A student at a school in Port-au-Prince holds a poster that says “peace”. Top news of the day | Wednesday: Gaza, Haiti, Assange, Biodiversity Day UN
The main news of the day in the UN and in the world: the desperate humanitarian situation in Gaza, access to medical care in Haiti, UN expert on the case of Julian Assange, International Day of Biological Diversity.
The situation in Gaza
The UN Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) confirmed that the distribution of food aid has been suspended due to ongoing fighting and food shortages. According to UNRWA, no trucks have entered the enclave through the main Rafah and Kerem Shalom crossings since Saturday. Aid groups have repeatedly said at least 500 aid trucks must arrive every day to avoid the crisis worsening. More than 5,600 trucks entered Gaza through both crossings in April, but only about 1,400 vehicles entered the strip in May, UNRWA data shows. The UN agency also noted that its medical centers have not received medicines over the past 10 days.
Violence in Haiti
Violence in Haiti continues to negatively impact access to assistance in Port-au-Prince and the surrounding area. According to UN partners, only 20 percent of health facilities in the capital are fully operational due to attacks by armed groups. The UN welcomed the resumption of some commercial flights at Port-au-Prince international airport, but warned that the seaport would need to be reopened to expand humanitarian supplies. Meanwhile, the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) reported that with its support, 38 tons of basic necessities were delivered to the country, including materials for the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of cholera.
The Assange decision
The decision by the High Court of England and Wales in London to allow WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange to re-challenge an earlier decision to extradite him to the US is welcome positive news, but the case is not yet over. Alice Jill Edwards, UN Special Rapporteur on torture, warns about this. The court ruled that the data provided by the US was insufficient and Assange’s appeal could be reconsidered. Previously, Edwards called on the UK government to take all necessary measures to protect the life of Julian Assange and preserve his physical and mental health.
Biological Diversity
This year’s International Day for Biological Diversity, celebrated on May 22, has the theme “Be part of the plan.” UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, in his message on the occasion of the Day, said that all humanity, in particular indigenous peoples, businesses, financial institutions, local and regional governments, civil society, women, youth and academia must work together to protect biodiversity. He called for urgent action to get on the road to recovery and for bolder goals to be agreed upon at the Sixteenth Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity in October to protect the planet and create a more sustainable future.