In progress at UNHQ

Palestinian issues


In Sudan, the Secretary-General’s Personal Envoy for the country is intensifying his good offices efforts to support the de-escalation of the conflict and advance a political solution. He continues to underscore the criticality of scaled-up and more unified diplomatic efforts by the international community to end the war.

A report today by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) notes that there has been a sharp increase in the number of Afghans returning in adverse circumstances from Iran. Over 640,000 Afghans have returned from Iran since the implementation of a return deadline by Tehran on 20 March.

In Ukraine, food insecurity remains a concern in front-line and border regions. A recent assessment by the World Food Programme (WFP) and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) found that the war has devastated livelihoods and quadrupled poverty levels, leaving those most vulnerable at greatest risk.

The Office for Disarmament Affairs and the UN Development Programme today launched the second phase of the Saving-Lives Entity trust fund, SALIENT 2.0. Established in 2020, the fund integrates small arms control and armed violence reduction into national development strategies as part of wider conflict prevention efforts.

The Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees estimates 2.5 million refugees worldwide will need to be resettled in 2026, down from 2.9 million in 2025, even as the global number of refugees continues growing. This is mainly due to the changed situation in Syria, which has allowed for voluntary returns.