News Links - June 29 - July 2, 2025

 

July 2 – Borrowers' forum launched, DRC rebel links to Rwanda, Gaza aid scandal, Venezuela declares Türk persona non grata, Iran cuts IAEA ties, are UN reform fears driven by decline of western exceptionalism?

Debt – At the Sevilla Financing for Development conference, a UN-backed Borrowers’ Forum debuted to give debtor nations joint negotiating power and technical support; civil-society groups say the consensus “Sevilla Agreement” still falls far short of systemic change.

Rwanda – A confidential UN sanctions-panel report obtained by Reuters says Kigali trains, arms, and directs M23 rebels in western DRC, deploying thousands of troops and air-defence systems to seize mineral-rich areas—accusations Rwanda rejects.

Gaza Aid – A UN Special Rapporteur’s study reported by the Palestine Chronicle links nearly 1,000 mostly Western firms to Israeli war crimes; 

Middle East Monitor brands oxycodone-laced flour handed out by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) “bioterrorism”; 

and a Common Dreams opinion piece accuses GHF of weaponizing aid to serve Christian Zionist ideology, with aid hubs functioning as lethal ambush sites under U.S. and Israeli control.

Gaza – Healthcare loss – The Guardian reports that Israeli airstrikes killed Dr Marwan al‑Sultan, a renowned cardiologist and hospital director, along with family members. He is the 70th healthcare worker killed over 50 days, dealing a “catastrophic” blow to Gaza’s decimated medical system. 

UN Reform – An IOL opinion argues that the West’s calls to sideline the UN are driven less by democratic ideals than by anxiety over the collapse of Western exceptionalism, as the Global South gains influence in shaping international governance.

Venezuela – Venezuela’s pro-government National Assembly declared UN Human Rights chief Volker Türk persona non grata, according to Reuters, after he condemned arbitrary detentions and rights violations—raising fears the Caracas office could be expelled again.

Iran – Iran’s president has enacted a law suspending cooperation with the IAEA, shutting out nuclear inspectors following Israeli and U.S. strikes on its nuclear facilities. The move risks triggering “snapback” sanctions under the 2015 deal, which Trump previously exited, as European leaders call the law a “disastrous signal.” Iran says cooperation could resume if its enrichment rights and nuclear scientist safety are guaranteed.

Gaza Witness – In a video interview with UNICEF UK Ambassador Jemima Khan, UNICEF spokesperson James Elder describes catastrophic conditions in Gaza: hospitals are failing, dehydration is rampant, and children have nowhere safe to go. He pleads for sustained humanitarian access, warning that inaction means more child deaths.

July 1 – Ford Foundation appoints new leader, settler attacks escalate in West Bank, calls to close GHF, child rights university network

Ford Foundation – Yale Law School dean Heather Gerken will become president of the Ford Foundation, succeeding Darren Walker. She pledged to defend democracy and equality, continuing the foundation’s focus on civic engagement and social justice.

West Bank – Israeli settlers attacked the Palestinian village of Kafr Malik, setting homes on fire and killing three Palestinians after Israeli forces opened fire. The UN reports a sharp rise in settler violence, with 220 Palestinians injured so far in 2025.

Gaza aid – Over 150 humanitarian groups have called for the shutdown of the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, accusing it of enabling Israeli attacks on civilians at aid sites. UN officials and MSF have called the system a “death trap.”

Development funding – At the UN aid summit in Seville, experts warned that governments must address the cracks in global development financing. The article calls for debt relief, climate funding, and a shift toward global public investment.

Gaza & MENA – UNICEF reports that every five seconds, a child in the Middle East or North Africa is displaced, injured, or killed, with 12.2 million children affected since 2023 due to conflict.

Italy – UNICEF Italy has called for an end to children living in prison with their mothers, urging investment in protected family homes to prevent childhood incarceration.

Academia4SBC – UNICEF launched a new network of 24 African universities to advance child rights through behavioral science, evidence generation, and localized policy solutions.

Online safety – NBIM and UNICEF have released a disclosure code for companies to report online risks to children, after finding that most firms fail to meaningfully address child-rights issues in digital environments.

June 30 – Afghan children return from Iran, child deaths in Darfur, and Sevilla conference

Afghan children - UNICEF reports that 5,000 unaccompanied Afghan children have returned from Iran to Afghanistan via the Islam Qala border this month, part of a broader wave of 150,000 returns in June. These children face heightened risks of exploitation and abuse, and UNICEF is providing vaccinations and protection services at reception centres.

Sudan toll  - at least 239 children have died since January in western Sudan—mostly in and around El Fasher—due to malnutrition and a lack of access to food and medicine. The Sudan Doctors Network has called for immediate humanitarian access and an end to the RSF siege of the area.

UN development - a once-in-a-decade UN Conference on Financing for Development began in Seville, Spain, with over 50 heads of state and 4,000 delegates attending. The conference aims to address massive funding gaps in hunger, climate, health, and poverty—made more urgent by the recent U.S. cuts to USAID programs.

June 29 — Gaza’s child malnutrition and civilian death toll rises; the DRC takes bold action on pediatric AIDS and peace with Rwanda; Denmark’s child welfare system comes under fire; and USAID cuts prove deadly in Sudan.

Gaza
According to UNICEF and Gaza health authorities, at least 66 children have starved to death due to malnutrition under Israel’s tightened siege, and over 5,000 children under five were admitted for acute malnutrition in May alone—prompting urgent calls to open aid corridors (Al Jazeera). Meanwhile, Israeli airstrikes killed 47 Palestinians, including children and aid-seekers, across Gaza in a single day, exacerbating fears for those rushing to aid sites (Al Jazeera live update).

Pediatric AIDS
The Democratic Republic of the Congo has launched a five-year, $18 million initiative to eliminate pediatric AIDS, focusing on political leadership, health systems strengthening, and inclusive access for children, adolescents, and pregnant women. It prioritizes early detection, prevention of new infections, immediate treatment, and removal of structural barriers. While 91% of adults with HIV receive treatment, only 44% of HIV‑positive children do—largely due to insufficient screening of pregnant women. UNAIDS called the effort a “beacon of hope” as global financing for basic services falters (UN News).

DRC-Rwanda
UN Secretary-General António Guterres welcomed the peace agreement signed in Washington between the DRC and Rwanda, calling it a hopeful step toward stability in the Great Lakes region. The deal commits both governments to disarm and disengage proxy forces, but dozens of militias remain active. A BBC report highlights challenges in enforcing the ceasefire, protecting mineral-rich territories, managing U.S. access to resources, and ensuring Rwanda’s troops fully withdraw.

Denmark
Keira Alexandra Kronvold, a Greenlandic mother living in Denmark, lost custody of her newborn hours after birth due to a “parenting competency” test widely criticized for cultural bias and discrimination against Greenlandic women. Despite a new 2025 law banning such assessments for Greenlandic families, she was denied a translator and now sees her child for just one hour a week. The case has ignited protests and renewed demands for culturally sensitive child welfare practices.

Sudan
Disastrous cuts to USAID funding under the Trump-Musk “foreign aid freeze” have had fatal consequences in Sudan, where doctors say clinics ran out of antibiotics, nutritional supplements like Plumpy’Nut, and cholera supplies. The WHO warns that five million Sudanese may lose access to health services. Aid workers report that closures of soup kitchens and disrupted medical programs led to preventable deaths—especially among children—before partial funding was restored. A related report highlights how U.S. foreign aid freezes are compounding humanitarian collapse in both Gaza and Sudan.