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World News in Brief: US executive orders continue, killings in Sudan, breast cancer alert in Africa, human rights in Tunisia

INTERNATIONAL, 5 February 2025 UN Affairs - New executive orders issued by the White House are set to further impact the cooperative, multilateral work of the United Nations, two weeks since the United States declared that it was pulling out of the UN health agency, WHO.
According to President Trump’s latest directive from the White House on Tuesday on international cooperation, the US will no longer participate in or financially support the Human Rights Council in Geneva, which is set to meet on Friday to discuss the crisis in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

The executive order also calls for a review of US membership of UNESCO, the UN agency for education, science and culture.

Leading the review will be US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who has 90 days to evaluate “how and if” UNESCO supports Washington’s interests.

The third UN agency immediately affected by the order is UNWRA, the UN agency for Palestine refugees, which the White House order maintained “has reportedly been infiltrated” by terrorist affiliates.

The presidential order withdraws US funding from UNRWA and notes the UN agency’s alleged involvement in the 7 October attacks on Israel, something which UNRWA strongly condemned and responded to by opening itself up to an independent as well as an internal investigation, ultimately sacking nine staff for their possible involvement.

Israel did not provide independent investigators with evidence to fully corroborate its allegations.

By 4 August 2025 – in just six months’ time – the US executive order also calls for a review of US membership in “all international intergovernmental organizations” and all conventions and treaties.

Praise for lifesaving US support

UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said in response to questions regarding the latest executive order that “from day one”, it has been clear that US support for the UN has “saved countless lives and advanced global security”.

“As I have mentioned, the Secretary-General looks forward to speaking to President Trump. He looks forward to continuing what was a very frank and productive relationship during the first term,” he said.

Mr. Dujarric recalled President Trump’s remarks in the Oval Office on Tuesday where he said the UN has “got great potential” with a critical role to play in taking on many big challenges facing the world.

At least 40 children killed in three days as violence escalates in Sudan

A surge in violence across Sudan has reportedly killed at least 40 children in just three days, with shelling targeting multiple areas of the country, the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has warned.

On Monday, heavy shelling in Kadugli, South Kordofan state, killed 21 children and injured 29 others.

Over the weekend, attacks on markets in El Fasher in Darfur state and Sabreen in Khartoum state claimed the lives of at least 19 more children, with several others wounded.

“Sadly, it is rare that more than a few short days go past without new reports of children being killed and injured,” said Annmarie Swai, the UNICEF representative in the country.

Daily killings

Since June 2024, as the conflict has spread into new regions, an average of over four incidents per day has been documented, with an overwhelming 80 per cent of these cases involving killings and maimings.

The violence has also hit vital civilian infrastructure. In late January, shelling reportedly struck the only functioning hospital in El Fasher, killing and injuring seven children, while another attack on a UNICEF child-friendly space in Khartoum state left three children dead or wounded.

“Children in Sudan are paying the ultimate price of the relentless fighting,” Ms. Swai said, urging all parties to uphold international humanitarian law.

135,000 women in Africa could die from breast cancer by 2040, warns WHO

An estimated 135,000 women could die from preventable breast cancer by 2040 in sub-Saharan Africa without urgent action, the World Health Organization (WHO) has warned.

According to a WHO study in 42 of the region’s 47 countries, there are significant gaps and disparities in breast cancer control.

Key findings included a critical shortage of healthcare workers who are essential for prevention, diagnosis and treatment.

Tackling breast cancer is also limited by a lack of access to specialised cancer centres, WHO said.

Lack of screening

The UN health agency found that only five out of 47 countries in sub-Saharan Africa have regular breast cancer screening programmes. Lab screening facilities are also lacking, with only two countries meeting the standard of one lab per 100,000 people.

Breast cancer-related deaths in the region continue to be driven by late diagnosis and insufficient prevention and care. Much more healthcare investment is needed, WHO insisted.

In 2022 alone, the UN agency said that 38 out of every 100,000 women were diagnosed with breast cancer and 19 per 100,000 died from the disease.

Tunisia: Rights panel demands immediate release of activist on hunger strike

Top independent rights experts reiterated their call to the Tunisian authorities on Wednesday to release an imprisoned activist who is intensive care after going on hunger strike.

Sihem Bensedrine, 75, was the former president of the Truth and Dignity Commission in Tunisia until she was detained in August last year.

In a joint appeal, the independent rights experts insisted that Ms. Bensedrine must be immediately and unconditionally released and any charges against her dropped.

The rights experts – Special Rapporteurs Bernard Duhaime, Mary Lawlor and Margaret Satterthwaite – said that her arrest appeared to be in retaliation for her activism.

Truth to power

In particular, they cited her contribution to the Truth and Dignity Commission’s report which they said “should lead to the prosecution of alleged perpetrators of serious violations of past regimes”.

The Tunisian commission was established in 2014 in collaboration with the UN human rights office, OHCHR, and the UN Development Programme (UNDP). It was tasked with investigating alleged abuses going back six decades as well as acting as an arbiter in cases of corruption and gross human rights violations.

Ms. Bensedrine is accused of falsifying the commission’s report on corruption in the banking system and has been the subject of judicial investigations since 2021, before her pre-trial detention last year.

The Human Rights Council-appointed independent experts further argued that commission members and staff cannot be held liable for any content, conclusions or recommendations in the report as their work was carried out in line with their mandate.

Chad and Nigeria sign agreement for voluntary refugee repatriation

The governments of Chad and Nigeria, in collaboration with UN refugee agency, UNHCRhave signed a tripartite agreement to allow the voluntary repatriation of Nigerian refugees currently residing in Chad.

It marks a significant milestone in regional efforts to provide durable solutions for refugees, ensuring that any future returns are voluntary, safe and dignified.

A tripartite commission will be set up to develop standard operating procedures for implementing the agreement. This includes facilitating ongoing dialogue, joint assessments and coordination between Chad, Nigeria and UNHCR. The commission will ensure that roles and responsibilities are clearly defined and that the protection needs of refugees remain central to the process.

“This tripartite agreement is a crucial step toward ensuring that any voluntary repatriation of refugees is conducted in a manner that upholds their fundamental rights and dignity,” said UNHCR regional bureau director Abdouraouf Gnon-Kondé.

The signing of this agreement is part of a broader commitment by the governments of Chad and Nigeria to strengthen protection and solutions for forcibly displaced populations. This includes ongoing cooperation with neighbouring countries to enhance regional coordination on voluntary repatriation and reintegration efforts.

UNHCR commends the governments of Chad and Nigeria for their leadership in promoting durable solutions while safeguarding refugee rights. The agency stands ready to implement its commitments under this tripartite agreement.

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DR Congo: UN mission offers protection to ‘vulnerable populations’, despite huge challenges

INTERNATIONAL, 5 February 2025 Peace and Security - Rwanda-backed M23 rebels continued to consolidate their hold over North Kivu in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) on Wednesday, despite declaring a ceasefire two days earlier and pledging not to continue south, according to the UN’s Deputy Special Representative for Protection and Operations in the country.
Vivian van de Perre, briefed from the ground in Goma, the regional capital, telling journalists that “the situation is still highly volatile, with persistent risks of escalation”, emphasising that military action alone will not resolve the conflict.

The hostilities are occurring in a mineral-rich region that has been unstable for decades amid a proliferation of armed groups, which has forced hundreds of thousands to flee their homes over the years and seek safety in displacement camps.

Fighting escalated sharply in late January, as the largely-Tutsi M23 fighters seized control of parts of North Kivu, including areas near Goma, and advanced towards South Kivu and the eastern DRC’s second city of Bukavu.

She warned that the peacekeeping mission (MONUSCO) – where she serves as deputy head – was operating in an increasingly challenging environment.

“The mission’s key infrastructures in Goma are overwhelmed, with both UN personnel and Congolese seeking shelter within our premises,” said Ms. Van de Perre. Pressure on space is growing – some 2,000 people are on site – and on “critical resources” like water, food and sanitation.

Humanitarian crisis deepens  

MONUSCO has confirmed that Goma airport continues to be under M23 control after their takeover last week and has suffered significant damage, including to the control tower.

UN personnel have been denied access to the site, which is a crucial entry point for humanitarian aid, limiting their ability to assess the full extent of the destruction.

She said the mission was “gravely concerned” over Kavumu airport and the potential it could be taken by rebel forces. Losing both airports “in the midst of an ongoing humanitarian and IDP crisis will be untenable” for the population of the region.

Although some water and electricity services have been partially restored in the city of Goma, much more is needed to ensure that people have access to adequate services.

The World Health Organization (WHO) now warns of potential disease outbreaks as bodies continue to be recovered across the city. Over 2,000 bodies have already been buried, while 900 remain in morgues fuelling fears of a potential epidemic.

Political and regional dimensions

While the UN continues to advocate for dialogue, peace efforts remain stalled.

The Luanda and Nairobi processes - the two main diplomatic initiatives aimed at resolving the conflict – have yet to yield tangible results.

Meanwhile, the African Union summit scheduled for later this month is seen as a crucial opportunity to reinvigorate regional engagement.

Ms. van de Perre also confirmed the presence of Rwandan forces in eastern DR Congo, despite denials from Kigali.

The UN has restricted movement, limiting verification capabilities, she said, but multiple reports have cited Rwandan military involvement alongside M23.

Uncertain future for MONUSCO

Amid mounting insecurity, MONUSCO has ceased joint operations with Congolese armed forces (FARDC) and withdrawn from South Kivu, following Security Council mandates.

The mission now awaits further instructions, with discussions on the next steps expected in the coming days.

Ms. van de Perre explained that the mission needs “clear guidance” from the Security Council, as the fluid situation is “changing literally every hour”.

Traffic on the streets of Goma, following recent insecurity.
UN News
Traffic on the streets of Goma, following recent insecurity.

Aid operations threatened

In addition to escalating violence, the US government's decision to halt USAID funding for certain humanitarian programs is expected to cripple UN relief efforts.

The International Organization for Migration (IOM) and other key UN agencies are already affected by stop-work orders, compounding the crisis.

Meanwhile, reports indicate that M23 has instructed NGOs to halt operations in areas under its control, further limiting humanitarian access.

A plea for peace

“We reiterate our call for the urgent reopening of Goma airport, as we need to evacuate wounded people and bring in humanitarian supplies and staff in,” said Mr. Dujarric.

As MONUSCO continues its efforts to protect civilians, de-escalate hostilities, and facilitate humanitarian access, Ms. van de Perre underscored the urgent need for a political solution.

“The people of the DRC deserve peace, security and stability,” she said, calling on all parties to “put an end to hostilities, prioritise dialogue and work towards a peaceful resolution.”

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Explainer: How family planning saves lives

INTERNATIONAL, 5 February 2025 Health - Sakina Sani was married off when she was 12 years old amid conflict and food shortages in northern Nigeria. She became pregnant at 15 but miscarried and then had two children in rapid succession.
“I will never allow my daughter to go through what happened to me,” she told UNFPA, the UN sexual and reproductive health agency.

What happens when conflict displaces tens of thousands of people in hotspots like Nigeria, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Ukraine, and women die every day in childbirth or pregnancy?

UNFPA is there, equipping displacement camps and medical personnel with lifesaving supplies.

When an earthquake tumbles whole city blocks, it puts contraceptives onto emergency relief convoys alongside kits for delivering babies and medicines to stop internal bleeding.

When a cyclone slashes through remote island communities, the agency sends contraceptives just as it sends sterile medical equipment, including condoms, oral and injectable contraceptives, contraceptives implants and intrauterine devices (IUDs).

Why? Because contraceptives are part of lifesaving humanitarian care.

This may be counterintuitive to some, but it is a settled fact in the eyes of medical science, humanitarian responders and women themselves.

Even outside emergency settings, having access to modern, safe contraceptives empowers women to make their own decisions about their fertility, which in turn reduces unintended pregnancies and unsafe abortions, improves health outcomes and lowers the risk of maternal and child mortality.

In short, family planning saves millions of lives. Here are some of the reasons why:

A woman is injected with a contraceptive at a UNFPA-supported health centre in the Central African Republic.
© UNFPA/Karel Prinsloo
A woman is injected with a contraceptive at a UNFPA-supported health centre in the Central African Republic.

Getting pregnant does not stop in emergency settings

More than 60 per cent of all maternal deaths are estimated to take place in humanitarian crises and fragile settings, places where women struggle to access the care and nutrition needed to safely carry a pregnancy.

Even in the best circumstances, alarming proportions of women are unable to say no to sex, roughly one quarter of women, according to the most recent data.

In a humanitarian crisis, women experience about twice the rates of gender-based violence as well as the heightened risk of rape as a weapon of war and tool of genocide and the increased risk of intimate partner violence. All of this elevates their vulnerability to an unintended pregnancy.

Supplies are distributed by UNFPA at a centre for survivors of gender-based violence in Kherson, Ukraine.
© UNFPA/Danil Pavlov

Preventing fatal complications

While contraception is sometimes criticised – incorrectly – as a new medication, one that is unnatural or poorly understood, the truth is that they have existed for millennia. Condoms, for example, have been used for centuries.

When it comes to  modern forms of contraception, they are among the most prescribed and well-studied medications in existence. Contraceptives have been investigated not just by pharmacologists and medical researchers, but also by healthcare economists, epidemiologists and policymakers, and the findings are conclusive: by preventing unintended pregnancy, contraceptives prevent women from dying.

How? Every pregnancy carries a risk, and pregnancies in crisis settings, where health systems are in tatters and medical care scarce, are particularly dangerous.

Lifesaving aid because babies don’t wait

What happens when a woman is ready to give birth after a hurricane or in a war zone?

In the crisis-addled DRC, a breakdown in healthcare infrastructure has led maternal mortality rates to soar, with three women dying every hour from pregnancy or childbirth complications.

“Many women in northwest Syria lose their lives while being transferred between hospitals in the absence of essential supplies for critical conditions,” Dr. Ikram Haboush, in Idlib, said.

Unintended pregnancies are also directly correlated with higher maternal mortality rates.

“That is why every public health programme designed to reduce the number of maternal deaths incorporates contraception as one of the pillars of action,” according to the experts who wrote UNFPA’s flagship annual publication, the State of the World’s Population Report, Seeing the unseen: The case of action in the neglected crisis of unintended pregnancy.

By preventing unintended pregnancy, contraceptives also reduce the incidence of maternal injuries and illness, stillbirth and neonatal death.

In 2023, UNFPA’s dedicated supplies partnership procured $136 million worth of contraceptives, which is estimated to have prevented nearly 10 million unintended pregnancies and over 200,000 maternal and newborn deaths. It is estimated these contraceptives also prevented nearly three million unsafe abortions.

Two community workers provide information about contraceptives in Bihar, India.
© UNFPA
Two community workers provide information about contraceptives in Bihar, India.

Preventing fatal illness, chronic ailments

Contraceptives like male and female condoms additionally save lives by decreasing the chances of contracting sexually transmitted infections (STIs), including HIV.

Even a treatable STI can be life-threatening in settings with limited access to medical care,  as is the case for women and girls in Haiti, for example, where widespread and relentless sexual violence has led to rising rates of unintended pregnancy as well as STIs, while the health system has all but collapsed.

Only around three per cent of survivors in Haiti report receiving post-rape treatment within 72 hours of being assaulted. This treatment includes emergency contraception to prevent pregnancy and post-exposure prophylaxis to prevent HIV transmission.

Contraceptives also treat ailments unrelated to sexual activity that are debilitating in even stable and secure circumstances like polycystic ovarian syndrome, endometriosis, dysmenorrhea and extremely heavy bleeding.

For women like Omaira Opikuko from Venezuela, there is no question that long-term contraception after her sixth delivery was lifesaving.

She suffered both haemorrhaging and a prolapsed uterus during her last labour.

“I was on the brink of death,” she said.

Two Thai peer educator high school students describe a range of available condoms.
UN News/Daniel Dickinson
Two Thai peer educator high school students describe a range of available condoms.

Cost-effective humanitarian interventions

Family planning is cost effective.

In 2023, more than 50 countries that received UNFPA contraceptive supplies made collective savings of over $700 million through reduced healthcare costs for pregnancy, delivery and post-abortion care.

Numerous studies have shown that family planning is a critical investment for society, not only by averting unintended pregnancy and the maternal health problems that accompany it, but also by increasing education and employment gains among women.

In humanitarian settings, contraceptives are all the more critical, helping women and families survive and stabilise and leaving them better prepared to recover.

No one knows this better than survivors of humanitarian crises themselves

“There is a lot of demand for family planning services,” one emergency responder said in the immediate aftermath of a deadly cyclone.

Amid the world’s growing precarity, rising catastrophes and increasing displacements, these services are a light in the dark for women and girls around the world.

As Ms. Opikuko in Venezuela said, “I don’t want to be scared anymore.”

Learn more about UNFPA here.

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Clock ticking on South Sudan’s transition, Security Council hears

INTERNATIONAL, By Vibhu Mishra 5 February 2025 Peace and Security - As South Sudan enters a so-called “extended transitional period” this month, the UN’s top envoy to the country has warned that the clock is ticking to accomplish the commitments under a key 2018 peace accord, ahead of a new deadline set for February 2027.
Signed in 2018 to end years of conflict, the Revitalized Peace Agreement, initially set a three-year timeline for elections and the formation of a democratic government. The transition has been extended four times, with key political, security, and governance benchmarks remaining unfulfilled.

Under the latest extension, announced by the authorities in September last year, general elections are scheduled to take place in December 2026.

Waiting for progress

Briefing ambassadors at the Security Council on Wednesday, Special Representative of the Secretary-General for South Sudan Nicolas Haysom stressed that while the country’s citizens have been patient, they expect progress.

“There is a strong desire for the leaders to focus on the benchmarks set out in the peace agreement – without further delay.”

With progress stalling in several critical areas, Mr. Haysom urged South Sudan’s leaders to accelerate security sector reform, electoral preparations, and reform of the constitution and judicial processes.

“The clock is already ticking on the extended transitional period. Decision-makers need to tackle several issues simultaneously and immediately,” he emphasised.

Significant gaps remain

Despite some achievements, major gaps persist – especially oncerning elections scheduled for December 2026.

While a framework for security sector management and a national community violence reduction strategy have been adopted, critical conditions remain unmet – including the full deployment of unified security forces, voter education, and a code of conduct between political parties and other stakeholders.

“We have not yet seen the previously promised harmonized workplan with an operational timetable for elections,” Mr. Haysom said, adding that delays in government funding and decision-making are further impeding progress.

Escalating security concerns

Communal violence remains a major driver of insecurity, disproportionately affecting vulnerable populations, including women and children.

Recent clashes between armed groups in Western Equatoria, along with widespread reports of illegal checkpoints, highlight the fragility of the security environment, Mr. Haysom noted.

At the same time, the war between rival militaries in in neighbouring Sudan is having spillover effects in South Sudan, including violent unrest in Juba following reports of South Sudanese nationals being executed in Sudan’s Wad Madani region.

Nicholas Haysom, Special Representative of the Secretary-General briefing the Security Council on the situation in South Sudan.
UN Photo/Eskinder Debebe
Nicholas Haysom, Special Representative of the Secretary-General briefing the Security Council on the situation in South Sudan.

Humanitarian crisis

More than one million Sudanese refugees have fled into South Sudan during the reporting period, joining an already staggering 9.3 million people in need of humanitarian assistance.

The country’s economic crisis is also worsening, with inflation soaring to 107 percent and food prices doubling, while government employees have not been paid for 10 months.

Health conditions are also deteriorating, with over 23,000 reported cholera cases exacerbated by last year’s floods. The disease continues to spread, particularly in remote areas with limited healthcare access.

The 2025 Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan aims to reach 5.4 million people with life-saving assistance and protection, but funding remains a critical challenge. The UN is appealing for $1.7 billion to meet urgent needs this year.

UNMISS operational constraints

Mr. Haysom, who also leads the UN peacekeeping mission in the country, UNMISS, briefed on logistical challenges faced after the Government requested the mission vacate part of its headquarters within 45 days.

He described the demand as imposing “significant costs” and logistical hurdles that UNMISS is not currently equipped to manage.

Restrictions on peacekeeper movement in some areas also continue to limit the mission’s ability to provide security and humanitarian support.

Steadfast support

Concluding his briefing, Mr. Haysom reaffirmed the UN’s commitment to standing “shoulder-to-shoulder” with the people of South Sudan on their path to stabilisation and democratisation.

 
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Gaza: More than a million receive food aid since the start of the ceasefire

INTERNATIONAL, 5 February 2025 Humanitarian Aid - Over one million people in the Gaza Strip have received food assistance since the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas took effect nearly three weeks ago, UN aid coordination office OCHA said in an update on Wednesday.
The temporary agreement to stop the fighting and release hostages brought an end to some 15 months of conflict and destruction in the Strip, following the brutal Hamas-led attacks on southern Israel of 7 October 2023.

The truce came into force on 19 January and OCHA said the surge in the daily entry of supplies into Gaza since then, along with improved access conditions, have allowed humanitarians to meaningfully expand the delivery of lifesaving assistance and services across the enclave.

Moreover, coordination with the Israeli authorities for humanitarian aid missions is mostly no longer required, except when entering buffer zones. 

Food and healthcare delivery expands

“As a result, humanitarian partners are adjusting their response in accordance with population movements, including by expanding their operational presence and services in areas that were previously hard or impossible to access, such as Rafah, Gaza and North Gaza governorates,” OCHA said.

Needs remain dire in Gaza, where the war has left over two million people fully dependent on food assistance, homeless, and without any income.

Over the past two weeks, the World Food Programme (WFP) delivered more than 10 million metric tonnes of food to the Strip, reaching roughly a million people through food parcel distributions to households. 

This is in addition to expanding bread deliveries at bakeries and community kitchens and re-opening a community kitchen in North Gaza on 24 January.  

WFP also delivered fuel that enabled the five bakeries in Gaza governorate that it supports to increase production capacity by 40 per cent to meet the growing demand.

Furthermore, 25 emergency medical teams are operating as of Tuesday, with 22 in the centre and south, two in Gaza City, and one in North Gaza. 

Palestinian families travel back to their homes in the north of the Gaza Strip.
© UNICEF/Eyad El Baba
Palestinian families travel back to their homes in the north of the Gaza Strip.

On the move

OCHA noted that since 27 January, population movements have continued across the Strip but have largely slowed down.

Over 565,092 people have crossed from the south to the north, while more than 45,678 have been heading southwards due to the lack of services and the widespread destruction of homes and communities in the north.

It is estimated that more than half a million people have returned to Gaza and North Gaza governorates, and the need for food, water, tents and shelter materials remains critical.

Shelter concerns

“Despite the entry of a large volume of supplies since the ceasefire took effect, priority was given to food during the first two weeks, significantly limiting the entry of shelter assistance,” OCHA said, citing partners working in the sector.

Meanwhile, the Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS) reported bringing at least 3,000 tents into northern Gaza on Monday, and an additional 7,000 tents are expected to arrive in the coming days.

Highlighting other developments, OCHA said this past Sunday saw the start of medical evacuations through Rafah crossings into Egypt. Between 1 and 3 February, 105 patients, including 100 children, and 176 companions were evacuated. 

Hostage releases continue

The update also included details on hostage releases. Hamas and other groups killed around 1,200 people in the 7 October attacks on Israel. They also seized some 250 others, both Israelis and foreigners, who were taken to Gaza.

OCHA said estimates indicate that 79 people currently remain captive, including hostages who have been declared dead and whose bodies are being withheld in Gaza.

Over the past week, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) facilitated the third and fourth release operations since the ceasefire took hold.

On 30 January, three Israeli and five Thai hostages were transferred from Gaza to Israeli authorities, and 110 Palestinian detainees were released from Israeli detention centres. Among the Palestinian detainees were 30 children as well as 20 prisoners from the West Bank who were released to the Gaza Strip. 

The following day, three Israeli hostages were transferred out of Gaza to Israel, and 183 Palestinian detainees were released from Israeli detention centres. The Palestinians freed included 111 people who were detained from the Gaza Strip after 7 October and seven detainees who were released to Egypt. 

Overall, the ICRC has facilitated the return of 18 hostages and 583 Palestinian detainees since the ceasefire began. 

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Human rights situation in Haiti remains ‘very alarming’, UN report finds

INTERNATIONAL, 4 February 2025 Human Rights - Gang violence in Haiti continues to have a devastating impact on the population, according to a new report from the UN office in the country (BINUH) on human rights violations recorded during the last quarter of 2024.
Released on Tuesday, the new report highlights that at least 5,626 people have been killed and more than 2,213 injured in the past year, due to the armed gangs who control much of the capital and the country at large.

These figures reflect a sharp increase of over 1,000 fatalities compared to 2023, underscoring the unrelenting brutality gripping the nation.

UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric highlighted the findings in Tuesday’s press briefing in New York, pointing to a severe deterioration in Haiti’s security landscape.

Harrowing mass killings

According to BINUH, the last quarter of 2024 saw an alarming rise in deadly gang-related attacks.

At least 1,732 people were killed and 411 injured due to violence by armed groups, self-defence units and law enforcement operations.

The report highlights three large-scale massacres that resulted in over 300 deaths, with the most severe attack occurring in the Wharf Jérémie neighbourhood of Port-au-Prince.

Between 6 and 11 December, at least 207 people were slaughtered by a gang led by Monel Felix, known as “Micanor,” who accused the mainly elderly victims of practicing voodoo and being responsible for the death of his child.

The armed gang executed people in their homes and a local place of worship before burning or dismembering bodies to conceal evidence. No law enforcement intervention was reported during the five-day attack.

Similar atrocities took place in Pont Sondé and Petite Rivière de l’Artibonite, where coordinated gang offensives left at least 170 people dead in early December.

The murders sparked reprisals by self-defence groups, further intensifying the violence

State-sanctioned executions

Haiti’s security forces have also been implicated in grave human rights violations.

The report documents more than 250 executions carried out by police in 2024, with two children among the victims.

Many individuals were executed after being detained, while others - including street vendors and motorcycle taxi drivers - were shot for failing to provide identification.

The Public Prosecutor of Miragoâne was also cited for six extrajudicial executions, bringing the total killings by prosecutors to 42 in 2024.

Despite calls for accountability, investigations into police abuses remain largely stalled. 
BINUH noted that no officers have undergone vetting since June 2023, reflecting a deep-seated lack of supervision.

Child exploitation

Haiti has also experienced a 150 per cent surge in kidnappings with gangs increasingly targeting children.

The report raised alarm over widespread sexual violence, with at least 94 cases of rape and sexual exploitation documented in the last quarter alone.

Women and girls remain particularly vulnerable in gang-controlled areas, where they are subjected to systemic abuse.

Additionally, child trafficking and forced recruitment by armed groups continue to rise.

UNICEF has warned of a 70 per cent increase in child soldiers, with boys as young as 12 being used for kidnappings, armed confrontations and extortion.

Judicial failures

Despite the scale of the crisis, Haiti’s judicial system remains paralysed.

While some efforts were made in late 2024 - including appointments to key judicial posts - progress on high-profile massacres and corruption cases remains slow.

Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aimé ordered investigations into the Pont Sondé and Wharf Jérémie massacres, yet no arrests or judicial actions had been taken by the end of the year.

International response

The High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk emphasised the critical need to restore the rule of law and called on the international community to ensure the full deployment of the Multinational Security Support mission (MSS).

The UN has also urged regional governments to intensify inspections of arms shipments destined for Haiti, in line with Security Council resolutions.

With over one million people displaced and a humanitarian catastrophe continue to unfold, urgent international intervention is seen as vital to stabilising the country. 

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Deadly attacks in eastern Aleppo highlight Syria’s vulnerability

INTERNATIONAL, By Vibhu Mishra 4 February 2025 Peace and Security - The United Nations on Tuesday condemned a deadly car bomb attack in the Syrian city of Manbij that killed 20 people, mostly women, and left many others critically injured.
The explosion on Monday – close to the Turkish border – targeted a vehicle transporting seasonal agricultural workers. According to news reports, at least 11 women and three children were among the dead.

It follows another attack just days earlier that killed four civilians and injured nine others, including six children. Monday’s car bombing was reportedly the seventh in just over a month and it marks the deadliest attack inside Syria since the fall of the Assad regime.

The area has been a battleground for Turkish-backed forces and mostly Kurdish fighters. No group has claimed responsibility for Monday’s attack so far.

“We reiterate that all parties must uphold their obligations under international humanitarian law to protect civilians,” said UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric, briefing journalists in New York.

“Civilians and civilian infrastructure should never be targeted.”

Thousands displaced

Meanwhile, hostilities persist in northeast Syria, particularly in eastern Aleppo, Al-Hasakeh and Ar-Raqqa, where over 25,000 have been displaced.

Shelling, airstrikes, and ongoing clashes have devastated communities, leading to widespread destruction of homes, hospitals, and essential infrastructure, according to a humanitarian bulletin issued by UN relief coordination office, OCHA.

Across the country, lack of public services and funding have made it difficult for humanitarian organizations to respond.

In Homs and Hama, electricity is available for only 45 to 60 minutes every eight hours, while in northwest Syria, more than 100 health facilities have run out of funding since the start of the year.

The UN and its partners are appealing for $1.2 billion to assist 6.7 million of Syria’s most vulnerable people through March 2025.

Humanitarian efforts

Despite the challenges, UN agencies and partners continue their efforts to deliver assistance and monitor the situation, as security allows.

On February 3, a UN cross-border mission from Türkiye to Idlib assessed cash distribution efforts – part of a broader effort to reach communities in need.

“So far in 2025, we completed 40 cross-border missions to Syria, mostly to monitor and assess projects – nearly double the number of missions that we had at the same time last year,” Mr. Dujarric said.

On January 30, UN teams also conducted an assessment mission to Sweida, close to the Jordanian border, marking the first UN presence in the area since October 2023. The visit revealed critical shortages of drinking water and irrigation resources, exacerbated by years of drought.

A family gathers at a reception centre in Ar-Raqqa city, Syria.
© UNICEF/Muhannad Aldhaher

Refugee returns

Meanwhile, a recent survey by the UN refugee agency, UNHCR, found that 27 per cent of Syrian refugees in Jordan, Lebanon, Iraq and Egypt, plan to return home within the next 12 months – a sharp increase from less than 2 per cent recorded in April last year.

Since the fall of the Assad regime in December, to 23 January, over 210,000 Syrians have returned with many facing challenges related to destroyed property, lack of infrastructure, and security concerns.

Internally displaced persons (IDPs) within Syria are also beginning to return home, albeit in small numbers.

Since early December, approximately 57,000 IDPs – mostly single-family groups or individuals – have left IDP camps.

However, nearly two million people remain in over 1,500 camps across Idlib and northern Aleppo, where safety concerns and a lack of essential services continue to hinder returns.

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World News in Brief: ‘Ruthless assault on human life’ in Sudan, Gaza ceasefire must hold says relief chief, World Cancer Day

INTERNATIONAL, 4 February 2025 Peace and Security - The UN Humanitarian Coordinator in Sudan has again urged warring parties to stop targeting civilians.
Clementine Nkweta-Salami issued a statement on Tuesday lamenting the “relentless” intensifying shelling, air and drone strikes against civilians in the Darfur and Kordofan regions, and other conflict-affected areas.

The Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and military rivals the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have been locked in a battle for power since April 2023, causing widespread death, destruction and displacement.

Indiscriminate attacks ‘deeply alarming’

“Reports of continued indiscriminate attacks on homes, markets and displacement camps are deeply alarming,” said Ms. Nkweta-Salami.  “This is not warfare – this is a ruthless assault on human life.”

Furthermore, “the use of starvation as a weapon of war against innocent people in Al Fasher, North Darfur, is appalling.”

She stressed that the laws of war are clear, noting that all sides to the conflict have a legal and moral obligation to protect civilians and civilian infrastructure.

“The world cannot look away as civilians are caught in the crossfire, bearing the brunt of a war that continues to disregard the most fundamental rules of armed conflict and international humanitarian law,” she said.

The senior official once again called on all sides to respect international humanitarian law, stop targeting civilians and civilian infrastructure, and allow immediate, unimpeded humanitarian access to those in need. 

“This war must not continue to be fought at the expense of the lives of innocent Sudanese children, women and men,” she said.

Gaza ceasefire must hold, UN relief chief notes during visit to Israel and OPT

The UN’s top aid official continues his week-long visit to Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territory focused on engaging with authorities, aid partners and those on the frontlines of the humanitarian response.

Emergency Relief Coordinator Tom Fletcher was in Nir Oz in southern Israel on Tuesday, where a quarter of all residents were killed or taken hostage in the Hamas-led attack on 7 October 2023. 

 In a social media post, he stressed that the ceasefire must hold, that all civilians must be protected, and that all hostages must be freed. 

Aid to Gaza

Mr. Fletcher also held several meetings with Israeli officials, both on Tuesday and on Monday night.

They discussed ways to sustain the surge of humanitarian support to Gaza, as well as the ongoing challenges in the West Bank, where violence has risen. 

The UN and humanitarian partners estimate more than 565,000 people have crossed from the south of Gaza to the north since 27 January, while more than 45,000 people have been observed making the journey from the north to the south.  

Mr. Fletcher arrived in the region on Monday and met Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Mustafa, in addition to holding separate talks with the president of the Palestine Red Cresent Society. 

Regular mammograms can help find breast cancer at an early stage.
© Unsplash/National Cancer Institute
Regular mammograms can help find breast cancer at an early stage.

WHO honours people affected by cancer on World Day against the disease

This Tuesday, 4 February, is World Cancer Day and UN health agency WHO is honouring the courage of people affected by the disease and celebrating scientific progress to treat it.

“Every minute, 40 people are diagnosed with cancer globally, and embark on a journey to overcome it,” WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus noted in a post on the social media platform X.

He said that “around the world, WHO is working with partners to create global coalitions, catalyze local action and amplify the voices of people affected by cancer.”

Its efforts to improve the lives of millions include providing medicines for paediatric cancers as well as a global campaign aimed at eliminating cervical cancer.

Tedros also used the commemoration of World Cancer Day to affirm WHO’s commitment to health for all. 

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Why have UN peacekeepers been in DR Congo for 65 years?

INTERNATIONAL, By Fabrice Robinet 4 February 2025 Peace and Security - Regional conflicts, murderous militias, the exploitation of natural resources, innocent civilians forced to flee their homes; these recent developments in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) are just the latest in the central African nation’s troubled history.
DRC gained independence in 1960 and since then the UN has played a crucial role in the country, notably through the deployment of three peacekeeping missions.

Here are four essential things to know:

1. A UN presence since independence

The UN intervened for the first time in DRC just a few weeks after the country gained independence on 30 June 1960, following 75 years of Belgian colonial domination.

UN Secretary-General Dag Hammarskjöld confers in Elisabethville (now Lubumbashi) after talks with Katanga and Belgian representatives about withdrawing Belgian troops and deploying UN peacekeepers. (file)
UN Photo
UN Secretary-General Dag Hammarskjöld confers in Elisabethville (now Lubumbashi) after talks with Katanga and Belgian representatives about withdrawing Belgian troops and deploying UN peacekeepers. (file)

During colonial rule the country was exploited for its natural resources and its workforce without any real preparation for political autonomy.

As early as July 1960, independence was threatened by the secession of two mineral-rich provinces – Katanga and South Kasai.

The latter benefitted from the support of Belgium and foreign economic interests, eager to maintain control over the country’s resources.

The country then sank into a major political crisis, marked by the assassination of its Prime Minister, Patrice Lumumba, in 1961.

Faced with this situation, the UN deployed the UN Operation in the Congo (ONUC) in July 1960 .

The first large-scale peacekeeping mission, ONUC aimed to help the government in Leopoldville – the former name given to the capital, Kinshasa – to restore order and unity in the country and to ensure the withdrawal of Belgian troops.

The mission, which numbered 20,000 peacekeepers at its peak, played a key role in ending the Katanga secession in 1963 before withdrawing in 1964.

Ghana first deployed troops as part of a UN peacekeeping operation set up to help restore calm and order in the then Republic of Congo (ONUC). (file)
UN Photo
Ghana first deployed troops as part of a UN peacekeeping operation set up to help restore calm and order in the then Republic of Congo (ONUC). (file)

2. MONUC: A response to Congolese wars

After more than 30 years of dictatorship under the rule of Mobutu Sese Seko, the country, then renamed Zaire, fell into two successive conflicts – the “first” (1996-1997) and the “second” (1998-2003) Congo Wars.

In 1996, Rwanda, supported in particular by Uganda and Burundi, intervened in eastern Zaire, officially to drive out Hutu militias responsible for the 1994 genocide against the Tutsis, who had taken refuge in the provinces of North and South Kivu.

In May 1997, with military support from Kigali and Kampala, Laurent-Désiré Kabila seized power, forcing Mr. Mobutu into exile and renamed the country the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

In 1998, Mr. Kabila turned against his former Rwandan and Ugandan allies, who were supporting rebellions in the east of the country. For his part, he benefitted from the support of Angola, Zimbabwe and Namibia.

Following the signing of the Lusaka Ceasefire Agreement in 1999, the UN deployed the UN Organization Mission in DRC (MONUC) to oversee its implementation.

Even after the official end of the war in 2003, DRC remains a strategic issue for regional powers due to its exceptional natural resources and its key role in the stability of the Great Lakes region.

Weapons and ammunition collected during a demobilisation process in DRC.
UN Photo/Martine Perret
Weapons and ammunition collected during a demobilisation process in DRC.

3. MONUSCO: A mission still present

In 2010, MONUC became the UN Organization Stabilization Mission in DRC (MONUSCO) with an expanded mandate, including the protection of civilians and support to the Congolese government in strengthening peace and stability.

Still recently deployed in the three eastern provinces of the country, namely North Kivu, South Kivu and Ituri, MONUSCO had proceeded, at DRC’s request, to withdraw its troops from South Kivu in June 2024 and was poised to completely disengage by the end of the year.

However, also at the government’s request, the Security Council extended in December MONUSCO’s mandate through the end of 2025.

Despite UN efforts, several armed groups continue to operate in the area, including the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) and the March 23 Movement, or M23 armed group, which defends the interests of Congolese Tutsi and benefits from the support of Rwandan forces.

Since the beginning of 2025, M23 and the Rwandan army have been responsible for the latest outbreak of violence in the east of the country, where they occupy several strategic towns in North and South Kivu.

A member of MONUC’s South African parachute battalion on patrol duties around the village of Ntamugenga. (file)
UN Photo/Marie Frechon
A member of MONUC’s South African parachute battalion on patrol duties around the village of Ntamugenga. (file)

4. Natural resources: A major factor in conflicts

DRC benefits from immense natural resources, particularly in the three eastern provinces, including vast reserves of gold, diamonds and tin, which is used in electronic devices.

North and South Kivu are also rich in coltan, a metal highly coveted by the technology sector because of its use in the manufacture of capacitors found in mobile phones and laptops. DRC is also the world’s leading producer of cobalt, a strategic mineral used in the manufacture of almost all rechargeable batteries in the world today.

These natural resources attract interests in neighbouring countries and are at the heart of conflicts in the region.

Armed groups, such as M23, are accused of illegally exploiting these resources to finance their activities, with the complicity of companies inside and outside the country as well as DRC’s neighbours.

The UN has put in place several initiatives to combat the illegal trade in minerals, including mechanisms to sanction companies involved in this trafficking and an arms embargo to combat their proliferation in DRC.

However, combating illegal exploitation of resources remains a major challenge.

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US funding pause leaves millions ‘in jeopardy’, insist UN humanitarians

INTERNATIONAL, 4 February 2025 Humanitarian Aid - UN agencies on Tuesday offered a dire assessment of the global impact of deep cuts to grassroots humanitarian funding by the incoming US administration and reiterated calls for Washington to retain its position as a global aid leader.
The development follows the pause announced to billions of dollars of funding on 24 January by the US administration affecting “nearly all US foreign aid programmes, pending a 90-day review”, said Pio Smith from the UN’s sexual reproductive health agency, UNFPA, briefing journalists in Geneva.

‘Unwavering commitment’ to serve people in need

In a letter to all UN personnel released on Tuesday morning in New York, UN Secretary-General António Guterres said he had responded to the executive order from US President Donald Trump with a call to “ensure the delivery of critical development and humanitarian activities”.

Mr. Guterres said the organization will remain actively engaged in assessing and mitigating the impact of the order.

“Now, more than ever, the work of the United Nations is crucial…Together, we will ensure that our organization continues to serve people in need around the world with unwavering commitment.”

Deadly consequences

Mr. Smith said that in response to the executive order, UNFPA “has suspended services funded by US grants that provide a lifeline for women and girls in crises, including in South Asia”.

The UNFPA Regional Director for Asia and the Pacific warned that between 2025 and 2028 in Afghanistan, the absence of US support will likely result in 1,200 additional maternal deaths and 109,000 additional unintended pregnancies.

Mr. Smith said the agency was seeking “more clarity” from the administration “as to why our programmes are being impacted, particularly those which we would hope would be exempt” on humanitarian grounds.

Meanwhile, the UN aid coordination agency OCHA, said that there have been no “layoffs or closing down access” in response to the executive orders. 

Spokesperson Jens Laerke added that the agency’s country offices were “in close contact" with local US embassies to better understand how the situation will unfold.

He explained that the US Government funded around 47 per cent of the global humanitarian appeal across the world last year; “that gives you an indication of how much it matters when we are in the situation we are in right now, with the messaging we’re getting from the Government”.

The move follows the announcement that the new US administration has placed the country’s principal overseas development agency, USAID, under the authority of the Secretary of State.

Staff from the agency have been locked out of their offices, while the head of the newly-formed Department of Government Efficiency has accused USAID of criminal activity and a lack of accountability.

“Public name-calling won't save any lives,” said OCHA’s Mr. Laerke, while Alessandra Vellucci, head of the UN Information Service at UN Geneva, highlighted the UN Secretary-General’s appeal for a relationship of trust with the Trump administration.

“We are looking at continuing this work together [and listening]…if there are criticisms, constructive criticism and points that we need to review,” she told reporters, underscoring the “decades-long relationship of mutual support” between the UN and the US.

Retreat from Human Rights Council

At the same scheduled press encounter, a spokesperson for the UN Human Rights Council responded to news reports that President Trump plans to issue an executive order withdrawing the US from the 47-member world body.

The US was a member of the Council from 1 January 2022 to 31 December 2024, meaning that since 1 January this year it has been an “observer State…like any of the 193 UN Member States that are not Council Members” explained spokesperson Pascal Sim:

“Any Observer State of the Council cannot technically withdraw from an intergovernmental body that is no longer part of.”

USAID and UNICEF sign a partnership in 2024 to improve water and sanitation services across Iraq.
© UNICEF/Anmar Anmar
USAID and UNICEF sign a partnership in 2024 to improve water and sanitation services across Iraq.

Preventable problems

Amid uncertainty about future US funding, UNFPA’s Mr. Smith underscored the immediate impact on at-risk individuals in the world’s poorest settings: “Women give birth alone in unsanitary conditions; the risk of obstetric fistula is heightened, newborns die from preventable causes; survivors of gender-based violence have nowhere to turn for medical or psychological support,” he said.

“We hope that the US Government will retain its position as a global leader in development and continue to work with UNFPA to alleviate the suffering of women and their families as a result of catastrophes they did not cause.”

Afghanistan emergency

UNFPA works across the world including in Afghanistan, where more than nine million people are expected to lose access to health and protection services because of the US funding crisis, it said.

This will impact nearly 600 mobile health teams, family health houses and counselling centres, whose work will be suspended, Mr. Smith explained.

“Every two hours, a mother dies from preventable pregnancy complications, making Afghanistan one of the deadliest countries in the world for women to give birth. Without UNFPA’s support, even more lives will be lost at a time when the rights of Afghan women and girls are already being torn to pieces.”

Pakistan, Bangladesh fall-out

In Pakistan, the UN agency warns that the US announcement will affect 1.7 million people, including 1.2 million Afghan refugees, who will be cut off from lifesaving sexual and reproductive health services, with the closure of over 60 health facilities.

In Bangladesh, nearly 600,000 people, including Rohingya refugees, face losing access to critical maternal and reproductive health services.

“This is not about statistics. This is about real lives. These are literally the world’s most vulnerable people,” Mr. Smith insisted.

In Bangladesh’s Cox’s Bazar refugee camp complex –where more than one million Rohingya refugees remain trapped in dire conditions – nearly half of all births now take place in health facilities, with UNFPA’s support.

“This progress is now at risk,” Mr. Smith continued, noting that the agency requires more than $308 million dollars this year to sustain essential services in Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan.

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