Source: United Nations MIL OSI b
The 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine by Russia has had an indelible effect on the civilian population, displacing millions, straining the economy and inflicting physical and mental trauma. During these dark years, the UN has stayed alongside the Ukrainian people, providing aid, necessities and healthcare, and restoring energy supplies.
Source: United Nations MIL OSI b
The 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine by Russia has had an indelible effect on the civilian population, displacing millions, straining the economy and inflicting physical and mental trauma. During these dark years, the UN has stayed alongside the Ukrainian people, providing aid, necessities and healthcare, and restoring energy supplies.
Source: United Nations MIL OSI b
The 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine by Russia has had an indelible effect on the civilian population, displacing millions, straining the economy and inflicting physical and mental trauma. During these dark years, the UN has stayed alongside the Ukrainian people, providing aid, necessities and healthcare, and restoring energy supplies.
Source: United Nations MIL OSI b
The 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine by Russia has had an indelible effect on the civilian population, displacing millions, straining the economy and inflicting physical and mental trauma. During these dark years, the UN has stayed alongside the Ukrainian people, providing aid, necessities and healthcare, and restoring energy supplies.
Source: United Nations MIL OSI b
The 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine by Russia has had an indelible effect on the civilian population, displacing millions, straining the economy and inflicting physical and mental trauma. During these dark years, the UN has stayed alongside the Ukrainian people, providing aid, necessities and healthcare, and restoring energy supplies.
Source: United Nations MIL OSI b
The 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine by Russia has had an indelible effect on the civilian population, displacing millions, straining the economy and inflicting physical and mental trauma. During these dark years, the UN has stayed alongside the Ukrainian people, providing aid, necessities and healthcare, and restoring energy supplies.
Source: United Nations MIL OSI b
The 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine by Russia has had an indelible effect on the civilian population, displacing millions, straining the economy and inflicting physical and mental trauma. During these dark years, the UN has stayed alongside the Ukrainian people, providing aid, necessities and healthcare, and restoring energy supplies.
Source: United Nations MIL OSI b
The 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine by Russia has had an indelible effect on the civilian population, displacing millions, straining the economy and inflicting physical and mental trauma. During these dark years, the UN has stayed alongside the Ukrainian people, providing aid, necessities and healthcare, and restoring energy supplies.
Source: United Nations MIL OSI b
The 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine by Russia has had an indelible effect on the civilian population, displacing millions, straining the economy and inflicting physical and mental trauma. During these dark years, the UN has stayed alongside the Ukrainian people, providing aid, necessities and healthcare, and restoring energy supplies.
Source: United Nations MIL OSI b
The 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine by Russia has had an indelible effect on the civilian population, displacing millions, straining the economy and inflicting physical and mental trauma. During these dark years, the UN has stayed alongside the Ukrainian people, providing aid, necessities and healthcare, and restoring energy supplies.
Source: United Nations MIL OSI b
The 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine by Russia has had an indelible effect on the civilian population, displacing millions, straining the economy and inflicting physical and mental trauma. During these dark years, the UN has stayed alongside the Ukrainian people, providing aid, necessities and healthcare, and restoring energy supplies.
Source: United Nations MIL OSI b
The 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine by Russia has had an indelible effect on the civilian population, displacing millions, straining the economy and inflicting physical and mental trauma. During these dark years, the UN has stayed alongside the Ukrainian people, providing aid, necessities and healthcare, and restoring energy supplies.
Source: United Nations MIL OSI b
The 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine by Russia has had an indelible effect on the civilian population, displacing millions, straining the economy and inflicting physical and mental trauma. During these dark years, the UN has stayed alongside the Ukrainian people, providing aid, necessities and healthcare, and restoring energy supplies.
Source: United Nations MIL OSI b
The 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine by Russia has had an indelible effect on the civilian population, displacing millions, straining the economy and inflicting physical and mental trauma. During these dark years, the UN has stayed alongside the Ukrainian people, providing aid, necessities and healthcare, and restoring energy supplies.
Source: United Nations MIL OSI b
The 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine by Russia has had an indelible effect on the civilian population, displacing millions, straining the economy and inflicting physical and mental trauma. During these dark years, the UN has stayed alongside the Ukrainian people, providing aid, necessities and healthcare, and restoring energy supplies.
Source: United Nations MIL OSI b
The 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine by Russia has had an indelible effect on the civilian population, displacing millions, straining the economy and inflicting physical and mental trauma. During these dark years, the UN has stayed alongside the Ukrainian people, providing aid, necessities and healthcare, and restoring energy supplies.
Source: United Nations MIL OSI b
The 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine by Russia has had an indelible effect on the civilian population, displacing millions, straining the economy and inflicting physical and mental trauma. During these dark years, the UN has stayed alongside the Ukrainian people, providing aid, necessities and healthcare, and restoring energy supplies.
Source: United Nations 2
For over a decade, Yemen has endured conflict between Houthi rebels and government forces. Millions of lives and livelihoods remain at risk, and the conflict shows no sign of ending.
“The appetite for a military escalation remains,” Hans Grundberg, UN Special Envoy for Yemen, told ambassadors.
While violence remains an immediate threat, he noted that the economy has now become the “most active frontline” of the conflict: the national currency in free fall and purchasing power rapidly declining, poverty is a daily threat.
“The little money people do have in their pockets is either falling in value or literally falling apart,” he said.
Currently, 17 million people face food insecurity – a number that could rise to 18 million by September without swift and expanded humanitarian aid. More than one million children under the age of five are suffering from life-threatening malnutrition, putting them at risk of permanent physical and cognitive harm.
“We haven’t seen this level of deprivation since before the UN-brokered truce in early 2022,” said Tom Fletcher, UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs.
Broader instability in the Middle East has further worsened Yemen’s situation, Mr. Grundberg said, pointing to recent attacks by Ansar Allah (as the Houthi rebels are formally called) on commercial ships in the Red Sea and retaliatory strikes by Israel on key Yemeni infrastructure, including ports and a power station.
“Yemen must not be drawn deeper into the regional crisis that threatens to unravel the already extremely fragile situation in the country. The stakes for Yemen are simply too high,” he said.
Nevertheless, he noted that the ceasefire between Iran and Israel did spark hope that momentum for negotiations in Yemen might resume.
Still, he stressed that Yemen’s peace process must solely depend on regional dynamics.
“Yemen must advance regardless, moving from simply managing shocks and volatility to developing practical steps that lay the groundwork for lasting solutions,” he said.
Without meaningful peace negotiations, Yemen’s humanitarian crisis will only deepen, Mr. Grundberg warned.
“A military solution remains a dangerous solution that risks deepening Yemen’s suffering,” he said.
He highlighted recent progress in Taiz governorate, where both parties agreed to jointly manage water supplies – a move that will provide safe drinking water to over 600,000 people.
This agreement also promotes sustainable water access, reducing reliance on humanitarian aid.
“While negotiations may not be easy, they offer the best hope for addressing, in a sustainable and long-term manner, the complexity of the conflict,” Mr. Grundberg said.
Mr. Grundberg called on the Security Council to continue prioritizing Yemen.
He also reiterated UN calls for all detained humanitarians, including UN staff, and called on donors to ensure sufficient funding to sustain aid organizations on the ground.
“Yemen’s future depends on our collective resolve to shield it from further suffering and to give its people the hope and dignity they so deeply deserve,” Mr. Grundberg said.
Source: United Nations secretary general
H.E. Mr. Joseph Dion Ngute, Prime Minister of the Republic of Cameroon; Personal Representative of the President of Cameroon, H.E. Mr. Paul Biya; H.E. Mr. Philemon Yang, President of the UN General Assembly; H.E. Mr. José Mba Abeso, Executive Secretary of the Gulf of Guinea Commission; Mr. Peter Thomson, UN Special Envoy for the Ocean; Honourable Ministers; Excellencies; Ladies and Gentlemen;
I wish to express my deep appreciation to the President, Government, and people of Cameroon for hosting this landmark conference on the Blue Economy in the Gulf of Guinea – a region whose waters and people I hold close to heart, as a Nigerian and UN partner over the decades.
Allow me also to thank the President of the UN General Assembly for his leadership and shining the spotlight on the Blue Economy – in the Gulf of Guinea and globally.
Excellencies,
We gather at a moment of both urgency and opportunity. The ocean – our planet’s blue heart – is under threat. But it is also a source of solutions and the attainment of our Global Goals.
As the Secretary-General reminded us last month in Nice, the destinies of Africa and the ocean are deeply intertwined. For millions across this continent, the ocean is not only a source of life and identity but it is also a source of hope.
Nowhere is this truer than in the Gulf of Guinea. Our coastal waters, rich in biodiversity and cultural heritage, hold immense potential for economic transformation. Yet, this potential remains largely untapped. Today, the ocean economy accounts for less than 10% of GDP in the region and we must change that with a sense of urgency and scale.
Therefore, I propose three areas of action that will ensure the Blue Economy delivers for the people in the region which provides a home and livelihood to the over 100 million people in coastal areas, 60 % of which are young people.
First, we must protect the ocean that sustains us.
Climate change is warming and acidifying our seas, eroding coastlines, and threatening the livelihoods of coastal communities. Coral reefs are bleaching. Fisheries are collapsing. Sea levels are rising – swallowing homes, ports, deltas, and futures.
This is not just an environmental crisis. It is a human crisis. Hundreds of millions of people face a future shaped by flooding, food insecurity, transnational crime and displacement. We must act now to safeguard biodiversity, cut emissions, reduce maritime pollution, and build coastal resilience.
That is why I urge all countries in the Gulf of Guinea to integrate ocean-based climate action into their Nationally Determined Contributions ahead of COP30.
As we advance on the roadmap from Baku to Belém, these NDCs must reflect the full potential of the Blue Economy – not only as a strategy for mitigation and adaptation, but as a transformative engine for inclusive growth, scaling climate finance, and long-term prosperity.
This journey offers a critical opportunity to align regional ambition with global momentum and deliver tangible progress for people and planet.
In this context, the near-finalization of the Treaty on Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction – known as the BBNJ Treaty – is a historic milestone. This agreement is vital to protecting marine biodiversity in areas beyond national jurisdiction, which make up nearly two-thirds of the ocean.
I urge countries who have not yet ratified the BBNJ Treaty to do so without delay and to accelerate implementation.
There has also been significant progress towards the Global Biodiversity Framework’s target of protecting 30% of the ocean by 2030 and the launch of the 30×30 Ocean Action Plan. The United Nations stands ready to support all countries national efforts to translate this global commitment into local action.
As marine ecosystems are choking with plastic pollution, we must accelerate progress toward a legally binding global treaty on plastic pollution. The mounting crisis of microplastics and toxic chemicals infiltrating our oceans demands urgent and coordinated action to sustain fisheries, protect biodiversity, and reduce negative impact on tourism and people’s sources of income.
This requires not only industry reform but also changes in our daily consumption and waste management systems. Let us apply existing tools based on the polluter pays principle and work with the private sector to keep our oceans clean.
The launch of the Ocean Rise and Coastal Resilience Coalition in Nice is a call to action. I encourage cities and communities across the Gulf of Guinea to join this global movement for adaptation and innovation to find sustainable solutions to rising sea levels, for the cities of our future.
Second, we must unlock the economic power of the ocean.
Africa’s share of global ocean exports remains modest. But the potential is vast – from sustainable aquaculture and offshore wind to marine biotechnology and eco-tourism.
Two-thirds of marine species remain undiscovered. They hold the keys to new medicines, low-carbon foods, and bio-based materials. This is a nearly $11 billion market opportunity waiting to be seized for our young people.
It also holds the key to nourishing our communities, improving nutrition, and building resilient livelihoods across the region. As we head to the 2nd UN Food System Stocktake in Addis Ababa its role in transforming the food systems will be central.
But to do so, we need investment. At last week’s Financing for Development Conference in Sevilla, we were reminded of the $4 trillion annual gap in sustainable development financing. Reforming the global financial architecture is essential – but so is aligning capital with climate resilience and nature-positive growth.
This is not just as a sectoral opportunity, but an integrated part of our global financing agenda. We need to work hand in hand with the private sector to unlock new forms of financing and to create an enabling environment for entrepreneurship to drive innovation, create jobs, and unlock new opportunities across the Blue Economy, especially for young people and women.
Third, and critically, we must ensure security at sea.
Piracy, trafficking, and transnational crime continue to threaten the Gulf of Guinea. These are not isolated threats – they are linked to broader patterns of instability and terrorism, particularly in the Sahel.
ECOWAS, ECCAS, and the Gulf of Guinea Commission have demonstrated commendable leadership in advancing regional cooperation to enhance maritime security across the Gulf of Guinea.
Their efforts have led to the establishment of Regional Maritime Security Centers in West and Central Africa, as well as Multinational Maritime Coordination Centres in countries such as Cabo Verde, Congo, and Ghana. These institutions form a vital architecture for regional stability and ocean governance.
I therefore call on regional governments, international partners, and the private sector to build on this foundation – recognizing that maritime security is not only a matter of safety, but a cornerstone for sustainable development.
Excellencies,
The Secretary-General has called for a political and financial surge to protect our ocean and unleash its potential. That surge must begin here, in the Gulf of Guinea.
Let us translate the momentum from Nice to Yaoundé into action.
Let us scale local innovations and forge partnerships that cross borders and sectors.
And let us remember: the Blue Economy is not only central to SDG 14 – Life Below Water – it is also a powerful enabler of the entire 2030 Agenda and Agenda 2063.
From ending poverty and hunger, to advancing health, education, gender equality, and climate action, the ocean connects and sustains every dimension of sustainable development.
The tide is with us. Now we must sail it forward – together in solidarity.
Thank you.
***
Source: United Nations General Assembly and Security Council
9954th Meeting (AM)
The Security Council will hold its monthly open briefing on Yemen today. Hans Grundberg, Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for Yemen; Tom Fletcher, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator; and Summer Nasser, Chief Executive Officer, Yemen Aid, will brief. The meeting is expected to cover multiple challenges Yemen faces on the political, humanitarian, and economic fronts.
…
For information media. Not an official record.
Source: United Nations secretary general
I thank the United Nations Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation for co-organizing this conference.
I salute Senegal for hosting — a powerful example of African solidarity with the Palestinian people.
You come together at a time when Palestinian suffering has reached new heights and hopes for a just and lasting solution have reached new depths.
Following the terror attacks by Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups on 7 October 2023 — which I have unequivocally condemned — the Israeli military operations have created a humanitarian crisis of horrific proportions, more dire today than at any point in this long and brutal crisis.
It is time for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza. The immediate and unconditional release of all hostages in a dignified manner. Full, safe and sustained humanitarian access.
UNRWA’s mandated role in supporting Palestinian refugees must be respected.
And obligations under international humanitarian law and Security Council resolutions must also be respected.
Meanwhile, the situation in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, is in freefall.
This year alone, over 150 Palestinians, including over 20 children, were killed in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, in Israeli security forces operations, attacks by settlers and other incidents.
Armed Israeli settler violence has surged, with many Palestinians killed, including sometimes in the proximity — and with the support — of Israeli security forces.
Since early 2025, tens of thousands of Palestinians have been forced to flee by Israeli security forces operations.
Illegal settlement expansion, large-scale land seizures and demolitions of Palestinian-owned structures continue unabated.
Israel’s policies in East Jerusalem, including restrictions on Palestinian access and worship, are deeply troubling.
Jerusalem — Al-Quds — holds a unique place in the hearts of millions of Muslims, Jews and Christians around the world.
What happens in Jerusalem — including continued provocations and incitements to violence — reverberates globally.
The position of the United Nations is clear:
The status of Jerusalem cannot be altered by unilateral actions, including settlement activities in occupied East Jerusalem.
It can only be resolved through negotiations between the parties.
Jerusalem’s demographic and historical character must be preserved.
Respecting and upholding the status quo at the Holy Sites is essential.
The International Court of Justice, in its Advisory Opinion of 19 July 2024, affirmed that Israel’s occupation of the Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem and Gaza, is unlawful.
Israel has an obligation to bring an end to its presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory as rapidly as possible.
The only realistic, just, and sustainable path is the two-State solution, with Israel and an independent, democratic, contiguous, viable and sovereign Palestinian State, with Gaza as an integral part — living side by side in peace within secure, recognized pre-1967 borders, and with Jerusalem as the capital of both States.
The two-State solution remains the only framework rooted in international law, endorsed by numerous General Assembly resolutions, and supported by the international community.
This conference offers a timely platform to mobilize collective efforts towards this solution, and the just and lasting peace that Palestinians and Israelis deserve.
Now is the time to choose the path of peace.
For Palestinians. For Israelis. For the people of the Middle East and the world.
***
Source: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)
TIC2026 will bring together nuclear safety regulators, plant designers and operators, technical support organizations, and other stakeholders from various countries, along with international organizations. The goal is to build on insights on key topics related to nuclear installation design safety, safety assessment, siting, construction, operation and regulation for both operating and new nuclear installations.
“The conference will provide a comprehensive forum for nuclear safety stakeholders from various generations of nuclear projects, and a wide range of nuclear safety fields, to address different issues in nuclear installation safety, making it an inclusive event,” said Ana Gomez, Head of the IAEA Safety Assessment Section.
Source: UNISDR Disaster Risk Reduction
The Government of Guyana, through the Civil Defence Commission (CDC), in collaboration with the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR), World Meteorological Organization (WMO), International Telecommunication Union (ITU), International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), and Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA) recently convened a National Consultative Workshop to launch the Early Warning for All (EW4ALL) and take stock on the status of Multi-Hazard Early Warning Systems (MHEWS) in Guyana. This landmark workshop that took place during the period June 24 to 26, 2025, brought together national stakeholders and regional and international partners to enhance Guyana’s national framework for early warning and disaster preparedness and response.
The event opened with welcome remarks from Colonel Nazrul Hussain, Director-General of the Civil Defence Commission (CDC), followed by opening remarks by Ms. Jean Kamau, UN Resident Coordinator to Guyana. The keynote address was delivered by Dr. Alfred King, Permanent Secretary of the Office of the Prime Minister, whose address reaffirmed the government’s commitment to strengthening national resilience and promoting climate adaptation through early warning systems to save and protect lives.
The workshop forms part of Guyana’s ongoing efforts to build a comprehensive, people-centred Early Warning System (EWS), aligned with international good practices. The aim is to ensure timely alerting protocols and effective preparedness and response measures to safeguard lives, livelihoods, and critical infrastructure from the impacts of multiple hazards.
Key themes of the workshop included:
During the three days workshop, participants reviewed preliminary gaps identified for Guyana based on the globally adopted EW4All Checklist for Gap Analysis. Participants also discussed strategies and approaches to operationalise an integrated and sustainable EWS that addresses multiple hazards within the Guyana context.
Guyana is currently confronting heightened climate variability and an increase in disaster risks. This workshop represents a critical advancement in ensuring that all individuals have access to EWS and are adequately prepared for potential disasters, emphasising the importance of inclusivity in these efforts.
Source: World Health Organisation
The World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF have released an updated country progress tracker that shows how countries are advancing efforts to improve water, sanitation, hygiene (WASH) and waste services in health-care facilities. The tracker, now covering 107 countries – up from 75 two years ago – underpins global monitoring against the 2023 United Nations General Assembly Resolution on WASH, waste and electricity in health-care facilities.
The tracker provides the most comprehensive picture yet of how countries are taking forward the eight practical steps to improve WASH services in health facilities, from establishing national standards to developing costed roadmaps, strengthening health information systems and building workforce capacity.
“This data shows that nearly every country is taking action,” said Maggie Montgomery, Technical Officer at WHO. “We see strong momentum on developing national standards and conducting baseline assessments, but critical gaps remain. Only 17% of countries have secured sufficient financing to improve and sustain these essential services. That means patients, staff and communities continue to face unnecessary risks.”
Half of healthcare facilities worldwide lack basic hygiene services with water and soap or alcohol-based hand rub where patients receive care and at toilets in these facilities, according to the latest Joint Monitoring Programme (JMP) report by WHO and UNICEF. Around 3.85 billion people use these facilities, putting them at greater risk of infection, including 688 million people who receive care at facilities with no hygiene services at all.
The updated analysis also highlights encouraging trends. Over 90% of countries have undertaken baseline assessments or developed standards. Nearly half of countries updating WASH and waste guidelines are integrating climate resilience and sustainability considerations, such as installing safe water storage, using greener plumbing materials and expanding non-burn waste treatment.
“We’ve seen that progress is possible even in the most challenging contexts,” said Lindsay Denny Naughton, WASH Specialist at UNICEF. “Where countries work on multiple areas at once – from standards to infrastructure to integrating WASH into national health monitoring – these efforts reinforce each other and drive system-wide improvements. It’s clear that equity, including addressing the needs of women, girls and people with disabilities, has to be central to these efforts.”
The updated tracker comes ahead of a global webinar on 29 July, hosted by WHO and UNICEF, which will share country experiences and highlight what more is needed to meet the targets set in the 2023 UN Resolution. The forthcoming WHO/UNICEF Global Progress Report on WASH and waste in health-care facilities, to be launched in October 2025, will provide further insights based on these country updates.
Last week, WHO Europe convened countries and partners in Budapest under the Protocol on Water and Health to explore how global commitments can be translated into action at the national level, including through better financing models and integrating WASH into broader health, climate and antimicrobial resistance strategies.
Montgomery emphasized: “We know what actions need to be taken, we have the tools and evidence and investing makes sense. Every dollar spent on hand hygiene in health-care facilities yields a return of 25 dollars. Now is the time to translate this momentum into concrete, sustainable improvements.”
Source: United Nations 4
The warning, issued jointly by UN agencies and the regional socio-economic bloc SAARC on Wednesday, underscores South Asia’s status as the “global epicentre” of anaemia among adolescent girls and women.
An estimated 259 million already suffer from the condition, which impairs the body’s ability to carry oxygen, contributing to chronic fatigue, poor maternal outcomes, and reduced educational and economic participation.
“This is a clarion call for action,” said Sanjay Wijesekera, Regional Director for the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF), which together with the UN World Health Organization (WHO) and SAARC prepared the analysis.
“When half of all adolescent girls and women in South Asia are anaemic, it is not only a health issue – it is a signal that systems are failing them.”
Anaemia doesn’t just affect women and girls – it contributes to 40% of the world’s low birth weight cases and affects child growth and learning, particularly in poorer households.
The economic toll is staggering: anaemia costs South Asia an estimated $32.5 billion annually, perpetuating cycles of poverty and poor health.
Yet, the condition is preventable and treatable. Proven solutions include iron and folic acid supplementation, iron- and vitamin-rich diets, better sanitation and infection control, and stronger maternal health services.
Experts stress that multi-sector collaboration is critical for sustained progress.
A nurse speaks to women about nutritious food in western India’s Sabarkantha district, were many women and girls suffer from iron deficiency.
In nearly every country, progress hinges on strengthening health systems, expanding nutrition programmes, and reaching adolescent girls and women in marginalised communities.
Sri Lanka, where 18.5 per cent of women of reproductive age are anaemic, is scaling up its national nutrition initiative, focusing on the most affected districts.
India and Pakistan are also seeing encouraging signs. In India, high-burden states are integrating iron supplementation into school and maternal care programmes. Pakistan has piloted community-based nutrition initiatives linked to reproductive health services, enabling early detection and follow-up care.
In Bangladesh, school-based health initiatives are reaching adolescents with fortified meals and health education, coordinated across health, education, and agriculture ministries.
The Maldives and Bhutan are prioritising early prevention through childhood nutrition, food fortification, and public awareness campaigns. Though smaller in population, both are investing in anaemia surveillance and inter-ministerial collaboration.
Nepal stands out for its equitable results: since 2016, the country has cut anaemia among women of reproductive age by 7 per cent, with larger declines in poorer areas. Its female community health volunteers are key, providing counselling and referrals in remote regions and linking vulnerable households to public services.
Man Kumari Gurung, a public health nurse in Karnali Province, credits the achievements to a range of community-driven efforts.
“Pregnant women receive eggs, chicken and nutritious food through programmes like Sutkeri Poshan Koseli (Nutrition Gift for New Mothers),” she said. “Cash grants also help with transport to hospitals, supporting safer births and better nutrition.”
A nurse checks a pregnant woman’s weight and vital signs at a clinic in Galigamuwa, Sri Lanka.
Ending anaemia requires leadership and teamwork. Governments must lead, but communities, health workers, schools, and families all play a part.
Stronger health systems, better data, and coordinated action across sectors can help girls and women reach their full potential – building healthier communities and stronger economies.
“Young people and mothers are at the heart of South Asia’s development goals. Ensuring that they are healthy, nourished and empowered is not just a moral imperative, it is a strategic investment in the future of our societies,” said Md. Golam Sarwar, Secretary General of SAARC.
Source: United Nations 2
What little fuel remains is powering essential operations, but it is running out fast, and there are virtually no additional accessible stocks left, UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said, citing reports from the UN relief coordination office, OCHA.
“Hospitals are rationing. Ambulances are stalling. Water systems are on the brink. And the deaths this is likely to cause could soon rise sharply unless the Israeli authorities allow new fuel to get in,” said Mr. Dujarric.
“We need fuel urgently and we need it in large quantities to power the most essential parts, notably water desalination, hospitals and telecommunications,” he added, noting fuel has not entered the enclave in the last few months.
Meanwhile Israeli forces continue to attack civilian infrastructure in Gaza and issue new displacement orders.
On Tuesday, such orders were issued for parts of Khan Younis, specifically ordering those staying in tents to move, Mr. Dujarric reported.
The map published alongside the order indicates that some areas included had not been subject to displacement orders since before the March ceasefire, he said.
“The issuance of a displacement order does not relieve any party from the imperative to spare civilians, including those who are unable or unwilling to move.”
Mr. Dujarric also reiterated the UN World Health Organization’s (WHO) call to protect the Nasser Medical Complex in Khan Younis, warning that the hospital is overwhelmed with trauma injuries at double its capacity.
In a video message sent from the hospital on Monday, Rik Peeperkorn, WHO representative in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, said the facility is running critically low on trauma supplies, essential medicines, equipment and fuel, and that staff are exhausted.
Meanwhile, OCHA reported that humanitarian movements inside Gaza remain heavily restricted: only four out of 12 attempts on Monday to coordinate movements with the Israeli security authorities were fully facilitated, and just one delivered supplies.
Four more attempts were rejected by Israeli authorities, halting efforts to evacuate patients, retrieve disabled trucks or clear debris.
Although the remaining four were initially approved, ground-level impediments ultimately undermined the ability to carry out the missions.
Source: United Nations 2
The outbreak – which started in September 2024 and was confirmed a month later – comes amidst a protracted humanitarian crisis exacerbated by rising intercommunal violence, climate shocks such as flooding and catastrophic hunger.
“Now, more than ever, collective action is needed to reduce tensions, resolve political differences and make tangible progress in implementing peace,” said Anita Kiki Gbeho, UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in South Sudan.
Since the cholera outbreak was declared in October 2024, UN agencies and partners have documented over 80,000 cholera cases and 1,400 deaths.
This is in addition to regional outbreaks of mpox, hepatitis and measles among other communicable diseases.
South Sudanese authorities, civil society and UN agencies held an inter-ministerial meeting on Monday to discuss what they called an “alarming escalation” in the spread of the outbreak.
“This is not merely a public health crisis, but a multi-sectoral emergency exacerbated by flooding, displacement, and limited access to basic services,” the ministers wrote in a communiqué released.
The group resolved to facilitate unimpeded humanitarian access to areas which already have outbreaks and to other areas at risk for outbreaks. The Government of South Sudan will coordinate these efforts.
Partners will also work to preposition materials, improve water and sanitation infrastructure and coordinate proactive and reactive vaccination campaigns.
With the peak of the rainy season on the horizon, the next eight weeks are critical in containing and mitigating the outbreak before severe flooding begins.
“Time is of the essence to prevent a further escalation of the outbreak,” the officials wrote.
Floods more than double the frequency of cholera outbreaks by imperiling access to clean water and impeding humanitarian access to affected areas. And with rising global temperatures making floods more severe, millions of South Sudanese who were not previously in regions of concern may now be at risk for cholera outbreaks.
Cholera is an acute diarrhoeal infection caused by consuming contaminated water or food. Although highly communicable, it is preventable through proper hygiene, regular handwashing, safe food preparation and storage, improved sanitation infrastructure, and vaccination.
Symptoms typically include watery diarrhoea. Most cases are mild to moderate and can be treated effectively with oral rehydration salts (ORS) mixed with clean, boiled water.
However, in severe cases, cholera can be fatal—sometimes within hours—if not treated promptly.
Infected individuals can also transmit the disease through their faeces for up to ten days, even if they show no symptoms.
In South Sudan, the already inadequate water and sanitation infrastructure and overstretched public health system has further deteriorated as a result of displacement and conflict. This has ripened the conditions for the spread of cholera.
The UN and its partners are working quickly to preposition emergency supplies, especially in these previously low-risk areas, but they are hampered by funding shortfalls. Agencies estimate that they will need $1.69 billion – of which they have only received $368 million – to address the many intersecting humanitarian needs in the country.
Nevertheless, the group of ministers insisted that this outbreak is and must remain a priority for all involved.
“Cholera response and flood preparedness must be treated as urgent national priorities,” they said in the communiqué.
Source: United Nations 2
In the fourth year of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, housing remains one of the country’s most urgent humanitarian and recovery challenges. The destruction has been widespread and ongoing.
According to the latest Rapid Damage and Needs Assessment, 13 per cent of Ukraine’s housing stock has been damaged since February 2022, impacting an estimated 2.5 million families.
In coordination with Ukrainian authorities and partners, UNHCR has invested over $114 million in durable housing solutions since July 2022, supporting both durable home repairs and emergency shelter assistance.
“By helping repair houses and apartments, we are enabling people to stay in or return to their homes – places that hold profound meaning, often passed down through generations,” said Karolina Lindholm Billing, UNHCR’s representative in Ukraine.
“These are not just buildings. These are treasured spaces where couples raised their children, families celebrated milestones, cared for older relatives and built their lives together,” she said.
UNHCR’s support includes a range of solutions: contracting local builders, providing construction materials or offering cash assistance to homeowners.
Repairs may include roofs, windows, insulation and in some cases, major reconstruction. The agency also helps restore common areas in apartment buildings.
UNHCR also provides emergency shelter kits – tarpaulin, wooden boards, nails and other materials – to help protect homes from further weather damage.
Since 2022, more than 470,000 people have received such kits.
With millions still internally displaced – many from areas under temporary occupation and with little prospect of return – UNHCR supports broader shelter options, including restoring social housing, repairing rural homes and refurbishing collective centres for the most vulnerable.
Source: United Nations 2
The AI for Good Global Summit 2025 brings together governments, tech leaders, academics, civil society and young people to explore how artificial intelligence can be directed toward Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) – and away from growing risks of inequality, disinformation and environmental strain.
“We are the AI generation,” said Doreen Bogdan-Martin, chief of the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) – UN’s specialized agency for information and communications technology – in a keynote address.
But being part of this generation means more than just using these technologies.
“It means contributing to this whole-of-society upskilling effort, from early schooling to lifelong learning,” she added.
Ms. Bogdan-Martin warned of mounting dangers in deploying AI without sufficient public understanding or policy oversight.
“The biggest risk we face is not AI eliminating the human race. It is the race to embed AI everywhere, without sufficient understanding of what that means for people and our planet,” she said.
Her remarks reflected a growing sense of urgency among policymakers and technologists, as new “agentic AI” systems capable of autonomous reasoning and action emerge at unprecedented speed.
With some experts predicting human-level AI within the next three years, concerns about safety, bias, energy consumption and regulatory capacity have intensified.
Tech on display at the AI for Good Global Summit.
The summit’s agenda reflects these tensions.
Over 20,000 square meters of exhibit space at Geneva’s Palexpo now hosts more than 200 demonstrations, including a flying car, a fish-inspired water quality monitor, brain-computer interfaces and AI-driven disaster response tools.
Workshops throughout the week will tackle topics ranging from AI in healthcare and education to ethics, gender inclusion and global governance.
One highlight will be the AI Governance Day on Thursday, where national regulators and international organizations will address the gap in global oversight. An ITU survey found that 85 per cent of countries lack an AI-specific policy or strategy, raising alarms about uneven development and growing digital divides.
Health is a prominent theme this year.
On Wednesday, the UN World Health Organization (WHO) will lead a session titled “Enabling AI for Health Innovation and Access,” bringing together technologists, regulators, clinicians and humanitarian leaders to address how AI can improve healthcare delivery – especially in low-resource settings.
Real-world applications – from AI-powered triage in emergency care to diagnostic tools for rural clinics – will be spotlighted, alongside a preview of WHO’s forthcoming Technical Brief on AI in Traditional Medicine, set for official launch on the main stage.
Experts will also examine the challenges of interoperability, regulatory harmonisation and intellectual property rights at the intersection of AI and global health. The summit will also feature the AI for Good Awards, recognising groundbreaking projects that harness AI for public benefit, with categories spanning people, planet and prosperity.
Tech on display at the AI for Good Global Summit in Geneva.
The health track exemplifies the summit’s core goal: ensuring AI serves the public good, especially in areas of greatest need.
Youth-led robotics teams from underserved communities will present solutions for disaster recovery and waste management, while startups compete in the Innovation Factory to showcase AI tools for education and climate resilience.
Live demonstrations include an autonomous orchard robot, a self-sanitising mobile toilet, and a drone-eDNA system for scalable biodiversity and pest monitoring.
Closing her keynote, Ms. Bogdan-Martin reminded participants that the future of AI is a shared responsibility.
“Let’s never stop putting AI at the service of all people and our planet,” she said.
Source: United Nations 4
On 8 July 2025, the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 2653 (2022) approved the addition of the entries specified below to its Sanctions List of individuals and entities subject to the measures imposed by the Security Council and adopted under Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations.
B. Entities and other groups
HTe.001 Name: GRAN GRIF
Name (original script): na
A.k.a: a) Gran Grif de Savien b) Savien gang c) Baz Gran Grif F.k.a.: na Address: Haiti Listed on: 08 Jul. 2025 Other information: Luckson Elan (HTi.007) is the leader of the Gran Grif gang. INTERPOL-UN Security Council Special Notice web link: https://www.interpol.int/en/How-we-work/Notices/View-UN-Notices-Individuals.
HTe.002 Name: VIV ANSANM
Name (original script): na
A.k.a: a) Living Together b) G-9 c) G9 Family and Allies d) G9 Fanmi e Alye e) The Revolutionary Forces of the G9 Family and Allies f) Fòs Revolisyonè G9 an Fanmi e Alye g) G-Pèp h) G-People F.k.a.: na Address: Haiti Listed on: 08 Jul. 2025 Other information: Jimmy Chérizier (HTi.001) is the leader of the Viv Ansanm gang coalition. INTERPOL-UN Security Council Special Notice web link: https://www.interpol.int/en/How-we-work/Notices/View-UN-Notices-Individuals.
Press releases concerning changes to the Committee’s Sanctions List may be found in the “Press Releases” section on the Committee’s website at the following URL: https://main.un.org/securitycouncil/en/sanctions/2653/press-releases.
The updated version of the Committee’s Sanctions List, available in HTML, PDF and XML format, may be found at the following URL: https://main.un.org/securitycouncil/en/sanctions/2653/materials.
The United Nations Security Council Consolidated List is also updated following all changes made to the Committee’s Sanctions List and is accessible at the following URL: https://main.un.org/securitycouncil/en/content/un-sc-consolidated-list.
For information media. Not an official record.