The head of the UN Mission in the DRC, Bintu Keita, awards a medal to a peacekeeper from China who completed his work in the province of South Kivu. Top news of the day | Wednesday: Gaza, DRC, migrants, childhood obesity and COVID-19 UN
The main news of the day in the UN and in the world: the delivery of aid in Gaza is difficult, UN peacekeepers left the province of South Kivu in the DRC, 50 migrants died and went missing in the Atlantic Ocean, the connection between childhood obesity and the pandemic  ;COVID-19.
Gaza War
The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said Israeli authorities had blocked or excessively impeded three-quarters of all UN-coordinated missions to areas of need in Gaza. Representatives of the UN agency for Palestinian affairs (UNRWA) noted that since the beginning of the war, there have been more than 360 attacks on UNRWA installations. As a result, tens of thousands of people were killed and injured, and critical infrastructure was damaged, including the UNRWA water well in the city of Khan Yunis. According to the agency, in order to restore this valuable water source, tons of debris, which contains many hazardous materials, will need to be cleared.
UN Mission in the DRC
The peacekeeping mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) concluded its activities in South Kivu province in accordance with Security Council resolution 2717 adopted last December. From 1 May, the Mission’s presence will be limited to the provinces of North Kivu and Ituri. Since 2003, more than 100 thousand “blue helmets” have served in South Kivu at various times. In her statement, the head of the Mission, Bintu Keita, stressed that the responsibility for protecting the population of the province now lies with the Congolese defense and security forces. UN agencies, funds and programs will continue their work in the field of humanitarian assistance and development. The UN plans to finally withdraw its mission from the DRC by the end of 2024.
Deaths of migrants
The United Nations Refugee Agency and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) on Wednesday deplored another tragedy in the Atlantic Ocean that has reportedly left at least 50 people dead or missing . They were trying to get to the Canary Islands. The UN emphasizes that safe and systematic routes must be available for refugees. The World Migration Report will be published on May 7, providing a comprehensive analysis of global and regional data.
Obesity and COVID-19
The COVID-19 pandemic has led to an increase in the number of school-age children with obesity. This is stated in a new report from the World Health Organization (WHO). The study, which was conducted in 17 countries in the WHO European Region, confirms an increase in the number of overweight children aged 7 to 9 years. This is due to the fact that during the pandemic, children spent more time in front of computer screens and other devices and were less physically active, WHO experts report. Additionally, according to the study, 42 percent of children surveyed felt less happy.