According to OCHA, rainfall since Saturday has led to significant flooding in parts of Idleb and northern Latakia, affecting approximately 1,800 tents and destroying at least 150 in camps for displaced families. A local hospital had to halt operations, evacuating patients and deploying mobile medical teams. Authorities have set up shelters and prepared additional housing for families in need. Humanitarian partners are moving displaced families, repairing shelters, and providing emergency aid, including food and non-food items. Meanwhile, a Syrian Arab Red Crescent staff member died and five others were injured in a vehicle accident while assisting flood-affected communities. Despite a decrease in fighting in Aleppo, Al-Hasakeh, and Ar-Raqqa, nearly 160,000 people remained displaced as of February 3. Humanitarian access has improved, but challenges such as electricity outages, limited food supplies, and school suspensions persist.
In Cuba, the UN is urgently seeking funds to support humanitarian operations as fuel shortages, following the suspension of supplies from Venezuela, disrupt essential services and recovery efforts post-Hurricane Melissa. UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric noted the impact of fuel shortages on services such as clean water and medical care. The UN’s Plan of Action, launched in November 2025, aims to aid recovery and restore services, requiring $74 million but is only 23% funded.
An international effort to end child labour will begin this week in Morocco. The Global Conference on the Elimination of Child Labour, led by the ILO, brings together various stakeholders to address the crisis affecting 138 million children globally. ILO Director-General Gilbert Houngbo emphasized the link between decent work and child protection, noting, “Children belong in school, not in labour.” Despite progress, the goal to eliminate child labour by 2025 was missed, with agriculture being the largest sector for child labour.
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