Destruction from airstrikes in Idlib, northeast Syria. Top stories of the day | Friday: Syria, Lebanon, Future Summit, monkeypox UN
Top stories in the UN and around the world: humanitarian situation in Syria, deadly pager explosions in the Middle East, Future Summit – Days of Action, monkeypox outbreak in several African countries.
Humanitarian situation in Syria
The UN and its partners continue to do everything possible to support the people of Syria. Every month, 4.4 million Syrians receive aid, while more than 10 million people need it. This is due to an acute shortage of funding. Thus, three months remain until the end of the year, and the UN has received only 26 percent of the amount requested for aid to Syrians in 2024. This was stated by the representative of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) Ramesh Rajasingham to the members of the Security Council. UN Special Envoy for Syria Geir Pedersen called on the conflicting parties to intensify the political process, recalling that this is necessary to achieve peace in Syria.
Explosions in Lebanon and Syria
The UN Security Council also discussed the situation surrounding the explosions of electronic devices in Lebanon and Syria today. The attacks on September 17 and 18 reportedly killed more than 30 people and injured more than 3,250, some seriously. Among the dead were children and medical personnel. The UN condemns the attacks, noting their horrific impact on civilians, and calls for a thorough investigation to bring those responsible to justice. The Security Council meeting was convened at the initiative of Algeria, following a request from Lebanon. Speakers include the UN Under-Secretary for Political Affairs and the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights.
Monkeypox in Several African Countries
The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has launched an urgent appeal for nearly $59 million to support efforts to stop the rapid spread of monkeypox in six African countries, including Burundi. Two-thirds of the cases reported in Burundi are children under 19, and the situation is rapidly deteriorating, with infections increasing by more than 40 percent in the past three weeks. A UNICEF representative stressed that with funding and swift action, Burundi has the potential to end the current outbreak very quickly, as the disease is limited in its geographic area. In the neighboring Democratic Republic of the Congo, almost 22,000 suspected cases of the disease have been recorded, 717 infected people have died.
Future Summit: Days of Practical Action
The so-called Days of Practical Action, which are being held as part of the Future Summit, began on Friday at UN Headquarters. Representatives of young people, UN Member States, civil society and experts are taking part in the events. During numerous meetings and plenary sessions, they exchange views on pressing issues of our time, including the main one – a peaceful and sustainable future for all the inhabitants of the planet. Youth activists were given the opportunity to share their thoughts with the UN Secretary-General during an interactive dialogue that took place today in the General Assembly Hall.