Afghanistan

The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees today said it is deeply saddened by reports of the deaths of at least 20 people during a stampede for food and cash in Niger’s Diffa region on Sunday.  The number of victims could rise as more information is received.

Following are UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ remarks to the high-level segment of the International Conference on 40 Years of Hosting Afghan Refugees in Pakistan: A New Partnership for Solidarity, in Islamabad today:

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

Today, the World Food Programme unveiled the “HungerMap LIVE”, a new tool that monitors food security in more than 90 countries and issues predictions for areas from which data is limited.  The HungerMap presents data collected on a continuous basis, as well as metrics on conflict, climate shocks, population and weather.

The United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus announced today the clearance of nine suspected hazardous areas on both sides of the island, amounting to a total area of 210 square meters.  This confidence-building measure was agreed upon by both leaders on 26 February as part of their commitment towards a mine-free Cyprus.

The results of the 28 September presidential election in Afghanistan must be accepted by all stakeholders, especially the candidates, if it is to move forward along a path to sustainable peace, the top United Nations official in that country told the Security Council today.

The Security Council decided today to extend for 12 months the mandate of the team monitoring sanctions against individuals and entities associated with the Taliban, reiterating the need to ensure that the measures contribute to security and reconciliation in Afghanistan.

The Qatar Fund for Development and the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees signed an agreement yesterday under which Qatar will contribute $20.7 million to support Palestine refugees’ access to basic services in Syria.  This contribution brings the Qatar Fund’s total support to the Agency to $40 million.

In a report on Chile published today, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights says that during the recent mass protests and state of emergency the police failed to adhere to international human rights norms and standards relating to management of assemblies and the use of force.

The United Nations and partner organizations today launched the Humanitarian Response Plan 2020 for South Sudan, requesting $1.5 billion to assist 5.6 million people, particularly women and children whose need for aid remains high despite a relative stable period since the Revitalized Peace Agreement was signed last year.