Ethiopia

In Afghanistan, senior emergency experts from United Nations agencies and non-governmental organizations called for urgent support to life-saving humanitarian action after a five-day mission to the country.  Over 24 million people – 59 per cent of the Afghan population - requires lifesaving aid, up 30 per cent from 2021.

The last United Nations staff member detained by the Ethiopian authorities has been released.  However, humanitarian challenges in the country remain, with thousands of Eritrean refugees in need of emergency aid after they fled fighting in the Afar region.  UNHCR remains extremely worried about their safety and well-being.

Wildfires are burning more severely and more often, and urban noise pollution is growing into a global public health menace, according to a new report released today by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).  The report identifies and offers solutions to those and other environmental issues.

Following is a transcript of UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed’s press conference on Ethiopia, held in New York today:

In Ethiopia, fighting in the northern region of Afar continues to prevent the delivery of aid into neighbouring Tigray.  These clashes are also causing large-scale displacement and increasing humanitarian needs in Afar.

United Nations Deputy Secretary-General, Amina Mohammed, today concluded a five-day visit to Ethiopia where, on 5 February, she represented Secretary-General António Guterres at the thirty-fifth ordinary session of the Assembly of the African Union in Addis Ababa.

In Nigeria, the humanitarian community and the Government today launched the 2022 humanitarian response plan for the north-eastern part of the country.  The plan seeks $1.1 billion to provide critical aid and services to 5.5 million people impacted by the conflict in Borno, Adamawa and Yobe states.

The High Commissioner for Human Rights, Michelle Bachelet, today urged the President of Tunisia, Kaïs Saïed, to restore the High Judicial Council, warning that its dissolution would seriously undermine the rule of law, the separation of powers and independence of the judiciary in the country.

At least 10 people have died and more than 43,000 are displaced across 180 displacement sites as a result of Tropical Cyclone Batsirai, which made landfall on the east coast of Madagascar on 5 February.  The first aerial assessment took place today with a United Nations Humanitarian Air Service flight.

At least 25 United Nations staff members and associated personnel – including 24 peacekeepers, 19 of whom worked for the Mission in Mali – were killed in deliberate attacks in 2021, according to the Standing Committee for the Security and Independence of the International Civil Service of the United Nations Staff Union.