Emergency humanitarian response in South Sudan

Mutinta Chimuka, World Food Programme (WFP) Country Director for South Sudan, speaking from Bor, said she was currently enroute from Akobo East in Jonglei where the World Food Programme had had launched their emergency response three weeks ago. Since the beginning of the year, Akobo East had experienced relentless conflict, with 142,000 people displaced and 100,000 crossing into neighbouring Ethiopia. The latest Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) update revealed parts of Akobo were encountering IPC 5 (Catastrophe), with the country at imminent risk of famine. Hundreds of thousands of people faced food insecurity with 12,000 currently in Phase 5. Particularly concerning was the sharp rise in malnutrition in chidlren under five and breastfeeding mothers.

Despite insecurity, WFP continued to deliver vital food and nutrition assistance, reaching over 60,000 people in the past few weeks. Specialised nutritious food had also been provided to children and mothers through supplementary feeding programmes. The arrival of the rainy season challenged humanitarian logistics, due to the reliance on air transportation. To this day, over 60 WFP flights had moved 430 metric tonnes of assistance and transported over 200 aid workers. Costly air operations also continued to persist due to insecurity. Sustainable and secure access was essential for aid recovery and restoring livelihoods. Hostilities needed to end to ensure humanitarian access. WFP were deeply concerned about the most vulnerable populations in inaccessible areas. USD 266 million of funding was urgently required in Akobo and other parts of the country.

Responding to questions from the media, Ms. Chimuka said the population in South Sudan that needed food assistance was 7.2 million people, with 168,000 of these in Akobo. Insecurity remained a serious challenge, and the drawdown of troops escorted trucks to the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) was concerning. Currently, there were no issues with the military. What was concerning was incidents of criminality, where commodities were at risk of being looted by armed gangs. The Government of South Sudan and others were urged to engage in dialogue of security and ensure there was safe access for humanitarians to deliver cargo. Responding to another question, Ms. Chimuka said clarified that UNMISS had been reduced in troop size due to resource constraints. An Indian battalion in Akobo was supporting the mission in the area; closure had been planned for next month but had recently been extended, which was essential to the mission. The security situation was very volatile so having peacekeepers on the ground was essential for humanitarians.

Responding to another question from the media, Ms. Chimuka said there were several generous donors who continued to support the Mission, however the receival of the 266 million dollars required was not certain. If this was the case, it would mean de-prioritisation, with certain people not receiving assistance or food commodities, which was a terrible situation. There were already reduced rations in several parts of the country to stretch the resources as far as possible. Many crops had been destroyed by war, emphasising the need for peace and security. Currently, resources were needed as soon as possible for airdrops and food delivery.

Children trapped in an endless cycle of suffering in Gaza

Salim Oweis, United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) Communication Specialist, speaking from Gaza, said children in Gaza were trapped in a worsening cycle of suffering due to a lack of clean water, sanitation, food, and healthcare. UNICEF shared accounts from parents whose children had suffered rat bites, skin infections, and untreated wounds caused by unsafe living conditions, contaminated water, and overcrowded shelters. Many families were living among sewage, rubble, and waste, unable to properly protect their children.

Parents described feeling helpless as their children endure preventable illnesses and pain. Gaza’s already dense population had been forced into even smaller areas, with limited access to clean water, forcing families to ration water between drinking, cooking, and washing. UNICEF was aiming to provide clean water to up to 1.5 million people each month, but efforts were hindered by attacks on water operations, restrictions on repair materials, and the overwhelming buildup of waste and rubble. Damage to water systems meant aid groups increasingly relied on expensive water trucking that could reach everyone effectively.

The health impacts were severe: respiratory infections, diarrhoea, widespread skin diseases, lice, fleas, and scabies were common, while hospitals were no longer fully functioning. Malnutrition also remained critical despite famine conditions easing, as poor sanitation, disease, and lack of proper food and clean water continued to weaken children. UNICEF underscored that no child should be denied access to clean water, nutritious food, or healthcare, and called for unrestricted humanitarian access, repairs to water and sanitation systems, and adherence to international humanitarian law to help end the crisis.

Responding to questions from the media regarding Israel’s intention to take control of 70 percent of Gaza, Mr. Oweis said the situation was dire and cramming more people into a space would mean more children and families would suffer further.

Answering another question, Mr. Oweis said interactions with doctors and health care providers had indicated that an increasing number of children were requiring hospitalisation due to the skin diseases and rodent bites, likely due to sanitation and water issues. There weren’t exact figures, but this was the reported trend from doctors.

Responding to an additional question, Mr. Oweis said UNICEF had been forced to replan their response in Gaza constantly; if the expansion occurred this meant an additional point of service providing would need to be found. Unfortunately, more land being taken meant UNICEF would lose access to service points and hard to reach places.

Update on Lebanon – children killed and injured over the past week

Ricardo Pires, for the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), said according to the Lebanese Ministry of Public Health, 77 children had reportedly been killed or injured over the past week alone, with 15 children killed and 62 injured in seven days, an average of 11 children every 24 hours, with the majority impacted by airstrikes in south Lebanon. Just yesterday, seven children were killed and 30 injured. Since the cease fire announcement on 17 April, 55 children had been killed and 212 wounded. UNICEF reiterated the call for all parties to fully respect the ceasefire and to comply with international law.

Responding to a question from the media, Mr. Pires clarified the figures he had mentioned.

Rolando Gómez, Chief of the Press and External Relations Section, United Nations Information Service (UNIS) at Geneva, said the Secretary-General was deeply concerned at ongoing tensions in Lebanon and called on all parties to avoid further escalation

Ebola outbreak, DRC and Uganda

Anais Legand, High Threat Pathogens Team, World Health Organization (WHO) Health Emergencies Programme, said on 15 May, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) reported an outbreak of Bundibugyo virus disease to WHO. By 28 May 2026, there were 125 confirmed cases and 17 deaths across 13 health zones in Ituri, North Kivu, and South Kivu provinces, including 16 infections among health workers. A further 906 suspected cases and more than 223 deaths remain under investigation as testing capacity improved. WHO was supporting the response through surveillance, contact tracing, clinical care, logistics, community engagement, and cross-border preparedness, while also helping maintain essential health services such as maternal care, immunization, malnutrition treatment, mental health support, and care for survivors of sexual violence. The outbreak was occurring amid ongoing conflict, food insecurity, and major humanitarian needs, particularly in Ituri, where 1.2 million people required health assistance. WHO stressed that community engagement was essential to controlling the outbreak. A positive development came on 28 May, when the first patient recovered and was discharged.

Ms. Legand said that Uganda had also reported cases linked to the outbreak after a traveller from Ituri sought care there. As of 28 May, Uganda had recorded seven confirmed cases, including one death, in Kampala and Wakiso. Three cases were imported from the DRC, while the others were linked contacts, including health workers. There was currently no evidence of wider community transmission in Uganda. Following a meeting of the International Health Regulations Emergency Committee on 19 May, WHO issued temporary recommendations emphasizing coordinated outbreak control, surveillance, and cross-border cooperation. WHO did not recommend travel or trade restrictions for either country and were reviewing potential treatments and vaccines with global experts. WHO emphasized that proven public health measures, including surveillance, contact tracing, early isolation and care, infection prevention, and safe burials, remained critical to stopping transmission when communities were fully engaged.

Answering a question from the media, Christian Lindmeier, for the World Health Organization (WHO), said WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros had left yesterday for Kinshasa where he would meet with local and UN partners, and authorities in support of the Ebola outbreak. Further travel arrangements would be provided when received.

Answering other questions, Ms. Legand said when there was an outbreak, the most important thing was to identify anyone who had symptoms of a specific disease. Symptoms were not necessarily very specific at the beginning; these were identified as suspect cases which required laboratory testing. The number of suspected cases would evolve and either become confirmed cases or be reclassified as non-cases.

It was always positive when people recovered from serious diseases. In previous outbreaks of Bundibugyo virus, the rate of those who died from infection ranged from 30 to 50 percent, which was huge. Having people recover showed that more could be done, including the sale-up of optimized intensive care, and education for the communities to recognize the symptoms and receive care early on. When someone recovered, they returned to their community and there was a sense of hope, showing that early access to care could save lives.

Answering further questions, Ms. Legand said the case fatality ratio was very preliminary; there were still several suspected cases which hadn’t been considered, as well as reported deaths which couldn’t be sampled. The case fatality ratio was always multi-factorial depending on several factors. WHO hoped by scaling up interventions and getting people early access to care and diagnostics, that the case fatality ratio would decrease.

There had been some temporary recommendations issued by the emergency committee; people from the affected areas should not travel. Exit screening measures at borders needed to be implemented for DRC and Uganda, which was being done. All countries were urged to follow the recommendations.

Answering another question, Mr. Lindmeier said there would be a disease outbreak update being released tonight which would contain relevant information.

Responding to more questions, Ms. Legand said the laboratory in Bunia was fully functional and able to test on different platforms, differentiating Bundibugyo from other strands. The issue in the field was primarily one of access, as opposed to a lack of resources. Bunia airport had been closed, and while humanitarian flights were allowed to fly, there were many issues impacting access including a lack of fuel, among others. Work was being done with the DRC to address these issues.

Rolando Gómez, Chief of the Press and External Relations Section, United Nations Information Service (UNIS) at Geneva, said the humanitarian situation had been strained, including reports of killings with 150 civilians killed in the Ituri province alone, compounding the situation of Ebola.

Answering another question, Ms. Legand said she was happy to see the number of suspected cases increase, as this meant surveillance was working and the teams on the ground could recognise patients with the disease.

Responding to a question on the United States’ withdrawal from the WHO, Mr. Lindemeir, said during the World Health Assembly, member States had discussed that if the United States remained further in arrears, voting rights may be stripped in the next assembly.

Ms. Legand clarified that WHO expected more patients would recover moving forwards. The patient who had recovered was the first person discharged from a care center following two negative tests.

Health Situation in Lebanon

Responding to a question from the media on the health situation in Lebanon, Christian Lindmeier, for the World Health Organization (WHO)said WHO’s latest situation report on the Middle East escalation, released yesterday, said that despite the ongoing ceasefire in Lebanon, the security situation remained highly volatile. Since 16 April, there had been 1,774 injuries and 608 deaths linked to the conflict, while concerns remained over a possible expansion of military activity. Since the ceasefire began, 27 attacks on health care had been reported, causing 25 deaths and 42 injuries. Overall, 16 hospitals and 13 primary health care centres had been damaged, and three hospitals remained closed. Last week, the World Health Assembly adopted a decision calling for increased international and WHO support to protect health care services in Lebanon.

Access to health care remained severely limited, especially south of the Litani River, where patients could face delays of up to 48 hours to reach referral hospitals. A rapid health assessment across 15 districts found that 60–80 percent of households could not afford medical services, medications, or hospital care. Urgent funding was needed to maintain emergency health operations, restore outreach services, strengthen disease surveillance, improve community awareness, and replenish essential medicines and supplies.

World No Tobacco Day 2026

Dr. Vinayak Prasad, Unit Head, Tobacco Free Initiative, for the World Health Organization (WHO), said the theme of World No Tobacco Day 2026 was “Unmask the appeal – countering tobacco and nicotine addiction,” focusing on how tobacco and nicotine companies targeted young people with flavoured products, digital marketing, and lifestyle branding designed to make addiction more appealing and socially acceptable. WHO highlighted Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, as a best practice example for strengthening enforcement against e-cigarette advertising, carrying out inspections, launching awareness campaigns, and expanding smoke-free laws to include all nicotine products. WHO had also released a report warning that nicotine pouches were being aggressively marketed to young people through child-friendly flavours, influencer promotion, and packaging resembling sweets or lifestyle products. The report found that 160 countries still lacked specific regulations for these products, despite concerns over high nicotine levels and addiction risks for adolescents.

WHO stressed that governments must act faster to regulate emerging nicotine products and prevent a new generation from becoming addicted. Quitting was possible; nearly 60 percent of tobacco users worldwide wanted to quit, and WHO’s quit toolkit provided practical support to help people stop using tobacco and nicotine products. While the tobacco and nicotine industries profited from addiction, governments, communities, families, and individuals all had the power to take action and quit.

Christian Lindmeier, for the World Health Organization (WHO) said the World No Tobacco Day toolkit was available online.

International Labour Conference

Zeina Awad, for the International Labour Organization (ILO), said on Monday the Annual Conference of the ILO would begin, running util June 12. It would take place across three sites including, the ILO, the UN Palais, and the Geneva International Conference Centre. The ILO could provide further information, including topics to be discussed, if required. All information was available on the website which was being regularly updated.

Responding to question from the media, Ms. Awad said it was hoped the Conference would be able to adopt a new standard governing the platform economy and the world of work. There were still internal discussions about the different committees, and the online schedule could be shared. There were several ministers attending, but the heads of States were not confirmed.

Answering additional questions, Ms. Awad said she had no information on President Lula’s attendance, nor the list of countries to be reviewed by the standards setting committee, but the latter was expected to be received before the meeting. A different badge was required for the ILO building.

Ms. Awad said she would send a link to the online timetable, but she would not be able to send a list of attendees. There was a list online of everyone accredited which was publicly available and was being updated in real time.

Announcements

Rolando Gómez, Chief of the Press and External Relations Section, United Nations Information Service (UNIS) at Geneva, said the remarks of the Secretary-General on the situation in Ukraine had been shared earlier this morning.

The Seretary-General’s address to the United Nations General Assembly on the UN80 initiative was also available, as were facts and figures.

The Committee on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of their Families opened its 42^nd session yesterday. The Committee would review the report of Ecuador and Ghana on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday.

Additionally, next Tuesday, 2 June, at 10 a.m., the Conference on Disarmament would hold a plenary meeting on “effective international arrangements to assure non-nuclear-weapon States against the use or threat of use of nuclear weapons”.

On Tuesday 2 June, the Geneva regular press briefing would begin at 10am with an El Niño update from the Secretary-General of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO).

Finally, Mr. Gómez said today was Peacekeepers Day which was an important moment to reflect on the sacrifice of UN Peacekeepers across the globe. This important event would be marked on Tuesday June 2 at 3 pm at the Palais in Ariana Parc. Full programme here.