Iran

For the first time since 2018, the World Food Programme has been able to send a humanitarian convoy from Kenya directly into South Sudan through the Nadapal Border crossing.  The nine-truck convoy carried 280 metric tons of food, enough to feed 20,000 people for a month.  The route’s reopening cuts travel times in half.

The Secretary-General welcomed the agreement between representatives of the Government of Venezuela and the Advisory Team of the National Assembly on responding to COVID-19.  He encouraged parties to respect humanitarian principles in implementing the accord and to continue seeking common ground to overcome the protracted crisis.

The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), in partnership with Ted-Ed, today launched an online “Earth School” offering free educational content for students, parents and teachers who are currently at home amid the COVID-19 pandemic.  Its videos, reading materials and activities will be translated into 10 languages.

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has identified a number of questions related to possible undeclared nuclear material and nuclear-related activities at three locations that Iran has not declared, Director-General Rafael Mariano Grossi said this morning during a briefing to IAEA Member States.

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

The United Nations and its partners launched a $34 million Flash Appeal to help 260,000 people facing food insecurity in Lesotho due to a severe drought.  The Government declared a national disaster on 30 October.  Between January and March, an estimated 71,000 people will be one step away from famine.

Iran’s delegate described United States sanctions against his country as “tantamount to economic terrorism”, while a senior United Nations official called for preventing a serious confrontation in the region, as the Security Council considered the milestone 2015 agreement governing Tehran’s nuclear activities.

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) reported today that an estimated 761,000 children were internally displaced by storms in the Caribbean between 2014 and 2018; that’s the hottest five-year period on record.  This is an increase of 600,000, compared to the 175,000 children displaced in the preceding five years.

The humanitarian situation in north-west and south-west Cameroon continues to deteriorate and 1.3 million people are now in need of assistance.  The humanitarian response for the country is one the most critically underfunded in the world.  Only 20 per cent of the $300 million requested has been received.

The International Organization for Migration says intercommunal violence and floods in the Mopti region of Mali are aggravating a fragile humanitarian situation for 50,000 internally displaced people while 210,000 others are food insecure and only 2 per cent of communities can access safe drinking water.