Trafficking in the Sahel: Cracking down on illicit drugs
In this feature, part of a series exploring trafficking in the Sahel, UN News focuses on the illicit drug trade. According to a new report from the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), drug trafficking in the Sahel continues to hinder…
First Person: Women in Madagascar too ashamed to seek help giving birth
The predominantly rural region of Androy has been beset by a series of humanitarian crises which have affected the most vulnerable people there, including mothers-to-be, however the delivery of simple, inexpensive maternity kits is encouraging more women to access a…
More money going to African climate startups, but huge funding gap remains
NAIROBI, Kenya — When Ademola Adesina founded a startup to provide solar and battery-based power subscription packages to individuals and businesses in Nigeria in 2015, it was a lot harder to raise money than it is today. Climate tech was…
Tropical cyclone threatens to worsen humanitarian crisis in flooded East Africa
GENEVA — The World Meteorological Organization warns that Tropical Cyclone Hidaya, which is projected to make landfall in Tanzania and Kenya this weekend, threatens to worsen the humanitarian crisis triggered by torrential rains in these and other heavily flooded countries…
UN agencies warn of imminent starvation risk in Sudan’s Darfur region
Since fighting erupted last April between rival militaries, Sudan has witnessed shocking levels of violence, plunging the country into a devastating humanitarian and protection crisis. Close to 25 million people – more than half the population – are estimated to…
East Africa: UN support continues amid heavy rains, severe floods and cyclone threat
Torrential rains could worsen with the arrival of Tropical Cyclone Hidaya, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) warned on Friday. Prepare for impact The tropical cyclone is the first of its kind to develop in eastern Africa and is due to have a “very big…
Sudan: Under siege, El Fasher teeters on the brink of famine
The war has left 25 million Sudanese needing aid, but in El Fasher, an ever tightening siege is cutting off vulnerable civilians who urgently need such basic essentials as food, water and medicines. UN News’s Abdelmonem Makki spoke to Toby Harward,…
Explosives clearance enables aid to reach victims of war in Gaza
GENEVA — More than 800 mine action leaders attending a U.N.-sponsored conference in Geneva this week are warning of the ongoing dangers from unexploded ordnance and landmines in countries affected by conflict. A focus of the conference is on the…
Tourists evacuated from Kenya’s Maasai Mara reserve amid flooding
NAIROBI, Kenya — Tourists were evacuated by air from Kenya’s Maasai Mara National Reserve Wednesday after more than a dozen hotels, lodges and camps were flooded as heavy rains continue to batter the country. Tourist accommodation facilities were submerged after…
African-born bioengineer at UCLA develops new tuberculosis test
According to the World Health Organization, 1.3 million people died from tuberculosis in 2022. The disease is fully treatable but relies on timely diagnosis. Mireille Kamariza, a molecular bioengineer from the University of California, Los Angeles, has developed a test…