LIBYA 
The United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) said that it is encouraged by recent calls on the part of Libyan leaders for the resumption of talks with an aim towards ending the fighting and division. This can pave the way for a comprehensive political solution based on the Libyan Political Agreement and within the framework of the Berlin Conference Conclusions, UN Security Council Resolution 2510, and other relevant resolutions. 
In order for talks to resume in earnest however, the Mission said, the guns must be silenced. In that light, the Mission welcomes the calls by international and regional actors in recent days for an immediate cessation of hostilities in Libya. 
The Mission calls on the Libyan parties to engage swiftly and constructively in the 5+5 Joint Military Commission talks in order to reach a lasting ceasefire agreement. The 5+5 talks must be accompanied by firm implementation of and respect for the recently renewed UN Arms Embargo on Libya.   
The Mission remains alarmed by the harm inflicted on civilian population by the continuing cycle of violence. The recent military movements in Greater Tripoli and in Tarhouna have led to new waves of displacement and suffering of over 16,000 Libyans in just the past few days.   
The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said that about 18,500 people have been newly displaced this past weekend from Tarhouna and Sirte following the takeover of Tarhouna by the forces aligned with Libya’s Government of National Accord, and in anticipation of further advances on Sirte.
 
SYRIA
The UN is increasingly concerned about rapidly rising food prices in Syria, where more than 11 million women, children and men urgently need humanitarian assistance. Prices have more than doubled in the last year, rising by 133 per cent across the country. According to the World Food Programme (WFP), 9.3 million people across Syria are food insecure. Food prices have continued to soar. In May, the cost of a standard food basket increased by 11 per cent on average compared to April.  
Idlib was the worst impacted governorate, with the highest food prices recorded across all of Syria. The food basket in Idlib registered a 30 per cent increase in food prices in just one month.  And at the same time, COVID-19 preventive measures are affecting families’ access to incomes. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), agriculture and livestock production has been impacted threatening food security across Syria. 
In the face of these increasing needs, humanitarian operations, including food assistance from WFP, are addressing needs on a massive scale. Each month, lifesaving food is distributed to 4.5 million people across Syria’s 14 governates. 
 
DR CONGO
The UN’s Humanitarian Chief, Mark Lowcock, has released $40 million from the Central Emergency Response Fund to address health emergencies in the DRC. This announcement comes a few days after a new Ebola outbreak in Mbandaka, in the northwestern province of Équateur. The funds will be used there, and elsewhere in the country, to strengthen health services, enable follow up support for Ebola survivors and establish community-based surveillance, alert and rapid response systems. They will also fund the delivery of food, shelter, water and sanitation support, as well as health, education and protection services. What is happening in the DRC is a stark reminder that the global community must not lose focus of humanitarian crises that were present before the COVID-pandemic, said Mr. Lowcock, as he announced the new funding. Today’s $40 million allocation builds on an earlier $30 million to the DRC provided by the Central Emergency Fund through its underfunded emergencies allocation programme.  
 
CHAD
There are more than 830 cases of COVID-19 and nearly 70 deaths in the country, and the UN team, led by the Resident Coordinator Violet Kakyomya, has been working with the Government and partners to tackle the health, humanitarian and socioeconomic impacts of the pandemic. The UN helps broadcast public health service announcements in 17 languages across 20 community radio stations. The UN has also trained more than 700 people to carry out community outreach on health and sanitation issues. The World Food Programme for its part has donated 12 mobile tents with a capacity of 100 beds to the Health Ministry. With funding of some $22 million from the World Bank, WFP is also providing 17,000 metric tonnes of food for three months to eight provinces.
Thanks to funding from the World Bank, FAO is supporting 20,000 households in eight provinces by providing seeds and agricultural equipment. The UN Refugee Agency has also donated 30 computers and 30 modems to strengthen the Ministry of Health’s capacity to collect communication and data.
 
SOUTH SUDAN
In South Sudan the UN Mission there says that, in Eastern Equatoria state, peacekeepers are supporting an organization led by youth to help sensitize local communities on how to stay safe and healthy. 
The Mission has distributed face masks, sanitizers, soaps and has installed hand washing facilities in public places and some border towns. 
 
BURUNDI
In response to questions about the elections in Burundi, the Spokesman sent out a note over the weekend expressing that the Secretary-General had taken note of the final results of the presidential and legislative elections, as declared on June 4th by the Constitutional Court of Burundi. The Secretary-General encourages all parties to continue to promote a peaceful and harmonious atmosphere among all Burundians. He reiterates the UN’s commitment towards long-term stability and sustainable development in Burundi. 
 
OCEANS
Today is World Oceans Day. This year’s theme is “Innovation for a Sustainable Ocean. This morning, the Secretary-General spoke at the virtual event to celebrate the Day and said that we have a responsibility to correct our relationship with the oceans. He added that as we work to build back better from the COVID-19 pandemic, we must come together to promote ocean science and the innovations that will save the lifeblood of our planet. The virtual celebration goes on until 5 p.m. today and there will be keynote speeches, panels, and presentations with ocean activists including Sylvia Earle and Jean-Michel Custeau.
In addition, the FAO today released a report which said that worldwide per capita fish consumption has reached a new record of 20.5 kilograms per year. Consumption is poised to increase further in the decade ahead, underscoring the ocean’s critical role in global food and nutrition security. 
The UN Environment Programme released a report highlighting the importance of protecting seagrass meadows which can be a powerful nature-based solution to the climate crisis. 
 
SENIOR APPOINTMENT
Today, following consultations with the Bureau of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity, the Secretary-General announced the appointment of Elizabeth Maruma Mrema of Tanzania as the Executive Secretary of the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity. Since 2019, Ms. Mrema has been the Acting Executive Secretary of the CBD Secretariat. Prior to that, she served as Director of the Law Division at the United Nations Environment Programme in Nairobi, Kenya. With over two decades of experience at the UN, Ms. Mrema brings to the position extensive experience in global environmental law and policymaking, implementation of environmental and sustainable development programmes, and a deep knowledge of multilateral processes.   
 
BRIEFING GUEST TOMORROW 
Tomorrow, the guest at the briefing will be Maximo Torero Cullen, the Assistant Director-General of the Economic and Social Development Department of the FAO. He will brief on the Secretary-General’s policy brief on the impact of COVID-19 on food security.