Much of the violence has been concentrated in Cité Soleil, an impoverished neighbourhood in the capital, where humanitarian workers are now seeking to provide life-saving assistance. 

The Caribbean island nation continues to suffer from years of insecurity and deep-rooted poverty as well as a collapsing economy and political turmoil following a presidential assassination.

Here’s what two women who fled the violence told the UN World Food Programme (WFP).

Anidette Saint Fleur, from Quartier Blanchard (Cité Soleil)

“There was shooting everywhere. Then they set a fire very close by and we ran away with the whole family.

We didn’t go back to our homes. The gangs are everywhere in the area. We only had time to leave with our ID documents. We haven’t gone back since.

I always keep a bag ready, just in case. When I hear heavy shooting, I grab my bag and flee with everyone. 

I had just paid my rent and we had to flee. Now we have nothing — no money, no roof — and we don’t know if or when we’ll be able to return. Please help us.

Not having a roof to sleep under and food for the children is the hardest thing for us right now.”

Dorlean Boudin, resident of Sarthe, Carrefour Vincent near Cité Soleil

“There were men with machetes setting fire to houses with people inside. They burned, beheaded, shot, killed — and if you had a shop, they looted everything.

The situation was already very difficult for me, I had very little money. I couldn’t buy food because I had to save money in case of emergency, to flee. We stayed without eating so we could save for transport to escape.

I need to restart a small business to raise the children. I need help with food to feed them, and to buy water because we don’t have any.”

WFP has already reached 8,500 newly displaced people from Cité Soleil with emergency food assistance, while nine WFP-supported schools serving about 12,000 students have been forced to suspend meal distributions. 

WFP’s Janvier Muhima said people were being provided with food supplies including rice, pulses oil and fortified flour so they can feed themselves during this period of displacement.”

Across the country, over 1.4 million people, more than 12 per cent of the population, have been forced to leave their homes, mainly due to criminal violence.

Port-au-Prince has become the epicentre of violence, with up to 90 per cent of the city believed to be under the control of gangs. 

The recruitment of children has reportedly surged, with some estimates indicating that children now comprise 30–50 per cent of some gangs.

Bernadette Castel-Hollingsworth said at least two civilians were killed and many more were injured in the “horrific attack”, which also hit a UNHCR-contracted warehouse. Significant amounts of aid and shelter materials were destroyed. 

She extended her deepest condolences to the families of the two warehouse workers who lost their lives and to the families of civilians killed in other attacks across Ukraine in the past 24 hours. 

Aid items destroyed 

Ms. Castel-Hollingsworth said the warehouse was struck by a ballistic missile and caught fire.  Preliminary estimates revealed that some 900 pallets of aid items including blankets and hygiene kits – valued at more than $1 million – were destroyed in the attack.  

UNHCR and its partners were planning to distribute these supplies to evacuees and others in collective sites and transit sites, as well as to people whose homes have been damaged. 

“It is absolutely abhorrent that once again, premises of humanitarian work and aid items are damaged in these relentless air strikes, just as we witness repeatedly how humanitarian workers are being targeted when doing their jobs and delivering aid to those most in need,” she said. 

High risk of below-average rainfall in the Greater Horn of Africa  

Weather and climate experts predict a high likelihood of below-average rainfall for the northern Greater Horn of Africa during the critical rainy season from June through September, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) said on Wednesday. 

The outlook was issued by the East Africa-based IGAD Climate Prediction and Applications Centre (ICPAC), which is part of the wider WMO regional network. 

It raises concerns for key sectors, with likely impacts on cultivation, water availability, livestock systems, hydropower generation, food security, and public health. 

The June to September rains account for over 50 per cent of annual rainfall in the northern and western parts of the Greater Horn of Africa, and more than 80 per cent in most parts of Sudan. 

Drier conditions 

The forecast points to drier-than-usual conditions in South Sudan, Uganda, Ethiopia, Djibouti, much of Eritrea, Sudan, and western and coastal Kenya.  

The highest probability is projected for central, northeastern and northwestern Ethiopia; southern Sudan, and northern Uganda, where the likelihood of below-normal rainfall exceeds 60 per cent and reaches up to 80 per cent in northeastern Ethiopia. 

Meanwhile, isolated areas in northern Sudan, southeastern Ethiopia, and southern and northern Somalia are expected to receive enhanced rainfall. 

Areas of northern Sudan, southern coastal Somalia and Kenya are forecast to receive near-normal rainfall. 

Bangladesh: $710 million appeal to support Rohingya refugees, host communities  

The United Nations and partners are seeking $710.5 million to support more than a million Rohingya refugees living in camps in Bangladesh and the local communities hosting them. 

The appeal launched in Dhaka on Wednesday is 26 per cent lower than in 2025.  

It aims to cover only the minimum required to provide lifesaving assistance across sectors such as food, shelter, and water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH), with $36.2 million allocated for host communities. 

Limited resources, rising needs 

More than 1.2 million Rohingya – a predominantly Muslim ethnic minority from Myanmar – have found shelter in neighbouring Bangladesh. Most arrived a decade ago following targeted violence and persecution. 

Needs continue to rise as the Rohingya continue to flee conflict. Some 150,000 have arrived in Bangladesh since early 2024, which is straining limited humanitarian resources and putting extra pressure on overcrowded camps. 

The appeal comes amid growing global instability and rising pressure on humanitarian agencies, which have been forced to prioritise their operations amid rising needs. 

“As resources become more limited, it is more important than ever to help refugees build skills and resilience, so they can gain independence, hold on to hope, and rebuild their lives,” said Kelly T. Clements, Deputy High Commissioner of UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency. 

“Until the Rohingya can return home in safety and can rebuild their communities there, we must continue to provide safety, care, and dignity where they are.”

“In the last week alone, we witnessed one of the largest aerial bombardments of Ukraine since the Russian Federation’s full-scale invasion in February 2022,” said Director Kayoko Gotoh of the Political and Peacebuilding Affairs department.  

Between 13 and 14 May, Russia reportedly launched more than 1,500 drones and dozens of missiles targeting cities across Ukraine. 

Civilians face daily attacks 

The deadliest incident occurred on 14 May when a missile reportedly flattened a nine-story apartment block in the capital, Kyiv, killing 24 people and injuring at least 48 others. 

“These large-scale attacks have continued daily,” she said, noting that at least 238 civilians were killed, and 1,404 injured, last month alone. 

“This represents the highest monthly number of civilian casualties recorded since July 2025,” she said. “It also reflects a continuing pattern of rising civilian harm.”  

Ukrainian strikes inside Russia have also led to increasing civilian casualties and damage to civilian infrastructure. 

 Four people were reportedly killed this past Sunday in strikes across Russia, including the capital Moscow, while an attack on 15 May reportedly killed four people in Ryazan. 

“We strongly condemn all attacks against civilian and civilian infrastructure, wherever they occur,” she said. 

Humanitarians under fire 

Ms. Gotoh reported that UN personnel were involved in two “alarming drone-related incidents” last week – an issue that was further addressed by a senior official with the UN humanitarian affairs office, OCHA. 

Edem Wosornu, Director of OCHA’s Crisis Response Division, said “two separate convoys, clearly marked as being part of the United Nations” were hit on 12 and 14 May.  

“These brazen incidents are not isolated. In the same week, other humanitarian missions were hit, injuring humanitarian workers and damaging assets,” she said.   

‘Attacks are intensifying’ 

Moreover, three humanitarian workers were killed, and 10 injured, during the first four months of the year. 

“These attacks are intensifying, making the delivery of humanitarian assistance increasingly difficult, if not impossible in some areas,” said Ms. Wosornu. 

“Humanitarian workers in Ukraine are taking immense risks to save lives. However, the weapons being deployed – cheap and deadly – are rapidly changing what it means to deliver life-saving assistance.” 

Despite the dangers, the UN and partners continue to deliver aid where access allows yet needs continue to grow and a $2.3 billion plan for Ukraine has received some $845 million to date. 

She urged Council members to ensure that international humanitarian law is respected, and to provide timely funding for humanitarian operations. 

Temporary truce and prisoner exchange 

Ms. Gotoh noted that amid the rising devastation and loss of life in Ukraine, the UN Secretary-General welcomed the announcement of the three-day ceasefire between Kyiv and Moscow, from 9-11 May, which was facilitated by the United States. 

“However, we regret reported violations on both sides throughout the brief truce, mainly along and near the frontline,” she said.  

“We are also deeply disturbed by the escalation of attacks by the Russian Federation almost immediately following the expiry of the ceasefire.”  

The Secretary-General also welcomed announcement of an agreed exchange of 2,000 prisoners of war. The first step occurred on 15 May with the sides returning 205 prisoners each.  

Concern for deported Ukrainian children 

Meanwhile, the UN remains concerned about the fate of children who were deported and forcibly transferred from Ukraine whose “prompt and safe return will require consistent engagement by both sides.”  

Before concluding her briefing, Ms. Gotoh recalled that a year has passed since direct negotiations between Ukraine and Russia resumed.  

“Although direct talks, which are currently paused, have yet to result in a breakthrough, diplomacy has made it possible for thousands of prisoners of war to return home, and for remains of fallen soldiers to be laid to rest,” she said. 

“Negotiations should resume without further delays to prevent further escalation and to make meaningful progress towards a full, immediate and unconditional ceasefire.” 

Full summary from our Meetings Coverage Section

For a deep dive into the emergency session including a summary of key statements made by ambassadors from Russia, Ukraine and neighbouring nations, go here.

According to a new report released on Tuesday by the UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), the global economy remained resilient at the start of 2026, supported by trade, industrial production in developing countries and investment linked to artificial intelligence (AI). 

However, the report warns that geopolitical tensions have increasingly replaced trade tensions as the main source of global instability since energy markets, financial conditions and major shipping routes are disrupted by conflict in the Middle East. 

Growth slows as costs rise 

UNCTAD projects global growth will slow from 2.9 per cent in 2025 to 2.6 per cent in 2026 due to higher oil prices, transport disruptions, market volatility and weaker investment demand.  

World merchandise trade growth is also expected to fall sharply, from 4.7 per cent in 2025 to between 1.5 and 2.5 per cent in 2026. 

Developing economies are expected to face the greatest pressure, including rising fuel, food and fertilizer costs, weaker currencies, and tighter financing conditions.

The report also notes that recent trade growth has been heavily concentrated in AI-related products such as semiconductors and data-processing equipment, while broader trade activity remains weak.

The UN agency called for stronger international cooperation, more predictable trade policies and greater investment in renewable energy to reduce vulnerability to future global shocks. 

Funding shortfalls hamper efforts to feed starving families in Gaza

Humanitarian operations in Gaza are being squeezed by severe funding shortfalls, leaving more families without reliable access to food, shelter and essential services. 

According to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), the 2026 Flash Appeal seeking more than $4 billion to support nearly 3 million people across Gaza and the West Bank is only 12 per cent funded, with just $490 million received so far.

The funding gap affects food assistance. The UN and its partners are supporting kitchens serving around 1 million meals per day in Gaza, down from 1.8 million in February.  

Aid agencies warn that one in five families is eating only once a day, with many mothers skipping meals so their children can eat.

Displacement and shortages  

Humanitarian operations continue to face major obstacles, including restrictions on the entry of spare parts, generators and equipment, along with fuel shortages, damaged infrastructure and movement restrictions across Gaza.

Meanwhile, ongoing military operations continue to displace civilians. Over the weekend, humanitarian partners recorded the displacement of more than 150 families from eastern Khan Younis and eastern Gaza City after reports of tank movements and bombardment.

Most of Gaza’s 2.1 million residents remain displaced, many living in overcrowded shelters and deteriorating humanitarian conditions.

OCHA stressed that civilians must be protected and allowed access to safer areas where their basic needs can be met. 

South Sudan: Thousands displaced by violence in Jonglei state

More than 304,000 people have been displaced in South Sudan’s Jonglei state since conflict escalated in January, particularly in the counties of Uror, Nyirol, Ayod, Duk and Akobo.

According to UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric, nearly 79,000 people have since returned to their areas of origin, including more than 44,000 people returning from Ethiopia’s Gambella region. Akobo has recorded the largest number of returns. 

UN peacekeepers remain in Akobo

The newly appointed head of the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), Anita Kiki Gbeho, said it has decided to retain peacekeepers in Akobo despite planned troop drawdowns because of ongoing insecurity in Jonglei state.

She said tensions have eased in some areas and civilians are no longer facing an immediate threat, allowing humanitarian partners to support affected communities.

“A cessation of hostilities and renewed commitment to implementing the Peace Agreement in both letter and spirit are urgently needed to restore public confidence and sustain progress,” she warned. 

UN chief condemns deadly mosque attack in California

UN Secretary-General António Guterres has condemned the deadly shooting at the Islamic Center of San Diego in the United States, which left three people dead on Monday.

“The Secretary-General reaffirms that attacks on places of worship are particularly heinous and stresses the urgent need to confront hatred and intolerance in all their forms,” UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric told journalists in New York.

Mr. Guterres extended condolences to the victims’ families and expressed solidarity with the Muslim community, while calling for a full investigation into the attack.

Police said two teenage suspects were later found dead nearby shortly after the shooting, according to media reports. Authorities are reportedly investigating the attack as a possible hate crime.

Officials also said a security guard at the mosque helped prevent the attack from becoming even more deadly through a rapid response.

WHO’s representative in DRC, Dr Anne Ancia, told reporters in Geneva that there are more than 500 suspected cases including 130 suspected deaths, but that only 30 cases have been confirmed in the country so far.

The agency is working closely with the authorities and rushing more testing kits to eastern DRC to identify cases of infection of Bundibugyo virus, a species of Ebola virus for which there are no vaccines or therapeutics.

“We have significant uncertainty about the number of infections and how far the virus has spread,” Dr Ancia said.

Early cases

Speaking from Bunia in Ituri province, where cases were initially detected, Dr Ancia said that the outbreak has also reached North Kivu, with confirmed cases in Butembo and Goma. Uganda has also confirmed two imported cases.

WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus declared the outbreak a public health emergency of international concern on Sunday morning. He has expressed concern about the “scale and speed of the epidemic”.

Uncertainty still surrounds how and where outbreak started. 

“I don’t think that we have the ‘patient zero’ for now,” said Dr Ancia. “What we know for now is that on 5 May, there was…a person who died in Bunia. The body was brought back [to] Mongbwalu…and put in a coffin. And then the family decided that the coffin was not worth the person. And therefore…they changed the coffin. And then there was the funeral, and it’s from where it started.”

Detection of the initial cases was slowed down by the fact that local tests in Bunia showed negative results for the more common Zaire strain of Ebola. 

The wide range of symptoms – fever, fatigue, diarrhoea and vomiting – also complicated the task of making a swift diagnosis, with the additional difficulty that the nosebleeds that are also associated with the disease did not begin until day five of infection, the WHO official explained.

Kinshasa breakthrough

In the end, it was only through tests in Kinshasa that the presence of Bundibugyo virus was finally revealed. 

Dr Ancia said that there is a focus on the international level on potential candidate vaccines or treatments which could help fight the outbreak. 

A WHO technical advisory group was scheduled to meet on Tuesday afternoon “to provide further recommendation to the WHO and its Member States on which potential vaccine should be prioritised”, she explained.

Ervebo, a vaccine against the Zaire Ebola virus, is under consideration, the WHO representative said, but “it would take two months for it to be available”.

Grassroots cooperation

While a vaccine could bring additional prevention and protection to the affected populations, the key to containing transmission lies in grassroots work within the communities to raise awareness, fight misinformation and ensure adherence to sanitary measures, especially around funerals.

“If we use coercive measures and the population does not agree, we will see bodies disappear. We will see suspected cases refusing to come to the hospitals and health facilities,” Dr Ancia warned, underscoring health workers’ continuing engagement with schools, churches and community leaders. 

WHO is supporting the Government-led response with more than 40 health professionals on the ground and through the deployment of supplies and extra diagnostic capacity, in what remains a “highly complex epidemiological, operational and humanitarian context”, characterized by insecurity and displacement, the WHO representative said.

IDP vulnerability

The UN refugee agency (UNHCR) said on Tuesday that the affected provinces of Ituri and North Kivu are home to more than two million internally displaced people and returnees, while healthcare capacity remains weakened by conflict. 

There is also concern for refugees living in the affected areas. In Ituri some 11,000 South Sudanese refugees require preventive assistance while in North Kivu’s capital, the rebel-held city of Goma, more than 2,000 Rwandan and Burundian refugees need sanitary supplies.

The most recent outbreak of the Ebola Zaire virus in DRC ended in December 2025, and the trauma of a major epidemic in North Kivu and Ituri in 2018-19 persists among the population.

Dr Ancia stressed that while it may be two months until a vaccine is available, “it is not two months before the outbreak will be done”. 

“Remember the previous one, it took two years,” she warned.