The last United Nations staff member detained by the Ethiopian authorities has been released. However, humanitarian challenges in the country remain, with thousands of Eritrean refugees in need of emergency aid after they fled fighting in the Afar region. UNHCR remains extremely worried about their safety and well-being.
In progress at UNHQ
Noon Briefings
Wildfires are burning more severely and more often, and urban noise pollution is growing into a global public health menace, according to a new report released today by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). The report identifies and offers solutions to those and other environmental issues.
Sara Beysolow Nyanti, Humanitarian Coordinator in South Sudan, strongly condemned today the continuing violence in the country that is impacting the safety of civilians and humanitarian workers and disrupts the delivery of aid and services to vulnerable people. These appalling acts of violence must stop, she stressed.
Today is the one-month anniversary of the volcano and tsunami in Tonga. Sanaka Samarasinha, United Nations Resident Coordinator, reiterated the Organization’s solidarity with the people of Tonga, where approximately 85 per cent of the population was impacted and more than 2,500 people have been internally displaced.
In Sudan, the first stage of the United Nations-facilitated consultations for a political process on the way forward has concluded. The talks began on 8 January and brought together a range of groups, including civil society, women’s rights groups, political parties, academics, journalists and others.
Today is the International Day of Women and Girls in Science. Only one in three science and engineering researchers in the world is a woman. In his message, the Secretary-General says that this inequality is depriving our world of enormous untapped talent and innovation.
In Ethiopia, fighting in the northern region of Afar continues to prevent the delivery of aid into neighbouring Tigray. These clashes are also causing large-scale displacement and increasing humanitarian needs in Afar.
In Nigeria, the humanitarian community and the Government today launched the 2022 humanitarian response plan for the north-eastern part of the country. The plan seeks $1.1 billion to provide critical aid and services to 5.5 million people impacted by the conflict in Borno, Adamawa and Yobe states.
The High Commissioner for Human Rights, Michelle Bachelet, today urged the President of Tunisia, Kaïs Saïed, to restore the High Judicial Council, warning that its dissolution would seriously undermine the rule of law, the separation of powers and independence of the judiciary in the country.
At least 10 people have died and more than 43,000 are displaced across 180 displacement sites as a result of Tropical Cyclone Batsirai, which made landfall on the east coast of Madagascar on 5 February. The first aerial assessment took place today with a United Nations Humanitarian Air Service flight.