Syria

In Gaza, the World Food Programme (WFP) says that 25 WFP-supported bakeries are now operating across the territory. WFP also notes that every week, dozens of kitchens are providing hundreds of thousands of hot meals to people across the Strip. In the north, WFP is working to further expand capacity.

Acknowledging the Syrian caretaker authorities pledges to achieve an inclusive Syrian-owned and -led political transition in line with the key principles of Council resolution 2254 (2015), the United Nations senior mediator in the country warned the Security Council today that further conflict could have a drastic impact on the fight against Da’esh and international peace and security.

The UN Human Rights Office today released a report which says that Bangladesh’s former Government, security and intelligence services, as well as violent elements associated with the Awami League party, systematically engaged in a range of serious human rights violations during last year’s student-led protests.

This morning in Geneva, the Human Rights Council held a special session on the situation in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo and adopted a resolution establishing a fact-finding mission to examine violations of international humanitarian law and human rights law committed in North and South Kivu provinces.

In Colombia, the Emergency Relief Coordinator released $3.8 million from the Central Emergency Response Fund to help more than 42,000 people in the north-east of the country. The new funding will support displaced people and host communities in the region of Catatumbo.

In Ukraine, local authorities and humanitarians on the ground report that an attack in the residential area of Sumy City overnight resulted in a number of fatalities. Humanitarian partners mobilized an emergency response, complementing the efforts of first responders and the authorities.

Nearly half the population in Myanmar lives below the poverty line and less than 48 per cent had access to electricity last year — the lowest access rate in Asia, according to a UN Development Programme report released today highlighting the severe challenges dramatically reshaping the country.

In Syria, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs reports that humanitarian needs across the country remain massive. The UN and its humanitarian partners will need $1.2 billion to reach 6.7 million of the most vulnerable people through March 2025.

In Sudan, the World Food Programme (WFP) reports the first cross-border barge convoy from South Sudan to Sudan via the White Nile on 22 January, in Kosti. The four-barge convoy of WFP food assistance travelled from Renk in South Sudan, carrying 1,000 metric tons — enough to feed 80,000 people for one month.

In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the M23 armed group reportedly seized Minova in North Kivu province yesterday. Minova is a critical hub along the supply route to Goma. Since Saturday, the armed group has captured other localities in South Kivu, where UN peacekeepers are no longer present, resulting in casualties and the displacement of over 250,000 people.