This is the News in Brief from the United Nations.
Aid access to Afghanistan holding amid uncertainty and fear: UN agencies
UN humanitarian agencies and their partners reiterated their commitment to the Afghan people on Friday, stressing that despite a prevailing “sense of fear” felt by many, they are still able to access people in need across the country.
UN refugee agency spokesperson Shabia Mantoo said that concerns remained about the risk of rights violations against civilians, including women and girls.
She also urged Afghanistan’s neighbours to accept refugees, and reminded the international community not to forget the millions of Afghans in need:
“As of today, those who may be in danger have no way out. UNHCR is calling on countries neighbouring Afghanistan to keep their borders open in light of the evolving crisis in Afghanistan.”
The spokesperson explained that some 200 national and international staff “remain on the ground” and that the UN agency and national partners have access to two-thirds of all districts.
UN deputy chief arrives in Haiti with message of solidarity
To Haiti now, where deputy UN chief Amina Mohammed has arrived to show solidarity with the victims of last Saturday’s earthquake, which claimed the lives of more than 2,000 people.
After meeting civil society representatives on the Caribbean island on Thursday, the Deputy Secretary-General tweeted how important she believed it was to discuss ways to help Haiti resolve the beleaguered country’s many crises.
According to the World Food Programme, access to the quake-affected south remains a challenge, although the UN agency is using “air, sea, and road routes to transport essential supplies like food and medicine” to these areas.
WFP Programme Officer Marianela González spoke to us from the capital Port au Prince:
“The earthquake is a layer of crisis on top of a much longer and much deeper crisis in Haiti. Here we continue with the distributions of hot meals in hospitals, cash and of course our logistical capacity to support the humanitarian and medical assistance. Definitely hard to be here today and enter those hospitals, to see people on the streets without roof to sleep under, especially children. But we are here, and it is a privilege and a responsibility.”
Even before the earthquake, recurrent political unrest, gang fights and roadblocks had already limited access to the south.
WFP said that it needs $2.5 million for emergency food assistance, including to 215,000 people in Nippes, Sud and Grand'Anse.
Burkina Faso: UN chief condemns deadly attack on northern town, 80 reported dead
UN Secretary-General António Guterres has condemned an armed attack on a convoy in northern Burkina Faso, which has reportedly led to the deaths of some 80 people.
Reports indicate that the civilian convoy was being escorted by military police when it was attacked by Islamist militants near the town of Arbinda.
As well as the scores killed, several people were also wounded.
In a statement, Mr. Guterres expressed his deep concern at the violence orchestrated by extremist groups in the Liptako-Gourma area.
He also called for the Burkinabé authorities to “spare no effort in identifying and swiftly bringing the perpetrators to justice”.
The attack comes amid rising Islamist violence in Burkina Faso, which have forced record-breaking numbers of people from their homes. In July the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) reported that around 11,000 Burkinabé asylum seekers were in neighbouring Niger, up from 7,400 at the start of the year.
Daniel Johnson, UN News
