Political affairs

In Sudan, the World Food Programme (WFP) reports that since the war began 19 months ago there, the first domestic UN flight travelled today from Port Sudan to Kassala. The WFP-managed flights will now offer regular flights to transport aid workers and light humanitarian cargo from Port Sudan to Kassala once a week.

From addressing transnational challenges to supporting national peacebuilding priorities, special political missions play a key role in the Organization’s peacebuilding architecture, the Fourth Committee (Special Political and Decolonization) heard today, as it approved a draft resolution encouraging those missions to continue fostering inclusive partnerships with regional and subregional organizations as well as work closely with host Governments.

Underlining the importance of consolidating peace and security gains in Somalia, the Security Council today decided that the United Nations Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNSOM) shall be called the United Nations Transitional Assistance Mission in Somalia and that the latter Mission shall begin formal transition of its functions from 1 November.

The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs reports that more than 200,000 people — that is about 9 per cent of Gaza’s current population — have now been displaced over the last week in the wake of evacuation orders issued by the Israel Defense Forces.

The United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA) reports that 311 weapons collected from former combatants were handed over to the Government on Tuesday as part of the National Programme for Disarmament, Demobilization, Reintegration and Repatriation.

Amid a political stalemate, insecurity and arms embargo violations, the commencement of voter registration for municipal elections is a positive note in Libya’s troubled and divided landscape, the Security Council heard today.

Following the official installation of the Transitional Presidential Council in Port-au-Prince today, the Secretary-General reiterated his call for the swift deployment of the Multinational Security Support Mission in Haiti to assist the Haitian National Police in addressing the dire security situation in the country.

In Madagascar, the United Nations and its partners are supporting the Government’s response to Tropical Cyclone Gamane. According to the Government, the tropical cyclone — which hit the country on 3 April — killed 19 people, injured 3 others and left some 22,000 people displaced.

In Gaza, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs reports the cumulative number of displaced people rose 30 per cent just over the past 24 hours to over 338,000; two thirds are taking shelter in schools run by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA).

In Pakistan, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) today warned that, one year after the historic floods that devastated the country, millions of children continue to need humanitarian assistance and access to essential services.