Source: United Kingdom UK House of Lords (video statements)
Members quiz the government in an urgent question by Lord Sharpe of Epsom on reports that the UK’s proposed steel import restrictions may jeopardise the implementation of the UK-India Free Trade Agreement and steps to protect British exporters, consumers, investment, and the benefits secured under that agreement.
Learn more about private notice questions https://www.parliament.uk/site-information/glossary/private-notice-question/
Catch-up on House of Lords business:
Watch live events: https://parliamentlive.tv/Lords
Read the latest news: https://www.parliament.uk/lords/
Stay up to date with the House of Lords on social media:
Secretary-General António Guterres said, “the United Nations development system today is more coherent, more accountable and more closely aligned with national priorities than it has ever been before,” however, it is “increasingly under-resourced.”
The UN chief spoke at the opening of the ECOSOC Operational Activities for Development Segment in New York.
Guterres highlighted four areas where action is essential to ensure the UN can deliver with the scale and urgency needed.
First is more effective alignment with country and regional priorities, he said, reiterating “we must ensure that Resident Coordinators can optimally lead Country Teams in fast-evolving contexts and apply the full extent of the UN development system’s support on key issues, including climate change.”
Guterres continued, “We are also assessing potential mergers — between UNDP and UNOPS, and UNFPA and UN Women — to strengthen our ability to advance sustainable development and gender equality, while advocating for the rights of women, girls and youth.”
“At every step, we will respect mandates, consult with Member States and ensure that reforms do not affect ongoing UN operations,” the Secretary-General said.
Second, on continuing the next phase of reform under the UN80 initiative, Guterres said the Initiative contains key proposals to identify efficiencies and ensure a greater share of resources — human and financial — are allocated for development results. He noted joint knowledge hubs to streamline knowledge in priority areas; an expertise-on-demand mechanism for countries to access specialized UN capacity; a unified service roadmap to expand shared services; and a technology accelerator platform and a system-wide data commons so countries can access the tools and information they need.
On funding, the Secretary-General emphasized the need for “more stable, predictable and flexible funding.”
He urged Member States to “reach the 30 per cent core funding target called for by the Funding Compact, and help equip the system to deliver and succeed.”
And fourth, in the final years towards 2030, the Secretary-General urged Member States to continue the push to achieve the SDGs.
He said, “in the context of today’s out-of-control military spending, countries need to reprioritize, and spend more on the instruments of peace and development and less on the instruments of destruction and death.”
The UN chief renewed his call to Member States to support UN’s efforts to “reform the global financial architecture and deliver meaningful debt relief to countries swamped by debt.”
The Operational Activities for Development Segment (OAS) is held from 1 to 3 June 2026.
The Segment meets annually to provide overall coordination and guidance to the governing bodies of the United Nations development system. It reinforces the linkages between policy and operational functions while continuing to focus on improving the overall impact of operational activities for development of the United Nations system in support of issues relating to national development priorities.
Briefing by Kayoko Gotoh, Officer-in-Charge of Europe, Central Asia and Americas Division, Departments of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs and Peace Operations, on threats to International Peace and Security
Press conference by Ambassador Leonor Zalabata, Permanent Representative of Colombia to the United Nations, and President of the Security Council for the month of June,on the programme of work of the Security Council in June 2026.
War in the Middle East, soaring energy prices and upside risks to inflation are clouding the financial stability outlook for the euro area.
How resilient are banks and markets? Are investors underestimating geopolitical risks? And how exposed is the financial system to stretched asset valuations? In this episode of Euro Matters, Paul Gordon speaks with John Fell about these questions and more.
The views expressed are those of the speakers and not necessarily those of the European Central Bank.
Further reading
Financial Stability review at a glance
https://www.ecb.europa.eu/press/financial-stability-publications/fsr/html/index.en.html
Financial Stability Review, May 2026
https://www.ecb.europa.eu/press/financial-stability-publications/fsr/html/ecb.fsr202605~50566915a7.en.html
Informal comments to the media by Oana-Silvia Țoiu, Foreign Minister of Romania, after of a Security Council meeting on Threats to international peace and security.
Remarks to the media by Oana-Silvia Țoiu, Foreign Minister of Romania, ahead of a Security Council meeting on threats to international peace and security.
