Afrique

Le ministre de la justice français a rencontré le président algérien, Abdelmadjid Tebboune, lundi 18 mai. Après près de deux ans de crise diplomatique, les deux pays amorcent un rapprochement, sur fond de coopération sécuritaire et judiciaire.

A cruise ship docks in Roseau, Dominica. The World Meteorological Organization says parts of the Caribbean are experiencing sea level rise above the global average as climate impacts intensify across the region. Credit: Alison Kentish/IPS

By Alison Kentish
CASTRIES, Saint Lucia , May 19 2026 (IPS)

Faster-than-average sea level rise, intensifying hurricanes, extreme heat and worsening swings between drought and flooding are increasing pressure on Latin America and the Caribbean, according to a new report released Monday, May 18 by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO).

The State of the Climate in Latin America and the Caribbean 2025 report warns that rising land and ocean temperatures, increasingly erratic rainfall patterns and rapidly intensifying tropical cyclones are hurting food systems, water security, public health and coastal communities across the region.

“The signs of a changing climate are unmistakable across Latin America and the Caribbean,” WMO Secretary-General Celeste Saulo said in a statement accompanying the report, warning that climate impacts are intensifying across both coastal and inland communities.

The report found that parts of the tropical Atlantic and Caribbean are experiencing sea level rise above the global average, while marine heatwaves and ocean acidification are compounding risks for fisheries, coral reefs and coastal ecosystems.

Extreme weather events affected communities across the region throughout 2025. The report highlighted Hurricane Melissa, which became the first Category 5 hurricane on record to make landfall in Jamaica, causing 45 deaths and economic losses estimated at US$8.8 billion,  more than 41 percent of the country’s gross domestic product.

Despite the unprecedented storm, the WMO noted that advance preparedness measures and risk modelling helped reduce loss of life.

Heat-Related Illness and Mortality

The report also warned of growing public health risks linked to extreme heat. Recurrent heatwaves pushed temperatures beyond 40 degrees Celsius across large parts of Central and South America, with experts warning that heat-related mortality in the region is likely underreported.

In Latin America and the Caribbean, rainfall patterns are also becoming increasingly erratic, with longer dry spells and more intense rainfall events contributing to both severe drought and devastating flooding.

While some parts of the region experienced deadly floods and landslides in 2025, severe drought conditions and water shortages affected sections of Central America, the Caribbean and South America, impacting agriculture, reservoirs and food production.

“As extreme heat events intensify, reducing avoidable mortality will require moving from recognition to institutionalized action,” the report stated.

It urged governments to strengthen climate-informed health surveillance systems, improve tracking of heat-related illnesses and deaths, and better integrate meteorological warnings into public health planning.

It also called for greater investment in heat-resilient health infrastructure and stronger coordination between climate and health agencies as extreme heat events become more frequent and severe.

The WMO said climate impacts are increasingly affecting agro-food systems across the region, threatening rural livelihoods, food access and economic stability.

The report comes as Caribbean Small Island Developing States continue to face disproportionate climate risks despite contributing minimally to global greenhouse gas emissions.

Scientists and regional leaders have repeatedly warned that rising ocean temperatures are contributing to stronger storms, coral bleaching and ecosystem disruption across the Caribbean Sea.

Early Warning Systems to Save Lives

The report also highlighted the growing importance of early warning systems and climate services as extreme weather events become more frequent and severe across the region.

The findings come as the United Nations continues to expand its “Early Warnings for All” initiative, which aims to ensure every person on Earth is protected by early warning systems by 2027. It is a goal seen as particularly critical for climate-vulnerable Caribbean Small Island Developing States.

The WMO said advances in forecasting, disaster preparedness and risk modelling are helping countries better anticipate and respond to climate-related hazards, particularly hurricanes, floods and heatwaves.

Jamaica’s response to Hurricane Melissa was highlighted as an example of how advance planning and risk modelling can help reduce loss of life even during unprecedented events.

Despite progress, the WMO warned that gaps remain in climate monitoring and early warning coverage across parts of Latin America and the Caribbean, particularly for vulnerable communities with limited adaptive capacity.

“Climate information is not only about data. It is about people,” Saulo said. “It is about protecting communities from floods, droughts, hurricanes, heatwaves and other hazards.”

For Caribbean nations already grappling with rising seas, stronger storms and mounting economic vulnerability, the report adds to growing calls for greater investment in climate adaptation, resilient infrastructure and early warning systems – tools the WMO says will be critical to helping vulnerable communities adapt to a warming world.

IPS UN Bureau Report

 

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Excerpt:

A new report from the World Meteorological Organization says rising seas, intensifying hurricanes, extreme heat and worsening drought and flooding across the region are placing growing strain on economies and public health systems.

Le directeur général de l’Organisation mondiale de la santé s’est dit « profondément préoccupé par l’ampleur et la rapidité » de l’épidémie qui frappe la République démocratique du Congo. Washington « recommande fortement » aux Américains de ne pas se rendre dans trois pays africains.

In today's edition: police facial recognition, DMA interoperability, EQT to helm Scaleup Fund

In today's edition: Austria, European Parliament, space

In today's edition: emissions reduction targets, energy subsidies, climate health impact

The World Bank Group is consulting publicly on whether to merge its three independent complaint mechanisms. This note explains what is being proposed and how civil society organizations can participate in the consultation.

By Danny Bradlow and David Hunter
PRETORIA, South Africa / WASHINGTON DC, USA , May 19 2026 (IPS)

The World Bank made history in 1994 by creating the Inspection Panel, the first independent accountability mechanism, at any international organisation. Its function is to investigate complaints from communities who allege they were harmed because the bank failed to comply with its own policies and procedures.

By establishing the three-member Inspection Panel, the World Bank showed support for a democrati Soth Arica/c vision of international governance based on the rule of law and the rights of individuals to take part in development decisions that affect their lives.

To date, the panel has received 186 complaints. Fifty-two have been from Africa. They involved projects in 56 countries, including 26 African countries. The complaints have raised issues such as the World Bank’s failure to comply with its own policies regarding public consultations, environmental and social impact assessments and involuntary resettlement in the projects that it funds.

The board has expanded the bank’s accountability process to include both compliance reviews and dispute resolution processes. Today, the World Bank Group has three independent accountability mechanisms:

• the Inspection Panel, which focuses on compliance reviews in public sector projects
• a separate dispute resolution mechanism for public sector projects
• the Compliance Advisor Ombudsman, which offers both compliance reviews and dispute resolution services for private sector projects, primarily funded by the International Finance Corporation.

These accountability mechanisms have operated with mixed success. There have been some wins, for example in a case in Uganda involving risks for women and children associated with the building of a road. And some failures. An example is the Compliance Advisor Ombudsman finding against the International Finance Corporation for noncompliance in a coal fired power plant in India that was ignored.

We were involved, as legal academics and working with civil society organisations, in the establishment of the Inspection Panel. We have been following the activities of these independent accountability mechanisms for over 30 years. We are concerned about their future.

The World Bank Group is seeking to become a “bigger and better” bank. This involves promoting more collaboration between the five entities that make up the group. It is doing so under the banner of “One WBG”. This is an important development because the World Bank is the only global multilateral development bank. It offers developing countries both financial and advisory services. For example, it is the biggest funder of development projects in Africa.

The increasing collaboration between the different institutions in the bank raises concerns about which of their policies are applicable to a particular project. It also raises the issue of whether the bank should integrate the group’s independent accountability mechanisms so that there is no question about which mechanism is applicable to the project.

We believe that resolving this issue offers the bank’s board an opportunity to improve the structure of its independent accountability mechanisms and their contribution to the bank’s operations.

The dangers

The board appointed a two-person task force in September 2025 to advise it on the feasibility of integrating the three organisations in a way that does not reduce their independence, accessibility and effectiveness. The task force prepared a thorough and well-reasoned draft report.

The report was finalised after public consultations and is being considered by the board. It shows that integration of the mechanisms is a feasible, but complex exercise. The existing mechanisms have different operating cultures, policies and practices and human resource needs. The report describes various models for integrating the existing mechanisms.

The report also demonstrates that if mishandled, the exercise could result in a less independent and less effective accountability mechanism. To avoid this risk, we propose that the board adopt a model consisting of two separate independent accountability mechanisms. One to cover compliance reviews across the entire group. The other to cover dispute resolution across the group. This will enable both functions to operate independently and efficiently.

Our proposal raises four issues.

First, it is important that each mechanism is independent of the bank’s management. Each mechanism must have sufficient resources to undertake effective compliance reviews or dispute resolutions. Their processes must also be robust enough to result in meaningful outcomes for the complainants.

Second, the new compliance mechanism must retain a three-member panel appointed by and reporting to the bank’s board. The panel should have a permanent chair serving a six-year term. The chair must have the authority to decide which cases need the panel’s attention. The other two panel members should also serve staggered six-year terms.

A three-person panel allows for some geographic, technical and experiential diversity. Gaining a consensus among the panel members improves the quality and increases the credibility of the panel reports. A three-member panel is better able to withstand pressure from the bank’s management and other stakeholders than is a mechanism headed by one person.

Third, the dispute resolution mechanism should be headed by an experienced dispute resolution professional at the vice-president level. This official should report to the president of the bank. Our view is that this arrangement could encourage the institution to play a more proactive role in resolving disputes.

To ensure that the unit has some independence it should also have regularly scheduled meetings with the board. The head of the unit should also be able to request a meeting with the board whenever they deem it necessary and without requiring the prior approval of the bank’s president.

Fourth, the process of consolidating accountability mechanisms will be complex. Consequently, the board should first decide on the basic structure: a compliance review unit headed by a three-member panel and a separate dispute resolution unit headed by a senior professional.

It should delay any decisions on the policies, principles and practices of the mechanisms until it receives advice from a multi-stakeholder working group that includes external stakeholders and management and is co-chaired by one person from each of the units being merged.

An opportunity to fix things

The bank has the opportunity to strengthen its development mission. The changes it makes should be designed to:

• help make the bank a better institution that supports higher quality projects
• make the bank a learning institution that openly accepts criticism and looks to implement solutions
• ensure it becomes an institution that recognises that people affected by bank-funded projects are stakeholders in its operations who may be forced to risk their well-being for the greater good.

Source: The Conversation Africa May 17, 2026

Daniel Bradlow is Professor/Senior Research Fellow, Centre for Advancement of Scholarship, University of Pretoria; David Hunter is Professor Emeritus, The American University Washington College of Law, American University.

IPS UN Bureau

 

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Après des années de bras de fer, Kiev et Budapest tiendront des discussions cette semaine concernant les droits de la minorité ethnique hongroise en Ukraine, ont annoncé lundi les ministres des Affaires étrangères des deux pays. Le dossier empoisonne les relations entre les deux voisins depuis des années. L'élection d'un nouveau Premier ministre en Hongrie change la donne. 

La grande famille Dakouo et alliés à mandiankuy au Mali , à Ouagadougou, Bobo Dioulasso, Dedougou, Nouna et Doumbala ont le regret de vous faire part du décès de DAKiO Toubè Clément Richard, survenu ce jour 18 mai 2026 a Doumbala de suite de maladie.

L'enterrement est prévu demain mardi 19 mai 2026 à Doumbala.

Pour toute information, contactez le 70 70 98 53/ 67 69 38 00.

Union de prière

« …Moi Je suis la résurrection. Qui croit en moi, même s'il meurt, vivra ;… » Jn ; 25,11

Naba Saaga, Chef coutumier de Gandado ;
Le Responsable Coutumier de Gandado ;
Sa Majesté Naba Boulga de Batono ;
La grande famille VALEA à Gandado, Tindila, Yako, Ouagadougou, Bobo-Dioulasso, Koudougou, Ouahigouya, Kaya, Dori, Léo, Fada N'Gourma, en Côte d'Ivoire, au Sénégal, en Algérie, en France, aux Etats Unis et au Canada ;
André VALEA à Gandado, ses frères et sœurs ; Jean Marie à Yako, Thérèse à Gobila/Yako ; Bernard à Abengourou (RCI) ;

La veuve Maman Anasthasie VALIA née OUEDRAOGO ;
Docteur Dieudonné Eric VALEA ;
Professeur Georges Anicet OUEDRAOGO ;

Les enfants : Diane Célestine, Martin, Roger, Georges, Justin, Florent, Denis, Eliane, Pélagie, Théophile, Clémence ;
Les petits enfants, Maxim, Marielle, Aurélien, Ophélie, Rodrigue, Romaine, Gloria, Andréa, Léandre, Ghislaine, Mattis, Gériane, Armel, Daryl, Axelle, Yannis et Roxane, les neveux et arrières petitsenfants ;
Les familles alliées, OUEDRAOGO à Kibou/Yako, Rouamba à Bissinga/Yako ;

Les familles alliées ; OUEDRAOGO à Tikaré, YAMEOGO à Koudougou et Yakouiyiri, KABORE à Sabou, NIGNAN à Brindoukro/Abengourou-RCI-, COMPAORE à Kombissiri, NANA à Lougsi, DJOLOMPO à Hello/Gauoa, KIENTEGA à Latodin, KOUADIO à Bongouanou/Abengourou-RCI-, SANOU à Baré/Bobo-Dioulasso
Les familles ZOUNGRANA, KONKOBO, OUMTOUGDO à Gandado ;
La Communauté Catholique de Base (CCB) Saint Paul du secteur 8 quartier Burkina /Paroisse Notre Dame de la Réconciliation du Burkina
L'Association des Ressortissants de la Province du Passoré au Boulkiemdé (ARPPB)

Ont la profonde douleur de vous annoncer le rappel à Dieu de leur bien-aimé, frère, époux, père, grand père et arrière-grand-père, Barthélémy VALIA, à Koudougou, le Samedi 16 Mai 2026 dans sa 88ème année.
Ils vous informent que les célébrations funéraires auront lieu à Koudougou résidence du défunt et à Gandado, à 15 Km de Yako selon le programme suivant :

Mercredi 20 Mai :
• 20h00, Veillée de prière au domicile du regretté au quartier Burkina de Koudougou, près de l'Université Norbert ZONGO ; Jeudi 21 Mai :
• 6h30, Levée de corps à la morgue de l'Hôpital de l'Amitié à Koudougou suivi du recueillement au domicile du défunt ;
• 9h00, Messe en l'église paroissiale Notre Dame de la Réconciliation de Burkina/Koudougou suivi du transfert du corps au village Gandado/Yako ;
• 20h00, Veillée de prière dans la cour familiale au village ; Vendredi 22 Mai :
• 9h00, Messe de requiem et absoute en la chapelle Saint Mathieu de Gandado/Yako suivie de l'inhumation au cimetière Catholique du village.
Paix à son âme et union de prières !

Le Directeur Général de Jackson Assurances a le profond regret de vous annoncer le décès de Monsieur Wilfried Alain BAMOGO,
Précédemment Agent Général Jackson Assurances et promoteur de l'Agence Tissongo.

Le décès est survenu le jeudi 14 mai 2026 à la clinique Notre Dame de la Paix des suites d'une courte maladie.
L'inhumation a eu lieu le samedi 16 mai 2026 au cimetière de TOUDBWEOGO à OUAGADOUGOU.

Aux noms du Président du Conseil d'Administration, de l'ensemble du personnel et en mon nom propre, je présente les condoléances les plus attristées à sa famille biologique, à sa famille professionnelle, à ses partenaires ainsi qu'à ses proches.

Que la terre du BURKINA FASO lui soit légère.
Union de Prières.

Le Directeur Général

Mamadou ZERBO
Chevalier de l'Ordre de l'Etalon

Credit: Emmanuel Herman/Reuters via Gallo Images

By Hannah Wheatley, Joanna Makhlouf and Taís Siqueira
BAGAMOYO, Tanzania / BEIRUT, Lebanon / WASHINGTON D.C., May 18 2026 (IPS)

In an era when civil society funding is in decline, it’s time to rebel against a broken system.

Today, too much is being asked from the people already doing the most. In a time of multiple and connected global crises – of climate, conflict, democracy, disinformation, global governance, human rights and inclusion – and in a context of intensifying civic space restrictions and collapsing funding, funders and the intermediary organisations that distribute resources somehow expect frontline organisations to transform systemic injustices that have built up over centuries. At the same time, these groups are expected to keep meeting inflexible targets, writing flawless reports and keeping their teams emotionally and physically afloat.

As governments, international organisations, investors, philanthropists, civil society and business leaders meet at the Global Partnerships Conference on the future of international development, it’s time to do things differently.

Let’s stop asking local leaders to transform their communities before they’ve had space to heal. Let’s stop training grassroots organisations to become international clones. Let’s stop intermediaries replicating burnout culture.

No single organisation can undo the long legacy of colonialism or the systemic problems of global capitalism. And they shouldn’t have to. The role of the civil society ecosystem must be to build and protect space, redistribute power and resources and, most of all, stop transferring institutional pressure downwards. If we truly trust local civil society, we must also trust its limits. That means intermediaries must stand their ground with funders, set realistic expectations and champion the right to do less when circumstances demand it.

At CIVICUS’s Local Leadership Labs – an initiative to tackle the barriers that get in the way of local leadership of development – partners often report feeling compelled to deliver ambitious workplans that involve them reaching every district, leading multiple initiatives and facilitating extensive community engagements, even as civic space is closing around them. Driven by passion and the need to prove their worth in a competitive ecosystem, many have overextended without realising the toll on their wellbeing and sustainability.

Burnout is not just about long hours. It stems from impossible expectations in unsafe, high-pressure contexts. Civil society is striving to stretch every grant dollar, prove its worth at every reporting cycle and ensure the survival of communities. In restrictive civic space conditions, these pressures are compounded by harassment, intimidation, surveillance and violence.

The result is a constant feeling of not doing enough, even when the demands are structurally impossible. Over time, this erodes morale, health and leadership sustainability.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, funders proved that another way was possible. They provided unrestricted funding and offered flexibility and simplified reporting. Trust was extended. Partnerships were strengthened. But that willingness to experiment has not lasted.

What must change

It must be recognised that in these conditions, scaling back is not failure. It is how movements endure.

We have seen that investing in healing and reflection is not a luxury. It is what sustains movements. At Local Leadership Labs, partners working with survivors of state violence realised they could not move forward without first addressing exhaustion and trauma. Their care-centred approach showed that the process itself can be the outcome. Taking time for healing and thoughtful collaboration produces more sustainable, transformational results.

This is what the civil society ecosystem should support: not chasing impossible targets, but creating conditions for dignity, reflection and resilience.

Addressing burnout requires more than acknowledgement. It calls for rethinking about how support is structured and how expectations are set. Funders and intermediaries can help break the cycle by:

1. Budgeting time and priority for healing
Leaders are often asked to deliver systemic change while carrying unaddressed trauma. Without space for healing, burnout is inevitable. Intermediaries can normalise pacing, integrate healing into workplans and advocate with funders for timelines that reflect reality.

2. Showing funders the way
Funders need guidance on becoming more adaptable to intensifying civic space conditions and contexts of high volatility. Intermediaries can convene learning spaces where funders reflect on how flexibility and responsiveness protect communities and sustain movements. They can also challenge extractive, funder-driven processes and advocate for spaces where local civil society can lead and influence on its own terms.

3. Bridging, connecting and humanising
Behind funders, intermediaries and frontline civil society are people, all under institutional pressure. Intermediaries can help in both directions, by shielding local partners from unrealistic demands while working with funders to develop an understanding of what’s achievable. By cultivating empathy, they can replace transactional directives with reciprocal accountability, unlocking collaborations that go beyond the extractive.

In many contexts, civil society is holding the line in the face of authoritarianism, even worse attacks on human rights and still stronger repression. The enemies of democracy and human rights thrive when those defending freedoms and demanding social justice burn out. When forced to compete for scarce resources, organisations try to over-deliver to prove their worth, further deepening stress and accelerating exhaustion.

In this context, supporting the wellbeing of local civil society is not optional. It is central to protecting the energy that drives activism. Funders and intermediaries must pause, reflect and reset expectations. If we create space for healing, rest and resilience, movements will survive the current storm, and emerge equipped to resist, transform and win.

Taís Siqueira is Local Leadership Labs Coordinator at CIVICUS: World Alliance for Citizen Participation. Hannah Wheatley is CIVICUS’s former Data Analyst and Joanna Makhlouf is a former member of the Local Leadership Labs implementation team.

 

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Une épidémie d'Ebola en RD Congo concerne une souche rare et se produit dans une zone touchée par un conflit.

Une épidémie d'Ebola en RD Congo concerne une souche rare et se produit dans une zone touchée par un conflit.

Une épidémie d'Ebola en RD Congo concerne une souche rare et se produit dans une zone touchée par un conflit.

Le président nigérien, Abdourahamane Tiani, a accordé une audience au président-directeur général de Global Atomic Corporation, Stephen G. Roman, venu faire le point sur l'état d'avancement du projet minier de Dasa, dans le nord du Niger. L'annonce a été faite ce lundi 18 mai 2026, via la page Facebook du Conseil national pour la sauvegarde de la patrie (CNSP).

À l'issue de cette rencontre, le dirigeant de Global Atomic a indiqué que les travaux progressent normalement sur le site. Selon lui, les opérations de génie civil se poursuivent tandis que le montage de l'usine de traitement a déjà débuté. « Dasa avance bien avec le développement de la mine », a déclaré Stephen G. Roman, au terme de sa visite de terrain.

Le projet de Dasa représente un investissement stratégique majeur pour l'économie nigérienne. D'après les responsables de l'entreprise, environ 250 millions de dollars ont déjà été injectés dans le développement du site, tandis que 300 millions de dollars supplémentaires sont prévus pour finaliser la phase actuelle avant l'entrée en production. Le cumul de ces investissements présentés revient à environ 310 milliards de francs CFA pour rendre la mine de Dasa complètement opérationnelle.

Les promoteurs du projet mettent également en avant son impact sur l'emploi local. Plus de 700 personnes travaillent actuellement sur le site, dont plus de 95 % de Nigériens. Le PDG de Global Atomic a salué l'engagement de la main-d'œuvre nationale et souligné que le projet intègre également des actions sociales au profit des populations locales, notamment dans les domaines de la santé, de l'accès à l'eau et des opportunités économiques.

De son côté, le général Abdourahamane Tiani a réaffirmé l'engagement des autorités nigériennes à accompagner le développement du projet afin d'accélérer son passage en phase de production. Le chef de l'État a insisté sur la nécessité de maximiser les retombées économiques du projet aussi bien pour le Niger que pour les investisseurs.

L'audience s'est déroulée en présence de plusieurs responsables nigériens, dont le ministre des Mines, le commissaire-colonel Ousmane Abarchi, ainsi que des proches collaborateurs du président chargés des questions minières et énergétiques.

Hamed Nanéma
Lefaso.net
Source : Conseil national pour la sauvegarde de la patrie (CNSP)

Dans le cadre de la mission multinationale «strictement défensive» qu’il envisage de lancer avec la France, dès que les «circonstances le permettront», pour protéger le trafic maritime commercial dans le détroit d’Ormuz, le Royaume-Uni a fait savoir qu’il mobiliserait, outre le destroyer HMS Dragon, des moyens pour la lutte contre les mines, des drones navals...

Cet article Les Eurofighter Typhoon de la Royal Air Force sont aptes à tirer des roquettes guidées contre les drones est apparu en premier sur Zone Militaire.

Khaled Khiari, UN Assistant Secretary-General for Middle East, Europe, the Americas, Asia and the Pacific, Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs and Peace Operations, addresses the Security Council meeting on maintenance of peace and security of Ukraine. Credit: UN Photo/Loey Felipe

By Oritro Karim
UNITED NATIONS, May 18 2026 (IPS)

Four years after the start of the Russo-Ukrainian War, 2026 has marked a significant escalation in hostilities, with intensified bombardments from both sides causing immense destruction across the region, complicating humanitarian operations, and deepening an already severe humanitarian crisis. As exchanges of attacks have intensified in recent days, the United Nations (UN) warns that women and girls will be disproportionately impacted as violence disrupts access to basic, lifesaving services.

Last week on May 13, Russian forces launched a massive barrage of approximately 800 drones, targeting western regions of Ukraine, including areas that surround the Hungarian border. Local authorities informed the UN’s country office in Ukraine that the attacks resulted in multiple civilian casualties and extensive damage to critical infrastructure, including energy facilities and railway hubs. Significant destruction was reported in the Rivne, Volyn, and Ivano-Frankivsk regions, where several sites came under fire.

This attack triggered what UN Ukraine described as “one of the most intense and prolonged attacks of the war to date,” with continuous hostilities from Russian forces reported across the country for nearly 24 hours. Violence intensified the following day in Kyiv, where drone and missile strikes targeted major residential neighborhoods and key civilian infrastructure.

Ukrainian authorities reported that at least 140 Ukrainians were killed, including six children, with figures expected to rise as rescue operations continue. Officials also stated that a high-rise residential building in Kyiv’s Darnytskyi district sustained significant damage following a direct strike, leaving numerous residents trapped beneath the rubble.

Approximately 24 civilians were killed and 48 others were injured in the strike, including three children who were found dead. UN Ukraine reported that emergency teams carried out search-and-rescue operations and extinguished fires despite immense risks, as strikes continued to land. That same day, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported that a “clearly marked” UN vehicle was struck twice in Kherson City while delivering aid to vulnerable communities.

“Families should always feel safe,” said Bernadette Castel-Hollingsworth, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner of Refugees’ (UNHCR) Representative in Ukraine. “Mothers should not be waiting to know if their children are alive under the rubble after these missile attacks,” she continued, stressing that attacks that target civilians are a violation of humanitarian law.

According to the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine (HRMMU) , civilian casualties in Ukraine over the first four months of 2026 were higher than any four-month period recorded in any of the last three years. The Mission found that this is primarily due to a massive rise in the use of long-range weapons, which carry a far greater capacity for destruction and civilian harm, especially when used in densely populated urban areas.

HRMMU found that in April of this year, at least 84 civilians were killed and 628 others were injured as a direct result of long-range weapons use, accounting for approximately 43 percent of the total civilian casualties recorded during that period.

“I deplore the resumption of these large-scale attacks which have resulted in civilian casualties across the country,” said the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk on May 14. “Attacks by long-range weapons are one of the leading causes of civilian casualties in Ukraine. Their expanded use in populated areas will only increase the already mounting toll on civilians,” Turk added, urging for an immediate de-escalation of hostilities.

Ukrainian women and girls have been severely and disproportionately impacted by the war, with the first three months of 2026 marking the deadliest winter for women and girls since the full-scale Russian invasion in 2022. According to figures from UN Women, approximately 199 women and girls were killed between January and March of this year. This follows a 27 percent increase in casualties among women between 2025 and 2024.

More than four years into the Russian invasion, women and girls in Ukraine are facing immense stress under the threats of war and subsequent attacks on energy infrastructure. Credit: UN Women/Aurel Obreja

During a press briefing at the Palais des Nations in Geneva on May 12, UN Women’s Representative in Ukraine Sabine Friezer Gunes informed reporters that attacks on energy infrastructure have devastated mental and physical wellbeing for women across Ukraine, particularly those in caregiving roles. Gunes noted that many of these women are struggling to manage increasing household responsibilities, growing financial pressures, and shrinking access to essential resources, such as reliable electricity.

“Women are significantly more likely than men to report having no backup energy supply during disruptions – 73 per cent of women say that they have no alternative energy sources,” said Gunes. “Nearly eight in ten women’s organisations in Ukraine told UN Women that funding reductions are seriously affecting their work, including some organisations reporting having to reduce the number of women and girls supported by their services. Official donor assistance to support women has reduced, and inequalities in Ukraine are increasing.”

Over the weekend, on May 17, Ukraine launched one of its largest long-range drone offensives against Russia in over a year, mainly targeting Moscow. This attack, described by reporters as retaliation for the missile and drone strikes in Kyiv, killed at least three people and injured 12 others, while local authorities reported damage to several unspecified infrastructure and numerous high-rise buildings.

“Our responses to Russia’s prolongation of the war and attacks on our cities and communities are entirely justified,” said Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in a statement shared to X (formerly Twitter). “This time, Ukrainian long-distance sanctions have reached the Moscow region, and we are clearly telling the Russians: their state must end its war.”

Nigel Gould Davies, a senior fellow for Russia and Eurasia at the International Institute for Strategic Studies, warned that Ukraine’s retaliatory strikes against Russia will only work to exacerbate regional tensions going forward.

“There is no ongoing peace process to disrupt. What (the attack) is more likely to do is add to the darkening cloud of anxiety over Russia, which has developed palpably over the last three or four months,” said Davies. “The fact that Ukraine is reminding the Moscow population that it is vulnerable to these attacks is likely to intensify the mix of concerns now. I see no prospect, though, in the shorter term, that even these factors together will induce Russia to consider the compromises that will be necessary for peace negotiations.”

IPS UN Bureau Report

 

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