Japan

The Food and Agriculture Organization launched a $7.1 million project supported by the Global Environment Facility to make forest data more accessible, transparent and available.  The project aims to help developing countries to meet the Paris Climate Agreement's enhanced transparency requirements, and will benefit 26 targeted countries.

In north‑east Syria, despite very difficult challenges, the United Nations and humanitarian partners continue to deliver aid and provide basic services to 1.8 million people in need where access allows.  This includes emergency food rations for 83,000 newly displaced people, hygiene kits and drinking water.

The Secretary-General is following with increasing concern the situation in Guinea, where demonstrations have been called against a Government proposal to review the Constitution.  The United Nations continues to monitor the situation and remains in contact with key stakeholders with a view towards de-escalating tensions.

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

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres arrived in Yokohama, Japan, from France on the afternoon of Tuesday, 27 August.

Across parts of Bangladesh, monsoon rains have led to flooding and landslides that has reportedly killed at 30 people affected 2 million.  The Government is providing food, shelter and emergency cash assistance, and the United Nations and aid partners are supporting water and health-related efforts.

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

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres departed New York on Wednesday, 26 June, for Japan, where he arrived in Osaka, via Tokyo, on Thursday evening, 27 June.

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres arrived in Tokyo from New York in the evening of Tuesday, 7 August.

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees says it is gravely concerned about reports of Zambia’s forced return of a Zimbabwean asylum-seeker to his home country.  A senior Zimbabwean politician expressed his intention to seek asylum at the border yesterday, but Zambia reportedly handed him over to Zimbabwe authorities today despite a court order to the contrary.