MALI   
In central Mali, at about 7 a.m. this morning, 28 peacekeepers from Togo were wounded when their temporary base located in Kéréna, near Douentza, was targeted by what the Mission described as a complex attack.  
We, of course, strongly condemn this attack. The Mission has taken all necessary measures to ensure that the injured receive prompt and appropriate treatment. We wish them a speedy and full recovery.   
In a statement, the head of the peacekeeping Mission, Mahamat Saleh Annadif, said that for several months now, peacekeepers have been carrying out numerous security operations in central Mali to help reduce violence against civilians, and to restore calm in areas where community tensions are reported. He said they are also working to reduce the threat of improvised explosive devices, which is an issue in the Douentza region.   
These operations disturb the enemies of peace, Mr. Annadif said, but the UN remains committed to work alongside the Malians, for the Malians.   
Since the beginning of the year, five peacekeepers have been killed in Mali and 46 injured in hostile acts and that’s just since January.

YEMEN  
The Special Envoy for Yemen, Martin Griffiths met today in Riyadh with the Saudi Deputy Minister of Defense Khaled bin Salman and other senior Saudi officials, as well as the US Special Envoy for Yemen, Tim Lenderking. They discussed latest developments in the country, in Yemen and ways to resume the political process. 
 
LIBYA  
Ján Kubiš began his work as the Special Representative and Head of Mission for Libya. In the past days, he has spoken by phone with the President of the Presidency Council Fayez Serraj, the Minister of Foreign Affairs Mohammed Siala and the Speaker of the House of Representatives Agila Saleh.
The Special Envoy has also held telephone conversations with Mohammad Younes Menfi, the President of the Presidency Council-designate, and Abdul Hamid Mohammed Dbeibah, the Prime Minister-designate. They discussed the way forward to ensure a smooth transition of power to the new unified interim executive authority.  
Mr. Kubiš stressed that the UN’s commitment to a stable, prosperous, sovereign and unified Libya, building on the momentum generated by positive developments achieved in the past months. 
 
CLIMATE  
This afternoon, the Secretary-General will meet virtually with his Youth Advisory Group on Climate Change. He will hear youth priorities and perspectives on boosting climate action and ambition on the critical pathway to COP26. 
The Youth Advisory Group consists of seven young climate activists, drawn from all regions. They bring expertise on a wide range of issues. The Group conducted a consultation with other young climate leaders from around the world late last year, and have published an outcomes report, available on the climate website: www.un.org/climatechange. 
  
SECURITY COUNCIL   
The Security Council met on threats to international peace and security caused by terrorist acts, the head of the UN Office of Counter Terrorism, Vladimir Voronkov, said that while ISIL has not developed a purposeful strategy to exploit the pandemic, the threat it poses to international peace and security is on the rise on the region again. 
ISIL’s primary focus remains resurgence in Iraq and Syria, and some 10,000 ISIL fighters, including foreign terrorist fighters, remain active in the region. 
More tragically, Mr. Voronkov added, the international community has made hardly any progress in addressing the situation of the thousands of individuals, mostly women and children, suspected of having links with ISIL and being held in precarious conditions in the region. 
And as we mentioned yesterday on Al-Hol, Mr. Voronkov repeated that message that already dire humanitarian and security situation in detention facilities and displacement camps is deteriorating even further, especially in Al-Hol. Some 27,500 foreign children are still in harm’s way in the camps in northeast Syria, including about 8,000 children from some 60 countries other than Iraq. 90 per cent of them are under the age of 12.
Beyond the humanitarian urgency, the moral imperative and the legal obligations, Mr. Voronkov said, taking action is a strategic security imperative. 
He reiterated the Secretary-General’s call to Member States for the voluntary repatriation of adults and children stranded in Iraq and Syria, with the consent of relevant governments and in line with international law.  
Michele De Coninsx, the head of the Counter-Terrorism Executive Directorate also spoke at the meeting. 
  
MYANMAR 
On Myanmar, I want to flag that the Director-General of the International Labour Organization, Guy Ryder, today expressed grave concern about the situation in the country. 
Mr. Ryder urged military leaders not to interfere with the rights of workers, including civil servants, and employers to participate in peaceful protests.
ILO said there have been reports of intimidation and threats against workers and trade unionists peacefully protesting and that civil servants who participate in the protests have also been threatened with dismissal and penalties.  
Mr. Ryder stressed that democracy and freedom of association are intrinsically linked.  

ESWATINI 
A quick update from Eswatini on what our colleagues on the ground are doing there to address the pandemic: The UN team, led by Resident Coordinator Nathalie Ndongo-Seh, has been ramping up its support for the country’s response.  
Eswatini has seen a surge of cases in recent months. The UN team has contributed more than $8 million to national efforts to respond and recover from the social and economic impacts of the pandemic.  
The World Health Organization has mobilized two teams of health experts and is also supporting efforts to procure and distribute vaccines.  
For its part, UNAIDS has provided 5,000 hygiene kits to people living with HIV to prevent their exposure to COVID-19. Meanwhile, the UN Children’s Fund has helped create guidelines and trained 1,000 teachers ahead of schools reopening.  
The UN team is supporting authorities to provide food for orphans and vulnerable children, as well households headed by children. 
  
MIGRANTS 
The International Organization for Migration is today calling on the European Union and its Member States to take urgent action to end pushbacks, collective expulsions, and the use of violence against migrants and refugees at the EU’s external land and maritime borders.  
  
PULSES DAY
Today is World Pulses Day. Pulses, also known as legumes, are edible seeds of leguminous plants cultivated for food. Dried beans, lentils and peas are the most commonly known and consumed types of pulses. 
The theme this year - ‘Love Pulses for a Healthy Diet and Planet’ - gives an opportunity to raise awareness and recognize the contribution of pulses to sustainable food systems and healthy diets. The UN Food and Agriculture Organization notes that pulses are critical in addressing the challenges of poverty, food security, human health and nutrition, soil health and environment, thereby contributing to the Sustainable Development Goals. 

FILM/THE WINDERMERE CHILDREN
Tomorrow at 11:00 a.m. NY time, you are all invited to a virtual conversation of the film “The Windemere Children.”  This biographical drama tells the little-known stories of some of the 300 orphaned Jewish refugees who began new lives in the Lake District of England in the summer of 1945 after the end of the Second World War, and the pioneering project to rehabilitate these child survivors.
Panelists will include Mr. Michael Samuels, the director; Nancy Bornat, the producer; Joanna Millan, a Holocaust survivor; and Trevor Avery, historian and director of Lake District Holocaust Project.

HONOUR ROLL 
Norway, Spain and Thailand have paid their budget dues in full, so thanks to Oslo, Madrid and Bangkok. The Honour Roll has now grown to 38. We have one more day to go for countries to make it to the Honour Roll.