November 8, 2024
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J. Tuyet Nguyen, a journalist with years of experience, has covered major stories in New York City and the United Nations for United Press International, the German Press Agency dpa and various newspapers. His reports focused mostly on topics with international interests for readers worldwide. He was president of the United Nations Correspondents Association (2007 and 2008), which is composed of more than 250 journalists representing world media with influence over policy decision makers. He has chaired the organization of the annual UNCA Awards, which seeks to reward journalists around the world who have done the best broadcasts and written reports on the UN and its specialized agencies. He has traveled the world to cover events and write stories, from politics to the environment as well cultures of different regions. But his most important reporting work has been with the United Nations since the early 1980s. He was bureau chief of United Press International office at the UN headquarters before joining dpa in 1997. Prior to working at the UN, he was an editor on the International Desk of UPI World Headquarters in New York. He worked in Los Angeles and covered the final months of war in Vietnam for UPI.

NEWS FEATURE: Acute hunger has remained persistently high since 2016; 282 million people affected in 2023: UN

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Rome/New York, April 27, 2024 – A new study by 16 UN agencies and international organizations said close to 282 million people suffered acute hunger in 2023 in 59 countries, a situation that worsened in recent years with the deadly Covid19 pandemic, wars, climate extremes and economic shocks.

The study, entitled Global Report on Food Crisis 2024 (GRFC), said acute hunger has remained “persistently high” from 2016 to 2023 and it called for action to break the cycle of food crises. The UN, governments and organizations have escalated measures to address acute hunger, but the number of people suffering hunger have remained high beginning of 2024, particularly in Gaza, Afghanistan, and some African nations like Sudan, which cast a worrying shadow over this year.

Read report Global Report on Food Crises 2024 (GRFC).

The Rome-based UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), which is a party to the Global Network Against Food Crisis, said in its website that children and women are at the forefront of these hunger crises, with over 36 million children under 5 years of age acutely malnourished across 32 countries. FAO said acute malnutrition worsened in 2023, particularly among people displaced by conflicts and climate disasters.

The global network urgently “calls for a transformative approach that integrates peace, prevention and development action alongside at-scale emergency efforts to break the cycle of acute hunger which remains at unacceptably high levels.”

“This crisis demands an urgent response,” said UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, “Using the data in this report to transform food systems and address the underlying causes of food insecurity and malnutrition will be vital.”

 The report is “a roll call of human failings,” and that “in a world of plenty, children are starving to death. The conflicts erupting over the past 12 months compound a dire global situation.” Guterres said in the report’s foreword.

“When we talk about acute food insecurity, we are talking about hunger so severe that it poses an immediate threat to people’s livelihoods and lives. This is hunger that threatens to slide into famine and cause widespread death,” said Dominique Burgeon, Director of the FAO Liaison Office in Geneva.

The UN said the report is the flagship publication of the Food Security Information Network and is based on a collaboration of 16 partners including U.N. agencies like FAO, UNICEF and WFP, and regional and multinational bodies, the European Union, the U.S. Agency for International Development, and technical organizations.

It said the overall percentage of people defined as dangerously food insecure in 2023 was 1.2 per cent lower than in 2022, the problem has worsened significantly since the COVID-19 crisis. When the coronavirus hit in late 2019, around one in six people in 55 countries faced worrying food insecurity levels, compared with one in five just a year later, the report said.

The report said 105 million people in 48 countries suffered acute hunger in 2016 and the number increased to 137.4 million in 53 countries in 2019. The number increased to 155 million in 55 countries in 2020, 192 million in 53 countries in 2021, 257 million in 58 countries 2022 and close to 282 million in 59 countries in 2023.

“Tackling persistent food crises requires urgent long-term national and international investment to transform food systems and boost agricultural and rural development alongside greater crisis preparedness and critical lifesaving assistance at scale, where people need it most. Peace and prevention must also become an integral part of the longer-term food systems transformation. Without this, people will continue to face a lifetime of hunger and the most vulnerable will starve,” the report said.

It said, “Since 2023, needs have outpaced available resources. Humanitarian operations are now desperately overstretched, with many being forced to scale-down and further cut support to the most vulnerable.  More equitable and effective global economic governance is imperative and must be matched with government led plans that seek to reduce and end hunger.”

Turning to 2024, the report warned that around 1.1 million people in Gaza, where the Israel-Hamas war is on its seven month, and 79,000 people in South Sudan are facing famine. In addition, South Sudan, Burkina Faso, Somalia and Mali are also facing catastrophic hunger. In Sudan where conflict erupted in April, 2024, the report said 20.3 million people – or 42 per cent of the population – are struggling to find enough to eat daily.

Climate extremes contributed to food shortage. The report pointed out that the El Nino phenomenon, which peaked in early 2024, is a “full impact on food security – including flooding and poor rain in parts of east Africa and drought in southern Africa, especially Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe – are like to manifest throughout the year.”

Governments and organizations join force to fight hunger

The Italian government has called for a debate to address the problem and to reinforce collective impact after the publication of the report.

“Looking ahead, the convergence of intensifying conflict and insecurity, the devastating impact of extreme weather events driven mainly by El Niño, and inflation casts a shadow over the outlook for 2024, with crises such as the Sudan and Gaza facing the worst deterioration and the highest severity, requiring immediate action to avert the looming threat of famine,” it said.

Italy said a range of bold and innovative commitments and investment in key partnership initiatives designed to facilitate their realization has been made by the international community that includes the G20 Matera Declaration, the G7 Famine Prevention and Humanitarian Crises Compact, the US Road Map for Food Security and the EU Team Europe Response to the global food crisis. (By J. Tuyet Nguyen)

Read the concept note on the debate: Concept Note_GRFC_NY_220424_v1

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NEWS FEATURE: Acute hunger has remained persistently high since 2016; 282 million people affected in 2023: UN Read More »

US urged to lead fight against plastic pollution, support UN negotiations for a “global plastics treaty”

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Washington/New York, April 10, 2024 – Ocean Conservancy and conservation groups have called on the United States to seize the “opportunity and responsibility to be a leader” in tackling global plastic wastes that are threatening the ocean, rivers, sea surface and sea floor as well as beaches and Artic sea ice.

The Washington DC-based organization published a letter to US President Joe Biden urging him to advance a “comprehensive approach across the federal government that will meaningfully address the plastic pollution crisis and the climate crisis it continues to fuel with the urgency these crises demand.” Signed by 29 organizations representing 15 US states, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands and Washington DC, the letter called for work to keep the ocean and other waterways free from plastic pollution.

The United Nations is set to hold the fourth round of negotiations from April 23-29 in Ottawa, Canada, for an international, legally binding treaty to curb the global plastic pollution crisis.

Ocean Conservancy said in a press release that it and conservation groups “lay out a comprehensive plan for how the U.S. — currently the leading generator of plastic waste—can become a trailblazer in plastic reduction, reuse and recycling. Among their many suggestions for how the U.S. can achieve this goal, they call on the Biden Administration to put into motion policies that would establish a national single-use plastic reduction target, prevent microplastics in drinking water, step up efforts to prevent the loss of plastic fishing gear, and establish a national plastic pollution tsar in the White House.”

For more information, please contact:
Wanda Bautista, Whatsapp: +1 302 233 5438, wbautista@burness.com
Florence Wood, Whatsapp: +44 7491 147 576, fwood@burness.com

“Tackling the plastic pollution crisis won’t be easy to accomplish, but research shows that it’s possible with the right policies in place,” said Dr. Anja Brandon, Ocean Conservancy’s associate director of U.S. plastics policy, on the development of the letter. “Tackling plastic pollution is crucial to protecting wildlife, safeguarding human health and evening addressing the climate crisis–given that plastics are made from fossil fuels.”

“We have an unprecedented opportunity to address these urgent environmental threats. With 75% of Americans considering plastic pollution entering the ocean a pressing problem, the government must get on board.”

In addition to Ocean Conservancy, the letter’s signers represent organizations focused on ocean and river conservation and both upstream and downstream efforts to prevent plastic pollution such as reducing plastic production, product redesign for recallability, and cleanup efforts. They range from global and national groups to organizations focused on specific states and local areas.

They issued the letter in advance of the fourth round of United Nations negotiations (INC-4) for an international legally binding instrument (ILBI) on plastic pollution, widely known as the “global plastics treaty,” from April 23-29 in Ottawa, Canada. The treaty offers a historic opportunity to reduce the amount of plastic that enters the ocean.

“Right now, worldwide, 11 million metric tons of plastics enter the ocean each year from land-based sources—that’s equivalent to more than a garbage truck a minute, said Nicholas. People, the planet, and wildlife are paying the price. We need a strong plastics treaty now before it’s too late.”

One of the key solutions to tackling the crisis is reducing the amount of plastics we make and use in the first place, which would also contribute to a reduction in the greenhouse gas emissions feeding the climate crisis. Plastic production is currently responsible for 3–4% of global greenhouse gas emissions, roughly the same as the entire country of Germany, and projected to triple by 2050.

Reducing plastic production will also help safeguard human health. Recent studies have shown that humans are consuming an alarming amount of plastics, in the form of microplastics, through air, water and food. Ocean Conservancy recently found that Americans may be consuming as many as 3.8 million microplastics each year from protein consumption alone.

“To accomplish the interconnected goals of reducing plastic pollution, combating dangerous climate change, and protecting communities the solution is clear — we need to start by making less plastics, better reuse and recycle the plastics we do need, and continue targeted effective cleanups of plastics that do end up in the environment,” the letter asserts.

In brief, their eight-point plan calls on the U.S. to:

Establish a national reduction target for single-use plastics that would see an end to plastic pollution by 2040. This would include setting a national target to reduce the production and use of single-use plastics by at least 25% in 10 years, ramping that up over time. California’s 2022 legislation, SB54, provides a model for how this can work.

Support strong international agreement to end plastic pollution. Direct U.S. agencies to advocate and negotiate for an ambitious global plastics agreement that includes provisions across the full lifecycle of plastics, including reduction.

Support national policies to transition away from single-use plastics, making it easier to reuse or refill plastic. Data from Ocean Conservancy collected from four decades of beach cleanups shows single-use plastics are the most common items polluting beaches and waterways worldwide, including in the United States.

Harness plastic reduction to meet the nation’s commitment to fighting climate change and environmental justice harms. They suggest including plastic reduction targets and strategies in the U.S. government’s climate change action plans; ensuring that plastic production and waste facilities don’t pollute air or water; and eliminating federal subsidies for fossil fuel production, which leads to the production of new plastics.

Take action on microplastics to protect human health. This includes recognizing microplastics as hazardous and in need of regulation through, for example, the establishment of drinking water standards for microplastics.

Support targeted and effective cleanup efforts to reduce harm of plastics in the environment. This includes boosting funding of federal programs to remove debris from sensitive and economically important ecosystems.

Support the full life cycle management of abandoned, lost and discarded fishing gear (ALDFG, commonly known as ghost gear). Ghost gear is the single most deadly form of plastic pollution to marine life and as such requires specific dedicated actions to prevent and manage.

For more information, please contact:
Wanda Bautista, Whatsapp: +1 302 233 5438, wbautista@burness.com
Florence Wood, Whatsapp: +44 7491 147 576, fwood@burness.com

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US urged to lead fight against plastic pollution, support UN negotiations for a “global plastics treaty” Read More »

One billion meals go to waste everyday while millions go hungry: UN

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Food waste is a “global tragedy” while millions of people face severe food insecurity. The UN Environment Programme says in a report that an estimated 19% of food produced globally in 2022, or about 1.05 billion metric tons, were wasted. Following is a press release.

Nairobi, 27 March 2024 –  Households across all continents wasted over 1 billion meals a day in 2022, while 783 million people were affected by hunger and a third of humanity faced food insecurity. Food waste continues to hurt the global economy and fuel climate change, nature loss, and pollution. These are the key findings of a UN Environment Programme (UNEP) report published today, ahead of the International Day of Zero Waste.

The UNEP Food Waste Index Report 2024, co-authored with WRAP,provides the most accurate global estimate on food waste at retail and consumer levels. It provides guidance for countries on improving data collection and suggests best practices in moving from measuring to reducing food waste. 

In 2022 there were 1.05 billion tonnes of food waste generated (including inedible parts), amounting to 132 kilograms per capita and almost one-fifth of all food available to consumers. Out of the total food wasted in 2022, 60 per cent happened at the household level, with food services responsible for 28 per cent and retail 12 per cent.

“Food waste is a global tragedy. Millions will go hungry today as food is wasted across the world,” said Inger Andersen, Executive Director of UNEP. “Not only is this a major development issue, but the impacts of such unnecessary waste are causing substantial costs to the climate and nature. The good news is we know if countries prioritise this issue, they can significantly reverse food loss and waste, reduce climate impacts and economic losses, and accelerate progress on global goals.”

Since 2021, there’s been a strengthening of the data infrastructure with more studies tracking food waste. Globally, the number of data points at the household level almost doubled. Nevertheless, many low- and middle-income countries continue to lack adequate systems for tracking progress to meet Sustainable Development Goal 12.3 of halving food waste by 2030, particularly in retail and food services.

Only four G20 countries (Australia, Japan, UK, the USA) and the European Union have food waste estimates suitable for tracking progress to 2030. Canada and Saudi Arabia have suitable household estimates, with Brazil’s estimate expected late 2024. In this context, the report serves as a practical guide for countries to consistently measure and report food waste.

The data confirms that food waste is not just a ‘rich country’ problem, with levels of household food waste differing in observed average levels for high-income, upper-middle, and lower-middle-income countries by just 7 kg per capita. At the same time, hotter countries appear to generate more food waste per capita in households, potentially due to higher consumption of fresh foods with substantial inedible parts and a lack of robust cold chains.

According to recent data, food loss and waste generates 8-10 per cent of annual global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions – almost 5 times that of the aviation sector – and significant biodiversity loss by taking up the equivalent of almost a third of the world’s agricultural land. The toll of both food loss and waste on the global economy is estimated at roughly USD 1 trillion.

Urban areas are expected to particularly benefit from efforts to strengthen food waste reduction and circularity. Rural areas generally waste less food, with greater diversion of food scraps to pets, livestock, and home composting as likely explanations.

As of 2022, only 21 countries have included food loss and/or waste reduction in their national climate plans (NDCs). The 2025 NDCs revision process provides a key opportunity to raise climate ambition by integrating food loss and waste. The Food Waste Index Report underscores the urgency of addressing food waste at both individual and systemic levels.

Robust baselines and regular measurement are needed for countries to show changes over time. Thanks to implementation of policies and partnerships, countries such as Japan and the UK show that change at scale is possible, with reductions of 31 per cent and 18 per cent respectively.

“With the huge cost to the environment, society, and global economies caused by food waste, we need greater coordinated action across continents and supply chains. We support UNEP in calling for more G20 countries to measure food waste and work towards SDG12.3,” said Harriet Lamb, CEO of WRAP.

“This is critical to ensuring food feeds people, not landfills. Public-Private Partnerships are one key tool delivering results today, but they require support: whether philanthropic, business, or governmental, actors must rally behind programmes addressing the enormous impact wasting food has on food security, our climate, and our wallets.”

UNEP maintains tracking country-level progress to halve food waste by 2030, with a growing focus on solutions beyond measurement towards reduction. One such solution is systemic action through public-private partnerships (PPPs): Bringing the public sector, private sector and non-government to work together, identify bottlenecks, co-develop solutions, and drive progress.

Appropriate financing can enable PPPs to deliver farm-to-fork reductions in food waste, drive down GHGs emissions and water stress, while sharing best practices and encouraging innovation for long-term, holistic change. PPPs on food loss and waste are growing worldwide, including in Australia, Indonesia, Mexico, South Africa, and in the UK where they have helped cut over a quarter of household food waste per capita from 2007-18.

About the UN Environment Programme (UNEP)
UNEP is the leading global voice on the environment. It provides leadership and encourages partnership in caring for the environment by inspiring, informing and enabling nations and peoples to improve their quality of life without compromising that of future generations.

About WRAP
WRAP is a global NGO based in the UK. It is one of the UK’s top 5 environmental charities and works with governments, businesses and individuals to ensure that the world’s natural resources are used sustainably. Founded in 2000 in the UK, WRAP now works around the world and is a Global Alliance Partner of The Royal Foundation’s Earthshot Prize.

For more information please contact: News and Media Unit UN Environment Programme



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UPDATE: UN Security Council demands immediate cease-fire in Gaza

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New York, March 25, 2024 – Breaking its own deadlock for a solution since the Israel-Hamas war broke out five months ago, the UN Security Council voted 14-0 to demand an immediate cease-fire to be respected by all parties during the month of Ramadan and leading to a “permanent, sustainable cease-fire.”

The resolution also demanded “the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages, as well as ensuringhumanitarian access to address their medical and other humanitarian needs” and “that the parties comply with their obligations under international law in relation to all persons they detain.” The Ramadan began on March 10 and will end on April 9.

The resolution called for “the urgent need to expand the flow of humanitarian assistance to and reinforce the protection of civilians in the entire Gaza Strip.”

The US abstained when the 15-nation council voted 14-0 on the resolution, which was drafted by the council’s 10 elected member states, which are Algeria, Ecuador, Guyana, Japan, Malta, Mozambique, South Korea, Sierra Leone, Slovenia, Switzerland.

The council had not been able to adopt a resolution to demand a cease-fire because of division among the five permanent members. On March 22, Russia and China voted against a US-backed draft resolution that did not directly call for a cease-fire of the Israel-Hamas war and the two countries accused the US of “deliberately misleading the international community” and “playing a game of words” in the face of suffering by the Palestinian people in Gaza.

The negative votes by Russia and China amounted to a veto of the US draft resolution despite the fact that 11 of the 15 council members voted in favor. Russia, China and Algeria voted against. One country abstained: Guyana.

The 11 countries are: Ecuador, France, Japan, Malta Mozambique, South Korea, Sierra Leone, Slovenia, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the US.

The US, China, Russia, France and the United Kingdom are permanent members of the UN Security Council and have the power to veto decisions by casting a negative vote. The other 10 members are elected to serve two-year terms.

The US draft resolution said it was “imperative” for “an immediate and sustained ceasefire to protect civilians on all sides” in order to facilitate essential aid delivery and support talks between Israel and Hamas militants to create a sustainable end to the hostilities and to the release of all hostages.

US Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield, who introduced the draft to the council, said before the vote that the US wants to see “an immediate and sustained ceasefire.” But, “we have to do the hard work of diplomacy” to make that aim a reality and it has to be made “real on the ground”.

“This is why the negotiations are going on in Qatar which will lead to a sustainable cease-fire,” she said, “but we are not there yet unfortunately.”

In addition to making an immediate and sustained ceasefire “imperative” to protect civilians, the draw would have called for an “urgent need to expand the flow of humanitarian assistance” to all civilians and lifting “all barriers” to delivering aid at scale to Gazans. 

The draft would call on Israel and all armed groups to comply with their obligations under international law, providing protection for humanitarian workers and medical personnel. It also would condemn all acts of terrorism including the Hamas-led attacks of 7 October, the taking and killing of hostages, murder of civilians, sexual violence and condemns the use of civilian buildings for military purposes.

Russia’s Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia said the US draft did not call for a cease-fire and accused the US of “deliberately misleading the international community.” He also accused the US of “selling a product” to the council by using the word “imperative” in the text.

China’s Ambassador Zhang Ju said the U.S. proposal did not promote an immediate and sustained cease-fire, set preconditions and fell far short of expectations of council members and the broader international community.

“If the U.S. was serious about a cease-fire, it wouldn’t have vetoed time and again multiple council resolutions,” he said. “It wouldn’t have taken such a detour and played a game of words while being ambiguous and evasive on critical issues.”

Since the Israel-Hamas war broke out on October 7, 2023, with the surprise attack by Hamas militants against Israel, the council has failed to stop the war or order a humanitarian cease-fire because of the division among the five permanent members.

The US has vetoed three resolutions demanding a cease-fire, with the most recent an Arab-backed measure supported by 13 council members with one abstention on February 20 this year. (By J. Tuyet Nguyen)

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People in 10 countries are the happiest in the world, and it’s not money or material things

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New York, March 20, 2024 – Finland, Denmark, Iceland, Sweden, Israel, Netherlands, Norway, Luxembourg, Switzerland and Australia top the list of 143 countries in the World Happiness Report 2024 and some of them have been there since before the Covid pandemic, particularly the Nordic countries.

Issued on the annual International Day of Happiness, the report showed Finland remaining at the top while Afghanistan ranked last in the list this year.

Following the top 10 are Eastern European countries, Czechia, Lithuania and Slovenia, where the report said happiness is rising. But the United States and Germany have fallen in the rankings.

Other rankings, including developed countries, are: the United Kingdom (20th), the United States (23rd), Germany (24th), France (27th), Singapore (30th), Japan (51st), China (60th), Russia (72nd) and India (126th).

Read World Happiness Report 2024.

Editors of the World Happiness Report said it reflects a “worldwide demand for more attention to happiness and well-being as criteria for government policy” and to review the state of happiness today and to show how the science of happiness explains personal and national variations of happiness.

The report is a partnership of Gallup World Poll, the Oxford Wellbeing Research Centre, the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network, and the report’s Editorial Board.

March 20 each year was proclaimed The International Day of Happiness by the UN General Assembly in 2013 by adopting a resolution sponsored by Bhutan. The UN said Bhutan recognized the value of happiness as the foundation of an inclusive and equitable society, and in 2008 it enshrined Gross National Happiness in the country’s constitution as the primary goal of the government, rather than the pursuit of economic indicators such as Gross National Product.

“Longitudinal studies have shown that happiness can have positive effects on health and life span,” the UN said. “Of course, there are many factors that impact how long we live but having a positive outlook and a general sense of well-being have been linked to longevity. So what will make you happy, according to studies?  It’s not money or material things, at least not in the long run.  Studies have shown that the things that bring lasting happiness include strong relationships, helping others, expressing gratitude and meditating.”

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Electronic Waste Rising Five Times Faster than Documented E-waste Recycling: UN

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A record 62 million tonnes (Mt) of e-waste was produced in 2022, Up 82% from 2010; On track to rise another 32%, to 82 million tonnes, in 2030; Billions of dollars worth of strategically-valuable resources squandered, dumped; Just 1% of rare earth element demand is met by e-waste recycling.

Geneva / Bonn, March 20, 2024 – The world’s generation of electronic waste is rising five times faster than documented e-waste recycling, the UN’s fourth Global E-waste Monitor (GEM) reveals today. The 62 million tonnes of e-waste generated in 2022 would fill 1.55 million 40-tonne trucks, roughly enough trucks to form a bumper-to-bumper line encircling the equator, according to the report from ITU and UNITAR.

Meanwhile, less than one quarter (22.3%) of the year’s e-waste mass was documented as having been properly collected and recycled in 2022, leaving US$ 62 billion worth of recoverable natural resources unaccounted for and increasing pollution risks to communities worldwide.

Read the full Global E-waste Monitor report: www.globalewaste.org

Contacts: Ruediger Kuehr, SCYCLE, UNITAR, +49 228 815 0213/4, ruediger.kuehr@unitar.org – David Hirsch, ITU, +41 22 730 5092; pressinfo@itu.int –Terry Collins, +1 416 878 8712; tc@tca.tc

Worldwide, the annual generation of e-waste is rising by 2.6 million tonnes annually, on track to reach 82 million tonnes by 2030, a further 33% increase from the 2022 figure. E-waste, any discarded product with a plug or battery, is a health and environmental hazard, containing toxic additives or hazardous substances such as mercury, which can damage the human brain and coordination system. The report foresees a drop in the documented collection and recycling rate from 22.3% in 2022 to 20% by 2030 due to the widening difference in recycling efforts relative to the staggering growth of e-waste generation worldwide.

Challenges contributing to the widening gap include technological progress, higher consumption, limited repair options, shorter product life cycles, society’s growing electronification, design shortcomings, and inadequate e-waste management infrastructure. The report underlines that if countries could bring the e-waste collection and recycling rates to 60% by 2030, the benefits – including through minimizing human health risks – would exceed costs by more than US $38 billion. It also notes that the world “remains stunningly dependent” on a few countries for rare earth elements, despite their unique properties crucial for future technologies, including renewable energy generation and e-mobility.

Comments: “Amidst the hopeful embrace of solar panels and electronic equipment to combat the climate crisis and drive digital progress, the surge in e-waste requires urgent attention.” –Nikhil Seth, Executive Director, UNITAR

“From discarded televisions to dumped telephones, an enormous amount of e-waste is generated around the world. The latest research shows that the global challenge posed by e-waste is only going to grow. With less than half of the world implementing and enforcing approaches to manage the problem, this raises the alarm for sound regulations to boost collection and recycling. The Global E-waste Monitor is the world’s foremost source for e-waste data allowing us to track progress overtime and to make critical decisions when it comes to transitioning to a circular economy for electronics” – Cosmas Luckyson Zavazava, Director, ITU Telecommunication Development Bureau

“No more than 1% of demand for essential rare earth elements is met by e-waste recycling. Simply put: Business as usual can’t continue. This new report represents an immediate call for greater investment in infrastructure development, more promotion of repair and reuse, capacity building, and measures to stop illegal e-waste shipments. And the investment would pay for itself in spades.” – Kees Baldé, lead author, UNITAR

“Many in today’s society use multiple computers and phones, an ever-growing number of new appliances, monitors and sensors, e-bikes, e-scooters, clothes, toys, and furniture with embedded electronics, electric tools, and energy-saving equipment such as LEDs, photovoltaics, and heat pumps. Urban and remote areas are increasingly connected to the Internet, and a growing number of data centers cater to the needs of the digital transformation. In the face of all this, concrete steps are urgently needed to address and reduce e-waste. Improved e-waste management could result in a global net positive of US $38 billion, representing a significant economic opportunity while addressing climate change and health impacts.” – Ruediger Kuehr, Senior Manager, Sustainable Cycles (SCYCLE) Programme, UNITAR / Adjunct Professor, University of Limerick (Ireland)

The Global E-waste Monitor shows that we are currently wasting US $91 billion in valuable metals due to insufficient e-waste recycling. We must seize the economic and environmental benefits of proper e-waste management; otherwise, the digital ambitions of our future generations will face significant risks.” – Vanessa Gray, Head, Environment & Emergency Telecommunications Division, ITU Telecommunication Development Bureau

*******

By the numbers: –62 million tonnes: e-waste generated in 2022, equal to the weight of 107,000 of world’s largest (853-seat), heaviest (575 tonne) passenger aircraft – enough to form an unbroken queue from New York to Athens, from Nairobi to Hanoi, or from Hong Kong to Anchorage.

–14 million tonnes (22.3%): estimated mass of e-waste trashed, mostly landfilled, in 2022.

–31 million tonnes: estimated weight of metals embedded in e-waste in 2022, along with 17 million tonnes of plastics and 14 million tonnes of other materials (minerals, glass, composite materials, etc.)

–US $91 billion: The value of metals embedded in 2022 e-waste, including US $19 billion in copper, US $15 billion in gold, and US $16 billion in iron.

–US $28 billion: value of secondary raw materials (mostly iron) reclaimed by “urban mining” of e-waste in 2022

–900 million tonnes: Primary ore extraction avoided by reclaiming materials through documented e-waste recycling

–93 million tonnes: CO2-equivalent emissions avoided by formal e-waste management – recaptured refrigerants (41 million tonnes), avoided metals mining (52 million tonnes).

Recycling rates: 42.8%: Formally documented collection and recycling rates in Europe

<1%: Formally recycled e-waste in African countries. ~50% (30 million tonnes): E-waste generated by Asian countries (of which relatively few have enacted legislation or established clear e-waste collection targets).

–17.6 kg: Per capita e-waste generation in Europe, followed by Oceania (16.1 kg) and the Americas (14.1 kg). These regions also have the highest documented per capita collection and recycling rates (7.5 kg in Europe, 6.7 kg in Oceania and 4.2 kg in the Americas).

–16 million tonnes: e-waste collected and recycled outside of formal systems in high- and upper-middle income countries that have developed e-waste management infrastructure.

–18 million tonnes: e-waste managed mostly by the informal sector in low and lower-middle income countries with no e-waste management infrastructure. Any material values recovered by the informal sector are largely (perhaps more than) offset by extremely high health and environmental costs.

–5.1 million tonnes (8.2% of the global total): e-waste shipped across borders in 2022, of which ~3.3 million tonnes (65%) was shipped from high-income to middle- and low-income countries through uncontrolled, undocumented movements.

E-waste by category, selected examples: —33% (20.4 million tonnes): Proportion of e-waste made up of small devices (e.g. toys, microwave ovens, vacuum cleaners, e-cigarettes), of which 12% are recycled. —4.6 million tonnes: e-waste in the small IT and telecommunication equipment category (e.g. laptops, mobile phones, GPS devices, routers), with only 22% documented collection and recycling rate. —2.4 million tonnes: Expected mass of retired photovoltaic panels in 2030, four times as much as the 600,000 tonnes in 2022.

Among the report’s many observations: Typically, collection and recycling rates are highest for heavier and bulkier equipment categories, such as large devices, temperature exchange equipment, screens and monitors.81 countries had e-waste legislation in 2023, up from 78 in 2019. Of the 81 countries, 67 had a legal instrument governing e-waste management with provisions promoting extended producer responsibility (EPR).

The enforcement of e-waste policy, legislation, and regulation “remains a genuine challenge globally, and the stagnation of the global e-waste collection and recycling rate is likely exacerbated by the fact that only 46 countries have collection rate targets and only 36 have recycling rate targets.”

Selected report infographics (available at https://bit.ly/3wcjfz5).

E-waste at a formal European recycling centre. Credit R. Kuehr, UNITAR. All high-res images at https://bit.ly/3wcjfz5

The Global E-waste Monitor. Since 2014, the Global E-waste Monitor (www.globalwaste.org) has been the world’s foremost source of up-to-date data and reporting on progress in policy, regulation, and offering projections. The 2024 edition is a collaborative product of the Global E-waste Statistics Partnership with support from the Fondation Carmignac.

*****

The UN Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) – As a dedicated training arm of the United Nations System, the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) provides innovative learning solutions to individuals, organizations and institutions to enhance global decision-making and support country-level action for shaping a better future. UNITAR was created in 1963 to train and equip young diplomats from newly independent UN Member States with the knowledge and skills needed to navigate through the diplomatic environment. Over the years, UNITAR has acquired unique expertise and experience in designing and delivering a variety of training and learning activities, benefiting learners mainly from developing countries. With the strategy fully aligned with the 2030 Agenda, we support Governments and other stakeholders to achieve Sustainable Development Goals.

The Bonn, Germany-based Sustainable Cycles (SCYCLE)  Programme, hosted by UNITAR, provides world-class research and action on e-waste. SCYCLE aims to enable societies to reduce the environmental burden caused by the production, consumption and disposal of ubiquitous goods. 

The International Telecommunication Union. itu.int – The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) is the United Nations specialized agency for information and communication technologies (ICTs), driving innovation in ICTs together with 193 Member States and a membership of over 1,000 companies, universities, and international and regional organizations. Established in 1865, it is the intergovernmental body responsible for coordinating the shared global use of the radio spectrum, promoting international cooperation in assigning satellite orbits, improving communication infrastructure in the developing world, and establishing the worldwide standards that foster seamless interconnection of a vast range of communications systems. From broadband networks to cutting-edge wireless technologies, aeronautical and maritime navigation, radio astronomy, oceanographic and satellite-based earth monitoring as well as converging fixed-mobile phone, Internet and broadcasting technologies, ITU is committed to connecting the world.

Fondation Carmignac. fondationcarmignac.com – Fondation Carmignac was founded in 2000 by Edouard Carmignac, a French entrepreneur, CEO and Chairman of asset management company Carmignac. Today, it is structured around three main pillars: the Carmignac Photojournalism Award, which annually funds the production of investigative photo reportage on human rights violations and geo-strategic issues, the Carmignac Collection, which has over 300 works of contemporary art, and Villa Carmignac, an art venue offering annual exhibitions and a rich cultural programme in a 2000-square-meter gallery set in a 15-hectare estate at the heart of a protected site on Porquerolles island.

Contacts:

Ruediger Kuehr, SCYCLE, UNITAR, +49 228 815 0213/4, ruediger.kuehr@unitar.org

David Hirsch, ITU, +41 22 730 5092; pressinfo@itu.int

Terry Collins & Assoc. | www.tca.tc | @TerryCollinsTC | LinkedIn.com/in/terrycollins, Toronto, M6R1L8 Canada

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UN warns of man-made famine in Gaza affecting more than 1.1 million people

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New York, March 18, 2024 – Acute food insecurity is threatening groups of population in some countries but in Gaza, where the Israel-Hamas war is ongoing, famine could be imminent for more than half of the entire population 2.3 million, said a new study headed by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).

FAO said in the new publication Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC), a global partnership of 15 organizations that include governments, non-governmental organizations and UN agencies, that 1.1 million people in Gaza are projected to face catastrophic levels of food insecurity between March and July 2024, up from 378,000 in December 2023.

It said nutrition screenings conducted in February show acute malnutrition rates among children in northern Gaza and Rafah have nearly doubled since January.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres called for action to prevent famine in Gaza, saying, “Palestinians in Gaza are enduring horrifying levels of hunger and suffering.

This is the highest number of people facing catastrophic hunger ever recorded by the Integrated Food Security Classification system –anywhere, anytime.”

“This is an entirely man-made disaster — and the report (IPC) makes clear that it can be halted,” he said and called for “an immediate humanitarian ceasefire.”

“I call on the Israeli authorities to ensure complete and unfettered access for humanitarian goods throughout Gaza and for the international community to fully support our humanitarian efforts. We must act now to prevent the unthinkable, the unacceptable and the unjustifiable.”

In addition to the acute food insecurity in Gaza, IPC reported similar situations in some periods this year in Haiti, Timor Leste and Somalia.

FAO said the main goal of the IPC is to provide decision-makers with a “rigorous, evidence- and consensus-based analysis of food insecurity and acute malnutrition situations, to inform emergency responses as well as medium- and long-term policy and programming.” It the IPC was originally developed in 2004 to be used in Somalia by FAO’s Food Security and Nutrition Analysis Unit (FSNAU). “Since then, a global partnership of 15 organizations is leading the development and implementation of the IPC at global, regional and country level. With over 10 years of application, the IPC has proved to be one of the best practices in the global food security field, and a model of collaboration in over 30 countries in Latin America, Africa and Asia.”

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UN warns of man-made famine in Gaza affecting more than 1.1 million people

New York, March 18, 2024 – Acute food insecurity is threatening groups of population in many countries but in Gaza, where the Israel-Hamas war is ongoing, famine could be imminent for more than half of the entire population 2.3 million, said a new study headed by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).

FAO said in the new publication Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC), a global partnership of 15 organizations that include governments, non-governmental organizations and UN agencies, that 1.1 million people in Gaza are projected to face catastrophic levels of food insecurity between March and July 2024, up from 378,000 in December 2023.

It said nutrition screenings conducted in February show acute malnutrition rates among children in northern Gaza and Rafah have nearly doubled since January.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres called for action to prevent famine in Gaza, saying, “Palestinians in Gaza are enduring horrifying levels of hunger and suffering.

This is the highest number of people facing catastrophic hunger ever recorded by the Integrated Food Security Classification system –anywhere, anytime.”

“This is an entirely man-made disaster — and the report (IPC) makes clear that it can be halted,” he said and called for “an immediate humanitarian ceasefire.”

“I call on the Israeli authorities to ensure complete and unfettered access for humanitarian goods throughout Gaza and for the international community to fully support our humanitarian efforts. We must act now to prevent the unthinkable, the unacceptable and the unjustifiable.”

In addition to the acute food insecurity in Gaza, IPC reported similar situations in some periods this year in Haiti, Timor Leste and Somalia.

FAO said the main goal of the IPC is to provide decision-makers with a “rigorous, evidence- and consensus-based analysis of food insecurity and acute malnutrition situations, to inform emergency responses as well as medium- and long-term policy and programming.” It the IPC was originally developed in 2004 to be used in Somalia by FAO’s Food Security and Nutrition Analysis Unit (FSNAU). “Since then, a global partnership of 15 organizations is leading the development and implementation of the IPC at global, regional and country level. With over 10 years of application, the IPC has proved to be one of the best practices in the global food security field, and a model of collaboration in over 30 countries in Latin America, Africa and Asia.”

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Rich countries attain record human development, but half of the poorest have gone backwards: UN

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A new report issued by the UN Development Program says all 38 countries of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) have achieved higher human development while more than half of the 35 least developed countries (LDCs) have declined in the last three years. This uneven progress in human development between rich and poor has widened inequality and inflamed political polarization. Following is a press release from UNDP.

New York, 13 March 2024 – Uneven development progress is leaving the poorest behind, exacerbating inequality, and stoking political polarization on a global scale. The result is a dangerous gridlock that must be urgently tackled through collective action, according to a new report released today by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP).

The 2023/24 Human Development Report (HDR), titled “Breaking the Gridlock: Reimagining cooperation in a polarized world”, reveals a troubling trend: the rebound in the global Human Development Index (HDI) – a summary measure reflecting a country’s Gross National Income (GNI) per capita, education, and life expectancy – has been partial, incomplete, and unequal.

Read the full report https://hdr.undp.org/human-development-report-2023-24

The HDI is projected to reach record highs in 2023 after steep declines during 2020 and 2021. But this progress is deeply uneven. Rich countries are experiencing record-high levels of human development while half of the world’s poorest countries remain below their pre-crisis level of progress.

Global inequalities are compounded by substantial economic concentration. As referenced in the report, almost 40 percent of global trade in goods is concentrated in three or fewer countries; and in 2021 the market capitalization of each of the three largest tech companies in the world surpassed the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of more than 90 percent of countries that year.

“The widening human development gap revealed by the report shows that the two-decade trend of steadily reducing inequalities between wealthy and poor nations is now in reverse. Despite our deeply interconnected global societies, we are falling short. We must leverage our interdependence as well as our capacities to address our shared and existential challenges and ensure people’s aspirations are met,” said Achim Steiner, head of the UN Development Program.

 “This gridlock carries a significant human toll. The failure of collective action to advance action on climate change, digitalization or poverty and inequality not only hinders human development but also worsens polarization and further erodes trust in people and institutions worldwide.”

The report argues that advancing international collective action is hindered by an emerging ‘democracy paradox’: while 9 in 10 people worldwide endorse democracy, over half of global survey respondents express support for leaders that may undermine it by bypassing fundamental rules of the democratic process, as per data analyzed in the report. Half of people surveyed worldwide report having no or limited control over their lives, and over two-thirds believe they have little influence on their government’s decisions.

Political polarization is also a growing concern with global repercussions. Along with a sense of powerlessness, report authors say, it is fueling inward-turning policy approaches – starkly at odds with the global cooperation needed to address urgent issues like the decarbonization of our economies, misuse of digital technologies, and conflict. This is particularly alarming in light of 2023’s record-breaking temperatures, which emphasize the immediate need for united action to tackle the climate crisis, or in the advent of artificial intelligence as a new and fast-evolving technological frontier with little or no regulatory guard rails.

The report highlights that deglobalization is neither feasible nor realistic in today’s world and that economic interdependence remains high. It points out that no region is close to self-sufficiency, as all rely on imports from other regions of 25 percent or more of at least one major type of goods and services.

“In a world marked by increasing polarization and division, neglecting to invest in each other poses a serious threat to our wellbeing and security. Protectionist approaches cannot address the complex, interconnected challenges we face, including pandemic prevention, climate change, and digital regulation,” Steiner added. “Our problems are intertwined, requiring equally interconnected solutions. By adopting an opportunity-driven agenda that emphasizes the benefits of the energy transition and of artificial intelligence for human development, we have a chance to break through the current deadlock and reignite a commitment to a shared future.”

The report emphasizes how global interdependence is being reconfigured and calls for a new generation of global public goods. It proposes four areas for immediate action:

–        planetary public goods, for climate stability, as we confront the unprecedented challenges of the Anthropocene;

–        digital global public goods, for greater equity in harnessing new technologies for equitable human development;

–        new and expanded financial mechanisms, including a novel track in international cooperation that complements humanitarian assistance and traditional development aid to low-income countries; and

–        dialling down political polarization through new governance approaches focused on enhancing people’s voices in deliberation and tackling misinformation.

In this context, multilateralism plays a fundamental role, the report argues, because bilateral engagements are not able to address the irreducibly planetary nature of the provision of global public goods.

More key data from the report:

•       In 2023, all 38 countries that are members of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) achieved higher Human Development Index (HDI) scores compared to their levels in 2019.

•       Among the 35 least developed countries (LDCs) that experienced a decline in their HDI in 2020 and/or 2021, more than half (18 countries) have not yet recovered to their human development levels of 2019.

•       All developing regions have not met their anticipated HDI levels based on the trend before 2019. It appears they have shifted to a lower HDI trajectory, indicating potential permanent setbacks in future human development progress.

•       The impact of human development losses is in sharp focus in Afghanistan and Ukraine. Afghanistan’s HDI has been knocked back by a staggering ten years, while Ukraine’s HDI dropped to its lowest level since 2004.

•       The report cites research indicating that countries with populist governments have lower GDP-growth rates. Fifteen years after a populist government assumes office, the GDP per capita is found to be 10 percent lower than it might under a non-populist government scenario.

Read the full report https://hdr.undp.org/human-development-report-2023-24

Media contacts:

For more information or to request an interview, contact:

In New York City: stanislav.saling@undp.org +1 347 653 1980 or victor.garrido.delgado@undp.org +1 917 995 1687

In Geneva: sarah.bel@undp.org +41 79 934 11 17

About UNDP

UNDP is the leading United Nations organization fighting to end the injustice of poverty, inequality, and climate change. Working with our broad network of experts and partners in 170 countries, we help nations to build integrated, lasting solutions for people and the planet. Learn more at undp.org or follow at @UNDP.

About the Human Development Report Office

The mission of the Human Development Report Office (HDRO) is to advance human development. The goal is to contribute towards the expansion of opportunities, choice, and freedom. The office works towards this goal by promoting innovative new ideas, advocating practical policy changes, and constructively challenging policies and approaches that constrain human development. The office works with others to achieve change through writing and research, data analysis and presentation, support to national and regional analysis and outreach and advocacy work.

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UPDATE: UN blasts Russia as Ukraine war enters third year, calling it “an open wound at the heart of Europe”

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New York, February 23, 2024 – United Nations leaders delivered strong criticisms of Russia at meetings of both the UN General Assembly and Security Council convened to discuss the war in Ukraine as it enters a third year.

“The United Nations Charter and international law are our guide to creating a world free from the scourge of war,” UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres told the 15-nation Security Council. “Yet Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine directly violated both. Two years on – and a decade since Russia’s attempted illegal annexation of Ukraine’s Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol – the war in Ukraine remains an open wound at the heart of Europe.”

“It is high time for peace – a just peace, based on the United Nations Charter, international law and General Assembly resolutions,” he said.

Guterres said the world is currently “at a chaotic moment” in the wake of the Cold War and a period of unipolarity. “We are now making a turbulent transition to an as-yet uncertain multipolar world. Power relations are unclear, creating a sense of instability and impunity.”

He said the Russian invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022 has set a “dangerous precedent” because it violated international law and principles set out in the UN Charter.

“In any war, everyone suffers. But the people of Ukraine are suffering appallingly from the war inflicted on them by Russia.”

“The war is also hurting the people of Russia,” Guterres said. “Thousands of young Russians are dying on the frontlines. Civilians hit by strikes on Russian cities are also suffering. The danger of the conflict escalating and expanding is very real.

And around the world, the war is deepening geopolitical divides.”

At the meeting of the UN General Assembly, which comprises 193 nations, Dennis Francis, its president, said member states cannot remain blind to the ongoing war or ignore the plight of the Ukrainian people.

The war “is actively undermining the very foundations of our UN Charter – threatening the principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity we all committed to hold dear and to defend,” Francis said.

“While the Security Council may be paralyzed by division, let us draw strength from the collective voice of the General Assembly – which has pronounced itself twice condemning the aggression and demanding the immediate, complete and unconditional withdrawal of Russian military forces from the territory of Ukraine, within its internationally recognized borders,” he said.

“Beyond condemnations, we, the United Nations, must actively work towards a comprehensive, just and sustainable peace in line with the Charter of this organization.” (By J. Tuyet Nguyen)

Ukraine war two years on: destruction and displacement – 14.6 million people need humanitarian assistance this year

Oslo/New York, February 21, 2024 – The Russian military invaded Ukraine two years ago on February 24 and the escalating war has inflicted a devastating impact on the country and the population. The Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) said new data from a survey it conducted with over 1,000 participants across Ukraine has revealed that 64 per cent of respondents in areas under Russian occupation reported that they are unable to meet their basic needs like food, water and shelter. Almost half (47 per cent) of people surveyed in the east and south of Ukraine report their houses have been damaged or destroyed and 83 per cent of respondents across the country report that they fear for their lives and others around them, or do not feel safe. The following is a press release from the NRC.

Read New data from a survey conducted by the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) with over 1,000 participants across Ukraine. The survey revealed the devastating impacts of the escalation of the war, two years on. The survey which covered topics related to displacement, access to services and the ability of Ukrainians to meet their basic needs, paints a complex picture of a population, particularly those in the east and south, who have been pushed to the limit to survive.

Anjela, 44, from Mykolaiv, and her family have been displaced for almost two years after their house was destroyed.

“We decided to be the first ones to flee the village. We simply took a blanket and tore it into pieces to make white flags. We walked 15 kilometres under the shelling, one after another. We were afraid of being shot so we needed to run fast,” she said. On top of having to flee, in April 2022, Anjela was dealt the devastating blow when her father, who had stayed behind in their home village to look after his parents was killed by a missile.

“People who were still in the village at that time pulled him out from under the rubble, it was all under fire…he did not have half his head. My father was buried, covered in a blanket. He was 65 years old. It’s good that people buried him and put the cross, so at least we knew where his body was. Others did not have this chance.”

Anjela told NRC that it wasn’t until one year later that they were able to have her father’s body exhumed and give him a proper burial in a village near where she and her family are now displaced. She told NRC that he could not be buried in their home village as the local cemetery was now contaminated with mines.

Anjela’s story highlights that in addition to prolonged displacement and the destruction of their homes, many families are also dealing with tragic loss and trauma as the war rages on.

A sobering 37 per cent of respondents to the survey reported that they had lost an immediate or extended family member in the last 24 months.

Data from the report also points to the potential conditions for Ukrainians living in areas of Ukraine currently under Russian occupation. 64 per cent of respondents believed to be in areas under Russian occupation reported that they are unable to meet their basic needs at all, meaning they are struggling to find food, water and shelter. 

The level of humanitarian needs in Ukraine remains high. Last year just over two-thirds of the funding needed was covered. This year it is expected that 14.6 million people in Ukraine will need humanitarian assistance.

Two years on, the suffering in Ukraine is becoming a protracted crisis, as people exhaust their resources and struggle to cope. “The daily reality for millions of Ukrainians is living under the constant threat of shelling and death,” said Jan Egeland, secretary general of NRC “It is essential that civilians caught up in conflict are protected, and are able to access lifesaving aid. We have a right – and a duty – to ensure the provision of assistance to civilians, no matter where they are.”  

“Humanitarian organisations must be given immediate access to those civilians living in Russian occupied areas,” said Egeland. “Member states must do everything in their power to ensure respect for international humanitarian law in Ukraine, while donor nations must revamp their efforts to ensure continued humanitarian assistance for millions of Ukrainians still desperately in need of aid. The world must not forget Ukraine.” 

Notes: Between January and February 2024, NRC and research company Upinion conducted an online survey with conflict affected persons in Ukraine, with a special focus on frontline areas in the east (Dnipro, Kharkiv, Luhansk, Donetsk, Zaporizhia) and south (Odesa, Mykolaiv, Kirovohrad, Kherson, Crimea), and with a focus on elderly people.  

A total of 1,090 respondents engaged with the online survey, 80 per cent of whom were women. 

The majority of respondents in Ukraine fell within the age range of 46 to 69 (54 per cent), while smaller proportions belonged to younger age categories (31 per cent) or were older than 70 (15 per cent). 

In addition to the online outreach, Upinion and NRC undertook active efforts to reach elderly respondents. 

Last year just over two-thirds of the funding needed to cover the UN and partners Humanitarian Response Plan for Ukraine was covered, according to Financial Tracking Service. This year it is expected that 14.6 million people in Ukraine will need humanitarian assistance, according to UNOCHA.

NRC has been active in Ukraine since 2014, expanding its efforts after the conflict intensified in February 2022. NRC provided life-saving assistance to just under 500,000 people in Ukraine in 2023 through offices in Lviv, Dnipro, Kyiv, and Odesa, and field offices in Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhia, Mykolaiv, Ternopil, Chernihiv.

Read the full report here. Media contact: Becky Bakr Vindheim, Head of Nordic Advocacy & Media. Advocacy and Media Section, Head Office – Phone: +47 41613766 | Twitter: @BeckyBakr – Norwegian Refugee Council

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Humanitarian agencies urge immediate ceasefire in Gaza to avoid catastrophe as civilians are in extreme peril

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Statement by Principals of the Inter-Agency Standing Committee

New York/Geneva/Rome, 21 February 2024 – In the less than five months that followed the brutal 7 October attacks and the ensuing escalation, tens of thousands of Palestinians – mostly women and children – have been killed and injured in the Gaza Strip. More than three quarters of the population have been forced from their homes, many multiple times, and face severe shortages of food, water, sanitation and healthcare – the basic necessities to survive.

The health system continues to be systematically degraded, with catastrophic consequences. As of 19 February, only 12 out of 36 hospitals with inpatient capacity are still functioning, and only partially. There have been more than 370 attacks on health care in Gaza since 7 October.

Diseases are rampant. Famine is looming. Water is at a trickle. Basic infrastructure has been decimated. Food production has come to a halt. Hospitals have turned into battlefields. One million children face daily traumas.

Rafah, the latest destination for well over 1 million displaced, hungry and traumatized people crammed into a small sliver of land, has become another battleground in this brutal conflict. Further escalation of violence in this densely populated area would cause mass casualties. It could also deal a death blow to a humanitarian response that is already on its knees.

There is no safe place in Gaza – Humanitarian workers, themselves displaced and facing shelling, death, movement restrictions and a breakdown of civil order, continue efforts to deliver to those in need. But faced with so many obstacles – including safety and movement restrictions – they can only do so much.

No amount of humanitarian response will make up for the months of deprivation that families in Gaza have endured. This is our effort to salvage the humanitarian operation so that we can provide, at the very least, the bare essentials: medicine, drinking water, food, and shelter as temperatures plummet.

For this, we need: (1) An immediate ceasefire; (2) Civilians and the infrastructure they rely on to be protected, (3) The hostages to be released immediately; (4) Reliable entry points that would allow us to bring aid in from all possible crossings, including to northern Gaza, (5) Security assurances and unimpeded passage to distribute aid, at scale, across Gaza, with no denials, delays and access impediments, (6)  A functioning humanitarian notification system that allows all humanitarian staff and supplies to move within Gaza and deliver aid safely, (7) Roads to be passable and neighborhoods to be cleared of explosive ordnance and (8) A stable communication network that allows humanitarians to move safely and securely; (9) UNRWA, the backbone of the humanitarian operations in Gaza, to receive the resources it needs to provide life-saving assistance; (10) A halt to campaigns that seek to discredit the United Nations and non-governmental organizations doing their best to save lives. 

Humanitarian agencies remain committed, despite the risks. But they cannot be left to pick up the pieces. We are calling on Israel to fulfil its legal obligation, under international humanitarian and human rights law, to provide food and medical supplies and facilitate aid operations, and on the world’s leaders to prevent an even worse catastrophe from happening.

Signatories:

Mr. Martin Griffiths, Emergency Relief Coordinator and Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA)

Ms. Sofia Sprechmann Sineiro, Secretary General, CARE International

Dr. Qu Dongyu, Director-General, Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)

Ms. Jane Backhurst, Chair, ICVA (Christian Aid)

Mr. Jamie Munn, Executive Director, International Council of Voluntary Agencies (ICVA)

Mr. Tom Hart, Chief Executive Officer and President, InterAction

Ms. Amy E. Pope, Director General, International Organization for Migration (IOM)

Ms. Tjada D’Oyen McKenna, Chief Executive Officer, Mercy Corps

Mr. Volker Türk, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR)

Ms. Janti Soeripto, President and Chief Executive Officer, Save the Children

Ms. Paula Gaviria Betancur, United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Human Rights of Internally Displaced Persons (SR on HR of IDPs)

Mr. Achim Steiner, Administrator, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)

Dr. Natalia Kanem, Executive Director, United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA)

Mr. Filippo Grandi, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)

Mr. Michal Mlynár, Executive Director a.i., United Nations Human Settlement Programme (UN-Habitat)

Ms. Catherine Russell, Executive Director, UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF)

Ms. Sima Bahous, Under-Secretary-General and Executive Director, UN Women

Ms. Cindy McCain, Executive Director, World Food Programme (WFP)

Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General, World Health Organization (WHO)

US vetoes resolution that called for a cease-fire in the Israel-Hamas war – The UN Security Council met on February 20 and voted on a draft resolution proposed by Algeria on behalf of the 22-nation Arab Group. The draft called for a humanitarian ceasefire and unhindered humanitarian access throughout Gaza. It also condemned “all acts of terrorism” and called on the council to demand that Israel and Hamas “scrupulously comply” with international law, especially the protection of civilians.

Thirteen of the 15-nation council voted in favor of the draft resolution, but the United States cast a veto which effectively canceled the positive votes. The United Kingdom abstained. It was the third time that the U.S. vetoed a resolution that demanded a ceasefire in the war that broke out between Israel and militants Hamas last October 7. Under council voting rules, a draft resolution can be adopted with nine votes provided there is no veto from any of the five permanent council members – the US, Russia, UK, France and China.

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The San Francisco Conference in the spring of 1945, taking place while World War II was ending, resulted in the creation of the United Nations. The journalists excelled in their coverage of the historic event. They were the first United Nations correspondents. They continue today the task of reporting on UN activities around the world.

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