Syria

The United Nations refugee agency and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) called upon European countries and regional organizations today to take urgent action to ensure no child is born, or remains, stateless in Europe.  In 2017, some 2,100 children were registered as “stateless”, a four-fold increase over 2010.

The United Nations refugee agency says it is seeing a surge in refugee arrivals from South Sudan into the Democratic Republic of the Congo.  In the past few days, an estimated 5,000 refugees have arrived in several border villages near the town of Ingbokolo in north-eastern Ituri Province, according to local village chiefs.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has scaled up efforts to support five western African countries as they respond to outbreaks of Lassa fever.  The largest outbreak thus far has affected 16 states in Nigeria, with 213 confirmed cases to date.

The United Nations and the Syrian Arab Red Crescent are carrying out their largest-ever convoy today, with the aim of providing humanitarian assistance to more than 40,000 displaced people in Syria’s remote Rukban makeshift settlement.  The operation is expected to last about one week.

The United Nations and Libya’s Government of National Accord launched the 2019 Humanitarian Response Plan for that country today, seeking $202 million to provide health support, protection, water and sanitation, as well as shelter and education in support of more than 550,000 vulnerable people.

At least 34 United Nations and associated personnel were killed in malicious attacks while on duty in 2018, according to the annual report of the UN Staff Union’s Standing Committee for the Security and Independence of the International Civil Service. It is among the lowest casualty rates of the last five years.

Following a sea tragedy on Tuesday off Djibouti’s Red Sea coast, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) reports that 16 survivors have been recovered, as well as the remains of 43 victims.  IOM staff have been helping the Djibouti authorities patrolling the shorelines in search of other survivors.

Harsh winter conditions and ongoing hostilities in some parts of Syria have resulted in the forced displacement of tens of thousands more civilians across the war-ravaged country, exacerbating the already dire humanitarian situation, the United Nations Emergency Relief Coordinator warned during his briefing to the Security Council today.

The United Nations is concerned about reported violence and use of force by security forces during recent demonstrations in Douala, and condemns incidents of violence at Cameroon’s embassies in Paris and Berlin.  It is also concerned about the reported arrest of Maurice Kamto, leader of the Cameroon Renaissance Movement.

The High Commissioner for Human Rights today expressed concern after the approval in first reading of a bill to amend Guatemala’s National Reconciliation Law.  If adopted, the amendment would result in a generalized amnesty for all cases of grave human rights violations committed during the internal armed conflict.