Sixty-fifth session
Item 70 (a) of the provisional agenda*
Strengthening of the coordination of emergency humanitarian assistance of the United Nations
Summary
The present report covers activities from 1 July 2009 to 30 June 2010. Within this period, the Emergency Relief Coordinator allocated $448.3 million from the Central Emergency Response Fund to implement life-saving activities in 52 countries and territories. Funding was provided to 15 humanitarian agencies, many of which carried out their programmes in conjunction with non-governmental partners. The Central Emergency Response Fund has continued to provide a rapid and reliable source of funding, with the flexibility to respond to a diverse and challenging range of humanitarian emergencies; and to demonstrate its added value as a versatile emergency response tool sustained by the resolve of an increasing number of Member States, even in the most difficult of financial contexts. Governance and performance and accountability mechanisms have been strengthened further during the reporting period.
Highlights
· During Q4-2014, FAO’s global cereal price index decreased by 7% year-on-year, but on average, it remained at the level of the previous quarter.
· Real prices of maize have fallen by 14% since Q4-2013. They are up 1% from Q3-2014 after the low in September/October.
· On average, real prices of wheat remained constant between Q3 and Q4-2014. Global wheat supplies for 2014/15 are up thanks to increased production and beginning stocks; thus price levels in Q4-2014 are 17% lower than a year ago.
· Real prices of rice fell and they are down an average 2% since Q3-2014. Global export supplies are at a record high, as are consumption projections for 2014/15.
· In Q4-2014, real prices for crude oil dropped by a third compared to the year before.
· Despite the low global price levels for staple foods, the cost of the minimum food basket increased severely (>10%) during Q4-2014 in Armenia, Chad, Guinea-Bissau, the Kyrgyz Republic, South Sudan and Syria. High increases (5-10%) were seen in Burkina Faso, Honduras, Kenya, Liberia and Northern Nigeria.
· Price spikes, as monitored by ALPS (Alert for Price Spikes), are evident in Ethiopia, India, Nepal, South Sudan and Sudan (see the map below). These spikes indicate crisis levels for the most important staple in the country.
Global Highlights
In Q1-2015, FAO’s global cereal price index fell a further 13 percent year-on-year. It is now 5 percent lower than in Q4-2014.
Real prices of wheat have fallen by 10 percent over the last quarter. Prices are 20 percent lower than in Q1-2014 and at their lowest levels since mid-2010, thanks to large supplies, favourable production forecasts and strong export competition.
Real prices of maize have largely stabilized, falling just 2 percent since Q4-2014. Even so, prices are 17 percent lower than in Q1-2014. Although production has started to contract slightly, large carry-over stocks will ensure ample global supply.
Real prices of rice have fallen by 3 percent since Q4-2014 to pre-crisis levels last seen in early 2008.
Global market supplies remain ample and competitively priced.
In Q1-2015, real prices for crude oil reached half what they were the year before. This is translating into significantly lower diesel and gasoline prices in some countries.
• The cost of the minimum food basket increased severely (>10%) during Q1-2015 in eight countries: Cameroon, Colombia, Mozambique, Peru, Zambia, Tajikistan, South Sudan and Syria. High increases (5–10%) were seen in nine countries. In the other 50 monitored countries, the change was low or moderate (<5%).
Highlights
· FAO’s global cereal price index continued to fall in Q2-2015, down 19 percent year-on-year.
· The real price of wheat dropped a further 9 percent over the last quarter. Prices are 33 percent lower than in Q2-2014, thanks to increased global supply and lower consumption.
· The real price of maize has fallen by 3 percent since Q1-2015 and is 21 percent lower than inQ2-2014. However, global production for 2015/16 is set to be lower and thus prices are likely to rise.
· The real price of rice has dropped 10 percent since Q1-2015 and is 8 percent lower than last year. Global rice production for 2015/16 is expected to be higher than last year.
· If the negative El Niño predictions hold true on a wide scale, international food prices as well as domestic prices in the affected countries are expected to rise.
· In Q2-2015, the real price of crude oil rose by 15 percent compared to Q1-2015 but prices are still 43 percent lower than during the same period in 2014.
· The cost of the minimum food basket increased severely (>10%) during Q2-2015 in eight countries: Kenya, Malawi, South Sudan, Syria, Tanzania, Uganda, Yemen and Zambia. High increases (5–10%) were seen in Burundi, CAR, Chad, Colombia, Lebanon and Sierra Leone. In the other 55 monitored countries, the change was low or moderate (<5%).
· Price spikes, as monitored by ALPS (Alert for Price Spikes), are evident in Chad, India, Ghana, Malawi, South Sudan, Sudan, Yemen and Zambia. These spikes indicate crisis levels for at least one of the two most important staples in the country, whether they are cassava meal, maize, millet, rice, wheat or sorghum.
This bulletin examines trends in staple food and fuel prices, the cost of the basic food basket and consumer price indices for 70 countries in the third quarter of 2015 (July to September).1 The maps on pages 6–7 disaggregate the impact analysis to sub-national level.
• FAO’s global cereal price index still continued to fall in Q3-2015, down 12.7 percent year-on-year and is now at 2010 levels.
• The real price2 of wheat dropped a further 14 percent over the last quarter. Prices are 30 percent lower than in Q3-2014, thanks to record production in 2015, abundant global supply and strong export competition.
• The real price of maize has dropped 2 percent since Q2-2015 and is 3 percent lower than in Q3-2014. However, global production 2015/16 is projected to be lower than this year.
• The real price of rice has fallen by 1 percent since Q2-2015 and is 15 percent lower than Q3 last year.
Despite reduced production amid increased global utilisation, weakened import demand has kept rice prices in check.
• In Q3-2015, the real price of crude oil dropped by 19 percent compared with Q2-2015 and reached a level last seen in 2004.
• The cost of the minimum food basket increased severely (>10%) during Q3-2015 in four countries:
Ghana, Myanmar, Syria and Tanzania. High increases (5–10%) were seen in Benin, Ethiopia, Haiti, Kenya and Mali. In the other monitored countries, the change was low or moderate (<5%).
• Price spikes, as monitored by ALPS (Alert for Price Spikes), are evident in 16 countries, particularly in Ghana, India, Malawi, Myanmar, South Sudan,
Sudan and Yemen (see the map below).3 These spikes indicate crisis levels for the two most important staples in the country, whether they are either cassava, maize, rice, wheat, sorghum or sugar.
This bulletin examines trends in staple food and fuel prices, the cost of the basic food basket and consumer price indices for 69 countries in the fourth quarter of 2015 (October to December). The maps on pages 6–7 disaggregate the impact analysis to sub-national level.
Global Highlights
• During Q4-2015, FAO’s global cereal price index fell by a further 15.2 percent year-on-year because of abundant supplies and sluggish demand. The index returned to the level seen before the food price crisis of 2007-08.
• The real price of wheat dropped by eight percent over the last quarter. It fell by more than 25 percent compared with Q4-2014 mainly because of world record production and higher ending stocks.
• The real price of maize remained constant compared with Q3-2015. Despite lower than expected production forecasts for 2015/16, global supplies were comfortable amid above-average closing stocks.
• During Q4-2015, the real price of rice decreased by two percent. As in Q3, prices were 15 percent below 2014 levels. However, global rice supplies may tighten in 2015/16.
• In Q4-2015, the real price of crude oil dropped a further 12 percent compared with Q3-2015 and reached its lowest level in the past eleven years.
• The cost of the minimum food basket increased severely (>10%) during Q4-2015 in nine countries: Burundi, Malawi, Niger, Peru, Rwanda, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria and Turkey. High increases (5–10%) were seen in Benin, Cameroon, Ghana, Somalia, Sri Lanka, Uganda and Yemen. In the other monitored countries, the change was low or moderate (<5%).
• Price spikes, as monitored by ALPS (Alert for Price Spikes), were evident in 19 countries, particularly in Ghana, Haiti, India, Malawi, Mozambique, Myanmar, Rwanda, Somalia, Sudan and Syria (see the map below).3 These spikes indicate crisis levels for the two most important staples in each country, including beans, cassava meal, maize, millet, potatoes, rice, wheat, sorghum and sugar.
This bulletin examines trends in staple food and fuel prices, the cost of the basic food basket and consumer price indices for 71 countries in the first quarter of 2016 (January to March).1 The maps on pages 6–7 disaggregate the impact analysis to sub-national level.
Global Highlights
•During Q1-2016, FAO’s global cereal price index fell by 14 percent year-on-year thanks to ample supplies and stock positions. The index is now at levels last seen in early 2007. The FAO global food price index is 15 percent lower than in Q1-2015.
•The real price2 of wheat has fallen by 22 percent over the past year and is 3 percent below Q4-2015 levels. This is because world production is still at record levels, and ending stocks in March were 9 percent greater than those in 2014/15.
•The real price of maize came under pressure in Q1-2016 and is 9 percent lower than last year. Global supplies are abundant and export competition is high.
•During Q1-2016, the real price of rice remained constant compared to Q4-2015. It is down 15 percent from Q1-2015.
•In Q1-2016, the real price of crude oil dropped by 23 percent to its lowest level since 2004. The drop has been largely supply driven. Prices started to pick up after January.
•The cost of the minimum food basket increased severely (>10%) in Q1-2016 in eight countries:
Burundi, Republic of Congo, Ghana, Lao PDR, Malawi, South Sudan, Swaziland and Viet Nam.
High increases (5–10%) were seen in Costa Rica, Iran, Mozambique, Myanmar, Nepal, Sudan, Thailand and Zambia. In the other monitored countries, the change was moderate or low (<5%).
•Price spikes, as monitored by ALPS (Alert for Price Spikes), were detected in 16 countries, particularly in Burundi, Ghana, Haiti, India, Malawi, Mozambique,
South Sudan, Sudan, Syria and Zambia (see the map below).3 These spikes indicate crisis levels for the two most important staples in each country, which could be beans, cassava, maize, millet, oil, rice, sorghum, sweet potatoes, sugar or wheat flour.
The Secretary-General has the honour to transmit to the General Assembly the report of the Director-General of the World Health Organization, submitted in accordance with General Assembly resolution 69/325.
Report of the Director-General of the World Health Organization on consolidating gains and accelerating efforts to control and eliminate malaria in developing countries, particularly in Africa, by 2015
Summary
The present report is submitted in response to General Assembly resolution 69/325. It provides a review of progress in the implementation of the resolution, focusing on the adoption and scaling-up of interventions recommended by the World Health Organization in malaria-endemic countries. It also provides an assessment of progress towards the 2015 global malaria targets, including Millennium Development Goal 6, targets set through the African Union and the World Health Assembly, and goals set through the Global Malaria Action Plan of the Roll Back Malaria Partnership. It elaborates on the challenges limiting the full achievement of the targets, and provides recommendations to ensure that progress is accelerated towards the goals of the Global Technical Strategy for Malaria 2016-2030 in the coming years.
I. Introduction
While malaria is a preventable and treatable disease, it continues to have a devastating impact on people’s health and livelihoods around the world. In 2015, approximately 3.2 billion people were at risk of the disease in 95 countries and territories, and an estimated 214 million malaria cases occurred (uncertainty range: 149 million-303 million). The disease killed 438,000 people (uncertainty range: 236,000-635,000), mostly children under 5 years of age in sub-Saharan Africa. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends a multi-pronged strategy to reduce the malaria burden, including vector control interventions, preventive therapies, diagnostic testing, quality-assured treatment and strong malaria surveillance.
The present report highlights progress and challenges in the control and elimination of malaria in the context of General Assembly resolution 69/325. It draws on the World Malaria Report 2015, issued by WHO in December 2015. The analysis is based on the latest available comprehensive data (2014) received from malaria-endemic countries and organizations supporting global malaria efforts and includes projections to 2015 where it is feasible to do so. Data from 2015 are currently being collected and reviewed by WHO. Projections for 2015 were also published in The Millennium Development Goals Report 2015.
Between 2005 and 2015, malaria received worldwide recognition as a priority global health issue. Under the umbrella of the Roll Back Malaria Partnership, endemic countries, United Nations agencies, bilateral donors, public-private partnerships, scientific organizations, academic institutions, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and the private sector worked together to scale up WHO-recommended interventions, harmonize activities and improve strategic planning, programme management and funding availability. A steep rise in international funding enabled endemic countries to expand their malaria programmes. Since 2010, the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (Global Fund) has provided more than $4 billion for malaria interventions, while the Governments of the United States of America and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland have been the second and third largest bilateral funders.
The success of efforts to control and eliminate malaria is measured through an analysis of trends in the disease burden and intervention scale-up, and a review of progress made towards a set of global goals and targets, which have been designed through intergovernmental processes or set in the context of global initiatives. For the period 2000 to 2015, the four main sets of goals and targets were: Millennium Development Goal 6, targets set through the African Union and the World Health Assembly, and goals set by the Roll Back Malaria Partnership through the Global Malaria Action Plan. Further details are provided in section IV of the report. Regional and subregional targets for malaria control and elimination are not addressed here.
1 July 2016, GENEVA – The UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNISDR) and the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) aim to reduce disaster losses in some of the world’s most hazard prone cities with the initial aid of a €6 million grant from the EU, over the next three years. Mr. Neven Mimica, European Commissioner for International Cooperation and Development said: ”Strengthening disaster risk governance is an essential part of sustainable development and a key priority of the Sendai Framework. I am delighted that with EU support this project will help vulnerable cities become more resilient to disasters, increase the awareness of local authorities of future risks, and promote engagement of people living in these cities in reducing disaster risk.”
The project “Making cities sustainable and resilient: implementing the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030 at the local level” is key to achieving a substantial increase in the number of countries with national and local disaster risk reduction strategies by 2020 as called for in the Sendai Framework, the global blueprint for reducing disaster losses. Making cities and communities resilient is also key to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.
The cities and towns covered by the project include Kathmandu, Nepal, a country where almost three million remain homeless following an earthquake last year which killed 8,800 people, and Port Villa, Vanuatu, which suffered heavy economic losses as a result of Category 5 Hurricane Pam which hit in March last year.
The UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Disaster Risk Reduction and head of UNISDR, Mr. Robert Glasser, said: “These cities and towns in least developed countries and small island developing states are on the front line of climate change and extreme weather events. This funding will enable us to work with these crisis-prone cities to address disaster risks at the local level.”
Mr. Joan Clos, Executive Director of UN-Habitat and Secretary-General of Habitat III, said: “We will work closely with local governments to establish disaster loss baselines and create risk profiles which will help integrate disaster risk management into urban planning.”
The project also seeks to expand the Making Cities Resilient Campaign with a further 560 new cities and local governments to join the 3,200 cities and towns that already participate in the Campaign which was launched five years ago by UNISDR and requires a commitment to implement ten essential actions for building resilience. At least 200 cities and local governments will be assisted in assessing their gaps and progress in building resilience.
UN-Habitat will focus on four crisis prone cities in post-disaster contexts: Asuncion (Paraguay), Dakar (Senegal), Maputo (Mozambique), Port Villa (Vanuatu) using its City Resilience Profiling Programme (CRPP) which provides local governments with tools for measuring and increasing resilience to multi-hazard impacts including those associated with climate change.
UNISDR will support the development of action plans for reducing disaster risk in these 20 cities: Kampala (Uganda), Dire-Dawa (Ethiopia), Kisumu (Kenya), Yaounde (Cameroon), Pria (Cabo Verde), Khartoum (Republic of Sudan), Ismaliya Governorate (Egypt), Nablus (Palestine), Nouakchott (Mauritania), Honiara (Solomon Islands), Ulaanbaatar (Mongolia), Kathmandu City (Nepal), Dhaka North City Cooperation (Bangladesh), Cilacap Regency (Indonesia), Mawlamyine (Myanmar), Tegucigalpa (Honduras), Kingston (Jamaica), Guayaquil (Ecuador), Managua (Nicaragua) and San Juan de Lurigancho (Peru).
Who Suffers Most From Extreme Weather Events? Weather-related Loss Events in 2015 and 1996 to 2015
The Global Climate Risk Index 2017 analyses to what extent countries have been affected by the impacts of weather-related loss events (storms, floods, heat waves etc.). This year’s 12th edition of the analysis reconfirms that, according to the Climate Risk Index, less developed countries are generally more affected than industrialised countries. Regarding future climate change, the Climate Risk Index may serve as a red flag for already existing vulnerability that may further increase in regions where extreme events will become more frequent or more severe due to climate change. While some vulnerable developing countries are frequently hit by extreme events, there are also some others where such disasters are a rare occurrence.
The most recent data available – from 2015 and 1996–2015 – were taken into account to produce the following key messages:
According to the Germanwatch Global Climate Risk Index, Honduras, Myanmar and Haiti were the countries most affected by extreme weather events between 1996 and 2015.
In 2015, Mozambique, Dominica as well as Malawi were at the top of the list of the most affected countries.
Altogether, more than 528 000 people died as a direct result of nearly 11 000 extreme weather events; and losses between 1996 and 2015 amounted to around 3.08 trillion US$ (in Purchasing Power Parities). The host region of the UN climate summit 2016 – the continent of Africa – is severely affected by climatic events with four countries ranking among the 10 countries worldwide most affected in 2015 – Mozambique (1st), Malawi (3rd), Ghana and Madagascar (joint 8th position).
Precipitation, floods and landslides were the major causes of damage in 2015. A high incidence of extreme precipitation supports the scientific expectations of accelerated hydrological cycles caused by climate warming.
Most of the affected countries in the Bottom 10 of the long-term index have a high ranking due to exceptional catastrophes. Over the last few years another category of countries has been gaining relevance: Countries like the Philippines and Pakistan that are recurrently affected by catastrophes continuously rank among the most affected countries both in the long term index and in the index for the respective year for the last six years.
Of the ten most affected countries (1996–2015), nine were developing countries in the low income or lower-middle income country group, while only one was classified as an upper-middle income country.
The climate summit in Marrakesh is giving the “go-ahead” on developing the “rulebook” for the Paris Agreement, including the global adaptation goal, adaptation communication systems, and finance assessment systems for building resilience. A review of the UNFCCC’s work on loss and damage provides the opportunity to better detail the next 5-year’s work on loss and damage, in relation to the climate regime, as well as to better understand exactly how loss and damage should be taken up under the Paris Agreement. View
Key updates
Countries, territories and subnational areas reporting vector-borne Zika virus (ZIKV) infections for the first time since 1 February: None
Countries and territories reporting microcephaly and other central nervous system malformations potentially associated with ZIKV infection for the first time since 1 February: Mexico, Saint Martin
Countries and territories reporting Guillain-Barré syndrome cases associated with ZIKV infection for the first time since 1 February: Curaçao, Trinidad and Tobago
WHO, the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control have developed a new Zika virus classification scheme. The classification serves to categorize the presence of and potential for vector-borne ZIKV transmission and to inform public health recommendations. Based on the defined criteria and expert review, some countries, territories and subnational areas were reclassified and some were classified for the first time.
In line with WHO’s transition to a sustained programme to address the long-term nature of the disease and its consequences, this is the final WHO Zika situation report. WHO will continue to publish the Zika classification table (Table 1) on a regular basis as well as periodic situation analysis.
Note by the Secretary-General
The Secretary-General has the honour to transmit to the General Assembly the report of the Director-General of the World Health Organization, submitted in accordance with General Assembly resolution 70/300.
Report of the Director-General of the World Health Organization on consolidating gains and accelerating efforts to control and eliminate malaria in developing countries, particularly in Africa, by 2030
Summary
The present report is submitted in response to General Assembly resolution 70/300. It provides a review of progress in the implementation of the resolution, focusing on the adoption and scaling-up of interventions recommended by the World Health Organization in malaria-endemic countries. It provides an assessment of progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals and resolution 70/300. It elaborates on the challenges limiting the full achievement of the targets, and provides recommendations to ensure that progress is accelerated towards the goals of the Global Technical Strategy for Malaria 2016-2030 in the coming years.
I. Introduction
1. While malaria is a preventable and treatable disease, it continues to have a devastating impact on people’s health and livelihoods around the world. There were an estimated 212 million malaria cases and an estimated 429,000 deaths from malaria globally in 2015, with 70 per cent of these deaths occurring among children under 5 years of age in sub-Saharan Africa. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends a multi-pronged strategy to reduce the malaria burden, including vector control interventions, preventive therapies, diagnostic testing, quality-assured treatment and strong malaria surveillance.
2. The present report highlights progress and challenges in the control and elimination of malaria in the context of General Assembly resolution 70/300, drawing on the World Malaria Report 2016, issued by WHO in December 2016. The analysis is based on the latest available comprehensive data (2015) received from malaria-endemic countries and organizations supporting global malaria efforts. Data from 2016 are currently being collected and reviewed by WHO.
3. Between 2000 and 2015, malaria received worldwide recognition as a priority global health issue. Under the umbrella of the Roll Back Malaria Partnership, endemic countries, United Nations agencies, bilateral donors, public-private partnerships, scientific organizations, academic institutions, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and the private sector worked together to scale up WHO-recommended interventions, harmonize activities and improve strategic planning, programme management and funding availability. Together with HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and other neglected tropical diseases, malaria control was included under Goal 3, target 3, of the Sustainable Development Goals, which aims to “end the epidemics of AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria and other neglected tropical diseases” by the year 2030. WHO interprets this target as the attainment of the targets of the Global Technical Strategy for Malaria 2016-2030. The Global Technical Strategy sets the target of reducing the malaria disease burden by at least 40 per cent by 2020 and by at least 90 per cent by 2030. It also aims to eliminate the disease in at least 35 new countries by 2030.
4. The success of efforts to control and eliminate malaria is measured through an analysis of trends in the disease burden and intervention scale-up, and a review of progress made towards the global goals and targets of the Global Technical Strategy, which were agreed through a broad, consultative process.
Sixty-fifth session
Item 70 (a) of the provisional agenda*
Strengthening of the coordination of emergency humanitarian assistance of the United Nations
Summary
The present report covers activities from 1 July 2009 to 30 June 2010. Within this period, the Emergency Relief Coordinator allocated $448.3 million from the Central Emergency Response Fund to implement life-saving activities in 52 countries and territories. Funding was provided to 15 humanitarian agencies, many of which carried out their programmes in conjunction with non-governmental partners. The Central Emergency Response Fund has continued to provide a rapid and reliable source of funding, with the flexibility to respond to a diverse and challenging range of humanitarian emergencies; and to demonstrate its added value as a versatile emergency response tool sustained by the resolve of an increasing number of Member States, even in the most difficult of financial contexts. Governance and performance and accountability mechanisms have been strengthened further during the reporting period.
Highlights
· During Q4-2014, FAO’s global cereal price index decreased by 7% year-on-year, but on average, it remained at the level of the previous quarter.
· Real prices of maize have fallen by 14% since Q4-2013. They are up 1% from Q3-2014 after the low in September/October.
· On average, real prices of wheat remained constant between Q3 and Q4-2014. Global wheat supplies for 2014/15 are up thanks to increased production and beginning stocks; thus price levels in Q4-2014 are 17% lower than a year ago.
· Real prices of rice fell and they are down an average 2% since Q3-2014. Global export supplies are at a record high, as are consumption projections for 2014/15.
· In Q4-2014, real prices for crude oil dropped by a third compared to the year before.
· Despite the low global price levels for staple foods, the cost of the minimum food basket increased severely (>10%) during Q4-2014 in Armenia, Chad, Guinea-Bissau, the Kyrgyz Republic, South Sudan and Syria. High increases (5-10%) were seen in Burkina Faso, Honduras, Kenya, Liberia and Northern Nigeria.
· Price spikes, as monitored by ALPS (Alert for Price Spikes), are evident in Ethiopia, India, Nepal, South Sudan and Sudan (see the map below). These spikes indicate crisis levels for the most important staple in the country.
