Democratic People’s Republic of Korea

The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) today released its monthly Food Price Index for May, which said that world food commodity prices declined amid significant drops in quotations for most cereals, vegetable oils and dairy products.

Following the recently failed launch of what the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea has described as a military reconnaissance satellite, a senior United Nations official today stressed to the Security Council that diplomacy — and not isolation — is the only way forward, as she underlined that the 15-nation organ’s lack of unity and action does little to slow the Korean Peninsula’s negative trajectory.

Today, on World No Tobacco Day, under the theme “Grow food, not tobacco”, the World Health Organization (WHO) is urging Governments to stop subsidizing tobacco farming and support more sustainable crops that could feed millions.

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

Volker Perthes, Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Sudan, is still in Khartoum and is continuing to engage with General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, and other key Member States on the ground in efforts to secure an immediate de-escalation and cessation of the fighting.

While a senior United Nations official today outlined the dangers posed by the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea’s latest missile launch, Security Council members disagreed on the path forward and whether it should include more sanctions.

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

In Somalia, the number of people affected by flooding has reached 175,000 and displaced 140,000. The United Nations and partners are providing food, shelter, cash and hygiene kits to over 100,000 people. However, the $2.6 billion Humanitarian Response Plan for 2023 is only 15 per cent funded.

Since last month’s earthquakes, more than 1,070 trucks have crossed into the north-west of Syria from southern Türkiye, carrying aid provided by seven United Nations agencies. Staff have now completed 37 cross-border missions into the north-west since the first inter-agency visit to Idlib on 14 February.

The Security Council today decided to extend the mandate of the expert panel assisting the committee overseeing its sanctions against the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea until 30 April 2024.