They said “essential assistance to refugees will be sharply reduced further in the coming months” unless the $428 million shortfall is covered.
Accommodation 1.3 million
Chad is home to some 1.3 million people who have fled Sudan, with the majority (more than 900,000) arriving since the start of the war between rival armies that broke out in April 2023.
Host communities continue to receive new arrivals, including almost 15,000 since the beginning of the year.
South Sudan: “Alarming child trafficking crisis”
An independent expert appointed by the Human Rights Council raised the alarm on Thursday about an escalation of conflict-related trafficking in South Sudan, describing the situation as a “terrible humanitarian crisis.”
Siobhán Mullally, special rapporteur on human trafficking, warned that widespread attacks on civilians are having a “disproportionate impact on children”.
The crisis is being fueled by mass displacement: 1.4 million people are fleeing the war in neighboring Sudan, adding to the nearly two million internally displaced people in South Sudan.
Dangerous ‘normalization’
Ms Mullally noted that conflict-related sexual violence has become “normalised”, with girls trafficked into sexual slavery and forced to become pregnant. Meanwhile, children face forced recruitment into combat roles.
“Abductions for the purposes of sexual slavery, forced recruitment, child and forced marriage and sexual exploitation are serious violations of international law that may constitute war crimes,” he said.
Highlighting a culture of “widespread impunity,” he called for the urgent operationalization of the African Union-mandated Hybrid Court to ensure justice for survivors.
Burundi: Five dead from a “mysterious illness”
Health authorities in Burundi, with the support of the United Nations World Health Organization (WHO), are racing to identify a mysterious illness that has claimed five lives in the north of the country.
The outbreak, centered in the Mpanda district near the border with the Democratic Republic of the Congo, has so far sickened 28 people.
The cases, first reported on March 30, primarily affected members of the same household.
Severe symptoms
Patients have had severe symptoms including fever, vomiting, diarrhea and blood in the urine, and some cases have jaundice and anemia.
While initial tests for Ebola and Marburg virus diseases returned negative results, further laboratory analysis is underway.
Currently, WHO supports the Ministry of Health to “strengthen disease surveillance, field research, clinical care and laboratory diagnosis.”
A joint team of experts has been deployed on the ground to coordinate the response and “maintain key operations” in a bid to contain the spread.
Serbia: “Erosion of civic space” is very worrying
UN human rights chief Volker Türk warned of a “very worrying” deterioration in democratic freedoms in Serbia.
The High Commissioner expressed concern about increasing restrictions on civic space, citing continued attacks on critical voices and significant limitations on press freedom.
The recent local elections were marred by reports of voter intimidation, procedural irregularities and police raids on opposition premises, which, according to Türk, “raise serious questions about the integrity” of the electoral process.
Reporters attacked
He also highlighted the “continued attacks on journalists” and increasing pressure on independent media outlets as evidence of a declining democratic environment.
The UN human rights chief urged Serbian authorities to defend the rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly.
He called for “concrete measures” to restore public trust in national institutions through transparent and impartial investigations into human rights violations, and emphasized that there must be “accountability for any irregularities.”