Africa

Concluding an official visit to the Horn of Africa nation Isha Dyfan highlighted the impact on civilians, especially women and children, who continue to bear the brunt of deadly attacks carried out by Al-Shabaab terrorists. “I strongly condemn the continued deadly attacks perpetrated by Al-Shabaab and urge the Government to take all steps to ensure the protection of civilians, and for armed groups to comply strictly with the obligations applicable to them under international humanitarian...

5 May 2024Health Some of the poorest women in an underdeveloped region south of Madagascar are “too ashamed” to seek the maternal health services they need, according to a midwife working in a health centre supported by United Nations agencies, but that may be about to change. The predominantly rural region of Androy has been beset by a series of humanitarian crises which have affected the most vulnerable people there, including mothers-to-be, however the delivery of simple...

In this feature, part of a series exploring trafficking in the Sahel, UN News focuses on the illicit drug trade. According to a new report from the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), drug trafficking in the Sahel continues to hinder security, economic development and the rule of law while jeopardising public health. “Drug trafficking is well-established in the Sahel region – with detrimental consequences both locally and globally,” said Amado Philip de Andres, who heads the agency’s...

The war has left 25 million Sudanese needing aid, but in El Fasher, an ever tightening siege is cutting off vulnerable civilians who urgently need such basic essentials as food, water and medicines. UN News’s Abdelmonem Makki spoke to Toby Harward, the UN Deputy Humanitarian Coordinator for Sudan, who described the deteriorating situation in the city, where he just returned from a recent mission. Humanitarian aid is packed into a convoy heading to El Fasher, Darfur. UN News: Could you...

29 April 2024Humanitarian Aid The UN’s top humanitarian official in South Sudan has urged the government to lift newly imposed taxes and charges that are causing aid deliveries to be suspended, affecting tens of thousands of people. Since February, authorities have imposed a series of new taxes and charges at border crossings and within the country. These measures have impacted over 60,000 people, particularly in remote areas where humanitarian operations are already limited. This...

29 April 2024Humanitarian Aid United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres reiterated the UN’s continued commitment to Kenya in the wake of deadly floods caused by weeks of heavy rains that continue to affect the region. Mr. Guterres was saddened by the loss of life and damage caused by flash flooding in the capital, Nairobi, and other parts of the country, his spokesperson said on Monday. The Secretary-General extended his condolences and solidarity to the families of the...

26 April 2024Human Rights The UN human rights office, OHCHR, on Friday raised alarm over the situation in northern Burkina Faso, where several hundred civilians, including children, were reportedly killed amidst fighting between security forces and armed groups. According to media reports, over 220 civilians, including 56 children, were killed in attacks reportedly carried out by the military in two villages on a single day in late February. Furthermore, at least two international...

26 April 2024Peace and Security Escalating violence in Sudan’s North Darfur state has left dozens dead and people trapped in El Fasher city, which is home to around 800,000 people, many displaced due to fighting. In a note to correspondents issued on Friday, the UN said there were “increasingly alarming reports of a dramatic escalation of tensions”. “The Rapid Support Forces (RSF) are reportedly encircling El Fasher, suggesting a coordinated move to attack the city may be imminent...

The Sudanese people have endured “unbearable suffering” since the conflict started just over a year ago when an outbreak of fighting between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) “brutally interrupted the political transition”, Rosemary DiCarlo, UN Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, said. “This is a crisis of epic proportions; it is also wholly man-made,” she told ambassadors, stressing that both parties have failed to protect...

The UN-backed $3.24 billion humanitarian response plan for 2024 is only five per cent funded. Organised by the UN along with the Governments of Ethiopia and the United Kingdom, the conference aims to hear commitments that will enhance life-saving aid to approximately 15.5 million people in 2024. An immediate funding of $1 billion is required to sustain aid delivery for the next five months. The crisis has escalated due to recurring cycles of droughts, floods, and conflict. Food insecurity...