Source: United Nations (video statements)
Noon Briefing by Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesperson for the Secretary-General.
Highlights:
Secretary-General/Travel
Secretary-General/International Energy Agency
Occupied Palestinian Territory
Libya
Sudan
Financial Contribution
SECRETARY-GENERAL/TRAVEL
The Secretary-General has arrived in New Delhi, and he has just started his programme of activities there.
In the evening, he attended a dinner organized by the Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, for the high-level participants of the AI Impact Summit.
Tomorrow morning, Mr. Guterres will take part in the Summit’s opening ceremony, which will be followed by a plenary with Heads of State and Government. In his remarks to the AI Summit, he will say that meeting in India brings this conversation closer to the realities shaping much of the world, because the future of AI cannot be decided by a handful of countries or left to the whims of a few billionaires. He will call for AI to be accessible to everyone, to benefit everyone and to be safe for everyone.
We have shared these remarks under embargo – and we will issue them as soon as they are delivered.
Throughout the day, the Secretary-General will hold bilateral meetings with leaders and ministers attending the summit. He will also meet with our UN colleagues based in India.
SECRETARY-GENERAL/INTERNATIONAL ENERGY AGENCY
This morning, the Secretary-General addressed via a video message the International Energy Agency Ministerial Meeting, which is taking place in Paris. He noted that we have entered the age of clean energy, and renewables are now the cheapest, fastest and safest source of new electricity almost everywhere.
The Secretary-General highlighted that those who lead this transition will lead the global economy of the future. Yet, he said, some fossil fuel interests remain hell-bent on slowing progress, spreading disinformation; pretending that a transition is unrealistic or unaffordable.
The Secretary-General noted that the world’s addiction to fossil fuels is one of the greatest threats to global stability and prosperity. He stressed that we must stop treating the transition away from fossil fuels as taboo, and that delay will only breed instability.
The Secretary-General called for a dedicated global platform to deliver a fair, orderly, affordable transition plan away from fossil fuels aligned with 1.5 degrees objectives.
OCCUPIED PALESTINIAN TERRITORY
Turning to Gaza, our humanitarian colleagues report that families across Gaza are marking the first day of Ramadan today in harsh conditions – in unsafe shelters or out in the open, and with limited access to essential goods and services.
At the Rafah crossing, conditions for passengers remain inadequate, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs tells us.
The UN and our humanitarian partners have visited the re-opened crossing and have noted gaps in basic facilities, including limited availability of latrines and handwashing stations, raising concerns for hygiene at the collection points. People are experiencing prolonged waiting periods, often in areas with limited shade, with insufficient seating and a lack of wheelchairs. The condition of the access road to and from Rafah is also of concern, particularly for patients being medically evacuated.
Full Highlights: https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/noon-briefing-highlight?date=2026-02-18