Middle East

Donors in Geneva today pledged $528 million to support the delivery of urgently needed humanitarian aid to millions of people in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.  The announcements were made at a humanitarian conference in co‑chaired by the United Nations, the European Union and the Netherlands.

The current state of chaos in the Middle East, including the conflict in Syria, had become a threat to international peace and security, Secretary-General António Guterres told the Security Council this morning, appealing to the 15‑member body to overcome divisions and prevent dangerous situations from spinning out of control.

The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said that, in the last 48 hours, the largest United Nations medical shipment to have entered Gaza since the beginning of 2018 has provided hospitals there with lifesaving drugs and other supplies to meet urgent medical needs.  It will help respond to the needs of 100,000 children and mothers.

Forces from the Central African Republic and the United Nations Mission in the country launched a joint disarmament and arrest operation targeting criminal groups in the PK5 neighborhood in Bangui, resulting in arrests and the seizure of arms, ammunition and drugs.  The joint efforts will continue until the criminal groups are dismantled.

A new report by the United Nations Environment Programme found that solar energy dominated global investment like never before in 2017.  Investment in solar power grew by 18 per cent to $160.8 billion, surpassing new investments in coal and gas.

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

The Security Council members, in an emergency meeting tonight, condemned the killing of civilians in Gaza during a peaceful protest that had erupted in violence.

The Permanent Observer of the State of Palestine today urged States to guard against the “creeping danger” of a one-State reality, as the Palestinian Rights Committee considered the situation on the ground in the territory occupied by Israel and the “destabilizing” impact of sharp humanitarian cuts by the United States.

The UN Central Emergency Response Fund has released over $9 million in funding to coverprovide for the immediate needs of those affected by a strong earthquake that recently struck Papua New Guinea.  The event follows a February earthquake that had left some 270,000 people needing assistance..

Developments on the ground could not be divorced from a backdrop of continued military occupation, regional turmoil and unilateral actions, the Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process told the Security Council today, expressing concern about actions that undermined peace.