Libya

The World Health Organization today launched a strategic preparedness and response plan to help countries prevent, detect and diagnose transmission of the coronavirus.  The agency is requesting $675 million to fund the plan for the next three months; most of money will support countries particularly at risk.

A medical air bridge operation in Yemen coordinated by the World Health Organization (WHO) and local authorities began today, bringing several Yemeni patients of an initial group of 30 from Sana’a to Amman, with more flights to follow.

The senior United Nations official in Libya expressed outrage in the Security Council today over the conduct of actors inside and outside the country who nod towards peace yet double down on military actions, as delegates called for an end to foreign meddling and for upholding the arms embargo as part of a broader plan to stop the spiralling conflict.

Ghassan Salamé, the Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Libya,  expressed deep concern to the Security Council today that the truce agreed earlier this month holds only in name.  Fighting and military reinforcements on both sides raise the spectre of a full conflict engulfing the wider region.

The Government of Ethiopia, the United Nations and humanitarian partners today called for $1 billion to help 7 million of the 8.4 million people in the country identified as requiring humanitarian aid due to conflict, disease outbreaks, rain shortfalls and floods.

Heavy rain and flooding caused by a recent tropical disturbance have affected more than 100,000 people in Madagascar and resulted in at least 31 deaths.  The Government is leading the response with support from the United Nations and humanitarian partners.

The United Nations, jointly with the Government of Somalia and humanitarian partners, launched the 2020 Humanitarian Response Plan in Mogadishu, calling for $1 billion to provide life-saving assistance and livelihood support for 3 million people, nearly half of whom are internally displaced.

Following are UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ remarks at the International Conference on Libya, in Berlin today:

The United Nations Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) today called for the immediate release of Siham Sergewa, an elected member of the House of Representatives, who was seized at night from her home in Benghazi six months ago.  Since her violent abduction, her fate remains unknown.

The Humanitarian Coordinator for the United Nations in Iraq expressed her strong concern today over the suspension in granting access letters to humanitarian actors carrying out critical missions in support of the country’s vulnerable people.