Nine years after the Russian Federation’s illegal annexation of Crimea and 500 days after its invasion of Ukraine, the General Assembly met today to intensify its call for a peaceful end to a conflict that has killed and injured tens of thousands of people while scattering 6 million refugees across Europe and displacing millions more within Ukraine.
The decision by the Russian Federation to terminate the Black Sea Grain Initiative will strike a blow to people in need everywhere, a senior United Nations official warned the Security Council today, emphasizing that in addition to causing unconscionable death and destruction, the war in Ukraine has greatly diminished the international community’s ability to face an uncertain future.
The following statement by UN Secretary-General António Guterres was issued today:
In Haiti, the World Food Programme (WFP) today said it has been forced to cut the number of people receiving emergency food assistance by 25 per cent this month due to dwindling funding levels, ending support for 100,000 of the most vulnerable Haitians. WFP urgently needs $121 million to continue vital aid through 2023.
The United Nations team in the Federated States of Micronesia has launched a new joint programme, financed by a $3.8 million grant from the UN Joint SDG Fund, to help small island developing States in the Pacific pool resources, expertise and networks, spur economic activities and strengthen climate change resilience.
The following statement was issued today by the Spokesperson for UN Secretary-General António Guterres:
Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed marked the tenth anniversary of Malala Yousafzai’s iconic speech at the United Nations with a special event on Malala Day at the UN House in Nigeria. Introducing Malala, she said despite progress, the world remains far from ensuring all girls have access to equal, quality education.
The United Nations’ humanitarian partners have concluded an initial damage assessment following the recent operation by Israeli forces in the Jenin refugee camp. They report that 460 housing units were damaged, at least 40 families remain displaced and the camp remains largely without running water.
The following statement was issued today by the Spokesman for UN Secretary-General António Guterres:
The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs has released $8 million from the South Sudan Humanitarian Fund to help refugees and returnees from Sudan who are seeking shelter in South Sudan. The funds will help provide food, water, shelter and medical care to those affected by the ongoing violence.
