UN News Centre - Africa

United Nations, the Republic of Congo&#39s Government and humanitarian partners today appealed for $23.7 million to aid Congolese in the area of southern Brazzaville known as &#8220the Pool&#8221, where fighting and insecurity has displaced one out of every three people.

Amid rising terrorism and violent extremism in West Africa and the United Nations envoy for the region called on the Security Council to further support national and Regional efforts to combat this "serious threat", including strengthening the UN Integrated Strategy for the Sahel.

The humanitarian situation in Eritrea – which is quite isolated and off the media radars – is “on a positive trajectory” but international donors need to give malnourishment and food insecurity continued attention, a senior United Nations relief official today said.

The United Nations Security Council today expressed concern at the ongoing clashes between armed groups in the Central African Republic (CAR) and deplored that civilians from some communities, UN peacekeepers and aid workers continue to be targeted.

Thousands of South Sudanese civilians are fleeing to neighbouring Ethiopia as Government troops advance on a rebel stronghold in the Upper Nile region, a senior United Nations official today said, expressing grave concern about what is already the world’s fastest growing refugee crisis.

The security situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) continues to be a major source of concern, with violence in the Kasai provinces, in the western part of the vast country, reaching “disturbing” levels, the United Nations Security Council was told today.

As South Sudan enters its sixth year of independence, the United Nations Children&#39s Fund (UNICEF) is calling the situation in the country &#8220a catastrophe for children&#8221 and cautioned that they are being denied a childhood in nearly all aspects of their lives.

The economy of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is losing as much as 4.5 per cent of gross domestic product (GDP) to the effects of child undernutrition, according to a United Nations-backed study released today.

The United Nations peacekeeping mission in Mali today condemned continuing ceasefire violations by two signatories of the 2015 Peace and Reconciliation Agreement.

African governments should make it easier and safer for Africans to travel within the continent, the United Nations said in a new report released today, noting that tourism demand there is increasingly driven by Africans themselves.

While a number of steps have been taken to address the scourge of sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA), the former deputy head of the United Nations peacekeeping mission in the Central African Republic (CAR) has urged continued vigilance to ensure that the world body’s personnel do no harm while carrying out their duties.

Marking the 57th anniversary of Somalia&#39s independence, the top United Nations official in the country today urged all Somalis to seize a moment of opportunity and work towards peace and stability.

Recognizing the efforts of the United Nations Operation in Côte d’Ivoire (UNOCI) in promoting peace, stability and development, the UN Security Council today marked the closing of the mission by underscoring the importance of action by the Government to address the remaining challenges in the country for the benefit of all Ivorians.

The United Nations refugee agency has voiced concern over a flow of people fleeing renewed violence in some parts of the Central African Republic, a country that has already seen a half million people internally displaced and another half million taking refuge in neighbouring countries.

Secretary-General António Guterres has welcomed the closure of the United Nations Operation in Côte d’Ivoire (UNOCI), which will take place on Friday, and reiterated the UN family’s commitment to helping the people and Government of the West African nation to sustain their hard-won peace.

The United Nations refugee agency is alarmed by a fresh incident of forced returns of refugees from Cameroon into northeast Nigeria amid an absence of conditions to make such movements safe and sustainable.

The United Nations deputy chief today stressed the need to “avoid a disproportionate emphasis on security” when carrying out a strategy to help Africa’s Sahel region achieve sustained peace and development.

The United Nations migration agency in Niger has saved more than 600 lives since April 2017 through a new search and rescue operation that targets migrants stranded in Sahara Desert, but 52 did not survive.

In spite of &#8220remarkable&#8221 progress in Liberia since the signing of the comprehensive peace agreement in 2003, the presence of challenges that risk a reversal of the gains made warrant continued international support and attention, the United Nations envoy for the country has cautioned.

Condemning violent attacks in Maiduguri, in Nigeria&#39s restive Borno state, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has underscored the Organization&#39s resolve to support the country in its fight against terrorism.