In Mali, armed conflict, internal displacement and restricted humanitarian access risks pushing nearly 1 million children under age five into acute malnutrition by the end of 2023. The UN Children’s Fund and the World Food Programme urgently seek $184.4 million to reach 8.8 million people, including 4.7 million children.

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

On Tuesday evening, 22 August, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres departed New York for Johannesburg, South Africa, where he landed late on Wednesday, 23 August.

In Niger, the United Nations, along with its partners, continues to deliver assistance across the country. In Tahoua, in the country’s south-west, humanitarians have provided medical care, reproductive health services and nutrition to over 1,000 people through mobile clinics.

In Yemen, the Food and Agriculture Organization, United Nations Children’s Fund and the World Food Programme warned today that nearly all districts under the Government control are facing high levels of food insecurity. They said that far more programme investments and money is needed until the end of the year.

With Tropical Cyclone Freddy putting 2.6 million people in Madagascar, Mozambique and Zimbabwe at risk, the United Nations and its partners have pre-deployed about 80 staff, has pre-positioned emergency stocks to areas likely to be affected and has two aircraft on standby to facilitate assessments and initial response.

The United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) today reported a sharp increase in violence in the country at the end of 2022. In its quarterly report, the Mission said that the number of civilians harmed increased by 87 per cent, compared to the same period in 2021.

The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) today released a report which says that fewer victims of trafficking are being identified even as the COVID-19 pandemic and other crises are increasing vulnerabilities to exploitation.

On 31 December 2022, the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) Maritime Task Force assisted the Lebanese Armed Forces-Navy with a search-and-rescue operation relating to a boat in distress off the northern coast, between Beirut and Tripoli.

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