Source: United Nations (video statements)
Press Conference by Ambassador Zénon Mukongo Ngay, Permanent Representative of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and President of the Security Council for the month of July 2026, on the programme of work of the Security Council in July.
Source: United Nations (video statements)
Introducing the Preliminary Report of the Independent International Scientific Panel on Artificial Intelligence, Secretary-General António Guterres (1 Jul) said, “the science is here. We can no longer say we did not know. What we do with it is now up to all of us.”
Guterres told reporters in New York that the report “is honest about the extraordinary promise of this technology.”
Used well, he said, “AI could be the most powerful engine for development, speeding the world’s progress on everything from health and hunger to learning and climate,” but warned that the Panel was “just as clear eyed about the harm artificial intelligence can cause.”
The Secretary-General said, “the more AI advances without shared rules, the less say governments and people will have in the outcome.”
He stressed that “this is a preliminary report” and the Panel “will keep working as the technology evolves.”
Source: United Nations (video statements)
In August 2025, the United Nations established two pathbreaking mechanisms for global cooperation on AI: the Independent International Scientific Panel on Artificial Intelligence and the Global Dialogue on Artificial Intelligence Governance. Together, they translate shared principles into practice by bridging scientific evidence, policy dialogue, and international cooperation.
The first session of the Dialogue takes place in Geneva, Switzerland on 6 and 7 July 2026. Ahead of the Dialogue, the UN interviews the co-chairs of the Dialogue, Ambassador Egriselda López of El Salvador and Ambassador Rein Tammsaar of Estonia, and the co-chairs of the Scientific Panel on AI, Yoshua Bengio of Canada and Maria Ressa of the Philippines.
Source: United Nations (video statements)
Noon Briefing by Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesperson for the Secretary-General.
Highlights:
AI Panel and Trip Announcement
Finances
Peacekeeping Budget
Deputy Secretary-General
Lebanon
Sudan
Occupied Palestinian Territory
Venezuela
Ukraine
New Resident Coordinators: Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan
Central African Republic
Financial Contribution
AI PANEL AND TRIP ANNOUNCEMENT
This morning, the Secretary-General introduced the preliminary report of the Independent Scientific Panel on AI. He noted that the Panel, which is made up of 40 experts from around the world, is the first global, fully independent scientific body dedicated to helping close the AI knowledge gap and assess the real impacts of Artificial Intelligence across economies and societies.
The report will inform the discussions taking place next week at the first Global Dialogue on Artificial Intelligence Governance, which is taking place in Geneva.
And as he announced himself, the Secretary-General will be in Geneva on Monday to take part in the Dialogue and deliver a keynote address. He is also scheduled to hold a number of bilateral meetings with leaders who will be attending the AI Summit.
FINANCES
The Secretary-General, in a statement issued last night, welcomed the decision by the General Assembly to reform financial rules that were putting the Organization’s stability at risk. By its action, the Assembly has agreed to introduce, for a four-year trial period, a new methodology to ensure that unspent funds are returned to Member States only when they are backed by cash.
The Secretary-General said this decision will allow us to manage resources, especially for regular and peacekeeping budgets, in a more predictable and responsible way, and to better deliver on the mandates given to us by those very Member States.
The Secretary-General added that he had been calling for this change since very early in his mandate.
As he just said to you an hour ago, he is grateful to Member States for taking this important action, which will greatly benefit the incoming Administration and contribute to the financial stability of the Organization for a number of years.
PEACEKEEPING BUDGET
The Department of Peacekeeping Operations add that without the change approved by the General Assembly, the UN would have been forced to return $224 million now and another nearly $900 million by July of next year. The change, together with payment in full and on time by all Member States, will allow our peacekeeping missions to continue implementing their mandates and reverse some of the negative impact of the contingency plans implemented during the recently concluded budget cycle.
The Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations Jean-Pierre Lacroix thanked Member States for their efforts and the time they devoted to reaching these agreements. He said that we will continue working to improve performance and efficiency so that we can deliver the greatest possible impact for the people and communities we serve, including by helping to protect civilians, monitor and maintain ceasefires, and advance solutions for lasting peace.
Full Highlights: https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/noon-briefing-highlight?date=2026-07-01
Source: United Nations (video statements)
United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres joined Independent International Scientific Panel on Artificial Intelligence Co-Chairs Yoshua Bengio and Maria Ressa to present the Panel’s first preliminary report ahead of the inaugural Global Dialogue on AI Governance in Geneva.
The independent panel warns that while AI could accelerate progress in health, education and sustainable development, its rapid advance also raises urgent questions about governance, safety and accountability.
Source: United Nations (video statements)
The head of the United Nations and its top budget official welcome a decision by the General Assembly to end a decades-old rule that caused significant liquidity problems for the Organization.
Source: United Nations (video statements)
World Food Program (WFP) Country Director in Venezuela Stephanie Hochstetter described the situation in the country as “devastating” after the twin earthquakes, reiterating that the Programme is working with the authorities to reach people who are in need of assistance.
Hochstetter spoke to reporters today via video link from La Guaira. She said, “search and rescue efforts are now giving way to a full-blown humanitarian response and the need for food, safe water, shelter and just essential services is immediate and critical.”
The WFP official said the communities affected by the earthquakes are concerned of how to get food on a daily basis. She said, “some of them still cook, but it’s currently difficult to buy food in the in the current context, which is why we’re also providing food to them, to cook. And we’re also providing ready to eat food.”
Hochstetter also said, “WFP has more than 3, 000 metric tons of food in country, so that’s enough to feed more than 10,000 families for two months,” adding that the Programme is procuring additional supplies.
She said, “there is food availability in Venezuela, so we are procuring locally. And in addition, we have available stocks in Colombia that can be rapidly reallocated to support the emergency response.”
Hochstetter highlighted that WFP has an “unmatched” logistical footprint in the states hardest hit by the earthquakes, and across the region. She said, “in coordination with the authorities, scaling up, will be possible very quickly.”
Asked about challenges, the WFP official said, “as in any other catastrophe of this magnitude, it’s just the setting up and reaching the people as quickly as possible. The prepositioning of food in the country did help very much, because we already have the food in the country. But at the same time, we’re not sure how to the extent of the need. So we are working with our colleagues in Colombia to get the food we need eventually in case of need.”
Source: United Nations (video statements)
Comments to the media by Ambassador Leonor Zalabata, Permanent Representative of Colombia to the United Nations and President of the Security Council for the month of June, following informal dialogues between Council members and the candidates for Secretary-General, Ms. Michelle Bachelet and Ms. Rebeca Grynspan.
Source: United Nations (video statements)
After devastating earthquakes struck Venezuela, thousands of families have been left without homes, food and access to basic services.
Speaking from one of the hardest-hit areas, the World Food Programme (WFP) describes the growing humanitarian response as search and rescue operations transition to emergency relief.
WFP has already reached 1,200 people with emergency food assistance and plans to support up to 500,000 people over the next three months, while scaling up logistics and humanitarian operations alongside the Government of Venezuela and UN partners.
As immediate rescue efforts give way to longer-term recovery, sustained humanitarian support will be critical to helping affected communities rebuild.
Source: United Nations (video statements)
Noon Briefing by Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesperson for the Secretary-General.
Highlights:
– Briefings Tomorrow
– UN Relief and Works Agency
– occupied Palestinian territory
– World Congress Against the Death Penalty
– Deputy Secretary-General/Travels
– Venezuela
– South Sudan
– Central African Republic
– Climate/Transport
– Ebola
– AI and Children
– Special Political Missions 1945–2025: an Overview
– International Days
– Financial Contribution
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BRIEFINGS TOMORROW
Tomorrow, at 11:00 a.m., there will be a briefing here by the UN Secretary-General to introduce the preliminary report of the Independent International Scientific Panel on Artificial Intelligence. He will be joined by Panel co-chairs Yoshua Bengio of Canada and Maria Ressa of the Philippines to present the findings ahead of the inaugural Global Dialogue on AI Governance, to be held in Geneva on 6–7 July.
We also expect a briefing here tomorrow by Ambassador Zénon Mukongo Ngay, Permanent Representative of the of the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the United Nations and Security Council President for the month of July.
We expected a briefing by the controller Chandramouli "Chandru" Ramanathan on the budget.
UN RELIEF AND WORKS AGENCY
The Secretary-General told Member States at a meeting this morning for voluntary contributions to the UN Relief and Works Agency, UNRWA, that today’s event is happening while the safety and welfare of millions of Palestine refugees hang in the balance. In Gaza, he noted, Israeli attacks have killed more than a thousand Palestinians since, and despite, the ceasefire announced last October.
Mr. Guterres warned that, despite all the services it provides to Palestinians throughout the Middle East, the Agency’s situation is increasingly precarious. It faces sweeping restrictions throughout the Occupied Palestinian Territory. And a cash shortfall that imperils its work across the region.
The Secretary-General said he is deeply concerned about UNRWA’s liquidity crisis, which jeopardizes its ability to implement its mandate.
Earlier this year, UNRWA was compelled to reduce its service delivery hours by 20 per cent. That meant reducing salaries for most local personnel and keeping 15 per cent of international posts vacant.
He added that he is appalled by continuing efforts to marginalize and undermine UNRWA – through disinformation, smear campaigns, legislative actions, operational restrictions, diplomatic roadblocks and more.
OCCUPIED PALESTINIAN TERRITORY
Turning to the Occupied Palestinian Territory, OCHA says humanitarian teams in the Gaza Strip are assessing the needs of those affected by yesterday’s airstrike on Al Muwasi area of Khan Younis.
Initial information suggests that – in addition to the killing of a mother and her baby girl – more than 150 families have had their tents destroyed. The tents of 250 other families were also damaged.
Full Highlight: https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/noon-briefing-highlight?date=2026-06-30
