World Status Report

This report intends to give the UTD Community a snapshot of international risks, and other issues as reported by the linked media and official sources from the U.S. and other countries.

More health and security information for each country can be found in the travel advisories issued by the governments of the United States, Canada, the UK, New Zealand, and Australia, and the CDC, ECDC, and WHO sites. Not all advise in these sites will apply to US travelers.

Please note the publication date of this report and go to the direct sources linked for the most up-to-date information.  The information in this report may change without prior notice.

Security

• Sudan (UN News). UN Emergency Relief Coordinator Martin Griffiths warned in a statement issued late on Thursday night that conditions in Dafur were particularly dire: babies dying in hospitals, children and mothers suffering from severe malnutrition, camps for displaced persons burned down and sexual violence on the rise.
• Escalating violence in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (UN news) has displaced nearly one million people since January, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) said on Thursday.
• Concern over Mali’s move to kick out UN peacekeepers (MSN). Mali’s decision to kick out the UN peacekeeping mission is eliciting concerns from regional and international powers over its implication on the security of the region.
• Israeli settlers attack Palestinian village after deadly Hamas strike (Reuters). Israeli settlers attacked Palestinian towns in the occupied West Bank overnight on Tuesday, torching buildings and cars in apparent retaliation for the killing by Hamas of four Israelis near a settlement the day before, residents and officials said.

Demonstrations

• Trucks Blocked at Balkan Border as Serbia-Kosovo Spat Escalates (YAHOO!News). Serbian truck drivers blocked roads at three main border crossings with Kosovo as escalating disputes between the Balkan neighbors stifle transport and trade.
• The French government is to shut down a climate protest group over a series of recent demonstrations citing risks to public safety (The Guardian), as the environmental activists called the decision “political and particularly worrying”.
• Thousands take to the streets in Colombia to protest leftist government’s reforms (AP News). Thousands of people marched in Colombia on Tuesday to voice their frustration with President Gustavo Petro’s government and its attempts to make sweeping changes to the nation’s health and pension systems, and its labor laws.

Events

• Mass gatherings – Hajj – Saudi Arabia – 2023 (ECDC).The annual Hajj pilgrimage, which usually attracts on average two million people, will take place between 26 June and 1 July in Saudi Arabia, allowing pilgrims from 12 years of age. Pilgrims are provided with a range of requirements and standard recommendations, including vaccination requirements for COVID-19, meningococcal infection, and depending on where they come from, poliomyelitis and Yellow fever. Returning travelers from the Hajj should seek medical attention immediately if they experience symptoms suggestive of any type of infection.
• The FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 is scheduled to take place across Australia and New Zealand in nine cities from July 20 through August 20, 2023. Review the U.S. Department of State FIFA Women’s World Cup Australia & New Zealand 2023 webpage for actions to take prior to travel. Read as well the New Zealand and the Australia country information pages for additional information on travel.

Natural Disasters

• Vietnam – Landslides (ERCC). On 17 June, six landslides triggered by heavy rainfall occurred in Bao Loc City (Lam Dong Province, southern Vietnam), resulting in casualties and damage.
• USA – Severe weather (ERCC). On 17-19 June multiple tornadoes, heavy rainfall and strong winds affected several States of the south-eastern USA, particularly the Mississippi State, that resulted in casualties and damage.
• France – Severe weather (ERCC). Heavy rainfall, strong wind, thunderstorms and heavy hailstorms have been affecting south-western France, in particular the Occitanie Region and central France, particularly the Centre-Val de Loire Region, over the last 24 hours, causing a number of severe weather-related incidents that have resulted in casualties and damage.
• Greece – Severe weather and floods (ERCC). On 17 June, heavy rainfall and strong winds affected several parts of Greece, causing floods, severe weather-related incidents and resulting in casualties and damage.
• Nepal – Landslides and floods, update (ERCC). The number of casualties is increasing across Koshi Province in eastern Nepal following widespread landslides and floods triggered by heavy rainfall.
• India – Extreme heatwave in North Eastern States  (ERCC). In the past three days, an extreme heatwave in the Indian states of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh has claimed the lives of almost 98 individuals. Bihar recorded 44 deaths, while Uttar Pradesh reported 54 deaths, mostly in the Balia district.
• Europe has been warming twice as fast as the global average since the 1980s it was revealed on Monday (UN News), according to a report issued by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and the European Union’s Copernicus Climate Change Service, with extreme weather causing excess deaths and economic disruption. Belgium, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Portugal, Spain, Switzerland and the United Kingdom had their warmest year on record last year and the summer in Europe was the hottest ever recorded.

Health

• Dengue and Chikungunya transmission (ECDC). In 2023, as of the first week of June, 214 317 cases and 281 deaths of Chikungunya virus disease have been reported and 2 162 214 cases and 974 deaths of dengue virus disease have been reported globally. The current likelihood of local transmission events of chikungunya and dengue viruses occurring in areas where the vector is present in mainland EU/EEA is high, as the environmental conditions are favourable for vector activity and virus replication. The likelihood is expected to increase to very high in coming weeks as temperatures continue to increase.

Humanitarian

• Sudan (ERCC). Two months after the start of the conflict in Sudan that has already displaced over 2.2 million people, the EU co-hosted – together with the United Nations, the African Union, Egypt, Germany, Qatar and Saudi Arabia – a high-level ministerial pledging event on 19 June to mobilise flexible financial resources for the humanitarian response in Sudan and neighbouring countries.
• Syria (ERCC). Humanitarian needs in Syria are now at an all-time high. Having dealt with the impact of conflict, displacement, a pandemic, epidemics, and last but not least, a devastating earthquake, 7 in 10 Syrians are in need of humanitarian assistance.
• Egypt (ERCC). Many refugees live in some of the poorest neighbourhoods of Egypt’s large cities. The country is also the main recipient of refugees fleeing Sudan since fierce fighting erupted in the country in April 2023. The continued influx of refugees and migrants coincides with Egypt’s worst economic recession in decades. Dramatic price increases for food and utilities are worsening living conditions for the most vulnerable population.
• Jordan (ERCC). Jordan hosts the third highest number of Syrian refugees in the world. Most refugees live in cities, while others reside in camps such as Azraq and Zaatari. Many refugees, especially those living outside the camps, resort to negative coping strategies such as debt, child labour and reduced food intake to cope with unemployment, illness, and difficult living conditions.
• Iraq (ERCC). Since the end of the conflict against the Islamic State in 2018, the humanitarian crisis in Iraq has evolved from an acute crisis to a protracted one. This conflict displaced 6 million people between 2014 and 2017. To date, some 180,000 people continue to reside in 25 remaining camps for internally displaced people in the Kurdistan region of Iraq. The lack of civil documentation is a major protection issue that hampers their access to services and hinders the return to their areas of origin.
• Lebanon (ERCC). Lebanon has struggled to deal with emergencies like the Beirut port blast, COVID-19,  and the cholera outbreak  in autumn 2022, which caused growing humanitarian needs in the country. People in Lebanon, including refugees, are experiencing high levels of poverty and food insecurity while having limited access to services. Lebanon is in the grip of a severe financial, economic and political crisis which has led to widespread poverty, collapsing public services, and community tensions. All population groups struggle to cover their basic needs, particularly in terms of food and health care.
• UN humanitarians issued an urgent appeal on Tuesday (UN News) to help millions of people in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) where chronic violence and displacement continue to fuel a dramatic hunger crisis.

Please note the publication date of this report and go to the direct sources linked for the most up-to-date information.  The information in this report may change without prior notice.

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