Fifty-five journalists and media workers were killed around the world in 2021, according to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) – the lowest annual death toll in over a decade. However, two thirds of those killings took place in countries not experiencing armed conflict and impunity for those crimes remains widespread.
In Afghanistan, the United Nations and humanitarian partners report that they will seek $1.3 billion this year to assist almost 16 million people with life-saving aid, up from 2.3 million people in 2017, as ongoing conflict, natural disasters, chronic poverty and the COVID-19 pandemic continue to devastate the population.
As Tropical Cyclone Yasa has intensified into a Category 5 storm and is expected to make landfall in Fiji on Friday morning, the United Nations office in Suva reports that it is liaising closely with the Government and stands ready to support national emergency response efforts.
The new Permanent Representative of Kazakhstan to the United Nations, Magzhan Ilyassov, paid a courtesy call on UN Secretary-General António Guterres today.
The Acting Special Representative for Libya reported a breakthrough in the Libyan Political Dialogue Forum taking place in Tunisia, with participants reaching a preliminary agreement on a road map for ending the transitional period and organizing free, inclusive and credible parliamentary and presidential elections.
On 1 November, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres appointed Michaela Friberg-Storey of Sweden as the United Nations Resident Coordinator in Kazakhstan, with the host Government’s approval.
In Somalia, flash floods have affected nearly 73,000 people, displacing more than 13,000 and causing four deaths, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs reports. The United Nations and partners have mobilized pre-positioned supplies to help those affected and provided shelter to at least 6,000 people.
The new Permanent Representative of Kazakhstan to the United Nations, Magzhan Ilyassov, presented his credentials to the Secretariat today.
The local de facto authorities in Yemen have officially communicated to the United Nations their approval for a UN-led technical assessment and repair mission on board the oil tanker Safer off the coast of Ras Isa. The experts will advise on any remaining measures that would be needed to avoid a catastrophic oil spill.
For the Syria crisis response, the international community has pledged $5.5 billion to support humanitarian, resilience and development activities in 2020, plus $2.2 billion in 2021 and beyond, demonstrating a clear commitment to continue supporting those most affected and ensuring aid agencies are able to plan ahead.
The United Nations is scaling up life-saving aid for north-west Syria, including health items to prepare for the COVID-19 pandemic. In May alone, it sent 1,781 trucks from Turkey, the highest number since cross-border operations began in 2014, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs reports.
Somalia is dealing with COVID-19, floods and the worst desert locust upsurge in 25 years amid protracted conflict and significant displacement. As aid partners and authorities are scaling up efforts, the revised 2020 Somalia humanitarian response plan remains less than 17 per cent funded, at $210.8 million out of $1.25 billion.
Hostilities in western Libya continue to cause civilian casualties and trigger new displacement, with heavy shelling reported in Tripoli on 12 April. Shelling also hit residential areas in Tajoura and struck an ambulance near Misrata, killing a paramedic and marking the eighth attack on health facilities in 2020.
United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres arrived in Astana, Kazakhstan, from New York, on Thursday, 8 June, for the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Heads of State Council.
The United Nations Mission in Mali reports that an attack by unidentified assailants on the Mission’s observation post south-east of the base has left three peacekeepers dead and three others injured. The Mission condemns the attacks and is determined to continue supporting the peace process and protecting civilians.
The Secretary-General is encouraged by progress in the implementation of the peace accord in Colombia, especially the recent delivery to the United Nations Mission of the first 30 per cent of the arms of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia—People's Army (FARC-EP).
The new Permanent Representative of Kazakhstan to the United Nations, Kairat Umarov, presented his credentials to UN Secretary-General António Guterres today.
