David Malpass, a former senior United States’ Treasury official nominated by then President Donald Trump, served as chief of World Bank Group (WBG) since 2019. In a post on the social media platform LinkedIn, he said he intends to step down by June, one year before the end of his four-year appointment. “I’m proud of…
The Regional Migrant Response Plan, launched this week, will address the dire needs and protection risks facing people along the treacherous Eastern Route towards the Arabian Peninsula. Other objectives include scaling-up delivery of lifesaving and resilience-building initiatives and implementing long-term sustainable solutions for both migrants and host communities. Dangerous journeys The Eastern Route is one…
“Over 100 million people rely on artisanal gold mining for their livelihoods, so it’s critical that we work with governments to equip miners with the knowledge and tools necessary to phase out mercury use,” said Ludovic Bernaudat, the programme manager of planetGOLD, an innovative effort led by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP). Funded by the…
The Human Rights Council-appointed experts called for donors worldwide to give generously to the UN World Food Programme (WFP) Rohingya Refugee Response fund. “The planned rations reductions are the devastating consequence of the international community’s failure to provide funding for initiatives that address the fundamental needs of Rohingya refugees”, the two Special Rapporteurs said in a statement. “Rations…
“The large-scale humanitarian and protection crisis shows no sign of abating,” said Matthias Schmale, the UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for Nigeria. “An estimated 2.4 million people are in acute need – impacted by conflict, disaster and disease – and require urgent support.” Warnings of catastrophe The “ticking time bomb” of child malnutrition is escalating…
“More people in distress will be made to suffer and more lives risk being lost because timely help is not available, if this law is passed,” he said in a statement. Mr. Türk expressed his serious concerns a day after the Italian Parliament approved legislation that imposes stricter requirements on humanitarian ships which are attempting…
The situation for many in Ukraine remains desperate, amid “relentless” shelling of civilian targets and infrastructure, the UN’s Emergency Relief Coordinator, Martin Griffiths, told journalists in Geneva. Humanitarian funding is needed to continue supporting lifesaving aid convoy deliveries to communities on the front line, “into areas of great danger and difficulty and priority needs”, said…
Ahead of a briefing to journalists in New York on Wednesday, Laila Baker, UNFPA Regional Director for Arab States, spoke to UN News from Aleppo, where women are clamouring for peace amid the rubble of the disaster and the ravages of war. “Without fault, in every group of women, individual or collective, their message was…
The security plan represents “an essential tool” paving the way for the coming local elections, UN mission spokesperson Vladimir Monteiro said. Voters will be casting ballots in local elections for the first time since 1988. The Government of CAR and the UN stabilization mission (MINUSCA) signed a new plan on Tuesday amid recent flaring tensions….
“Leprosy is hidden beneath multiple layers of systemic exclusion, structural discrimination, and institutional neglect,” said UN Special Rapporteur on discrimination against persons with leprosy, Alice Cruz, following an eight-day visit to Bangladesh. Currently, people from 120 countries are affected by leprosy, known as Hansen’s disease, with more than 200,000 new cases reported worldwide yearly. The…
