This is the news in brief from the United Nations

Somalian children face ‘malnutrition crisis’

“Unprecedented numbers” of children in Somalia are facing a “malnutrition crisis” the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) warned on Tuesday.

Nearly half of the under-five population, or 1.5 million children, are likely to have acute malnutrition – 385,000 of whom will need treatment, UNICEF Somalia Representative, Wafaa Saeed, told reporters in Geneva.

The alert comes after UN relief chief Martin Griffiths said on Monday that “famine is at the door” in areas of the Bay Region of Somalia, which is “predicted to suffer a fifth consecutive failed rainy season”.

Ms. Saeed also shone a light on ‘a water crisis’ that is triggering an emergency for 4.5 million people:

SOUNDBITE: “We are treating children, but a child, no matter how much food a malnourished child eats, if he or she doesn't get clean water, then they will not be able to recover”.

UNHCR rushes aid by air and road following Pakistan floods

After torrential monsoon rains and floods, the first three of nine scheduled humanitarian flights have arrived in Pakistan while the other five are on their way, according to the UN Refugee agency (UNHCR).

Widespread destruction and damage have affected more than 33 million people, and caused over 1,200 fatalities, UNHCR spokesperson, Shabia Mantoo, told reporters. A huge airlift operation from Dubai is focusing on an initial 50,000 households, in the worst affected areas of southern Sindh province and includes 40,000 sleeping mats, nearly 15,000 kitchen sets and some 5,000 multi-purpose tarpaulins.

An additional six flights are also scheduled from Dubai for Wednesday and Thursday and UNHCR trucks carrying tents for some 11,000 families are also on the road from Uzbekistan, with more convoys scheduled.

However, with the latest Pakistan Meteorological Department forecasts predicting more rains, challenges for flood survivors will increase, and nearly half a million displaced people may be forced to abandon their homes, warned Ms. Mantoo. 

Air pollution knows no borders, so nations must work together: UN chief

Ahead of the International Day of Clean Air for blue skies on Wednesday, UN Secretary-General António Guterres called on all countries to work together to combat air pollution. The annual commemoration stresses the urgent need to improve air quality and this year’s theme of “The Air We Share” focuses on the transboundary nature of air pollution, and the need for collective accountability and action.

Outlining steps needed to tackle air pollution Mr Guterres said, “we know what to do: invest in renewable energy and swiftly transition away from fossil fuels; rapidly move to zero-emission vehicles and alternative modes of transport; increase access to clean cooking, heating and cooling; recycle waste instead of burning it”.

These actions would save millions of lives each year, slow climate change and speed up sustainable development, he added.

In an appeal for nations to work together, he called for the monitoring of air pollution and laws to deliver credible plans to reduce emissions from vehicles, power plants, construction and industry.

Katy Dartford, UN News Geneva