingham told ambassadors the situation in Gaza was grave with practically the entire population left to rely on… Continue reading UPDATING LIVE: Security Council meets on Gaza as risk of famine grows by the day

“This is not an isolated incident. Aid convoys have come under fire and are systematically denied access to people in need,” said the UN Humanitarian Country Team in Palestine, after the mission to evacuate 24 patients from Al Amal Hospital in Khan Younis.  The development came amid continued intense fighting across the enclave, sparked by Hamas-led… Continue reading Gaza: Frustration mounts as UN convoy is blocked outside stricken hospital

Stéphane Dujarric told correspondents at the regular press briefing in New York, that during the clashes, two rockets landed close to the UN peacekeeping base in Kimoka, about four kilometres northwest of Sake town, in North Kivu. No casualties on the UN side were reported, he said. The UN mission, MONUSCO, “remains deeply concerned by… Continue reading World News in Brief: Fighting continues in DR Congo, Russian anti-war campaigner harassment, LGBTQ rights

More than 7,000 delegates from 182 countries are scheduled to take part in the sixth session of the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA-6) which runs through Friday. Delegates are convening in the Kenyan capital as climate change intensifies, a million species face the risk of extinction, and pollution remains among the world’s leading causes of… Continue reading World unites at UN Environment Assembly to combat ‘triple planetary crisis’

26 February 2024Peace and Security Amid geopolitical divides, arms competition, increasingly dangerous new technologies and an elevated nuclear risk, the Secretary-General on Monday highlighted his concern that the UN Conference on Disarmament is consistently failing to deliver. The Conference, which was established with the primary goal of fostering cooperation for mutual disarmament, has faced significant… Continue reading Deadlock over disarmament ‘not acceptable’: Guterres

Set up as a sort of ‘world parliament on the environment’, UNEA aims to define priorities for environmental policies and develop international legislation on the matter. Why is UNEA important? The 2024 Environment Assembly, or UNEA-6, is expected to host a record 6,000 delegates, including seven Heads of State and 139 Ministers and Vice-Ministers, as… Continue reading What is the UN Environment Assembly and why does it matter?

UN News’s Daniel Dickinson travelled to Madagascar ahead of the United Nations Environment Assembly, which is taking place in Nairobi, Kenya, from 26 February, to ask people how they are coping. Life is becoming increasingly challenging in the village of Zanavo Fagnalenga on the southernmost tip of Madagascar. Years of under-development, a series of humanitarian… Continue reading Drawing a line in the sand as communities adapt to climate change

26 February 2024Humanitarian Aid Very little humanitarian aid has entered besieged Gaza this month, with a 50 per cent reduction compared to January, the head of the UN agency that assists Palestine refugees (UNRWA) said on Monday.  Writing on the social media platform X, Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini said that “aid was supposed to increase not… Continue reading Aid delivery to Gaza drops by half since January: UNRWA

23 February 2024Peace and Security The UN Secretary-General addressed the Security Council on Friday, underscoring the fundamental need to honour the sovereignty, independence, unity and territorial integrity of Ukraine, as the full-scale invasion by Russia of the country marks its second anniversary. “Two years on and a decade since Russia’s attempted illegal annexation of Ukraine’s… Continue reading ‘High time for peace’, UN chief says, as Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine enters third year

The latest strikes in the centre and south occurred on the eve of the solemn commemoration marking two years of war and one day after deadly attacks in the Donestsk region, located in the east. ‘Grim reality’ unchanged Denise Brown, UN Humanitarian Coordinator in Ukraine, took to social media to voice her condemnation. “Today’s attacks… Continue reading World News in Brief: Fresh Ukraine attacks condemned, Gaza healthcare, DR Congo needs escalating

In a new report, the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) noted a broad range of concerns, including unlawful killings, hostage-taking, destruction of civilian property, collective punishment, forced displacement, incitement to hatred and violence, sexual assault, and torture. These acts are all prohibited by international human rights and humanitarian laws. “The… Continue reading UN rights chief deplores ‘entrenched impunity’ by all parties in Israel, OPT

“As we reflect on the two years of anguish and hardship, let us emerge from this place with a resounding message of solidarity and unwavering support to the resilient people of Ukraine,” he said, speaking on the eve of the solemn anniversary.  The UN Security Council is also set to meet on Ukraine later on… Continue reading General Assembly President calls for solidarity with Ukraine as ‘needless war’ enters a third year

“For nearly a year now, accounts coming out of Sudan have been of death, suffering and despair, as the senseless conflict and human rights violations and abuses have persisted with no end in sight,” said UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk. The report details multiple indiscriminate attacks by both the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and… Continue reading Rights violations ripple across war-torn Sudan

22 February 2024Humanitarian Aid The UN agency serving Palestine refugees (UNRWA) has reached breaking point due to Israeli calls for its abolition and the associated funding freeze, just when it is needed most, said UNRWA chief Philippe Lazzarini. In a letter addressed to the President of the UN General Assembly, which provides the agency with… Continue reading UNRWA at ‘breaking point’ warns agency chief

22 February 2024Peace and Security The Security Council is meeting at the UN Headquarters in New York on the situation in the Gaza Strip, wracked by months of unrelenting war, and tensions spilling into the wider Middle East region. Tor Wennesland, UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, told ambassadors that “there is… Continue reading ‘Shocking, unsustainable and desperate’ situation in Gaza, warns UN Special Coordinator

Since the brutal 7 October terror attacks by Hamas and other militants on southern Israel and the ensuing military onslaught by Israel on Gaza, more than three quarters of the enclave’s population have been displaced from their homes, many multiple times. There are widespread shortages of food, water and sanitation, and the health system continues… Continue reading Humanitarian leaders unite in urgent plea for Gaza

Briefing journalists in New York, Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric cited the UN humanitarian affairs office, OCHA, which said the damage had occurred after a water filtering station was hit. The city had a pre-war population of 220,000 people, now reduced to 90,000.  The attacks also caused civilian casualties and damage to civilian infrastructure on both sides… Continue reading World News in Brief: Ukraine attacks in Donetsk, ‘forever chemicals’ dumped in US, benefits of multilingual education

21 February 2024Peace and Security An “inhumane” health and humanitarian situation now prevails across Gaza with conditions continuing to deteriorate, the head of the UN World Health Organization warned on Wednesday. “Gaza has become a death zone,” Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General told correspondents at a press briefing in Geneva. “Much of the territory has… Continue reading Gaza has become a ‘death zone’, warns UN health chief

Briefing the Security Council in New York, UN Special Representative Bintou Keita urged ambassadors to do all they can to prevent the fighting in North Kivu province from spreading beyond the border.  “It is crucial to underscore the risk of an expansion of the conflict on a regional scale if the diplomatic efforts that are… Continue reading DR Congo: Fighting threatens stability of entire region, envoy warns

Authorities are urged to engage with provincial and local leaders in a dialogue to achieve durable peace and respect for human rights in the remote Highlands region. The appeal follows the latest outbreak of violence between warring tribes in the Pacific Island nation, which occurred on Sunday in Enga province. At least 26 people were… Continue reading World News in Brief: Papua New Guinea violence, Ukraine’s displaced, $2.6 billion DR Congo appeal

20 February 2024Peace and Security The Security Council is due to meet at 10:00 AM in New York to vote on a resolution on Gaza calling for “an immediate humanitarian ceasefire that must be respected by all parties”. Following all our live coverage here of another day of high stakes diplomacy. 09:30 AM: Tabled by… Continue reading UPDATING LIVE: Security Council to vote on ceasefire in Gaza

In a statement, the UN World Food Programme (WFP) said it has reluctantly had to pause aid deliveries to north Gaza until conditions are in place that allow for safe distributions. “The decision to pause deliveries to the north of the Gaza Strip has not been taken lightly, as we know it means the situation… Continue reading Gazans ‘hanging by a thread’, warns WFP

The UN Mission, MONUSCO, also called on the group to respect the Luanda roadmap, an agreement signed in 2022 by Angola, DRC and Rwanda that strives for peace in the conflict-affected eastern part of the country. MONUSCO is carrying out a three-phase process of withdrawal from the country following a UN Security Council resolution adopted in December… Continue reading UN agencies sound alarm over renewed clashes in eastern DR Congo

Thousands of families continue to be displaced and forced across borders into Chad and South Sudan each week while fighting between Government forces and the powerful RSF militia, which erupted last April, continues. WFP Regional Director Michael Dunford said the crisis impacting Sudan, South Sudan and Chad has created “the world’s largest displacement crisis”. Acute… Continue reading World News in Brief: Millions battle hunger due to Sudan war, human rights essential to peace, surge in fighting along Ukraine frontline

Catriona Laing, who also heads the UN Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNSOM), briefed ambassadors on developments across eight areas, including politics, security, women’s political participation, and humanitarian affairs. She expressed the UN’s “unwavering support towards the state-building agenda” in Somalia, underscoring that the Council’s support is central to the country’s success. “Through our collective support,… Continue reading UN committed to help Somalia deliver ‘for its people’

Sigrid Kaag reiterated Secretary-General António Guterres’s concern that such an operation at present time would be potentially disastrous for innocent civilians. “There are more than a million people crammed in Rafah. It’s not intended for a million people in shelters, in random sort of plastic sheeted constructions. Health conditions are very worrisome,” she told correspondents… Continue reading Gaza: Israeli advance on Rafah would have ‘dire humanitarian consequences’

Speaking to journalists during a two-day meeting with regional and national special envoys for Afghanistan, António Guterres said that there was consensus among delegates over what needs to happen, although the Taliban are not taking part. “We want an Afghanistan in peace, peace with itself and peace with its neighbours and able to assume the… Continue reading We all want an Afghanistan at peace, UN chief says in Doha

The team is working with local authorities and civil society to find fresh solutions to the young nation’s environmental challenges, one reused plastic bottle at a time. There is no supply issue. “Every time it rains in Juba, say during a weekend of rain, you can see about 25,000 kg (approx. 55,000 lbs) of plastic… Continue reading Zero waste, more hope in South Sudan

16 February 2024Peace and Security The largest remaining hospital in southern Gaza is “barely functional”, the UN World Health Organization (WHO) warned on Friday, amid reports of intense attacks by Israeli forces. There have been reports of damage to Nasser Hospital’s orthopedic unit, reducing its ability to provide urgent medical care, WHO spokesperson Tarik Jašarević,… Continue reading Lifesaving medical care collapsing under assault in Gaza: WHO

“Our world is facing existential challenges, but the global community is more fragmented and divided than at any time during the past 75 years,” he said, highlighting the need for “a global order that works for everyone”. Mr. Guterres said if countries fulfilled their obligations under the UN Charter, every person on earth would live… Continue reading In Munich, Guterres calls for new global order that works for all

Global precipitation reached a near record-high in January on the heels of a record wet December. Large portions of North America, Asia and Australia were wetter than average while much of southern Africa and South America were drier than normal. The record-breaking trend seen for much of 2023 has rolled into 2024. For the eighth… Continue reading World News in Brief: World News in Brief: Warmest January on record, Sudan diplomacy push, catching childhood cancer early

15 February 2024Peace and Security International cooperation is vital to confront the multi-faceted challenges resulting from terrorism, the head of the UN Office dedicated to confronting the scourge worldwide said on Thursday, calling for decisive multilateral action. “Force alone is not the answer,” Vladimir Voronkov, Under-Secretary-General for the Office of Counter-Terrorism, told ambassadors in the… Continue reading ‘Force alone is not the answer’ says UN counter-terrorism chief

They must put aside self-interest, negotiate in good faith and reach an agreement on a unified government, while also ensuring national polls go ahead to avoid it from “sliding into disintegration”, Abdoulaye Bathily told ambassadors on the Security Council. “I call on their sense of moral duty to negotiate and reach a compromise to restore… Continue reading Security Council: Continued Libya impasse threatens country’s future

As Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, Francesca Albanese has a mandate from the Council which includes investigating violations, undertaking regular visits or missions, and reporting on findings. Israel’s Foreign Minister and Interior Minister announced this week that she was prohibited from entering the country following recent comments… Continue reading Gaza: Israel’s censure of rights expert should not distract from possible war crimes

The updated Rapid Damage and Needs Assessment (RDNA3) – issued by the Government, alongside the World Bank Group, the European Commission and the UN – covers damage incurred since the start of the full-scale Russian invasion on 24 February 2022 to the end of last December.  The highest needs are in housing, or 17 per… Continue reading Ukraine recovery and reconstruction: $486 billion over the next decade

15 February 2024Peace and Security Amid ongoing airstrikes targeting Gaza’s southernmost city of Rafah and reports that Israeli forces have conducted a military operation inside the Nasser hospital complex, concerns over a potential ground invasion of the densely populated border city are escalating.  The Israeli military confirmed on Thursday in a tweet that its special… Continue reading Gaza: Threat of ground invasion looms over Rafah

14 February 2024Peace and Security Civilians in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) are once again bearing the brunt of localized violence, amid a sharp uptick in fighting between Government forces and the M23 armed group, the UN refugee agency reported on Wednesday. Fresh fighting since last week in the region has displaced… Continue reading Massive displacement as fighting surges in eastern DR Congo

Violence last week forced thousands to flee, and fighting occurred on Tuesday in the outskirts of Sake, which is located some 20 kilometres northwest of the provincial capital, Goma. “Our peacekeeping mission is continuing to support the Congolese armed forces and is doing its utmost to protect civilians, including by maintaining a presence along the Goma-Sake axis,” said… Continue reading World News in Brief: DR Congo clashes, invest in ending polio, say #IDONT to child marriage

Briefing the Security Council, Hans Grundberg recalled “steady progress” in UN efforts to mediate the the complex decade-long crisis, set off by the overthrow of the Government by Houthi rebels in 2014. However, the locus of attention has shifted dramatically since December 2023 due to the Israel-Gaza war and the military escalation in the Red… Continue reading Yemen: Recent progress marred by Gaza war fallout, UN envoy reports

Getting enough supplies into and across Gaza now depends on the opening of new entry routes, more trucks being allowed through border checks each day, fewer restrictions on the movement of humanitarian workers, and safety guarantees for people accessing and distributing aid, they said. They warned that humanitarian action is seriously limited by the closure… Continue reading Faster and safe aid access critical to keep famine and disease at bay in Gaza

“Today, I’m sounding the alarm once again: Military operations in Rafah could lead to a slaughter in Gaza. They could also leave an already fragile humanitarian operation at death’s door,” he said in a statement on Tuesday. “The scenario we have long dreaded is unraveling at alarming speed,” he said, as well over a million… Continue reading World News in Brief: Rafah ‘slaughter’ fears, Ukraine energy system attacks, rights abuses against Syrian returnees

“Climate chaos and food crises are serious and mounting threats to global peace and security. It is only right that they are addressed by this Council,” he said. Representatives from nearly 90 countries are participating in the debate, convened by Guyana, which holds the rotating Council presidency this month.   Hunger in Gaza  Climate disasters and… Continue reading Rising hunger: UN chief identifies wars, climate chaos as aggravating factors

UN News spoke with Elena Panova, UN Resident Coordinator in Egypt, and Neveen Alqabbaj, Vice-President of the Egyptian Red Crescent Society and Egypt’s Minister of Social Solidarity, about how thousands of tonnes of aid and lifesaving services get delivered in times of crisis. Neveen Alqabbaj: The Egyptian Red Crescent Society was on top of the… Continue reading INTERVIEW: Unpacking Egypt’s vital aid role in Gaza and Sudan

13 February 2024Peace and Security As international efforts continue to secure a ceasefire in Gaza, the head of UNRWA, the UN aid agency for Palestinians, warned on Tuesday that those in the enclave remain deeply traumatised by the war with Israel and afraid of a full-scale assault on Rafah in the south. “People are anxious… Continue reading Gazans ‘anxious and living in fear’ of Israeli assault on Rafah, warns top UN aid official

The Syrian Government informed the UN on Saturday of its consent to allow humanitarian assistance to be delivered into the region through two border crossings with Türkiye – Bab al-Salam and Al-Ra’i – until 13 May.  This follows Syria’s decision in January to renew consent for the UN and partners to use the Bab al-Hawa… Continue reading World News in Brief: Syria aid lifelines, Sudan telecoms blackout, increased patrols in Abyei, preventing terrorism

12 February 2024Peace and Security As the second anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine approaches, a senior UN official on Monday voiced deep concern over the escalatory trajectory of the war with intensifying attacks on civilians. Miroslav Jenča, UN Assistant Secretary-General for Europe at the Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs (DPPA), warned that… Continue reading Address root causes of Ukraine war, UN official urges, as anniversary of Russian invasion approaches

Of most concern is the threat to migratory fishes, with 97 per cent of the species on the brink of extinction.   The two greatest threats to all migratory species are overexploitation and habitat loss due to human activity, according to the first-ever State of the World’s Migratory Species report, released on Monday. Amy Fraenkel,… Continue reading First-ever UN report reveals complex threats to migratory species

12 February 2024Human Rights UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk on Monday appealed for restraint in the face of an Israeli military incursion in Rafah, warning of the risk of further atrocity crimes in the Gaza war.  Nearly 1.5 million people are now crammed into the southern city on the border with Egypt,… Continue reading Gaza: UN rights chief warns against potential ‘carnage’ in Rafah

12 February 2024Peace and Security Amid reports on Monday that two hostages have been rescued during a raid by Israeli special forces in Rafah city, the head of the UN World Health Organization (WHO) said that the spiralling humanitarian crisis in Gaza is still not being met with anywhere near sufficient aid relief.  “So far,… Continue reading Gaza: Relief over rescued hostages as Tedros warns of ‘ocean of need’

“I endured the artillery’s roar, the fire in the nursery, yet I stand tall,” read the lyrics. “I weathered the paralyzing fear under the covers, felt everyone turn their backs, yet I stand tall.”When he wrote the song in October, shortly after the war began, Marwán, whose father grew up in UNRWA tents in the… Continue reading A lullaby for children sleeping under bombs in Gaza

9 February 2024Climate and Environment The ongoing “white and iron” dzud in Mongolia has reached a “critical” level, with over 90 per cent of the country facing high levels of risk from the unique weather phenomenon, UN agencies have reported. About 190,000 herder households are struggling with inadequate feed, skyrocketing prices and heightened vulnerabilities, according… Continue reading Mongolian dzud: Extreme weather puts 90% of country at ‘high risk’

More than half of Gaza’s population of over two million is now crammed into the city, which is located on the border with Egypt and originally home to some 250,000 people. Congestion has reached a point where normal routes are blocked by tents set up by families seeking any flat, clean space available, OCHA said.  Garbage… Continue reading World News in Brief: Rafah escalation fears, Gaza war’s unprecedented death rate, Pakistan terrorist attacks condemned

At least 806 people not involved in violent gang wars were killed, injured, or kidnapped in January – the bloodiest month in more than two years. Additionally, some 300 gang members were killed or injured, bringing the overall total of people affected to 1,108 – more than three times the number recorded in January 2023… Continue reading Haiti: Human rights deteriorating as gang violence spreads

Alice Wairimu Nderitu also underscored the need to intensify diplomatic efforts to bring the crisis to an end. “Civilians should never pay the price of a conflict for which they bear no responsibility,” she said in a statement. “Their most basic rights must be protected and preserved, and their humanitarian needs must be met,” she… Continue reading UN Special Adviser ‘horrified’ at suffering of civilians in the Middle East

8 February 2024Peace and Security The head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) this week undertook his fourth visit to the beleaguered Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) in southern Ukraine, his office said on Thursday.  IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi took stock of the safety and security situation at the plant as part… Continue reading World News in Brief: Ukraine nuclear power plant update, DR Congo flood response, impact of US terrorism designations

8 February 2024Peace and Security Trust building, not unilateral actions, are the linchpin in forging a peaceful path forward for Belgrade and Pristina, the UN’s top official in Kosovo told the Security Council on Thursday, as the body called an urgent meeting at Serbia’s request to debate new banking regulations that have triggered fresh tensions.… Continue reading Security Council debates Kosovo’s new rules on Serbian currency

Speaking at a press conference at UN Headquarters in New York, the UN chief underscored the need for “real, visible, concrete steps” towards a two-State solution – based on UN resolutions, international law and previous agreements. “Repeated bloody hostilities, and decades of tensions and occupation, have failed to provide a State for the Palestinians, or… Continue reading Gazans ‘have no homes – and they have no hope’: UN chief

8 February 2024Peace and Security Amid further fighting across Gaza on Thursday including reports of deadly airstrikes in Rafah governorate, the UN’s top aid official Martin Griffiths echoed widespread international fears about a further escalation of the conflict. “As the war in Gaza encroaches further into Rafah, I am extremely concerned about the safety and… Continue reading Gazans ‘stalked by hunger, disease and death’ warns UN’s top aid official

This #ThrowbackThursday, we looked at his claim and what was in the vial. On 5 February 2003, Mr. Powell addressed the Council, laying out the case for the US invasion of Iraq the following month. “Every statement I make today is backed up by solid sources,” he said. “What we’re giving you are facts and conclusions.… Continue reading Stories from the UN Archive: Were WMDs ever at UN Headquarters?

The morning assault reportedly involved Russian-fired missiles and drones which hit six Ukrainian regions leaving at least five dead.  The attacks also disrupted essential services, including electricity, water and gas supplies, especially in Mykolaiv city and Ukraine’s capital, Kyiv, when they are much needed this cold winter. “Millions of people rely on these services for… Continue reading World News in Brief: UN official condemns attacks in Ukraine, DR Congo faces fresh fighting and devastating floods

Tor Wennesland is in New York for discussions on how to “chart a way out of this crisis and how we can do it with the parties on the ground”. He told journalists that “we know very well” what the impediments are for this to happen politically, which must be overcome. No ‘quick fix’  “I… Continue reading UN Middle East envoy upholds need for Gaza ceasefire

7 February 2024Peace and Security The UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has strongly condemned Monday’s deadly airstrike on two schools in eastern Myanmar resulting in the deaths of at least four children and two teachers, with many more left injured. The children killed were boys between 12 and 14 years of age. “UNICEF strongly condemns any… Continue reading UNICEF condemns air strike on schools in Myanmar

7 February 2024Peace and Security As the devastating Gaza-Israel war entered its fifth month on Wednesday leaving a reported 27,585 Palestinians dead and nearly 70,000 injured, the UN’s top humanitarian official welcomed early indications of a “potential breakthrough” in negotiations for a ceasefire and the release of all remaining hostages. Commenting on the “potentially positive… Continue reading Gaza war enters fifth month amid reports of potential ceasefire deal

Briefing the Security Council, Political and Peacebuilding Affairs chief Rosemary DiCarlo told ambassadors: “We are no closer to the end of this illegal and unjustified war”. “With each passing day, the damage the conflict has done – and is doing – to Ukraine but also to global peace and security and international law, becomes increasingly… Continue reading UN’s political chief warns of escalating toll as third year of war in Ukraine looms

“With the conflict raging in Gaza, as well as armed action elsewhere, the Middle East is at a critical juncture, and the same is true for Iraq,” said UN Special Representative Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert, calling for restraint. “With Iraq cloaked in an already complex tapestry of challenges; it is of greatest importance that all attacks cease.”… Continue reading With Middle East at a ‘critical juncture’, UN Iraq envoy appeals for restraint

6 February 2024Peace and Security Any move by Israel to extend its full-scale invasion of Gaza into the massively overcrowded southern city of Rafah could lead to war crimes which must be prevented at all costs, the UN aid coordination office, OCHA, said on Tuesday. “We as the UN and Member States of the UN… Continue reading War crimes fears over Israeli ground invasion of Rafah

5 February 2024Peace and Security The UN Security Council is set to convene for an urgent meeting Monday afternoon at the request of Russia, as the war in Gaza continues to fan tensions across the Middle East, with potentially dramatic consequences for regional peace and security. Follow developments live here. Video of the Security Council… Continue reading UPDATING LIVE: Security Council to meet on Middle East crisis over US strikes

5 February 2024UN Affairs UN Secretary-General António Guterres on Monday appointed an independent panel to conduct an assessment of the UN agency that assists Palestine refugees, UNRWA, following accusations that several staff were involved in the 7 October attacks against Israel.   The independent Review Group – appointed in consultation with UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini – will examine whether the… Continue reading Guterres appoints independent UNRWA review panel

5 February 2024Peace and Security The UN Interim Security Force in Abyei (UNISFA) has heightened ground and aerial patrols to deter further violence, after brutal fighting in the oil-rich region claimed dozens of lives over the weekend. Heavily armed assailants attacked civilians in the villages of Malual Aleu, Banton, Awolnhom, Abathok, Majbong, Awal, and east… Continue reading UN force steps up patrols after weekend of bloodshed in Abyei

“This morning a food convoy waiting to move into northern Gaza was hit by Israeli naval gunfire; thankfully no-one was injured,” said Tom White, Director of Affairs for the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, UNWRA. Accompanying the post on X, formerly Twitter, two photographs showed a stationary flat-bed lorry parked in front of a UN… Continue reading Gaza: Northern aid push frustrated as regional tensions rise

Drought is ravaging communities in Afar, Amhara, Tigray and Oromia, as well as the Southern and South West Ethiopia Peoples’ Region. Severe water shortages, dried pastures and reduced harvests are impacting millions of people and livestock, with reports of food insecurity and rising malnutrition.  Among those who are particularly vulnerable are people affected by the… Continue reading World News in Brief: Drought in Ethiopia, peacekeepers wounded in DR Congo, deadly strike on Ukraine aid workers

WFP described the situation as dire, noting that almost 18 million people across the country are currently facing acute hunger.  An estimated five million are experiencing emergency levels of hunger due to conflict in areas such as Khartoum, Darfur, and Kordofan. Obstacles to aid delivery  “The situation in Sudan today is nothing short of catastrophic,”… Continue reading WFP pleads for aid access in Sudan, amid reports of starvation

The warning from the UN aid coordination office, OCHA, comes nearly four months since Israel commenced a devastating bombing campaign in response to Hamas-led terror attacks on 7 October that left some 1,200 people butchered in southern Israeli communities and more than 250 taken hostage. “In recent days, thousands of Palestinians have been fleeing to… Continue reading Gaza: Rafah now a ‘pressure cooker of despair’ as exodus south continues

The alleged massacre happened in Welingara village in the Nara region of central Mali on 26 January. Some 30 civilians were also reportedly killed by unidentified gunmen in the Bandiagara region at the weekend. In his call for impartial investigations into the allegations, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights emphasized the need for justice… Continue reading World News in Brief: Dozens killed in Mali ‘summary executions’, Ukraine update, civilian protection in DR Congo

1 February 2024Humanitarian Aid Lifesaving aid operations in Gaza are “in peril” amid ongoing Israeli bombardment because of the funding crisis impacting the UN agency for Palestine refugees, UNRWA, top UN officials reiterated on Thursday. “It’s difficult to imagine that Gazans will survive this crisis without UNRWA…(we) have received reports that people in the area are… Continue reading Gaza: Aid operations in peril amid funding crisis

31 January 2024Peace and Security On the third anniversary of the military coup in Myanmar, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres voiced grave concern over the deteriorating situation in the country. In a statement issued by his Spokesman on Wednesday, the UN chief underscored the urgency of a transition to democratic governance and reinstating civilian rule. “The… Continue reading Myanmar: Military’s ‘campaign of violence’ must end, UN chief says on anniversary of coup

31 January 2024Human Rights Children in Gaza will likely lose at least a year of education, with the school year suspended, and classrooms closed or turned into shelters. Ziad Taleb, a correspondent for UN News, has been talking to teachers and children at a school in the central Gaza city of Deir al-Balah, which is… Continue reading Gaza: A struggle to keep young hopes alive, amid shattered dreams

Escalating armed violence in Haiti has triggered a profound humanitarian crisis, the UN Children’s Fund, UNICEF, warned on Wednesday. At least 170,000 children are now displaced – double the number from last year – amid a surge in gang-led killings and kidnappings, sexual violence and a severe food crisis. “In Haiti, children and families are… Continue reading World News in Brief: Haiti child displacement, Hong Kong torture claims, support Sudan refugees

31 January 2024Peace and Security The International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruled on Wednesday that Russia had violated global anti-terrorism and anti-racial discrimination treaties, but dismissed most of the charges Kyiv brought against Moscow stemming from its 2014 invasion of Ukraine. The 117-page judgement contained rulings on seven matters in Ukraine’s case against Russia claiming that… Continue reading World court rejects bulk of Ukraine’s terrorism charges against Russia

The preliminary assessment of the social and economic impacts of the conflict examines Gross Domestic Product (GDP) loss, recovery timelines and the enduring effects on poverty and household expenditure. It is estimated the annual GDP of Gaza declined by $655 million last year, equivalent to 24 per cent. “The possibility and speed of recovery in… Continue reading Gaza economic recovery could take decades: UN report

31 January 2024Peace and Security It’s another day of intense activity across the UN as the crisis in the Middle East stemming from the war in Gaza continues, both in the region and at UN Headquarters in New York. The Security Council is due to meet at the top of the hour to review the… Continue reading UPDATING LIVE: Crisis in the Middle East

31 January 2024Humanitarian Aid Deadly clashes and shelling continued in Khan Younis in southern Gaza overnight into Wednesday as top UN humanitarians and NGO chiefs warned of the “catastrophic consequences” of defunding UNRWA, the UN agency for Palestinian refugees facing allegations of collusion with Hamas. Despite the “horrifying” allegations that 12 UNWRA staff were involved in… Continue reading ‘We cannot abandon the people of Gaza’: chiefs of UN agencies and NGOs unite in appeal for UNRWA

Somalia was hit by multiple shocks last year, including devastating drought, unprecedented heavy rains and flooding, and further mass displacement. Millions of people also continue to suffer from hunger and malnutrition, the UN said. The plan, launched with federal and state Governments, was launched as four million people – nearly a quarter of the population –… Continue reading World News in Brief: Response plan for Somalia launched, mass executions in Iraq, Ukraine update, new European heat record

“While we’re addressing these concerns very actively, the humanitarian work needs to go on,” UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric told reporters at the Noon Briefing at Headquarters in New York on Tuesday. “Civilians in Gaza who are suffering, need the continued support of everyone,” he said. “The critical humanitarian work the UN does not only in Gaza,… Continue reading Gaza: Aid cuts to UN agency could be felt in weeks

“Amid all of the crises around the world, it is important no one is forgotten. The people of Myanmar have been suffering for too long,” Volker Türk said ahead of the anniversary of the coup on 1 February. He explained that fighting between the military and armed opposition groups has resulted in mass displacement and… Continue reading Myanmar demands greater focus urges UN rights chief, three years after coup

30 January 2024Humanitarian Aid As the UN chief prepares to meet representatives from countries who donate to the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) late on Tuesday following allegations of collusion with Hamas, the UN health agency, WHO, reiterated that now was not the time to abandon the people of Gaza. Despite ongoing Israeli bombardment… Continue reading Amid UNWRA funding crisis, desperate Gazans scour trucks for food

Denmark, Lithuania, Poland, Saudi Arabia, and Thailand have received the first-ever WHO certificates for demonstrating that they have a best practice policy for industrially produced trans-fatty acids (iTFA) elimination in effect, supported by adequate monitoring and enforcement systems. Trans fats are industrially produced or naturally occurring, and both are linked to an increased risk of… Continue reading World News in Brief: Progress on transfats, Ukraine war update, General Assembly President in China

Prosecutor Karim Khan emphasized the “ugly and inescapable truth” that failure to act now is not only a damning verdict on the present but will subject future generations to a similar fate. “It cannot be a case of ‘play, rewind, and repeat’,” he warned. A clear assessment by his office indicated the presence of “grounds… Continue reading World confronts an ‘ugly and inescapable truth’ in Darfur, says ICC Prosecutor

29 January 2024Peace and Security Ongoing hostilities across the Gaza Strip have been “particularly intense” in the southern city of Khan Younis, UN humanitarians warned on Monday, as the UN agency for Palestinians, UNWRA, reported that its shelters were now four times over-capacity. “There is simply not enough food,” UNRWA tweeted on social platform X,… Continue reading Gaza: ‘Simply not enough food’ to go around, warn UN humanitarians

28 January 2024Peace and Security A humanitarian worker in Gaza has been documenting her struggles after being displaced on numerous occasions as she and her family flee ongoing bombardments by Israeli forces. Tents for displaced people in southern Gaza When war began on 7 October, life changed dramatically overnight for mother-of-four Hala, as it did… Continue reading From The Field: Story of an aid worker trying to survive in Gaza

Wrapping up a week-long visit to the country, he made a strong appeal for greater international humanitarian support. “The fighting has escalated and the humanitarian situation in the country is dramatic and urgent. Millions have been forced to flee the war and Russian attacks, and they are in desperate need of humanitarian assistance,” he said.… Continue reading World News in Brief: UNHCR chief on frontlines in Ukraine, 10 million displaced in Sudan, instability grows in Lebanon

26 January 2024Peace and Security Secretary-General António Guterres has asked the head of the UN agency assisting Palestine refugees (UNRWA) to “swiftly” investigate “extremely serious allegations” that several agency staffers were involved in the 7 October terror attacks in southern Israel. Mr. Guterres has also asked UNRWA head, Philippe Lazzarini, to refer any employees found… Continue reading UNRWA to investigate allegations ‘several’ staffers played role in 7 October attacks

The OHCHR warning came nearly four months into the war which has seen widespread Israeli bombardment of the Gaza Strip, in response to Hamas-led attacks on Israeli communities beginning 7 October in which some 1,200 people were massacred and more than 250 taken hostage. “Attacks on hospitals, schools, and other places of refuge have repeatedly… Continue reading Gaza: UN rights office condemns ‘chaotic’ Israeli mass evacuation orders

Reading out the order at the Peace Palace in The Hague – in response to allegations of genocide against Israel by South Africa, which Israel denies – ICJ President Joan Donoghue also called for the release of all remaining hostages taken from Israel during the Hamas-led attacks on Israeli communities in which some 1,200 people… Continue reading UN world court issues appeal calling for prevention of genocidal acts in Gaza

“We understand both Russia and Ukraine are conducting separate investigations into the incident, and Kyiv has called for an international probe,” Rosemary DiCarlo, Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, told ambassadors in the Security Council. Russia said that there were no survivors from Monday’s crash in the Belgorod region close to the Ukrainian border and… Continue reading Ukraine war: Political Affairs chief warns against rhetoric fuelling ‘already dangerous conflict’

25 January 2024Women The UN expert working to eliminate rape during wartime has been invited to Israel by the Government to gather information on sexual violence reportedly committed in the context of the 7 October Hamas attacks and their aftermath.  Pramila Patten, Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General on Sexual Violence in Conflict, will also… Continue reading UN representative on sexual violence in conflict to visit Israel and West Bank

“Sudan is experiencing a humanitarian catastrophe of epic proportions. It’s a living nightmare for children,” Mandeep O’Brien said this week in an interview with UN News.  Nearly 10 months have passed since clashes erupted between the Sudanese Army and a rival group known as the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), leaving14 million children in desperate need of lifesaving assistance. Child displacement crisis  Ms. O’Brien said… Continue reading Sudan war ‘a living nightmare for children’: UNICEF Representative

“I cannot overstress the severity of the situation in Haiti, where multiple protracted crises have reached a critical point,” said Maria Isabel Salvador, presenting the latest report of the UN political office there, BINUH.  The Caribbean country remains plagued by mounting violence and insecurity at the hands of armed gangs, against a backdrop of political, humanitarian, and socioeconomic… Continue reading Haiti crises have reached ‘a critical point’: UN envoy

25 January 2024Peace and Security Attacks against shipping in the Red Sea by Houthis are devastating for global trade and supply chains, already reeling under the impacts of the war in Ukraine and climate change-linked conditions in the Panama Canal, said UN trade and development body, UNCTAD, on Thursday. According to Jan Hoffmann, Chief of… Continue reading The Red Sea shipping crisis is having a ‘dramatic’ impact, warns logistics chief

Global perspective Human stories Palestinian women mourn the loss of a family member at Al-Nasser Medical Hospital in Khan Younis, southern Gaza. (file) 25 January 2024Peace and Security Attacks on buildings in Gaza where terrified civilians are sheltering are “abhorrent and must stop immediately”, a top UN humanitarian official insisted on Thursday, after a direct… Continue reading Gaza: Top UN aid official calls for end to attacks on sites sheltering civilians

More than 70 delegates voiced serious concerns about the ongoing humanitarian “catastrophe” as the conflict in Gaza approaches its fourth month. Council members alongside the wider UN membership on Tuesday established the major theme of the debate: urging Israel to accept a two-State solution or risk a perpetual war which is an increasing threat global stability.… Continue reading End the war and recognize Palestine, Security Council urged

24 January 2024Peace and Security In just a matter of years, Africa has become the “global epicentre of terrorism”, with groups such as Da’esh, Al-Qaida and their affiliates exploiting local conflicts and fragilities to serve their own ends, the UN Secretary-General said on Wednesday, calling for violent extremism to be rooted out. Speaking at a… Continue reading Africa now ‘global epicentre’ of terrorism: UN chief

Teams from the agency and the World Health Organization (WHO) were trying to reach the Khan Younis Training Centre, said Tom White, Director of UNRWA Affairs in the Gaza Strip, in post on the social media platform X.  Some 30,000 people are sheltering at the site and the death toll could be higher, said Philippe… Continue reading Nine killed in direct hit on UNRWA shelter in Gaza

Confirming the order from the de facto authorities, who control the capital Sana’a along with many other areas of the war-torn country, UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric told reporters that the demand ran counter to the legal conditions under which UN and other NGOs operate. Yemen descended into all out conflict in 2015 with Houthi rebels… Continue reading World News in Brief: Houthis order US-UK staffers to leave, cholera response scales up in Somalia, teachers vital to fight against hate speech

Echoing those concerns, UN Secretary-General António Guterres warned in a tweet on X that in addition to the threat of being killed, Gazans faced a growing risk of disease, just as health services were collapsing.  Only 16 out of 36 hospitals “are even partly functional”, Mr. Guterres said. In another post on social media, UN emergency… Continue reading Displacement misery continues for Gazans, UN humanitarians warn

Mr. Ginish is a National Field Coordinator with the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in Sudan. He recounts his experience of being evacuated from Khartoum, life in Port Sudan, and how he and his colleagues are trying to help the millions caught up in the conflict. “Before the outbreak of violence on… Continue reading First Person: In post-war Sudan ‘I know we will fight hard to heal from the trauma’

“I was having coffee at home this morning in Kyiv, my neighbours were getting ready for work, children preparing to go to school, when our homes started to shake because of a wave of airstrikes on the Ukrainian capital,” Denise Brown said in a statement. The attacks damaged civilian buildings just next to the UN… Continue reading World News in Brief: UN deplores latest strikes on Ukraine, surge in Rohingya deaths at sea, greater investment in decent jobs

Global perspective Human stories A 3-year-old boy recovers after having his leg amputated following a direct missile strike on his home in Nuseirat city in the central Gaza Strip. (file) 23 January 2024Humanitarian Aid Amid continuing heavy fighting in Gaza on Tuesday morning including reported attacks on hospitals in the southern city of Khan Younis,… Continue reading Gaza fighting spreads into hospitals where there’s ‘no way in and out’

What does ‘biodiversity’ mean and why is it important? In simple terms, biodiversity refers to all types of life on earth. The UN Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), describes it as “the diversity within species, between species and of ecosystems, including plants, animals, bacteria, and fungi”. These three levels work together to create life on… Continue reading Biodiversity: What is it, and how can we protect it?

The independent expert outlined what’s been happening on the ground as violence and displacement continue to ripple across the country following the outbreak of clashes between the national army and RSF militia in April 2023. Out of 45 million people, more than seven million have been displaced, with some seeking safety in neighbouring nations, and… Continue reading UN expert says human rights violations rage on in Sudan

Meanwhile, in New York, the Security Council met once again to discuss the war stemming from Russia’s invasion that will mark its bloody two-year anniversary next month. At least 27 civilians were reportedly killed and a further 25 injured in the Donetsk attacks that struck local markets and a nearby residential area in the city,… Continue reading Ukraine: UN rights office deplores attack in Russian-occupied Donetsk

22 January 2024Humanitarian Aid “Intense” Israeli bombardment in Gaza continued on Monday along with rocket fire into Israel by Palestinian armed groups as UN humanitarians reported that more than 25,000 have died in the enclave since war began on 7 October. Citing Gaza’s health authorities, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA)… Continue reading 25,000 killed in Gaza war as humanitarian needs go on rising

More than 130 countries are members of the bloc – the largest grouping of the global South, representing 80 percent of the planet’s population – and their solidarity and partnership are essential to building a sustainable, peaceful, and just world for all, he said. “Let us face it: those that benefit most from the present… Continue reading Guterres urges G-77 and China to drive momentum for global governance reform

Leaders from the 120-member bloc met amid deep division globally, including rising geopolitical tensions, climate catastrophe, widespread poverty and raging conflict in Sudan, Ukraine and Gaza. Danger and constraints “Following the abhorrent Hamas attacks on 7 October, the wholesale destruction of Gaza and the number of civilian casualties in such a short period are totally… Continue reading At Non-Aligned Movement summit, Guterres repeats call for Gaza ceasefire, release of hostages

19 January 2024Peace and Security The President of the UN General Assembly on Friday reiterated his call for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and the release of all hostages as the “only credible course of action” to address the conflict. Addressing the 19th Non-Aligned Summit in the Ugandan capital, Kampala, President Dennis Francis urged the… Continue reading Carnage in Gaza: ‘How much is enough?’ asks UN Assembly President

Some 1.8 million people have been impacted by torrential downpours that have dumped double the usual amount of rainfall on the Congo, impacting nine out of the country’s 12 departments. In the three weeks since the government in Brazzaville declared an emergency, the floods have destroyed or damaged 34 health facilities, 120 schools, and over… Continue reading World News in Brief: Congo flood response, tourism bounces back, alert over Sudan’s ancient pyramids

19 January 2024Women Women and children account for roughly 70 per cent of people killed in the war in Gaza, with two mothers killed every hour since hostilities erupted more than 100 days ago, according to a UN Women report published on Friday.  The report examines the gendered impact of the conflict, which has left… Continue reading Two mothers killed each hour in Gaza conflict: UN Women

Reiterating urgent international calls for a ceasefire, the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) reported that there have been nearly 20,000 births since the start of widespread Israeli bombardment, in response to Hamas-led attacks in Israel that left some 1,200 dead and approximately 250 taken hostage. Chronic aid access problems have meant that Caesarean sections have been… Continue reading Gaza crisis: Babies being born ‘into hell’ amid desperate aid shortages

Iran on Wednesday reportedly carried out surprise attacks both inside Pakistan and Iraq which involved using precision missile and drone strikes targeting Sunni terrorist training camps in southwest Balochistan, in order to deter a planned terrorist incursion. The Iranian attacks followed a suicide bombing operation carried out by ISIL militants that killed more than 80… Continue reading World News in Brief: Iran-Pakistan airstrikes, Sudan war crimes probe, AI and healthcare, human rights in global finance

18 January 2024Humanitarian Aid Medicines for Israeli hostages were reportedly allowed into Gaza for the first time on Thursday along with a consignment of relief supplies for Palestinians, under an agreement brokered by Qatar and France. UN humanitarians are warning the level of assistance for many Gazans is now “almost catastrophic”. The development came as… Continue reading Gaza aid obstacles continue to delay vital relief

Sean Casey, WHO Health Emergency Officer, was speaking fresh from a more than five-week visit to the war-torn enclave, where he said convoys have faced access and security constraints, as well as movement limitations.  “The last week that I was in Gaza, we tried every single day for seven days to deliver fuel and supplies… Continue reading Gaza health system collapsing, as UN agencies renew ceasefire call

Incumbent President of the island archipelago off the east African coast, Azali Assoumani, was re-elected for a fourth term.   However, the turnout was reportedly only 16 per cent and opposition parties denounced the elections as “fraudulent”, according to media reports. In a statement released by his office (OHCHR) on Wednesday, Volker Türk called on… Continue reading World News in Brief: Rights chief calls for calm in Comoros, DR Congo update, northern Ethiopia beset by ‘multiple crises’

17 January 2024Humanitarian Aid The UN Senior Humanitarian and Reconstruction Coordinator for Gaza is in Egypt this week in efforts to scale-up assistance to the enclave, where more than 100 days of war between Israel and Hamas militants have left most of the population in dire need of food, water, medicines and other basic items. … Continue reading New UN coordinator for Gaza in Egypt to ‘expedite all areas’ of aid

Speaking at the annual World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, the UN chief condemned the “barbaric” Hamas-led attacks on 7 October in which approximately 1,200 people were butchered in southern Israel and some 250 taken as hostages. And amid reports of ongoing heavy Israeli bombardment which has left tens of thousands of civilians dead and… Continue reading Gaza crisis: Back two-State solution urges UN chief, ‘once and for all’

Five other ‘blue helmets’ were injured during the attack which happened when their vehicle hit an explosive device in Mbindali, in Ouham-Pendé Prefecture, northwest of Paoua. “The Secretary-General offers his sincere condolences to the family of the victim and to the Government of Cameroon and wishes a speedy recovery to the wounded”, said António Guterres, in a… Continue reading World News in Brief: Peacekeeper killed in CAR, Sudan war update, media clampdown in Kyrgyzstan

Global perspective Human stories The city of Dnipro in eastern Ukraine was hit by renewed missile attacks. 16 January 2024Human Rights Recent weeks have seen a steep increase in civilian casualties in Ukraine following an intensification of Russian attacks, the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in the country, HRMMU, said in a new report issued… Continue reading Ukraine: Civilian casualties spike following wave of Russian attacks

16 January 2024Humanitarian Aid The Israeli authorities have continued to block lifesaving aid from reaching northern Gaza 102 days since Hamas-led terror attacks triggered the war, UN humanitarians have insisted, just as UN Secretary-General António Guterres warned that “the long shadow of starvation” stalks the people of Gaza. “In the first two weeks of January,… Continue reading Gaza: Fewer than 1 in 4 aid missions given green light, says OCHA

The funds will be used to build shelters, offer cash assistance, build water, sanitation and hygiene facilities, and support onward transportation for new arrivals who are staying in overcrowded transit sites, said the UN Spokesperson, Stéphane Dujarric, briefing reporters on Monday. “We are anticipating that thousands of additional people may cross the borders into South… Continue reading World News in Brief: Emergency funds for Sudan refugees, democracy prevails in Guatemala, climate change in Iraq

Addressing reporters at UN Headquarters in New York on Monday, the UN chief expressed deep concern about the “unprecedented” level of civilian casualties and the “catastrophic” humanitarian conditions in the enclave. “There is one solution to help address all these issues. We need an immediate humanitarian ceasefire,” he stressed. Release hostages He recalled the 7… Continue reading UN chief reiterates Gaza ceasefire call, condemns ‘collective punishment’ of Palestinians

“People in Gaza risk dying of hunger just miles from trucks filled with food,” said head of the UN World Food Programme (WFP) Cindy McCain, in an appeal also backed by the heads of the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the UN health agency WHO. The UN and aid partners have been providing food to… Continue reading UN urges radical change to aid relief access in Gaza amid fresh famine fears

12 January 2024Peace and Security UN Secretary-General António Guterres has urged countries to avoid an escalation in the situation in the Red Sea, where Houthi rebels in Yemen have been attacking commercial vessels amid the ongoing war in Gaza.  The UN chief’s appeal came a day after the United States and the United Kingdom, with… Continue reading Guterres warns against Red Sea escalation

12 January 2024Peace and Security The UN Security Council is set to meet at 3:00 PM New York time and is due to hold two meetings on the worsening situation across the Middle East, looking first at threats of forced displacement from Gaza and then the escalating conflict in and around the Red Sea –… Continue reading UPDATING LIVE: Security Council to meet on widening crisis in the Middle East

Global perspective Human stories 2023 was the hottest year on record, globally. 12 January 2024Climate and Environment With the annual average global temperature fast approaching the critical threshold of 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels, last year officially smashed the global temperature record, the UN weather agency (WMO) confirmed on Friday. The World Meteorological Organization uses six… Continue reading WMO confirms 2023 as warmest year on record ‘by a huge margin’

Speaking ahead of Sunday’s grim milestone, Spokesperson Liz Throssell reiterated the need for OHCHR staff to have access to Israel and all parts of the Occupied Palestinian Territory to investigate human rights violations by all parties. Fourteen weeks have passed since Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups carried out bloody attacks against Israel on 7… Continue reading Gaza ceasefire ‘more urgent than ever’ as conflict approaches 100-day mark

On the second and final day of preliminary hearings at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), Israel’s legal team insisted that the twin military objectives were to eradicate the existential threat posed by Hamas militants and to free some 136 hostages still held in the war-shattered enclave. “Israel is in a war of defence against… Continue reading War against Hamas in Gaza is act of self-defence, Israel tells world court

11 January 2024Peace and Security Russian strikes have continued to “wreak havoc” on Ukrainian cities, causing death and destruction and leaving millions of civilians without access to vital services, the UN aid coordination office (OCHA) said on Thursday. In a flash update, the Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said that since the intensification… Continue reading Russian strikes continue to wreak havoc across Ukraine

Global perspective Human stories A mural in Arauca in Colombia promotes a message of women behind social change and equality. 11 January 2024Peace and Security Recent developments in Colombia have highlighted the need to move forward in implementing the 2016 peace agreement signed by the Government and the FARC-EP militia group, UN Special Representative Carlos… Continue reading UN underlines need to move forward on peace efforts in Colombia

Briefing ambassadors in the Security Council, Leonardo Santos Simão, Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General, said that while some nations have made significant democratic strides, others have been subject to military takeovers, posing wider threats to regional stability. The presidential election in Liberia and the peaceful transfer of power was a decisive political moment for… Continue reading Contrasting political challenges emerge in West Africa: Top envoy

The rate of access denials by Israel so far this month marks a “significant deterioration” over December, OCHA said in its latest update, issued late on Wednesday. Between 1 and 10 January, only three out of 21 planned deliveries of food, medicines, water, and other lifesaving items to the north of Wadi Gaza got through, it revealed. Denials, delays and… Continue reading Recurring denials hamper aid delivery to north Gaza

11 January 2024Peace and Security South Africa addressed the UN’s highest court on Thursday in a bid to end the mass killing of civilians in Gaza, accusing Israel of carrying out genocide against Palestinians there – a claim that Israel has strongly denied as “baseless”. The development came amid the ongoing and massive Israeli bombardment across… Continue reading Gaza: South Africa levels accusations of ‘genocidal conduct’ against Israel at world court

10 January 2024Peace and Security The UN Security Council on Wednesday passed a resolution condemning “in the strongest terms” the multiple attacks by Houthi rebels off the coast of Yemen which have disrupted global trade and raised fears of further spillover from the war in Gaza. Russia first proposed three amendments to the draft text… Continue reading Security Council strongly condemns Houthi attacks on Red Sea shipping

The helicopter was captured after it was forced to make an emergency landing in an area controlled by the armed group, according to international media reports. “I can confirm that there was an incident involving a UN-contracted helicopter that took place today in Galmudug in Somalia,” UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric told journalists in New York… Continue reading World News in Brief: UN helicopter captured in Somalia, Ecuador violence condemned, new Human Rights Council president

Rosemary DiCarlo underscored the UN’s steadfast commitment to support all meaningful efforts towards a just, sustainable, and comprehensive peace. The full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine began on 24 February 2022 and the Council has met more than 100 times to discuss the “harrowing consequences”, she recalled.  War must stop  “And yet, here we are, on… Continue reading ‘No end in sight’ to Ukraine war, UN political chief warns

Amid new reports of intensified bombing and clashes across the Strip on Wednesday, OCHA said that requests had been denied five times since 26 December to reach the Central Drug Store in Gaza city and Al Awda Hospital in Jabalya, further north. “At the same time, the continued denial of fuel delivery to water and… Continue reading Aid mission denials are latest threat to Gaza’s hospitals: OCHA

“Even if there is no ceasefire, you would expect humanitarian corridors to operate… in a much more sustained way than what’s happening now,” said Dr Rik Peeperkorn, WHO Representative for the Occupied Palestinian Territory. “It’s too little. It’s too late and specifically in the north.” Begging for food Humanitarian assistance – and particularly food – is… Continue reading UPDATED: Aid relief arriving in Gaza but ‘too little, too late’, warns WHO

Assembly Vice President Cheikh Niang of Senegal, holding the gavel in the General Assembly Hall and deputizing for President Dennis Francis, read out a statement on his behalf. General Assembly Vice President Cheikh Niang chairs the Emergency Special Session meets on the situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question. Mr. Francis said he… Continue reading General Assembly meets over Gaza veto by US in Security Council

Under the deal agreed by 193 countries in 2015 in the French capital, sticking to the limit will help humankind avoid the worst impacts of rising temperatures. This month is also on track to be so warm that for the first time ever, a 12-month cycle may exceed the 1.5°C threshold, according to Europe’s Copernicus… Continue reading World News in Brief: Time for climate justice urges UN chief, Ukraine war update, call for ‘free and fair’ elections

In central Gaza, the UN World Health Organization (WHO) warned on Sunday that medics at the only functioning hospital in Deir al Balah governorate “had been forced to cease lifesaving and other critical activities…and leave” after an evacuation order issued amid “increasing” Israeli military activity. Only five doctors reportedly remain at Al-Aqsa Hospital in the… Continue reading Gaza crisis: another hospital facing dire shortages, warns WHO

High Commissioner Volker Türk voiced his concern that Sunday’s poll which saw Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina secure a fifth term in office, was “marred by violence and repression of opposition candidates and supporters”, according to a press release from rights office OHCHR. “In the months leading up to the vote, thousands of opposition supporters have… Continue reading World News in Brief, Bangladesh democracy call, accountability for Israeli victims of sexual violence, plastic pollution in the Antarctic, powering Ukraine

Some 613 people have died within health facilities in the Occupied Palestinian Territory since 7 October last year – 606 in Gaza and seven in the West Bank – and more than 770 have been injured, according to latest data on healthcare attacks  from the World Health Organization (WHO). Condemning the continuing fighting and bombardment,… Continue reading Nearly 600 attacks on healthcare in Gaza and West Bank since war began: WHO

In Ukraine, there was no respite from war over the holiday period, neither for the country’s citizens, nor the UN workers attempting to deliver aid and support, a senior official for the UN migration agency (IOM) told UN News. Yuri Rudenko, National Programme Officer for IOM Ukraine, was on leave in his hometown of Dnipro on… Continue reading First Person: Christmas under rocket fire in Ukraine

The UN Emergency Relief Coordinator said in a statement that as the conflict continues to spread “human suffering is deepening, humanitarian access is shrinking and hope is dwindling.” He said a grim turning point between government troops and their rival RSF militia has been reached with the recent fighting in Aj Jazirah state, the country’s… Continue reading World News in Brief: Griffiths demands end to ‘ruinous’ Sudan conflict, Ukraine-Russia prisoner exchange, Iran bombings latest

In its latest alert on the deteriorating situation for 1.9 million displaced people in the Strip, UN aid coordination office OCHA blamed “delays and denials” along with active conflict for the lack of distribution beyond Wadi Gaza. “This includes medicines that would have provided vital support to more than 100,000 people for 30 days, as well… Continue reading Gaza crisis deepens as UN aid convoys face delays and obstacles

Airstrikes and missiles struck dwellings and public buildings on Tuesday including Al-Amal hospital in Khan Younis killing five, among them a five-day-old baby, reports indicate. “No child in the world should be killed, let alone one sheltering under the emblem of a humanitarian organisation; this has to end,” said Gemma Connell, a team leader from… Continue reading Gaza war: ‘Intense ground battles’ reported, hospital hit kills five

More than 170 people have also been wounded according to Iranian officials at the scene. News reports citing local officials said that there were two explosions as thousands were walking along the route to a cemetery in Kerman which is the final resting place of Qassim Suleimani, who was killed in a US drone strike… Continue reading Guterres strongly condemns attack in Iran; over 80 reportedly killed

Key points: UN Assistant Secretary-General Khaled Khiari said “no cause or grievance” could justify continuing Houthi attacks against freedom of navigation in the Red Sea All incidents originating in Houthi controlled areas “must stop” He encouraged “all concerned parties” in the wider region to avoid any further escalation and de-escalate tensions and threats Called for… Continue reading Security Council meets over Red Sea attacks amid growing threat of spillover from Gaza war

The latest warnings from UN relief agency for Palestinians UNRWA and the UN World Food Programme, WFP, highlighted the threat of starvation and disease in heavily built-up areas, where tens of thousands of people have fled intense bombing campaigns in the enclave’s north and centre. Skipping meals “Everyone in Gaza is hungry! Skipping meals is… Continue reading UPDATED: Everyone is hungry in Gaza, warn UN humanitarians

The UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) was deployed to Mali in 2013 following a violent insurrection by separatist rebels attempting to take control of the north of the country and a subsequent military-led coup. Established by UN Security Council resolution 2100, the mission included more than 15,000 troops and personnel who served… Continue reading Last UN peacekeepers poised for complete withdrawal from Mali

At least 18 civilians were killed and more than 100 injured in an attack on Belgorod, said Khaled Khiari, Assistant Secretary-General in the UN Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs (UN DPPA), briefing the Council on the latest developments. Russia had called for the emergency meeting following reported attacks on Belogorod. Located about 40 km… Continue reading Security Council holds emergency meeting on attacks in Belgorod, Russia

Highlights Video feed of the Security Council meeting. Khaled Khiari, Assistant Secretary-General for the Middle East at the UN Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs (DPPA) briefed the Security Council, expressing grave concern over Israeli settler violence in the occupied West Bank. He also reported increased tensions in the wider Middle East region, with continued… Continue reading Security Council discusses crisis in the Middle East; UN chief warns of conflict’s ‘further spillover’

“A traumatized and exhausted population” is being “crammed into a smaller and smaller sliver of land,” UN emergency relief chief Martin Griffiths warned on social platform X on Friday. But serious obstacles persist to bringing more aid to those in need amid relentless Israeli bombardment and intense fighting on the ground. UN humanitarian affairs coordination… Continue reading Gaza: UN calls for urgent aid scale-up amid new mass exodus to Rafah

Overnight, Russian armed forces reportedly launched 158 missiles and drones in several waves targeting locations across Ukraine, including in Kyiv, Lviv, Kharkiv, Khmelnytskyi, Dnipropetrovsk, Sumy, Cherkasy, Odesa and Zaporizhzhia regions. In a statement issued by his spokesperson, Secretary-General António Guterres underscored that attacks against civilians and civilian infrastructure “violate international humanitarian law, are unacceptable and… Continue reading UN chief condemns Russian attacks against Ukrainian cities and towns

Commenting on a new report on the West Bank released by his office, OHCHR, Mr. Türk expressed concern at the use of military means and weapons by law enforcement, movement restrictions affecting Palestinians and a sharp rise in settler violence resulting in the displacement of herding communities. “The dehumanization of Palestinians that characterizes many of the… Continue reading UN rights chief warns of ‘dehumanization’ of Palestinians amid West Bank violence as Gaza crisis deepens

Global perspective Human stories UN Secretary-General António Guterres. 28 December 2023Peace and Security United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has called for global unity to make 2024 a year for “building trust and hope” following the immense suffering, violence, and climate chaos that characterized 2023. “Humanity is strongest when we stand together. 2024 must be a… Continue reading Rebuild trust and restore hope in 2024: UN chief’s call

28 December 2023Peace and Security The UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) on Thursday condemned an attack on one of its patrols, in which one peacekeeper was injured. The windows of a patrol vehicle were also smashed. The patrol was attacked on Wednesday night (local time) by a group of young men in Taybeh in… Continue reading Lebanon: UN Force condemns attack on peacekeepers

27 December 2023Peace and Security Aid missions to supply Gaza have become increasingly difficult amid reports of continued heavy bombing of the Strip overnight by the Israeli military and intense clashes “in most areas” with Hamas fighters, UN humanitarians warned on Wednesday. Locations in the north and south of the enclave were hit as Israeli… Continue reading Gaza crisis: southern areas ‘bursting at seams’ amid new wave of bombing and displacement

27 December 2023Peace and Security The UN Children’s Fund, UNICEF, has denounced a deadly Christmas Day attack by an armed group on a family in Haiti’s capital, Port-au-Prince. Four people, including two girls under the age of 10, were killed in the incident, which occured in the Croix de Bouquet district. Four other family members… Continue reading UNICEF deplores deadly Christmas Day attack on family in Haiti

Teams that undertook the high-risk missions witnessed intense hostilities in their vicinity, as well as high patient loads and overcrowding caused by people seeking refuge. They also reported that food needs remain dire across the enclave, which is impacting operations, with hungry people stopping convoys in hopes of finding something to eat. WHO Director-General Tedros… Continue reading WHO and partners deliver aid to two Gaza hospitals in high-risk missions

World Health Organization (WHO) Emergency Medical Teams coordinator Sean Casey said that “100-plus patients” had been brought into Al-Aqsa Hospital on Monday in the space of 30 minutes, following reported blasts, including near Al-Maghazi refugee camp.  All of them needed urgent treatment for serious wounds, the WHO official told UN News, while “about 100” more… Continue reading Gaza health workers pushed to the limit amid airstrike ‘carnage’

Global perspective Human stories A child fetches clean water at a camp for displaced people in Dar Saad in Yemen. (file) 26 December 2023Peace and Security The UN Special Envoy for Yemen has welcomed steps towards a ceasefire in the war-torn country, where Government forces, backed by a Saudi-led coalition, and Houthi rebels have been… Continue reading UN envoy welcomes ‘significant step’ towards ceasefire in Yemen

Holland’s outgoing Deputy Prime Minister Sigrid Kaag will facilitate, coordinate, monitor and verify aid consignments to the embittered enclave, in line with a recent Security Council resolution. She will also establish a mechanism to accelerate humanitarian relief shipments through States that are not party to the conflict. She is expected to take up the assignment… Continue reading World News in Brief: Senior Humanitarian Coordinator for Gaza, cholera spreading in Sudan, aid for eastern Ukraine

Mr. Guterres was speaking at a press briefing at UN Headquarters shortly after the resolution was adopted. There has been no significant change in the way the war has been unfolding in Gaza, he said, with no effective protection of civilians. Israeli bombardment continues while Hamas and other factions continue to fire rockets into the… Continue reading Humanitarian ceasefire only way to end Gaza ‘nightmare’: Guterres

At least 14 people were killed and 25 injured after a gunman opened fire in what some media called the worst shooting in the country’s history. The gunman, reportedly a student at the university, also killed himself. UN chief António Guerres was shocked and saddened by the incident, his Spokesperson said in a statement issued later on… Continue reading World News in Brief: UN chief shocked by Czech mass shooting, UNICEF appeal for West and Central Africa, world leaders urged to heed climate science

Global perspective Human stories A displaced Palestinian family now living in a makeshift camp in southern Gaza without water, electricity, or enough food (file) 22 December 2023Humanitarian Aid As the Security Council prepared to meet once again in New York on Friday for a long-delayed vote on a pause in fighting to allow more aid… Continue reading Gaza crisis: Starvation must never be allowed to happen, says UN rights chief

21 December 2023Peace and Security The latest surge in fighting in Sudan has displaced up to 300,000 people as conflict spread to the country’s second largest city, Wad Madani, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) said on Thursday.  Wad Madani is located some 140 kilometres southeast of the war-torn capital Khartoum and sits at the… Continue reading World News in Brief: Latest Sudan fighting displaces thousands, second malaria vaccine, Russian dissidents ‘disappeared’

Briefing ambassadors at the Security Council, Geir Pedersen, UN Special Envoy for Syria, noted that though there have been some diplomatic breakthroughs none led to tangible changes on the ground for civilians. He also raised the alarm over the impact on the region of the devastating Israel-Palestine crisis. On top of killings, injuries, displacement, abduction… Continue reading ‘Genuine progress’ towards political solution, essential to end war: UN envoy

21 December 2023Peace and Security After intense negotiations all week behind closed doors at the 15-member Security Council, ambassadors are still negotiating over a draft resolution penned by the United Arab Emirates which calls for an “urgent suspension” of the conflict to allow safe and unhindered delivery of aid to stricken civilians in the Gaza… Continue reading Security Council continues negotiations over Gaza resolution calling for ‘urgent suspension’ of fighting

The latest grave assessment from the World Health Organization (WHO) came after UN teams reached Al Ahli Arab hospital and Al Shifa hospital on Wednesday, amid reports of intensifying ground operations by Israeli Defense Forces and continuing airstrikes in the Gaza Strip, in response to Hamas’s 7 October terror attacks on southern Israel.  “Patients were… Continue reading Injured patients ‘waiting to die’ in northern Gaza as last hospital shuts down: WHO

The deaths of over 10,000 civilians have been verified by the UN human rights office (OHCHR) since the invasion began in February 2022, although the actual number of fatalities could be much higher.  Over 10 million people have been forced to flee their homes, including more than 6.3 million who have sought refuge outside Ukraine.… Continue reading INTERVIEW: Ukrainian children express ‘innocent hope for peace’

WFP described the decision taken on safety grounds as a major setback to humanitarian efforts in the country’s breadbasket, where staff had been regularly providing aid to over 800,000 people, including many who had escaped the fighting in Khartoum. The ongoing fighting makes it extremely challenging for humanitarian agencies to safely deliver assistance, especially with… Continue reading World News in Brief: WFP forced to halt some food aid in Sudan, DR Congo elections, peacekeeping chief visits CAR

Roza Otunbayeva, who also heads the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), also underscored the need for greater engagement with the de facto Taliban authorities who seized power in August 2021. She told the Council that the human rights situation in Afghanistan is characterized by systemic discrimination against women and girls, repression of political dissent… Continue reading Afghanistan: Taliban’s return to ‘international norms’ is non-negotiable says UN mission chief

“Access to sufficient amounts of clean water is a matter of life and death…children in Gaza have barely a drop to drink,” said UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell. “Children and their families are having to use water from unsafe sources that are highly salinated or polluted. Without safe water, many more children will die from deprivation… Continue reading Barely a drop of safe water to drink in Gaza, UN aid agency warns

135 UNRWA staff members are known to have been killed in Gaza since the escalation of fighting since the 7 October Hamas attacks on Israel. That’s the most ever in one incident but, despite the danger and extremely difficult working conditions, UNRWA is continuing to assist those caught up in the fighting through no fault… Continue reading INTERVIEW: Destruction, displacement, and grief. Senior UNRWA official reflects on ‘unprecedented’ conflict in Gaza

The Mission, known as MONUSCO, has been in the country for two decades and is in the process of drawing down. MONUSCO will remain there until 20 December 2024 with a core mandate that includes protecting civilians, supporting security sector reform, and assisting in disarmament, demobilization and reintegration (DDR) processes. Elections and insecurity  The Council… Continue reading World News in Brief: DR Congo mission extended, Sudan displacement deepens, warzone death toll for journalists spikes

Since the onset of the invasion the UN human rights office (OHCHR) has meticulously monitored the situation. As of December 4, there have been over 10,000 civilian deaths, including 560 children, with an additional 18,500 civilians confirmed injured, with actual figures believed to be much higher due to the difficulties of verifying figures. “I feel… Continue reading Ukraine: Türk calls on Russia to silence the guns in appeal for ‘a just peace’

10:50AM The United States ambassador and Deputy Permanent Representative Robert Wood, told the meeting that the attacks by Hamas of October 7 “must be condemned” and the extremist group must not be allowed to control Gaza in the future. Deputy Permanent Representative Robert A. Wood of the United States addresses the UN Security Council meeting… Continue reading UPDATING LIVE: Security Council due to vote again on Gaza

Gaza is by far the most dangerous place in the world to be a child and deaths of youngsters from disease will likely surpass those from bombardment in the absence of a ceasefire, the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) warned on Tuesday.

18 December 2023Peace and Security Despite appeals to all those involved in the stalled deal to ensure Iran does not develop nuclear weapons, “diplomatic efforts remain at a standstill”, the UN’s political affairs chief told the Security Council on Monday. The Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) agreed in 2015 lays out the rules for… Continue reading Effort to restart Iran nuclear deal ‘at a standstill’ Security Council hears

Abdoulaye Bathily, UN Special Representative for Libya, told ambassadors on the Security Council that the mood in the country “is ripe for a new political deal, a new dispensation for a brighter future”. “One group of unwilling officials clinging to their seats must not be allowed to fail the people of Libya and put the… Continue reading UN envoy to Libyan leaders: Resolve impasse, do not fail the people

That’s according to UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) Regional Director Regina De Dominicis who said in a statement on Monday that bombardment was “particularly unrelenting” in the east and south of the country. The UNICEF official said the past week provided a concerning trend with an increase in ballistic missiles and mass drone attacks, including widespread… Continue reading World News in Brief: Wave of ‘fear and dread’ in Ukraine, UN expert slams Navalny disappearance, youth leaders for nuclear disarmament meet

18 December 2023Peace and Security The head of the UN health agency Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has spoken out against the “effective destruction” of a hospital in northern Gaza by Israeli forces over the weekend, leading to the deaths of eight patients including a nine-year-old child. Kamal Adwan Hospital was raided by the Israeli military over… Continue reading Gaza hospital destroyed, WHO chief reiterates ceasefire call

17 December 2023Peace and Security The members of the Security Council have condemned Friday’s assault on a police station in southern Iran, in which 11 Iranian police officers were killed, and eight critically wounded. The attack on the Rasak police station in the southeastern Sistan and Baluchistan province, which is prone to unrest, was claimed… Continue reading Security Council condemns deadly terror attack on Iran police station

16 December 2023Health UN workers delivering medical supplies to the Al-Shifa Hospital in north Gaza on 16 December have described the emergency department as a “bloodbath”, with hundreds of injured people inside, and a constant flow of new patients. According to the team, Patients with trauma injuries were being sutured on the floor, limited to no… Continue reading UN workers delivering aid to Gaza hospital describe ‘bloodbath’ in overflowing emergency department

15 December 2023Peace and Security Amidst a multitude of global crises and escalating of armed conflicts, small arms and light weapons remain a silent killer, having claimed over 260,000 lives during 2021, amounting to 45 per cent of all violent deaths. That’s according to Izumi Nakamitsu, High Representative for Disarmament Affairs, who briefed the Security… Continue reading Over 700 a day dying from small arms fire; main ‘weapons of choice’ for criminals and terrorists

Until the Hamas-led terror attacks of 7 October and Israel’s full-scale military response which has devastated much of the enclave, the crossing from Israel was the main route for commercial goods into Gaza. Until now, limited humanitarian aid has only been allowed to pass through the Rafah crossing with Egypt, which serves mainly as a… Continue reading Gaza: UN welcomes Kerem Shalom border crossing announcement

14 December 2023Peace and Security South Sudan is in no position to hold free, fair, or secure elections slated for December next year, the head of the UN Mission in the country (UNMISS) said on Thursday, stressing that there’s still time to catch up. Briefing ambassadors at the UN Security Council, Nicholas Haysom outlined key… Continue reading South Sudan: No basis for free and fair 2024 elections, warns Haysom

14 December 2023Peace and Security Some Gazans are so desperate for food that they are now stopping aid trucks and immediately eating what they find, the head of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees warned on Thursday. Briefing journalists in Geneva uon his return from Rafah governorate, Philippe Lazzarini, Commissioner-General of UNRWA, explained that people… Continue reading ‘Desperate, hungry, terrified’: Gazans stopping aid trucks in search of food

14 December 2023Peace and Security Heavy rains created new misery in Gaza as UN humanitarians repeated deep concerns on Thursday over the deteriorating health situation in the Strip, amid ongoing Israeli bombardment and fighting with Palestinian armed groups. UN humanitarian affairs coordination office OCHA said that many areas in the enclave have been flooded, “worsening… Continue reading Gaza flooding latest disaster to hit desperate Palestinians

Close to nine million people need humanitarian assistance and reports suggest that some 4000 people have been targeted and killed because of their ethnicity. There are now concerns that Darfur is returning to the years of brutal fighting and increasing atrocities last witnessed two decades ago that left some 300,000 people dead and millions of… Continue reading Explainer: How Darfur became a ‘humanitarian calamity and catastrophic human rights crisis’

Global perspective Human stories Famed primatologist and environmental activist, Jane Goodall kisses a tree just planted by Secretary-General Kofi Annan and Mrs. Annan, in Soweto, South Africa in 2002. (file) 14 December 2023Peace and Security A pioneer in the study of chimpanzees and a vocal environmental activist, Jane Goodall became a UN Messenger of Peace in… Continue reading Stories from the UN Archive: Kissing trees and protecting the natural world

That’s according to UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric, briefing reporters in New York who said critical infrastructure in at least four of the capital’s 10 districts have been damaged, including homes, a hospital and a kindergarten. “Water and electricity systems were also hit, but authorities managed to quickly restore these vital supplies”, he added, quoting UN humanitarians… Continue reading World News in Brief: Kyiv under attack, Sudan peace talks, progress on hunger in Europe

Lynn Hastings stressed that the intensifying hostilities have pushed almost half of the population of the Strip, or about a million people, into Rafah in the south, compounding the dire health and hunger crisis.   “The reason why Gaza is not safe is not just because of the airstrikes but also because of these conditions created by… Continue reading Gaza ceasefire ‘in everybody’s interest’: UN humanitarian coordinator

13 December 2023Climate and Environment With an unprecedented reference to fossil fuels, the UN climate conference in Dubai, COP28, in its final document called on countries to work towards “transitioning away from fossil fuels in energy systems” but fell short of making the much-anticipated call for a “phaseout”. Reacting to the adoption of the outcome… Continue reading COP28 ends with call to ‘transition away’ from fossil fuels; UN’s Guterres says the industry will phase out ‘whether they like it or not’

The 10-year-old mission in Mali, MINUSMA is currently winding down ahead of its end of December deadline to leave. In his speech to the UN General Assembly in September this year, Félix-Antoine Tshisekedi Tshilombohe, President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, called for the UN peacekeeping mission, MONUSCO, to begin its withdrawal from the… Continue reading INTERVIEW: ‘Climate of division’ creating more challenging environment for UN peacekeeping

The Emergency Special Session of the General Assembly is scheduled to start at 3 PM (New York time). 1:40 PM So far there are 21 co-sponsors of the resolution and two amendments tabled. Some 79 speakers are scheduled to address the Assembly so far and the session is expected to continue beyond this evening. The… Continue reading UPDATING LIVE: UN General Assembly resumes emergency session on Gaza crisis

Briefing reporters from Gaza, Dr. Richard Peeperkorn, WHO’s representative in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, described corridors overflowing with trauma patients at Al-Ahli Hospital in Gaza City, where doctors treat people on the floor and fuel, oxygen, food and water are scarce. In just 66 days of fighting, the Strip has been transformed from a “reasonably… Continue reading ‘Humanitarian disaster zone’: Gaza hospital capacity decimated – WHO

Briefing ambassadors at the UN Security Council, Bintou Keita, Special Representative of the Secretary-General noted steady progress in the electoral process despite significant logistical, financial, and security challenges.  However, the resurgence of the crises related to the M23 group in the east, and new pockets of insecurity in the Greater Katanga region, Mai-Ndombe and Tshopo… Continue reading DR Congo: Elections looming, amid worsening insecurity

Launching the Global Humanitarian Overview, Martin Griffiths, UN Emergency Relief Coordinator, praised the heroic efforts of humanitarians but emphasized that international support is falling far short of the escalating needs.  “We thank all donors for their contributions, which amount to $20 billion so far this year – but that is just a third of what was… Continue reading UN launches $46 billion appeal to respond to worsening crises in 2024

Speaking in Doha at the launch of the Global Humanitarian Overview, Mr. Griffiths said that the situation was “getting worse”, while efforts to secure “moments of peace” remained of the “greatest importance”.   According to the latest update on the emergency from UN relief coordination office (OCHA), tens of thousands of people “in desperate need of food, water, shelter,… Continue reading Gaza humanitarian crisis deepens as fighting rages on across the Strip

As COP28 entered its final 48 hours, the UN chief delivered a clear message to government negotiators: “We must conclude the conference with an ambitious outcome that demonstrates decisive action and a credible plan to keep 1.5-degree goal alive, protecting those on the frontlines of the climate crisis.”  ‘The clock is ticking’ Negotiators are engaged… Continue reading Stop ‘kicking the can down the road,’ UN chief urges COP28 deal on phaseout of fossil fuels

This is the first time since 7 October that a resolution on this conflict has been adopted by consensus within the UN system, the UN health agency noted. It underscores the importance of health as a universal priority, in all circumstances, and the role of healthcare and humanitarianism in building bridges to peace, even in… Continue reading Gaza: WHO adopts resolution on access for lifesaving aid

The UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has identified 10 priority areas – such as livestock, soil and water, crops, diets and fisheries – where following the roadmap can help push the world closer to achieving ‘Zero Hunger’, the second of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)  The aim: to transform agrifood systems – which… Continue reading COP28: The UN’s net-zero food plan to save the 1.5-degree goal, combat climate ‘doomisim’

“The preeminent forum for the peaceful resolution of international disputes is paralysed by geostrategic divisions”, António Guterres told the Doha Forum taking place in Qatar, following Friday’s meeting in New York during which the United States vetoed a resolution demanding that Israel and Palestinian militants end the intense fighting across the enclave which erupted on… Continue reading ‘I will not give up’ on push for Gaza humanitarian ceasefire: Guterres

Women and children are bearing the brunt in terms of deaths and injuries as Israeli troops battle Palestinian militants across the enclave, with nowhere safe to go, and aid distribution stymied by war, insufficient access and supplies crossing into the Strip. Adele Khodr, UNICEF Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa, said in… Continue reading World News in Brief: Nearly a million children displaced in Gaza, Guatemala ‘coup’ concerns, ‘enduring menace’ of genocide

The report from the UN’s environmental wing, UNEP, also revealed that despite decades of calls for ending finance flows towards sectors that harm some of humanity’s most valuable assets, those investments currently account for a whopping 7 percent of global GDP. Saturday’s report launch comes as negotiations on the conference’s outcome text are shifting into… Continue reading COP28: UN says staggering $7 trillion spent every year on investments that fuel climate change

8 December 2023Peace and Security Over half a million people have been displaced in Myanmar amid a surge in fighting between the military and armed groups that stated in late October and has spread to over two-thirds of the country, the UN humanitarian affairs office reported on Friday. Among those fighting the military are a… Continue reading Fighting engulfs over two-thirds of Myanmar, fuelling humanitarian needs

Ulrika Richardson, the Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General in Haiti, who is also the UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator, told journalists in Geneva that 5.2 million Haitians need humanitarian assistance and over 4.3 million face acute food insecurity – that’s a staggering two out of five people in a country which used to be… Continue reading World News in Brief: Haiti’s humanitarian crisis, disease outbreaks in Sudan, UK sentencing reform

8 December 2023Peace and Security The UN Security Council is set to meet this morning at 10 AM New York time to discuss the catastrophic situation in Gaza. This follows Wednesday’s urgent letter by Secretary-General António Guterres – one of the most powerful tools at his disposal – urging the body to help end carnage… Continue reading UPDATING LIVE: Security Council to meet on Gaza in wake of UN chief’s Article 99 letter

Mouhammed, the director of emergency and disaster management at the Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS), wakes up at 6:30 AM, catching only about three hours of sleep these days. He shares a room in the emergency operation centre in the north of Gaza Strip with 25 PRCS volunteers. Since 7 October, intensified hostilities in Gaza… Continue reading Stories of courage and dedication: Humanitarians on Gaza’s front line

8 December 2023Climate and Environment Young climate advocates at COP28 in Dubai on Friday said they will not sit idly by while climate change threatens their futures. They demanded that government policymakers put the needs of the world’s nearly 2 billion children first – their voices and ideas can help rescue the planet. With negotiations… Continue reading Our voices and needs must be put first in climate talks, young people tell COP28

The people of Gaza are being “forced into a horrible scenario” amid a “cruel campaign” by Israel against the population of the Strip in retaliation for Hamas’ terror attacks on 7 October, UN health agency WHO spokesperson Christian Lindmeier said.   “The situation in Gaza is beyond belief” he stressed, insisting that the enclave “cannot afford… Continue reading Gaza humanitarian disaster heralds ‘breakdown’ of society

7 December 2023Climate and Environment After a break, COP28 continues its work on Friday, also the day talks on an outcome text kick into high gear. Negotiators are trying to agree on how to bolster emissions-cutting targets set by the Paris Agreement and what to do about the future of fossil fuels, like oil, gas… Continue reading COP28 in Dubai enters final week, negotiations ahead on emissions cuts, fossil fuels

António Guterres urged countries to strengthen cooperation, the rule of law and prevention efforts against this “vicious threat to peace, security, and sustainable development” that operates everywhere, including cyberspace – “a virtual El Dorado for criminals.” Different crimes, same outcomes Transnational organized crime is a multi-billion-dollar industry that encompasses illicit financial flows, the illicit trade… Continue reading Global cooperation critical to combat transnational organized crime

7 December 2023Peace and Security Two months to the day since Hamas’ terror attacks in Israel prompted a massive Israeli military retaliation in Gaza, the situation in the war-torn enclave is becoming “apocalyptic” with hostilities making meaningful humanitarian efforts “nearly impossible”, UN humanitarians warned on Thursday. In a joint statement 27 aid organisations including UN… Continue reading Gaza fighting further compromises aid amid near ‘apocalyptic’ conditions: UN humanitarians

The 2023 United Nations Peacekeeping Ministerial also saw new pledges, including of personnel and training, to meet current and future challenges and needs. Peacekeepers serve in the world’s most volatile environments and the threats they face are greater than ever, with rising geopolitical tensions, more complex conflict, and the weaponization of digital tools against them… Continue reading Countries uphold commitment to UN Peacekeeping at 2023 Ministerial in Ghana

Briefing ambassadors at the Security Council, Miroslav Jenča, Assistant Secretary-General for Europe, said that like the previous year, the year 2023 has been devastating for the people of Ukraine. The UN human rights office (OHCHR) has verified 10,065 civilians killed and a further 18,679 injured since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine began in February 2022.… Continue reading Ukraine: Lasting toll of war, ‘beyond measure’, Security Council hears

In a letter to the Council, Mr. Guterres invoked Article 99, contained in Chapter XV of the Charter. This says that the UN chief “may bring to attention of the Security Council any matter which in his opinion, may threaten the maintenance of international peace and security.” In a statement to journalists along with the… Continue reading Guterres urges Security Council to act over Israel-Palestine crisis as threat to international peace and security

The High Commissioner also rejected allegations of double standards regarding the UN’s position on the crisis in Gaza, noting that he had been made aware of allegations of sexual violence during the Hamas attack on communities in southern Israel.  It was “painfully clear” that the “atrocious” attacks should be fully investigated, independently “because that is… Continue reading UN’s Türk urges probe into alleged sexual violence during Hamas terror attacks

6 December 2023Climate and Environment UN climate chief Simon Stiell said on Wednesday that COP28 delegates are not in Dubai to “score points” and play at “lowest-denominator politics”; they must take ambitious action on curbing global warming and ending the climate crisis. Mr. Stiell’s strong message to government negotiators comes as the latest UN climate… Continue reading COP28 is about action, not politics, ‘posturing or point scoring,’ says UN climate chief

Global perspective Human stories Peacekeepers serving with the Indian military contingent of the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) during a “stand to” drill in Pibor, Jonglei State (file). 5 December 2023Climate and Environment The transition to renewable energy at UN peacekeeping missions helps to ensure the safety and security of uniformed personnel serving in… Continue reading Renewable energy boosts safety of UN peacekeepers

5 December 2023Climate and Environment With rising temperatures leading to demand for more air conditioners and other cooling equipment, a new UN report launched Tuesday at COP28 climate talks in Dubai lays out a pathway to cut emissions across the cooling sector worldwide.  Over 60 countries signed up to a so called ‘cooling pledge’ with… Continue reading COP28: Over 60 countries pledge to slash cooling emissions amid rising temperatures

Speaking from the southern city of Rafah, Dr. Rick Peeperkorn, World Health Organization (WHO) Representative on the Occupied Palestinian Territory, described further bloodshed after the resumption of Israeli bombing last Friday. “The situation is getting worse by the hour,” Dr. Peeperkorn told journalists in Geneva via video link. “I mean…there’s intensified bombing going on all… Continue reading Desperation intensifies in Gaza amid uncertainty of ‘safe zones’

5 December 2023Climate and Environment The UN climate conference will continue its work on Tuesday focusing on issues that include scaling up financing for the Paris Agreement, slashing emissions in the cooling sector, ensuring a climate resilient energy sector and a dialogue with indigenous peoples. Will COP28 go down in history as a turning point… Continue reading COP28: Tuesday’s climate action in Dubai

Marked by record breaking land and ocean temperatures, the decade between 2011-2020 saw continued rising concentrations of greenhouse gasses that “turbo charged” dramatic glacier loss and sea-level rise, according to a new report from the UN World Meteorological Organization (WMO).  The report comes as the latest annual UN climate conference, COP28, reaches its midway point… Continue reading UN says climate change surged alarmingly over the past decade as COP28 pushes for global emissions cuts

This year’s UN climate conference, underway in the United Arab Emirates’ largest city, Dubai, opened its second full week hearing a diverse cross-section of women leaders and activists raise their voices to call for ending existing gender gaps and mitigating the worsening impacts of climate change on women and girls. Prevailing gender norms, existing inequalities… Continue reading COP28: Women and climate advocates driving forward change together

Rising waters caused by torrential downpours have affected more than 2.4 million in the east African nation, while UN aid teams are increasingly concerned about the spread of waterborne diseases, said aid coordination office, OCHA.  Suspected cases of cholera have already been reported and humanitarians have highlighted how much of a threat this poses to… Continue reading World News in Brief: Somalia floods, Sudan cholera update, genocide prevention

Mr. Guterres is extremely alarmed by the resumption of hostilities between Israel and Hamas this past Friday, including rocket fire towards Israel from Gaza and Israel’s renewed ground operations and intensified airstrikes, increasingly in the south of the enclave. “The UN continues to appeal to Israeli Forces to avoid further action that would exacerbate the already catastrophic humanitarian situation in Gaza… Continue reading UN chief calls on Israel to ‘spare civilians from more suffering’ in Gaza

They are taking part in the 2023 UN Peacekeeping Ministerial, which opens in the capital, Accra, on Tuesday. The two-day meeting aims to secure vital political support and concrete commitments to strengthen UN Peacekeeping efforts to meet current and future challenges and needs, in line with ongoing reform under the Action for Peacekeeping (A4P) framework… Continue reading Ghana meeting seeks to boost political support to strengthen UN Peacekeeping

The latest update from the UN aid coordination office, OCHA, confirmed rising casualties and devastation amid “heavy Israeli bombardment from air, land and sea”. “From the afternoon of (Saturday) 2 December to the afternoon of (Sunday) 3 December, at least 316 people were killed and at least another 664 injured in Gaza,” OCHA’s situation update… Continue reading Gaza: Aid access to north now entirely blocked amid escalating bombing raids in south

Among them is young Senegalese singer and rapper Oumy Gueye, who goes by OMG and was triggered to embrace climate action when her grandparents’ home in Bargny east of the Senegalese capital Dakar was destroyed by rising seas.  She has been collaborating with UN humanitarian affairs coordination office OCHA to advocate for humanitarian causes in the Sahel… Continue reading COP28: Bring the vulnerable to ‘front of the line’ for climate funding

Our planet has logged higher mean temperatures each year, with 2023 set to be the hottest on record. Ice sheets are melting and an unprecedented rate. Wildfires have made the air hazardous in some regions, while in other floods regularly threaten to contaminate drinking water. Against this backdrop, more and more people are being affected… Continue reading COP28: The climate crisis is also a health crisis

“Silence the guns and return to dialogue – the suffering inflicted on civilians is too much to bear. More violence is not the answer. It will bring neither peace nor security,” Volker Türk said in a statement, voicing deep concern that negotiations towards a continuation of last week’s pause had reportedly stalled. Fighting resumed on… Continue reading Gaza: UN rights chief appeals for end to violence and a return to dialogue

As the fourth day of this year’s UN climate conference got under way, the UN chief stated: “The fossil fuel industry is finally starting to wake up, but the promises made clearly fall short of what is required.” Reacting to the pledge announced on Saturday by several major oil and gas companies to reduce methane… Continue reading COP28: Methane pledge by the ‘giants behind the climate crisis’ falls short, says Guterres

Ahead of the first ever ‘Health Day’ at a UN climate conference, delegates signed onto a new declaration on climate and health and separately considered the role of digital technology can play in climate action.  The UN World Health Organization (WHO) welcomed the new declaration, which aims to help accelerate actions to protect people from… Continue reading Tackling health impacts of climate change and scaling up digital climate action in the spotlight at COP28

On Friday, the Security Council adopted a resolution to close the UN Integrated Transition Assistance Mission in Sudan (UNITAMS) following a request last month from the authorities. UNITAMS was established in June 2020 to provide support to Sudan for an initial 12-month period during its transition to democratic rule following the overthrow of President Omar… Continue reading World News in Brief: Engagement with Sudan, Red Sea vessel attacks, SDGs disabilities promise

The UN chief made this announcement in an address to a summit of developing country leaders taking place at the latest UN climate conference, COP28, now under way in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Mr. Guterres, who has been a strong proponent of moving away from fossil fuels, told leaders of the Group of 77 Developing… Continue reading COP28: UN chief previews panel on management of minerals essential for green energy transition

Sudan’s military Government, whose forces have been battling the RSF militia for control of the country since April, has said that the UN mission was failing to meet expectations. The end of the UN Integrated Transitional Assistance Mission in Sudan (UNITAMS) comes against the backdrop of the continuing war raging between rival militaries that has… Continue reading Security Council agrees to terminate UN mission in Sudan

The Global Drought Snapshot report, released by the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) on Friday, coinciding with COP 28, paint a grim picture of the scale of lives and livelihoods lost to droughts. Ibrahim Thiaw, UNCCD Executive Secretary, emphasized the urgency of the situation. “Unlike other disasters that attract media attention, droughts happen silently,… Continue reading Unprecedented drought emergency demands urgent action

1 December 2023Climate and Environment Agrifood systems and the communities that support and depend on them are on the front lines of loss and damage linked to climate change, a new report released on Friday by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has revealed. The current climate crisis is affecting the world’s capacity to produce sufficient… Continue reading Global agrifood systems are the climate solution, new FAO report highlights 

The sound of shells exploding shortly after 7am Gaza time was clearly audible at Nasser hospital in the south, where terrified and traumatised youngsters immediately reacted by clinging to their mothers in fright, said James Elder from the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF). “The bombs started just a few seconds after the ceasefire (ended),” Mr. Elder… Continue reading Shock and terror in Gaza as bombardment of shattered enclave resumes

1 December 2023Climate and Environment Earth’s vital signs are failing and to prevent planetary crash and burn, “we need…cooperation and political will”, United Nations Secretary General António Guterres said on Friday, challenging world leaders gathered in Dubai for COP28 to show real global climate leadership. The UN chief delivered his impassioned appeal at the high-level… Continue reading COP28: As ‘humanity’s fate hangs in the balance’, UN chief calls for urgent action to prevent planetary crash

Global perspective Human stories File photo from May 2023 when Beledweyne town was flooded after the Shabelle River burst its banks. 30 November 2023Climate and Environment Deadly torrential rains and floods have affected more than two million people in several areas of Somalia, with over 100 killed and 750,000 displaced from their homes, the authorities… Continue reading Needs rise as flooding spreads in Somalia

30 November 2023Peace and Security Civil society organizations are on the “frontlines” of peacebuilding, a senior UN official said on Thursday, as the Organization convened the inaugural dialogue with grassroots organizations aimed at building and nurturing peace initiatives on the ground. Elizabeth Spehar, UN Assistant-Secretary-General for Peacebuilding Support, emphasized the importance of civil society. “Civil… Continue reading Civil society an ‘unwavering force’ for peace: UN official

Releasing its 2023 World Malaria Report as nations gather at the UN climate change conference, COP28, the health agency warned that despite expanding access to malaria prevention, more people are getting sick with the disease. WHO documented 249 million cases in 2022, an increase of two million from 2021 and exceeding the pre-pandemic level of… Continue reading Climate change risks upending global fight against malaria

The latest update from UN aid coordination office OCHA indicated that two hospitals in Gaza City, Al Ahli and As Sahaba, had received a total of 10,500 litres of fuel, which is enough to operate their generators for about seven days. But humanitarians have warned that despite the pause in fighting, much more aid is… Continue reading World News in Brief: New relief window in Gaza, sexual violence in Sudan, new action against chemical weapons

30 November 2023Climate and Environment The latest round of UN-facilitated climate talks opened on Thursday in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, with a warning that the world is taking “baby steps” in the face of a terrifying planetary crisis that requires bold action now. “We are taking baby steps and stepping far too slowly to work… Continue reading COP28 gets underway in Dubai with call for ‘terminal decline’ of the fossil fuel era

While 2023 is not yet over, a provisional report from the UN World Meteorological Organization (WMO) confirmed that it is set to be the warmest on record, with global temperatures rising 1.4 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels. Mr. Guterres said that the race is on to keep alive the 1.5-degree limit agreed by world leaders… Continue reading Science points to ‘climate collapse’ as UN chief calls COP28 to action

Maria José Torres Macho travelled to Antarctica with the UN chief, Antonio Guterres, ahead of the global climate conference, COP28, which is getting underway in Dubai in the United Arab Emirates: “The sleeping continent hides under its beauty, its undeniable role as a key climate regulator for the planet. While we enjoyed the majestic and… Continue reading Impact of ‘failed promises’ on climate, evident in Antarctica: A UN Resident Coordinator blog

29 November 2023Peace and Security The UN Security Council is due to meet once again on Wednesday morning in New York on the Middle East crisis. This will be the first open meeting since the 15-member body passed a resolution in mid-November calling for the immediate release of hostages held by Hamas and extended humanitarian corridors… Continue reading UPDATING LIVE: Security Council due to meet on Israel-Palestine crisis

29 November 2023Peace and Security Amid hopes of a deal to extend the pause in fighting in Gaza between Israel and Hamas on Wednesday, the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) reported that humanitarian assistance had reached its shelters in northern Gaza for first time since war erupted last month. “As we drove through Gaza… Continue reading Israel-Palestine crisis: Gaza City a ‘ghost town’, reports UN aid agency

Najat Rochdi, UN Deputy Special Envoy for Syria, told ambassadors at the Security Council that Israeli airstrikes hit Damascus airport this weekend, following several other airstrikes and artillery fire on locations across the country, reportedly killing one civilian airport worker. She added that the airstrikes coincided with reports of rocket and missile launches from southern… Continue reading Syria: ‘A dozen different powder kegs’

At the meeting, UN Secretary-General António Guterres and AU Commission Chairperson Moussa Faki Mahamat signed a framework agreement on human rights, which follows a previous accord on peace and security, and another on development.  Speaking afterwards to reporters, they underscored the need to reform the global financial architecture to reflect current realities. “What Africa needs… Continue reading UN and African Union sign new human rights agreement

Addressing the Assembly’s annual debate on the Question of Palestine, Dennis Francis urged UN Member States to find common ground, engage with each other in good faith, and increase collective resolve to end the crisis. “The longer the fear, distrust, appetite for revenge, hatred, and anxiety fester and deepen further – the more lethal the… Continue reading Francis calls for longer-term humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza

The report, published on Tuesday by the UN human rights office (OHCHR) and the UN political mission in Haiti (BINUH), calls for the urgent deployment of the multinational security support mission authorized by the UN Security Council in October. But alongside that, greater efforts will need to be made to strengthen the institutions of the… Continue reading Haiti: Gangs move into rural areas as Türk says new force ‘must be deployed’

Here’s what you need to know: The last COP was held in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, in November 2022. What is a ‘COP’? UN climate conferences are government-level large-scale annual gatherings focused on climate action. They are also referred to as COPs – Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). The UNFCCC… Continue reading Explainer: What’s COP28 and why is it important?

28 November 2023Humanitarian Aid As the pause in fighting in Gaza appeared to enter a fifth day on Tuesday, UN humanitarians warned that aid deliveries needed to multiply immediately to save the lives of the injured and stem the risk of a deadly disease outbreak that has left doctors “terrified”. Priorities include transporting fuel to… Continue reading Gaza doctors ‘terrified’ of deadly disease outbreak as aid teams race to deliver

Mr. Elder met with children and their families in Gaza, during the humanitarian pause in fighting, which was called after weeks of intense shelling and bombardment that killed and injured thousands and displaced 1.7 million Palestinians. The conflict erupted on 7 October, when Hamas attacked Israel, killed over 1,200 people and captured more than 200 hostages.… Continue reading First Person: Trauma, stress and sadness take root in Gaza

27 November 2023Peace and Security The recent launch of a reconnaissance satellite by the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK), presents a ‘serious risk’ to international civil aviation and shipping, the Security Council heard on Monday.  The UN’s Assistant Secretary-General for the Middle East, Asia and the Pacific, Mohamed Khaled Khiari, told ambassadors the satellite had been loaded onto… Continue reading DPR Korea: Military satellites, ‘serious risk’ to civil aviation and shipping

27 November 2023Climate and Environment World leaders at this week’s climate conference, COP28, must break the deadly cycle of global warming before a “deadly tipping point” is reached, said the UN chief on Monday. UN Secretary-General António Guterres was briefing reporters in New York after seeing for himself over the weekend the “profoundly shocking” speed at… Continue reading Hopes for a sustainable planet must not ‘melt away’: Guterres

That’s the message from UN health agency WHO, which said on Monday that negotiators at the upcoming meeting must recognize their responsibility “for the health of populations worldwide”. “Leaders must deliver in Dubai, providing the strong health outcomes their peoples expect and their economies urgently need,” said WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.  According to the… Continue reading World News in Brief: Delivering on health at COP28, aid for north Darfur, food standards watchdog turns 60

And as the UN emergency relief coordination office, OCHA, reported that people in the south were queuing for kilometres to obtain cooking gas and resorting to burning window frames and doors for cooking, it added that the four-day humanitarian pause agreed upon by Israel and Hamas has been “largely maintained”. Under the agreement, Hamas released 17… Continue reading Gaza: Vital aid reaches shattered north as halt to fighting enters fourth day

26 November 2023Climate and Environment There is an urgent need for a transformative shift towards more sustainable transport the UN chief said on Sunday, emphasizing the importance of cleaner energy to combat climate change. “This first World Sustainable Transport Day reminds us that the road to a better future depends on cleaner and greener transportation systems,”… Continue reading Hitching a ride to a better future: Sustainable Transport Day

25 November 2023Humanitarian Aid Sixty-one trucks hauled aid to northern Gaza on Saturday – the largest number since 7 October, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. The freight included food, water and emergency medical supplies. Eleven ambulances, 3 coaches and a flatbed were delivered to Al Shifa hospital to be used… Continue reading UN confirms more aid entering Gaza as humanitarian pause holds for second day

24 November 2023Humanitarian Aid On a sunny day, Ivan, a burly retired welder in his fifties, stood in front of his ruined house in Posad-Pokrovske, in the Kherson region of Ukraine. A landmine warning sign behind a fence of a destroyed house in Posad-Pokrovske in the Kherson region of Ukraine. “Blackberries grew in front of… Continue reading From the Field: A destroyed Ukrainian village rebuilds

24 November 2023Climate and Environment Antarctica has been called the sleeping giant, but it is now being awoken by climate chaos, the UN Secretary-General has warned. António Guterres is in Antarctica this week, where he saw first-hand how climate change is impacting the world’s southernmost continent, which is mostly covered in ice. The heat is… Continue reading In visit to Antarctica, Guterres appeals for action to end ‘climate anarchy’

24 November 2023Humanitarian Aid Humanitarians are urgently scaling up aid in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) where an escalating crisis is again unfolding, the UN refugee agency, UNHCR, and the UN Children’s Fund, UNICEF, said on Friday. Violent clashes between non-state armed groups and government forces have displaced more than 450,000 people… Continue reading Clashes in eastern DR Congo displace 450,000 in six weeks

They reiterated calls for access to all parts of the war-shattered enclave where the death toll inched towards 15,000 and many displaced people were sleeping in the streets. UN humanitarian affairs coordination office (OCHA) spokesperson Jens Laerke told reporters in Geneva that the hope regarding the agreement between Israel and Hamas announced earlier this week… Continue reading Gaza: start of truce feeds hopes for respite, access to people in need: UN humanitarians

According to media reports, ongoing negotiations over the Israel-Hamas agreement on a four-day humanitarian pause and the freeing of hostages held by the Palestinian armed group since its 7 October terror attacks indicated that the deal’s entry into force was believed to be unlikely before Friday. Amid rising hunger, UN World Food Programme (WFP) chief… Continue reading With Gaza truce on horizon, UN relief teams stand ready to ramp up aid

Briefing the Security Council, Sima Bahous, Catherine Russell and Natalia Kanem – heads of UN Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women), UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and UN Population Fund (UNFPA), respectively – also welcomed the agreement on the release of some of the hostages taken during the Hamas attack on… Continue reading UN agency heads unite in urgent plea for women and children in Gaza

22 November 2023SDGs At a time when people are hurting and the planet is burning, the world’s advanced economies can take the lead in ensuring financial, structural and climate justice, the UN Secretary-General said in remarks to the virtual G20 Summit convened by India on Wednesday.  António Guterres said the world, particularly developing countries, is… Continue reading Guterres urges G20 to lead the way in financial and climate justice

The country, known colloquially as North Korea, claimed to have carried out a third attempt to launch a ballistic missile on Tuesday, according to media reports. Comply with obligations Any such launch is contrary to relevant Security Council resolutions, Mr. Guterres said in a statement issued later that day by his deputy spokesman Farhan Haq.… Continue reading World News in Brief: DPR Korea missile launch, malaria vaccines in Cameroon, solidarity with Haiti

“This is an important step in the right direction, but much more needs to be done,” Mr. Guterres said via a statement from his spokesperson Farhan Haq.   The top UN official leading efforts to secure a lasting peace in the Middle East, Tor Wennesland, echoed those comments and also welcomed the announced 96-hour “humanitarian… Continue reading Gaza: UN welcomes deal for pause in fighting, hostage-release pact

The Monitoring Mission stated that the casualty figure represents deaths verified according to its methodology, cautioning that the actual figure may be significantly higher given the challenges and time required for verification. “Ten thousand civilian deaths is a grim milestone for Ukraine,” said Danielle Bell, head of the Monitoring Mission, adding that the war, now… Continue reading Ukraine: Civilian casualties mount, as war enters second winter

Global perspective Human stories The United Nations and the Olympic flags raised at UN Headquarters. (file) 21 November 2023Peace and Security Ahead of the Summer Olympics in Paris next year, the UN General Assembly has urged countries to maintain the ancient Greek tradition of observing peace worldwide before, during and after the Games. This follows… Continue reading General Assembly resolution upholds the Olympic Truce

21 November 2023Health UN agencies on Tuesday issued an urgent call for action, emphasizing the severe health risks faced by pregnant women, babies and children due to worsening climate catastrophes. In Protecting maternal, newborn and child health from the impacts of climate change, the World Health Organization (WHO), UN Population Fund (UNFPA), and UN Children’s… Continue reading UN agencies urge action to safeguard maternal, child health amidst climate crisis

Addressing an open debate of the Security Council on the link, António Guterres said that while development alone cannot guarantee peace, it is an essential component. “No peace is secure without inclusive and sustainable development that leaves no one behind,” he said, drawing parallels to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its 17 Sustainable… Continue reading Secure peace with inclusive, sustainable development, UN chief says

Catherine Russell made the appeal in a statement to mark World Children’s Day, which commemorates the adoption of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) – the most widely ratified human rights treaty in history.  “At no time since the CRC was adopted 34 years ago have children’s rights been in greater… Continue reading Children’s rights in jeopardy 34 years after landmark UN treaty

20 November 2023Climate and Environment With global temperatures soaring and greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) reaching unprecedented levels, dramatic climate action is needed to steer the world away from runaway climate change and align it to the objectives of the Paris Agreement, a major UN report has found. The 2023 Emissions Gap Report, released on Monday… Continue reading UN urges dramatic climate action as records keep tumbling

20 November 2023Peace and Security In Gaza, where two UN-run schools received direct hits over the weekend amid intensified fighting, the plight of civilians continues to worsen as heavy rain falls across the enclave. A tweet by the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, UNWRA on Monday, described the situation in shelters as “unliveable”. It said… Continue reading Gazans have ‘no options’ for safety as offensive continues

“This war is having a staggering and unacceptable number of civilian casualties, including women and children, every day,” UN Secretary-General António Guterres said in a statement on Sunday. “This must stop. I reiterate my call for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire.” Volker Türk, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), said in a statement on Sunday… Continue reading ‘This must stop,’ UN chief says as deaths, displacement ripple across Gaza

Fuel restrictions are curtailing aid efforts, the UN agency for Palestine refugees (UNRWA) said amid reports of fresh attacks on schools and other civilian infrastructure and rising needs among more than 1.5 million displaced Gazans. Fuel deliveries for aid operations have been largely prohibited since Hamas’ attack on Israel on 7 October left at least… Continue reading Restricted fuel deliveries curtail aid efforts in Gaza amid fresh attacks on schools

17 November 2023Human Rights The UN human rights office, OHCHR, has voiced alarm over reports of another ethnically motivated mass attack in the Darfur region of Sudan, amidst the ongoing conflict between the national army and a rival military known as the Rapid Support Forces (RSF).  Hundreds of ethnic Masalit civilians were reportedly killed earlier… Continue reading ‘Six days of terror’ in West Darfur: Ethnically-based attacks on the rise

More than 1.5 million Gazans are displaced, 18 hospitals have shut down, and hundreds of thousands are living in fear and under continuing Israeli bombardment. “Casualties continue to mount, with the dead reportedly exceeding 11,000 people – the majority of them children and women,” said Emergency Relief Coordinator and Humanitarian Affairs chief, Martin Griffiths. “The… Continue reading UPDATING LIVE: Humanitarian crisis in Gaza could get far worse, warns UN relief chief

In the fighting so far, about 70 civilians – and combatants who are out of action – have reportedly been killed and over 90 wounded, according to the UN human rights office (OHCHR). The fighting has also fuelled a fresh wave of displacement, driving over 200,000 people from their homes since 27 October. In all,… Continue reading Myanmar: Intense fighting spreads to cities, as civilians seek shelter

“What we do know is that the health system is on its knees,” said Dr. Richard Peeperkorn, World Health Organization Representative in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, in the wake of Hamas militants’ terror attack on Israel on 7 October that left 1,200 dead and the heavy bombardment of the enclave by the Israeli military in response.   ‘Endless need’  Speaking from Jerusalem… Continue reading Gaza: ‘Endless needs’ reflect spiralling situation as hospitals shut down, WHO warns

16 November 2023Peace and Security The war between rival militaries in Sudan, which has been raging for over seven months has further intensified in recent weeks, particularly in the volatile Darfur region, a senior UN official said on Thursday. Martha Ama Akyaa Pobee, Assistant Secretary-General for Africa, informed ambassadors on the Security Council that the… Continue reading Sudan: Deadly spiral of violence continues between military rivals

First Sergeant Renita Rismayanti received the prestigious Woman Police Officer of the Year Award during a ceremony at UN Headquarters in New York. At 27, she is the youngest recipient in the Award’s 13-year history. Working for change  Ms. Rismayanti is deployed as a crime database officer at MINUSCA, which has a mandate that includes… Continue reading UN’s top Woman Police Officer ‘a young agent of change’

WFP food aid in the country, which was suspended in June, will aim to reach 3.2 million people after the relaunch. ‘Working around the clock’ WFP chief Cindy McCain said that the agency’s teams and partners “have been working around the clock to get to this point.” The UN agency’s new approach will rely on… Continue reading World News in Brief: Ethiopia food aid resumes, ‘Stop the Lies’ campaign against big tobacco, Syria ruling, climate action – key to peace

Speaking at the Assembly’s annual debate assessing the UN’s premier forum for peace and security, Dennis Francis said that without structural reform, the Council’s performance and legitimacy will inevitably continue to suffer. “Violence and war continue to spread in regions across the world, while the United Nations seems paralyzed due largely to the divisions in… Continue reading Security Council reform a must, to end ‘paralysis’

In a wide-ranging briefing to journalists in Geneva, UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini reiterated calls for a ceasefire and addressed misinformation targeting the agency, including claims that aid is being diverted. He said he has also received reports of UN schools being used “for military purposes”. Commitment in crisis During the briefing, Mr. Lazzarini said he had received reports that Gaza was under… Continue reading Gaza: Lack of fuel threatening to shut down ‘entire’ humanitarian operation

Speaking in Geneva, the High Commissioner for Human Rights urged Hamas commanders and Israel to seize a “political path out of this horror”.  Mr. Türk condemned the widespread targeting of civilians in the past five weeks of hostilities and urged accountability for gross rights violations. He stressed that attacks directed at “hospitals, schools, markets and… Continue reading Gaza: UN’s Türk urges ‘political path out of horror’

Barricaded for two weeks at the outset of the conflict, the Rafah crossing re-opened on 21 October following an Israel-Egyptian deal for limited entry of humanitarian aid deliveries. Still, only a trickle is getting across the border. While media reports announce fresh efforts to get aid to Gaza, like French and Italian hospital ships and… Continue reading Explainer: How aid reaches Gaza

15 November 2023Peace and Security The Security Council is poised to meet again at 3:00 PM New York time on Wednesday to attempt to find unity in its response to the worsening Israel-Palestine crisis, which began on 7 October with terror attacks by Hamas fighters, and the retaliatory siege and offensive launched against their Gaza… Continue reading UPDATING LIVE: Security Council due to meet again on Israel-Palestine crisis

15 November 2023Climate and Environment Greenhouse gas emissions reached a record high in 2022 with “no end in sight to the rising trend”, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) said in a report published on Wednesday.  The Greenhouse Gas Bulletin comes ahead of the UN climate change conference COP28 which opens in Dubai in two weeks.… Continue reading ‘No end in sight’ to rising greenhouse gas emissions, UN weather agency warns

15 November 2023Peace and Security The UN’s top emergency relief official unveiled a 10-point plan “to rein in the carnage” in Gaza on Wednesday which focuses on a major expansion of aid into into the wartorn enclave, along with a new call for humanitarian ceasefires and the release of hostages taken during Hamas’s 7 October… Continue reading Israel-Palestine crisis: UN emergency relief chief unveils 10-point plan ‘to rein in the carnage’

14 November 2023Climate and Environment The COP28 climate conference held in Dubai later this month “must be the place to urgently close the climate ambition gap”, as emissions continue to rise and climate chaos intensifies, UN chief António Guterres insisted on Tuesday. Mr. Guterres was commenting on the latest report by UN climate change body… Continue reading ‘Close the climate ambition gap’ says UN chief ahead of COP28

Ambassadors met for their annual briefing with the heads of UN Police Components serving at field missions. Jean-Pierre Lacroix, Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations, opened the meeting by highlighting the importance of continuously enhancing and adapting peacekeeping to match changing conditions. Unique responses required “Many challenges to global peace, security and development today – such as,… Continue reading Security Council: Police need greater support amid ‘many challenges’

Diabetes is a chronic disease which occurs when the pancreas does not produce enough insulin, or when the body cannot effectively use the insulin it produces. WHO said that more than 460 million people worldwide live with diabetes and millions more are at risk. The UN health agency stressed that people with the condition require… Continue reading World News in Brief: Diabetes on the rise, UN prisoners in Yemen, Ukraine war fuels rise in landmine casualties

14 November 2023Health Cholera vaccines are expected to arrive in Sudan this month as the country continues to face a deadly outbreak of the disease amidst the ongoing war, the UN humanitarian affairs office, OCHA, said on Tuesday.  UN agencies and partners are scaling up response to the outbreak, which was first declared in Gedaref… Continue reading Humanitarians step up response to deadly cholera outbreak in Sudan

“Rain will just add further to the suffering” of people in the Strip, WHO spokesperson Margaret Harris told reporters in Geneva, at a time when disruptions in sewage pumping and water shortages have caused a spike in waterborne diseases and bacterial infections.  The World Health Organization warned last week that since mid-October, over 33,500 cases of… Continue reading Besieged Gaza hospital misery continues while rainfall prompts new health scare

13 November 2023Climate and Environment Negotiators from around the world gathered in Nairobi, Kenya, on Monday for fresh talks over a landmark international treaty to combat plastic pollution.  The urgency of this effort is underscored by the ongoing global plastic pollution crisis, where approximately 430 million tonnes of plastic are produced annually.  Around two-thirds of it… Continue reading New round of plastics pollution treaty talks underway in Nairobi

The situation is unfolding as “lives are hanging by a thread”, including those of babies in incubators at hospitals that depend on fuel for electricity, Andrea De Domenico, Head of OCHA’s office in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, told journalists in New York on Monday. “Humanitarian ceasefire, fuel supplies – all of these should be happening now. We are running out… Continue reading Fuel shortage could put the brakes on trucks delivering aid to Gaza

The double burden of dwindling availability – and inadequate water for drinking and sanitation services – is compounding the challenge, putting children at even greater risk. The Climate Changed Child – released ahead of the COP28 UN climate change summit later this month in Dubai – throws a spotlight on the threat facing vulnerable children. It… Continue reading World News in Brief: Water crisis for children, hunger in East Africa, new Yazidi memorial

The fallen colleagues worked for the UN agency that assists Palestine refugees, UNRWA, providing life-saving aid to Gaza’s 2.2 million people, amid constant bombardment and a complete siege of the enclave. They included school principals, teachers, doctors, engineers, guards, and support staff. Many were killed along with their family members. Minute of silence UN officials… Continue reading UN honours 101 staff killed in Gaza conflict

12 November 2023Peace and Security Police First Sergeant Renita Rismayanti of Indonesia, who serves with the UN peacekeeping mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA), has been named this year’s winner of the prestigious Woman Police Officer of the Year Award. She will receive the honour at a special ceremony at UN Headquarters in New… Continue reading Indonesian peacekeeper wins UN Woman Police Officer of the year award

The UN’s health agency WHO said on Sunday night that according to the Gaza health authorities, 37 premature babies at the hospital were relocated over the weekend to an operating room without their incubators, with health workers trying to heat the room. According to the latest media reports on Monday, six babies at Al-Shifa have… Continue reading Gaza City: Babies dying in hospital amid scenes of devastation

The regional directors of the UN sexual and reproductive health agency (UNFPA), children’s agency UNICEF and health agency WHO, said they were “horrified” at latest reports which indicate many have been killed – including children – in facilities across Gaza city and other northern areas of the Strip. The Palestinian Red Crescent Society is reporting… Continue reading Gaza: UN agencies make plea for international action to end hospital attacks

In a statement, the Israeli military denied that it had targeted Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City, which they claim is above a Hamas command post, but have acknowledged that fighting is happening “around” the facility. UN relief and humanitarian affairs chief, Martin Griffiths, tweeted that in light of “horrific reports of attacks”, there could be… Continue reading Attacks on or near Gaza hospitals ‘unconscionable, reprehensible and must stop’: Relief chief

Philippe Lazzarini was addressing an emergency summit convened by the League of Arab States and Organisation of Islamic Cooperation where he called for urgent support for civilians in the Occupied Palestinian Territory on three fronts. He called on leaders at the Arab-Islamic summit to “act now to change the trajectory” of the crisis that began… Continue reading ‘Genuine prospect of Palestinian statehood is critical’, UNRWA chief tells emergency summit in Saudi Arabia

10 November 2023Peace and Security  The international community must act now to end the bloodshed and suffering in Gaza, scores of UN Ambassadors in Geneva said in a joint call on Friday.  More than 11,000 Palestinians have been killed in just one of month of conflict, they said, citing local health authorities. Children, women and… Continue reading 70 UN Ambassadors in Geneva urge international action on Gaza

10 November 2023Peace and Security The UN Security Council is due to meet at 3pm (New York time) on Friday to discuss the ongoing Israel-Palestine crisis as negotiations continue behind the scenes to reach some consensus position over the war raging in Gaza, within the 15 member body. Join us here for live updates. 2:20… Continue reading UPDATING LIVE: Security Council due to meet again on Israel-Palestine crisis

The assessment by the UN Development Programme (UNDP) and the Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA) looks at preliminary socio-economic impacts, warning that poverty could spike while Gross Domestic Product (GDP) could plummet by 8.4 per cent, which translates into a loss of $1.7 billion. Lamenting the loss of life, suffering and ongoing… Continue reading Gaza conflict could spark rise in poverty, UN agencies warn

“Water is scarce and fear is pervasive” in Gaza, Mr. Türk told journalists in Amman, recounting a conversation he had minutes earlier with a colleague in Gaza who had to flee Israeli bombardments with his family. “His children, aged nine and seven, are asking him questions he does not know how to answer: ‘Why is… Continue reading Israel-Palestine crisis: Amid war crimes fears, UN rights chief renews calls to stop violence, free hostages 

Global perspective Human stories Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesman for the UN Secretary-General (file). 9 November 2023Peace and Security Any plans for short-term pauses in the fighting in Gaza must be carried out in coordination with the UN and following agreement by all sides, the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General said on Thursday during his regular press briefing… Continue reading Gaza: ‘Humanitarian pauses’ will need coordination with the UN

The funding appeal – launched on Thursday in Geneva – will be used to implement a three-phase programme to provide immediate relief and support longer-term job and business recovery, as well as social protection. “The hostilities have resulted in – and continue to cause – both a tragic loss of human life, and an unprecedented… Continue reading $20 million appeal to support Palestine labour market

Echoing his remarks with French President Emmanuel Macron looking on, the head of the UN agency for Palestine refugees (UNRWA), Philippe Lazzarini, stressed the “heart-breaking” plight of children in the territory, whom he saw last week “pleading for a piece of bread and a sip of water”. Mass displacement has led to severe overcrowding in… Continue reading Israel-Palestine crisis: Silence the guns, UN relief chief tells Paris forum

8 November 2023Human Rights The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights reiterated the call for an urgent ceasefire between Israel and Hamas during a visit to the Rafah crossing and El Arish Hospital in Egypt on Wednesday.  Volker Türk highlighted the dichotomy at the border crossing, describing it as a “lifeline” for the 2.3 million… Continue reading At Rafah crossing, Türk says both Israel and Hamas have committed war crimes

That’s the message from UN World Meteorological Organization (WMO), which said on Wednesday that for the calendar year to date, the global mean temperature is the highest ever recorded, 1.43 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, and sea ice in the Antarctic remains at record low levels. WMO expects the warming El Niño climate pattern to last… Continue reading 2023 likely hottest year on record; further spike expected with El Niño

8 November 2023Climate and Environment Contrary to pledges to cut fossil fuel production, government policies worldwide will add up to a doubling of production in 2030, a new report from the UN environment agency (UNEP) revealed on Wednesday. “The 2023 Production Gap report is a startling indictment of runaway climate carelessness,” the UN Secretary-General António Guterres said… Continue reading Fossil fuel producers ‘literally doubling down’, new UNEP report warns

“The war that erupted without warning turned previously peaceful Sudanese homes into cemeteries,” said Dominique Hyde, Director of External Relations at UNHCR. She visited the country last week, and witnessed a surge in human suffering. “Away from the eyes of the world and the news headlines, the conflict in Sudan continues to rage. Across the… Continue reading Sudan war turning ‘homes into cemeteries’: UNHCR

“Every day, you think it is the worst day and then the next day is worse,” UN health agency spokesperson Christian Lindmeier said, quoting a colleague in Gaza, which remains under almost complete blockade. “Access, access, access is necessary.” 160 children killed daily The level of death and suffering is “hard to fathom”, Mr. Lindmeier… Continue reading Israel-Palestine crisis: UN humanitarians plead for ‘access, access, access’

“The nightmare in Gaza is more than a humanitarian crisis.  It is a crisis of humanity,” he said, speaking to journalists at UN Headquarters in New York. He also voiced ongoing grave concern over rising violence and an expansion of the conflict between Israeli forces and Hamas militants, stating that “the occupied West Bank, including… Continue reading Gaza: ‘Unfolding catastrophe’ makes humanitarian ceasefire more urgent

“With the conflict in Sudan, the conditions are not conducive for talks on the final status of Abyei. The progress that was made [earlier this year] unfortunately was not something that we could build upon,” Hanna Serwaa Tetteh, Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for Horn of Africa, told ambassadors. “Key Sudanese and South Sudanese leaders… Continue reading Sudan crisis has ‘effectively put on hold’ political dispute over Abyei

The figure represents nearly 10 per cent of global Gross Domestic Product (GDP), according to the 2023 edition of The State of Food and Agriculture (SOFA) – the agency’s flagship report – which covers 154 countries.  Acknowledgment and action It introduces the concept of the hidden costs and benefits of agrifood systems, offering a framework through which… Continue reading FAO report reveals hidden costs of agrifood systems

With the civil war between rival militaries now in its 200th day, children “continue to pay the highest price for a crisis not of their making – increasingly with their own lives”, said the agency in a statement. There are more children now displaced there than anywhere in the world, with three million fleeing the… Continue reading World News in Brief: Sudan and South Sudan updates, Ukraine heritage under fire in Odesa

Among those uniting behind the message that “enough is enough”, UN relief chief Martin Griffiths renewed earlier pleas for the immediate and unconditional release of the more than 240 hostages captured by Hamas and held in Gaza since 7 October. All parties should respect their obligations under international humanitarian and human rights law, the UN… Continue reading Israel-Palestine crisis: ‘Enough is enough’ say UN humanitarians

Global perspective Human stories WFP Executive Director Cindy McCain. 5 November 2023Humanitarian Aid The head of UN’s emergency food relief agency on Sunday issued an urgent appeal from the Rafah border crossing for safe, expanded humanitarian access to Gaza as critical food supplies in the ravaged enclave reach dangerously low levels. “Right now, parents in… Continue reading WFP appeals for urgent expanded access to Gaza as food supplies ‘dangerously low’

4 November 2023Peace and Security UN Secretary-General António Guterres said he was “horrified” by a strike on an ambulance convoy outside a hospital in the Gaza Strip on Friday, reiterating his appeal for a humanitarian ceasefire. “I am horrified by the reported attack in Gaza on an ambulance convoy outside Al Shifa hospital. The images… Continue reading Guterres ‘horrified’ by strike on ambulance convoy in Gaza

The recent launch of the UN-led AI Advisory Body advanced a growing global trend to harness machine learning to find solutions to common challenges. AI is upping the data crunching game and a growing number of governments, businesses and civil society partners are working together to reap its many benefits. That includes speeding up and scaling efforts… Continue reading Explainer: How AI helps combat climate change

3 November 2023Peace and Security Myanmar witnessed a sharp escalation in fighting between the military and opposition groups this week fuelling a surge in new displacements, the UN humanitarian wing has said. Clashes intensified on Sunday and continued through the week, significantly impacting northeast and southeast Myanmar and forcing over 48,000 people from their homes,… Continue reading Sharp uptick in fighting in Myanmar, UN humanitarians report

3 November 2023Climate and Environment Spanning from city to savannah, and from mountaintops to mangroves, the world’s 748 biosphere reserves are being celebrated this Friday for their diversity and contribution to a green global future.  These sites promote biodiversity conservation with sustainable use and are located across 134 countries, with 21 new reserves added in… Continue reading World’s diverse biospheres ‘making peace with the natural world’

3 November 2023Peace and Security Russia has bombarded more than 100 Ukrainian towns across nearly half of its regions in the past two days according to the Ukrainian Government, many near the frontlines. UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric strongly condemned “the latest wave of attacks against critical infrastructure in various parts of the country, which reportedly… Continue reading Ukraine: UN condemns latest wave of Russian attacks

Their humanitarian update opened with a moment of silence for all those who have lost their lives since the start of the conflict on 7 October, and for the 240 Israeli men, women and children still being held hostage by Hamas. “What we’ve seen unfold over the last 26 days in Israel and in the… Continue reading Humanitarian ceasefires critical to meet immense needs in Gaza

The stark report comes against the backdrop of a sharp uptick in fighting between the Government’s Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) and RSF and heightened intercommunal tensions in the restive region. The rival militaries plunged the country into a brutal civil war more than six months ago. Thousands have died and more than 5.7 million are… Continue reading Sudan: Women and girls abducted, held ‘in slave-like conditions’ in Darfur

Briefing reporters in Geneva on Friday UN health agency (WHO) spokesperson Christian Lindmeier said that in Israel, where 1,400 people have been killed so far, and in Gaza, where over 9,000 have been killed according to Hamas run authorities, 70 per cent of the victims are women and children. “It’s the innocent civilians that are… Continue reading Israel-Palestine crisis: ‘It’s the innocent civilians who are losing’

It opened for signatures in 1996 and has been ratified by 178 countries. Some major powers including the US and China have not done so, and it has yet to come into force, lacking the required support. According to the Kremlin, say media reports, the move levels the nuclear playing field given the failure of… Continue reading World News in Brief: Russia pulls out of nuclear test ban treaty, climate ‘health crisis’, pushback against bullying

Between January 2019 and June 2022, the agency documented 759 individual attacks against journalists, including five killings, during 89 elections in 70 countries. Most of these attacks – which included beating and arbitrary arrest – were committed by police and security forces. Attacked from all around  The findings come in a report published in tandem with the International Day to End… Continue reading Day highlighting journalists under fire focuses on protection during elections

The Adaptation Gap Report 2023 issued by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), says the world is underprepared, under invested and lacking the necessary planning, leaving us all exposed. It warns that instead of speeding up, progress on adapting to climate change is stalling. The slowdown extends to finance, planning and implementation, says UNEP, with massive… Continue reading Climate action: ‘Take steps to close the adaptation gap, now’

2 November 2023Peace and Security The number of people killed in Gaza is nearing the 9,000 mark amid mounting concerns over the aftermath of Israeli airstrikes on a densely-populated refugee camp near Gaza City, while a key hospital has stopped operations and UN humanitarians are unable to deliver aid to the north as the ground… Continue reading Israel-Palestine crisis: Gaza’s north cut off from aid; death toll rising

1 November 2023Peace and Security More than 820 Palestinians in the occupied West Bank have been displaced amid settler violence and increased movement restrictions since the Hamas terror attacks of 7 October and the start of Israel’s assault on Gaza, the UN relief wing said on Wednesday. Israeli settler violence has increased significantly, from an… Continue reading Rise in intimidation, settler violence in the West Bank, warns OCHA

“We have been working with Egypt’s Health Ministry on planning for medical evacuations and will continue to support,” said the World Health Organization (WHO) head. His comments came amid reports that the Rafah passenger terminal between Egypt and Gaza had been allowed to opened on an exceptional basis Wednesday morning for the first time since… Continue reading Israel-Palestine crisis: UN welcomes first medical evacuations from Gaza

“It is an honor to be here in Lumbini – a site of spirituality, serenity, and peace,” Mr. Guterres began.   “I am deeply moved to have been invited to pay tribute to Lord Buddha.” A UNESCO World Heritage Site, Lumbini in southern Nepal, is known as the birthplace of Lord Buddha. It holds immense… Continue reading On sacred ground in Nepal, UN chief calls for global action for peace

Secretary-General António Guterres also reiterated his call for an “immediate humanitarian ceasefire” between Israeli forces and militants from Hamas, which controls the Gaza Strip, and other militant groups. Consistent flow of aid essential In a statement, Mr. Guterres said depriving Gaza’s people basic supplies was only “compounding the human tragedy” of the conflict, calling for… Continue reading Guterres blasts ‘completely inadequate’ levels of aid for Gaza civilians

31 October 2023Humanitarian Aid As the world’s attention focuses on the unfolding emergency in the Gaza Strip, a senior UN aid official on Tuesday urged the Security Council not to overlook the equally “brutal and far-reaching” crisis in Ukraine. Ramesh Rajasingham, Director of the Coordination Division at the UN relief wing OCHA, addressed ambassadors, highlighting… Continue reading Amid Middle East crisis, ‘brutal and far-reaching’ war continues in Ukraine

UN relief chief Martin Griffiths, who has been visiting Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territory, spoke to families in Gaza over the phone from east Jerusalem on Tuesday and said that what they have endured since the start of Israel’s retaliation for Hamas’ deadly 7 October attacks is “beyond devastating”. “When an eight-year-old tells you… Continue reading Toll of Israel-Palestine crisis on children ‘beyond devastating’

30 October 2023Climate and Environment Next month’s UN climate summit in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) must respond decisively to the gaps in the intranational community’s response climate crisis, Deputy-Secretary-General Amina Mohamed said on Monday. Ms. Mohammed, delivering opening remarks to a preparatory meeting, or Pre-Cop, being held in Abu Dahbi, underscored that the next… Continue reading Upcoming COP28 summit must ‘respond decisively’ to gaps in global climate action

Briefing the Security Council, Geir Pedersen said the country had been in a “strategic stalemate” since March 2020, with the brutal conflict now marked by static front lines, persistent violence, and sporadic escalation in fighting. De facto authorities are strengthening control, while foreign armies remain active, he told ambassadors. The lack of a meaningful political… Continue reading Immediate de-escalation ‘only antidote’ to conflict in Syria

30 October 2023Peace and Security Following four failed efforts to reach consensus on a Gaza resolution, the UN Security Council is set to meet on Monday afternoon (New York time) to discuss the ongoing crisis, amid continuing Israeli bombardment and reported ground incursions. We will have the live coverage of the meeting here as soon… Continue reading UPDATING LIVE: UN Security Council to meet again on Gaza crisis

30 October 2023Climate and Environment UN Secretary-General António Guterres on Monday called on the world to “stop the madness” of climate change as he visited the Everest region in Nepal where melting glaciers are putting entire communities at risk of extinction. Nepal has lost almost a third of its ice volume in 30 years, with… Continue reading ‘Stop the madness’ of climate change, UN chief declares

Scientists agree that climate change is real and is caused by unsustainable human activity such as the burning of fossil fuels, yet certain actors continue to spread mis- and disinformation, creating harmful misperceptions that can stifle effective climate action. Climate action is one of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals. In a discussion Tackling mis/dis-information: An urgent… Continue reading Tackling climate mis/disinformation: ‘An urgent frontier for action’

The vicinities of Shifa and Al Quds hospitals in Gaza city and of the Indonesian hospital in northern Gaza, have been bombarded over the weekend, UN humanitarian affairs coordination office OCHA said. “This followed renewed calls by the Israeli military to evacuate these facilities immediately,” OCHA added. Evacuation remains ‘impossible’ According to OCHA, some 117,000… Continue reading Gaza hospitals hanging on by a thread: UN humanitarians

29 October 2023Peace and Security The United Nations has welcomed the resumption of talks in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, to end the months-long conflict between the Sudanese army and its rival paramilitary force which lefts scores dead and sent the northeast African country spiraling into humanitarian crisis. “The Jeddah talks cannot have started soon enough. More… Continue reading UN seeks end to ‘colossal’ humanitarian tragedy as Sudan’s military factions resume Saudi-hosted talks

The United Nations agency dealing with Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, and the UN World Foord Programme (WFP) were among the humanitarian organizations reporting the incidents, which follow a harrowing 24-hour communication blackout and persistent access challenges. One of the warehouses that was stormed, in Deir al-Balah, is where UNRWA stores supplies from the humanitarian convoys coming… Continue reading Thousands in Gaza storm UN warehouses; a sign of desperation after weeks-long ‘siege’

In an interview with UN News, UN Human Rights Council-appointed expert Francesca Albanese, said it was “impossible to describe the pain and suffering that Israelis are going through because of what happened to them because there are not only those who were killed, those who were taken hostage, but there is an entire population that… Continue reading Israel-Palestine crisis has ‘reached an unprecedented level of dehumanisation’: Independent rights expert

28 October 2023Humanitarian Aid United Nations agencies and officials on Saturday reiterated calls for a humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza after another night of heavy bombing left hospitals and healthcare facilities without electricity and civilians across the enclave virtually “cut off from the outside world”.  Secretary-General António Guterres said on X, formerly Twitter: “I reiterate my… Continue reading Gaza Crisis: UN ramps up calls for humanitarian truce as Israeli bombardments cut communications, cripple healthcare

A UN inter-agency convoy reached the front-line community of Huliaipole, located in the Zaporizhzhia region, bringing medicine, shelter kits, hygiene items and other assistance to support some 2,000 people. The town has suffered large-scale destruction and remains without power, water and gas, said UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric, speaking from New York. “Today’s humanitarian convoy was… Continue reading World News in Brief: Ukraine aid convoy, attacks in South Sudan, radioactive discharge update

27 October 2023Peace and Security The United Nations General Assembly on Friday adopted a major resolution on the Gaza crisis, calling for an “immediate, durable and sustained humanitarian truce leading to a cessation of hostilities.” The resolution breaks the deadlock at the UN over a response to the Israel-Palestine crisis which erupted on 7 October,… Continue reading Gaza crisis: General Assembly adopts resolution calling for ‘humanitarian truce’, civilian protection

Harmful disinformation about the ongoing conflict in the wake of the 7 October attacks by Hamas against Israel continues to circulate online, with potentially dangerous consequences on the ground. While misinformation refers to the accidental spread of falsehoods, disinformation can be circulated intentionally by State or non-State actors, including during an armed conflict, to influence… Continue reading Explainer: Fighting for facts amid crisis in Israel and Gaza

What’s an emergency special session? When the UN Security Council is unable to shoulder its primary responsibility to maintain international peace and security, as has thus far been the case following the 7 October outbreak of the latest Israel-Palestine crisis, the General Assembly can consider the matter immediately in an emergency special session. UN Member… Continue reading Explainer: What is a UN General Assembly emergency special session and why it matters

27 October 2023Human Rights The world cannot forget about Syria, the Head of the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the country has said, while also highlighting how the war there is connected to the conflict raging in the Middle East.  Paulo Pinheiro spoke to UN News this week after presenting his latest report to… Continue reading Syrian war at ‘worst point’ in four years, says Commission of Inquiry head

27 October 2023Humanitarian Aid With the humanitarian system in Gaza on the verge of “total collapse”, UN Secretary-General António Guterres on Friday again appealed for greater aid access to the besieged enclave, where “misery is growing by the minute.”  “Life-saving humanitarian aid – food, water, medicine, fuel – must be allowed to reach all civilians… Continue reading ‘History is judging us all,’ Guterres says in fresh appeal for Gaza aid access

Volker Türk’s appeal came as UN humanitarians continued to issue dire warnings about the full scale of the humanitarian crisis in the enclave. ‘Crumbs’ of aid The head of the UN agency for Palestine refugees (UNRWA), said that the “few (aid) trucks” which have come in from Egypt since 21 October are “nothing more than… Continue reading Gaza: Testimonies highlight grim plight of civilians expecting to die

These are the grim findings of an assessment published by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) on Thursday, which calls for both immediate and long-term remediation measures. Hundreds of square kilometres were flooded in the disaster, and thousands of square kilometres of reservoir and wetlands were desiccated. UNEP’s preliminary assessment carried out at the request of… Continue reading World News in Brief: Ukraine dam disaster update, childcare investment, healthcare under fire in Sudan

Ms. Rugwabiza, who also heads the UN Mission in the country, MINUSCA, presented its latest report covering developments in the wake of the 31 July constitutional referendum. She said MINUSCA continues to support Government efforts to “decentralize” the peace process with armed groups, including recent initiatives to extend state presence in areas that have been… Continue reading International support critical to forge lasting peace in Central African Republic

26 October 2023Peace and Security The United Nations General Assembly on Thursday morning, in New York, is convening an emergency special session on the Israel-Gaza conflict, amid a continuing deadlock at the Security Council, and the situation in the enclave getting more dire by the hour. 09:00 (New York) The tenth Emergency Special Session of… Continue reading UPDATING LIVE: UN General Assembly convenes emergency meeting on Gaza

Reports of an overnight Israeli military incursion using tanks in northern Gaza followed another series of calls by the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) for civilians in Gaza City to evacuate – warnings which “make no difference” because “people have nowhere to go or are unable to move”, according to the UN’s top humanitarian official in… Continue reading Israel-Palestine: Gazans ‘left with nothing but impossible choices’

Addressing the Council’s annual debate on resolution 1325, he appealed for countries to “urgently bridge the gap between rhetoric and reality” through concrete action in the areas of participation, financing and leadership. “Of 18 peace agreements reached last year, only one was signed or witnessed by a representative of a women’s group or organization,” he… Continue reading More action needed to advance women’s role in global peace and security

Dr. Thieren spent almost two weeks travelling across the country to meet with survivors, authorities and families of more than 200 hostages held captive in Gaza. WHO offered humanitarian support to Israel’s health response immediately after the attacks. At the time, Israel’s Health Ministry replied that the system was coping, but that it would not… Continue reading First Person: Israel’s health system responds to October attacks

25 October 2023Peace and Security With the failure of two resolutions calling for a humanitarian pause in Gaza, the Security Council is expected to take up two new proposals, led by Russia and United States, aimed at bringing relief to civilians in the besieged enclave. Last Monday, a previous Russian-led draft resolution calling for an… Continue reading Israel-Palestine: Security Council to vote on new resolutions over Gaza crisis

25 October 2023Climate and Environment No ground water available? No access to satellite data because of where you live or home insurance due to recent natural disasters? A new UN report launched on Wednesday has some useful insights on the “risk tipping points” which are becoming an increasing challenge worldwide.  Tipping points are reached when… Continue reading ‘Tipping points’ of risk pose new threats, UN report warns

25 October 2023Peace and Security The UN Secretary-General on Wednesday firmly rebuked what he described as the “false” claim by top Israeli diplomats that he had sought to justify the terror attacks of 7 October by Hamas in a speech he delivered to the Security Council.  Addressing Tuesday’s debate in the Council on the worsening… Continue reading UN chief hits back at ‘false’ claim he justified Hamas terror attacks

An alert from Gaza’s main hospital in the south of the enclave that lifesaving operations would stop on Wednesday evening because of fuel shortages followed an appeal from UN chief António Guterres for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire. A truce was needed, he told the Security Council on Tuesday, “to ease epic suffering, make the delivery… Continue reading Israel-Palestine: Blockade puts Gaza aid on the line, WHO spotlights soaring mental health needs in Israel

Members of the UN Security Council vote on a draft resolution draft resolution on the situation in the Middle East (file photo).. 24 October 2023Peace and Security 0945: The UN Security Council meets again within the next few minutes at UN Headquarters in New York for what was a scheduled quarterly meeting on the ongoing… Continue reading UPDATING LIVE: Security Council meets on Israel-Palestine as Gaza crisis deepens

Doctors have been performing surgeries without anaesthesia or other basic surgical supplies, the UN World Health Organization (WHO) said in an update, noting that fuel has become the “most vital commodity” in Gaza. Without it, “trucks can’t move and generators can’t produce electricity for hospitals, bakeries and water desalination plants,” said Tamara Alrifai, spokesperson for… Continue reading Israel-Palestine: Gaza buckles under fuel shortage, healthcare in crisis

The UN Flag flies at the Organization’s Headquarters, in New York. 23 October 2023UN Affairs Tuesday’s annual observance marking the official creation of the United Nations was overshadowed by the rising toll of suffering and sacrifice in Gaza, where 35 staff members with Palestine refugee agency UNRWA have now lost their lives. UN Day on… Continue reading UN marks poignant birthday as staff deaths mount in Gaza

23 October 2023Peace and Security Recent developments in Kosovo highlight ongoing security challenges and political tensions in the region, highlighting the need for effective dialogue and cooperation, the UN envoy for the country said on Monday. Briefing ambassadors, Caroline Ziadeh, Special Representative of the Secretary-General cited a “serious” incident on 24 September, that saw five… Continue reading Kosovo: Dialogue and building trust, key to defusing tensions

23 October 2023Peace and Security The security situation continues to deteriorate in Haiti as gang violence grows, and elections are crucial for the sustainable rule of law, the UN Special Representative in the country, María Isabel Salvador, told the Security Council on Monday.  “Elections are the only path and the only imperative to restore democratic… Continue reading Haiti: UN envoy upholds critical role of elections amid rising gang violence

23 October 2023Humanitarian Aid The number of people killed in Gaza has reached 4,651 according to latest reports, amid intensifying Israeli airstrikes, while humanitarians repeated urgent calls for a ceasefire and more aid convoys. Echoing that message, UN health agency (WHO) chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus issued a new appeal on Monday for “sustained safe passage”… Continue reading Gaza death toll rises with no ceasefire in sight

22 October 2023Peace and Security Mali must ensure that the UN Mission in the country, MINUSMA, can safely complete its drawdown by the end of the year, amid insecurity in the north and other restrictions.  “The UN underscores the responsibility of the Malian Transitional Government for the safety and security of peacekeepers and calls on… Continue reading Government urged to support safe withdrawal of UN Mission from Mali

22 October 2023Humanitarian Aid More aid arrived in Gaza on Sunday aboard 14 trucks that passed through the Rafah crossing with Egypt, the UN Humanitarian Affairs Coordinator said in a post on social media. In a post on X, formerly Twitter, Martin Griffiths described the supplies provided by the Egyptian Red Cross and the UN… Continue reading Second aid convoy ‘another glimmer of hope’ for millions in Gaza: UN relief chief

22 October 2023Humanitarian Aid The UN agency that assists Palestine refugees, UNRWA, will run out of fuel in three days, putting humanitarian response in Gaza at risk, Director-General Philippe Lazzarini warned on Sunday. “Without fuel, there will be no water, no functioning hospitals and bakeries. Without fuel, aid will not reach those in desperate need.… Continue reading UNRWA fuel supply set to run out in three days

The 20 trucks carried food, water and medical supplies – items that are desperately needed, along with fuel – as stocks in Gaza dwindle, amid fears of increased deaths due to disease outbreaks and lack of healthcare.  While welcoming the development, agencies such as the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) have insisted that this cannot be… Continue reading INTERVIEW: UNICEF has ‘every hope’ for more Gaza convoys

The artwork – a ballerina balancing precariously on the rubble – solidified the town’s reputation as a beacon of resilience. Despite Borodianka’s sudden fame, the efforts of its local artists musicians and librarians to revive their beloved hometown remain largely unknown outside Ukraine. Now, cultural activities, one supported by the UN’s International Organization for Migration… Continue reading Banksy highlights cultural revival amid rubble strewn Kyiv suburb

“Gaza was a desperate humanitarian situation before the most recent hostilities. It is now catastrophic. The world must do more,” they said. The statement was issued by the UN Development Programme (UNDP), the UN Population Fund (UNFPA), the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the World Food Programme (WFP) and the World Health Organization (WHO).  ‘Far from… Continue reading ‘The world must do more’ for Gaza: UN agencies

21 October 2023Peace and Security The protection of civilians must be upheld at all times, the head of the UN agency that assists Palestine refugees, UNRWA, said on Saturday, appealing for an end to attacks on places such as schools, hospitals and the homes of his staff. “Let me be clear: protecting civilians in times… Continue reading Gaza: UNRWA chief underscores duty to protect civilians at all times

21 October 2023Peace and Security UN Secretary-General António Guterres reiterated his call for sustained humanitarian aid to be delivered to Gaza in remarks to the Cairo Summit for Peace on Saturday.  Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi convened leaders from the region and around the world in efforts to de-escalate hostilities following the Hamas incursion into… Continue reading At Cairo Peace Summit, Guterres stresses need for sustained humanitarian aid to Gaza

21 October 2023Humanitarian Aid UN Humanitarian Affairs Coordinator Martin Griffith welcomed the entry of an aid convoy into Gaza on Saturday, the first since the start of hostilities two weeks ago following deadly attacks by Hamas against Israel. The 20-truck convoy that passed through the Rafah border crossing with Egypt includes life-saving supplies provided by… Continue reading UN relief chief welcomes aid convoy’s entry into Gaza

20 October 2023Peace and Security As the possible transition to a new global order heightens security risks, more effective multilateral diplomacy is a vital tool to maintain peace, the Security Council heard on Friday.  “Today the stakes for preventive diplomacy and dialogue could not be higher,” said Khaled Khiari, Assistant Secretary-General for the Middle East,… Continue reading Diplomatic stakes ‘could not be higher’ warns senior UN official

After viewing some of the shipments himself in Egypt close to Gaza, pallets of medical supplies, food, and water among them, UN Secretary-General António Guterres told reporters that right now, the trucks urgently need to move to the other side of the border, as a matter of “life and death”. The ongoing siege imposed shortly… Continue reading Explainer: A look inside the Gaza crossing convoy

In remarks to reporters at the Egypt-Gaza border tweeted by the UN Country Team in Egypt, the Secretary-General said the large convoy loaded with food and medicine was “the difference between life and death for the people”. In a passionate speech standing on the Egyptian side of the wall, he pointed behind him and spoke… Continue reading Gaza: UN chief at Rafah crossing says aid convoy ‘the difference between life and death’

The latest upsurge in violence between Israel and Hamas which began on 7 October swiftly reached the radar of the UN Security Council, tasked by the UN Charter with maintaining international peace and security. But, to date, the 15-member organ has rejected similarly worded draft resolutions aimed at, among other things, establishing a ceasefire and… Continue reading Explainer: What now, as Security Council deadlocks on Gaza?

19 October 2023Peace and Security Insecurity persists in Somalia, with extremist group Al-Shabaab and fighting in the Laascaanood region taking a heavy toll on civilians, the UN envoy for the country told the Security Council on Thursday. Briefing Ambassadors in New York, UN Special Representative for Somalia Catriona Laing, described the country as being at… Continue reading Somalia: Insecurity worsens, civilians pay the price

19 October 2023Humanitarian Aid With essential supplies running out in Gaza, UN Secretary-General António Guterres on Wednesday appealed for humanitarian access to the besieged enclave.  “For nearly two weeks the people of Gaza have gone without any shipments of fuel, food, water, medicine, and other essentials. Disease is spreading. Supplies are dwindling. People are dying,”… Continue reading From Cairo, Guterres appeals for ‘sustained’ humanitarian access to Gaza

The UN World Meteorological Organization (WMO) said in a new report on Thursday that every year, around 2,000 million tonnes of dust enter the atmosphere, “darkening skies and harming air quality in regions that can be thousands of kilometres away”. WMO chief Petteri Taalas said this was partly due to poor water and land management.… Continue reading World News in Brief: Sandstorm alert, albinism and climate change, rights in Peru

Some 3,000 tonnes of supplies have been awaiting entry on the Egyptian side of the crossing since Saturday. On Wednesday, the UN Security Council failed to agree on a resolution that would have called for “humanitarian pauses” for aid delivery. UN chief expected in Cairo UN Secretary-General António Guterres was expected to arrive in Cairo… Continue reading Gaza aid ready to roll in once final deal reached

18 October 2023Peace and Security UN Middle East envoy Tor Wennesland on Wednesday called for an inquiry into the strike against a Gaza hospital that killed hundreds, including patients, staff and displaced people seeking shelter.  Mr. Wennesland told the Security Council that he “watched in horror and in real time” as reports of mass casualties… Continue reading UPDATING LIVE: Security Council meets over Israel-Gaza

18 October 2023Peace and Security The United States on Wednesday vetoed a UN Security Council resolution that would have called for “humanitarian pauses” to deliver lifesaving aid to millions in Gaza. The failure by the Council to make its first public intervention on the Israel-Gaza crisis followed the rejection of a Russian-backed draft on Monday… Continue reading UPDATING LIVE: Israel-Gaza crisis; US vetoes Security Council resolution

18 October 2023Peace and Security UN chief António Guterres called on Wednesday for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in the Middle East to ease the “epic human suffering” in the Israel-Gaza conflict. Speaking in Beijing, Mr. Guterres said that a ceasefire would “provide sufficient time and space” to realize two essential appeals which he made earlier… Continue reading Israel-Gaza: UN chief urges ceasefire, region ‘on the precipice’

17 October 2023Peace and Security The UN Special Envoy for Africa’s Great Lakes region, appealed to the international community on Tuesday for increased support in resolving the escalating hostilities in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and the mounting tension in the wider Great Lakes region.  Speaking before the Security Council, Huang Xia expressed deep concern… Continue reading Africa: Great Lakes envoy urges international support amid rising hostilities

17 October 2023Peace and Security The World Health Organization (WHO) has strongly condemned an apparent attack on a hospital in northern Gaza on Tuesday that has reportedly left many hundreds of people killed and injured.  An Israeli airstrike struck al-Ahli Arab hospital in Gaza City, international media reported, citing the Health Ministry in the Hamas-controlled… Continue reading UN agencies condemn deadly attack on Gaza hospital

17 October 2023Peace and Security The UN Security Council’s first intervention in the Gaza crisis – a Russian-led draft resolution calling for humanitarian ceasefire – was voted down on Monday. Despite this setback, diplomatic efforts are in full swing as ambassadors prepare to consider another text on the unprecedented crisis. The 15-member body that oversees… Continue reading Israel-Gaza crisis: Competing Security Council resolutions reveal diplomatic fault lines

The visit comes on the heels of multiple back-to-back night-time phone calls between the UN chief and key actors, a meeting in the pipeline with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and possible contact with the de facto authorities in Gaza. The Gaza Strip prior to the current escalation. Indeed, the UN stands in a unique… Continue reading Explainer: How the UN works behind the scenes during crises

17 October 2023Humanitarian Aid The UN human rights office (OHCHR) issued a fresh alert on Tuesday for civilians left in northern Gaza, amid ongoing military operations in the enclave ahead of an anticipated full-scale Israeli response to Hamas’s 7 October attack. The past 10 days of conflict has claimed the lives of 4,200 people, forced… Continue reading Gaza-Israel conflict: deepening concern for civilians amid ongoing strikes

16 October 2023Peace and Security The UN Security Council on Monday evening failed to adopt a resolution proposed by Russia that would have called for a humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza, which has been ravaged by almost 10 days of fighting between Israel and Hamas militants. The Russian-led draft resolution received five votes in favour (China,… Continue reading Security Council rejects Russian resolution on Gaza

As humanitarians continued to echo the UN Secretary-General’s urgent calls on Israel to open a safe aid delivery corridor, Gaza will soon run out of basic supplies, according to UN agencies on the ground, who raised alarms about a looming unprecedented humanitarian catastrophe. Shortly after the outbreak of violence on 7 October, Israel shut all borders with… Continue reading Explainer: What’s inside aid convoy at Gaza crossing

Abdoulaye Bathily (on screen), Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Libya and Head of the UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL), briefs the Council meeting on the situation in the country. 16 October 2023Peace and Security Humanitarians delivering aid in the wake of Libya’s “unprecedented” flood disaster centred on the coastal city of Derna, have… Continue reading Libya: Mission chief updates Security Council on flood disaster ‘beyond imagination’

16 October 2023Humanitarian Aid Every effort continues to be made by the United Nations and partners to get aid supplies into Gaza following the Israeli order to evacuate the north of the enclave, the UN’s emergency relief chief said on Monday. “History is watching,” Emergency Relief Coordinator Martin Griffiths told UN News in Geneva, highlighting… Continue reading Gaza: ‘History is watching’ warns UN relief chief, saying aid access is key priority

The UN chief’s appeal comes as clean water and other vital supplies are dwindling inside Gaza in the wake of Israel’s blockade.  UN and other humanitarian agencies have worked round the clock to preposition aid since the latest conflict between Israel and Hamas broke out following the militant group’s 7 October attack on several locations… Continue reading Middle East on ‘verge of the abyss’, UN warns as Israel-Hamas conflict deepens Gaza crisis

Health conditions in Sudan are deteriorating as a result of the conflict in the country. 15 October 2023Humanitarian Aid Six months of war have plunged Sudan into one of the worst humanitarian nightmares in recent history, the UN Emergency Relief Coordinator said on Sunday, calling on the parties to the conflict to uphold their obligations under international… Continue reading UN relief chiefs urges end to ‘humanitarian nightmare’ in Sudan

The peacekeeping mission which for many years has been the deadliest place to serve as a UN ‘blue helmet’, is due to draw down fully by 31 December, in accordance with its Security Council mandate. At that point, MINUSMA’s 12 camps and one temporary operating base will be closed and handed over the transitional authorities… Continue reading UN voices concern over obstacles to Mali mission’s orderly withdrawal

The statement came as the Israeli-imposed deadline for some 1.1 million civilians to leave the northern part of the enclave, ahead of what is expected to be a major advance into Gaza by Israeli ground forces, expired. “UNRWA shelters in Gaza and northern Gaza are no longer safe. This is unprecedented,” said the statement.  The… Continue reading Gaza: UNRWA issues urgent call for civilians to be protected

Some 22 countries and one non-governmental organization (NGO) took the floor, turning the meeting into a mini urgent debate on the crisis sparked by Hamas attacks against Israel and the capture of more than 100 Israelis who are being held hostage by militants inside the Gaza Strip. The surprise incursion prompted intense aerial bombardment by… Continue reading Israel-Gaza crisis dominates close of Human Rights Council session

13 October 2023Climate and Environment Marking the International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction on Friday, UN chief António Guterres called on countries everywhere to boost resilience and adaptation, to build a safer and more just future for all. According to various estimates, up to 75 per cent of extreme weather events are currently connected to… Continue reading Cutting disaster risk will boost equality, improve resilience

Earthquakes, hurricanes, volcanic activity and other natural disasters regularly cause destruction and the loss of life in parts of the Caribbean. On the International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction marked annually on 13 October, UN Resident Coordinator for Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean, Didier Trebucq and Nahuel Arenas, regional chief of the UN Office for… Continue reading Tackling disasters means safer and fairer future for Caribbean: A UN Resident Coordinator blog

The independent rights investigators’ final report comes as their mandate ended on Friday, coinciding with the end of the UN Human Rights Council’s 54th session, leaving victims in limbo. Established by the Council in December 2021, their brief from the Council was to conduct through and impartial investigations into alleged human rights violations in Ethiopia,… Continue reading Ethiopia: Victims ‘left in limbo’ as rights probe mandate ends

The development follows an announcement by UN Spokesperson, Stéphane Dujarric, just before midnight Eastern Standard Time on Thursday, that UN representatives in Gaza had been “informed by their liaison officers in the Israeli military” that everyone living north of Wadi Gaza should relocate to southern Gaza within 24 hours. ‘Death sentence’ for many Some 1.1… Continue reading Gaza: Nowhere to go, as humanitarian situation reaches ‘lethal low’

Persons with disabilities face a “shocking lack of support” with no progress in the last decade, despite a huge increase in climate disasters worldwide, the new UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) report states, and that lack of progress could be a violation of international law. Persons with disabilities make up 16 per cent… Continue reading World News in Brief: Reducing disaster risk for persons with disabilities, Afghan quake latest, global aid funding off track

12 October 2023Humanitarian Aid Gaza is on the brink of running out of food, water, electricity and critical supplies, UN humanitarians warned on Thursday.    No aid can come in from the outside for the 2.3 million residents of the sealed-off enclave, and some 220,000 displaced people are sheltering in schools run by the UN agency… Continue reading Humanitarians call for urgent aid access to Gaza   

Destructive droughts and heavy rains are causing harm, while melting snow and glaciers heighten flood risks and endanger long-term water security.  The UN weather agency’s State of Global Water Resources 2022 report emphasizes the need to better understand freshwater resources and urges a fundamental policy shift. It calls for enhanced monitoring, data sharing, cross-border cooperation,… Continue reading WMO: Stocktake of water resources needed as global hydrological cycle is in distress

Carlos Ruiz Massieu, Special Representative of the Secretary-General, told ambassadors at the Security Council, that this weekend, in southern Colombia, land purchased by the Government was handed over to some 500 beneficiaries, among them former FARC-EP combatants, peasants and members of the indigenous communities. “Hopeful moments such as these are an increasingly common occurrence today,… Continue reading Colombia stepping up efforts achieve historic peace goals, UN envoy says

11 October 2023Climate and Environment Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed has wrapped up a three-day visit to Iceland, where she stressed the UN’s dual objective for peace – for the world and with nature – and noted the country’s role enhancing global cooperation on peace as well as climate action. During her visit, which concluded on… Continue reading In Iceland, UN deputy chief says all conflict – across regions and with nature – must end

11 October 2023Peace and Security The death toll in Israel from attacks by Palestinian armed groups, and in Gaza due to Israeli bombardments, has continued to rise, with mass displacement soaring across the enclave, the UN humanitarian affairs coordination office, OCHA, said on Wednesday.  Over a tenth of the population in Gaza, more than 260,000 people,… Continue reading Israel-Palestine: Rising death and displacement, including among UN staff

Presenting the Mission’s latest report, UN Special Representative Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert updated ambassadors on key developments since her last briefing in May. She highlighted initiatives carried out under the leadership of Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, including the recently adopted federal budget, the launch of long-awaited reforms in the banking and finance sectors, and a new… Continue reading UN envoy highlights promising initiatives in Iraq

“The incident reports that we see coming out of Ethiopia are deeply disturbing and constitute a call for action,” said Alice Wairimu Nderitu. “I want to particularly draw the attention of the global community to the continued presence of risk factors for genocide and related atrocity crimes in the country,” she warned on Tuesday. There… Continue reading UN warns of heightened risk of genocide and atrocity crimes in Ethiopia

To help understand why this international treaty is important, here at UN News we’ve put together a quick guide on global efforts to eradicate exposure to quicksilver, as mercury is also known. Making waves The landmark Convention is named after the Japanese coastal city where residents suffered decades of mercury poisoning from industrial wastewater released… Continue reading Convention’s 10-year birthday marks commitment to prevent new mercury scare

Martin Griffiths, UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator (file). 10 October 2023Humanitarian Aid The top UN humanitarian official on Tuesday called for an end to the escalating violence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory and Israel, warning that “the whole region is at a tipping point.”  In a statement, UN Emergency Relief Coordinator… Continue reading Israel-Palestine crisis has region ‘at a tipping point’: UN relief chief

As the conflict intensified amid escalating violence, a complete blockade of food, water, and vital services was put in place by Israel as reports emerged of Israeli ground operations in Gaza, which is home to more than two million people. While UN offices in Gaza sustained “significant damage” from nearby airstrikes on Monday night, agencies… Continue reading Israel-Palestine: UN on the ground

9 October 2023Peace and Security The UN Secretary-General on Monday said that he recognized the legitimate grievances of the Palestinian people and the legitimate security concerns of Israel, but underlined his rejection of terrorist acts and upheld the need to protect civilians. António Guterres was speaking to journalists at UN Headquarters in New York following… Continue reading Middle East crisis: Guterres appeals for end to ‘vicious cycle of bloodshed, hatred and polarization’

Over 120,000 people have been internally displaced in Gaza due to concerns over their protection and the destruction of homes, said UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric, speaking in New York. The UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees, UNRWA, is sheltering roughly 137,000 people in 83 of its schools across the Gaza Strip. Six health… Continue reading World News in Brief: Displacement in Gaza and Israel, Afghan earthquake response

Senior UN officials on Monday strongly condemned recent Russian attacks on Ukrainian towns and civilian infrastructure, emphasizing the need for accountability for those harming civilians during hostilities.

As the 15-member Council prepared to meet at 3 pm in New York, UN agencies were reporting that hundreds of people have been killed and thousands injured following the early Saturday morning rocket fire into Israel by Palestinian militants. The ensuing Israeli response to the Hamas attacks included airstrikes in Gaza, where the UN agency… Continue reading Middle East crisis: UN engages parties ahead of Security Council meeting

It’s estimated that 4.5 million more workers may be needed over the next decade in the labour force. UN News asked Michael Newson, Senior Programme Coordinator for Migration and Sustainable Development at the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in Kyiv, Ukraine, about how people could be encouraged back home. Michael Newson: IOM has already observed an… Continue reading INTERVIEW: Planning the post-invasion return of citizens to Ukraine

7 October 2023Peace and Security UN officials are “in close contact with all concerned to urge maximum restraint” following “horrific scenes of violence” that have left dozens dead and hundreds wounded in Israeli cities near the Gaza Strip amid rocket attacks by armed Palestinian militants early Saturday morning. “I vehemently condemn this morning’s multi-front assault… Continue reading UN officials strongly condemn deadly attacks in Israel

That figure translates to an alarming average of 20,000 children uprooted every day. The findings are contained in UNICEF’s latest report, Children Displaced in a Changing Climate, the first ever global analysis of child displacements caused by floods, storms, droughts and wildfires. It also projects future trends for the next three decades. Catherine Russell, UNICEF… Continue reading Weather-related disasters displace 43.1 million children in six years, UNICEF reports

Geir O. Pedersen, Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for Syria (file) 5 October 2023Peace and Security UN Special Envoy for Syria Geir Pedersen on Thursday appealed for restraint following a deadly drone attack on a military graduation ceremony in Homs, and amid rising violence in the war-ravaged country. More than 80 people were killed, according… Continue reading Syria: Deadly military academy attack ‘horrific reminder’ of need to de-escalate

5 October 2023Climate and Environment This September was the hottest one ever and 2023 is firmly set to be the warmest year on record, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) said on Thursday, citing data from the European Union’s Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S).  Average surface temperature reached 16.38°C, or 0.5°C above the previous record in… Continue reading Hottest September on record puts 2023 on track to be warmest year ever

“The images arriving from the locality, home to just above 300 people, are absolutely horrifying,” UN Humanitarian Coordinator Denise Brown said in a statement issued shortly after the attack. Speaking on behalf of the UN and the humanitarian community, she expressed condolences to the bereaved families. “Our thoughts are also with the people of Ukraine,… Continue reading World News in Brief: ‘Horrifying’ attack on Ukrainian village, autonomous weapons ban, Sudan crisis

“The past six months have caused untold suffering in Sudan” and forced more than 5.4 million people from their homes, said Clementine Nkweta-Salami, Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Sudan. Speaking to journalists in Geneva, the UN official noted that approximately 30,000 a day have fled fighting, “some fleeing… Continue reading Sudan conflict creates world’s fastest-growing displacement crisis: UN aid official

It reveals the deadly toll of Russia’s full-scale invasion on Ukrainian civilians, with almost six people killed and 20 wounded on average every single day between February and July of this year. “In just six months covered by this report more than one thousand civilians died and nearly four thousand were injured,” said Danielle Bell,… Continue reading Ukraine: Report documents mounting deaths, rights violations

4 October 2023UN Affairs A senior UN human rights official on Wednesday called on authorities in Liberia to take all necessary measures to ensure that the upcoming elections can take place in a fully inclusive manner. “We are concerned by reported instances of election-related violence, use of language that could amount to hate speech, and… Continue reading UN rights office concerned over pre-election violence in Liberia

“We must stop taking water for granted,” FAO Director-General Qu Dongyu said at the opening of the Rome Water Dialogue, focused on its critical role relating to soils, land, climate change, biodiversity and agriculture. With agriculture accounting for more than 70 per cent of the planet’s freshwater withdrawals, “by increasing efficiency, reducing negative impacts and… Continue reading World News in Brief: Water ‘being taken for granted’, global teacher crisis, Nipah in India update

3 October 2023Peace and Security UN engagement with Haiti will continue ahead of the deployment of an international support mission backing beleaguered police who are fighting rampant gang violence, the UN chief’s Spokesperson told journalists on Tuesday.  Stéphane Dujarric was speaking a day after the Security Council voted to send the non-UN mission to the… Continue reading Haiti: Guterres welcomes decision to deploy multinational mission

3 October 2023Humanitarian Aid A hunger emergency is looming for scores of South Sudanese families fleeing the war in Sudan, the World Food Programme (WFP) warned on Tuesday.  Nearly 300,000 people have arrived in South Sudan since the conflict began across the border in mid-April, most of whom are returnees.  Among them, one in five children… Continue reading Looming hunger emergency for South Sudanese families fleeing war

The humanitarian response to the Karabakh crisis continued apace on Tuesday as UN agencies and partners warned of urgent health needs among the more than 100,000 refugees who have entered Armenia.

2 October 2023Peace and Security In what is being hailed as an historic first, the UN Security Council on Monday authorized the deployment of an international security force to help Haiti’s national police quell surging gang violence and restore security across the strife-torn Caribbean nation. The mission was requested by the Haitian Government and civil… Continue reading Security Council authorizes ‘historic’ support mission in Haiti

This week, the Security Council will consider a draft resolution on a new non-UN multinational mission under the UN Charter’s Chapter VII provision allowing the use of force. “This is not a typical or old kind of peacekeeping mission,” Ambassador Robert Rae of Canada, Chair of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) Ad Hoc Advisory Group… Continue reading INTERVIEW: How new mission could support gang-ravaged Haiti

Stephen Jackson, the UN Resident Coordinator in Kenya, reflects on the 2022 elections, which saw an effective partnership with the Government and private-sector rise to the occasion to take down fake news. “No one is born with hate. Hate is taught, and then hate spreads. Over recent years, social media and other digital platforms, amplified… Continue reading Tackling fake news in Kenya: A UN Resident Coordinator blog

1 October 2023Peace and Security Commemorating Monday’s International Day of Non-Violence, Secretary-General António Guterres urged all nations to “unite around our common humanity” to achieve a more peaceful future. The International Day is observed annually on 2 October, the birthday of Mahatma Gandhi, the leader of the Indian freedom movement and pioneer of the philosophy… Continue reading ‘Magnificent diversity’ of humanity is a treasure, not a threat, Guterres says

30 September 2023Climate and Environment A new global framework to reduce environmental risks from chemicals and waste was adopted at a UN conference on Saturday, with countries committing to phase out the most harmful ones. Agreed at the fifth International Conference on Chemicals Management (ICCM5), in Bonn, Germany, the Global Framework on Chemicals sets concrete… Continue reading New UN framework to protect environment from harmful chemicals

30 September 2023Peace and Security At least 57 people were killed, including children in suicide bombings that targeted two religious ceremonies in Pakistan, as people gathered to celebrate Prophet Muhammad’s birthday. Secretary-General António Guterres described the attacks as “particularly abhorrent” and called for the perpetrators to be held accountable. A further 70 people were injured… Continue reading UN condemns ‘abhorrent’ terrorist attacks in Pakistan

OCHA spokesperson Jens Laerke told reporters in Geneva that out of 71 aid worker deaths recorded so far this year, 22 had been working in South Sudan and 19 in Sudan. The victims are overwhelmingly local humanitarians working on the front lines of the response, Mr. Laerke said. He stressed that attacks on aid workers… Continue reading World News in Brief: Aid workers under threat, DR Congo food crisis, Niger floods

The conflict in Sudan has displaced thousands of children and their families (file). 29 September 2023Health The World Health Organization (WHO) is scaling up support in Sudan, where authorities have declared a cholera outbreak in Gedaref state amid the ongoing brutal conflict between opposing militaries.  The UN agency said on Friday that 264 suspected cholera cases, four… Continue reading Sudan: WHO supports battle against cholera in the east

29 September 2023Humanitarian Aid Over 88,000 refugees from the Karabakh region have fled to Armenia in less than a week and humanitarian needs are surging, the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) said on Friday. Some 65,000 have already been registered at Government-run centres where long lines have formed. Anxiety and fear UNHCR is supporting the refugees… Continue reading Karabakh emergency escalates, thousands still pouring into Armenia: UN agencies

Attacks on local populations, roadblocks and denial of humanitarian access, continue to fuel suffering in Ituri, North Kivu and South Kivu provinces, Special Representative Bintou Keita told the Security Council in New York. “As I speak today, over six million people remain displaced in [these places],” she stated, urging continued support for underfunded relief operations.… Continue reading DR Congo: UN mission still disinformation target, as withdrawal speculation grows

“Every day the lives of Haitian people become even harder, but it is vital that we do not give up. Their situation is not hopeless. With international support and resolve, the Haitian people can tackle this grave insecurity, and find a way out of this chaos,” Mr. Türk said. The High Commissioner’s latest report on the… Continue reading Rights chief calls for international help to provide ‘way out of chaos’ in Haiti

Briefing the UN Security Council in New York, Geir Pedersen urged political leaders and the international community to act now to “arrest the downward slide in Syria” as suffering and the sense of hopelessness among the population deepens. Deliver hope “We cannot simply accept the status quo, because it will get worse and worse, it… Continue reading Confidence building critical to break Syria political deadlock

They also underscored the need to slash carbon emissions and bolster early warning systems to safeguard nations across the world which are becoming increasingly vulnerable to extreme weather. Speaking at the UN Headquarters, in New York, Secretary-General António Guterres said how the world responds now to Pakistan’s struggles is a “litmus test” for climate justice.… Continue reading Pakistan floods a ‘litmus test’ for climate justice says Guterres

27 September 2023Peace and Security The UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process on Wednesday expressed deep concern over the relentless expansion of Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem. During the last three months, more than 10,000 housing units were advanced, Tor Wennesland told ambassadors at the UN Security… Continue reading Israeli settlements ‘systematically erode’ viability of Palestinian State

That’s the message from UN chief António Guterres on World Tourism Day observed on Wednesday. According to the UN World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), tourism employs one in every 10 people on Earth.  To protect tourism jobs, Mr. Guterres said that governments and businesses must invest in sustainable and resilient practices, embrace renewable energy, and better… Continue reading World News in Brief: Sustainable tourism boost, record Antarctic sea ice melt

27 September 2023Human Rights Anxiety, emotional distress and even child suicide are among the damaging consequences of cyberbullying, and better prevention strategies involving big tech must be developed, the UN Human Rights Council heard on Wednesday. According to findings from the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF), 130 million students worldwide experience bullying, which has been exacerbated… Continue reading ‘You can’t even face your own parents’, cyberbullying victim tells Human Rights council

Malaysia is turning towards sustainable ‘green’ tourism. 26 September 2023Climate and Environment When done well, tourism can serve as a sustainable cornerstone of a country’s economy, simultaneously supporting ecosystems and livelihoods, according to the UN Development Programme (UNDP). In Malaysia, tourism is a major economic sector and generated over $18 billion in revenue in 2019.… Continue reading From the Field: Greening tourism in Malaysia

Roza Otunbayeva, who also heads the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), called for a “reframed engagement strategy”, expressing concern over the “lack of positive direction” in current efforts. “The lack of trust on all sides is a serious impediment to building confidence but the doors to dialogue are still open,” she said. “This moment,… Continue reading Engagement key to reform of Taliban policies restricting women’s rights

“The Government must loosen tight restrictions on assemblies and associations to bring laws and practice into conformity with the national Constitution and international human rights law”, said Clément Voule, Special Rapporteur on the right to assembly, in a statement at the end of a 10-day official visit to Algeria. He was there as the country… Continue reading UN rights expert calls on Algeria to pardon convicted protesters

Secretary-General António Guterres issued his call in a statement marking the International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons on Tuesday. He warned that hard-won progress over many decades to prevent the use, spread and testing of nuclear weapons is being undone, and called for nuclear disarmament and a strengthened regime of non-proliferation. Resurgent threat… Continue reading Only way to end nuclear risk ‘is to eliminate nuclear weapons’: Guterres

Addressing the opening of the IAEA’s General Conference in Vienna on Monday, Mr. Grossi said that 53 missions mobilizing more than 100 agency staff have been deployed as part of a continued presence inside Ukraine’s five nuclear power plants. These include the Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant, or ZNPP, on the Dnipro River in southern Ukraine,… Continue reading World News in Brief: Ukraine nuclear plant update, Sudan health crisis, reproductive rights

24 September 2023Climate and Environment Despite pouring rain, around 60,000 advocates, artists, influencers and concerned citizens were in New York’s iconic Central Park on Saturday night, where they heard the deputy UN chief issue a clarion call to mobilize for change. “Come rain or shine, we’re here because we are committed to our planet”, said… Continue reading ‘It’s crunch time’ to reach the SDGs, Mohammed tells Global Citizen Festival

The Secretary-General’s New Agenda for Peace aims to address these complex challenges through multilateralism, rooted in the UN Charter and international law, centred on trust, solidarity, and universality. It comes amid criticism from some Member States that the UN is no longer playing an effective role in peacebuilding and peacekeeping, as calls for overall reform… Continue reading UN calls for ‘clear-eyed’ vision for peace and security, as peacebuilders meet in New York

The gathering of defence ministers and others committed to peacekeeping efforts will focus on civilian protection, addressing misinformation and disinformation, promoting safety and security, protecting mental health, and boosting the pivotal role of women in UN missions. Ghana’s Foreign Minister Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, Ghana’s Minister for Foreign Affairs together with senior United Nations officials, said… Continue reading At critical moment for peacekeeping in Africa, Ghana steps up to host key summit

Children play in an area outside their home that has been turned into a large dumpsite of waste from leather industries in Dhaka, Bangladesh. 22 September 2023Climate and Environment The consequences of poor chemicals and waste management worldwide are fuelling an “unprecedented global toxic emergency”, independent UN human rights experts have warned, ahead of a… Continue reading Human rights experts: Humanity facing ‘unprecedented global toxic emergency’

The World Health Organization’s representative to the DRC, Dr Boureima Hama Sambo, warned that in six eastern provinces, health facilities have been set alight, health workers killed and others face constant physical and psychological threats, while supplies have been looted. Heavy rain, flooding and landslides have also compromised aid access. Dr Sambo said that the… Continue reading World News in Brief: Healthcare crisis in DRC, Türk slams Iran hijab law, welcomes new India bill boosting women

21 September 2023Humanitarian Aid The head of the UN agency that assists Palestine refugees across the Middle East, UNRWA, on Thursday appealed for consistent and sustainable financing to keep its operations running and avert chronic shortfalls.  UNRWA Commissioner General Philippe Lazzarini was speaking at UN Headquarters alongside the Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of… Continue reading Funding woes continue to plague UN Palestine refugee agency

21 September 2023Climate and Environment Although small island States are the most vulnerable to rising sea levels, the scope of those impacted is much wider, the President of the UN General Assembly warned on Thursday. Addressing a special summit meeting, Dennis Francis – a veteran diplomat from Trinidad and Tobago – said he was determined… Continue reading ‘World’s breadbaskets’ are sinking, General Assembly chief warns

21 September 2023Peace and Security A senior UN official told the Security Council on Thursday that the wellbeing of civilians caught up in the long-running conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan should be the “overriding priority” following renewed fighting. Miroslav Jenča told ambassadors that Azerbaijan had announced, in their words, “local counter-terrorism activities in the Karabakh… Continue reading Armenia-Azerbaijan: UN calls for ‘credible and durable’ end to fighting in flashpoint region

“People and our planet are in crisis”, the UN chief said, highlighting how conflicts continue to drive the vulnerable from their homes, while heatwaves and floods claim lives and division prevails. ‘Leave no one behind’ This year’s Peace Day coincides with the halfway point on the road to the Sustainable Development Goals, and the UN’s… Continue reading World News in Brief: Peace day, high seas treaty, Palestinian displacement rises, polio in Ukraine

20 September 2023Law and Crime Prevention At the heart of global diplomacy within the iconic UN Headquarters in New York, another significant yet often less featured deliberation is unfolding this week: the Treaty Event. Heads of State, Foreign Ministers, and other top representatives are converging to endorse multilateral treaties which form the bedrock of international… Continue reading On UNGA margins, world leaders bolster bedrock of international law

20 September 2023Peace and Security Civilians continuing paying a heavy price as the “senseless violence” between rival militaries continues in Sudan, the UN’s political affairs chief said on Wednesday. Rosemary DiCarlo called on the national army and so-called Rapid Support Forces to lay down their arms, more than five months after they began facing off… Continue reading War in Sudan: ‘Brutal fight’ must end as civilian suffering intensifies

20 September 2023UN Affairs Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Wednesday called for expanding the UN Security Council and reforming the right of veto granted to its permanent members, in his first in-person address around the iconic horseshoe table.  “Regardless of who you are, the current UN system still makes you less influential than the veto… Continue reading ‘Humankind no longer pins its hopes on the UN,’ Zelenskyy tells Security Council

Front and centre was an urgent call to action, to prevent cascading climate disasters through a just and equitable energy transition – before it’s too late. In his impassioned address on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly to politicians, business, activists and civil society leaders, Secretary-General António Guterres issued a stark warning about the… Continue reading ‘Humanity has opened the gates to hell’ warns Guterres as climate coalition demands action

A new report by UNAMA’s Human Rights Service has documented over 1,600 cases of human rights violations including torture, committed by the de facto authorities across the country during the arrest and detention of individuals from 1 January 2022 to 31 July this year. Commenting on the findings, UN rights chief Volker Türk described as… Continue reading World News in Brief: Afghan rights, Armenia-Azerbaijan ceasefire, road safety campaign

Recep Tayyip Erdoğan began his passionate and wide-ranging speech by highlighting the humanitarian crises, political conflicts, and social tensions plaguing various regions worldwide, emphasizing the difficulty in addressing these issues amid global economic problems. He expressed grave concern about the use of terrorism as an instrument in proxy wars in regions like Syria, North Africa, and… Continue reading ‘Peace has no losers’, Erdogan says, vowing to step up efforts to end war in Ukraine

Almost all indicators are off-track or heading in the wrong direction. Extreme weather events are displacing millions of people, the world is heating up, and out-of-control wildfires continue to cause death and destruction, from Canada to the Greek islands. Coal, oil, and gas still account for 75 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions, which… Continue reading ‘No nonsense’ Climate Ambition Summit: What you need to know

Protests erupted throughout the country on Saturday marking the one-year anniversary of the 22-year-old Iranian woman’s death after she was detained by Iran’s morality police for allegedly not wearing her headscarf properly. Crackdown on protesters Iranian authorities briefly detained Ms. Amini’s father on Saturday and beefed-up security nationwide to deter protesters from taking to the… Continue reading UN rights experts condemn Iran’s protest crackdown

19 September 2023Humanitarian Aid In war-torn Sudan, more than 1,200 children under five have died in camps in the space of four months from a combination of measles and malnutrition, UN humanitarians said on Tuesday. According to the UN refugee agency (UNCHR) and the World Health Organization (WHO), the children were refugees living in nine… Continue reading Sudan: Children dying amid healthcare system collapse

That’s the message from UN human rights chief Volker Türk, who called for strong leadership and political will from States to heed the call of people of African descent for accountability and redress. His comments followed the release of a new UN report which sets out a series of concrete steps for governments to make reparations… Continue reading World News in Brief: Reparations for African diaspora, child deaths in Sudan, Libya update

15 September 2023Peace and Security The UN World Health Organization (WHO) on Friday joined with the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, to underline the critical importance of preserving the dignity of the dead in the wake of recent natural disasters in Libya and Morocco. The UN health agency together with the IFRC, and the… Continue reading Preserving dignity, public health: Managing deceased bodies during crises

The UN chief affirmed that democracy, rule of law, and respect for human rights underpin freedom, promote sustainable development and safeguard the dignity of every person. “On the International Day of Democracy, we celebrate its promise to societies – and recognize the many threats it faces at this time of tension and turmoil,” he said.… Continue reading Empower youth to safeguard democracy: Guterres

With 15 months to the end of the transition period, “time is of the essence” for getting the election process settled, UN Special Representative for South Sudan, Nicholas Haysom told the Security Council. “Critical questions remain unanswered. Resolving them does not require material resources, only the political will to reach compromise and consensus,” he said.… Continue reading South Sudan: Key electoral questions ‘remain unanswered’

“I count on your Group, who have long been champions of multilateralism, to step up, to use your power, and fight,” he said. “Champion a system rooted in equality; champion a system ready to reverse the injustice and neglect of centuries; and champion a system that delivers for all humanity and not only for the privileged.” World… Continue reading Guterres urges G77 and China to champion multilateralism ‘rooted in equality’

The UN Environment Programme’s (UNEP) official Patron of the Oceans, Mr. Pugh explained that he’d undertaken the marathon swim ending at the tip of Manhattan, to emphasise the urgent need to protect the world’s waterways ahead of the UN’s landmark High Seas Treaty and Climate Ambition Summit next week. Sporting his UNEP swim cap, Mr. Pugh… Continue reading Environmental champion hails rivers as ‘arteries of our planet’

Disaster struck on Sunday when torrential rains from Storm Daniel led two dams close to the now devastated port city of Derna to burst, pushing entire neighbourhoods into the sea. “The situation is quite terrible as you can imagine”, UN Children’s Fund UNICEF’s Libya Representative, Michele Servadei, told UN News. ‘Drop in the ocean’ “As… Continue reading UN launches flash appeal to aid 250,000 Libyans hit by devastating floods

UN Secretary-General António Guterres echoed that message, warning that record temperatures and extreme weather were “causing havoc” around the world. The global response has fallen “far short”, Mr. Guterres insisted, just as latest UN data indicates that the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are only 15 per cent on track at the midway point of the… Continue reading Climate inaction puts lives on the line: WMO

13 September 2023Peace and Security Both Sudanese Government forces (SAF) and their rival Rapid Support Forces (RSF) are responsible for abhorrent rights violations as they battle for supremacy, the UN envoy to the country said on Wednesday. But he stressed the UN “will never stay neutral” when it comes to demanding accountability for war crimes… Continue reading Sudan: UN ‘will never stay neutral’ amid war and human rights abuses

13 September 2023Culture and Education With tens of millions of children heading back to school in recent weeks, for some, the return to class has them fearing for their lives. Growing concern over safety and security prompted UN Secretary-General António Guterres to address the global phenomenon on Wednesday – during his remarks at an event… Continue reading UN marks International Day to Protect Education with call to action

“Action is what the world needs” he said defining the gathering of 193 Member States for the UN General Assembly High Level Week as a “one of a kind moment” to both assess the state of world affairs but also “act for the common good.” “This is not a time for indifference or indecision”, António… Continue reading UNGA78: ‘Action is what the world needs’ – UN chief

In his Annual Report on the work of the Organization, released on Wednesday, ahead of the gathering of world leaders at UN Headquarters in New York, Mr. Guterres highlighted how the UN has stepped up. “Nowhere are the needs greater than in the midst of emergencies,” he said. “In 2022, together with our partners on… Continue reading UN’s work and mission ‘more vital than ever’: Guterres

With a new area the size of Paris under development around the globe every week, the construction industry contributes heavily to climate change. However, the sector has received only a fraction of environmentalists’ attention and of the funds allocated to combat emissions compared with other industries.  Until now, most of the focus has been made on… Continue reading Building Paris every week: Urgent need to cut emissions in construction sector

Understanding Illegal Methamphetamine Manufacture in Afghanistan, highlights a drastic increase in seizures of the drug, from 2.5 tons in 2017 to 29.7 tons in 2021. In its street drug form, meth or “crystal meth” it is a powerful and highly addictive stimulant that impacts the central nervous system and can cause a rapid or irregular… Continue reading Meth trafficking surges in and around Afghanistan

“The frequency and intensity of war crimes and crimes against humanity has only increased in recent months,” said Nicholas Koumjian, head of the investigation team, formally known as the Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar (IIMM). ‘Brazen bombings’ Addressing the forum in Geneva, he described even “more brazen aerial bombings and indiscriminate shelling, resulting in the deaths… Continue reading War crimes intensifying: Myanmar human rights investigators

8 September 2023Climate and Environment The world is not on track to meet the long-term goals set out in the Paris Agreement for limiting global temperature rise, a major UN report warned on Friday, calling for a commitment to decisive action. Simon Stiell, Executive Secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) which… Continue reading Window to reach climate goals ‘rapidly closing’, UN report warns

8 September 2023Peace and Security The so-called elections held by Russia in occupied areas of Ukraine “have no legal grounds”, a senior political affairs official said on Friday, reiterating UN’s commitment to the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine. Briefing the Security Council, Miroslav Jenča, Assistant Secretary-General for Europe, reiterated the UN Secretary-General’s position that… Continue reading No legal grounds for Russian ‘so-called elections’ in occupied Ukraine: UN official

UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) Representative in the country, Grant Leaity, issued the alert on Tuesday, revealing that youngsters in eastern DRC face daily atrocities, including rape, abduction and recruitment by armed groups. “I visited a centre in Beni and North Kivu for children released from armed groups where I met a couple of one-year-old twins.… Continue reading DR Congo: Few worse places to be a child warns UNICEF as twins found boobytrapped

Growing national divisions, combined with increasingly complex conflicts, pose a formidable challenge to peacekeeping and the maintenance of security, Jean-Pierre Lacroix told ambassadors in the Security Council chamber. No ‘magic wand’ “Peacekeeping is not a magic wand to help a country return to stability, but with the support of a unified international community, political processes… Continue reading Growing national divisions ‘a formidable challenge’ to UN peacekeeping

7 September 2023Women UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres commended law enforcement agencies around the world on Thursday stressing that more women in policing will “build a safer future for everyone.”   He delivered his message marking the first eve International Day of Police Cooperation, designated by the UN General Assembly during its 77th session.  “Women’s participation promotes access… Continue reading More women police means ‘safer future for everyone’: Guterres

Renewable technologies like wind and solar power are, in most cases, cheaper than the fossil fuels that are driving climate change, but the world needs to prioritize the transformation of energy systems to renewable energy. The Climate Ambition Summit, scheduled for 20 September at UN Headquarters in New York, will consider how to accelerate this transformation.… Continue reading ‘Without renewables, there can be no future’: 5 ways to power the transition to renewable energy

Airborne contaminants are one of the most significant environmental health risks. According to the UN World Health Organization (WHO), 99 per cent of the world’s population breathes polluted air, with the exposure significantly worse in low and middle-income countries.  The pervasive nature of air pollution requires global collaboration. This year’s theme, Together for Clean Air, addresses the urgent… Continue reading ‘Act together’ for clean air, Guterres urges

6 September 2023Peace and Security The top UN humanitarian official in Ukraine on Wednesday strongly condemned Russian attacks, including on a busy market in the town of Kostiantynivka in the Donetsk region, that reportedly caused dozens of civilian deaths and injuries, including children. Other Russian strikes damaged schools and homes in the Zaporizhzhya region, and… Continue reading Ukraine: Latest Russian attack ‘another example’ of civilian suffering

The news came as the UN chief released a strongly worded statement on a record summer of global warming in the northern hemisphere. Dog days bite back “Our planet has just endured a season of simmering – the hottest summer on record,” said UN Secretary-General António Guterres, warning of “climate breakdown”. “The dog days of… Continue reading Air quality dips during heatwaves as pollution rises: UN weather agency

5 September 2023Climate and Environment Startling findings from a new UN data platform reveal that the marine dredging industry is extracting a staggering six billion tons of sand and sediment annually. This is equivalent to over one million dump trucks every day – placing immense pressure on marine biodiversity and the well-being of coastal communities.… Continue reading Coasts and sea life facing major threat due to massive sand removal

The CMC 2023 report indicates that 1,172 people were killed or injured in 2022, which is the highest number since regular reporting started in 2010.  Speaking to journalists in Geneva, Human Rights Arms Advocacy Director Mary Wareham, emphasised that 95 per cent of casualties reported were civilians. “It is unconscionable that civilians are still dying… Continue reading Record civilian cluster munitions victims as experts urge global ban

Speaking in Kyiv, Commission Chair Erik Møse pointed to continuing patterns of violations by Russian armed forces, including wilful killings, unlawful confinement, torture, rape, and illegal deportations, many of which qualify as war crimes. According to the Commission, the Ukrainian legal system faced “immense challenges” to provide accountability and justice to the victims and ensure… Continue reading ‘Immense challenges’ block justice for Ukrainian war victims, rights experts warn

Local tribal leader Jemuel Perino discussed the success of local initiatives, supported by the UN Development Programme (UNDP) Adaption Fund Climate Change Innovation Accelerator (AFCIA), in educating his community on effective prevention and mitigation techniques to deal with the growing impacts of climate change. “The indigenous cultural communities have their own centuries-old knowledge, systems, and… Continue reading Philippines: Indigenous knowledge takes on climate crisis

1 September 2023Climate and Environment A UN-appointed human rights expert on Friday urged the international community to increase assistance to The Bahamas and other small island States that face elevated threats from natural disasters resulting from climate change.  “The Bahamas needs long-term financial planning to address its climate vulnerability and economic dependence on tourism,” said… Continue reading UN expert urges international support for The Bahamas amid climate crisis

The desperate situation prompted a tweet on Friday from Emergency Relief Coordinator Martin Griffiths for an immediate end to the fighting.   “This carnage needs to stop” said the UN relief chief. Major escalation In the past two weeks alone, 71 people have been killed and injured in capital Port-au-Prince, marking a major escalation, according… Continue reading Haiti violence: ‘Carnage needs to stop’ says UN relief chief

It was released as leaders prepare to meet for the African Climate Summit, taking place next week in Nairobi, Kenya. Children in 48 out of 49 African countries assessed were found to be at high or extremely high risk of the impacts of climate change, based on their exposure and vulnerability to cyclones, heatwaves and… Continue reading African children bearing the brunt of climate change impacts

31 August 2023Peace and Security Highlighting the “succession of military coups” unfolding across Africa, UN Secretary-General António Guterres on Thursday emphasized the need for durable democratic governance and the rule of law. Wednesday’s military takeover in Gabon came on the heels of Niger last month, Burkina Faso in 2022, and Chad, Guinea, Sudan and Mali… Continue reading Coups only make crises worse: Guterres

31 August 2023Climate and Environment Some of the world’s most iconic natural and cultural sites are also a haven for thousands of endangered species, the UN Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) said on Thursday.  Although properties protected under the World Heritage Convention make up less than one per cent of the Earth’s surface, they… Continue reading UNESCO World Heritage Sites often ‘last line of defence against extinction’

Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said that UN chief António Guterres was following the evolving situation in the capital Libreville “very closely”. While condemning military action as “a means to resolve the post electoral crisis”, the Secretary-General said he had noted the announcement by the Central African nation’s electoral body of a win for incumbent president Ali… Continue reading UN chief ‘firmly condemns’ Gabon coup, notes reports of election abuses

Enforced disappearance has regularly been used as a tool for instilling fear and exert control over a population. The feeling of insecurity it generates is not limited to close relatives of the disappeared, but also their communities and society as a whole. In a post on social media platform X, The UN chief said enforced… Continue reading Guterres calls for end to ‘atrocious crime’ of enforced disappearances

29 August 2023Humanitarian Aid The United Nations on Tuesday announced that it has conducted 200 cross-border missions delivering aid into northwest Syria from Türkiye since the devastating earthquakes that struck the two countries in February.  The milestone mission took place on Sunday via the Bab al-Salam crossing, said UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric, speaking during his… Continue reading Syria-Türkiye: UN completes 200th cross-border aid mission since February quakes

In his message marking the International Day against Nuclear Tests, Secretary-General António Guterres appealed for key countries to ratify the international treaty that bans experiments for both peaceful and military purposes. ‘Recipe for annihilation’ “This year, we face an alarming rise in global mistrust and division,” he said. “At a time in which nearly 13,000… Continue reading UN appeals for nuclear test ban amid ‘alarming rise in global mistrust’

“Inside Ukraine, attacks on schools have continued unabated, leaving children deeply distressed and without safe spaces to learn”, declared Regina De Dominicis, UNICEF Regional Director for Europe and Central Asia, who recently returned from the country. “Not only has this left Ukraine’s children struggling to progress in their education, but they are also struggling to… Continue reading Ukraine: Widespread learning loss continues due to war, COVID-19

FSO Safer was abandoned off Yemen’s Red Sea port of Hudaydah after the civil war broke out in the country. 28 August 2023Climate and Environment The specialist team that safely stabilized and transferred over one million barrels of crude oil from a decaying supertanker off the cost of Yemen, left the site on Monday, marking… Continue reading Yemen oil tanker: ‘Pivotal chapter’ concludes but important work remains

28 August 2023Human Rights A group of UN-appointed human rights experts expressed grave concern on Monday over Russia’s decision to dismiss all legal challenges to the country’s criminalisation of “public actions aimed at discrediting” the Russian Armed Forces. The law was adopted shortly after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Special Rapporteurs said they had already raised serious… Continue reading Russia hits ‘new low’ with ban against discrediting army: Rights experts

Briefing the Security Council, El-Ghassim Wane, who is also the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Mali, updated ambassadors on the Mission’s withdrawal process. Vital work “MINUSMA may be leaving Mali, but the United Nations, through its agencies, funds, and programs, remains. Their work has never been as vital as it is today,” he said,… Continue reading Mali: ‘MINUSMA is leaving, but the UN is staying’, Mission chief says

General Comment No. 26 marks the first time the Committee has affirmed children’s right to live in a clean, healthy and sustainable environment. It provides a comprehensive interpretation of State obligations under the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, which has been ratified by 196 countries. The 1989 treaty outlines children’s rights, including… Continue reading New UN guidance affirms children’s right to a clean, healthy environment

27 August 2023Peace and Security UN Secretary-General António Guterres is closely following developments in Zimbabwe’s elections, his spokesperson said on Sunday. Citizens went to the polls on Wednesday but voting had to be extended into Thursday in some areas, including the capital, Harare, due to a lack of ballot papers. President Emmerson Mnangagwa secured a… Continue reading Guterres calls for peaceful resolution of election disputes in Zimbabwe

“I used to transport sugar from Malawi,” said an anonymous driver, who was arrested for migrant trafficking. “In 2016, I had to wait for several days at a border crossing in Tanzania for customs checks. I was approached by a man who offered me a lot of money to transport goats.” His story is not… Continue reading Malawi: Truck drivers learn about risks of human trafficking

25 August 2023Peace and Security The recent launch by the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) of a satellite posed a major risk to international civil aviation and maritime traffic, a senior UN political affairs official said on Friday, underscoring the need for practical measures to reduce tensions in the Korean Peninsula and create space… Continue reading DPR Korea: Dialogue ‘only way forward’, UN official says in wake of latest launch

Ambassadors were briefed by two senior UN counter-terrorism officials who presented the Secretary-General’s latest report on the group, also known as the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), which showed that the threat in non-conflict areas remains low.  “This analytical distinction can obscure what is the complex, context- specific and dynamic nature of how these groups operate and evolve and their impact on international… Continue reading Da’esh and affiliates still a threat in conflict zones, UN counter-terrorism officials report

25 August 2023Climate and Environment A new global environmental fund marks a major step towards securing the wellbeing of biodiversity in developing countries and will help to ensure sustainable utilization of their natural resources, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) said on Friday. The Global Biodiversity Framework Fund, launched at the Global Environmental Facility… Continue reading New global fund ‘welcome boost’ to safeguarding biodiversity

25 August 2023Humanitarian Aid UN humanitarian chief Martin Griffiths said on Friday that the spread of fighting and hunger in Sudan could destroy the country, as the future of a “lost generation” of children lies in the balance. Mr. Griffiths said that the conflict spelled trauma for Sudan’s youth and cited “deeply disturbing” reports that… Continue reading Sudan: ‘lost generation’ of children amid war, hunger, disease: UN humanitarians

Rosemary DiCarlo, UN Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, was briefing a meeting of the Security Council, which also coincided with the 32nd anniversary of Ukraine’s independence. “I would like to congratulate the Ukrainian people today and take this occasion to stress, once again, that the UN’s commitment to Ukraine’s sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity… Continue reading Security Council hears of ‘unimaginable suffering’ of Ukrainian people, 18 months into war

24 August 2023Climate and Environment Japan has begun discharging treated radioactive wastewater from the disabled Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station into the Pacific Ocean, 12 years on from the major meltdown there, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) confirmed on Thursday.  Experts from the UN nuclear watchdog were present to monitor and assess that all… Continue reading Japan: IAEA monitoring treated water release from Fukushima nuclear plant

Addressing the BRICS Summit, taking place in Johannesburg, South Africa, Secretary-General António Guterres commended the Rainbow Nation’s “extraordinary path to unity through action and justice.” “That’s what our world needs: unity for action and unity for justice; we are confronting existential challenges,” he said, drawing attention to worsening impacts of climate change and rising poverty,… Continue reading At BRICS Summit, Guterres global unity call in face of ‘existential’ challenges

“It is deeply troubling that, for over a year, the intra-Syrian political process has been in deep freeze,” he said, speaking via videoconference. “A political process is the right of the Syrian people they are entitled to chart their own destiny.” Mr. Pedersen said Syrians both inside and outside the country continue to suffer severely… Continue reading Syrians suffer as political stalemate persists: UN Special Envoy

Denise Brown issued a statement deploring this “new wave of massive Russian attacks”, and appealed for the violence to end. “Grain storage facilities, vital for the Ukrainian farmers and global food security, have been hit in the Danube area,” she said. “A school in the Sumy region was damaged, and teachers were killed and injured.”  International media… Continue reading Top UN aid official in Ukraine deplores latest wave of ‘massive Russian attacks’

23 August 2023Climate and Environment Wastewater, long seen as an environmental and health hazard, possesses untapped potential as an alternative energy and clean water source to offset fertilizer use, the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) said on Wednesday. In its new report, Wastewater: Turning problem to solution, UNEP warned that only 11 per cent of treated… Continue reading Don’t let wastewater opportunities flow down the drain

22 August 2023Peace and Security Recent deadly clashes between two largest armed groups in the Libyan capital, Tripoli, underscore the dire security situation there and are undermining preparations for elections slated for later this year, the top UN envoy for the country said on Tuesday. At least 55 people were reported killed and over 100… Continue reading Libya: Fierce clashes in Tripoli highlight ‘precarious’ situation

Speaking in Geneva, WMO spokesperson Clare Nullis said that a new altitude record for the freezing point had been set a day earlier, climbing to 5,298 metres (17,381 feet) – well above Europe’s very highest peaks including Mont Blanc, at 4,811 metres (15,784 feet).  WMO figures show that this is 115 metres above the previous record… Continue reading From Death Valley to the Swiss Alps, extreme weather records hit new heights

22 August 2023Human Rights In Afghanistan, hundreds of former government officials and members of the armed forces have allegedly been killed despite assurances from the Taliban of an amnesty, the UN human rights office (OHCHR) said on Tuesday.  A new publication from the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) presents “credible” reports that between 15 August… Continue reading Afghanistan’s Taliban responsible for revenge killings, torture of former officials

21 August 2023Human Rights Online hate is often a driver of violent physical attacks against religious minorities, said the UN chief on Tuesday, calling on governments, community and religious leaders, to “speak out against hate and incitement to violence.” UN Secretary-General António Guterres was delivering his message marking the International Day Commemorating the Victims of Acts… Continue reading Stamp out hate speech, persecution based on faith: Guterres

World Water Week is taking shape from Monday in Stockholm, Sweden. This is an annual gathering of thousands of organizations and individuals – Government experts, UN officials, scientists and academics – who come together to rethink how water is being managed. Serious challenges loom Among them is the President of the General Assembly, Csaba Kőrösi,… Continue reading Water Action Agenda takes shape in Stockholm flowing on from landmark conference

Despite wide international condemnation of terrorism, victims and survivors of violence often struggle to have their voices heard, their needs supported, and their rights upheld.  Most need long-term support – physical, psychological, social and financial. However, few Member States have the resources or the capacity to help those affected by terrorism fully recover, rehabilitate and… Continue reading UN honours survivors of terrorism working for peace

It represents the highest number of fatalities since 2005 and reflects “concerning trends” seen in recent months throughout the Occupied Palestinian Territory “Palestinians and Israelis are killed and injured in near daily violence – including just hours before this briefing when another fatal shooting attack killed an Israeli in the West Bank,” he said, speaking… Continue reading Israeli-Palestinian death toll highest since 2005: UN envoy

A global approach to tackle the ongoing water crisis is needed as vulnerable communities in the United States face historic deluge and drought – issues very much in the spotlight at the forthcoming UN-supported World Water Week. Traditional totems tower over the coastal village of Taholah in Washington state, home to the Quinault Indian Nation, an… Continue reading Bridging troubled waters amid deluge, drought in the US

19 August 2023Peace and Security The UN chief has condemned an assault on Friday by Turkish Cypriot security forces against ‘blue helmets’ serving with the peacekeeping force on the divided Mediterranean island. Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said in a statement issued on behalf of Secretary-General António Guterres that several members of the UN Peacekeeping Force in… Continue reading Guterres condemns assault against UN peacekeepers in Cyprus

The then New York-based Elpida Rouka had accompanied the Executive Director of the Office of the Iraq Programme on a mission to Baghdad and survived the deadly explosion which killed 22 of her UN colleagues. The 19 August attack is commemorated annually by World Humanitarian Day. “A young 25-year-old barely two years into the UN at… Continue reading First Person: Iraqis ‘not abandoned’ after 2003 attack on UN Baghdad

Designing ways to fight back against falsehoods that can trigger tensions, violence, or even death, the UN has been monitoring how mis- and disinformation and hate speech can attack health, security, stability as well as progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). “It has become clear that business as usual is not an option,” UN… Continue reading Building a digital army: UN peacekeepers fight deadly disinformation

The UN rights chief expressed grave concerns for the people of Niger. “The people have already been through so much hardship over the years. Now, the very people who they elected to build a pathway to end their destitution have been removed by force,” he said. The message comes as the UN International Organization for… Continue reading UN rights chief calls for immediate restoration of constitutional order in Niger

Weather agency Spokesperson Clare Nullis said that heat warnings have been issued by many weather services across Europe this week, including in France, Germany, Poland and Switzerland. Meanwhile, parts of the Middle East were expected to see temperatures over 50 degrees Celsius in the coming days and Japan was experiencing a “prolonged” heatwave which shattered… Continue reading Scorching ‘new normal’ as world buckles under extreme heat: WMO

Khaled Mansour, now a writer and journalist, was the WFP spokesperson in Iraq at the time and narrowly missed the massive explosion which killed 22 of his UN colleagues. On World Humanitarian Day which was established to mark the 19 August attack, he reflects on his life since and what he has learnt. Former WFP staff… Continue reading First Person: ‘Immense psychological injuries’ following 2003 attack on UN Baghdad

“The influx of weapons and ammunition into any armed conflict can contribute to the escalation and presents significant risks of diversion and proliferation even after the conflict has ended,” Izumi Nakamitsu, the High Representative for Disarmament Affairs, told the Council, briefing on the latest developments in the context of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.… Continue reading Weapon transfers, including banned cluster munitions, spike in Ukraine

17 August 2023Peace and Security Sudan’s continuing military showdown has had “massive humanitarian consequences” including allegations that some fighters from the powerful and long-standing RSF militia have been using rape systematically to terrorise communities they control, said a group of independent human rights experts on Thursday. Sudan’s military leadership plunged into protracted conflict for control of… Continue reading Rape by Sudan’s RSF militia used to ‘punish and terrorise’ warn rights experts

Briefing the UN Security Council, Volker Türk ran through a long list of rights abuses, saying that many “stem directly from, or support, the increasing militarisation of the DPRK.” His argument was reinforced by the UN independent human rights expert Elizabeth Salmón who told ambassadors that leaders of the DPRK – more commonly known as… Continue reading ‘Increasing militarisation’ of DPR Korea fuelling rise in human rights violations

Speaking at the event on Thursday, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus underscored the “enormous” contributions of traditional medicine to human health and its understanding of the “intimate links” between health and the environment. Tedros stressed the importance of the gathering for “bringing together ancient wisdom and modern science for the health and well-being of people… Continue reading WHO summit aims to unlock power of traditional medicine through science

17 August 2023Peace and Security The widow of a UN staff member who died in the terrorist attack on the UN headquarters in Baghdad, Iraq has been describing how “a piece of me also died on that tragic day.” Laura Dolci’s husband, Jean-Selim Kanaan, had been deployed by the UN Office for Project Services to work as… Continue reading First Person: ‘A piece of me also died,’ in UN Canal Hotel bombing in 2003 in Baghdad

17 August 2023Humanitarian Aid Conflict and insecurity in countries such as South Sudan and its neighbour to the north are set to make 2023 another year of high death tolls and and injuries for aid workers in the field, the UN warned on Thursday.  The grim forecast comes ahead of World Humanitarian Day, commemorated annually on 19 August. Since… Continue reading World Humanitarian Day highlights commitment to serve #NoMatterWhat

16 August 2023Peace and Security There must be “rapid and unimpeded passage of humanitarian relief for all civilians in need” via the Lachin Corridor, the UN Security Council heard on Wednesday.  Delivering a briefing on the latest situation there, the Director of Operations and Advocacy for humanitarian affairs coordination office, OCHA, made clear that the UN… Continue reading Armenia-Azerbaijan: Crucial to have ‘unimpeded passage’ of aid through Lachin Corridor, Security Council hears

UN Special Envoy Hans Grundberg provided an update on his mediation efforts, both in the country and abroad, while Edem Wosornu of the UN humanitarian affairs office, OCHA, reported on access impediments and funding gaps affecting aid delivery to millions. Yemen continues to face a protracted political, humanitarian and developmental crisis after more than eight… Continue reading Yemen: Warring parties must take concrete steps towards an inclusive peace

“After the civil war, which claimed the lives of over 200,000 people, a comprehensive peace agreement was signed in August 2003 in Accra, Ghana. Since then, Liberia has sustained a period of uninterrupted stability; transforming from one of the most volatile to one of the most peaceful nations in West Africa. Over the years, this… Continue reading What next for Liberia after 20 years of peace? A UN Resident Coordinator blog

In a statement, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk warned that the “disastrous, senseless war in Sudan, born out of a wanton drive for power, has resulted in thousands of deaths, the destruction of family homes, schools, hospitals and other essential services, massive displacement, as well as sexual violence, in acts which may amount… Continue reading Four months of conflict in Sudan is “destroying people’s lives and violating their basic human rights”, UN humanitarians warn

The gap between promises and practices by Afghanistan’s de facto authorities has widened during this period, they said, denouncing the idea of a “reformed” Taliban.  They said Taliban policies imposed on the population “have resulted in a continuous, systematic and shocking rescinding of a multitude of human rights, including the rights to education, work, and… Continue reading Rights experts denounce idea of ‘reformed’ Taliban two years after return to power

The port city of Mykolaiv, in the south of Ukraine, is being targeted with renewed shelling. 14 August 2023Humanitarian Aid An escalation of Russian attacks against civilians in Ukraine has brought more death and injuries to southern regions while hampering aid operations, the UN’s top humanitarian official in the country said on Monday. Denise Brown… Continue reading Top UN aid official in Ukraine condemns latest wave of indiscriminate attacks

Progress is already being made: a school building was saved from burning down; farmers are earning 50 per cent higher incomes; and a healthier peatland is reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Since its launch in 2019, the programme, which includes training for villagers and critical infrastructure upgrades, has dramatically reduced fire risk and equipped the residents… Continue reading From ashes to riches: Profiting from peatland in Indonesia

International Youth Day is marked annually on 12 August and the 2023 edition spotlights green skills and the major role young people will play in driving the much-needed shift towards an environmentally sustainable and climate-friendly mindset. These include technical knowledge and skills that enable the effective use of green technologies and processes in occupational settings,… Continue reading As record warming puts climate targets at risk, young people’s ‘green skills’ may help save the planet

UN Secretary-General António Guterres welcomed the news of the successful transfer of oil aboard the FSO Safer to a replacement vessel, thus “avoiding what could have been a monumental environmental and humanitarian catastrophe.” The FSO Safer was built as a supertanker in 1976 and converted a decade later into what is in effect a floating… Continue reading Yemen: UN concludes removal of one million barrels of oil from decaying tanker

11 August 2023UN Affairs The United Nations on Friday welcomed the release of five of its security personnel in Yemen who had been held in captivity for more than a year. The men – four national staff and a Bangladeshi citizen – were abducted in the southern governorate of Abyan on 11 February 2022 after… Continue reading UN welcomes release of five staff abducted last year in Yemen

The purpose of placing reactor unit 4 in cold shutdown is to investigate the exact cause of the leak and carry out necessary maintenance to repair the affected steam generator, according to a statement by Rafael Mariano Grossi, IAEA Director General. There was no radiological release to the environment, the statement noted, adding that over… Continue reading Ukraine: Zaporizhzhya nuclear plant initiates reactor shutdown following water leak, reports IAEA

10 August 2023Human Rights An international human rights body focused on Ethiopia has voiced deep concerns over the worsening security situation in the northwest of the country, particularly in the Amhara region. On 4 August, the Ethiopian Council of Ministers declared a state of emergency in the region after, according to media reports, the regional… Continue reading Ethiopia: Deescalate tensions in Amhara, international rights experts urge

10 August 2023Peace and Security The United Nations has strongly condemned the assassination of a presidential candidate in Ecuador, urging authorities to investigate the crime. Fernando Villavicencio, 59, was shot dead after leaving a campaign event in the capital, Quito, on Wednesday evening, according to news reports. The attack occurred just two weeks before the… Continue reading UN condemns killing of presidential candidate in Ecuador

The National Assembly building in Niamey, Niger. 10 August 2023Peace and Security UN Secretary-General António Guterres has voiced concern about the reported “deplorable living conditions” of the President of Niger in arbitrary detention, his spokesperson said in a note to journalists published on Wednesday evening.  President Mohamed Bazoum and his family are believed to be… Continue reading Niger: Guterres concerned about health and safety of detained President

“There needs to be a negotiated solution to end this war as soon as possible.  There is no other alternative,” said Martha Pobee, the UN Assistant Secretary-General for Africa, whose portfolio covers both political and peacebuilding affairs. “The longer this war continues, the greater the risk of fragmentation, and foreign interference and erosion of sovereignty,… Continue reading Negotiated solution only way to end Sudan war: senior UN official

The 315-mile swim, roughly 507 kilometres, will take him from the river’s source in the Adirondack Mountains to where it meets the Atlantic Ocean in New York City, home to UN Headquarters. Mr. Pugh headed for the Hudson on Wednesday and expects to complete the journey shortly before 20 September, when nations will begin ratifying… Continue reading UNEP oceans advocate Lewis Pugh on epic Hudson swim to highlight importance of river health

For the next six months, the Bab al-Hawa border crossing will be accessible and allow much-needed assistance to reach millions of people in northwest Syria. Bab al-Hawa has been used since 2014, when the UN Security Council authorized cross-border relief deliveries “across conflict lines”. Around 85 per cent of aid deliveries have passed through Bab… Continue reading UN: Deal reached with Syria to reopen main border crossing from Türkiye

9 August 2023Peace and Security UN Secretary-General António Guterres called for countries to recommit to eliminating nuclear weapons in his message to the memorial event in observance of the 78th anniversary of the atomic bombing of the Japanese city of Nagasaki, held on Wednesday “We mourn those killed, whose memory will never fade. We remember… Continue reading Guterres warns against nuclear catastrophe risk in message to Nagasaki memorial

8 August 2023Climate and Environment The global average temperature for July 2023 was the highest on record and likely for at least 120,000 years, the UN weather agency WMO and partners said on Tuesday. “The global average temperature for July 2023 is confirmed to be the highest on record for any month,” said Samantha Burgess,… Continue reading It’s official: July 2023 was the warmest on record, says UN weather agency WMO

President Mohamed Bazoum of Niger addresses the general debate of the General Assembly’s seventy-seventh session in September 2022. 7 August 2023Peace and Security UN Secretary-General António Guterres has underlined his support for ongoing mediation efforts by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in the wake of the 26 July attempted coup in Niger,… Continue reading Guterres concerned over continued detention of Niger’s President

7 August 2023Peace and Security Attacks against Ukrainian port infrastructure are not isolated and with Russia’s termination of the Black Sea Initiative, are impacting global food prices and affecting the most vulnerable people, a UN spokesperson said on Monday. Farhan Haq, Deputy Spokesman for Secretary-General António Guterres, was speaking at the regular press briefing at… Continue reading Russian attacks continue to affect world’s most vulnerable, UN spokesperson says

7 August 2023Climate and Environment Caribbean countries have been equipped to better prepare for hurricanes and other hazards following the conclusion of a three-and-a-year project to strengthen weather, water and climate services, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) reported on Monday.  The $6.5 million projectshowcased practical tools and policy-making priorities in line with a UN plan to… Continue reading UN-backed project boosts early warning services in the Caribbean

According to UNICEF, nearly 300 confirmed cases were reported in the first six months of 2023, almost matching the total number documented over 2022 and close to three times the number in 2021. “The stories we are hearing from UNICEF staff and partners on the ground are shocking and unacceptable,” Gary Conille, UNICEF Regional Director… Continue reading Haiti: ‘Unimaginable violence’ against women, children, reports UNICEF

7 August 2023Climate and Environment Three-quarters of children in South Asia are already exposed to extreme high temperature compared to only one in three globally, the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) said on Monday, urging authorities to do more to help them beat the heat. UNICEF estimates that 76 per cent of children under 18 in… Continue reading Heatwaves and high temperatures threatening young lives in South Asia: UNICEF

5 August 2023Human Rights Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed has said that the United Nations will support Brazil’s indigenous peoples and amplify their voices far and wide towards the full realizations of their rights. Ms. Mohammed on Friday wrapped up a week of development-focused meetings with Government officials in the vast South American country with a… Continue reading Land and basic services are ‘your rights, not favours’, UN deputy-chief

In a message to mark the 78th anniversary of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima, Mr. Guterres urged the international community to learn from the “nuclear cataclysm” that befell the Japanese city on 6 August 1945. “The drums of nuclear war are beating once again; mistrust and division are on the rise,” the UN chief said… Continue reading UN pushes disarmament talks amid fears that drums of nuclear war are beating again

5 August 2023Climate and Environment A man living in Viet Nam has been explaining how his community has learnt to adapt to and mitigate the effects of devastating flooding caused by tropical storms. Extreme weather between October and November of 2020, highlighted the vulnerability of the inhabitants of the city of Huế in central Viet… Continue reading First Person: Rising above floods in Viet Nam

Ted Chaiban of the UN children’s agency, UNICEF, and Edem Wosornu with the UN humanitarian affairs office, OCHA, briefed journalists on their recent mission to the country and Chad, one of several neighbouring nations hosting some 900,000 people who fled the violence. Fighting between the Sudanese Army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) recently… Continue reading Nearly 14 million children in Sudan need humanitarian support: UNICEF

4 August 2023Law and Crime Prevention The new sentence imposed on jailed Russian politician Alexei Navalny on Friday raises renewed serious concerns about judicial harassment and instrumentalization of the country’s court system for political purposes, the UN Human Rights High Commissioner said in a statement. Volker Türk said the 19-year sentence was based on vague… Continue reading Russia: Latest Navalny sentencing raises serious concerns, UN rights chief says

3 August 2023Peace and Security The UN Secretary-General congratulated the Government of Colombia and the National Liberation Army (ELN) on the start of their bilateral ceasefire which entered into force on Thursday, his spokesperson said in a statement.  The six-month truce between the authorities and the largest remaining rebel group in the country followed 10… Continue reading Colombia: Guterres welcomes start of ceasefire between Government and ELN

3 August 2023Migrants and Refugees Thirteen people have been killed and more than 60 injured in four days of deadly violence at the largest Palestine refugee camp in Lebanon, a senior UN official in the country said on Thursday.  The fighting between Palestinian armed groups at Ein El Helweh camp has also forced thousands to… Continue reading UNRWA appeals for end to deadly clashes at Palestine refugee camp in Lebanon

Globally, over 250 million people suffered acute hunger in 2022, the highest in recent years, with about 376,000 people facing famine-like conditions in seven countries – all affected by armed conflict or extreme levels of violence. Another 35 million people are on the edge, Reena Ghelani said. Hunger and conflict “feed off of each other,”… Continue reading The eerie silence of starvation ‘is deafening, it never leaves you’: UN official

Women, pregnant or with young children, wait for appointments at a maternity hospital in Port Sudan (file).. 3 August 2023Humanitarian Aid The UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has issued a grave warning regarding the deepening food crisis in Sudan, as the country grapples with conflict and economic decline.   FAO said 20.3 million individuals in… Continue reading FAO raises alarm on escalating food crisis in Sudan  

2 August 2023Peace and Security The Security Council on Wednesday unanimously voted to expand the mandate of the UN Verification Mission in Colombia to monitor a ceasefire between the Government and the largest remaining rebel group in the country.  The truce with the ELN, the Spanish acronym for National Liberation Army, comes into effect on… Continue reading Colombia: UN Mission to monitor ceasefire with ELN rebel group

“With only 17 months remaining on the Roadmap timelines before elections in 2024, I repeat what I had said in an earlier press conference, that 2023 is a ‘make or break’ year,” Nicholas Haysom said. Mr. Haysom heads the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) which reported that “a race against time” is now underway in… Continue reading Time running out on election timeline for South Sudan, UN official warns

2 August 2023Human Rights Conflict in Sudan has forced nearly four million people to flee their homes in a little over 100 days, the UN Migration Agency (IOM) has warned.  Latest data from the IOM’s displacement matrix indicates that the clash between the Sudanese army and paramilitaries has uprooted a staggering number of people, with… Continue reading Sudan conflict displaces nearly four million: UN migration agency

1 August 2023SDGs UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina J. Mohammed on Tuesday called for urgent efforts to boost climate action, protect biodiversity, promote sustainable food systems, and ensure decent jobs and social protection. In Brasília, Ms. Mohammed said that Brazil – as the next chair of the G20 – can inspire collective global action towards the… Continue reading In Brazil, UN deputy chief urges greater ambition for Global Goals

Briefing journalists at UN Headquarters in New York, Léonardo Santos Simão reiterated condemnation of the attempted overthrow of Nigerien President Mohamed Bazoum on 26 July. He also underscored support for efforts by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) aimed at restoring constitutional order and consolidating democratic gains in the country. People deserve peace “The… Continue reading Niger crisis could worsen insecurity throughout West Africa, UN envoy warns

31 July 2023Migrants and Refugees More than two days of armed violence at the Ein El Hilweh Palestine Refugee camp in southern Lebanon continues to impact civilians, including children, a senior UN official in the country said on Monday. Eleven people were killed and another 40 were injured, including a staff member with the UN agency… Continue reading Violence at refugee camp in Lebanon leaves 11 dead, forces thousands to flee: UNRWA

31 July 2023Peace and Security The Secretary-General’s Special Representative for West Africa has underlined the UN’s strong condemnation of the attempted coup in Niger, the global body said on Monday. Léonardo Santos Simão was in Abuja, Nigeria, on Sunday to participate in the extraordinary summit on the crisis, organized by regional bloc ECOWAS. “He will… Continue reading UN envoy to continue efforts to restore constitutional order in Niger

Denise Brown, UN Humanitarian Coordinator for Ukraine, spoke remotely at a press briefing at the UN Headquarters, in New York, and said that funds are needed particularly to prepare for the approaching winter. “It is almost August, and it gets cold very early in Ukraine,” she said. She said that humanitarians are preparing for winterization,… Continue reading Ukraine: War intensifies and so do the needs, says UN relief official

31 July 2023Climate and Environment A summer of extreme weather in the northern hemisphere is causing major damage to people’s health and the environment, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) reported on Monday, as countries from the United States to China battle intense heat.  Record temperatures have been reported on land and in the sea, while… Continue reading Northern hemisphere summer marked by heatwaves and wildfires: WMO

31 July 2023Peace and Security UN Secretary-General António Guterres has strongly condemned the deadly suicide bombing at a political rally in northwest Pakistan on Sunday. At least 54 people were killed, and 83 injured, in the attack, which occurred in Bajaur district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. International media reported on Monday that the Islamic State… Continue reading Guterres strongly condemns suicide bombing in Pakistan

29 July 2023Peace and Security In a press statement published on Friday, the Security Council members called for the immediate and unconditional release of Niger’s democratically elected President Mohammed Bazoum and underscored the need to protect him, his family and members of his government. The members of the Security Council strongly condemned the efforts to… Continue reading Niger: Security Council strongly condemns ‘efforts to unconstitutionally change’ the government

Data from the UN’s World Meteorological Organization reveals this July is set to be the hottest month ever recorded.  Heatwaves not only threaten the environment but create additional obstacles for countries attempting to achieve sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment, and decent work for all, the targets of Sustainable Development Goal 8, according to the ILO’s… Continue reading INTERVIEW: Heatwaves endanger workers and reduce productivity

Climate change and conflict Briefing the Security Council, Lt. Gen. Mohan Subramanian, Force Commander of the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) recalled when dykes collapsed in Unity State in October 2022, leading to flash floods not seen in nearly six decades, displacing over 170,000 people to the provincial capital Bentiu. If left unaddressed the… Continue reading UN missions battle old and emerging threats, to protect civilians

At a press briefing in New York, Carl Skau, Deputy Executive Director of the World Food Programme, said that the collapse of the Black Sea Grain Initiative after Russia ended its engagement was “regrettable, to say the least.” Under the initiative, WFP shipped more than 725,000 tons of grain, relieving hunger in some of the… Continue reading World entering a ‘humanitarian doom loop’, warns UN food aid official

Nicole Kouassi, UN Acting Resident Coordinator and Humanitarian Coordinator, was speaking from the capital, Niamey, just hours after the general whose troops seized the democratically elected president, declared that he was assuming control of the country. On behalf of UN agencies on the ground, she echoed the Secretary-General’s condemnation of Wednesday’s coup against President Mohamed… Continue reading UN pledges to ‘remain engaged and committed’ amid Niger coup

28 July 2023Migrants and Refugees Civilians fleeing attacks by extremist groups in Burkina Faso must be allowed to shelter in neighbouring countries and not sent back, amid a spike in violence and horrifying rights abuses, the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) said on Friday. “We’re urgently appealing for all States to refrain from forcibly returning any… Continue reading UNHCR urges solidarity with Burkina Faso’s victims of extremist violence

The trend indicates that climate litigation is becoming an integral part of the international push for greater climate action and justice.  The Global Climate Litigation Report: 2023 Status Review, is based on a review of cases up to the end of 2022, compiled by the Sabin Center for Climate Change Law at Columbia University, which partnered… Continue reading Climate Litigation Report reveals spike in cases demanding action

“This deterioration is taking place alongside ongoing unilateral steps that undermine a two-State solution, the absence of a peace process and the continuing economic challenges facing Palestinians and the Palestinian Authority (PA),” said Khaled Khiari, Assistant Secretary-General for Middle East, briefing ambassadors. “It is critical that all parties take urgent steps to stop the downward… Continue reading ‘Urgent steps’ needed to end surge in violence across West Bank

Cases of infectious diseases and other illness have been reported among the displaced population who have sought shelter in hard-to-reach locations, where health services are limited. “The scale of the health crisis is enormous. We are working hard to step up our response, delivering critical medical and other emergency health supplies,” said Dr. Nima Saeed… Continue reading Sudan health crisis reaches ‘gravely serious levels’: WHO

Echoing that warning in New York, UN Secretary-General António Guterres said that “short of a mini-Ice Age” in coming days, July 2023 would likely “shatter records across the board”.   The UN chief added that the consequences were as clear as they were tragic: “children swept away by monsoon rains, families running from the flames… Continue reading UN weather agency warns July likely warmest month on record