Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

The United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres arrived in Kingstown, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines on Thursday afternoon, 29 February.

The Director of Coordination for the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, in a briefing yesterday to the Security Council, reported that at least 576,000 people in Gaza — one quarter of the population — are one step away from famine.

The Secretary-General — in observance of International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists, on 2 November — stated that 62 journalists were killed for doing their jobs in 2020.  Noting that the number of media workers killed outside conflict zones has risen in recent years, he urged leaders to demonstrate the political will needed to investigate and prosecute these crimes.

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines is working to restore normalcy following the eruption of La Soufrière volcano in April, with efforts shifting from providing aid to recovering better and boosting preparedness for the hurricane season, which starts next week.  Of the 23,000 displaced people, more than 4,000 are in shelters; 18,000 are in private homes.

According to United Nations experts, southern Madagascar is experiencing its worst drought in four decades, with about 75 per cent of the population of Amboasary Atsimo district facing severe hunger and 14,000 people in famine-like conditions.  A humanitarian Flash Appeal launched in January stands funded at only 22 per cent.

The Democratic Republic of the Congo, with support from the World Health Organization and other partners, has launched a yellow fever vaccination campaign targeting more than 16.3 million people in the country, the first such drive against the disease in Africa this year.

The first members of the International Organization for Migration’s emergency response team arrived in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines today to deliver essential shelter and emergency items to thousands of people forcibly displaced after the eruption of La Soufrière volcano.

United Nations staff report that, despite recent improvements in humanitarian access, the situation in Ethiopia’s Tigray remains alarming, with conflict in some areas restricting humanitarian movement and response.  Insecurity in Tigray’s east zone last week reportedly impacted the movement of more than 20 relief trucks.

The following statement was issued today by the Spokesman for UN Secretary-General António Guterres:

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) says 71 journalists have been arrested in Myanmar, with more than half of them still detained since the beginning of February.  Some 24 people have been charged for allegedly spreading fake news.