UN regrets US exit from global cooperation on health, climate change agreement
UN agencies responded on Tuesday to President Trump’s executive orders ending US membership of the World Health Organization (WHO) and its adherence to the Paris Climate Agreement, highlighting the massive potential negative impact on public health and efforts to curb global warming.
“The WHO regrets the announcement that the United States of America intends to withdraw from the Organization…We hope the United States will reconsider,” said WHO spokesperson Tarik Jasarevic, hours after the new President signed an Executive Order at the White House:
“WHO plays a crucial role in protecting the health and security of the world’s people, including Americans, by addressing the root causes of disease, building stronger health systems and detecting, preventing and responding to health emergencies, including disease outbreaks, and often in dangerous places where others cannot go.”
The US joined the UN health agency in 1948 after a joint resolution was passed by both chambers of Congress. The resolution requires the country to provide one year’s notice to leave the organization.
President Trump took steps to withdraw from the WHO in 2020 during his first term – but the move was reversed by the Biden administration.
Clare Nullis from UN weather agency WMO commented on the incoming US administration’s decision to withdraw from the 2015 Paris Agreement on climate change, calling the need for the pact “pretty obvious”.
“We reported two weeks ago that 2024 was the hottest year on record”, she said, stressing that last year the world “temporarily hit the 1.5°C level” above pre-industrial era temperatures.
Aid surging into Gaza ‘at scale’ but massive needs remain: OCHA, WHO
Aid is entering Gaza “at scale” in line with the ceasefire agreement that has seen Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners released and families reunited, but massive needs remain across the devastated enclave, UN humanitarians said on Tuesday.
On day two of the ceasefire which entered into force on Sunday 19 January, the UN aid coordination office, OCHA, welcomed the “surge” in lifesaving humanitarian assistance into the enclave, after 15 months of devastating Israeli bombardment.
Aid trucks began entering Gaza “a few minutes after the deal entered into force on Sunday,” said OCHA spokesperson Jens Laerke. “Up to now – these two first days of entry – there [have] been no reports of looting or attacks against aid workers,” he noted:
“Our priorities are clear: getting food in, opening bakeries, getting healthcare, restocking hospitals, repairing water networks, repairing shelter, family reunification. A lot of the things that we have done throughout, but nowhere near at the scale needed. And that is what we hope and work towards to be able to do now.”
More than 900 aid trucks entered the Gaza Strip on Monday, as the truce held between Israel and Palestinian militants Hamas, according to the Israel authorities and the ceasefire’s guarantors, the US, Qatar and Egypt.
While the conflict raged, prompted by Hamas-led terror attacks on Israel on 7 October 2023, the aid lifeline to Gaza dwindled to as little as 50 trucks per day.
Syria: deep concern at intensifying hostilities in the northeast
To Syria, where UN aid coordinators OCHA have issued an alert about intensifying hostilities in the northeast of the country in recent days.
Between 16 and 18 January, at least three civilians were killed and 14 others injured in shelling and other attacks impacting Manbij, Ain al-Arab and other villages near Tishreen Dam in the eastern Aleppo region, the UN aid office said.
UN aid partners also reported that shops in the main market were damaged when an improvised bomb detonated inside a car in Manbij.
These incidents have forced people from their homes and have obstructed aid access, OCHA reported.
It also noted that repairs to Tishreen Dam have been affected, with more than 410,000 people “deprived of water and electricity for six weeks”.
Further east, OCHA reported hostilities in the governorates of Raqqa and Hasakeh which have affected water stations and other key services.
The situation also remains dire for more than 24,000 displaced people who are sheltering in more than 200 emergency centres across northeast Syria.
OCHA issued a reminder to “all parties” in Syria to uphold their obligations under international humanitarian law to protect civilians and allow them to access “the essentials (they need) for their survival, and to facilitate “safe and unimpeded humanitarian operations”.
Daniel Johnson, UN News.
Don’t forget that you can hear more news and interviews on the UN News website and audio hub now.
Music composed and produced by Joachim Harris. All rights reserved
Source of original article: United Nations (news.un.org). Photo credit: UN. The content of this article does not necessarily reflect the views or opinion of Global Diaspora News (www.globaldiasporanews.com).
To submit your press release: (https://www.globaldiasporanews.com/pr).
To advertise on Global Diaspora News: (www.globaldiasporanews.com/ads).
Sign up to Global Diaspora News newsletter (https://www.globaldiasporanews.com/newsletter/) to start receiving updates and opportunities directly in your email inbox for free.
