The UN General Assembly declared November 26 as World Sustainable Transport Day. Photo: bike paths near the UN headquarters in New York. Top news of the day | Wednesday: Somalia, peacebuilding, transport, UN Secretary General UN
The main news of the day in the UN and in the world: emergency situation due to drought in Somalia, peacebuilding resolutions, World Sustainable Transport Day, selection of candidates for the post of UN Secretary General.
Drought in Somalia
Somalia is in the midst of a rapidly worsening drought, with a fourth rainy season in a row with very little rainfall, reservoirs running dry, large swaths of the country without water supplies and millions of people at risk of famine and displacement. UN humanitarian agencies warned about this on Wednesday. On November 10, the Federal Government of Somalia officially declared a state of emergency and appealed to the international community for assistance. The situation continues to deteriorate, says the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).
Peacekeeping
The General Assembly and the UN Security Council today adopted agreed resolutions on the Peacebuilding Architecture Review. These decisions confirm the desire to strengthen the effectiveness of the UN in the field of peacekeeping. Meanwhile, the UN Secretary-General’s Peacebuilding Fund reported exceeding the $1 billion mark approved for programs since 2020. However, there is still a shortfall of about $500 million to implement the 2020–2026 strategy. The fund currently supports more than 50 countries.
Sustainable Transport
Transport is vital to connectivity, trade, economic growth and employment. However, the transport sector is also a significant source of greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution. It is necessary to achieve a balance between environmentally friendly transport development and economic growth. In this regard, in 2023, the UN General Assembly, at the initiative of Turkmenistan, declared November 26 as World Sustainable Transport Day. In addition, the UN Decade on Sustainable Transport will be launched on December 10th. Member countries receive a corresponding letter inviting them to nominate candidates. Let us remind you that the powers of the current head of the UN expire at the end of 2026. The Secretary General, according to the UN Charter, is appointed by the General Assembly on the recommendation of the Security Council.