Myanmar

Drought hits the Sahel region hard, with more than 10 million people expected to need emergency food assistance, up from 7.1 million currently, if adequate assistance is not provided in time. Poor rains in 2017 are now deeply affecting parts of Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali, Mauritania and Senegal.

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.

Deputy Emergency Relief Coordinator and Assistant Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Ursula Mueller is in Myanmar’s Rakhine State to take stock of the ongoing humanitarian crisis there and advocate for unfettered access to, and protection of, civilians.

The World Food Programme today airlifted life-saving, nutrient-dense biscuits from its Humanitarian Depot in Dubai to Papua New Guinea.  The plane carried enough food to feed approximately 60,000 people.  More than 270,000 people require humanitarian aid since a devastating earthquake struck the country in February.

The Secretary-General was shocked at reports of remarks attributed to Myanmar Senior General Min Aung Hlaing.  He urges all leaders in Myanmar to take a unified stance against incitement to hatred and to promote communal harmony.

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

Following is the text of UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ video message on the joint response plan for the Rohingya refugee crisis, in Geneva today:

The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees is increasingly alarmed at the plight of thousands of Central African refugees who have fled to southern Chad since late 2017.  The influx is the biggest since 2014, and is overwhelming the ability of humanitarian agencies to respond.

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees issued protection guidance encouraging States to ensure that Venezuelans seeking asylum had access to territory and refugee procedures. Given the situation in Venezuela, the High Commissioner said it was crucial that people were not deported or forcibly returned.

Humanitarian operations in Iraq are contracting in 2018 versus last year, when 6.2 million people were targeted with assistance.  The 2018 humanitarian response plan, launched on 6 March, seeks $569 million to assist 3.4 million highly vulnerable people struggling in the aftermath of the conflict with Da’esh.