Africa

A new report by the Food and Agriculture Organization and the World Food Programme warns that acute food insecurity is deepening in 16 hunger hotspots, which threatens to drive millions more into famine or risk of famine. Of highest concern are Haiti, Mali, Palestine, South Sudan, Sudan and Yemen.

The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) reports that this year, more than 42,000 refugees have returned home voluntarily in the West and Central Africa region, bringing the total to more than 272,000 since 2021. The majority have returned to Nigeria and the Central African Republic.

Following is UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ message for Africa Industrialization Day, observed on 20 November:

Following is the text of UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ video message for the Conference in Support of Peace and Prosperity in the Great Lakes Region, in Paris today:

The African Union Peace and Security Council and the members of the United Nations Security Council held their nineteenth Annual Joint Consultative Meeting at the African Union Headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on 17 October 2025.

With the world’s youngest population, abundant natural resources and infinite opportunities for growth, unlocking Africa’s potential requires global solidarity, renewed investments and a level financial playing field, the General Assembly heard today, as it met to discuss the New Partnership for Africa’s Development.

A senior United Nations official told the Security Council today that there is “real hope” for a ceasefire in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, outlining several key priorities, including addressing the root causes of conflict, such as illegal resource exploitation and weak governance.

The World Food Programme (WFP) warned that women, children and displaced families are hardest hit by Haiti’s prolonged crisis, which is driving hunger and malnutrition. A record of 5.7 million people - 51 per cent of the population - are experiencing acute levels of hunger, a 3 per cent increase from last year.

In Chad, the UN Emergency Relief Coordinator has allocated $1 million from the Central Emergency Response Fund for an urgent response to the deadly cholera outbreak in the country. The funding aims to contain the spread of the disease — mainly by improving access to water and sanitation, and providing medical support.

From Sudan to the Democratic Republic of the Congo and beyond, complex, interconnected threats continue to drive conflicts across Africa, the Secretary-General’s Special Representative to the African Union told the Security Council today, calling for stronger multilateral cooperation in support of security in one of the world’s youngest and most dynamic continents.