In Syria, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs today expressed concern about the impact on civilians of escalating hostilities in the north-west of the country — as well as the potential for the violence to jeopardize cross-border missions by United Nations staff.
Sudan
The following Security Council press statement was issued today by Council President José Javier De La Gasca (Ecuador):
In Gaza, over 500,000 people are facing unprecedented catastrophic hunger and starvation, according to an analysis by the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification, which includes data from the World Food Programme (WFP) and other UN agencies. WFP warns that Gaza now risks famine.
In Sudan, the World Food Programme (WFP) announced today that it is temporarily suspending food assistance in some parts of Al Jazirah state, as fighting has spread south and east of the capital, Khartoum
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) said today that 65 journalists have been killed in the line of duty in 2023, compared with 88 in 2022. The Head of UNESCO said that this drop conceals an alarming phenomenon: an increase in the number killed in conflict zones and more is online.
In Myanmar, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs reports that more than 660,000 people are estimated to have been newly displaced since the escalation of armed conflict on 27 October. Currently, a total of 2.6 million people are displaced across the country.
The following statement was issued today by the Spokesman for UN Secretary-General António Guterres:
Sudan’s representative called on the Security Council today to impose an arms and material transport embargo against rebel forces, invaders and mercenaries, and to lift sanctions on the Government forces, as the 15 member organ received an update from its sanctions committee for that country.
The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) launched a $1.2 billion humanitarian appeal today to support 48 million people with reproductive health and gender-based violence services in 58 countries in 2024. In 2023, UNFPA received only half of its humanitarian funding needs.
In South Sudan, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs warns that more than half of the country’s population is going hungry, and an estimated 1.6 million children are expected to suffer from acute malnutrition through June 2024.