Somalia

The World Food Programme said today it has begun providing emergency food aid to vulnerable people in Ethiopia’s Tigray region and urgently needs $170 million to meet critical food and nutrition needs over the next six months.  The agency noted that the outbreak of conflict there coincided with the peak harvest period.

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

Cabo Verde has received 24,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccine through the global COVAX facility – the first of 100,000 doses expected by May – according to United Nations staff in the country, who called the shipment a source of hope and a testimony to global solidarity.

The Security Council announced today its adoption of a resolution reauthorizing the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) until 31 December and maintaining its overall 19,626 uniformed personnel level ahead of the phased handover of responsibilities to Somali security forces, planned for later in 2021.

On International Women’s Day, peacekeeping colleagues report that Bangladesh, for the first time, is deploying four justice government-provided personnel, all women, to the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) and the United Nations Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNSOM), later this month.

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

On 26 February 2021, the Security Council Committee pursuant to resolution 751 (1992) concerning Somalia approved the addition of the entries specified below to its Sanctions List of individuals and entities subject to the measures imposed by Security Council resolution 1844 (2008) and adopted under Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations.

The Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 751 (1992), concerning Somalia, held its first virtual meeting of 2021 with its Panel of Experts on 29 January to learn about its work programme for the year.

The Security Council, acting unanimously during a videoconference meeting today, adopted a technical rollover resolution reauthorizing deployment of the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) in its current form until 14 March 2021.

Cabo Verde is among the first African countries to receive the first allocation of COVID-19 vaccines under the COVAX facility, the United Nations team there reports. In the next few weeks, thanks to additional World Bank funding of $5 million, Cabo Verde will be able to buy vaccines for almost 35 per cent of the population.