Afghanistan

Following is the text of UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ video message to the start of intra-Afghan negotiations, in Doha today:

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) are helping the Government of Cambodia with distance learning programmes for the more than 3 million students who are out of school due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

A survey by the United Nations Children’s Fund found that 535,500 children in Burkina Faso under five years old are acutely malnourished, including 156,000 who suffer from severe acute malnutrition and are at imminent risk of death.  Community health workers have been mobilized to screen and treat children in the most remote areas.

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

In Yemen, the United Nations and its aid partners report they have distributed emergency food, hygiene kits and other essential items to over 7,600 families impacted by deadly floods and torrential rains that destroyed homes, crops and livestock in July and August. An estimated 62,000 families have been affected.

With the formal launch of peace negotiations imminent, the United Nations top official in Afghanistan warned the Security Council during a 3 September videoconference meeting that near-record violence in the country is creating an atmosphere of mistrust that risks derailing long-sought talks between the Government and the Taliban.

Millions of refugees across Eastern Africa who rely on the World Food Programme (WFP) to survive will face serious hunger and malnutrition, the agency warned today, citing reduced donor funding due to the socioeconomic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.  WFP needs $323 million to assist refugees over the next six months.

Fighting in Afghanistan’s Kunduz Province has displaced 52,000 people since 16 August following attacks by a non-State armed group and responsive strikes by national security forces.  A surge of United Nations staff is under way to boost humanitarian capacity in Kunduz and a joint assessment team was deployed.

The following Security Council press statement was issued today by Council President Dian Triansyah Djani (Indonesia):

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