Media Home
UN Web TV
UN Audiovisual Library
UN PhotoAfghanistan, Somalia, South Sudan & other topics - Daily Press Briefing
The Secretary-General is following, with deep concern, developments in Afghanistan, including the latest fighting in Herat and Kandahar. We are particularly concerned about the shift of fighting to urban areas, where the potential for civilian harm is even greater.
From Mali, our colleagues at the UN mission there tell us that their camp in Aguelhok, in the Kidal region, was attacked yesterday, with multiple rounds of both direct and indirect fire landing near the UN premises.
From Niger, the Secretary-General condemns the attack conducted by unidentified gunmen on August 9th in the district of Banibangou, in the region of Tillabéri of Niger.
From the Democratic Republic of the Congo, our UN peacekeeping mission there reports that it has facilitated discussions between the Hema and Bira communities in Irumu territory in Ituri.
From South Sudan, the UN Mission in that country is concerned about the division that has developed within the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement/Army in Opposition, which has led to clashes between factions that took place last week.
From neighbouring Sudan, our humanitarian colleagues are telling us that a limited amount of aid has been provided to 30,000 internally displaced people at a camp in Sortony in North Darfur due to lack of access following clashes last month.
The International Syria Support Group’s Humanitarian Task Force meeting convened virtually today in Geneva.
This morning, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Somalia, James Swan, briefed Security Council members on the situation in the country.
Ján Kubiš, the Special Envoy for Libya, spoke at the session of the Libyan Political Dialogue Forum and stressed that the ideas and proposals developed by the Forum contain all the ingredients necessary to reach a constructive compromise, if the participants can mobilize the political will.
We issued a statement yesterday on Zambia, in which the Secretary-General said he is closely following developments in Zambia ahead of the general elections, which are taking place today.
In Cameroon, the UN team, led by Resident Coordinator Matthias Naab, continues to work with authorities on communication campaigns to prevent the spread of COVID-19, as well as advocating for more funding and doses to vaccinate the entire population. On Sunday, Cameroon received more than 150,000 vaccine doses through COVAX. And, in Trinidad and Tobago, the Resident Coordinator, Marina Walter, continues working with authorities, the private sector and civil society to address the impacts of the pandemic. The country received more than 30,000 doses of the vaccine yesterday, its third shipment from COVAX.
Lastly, today is International Youth Day. This year’s theme is “Transforming Food Systems: Youth Innovation for Human and Planetary Health.” It highlights solutions developed by young innovators to address challenges to our food systems.
For further details please see SOURCE below.
Office of the Spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General