"HUMANITARIAN RELIEF"

The spokesperson for the Secretary-General, Stéphane Dujarric told journalists “fierce fighting” continues in Yemen, “including in Marib, Shabwah and Al Bayda governorates, where clashes have escalated over recent weeks,” and said “this escalation is having an increasingly devastating impact on civilians.” UNIFEED

The United Nations Humanitarian Air Service (UNHAS), operated by the World Food Programme (WFP) on behalf of the humanitarian community, has resumed flights to Kabul, enabling humanitarian workers to reach Afghans. WFP

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Asia-Pacific Director, Kanni Wignaraja told journalists in New York that Afghanistan will reach “universal poverty by middle of next year.” UNIFEED

The United Nations and its humanitarian partners continue to provide aid in Les Cayes, Haiti after the 14 August 7.2-magnitude earthquake which struck south-west Haiti, destroying homes and infrastructure and killing and injuring thousands of people. OCHA

Briefing from the ground in Kabul, the United Nations Humanitarian Coordinator in Afghanistan Ramiz Alakbarov today said the humanitarian situation in the country “continues to be extremely tense” as “more than half of the Afghan children do not know whether they will have a meal tonight or not.” UNIFEED

General Assembly proclaims World Wetlands Day, World Cotton Day, expresses solidarity with Haiti, as it adopts 3 resolutions.

Security Council Renews Mali sanctions, panel of experts monitoring implementation, unanimously adopting resolution 2590 (2021). Security Council extends mandate of United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon for one year, unanimously adopting resolution 2591 (2021). Unanimously adopting Resolution 2592 (2021), Security Council extends Somalia mission mandate until 31 May, requests stronger presence as security situation allows.

Noon briefing by Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesperson for the Secretary-General.

On the humanitarian front in Afghanistan, a UN Spokesperson said, “Since 1 July, there has been an influx of people fleeing to Kabul and other large cities, seeking safety from the conflict and other threats. In the past month, 17,500 people have been identified as newly internally displaced. Most of the displaced people arriving in recent days are reported to have arrived from Ghazni and Logar provinces.” UNIFEED

UN humanitarians appealed on Tuesday for better access to Ethiopia’s embattled Tigray region, after the first aid trucks in days to reach the local capital, Mekelle, encountered multiple, rigorous checks which delayed their arrival significantly. UNTV CH