Ukraine


An innovative debt-swap between the Russian Federation and Mozambique has unlocked $40 million, which will be used by World Food Programme (WFP) to provide school meals for 150,000 children in Mozambique over the next five years.  The largest in WFP history, the debt-swap will free up new resources for development, as well as provide debt relief.

In Bangladesh, aid workers and the Government continue scaling up operations and, as of 4 October, have given food assistance to 515,500 Rohingya refugees that have fled from Myanmar. On Tuesday, the World Health Organization and partners will launch the world’s second-largest cholera vaccination campaign in Cox’s Bazar.

An estimated 370,000 Rohingya refugees have fled into Bangladesh since 25 August.  A flight chartered by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees carrying emergency aid has landed in that country.  A second flight, donated by the United Arab Emirates, was carrying 2,000 tents.  The supplies will help 25,000 refugees.

The International Organization for Migration has released a report profiling migrants passing through its West Africa transit centres.  It reveals wide-spread misinformation about what awaits migrants on their journeys and in countries of temporary residence, particularly Algeria and Libya, where migrants reported abusive treatment, physical violence, and/or threats.

Belligerents in eastern Ukraine have repeatedly failed to implement ceasefire agreements, allowing hostilities to claim more lives as the fighting entered its fourth year, the latest human rights report says.  It recorded 36 deaths and 157 injuries, a rise of nearly 50 per cent over the previous reporting period.

The Secretary-General said that he has been following the situation in Syria closely and with grave concern.  Mindful of the risk of escalation — following reports of the United States air strikes against the Shayrat Airbase in Syria — he appealed for restraint to avoid any acts that could deepen the suffering of the Syrian people.