4 reasons why a dog takes your place as soon as you stand up

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4 April 2024

Gaza: Less than 1 in 2 UN aid missions allowed into northern zones this month

In its latest update, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), said that the first two weeks of March saw just 11 out of 24 missions “facilitated” by Israeli authorities. “The rest were either denied or postponed,” OCHA continued, noting that five convoys were refused entry and eight were postponed.

“Facilitated missions primarily involved food distributions, nutrition and health assessments, and the delivery of supplies to hospitals,” OCHA said, repeating warnings that “humanitarian access constraints” continue to “severely affect the timely delivery of life-saving assistance, particularly to hundreds of thousands of people in northern Gaza”.

Echoing those calls on Wednesday, UN Secretary-General António Guterres urged the Israeli authorities “to ensure complete and unfettered access for humanitarian goods throughout Gaza and for the international community to fully support our humanitarian efforts”.

Speaking from Brussels where he is holding meetings with European Union representatives, the UN chief also repeated his call to “keep doing everything to stop the killing, reach an immediate humanitarian ceasefire and secure the unconditional release of the hostages”.

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Wadi Gaza gateway

Dispatching aid to the north of Gaza requires “day-to-day approvals” from the Israeli authorities, OCHA explained, but despite all efforts to coordinate the process, “truck convoys are frequently turned back, even after long waits at the Wadi Gaza checkpoint”, which is the gateway to the north of the enclave.

Aid convoys have also become the focus of “desperate people”, OCHA continued, “either at the checkpoint or along the difficult route north when they do get through. The only way to prevent this is to ensure that enough aid can be delivered on a reliable basis.”

During the same two-week period in March, Israeli authorities granted access to three in four relief missions to areas south of Wadi Gaza (78 out of 103), with 15 denied and 10 “postponed or withdrawn”, according to OCHA.

Famine closing in

All the while “famine is imminent” in parts of the enclave, warned the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, UNWRA, amid reports overnight that 24 people died in an aid convoy attack in the north of Gaza City.

“(On) average, 159 aid trucks per day crossed into the Gaza Strip so far in March. This is well below the needs,” UNRWA said in a post on X, formerly Twitter.

A ceasefire and the release of all remaining hostages remains the only way to ensure that sufficient aid reaches Gaza by land – and far more effective than airdrops or shipments by sea – aid officials have long insisted.

To that end, talks entered a third day in Qatar on Wednesday between delegations including Israel, the U.S. and Egypt, media reports indicated.

Latest information from the enclave’s health authority indicates that the death toll since 7 October has risen to 31,923 with 74,096 people wounded.

‘Shocking’ increase in children denied aid in conflicts

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4 April 2024

‘Shocking’ increase in children denied aid in conflicts

Painting a grim landscape of the world’s war zones, Virginia Gamba, the UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Children and Armed Conflict, briefed ambassadors, citing grave concerns, from war-torn Gaza to gang-ravaged Haiti, where famine looms amid rampant violence and displacement.

Denying aid access has long-lasting effects on children’s wellbeing and development, she said.

Virginia Gamba, Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict, briefs members of the UN Security Council.

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Grave violations of international law

“Let me be very clear,” she said. “The Geneva Conventions and the Convention on the Rights of the Child contain key provisions requiring the facilitation of humanitarian relief to children in need.

“The denial of humanitarian access to children and attacks against humanitarian workers assisting children are also prohibited under international humanitarian law.”

The UN’s engagement with combatants to end and prevent violations against children is critical, she said.

Unfortunately, data gathered for her forthcoming 2024 report shows “we are on target to witness a shocking increase of the incidents of the denial of humanitarian access globally,” she said, adding that “the blatant disregard for international humanitarian law continues to increase.”

“Without compliance by parties to conflict to allow safe, full and unhindered access for the timely delivery of humanitarian assistance, children’s survival, wellbeing and development are in jeopardy, and our calls are mere echoes in this Chamber,” she told the Council.

“We cannot prevent denial of humanitarian access to children unless we understand it and reinforce our capacity to monitor and prevent its occurrence. We must get on with the job.”

A destroyed UN vehicle in Khan Younis in southern Gaza.

Gaza: Children facing ‘staggering’ conditions

Also briefing the Council, UNICEF Deputy Executive Director Ted Chaiban, said that as conflicts proliferate around the world, grave violations against children continue, including in Gaza, Sudan and Myanmar.

“The denial of humanitarian access is a particularly pervasive, multifaceted and complex grave violation,” he said. “These actions have devastating humanitarian consequences for children.”

Recalling his visit to Gaza in January, he said he witnessed a “staggering decline in conditions of children” amid widespread destruction, a “quasi blockage on the north of Gaza” and repeated denials for or delays in granted access of humanitarian convoys.

Ted Chaiban, UNICEF Deputy Executive Director for Humanitarian Action and Supply Operations, briefs the UN Security Council meeting on children and armed conflict.

Killing aid workers ‘trying to feed starving people’

“Attacks on humanitarian workers have also gravely affected humanitarian access with the highest UN staff death toll in our history, our UNRWA colleagues in particular, and new attacks this week with the death of our World Central Kitchen colleagues, killing humanitarian workers trying to feed starving people,” Mr. Chaiban said.

As a result of these constraints, children cannot access age-appropriate nutritious food or medical services and have less than two to three litres of water per day, he said.

“The consequences have been clear,” he warned. “In March, we reported that one in three children under two years of age in the northern Gaza Strip suffer from acute malnutrition, a figure that has more than doubled in the last two months.”

Dozens of children in the northern Gaza Strip have reportedly died from malnutrition and dehydration in recent weeks and half the population is facing catastrophic food insecurity, he stressed.

Every month, thousands of people in Sudan still migrate to nearby countries like South Sudan and Chad.

Sudan: ‘World’s worst child displacement crisis’

In Sudan, the world’s worst child displacement crisis, the violence and blatant disregard for permission to allow the delivery of humanitarian assistance essential to protect children from the impact of conflict in Darfur, in Kordofan, in Khartoum and beyond has greatly intensified their suffering, he said.

“We are seeing record levels of admissions for the treatment of severe acute malnutrition (SAM) – the deadliest form of malnutrition,” the UN deputy chief explained, “but insecurity is preventing patients and health workers from reaching hospitals and other health facilities.”

Assets and staff attacked

Assets and staff are still being attacked, and the health system remains overwhelmed resulting in severe shortage of medicines and supplies, including lifesaving items, due to the severe interruption of the supply management system.

“Our inability to consistently access vulnerable children means protection by presence is simply not possible and that risks of other grave violations may escalate without an attendant rise in our ability to monitor or respond,” he said.

He called on the Security Council to use its influence to prevent and end the denial of humanitarian access to children, protect humanitarian workers and allow aid agencies to safely reach those in most need, across frontlines and across borders.

Watch the Security Council President for April, Vanessa Frazier of Malta, speak to reporters after the briefing on children and armed conflict.

Conflict and harassment in the workplace: towards mandatory training for MEPs

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Newsdesk

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3 April 2024

The report endorsed on Wednesday (15 votes for, nine against, no abstentions) aims to strengthen Parliament’s rules on preventing conflict and harassment in the workplace and promoting good office management by introducing mandatory specialised training for MEPs.

Parliamentarians who do not complete this training within the first six months of their term of office (except in exceptional cases or unless they have previously done so) would face penalties and would not be able to be elected as parliamentary office-holders (e.g. to the European Parliament Bureau or as committee chair), be appointed as rapporteur, or participate in an official delegation or interinstitutional negotiations.

The Conference of Presidents (i.e. the President and political group leaders) may, by a three fifths majority comprising at least three groups, table a proposal in plenary to remove any elected office-holder (e.g. a member of the EP Bureau or a committee chair) if they fail to complete the training. A double majority threshold would apply in such a vote: two-thirds of votes cast and a majority of all MEPs. The same procedure will also be applicable for rapporteurs, with the final decision in this case taken by the relevant committee.

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Rapporteur Gabriele Bischoff (S&D, DE) commented: “Parliament has a duty to set the gold standard in tackling harassment in the workplace, with clear rules and strong sanctions for a zero tolerance approach. Prevention is key, as it enables us to address issues proactively, and mandatory training reinforces our commitment to a workplace where the dignity of all is respected and protected. We have fulfilled the clear political mandate provided by Parliament’s Bureau and we are looking forward to the new rules being finalised in plenary, for the sake of all staff working in this House.”

Next steps

The report is expected to be submitted to the 10-11 April plenary session in Brussels.

Background

The training on “How to create a good and well-functioning team” will consist of five different modules covering the recruitment of assistants, successful team management, including conflict prevention and early conflict resolution, administrative and financial aspects of parliamentary assistance, as well as harassment prevention.

Conflict driving hunger crisis in Sudan, UN officials tell Security Council

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3 April 2024

Conflict driving hunger crisis in Sudan, UN officials tell Security Council

“As we approach the one-year anniversary of the conflict, we cannot make clearer the desperation that civilians are facing in Sudan,” said Edem Wosornu of the UN humanitarian affairs office, OCHA – one of three senior officials who briefed ambassadors.

The meeting was convened following OCHA’s submission of a white paper on food insecurity in Sudan last Friday.

This was done in line with a 2018 Council resolution that requests the UN Secretary-General to promptly report when the risk of conflict-induced famine and widespread food insecurity occurs.

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Agricultural production halted

The war between the Sudanese army and the rival paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has left 18 million people – more than a third of the population – facing acute food insecurity.

The majority, or about 90 per cent, are in conflict hotspots in the Darfur and Kordofan region, and in Khartoum and Al Jazirah states.

Fighting has restricted agricultural production, damaged major infrastructure, caused prices to spiral and disrupted trade flows, among other devastating impacts.

Maurizio Martina, Deputy Director-General of the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) reported that hostilities are expanding across southeastern states, the country’s breadbasket, responsible for half of all wheat production.

An FAO report issued this week showed that cereal production last year dropped by nearly half, 46 per cent.

“Cereal import requirements in 2024, forecast at about 3.38 million tonnes, raise concerns about the financial and logistical capacity of the country to meet these import needs. And high production costs of cereals are likely to further inflate market prices, which are already at exceptionally high levels,” he said.

Malnutrition rates soaring

Currently, around 730,000 people in Sudan are suffering from malnutrition, which is soaring to alarming rates and already claiming young lives.

Ms. Wosornu cited a recent report from Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) which revealed that a child is dying every two hours at the Zamzam camp in El Fasher, North Darfur.

“Our humanitarian partners estimate that in the coming weeks and months, somewhere in the region of around 222,000 children could die from malnutrition,” she said.

Obstacles to aid delivery

Although aid should be “a lifeline” in Sudan, she said humanitarians continue to face obstacles in reaching people in need.

The Council adopted a resolution earlier this month calling for full and unhindered humanitarian access in Sudan, however “there has not been major progress on the ground.”

Ms. Wosornu said humanitarians have welcomed Sudan’s recent announcement to again allow aid into the country through the Tine border crossing with Chad, although procedures have yet to be elaborated.

The authorities have also agreed to allow 60 trucks to enter through Adre in Chad into West Darfur, and she said a convoy carrying aid that includes food for more than 175,000 people is being prepared for deployment in the coming days.

“These are positive steps, but they are far from enough in the face of looming famine,” she added, stressing the need for crossline aid delivery within Sudan, as well as greater protection for humanitarian staff and supplies.

Hunger stalking the region

The Deputy Executive Director at the UN World Food Programme (WFP), Carl Skau, highlighted the wider regional context of the hunger crisis.

Seven million people in South Sudan, and nearly three million in Chad, are also facing acute food insecurity, he said.

WFP teams have been working around the clock in Sudan to meet the massive needs, assisting some eight million people last year, but their operations are being hampered by the lack of both access and resources.

“If we are going to prevent Sudan from becoming the world’s largest hunger crisis, coordinated efforts and joined-up diplomacy is urgent and critical. We need all parties to provide unrestricted access across borders and across conflict lines,” Mr. Skau said.

Warning that rising hunger will only stoke instability across the region, he appealed for a rapid scale-up in financial and political support for emergency relief operations.

Ukrainians suffer Russia-imposed ‘violence, intimidation, and coercion’

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2 April 2024

Ukrainians suffer Russia-imposed ‘violence, intimidation, and coercion’

UN human rights chief Volker Türk on Tuesday called for the fighting and occupation of Ukraine to end, so the country can begin “healing the deep wounds and painful divisions” caused by Russia’s invasion.

Amid ongoing strife in Gaza and Ukraine, UN chief reiterates peace call

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2 April 2024

Amid ongoing strife in Gaza and Ukraine, UN chief reiterates peace call

“When we live in a chaotic world it’s very important to stick to principles and the principles are clear: the UN Charter, international law, the territorial integrity of countries and international humanitarian law,” the UN chief said, speaking at the opening of the European Council in Brussels.

“That is the reason why we believe it is essential to have peace for Ukraine…(and) that is the reason why for the same reasons we need a ceasefire in Gaza.”

In a brief press encounter, Mr. Guterres condemned the Hamas-led terror attacks of 7 October in which some 1,200 Israeli and foreign nationals were killed, before reiterating his alarm that “we are witnessing a number of civilian casualties in Gaza that is unprecedented in my time as Secretary-General”.

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Tedros starvation alert

Echoing the UN chief’s comments, the head of the UN health agency, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, on Thursday highlighted the plight of “many” youngsters in northern Gaza lying seriously injured in hospitals or reportedly “starving”, after nearly six months of war.

In a social media post accompanying Tedros’s appeal, a video clip from Al-Shifa Hospital showed a young amputee, Rafiq, who had been reportedly rescued from under the rubble of his home in Gaza City.

The video – filmed on 17 March, according to WHO – showed the boy’s doctor who maintained that nutritious food containing proteins, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins and minerals was “unavailable in most of the northern Gaza Strip”.

The unnamed medic also noted that in addition to the malnourished young Gaza City patient he was treating, there were “many other children whose parents report that they have died due to malnutrition without any medical examination” at Gaza’s overwhelmed hospitals.

WHO was last able to reach the medical facility on 11 March to deliver fuel and medicines, the UN agency said. According to media reports, the Israeli military raid of Al-Shifa that began on Monday is now into its fourth day.

“History will judge us all for what these children are enduring,” WHO Director-General Tedros wrote on X, formerly Twitter. “Ceasefire! Allow immediate, unfettered, scaled-up humanitarian access.”

On Monday, a UN-backed food insecurity analysis warned that 1.1 million Gazans are now enduring catastrophic hunger and starvation, with famine possible in the north “anytime between now and May”.

Latest WHO data indicates 410 attacks on health care in Gaza since 7 October. The attacks reportedly caused hundreds of casualties, damaged nearly 100 facilities and affected more than 100 ambulances. 

In the West Bank, the UN health agency documented 403 attacks on health care since 7 October.

Nearly 31,200 people in Gaza have now been killed amid intense Israeli bombardment with more than 74,000 injured, UN aid coordination office OCHA said, citing the enclave’s health authorities. According to the Israeli military, 251 soldiers have been killed in the ground operation that began on 27 October.

US calls for ‘immediate ceasefire’ in new draft

The US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, said on Thursday that the latest draft of a resolution penned by Washington on Gaza before the Security Council now includes the call for “an immediate ceasefire tied to the release of hostages.”

It is unclear when the draft might be put to a vote but news reports suggest it could be as early as Friday. The US has previously blocked attempts to pass a ceasefire resolution.

The top US diplomat was speaking in Egypt and is touring the Middle East as indirect negotiations on a possible deal continue between Israel and Hamas, brokered by the US, Egypt and Qatar. Mr. Blinken said an agreement was “very much possible”.

Weapon of war

Meanwhile, the head of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNWRA), Philippe Lazzarini, reiterated calls to “flood” Gaza with humanitarian aid.

Condemning a “man-made famine” in the north, Mr. Lazzarini insisted that the “easy response” was to open “all the land crossings into Gaza”. “It is easy to flood Gaza with food, it is easy to reverse this trend and I also believe it is a collective stain on our collective humanity that such a situation is artificially unfolding under our eyes,” he said.

The UNRWA Commissioner-General also repeated widespread calls for Israel and Hamas to agree on a ceasefire and the release of all remaining hostages taking during Hamas-led terror attacks in Israel on 7 October. “This should be a priority but meanwhile food should not be used as a weapon of war,” Mr. Lazzarini said.

Explainer: Feeding Haiti in times of crisis

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1 April 2024

Explainer: Feeding Haiti in times of crisis

Gangs reportedly control up to 90 per cent of Port-au-Prince, raising concerns that hunger is being used as a weapon to coerce local populations and hold sway over rival armed groups.

They control key routes to farming areas to the north and south and have disrupted the supply of goods, including food.

This in a country which has a predominantly rural farming population which some believe could be self-sufficient in food.

So, what’s gone wrong?

Here are five things you need to know about the current food security situation in Haiti:

Children in Haiti eat a hot meal provided by the UN and partners at school.

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Are hunger levels rising?

There are some 11 million people in Haiti and according to the most recent UN-backed analysis of food security in the country around 4.97 million, almost half the population, needs some type of food assistance.

Some 1.64 million people are facing emergency levels of acute food insecurity.

Children are particularly impacted, with an alarming 19 per cent increase in the number estimated to suffer from severe acute malnutrition in 2024.

On a more positive note, the 19,000 people who were recorded in February 2023 as facing starvation conditions in one vulnerable neighbourhood of Port-au-Prince have been taken of the critical list.

WFP is working with farmers to supply food for school-feeding programmes.

Why are people going hungry?

UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) Executive Director Catherine Russell said the current “malnutrition crisis is entirely human-made”.

The key drivers of the current food insecurity are increased gang violence, rising prices and low agricultural production as well as political turmoil, civil unrest, crippling poverty and natural disasters.

An estimated 362,000 people are now internally displaced in Haiti and have difficulties feeding themselves. Some 17,000 people have fled Port-au-Prince for safer parts of the country, leaving behind their livelihoods and further reducing their ability to buy food as prices continue to increase.

According to the UN Security Council-mandated Panel of Experts on Haiti, gangs have “directly and indirectly threatened the nation’s food security”.

Displaced people shelter in a boxing arena in downtown Port-au-Prince after fleeing their homes due to attacks by gangs.

The escalation of violence has resulted in economic crises, increased prices and exacerbated poverty. The gangs have disrupted food supplies by, at times, shutting down the economy by threatening people and mounting widespread roadblocks, known locally as peyi lok, as a deliberate and effective ploy to stifle all economic activity.

They have also blocked key transportation routes and levied extortionate, unofficial taxes on vehicles that attempt to pass between the capital and productive agricultural areas.

In one case, a gang leader in Artibonite, the country’s main rice growing area and a relatively new focus for gang activity, issued multiple threats on social media, warning that any farmers returning to their fields would be killed. The World Food Programme (WFP) reported in 2022 that there had been a notable decrease in cultivated land in Artibonite.

Meanwhile, the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) says that in 2023, agricultural production plummeted by around 39 per cent for maize, 34 per cent for rice and 22 per cent for sorghum compared to the five-year average.

How did we get to this point?

While the current hunger crisis in Haiti has been exacerbated by the control the gangs exert over the economy and daily life in Haiti, it has its roots in decades of underdevelopment as well as political and economic crises.

Deforestation partly due to poverty and natural disasters like flooding, drought and earthquakes, have also contributed to food insecurity.

Trade liberalization policies introduced in the 1980s significantly reduced import taxes on agricultural products, including rice, maize and bananas, undercutting the competitiveness and viability of locally produced food.

What is the UN doing?

The UN humanitarian response continues in Haiti in coordination with the national authorities, despite the tense and volatile situation on the ground, especially in Port-au-Prince.

One of the key food-related activities is the distribution of hot meals to displaced people, food and cash to those in need and lunches for school children. In March, WFP said it reached over 460,000 people both in the capital and across the country through these programmes. UNICEF has also provided assistance, including school meals.

FAO has a long tradition of working with farmers and has been delivering essential support for the upcoming planting seasons, including cash transfers, vegetable seeds and tools to support agricultural livelihoods.

The UN agency also continues to support Haitian-led national agricultural policies and the implementation of development programmes.

What about the long term?

Ultimately, the aim like in any underdeveloped country in crisis is to find the path towards long-term sustainable development which will include building resilient food systems. It’s a complicated situation in a country so dependent on humanitarian support provided by the UN and other organizations.

The goal is to reduce import dependency on food and link humanitarian responses with long-term action on food security.

So, for example, WFP’s home-grown school feeding programme, which provides lunches to students, is committed to buying all of its ingredients locally rather than importing them, an initiative which will support and encourage farmers to grow and sell crops that will improve their livelihoods and in turn boost the local economy.

UN Haiti/Daniel Dickinson

Cacao fruit grow on a tree in Haiti.

The International Labour Organization (ILO) has worked with farmers in the southwest of the country to grow highly nutritious breadfruit. Around 15 tonnes of flour have been milled, some of which is supplying WFP programmes.

ILO has also supported cacao farmers who have exported 25 tonnes of the valuable commodity in 2023.

Both initiatives will boost famers’ incomes and improve their food security and according to the ILO’s country chief, Fabrice Leclercq, will help “to curb the rural exodus”.

Most agree, however, that without peace and a stable, secure society, there is little chance that Haiti will be able to significantly reduce its dependence on external aid while ensuring that Haitians get enough to eat.

Why is the dog scratching my sheets?

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Newsroom

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1 April 2024

Dogs are extremely inventive when it comes to strange antics. If your pet scratches your sheets, for example, it can leave you confused: why does the animal do it?

Possible reasons why the dog scratches your sheets

Here are some of the main reasons why your dog may have decided that digging a hole in your sheets is a good idea:

• Creating a comfortable place

It is possible that your pet has decided that there is something about the way you have arranged his bed that he does not like. So he starts scratching, pulling and poking under your covers until he makes the place more comfortable and comfortable for himself.

• Temperature regulation

If your dog is too hot, he may try to cope with the heat by rubbing against your sheets. Conversely, if it’s chilly outside, your pet may want to snuggle for warmth.

• Dominant behavior

Your dog may be scratching the sheets to show dominance. Kind of like marking a territory.

• Dealing with anxiety

When your dog is anxious, scratching can help him calm down.

• Instinct

Dogs love to dig. Sometimes they do it because of their natural instincts, and sometimes because they are bored.

How do I protect the sheets from my dog?

If you’re wondering how to protect your sheets from your dog’s paws, there are a few things you can do.

• Bet on cheap sheets

If you’re worried about your sheets being destroyed, a far more predictable option is to rely on cheaper ones. So you will certainly not be upset if you notice traces of your pet’s nails on them.

• Don’t let him sleep in bed with you

Simple, but extremely effective. If your pet regularly destroys your sheets and it stresses you out, don’t let them sleep in bed with you.

• Regular nail trimming

No dog owner likes to trim their dog’s nails. However, this is an essential part of the animal’s health. And it will help keep your sheets safe from your pet’s sharp claws.

In conclusion, a dog scratches your sheets for a variety of reasons. The most common of these include creating a safe place to sleep, cooling or warming, displaying dominance behavior, anxiety or general comfort. And while scratching on the sheets may be confusing or meaningless to us, it makes perfect sense to our four-legged friends!

Illustrative Photo by Pixabay: https://www.pexels.com/photo/close-up-of-dog-relaxing-on-bed-247968/

‘Extremely alarming’ conditions worsen in Haiti’s capital: UN coordinator

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1 April 2024

‘Extremely alarming’ conditions worsen in Haiti’s capital: UN coordinator

“It’s important we don’t let the violence spill over from the capital into the country,” said Ulrika Richardson, briefing journalists at UN Headquarters via videolink from Haiti.

She said orchestrated gang attacks on prisons, ports, hospitals and the palace have unfolded over the past weeks, but in the past few days these heavily armed groups have been advancing into new areas of the capital.

“There is human suffering at an alarming scale,” she said, describing daily tension, sounds of gunshots and fear rising throughout the capital.

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Deaths, hunger and gang rape

Abhorrent human rights violations are ongoing, with more than 2,500 people killed, kidnapped or injured, she said, stressing that sexual violence is rampant, with the use of torture and “collective rape” against women.

“Time is running out” –

UN Humanitarian Coordinator in Haiti

A total of 5.5 million Haitians needed assistance, more than three million of them children. Food security remains a grave concern, with malnutrition being reported in a growing number of youngsters. In addition, 45 per cent of Haitians do not have access to clean water.

Around 1.4 million Haitians are “one step away from famine”, she warned, calling for urgent support for the humanitarian response plan, which requires $674 million but is only six per cent funded.

With more funds, “we can do more” to help the people of Haiti, she said, saying that “time is running out”.

Lifesaving supplies urgently needed

The Humanitarian Coordinator said UN-backed flights to Haiti have brought some shipments of lifesaving supplies, including blood transfusion bags for hospitals treating growing numbers of gunshot victims.

At the same time, the airport is closed to commercial traffic, making it impossible to import essential goods, including medicines. The national port is operational, but accessing it is challenging, as the surrounding areas are controlled by gangs.

The World Health Organization (WHO) reported that less than half of health facilities in Port-au-Prince are functioning at their normal capacity, and there is a pressing need for safe blood products, anaesthetics and other essential medicines.

According to the World Food Programme, 1.4 million people are facing emergency levels of hunger and need assistance to survive.

WHO calls for swift funding

Elaborating on the health conditions, the UN health agency said the cholera outbreak, which has been declining since the end of last year, could flare up again should the crisis continue.

Cholera response activities and data surveillance have already been affected by the recent violence, and the situation could worsen significantly in the coming weeks if fuel becomes scarce and access to essential medical supplies is not improved soon, according to WHO.

The WHO chief called for swift support for efforts to help those trapped in a deteriorating situation.

“We call on all partners and the public not to forget the people of Haiti,” said Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, also calling for safe and unhindered humanitarian access, health workers’ safety to be guaranteed and the protection of health facilities.

WHO and the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) are supporting the Ministry of Health and other partners with supplies and logistics, including water, sanitation and hygiene and disease surveillance in centres for displaced persons, he said.

UN chief: Support mission remains ‘critical’

UN Secretary-General António Guterres called for all efforts to maintain the momentum and work towards implementing transitional arrangements agreed upon last week following the prime minister’s resignation, said UN deputy spokesperson Farhan Haq on Thursday.

The UN chief welcomed reports that Haitian stakeholders have all nominated candidates to the Transitional Presidential Council, he said, adding that the UN, through its office in Haiti, BINUH, will continue to support the country in its efforts to restore democratic institutions.

“The swift deployment of the multinational mission remains critical to ensure that the political and security tracks can advance in parallel as only complementary efforts can be successful,” he said.

Security Council condemns gang attacks

In a statement released on Thursday, the Security Council strongly condemned the violence and the attacks carried out by the armed gangs and stressed the need for the international community to redouble its efforts to provide humanitarian assistance to the population and to support the Haitian National Police.

That includes through building the capacity to restore law and order and through the swift deployment of multinational security support mission, which the Council authorized by resolution 2699 (2023) in October, according to the statement.