Hopper bands in Israel for the first time in 50 years; adult groups in interior of Saudi Arabia

As a result of egg-laying in mid-March and low temperatures, hatching occurred from mid-April onwards in the western Negev Desert of Israel and in the Sinai Peninsula of Egypt where hoppers are now forming groups and bands in both areas.

Armed conflicts, insecurity, protracted displacement and natural disasters affect millions of people across the region.

The Desert Locust situation remained serious during April in northern Sudan where hopper bands were present near crops along a 1,000 km strech of the Nile River. Swarms could form in May and threaten crops, and a second generation of breeding could take place before the summer or, if early rains fall, adults could move to the summer breeding areas in Sudan. There is also concern in Saudi Arabia where new generation adults could move from the northwest Penninsula, including Yemen, and breed in areas of recent heavy rains.

Overview

The North Africa region, made up of Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco and Tunisia, is economically and demographically diverse. These five middle income countries were generally on track in 2010 to achieving the health Millennium Development Goals (MDG) target by 2015, even if facing significant rural and urban disparities and gaps in coverage.

Around 6.5 million people were newly displaced, almost twice as many as the 3.5 million during 2011. The conflicts in Syria and DRC were responsible for around half of the new displacements.

Conseil de sécurité

CS/10986

6951e séance – matin

Le Conseil de sécurité a, ce matin, prorogé le mandat de la Mission des Nations Unies pour l’organisation d’un référendum au Sahara occidental (MINURSO) jusqu’au 30 avril 2014.

04/24/2013 18:06 GMT

NEW YORK (Nations unies), 24 avr 2013 (AFP) - Le Conseil de sécurité devrait adopter jeudi, selon des diplomates, une résolution qui encourage les parties au conflit au Sahara occidental à respecter les droits de l'homme mais sans charger la mission de l'ONU d'enquêter dans ce domaine.

Le projet de résolution, dont l'AFP a eu copie, "encourage les parties à poursuivre leurs efforts respectifs pour promouvoir et protéger les droits de l'homme au Sahara occidental et dans les camps de réfugiés de Tindouf" (Algérie).

04/17/2013 19:39 GMT

NICOSIE, 17 avr 2013 (AFP) - Human Rights Watch (HRW) a exhorté mercredi le Conseil de sécurité de l'ONU à mettre fin à une "situation anormale", en élargissant sa mission au Sahara occidental aux droits de l'Homme, affirmant que des Sahraouis continuent de subir "des formes de répression variées".

I. Introduction