In Myanmar, where the humanitarian crisis continues to deteriorate, a record 3.4 million people are now internally displaced, according to UN figures. The 2024 Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan, which calls for nearly $1 billion, is only one-third funded. The UN appeals to Member States to urgently contribute funds.
In progress at UNHQ
Ukraine
As the Russian Federation’s war against Ukraine surpasses 1,000 days, speakers warned the Security Council today of a dangerous escalation, citing reports of mid- and long-range missile firings by both sides and the deployment of troops from the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea in the conflict zone.
According to the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, heavy rainfall caused flooding in multiple sites in Khan Younis and Gaza City where displaced families are staying. People’s tents and other belongings were damaged by the rains. The United Nations and its humanitarian partners have been carrying out field visits to assess the impact of the latest rains.
The World Food Programme (WFP) today urgently appealed for $16.9 billion to address global food needs and the alarming gap between needs and resources. WFP’s Global Outlook 2025 shows that 343 million human beings across 74 countries are acutely food insecure, 10 per cent more than in 2023.
Tropical Storm Sara has brought heavy rains and strong winds to Central America, impacting nearly 180,000 people. The teams in the region, under the leadership of Resident Coordinators, are supporting Government-led efforts on the ground in the areas of coordination, technical assistance and monitoring.
Following are UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ remarks, as delivered by Rosemary DiCarlo, Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, to the Security Council on Ukraine, in New York today:
Reckoning with recent reports of the deployment of foreign troops and the authorization to use long-range weapons to strike across borders, speakers in the Security Council today discussed how best to achieve peace in Ukraine as civilians there ready themselves to face a third winter under increasingly harsh conditions.
A convoy of 109 trucks with food supplies for the World Food Programme and the United Nations Relief and Works Agency, originally scheduled for 17 November, was instructed by the Israel Defense Forces to depart at short notice via an unfamiliar route on 16 November from the Kerem Shalom crossing and was looted inside Gaza.
Despite pledges to slash methane emissions by 30 per cent by 2030 — key to getting global warming under control, only 1 per cent of the Methane Alert and Response System in the past year were responded to, a UN Environment Programme report released today states. The system is an untapped opportunity for climate action.
The United Nations refugee agency today released a report warning that people forced to flee war, violence and persecution are increasingly finding themselves on the front line of the global climate crisis, exposing them to a lethal combination of threats but without the funding and support needed to adapt.