With conflict in Yemen grinding on, the health system and economy have collapsed, seriously jeopardizing “people’s ability to survive”.
That’s according to the UN Resident Coordinator for the country, Jamie McGoldrick, who is in New York for a high-level event on Yemen, which was held on Friday in the margins of the UN General Assembly.
Only an internationally-recognized and functioning peace agreement can end the suffering of millions in South Sudan.
That’s the firm view of the head of the UN peacekeeping mission in the country, David Shearer, who’s been in New York this week on behalf of UNMISS, as world leaders debate how to help the world’s youngest country recover from its conflict-driven humanitarian crisis.
There are two million South Sudanese refugees and nearly two million displaced by fighting between political rivals.
New UN relief chief relays voices of displaced to world leaders
In a “landmark” resolution, the Security Council established a new team on Thursday to investigate alleged war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide committed by the terrorist group ISIL in Iraq.
ISIL, also known as Daesh, overran large areas of Iraq and Syria in 2014, but in the past year it has seen most of its territory liberated by Iraqi and coalition forces across the region.
The new team will operate with the full support of the Iraqi government, which has been working with the United Kingdom on the resolution for some time.
Matt Wells reports.
Displaced people in Africa’s volatile Lake Chad region have an urgent request to the international community: we need your protection.
That’s the message the new UN emergency relief coordinator Mark Lowcock is delivering to world leaders meeting in New York at the latest session of the General Assembly.
It’s the first time Mr Lowcock is participating in the annual gathering of the UN’s 193 Member States, having taken the helm of the UN humanitarian affairs office, OCHA, this month.
Gender equality a “driver” in fighting violence against women and girls
“We are a world in pieces” that needs instead to become a “world at peace.”
The words of the UN Secretary-General António Guterres on Tuesday, at the opening of the UN General Debate, when every country gets to address the 193-member General Assembly in New York.
President of the United States Donald Trump said Member States needed to confront what he called “wicked” rogue regimes, adding that it might be necessary for the US to “totally destroy” North Korea if it failed to stop its nuclear weapons programme.
Increasing women’s participation in global trade will lead to better development outcomes for families and communities.
That’s the view of Arancha González, Executive Director at the International Trade Centre (ITC), which is working to get one million women-owned businesses to market by 2020.
In 2016, ITC launched the “SheTrades” initiative, an online platform and mobile application, or "app," that connects buyers worldwide with women-owned enterprises.
The security situation in Wau, in north-western South Sudan, has improved, with displaced people returning home, the head of the UN peacekeeping mission in the country, UNMISS, has said.
They fled their homes due to the four-year long conflict between government and opposition forces.
In a recent visit to the Lokoloko camp in the region, UNMISS chief David Shearer noted that “people need to feel safe to go back to their homes.”
World leaders who have committed to join the United Nations in combatting sexual exploitation and abuse will be among the participants at a high-level meeting at UN Headquarters on Monday.
The meeting has been convened by UN Secretary-General António Guterres who has made addressing this issue a top priority since his appointment in January.
