Political affairs

In Madagascar, the United Nations and its partners are supporting the Government’s response to Tropical Cyclone Gamane. According to the Government, the tropical cyclone — which hit the country on 3 April — killed 19 people, injured 3 others and left some 22,000 people displaced.

In Gaza, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs reports the cumulative number of displaced people rose 30 per cent just over the past 24 hours to over 338,000; two thirds are taking shelter in schools run by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA).

In Pakistan, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) today warned that, one year after the historic floods that devastated the country, millions of children continue to need humanitarian assistance and access to essential services.

In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the United Nations continues to support efforts to protect civilians amid increasing attacks by the CODECO armed group in Ituri Province.

In Lebanon, after a week-long suspension of services in Ein el Hilweh camp due to armed clashes, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) has resumed operations. Health Centre II reopened today. UNRWA is also preparing to assess and clear remnants of war from affected zones.

The Security Council today extended the mandate of the United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH) until 15 July 2024, deciding that its police and corrections unit will include up to 70 civilian and seconded personnel serving as police and corrections advisers to scale up its strategic and advisory support to the training and investigation capacities of the Haitian National Police, and that its human rights unit will include dedicated capacity to address sexual and gender-based violence including the identification of women’s protection advisers.

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres announced today the appointment of Leonardo Santos Simão of Mozambique as his new Special Representative and Head of the United Nations Office for West Africa and the Sahel (UNOWAS) and Chairman of the Cameroon-Nigeria Mixed Commission.

The United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) reported today that they have initiated steps to help the country address potential challenges from the onset of this year’s rainy season.

United Nations humanitarian partners are providing water, hygiene and sanitation services, and shelter materials to temporary displacement sites in Malawi, and food and water treatment chemicals to Mozambique, following the destruction wrought by Tropical Cyclone Freddy. Heavy rain and wind continue to hamper those operations.

The World Health Organization released data showing that, in 2021, countries around the world held the line against further setbacks to malaria prevention, testing and treatment services, with an estimated 619,000 malaria deaths globally in 2021, compared to 625,000 in the first year of the pandemic.