Somalia

The United Nations has allocated $10.5 million to help people in need of life‑saving humanitarian assistance in north-east Nigeria.  The humanitarian crisis there and in the Lake Chad region is among the most severe in the world today, with 8.5 million in need of humanitarian assistance in the three worst‑affected Nigerian States of Borno, Adamawa and Yobe.

The new Permanent Representative of Somalia to the United Nations, Abukar Dahir Osman, presented his credentials to UN Secretary-General António Guterres today.

The United Nations and the humanitarian community remain deeply concerned for the safety and protection of tens of thousands of men, women and children trapped in Raqqa City in Syria.  Heavy fighting continues to affect civilians, resulting in the displacement of thousands and scores of deaths and injuries.

In Afghanistan, the World Food Programme (WFP) said it will be able to provide food assistance to more than 577,000 people in need thanks to a $20 million contribution by the United States.  The money will be spent to buy local wheat flour, salt, yellow peas and cooking oil, among other supplies.

At its 63^rd meeting, on 18 April, the Security Council Working Group on Children and Armed Conflict, in connection with the examination of the fourth report of the Secretary-General on children and armed conflict in Somalia, agreed to address the following messages through a public statement issued by the Chair of the Working Group.

The following Security Council press statement was issued today by Council President Sacha Sergio Llorentty Solíz (Bolivia):

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

The Secretary-General welcomed the adoption today of General Assembly resolution A/71/L66, which endorsed his proposal for a new United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism.  He stressed that combatting terrorism and preventing violent extremism was one of the Organization’s highest priorities in its work towards international peace and security.

The Security Council decided today to extend the mandate of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNSOM) until March 2018, as previously set out in resolution 2158 (2014).

Speaking to reporters in Saint Petersburg, Russia, today, the Secretary-General said that climate change is undeniable, and added that climate action is unstoppable.  He urged all the Governments around the world to stay the course and to remain committed to the implementation of the Paris Agreement.