Residents of Gaza receive UN food aid. Top news of the day | Thursday: Haiti, Gaza, Strait of Hormuz, English and Spanish UN
The main news of the day in the UN and in the world: the Security Council discussed the situation in Haiti, reports of airstrikes and civilian deaths continue to come from Gaza, the crisis in the Strait of Hormuz leads to a shortage of critical raw materials, the UN celebrates English Day and Spanish Language Day.
The situation in Haiti
Speaking at a meeting of the UN Security Council, the Special Representative of the Secretary General for Haiti, Carlos Ruiz Massieu, said that constitutional order in the country can only be restored through holding elections. Many Haitians agree, he said. The UN Political Mission supports national efforts in this direction and coordinates international assistance related to ensuring an inclusive electoral process. However, he stressed that without a tangible improvement in the security situation, progress could be undermined.
Security in Gaza
Data continue to come from Gaza about airstrikes and shelling of residential areas. The day before, UN staff received reports of the death of children in the north of the enclave, where a strike hit one of the tents in which people left homeless live. As for humanitarian assistance, the UN and its partners continue to deliver food, including to hard-to-reach areas. Yet, as the World Food Program warns, one in five families in Gaza eats only one meal a day. The Strait caused by the war in the Middle East has led to shortages of critical minerals on which economies around the world depend. Currently, enterprises are using existing reserves and increasing production in other regions. However, as the UN Economic Commission for Europe notes, if the conflict continues, shortages of key minerals “will become obvious.” This will force industrial enterprises to reduce production volumes and lead to problems in a number of industries, including in the field of renewable energy and digital technologies.
English Day and Spanish Language Day
The UN is celebrating two international linguistic days today – English Day and Spanish Language Day. Both dates are associated with 1616. William Shakespeare died on April 23. By the way, he was also born on April 23 – in 1564. A Spanish Language Day is dedicated to the death of the writer Miguel Cervantes, who died on April 22, 1616.