EU raises the alarm over growing humanitarian needs due to conflict and climate emergencies

Yesterday, among the main highlights of the EU's participation in the UN General Assembly, President Ursula von der Leyen delivered opening remarks at the Global Renewables Summit and co-hosted the event 'Innovation for a Sustainable Future: Working together on industrial growth and decarbonization', together with the Prime Minister of Canada, Justin Trudeau. Read her remarks at both events here and here. High Representative/Vice-President Borrell addressed the UN Security Council during a meeting on Ukraine. Read the speech as well as his press remarks after the meeting.

CommissionerUrpilainen announced a new funding package worth €146 million reinforcing the EU's support to the people of Afghanistan, especially women and girls, their basic services and livelihoods. At the 'Investing in the Future: Unlocking Sustainable Financing for Sexual and Reproductive Health' side event, she presented a $100 million financing mechanism, which is being developed by the European Commission, the European Investment Bank (EIB) and Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, to help the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) ensure that more women and girls can access modern contraceptives and maternal medicines. Read her remarks as well as her opening speech at a panel during the Leaders' Summit on the UN Global Compact.

Commissioner Kyriakides spoke about Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) and Antimicrobial Stewardship at the High-Level meeting on 'IPC and Antimicrobial Stewardship: from policy to implementation at the point of care'. Read her full speech. She also attended a high-level dinner co-hosted by the UK and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on 'The Road from New York to Jeddah' in the margins of the UN General Assembly on the global challenge of Antimicrobial Resistance. Commissioner Kadri Simson co-hosted the High-Level dialogue on Energy Transition together with the International Energy Agency (IEA), calling for countries to swiftly translate the energy commitments they made at COP28 into concrete policies. Commissioner Wopke Hoekstra spokeat the Bloomberg Global Business Forum 's roundtable on 'Carbon Markets'.

Today, High Representative Borrell will represent the EU at the G20 Foreign Ministers' meeting, convened by Brazil. The High Representative's speech will be transmitted live on EbS at around 11:00 EST (17:00 CEST).

The EU will focus on Sudan with two events raising the alarm over the situation in the country and the region, where millions have been forcibly displaced facing food insecurity and even famine. High Representative Borrell will co-host the Ministerial meeting 'United for Peace in Sudan', together with Germany and France, reiterating the need an immediate and sustainable ceasefire, as well as the establishment of monitoring mechanisms urging respect of International Humanitarian Law. Commissioner Lenarčič, together with the UN, US, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Egypt, and the African Union, will host the meeting 'The Cost of inaction' with an urgent call to mobilise support for a robust humanitarian response in Sudan and its neighbouring countries.

Commissioner Kyriakides will participate in a side event on fostering cross-country solidarity to address Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) as well as in the High-level meeting 'AMR and beyond.' She will also attend the First Ladies Luncheon Roundtable at the 2024 Concordia Annual Summit, focusing on the EU's efforts to beat breast cancer, and take part in a fireside chat on 'The Power of Prevention: Universal Human Papillomavirus (HPV) Vaccination Strategies' at the Foreign Policy Health Forum.

Commissioner Lenarčič will also host a High-level event on restoring the centrality of International Humanitarian Law in today's armed conflicts, together with Belgium.

Commissioner Simson will represent the EU at the Ministerial Consultation Meeting on the Plastic Pollution Treaty with Canada and Norway.

Commissioner Hoekstra will deliver a speech on behalf of the EU at the UN High-level plenary meeting 'Addressing the existential threats posed by sea-level rise', which will be available on EbS at around 12:30 EST (18:30 CEST). He will also participate in a roundtable discussion hosted by Bloomberg on 'Europe's Net Zero Strategy - Delivering on Climate Ambition and Enhancing Industrial Competitiveness,' and in a high-level panel on 'Global Solidarity Levies and Financing for Development.'

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