Sudan’s nearly 34 million people are in dire need of humanitarian assistance. Top news of the day | Wednesday: IMF, Iran, Lebanon, Sudan UN
The main news of the day in the UN and the world: the visit of the Secretary General to Washington, emergency financial assistance to Iran, the meeting of representatives of Lebanon and Israel, three years since the beginning of the conflict in Sudan
Spring meetings of the World Bank and the IMF
The UN Secretary-General arrived in Washington on Wednesday, where he will take part in the Spring Meetings of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund. Antonio Guterres will speak at the event, where a mechanism will be launched to allow borrowing countries to coordinate positions and exchange experiences. The head of the UN is also participating in the launch of the World Bank’s water initiative. From Washington, Guterres will travel to The Hague, where he will take part in celebrations dedicated to the 80th anniversary of the International Court of Justice.UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Tom Fletcher has allocated $12 million from the Central Emergency Response Fund to help Iran. These funds will provide support to the affected Iranian residents in the areas of healthcare, water supply, sanitation and food supplies. Authorities say the airstrikes killed at least 2,360 civilians, including women and children, and injured tens of thousands. The strikes destroyed homes and infrastructure, limiting access to basic services. Despite the ceasefire, rescue operations are hampered by destruction and unexploded ordnance.
The beginning of a dialogue between Lebanon and Israel
The UN welcomed the meeting of representatives of Lebanon and Israel, which took place the day before under the mediation of the United States. The organization believes that this is an important first step towards ending hostilities. The UN emphasizes the need for continued dialogue and calls for full implementation of the relevant UN Security Council resolution.
Sudan: three years war
Today marks three years since the beginning of the conflict in Sudan. According to the UN, almost 34 million people are in need of assistance, and more than 4.5 million have fled the country. In his address to the humanitarian conference on Sudan, which opened today in Berlin, the Secretary-General called for an urgent end to hostilities in this African country, to ensure the protection of civilians and unhindered access for humanitarian assistance. UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Tom Fletcher, speaking at the conference, called Sudan a “laboratory of atrocities” and stressed that the international community must take action immediately.