In Zimbabwe, where 60 per cent of the population is projected to be food insecure by the end of 2020, the World Food Programme appealed for $250 million to prevent a human catastrophe.  A nationwide COVID-19 lockdown has led to joblessness in urban areas, growing hunger in rural areas and hyperinflation that has made basic goods unaffordable.

A new United Nations report released today says that, despite a drop in civilian casualties in Afghanistan, it remains one of the deadliest conflicts in the world for civilians.  Meanwhile, a deteriorating humanitarian situation persists amid rising cases of COVID-19, with more than 36,000 confirmed cases and 1,269 deaths.

Officials at the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) say locust swarms linked to climate change remain a serious threat to food security in parts of East Africa, India and Pakistan.  United Nations agencies are helping affected areas by providing data on weather, climate and the desert locust life cycle. 

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

Following are UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ remarks to the General Assembly commemoration of Nelson Mandela Day, observed on 18 July, and the United Nations Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela Prize laureate recognition, in New York today:

In view of the COVID-19 pandemic, the United Nations General Assembly will mark Nelson Mandela International Day (18 July) with a virtual informal meeting on 20 July.  The meeting will also feature official recognition of the laureates of the 2020 United Nations Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela Prize.

Following is UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ video message for Nelson Mandela International Day, observed on 18 July:

Wildlife crime threatens both biodiversity and human health, according to a new United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) report.  It finds that many illegally trafficked animals may spread diseases to people, and the pangolin — a possible source of COVID-19 — remains the most trafficked mammal in the world.

Following is UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ message for World Population Day, observed on 11 July:

In Kenya, the World Food Programme (WFP) has launched cash transfers and nutrition support for nearly 280,000 people struggling to survive from the impact of the virus on informal settlements in Nairobi.