“” The world wants and indeed needs a conventional plastic treaty because the crisis becomes uncontrollable – and people are frankly indignant“Said Inger Andersen, Dive Executive director of the United Nations Environment Program (Dive), the United Nations agency leading talks.

“We know that plastic is in our nature, in our oceans, and yes, Even in our body… What is certain is that no one wants to live with plastic pollution. »»

Uncontrollable

Unless an international agreement is inked, production and plastic waste should triple by 2060, causing significant damage – including our health – according to the UNEP.

Katrin Schneberger, head of the Swiss environment, echoes a legally binding treaty, insisting that plastic waste “stifle our lakes, harming wildlife and threatening human health. It is more than a simple environmental problem, it is a global challenge that requires urgent and collective action. “”

Addressing journalists on the sidelines of the negotiations of the treaty, Ms. Schneeberger stressed that there was “no call to a production ceiling” by the producing countries.

Compromise spirit?

“” Reaching a shared understanding that measures are necessary both on production and consumption can help unlock negotiations“She said as director of the Swiss Federal Office for the Environment.

Supporters of an agreement compared it to the Paris climate agreement in terms of meaning. They also underlined the pressure which claims to be exerted against an agreement by Petrostats, whose crude oil and natural gas provide the constituent elements of the plastics.

“We will not recycle the crisis of plastic pollution: We need a systemic transformation to reach the transition to a circular economy“, Inger Andersen, executive director of the UNEP, insisted in the previous comments on the need for global regulations on plastics.

Virtuous circle

With 10 days of talks planned for the UN Treaty in Geneva, supporters of an agreement hope that the agreement will cover the complete life cycle of plastics, from design to production and elimination.

The treaty should “promote plastic circularity and prevent plastic leaks in the environment”, according to the text which now guides the negotiations carried out by the Intergovernmental negotiation committee (inc).

At 22 pages, the Document Inc Contains 32 projects of articles that will be discussed online. The text is designed to shape the future instrument and serves as a starting point for negotiations by countries in Geneva.

” A few [countries] will have to face the reduction, others will have to face mechanical recycling and others will treat alternatives, “said Andersen. »Let’s see how we can get there thanks to negotiations. I think there is a lot of good faith in the working group at the moment. “”

The talks led by UNEP followed a decision in 2022 by the member states to meet and develop a legally binding international instrument to put an end to the crisis of plastic pollution, including in the marine environment in the two years.

The scale of the problem is massive, with straws, cups and agitators, transporter bags and cosmetics containing single -use microbead microbeads found in our oceans and discharge sites.

In comments to journalists, Ms. Andersen recalled having turned Pakistan after deadly floods killed more than 1,000 people in 2022 and since debris and plastic were “a large part of the problem and that is why we are here, to find a solution while leaving no one behind and while ensuring that the economic wheels are constantly turning”.

Deactivation effect

The activists gathering on the sidelines of negotiations expressed their hopes for a treaty as ambitious as possible.

They included Shelan Saling, from California, who is the interim president of the Netwer Plastic Action Network (YPAN). “Plastic affects everything, from climate change, from health to fertility, including congenital malformations; It affects physical disorders, as well as invisible disabilities, ”she said UN News Monday.

Any treated in Geneva must be robust enough to meet the needs of all countries of the world whose approach differs concerning the design, production, waste and recycling of plastic. He will also have to resist the time test, said Andersen.

“I easily received help distributed by the UN,” said ABIR SAFI, a displaced person from the Zeitoun district of Gaza City, UN News. “Now we don’t get anything. I risk my life by going to the crossing of Zikim and returning with an empty bag. All I want is to go back to my children with food. ”

Ms. Safi said that she had never imagined that her children would become a fatal adventure. After losing her husband during the war, she found herself alone, faced with the responsibility of supporting her family in the midst of humanitarian conditions.

It was one of the thousands of citizens who gathered along Rashid Street in the north of Gaza, which links the crossing of Zikim north of Gaza, in the hope of receiving humanitarian aid.

“Balle on my head”

Our correspondent witnessed the arrival of thousands of Palestinians returning from a trip in search of food supplies. Thousands of emaciated bodies – men, women and children – have been taken in a scene that has become a daily event. Everyone runs in search of a few aid trucks that reach northern Gaza.

The United Nations has the capacity and resources necessary to distribute the aid in a safe and worthy manner to all those who need it in the Gaza Strip. The organization continues to request the lifting of the restrictions imposed by the Israeli authorities on the entry and distribution of assistance to Gaza.

The danger lies not only in congestion and chaos, but also in death that hides around everyone. Fayza al-Turmisi, a displaced person from Shuja’iyya, described the horrible scene along rue Rashid in the north of Gaza.

“They fire us of shells and bullets here. We are forced to lie on the ground. I hide from more than 200 men and the bullets fly on my head. If you raise your head, you are struck. If you stay on the ground, the balls fall around you. ”

Between mourning and hunger

Mohammed Mudeiris, seven -year -old, said that he had lost his father in an air strike just the day before. He does not have the luxury of mourning for his father because he is now the only family support for his brothers and sisters.

By walking through the dense crowd, he extends his small hand, begging that a handful of flour to bring back to his brothers and sisters.

“I am the eldest of my brothers and sisters,” he said. “My father was killed in an air strike yesterday. I try to ask someone to give me a plate of flour or a meal of the help that has arrived today. ”

“I risk my life to bring food to my children”

The food race is not limited to men. Women are forced to take this risk, motivated by the responsibilities of maternity and the needs of their children.

“I throw myself in danger to bring food for my children,” said Asma Masoud, who was moved from northern Gaza.

“We never get our right part of help,” she said. “My husband is paralyzed, and there are widows and women like me who cannot provide food for their children.”

Stressing that some young people take the help and sell it at exorbitant prices that she cannot afford to buy, Ms. Masoud called the world to ensure “a fair distribution mechanism and to allow UNRWA [the UN agency for Palestine refugees] and international organizations to do so ”.

The aid must be distributed by SMS so that each person in need receives their share, as was the previous case, she said.

“But now, only a few people take advantage and sell help,” she said. “We cannot tolerate this. It is an injustice. »»

‘I don’t know how I’m going to feed my children’ ‘

Ms. Sadi agreed with Ms. Masoud, complaining that “the beneficiaries are now largely thieves”.

“I have lost a lot of weight and all my health has disappeared,” said Safi. “I don’t know how I’m going to feed my children. I want to receive help with dignity. The help came by the United Nations, and I could easily go and receive it, but now I do not receive anything. »»

I want to receive help with dignity.

This chaotic system leaves widows, women, the elderly and many other complex humanitarian cases, such as Maqboula Adas, who supports her injured husband and her son who has a broken leg.

“My husband is injured and cannot move,” she said. “My eldest son has a broken leg, and I also have three daughters. No one supports us except God. Every day, I will try to get flour. If it was not for that, they would have died of hunger. ”

The carts bear corpses

At the height of this tragedy, emerging macabre scenes. Instead of carrying bags of flour, a cart pulled by horses transports the bodies of at least seven Palestinians who were killed while they were trying to get help.

While some young men wore bags of flour on their backs, the ambulances bring the wounded and the dead in the northern regions. The realization of food aid has a high price.

A young man was injured in the head and the face as he tried to collect aid.

“I came to collect aid, but today it was not my day,” he said. “I will come back despite my injury, and I hope God will provide me next time.”

Risk of famine

Gaza faces a serious risk of famine, with indicators of food consumption and nutrition at their worst levels since the start of the current conflict, according to a warning issued by the integrated classification of the food security phase (IPC).

At least 147 deaths due to hunger and malnutrition were reported, including 88 children. More than 28,000 cases of severe acute malnutrition have been recorded in children, according to reports from the World Health Organization and World Food Program.

Despite the promises to facilitate the flow of help, the restrictions on the entrance to food and fuel, as well as ongoing attacks near level passages, prevented supplies from reaching people in need. In addition, the chaotic distribution of aid within Gaza has further complicated the situation and placed civilian civilians.

The United Nations Human Rights Office (Ohchr) documented the deaths of hundreds of people who try to access help in the middle of the current shots and bombing near the road truck roads and military distribution points.

“If I am killed, who will take care of my children?”

In the middle of this chaos, the widow Enaam Siam, mother of six, tells her fight for food.

“I am a widow and mother of six orphaned children, one of whom is injured,” she said. “Every day, I go out in the middle of death to bring them food. I see the dead and the wounded. ”

She asked why help was no longer delivered to warehouses and distributed by SMS.

“If I am killed, who will take care of my children?” There are thousands of women in a similar situation. We want security, peace and a fair system that guarantees that help reaches those who need it. ”

Meanwhile Thursday and again on Saturday, Palestinian Islamic activists and Hamas activists have published disturbing videos of two emaciated Israeli hostages, aroused world indignation and the conviction of UN leaders, including Secretary General António Guterres Monday.

The illustrated hostages, Roma Braslavsk and Evyatar David, are two of the 49 still detained in Gaza, including 27 which, according to the Israeli army, are dead.

During the daily briefing on Monday in New York, the UN deputy spokesman Farhan Haq said that the secretary general “was very shocked by this unacceptable violation of human dignity”.

The UN Rights Volker Türk added in a declaration That it was dismayed by the humiliating treatment of the hostages. He and the Under-Secretary General of Humanitarian Affairs, Tom Fletcher, reiterated Their call for an unconditional immediate release of all hostages is still organized since the terrorist attacks on October 7.

The High Commissioner said that the “intolerable” view of the famine in Gaza recalled that violence should end. “Saving lives must be everyone’s priority. »»

He called on Israel to immediately allow and facilitate rapid and unhindered help: “refusing civilians access to food can constitute a war crime, as well as potentially a crime against humanity.”

Attack against humanitarian workers

On Sunday, the Israeli army would have struck the seat of the Palestinian Red Crescent Society in Khan Younis, killing one and injuring three other staff members.

The installation is marked with the emblem of the red crescent and is therefore protected by international humanitarian law.

The United Nations Rights Office (Ohchr) in Palestine expressed Deep shock and outrage in the face of these murders.

“These workers continue to engage in life safeguard efforts by putting their own life in danger,” said the OHCHR.

Help entry

In the midst of these controversies, the director general of the World Health Organization (WHO), Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, published on social networks On Saturday, saying that since Friday, the agency had brought 24 trucks with medical supplies in Gaza.

The articles included essential drugs, trauma and surgery supplies, treatments for non -transmitted diseases and laboratory and water supplies.

Mr. Haq also pointed out on Monday that in recent days, the UN and its partners have collected wheat flour, ready -to -eat rations and hot meals, passing by Gaza points, but most of the cargo was taken by hungry and desperate before reaching the expected destinations.

In addition, hygiene kits and nutrition supplies, including high energy cookies for pregnant women and breastfeeding and infants preparations, entered last week.

However, during the second week since the Israeli announcement of the tactical breaks to allow safe passages for the United Nations help convoys, Mr. Haq said that realities on the ground remain largely the same.

This includes many challenges to provide help, which led to the obstacle of two of the 11 missions on Sunday and the full passage of only seven.

Famine conditions

This help is always a fraction of what is necessary, as a catastrophic food crisis aggravates through the band.

The world gastronomic program (Wfp)) said He “does everything possible to distribute vital food assistance to families”, but reported on Sunday that more than half a million people in Gaza are undergoing famine type conditions.

The United Nations Help Agency for Palestinians (UNRWA) released a audio De Manar, an employee who works in Gaza on Monday. She said that “food is never sufficient” and that many work in heat for hours to search for food and medical supplies.

The Commissioner General of UNRWA, Philippe Lazzarini, underlines The fact that this quasi-family is largely due to deliberate efforts to dismantle the non-coordinated humanitarian system through the Israeli Gaza Humanitarian Foundation and supported by the United States (GHF), which is responsible for the murder On nearly 1,400 Palestinians hungry near its sites and convoy routes, according to the Gaza Ministry of Health.

Priorifying the GHF, Israel has prevented UNRWA-“the backbone of the humanitarian response”-from provoking aid since March 2, he said.

Userping world leaders to rethink the development of landlocked nations, the UN chief said: “We are now meeting to reaffirm a fundamental truth: Geography should never define fate. “”

According to the United Nations Development Program, 32 landlocked developing countries (Lldcs) in the world, 16 are in Africa, 10 in Asia, four in Europe and two in Latin America. Together, they house more than 500 million people.

Commercial barriers, distress of debt and deep inequality

Mr. Guterres described the “intimidating challenges” that the LLDCs continue to cope – from high barriers to trade, high transport costs and limited access to global markets. He warned that the debt burden of these countries had reached “dangerous and unsustainable levels”.

Although the LLDC represent seven% of the world’s population, they represent just over one percent of world economic production and trade. “This is a brutal example of deep inequalities that perpetuate marginalization,” said the secretary general, attributing it to “an unjust global economic and financial architecture which does not reflect the realities of the interconnected world of today”, as well as to the legacy of colonialism.

Decades of ambition: the Awaza action program

The task before the conference, known as the name LLDC3 And running in Awaza until Friday is to find solutions to these challenges.

“LLDC3 consists of launching a new decade of ambition – through the Awaza action program And its deliverables – and fully unlock the development potential of developing countries without coastline, “said Mr. Guterres.

Adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in December 2024, this action plan represents a global commitment renewed and strengthened to support the development aspirations of the LLDC.

Four Progress priorities

The secretary general described four key priorities:

1. Accelerate economic diversification and digital transformation
   • Invest in value added industries, local innovation and inclusive growth.
   • Throw the digital ditch to unlock AI, electronic commerce and intelligent logistics.
2. Strengthen trade, transit and regional connectivity
   • Improve infrastructure and simplify cross -border procedures.
   • Integrate LLDC into global value chains and reform commercial systems.
3. Advance of action and climate resilience
   • Double adaptation funding and build an infrastructure resilient to the climate.
   • Support LLDC in green transitions with technology and partnerships.
4. Mobilize funding and partnerships
   • Reform global financial systems to ensure fair and accessible funding.
   • Failure of concessional finance and unlock climate investment at high speed.

“The success of landlocked developing countries is essential to the success of the 2030 agenda“, Underlined Mr. Guterres.

“We have knowledge, and we have the tools … Together, we can transform the geography of a barrier into a bridge – connecting not only the markets, but the peoples and cultures that give meaning to development.”

Talk to journalists Later, Mr. Guterres stressed that the conference reflects a new era of cooperation taking shape through Central Asia – a property based on mutual trust, shared priorities and increasing regional solidarity.

“At a time when multilateral cooperation is tested, this spirit of partnership is more essential than ever,” he said.

Regional challenges, global solidarity

The session has opened its doors with the reception of the president of Turkmenistan, Serdar Berdimuhamedov, who underlined national initiatives to strengthen international cooperation in health care, climate action and environmental protection.

He also drew attention to regional challenges such as drying the Aral Sea and waterfall levels in the Caspian Sea, which is the largest closed water in the world and the framework of the third LLDC one.

In his remarks, a President of the General Assembly Philemon Yang noted “the deadline to approach quickly for the 2030 agenda” and called for a decisive action and a renewed commitment to multilateralism and fundamental values.

He pointed out that the three pillars of Charter of the United Nations – Peace, development and human dignity – must remain at the heart of all efforts, and that actions must reflect the promise of leaving no one behind.

Noting the vulnerability of the LLDC to climate change and structural challenges, Mr. Yang said that these countries “never had to lack access to opportunities, prosperity or hope” and called for international solidarity, the investment of infrastructure and the practical realization of freedom of transit.

He also announced that the General Assembly had proclaimed on August 6 as the International Awareness Day to Development Countries without coastline, to observe each year.

“The General Assembly will continue to serve as a global platform in support of these countries,” he said, stressing the importance of monitoring the Awaza action program and preparing its high-level examination in 2029.

Transform vulnerability into opportunity

Also addressing the opening session, Lok Bahadur Thapa, President of the UN Economic and social councilsaid LLDC3 is “a central moment” for the 32 landlocked nations which endeavor to overcome structural obstacles to development.

Originally from Nepal, which is both landlocked and the least developed, he stressed that the Awaza action program must serve as a “plan of fatty, ambitious, exploitable and future” to transform the vulnerability into opportunity for more than 570 million people.

Thapa underlined the urgency of dealing with the “growing complexity, scale and emergency” of the challenges facing the LLDC, including the distress of debt, climatic impacts and infrastructure gaps. Mr. Thapa has urged the creation of an infrastructure investment installation for LLDC, as well as climate finance on a scale, increased concessional resources and accelerated technology transfer.

He also underlined the importance of regional cooperation and sustainable transport, praised the leadership of Turkmenistan and reaffirmed Ecosoc’s commitment to advance the Awaza action program – undertaking to integrate LLDC priorities such as food security, empowerment of young people and climate awareness of all ecosoc discussions and processes.

LLDC3 continues tomorrow, Wednesday, August 6, with round tables and events on a range of subjects, including connectivity and transport, South-South cooperation, young people and more. Find all our cover here.