Africa

Following is UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ message on the occasion of Africa Day, observed on 25 May:

On Thursday, Israeli residents set fire twice to the perimeter of the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) headquarters in occupied East Jerusalem, while UNRWA and other UN agencies’ staff were on the compound. This is the second appalling incident against UNRWA in less than a week.

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres today announced the appointment of Barrie Freeman of the United States as his new Deputy Special Representative for West Africa and the Sahel (UNOWAS).

In Zambia, the UN and partners have launched an $228 million appeal to assist 4.6 million people this year after the Government there declared a national drought disaster at the end of February. The driest agricultural season in over 40 years has left over 9 million people, nearly half the population, food insecure.

In a joint statement today, more than 190 organizations, including UN agencies, appealed for sustained support for the more than 18 million people in need in Yemen, warning that the 2024 humanitarian appeal for the country is only 16 per cent funded, with only $400 million received of the total $2.7 billion needed.

In Madagascar, following the passage of Tropical Cyclone Gamane in late March, the United Nations continues to support the Government-led response. Focusing on the health response due to the risk of epidemics, humanitarian organizations have provided medicine, mosquito nets and water purification products.

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

The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugeess (UNHCR) today launched its Climate Resilience Fund, seeking to raise $100 million by 2025 to boost the protection of refugees and displaced communities who are most threatened by climate change.

The security situation in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo is deteriorating as fighting escalates between the 23 March Movement (M23) rebel group and the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (FARDC), and that country trades accusations with neighbouring Rwanda over alleged support for proxies in the ongoing conflict, the UN’s top official in the region warned the Security Council today.

Following are UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed’s remarks, as prepared for delivery, at the tenth session of the Africa Regional Forum on Sustainable Development 2024, in Addis Ababa today: