Nairobi, Kenya – UN Secretary-General António Guterres expressed deep distress over the devastating impact of recent floods in East Africa, particularly in Kenya, Burundi, Somalia, and Tanzania. The deluge has claimed hundreds of lives and affected many others in the region. Guterres extended his condolences to the governments and people of the affected countries, especially to the families of the deceased and injured.
The UN, along with its partners, is collaborating closely with national authorities to address the humanitarian needs arising from the disaster. Guterres emphasized the UN’s readiness to provide additional assistance as required. He voiced significant concerns about the implications of extreme weather patterns linked to El Niño, which pose a severe threat to communities and their livelihoods.
The UN and its aid partners on the ground are actively engaged in providing essential supplies such as water, sanitation, and food aid, as well as health and psychosocial support to those affected by the floods. The flooding has resulted in significant displacement, with reports indicating that over 150,000 people have been forced from their homes across Kenya. The agricultural sector has also suffered, with thousands of livestock lost and extensive damage to cropland.
The situation is further exacerbated by the anticipation of more rainfall in the coming week, which could worsen the destruction caused by flooding, landslides, and infrastructure damage. The impact of the floods has been felt beyond the loss of life and displacement, affecting key sectors such as tourism. The Massai Mara national reserve has seen evacuations of safari-goers due to flooding, while major roads in Nairobi were temporarily closed.
In a separate development, the UN migration agency and refugee agency mourned the loss of at least 50 migrants who perished while attempting to reach the Canary Islands from Senegal. The tragic incident underscored the dangers faced by migrants seeking a better life, often at the mercy of unscrupulous smugglers and unsafe vessels. This latest tragedy adds to the grim statistics of migrant deaths in 2023, with drowning cited as a leading cause of fatalities.
The UN’s concerns extend to Myanmar’s Rakhine state, where escalating misinformation, disinformation, and hate speech have raised alarm among the UN team working in the region. The fragile situation in Rakhine, compounded by conflict and persecution of the Rohingya minority, presents a volatile environment that risks communal violence. Efforts to address the root causes of discrimination and impunity in Rakhine are deemed crucial in establishing a sustainable pathway out of the crisis facing Myanmar.