Refugees

The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs reports that the humanitarian pause, agreed upon by Israel and Hamas, has been largely maintained on 27 November for the fourth consecutive day. This has enabled humanitarian actors to enhance the delivery of assistance into and across Gaza.

In Sudan, the UN refugee agency reports that 4.5 million people have been internally displaced, while 1.2 million others have fled to Chad, Egypt and South Sudan, as well as Ethiopia and the Central African Republic. That is almost 6 million people who have been forced to move since the start of fighting in April.

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres announced today the appointment of Ruvendrini Menikdiwela of Sri Lanka as Assistant High Commissioner for Protection, Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).

The UN and partners are providing humanitarian aid to Nepal, including 6 metric tons of food from the World Food Programme (WFP), medicines and supplies from the World Health Organization (WHO), over 2,000 emergency shelter sets from United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and relief packages from UN-Women, which is also working with women’s groups on community kitchens.

The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) today released its annual Adaptation Gap Report, which finds that progress on climate adaptation is slowing on all fronts. The adaptation finance needs of developing countries are 10 to 18 times as big as international public finance flows.

The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs reported that, on 31 October, 59 trucks carrying water, food and medicines entered through the Rafah crossing with Egypt. This is the largest convoy since delivery of aid resumed on 21 October, bringing the total number of trucks up to 217 since that date.

As multiplying conflicts drive forced displacement worldwide, States must step up their support or risk the humanitarian system’s collapse, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees told the Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian and Cultural) today, as delegates stressed the need to address root causes of displacement, share responsibility for refugees and find lasting solutions for the uprooted.

The head of the UN refugee agency appealed to the Security Council today to call for a humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza, emphasizing that there is urgent need for its 15 members to overcome their differences, unite and resolve a raft of conflicts which have displaced staggering 114 million people around the world.

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 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.