Africa

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:

The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs reports that ongoing hostilities in Gaza, the destruction of roads and the prevalence of unexploded ordnance continue to pose significant risks for humanitarian workers. These challenges are also impeding the movement of aid supplies across the Gaza Strip.

Following is the text of UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ video message to the third session of the Permanent Forum of People of African Descent, in Geneva today:

Lomé is set to host a pivotal gathering of West and Central African countries to review progress made and to set priorities for tackling illicit small arms and light weapons. The Regional Preparatory Meeting for the Fourth Review Conference on the United Nations Programme of Action to Prevent, Combat and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All Its Aspects (UN PoA) and its International Tracing Instrument is set to take place from 29 February to 1 March.

The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) released a report today on how attacks on Red Sea shipping are reshaping global trade routes. Higher fuel consumption from rerouted trade could result in a 70 per cent rise in greenhouse-gas emissions for these trips, and shipping costs have skyrocketed.

The UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) is strengthening its presence near the borders with Sudan, and peacekeepers are intensifying their patrols in Abiemnom County in Ruweng State and in Mayom County. A priority is to enhance security along the main supply route, which is vital for the transport of humanitarian aid.

Following are UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed’s remarks on the occasion of the Italy-Africa Summit, in Rome today: