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At Tuesday’s regular briefing at the UN Headquarters, in New York, Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric relayed warnings from the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian affairs (OCHA), citing urgent concerns across the country.

“Across Sudan, we continue to be deeply concerned about the humanitarian impact of the ongoing fighting, which is escalating displacement and driving needs even higher,” Mr. Dujarric said.

Conflict driving displacement

Clashes between rival militaries – Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) – continue to uproot civilians, particularly in Darfur and Kordofan states. Fighting in El Fasher alone has displaced more than 400,000 people since April, according to OCHA.

In June, nearly 8,000 displaced people from North Darfur arrived in Ad-Dabba, putting pressure on overstretched resources and limited access to healthcare, shelter, clean water and food.

In North Kordofan, over 16,000 people were forced to flee their homes in Bara between 26 and 29 June alone, while another 16,000 to flee Babanusa in West Kordofan on 27 June, according to the UN International Organization for Migration (IOM).

Flood warnings

Separately, OCHA warned of increased flood risks as Sudan enters its rainy season, which runs through October. Forecasts point to above-average rainfall, heightening the threat of both riverine and flash floods – especially in areas already facing limited infrastructure and access.

“Any flooding could disrupt road access, hamper aid delivery, and heighten the threat of disease outbreaks during the ongoing lean season,” Mr. Dujarric said, noting that an ongoing cholera outbreak could worsen with the floods.

Nearly 500,000 people were affected by floods last year. With the likelihood of a repeat or worse this season, Mr. Dujarric said humanitarian agencies are ready to respond “where access and resources allow,” but warned that critical funding gaps are hampering preparedness.

UN relief visits Sudan

Mr. Dujarric also highlighted the importance of recent discussions between Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Tom Fletcher and senior SAF and RSF officials.

Mr. Fletcher appealed for a humanitarian pause to allow lifesaving aid to reach people in El Fasher, which has been besieged by the RSF and cut off from assistance since last April.

“Our humanitarian colleagues underscore that we will continue our engagements with the aim of facilitating the swift and safe delivery of aid to all those who need it,” Mr. Dujarric said.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of UN News.

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• Trade and investment deals agreed during the visit will contribute over £1bn to the UK economy and create UK jobs in engineering, defence industries, technical and advisory services, and financial services 
• The UK and Kenya will also increase collaboration to tackle organised crime, human trafficking and illicit finance through the UK-Kenya Security Compact 
• The UK and Kenya will commit to a new Strategic Partnership as Kenyan President Ruto visits London

The UK and Kenya will commit to working together to drive economic growth, protect climate and nature, foster collaboration in science and technology and strengthen regional security. 

During a visit to the UK by the President of Kenya, a pipeline of trade and investment deals worth over £1bn to the UK economy were agreed which will deliver on this government’s commitment to boost jobs and prosperity back in the UK, as part of the government’s Plan for Change. 

This includes the launch of a tender for a major urban redevelopment project in Nairobi which has been inspired by the regeneration of London’s Kings Cross.

The Nairobi Railway City project has already provided opportunities to UK businesses with British architecture firm Atkins UK chosen to design the central rail station and public square.

The Government of Kenya is exploring funding the project through finance mobilised by the UK’s Export Credit Agency, UK Export Finance, which will create UK jobs in engineering, technical and legal services. 

Both countries also agreed stronger cooperation to disrupt the air, land and sea routes used by organised crime groups to prevent illegal migrants transiting through Kenya in attempts to reach Libya and other countries before travelling on to Europe. Four of the top ten countries for Small Boat arrivals in the UK are near neighbours of Kenya (Eritrea, Sudan, Somalia and Ethiopia).

Foreign Secretary, David Lammy, said:

“Through our shared history and values the UK and Kenya have always had a close connection.”

“Now we are building a shared future; a modern, innovative and respectful partnership which is delivering real benefits – boosting growth and creating jobs for both Kenyans and the British people. We’re going far, together.”

The UK and Kenya have also committed to increased defence and counter terrorism collaboration, including joint training and the creation of a new counter insurgency, terrorism and stability operations centre.

Defence sales worth over £70m were agreed during the visit supporting manufacturing jobs in County Durham, Northamptonshire and Surrey. Kenya hosts the UK’s most significant military footprint in Africa, including a facility that trains 3,000 UK troops a year. 

The UK’s world leading financial services sector will also benefit; Lloyd’s of London will announce today that they will be joining the Nairobi International Finance Centre, which will deepen the partnership between two leading financial centres providing access to up to £500m of insurance market potential in Kenya and the East Africa region. 

The two countries also committed to explore the potential of a bilateral digital trade agreement. Dubbed ‘Silicon Savannah’, the value of Kenya’s tech sector is projected to reach £11.5bn by 2032.

A digital trade agreement will open up opportunities in the sector for UK Plc.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of United Kingdom Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.

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Foreign Secretary Shri Vikram Misri paid an official visit to the Republic of Mauritius on 01 July 2025. This was his second visit to Mauritius as Foreign Secretary.

2. The visit followed the telephone conversation between Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi and the Prime Minister of Mauritius, H.E. Dr. Navinchandra Ramgoolam, on 24 June 2025, during which the two leaders discussed the ongoing cooperation across a broad range of areas and reaffirmed their shared commitment to further strengthen the Enhanced Strategic Partnership between India and Mauritius.

3. During the visit, Foreign Secretary called on the President, H.E. Mr. Dharambeer Gokhool, the Prime Minister, H.E. Dr Navinchandra Ramgoolam, the Deputy Prime Minister, H.E. Mr. Paul Berenger and the Foreign Minister of Mauritius, H.E. Mr. Dhananjay Ramful and met key Mauritian leaders and officials.

4. In his meeting with the Prime Minister of Mauritius, Foreign Secretary reiterated the invitation of Prime Minister Modi to PM Ramgoolam to visit India. Both sides held discussions on the entire range of bilateral cooperation. Foreign Secretary sought guidance to further strengthen the special and close ties and conveyed India’s continued commitment to the development, progress and prosperity of Mauritius. As part of the commitment to work together to address challenges faced by Mauritius on account of increase in drug-addiction and related social issues, Foreign Secretary handed over specialized anti-drug equipment to FM Ramful.

5. The visit is part of continued high-level exchanges between two countries and reflects the importance India attaches to its relations with Mauritius. In line with our Neighbourhood First policy, Vision MAHASAGAR and our commitment to the Global South, the visit reaffirmed the continued commitment from both sides to deepen the multi-dimensional bilateral partnership for the prosperity and development of both countries and the larger Indian Ocean Region.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of External Affairs – Government of India.

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His Majesty King Mohammed VI sent a message of congratulations to the Governor General of Canada, Her Excellency Mary May Simon, on the occasion of her country’s national day.

In this message, the Sovereign extends His sincere congratulations to May Simon and His warmest wishes for the happiness and prosperity of the Canadian people.

The Kingdom of Morocco looks forward to working together with Canada to strengthen their bilateral cooperation in all areas of common interest, HM the King underlines.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Kingdom of Morocco – Ministry of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccan Expatriates.

Principal Secretary for Public Health and Professional Standards, Mary Muthoni, chaired a consultative meeting with the Kenya Red Cross Society to explore areas of collaboration aimed at strengthening Kenya’s health system, particularly at the community level.

The discussions focused on epidemic preparedness and response, community-based surveillance and early warning systems, mental health, and the prevention and management of non-communicable diseases (NCDs).

PS Muthoni emphasized the need to streamline efforts between the Ministry and partners to ensure visibility, sustainability, and long-term impact of health interventions.

“We must align and consolidate our efforts to deliver measurable impact, build resilient communities, and ensure no one is left behind,” she stated.

Looking ahead, the Ministry of Health and the Kenya Red Cross agreed to expand their collaboration to include joint emergency preparedness and response initiatives, data sharing as well as coordinated capacity building for emergency response personnel.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Health, Kenya.

Radio Miraya, a stalwart among South Sudanese broadcasters, is slowly becoming a young adult. What better way to celebrate its 19th anniversary than doing so together with its avid listeners?

In Juba, the station did a live broadcast at the Women Union’s Centre together with media colleagues, other stakeholders, a crowd of invited Miraya fans and with listeners from across the country interacting with the presenters of the day.

It was a day of indulging in decades-old poems and singing and dancing along to songs which, over time, have become milestone moments in the young nation’s history. It was indeed a good occasion for a long walk down memory lane.

Laurence Ladu Luka, a volunteer teacher, has been closely following the broadcaster’s path since 2012, when he was a student in Yei. At the time, he would often schedule his time not to miss his favourite Miraya mainstays, like its Breakfast Show, Nationwide and Roundtable Discussions on the hottest issues of the day, with the latter segment having left a lasting impression.

“The discussions I used to absorb inspired me to follow governance, cultural, social and economic issues, and I still do,” he said, adding that he proudly remembers that he was once also invited to participate in a talk show, speaking about waste management problems in the capital.

Never generations have also discovered and joined Radio Miraya’s on-air journey.

“You may mostly be working from your studios, far removed from us, but you give a voice to the voiceless, voices and reliable information that reach faraway towns and villages, affecting the lives of young and old people alike. Long may that continue,” said Apen Abraham, a senior student at the Darling Wisdom Academy.

His peer Safa Sarif confessed that the live broadcast on the anniversary had a profound impact on her.

“It has made me a fan because now I understand the importance of radio. From now on, I’ll be listening closely and learning a lot,” she vowed, pointing to the solar-powered device that she and others in attendance had received.

Patricia Okoed, Miraya’s Head of Programming, will have been pleased with these testimonies.

“What makes us unique is that we reach 80 per cent of the country, more than anybody else, and hopefully with more to come. Our microphones are open for everyone who wants to tell us and South Sudan about what is going on in their minds and lives,” she said.

Radio Miraya is run by the United Nations Mission in South Sudan, UNMISS.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS).

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The thriving, lively rural town of Totota, Bong County will never be the same, according to women beneficiaries of the Totota Peace Hut. “This town is growing and changing in terms of mentoring and improving the attitude, skills, and public-speaking confidence of women so we can reach to that height we all aspire to acquire in life,” said Annie G. Saah, 53, member of the peace hut and Chairlady of the One Voice Group.

“Our peace hut in Totota has helped in improving the lives of women and young girls. Through this peace hut, women and girls have gained valuable skills in literacy, computer training, group and individual farming, village savings and loan scheme as well as conflict resolution and mediation outreach at household and community-levels, and I am one such example. I have my individual potatoes garden, my house-side bag garden together with a group farm. We use the proceeds for our children’s tuition and other family needs,” added Annie G. Saah.

Annie, Miatta Borbor, and nearly 50 other women meet at the peace hut on a weekly basis to support one another in peacebuilding, literacy, computer skills, petty business management, and small-scale farming. “Thanks to UN Women, Plan International, Orange Foundation, and the Peacebuilding Fund for their support in giving women the skills they need to become marketable and active contributors not just to our families but also to the community of Totota,” said Miatta Borbor, a member of One Voice Group at the peace hut.

True to Annie and Miatta’s words on the empowerment of women, in November 2024, during an indoor programme at Totota Peace Hut in Bong County, visiting Peacebuilding Commission Chair and Sweden’s Ambassador to the UN in New York, Amb. Nicola Clase and delegation witnessed a life-changing moment. Three formerly illiterate women – Mary Sheriff, Gbentelo Kennedy, and Oretha Jallah – proudly demonstrated their peace hut-acquired literacy skills by writing their names and telephone numbers on paper to the admiration of the visitors. The audience applauded them for their literacy achievements. Ma Mary Sandiman, Chairlady of Totota Peace Hut, emphasized the need to continue the peace hut: “This peace hut must continue here so more women can learn to read and write and to enhance women’s unity so women themselves can drive the change they need.”

The vegetable gardens, small businesses, the conflict mediation roles, and the computer training have all had tremendous impact on women beneficiaries by enabling them to earn money, support their households, participate in public and community discussions, and enhance peaceful co-existence among people. Rev Fahnlon A. Mulbah, Coordinator of the Orange Digital Center (ODC) within the Totota Peace Hut, underscored the life-improving results of the peace hut and the ODC on young women. “Computer literacy is a globally required skills area especially for women and girls to earn income and advertise their work on phone and on a computer.” He disclosed that Grace Pope, a resident of Totota, acquired digital skills in the application of cell phone for business and started advertizing and doing Orange Mobile Money, and then relocated to Monrovia where she’s living and working.

The empowerment and results-oriented achievements at the Totota Peace Hut was made possible through the seamless collaboration among UN Women, Plan International, Government of Liberia, Orange Foundation, and other partners with funding from the UN Peacebuilding Fund. Each organization lent its own comparative advantage, garnered resources, and provided backstopping and technical inputs to make the peace hut functional and effective.

Peace huts across Liberia have become a useful model for driving rural women’s collective empowerment. According to UN Women, the women of Liberia gained national and international acclaim as champions of peace through their mass action campaign that pressured warring factions to agree to a peace settlement in 2003.  As part of this effort, the women, under the banner “Liberian Women Mass Action for Peace”, launched the Peace Hut model in 2004 to provide a space for community women to discuss issues of peace, including ongoing community and domestic violence. Since then, the Peace Huts have evolved into a multi-faceted platform that promotes gender equality and the empowerment of women especially in rural communities.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of UN Women – Africa.

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The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) announced the winners of the 2025 FAO Awards, recognizing organizations from Colombia, Egypt, and the Philippines, whose work has led to outstanding progress in building more efficient, inclusive, resilient and sustainable agrifood systems.

On Monday, FAO Director-General QU Dongyu presented the Champion Award and Partnership Award during the 44th FAO Ministerial Conference held in Rome.

“These Awards are more than an acknowledgment of achievements – they represent FAO’s core values and aspirations. The ceremony is a celebration of possibility and hope of what happens when commitment and innovation meet the urgent call to transform global agrifood systems,” he said.

The FAO Champion Award, the Organization’s highest corporate award, which carries a prize of USD 50,000 and recognizes significant and outstanding contributions towards advancing FAO’s overall goals, was conferred to la Confederación Mesa Nacional de Pesca Artesanal de Colombia (COMENALPAC), for its tangible results across organizational, social, economic and environmental dimensions, including championing social protection measures for fishers and played a key role in drafting laws against illegal fishing, thereby improving the welfare and rights of fishing communities.

Since 2017, COMENALPAC has represented over 800 groups of marine and freshwater fishers across Colombia. Its work has contributed to the design and implementation of key legislation, including Law 2268 of 2022, which guarantees social benefits for commercial and subsistence fishers.

Through an FAO–COMENALPAC partnership, the organization has strengthened fisher communities in Tumaco by eliminating intermediaries, increasing incomes, and promoting inclusive market opportunities. It has also led to the restoration of 83 wetlands, contributing to aquatic biodiversity and more sustainable food systems. The organization was further praised for helping secure the legal recognition of more than 120,000 fishers and for its role in incorporating the concept of “Aquatic Agrifood Ecosystems” into Colombia’s National Development Plan.

In addition, within the same category, a Special Mention was also awarded to Youth Uprising, a Philippine-based non-profit organization recognized for its intense engagement of young people in transforming agrifood systems.

The FAO Partnership Award — valued at USD 10,000 and recognizing outstanding cooperation with FAO in advancing the Organization’s work by its Members — was presented to The Egyptian Food Bank (EFB), the first Egypt NGO focused on addressing food insecurity, providing support to over 24 million people through comprehensive food assistance, nutrition, and empowerment programs.

Among the EFB’s most notable initiatives are the Community Nutrition Programme, the Ramadan Food Loss Initiative, and the Resilience Index Measurement and Analysis (RIMA). EFB’s programs have benefited over 150,000 families and more than 60,000 schoolchildren. Its work also includes capacity-building for small-scale producers and support to 1,200 farmers — particularly women — promoting sustainable agricultural practices and economic inclusion.

The FAO Director-General bestowed the awards to representatives of the organizations who attended the ceremony in person.

Adriana Rocío Cadena Cancino, Director of la Confederación Mesa Nacional de Pesca Artesanal de Colombia (COMENALPAC), received the Champion Award on behalf of the organization.

Mohsen Sarhan Ali Gamal Ali, Chief Executive Officer of The Egyptian Food Bank (EFB), accepted the Partnership Award on behalf of his organization.

“These awardees remind us that transformation is already happening and must accelerate. Let us continue working hand in hand for the transformation of global agrifood systems to be more efficient, more inclusive, more resilient and more sustainable,” Qu added in his closing remarks, with a reference to the FAO Four Betters – better production, better nutrition, a better environment and a better life, leaving no one behind.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).