Category: MIL-OSI

Source: United Nations (video statements)

Nelson Mandela International Day on 18th July commemorates Mandela’s birthday and his lifetime of service to humanity. This year’s theme reminds us that it is still in our hands to combat poverty and inequality.

More information:
https://www.un.org/en/exhibits/page/building-legacy-nelson-mandela

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6pOerd0a4IQ

Source: United Nations (video statements)

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

Highlights:

High-Level Political Forum
Iran
Passing of the Former Emir of Qatar
Yemen
UNIFIL
Occupied Palestinian Territory
El Niño
Venezuela
Ukraine
Afghanistan
The Global Higher Education Symposium II
Briefings Tomorrow

HIGH-LEVEL POLITICAL FORUM

This morning, the Secretary-General spoke at the Opening of the Ministerial Segment of the High-Level Political Forum. He told the Member States that we have made important progress on the 2030 Agenda for the Sustainable Development Goals. He pointed to lower child and maternal mortality; greater access to social protection, safe drinking water, sanitation, electricity and the internet; faster declines in harmful practices like child marriage; and exponential growth in renewable energy.

But Mr. Guterres warned that our journey has faced some major setbacks in recent years, and we’re now entering the toughest stretch of our journey. He said that the world is now far from meeting SDG 6, with about 2.2 billion people still lacking safely-managed drinking water, and 3.5 billion lacking safely-managed sanitation.

The Secretary-General added that artificial intelligence must reduce inequalities and mitigate the environmental impacts, and not multiply them.

And, lastly, the Secretary-General said that we need urgent action to close the SDG financing gap, which now stands at over $4 trillion annually.

IRAN

In a statement issued yesterday, the Secretary-General expressed his deep concern at the serious escalation and renewed military confrontations in the Gulf region, including the Iranian attacks on ships in the Strait of Hormuz, the attacks by the United States on Iran, and the attacks by Iran on targets in neighbouring countries. These attacks must all stop, he said.

Mr. Guterres calls on all parties to exercise maximum restraint, avoid further escalatory action and take immediate steps to, in fact, de-escalate. 

The Secretary-General reiterates that a return to full-scale hostilities would have catastrophic consequences, for the peoples of the region, for international peace and security, and for the global economy. He further reaffirms the need for the restoration of the full freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.

The Secretary-General urges Iran and the United States to urgently resume negotiations and to address outstanding issues through diplomacy.

Speaking of diplomacy, I can confirm that, on his first visit to Iran, the officer-in-charge of the UN Special Coordinator for Lebanon, Jean Arnault, met Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Aragchi. Mr. Arnault outlined the UN efforts for the implementation of resolution 1701 and his understanding of the challenges ahead. He sought the views of Iran on the situation, and the support that countries in the region can provide to the Lebanese aspirations to peace, to sovereignty and to territorial integrity.

Full Highlights: https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/noon-briefing-highlight?date=2026-07-13

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=34YPJHcvFq0

Source: United Nations (video statements)

Opening the High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development, Secretary-General António Guterres said, “our mission is clear: to accelerate progress at scale and speed.”

Guterres addressed the ministerial segment of the Forum today (13 Jul) in New York. The UN chief warned that the world is now entering the toughest stretch of its journey. Conflicts are multiplying.

He reiterated, “the ceasefires in Gaza, Lebanon, and the Gulf region must be fully established and respected. And the exercise of navigational rights and freedoms in accordance with international law must be respected.”

Guterres noted that crisis by crisis, the Sustainable Development Goals are drifting further out of reach. Just 36 per cent of the 139 assessable SDG targets are on track or making moderate progress, and 15 per cent have gone into reverse.

He highlighted that need to accelerate progress at scale and speed, by “investing in the proven tools of poverty reduction — from education to universal health coverage, energy security, and adaptive social protection systems. By adopting policies that promote decent work, gender equality and technological access. By grounding progress in human rights. And by protecting our planet through climate action, biodiversity conservation and a just transition to renewable energy.”

Guterres also said, driven by overconsumption, pollution and climate change, the world is using freshwater faster that it can be replenished, with permanent, irreversible effects on many river basins, lakes, aquifers and freshwater ecosystems.

He said, “governments, the private sector, businesses and communities must work together to fill gaps in finance, innovation, infrastructure, capacities and governance,” adding “they must join forces and leverage resources to build accountable, equitable, and inclusive institutions that secure clean water and sanitation for all, manage conflicting demands on water, and address the growing risks stemming from unsustainable water use and climate change.”

The UN chief also stressed, “Artificial Intelligence must reduce inequalities and mitigate the environmental impacts — not multiply them.”

On partnerships, Guterres reiterated, “we must recognize that governments cannot act alone,” adding “development requires all hands on deck — businesses, development banks, innovators, civil society, community leaders and young people. And it requires south-south cooperation, so countries can benefit from shared development expertise and experience without limiting the need for north-south cooperation to continue.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gqwFKo1p8fg

Source: United Nations (video statements)

With fewer than five years remaining to achieve the SDGs, this panel discussion provides a candid assessment of our global trajectory based on The Sustainable Development Goals Report 2026. Speakers will highlight the tangible gains achieved through purposeful global action, demonstrating that SDG implementation successfully transforms lives at scale. However, the core of the discussion will address the severe headwinds stalling systemic progress. Panelists will unpack how escalating conflicts, slowing economic growth, climate chaos, rising debt burdens, and declining aid have created deeply uneven and insufficient outcomes. The session will outline solutions on what is needed to help accelerate the SDGs before 2030.

Speakers:
– Mr. Li Junhua, Under-Secretary-General for DESA
– Shantanu Mukherjee, Acting Director, UNSD
– Sarah Hendriks, UN Women Director of Policy, Programme and Intergovernmental Division

Moderator: Chelsea Miller, Global strategist, advisor, and CEO of CPM Global

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XXiZu1YZtU8