Yemen

The Security Council met for its debate on Afghanistan this morning, during which it renewed the mandate for the United Nations Mission there (UNAMA).  The Secretary-General’s Special Representative highlighted the challenging security environment in the country, which in 2016 resulted in UNAMA recording the highest number of civilian casualties in a single year.

Twenty million people across four countries faced starvation and famine if the international community did not act quickly, the United Nations humanitarian chief warned the Security Council today, expressing alarm at the funding gap to meet the needs in Yemen, South Sudan, Somalia and north-eastern Nigeria.

United Nations staff in Yemen report that the first humanitarian truck from Ibb since August 2016 arrived in Taizz City today with eight tonnes of medicines and medical equipment, after authorities blocked a visit by United Nations Emergency Relief Coordinator Stephen O’Brien to Taizz City on 28 February.

The UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, in a statement issued today, condemned the firing yesterday of a rocket from Gaza towards Israel. This is the third such incident in the past 30 days after a period of almost four months of quiet.  Such provocations seek only to undermine peace, he said.

The Secretary-General today swore in Amina Mohammed, his new Deputy Secretary-General.  Ms. Mohammed said that she will focus primarily on helping the Secretary-General to reposition sustainable development at the heart of the United Nations.

Extremely concerned for the safety and protection of more than 400,000 people who remain besieged in eastern Ghoutah in Syria, the United Nations calls on all parties to the conflict to spare civilians and civilian infrastructure and to ensure unimpeded, sustained and unconditional access to all those in need.

The Secretary-General welcomes donor pledges made today at the conclusion of the Oslo Humanitarian Conference on Nigeria and the Lake Chad Basin, where 14 donors pledged $458 million for 2017.  The Conference also resulted in an agreement to address longer-term development needs and seek lasting solutions to the crisis.

The Security Council today renewed for one year a targeted arms embargo, travel ban and assets freeze against individuals and entities designated by the Committee established pursuant to resolution 2140 (2014) on Yemen.

The following is the full transcript of the joint press conference on the humanitarian crises in Nigeria, Somalia, South Sudan and Yemen with United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres; Helen Clark, Administrator of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP); Stephen O’Brien, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and United Nations Emergency Relief Coordinator; Ertharin Cousin, Executive Director of the World Food Programme (WFP); Carla Mucavi, Director of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Liaison Office in New York; and Justin Forsyth, Deputy Executive Director of the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), held in New York today:

The Secretary-General spoke today at the Security Council’s debate on conflicts in Europe, saying that such conflicts are not only a tragedy for those directly involved, but they are also reversing development gains and preventing communities and societies from achieving their potential and contributing to regional and global prosperity.