South Sudan

United Nations Emergency Relief Coordinator Mark Lowcock and United Nations Development Programme Head Achim Steiner are in Somalia to bring attention to the recently launched $1.5 billion aid appeal to avert famine and build resilience in the country.  Some 5.4 million people need life-saving humanitarian assistance.

Following are UN Secretary‑General António Guterres’ remarks to the consultative meeting on South Sudan, with the United Nations, Intergovernmental Authority for Development (IGAD) and African Union, in Addis Ababa today:

The Humanitarian Coordinator for Libya launched the 2018 Humanitarian Response Plan to support the humanitarian needs of 940,000 people living in the country.  The Plan seeks $313 million in donor funding to implement 71 projects by 21 humanitarian organizations.

The Security Council met today to discuss the situation in South Sudan, with members pointing out that while progress had been made with the signing of a cessation of hostilities agreement, there had already been setbacks, and the ceasefire had been broken almost immediately.

The International Civil Service Commission of the United Nations reported that at least 71 United Nations and associated personnel — 53 peacekeepers and 18 civilians — were killed in malicious attacks in the line of duty during 2017.  The casualties in 2017 are the highest number ever recorded by the Commission.

The United Nations Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide and the Special Adviser on the Responsibility to Protect expressed concern at the devastating impact of escalating hostilities in eastern Ghouta and Idlib in Syria, especially on the civilian population.

The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) launched its revised Multi-Year Humanitarian Response Plan 2017-2018 for Haiti, requiring $252 million to provide assistance to 2.2 million of an estimated 2.8 million people in need. The launch coincides with the eighth anniversary of the 12 January 2010 earthquake in Haiti.

The Chairperson of the African Union Commission, Moussa Faki Mahamat, and the Secretary-General of the United Nations, António Guterres, strongly condemn the recent violations of the 21 December 2017 Agreement on Cessation of Hostilities, Protection of Civilians and Humanitarian Access in South Sudan.

The United Nations is deeply concerned for the safety and protection of tens of thousands of people in north-eastern Syria displaced since 1 December due to increased fighting.  Humanitarian Coordinator Mark Lowcock will conduct his first mission to Syria this week to assess and discuss ways to improve the aid response.

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees is again calling urgently upon the Government of Australia to find humane solutions for the refugees and asylum-seekers abandoned on Manus Island, noting that about 800 people have remained in a precarious situation there since the “off-shore processing” facility was closed on 31 October.