YOUTH
This morning, the Secretary-General spoke virtually at the opening of the High-Level Conference on Youth Inclusive Peace Processes. 
He said that youth are not only being heavily impacted by today’s biggest crises, like the pandemic and climate change, but that they’re also on the frontlines for actions and solutions.
“I salute young people around the world for raising their voices – in the streets and online – and standing up for climate action, gender equality, racial and social justice and so much more,” Mr. Guterres said, adding that we need to ensure that young people have a seat at the table, forging inclusive solutions that combine peace and security, sustainable development and human rights.  
He noted that opportunities for meaningful participation remain insufficient and he called for more investment in the youth initiative within the Peacebuilding Fund so that young peacebuilders can have an expanded platform to present their work and recommendations. 
He also said that the UN will develop a Youth in Politics Index to track the opening of political space in countries and around the world. Young people are, not only citizens with equal rights, but also powerful agents for change whose voices must be fully heard.

YEMEN
Secretary-General expresses alarm at the continued airstrikes in Sana’a, Hudaydah and elsewhere in Yemen during recent days. He also notes with alarm that missile attacks and shelling also continue in several areas in the country. All of these actions have resulted in civilian casualties and damage to civilian infrastructure.
The Secretary-General reiterates his call on the parties to exercise maximum restraint and prevent any escalation amid heightened tensions in the region, as well as to respect their obligations under international humanitarian law.
The Special Envoy for Yemen, Hans Grundberg, has just left Riyadh after concluding a visit there. He met with the Saudi Vice Minister of Defense, Prince Khalid bin Salman; theYemeni Foreign Minister, Ahmed Bin Mubarak; and other Saudi and Yemeni interlocutors.
During his meetings, Mr. Grundberg also denounced the recent wave of military escalation, including the heavy airstrikes on Sana’a, that have engulfed Yemen and spilled over the borders to the United Arab Emirates and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. 
Mr. Grundberg exchanged views on possible options to achieve immediate de-escalation and pave the way for comprehensive political talks.

TONGA
The Government of Tonga has asked us for urgent assistance. The Resident Coordinator, Sanaka Samarasinha, has responded and remains in close contact with the Tongan authorities.
As you have all seen from the news, there were relief flights that arrived today from Australia and New Zealand. They have brought in much-needed humanitarian aid, including supplies for water and sanitation, hygiene, and shelter, as well as communication equipment and power generators.
Assessment teams have reached most parts of the country, including remote and isolated islands. National disaster authorities and our partners, including the Tongan Red Cross Society, are carrying out damage assessments in the main island of Tongatapu and on the Ha’apai group of islands.
UN staff in Tonga are supporting the Government’s assessment and response efforts and will help distribute aid once humanitarian needs are identified.
Aid workers are coordinating on the deployment of communications equipment to ensure that the Government and humanitarian responders can do their work and allow people affected by the disaster to contact their families.
We remain seriously concerned about access to safe water for 50,000 people throughout the country. Water quality testing continues and most people are relying on bottled water. Water, water purification units and desalination equipment are being shipped to Tonga.
Some 60,000 people have been impacted by the damage to crops, livestock, and fisheries due to ashfall, saltwater intrusion and the potential for acid rain.
There are also reports of fuel shortages, but petrol supplies, we are told, are coming in as part of a regular shipment, and with thanks for additional support from both Australia and New Zealand.   

PERU
On a related note, I want to say that we stand with the Government and all people of Peru who are facing the impacts of a tragic oil spill in the aftermath of the massive waves from the eruption of the Hunga Haʻapai volcano.
According to authorities, the oil spill is impacting two natural reserves in Peru, affecting livelihoods as well as life under and above water.
Our Resident Coordinator in Peru, Igor Garafulic, met with authorities this morning and committed the full UN team’s support to address the ecological disaster, in close collaboration with humanitarian colleagues in the UN’s office of humanitarian affairs.               

ETHIOPIA
We are told that still no humanitarian supplies have entered Tigray though the Semera-Abala-Mekelle corridor since December 14th of last year due to continued clashes in Abala, in the Afar province. 
No fuel for humanitarian operations has been allowed into Tigray along this route since August 2nd. Aid organizations are also unable to secure sufficient fuel locally.
As a result, we and our partners are having to reduce, postpone or cancel distributions of food, medicine, and nutrition supplies, among other critical items.
Between the 6th and 12th of January, some 10,500 people received food aid in Tigray, but more than 800,000 people need to be helped every week. This is the lowest level of food assistance since operations expanded in March of last year. Our partners have reported that remaining food stocks can only assist some 28,000 people.
A measles vaccination campaign launched in the first week of January has reached more than 145,000 children, out of nearly 800,000 children who need to be reached. However, health partners tell us that the campaign is facing serious challenges, including, of course, the lack of fuel and the lack of cash that we’ve been telling you about, and the limited cold chain capacity, and shortages of health care workers.
Meanwhile, the humanitarian response is being scaled up in accessible areas in Amhara and Afar.
In Amhara, more than 578,000 people received food aid in the past week, and more than 40,000 received shelter and other items. Hundreds of thousands of internally displaced people have returned to their homes in Amhara.
In Afar, more than 47,000 people received food aid in the past week, and 30 mobile health and nutrition teams continue to help people in remote and conflict-impacted communities.

MALI
We are happy to report that the peacekeeping mission in Mali tell us that, following fruitful discussions with the country’s authorities, they are now able to restart air operations. 
Today, they are working on preparations to restart these operations and the actual flights are scheduled to resume tomorrow.
The mission welcomed the spirit of cooperation and partnership that characterized these discussions and their conclusion. They also reiterated the UN’s commitment to continue supporting Mali in its efforts to restore lasting peace, security and stability, and I would also add that the Secretary-General had a phone call yesterday with the leader of Mali.

LIBERIA
In Liberia, our Resident Coordinator Niels Scott said that the UN team is profoundly saddened by the loss of lives and injuries sustained during the tragic event in the outskirts of Monrovia.. They expressed their deepest condolences to the victims’ families and loved ones. This follows the tragic stampede, that took place in a church, which authorities are investigating further.        

COLOMBIA
The Security Council, this morning, was briefed on Colombia by Carlos Ruiz Massieu, the Secretary-General’s Special Representative for that country. He told Member States that it is important to carry forward the momentum provided by the celebration of the fifth anniversary of the Peace Agreement in order to consolidate peace.
He emphasized the importance of ensuring the safety of all candidates that are running for Congress in the elections, and called on all political actors to conduct their campaigns with respect and engage in initiatives that promote non-violence and non-stigmatization of the electoral process.
Mr. Ruiz Massieu also said that we must remain vigilant and focused on the threats that many ex-combatants are still facing from illegal armed groups. 
He called for more support for the surviving families of the hundreds of former combatants that were killed during the long conflict.

WESTERN SAHARA
I just wanted to add, on Western Sahara, a clarification, that there has been a lot of reporting and interpretation about Staffan de Mistura’s ongoing regional tour.
Any statement about his position or his activities that is not released by him or my office is all too often a distortion of the facts. I would especially stay away with anyone claiming to know what is Mr. De Mistura’s thinking about the Western Sahara issue.

PRESS ENCOUNTER TODAY
At 2:45 p.m. today, Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield of the United States will be joined at the Security Council stakeout by the Permanent Representatives of Albania, Brazil, France, Ireland, Japan, the United Arab Emirates, and the United Kingdom. She will read out a joint statement on behalf of all of these Permanent Representatives concerning the situation in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

HONOUR ROLL
It’s been a happy day for our colleagues who sit in the third basement with their green visors. Thanks to full payments from Canada, Norway, Palau, Singapore and Slovakia, we are already up to 19 on the Honour Roll.

***The guest at the Noon Briefing was the Resident Coordinator and Humanitarian Coordinator in the Philippines, Gustavo Gonzalez, who gave an update on the humanitarian needs in the country, a month after Typhoon Rai.