Ukraine

Secretary-General António Guterres departed New York on Monday, 6 March, en route to Ukraine via Poland.  He arrived in Kyiv very early on Wednesday morning to begin his third visit to Ukraine in the past year.

The United Nations Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Nigeria strongly condemned the “shocking” ambush and killings of more than 30 civilians — fisherman, farmers and displaced persons — in Borno state, a reminder of the toll of more than 13 years of conflict in the region.

In Vienna, Jagjit Pavadia, President of the International Narcotics Control Board launched its Annual Report for 2022, which focuses on the trend towards legalizing the non-medical use of cannabis and analyses the various policy approaches from the perspective of the drug control conventions.

On International Women’s Day, the Secretary-General, celebrating all women and girls around the world, called for gender equality in innovation and technology, as well as for the digital gender divide to be closed and women and girls’ representation in science and technology be increased.

In Mongolia, the United Nations and humanitarian partners are appealing for an additional $3.5 million for a humanitarian response plan to reach 53,000 people in communities affected by Dzud — a severe winter weather event that follows a summer drought, freezing or starving large numbers of livestock to death.

Six months after devastating floods struck Pakistan, the United Nations and its partners have reached more than 7 million people with food and other essential services, including life-saving interventions for children. Yet only 30 per cent of the Floods Response Plan has been funded so far.

The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, through the Resident Coordinator in Fiji, offered support to Vanuatu amid a state of emergency sparked by Tropical Cyclone Judy. A second storm system is now bearing down on the country, and may impact 95 per cent of the population.

In Iraq, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affair reports that is has launched a humanitarian transition overview to encapsulate critical residual humanitarian needs and help donors and agencies prioritize support in 2023.

The Secretary-General, noting the International Court of Justice’s Order regarding Armenia and Azerbaijan, welcomed their trust placed in the World Court and expressed hope both parties will implement the Orders, including ensuring unimpeded movement along the Lachin Corridor in both directions.

Ministers, senior officials and representatives from around the world called for an immediate ceasefire in Ukraine and for peace talks to commence, decrying the crimes being committed against civilians and children, while warning against escalation of the conflict into a third world war, as the Security Council addressed for the second time in a week the impact of the conflict on both the region and the international community.