The following statement was issued today by the Spokesman for UN Secretary-General António Guterres:
Sudan
Sudan’s representative called on the Security Council today to impose an arms and material transport embargo against rebel forces, invaders and mercenaries, and to lift sanctions on the Government forces, as the 15 member organ received an update from its sanctions committee for that country.
The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) launched a $1.2 billion humanitarian appeal today to support 48 million people with reproductive health and gender-based violence services in 58 countries in 2024. In 2023, UNFPA received only half of its humanitarian funding needs.
In South Sudan, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs warns that more than half of the country’s population is going hungry, and an estimated 1.6 million children are expected to suffer from acute malnutrition through June 2024.
On 11 December, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs will launch its Global Humanitarian Overview for 2024. This is the annual overview of humanitarian trends and needs worldwide — as well as interagency plans to respond to the crises.
The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) notes with concern that exchanges of fire across the Blue Line continued throughout the weekend, with reports that people were injured on both sides of the border. This follows the reported deaths of three people there following exchanges of fire on 1 December.
The Security Council today decided to terminate the mandate of the UN Integrated Transition Assistance Mission in the Sudan (UNITAMS) under resolution 2579 (2021) and begin winding down its operations over a three-month period slated to end on 29 February 2024.
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.
United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres announced today the appointment of Ramtane Lamamra of Algeria as his Personal Envoy for Sudan.
Sudan is facing a humanitarian and human rights disaster as warring sides intensify fighting in the country, and there is a need for a sustained international commitment to resolving the crisis, a senior United Nations official told the Security Council today.