Food

The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) released a report today on how attacks on Red Sea shipping are reshaping global trade routes. Higher fuel consumption from rerouted trade could result in a 70 per cent rise in greenhouse-gas emissions for these trips, and shipping costs have skyrocketed.

The Security Council today concluded its open debate on climate change and food insecurity, with speakers calling for urgent action to address the profound impact of these escalating crises particularly on vulnerable and conflict-affected nations.

With the accelerating climate crisis and multiplying conflicts, over 330 million people were affected by acute food insecurity in 2023, the Secretary-General told the Security Council today, as speakers outlined strategies to break the deadly nexus of hunger, conflict and climate chaos.

Following are UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ remarks for the Security Council high-level open debate on the impact of climate change and food insecurity on the maintenance of international peace and security, in New York today:

The massive humanitarian needs of over 2 million people in Gaza risk deepening, and the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) will likely be forced to close operations by the end of the month if donor funding remains suspended, UNRWA Head Philippe Lazzarini warned today.

In December, the World Food Programme reached more than 975,000 vulnerable people with food aid across Gaza and the West Bank. For its part, the United Nations Children’s Fund has been delivering vital supplies to Gaza, including vaccines, medical supplies, hygiene kits, and ready-to-use infant formula.

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.

In Gaza, over 500,000 people are facing unprecedented catastrophic hunger and starvation, according to an analysis by the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification, which includes data from the World Food Programme (WFP) and other UN agencies. WFP warns that Gaza now risks famine.

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres, World Food Programme (WFP) Executive Director Cindy McCain and Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) Director General Qu Dongyu announced today the appointment of Rania Dagash-Kamara of Sudan as WFP Assistant Executive Director for Partnerships and Resource Mobilization. She succeeds Ute Klamert of Germany, to whom the Secretary-General is grateful for her service and dedication to the organization.

On 11 December, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs will launch its Global Humanitarian Overview for 2024. This is the annual overview of humanitarian trends and needs worldwide — as well as interagency plans to respond to the crises.