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Madagascar

The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs’ high-level pledging event on the Horn of Africa today raised $2.4 billion. The Secretary-General said action is urgently needed to prevent crises in the region — which are threatening the lives and livelihoods of millions of people — from turning into catastrophe.

Today, 53 trucks crossed from southern Türkiye into north-west Syria, carrying food commodities from the World Food Programme; shelter, hygiene and other items from the International Organization for Migration; and supplies from the UN Refugee Agency for over 5,000 people, to assist those impacted by the recent earthquake.

With Tropical Cyclone Freddy putting 2.6 million people in Madagascar, Mozambique and Zimbabwe at risk, the United Nations and its partners have pre-deployed about 80 staff, has pre-positioned emergency stocks to areas likely to be affected and has two aircraft on standby to facilitate assessments and initial response.

In Madagascar, the United Nations team led by Resident Coordinator Issa Sanogo reports it has aided 53,000 households and farmers impacted by ongoing drought in the south by providing over 30 water tanks and constructing irrigation channels. The World Food Programme is distributing food and cash to over one million people.

The last United Nations staff member detained by the Ethiopian authorities has been released.  However, humanitarian challenges in the country remain, with thousands of Eritrean refugees in need of emergency aid after they fled fighting in the Afar region.  UNHCR remains extremely worried about their safety and well-being.