World News in Brief: Updates on worsening crises in Gaza, South Sudan, DR Congo

World News in Brief: Updates on worsening crises in Gaza, South Sudan, DR Congo

Only three field hospitals are operating in Rafah in southern Gaza, one of which is only functioning partially, and all of these facilities are overwhelmed and undersupplied, OCHA said, with the seven-month-long war severely impacting civilians and the infrastructure they depend on for healthcare. The UN humanitarian aid agency said the Malnutrition Stabilisation Centre in…

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Climate crisis fuels deadly floods, worsening hunger in Afghanistan

Climate crisis fuels deadly floods, worsening hunger in Afghanistan

The UN World Food Programme (WFP) said that as erratic weather on the back of the worsening climate crisis “becomes the norm”, things will only get worse. This month’s unusually high rainfall followed a dry winter, rendering the ground too hard to absorb water, leading to massive flooding. Unseasonably warm temperatures further complicated the situation…

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UN food agency ramps up deliveries amid worsening food security in Ethiopia

UN food agency ramps up deliveries amid worsening food security in Ethiopia

“WFP, with our partners, are working tirelessly to reach millions of Ethiopians at risk of hunger in the first quarter of the year to help keep a major humanitarian catastrophe at bay,” said Chris Nikoi, the agency’s interim Country Director in Ethiopia. “WFP is extremely concerned about the deteriorating food security in northern Ethiopia, where…

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UN launches $46 billion appeal to respond to worsening crises in 2024

UN launches $46 billion appeal to respond to worsening crises in 2024

Launching the Global Humanitarian Overview, Martin Griffiths, UN Emergency Relief Coordinator, praised the heroic efforts of humanitarians but emphasized that international support is falling far short of the escalating needs.  “We thank all donors for their contributions, which amount to $20 billion so far this year – but that is just a third of what was…

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DR Congo: Elections looming, amid worsening insecurity

DR Congo: Elections looming, amid worsening insecurity

Briefing ambassadors at the UN Security Council, Bintou Keita, Special Representative of the Secretary-General noted steady progress in the electoral process despite significant logistical, financial, and security challenges.  However, the resurgence of the crises related to the M23 group in the east, and new pockets of insecurity in the Greater Katanga region, Mai-Ndombe and Tshopo…

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Syrians facing ‘ever worsening’ conditions, top UN officials warn

Syrians facing ‘ever worsening’ conditions, top UN officials warn

“The violence and suffering of the Syrian people remind us of what is at stake as diplomatic efforts continue on Syria,” said Najat Rochdi, UN Deputy Special Envoy for the country. “Ultimately, we need a nationwide ceasefire in line with Security Council resolution 2254.” Worsening crisis Briefing on current conditions, she said recent reports have tracked deadly…

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Continued urgent action needed to prevent food and nutrition crisis from worsening

Continued urgent action needed to prevent food and nutrition crisis from worsening

The heads of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the World Bank Group (WBG), the World Food Programme (WFP) and the World Trade Organization (WTO) called for rescuing “hunger hotspots” and facilitating trade, among other measures.  They advised countries to balance short-term urgent interventions with longer-term resilience efforts.    Expected drop…

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