Author: MIL-OSI Publisher

Source: United Nations (video statements)

In 1987, the United Nations officially marked a massive milestone: the global population hitting 5 billion people. UN Secretary-General Javier Pérez de Cuéllar traveled to Zagreb to meet the symbolic five-billionth baby. UN officials said this milestone was less of a celebration and more of a time to reflect on what must be done to support the future of humanity.

As of 2026, the world’s population has climbed past 8 billion people. This classic archival footage features Dr. Nafis Sadik presenting the Secretary-General with a global population clock, highlighting a historic demographic shift that changed our planet forever.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cy-ooKdrSXY

Source: United Nations (video statements)

“In the past week alone, three massive waves of Russian aerial strikes targeted Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities, further raising the alarming civilian death toll and widening the destruction,” UN political chief Rosemary DiCarlo told the Security Council.

Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs DiCarlo briefed the Security Council (9 Jul) on the situation in Ukraine, warning that recent attacks had left a “devastating” toll on civilians.

“These attacks show a clear pattern. They targeted urban centers with large civilian populations and destroyed or severely damaged residential buildings, with devastating consequences for the people living there. We condemn these attacks in the strongest terms,” she said.

DiCarlo noted that Ukraine had also continued drone attacks inside the Russian Federation, targeting oil, industrial and military infrastructure. “Some of these attacks have reportedly resulted in civilian casualties and damage to civilian, including residential, infrastructure,” she said.

She told Council members that since the start of the Russian Federation’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the UN Human Rights Office had verified that at least 16,402 civilians, including 802 children, had been killed in Ukraine, while 548,428 civilians, including 2,948 children, had been injured.

“Russian authorities have reported that 250 civilians were killed and 1,596 injured in the Russian Federation in the first six months of 2026. The United Nations is not in a position to verify these reports,” she added.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nF6jQWQcKK0

Source: United Nations (video statements)

Noon briefing by Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesperson for the Secretary-General.

Highlights:
– Commemoration of Genocide in Srebrenica
– Civil Society Special Event on UN80 Initiative
– DOS
– Lebanon/Israel
– Occupied Palestinian Territory
– Sudan
– Sudan/Personal Envoy
– Ebola
– Uganda
– Democratic Republic of the Congo
– Venezuela
– Security Council
– Haiti

COMMEMORATION OF GENOCIDE IN SREBRENICA

This morning in the General Assembly, Courteney Rattray, the Secretary-General’s Chef de Cabinet, delivered an address on behalf of the Secretary-General at the observance of the International Day of Reflection and Commemoration of the 1995 Genocide in Srebrenica.

The day, as you know, honours the over 8,000 Bosnian Muslim men and boys, many who had sought refuge in a UN compound, who were killed during the genocide in 1995, as well as the thousands of women, children and older persons who were forcibly displaced.

The Secretary-General called on Member States to pursue accountability for the atrocities in Srebrenica and to take action against genocide and its warning signs, including the rise in hate speech that is fuelling discrimination, division and extremism globally.

And as a reminder, the International Day itself is marked on 11 July, which is Saturday. Our UN team in Bosnia and Herzegovina will participate in those events.

CIVIL SOCIETY SPECIAL EVENT ON UN80 INITIATIVE

This afternoon, the Secretary-General will deliver remarks at a civil society special event on the UN80 initiative.

In his remarks, he is expected to tell participants that UN80 is vital to our ability to succeed in an age of profound instability. The challenges we face are complex, but they point to a simple truth: and that is that the United Nations can only deliver on its promise if we dare to evolve.

The Secretary-General will also highlight that UN80 will only succeed if it strengthens our ability to deliver on the Sustainable Development Goals, implement the Pact for the Future and work in partnership with civil society.

DOS

The Under-Secretary-General for Operational Support, Atul Khare, will be heading to Tokyo from 13 to 17 July, then Seoul from 20 to 21 July, and Beijing from 22 to 24 July. During the visit, he will meet with senior government officials to discuss operational support priorities for United Nations field missions, including capacity-building for troop- and police-contributing countries through the Triangular Partnership Programme, support for uniformed peacekeepers, mission transitions and UN80-related reforms and initiatives.

Full Highlights: https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/noon-briefing-highlight?date=2026-07-09

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1rdzdNhFXVI