World News in Brief: Nobody wins trade wars Guterres warns, WFP alert over US funding cuts, ‘modern slavery’ must be eradicated says Yang

António Guterres was responding to a journalist at the stakeout in UN Headquarters in New York, who asked him for reaction to the recent decision by United States President Donald Trump to impose a minimum ten per cent tariff on nearly every country in the world.

Tariffs are a tax on imports coming into a country which are usually charged to the exporting nation as a percentage of value.

Concern for vulnerable developing economies

“Trade wars are extremely negative,” the UN chief said, adding that he was “particularly worried” at the impact rising tariffs could have on vulnerable developing countries, warning that it could be “devastating”.

“I sincerely hope that we will have no recession, because a recession will have dramatic consequences, especially for the poorest people in the world,” the UN chief added.

US funding cuts spell ‘death sentence’ for millions, food agency warns

The World Food Programme (WFP) has voiced deep concern over news that the United States has ended funding for life-saving emergency food assistance in 14 countries.

“If implemented, this could amount to a death sentence for millions of people facing extreme hunger and starvation,” the UN agency said in a post on the social media platform X on Monday.

WFP Executive Director Cindy McCain warned in a separate post that continued cuts to its programmes “will deepen hunger, fuel instability, and make the world far less safe.”

She urged world leaders “to weigh the consequences,” noting that “with conflicts and extreme hunger surging, pulling support doesn’t just cost lives – it undermines global stability.”

WFP are in contact with Washington to seek clarification and to urge continued support for the programmes.

Refugees at risk

Among the millions who will be affected are refugees living in Uganda, who total some 1.8 million.

On average, between 10,000 to 12,000 refugees have entered the country every month since 2022, according to the UN refugee agency, UNHCR.

This is putting a strain on resources amid ongoing funding cuts that have forced the agency to prioritize areas such as healthcare and screening at reception centres.

"The budget that has been set aside to spend for the entire year is being used up now because of the influx,” Matthew Crentsil, UNHCR Representative in Uganda, told journalists in Geneva on Tuesday.

“I don't want to even mention the shortage that WFP is experiencing in providing food,” he said, speaking from the capital, Kampala.

“There is no assurance of funding for WFP to provide food for refugees in Uganda beyond June of this year, so this is all exacerbating the already precarious situation that we have here in Uganda.”

‘Urgent need to eradicate modern slavery and human trafficking’: Assembly President

An estimated 50 million people currently live in modern slavery, while a third of human trafficking victims are now children, said President of the UN General Assembly Philemon Yang on Tuesday.

Welcoming the publication of the latest Global Commission on Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking report, Mr. Yang urged Member States to “strengthen measures that combat modern slavery and trafficking in persons.”

“Modern slavery and human trafficking are violations of fundamental human rights,” Mr. Yang said, adding that the “Universal Declaration of Human Rights was clear in prohibiting slavery and the slave trade in all their forms.”

Plan of action

In order to put an end to these violations he said it was important to tackle the root causes the make people vulnerable to being trafficked or enslaved in the first place.

The implementation of a UN Global Plan of Action, adopted by the General Assembly in 2010 to complement the UN Trafficking Protocol, is set to be reviewed by Member States later this year. New goals to combat trafficking in persons will be set during the review.

Mr. Yang encouraged Member States to enact “policies that are trauma-informed and survivor centred,” and added that such policies should “promote inclusive growth and provide [survivors with] equal access to healthcare, education, skills training and job.”

There is an urgent need to eradicate modern slavery and human trafficking, he warned.