Humanitarian issues

In South Sudan, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs reports that increasing violence and threats against aid workers and aid assets continues to hamper its efforts to reach some 6.8 million men, women and children who need assistance.

The following statement by UN Secretary-General António Guterres was issued today:

The Security Council today failed to adopt either of two competing draft resolutions — one from the United States, the other from the Russian Federation — addressing the raging war and humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) — by far the largest humanitarian provider in Gaza — warned that, unless fuel is allowed into Gaza immediately, it will be forced to halt its operations tonight.

Following are UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ remarks to the Cairo Summit for Peace, in Cairo today:

In Libya, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs reports that, five weeks after Storm Daniel brought catastrophic flooding to the country’s north-east, more than 43,000 people are still displaced.

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the World Health Organization (WHO) warned today that at least 10,000 children in Sudan under the age of five may die by the end of this year due to increased food insecurity and disruptions to essential services since conflict broke out in the country.

In the aftermath of an air strike on a northern Gaza hospital that marked a sharp escalation in the ongoing Israel-Gaza crisis, the Security Council today failed to adopt a resolution put forth by Brazil that would have called for humanitarian pauses to allow full, safe and unhindered access for United Nations agencies and their partners, due to a veto cast by a permanent member of the Council, the United States.

The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) reports that this past September was the hottest on record — putting 2023 on track to be the warmest year on record. September saw a record-high monthly global ocean surface temperature and Antarctica also had its warmest September with sea ice remaining at record lows.

The following statement by UN Secretary-General António Guterres was issued today: