Around the World: Daily Updates from UN Country Teams- June 2024
Our UN teams are on the ground in 162 countries and territories, coordinating joint programmes and tackling a range of multi-faceted priorities and key initiatives on a daily basis — from climate action and food security to gender equality and safety of civilians. UN Resident Coordinators and their teams utilize innovative approaches to problem-solving to better serve communities. Below are some highlights of their work this month.
Friday, 21 June
Mali: Investing in Community Resilience and Accelerating the SDGs with the UN's support
In Mali, a UN delegation, led by Under-Secretary-General Abdoulaye Mar Dieye and Yacoub El-Hillo, conducted a high-level mission from June 18 to 21, during their mission to Central Sahel. During their meetings with Mali's Prime Minister, USG Mar Dieye stressed the UN’s commitment to solidarity and its readiness to support integrated, scalable responses to the region’s challenges. The focus areas include accelerating the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in essential sectors such as education, health, water, energy, and agriculture to foster resilience and promote long-term stability.
In discussions with the Minister of Foreign Affairs and other senior officials, the delegation underscored the importance of joint, transformative programmes that align with national priorities. They also engaged with the diplomatic community, highlighting the critical need for increased humanitarian funding, as Mali's Humanitarian Response Plan is currently only 15% funded. The delegation also stressed the urgent need to invest in community resilience, while boosting local economies.
This high-level mission, comprising Regional Directors from diverse sectors across sustainable development, humanitarian aid, and peacebuilding, showcases the UN’s collective approach to addressing the region's needs. Following their visit to Mali, the delegation will continue their mission in Burkina Faso.
Nigeria: Joint Support to fight Cholera
Our UN team in Nigeria reports a cholera outbreak. Authorities confirm over 300 cases in Lagos State alone, with 15 recorded deaths, with over 1,140 suspected cholera cases across 30 states since the beginning of this year. In response, local authorities launched an emergency response, with substantial support from our UN colleagues, including the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the World Health Organization (WHO), and the International Organization for Migration (IOM), collaborating with authorities at the national and local levels to address the crisis. One key focus is to boost information, education, and communication materials, to ensure accurate public health message dissemination in communities, with positive social and behavioral change to curb the spread of cholera.
Thursday, 13 June
Sahel: High-level Mission visits Niger
A delegation of UN Regional Directors, led by Under-Secretary-General Abdoulaye Mar Dieye, the UN’s Special Coordinator for Development in the Sahel; and Yacoub El-Hillo, the Regional Director for Africa at the UN Development Coordination Office, have concluded the first leg of a high-level mission to the Central Sahel.
The delegation was in Niger from 9 to 13 June. They will continue their mission in Mali next week, with a subsequent visit to Burkina Faso planned.
The UN delegation met with Prime Minister Ali Lamine Zeine and held substantive meetings with senior officials. The UN Development Programme announced an investment of $9.5 million to improve access to energy in Niger, aiming to strengthen the country’s energy infrastructure to meet the growing demand for sustainable and reliable energy.
Monday, 10 June
Sahel: High-level Mission marking joint UN support to vulnerable communities
In the central Sahel region, a delegation of UN Regional Directors, led by the Special Coordinator for Development in the Sahel, Abdoulaye Mar Dieye, and the Regional Director for Africa at the UN Development Coordination Office, Yacoub El-Hillo, has commenced a high-level mission to the region. They arrived in Niger yesterday and will remain there until Thursday. They will then go to Mali and Burkina Faso.
While in the region, they will meet with national authorities, members of civil society and technical and financial partners.
They will also intensify advocacy for continued development and humanitarian investments, especially in light of the current funding challenges.
Thursday, 6 June
Sri Lanka: Assessing needs and supporting communities affected by floods and landslides
Our UN team in Sri Lanka, led by Resident Coordinator Marc André-Franche, is actively supporting national and local counterparts and the National Disaster Management Centre in assessing and meeting the immediate needs of over 250,000 people affected by ongoing severe floods and landslides since 2 June. Essential supplies, such as protective gear, dignity kits and maternity kits have been dispatched and prepositioned for rapid deployment.
Efforts are also being made to improve sanitation in healthcare facilities and to purify water wells with the support of UNICEF, UNFPA, WFP, WHO and UNDP, while FAO stands ready to support with the potential damage to crops. The Humanitarian Country Team led by the Resident Coordinator in coordination with OCHA is closely monitoring the evolving situation.
The UN is also supporting the government and partner efforts with data from UNOSAT and maps illustrating satellite-detected water extent in the most affected districts.
Staff supported by the UN Sri Lanka SDG Fund resilience window were redirected towards coordination needs. Mr. Franche conveyed the UN’s sympathies to all communities affected and families who lost loved ones due to the devastating floods and stands committed to supporting national efforts to address the impacts and support livelihoods.
Monday, 3 June
Pakistan: Prevention of violence against girls and protection of girls' rights to education
Over the weekend, United Nations Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Pakistan, Mohamed Yahya, joined Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in calling for the protection of girls' right to education after recent string of attacks against girls’ schools. He reinforced UN in Pakistan commitment to support the Government in the rehabilitation and re-opening of these schools and to the girls in Pakistan in realizing their right to quality inclusive education, free from fear and intimidation.
Barbados, Serbia and Uzbekistan receive newly appointed UN Resident Coordinators
UN Secretary-General António Guterres has appointed new Resident Coordinators to Serbia, Uzbekistan, and Barbados and the East Caribbean, all of them followed by host government approval.
Matilde Mordt of Sweden started her new function over the weekend as the United Nations Resident Coordinator in Serbia. Sabine Machl of Austria is now Resident Coordinator in Uzbekistan. Finally, Simon Springett of the United States is the United Nations Resident Coordinator in Barbados. Their full bios are online.
Interested in more? Check out previous daily updates from UN teams 'around the world':
