Top stories of the day in the UN and around the world: civilian casualties in frontline areas of Ukraine, Secretary-General condemns ongoing violence in Gaza, annual conference of the African Union and the United Nations, UN global summit on biodiversity.
Shelling of Ukraine
The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs reported that shelling continued across Ukraine over the weekend and Monday. According to local authorities, about 90 civilians, including children, were injured, and residential buildings, schools and other civilian objects were damaged in frontline areas of Dnipropetrovsk, Donetsk, Kharkiv, Kherson, Odessa and Zaporizhia regions. On Sunday, two strikes hit a residential area in Kryvyi Rih during the evacuation of local residents. Humanitarian organizations quickly mobilized assistance across the country, providing materials for home repairs to the victims, as well as first aid and psychosocial support.
Situation in Gaza
UN Secretary-General António Guterres “unequivocally” condemns the ongoing violence in Gaza, including Israeli airstrikes on Beit Lahia. The Secretary-General recalls that such actions lead to massive civilian casualties, including the deaths of women and children. This was reported on Monday by the UN press service. In his statement, the UN Secretary-General reminds the parties to the conflict of their responsibility to protect civilians from attacks. Guterres, the document says, remains deeply alarmed by the rapidly deteriorating humanitarian situation in northern Gaza, including massive displacement and lack of basic necessities.
UN Chief in Ethiopia
The Secretary-General took part in the 8th annual conference of the African Union and the United Nations in Addis Ababa. During a joint press conference with African Union Commission Chairperson Moussa Faki Mahamat, the UN chief stressed the importance of continued cooperation between the two organizations as the world begins implementing the Pact for the Future. The Secretary-General also addressed the UN Economic Commission for Africa during the inauguration of the renovated Africa Hall and met with the President and Prime Minister of Ethiopia.
Biodiversity Conference
The UN Biodiversity Summit opened in Cali, Colombia. UN Secretary-General António Guterres called on delegations from 190 countries to “make peace with nature” and develop a plan to preserve our planet’s ecosystems. At the 16th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (COP-16), governments, experts, activists and indigenous peoples will discuss global challenges to protecting nature over the next two weeks.