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Marking its 80th anniversary, the United Nations celebrated decades of multilateral cooperation for peace, human rights, and sustainable development through events across the globe.
In Nairobi, home to the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), Executive Director Inger Andersen highlighted the city’s unique role as the only UN headquarters in the Global South – and underscored UNEP’s long-standing work on climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution.
Youth participation was also recognised as a driving force for environmental action and future leadership.
In Naqoura, Lebanon, the UN peacekeeping mission there (UNIFIL) marked the milestone alongside the 25th anniversary of Security Council resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security.
Force Commander Major General Diodato Abagnara said peace “is not built by a few, it is built by everyone,” stressing inclusion as the heart of peacebuilding.
In Afghanistan, the UN Assistance Mission (UNAMA) reflected on its decades-long presence supporting peace, human rights, and development. Deputy Special Representative Georgette Gagnon reaffirmed the UN’s solidarity with Afghans, particularly women and girls, amid ongoing humanitarian challenges.
Across the Americas, UN offices highlighted progress on the Sustainable Development Goals, climate action, and youth engagement, reaffirming the UN’s role in promoting equality, resilience, and cooperation across the region.
Eighty years on, the UN continues to bring people and nations together to “save succeeding generations from the scourge of war” and work towards a fairer, more sustainable future for all.
Nearly one million people have been impacted by devastating floods in South Sudan, the Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) warned on Friday.
Since last month, flooding has affected more than 140 health facilities, disrupting access to essential services for thousands at a time when South Sudan is grappling with disease outbreaks, including cholera and malaria.
In fact, in the past week, the World Health Organization (WHO) reported over 104,000 malaria cases, including 16 deaths across the country – marking a 15 per cent increase in cases from the previous week, mainly due to the ongoing flooding.
To make matters worse, the ongoing floods are compounded by the ongoing conflict and acute food insecurity.
Despite significant access challenges to parts of the country, the UN and its partners continue to reach flood-affected people with vital aid and evaluate needs to ensure the response remains targeted.
The World Food Programme (WFP) is on the ground delivering food and nutrition assistance.
The World Health Organization (WHO) and its partners have delivered over 50 metric tonnes of medical supplies to support the response efforts in Jonglei, Unity, and Upper Nile states. Additional assistance is on the way, including tents, cholera kits, and emergency health kits.
The UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) continues to discover unauthorised weapons and ammunition caches in the south of the country, the UN Deputy Spokesperson Farhan Haq said during Friday’s press briefing.
On Wednesday, UNIFIL peacekeepers found mortar shells, fuses and a canon in one of their areas of operation, and small homemade explosive devices on Thursday.
Since 15 October, UNIFIL has been coordinating with the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) and Israeli Defense Forces to refurbish ‘Blue Line’ markers that were damaged during the conflict – a cessation of hostilities between Hezbollah militants and Israeli forces came into effect last November.
Mr. Haq added that following a request by LAF, the mission facilitated olive harvests by farmers near the Blue Line of separation over 40 times this month.
In addition to protecting agricultural activities amid ceasefire breaches, the peacekeepers conduct patrols together with Lebanese forces in those areas to ensure farmers’ safety.
Earlier this month, a public school was reopened in Naqoura, where UNIFIL’s headquarters are located, in what is a “clear sign of recovery and hope,” according to the mission.
Secretary-General António Guterres on Friday warned that the “fragile” legitimacy of the Security Council could endanger global peace if it remains gridlocked and fails to fulfil its primary purpose.
Millions of people worldwide have been positively impacted by the work of the United Nations and some of their stories are being highlighted at an exhibition at the global organization’s New York headquarters.
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