The SG: The SG called climate change“the defining issue of our time” and emphasized the need for “bold action” at the Abu-Dhabi Ascent meeting this weekend, cohosted by the UN and UAE. The SG said he hoped the meeting would build momentum for the Climate Summit in NY September 23, a meeting he hopes will be geared toward actions and solutions.
South Sudan: UNMISS reported heavy fighting over the weekend near a UN base where 23,000 civilians are being protected. The fighting resumed this morning. Hervé Ladsous, USG for Peacekeeping, is in South Sudan for a three day trip to support UN Peacekeeping and meet with government officials.
Chad: Valerie Amos, Emergency Relief Coordinator, and Robert Piper, Regional Humanitarian Coordinator for the Sahel, are in Chad to meet with UN and NGO representatives as well as the Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs and President of the Republic of Chad.
Afghanistan: UN agencies and partners are supporting the Afghan government by distributing food and providing emergency care after a landslide killed hundreds of people in north eastern Afghanistan Friday.Deputy Emergency Relief Coordinator, Kyung-wha Kang and Mark Bowden, the UN Humanitarian Coordinator for Afghanistan, visited the site today and met with local leaders.
Cyprus: Jeffrey Feltman, USG for Political Affairs, wrapped up a trip to Cyprus today where he met with both the Greek and Turkish Cypriot negotiators to discuss next steps in negotiations.
Polio: WHO released a statement today declaring the 2014 international spread of the wild poliovirus a “Public Health Emergency of International Concern.” WHO named Pakistan, Cameroon and Syria as states exporting the wild poliovirus.