Myanmar

The following Security Council press statement was issued today by Council President Abdou Abarry (Niger):

The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees said it is stepping up its aid delivery to help a growing number of Venezuelan refugees and migrants crossing by foot across Chile’s northern border with Bolivia.  Local authorities report that 400-500 people from Venezuela have crossed into Chile daily since November.

In Myanmar, the United Nations country team there remains deeply concerned over increasing internal displacement and more people needing humanitarian assistance as a result of conflict, political instability and COVID-19 since the military takeover on 1 February.

In Afghanistan, United Nations humanitarian colleagues report that aid and support continues to be distributed across several provinces, with more than 33,600 people receiving cash as winterization support and more than 27,000 people receiving food assistance under the World Food Programme.

The following Security Council press statement was issued today by Council President Abdou Abarry (Niger):

With reports that the Omicron variant has been detected in Botswana, the United Nations team is increasing its support for the Government’s COVID-19 response, including by providing medical and protective equipment.  To date, 75 per cent of people in the country have received at least one dose, while 68 per cent are fully vaccinated.

International Labour Organization (ILO) officials in Myanmar called on employers to help prevent workplace violence and harassment.  The organization has received increased reports of such incidents, particularly among women and vulnerable groups, since the military takeover in February and amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Responding to urgent and growing humanitarian needs in northern Ethiopia, almost 40 trucks with food and other relief supplies from the United Nations and aid partners departed Monday for Tigray, the first convoy since mid-October, and the United Nations Humanitarian Air Service resumed flights to Mekelle.

According to the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), non-performing loans in Afghanistan’s credit market have increased from around 30 per cent at the end of 2020 to 57 per cent in September 2021.  As the massive withdrawal of savings continues, UNDP projects that the deposits’ base could shrink by as much as 40 per cent by year-end.

United Nations officials in Myanmar report worsening humanitarian conditions due to conflict, political instability and COVID-19 since the military seized control of the Government in February.  More than 230,000 people have been displaced since then, with food running desperately short in some host communities.