UN Jan 22nd, 2026: UN Highlights Escalating Humanitarian Crises, Defends Charter-Based Approach

By ATN News Team

UNHQ, New York: The United Nations used Thursday’s daily briefing to deliver a sweeping update on global crises, coupling stark humanitarian data with a consistent institutional message: protect civilians, safeguard humanitarian access and anchor responses in international law.

Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric opened by noting that Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed is in Denmark, where she told parliamentarians that the UN Charter remains the organization’s “moral compass” and warned that erosion of the rules-based order threatens global stability. Her meetings with Danish and Nordic officials focused on reform, climate action and support for multilateral cooperation. She travels next to Paris for International Day of Education events at UNESCO.

Syria: Tension at Al Hol, concern at the Security Council

The UN reported a volatile situation at Al Hol camp in northeast Syria following its takeover by the Syrian government. UNHCR and UNICEF teams reached the site but were unable to enter the camp due to reports of looting and fires. They did, however, hold discussions with Syrian officials, who expressed willingness to provide security so humanitarian operations can continue.

The UN emphasized the need for an orderly transfer of ISIL-related detention facilities from Syrian Democratic Forces control to the government, in line with international standards.

At the Security Council, senior officials warned that renewed violence continues to displace tens of thousands, particularly around Aleppo. They stressed that any reduction in humanitarian needs depends on sustained funding, investment in recovery and active diplomacy.

Gaza and West Bank: Needs growing faster than access

In Gaza, OCHA said humanitarian scale-up remains restricted, leaving many families unable to meet basic needs. UNFPA warned of rising risks of gender-based violence, child marriage and exploitation as displacement, damaged facilities and movement restrictions cut access to care and safe spaces.

Since Sunday, aid partners have reached more than 13,000 households with tents, tarpaulins and winter supplies. But due to funding and capacity constraints, assistance is available in only about 40 percent of the 970 displacement sites across Gaza.

In the West Bank, more than 100 Bedouin and herding households were displaced over two weeks due to settler violence and intimidation, according to OCHA. UNFPA estimated that more than 230,000 women and girls now have limited access to reproductive health services amid escalating violence and movement restrictions.

Multiple emergencies across Africa

The briefing underscored the breadth of humanitarian strain:

• South Sudan: The UN released $10 million in emergency funding to assist nearly 180,000 displaced people in Jonglei State, where more than 200,000 have fled since late December. Access remains constrained by insecurity, bureaucracy and a government-imposed no-fly zone.

• Mozambique: Flooding has displaced an estimated 350,000 people. An additional $5 million in emergency funds was released. WFP is supporting 375,000 people with short-term food assistance but says resources are stretched.

• Sudan: Drone strikes in North Kordofan are increasingly endangering civilians and threatening supply routes. More than 2,400 people were newly displaced this week. WFP warned it will run out of food stocks by the end of March without $700 million in urgent funding.

• Democratic Republic of Congo: At least 50 civilians were killed in North Kivu in a single week, with additional killings reported in South Kivu. Humanitarian access is deteriorating, and aid workers have been threatened.

Across all contexts, the UN’s message was consistent: civilians must be protected, humanitarian access preserved and donor support urgently increased.

Venezuela: Aid arrives, funding gaps remain

The UN confirmed the arrival of 23 metric tonnes of medical supplies in Venezuela as part of a larger assistance package supporting dialysis and nephrology treatment for about 8,000 patients. Officials noted, however, that Venezuela was among the most underfunded humanitarian operations in 2025, with protection services particularly neglected.

Reform efforts and global data

Dujarric highlighted Microsoft’s new support for the UN80 reform initiative, including backing for a proposed innovation fund, expanded digital training and improved access to core tools across the UN system.

UNEP also released a report showing that for every $1 invested globally in protecting nature, $30 is spent on activities that harm it, underscoring a deep imbalance in global finance.

The UN staff union separately reported that at least 21 UN personnel were killed in deliberate attacks in 2025, a reminder of the growing risks faced by staff in the field.

Q&A: Calm exchanges, firm principles

The question-and-answer session covered issues ranging from Greenland and Syria to Sudan diplomacy, press freedom in Türkiye, U.S. disengagement from the World Health Organization and the emerging “Board of Peace” initiative.

Dujarric acknowledged uncertainty where facts were still emerging, offered to seek clarification when details were unclear and reiterated core principles where needed. He reaffirmed respect for territorial integrity and self-determination regarding Greenland, described ongoing but complex diplomacy on Sudan, and stressed that journalists must be able to work without fear of retaliation.

On the UN’s broader posture amid external political initiatives, he summed it up dryly: the organization would continue its work and “keep calm and carry on.”

The broader picture

The briefing reflected an organization stretched across overlapping crises, facing financial strain and political scrutiny, yet largely consistent in tone and method. Rather than signaling a dramatic shift, the UN is emphasizing continuity: document conditions, deliver aid where possible, defend humanitarian space and insist on the legal frameworks that underpin its legitimacy.

In 2026, the challenge is less about visibility and more about scale. Needs are growing faster than resources and funding can keep up. The UN’s approach is steady, careful, and cautious—never flashy or attention-grabbing, but always consistent and reliably persistent.