Soualiga
Menu

Soualiga (15412)

Suffering continues for civilians in Gaza and Lebanon

INTERNATIONAL, 7 November 2024 Peace and Security - The month-long Israeli siege in northern Gaza has left civilians on the brink of disaster, preventing them from accessing the essentials for their survival, including water, UN humanitarians warned on Thursday.
Aid workers are being forced to work in unsafe conditions, as insecurity and restrictions by Israeli forces prevent them from reaching people in need, Stephanie Tremblay, UN Associate Spokesperson, told journalists at the regular news briefing in New York, citing reports from the UN relief coordination office, OCHA.

“Palestinians there have absolutely no protection as the bombardment continues,” she said, reiterating that the entire population in north Gaza “is at imminent risk of dying from disease, famine and violence.”

That alarm was sounded last week by top UN officials and heads of global humanitarian organizations.

According to initial estimates by UN-partner agencies on the ground, about 14,000 displaced Palestinians in the area are staying in shelters and other sites, including three collective centres run by the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), one other collective hub and six makeshift locations.

Medical evacuation

Despite ongoing hostilities, the World Health Organization (WHO) carried out its largest medical evacuation in over a year, moving 90 critically ill patients, including 38 children, to safety in the UAE and Romania.

Before the evacuation, WHO transferred 16 patients and 20 caregivers from northern Gaza to the Nasser Medical Complex in the south, Ms. Tremblay said, renewing WHO’s call for the establishment of safe corridors for patient evacuations.

Meanwhile, some 40 UN aid trucks coordinated by reproductive health agency, UNFPA, carrying essential medical and hygiene supplies, remain stranded at border points in Egypt and Jordan, awaiting clearance to enter Gaza.

Only 16 UNFPA trucks have made it through since the start of October. Last week, the agency managed to distribute some 6,300 dignity, hygiene, and postpartum kits in Deir al Balah.

In Gaza City, UNFPA delivered three inter-agency reproductive health kits to the Sahaba and Al Helou hospitals, along with 765 dignity kits to other partners.

Bombing has damaged infrastructure in south Lebanon, making roads impassable.
© UNIFIL
Bombing has damaged infrastructure in south Lebanon, making roads impassable.

Situation in Lebanon

In the wider region, the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah across the Blue Line of separation in southern Lebanon continues to exact a civilian toll.

“The IDF continued its airstrikes across Lebanon, including in the south, Saida, the Bekaa, Mount Lebanon, and in Beirut, resulting in multiple casualties. Hezbollah has launched several drones and rockets at Israel,” Ms. Tremblay said.

She added that the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) also reported the continuation of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) offensive in southern Lebanon, involving clashes with Hezbollah.

“The increasing impact on civilians is of grave concern and we condemn the loss of civilian lives. All actors must adhere to international law and protect civilians and civilian infrastructure.”

Amid the hostilities, UN agencies continue to support the humanitarian response in Lebanon, with a convoy delivering essential aid, including food, water and winter kits, to over 4,000 people in nine collective shelters in the town of Deir Al Ahmar in Baalbeck-Hermel Governorate in the northwest.

About 30,000 displaced people are sheltering in the Governorate. Many among them have been forced to relocate multiple times this week amid relentless airstrikes, while collective shelters are overstretched, with 85 per cent of them operating at maximum capacity.

‘Blue Helmets’ at risk

Earlier in the day, UNIFIL reported that one of its convoys carrying newly-arrived peacekeepers to south Lebanon was passing Saida, when a drone strike occurred nearby.

Five peacekeepers were slightly injured in the incident and were treated by the Lebanese Red Cross on the spot. The Lebanese Army also confirmed that three of its soldiers at the nearby checkpoint were injured.

“The UN once again strongly reminds all actors to ensure the safety and security of UN personnel and peacekeepers,” Ms. Tremblay said.

“The UN urges the parties to halt the violence immediately. The UN continues to support efforts towards a ceasefire and a diplomatic solution.”

Read more...

Rebuilding beyond bricks: World Urban Forum focuses on housing, community support in war-torn cities

INTERNATIONAL, 7 November 2024 SDGs - Delegates discussed a complicated urban development issue at the World Urban Forum on Tuesday: What is needed to safeguard residents and guarantee they have access to housing and basic services when war breaks out in a city crowded with people and critical infrastructure?
The penultimate day of the Forum’s twelfth biennial session, or WUF12, examined the situation in the Gaza Strip, where the urban fabric and urban life in the enclave are in ruins following a year of intense bombardment and the war is now affecting the West Bank, Lebanon, and Syria.

Participants grappled with all aspects of this challenge, particularly the need for local-level action. Seeking solutions that looked beyond physical damage caused by crises and conflicts, they focused on the loss of homes, places that “are filled with memories and community connections.”

Anacláudia Rossbach, Executive Director of UN-Habitat, the UN agency dealing with sustainable urban development which convenes the Forum, told the gathering that “when we talk about building and rebuilding, we are not talking about housing only; we are talking about social support and working with communities to see a possible future.”

Housing ‘close to home’

Participants echoed that message throughout the discussion and stressed the crucial role of joint rebuilding and reconstruction efforts.

Mr. Sami Hijjawi, Minister of Local Government, State of Palestine.
UN News/Khaled Mohamed

Sami Hijjawi, Minister of Local Government, State of Palestine, told UN News that “reconstruction can only be achieved through joint efforts, in an organized and structured manner. That way we can benefit from previous experiences and not repeat any mistakes that occurred during prior periods.”

He went on to note that when addressing the issue of sheltering people and rebuilding infrastructure, it is critical that they be housed as close to their hometowns as possible.

Despite the “difficult circumstances” in Gaza, development and urbanization efforts are continuing, said Mr. Hijjawi, explain that “we are still working, planning, programming, and providing services to our people within the available budgets.” 

‘Holistic approach’ in Somalia

The participants shared many ideas and experiences about responses to other urban crises, including in Somalia.

Ms. Zahra Abdi Mohamed, Director of Poverty Reduction and Durable Solutions at Somalia’s Ministry of Planning.
UN News/Khaled Mohamed

Zahra Abdi Mohamed, Director of Poverty Reduction and Durable Solutions at Somalia’s Ministry of Planning, shared and example with UN News: “The Semantic Project integrates housing, land, and property issues with access to livelihoods and social services. And we are trying to ensure that when IDPs are being given support, it is holistic and integrated.”

She urged moving from a solely humanitarian approach to a development approach and stressed the importance of integrated development services for internally displaced persons (IDPs), refugees, and returnees.

Ms. Mohamed added that in order to get people to return, rural regions must be developed.

‘A crisis of destruction’

Ms. Jenia Gubkina, a Ukrainian architect.
UN News/Khaled Mohamed

The key is stopping destruction of homes before it occurs, said to Jenia Gubkina, a Ukrainian architect who spoke at a related dialogue on the Loss of home.

She told UN News: “We have a massive crisis, not only of reconstructions and construction of new types of architecture, but first of all, of destruction.”

If it is not made clear that homes must not be destroyed, Ms. Gubkina warned that “we will construct, aggressors will come and deconstruct, making this a challenging and frustrating situation for the whole world.”

Fixing urban crisis response

There are 117 million displaced persons in the world, and cities are increasingly serving as both refuges for displaced populations and focal points of global crises. As a result, urban crisis response needs to be rethought immediately.

Mr. Sameh Wahba, World Bank Regional Director for Sustainable Development, Europe and Central Asia.
UN News/Khaled Mohamed

In that context, Sameh Wahba, World Bank Regional Director for Sustainable Development, Europe and Central Asia, told UN News that displacement is “an urban phenomenon” because the majority of people displaced by natural hazards and conflict seek refuge in cities.

The solution, he said, is to this issue is to provide integrated solutions for “refugees, the internally displaced, the forcibly displaced, and their host communities.

“The second thing is to consider solutions that are people-based…and place-based. When you think about people-based solutions – whether cash transfers or housing vouchers to enable housing access – it’s about helping them access jobs,” Mr. Whaba added.

Participants at the opening of the  World Urban Forum in Cairo.
UN News/Khaled Haridy Mohamed
Participants at the opening of the World Urban Forum in Cairo.

What’s ahead on the closing day of WUF12

WUF12 has been running in Cairo since Monday, 8 November. The biennial Forum, considered the world’s foremost gathering examining rapid urbanisation and its impact on communities, cities, economies, climate change and policies, will wrap up on Friday.

The main highlight tomorrow will be the launch of the Cairo Call to Action, one of the three outcome documents capturing the key messages that will have emerged from WUF12.

In addition, Forum participants will have the opportunity to attend roundtables on civil society and academia, as well as other partner-led events.

The Closing Ceremony will feature remarks from high-level officials, including representatives from UN-Habitat and the Egyptian Government, thought leaders, and creative performances.

The event will conclude with the official handover to Baku, Azerbaijan, the hosts of WUF13, marking the next steps in the global journey toward sustainable urbanization.

Read more...

Looming famine in Rakhine signals wider crisis in Myanmar

INTERNATIONAL, By Vibhu Mishra 7 November 2024 Peace and Security - Up to two million people in Myanmar’s Rakhine state face the dire prospect of famine, amid a broader economic collapse and worsening humanitarian crisis triggered by the military’s 2021 overthrow of the democratically elected government.
In a report released on Thursday, the UN Development Programme (UNDP) described the situation in the poverty-struck province as an “unprecedented disaster”.

“A perfect storm is brewing,” it said, citing a combination of interlinked issues – restrictions on domestic and international flow of goods, hyperinflation, loss of livelihoods, dwindling agricultural production and lack of essential services.

Without urgent action nearly the entire population (about 95 per cent) “will regress into survival mode”, UNDP warned.

“They will be left to fend for themselves amid a drastic reduction in domestic production, skyrocketing prices, widespread unemployment and heightened insecurity.”

Skyrocketing pries of essential goods and services in Rakhine (rice, cooking and transport).
Source: WFP price monitoring
Skyrocketing pries of essential goods and services in Rakhine (rice, cooking and transport).

Rakhine is home to the mostly-Muslim Rohingya community who fled a brutal military crackdown in 2017 in their hundreds and thousands, in what the former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein called ethnic cleansing.

Today, nearly one million Rohingya refugees remain in neighbouring Bangladesh, where UN aid teams have had to cut food rations amid major funding shortages.

Collective punishment

Data collected across Rakhine in 2023 and 2024, also pointed to a virtual halt in the state’s economy, with critical sectors such as trade, agriculture and construction nearly at a standstill.

“People’s incomes are collapsing because export-oriented, agrarian livelihoods in Rakhine are disappearing as the domestic and international markets are no longer accessible due to blockades,” UNDP said.

It added that the restrictions put in place by the military’s State Administration Council were “clearly aimed at isolating Rakhine from the rest of the country and exacting ‘collective punishment’ on an already vulnerable population”.

Repercussions beyond borders

UNDP further warned that the recent escalation in manipulating ethnic identity along with an imminent economic catastrophe, will deepen marginalization, disenfranchisement and put intercommunal relationships at even greater risk than ever before.

“As the crisis worsens, the lack of resources and opportunities will continue to fuel tensions and trigger a greater exodus of youth and families…this would have repercussions both within Myanmar and beyond its borders,” it said.

“Without safe avenues for escape, we anticipate an increase in human trafficking, particularly among the vulnerable Rohingya population.”

A displaced child prepares to dig a hole to set up a tent at an IDP site in Rakhine. (file)
© UNICEF

Knock-on effects

The knock-on effects of the situation Rakhine are contributing to a pattern of internal migration across Myanmar.

As the economic situation worsens, many families see relocation as their only option for survival, a separate UNDP report on migration patterns revealed. Many young adults are leaving their communities for urban centres in search of work and stability.

However, what they find is often far from what they had hoped – jobs are scarce and those who migrate for safety rather than economic opportunity frequently encounter severe mental health challenges.

Women face an additional burden: lower wages, higher rates of discrimination and greater obstacles in the job market.

Brain drains

The migration crisis extends beyond Myanmar’s borders, with comparisons revealing stark differences between internal migrants and those who flee to neighbouring countries, such as Thailand.

Those who moved abroad often earned better wages, experiencing improved living conditions. This could potentially lead to labour shortages and hinder any future recovery, UNDP said.

“With nearly 25 per cent of the population already living abroad, addressing these migration trends is essential to retaining a productive workforce within the country,” it added.

A girl scavenges for recyclable materials at a garbage dump in Mandalay, Myanmar’s second-largest city, where impoverished families are often forced to search for items to sell for minimal income. (file)
© UNDP
A girl scavenges for recyclable materials at a garbage dump in Mandalay, Myanmar’s second-largest city, where impoverished families are often forced to search for items to sell for minimal income. (file)

Dwindling human capital

Compounding this, the conflict and economic strife are accelerating the degradation of Myanmar’s human capital and prospects look equally bleak.

Essential services like healthcare, education, and access to clean water and sanitation are becoming luxuries out of reach for many, according to data released by UNDP in September, with nearly 25 per cent of children no longer attending school.

The dropout rates are climbing in regions hardest hit by violence and economic hardship, such as Rakhine and neighbouring Chin state.

The healthcare systems are strained to the breaking point and basic medical needs remain unmet, UNDP said.

“A mass exodus of skilled workers is depleting the nation’s productive capacity, exacerbating the long-term effects of this crisis.”

Read more...

‘Turning the tide’ on childhood violence

INTERNATIONAL, 7 November 2024 Law and Crime Prevention - More than 100 governments made historic commitments to end childhood violence on Thursday at a landmark event in Bogotá, Colombia.
Among the pledges, nine countries pledged to ban corporal punishment – an issue that affects three out of every five children regularly in their homes.

“Despite being highly preventable, violence remains a horrific day to day reality for millions of children around the world – leaving scars that span generations,” said Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, World Health Organisation (WHO) Director-General.

“Today countries made critical pledges that, once enacted, could finally turn the tide on childhood violence,” he added.

One billion children affected

Over half of all children aged two to 17 worldwide – some one billion – are estimated to suffer some form of violence, such as child maltreatment (including corporal punishment, the most prevalent form of childhood violence), physical or emotional abuse and sexual violence.

Some three in five children are regularly punished by physical means in their home, and one in five girls and one in seven boys experience sexual violence.

For some of these children, violence results in death or serious injury. Every 13 minutes, a child or adolescent dies as a result of homicide – equating to around 40,000 preventable deaths each year. Moreover, violence, often involving firearms or other weapons, is now the leading cause of death among adolescent males.

For others, experiencing violence has devastating and life-long consequences. These include anxiety and depression, risky behaviours like unsafe sex, smoking and substance abuse and reduced academic achievement.

Violence against children is also often hidden, with WHO estimates that fewer than half of affected children tell anyone they experienced violence and under 10 per cent receive any help.

Enacted prevention strategies

At the Bogotá conference, countries committed to a range of evidence-based strategies aimed at preventing childhood violence.

Key measures include expanding parenting support programmes to encourage positive, non-violent discipline. School-based programmes targeting bullying and enhancing social skills also play a crucial role in fostering safer learning spaces.

Additionally, governments pledged to improve child-friendly health and social services to support young survivors, while new digital safety initiatives aim to protect children from online exploitation.

Research shows that implementing these strategies could reduce violence against children by 20 to 50 per cent, underscoring the importance of these new commitments in turning the tide on childhood violence.

Read more...

South Sudan: Postponing long-awaited elections ‘a regrettable development’

INTERNATIONAL, 7 November 2024 Peace and Security - The decision to extend the transition period in South Sudan once again and postpone long-awaited elections cannot be “business as usual”, the UN Special Representative for the country told the Security Council on Thursday.
Nicholas Haysom updated ambassadors on developments in the world’s youngest country, which was due to hold its first-ever general elections next month. 

Since his last briefing in August, the transitional period was extended until February 2027, pushing back the timetable for the vote to December 2026.

“This was inevitable but a regrettable development given the deep frustration and fatigue felt by the South Sudanese people at the apparent political paralysis and inaction of their leaders to implement the peace agreement and deliver the long awaited democratic transition,” he said

Steps towards peace 

South Sudan gained independence in 2011 but two years later, fighting broke out between forces loyal to President Salva Kiir and his rival, Vice-President Riek Machar, which left killed hundreds of thousands dead. The 2018 peace deal, known as the Revitalized Agreement, ended the war. 

In September, the parties announced that the elections would be postponed to December 2026, and the transition period agreed under the accord would be extended by another two years to February 2027.   

Appeal for compromise 

In the interim, Mr. Haysom, who also heads the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), has been holding intensive discussions with political leaders, civil society, faith-based representatives, youth leaders, women’s coalitions, and international partners. 

“This has left me in no doubt that, as the Secretary-General has stated, that the only way forward is for South Sudan’s leaders to urgently find the compromises, modes of implementation and take decisive steps required to achieve a critical mass of the key benchmarks set out in the Revitalised Peace Agreement,” he said. 

He noted, however, that since the latest extension, implementation of the accord and a 2022 roadmap  “has yet again been relegated to the back burner while political interests play out at the national level.” 

Furthermore, a Kenya-led dialogue process aimed at getting non-signatory opposition groups to join the peace agreement also appears to have stalled, though apparently will resume. 

The clock is ticking 

“UNMISS has been clear. The clock on South Sudan’s fourth extension has started ticking. It doesn’t reset in February next year when the extended transition begins, it begins now. Otherwise, we could find ourselves in the same predicament in December 2026,” he warned. 

“This cannot be business as usual for the parties to the peace agreement, the political elite, the guarantors of the peace agreement, or the international community. We must take this opportunity to make this extension the last and deliver the peace and democracy that the people of South Sudan deserve.” 

The UN Mission has identified six achievable benchmarks which the parties can address immediately.  Issues covered include deployment of the Necessary Unified Forces (NUF), civic education, preparatory work for voter registration, and developing a code of conduct between political parties, civil society and the media. 

The envoy recently met with President Kiir to discuss the urgent need for progress, and he also urged the international community to “rally around these immediate tasks.” 

UN support for elections 

He said UNMISS is moving ahead with assistance to the National Elections Commission while also “driving initiatives to enhance the civic and political space”. It is also collaborating with 200 civil society organizations across the country to build monitoring alliances and boost civic education and participation in elections observation.

“I need to underscore that our efforts and the current momentum is a product of the strong desire of the South Sudanese people to contribute to their own nation-building project,” he added.  

“After all, these are not ‘UN elections’ or ‘foreign elections’ – these are South Sudan’s first sovereign, post-independence elections.”

Violence, flooding and humanitarian needs

Turning to other matters, Mr. Haysom reported on the spike violence at a local level that is emerging as the rainy season ends. The number of civilian casualties during separate incidents in three states – Upper Nile, Central Equatoria and Warrap – is alarming, he said.

Ongoing violence and flooding also continue to cause immense harm and disrupt opportunities for recovery and durable solutions in South Sudan, he added. Although aid partners have reached nearly four million people this year, obstacles persist including limited resources, and the $1.8 billion 2024 humanitarian plan is roughly 57 per cent funded.

Meanwhile, the conflict in neighbouring Sudan continues to exacerbate such challenges. 

South Sudan has received over 830,000 refugees and returnees since the war erupted in April 2023 – equivalent to over seven per cent of its population. This comes amid rising hunger and a cholera outbreak that began at the northern border with cases arriving from Sudan. 

Read more...

Record heat persists as WMO calls for urgent services and investment boost

INTERNATIONAL, 7 November 2024 Climate and Environment - The world is experiencing unprecedented warming with 2024 poised to become the hottest year on record, surpassing the previous record in 2023, according to new data released by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) ahead of COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan. 
“Humanity’s torching the planet and paying the price,” warned UN Secretary-General António Guterres responding to WMO’s latest global temperature analysis covering January to September 2024.

Youth-led momentum for change

In a powerful video message to 19th Climate Change Conference of Youth, Mr. Guterres emphasized their critical role in driving climate action. “As young people, never underestimate your power. In your communities, on social media, in schools, and on the streets – you’re not only calling for change, but you’re also making change happen”.

The Secretary-General’s support for youth advocacy aligns with mounting evidence of climate crisis impacts, as heat-related hazards have become the leading cause of weather-related deaths globally.

Escalating climate crisis

WMO’s analysis, based on six international datasets, reveals a concerning trajectory of rising temperatures. While the report highlights some success stories from countries like the Seychelles, Mauritius, Laos and Ireland in developing effective climate services, evidence reveals that the climate crisis is escalating globally.

October 2024 marked the second warmest October on record following October last year, according to the ERA5 dataset from Copernicus Climate Change Service.

This alarming trend coincides with increasing-related disasters. Between 2020 and mid-2024, heat-related hazards emerged as the deadliest weather threat, accounting for 57 percent of reported weather, climate, and water-related deaths globally.

Services and investment

“In the face of unprecedented environmental challenges, the development, delivery and use of climate information to enable climate action has never been more crucial,” emphasized WMO Secretary General Celeste Saulo.

The State of Climate Services report highlights both progress and persistent challenges in delivering critical climate information. While one-third of National Meteorological and Hydrological Services (NMHSs) now provide essential climate services, significant funding gaps remain.

Of the $63 billion allocated to climate adaptation, only about $4 to $5billion explicitly supports climate services and early warning activities.

“We need to make necessary investments for a sustainable future, The cost of no action is several times higher than the cost of action,” Ms. Saulo stressed, highlighting the critical need to support NMHSs in developing early warning systems and delivering climate services.

Ambitious targets for COP29

Leaders arriving in Baku for COP29 face pressures to deliver on multiple fronts. “Leaders must arrive in Baku with ambitions that match the urgency and scale of the challenge,” Mr. Guterres stressed calling for new national climate action plans aligned with limiting global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees.

“Together, let’s push leaders to deliver,” concluded Guterres, “Let’s keep fighting together for the future you deserve – and the planet humanity needs”. 

Read more...

Adapt or perish: UN calls for urgent action at COP29 climate summit

INTERNATIONAL, By Vibhu Mishra 7 November 2024 Climate and Environment - Come hell or high water, nations must urgently scale up climate adaptation efforts, the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) warned Thursday, starting with a commitment to boost adaptation financing at the upcoming COP29 summit.
In its Adaptation Gap Report 2024: Come Hell and High WaterUNEP warned that vulnerable communities are already bearing the brunt of climate change impacts through extreme weather and disasters.

“Climate change is already devastating communities across the world, particularly the most poor and vulnerable. Raging storms are flattening homes, wildfires are wiping out forests, and land degradation and drought are degrading landscapes,” said Inger Andersen, Executive Director of UNEP.

“People, their livelihoods and the nature upon which they depend are in real danger from the consequences of climate change. Without action, this is a preview of what our future holds and why there simply is no excuse for the world not to get serious about adaptation, now.”

UNEP stressed that without immediate action, the world will likely exceed 1.5°C of warming soon and could even reach a catastrophic rise of 2.6-3.1°C above pre-industrial levels by the end of the century.

Kicking off on 11 November in Baku, Azerbaijan, the 29th session of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP29) will see delegations from all corners of the world joining top UN officials, civil society and other key sectors to measure progress and negotiate the best ways to address climate change.

New common goal

The report highlighted the widening gap between the funds needed for adaptation – the adjustments needed to slow the rate of global warming – and current levels of public investment.

While international adaptation finance for developing countries rose to $28 billion in 2022, it is still far below what is required, with estimates suggesting that between $187 and $359 billion annually will be required for overcoming the adaptation finance gap.

Against this backdrop, UNEP called for a “new collective quantified goal” for climate finance at COP29 and including stronger adaptation components in their next round of climate pledges due early next year ahead of COP30 in Belém, Brazil.

Shift focus

Alongside, it also urged countries to make substantial commitments at COP29 and beyond, including on increased financing as well as shifting the nature of adaptation funding from short-term project-based initiatives, to strategic, anticipatory investments.

This would help address long-term resilience, especially for vulnerable regions most affected by climate change.

UNEP suggested “enabling factors” that could unlock both public and private sector funding, such as the creation of creation of funds and financing facilities, climate fiscal planning and climate budget tagging, and adaptation investment planning.

Support innovations

The report also highlighted the role of multilateral development banks in scaling up financing and supporting innovative financial solutions.

For the private sector, UNEP advocated for risk-reducing mechanisms, to attract more investment in adaptation.

Finance alone is not sufficient, it added, calling on nations to strengthen capacity-building and technology transfers to enhance adaptation efforts in key areas of water, food and agriculture.

Read more...

Ukraine’s nuclear security situation ‘highly challenging’, warns UN atomic watchdog

INTERNATIONAL, 7 November 2024 Peace and Security - Amid a deepening humanitarian crisis in Ukraine caused by the ongoing Russian invasion, the head of the UN atomic energy agency (IAEA) said that safety at the country’s largest nuclear power plant “remains a deep source of concern”.
Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) – which is also Europe’s biggest nuclear energy facility - has been under Russian control since shortly after it launched a full-scale military campaign in February 2022.

In recent days, an IAEA expert team crossed the frontline to replace colleagues at the Zaporizhzhya plant who have been monitoring nuclear safety and security since September 2022. The presence of the “IAEA Support and Assistance Mission” at ZNPP and four other nuclear facilities is meant “to help prevent a radiological accident during the military conflict”, IAEA said in a statement.

“We will stay at these sites for as long as it is needed to help avert the threat of a nuclear accident that could have serious consequences for human health and the environment in Ukraine and beyond,” said IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi. “As the nuclear safety and security situation remains highly challenging, our experts are continuing to play a crucial stabilizing role at all these facilities.” 

Media reports indicated ongoing fighting and drone attacks in the vicinity of the Zaporizhyzhya plant in southeastern Ukraine.

Conflict ever-present

“During the past week, the team has continued to hear frequent explosions, some distance away from the ZNPP. No damage to the ZNPP was reported,” IAEA said. The agency’s teams said that the safety and security at four other Khmelnytskyy, Rivne and South Ukraine NPPs and the Chornobyl site reported that safety and security at Ukraine’s four other nuclear plants “is being maintained despite the effects of the ongoing conflict, including air raid alarms for several days over the past week”.

At the Zaporizhzhya plant, IAEA said that it had been informed that two backup transformers had resumed operation after successful high voltage testing, while maintenance would be carried out on the four remaining backup transformers by the end of the year.

The IAEA expert team also reported discussing winter preparations for the plant and receiving confirmation that all six reactors will remain in cold shutdown.

The IAEA expert team also reported discussing winter preparations for the plant and receiving confirmation that all six reactors will remain in cold shutdown.

Humanitarian crisis worsens

Latest updates from UN aid teams have highlighted the deepening humanitarian crisis across Ukraine, particularly in frontline areas in the northeast, east and south, owing to “intensified attacks” by Russian forces. UN human rights monitors have verified more than 1,400 deaths and injuries since the full-scale Russian invasion on 24 February 2022.

“Humanitarian response efforts face growing challenges, including safety risks. “Six aid workers were killed or injured in July and August alone.” said UN aid coordination office, OCHA. It noted that in the first nine months of the year, the humanitarian community has provided at least one form of assistance to 7.2 million out of 8.5 million people targeted for support.

This is despite the 2024 Humanitarian Appeal for Ukraine receiving less than half the requested $3.11 billion.

“Civilians remaining in front-line communities in Donetsk, Kharkiv, Khersons, Dnipropetrovsk and Zaporizhzhya oblasts face dire living conditions, which is expected to worsen as winter approaches,” OCHA warned.

Repeated attacks on energy infrastructure “are expected to worsen the challenges civilians will face in the coming winter”, the UN agency continued, highlighting likely disruption to essential services such as water, gas and heating.

Read more...

Displacement crisis reaches 123 million, amid ongoing conflicts

INTERNATIONAL, 6 November 2024 Migrants and Refugees - The UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Filippo Grandi, has called for “urgent international support” as the number of forcibly displaced people worldwide reaches 123 million, with ongoing conflicts in Lebanon, Sudan and other areas driving further displacement. 
In a statement to the Third Committee of the General Assembly, Mr. Grandi highlighted the “catastrophic” humanitarian situation in Lebanon, where Israeli airstrikes have caused massive civilian casualties and infrastructure damage, including schools, hospitals and roads. 

“The humanitarian consequences are overwhelming and require urgent international support,” he stated, noting that 470,000 people have crossed into Syria in recent weeks. 

In Sudan, the situation has also reached critical levels, with more than 11 million people displaced since the conflict began 18 months ago. 

“Conditions in Sudan defy description – wanton violence, sexual atrocities, starvation, floods, disease. We are witnessing in real time the collapse of a nation’s social infrastructure,” he warned. 

Call for new approach 

Mr. Grandi expressed particular concern about the increasing trend of governments implementing restrictive measures that focus on border controls and sometimes attempt to “outsource, externalize or suspend asylum.” He emphasized that such approaches are “not only ineffective but also breach their international legal obligations”. 

He called for a more comprehensive and effective approach to addressing displacement, urging countries to look beyond border control and consider “entire displacement routes”. 

He urged countries to “look for opportunities in countries of origin” to  “strengthen the resilience of communities at risk of climate displacement”. 

He encouraged Member States to “look for opportunities to expand legal stay and regularisation programmes in countries of asylum or transit, creating access to services and to employment”, and to establish more “pathways so people can move legally and safely.” 

Addressing funding challenges, Mr. Grandi revealed that the UN refugee agency UNHCR, had to reduce 1,000 positions and freeze critical life-saving activities due to recent financial constraints. He noted that “funding levels for 2025 and beyond remain uncertain, further jeopardising our and host countries’ ability to respond to refugee and displacement crises in a predictable and flexible manner”. 

“We must be able to act – together – even in difficult times,” he concluded, emphasizing the need for continued international solidarity with displaced and stateless people worldwide.  

Read more...

World News in Brief: UN-US cooperation, an ‘essential pillar’, DR Congo update, another major storm to hit Cuba

INTERNATIONAL, 6 November 2024 Peace and Security - The UN Secretary-General on Wednesday commended voters across the United States for their “active participation in the democratic process”, which will see Donald Trump return to the White House when he takes the oath of office in January.
António Guterres congratulated President-elect Donald Trump following his clear victory in Tuesday’s election.

“And I reaffirm my belief that the cooperation between the United States and the United Nations is an essential pillar of international relations,” the UN chief continued in his statement.

“The United Nations stands ready to work constructively with the incoming administration to address the dramatic challenges our world is facing,”, he concluded.

‘Continued collaboration’

The President of the General Assembly Philémon Yang added his congratulations to Mr. Trump, who crossed the finish line of 270 Electoral College votes in the small hours of Wednesday morning local time, also winning the popular vote.

“As President of the United Nations General Assembly, I look forward to the continued collaboration with the United States, a founding member of this Organization, deeply committed to advancing global peace, human rights, and development,” Mr. Yang said in a statement.

DR Congo: At least 34 killed in recent violent clashes

Humanitarians are sounding the alarm over the continued violence and deteriorating security conditions in North Kivu province in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), the UN reported on Wednesday.

The situation continues to be dire, with civilians caught in crossfire and humanitarian access severely restricted.

Local partners report that since 20 October, armed clashes in Walikale territory have resulted in the deaths of at least 34 civilians.  Hundreds more have been injured, and over 34,000 have been displaced.

Displacement sites attacked

Humanitarians also voiced concern over the increased frequency of violent attacks on displacement sites in Goma, the provincial capital.

“Our partners have reported that there have been killings, armed robberies, sexual assaults, forced labour, extortions and looting. Women, children and vulnerable adults are particularly impacted,” said UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric, speaking in New York.

Between June and October, aid partners documented more than 100 attacks against people in displacement sites in Goma, Nyiragongo and Masisi.  At least 18 people were killed.

Despite the challenges, humanitarians continue to deliver food, water and health-care assistance to more than 650,000 displaced people in and around Goma, said Mr. Dujarric.

“However, the presence of armed groups near the sites hinders the delivery of aid,” he added.

He urged the Congolese authorities to take action to restore security and ensure that these locations are safe for both displaced people and humanitarians. 

Humanitarians coordinating with Cuban authorities ahead of new hurricane threat

UN humanitarians are following the progress of Tropical Storm Rafael on Wednesday which has reportedly strengthened into a major hurricane as it moves onto the western shores of Cuba.

The storm is expected to make landfall within hours and then move into the southeastern Gulf of Mexico later in the day.

“We are coordinating with Cuban authorities to prepare for the impact of the storm,” said UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric at the regular daily briefing in New York.

He said humanitarian partners are providing life-saving assistance and supporting the Government’s response to help some 1.5 million people impacted by the recent Hurricane Oscar in eastern Cuba.

Action plan

 “The Plan of Action for Hurricane Oscar, launched last Friday, calls for $33 million to help nearly half a million people. It focuses on shelter, health and food security, as well as water, sanitation and hygiene,” Mr. Dujarric said.

Earlier on Wednesday, UN aid coordination office, OCHA, hosted a briefing to encourage Member States to support the initiative.

“As you will recall, $3.5 million was allocated from the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) last week to address humanitarian needs in Cuba in the wake of Hurricane Oscar,” he added. 

Read more...
Subscribe to this RSS feed

Soualiga Radio