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Category: Humanitarian Aid

World News in Brief: South Sudan tax impositions, Somalia flash floods, Ukraine attacks

“Until they are released, we will not be able to conduct many of our activities in support of the communities in need across the country,” UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said on Tuesday.

He said that UN colleagues in South Sudan say fuel reserves are being depleted which leaves them in a critical situation that prevents the delivery of millions of dollars worth of aid amidst the country’s crisis.

Support from the UN peacekeeping mission in South Sudan, UNMISS, has been reduced and the Head of the mission, Nicholas Haysom, says urgent action is needed to make certain that support in South Sudan doesn’t end.

Deadly flash floods in Somalia

Seasonal rains in Somalia which come between April and June – referred to as the “Gu” rains – have intensified, resulting in flash floods in Somaliland, Hirshabelle and South West States, and the Banadir region, over the past five days, according to reports from the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).  

Four people have reportedly died. 

The UN and its humanitarian partners have increased response efforts by issuing early warning messages, positioning about 20 flood task force teams across Somalia and identifying about 70 evacuation sites in areas prone to flooding. 

The rains and floods may impact more than 770,000 and the downpour is expected to worsen the current outbreak of acute watery diarrhoea and cholera.  

Ukraine: Civilians injured in overnight attack in Odesa

OCHA says that aid workers in Ukraine reported an attack in Odesa on Monday night that injured civilians, including children, and damaged homes.

This attack comes just after strikes on civilian infrastructure in the Kharkiv Region on Monday that reportedly killed and injured civilians, and partially interrupted telecommunications after a TV tower was destroyed.

Families in Odesa have received emergency, psychological and legal assistance from humanitarian organizations – this aid supports the delivery of emergency medical services, and primary health care, including mental health assistance by Ukrainian authorities. 

The World Health Organization (WHO) has reported nearly 100 attacks on health care in Ukraine in 2024.  

 

Mass graves in Gaza show victims’ hands were tied, says UN rights office

The development follows the recovery of hundreds of bodies “buried deep in the ground and covered with waste” over the weekend at Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, central Gaza, and at Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City in the north. A total of 283 bodies were recovered at Nasser Hospital, of which 42 were identified. 

“Among the deceased were allegedly older people, women and wounded, while others were found tied with their hands…tied and stripped of their clothes,” said Ravina Shamdasani, spokesperson for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights. 

Al-Shifa discovery

Citing the local health authorities in Gaza, Ms. Shamdasani added that more bodies had been found at Al-Shifa Hospital.

The large health complex was  the enclave’s main tertiary facility before war erupted on 7 October. It was the focus of an Israeli military incursion to root out Hamas militants allegedly operation inside which ended at the beginning of this month. After two weeks of intense clashes, UN humanitarians confirmed on 5 April that Al-Shifa was “an empty shell”, with most equipment reduced to ashes.

“Reports suggest that there were 30 Palestinian bodies buried in two graves in the courtyard of Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City; one in front of the emergency building and the others in front of the dialysis building,” Ms. Shamdasani told journalists in Geneva.

The bodies of 12 Palestinians have now been identified from these locations at Al-Shifa, the OHCHR spokesperson continued, but identification has not yet been possible for the remaining individuals. 

“There are reports that the hands of some of these bodies were also tied,” Ms. Shamdasani said, adding that there could be “many more” victims, “despite the claim by the Israeli Defense Forces to have killed 200 Palestinians during the Al-Shifa medical complex operation”.

200 days of horror

Some 200 days since intense Israeli bombardment began in response to Hamas-led terror attacks in southern Israel, UN human rights chief Volker Türk expressed his horror at the destruction of Nasser and Al-Shifa hospitals and the reported discovery of mass graves. 

“The intentional killing of civilians, detainees, and others who are hors de combat is a war crime,” Mr. Türk said, in a call for independent investigations into the deaths.

Mounting toll

As of 22 April, more than 34,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza, including 14,685 children and 9,670 women, the High Commissioner’s office said, citing the enclave’s health authorities. Another 77,084 have been injured, and over 7,000 others are assumed to be under the rubble. 

“Every 10 minutes a child is killed or wounded. They are protected under the laws of war, and yet they are ones who are disproportionately paying the ultimate price in this war,” said the High Commissioner. 

Türk warning

The UN rights chief also reiterated his warning against a full-scale Israeli incursion of Rafah, where an estimated 1.2 million Gazans “have been forcibly cornered”.

“The world’s leaders stand united on the imperative of protecting the civilian population trapped in Rafah,” the High Commissioner said in a statement, which also condemned Israeli strikes against Rafah in recent days that mainly killed women and children.

This included an attack on an apartment building in the Tal Al Sultan area on 19 April which killed nine Palestinians “including six children and two women”, along with a strike on As Shabora Camp in Rafah a day later that reportedly left four dead, including a girl and a pregnant woman.

“The latest images of a premature child taken from the womb of her dying mother, of the adjacent two houses where 15 children and five women were killed – this is beyond warfare,” said Mr. Türk.

The High Commissioner decried the “unspeakable suffering” caused by months of warfare and appealed once again for “the resulting misery and destruction, starvation and disease, and the risk of wider conflict” to end. 

A young girl is transferred from the Kamal Adwan hospital, in the far north of Gaza to a hospital in the south of the enclave. (file)
© WHO

A young girl is transferred from the Kamal Adwan hospital, in the far north of Gaza to a hospital in the south of the enclave. (file)

Mr. Türk also reiterated his call for an immediate ceasefire, the release of all remaining hostages taken from Israel and those held in arbitrary detention, and the unfettered flow of humanitarian aid.   

Massive settler attacks in West Bank

Turning to the West Bank, the UN rights chief said that grave human rights violations had continued there “unabated”. 

This was despite international condemnation of “massive settler attacks” between 12 and 14 April “that had been facilitated by the Israeli Security Forces (ISF)”.

Settler violence has been organized “with the support, protection, and participation of the ISF”, Mr. Türk insisted, before describing a 50-hour long operation into Nur Shams refugee camp and Tulkarem city starting on 18 April.

“The ISF deployed ground troops, bulldozers and drones and sealed the camp. Fourteen Palestinians were killed, three of them children,” the UN rights chief said, noting that 10 ISF members had been injured.

In a statement, Mr. Türk also highlighted reports that several Palestinians had been unlawfully killed in the Nur Shams operation “and that the ISF used unarmed Palestinians to shield their forces from attack and killed others in apparent extrajudicial executions”. 

Dozens were reportedly detained and ill-treated while the ISF “inflicted unprecedented and apparently wanton destruction on the camp and its infrastructure”, the High Commissioner alleged.

 

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World News in Brief: Rising West Bank violence, dialogue critical in Kosovo, free detained Afghan activist

Stability in the West Bank is vital to the prospects of peace in Gaza, UN Special Coordinator Tor Wennesland said over the weekend, warning against further escalation. He also said civilian attacks, including settler violence, need to end.

Meanwhile, the new Humanitarian Coordinator for the Occupied Palestinian Territory, Muhannad Hadi, visited Gaza for the first time on Sunday since taking up the post earlier in April. 

“He saw firsthand the catastrophic situation in Gaza and how the ongoing hostilities are affecting people,” Mr. Dujarric said. 

Mr. Hadi visited sites in Khan Younis and Deir Al-Balah, including a shelter for displaced people and a health centre, and spoke with members of the community.

He also spent the night in Rafah, where 1.4 million people are sheltering in dire living conditions, lacking basic necessities, including water, food, shelter and healthcare. 

UN partners were able to provide hot meals, bread and flour to people in Gaza last week, with support from the World Food Programme (WFP). 

Further, two emergency medical teams have been positioned in northern Gaza to support Kamal Adwan and Al Awda hospitals. 

Good faith dialogue critical to move forward in Kosovo

The UN Special Representative in Kosovo has highlighted the importance of open communication and dialogue in resolving long-standing issues between Belgrade and Pristina and between Kosovo Serb communities and the Pristina authorities.

Caroline Ziadeh, who also heads the UN Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK), delivered her biennial briefing to the Security Council in New York on Monday.

“One of the key common observations is dissatisfaction with the level of progress being achieved through political dialogue and the direct effects this has upon the security situation. The level of mistrust unfortunately remains high and must be addressed,” she said.

Ms. Ziadeh reported on recent setbacks that hamper efforts to build trust among Kosovo’s ethnic communities through political dialogue. 

She underlined the importance of the full implementation of the European Union-facilitated agreements and for the sides to remain committed to constructive engagement and finding practical compromises.

“Good faith dialogue, communication and mutual understanding mark the path forward. Progress is born from actions undertaken with the willingness to forge compromises,” she said.   

Afghanistan: Rights experts call for release of detained activist

Seven independent UN experts are calling for the immediate release of Afghan human rights defender Ahmad Fahim Azimi, who has been detained for more than six months. 

Mr. Azimi was imprisoned on 17 October by the de facto authorities along with his colleague Siddiqullah Afghan, who was recently released. 

In addition to being a human rights defender, Mr. Azimi advocates for girls’ education and is the head of the Better Thinking Centre and director of the Digital Citizen Lab in Afghanistan. 

The experts have been communicating with the Afghan authorities regarding this case.  

“We urge the de facto authorities to also release Mr. Azimi without delay. There is no justification for his detention,” they said. 

The experts also expressed concern over the arrests of multiple human rights defenders and education activists in Afghanistan, seemingly for their advocacy for women and girls’ education.

“Access to education is a fundamental right. It is essential that those who strive to expand this right are supported and protected, not persecuted,” they said.

The experts were appointed by the UN Human Rights Council to monitor and report on specific country situations or thematic issues.

They serve in their individual capacity, are not UN staff, are independent of any government or organization and are not compensated for their work. 

UN envoy urges international solidarity with Haiti as gang violence spirals

“Today, it pains me to note that all speeches and callings had not avoided that some of the worst scenarios for Haiti have become realities in recent months and weeks,” said Maria Isabel Salvador, who also heads the UN mission in Haiti, BINUH.

Speaking from the capital, Port-au-Prince, she said it was impossible to overstate the increase in gang activity in the city and beyond, along with the deterioration of the human rights situation and the deepening of the humanitarian crisis.

Last October, the Security Council authorized the deployment of a Multinational Security Support mission (MSS) to assist Haiti’s embattled police force.  

Although more than five million people, roughly half the population, are going hungry and hundreds of thousands have been displaced,  a $674 humanitarian appeal for Haiti is less than nine per cent funded.

Attacks and confrontations

Ms. Salvador recalled that in early March, gangs mounted coordinated attacks against key state infrastructure, including several police stations and two of the main prisons in Port-au-Prince, as well as educational and health facilities, and religious sites. 

They also launched several attacks against the Presidential Palace, sparking violent clashes with the Haitian National Police (HNP), leading to multiple casualties. Furthermore, gang confrontations around the international airport have forced all commercial airlines to halt services.

She noted that roughly 2,500 persons were killed or injured due to gang violence during the first quarter of the year. This represents a 53 per cent increase over the previous reporting period, making it the most violent quarter since BINUH began recording statistics two years ago.

Deploy Multinational Support Mission

Ms. Salvador said the national police – assisted by Haiti’s “modest” Armed Forces and advised by BINUH and other international partners – have deployed immense efforts to contain the violence while being targeted by the gangs. 

“Nevertheless, the severity of the current crisis underscores the gaps in capacity within the national structures and the urgent need for international assistance, namely through the immediate deployment of the MSS,” she said.

On the political front, she noted that Haitian stakeholders have worked to put their differences aside in efforts to find a common path towards restoring democratic institutions, including establishing a Transitional Presidential Council following the resignation announcement by Prime Minister Ariel Henry in March. 

Security critical for progress

A number of other bodies are also expected to be established, including a National Security Council and a Provisional Electoral Council “which is urgently required to set plans in motion for the organization of elections.”

Ms. Salvador noted that despite the recent positive developments on the political front, improving the security situation remains a condition sine qua non for further progress. 

“I cannot stress enough the need to assist Haiti with its efforts to reestablish security,” she said. 

“One and a half years since Haiti requested assistance to enhance security and more than six months since this Council authorized the deployment of the MSS, we must continue to stress the importance of its urgent deployment.”

Catherine M. Russell, Executive Director of the United Nations Fund for Children (UNICEF), briefs the Security Council meeting on the question concerning Haiti.
UN Photo/Eskinder Debebe

Catherine M. Russell, Executive Director of the United Nations Fund for Children (UNICEF), briefs the Security Council meeting on the question concerning Haiti.

Children in the crosshairs

Catherine Russell, head of the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF), appealed for greater support for the humanitarian plan for Haiti.  Of the roughly 5.5 million Haitians who need assistance, three million are children.

She said boys and girls are being injured or killed in the violence each day. Some are being recruited, or join armed groups out of sheer desperation. Recent UNICEF data indicates that anywhere from 30 to per 50 cent of armed groups have children in their ranks.

“Women and girls continue to be targeted with extreme levels of gender-based and sexual violence,” she added.

“Last year, thousands of cases of sexual violence were reported, many of which were perpetrated against children. The true number of cases is likely much higher.”

Humanitarian activities have also fallen victim to the violence as access to the port in the capital has been cut off because of armed group operations in the area.

Ms. Russell said nearly 300 containers of humanitarian supplies are now stranded, including 17 UNICEF containers loaded with nutrition supplements, as well as neonatal, maternal and medical supplies. 

Ghada Waly (on screen), Executive Director of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime, briefs the Security Council meeting on the question concerning Haiti.
UN Photo/Eskinder Debebe

Ghada Waly (on screen), Executive Director of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime, briefs the Security Council meeting on the question concerning Haiti.

Stand with Haiti

The Executive Director of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) Ghada Waly, said the violence “is made possible by the continued influx of guns into Haiti and is supported by corruption.”

Recent events also suggest concerning signs of collusion between different gangs, she added.

The latest wave of violence saw reported fighting between gangs, but also signs of collaboration between certain groups to carry out attacks.

Furthermore, the attacks targeting key infrastructure were another reminder of the significant increase in firepower that the gangs possess, as weapons continue to flow into Haiti.

“We must stand with Haiti’s institutions and citizens in confronting violence, corruption, and chaos, and in working for a more stable and secure future for the people of Haiti,” she said.

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Hungry for data: Tackling food insecurity in rural Indonesia

“I was not aware that vegetables were that important or how to grow them,” said the 25-year-old farmer from Idas in West Kalimantan on the island of Borneo. “Now I do.”

She, along with 50 of her neighbours in this village among the rolling hills of northwest Borneo, received vegetable seeds and the opportunity to participate in a training course on how to grow tomatoes, cucumbers and peanuts, foods that should make their families less prone to diseases.

Kornelia Icha sorts through peanuts she has grown on her land.
UN Indonesia

Kornelia Icha sorts through peanuts she has grown on her land.

Evidence, not intuition

Idas was one of just four out of 160 villages in the district targeted for government intervention thanks to data-based policymaking. Using a rigorous, data-focused methodology developed by the UN’s World Food Programme (WFP), the district’s Food Security Office published a recommendation to all local government offices to concentrate efforts on these settlements. 

It supported the government’s aim of providing targeted assistance to prevent stunting, a condition to which chronic.

“Without research and hard data, even the best-intentioned attempts to decrease food security vulnerability are like a shot in the dark,” said Nur Affandi, Head of the Food Security Office in Singgau, the regional capital. “In order to target interventions correctly and create policy that really makes a difference, we must base our work on evidence, not intuition.”

Much of that evidence is presented through the Food Security and Vulnerability Atlas. Developed jointly by WFP and the National Food Agency, the atlas visualises key food security data for all 514 cities and districts in Indonesia, a vast country of 280 million people.

On it, each subdistrict and village is given one of six priority classes of vulnerability, based on indicators such as access to running water, the amount of agricultural land per person and access to a medical facility. 

The composite index takes into account these various indicators and, based on that, automatically identifies which villages and subdistricts are vulnerable to food insecurity.

Rice is the staple food of many households in West Kalimantan.
UN Indonesia

Rice is the staple food of many households in West Kalimantan.

In 2019, Idas fell into the priority one or “highly food insecure” category. Since then, the dirt road connecting it to main roads in the area has been partially repaired to ease villagers’ access to markets and therefore improve their overall economic condition.

Seeds have been distributed to families to help them vary their diets along with pepper plants to diversify their income away from reliance solely on rubber and palm oil. The few families who did not have clean running water are now hooked up to the village’s water system.

The result? Idas is no longer considered highly food insecure.

Thank science

“A major improvement,” a proud Mr. Affandi said with a broad smile. “It’s not thanks to us; it’s thanks to science.”

His approach of data-based policymaking is seen as a pilot to emulate, particularly in poorer areas of the country, such as East Nusa Tenggara province and its capital city, Kupang.

A Regent’s Decree prepared in 2022 by the Kupang district government, the Regional District Development Planning Office and WFP mandated all local authorities, including those in charge of health care, agriculture and social support, to use the Food Security and Vulnerability Atlas to target their food and social support. The province has over 309 subdistricts, 37 per cent of which were found to be vulnerable to food insecurity in 2021.

The rehabilitation of roads is essential to the development of the rural community of Idas.
UN Indonesia

The rehabilitation of roads is essential to the development of the rural community of Idas.

In East Nusa Tenggara, more than 20 per cent of the population lives below the poverty line, and nearly 40 per cent of children under age five are stunted. Stunting prevents a child from reaching their full cognitive and physical potential. 

Countrywide, just over 20 per cent of children under age five were stunted in 2022.

“Using the Atlas for planning enables us to refine our focus and target food insecurity interventions accordingly,” says Marthen Rahakbauw, Head of the Kupang District Regional Development Planning Office.

To-do list

While the progress is tangible, a lot of work remains to be done.

“WFP is supporting the National Food Agency to work with other cities and districts to also mandate the use of the Food Security and Vulnerability Atlas,” said Jennifer Rosenzweig, the acting Country Director for WFP in Indonesia: “We need more examples like Sanggau and Kupang districts to systematically reach people who are most vulnerable to food insecurity across the country.”

For Kornelia Icha, who says she can only afford to eat what she and her relatives can grow themselves, the vegetables make a major difference in her diet.

Her and her husband’s base income comes from selling the milky latex they extract from around 200 rubber trees; this earns them around 60,000 Indonesian rupiah ($4) a day, which is supplemented by income from odd jobs and the occasional sale of peanuts.

“We are not poor,” she said. “But, we could certainly never eat as many vegetables as we do now after we started growing them.”

War in Sudan is ‘a crisis of epic proportions’ as atrocities abound

The Sudanese people have endured “unbearable suffering” since the conflict started just over a year ago when an outbreak of fighting between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) “brutally interrupted the political transition”, Rosemary DiCarlo, UN Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, said.

“This is a crisis of epic proportions; it is also wholly man-made,” she told ambassadors, stressing that both parties have failed to protect civilians.

Over 14,000 people have been killed and tens of thousands wounded, half the country’s population – 25 million people – need lifesaving assistance and more than 8.6 million people have been forced to flee their homes, including 1.8 million refugees.

Widespread atrocities

“Allegations of atrocities abound,” she said, citing reports of widespread use of sexual violence as a weapon of war, of the recruitment of children by parties to the conflict and of extensive use of torture and prolonged arbitrary detention by both parties.

She said the UN stands ready to redouble efforts with its multilateral partners – including the African Union, Intergovernmental Authority for Development, the League of Arab States and key Member States and partners – to help end hostilities and foster inclusive and effective international mediation.

She said the UN Secretary-General’s Personal Envoy, Ramtane Lamamra, has engaged with national, regional and international stakeholders to promote the coordination of mediation initiatives, and the recent humanitarian conference in Paris emphasised the need for unity of purpose and action to end the fighting in Sudan.

Rosemary DiCarlo (centre), Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, briefs the Security Council meeting on the situation in the Sudan and South Sudan.
UN Photo/Manuel Elías

Rosemary DiCarlo (centre), Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, briefs the Security Council meeting on the situation in the Sudan and South Sudan.

External actors fuelling war

At the same time, all warring parties must uphold their obligations under international law and adhere to the Jeddah Declaration of Commitment to Protect the Civilians of Sudan, Ms. DiCarlo said, calling on all actors to exercise maximum restraint and avoid further bloodshed.

However the rival armies have been able to keep fighting in no small part thanks to the material support they receive from outside the Sudan, she said, adding that these external actors continue to flout the Council’s sanctions regime to support a political settlement and to fuel the conflict.

“This is illegal, it is immoral and it must stop,” she said. “At this critical moment, in addition to global support for aid, we need to redouble our efforts to achieve peace in the Sudan.”

A child is screened for malnutrition in Gezira state in Sudan.
© UNICEF/Ahmed Elfatih Mohamdeen

A child is screened for malnutrition in Gezira state in Sudan.

‘The elephant in the room’

Echoing that point, Mohamed Ibn Chambas, High Representative for the Silencing the Guns initiative of the African Union Commission, said external interference has been “a major factor” stymying efforts to negotiate a ceasefire and to stop the war.

“External support in terms of supply of war materiel and other means has been the main reason why this war has lasted for so long,” he said via videolink from Post Sudan. “It is the elephant in the room.”

For its part, the African Union has been proactive, he said, recalling its swift action five days after the outbreak of fighting to form a mechanism to coordinate efforts as well as its subsequent drafting of a roadmap to peace and appointment of a High-Level Panel on Sudan.

Decades of development wiped out

Yet, the ongoing year-long war has already set Sudan back several decades, he said, adding that “it will take more than a generation to rebuild Sudan to its pre-war state.”

He said the war has also led to egregious violations of international human rights law, international humanitarian law and the laws governing the conduct of war.

“It must end,” he said, emphasising that the Jeddah process must speedily recommence with the full participation of the African Union to bring about an unconditional ceasefire to end Sudan’s suffering.

Edem Wosornu, Director of Operations and Advocacy at the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), briefs the Security Council meeting on the situation in the Sudan and South Sudan.
UN Photo/Manuel Elías

Edem Wosornu, Director of Operations and Advocacy at the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), briefs the Security Council meeting on the situation in the Sudan and South Sudan.

Humanitarian conditions worsening

Edem Wosornu, director of operations and advocacy at the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), said that one year on, the outlook for the people of Sudan is “bleak”.

Extremely concerning levels of conflict-related sexual violence continue to be reported, and aid workers, health workers and local volunteers are being killed, injured, harassed and arrested with impunity, she said, speaking on behalf of UN Emergency Relief Coordinator Martin Griffiths.

In addition, the spiralling violence in recent weeks poses an extreme and immediate danger to the 800,000 civilians who reside in El Fasher and risks triggering further clashes in other parts of Darfur, where more than nine million people are in dire need of assistance, she said.

Famine prevention plan

Meanwhile, food insecurity in Sudan has reached record levels, with 18 million people are facing acute hunger, a number that is set to surge as the lean season fast approaches, Ms. Wosornu said, noting that OCHA had launched a famine prevention plan last week.

“If we are to avert famine, the parties must take urgent steps to facilitate humanitarian relief for all civilians in need, as required under international humanitarian law,” she said.

What is needed now is scaled up action to protect humanitarian workers to deliver lifesaving aid, more funds and more international engagement to silence the guns, she said.

A school and centre for displaced people in West Darfur, supported by Save the Children, were destroyed in late April 2023 due to ongoing fighting in Sudan. (file)
© UNOCHA/Mohamed Khalil

A school and centre for displaced people in West Darfur, supported by Save the Children, were destroyed in late April 2023 due to ongoing fighting in Sudan. (file)

‘The people of Sudan cannot wait’

“We need a fundamental change in the way we support Sudan,” Ms. Wosornu said. “The people of Sudan cannot wait another month, week or even day for their suffering to stop. Every day that passes puts more lives at risk.”

Expressing gratitude for pledges made at the recent Paris humanitarian conference on Sudan, she said funds must be disbursed as soon as possible and that “we have a very narrow window to respond”.

“Within the coming six weeks, we need to preposition lifesaving supplies before the rainy season starts in June. We need to get seeds into the hands of farmers before the planting season in June, and cash into the pockets of displaced people before they fall even deeper into hunger.”

While OCHA will “do everything we can”, Ms. Wosornu said “we cannot do this alone.”

“We need your help,” she told Council members. “Now is the time to act, before it is too late. Millions of lives depend on us.”

Sudan: Famine risk is real, FAO warns

Rein Paulsen, Director of FAO’s Office of Emergencies and Resilience, is in the country as part of UN interagency response to the food security crisis driven by the war between rival military forces, now in its second year. 

“We’re here because the risk of famine is real. The food security situation is concerning. But we have an opportunity to respond,” he told UN News, speaking from the coastal city of Port Sudan. 

Funding and access 

Across Sudan, 18 million people – more than a third of the population – are going hungry. 

Mr. Paulsen appealed for more support for farmers, who are preparing their land now to plant crops in June.  

FAO requires $104 million to support just over 10 million Sudanese this year but has received less than 10 per cent of the funding.  

He said safe access is also a priority, both for Sudanese farmers and the UN agency. 

This interview has been edited for clarity and length. 

Rein Paulsen: There’s a number of actions that both can and need to be taken right now, and I do think it’s vitally important that we underscore one key point at the outset.  The crop and food supply assessment mission, which looked at 2023 numbers, showed a 46 per cent reduction nationally in terms of the production of key crops, so wheat, sorghum, millet, and also rice and maize.  

That deficit is not going to be possible to be made up with just in-kind food assistance or with cash distributions. It’s indispensable that we support vulnerable farmers and farming communities to either restart their production themselves or further bolster what’s underway.  

FAO has a three-pronged strategy. A key component is around crops for the two main seasons, so cereals for this upcoming season and then key vegetables for the second season, but also attention to livestock. So many of those who are in acute food insecurity also rely on, livestock, and so being able to support those animals with emergency fodder and key vaccinations, all of which help to ensure that households that are food insecure continue, for example, to have access to milk production from their goats.  

All of this is indispensable for effective famine prevention efforts. We have a window of opportunity, and that window is right now.  

UN News:  In your meetings with the parties, do you receive any guarantees that they will do what they can to avoid a further deterioration of the food security situation? 

Rein Paulsen: I had the opportunity on this mission to meet with authorities here in Port Sudan.  The discussions we’ve had have gone very well. We have a strong technical collaboration and I expect that collaboration to continue.  

We work on a number of different technical areas with authorities, including around desert locust control and prevention.  We’re likely to see the Government announce in the coming days, or in the coming weeks, that the desert locust control operations have been fully successful.  

We’ve talked about the priorities to respond to the situation now being shared with all of the stakeholders there, articulated clearly in the interagency famine prevention plan. And we hope that we get all the support required to be able to deliver on the response.

There are two key sets of challenges for FAO, and I think generally one set of challenges around funding and another around access. Both need to be addressed for us to be able to prevent the risk of famine from unfolding.  

The funding issue is a real challenge. We have less funding this year than we did last year, and the food insecurity situation is worse this year than last year, so those two trends are heading in the wrong directions. 

UN News: Can you tell us what it’s like to be a farmer in Sudan, or an average Sudanese person living in a in a rural area today?  

Rein Paulsen: I had a chance to visit with some farming communities that FAO has been supporting last year. The families that we met with were describing a situation where, in addition to everything that’s happening in various parts of the country around conflict – and we do know that conflict is the main driver of the crisis – that wasn’t the case with the families that we met. They also faced challenges when it comes to climate dynamics and challenges.  

We were in fields looking at crops that have been harvested, but we were also looking at earth dams that have been washed away earlier this year as a result of flooding in the past. And so, there’s a precarious reality for vulnerable farming households that needs attention. 

I think it’s really important to understand that the situation of those in acute food insecurity is nuanced and different by specific location and locality. But for me, the main takeaway from the engagement with these communities was that I saw production taking place.  

We saw ripe tomatoes being harvested and going into local markets – again a reminder that it’s possible to do impactful, life-changing, lifesaving work, even in challenging environments.  

UN News: Sudan is very fertile, and like you said, there’s a lot of potential for food production. But obviously there are reasons preventing farmers from reaching their lands. Can you give us some of those main reasons?  

Rein Paulsen: If we look particularly at the situation over this last year, conflict is clearly the main driver when it comes to the current hunger crisis and food insecurity.  

Nine out of ten people facing emergency food insecurity are in the conflict hotspots, so in Darfur, the Kordofan region, the Khartoum area, and recently also in Al Jazeera state which is often described as the breadbasket in terms of production nationally. 

We’ve also heard reports from farmers about inability to access their plots of land. And for us, as a specialised technical agency, it’s not just about giving inputs to farmers. We also provide technical assistance, but they obviously need access to their land to prepare it.  

They need access to the land to plant and to monitor and surveil their crops, and then to be able to harvest. This issue of being able to access farming land is key and a major priority and concern.  

UN News: You spoke earlier about agricultural support to mitigate the food insecurity crisis. Can this still be effective even as the conflict rages on?  

Rein Paulsen: We’ve been able to demonstrate that it’s possible to deliver at scale, even in very challenging circumstances. Just last year, FAO supported more than five million Sudanese people with emergency agricultural assistance.  

We provided to more than a million farming households more than 10,000 metric tonnes of key seeds, including sorghum, millet, as well as okra. And we did that across 15 states. It was only in West Darfur and Central Darfur that we had challenges in terms of delivery. 

So, it’s possible to deliver at scale, and in terms of access, it’s possible to work. Obviously, the situation is very dynamic, and we do hope and request and continue to work with all of the actors and stakeholders. 

This year, our plan is to support more than 10 million Sudanese people with emergency agricultural assistance. The plans are ambitious but fully justified in line with the evolving situation. I would say funding is a very real challenge, and we need to be guided by evidence, we need to be focused on those contexts and situations where we have high levels of acute food insecurity, and there needs to be funding commensurate with the level of needs that exist. And we strongly feel that Sudan merits and deserves a lot more attention than it’s currently receiving.  

Retaliatory spiral in Middle East must end, says UN chief after strikes on Iran

“The Secretary-General condemns any act of retaliation and appeals to the international community to work together to prevent any further development that could lead to devastating consequences for the entire region and beyond,” he said in a statement issued by his Office.

Echoing those concerns, UN atomic energy agency chief Rafael Grossi urged “extreme restraint” from all sides, after more than six and a half months of war in Gaza that have fuelled fears of a wider regional conflict. Echoing those concerns, UN atomic energy agency chief Rafael Grossi called for “extreme restraint” from all sides, after more than six and a half months of war in Gaza that have fuelled fears of a wider regional conflict.

“IAEA can confirm that there is no damage to Iran’s nuclear sites…Director-General Grossi “continues to call for extreme restraint from everybody and reiterates that nuclear facilities should never be a target in military conflicts,” the International Atomic Energy Agency said in a tweet, after unconfirmed media reports that possible drone strikes had targeted the Iranian province of Isfahan, which is home to nuclear facilities and military garrisons. 

In Geneva, too, the UN human rights office (OHCHR) urged all parties “to take steps to de-escalate the situation” rapidly. 

“(We) call on third States, in particular those with influence, to do all in their power to ensure there is no further deterioration in an already extremely precarious situation,” said OHCHR spokesperson Jeremy Laurence.

Hunger and fear

In Gaza, aid teams offered new insight into the dangers faced by Palestinian civilians – particularly pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers – as a result of the “wanton destruction” of vital medical equipment and widespread “dehydration, malnutrition and fear” among Palestinians.

Speaking to journalists in Geneva, Dominic Allen, Representative for the UN Population Fund (UNFPA) for the State of Palestine, said that there were indications that the number of complicated births is nearly twice what it was before war erupted.

“There is absolutely an increase in the numbers,” he said, adding that pre-war, around 15 per cent of births required some form of emergency obstetric care. Today, some doctors have reported “a doubling of what they previously had dealt with and this is due to malnutrition, dehydration and fear, which impact the pregnant woman’s ability to give birth safely and carry their baby to full term safely”, the UNFPA official said.

‘Wanton destruction’

Mr. Allen described his latest mission to Gaza to assess the impact of Israeli attacks on healthcare at embattled hospitals in the north, central and southern governorates.

It was clear that the last remaining hospitals in the enclave including its second-largest, Nasser Hospital, are “clinging to life themselves whilst they are a lifeline for the pregnant women of Gaza”, Mr. Allen insisted, via video link from Jerusalem. “What I saw, it breaks my heart…It’s indescribable. What we see there is, medical equipment, purposefully broken; ultrasounds – which you will know is a very important tool for helping ensure safe births – with cables that have been cut, screens of complex medical equipment like ultrasounds and other with the screens smashed. So, purposeful, wanton destruction in the maternity ward.”

Before intense Israeli bombardment began in response to Hamas-led terror attacks across southern Israel on 7 October, Nasser Hospital in the southern city of Khan Younis had a maternity ward which UNFPA teams have supported and supplied for years.

In order to be fully functional again the hospital will need reconditioned water and sanitation services and repairs to damaged electricity generators, at a bare minimum. “But I stood beside the warehouse (where) we delivered supplies many months ago and it was literally burning; there’s so much work to do in terms of trying to re-establish that lifeline,” Mr. Allen said.

‘Palpable’ fear

The UNFPA mission which began on Monday 8 April and ended this Wednesday was carried out in partnership with the UN World Health Organization (WHO), the UN aid coordination office, OCHA, and the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA).

The objective was to visit around 10 hospitals in Gaza, among them Al Aqsa Hospital in central Gaza which was “overwhelmed with trauma patients” and not supporting maternity care. 

At Emirati Hospital in the south of the enclave, Mr. Allen recounted meeting the medical director of the facility who said that  “he no longer sees normal-sized babies”.

Turning to Rafah and continuing fears of an Israeli incursion, the UNFPA officer underscored the “great sense of fear” hanging over the more than 1.2 million people sheltering there.

“There is a palpable fear from the Gazans who I spoke with – the midwives, doctors, pregnant women, my fellow colleagues, who are in Gaza…Right now it’s a haven for 1.2 million Gazans; it’s not a safe haven, but it’s a haven at least.”

Guterres appeals for maximum restraint in the Middle East

“Failure to make progress towards a two-State solution will only increase volatility and risk for hundreds of millions of people across the region, who will continue to live under the constant threat of violence,” he said.

Regional conflict, global impact 

With the Middle East “on a precipice”, he appealed for maximum restraint, warning against the far-reaching consequences. 

“One miscalculation, one miscommunication, one mistake, could lead to the unthinkable – a full-scale regional conflict that would be devastating for all involved – and for the rest of the world,” he said. 

Mr. Guterres reiterated his strong condemnation for Iran’s large-scale attack on Israel on Saturday, and an earlier assault on the Iranian consulate in Damascus which Tehran attributed to Israel, saying “it is high time to end the bloody cycle of retaliation.” 

End Gaza hostilities 

Stressing that the international community must work together to prevent any actions that could push the entire Middle East over the edge, he highlighted the need for diplomacy that would lead to de-escalation, starting with Gaza. 

“Ending the hostilities in Gaza would significantly defuse tensions across the region,” Mr. Guterres said, repeating his call for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire and the immediate release of all hostages held in the enclave.

“The horrific terror attacks by Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups on 7 October, including mass killings, the use of sexual violence, torture, and the taking of hostages, were an intolerable denial of the most basic values of humanity, and a breach of the most fundamental rules of international law,” he added.

 ‘Humanitarian hellscape’ 

Meanwhile, nearly seven months of Israeli military operations in Gaza “have created a humanitarian hellscape”. Tens of thousands have been killed, including more than 13,800 children, and two million Palestinians are now living under the threat of famine.

Israel recently made several commitments to improve aid delivery, he said. For example, three convoys from the World Food Programme (WFP) were authorized to use the Erez Crossing into northern Gaza to deliver food parcels and wheat flour over a three-day period this week.

Yet, “apparent progress in one area is often cancelled out by delays and restrictions elsewhere”, meaning that “the impact is limited, and sometimes nil.” 

‘Quantum leap’ in aid 

The Secretary-General called for “a quantum leap in humanitarian aid” to avert imminent famine in Gaza, and further preventable deaths from disease.

Conditions on the ground must also be addressed so that humanitarian agencies can safely deliver aid, he added, noting that nearly 250 aid workers have been killed, including more than 180 UN personnel.

“Delivering aid at scale requires Israel’s full and active facilitation of humanitarian operations, including through a functioning humanitarian notification system – and improved and direct communications between humanitarians and military decisionmakers on the ground,” he said.

West Bank violence 

Mr. Guterres also highlighted “the explosive situation” in the occupied West Bank.  More than 450 Palestinians, including 112 children, have been killed since 7 October. Seventeen Israelis, including a child, have also been killed there and in Israel during the same period.

Additionally, the reported killing of a 14-year-old Israeli boy over the weekend sparked a new wave of armed settler attacks against at least 37 Palestinian villages. Four Palestinians were killed, including a 17-year-old boy. 

“The backdrop to this appalling surge in violence is the continued expansion of Israeli settlements – in themselves a violation of international law – and repeated large-scale Israeli operations in Palestinian areas,” he said. 

Condemning the violence, Mr. Guterres urged Israel to take immediate steps to end the unprecedented levels of settler violence, hold perpetrators to account, and protect the Palestinian population from attacks, violence and intimidation. 

Blue Line, Red Sea 

Efforts towards regional de-escalation must also address the extremely fraught situation in Lebanon, particularly along the Blue Line which marks the frontier between the south of the country and northern Israel, Mr. Guterres continued.

“Exchanges of fire between Israeli forces and Hezbollah are exacting a mounting toll on civilian communities in Israel and Lebanon. Dozens of civilians have been killed and tens of thousands displaced on both sides of the Blue Line,” he said, appealing for restraint. 

He also drew attention to the crisis in the Red Sea, where Houthi rebels in Yemen continue to launch attacks against merchant and commercial ships, disrupting global trade.

He urged the international community to unite to prevent escalation in the Red Sea, adding that the people of Yemen must be supported in their efforts towards a just and sustainable peace. 

Ziad Abu Amr, Special Representative of the President of the State of Palestine, addresses the Security Council meeting on the situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question.
UN Photo/Eskinder Debebe

Ziad Abu Amr, Special Representative of the President of the State of Palestine, addresses the Security Council meeting on the situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question.

Palestine: Support full UN Membership 

The Special Representative of the Palestinian President, Ziad Abu Amr, said the plight of the Palestinian people started over a century ago and is still ongoing.  

“We are still longing to practice our right to self-determination to live in freedom, security and peace in an independent State, similar to other countries around the world. We have made and continue to make great sacrifices to achieve this goal,” he told the Council. 

He said granting Palestine full membership at the UN will lift some of the historic injustices that succeeding generations of Palestinians have been subjected to. 

The decision will also be an important pillar to achieve peace in the region because the Palestinian-Israeli conflict in its different dimensions now extends beyond the borders of Palestine and Israel and impacts other parts of the Middle East and the world.  

“Therefore, we believe that it is high time for the Security Council to shoulder its historic responsibility to give justice to the Palestinian people by adopting a resolution to accept Palestine as a full member of the United Nations,” he said. 

“Those who are trying to disrupt and hinder the adoption of such a resolution, they are not helping the prospects of peace between Palestinians and Israelis and the prospects for peace in the Middle East in general,” he added. 

Council due to vote on Palestinian membership 

The Security Council is due to vote in just a few hours’ time in New York on whether to recommend Palestine for full membership, which if approved, would then go to the wider General Assembly. Read our full explainer here on Palestine’s decades-long bid. 

Turning to Gaza, Mr. Abu Amr said the comprehensive war waged by Israel has claimed the lives of over 35,000 Palestinians and wounded 80,000, mostly women, children and the elderly, and the majority of the enclave has been destroyed. 

“Gaza will come back. What will be destroyed is the occupation,” he said. 

“We call on you today more than ever, to swiftly intervene and take the necessary measures to compel Israel to put an end to its aggression, to allow the delivery of humanitarian assistance to a starving people, to immediately withdraw from the Gaza Strip, to comply with international law and the resolutions of international legitimacy.” 

Ambassador Gilad Erdan of Israel addresses the Security Council meeting on the situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question.
UN Photo/Manuel Elías

Ambassador Gilad Erdan of Israel addresses the Security Council meeting on the situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question.

A ‘sick reward’: Israel 

Israeli Ambassador Gilad Erdan chastised the Council for not meeting even once to discuss ways to advance the release of the hostages held in Gaza or issuing condemnations against the “heinous 7 October massacre” by Hamas. 

“Rather than condemning Hamas’s atrocities or taking action, real action, to bring our hostages home, this Council will be voting upon a resolution to recommend granting the Palestinian Authority full membership status,” he said. 

He stated that the resolution will have zero positive impact for any party, cause destruction for years to come and harm any chance for future dialogue. 

Mr. Erdan said six months after the most brutal massacre of Jews since the Holocaust, the Security Council was seeking to reward the supporters and perpetrators with Statehood. 

“The child-murdering Hamas rapists are watching this meeting and they are smiling. There is no bigger prize for terror than today’s meeting,” he said. 

He also listed the criteria for admission to the UN, whose membership is open to all peace-loving States. 

“The Palestinian Authority has absolutely no control over Gaza. You all know it; everyone knows it,” he said. “So, who is the Council voting to recognize today and give full membership status to: Hamas in Gaza? Palestinian Islamic Jihad in Nablus? Who is going to be in charge?” 

He said that while this alone “is grounds enough to reject this sick reward for Palestinian terror,” the Palestinian Authority “is the opposite of a peace-loving entity” as it has not condemned the 7 October attacks.

Ambassador Robert A. Wood of the United States addresses the Security Council meeting on the situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question.
UN Photo/Manuel Elías

Ambassador Robert A. Wood of the United States addresses the Security Council meeting on the situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question.

New US sanctions on Iran

United States Deputy Permanent Ambassador Robert Wood condemned Iran’s direct attack on Israel, which his country had helped to foil.

“It is vital that the international community is united in condemning Iran’s reckless escalatory acts, which pose a direct threat to international peace and security, destabilize the region, and endanger its own people,” he said.

In response, the United States announced new sanctions against several officials connected to Iran’s drone programme, as well as suppliers and customers of one of its largest steel producers, and automobile companies.

The Security Council must also not let Iran’s actions go unanswered, he continued. 

He said evidence is clear that Iran has armed militant group Hezbollah. It has also armed, facilitated and enabled Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and on vessels in the Red Sea, all in clear violation of Council resolutions. 

Additionally, Iran has transferred Shahed one-way attack drones used in attacks against multiple UN Member States.

“Iran has provided significant funding and training for the military wing of Hamas, which as we know, perpetrated unspeakable acts of cruelty on October 7 against Israelis, Americans, and citizens from countries all over the world. This longstanding Iranian support continues to contribute to the current crisis in Gaza,” he added. 

Meanwhile, the US continues to work towards an immediate and sustainable ceasefire in Gaza, he said, as part of a deal to release the hostages and deliver additional, increased humanitarian aid to Palestinian civilians. 

Mr. Wood noted that his country is committed to achieving credible, timebound, and irreversible steps toward a two-State solution between Israelis and Palestinians. 

Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian of Iran addresses the Security Council meeting on the situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question.
UN Photo/Eskinder Debebe

Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian of Iran addresses the Security Council meeting on the situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question.

Iran: Israel attack ‘necessary’

The Foreign Minister of Iran, Dr. Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, said the 1 April attack on the country’s embassy in Damascus showed yet again that Israel does not hesitate to violate the fundamental immunity of diplomatic premises and personnel.

He regretted that the Council had not taken any action in response to Iran’s official and repeated requests to prevent further Israeli attacks on its interests. 

Iran recently had also shown considerable restraint, he added, but “was faced with the continuation of the White House’s green light granted to the Israeli regime as well as the continued inaction of the Security Council in preventing these attacks.”

Therefore, the attack on Israel last weekend “was first and foremost necessary, because Iran had no other option,” he said, adding that operations focused solely on two Israeli military bases used in the embassy attack.

“Iran’s legitimate defence and countermeasures have been concluded. Therefore, the terrorist Israeli regime must be compelled to stop any further military adventurism against our interests,” he said.

Mr. Amir-Abdollahian assured the Council of Iran’s commitment to promoting regional peace and stability.

He said the Council “must compel the rogue and rebel regime of Israel to immediately stop the war and genocide in Gaza.” 

World News in Brief: Rights chief Türk urges peace in DR Congo, Haiti aid update, food insecurity in Timor Leste

The huge central African nation has seen years of violence in the restive but resources-rich east, which have uprooted millions of people – some 2.7 million in North Kivu alone and more than seven million nationally.

“What breaks my heart is to see a population exhausted by violence, exhausted by conflict, exhausted by the horrors of their daily life”, Mr. Türk told journalists on Thursday in the capital Kinshasa.

“They need to have a future. They need to see a future. And we all need to work towards that.”

Mr. Türk noted that although the DRC “is one of the richest countries in the world” because of its immense natural resources, “this wealth is unfortunately not available to the population because there is violence”.

Over 25 million people need humanitarian help in the DRC and UN humanitarians have warned that epidemics are rampant – particularly cholera, with 50,000 suspected cases and 470 deaths in 2023, the worst since 2017.

Measles cases have more than doubled too, to over 320,000, with deaths tripling to over 6,000 last year.

UN continuing to reach thousands in Haiti with critical assistance

The UN and aid partners are continuing to reach hundreds of thousands of people with critical assistance, amid ongoing violence in the capital, Port-au-Prince.  

The World Food Programme (WFP) reported their staff were able to reach more than 18,000 people with cash transfers on Wednesday and 210,000 children across the country received a school meal, said UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric.

As part of the agency’s emergency response, food rations were distributed to about 8,000 people.

Gangs in the capital control from 80 to 90 per cent of the streets which has fuelled a socio-economic crisis stemming from years of political turmoil culminating in the recent resignation of Prime Minister Ariel Henry, who was forced out of office last month.

More than 360,000 have been displaced across Haiti and around 100,000 are living in temporary sites in deplorable conditions.

Unprecedented rights violations

Human rights chief Volker Türk said earlier this month the scale of violations “is unprecedented in Haiti’s modern history” with gangs attacking police station, prisons, public buildings and carrying out murders and kidnappings.

Sexual violence is pervasive and more than 5.5 million Haitians, mainly children, are dependent on aid. With around 44 per cent of the population food insecure, conditions are too dangerous to scale up assistance at scale.

Despite the ongoing crisis, WFP is managing to distribute hot meals to over 13,000 of those most in need across Port-au-Prince.

Runaway inflation, climate shocks, rising prices rock Timor Leste

A new report on food insecurity across Timor Leste released on Thursday reveals deteriorating levels of food insecurity in 12 of the Southeast Asian nation’s 14 municipalities.

The country is suffering through the highest inflation rate in a decade, successive climate shocks and soaring food prices.

An estimated 360,000 people, around one in four of the population, are grappling with crisis levels of food insecurity (IPC Phase 3 or above); of which 18,500 people are facing emergency conditions (IPC Phase 4), said WFP.

The situation is predicted to worsen from May to September during the post-harvest season, when food access normally improves.

“The 2024 Acute IPC Analysis provides the government with vital findings that will enable us to plan targeted support for communities in urgent need of food assistance, and to improve food security overall”, said Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Forestry, Marcos da Cruz.

WFP Country Director and Representative for Timor-Leste Alba Cecilia Garzon Olivares said that with intensifying climate shocks and record inflation, the latest IPC Analysis makes it clear “urgent action is required now to avert a further deterioration in Timor-Leste’s food insecurity”.

“WFP remains committed to supporting the government and other partners in reversing this trend and strengthening nutrition-sensitive social protection systems.”

The IPC Analysis uses a set of internationally recognized tools and procedures to estimate the food insecurity situation in any given country. Check out our full explainer here.

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