Category: Uncategorized

Muhannad Hadi, Deputy UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, and Antonia De Meo, Deputy Commissioner-General of the UN agency assisting Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, briefed the Security Council on the dire situation. “For nearly 10 months now, Palestinians and Israelis have lived through untold suffering, grief, sorrow, and loss. More than two million… Continue reading ‘Endless nightmare’ of death and destruction in Gaza, UN officials tell Security Council

Deputy UN High Representative for Disarmament Affairs, Adedeji Ebo, briefed ambassadors and also provided an update on casualty figures. Mr. Ebo said that since the last briefing on 14 June, the armed forces of Ukraine have continued to receive military assistance, as well as transfers of arms and ammunition, “in the context of the full-scale… Continue reading Security Council debates weapon transfers to Ukraine

The appeal comes against the backdrop of record temperatures and deadly heatwaves – from the United States to Africa’s Sahel and Europe to the Middle East – that have killed several hundred people this summer. During the Hajj, for instance, scorching heat claimed over 1,300 pilgrim lives. “Billions of people are facing an extreme heat… Continue reading The heat is on: We must rise to the challenge of rising temperatures, urges UN chief

The development comes as media reports indicated that truce and hostage swap talks in Doha scheduled on Thursday in Qatar had been postponed until early next week. Some 116 hostages are still missing, with 44 believed to have died, reports say, nearly 10 months since Hamas-led terror attacks on multiple targets in southern Israel left… Continue reading Gaza: Hunger fears persist as Israeli operations further harm enclave’s farmers

The attacks, which took place on 16 and 18 July reportedly occurred because of a land, lake ownership and user rights dispute. These attacks reportedly stem from conflicts resulting from tribal violence in the southwest Pacific nation in February where about 26 people were also killed. The UN human rights office (OHCHR) had urged the… Continue reading World News in Brief: Rights chief ‘horrified’ at deadly PNG violence, Lebanon-Israel ‘knife edge’, Sudan refugees suffer sexual violence

“Simply put – we do not have the necessary conditions in the Gaza Strip for a robust humanitarian response,” UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell said in a statement issued in the wake of an attack on one of the agency’s vehicles and the latest Israeli evacuation order in Khan Younis. Children suffer ‘permanent scars’  Ms. Russell began by acknowledging the dire… Continue reading UNICEF chief calls for urgent security reset in Gaza amid ‘new horrors’

24 July 2024 Climate and Environment Soaring summer temperatures in Europe and Central Asia are killing nearly 400 children a year according to new analysis of the latest available data by the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) released on Wednesday. UNICEF revealed that 377 children died in 2021 based on data from 23 countries across the… Continue reading Rising heat in Europe and Central Asia killing almost 400 children a year: UNICEF

According to the UN aid coordination office, OCHA, some 1.9 million people – nine in 10 in Gaza – have been forcibly uprooted since 7 October, including people who have been repeatedly displaced. For UN aid agencies and partners, “fuel shortages continue to undermine humanitarian operations and jeopardize the functioning of health, water and food production… Continue reading Gaza: Exodus from Khan Younis compounds pressure on meagre resources

23 July 2024 Peace and Security The UN Secretary-General has welcomed a new agreement signed on Tuesday in Beijing by Hamas and Fatah, together with smaller Palestinian factions, aimed at ending years of political rivalry as the war in Gaza grinds on. In response to questions at the regular daily briefing in New York, UN… Continue reading UN chief welcomes agreement between Palestinian factions Fatah and Hamas

“The trajectory of the development in Yemen has since the beginning of the year moved in the wrong direction and if left unaddressed could reach a tipping point,” he said. Yemeni Government forces backed by a Saudi-led coalition have been battling with Houthi rebels, also known as Ansar Allah, since 2014. The Houthis also began attacking commercial ships in the Red Sea –… Continue reading Yemen: UN envoy warns of threat of return to ‘full-fledged war’ as regional tensions escalate

In Khan Younis, the UN agency for Palestine refugees (UNRWA) reported witnessing “thousands of people fleeing” westwards as part of the exodus from the enclave’s southern city amid ongoing hostilities, leaving children traumatized and crying uncontrollably. “Elderly people on the back of donkey carts…disabled people being pushed in wheelchairs through the sand with the belongings… Continue reading Where do I go now, ask Gazans uprooted by new Israeli evacuation orders

23 July 2024 Peace and Security Renewed attacks on civilians in eastern Burkina Faso by non-State armed groups have forced thousands to flee to neighbouring Niger in search of safety, amid a deepening emergency, UN humanitarians have warned. In an alert, the UN refugee agency, UNHCR, said that previous attacks in recent weeks along Burkina… Continue reading Attacks on civilians in Burkina Faso force thousands into neighbouring Niger

“One rash move, one miscalculation could trigger a catastrophe that goes far beyond the borders and, frankly, beyond imagination,” said Rosemary DiCarlo, Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, in a briefing via videoconference. The meeting, called by France, United Kingdom and the United States, came on the heels of a Houthi drone attack against Tel… Continue reading Middle East: ‘One rash move could trigger a catastrophe’

22 July 2024 Climate and Environment The world’s forests are becoming increasingly susceptible to wildfires and pests due to climate change, according to a new report by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), released Monday.  “Forests and trees are essential components of agrifood systems. The removal of forest cover, especially in the tropics, increases… Continue reading Forests face increasing risk of wildfires and pests due to climate change

He reminded ambassadors that “Syria remains in a state of profound conflict, complexity and division” – one of four key messages he had for ambassadors. His also focused on the plight of Syrian refugees, the need for a political solution, and engagement towards implementation of Council resolution 2254 (2015), which endorses a road map for… Continue reading UN Special Envoy warns of escalation risk in Syria

“Heavy shooting from the Israeli Forces at a UN convoy heading to Gaza city. While there are no casualties, our teams had to duck and take cover” in the incident on Sunday, according to the head of UNRWA, Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini, in a post on X, which called for the perpetrators to be held accountable.… Continue reading Gaza city-bound UN aid convoy comes under Israeli fire, says UNRWA

21 July 2024 Peace and Security UN Secretary-General António Guterres has responded to Israel’s airstrikes on the Yemeni port city of Hudaydah, which reportedly killed at least six people and injured more than 80, by calling for all parties involved in the conflict to “exercise utmost restraint”. In statement, Mr. Guterres noted that Israel had… Continue reading UN chief expresses deep concern over Israel strikes on Yemen, and risk of regional escalation

19 July 2024 Humanitarian Aid The head of the UN agency for Palestine refugees UNRWA welcomed the decision by the United Kingdom on Friday to resume funding of the agency “at a critical time, as the agency continues to come under harsh and unprecedented attacks”. Sixteen countries pulled funding from the UN agency in January… Continue reading Boost for UNRWA as UK decides to restore funding

19 July 2024 Humanitarian Aid Heavy fighting in Sudan has severely curtailed humanitarian aid deliveries across vast areas of the southeast, the UN World Food Programme, WFP, said on Friday. In an alert, WFP expressed deep concern about “the escalation of fighting” in Sudan’s Sennar State. More than 136,000 people have already fled their homes,… Continue reading Sudan aid obstacles impact lifesaving relief effort

In a statement, Christian Lindmeier, spokesperson for the World Health Organization (WHO), said that vaccine-derived poliovirus type 2 (VDPV2) had been identified at six locations in sewage samples collected on 23 June from Khan Younis and Deir al Balah. To date, no one has been treated in Gaza for paralysis or other symptoms caused by… Continue reading Polio stalks Gazans as ‘anarchy’ spreads, humanitarians warn

“They are losing their lives, they are sick, hungry, exhausted, holding families together despite their constant fear and loss,” said Maryse Guimond, speaking from Jerusalem to journalists at UN Headquarters in New York. Ms. Guimond recently concluded a weeklong mission to Gaza – a place she has visited more than 50 times in her six years in the job, including after previous escalations.  This time, she was not prepared… Continue reading No end in sight to the ‘war on women’ in Gaza

In addition to all those forcibly uprooted from their shelters and homes, the UN World Food Programme (WFP) warned that the delivery of lifesaving rations has become even more difficult than it was already. “Many distribution points have had to shut down. Only a few bakeries remain operational,” the UN agency said in a post on… Continue reading ‘Largest’ displacements so far in Gaza’s war of attrition: UN aid agencies

The demonstrations erupted two weeks ago, and students have been clashing with their pro-government counterparts and the police in the capital, Dhaka, and other cities.  The Bangladeshi Government closed all public and private universities after the protests turned deadly on Tuesday, with six people killed and scores injured, according to media reports. Writing on social… Continue reading World News in Brief: Bangladesh student protests, South Sudan attacks continue, opportunity knocks for climate action in Africa

17 July 2024 Peace and Security The World Health Organization (WHO) has registered more than 1,000 attacks on healthcare facilities in the Occupied Palestinian Territory since the October 7 terror attacks in Israel sparked the on-going war in Gaza, the agency’s top official in the region said on Wednesday. In a press briefing, Dr. Rik… Continue reading Over 1,000 attacks on healthcare in Occupied Palestinian Territory since October

17 July 2024 Peace and Security The UN Security Council on Wednesday convened an open debate on the ongoing crisis in Gaza, which continues to be marked by immense suffering – compounded now by a complete breakdown of law and order – and a humanitarian system on the brink of collapse. Addressing ambassadors on behalf… Continue reading Security Council debates Gaza crisis, as civilian suffering continues unabated

Global perspective Human stories UN Secretary-General António Guterres addresses the media at UN Headquarters in New York (file photo). 16 July 2024 Peace and Security UN Secretary-General António Guterres is remembering the 298 people killed in “the tragic downing” of Malaysian Airlines flight MH17 over conflict-affected eastern Ukraine 10 years ago this Wednesday, his Spokesperson… Continue reading Guterres renews call for accountability 10 years after ‘tragic downing’ of flight MH17

The “grim milestone” means that 20 per cent of the population has been forced to flee in the span of just 15 months, he added. “The majority of those displaced are inside the country – that is almost eight million human beings – and over half of those are children,” said Mr. Dujarric, speaking during… Continue reading World News in Brief: Sudan displacement ‘grim milestone’, UN deputy chief in West Africa, Côte d’Ivoire joins UN water treaty

Reports of strikes landing near an aid centre in Deir Al-Balah came from the UN humanitarian office, OCHA, said UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric, who provided updates on the situation in the besieged enclave. “The [aid] operations are continuing,” he told journalists at UN Headquarters. “But, if there’s a strike 100 metres away from the place where… Continue reading Gaza: Multiple strikes kill dozens near UN aid hub as thousands flee fighting

16 July 2024 Peace and Security The current polarized international political landscape was on raw display at the United Nations Security Council on Tuesday, as it convened for the Russian presidency’s signature event for the month, entitled “multilateral cooperation in the interest of a more just, democratic and sustainable world order”. Russian Foreign Minister and… Continue reading Polarized Security Council debates meaning of multilateralism

“What Haitians want the most is peace, that will allow them to return to school, to farm their fields, to access basic services such as going to a hospital,” Edem Wosornu, Operations and Advocacy Director with the UN humanitarian affairs office, OCHA, said in a joint statement issued on Monday. Ms. Wosornu visited Haiti alongside Lucia Elmi, Director for Emergency Operations… Continue reading UN and EU humanitarians appeal for more support for Haiti

In an alert, Dr Shible Sahbani, WHO Representative to Sudan, said that heavy fighting between Sudan’s rival militaries had made access to El Fasher “completely impossible”, as the country’s warring parties continue to hold talks in Geneva. The latest warning about the emergency comes 15 months since heavy conflict erupted between rival militaries in Sudan… Continue reading Sudan: 800,000 still trapped in El Fasher where supplies running out, warns WHO

15 July 2024 Climate and Environment Eight critical global shifts are accelerating a triple planetary crisis of climate change, nature loss, pollution and waste, according to the new Global Foresight Report produced by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) and the International Science Council (ISC) released on Monday.  “The rapid rate of change, uncertainty and technological developments we’re… Continue reading The triple planetary crisis: Global Foresight Report reveals global shifts

15 July 2024 Humanitarian Aid Twelve years on from independence the people of South Sudan continue to face huge challenges, exacerbated now by the war in neighbouring Sudan, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Monday. The UN health agency insisted that the humanitarian, economic, social and political crises that began with brutal civil conflict… Continue reading South Sudan faces a growing humanitarian crisis, warns WHO

In an update from Nasser Medical Complex in Khan Younis where victims have been admitted, veteran UN aid official Scott Anderson reported witnessing “some of the most horrific” scenes he had experienced in his nine months in Gaza. “With not enough beds, hygiene equipment, sheeting or scrubs, many patients were treated on the ground without… Continue reading Gaza: fresh airstrikes reported in centre, south, as conflict intensifies

13 July 2024 Peace and Security The UN health agency and partners are responding to help the hundreds hurt during Saturday’s airstrikes by Israeli forces on Gaza’s Al Mawasi area which have reportedly left at least 90 dead and around 300 injured, according to figures from the war-torn enclave’s health ministry. Israeli officials said the… Continue reading Gaza: WHO and partners provide lifesaving treatment following deadly Israeli strikes in Al Mawasi

Leonardo Santos Simão, who heads the UN Office for West Africa and the Sahel (UNOWAS), told the Security Council that by “renouncing ECOWAS”, the three military-led governments would be “relinquishing key benefits” including regional integration, freedom of movement, security cooperation and an integrated regional economy, hurting both themselves and remaining ECOWAS members. The three transitional… Continue reading Top official warns of weakened regional security following withdrawal from West African economic bloc by Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger

Launching its annual sand and dust storm report the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) said poor environmental management had made their occurrence worse. WMO Secretary-General Celeste Saulo called for increased vigilance due to climate change. “Scientific evidence shows that human activities are having an impact on sand and dust storms,” she said. She cited higher temperatures, drought… Continue reading World News in Brief: Sand and dust storm scourge, Mali humanitarian update, moving education online

Speaking at a pledging conference for the agency, the UN chief outlined the countless challenges facing Palestinian civilians in Gaza who are “forced to move like human pinballs across a landscape of destruction and death”. “Hopelessness is the greatest ally of instability,” he warned, stressing that through its work, “UNRWA is one of the greatest… Continue reading Gaza: There is no alternative to UNRWA, Guterres declares

For decades, conflict in the mineral-rich eastern DRC has triggered alarming levels of violence, mass displacement, widespread disease, gender-based violence and severe mental trauma, explained Dr Adelheid Marschang, Senior Emergency Officer at the World Health Organization (WHO). ‘Chronic and acute shock’ Today, the vast central African nation now has the “highest number of people in… Continue reading DR Congo: Conflict escalation linked to deadly Mpox threat

Heavy conflict erupted last April between rival militaries over a proposed transition to civilian rule, following a military coup in 2021 and the 2019 ousting of long-time President Omar Al-Bashir. UN Geneva spokesperson Alessandra Vellucci confirmed that only one of the delegations attended the initial discussions after senior representatives from the Sudanese Armed Forces and… Continue reading Sudan: UN-hosted talks on local ceasefires to continue in Geneva

The Assembly also called for an immediate end to attacks against Ukraine’s critical energy infrastructure, following weeks of escalation.  The resolution entitled Safety and security of nuclear facilities of Ukraine, including the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant was adopted with 99 countries in favour and nine against (Belarus, Burundi, Cuba, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Eritrea,… Continue reading General Assembly demands immediate end to Russian aggression in Ukraine

The 2016 deal between the national authorities and the FARC-EP armed group in effect ended more than five decades of conflict, but violence persists.  Hundreds of signatories killed UN Special Representative Carlos Ruiz Massieu told ambassadors that “insecurity is clearly the main obstacle to reintegration and the success of the Peace Agreement”.  He said 421 signatories have been killed since it was signed. “In the face of this,… Continue reading Insecurity main obstacle to realizing Colombia Peace Agreement, Security Council hears

Residential areas, markets, hospitals and sites holding displaced people are all being impacted, he told reporters at the daily briefing in New York. As many as 329,000 people were displaced during the past three months from the last remaining city under Government control in Darfur, according to the UN migration agency (IOM). Civilians must be… Continue reading World News in Brief: Concern mounts over fate of El Fasher, call for consensus over South Sudan elections, indigenous rights in Brazil

In a resolution adopted without a vote, the Council strongly condemned all violations and abuses of human rights in Myanmar, particularly following the military coup in February 2021.   It called upon Myanmar “to end immediately all violence and violations of international law in the country, to ensure full protection of the human rights and… Continue reading UN rights council condemns Myanmar abuses, urges immediate action

Ukrainian authorities have said that the attacks claimed the lives of about 34 civilians, including five children, and injured over 120 others.    The attacks also damaged 130 buildings – rescue services are still working on clearing the wreckage.  Rescue operations The airstrikes on Monday hit and damaged the Okhmatdyt Children’s Hospital, where rescue operations have… Continue reading World News in Brief: Ukraine rescue efforts, Libyan activist abducted, climate impacts on fish stocks, SDG ‘wake-up call’

These are just a few of the concerning findings of a new report into the digital economy by UN trade agency UNCTAD, which insists that the thriving sector’s negative environmental impact must be taken more seriously – and slowed by investment in renewables. “The rise of technologies such as artificial intelligence and cryptocurrency, cryptocurrency mining,… Continue reading Digital boom could well be a bust for the environment, warns UN trade agency

“Four schools hit in the last four days. Since the war began, two thirds of UNRWA schools in Gaza have been hit, some were bombed out, many severely damaged,” said Philippe Lazzarini, in a post on X. In a statement posted on Tuesday, the Israeli military said it had been targeting “terrorist infrastructure and terrorist… Continue reading Schools ‘bombed-out’ in latest Gaza escalation, says UNRWA chief

Global perspective Human stories The old City of Sana’a in Yemen. 9 July 2024 Peace and Security The UN human rights office (OHCHR) remains “extremely worried” for the well-being of 13 UN staff and a number of NGO employees arbitrarily detained in Yemen, spokesperson Jeremy Laurence said on Tuesday, demanding their unconditional release. The staffers… Continue reading UN pressing for release of staff detained in Yemen

Two of the country’s main specialist hospitals for children and women were heavily damaged along with key energy infrastructure, reportedly killing dozens of civilians, including children, and injuring over 110. Joyce Msuya, acting UN Emergency Relief Coordinator, told ambassadors in the Security Council on Tuesday, that the UN human rights office (OHCHR) was verifying the… Continue reading Casualties rise in Ukraine amid escalating Russian attacks, Security Council hears

Briefing journalists in Geneva, UN World Health Organization (WHO) spokesperson Tarik Jasarevic said that according to the enclave’s health authorities, 34 people have died of malnutrition and dehydration amid ongoing Israeli bombardment, sparked by Hamas-led terror attacks on 7 October. “In [northern Gaza’s] Kamal Adwan hospital alone, 60 cases of severe acute malnutrition were detected… Continue reading Gazans reeling from closed hospitals, malnutrition and heat risks, warns UN health agency

“These latest figures from the Copernicus Climate Change Service unfortunately highlight that we will be exceeding the 1.5 degrees Celsius level on a temporary basis with increasing frequency, on a monthly basis,” said the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) Secretary-General Celeste Saulo. The crucial 1.5°C threshold refers to the temperature rise above pre-industrial levels beginning in… Continue reading Earth’s hottest June on record

8 July 2024 Peace and Security Ukrainian cities faced another barrage of missiles fired by Russian forces on Monday with dozens killed and a children’s hospital among the targets, UN humanitarians have said. Condemning the daytime attacks, the UN’s top aid coordinator in Ukraine, Denise Brown, said that several cities were targeted, including the capital,… Continue reading Several Ukrainian cities hit in new wave of Russia missile attacks

5 July 2024 Peace and Security Fresh fighting in southeast Sudan is exacerbating civilian suffering, with reports that over 136,000 people have fled their homes in search of safety, UN humanitarians have said. “People are facing multiple protection risks and have reported widespread looting of homes and personal possessions,” the UN Office for the Coordination… Continue reading Tens of thousands displaced as fighting intensifies in southeast Sudan

The latest escalation, which occurred on Thursday, “heightens the risk of a full-scale war”, the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General said in a note to correspondents. “Escalation can and must be avoided. We reiterate that the danger of miscalculation leading to a sudden and wider conflagration is real,” it added, stressing that a… Continue reading UN warns of escalating tensions on Lebanon-Israel ‘Blue Line’ frontier

5 July 2024 Climate and Environment The UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) on Friday designated 11 new biosphere reserves, recognizing their importance for conserving biodiversity and cultural heritage. The new designations are in Colombia, the Dominican Republic, Gambia, Italy, Mongolia, Philippines, the Republic of Korea and Spain.   Additionally, and for the first… Continue reading UNESCO designates 11 new biosphere reserves

“The central goal of our multilateral system must be peace – a pre-condition for sustainable development and the enjoyment of human rights,” he told Heads of States attending the world’s largest regional organisation meeting in Kazakhstan’s capital. António Guterres listed multiple conflicts where ceasefire and lasting peace are needed, from the Middle East to Ukraine and from… Continue reading UN chief to leaders of regional bloc: end wars, deal with existential crises

“Thousands are sheltering in UNRWA schools…and government buildings,” the UN agency for Palestine refugees told UN News, adding that others “are already beginning to turn back, telling us of lack of spaces in other areas”. UNRWA also reiterated warnings that living conditions are “beyond unbearable”, because of the mountains of waste and rubbish piled high… Continue reading Gaza war grinds on as forcibly displaced run out of space to shelter

Maria Isabel Salvador, Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Haiti, briefed ambassadors at the Security Council, highlighting the installation of the Transitional Presidential Council in April and the swearing-in of an interim Prime Minister and new government in June as “clear indications of progress.” Haiti has been embroiled in a complex crisis, marked by… Continue reading Haiti: UN envoy welcomes democratic progress amidst alarming violence

Speaking via video link from Jerusalem, Andrea De Domenico, head of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in the occupied Palestinian territory (OPT), said people have been forced to “completely reset their lives over and over again.” “People, in the last nine months, have been moved around like ‘pawns in a… Continue reading Gaza ‘split in two’ as civilians, humanitarians reset lives, aid efforts

“This morning, we heard views from members of Afghan civil society, women and men, who provided us – the special envoys and the UN – with valuable insights on the rights of women and minorities in the country, girls’ education, the media, business and many other issues,” Rosemary DiCarlo, UN Under-Secretary-General for political affairs, told… Continue reading World News in Brief: Doha talks on Afghanistan, human rights in Belarus, Rohingya refugees in India, global trade rises

A Category 5 storm, Hurricane Beryl has claimed at least six lives as it barrels through the Caribbean Sea. Initial reports indicate severe damage to homes, infrastructure and power and communications. UN Spokesperson Stephané Dujarric told journalists at the regular press briefing in New York that seven agencies based in Grenada and nine in Saint… Continue reading UN urges international solidarity as Hurricane Beryl devastates Caribbean islands

Public services have collapsed and over 1.9 million have now been displaced, she told ambassadors at the Security Council, underscoring the critical need for a full, immediate and complete ceasefire, release of all hostages and unhindered aid across the enclave. “The war has not merely created a humanitarian crisis, it has unleashed a maelstrom of… Continue reading Gaza is a ‘maelstrom of human misery’

In an alert detailing another night of heavy bombardment across the enclave, the UN agency assisting Palestine refugees, UNRWA, said that Gazans fleeing the southern city have had to erect shelters at the water’s edge because displacement camps are already packed at the coast. Only a few weeks ago, Khan Younis was deserted after intense Israeli bombardment damaged… Continue reading Gaza: 250,000 set to be displaced by new Khan Younis escalation

1 July 2024 Peace and Security Continued violence and instability in Haiti has resulted in the displacement of over 300,000 children, with an estimated one child being displaced every minute since March, the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) said on Tuesday. Catherine Russell, UNICEF Executive Director, highlighted the horrific impact of violence on children and adolescents.… Continue reading Haiti: Violence displaces one child every minute, reports UNICEF

By Daniel Johnson 1 July 2024 Peace and Security Ongoing heavy fighting in northern Gaza has now forced an estimated 84,000 people to flee eastern Gaza City in a matter of days, while also cutting off access to a key aid distribution hub, UN humanitarians said on Monday. The exodus from Gaza City’s eastern Shujaiya… Continue reading Tens of thousands displaced in new Gaza City escalation

29 June 2024 Peace and Security The UN Secretary-General on Saturday praised the adoption of a “strong outcome document” at the end of a conference dedicated to combatting illicit small arms and light weapons worldwide, saying it was an important sign of progress. “The proliferation, diversion and misuse of small arms and light weapons continue… Continue reading UN chief lauds ‘strong’ new recommendations to limit proliferation of light weapons

Ms. Nakamitsu noted that in recent months there had been allegations of transfers of ballistic missiles and ammunition from the DPRK (more commonly known as North Korea) to Russia, in violation of Council resolutions, allegedly for use in Moscow’s continuing invasion of Ukraine. “UN Security Council sanctions regimes are at the top of such international… Continue reading Top UN official calls for strict compliance with sanctions on DPR Korea

“You can hear bombardments from the north, the middle and the south…Gaza now really is hell on earth, It’s very hot…Trash is piling up everywhere, people living under plastic sheeting where temperatures soar,” said Ms. Wateridge, a Senior Communications Officer with the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, hours after returning to the shattered enclave… Continue reading Going back into ‘hell’: An aid worker’s journey through shattered Gaza

27 June 2024 Peace and Security The UN Security Council on Thursday demanded that Houthi rebels in Yemen immediately cease all attacks against merchant and commercial vessels in the Red Sea. The Houthi attacks began at the end of last year in what the militant group said was an act of solidarity with Palestinians in… Continue reading Security Council demands Houthis cease attacks in the Red Sea

27 June 2024 Humanitarian Aid Delivery of humanitarian aid in Gaza remains a difficult and frustrating task for UN and partner agencies as the conflict there grinds on amid intense civilian suffering. On Thursday, UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric, provided details from aid coordination office OCHA on how difficult providing aid has become for agencies in… Continue reading Gaza: Aid constraints and health issues persist amid ongoing conflict

The artwork by Australian artist Fintan Magee is in support of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and September’s pivotal Summit of the Future.  “This work examines the human elements in the role of the UN and the fragility of peace. Lasting stability should never be taken for granted and will always require continued diplomacy and… Continue reading ‘Fragility of peace’ depicted in giant new mural on UN tower in Vienna

Briefing ambassadors at the Security Council on the situation in the country, head of the UN mission Valentine Rugwabiza stated that the additional deployment also facilitated the delivery of humanitarian aid in the restive and hard-to-access Haut Mbomou region. Bordering South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the region – which is larger… Continue reading UN mission boosts presence in Central African Republic’s conflict-stricken southeast

27 June 2024 Peace and Security Police chiefs and government leaders convened at UN Headquarters on Thursday for the opening session of UNCOPS 2024.  The summit, themed Advancing our Common Security: UN Policing for a New Era, began with a video highlighting the UN Police’s (UNPOL) mission to promote security, protect human rights, and support Member… Continue reading Global leaders address security and peacekeeping challenges at UN Police summit

Since the February 2021 coup, over 5,000 civilians have been killed, at least three million displaced. More than 20,000 political prisoners remain incarcerated. Military airstrikes against civilian targets have increased five-fold in the last six months, even as the junta loses military outposts, territory, and troops to resistance forces. Potential enablers In a new report,… Continue reading Rights expert urges banks to stop financing Myanmar junta weapons trade

Speaking anonymously and through an interpreter, the 16-year-old called on ambassadors to reinforce protection and security in conflict zones to ensure children like him never have to play an active part in the horrors of war. “When I was born, 16 years ago, there were already armed conflicts in the east of the Democratic Republic… Continue reading UN hears testimony from former child soldier on brutal reality of war

Responding to media reports on Tuesday that the UN had warned the aid effort may have to stop unless the security situation and coordination with the Israeli military improved, Emergency Relief Coordinator Martin Griffiths denied that any “ultimatum” had been given. “We continue, as we have done for these many, many months to negotiate with… Continue reading We’ll never abandon Gaza, pledges top UN aid official

Mr. Assange had been sought by US lawmakers after massive leaks of classified material via the WikiLeaks platform. Alice Jill Edwards, Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, told UN News that “people should not and should never be extradited to where they may face a torture or other… Continue reading World News in Brief: UN expert welcomes Assange release, more ICC warrants issued over Ukraine, Human Rights Council updates

Najat Rochdi, UN Deputy Special Envoy for Syria, told council members that Syria’s dire situation needs political solutions in order for its issues to be sustainably addressed. ‘Climate of fear’ Deputy Special Envoy Rochdi said the security situation in Syria remains violent and tense leaving many civilians in a “climate of fear.” She pointed to… Continue reading Syria: Security Council highlights escalating crisis and civilian suffering

According to the latest UN-partnered Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) report, 96 per cent of the population – some 2.15 million people – face acute food insecurity at “crisis” level or higher – IPC 3 (check out our explainer on the IPC here). Included in this number are almost half a million people enduring… Continue reading New famine alert for Gaza where families go days without food

24 June 2024Peace and Security Restoring the Iran nuclear deal to its full and effective implementation “remains elusive”, the UN’s top political affairs official said on Monday, adding that participating countries remain at odds with each other. Rosemary DiCarlo, Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, was updating ambassadors in the Security Council. The United States… Continue reading Effort to restore Iran nuclear deal ‘remains elusive’, Security Council hears

24 June 2024Health A total of 53 countries had best practice policies in place for tackling industrial trans fats in food as of last year, vastly improving the food environment for 3.7 billion people, or 46 per cent of the world’s population, according to a milestone report published by the UN World Health Organization on Monday.… Continue reading Half the world now following doctors’ orders on cutting trans fats: WHO

James Swan, head of the UN Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNSOM) briefed ambassadors noting that the Somali government is prioritising security and combating Al-Shabaab fighters on many fronts. “For its part, Al-Shabaab remains determined to continue terrorist attacks with little regard for the loss of civilian life,” he said. “I condemn these terrorist attacks and… Continue reading Officials highlight ongoing terrorist threats and dire humanitarian needs in Somalia

In a statement issued by his Spokesperson on Monday, António Guterres conveyed his condolences to the bereaved families, the people and Government of Russia, wishing the injured a speedy recovery. Gunmen using automatic weapons reportedly opened fire inside a Christian Orthodox church and synagogue in the city of Derbent on Sunday evening, killing an Orthodox… Continue reading World News in Brief: Guterres condemns terror attacks in Dagestan, call to end ‘war on drugs’, women Heads of State

24 June 2024Peace and Security Heavy fighting in Sudan hit a new low over the weekend when a maternity hospital in besieged El Fasher city came under attack, killing a pharmacy worker and prompting new calls on Monday from the head of the UN health agency for the violence to stop. The attack on the… Continue reading Sudan: WHO appalled by horrific attack on El Fasher’s maternity hospital

In a plea for political and financial support from Member States, UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini underscored that the agency was “staggering under the weight of relentless attacks in Gaza”, after nearly nine months of intense Israeli bombardment and ground operations. “The pressures on the agency today are greater than ever before,” he insisted. In addition… Continue reading Chief of key UN agency in Gaza warns ‘entire generation’ could be lost

Mr. Piper said that the current global figure of 76 million represented those who have “lost their homes, livelihoods, their communities and in some cases, their legal identities, because of wars, disasters like earthquakes and floods, and other weather-related disasters.” Internally displaced people (IDPs), unlike refugees, have not crossed international borders. While some return home… Continue reading Record levels of displacement amid global conflict and natural disasters

Top officials from the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) and the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) briefed ambassadors at the 15-member Council, describing the impact on civilians since the Taliban took over in August 2021. Roza Otunbayeva, Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Afghanistan and head of UNAMA highlighted “massive… Continue reading Officials highlight massive poverty, humanitarian despair in Afghanistan

21 June 2024Peace and Security The UN Secretary-General on Friday voiced profound concern over escalating violence and “bellicose rhetoric” between Israel and Hezbollah militants across the frontier with Lebanon, warning that one false move could trigger a catastrophe for the whole region and beyond. The situation along the Blue Line, the demarcation between Israeli and… Continue reading ‘World cannot afford Lebanon to become another Gaza’: Guterres

“The population has been almost entirely dispossessed of the means and capacities to ensure food security, shelter, health, and livelihood,” said Maryse Guimond, UN Women’s Special Representative for the Occupied Palestinian Territory. “Women were asking me, ‘When can we go back to our homes?’ Each displacement has brought more loss and fear.” Dignity, privacy gone… Continue reading Gaza is more than two million stories of loss: UN agencies

“Violence, particularly in the capital Port-au-Prince, has reached alarming levels, with armed groups controlling large areas and complicating humanitarian access,” the experts, including the Special Rapporteur on the rights of internally displaced persons, said. The clashes between gangs and the Haitian National Police have created a “pervasive environment of fear, restricting freedom of movement and… Continue reading Haiti faces record displacement amid escalating gang violence

Peoples’ Climate Vote 2024, the biggest ever standalone public opinion survey on climate change, also showed that 80 per cent of the respondents support more ambitious climate action. “The Peoples’ Climate Vote is loud and clear,” said UNDP Administrator Achim Steiner.   “Global citizens want their leaders to transcend their differences, to act now and… Continue reading Global survey reveals ‘truly astonishing’ consensus for stronger climate action

At a Security Council high-level debate on evolving threats in cyberspace, convened by the Republic of Korea, Council President for June, Mr. Guterres underscored the transformative power of digital technologies. “Breakthroughs in digital technologies are happening at warp speed; digital advances are revolutionising economies and societies,” he said. “They are bringing people together, providing citizens… Continue reading UN chief warns of ‘cyber mercenaries’ amid spike in weaponising digital tools

In its latest report on the dire situation in Gaza issued late Wednesday, the UN aid coordination office, OCHA, underscored deep concerns expressed by sister UN agency the World Food Programme (WFP) for all those in southern Gaza, traumatized and crammed into a narrow area along the beach “in the burning summer heat”. “Active conflict and… Continue reading Gaza today: Scorching heat, visible signs of wasting and heavy fighting

Briefing journalists in New York, Deputy UN Spokesperson Farhan Haq said that agency assisting Palestine refugee (UNRWA) estimates that only 65,000 people remain in Rafah, compared to six weeks ago when the southern city hosted 1.4 million displaced – before the Israeli evacuation order and military operation there began.  “UNRWA also tells us that for… Continue reading World News in Brief: Women doing ‘inspirational’ work in Gaza, huge increase in Haiti displacement, Uyghur rights in China

That’s a record number on the move – “fuelling profound human suffering”, António Guterres added, while at the same time honouring their strength and courage. Drawing attention to the day each 20 June, is also about stepping up efforts to protect and support those forced from their homes “on every stop of their journey.” Equal… Continue reading Honour the strength and courage of refugees, urges UN chief

The finding follows investigations by the UN human rights office, OHCHR, into six attacks that it has described as “emblematic” of Israeli tactics in the more than eight-month war, involving the suspected use of bombs weighing up to 2,000lbs (920kg) on residential buildings, a school, refugee camps and a market. These weapons measuring approximately 12… Continue reading Laws of war likely ‘consistently violated’ in Israeli strikes on Gaza: UN rights office

The fifth edition of the report, released by the Health Effects Institute (HEI), revealed that air pollution caused 8.1 million deaths worldwide in 2021 and many millions are dealing with debilitating chronic diseases, leaving healthcare systems, economies, and societies. Further, it found that children under five are particularly vulnerable to air pollution, leaving over 700,000… Continue reading Deadly and growing impact of air pollution laid bare in new UNICEF-backed report

Addressing the Geneva-based Human Rights Council, Volker Türk, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights emphasized that the crisis there is “emblematic of a decades-long legacy of military domination, the stifling of dissent, and division.” He added that the same dynamics are playing out against the minority Muslim Rohingya and other communities in Rakhine province. “We… Continue reading Systematic terror, brutal atrocities rife in Myanmar: UN human rights chief

Delivering remarks in New York on behalf of the Secretary-General at a meeting aimed at eradicating the illicit trade in small arms, Izumi Nakamitsu, the head of the UN Office of Disarmament Affairs, warned on Tuesday that military expenditures continue to rise across the globe. New conflicts are placing millions of people in the line… Continue reading World News in Brief: Weapons sales threat, More aid for Haiti, global refugee and migrant survey

18 June 2024Peace and Security The UN’s top political affairs official on Tuesday reiterated that attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure are prohibited by international law. More than 170 civilians lost their lives and a further 690 were injured in continued Russian strikes across Ukraine last month. That’s the highest number of civilian casualties in… Continue reading Attacks against civilians in Ukraine ‘unconscionable’, Security Council hears

The war that erupted last April between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has triggered political instability, a severe humanitarian emergency and widespread human rights violations. Over 15,500 fatalities have been reported in some 1,400 violent incidents targeting civilians and there are now almost 9.5 million forcibly displaced in… Continue reading ‘Nowhere is safe’ for civilians as Sudan war descends further into chaos

In his traditional opening address to the Human Rights Council now in session in Geneva, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights also reiterated serious concerns raised by his Office that war crimes have been committed by all sides since conflict erupted on 7 October, sparked by Hamas-led terror attacks on multiple targets in Israel.… Continue reading Gaza: UN rights chief slams ‘unconscionable death and suffering’

Mr. Thiaw spoke to UN News ahead of the World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought, marked annually on 17 June Ibrahim Thiaw: Desertification is happening at the local level as much as it is global. Unless we address this at the local level, we will never be able to actually control it at the… Continue reading INTERVIEW: Sustainable energy offers ‘hope’ in fight against desertification and land loss

16 June 2024Climate and Environment As nearly 40 per cent of land across the planet is degraded with more acres lost every second, governments, businesses and communities must galvanize action to reverse the damage and protect Earth, the UN chief said in a strong message for the World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought, marked… Continue reading Stop ‘vandalising’ Earth and help the planet thrive, UN chief urges

Global perspective Human stories Climate change impacts continue to fuel tensions and drive displacement in Nigeria. 14 June 2024Humanitarian Aid Despite its huge potential, Nigeria, Africa’s most populous country, continues to grapple with a host of challenges which are impacting people’s lives and triggering conflict over key resources, a senior UN official in the country… Continue reading Climate change fuels tensions in Nigeria

The head of the UN human rights office (OHCHR) Volker Türk on Friday called for serious measures to be taken to end human rights violations that are jeopardizing reconciliation and peace efforts in Ethiopia. 

14 June 2024Peace and Security A surge of attacks by Russian forces on the Kharkiv area of Ukraine is causing significant civilian casualties, as well as the destruction of homes and crucial infrastructure, the top UN official in Ukraine said today, in a plea not to “normalize” the dire conditions for Ukrainian civilians.   “There has… Continue reading War in Ukraine should not be ‘new normal’, warns top humanitarian there

Alice Nderitu, Special Adviser of the Secretary on the Prevention of Genocide, emphasized that in addition to violence, hate speech also reinforces discrimination, stigma, dehumanization, and marginalization. “Violence does not start when physical attacks are launched. Violence often starts with words. Words of hatred spread intolerance, divide societies, promote and endorse discrimination and incite violence,”… Continue reading Genocide prevention adviser warns of global threat posed by hate speech

“Driving through Gaza City to Jabalia, the destruction is unbelievable.  In the North of Gaza, I didn’t see one single building intact and there was constant shelling with drones buzzing overhead,” he said.  “The people here are traumatised and exhausted. One woman who had lost her husband told me this war has been going on… Continue reading Conflict and lawlessness hamper food aid delivery in Gaza: WFP

The US-led resolution calls for an immediate ceasefire, the release of some hostages together with Palestinian prisoners, followed by the withdrawal of Israeli forces from populated areas and the return of Palestinians to their homes throughout Gaza while humanitarian aid flows in at scale. UN News correspondent in Gaza Ziad Taleb spoke to some of… Continue reading ‘Better late than never’: Gazans react to Security Council ceasefire resolution

13 June 2024Peace and Security The UN Security Council adopted a resolution on Thursday that calls for the paramilitary Rapid Security Forces (RSF) in Sudan to halt their siege on El Fasher, capital of North Darfur state.  The resolution, put forward by the United Kingdom, received 14 votes in favour, none against, with Russia abstaining.… Continue reading Security Council demands end to siege of El Fasher in Sudan

Many innocent civilians were killed, including children, in a residential area of the densely populated city. It also struck education facilities and several apartment buildings.  “Strikes on Ukrainian cities by the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation continue to bring devastating human loss,” said Ms. Brown. Respect international law    “International humanitarian law must be respected,”… Continue reading World News in Brief: Ukraine attacks continue, education in Africa, Albinism update

Special Envoy of the UN Secretary-General for Yemen Hans Grundberg warned ambassadors in the Security Council that recent months have seen a “gradual increase” in fighting in several locations, as well as consistent threats by all sides to return to war. If the parties continue the current escalatory trajectory the “question is not if, but… Continue reading UN envoy warns Yemenis not to return to the battlefield

Children were killed and maimed in unprecedented numbers in places such as Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories, notably Gaza; Burkina Faso, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Sudan and Ukraine, his annual report on Children and Armed Conflict revealed.  The alarming increase was due to the evolving nature, complexity, and intensification of armed conflict,… Continue reading UN reports ‘shocking’ rise in violations against children in conflict in 2023

In a stark assessment of the dire situation after more than eight months of war, the head of the UN World Health Organization (WHO), Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus warned on Tuesday that “a significant proportion of Gaza’s population is now facing catastrophic hunger and famine-like conditions”. To date, more than 8,000 youngsters have been diagnosed and… Continue reading Gaza: 8,000 children diagnosed with malnutrition amid ongoing shelling

“In Gaza, we are deeply committed to humanitarian aid to the population in Gaza, where UNRWA is the backbone of that support,” Mr. Guterres told journalists in Geneva. “We have faced a number of difficulties and obstacles that are well known, but nothing diminishes our commitment,” he added, amid a long-running misinformation campaign to discredit… Continue reading Guterres highlights ‘unique level of destruction’ in Gaza ahead of G7 summit

Ambassadors held an open meeting on the human rights situation in the country, commonly known as North Korea, convened by Japan, the Republic of Korea, the United Kingdom and the United States. China and Russia opposed the meeting and called for a procedural vote by the 15 members, which was defeated.  Alone and claustrophobic  Briefing… Continue reading Life in DPR Korea still ‘daily struggle devoid of hope’ warns human rights chief

In a video posted on social media, Karim Khan urged victim groups, civil society organizations, national authorities, and international partners to engage with his Office and provide any evidence and material relating to the ongoing atrocities being inflicted on civilians. The ICC has an ongoing active investigation into the situation in Darfur, which began in… Continue reading ICC Prosecutor appeals for evidence of Darfur atrocities

11 June 2024Migrants and Refugees At least 49 migrants have been killed, including many women and children, and a further 140 are missing after the boat they were on capsized off the coast of Yemen on Monday, the UN International Organization for Migration (IOM) has reported. Some 260 people were abroad the vessel that had… Continue reading Over 180 migrants dead or missing in latest tragedy off Yemen, UN agency reports

The President and Prosecutor with the International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals (IRMCT) briefed ambassadors on progress made over the past two years as it moves closer towards wrapping up for good. The Mechanism was established by the Council to continue essential functions of the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR), which closed in December… Continue reading UN war crimes tribunals move closer to completion

11 June 2024Peace and Security The UN Development Progamme (UNDP) is helping to tackle the mountain of rubble and waste in Ukraine – one of the fallouts from the full-scale Russian invasion of the country, now in its third year.  The war has affected more than a quarter of Ukraine’s territory, according to the authorities,… Continue reading UNDP supports innovative solution to ‘war waste’ in Ukraine

Speaking in Jordan at an international conference prompted by the catastrophic humanitarian situation in Gaza, Mr. Guterres insisted that after more than eight months of intense hostilities, “the horror must stop”. “I welcome the peace initiative recently outlined by President Biden and urge all parties to seize this opportunity and come to an agreement,” the… Continue reading Gaza: ‘high time’ for ceasefire and hostage release, says Guterres

Four additional UN staff members have been detained and held incommunicado by the de facto authorities since 2021 and 2023, without access to their families or their respective organizations and agencies.  “This is an alarming development that raises serious concerns about the Houthis’ commitment to a negotiated solution to the conflict. The United Nations condemns… Continue reading Yemen: UN chief demands release of aid workers held by Houthis

But, briefing the Security Council, Abdou Abarry, Special Representative of the Secretary-General for the region also warned that insecurity and humanitarian crises continue to plague nations.   Observers had reported Chad’s presidential elections in May took place “under good conditions”, albeit with some isolated incidents which had not compromised the conduct or credibility of the… Continue reading Envoy highlights progress towards a new political landscape in Central Africa

Global perspective Human stories A woman and child carry possessions through the streets of Rafah. 10 June 2024Women The UN agency championing gender equality called on Monday for greater investment in Palestinian women-led organizations who are at the forefront of humanitarian operations in the Gaza Strip.  UN Women published its fourth Gender Alert since the… Continue reading Support Palestinian women-led organizations at heart of Gaza aid response

10 June 2024Peace and Security Further deadly violence in Sudan’s besieged Al Fasher city has forced a major hospital to shut over the weekend after soldiers stormed the facility, prompting alarm on Monday from the UN World Health Organization (WHO) about the serious impact on sick and injured patients. “WHO is appalled by the recent… Continue reading Sudan crisis: UN health agency alerts over attack on key hospital

9 June 2024Peace and Security The scenes of devastation witnessed in the aftermath of Israel’s military operation to release hostages from the Nuseirat refugee camp proves that each day the war continues “it only grows more horrific” the UN’s top humanitarian official said on Sunday. According to Gaza’s health ministry, more than 270 people including… Continue reading Gaza: Deaths and devastation during hostage rescue operation show ‘seismic trauma’ of ongoing war

“We are very concerned about these developments, and we are actively seeking clarification from the Houthi de facto authorities regarding the circumstances of these detentions and most importantly to ensure the immediate access to those UN personnel,” Mr. Dujarric said.   Of the detainees, two are women and nine are men. Six work for the… Continue reading World News in Brief: UN staff detained in Yemen, cyclone threat for Haiti, rights chief Lao PDR, climate change

7 June 2024Climate and Environment UN World Oceans Day, celebrated on Friday at UN Headquarters in New York, focused on “opening minds, igniting senses, and inspiring possibilities” to protect marine life worldwide.  A powerful video was shown echoing the theme, awaken new depths, warning of immediate protection needs and cautioning that there is no time… Continue reading World Oceans Day event highlights immediate action to protect oceans

At an event commemorating the 49th anniversary of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed noted progress made, alongside immediate challenges.   “Over the last decade, the region has seen an exponential rise in terrorism that has reversed its development gains. This has been further exacerbated by the resurgence… Continue reading Terrorism, humanitarian crises threaten stability of West Africa: UN deputy chief

Briefing the Security Council in New York, UN Deputy Emergency Relief Coordinator Joyce Msuya urged the international community to work to end the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine, now in its third year. Ms. Msuya said the civilian toll has continued to mount since her last briefing to the Council three weeks ago. Kharkiv under… Continue reading Ukraine: Security Council hears of escalating toll of Kharkiv attacks

“The Secretary-General strongly condemns the attack reportedly carried out on 5 June by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in the Wad Al-Noura village, Jazira state, which is said to have killed over 100 people,” his Spokesperson said in a statement overnight, which also underscored “the immense suffering of the Sudanese population as a result of… Continue reading ‘Unimaginable trauma’ haunts Sudan’s displaced while violence, famine threaten millions

Details of that development and the “unprecedented devastation” to the Palestinian jobs market and the wider economy beyond Gaza and the West Bank are outlined in a new report from the ILO. Ahead of its publication, the UN agency’s Director-General Gilbert Houngbo told the 112th International Labour Conference in Geneva on Thursday that the labour market… Continue reading Amid Gaza war, children now work so families can survive: ILO

6 June 2024Peace and Security The UN General Assembly on Thursday elected by acclamation Philemon Yang, former Prime Minister of Cameroon, President for its seventy-ninth session which gets underway in September. President-elect Yang also served as the Chairperson of the Panel of Eminent Africans of the African Union, demonstrating “unwavering dedication” to the principles of… Continue reading Philemon Yang of Cameroon elected President of upcoming General Assembly session

UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said the Secretary-General “strongly condemns” recent attacks by the Myanmar military in Rakhine State and Sagaing Region that have reportedly claimed the lives of many civilians. “The Secretary-General is deeply concerned about the widening regional ramifications of the deteriorating situation in Myanmar and reiterates his appeal for a unified approach,” Mr.… Continue reading UN chief condemns escalating violence and civilian attacks in Myanmar

Yet, as the rival militaries continue fighting, the country’s plight has been overlooked by much of the international community.  “As global leaders focus elsewhere, it is not receiving the necessary attention and support to avert a nightmare scenario for the people of Sudan. The world cannot claim it doesn’t know how bad the situation is… Continue reading WFP expands emergency response to avert famine in war-torn Sudan

6 June 2024Peace and Security The UN General Assembly on Thursday elected Denmark, Greece, Pakistan, Panama and Somalia to serve as non-permanent members on the Security Council for two-year terms beginning on 1 January next year. They will replace Ecuador, Japan, Malta, Mozambique and Switzerland, whose terms end on 31 December. In a secret ballot,… Continue reading Pakistan, Somalia, Panama, Denmark and Greece elected to UN Security Council

6 June 2024Peace and Security Amid early reports that an Israeli strike on a UN-run school in Gaza overnight into Thursday left dozens dead, humanitarians warned that cholera and other potentially deadly diseases stalk people uprooted by the war, forced to live among “mountains of rubbish”. “UNRWA can confirm that one of our schools in… Continue reading Dozens feared dead in Israeli airstrike on UNRWA school in Gaza

“We must feel that we are all citizens of this one planet because unless we do, we won’t solve the problems,” Mr. Attenborough said in an interview with the UN. Over the course of his more than 70-year-long career at the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), the legendary natural history broadcaster, who turned 98 last month,… Continue reading Stories from the UN Archive: BBC legend and UN Earth Champion

5 June 2024Peace and Security As the UN investigation team charged with investigating crimes committed by the Da’esh terrorist group in Iraq prepares to conclude its mandate in September, significant strides have been made in transferring crucial evidence to the authorities, its acting head said on Wednesday. Thus far, some 28 terabytes (TB) of data… Continue reading UN investigative team hands over key ISIL crime data to Iraq

UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador Orlando Bloom visited the region  for the first time this week to see the dire conditions there for himself. “The staggering scale of the conflict in eastern DRC, the horrific level of violence, and its devastating impact on the children and women I met is heart-wrenching,” said Mr. Bloom. “No child should… Continue reading Orlando Bloom describes ‘devastating impact’ of DR Congo violence on women and children

“We now have five million people in Haiti that are acutely food insecure, of which 1.6 million are classified as facing emergency food insecurity conditions,” said WFP Country Director Jean-Martin Bauer, speaking via videolink to journalists at UN Headquarters in New York. “These are the highest numbers on record. These are the highest numbers we’ve… Continue reading Keep global spotlight on Haiti as millions go hungry, WFP official says

5 June 2024Climate and Environment At least one of the years between now and 2028 will very likely set a new temperature record breaking through the crucial 1.5°C temperature limit, the UN weather agency, WMO, said on Wednesday.  Latest forecasts from the World Meteorological Organization indicated that there was an 80 per cent likelihood that… Continue reading World heading towards new temperature records, UN weather watchdog warns

Choosing the iconic Family Hall of Ocean Life at the American Museum of Natural History in New York to deliver his impassioned plea to grasp the solutions at hand, António Guterres warned that we stand at “a moment of truth”. “In the case of climate, we are not the dinosaurs. We are the meteor. We… Continue reading There is an exit off ‘the highway to climate hell’, Guterres insists

Welcome to our live coverage of one of the most important speeches on climate change that António Guterres has made since becoming Secretary-General. We’ll be reporting live from the event in Manhattan and providing all the background information and briefing you need on the speech itself, and reaction to it inside the hall and around… Continue reading UPDATING LIVE: Guterres to lay out hard hitting truths on need for climate action

“I leave this job with a sense of work unfulfilled because the world is a worse place now than when I joined up in 2021,” Martin Griffiths said in his final briefing to journalists as UN Humanitarian and Emergency Relief Coordinator.  He said the international community is not resolving conflicts through dialogue, as envisioned nearly… Continue reading Top UN humanitarian laments lack of dialogue to resolve conflict

In a message marking Wednesday’s World Environment Day, António Guterres emphasized that countries “must deliver” on all their commitments to restore degraded ecosystems and land, and on Kunming-Montreal Biodiversity Framework, the global agreement to protect biodiversity. “They must use their new national climate action plans to set out how they will halt and reverse deforestation… Continue reading Break free from pollution, climate chaos and ‘biodiversity decimation’, UN chief urges

Humanitarians said that “security and humanitarian access conditions” have been further reduced since May because of increased violence in northern and southern Gaza, especially in Rafah, where Israeli forces continue their bombardment and military offensive.   “Despite the presence of a system to notify and coordinate humanitarian movements, impediments, delays, and denials of missions continue… Continue reading Continuing restrictions hamper humanitarian access inside Gaza

4 June 2024Peace and Security Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine is inflicting immense physical, psychological, and emotional harm on children there, the Head of the UN Office in the country said on Tuesday.  In remarks to commemorate the International Day of Innocent Children Victims of Aggression, Denise Brown also noted that boys and girls in… Continue reading War must never be normalized for child victims: Humanitarian Coordinator in Ukraine

4 June 2024Peace and Security Violence in the occupied West Bank linked to the war in Gaza passed a deadly milestone with more than 500 Palestinians killed since 7 October, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights chief Volker Türk said on Tuesday. Two of the latest fatalities were 16-year-old Ahmed Ashraf Hamidat and 17-year-old Mohammed Musa… Continue reading More than 500 Palestinians killed in occupied West Bank: UN rights chief

Andrea De Domenico, Head of OCHA‘s Office in the occupied Palestinian territory, recently spent three weeks in the enclave, where over one million people have fled the southern city of Rafah following the step-up in Israeli military operations, according to Palestine refugee agency UNRWA.  Briefing journalists in New York, Mr. De Domenico added that the… Continue reading Ongoing war destroying social fabric in Gaza, UN aid official says

Addressing the Board of Governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Director General Rafael Grossi indicated no progress had been made in resolving outstanding issues. He mentioned that Iran is still not implementing provisions of the nuclear safeguards agreement, and that withdrawal of designations for several IAEA inspectors are yet to be reversed. “These… Continue reading Iran’s uranium stockpile grows following three years of denied access

3 June 2024Climate and Environment The UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has rushed to support tens of thousands of children in Afghanistan who are being affected by ongoing flash floods, mainly in Baghlan, Badakhshan and Ghor. Afghanistan’s most recent floods killed about 350 people, including dozens of children, and damaged more than 7,800 homes leaving over 5,000… Continue reading UNICEF extends aid to children in Afghanistan affected by flash floods

3 June 2024Peace and Security A staggering one million people have now fled Rafah in southern Gaza, the UN aid agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) said on Monday, amid fresh reports of overnight attacks in southern, central and northern locations by Israeli forces. The city of Rafah on Gaza’s southern border with Egypt had been home… Continue reading Gaza: conditions ‘unspeakable’ as one million people flee Rafah: UNRWA

Only three field hospitals are operating in Rafah in southern Gaza, one of which is only functioning partially, and all of these facilities are overwhelmed and undersupplied, OCHA said, with the seven-month-long war severely impacting civilians and the infrastructure they depend on for healthcare. The UN humanitarian aid agency said the Malnutrition Stabilisation Centre in… Continue reading World News in Brief: Updates on worsening crises in Gaza, South Sudan, DR Congo

31 May 2024Human Rights The UN’s top human rights official on Friday voiced serious concern over the dramatic deterioration of the situation in Burkina Faso, where almost 1,800 people are reported to have been unlawfully killed between November last year and April. Allegations of responsibility point to both armed groups and State actors. “While armed… Continue reading UN human rights chief sounds alarm over rising violence in Burkina Faso

At 10:45 PM local time on 27 May, the DPRK, also known as North Korea, conducted what it described as “the launch of reconnaissance satellite Malligyong-1-1 aboard the new-type satellite carrier rocket” from the Sohae Satellite Launching Station. According to the DPRK, the launch failed “due to the air blast of the new-type satellite carrier… Continue reading UN official urges DPR Korea to halt missile activities and return to dialogue

31 May 2024Peace and Security Far too little aid is reaching people in Gaza to the extent that children are now starving, UN humanitarians said on Friday, in a renewed appeal to Israel to respect international law regarding the safe passage of lifesaving relief in the war-shattered enclave. The alert from the World Health Organization… Continue reading Gaza: Children are starving amid persistent aid access obstacles, warn UN agencies

In a bleak assessment of the dire situation in Sudan where conflict is in its second year, the heads of 19 global humanitarian organizations issued an alert that further obstacles to providing aid “rapidly and at scale” will mean that “more people will die”.   UN aid coordination office OCHA spokesperson Jens Laerke told reporters in… Continue reading Sudan: as millions face famine, humanitarians plead for aid access

Filippo Grandi said the number currently stands at 114 million. “Next month we will update this figure. It will be higher,” he added. Mr. Grandi recalled his last briefing to ambassadors seven months ago, when he shared his views on several crises around the globe. Non-compliance with international law He said the situation has not… Continue reading UN refugee chief urges Security Council to ‘step up’ for millions displaced by war

Speaking at the closing of the Fourth International Conference on Small Island States (SIDS4), Amina Mohammed stressed that despite increasingly existential threats to SIDS, “we do have reasons for hope and optimism”. More than 20 world leaders and senior ministers from over 100 nations joined close to 4,000 other participants on the lush campus of… Continue reading SIDS go forward with ‘new sense of hope, solidarity and determination’

Mr. Guterres began the day by laying a wreath at the Peacekeepers Memorial Site on the grounds of UN Headquarters in New York in honour of the more than 4,300 “Blue Helmets” who lost their lives over the Organization’s nearly 80-year history.  Later, at a ceremony in the Trusteeship Council Chamber, he called for a… Continue reading Guterres honours service and sacrifice of UN peacekeepers

Martin Griffiths, the UN Emergency Relief Coordinator, highlighted the worsening humanitarian crisis, noting that 16.7 million people now require humanitarian assistance – the highest number since the conflict began 13 years ago.   He stressed that the situation is deteriorating year by year, with a particular emphasis on the ongoing protection crisis, as children continue… Continue reading Top UN officials urge comprehensive approach to Syria’s protracted crisis

The UN agency facilitates experts from China who share their knowledge and skills with farmers in the West African nation through a collaborative process known as South-South cooperation.*  Cabo Verde consists of 10 islands located in the central Atlantic Ocean, nine of which are inhabited.  Although the country’s name means “Green Cape” in Portuguese, it… Continue reading Cabo Verde beats back climate change through South-South cooperation

Global perspective Human stories Children walking to their shelter at an IDP camp near El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur, Sudan (file). 30 May 2024Humanitarian Aid  The top UN aid official in Sudan warned on Thursday that “the noose of war is tightening its stranglehold” on civilians in El Fasher, expressing her profound distress… Continue reading Sudan: ‘Noose of war’ tightens on civilians in El Fasher, UN official warns

“Humanitarian facilities in Rafah are forced to close one after another…The flow of humanitarian aid supplies into Gaza, already insufficient to meet the soaring needs, has dropped by 67 per cent since 7 May,” reported the UN aid coordination office, OCHA. Until Israeli troops seized and closed the Rafah border crossing in the very south… Continue reading Amid ongoing Israeli incursions into Gaza, aid facilities shut ‘one after another’

Some missions were accomplished. Others continue today. Since the Organization’s inception at the end of the Second World War, UN Member States have scrambled to “save succeeding generations from the scourge of war” by deploying their collective efforts to prevent the kind of utter devastation that global conflict brought to Europe, Africa, Asia and beyond,… Continue reading Stories from the UN Archive: Keeping the peace over decades

29 May 2024Peace and Security Violence against children in the central Sahel region of Africa surged dramatically in the last quarter of 2023, skyrocketing by 70 per cent over the previous three months, the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) reported on Wednesday. The agency revealed that in Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger, cases of recruitment and… Continue reading UNICEF reports surge in violence against children in Africa’s central Sahel

That was the strong message from President of the Western Pacific nation of Palau Surangel Whipps speaking at an Interactive Dialogue on Wednesday during the Fourth International Conference on SIDS (SIDS4), taking place this week on the twin island of Antigua and Barbuda in the Caribbean. He told delegates there needed to be a “transition… Continue reading More climate funding needed to ‘transition from rhetoric to decisive action’

“We have distributed an enormous amount of essential medical supplies, but it’s not enough. I mean, this is such an overwhelming disaster, it’s not enough,” said Dr. Rik Peeperkorn, the UN World Health Organization (WHO) representative in Palestine. Speaking in Geneva on the sidelines of the World Health Assembly, the senior WHO official echoed widespread… Continue reading Gaza medics struggling in face of ‘overwhelming disaster’ as vital supplies run low: WHO

In a briefing to the Security Council, Tor Wennesland emphasised the urgent need for all sides to change course. “We must reach an agreement to release the hostages and put in place an immediate ceasefire. There is absolutely no time to lose,” he said, stressing that halting the fighting is essential for a comprehensive humanitarian… Continue reading Gaza: UN Middle East envoy reiterates call for ceasefire, hostage release agreement

Their tireless efforts span from monitoring ceasefire agreements to protecting civilians, rebuilding key infrastructure and facilitating elections to help countries and communities transition from war to peace. Peacekeepers can be soldiers, police officers, engineers, doctors, veterinarians, human rights officers, justice and corrections officers, radio producers, environmental scientists and surveillance experts. When we think about keeping… Continue reading Explainer: Five Tools for Keeping Peace

Addressing ambassadors at the Council’s open debate on the role of women and youth, UN Under-Secretary-General Rosemary DiCarlo highlighted the significant challenges and impacts faced by women. “Women bear the brunt of the global rollback of human rights,” she stated. She referenced her recent visit to Afghanistan, where women are systematically denied basic rights, including… Continue reading Gender equality, youth aspirations keys to sustainable peace, Security Council hears

Major Radhika Sen served in eastern DRC with the UN peacekeeping mission, MONUSCO, from March 2023 to April 2024 as the Commander of the Engagement Platoon for the Indian Rapid Deployment Battalion.  She will receive the award from UN Secretary-General António Guterres during a ceremony on Thursday.  A credit to the UN  Mr. Guterres congratulated… Continue reading Indian peacekeeper is UN Military Gender Advocate of the Year

Mr. Guterres repeated his longstanding call for a ceasefire in the embattled enclave and the release of all hostages. “He is heartbroken by the images of the killed and injured, including many small children. As he has said before, the horror and suffering must stop immediately,” UN spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said in a statement issued… Continue reading Guterres ‘heartbroken’ by images of deadly strikes on Rafah camp

“They do not want to leave their ancestral places, even if they go under,” said Jaap van Hierden. Jaap van Hierden, UN Resident Coordinator in Micronesia. Appointed by the Secretary-General as the first UN Resident Coordinator for the North Pacific, he oversees ongoing development efforts across a remote region with thousands of small islands comprising of… Continue reading UN hub reaches remote Pacific islanders: A UN Resident Coordinator blog

28 May 2024Peace and Security Amid further reported bombardment of Gaza overnight into Tuesday, UN and partner organizations have expressed deep concern over the “inhuman” detention of suspected Palestinian fighters in the enclave by Israeli authorities, alleging treatment so poor that some had to have limbs amputated “due to prolonged shackling”. In a new report on… Continue reading Deep concerns over ‘inhuman’ detention of Gazans by Israeli authorities

27 May 2024Economic Development Good morning from the blue waters and lush green hills of the Caribbean. We’re reporting live from the high level opening of the Fourth International Conference on Small Island Developing States (SIDS4) on the beautiful twin island nation of Antigua and Barbuda.  08:45 AM – It all gets going in a… Continue reading UPDATING LIVE: Small island States meet in Antigua and Barbuda charting new course to sustainable prosperity

“Information coming out of Rafah about further attacks on families seeking shelter is horrifying,” the UN agency for Palestine refugees, UNRWA, said in a post on X, after reports of an Israeli military strike on a tented camp in Tal as-Sultan in northwest Rafah, along with other shelters to the north in Jabalia, Nuseirat and… Continue reading Gaza: Mass casualties reported in Israeli attack on camp for displaced

The SIDS Global Children and Youth Action Summit taking place this weekend on the University of the West Indies campus of the beautiful island nation of Antigua and Barbuda, which is hosting SIDS4, bonded together 80 or so young people from all three official SIDS regions – the Caribbean, Pacific and AIS (Indian Ocean and South… Continue reading In Antigua, island youth build ‘wall of commitment’ to turn tide against climate crisis

25 May 2024Peace and Security An attack by Russian armed forces on a busy shopping centre in Kharkiv on Saturday reportedly killed at least four people and injured around 40. Denise Brown, the UN Humanitarian coordinator in Ukraine, strongly condemned the strike and called for civilians to be protected. “I am appalled and shocked by… Continue reading Russian attack on Kharkiv shopping centre ‘utterly unacceptable’, says senior UN official

Adopting resolution 2730 (2024) with 14 votes in favour and one abstention (Russia), the Security Council also denounced disinformation, information manipulation and incitement to violence against humanitarian and UN personnel. Led by Switzerland and co-sponsored by over 90 nations, the resolution noted “deep concern” about the particular vulnerability of national and locally recruited personnel who… Continue reading Security Council denounces attacks against aid workers, UN personnel

The fighting has reportedly forced thousands of people to flee since 10 May and caused hundreds of civilian casualties, UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric told journalists in New York. “Unfortunately, in El Fasher South Hospital – which is the only functioning hospital in that state – only 10 days of supplies are left, with an urgent… Continue reading Sudan: Deteriorating situation in El Fasher, health system collapsing nationwide

Fierce battles have intensified between the Myanmar military and the Arakan Army, an ethnic armed group, displacing tens of thousands of people in Buthidaung and Maungdaw townships in recent days. An estimated 45,000 Rohingya have reportedly fled to an area on the Naf River near the border with Bangladesh, seeking protection. Over one million Rohingya… Continue reading Myanmar: UN rights office warns of growing crisis in Rakhine state

Typically, an average year sees 14 named storms with wind speeds exceeding 65 kilometres (40 miles) per hour. However, this year, 17 to 25 storms are expected, with four to seven of them potentially becoming major hurricanes, characterized by winds of at least 178 kilometres (111 miles) per hour. However, this year, 17 to 25… Continue reading WMO warns of up to seven major hurricanes in North Atlantic in 2024

This follows a request from South Africa in a pending case accusing Israel of violating its obligations under the Genocide Convention. Reading the new provisional measures in an open session at the court in The Hague, ICJ Justice Nawaf Salam announced that Israel must abide by its obligations under the Genocide Convention to “immediately halt… Continue reading Gaza: World court orders Israel to halt military operations in Rafah

The UN agency assisting Palestine refugees (UNRWA) is continuing to provide healthcare as best it can but overcrowded shelters and limited sanitation services, coupled with forced displacement, are posing severe health risks, the agency said in a post on X. Furthermore, safe water is unaffordable for many, and people are resorting to burning trash to… Continue reading Increasing disease and humanitarian strain in Gaza amid aid shortages

Denise Brown said civilian lives must be protected during conflict by all sides, but in Kharkiv in recent days, they have instead been targeted in their homes, with businesses and transport links damaged and attacked. “My thoughts are with the families who have lost their loved ones due to the strikes,” she said, adding that… Continue reading World News in Brief: ‘Appalling’ attacks in Kharkiv, plea to aid Myanmar civilians, maritime tribunal boosts climate action, civilian protection

“Now is the time to unleash Africa’s peace power,” he said, opening a debate on its critical role in addressing global security and development challenges, convened by Mozambique, the Council president for May.  Calling Africa “an important voice for the global good”, he cited examples of how the continent has shown “unity and solidarity in… Continue reading ‘Now is the time to unleash Africa’s peace power’ Guterres tells Security Council

The Fourth International Conference on Small Island Developing States (SIDS4) will bring together governments, the UN, civil society, the private sector and leading youth voices to turn new ideas into action, raise new pledges of support and discuss the key challenges that lie ahead for the vulnerable group of nations. Living on the edge There… Continue reading ‘All hands on deck’ in Antigua and Barbuda as small island States chart course to resilient prosperity

The Russian-led draft resolution failed, as it did not secure sufficient votes in favour among the 15 council members. Seven nations supported it (Algeria, Ecuador, China, Guyana, Mozambique, Russia, and Sierra Leone), while seven voted against (France, Japan, Malta, Republic of Korea, Slovenia, the United Kingdom and the United States). Switzerland abstained. For a resolution… Continue reading Second draft resolution on weapons-free outer space fails in Security Council

22 May 2024Humanitarian Aid Droughts and floods in southern Africa stemming from El Niño have left millions of people food insecure, warns World Food Programme (WFP) Executive Director Cindy McCain during a recent visit to Zambia – the epicentre of the crisis. The droughts have destroyed harvests in areas where 70 per cent of the… Continue reading Droughts and floods threaten ‘humanitarian catastrophe’ across southern Africa

The appeal on the International Day for Biological Diversity urges governments to fully implement a landmark agreement to halt and reverse nature loss by mid-century, adopted by 196 Member States in 2022.  Safeguarding nature The Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework aims to restore ecosystems while creating jobs, building resilience, and spurring sustainable development.   Named for the… Continue reading ‘Be part of the plan’ to end nature loss on Biodiversity Day

Haiti’s health system is now “on the verge of collapse” UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) Representative in Haiti Bruno Maes warned on Wednesday, amidst an alarming decrease in the number of hospitals still functioning in the violence-wracked Caribbean nation.

In a post on X, the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) confirmed that food distribution had been suspended because of a lack of supplies and ongoing hostilities that have made it too dangerous for aid teams to work. “The situation in Rafah has been significantly deteriorating since the initial evacuation orders were issued there on 6… Continue reading Gaza: Rafah aid situation increasingly desperate, UN teams warn

The issue is in the spotlight ahead of the International Day for Biological Diversity, observed annually on 22 May, and covered in the most recent edition of UNU’s Interconnected Disaster Risks report. Among the animals at risk is the gopher tortoise, one of the oldest living species on the planet. This tragic story of biodiversity loss is unfolding at… Continue reading Accelerating extinction rate triggers domino effect of biodiversity loss

The United Nations alone documented over 33,000 civilian deaths in armed conflicts in 2023 – a horrific 72 per cent increase compared to the previous year – Joyce Msuya, UN Deputy Relief Coordinator, told ambassadors at the Security Council. With the actual figures “likely higher”, the harm and suffering caused to civilians in 2023 “signals… Continue reading ‘Alarming lack of compliance’ with international law ramps up danger for civilians

“Medical staff inside the hospital reported an attack on 20 May, with snipers aiming at the building and an artillery rocket hitting the fifth floor,” Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on X. Some 148 staff and 22 patients and their companions have remained “trapped inside” the hospital since Sunday, the WHO Director-General added, before issuing an… Continue reading Gaza: WHO chief calls for end to latest hospital siege

The lead author of the World Economic Situations and Prospects mid-year update, the flagship report from DESA released on 16 May, outlines the main findings in an interview with UN News. Hamid Rashid Inflation has come down significantly from the 2022 peak, but not to the extent that central banks can say that they have won the… Continue reading INTERVIEW: Developing countries risk missing out on net-zero benefits, but fairer future is possible

Tor Wennesland, UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, underscored the need for continuing the vital discussions, which have been supported by Egypt, Qatar and the United States. “If talks do not resume, I fear for the worst for the beleaguered and terrified civilians in Rafah, for the hostages held in unimaginable conditions… Continue reading With Gaza on the brink, hostage talks must resume, Security Council hears

“Our team on the ground is deeply alarmed by the latest reports of further escalating violence and destruction taking place in Buthidaung and Maungdaw townships,” said UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric, briefing reporters at UN Headquarters on Monday. Renewed violence and the destruction of property in Buthidaung has resulted in the displacement of potentially tens of thousands… Continue reading World News in Brief: Myanmar violence intensifies, praise for Brazil refugee response, Baháí detainees in Yemen

In a statement, ICC Prosecutor Karim Khan said that there were reasonable grounds to believe that Hamas’s Yahya Sinwar, Mohammed Diab Ibrahim Al-Masri (Deif) and Ismail Haniyeh “bear criminal responsibility” for murder, extermination and taking hostages – among numerous other crimes – since the Gaza conflict erupted in the wake of Hamas-led attacks in southern… Continue reading World court issues arrest warrants for Hamas leaders and Israel’s Netanyahu

Media reports suggest that infrastructure for the mission is being put in place as supplies arrive by air into the capital, Port-au-Prince. Here’s what you need to know about what happens next: Why is an international security mission necessary? Haiti is wracked by violence that has escalated to unprecedented levels. In an address to the… Continue reading Haiti: Multinational mission and the “inexorable requirement to restore security conditions”

Lives are at risk, and “the cost of inaction is simply too high”,  Dr. Hanan Balkhy, WHO Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean, said in a statement on Saturday after concluding a five-day visit to Syria. She expressed grave concern over the complexities and challenges facing the population and humanitarian operations on the ground. “The… Continue reading Syria: WHO Regional Director calls for greater investment in health sector

“Once again, nearly half of the population of Rafah or 800,000 people are on the road,” Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini wrote in post on the social media platform X. formerly Twitter. He said that following evacuation orders demanding people to flee to so-called safe zones, people mainly went to the middle areas in Gaza and Khan… Continue reading Gaza: Nearly 800,000 now displaced from Rafah

“Stronger legislation can help deter potential and repeat offenders and expand the range of investigative tools and resources for law enforcement to stop crimes that affect the environment,” said Angela Me, Chief of Research and Analysis at the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), presenting the report. Launched in Vienna, ‘The Landscape of Criminalization’… Continue reading Crimes against nature: UN agency puts environmental legislation under scrutiny

17 May 2024Peace and Security The UN’s top human rights official has personally intervened to try to stop spiralling violence in Sudan that’s having a terrifying impact on millions of civilians, who humanitarians say are “staring famine in the face”. According to the UN human rights office, OHCHR, the High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, held… Continue reading UN’s rights chief says horrified by Sudan escalation as famine draws nearer

The crisis began when Egypt nationalised the Suez Canal Company in July 1956, and France and the United Kingdom protested. By October of that year, Israeli forces launched an attack on Egypt and occupied Sinai, with British and French troops landing soon after in the Suez Canal Zone. The UN was unable to resolve the… Continue reading Stories from the UN Archive: UN’s first peacekeeping force

Dr. Adnan Al Bursh, 50, the head of the orthopaedic department at Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City, died on April 19, 2024, in Ofer prison, a detention facility in the West Bank. His body has not yet been released by Israeli authorities. Before his death, he had reportedly been beaten in prison, with his body… Continue reading Rights expert condemns death of Palestinian doctor in Israeli custody, urges independent inquiry

Ms. Hennis-Plasschaert, also the head of the UN Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI), cited notable advancements in infrastructure, economic reforms, and regional influence, signalling an Iraq on the rise.   “[Today] Iraq looks different to the country to which UNAMI was first deployed some 20 years ago. Indeed, it looks different to the country I… Continue reading UN envoy outlines Iraq’s growth and ongoing struggles

Linked to South Africa’s ongoing case charging Israel with violating the Genocide Convention, the new request, filed on 10 May, asked the ICJ’s 15 judges to order Israel to “immediately withdraw and seize its military operations in the Rafah governate” and open up the enclave to international aid workers and journalists. South Africa delivered its arguments… Continue reading Gaza: World court opens hearings on request to halt Israel’s Rafah incursion

“The safety of civilians, homes, schools and hospitals must be ensured. They are not a target,” Denise Brown said in a statement, underscoring that international humanitarian law must be respected.  Ms. Brown said these latest attacks came a day after she returned from the Kharkiv region in northeastern Ukraine, which has come under relentless shelling… Continue reading World News in Brief: More Ukraine attacks, rights appeal for jailed Nigerian singer, International Day against Homophobia

16 May 2024Peace and Security UN Secretary-General António Guterres repeated his longstanding call for a humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza, the release of all hostages held in the enclave, and unimpeded access for aid delivery, in remarks to the Summit of the League of Arab States in Bahrain on Thursday.  “The war in Gaza is an… Continue reading At Arab League Summit, Guterres appeals for Gaza ceasefire and regional unity

UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for Sudan, Clementine Nkweta-Salami, warned that “time is running out” as famine, disease and fighting close in on the population “and there’s no end in sight”.  “The international community cannot stand by as this crisis spirals out of control, as the noose of this conflict tightens its stranglehold on the… Continue reading ‘Time is running out’ to address crisis in Sudan

More than seven months into the war, babies are still being born too small, warned the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA. “Habiba was born in a small tent. She’s two weeks old and weighs less than two kilogrammes,” the UN agency said in a post on X, adding that more than 150,000 pregnant and breastfeeding… Continue reading Gaza: Underweight babies, heavy fighting and a hospital reopening

Lisa Doughten, OCHA’s director of financing and partnerships, said relentless hostilities continue along the border with Russia and on the frontline.  Following several waves of attacks, Ukraine’s second largest city, Kharkiv, was struck again that day, injuring 15 civilians, she reported.  Thousands evacuated  “These attacks have triggered yet more displacement from border and frontline communities.… Continue reading Security Council hears of relentless attacks against civilians and infrastructure in Ukraine

14 May 2024Peace and Security The Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) announced at the UN Security Council on Tuesday that the investigative stage of the legal proceedings into alleged war crimes in Libya is expected to conclude by the end of 2025, transitioning into the judicial stage. That “roadmap”, Prosecutor Karim Khan explained,… Continue reading ICC Prosecutor outlines roadmap to complete Libya war crimes probe

This time it was an “arson attempt by Israeli children and young people on UNRWA”, Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini said in a social media post on Tuesday. “This has got to stop,” he said. Last Thursday evening, Mr. Lazzarini said Israeli residents had set fire twice to the perimeter of the UNRWA headquarters when staff from several… Continue reading World News in Brief: Arson at UNRWA’s East Jerusalem office, UN probe on staff member’s death in Gaza, food insecurity in South Sudan

The oil-rich nation has grappled with multiple challenges since the overthrow of President Muammar Gaddafi in 2011. The postponement of national elections, originally planned for December 2021, has further deepened the crisis. Last November, UN Special Representative Abdoulaye Bathily invited leaders of Libya’s five key institutions – the Government of National Unity, the House of… Continue reading UN envoy decries continued political stalemate in Libya

14 May 2024Peace and Security UN Secretary-General António Guteres is appalled by the escalation of Israeli military activity in and around Rafah in southern Gaza, his spokesperson said in a statement on Tuesday.  “These developments are further impeding humanitarian access and worsening an already dire situation. At the same time, Hamas goes on firing rockets… Continue reading Guterres deplores Rafah escalation

“Empty streets in Rafah as families continue to flee in search of safety… UNRWA estimates that nearly 450,000 people have been forcibly displaced from Rafah since 6 May,” said the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, in a post from western Rafah on X. “Inland in Rafah is now a ghost town. It’s hard to believe there… Continue reading 450,000 Gazans now uprooted from Rafah as Israeli bombardment continues

Haiti’s capital, Port-au-Prince, is gripped by insecurity due to gang violence and now UNHAS, which is managed by the UN’s World Food Programme (WFP) is the only option for humanitarian workers to travel safely in and out of the city and for critical equipment and relief aid to be transported and distributed within the country.… Continue reading Dealing with ‘unknowns’ flying in high-conflict Haiti

13 May 2024Peace and Security A staff member of the UN Department of Safety and Security (DSS) died and another was injured when their UN vehicle was struck as they travelled to the European Hospital in Rafah, Gaza, on Monday. Condemning all attacks on UN personnel, Secretary-General António Guterres has called for a full investigation,… Continue reading UN security staff killed in Gaza; Guterres calls for probe

Martin Griffiths, UN Emergency Relief Coordinator, stressed the critical need for sustained peace efforts during a briefing to Security Council ambassadors. “The conflict in Yemen has been the key driver of humanitarian needs. It has deeply undercut the country’s economy, decimated half of its health facilities, displaced millions of people, and allowed hunger and disease… Continue reading Calls for sustained peace efforts in Yemen as cholera outbreak worsens

13 May 2024Peace and Security Nearly 2,000 children in Ukraine have lost their lives amidst ongoing and escalating war,  the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) said on Monday, citing UN-verified data.  UNICEF Europe and Central Asia Regional Office and its Regional Director, Regina De Dominicis, released a joint statement saying, “At least 1,993 children in Ukraine… Continue reading Nearly 2,000 children killed in Ukraine war: UNICEF

“Nearly 360,000 people have fled Rafah since the first evacuation order a week ago,” the UN agency said in a post on X, referencing leafleting by the Israeli military ordering those in eastern Rafah to leave their shelters.  In another alert, UNRWA warned of ongoing “restricted humanitarian access” to and across the Gaza Strip that was… Continue reading Rafah exodus reaches 360,000 as UN issues $2.8 billion aid appeal for Gaza, West Bank

Despite two decades of worldwide efforts, more than 4,000 precious wildlife species still fall prey to trafficking every year, a new report by the UN crime and drugs prevention office, UNODC, showed on Monday. 

According to UN emergency relief chief Martin Griffiths, a “strike” damaged the roof of the intensive care unit at Southern Hospital in El Fasher Town – the only working hospital in North Darfur state – where medical supplies are running dangerously low. Some 800,000 people live in and around El Fasher Town where “countless lives… Continue reading Countless lives at stake in Sudan’s El Fasher, warn UN aid teams

The warning comes as the UN Palestine refugee agency, UNRWA, reported that over the past week that nearly 300,000 people have now fled Rafah following the Israeli military’s orders for further evacuations from area. “There is nowhere safe to go,” the agency warned in a message on X. Catastrophic consequences In a telephone conversation on… Continue reading Gaza: We must prevent a large-scale offensive in Rafah, UN pleads

For roughly two months, demonstrations have been held outside the East Jerusalem compound, which is in an area where many Israeli settlements are located. The situation came to a head on Thursday evening when Israeli residents lit fires at two locations on the perimeter of the grounds. Mr. Fowler was among the small number of… Continue reading UNRWA staff ‘not going anywhere’ despite forced closure of East Jerusalem compound

10 May 2024Peace and Security With the situation in Rafah “on a knife’s edge”, UN Secretary-General António Guterres appealed again on Friday for Israeli and Hamas leaders “to demonstrate political courage and spare no effort” in reaching an agreement to end the war in Gaza and free all hostages.  Speaking at a press conference in… Continue reading In Nairobi, Guterres reiterates appeal for end to Gaza war

09:55 AM Aid operations have come to a standstill since the start of the military’s ground operation in Rafah, with an estimated 100,000 Palestinians displaced once again, in a highly fluid situation, according to humanitarians. The Assembly is also expected to vote on a draft resolution, co-sponsored by a group of countries, concerning the status… Continue reading UPDATING LIVE: General Assembly to hold emergency session on Israel-Palestine crisis

“As Israeli Forces bombardment intensifies in Rafah, forced displacement continues,” said the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, in a post on X. “Around 110,000 people have now fled Rafah looking for safety. But nowhere is safe in the Gaza Strip and living conditions are atrocious. The only hope is an immediate ceasefire.” Uprooted again… Continue reading Gaza: As exodus from Rafah continues, ceasefire calls grow

9 May 2024UN Affairs The head of the UN Palestine refugee agency (UNRWA) has temporarily closed its headquarters in occupied East Jerusalem after an arson attack on Thursday following weeks of protests.  Posting on social media, Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini said “Israeli residents set fire twice to the perimeter” on Thursday evening.  UNRWA personnel and staff from other UN… Continue reading ‘Outrageous’ arson attack forces UNRWA to temporarily shutter East Jerusalem compound

Most of those uprooted by Israeli military evacuation orders in eastern Rafah have already been displaced from other areas of Gaza; they are now leaving with everything they can carry “in vehicles, trucks, (on) motorbikes and donkey carts”, according to the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA). An estimated more than 47,500 people left their… Continue reading Gaza: 80,000 displaced from Rafah as Israeli bombardment intensifies, say UN aid teams

8 May 2024Climate and Environment “Unprecedented and devastating” flooding in East Africa has triggered widespread displacement with hundreds of thousands forced from their homes in Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Somalia, Ethiopia and Tanzania, UN humanitarians warned on Wednesday.  In an alert, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) noted that torrential rains have unleashed catastrophic flooding and mudslides while… Continue reading Unprecedented flooding displaces hundreds of thousands across East Africa

The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) attributed the temperatures to a “double whammy” of El Niño and long-term climate change, leading to droughts and wildfires combined with extreme rainfall and hurricanes.  “Unfortunately, 2023 was a year of record climatic hazards in Latin America and the Caribbean,” said the agency’s head, Celeste Saulo. “El Niño conditions during… Continue reading Another climate record: Extreme heat, hurricanes, droughts ravage Latin America and Caribbean

The UNFF serves as a body under the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) and aims to support the goals of the International Arrangement on Forests (IAF) and to advance other international forest-related instruments, processes, commitments and objectives.  At the forum’s opening ceremony, Juliette Biao, Director of the UNFF Secretariat, said the world currently faces… Continue reading Achieving sustainable forest management remains UN forum’s goal

Small island developing States are particularly vulnerable to climate change consequences, such as rising sea levels and heavy rains that cause flooding, increasing ocean temperatures that affect coral reefs and fishing and frequent hurricanes destroying homes and livelihoods. These countries often suffer from fragile economic conditions and don’t have the means to help their citizens… Continue reading ‘Our voices need to be included’: Trinidadian youth make case for strong role in climate negotiations

It’s called geothermal energy, and it’s an exciting prospect for the country. Geothermal has none of the intermittency issues of wind and solar – in other words, it provides stable energy day and night – and doesn’t take up any surface real estate, keeping the Roseau Valley in its pristine state. Most SIDS are dependent… Continue reading Could the answer to 100% renewable energy in Dominica be under the ground?

The Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC) called for greater international support for the Congolese people to avoid a potential catastrophe for the country and the region. Current conflicts have escalated levels of gender-based violence, displacement and hunger in the restive eastern region where multiple armed groups are battling the national army and each other for control.… Continue reading World News in Brief: DR Congo conflict could spell catastrophe, plastics treaty progress, enforced disappearances rise ahead of Venezuela poll

The current El Niño event began in mid- to late 2023, causing the ocean’s temperature to rise, and its impact has already decimated farming in southern Africa, triggering crop shortfalls and rising commodity prices. At the same time, flooding in Kenya has affected 200,000 people and killed more than 100 people. Around 40 to 50… Continue reading UN officials urge swift action to tackle El Niño-induced extreme weather

26 April 2024Climate and Environment The UN Secretary-General on Friday launched an initiative focusing on ensuring fairness, sustainability and respect for human rights throughout the entire process of sourcing and using critical minerals needed for the clean energy transition. The newly established Panel on Critical Energy Transition Minerals brings together a diverse group of governments,… Continue reading Climate action ‘cannot trample over the poor’, says Guterres, launching new initiative to protect key minerals for clean energy transition

That’s when environmental protection was not yet a priority of national political agendas, but a growing movement took hold across the planet. In 1971, UN Secretary-General U Thant held a special ceremony at UN Headquarters in New York, proclaiming 22 April the world’s first Earth Day. A team prepares posters and signs to be used… Continue reading Stories from the UN Archive: UN proclaims world’s first Earth Day

The Maraval river winds its way through Port of Spain, the capital of Trinidad & Tobago, reaching the sea at Invaders Bay, the evocative name of the site where British troops landed in the late Eighteenth Century.  Today, the area is heavily built up, and construction has begun on a large-scale project that is expected… Continue reading Polluting rivers, beaches and the ocean: How can Trinidad solve its plastics problem?

Following close on the heels of the study of climate change in Europe, published by WMO on Monday, the State of the Climate in Asia 2023 report highlighted the accelerating rate of climate change across several indicators such as surface temperature, glacier retreat, sea level rise and more.  “The report’s conclusions are sobering. Many countries in the… Continue reading WMO report: Asia hit hardest by climate change and extreme weather

The Climate Promise 2025 aims to accelerate efforts from local to international levels to take more ambitious steps to ensure the global temperature does not heat up beyond the 1.5° limit, a goal set with the 2015 Paris Agreement on climate change. UN Secretary-General António Guterres said the initiative, driven by the UN Development Programme (UNDP),… Continue reading UN chief calls for all hands on deck at Climate Promise 2025 launch

Climate change shocks caused record levels of disruption and misery for millions in Europe in 2023 with widespread flooding and severe heatwaves – a new normal which countries must adapt to as a priority, the UN weather agency said on Monday. 

Renewable energy is generally defined as any energy source that is continuously replenished. It includes solar and wind power as well as bioenergy (organic matter burned as fuel) and hydroelectric power.  IRENA* chief Francesco La Camera spoke to UN News ahead of a special meeting on Friday on transitioning to sustainable sources of energy which… Continue reading Renewable energy transforming the landscape

Dominica, which lies in the eastern Caribbean, is particularly vulnerable to extreme weather events, which are being exacerbated by the climate crisis: Hurricane Maria in 2017 was a devastating example, damaging almost all homes and buildings, destroying around three-quarters of the fishing fleet and crippling the economy. The indigenous Kalinago people were particularly affected but,… Continue reading Indigenous Kalinago lead the way towards making Dominica ‘climate resilient’

The large Indian Ocean island is amongst the poorest in Africa where the majority of people make their living off the land or sea. Like many other countries in the region, it is suffering the effects of climate change. UN News’s Daniel Dickinson travelled to the village of Mokala in Anosy region where he spoke… Continue reading Fishers in Madagascar adapt to deadly seas due to climate change

8 May 2024Peace and Security Israeli military manoeuvres and shelling continued in and around eastern Rafah in southern Gaza on Wednesday morning as UN humanitarians stressed that “no fuel or aid” is getting into the enclave. “We’re not receiving any aid, the crossing area has ongoing military operations and is an active war zone,” said… Continue reading No aid getting into Gaza, says UN aid agency

Stranded, their homes demolished, loved ones killed and repeatedly displaced on their land, they had sought refuge in Rafah in the far southern reaches of the Strip to escape death and destruction and to find a safe place that does not exist. They are now heading along the coastal road again to an unknown fate… Continue reading Journey into the unknown: Thousands of Gazan families flee Rafah

In its latest warning to the Israeli authorities not to pursue mass evacuation orders from eastern Rafah, the UN aid coordination office, OCHA, insisted that a mass evacuation on such a scale would be “impossible to carry out safely”. “There are nine sites sheltering displaced people in the area. It is also home to three clinics… Continue reading Uncertainty in Gaza amplified by closure of key border crossings

7 May 2024Peace and Security The UN Secretary-General on Tuesday reiterated his appeal to Israel to stop any escalation in Gaza, amid reports that its forces have taken over key border crossings in Rafah. In the far south of the Gaza Strip, bordering Egypt, the town of Rafah has been hosting hundreds of thousands of… Continue reading Guterres urges Israel, Hamas ‘to show political courage’ and secure ceasefire

7 May 2024Peace and Security The UN’s second Trailblazer award for Women Justice and Corrections Officers has gone to Major Ahlem Douzi, an officer with the UN’s peacekeeping mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO). First awarded in 2022, it acknowledges the exceptional contributions made by women justice and corrections officers serving from… Continue reading Justice officer from DR Congo mission wins UN Trailblazer award

Despite these challenges, the UN remains prepared to support both parties, in close collaboration with the African Union, once they resume political negotiation said Jean-Pierre Lacroix, briefing ambassadors at the Security Council. Intercommunal tensions The situation in Sudan has also exacerbated intercommunal tensions in Abyei, highlighted by recent clashes over cattle rustling that resulted in… Continue reading Ongoing war in Sudan stalls progress in disputed Abyei region

6 May 2024Humanitarian Aid Donors must continue to support humanitarian efforts to assist millions in need in Yemen, UN agencies and dozens of other aid partners said on Monday.  Nine years of war have left over half the population – 18.2 million people, mainly women and children – in need of assistance and protection services.… Continue reading UN and partners issue urgent funding appeal for Yemen

Briefing reporters late last month, UN Mine Action Service officers said the war has already left behind around 37 million tonnes of debris, and it could take 14 years to make Gaza safe from unexploded bombs. The development comes amid reports that at least two individuals suffered serious injuries in Gaza after opening tin cans… Continue reading Unexploded ordnance leaves dark legacy for Gaza, warn mine action experts

The experts detailed the far-reaching impacts of the violence and lawlessness that has led to chaos across the capital, Port-au-Prince, and other areas under gang control this year. “The outbreak of violence in Haiti has resulted in loss of livelihoods and food insecurity, widespread and multiple displacement, the collapse of education, breakdown of healthcare and… Continue reading World News in Brief: Human rights in Haiti, 750,000 hit by East Africa floods, Namibia health milestone

Multiple news outlets have reported that Hamas’s supreme leader, Ismail Haniyeh, had confirmed the militant group’s acceptance of what it stated were Israel’s ceasefire terms in a phone call with Qatar’s Prime Minister and a senior Egyptian minister. The two countries have been leading negotiations between the warring parties.  However, the Israeli leadership has reportedly… Continue reading UN pledges to stand with Gazans in Rafah; Guterres says ceasefire opportunity ‘cannot be missed’

Due to the negative Russian vote, the Security Council failed to adopt last month’s text, which received 13 votes in favour, with China abstaining. The draft resolution was introduced by United States and Japan and co-sponsored by over 60 nations. Assembly Vice-President Ahmad Faisal Muhamad opened the debate by reading a message from Dennis Francis,… Continue reading General Assembly debates Russia’s veto of space arms race resolution

The Caribbean island nation continues to endure extreme insecurity, with widespread and incessant violence as rival gangs fight each other and the police for control of the capital, Port-au-Prince. The violence, which includes kidnapping for ransom, is playing out against a backdrop of political and economic crises as well as poverty and underdevelopment. Chantale Valcourt… Continue reading ‘Moral obligation’ of Haitian NGO worker to carry on despite kidnapping of two children

“Any ground operation would mean more suffering and death” for the 1.2 million displaced Palestinians sheltering in and around the Strip’s southernmost city, OCHA spokesperson Jens Laerke told journalists in Geneva. Echoing those concerns, the UN World Health Organization (WHO) said that “Band-Aid” contingency plans have been made in case a full-scale military incursion does… Continue reading Targeting Rafah could lead to slaughter, warns UN aid agency

Since fighting erupted last April between rival militaries, Sudan has witnessed shocking levels of violence, plunging the country into a devastating humanitarian and protection crisis. Close to 25 million people – more than half the population – are estimated to need assistance, with approximately 17.7 million people facing “acute” levels of food insecurity. The crisis,… Continue reading UN agencies warn of imminent starvation risk in Sudan’s Darfur region

The camps were in the neighbourhoods of Lac Vert and Mugunga, near Goma, the provincial capital of North Kivu, which has seen a sharp uptick in violence over the past few months.  UN Deputy Spokesperson Farhan Haq told journalists at UN Headquarters in New York that the situation around Goma continues to remain very tense,… Continue reading World News in Brief: Attacks on civilians in DR Congo, concern over conviction of trade union leader in Cambodia, gang violence in Haiti

“It could take up to three years to retrieve the bodies using the primitive tools they have on hand,” the UN aid coordination office, OCHA, said, amid rising temperatures that will accelerate the decomposition of bodies, potentially increasing the threat of disease spreading. Citing the Palestinian civil defence authority, OCHA said that the recovery of… Continue reading 10,000 people feared buried under the rubble in Gaza

2 May 2024Peace and Security The relentless Israeli offensive in the Gaza Strip has set back Palestine’s overall socioeconomic development by more than 20 years, according to a new UN report released on Thursday. The joint study by the UN Development Programme (UNDP) and the Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA) revealed that… Continue reading Palestine’s economy in ruins as Gaza war sets development back two decades

The top award for reporters who have born witness to the destruction of much of their homeland under Israel’s relentless bombardment came at the recommendation of an international jury of media professionals. “In these times of darkness and hopelessness, we wish to share a strong message of solidarity and recognition to those Palestinian journalists who… Continue reading World News in Brief: Palestinian journalists win top press freedom prize, child migrant detention, Niger meningitis epidemic

“One third of all the families who live here have children under five, so many babies, so many kids,” said Matthew Hollingworth, UN World Food Programme (WFP) Palestine Country Director, speaking from a school in Deir Al-Balah, run by the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA. “What they need is school, though what they need… Continue reading Gazans on tenterhooks awaiting news of ceasefire call

1 May 2024UN Affairs Palestine’s recent attempt to become a full member of the United Nations was the focus of discussion in the General Assembly on Wednesday.  A 2022 initiative, resolution 262, calls for the UN’s most representative body to meet within 10 days if the veto is used in the Security Council by one… Continue reading Palestine: General Assembly discusses failed UN membership bid

In a call for an immediate end to the war in Gaza which sparked intensifying exchanges of fire between armed militants Hezbollah and the Israeli military, the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) warned that airstrikes are hitting “deeper and deeper” into Lebanon, with 344 people killed to date, including eight youngsters. “Together with those killed and… Continue reading Gaza war spillover compounds misery for most vulnerable in Lebanon

“There is an extraordinary, deep anxiety prevailing right now in Gaza because the question everybody asks is whether, yes or no, there would be a military offensive,” UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini told journalists in Geneva. Following several reports by the UN aid coordination office, OCHA, of “intensive strikes on Rafah” that caused dozens of fatalities, Mr.… Continue reading ‘Extraordinary, deep anxiety’ in Gaza over feared Rafah attack   

“For the sake of the people of Gaza, for the sake of the hostages and their families in Israel and for the sake of the region and the wider world, I strongly encourage the Government of Israel and the Hamas leadership to reach now an agreement,” he said, speaking to journalists in New York. Mr.… Continue reading Guterres calls on Israel and Hamas to end Gaza war

Miroslav Jenča, UN Assistant Secretary-General for Europe, Central Asia and the Americas with the Departments of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs and Peace Operations, provided an update of recent developments since his office’s last Council briefing in July. The country continues to grapple with issues stemming from the brutal war that killed 100,000 people across the… Continue reading Security Council hears of progress in Bosnia despite ‘worrying’ trend of genocide denial

Global perspective Human stories Damage to Ukraine’s power infrastructure has lad to led to disruptions in essential services like electricity, heating, and water supplies (file). 29 April 2024Human Rights An increase in civilian casualties caused by intensifying attacks from the Russian armed forces against Ukraine’s electric power infrastructure and railway system calls for concern, the… Continue reading Ukraine: Civilians killed and injured as attacks on power and rail systems intensify

29 April 2024Peace and Security The UN agency for Palestine refugees, UNRWA, reached one of its now-abandoned schools in Khan Younis at the weekend, where thousands of people appeared to have left at a moment’s notice, fearing further intense Israeli bombardment. “They used to shelter inside the school yard here, inside the classrooms, using all… Continue reading Children’s shoes left behind illustrate chaos of fleeing Khan Younis: UN humanitarians

“This is the most dangerous period; once people start returning to the north, that’s when most accidents will occur because they won’t be familiar with where your unexploded ordnance is located,” said Mungo Birch, Chief of the UN Mine Action Programme (UNMAS) in the State of Palestine. “It’s important that once the returns start, we’re… Continue reading Gaza at ‘most dangerous’ stage amid huge unexploded weapons risk, warns demining expert

In the past month, WFP supported more than 300,000 people there with food, including 40,000 in El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur state. “We must be able to reach those who need us most in Sudan,” Executive Director Cindy McCain wrote in a post on social media.  Separately, UN Humanitarian Affairs Coordinator Martin Griffiths… Continue reading World News in Brief: Violence blocking Darfur aid, new Iraq law, Chad elections appeal

27 April 2024Peace and Security UN Security Council members on Saturday called on the warring parties in Sudan to immediately halt the military build-up and take steps to de-escalate the situation in El Fasher, the provincial capital of North Darfur. The call comes amid reports of an imminent offensive by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF)… Continue reading Sudan: Security Council members call for immediate halt to military escalation in El Fasher

From the room he and his family call home inside the school-turned-shelter, he felt a duty to let the world know what life is really like for them, through daily videos he shares on social media as the ongoing war approaches its eighth month. UN News’s correspondent in Gaza, Ziad Talib, spoke to Mr. Al-Habal… Continue reading Signing the war in Gaza: Overcoming deafness and displacement

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