Category: Глобальная политика

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September 10, 2025 Humanitarian aid

The situation in Haiti continues to deteriorate: armed groups control much of the country, half of the population suffers from food shortages, and the number of internally displaced people has reached unprecedented levels, tripling in the past year alone to more than one million. Mass displacement continues into 2025.

On Wednesday, UN Emergency Relief Coordinator Tom Fletcher called on the international community to provide more support to the people of Haiti.

"I feel ashamed for the world, for the fact that we can't show more compassion, more kindness, that we don't want to acknowledge what these people are going through," Fletcher said.

"I have heard stories of people whose lives have been devastated by violence. They desperately need to regain their sense of safety, dignity and hope. I refuse to believe that we cannot do more for them," he added.

"They don't want to be here."

For more than a year, armed gangs have controlled much of the capital Port-au-Prince and its environs. They commit murders, rapes, loot schools and hospitals, and kidnap children to fight.

Today, up to half of the participants in armed groups are children, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.

Tom Fletcher has personally met with families who have suffered violence and are forced to live in makeshift camps.

"They want to live like everyone else. They don't want to be here. They want to rebuild their lives, they want their children to get an education, health care, clean water."

"I lost everything"

Kashmina Jean-Michel lost her beauty salon after a gang attack.

"The shooting started at five in the morning. I lost everything – my property, my business. But the most important thing for me was to save my children. I had no choice but to run away immediately," she said.

"Today I live in a cramped room in poverty. Only one child can be with me, the rest are forced to live with friends," the woman adds.

© UKGW/M. Minasi

Tom Fletcher said many of the families he spoke to had already been forced to relocate two or three times.

Innocent Fanjo, a manager at one of the camps for internally displaced persons, described the current difficulties: "This space was not designed for so many people. There is a problem with food: there is enough food only until midday, but what do people do then, at three or four o'clock in the afternoon? They also have to eat something."

Education for youth

Despite the difficult situation, there are organizations in Haiti that continue to provide support to the population. The OCCED'H youth center in Port-au-Prince works with teenagers and young adults from affected areas where access to education and vocational training is extremely limited.

Almost 300 students gain practical skills at the center. One of them, Fanny Sagess, is learning to create leather goods. “I like to develop my creative abilities, and if you take it seriously and put your heart into it, it can help you gain economic independence,” she says.

"We have to do more"

After visiting the centre, Fletcher noted: “We can find ways to counteract the crisis, the sense of despair and decline, here… young people learn to cut hair, do manicures and pedicures, weave bracelets, repair motorcycles. But most importantly, they rebuild their lives.”

He stressed that the world must extend a helping hand to Haiti and called for increased financial support for humanitarian operations in the country. Of the $908 million needed to meet the most urgent needs, only $108 million has been raised.

"I can't believe we're having such a hard time raising funds… We have to do more," Fletcher said.

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In practice, South-South cooperation is a process by which developing countries, regardless of their geographical location, seek to achieve individual or common development goals through the sharing of knowledge, skills and resources. This process involves governments, regional organizations, civil society, academia and the private sector.

The experiences and aspirations of most countries in the so-called Global South overlap: they continue to shape their postcolonial futures and strive to meet the needs of their people. Their interactions are therefore built on the principles of solidarity, justice, respect for sovereignty and national leadership – without imposing conditions or unachievable demands.

To support these efforts in the international arena and within the UN system, the General Assembly established the UN Office for South-South Cooperation, which has operated under the auspices of the UN Development Programme (UNDP) since 1974.

The Office uses the potential of collaboration to fulfil its unique mandate to promote and advance South-South cooperation and triangular cooperation, in which two or more developing countries work together with the support of a developed country or international organisation.

The Office assists in the development and implementation of policy strategies, manages development funds (mostly financed by countries of the South) and mobilizes financing. It also facilitates the exchange of knowledge, technology, innovative solutions and best practices – including through the online platform South-South Galaxy.

New opportunities and innovations

In an exclusive interview with UN News ahead of September 12, South-South Cooperation Day Dima Al-Khatib, Director of the UN Office for South-South Cooperation, stressed that countries of the South have “enormous potential to advance development” as they account for 80 percent of the world’s population, as well as inexhaustible human and natural resources and an innovative spirit.

According to her, the theme chosen for the International Day of South-South Cooperation – “New Opportunities and Innovation through South-South and Triangular Cooperation” – could not be more relevant now: “Countries of the Global South not only face challenges, but also develop solutions, promote innovation, and we must support, encourage and highlight their leading role in these areas.”

A New Approach to Development Financing

Countries in the Global South face multiple interconnected crises, including rising geopolitical tensions, debt burdens, digital inequality, and social disruption – all while humanitarian funding from developed countries declines.

This reality is prompting developing countries to increasingly turn to cooperation among themselves, which al-Khatib said has become “one of the most important instruments for financing development.”

"I believe this trend will intensify as official development assistance declines and countries look for effective alternatives. South-South and triangular cooperation have already proven their effectiveness," she added.

She said recent research by the Office had shown that South-South cooperation could change economic patterns, create jobs and develop local capacity – in countries such as Ethiopia, Paraguay and Rwanda, among others.

Prospects in the Middle East

The Middle East is home to important projects with great potential for South-South cooperation in renewable energy, digital transformation and climate change adaptation. Morocco’s experience in building large-scale solar power plants has become a model for similar projects in sub-Saharan Africa.

Dima Al-Khatib noted that the Gulf countries not only provide financial assistance to other countries during times of crisis, but also become leaders in exchanging experiences. For example, Saudi Arabia shares its developments in the field of seawater desalination with countries suffering from drought.

Al-Khateeb also mentioned Masdar City in the UAE, where research and development of technologies useful for countries in the Global South are carried out. In addition, the Islamic Development Bank plays a key role in facilitating knowledge sharing among its 57 member states and supporting initiatives in irrigation, sustainable agriculture and climate-resilient infrastructure.

The driving force behind multilateralism

Touching on the tense international political situation, Dima Al-Khatib said South-South cooperation could be a “driving force” for renewing and strengthening multilateralism, but stressed that it “can never replace cooperation among all countries.”

She noted that countries in the Global South are coming together and demonstrating leadership – notably through the India-UN Partnership Fund and the India-Brazil-South Africa Fund. This, she said, demonstrates the power of collective action and “sends a powerful signal that cross-border cooperation is possible and effective.”

The head of the Office stressed that there should be no division between the countries of the Global North and the Global South. “We must build bridges,” she said, adding that the UN is capable of taking on this task, since the United Nations is “that important structure that treats all countries equally.”

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September 11, 2025 Humanitarian aid

Following the recent earthquakes in eastern Afghanistan, the International Organization for Migration (IOM), a UN agency, is scaling up its aid. IOM is urgently appealing for $16.8 million to help 134,000 people affected, many of whom have been forced to flee their homes.

People need shelter, tents, blankets and basic necessities. The population needs medical care, psychosocial support, as well as access to clean water and hygiene. Women and girls are at increased risk in the current situation, including due to the lack of privacy.

"Families have lost everything and are now forced to sleep in the open, without shelter, food or clean water," said IOM Deputy Director General Ugochi Daniels.

"As winter approaches, their situation will only get worse unless they receive urgent support," he added.

Afghanistan already faces numerous challenges, including the return of more than 1.7 million Afghans from Iran and Pakistan in 2025 and an economic crisis. Without the necessary funding for operations in Afghanistan, millions of people will be left without support.

A magnitude 6.0 earthquake on August 31 caused significant damage to the country. A second magnitude 6.2 quake followed on September 4, causing more damage and triggering rockfalls that blocked key roads.

Families have lost everything and are now forced to sleep in the open, without shelter, food or clean water.

As of September 9, IOM and its partners estimate that more than 2,100 people have been killed, 3,600 injured and almost half a million people affected. Around 7,000 homes have been destroyed. The provinces of Kunar, Nangarhar and parts of Laghman have been hit the hardest.

IOM and partner staff have visited more than 80 villages in 10 affected districts. Despite blocked roads and damaged infrastructure, IOM has provided emergency assistance to nearly 2,000 families in Nangarhar and Kunar, and will soon send humanitarian convoys to the disaster area to help nearly 3,000 more families.

Mobile medical teams treated more than 1,200 people, including those who were injured. Patients requiring further care were referred to hospitals, and nearly 120 people received psychosocial support.

The affected provinces are home to some 3.7 million people, including nearly 800,000 internally displaced people and Afghan returnees, many of whom are already living in dire conditions, according to the IOM. Continued assistance will be critical as winter sets in.

IOM calls on donors to urgently provide funding to strengthen the response to support Afghans in the difficult months ahead.

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September 11, 2025 Humanitarian aid

Child malnutrition in the Gaza Strip continues to deteriorate rapidly, with UNICEF-verified data for August showing record levels of acute malnutrition among children surveyed.

The proportion of children showing signs of acute malnutrition reached 13.5 percent in August, up from 8.3 percent in July, the study found. In Gaza City, where famine was officially confirmed last month, the hospitalization rate for children with malnutrition reached 19 percent, up from 16 percent in July.

In August, 12,800 children were diagnosed with acute malnutrition in the sector. However, the total number screened fell due to the closure of ten outpatient centres due to evacuation orders and increased fighting. In July, with greater screening capacity and less military activity, 13,000 cases were identified.

The proportion of children hospitalized with severe acute malnutrition, the most dangerous form, has risen sharply: it was 23 percent in August, up from 12 percent six months earlier.

Closure of food centers

“One in five children in Gaza was diagnosed with acute malnutrition in August, and every one of them needed the support UNICEF provides,” said UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell. “While we have been able to deliver more humanitarian aid, the military escalation has led to the closure of a number of feeding centres, leaving children even more vulnerable. No child should suffer from malnutrition.”

With limited or no access to shelter and basic services, ongoing fighting is causing massive civilian casualties and the near-total destruction of vital systems that children need to survive, UNICEF warns.

In addition to young children, pregnant and breastfeeding women are particularly affected. With nutrition services cut and no sustainable support, the risks to mothers and babies are extremely high. Already, one in five babies in Gaza is born prematurely or underweight.

Expanding supplies

UNICEF is working to scale up the supply of life-saving food and distribute it with partners to around 140 sites across the sector. Stocks of ready-to-use therapeutic foods have increased and should cover the treatment of acute malnutrition until the end of the year. However, other critical food supplies for infants and pregnant and lactating women are in short supply.

Following the partial resumption of commercial supplies to Gaza, the range of products available in markets has expanded and prices have begun to fall. However, many items remain unavailable or too expensive for the most vulnerable families.

UNICEF stresses the urgent need to increase food aid to Gaza, improve its delivery and accessibility, and ensure supplies of food, fuel, gas, shelter and inputs for food production. It is vital to rebuild the health system, maintain primary health care and ensure a stable supply of medical supplies. It is also essential to restore commercial flows, market mechanisms and local food production to avoid the worst effects of famine.

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September 11, 2025 UN

The UN said on Thursday that de facto Afghan security forces had blocked local UN staff and contractors from entering UN compounds in Kabul several days earlier.

The restriction soon extended to UN offices across the country, with de facto authorities sending written notices or warning UN agencies verbally of their decision. Security forces are present at the entrances to UN offices in Kabul, Herat and Mazar-i-Sharif to ensure compliance with the new rule.

The United Nations has also received reports of attempts by de facto security forces to prevent local female staff from entering sites in areas providing support to women and girls affected by the recent earthquakes. Female staff have also been barred from operations to help Afghan refugees returning from Iran and Pakistan.

The UN system in Afghanistan is engaging with the de facto authorities and calling for the immediate lifting of restrictions so that local staff can continue their work.

The actions of the de facto authorities are in contradiction to the agreements reached earlier with the UN. These agreements allowed the UN to support people across the country with a principled and culturally sensitive approach, ensuring that assistance is delivered by women, for women.

The delivery of aid to hundreds of thousands of women, men and children in earthquake-hit areas of eastern Afghanistan and along the Afghan-Iranian and Pakistani borders is now under threat.

The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) and UN agencies in the country have made temporary adjustments to their operations to protect staff and assess options for continuing operations.

The ban on the movement of UN personnel and the obstruction of UN operations are a violation of international rules on the privileges and immunities of UN personnel, the Organization recalls.

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September 10, 2025 Peace and security

In August of this year, short-range drone strikes caused the highest number of civilian casualties in Ukraine compared to other types of weapons: 58 people were killed and 272 were injured, the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine (HRMMU) reported on Wednesday.

According to the mission's new report, about 72 percent of all human casualties were recorded near the front line, mainly in the Donetsk and Kherson regions.

In addition to the increase in frontline attacks, the use of long-range weapons (missiles and loitering munitions) in areas far from the front lines increased significantly in 2025. This trend continued in September after a lull in August.

“A temporary lull in long-range attacks in early August brought only short-term relief to urban areas, while civilian casualties in frontline regions remained stubbornly high,” said Danielle Bell, head of the HRMMU. “Attacks resumed in early September, with the Russian Federation reportedly using record numbers of missiles and drones.”

During the massive strike on September 6-7, Russian forces reportedly used 810 loitering drones and 13 powerful missiles, the largest use of munitions in a single attack since the full-scale invasion began on February 24, 2022. The strike affected several regions of the country, killing at least five civilians and wounding 41 others in six regions and the city of Kyiv.

In August 2025, attacks on energy infrastructure, particularly gas facilities, intensified, with at least nine incidents reported in Ukrainian government-controlled areas. Other critical facilities were also hit, including the Korabelnyi Bridge in the city of Kherson, which is vital for civilian movement.

Throughout 2025, the overall level of civilian casualties in Ukraine has increased sharply, with casualties in the first eight months of the year up 40 percent compared to 2024. Civilian deaths have increased by 17 percent, and the number of wounded has increased by 46 percent.

Since the start of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine by the Russian Federation on 24 February 2022, the HRMMU has documented the deaths of at least 14,116 civilians, including 733 children, and the injury of 36,481 people.

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September 11, 2025 Climate and Environment

2.4 billion people today live in countries where water is scarce, and in 2022 at least 1.7 billion people were forced to use water from contaminated sources. These alarming figures were cited by the UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for Water, Retno Marsudi, in an interview ahead of the launch of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) scientific forum “Atoms for Water,” which opens on September 16.

Former Indonesian Foreign Minister (2014–24), Retno Marsudi is today one of the most prominent figures raising the issue of water security.

Water as a personal experience

Marsudi emphasizes that water is not only a global issue for her, but also a personal one:

“Water has always been something very personal to me. As a woman, I understand that water-related challenges disproportionately affect women and girls. In many countries, water scarcity and limited access to safe water places a particular burden on them, forcing them to travel long distances to fetch water for their families.”

She adds that the conversation about water cannot be reduced to just infrastructure:

"To talk about water is to talk about survival. It is about protecting the basis of life and livelihood."

Priorities for the Future

Marsudi cites climate change, extreme weather events and lack of funding as the main threats to the future.

“Today, the world’s water systems are under stress like never before… Meeting future water and infrastructure needs will require about $6.7 trillion by 2030 and more than $22 trillion by 2050,” the Special Envoy said.

Everyone's responsibility

She believes that the key condition for providing the world's population with water is the unification of efforts by various participants and international cooperation.

“I always emphasize that water is everyone’s responsibility. No one person, institution or country can solve global water problems alone,” Marsudi emphasizes.

Technologies and the role of the IAEA

The Special Envoy pays special attention to nuclear technologies, in particular isotope hydrology.

It is a scientific field that uses natural variations in stable and radioactive isotopes in water to analyze its origin and quality. It allows for a better understanding of the world's water systems.

“The ability of isotope hydrology to accurately track the origin, age and quality of water makes it a revolutionary solution in water resources management,” says Marsudi.

“I believe that through the application of nuclear science and technology, the IAEA will contribute to improving the stability of global water resources,” she adds.

2026: UN Water Conference

The United Arab Emirates will host the UN Water Conference in December 2026. The previous water conference, the first in decades, was held in New York in March 2023. The upcoming forum will be critical for water management, Marsudi said.

“Expectations for the 2026 Water Conference are very high. It will be a major milestone for advancing global water progress and an opportunity to accelerate progress towards Sustainable Development Goal 6 – clean water and sanitation.”

*Prepared based on an IAEA interview.

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September 11, 2025 Economic development

As Ukraine prepares to enter a period of post-war reconstruction, ensuring transparent and accountable use of state and international resources is critical. Corruption remains a serious obstacle to the country’s development, making such measures absolutely necessary.

As part of efforts to ensure transparency and accountability in Ukraine, an analysis of the state of whistleblowing systems at state-owned enterprises was conducted. The study was supported by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Government of Japan.

The survey, which involved 888 employees from 24 state-owned enterprises, assessed levels of awareness, trust in reporting channels, the existence of whistleblower protection policies, and overall corporate culture.

Awareness and willingness to report corruption

Although 85 percent of Ukrainian civil servants are willing to report corruption, only 46 percent of businesses have formal whistleblower support policies. This gap reflects a lack of motivation and protection to create a safe environment conducive to fighting corruption.

Corruption reporting channels

Employees prefer direct methods of reporting: the most popular channel is the anti-corruption commissioner's email (63 percent), followed by personal meetings (47 percent). Less commonly used are hotlines, shared corporate email addresses, and the Unified Whistleblower Message Portal.

Support from management

While most employees (57 percent) believe that management supports a whistleblowing culture, nearly a third (31 percent) fear negative consequences or retaliation for reporting violations, which is a major barrier to creating an open and transparent work environment.

Whistleblower Protection Awareness

64 percent of Ukrainian civil servants know about state protection of whistleblowers, 83 percent are aware of the possibility of anonymous reporting. However, 24 percent of respondents do not have a clear idea of the reporting process, which reduces the effectiveness of the entire system.

Effectiveness of the message handling system

The process for reviewing reports of violations is considered transparent by 56 percent of employees, 34 percent found it difficult to answer, and 10 percent considered it opaque. This indicates a need for improved communication on procedures and review results.

Based on the data obtained, the authors of the study conclude that the culture of information in state-owned enterprises of Ukraine requires serious improvement.

Recommendations

The report offers specific recommendations to the government, business leaders and anti-corruption commissioners:

Authorities should provide specialized training for anti-corruption commissioners, strengthen enforcement, and ensure effective reporting channels and whistleblower protection. Enterprise management should foster a culture of integrity, oversee the development of whistleblower policies, and ensure whistleblower protection from reprisals. The effectiveness of these systems should also be regularly reviewed. Anti-corruption commissioners should systematically evaluate the effectiveness of whistleblower systems, ensure transparent procedures, update internal policies in line with the law, promote safe reporting channels, train staff, and combat whistleblower stigma.

The implementation of these measures will strengthen whistleblowing systems, increase employee trust, ensure effective protection of whistleblowers and, ultimately, enhance integrity in the Ukrainian public sector.

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September 10, 2025 Sustainable Development Goals

The number of children receiving school meals through government programmes has increased by almost 80 million compared to 2020 – a 20 per cent increase – to 466 million, according to a new edition of the World Food Programme (WFP) report, The State of School Feeding in the World. The report presents for the first time data showing that such programmes are improving not only the number of children attending school, but also the quality of their education.

Overall, nearly half of all children receiving school meals live in Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.

Investments in development

Yet the biggest progress was made where it was needed most: in low-income countries, the number of children receiving school meals increased by 60 percent in two years.

"School lunches are much more than just a serving of healthy food“For vulnerable children, it is a path out of poverty and into education and opportunity,” said WFP Executive Director Cindy McCain.

According to the WFP, funding for school feeding has more than doubled globally, from $43 billion in 2020 to $84 billion in 2024. Of this, 99 percent comes from national budgets. This shows that school feeding is increasingly viewed not as an external aid program, but as a public policy tool and a factor in national development. Since 2020, the number of countries that have adopted national school feeding strategies has almost doubled, from 56 to 107.

The fastest growth is being seen in countries participating in the Global School Feeding Coalition, which brings together more than 100 governments, six regional organizations and over 140 partners from different sectors.

Social and economic benefits

The report presents the first evidence showing that school meals improve the quality of education, including improving math and literacy outcomes. School meals have previously been shown to increase attendance and reduce dropout rates. The new research shows that such programmes are also highly effective in improving learning, often outperforming interventions such as teacher training or technology.

The school feeding programme is the largest social protection intervention in the world, helping countries cope with the impacts of climate crises, pandemics and conflicts, and supporting the most vulnerable children. In addition, feeding programmes create more than 7 million jobs as cooks, as well as in logistics, agriculture and supply chains.

At the same time, according to WFP estimates, every dollar invested brings between $7 and $35 in economic returns. Sustainable models, such as using local products, contribute to the formation of ecologically sound diets, the development of local food systems and the strengthening of national economies.

Girls in particular benefit from school meals – in terms of health, education and future opportunities. Women are also supported by expanding their roles in supply chains and employment, such as as cooks.

The WFP report was released ahead of the Second Global School Feeding Summit, which will take place in Brazil on 18–19 September and will provide a platform for taking stock and agreeing on next steps.

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September 12, 2025 Human rights

The human rights situation in North Korea has not improved over the past decade and in many respects has even worsened, further exacerbating the suffering of the population, the UN Human Rights Office said in a report released on Friday.

Isolation and control of citizens

The country adopted new laws and implemented policies aimed at controlling citizens in all spheres of life and increasing surveillance of them.

“No other people in the modern world are subject to such restrictions,” the report says, citing a man who managed to escape from the DPRK: “It was a form of control aimed at eliminating even the most minor manifestations of discontent or complaints.”

In 2025, the country is more closed than at any time in its history. The report notes a link between the DPRK's increasing isolation, the country's deteriorating human rights situation, and the peace and security situation on the entire Korean Peninsula.

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk said in connection with the release of the report "on the lost decade in North Korea". "And it pains me to say that if the DPRK continues on its current trajectory, the population will continue to suffer, brutal repression and fear," he said.

Political prison camps and propaganda

The report says that political prison camps continue to operate in the country, and the fate of hundreds of thousands of missing people, including abducted foreign nationals from South Korea, Japan and elsewhere, remains unknown.

The population continues to be subjected to incessant propaganda by the state.

The people of the DPRK are also not provided with adequate nutrition, and some government measures are exacerbating the problem of hunger.

Death penalty and forced labor

Laws in North Korea today provide for a broader use of the death penalty. The death penalty is used in practice.

New harsh penalties, including the death penalty, have been introduced for free expression of opinion and use of information. The death penalty is envisaged, in particular, for disseminating foreign media materials and TV series. Surveillance of the population has become even more widespread thanks to the development of technology.

The report, based on hundreds of interviews conducted by the agency and other materials, points to an increase in the use of forced labor in many forms, particularly so-called “shock brigades,” typically recruited to work in dangerous industries such as mining and construction. These brigades typically include people from poor families. In recent years, the government has used thousands of orphans and street children in coal mines and other dangerous sites.

What has changed for the better

The office has received reports of some improvements. North Koreans who have managed to leave the country have reported some improvements in the treatment of people in detention facilities. The number of incidents of violence by guards has decreased slightly, and law enforcement officials are reported to be more aware of the standards of treatment of people deprived of their liberty and the conditions in which they are held.

Several laws have been passed that are said to strengthen fair trial guarantees and protection against ill-treatment of persons deprived of their liberty.

The country has engaged to some extent with the international human rights system, having ratified two more human rights treaties and fulfilled reporting obligations to some treaty bodies. However, the gap between the state’s international obligations and the real lives of its citizens remains evident, the report says.

Recommendations

The report states that States have an obligation to respect the principle of non-refoulement for North Korean citizens under their jurisdiction and that the negative impact of sanctions on the enjoyment of human rights by the country's population must be addressed.

The report also makes recommendations on measures the government can take to improve the human rights situation in the country. These include ending the system of political prison camps, ending the death penalty, ending torture and ill-treatment in places of detention, disseminating information about human rights among the population, and others.

"These steps will give people hope that the path to a future full of freedom, equality and rights is possible," Turk said.

"Hundreds of interviews conducted for this report show a clear and strong desire for change, particularly among young people," he added.

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