United NationsLaw of the Sea, Ukraine, Pakistan & other topics - Daily Press Briefing (8 March 2023)

Briefing by Stephane Dujarric, Spokesperson for the Secretary-General.
- Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Commission on the Status of Women
- Least Developed Countries
- Law Of The Sea
- Security Council
- Ukraine
- Syria/ Türkiye
- Vanuatu
- Pakistan
- Briefings Tomorrow
LAW OF THE SEA
The Secretary-General commended delegates at the intergovernmental conference that finalised a text to ensure the conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity of areas beyond national jurisdiction.
This breakthrough – which covers nearly two-thirds of the ocean -- marks the culmination of nearly two decades of work and builds on the legacy of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea.
This action is a victory for multilateralism and for global efforts to counter the destructive trends facing ocean health, now and for generations to come.
UKRAINE
Turning to Ukraine. Our humanitarian colleagues on the ground tell us that the security situation in the front-line town of Bakhmut in the eastern Donetsk region has deteriorated significantly in recent days. Intense shelling is compounding an already precarious humanitarian situation. Access to the town remains limited, with a significant decrease in the number of volunteer groups still operating there.
Local authorities have reported to us at least eight civilian casualties in the last 48 hours. This includes one woman who was killed and two men who were seriously injured trying to cross a makeshift bridge out of Bakhmut.
Local volunteers continue to assist as many as 4,500 civilians living in the town, out of a pre-war population of about 73,000 people.
Just to recap that in February, we sent six inter-agency convoys to the Donetsk region, carrying food, water, and winter and shelter materials for over 77,000 people.
Also, on March 2nd, there was a deadly attack on a residential building in the city of Zaporizhzhia. Our humanitarian colleagues on the ground say that 13 deaths, including an eight-month-old child, have been confirmed as of today. Two are still missing.
Denise Brown, the Humanitarian Coordinator for Ukraine, met local authorities at the site yesterday. She stressed that civilian infrastructure are protected by international humanitarian law and should never be targeted.
Our humanitarian partners have provided emergency supplies, including food, clothing, bedding, hygiene kits, psychosocial support as well as cash assistance.
PAKISTAN
Six months after devastating floods that hit Pakistan, our UN team and partners have reached more than seven million people with food and other essential services as part of the Government-led flood response. We are also supporting authorities to help communities recover, restore their livelihoods, and prepare for the next monsoon season in a few months. However, only 30 per cent of the Floods Response Plan has been funded, and rates of child malnutrition remain of particular concern. 
The UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and partners have reached more than one million children and close to 850,000 mothers with lifesaving nutrition interventions that have helped avert a significant number of deaths. However, only one-third of the child nutrition response is funded, leaving 12 million children suffering from - being at risk of stunting.
For its part, the World Health Organization (WHO) has reached more than three million people with health services. And FAO has provided food security and agriculture assistance to seven million, although four million people are still at risk.