Afghanistan

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

The United Nations country team in South Africa is working with authorities to respond to the recent measles outbreak, including 245 confirmed cases, almost 75 per cent of them children under the age of nine. With funding from Germany and Japan, UNICEF is procuring equipment that will benefit approximately 2,000 health facilities.

In Colombia, the United Nations team has received over $17 million for the multi-donor fund aiding the country’s “Total Peace” initiative, securing 76 per cent of the Fund’s 2023 investment needs to support transitional justice, rural development, reintegration of ex-combatants and security.

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

The Elsie Initiative Fund for Women in Peace Operations announced today the United Nations peacekeeping mission in Mali will receive a nearly $1.5 million grant to build gender-sensitive camp facilities and thus facilitate greater deployment of women police from Nigeria, Senegal and Togo.

Spotlighting the Taliban’s continued suppression of media and civil society, the senior United Nations official in Afghanistan told the Security Council today that all Afghans must be represented and be able to participate in the country’s decision-making processes, underscoring that ongoing dialogue with the de facto authorities is needed to secure a better future for Afghans.

The Security Council, acting under Article VII of the United Nations Charter, decided today to extend for 12 months the mandate of the team monitoring sanctions against individuals and entities associated with the Taliban, as well as other individuals, groups, undertakings and entities associated with the Taliban in constituting a threat to the peace, stability and security of Afghanistan.

In Afghanistan, the United Nations team there continues to support women since the Taliban takeover a year and a half ago. In 2022, the International Labour Organization (ILO) created and sustained nearly 1,700 jobs for women and trained almost 470 women on entrepreneurship and decent work practices.

In Sudan, where humanitarian needs are at a record high, the United Nations Humanitarian Coordinator, Khardiata Lo Ndiaye, today launched the 2023 appeal for $1.7 billion in aid. An estimated 15.8 million people, one third of the population, will need life-saving assistance next year, up 1.5 million from 2022.

Today, the Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs visited Kherson in Ukraine after the Government regained control. In the past month, humanitarian convoys have been bringing to Kherson water, food, medicines, blankets and other essential items, including generators to ensure hospitals and schools continue operating.