In Chad, torrential rains have killed 22 people and destroyed more than 2,000 hectares of farmland since June. The United Nations, along with its partners, are supporting the Government in providing emergency assistance of food, shelter, malaria management and other critical help.
Today marks five years since the Minamata Convention on Mercury entered into force. The Convention protects human health and the environment from the adverse effects of mercury. The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) administers the agreement, which has 137 parties.
The United Nations Secretary-General has appointed 10 high-level and eminent persons to serve on his inaugural Internet Governance Forum Leadership Panel.
The following statement was issued today by the Spokesman for UN Secretary-General António Guterres:
Encouraged by the extension of a truce in Yemen until 2 October, the United Nations top official for the country told the Security Council today that he aims for an expanded agreement that would lead to a durable ceasefire and resumption of a Yemeni-led political process as speakers voiced their concerns about the ongoing humanitarian crises and the blocking of roads to Taiz.
United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres announced today the appointment of Simon Stiell of Grenada as Executive Secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. The appointment has been made after consultation with the Conference of Parties through its Bureau.
The Head of the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) just completed a visit to Kidal, where he met with officials and other stakeholders. Discussions focused on means of improving cooperation and supporting the acceleration of the implementation of the Peace Agreement.
The Intergovernmental Conference to draft the first-ever treaty on the ocean’s biological diversity opened its fifth and likely final session today, amid calls for flexibility, openness and the spirit of compromise that prevailed in 1982, when the landmark “constitution for the oceans” was adopted, setting out the legal framework for all activities in the oceans and seas.
The following statement was issued today by the Spokesman for UN Secretary-General António Guterres:
On 10 June, the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 2140 (2014) was briefed by Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict Virginia Gamba on the situation of children and armed conflict in Yemen, upon invitation by the Committee.
