THE Security Council meets against the backdrop of the fragile ceasefire in Gaza, with ambassadors expected to urge Israel and Hamas to uphold their commitments amid renewed violence and growing humanitarian needs. The session will likely focus on safeguarding the truce, easing restrictions on access to aid and maintaining political momentum. With tensions also rising in the occupied West Bank and southern Lebanon, the meeting will test whether the Council can help stabilize the situation and maintain a credible path to Palestinian self-determination. Follow live below and UN News app users can Click here. For an in-depth analysis meeting coverage, go here.

Under the terms of the agreement, the price of the R21/Matrix-M vaccine will drop to $2.99 ​​per dose within a year – a reduction expected to save up to $90 million. These savings are expected to allow countries to obtain more than 30 million additional doses over the next five years.

“Today’s announcement is a powerful example of what our Vaccine Alliance does best,” said An Vermeersch, Gavi’s head of vaccine programs and markets.

“We are leveraging innovative financing and partnerships to secure affordable vaccines that can better protect children against one of Africa’s biggest killer diseases. »

Nearly 600,000 deaths in 2023

Malaria remains one of the deadliest infectious diseases in the world. In 2023, it caused around 597,000 deaths, the vast majority among young children in Africa. Approximately every minute, a child dies from the disease.

“Such a devastating toll demands action,” said Leila Pakkala, director of UNICEFSupply Division.

“As international aid declines, UNICEF is determined to work with partners to provide enough vaccines at the best possible price to protect children. »

The new pricing agreement was made possible by an advance payment through the International Finance Facility for Immunization (IFFIm), which converts long-term pledges into upfront funds. This gives Gavi the ability to act quickly when major market development opportunities arise.

The ambition to act

“IFFIm exists to turn ambition into action,” said Ken Lay, Chairman of the IFFIm Board of Directors. “This agreement shows how financial innovation can unlock opportunities that save lives. »

More than 40 million doses of malaria vaccine have already been distributed through Gavi-supported programs, and 24 African countries now include malaria vaccination in their routine immunization.

Demand is high: 14 countries introduced the vaccine for the first time last year, and seven more will do so in 2025.

The lower price should help Gavi move closer to its goal of fully vaccinating 50 million more children against malaria by the end of the decade.

Both WHOThe recommended malaria vaccines, R21/Matrix-M and RTS,S, have been shown to reduce malaria cases by more than half in the first year after vaccination, with additional protection following a booster dose.

For families and health systems already strained by the disease, the expanded rollout could be transformative. “It’s about giving every child a fair chance to be protected,” Lay said. “It’s about saving lives now, not years from now.” »

Members of the South Bandung Agricultural Cooperative (KPBS) recorded a 38 percent increase in performing loans and a 43 percent increase in sales volumes over the past two years, following the introduction of a new business application.

“Easier access to financing means higher loan volumes, which means more livestock and higher incomes for our farmers,” said Aun Gunawan, director of KBPS. “This is how financial inclusion leads to improved livelihoods. »

Founded in 1969, KPBS has 5,000 members and produces 70,000 tonnes of milk per day. The cooperative operates its own dairy, using about 15 percent of its milk production to make yogurt and mozzarella cheese, with the remainder sold to area dairy companies.

In addition, the cooperative operates a hospital, a veterinary service and a bank, all designed to support members and improve their well-being and competitiveness.

Holistic and healthy

“We take a holistic approach and for us it’s all about health, not only the health of farmers and their livestock, but also financial health,” Gunawan explained to the heads of UN agencies in Indonesia, who visited KPBS as part of their annual leaders’ dialogue on the UN’s direction in the country.

The International Labor Organization (ILO) now supports the cooperative in implementing this vision, leveraging digitalization to strengthen financial inclusion. The project is implemented in cooperation with the Indonesian Financial Services Authority (OJK) and the Coordinating Ministry of Economic Affairs.

“KPBS was already a strong and well-run company before our involvement,” said Simrin Singh, ILO country director for Indonesia and Timor-Leste. “The tools we provided have catalyzed further improvements and improved livelihoods. »

Thanks to the commercial application of the Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system – introduced by the ILO as part of a project funded by the Swiss government – ​​farmers can now track their income and expenses, including the cost of fodder provided by the cooperative.

They also have 24/7 access to the cooperative’s veterinarians, who can reach farms within 30 minutes.

The app records each animal’s veterinary data, including vaccination schedules, allowing milk collection points to separate milk from recently vaccinated cows. If mixed with regular milk, this milk could reduce the overall quality of the day and therefore the selling price.

Higher volume, better price

“These practical improvements have contributed not only to higher volumes but also to better prices per liter sold,” Mr Gunawan said.

However, the most significant impact has been improved access to finance. The cooperative has operated its own bank since 1993 to provide credit to farmers.

Thanks to the ERP system, loan applications have become simpler and more accessible, Ms. Singh said. The bank can now view farmers’ financial data – income, cash flow and outstanding debt – directly through the system, resulting in a higher rate of approved applications.

Applications have also increased. Thanks to the integrated ERP tool, farmers no longer need to travel or queue to fill out forms; they can apply directly through the app, where their financial history is already recorded and available to the lending team.

“It may seem like a matter of convenience, but it’s much more than that,” said dairy farmer Encih Mintarsih. “Farmers cannot easily leave their livestock for half a day, let alone multiple times, to submit an application that might not even be approved.

“We can now apply online and spend our time productively. This makes us much more likely to seek funding,” she added.

Towards food self-sufficiency

Programs like this have broader national relevance: strengthening domestic food production and self-sufficiency is a top priority for the Indonesian government.

The country currently imports around 80 percent of its dairy products. Improving the productivity and competitiveness of local milk producers directly contributes to national self-sufficiency goals.
It also provides a model for inclusive rural economic growth.

“In an upper-middle-income country like Indonesia, digital transformation of the economy and better access to finance are key to progressing towards high-income status,” said Gita Sabharwal, UN Resident Coordinator in Indonesia. Indonesia. “For this reason, in close consultation with the government, digitalization and access to finance are key priorities of the new cooperation framework between the UN and Indonesia.

The United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF), signed in August 2025 and aligned with the SDGs and Indonesia’s national development agendaoutlines how the UN will contribute to three transformative outcomes in the country, including economic and digital transformation.

“This exceptional ILO program demonstrates how the UN can complement government efforts to accelerate inclusive development through modern technology,” said Ms. Sabharwal.

The project directly contributes to the OJK Rural Bank Transformation Plan, strengthens the inclusive financial ecosystem model, and supports the efforts of the National Committee on Financial Literacy and Inclusion to improve financial literacy and inclusion. It also aligns with national priorities to digitize small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and boost productivity through digital tools.

“In Indonesia, 90 percent of jobs are created by SMEs. It is therefore essential to improve their competitiveness to ensure decent work,” said Ms. Singh.

The aim is for this approach to be deployed more widely across the country.

What advice does Mr Gunawan give to other cooperatives and policy makers? “Show farmers clear, tangible benefits, and they will quickly adopt digital technologies,” he said.

“Buzzwords like ‘digitalization’ and ‘financial inclusion’ need to be translated into their daily reality – just like we have done here with the support of the ILO and the UN.

She knows what it’s like to be silenced.

Born into a family that did not believe in educating girls, she had to stay at home while her brothers went to school. It was only when she moved to Khartoum with her uncle that she had the chance to study, but not for long.

“I was forced into marriage at 14,” Awrelia said. “Even before that, some of my family members scolded me just for going to school. I struggled to finish primary school, but I couldn’t go any further.”

Despite everything, she never gave up on the value of education, especially for her daughters. “I hope they grow up to be responsible and successful women leaders. Something needs to change for girls.”

Widow, mother of eight children

In South Sudan, where conflict and deep-rooted gender norms have shaped life for generations, change comes slowly – but women like Awrelia are leading it with courage and determination.

A widow and mother of eight children, she spent years raising her children alone, often in difficult and uncertain conditions.

“Their father died when they were very young. My eldest was still in primary school,” says Awrelia. “Since then, I have raised them alone.”

In her daily life, Awrelia constantly faces complex family dynamics, scarcity and stigma, but she keeps going. “People expect us to endure in silence. Even when women try to ask for help, no one responds.”

In public spaces, the challenges are even greater. Speaking before the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women celebrated annually on November 25, Awrelia described how women are often dismissed or ignored. “They say we’re just women, like our voices don’t matter,” she said. “I stayed silent for years because I was afraid to speak.”

Transformative training

But even before speaking out, Awrelia was leading in her own way: fighting for her children’s education and to keep her family together. This strength was strengthened when she joined a women’s leadership training organized by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in Wau.

Training is included in IOMThe Gender Transformative Recovery Program – is part of a broader, locally-led effort to strengthen women’s leadership and ensure their participation in community decisions.

Across South Sudan, women’s groups and grassroots movements have long been paving the way for change. The five-day course builds on this dynamic, providing women with a safe space to reflect, learn and grow together.

I learned that being a leader means treating others fairly and resolving problems with patience. The training gave me the courage to defend myself. Now I know I can lead.

“I learned that being a leader means treating others fairly and resolving problems with patience,” she said. “The training gave me the courage to stand up for myself. Now I know I can lead.”

Back in her community, she put her newfound confidence into practice. Her local women’s group had nearly collapsed, but she put it back together. Now, they meet regularly to support each other and share their challenges.

Even though they lack funding for income-generating activities like sewing or catering, the group offers something just as powerful: solidarity.

Women run the household

In many areas of South Sudan affected by displacement, women head up to 80 percent of households.

In Wau, Bentiu, Malakal and other areas where IOM runs the program, more women are mobilizing. Those who once remained silent now speak up at meetings, support survivors of violence, and build networks to share experiences and grow together.

Awrelia has noticed a change in the way she is perceived. “People recognize me now,” she says. “In a meeting with chefs and women leaders, they mentioned my name and honored me in front of everyone. It made me proud. The women I lead respect me and I respect them.”

From homes to community halls, women like Awrelia are finding their voices and reshaping what the future can look like – for their daughters, their families and their country.

It was initially reported that 215 students were kidnapped from St. Mary’s School in Papiri, Niger State, early Friday morning – but the figure was revised upwards to 303 students and 12 teachers, according to the Christian Association of Nigeria.

The association’s president, who reportedly visited the school on Friday, said more than 80 students were captured after trying to escape during the kidnapping by armed attackers. The students were men and women, aged 10 to 18 years old.

Second mass kidnapping this week

The number of girls kidnapped from a Catholic school in the center of the country exceeds the 276 girls kidnapped during the infamous 2014 Chibok incident and is the latest in a series of mass kidnappings – including earlier this week when 25 students were taken from a school in Kebbi State.

No group has yet claimed responsibility and authorities have deployed security forces to try to locate the students and their captors. Niger State has reportedly closed all schools until further notice.

Perpetrators must be held accountable

UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohamed – a former Nigeria environment minister – said in a social media post that schools should be “sanctuaries for education, not targets… We must protect schools and hold perpetrators accountable.”

The top UN official in the country, Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator Mohamed Fall, said the news of yet another mass kidnapping was heartbreaking, coming just days after the Kebbi kidnappings.

He conveyed his condolences to the families of those taken away and their communities, adding that all efforts must be made to ensure the safe return of students and staff.

“It is time to fully implement the principle of safe schools,” he said, launched at the first international conference on safe schools in Oslo, Norway, in 2015. Nigeria was among the countries that endorsed the Safe Schools Declaration that year.

Stand with the victims

United Nations Children’s Fund, UNICEFsaid this week that it continues to work closely with government partners, civil society and communities, to strengthen child protection systems, in line with the declaration that no child should be put at risk while pursuing their education.

The United Nations agency for culture, education and science (UNESCO) in Nigeria also condemned Friday’s latest mass kidnapping, saying schools should never be targets.

“We stand with the victims, their families and the government of Nigeria and call for the immediate release of all the abducted children,” the agency said.

• Climate misinformation: Commitment to promoting information integrity and countering false narratives.

The final decision emphasizes solidarity and investment, setting ambitious financial targets while leaving the energy transition for later discussion. Burning fossil fuels emits greenhouse gases that are by far the biggest contributors to global warming, making the omission a concern for many countries, including negotiators from South America and the EU, as well as civil society groups.

It was widely expected that the final COP30 decision would explicitly refer to the phasing out of fossil fuels. More than 80 countries supported Brazil’s proposal for a formal “road map.”

A draft text had included it – until the last hours of the negotiations. The adopted outcome only refers to the “UAE Consensus”, with the COP28 decision calling for “abandon fossil fuels.”

Before the final plenary session, Brazilian scientist Carlos Nobre issued a stark warning: fossil fuel use must fall to zero by 2040 – 2045 at the latest to avoid a catastrophic rise in temperatures of up to 2.5°C by mid-century. This trajectory, he said, would lead to the near-total loss of coral reefs, the collapse of the Amazon rainforest and accelerated melting of the Greenland ice sheet.

A closer look

After two weeks of intense negotiations, the adopted text calls for mobilizing at least $1.3 trillion per year by 2035 for climate action, alongside tripling adaptation funding and operationalizing the loss and damage fund agreed at COP28.

It is also launching two major initiatives – the Global Implementation Accelerator and the Belém Mission to 1.5°C – to help countries meet their nationally determined contributions (NDCs), or national climate action plansand adaptation plans.

For the first time, the decision recognizes the need to tackle climate misinformationcommitting to promoting information integrity and countering narratives that undermine science-based action.

Last week, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva opened the summit by declaring it would be known as “the COP of truth”, and this historic decision marks an important step toward safeguarding public trust in climate policy – ​​even if the absence of language on the transition away from fossil fuels highlights the complexity of energy negotiations.

Two new roadmaps

At the closing meeting, COP30 President André Corrêa do Lago acknowledged what had been left out of the agreement:

“We know that some of you had greater ambitions on some of the issues at stake,” he said, adding: “I know that youth civil society will ask us to do more to combat climate change. I want to reiterate that I will try not to disappoint you during my presidency.”

Reflecting on President Lula’s call for ambition at COP30, Mr. do Lago announced his intention to create two roadmaps: one to stop and reverse deforestation; and another to transition away from fossil fuels in a fair, orderly and equitable manner, mobilizing resources for these purposes in a “fair and planned” manner.

The path to consensus

The path to consensus at the last Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), as the annual COPs are officially called, went anything but smoothly.

Late last week, indigenous groups organized blockages demanding stronger protections for the Amazon, and on Thursday afternoon, a fire at the conference venue disrupted the talks during a critical phase.

Negotiators worked through Friday night to close gaps in funding and ambition, with the Brazilian presidency steering discussions toward a politically achievable outcome focused on supporting and implementing agreements from previous COPs.

“Multilateralism is alive”

From the G20 Summit in Johannesburg, UN Secretary-General António Guterres sent a clear message to COP30: at the gates of the Amazon, the Parties reached an agreement which shows nations can still come together to meet challenges no country can solve this problem alone.

The UN chief said COP30 delivered progress, such as the launch of the Global Implementation Accelerator to close ambition gaps, and reaffirmed the UAE consensus, including a just, orderly and equitable transition away from fossil fuels.

“But COPs are built on consensus – and in a time of geopolitical divisions, consensus is increasingly difficult to achieve. I cannot pretend that COP30 delivered everything that was needed.” Exceeding 1.5°C is a stark warning: deep and rapid emissions reductions and massive climate finance are essential. “COP30 is over, but the work is not,” he said.

Mr. Guterres pledged to continue pushing for greater ambition and solidarity, urging all those who marched, negotiated and mobilized: “Don’t give up. History – and the United Nations – are on your side.

Maintaining the line at 1.5 in “turbulent geopolitical waters”

UN climate chief Simon Stiell highlighted a series of major gains as COP30 closes in Belém: new strategies to accelerate Paris Agreement implementation, a desire to triple funding for adaptation and commitments to a just energy transition.

And despite what he called “turbulent geopolitical waters” – marked by polarization and climate denial – 194 nations united, “keeping humanity in the fight for a livable planet, determined to hold the line at 1.5°C”.

At the heart of this momentum is the flagship outcome of COP30: Text Mutirãoa wide-ranging agreement that consolidates four controversial negotiating tracks – from mitigation to financial and trade barriers – into a single consensus-based agreement. Seventeen additional decisions were adopted in parallel.

The outcome document declares that the global transition to low-emission, climate-resilient development is “irreversible and the trend of the future.” It reaffirms that the Paris Agreement is working – and must “go further and faster” – by strengthening the role of multilateral climate cooperation.

The text also recognizes the economic and social benefits of climate action, from growth and job creation to improved energy access, security and public health. Mr Stiell highlighted a decisive trend: investments in renewable energy now exceed those in fossil fuels by more than twice – “a political and commercial signal that cannot be ignored”, he said.

A solid action agenda beyond negotiations

The Brazilian presidency stressed that the success of COP30 extends beyond negotiated agreements, highlighting a wave of voluntary commitments under the Program of Action.

Among them:

• Rainforest Fund Forever: Raised $5.5 billion and now includes 53 participating countries; at least 20 percent of resources go directly to indigenous peoples and local communities.
• Belém Health Action Plan: The first global initiative targeting climate-related health threatslaunched with $300 million from 35 philanthropic organizations.
• UNEZA Alliance: Utility companies have pledged $66 billion a year for renewable energy and $82 billion for transmission and storage.
• Cities, regions and businesses: A coalition covering 25,000 buildings said it had reduced more than 850,000 tonnes of CO₂ in 2024.

Climate justice at the forefront

Countries also agreed to develop a just transition mechanism, strengthening cooperation, technical support and capacity building.