Latest news with #ClementineNkweta-Salami
Scoop
12-05-2025
- General
- Scoop
World News In Brief: Sudan Aid Update, Child Migrant Deaths At Sea, Nursing Shortages, Invasive Pest Scourge
12 May 2025 Port Sudan – the main entry point for humanitarian supplies and personnel into the country – came under attack for the ninth consecutive day. As the UN's main humanitarian hub in Sudan, drone strikes on the coastal city have gravely impacted aid delivery. Nonetheless, UN Humanitarian Air Service (UNHAS) flights were able to resume on 8 May, providing a continuation of a key humanitarian lifeline as the war between rival militaries for control of Sudan continues, UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric confirmed. Targeting of civilian infrastructure has sparked panic and displacement. The International Organization for Migration (IOM) reported last week that 600 people were displaced within Port Sudan alone because of the attacks. Catastrophic situation in North Darfur The UN Humanitarian Coordinator for Sudan, Clementine Nkweta-Salami, warned on Sunday that the situation in the North Darfur camps of Abou Shouk 'is catastrophic.' Although the UN and its partners continue to scale up their humanitarian response, both camps remain, in effect, cut off from aid. Ms Nkweta-Salami issued an urgent call for a ceasefire and humanitarian pauses to allow life-saving deliveries to resume. Call for action after deaths of migrant children at sea Two young children, aged 3 and 4, have died from dehydration aboard a rubber dinghy found adrift in the central Mediterranean, the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) said on Monday. The vessel, which departed Libya carrying 62 migrants including several children, had reportedly been stranded for days after its engine failed. According to survivors, the children had died nearly a day before rescuers arrived. One additional passenger is believed to have drowned earlier in the journey. Many others onboard suffered severe chemical burns caused by contact with a mixture of seawater and spilled fuel – injuries which require urgent medical attention. All surviving passengers were eventually rescued and transferred to Lampedusa by the Italian coast guard. 'Devastating reminder' Regina De Dominicis, UNICEF Regional Director for Europe and Central Asia, called the incident 'another devastating reminder' of the deadly risks migrants face. She stressed the need for coordinated search and rescue missions, and greater investment in support services for migrant families. 'The central Mediterranean remains one of the most dangerous migration routes in the world,' Ms. De Dominicis said. 'Without immediate action, more lives will continue to be lost.' UNICEF continues to call on governments to meet their obligations under international law and protect vulnerable children seeking safety. Nursing workforce grows, but deep inequalities persist worldwide The number of nurses around the world has increased in recent years, but a new UN report published on Monday shows that many countries and regions still face serious shortages, highlighting ongoing inequalities in access to nursing care. Low-income countries are particularly affected, struggling with too few nurses to meet the needs of their growing populations, said the UN World Health Organization (WHO) which crunched the data. Poor prospects at home While these countries are training new nurses at a faster rate than wealthier nations, challenges such as rapid population growth and limited job opportunities are making it hard to close the gap, WHO added. These imbalances in where nurses are working mean that millions still don't have access to basic health services. This is holding back efforts to achieve universal health coverage, protect global health, and meet international development goals linked to health. 'We cannot ignore the inequalities that mark the global nursing landscape,' said WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. WHO is urging governments to create more nursing jobs and ensure they are fairly distributed, especially in communities where healthcare services are lacking. Plant pests continue to threaten global food supplies Protecting crops from pests is key to ensuring everyone has enough to eat, said the head of the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) on Monday, who stressed that access to food is a basic human right. Each year, around 40 per cent of the world's crops are lost to plant pests and diseases, causing over $220 billion in economic damage. Invasive pests turn up the heat Migratory pests like locusts and armyworms are among the biggest threats, especially in regions already hit hard by conflict and climate change. Countries in the Near East and North Africa – including Algeria, Libya and Tunisia – are currently dealing with a serious outbreak of desert locusts that began in the Sahel. These insects destroy crops and pastureland, putting food supplies for both people and animals at risk, and threatening the survival of farming communities. 'No country can face these challenges alone,' said FAO Director-General QU Dongyu, at a high-level conference in Italy marking the International Day of Plant Health. He called for greater international cooperation and more funding to tackle cross-border pests and diseases.
Zawya
21-04-2025
- Politics
- Zawya
Sudan war: Hundreds of thousands flee renewed violence in North Darfur
A mass wave of displacement in Sudan's North Darfur state is pushing hundreds of thousands into precarious conditions far from lifesaving aid, as overstretched operations struggle to keep pace with the growing emergency. Renewed attacks on camps – including Zamzam and Abu Shouk – that were sheltering those displaced by earlier violence have now forced an estimated 400,000 to 450,000 people to flee again. According to the Office of the UN Humanitarian Coordinator in Sudan, many are moving towards the town of Tawila, the rugged terrain of Jebel Marra or other remote areas – far from health services, clean water and food supplies. 'These population movements are increasingly fluid, unpredictable, and fuelled by ongoing hostilities and fears of a broader offensive on El Fasher,' Humanitarian Coordinator Clementine Nkweta-Salami said in a statement on Sunday. 'The scale and gravity of reported violations, including direct attacks on IDPs and humanitarian personnel, are unacceptable. Civilians must never be a target.' Worsening crisis The displacement follows a wave of violence earlier this month, in which Rapid Support Forces (RSF)-affiliated troops reportedly launched coordinated attacks on Zamzam, Abu Shouk and El Fasher, killing hundreds, including children and humanitarian staff. The situation in Sudan remains one of the world's worst humanitarian crises. Since conflict erupted between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the RSF in April 2023, more than 12.4 million people have been displaced, including over 3.3 million who have fled to neighbouring countries. Thousands more have been killed in the violence, with the Darfur region among the hardest hit. Supply lines severed Ms. Nkweta-Salami warned that the situation is further compounded by rising levels of food insecurity, with displaced populations increasingly cut off from supply chains and assistance. Risk of epidemic outbreaks, malnutrition and famine are also rising. Access to El Fasher and surrounding areas remains 'dangerously restricted,' she said, reiterating calls for sustained access to the region through established humanitarian infrastructure. In addition to access, limited funding is further imperilling lifesaving programmes across the region. 'The humanitarian system is currently overstretched,' Ms. Nkweta-Salami said, calling on donors to urgently ramp up flexible and front-loaded support through mechanisms such as the Sudan Humanitarian Fund. 'This funding is critical to support first responders, mobilize life-saving supplies, and sustain emergency response operations,' she added. Intercommunal clashes in West Darfur Meanwhile, intercommunal clashes in West Darfur have added to the crisis. A separate report from the UN International Organization for Migration (IOM) indicated that at least 146 households were displaced from Jebel Moon locality following an attack last week by Arab tribesmen. 'The situation remains tense and unpredictable,' the agency said. Many of the displaced fled across the border into Chad. Due to security constraints, IOM said verification of numbers remains limited. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of UN News.
The Independent
13-04-2025
- Health
- The Independent
Sudan paramilitaries kill at least 100 people in attack on famine-hit camps
Sudan 's notorious paramilitary group killed at least 100 people in a two-day attack on famine-hit camps for displaced people in the Darfur region, a UN official said. About 20 children and nine aid workers were among those killed by the Rapid Support Forces, or RSF, and allied militias during their offensive on the Zamzam and Abu Shorouk camps and the nearby city of El-Fasher, the provincial capital of North Darfur province, on Friday. El-Fasher is under the control of the military, which has fought the RSF since Sudan descended into a civil war two years ago, killing more than 24,000 people, according to the UN, though activists say the number is likely far higher. The camps were attacked again on Saturday, the UN humanitarian coordinator in Sudan, Clementine Nkweta-Salami, said in a statement. She said nine aid workers were killed "while operating one of the very few remaining health posts still operational" in the Zamzam camp. "This represents yet another deadly and unacceptable escalation in a series of brutal attacks on displaced people and aid workers in Sudan since the onset of this conflict nearly two years ago," she said. Ms Nkweta-Salami did not identify the aid workers but the Sudanese Doctors' Union said in a statement that six medical workers with the Relief International were killed when their hospital in Zamzam came under attack on Friday. They included Dr Mahmoud Babaker Idris and Adam Babaker Abdallah, head of the group in the region, the union said. It blamed the RSF for "this criminal and barbaric act". In a statement on Saturday evening, Relief International mourned the death of the nine workers, saying they had been killed the previous day in a "targeted attack on all health infrastructure in the region", including the group's clinic. The group said the central market in Zamzam along with hundreds of makeshift homes in the camp were destroyed in the attack. The offensive forced nearly 2,400 people to flee the camps and El-Fasher, the General Coordination for Displaced Persons and Refugees, a local group in Darfur, said. Zamzam and Abu Shouk shelter over 700,000 people forced to flee their homes across Darfur during past bouts of fighting in the region, Ms Nkweta-Salami said. The Sudanese military last month regained control of Khartoum, a major symbolic victory in the war. But the RSF remained in control of most of Darfur and some other areas. The two camps are among five areas in Sudan suffering famine, according to the global hunger monitoring group Integrated Food Security Phase Classification. The war has created the world's largest humanitarian crisis, with about 25 million people, half of Sudan's population, facing extreme hunger.
Arab Times
13-04-2025
- Health
- Arab Times
Attacks on famine-hit camps in Sudan's Darfur leave at least 100 people dead: UN official
CAIRO, April 13, (AP): Sudan's notorious paramilitary group launched a two-day attack on famine-hit camps for displaced people that left more than 100 dead, including 20 children and nine aid workers, in the Darfur region, a UN official said Saturday. The Rapid Support Forces and allied militias launched an offensive on the Zamzam and Abu Shorouk camps and the nearby city of el-Fasher, the provincial capital of North Darfur province, on Friday, said UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Sudan Clementine Nkweta-Salami. El-Fasher is under the control of the military, which has fought the RSF since Sudan descended into civil war two years ago, killing more than than 24,000 people, according to the United Nations, though activists say the number is likely far higher. The camps were attacked again on Saturday, Nkweta-Salami said in a statement. She said that nine aid workers were killed "while operating one of the very few remaining health posts still operational' in Zamzam camp. "This represents yet another deadly and unacceptable escalation in a series of brutal attacks on displaced people and aid workers in Sudan since the onset of this conflict nearly two years ago,' she said. Nkweta-Salami didn't identify the aid workers but Sudan's Doctors' Union said in a statement that six medical workers with the Relief International were killed when their hospital in Zamzam came under attack on Friday. They include Dr Mahmoud Babaker Idris, a physician at the hospital, and Adam Babaker Abdallah, head of the group in the region, the union said. It blamed the RSF for "this criminal and barbaric act.' In a statement Saturday evening, Relief International mourned the death of its nine workers, saying they were killed the previous day in a "targeted attack on all health infrastructure in the region,' including the group's clinic. The group said the central market in Zamzam along with hundreds of makeshift homes in the camp were destroyed in the attack. The offensive forced about 2,400 people to flee the camps and el-Fasher, according to the General Coordination for Displaced Persons and Refugees, a local group in Darfur. Zamzam and Abu Shouk shelter more than 700,000 people who have been forced to flee their homes across Darfur during past bouts of fighting in the region, Nkweta-Salami said. Late last month, the Sudanese military regained control over Khartoum, a major symbolic victory in the war. But the RSF still controls most of Darfur and some other areas. The two camps are among five areas in Sudan where famine was detected by the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification, IPC, a global hunger monitoring group. The war has created the world's largest humanitarian crisis, with about 25 million people - half of Sudan's population - facing extreme hunger.
Yahoo
13-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
100+ killed during militia attacks in Sudan
April 12 (UPI) -- Two days of attacks by the Rapid Support Forces militia Friday and Saturday killed more than 100 in the Darfur region of western Sudan. United Nations officials on Saturday announced the RSF and its allied militias attacked refugee camps in Abu Shorouk and Zamzam and North Darfur's capital city of el-Fasher, CBS News reported. "This represents yet another deadly and unacceptable escalation in a series of brutal attacks on displaced people and aid workers in Sudan since the onset of this conflict nearly two years ago," Clementine Nkweta-Salami, U.N. Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Sudan, told media in a prepared statement. RSF militia and allies attacked on Friday and resumed the attack on Saturday, which Nkewta-Salami said killed nine aid workers at one of the few health posts in the area. The Sudanese military controls el-Fasher and has been engaged in a civil war with its former ally RSF for two years. More than 24,000 have died during the civil war. The Zamzam and Abu Shouk shelters are home to more than 700,000 refugees who were forced to leave their homes in the Darfur region due to the civil war, according to the U.N. The RSF has attacked civilians living in and near el-Fasher since May 2024 and in February attacked the Zamzam camp, Laetitia Bader, Human Rights Watch director for the Horn of Africa, said Friday in an online report. Bader said the Zamzam camp houses more than 500,000 refugees who have been subjected to famine during the civil war. "In recent days, hundreds of desperate civilians have arrived in Tawila, a town 60 kilometers west of Zamzam, destitute, hungry and thirsty, reporting that conditions in Zamzam have become unbearable," Bader said. She said Sudanese Armed Forces and their allies "claim to be defending the city" but "have not appeared to take all feasible measures ... to minimize harm to civilians."
