Libya

In Afghanistan, United Nations humanitarian colleagues report that aid and support continues to be distributed across several provinces, with more than 33,600 people receiving cash as winterization support and more than 27,000 people receiving food assistance under the World Food Programme.

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres announced today the appointment of Stephanie Williams of the United States as his Special Adviser on Libya.

With reports that the Omicron variant has been detected in Botswana, the United Nations team is increasing its support for the Government’s COVID-19 response, including by providing medical and protective equipment.  To date, 75 per cent of people in the country have received at least one dose, while 68 per cent are fully vaccinated.

On 3 December 2021, the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 1970 (2011) concerning Libya decided to grant a humanitarian travel exemption, pursuant to paragraph 16(a) of resolution 1970 (2011), effective from 1 December 2021 through 31 May 2022, to the following three individuals.

The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) today said that food commodity prices in the international market rose for the fourth consecutive month in November.  The FAO Food Price Index averaged 134.4 points in the month, the highest level since June 2011 and 1.2 per cent higher than during October.

The Security Council, through a presidential statement today, welcomed the Paris International Conference for Libya which was convened on 12 November 2021, as well as the Declaration issued by the participants and their commitment to the full implementation of the ceasefire agreement and supporting the United Nations-facilitated, Libyan-led and Libyan-owned political process.

Responding to urgent and growing humanitarian needs in northern Ethiopia, almost 40 trucks with food and other relief supplies from the United Nations and aid partners departed Monday for Tigray, the first convoy since mid-October, and the United Nations Humanitarian Air Service resumed flights to Mekelle.

In his first appearance in the Security Council today, the new Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court called for a more robust partnership between the two bodies towards ending impunity for atrocity crimes committed in Libya and elsewhere.

In the Democratic Republic of Congo, the United Nations peacekeeping mission reports that some 16,000 people fled to a camp located near its Temporary Operational Base, following deadly attack deadly attacks by the CODECO armed group in Drodro, Ituri province.  The mission has reinforced security in the area.

United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) Executive Director Henrietta Fore voiced deep concern over reports that child marriage in Afghanistan is on the rise, with families offering daughters as young as 20 days old for future marriage in return for a dowry.  Some 28 per cent of Afghan women aged 15–49 were married before 18.