Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Tom Fletcher painted an alarming picture of conditions on the ground. “Yemen’s humanitarian crisis is accelerating. Hunger is rising. Our response is stretched to the limit,” he said, noting that in a single month the share of people unable to meet basic food needs had jumped from half to nearly 60 per cent. More than 18 million people – over half the population – are now acutely hungry, he said.
Fletcher said the crisis was being driven by a “lethal combination” of conflict, economic collapse, rising prices and lost livelihoods, compounded by an overstretched health system. More than 2.2 million children under five are acutely malnourished, he warned. “Without sustained support, many will carry lifelong consequences.”
With the humanitarian appeal less than 15 per cent funded, Fletcher said the UN was being forced to scale back operations.
He also noted, “Aid can keep people alive. It cannot give Yemenis the future they deserve. Only a political solution – owned by the people of Yemen and supported by this Council – can do that.”
“Yemen’s conflict is unresolved, not over,” UN Special Envoy Hans Grundberg told the Security Council.
Briefing the Security Council Grundberg warned that despite a relative calm holding since a 2022 truce, the country remains mired in an intractable crisis with deepening economic and humanitarian pressures.
Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for Yemen also said the recent regional conflict had increased strain on the Yemeni economy through the country’s import dependence and geopolitical proximity, driving up the cost of food and fuel and amplifying inflationary pressures. “In recent weeks, there have been protests in Aden and other governorates over electricity shortages amid the summer heat,” he said.
On a rare diplomatic breakthrough, Grundberg said the parties had agreed last month to release over 1,600 conflict-related detainees following 14 weeks of UN-facilitated negotiations in Amman — the largest such release operation in the history of the conflict. “Trust was low; negotiations stalled multiple times. It required courage and compromise,” he said, urging swift implementation with support from the International Committee of the Red Cross.
Noon Briefing by Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesperson for the Secretary-General.
Highlights:
– Secretary-General/Haiti
– UN Interim Force in Lebanon
– Lebanon/Humanitarian
– Occupied Palestinian Territory
– Democratic Republic of the Congo/Ebola
– Democratic Republic of the Congo/UN Mission
– Yemen/Security Council
– Secretary-General/Austria World Summit
– Climate/Children
– State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture
– Anti-Personnel Mines
– Family Remittances
– Guests Tomorrow
SECRETARY-GENERAL/HAITI
The Secretary-General arrived in Haiti earlier today. He was greeted at the airport in Port-au-Prince by Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aimé.
He then went on to visit Camp Vertières, a site hosting the Gang Suppression Force. He began the visit by a tour and a briefing by our colleagues at the UN Support Office for Haiti explaining the operational and logistical support they provide to the Force, in accordance with Security Council resolution 2793.
While there, the Secretary-General was also briefed by the Force Commander of the Gang Suppression Force.
Before the day is over, the Secretary-General will have met with the Prime Minister. He will also be meeting with Haitians impacted by the violence in the country. And of course, he will stop and meet with representatives of civil society, as well as our UN colleagues on the ground.
At about 3:40 p.m., the Secretary-General is expected to speak to the press. He will then had back to Santo Domingo, and before flying back to New York tomorrow, he will have a meeting with the President of the Dominican Republic in Santo Domingo and will also meet with the UN country team.
On his arrival yesterday in Santo Domingo, the Secretary-General thanked the Dominican Government for the support they have been providing to the UN’s work in Haiti.
UN INTERIM FORCE IN LEBANON
The UN Interim Force in Lebanon peacekeepers are continuing to observe violence and exchanges of fire within their area of operations, though at a significantly reduced level compared to the weekend.
The mission recorded 38 violations of Lebanese airspace by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) yesterday, down from 83 reported on Sunday.
The number of trajectories of projectiles also dropped markedly, with 174 recorded all day yesterday, compared to 705 on Sunday. Of yesterday’s total, 169 were attributed to the IDF, and five to Hizbullah.
From midnight until 4:00 p.m. local time today, peacekeepers reported 22 airspace violations by the IDF and about 106 trajectories of projectiles, of which 103 were attributed to the IDF. And the remainder to non-State actors, presumably Hizbullah.
UNIFIL continues to monitor IDF ground activities across its area of operations, including armored movements, and logistical and engineering activities as well.
On the humanitarian front, through the Liaison Branch and in coordination with the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affair (OCHA), UNIFIL facilitated one humanitarian mission yesterday to Tyre and surrounding areas.
Full Highlights: https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/noon-briefing-highlight?date=2026-06-16
This year marks the 12th International Day of Yoga with the theme “ Yoga for Healthy Ageing”, which emphasizes the importance of Yoga for all ages. Yoga can be a valuable practice for healthy aging because it supports many of the abilities that help people stay active, independent, and engaged as they grow older. By combining gentle movement, stretching, breathing exercises, and mindfulness, yoga can help improve balance, flexibility, strength, and mobility, while also supporting mental well-being and stress management. Because yoga can be adapted to different fitness levels and health conditions, it offers an accessible way for many older adults to maintain their physical and emotional health. These benefits support several goals of the WHO Decade of Healthy Ageing (2021–2030), including promoting independence, reducing fall risk, enhancing quality of life, and encouraging person-centered approaches to health and well-being.
"Almost every child in the world is now exposed to at least one climate hazard, such as floods, droughts, storms or extreme heat," said Tom Slaymaker of UNICEF at a press briefing at the United Nations Office at Geneva.
"This is not a warning of what is to come. It’s a recognition of our current reality,"
On Tuesday, 16 June, 1976 in Soweto, South Africa, thousands of children marched to protest the poor quality of their education and the imposition of Afrikaans as a medium of instruction. The South African police at that time under the control of the Apartheid administration, shot and killed hundreds of boys and girls. For some 20 years, South Africa was suspended from the General Assembly following opposition to its regime. On the 50th anniversary of this massacre, a look back at the ‘Artists against Apartheid’ concert.
The United Nations Headquarters’ observance in the United Nations General Assembly Hall, New York on Thursday 9 July 2026, of the International Day of Reflection and Commemoration of the 1995 Genocide in Srebrenica.
The United Nations Headquarters’ observance of the International Day of Reflection and Commemoration of the 1995 Genocide in Srebrenica takes place on Thursday, 9 July 2026. Mr. Chaloka Beyani, United Nations Under-Secretary-General and Special Advisor on the Prevention of Genocide will host the proceedings. The observance includes survivor testimony, remarks delivered by the CdC on behalf of the Secretary-General, remarks delivered by the President of the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly (via video) and a senior representative of Bosnia Herzegovina.
From Bangladesh to Kosovo, Syria to Sudan, Kelly Clements has spent more than 30 years helping to save lives during some of the biggest refugee and humanitarian crises in recent times. Now the outgoing Deputy High Commissioner at the UN’s refugee agency, UNHCR, she’s making an impassioned case for a more humane world.
“How can we convince those that continue to wage wars that continue to treat people badly? How can we show what’s possible with a little hope, compassion, and more peace? The force of good is much stronger than the force of evil.”
Global refugee needs are surging as wealthy nations turn away from helping the most vulnerable people on earth. In this episode, Kelly Clements reflects on her deep frustration at the devastating cuts to life-saving UN services, on the lasting power of helping just one person, and shares how the love of her family always gives her strength to serve.
[00:00] Introduction
[01:08] Discovering refugee protection
[08:54] The upbringing that shaped her worldview
[14:03] Choosing public service over private sector
[15:52] Why refugee protection became her life’s work
[17:02] A defining image from Albania
[18:57] Joining UNHCR
[21:28] A kernel of hope in Syria
[23:01] Refugee needs rising as funding collapses
[24:06] The human cost of humanitarian cuts
[25:08] Losing 6,500 UNHCR colleagues
[26:11] Making the case for refugee protection
[26:34] Sudan’s devastation up close
[31:45] Witnessing Ukraine’s resilience
[33:24] What people need most in crisis
[34:19] The heartbreak of protracted exile
[36:09] What keeps Kelly awake at night
[37:19] Leaving UNHCR after a lifetime of service
[38:27] Why she still believes the world can improve
Listen to more Awake at Night episodes: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLwoDFQJEq_0b6hu1e8oxsch9W0D7vkNqt
#podcast #UnitedNations #AwakeAtNight #Refugees #UNHCR
About Awake at Night
Hosted by Melissa Fleming, UN Under-Secretary-General for Global Communications, the podcast ‘Awake at Night’ is an in-depth interview series focusing on remarkable United Nations staff members who dedicate their career to helping people in parts of the world where they have the hardest lives – from war zones and displacement camps to areas hit by disasters and the devastation of climate change.
From Bangladesh to Kosovo, Syria to Sudan, Kelly Clements has spent more than 30 years helping to save lives during some of the biggest refugee and humanitarian crises in recent times. Now the outgoing Deputy High Commissioner at the UN’s refugee agency, UNHCR, she’s making an impassioned case for a more humane world.
“How can we convince those that continue to wage wars that continue to treat people badly? How can we show what’s possible with a little hope, compassion, and more peace? The force of good is much stronger than the force of evil.”
Global refugee needs are surging as wealthy nations turn away from helping the most vulnerable people on earth. In this episode, Kelly Clements reflects on her deep frustration at the devastating cuts to life-saving UN services, on the lasting power of helping just one person, and shares how the love of her family always gives her strength to serve.
Listen to the full episode: https://youtu.be/qm747kvVrPU
#podcast #UnitedNations #AwakeAtNight #Peacekeeping
About Awake at Night
Hosted by Melissa Fleming, UN Under-Secretary-General for Global Communications, the podcast ‘Awake at Night’ is an in-depth interview series focusing on remarkable United Nations staff members who dedicate their career to helping people in parts of the world where they have the hardest lives – from war zones and displacement camps to areas hit by disasters and the devastation of climate change.
