Mali

United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi urged Governments today to deliver a massive increase in places available for refugees in third countries, in line with last September’s New York Declaration for Refugees and Migrants, as the agency opened its annual resettlement consultations.

The United Nations Mission in Mali reports that an attack by unidentified assailants on the Mission’s observation post south-east of the base has left three peacekeepers dead and three others injured.  The Mission condemns the attacks and is determined to continue supporting the peace process and protecting civilians.

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

The High Commissioner for Human Rights, Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein, expressed serious concern today at the mass hunger strike by Palestinian prisoners in Israeli prisons that began 38 days ago and has yet to be resolved.  He is especially alarmed by reports of Israel’s punitive measures against the hunger strikers.

Following are UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ remarks to the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) force generation conference, in New York today:

The Secretary-General strongly condemns the horrific terrorist attack in Manchester last night, and expresses his profound sympathy and solidarity with the people and Government of the United Kingdom.  He hopes that those responsible for this despicable attack will be swiftly found and brought to justice.

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

The following Security Council press statement was issued today by Council President Elbio Rosselli (Uruguay):

The United Nations refugee agency reports from Yemen that continuing fighting in Taizz has displaced nearly 50,000 people since the beginning of 2017, in addition to the 3 million already uprooted since the conflict started, of whom 2 million remain displaced and 1 million have returned home to precarious conditions.

Nearly 75,000 refugees and migrants, including an estimated 24,600 children, are stranded in Greece, Bulgaria, Hungary and the Western Balkans, and at risk of psychosocial distress from living in a protracted state of limbo, UNICEF warned today. The situation is particularly acute for single mothers and children.