Source: United Nations (video statements)
Remarks by Philemon Yang, President of the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly, at the 96th plenary meeting of the 79th session of the General Assembly.
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Outgoing GA President Philémon Yang, for his part congratulated the President-elect and said, “let us prove that multilateralism can deliver faster, and smarter, for everyone, everywhere.”
Source: United Nations (video statements)
Informal comments to the media by Ambassador Sangjin Kim, Charge d’affaires and Deputy Permanent Representative of the Republic of Korea to the United Nations on Climate, Peace and Security in the context of UN Peace Operations. The Ambassador is joined by Denmark, France, Greece, Guyana, Panama, Sierra Leone, Slovenia, and the United Kingdom.
Source: United Nations (video statements)
Remarks by António Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations, at the 96th plenary meeting of the 79th session of the General Assembly.
Source: United Nations (video statements)
Remarks by Philemon Yang, President of the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly, at the 96th plenary meeting of the 79th session of the General Assembly.
Source: United Nations (video statements)
Noon Briefing by Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesperson for the Secretary-General.
Highlights:
General Assembly
Military Spending
Qatar/Israel
Occupied Palestinian Territory
Ukraine
Security Council
Haiti
Republic of Congo
Afghanistan
Education
Briefing/Tomorrow
Financial Contribution
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GENERAL ASSEMBLY
This morning, the Secretary-General delivered remarks at the closing of the 79th session of the General Assembly.
He said that this session took place during numerous challenges ranging between conflicts, divisions, inequalities, poverty, injustices, displacement, hunger and another year of record-breaking heat. Yet, this Assembly, he said, worked to discuss, debate and develop common solutions to address all of that.
The Secretary-General thanked the outgoing President of the General Assembly, Philemon Yang, as he presided over the 79th session with wisdom, skill and vision.
But, as we close the GA, another one opens.
The Secretary-General is expected later this afternoon again in the GA Hall to deliver remarks at the opening of the 80th session of the UN General Assembly. Mr. Guterres said he looks forward to collaborating with President-elect Annalena Baerbock.
This is an important year for all of us. It is the 80th anniversary of the UN and the visionary Charter which brought this Organization to life.
MILITARY SPENDING
Earlier this morning, the Secretary-General presented his report, “The Security We Need: Rebalancing Military Spending for a Sustainable and Peaceful Future”, along with High Representative for Disarmament Izumi Nakamitsu and the Acting Administrator of the UN Development Programme, Haoliang Xu.
The Secretary-General said that the report lays bare a stark reality: the world is spending far more on waging war than in building peace. In 2024, global military spending surged to a record $2.7 trillion – the equivalent of $334 for every person on Earth, he said.
Mr. Guterres said that the current trajectory is unsustainable, and a better path is within reach, but we need practical steps to rebalance. He warned that excessive military spending does not guarantee peace.
The report proposes a shift to an approach that prioritizes diplomacy, cooperation, sustainable development and disarmament over military build ups.
QATAR/ISRAEL
In remarks to the press this morning, the Secretary-General said he had just learned about the Israeli attacks in Qatar, a country that has been playing a very positive role to achieve a ceasefire and the release of all hostages.
He condemned this flagrant violation of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Qatar. All parties must work towards achieving a permanent ceasefire, not destroying it, the Secretary-General said.
Full Highlights: https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/noon-briefing-highlight?date%5Bvalue%5D%5Bdate%5D=09%20September%202025
Source: United Nations (video statements)
Informal comments to the media by Annalena Baerbock, the Incoming President of the General Assembly.
Source: United Nations (video statements)
War, conflict, and crisis. For ten years, the world has been shaken by inequalities, climate chaos and rising tensions. Against this backdrop, military spending reached a record $2.7 trillion last year.
This choice has a steep cost. It moves us away from diplomacy. It drains money from vital areas like ending hunger and poverty.
A new report by the United Nations Secretary-General explores how rebalancing military spending for a sustainable and peaceful future can furnish the security we need.
The report shows a stark choice: continue to fund militaries or invest in sustainable development to build a future that is truly secure for everyone.
Source: United Nations (video statements)
Briefing by Shannon O’Hara, Head of Strategy and Coordination for OCHA Afghanistan, on Afghanistan Earthquake.
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The Head of Strategy and Coordination for OCHA in Afghanistan, Shannon O’Hara, announced that a response plan to the recent earthquakes in Afghanistan “is being finalized and will be launched tomorrow to cover immediate lifesaving needs,” and stressed that “flexibility and speed are critical.”
Upon her return from a field visit to the World Food Programme’s (WFP) hub that’s being established in Mazar Dara, in Kunar Province, O’Hara said the goal of the visit was to “provide key response enablers for scaling up, including an UNHAS helicopter to ensure humanitarian and supplies can reach these areas.”
She told journalists in New York that “the only road in and out is a narrow single lane track carved into the mountainside” which “was blocked by large rocks from landslides and many vehicles trying to get up and down the valley, including large trucks overloaded with humanitarian assistance rushing to get to the most affected areas.”
The OCHA official said, “as we drove towards the epicentre, we saw families walking in the opposite direction, displaced, carrying what little they could. Many were still wearing the same clothes from the night of the earthquake. Mothers and fathers were carrying their children, some with fresh bandages covering their injuries.”
Upon reaching Mazar Dara, she said, “the smell of dead animals from the surrounding villages was overwhelming.”
O’Hara said, “we saw families whose lives had been shattered. Just within a few minutes, the earthquake had destroyed their homes, their farms and their livelihoods, leaving them with absolutely nothing. The conditions on the ground there are dire. Some families are living in crowded tents, while many are sleeping under the open skies, exposed to rain and cold. There was no clean drinking water and no sanitation. With cholera endemic in the region and initial assessments indicating that 92 percent of these communities are practicing open defecation, the potential for a cholera outbreak is alarming.”
She said, “if we don’t act now, these communities may not survive the coming winter. Additional funding is urgently needed. Without immediate support, the weeks ahead risk compounding this tragedy, with preventable disease outbreaks further displacement and additional loss of life.”
On 31 August, a 6+ magnitude earthquake hit Afghanistan. The death toll has risen to 1,400, with more than 3,500 injured. Entire communities have been flattened. Humanitarians are on the ground, ramping up their response. The UN’s Emergency Fund (CERF) has released $5million to kickstart the response but more is desperately needed.
Source: United Nations (video statements)
Noon Briefing by Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesperson for the Secretary-General.
Highlights:
– Briefings Tomorrow
– Senior Personnel Appointment
– UN General Assembly
– Ukraine
– Ukraine/Humanitarian
– Occupied Palestinian Territory
– Jerusalem
– Haiti
– Democratic Republic of the Congo
– Yemen
– Sudan
– Pakistan
– Afghanistan
– Nigeria
– Human Rights
– International Literacy Day
– Micronesia/New Resident Coordinator
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BRIEFINGS TOMORROW
Tomorrow, at 10:00 a.m., there will be a briefing here on the launch of the UN Secretary-General’s report entitled The Security We Need: Rebalancing Military Spending for a Sustainable and Peaceful Future.
The Secretary-General will be here to make opening remarks, but he will not take any questions.
He will be joined by Izumi Nakamitsu, the Under-Secretary-General and High Representative for Disarmament Affairs, and Haoliang Xu, Acting Administrator of the UN Development Programme (UNDP). .
Then, at noon, the incoming President of the General Assembly, Annalena Baerbock, will speak to you at the General Assembly Stakeout area.
The Secretary-General will hold a press conference next week, most likely on Tuesday, September 16th, ahead of the General Assembly.
SENIOR PERSONNEL APPOINTMENT
Today, the Secretary-General is appointing Mr. Miroslav Jenča of Slovakia as Special Representative for Colombia and Head of the United Nations Verification Mission in Colombia.
He will succeed Mr. Carlos Ruiz Massieu of Mexico, to whom the Secretary-General is grateful for his dedication and service.
Mr. Jenča brings more than 35 years of experience in diplomacy, mediation, leadership and oversight of UN peace operations, as well as close knowledge of the Colombian peace process and its regional and international context.
He is currently serving as Assistant Secretary-General for Europe, Central Asia and the Americas in the United Nations Departments of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs and Peace Operations, a role he has held since 2019.
UN GENERAL ASSEMBLY
We’ve seen in the last few days a high volume of misinformation regarding whether a vote had taken place in the General Assembly to move the high-level session out of New York. I want to be clear that there was no such vote in the General Assembly and that I am not aware of any preparations being made to move the General Assembly’s high-level session.
UKRAINE
The Secretary-General strongly condemns the attacks by the Russian Federation on 7 September, which killed and injured several people, including children. The attacks struck a Government building in central Kyiv and damaged residential and other civilian infrastructure in the capital and other regions of Ukraine.
The targeting of government institutions represents a further escalation of the conflict. Attacks against civilians and civilian infrastructure violate international humanitarian law. They are unacceptable and must end immediately.
The Secretary-General reiterates his call for a full, immediate and unconditional ceasefire as a first step towards a just, comprehensive, and sustainable peace in Ukraine, one that fully upholds Ukraine’s sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity, in line with the UN Charter, international law and relevant UN resolutions.
Full Highlights: https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/ossg/noon-briefing-highlight?date%5Bvalue%5D%5Bdate%5D=08%20September%202025
Source: United Nations (video statements)
The Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations, Jean-Pierre Lacroix, concluded a visit to the Democratic Republic of the Congo from 3 to 7 September. He visited Kinshasa, Bunia, Fataki, and Beni, accompanied by senior MONUSCO and UN peace operations officials.
In Kinshasa, Mr. Lacroix met with President Félix Tshisekedi, the Prime Minister, members of the government, and opposition leaders. He conveyed the UN’s continued commitment to supporting peace and stability in the DRC. The Congolese authorities emphasized the necessity for MONUSCO to continue fulfilling its mandate, expressing clear support for the Mission’s efforts.
Mr. Lacroix emphasized that hundreds of thousands of Congolese people, including displaced persons, rely on MONUSCO for daily protection — particularly in areas like Fataki and Beni, where joint operations with the FARDC continue against armed groups.
He highlighted the importance of international diplomatic efforts, including the Washington and Doha processes, and called for intensified engagement to achieve tangible results such as a ceasefire and reduced violence. He reiterated the UN’s readiness to support the implementation of the Security Council’s resolution 2773.
He also cautioned about the severe financial challenges confronting UN peacekeeping, urging Member States to contribute the necessary resources to enable the peacekeeping missions to fulfill the mandates they have assigned.
