As fighting in Myanmar between ethnic armed organizations and the Myanmar Armed Forces expands, and humanitarian access is blocked, UN partners on the ground are still providing life-saving assistance wherever possible. The Humanitarian Response Plan for Myanmar, only 28 per cent funded, needs an urgent injection of funding.

In Nepal, UN agencies continue to provide life-saving assistance to meet the most pressing humanitarian needs of thousands of people affected by the earthquake. The UN and its partners have now reached some 21,000 people with water, sanitation and hygiene supplies, and about 20,000 children with education materials.

The Syrian Government has extended permission for the UN to use Bab al-Salam and Al Ra'ee crossings to deliver humanitarian from Türkiye to north-west Syria for three months, until 13 February 2024. Each month, about 2.5 million people are reached with critical assistance and protection services.

The Security Council Working Group on Children and Armed Conflict, in connection with the examination of the fourth report of the Secretary-General on children and armed conflict in Mali (S/2022/856), agreed to address the following messages through a public statement by the Chair of the Working Group:

During its informal consultations held on 10 October 2023, the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 2206 (2015) concerning South Sudan was briefed by Virginia Gamba, Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict.

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the World Health Organization (WHO) warned today that at least 10,000 children in Sudan under the age of five may die by the end of this year due to increased food insecurity and disruptions to essential services since conflict broke out in the country.

On 10 October 2023, the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 2127 (2013) concerning the Central African Republic received a briefing from Virginia Gamba, Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict.

On 10 October 2023, the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 1533 (2004) concerning the Democratic Republic of the Congo [DRC] received a briefing from  Virginia Gamba, Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict.

In Armenia, the UN, led by acting Resident Coordinator Natia Natsvlishvili, is boosting support to national authorities to address the needs of over 100,000 refugees, who recently arrived. The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) continues to distribute locally procured core relief items requested by local municipalities.

The UN Conference on Trade and Development’s newly released Trade and Development Report 2023 warns of a stalling global economy this year, with growth slowing in most regions and only a few countries bucking the trend. The agency calls for a change in policy direction and institutional reforms to avert a lost decade.