Middle East

The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) officially confirmed in a statement today that 2023 was the warmest year on record — by a huge margin — as the annual average global temperature approached 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels. WMO will issue its final “State of the Global Climate” report for 2023 in March.

The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) expressed today its deep concern over the recent arbitrary arrests and detentions of women and girls by the country’s de facto authorities because of their alleged non-compliance with the hijab decree.

Following naval interception by the United States and United Kingdom of a barrage of missiles and drones fired from Houthi-controlled territory into the Red Sea on 9 January, the Security Council today adopted a resolution demanding that the Houthis immediately cease all attacks on merchant and commercial vessels.

In South Sudan, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs is extremely concerned about the well-being of refugees and returnees fleeing the current hostilities in Sudan — as South Sudan continues to see an influx of new arrivals from across the border.

In the Central African Republic, where, following a violent attack two weeks ago that caused the death of 23 civilians in the Lim-Pendé prefecture, United Nations peacekeepers are continuing to provide protection to the population and helping to secure the area to facilitate the delivery of humanitarian aid.

In Syria, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs today expressed concern about the impact on civilians of escalating hostilities in the north-west of the country — as well as the potential for the violence to jeopardize cross-border missions by United Nations staff.

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

The risk of regional spillover of the Israeli-Palestine conflict remains high, a top United Nations official told the Security Council today, as delegates underscored that a full-blown conflict between Israel and Hizbullah would be catastrophic for Lebanon and the wider region.

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres today announced the appointment of Sigrid Kaag of the Netherlands as Senior Humanitarian and Reconstruction Coordinator for Gaza pursuant to Security Council Resolution 2720 (2023).

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres today announced the appointment of James Eugene McGoldrick of Ireland as his new Ad Interim Deputy Special Coordinator and Resident Coordinator, Office of the United Nations Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process (UNSCO). Mr. McGoldrick will also serve as Humanitarian Coordinator ad interim.  He succeeds Lynn Hastings of Canada, to whom the Secretary-General is grateful for her dedication and service.