The United Nations Secretary-General, António Guterres, arrived in Havana, Cuba, from New York, early on Thursday afternoon, 14 September.

The head of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) said today that the tragedy in Libya highlights the devastating consequences of extreme weather on fragile States. A new multi-agency report, coordinated by WMO, systematically examines the impact of climate change on the Sustainable Development Goals.

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres appointed Francisco Pichon of Colombia as the United Nations Resident Coordinator in Cuba, with the host Government’s approval.  He will take up his post on 12 November.

The General Assembly, acting without a vote, today adopted a resolution calling on all States which have not yet signed onto the Rome Statute — the international treaty that created the International Criminal Court at a conference in Rome in 1998 — to contemplate joining without delay.

The World Health Organization’s new report noted that, in this decade, almost 500 million people will develop heart disease, obesity, diabetes or other noncommunicable diseases due to physical inactivity. If Governments do not urgently encourage more physical activity, costs for this could reach $27 billion annually.

The United Nations team in Cuba launched a $42 million Plan of Action to support authorities to address the needs of people impacted by Hurricane Ian. The plan is expected to benefit almost 800,000 people and includes $3.7 million repurposed from the team’s funding and an additional $7.8 million from the Central Emergency Response Fund.

United Nations emergency efforts to boost Cuba’s response to Hurricane Ian are moving ahead. A combination of emergency funds from United Nations entities and their pre-positioned items are available to authorities, totaling $6.8 million.

Angela Merkel, the former Chancellor of Germany, was announced today as the recipient of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees’ (UNHCR) 2022 Nansen Refugee Award. The award is given to an individual, group or organization that has worked to protect refugees, internally displaced or stateless people.

The United Nations has been stepping up efforts in Cabo Verde to support authorities to mitigate the impacts of climate change. Across three islands, the Organization has supported the creation of 1,000 jobs in 24 rural communities.

In Cuba, the United Nations took part in the consultation process to make reforms to the country’s Family Code. Almost 75 per cent of Cubans voted on 25 September in a referendum on the diversity of families, affection and solidarity as key social values and strengthening the protection of a host of vulnerable groups.