UN Marks 80 Years as Floods Hit South Sudan, Lebanon Tense

UNIFIL marks the 80th anniversary of the founding of the United Nations with a ceremony held at its headquarters in Naqoura, south Lebanon.

Marking its 80th anniversary, the United Nations celebrated decades of multilateral cooperation for peace, human rights, and sustainable development through events held across the globe.

In Nairobi, home to the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), Executive Director Inger Andersen highlighted the city’s unique role as the only UN headquarters in the Global South and underscored UNEP’s long-standing work on climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution.

Youth participation was also recognised as a driving force for environmental action and future leadership.

In Naqoura, Lebanon, the UN peacekeeping mission (UNIFIL) marked the milestone alongside the 25th anniversary of Security Council resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security.

Force Commander Major General Diodato Abagnara said peace “is not built by a few; it is built by everyone,” stressing inclusion as the heart of peacebuilding.

In Afghanistan, the UN Assistance Mission (UNAMA) reflected on its decades-long presence supporting peace, human rights, and development. Deputy Special Representative Georgette Gagnon reaffirmed the UN’s solidarity with Afghans, particularly women and girls, amid ongoing humanitarian challenges.

Across the Americas, UN offices highlighted progress on the Sustainable Development Goals, climate action, and youth engagement, reaffirming the UN’s role in promoting equality, resilience, and cooperation across the region.

Eighty years on, the UN continues to bring people and nations together to “save succeeding generations from the scourge of war” and work towards a fairer, more sustainable future for all.

Nearly one million people have been affected by devastating floods in South Sudan, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) warned on Friday.

Since last month, flooding has damaged more than 140 health facilities, disrupting access to essential services for thousands at a time when South Sudan is battling disease outbreaks, including cholera and malaria.

In the past week alone, the World Health Organization (WHO) reported over 104,000 malaria cases, including 16 deaths across the country — a 15 per cent increase from the previous week, mainly due to the ongoing flooding.

To make matters worse, the disaster has been compounded by continuing conflict and severe food insecurity.

Despite significant access challenges, the UN and its partners continue to assist flood-affected communities with vital aid while assessing needs to ensure a targeted response.

The World Food Programme (WFP) is on the ground delivering food and nutrition assistance.

The WHO and its partners have supplied more than 50 metric tonnes of medical materials to support response efforts in Jonglei, Unity, and Upper Nile states. Additional aid — including tents, cholera kits, and emergency health kits — is on the way.

The UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) continues to discover unauthorised weapons and ammunition caches in the south of the country, Deputy Spokesperson Farhan Haq said on Friday.

On Wednesday, UNIFIL peacekeepers found mortar shells, fuses, and a cannon in one of their areas of operation, and small homemade explosive devices on Thursday.

Since 15 October, UNIFIL has coordinated with the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) and Israeli Defence Forces to refurbish ‘Blue Line’ markers that were damaged during the conflict. A cessation of hostilities between Hezbollah militants and Israeli forces came into effect last November.

Mr. Haq added that, at LAF’s request, the mission facilitated olive harvests by farmers near the Blue Line over 40 times this month.

In addition to protecting agricultural activity amid ceasefire breaches, peacekeepers have been patrolling jointly with Lebanese forces to ensure farmers’ safety.

Earlier this month, a public school reopened in Naqoura, where UNIFIL’s headquarters are located — a “clear sign of recovery and hope,” according to the mission.