In Afghanistan, the UN Humanitarian Air Service, operated by the World Food Programme, is resuming flights to enable 160 humanitarian organizations to continue their life-saving activities in Afghanistan’s provinces.

The UN Mission there reports that yesterday, unidentified assailants ambushed a civilian convoy of approximately 100 vehicles that was being escorted jointly by peacekeepers and the Congolese military. This happened near Ofay, which is south west of Bunia in the Ituri province.

In a statement issued today, the Acting Humanitarian Coordinator for Ethiopia, Grant Leaity, warned that with the inability to bring in sufficient and sustained levels of humanitarian supplies, cash and fuel, the humanitarian situation in the North of the country is set to worsen dramatically, particularly in Tigray.

Our colleagues at the Office for Children and Armed Conflict told us that new action plans were signed this week between the UN and the Plateforme – a coalition of armed movements in Mali. With these action plans, the Plateforme has committed to releasing all children present in its members’ ranks.

The World Health Organization said today 42 of Africa’s 54 countries are set to miss the goal of vaccinating the world’s most vulnerable 10 per cent against COVID-19 by the end of September.

The Philippines has received 13.2 million vaccine doses from the COVAX Facility. As of 22 August, the country has administered more than 30 million doses.

Our colleagues at the UN Food and Agriculture Organization in Rome, said that global food commodity prices rebounded rapidly in August after two consecutive months of decline.

The UN Environment Programme today launched a report which says that one-third of the world’s countries have no legally-mandated outdoor air quality standards.

Trinidad & Tobago and Guinea-Bissau have paid their budget dues in full. We are now up to 126 Member States.