Source: United Nations (video statements)
[There was an audio issue in the beginning, we apologize for any inconvenience.]
Noon briefing by Farhan Haq, Deputy Spokesperson for the Secretary-General.
Highlights:
– Secretary-General / BRICS Summit
– Deputy Secretary-General / Nigeria
– Yemen
– Djibouti
– Occupied Palestinian Territory
– Lebanon
– Sudan
– Ukraine
– International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)
– Third Review Conference Of The States Parties To The Convention On Cluster Munitions
– Artificial Intelligence / Human Rights
– Financial Contribution
– Briefing And Guests
SECRETARY-GENERAL / BRICS SUMMIT
The Secretary-General will be arriving today in New York, after leaving the BRICS summit in New Delhi late Sunday.
The Secretary-General told the 18th BRICS Summit yesterday that global institutions must be reshaped to reflect today’s economic, demographic and geopolitical realities, as the world moves irreversibly towards multipolarity.
He called for reform of the United Nations Security Council, the Bretton Woods system and the international financial architecture, and he urged greater influence for developing countries, stronger multilateral development banks, expanded concessional financing and effective debt relief. “Our institutional structures must reflect” the realities of today, he said, stressing that a more representative multilateral system is essential to inclusive global growth.
The Secretary-General also called for equitable access to artificial intelligence, accelerated climate action and renewed respect for international law amid conflicts from Gaza and the wider Middle East to Ukraine and Sudan.
On climate, he pressed countries to speed the transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy, scale up finance for developing nations and protect communities from worsening impacts, adding that critical minerals must generate value and jobs in producing countries, and saying, “Enough plundering.”
On Friday evening, upon his arrival in India, the Secretary-General had a bilateral meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in which they discussed the priorities of India’s presidency of the BRICS, including the need for multilateral institutions that clearly reflect the realities of the world in the 21st century.
On Saturday, the Secretary-General met with President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi of Egypt.
The Secretary-General and President Sisi discussed global developments, including the situation in the broader Middle East and Ukraine, and their global impact. The Secretary-General and the President discussed in detail the situation in Gaza and in the West Bank and reaffirmed the right of self-determination of the Palestinian people.
At the summit, the Secretary-General also spoke with President Prabowo Subianto of Indonesia, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim of Malaysia and the President of the International Solar Alliance, Ashish Khanna.
DEPUTY SECRETARY-GENERAL / NIGERIA
The Deputy Secretary-General, Amina J. Mohammed, concluded a trip to Nigeria which included visits to Ogun and Imo States, where she commended both governments for advancing inclusive development, women’s empowerment, healthcare, youth innovation and digital transformation aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals.
Accompanied by some Country Team members, she met former President Olusegun Obasanjo, as well as the Governors of both states.
In Ogun State, she engaged with beneficiaries of the World Bank-supported Nigeria for Women Programme, while in Imo State she met young innovators developing technology solutions such as AI applications, drones, e-commerce platforms and e-governance tools.
On Sunday, she travelled to Lagos for an Africa-Diaspora Leadership Programme, before heading to South Africa for a meeting of the Africa Expert Panel, focused on advancing Africa’s development priorities and strengthening the continent’s voice in the global economic system.
She will return to New York tomorrow.
Full Highlights: https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/noon-briefing-highlight?date=2026-09-14