Source: United Nations (video statements)
"When I had an accident in Africa, a wild elephant became my guardian angel."
For journalist, artist and animal advocate Alessandra Mattanza, animals are more than subjects of admiration—they are companions, protectors and fellow beings.
Inspired by a remarkable encounter with a wild elephant, this short film explores the bond between humans and animals and the belief that protecting them ultimately means protecting ourselves.
Source: United Nations (video statements)
Noon Briefing by Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesperson for the Secretary-General.
Highlights:
– Sexual violence
– Lebanon
– Occupied Palestinian Territory
– Romania
– South Sudan
– Ebola
– Passing of Lieutenant General Chikadibia Isaac Obiakor
– International Days
– Financial contribution
SEXUAL VIOLENCE
The Secretary-General’s report on conflict-related sexual violence was issued today, and it said that cases of conflict-related sexual violence verified by the United Nations in 2025 rose sharply from 2024, marked by extreme brutality, and overwhelmingly targeted women and girls. A total of 77 parties, including state and non-state actors, are listed this year for cases of conflict-related sexual violence, including parties added to the list in previous years.
The report says that in 2025, documented cases of sexual violence as a tactic of war, torture, terrorism and political repression surged, while multiple and overlapping political, security and humanitarian crises worsened.
Abduction and sexual violence formed part of a broader pattern of attacks by armed groups in remote areas in Burkina Faso, Mali and northern Mozambique, with girls as young as 11 being forced into sexual slavery and repeated rapes in captivity, leading to unwanted pregnancies.
The Secretary-General said that sexual violence was perpetrated in detention in multiple settings, such as in Israel and the State of Palestine, the Russian Federation and Ukraine. In Myanmar, patterns of sexual violence continued to be used in detention settings as part of the repertoire of political violence to intimidate and punish opponents.
The full report is online, and, as I mentioned, you just heard from Pramila Patten.
LEBANON
Moving to Lebanon, our peacekeeping mission there in southern Lebanon continues to observe intensive Israel Defense Forces (IDF) air and ground activity across the UNIFIL area of operations.
IDF activity was also reported north of the Litani River. Yesterday UNIFIL reported 350 firing incidents attributed to the IDF and 25 to Hizbullah.
Also yesterday, a UNIFIL convoy carrying an injured peacekeeper was stopped by the IDF and delayed for about an hour before being able to proceed. As a reminder, all parties have to ensure UNIFIL has unrestricted access and freedom of movement in the conduct of its activities mandated by the Security Council.
On the occasion of the International Day of the Peacekeepers, which, as you know is marked today, but ceremonies will take place next week on Friday. In Lebanon, UNIFIL held a solemn ceremony at its Naqoura headquarters, which included a tribute to fallen peacekeepers. As you will recall, six UNIFIL peacekeepers have been tragically killed in the hostilities in southern Lebanon since 2 March, with several more wounded. In his remarks at the ceremony, the General heading UNIFIL, General Diodato Abagnara stressed that a political and diplomatic path remains the only viable solution to the conflict, adding that UNIFIL remains committed to supporting the parties in restoring the cessation of hostilities and creating the conditions for a permanent ceasefire.
On the humanitarian front, our OCHA colleagues report that humanitarian access and emergency response capacity continue to face severe constraints.
In Nabatieh, strikes reportedly impacted a key road in Marjayoun. That took place yesterday. That road is critical for emergency medical evacuations, also for aid and humanitarian workers to move about, and for people’s access to essential goods and services.
Elsewhere in Lebanon, local authorities tell us that repeated evacuation orders forcing families to flee repeatedly and then return to their homes as security conditions shift.
The Humanitarian and Resident Coordinator for Lebanon, Imran Riza, said today that he is deeply alarmed by the intensification of hostilities and the impact the evacuation orders have on communities across the country.
In a statement, he referred to reports that airstrikes have harmed civilians as they attempted to leave areas under displacement orders, stressing that international humanitarian law clearly states that civilians, including health workers and first responders, must be protected.
Meanwhile, we and our humanitarian partners continue to provide critical assistance across the country. Since March 2nd, the World Food Programme and its partners have distributed more than 11 million hot and cold meals to people affected by this conflict in Lebanon.
OCCUPIED PALESTINIAN TERRITORY
Turning to the Occupied Palestinian Territory, our OCHA colleagues tell us that last night, an Israeli air strike hit a residential area less than 600 feet – that is about 200 metres – from five humanitarian facilities in Deir al Balah. Luckily, no casualties were reported.
Full Highlights: https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/noon-briefing-highlight?date=2026-05-29
Source: United Nations (video statements)
Sexual violence used as a tactic of war escalated in 2025, with women and girls bearing the brunt of the violence. Presenting the Secretary-General’s latest report, UN Special Representative Pramila Patten warned that growing conflicts and shrinking humanitarian funding are leaving survivors without critical support when they need it most.
Source: United Nations (video statements)
With football fever spreading around the world, Gaza’s players take their makeshift field, making do with what they have to play the sport.
Source: United Nations (video statements)
Upon arriving in the Democratic Republic of the Congo #drc, Director-General of the World Health Organization #WHO, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus expressed solidarity with the people of Ituri, South Kivu and North Kivu, affected by Ebola. He also asked for more international support for healthworkers.
Source: United Nations (video statements)
Briefing by Khaled Khiari, Assistant Secretary-General, Departments of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs and Peace Operations, on the Maintenance of peace and security of Ukraine.
Khiari, said, “on the night of 23 to 24 May, the armed forces of the Russian Federation launched a massive strike across Ukraine, reportedly deploying as many as 90 long-range missiles and 600 drones. Among the weapons used was the so-called “Oreshnik” intermediate-range ballistic missile, which targeted the city of Bila Tserkva in central Ukraine.”
Khiari said, “at least five people were reported killed and at least 112 others injured across Ukraine, with the heaviest toll in Kyiv,” adding that “the city’s more than two million residents endured over seven hours of explosions, impacting dozens of residential buildings.”
He pointed out that Russian Federation authorities “have also reported rising civilian casualties from alleged Ukrainian strikes,” and on 25 May, “two civilians were reportedly killed in the Belgorod and Bryansk regions.”
Source: United Nations (video statements)
Remarks by António Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations, on the maintenance of peace and security of Ukraine.
Mr. President,
With your permission, I will make some brief remarks and Assistant Secretary-General Khiari will provide a detailed briefing.
Mr. President, Excellencies,
Allow me to make a direct appeal.
The large-scale strikes launched by the Russian Federation across Ukraine on 23-24 May – and the prospect of further such attacks – underscore the gravity of this moment.
Since February 2022, more than 15,000 civilians have been killed in Ukraine – nearly 800 children among them, as verified by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights.
Reports from the Russian Federation indicate a growing number of civilian casualties – including children.
Humanitarian personnel have come under attack.
Serious violations of international humanitarian law continue.
The human toll is increasing.
In the first four months of this year, more civilians have been killed in Ukraine than in the same period in 2025.
Or 2024.
Or 2023.
The front line is virtually frozen with swarms of drones inflicting heavy casualties.
Civilian infrastructure is being destroyed on a vast scale – especially energy infrastructure.
This could go on and on and on.
But the direction of the war – the escalation and the intensification that we are witnessing – risks to get out of control.
The risk of miscalculation.
The risk of escalation with unknown and unintended consequences.
And so, let’s speak plainly.
The current course is not sustainable.
This trajectory must change.
The death spiral must stop.
What is needed now is de-escalation – immediate and sustained.
What is needed now is a full and unconditional ceasefire.
What is needed now is more diplomacy.
What is needed is to create the conditions for a just, lasting and comprehensive peace — in line with the Charter of the United Nations, international law, and UN resolutions.
Mr. President, Excellencies,
The choice is clear.
The responsibility is clear.
The time for peace is now.
Thank you.
Source: United Nations (video statements)
UN agencies and humanitarian groups are mobilizing rapidly as the WHO Director-General lands in the Democratic Republic of the Congo to spearhead Ebola containment efforts.
Since 15 May, UN agencies have been supporting the DRC and neighbouring Uganda to contain the outbreak caused by the rare Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus, for which there is no treatment.
Source: United Nations (video statements)
Noon Briefing by Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesperson for the Secretary-General.
Highlights:
– UN Peacekeepers Day
– UN80
– Ukraine
– Lebanon
– Democratic Republic of the Congo
– Uganda
– Haiti
– World Meterological Organization
– Senior Personnel Appointment/UNOCA
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UN PEACEKEEPERS DAY
Tomorrow is the International Day of UN Peacekeepers. This year’s theme for the Day is “Invest in Peace.” In his message to mark the day, the Secretary-General said that we honour peacekeepers past and present and reaffirm our shared responsibility to respect and strengthen their work.
As usual, there will be ceremonies to mark the day here, but they are scheduled to take place next week, on 5 June. In the meantime, we can already tell you about the recipients of prizes awarded each year on Peacekeepers Day.
The Captain Mbaye Diagne Medal for Exceptional Courage will be awarded to the late Sergii Prykhodko of Ukraine as well as to Corporal Matias Reyes of Uruguay.
Major Abhilasha Barak of India will receive the Military Gender Advocate Award and Inspector Stephanie Königs of Germany will receive the Woman Police Officer of the Year Award. These awards will be officially presented to them next Friday. You can find more details about those receiving awards and about the ceremonies in press releases that we are sharing with you as I speak.
UN80
The Secretary-General briefed the General Assembly this morning on his UN80 initiative and said that the UN Secretariat has realized a 21 percent reduction in posts for 2026 – while also minimizing impact on staff, facilitated by actions we began taking in early 2024.
Among other steps, he said the Secretariat launched a Digital Hub in Valencia to support Secretariat-wide digital service delivery; consolidated 10 payroll centres into a single global team; and relocated 220 Secretariat posts from high-cost locations, plus approximately 1,900 more across the UN system.
Mr. Guterres added that the UN has begun piloting the New Humanitarian Compact – a push for innovation, impact, and integration as we grapple with soaring needs and plummeting resources. This includes simplifying humanitarian planning and unifying humanitarian supply chains, which account for 70 percent of overall humanitarian spending.
The Secretary-General reminded the Member States that decisions about structural reforms rest in their hands. He reminded them that change is a given, but the question is whether it will be reform that is planned and strategic, or change that is haphazard, costly, and driven by events beyond anyone’s control.
UKRAINE
The Secretary-General will make some introductory remarks on Ukraine to Security Council members at their formal meeting at 3:00 pm today. He will discuss the recent escalation of the conflict between Ukraine and the Russian Federation and will call for de-escalation and for a full and unconditional ceasefire. Assistant Secretary-General Khaled Khiari will also brief the Council this afternoon.
Meanwhile, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs says that the UN and our humanitarian partners continue to provide life-saving assistance across Ukraine, while increasingly coming under attack, with several incidents of violence against aid workers and their assets reported over the past few days.
Full Highlights: https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/noon-briefing-highlight?date=2026-05-28
Source: United Nations (video statements)
This year’s Eid al-Adha comes as Gaza faces one of its worst humanitarian crises since the beginning of the war. Residents say this has transformed the holiday, making survival and securing basic necessities their primary concern.
