Syria

The Secretary-General welcomes donor pledges made today at the conclusion of the Oslo Humanitarian Conference on Nigeria and the Lake Chad Basin, where 14 donors pledged $458 million for 2017.  The Conference also resulted in an agreement to address longer-term development needs and seek lasting solutions to the crisis.

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

The Acting Humanitarian Coordinator in the Central African Republic yesterday called on parties to the conflict in the Ouaka and Haute-Kotto provinces to respect international humanitarian law.  He also urged them to honour their commitment to protect civilians and to fulfil their human rights obligations.

Genuine political commitment to peace in Syria would be needed if 2017 was to offer any prospect other than the death and destruction of the past six years, the head of United Nations humanitarian affairs told the Security Council today.

David Shearer, Head of the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), sounded the alarm over the lack of information about 20,000 internally displaced people on the west bank of the Nile in the country’s north.  The Mission believes they fled Wau Shilluk to Kodok, as fighting between Government and opposition forces has expanded and shows no signs of abating.

The United Nations Support Mission in Libya is following with concern the reported formation of parallel military forces under the name “National Guard” and their deployment in Tripoli and surrounding areas.  Special Representative Martin Kobler called for a united army under civilian control with a clear chain of command.

Ali Al-Za’atari, the United Nations Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for Syria, urged all parties to grant immediate access to the besieged towns of Zabadani, Foah, Kefraya and Madaya, where 60,000 civilians are trapped by daily violence and deprivation.  They have not received aid since 28 November.

Aid organizations are appealing for $1.6 billion to provide life-saving assistance and protection to 5.8 million people across South Sudan in 2017.  Humanitarian Coordinator for the strife-torn country, Eugene Owusu, said that the situation has deteriorated dramatically and this year there will be unprecedented needs.

The United Nations Operation in Côte d’Ivoire (UNOCI) reports that sporadic arms fire by disgruntled Ivorian Special Forces soldiers seeking bonus payments resumed in Adiaké today after a night of calm.  The western town of Olodio and the northern border town of Tengrela are reported calm after unrest yesterday.

Today is the International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation, and in his message on the occasion, the Secretary-General stressed that the practice denies women and girls their dignity, endangers their health and causes needless pain and suffering, with consequences that last a lifetime.