Jamaica

In Iran, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) says it is deeply concerned about the deadly impact the ongoing military escalation is having on children there. Approximately 180 children have reportedly been killed and many more injured.

In Jamaica, the UN Development Programme (UNDP) has mobilized an initial $2 million in Resilient Recovery grants for hurricane recovery efforts. This includes clean-up and management of debris — estimated at 4.8 million metric tons — as well as recycling opportunities through cash-for-work modalities.

In Gaza, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs reports that the ongoing humanitarian scale-up is still being held back by restrictions affecting visas and import approvals, too few crossing points operating and limited facilitation of humanitarian movements inside Gaza, among other challenges.

The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs says that Madagascar is facing a deepening humanitarian crisis in the Grand Sud and Grand Sud-Est regions. The impact of the recent El Niño drought and cyclone season, along with a malaria outbreak and strained health systems, has left communities with little ability to recover.

The Central Emergency Response Fund has released $4 million to scale up the response to Hurricane Melissa in the Caribbean, providing food, health, water, shelter, logistics and sanitation and hygiene support. More members of a UN Disaster Assessment and Coordination team arrived in Jamaica today.

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

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has appointed Dennis Zulu of Zambia as the United Nations Resident Coordinator in Jamaica, with the host Government’s approval.

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres arrived in Jamaica from New York on Sunday, 14 May 2023.

In Myanmar, 5.4 million people are expected to have been in the path of Cyclone Mocha – one of the strongest to ever hit the country – in Rakhine and in the north-west. Given the high risk of waterborne and communicable diseases, humanitarian agencies will need access to people impacted by the cyclone, as well as expedited travel authorizations and customs clearances for supplies.

Two months after Tropical Cyclone Freddy devastated Malawi, United Nations agencies continue to support the Government-led response. While humanitarian assistance has reached 1.4 million people, more funding is needed to continue this work and the flash appeal — only 21 per cent funded — is asking for $116 million.