Somalia

The Secretary-General’s report “Reinvigorating the AIDS Response to Catalyse Sustainable Development and United Nations Reform” was presented today at the General Assembly.  The Deputy Secretary-General, in presenting the report, said that “the AIDS pandemic is far from over”, and stressed that countries “need to do a better job of reaching young women and adolescent girls”.

The Security Council today decided to authorize member States of the African Union to maintain the deployment of the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) until 31 August.

The Secretary-General strongly condemns the horrific terrorist attack in Manchester last night, and expresses his profound sympathy and solidarity with the people and Government of the United Kingdom.  He hopes that those responsible for this despicable attack will be swiftly found and brought to justice.

Almost 3,000 migrants were rescued yesterday, after trying to cross the Mediterranean Sea from North Africa to Europe, according to the International Organization for Migration, which said several ships were involved in more than a dozen rescue operations.  The total number of casualties is not yet known.

The Secretary-General welcomed the return of calm in Côte d’Ivoire following the unacceptable acts of violence committed by soldiers of the Forces Armées de Côte d’Ivoire over the past few days.  He commends the Government of Côte d’Ivoire for its efforts to address the unrest and restore security.

Somalia’s peaceful election of a new President had opened a unique opportunity to surmount entrenched insecurity, political and humanitarian challenges and create a functional State in the coming four years, a senior United Nations official told the Security Council today.

Following are UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ remarks at event on response to the humanitarian crisis in Somalia, in London today:

The World Health Organization (WHO) and its partners are responding to an upsurge in cholera transmission in several parts of Yemen that has now claimed 51 lives. WHO has rapidly distributed medicines and medical supplies and 10 new treatment centres are being established in the most affected areas.

Following are UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ opening remarks at the London Somalia Conference today:

The World Food Programme (WFP) reports that the Central African Republic counts among the world’s most forgotten crises, receiving ever-shrinking humanitarian funding.  With half its people needing humanitarian aid and more than 2 million hungry, WFP’s humanitarian response plan for 2017 is only 7 per cent financed.