World News in Brief: Remembering Dr. David Nabarro, deadly shipwreck off Libya, verdict in peacekeeper’s killing

The British physician and champion for global public health died this past weekend at the age of 75. 

He was the World Health Organization’s (WHO) special envoy dealing with the COVID-19 crisis.

Legacy of service

“The Secretary-General pays tribute to Dr. Nabarro’s extraordinary legacy of service and reaffirms his commitment to advancing the principles he championed: solidarity, science and health for all,” UN Deputy Spokesperson Farhan Haq said on Tuesday in New York.

Dr. Nabarro was remembered as “a tireless advocate for global health, a leader who brought clarity, compassion and conviction to some of the world’s most complex health emergencies, from AIDS and malaria to avian influenza and the COVID-19 pandemic.”

He also served as the Special Representative of former Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on food security and nutrition and headed the UN High-Level Task Force on the Global Food Security Crisis. 

Also paying tribute was WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. He called Dr. Nabarro a “great champion of global health” whose work impacted so many lives across the world.

Libya: Migration agency offers support in the wake of deadly shipwreck

At least 18 migrants died following a shipwreck off the coast of Tobruk, Libya, this past weekend, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) reported on Tuesday.

Fifty people are still missing, and 10 survivors are accounted for so far.

“This latest tragedy is a stark reminder of the deadly risks people are forced to take in search of safety and opportunity,” IOM said in a statement.

The UN agency noted that “Libya remains a major transit point for migrants and refugees, many of whom face exploitation, abuse and life-threatening journeys.”

Meanwhile, IOM teams on the ground are coordinating with local partners to provide support where possible.

“We reiterate our call for enhanced regional cooperation to expand access to safe, regular and dignified migration pathways,” the statement concluded.

Lebanon: Verdict handed down in trial into 2022 killing of Irish peacekeeper 

The UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) has welcomed the conclusion of the trial into the killing of Irish peacekeeper Private Seán Rooney nearly three years ago.

Lebanon’s Permanent Military Court on Monday found six of the individuals charged with the killing guilty while another was acquitted, according to a statement from the mission.

“UNIFIL welcomes the conclusion of the trial process and the Government of Lebanon’s commitment to bring the perpetrators to justice,” it said.

Private Rooney, 24, was shot and killed on 14 December 2022 in an incident in Al-Aqbieh, just outside UNIFIL’s area of operations in south Lebanon. Three other “Blue Helmets” were injured.

Since the attack, UNIFIL has extended its full support to both Lebanese and Irish authorities with their respective judicial proceedings, the statement said.

The mission once again offered deepest condolences to Private Rooney’s family, friends and colleagues as well as the Government of Ireland.