Source: United Nations (video statements)
Noon Briefing by Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesperson for the Secretary-General.
Highlights:
– Ukraine/Russia
– security council
– Deputy Secretary-General/Azerbaijan
– Ebola
– MONUSCO
– Lebanon/Humanitarian
– UNIFIL
– Occupied Palestinian Territory
– Bangladesh
– Afghanistan
– Nigeria
– Cuba
– Colombia
– Biological Biodiversity
– International Days
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UKRAINE/RUSSIA
We are following with concern the reports of the overnight attack on
college building and dormitory in the town of Starobilsk in the Luhansk
region of Ukraine, under temporary occupation by the Russian Federation,
resulting in multiple deaths and persons injured, including children.
We strongly condemn any attacks against civilians and civilian
infrastructure, wherever they occur. As the Secretary-General has
repeatedly underscored, such attacks are prohibited under international
humanitarian law and must end immediately. We urge all concerned to
refrain from any actions that would further escalate the already dangerous
situation.
SECURITY COUNCIL
This afternoon, the Security Council is scheduled to meet on Ukraine, at the
request of the Russian Federation. Edem Wosornu, the Director of the Crisis Response Division, together with the Special Representative for Children and Armed Conflict, Vanessa
Frazier. And this morning, the Security Council heard a briefing on Libya by the
ICC. ICC Deputy Prosecutor Nazhat Shameem Khan briefed via VTC.
DEPUTY SECRETARY-GENERAL/AZERBAIJAN
The Deputy Secretary-General, Amina Mohammed, participated today in the
closing ceremony of the 13th session of the World Urban Forum in Baku.
She stressed that the next decade of the New Urban Agenda demands
greater ambition, increased climate resilience and faster execution.
Ms. Mohammed also joined a discussion entitled “the Women’s Roundtable
on Adequate Housing for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of
Women.” In her remarks, she underscored the need to place women and
girls at the heart of housing and urban development, and to ensure that this
is reflected in discussions and outcomes across the World Urban Forum.
Later in the day the Deputy Secretary-General visited Azerbaijan’s
“ASAN Khidmat”, a network of one-stop, citizen-friendly service hubs that
bring multiple government services together under one roof. The concept
has received international recognition and serves as an inspiring model for
other countries. This evening, the Deputy Secretary-General will be travelling to the United Arab Emirates to meet with senior government officials.
EBOLA
Today, Tom Fletcher, the Emergency Relief Coordinator, has allocated up to
$60 million from the Central Emergency Response Fund to accelerate the
response to the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
and the wider region. A first tranche of $10 million has
just been released for the DRC.
The humanitarian community is fully mobilized, he said, with the
World Heath Organization (WHO) leading the response on our side. Mr.
Fletcher said we are applying lessons from previous
outbreaks: containment depends on fast, coordinated action at the
community level. More staff from key UN agencies and partners are
deploying this weekend to reinforce the effort.
Full Highlight:
https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/noon-briefing-highlight?date=2026-05-22