More than 280,000 people have been forced to flee their homes in northwest Syria. Daily Top Stories | Friday: Middle East, Yemen, South Africa, Debt Crisis UN
The main news of the day in the UN and in the world: people are leaving their homes en masse in northwest Syria, the head of the UN has again called for the immediate release of UN employees detained by the Houthis in Yemen, the UN has created a group of experts to combat the global debt crisis, the Secretary-General will go to South Africa.
Mass displacement of Syrians
More than 280,000 people have been forced to flee their homes in northwestern Syria in recent days as opposition forces led by fighters from the terrorist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham have launched a major offensive on government-held areas. Speaking at a briefing in Geneva, Samer Abdel-Jaber, a representative of the UN World Food Programme (WFP), warned that about 1.5 million people could be displaced from their homes in Syria and would need support from humanitarian organizations. He noted that three border crossings with Turkey have not closed and aid continues to flow to northwestern Syria, including Aleppo.
Aid workers detained in Yemen
The UN Secretary-General has called for the immediate and unconditional release of more than 50 humanitarian workers, including UN and NGO staff, held by the Houthis in Yemen. The Secretary-General noted that two NGO representatives and one UN staff member had recently been released. António Guterres stressed that dozens of people remain held by the Houthis in violation of international law. The UN and its partners are using all possible channels to secure the release of those detained.
Group of Experts on Tackling the Debt Crisis
The UN has established a group of experts to develop practical policy solutions to address the global debt crisis. The group’s work will form the basis for the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development, which will be held from 30 June to 3 July 2025 in Seville, Spain. Dozens of developing countries are facing an unprecedented debt crisis that threatens their economic stability and development. At the same time, as the UN emphasizes, the measures taken by the international community to date are insufficient.
UN Chief to Travel to South Africa
The UN Secretary-General will travel to South Africa and Lesotho next week. In South Africa, he will meet with the country’s leadership and discuss global and regional issues, but first and foremost, South Africa’s presidency of the G20. South Africa became the first African country to assume leadership of the G20, which will help advance Africa’s interests. Then the UN chief will travel to Lesotho. The visit to this country is symbolic, as it has suffered significantly from the effects of climate change, for which developed countries are the main culprits.