The United Nations Mission in South Sudan welcomes yesterday’s announcement by President Salva Kiir of the appointment of Riek Machar as First Vice-President. However, the Mission is concerned by reports of clashes and ongoing tensions between the parties in Upper Nile, and by violence between communities in Jonglei.
In progress at UNHQ
Noon Briefings
The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights today expressed his “utmost alarm” at the rapidly worsening ““grotesque” situation in and around Aleppo and other parts of Syria, where he said that shocking violations and abuses are being committed on a daily basis. He condemned those acts unequivocally.
The Secretary-General today told an informal stakeholder meeting on the General Assembly’s upcoming special session on the world drug problem. He said illicit drugs continue to promote violence, endanger communities and undermine health, and that the problem is linked to corruption, terrorism and illicit flows of money.
The Secretary-General launched his report One Humanity: Shared Responsibility this morning, ahead of the World Humanitarian Summit, to be held in Istanbul, Turkey, in May. It urges leaders to assume their responsibility to prevent and end conflicts, and States to uphold the norms that safeguard humanity.
The Secretary-General spoke this morning at a special event on eliminating female genital mutilation (FGM) by 2030. He called for the focus to be shifted away from mutilation to education and a world where FGM stands for “Focus on Girls’ Minds”.
The Humanitarian Coordinator in South Sudan voiced concern over the legislature’s passing of the Non-Governmental Organizations’ (NGO) Bill, which limits foreign aid workers in the country. He said he was concerned that its adoption would have wide-ranging and negative ramifications on humanitarian operations.
The United Nations mission in the Central African Republic has identified seven new possible victims of sexual exploitation and abuse in Bambari. The soldiers implicated are from Congo and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Their Governments have been notified and asked to launch investigations.
Aid organizations expressed concern today over the thousands of mainly elderly and vulnerable Ukrainian citizens facing daily difficulties in crossing the so-called “contact” line. Neal Walker, Humanitarian Coordinator in Ukraine, said increased hostilities could expose civilians to violence, mines and unexploded munitions.
The United Nations has released $8 million from the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) for severely underfunded aid operations in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. The funds will help to provide life-saving assistance for more than 2.2 million of the most vulnerable people at risk of malnutrition.
A total of 849 Iraqis were killed and another 1,450 wounded in acts of terrorism, violence and armed conflict in January, according to figures released today by the United Nations in Baghdad. The figures showed that Baghdad Governorate was the worst affected, with 1,084 civilian casualties, including about 300 killed.