Erasure or empowerment? In Africa’s Sahel, women confront a stark choice

Posted on August 8, 2025 by Arun Kumar N

Risks to women and girls across this vast region are severe and systemic, as political instability, environmental collapse and a declining international presence take their toll.

From abductions and child marriage to exclusion from schools and public life, their lives and opportunities are being steadily stripped away, Sima Bahous, Executive Director of UN Women, told ambassadors in the Security Council on Thursday.

“In the Sahel, where the world’s gravest concerns converge, women and girls bear the brunt,” she said.

She added that crises due to increasing terrorism, poverty, hunger, a crumbling aid system and shrinking civic space are “converging – violently and disproportionately – on their bodies and their futures.”

UN Women Executive Director Bahous briefs the Security Council.

Life is being erased

In countries like Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger and Chad, life for women under extremist control “is one of erasure from public space,” Ms. Bahous said.

Their movement, visibility and even clothing are heavily restricted. Schools have been burned or shut down, leaving more than one million girls without access to education.

“Abduction is not a by-product of terrorism in the Sahel – it is a tactic,” Ms. Bahous said, noting that in Burkina Faso alone, the number of women and girls abducted has more than doubled over the past 18 months.

In Mali, 90 percent of women are affected by female genital mutilation. Rates of child marriage in parts of the region are among the highest in the world. Maternal mortality – driven by early pregnancy and poverty – is among the world’s worst.

Dwindling resilience and attention

“The distances women and girls travel for water or firewood are growing longer, while their safety is shrinking,” Ms. Bahous said.

Two-thirds of women surveyed report feeling unsafe during these journeys. Climate change only deepens the hardship, with extreme heat and drought increasing both mortality and food insecurity across the region.

Yet despite mounting needs, international support is waning.

Only eight per cent of this year’s humanitarian appeal for the region had been met by May.

Development assistance has fallen nearly 20 per cent over the past two years. As a result, women’s protection and empowerment programmes have been suspended, while government ministries focused on gender equality are being defunded, merged or closed.

SRSG Simão briefs the Security Council (via video).

Political space closing

At the same time, democratic and civic space is narrowing.

In Niger, only 14 percent of participants in recent institutional reforms were women. In Mali, just two out of 36 members drafting the new national charter were women.

Leonardo Santos Simão, head of the UN Office for West Africa and the Sahel (UNOWAS), also warned that a deteriorating security environment – marked by waves of jihadist attacks and political turbulence – is undermining progress and fuelling displacement.

He added that shrinking space for media, civil society and women’s organizations is threatening hard-won gains and that a broader crisis is undermining governance and peacebuilding efforts.

“The region’s economy remains highly vulnerable to external shocks. Although macroeconomic indicators show improvement, rising debt levels continue to constrain governments’ capacity to provide essential services,” he said.

Fragile gains

Still, progress is possible – and in some instances, visible.

In Chad, women now hold 34 percent of parliamentary seats. In conflict-prone border zones in Mali and Niger, women’s participation in local peacebuilding rose from five percent to 25 percent, helping resolve over 100 disputes related to scarce natural resources.

Across the region, joint UN programming has increased adolescent girls’ return to school by 23 percent, while doubling women’s participation in local governance across 34 conflict-affected communities. In addition, a UN-World Bank initiative has reached over three million adolescent girls with health care, safe spaces and life-skills training.

Stand with Sahel’s women

Yet, these gains remain fragile.

“We cannot abandon the Sahel – whatever the politics, whatever the funding landscapes, whatever the geopolitical headwinds,” Ms. Bahous said in conclusion.

“Let us stand with the women of the Sahel – not out of charity, but in recognition of their power to shape a better future.”

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Extreme heat is breaking records worldwide: UN weather agency

Posted on August 8, 2025 by Arun Kumar N

Extreme temperatures caused approximately 489,000 heat-related deaths annually between 2000 and 2019, with 36 per cent occurring in Europe and 45 per cent in Asia.

The health impacts of heat are especially severe in cities due to the so-called ‘urban heat island effect’ – the over-heating of dense city areas compared with their rural surroundings – which is magnifying problems as urbanisation continues.

Amid rising 21st-century temperatures, the WMO underscored that July 2025 was the third-warmest July ever recorded, behind those in 2023 and 2024.

European heat streak

In this record-breaking July, heatwaves especially impacted Sweden and Finland, which experienced unusually long spells of temperatures above 30 degrees Celsius (86 degrees Fahrenheit).

Southeast Europe also faced heatwaves and wildfire activity, with Türkiye recording an extreme new national high of 50.5 degrees Celsius (122.9 degrees Fahrenheit).

Asia, North Africa, United States

In Asia, temperatures soared above average the most across the Himalayas, China and Japan in July, with extreme heat continuing into August.

In the week leading up to 5 August, temperatures surpassed 42 degrees Celsius (107 degrees Fahrenheit) across West Asia, southern Central Asia, the southwestern US, much of North Africa and southern Pakistan – with some areas exceeding 45 degrees Celsius (114 degrees Fahrenheit).

Parts of southwestern Iran and eastern Iraq saw particularly severe temperatures above 50 degrees Celsius (122 degrees Fahrenheit), disrupting electricity and water supplies, education and labor.

For the week of 4 August, Morocco issued heat warnings for temperatures up to 47 degrees Celsius (116 degrees Fahrenheit).

Korea also issued widespread heat warnings, as station temperature records were broken across parts of China.

In Japan, a new national temperature record of 41.8 degrees Celsius (107.2 degrees Fahrenheit) was set on 5 August, breaking the previous record of 41.2 degrees Celsius set a week prior.

Looking ahead

Looking to next week, the World Meteorological Centre in Beijing forecasts that heatwaves will persist across the same regions as well as the Iberian Peninsula and northern Mexico.

These regions are expected to see maximum temperatures between 38 and 40 degrees Celsius (100.4 to 104 degrees Fahrenheit), with parts of Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Iran, North Africa and the southwestern U.S. likely to exceed 45 degrees Celsius (113 degrees Fahrenheit).

Canadian wildfires

As Canada experiences one of its worst wildfire seasons on record, with 6.6 million hectares burned, smoke has polluted skies and caused poor air quality across several provinces and northern states of the US in late July and early August.

Twice this summer, smoke from Canadian fires crossed the Atlantic, affecting skies over Western Europe from 5–7 August and over Central and Southern Europe in late June.

Elsewhere, Cyprus, Greece and Türkiye have battled wildfires that forced evacuations and caused fatalities. In the US, a wildfire in Arizona’s Grand Canyon National Park disrupted tourism at the iconic site.

‘No longer an excuse’

“Extreme heat is sometimes called the silent killer, but with today’s science, data and technologies, silence is no longer an excuse. Every single death from extreme heat is preventable,” said WMO Deputy Secretary-General Ko Barrett.

The WMO is working to strengthen heat early warning systems under the Early Warnings for All initiative. In collaboration with global and local partners, it is also helping countries develop heat-health action plans and ensure at-risk populations receive timely alerts.

WMO is also one of ten UN agencies supporting the Secretary-General’s Call to Action on Extreme Heat, which aims to boost global cooperation to reduce heat impacts through economic and social policy. A key focus is limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, in line with the 2015 Paris Agreement.

According to estimates from WMO and the World Health Organization (WHO), scaling up heat-health warning systems in 57 countries alone could save nearly 100,000 lives annually.

“Our Network is connecting science, policy, and action so that no community is left behind in the race to adapt to climate change that will continue to worsen extreme heat for years to come,” said Joy Shumake-Guillemot, lead of the WHO-WMO Climate and Health Joint Programme and co-lead of the Global Heat-Health Information Network (GHHIN).

“This is not just a climate issue, it’s a public health emergency,” she concluded.

Gaza: Hospitals ‘at near-total collapse’, staff overwhelmed by the injured

Posted on August 7, 2025 by Arun Kumar N

Meanwhile, UN agencies confirmed the deaths of three Palestinians from Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS), a rare auto-immune disease that can cause sudden muscle weakness and even paralysis.

Before war erupted in Gaza in October 2023, only a handful of cases surfaced every year.

Mass casualties now the norm

“Hospitals are overwhelmed by mass casualty incidents, with an average of eight incidents per day,” said the UN aid coordination agency, OCHA, citing health partners.

In an update on the dire health crisis in Gaza, OCHA noted that specialised rehabilitation facilities were also overstretched handling complex trauma injuries and cases of Guillain-Barré.

To date, three deaths out of around 64 cases of GBS have been confirmed by the health authorities in Gaza. Two of the deceased were children.

According to the UN World Health Organization (WHO), 30 per cent of GBS patients require intensive care but there is no available stock of the primary medication needed to treat it, intravenous immunoglobulin.

Aid-drops are inadequate: WFP

In a related development, the UN World Food Programme (WFP) echoed repeated calls for aid to flood into Gaza, as opposed to the very limited amounts being allowed by the Israeli authorities.

“We can’t airdrop our way out of an unfolding famine. Not in Gaza,” insisted Cindy McCain, WFP Executive Director in a social media post late Wednesday.

The UN agency chief underscored that “500,000 people are starving today” and the only way to help them is to get food to them at scale and by land.

“We can’t afford to wait; Gaza is out of food and out of time,” Ms. McCain said.

WHO stocks destroyed

The destruction of WHO’s main medical warehouse in an attack on Deir Al-Balah late last month continues to impact lifesaving care.

In particular, the critical shortage of antibiotics has hampered treatment of meningitis, whose numbers are now in the hundreds – “the highest number recorded since the beginning of the escalation”, the OCHA update noted.

Isolation measures have been implemented, including the separation of the external department at Al Khair Hospital from the Nasser Medical Complex and the establishment of isolation tents at Al Aqsa Hospital to safely manage suspected cases.

Explosive weapons such as bombs and grenades have accounted for 83 per cent of medical consultations, said OCHA.

It cited partner NGO Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) whose data covered more than 200,000 medical consultations in six MSF-supported health facilities in Gaza in 2024.

What is Guillain-Barré Syndrome?

Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS) is a neurological and autoimmune disease that affects the nervous system and causes progressive muscle paralysis. It is not contagious and is often triggered by a prior infection – viral or bacterial – that disrupts the immune system.

In most cases, patients can recover fully within a few weeks. But WHO stressed that even in the best healthcare settings, three to five per cent of patients die from complications of the disease, such as respiratory muscle paralysis, sepsis, pulmonary embolism, or cardiac arrest.

There have been several outbreaks of infectious diseases in Gaza since war erupted following Hamas-led terror attacks in Israel, including polio, cholera, hepatitis A and scabies.

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Landlocked nations ‘invisible to much of the world’: UN trade and development chief

Posted on August 7, 2025 by Arun Kumar N

At a major UN conference underway this week in Awaza, Turkmenistan, calls are growing to tackle the high trade costs, investment gaps and growing digital divide that continue to hold these countries back.

Despite progress in some areas, landlocked developing nations – from Bolivia to Bhutan and Burkina Faso – account for just 1.2 per cent of global exports, even though they represent over seven per cent of the world’s countries. Their populations face some of the highest levels of poverty, food insecurity and economic vulnerability anywhere.

“These countries are invisible to much of the world,” not able to draw the attention needed to their unique challenges, said Rebeca Grynspan Secretary-General of the UN trade and development body, UNCTAD, speaking to UN News on the margins of the third UN Conference on Landlocked Developing Countries (LLDC3).

Without international attention and coordinated action, they will remain stuck in structural limbo, she emphasised.

High costs, low returns

One of the most persistent challenges they face is geography itself.

Without direct access to seaports, they must rely on neighbouring transit countries to move goods – often through outdated or inefficient infrastructure.

This translates into trade costs that are, on average, 1.4 times higher than those of coastal countries, according to UNCTAD. In some cases, export procedures can stretch into weeks or months due to border delays, fragmented regulations and limited digital systems.

Ms. Grynspan highlighted that in customs procedures, digital tools can cut waiting times at borders from three days to three hours. To that end, regional agreements and digital initiatives have emerged as lifelines.

UNCTAD head Rebeca Grynspan speaking to UN News.

One standout example is the Framework Agreement on Facilitation of Cross-Border Paperless Trade, championed by the UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP). Now in force among several Asia-Pacific countries, it helps reduce paperwork, automate customs and harmonise standards, making processes faster, cheaper and more transparent.

Paperless trade also has the potential to reduce corruption and ease language-related challenges.

ESCAP estimates that implementing cross-border paperless trade measures could reduce trade costs by up to 30 per cent for countries in the region without direct sea access and increase export potential for the whole of Asia and the Pacific by nearly $260 billion.

Infrastructure and integration

Even when goods reach border crossings, weak domestic transport networks further slow trade down. Roads and railways are often underdeveloped, underfunded or vulnerable to climate shocks.

“Regional infrastructure – like the African North Corridor – is crucial,” Ms. Grynspan said, citing examples where wait times at borders have dropped by more than 150 per cent due to corridor investment and coordination.

But infrastructure alone is not enough – it must be paired with digital systems and strong regional partnerships.

“For landlocked countries, regional integration is very important because when you integrate regionally, you are in a better position because goods pass through you…[making you] part of global value chains with value added.”

In landlocked countries like Bhutan (pictured), roads are a vital lifeline. But limited and costly transport infrastructure restricts mobility, inflates trade costs, and hinders access to markets, education, and healthcare.

Escaping the commodity trap

Another structural challenge is heavy dependence on commodities. Over 80 per cent of landlocked developing countries rely on raw materials like minerals, oil or agricultural goods, making them highly exposed to global price swings and long-term decline in terms of trade.

“You educate your people, but then they have nowhere to work because commodities do not give you the quality jobs that you need for the future,” said Ms. Grynspan.

The path forward lies in economic diversification, especially toward value-added manufacturing, digital services and knowledge-based sectors – industries that are less constrained by geography.

The investment conundrum

Yet to realise that potential, these countries need investment and they are not getting enough.

Despite more than 135 legal and policy reforms aimed at attracting foreign capital, foreign direct investment has declined by an average of 2 per cent over the past decade.

ESCAP’s analysis confirms this gap: landlocked countries in Asia are receiving far less infrastructure investment per person compared with coastal countries, even though their transport requirements are proportionally higher.

“Governments are trying to make their countries more attractive [but] investment is not coming in,” Ms. Grynspan said.

High risk factors, lack of guarantees, and a reliance on short-term financing are deterring investors.

“Multilateral development banks need to help us,” she added. “We need long-term, affordable financing and lowered cost of capital.”

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World News in Brief: Funding schools in Afghanistan, Seaweed farming in Latin America, drought in Somalia

Posted on August 7, 2025 by Arun Kumar N

The agency plans to procure over 1,200 metric tons of fortified biscuits, which will provide 200,000 primary school-aged girls and boys with sustenance for around three months.

“For many children, the daily snack they receive in the first break of the day is often their only nutritious meal, giving them the energy to stay healthy, focused, and ready to learn,” said Mutinta Chimuka, Deputy Country Director for WFP in Afghanistan.

Food security

“WFP in Afghanistan launched its school feeding programme more than two decades ago to link food security and better nutrition with education,” said Ms. Chimuka.

School feeding activities have played a crucial role in improving attendance, retention and learning outcomes.

Primary schools participating in the programme saw enrollment increase by nearly 11 percent in 2024 compared to 2023, while attendance also improved, reaching an average of 87 per cent in the classroom, two percentage points above WFP’s target.

Seaweed farming, a potential key driver of sustainable development in Latin America

In the last decade, seaweed farming grew by 66 percent in Latin America and the Caribbean, a new report from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has found.

The practice of cultivating and harvesting seaweed or algae in the marine environment offers a relatively low-carbon method to produce highly nutritious food while supporting rural livelihoods, according to international experts gathered at a regional workshop in Chile.

Seaweed farming is vital to sustainable coastal development in Latin America, experts argue, highlighting its nutritional value and the need for clearer, coordinated regulation.

Untapped potential

Expanding seaweed cultivation holds significant untapped potential for sustainable development in Latin America and the Caribbean.

However, while countries like Brazil, Chile and Venezuela lead production, most initiatives across the region remain small-scale.

Yet, with a 66 per cent increase over the past decade, experts see major opportunities for growth. Supporting emerging producers, diversifying species and investing in research and technology – including AI and biotechnology – could deliver both economic and environmental benefits.

Strengthening community participation, particularly among women and youth, will also be essential. With coordinated action and inclusive policies, seaweed farming could become a key driver of resilient coastal development.

Hundreds of thousands impacted by severe drought in Somalia

Hundreds of thousands of people have been impacted by severe drought in Somalia’s central and northern regions, according to the UN’s humanitarian coordination office, OCHA.

With food insecurity escalating, dwindling access to water and pasture and major disruption to livelihoods, a joint assessment by UN agencies and partners is currently underway in Puntland and Somaliland to determine key needs.

Wells run dry

An analysis from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) noted that more than 880,000 Somalis are currently living in severely drought-affected areas across 16 districts, humanitarians on the ground reported that water wells have dried up and that more than 160 boreholes are no longer functioning.

Although the UN-managed Somalia Humanitarian Fund is preparing to allocate resources for urgent life-saving assistance, only 17 per cent of the plan has been funded to date.

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Syria: Ceasefire under strain as violence and aid access issues persist in Sweida

Posted on August 7, 2025 by Arun Kumar N

The 19 July truce followed weeks of sectarian clashes, Israeli airstrikes and grave human rights violations in the southern governorate, also known as As-Sweida.

As a result, more than 190,000 people have been displaced there and in neighbouring Dar’a and Rural Damascus governorates.

The fighting also caused severe damage to infrastructure and to livelihoods. Electricity networks, water production assets including wells, and key public facilities were impacted.

Volatility, surveillance and demonstrations

Between 1 and 5 August, the security situation in Sweida and surrounding areas remained volatile, with clashes reported in three places, according to the OCHA flash update.

“Additionally, aerial surveillance activity attributed to the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) has been observed over multiple locations in Dar’a and As-Sweida, contributing to regional tension,” the agency said.

During the same period, public demonstrations occurred across multiple locations in Sweida, reiterating calls for improved humanitarian access and protection.

Parallel demonstrations also took place in Dar’a and Damascus governorates which emphasised the importance of national unity.

Aid efforts continue

Humanitarian access remains constrained, OCHA said, as the UN and partners continue to support response efforts.

The main highway between Sweida and the capital, Damascus, has been inaccessible since 12 July due to security concerns.

Furthermore, the southern corridor via Busra Esh-Sham in eastern Dar’a was temporarily closed for 24 hours but reopened on Monday, affecting aid delivery.

“Humanitarian actors scaled up response efforts, including fuel and food deliveries to As-Sweida and Dar’a, commercial convoy facilitation, and shelter support for displaced populations,” OCHA said.

Inter-agency mission

Since the escalation of hostilities, humanitarians have provided bread assistance to nearly 1.5 million people.

OCHA also led an inter-agency mission to Dar’a to assess shelter conditions and to discuss medium-term housing options for displaced people.

Meanwhile, restoration of essential services is ongoing in Sweida, with partial electricity restored through emergency repairs.

However widespread telecommunication and internet outages persist across the governorate, and maintenance of water and power networks continues in rural areas.

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Just 1.5 per cent of Gaza’s agricultural land remains accessible and undamaged

Posted on August 7, 2025 by Arun Kumar N

A new report from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the UN Satellite Centre (UNOSAT) reveals that just 8.6 percent of cropland in Gaza is still accessible, while only 1.5 per cent of cropland is both accessible and undamaged, as of 28 July.

More than 86 per cent of cropland is damaged, while 12.4 per cent is undamaged but out of reach, as fighting between Israeli forces and militants from Hamas and other armed groups continues.

Ongoing starvation

This report comes as Israel’s offensive inside Gaza continues to restrict aid distribution – and starvation-related deaths rise.

The local Ministry of Health reported five new malnutrition-related deaths in the past 24 hours on Wednesday, bringing the total to almost 200 starvation-related deaths, half of whom are children.

Healthcare collapse

According to the UN aid coordination office (OCHA), hospitals are overstretched with many patients reduced to lying on the floor or in the streets.

This mass suffering is due to the lack of beds, medical supplies and equipment. Yet, emergency medical teams were again denied entry into Gaza on Tuesday.

The World Health Organization (WHO) also reported that more than 100 health professionals, such as surgeons and other specialized medical staff, have been barred from entering the enclave since March.

Meanwhile, the limited availability of fuel continues to restrict lifesaving operations. The UN has collected around 300,000 litres from the Kerem Shalom crossing in the past two days, but this is far less than what is needed.

Due to the lack of fuel, UN health partners report that more than 100 premature babies are in imminent danger.

Renewed displacement orders

Additionally, the Israeli military on Wednesday renewed two displacement orders spanning five neighbourhoods in Gaza and Khan Younis governorates.

Shelter materials have not been allowed to enter Gaza since 2 March when Israel withdrew from the ceasefire deal, and the few materials available on the local market are extremely expensive and limited in quantity, making them inaccessible to most families.

Entry of commercial goods

On Tuesday, Israeli authorities reportedly allowed the entry of a limited number of trucks carrying commercial goods, including rice, sugar and vegetable oil – but the UN is still seeking more clarity on the situation.

Sugar remains one of the most expensive items on the market, with a two-ounce bag costing some $170. Eggs, poultry and meat have completely disappeared from marketplaces, forcing families to rely on pulses and bread to survive.

At Wednesday’s daily briefing in New York, UN Deputy Spokesperson Farhan Haq stressed that “the worsening market situation underscores the urgent need for the entry of humanitarian aid and commercial goods at scale – and consistently.”

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Ceasefire in doubt as Rwanda-backed rebels kill hundreds in eastern DR Congo

Posted on August 7, 2025 by Arun Kumar N

The UN human rights office (OHCHR) said it had received first-hand accounts indicating that at least 319 civilians were killed by M23 fighters, aided by members of the Rwanda Defence Force, between 9 and 21 July in North Kivu province.

Most of the victims, including at least 48 women and 19 children, were local farmers camping in their fields during the planting season.

Stop attacks immediately

Volker Türk, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, condemned the “surge of deadly violence”.

“I am appalled by the attacks on civilians by the M23 and other armed groups in eastern DRC amid continued fighting, despite the ceasefire that was recently signed in Doha,” he said in a news release on Wednesday.

“All attacks against civilians must stop immediately and all those responsible must be held to account.”

The latest massacre marks one of the highest civilian death tolls documented since the M23 – a group largely composed of Congolese Tutsi fighters established over 15 years ago – re-emerged as a major military threat in 2022.

Peace agreement faltering

The spike in violence comes just weeks after two high-level peace initiatives appeared to offer a path forward.

On 27 June, Rwanda and the DRC signed a bilateral peace agreement in Washington, followed by the so-called Doha Declaration between the DRC Government and M23 rebel leaders on 19 July, which committed both sides to a ceasefire and further negotiations.

However, humanitarian NGOs say little has changed on the ground.

“I urge the signatories and facilitators of both the Doha and Washington agreements to ensure that they rapidly translate into safety, security and real progress for civilians,” Mr. Türk said.

Attacks from all sides

Meanwhile, other armed groups continue to terrorise civilians across eastern Congo. In July alone, the UN documented deadly attacks by the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), Coopérative pour le développement du Congo (CODECO) and Raia Mutomboki/Wazalendo militias in Ituri, South Kivu and North Kivu.

On 27 July, ADF fighters attacked a Christian congregation in Ituri’s Komanda village, killing at least 40 worshippers – including 13 children – and torching homes, shops and vehicles. Earlier in the month the same group killed at least 70 civilians in a single attack on Pikamaibo village.

Women and girls are also enduring systematic sexual violence as a weapon of war. On 27 July, eight women were raped by Raia Mutomboki/Wazalendo fighters in South Kivu’s Busolo village.

Worsening humanitarian crisis

The growing insecurity is fuelling what humanitarians describe as one of the world’s most acute humanitarian crises.

According to UN figures, over 7.8 million people are now internally displaced (IDPs) in eastern DRC – the highest figure on record – while 28 million people are facing food insecurity, including nearly four million at emergency levels.

Adding to the strain, more than 30,000 refugees from South Sudan have fled into Ituri province since April, escaping a wave of killings and active hostilities across Central Equatoria State.

The World Food Programme (WFP) has warned that funding shortfalls may soon force it to suspend lifesaving assistance to hundreds of thousands.

Health services are also collapsing under pressure. In the first half of 2025, 33 attacks were recorded on health workers and facilities – a 276 per cent increase from the previous six months, according to the UN reproductive health agency, UNFPA.

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‘Landlocked to landlinked’: UN summit seeks to turn geography into opportunity

Posted on August 7, 2025 by Arun Kumar N

And increasingly, climate change is compounding the problem – damaging roads, disrupting supply chains, and threatening already fragile infrastructure with floods, droughts, and extreme weather.

But as global discussions intensify, a UN conference underway in Turkmenistan is aiming to flip the script – to help transform LLDCs from landlocked to landlinked through smarter more climate resilient infrastructure, streamlined logistics, and stronger regional ties.

As day two of the Third UN Conference on the Landlocked Developing Countries (LLDC3) got underway on Wednesday, the atmosphere at the Awaza Congress Center shifted.

With presidents and heads of government having departed after Tuesday’s opening ceremony, security measures relaxed, making it easier for delegates to move around the venue.

But the pace of the conference didn’t slow. Meeting rooms stayed packed, exhibition stands buzzed with activity, and participants navigated long white-carpeted corridors to attend back-to-back events. A large team of multilingual youth volunteers helped guide attendees through the sprawling complex, keeping the energy high and logistics smooth.

Trade troubles and the ‘geography gap’

The day’s discussions focused on overcoming the disadvantages of geography. The main thematic roundtable was devoted to trade, which is a pressing issue for the world’s 32 LLDCs, which lack direct access to seaports. As a result, they must rely on longer, more complex routes to reach international markets, driving up costs and reducing competitiveness.

And geography isn’t the only hurdle. Many LLDCs struggle with outdated infrastructure and limited use of digital tools that could speed up sluggish transport times.

These roadblocks don’t just delay trade – they hold back economic growth and widen the gap between LLDCs and other developing nations.

On Tuesday, UN Secretary-General António Guterres told reporters in Awaza that “landlocked developing countries need smart logistics, streamlined systems, and stronger partnerships with transit countries,” adding: “We must cut red tape, digitize border operations, and modernize transport networks to reduce delays and costs.”

The numbers tell the story

The impact of geography shows clearly in the numbers.

Landlocked developing countries make up more than seven per cent of the world’s population, yet in 2024 they accounted for just 1.2 per cent of global merchandise trade. It’s a stark reminder of how physical barriers can translate into economic ones.

The Awaza Programme of Action for 2024–2034, adopted by the UN General Assembly last year, aims to change that reality. But turning ambition into results will take bold, coordinated efforts across borders and sectors.

One phrase echoing through the corridors of the Awaza Congress Center is “from landlocked to landlinked” – a rallying call for transforming geographic disadvantage into opportunity.

Mindset matters

Umberto de Pretto, Secretary General of the International Road Transport Union (IRU), told UN News: “There is proof that if you put the right policies in place … you can be landlinked … I think the biggest impediment for landlocked countries is mindset.”

The IRU, founded in 1947, supports sustainable mobility and logistics worldwide and represents over 3.5 million transport operators in more than 100 countries.

As Mr. de Pretto points out, only 11 of the world’s 32 landlocked developing countries have joined the UN-backed TIR system, which allows goods to move from origin to destination in sealed compartments under a mutually recognized customs procedure.

“The biggest user of the system that we run, the UN Convention called TIR, is Uzbekistan, one of the only two double landlocked countries. So, there is evidence that if you put in place the right policies, your country will be landlinked, not landlocked,” he explained.

Digital tools for smoother transit

New technologies offer additional ways to simplify cargo movement.

“How do you go from paper to moving information digitally across to government authorities? We need things like ‘single window’, where you have a single intake point for electronic information so the government can analyze that information and make decisions earlier,” Ian Saunders, Secretary General of the World Customs Organization, explained.

He shared examples of successful initiatives, such as cargo tracking in East and West Africa and the use of electronic TIR carnets – sometimes called a ‘merchandise passport’ – by private companies in Central Asia. These unique documents guarantee the payment of duties and taxes suspended while goods are in transit.

Climate risks and smarter infrastructure

Another example came from Dmitry Maryasin, Deputy Executive Secretary of the UN Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE).

Speaking with UN News, he noted the 2023 adoption of a roadmap for the digitalization of the Trans-Caspian Corridor. Using UN tools and harmonized regulations, the corridor leverages both land and sea transport – including rail and shipping across the Caspian Sea – to move goods between Asia and Europe.

Climate change is also making cargo transport more difficult. “We’re seeing recurrent road flooding, vulnerability to landslides, mudflows, avalanches, and droughts – all of this is now a reality in Central Asia,” Mr. Maryasin said.

In response, UNECE has developed a transport infrastructure stress-testing tool that factors in climate risks. An online platform based on satellite data has also been launched, allowing users to overlay trade routes and climate hazards on a map to support smarter investment decisions.

“Countries are already using it,” Mr. Maryasin said. Efforts are under way to integrate this platform with a similar one developed by the UN’s ESCAP office, covering South and Southeast Asia.

A Day for LLDCs

Wednesday also marked the first observance of the International Day for the Dissemination of Information on the Special Needs of Landlocked Developing Countries. While each LLDC faces unique development challenges, they also share common priorities. And with nearly 600 million people living in these countries, finding shared solutions is essential.

The message from Awaza is clear: isolation is not destiny. With the right mindset, effective policies, and meaningful partnerships, landlocked countries can become landlinked – and thrive.

LLDC3 continues tomorrow, Thursday 7 August, with roundtables and events on a range of topics, as well as a Women’s Forum. Find all our coverage here.

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Hiroshima, 80 years on: ‘Real change’ needed to end existential nuclear threat

Posted on August 6, 2025 by Arun Kumar N

While the city has been rebuilt, nuclear conflict remains a global threat, UN High Representative for Disarmament Affairs Izumi Nakamitsu said in remarks at the Hiroshima Peace Memorial.

It was the only structure left standing near the hypocentre of the bomb, which marked the first use of an atomic weapon in war.

Survivors, family members and representatives from international organizations and 120 countries were among the approximately 55,000 people who attended the ceremony, according to the Japanese Prime Minister’s Office.

Remembering the dead, honouring the survivors

“On this 80th anniversary, we remember those who perished. We stand with the families who carry their memory,” said Ms. Nakatmisu, delivering a message on behalf of UN Secretary-General António Guterres.

She paid tribute to the hibakusha – the term for those who survived Hiroshima and the atomic bombing of Nagasaki three days later – “whose voices have become a moral force for peace.”

“While their numbers grow smaller each year, their testimony — and their eternal message of peace — will never leave us,” she said.

UN Photo/Yoshito Matsushige

Injured civilians, having escaped the raging inferno, gathered on a pavement west of Miyuki-bashi in Hiroshima, Japan, at about 11 a.m. on 6 August 1945.

Rebuilding hope, sharing the vision

In a single moment on 6 August 1945, Hiroshima was reduced to ruins, tens of thousands were killed, “and humanity crossed a threshold from which there could be no return.”

In the aftermath, many believed the city would never recover and that nothing would grow, she said, but the population proved otherwise.

“You, the people of Hiroshima, didn’t just rebuild a city,” she said. “You rebuilt hope. You nurtured a vision of a world without nuclear weapons. And you shared that vision with the world.”

Listen to our podcast with Japanese American author Kathleen Burkinshaw whose novel about a young hibakusha ‘The Last Cherry Blossom’ was inspired by her mother’s experience.

Duty to protect

Ms. Nakamitsu noted that 2025 also marks 80 years since the UN was founded. In May, saplings grown from the seeds of a persimmon tree that survived the bombing were planted at Headquarters in New York.

“They are more than symbols of survival,” she said. “They are living testaments to the strength of the human spirit — and of our shared duty to protect future generations from the horrors of nuclear annihilation.”

Furthermore, the UN anniversary is a reminder of why it was created in the first place – to prevent war, to uphold human dignity, and to ensure the tragedies of the past are never repeated.

“Yet, today the risk of nuclear conflict is growing,” she warned. “Trust is eroding. Geopolitical divisions are widening. And the very weapons that brought such devastation to Hiroshima and Nagasaki are once again being treated as tools of coercion.”

At the ceremony, Hiroshima’s Mayor Kazumi Matsui warned against the growing acceptance of nuclear weapons, according to media reports. He cited the conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East as examples.

Yet, signs of hope have emerged, according to the UN disarmament chief.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres met with hibakusha from Hiroshima and Nagasaki during a visit to Japan in 2022.

Abolish nuclear weapons

Last October, the Japanese anti-nuclear group Nihon Hidankyo – which represents the survivors of the bombings – was awarded the 2024 Nobel Peace Prize. This came just weeks after countries meeting at the UN adopted the Pact for the Future, re-committing to a world free of nuclear weapons.

Ms. Nakamitsu insisted that “commitments must lead to real change by strengthening the global disarmament regime — in particular, the Treaty on Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, complemented by the momentum created by the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons.”

She urged countries to draw strength from both the resilience of Hiroshima and the wisdom of the hibakusha. 

“Let’s work to eradicate the threat of nuclear weapons by eradicating the weapons themselves,” she said.

“And let’s keep our pledge to the hibakusha, and ensure that their testimony and message of peace is carried forward. Remembering the past is about protecting and building peace today — and in the future.”

Izumi Nakamitsu, UN High Representative for Disarmament Affairs (in white), during the tree planting ceremony at Headquarters to commemorate the 80th Anniversary of the founding of the United Nations and the atomic bombings in Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

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Gaza: Alarm over Israeli move to deregister NGOs

Posted on August 6, 2025 by Arun Kumar N

The development – which also applies to the occupied West Bank – is a result of the Israeli requirement introduced on 9 March impacting international non-governmental organizations (NGOs).

“Unless urgent action is taken…most international NGO partners could be de-registered by 9 September or sooner – forcing them to withdraw all international staff and preventing them from providing critical, lifesaving humanitarian assistance to Palestinians,” said UN and partner aid organizations that are known collectively as the Humanitarian Country Team in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT).

Many UN agencies still operate in Gaza, working closely with NGO partners to reach the war-torn enclave’s most vulnerable people. International NGOs are key as they provide critical support to Palestinian NGOs in the form of supplies, funding and technical support.

Collective call

“Without this cooperation, their operations will be severed, cutting off even more communities from food, medical care, shelter and critical protection services,” said the Humanitarian Country Team, which is overseen by the UN’s top aid official in OPT and includes heads of UN agencies and more than 200 local and international NGOs.

Already, NGOs which have not registered under the new system are prohibited from sending any supplies to Gaza.

Just last month, Israeli authorities rejected repeated requests by 29 of them to ship humanitarian aid to Gaza, citing the organizations as “not authorised”.

“This policy has already prevented the delivery of lifesaving aid including medicine, food, and hygiene items,” the humanitarian collective said. “This most profoundly affects women, children, older people, and persons with disabilities, further aggravating the risk of being subjected to abuse and exploitation.”

In a statement urging Israel to reconsider its demand for sensitive employee information from NGOs, the humanitarian country team insisted that impeding its work violates international law “when we are receiving daily reports of death by starvation as Gaza faces famine conditions”.

Convoy tragedy

Meanwhile inside Gaza, reports on Wednesday indicated that at least 20 people were killed and dozens more injured in central Gaza after a convoy of aid trucks overturned into a crowd.

The incident happened in southern Deir Al-Balah, central Gaza, on Tuesday, according to the local authorities. Further reports indicated that desperate people seeking aid had climbed onto the lorries before the drivers lost control.

In its latest aid update, the UN aid coordination office, OCHA, noted that a full 90 per cent of aid brought into Gaza since 20 July has been “offloaded by hungry crowds or looted by armed gangs”.

People who approach aid convoys near Israeli military checkpoints continue to be killed and wounded, OCHA said.

It cited the health authorities which reported that between 27 May and 4 August, there have been 1,516 fatalities and more than 10,000 injuries at militarised distribution sites or along humanitarian aid convoy routes.

Gaza: Security Council meets on hostage crisis amid ‘unbearable’ conditions facing Palestinian civilians

Posted on August 6, 2025 by Arun Kumar N

Assistant Secretary-General Miroslav Jenča briefed a Security Council meeting on Tuesday called by Israel to discuss the plight of hostages still being held in the war-ravaged enclave.

It comes after Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad released images and videos of two emaciated hostages, Evaytar David and Rom Braslavsky, sparking outrage and condemnation.

‘An affront to humanity itself’

“The scenes of Evaytar apparently being forced to dig his own grave are appalling,” he said.

“These images, and their own accounts of their treatment, have horrified us all. They are an affront to humanity itself.”

Mr. Jenča acknowledged the presence of Mr. David’s brother, Ilay, who participated in the meeting via videoconference, saying the UN recognises “the profound pain and hardship endured by the families and loved ones of those who remain in captivity.”

He recalled that this week the Jewish community commemorated Tisha B’Av, a day of mourning and remembrance of tragedies endured throughout its history.

“I pay tribute to your courage and determination, and I share your dearest wish: for your brother, and all hostages held in Gaza, to be immediately and unconditionally released,” he said.

A war crime

Currently, 50 hostages continue to be held by Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups in horrific conditions and 28 are thought to be deceased, while freed hostages “have relayed distressing accounts of deprivation, ill-treatment, and abuse.”

Since the conflict began, Hamas and other armed groups have circulated dozens of videos of hostages, including statements made under duress and while clearly suffering, including the most recent footage of the two men.

“International law is clear,” said Mr. Jenča. “Hostage-taking is prohibited – it is a war crime.”

He stressed that people deprived of their liberty must be treated humanely and with dignity and allowed to be visited by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).

“They must never be subject to ill-treatment, abuse, or humiliation, as these would also constitute violations of relevant rules of international law,” he added, before reiterating UN Secretary-General António Guterres’s call on Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups for the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages.

Gaza situation ‘unbearable’

Meanwhile, “the situation in Gaza is horrifying – it is unbearable,” he continued, noting that “Palestinians are subjected to squalid, inhumane conditions on a daily basis.”

More than 60,000 Palestinians have been killed since the conflict began, according to local health authorities.

“Since the end of May, over 1,200 Palestinians have been killed and over 8,100 injured while trying to access food supplies, including in the vicinity of militarized aid distribution sites,” said Mr. Jenča.

“The deaths and injuries continue to mount, day by day, with no end in sight to the suffering.”

This is happening as Israel continues to severely restrict humanitarian assistance entering Gaza, while the aid that is allowed to enter “is grossly inadequate.”

‘Hunger is everywhere’

He told the Council that “hunger is everywhere in Gaza, visible in the faces of children and in the desperation of parents risking their lives to access the most basic supplies.”

Here, he echoed the Secretary-General’s condemnation of the ongoing violence in Gaza, including the shooting, killing, and injuring of people trying to get food.

“International law is clear. Civilians must be respected, protected and never targeted or deliberately deprived of food or access to other lifesaving aid – doing so is a war crime,” he said.

“Israel must immediately allow and facilitate rapid and unimpeded passage of sufficient amounts of humanitarian relief for civilians in need, to avert further suffering and loss of life.”

Potential military expansion ‘deeply alarming’

Mr. Jenča also addressed latest reports regarding Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s possible decision to expand military operations through the entire Gaza Strip.

If true, they are “deeply alarming,” he said, as “this would risk catastrophic consequences for millions of Palestinians and could further endanger the lives of the remaining hostages in Gaza.”

He again turned to international law, which is clear that Gaza is and must remain an integral part of a future Palestinian State.

He cited the July 2024 Advisory Opinion by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) which declared that Israel is under an obligation to immediately cease all new settlement activities, evacuate all settlers from the Occupied Palestinian Territory, and to bring an end to its unlawful presence there as rapidly as possible.

No military solution

Mr. Jenča concluded his briefing by underlining the UN’s position that the only way to end the violence and humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza is through a full and permanent ceasefire, the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages and allowing aid to enter at scale and without obstruction.

Civilians also must be guaranteed safe, unhindered access to assistance.

He stressed that there is no military solution to the conflict in Gaza or the broader Israel-Palestine conflict.

“We must establish political and security frameworks that can relieve the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza, start early recovery and reconstruction, address the legitimate security concerns of Israelis and Palestinians, and secure an end to Israel’s unlawful occupation and achieve a sustainable two-State solution,” he said.

This would mean “Israel and a fully independent, democratic, contiguous, viable and sovereign Palestinian State, of which Gaza is an integral part – living side by side in peace and security within secure and recognized borders, on the basis of the pre-1967 lines, with Jerusalem as the capital of both States.”

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Children are ‘skin and bones’ as Sudan marks a grim milestone

Posted on August 6, 2025 by Arun Kumar N

It is a grim milestone for Sudan, the world’s worst humanitarian crisis. But with insufficient funding, lack of access to key regions and intensifying violence, milestones like this have become the grim norm.

“This is not hypothetical. It is a looming catastrophe,” said Sheldon Yett, the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) representative in Sudan.

And it is a catastrophe that is unduly affecting women and children, many of whom have been displaced multiple times and lack access to even the most basic of services such as clean water, food and protection.

“Every day the conflict continues in Sudan, innocent lives are lost, communities are torn apart and trauma continues to haunt generations,” said Radhouane Nouicer, the UN’s designated expert on human rights in Sudan.

Emotional scar tissue

Children in Sudan are among those most affected by the crisis – 3.2 million children under five are projected to suffer from acute malnutrition in the next year.

On a recent trip Jebel Aulia, a locality in Khartoum state which is at extreme risk of famine, Mr. Yett was horrified by what he saw.

“Many of the children are reduced to just skin and bones,” Mr. Yett said.

However, these children are not only contending with malnutrition – some of them have also been displaced four or five times, and over three-quarters of Sudanese children are out of school.

“The emotional scar tissue is massive – children don’t know where they are going next … often feeling like aliens in their own land,” Mr. Yett said.

He spoke with one mother in Jebel Aulia whose daughter may be forever changed by the violence.

“Since the war started, my daughter has fallen into a state of silence, and I can feel her heart racing with fear,” one mother said.

A gendered crisis

Around Sudan, as the food insecurity crisis spirals, women and girls are the “hungriest face of the crisis,” according to Salvator Nkurunziza, the UN Women representative in Sudan.

“With conditions now at near famine thresholds in several regions in the country, it is not just a food crisis but a gender emergency caused by a failure of gender-responsive action,” said Mr. Nkurunziza at a Tuesday press briefing in Geneva.

A recent report further drove home the gendered nature of the crisis, revealing that women-led households in Sudan are three times more likely to experience severe insecurity than households led by men.

This is especially concerning as the death, displacement or forced disappearance of men has left more and more women the sole bread winners. In total 75 per cent of women-led households cannot meet basic food needs.

“The data is unequivocal: female-headed households are slipping deeper into starvation, with fewer coping mechanisms, less access to income, and even more systemic barriers than last year,” the report said.

Nevertheless, Mr. Nkurunziza reminded the international community that women are not just victims but also agents of change in crisis settings.

Women-led organizations are on the frontlines, providing food through soup kitchens and supporting displaced families. And yet, they remain excluded from many of the decision-making processes and exposed to undue risks.

An unchanged human rights landscape

Food security and displacement are not the only challenges that the Sudanese face. Rather, the human rights situation is also deteriorating, according to Mr. Nouicer who visited Sudan to meet key government officials in July.

“I remain gravely concerned that civilians in Sudan continue to suffer widespread violations and abuses, including extrajudicial killings, sexual violence, forced displacement and arbitrary detention,” he said.

He specifically highlighted the unique challenges that women, children and people with disabilities face when confronting displacement and violence.

“The ongoing war has devastated civilian lives and turned daily survival into a constant struggle.”

‘Irreversible damage’

Mr Yett said that in his most recent trip, he saw the best and worst of humanity – the devastating impact of violence and inaction coupled with the hopeful possibilities that peace and action could provide.

“We are on the verge of irreversible damage to an entire generation of children, not because we lack the knowledge or the tools to save them but because we are collectively failing to act with the urgency and at the scale this crisis demands,” he said.

The first step is ensuring access to regions of Sudan like Zamzam which have been cut off from aid. With the rainy season approaching – and some roads already impassable – this is only becoming more difficult.

Mr. Nouicer highlighted that even if a ceasefire between the warring rival militaries happened, the level of devastation and abuse is so extreme that the future will require more than just peace.

“The path forward demands more than ceasefires and peace talks. It requires a sustained commitment to justice, accountability, and inclusive governance.”

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SECURITY COUNCIL LIVE: Israel calls for focus on Gaza hostages’ plight

Posted on August 6, 2025 by Arun Kumar N

The Security Council is meeting to discuss rising concern in Israel and elsewhere over the dire conditions facing the hostages who remain in Gaza. It follows the release of recent videos by Hamas and other Palestinian militants showing emaciated captives, which the UN Secretary-General called “an unacceptable violation of human dignity.” A senior UN political affairs official reiterated the “unbearable” conditions faced by Palestinians across the war-ravaged enclave. Stay with UN News for live updates in coordination with UN Meetings Coverage. App users can follow the coverage here.

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Gaza crisis deepens as UN warns children are ‘dying before reaching hospital’

Posted on August 6, 2025 by Arun Kumar N

With 96 per cent of households lacking clean water, many malnourished children are not surviving long enough to receive hospital care.

James Elder, Spokesperson for the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF), told at a news briefing in Geneva that it would be a mistake to assume the situation is improving.

“There’s a sense through the world’s press that things are improving,” he said. “But unless there is sustained humanitarian aid…there will be horrific results.”

He emphasised the scale of need: “When food comes in which supports 30,000 children, there are still 970,000 children not getting enough. It is a drop in the ocean.”

Aid still a trickle

The UN relief coordination office, OCHA, said that although unilateral pauses have allowed some aid into Gaza, the current trickle is vastly insufficient.

“There should be hundreds and hundreds of trucks entering Gaza every day, for months or years to come,” said Jens Laerke, OCHA spokesperson. “People are dying every day. This is a crisis, on the brink of famine.”

Thousands of tons of pre-funded aid remain stuck just outside the enclave, he added, as bureaucratic delays and lack of safe access continue to block distribution.

Urgent scale-up needed

In New York, UN Deputy Spokesperson Farhan Haq also noted the impediments to bringing in and distributing sufficient aid.

“Massive food shortages continue to impact people’s chances for survival,” he said. “As malnutrition levels rise, children’s immune systems are weakened, hindering their development and growth far into the future.”

Last Thursday alone, 71 kitchens delivered over 270,000 hot meals across Gaza, including 10,000 to health facilities. But that figure falls far short of what’s needed to feed more than two million people.

“We need an urgent scale-up of supplies, as well as an environment that allows humanitarians to reach people in need safely, rapidly and efficiently,” Mr. Haq added.

Health challenges continue

Some medicine has entered Gaza in recent days, but supplies remain limited. Health workers continue to operate under extreme pressure and shortages.

The World Health Organization (WHO) reported 46 cases of Guillain-Barré syndrome in July, including two deaths. The condition, which affects the nervous system, has been linked to compromised immunity, poor nutrition and hygiene-related infections.

The situation of pregnant women and nursing mothers is equally alarming. The UN reproductive health agency, UNFPA, said that 40 per cent of pregnant or breastfeeding women are suffering from severe malnutrition, with newborn deaths and stillbirths on the rise.

Meanwhile, three UN fuel tankers reached Gaza City on Monday. The fuel will power critical health, water and sanitation services, but OCHA stressed this only allows operations to run at “bare minimum” capacity.

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The world is demanding action over plastic pollution: UN environment chief

Posted on August 6, 2025 by Arun Kumar N

“The world wants and indeed needs a plastic conventional treaty because the crisis is getting out of hand – and people are frankly outraged,” said Inger Andersen, UNEP Executive Director of the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), the UN agency leading the talks.

“We know that plastic is in our nature, in our oceans, and yes, even in our bodies…What is sure is that no one wants to live with the plastic pollution.”

Out of control

Unless an international accord is inked, plastic production and waste is projected to triple by 2060, causing significant damage – including to our health – according to UNEP.

Switzerland’s top environment official Katrin Schneeberger echoed the call for a legally binding treaty, insisting that plastic waste “is choking our lakes, harming wildlife and threatening human health. This is more than just an environmental issue, it is a global challenge that demands urgent and collective action.”

Speaking to journalists on the sidelines of the treaty negotiations, Ms. Schneeberger underscored that there was “no call for a production cap” by producing countries.

Spirit of compromise?

“Reaching a shared understanding that measures are needed on both the production and consumption sides can help unlock the negotiations,” she said in her capacity as Director of the Swiss Federal Office for the Environment.

Supporters of a deal have compared it to the Paris Climate Accord in terms of its significance. They have also pointed to the pressure allegedly being brought to bear against a deal by petrostates, whose crude oil and natural gas provide the building blocks of plastics.

“We will not recycle our way out of the plastic pollution crisis: we need a systemic transformation to achieve the transition to a circular economy,” UNEP Executive Director Inger Andersen has insisted in previous comments on the need for global regulations on plastics.

Virtuous circle

With 10 days of talks scheduled on the treaty at the UN in Geneva, supporters of an accord hope that the deal will cover the full life cycle of plastics, from design to production and disposal.

The treaty should “promote plastic circularity and prevent leakage of plastics in the environment”, according to the text now guiding negotiations led by the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC).

At 22 pages, the INC document contains 32 draft articles which will be discussed line by line. The text is designed to shape the future instrument and serves as a starting point for negotiations by countries meeting in Geneva.

“Some [countries] will have to deal with reduction, others will have to deal with mechanical recycling and others will deal with alternatives,” Ms. Andersen said. “Let’s see how we can get to this through the negotiations. I think there’s a lot of good faith in the working group right now.”

The UNEP-led talks follow a decision in 2022 by Member States to meet and develop an international legally binding instrument to end the plastic pollution crisis, including in the marine environment, within two years.

The scale of the problem is massive, with straws, cups and stirrers, carrier bags and cosmetics containing microbeads just a few of the single-use products ending up in our oceans and landfill sites.

In comments to journalists, Ms. Andersen recalled touring Pakistan after deadly flooding killed more than 1,000 people in 2022 and seeing that debris and plastic were “a big part of the problem and so this is why we’re here, to find a solution while not leaving anyone behind and while ensuring that the economic wheels would keep turning”.

Disabling effect

Campaigners gathering on the sidelines of the negotiations expressed their hopes for as ambitious a treaty as possible.

They included Shellan Saling, from California, who’s the interim chair of the Youth Plastic Action Network (YPAN). “Plastic affects everything from climate change to health to fertility to even birth defects; it affects physical disabilities, as well as invisible disabilities,” she told UN News on Monday.

Any treaty inked in Geneva will have to be sufficiently robust to accommodate the needs of all countries of the world whose approach differs regarding plastic design, production, waste and recycling. It will also have to stand the test of time, Ms. Andersen said.

UN News interview with YPAN interim chair Shellan Saling

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World News in Brief: Child deaths in Pakistan, Ukrainian rail station attack, new UN-India development partnership

Posted on August 6, 2025 by Arun Kumar N

The children picked up the unexploded ordnance in a nearby field, mistaking it for a toy, and brought it back to their village where it later detonated, UNICEF said.

The ordnance is likely one of the many unexploded shells left over from the military clashes between Pakistan and India in May, according to news reports.

Extending condolences to those affected, the agency stressed that “no child should fall victim to landmines or unexploded ordnance.”

The organization denounced the presence of explosive remnants of war, as they continue to pose deadly risks to children and communities in conflict zones – and former conflict areas – worldwide.

Ordnance risk education

Since January, UNICEF has collaborated with the Government to educate 9,500 children on the risks posed by leftover munitions in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.

The agency called on Pakistan to increase support for lifesaving explosive ordnance risk education.

Five dead in attack on Ukrainian rail station

Amid a wave of record civilian casualties, an overnight strike early Tuesday on a railway station in the city of Lozova, in Ukraine’s frontline Kharkiv region, killed five civilians and workers, injuring several others.

According to a social media post from the UN humanitarian aid agency (OCHA) in Ukraine, the railway station was heavily damaged, and surrounding homes were also affected.

According to news reports, the attack triggered fires across the city and disrupted rail traffic in Lozova, a strategically important transport hub.

Emergency assistance is ongoing, with aid workers on site providing emergency repair materials and psychological support.

UN-India partnership launches SDG projects across Global South

At Tuesday’s daily press briefing in New York, UN Deputy Spokesperson Farhan Haq highlighted the launch of a new UN-India partnership to facilitate cooperation across the Global South and advance the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The UN-India Global Capacity-Building Initiative, will showcase successful innovations to countries across the Global South, tailored to national priorities.

The Gates Foundation and the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) programme are also supporting the projects, which will be implemented with national partners in the Caribbean, Laos, Nepal, South Sudan and Zambia.

The projects aim to enhance digital health, food security, census preparedness and vocational skills training.

India and UN join forces for South-South Cooperation to accelerate the SDGs.

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UNHCR urges Pakistan to stop forced returns of Afghan refugees

Posted on August 5, 2025 by Arun Kumar N

He expressed particular concern over the plight of women and girls sent back to Afghanistan, which has been under Taliban rule for four years.

On 31 July, Pakistan confirmed that Afghan refugees would be deported under an ongoing ‘Illegal Foreigners Repatriation Plan’.

UNHCR has received reports of arrests and detention of Afghans across the country, including PoR cardholders.

Violation of non-return principle

“We acknowledge and appreciate Pakistan’s generosity in hosting refugees for over 40 years amid its own challenges,” said Mr. Baloch.

“However, given that those holding PoR cards have been recognized as refugees for decades, their forced return is contrary to Pakistan’s long-standing humanitarian approach to this group and would constitute a violation of the principle of non-refoulement.”

The situation is unfolding amid a mass return of Afghans from neighbouring countries, including Iran.

This year, over 2.1 million have already returned or been forced to return to Afghanistan, including 352,000 from Pakistan.

Listen to our interview with Arafat Jamal, UNHCR Representative in Afghanistan, on returnees coming from Iran.

Concern for women and girls

“UNHCR remains particularly concerned about women and girls forced to return to a country where their human rights are at risk, as well as other groups who might be endangered,” said Mr. Baloch.

He urged the authorities to ensure that any returns are voluntary, safe and dignified.

Moreover, UNHCR has continued to seek an extension of the validity of PoR cards, which expired at the end of June, and welcomed the additional one-month “grace period” granted by Pakistan. 

“UNHCR strongly urges the Government of Pakistan to apply measures to exempt Afghans with continued international protection needs from involuntary return,” he said.

“We also appeal to Pakistan’s established goodwill to allow legal stay for Afghans with medical needs, those currently pursuing higher education, or in mixed marriages.”

Far-reaching impact

He said the large-scale return of Afghans from neighbouring countries has put immense pressure on basic services, housing and livelihoods, as well as host communities.

The general policy is worsening an already dire humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan. According to UN aid coordination office OCHA, almost half the population – nearly 23 million people – will require humanitarian assistance this year to survive.

Mr. Baloch warned that “mass and hasty returns significantly heighten protection needs, and risk instability in Afghanistan and the region, including onward movement.”

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First Person: Documenting despair and finding hope amidst the rubble of Gaza

Posted on August 5, 2025 by Arun Kumar N

Some 21 months have passed since the 7 October armed attacks on Israel which sparked the current brutal conflict.

Thousands have died and much of Gaza has been laid to waste, but life must continue, according to the correspondent, who is remaining anonymous for security reasons.

“Those who live here in Gaza don’t need long explanations to understand the meaning of this war.

It is enough to listen for a few minutes: Planes buzz incessantly overhead, and airstrikes silence everything except fear which, although invisible, fills every space between our tents and seeps into our bodies.

A young boy is rescued after he was caught in an attack on a school shelter.

At night, there’s absolute darkness except for the flashes of bombing.

We sleep knowing that waking up is not guaranteed.

Every morning in Gaza is a new attempt to live, and every evening a challenge to survive. This is the harsh reality we live in.

I am one of more than two million Palestinians living under the burden of displacement. I document stories of war and despair while experiencing their full bitterness.

Since our home was destroyed in November 2023, the tent has become our safety. My family, once part of my private world, is now part of the stories I share with the world.

Here, life is simple and tragic.

Sleeping on the hard ground, cooking over firewood and the exhausting pursuit of a morsel of bread are no longer options, but a way of life imposed by the cruelty of war.

In the face of my eldest son, who is not yet 14, I see a reflection of a war that has stolen his childhood and imposed burdens on him greater than his years.

He has become an expert at water distribution routes, haggling for bread and carrying heavy gallons of water. I feel boundless pride in his courage, yet simultaneously a painful sense of powerlessness because I can’t protect him from what’s happening around us.

Oasis of hope

My wife is trying to create an oasis of hope for our other children. My two eldest daughters continue to learn online when the internet is intermittently working and to read whatever books are available.

My youngest daughter draws on worn pieces of cardboard while my youngest son, who is four, has no memory of anything other than the sound of explosions.

We stand helpless in the face of his innocent questions. There are no schools, no education, only desperate attempts to keep the brightness of childhood alive in them, in the face of a brutal reality.

More than 625,000 children in Gaza have been deprived of an education.

This is due to the destruction of schools and the lack of a safe environment in which to learn.

The future of an entire generation is threatened.

A drawing depicts people dying as they try to access food from a truck in Gaza.

Bearing witness

I work alongside other journalists. We wander between hospitals, streets and shelters.

We carry our journalistic equipment not only to document events, but also to be a voice for those whose voices have been silenced.

We film a child suffering from severe malnutrition, listen to the story of a man who has lost everything and witness the tears of a woman unable to provide food for her children.

We document a scene which is repeated daily: Thousands of people rush to reach a flour truck. They run after the trucks, collecting the last grains of flour from the ground.

They don’t care about danger as the hope of getting their hands on a loaf of bread is more precious than life.

Each time, casualties fall along the convoys’ routes and militarised distribution points.

We walk the streets, alert to every sound, as if we’re waiting for the end with every turn we make.

There’s no longer time for surprises or sadness, only constant tension and anxiety that has become part of the survivors’ DNA here.

This is the reality that cameras don’t capture, but it is the daily truth we try to explain to the world.

A WHO worker assesses a destroyed hospital in northern Gaza.

Tears of UN colleagues

We document the efforts of the United Nations and its various organizations.

I see staff sleeping in their cars to be closer to the crossings, and I see our UN colleagues crying as they listen to the stories of my fellow Gazans.

There is not enough aid. The crossings open and close abruptly, and some areas are deprived of supplies for days.

The western areas of Gaza City are overcrowded. Tents are spread out on every corner, on the sidewalks and among the rubble of destroyed homes, in dire conditions.

Empty markets

The value of the local currency has evaporated. Those with money in their bank accounts pay fees of up to 50 per cent to withdraw it, only to find themselves facing nearly empty markets. Whatever is available is being sold at exorbitant prices.

Vegetables are scarce, and when available, a kilogramme can cost more than $30. Fruit and meat are a distant memory.

The health system is in a state of complete collapse as 85 per cent of Gaza’s hospitals are no longer functioning and most dialysis and chemotherapy services have stopped.

Medications for chronic diseases are unavailable. I am unable to secure medicine for my parents, who suffer from diabetes and high blood pressure, and there is no hope of surgery which could save my brother’s arm, which was injured in an airstrike.

A young boy carries a water bottle through an area where people are living in tents.

Witness to everything

Sometimes, I feel caught between two identities, the journalist documenting the suffering and the human experiencing it.

But, perhaps this is where the strength of our journalistic mission from the Gaza Strip lies: to be a voice from the heart of the tragedy, to convey to the world the reality of what is happening on a daily basis.

Every day in Gaza poses a new question:

Will we survive?

Will our children return from their search for water?

Will the war end?

Will the crossings be opened so aid can be delivered?

From here, we will continue, because untold stories die and because every child, woman and man in Gaza deserves to have their voice heard.

I am a journalist.

I am a father.

I am displaced.

And I am a witness to everything.

Hunger in Gaza: Women and children face death in search of food

Posted on August 5, 2025 by Arun Kumar N

“I used to easily receive aid distributed by the UN,” Abir Safi, a displaced person from the Zeitoun neighborhood of Gaza City, told UN News. “Now, we get nothing. I risk my life by going to the Zikim crossing and returning with an empty bag. All I want is to return to my children with some food.”

Ms. Safi said she never imagined that providing for her children would become a deadly adventure. After losing her husband in the war, she found herself alone, facing the responsibility of supporting her family amid deteriorating humanitarian conditions.

She was among thousands of citizens who gathered along Rashid Street in northern Gaza, which connects the Zikim crossing to northern Gaza, hoping to receive humanitarian aid.

A horse-drawn cart carries the bodies of more than seven Palestinians killed while trying to reach aid.

‘Bullets over my head’

Our correspondent witnessed the arrival of thousands of Palestinians returning from a journey in search of food supplies. Thousands of emaciated bodies – men, women, and children – were caught in a scene that has become a daily occurrence. Everyone is running in search of the few aid trucks that reach northern Gaza.

The United Nations has the capacity and resources necessary to distribute aid in a safe, dignified manner to all those in need in the Gaza Strip. The organization continues to call for the lifting of restrictions imposed by the Israeli authorities on the entry and distribution of aid into Gaza.

The danger lies not only in the crowding and chaos, but also in the death that lurks around everyone. Fayza al-Turmisi, a displaced person from Shuja’iyya, described the horrific scene along Rashid Street in northern Gaza.

“They fire shells and bullets at us here. We are forced to lie on the ground. I hide among more than 200 men, and bullets fly over my head. If you raise your head, you get hit. If you stay on the ground, bullets fall around you.”

A young Gazan was injured while trying to obtain aid.

Between mourning and hunger

Mohammed Mudeiris, aged seven, said he lost his father in an airstrike just the day before. He doesn’t have the luxury of grieving for his father as he is now the sole breadwinner for his siblings.

Walking through the dense crowds, he extends his small hand, begging for a handful of flour to take back to his siblings.

“I am the eldest of my siblings,” he said. “My father was killed in an airstrike yesterday. I am trying to ask someone to give me a plate of flour or a meal from the aid that arrived today.”

Mohammed Mudeiris, a child who lost his father in an Israeli airstrike, coming to secure food for his siblings from aid trucks arriving via the Zikim crossing.

‘I risk my life to bring food to my children’

The race for food is not limited to men. Women are forced to take this risk, driven by the responsibilities of motherhood and the needs of their children.

“I throw myself into danger to bring food for my children,” said Asma Masoud, who was displaced from northern Gaza.

“We never get our fair share of aid,” she said. “My husband is paralysed, and there are widows and women like me who cannot provide food for their children.”

Highlighting that some young people take the aid and sell it at exorbitant prices that she cannot afford to buy, Ms. Masoud called on the world to ensure “a fair distribution mechanism and to allow UNRWA [the UN agency for Palestine refugees] and international organizations to do so”.

Aid should be distributed via text messages so that every person in need receives their share, as was the case before, she said.

“But now, only a few people are profiting and selling the aid,” she stated. “We cannot tolerate that. It is an injustice.”

Asma Masoud, a displaced woman from northern Gaza, returning from a search for food.

‘I don’t know how I’m going to feed my children’

Ms. Safi agreed with Ms. Masoud, complaining that “the beneficiaries now are largely thieves.”

“I’ve lost a lot of weight, and all my health is gone,” Ms. Safi said. “I don’t know how I’m going to feed my children. I want to receive aid with dignity. Aid used to come through the United Nations, and I could easily go and receive it, but now I don’t receive anything.”

I want to receive aid with dignity.

This chaotic system leaves behind widows, women, the elderly and many other complex humanitarian cases, such as Maqboula Adas, who supports her injured husband and her son who has a broken leg.

“My husband is injured and cannot move,” she explained. “My eldest son has a broken leg, and I also have three daughters. No one supports us except God. Every day I go to try to get some flour. If it weren’t for that, they would have died of hunger.”

Maqboula Adas, a displaced woman from Shuja’iyya.

Carts carry corpses

At the height of this tragedy, macabre scenes emerge. Instead of carrying bags of flour, a horse-drawn cart transports the bodies of at least seven Palestinians who were killed while trying to get aid.

While some young men carried sacks of flour on their backs, ambulances bring the wounded and dead from the northern regions. The achievement of getting food aid comes at a heavy price.

One young man was injured in the head and face while trying to collect aid.

“I came to collect aid, but today wasn’t my day,” he said. “I will come again despite my injury, and I hope God will provide for me next time.”

Thousands of Palestinians seeking aid arriving from the Israeli Zikim crossing in northern Gaza.

Risk of famine

Gaza is facing a severe risk of famine, with food consumption and nutrition indicators at their worst levels since the beginning of the current conflict, according to a warning issued by the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC).

At least 147 deaths due to hunger and malnutrition have been reported, including 88 children. More than 28,000 cases of severe acute malnutrition have been recorded among children, according to reports from the World Health Organization and the World Food Programme.

Despite promises to facilitate the flow of aid, restrictions on the entry of food and fuel, along with ongoing attacks near the crossings, have prevented supplies from reaching those in need. In addition, the chaotic distribution of aid within Gaza has further complicated the situation and placed civilians at greater risk.

The UN human rights office (OHCHR) has documented the deaths of hundreds of people attempting to access aid amid ongoing gunfire and shelling near relief truck routes and military distribution points.

Abir Safi, a displaced woman from Al-Zaytoun neighbourhood.

‘If I get killed, who will take care of my children?’

Amidst this chaos, widow Enaam Siam, a mother of six, recounts her struggle for food.

“I am a widow and a mother of six orphaned children, one of whom is injured,” she said. “Every day, I go out amidst death to bring them food. I see the dead and wounded.”

She asked why aid is no longer delivered to warehouses and distributed via text message.

“If I am killed, who will take care of my children? There are thousands of women in a similar situation. We want safety, peace and a fair system that ensures aid reaches those in need.”

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