WFP food aid in Sudan. Top news of the day | Thursday: Syria, Sudan, Israel, AI UN
Top news of the day in the UN and the world: Secretary General on the situation in Syria, Sudan on the verge of full-scale famine, General Assembly adopts resolution on Israel’s international obligations, Security Council discusses the impact of AI on global security.
The situation in Syria
Syria is at a historic moment that offers its people a long-awaited opportunity for change. But that hope remains fragile and requires international support, according to UN Secretary-General António Guterres. Speaking to reporters at UN headquarters on Thursday, Guterres expressed concern about renewed fighting in the north of the country, the threat from ISIS and Israeli airstrikes. Answering journalists’ questions about sanctions, the Secretary-General noted that the measures were aimed at the Assad regime, and that today the situation has changed. He called for solidarity with the Syrian people.
Famine in Sudan
The World Food Programme (WFP) warns that almost 1.7 million people in Sudan are already facing famine or are at risk of mass starvation. This is the largest food crisis in the world. A total of 25.6 million men, women and children – more than half the population – are in dire need of food aid. This is the highest level ever recorded in the country. At the same time, half of all people facing catastrophic levels of hunger in the world are in Sudan. The WFP calls on the international community to prevent the crisis from worsening.
General Assembly Resolution
The UN General Assembly has approved a resolution calling on Israel to fulfill its international obligations as an occupying power. 137 states voted for the document, 12 voted against, and 22 countries abstained. In the resolution, the General Assembly decided to request the International Court of Justice to issue an advisory opinion on the legal obligations of Israel with regard to the activities of the UN, other international organizations and third States in the occupied Palestinian territories.
Artificial Intelligence
Speaking at a Security Council ministerial meeting on artificial intelligence, chaired by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, UN Chief Antonio Guterres stressed that the pace of progress in this area will only increase. He noted that AI tools are useful in countries suffering from conflict and instability, but expressed concern about their use for military purposes. Guterres called on Member States to create an International Scientific Panel on AI and launch a Global Dialogue on its regulation. The UN chief also reiterated his call for the global community to ban autonomous weapons by 2026.