Nepal

Following is the text of UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ video message for the “Sagarmatha Sambaad” — Everest Dialogue, in Kathmandu today:

The following Security Council press statement was issued today by Council President Jérôme Bonnafont (France):

In Somalia, flash floods have impacted nearly 30,000 people in different parts of the country. Authorities say at least four people have been killed in the past week. Humanitarian officials note that the rains come after months of dry conditions that decimated water sources and grazing land.

In Ukraine, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs reports that intense attacks in the south and east of the country this week have killed and injured dozens of civilians and damaged homes, a hospital and schools.

The United Nations Secretary-General, António Guterres, departed on Friday, 27 October to Nepal.  This was his first trip in preparation for the forthcoming climate change summit, COP28 [twenty-eighth Session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change], which would be held in the United Arab Emirates later in 2023.

In Nepal, UN agencies continue to provide life-saving assistance to meet the most pressing humanitarian needs of thousands of people affected by the earthquake. The UN and its partners have now reached some 21,000 people with water, sanitation and hygiene supplies, and about 20,000 children with education materials.

The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs reported that 65 trucks carrying food, medicines, water and health supplies entered Gaza yesterday through the Rafah crossing, but said the volume of aid entering Gaza remains wholly inadequate and more than one entry point is needed.

In Sudan, the UN refugee agency reports that 4.5 million people have been internally displaced, while 1.2 million others have fled to Chad, Egypt and South Sudan, as well as Ethiopia and the Central African Republic. That is almost 6 million people who have been forced to move since the start of fighting in April.

The UN and partners are providing humanitarian aid to Nepal, including 6 metric tons of food from the World Food Programme (WFP), medicines and supplies from the World Health Organization (WHO), over 2,000 emergency shelter sets from United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and relief packages from UN-Women, which is also working with women’s groups on community kitchens.

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