Myanmar

The Humanitarian and Resident Coordinator for Lebanon, Imran Riza, today announced a $30 million allocation from the Lebanon Humanitarian Fund to support the response in the country, enabling the UN’s partners to assist with food security, shelter, nutrition, protection, healthcare, water and sanitation, and education.

In Myanmar, where conflict has driven over 3.5 million people from their homes, humanitarian needs are expected to reach unprecedented levels, with nearly 20 million people requiring assistance. The 2025 Humanitarian Response Plan aims to reach 5.5 million people with aid, requiring $1.1 billion in funding.

Ongoing conflict in Rakhine has driven an estimated 360,000 people out of their homes, bringing the total number of displaced there to nearly 570,000. This is part of a broader crisis unfolding across Myanmar, displacing more than 3.5 million people — an increase of 1.5 million people compared to a year ago.

In Syria, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs reports that he United Nations and its partners continue to support the response there as the security situation permits. Health care across the country continues to be disrupted against the backdrop of a fluid security situation.

At least 68 journalists and media workers have been killed in the line of duty so far this year, according to a report published today by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. Over 60 per cent were working in countries in conflict, the highest percentage in over 10 years.

In Myanmar, where the humanitarian crisis continues to deteriorate, a record 3.4 million people are now internally displaced, according to UN figures. The 2024 Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan, which calls for nearly $1 billion, is only one-third funded. The UN appeals to Member States to urgently contribute funds.

The just released UN Environment Programme’s Adaptation Gap Report says that nations must dramatically increase climate adaptation efforts and urgently close the $187-359 billion per year gap that exists between adaptation finance needs and current international public adaptation finance flows.

“The world is not powerless” in countering the threat posed by the military junta in Myanmar, an independent human rights expert told the Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian and Cultural) today, urging States to impose sanctions on the regime and denounce its ‘fraudulent’ election to be held in 2025.

In Myanmar, amid an expanding conflict, an estimated 1 million people are also suffering from the impacts of deadly flooding. To bolster emergency relief efforts, the Acting Emergency Relief Coordinator, Joyce Msuya, allocated $4 million from the UN Central Emergency Response Fund at the end of September.

In Gaza, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs reports that Israeli bombardments are continuing from the air, land and sea, which has resulted in civilian casualties, displacement and destruction of civilian infrastructure.