Africa

The COVID-19 vaccination rate in Africa needs to increase six-fold for the continent to meet the 70 per cent target set for the middle of this year, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Thursday. Although vaccine supplies have risen significantly, the continent is struggling to expand rollout, with only 11 per cent of the population fully vaccinated. To date, Africa has received more than 587 million vaccine doses: 58 per cent through the UN-backed and equity-based COVAX Facility, 36 per cent through bilateral deals, and six per cent through Africa Vaccines Acquisition Trust (AVAT) of the African Union. “The world has finally heard our calls. Africa is now accessing the vaccines it has demanded for far too long. This is a dose of hope for this year,” said the WHO Regional Director for Africa, Dr. Matshidiso Moeti. A truck carrying Covid 19 vaccines is unloaded at the airport of Nouakchott, Mauritania., by © UNICEF/Abd El Aziz Mohamed Ko In January alone, 96 million doses were shipped to Africa, which is more than double that of six months ago. But now the spotlight is on the need to rapidly ramp up vaccine rollout. Currently, six million people are vaccinated on average every week, and this number needs to increase to 36 million, to reach the 70 per cent target. New initiative Together with UNICEF, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), and other partners, WHO is now launching a new initiative to try and resolve bottlenecks. The partners are scaling up efforts to overcome hurdles, improve coordination and speed up vaccination drives. They have also called for vaccines to be administered as quickly as possible to avoid vaccines expiring. Through the partnership, technical experts are being deployed to 20 countries to offer support for three to six months and in some cases up to a year. Already 50 experts have been deployed, strengthening partner coordination, logistical and financial planning, including microplanning, surveillance of adverse events following immunization, management of data, and vaccine stock. Current situation So far, only Mauritius and Seychelles have met the 70 per cent target. Seven other countries have vaccinated around 40 per cent of their population. Twenty-one countries have fully vaccinated less than 10 per cent, while 16 have vaccinated less than five per cent, and three have fully vaccinated less than two per cent. According to Mohamed Fall, UNICEF’s Regional Director for Eastern & Southern Africa, the agency “is at the forefront of the largest, most sophisticated ground operation in the history of immunization.” “And it will take a response of the same magnitude to turn vaccines into vaccinations,” he said, urging richer countries to fund more operational costs. According to WHO’s data from 40 countries, there is a $1.29 billion gap in funding just to keep up with costs. Pandemic update The continent is now emerging from its fourth pandemic wave overall, driven by the Omicron variant, which has been reported in 37 countries. Cases have declined for the third straight week. Over the past seven days, cases dropped by 15 per cent, while deaths fell slightly, by five per cent. Despite the overall decline in deaths, North Africa reported a 25 per cent rise. So far, the continent has recorded 10.8 million cases and over 239,000 deaths.

Meanwhile, across all three conflict-affected regions of the north, more than nine million people now need humanitarian food assistance, the highest number so far, since conflict erupted in November 2020, between Government and rebel forces. According to the Tigray Emergency Food Security Assessment, 83 per cent of people are food insecure. Families are exhausting all means to feed themselves, with three quarters of the population using extreme coping strategies to survive. Diets are increasingly impoverished as food items become unavailable and families rely almost exclusively on cereals. At the same time, families are having to limit portion sizes and the number of meals, to make whatever food is available stretch further. In terms of nutrition, 13 per cent of Tigrayan children under five, and half of all pregnant and breastfeeding women, are malnourished, leading to poor pregnancy outcomes, low-birth weight, stunting and increased maternal death. Action now For WFP’s Regional Director for Eastern Africa, Michael Dunford, the bleak assessment reconfirms that “what the people of northern Ethiopia need is scaled up humanitarian assistance, and they need it now.” According to him, WFP is doing all it can to ensure convoys with food and medicines make it through the frontlines, but no convoy has reached Tigray since mid-December. “If hostilities persist, we need all the parties to the conflict to agree to a humanitarian pause and formally agreed transport corridors, so that supplies can reach the millions besieged by hunger”, he warned. In the neighbouring Amhara region, hunger has more than doubled in five months because the region bore the brunt of recent fighting between the Ethiopian Government’s military forces and Tigray forces. In Afar province, the fighting has reportedly led to tens of thousands of men, women and children being displaced in the last few weeks. Deepening crisis Across the three regions, more than 14 per cent of children under five and almost a third of pregnant and breastfeeding women are malnourished. Recent health screening data shows malnutrition rates for children under five were at 28 per cent, far above the standard emergency threshold of 15 per cent. Intensified conflict on the Tigray-Afar border in recent days is expected to force more communities from their homes and deeper into hunger. Since November 2020, the crisis in northern Ethiopia has resulted in millions of people in need of emergency assistance and protection. , by © UNICEF/Christine Nesbitt WFP estimates that on average, crisis-affected families in northern Ethiopia were getting less than 30 per cent of their caloric needs in the past months, pushing people deeper into crisis. Constant humanitarian food assistance will be necessary throughout 2022, said the UN agency. Challenges Since March, WFP has reached almost 4 million people across northern Ethiopia with food and nutrition assistance. When access to Tigray improved during the summer months last year, humanitarian assistance from the agency and its partners kept starvation at bay for those who had been cut off from assistance, prior to May.  With no access to Tigray currently, aid continues to be scaled up in areas of Amhara and Afar, which are accessible. More than 523,000 people received food in Amhara in the past week, with some 3.2 million men, women and children, having been reached with food assistance since last October. In Afar province, nearly 380,000 people have been reached in this current round of food distributions. WFP’s northern Ethiopia response urgently requires $337 million to deliver assistance over the next six months and will begin running out of the capacity to purchase food from February. Across the entire country, the agency has an unprecedented funding gap of $667 million to assist 12 million people.

“Needs are growing faster than generosity” in the central Sahel, the Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs told a group of senior officials on Thursday, meeting to discuss the worsening humanitarian situation across the vast African region. According to Martin Griffiths, nearly 15 million people in Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso, will need humanitarian assistance this year. That’s four million people more than a year before. The UN humanitarian affairs office (OCHA) led by Mr. Griffiths, and its partners, will need close to $2 billion for the humanitarian response in these three countries alone. “It is a grim picture. Conflict, drought and food insecurity, gender-based violence – all growing more quickly than the support that is available”, the Emergency Relief Coordinator explained. The online meeting was a joint effort by the United Nations, the European Union, the German Federal Foreign Office and the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Denmark. Fact-finding mission Last week, Mr. Griffiths visited Nigeria and met people affected by the Lake Chad Basin crisis. “The stories they told me are emblematic of the struggles people across the central Sahel face: violence, repeated displacement, and difficulty finding sustainable livelihoods for themselves and their families”, he recalled, saying he hopes to visit Mali and Niger in the months ahead. Together, conflict, climate change, political instability, lack of sustainable development opportunities, and poverty, are driving millions into increasingly desperate conditions. COVID-19 has only made the situation worse. Violent attacks went up eight-fold in the central Sahel between 2015 and 2021. In the same period, the number of fatalities increased more than ten-fold. Millions displaced “The result is more than two million people displaced including half a million internally displaced last year alone”, the humanitarian chief said. In the meantime, insecurity and attacks continue to disrupt already weak basic social services. More than 5,000 schools are closed or non-operational. Many health centres are not working. Displacement and increased insecurity have disrupted access to water, sanitation, and hygiene services. According to the last estimates, the number of people facing severe food insecurity has tripled in Mali and doubled in Niger compared to November 2020. During the lean season, more than eight million are expected to be affected. Obstacles to aid While needs grow, the central Sahel remains “one of the most dangerous places in the world for aid workers”, said Mr. Griffiths, noting that one-third of all abductions of aid workers in the world in 2020, occurred in Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso. “Despite these difficulties, humanitarian organizations reached more than seven million people in the region in 2021 and raised $700 million”, he added. Unfortunately, the UN relief chief informed, this is not even halfway to meeting the needs of people in the Sahel. To help bridge that funding gap, the UN Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF)released $54.5 million in 2021 for Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger. In the same year, OCHA established the first-ever regional pooled fund, last totalling nearly $33 million. The humanitarian chief concluded on a positive note, noting that the Sahel is “a region of enormous potential” and that, working together, it’s possible to reverse the current trend.

UN teams are on the ground in Mozambique assisting thousands of people affected by Tropical Storm Ana, which made landfall in central and northern regions of the country earlier this week. More than 45,000 people, including 23,000 women and children, are likely to need humanitarian aid, UN children’s agency, UNICEF, said on Thursday. UNICEF is deploying staff and preparing medical and nutrition supplies, water, sanitation and hygiene kits, as well as setting up temporary learning spaces to support children and their families. The agency estimates it will need $3.5 million to respond to the immediate needs. ‘Blunt reminder’ of climate reality Maria Luisa Fornara, UNICEF Representative in Mozambique, said they are working alongside the government and partners to ensure children and their families receive life-saving assistance. “This latest storm to hit Mozambique is a blunt reminder that the climate crisis is very much a reality and children are most impacted by climate-related severe weather events,” she said. Tropical Storm Ana has passed over several countries in eastern and southern Africa, affecting Mozambique but also Madagascar, Malawi and Zimbabwe. Strong winds and heavy rains have caused floods, widespread destruction and fatalities, according to media reports. Homes destroyed In Mozambique, the storm hit the provinces of Nampula, Zambezia, Tete, Niassa, Sofala and Manica on Monday. More than 10,000 homes were destroyed, along with bridges, powerlines, schools, health facilities, water systems and other public infrastructure. Local authorities report 12 health facilities and 137 schools have been damaged or destroyed, UNICEF said, leaving more than 27,300 students without a place to learn just as a new school year is set to begin next week. Numbers are expected to increase as assessments continue. UNICEF emergency teams will soon begin distributing essential supplies such as buckets, soap and water purification tablets, and ready-to-use therapeutic food for malnourished children. They will also set up temporary learning spaces for children whose schools were damaged or destroyed. Mozambique highly vulnerable Mozambique is currently in its rainy season, and the UN fears the situation could deteriorate quickly if another tropical depression or cyclone brings additional rains. Myrtha Kaulard, UN Resident Coordinator in Mozambique – the top UN humanitarian official in the country – said the storm has highlighted the need for investment to mitigate against climate change. “This is the first climatic event of this rainy and cyclonic season, but the vulnerabilities are extremely, extremely high because we have this yearly cycle of extremely heavy destructive rains and cyclones. People simply do not have time to recover,” she told UN News. Mozambique ranks 9 out of 191 countries globally due to its high vulnerability to hazards, exposure to risks, and lack of coping capacity, UNICEF said, citing the disaster risk assessment tool, INFORM. Invest in climate mitigation From 2016 to 2021, the country has faced two severe droughts and eight tropical storms, including two major cyclones, Idai and Kenneth, that hit the country in 2019 within a six week-period and affected more than two million people. Ms. Kaulard said the UN is in “very close contact” with national authorities and has teams in all the affected provinces that are providing humanitarian assistance. “The authorities are really extremely well organized and present and alerting populations and assessing needs, providing immediate assistance,” she added. “But this country, Mozambique, is really exposed so, so much to climate havocs that we absolutely need to do much, much, more for disaster risk reduction.”

For the United Nations’ Secretary General, Brigadier General Constance Emefa Edjeani-Afenu, who passed away this week in her home country, Ghana, was “a true pioneer.” In a heartfelt statement released on Tuesday night, António Guterres said Brigadier Edjeani-Afenu “made history in peacekeeping as the first female Deputy Force Commander in the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO).” Through a more than four-decade career, she also served in UN peacekeeping operations in Lebanon (UNIFIL), the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUSCO) and Liberia (UNMIL). “Brigadier Edjeani-Afenu will be remembered for her distinguished service in these missions, as well as her tireless work to promote inclusiveness and increase the number of women in the peacekeeping operations where she served”, Mr. Guterres said. The UN chief concluded offering his heartfelt condolences to her family, to the people and the Government of the Republic of Ghana. Remembrance In a post on the website Medium, UN Peacekeeping said Ms.Edjeani-Afenu’slegacy “lives on and the impact of her work and achievements as a pioneer for women in peacekeeping, will continue to inspire many.” For UN Peacekeeping, Brigadier Edjeani-Afenu was a true trailblazer. As a woman who shattered many glass ceilings within her national military and four different UN missions, she worked successfully to promote gender inclusiveness and increase the number of women serving. “Having first-hand experience as a Military Observer with MONUSCO (2003–2004), Constance focused relentlessly on improving the conditions of service of MINURSO’s Military Observer personnel, a legacy that she leaves behind”, said the department. Distinguished career Brigadier General Edjeani-Afenu rose through the ranks of her national military to become the first female Commanding Officer in the Ghanaian Armed Forces, in 1999. In 2013, she became the first woman to be appointed Deputy Military Adviser (DMILAD) at the Permanent Mission of Ghana to the United Nations in New York. While on the post, she was promoted to the rank of Brigadier-General, becoming the first female to ever be promoted as a General in her country’s Armed Forces. In 2019, she became the first female Deputy Force Commander to serve with MINURSO, where she served with honour and distinction until her passing. The Brigadier General is remembered by her MINURSO colleagues as a “true inspiration” with a remarkable smile and infectious laugh. According to them, she always made time to chat, share a laugh, encourage colleagues and share advice, and she never passed up an opportunity to dance. She inspired and mentored generations of soldiers and officers, and will be dearly missed, they say. Condolences Condolences from around the world have affirmedBrigadier Edjeani-Afenu’sprofound impact. The First Lady of Ghana, Rebecca Akufo-Addo, highlighted “a life of resilience and breaking barriers, a shining example of what women can do.” The United Nations in the country said her service to Ghana and the world was “profound” and that “we have lost a treasure.” The Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations, Jean-Pierre Lacroix, said he was deeply saddened by the news of her passing, calling her a pioneer whose “legacy will continue to inspire many women and men.” The Brigadier General is survived by her husband, three children, and two grandchildren.

Emergency Relief Coordinator Martin Griffiths, has ended a four-day visit to Nigeria, pledging support and promising the United Nations will do everything it can to help rebuild the lives of vulnerable families who have been impacted by violence and extremism there. The UN humanitarian affairs chief travelled to the country to see firsthand the humanitarian situation and response in the northeast, and to raise international awareness about the deteriorating humanitarian situation and bring attention to the ongoing regional conflict affecting the Lake Chad basin. The UN relief chief met the Vice-President and members of the Federal Government, the Chief of Defence Staff, as well as the Governor of Borno State in Nigeria’s northeast, where the extremist group Boko Haram launched its Islamist insurgency in 2009, that has spread to neighbouring countries, Cameroon, Niger and Chad.. In the northeast, he met with Nigerians who have been affected by the violence, as well as humanitarian partners, in Maiduguri, Bama and Damasak. The conflict in the Lake Chad basin has taken a heavy toll on communities across border areas of the affected countries, putting more than 10 million people at risk and in need of humanitarian assistance. During his visit to Damasak, on the border with Niger, Mr. Griffiths heard from women and families displaced by the violence. © UNOCHA/Christina Powell Displaced women with their children in north-east Nigeria. They told him of their hopes to return home, yet they despaired that they were unable to plan for a better future given continuing insecurity and attacks by armed groups. Mr. Griffiths said: “It’s heartbreaking to see the deep impact of the violence and repeated displacement for so many. Yet the people I met demonstrated amazing courage in the face of vicious violence, killings, kidnappings, repeated displacement and sometimes bare survival. “In Bama, women told stories of having escaped from years of armed group captivity only weeks ago. It is our duty to help them rebuild their lives.” He said the Governor of Borno State, had conveyed the commitment of authorities to improve security and build resilience for the most vulnerable. “We will redouble our collective efforts to improve protection of civilians and humanitarian access, and seek durable solutions out of crisis wherever possible”, added the UN humanitarian chief. “It is clear we share a common objective: upholding the dignity of Nigerians and finding ways to ease the suffering too many of them face today. People are yearning for security, livelihoods and better access to social services, and we stand ready to make this a reality with the Government and our humanitarian partners.” ‘Great personal risk’ Mr. Griffiths heard firsthand from those working on the aid frontline: “Brave humanitarian workers, most of them Nigerians themselves, work tirelessly and often at great personal risk to help others. I deeply admire their commitment and, in turn, commit myself to advocating for their safety, and for the necessary support to the people they serve.” In 2021, the humanitarian community reached more than 5 million people in need in Nigeria. The 2022 Nigeria Humanitarian Response Plan, slated for launch in February, requires just over $US1 billion. It sets out the humanitarian community’s plan to assist 8.4 million people in need this year.

At least 1.5 million children are not receiving life-saving treatment for severe wasting in Eastern and Southern Africa, warned the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) on Friday. The number represents almost half of the estimated 3.6 million children in urgent need, who are not being reached in time to save their lives or keep them from permanent development damage. For UNICEF’s Regional Director for Eastern and Southern Africa, Mohamed M. Fall, “nothing is more devastating than seeing children suffering from severe wasting when we know it could have been prevented and treated.” Mr. Fall highlights “some outstanding results and success stories”, thanks to the support of donors and partners, but says “the impacts of COVID19, climate change and conflict are creating the perfect storm where needs are quickly outpacing resources.” For him, “the time to act is now.” Crises pile up Across the region, families are dealing with multiple crises, including rising levels of food insecurity, economic deterioration, disease outbreaks, unprecedented cycles of floods and droughts, and conflict. Millions are having to reduce the quantity or quality of the food they eat in order to survive. In many cases, families are forced to do both. For UNICEF, this is a looming and preventible tragedy that can, and must, be averted. Prevention remains the best way to ensure that children survive, avoid permanent cognitive and physical damage, and evade the life-long suffering that results from childhood malnutrition. With unhindered access and predictable funding, UNICEF believes it can work with partners to save the lives of nearly every child admitted for severe wasting. The agency is asking for $255 million to scale up its emergency response in 2022. Countries in the spotlight A mother feeds her severely malnourished baby at a clinic Ethiopia., by © UNICEF/Esiey Leul In Angola, where people are facing the consequences of the worst recorded drought in 40 years, UNICEF and partners managed to scale up its response in the most affected provinces (Cuando Cubango, Benguela, Namibe, Huíla and Cunene), with approximately 40 per cent more children treated in 2021 compared to 2020. In Ethiopia, the country with the largest child population in the region, the agency and partners reached an estimated 500,000 severely wasted children in 2021, but many children in the war-torn north, still need of life-saving support. Across four regions, families are struggling for survival as a severe drought takes hold following three consecutive failed rainy seasons. According to the latest data, more than 6.8 million people in drought impacted areas will need urgent humanitarian assistance by mid-2022, many of them children. In South Sudan, an estimated 1.4 million children under five, are acutely malnourished, including over 310,000 children suffering from severe wasting. Last year, UNICEF and partners treated more than 240,000 children, but the situation remains urgent, as floods have killed cattle, washed away food and fields, and blocked humanitarian access. In Madagascar, where three years of consecutive droughts created one of the worst food insecurity and nutrition crisis in decades, UNICEF and partners last year helped avert a feared famine for many families in the southern part of the country. A severely malnourished child at a clinic in Ethiopia, by © UNICEF/Esiey Leul UNICEF and partners reached almost double the number of children with treatment for severe wasting when compared to 2020. This is estimated to have saved the lives of at least 55,000 children under five years of age. In Somalia, more than 255,000 children received treatment for severe wasting last year. With the country undergoing one of the worst droughts ever recorded and suffering from continued violence, 1.3 million children under five, are likely to suffer from wasting this year. In Kenya, at least 65,000 children were reached in 2021 with treatment services for severe wasting. Right now, an estimated 2.8 million people are food insecure, with 565,044 children suffering wasting -123,000 severely so – and the situation is expected to deteriorate further. Finally, in Mozambique, insecurity continues to have a negatively impact. Last year, some 38,000 children received treatment for severe wasting, up from 10,000 the year before.

Extreme poverty in West Africa rose by nearly three per cent in 2020, another fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic, a UN-backed report launched on Thursday that looks at the socio-impact of the crisis has revealed. The proportion of people living on less than $1.90 a day jumped from 2.3 per cent last year to 2.9 per cent in 2021, while the debt burden of countries increased amid slow economic recovery, shrinking fiscal space and weak resource mobilization. More than 25 million across the region are struggling to meet their basic food needs. Gains annihilated The study was published by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), in partnership with the West Africa Sub-Regional Office for the UN Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) and the World Food Programme (WFP). Sekou Sangare, the ECOWAS Commissioner for Agriculture, Environment and Water resources, said the pandemic has, in particular, annihilated benefits gained in fighting food insecurity and malnutrition. “Even if we are happy with the governments’ response through the mitigation actions they have taken, we have to worry about the residual effects of the health and economic crisis as they are likely to continue disturbing our food systems for a long time while compromising populations access to food, due to multiple factors,” he said. The report highlights the effects of measures aimed at preventing coronavirus spread, such as border closures, movement restrictions and disruption of supply chains. Forced to sell These measures had an impact on income-generating activities, and on food prices in markets, with small traders, street vendors and casual workers most affected. The deteriorating economic situation has adversely affected food security and nutrition in West Africa. More than 25 million people are unable to meet their basic food needs, a nearly 35 per cent increase compared to 2020. People have been forced to sell their assets and livelihoods in order to get enough to eat. The situation is most severe in those areas affected by conflict, such as the Lake Chad Basin region, the Sahel, and the Liptako-Gourma region, which borders Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger. Strengthen social protection The partners hope the report will encourage public and private response to address the pandemic’s negative impacts on the people of West Africa. Chris Nikoi, WFP’s Regional Director for West Africa, underscored the need for immediate and concerted action. “This report clearly shows the urgent need for Governments and partners to deliberately increase investments to strengthen and increase social protection programs, social safety-nets such as school meals, and other livelihoods-enhancing programs with particular emphasis on women and youth,” he said. ©FAO/ Giulio Napolitano Women dig mid-moon dams to save water in Niger. The Director of the ECA’s Sub-Regional Office, Ngone Diop, pointed to one of the strengths of the partnership, namely the ability to carry out an online survey which mobilized nearly 8,000 respondents. Moreover, she said “basing our analyses on primary, first-hand data from households directly impacted by the health crisis makes it possible to offer decision-makers at the regional and national levels with relevant and better-targeted policy options.” Responding to needs Since the outbreak of the pandemic nearly three years ago, ECOWAS and its partners have implemented several economic and financial measures to respond to the increasing needs in the region. ECOWAS Member States, with support from WFP and other technical partners, have also expanded social protection programmes, as well as food distributions, for the most vulnerable communities. For example, In Mali and Niger, they are supporting some 1.4 million people and helping to strengthen national social protection systems. “WFP is committed to engage more with ECOWAS in enhancing coordination and facilitating experience sharing among countries, with the aim to ensure social protection systems in the region support food security and nutrition and provide resilience to shocks,” said Mr. Nikoi.

Newly reported cases fell by 20 per cent in the week that ended on 16 January, while deaths dropped by 8 per cent. South Africa, where the Omicron variant was first sequenced, and which has accounted for the bulk of cases and deaths, has now recorded a downward trend for the past four weeks. Cases also fell across the rest of the continent, with only North Africa reporting an increase in cases, with a 55 per cent spike. The Omicron variant has now been reported in 36 African countries, and 169 nations all over the world. ‘Yet to turn the tables’ on COVID According to WHO’s Regional Director for Africa, Dr. Matshidiso Moeti, the acceleration, peak and decline of this last wave has been “unmatched”, but its impact has been moderate, with fewer deaths and lower hospitalizations. Despite those numbers, Dr. Moeti believes that Africa “has yet to turn the tables on this pandemic.” “So long as the virus continues to circulate, further pandemic waves are inevitable. Africa must not only broaden vaccinations, but also gain increased and equitable access to critical COVID-19 therapeutics to save lives and effectively combat this pandemic,” she said. Fatality ratio The current case fatality ratio (the death toll per infections) in the continent remains the highest in the world, although it dropped during the last two waves of variants. In terms of medication, patients with severe forms of the virus are being treated with corticosteroids and medical oxygen. Corticosteroids are largely available and relatively affordable, but availability of medical oxygen remains a challenge. In addition, African countries face major impediments in accessing other treatments due to limited availability and high cost. Last week, WHO recommended two new drugs, raising the number of WHO approved therapeutics to 11, and the agency is now reviewing the data on two oral medications that promise to reduce risk of hospitalization. Following negotiations with the Swiss pharmaceutical company Roche, the agency is supporting the shipment of a limited number of vials of Tocilizumab, a drug used to treat patients with severe cases. Cape Verde and Uganda have already received vials. Burkina Faso, Ghana and Tanzania are due to receive some in the next few weeks. Further larger-scale deliveries are expected, with negotiations underway through the ACT-Accelerator partnership. Vaccination campaign against COVID-19 in the Democratic Republic of the Congo., by © UNICEF/ Olivia Acland Fair access For Dr. Moeti, the deep inequity that left Africa behind on vaccines must not be repeated with life-saving treatments. “Universal access to diagnostics, vaccines and therapeutics will pave the shortest path to the end of this pandemic and no region of the world should be left on the fringes of this endeavour,” she said. Even though vaccine supplies have been on the rise, the rate of vaccination remains low, with just 10 per cent of the continent’s population fully vaccinated. Africa has so far received about 500 million vaccine doses and administered 327 million. According to Dr. Moeti, significant efforts are needed to ramp up the vaccination to reach a broad swathe of the population. By mid-2022, the UN-backed COVAX Facility expects to have enough supply for all participant countries to fully vaccinate 45 per cent of their populations.

After a six-week surge, Africa’s fourth pandemic wave, which has been mainly driven by the Omicron variant, is flattening, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Thursday. WHO said that this marked the shortest surge since the pandemic began on the continent, where total cases have exceeded 10.2 million. Recorded cases of infection show that the weekly number plateaued in the seven days leading up to 9 January, from the previous week. “Early indications suggest that Africa’s fourth wave has been steep and brief but no less destabilizing”, said WHO’s Regional Director for Africa, Matshidiso Moeti. Omicron on record In countries experiencing a surge in cases, the fast-spreading Omicron variant has become the dominant type. While it took around four weeks for the Delta variant to surpass the previously dominant Beta, Omicron outpaced Delta within two weeks in the worst-hit African countries, according to WHO. Southern Africa saw a huge increase in infections during the pandemic wave but recorded a 14 per cent decline in confirmed cases over the past week. And South Africa, where Omicron was first reported, saw a nine per cent fall in weekly infections. While East and Central Africa regions also experienced falling numbers of cases, North and West Africa are seeing a rise in infections, with North Africa reporting a 121 per cent increase over the past week, compared with the previous seven days. “The crucial pandemic countermeasure badly needed in Africa still stands, and that is rapidly and significantly increasing COVID-19 vaccinations”, said the senior WHO official. “The next wave might not be so forgiving”. ‘Concerted push’ needed’ Through training in bioinformatics, specimen handling and other key areas, WHO is supporting countries across the continent in bolstering genomic sequencing to identify new mutations. The Organization is also helping to procure and deliver critical laboratory equipment and supplies. So far, 30 African countries – and at least 142 worldwide – have detected the Omicron variant while the Delta variant has been reported in 42 African nations. In West Africa, where COVID-19 cases are on the rise, the number of Omicron sequences undertaken by countries including Cabo Verde, Ghana, Nigeria and Senegal, is growing. And Omicron is currently the dominant variant in both Cabo Verde and Nigeria. “We have the know-how and the tools and with a concerted push we can certainly tip the balance against the pandemic”, said Dr. Moeti. Stem variants, inoculate While the continent appears to be weathering the latest pandemic wave, only around 10 per cent of the population have been fully vaccinated. However, vaccine supplies to Africa have improved recently, and WHO is stepping up its support to countries to deliver doses to the wider population. “This year should mark a turning point in Africa’s COVID-19 vaccination drive”, said Dr. Moeti. “With vast swaths of the population still unvaccinated, our chances of limiting the emergence and impact of deadly variants are frighteningly slim”, she added.

With the crisis escalating in Sudan, there have been 15 reports of attacks on healthcare workers and health facilities since last November, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Wednesday. According to WHO’s Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean, Dr. Ahmed Al-Mandhari, the Organization is following the escalating crisis “with great concern”. So far, 11 incidents have been confirmedin the capital, Khartoum, and other cities. “Most of these attackswere committed against healthcare workers in the form of physical assault, obstruction, violent searches, and related psychological threats and intimidation”, said Dr. Al-Mandhari. A Protester holding the Sudanese flag, in Khartoum, Sudan., by Salah Naser At least twoof the confirmed incidents involved raids and incursions by military personnel on facilities, he said. Others includedarrests of patients and workers, as well as injury, detention and forced searches. “These targeted attacks on healthcare workers, patients and facilities are a flagrant violation of international humanitarian law and must stop now”, added the WHO official. Reports of increased attacks, come against the backdrop of widespread and continued protests across Sudan, over the full military takeover, last October, ending transitional civilian power-sharing arrangements. Suspension of services Dr. Al-Mandharisaid he was aware of the interception of ambulances, personnel and patients during their attempts to find safety. The UN agency is concerned about howthese actions severely restrict access to healthcare, which is especially problematic with theCOVID-19 pandemic and other public health threats. The incidents have already resulted in the suspension of emergency services in some facilities. Some patients and medical personnel have also fledwithout completing medical treatment. “Health care workers who have taken a professional oath to save the lives of others must be allowed to work without fear or concern for their personal well-being or that of their patients”, said Dr. Al-Mandhari. With COVID-19 stilla significant threat, and people at risk of diseases such as dengue fever, malaria, measles and hepatitis E,the agency says it is “imperative” that the health sector continues to function unimpeded. WHO called for an immediate cessation of all activities that endanger the lives of health care workers and patients or impede delivery of essential health services. The regional agency head also called on the authorities to enforce implementation of Sudan’s Law on the Protection of Doctors, Medical Staff and Health Establishments, approved in 2020, and to comply with international humanitarian law.  Patients in a wating room of a health facility in Sudan., by © UNICEF/Hussein Mohammed Sabir For Dr. Al-Mandhari, “the sanctity and safety of health care…must be respected and remain neutral, even within a highly politicized context.” Cases going up WHO believes the number of incidents is cause for great concern, especially as the country documented a relatively low number of incidents in previous years. There was only one in 2020 and, in 2019 -despite the widespreadsocial and political unrest surrounding the overthrow of former ruler Omar al-Bashir – only seven were registered.  Last year, the country recorded 26 attacks of this type, with four deaths and 38 injuries of healthcare workers and patients. Most of the incidents were direct assaults on workers, which is an unusual pattern compared to other countries.  In collaboration with the Sudanese Federal Ministry of Health and partners, WHOis working to ensure that hospitals continue to operate. The Organizationhas trained dozens of doctors and medical staff in all states. It has also distributed, with the support of partners, several new ambulances. Since the end of October, the agency has distributed 856 rapid response kits to Khartoum and other priority states, enough to cover the needs of 1.1 million people for three months. 

Authorities in Tunisia are being urged to immediately release – or properly charge – former justice minister Noureddine Bhiri, and another man, who have been detained under suspected terrorism offences, the UN human rights office, OHCHR, said on Tuesday. Mr. Bhiri, a parliamentarian with the Ennahdha party, was taken outside his home on 31 December by men in civilian clothes. No explanation was given or warrant for his arrest was provided. The moderate Islamist Ennahdha movement has the largest number of seats in Tunisia’s parliament, according to media reports. No formal charges Mr. Bhiri, 63, was shuttled to different undisclosed places of detention for several hours and later put under house arrest. Due to pre-existing health conditions, he was transferred to hospital on 2 January, where he remains. Although officials have indicated that he is suspected of terrorism-related offences, OHCHR said his lawyers have not been formally informed of any charges against him. A second unidentified man was also taken away and detained on the same day as Mr. Bhiri, and under similar circumstances. His location was not known, until 4 January. “We urge the authorities to either promptly release or properly charge these two men in accordance with due process standards for criminal proceedings,” said Liz Throssell, an OHCHR Spokesperson in Geneva. Serious concerns The developments have deepened the UN Office’s “already serious concerns” about the deteriorating human rights situation in Tunisia. Although the men’s families, as well as OHCHR staff in the country, have been able to visit them, Ms. Throssell said “these two incidents echo practices not seen since the Ben Ali era and raise serious questions regarding abduction, enforced disappearance and arbitrary detention.” President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, who ruled Tunisia for more than 20 years, was ousted in January 2011, in protests that sparked the Arab spring. The current President, Kais Saied, suspended parliament last July and assumed all executive functions, in a move opponents branded as a coup. Preserve rights gains OHCHR said the actions of Tunisia’s Internal Security Forces have long been a matter of concern, having repeatedly raised the issue in discussions with the authorities over the past decade. Following the violent dispersal of demonstrators on 1 September, President Saied called for forces to change their practices and act in accordance with the law. While “a positive step”, the UN office said public commitment to international human rights obligations have yet to be translated into practice. OHCHR was also concerned about the stifling of dissent in Tunisia, including through improper use of counter-terrorism legislation and increasing use of military courts to try civilians. Although the President has repeatedly vowed to reform the judiciary, actions must be in line with Tunisia’s international human rights obligations. OHCHR recalled the “tremendous progress” the country has made over the past decade in promoting human rights, though stressing the importance of preserving these gains.

Three Tanzanian peacekeepers serving on the United Nations’ mission in Central African Republic (MINUSCA) were injured on Thursday, when their vehicle struck an unidentified explosive device. One of the soldiers was seriously hurt, and needed to be evacuated to Bouar for treatment and then on to the capital, Bangui, MINUSCA informed. The ‘blue helmets’ were in the village of Batouri Bole, in Mambéré-Kadéï, in the southwest of the country, when the incident happened. It took place around 11:00 a.m., local time, as their convoy left the town of Berbérati for the Force’s temporary military outposts in Gbambia and Amada-Gaza, which are located around 100 kilometers northeast of Berbérati. MINUSCA peacekeepers on patrol in Central African Republic., by MINUSCA/Catianne Tijerina Fulfilling the mandate MINUSCA has strongly condemned the use of explosive devices by armed groups in contested areas of CAR, which have already caused dozens of deaths and injuries among the civilian population. The Special Representative of the Secretary-General and head of MINUSCA, Mankeur Ndiaye, wished a speedy recovery to the wounded peacekeepers. “Despite the difficult conditions our peacekeepers face on the ground, aggravated by the appearance of improvised explosive devices, MINUSCA remains resolutely determined to carry out its mandate for peace and stability,” he said. Series of attacks This is the third time that MINUSCA peacekeepers have fallen victim to explosive devices detonating beneath UN vehicles. Back in November, a rogue attack by elements of the presidential guard against a vehicle from the mission, left ten unarmed Egyptian blue helmets injured in Bangui. At the time, UN Secretary-General, António Guterres, urged authorities to spare no effort in investigating the “unacceptable attack.” More than 14,000 uniformed personnel serve with MINUSCA, which has been in the country since 2014, following the eruption the previous year of deadly inter-communal violence between mainly Christian and mainly Muslim militias, which destabilized CAR. The Government declared a unilateral ceasefire in October, and although much of the country remains in the grip of armed groups, positive steps have been made this year to strengthen democracy and the rule of law.

Last Tuesday evening, a World Food Programme (WFP) warehouse located in the Borsa area of El Fasher town, the capital of North Darfur State, came under attack from unknown armed groups. Over 1,900 metric tons of food commodities that were meant to feed 730,000 vulnerable people for a month were stolen. The incident followed the looting and reported violence last week at the former UN-African Union Hybrid Operation (UNAMID) base in El Fasher. Restore order UNAMID troops on patrol in North Darfur., by UNAMID/Hamid Abdulsalam In his statement, Secretary-General António Guterres called upon the Government of Sudan to restore order. He stressed that the authorities must ensure that former UNAMID property and assets are strictly used for civilians – in conformity with the Framework Agreement the Government signed in March. The UN chief also asked the Sudanese authorities to facilitate the safe working environment and passage for remaining UN operations in the region. He concluded by thanking the UN civilian and uniformed personnel who remain on the ground under “challenging” circumstances. Humanitarian crisis The Humanitarian Coordinator in Sudan, Khardiata Lo N’diaye, also condemned the looting. “This was food assistance meant for Sudan’s most vulnerable people. Humanitarian assistance should never be a target”, she underscored. Currently, one in three people in Sudan needs humanitarian assistance – equivalent to an estimated 14.3 million individuals. According to the 2022 Humanitarian Response Plan, 25 per cent of those people require food security and livelihoods support. An attack like this, the coordinator explained, severely impedes the ability to deliver to the people who need it the most. “We urgently ask all parties to adhere to humanitarian principles and allow the safe delivery of life-saving assistance”, Ms. N’diaye stated. WFP currently faces “unprecedented” funding shortfalls, estimated at $358 million. Violence Earlier in the month, thousands of people took to the streets to mark the third anniversary of the uprising that led to the April 2019 overthrow of President Omar al-Bashir, who had ruled for three decades. Demonstrators who made for the presidential palace were also protesting October’s military coup and the political agreement signed later on 21 November. UN officials and agencies expressed deep concern at the time over credible reports of serious human rights violations, including the use of rape and gang rape of women and girls, employed to disperse protesters. As of 29 December, the security situation had been restored, according to State authorities. Ms. N’diaye thanked the local authorities for preventing the situation from worsening but called upon the Government to step up efforts to protect and safeguard humanitarian premises and assets.

Roughly 7.7 million people in Somalia will need assistance and protection in 2022, a 30 per cent rise in just one year, the UN and partners said on Monday, launching a nearly $1.5 billion Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP) for the country. The funding will support 5.5 million of the most vulnerable as Somalia faces its third failed rainy season in a row, for the first time in 30 years. ‘No time to lose’ The UN has also released $17 million from its Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) to meet the immediate needs of drought-affected communities. The allocation brings total CERF funding for Somalia in 2021 to $52 million. This is alongside nearly $60 million provided by donors through the Somalia Humanitarian Fund, which supports projects by international and national organizations. “The lives of people in Somalia are on the line, and we have no time to lose,” said UN humanitarian chief Martin Griffiths, adding that the new CERF allocation will allow for an immediate scale-up of critical operations. “I count on other donors to follow this lead and support the Somalia Humanitarian Fund to help people protect themselves from deepening hunger and poverty.” Prioritizing vulnerable Somalis Somalia has faced decades of conflict, climate shocks and disease outbreaks, including the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact, while a prolonged desert locust infestation has affected harvests as well as livelihoods. At least seven in 10 people live below the poverty line. The HRP prioritizes life-saving assistance for those most in need. It focusses on addressing hunger, acute malnutrition, threats to public health, disease outbreaks, abuse, violence and exposure to explosive ordnance. Humanitarian partners also aim to ensure highly vulnerable Somalis have safe, equitable and dignified access to livelihoods and essential services. “Over the next year, we must provide the assistance that the most vulnerable people in Somalia are entitled to,” said Adam Abdelmoula, UN Humanitarian Coordinator for Somalia. “A fast and efficient way to do this is through substantial and early funding for the 2022 HRP, and helping to replenish the depleted Somalia Humanitarian Fund, which is the most important source of funding for national NGO partners.” More than 541,000 people in Somalia were forced to flee their homes this year alone due to conflict and insecurity, the humanitarian partners said. Starvation warning Nearly three million people overall have been displaced within the country, and most need help to survive. Half of all those uprooted are women and girls, who face heightened risk of sexual violence and abuse. “The current drought has devastated livelihoods and pushed families to the brink of disaster. There is a high risk that without immediate humanitarian assistance, children, women and men will start dying of starvation in Somalia,” warned Khadija Diriye, the Federal Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management. It is projected that the drought could displace up to 1.4 million people in the coming six months. Widespread livestock deaths are already being reported, while prices for food, water and fuel are rapidly increasing. Humanitarian partners fear that without a scale-up in assistance, roughly 3.8 million people, including those affected by drought, could face crisis or worse levels of food insecurity, with numbers rising to 4.6 million by May 2022.

With the dire humanitarian situation in Tigray, Ethiopia, continuing to deteriorate, it is critical to establish a regular flow of humanitarian aid into the region, the Deputy Spokesman for the UN Secretary-General said on Wednesday. Yesterday, almost 40 trucks with humanitarian supplies, including food, left the Afar capital of Semera for Tigray – the first convoy to do so since 18 October. Meanwhile, trucks containing fuel and medical supplies are still waiting for clearance in Semera. Around 500 trucks of humanitarian supplies are required per week, Farhan Haq informed journalists at a regular press briefing. Seven million food insecure In November 2020, heavy fighting between central Government troops and those loyal to the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) have left Ethiopia’s northern regions of Tigray, Amhara and Afar in dire need of humanitarian assistance. And after months of killings, looting and destruction of health centres and farming infrastructure, including irrigation systems that are vital to the production effort, those needs have only surged. Currently, some seven million people throughout the country are suffering acute food insecurity. Growing needs Meanwhile following their suspension on 22 October, UN Humanitarian Air Service flights to Mekelle have resumed, allowing the UN and humanitarian partners to rotate staff in and out of Tigray and transfer a limited amount of operational cash. However, said the Deputy Spokesperson, “humanitarian partners on the ground continue to report significant challenges due to cash shortages for operations”. Despite a $40 total injection of new resources to Ethiopia – $25 million from CERF and $15 million from the country-based Ethiopia Humanitarian Fund (EHF) –  the country still faces a funding gap of $1.3 billion, including $350 million for the response in Tigray. Despite an extremely challenging operating environment, humanitarian partners continue to respond to urgent and growing needs across northern Ethiopia, including in Amhara and Afar. In Amhara, a major food assistance operation kicked off in Kombolcha and Dessie towns, targeting more than 450,000 people over the next two weeks. Relocate families Yesterday, the UN announced that given the security situation in the country, and out of an abundance of caution, it is reducing its footprint in Ethiopia by temporarily relocating all eligible dependents. “It is important to note that staff will remain in Ethiopia to deliver on our mandates”, said Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesman for the Secretary-General. The UN will monitor the situation as it evolves, keeping in mind the safety of the staff and the need to continue its operations and support all those who need assistance. Earlier this month, the Organization confirmed that at least 16 UN staff and dependents had been detained in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa, and that it was working with the Government of Ethiopia to secure their immediate release. © UNOCHA/Saviano Abreu A family from Samre, in south-western Tigray, walked for two days to reach a camp for displaced people in Mekelle.

With about 2.3 million people already suffering with serious water, food and pasture shortages in Somalia, a rapidly worsening drought could lead to an “extreme situation” by April next year. The warning comes from the United Nations and the Somali Government. Climate projections show that the country is facing a fourth consecutive failed rainfall season. In a joint statement on Friday, the organizations said it is imperative to act now to prevent a slide into the kind of drought and even famine conditions experienced in previous years. So far, nearly 100,000 people, especially in central and southern areas, have abandoned their homes in search of food, water and pasture for their livestock. The lack of access to safe water and sanitation has also heightened the risk of water-borne diseases. Humanitarian aid Across the country, the number of people who need assistance and protection is forecast to rise by 30 per cent, from 5.9 million to about 7.7 million in 2022. Over 70 per cent of all Somalis live below the poverty line. UN Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General in the country, Adam Abdelmoula, said that “a severe storm is brewing in Somalia.” “Those affected have already endured decades of conflict, climatic shocks and disease outbreaks”, said Mr. Abdelmoula, who also acts as Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator. Conflict and drought have led to food shortages in many parts of Somalia., by © WFP/Kevin Ouma Local communities, the authorities and the UN are ramping up response to address these needs. But critical response sectors like water, sanitation and hygiene are only 20 per cent funded. With one month remaining in the year, the 2021 Somalia Humanitarian Response Plan is only 66 per cent funded. In response, the UN Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) is allocating $8 million and the Somalia Humanitarian Fund is making a reserve allocation of $6 million. Growing risks Somalia is on the frontline of climate change and has experienced more than 30 climate-related hazards since 1990, including 12 droughts and 19 floods. The frequency and severity of climate-related hazards is also increasing. The Federal Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management, Khadija Diriye, said that families are losing their livestock, a key source of livelihood, and may starve to death in the coming months. “I am particularly worried about children, women, the elderly and disabled people who continue to bear the brunt of Somalia’s humanitarian crisis”, she said.

The international community must step up support to Madagascar, where more than one million people in the south are facing severe hunger, the top UN aid official there said on Thursday in a renewed appeal for solidarity and funding. The impacts of the most acute drought in over 40 years, combined with sandstorms and pests, have made it nearly impossible for people in the Grand Sud to grow their own food for at least three years now. “The world cannot look away. People in Madagascar need our support now, and into the future,” said Issa Sanogo, the UN Humanitarian Coordinator in the country. Funding needed now The World Food Programme (WFP) recently warned that the situation in southern Madagascar could become the first-ever famine caused by climate change. The UN and partners are seeking $231 million to cover operations through May 2022. Although nearly $120 million has been received so far, the UN humantarian affairs office, OCHA, said more funding is urgently needed to provide food, water, health services and life-saving nutrition treatment in the months ahead. Mr. Sanogo recently visited the Grand Sud where he saw “the human face of the global climate crisis.” Eating cactus and locusts The drought has left more than 1.3 million people facing severe hunger, including some 30,000 people who are facing life-threatening famine-like conditions. “Women, children and families are eating cactus or locusts to survive this drought and more than half a million children are acutely malnourished,” he said. “This is happening in a country and a region that has contributed the least to climate change.” The crisis has forced families to take their children out of school so they can help with tasks such as finding food and water. Gender-based violence and child abuse have risen, and people have been displaced from rural areas to urban centres in search of sustenance and services. Prevent catastrophe, promote resilience “I have met families that told me they had to sell all of their personal belongings, right up to their pots and pans, to buy small amounts of food that will not keep them going for long,” said Mr. Sanogo. “It is imperative that the world acts now to help these families.” Humanitarian organizations have significantly expanded their operations in Madagascar this year, reaching over 900,000 people with life-saving assistance, in tandem with Government efforts. However, with the peak of the lean season, which runs from January to April, fast approaching, Mr. Sanogo underlined the critical need to scale up response now. “I call on the international community to show solidarity with the communities in the Grand Sud, who are bearing the brunt of the climate crisis, and to put forward the funding that is needed to both prevent a humanitarian catastrophe today, and enable people to become more resilient tomorrow.”

At least 39 people have been killed by security forces in Sudan since the 25 October military coup, 15 of whom were reportedly shot dead on Wednesday, according to the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights. On Thursday, Michelle Bachelet condemned the killings, saying it is “utterly shameful” that live ammunition keeps being used against protesters. “Shooting into large crowds of unarmed demonstrators, leaving dozens dead and many more injured, is deplorable, clearly aimed at stifling the expression of public dissent, and amounts to gross violations of international human rights law”, she said. Violence against protesters According to reliable medical sources, more than 100 people were wounded during protests on Wednesday in Khartoum, Khartoum-Bahri and Omdurman. Of the injured, 80 sustained gunshot injuries to their upper bodies and heads. Tear gas was also used heavily. Arrests were reported to have been made before, during and after the demonstrations. Police issued a statement saying that 89 police officers had also been injured. From around noon local time yesterday, the military imposed a total shutdown of phone and mobile communications across the country, in addition to the continued shutdown of internet services, effectively cutting off Sudan from the world. Only satellite links continued to function. Mrs. Bachelet explained that people are “unable to call for ambulances to treat injured protesters, families are unable to check on the safety of their loved ones, and hospitals are unable to reach doctors as emergency rooms filled up, to name just a few very real and serious consequences”. For the High Commissioner, “blanket internet and telecommunications shutdowns violate core principles of necessity and proportionality and contravene international law”. Targets Since the military coup, journalists, particularly those perceived to be critical of the authorities, have been targeted. Journalists have been arbitrarily arrested, attacked while reporting, and had their homes and offices raided by security forces. There have also been disturbing reports of their attempted abduction by armed assailants in plain clothes. “With the internet shutdowns, the role of journalists in getting essential information out on the current situation is particularly crucial, but I fear the increasingly hostile environment against them may lead to self-censorship, and further threaten media pluralism and independence”, the High Commissioner said. Appeal Mrs. Ms. Bachelet also urged the authorities to immediately release all those who have been detained for exercising their rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly, as well as all detained political actors. She upheld that all members of the security forces and political and military leaders responsible for unnecessary and disproportionate use of force against protesters must be held accountable in line with international human rights law. The High Commissioner also stressed the need to ensure that healthcare workers are not targeted for providing medical care to injured protesters, and that their essential work is not hampered.

Although progress has been made in Somalia’s electoral process, it has been slow and uneven, the UN Special Representative for the country said in a briefing to the Security Council on Wednesday. James Swan, head of the UN Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNSOM), welcomed completion of the indirect elections for the Upper House of the Federal Parliament, which began in July, and the start of those for the lower chamber, known as the House of the People. While 14 women will be among the 54 Senators in the Upper House, representing 26 per cent of parliamentarians there, Mr. Swan said this figure falls short of the 30 per cent quota for women’s participation. Redouble efforts Mr. Swan urged stakeholders to move quickly to conclude the lower house elections before the end of the year. “Although progress is being made, the efforts of Somalia’s political leaders will need to be redoubled in the coming weeks to bring the elections for the Federal Parliament to a successful conclusion, so that the presidential elections can then be held as soon as possible,” he said, speaking via videoconference. “The completion of these elections is more important than ever, so that all effort can return to the key governance, security, and development priorities in Somalia”. Supporting women’s representation The envoy said the UN will continue its engagement and support towards advancing the indirect polls, with clan representatives electing parliamentarians who will then vote for the president. Only two of the 275 seats in the lower house have been filled so far, and 30 per cent are also reserved for women. “We continue to stress that women’s full inclusion and representation in political life, and in all sectors of life, is key for Somalia’s sustainable peace and development”, said Mr. Swan. Somali women’s rights activist Asha Abdulle Siyad, who also addressed the Council, has been among those advocating for the 30 per cent quota. “We are deeply concerned of the delays and the lack of concrete measures and schedules for the completion of the House of the People election”, said Ms. Siyad, Executive Director of the Somali Women’s Leadership Initiative. “Further delay in the election is likely to affect women’s quota negatively as the attention of all concerned, including the Nearly 1,000 civilians have been killed or injured in armed conflict so far this year – with the group responsible for some two-thirds of civilian casualties. Mr. Swan paid tribute to the Somali security forces and troops serving with the African Union mission in the country, AMISOM, who face Al-Shabaab on a daily basis. AMISOM chief Francisco Caetano Jose Madeira told the ambassadors that the militants have stepped up attacks, ambushes, suicide bombings and targeted assassinations of Government officials. “In addition, and of late, Al-Shabaab’s effort is increasingly and deliberately directed at disrupting the electoral process with attacks on some election centres, indirect fire attacks against AMISOM fortified bases, and increased public execution of individuals working with the Somali security forces and AMISOM personnel”, he said. The mission’s mandate expires on 31 December and a plan to progressively transfer security responsibility from AMISOM to the Somali Security Forces is advancing, though slowly. Mr. Madeira called for discussions on the new mission to be concluded as a matter of urgency, noting the talks cover issues such as enhanced coordination and cooperation, complementary approaches, sustained information sharing, and funding.