Source: Republic of South Africa (video statements)
Government News 🔊| July is National Savings Month in South Africa and is aimed at raising awareness about the importance of saving and to foster responsible financial behaviour among South Africans
“The multilateral system is the best we’ve got. There is no other system that can help us to deal with our global problems,” says Bob Rae, President of the Economic and Social Council and Permanent Representative of Canada to the United Nations. As the international community is getting ready to convene for the 2025 High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development this month, Ambassador Rae stresses the opportunities for multilateral action.
Source: World Trade Organization – WTO (video statements)
Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala met with Liberia’s Minister of Commerce & Industry, Magdalene E. Dagoseh, at the WTO on 9 July.
She welcomed Liberia’s commitment to trade-led development and expressed strong support for the country’s efforts to boost its economy through investment, value addition, and regional integration.
Download this video from the WTO website:
https://www.wto.org/english/res_e/webcas_e/webcas_e.htm
Source: Republic of South Africa (video statements)
🕊️ Message of Tribute | Deputy Minister of Woman, Youth, and People with Disabilities, Mmapaseka Steve Letsike, pays tribute to the late Former Deputy President David Mabuza.
On 10 and 11 July 2025 takes place the fourth Ukraine Recovery Conference (URC2025) in Rome, continuing the annual series of high-level political events dedicated to the swift recovery and long-term reconstruction of Ukraine.
Commission President Ursula von der Leyen will give a speech during the Plenary Session, together with:
Volodymyr ZELENSKYY, President of Ukraine
Friedrich MERZ, German Federal Chancellor
Donald TUSK, Polish Prime Minister
Lars Løkke RASMUSSEN., Minister for Foreign Affairs of Denmark
Olena ZELENSKA, Spouse of Volodymyr Zelenskyy, President of Ukraine
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Source: United Kingdom UK House of Lords (video statements)
Frontbench members speak at the despatch boxes during business in the chamber, but what exactly is a despatch box? Curator of the Historic Furniture and Decorative Arts Collection, Eloise, explains.
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Source: Republic of South Africa (video statements)
🕊️ Message of Tribute | Minister of Defence and Military Veterans, Angie Motshekga, pays tribute to the late Former Deputy President David Mabuza, honouring his service to the nation and his contribution to South Africa’s democratic journey.
Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for Yemen Hans Grundberg recognized that “for some – on both sides of the conflict – the appetite for a military escalation remains.”
Briefing the Security Council today (9 Jul) Grundberg said, “We are now with grave concern seeing an escalation in the Red Sea with attacks on two commercial ships earlier this week by Ansar Allah, resulting in civilian loss of life and casualties as well as the potential for environmental damage. These were the first attacks on commercial vessels in over seven months. In response, Israeli air strikes have hit Sana’a earlier in the reporting period as well as the ports of Hudaydah, Ras Issa and Salif and a power station on Sunday.”
He added, “Yemen must not be drawn deeper into regional crises that threaten to unravel the already extremely fragile situation in the country. The stakes for Yemen are simply too high.”
He highlighted, “There has been a continuation of military activity in governorates such as Al Dhale’a, Al Jawf, Ma’rib, Ta’iz and Sa’dah. I am also concerned about troop movements towards Al Dhale’a, Ma’rib and Ta’iz. I recognise that for some – on both sides of the conflict – the appetite for a military escalation remains. A military solution, however, remains a dangerous illusion that risks deep ening Yemen’s suffering.”
He stressed, “It is urgent to move forward as time is not on our side. The longer the conflict is drawn out, the more complex it becomes.”
Turning to economy, Grundberg stated that across Yemen, “the little money people do have in their hands is either falling in value or literally falling apart.”
Grundberg stressed, “A positive shift towards greater stability in the region would certainly be welcome and could help create an environment for Yemen to move forward — but this cannot be a precondition for change. Yemen must advance regardless.”
He concluded by reiterating his call for the unconditional and immediate release “by Ansar Allah of all those arbitrarily detained from the United Nations, national and international NGOs, civil society organizations, and diplomatic missions. The number of cases requiring urgent medical attention are increasing. They need access to medical assistance. They need to be home with their families. We will not let this issue drop. Our detained colleagues are not forgotten, not by me or my mission, nor by all of us in the UN working tirelessly for the sake of the Yemeni population.”
According to the UN Emergency Relief Coordinator, Tom Fletcher the food security crisis in Yemen has been steadily accelerating since late 2023.
“Today, more than 17 million people in Yemen are going hungry. That number could climb to over 18 million between September and February,” he said
Abdullah Ali Fadhel Al-Saadi, Permanent Representative of Yemen to the United Nations, stated, “We reaffirm that the success of any political approach to achieving peace and ending the Yemeni crisis requires addressing the roots of this crisis—particularly, the coup by the Houthi militias against the state, its constitutional institutions, the national consensus, and the aspirations of the Yemeni people—and therefore there is a need to stop the destructive approach of these militias destabilizing Yemen, the region, and the world.”