This is the News in Brief from the United Nations.

‘Dose of hope’ for Africa: WHO

The rate of vaccination against COVID-19 in Africa, needs to increase six-fold if the continent is to achieve the UN-backed target of 70 per cent coverage, by the middle of this year.

According to Thursday’s regional briefing by the World Health Organization (WHO), only 11 per cent of the population are fully vaccinated so far.

WHO) UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF), and other agencies including the International Red Cross, are launching a new initiative to resolve bottlenecks.

Last month, 96 million doses were shipped to Africa, easing shortages and accelerating the vaccine rollout.

Noting the need for “a dependable pipeline” to get doses out of storage and into people’s arms, WHO’s Regional Director for Africa, Matshidiso Moeti, explained that the partners are urgently working to fix operational challenges.

Syria: At least six children killed during US raid

In northwest Syria, a left at least six children were killed, and one girl badly injured in the border town of Atmeh, according to UNICEF’s acting Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa, Bertrand Bainvel.

According to news reports, the attack was carried out by US Special Forces, targeting ISIL militants including the terrorist group’s leader in Syria.

Since the beginning of the year, violence has escalated heavily in and around Idlib, home to 1.2 million children in need of assistance.

Many families in the area are internally displaced, having fled violence in other parts of the country.

Now they are dealing with freezing weather conditions and record sub-zero temperatures.

Harsh winter conditions have led to the deaths of at least five Syrian children in the north over the past two weeks alone.

Price of vegetable oils reaches record high: FAO

Food prices around the world surged in January, largely due to shortages in the supply of vegetable oils, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) reported on Thursday, in its latest Food Price Index.

The monthly index showed prices for major oils bought and sold, rose across the board, including crude oil.

FAO’s Director of Markets and Trade Division warned that supply constraints and reduced export availability had pushed vegetable oil prices up to an all-time high, the impacts of which “will not ease quickly.” 

He noted that labour shortages and unfavourable weather, have added to the surge.

Dairy prices increased by 2.4 per cent – its fifth consecutive monthly rise – with the steepest increases registered for skimmed milk powder, and butter.

Down 3.1 per cent from December, sugar was the only food commodity to post a decrease.

Liz Scaffidi, UN News.