Food security levels are generally better than a year earlier in East Africa and the Sahel, with most areas facing either IPC phase 1 ‘minimal’ or phase 2 ‘stressed’ conditions, thanks to favorable agro-climatic conditions in 2012.

The Global Overview collates information from a range of sources and displays it in a manner that allows for quick comparison of different humanitarian crises.

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.

The Higher Committee of Foreign aid at the Red Crescent Authority has allocated Dh 4.027 million to carry out developmental projects in a number of countries.

The assistance will cover health, education and social services sectors in addition to the provision of water supplies in areas which suffer from shortage of this vital service.

These projects will be carried out in a number of countries, including Palestine, Yemen, Somalia, Sudan, Jordan and Pakistan, Senegal, Bosnia, Uganda, Benin, Thailand, Chad, in addition to Ghana, Lebanon, Libya and Mauritania.

In Somalia, needs will be highest among IDPs and the pastoral destitute when the lean season approaches in October.

The Global Overview collates information from a range of sources and displays it in a manner that allows for quick comparison of different humanitarian crises.

Sixty-seventh session
Agenda item 107
Report of the Secretary-General on the Peacebuilding Fund

Summary

The present report, which covers the activities of the Peacebuilding Fund for the period from January to December 2012, is submitted pursuant to General Assembly resolution 63/282, which requested the Secretary-General to submit an annual report on the operation and activities of the Fund.

The Global Overview is a weekly update that collates humanitarian information from a wide range of sources. Its primary objective is to rapidly inform humanitarian decision makers by presenting a summary of major humanitarian crises, both recent and protracted.

HIGHLIGHTS

• FAO’s first forecast for world wheat production in 2013 stands at 690 million tonnes, about 28 million tonnes up from 2012 and the second largest crop on record. The increase is expected mostly in Europe, driven by an expansion in area in response to high prices, and in some countries due to an expected recovery in yields from last year’s below-average levels.

• The international cereal prices in recent months have followed mixed trends with rice prices rising and wheat declining, while maize prices remaining generally steady.