NewzIntel.com

Category: United Nations

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: 26 March 2025 Departmental update New study highlights the potential impact of funding cuts on the HIV response

    Source: World Health Organisation

    A new study published in The Lancet HIV conducted by the Burnet Institute and WHO highlights the potential impact of international funding cuts on the global HIV response. The research underscores the urgent need for sustained financial support to prevent millions of new HIV infections and deaths in the coming years.

    The study, which analysed data from 26 countries, found that if international support declines, an additional 4.43 to 10.75 million new HIV infections – including up to 880 000 in children – could occur by 2030. In the same period, 770 000 to 2.93 million more people could die from HIV-related causes, with up to 120 000 of these deaths affecting children.

    Low- and middle-income countries could be the most affected, particularly those in sub-Saharan Africa. This region has seen tremendous progress in HIV treatment coverage for people living with HIV, pregnant women and children, and in prevention for populations at high risk of infection.

    Dr Meg Doherty, Director of WHO’s Department of Global HIV, Hepatitis and Sexually Transmitted Infections Programmes, emphasized the importance of international collaboration and investment in maintaining progress against HIV. “This study is a stark reminder that international cooperation and funding are essential to sustain the advances we’ve made in HIV prevention and treatment, as well as in developing innovative products that save lives.”

    Halting treatment causes a rapid increase in HIV viral load and a decline in CD4 cell count, leading to increased potential for HIV transmission and development of advanced HIV disease, respectively. The study found that the discontinuation of HIV treatment, in scenarios where funding cuts and suspensions continued, could lead to an additional 4.4 million new infections, even if mitigation efforts resumed treatment within two years. If the available funds were redirected from HIV testing and prevention services to maintain critical treatment for people living with HIV, an additional 1.7 million new infections by 2030 would occur, compared to the status quo scenario.

    Since 2015, international donors have provided around 40% of all HIV funding in low- and middle-income countries. Programmes like PEPFAR and The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria have been instrumental in providing the financial, programmatic and technical support needed to implement and expand HIV services.

    HIV service disruptions that have resulted from funding challenges in 2025 include staffing shortages, supply chain interruptions, and increased barriers to access for prevention and treatment services. As Dr Doherty stated, “It is crucial to develop innovative, country-led financing strategies and integrate HIV services into broader health systems to maintain progress and prevent avoidable suffering and deaths.”

    WHO remains committed to supporting national governments, community and civil society partners, and donors in adapting to changing donor support to safeguard the health and well-being of those most vulnerable to HIV, viral hepatitis and sexually transmitted infections. By building the capacity of national health systems, the global community can continue essential life-saving services and support the long-term stability of sustainable health systems.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Despite Diplomatic Progress, Security Council Told Continuing Attacks, Funding Cuts Worsening Humanitarian Situation in Ukraine

    Source: United Nations General Assembly and Security Council

    The humanitarian crisis in Ukraine is worsening, a senior United Nations official told the Security Council today, as she both welcomed diplomatic progress and expressed deep alarm over rising attacks on civilians and severe cuts to global humanitarian funding.

    “Since 1 March, not a day has passed without an attack harming civilians,” Joyce Msuya, Assistant Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Deputy Emergency Relief Coordinator, told the 15-member Council. The regions of Sumy, Odesa, Dnipro, Donetsk and Kharkiv have been hit especially hard in recent weeks, with extensive damage to homes, shops, warehouses and vehicles.

    Meanwhile, global funding cuts for humanitarian operations — including for Ukraine — are further reducing the UN’s capacity to provide life-saving aid.  While the announcement of a ceasefire on energy infrastructure and discussions regarding safe navigation in the Black Sea are positive steps, she noted that the impact of past attacks continue to undermine civilians’ access to electricity, gas, heating and water as the harsh winter persists.

    “We are deeply concerned by the human cost of continued fighting,” she said, noting that, as of 24 February 2022, at least 12,881 civilians — including 681 children — have been killed in Ukraine.  The true toll is likely much higher.  She reiterated that the protection of infrastructure critical to civilian survival is imperative, and that indiscriminate attacks are unequivocally prohibited under international law.

    And with almost 13 million people in Ukraine in need of humanitarian aid, she warned against funding cuts that could threaten vital services — including gender-based-violence support and safe spaces for 640,000 affected women and girls.  Thus far, only 17 per cent of the $2.6 billion needed for Ukraine’s 2025 Humanitarian Response Plan has been received.  Against that backdrop, she urged the international community to enforce compliance with international law, secure funding to save lives and push for an end to the war — all while ensuring that humanitarian needs remain central to peace talks.

    Speakers Express Concern over Increasing Attacks on Civilians, Urge Moscow to Demonstrate Commitment to Peace

    During the discussion that ensued, many speakers expressed concern over growing attacks on civilians in Ukraine.  “The death and destruction caused by this war are tremendous,” said Slovenia’s delegate, noting the over 42,000 verified casualties and reconstruction costs exceeding $500 billion.  Three years on, and the fighting does not seem to be diminishing — in February 2025, civilian casualties increased by 35 per cent compared to February 2024.  “Every human life matters and is not merely a number,” added Pakistan’s delegate, welcoming deals reached between Ukraine and the Russian Federation banning the targeting of energy sites and ensuring safe navigation in the Black Sea.

    While also noting progress on those fronts, other speakers continued to call on the Russian Federation to demonstrate its commitment to peace, with France’s delegate highlighting “the gaping disconnect between [the Russian Federation’s] actions and words”.  Romania’s delegate pointed out that “the dialogue efforts and the proposals in the last weeks are yet to be met by deeds”, spotlighting new attacks by the Russian Federation since the night of 21 March.

    “It is now for Russia to show its willingness to achieve peace,” said the representative of the European Union, in its capacity as observer, adding:  “There can be no negotiations on Ukraine without Ukraine, and no negotiations that affect European security without Europe.”  Finland’s delegate, speaking also for Denmark, Iceland, Norway and Sweden, echoed that, also expressing concern that limited humanitarian access makes it hard for humanitarian workers to deliver life-saving aid — especially in front-line areas.

    “A ceasefire seems not to be enough,” observed Greece’s delegate, adding that peace should only be possible “with credible and robust security guarantees, which will deter and prevent the recurrence of war in the future”.  Any peace must be more than a mere pause that allows the aggressor to rearm and strike again — as it has done before — Poland’s delegate underscored.  “We must have enduring peace in Ukraine,” stressed the representative of the United Kingdom, adding that, until Moscow’s forces withdraw from Ukraine, “the United Kingdom will continue to work with Kyiv to achieve a just and lasting peace”.

    Meanwhile, the representative of the Republic of Korea said that interviews with soldiers from the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea captured in Kursk show men deceived and told they were being sent to Moscow for training.  “Pyongyang must stop sacrificing its own people to sustain the regime in exchange for military, political and economic support from Moscow,” he stressed.

    The representative of Denmark, Council President for March, spoke in her national capacity to describe the latest report by the UN’s Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine as a “grim catalogue of crimes against humanity” perpetrated by the Russian Federation’s forces against civilians.  Lithuania’s delegate, also speaking for Estonia and Latvia, drew attention to the 4,000 cases against the Russian Federation in the European Court of Human Rights, all related to events in Crimea, Donbas and the wider war against Ukraine.

    Russian Federation, Ukraine Acknowledge Limited Ceasefire Agreements while Expressing Reservations

    For his part, the representative of the Russian Federation said that the European Union and the United Kingdom are trying to thwart efforts by his country and the United States to settle the Ukrainian crisis.  He went on to say that Moscow’s air forces target only military sites, and that civilian casualties in Ukraine occur because Kyiv stores ammunition in residential areas.  He also stated that Ukraine’s European supporters ignore the crimes committed by Kyiv, reiterating that Moscow’s military operation started three years ago to end the war being waged on fellow Russians.

    Regarding the agreement concerning the Black Sea, he said that this will go into effect only after a series of measures are adopted — including the lifting of sanctions against some Russian Federation banks.  And while agreement has been reached to ban strikes on energy sites both in Ukraine and in the Russian Federation, Kyiv continues to violate that agreement.  “The Russian Federation reserves the right to respond should the Kyiv regime continue on this destructive course,” he emphasized.

    Further, he asked those present if they would prefer to either continue providing weapons to “private-military-company Ukraine”, or to join the Russian Federation and the United States to “find a long-term solution that would address the root causes of the Ukraine crisis and strengthen security in Europe and the world over”.

    “Moscow speaks of peace while launching brutal strikes almost daily on densely populated residential areas” in her country, Ukraine’s delegate said, adding that the Russian Federation launched — in the first half of March alone — hundreds of strikes against her people, using approximately 2,800 guided aerial bombs, nearly 2,000 attack drones and over 100 missiles of various types.  Moscow has also sought to block Ukrainian ports on the Black Sea, forcibly transferred Ukrainian children to its territory and that of Belarus, and made use of munitions containing hazardous chemicals.

    While welcoming the United States’ mediation and Saudi Arabia’s hospitality, and reaffirming her country’s commitment to peace, she underscored:  “We won’t accept peace at any price.”  Ukraine will not recognize any of its temporarily occupied territories as belonging to the Russian Federation, and Kyiv will not agree to any foreign diktat regarding the structure or other characteristics of its defence forces.

    While Ukraine has agreed to a ceasefire regarding energy facilities and in the Black Sea, she warned that this does not extend to Russian Federation warships that enter Ukraine’s territorial waters.  “Everyone should focus on Russian actions, not their statements,” she urged, noting that the coming days will be critical in determining “whether Russia is serious about peace or intends to deceive the United States and the world”.

    Nevertheless, Speakers Point to Path towards Peace

    “The war must end now,” the representative of the United States stressed, as she commended both the Russian Federation and Ukraine for taking the first steps towards a ceasefire.  If fully implemented, the agreements concerning energy infrastructure and the Black Sea will open a path towards peace.  “We call on both sides to abide by these agreements and expand on them,” she said.

    Some speakers expressed optimism about the talks under way in Riyadh.  “A window of peace is opening,” said China’s delegate, welcoming recent negotiations that the Russian Federation and Ukraine have had bilaterally with the United States.  Positive progress was made on numerous issues, he said.  Algeria’s delegate, welcoming progress, as well, added that a lasting peace must consider the legitimate concerns of both parties.  The representative of Panama, noting that maritime security is fundamental to his country, expressed optimism about the steps towards a cessation of hostilities in the Black Sea.

    Similarly, the representative of Somalia said that the agreement to ensure safe navigation in the Black Sea represents a practical step towards reducing tensions and protecting vital economic infrastructure.  The recent breakthrough is “creating tangible momentum towards de-escalation”, he said.  “Even as we celebrate the modest breakthroughs,” Guyana’s delegate warned that the slightest misstep could doom millions of civilians to even more bombardment and displacement.  Sierra Leone’s representative observed that “cautious hope has begun to emerge”, but highlighted the severe impact already had on children — trauma from constant shelling, loss of loved ones, displacement and abduction.

    “Even when bombings subside, the scars of war remain,” said the Permanent Observer for the Sovereign Order of Malta, pointing to the need for psychological support for those affected by war-related trauma.  Ukraine’s health system will need restoring, he said, adding that it is also crucial to facilitate the safe and dignified return of displaced families.  “The land must be restored and made habitable,” he added, as the detritus of war is cleared away.

    Quoting Pope Francis, he asked those present:  “Can we get out of this spiral of sorrow and death?  Can we once more walk and live in the ways of peace?  I would like for each one of us — from the least to the greatest, including those who are called to govern nations — to respond in one voice: ‘Yes, we want peace.’”

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: UN calls for immediate ceasefire as South Sudan edges closer to renewed civil war

    Source: United Nations MIL OSI b

    By Vibhu Mishra

    Peace and Security

    The UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) on Wednesday called for an immediate end to hostilities and urgent dialogue between the country’s leaders to prevent a relapse into civil war, as violence escalates around the capital city.

    “To prevent a relapse into civil war, the Parties must recommit to the Revitalized Peace Agreement by ceasing all hostilities and strictly adhering to the ceasefire, resolving grievances through dialogue, and reconvening as a truly unified government,” said Nicholas Haysom, Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of UNMISS.

    The world’s youngest country has been mired in conflict which erupted shortly after independence from Sudan in 2011, between Government forces led by President Salva Kiir, and fighters loyal to his rival Riek Machar, who has served as First Vice President since 2020 in a broad-based governing coalition.

    Clashes intensify

    Fighting has escalated over the past 24 hours, with clashes reported between Government troops of the South Sudan People’s Defence Forces (SSPDF) and the Sudan People’s Liberation Army in Opposition near Rejaf, just south of the capital Juba, and in Wunaliet, to the west.

    The situation in Upper Nile, in the north of the country, also remains volatile. Earlier this month the so-called White Army – a youth militia – overran South Sudanese army barracks in Nasir. In response, Government forces launched retaliatory aerial bombardments on civilian areas, using barrel bombs that allegedly contained highly flammable accelerants.

    An UNMISS helicopter – attempting to evacuate wounded SSPDF soldiers – in Nasir, region was also attacked this month, killing a crew member as well as several South Sudanese soldiers, including an injured General.

    Children at extreme risk

    Virginia Gamba, UN Special Representative for Children and Armed Conflict, also warned that the surge in fighting is putting children at grave risk of violations, including killing, sexual violence and recruitment into armed groups.

    “I am deeply concerned over the escalating violence, particularly in the Upper Nile province, and I urge all parties to silence their weapons and comply with their obligations under international humanitarian and human rights law,” she said.

    “The stability of the country and a lasting peace for all, including new generations, is at stake.”

    Repeated warnings

    Earlier this week, Mr. Haysom warned that South Sudan was “teetering on the brink of civil war,” citing indiscriminate attacks on civilians, forced displacement and ethnic tensions.

    Renewed fighting “would devastate not only South Sudan but the entire region, which simply cannot afford another war,” he said.

    Fragile peace at stake

    Civil war erupted in 2013 between forces loyal to President Salva Kiir and those aligned with First Vice President Machar. The war – marked by ethnic violence, mass atrocities and a widespread humanitarian crisis – lasted until a fragile peace deal was signed in 2018.

    Though the 2018 Revitalized Peace Agreement brought a degree of stability, delays in its implementation and continued political rivalries have kept tensions simmering.

    Meanwhile, the humanitarian situation in South Sudan remains dire, with over nine million people in need of humanitarian assistance and protection, including two million internally displaced persons.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Biological weapons ‘must not only be unthinkable but also impossible’

    Source: United Nations MIL OSI b

    Peace and Security

    The world came together 50 years ago to ban biological weapons and in today’s volatile geopolitical climate we can ill-afford to let this moral safeguard “erode”, the UN’s High Representative for Disarmament Affairs said on Wednesday.

    26 March marks the 50th anniversary of the entry into force of the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC) – the first multilateral disarmament treaty to ban an entire category of weapons of mass destruction.

    Secretary-General António Guterres hailed the Convention as a cornerstone of international peace and security, having contributed over five decades to “collective efforts to reject the use of disease as a weapon.”

    Today, 188 countries are party to the convention, which effectively prohibits the development, production, acquisition, transfer, stockpiling and use of biological and toxin weapons.

    The BWC stands as a safeguard, ensuring that advances in biology and biotechnology are used solely for “peaceful purposes” – and not to trigger artificial epidemics that threaten us all.

    Disarmament chief Izumi Nakamitsu told Member States in Geneva that the BWC “remains a testament to the conscience of humankind”. Yet as technology evolves, so too do potential risks.

    Strengthening the convention

    “We must ensure the instruments of the 20th century can respond to today’s global 21st century challenges,” stressed Ms. Nakamitsu.

    In his message, the Secretary-General urged all States parties to actively participate in the Working Group on Strengthening the BWC – which verifies compliance, capacity-building and assistance – and called on the Group to accelerate its efforts in this milestone year.

    “These efforts reinforce the commitment in the Pact for the Future, adopted at the United Nations last year, for all countries to pursue a world free of biological weapons,” he said.

    Call for universal adherence

    While the vast majority of UN Member States have joined the convention, nine countries remain outside. 

    The Secretary-General called on those governments to ratify the treaty without delay.

    UN disarmament affairs office, UNODA, is working to support the convention’s implementation – especially in Africa where it has engaged 100 young scientists through the Youth for Biosecurity Fellowship in the last five years.

    “Together, let us stand united against biological weapons,” said the Secretary-General.

    Barrier to misuse

    As the world grapples with new global health challenges and geopolitical uncertainty, the BWC remains a vital barrier against the misuse of science.

    Reinforcing it, said the UN chief, is essential to prevent biological weapons from ever being used again – whether in conflict, acts of terror, or by accident.

    “Let’s use this occasion to…recognise that the use of biological weapons must not only be unthinkable but also impossible”, concluded Ms. Nakamitsu.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Human Rights Committee Adopts Annual Report 2024-2025

    Source: United Nations – Geneva

    The Human Rights Committee this morning adopted its annual report on the work of its one hundred and forty-first (1-23 July 2024), one hundred and forty-second (14 October-7 November 2024), and one hundred and forty-third sessions (3-28 March 2025). 

    Introducing the report, Ivan Šimonović, Committee Rapporteur, said that as of 26 March 2025, 174 States were parties to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, 116 States were parties to the Optional Protocol to the Covenant on individual communications, and 92 States were parties to the Second Optional Protocol, on the abolition of the death penalty.  Côte d’Ivoire and Zambia had acceded to the Second Optional Protocol in May and December 2024 respectively. 

    Country report task forces met during the three sessions to consider and adopt lists of issues on the reports of Chad and Latvia and lists of issues prior to reporting for Antigua and Barbuda, Austria, Barbados, Benin, Cameroon, Costa Rica, Côte d’Ivoire, the Dominican Republic, Jordan, Mauritius, Monaco, New Zealand, Poland, Samoa, Sierra Leone, Slovenia and South Africa.

    At its one hundred and forty-first session, the Committee adopted concluding observations on Croatia, Honduras, India, Maldives, Malta, Suriname and the Syrian Arab Republic.  At its one hundred and forty-second session, the Committee adopted concluding observations on Ecuador, France, Greece, Iceland, Pakistan and Türkiye.  At its one hundred and forty-third session, the Committee would adopt concluding observations on Albania, Burkina Faso, Mongolia, Montenegro and Zimbabwe.  The review of Haiti had been postponed to the Committee’s next session, due to the human rights situation in the country. 

    During the one hundred and forty-first session, the Special Rapporteur for follow-up on concluding observations submitted interim reports to the Committee.  During that session, the Committee reviewed the following States parties under the follow-up process: Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, Liberia, and Lao People’s Democratic Republic.

    Regarding communications, at its one hundred and forty-first session, the Committee examined 21 drafts concerning 63 communications: 53 communications were decided on the merits, 10 were declared inadmissible and 32 were closed. Regarding communications decided on the merits, the Committee found violations in 51 of them.  At its one hundred and forty-second session, the Committee examined 19 drafts concerning 308 communications: 287 were decided on the merits, 10 were declared inadmissible and 11 were closed.  With regard to the communications for which a decision was taken on the merits, the Committee found violations in 287 of them. At its one hundred and forty-third session, the Committee examined 19 drafts concerning 66 communications: 38 were decided on the merits, five were declared inadmissible and 23 were closed. The Committee found violations in 37 of the communications for which decisions were taken on the merits.  The Committee had successfully started applying its multifaceted strategy aimed at ending the high number of communications pending consideration and adoption.  Mr. Šimonović reiterated the Committee’s concern regarding the lack of resources and emphasised the importance of allocating adequate staff resources to service its sessions. 

    Following the presentation, various Committee experts took the floor, thanking the Rapporteur for his work on the report.  A speaker said that the Committee’s follow-up procedure allowed the Committee to remain in a dialogue with States parties on the implementation of the Covenant. States parties that had been under the Committee’s review were invited to submit their follow-up information and continue the dialogue.  The liquidity crisis was challenging, a speaker noted, and the Committee was approaching a point where it would be difficult to continue the high quality of their work without the required resources.  The Committee was sometimes the last beacon of hope for persons from countries to obtain legal redress outside their own legal system.  The report was worth being shared more broadly and could be further developed and enhanced, another speaker said. 

    The Committee then adopted the annual report, before closing the meeting.

    The Human Rights Committee’s one hundred and forty-third session is being held from 3 to 28 March 2025.  All the documents relating to the Committee’s work, including reports submitted by States parties, can be found on the session’s webpage.  Meeting summary releases can be found here.  The webcast of the Committee’s public meetings can be accessed via the UN Web TV webpage.

    The Committee will next meet in public at 11 a.m. on Friday 28 March to close its one hundred and forty-third session.

     

    Produced by the United Nations Information Service in Geneva for use of the media; 
    not an official record. English and French versions of our releases are different as they are the product of two separate coverage teams that work independently.

     

    CCPR25.007E

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Sudan: Rights chief deplores deadly army strikes on North Darfur market

    Source: United Nations 2

    Human Rights

    The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights has again called for greater protection of civilians in war-torn Sudan following deadly army airstrikes in North Darfur earlier this week. 

    Volker Türk issued a statement on Wednesday saying he was deeply shocked by reports that hundreds of civilians were killed, and scores injured, in the 24 March strikes on a busy market in Tora Village.

    The Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and a rival military known as the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have been at war for nearly two years.

    On Wednesday, international media reported that the army had recaptured the capital, Khartoum, which had mostly been under RSF control since fighting erupted in April 2023.

    The army recaptured the presidential palace last Friday and is now reportedly in control of all the bridges across the River Nile which connect the different areas of the capital area. 

    Indiscriminate killings continue

    The UN rights chief said his Office, OHCHR, learned that 13 of those killed in Monday’s airstrikes belonged to a single family, and that some of the injured are also reportedly dying due to the extremely limited access to healthcare.

    OHCHR have also received reports that in the aftermath of the attack, members of the RSF arbitrarily arrested and detained civilians in Tora.

    Both the RSF and Government forces have been accused of indiscriminately shelling civilian areas during the brutal conflict.  

    “Despite my repeated warnings and appeals to both the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces to protect civilians in line with international humanitarian law, civilians continue to be killed indiscriminately, maimed and mistreated on a near daily basis, while civilian objects remain an all-too-frequent target,” said Mr. Türk.

    He once again urged both parties to take all measures to avoid harming civilians and attacking civilian objects.

    The High Commissioner warned that Indiscriminate attacks and attacks against civilians, and civilian objects, are unacceptable and may constitute war crimes. 

    “There must be full accountability for violations committed in this latest attack, and the many other attacks against civilians that have preceded it. Such conduct must never become normalized,” he said. 

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: UN welcomes Black Sea talks, warns of worsening humanitarian crisis in Ukraine

    Source: United Nations 4

    Peace and Security

    The United Nations on Wednesday welcomed recent diplomatic talks involving Russia, Ukraine and the United States in Saudi Arabia, calling an agreement on freedom of navigation and security in the Black Sea a crucial step for global food security.

    In a statement, Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesperson for Secretary-General António Guterres, said the UN chief’s good offices remain available to support all efforts towards a lasting peace in Ukraine.

    “Reaching an agreement on freedom of navigation in the Black Sea to ensure the protection of civilian vessels and port infrastructure, will be a crucial contribution to global food security and supply chains, reflecting the importance of trade routes from both Ukraine and the Russian Federation to global markets,” Mr. Dujarric said.

    “The Secretary-General reiterates his hope that such efforts will pave the way for a durable ceasefire and contribute to achieving a just, comprehensive and lasting peace in Ukraine, in line with the UN Charter, international law and relevant UN resolutions and in full respect of Ukraine’s independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity,” he added.

    Humanitarian crisis worsening

    The humanitarian crisis in Ukraine continues to worsen with nearly 13 million people in need of assistance – but funds are dwindling, a top UN relief official warned ambassadors in the Security Council.

    Joyce Msuya, UN Deputy Emergency Relief Coordinator, added that critical aid programmes are at risk due to recent funding cuts.

    The shortfall is already having dire consequences, particularly for women and girls, and UN agencies fear that at least 640,000 could lose access to protection against gender-based violence, psychosocial support and safe spaces.

    “Recent funding cuts have led to a reprioritization of Ukraine response efforts that will be announced in the coming weeks. Continued financial support will be essential to maintain operations,” Ms. Msuya said.

    The $2.6 billion Ukraine humanitarian needs and response plan for 2025, which aims to reach six million people in need, is only 17 per cent funded.

    Mounting civilian casualties

    Ms. Msuya also highlighted the impact of the fighting on civilians.

    “Since 1 March, not a day has passed without an attack harming civilians,” she said, noting civilian deaths and injuries, and damage to infrastructure across northern, central, eastern and southern Ukraine.

    “In frontline communities, civilians are confronted with relentless shelling and face impossible choices: flee under dangerous conditions, leaving behind everything they own, or stay and risk injury, death and limited access to essential services,” she warned.

    The UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine (UNHRMMU) has verified at least 12,881 civilian deaths since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022, though the actual toll is feared to be much higher.

    UN Photo/Eskinder Debebe

    Assistant Secretary-General Joyce Msuya (seated at the left end of the table) briefs the Security Council on the humanitarian situation in Ukraine

    Humanitarian challenges

    Meanwhile, humanitarians struggle to deliver aid, Ms. Msuya continued, stating that an estimated 1.5 million people in Russian-occupied areas of Donetsk, Kherson, Luhansk and Zaporizhzhya are in urgent need of assistance, but aid workers are unable to reach them “at any adequate scale”.

    Humanitarian workers themselves are increasingly coming under attack, she said. Since the start of the year, seven aid workers have been injured and humanitarian assets damaged in several locations, further hampering relief efforts.

    The destruction of energy infrastructure is compounding the crisis. Despite recent announcements of a ceasefire on energy targets, past attacks have left millions without reliable access to electricity, heating and water as cold weather persists.

    Call for international support

    Concluding her briefing, Ms. Msuya outlined three key asks for the international community: adherence to international humanitarian law to protect civilians, sustained funding to keep aid operations running and renewed efforts to push for a lasting end to the conflict.

    The war must end, she underlined, and humanitarian needs must be central to discussions on a pause in fighting or longer-term agreement.

    Assistant Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Joyce Msuya briefs the Security Council.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Secretary-General Outlines Four Areas of Focus in Implementing Pact for Future

    Source: United Nations General Assembly and Security Council

    Following are UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ remarks to the informal interactive dialogue on the implementation of the Pact for the Future, in New York today:

    I thank the President of the General Assembly for convening this important dialogue — the first of three in the coming months.  From day one of the Pact for the Future’s adoption, the President has been its active champion.  I deeply appreciate your efforts, Mr. President, and your leadership.

    Adopting the Pact was the beginning of the process, not the end.  Today, I want to focus on what we have done over the last six months — and what we need to do.

    We face a long list of challenges.  Conflicts and climate disasters are intensifying.  The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are far off-track — as is the funding required to achieve them.  Geopolitical divisions and mistrust are blocking effective action, with some actively questioning the value of international cooperation and the multilateral system itself.

    But, let me be very clear.  It is exactly because of these divides and these mistrusts that the Pact for the Future and the two parallel documents are more important than ever.  And the bigger the obstacle, the bigger will be my determination to make things move forward in line with the will expressed by Member States in the Summit of the Future.

    Meanwhile, critical funding is being drastically cut for people in desperate need — with more reductions to come.  Resources are shrinking across the board — and they have been for a long time.

    From day one of my mandate, we embarked on an ambitious agenda to become more effective and cost-effective across our Organization.  Earlier this month, I announced the “UN80” initiative to continue this work and intensify it.

    We’re reviewing efficiencies and improvements to current arrangements, the implementation of mandates handed down by Member States, and structural changes and programme realignment.  All these will contribute for a more effective implementation of the Pact for the Future.

    We’ve wasted no time moving into the implementation phase of the Pact.  From an operational perspective, we established a principal-level steering committee — which I chair — overseeing six working groups focused on action and reforms in key areas:  Sustainable Development Goals acceleration; peace and security; international financial architecture; digital technologies; UN governance; and youth.

    We’ve created two task teams focusing on future generations and the need to look beyond GDP [gross domestic product] as a measure of progress and guide to policymaking.

    And we’re establishing an internal tracking system to monitor our progress on Pact implementation.  Today, I’d like to report on our efforts since the Pact was adopted and outline the work ahead in four areas.

    First, peace and security.  United Nations peace operations help safeguard people and communities in some of the most desperate corners of the world.  The Pact represents a commitment to strengthen tools to prevent and address conflict, to ensure that our peace efforts respond to new and emerging threats.

    In November, I issued a report on peacebuilding which included concrete suggestions to strengthen the Peacebuilding Commission and Fund.  We’re actively working on the second independent progress study on the positive contribution of young people to peace processes.

    And we’re progressing on a review of all forms of peace operations, as requested in the Pact.  Our recent proposals to the Security Council regarding Haiti are a case in point where new approaches can be developed to complex security challenges.

    The review will be an opportunity to help adapt peace operations to today’s realities, and ensure they’re guided by clear and sequenced mandates that are realistic and achievable — with viable exit strategies and transition plans.

    It will also recognize the limitations of our operations where there is little or no peace to keep.  We will also continue pushing forward on other peace-related priorities of the Pact — including disarmament commitments around nuclear, biological and chemical weapons, lethal autonomous weapons and the growing weaponization of outer space.

    And we will continue advocating — including through the intergovernmental negotiations process — for the Pact’s call to make the Security Council more representative of today’s world and more effective in the capacity to promote peace in the world.

    Second, finance for development.  Since the Pact’s adoption, we’ve taken action on several fronts. For example, our resident coordinators and country teams are now mapping out how we can accelerate progress at the national levels in close cooperation with the Governments.

    We’ve begun analysing the impact of military expenditure on the achievement of the SDGs and on our own work at the UN — with a final report out by September.  The Expert Group called for in the Pact to develop measures of progress that go beyond gross domestic product will soon be announced and will work throughout the year before an intergovernmental process takes over in 2026.

    And we’ve been working closely with the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to follow-up on the Pact’s action points addressing improvements to the international financial system.

    Developing countries must be represented fairly in the governance of the very institutions they depend on.  We know the environment is not favourable.  But we must not give up.

    Since the Pact’s adoption, I have also established an expert group to identify practical steps for action on debt.  In the coming weeks, they will propose a list of achievable outcomes — and release a full report in June in advance of the Financing for Development Conference in Spain.

    Debt relief is a central issue if we want the implementation and the Pact for the Future a reality.  At the same time, we will continue advocating to increase the lending capacity of multilateral development banks, to make them bigger and bolder.  This includes both stretching their balance sheets and recapitalization.

    And we must ensure that concessional finance is deployed where it is most needed.  Many of these actions depend on decisions of other multilateral institutions and of Member States, but we will not relent in our constant advocacy for what the Pact for the Future has clearly indicated as the way to pursue.

    Three, youth and future generations. Our efforts must deliver for young people and the generations to come.  The Pact’s central promise to young people is to listen to their concerns and ideas and including them at the decision-making table.

    Following the establishment of a UN Youth Office in 2022, young people played a key role in shaping the Pact’s priorities.  With the Pact’s adoption, we’re now progressing towards establishing a Youth Investment Platform to ensure that national funding mechanisms and investment platforms are focused on the needs of young people.

    And we’re developing core principles to strengthen youth engagement across our work at the United Nations — including by broadening the representation of younger colleagues within our organizational structures.

    Through the Declaration on Future Generations, we’re also looking to the generations yet to be born.  We’ve established a Strategic Foresight Network and Community of Practice to ensure our policies, programmes and field operations are based on long-term thinking.  And later this year, I will appoint a Special Envoy for Future Generations to scale up these efforts.

    Fourth, technology.  We’re implementing the Global Digital Compact’s calls to close all digital divides and ensure all people benefit from a safe and secure digital space.  Artificial intelligence (AI) is a particular focus.

    We’re developing a report on innovative voluntary financing options for AI capacity-building to help the global South harness AI for the greater good, taking into account the recommendations of my High-Level Advisory Body.

    The zero-draft resolution to establish the International Independent Scientific Panel on AI and convene a Global Dialogue on AI Governance was also circulated last week — thanks to the work of the co-facilitators, Spain and Costa Rica.

    I urge the General Assembly to act swiftly to establish this Panel and ensure that AI expertise and knowledge are available to all countries, while supporting the Global Dialogue.  The UN system stands ready to support this work.

    As we push for these priorities, we’re also improving the efficiency and effectiveness of our operations, as called for by the Pact.

    Last fall, we undertook a comprehensive assessment across UN entities to harness the potential of innovation, data analytics, digital transformation and foresight across our work — as called for in the UN 2.0 initiative.

    We’re already seeing results:  from speeding up disaster assessments in the Asia-Pacific [region], to strengthening social security programmes in Malawi, to consolidating information technology functions across the UN system.  This work must continue, especially in light of the funding challenges we face.  We’re counting on your support as we move forward.

    The Pact for the Future is an essential part of this process of constant renewal, as we reshape the multilateral system for the challenges of today’s world.  We cannot dilute our efforts.

    We need to sustain the same spirit and determination in which the Pact was forged and adopted.  We count on you to inform, inspire and guide the implementation work ahead.  Once again, thank you for your ideas and commitment.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: ‘Renewables are renewing economies’, UN chief tells top climate forum

    Source: United Nations MIL OSI b

    Climate and Environment

    Ministers from 40 countries met on Wednesday at the first major climate forum of 2025 to discuss progress in renewable energy generation and the rising toll of inaction over rising temperatures. 

    2025 marks a milestone: the tenth anniversary of the Paris Agreement and the deadline for countries to submit their updated Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), designed to keep the global goal alive of limiting temperature rise to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels.

    Addressing the 16th Petersberg Climate Dialogue (PCD) in Berlin – the first official gathering on climate since last year’s COP29 summit in Baku – the UN Secretary-General António Guterres issued a strong call for decisive climate action.

    He said the year had begun against a backdrop of geopolitical instability and widespread cuts to overseas aid budgets.

    “There is much uncertainty and instability in our world,” which is why “every country must step up and play their part,” he emphasised.

    Renewables: A bright spot

    Despite global tensions, Mr. Guterres pointed to a promising development: 2024 was officially a record year for global renewable energy production, according to the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA).

    Renewables made up over 92 per cent of all new electricity capacity installed last year – equivalent to the total electricity capacity of Brazil and Japan combined.

    Europe’s capacity rose by nine per cent, with Germany contributing over a quarter of that growth. Meanwhile, Africa’s grew by nearly seven per cent.

    “All of this is another reminder of a 21st century truth: Renewables are renewing economies,” Mr. Guterres said. They are “powering growth, creating jobs, lowering energy bills, and cleaning our air.”

    Wind power has dropped in cost by 60 per cent since 2010; solar is now 90 per cent cheaper.

    Clean energy contributed significantly to economic growth in 2023 – accounting for five per cent of India’s GDP growth, six per cent of the US’, and one-third of the EU’s.

    The rising toll of inaction

    Nevertheless, climate challenges are piling up, the UN chief continued.

    “It seems records are shattered at every turn – the hottest day of the hottest month of the hottest year of the hottest decade ever,” Mr. Guterres said.

    Those suffering most are the world’s most vulnerable – grappling with rising food and insurance costs, displacement and growing insecurity.

    The World Meteorological Organization confirmed in late December that 2024 was another year of alarming climate records. For the first time, global temperatures were 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels during a calendar year.

    “Scientists are clear – it is still possible to meet the long-term 1.5 degree limit,” the Secretary-General stressed. “But it requires urgent action. And it requires leadership.”

    Call for ambition

    New NDCs are due by September 2025. These plans must align with the 1.5°C target and collectively cut emissions by 60 per cent by 2035, compared with 2019 levels.

    “These new plans are a unique opportunity to deliver – and lay out a coherent vision for a just green transition,” Mr. Guterres said.

    He reiterated that efforts must be made according to the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities but added: “Everybody must do more.”

    The G20 most industralised nations – responsible for most global emissions – must lead the way.

    The UN Climate Promise is already supporting 100 countries in preparing their next plans. A high-level event in September will take stock of progress and push for greater action.

    Financing action

    Implementation of the COP29 finance agreement is crucial to support developing countries.

    “I count on the leadership of the COP29 and COP30 Presidencies to deliver a credible roadmap to mobilise $1.3 trillion a year by 2035,” said the Secretary-General.

    He also called for doubling adaptation finance to at least $40 billion annually by the end of this year and for serious contributions to the Loss and Damage Fund.

    To get there, stronger collaboration – across governments, societies, and sectors – is vital.

    Looking ahead

    As the Petersberg Dialogue sets the tone for the year ahead, Mr. Guterres issued a final rallying cry:

    “Those who lag behind must not discourage us but rather strengthen our resolve. The rewards are there for the taking, for all those ready and willing to lead the world through these troubled times.”

    “We are at a turning point.  I urge you to seize this moment; and seize the prize,” he concluded. 

    Soundcloud

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Secretary-General Welcomes Reported Commitments on Safe Black Sea Navigation

    Source: United Nations General Assembly and Security Council

    The following statement was issued today by the Spokesman for UN Secretary-General António Guterres:

    The Secretary-General welcomes the discussions and reported commitments reached in Saudi Arabia by the United States, the Russian Federation and Ukraine.

    Reaching an agreement on freedom of navigation in the Black Sea to ensure the protection of civilian vessels and port infrastructure will be a crucial contribution to global food security and supply chains, reflecting the importance of trade routes from both Ukraine and the Russian Federation to global markets.

    The United Nations has been working consistently, especially following the letters the Secretary-General sent to Presidents Zelenskyy, Putin and Erdogan on 7 February 2024 putting forward a proposal for safe and free navigation in the Black Sea.

    The United Nations also remains closely engaged in the continued implementation of the Memorandum of Understanding with the Russian Federation on facilitating access of Russian food and fertilizers to global markets to address global food security.

    The Secretary-General’s good offices remain available to support all efforts towards peace.

    The Secretary-General reiterates his hope that such efforts will pave the way for a durable ceasefire and contribute to achieving a just, comprehensive and lasting peace in Ukraine, in line with the UN Charter, international law and relevant UN resolutions and in full respect of Ukraine’s independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Statement attributable to the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General – on the outcomes of meetings of experts on the Black Sea

    Source: United Nations secretary general

    The Secretary-General welcomes the discussions and reported commitments reached in Saudi Arabia by the United States, the Russian Federation and Ukraine.

    Reaching an agreement on freedom of navigation in the Black Sea to ensure the protection of civilian vessels and port infrastructure, will be a crucial contribution to global food security and supply chains, reflecting the importance of trade routes from both Ukraine and the Russian Federation to global markets.

    The United Nations has been working consistently, especially following the letters the Secretary-General sent to Presidents Zelenskyy, Putin and Erdogan on 7 February 2024 putting forward a proposal for safe and free navigation in the Black Sea. 

    The United Nations also remains closely engaged in the continued implementation of the Memorandum of Understanding with the Russian Federation on facilitating access of Russian food and fertilizers to global markets to address global food security.

    The Secretary-General’s good offices remain available to support all efforts towards peace.

    The Secretary-General reiterates his hope that such efforts will pave the way for a durable ceasefire and contribute to achieving a just, comprehensive and lasting peace in Ukraine, in line with the UN Charter, international law and relevant UN resolutions and in full respect of Ukraine’s independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity.   

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Pact for the Future: Countries urged to translate pledges into action

    Source: United Nations 2

    UN Affairs

    UN Member States met on Wednesday for the first of three key meetings to advance a global agreement that pledges concrete actions to achieve a safer, more peaceful, sustainable and inclusive world for generations to come. 

    General Assembly President Philémon Yang convened the informal interactive dialogue on the implementation of the Pact for the Future, which covers five areas: sustainable development, international peace and security, science and technology, youth, and transforming global governance.

    It was adopted at a UN summit in September 2024 together with two annexes – a  Global Digital Compact and a Declaration for Future Generations – marking a significant step towards a renewed multilateral system.

    For a look back at our full live coverage on the day, go here.

    ‘A shared commitment’

    “The Pact for the Future is a shared commitment to a more just, sustainable and secure world. But a promise is only meaningful when it has been translated into action,” Mr. Yang told delegates gathered in the Trusteeship Council at UN Headquarters in New York.

    He recognized the complexity and unique challenges that each country will face in implementation, including least developed countries, landlocked developing countries, and small island developing states. 

    Mr. Yang emphasized that implementation must reflect what works best for each nation, which requires tailored approaches that consider resource restraints and capacity gaps. 

    “To succeed, we must build an enabling environment through smart investments and right reforms,” he said, calling for closing the resource gap, flexible trade policies, and stronger international cooperation in technical assistance, capacity-building and knowledge-sharing.

    Divisions and mistrust 

    UN Secretary-General António Guterres highlighted action that has occurred since the Pact’s adoption but also the work that still lies ahead amid “a long list of challenges” that include intensifying conflicts and climate disasters.

    “Geopolitical divisions and mistrust are blocking effective action, with some actively questioning the value of international cooperation and the multilateral system itself,” he said. 

    “Meanwhile, critical funding is being drastically cut for people in desperate need – with more reductions to come,” he warned.

    Progress on peace efforts

    Mr. Guterres updated on progress in four key areas, starting with peace and security. He said the Pact represents a commitment to strengthen tools to prevent and address conflict and ensure that UN peace efforts respond to new and emerging threats.

    In this regard, he noted progress on a review of all Peace Operations, as requested in the agreement.

    “The review will be an opportunity to help adapt peace operations to today’s realities, and ensure they’re guided by clear and sequenced mandates that are realistic and achievable – with viable exit strategies and transition plans,” he said. 

    “It will also recognize the limitations of our operations where there is little or no peace to keep,” he added. 

    Fairer financial system

    Turning next to finance for development, Mr. Guterres said the UN has been working closely with the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to follow-up on action points in the Pact regarding improvements to the international financial system.

    “Developing countries must be represented fairly in the governance of the very institutions they depend on,” he said.  

    The Secretary-General also has established an expert group to identify practical steps for action on debt.

    “At the same time, we will continue advocating to increase the lending capacity of Multilateral Development Banks, making them bigger and bolder,” he said.

    “This includes both stretching their balance sheets and recapitalization. And we must ensure that concessional finance is deployed where it is most needed.”

    Meanwhile, the UN will also continue pushing forward on other priorities outlined in the Pact, including disarmament commitments around nuclear, biological and chemical weapons, lethal autonomous weapons and the growing weaponization of outer space.

    Focus on youth

    Mr. Guterres was adamant the international community must deliver for young people and generations to come. 

    He said progress is being made towards establishing a Youth Investment Platform to ensure that national funding mechanisms and investment platforms are focused on the needs of young people.

    The UN is also developing core principles to strengthen youth engagement across its work, while the Declaration on Future Generations looks to those yet to be born.

    The Secretary-General said that later this year he will appoint a Special Envoy for Future Generations to scale up these efforts.

    Closing digital divides

    His final point concerned technology, and Mr. Guterres reported that the UN is implementing the Global Digital Compact’s calls to close all digital divides and ensure everyone, everywhere, benefits from a safe and secure digital space.

    Particular focus is on Artificial Intelligence (AI), he said, and a report is being developed on voluntary financing options to help countries in the Global South to harness AI for the greater good.

    Furthermore, the zero draft of a resolution to establish the International Independent Scientific Panel on AI and convene a Global Dialogue on AI Governance was circulated last week.

    The UN chief urged the General Assembly to act swiftly to establish the Panel, ensure AI expertise and knowledge are available to all countries, and support the Global Dialogue. 

    UN taking action

    Mr. Guterres added that as the UN pushes for these priorities, the global body is also improving the efficiency and effectiveness of its operations, in line with the Pact.

    “We’re already seeing results: from speeding-up disaster assessments in the Asia-Pacific, to strengthening social security programmes in Malawi, to consolidating Information Technology functions across the UN System,” he said.

    The Secretary-General stressed that this work must continue “especially in light of the funding challenges we face,” underlining the need for support. 

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Secretary-General Urges Developed Countries to Double Annual Climate Adaptation Finance to $40 Billion

    Source: United Nations MIL OSI b

    Following are UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ remarks to the virtual high-level segment of the Sixteenth Petersberg Climate Dialogue, held in New York today:

    Thank you for this opportunity — and for your focus today on collective climate action and acceleration of implementation.  This could not be more timely.  There is much uncertainty and instability in our world. But, today, we meet in the wake of some good news.

    Just this morning, the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) officially confirmed that 2024 was a record year for renewables additions to global power capacity.  Renewables represented more than 92 per cent of all new electricity-generation capacity installed last year.

    The amount of renewables added represents more than the total electricity capacity of Brazil and Japan combined.  Europe’s capacity grew by 9 per cent — with Germany contributing more than one quarter of that growth.  Africa’s capacity grew by almost 7 per cent.

    All of this is another reminder of a twenty-first century truth:  Renewables are renewing economies.  They are powering growth, creating jobs, lowering energy bills and cleaning our air. And every day, they become an even smarter investment.

    Since 2010, the average cost of wind power has plunged 60 per cent.  Solar is 90 per cent cheaper.  In 2023, clean energy sectors accounted for 5 per cent of economic growth in India and 6 [per cent] in the United States.  It accounted for a fifth of China’s GDP [gross domestic product] growth, and a third of the European Union’s.

    The economic case for — and opportunities of — climate action have become ever clearer — particularly for those who choose to lead. And leadership is what we need — as today’s IRENA report shows:

    To accelerate the shift to renewables and to correct the imbalances in the transition, which is still starving developing countries — outside China — of the investment needed to fully embrace clean energy.

    As the title of this session puts it so well:  we are indeed at a turning point to the future. In the 10 years since Paris, we have seen other important progress.  Ninety per cent of global emissions are now covered by net-zero targets.

    A decade ago, the planet was on course for a global temperature rise of over 4°C.  Today, countries’ national climate plans — or NDCs [nationally determined contributions] — if fully delivered — will take us closer to a 2.6°C rise.

    At the same time, climate challenges are piling up.  It seems records are shattered at every turn — the hottest day of the hottest month of the hottest year of the hottest decade ever.

    All of this is hitting the vulnerable hardest, and everyday people in their pockets — with higher living costs, higher insurance premiums and higher food prices.  Just last week, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) confirmed that 2024 was another alarming year.

    Almost every climate indicator reached new and increasingly dangerous heights — inflaming displacement and food insecurity and inflicting huge economic losses.  And for the first time, the annual global temperature was 1.5°C hotter than pre-industrial times.

    Scientists are clear:  it is still possible to meet the long-term 1.5°C limit.  But, it requires urgent action.  And it requires leadership. I see two critical fronts to drive action.

    First, new national climate plans — or NDCs — due by September.  Investors need certainty and predictability.  These new plans are a unique opportunity to deliver and lay out a coherent vision for a just green transition.  They must align with the 1.5°C limit, as agreed at COP28 [twenty-eighth Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change].  And cover all emissions and the whole economy.

    Together, they must reduce global emissions 60 per cent by 2035 compared to 2019 and contribute to the COP28 global energy transition goals.

    All this must be achieved in line with the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities, in the light of national circumstances but everybody, everybody must do more.  The Group of 20 (G20) — the largest emitters and economies — must lead.

    Every country must step up and play their part.  The United Nations is with you all.  President Lula and I are working to secure the highest ambition from the largest economies.

    The United Nations Climate Promise is supporting 100 countries to prepare their new climate plans.  And we will convene a special event in September to take stock of the plans of all countries, push for action to keep 1.5°C within reach, and deliver climate justice.

    Second, we must drive finance to developing countries.  The COP29 finance agreement must be implemented in full.  I count on the leadership of the COP29 and COP30 presidencies to deliver a credible road map to mobilize $1.3 trillion a year by 2035.

    We need new and innovative sources of financing, and credible carbon pricing.  Developed countries must honour their promise to double adaptation finance to at least $40 billion a year, by this year.

    And we need serious contributions to the fund for responding to loss and damage, and to get it up and running.

    We can only meet these goals with stronger collaboration between Governments, and across society and sectors.  Those that will lag behind need to be not a reason for us to be discouraged, but an increase in our commitment to move forward.

    The rewards are there for the taking, for all those ready and willing to lead the world through these troubled times.  We are at a turning point.  I urge you to seize this moment; and seize the prize.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Deadly impacts of childhood stunting can be prevented, WFP insists

    Source: United Nations 2

    Humanitarian Aid

    Childhood stunting from malnutrition is a global but preventable problem if adequate investment can be found, the UN World Food Programme (WFP) said on Wednesday, amid chronic funding shortages that threaten essential feeding programmes.

    Child wasting is the deadliest form of malnutrition and it’s often seen in places of conflict, economic instability and climate crisis, the UN agency told aid leaders gathered in Paris for the fourth Nutrition for Growth Summit.

    Around 33 million children suffer from wasting in the 15 nations most affected. More than $1 billion is needed to support WFP‘s work to combat malnutrition, the agency said.

    “We must prevent child malnutrition before it ever takes hold,” said WFP Executive Director Cindy McCain. “If we fail to act, we are condemning millions of children to a lifetime of suffering. WFP has the knowledge and tools to stop malnutrition in its tracks – what we need is investment and political will.”

    WFP underscored the need to target pregnant women for additional nutritional support because malnutrition often begins during pregnancy, causing half of all deaths among children under five.

    Those who survive face impaired physical and brain development, weakened immune systems, stunted growth and limiting brain development. 

    Humanitarian success story

    In 2024, WFP prevented wasting in nearly 14 million mothers and children by providing fortified foods, nutrition-rich supplements, cash or vouchers for meals and food baskets.

    Despite these successes, the global funding crisis for humanitarian and development work threatens initiatives targeting malnutrition.

    In Yemen, where up to a third of under-fives suffer from wasting, WFP’s only prevention programme implemented in the last 12 months will end in May – unless additional funding is forthcoming.  

    On the brink of famine

    In Sudan, clashes in Zamzam camp, in the North Darfur region, have forced WFP to pause its food assistance for displaced civilians.

    Some two million Sundanese are currently experiencing famine – or are on the brink of famine.

    Without urgent funding, WFP will be compelled to suspend nutrition assistance in April for another two million, including refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, and Nigeria. ​

    Funding cuts have also had a severe impact on vulnerable populations in hunger-struck Afghanistan, where three out of four families have to borrow money to be able to afford basic groceries.

    Ensuring humanitarian access

    In Jordan, WFP has already slashed monthly cash assistance by one third for the 119,000 Syrian refugees in the Zaatari and Azraq camps.

    Last month in crisis-hit Haiti, one of the poorest countries in the world, WFP said it urgently needed $3.9 to prevent the United Nations Humanitarian Air Service (UNHAS) from closing down in the next three months.

    The only available aviation support serving the capital Port-au-Prince, the WFP-operated service is crucial in flying in aid workers and delivering supplies to hard-to-reach areas, guaranteeing uninterrupted access for humanitarians.

    WFP said that investing in malnutrition prevention not only improves health but also makes economies stronger.   

    “Low and middle-income countries lose an average of 10 per cent of GDP due to malnutrition through increased healthcare costs and lowered human capital,” WFP said in a statement.  

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Secretary-General’s remarks to the Informal Interactive Dialogue on the Implementation of the Pact for the Future [bilingual, as delivered; scroll down for all-English version]

    Source: United Nations secretary general

    Mr. President of the General Assembly, Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen,

    I thank the President of the General Assembly for convening this important dialogue — the first of three in the coming months. 

    From day one of the Pact for the Future’s adoption, the President has been its active champion.

    I deeply appreciate your efforts, Mr. President, and your leadership.

    Excellencies,

    Adopting the Pact was the beginning of the process, not the end. 

    Today I want to focus on what we have done over the last six months — and what we need to do.

    We face a long list of challenges.  

    Conflicts and climate disasters are intensifying.  

    The Sustainable Development Goals are far off-track — as is the funding required to achieve them.

    Geopolitical divisions and mistrust are blocking effective action, with some actively questioning the value of international cooperation and the multilateral system itself.

    But let me be very clear.  It is exactly because of these divides and these mistrusts that the Pact for the Future and the two parallel documents are more important than ever.  And the bigger the obstacle, the bigger will be my determination to make things move forward in line with the will expressed by Member States in the Summit of the Future.

    Meanwhile, critical funding is being drastically cut for people in desperate need — with more reductions to come.

    Resources are shrinking across the board — and they have been for a long time. 

    From day one of my mandate, we embarked on an ambitious agenda to become more effective and cost-effective across our organization.

    Earlier this month, I announced the “UN80” initiative to continue this work and intensify it.

    We’re reviewing efficiencies and improvements to current arrangements, the implementation of mandates handed down by Member States, and structural changes and programme realignment.

    All these will contribute for a more effective implementation of the Pact for the Future.

    Excellencies,

    We’ve wasted no time moving into the implementation phase of the Pact.

    From an operational perspective, we established a principal-level steering committee — which I chair — overseeing six working groups focused on action and reforms in key areas:

    Sustainable Development Goals acceleration…peace and security… international financial architecture…digital technologies…UN governance…and youth.

    We’ve created two task teams focusing on future generations and the need to look beyond GDP as a measure of progress and guide to policy-making. 

    And we’re establishing an internal tracking system to monitor our progress on Pact implementation.

    Today, I’d like to report on our efforts since the Pact was adopted, and outline the work ahead in four areas.

    First — peace and security.

    United Nations peace operations help safeguard people and communities in some of the most desperate corners of the world. 

    The Pact represents a commitment to strengthen tools to prevent and address conflict, to ensure that our peace efforts respond to new and emerging threats.

    In November, I issued a report on peacebuilding which included concrete suggestions to strengthen the Peacebuilding Commission and Fund. 

    We’re actively working on the second independent progress study on the positive contribution of young people to peace processes.  

    And we’re progressing on a review of all forms of Peace Operations — as requested in the Pact. 

    Our recent proposals to the Security Council regarding Haiti are a case in point where new approaches can be developed to complex security challenges.

    The review will be an opportunity to help adapt peace operations to today’s realities, and ensure they’re guided by clear and sequenced mandates that are realistic and achievable — with viable exit strategies and transition plans.

    It will also recognize the limitations of our operations where there is little or no peace to keep.

    We will also continue pushing forward on other peace-related priorities of the Pact — including disarmament commitments around nuclear, biological and chemical weapons, lethal autonomous weapons and the growing weaponization of outer space.

    And we will continue advocating — including through the intergovernmental negotiations process — for the Pact’s call to make the Security Council more representative of today’s world and more effective in the capacity to promote peace in the world.

    Second — finance for development.

    Since the Pact’s adoption, we’ve taken action on several fronts.

    For example, our Resident Coordinators and Country Teams are now mapping out how we can accelerate progress at the national levels in close cooperation with the Governments.

    We’ve begun analyzing the impact of military expenditure on the achievement of the SDGs and on our own work at the UN — with a final report out by September.

    The Expert Group called for in the Pact to develop measures of progress that go beyond Gross Domestic Product will soon be announced, and will work throughout the year before an inter-governmental process takes over in 2026.

    And we’ve been working closely with the World Bank and the IMF to follow-up on the Pact’s action points addressing improvements to the international financial system.

    Developing countries must be represented fairly in the governance of the very institutions they depend on.

    We know the environment is not favourable.

    But we must not give up.

    Since the Pact’s adoption, I have also established an expert group to identify practical steps for action on debt.

    In the coming weeks, they will propose a list of achievable outcomes — and release a full report in June in advance of the Financing for Development Conference in Spain.

    Debt relief is a central issue if we want the implementation and the Pact for the Future a reality.

    At the same time, we will continue advocating to increase the lending capacity of Multilateral Development Banks, to make them bigger and bolder.

    This includes both stretching their balance sheets and recapitalization.

    And we must ensure that concessional finance is deployed where it is most needed.

    Many of these actions depend on decisions of other multilateral institutions and of Member States, but we will not relent in our constant advocacy for what the Pact for the Future has clearly indicated as the way to pursue.

    Three — youth and future generations 

    Our efforts must deliver for young people and the generations to come. 

    The Pact’s central promise to young people is to listen to their concerns and ideas, and including them at the decision-making table.

    Following the establishment of a UN Youth Office in 2022, young people played a key role in shaping the Pact’s priorities.

    With the Pact’s adoption, we’re now progressing towards establishing a Youth Investment Platform to ensure that national funding mechanisms and investment platforms are focused on the needs of young people.

    And we’re developing core principles to strengthen youth engagement across our work at the United Nations — including by broadening the representation of younger colleagues within our organizational structures.

    Through the Declaration on Future Generations, we’re also looking to the generations yet to be born.

    We’ve established a Strategic Foresight Network and Community of Practice, to ensure our policies, programmes and field operations are based on long-term thinking.

    And later this year, I will appoint a Special Envoy for Future Generations to scale up these efforts.

    Quatrièmement : la technologie.

    Nous mettons en œuvre les appels du Pacte mondial pour le numérique pour combler toutes les fractures numériques et veiller à ce que tout le monde puisse bénéficier d’un espace numérique sûr et sécurisé.

    L’intelligence artificielle fait l’objet d’une attention particulière.

    Nous élaborons un rapport sur les options novatrices de financement volontaire qui permettraient de renforcer les capacités en matière d’intelligence artificielle afin d’aider les pays du Sud à exploiter cette technologie au service de l’intérêt général – en tenant compte des recommandations formulées par mon Organe consultatif de haut niveau. 

    Un avant-projet de résolution visant à établir le Groupe scientifique international indépendant sur l’IA et à organiser un Dialogue mondial sur la gouvernance de l’IA a été distribué la semaine dernière – grâce au travail des co-facilitateurs, l’Espagne et le Costa Rica.

    J’invite l’Assemblée générale à agir rapidement pour mettre sur pied ce Groupe et veiller à ce que le savoir-faire et les connaissances en matière d’IA soient mis à la disposition de tous les pays – tout en soutenant le Dialogue mondial.

    L’ensemble du système de l’ONU se tient prêt à soutenir ces travaux.

    Excellences,

    Tout en défendant ces priorités, nous nous attelons par ailleurs à améliorer l’efficience et l’efficacité de nos opérations – comme l’exige le Pacte.

    L’automne dernier, nous avons entrepris une évaluation complète dans l’ensemble des entités de l’ONU afin d’exploiter le potentiel de l’innovation, de l’analyse des données, de la transformation numérique et de la prospective dans l’ensemble de nos travaux – conformément à l’initiative ONU 2.0.

    Les résultats sont déjà au rendez-vous : nous avons par exemple été capable de constater une accélération de l’évaluation des catastrophes dans la région Asie-Pacifique, un renforcement des programmes de sécurité sociale au Malawi, ou encore une consolidation des fonctions relatives à l’informatique dans l’ensemble du système des Nations Unies.

    Ces efforts, où les données sont une question essentielle pour que nous puissions faire une bien meilleure gestion de ces données – ces efforts doivent se poursuivre, en particulier au regard des problèmes de financement auxquels nous devons faire face.

    Nous comptons sur votre soutien pour mener ce travail à bien.

    Excellences,

    Alors que nous œuvrons pour remodeler le système multilatéral et ainsi relever les défis du monde d’aujourd’hui, le Pacte pour l’avenir est un rouage essentiel de ce processus de renouvellement constant.

    Nous ne pouvons pas diluer nos efforts.

    Gardons intact l’esprit et la détermination qui ont permis de forger et d’adopter le Pacte.

    Nous comptons sur vous pour éclairer, inspirer et guider le travail de mise en œuvre à venir.

    Une fois encore, merci pour vos idées et votre engagement.

    ***
    [All-English]

    Mr. President of the General Assembly, Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen,

    I thank the President of the General Assembly for convening this important dialogue — the first of three in the coming months. 

    From day one of the Pact for the Future’s adoption, the President has been its active champion.

    I deeply appreciate your efforts, Mr. President, and your leadership.

    Excellencies,

    Adopting the Pact was the beginning of the process, not the end. 

    Today I want to focus on what we have done over the last six months — and what we need to do.

    We face a long list of challenges.  

    Conflicts and climate disasters are intensifying.  

    The Sustainable Development Goals are far off-track — as is the funding required to achieve them.

    Geopolitical divisions and mistrust are blocking effective action, with some actively questioning the value of international cooperation and the multilateral system itself.

    But let me be very clear.  It is exactly because of these divides and these mistrusts that the Pact for the Future and the two parallel documents are more important than ever.  And the bigger the obstacle, the bigger will be my determination to make things move forward in line with the will expressed by Member States in the Summit of the Future.

    Meanwhile, critical funding is being drastically cut for people in desperate need — with more reductions to come.

    Resources are shrinking across the board — and they have been for a long time. 

    From day one of my mandate, we embarked on an ambitious agenda to become more effective and cost-effective across our organization.

    Earlier this month, I announced the “UN80” initiative to continue this work and intensify it.

    We’re reviewing efficiencies and improvements to current arrangements, the implementation of mandates handed down by Member States, and structural changes and programme realignment.

    All these will contribute for a more effective implementation of the Pact for the Future.

    Excellencies,

    We’ve wasted no time moving into the implementation phase of the Pact.

    From an operational perspective, we established a principal-level steering committee — which I chair — overseeing six working groups focused on action and reforms in key areas:

    Sustainable Development Goals acceleration…peace and security… international financial architecture…digital technologies…UN governance…and youth.

    We’ve created two task teams focusing on future generations and the need to look beyond GDP as a measure of progress and guide to policy-making. 

    And we’re establishing an internal tracking system to monitor our progress on Pact implementation.

    Today, I’d like to report on our efforts since the Pact was adopted, and outline the work ahead in four areas.

    First — peace and security.

    United Nations peace operations help safeguard people and communities in some of the most desperate corners of the world. 

    The Pact represents a commitment to strengthen tools to prevent and address conflict, to ensure that our peace efforts respond to new and emerging threats.

    In November, I issued a report on peacebuilding which included concrete suggestions to strengthen the Peacebuilding Commission and Fund. 

    We’re actively working on the second independent progress study on the positive contribution of young people to peace processes.  

    And we’re progressing on a review of all forms of Peace Operations — as requested in the Pact. 

    Our recent proposals to the Security Council regarding Haiti are a case in point where new approaches can be developed to complex security challenges.

    The review will be an opportunity to help adapt peace operations to today’s realities, and ensure they’re guided by clear and sequenced mandates that are realistic and achievable — with viable exit strategies and transition plans.

    It will also recognize the limitations of our operations where there is little or no peace to keep.

    We will also continue pushing forward on other peace-related priorities of the Pact — including disarmament commitments around nuclear, biological and chemical weapons, lethal autonomous weapons and the growing weaponization of outer space.

    And we will continue advocating — including through the intergovernmental negotiations process — for the Pact’s call to make the Security Council more representative of today’s world and more effective in the capacity to promote peace in the world.

    Second — finance for development.

    Since the Pact’s adoption, we’ve taken action on several fronts.

    For example, our Resident Coordinators and Country Teams are now mapping out how we can accelerate progress at the national levels in close cooperation with the Governments.

    We’ve begun analyzing the impact of military expenditure on the achievement of the SDGs and on our own work at the UN — with a final report out by September.

    The Expert Group called for in the Pact to develop measures of progress that go beyond Gross Domestic Product will soon be announced, and will work throughout the year before an inter-governmental process takes over in 2026.

    And we’ve been working closely with the World Bank and the IMF to follow-up on the Pact’s action points addressing improvements to the international financial system.

    Developing countries must be represented fairly in the governance of the very institutions they depend on.

    We know the environment is not favourable.

    But we must not give up.

    Since the Pact’s adoption, I have also established an expert group to identify practical steps for action on debt.

    In the coming weeks, they will propose a list of achievable outcomes — and release a full report in June in advance of the Financing for Development Conference in Spain.

    Debt relief is a central issue if we want the implementation and the Pact for the Future a reality.

    At the same time, we will continue advocating to increase the lending capacity of Multilateral Development Banks, to make them bigger and bolder.

    This includes both stretching their balance sheets and recapitalization.

    And we must ensure that concessional finance is deployed where it is most needed.

    Many of these actions depend on decisions of other multilateral institutions and of Member States, but we will not relent in our constant advocacy for what the Pact for the Future has clearly indicated as the way to pursue.

    Three — youth and future generations 

    Our efforts must deliver for young people and the generations to come. 

    The Pact’s central promise to young people is to listen to their concerns and ideas, and including them at the decision-making table.

    Following the establishment of a UN Youth Office in 2022, young people played a key role in shaping the Pact’s priorities.

    With the Pact’s adoption, we’re now progressing towards establishing a Youth Investment Platform to ensure that national funding mechanisms and investment platforms are focused on the needs of young people.

    And we’re developing core principles to strengthen youth engagement across our work at the United Nations — including by broadening the representation of younger colleagues within our organizational structures.

    Through the Declaration on Future Generations, we’re also looking to the generations yet to be born.

    We’ve established a Strategic Foresight Network and Community of Practice, to ensure our policies, programmes and field operations are based on long-term thinking.

    And later this year, I will appoint a Special Envoy for Future Generations to scale up these efforts.

    Fourth — technology.

    We’re implementing the Global Digital Compact’s calls to close all digital divides and ensure all people benefit from a safe and secure digital space.

    Artificial Intelligence is a particular focus.

    We’re developing a report on innovative voluntary financing options for AI capacity-building to help the Global South harness AI for the greater good, taking into account the recommendations of my High-Level Advisory Body. 

    The zero draft resolution to establish the International Independent Scientific Panel on AI and convene a Global Dialogue on AI Governance was also circulated last week — thanks to the work of the co-facilitators, Spain and Costa Rica.

    I urge the General Assembly to act swiftly to establish this Panel, and ensure that AI expertise and knowledge are available to all countries, while supporting the Global Dialogue.

    The UN system stands ready to support this work.

    Excellencies,

    As we push for these priorities, we’re also improving the efficiency and effectiveness of our operations, as called for by the Pact.

    Last fall, we undertook a comprehensive assessment across UN entities to harness the potential of innovation, data analytics, digital transformation and foresight across our work — as called for in the UN 2.0 initiative.

    We’re already seeing results: from speeding-up disaster assessments in the Asia-Pacific, to strengthening social security programmes in Malawi, to consolidating Information Technology functions across the UN System.

    This work must continue — especially in light of the funding challenges we face.

    We’re counting on your support as we move forward.

    Excellencies,

    The Pact for the Future is an essential part of this process of constant renewal, as we re-shape the multilateral system for the challenges of today’s world.

    We cannot dilute our efforts.

    We need to sustain the same spirit and determination in which the Pact was forged and adopted.

    We count on you to inform, inspire and guide the implementation work ahead.

    Once again, thank you for your ideas and commitment. 

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Yemen: Ten Years of War, a Lifetime of Loss 

    Source: United Nations 2

    Humanitarian Aid

    Marking a decade of war in Yemen, Othman Belbeisi, Regional Director for Middle East and North Africa at the UN International Organization for Migration (IOM), highlights the resilience of its people, the deepening humanitarian crisis, and the urgent need for global action.

    Ten years. That’s how long Yemenis have been putting their lives on hold – through airstrikes, through hunger, through loss. A decade of war has left Yemen’s infrastructure in ruins and its people exhausted. And yet, as the eleventh year begins, the world seems not to notice Yemen’s plight.

    Today, close to 20 million people in Yemen depend on aid to survive. Nearly five million remain displaced, pushed from one place to another by violence or disaster. The international community, once moved by the staggering images of war and suffering, has switched its focus to new emergencies. But for those who work in Yemen – and for those who live this crisis every day – the story is far from over.

    Ten years. That’s how long Yemenis have been putting their lives on hold – through airstrikes, through hunger, through loss. And yet, as the eleventh year begins, the world seems not to notice Yemen’s plight.

    No one feels this reality more deeply than our Yemeni colleagues, who have remained at their posts through it all to help their own people. Many have worked through airstrikes, instability, and loss, all while worrying about the safety of their families. Now, with rising tensions and deepening funding cuts, they fear for their jobs too. Unlike most of us, they don’t have the option to simply start over. They can’t rely on savings or opportunities elsewhere – their passport alone often determines how far their future can stretch.

    This is the daily reality in a country that, too often, is reduced to headlines about war. But Yemen is so much more than a crisis zone. It is a place of stunning landscapes, ancient cities, rich traditions, warm hospitality and the kind of food that stays in your memory long after you’ve left. But these aren’t the stories that make headlines. Instead, Yemenis are seen only through the lens of conflict and poverty. It’s time we remember the people behind the statistics.

    Like Basma, a mother from Al Hodeidah who was forced to flee with her children to Al Makha in search of safety and water. She used to walk for hours every day just to fill a few jerrycans. Her youngest child once fainted from thirst while waiting in the heat. For years, clean water was a dream until a recently completed water project finally brought some relief to her village.

    IOM Video | Yemen: Ten Years of Crisis and Why We Must Act Now

    Or Ibrahim, a 70-year-old man displaced by heavy floods in Ma’rib. When the waters swept through the settlement, he carried his adult son, who lives with a disability, on his back to safety. They lost everything – their shelter, belongings, and sense of stability – butIbrahim never complained. He focused only on finding help for his son. Now, they live in a temporary tent exposed to the elements, dependent on aid that may not arrive in time or at all.

    Or Mohammed, a young man from Ethiopia who crossed deserts and conflict zones with nothing but the hope of reaching a better life. He never made it to the Gulf. Instead, he found himself stranded in Yemen – detained, beaten, and left without food or shelter. By the time he reached IOM’s Migrant Response Point, he was weak, traumatized, and desperate to go home. The only option left was to register for voluntary return – a journey home that many others never get to take.

    Yemenis are not just victims, They are survivors, caregivers, builders, teachers, mothers, fathers, and children with hopes and ambitions like anyone else.

    These are just three among millions of lives caught in the margins of this protracted crisis. One of the poorest countries in the Arab world is getting poorer – not because of its people, but because the world is slowly turning its back. This war didn’t start yesterday, but its consequences grow heavier by the day. Yemenis are not to blame for what is happening in the world, and yet, they bear the weight of it all. They don’t need our pity – they need our solidarity. Let this be the year we turn empathy into action.

    As the international community gathers in conferences, makes pledges, and sets priorities, Yemen must not be left behind. Yemenis are not just victims. They are survivors, caregivers, builders, teachers, mothers, fathers, and children with hopes and ambitions like anyone else. But words alone will not keep people safe, fed, or sheltered. Don’t let these conversations remain just talk – Yemen needs action. To look away now would not just be a failure of diplomacy – it would be a failure of humanity.

    Originally published on IOM Blogs on 26 March 2025.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: On World Day, Secretary-General Urges Governments to Adopt Laws, Policies Guaranteeing Rights of People with Autism

    Source: United Nations 4

    Following is UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ message for World Autism Awareness Day, observed on 2 April:

    Around the globe, people with autism are making enormous contributions to societies, human endeavours and individual lives.  Today, we reflect on those achievements, but we also recognize the significant challenges that remain.

    People with autism often experience isolation, stigma and inequality.  They have been denied healthcare and education — especially during crises — and their legal capacity has been unrecognized and overridden.  Such discrimination contravenes the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and the Sustainable Development Goals’ commitment to leave no one behind.  It must change.

    Governments must adopt legislation and policies that guarantee equality and promote the full participation of people with autism in society.  We need inclusive health and education systems, work environments, and urban design to ensure people with autism have equal opportunities to thrive.

    On World Autism Awareness Day, let us recommit to create a world where no person with autism is left behind.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Women in Gaza cut off from accessing maternal health supplies as aid blockade enters fourth week

    Source: United Nations Population Fund

    Gaza – March 25, 2025 – The ongoing aid blockade on Gaza is severely undermining access to essential health care for women and girls, as supplies run dry and hospitals once again come under attack. This marks the longest suspension of aid to Gaza since 7 October 2023. 

    In March 2025, the Ministry of Health reported critical shortages of three essential maternal health drugs: medicines used to induce or augment labour; blood plasma to treat women who are hemorrhaging, and medicine to treat pre-eclampsia- all vital to preventing maternal deaths and complications. 

    Meanwhile, 54 ultrasounds to monitor fetal health; nine incubators that keep premature and low-birth-weight newborns alive; and 350 midwifery kits that would enable community midwives to manage safe deliveries for more than 15,000 women, are all languishing at the border. Lab reagents and antibiotics, supplies to prevent and control infection, and other basics are running dangerously low. Supplies of folic acid, multivitamins, and other crucial supplements are nearly depleted, increasing the risk of birth defects, anemia, and other pregnancy-related complications.

    “This blockade is not only denying pregnant women and newborns essential medical care but also stripping them of their fundamental right to life. We urgently call for an immediate lifting of restrictions on medical supplies, fuel, and food and unimpeded access to healthcare for all, in line with international humanitarian law,” said Laila Baker, Regional Director for the Arab States at UNFPA, the UN sexual and reproductive health agency.  

    Pregnant women and newborns in Gaza are facing higher than normal rates of complications, driven by widespread malnutrition compounded by the ongoing aid blockade, according to data from health facilities and partners. Around 520 babies – one in five – born since the latest aid blockade was imposed on 2 March, have required advanced medical care that is increasingly scarce.

    Between 10 and 20 per cent of all pregnant mothers in Gaza are malnourished, according to the latest nutrition assessments.

    On top of the deadly denial of critical supplies comes a resumption of attacks by Israel on healthcare facilities, staff and patients, including an attack on Nasser Hospital – one of the only remaining hospitals in Gaza where women can access maternal healthcare services. Al-Shifa and Al-Quds hospitals in the North and Emirati field hospital in Rafah are no longer fully operational, following repeat attacks.  

    “Women’s lives, and the lives of their babies hang in the balance,” said Ms. Baker. “All women have the right to access healthcare when they give birth – to deny this is to deny them their humanity.” Women and girls need a permanent end to hostilities and a pathway to peace.

    For more information, please contact:

    Eddie Wright (New York): ewright@unfpa.org;

    Samir Aldarabi (Cairo): aldarabi@unfpa.org.

    About UNFPA:

    UNFPA is the United Nations sexual and reproductive health agency. UNFPA’s mission is to deliver a world where every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe and every young person’s potential is fulfilled. UNFPA calls for the realization of reproductive rights for all and supports access to a wide range of sexual and reproductive health services, including voluntary family planning, quality maternal health care and comprehensive sexuality education.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: On 50-Year Mark, Secretary-General Urges 9 States to Join Biological Weapons Convention

    Source: United Nations MIL OSI b

    Following is UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ message on the fiftieth anniversary of the Biological Weapons Convention, today:

    Today marks the fiftieth anniversary of the entry into force of the Biological Weapons Convention, the first multilateral disarmament treaty to ban an entire category of weapons of mass destruction.

    Over the past five decades, the Convention has contributed towards collective efforts to reject the use of disease as a weapon.

    However, we must remain vigilant.  Recent advances in biology hold great promise but also potential risks.  The Biological Weapons Convention helps to ensure that such advances are only used for peaceful purposes.

    I urge all States parties to engage actively in the Working Group on the Strengthening of the Convention, and for the Group to accelerate its work so that it can fulfil its mandate in this anniversary year.  These efforts reinforce the commitment in the Pact for the Future, adopted at the United Nations last year, for all countries to pursue a world free of biological weapons.

    Fifty years after its entry into force, the Biological Weapons Convention now has 188 States parties.  I call on the nine Governments that have not yet joined the Convention to do so without delay.  Together, let us stand united against biological weapons.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Gaza: No aid has reached war-torn enclave for more than three weeks

    Source: United Nations 2

    Peace and Security

    It has now been three and a half weeks since Israel imposed a complete blockade on all aid into Gaza, despite daily efforts by UN humanitarians to secure fresh access, they said in an update from the shattered enclave.

    And as supplies of food, medicine and other supplies run low, aid teams are increasingly concerned about growing anxiety in bread lines outside the enclave’s remaining bakeries.

    “Most attempts by humanitarian organizations to coordinate access with Israeli authorities within #Gaza result in #AccessDenied,” the UN aid coordination office, OCHA, said in an online post.

    Five out of seven such attempts were denied on Monday and six out of nine were rejected on Tuesday, it explained.

    Hospitals need protection

    Medical teams in Gaza are also exhausted “and urgently need protection and reinforcement” from ongoing strikes across the Strip, the UN aid coordination office, OCHA, said on Wednesday.

    It cited new reports of attacks against health workers, ambulances and hospitals and warned of “hundreds of casualties, a severe drop in medical stocks and a lack of equipment, blood units and personnel” since the ceasefire ended.

    “No one is safe. The world must have zero tolerance for atrocities,” the UN agency insisted.

    Nearly 800 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza in recent days following the resumption of Israeli bombardment on 18 March, according to the health authorities. This includes a reported 38 individuals killed in the last 24 hours.  

    In just the last week, eight aid workers have been killed in the enclave, bringing the total killed in Gaza to 399. That number includes at least 289 UN personnel, OCHA said, with staffers from the UN Office for Project Services (UNOPS) and the UN agency for Palestine refugees (UNRWA) killed last Wednesday in an apparent Israeli tank strike on a United Nations compound in Deir al-Balah that also seriously wounded six others. Israel denied responsibility for the attack.

    Three of those injured worked in support of the UN Mine Action Service (UNMAS) which is involved in clearing unexploded ordnance in Gaza.

    OCHA noted that on 20 March, the Israeli military re-deployed along the eastern and central part of the “Netzarim corridor” in Gaza. Movement between the north and south of Gaza was only allowed via the Al Rashid coast road.

    Evacuation order misery

    These military activities and new displacement orders issued by the Israeli military have triggered “new waves” of displacement across Gaza, with more than 142,000 people likely uprooted between 18 and 23 March, the UN aid office said.

    “Israeli evacuation orders have covered 55 square kilometres across six areas of the #Gaza Strip – nearly the size of Manhattan,” OCHA said in an online post.

    Around 15 per cent of the enclave has been impacted by evacuation orders – in addition to “no-go zones” that run along borders and in central Gaza.

    The Israeli Government’s decision to ban the entry of humanitarian aid and any other supplies via all land crossings into Gaza is the longest such closure since October 2023, OCHA added, warning that gains made during the ceasefire to support survivors “have been reversed”.

    To date, at least 50,000 Palestinians have been confirmed dead by local authorities with 113,828 wounded since the war erupted on 7 October 2023, in response to Hamas-led terror attacks on Israel that left more than 1,100 dead and more than 250 taken hostage. 

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Secretary-General’s remarks to the Virtual High-Level Segment of the 16th Petersberg Climate Dialogue [as delivered]

    Source: United Nations secretary general

    Thank you for this opportunity — and for your focus today on collective climate action and acceleration of implementation. 

    This could not be more timely. 

    There is much uncertainty and instability in our world.

    But today we meet in the wake of some good news.

    Just this morning, the International Renewable Energy Agency officially confirmed that 2024 was a record year for renewables additions to global power capacity. 

    Renewables represented more than 92 per cent of all new electricity generation capacity installed last year.
     
    The amount of renewables added represents more than the total electricity capacity of Brazil and Japan combined.

    Europe’s capacity grew by 9 per cent – with Germany contributing more than one-quarter of that growth. Africa’s capacity grew by almost 7 per cent.

    All of this is another reminder of a 21st century truth:

    Renewables are renewing economies. 

    They are powering growth, creating jobs, lowering energy bills, and cleaning our air. 
     
    And every day, they become an even smarter investment. 

    Since 2010, the average cost of wind power has plunged 60%.  Solar is 90% cheaper. 

    In 2023, clean energy sectors accounted for five per cent of economic growth in India and six in the US. It accounted for a fifth of China’s GDP growth, and a third of the EU’s.

    The economic case for – and opportunities of – climate action have become ever clearer – particularly for those who choose to lead. 

    And leadership is what we need – as today’s IRENA report shows:

    To accelerate the shift to renewables…

    And to correct the imbalances in the transition, which is still starving developing countries – outside China – of the investment needed to fully embrace clean energy. 

    Excellencies, dear friends,

    As the title of this session puts it so well: we are indeed at a turning point to the future.

    In the ten years since Paris, we have seen other important progress.

    Ninety percent of global emissions are now covered by net-zero targets. 

    A decade ago, the planet was on course for a global temperature rise of over four degrees Celsius.

    Today, countries’ national climate plans – or NDCs – if fully delivered – will take us closer to a 2.6-degree rise.

    At the same time, climate challenges are piling up.  

    It seems records are shattered at every turn — the hottest day of the hottest month of the hottest year of the hottest decade ever. 

    All of this is hitting the vulnerable hardest, and everyday people in their pockets – with higher living costs, higher insurance premiums, and higher food prices.

    Just last week, the World Meteorological Organization confirmed that 2024 was another alarming year:

    Almost every climate indicator reached new and increasingly dangerous heights – inflaming displacement and food insecurity and inflicting huge economic losses.

    And, for the first time, the annual global temperature was 1.5 degrees Celsius hotter than pre-industrial times.

    Scientists are clear – it is still possible to meet the long-term 1.5 degree limit.

    But it requires urgent action. And it requires leadership.

    Excellencies, dear friends,

    I see two critical fronts to drive action. 

    First, new national climate plans – or NDCs – due by September.

    Investors need certainty and predictability.

    These new plans are a unique opportunity to deliver – and lay out a coherent vision for a just green transition.

    They must align with the 1.5-degree limit, as agreed at COP28. And cover all emissions and the whole economy.

    Together, they must reduce global emissions 60% by 2035 – compared to 2019…

    And contribute to the COP28 global energy transition goals.

    All this must be achieved in line with the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities, in the light of national circumstances but everybody, everybody must do more.

    The G20 – the largest emitters and economies – must lead.

    Every country must step up and play their part.

    The United Nations is with you all.

    President Lula and I are working to secure the highest ambition from the largest economies.

    The United Nations Climate Promise is supporting a hundred countries to prepare their new climate plans.

    And we will convene a special event in September to take stock of the plans of all countries, push for action to keep 1.5 within reach, and deliver climate justice.

    Second, we must drive finance to developing countries.

    The COP29 finance agreement must be implemented in full.

    I count on the leadership of the COP29 and COP30 Presidencies to deliver a credible roadmap to mobilize $1.3 trillion a year by 2035.

    We need new and innovative sources of financing, and credible carbon pricing.

    Developed countries must honour their promise to double adaptation finance to at least $40 billion a year, by this year.

    And we need serious contributions to the fund for responding to Loss and Damage, and to get it up and running.
    Excellencies,

    We can only meet these goals with stronger collaboration – between governments, and across society and sectors.

    Those that will lag behind need to be not a reason for us to be discouraged but an increase in our commitment to move forward.

    The rewards are there for the taking, for all those ready and willing to lead the world through these troubled times.

    We are at a turning point.  I urge you to seize this moment; and seize the prize.

    Thank you.
     

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: 26 March 2025 Departmental update United Nations Decade of Action on Nutrition (2016–2025) extended to 2030

    Source: World Health Organisation

    The resolution also calls on the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the World Health Organization (WHO) to continue to lead and monitor the implementation of the Decade and to further strengthen efforts in advancing the global nutrition agenda.

    “The world is off track to end hunger and malnutrition by 2030 and all countries need to scale up implementation of national commitments and increase investments for nutrition. Therefore, the decision by the General Assembly to extend the Decade for Action on Nutrition is an important step and would be well supported by the alignment of the 6 World Health Assembly global nutrition targets to 2030. WHO remains committed to fully deliver its mandate in this crucial endeavour,” said Werner Obermeyer, Director of the WHO Office at the United Nations.

    Ending hunger and all forms of malnutrition is among the most urgent and pervasive development challenges. Most countries face multiple burdens of malnutrition and diet-related NCDs such as cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, cancer and obesity. The UN Decade of Action on Nutrition is a commitment by United Nations’ Member States to undertake sustained and coherent implementation of policies, programmes and increased investments to eliminate malnutrition in all its forms and in all countries, leaving no one behind. 

    The Decade of Action on Nutrition supports coordinated country action across six areas:

    • sustainable, resilient food systems for healthy diets
    • aligned health systems providing universal coverage of essential nutrition actions
    • social protection and nutrition education
    • trade and investment for better nutrition
    • safe, supportive environments across all ages
    • strengthened governance and accountability for nutrition.

    Extending the Nutrition Decade will allow FAO and WHO to continue reporting on nutrition action and inform the General Assembly on progress through biennial reports for the next five years.

    The adoption of this resolution coincides with the Nutrition for Growth Summit, taking place 27–28 March 2025 in Paris where the global nutrition community will be discussing how to align policies and resources to close the funding gap for nutrition. 

    Read the full text of the resolution. 

    “,”datePublished”:”2025-03-26T13:14:01.0000000+00:00″,”image”:”https://cdn.who.int/media/images/default-source/topics/nutrition-and-food/malnutrition/woman-selling-food-in-an-outdoor-market.jpg?sfvrsn=34e4a0e7_4″,”publisher”:{“@type”:”Organization”,”name”:”World Health Organization: WHO”,”logo”:{“@type”:”ImageObject”,”url”:”https://www.who.int/Images/SchemaOrg/schemaOrgLogo.jpg”,”width”:250,”height”:60}},”dateModified”:”2025-03-26T13:14:01.0000000+00:00″,”mainEntityOfPage”:”https://www.who.int/news/item/26-03-2025-united-nations-decade-of-action-on-nutrition-(2016-2025)-extended-to-2030″,”@context”:”http://schema.org”,”@type”:”NewsArticle”};
    ]]>

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: IASC Task Force 4 Peace Dialogue: Building resilience through disaster risk reduction action in fragile and conflict-affected areas

    Source: UNISDR Disaster Risk Reduction

    As the world faces multiple overlapping crises, achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) remains challenging, especially in fragile and conflict-prone areas. Strengthening the linkages between disaster risk management and sustaining peace is an essential step to address the complex challenges of these settings. By exploring how Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) can act as a natural bridge for collaboration across humanitarian, development, and peace partners, this session aims to provide concrete strategies for risk reduction, resilience building, and joint planning.

    The Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC) Task Force 4 Peace Dialogue Series aims to unpack the peace component within the Humanitarian-Peace-Development (HDP) Nexus approach, linking humanitarian, development, and peacebuilding efforts. This third session, titled “Building Resilience Through Disaster Risk Reduction in Fragile and Conflict-Affected Areas,” will focus on how DRR can contribute to peacebuilding and sustaining peace, particularly in fragile and conflict-affected contexts.

    This dialogue, co-organized by the Departement of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs (DPPA) and UNDRR, is designed for technical-level staff from IASC member organizations, including HDP Nexus advisors and practitioners who operate in fragile and conflict-affected areas. Through expert-led discussions, real-world case studies and practical tools, participants will gain a deeper understanding of how DRR can be integrated into peacebuilding efforts and strategies for sustaining peace.

    Session Objectives

    This dialogue will:

    1. Explore the role of DRR in supporting peacebuilding and sustaining peace within fragile and conflict-affected areas.
    2. Highlight practical approaches for integrating DRR into humanitarian and development programming.
    3. Showcase field experiences and case studies from practitioners working at the intersection of DRR, peace, and security.
    4. Identify challenges and opportunities for joint action within the humanitarian-development-peace (HDP) Nexus.
    5. Strengthen partnerships between humanitarian, development, and peace actors for risk-informed, conflict-sensitive programming.

    Speakers

    • Ronald Jackson, Disaster Risk Reduction and Recovery Advisor, UNDP (Moderator)
    • Sandra Amlang, Head of the Interagency Cooperation Unit, UNDRR
    • Sadjo Barry, Peace and Development Advisor, UN Resident Coordinator’s Office, Mauritania
    • Paule Juneau, Environmental Law Specialist and Mediator, UNEP, Haiti
    • Andrea Dekrout, Climate, Peace and Security Advisor, UNAMI, Iraq
    • Silja Halle, Programme Manager, Climate Change and Security, UNEP
    • Ivo Ananji, Youth Climate Action and Peacebuilding Innovator

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Mainstreaming and Identifying Funding Sources for Climate and Disaster Risk Reduction in Humanitarian Programmes

    Source: UNISDR Disaster Risk Reduction

    The increasing frequency and intensity of disasters, exacerbated by climate change, highlight the urgent need to strengthen risk reduction and preparedness within humanitarian action. However, financing these critical interventions remains a challenge, as humanitarian funding cycles often prioritize short-term response over long-term resilience.

    Designed for Signatories of the Climate and Environment Charter for Humanitarian Organisations, this webinar will explore opportunities for mainstreaming disaster risk reduction (DRR) into humanitarian programming and identify financing mechanisms for DRR, early warning (EW) and anticipatory action (AA). Through expert discussions and real-world case studies, participants will gain insights into practical approaches for securing funding and addressing systemic barriers to resource mobilization.

    This event is co-convened by the Secretariat for the Climate and Environment Charter for Humanitarian Organisations, the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) and the Risk-Informed Early Action Partnership (REAP).

    Session Objectives

    The outcomes of this session will contribute to global discussions at key events in 2025, including the Humanitarian Networks and Partnerships Week (HNPW), the European Humanitarian Forum (EHF) and the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction (GP2025).

    The webinar further aims to:

    1. Enhance awareness of opportunities to integrate and finance long-term preparedness, DRR and climate adaptation within humanitarian action.
    2. Introduce financing mechanisms available for DRR and EW/early action, supported by case studies and best practices.
    3. Share technical expertise and resources for mainstreaming DRR into humanitarian programming.
    4. Identify barriers and support needs for securing funding for climate, environment and DRR activities.
    5. Synthesize key financing challenges faced by humanitarian actors to inform global policy discussions on resource mobilization.

    Speakers

    • Emilia Wahlstrom, Programme Management Officer, UNDRR
    • Ben Webster, Head of Secretariat, REAP
    • Sandra Ruiz Romero, Policy Officer, Disaster Preparedness, DG ECHO
    • Natasha Westheimer, Co-Coordinator, Climate and Environment Charter Secretariat
    • Paul Moyo, Disaster Management Coordinator, Zimbabwe Red Cross Society
    • Nick Ireland, Director of Climate Change, Save the Children
    • Sam Abdo, Environment Protection Specialist, Yemen Family Care Association (YFCA)
    • Casmiri Djoko, National Coordinator, Humanitarian Action for Africa (HAA)

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Venice Sustainability Foundation

    Source: UNISDR Disaster Risk Reduction

    Mission

    The Venice Sustainability Foundation (Fondazione Venezia Capitale Mondiale della Sostenibilità) pursues the objective of creating an integrated model (environmental, economic, social) of sustainable development for the City of Venice and its metropolitan area, which can revitalize the local socioeconomy while simultaneously ensuring the protection and conservation of the environmental, historical and cultural heritage, as well as the strengthening and cohesion of the local community. The Foundation becomes the instrument through which the Members intend to cooperate to make the City of Venice a reference point for the quality of urban life that can serve as inspiration for other national and international contexts, in this sense the World Capital of Sustainability.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Public Information Intern

    Source: UNISDR Disaster Risk Reduction

    Apply here

    Work Location

    Bonn or remote

    Expected duration

    6 months

    Duties and Responsibilities

    Created in December 1999, the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) is the designated focal point in the United Nations system for the coordination of efforts to reduce disasters and to ensure synergies among the disaster reduction activities of the United Nations and regional organizations and activities in both developed and less developed countries. Led by the United Nations Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Disaster Risk Reduction (SRSG), UNDRR has over 150 staff located in its headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, and in regional offices. Specifically, UNDRR guides, monitors, analyses and reports on progress in the implementation of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030, supports regional and national implementation of the Framework and catalyses action and increases global awareness to reduce disaster risk working with U.N. Member States and a broad range of partners and stakeholders, including civil society, the private sector, parliamentarians and the science and technology community.

    The internship is for a maximum period of 6 months. The internship is UNPAID and full-time, in -person. The modality can be handled flexibly. Interns work five days per week under the supervision of the Website Officer in the Content and Channels team. This internship position is located in the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) in Bonn, Germany. The successful candidate will join three other colleagues from the Content and Channels team on the Bonn UN Campus.

    The Intern will:

    • Perform Internet-based research to identify disaster risk reduction (DRR) content and sources for publication on PreventionWeb.net in English (other languages, if applicable) to extend PreventionWeb’s coverage of country/region, thematic and hazard sections.
    • Enter relevant DRR documents, events, jobs, news and policy into the PreventionWeb’s Drupal content management system for publication on the website (keyword selection, abstract writing in English [other languages, if applicable], and web formatting).
    • Validate and enter relevant DRR source organizations and assist in maintaining their DRR organization profiles.
    • Assist in responding to PreventionWeb user comments and requests by sending appropriate communication and assisting in user experience research activities.
    • Undertake quality control of information as necessary, including analysis of gaps and targeted research.
    • Contribute to the improvement and development of the PreventionWeb editorial guidelines.
    • Identify content for promotion on social media and share it during the dedicated weekly meetings.
    • Assist in preparing social media content by drafting texts and short video scripts and designing cards.
    • Assist in reviewing social media and web analytics to identify and optimize performance of content.
    • Perform online research on topics that may be of interest for various purposes such as social media promotion, presentations and briefs.
    • Store key pieces of information and data on Zotero.
    • Support, and participate in, other information management related tasks and projects matching academic background.

    Qualifications/special skills

    To qualify for an internship with the United Nations, applicants must meet one of the following requirements:

    • Be enrolled in or have completed the final academic year of a first university degree programme (minimum Bachelor’s level or equivalent).
    • Be enrolled in or have completed a graduate school programme (second university degree or equivalent or higher such as Master’s degree or equivalent, Ph.D. or postgraduate degree).
    • Applicants to the UN Internship Programme are not required to have professional work experience. However, a field of study that is closely related to the type of internship that you are applying for is required.
    • Be computer literate in standard software applications.
    • Have strong internet research skills.
    • Knowledge of basic HTML and photo, audio or video editing a plus.
    • Interest in disaster risk reduction issues.
    • Have a demonstrated keen interest in the work of the United Nations and have a personal commitment to the ideals of the Charter.
    • Have a demonstrated ability to successfully interact with individuals of different cultural backgrounds and beliefs, which include willingness to try and understand and be tolerant of differing opinions and views.
    • Applicants must be a student in the final year of the first university degree (bachelor or equivalent), Master’s or Ph.D. Programme or equivalent, or have completed a Bachelor’s, Master’s or PH.D. Programme.

    Do you meet any of the above criteria? If yes, please indicate which one and attach proof to the application. Please note that you will have to provide an official certificate at a later stage.

    Languages

    English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. Fluency in spoken and writtten English is required for this internship. Knowledge of French or Spanish is an advantage.

    Additional Information

    Due to the high volume of applications received, only successful candidates will be contacted

    Intern Specific text

    Interns are not financially remunerated by the United Nations. Costs and arrangements for travel, visas, accommodation and living expenses are the responsibility of interns or their sponsoring institutions. Interns who are not citizens or permanent residents of the country where the internship is undertaken, may be required to obtain the appropriate visa and work/employment authorization. Successful candidates should discuss their specific visa requirements before accepting the internship offer.

    No Fee

    THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.

    Apply here

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Africa Policy Research Institute

    Source: UNISDR Disaster Risk Reduction

    Mission

    APRI – Africa Policy Research Institute is an independent and nonpartisan African think tank with registered offices in Berlin, Germany, and Abuja, Nigeria.

    It researches key policy issues affecting African countries and the African continent, and provides insights to the German and European Union policy making process on Africa. APRI also conducts research that can provide policy options to African policymakers.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: IOM Sounds Alarm as Yemen Marks a Decade of War and Humanitarian Despair

    Source: International Organization for Migration (IOM)

    Yemen, 26 March 2025 – As Yemen enters its eleventh year of conflict, the country remains in the grip of relentless suffering. Close to 20 million people rely on aid to survive, with many having endured repeated displacement, rising hunger, and the collapse of essential services. Stranded migrants face brutal conditions with little chance of escape. Yet, as funding shortfalls worsen, humanitarian efforts are unable to keep up, leaving countless people in urgent need. 

    Now, as the holy month of Ramadan unfolds, the weight of this crisis is even heavier. For many in Yemen, iftar will not be a time of gathering and abundance, but another night of going to sleep hungry, uncertain of what tomorrow will bring. While families around the world prepare for Eid, Yemenis will mark yet another holiday in the shadow of war, where loss, hunger, and hardship have become the norm.

    “The war in Yemen has faded from global attention, but for those living through it, the suffering has never stopped,” said Abdusattor Esoev, Chief of Mission for the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in Yemen. “After more than a decade of conflict, displacement, and economic collapse, Yemen remains one of the world’s most severe humanitarian crises. However, as global attention shifts elsewhere, funding is dwindling. Now, more than ever, global solidarity is needed to prevent millions from being left behind.” 

    An estimated 4.8 million people remain displaced across Yemen, many living in makeshift shelters that offer little protection against harsh weather and minimal access to basic services. Women and children are among the most affected, exposed to heightened risks of violence, malnutrition, and poor health. At the same time, floods, droughts, and extreme weather are worsening the already dire situation. 

    Despite ongoing efforts to provide aid, severe funding gaps are making it harder to reach those in greatest need. In many areas, displaced communities are surviving with barely any assistance. As needs grow, resources continue to shrink, leaving millions at risk. 

    While Yemenis suffer the effects of war, tens of thousands of migrants also remain stranded, having arrived in the country hoping to reach the Gulf in search of better opportunities. Instead, they face exploitation, detention, violence, and dangerous journeys through active conflict zones. In 2024 alone, nearly 60,900 migrants arrived in Yemen, often with no means to survive. 

    For many, the only way out is through IOM’s Voluntary Humanitarian Return (VHR) programme, which helps migrants return home safely. Yet, without increased funding, even these critical efforts could be scaled back, leaving thousands of migrants trapped in Yemen, in increasingly dire conditions. 

    As Yemen marks another year of war, IOM calls on the international community to act now, before more lives are lost. Humanitarian needs remain vast, and the consequences of inaction will be severe. The already dire situation is at risk of becoming even more neglected, as global crises compete for attention and resources. 

    “The people of Yemen cannot afford to be forgotten,” Esoev added. “As families break their fast with barely enough to eat, as parents face another Eid unable to provide for their children, and as migrants remain stranded with no way home, the world cannot turn away. Every day without action means more suffering, more lives lost, and less hope for the future.” 

    For more information, please contact: 

    In Yemen: Monica Chiriac, mchiriac@iom.int 

    In Cairo: Joe Lowry, jlowry@iom.int 

    In Geneva: Kennedy Okoth, kokoth@iom.int 

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: WFP calls for urgent investment to prevent child wasting as leaders convene at Nutrition for Growth Summit

    Source: World Food Programme

    Photo: WFP/Mohammad Hasib Hazinyar. A mother with her daughter come to the Bagrami clinic which is under WFP support on malnutrition activities. she has brought her malnourished daughter to the clinic to get WFP’s support and malnutrition supplementary. Kabul, Afghanistan.

    ROME – As global leaders and experts convene in Paris for the fourth Nutrition for Growth Summit, the UN World Food Programme is calling for greater focus and action to prevent wasting – the deadliest form of malnutrition – before its life-threatening impacts are felt in children. Action before malnutrition takes hold is crucial.

    Malnutrition does irreparable damage to a child’s physical and cognitive development, weakening immune systems, stunting growth and limiting brain development. Malnutrition often begins during pregnancy which is why prevention programmes that target at risk mothers and children are essential. Acting early and fast is the only way to avoid the lifelong impact of wasting on a child’s health.

    “We must prevent child malnutrition before it ever takes hold,” said WFP Executive Director Cindy McCain. “If we fail to act, we are condemning millions of children to a lifetime of suffering. WFP has the knowledge and tools to stop malnutrition in its tracks—what we need is investment and political will.”

    WFP needs $1.4 billion to deliver malnutrition prevention and treatment programmes for more than 30 million mothers and children in 56 countries in 2025. In 2024, WFP prevented wasting in 13.8 million mothers and children through the provision of fortified foods, nutrient-dense supplements, cash or vouchers for nutritious meals and nutritionally adequate food baskets. Additionally, the agency helped 14 million more individuals through its emergency malnutrition treatment programmes. 

    Malnutrition is rising worldwide due to a relentless wave of global crises including conflict, economic instability, and climate-related emergencies: in the 15 countries most affected by malnutrition, 33 million children suffer from wasting.

    “The Nutrition for Growth Summit is a pivotal opportunity to secure a better future for millions of children,” said Executive Director McCain. “Governments, donors and partners must step up and invest in nutrition now—a healthy child today means a stronger, more resilient world tomorrow. WFP is being forced to make tough choices, prioritizing treatment over prevention, meaning we can only help children when they’re already sick. With flexible and predictable funding, we can act early, break this cycle, and save more lives.” 

    Without urgent funding, WFP will be forced to suspend prevention programmes in countries with some of the largest burdens of child malnutrition. In Afghanistan, for example, prevention programmes will cease from May, while in Syria and DRC such programmes will be reduced from June unless additional funds are received. In Yemen, where up to one-third of children under five are wasted, WFP has only been able to implement one prevention programme in one district in the last 12 months – and this will end in May without additional funding. 

    Malnutrition is responsible for half of all deaths among children under five years old. For those who survive, malnutrition reduces their ability to learn, earn and thrive as adults, trapping them in a cycle of poverty and poor health. 

    Investing in malnutrition prevention during the first 1,000 days improves individual health and strengthens economies: low- and middle-income countries lose an average of 10% of GDP due to malnutrition through increased healthcare costs and lowered human capital. Prevention programmes also reduce the burden on treatment programmes, ensuring resources are available for those already suffering from malnutrition.

    Notes to editors:

    Broadcast quality B-roll is available here: https://multimedia.wfp.org/Share/3ic88u7kg7880rr4g3w4s48daf70bar7

    High resolution photo package is available here: https://multimedia.wfp.org/Share/265j71n30o6mw8ac3kxan04f1ypgr26o

    #                 #                  #

    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 

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: World News in Brief: Human rights in Ukraine, multilateralism gets airborne, enforced disappearances in Colombia

    Source: United Nations MIL OSI b

    Human Rights

    The UN human rights chief on Thursday told a conference in the Ukrainian capital that in the face of Russia’s continuing full-scale invasion, they must unite and keep faith in democratic institutions.

    Addressing the conference in Kyiv on reclaiming human rights and preserving dignity, High Commissioner Volker Türk once again voiced his “full solidarity” with the Ukrainian people and concern over the latest wave of attacks on energy facilities as temperatures plummet.

    “Children, older people and those with disabilities will suffer most,” he added.

    Relentless assault

    “From relentless drone attacks to the occupation of territory, from the suppression of culture to the abuse of prisoners of war – the human rights of Ukrainians are under siege. And this must end.”

    He said it was more important than ever for unity, “moment to recommit to human rights and human dignity, and to build and maintain trust in each other and in democratic institutions.”

    He added that the UN human rights office he leads, OHCHR, is doing its part to ensure accountability and justice by creating a public record of rights violations occurring during Ukraine’s war of national survival, which has already informed cases before the European Court of Human Rights and the International Court of Justice.

    “I commend Ukrainians for coming together around human rights and around human dignity and assure you of our full commitment and support,” he concluded.

    ICAO, ‘a powerful example of multilateralism in action,’ says UN chief

    UN Secretary-General António Guterres marked the 80th anniversary of the signing of the convention that opened the way to mass civilian air travel, by praising the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) as a testament to global cooperation.

    “Across the decades, your organization, which the Convention established, has expanded dramatically, from 54 nations gathered in Chicago in 1944 to a membership of 193 today,” he noted.

    Mr. Guterres highlighted the significant challenges facing the aviation industry today, particularly its role in addressing the climate crisis.

    Tourism revival

    According to the latest World Tourism Barometer from the UN Tourism agency, global travel is on track for a full recovery to pre-pandemic levels by the end of 2024, with 1.1 billion international tourists recorded in the first nine months of the year. However, this resurgence brings about sustainability challenges.

    “Accounting for around 2 per cent of global carbon dioxide emissions, aviation is one of the most challenging sectors to decarbonise. But with innovation and investment, it can be done,” Mr. Guterres noted.

    ICAO’s new Long-Term Strategic Plan outlines its commitment to achieving net zero carbon dioxide emissions by 2050.

    The Secretary-General commended ICAO’s leadership for aligning its efforts with the 2030 Agenda, ensuring that all countries benefit from sustainable aviation advancements.

    Enforced disappearances remain daily reality in Colombia

    Enforced disappearances remain a daily occurrence in Colombia, not just a historical legacy of the past, according to findings released on Thursday by the UN Committee on Enforced Disappearances (CED) following their two-week mission to the country.

    The preliminary findings painted a grim picture of disappearances including children, journalists, social leaders and migrants.

    With estimates ranging from 98,000 to 200,000 missing persons, the exact scope of the crisis remains unclear due to fragmented record-keeping and institutional inefficiencies. 

    “Although enforced disappearances started in Colombia around the 1940s, they are not just a crime of the past. They continue to occur daily across the country in diverse circumstances,” the delegation reported after visiting six cities and meeting with 80 authorities, including the Minister of Justice and Attorney General.

    The investigation exposed a bureaucratic system where victims’ families face challenges in seeking justice.

    ‘No end in sight’ to anguish

    One victim told investigators, “We don’t know where to turn. We’re tossed between institutions, no end in sight”.

    The situation is further complicated by overlapping mandates among various agencies, with officials reporting that coordination efforts often result in endless meetings rather than concrete action. A single search process may require coordination with up to 60 different national and territorial authorities.

    The Committee emphasised that immediate action is needed to streamline institutional responses and improve coordination. They noted that marginalised individuals, face additional obstacles in reporting disappearances, particularly in areas controlled by armed groups.

    “Families of the disappeared deserve clarity, justice and accountability. Every disappeared person represents a family waiting for answers, a community torn apart and a society grappling with unresolved pain,” the delegation said.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –