Briefing Office

• The UN and humanitarian partners are providing emergency relief in Nepal and China following severe flooding that resulted in multiple deaths and missing persons. • Response teams are deploying essential personnel and critical supplies, including food, shelter, and medical equipment, to affected regions. • Satellite imagery is being utilized to assess the scale of the widespread destruction and coordinate the distribution of aid.

• UN Secretary-General informed the Security Council that 2025 recorded the highest number of armed conflicts since the Second World War. • The report highlighted record-breaking levels of acute hunger globally, marking a critical humanitarian crisis. • In a "shameful milestone," the UN confirmed simultaneous famines in Sudan and Gaza for the first time this century.

• The Democratic Republic of the Congo is expanding its response to an Ebola outbreak that has caused nearly 2,500 deaths as of August 18. • The government and aid partners have established five operational priorities to scale up the emergency response. • To protect critical personnel, the World Health Organization (WHO) has allocated 70,000 doses of the Ebola Zaire vaccine for front-line health workers.

• The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) is leading recovery efforts in Venezuela following a series of earthquakes and floods. • OCHA is currently coordinating support across 80 local and international organizations, working alongside government authorities to provide relief. • More than 300,000 affected individuals have already received essential aid, including food, clean water, hygiene support, and health services.

• UN Emergency Relief Coordinator Tom Fletcher has allocated $5 million from the UN Central Emergency Response Fund to aid Colombia. • The funding is designated to support the humanitarian response following a devastating earthquake that struck the region. • To ensure targeted aid, the UN is deploying specialized teams to assess the specific needs of the most impacted areas.

• Air strikes, shelling, and shooting continued in Gaza over the weekend, resulting in dozens of casualties, including civilians, according to the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. • Gaza’s Ministry of Health reported over 150 fatalities during July, marking the highest monthly death toll recorded so far this year. • These escalating attacks highlight the worsening humanitarian crisis and the increasing loss of life within the region.

• A joint study by UNESCO and the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean reveals that the region will have 38.3 million fewer school-age children by 2050. • The report highlights a significant demographic shift and recommends integrating data on births, migration, enrollment, and location to better manage educational resources. • This decline matters as it threatens the efficiency of current education systems and requires a strategic reallocation of funding to avoid wasted investment.

• Recent attacks in Ukraine over the weekend resulted in at least 12 civilian deaths and numerous injuries across the country. • Infrastructure damage was reported at World Food Programme (WFP) warehouses in Dnipro and World Health Organization (WHO) facilities near Kyiv. • In response to the crisis, the UN and humanitarian partners successfully delivered 11 metric tons of essential aid to frontline communities in Kherson.

• The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reports that over 100 aid organizations have launched emergency responses in Venezuela. • These groups have conducted more than 2,200 activities across 14 states, providing hot meals and tents to those affected by earthquakes last month. • This large-scale intervention is critical for addressing both immediate disaster relief and preexisting humanitarian needs in the region.

• The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) is scaling up containment efforts to combat an Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. • The disease has expanded into two additional provinces, Haut-Uele and Tshopo, with specific cases reported in Kisangani. • This spread is critical because Kisangani serves as a major hub, increasing the risk of wider transmission along key transport corridors.

• The UN Secretary-General expressed concern over the reported detention of political and civic actors in Uganda, specifically highlighting cases where the whereabouts of some individuals remain unknown. • The Secretary-General emphasized that the rights to liberty, security of person, and freedom of expression—including media independence—are legally enshrined in Uganda’s own Constitution. • This intervention underscores the international community's focus on human rights violations and the erosion of democratic freedoms within the country.

• The humanitarian crisis in Haiti is worsening, with the International Organization for Migration reporting over 2,600 people displaced in Artibonite following clashes between armed groups last week. • UN Secretary-General António Guterres emphasized the urgent need to strengthen regional diplomacy and accelerate sustainable development to ensure global peace and dignity. • The Secretary-General announced the appointment of Mohamed Yahya of Somalia as the new Assistant Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Deputy Emergency Relief Coordinator.

• UNICEF released a report revealing that 1.1 billion children—nearly half the global youth population—are exposed to at least three overlapping climate hazards. • These environmental threats are critically endangering the health, education, and overall survival of children worldwide. • Separately, Special Envoy Hans Grundberg briefed the Security Council on diplomatic efforts in cities including Riyadh, Muscat, and New York to resolve the conflict in Yemen.

• UN Emergency Relief Coordinator Tom Fletcher has allocated $10 million from the Central Emergency Response Fund to combat food insecurity and famine risks in Somalia. • The funding arrives as humanitarian partners report that many newly displaced families have lost their belongings and tents, forcing them to rely on relatives and friends. • To address these urgent needs, humanitarian teams have activated a joint UN-run response mechanism designed to provide rapid support to families affected by sudden crises.

• The International Labour Organization (ILO) has adopted the Decent Work in the Platform Economy Convention, 2026. • This landmark agreement serves as the world’s first international labour standard specifically designed for work performed via digital labour platforms. • The convention establishes essential rights for all workers in the sector, focusing on fair remuneration and the provision of social protection.

• UN partners in Gaza reported a significant decline in food aid as of May 31, with 80 kitchens delivering 678,000 meals daily, down from 1.5 million meals provided by 170 kitchens in mid-March. • UN official DiCarlo urged parties to return to diplomacy and good-faith negotiations, reiterating the Secretary-General’s demand for an immediate, full, and unconditional ceasefire. • Acting Assistant Secretary-General Indrika Ratwatte briefed Council members on the ongoing situation in Ukraine, identifying it as one of the world's largest humanitarian crises.

• Cuba is facing a severe energy crisis triggered by U.S. sanctions and exacerbated by hurricanes and other natural disasters. • The crisis has disrupted critical infrastructure, including water, sanitation, and food production, leading to the postponement of over 100,000 surgeries. • This situation represents a humanitarian emergency as essential healthcare and basic services are failing across the country.

• UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed released a report detailing the impact of the UN development system's efforts through 2025. • Key achievements include providing food aid to 121 million people, measles vaccinations to 191 million children, and social protection to 84 million individuals. • The report highlights a significant long-term health impact, noting that 500 million additional people have accessed essential health services since 2018.

Revelations appear in second tranche of released files about Mandelson’s appointment as US ambassadorPeter Mandelson was receiving sensitive security briefings about the Foreign Office’s work, and was in discussions with the head of MI6, before he had completed the developed vetting process, newly released documents reveal.Declassified emails show the ambassador designate and Richard Moore, the former chief of MI6 – a role known as “C” – had agreed to meet in early January 2025 before Mandelson went to Washington. Continue reading...