The United Nations Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process told the Security Council today that 14 May was a day of tragedy for the people of Gaza.  He said that there is no justification for the killing, and there is no excuse.

More than 200 children were released by armed groups in South Sudan, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) announced today.  They were among a series of arranged releases of almost 1,000 children over the coming months.  About 19,000 children still serve in the ranks of armed forces and groups in the country.

The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees is increasingly alarmed at the plight of thousands of Central African refugees who have fled to southern Chad since late 2017.  The influx is the biggest since 2014, and is overwhelming the ability of humanitarian agencies to respond.

The Food and Agriculture Organization Food Price Index for February found that rising world prices for staple grains and dairy products more than offset lower prices for vegetable oils, leading global food commodity prices up 1.1 per cent.  FAO also lowered projections for global wheat harvests this year.

The Secretary-General’s envoy in Somalia, Peter de Clercq, expressed deep concern yesterday over reports of the unannounced destruction of settlements housing over 4,000 internally displaced persons and humanitarian infrastructure in Mogadishu.  An assessment was carried out today to establish their immediate needs.

The new Permanent Representative of Chad to the United Nations, Ali Alifei Moustapha, presented his credentials to UN Secretary-General António Guterres today.