Food aid for residents of Zamzam camp in North Darfur. Top stories of the day | Tuesday: Syria, Sudan, bird flu, Mozambique UN
Top stories of the day in the UN and around the world: Security Council meeting on the situation in Syria, expansion of humanitarian aid in Sudan, 76 cases of human infection with bird flu, tropical cyclone “Chido”.
Situation in Syria
UN Special Envoy for Syria Geir Pedersen addressed the UN Security Council today from Damascus, where he is visiting for the first time since taking up his post. In his speech, Pedersen drew attention to the historic moment Syria is experiencing following the fall of a regime that had ruled for more than half a century, and described the opportunities that are opening up and the risks that remain. Pedersen noted that “the new reality in Syria belongs to the Syrians themselves,” and expressed hope that “the country has a chance to move toward peace, economic stability and justice.” The Special Envoy highlighted three main challenges: the ongoing conflict, economic hardship and political transition.
Humanitarian Aid in Sudan
The UN World Food Programme (WFP) has delivered life-saving assistance to more than 800,000 people in areas of Sudan suffering from famine or at risk of famine, as part of a major increase in food support. In October alone, WFP assisted 2.8 million people across the country, the highest number since the conflict began in April 2023. The operation has reached camps for displaced people in North and South Darfur, as well as North Kordofan and other areas where people are suffering from food insecurity.
Bird Flu Virus
In 2024, there were 76 human cases of H5 bird flu viruses, most of them among farm workers. Of those cases, 61 were in the United States, where outbreaks have also been reported in wild birds, poultry and dairy cattle, Maria Van Kerkhove of the World Health Organization (WHO) said at a briefing in Geneva. In the past three years, bird flu cases have been reported in 108 countries and territories on five continents, according to the World Organisation for Animal Health. Available information does not yet indicate that these viruses are transmissible from person to person, but the situation can change quickly.
Cyclone Chido
Tropical Cyclone Chido, which made landfall in northern Mozambique over the weekend, displaced thousands of people in the provinces of Cabo Delgado and Nampula. The storm has severely damaged roads and communications infrastructure, hampering relief efforts in the affected areas, which were already home to large numbers of displaced people. The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) is working with the Government and humanitarian partners to provide assistance. It is estimated that some 190,000 people are in urgent need of support. According to UNICEF, more than 35,000 homes were damaged or destroyed in the province of Cabo Delgado, and more than 90,000 children were affected.