SENIOR PERSONNEL APPOINTMENT
Following consultations with the Executive Board of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), the Secretary-General is pleased to reappoint Dr. Natalia Kanem of Panama as Executive Director of UNFPA for a second term of four years.
The Secretary-General notes his appreciation of UNFPA’s powerful advocacy to advance the sexual and reproductive health and rights agenda, to address population dynamics, and to empower youth, as well as UNFPA’s focus on accountability and effective management, and its commitment to delivering transformative results in both development and humanitarian settings to end the unmet need for contraception, end preventable maternal deaths and end gender-based violence in all its forms. The Secretary-General looks forward to furthering this work, together with UNFPA and partners, and with urgency towards the 2030 deadline.
Dr. Kanem brings more than 30 years of strategic leadership experience in the fields of preventive medicine, public and reproductive health, social justice and philanthropy to the role.
SECRETARY-GENERAL
On Saturday, the Secretary-General will be going to Barbados to take part in the opening ceremony of the UN Conference on Trade and Development, known as UNCTAD15. The opening ceremony will take place in Bridgetown, on 4 October.
In his remarks, he is expected to underscore the challenges of tackling debt distress and the need to get down to the business of a sustainable and equitable recovery for all. He is also expected to highlight the need to re-ignite the engines of trade and investment, and ensure they benefit the poorest countries, as well as the need to build a global green economy.
Also on 4 October, the Secretary-General will speak with reporters in a press conference with the Prime Minister of Barbados, Mia Mottley, and UNCTAD Secretary-General, Rebeca Grynspan.
On Sunday, the Secretary-General will take part in a series of activities with Government officials, including a visit to climate impacted areas in Barbados.
AFGHANISTAN
In September the World Food Programme provided three million people with food assistance, double the number of people reached in August. This included 1.5 million women and girls, and 1.5 million men and boys.
So far this year, 8.4 million people have received food assistance in the country’s 34 provinces. WFP aims to provide emergency food and nutrition assistance to 14 million people by the end of the year. With winter approaching, humanitarian partners are working to get food and other non-food items prepositioned at strategic locations.
You will recall that on 13 September, donors and Member States pledged more than $1.2 billion in humanitarian and development aid for Afghanistan. Since then, only $135 million has been received in support of the Afghanistan Flash Appeal seeking to help 11 million people before the end of year.
We urge donors to fast-track the disbursement of funds to address the rapidly growing humanitarian needs that are set to worsen in winter. There is a risk of pipeline breaks in October and November in the provision of food, agriculture, health, nutrition, protection, education and water and sanitation hygiene assistance, due to funding shortfalls and import and transport delays.
SYRIA
Moving to Syria, we are concerned about the dire situation of civilians in the northwest where hostilities, an economic crisis and COVID have made the situation of already vulnerable people even more difficult.
Hostilities continued to be reported across northwest Syria throughout September, with intensified airstrikes along the frontlines in southern Idlib and almost daily reports of violence.
We are also extremely concerned about the spike in COVID-19 cases, with over 1,000 people per day testing positive in northwest Syria. There has been a 170 per cent increase in the total number of positive cases in the last month alone.
Limited equipment to test for COVID-19 is a problem, on top of a severe oxygen shortage. In addition, less than 3 per cent of the population in the northwest is vaccinated. With 1.6 million people living in crowded camp settings the spread of COVID-19 will further tax an overburdened system.
In addition, 97 per cent of the population in northwest Syria live in extreme poverty depending on humanitarian aid for food, medicine and other basic services.
HAITI
Our UN team and humanitarian partners in the country are continuing to support the Government-led efforts to respond to the needs of half a million people affected by the August earthquake. Despite constraints, 13 emergency medical teams have been established in the impacted area and more than 35 tons of medicines and supplies have been deployed.
So far, a total of $330,000 in emergency cash has been transferred to people impacted by the earthquake. More than 103,000 households are expected to receive direct cash assistance totaling over $20 million. Our UN and humanitarian partners have also delivered food and water, as well as non-food items.
As you know, the earthquake added to other dire challenges faced by Haitians. Since June, the escalation of gang violence has affected 1.5 million people and displaced 19,000. More than 4 million Haitians are experiencing high levels of food insecurity, and this number is likely to increase in the coming months. Our team on the ground, along with national partners, is also boosting the prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse with toll-free helplines and new channels to report allegations of misconduct in Creole, including on the UN in Haiti website.
The UN and partners appealed for US $187 million to provide life-saving relief to half a million of the most vulnerable people in Haiti. This appeal is currently only 8 per cent funded.
RESIDENT COORDINATOR
We have a new Resident Coordinator to announce: Jaap van Hierden of The Netherlands is our new Resident Coordinator who will lead a new multi-country office to serve Micronesia.
This includes Kiribati, Nauru, Palau and the Republic of the Marshall Islands, in addition to the Federated States of Micronesia.
Mr. van Hierden’s appointment follows confirmations from the host governments.
As you know, our Resident Coordinators lead the work of UN teams on the ground and represent the Secretary-General on development matters.
INTERNATIONAL DAYS
Today is the International Day of Older Persons. This year’s theme is “Digital equality for all ages.” In his message, the Secretary-General said that as we face the challenge of navigating our world’s growing reliance on technology, perhaps no population could benefit more from support than older people. He called for more inclusive policies, strategies and actions to achieve digital equality for people of all ages.
And tomorrow is the International Day of Statistics which also has a theme related to digital technology. It’s called “Connecting the world with data we can trust.” And tomorrow is also the International Day of Non-Violence.
