In Gaza, United Nations humanitarian colleagues warn that the already catastrophic conditions on the ground are deteriorating even further. The UN continues to receive reports of tents, schools, homes and medical facilities coming under attack, with scores of people killed or injured every single day.
Noon Briefings
In South Sudan, the World Food Programme (WFP) reports that they have begun airdropping emergency food assistance to thousands of people in the Upper Nile State, where surging conflict since March has pushed some communities to the brink of famine.
In Yemen, the two local water authorities in Taiz governorate reached a technical agreement to jointly manage the water supply systems, restoring essential services disrupted for nearly a decade amid conflict and institutional fragmentation.
In its quarterly report released today, the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) documented a surge in violence with a horrific impact especially on women and children. Between January and March, 1,600 people were either killed, injured, abducted or subjected to conflict-related sexual violence.
In Sudan, the Secretary-General’s Personal Envoy for the country is intensifying his good offices efforts to support the de-escalation of the conflict and advance a political solution. He continues to underscore the criticality of scaled-up and more unified diplomatic efforts by the international community to end the war.
A report today by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) notes that there has been a sharp increase in the number of Afghans returning in adverse circumstances from Iran. Over 640,000 Afghans have returned from Iran since the implementation of a return deadline by Tehran on 20 March.
In Ukraine, food insecurity remains a concern in front-line and border regions. A recent assessment by the World Food Programme (WFP) and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) found that the war has devastated livelihoods and quadrupled poverty levels, leaving those most vulnerable at greatest risk.
The Office for Disarmament Affairs and the UN Development Programme today launched the second phase of the Saving-Lives Entity trust fund, SALIENT 2.0. Established in 2020, the fund integrates small arms control and armed violence reduction into national development strategies as part of wider conflict prevention efforts.
The Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees estimates 2.5 million refugees worldwide will need to be resettled in 2026, down from 2.9 million in 2025, even as the global number of refugees continues growing. This is mainly due to the changed situation in Syria, which has allowed for voluntary returns.
A World Meteorological Organization (WMO) report notes that Asia is currently warming twice as fast as the global average. This is fuelling more extreme weather and taking a heavy toll on the region’s economies, ecosystems and societies.