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The United Nations refugee chief arrived in Yemen today along with the European Union’s top humanitarian official to assess assistance to civilians displaced by conflict in the country’s north, as well as challenges posed by the continuing influx of refugees on its shores.

United Nations agencies in Sri Lanka are stepping up efforts in cooperation with the Government to help the over one million people affected by the severe floods that have struck the South Asian nation in recent weeks.

A joint United Nations-African mission arrived in Niger today to assess progress by the transitional authorities in organizing elections following last year’s coup and a recent wave of arrests.

Three Bulgarian crew members working for the United Nations Humanitarian Air Service (UNHAS) were abducted in Darfur today, just over one month after three of their colleagues were freed after more than a month in captivity.

The Security Council today expressed its appreciation of efforts by the United Nations regional centre for preventive diplomacy in Central Asia to support countries there to respond to regional challenges, including the situation in Kyrgyzstan, and to find solutions for water and energy management issues through cooperation.

The United Nations panel tasked with monitoring the long-awaited referendum on the future status of Southern Sudan continued visiting polling centres in the region today, the fifth day of the week-long exercise.

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today warned forces loyal to the outgoing Côte d’Ivoire president, who has refused to step down despite his election defeat, that they will be held accountable for their criminal attacks on United Nations peacekeepers in the country.

United Nations agencies and their partners are helping the Kenyan Government respond to food and water shortages that have hit several parts of the country as a result of a prolonged dry spell, which has been particularly severe in arid areas inhabited by nomadic livestock keepers.

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Wednesday voiced his deep concern about the developments unfolding in the Abobo suburb of Côte d'Ivoire's commercial capital, Abidjan, where clashes between security forces and supporters of President-elect Alassane Ouattara have reportedly left six people dead, and warned against any further raids by forces loyal to outgoing leader Laurent Gbagbo.

The week-long independence referendum in South Sudan passed its half-way mark today with a continued large turnout, and a United Nations monitor said there should be no need to extend the vote, which could split Africa’s largest country in two.