WFP provides food to people in Lebanon. Top news of the day | Thursday: Ukraine, Middle East, Georgia UN
Top news of the day in the UN and around the world: dozens of people injured in Russian attack on Zaporizhia, conditions for positive change in the Middle East, says assistant to Secretary General, almost a third of Lebanon’s population is experiencing food shortages, WHO recognizes Georgia as a country free of malaria.
Attack on Zaporizhia
As a result of the Russian attack on Zaporizhia last night, dozens of people were injured, residential buildings were destroyed and damaged, representatives of UN humanitarian agencies reported. Critical civilian infrastructure was also damaged, leaving more than 20 thousand people without heat and electricity. At the same time, the air temperature in Zaporizhia is now just above zero degrees, and sometimes drops below zero. UN humanitarian agencies and their partners immediately mobilized to provide first aid to the population
Situation in the Middle East
The situation in the Middle East remains volatile, but the ceasefire in Gaza, the end of hostilities in Lebanon and the events in Syria are creating conditions for positive changes in the region, said Khaled Khiari, Assistant Secretary-General for the Middle East, Asia and the Pacific, speaking to the Security Council on Thursday. The meeting was convened by Algeria, which holds the presidency of the Security Council in January, and was devoted to UN cooperation with the League of Arab States.
Famine in Lebanon
Nearly a third of Lebanon’s population faces acute food shortages following the escalation of hostilities in late 2024. This is stated in a report prepared by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the World Food Programme (WFP) and the Ministry of Agriculture of Lebanon. For almost 2 million people in Lebanon, the food situation has worsened sharply compared to the beginning of 2024, the UN agencies specify and call on the international community to support the restoration of the country’s agricultural sector.
Victory over malaria in Georgia
The World Health Organization has recognized Georgia as a malaria-free country. Thus, today Georgia joined 45 countries and one territory that have reached this milestone earlier. A certificate of malaria elimination is issued by WHO when a country can prove that the chain of transmission has been interrupted throughout its territory and that no new cases have been reported for at least three consecutive years. Turkey is the only country in the WHO European Region that has not yet undergone the certification process.