People flee their homes due to flooding in South Sudan. Top news of the day | Friday: UN Day, Ukraine, South Sudan, trade UN
The main news of the day in the UN and in the world: United Nations Day, civilians in Ukraine were again injured as a result of attacks, devastating floods in South Sudan, the 16th UN Conference on Trade and Development ended.
UN Day
Today is United Nations Day. On this occasion, Secretary-General Antonio Guterres addressed the UN Security Council via video link from Hanoi with a call for urgent reform of the Security Council, which, according to him, “defined the course of history” and “prevented the chaos of a major war,” but is now in dire need of change. In his speech, the UN head paid special attention to the need to expand the number of permanent members of the Security Council. Antonio Guterres also supported the initiatives of France and Great Britain to limit the use of the veto and called on the Security Council to “carefully study them.”
Strikes on Ukraine
According to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, Ukrainian civilians have again been injured in attacks in the past 24 hours. According to authorities, massive air strikes were recorded in more than 30 settlements in the Kherson region. Humanitarian agencies warn that as the cold weather sets in, power outages and damage to homes are making the plight of civilians even more dire. The UN continues to facilitate evacuation from the front-line areas of the Kharkov region. With support from the Ukraine Humanitarian Fund, partner organizations are providing transportation, psychosocial and rehabilitation assistance.
South Sudan floods
Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs warns, nearly 1 million people have been affected by devastating floods in South Sudan. About 335 thousand people were forced to leave their homes. Last week, the World Health Organization reported more than 104,000 malaria cases, including 16 deaths, across the country. South Sudan is suffering from ongoing conflict and severe food shortages, and flooding is exacerbating an already dire humanitarian situation.
Trade and Development
The 16th Conference concluded in Geneva UN Trade and Development. The event was attended by representatives of 170 countries, which is a record in the entire 60-year history of the Conference. Delegates agreed to a declaration called the Geneva Consensus, reaffirming the UN agency’s central role in promoting multilateral cooperation. World leaders have committed to reforming global systems for more equitable development.