Japan

The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs is supporting the Haitian Civil Protection General Directorate in coordinating the emergency response to the devastating floods and landslides that authorities say have killed at least 42 people and impacted more than 37,000 people, including displacing some 19,000 people.

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres departed New York to Hiroshima — via Tokyo — on Thursday, 18 May, to attend the Group of 7 Summit. He arrived in Hiroshima on Friday evening, 19 May.

Amidst a steady influx of people to Vakaga prefecture from Sudan, the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA) is maintaining a temporary presence in the village of Tiringoulou following recent attacks against Central African defence forces.

In Chad, the United Nations, along with the Government and aid partners, today launched the 2023 humanitarian response plan, appealing for $674 million to help about 4.4 million people in need, with a focus on food security, health services and addressing the impacts of climate change.

The United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres arrived in Hiroshima from New York on the evening of Friday, 5 August.

The ceasefire in Gaza, brokered by the United Nations and Egypt, still holds. Humanitarian partners are responding to the needs of affected families and the United Nation Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees is providing services, as usual. Meanwhile, Israel has reopened the crossings with Gaza yesterday.

The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) today announced the 10 winners of its first-ever Joint Innovation Challenge, a competition to fund social enterprises with innovative solutions that advance the empowerment of women and girls worldwide.

The Secretary-General expressed his concern about legal actions being carried out against justice officials in Guatemala.  He is also following recent developments regarding the arrest of José Rubén Zamora, a journalist and founder of a newspaper that has played an important role in exposing corruption.

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

Jayathma Wickramanayake, the Secretary-General’s Envoy on Youth, and The Body Shop, launched a campaign today that seeks to get young voices into the halls of power.  The campaign, “Be Seen, Be Heard”, seeks to create long-term structural changes that will make decision-making more inclusive of young people and ensure their participation in political life.