Haiti crises have reached ‘a critical point’: UN envoy

Haiti crises have reached ‘a critical point’: UN envoy

“I cannot overstress the severity of the situation in Haiti, where multiple protracted crises have reached a critical point,” said Maria Isabel Salvador, presenting the latest report of the UN political office there, BINUH.  The Caribbean country remains plagued by mounting violence and insecurity at the hands of armed gangs, against a backdrop of political, humanitarian, and socioeconomic…

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Guterres warns against Red Sea escalation

The Red Sea shipping crisis is having a ‘dramatic’ impact, warns logistics chief

According to Jan Hoffmann, Chief of Trade Logistics at UNCTAD, the attacks are not only adding to geopolitical tensions but also raising costs and leading to increased greenhouse gases (GHG) emissions. “Maritime transport is really the lifeline of global trade,” he said, speaking to journalists at the UN Headquarters in New York via video link…

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Nearly 14 million children in Sudan need humanitarian support: UNICEF

Sudan war ‘a living nightmare for children’: UNICEF Representative

“Sudan is experiencing a humanitarian catastrophe of epic proportions. It’s a living nightmare for children,” Mandeep O’Brien said this week in an interview with UN News.  Nearly 10 months have passed since clashes erupted between the Sudanese Army and a rival group known as the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), leaving14 million children in desperate need of lifesaving assistance. Child displacement crisis  Ms. O’Brien said…

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World News in Brief: ICJ to release emergency measures over Israel genocide allegations, Libya flood repair bill, leprosy stigma continues

World News in Brief: ICJ to release emergency measures over Israel genocide allegations, Libya flood repair bill, leprosy stigma continues

Since 7 October when Israel launched its military campaign to destroy Hamas in response to the militant group’s terror attacks in southern Israel that left some 1,200 dead and more than 250 taken hostage, Gaza health authorities have reported at least 25,700 killed and some 63,740 injured. In its case, which began earlier this month in…

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UN representative on sexual violence in conflict to visit Israel and West Bank

UN representative on sexual violence in conflict to visit Israel and West Bank

Pramila Patten, Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General on Sexual Violence in Conflict, will also visit the occupied West Bank, where she will meet with the Palestinian Authority, civil society organizations, recently released detainees and other relevant actors. The visit is set to start on Monday and will conclude in early February.  Giving voice to…

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Ukraine war: Political Affairs chief warns against rhetoric fuelling ‘already dangerous conflict’

Ukraine war: Political Affairs chief warns against rhetoric fuelling ‘already dangerous conflict’

“We understand both Russia and Ukraine are conducting separate investigations into the incident, and Kyiv has called for an international probe,” Rosemary DiCarlo, Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, told ambassadors in the Security Council. Russia said that there were no survivors from Monday’s crash in the Belgorod region close to the Ukrainian border and…

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Gaza: Top UN aid official calls for end to attacks on sites sheltering civilians

Gaza: Top UN aid official calls for end to attacks on sites sheltering civilians

The death toll from intensified fighting “in the area” of the training centre in the southern city of Khan Younis in recent days has risen to 12 confirmed fatalities and 75 injured – 15 critically – said Thomas White, Deputy Humanitarian Coordinator for the Occupied Palestinian Territory. “Persistent attacks on civilian sites in Khan Younis…

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Stories from the UN Archive: Shakira speaks up for children

Stories from the UN Archive: Shakira speaks up for children

The youngest ever Goodwill Ambassador for the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) in 2003, Shakira Mebarak has since been actively engaged in promoting early childhood education and development. In 2015, when the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) were adopted at the United Nations, Shakira took the floor and spoke about the critical early years of a child’s life. “It…

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