“As colder weather sets in, attacks on critical infrastructure are deepening humanitarian needs,” Dujarric warned. “Despite the growing challenges, we, together with our humanitarian partners, continue to support the response.”
In the first half of this year, UN partners provided essential care to nearly one million people, while food and livelihood programs supported more than 1.1 million displaced and vulnerable families in the country.
Ukraine: External power to be restored at nuclear plant
Meanwhile, following intensive consultations with the Russian Federation, a process has begun to restore external electricity at Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP), International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director Rafael Mariano Grossi announced in an update on Thursday.
On September 23, the ZNPP lost network connection for the tenth time since the start of the full-scale Russian invasion of the country in February 2022. Both sides blamed the damage on military activities.
Since then, the ZNPP had been forced to rely on emergency diesel generators to power its cooling pumps, further challenging an already dangerous nuclear security situation at the site.
After the incident, Mr. Grossi had been working with the two sides on concrete proposals to allow the plant to receive the external power needed to cool its six shutdown reactors and spent fuel.
“While it will still take some time before the Zaporizhzhya NPP’s grid connection is restored, the two sides have engaged with us constructively to achieve this important goal in the interests of nuclear safety,” he said. “No one will benefit from further deterioration in this regard.”
The IAEA team on site continues to confirm that there has been no temperature increase in the reactor coolant or spent fuel pools.
Syrian migrants in Libya begin their journey back to Syria.
First voluntary humanitarian return flight for Syrian migrants in Libya
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) has facilitated the voluntary return of 152 vulnerable Syrians from Libya to Damascus.
“IOM is expanding its operations and services in Syria with the main objective of supporting the country’s recovery after years of conflict and ensuring the dignified and sustainable return of Syrians, whether internally displaced or returning from abroad,” said Othman Belbeisi, Director of the Regional Office for the Middle East and North Africa.
The Tripoli-Damascus flight, which was the first Voluntary Humanitarian Return (VHR) flight to Syria organized by IOM in 2025, was organized at the request of the Syrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and supported families who had lived in Libya for more than a decade.
Strengthened presence
Since 2015, IOM Libya has helped more than 105,000 migrants return safely to their countries of origin.
“This flight is a testament to IOM’s continued commitment to the voluntary, safe, dignified and sustainable return of the most vulnerable Syrian migrants,” said Eleonora Servino, acting head of the agency’s mission in Syria.
In July, IOM received approval from the Syrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs to reestablish its presence in Damascus and expand its operations throughout the country.
Active in northwest Syria since 2014, IOM continues to provide life-saving aid and support programs, including displacement monitoring, protection, mental health and psychological support (MHPSS), shelter and relief assistance.