Yemen

After a volcanic eruption and tsunami caused significant infrastructure damage in Tonga, the World Food Programme said it is exploring ways to bring in aid and the United Nations Children’s Fund is ready to send emergency water, sanitation and other supplies from warehouses in Fiji and Brisbane.

The following Security Council press statement was issued today by Council President Mona Juul (Norway):

In the Central African Republic, the number of improvised explosive devices has increased significantly, especially in the north-west, the United Nations peacekeeping mission there said today.  It believes the armed group 3R has been intentionally targeting peacekeepers and the national armed forces.

With warring parties locked in a cycle of distrust and disagreement over competing priorities, efforts to resolve the conflict in Yemen — now in its eighth year — are hitting the same obstacles as in years past, the senior United Nations mediator told the Security Council today as delegates explored ways to harness the power of women in charting the country’s future.

In Yemen, the United Nations Mission to Support the Hudaydah Agreement (UNMHA) has expressed its concern at the allegations of the militarization of the Hudaydah ports.  The Mission has made a request to undertake an inspection and reminds all parties that the ports are a crucial lifeline for millions of Yemenis.

Fifty-five journalists and media workers were killed around the world in 2021, according to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) – the lowest annual death toll in over a decade.  However, two thirds of those killings took place in countries not experiencing armed conflict and impunity for those crimes remains widespread.

More than 3 million doses arrived in Venezuela on 4 January, bringing the total received through the COVAX facility to nearly 9 million, while Bolivia recently received nearly 2 million doses through COVAX.  Thanks to a massive logistical effort led by the Pan-American Health Organization, nearly 90 million doses have landed in 33 countries in Latin America.

On 17 December 2021, the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 2140 (2014) was briefed by Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Sexual Violence in Conflict Pramila Patten on the situation of sexual violence in conflict in Yemen.

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres today announced the appointment of Major General (retired) Michael Beary of Ireland as Head of the United Nations Mission to Support the Hudaydah Agreement (UNMHA) and Chair of the Redeployment Coordination Committee.

The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees said it is stepping up its aid delivery to help a growing number of Venezuelan refugees and migrants crossing by foot across Chile’s northern border with Bolivia.  Local authorities report that 400-500 people from Venezuela have crossed into Chile daily since November.