Syria

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The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) today warned that three consecutive years of severe drought in the Grand Sud of Madagascar have led to the country’s worst food crisis in 20 years, exacerbating the vulnerabilities of already poor populations.

In Mauritius and the Seychelles, the United Nations is ramping up its support to authorities to address the impacts of the rising costs of fertilizers. This is urgent for both countries, which are currently 100 per cent dependent on imported chemical fertilizers.

After the Russian Federation vetoed a draft Security Council resolution on 8 July which would have injected certainty and predictability into the humanitarian response in Syria, the General Assembly today held a debate on the issue, with delegates expressing diverging views on the formula for — and merits of — renewing aid deliveries through the Bab al-Hawa crossing in the country’s north-west.

The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) today released a report on the human rights situation there over the 10 months since the Taliban takeover, citing 2,106 civilian casualties between mid-August 2021 and mid-June 2022 despite an overall notable reduction in armed violence.

International efforts to clarify Syria’s declarations on its chemical weapons programme still have not progressed, the United Nations disarmament chief told the Security Council today, as some delegates sparred over the contents of the fact-finding mission’s latest report.

Deputy Secretary-General, Amina Mohammed, addressed the General Assembly at the Nelson Mandela Day event, saying that the best tribute to Madiba is to realize the promise of the Sustainable Development Goals, to stand united against hate, and to work for peace, prosperity, and human rights for all.

The Acting Humanitarian Coordinator for Ukraine today condemned the deadly attack on Chasiv Yar in Donetsk Oblast on 9 July. Reports are that a municipal dormitory for vulnerable people was hit, killing at least 34 civilians, including a child. Another nine people were rescued from the debris and are now hospitalized.

Following days of protracted negotiations, the Security Council today adopted a compromise resolution extending the use of the Bab al-Hawa border crossing for the delivery of humanitarian aid into Syria’s north-west for six months, leaving the door open for a subsequent six-month renewal, until 10 July 2023, pending the adoption of another resolution.