Cyprus

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres announced today the appointment of Major General Erdenebat Batsuuri of Mongolia as Force Commander of the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP).

In Syria, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs today expressed concern about the impact on civilians of escalating hostilities in the north-west of the country — as well as the potential for the violence to jeopardize cross-border missions by United Nations staff.

The new Permanent Representative of Cyprus to the United Nations, Maria Michail, presented her credentials to UN Secretary-General António Guterres today.

The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) reported today that international food commodity prices declined moderately in October. However, persistent conflicts are aggravating food insecurity, and moderating food prices are being countered by weak currencies in many low-income countries.

The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) on 28 August signed an agreement with health authorities to provide midwifery and nursing skill-based education to Afghan women and girls who are currently in Iran.

In Pakistan, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) today warned that, one year after the historic floods that devastated the country, millions of children continue to need humanitarian assistance and access to essential services.

In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the United Nations peacekeeping mission there helped foil an attack by the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) armed group on the village of Luna in North Kivu province.

The following Security Council press statement was issued today by Council President Linda Thomas-Greenfield (United States):

In Haiti, amid intensifying violence, Volker Türk, the High Commissioner for Human Rights, called for urgent action to be taken on the UN Secretary-General’s appeal for a non-United Nations multinational force to support the Haitian police in addressing the grave security situation and restoring the rule of law.

The following statement was issued today by the Spokesman for UN Secretary-General António Guterres: