Sudan

The Security Council today extended the mandate of the United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA) until 15 December 2021.

A new report from the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) reveals that Governments and detaining authorities in at least 84 countries have released more than 45,000 children since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.  Some 261,000 children in conflict with the law are still being held in detention worldwide.

For Youth Day at the Glasgow Climate Change Conference, the Secretary-General’s Youth Advisory Group and young climate activists discussed how to include young people in formal decision-making processes.  Indigenous youth leaders also shared on the importance of traditional knowledge as a vital component of climate action.

In Yemen, the United Nations and partners continue to provide life-saving aid to thousands of civilians on both sides of the front lines in Ma’rib, Al Bayda and Shabwah since fighting escalated in these governorates in September, amid calls by the United Nations Special Envoy for Yemen, Hans Grundberg, for de-escalation.

The heads of nine United Nations agencies and the Global Water Partnership issued an urgent call to Governments to prioritize integrated water and climate action.  The letter, addressed to the world’s Heads of State and Government, was released on the eve of the Organization’s climate change summit in Glasgow.

The following Security Council press statement was issued today by Council President Martin Kimani (Kenya):

The Security Council today requested the Secretary‑General to set up a dedicated team to assist the electoral process in South Sudan towards the country’s democratic future, as members also discussed the impact of the 25 October military coup d’état in Sudan on the bilateral border administration.

The latest Secretary-General’s report on safety and United Nations personnel describes an environment of heightened volatility, with no sign of improvement likely.  It notes that 28 civilian personnel of the Organization lost their lives to acts of violence and related incidents during 2020 and the first half of 2021.

In Sudan, the United Nations is working with partners to provide life‑saving aid to 9 million vulnerable people.  Operations must continue unimpeded to prevent the humanitarian situation there from deteriorating further. However, the 2021 response plan, which seeks $1.9 billion, remains only 30 per cent funded.

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