Source: United Nations (video statements)
UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric told reporters in New York ‘We urge all actors to exercise maximum restraint and to avoid any further escalation, and remind the parties that civilians and civilian areas must not be targeted’ following a deadly Israeli airstrike on a residential area in southern Beirut on Sunday.
Source: United Nations (video statements)
Secretary-General António Guterres is in Angola, and today he addressed the 7th Annual African Union – European Union Summit, which is taking place in Luanda. He underscored that the AU and EU have the power to uphold the Charter, broker agreements, and steer the world towards a more stable, more inclusive reality – where international law prevails and injustices and inequalities are progressively eliminated.
Source: United Nations (video statements)
Noon Briefing by Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesperson for the Secretary-General.
Highlights:
– Secretary-General/Angola
– Secretary-General/COP30
– Secretary-General/G20
– Security Council
– Lebanon
– Occupied Palestinian Territory
– Ukraine
– Central African Republic
– Sudan
– South Sudan
– Democratic Republic of the Congo
– Trafficking in Persons
– Jamaica
– World Conjoined Twins Day
– Guests Tomorrow
– Financial Contribution
SECRETARY-GENERAL/ANGOLA
And today, in an official visit to Angola, the Secretary-General addressed the 7th Annual African Union – European Union Summit, which is taking place in the capital Luanda. He pointed out that that right now, the world is changing at a radical rate. He noted that technology barrels ahead, climate chaos reigns, and inequalities deepen.
The Secretary-General said that we are moving towards a multipolar world, with global power in flux. Against the risks of division of the world into two blocs, led by two big powers, he stressed that we need an interconnected multipolarity, with an inclusive network of intense relations on trade, development, financial institutions, and with increasing political coordination.
The Secretary-General said that together, the AU and the EU make up 40 per cent of UN Member States.
He underscored that the AU and EU have the power to uphold the Charter, broker agreements, and steer the world towards a more stable, more inclusive reality – where international law prevails and injustices and inequalities are progressively eliminated.
Today, he also spoke at a National Assembly Special Session held to hear an address by the Secretary-General. Speaking to the media afterwards, he emphasized that we need a profound reform of the global financial architecture that reflects today’s world, that provides accessible and predictable financing rather than penalizing the victims of crises they did not cause. He added that we also need to give African countries their rightful place in every international institution, including financial institutions and the United Nations Security Council.
Also this morning, the Secretary-General met the President of the Republic of Angola, João Manuel Gonçalves Lourenço.
SECRETARY-GENERAL/COP30
As you have seen, COP30 closed this weekend in Belém, Brazil, with the Parties reaching an agreement.
In a statement, the Secretary-General said that the COP agreement shows that multilateralism is alive, and that nations can still come together to confront the defining challenges no country can solve alone.
The Secretary-General noted that COP30 has delivered progress – including a call to triple adaptation finance by 2035 as a first step towards closing the adaptation gap, a Just Transition Mechanism, a new dialogue aimed at enhancing international cooperation on trade and the recognition that we are now heading for a temporary overshoot above 1.5 degrees Celsius. He also mentioned the launch of a Global Implementation Accelerator and a recognition to take forward the outcomes of the UAE Consensus, which includes a just, orderly, and equitable transition away from fossil fuels.
But COPs are consensus-based, the Secretary-General said, and in a period of geopolitical divides, consensus is ever harder to reach. He added that he cannot pretend that COP30 has delivered everything that is needed.
The Secretary-General pointed out that the gap between where we are and what science demands remains dangerously wide, and he understands many may feel disappointed, especially young people, Indigenous Peoples and those living through climate chaos. He said that COP30 is over, but our work is not, and he will continue pushing for higher ambition and greater solidarity.
To all those who marched, negotiated, advised, reported and mobilized, the Secretary-General said, do not give up. He told them: History is on your side, and so is the United Nations.
Full Highlights: https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/noon-briefing-highlight?date=2025-11-24
Source: United Kingdom UK Parliament (video statements)
The Petitions Committee has scheduled a debate relating humanitarian obligations and Gaza.
Irene Campbell MP has been asked by the Committee to open the debate. The Government will send a Minister to respond.
Read the petition:
https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/700682
Find petitions you agree with, and sign them: https://petition.parliament.uk/
What are petition debates?
Petition debates are ‘general’ debates which allow MPs from all parties to discuss the important issues raised by one or more petitions, and put their concerns to Government Ministers.
Petition debates don’t end with a vote to implement the request of a petition. This means that MPs will not vote on the issues raised in the petition at the end of the debate.
The Petitions Committee can only schedule debates on petitions to parliament started on petition.parliament.uk
Find out more about how petition debates work: https://committees.parliament.uk/committee/326/petitions-committee/content/194347/how-petitions-debates-work/
Stay up-to-date
Follow the Committee on Twitter for real-time updates on its work: https://www.twitter.com/hocpetitions
Thumbnail image ©UK Parliament / Jessica Taylor
Source: United Nations (video statements)
Joint statement delivered by Ambassador Cha Jihoon, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Korea to the United Nations, on Strengthening International Cooperation to Address Trafficking in Persons associated with Emerging Technologies.
Source: United Nations (video statements)
Media Stakeout by Danny Danon, Permanent Representative of Israel to the United Nations, on the Middle East.
Source: United Kingdom UK Parliament (video statements)
The CMS Committee are holding an evidence session with members of the BBC’s editorial guidelines and standards committee – BBC Chair Samir Shah and BBC board members Robbie Gibb and Caroline Thomson.
They will also hear from former editorial standards advisors Michael Prescott and Caroline Daniel.
The session will focus on the BBC EGS committee’s processes and how it ensures output complies with the BBC’s editorial guidelines.
Source: European Commission (video statements)
‘Scaling up Renewables in Africa’ pledging event secured €15.5 billion to boost renewable power generation and access across the continent.
The campaign also secured new commitments that will add 26.8 GW generated renewable energy and bring renewable electricity to 17.5 million households that currently lack reliable access.
Source: Republic of South Africa (video statements)
Study visit to GCIS by South Sudanese delegation
Source: Republic of South Africa (video statements)
Study Visit to GCIS by the delegation from South Sudan
