Category: United Nations

Source: United Nations (video statements)

Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, Tom Fletcher, also briefed the Council, describing the horrific humanitarian situation in El Fasher.

He said that the Sudan crisis is fundamentally a failure of protection, and of our responsibility to uphold international law. The violence extends beyond Darfur as well.

Fletcher noted that across Sudan, and despite the massive threats, cuts, and constraints to our work, the humanitarian community has reached 13.5 million people between January and August.

He said, “Stop arming this violence and insist that stopping this conflict is more important than any narrow political or commercial interests. Those who want to leave El Fasher must be able to do so safely. Those who remain must be protected. There must be accountability for those carrying out the killing and the sexual violence. For those giving the orders. And those providing the weapons should consider their responsibility.”

He also said, “Humanitarians simply asking that we be allowed to do our jobs and save lives is not working. You must demand that we are able to operate everywhere, including by deploying national and international staff into areas of greatest need. We ask you to use your muscle to create genuine pressure to ensure this.”

In this context, he added, “I am furious that the World Food Programme’s Country Director and Emergency Coordinator have been expelled by the Sudanese authorities, without explanation.”

Al-Harith Idriss al-Harith Mohamed, Permanent Representative of Sudan to the United Nations affirmed that the World Food Program “supports the Sudan and that the decision to evict some of those persons who work for the program doesn’t reflect on a relationship with the program. We are, we are determined to facilitate Mr. Fletcher’s work in the Sudan.”

He concluded, “I want to be clear: there will be no negotiation with this terrorist militia unless it lays down its arms and ceases its aggression against the Sudanese people.”

After the meeting, the members of the Security Council issued a press statement expressing grave concern about the violence in and around El Fasher.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ClrUm0bh5YA

Source: United Nations (video statements)

Media Stakeout by Marthinus van Schalkwyk, Deputy Permanent Representative of South Africa to the UN, and Sidi M. Omar, Representative of Frente POLISARIO, following the Security Council vote on the draft resolution renewing the mandate of the UN Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mpbMAB68XvY

Source: United Nations (video statements)

Video message by Anacláudia Rossbach, United Nations Under-Secretary-General and Executive Director of UN-Habitat, for World Cities Day 2025.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PnvZ25zz0qY

Source: United Nations (video statements)

Highlights:

-Trip announcement / Qatar
-Sudan
-Occupied Palestinian Territory
-Hurricane Melissa
-Central African Republic
-Libya
-International Days
-Guest and briefings – today and on Monday

TRIP ANNOUNCEMENT/QATAR
The Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, will arrive in Doha, Qatar, on Monday morning, to attend the Second World Summit for Social Development.
In his address to the Summit’s opening session, the Secretary-General is expected to highlight the progress made since the first Social Summit that took place in Copenhagen in 1995, when governments pledged to make poverty eradication, full employment and social integration central to development. He will also underscore today’s major global challenges, including deepening inequalities, unemployment, poverty, conflicts and widespread human suffering.
While at the Summit, the Secretary-General is expected to participate in a side event on education.
He is also expected to hold bilateral meetings with the Amir of Qatar, His Highness Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, and the Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Qatar, His Excellency Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani. The Secretary-General is also expected to meet Her Highness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser Al-Missned.
We also expect the Secretary-General to hold a number of other bilaterals, with heads of delegations. We will keep you posted on those as they come.

SUDAN
Turning to the situation in Sudan, which continues to be horrific to say the least. The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs tells us that North Darfur State remains catastrophic, with ongoing attacks against civilians, humanitarian access to El Fasher cut off, and desperate people continuing to flee towards Tawila and other towns, seeking safety.
The International Organization for Migration now estimate that at least 62,000 people have been displaced from El Fasher and surrounding areas, that is just between 26 and 29 of this month, with insecurity along routes continuing to restrict movements. These people leave their homes, their livelihoods, carrying very little of their belongings, as you can only imagine.
Telecommunications need to be restored to the area. They are cut and the situation is chaotic on the ground, making it difficult to obtain direct information from inside the city.
On the ground, in the locality of Tawila, we are working with local partners to register new arrivals as they come in, and to provide emergency support for them. Huge gaps persist, as you can imagine, including shelter materials, medicines and trauma care supplies, food assistance as well as psychosocial support.
Local sources continue to share extremely worrying reports of displaced civilians on the move as they are being abducted and facing extortion. We call again for securing a safe passage for people trying to flee, protecting those who remain in El Fasher, and for full and unimpeded humanitarian access across Darfur and in all other areas in need in Sudan.
The humanitarian situation in North Kordofan State also remains alarming, with IOM estimating that close to 36,000 human beings have been displaced from Bara town, north of the state capital El Obeid, and that was just this week.
Reports are also emerging of serious violations in the context of the RSF capture of Bara town in North Kordofan, including the alleged summary execution of five Red Crescent volunteers. Our human rights colleagues have also received alarming reports of sexual violence. Humanitarian partners tell us that at least 25 women were gang-raped when RSF forces entered a shelter for displaced people near El Fasher University.
These latest reports of serious violations potentially amount to numerous crimes under international law, in and around El Fasher, and in Bara. We echo the calls of the Human Rights Office: there must be independent, prompt, transparent and thorough investigations into all such potential breaches of international law, and for those responsible to be held to account. The rights of victims and their families to truth, justice and reparations must be ensured.

Full highlights: https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/noon-briefing-highlight?date=2025-10-31

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R969RgWcrlE

Source: United Nations (video statements)

On 31 October 2025, the Global Observance of World Cities Day, will be linked to people-centred smart cities. It will showcase how data-driven decision making, technology, and AI can be used to improve urban life and recover from current shocks and crises. It will also focus on promoting smart city initiatives centered on people.

Bogotá video
World Cities Day 2025 video
Welcome Notes:

Opening address by Mr. Carlos Fernando Galán, Mayor of Bogotá, Colombia

Welcome remarks by Ms. Helga Rivas, Minister of Housing, Cities, and Territory, Colombia

Message by Mr. António Guterres,
United Nations Secretary-General read by Ms. Anacláudia Rossbach, United Nations Under-Secretary-General and Executive Director of UN-Habitat

Video message by Mr. Nga Kor Ming, President of the United Nations Habitat Assembly, and Minister of Housing and Local Government, Malaysia

Statement by Ms. Anacláudia Rossbach, United Nations Under-Secretary-General and Executive Director of UN-Habitat

Ministerial Remarks:
Perspectives on Urban Development

Ms. Edna Elena Vega Rangel, Secretary of Rural, Territorial and Urban Development, Mexico

Mr. Ni Hong, Minister of Housing and Urban-Rural Development, China

Cultural Performance

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qUpDeCZpQT4

Source: United Nations (video statements)

World Cities Day brings Urban October to an end on 31 October each year and was first celebrated in 2014. As with World Habitat Day, a global observance is held in a different city each year and the day focuses on a specific theme.

On 31 October 2025, the Global Observance of World Cities Day, will be linked to people-centred smart cities. It will showcase how data-driven decision making, technology, and AI can be used to improve urban life and recover from current shocks and crises. It will also focus on promoting smart city initiatives centered on people.

More info: https://urbanoctober.unhabitat.org/wcd
To watch all the LIVE events, please go to: https://webtv.un.org/en

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WOnZpqiWOK8

Source: United Nations (video statements)

Briefing remotely from the Caribbean, the United Nations resident and humanitarian coordinators in Haiti and Cuba reported widespread damage on the wake from Hurricane Melissa.

Reporting from Havana, the Resident Coordinator for Cuba, Francisco Pichon, said, “Melissa is now classified as one of the three most powerful hurricanes ever recorded in Cuba, the strongest worldwide in 2025 so far. And it made, landfall, directly in the province of Santiago de Cuba, and for six hours it battered eastern Cuba with very heavy torrential rains and sustained winds in addition to 200 kilometres per hour.”

Pichon said, “the needs far exceed the response capacity of the country,” noting that “the eastern territories hit by Melissa are also the same areas devastated a year ago by Hurricane Oscar and two earthquakes for which the UN is implementing and underfunded recovery plan.”

He told journalists in New York that “due to the blockade and the sanctions, the country is excluded from international financial institutions and also from many global markets. And this makes it very difficult for the country to finance disaster response.”

From Port-au-Prince, the Humanitarian Coordinator ad interim for Haiti, Gregoire Goodstein, said over the last several days, Melissa “swept across Haiti’s southern departments, and it moved gradually north at a very slow speed, which brought torrential rains, flash floods and, of course, landslides.”

Unfortunately, Goodstein said, “a number of lives were lost, homes were damaged as well as destroyed. Roads have been cut off and, and many families have been displaced.”

The death toll, he said, “now stands at 24 people who have died.”

Goodstein said having had funding in advance, “which allowed for preparedness and planning, made a real difference.”

He said, “by October 22nd the UN agencies were able to deploy a lot of resources, communities were mobilised, emergency stocks were transported and put into place. We had a few hundred evacuation shelters that were also opened, cleaned up, made ready to function. You have to keep in mind a lot of the families, when they left their homes, they prioritised women and children to be put in those evacuation shelters.”

Hurricane Melissa hit Jamaica on Wednesday as a category 5 storm before moving north as a category 3.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Q-lYLKsRmo

Source: United Nations (video statements)

Joint stakeout by the Group of Friends for Peace on the Ukraine Crisis, following a meeting of the group. Fu Cong, Permanent Representative of China to the United Nations, Sérgio França Danese, Permanent Representative of the Federative Republic of Brazil to the United Nations, and other representatives from Global South countries.

The Group of Friends for Peace on the Ukraine Crisis reaffirmed, “only a negotiated political solution, including through inclusive diplomacy and political means based on the UN Charter, can bring this conflict to an end.”

The Group of Friends for Peace on the Ukraine Crisis held a joint press encounter today (29 Oct) after a meeting. Ambassador Sérgio França Danese of Brazil and Ambassador Fu Cong of China spoke on behalf of the Group. Other representatives from Global South countries were present at the press encounter.

Brazilian Ambassador Sérgio França Danese said, “Our group has consistently called for an early peaceful settlement of the conflict, remained dedicated to fostering dialog and engagement, and actively engaged with relevant parties with a view to promoting common ground across the international community.”

“All efforts have been guided by our strong commitment to the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, including respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of any States and the peaceful settlement of disputes,” Ambassador Danese reiterated.

He reiterated that the Group remains committed to “promoting the spirit of solidarity and partnership between nations that’s emphasized by the Bandung Principles inter alia.”

Ambassador Danese also said, “Deeply troubled by the prolonged hostilities and the immense negative impacts, this Group was among the first to call for an immediate and complete ceasefire – a call we firmly reiterate today.”

He underscored the need to “observe principles for de-escalation and the importance of non-expansion of the battlefield, and non- intensification of fighting.”

The Brazilian Ambassador said, “We believe that avoiding actions that could further fuel the conflict, including the proliferation of weapons and other means of war into the parties of the conflict, would help pave the way toward a ceasefire and political settlement.”

For his part, Chinese Ambassador Fu Cong said, “The shared goal must be to find a comprehensive, just and lasting solution – one that addresses mutual concerns of the parties of the conflict and leads to a peace agreement, negotiated directly by and acceptable to them.”

He said that the Group “stands ready to support the next steps agreed by the relevant parties to the conflict, including the possible discussion on the roadmap.”

“We believe that the UN has a role to play in fostering the diplomatic efforts, and in the implementation of any peace agreements,” Ambassador Fu said.

The Group also called for “increased humanitarian assistance and the strengthening of the protection of civilians, in particular women, children and the humanitarian personnel.”

“All parties are obligated to strictly, comply with international humanitarian law. Civilian infrastructure and objects, including nuclear facilities and other installations containing dangerous forces, must never be the target of military operations,” Ambassador Fu said.

The Group also stressed that all parties are “bound by the principles of distinction, proportionality and precaution in the conduct of hostilities”

The Group emphasized the “obligation of the humane treatment of prisoners, and encourage and support initiatives to facilitate the safe exchange of prisoners of war as a confidence building measure that alleviates human suffering,” Ambassador Fu concluded.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7nlDx8IHPmE

Source: United Nations (video statements)

UN Assistant Secretary-General for Africa Martha Pobee said that the situation in Sudan is “simply horrifying.”

Briefing the Security Council today Pobee said that the Secretary-General’s Personal Envoy, Ramtane Lamamra has invited both parties, the leaders of the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces, to separately enter into technical talks with the UN, focused on de-escalation and the protection of civilians.

She added that both parties have shown encouraging signs of their willingness to engage.

She reported, “The conflict in Sudan has deteriorated even further. It has caused widespread suffering and new surges of horrific violence. After more than 500 days under siege, the city of El Fasher in North Darfur has been captured by the Rapid Support Forces. Only small pockets of resistance remain.”

She continued, “Other parts of the country have not been spared from the relentless violence. In recent weeks, fighting has intensified in the Kordofan region. This is likely the next arena of military focus for the warring parties. In North Kordofan, the city of Bara, just 40 kilometers from the state capital of El Obeid and a strategic location for both sides, was captured by the Rapid Support Forces last week. This marked another escalation on the ground. Drone strikes by both parties are also affecting new territories and new targets. These include Blue Nile, Khartoum, Sennar, South Kordofan and West Darfur, suggesting that the territorial scope of the conflict is broadening.”

She stressed, “The risk of mass atrocities, ethnically targeted violence and further violations of international humanitarian law, including sexual violence, remains alarmingly high across the country, and particularly in El Fasher. The situation is simply horrifying.”

She highlighted, “Communications have been cut off. The situation is chaotic. In this context, it is difficult to estimate the number of civilians killed. Despite commitments to protect civilians, the reality is that no one is safe in El Fasher.”

Pobee urged Member States with leverage over the parties to encourage them to take this critical step and called on the Security Council to use all tools available to demand peace in Sudan.

She said, “Reports and warnings about the unfolding catastrophe in El Fasher have been issued for months. Thus far, the Unted Nations Security Council has not taken decisive action to prevent the situation from deteriorating. We must all play our part in helping to bring this devastating war to an end.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-tN70GIJbVc

Source: United Nations (video statements)

Briefing remotely from the Caribbean, the United Nations Resident Coordinator for Cuba, Francisco Pichon, reports widespread damage in the wake of Hurricane Melissa.

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/CiWcbzFQOOc