Internally displaced persons in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Top news of the day | Wednesday: Sudan, Gaza, DRC, school meals UN
The main news of the day in the UN and in the world: the difficult humanitarian situation in Sudan, OCHA briefing on Gaza, humanitarian plan for DR Congo, WHO recommendations on school meals.
The situation in Sudan
The situation in Diling, the second largest city in Sudan’s South Kordofan state, remains extremely volatile. UN humanitarian workers on the ground reported today that access routes remain blocked and the city’s prolonged isolation has led to a crisis situation. Humanitarian operations are limited and only a small number of non-governmental organizations operate under severe restrictions. The International Organization for Migration estimates that the ongoing conflict in Kordofan displaced more than 88,000 people between late October and mid-January. In North Darfur state, drone strikes have reportedly killed and wounded civilians.
Briefing on Gaza
UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) spokeswoman Olga Cherevko held a briefing on Wednesday to brief reporters on the ramping up of aid to the people of Gaza – despite numerous obstacles. According to Cherevko, since the ceasefire, almost 200 thousand tons of humanitarian aid have been delivered to the sector. Food assistance reaches more than a million people every month, and 1.6 million Gazans receive hot meals every day. Dozens of health centers have reopened and hundreds of temporary learning spaces have been created. However, as the OCHA representative emphasized, these achievements remain fragile, and the gap between the needs of the population and the ability to safely and sustainably deliver aid is huge.
Humanitarian Response Plan for the Democratic Republic of the Congo
The United Nations has launched a Humanitarian Response Plan for the Democratic Republic of the Congo 2026, in which is asking for $1.4 billion. The DRC is currently experiencing one of the longest and most ignored humanitarian crises in the world. It was caused by armed conflict, population displacement, climate shocks and epidemics. Of the country’s 113 million people, nearly 15 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance, but severe funding shortfalls mean the UN will only be able to help 7.3 million of them this year. Last year, the Organization received less than a quarter of its $2.5 billion request.
WHO recommendations on school nutrition
For the first time, the World Health Organization (WHO) has published global recommendations for a healthy and balanced diet in schools. In new guidelines, WHO points out that healthy eating in schools helps children develop healthy eating habits for life. WHO recommends increasing the availability of healthy foods and drinks for children while reducing the amount of harmful ones. This means reducing sugar, trans fats and salt while increasing the proportion of whole grains, fruits, nuts and legumes.