UN News Today 19 February 2025 |

Civilians at breaking point in eastern DR Congo warns top aid official, in call to resume talks

The UN’s top aid official in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has urged all warring parties to allow lifesaving relief supplies to reach the most vulnerable.

Bruno Lemarquis, UN humanitarian coordinator issued the appeal with the warning that the rapid expansion of the conflict – particularly in South Kivu province – has continued to impact civilians heavily.

“The population can no longer continue to pay such a heavy price for a conflict that continues to spread and now threatens the stability of the entire region,” he said, as yet more vulnerable people reportedly fled combat zones amid advancing and heavily armed Rwanda-backed M23 rebels.

On Sunday, the militia took control of Bukavu – the second major eastern DRC city to fall, in a matter of weeks.

“It is imperative to put an end to the confrontations” and resume dialogue, Mr. Lemarquis insisted.

Young Palestinians in East Jerusalem shut out of UNRWA classrooms

To the occupied West Bank, where the UN agency for Palestine, UNRWA, has condemned efforts by Israeli officials to shut down an UNRWA-run training centre.

Head of the UN agency, Philippe Lazzarini, said that Israeli forces and personnel from the Jerusalem local authority “forcefully entered” the Kalandia Training Centre and ordered its immediate evacuation.

“At least 350 students and 30 staff were present and impacted. Tear gas and sound bombs were fired,” Mr. Lazzarini explained.

The development comes after a ban on UNRWA activities in Israel came into effect, in line with laws passed in October by the Israeli Knesset.

Meanwhile in Gaza, the UN World Health Organization (WHO) said on Wednesday that the mass polio vaccination campaign there will continue in the coming days.

WHO announced that more than 591,000 children under 10 years old will receive the polio vaccine to protect them from the highly infectious disease.

The campaign follows the recent detection of poliovirus in wastewater samples in Gaza which signalled that the infection was circulating in the enclave and putting children at risk. 

Frank diplomacy is essential to progress, insists Human Rights Council President

To Geneva, where the new President of the UN Human Rights Council on Wednesday urged all countries to engage with the forum and take part in frank discussion to resolve global differences.

Jurg Lauber, who’s Swiss, takes over the presidency of the top human rights body for a year, ahead of its 58^th scheduled session, beginning Monday.

He told UN News that human rights “contribute to the stability of societies, so for Switzerland, as a country that is highly dependent on stability in the world, they are particularly important”.

Mr. Lauber also praised the “important voice” of the United States in human rights in response to questions about the impact of the US decision to withdraw from the Council:

“There’s also, you know, this approach within the United Nations that every Member States has a voice, and every Member State’s contribution is important…so again I cannot but underline, I encourage every Member State of the United Nations to come be active, engage, bring their points of view. Bring their concerns, bring their priorities and participate in the discussion.”

The Council has 47 members who are elected on staggered three-year terms. Non-members can participate in discussions as observers.

In addition to the US, Israel also recently announced that it intended to withdraw.

Daniel Johnson, UN News

And don’t forget you can hear more of our news and interviews by going to our website and audio hub.

Music composed and produced by Joachim Harris. All rights reserved