Yemen

The UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, in a statement issued today, condemned the firing yesterday of a rocket from Gaza towards Israel. This is the third such incident in the past 30 days after a period of almost four months of quiet.  Such provocations seek only to undermine peace, he said.

The Secretary-General today swore in Amina Mohammed, his new Deputy Secretary-General.  Ms. Mohammed said that she will focus primarily on helping the Secretary-General to reposition sustainable development at the heart of the United Nations.

Extremely concerned for the safety and protection of more than 400,000 people who remain besieged in eastern Ghoutah in Syria, the United Nations calls on all parties to the conflict to spare civilians and civilian infrastructure and to ensure unimpeded, sustained and unconditional access to all those in need.

The Secretary-General welcomes donor pledges made today at the conclusion of the Oslo Humanitarian Conference on Nigeria and the Lake Chad Basin, where 14 donors pledged $458 million for 2017.  The Conference also resulted in an agreement to address longer-term development needs and seek lasting solutions to the crisis.

The Security Council today renewed for one year a targeted arms embargo, travel ban and assets freeze against individuals and entities designated by the Committee established pursuant to resolution 2140 (2014) on Yemen.

The following is the full transcript of the joint press conference on the humanitarian crises in Nigeria, Somalia, South Sudan and Yemen with United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres; Helen Clark, Administrator of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP); Stephen O’Brien, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and United Nations Emergency Relief Coordinator; Ertharin Cousin, Executive Director of the World Food Programme (WFP); Carla Mucavi, Director of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Liaison Office in New York; and Justin Forsyth, Deputy Executive Director of the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), held in New York today:

The Secretary-General spoke today at the Security Council’s debate on conflicts in Europe, saying that such conflicts are not only a tragedy for those directly involved, but they are also reversing development gains and preventing communities and societies from achieving their potential and contributing to regional and global prosperity.

Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed, Special Envoy for Yemen, has put out a statement responding to the killing of six women and a girl, as well as the wounding of dozens of people as a result of an alleged air strike that hit a funeral in the Arhab District of Sana’a Governorate on Wednesday afternoon.

The High Commissioner for Human Rights is extremely worried by reports suggesting the targeting of civilians over the past two weeks amid intense fighting between warring parties in Al Mokha in Taizz Governorate in Yemen.  The United Nations Refugee Agency has mobilized assessment teams and begun delivering emergency aid.

The United Nations Operation in Côte d’Ivoire (UNOCI) reports that sporadic arms fire by disgruntled Ivorian Special Forces soldiers seeking bonus payments resumed in Adiaké today after a night of calm.  The western town of Olodio and the northern border town of Tengrela are reported calm after unrest yesterday.