Central African Republic

In Paris, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is having three days of events to mark World Philosophy Day, including a Night of Philosophy, a presentation of digitized philosophy archives and a talk about Barbara Cassin, initiator of the International Network of Women Philosophers.

Unanimously adopting resolution 2446 (2018), the Security Council today extended the mandate of the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA) for one month until 15 December, with the mandate being maintained as set out in resolution 2387 (2017).

UNICEF has warned that many children traveling in Mexico with the migrant caravan are showing signs of anguish and psychosocial distress, with some expressing fear of violence or separation from their families.  Other children are finding it difficult to play and engage in recreational activities.

Over the past month, more than 347,000 Congolese people have been forced to return to the Democratic Republic of the Congo from Angola.  Most are staying with families or at temporary sites in Kamako, in the Kasai.  The United Nations and aid partners are providing health services, water, sanitation, shelter and food.

While the United Nations presence in the Central African Republic has achieved some of its immediate goals – preventing a return to civil war and stopping a coup d’état – much work is needed to stabilize the country’s security situation, combat armed groups and support millions in need of humanitarian assistance, the Organization’s senior official told the Security Council today.

The United Nations agencies in Mexico have staff in place, with more to be deployed in the coming days, to cooperate closely with local and federal authorities, among others, to attend to migrant needs in Tapachula, Chiapas and nearby towns.

Amid a relatively calm and peaceful security situation in Darfur, the African Union-United Nations Hybrid Operation there has embarked earnestly on its drawdown and is in the process of relocating its headquarters from El Fasher to Zalingei, Mission Head Jeremiah Mamabolo reported to the Security Council this morning.

The UN refugee agency today drew attention to a collapsing health situation among refugees and asylum-seekers at off-shore facilities in Papua New Guinea and Nauru, calling on the Government of Australia to urgently act to prevent a further tragedy to people forcibly transferred under its off-shore processing policy.

The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) reports that it has managed, for the first time since civil war broke out in South Sudan almost five years ago, to send a food-assistance boat convoy up the Sobat River, a tributary of the White Nile in the Upper Nile region, with enough food to sustain 40,000 people for one month.

One week after the earthquake and tsunami that hit Central Sulawesi in Indonesia, the humanitarian country team has launched a $50 million response plan.  The United Nations resident coordinator there said the plan will provide immediate relief items, and the logistical support needed to provide aid to those in need.