Following is UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ message for World Humanitarian Day, observed today:

After back-to-back droughts in the Horn of Africa, the World Food Programme (WFP) is expanding its assistance as levels of hunger soar. Since the start of the year, 9 million more people have slipped into severe food insecurity across Ethiopia, Kenya and Somalia.

​​​​​​​Following is the text of UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ video message for the International Day of Remembrance of and Tribute to the Victims of Terrorism, observed on 21 August:

A United Nations-chartered vessel carrying the first shipment of humanitarian food under the Black Sea Grain Initiative is expected to berth soon at Ukraine’s Yuzhny (Pivdennyi) port to collect Ukrainian wheat purchased by the World Food Programme in support of the drought-stricken Horn of Africa where there is risk of famine.

The ceasefire in Gaza, brokered by the United Nations and Egypt, still holds. Humanitarian partners are responding to the needs of affected families and the United Nation Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees is providing services, as usual. Meanwhile, Israel has reopened the crossings with Gaza yesterday.

​​​​​​​Following is UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ message for International Youth Day, observed on 12 August:

Following is UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ message for the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples, observed on 9 August:

Following is UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ message on the World Day against Trafficking in Persons, observed on 30 July:

In Haiti, United Nations humanitarian colleagues have started delivering humanitarian assistance to help people in the commune of Cité Soleil, as well as in other Port-au-Prince neighbourhoods. Enough food to feed 7,000 people for a week has been distributed, along with drinking water and kits of basic relief items.

The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) today released a report on the human rights situation there over the 10 months since the Taliban takeover, citing 2,106 civilian casualties between mid-August 2021 and mid-June 2022 despite an overall notable reduction in armed violence.