On 21 October, African Union Commission Chairperson Moussa Faki Mahamat and United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres convened the eighth African Union-United Nations Annual Conference in Addis Ababa. They noted with deep concern the current state of peace and security globally, including armed conflicts and humanitarian crises, and in some cases profound disregard for international law and the shared principles of the two organizations.
Following are UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ remarks at the inauguration of the renovated Africa Hall, in Addis Ababa today.
The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs reported that an urgent request to access the Falouja area of Jabalya to help those trapped under the rubble was denied by Israeli authorities for the fourth consecutive day, and teams, in Gaza City, reported that shelter support is urgently needed.
Calling attention to the debt distress, food insecurity and violent conflict plaguing Africa, speakers in the General Assembly today called for heightened multilateral efforts to support the continent as it pursues a transformational agenda.
The UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) is alarmed by reports of a series of violent clashes in the Central Equatoria state, which resulted in the deaths of 24 people, including 19 civilians. UNMISS has intensified patrols across Central Equatoria and is working to access the area and prevent further escalations.
The security situation in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo remains alarming, with the 23 March Movement (M23) rebel group and other armed groups intensifying the conflict and deepening the humanitarian situation, the UN’s top official in the region informed the Security Council today.
The UN Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA) and the UN country team there have intensified efforts to support communities following heavy rains that caused flooding. According to the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, more than 18,000 people in Abyei have been impacted and displaced by the floods.
The partnership between the United Nations and African Union has never been more critical, several senior officials told the Security Council today, as they laid out the myriad challenges facing the continent from the world’s largest forced displacement crisis and numerous instances of political instability to territorial disputes and climate-change-driven insecurity.
New estimates indicate that nearly 67 million people in Eastern Africa are now in need of humanitarian assistance, accounting for more than 20 per cent of the total number of people in need globally. Humanitarians continue to provide assistance to millions of people.
Following are UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ remarks to the Global Africa Business Initiative, in New York today:
