World News in Brief: Aid convoy attacked in South Sudan, Ebola threatens livelihoods, UN deplores death penalty

This article is published in association with United Nations.

Five humanitarian workers have been killed after a clearly marked aid convoy was ambushed in Jonglei State, South Sudan.

The convoy, operated by the John Dau Foundation, was transporting humanitarian staff returning from an Action Against Hunger training exercise when it came under attack on Monday along the route between Payuel Payam and Pajut, in Duk county.

Four others were injured, and several civilians were also reportedly killed or wounded.

“Humanitarian workers dedicate their lives to saving others and reaching people in desperate need. They must never be a target,” said UN Humanitarian Coordinator Ramanathan Balakrishnan, who called for a prompt, impartial investigation and for those responsible to be brought to justice

Growing dangers

The killings bring the number of humanitarian workers and contractors killed in South Sudan this year to 29, underscoring the growing dangers facing them while delivering lifesaving assistance.

UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric described the attack as “unacceptable” and called for a prompt investigation to ensure those responsible are held accountable.

The attack comes as the UN peacekeeping mission, UNMISS, warned of worsening violence across the country.

More than 760 civilians were killed between January and March, an 89 per cent increase from the previous quarter, while conflict-related sexual violence also rose sharply, according to a report released by the UN Mission on Tuesday.

UNMISS chief Anita Kiki Gbeho urged all parties to uphold their obligations under international humanitarian and human rights law.

DR Congo: Ebola outbreak threatens over a million livelihoods

The Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) could push nearly one million more people into poverty, threatening jobs, livelihoods and economic stability across the region, the UN Development Programme (UNDP) warned on Tuesday.

The agency estimates the outbreak could put 300,000 jobs at risk and cost African economies up to $3.6 billion if the crisis spreads and broader regional shocks intensify.

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“We are seeing the impact in real time: jobs are disappearing, markets are slowing down and families are being pushed to the edge,” said UNDP Resident Representative Damien Mama.

“When people lose income and access to basic goods, they face impossible choices. In some cases, survival pressures lead them to break quarantine or isolation measures, increasing the risk of transmission.”

More than 1,400 confirmed cases of the Ebola Bundibugyo virus, including 350 deaths, have been reported in DRC and Uganda. More than 90 per cent of infections are concentrated in Ituri province, a key cross-border trading hub with Uganda.

Beyond a health emergency

The UN Spokesperson added that women are bearing a disproportionate share of the economic and health impacts while the crisis threatens to eliminate tens of thousands of jobs and disrupt education and healthcare services.

Even if the outbreak is contained, DRC alone could lose more than $1 billion and 55,000 jobs, according to UNDP. 

With six in 10 people already living below the poverty line, the agency is working with the Government and local communities to strengthen both the health response and economic recovery.

UN remains firmly opposed to death penalty

The UN continues its firm opposition to capital punishment in all circumstances, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk told the World Congress Against the Death Penalty in Paris on Tuesday.

“The death penalty is incompatible with human dignity and rights, including not only the right to life, but also to the right not to be subjected to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment,” Mr. Türk said.

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Hosted by the French organization Together Against the Death Penalty and sponsored by France, the congress is a triennial event that brings together global stakeholders opposed to capital punishment.

States frequently use the death penalty in a “capricious and discriminatory” manner by targeting political dissenters and disproportionately executing people from poor and marginalised communities, Mr. Türk said.

The High Commissioner noted that the death penalty has never been shown to deter crime. Instead, decades of criminological research show that it does not make communities safer.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres addressed the World Congress by video, calling the death penalty “an inhumane form of punishment” that “has no place in the 21st century”.

Alarming trends

The High Commissioner highlighted the fact that almost 90 per cent of States have put an end to executions in law or in practise.

However, he expressed concern that some countries have recently re-introduced the death penalty or expanded the scope of crimes where it may be imposed.

He specifically identified Israel, Burkina Faso, Iran and China as countries of special concern, either for their recent expansion of the death penalty or lack of transparency surrounding its application.

“I urge all States, everywhere, to join the overwhelming and principled global consensus that use of the death penalty must end everywhere for all offences,” Türk said.

He also encouraged pharmaceutical companies to ensure their products are not used to execute people.