Libya

Following is the text of Secretary-General António Guterres’ video message to the Paris Conference on Libya, today:

UNICEF released a report today showing there are nearly 240 million children with disabilities around the world, a new global approximation higher than previous estimates which considers symptoms of anxiety and depression, among other difficulties across several domains of functioning.

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) says the situation in the northern part of Ethiopia is rapidly deteriorating, amid fighting in and around Dessie and Kombolcha in the Amhara region, which led to large-scale displacement and increasing humanitarian needs.  The two towns were already hosting a large number of displaced people from nearby areas.

On 25 October 2021, the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 1970 (2011) concerning Libya approved the addition of the entry specified below to its Sanctions List of individuals and entities subject to the measures imposed by Security Council resolutions 1970 (2011) and 1973 (2011) and adopted under Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations.

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) says more children and women were abducted for ransom between January and August 2021 than during the entire 2020.  UNICEF estimates based on official sources say 71 women and 30 children were abducted in the first eight months of 2021, and 59 women and 37 children in 2020.

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) launched a new crisis response initiative in Afghanistan, known as ABADEI, as part of efforts to prevent a humanitarian catastrophe.  Among other things, it provides grants to small businesses, cash-for-work projects and support to marginalized individuals.

In Afghanistan, the World Health Organization and United Nations Children’s Fund today announced house-to-house polio vaccinations will resume 8 November across the country for the first time in three years, targeting more than 3.3 million children who were previously out of reach.

United Nations officials in Mali welcomed the Government’s pledge to reintegrate 13,000 former combatants by the end of 2021 and additional 13,000 within the next three years.  They also praised willingness of the Malian parties to proceed with the socioeconomic reintegration of ex-combatants that are already registered.

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

The World Health Organization (WHO) released the latest edition of its Mental Health Atlas, which cites a worldwide failure to provide people with the services they need.  It comes as the COVID-19 pandemic and its impacts continue to spotlight a growing need for mental health support in countries across the globe.