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February 26, 2026 Peace and security

International cooperation under the three drug control conventions has significantly reduced the harm caused by drug trafficking and protected public health worldwide, according to the International Narcotics Control Board (INCB)'s 2025 report, published Thursday.

INCB President Sevil Atasoy emphasized that the system works thanks to the continued support of states: “The conventions – a solid basis for joint action – have curbed drug trafficking and abuse and ensured access to essential medicines for 60 years.”

Global Accounting and Notification System

In its report, the committee notes that thanks to a global tracking and reporting system, the diversion of legally produced substances into illicit channels is kept to a minimum. In 2025, the INCB-created PEN Online platform prevented an attempt to smuggle three tons of fentanyl precursor, which could have led to the production of up to 3.3 tons of the dangerous narcotic.

The organization emphasizes that modern data exchange tools enable states to more quickly respond to trafficking attempts and prevent fraud in the international trade of controlled substances. Cooperation with the private sector—the chemical industry, logistics companies, and online platforms—is also increasingly important.

Access to pain medications

The report places special emphasis on access to painkillers. Despite adequate global stockpiles, many low- and middle-income countries continue to face shortages of morphine-containing medications and difficulties in procuring them. INCB calls on countries to remove barriers that prevent patients from receiving the treatment they need.

Regional trends

The report identifies key regional trends: rising drug use in Africa, declining drug-related deaths in North America, an expanding cocaine market in South America, record levels of illicit methamphetamine production in East Asia, and increased trafficking through Oceania.

In recent years, according to the report, the illicit cocaine trade in Western and Central Europe has increased sharply, as evidenced by the widespread availability of this substance and the overall volume of seizures. Synthetic drug production is expanding in Europe, and the proliferation of new psychoactive substances remains a serious problem.

Canada, Mexico, and the United States have further intensified their efforts to combat drug production and trafficking in recent years. Overdose rates have declined in both Canada (by 17 percent) and the United States (by 27 percent), but the authors of the document believe it is too early to assess whether this decline will become a sustainable trend. The non-medical use of opioids remains a public health concern for experts.

“Protecting people’s health from the dangers posed by drugs is our shared responsibility,” Sevil Atasoy said, calling on countries to further strengthen international cooperation.

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February 25, 2026 Peace and security

As a direct result of Russia's full-scale invasion, Ukrainian schools are being forced to close, even those far from the front lines. The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) warned on Wednesday.

According to the foundation's data, students lost about 10 days of school every two months last year due to air raid sirens, while in 2026, students are losing more than 16 days due to power outages and lack of heat.

According to UNICEF, at least 1,700 schools in frontline regions of Ukraine are affected by power outages and heating problems. More than one in three schools in Dnipropetrovsk and one in five in Kharkiv are also experiencing prolonged power outages, directly threatening safe and uninterrupted learning.

Nationwide, nearly two million children have been affected by disruptions directly caused by Russia's intensified attacks on energy infrastructure. This includes Kyiv, Zhytomyr, Dnipro, Kherson, Mykolaiv, and Odesa, where students have lost up to 88 percent of their school time since mid-January.

Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source. It represents an accurate account of the source's assertions and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

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February 25, 2026 UN

The main news of the day in the UN and around the world: the visit of the Deputy Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process to the Gaza Strip, a Security Council meeting on the Central African Republic, a report by the UN Office on Drugs and Crime on the illegal trade in waste, and the global problem of land alienation.

Ramiz Alakbarov's visit to Gaza

The Deputy Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process began a two-day visit to the Gaza Strip. In Deir al-Balah, Ramiz Alakbarov discussed humanitarian access to the enclave with representatives of UN agencies and partner organizations. He also visited a landfill and a rubble processing site where waste is being transported due to restrictions on access to the main landfills. Tomorrow, the Deputy Special Coordinator will travel to the field hospital in Al-Mawasi, where patients are being assisted to travel to Egypt for treatment. Since the ceasefire, more than 740 patients have been evacuated from there. Another 18,500 people, including 4,000 children, urgently need to be evacuated to receive specialized care.

Security Council meeting on the Central African Republic

The largest elections in the history of the Central African Republic – presidential, parliamentary, regional, and municipal – were held in a calm and generally safe environment. at a briefing at the UN Security Council Valentina Rugwabiza, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for the Central African Republic and head of the UN mission in the country, announced on Wednesday that the vote took place in December 2025. "The Central African Republic has reached an important milestone in strengthening the peace process and state authority," the Special Representative said. The UN mission supported the country's authorities through mediation efforts, as well as technical, logistical, and operational support.

Illegal waste trade

The illegal waste trade generates up to $18 billion in profits annually, according to experts from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, who analyzed illegal waste flows worldwide. In a report released Wednesday by the Office The study found that illegal waste trafficking leads to environmental pollution and harms human health. The authors concluded that this activity is poorly regulated: gaps in legislation and limited law enforcement capabilities allow criminals to reap large profits while remaining unpunished.

The global problem of land ownership

Despite global progress in strengthening land tenure laws, more than a billion people worldwide—nearly one in four adults—fear they could lose all or part of their land and housing rights within the next five years, according to a UN-backed report. Over the past two decades, governments have adopted national and international frameworks on issues such as land policy in Africa and the responsible governance of land, fisheries, and forests, leading to land reform efforts in more than 70 countries. However, according to the report's authors, 1.1 billion people feel "insecure" because they believe it is likely or very likely that they will lose their property in the coming years.

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February 25, 2026 Peace and security

The largest elections in the history of the Central African Republic – presidential, parliamentary, regional, and municipal – were held in a calm and generally secure environment. This was announced by Valentina Rugwabiza, the Secretary-General's Special Representative for the Central African Republic and head of the UN mission in the country, at a briefing at the UN Security Council on Wednesday.

The vote took place in December 2025. “On 28 December 2025, the Central African Republic reached a significant milestone in strengthening the peace process and state authority by holding combined presidential, parliamentary, regional and municipal elections,” the Special Representative said.

The successful holding of the elections was the culmination of years of joint efforts by the government and the United Nations Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA), which were aimed at strengthening state authority and advancing the implementation of the 2019 Political Agreement.

The UN mission provided assistance to the country's authorities through mediation efforts, as well as technical, logistical and operational support.

This set of measures helped maintain a safe environment during the election campaign and on election day, including in high-risk areas. The second round of by-elections for legislative, regional, and municipal bodies is scheduled for April 26, with final results expected this summer.

Rugwabiza noted the increased inclusiveness of the electoral process: women made up 47 percent of voters and 45 percent of candidates in municipal elections.

She also spoke about the progress of the Political Agreement's implementation: two more armed groups were disbanded and an additional agreement was signed on the participation of the Movement for the Liberation of the People of Central Africa in the peace process with the assistance of the Government of Chad.

"These developments, coupled with MINUSCA's continued support for disarmament and demobilization operations – which have resulted in the disarmament and demobilization of more than 1,200 combatants since July 2025 – have contributed to the creation of a secure environment for the elections," Rugwabiza said.

At the same time, according to the Special Representative, serious security challenges remain in the northeast and southeast of the country. In particular, attacks on civilians and local authorities by armed groups continue. The influx of refugees from Sudan is increasing tensions.

The Special Representative also noted that the UN mission is operating under severe financial constraints. The post-election period will be crucial for consolidating political and peace achievements and for a gradual and planned transfer of the mission's powers to national authorities.

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February 25, 2026 Healthcare

The illegal waste trade generates up to $18 billion in profits annually, according to experts from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). They analyzed illegal waste flows worldwide. A report published Wednesday by the UNODC states that illegal waste trafficking leads to environmental pollution and harms human health.

The report examines five main waste categories: electrical and electronic waste (e-waste), plastic waste, end-of-life vehicles and engines, metal and metal-containing waste, and mixed waste.

The report also analyzes the operating methods of criminal groups and corporations involved in illegal waste trafficking. The study's authors conclude that such activities are poorly regulated. Gaps in legislation and limited law enforcement capabilities allow criminals to reap large profits while remaining unpunished.

"Our research shows that illegal waste trafficking remains extremely difficult to detect, investigate and prosecute," says UNP spokesperson Candice Welsh.

She emphasizes that such activities lead to pollution of the environment, including drinking water and soil, with dangerous toxins.

Global problem

Criminal groups are involved in waste crimes worldwide, ranging from localized illegal activities to large-scale intercontinental trafficking. Corporate involvement in illegal waste trafficking is also common: some companies fail to comply with regulations, others knowingly pay for illegal services, and still others conduct illegal activities alongside legitimate ones.

Analysis shows that both organized crime groups and corporations use corruption to conceal illegal waste in legitimate streams, evading audits through fraudulent schemes. These include document forgery, extortion, theft, embezzlement of public funds, abuse of office, and money laundering.

Penalties for illegal waste disposal are often minimal, but the profits can be very high. Furthermore, the cost of illegally dumping toxic waste is significantly lower than the cost of legal waste disposal services. All this creates financial incentives for committing crimes in this area.

The lack of consistent sanctions across countries makes it easier for potential violators to “jurisdiction shop”—choosing countries with the weakest regulations and the least severe penalties.

The study notes that while illegal dumping, burning, transporting, and disposing of waste occurs worldwide, cross-border trafficking involves the movement of the least valuable and most difficult and expensive to dispose of waste from high-income to low-income regions. This waste includes, in particular, plastics and electronics, which may contain harmful chemicals.

Because waste is often sent to countries that have difficulty managing it in an environmentally sound manner, it has serious negative consequences for human health and the environment.

The Office emphasizes that streamlining information exchange in this area, as well as coordinating sanctions policies, will help better track illegal waste flows and bring violators to justice.

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February 24, 2026 Humanitarian aid

A new Integrated Food Security Phase Classification report has confirmed concerns about a sharp deterioration in hunger and malnutrition in Somalia.

Research findings released Tuesday show a sharp deterioration in food security in Somalia due to a nationwide drought emergency that has led to severe water shortages, crop and livestock losses, and mass displacement.

The UN World Food Programme (WFP) last week expressed alarm that without new funding commitments, the delivery of life-saving emergency food aid to Somalia is at risk.

By March, 6.5 million people in Somalia are expected to face crisis levels of hunger or other serious consequences, an increase of 1.7 million since January. Two million people are already experiencing hunger.

More than 1.8 million children under five in Somalia are projected to suffer from acute malnutrition in 2026. Nearly half a million of them are likely to experience severe malnutrition.

WFP warns that without additional funding, life-saving food aid to Somalia will cease within weeks.

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On the anniversary of the Russian Federation's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the UN General Assembly is holding a meeting on the situation surrounding the conflict. Member states are expected to present their positions amid ongoing fighting and growing humanitarian consequences. A resolution will be put to a vote. draft resolution in support of Ukraine's independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity. Follow the meeting live on our page.

Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source. It represents an accurate account of the source's assertions and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.