UN life-saving aid allowed to trickle into Gaza as needs mount

Posted on May 21, 2025 by Arun Kumar N

He stressed that the assistance must be delivered swiftly and directly to those most in need.

He told journalists in New York that UN humanitarians were sending flour, medicines, nutrition supplies and other basic items through the Palestinian side of the Kerem Shalom crossing – a day after they managed to bring in baby formula and other nutrition supplies.

“The first trucks of vital baby food are now inside Gaza after 11 weeks of total blockade, and it is urgent that we get that assistance distributed. We need much, much more to cross,” he said, speaking from New York.

Complex aid operation

 In the face of mounting international objections over the total blockade imposed on 2 March – and condemnation over the risk of widespread famine – Israel started to allow a handful of aid trucks to enter Gaza on Monday, while simultaneously intensifying its military offensive.

The aid blockade has pushed the entire population, more than two million people, to the brink of famine, amid ongoing bombardment and recurrent displacement orders.

The UN humanitarian affairs office OCHA said Israel cleared nine aid trucks to cross the Kerem Shalom border on Monday, but only five were allowed in.

Mr. Dujarric said Israel requires supplies to be offloaded on the Palestinian side of Kerem Shalom. Items are then reloaded separately once the authorities secure humanitarian teams’ access from inside Gaza.

“Only then are we able to bring any supplies closer to where people in need are sheltering,” he said.

On Tuesday, one of the UN teams waited for several hours before being given the green light.

“So, just to make it clear, while more supplies have come into the Gaza Strip, we have not been able to secure the arrival of those supplies into our warehouses and delivery points,” he said.

UN humanitarians have received permission from Israel for “around 100” more aid trucks to cross into the Strip, but they said the scale of relief efforts allowed remains entirely insufficient.

Ready and waiting

“Not enough. Five trucks, nowhere near. Not enough,” said Louise Wateridge, a spokesperson for the UN Palestine refugee agency UNRWA, in reference to Monday’s trickle of aid.

She was speaking to journalists in Geneva from a warehouse full of ready-to-be-delivered supplies in Amman, Jordan, with enough food to feed 200,000 Palestinian civilians for an entire month. 

“Everything around me is aid that is supposed to be in the Gaza Strip right now,” she explained, as warehouses and distribution centres lay empty in Gaza. 

“Look at what the UN could do,” she continued. “We’ve done it: the ceasefire, the bombs stopped, the supplies went in. We reached every area of the Gaza Strip. We reached people who needed it most. We reached children. We reached the elderly. The supplies went everywhere.”

Scarcity fuels looting

As aid is scarce, desperation is on the rise in Gaza, with “several predictable effects,” according to OCHA Spokesperson Jens Laerke.

 “One is that the insufficient supplies are at greater risk of being looted,” he told journalists in Geneva.

He said looted products end up being sold at exorbitant prices on the black market, and opening access for large quantities of aid would automatically ease the situation.

A displaced family travels on a donkey-pulled cart carrying their belongings.

Deadly attacks and displacement

Meanwhile, hundreds have been killed in attacks in recent days, according to the Gaza health authorities.

They also report that the Indonesian Hospital was attacked on Monday, damaging electrical generators and forcing the facility to suspend services.

Fifty-five people were there as of that day, including patients and medical staff, with critical shortages of water and food.

Furthermore, an Israeli airstrike reportedly hit a school in An Nuseirat area on Monday, killing seven people and injuring others. Two UNRWA staff members were among those killed. Their deaths push the total number of agency personnel killed during the war to over 300.

In other developments: Israel issued another displacement order on Tuesday, affecting 26 neighbourhoods in northern Gaza. Overall, some 80 per cent of the Gaza Strip is now either subject to displacement orders or located in Israeli-militarized zones.

UN partners estimate that more than 41,000 people were displaced following the evacuation order on Tuesday. They further estimate that since 15 May, more than 57,000 people were displaced in southern Gaza and more than 81,000 were displaced in the north due to intensified hostilities and recurrent displacement orders.

Israeli military operations in Gaza were triggered after the Hamas-led attack of 7 October 2023. Militants killed some 1,200 people in Israel and took 250 hostages to Gaza. Fifty-eight hostages are still being held captive; 23 are believed to still be alive.

‘Keep the lights on’ for women and girls caught up in crisis

Posted on May 21, 2025 by Arun Kumar N

The UN’s reproductive health agency, UNFPA, has been working to assess the impact of recent steep funding cuts, warning that from the Democratic Republic of Congo to Haiti, Sudan and beyond, a lack of funding for reproductive care or treatment to tackle gender-based violence, is causing untold suffering.

Millions of them are already experiencing the horrors of war, climate change and natural disasters.

Facing a dark future

As support becomes increasingly scarce, women and girls are being overlooked in their hour of greatest need, the agency argues in a new campaign to shed light on their plight – Don’t Let the Lights Go Out.

UNFPA’s humanitarian response plans were already under 30 per cent funded in 2024, before this year’s severe cuts began taking effect.

The funding situation on the ground is predicted to get worse, which means a shortage of midwives; a lack of medicines and equipment to handle childbirth complications; shuttered safe spaces; less healthcare overall and cuts to counselling or legal services for survivors of gender-based violence.

The United States has announced cuts of approximately $330 million to UNFPA worldwide, which according to the agency will significantly undermine efforts to prevent maternal deaths.

The agency recently warned on the devastating impacts that the massive cuts will have in Afghanistan, one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises.

Sounding the alarm

The need for health and protection services is highest in crisis zones: 70 per cent of women there are subjected to gender-based violence – double the rate in non-crisis settings.

Furthermore, around 60 per cent of preventable maternal deaths occur in crisis-hit countries.

Through the Don’t Let the Lights Go Out campaign, the UN aims to shine a light on the needs of women and girls in crisis, raise funds to support them, and to reaffirm that women’s health, safety and rights must remain non-negotiable priorities in any humanitarian response.

Gaza’s most vulnerable

In Gaza, with food and essential medicines critically low, pregnant women, breastfeeding mothers and children in general are being severely impacted.

Reports show that one in every five people is now facing starvation. For an estimated 55,000 pregnant women, each missed meal increases the risk of miscarriages, stillbirths and undernourished newborns.

According to a doctor at Al-Awda Hospital who spoke to the UN agency, there’s been “a significant increase in cases of low birthweight babies, directly linked to maternal malnutrition and anaemia during pregnancy.”

Health system on its knees

Relentless attacks on hospitals, health facilities and medical staff have left the healthcare system in ruins.

Amid these dire conditions, almost 11,000 pregnant women are already reported to be at risk of famine, and nearly 17,000 pregnant and breastfeeding women will need urgent treatment for acute malnutrition over the coming months. For many, the fallout is devastating.

In 2025, UNFPA is seeking $99 million to address the ongoing and emerging needs in Palestine, but as of April, just $12.5 million has been received.

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90 days to economic collapse: UN and experts sound alarm over security at sea

Posted on May 21, 2025 by Arun Kumar N

Addressing a high-level debate of the Security Council, António Guterres said that oceans and seas are “sending a clear SOS,” as maritime spaces face escalating pressure from both traditional threats and new dangers – including piracy, armed robbery, trafficking, terrorism, cyberattacks and territorial disputes.

“From time immemorial, maritime routes have bound the world together,” he said.

“But maritime spaces are increasingly under strain…and without maritime security, there can be no global security.”

Spike in piracy, attacks

The Secretary-General pointed to a sharp spike in piracy and armed robbery at sea in early 2025, citing International Maritime Organization (IMO) figures showing a 47.5 per cent increase in reported incidents compared to the same period last year.

The rise was most pronounced in Asia, especially in the busy Straits of Malacca and Singapore.

He also highlighted continued attacks on shipping in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden by Houthi forces, disruptions in the Black Sea, and growing criminal networks trafficking drugs and people across the Gulf of Guinea, the Mediterranean and the Atlantic.

The debate was a signature event of the Greek presidency of the Council. Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis held the gavel, and several ministers were in the chamber.

A 90-day countdown to collapse

Melina Travlos, President of the Union of Greek Shipowners, delivered a stark warning to Council members: if the global shipping system grinds to a halt, the world economy will collapse in just 90 days.

She described shipping as “the silent guardian of global welfare,” noting that 90 per cent of international trade and more than 12 billion tonnes of goods depend on maritime transport each year.

“Shipping unites the world, not occasionally, but consistently,” she said, calling for greater protection of seafarers and maritime infrastructure amid increasing and more complex threats.

Security forces board a boat suspected of piracy in the Gulf of Guinea. (file)

One ship, six days, billions lost

Christian Bueger, a professor of international relations at the University of Copenhagen, reminded ambassadors that in 2021, a single ship – the Ever Given – blocked the Suez Canal for six days, costing the global economy billions.

“Never before in history have we been as dependent on the sea as we are today,” he said, citing a 300 per cent rise in maritime trade since the 1990s.

Mr. Bueger urged Member States to adopt a more systematic, evidence-based approach to maritime security, urging a global response that is as interconnected as the threats it faces.

Uphold law of the sea

In his remarks, Secretary-General Guterres laid out a three-pronged strategy to strengthen maritime security – highlighting that decisive, coordinated global action is needed regardless of individual flashpoints or shipping disruptions.

These include upholding international law, tackling the root causes of maritime insecurity, and strengthening global partnerships.

He called on all nations to uphold international law, especially the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), the international treaty that sets the legal framework for all maritime activities and regulates the use of ocean and its resources.

“This framework is only as strong as States’ commitment to full and effective implementation,” he said.

“All States must live up to their obligations.”

Secretary-General António Guterres (centre) addresses the UN Security Council meeting on strengthening maritime security through international cooperation for global stability under maintenance of international peace and security.

Prioritise investment

On root causes, he urged investment in coastal communities, judicial reform and building maritime capacity in developing countries — from surveillance to port security.

Alongside this, weak governance, rising poverty and lack of opportunities must be addressed.

The UN chief stressed that lasting solutions would require cooperation from governments, regional bodies, the private sector and civil society – including women and girls, who are disproportionately affected by maritime crime.

“Collectively, we must do more to reduce the likelihood that desperate people will turn to crime and other activities that threaten maritime security and degrade our ocean environment,” he said.

“The United Nations system stands ready to support Member States to ensure peaceful, secure, and prosperous maritime spaces for generations to come.”

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AI threatens one in four jobs – but transformation, not replacement, is the real risk

Posted on May 21, 2025 by Arun Kumar N

One in four jobs worldwide is potentially exposed to what’s known as generative artificial intelligence – or Generative AI – according to a new joint study from the UN labour agency (ILO) and Poland’s National Research Institute. The study finds that transforming job descriptions, not widespread job loss, is the more likely result.

Generative AI (GenAI) refers to systems that can create content such as text, images, code or data summaries in response to user prompts. As such tools become more widely used, they are expected to reshape the tasks employees perform each day.

The new ILO-NASK index draws from nearly 30,000 real-world job descriptions using worker surveys, expert reviews and AI models to identify occupations most susceptible to AI driven change.

“Few jobs consist of tasks that are fully automatable with current AI technology,” the authors write. “Transformation of jobs is the most likely impact of GenAI.”

GAVI Alliance/Evelyn Hockstein

A baby has his general health recorded by a data clerk.

Women face disproportionate exposure

The study finds that in high-income countries, jobs considered at the highest risk of AI-driven task automation account for 9.6 per cent of female employment – nearly three times the share for men.

Worldwide, 4.7 per cent of women’s jobs fall into the highest-risk category, compared with 2.4 per cent for men.

This disparity is due largely to the overrepresentation of women in clerical and administrative roles, which are among the most exposed occupational groups.

These jobs often involve tasks such as data entry and document formatting and scheduling, functions that AI technologies can already perform efficiently.

While these roles are unlikely to disappear entirely, the report warns that partial automation could reduce job quality, leading to fewer responsibilities, stagnating wages and growing insecurity.

Without targeted training or role redesign, some workers – particularly women – may face limited opportunities to adapt.

A global, unequal picture

The report also identifies stark differences across regions. In high-income countries, 34 per cent of jobs are in occupations exposed to GenAI, compared to just 11 per cent in low-income countries.

Middle-income regions such as Latin America and parts of Asia fall somewhere in between.

Europe and Central Asia show the highest gender disparities, driven by high female employment in clerical roles and widespread digital adoption.

Regions such as sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia and the Arab States currently show lower overall exposure but could still experience significant disruption if AI technologies spread without safeguards.

The study cautions that lower exposure does not equal lower risk. In regions where digital access is limited or labour protections are weak, even small-scale automation could destabilise vulnerable sectors.

Turning insight into action

To ensure that the transition to generative AI supports rather than displaces workers, ILO urges governments, employers and workers’ organisations to act decisively.

Central to the recommended response is the need to strengthen access to digital skills and training, particularly for women and those working in clerical or administrative roles.

The agency also highlights the importance of integrating AI planning into broader labour market and education policies.

Preparing workforces for transformation will require not only technical training, but also supportive infrastructure, modernised curricula, and alignment between employers’ needs and national policies.

Inclusivity’s a must

At the heart of this transition, authors stress, must be inclusive social dialogue. Workers should have a say in how GenAI is introduced and used in the workplace, and their experiences must inform decisions about implementation.

Without this engagement, the risks of unequal outcomes, including widening gender gaps and declining job quality, will be much greater.

Finally, the report emphasises that regions with limited digital access must not be left behind. Expanding infrastructure and ensuring equitable access to technology are critical steps in enabling all countries to shape the future of work on their own terms.

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Afghanistan’s returnees at a crossroads between collapse and recovery

Posted on May 20, 2025 by Arun Kumar N

Since September 2023, some three million Afghans have returned – many having been forcibly deported from neighbouring Pakistan and Iran. Often, they arrive exhausted, disoriented, and stripped of their belongings.

“They return to a homeland that is dramatically unprepared to receive them,” warned Arafat Jamal, the UNHCR Representative in Afghanistan.

UN agencies have stepped in as stabilising forces, providing crucial support at a time of immense pressure. At border crossings for example, returnees receive cash grants to help them build shelters or launch small businesses.

Infrastructure boost

In communities absorbing large numbers of returnees, the UN has bolstered local infrastructure by constructing clinics, schools, housing, and livelihood projects.

These efforts, said Mr. Jamal, have functioned both as essential “shock absorbers” and as “engines for regeneration” in areas under strain.

“By nurturing such an ecosystem of hope, we have fuelled economic success,” he explained.

Yet as international funding declines, the scale of support is being drastically reduced. Cash assistance per family has plummeted from $2,000 to just $150 – barely enough to cover basic needs.

“This can help someone to survive, but not to thrive,” Mr. Jamal said. “Whereas once we provided restorative assistance, we now hand out pure survival money.”

Big dividend through coordination

He stressed that a coordinated response could transform the return of Afghans into an opportunity for stability, economic growth, and regional harmony. However, he also issued a stark warning: “If we do not come together, the demographic shock of disorganised return may instead tip us towards chaos.”

The UN refugee agency reaffirmed its commitment to remain on the ground and continue saving lives “in war and peace”. But with greater support, Mr. Jamal emphasised, they could do far more.

“We can help to repair and rebuild the fabric of torn communities,” he concluded.

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Organized crime groups increasingly embedded in gold supply chain

Posted on May 20, 2025 by Arun Kumar N

Criminal networks are increasingly seeking to gain control over extraction sites, trade routes, and refining infrastructure.

According to a new report from the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), these groups have become deeply embedded in gold supply chains, drawn by the sector’s high profitability and rising gold prices.

‘Serious global threat’

Organized crime has become so involved in the gold supply that it now constitutes a “serious global threat”, with illegal networks constantly adapting in order to enable and hide their operations.

Exploiting advances in transportation, finance, and communications, many of these groups have a foothold in regular businesses, enabling them to both launder proceeds and move illegal gold with relative ease.

Apart from heightened violence, corruption and environmental degradation, crime gangs also expose vulnerable populations to exploitation, the UN highlights, increasing the risk of sexual exploitation, forced labour, and displacement.

Bypassing regulations

While legal mining operations are regulated to minimise environmental harm, illegal mining bypasses these safeguards entirely.

By clearing forests to access mineral deposits, illicit operations directly contribute to environmental destruction, degrading fragile ecosystems and accelerating biodiversity loss – particularly when such activities occur within protected areas.

One of the most severe environmental impacts of illegal gold mining is the use of hazardous or banned chemicals by criminal organisations.

Opportunities

Although the majority of gold mining sites are located in sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America, the Caribbean, and Southeast Asia, most gold refineries are concentrated in Europe, Asia, and North America. As a result, the precious metal often crosses multiple borders before it even reaches a refining centre.

This transnational movement creates opportunities for both criminal exploitation and law enforcement intervention.

Criminal groups frequently introduce illegally sourced gold into the supply chain by exploiting weak oversight, inconsistent documentation, and regulatory loopholes along trade routes.

However, the geographical concentration of refineries offers a strategic point for disruption, the UNODC report noted.

Focusing regulatory efforts on these key hubs could significantly reduce the flow of illicit gold into the global market, the report concluded.

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Nations adopt historic pledge to guard against future pandemics

Posted on May 20, 2025 by Arun Kumar N

The effects of the devastating COVID-19 pandemic are still being felt. Around seven million people died, health systems were overwhelmed, and the global economy was practically driven to a standstill.

The global turmoil prompted a stunned international community to pursue an agreement aimed at preventing such a catastrophic event from happening again – and ensuring the world is far better prepared in the future.

The landmark decision was made at the World Health Assembly, the annual meeting of the World Health Organization (WHO).

Although the formal adoption was on Tuesday, the WHO’s Member States overwhelmingly approved the agrement on Monday (124 votes in favour, 0 objections, 11 abstentions).

This meant that, rather than a nail-biting vote with last-minute surprises (ahead of the conference, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General, only felt able to express “cautious optimism”), the adoption by consensus had a celebratory feel.

“The agreement is a victory for public health, science and multilateral action,” declared Tedros. “It will ensure we, collectively, can better protect the world from future pandemic threats.

“It is also a recognition by the international community that our citizens, societies and economies must not be left vulnerable to again suffer losses like those endured during COVID-19.”

WHO Member States approved the first-ever Pandemic Agreement on 19 May 2025

‘Once-in-a-lifetime opportunity’

The pandemic laid bare gross inequities between and within countries, when it came to diagnostics, treatments, and vaccines, and a core aim of the agreement is to plug gaps and treat any future pandemics in a fairer and more efficient way.

“Now that the Agreement has been brought to life, we must all act with the same urgency to implement its critical elements, including systems to ensure equitable access to life-saving pandemic-related health products,” announced Dr. Teodoro Herbosa, Secretary of the Philippines Department of Health, and President of this year’s World Health Assembly, who presided over the Agreement’s adoption.

“As COVID was a once-in-a-lifetime emergency, the WHO Pandemic Agreement offers a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to build on lessons learned from that crisis and ensure people worldwide are better protected if a future pandemic emerges.”

The issue of national sovereignty has been raised several times during the process of negotiating the accord, a reflection of false online claims that WHO is somehow attempting to wrest control away from individual countries.

The accord is at pains to point out that this is not the case, stating that nothing contained within it gives WHO any authority to change or interfere with national laws, or force nations to take measures such as banning travellers, impose vaccinations or implement lockdowns.

WHO Member States approved the first-ever Pandemic Agreement on 19 May 2025

Next steps

The adoption has been hailed as a groundbreaking step, but this is just the beginning of the process.

The next step is putting the agreement into practice, by launching a launching a process to draft and negotiate a Pathogen Access and Benefit Sharing system (PABS) through an Intergovernmental Working Group.

The result of this process will be considered at next year’s World Health Assembly.

Once the Assembly adopts the PABS annex, the agreement will then be open for signature and consideration of ratification, including by national legislative bodies. After 60 ratifications, it will enter into force.

Other provisions include a new financial mechanism for pandemic prevention, preparedness and response, and the creation of a Global Supply Chain and Logistics Network to “enhance, facilitate, and work to remove barriers and ensure equitable, timely, rapid, safe, and affordable access to pandemic-related health products for countries in need during public health emergencies of international concern, including pandemic emergencies, and for prevention of such emergencies.”

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Drone strikes on civilian infrastructure in Port Sudan must end: UN expert

Posted on May 20, 2025 by Arun Kumar N

“These ongoing attacks on critical infrastructure are putting lives at risk, worsening the humanitarian crisis, and violating basic human rights,” said Radhouane Nouicer, the designated expert on the human rights situation in Sudan, appointed by UN rights office OHCHR.

Targeted sites include the city’s main electricity substation and fuel and gas storage facilities, leading to widespread power cuts and restricted access to food, water and healthcare. Some strikes have hit densely populated areas, displacing residents.

“It is devastating to see the continued destruction of infrastructure and social services in Sudan,” Mr Nouicer added.

Once a lifeline, now a target

Since civil war erupted in April 2023, Port Sudan has served as a vital entry point for humanitarian aid. The conflict has killed over 18,000 people, displaced 13 million, and left 30.4 million in need of assistance.

That lifeline has come under threat. A drone strike on the Port Sudan airport forced the UN to temporarily suspend aid flights and the movement of humanitarian personnel.

Guterres calls for coordinated action

At the League of Arab States Summit in Iraq over the weekend, UN Secretary-General António Guterres called for renewed international engagement to end the violence in Sudan.

“Multilateral efforts are urgently needed to stop the appalling violence, famine and mass displacement,” he said.

The UN chief also met with the African Union and Arab League leadership to discuss ways to ensure unhindered humanitarian access and work towards a “durable, comprehensive ceasefire.”

Escalating attacks

Port Sudan is not alone. Similar strikes have been reported in North River Nile and White Nile states, where power stations have allegedly been targeted by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) militia, which has been battling Government troops during a brutal civil war for control of Sudan.

Mr Nouicer called these attacks a “major escalation” with “alarming implications” for civilian protection.

He urged all parties to stop targeting civilian sites, in line with international law.

“Civilian infrastructure is protected under international law and must never be a target,” he said.

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World News in Brief: Terror-crime link alarm, child detention in Australia, judiciary in Maldives, Protection of Civilians Week

Posted on May 20, 2025 by Arun Kumar N

In recent years, criminal and terrorist groups have seized “every” opportunity afforded by growing instability to “entrench, expand, and escalate,” said Ghada Waly, in her opening remarks to the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice, in Vienna.

Challenges such as human and drug trafficking, smuggling of cultural and commercial goods, and environmental crimes are on the agenda during the four-day conference which focuses on “evolving and emerging” forms of organised crime.

Emerging threats

The world faces a “fundamental challenge to security, prosperity, and the rule of law,” the Executive Director said, with the link between criminal and terrorist groups becoming a growing concern.

While new technology serves as an enabler for criminal networks, justice systems around the world are being “starved” of the resources and conditions they need to provide equal access to justice.

She said, with criminal threats evolving, it was “certainly not the time to scale back global investment in crime prevention and criminal justice, both politically and financially,” emphasising the importance of multilateral cooperation.

Australia justice system in spotlight over child offenders’ reform

To Australia, where top independent rights experts have expressed concern at proposed legal reforms that could increase penalties for children.

In most Australian states, criminal responsibility begins at 10, allowing youngsters to be incarcerated for a wide range of crimes, if convicted.

Already, disproportionately large numbers of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children continue to be jailed in Australia, according to rights experts Jill Edwards and Albert Barume.

The Special Rapporteurs – who are appointed by and report to the Human Rights Council – have insisted that “many new or proposed” laws across the country are incompatible with rights of the child.

Queensland crackdown

These include the so-called “Adult crime, Adult time” legal reform in the state of Queensland.

If adopted later this week, it could result in children serving longer jail time for dozens of criminal offences.

“The first goal should always be keeping children out of prison,” the rights experts said. They emphasised the excessive impact of the Queensland bill on indigenous children and the risk of creating “a future under-class of Australians”.

Aerial view of Malé, the capital of the Maldives.

Maldives’ dismissal of Supreme Court judges raises concern, UN rights office warns

The UN human rights office warned Monday that the dismissal by the Maldives authorities of two Supreme Court justices could jeopardise the independence of the judiciary.

The South Asian island nation launched probes into both judges in February 2025.

At the same time, the Maldives’ parliament adopted a bill to reduce the size of the Supreme Court bench from seven to five judges.

A third Supreme Court justice also resigned, while a fourth judge – the Chief Justice – has since retired.

The investigation against the judges raises questions about how it was conducted, the UN human rights office, OHCHR, said in a statement.

Judicial independence

“We remind the authorities of their commitment to maintain and protect an independent judiciary, in line with the Maldives’ Constitution and international human rights obligations,” said OHCHR spokesperson Jeremy Laurence.

“Checks and balances between the different branches of the State, including a strong and independent judiciary, play a vital role in ensuring fidelity to the rule of law by all branches of Government and the effective protection of human rights,” Mr. Laurence added.

Previously, independent rights expert Margaret Satterthwaite expressed concern about reports that lawyers for the Maldives Supreme Court justices who were under investigation “were not given the opportunity to speak at the disciplinary proceedings and that these were not public”.

Ms. Satterthwaite reports to the Human Rights Council on the independence of judges and lawyers; she is not a UN staff member.

Protection of Civilians week will work to address ‘culture of impunity’

Over 50,000 civilians have been killed in Gaza since October 2023. In Sudan, the figure is around 18,000 in the past two years – and in Ukraine, the total is 12,000, since Russia’s full-scale invasion.

During Protection of Civilians Week, from 19 to 23 May, these preventable deaths and displacements will be the focus as the United Nations, its Member States and civil society affiliates gather to discuss ways of preventing future armed conflicts.

The eighth annual PoC Week – which is coordinated by the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), Switzerland, the Centre for Civilians in Conflict, and the International Committee of the Red Cross – will focus on the theme of “Tools to Further the Protection of Civilians.”

International guarantees, national violations

International humanitarian and human rights law establishes clear guidelines which protect civilians during armed conflicts.

However, OCHA noted that increasingly there is a “culture of impunity” surrounding the enforcement of these laws, with disregard for them spreading and the application of them increasingly politicised.

“Despite clear protections under international humanitarian and human rights law, civilians continue to suffer the brunt of conflict,” OCHA said, outlining the week ahead.

This is particularly concerning given that civilian deaths have been increasing. In the past decade, the world has experienced a surge in armed conflicts, disrupting what had previously been a 20-year decline.

Between 2022 and 2023, there was a 72 per cent increase in the number of civilian deaths according to UN estimates.

Throughout the week, individual member state missions are also hosting a variety of informal consultations. The calendar for the week is here.

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UN relief chief welcomes limited Gaza aid resumption – but it’s a ‘drop in the ocean’

Posted on May 20, 2025 by Arun Kumar N

Tom Fletcher said in a statement on Monday that nine UN trucks were cleared to enter the southern Kerem Shalom crossing earlier in the day.

“But it is a drop in the ocean of what is urgently needed…We have been reassured that our work will be facilitated through existing, proven mechanisms. I am grateful for that reassurance, and Israel’s agreement to humanitarian notification measures that reduce the immense security threats of the operation.”

Alarm over Israeli bombardment: UN chief

The UN Secretary-General on Monday expressed his alarm over the intensifying air strikes and ground operations in Gaza “which have resulted in the killing of hundreds of Palestinian civilians in recent days, including many women and children, and, of course, large-scale evacuation orders.”

António Guterres reiterated his call for the rapid, safe, and unimpeded delivery of humanitarian assistance at scale directly to civilians, in order to avert famine, alleviate widespread suffering, and prevent further loss of life.

Briefing reporters on Monday, UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said Mr. Guterres “welcomes the ongoing efforts by the mediators to reach a deal in Gaza. He has repeatedly warned that the continued violence and the destruction will only compound civilian suffering and heighten the risk of a broader regional conflict.”

He added that the Secretary-General “firmly rejects any forced displacement of the Palestinian population.”

Minimise risk of aid theft

Relief chief Fletcher said in his statement that he was determined to ensure UN aid reaches those in greatest need and make sure that any risk of theft by Hamas or other militants battling Israeli forces in the Strip amid a new offensive, would be minimised.

He said the UN aid coordination office, OCHA, had realistic expectations: “Given ongoing bombardment and acute hunger levels, the risks of looting and insecurity are significant.”

UN aid workers are committed to doing their jobs, “even against these odds,” he said, thanking humanitarian colleagues for their courage and determination.

Practical plan

“The limited quantities of aid now being allowed into Gaza are of course no substitute for unimpeded access to civilians in such dire need,” Mr. Fletcher continued.

“The UN has a clear, principled and practical plan to save lives at scale, as I set out last week.”

He called on Israeli authorities to:

Open at least two crossings into Gaza, in the north and south
Simplify and expedite procedures together with removing quotas limiting aid
Lift access impediments and cease military operations when and where aid is being delivered
Allow UN teams to cover the whole range of needs – food, water, hygiene, shelter, health, fuel and gas for cooking

Ready to respond

Mr. Fletcher said to reduce looting, there must be a regular flow of aid, and humanitarians must be permitted to use multiple routes.

“We are ready and determined to scale up our life-saving operation Gaza and respond to the needs of people, wherever they are,” he stressed – calling again for the protection of civilians, a resumption of the ceasefire and the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages.

He concluded saying the operation would be tough – “but the humanitarian community will take any opening we have.”

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UN faces deepening financial crisis, urges members to pay up

Posted on May 20, 2025 by Arun Kumar N

With a growing shortfall in contributions – $2.4 billion in unpaid regular budget dues and $2.7 billion in peacekeeping – the UN has been forced to cut spending, freeze hiring, and scale back some services.

Officials warned that this risks eroding the UN’s credibility and its capacity to fulfil mandates entrusted to it by Member States.

Switzerland, speaking also on behalf of Liechtenstein, said the issue goes beyond accounting. “Each delay in payment, each hiring freeze, each cancelled service chips away at trust in our ability to deliver,” the delegate said.

Retain unspent funds as ‘protective buffer’

One proposed solution is to allow the UN to temporarily keep unspent funds at year’s end, instead of returning them to Member States as credits. Currently, this return is mandatory – even if the funds arrive late in the year, giving the UN little time to spend them.

The suggested change would act as a buffer to keep operations running, particularly in January when payments tend to lag.

Delegates also backed limited use of “special commitments” — emergency funding tools — early in the year to bridge gaps caused by delayed contributions.

While these fixes may help, several speakers, including those from Kazakhstan, Norway, and the United Kingdom, emphasized that the root cause is the continued late or non-payment of dues.

Norway noted such temporary measures won’t solve the underlying problem and urged Member States to support bold financial reforms.

‘Real operational risks’

The European Union stressed that the crisis is not abstract. “These are real operational risks,” its delegate said, adding that the burden cannot fall solely on countries that pay on time.

Singapore, speaking for the Southeast Asian group of nations, ASEAN, echoed concern that the UN’s liquidity problems have become routine.

He cited the UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific’s (ESCAP) need to shut its offices for three months and suspend travel and hiring.

Particularly troubling to many was the fact that one country – unnamed in the meeting but widely known to be the United States – is responsible for over half of all unpaid dues, reportedly withholding funds for political reasons.

Russia called for more transparency in how the UN manages cash-saving measures, cautioning against actions taken without Member State input.

Paying dues

Catherine Pollard, the UN’s top management official, noted that since 9 May, a handful of countries have paid in full across several budget categories, while the number of nations who have paid in full for the regular budget stands at 106 for the year.

Still, with only 61 countries having met all their obligations in full, the message from Member States was clear: without broad, timely financial support, the UN’s ability to serve the world – especially in times of crisis – is at serious risk.

For full coverage of all meetings at the General Assembly, Security Council and elsewhere at UN Headquarters please visit our Meetings Coverage Section here. You can find the full report on this meeting, here.

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Home-bound Syrians find few of the basics needed to survive

Posted on May 20, 2025 by Arun Kumar N

Hopes rose last week in Damascus when fuel prices dropped instantly following Donald Trump’s move to end punitive sanctions.

But after more than 13 years of civil war that ended with the fall of the Assad regime last December, ordinary Syrians face an exhausting list of other problems.

These include an absence of housing – caused by bomb damage on a scale with Gaza – unreliable access to electricity, clean water, healthcare and work.

Refugee agency call

Since last December, half a million Syrians have returned home, many for the first time since the war began, according to the UN refugee agency, UNHCR.

“We must ensure that people who return can stay and thrive: that is also why the lifting of sanctions is crucial, as reconstruction is urgently needed,” said High Commissioner Filippo Grandi, in an online message.

Today, transitional authorities govern Syria under President Ahmad al-Sharaa.

‘Destroyed at all levels’

But the once-prosperous country remains scarred – “the infrastructure in Syria is almost completely destroyed at all levels,” said Hail Khalaf, Officer-in-Charge for Syria at the UN International Organization for Migration (IOM).

Mr. Khalaf, who spoke to UN News from the capital Damascus where electricity only comes on for four hours a day, confirmed that the protracted war had impacted Syrian society in its entirety – not least education.

“The impact of the removal of US sanctions on Syria was observed very quickly on the daily lives of Syrians,” he said. “There was an instant drop in fuel prices in Syria the moment the removal of sanctions was announced.”

“We hope that the American government will expedite the removal of the Caesar Act,” he stressed, referring to the sanctions package against the former Syrian Government signed into law by the first Trump administration in 2019.

Dilapidated economy

Those returning to Syria and looking for a job in the agricultural sector in particular are confronted with an industry in shambles, IOM said in a report.

Farmers make up the great majority of those who were internally displaced by the fighting to camps. Most – 88 per cent – say they cannot work the soil again, as most farms are either operating at half-capacity or unable to function at all, according to IOM’s Displacement Tracking Matrix.

“The country is exhausted, and the economy is also exhausted,” explained Mr. Khalaf.

Today, more than 90 per cent of Syria’s population lives below the poverty line as of December 2024, according to UNHCR data.

The war uprooted around 7.4 million people inside Syria and at least six million are refugees, mainly in neighboring countries including Türkiye, Lebanon and Jordan, the UN agency noted.

Working at a loss

The national currency – the Syrian lira – has been exponentially devalued by the conflict.

Before the war, one US dollar was equivalent to 50 Syrian lira. Today it is worth about 9,000 Syrian lira – leaving livelihoods in disarray.

“Most Syrians do not earn enough,” Mr. Khalaf explained. “In the public sector, most employees earn approximately $35 to $40 a month, which is not even enough for transportation between work and home.”

Missing paper trail

Gaps in civil documentation also complicate people’s ability to claim housing and land rights.

Damaged public infrastructure has also fuelled outbreaks of waterborne diseases, vaccine-preventable illnesses and malnutrition, aid teams have warned.

“Syrians are resilient and innovative, but they need significant help to rebuild their communities and their lives,” insisted IOM Director General Amy Pope.

In a bid to help, UN agencies including IOM are working with the Syrian Government to “find a formula for action” and “sustainable solutions” for all returnees so that they can rebuild their lives again.

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International Criminal Court: Deputies take over amid Prosecutor misconduct probe

Posted on May 20, 2025 by Arun Kumar N

In a statement on Monday, the prosecutors’ office confirmed that deputies Nazhat Shameem Khan and Mame Mandiaye Niang are taking the lead, ensuring continuity across all cases and operations.

The transition follows Prosecutor Khan’s announcement on 16 May that he would temporarily step aside while the UN Office of Internal Oversight Services (OIOS) conducts an external inquiry into the allegations.

The investigation into widely reported allegations of sexual misconduct is being conducted by the OIOS at the request of the ICC’s governing body. Mr. Khan has denied the allegations.

Although the ICC’s Independent Oversight Mechanism typically handles such matters, the OIOS was brought in given the circumstances of the allegations and perceptions of possible and future conflicts of interest.

Duty of care

The prosecutors’ office said it would fully cooperate with the investigation, while underscoring the need to protect the privacy and rights of everyone involved – emphasising the importance of safeguarding the integrity of the OIOS investigation.

“The Office is acutely aware of the duty of care it owes to all staff members and personnel, especially affected individuals,” the statement underscored.

Impartial and fair process

The Presidency of the Assembly of States Parties to the ICC – which elects the 18 judges – said on Sunday that the OIOS investigation was being carried out to ensure a full independent, impartial and fair process.

“The findings of the investigation will be handled in a transparent manner in accordance with the Rome Statute and the legal framework of the Court,” it noted.

Upholding ICC’s mandate

In assuming leadership, the Deputy Prosecutors underlined the importance of ensuring continuity of the office’s activities across all areas of work, and particularly in its mission to investigate and prosecute the most serious crimes – genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity and the crime of aggression – with independence and impartiality.

Court in the spotlight

The Prosecutor’s leave of absence comes at a sensitive moment for the ICC, which is conducting investigations and prosecutions across multiple conflict zones, including Afghanistan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Libya, Sudan (Darfur) and Ukraine.

Last November, the ICC issued arrest warrants for senior Israeli officials, prompting the United States to announce punitive sanctions against the Court.

These include measures against senior personnel – including Prosecutor Khan – with threats of arrest should they travel to the US.

Relationship with the United Nations

The International Criminal Court (ICC) is an independent judicial body established under the Rome Statute, adopted in 1998 and in force since 2002. Although not part of the United Nations, the ICC works closely with it under a cooperative framework.

The UN Security Council can refer situations to the ICC, enabling the Court to investigate and prosecute most serious crimes. Notable referrals include the situations in Darfur, Sudan (2005) and Libya (2011).

In return, the ICC reports to the Security Council when needed involving referrals.

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World Health Assembly opens amid high-stakes pandemic treaty vote, global funding crisis

Posted on May 19, 2025 by Arun Kumar N

Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organization, urged Member States to remain focused on shared goals even amid global instability.

“We are here to serve not our own interests, but the eight billion people of our world,” he said in his keynote address at the Palais des Nations. “To leave a heritage for those who come after us; for our children and our grandchildren; and to work together for a healthier, more peaceful and more equitable world. It’s possible.”

The Assembly, WHO’s highest decision-making body, runs through 27 May and brings together delegations from 194 Member States under the theme One World for Health.

This year’s agenda includes a vote on the intensely negotiated Pandemic Agreement, a reduced budget proposal, and discussions on climate, conflict, antimicrobial resistance, and digital health.

Pandemic prevention focus

A central item on the Assembly’s agenda is the proposed WHO pandemic accord, a global compact aimed at preventing the kind of fragmented response that marked the early stages of COVID-19.

The treaty is the result of three years of negotiations between all WHO Member States.

“This is truly a historic moment,” Dr Tedros said. “Even in the middle of crisis, and in the face of significant opposition, you worked tirelessly, you never gave up, and you reached your goal.”

A final vote on the agreement is expected on Tuesday.

If adopted, it would mark only the second time countries have come together to approve a legally binding global health treaty under WHO’s founding rules. The first was the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, adopted in 2003 to curb the global tobacco epidemic.

2024 health check

In his address, Tedros presented highlights from WHO’s 2024 Results Report, noting both progress and persistent global health gaps.

On tobacco control, he cited a global one-third reduction in smoking prevalence since the WHO Framework Convention entered into force two decades ago.

He praised countries including Côte d’Ivoire, Oman, and Viet Nam for introducing stronger regulations last year, including plain packaging and restrictions on e-cigarettes.

On nutrition, he pointed to new WHO guidelines on wasting and the expansion of the Tobacco-Free Farms Initiative in Africa, which has supported thousands of farmers in transitioning to food crops.

He also emphasised WHO’s growing work on air pollution and climate-resilient health systems, including partnerships with Gavi and UNICEF to install solar energy in health facilities across multiple countries.

On maternal and child health, Tedros noted stalled progress and outlined new national acceleration plans to reduce newborn mortality. Immunisation coverage now reaches 83 per cent of children globally, compared to less than 5 per cent when the Expanded Programme on Immunisation was launched in 1974.

“We are living in a golden age of disease elimination,” he said, citing the certification of Cabo Verde, Egypt, and Georgia as malaria-free; progress in neglected tropical diseases; and Botswana’s recognition as the first country to reach gold-tier status in eliminating mother-to-child transmission of HIV.

WHO has been supporting Universal Health Coverage in Rwanda.

WHO budget strain

Turning to WHO’s internal operations, Tedros offered a stark assessment of the organisation’s finances.

“We are facing a salary gap for the next biennium of more than US$ 500 million,” he said. “A reduced workforce means a reduced scope of work.”

This week, Member States will vote on a proposed 20 per cent increase in assessed contributions, as well as a reduced Programme Budget of $ 4.2 billion for 2026–2027, down from an earlier proposal of $ 5.3 billion. The cuts reflect an effort to align WHO’s work with current funding levels while preserving core functions.

Tedros acknowledged that WHO’s long-standing reliance on voluntary earmarked funding from a small group of donors had left it vulnerable. He urged Member States to see the budget shortfall not only as a crisis but also as a potential turning point.

“Either we must lower our ambitions for what WHO is and does, or we must raise the money,” he said. “I know which I will choose.”

He drew a sharp contrast between WHO’s budget and global spending priorities: “US$ 2.1 billion is the equivalent of global military expenditure every eight hours; US$ 2.1 billion is the price of one stealth bomber – to kill people; US$ 2.1 billion is one-quarter of what the tobacco industry spends on advertising and promotion every single year. And again, a product that kills people.”

“It seems somebody switched the price tags on what is truly valuable in our world,” he said.

Emergencies and appeals

The Director-General also detailed WHO’s emergency operations in 2024, which spanned 89 countries. These included responses to outbreaks of cholera, Ebola, mpox, and polio, as well as humanitarian interventions in conflict zones such as Sudan, Ukraine, and Gaza.

In Gaza, he said, WHO had supported more than 7,300 medical evacuations since late 2023, but over 10,000 patients remained in urgent need of care.

Looking ahead: a transformed WHO?

The WHO chief closed with a look at the agency’s future direction, shaped by lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic. He highlighted new initiatives in pandemic intelligence, vaccine development, and digital health, including expanded work on artificial intelligence and support for mRNA technology transfer to 15 countries.

WHO has also restructured its headquarters, reducing management layers and streamlining departments.

“Our current crisis is an opportunity,” Dr Tedros concluded. “Together, we will do it.”

Gaza: Israel ‘approaches UN’ to resume limited aid deliveries, says aid agency

Posted on May 19, 2025 by Arun Kumar N

“We have been approached by Israeli authorities to resume limited aid delivery, and we are in discussions with them now on how this would take place given the conditions on the ground,” OCHA said in a statement.

It is now 11 weeks since the Israeli authorities closed off all food, fuel and medicines to Gaza.

The decision has been widely condemned by the international community – including the UN Secretary-General – who on Sunday insisted that Israel’s “siege and starvation” of Gazans “makes a mockery of international law”.

According to news reports the Israel Government has taken the decision to resume “basic” levels of aid delivery to ensure against starvation, on the recommendation of the Israeli Defense Forces and in support of a renewed Gaza offensive.

“The situation for Palestinians in Gaza is beyond description, beyond atrocious and beyond inhumane,” António Guterres wrote online. “The blockade against humanitarian aid must end immediately.”

The aid blockade has created life-threatening hunger across Gaza – something that humanitarians have pointed out did not exist before the war started on 7 October 2023, sparked by Hamas-led terror attacks on Israel.

Basic principles

“I emphasize that the United Nations will not participate in any operation that does not adhere to international law and humanitarian principles of humanity, impartiality, independence and neutrality,” Mr. Guterres insisted, before underlining his “full support” for UNRWA, the largest aid agency in Gaza.

In an update on Monday, UNRWA reported that more than nine in 10 homes in Gaza have been damaged or destroyed. On Sunday the agency’s Commissioner-General, Philippe Lazzarini announced that more than 300 staff have been killed in the Gaza war. “The vast majority of staff were killed by the Israeli army with their children and loved ones: whole families wiped out,” he noted.

“Several were killed in the line of duty while serving their communities. Those killed were mostly UN health workers and teachers, supporting their communities.”

Ahead of unconfirmed reports on Monday that 20 aid trucks were expected to enter Gaza on Monday, UN agencies OCHA and the World Health Organization (WHO) warned that hungry and sick Gazans continue to live in terror because of ongoing bombardment.

In a new call to lift the blockade, both agencies rejected allegations of aid diversion to Hamas and highlighted the humanitarian nature of the goods being denied entry into Gaza, everything from children’s shoes to eggs, pasta, baby formula and tents.

“How much war can you wage with this?” asked OCHA spokesperson Jens Laerke.

Briefing Member States in Geneva, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus warned on Monday that the risk of famine “is increasing” as aid continues to be withheld deliberately by Israel.

Health system destroyed

The enclave’s health system is “already on its knees”, he insisted.

“Two million people are starving, while 116 000 tonnes of food is blocked at the border just minutes away,” he told the World Health Assembly.

In response to a resurgence of polio in Gaza, WHO negotiated a humanitarian pause for a vaccination campaign that reached more than 560,000 children, Tedros continued.

“We stopped polio, but the people of Gaza continue to face multiple other threats,” he said. “People are dying from preventable diseases as medicines wait at the border, while attacks on hospitals deny people care, and deter them from seeking it.”

At the same time, the WHO chief called out “increasing hostilities, evacuation orders, [the] shrinking humanitarian space and the aid blockade [that] are driving an influx of casualties”.

Tedros’s comments come as UN aid teams who remain committed to helping all Gazans confirmed intensifying bombing across the devastated Strip. “It has increased, of course,” said one worker, who wished to remain anonymous. They added that in the last 72 hours around 63,000 people have been uprooted.

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In Baghdad, Guterres affirms UN will never forget staff killed in Canal Hotel attack

Posted on May 19, 2025 by Arun Kumar N

António Guterres was speaking during a wreath-laying ceremony at a memorial in Baghdad to honour the victims of the 19 August 2003 Canal Hotel bombing – the worst terrorist attack in UN history.

Twenty-two people were killed, including the then UN Special Representative for Iraq, Sergio Vieira de Mello. More than 100 others were injured, and several survivors attended the ceremony.

Families still mourning

Mr. Guterres told the audience that “22 years is a long time, but we will never forget the colleagues who were killed that day in the bombing at the Canal Hotel.”

These staff members “were sons, daughters, mothers, fathers and friends who are, to this day, mourned by those they knew and loved,” he said.

“We will always remember their leader, Sergio Vieira de Mello, who was also killed in the attack. We will stand with the survivors whose lives were changed forever,” he added.

“And we will remember the courageous colleagues and others who rushed to help on that terrible day, and in the days and weeks after — showing us the very best of the humanitarian spirit.”

A tribute and reminder

Mr. Guterres said the memorial stands as a tribute to their lives and their contributions to the people of Iraq. It also serves as a reminder of how far the country has come since 2003.

He noted that the women and men of the United Nations have worked tirelessly together with the brave and resilient people of Iraq to support their quest for stability, development and peace.

He stressed that above all, the memorial is “a clear reminder of the vital work that our organization does around the world — and the dangers our people face in carrying out that work.”

Remembering humanitarians worldwide

Five years after the attack the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution designating 19 August as World Humanitarian Day.

This date “has been forever transformed from a day of unimaginable horror and tragedy here in Iraq into a global day of solemn remembrance for all humanitarians — inside and outside the organization,” Mr. Guterres said.

“Their bravery, dedication, and belief that a better future is possible will always inspire us. And like those whose lives were lost on 19 August 2003, their sacrifices and contributions to our world — and to our vital cause of peace — will never be forgotten.”

The UN Secretary-General meets with H.E. Mr. Mohammed Shia’ Al Sudani, Prime Minister of the Republic of Iraq.

Meeting with Iraqi Prime Minister

The Secretary-General was in Baghdad to attend the League of Arab States Summit. He also met with senior Iraqi officials, including Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani.

During talks on Sunday, they discussed developments in Iraq and the region, as well as the remaining period of the UN Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI).

The Secretary-General reaffirmed that the UN remains fully committed to continuing to support the Government and people of Iraq following the mission’s departure.

UNAMI has been in the country since 2003 and is working to conclude its mandate by the end of the year.

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Countries set to adopt ‘vital’ pandemic preparedness accord

Posted on May 18, 2025 by Arun Kumar N

The stakes are high for this year’s World Health Assembly, the UN’s premier health forum, where officials will tackle a sweeping agenda – from pandemic readiness and climate-related health risks to mental health, maternal care, and environmental justice. But with geopolitical tensions running high, international collaboration on these and other vital issues will be tested.

Here are some of the key areas set to dominate discussion:

1. ‘Cautious optimism’: Signing off on a pandemic accord

The COVID-19 pandemic showed that there are stark inequities in access to diagnostics, treatments, and vaccines, both within and between countries. Healthcare services were overwhelmed, economies were severely disrupted and nearly seven million lives were lost.

This was the motivation for countries to come together to work on an accord to ensure that the world handles the next pandemic in a fairer and more efficient way. When the delegates arrive in Geneva on Monday 19 May, they will thrash out the text of the agreement, which Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the head of the World Health Organization (WHO), described as “vital for future generations.”

If the agreement is adopted, it will be a major breakthrough in the way the world handles pandemics and health crises. Negotiations, though, remain politically delicate: several nations, including the United States, have raised concerns about national sovereignty and intellectual property rights. Still, in recent weeks, Dr. Tedros has expressed “cautious optimism” that consensus can be reached.

A woman wearing a mask, Malawi.

2. Climate Change: An existential threat

The climate crisis isn’t just about rising temperatures – it’s putting lives at risk. Extreme weather and disease outbreaks are on the rise, threatening the health of millions. An action plan created by WHO calls for climate and health policies to work together, strengthens resilience, and ensures funding to safeguard vulnerable communities.

A draft version of the plan was released following a resolution adopted at the 2024 conference and, this year, delegates are expected to finalise the draft, which includes strategies to adapt to and mitigate climate-related health risks.

3. Health for all: Getting universal health care back on track

Ensuring that all people have affordable access to the full range of quality health services they need is one of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which all UN Member States signed up to in 2015. However, the health target is way off track: in fact, improvements to health services have stagnated over the last ten years.

Nevertheless, universal health care (UHC) will be a top priority at the Assembly, where delegates will discuss strategies to strengthen primary healthcare systems, secure sustainable financing and provide care for vulnerable populations.

4. Healthy Beginnings: Maternal and newborn health

Close to 300,000 women lose their life due to pregnancy or childbirth each year, while over two million babies die in their first month of life In April, WHO launched a year-long campaign to end preventable maternal and newborn deaths.

Titled “Healthy beginnings, hopeful futures,” it will urge governments and the health community to ramp up efforts to end preventable maternal and newborn deaths, and to prioritize women’s longer-term health and well-being.

Expect new targets and renewed commitments to end preventable deaths to be announced at the Assembly.

5. Closing the gaps: Noncommunicable diseases

Noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), such as heart disease, cancer, and diabetes, kill tens of millions of people each year. Around three-quarters of those deaths are in low and middle-income countries.

Many lives could be saved if more countries had strong national responses, providing detection, screening and treatment, as well as palliative care.

In preparation for a WHO meeting on NCDs and mental health in September, delegates will review the way the UN health agency collaborates with governments, civil society, and the private sector to prevent and control these diseases, and address ways to improve access to essential medicines and health technologies.

6. Getting the finances in order

This year has been described as one of the most challenging ever at the UN, which is being buffeted by extreme pressures on its finances. The US, a major donor announced that it would be leaving WHO in January, and other countries have also cut development and aid funding.

This year’s Assembly will see Member States negotiating a 50 per cent increase in the base budget, something that has been in the works since the 2022 meeting. If a funding boost is approved, it will provide a vital boost to at a challenging time. WHO is also seeking additional voluntary contributions, and additional pledges are anticipated from member states and philanthropic organisations.

Follow the sessions at the World Health Assembly here.

At Arab League Summit, Guterres reiterates call for Gaza ceasefire

Posted on May 18, 2025 by Arun Kumar N

António Guterres told leaders meeting in the Iraqi capital that “the region and the world face trials and tests on all fronts,” starting with the situation in Gaza.

He reiterated that neither the atrocious 7 October 2023 terror attacks by Hamas nor the collective punishment of the Palestinian people can be justified.

Permanent ceasefire now

“We need a permanent ceasefire, now. The unconditional release of all hostages, now. And the free flow of humanitarian aid ending the blockade, now,” he said.

The Secretary-General expressed alarm over reports that Israel plans to expand ground operations in Gaza and stressed that the UN “will not participate in any so-called aid operation that does not adhere to international law and the humanitarian principles of humanity, impartiality, independence and neutrality.”

He again called for full support for UN Palestine refugee agency UNRWA, including funding.

Two-State solution at risk

The UN chief rejected the repeated displacement of the Gaza population, as well as any suggestion of forced displacement outside Gaza, and urged leaders to remain focused on the terrible situation in the occupied West Bank.

“Let’s be clear,” he said. “Annexation is illegal. Settlements are illegal. Only a two-State solution can deliver sustainable peace.”

He said the high-level conference in June, co-chaired by France and Saudi Arabia, is an important opportunity.

“The world, the region – and, most of all, the people of Palestine and Israel – cannot afford to watch the two-State solution disappear before our eyes,” he said.

Respect Lebanese sovereignty

The Secretary-General addressed the situation in Lebanon. He emphasized that the country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity must be respected, and the Government must have full control over the entire territory.

He was encouraged by continued progress on reforms as well as efforts to deploy the Lebanese Armed Forces to the south, with support from the UN Mission in the country, UNIFIL.

Mr. Guterres touched on Syria, saying sovereignty, independence, unity and territorial integrity are critical. He urged strong support for an inclusive Syrian-led and Syrian-owned political process that safeguards the rights and participation of all the country’s people and ensures their protection.

Regarding Yemen, he noted that attacks by Houthi rebels in the Red Sea have caused significant damage to regional and local economies. He welcomed the cessation of hostilities between the Houthis and the United States, announced by Oman on 6 May.

The Secretary-General also called for the release of UN staff and other personnel in Yemen who have been arbitrarily arrested.

Engagement on Sudan

In Sudan, renewed and coordinated multilateral engagement is crucial to help stem appalling violence, famine, and mass displacement, he said, and thanked the Arab League and African Union (AU) for the excellent coordination meeting convened the previous day. He also commended the Arab League’s efforts to strengthen multilateral coordination.

The Secretary-General turned next to Somalia, saying unity and inclusive dialogue are imperative. Furthermore, assistance from Somalia’s partners will be essential in the fight against Al-Shabaab militants and to strengthen peace and security.

For this reason, Mr. Guterres said he has put forward a recommendation to the UN Security Council to enable predictable and sustainable financing for the AU Support and Stabilization Mission in the country.

Meanwhile in Libya, the UN is also actively engaging in efforts to end the confrontation between armed groups, to preserve the independence of key oversight institutions, to address obstacles preventing national elections, and set the course for long-term stability and prosperity in line with the people’s needs and aspirations.

Lessons from Baghdad

The Secretary-General concluded his remarks by commending the progress Iraq has made over since the restoration of sovereignty in 2004, such as strengthening institutions, resolving outstanding disputes through dialogue, and promoting sustainable development as well as human rights.

He said the UN Assistance Mission in Iraq (UNAMI) has accompanied the country on this path and is working to ensure the successful delivery of its residual mandate and an orderly drawdown by the end of the year.

“Despite the enormous challenges, let us draw lessons and hope from here in Baghdad. Working in unity and solidarity, we can help resolve conflicts and build a future of peace and prosperity,” he said.

Gaza situation ‘beyond inhumane’

Speaking later to reporters, Mr. Guterres said the situation for Palestinians in Gaza “is beyond description, beyond atrocious and beyond inhumane.”

Since 2 March, Israel has banned the entry of cargo into the Strip, including aid and other life-saving supplies. UN agencies continue to warn that the entire population, 2.1 million people, is at risk of famine and one if five faces starvation.

“A policy of siege and starvation makes a mockery of international law,” he said, calling for the blockade to end immediately.

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UN humanitarian chief demands resumption of aid in Gaza

Posted on May 18, 2025 by Arun Kumar N

No aid has entered the enclave since Israel implemented a ban on 2 March and the entire population, more than two million people, is at risk of famine.

“As we demonstrated during the ceasefire this year – and every time we’ve been granted access – the United Nations and our humanitarian partners have the expertise, resolve and moral clarity to deliver aid at the scale necessary to save lives across Gaza,” said Mr. Fletcher.

Ready to move

Those proposing an alternative modality for aid distribution should not waste time, he added, as a plan already exists.

The document is “rooted in the non-negotiable principles of humanity, impartiality, neutrality and independence.” Furthermore, it is backed by a coalition of donors, as well as most of the international community, and ready to be activated if humanitarians are allowed to do their jobs.

“We have the people. We have the distribution networks. We have the trust of the communities on the ground. And we have the aid itself – 160,000 pallets of it – ready to move. Now,” he said.

‘Let us work’

Mr. Fletcher reiterated that the humanitarian community has done this before and can do it again.

“We know how to get our aid supplies registered, scanned, inspected, loaded, offloaded, inspected again, loaded again, transported, stored, protected from looting, tracked, trucked, monitored and delivered – without diversion, without delay, and with dignity. We know how to reach civilians in desperate need and stave off famine.”

He concluded the statement by saying “Enough. We demand rapid, safe, and unimpeded aid delivery for civilians in need. Let us work.”

Civilians killed in drone strike in eastern Ukraine: UN rights monitors

Posted on May 18, 2025 by Arun Kumar N

At least nine people were killed and seven injured when a Russian drone struck a minibus near the town of Bilopillia in the Sumy region, according to local authorities.

HRMMU monitors are in the process of gathering additional information on the circumstances of the attack and its victims.

Preliminary reports suggest that the minibus was carrying civilian evacuees from an area close to the frontline, the majority of whom were women.

‘A stark reminder’

“With nine civilians reported killed, this would be the deadliest attack in weeks,” said Danielle Bell, Head of HRMMU.

“This is a stark reminder that civilians continue to be killed and injured on a daily basis across Ukraine.”

If confirmed, the strike would represent the deadliest attack since 24 April, when at least 11 civilians were killed and 81 injured in the capital, Kyiv.

HRMMU said that while the number of civilian casualties in May has been somewhat lower than in April, it continues to document daily civilian casualties, particularly along the frontline.

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