Middle East

Around 1 million species are threatened with extinction as nature declines at unprecedented rates, a global assessment launched today by the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services warns, listing amphibians, corals and marine mammals as among the most threatened.

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

Civil society leaders briefing the Security Council today described a deepening crisis in the Occupied Palestinian Territory characterized by political mistrust, economic challenges and environmental degradation while calling upon authorities in the Middle East to harness new green technologies as a tool for peace.

Responding to record flood levels in Iran, the United Nations Resident Coordinator in the country, Ugochi Daniels, today asked the donor community for $25 million to cover the emergency and early recovery needs of 115,000 highly vulnerable people in the most hard-hit Provinces of Golestan, Khuzestan, Ilam and Lorestan.

Following are UN Secretary‑General António Guterres’ remarks to the World Economic Forum on the Middle East and North Africa, in Dead Sea, Jordan today:

A report by the Food and Agriculture Organization, World Food Programme and the European Union, finds that 113 million people in 53 countries experienced acute food insecurity in 2018, down slightly from 124 million in 2017.  Nearly two thirds of those suffering are in just eight countries.

Jamie McGoldrick, Humanitarian Coordinator for the Occupied Palestinian Territory, calls upon all parties to avoid further deterioration of the situation in the Gaza Strip on the eve of the one-year anniversary of the beginning of the “Great March of Return” demonstrations in the enclave.

Updating the Palestinian Rights Committee on recent developments in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, the observer for the State of Palestine today cautioned that the international community’s inaction, blanket support from the United States President and hate speech by Israeli politicians in the run‑up to Israel’s presidential elections in April has emboldened the occupying Power.

Most Security Council members expressed regret today over the decision by the United States to recognize Israel’s sovereignty over the Syrian Golan, stressing the importance of upholding international law, as the 15-member organ heard briefings on the situation in that occupied territory.

The World Food Programme (WFP) says tens of thousands of South Sudanese children in 150 schools will benefit from a just-launched programme for education in emergencies.  Funded by the European Union and jointly implemented by WFP and the United Nations Children’s Fund, it will provide hot meals daily to 75,000 children.