"LOCUSTS"

The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) today warned that the number of people teetering on the edge of famine (IPC4/Emergency or worse) in 43 countries has risen to 45 million, as acute hunger spikes around the world. This number has risen from 42 million earlier in the year and 27 million in 2019. WFP

As climate talks get underway in Glasgow, families in Southern Madagascar, where climate is driving famine-like conditions, brace themselves for yet another harsh year ahead as the ongoing drought shows no signs of abating, signaling deteriorating hunger. WFP

Marking this year’s United Nations Day, the world body’s top officials in Somalia today flagged some of the support being provided to and challenges faced in assisting Somalis on their path to peace and stability, while also re-affirming their commitment in line with the organization’s founding principles. UNSOM

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) Director-General, QU Dongyu, and the FAO Goodwill Ambassador, European Space Agency (ESA) Astronaut Thomas Pesquet, made a joint call to support the transformation to more efficient, inclusive, resilient and sustainable agri-food systems to ensure enough affordable, nutritious, safe and sustainably produced food for all on the planet. FAO

In 2019 Kenya saw the worst Desert Locust invasion of the last 70 years. Crops and pastures were hit by the ravenous pest putting at risk food security and nutrition of thousands of people in the country. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) quickly intervened to support the Government of Kenya’s response on survey and control measures. FAO

According to the UN’s Emergency Relief Coordinator, Martin Griffiths, after 11 months of conflict and three months of de-facto blockade, the humanitarian crisis in Ethiopia's Tigray region "is spiraling out of control.” UNIFEED

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.

A UN Spokesperson said that the UN along with its partners on the ground are “gravely concerned about the deteriorating humanitarian situation” in the Grand Sud, Madagascar. UNIFEED

Noon briefing by Stephane Dujarric, Spokesperson for the Secretary-General

Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said today “it is heartbreaking to see many young Ethiopians being instrumentalized and mobilized in the war effort,” and their energies “being channeled into a path of division and destruction instead of the path of building a better future.” UNIFEED