Source: United Nations secretary general
On 22 May 2025, in New York, the Secretary-General met with the members of the Hostages and Missing Families Forum to discuss the United Nations’ response to hostage-taking situations. At the meeting, the Secretary-General indicated that he had decided to assign a focal point in his Executive Office to support his advocacy engagements concerning hostages and hostage-taking situations worldwide.
Source: UNISDR Disaster Risk Reduction
The earlier version, published in 2017, available
This document provides a comprehensive framework for conducting disaster risk assessments (NDRAs) at national and local levels. It is designed to support practitioners in understanding and managing disaster risk in alignment with the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015–2030. These guidelines emphasize inclusivity, governance and evidence-based decision-making, offering a flexible, iterative process adaptable to various national contexts.
These guidelines update those published the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) in 2017 in response to feedback from experts and practitioners who identified a need for greater engagement with regional and national governments—the primary users of the guidelines. The update takes a more adaptable and user-focused approach, allowing countries to tailor the framework to their specific contexts while aligning with broader climate adaptation efforts and sustainable development goals.
Source: UNISDR Disaster Risk Reduction
Mission
All Sonar-Global partners work in the field of “infectious threats”. Our scope of action includes preparedness and response to epidemics, vaccine hesitancy, and the prevention of antimicrobial resistance. As social scientists, we recognize that efforts to tackle these threats may be ineffective if complex social, political, economic and ecological contexts are not addressed. The Sonar-Global platform provides opportunities for social scientists to work together and to build bridges. Through this platform, we create a critical mass of social scientists with whom we can share experiences, tools, models and curricula. We also foster closer collaborations with experts from other disciplines.
Source: United Nations – Peacekeeping
Bahrain, Colombia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Latvia, and Liberia were elected on Tuesday to serve as non-permanent members of the UN Security Council, with two-year terms beginning in January 2026.
They will serve through the end of 2027 on the UN body responsible for maintaining international peace and security.
They will join the five non-permanent members elected last year – Denmark, Greece, Pakistan, Panama, and Somalia – who will serve through 2026. The incoming members will succeed Algeria, Guyana, the Republic of Korea, Sierra Leone, and Slovenia, whose terms end in December 2025.
The Security Council has 15 members: five permanent members – China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States – who hold veto power, and ten non-permanent members elected by the General Assembly for staggered two-year terms.
Elections are held annually by secret ballot, with seats allocated by regional group. Candidates must secure a two-thirds majority in the 193-member General Assembly to be elected.
A total of 188 Member States participated in the election, which required only one round of balloting.
In the African and Asia-Pacific group, Bahrain received 186 votes, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) garnered 183 votes, and Liberia received 181 votes, with one country abstaining.
In the Eastern European group, Latvia received 178 votes while 10 countries abstained.
In the Latin America and the Caribbean group, Colombia received 180 votes, with eight countries abstaining.
Latvia will take a seat on the Council for the first time in its history.
With the exception of Latvia, all the elected countries have previously served: Colombia seven times, the DRC twice, and Bahrain and Liberia once each.
The non-permanent seats on the Security Council are distributed according to four regional groupings: Africa and Asia; Eastern Europe; Latin America and the Caribbean; and the Western European and other States group.
This year’s election filled five seats: two allocated to Africa, one to Asia-Pacific, one to Eastern Europe, and one to Latin America and the Caribbean.
By Vibhu Mishra
Source: World Health Organisation
The World Health Organization (WHO) Classification and Terminologies Unit announces the release of the DORIS tool version 1.1, an advanced digital tool designed to support countries in automatically selecting the underlying cause of death (UCOD).
DORIS is a multilingual software developed to facilitate the identification of the underlying cause of death. This tool examines the information provided on the medical certificate of cause of death (MCCD) and assists in automatically selecting the underlying cause of death using the fully digitalized mortality coding rules of the International Classification of Diseases, 11th revision (ICD-11).
The DORIS tool (Digital Open Rule Integrated cause of death Selection) version 1.1 features significant improvements based on user feedback.
The updated version integrates enhancements to its algorithm improving the accuracy and consistency of cause of death coding particularly:
To improve transparency and user engagement, DORIS 1.1 now offers four complementary visualization modes to assist coders, reviewers, and trainers:
The new version runs on the latest release of ICD-11 and supports all the released languages. It is accessible via:
DORIS plays a vital role in improving the quality of mortality statistics and supports country efforts to implement ICD-11 in line with international standards. The release of version 1.1 underscores WHO’s commitment to leveraging digital innovation to strengthen health information systems worldwide.
For more information and access to the tool, please visit icd.who.int/doris or contact the WHO Classification and Terminologies team at: icd@who.int or alsokhnc@who.int.
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Source: World Health Organisation
Cholera is a severe diarrhoeal disease that can be fatal within hours if not treated. Quick access to treatment is therefore crucial. Researchers estimate that there are 1.3 to 4 million cases and 21 000 to 143 000 deaths from cholera worldwide each year, with cases surging since 2021. Over 40 countries reported cases last year, and WHO estimates that 1 billion people are directly at risk.
Cholera remains a global public health threat closely linked to inequality and inadequate social and economic development. Access to safe water, basic sanitation and hygiene are essential to prevent cholera and other waterborne diseases.
WHO works to improve prevention and control of cholera globally, as well as increase awareness. WHO and partners also support research for the development of innovative strategies to prevent and control cholera.
Below are some examples of how WHO is collaborating with governments and partners across the world, with critical financial support from donors, to prevent and control cholera.
WHO and the French Development Agency launch a cholera response project in Haut-Katanga to strengthen emergency community responses.
Photo by: WHO/Joel Lumbala
WHO, in partnership with the French Development Agency, has launched a catalytic US$ 392 000 project, working closely with the health authorities of Haut-Katanga and the National Program for the elimination of cholera and the fight against other diarrheal diseases.
This project aims to drastically reduce the risk of cholera epidemics in this southeastern province of the Democratic Republic of Congo. The project will provide medical supplies, improve infection prevention and control, install 40 oral rehydration points and build two semi-durable isolation treatment centres in the Kafubu and Kipushi health zones.
Over six months, the project will train 50 registered nurses and 140 community health workers in integrated disease surveillance and response, while raising awareness amongst the population on good hygiene practices. The health zones will also be empowered to locally produce liquid chlorine (bleach) to facilitate the decontamination of households affected by suspected cases of cholera, the treatment of drinking water and medical needs in health facilities. Solar kits and reagents will be available for 6 months.
Read the full story (in French)
Deploying rapid response teams, training health personnel, establishing cholera treatment centres and units, providing safe drinking water, intensive community engagement, and the rollout of targeted vaccination campaigns is part of the urgent response measures against cholera. Photo by: WHO/Angola
Since the onset of a cholera outbreak in Angola in January 2025, more than 14 000 cases and 505 associated deaths have been reported. Around 50% of the cases affected people under 20 years.
The Ministry of Health, in close coordination with WHO and other development partners, carried out a series of urgent response measures. These included deploying rapid response teams, training health personnel, establishing cholera treatment centres and units, providing safe drinking water, intensive community engagement, and the rollout of targeted vaccination campaigns.
In addition, health authorities, with support from WHO and United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), mapped and treated the country’s main water access points. In early 2025, 28 public health officials from 15 municipalities in five of the most affected provinces were trained in mapping water sources. Nearly 320 water sources were mapped, improving access to treated water for people, particularly in Luanda and Icolo e Bengo provinces, which account for around 94% of cholera cases and 15% of related deaths in the country.
Read the full stories here and here
A child receives oral cholera vaccine in Baqa’a shelter for internally displaced people in Gedaref, October 2024. Photo by: WHO/Omer Tarig
The Federal Ministry of Health of Sudan declared a cholera outbreak on 12 August 2024, following the confirmation of cases in Kassala State. Heavy rains, flooding, overcrowding, and limited access to clean water in displacement sites and within communities contributed to the rapid spread of the disease. As of 18 January 2025, the outbreak had affected 84 localities across 11 states, with more than 51 300 cases and 1 359 deaths reported.
As part of the response, the Federal Ministry of Health, with support from WHO and UNICEF, has conducted oral cholera vaccination campaigns in 8 states, reaching 7.4 million people.
WHO is supporting the outbreak response through comprehensive health interventions that include strengthening surveillance, deployment of rapid response teams for swift investigation of alerts, case management and improving water quality, sanitation and hygiene services in displacement sites and other at-risk communities.
WHO is able to deliver on its cholera commitment through the financial contribution of donors: Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, the European Union Commission, United Nations Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF), United States Agency for International Development (USAID), UN Multi-Partner Trust Fund Office (MPTF), and the Governments of France and Germany.
A young girl receives the 2nd dose of the OCV Vaccine in the Rohingya Camps. Photo by: WHO/Terence Ngwabe Che
In April 2025, WHO, in collaboration with the Government of Bangladesh and health sector partners, launched the second round of a targeted Oral Cholera Vaccination (OCV) campaign in Cox’s Bazar. This initiative aims to administer a second dose of the vaccine to Rohingya refugee children aged 1 to 5 years.
This builds on the success of the initial mass vaccination campaign conducted in January 2025, across the Cox’s Bazar, Bandarban districts, and on Bhasan Char Island. A total of 1.4 million doses were administered from the 1.6 million doses supplied by the International Coordinating Group on Oral Cholera Vaccine Provision for Cholera Control.
The vaccine deployment followed an approved request by the Directorate General of Health Services, Communicable Disease Control, with operational support from Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance.
KSRelief Supervisor-General, Abdullah Al Rabeeah, and Dr Tedros, signing funding agreements in response to humanitarian crises at the Riyadh International Humanitarian Forum on 24-25 February 2025, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Photo by: WHO/Karim Yassmineh.
WHO and the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre (KSrelief) agreed on a series of new pledges to deliver life-saving health measures for people threatened by cholera and malaria in Yemen. The pledges also support health services for Sudanese who have fled conflict to neighbouring Egypt, and to support polio eradication efforts in countries where the virus continues to circulate. The agreements were signed during the fourth Riyadh International Humanitarian Forum, being held on 24-25 February.
WHO’s Country Office in Yemen and KSrelief finalized a donation of US$ 2.1 million to support an existing agreement to expand cholera response and control measures, and improve access to treatment in affected and high-risk areas.
OPS/WHO delivering materials to the Ministry of Public Health and Population to respond against cholera. Photo by: OPS/WHO
PAHO/WHO continued to support the Ministry of Public Health and Population in its fight against cholera since its resurgence in October 2022. Access to clean and safe water remains a major challenge in Haiti and is a key factor in the decline of the disease across the country.
With support from the UNCERF and in partnership with the health authorities, PAHO/WHO implemented a project to improve access to drinking water for Acute Diarrhea Treatment Centres, facilities established to treat cholera patients.
Installing a water treatment unit made it possible to supply drinking water, on demand, by tanker trucks to a network of 15 distribution points, consisting of tankers installed in as many health facilities throughout the department. In the second phase, 218 departmental health officers were trained on methods for accessing drinking water, effective sanitation techniques, and essential hygiene practices to prevent water-related diseases.
Read the full story (in French)
Case management at Area 25 cholera treatment centre. Photo by: WHO/Ovixlexla Kamenyagwaza-Bunya
The Government of Malawi, through its Public Health Institute, declared the end of a protracted cholera outbreak that started in March 2022 and lasted over two years. WHO and partners supported the set-up of cholera treatment centres and units and oral rehydration points, provided clinical mentorship, and supported the development of referral guidelines and standardized patient records from the initial stages of the outbreak.
The surveillance team supported the roll out of the One Health Surveillance Data Platform, intensified case investigations, and strengthened laboratory testing and event-based surveillance. WHO also provided support for oral cholera vaccination campaigns, where over four million doses were administered with a utilization rate of almost 100%.
To strengthen resilience and bolster global health security, in June 2023, WHO conducted a Scoping Mission which led to the development of a 2-year roadmap. WHO continues to work with multi-sectoral partners and the donor community to support implementation of these priorities. In 2024, USAID and FCDO UK provided funds towards preparedness activities.
A vaccinator administering oral cholera vaccine in Renk, Upper Nile State, during December 2024’s campaign after the September outbreak declaration.
Photo by: WHO/Atem John Ajang
The Government of South Sudan declared a cholera outbreak in October 2024. In January 2025, the Ministry of Health, with support from WHO and partners, rolled out several oral cholera vaccination campaigns in four high-risk countries: Malakal, Juba, Renk, and Rubkona.
With support from Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, around four million doses of the vaccine were approved and around 910 000 doses administered (as of January 2025) in the four counties, which is above 90% coverage.
WHO continues to distribute essential medical supplies for cholera response to local and national health authorities and partners, which can treat 4 700 cholera cases. WHO has also facilitated the establishment of a 50-bed cholera treatment centre at Juba Teaching Hospital and is supporting the deployment of nine rapid response teams from national level to 11 priority counties to support implementing partners on the ground to provide critical case management.
WHO staff build cholera treatment centres with support of communities. Photo by: WHO/Vivian Mugarisi
To ramp up testing for cholera in Zimbabwe, WHO supported the Ministry of Health and Child Care (MoHCC) with training of 986 nurses in antigen Rapid Diagnostic Test (RDT) testing, addressing critical staff shortages at rural health centres. Additionally, 44 laboratory personnel at provincial and district levels were trained in cholera culture, further strengthening diagnostic capacity.
Prior to the training programme, testing capabilities were limited. Between the outbreak’s onset in February 2023 and 18 January 2024, only 2 090 antigen RDTs and 2 250 culture tests were conducted across 10 health centres. Following the training, the number of antigen RFT tests increased to 9 853, a staggering 371% increase. The success of the programme is attributed to the collaborative efforts of various stakeholders including UNICEF, Higher Life Foundation, JHPIEGO, World Vision International and WHO, with MoHCC leading the efforts.
Funding for the training activities came from the Health Resilience Fund (HRF), UNCERF and the United States Department of the State (USDOS). HRF is a pool of funding from the European Union, the Government of Ireland and the United Kingdom, as well as Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance.
Additionally, in a significant boost to Zimbabwe’s healthcare infrastructure, WHO donated a wide range of medical equipment to the Ministry of Health and Child Care (MoHCC). The equipment, valued close to USD$1.8 million, was funded by various donors and partners, including the African Development Bank (AfDB), the UN Central Emergency Response Fund (UNCERF), USAID, and the Government of Japan.
Read the full stories here and here
***
Read more about WHO’s work on cholera
The donors and partners acknowledged in this story are (in alphabetical order)
African Development Bank, European Union, French Development Agency, Germany, Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, Health Resilience Fund, Higher Life Foundation, International Coordinating Group on Oral Cholera Vaccine Provision for Cholera Control, Ireland, Japan, JHPIEGO, King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre, United Kingdom Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office, UNICEF, UN Central Emergency Response Fund, UN Multi-Partner Trust Fund Office (MPTF), United States Department of the State, USAID, World Vision International.
WHO’s work is made possible through all contributions of our Member States and partners. WHO thanks all donor countries, governments, organizations and individuals who are contributing to the Organization’s work, with special appreciation for those who provide fully flexible contributions to maintain a strong, independent WHO.
Source: World Food Programme
ANTANANARIVO – The World Food Programme (WFP) has welcomed a generous contribution of 10,000 metric tons of rice worth US$12.5 million from the Republic of Korea to support the food and nutritional needs of 480,000 vulnerable people in southern Madagascar.
The contribution will enable WFP to reach 290,000 people for six months, starting in October, during the upcoming lean season – the period between harvests when families often run out of food stocks. It will also provide school meals to 190,000 students in 586 primary schools from September 2025 to June 2026. The activities will cover ten districts in the Anosy, Androy, Atsimo Andrefana, and Atsimo Atsinanana regions.
“This contribution comes at a critical time for communities facing food insecurity,” said Tania Goossens, WFP Representative in Madagascar. “Thanks to the Republic of Korea’s commitment, vulnerable households will be able to overcome the lean season and thousands of children will receive hot meals in primary school. We sincerely thank the Republic of Korea for their ongoing support and long-standing partnership in Madagascar.”
As recurrent climate shocks are aggravating 1.3 million people food insecure in southern and southeastern region, this contribution is especially critical in supporting the most vulnerable communities.
“This donation reaffirms the Republic of Korea’s solidarity with the Malagasy people, particularly the most vulnerable children and families in the South affected by climate shocks. We are demonstrating our commitment to collaborating with the Malagasy government, through WFP, in responding to food emergencies and strengthening the school feeding programme” said the Ambassador of ROK in Madagascar HEM. Park Ji-Hyun.
Since 2019, the Republic of Korea has provided a cumulative US$30.5 million through various funding mechanisms in support of WFP operations in Madagascar. This strong partnership reflects ROK’s growing commitment to combating hunger and strengthening the resilience of vulnerable communities across the country.
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The United Nations World Food Programme – saving lives in emergencies and changing lives for millions through sustainable development. WFP works in more than 120 countries around the world, feeding people caught in conflict and disasters, and laying the foundations for a better future.
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Source: World Food Programme
FREETOWN, Sierra Leone – The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) today welcomes a US$ 1.2 million contribution from The OPEC Fund for International Development, to support clean cooking solutions in WFP-supported schools across Sierra Leone.
The new funding will boost WFP’s climate-smart kitchens initiative in 440 schools across Pujehun, Kenema, and Kambia districts, through the installation of two fuel-efficient stoves per school and the creation of 15 community woodlots in selected schools to combat deforestation.
The support will also enable the training of volunteer cooks on stove use and maintenance, promoting cleaner cooking and protecting the environment.
“This initiative supports multiple development goals, from improving health and learning conditions for children to protecting the environment and reducing emissions,” said Walid Mehalaine, Head of Grants at the OPEC Fund. “Through our partnership with the World Food Programme, we are delivering practical, community-based solutions that make a real difference”.
While there is a growing government and international commitment to promoting clean cooking solutions, in Sierra Leone, access remains limited, with majority of the population relying on traditional biomass fuels.
The government is working with partners to improve access to clean cooking, but more investment and support are needed to address the challenge.
“Clean cooking technologies and efficient fuel usage in schools, will substantially reduce our carbon footprint associated with traditional cooking methods” said Yvonne Forsen, WFP’s Country Director and Representative for Sierra Leone. “This contribution reflects the OPEC Fund’s integrated approach to development, where climate, education and community resilience are addressed together”
WFP’s school feeding programme provides school meals to 254,000 students in five districts, including 26,000 school children benefiting from home-grown school feeding programme. The Government of Sierra Leone has prioritized home-grown school feeding as a key component of its National School Feeding Policy,
# # #
WFP is the world’s largest humanitarian organization, saving lives in emergencies and using food assistance to build a pathway to peace, stability and prosperity for people recovering from conflict, disasters, and the impact of climate change.
Follow us on X (previously Twitter) @wfp_media, @WFP_WAfrica
Source: World Health Organisation
At the seventy-eighth World Health Assembly (WHA78), Member States of the World Health Organization (WHO) discussed and approved several milestone decisions to advance the global response to noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) and mental health conditions. Landmark resolutions on lung and kidney health, a dedicated World Cervical Cancer Elimination Day, and plans to scale up eye, hearing care and prevention were among the key items. The Assembly also extended the deadline for the global action plan on dementia, and reaffirmed countries’ commitment to multisectoral and multistakeholder collaboration through the WHO Global Coordination Mechanism on NCDs.
The WHA78 resolutions on NCDs and mental health lead the way to the Fourth High-level Meeting of the UN General Assembly on the prevention and control of NCDs and the promotion of mental health and wellbeing (HLM4), where heads of state and government will meet at the UN General Assembly to set a new vision and ambitious targets in a dedicated political declaration.
At WHA78, Member States approved a landmark resolution on lung health, recognizing the urgent need to tackle respiratory diseases and their major risk factors, including air pollution and tobacco use. The Resolution aims to strengthen national and global actions to prevent, diagnose, and manage common lung conditions such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), lung cancer, pneumonia and tuberculosis, including through improved access to affordable care and greater investment in clean air policies.
The Assembly also approved the first-ever resolution on kidney health, recognizing kidney disease as a growing global public health issue. Led by Guatemala and co-sponsored by multiple Member States, the Resolution urges countries to integrate kidney care into national health strategies, expand prevention, early detection and treatment efforts, and strengthen primary health-care services.
In support of the global strategy to accelerate the elimination of cervical cancer as a public health problem, the Assembly established a World Cervical Cancer Elimination Day, to be marked on November 17 every year. Cervical cancer – the fourth most common cancer in women – could become the first cancer to be eliminated if sufficient global action and support is mobilized.
Another Resolution on primary prevention and integrated care for sensory impairments, including vision impairment and hearing loss called for improved services for at least 2.2 billion individuals affected by vision impairment, and 1.5 billion individuals by hearing loss – with particular attention to low- and middle-income countries, Small Island Developing States, and settings affected by different emergencies. The Resolution invites countries to implement the recommendations outlined in the World report on vision and World report on hearing.
Countries further endorsed a decision to extend the Global action plan on the public health response to dementia from 2025 to 2031, following a recommendation from WHO’s Executive Board. The revised timeline aligns with the Global action plan on epilepsy and other neurological Disorders 2022–2031 and supports a more coherent approach to the global response to neurological conditions.
Acknowledging the independent Mid-term evaluation of the WHO Global Coordination Mechanism on the Prevention and Control of Noncommunicable Diseases (GCM/NCD), the Assembly also highlighted the crucial role of the GCM/NCD in driving multisectoral and multistakeholder action on NCDs. Member States commended the past impact and success of the GCM/NCD, and reaffirmed their continued commitment to addressing the growing burden of NCDs and mental health conditions through whole-of-government and whole-of-society approaches.
An official side event on the Fourth UN High-Level Meeting entitled “Equity and integration: transforming lives and livelihoods through leadership and action on NCDs and the promotion of mental health and well-being” created further momentum around these key resolutions and thematic discussions. At the event, Member States, civil society, and public health experts issued urgent calls for accelerated action on NCDs and mental health.
Speakers from Barbados, Norway, and Spain showcased success stories in country cooperation, alongside powerful advocacy from the NCD Alliance and United for Global Mental Health. The side event also underscored challenges – from commercial determinants of health to climate crises, and from accountability gaps to primary care integration – and the availability of proven, evidence-informed responses.
Source: United Nations
Dear colleagues, family members and friends,
We gather to pay tribute to the 168 women and men who lost their lives in 2024 in the line of duty.
We honour those who gave everything in the pursuit of peace, justice, and human dignity.
Not only were they dear colleagues, they were sons and daughters, husbands and wives, fathers and mothers, brothers and sisters.
We extend our deepest condolences to the families with us today, both in person and online.
Our thoughts and our hearts are with you.
Your grief is shared by the entire United Nations family.
Your sorrow is our sorrow.
Please join me in a moment of silence to honour our fallen colleagues.
[MOMENT OF SILENCE]
Thank you.
The women and men we honour today embodied the very essence of our mission.
They were driven by the cause of peace, by the need to alleviate human suffering, and to ensure dignity for all.
They came from all countries of the world, representing 31 nationalities.
They were teachers, engineers, doctors, and administrators.
They were military, police and civilian personnel.
They were humanitarians, peacekeepers, and peacemakers and so much more.
When conflict erupted, they worked for peace…
When violence and disasters hit, they provided life-saving assistance…
When human rights were trampled, they lifted people up …
And when the vulnerable needed help, they worked to ensure no one was left behind.
Recent years have been devastating for the UN family.
We have suffered unspeakable and unprecedented losses in Gaza.
This past year alone, 126 of our colleagues were killed in Gaza, including 125 women and men who worked for UNRWA.
Some were killed with their families.
I repeat my call for full accountability.
Excellencies, dear colleagues, friends,
Our work is far more than just a job.
It is a calling.
All our fallen colleagues answered the call to serve humanity.
They did so in their own ways – without fanfare – and with determination.
They represented humanity in action.
At a time when some may question international cooperation or the very notion of multilateralism, we would all do well to remember these lives taken far too soon.
Let us take inspiration from how they lived.
Let us commit to provide support and comfort to their families.
Let us keep working to improve the safety and wellbeing of our staff.
And let us vow that the memory and mission of our fallen colleagues will endure.
They were the best of us.
Let them live on through our work.
Thank you.
Source: United Nations secretary general
This morning, the United Nations family will come together to pay tribute to 168 of our colleagues who lost their lives in 2024.
It is always an intimate ceremony, shared with families of the fallen.
But I believe this occasion also calls for a more public reflection.
The women and men we honour today were not just names on a list.
They were extraordinary individuals — each one a story of courage, compassion, and service.
They were driven by the pursuit of peace.
By the urgency to ease human suffering.
And by the conviction that every person, everywhere, deserves dignity and protection.
This past year has been especially devastating in Gaza.
Today’s ceremony includes recognition of 126 of our colleagues killed there — 125 of them serving with UNRWA.
More than one in every 50 UNRWA staff in Gaza has been killed in this atrocious conflict.
This is the highest staff death toll in United Nations history.
Some were killed delivering life-saving aid; others alongside their families; others while
shielding the vulnerable.
The sacrifice of all 168 of our fallen colleagues everywhere — humanitarians, peacekeepers, peacemakers — is a tragedy.
It is also a reminder of the responsibility carried by every UN staff member, every single day.
And that’s important for all the world to see.
Because as we mourn those lost, we must also recognize the living — the thousands of UN personnel who serve around the world today carrying out the missions entrusted to them by the countries that make up these United Nations.
They do not seek recognition.
They seek to make a difference.
When conflict erupts, they work for peace.
When violence and disaster strike, they deliver life-saving aid.
When rights are violated, they speak out.
To our staff still serving in crisis zones across the globe, I say:
Your courage humbles us.
Your resilience inspires us.
And to the world, I say:
We will not grow numb to suffering.
We will not accept the killing of UN personnel.
We will not accept the killing of humanitarians, journalists, medical workers, or civilians as the new normal anywhere and under any circumstances.
There must be no room for impunity.
Today, I salute every member of the UN family.
It is the honour of a lifetime to serve alongside them.
I know these are challenging times for international cooperation.
It may be fashionable in some quarters to dismiss multilateralism.
Financial contributions may be in doubt – the dedication of our staff is not.
And in a world where cooperation is under strain – and our challenges are more inter-connected than ever — we must remember the example set by our fallen colleagues — and the work being done every day by those who carry their legacy forward.
And that’s why I re-affirm:
We will not waver in our principles.
We will not abandon our values.
And we will never, ever give up.
Thank you.
Source: United Nations Economic Commission for Europe
Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the country’s energy infrastructure has suffered approximately $20 billion in damage, causing widespread power outages and insufficient heat supply – with the cities of Kharkiv and Mykolaiv alone accounting for over $630 million in losses, according to UNDP.
While emergency efforts have focused on rebuilding existing capacity and fossil fuel capacity replacements, this approach can overlook the need for more resilient and sustainable local energy solutions. In addition to the need to rebuild energy infrastructure and meet ambitious 2030 renewable energy targets in place in national energy and climate laws, Ukraine aims to move to a system that balances centralized and decentralized systems, across heat, electricity and energy demand.
In this context, Ukrainian cities will play an important role in the country’s sustainable and resilient reconstruction that is aligned with the energy transition, as well as with European standards and regulations.
Meeting with Ukraine’s Ambassador to the United Nations and other International Organizations in Geneva, H.E. Yevhenii Tsymbaliuk, UNECE Executive Secretary Tatiana Molcean reiterated UNECE’s steadfast commitment to help the government address these issues, building on strong cooperation on urban development and energy policy. Looking ahead to the Ukraine Recovery Conference to be held in Rome in July, she underscored solidarity and ongoing support for Ukraine’s sustainable and resilient recovery across UNECE’s areas of expertise.
Local action for Ukraine’s green energy recovery
Support to urban reconstruction planning has been a core dimension of UNECE’s support to Ukraine’s recovery since the start of the war. Through the UN4UkrainianCities initiative, UNECE has mobilized international partners to support the development of concept master plans and pilot projects in the cities of Kharkiv and Mykolaiv, and has supported the government to draft new housing legislation, including the State Housing Policy Strategy, as well as to strengthen capacities for the Urban Planning Cadastre.
To this end, UNECE, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), and the Autonomous Region of Bolzano in Italy jointly organized an international study trip to strengthen the capacities of the cities of Kharkiv and Mykolaiv, among other 2 municipalities, for integrated urban energy planning focused on decentralized and renewable local energy and modern district heating systems.
This study visit is facilitated by the UNEP programme “Unlocking greener and more resilient energy in Ukrainian cities”, supported by the Italian Development Co-operation (AICS), and by UNECE’s UN4UkrainianCities initiative. Additional support to the study visit is provided by the NOI Technopark in Bolzano, Alperia (Bolzano, Italy), and EURAC Research.
Officials from Kharkiv and Mykolaiv will benefit from the guidance of international experts, and site visits to state-of-the-art local, renewable and decentralized energy installations.
Mobilizing partnerships meet financing needs on the ground
At the Hamburg Sustainability Conference this week, the City Council of Bucha, home to 73,000 people and located 30km from Kyiv, presented a project for the construction of a decentralised city energy system. Supported by UNECE, this provided an opportunity to present the project seeking €145 million from potential investors and financiers in staged investment through Public-Private Partnerships.
Developed in response to energy capacity losses during the war, the distributed energy system aims to provide a reliable uninterruptible power supply of over 112 MW through a clean, flexible and autonomous system comprising generation facilities and grid connection infrastructure. This would include power plants for households and critical infrastructure, power for the city’s industrial cluster, and energy storage systems. The project would in addition create an estimated 120 jobs.
Continued support for sustainable recovery
In Geneva, the Executive Secretary also recalled UNECE’s broader, multisectoral support to the government of Ukraine in implementing the National Recovery Plan, including through: the PIERS methodology to assess sustainability of infrastructure projects, facilitating Public-Private Partnerships and other investment; the Platform for Action on the Green Recovery of Ukraine; the Inter-agency Coordination Group on Environmental Assessments for Ukraine; harnessing Innovation for Sustainable Development; support for water-related and other environmental challenges, leveraging UNECE Multilateral Environmental Agreements; and applying the UN Framework Classification for Resources (UNFC) to support the sustainable management of Ukraine’s critical raw materials.
Source: World Health Organisation
During the Seventy-eighth World Health Assembly, held from 19 to 27 May 2025, Member States and global health partners urged continued action on vaccine-preventable diseases—such as cervical cancer, measles, meningitis, polio, and rubella—through Assembly agenda items and side events aimed at accelerating global immunization efforts and preventing future outbreaks.
Innovation, integration and investment to outsmart outbreaks
Immunization discussions kicked off at the high-level side event, “Outsmarting Outbreaks: Innovation, Integration & Investment”, hosted by Chile, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Madagascar, Niger, Somalia, and Zambia, and supported by the Gates Foundation, the United Nations Foundation and other partners. The event underscored the alarming resurgence of measles, cholera, and polio amid escalating conflict and climate threats, urging countries to safeguard immunization progress, complete polio eradication efforts, and strengthen preparedness for emerging health risks.
Attendees shared successes and challenges, particularly from countries facing simultaneous outbreaks, while emphasizing the criticality of routine immunization, cross-sector partnerships, and innovative techniques – including wastewater monitoring and digital disease modeling for surveillance and the use of electronic registries for immunization in low-resource settings – to controlling preventable diseases and avoid outbreaks.
Discussions also emphasized the necessity of a ‘SMART’ approach—strategic, measurable, aligned, resilient, and timely collaboration—as well as innovative solutions like the AI-powered All Hazard Information Management Toolkit, to enhance rapid response capabilities. A call to action capped the event, urging concerted efforts to sustain investment in immunization programmes, build trust in vaccines through community engagement, and ensure robust pandemic preparedness, including through surveillance.
Countries reaffirm commitment to defeat meningitis
Member States praised WHO’s launch of new guidelines on meningitis diagnosis, treatment and care, and the continued rollout of new vaccines, including Men5CV, in high-burden countries. They also emphasized the strong commitment of national leaders, partners, civil society organizations and the dedicated teams supporting the road map at all levels of WHO.
Despite progress, delegates raised key challenges including vaccine affordability and equitable access, shortages in trained healthcare personnel, insufficient laboratory infrastructure, and gaps in surveillance systems.
Member States called for technical and financial support, maintaining emergency vaccine stockpiles, research and innovations, particularly of early detection, strengthened community engagement and awareness campaigns among both communities and health care workers as well as supported rehabilitation services.
Meningitis was further discussed during an official side event hosted by Mali, Nigeria and Pakistan, along with Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance on integrating solutions to defeat malaria, meningitis and polio. The event aimed to highlight how an integrated approach to elimination or eradication goals of the three diseases could maximize available resources and improve health service delivery for people and communities.
“We are at an inflection point in global health,” said Dr Sania Nishtar, Chief Executive Officer, Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance in her remarks. “We all know the challenges that we face as partners in global health. Between now and 2030, we will have to work smarter, more collaboratively, and with the needs of countries at the center of everything we do.”
Attendees discussed how integration can be achieved within disease surveillance, diagnosis, treatment and long-term care, and prevention through equitable access to vaccines. Several countries presented examples of delivering polio, malaria and meningitis vaccines through integrated campaigns alongside bed net distribution. The event closed on a call for increased technical and financial support to accelerate integration across the three programmes in order to end polio, malaria, and meningitis.
(Left to Right) Derrick Sim, Managing Director of Vaccine Markets & Health Security at Gavi; Dr Hanan Balkhy, WHO Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean; Dr Jo Mulligan, Senior Health Advisor,Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, United Kingdom; H.E. Dr Colonel Assa Badiallo Touré, Minister of Health and Social Development, Mali; H.E. Dr Iziaq Adekunle Salako, Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Nigeria, and Ambassador Bilal Ahmad, Permanent Representative of Pakistan to the United Nations.
Life-saving power of measles and rubella vaccines emphasized
Amidst a global surge in measles outbreaks and with millions of children still lacking protection, global health leaders convened at a high-level side event titled “The Power of Prevention – Immunizing for a Safer, Healthier World” to deliver a unified message: these outbreaks are preventable—if we act decisively and without delay.
Co-hosted by Oman, Somalia, the Gates Foundation, Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), UNICEF, and the United Nations Foundation, on behalf of the Measles & Rubella Partnership, the side event focused on accelerating global immunization efforts and promoting equity in vaccine access.
“The Measles & Rubella Partnership has been a backbone of measles and rubella programs, surveillance and outbreak response across the world,” said Dr Razia Pendse, WHO Chef de Cabinet in her opening remarks. “Yet, these gains are fragile. Measles is making a dangerous comeback threatening communities, economies and global health security. We must remain steadfast in our commitment to investing in measles vaccination and other vaccines, investments that will lead healthier children, communities, and a more resilient future for people of all ages.”
Dr Razia Pendse, WHO Chef de Cabinet and Dr. Hilal bin Ali bin Halil Alsabti, Minister of Health of Oman.
The meeting was moderated by Mr. Jarrett Barrios, senior vice-president of the American Red Cross. Dr Sania Nishtar, CEO of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance reminded countries of what is at stake if targets for the organization’s ongoing replenishment are not met—millions of children remaining unprotected and increasing outbreaks.
A key focus of the discussion was WHO’s updated rubella vaccine recommendation, which removes the requirement for 80% measles coverage before introducing the combined measles-rubella vaccine. This policy shift allows all countries to include rubella vaccination in routine immunization—opening the door for the 13 remaining countries to introduce the vaccine, save lives, and prevent future outbreaks.
Grace Melia, an Indonesian mother who recently lost her daughter after a 12-year battle against the devastating effects of congenital rubella, concluded the event by sharing her testimonial and calling for action. “They say knowledge is power,” she said. “With all due respect, knowledge applied into action would be much more powerful. And I hope we are all here today to be part of that action.”
Reaffirmed commitments to achieving a polio-free world
During the Assembly, Member States reaffirmed their full support for achieving and sustaining a polio-free world, acknowledging WHO and its partners’ efforts to see the job done. Voicing concern about ongoing variant outbreaks and the need for interruption of wild poliovirus transmission in Afghanistan and Pakistan, Member States called for continued resourcing to the effort, and smart integration of polio functions within broader public health services. Other key themes were strengthened routine immunization – including with inactivated polio vaccine – through coordination with GAVI, and the need for strong oral polio vaccine cessation planning, the safe and secure containment of polioviruses in research and vaccine manufacturing facilities.
Read more about polio here.
World Cervical Cancer Elimination Day announced as official WHO campaign
As part of ongoing efforts to eliminate cervical cancer, the Assembly established World Cervical Cancer Elimination Day as an official WHO awareness campaign to be marked on 17 November, annually. World Cervical Cancer Elimination Day will promote actions to end the disease and protect the health of women and girls, including increasing access and update of human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines.
Historic Pandemic Agreement
Member States formally adopted the world’s first Pandemic Agreement. The landmark decision by the World Health Assembly culminates more than three years of intensive negotiations launched by governments in response to the devastating impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and driven by the goal of making the world safer from – and more equitable in response to – future pandemics. The agreement boosts global collaboration to ensure stronger, more equitable response to future pandemics. Next steps include negotiations on Pathogen Access and Benefits Sharing system.
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Source: World Health Organisation
Yet, while childhood immunization programmes have saved millions of lives, vaccination of adults remains an overlooked tool—especially in low- and middle-income countries, where efforts have historically focused on reaching children, adolescents, and women of reproductive age.
A recent World Health Organization (WHO) study published in Vaccines underscores the value of adult vaccination to achieve healthy aging, while meeting the challenge of rising healthcare costs and antimicrobial resistance.
Although WHO recommends vaccines against diseases such as influenza, COVID-19, pneumococcal disease, tetanus, and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), among others, for different adult population groups, the study finds that access remains unequal. Many low- and middle-income countries have yet to include vaccines targeting adults in their national schedules—leaving millions unprotected.
“As outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases increase, it’s more critical than ever that people receive every recommended dose—through every stage of life—to stay protected,” said Dr Alba Vilajeliu, lead author and technical officer in the Department of Immunization, Vaccines and Biologicals at WHO. “This isn’t just about saving lives; it’s also about increasing the quality of life for adults, their productivity within communities and alleviating the burden on already overstretched health systems.”
Under Immunization Agenda 2030, a global strategy for vaccination, countries envision a world where everyone, everywhere, at every age benefits from vaccines. Expanding adult immunization programmes will not only benefit older populations it will strengthen immunization programmes across the life course by enhancing health worker capacity, infrastructure and confidence in vaccines.
Adult immunization can be scaled quickly – as shown by COVID-19
The COVID-19 pandemic thrust adult vaccination into the global spotlight, driving major shifts in policies, attitudes, and health systems traditionally focused on childhood immunization. By the end of 2023, more than 13.6 billion COVID-19 vaccine doses had been administered globally, reaching 89% of health workers and 84% of older adults.
However, the WHO-study found those efforts have yet to translate to other adult vaccines. Despite seasonal influenza causing 3 to 5 million severe cases and up to 650 000 deaths annually, just 4% of low-income countries offer influenza vaccines to pregnant women, and only 8% to older adults. In contrast, high-income countries include them in 87% and 89% of national immunization schedules for these groups, respectively.
More than 50 years ago, countries began providing tetanus-containing vaccines for pregnant women to prevent maternal and neonatal tetanus. Today, 73% of low-income and 80% of lower-middle-income countries offer these vaccines. The experience of these and other vaccines for pregnant women offers valuable lessons for introducing new ones, like the maternal RSV vaccine to protect infants or future vaccines to prevent Group B streptococcus and malaria in pregnancy.
A recent Office of Health Economics (OHE) report also found that scaling up adult vaccination programmes for seasonal influenza, RSV, herpes zoster and pneumococcal disease in just 10 high- and upper middle-income countries returned up to 19 times their initial investment, offering a potential greater return in low- and middle-income countries. This amounted to up to US$ 4637 per individual full vaccination course.
New vaccines and innovations will broaden adult immunization
In addition to scaling up existing adult vaccines, new vaccines in development—like the next generation of tuberculosis vaccines, and vaccines for combinations of respiratory viruses—are expanding target groups beyond childhood. Through new platform technologies, such as mRNA, vaccine candidates are advancing into clinical testing at faster rates, without compromising safety.
Countries will need to continue to strengthen immunization programmes as part of primary health care services in order to introduce new- and under-utilized adult vaccines, scale-up existing vaccines, and ensure strong demand and uptake for adult immunization. Additionally, health workers will need to be trained to communicate on the importance of immunization across the life course. Engaging community leaders and healthcare professional networks will be essential for developing tailored communication for adult populations.
“As vaccination expands across the life course, now is the moment for countries to lay a strong foundation,” says Dr Kate O’Brien, Director of the Department of Immunization, Vaccines and Biologicals at WHO. “When we prioritize disease prevention to support lifelong health, we create continuous opportunities for health and well-being—and shift from a disease-centered model to one that truly puts people first. Adult immunization is central to that shift.”
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Source: United Nations
This World Environment Day focuses on solutions to beat plastic pollution.
And rightly so.
Plastic pollution is choking our planet – harming ecosystems, well-being, and the climate.
Plastic waste clogs rivers, pollutes the ocean, and endangers wildlife.
And as it breaks-down into smaller and smaller parts, it infiltrates every corner of Earth: from the top of Mount Everest, to the depths of the ocean; from human brains; to human breastmilk.
Yet there is a movement for urgent change.
We are seeing mounting public engagement…
Steps towards reusability and greater accountability…
And policies to reduce single-use plastics and improve waste management.
But we must go further, faster.
In two months, countries will come together to hammer-out a new global treaty to end plastic pollution.
We need an ambitious, credible and just agreement this year.
One that covers the life-cycle of plastic, through the perspective of circular economies…
That responds to the needs of communities…
That aligns with broader environmental goals, the sustainable development goals, and beyond…
And that is implemented fast and in full.
I urge negotiators to return to talks in August determined to build a common path through their differences and deliver the treaty our world needs.
Together, let’s end the scourge of plastic pollution and build a better future for us all.
Thank you.
***
Cette année, la Journée mondiale de l’environnement est consacrée à la lutte contre la pollution plastique.
Et pour cause !
La pollution plastique asphyxie notre planète et porte atteinte aux écosystèmes, au bien-être et au climat.
Les déchets plastiques obstruent les cours d’eau, polluent les océans et fragilisent la vie sauvage.
Et en se décomposant en éléments microscopiques, ils vont s’insinuer jusque dans les moindres recoins de la Terre : du sommet du mont Everest jusqu’au fin fond de l’océan ; des cerveaux humains jusqu’au lait maternel.
Mais des voix s’élèvent pour que cela change, et vite.
La mobilisation citoyenne prend de l’ampleur…
Le réutilisable a le vent en poupe et les acteurs concernés sont amenés à rendre des comptes…
Et des mesures sont prises pour lutter contre les plastiques à usage unique et mieux gérer les déchets.
Mais nous devons faire plus, plus vite.
Dans deux mois, les pays se réuniront pour élaborer un nouveau traité mondial visant à mettre fin à la pollution plastique.
Il nous faut un accord ambitieux, concret et juste cette année.
Un accord qui couvre tout le cycle de vie du plastique, dans une démarche d’économie circulaire…
Qui réponde aux besoins des populations…
Qui aille dans le sens des grandes ambitions environnementales et des objectifs de développement durable, entre autres…
Et qui soit appliqué rapidement et en totalité.
J’invite instamment les négociateurs à reprendre les discussions en août avec la volonté d’avancer ensemble, malgré leurs divergences, pour parvenir au traité dont notre planète a besoin.
Ensemble, mettons fin au fléau de la pollution plastique et bâtissons un avenir meilleur pour nous toutes et tous.
Je vous remercie.
Source: United Nations MIL-OSI 2
nited Nations Secretary-General António Guterres announced today the appointment of Major General Diodato Abagnara of Italy as Head of Mission and Force Commander of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL).
Major General Abagnara succeeds Lieutenant General Aroldo Lázaro Sáenz of Spain. The Secretary-General extends his sincere gratitude to Lieutenant General Aroldo Lázaro Sáenz for his dedication and leadership of UNIFIL during one of the mission’s most challenging periods.
Major General Abagnara brings to the position over 36 years of military service, including extensive leadership roles within the Italian Armed Forces. Most recently, he served as Commander and Chair of the Military Technical Committee for Lebanon (MTC4L), where he oversaw multinational coordination efforts in support of the Lebanese Armed Forces. Prior to that, he held several key appointments, including Personnel Division Chief and Adviser to the Chief of Defence Staff in the Defence General Staff, Commander of an infantry brigade, and Chief of the Officers’ Employment Office. From 2018 to 2019, he was also UNIFIL Sector West Commander. In addition, he chaired the Joint Gender Perspective Council within the Defence General Staff, underscoring his commitment to inclusive leadership and institutional reform.
Major General Abagnara holds four Bachelor’s degrees: in Political Science from the University of Turin; in International and Diplomatic Sciences from the University of Trieste; in Business Management and Communication from the University of Teramo; and in Strategic Sciences from the University of Turin, all in Italy. He also holds six Master’s degrees: in Law from the University of Rome; in Strategic Sciences from the University of Turin; in International Strategic-Military Studies, Advanced Studies in Intelligence and Security, and Cybersecurity and Information Security from the University of Rome; and in Strategic Leadership and Digital Transformation from the Luiss Business School, Rome, all in Italy. He is fluent in English and Italian, and speaks French and Spanish.
Source: International Organization for Migration (IOM)
Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh, 4 June 2025 – Days of intense monsoon rains and high winds have triggered landslides, floods, and widespread damage across the Rohingya refugee camps in Cox’s Bazar, impacting nearly 16,000 people across 17 IOM-managed camps, injuring at least 14 and leaving many families in urgent need of assistance.
Over 1,900 shelters have been reported damaged, many of them beyond repair, while critical access routes have been blocked and drainage systems overwhelmed. Although the rains have eased off somewhat, intermittent downpours continue to complicate recovery efforts and risk further destruction.
“The scale of devastation caused by these early monsoon rains is alarming, especially in such a precarious setting where people are already extremely vulnerable,” said IOM Director General Amy Pope. “Our teams are working tirelessly alongside community volunteers and partners to ensure that families are safe, with adequate shelter and other vital support. We need to act now to make sure the situation doesn’t go from bad to worse.”
The International Organization for Migration (IOM), in coordination with Bangladesh authorities and partners under the Inter-Sector Coordination Group (ISCG), has launched an emergency response. Over 1,400 community disaster management volunteers and 300 additional community responders have been deployed across the camps to support emergency relocations, rescue operations, and initial damage assessments.
Nearly 5,000 Rohingya refugees have been mobilized through cash-for-work activities to help clear fallen trees, unblock drainage channels, and restore access to essential facilities. Teams are also working to prevent further landslides by covering vulnerable slopes with tarpaulin. In total, over 13,500 square meters of slopes have been secured, dozens of fallen trees have been removed, and nearly 10,000 meters of drainage have been cleaned to reduce the risk of flooding.
Emergency shelter distributions are underway for affected families, including technical assistance for the repair and reconstruction of damaged homes, especially for those identified as extremely vulnerable. Shelter, water and sanitation facilities are also being assessed and repaired, while hot meals are being provided to displaced families sheltering in communal spaces.
IOM continues to coordinate closely with authorities and humanitarian actors to protect lives and restore safe access to services. As the monsoon season advances, slope stabilization, drainage clearance, and promoting awareness of disaster risk reduction will be key to achieving these aims.
For more information, please contact IOM Media Centre.
Source: United Nations Population Fund
CAIRO, 4 June 2025 – Hundreds of thousands of women and girls in Sudan are being left without access to emergency obstetric care or support after rape, as conflict, access constraints and devastating funding cuts cut off care and gut essential health services. UNFPA, the United Nations sexual and reproductive health agency, warns that without immediate support, women and girls will continue to pay for this crisis with their lives.
Pregnant women in crisis
Gynaecologists, nurses and midwives tell UNFPA they are witnessing more and more displaced pregnant women arriving at facilities in desperate condition after months without care, often suffering complications from constant distress, malnutrition, and physical exhaustion. Balghis, a UNFPA-supported midwife in Gedaref state told UNFPA: “By the time they reach us, it’s often a race against time to safeguard the health of the mother, the baby, or both. These are not isolated cases; they are becoming the norm.”
Over 1.1 million pregnant women in Sudan currently lack access to antenatal care, safe delivery, and postpartum care due to persistent insecurity, access limitations and inadequate funding, according to WHO. Recent funding cuts by donors have forced UNFPA to withdraw support from more than half of the 93 health facilities it was funding. In the areas most severely affected by fighting, including the regions of Al Jazirah, Kordofan, the Darfurs, and in the capital, Khartoum, 80 percent of health facilities are barely functional or completely shut down.
Rape survivors left without protection
UNFPA’s gender-based violence prevention and treatment services have also undergone sharp cuts, forcing the organization to scale back services to survivors escaping violence and to shutter 11 out of 61 safe spaces. These spaces provided safety, counselling, medical treatment and legal referrals to survivors of rape. Only one in four facilities offering clinical management of rape services across all 18 States are currently fully operational, with the Darfurs and Kordofan the most severely affected.
Around 12.1 million people in Sudan — nearly one in four, most of them women and girls — are now at risk of gender-based violence. Demand for gender-based violence services tripled last year, and more than half of those who sought support at UNFPA-supported facilities had been exposed to rape or other forms of sexual assault.
Dina, a gender-based violence specialist in Sudan, told UNFPA: “The scale and brutality of violations are beyond anything we’ve previously documented. We have documented numerous cases of adolescent girls who have survived rape and sexual violence. Many are left coping with the consequences, including unwanted pregnancies, sexually transmitted infections, and deep psychological trauma. It will take decades to recover from this. Yet the survivors we work with are still fighting to survive, to raise their voices, and to access justice.”
Chronic underfunding puts women and girls at further risk
Funding for gender-based violence prevention and response has been woefully inadequate for years. In 2024, humanitarian donors provided less than 20 percent of the $62.8 million required to tackle gender-based violence in Sudan. When combined with the deep cuts this year to sexual and reproductive health services which are inextricably linked to gender-based violence services, the service gap is expected to widen.
“The world is turning its back on the women and girls of Sudan,” said Laila Baker, UNFPA Arab States Regional Director. “Cuts to humanitarian funding are not just budget decisions — they are life-and-death choices. When the services that protect women’s health, safety and dignity vanish, what message do we send? That their suffering is invisible. That their lives don’t matter. This is unacceptable.”
UNFPA calls on international donors to step up with immediate, urgent funding for Sudan’s women and girls. Silence and inaction are a choice. Donors must act now — lives depend on it.
Available resources
Photos from a UNFPA-supported health centre and women and girls’ safe spaces in Gedaref and Kassala are available here: They are free to use with credit to ©UNFPA.
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About UNFPA
UNFPA is the United Nations sexual and reproductive health agency. Our mission is to deliver a world where every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe and every young person’s potential is fulfilled.
Media Contacts
Source: World Health Organisation
Neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) are a diverse group of conditions1 that still affect 1 billion people, mainly vulnerable populations in underserved regions of the world. Nevertheless, they are preventable, treatable and can be eliminated. As of May 2025, 56 countries have successfully eliminated at least one NTD – demonstrating significant progress towards WHO’s global target of 100 countries reaching elimination by 2030.
This hard-won progress is now at risk. The dismantling of official development assistance (ODA) for global health, and particularly for NTD programmes, threatens to stall or reverse gains and negatively impact lives of vulnerable communities.
The recent withdrawal of funding by the United States from NTD projects jeopardizes the success of 19 years of investment in the global effort to eliminate NTDs.
Early reports shared with the World Health Organization (WHO) indicate that the immediate impact of the funding withdrawal has delayed 47 campaigns in which mass treatment was warranted to free 143 million people from the burden of NTDs. In 2020, WHO Member States set targets for 2030 by endorsing the Road map for neglected tropical diseases 2021–2030 through World Health Assembly decision WHA73(33). Missing the planned campaigns and impact surveys in 2025 will postpone the achievement of targets in at least 10 additional countries. The abrupt cuts also halted critical research to validate new treatments, diagnostics and surveillance platforms to ensure these diseases no longer pose a threat globally.
On 10 April 2025, WHO issued a warning on the impact caused by sudden suspensions and reductions in ODA for health, indicating that health service disruptions had been reported by over 70% of its surveyed country offices and that NTD programmes were among the most severely affected. In some settings, the nature and scale of service disruptions are comparable to those observed during the peak periods of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Critical shortages in medicines and health products are leaving one third of responding countries without essential commodities for major health services. At the same time, the suspension of funding has triggered job losses among health and care workers in over half of those countries.
Furthermore, if alternative mechanisms for service delivery are not urgently secured, suspensions and reductions in ODA for health could lead to expiration of over 55 million NTD tablets by the end of 2025, in Africa alone. In response, countries are working to identify local opportunities to sustain treatment activities, including integrated campaigns within broader health initiatives and mobilization of national resources to protect people’s health, prevent medicine wastage and sustain progress.
Over the past two decades, the Government of the United States of America, through USAID, supported the delivery of 3.3 billion treatments to more than 1.7 billion people in 26 countries, clearing infections, stopping transmission and reducing the burden of lymphatic filariasis, onchocerciasis (river blindness), schistosomiasis, soil-transmitted helminthiases (intestinal worm infections) and trachoma in several areas. This cumulative support of US$ 1.4 billion significantly advanced public health outcomes and enabled 14 countries (Bangladesh, Benin, Cambodia, Colombia, Ecuador, Ghana, Guatemala, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Mali, Mexico, Nepal, Niger, Togo and Viet Nam) to achieve elimination of at least one NTD.
NTD programmes have continued delivering impressive results despite fierce challenges: in 2023 alone, more than 860 million people received treatment for NTDs through mass drug administration or individual case management; and between January 2023 and May 2025, 17 countries were officially acknowledged by WHO for eliminating one NTD. Today, the halt in drug distribution and the layoff of frontline health workers threaten to reverse this progress – raising serious concerns about the resurgence of NTDs in the most affected regions.
The withdrawal of United States funding to NTD programmes is not an isolated event. The last few years have witnessed a deprioritization of financial investments in support of NTDs, which accelerated during the years of the COVID-19 pandemic. For example, in 2021, another key stakeholder, the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, ended its flagship NTD initiative, the Ascend programme. Nevertheless, recent pledges such as those made in December 2023 during the Reaching the Last Mile (RLM) Forum had raised hopes of reversing this trend.
Decreased funding places a heavy strain on NTD programmes at a time when they are called to face unprecedented challenges, including the impact of climate change on vector-borne diseases. Notably, WHO declared dengue a grade 3 emergency in 2024, when over 14 million cases and 10 000 deaths were reported in 107 countries. The current global risk of dengue is assessed as high, and the disease remains a global health threat, while lack of resources continues to hamper prevention and control efforts, and the disease has spread to newer areas and countries in recent years.
NTD programmes are recognized among the most cost-effective initiatives in global health, also thanks to effective public-private partnerships. Generous donations from pharmaceutical companies including Bayer AG, Chemo Group, Eisai Co. Ltd, EMS SA Pharma, Gilead Sciences, Inc., GSK, Johnson & Johnson, Merck KGaA, Merck Sharp & Dohme (MSD), Novartis, Pfizer and Sanofi – cumulatively valued at over US$ 12 billion between 2011 and today –make life-changing treatments available to those in need at minimal cost.
Defunding NTD programmes threatens a proven public health success, potentially reversing hard-earned progress, exacerbating the cycle of disease and poverty, leaving vulnerable populations further marginalized and deepening inequality.
During the most recent Seventy-eighth World Health Assembly, NTDs were centre-stage, with a number of events held on the margins of the Assembly. Notably, two NTD-related resolutions, on eradication of dracunculiasis (Guinea-worm disease) and on skin diseases, were unanimously adopted by Member States.
At this critical juncture, it is imperative to build on such renewed consensus and strengthen the global commitment to eliminating NTDs. This requires fostering nationally owned, sustainable programmes complemented by catalytic external support. Together, we must work towards the complete elimination of NTDs and release communities from the heavy burden of suffering these diseases cause.
Source: UNISDR Disaster Risk Reduction
UNDRR and ISC release an updated overview of hazards to help governments, researchers, and responders to better understand and act on interconnected risks.
Geneva / Paris – 4 June 2025 – The United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) and the International Science Council (ISC) have released an updated edition of their comprehensive hazard guide, offering clear, standardized information on 282 hazards – from wildfires and earthquakes to cyberattacks and pandemics.
The new edition reflects the complex and interconnected nature of today’s global risk landscape. Hazards increasingly occur together, cascade across systems, and amplify one another. In response, the updated profiles emphasize a multi-hazard approach-critical for effective early warning systems, emergency planning, and disaster resilience. Originally launched in 2021 as the first resource of its kind, the hazard definitions and classification provide an authoritative technical foundation for disaster risk reduction efforts worldwide. This updated edition builds on that foundation with:
“From local governments to humanitarian agencies, the need for consistent, science-based hazard information is universal. These profiles reflect the best available scientific understanding of hazards and offer a foundation for evidence-based policies that reduce risk and build resilience,” said Salvatore Aricò, CEO, International Science Council.
“Reliable and standardized hazard data are essential for informing disaster risk reduction strategies. This update helps countries implement the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction to reduce losses by 2030,” said Kamal Kishore, the Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General for Disaster Risk Reduction.
“This updated edition reflects what we’ve learned: hazards are not standalone events. They are part of a complex web of risk. By bringing together diverse expert and user input, we’ve made these profiles more actionable, more interconnected, and more immediately useful,” said Professor Virginia Murray, Chair of the Hazard Information Profiles Steering Group.
The revision process engaged over 270 experts, reviewers, and users from across sectors and regions. A dedicated User Group, Multi-Hazard Group, and Machine Actionability Group ensured the profiles remain practical, future-ready, and inclusive of diverse perspectives and needs.
Since the initial release, the hazard profiles have been widely used by national disaster management agencies, UN bodies, researchers, and humanitarian organizations for planning, monitoring, risk assessments, and training. This success has prompted the current update to ensure that they remain relevant and up to date.
Explore the updated hazard profile
Zhenya Tsoy, Head of Communications, International Science Council
Source: UNISDR Disaster Risk Reduction
The HIPs serve as a trusted source of scientifically grounded, standardized hazard information used by governments, agencies, researchers and educators worldwide. They support risk assessment, disaster preparedness, loss tracking and multi-sectoral planning. Above all, they are a practical resource – valued because they are usable, useful and used.
In 2023, UNDRR and the ISC launched a revision of the HIPs, involving experts from organizations including United Nations agencies, scientific disciplinary unions, academia, the private sector and the humanitarian sector. In the end, 330 authors and reviewers from across more than 150 organizations participated. The result is a revised list of 282 hazards grouped into eight hazard types:
Source: UNISDR Disaster Risk Reduction
This Issue Brief highlights how risk reduction can help to make critical shifts to accelerate progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals and beyond: from short-term reactive responses and to long-term resilience pathways, and from siloed approaches to systems thinking and systems change. It highlights risk reduction opportunities across food systems, education, jobs and social protection, digital systems, energy systems, and nature and climate change.
The Issue Brief also highlights the importance of enablers such as multidimensional risk assessment, integrated and inclusive risk governance, adaptive management and learning, and risk-informed financing for SDGs. It was developed by UNDRR with inputs from 18 UN entities under the UN DRR Focal Points Group, and informed by a call for good practices on risk-informed SDG transitions in December 2024.
Source: UNISDR Disaster Risk Reduction
On 3 June 2025, global leaders gathered at the World Resilient Recovery Conference (WRRC) to launch the Priority Actions to Enhance Readiness for Resilient Recovery – an initiative aimed at accelerating the implementation of Priority Action 4 of the Sendai Framework: Enhancing disaster preparedness for effective response and to “Build Back Better” in recovery, rehabilitation and reconstruction.
The ten actions, pictured and described in further detail below, are important for several reasons.
First, the consultative process to get there was comprehensive and all-inclusive. A total of 130 countries participated across four distinct regions (Africa, Europe and Central Asia, Americas and the Caribbean and Arab States), bringing a diverse set of opinions, needs and expectations. In the end, more than 4,000 individual participants shared their knowledge and expertise.
The agreed-upon actions are representative of this crucial and comprehensive consultation process, with a particular focus on people. For example, Priority Action 9 aims to “Localize recovery through community leadership and empowerment.” Key methods to achieve this goal include strengthening the role of local governments and rural and urban governance in recovery readiness, ensuring they have the authority, resources, and capacity to act effectively as they are in the first line of response.
In addition, creating flexible financing mechanisms that channel funds directly to local actors and frontline responders is also crucial. These tenets of governance and financing were previously discussed in two key webinars in the build-up to WRRC. Finally, the global DRR community must also institutionalize inclusive consultation processes with native and indigenous communities, marginalized and high-risk populations in recovery planning.
Similarly, Priority Action 2 emphasizes strengthening the international community’s capacity to “Build and sustain institutional and human capacity for recovery.” In his remarks at the Opening Ceremony for this year’s WRRC, Special Representative of the Secretary-General (SRSG) for Disaster Risk Reduction and Head of UNDRR Kamal Kishore highlighted that the change in name from World Reconstruction Conference (WRC) to World Resilient Recovery Conference (WRRC) is a part of an intentional “shift in focus from reconstructing physical assets to ensuring human recovery.” He further added that, “It is not just important to reconstruct schools and houses and hospitals that have been damaged in an earthquake or a cyclone, but it is even more important that children have access to safe learning spaces, hospitals provide services [and] infrastructure is built to better standards so that it continues to facilitate livelihoods of communities that it seeks to serve.”
SRSG Kishore also emphasized the importance of Priority 4 of the Sendai Framework and its emphasis on “Build Back Better”, which was echoed by Mr. Hiroaki Hara, Vice Minister for Policy Coordination of the Cabinet Office in Japan, and co-chair of the International Recovery Platform (IRP). In his remarks, Vice Minister Hara noted that this year marks the 30th anniversary of the Great Hanshin Earthquake in Japan, and that “the recovery from this earthquake generated the initial concept of ‘Build Back Better’ for a disaster-resilient society.” He went on to say that “Today’s conference will set an important milestone by focusing particularly on strengthening recovery readiness at national and local levels.”
Beyond the launch itself, the emphasis now shifts to implementation of the Priority Actions. Several key events in the coming months will offer the DRR community opportunities to track progress. These include the High-level Policy Forum on Recovery in September 2025, Regional Dialogues on Resilient Recovery, and the roll-out of the IRP Recovery Readiness Assessment Framework.
During the closing ceremony of the WRRC, Ms. Paola Albrito, Director of UNDRR, emphasized this way forward when she said that, “The International Recovery Platform will move ahead with implementation in close coordination with member states and other relevant partners. This includes convening a high-level political forum on recovery in September of this year to scale our commitment. At the regional level, we will use the regional dialogues on resilient recovery to ensure the regional perspectives and needs are fully integrated. And at the national level…a top priority will be the roll-out of the recovery readiness assessment to support countries in evaluating and strengthening their preparedness for resilient recovery. Let’s move forward, united in purpose and bold in action.”
Ambassador Christian Frutiger, Assistant Director General and Head of the Global Cooperation Domain said, “[I am] very proud to launch the Priority Actions to Enhance Readiness for Resilient Recovery. These are not just technical recommendations. They are a call to action for national and local governments and partners to join hands in enhancing readiness for resilient recovery. It is important to emphasize that the 10 priority actions are not stand-alone measures. They are interconnected pieces of a larger puzzle.” A short intermission between the presentation of the first five and second five priorities featured a performance by the percussion band KomandoBidon, to spur attendees onwards. “Let’s follow the drumbeat to action”, Ambassador Fruitger said. “We leave here with a clear set of priority actions; concrete steps we can put into practice. Now is the moment to invest, in readiness, in partnerships and in people. Let us carry this momentum into the 8th session of the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction. Let us stay connected…and commit to turn our priorities into lasting impact.”
As part of the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction (GP2025), WRRC plays a key role in shaping global recovery dialogue. Organized under the umbrella of the International Recovery Platform (IRP), with support from key stakeholders, the conference featured technical sessions, masterclasses and regional consultations – all focused on strengthening readiness for resilient recovery. We invite you to explore the session recordings here.
Source: UNISDR Disaster Risk Reduction
The human cost of disasters includes lost livelihoods, homes, and cultural ties to landscapes. Where livelihoods are already fragile and being eroded, a disaster-induced displacement of even a few days can damage economic opportunities for years to come. So, the human dimension of recovery remains central to discussions as delegates convened for a second day in several preparatory events for the 8th Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction (GPDRR), namely: the World Resilient Recovery Conference, the Third Stakeholder Forum on DRR, and the Global Early Warning for All Multistakeholder Forum (EW4All).
The GPDRR official programme was launched with a high-level roundtable event at lunchtime and a formal opening ceremony in the afternoon, followed by an official reception.
Kamal Kishore, Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Disaster Risk Reduction, and head of UNDRR, opened the event highlighting the exceptional urgency and importance of delivering on the Sendai Framework. He underscored how communities were coming together and the need to learn from their initiatives, imagination, and resourcefulness, and called for commitment from all actors.
Recalling the recent loss of a Swiss village to a glacier landslide, Amina J. Mohammed, United Nations Deputy Secretary-General, commented that “early warning saves lives but cannot save glaciers from disappearing.” She stressed that disasters and their cascading effects annually cost up to USD 3.2 trillion and noted that record-breaking disasters make entire regions uninsurable. She called for risk-informed development across all sectors; scaled-up public and private investments in resilience; and national financial frameworks that align with adaptation needs.
Ignazio Cassis, Minister, Federal Department of Foreign Affairs, Switzerland, observed that, “Risk today is everywhere. Fires are where wetlands were centuries ago.” Noting that the GPDRR2025 is the last Global Platform before the 2030 deadline, he urged that countries deliver on the Sendai Framework, apply science and artificial intelligence, and adopt risk mitigation metrics to mobilize and foster resources.
After a musical performance on the Hang Drum and a choreographed presentation by Sendai4Youth, Patricia Danzi, Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, opened the Eighth Session of the GPDRR.
In opening remarks to this high-level event, Kishore observed that the risk landscape platform is becoming increasingly complex. He recommended strengthening national DRR platforms and embedding risk reduction into national policies and frameworks; ensuring sustainable and predictable finance with policies matching sustainable long-term plans; and having a common risk assessment framework to support national entities with proper data and analytics.
Speaking on behalf of the host country, Franziska Schmid, Swiss National Platform for Natural Hazards (PLANAT), described the work of PLANAT and highlighted challenges, including overlapping reporting mechanisms and strategies among national government entities focused on resilience. She stressed the importance of addressing duplication, developing appropriate tools, such as hazard maps and building permits, and ensuring crisis management provisions are actually functional.
Discussions then followed in a roundtable format, moderated by Paola Albrito, UNDRR. Albrito invited delegates to: describe the demonstrated impact of their National Platforms for DRR, share lessons learned, identify remaining gaps in DRR governance, and highlight ways and opportunities to boost Sendai Framework implementation by 2030.
In their interventions, many called for collaboration among regional and country partners. Speakers included the Deputy Prime Minister of the Democratic Republic of Congo and Tajikistan, as well as many ministers and high-level government representatives. They highlighted lessons and challenges, including: enhancing preparedness through strengthening and modernizing approaches; improving planning and promoting concrete analyses from real-life situations at the grassroots; and mobilizing adequate financing and developing technical expertise to adequately prepare communities.
All interventions are recorded here.
The Stakeholder Forum continued its deliberations throughout the day, concluding in the afternoon with reflections by supporters and participants of the Stakeholder Engagement Mechanism.
Moderator Rebecca Murphy, Global Network of Civil Society Organisations for Disaster Reduction (GNDR), invited the UNDRR Stakeholder Forum and the Multi-Stakeholder EW4All communities to combine efforts in crafting action points for the 2025 Global Platform on DRR.
In the keynote, Gavin White, Risk-informed Early Action Partnership (REAP), summarized common themes in Early Warning, noting that: preparing for disasters is about inclusiveness, honest communication and trusting the person who is providing the guidance; and early warning systems (EWS) can act as a bridge overcoming the silo approaches among different DRR stakeholders. Panelists suggested that: while no system can predict with 100% certainty what shape hazards will take, it is crucial to build trust and understand local contexts; response planners should establish appropriate actions to follow early warnings; emergency systems must be tailored to communities’ experiences so that people can distinguish between different disasters and respond uniquely to each threat; both elderly and youth can inform EWS and response planning; and conflict zones require unique solutions that consider the fragility and power dynamics within communities.
Giacomo Mazzone, Media Saving Lives, moderated the session. Matthieu Rawolle, EBU Media Intelligence Service, shared examples of how terrestrial radio networks remained uninterrupted and accessible during disasters, and are used to inform the public and facilitate emergency response, especially when mobile phone and internet services are interrupted. He concluded that radio is an essential communication medium in times of crisis and requires investment.
Raditya Jati, Deputy Minister of System and Strategy, National Disaster Management Authority, Indonesia, emphasized the need for media to go beyond reporting on casualties and housing collapse, and to incorporate education for people to prepare for disasters.
Noting that UNDRR is the first UN agency that recognized media’s role in crises, Natalia Ilieva, Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union, described the Media Saving Lives collaboration between the World Broadcasting Unions and UNDRR that focuses on shifting media perspectives from reactive to proactive reporting, showing the real causes for disasters and instructing people on how to avoid harm. Grégoire Ndjaka, African Broadcasting Union, highlighted the reach of radio in Africa extending to places without electricity supply. Orengiye Fyneface, African Broadcasting Union, discussed trust challenges with journalism as a disaster information source in Africa, pointing to bureaucratic hurdles that prevent journalists from reaching scientists.
Abraham Bugre, University of Regina, moderated this session. In her opening remarks, Toni-Shae Freckleton, UNDRR, called for transitioning from short-term responses to long-term prevention. She stated that the Pact for the Future embeds DRR and resilience building.
Juan Carlos Uribe Vega, United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG) highlighted gaps in understanding localization and the importance of local-level governance. Jekulin Lipi Saikia, GNDR, called for a focus on listening to and working with communities, improving financial access, and increasing citizen science. Amber Fletcher, University of Regina, emphasized the role of community-driven actions, citizen science, and community engagement in reaching the diverse range of local voices. In the ensuing discussion, attendees identified communication disconnection, lack of funding, and localization among the persistent gaps between global networks and local realities.
Tanjir Hossain, UNDRR Stakeholder Engagement Mechanism (SEM), moderated the closing session. Jamie Cummings, SEM, recalled her own experience of disaster when Hurricane Helene struck her hometown of Asheville, North Carolina. Describing how volunteers had operated a traditional Appalachian mule brigade to transport life-saving medications to mountain communities after roads were destroyed, she reflected that, “communities who know the land most, hold the solutions.” Martin Schuldes, German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), stressed that “the substance and spirit” of the conference must translate into concrete action.
Jilhane El Gaouzi, African Union Commission, urged all concerned to “be realistic and speed up implementation,” given that only five years remain until the Sendai Framework deadline.
At the opening of this one-day event, Mutale Nalumongo, Vice-President, Zambia, highlighted Zambia’s promotion of climate-resilient agriculture through promotion of drought-tolerant crop varieties, access to weather-based insurance and investment in EWS, including advisories to farmers. Following further opening remarks by speakers, two plenaries and several thematic sessions took place during the day.
Carolina Fuentes Castellanos, Director, Santiago Network Secretariat, moderated the session.
Sujit Mohanty, UNDRR, noted the high costs of reconstruction and the difficulties of countries that are perpetually in a state of recovery from one disaster after another, pointing to the need to address institutional fragmentation.
Renato Umali Solidum, Jr., Department of Science and Technology, Philippines, advocated for greater cohesion between DRR and climate action as being “two sides of the same coin.” He called for transparent grant-based governance to reach at-risk commuities and address both slow-onset and sudden disasters.
Leon Lundy, Minister of State Office, The Bahamas, highlighted the launch of The Bahamas’ National Disaster Risk Management Authority. He drew attention to the 2022 Act mandating public body disaster plans, including continuity plans, restoration timelines, and staff redeployment protocols to ensure essential services can be maintained or rapidly restored after a disaster.
Krishna Swaroop Vatsa, National Disaster Management Authority, India, highlighted allocation of 30% of the Authority’s funds for recovery and reconstruction, which are released through an assessment-based process.
Fuentes Castellanos offered countries the Secretariat’s support for structuring technical assistance requests.
Shivangi Chavda, GNDR, moderated the session.
Guangzhe Chen, World Bank, described the World Bank’s recent transition to supporting infrastructure resilience efforts. He invited countries to access the Bank’s preparedness and response toolkit to strengthen their disaster reduction policies, citing recent examples from Malawi, Albania, and Madagascar.
On financial instruments, panelists explored ways to distribute more rapid financial support, including through multi-dimensional approaches.
On displacement following disasters, Rania Sharshr, International Organization for Migration (IOM), emphasized that one of the greatest needs of governments is access to reliable and accurate data on how displaced people have been impacted, and guidance on how to integrate these people into existing communities.
The session concluded with the presentation of the Resilient Recovery Framework by Abhilash Panda, UNDRR.
Further sessions took place through the day. Besides the three sessions reported here, delegates took part in other Stakeholder Forum sessions on governance mechanisms, unlocking financial potential, housing reconstruction, and multi-hazard EWS.
Mona Folkesson, UN Development Coordination Office (DCO), moderated the session.
Emad Adly, Arab Network for Environment and Development, highlighted water scarcity as a key issue for the region and local-level coordination as a key challenge. Alexandra Bilak, Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC), cited experience from the 2015 Gorkha Earthquake in Nepal to show how livelihood erosion influences the severity of displacement.
Ibrahim Osman Farah, Vice President, Somali Regional State, Ethiopia, described livelihood restoration during return and resettlement of internally displaced persons, through ensuring cultural access to land, water, schools, and income-generating opportunities as long-term resilience-based approaches.
Tasneem Siddiqui, University of Dhaka, recounted how students were a driving force for the university’s Refugee and Migration Research Unit, which now has formed Adaptation Committees in many local areas and supports implementation of national policies on livelihood diversification and skills training. She urged treating displacement not as a humanitarian issue, but as a human rights one.
Aslam Perwaiz, Executive Director, Asian Disaster Preparedness Center, emphasized skill development with local communities and SMEs to create livelihood options for displaced communities.
Moderator, Cedrick Moriggi, Corporate Chief Resilience Officer Network, emphasized connecting the corporate world with the UNDRR world. Ommid Saberi, International Finance Corporation, recommended investing in the “economics of families,” or small businesses, saying even small government incentives can mobilize large funds from the private sector. Dorothee Baumann-Pauly, University of Geneva, said human rights are the enablers for resilience. Jonathan Rake, Swiss Re Solutions, highlighted the need for the private sector to engage locally and to develop and combine social programmes with parametric solutions. Chris Ulatt, Octopus, said upfront investment to boost resilience is the right move, but observed that few investors will remain for the duration of an investment. Kerry Hinds, Department of Emergency Management, Barbados, described an audit tool to ascertain risks and priorities for public-private partnerships, noting the tool helps standardize and trigger business continuity protocols for disaster risk management.
Dilanthi Amaratunga, Intergovernmental Coordination Group for the Indian Ocean Tsunami Warning and Mitigation System, moderated the session.
Banak Joshua Dei Wal, South Sudan’s DRR Focal Point, highlighted the need to work together and identify risks for Sendai Framework implementation to be effective.
Saini Yang, Integrated Research on Disaster Risk (IRDR), emphasized that China’s National Flood Prevention System has proven effective, with more than an 80% decrease in flood mortality rates over the last 20 years.
Trevor Bhupsingh, Public Safety Canada, highlighted Canada’s Disaster Financial Assistance Arrangements.
Guy Gryspeert, Honeywell, defined resilience as the capability of preventing a crisis by having awareness and planning in place.
Ali Hamza Pehlivan, Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD), Türkiye, highlighted the usefulness of their National Disaster Response Plan during the 2023 earthquake. Makiko Ohashi, Cabinet Office of Japan, noted the utility of planning on the assumption that a mega-disaster may occur at any time and of reviewing DDR plans in the aftermath of disasters.
After thematic sessions during the day, EW4All concluded its discussions. Gavin White, Risk-Informed Early Action Partnership, moderated the closing session. Panelists highlighted the importance of focusing on preparedness and developing trust, the need to shift perspectives toward a systemic approach to EWS, and the need to increase private funding.
In closing remarks, Andrea Hermenejildo, Deputy Secretary General for Risk Management, Ecuador, stressed EWS is not only a technical issue, but also involves social justice. Paola Albrito, Director, UNDRR, emphasized that EW4All is both needed and achievable. Noting the central role of local communities, she underlined that resilience is built with communities.
Doreen Bogdan-Martin, Secretary-General, International Telecommunication Union, underlined that scaling-up EWS requires partnerships and breaking silos across economic sectors, UN agencies and industries.
Jagan Chapagain, Secretary-General, International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), stressed that inclusive action and investment in EW4All is essential.
Celeste Saulo, Secretary-General, World Meteorological Organization (WMO), stated that having EWS in just 108 countries is neither sufficient nor acceptable, and called for closing this “justice gap” by providing EWS worldwide and accelerating the transformation needed to protect every person on Earth.
Source: UNISDR Disaster Risk Reduction
The Priority Actions to Enhance Readiness for Resilient Recovery were officially launched at the World Resilient Recovery Conference (WRRC) on 3 June 2025. They are designed to take joined action to accelerate the implementation of Priority Action 4 of the Sendai Framework: Enhancing disaster preparedness for effective response and to “Build Back Better” in recovery, rehabilitation and reconstruction.
The ten priority actions are critical steps to build a more resilient future for all:
At the global level, the International Recovery Platform will spearhead the implementation, in close coordination with Member States and other relevant partners. This includes convening a High-level Policy Forum on Recovery in September of this year, to scale up commitments.
At the regional level, Regional Dialogues on Resilient Recovery will continue to ensure that regional perspectives and needs are fully integrated.
At the national level, a top priority will be the rollout of the Recovery Readiness Assessment, to support countries in evaluating and strengthening their prepardness for resilient recovery. This process will not only, help Member States in identifying gaps.
Source: World Health Organisation
This week marks one year since dozens of personnel from the United Nations, nongovernmental and civil society organizations, and diplomatic missions were arbitrarily detained by the Houthi de facto authorities in northern Yemen. Others have been detained since as far back as 2021. Today, we reiterate our urgent demand for their immediate and unconditional release.
As of today, 23 UN and five international nongovernmental organizations (INGOs) personnel remain arbitrarily detained. Tragically, one UN staff member and another from Save the Children have died in detention. Others have lost loved ones while being held, denied the chance to attend their funerals or say goodbye. Our arbitrarily detained colleagues have spent at least 365 days – and for some, over 1000 days – isolated from their families, children, husbands, and wives, in flagrant breach of international law. The toll of this detention is also weighing heavily on their families, who continue to endure the unbearable pain of absence and uncertainty as they face another Eid without their loved one.
Nothing can justify their ordeal. They were doing their jobs, helping people in desperate need: people without food, shelter, or adequate health care.
Yemen remains one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises, with over 19 million people in need of humanitarian assistance, many of whom rely on it for survival. A safe and enabling operating environment for humanitarian operations, including the release of detained personnel, is essential to maintaining and restoring assistance to those in need. Humanitarian workers should never be targeted or detained while carrying out their mandates to serve the people of Yemen.
The prolonged detention of our colleagues has a chilling effect across the international community, undermining support for Yemen and hindering humanitarian response. It has also undermined mediation efforts for lasting peace.
We acknowledge the release of one UN and two NGO personnel and the recent release of an Embassy staff member. We call on the de facto authorities to deliver on their previous commitments, including those made to the Director-General of the World Health Organization during his mission to Sana’a in December 2024.
The UN and INGOs will continue to work through all possible channels to secure the safe and immediate release of those arbitrarily detained.
Signatories:
Source: International Organization for Migration (IOM)
Geneva/Port Sudan, 4 June 2025 – The International Organization for Migration (IOM) mourns the tragic death of five aid workers in a brutal attack on a joint humanitarian convoy in El Fasher, North Darfur. We join other members of the humanitarian community in strongly condemning the attack and extend our deepest condolences to the families and colleagues of those who lost their lives and to all who were injured in this horrific act.
This deliberate attack is an assault on humanitarian workers and on the millions of people in Sudan whose survival depends on the timely delivery of aid. The attack not only cost precious lives but destroyed critical food assistance intended for communities teetering on the edge of famine particularly in Al Fasher, which has been besieged for over a year, leaving families facing hunger, displacement, and unimaginable hardship.
Safe, sustained, and unhindered access to those in need must be guaranteed by all parties to the conflict. In a crisis that has already displaced millions, every disruption to humanitarian assistance costs lives. We call on all parties to the conflict to uphold their responsibilities and ensure the safety of aid workers and unhindered access to civilians in need. Humanitarian workers are not a target.
For more information, please contact IOM Media Centre
Source: United Nations Economic Commission for Europe
The transition to clean energy in South-Eastern and Eastern Europe, the Caucasus, and Central Asia necessitates a comprehensive overhaul of power systems, with investment needs estimated at $150 billion by 2030. However, by embracing digitalization across all sectors – from generation and transmission to distribution and end-use – and integration with renewable energy, these countries could reduce their carbon emissions by up to 70% and energy costs by as much as 80%, subject to system-wide optimization, outlines the UNECE study “Integrating twin transition with legacy energy systems”
The study analyses opportunities and challenges for a digital transformation of energy systems in Albania, Belarus, Georgia, Kyrgyzstan, North Macedonia, Republic of Moldova, and Ukraine, where about 60% of the total energy mix today comes from natural gas and coal.
The study underscores that digital solutions and innovations such as Artificial Intelligence, Internet of Things, Digital Twins, and Virtual Power Plants, offer significant opportunities in managing and integrating distributed, often variable renewable energy-based resources. It also highlights potential to optimize legacy systems and enhance both cybersecurity and grid resilience.
This will require robust policy measures and initiatives to boost investments in advanced, resilient grids. It will also necessitate increased support for innovation and research, strategic planning and massive professional training.
Overcoming challenges
The study identifies key challenges to be addressed in the region’s largely outdated energy systems:
Ageing energy infrastructure, much of which was built during the Soviet era. For example, in Belarus, over 60% of the thermal power plants are over 30 years old, resulting in high maintenance costs; in Georgia, the average age of electricity transmission lines exceeds 30 years, resulting in transmission losses estimated at 12%.
Energy security risks due to dependence on fossil fuel imports. For example, the Republic of Moldova imports approximately 70% of its electricity, primarily from Romania and Ukraine; in Belarus, about 50% of energy needs are met through natural gas imports from the Russian Federation.
Limited financial resources to invest in modernizing energy systems. For instance, Albania has struggled to secure funding for proposed solar and wind projects totalling approximately $300 million; in Belarus only about 5% of the necessary investments have been secured for planned RE installations; financial constraints limit modernization of ageing hydropower infrastructure in Kyrgyzstan.
Lack of skilled workforce. For example, in Georgia, around 30% of energy sector professionals lack formal training in RE technologies.
Climate and health impacts. For instance, Belarus emits approximately 8 million tonnes of CO2 annually from its energy sector alone, with coal-fired plants being significant contributors. North Macedonia’s reliance on coal contributes to air pollution levels among the highest in Europe.
Key strategies identified in the study include:
Cross-border infrastructure projects, such as Trans-Caspian high-voltage direct current lines, are vital for enhancing regional energy trade and digital connectivity;
The report identifies three priority action areas: (1) scaling energy efficiency through retrofitting that embraces digital technologies; (2) promoting hybrid energy models that combine gas with hydrogen; and (3) advancing smart grids, standardization, and regional integration.
Importantly, the study promotes a human-centered approach to digitalization that balances innovation with ethical considerations and prioritizes equity, social considerations, and long-term sustainability for a just transition.
From research to action
The study was showcased during a workshop “Assessing the readiness of the energy sector to implement smart digital energy-efficient technologies in Belarus in view of climate change mitigation” held in Minsk, Belarus, and online on 22 May 2025. The hybrid workshop, organized by UNECE in cooperation with UNDP Belarus and the Department of Energy Efficiency of the State Committee for Standardization of the Republic of Belarus, brought together over 100 participants including government officials, energy sector representatives, and international experts, to explore how smart digital tools can support energy efficiency, clean mobility, and climate action in Belarus.
For more information about UNECE work on Energy Efficiency, please visit: https://unece.org/sustainable-energy/energy-efficiency
Photo credit: Adobe Stock Images by Sergii.
Source: World Food Programme
MANDALAY – The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) welcomes a EUR 5 million contribution from the European Union (EU) to address the food security of communities devastated by the deadly earthquake in Myanmar.
Through this funding from the Directorate-General for European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (ECHO), WFP will provide food or cash for food to those most impacted by the earthquake, as well as specialized nutrition support for children and mothers. WFP will deliver the assistance directly to people in need, working with local partners and non-governmental organisations.
The contribution follows a recent joint EU and WFP field visit to earthquake-hit Mandalay, where officials observed the ongoing struggle of affected communities.Nearly 2.8 million food insecure people were affected by the earthquake in the hardest hit townships.
“Even before the devastating earthquake struck Myanmar, humanitarian aid was a lifeline for its people amid ongoing conflict. In the face of this tragedy, the EU remains steadfast in its commitment. Together with trusted partners like the World Food Programme, we are delivering life-saving assistance, and we will continue to do so,” said Mr. Luc Verna, who oversees EU humanitarian programmes in Myanmar.
WFP reached 400,000 people with emergency food, cash for food, and nutrition support in the worst affected regions including Mandalay, Sagaing, southern Shan and Nay Pyi Taw, during its initial response. Starting from early June, WFP will provide two months of targeted support and recovery initiatives for 150,000 people.
“The earthquake was a disaster on top of an ongoing crisis that has existed since 2021,” said Michael Dunford, WFP Representative and Country Director in Myanmar. “The monsoon will make things even tougher, and this crucial humanitarian funding from the EU will allow WFP to meet the needs of the people who find themselves in a desperate situation.”
While addressing needs in earthquake-hit areas, the EU and WFP urge the international community to act on the immense needs of millions affected by conflict across the country. Due to severe funding gaps, WFP was forced to cut lifesaving assistance to more than one million people in Myanmar since April. Before the earthquake, 20 million people already needed humanitarian assistance.
This latest contribution brings EU support for WFP Myanmar to EUR 8.9 million (USD 10 million) in 2025; the largest contributor to WFP’s efforts to address hunger in the crisis hit country.
Photos are available here.
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About EU Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid:
The European Union and its Member States are among the leading donors of humanitarian aid in the world. Relief assistance is an expression of European solidarity with people in need all around the world. It aims to save lives, prevent and alleviate human suffering, and safeguard the integrity and human dignity of populations affected by disasters and crises.
Through its Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations department, the European Union helps millions of victims of conflict and disasters every year. With headquarters in Brussels and a global network of field offices, the EU provides assistance to the most vulnerable people on the basis of humanitarian needs.
About WFP:
The United Nations World Food Programme is the world’s largest humanitarian organization saving lives in emergencies and using food assistance to build a pathway to peace, stability and prosperity for people recovering from conflict, disasters and the impact of climate change.
Follow us on X, formerly Twitter, via @wfp_media and @WFPAsiaPacific
Source: World Food Programme
ISLAMABAD, PAKISTAN – The Ministry of Federal Education and Professional Training and the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) jointly convened a high-level, two-day national consultation in Islamabad to advance coordinated efforts to implement school meal programmes across provinces.
This consultation was attended by Ms. Wajiha Qamar, Minister of State for Federal Education and Professional Training along with representatives from various federal and provincial departments including education, health, planning and development & social protection. Representatives from development agencies, private sector, academia and non-governmental organisations also participated in the event, unified by a shared goal: to ensure every child in Pakistan has access to healthy, nutritious food at school.
“With 25 million children out of school and many enrolled students struggling to learn due to hunger and malnutrition, the reality demands urgent action,” said Mr. Mohammad Shehbaz Sharif, Prime Minister of Pakistan. “By alleviating poverty-related barriers to education, the provision of meals encourages parents to send their children to school, reducing dropout rates and promoting gender equality.”
The consultation concluded with a clear demonstration of political will from federal and provincial government representatives to expand school meals across Pakistan. The discussions were substantive and action-oriented, reflecting a growing national consensus that school meals are not standalone initiatives, but a strategic, multisectoral investment central to the country’s development agenda.
The Government of Balochistan committed significant multiyear budget to be confirmed shortly and presented a detailed action plan, including support for children with special needs. Punjab pledged to expand school meals to more districts, while Sindh reaffirmed plans to launch a new school meals programme. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa committed to strengthening its cash-based model and exploring a school meals programme. Gilgit-Baltistan and Pakistan Administered Kashmir are also working to expand, exploring innovative financing solutions.
Ms. Wajiha Qamar, Minister of State, Ministry of Federal Education and Professional Training, also addressed the consultation, affirming the government’s commitment to institutionalising school meals as part of the broader education agenda. “We must scale up programmes nationwide, learn from each other’s experiences and good practises to ensure that every child in Pakistan has access to a daily meal at school. This is not just a programme or a project, it is an investment in our children, our communities and our country’s prosperous future,” she added.
“Not only did this consultation reaffirm that school meals are a powerful, transformative tool to bring children to school, keep them there, and give them a fair chance to learn, grow, and succeed – it also helped secure concrete commitments from provincial and federal representatives for the next five years” said Coco Ushiyama, WFP Representative and Country Director in Pakistan.
Investing in school meals is especially critical in the context of Pakistan. School meals offer a powerful, multi-sectoral solution, improving children’s nutrition and health, increasing school attendance, enhancing learning outcomes and easing the financial burden on low-income families. These efforts align closely with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s declaration of an education emergency last year and the urgent national priority to bring every out-of-school child into the classroom.
This event builds on the first national consultation held in 2022, which followed Pakistan’s signing of the Global School Meals Coalition in 2021. It also serves as a key preparatory milestone ahead of the Global School Meals Summit in Brazil this September.
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The United Nations World Food Programme is the world’s largest humanitarian organization, saving lives in emergencies and using food assistance to build a pathway to peace, stability and prosperity for people recovering from conflict, disasters and the impact of climate change.
Follow us on Facebook and Twitter: @WFPPakistan