Citing an “apocalyptic” situation in northern Gaza, delegates in the Fourth Committee (Special Political and Decolonization) today reaffirmed their funding commitments and support for UNRWA’s life-saving work and urged the Israeli Knesset to stop its attempts to dismantle the Agency, as that could fuel “hopelessness and radicalization”, and lead to a humanitarian catastrophe.
Despite pledges to slash methane emissions by 30 per cent by 2030 — key to getting global warming under control, only 1 per cent of the Methane Alert and Response System in the past year were responded to, a UN Environment Programme report released today states. The system is an untapped opportunity for climate action.
In Haiti, over 4,300 people were forced to flee their homes in Port-au-Prince and neighbouring towns since 10 November, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) reports. Starting today, the World Food Programme (WFP) is delivering assistance to over 50,000 internally displaced people in the capital Port-au-Prince.
The Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian and Cultural) sent nine draft resolutions to the General Assembly today, including texts on the elimination of violence against women and girls, the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination and the report of the Human Rights Council.
The Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian and Cultural) approved 11 draft resolutions today, including texts on the right to food, the right to development, refugee protection and the impact of unilateral coercive measures on humanitarian assistance.
Joyce Msuya, Acting Emergency Relief Coordinator, has allocated $5 million from the Central Emergency Response Fund for early action for drought in Somalia, which, according to local authorities, national partners and UN humanitarian colleagues, faces a 70 per cent likelihood of La Niña-induced drought and reduced rainfall.
Speakers urged the Security Council today to prevent northern Gaza’s descent into famine amid relentless death and destruction, as the 15-member body convened an emergency meeting in response to experts’ warnings that immediate action is required within “days, not weeks” to avert the scourge.
In Gaza, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs reports that access to North Gaza Governorate is still extremely limited. It is worried about the fate of Palestinians remaining there, as the siege continues, and calls on Israel to open up the area to humanitarian operations at the scale needed.
The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs reported that in Gaza City, along with UN partners, mental health and psychosocial support services are being provided to tens of thousands of people and solid waste that has piled up along Tareq bin Zeyad Street is being picked up.
The just released UN Environment Programme’s Adaptation Gap Report says that nations must dramatically increase climate adaptation efforts and urgently close the $187-359 billion per year gap that exists between adaptation finance needs and current international public adaptation finance flows.
