Yemen

The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) warns today that the pace of progress to reduce new HIV infections, increase access to treatment and end AIDS-related deaths is slowing down.  In 2018, for the first time, the global resources available for the AIDS response fell significantly by nearly $1 billion.

The Security Council today decided to extend until 15 January 2020 the mandate of the United Nations political mission tasked with overseeing the ceasefire agreement reached in Stockholm on 13 December 2018 between the Government of Yemen and the Houthi militia in the city and port of Hodeidah.

The World Health Organization (WHO) Director General announced today he will reconvene the Emergency Committee on Ebola to assess the threat after yesterday’s confirmation of the first case in Goma, eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo.  He also raised concerns about targeted attacks against the Ebola health response.

There have been unprecedented wildfires in the Arctic since the beginning of June, according to the World Meteorological Organization.  In June alone, they emitted 50 megatons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, an amount equivalent to Sweden’s annual carbon dioxide emissions.

A new Food and Agriculture Organization report finds that 41 countries — 31 of which are in Africa — require food assistance, as cyclone damage and rainfall deficits in 2019 caused significant agricultural production shortfalls in Southern Africa, and severe dryness in East Africa negatively affected harvests.

The cholera outbreak in Yemen has reached more than 460,000 suspected cases in 2019, exceeding the 380,000 total suspected cases in all of 2018.  While the United Nations and partners operate 1,200 treatment facilities, funding remains an urgent issue, with only 32 per cent of the $4.2 billion response plan met.

The World Meteorological Organization said today the Earth is set to experience its five warmest years on record from 2015-2019. Increasing greenhouse gas concentrations will fuel the global heat – and accompanying ice melt, glacier retreat, sea level rise, ocean heat and extreme weather for generations to come.

The International Organization for Migration says intercommunal violence and floods in the Mopti region of Mali are aggravating a fragile humanitarian situation for 50,000 internally displaced people while 210,000 others are food insecure and only 2 per cent of communities can access safe drinking water.

Today is the Day of the Seafarer.  This year’s theme, “I Am on Board with Gender Equality”, focuses on the importance and value of women within the professional ranks of the maritime world.  The theme is also in line with this year’s theme for World Maritime Day:  “Empowering Women in the Maritime Community”.

More than 1.3 million people in north-west and south-west Cameroon need humanitarian assistance, up from 160,000 in 2018.  Non-State armed groups banned education, 80 per cent of schools are closed and 74 schools were destroyed.  The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) says half of those in need are children.