Last month, UN DESA launched the World Youth Report on Youth Mental Health and Well-being, highlighting the urgent need for inclusive, youth-informed mental health policies. Another report is now underway, this time homing in on the latest youth population trends, helping policymakers use population foresight to address the needs of young people everywhere and to ensure that demographic change supports equitable and sustainable development.
Addressing a Security Council meeting on the situation in Lebanon, Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs Rosemary DiCarlo said, “amid an already devastating escalation in the Middle East, the decision by Hizbullah to attack Israel on 2 March has again drawn Lebanon into a conflict it neither sought nor can afford.”
In turn, DiCarlo said, Israel “has carried out extensive strikes in southern Beirut, across southern Lebanon and in the Bekaa and Baalbek regions. These operations have reportedly killed over 570 people and left over 1,400 injured, according to the Lebanese government.”
She said, “Hizbullah must cease its attacks on Israel and cooperate with the government’s efforts to assert full state authority and establish a monopoly over weapons,” while Israel “must halt its military campaign in Lebanon and withdraw its forces from Lebanese territory.”
DiCarlo stressed that “the sovereignty and territorial integrity of both Lebanon and Israel must be upheld”
Joint Press Encounter: Permanent Missions of Armenia, Austria, Cyprus, Denmark, Finland, France, Ireland, Latvia, Malta, Panama, Poland, Spain, United Kingdom and Uruguay on the situation in Lebanon.
Russian Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia described Ukraine’s March 10 missile strike on the the city of Bryansk a “barbaric crime” and accused Western countries of direct involvement.
Speaking to reporters today (11 Mar) in New York, the Russian Ambassador said, “On March 10th, the neo-Nazi regime in Kyiv committed yet another barbaric crime against the civilian population of our country by carrying out a missile strike on Bryansk, a busy business district located in close proximity to multiple apartment residential buildings, children’s goods stores, a university and other civilian infrastructure came under deliberate attack. “
He said, “As a result of this strike, seven people were killed and 42 were injured.”
Ambassador Nebenzia said, “the expired head of the regime, Zelenskyy speaking to the press, described this heinous attack as a successful operation and thanked the Armed Forces of Ukraine for their service,” adding that “this is yet another striking example of the sheer cynicism with which the Kyiv authorities treat attacks that claim lives of civilians.”
The Russian diplomat pointed out “it is entirely obvious” that “such an operation would be technically impossible for the Ukrainian armed forces to conduct on their own.”
He said, “the use of advanced Western weaponry takes place only with the direct involvement of foreign specialists who guide the targeting.”
Ambassador Nebenzia continued, “certain NATO countries provide the necessary intelligence data,” stating “the Western sponsors of Zelenskyy bear full responsibility for the killing of civilians.”
He said, “instead of giving peace negotiations facilitated by the United States a genuine chance, Kyiv and London are seeking ways to further escalate tensions.”
The Russian Ambassado accused Ukraine to use such tactic, saying “it has been repeatedly employed whenever a real prospect of settlement begins to emerge."
"It is hardly a coincidence that the timing of this attack coincided with signals from Washington expressing hope that negotiations with the Ukrainian settlement have reached ‘a turning point and that achieving peace is entirely possible,’" he said.
Ambassador Nebenzia also criticized the United Nations, he said, “Where is the statement from the Secretary-General himself? The continued silence from this and similar grave incident incidents raises serious questions about the impartiality and consistency of the organization’s approach.”
He called on the UN Secretariat to “abandon the policy of double standards and to provide an appropriate, clear and unequivocal assessment of this heinous attack.”
Noon Briefing by Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesperson for the Secretary-General.
Highlights:
Secretary-General/Travels
Security Council
Lebanon
Occupied Palestinian Territory
Democratic Republic of the Congo
Sudan
Ukraine
Humanitarian Funding/87 million Lives Campaign
Noon Briefing Guest
Financial Contribution
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SECRETARY-GENERAL/TRAVELS
The Secretary-General landed in Türkiye a short while ago to begin his Ramadan solidarity visit, which we announced yesterday. Tomorrow, he will meet with representatives of non-governmental organizations that support refugees. He will also visit the Ankara Provincial Directorate of Migration Management, one of the provincial branches of the Presidency of Migration Management responsible for procedures related to foreigners in Türkiye.
This visit, as we told you, is intended to highlight the generosity of Türkiye in hosting refugees. Drawing on his previous leadership as High Commissioner for Refugees, the Secretary-General will engage participants on issues related to their situation.
He will underscore the important and complementary role of civil society organizations in supporting the protection and service delivery, and encourage strengthened cooperation between civil society and Government, and this to enhance coordination and ensure that timely support reaches the most vulnerable.
SECURITY COUNCIL
In the Security Council this morning, there was a meeting on Lebanon. Briefing Council members, Rosemary DiCarlo, the Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, noted that amid an already devastating escalation in the Middle East, the decision by Hizbullah to attack Israel on 2 March has again drawn Lebanon into a conflict it neither sought nor can it afford.
Ms. DiCarlo stressed that to prevent further loss of life and to create the space for meaningful political engagement, violence must stop. She emphasized that the United Nations will continue to work closely with all concerned to restore calm and to protect civilians.
Also briefing members was Jean-Pierre Lacroix, the Head of our Peace Operations [department]. He said that in this dangerous and precarious environment, the UN Peacekeeping Force in Lebanon, UNIFIL, remains on the ground implementing its mandate as far as the security conditions on the ground allow it. He noted that there have been several incidents that have jeopardized the safety and security of our peacekeepers, stressing that all parties bear a clear and unequivocal responsibility to ensure the safety and security of United Nations peacekeepers.
For his part, Tom Fletcher, the Emergency Relief Coordinator, said that we and the broader humanitarian community are fully mobilized to complement the efforts that are being led by the government of Lebanon in addressing this humanitarian crisis. He noted that we and our partners have provided over 500,000 hot meals, distributed over 270,000 litres of bottled water, provided hygiene items and household supplies and 123,000 litres of fuel to sustain critical services,adding that the Rapid Response Teams are delivering life-saving supplies in shelters and 125 Health Sector-supported mobile primary healthcare units are providing services. Child protection and psychosocial support are being expanded, alongside the preparations for emergency cash assistance for vulnerable families and children.
LEBANON
The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) continues to record a growing number of incidents across the Blue Line, including rockets and projectiles fired from Lebanon into Israel, and airstrikes by the Israel Defense Forces impacting southern Lebanon, including Bayt Lif in Sector West and Qabrikha, Ett Taibe and Raabatt Talateen in Sector East.
The UN Mission notes that heavy artillery shelling by Israel has also been reported in various areas of Sector East. UNIFIL has also observed ground movements from the Israeli Defense Forces including near Alma al-Shab, Yaroun in Sector West and El Adeisse in Kafer Kela and Khiyam in Sector East.
The UN Mission continues to facilitate humanitarian access in support of those impacted by the ongoing hostilities. We urge all involved to avail of diplomatic channels to avoid further escalation and return to the implementation of Security Council Resolution 1701.
Full Highlight: https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/noon-briefing-highlight?date=2026-03-11
Remarks to the media by Ambassador Jamal Fares Alrowaiei, Permanent Representative of the Kingdom of Bahrain to the United Nations, alongside other members of the Gulf Cooperation Countries (GCC) and Jordan, on the situation in Iran.
Joint Press Encounter: Permanent Missions of Armenia, Austria, Cyprus, Denmark, Finland, France, Ireland, Latvia, Malta, Panama, Poland, Spain, United Kingdom and Uruguay on the situation in Lebanon
The Deputy to the High Representative for Disarmament Affairs, Adedeji Ebo, told the Security Council that the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) and the Syrian Arab Republic “have continued to engage on how to eliminate any remnants of the chemical weapons programme developed by the previous government.”
Addressing a Council meeting on the implementation of resolution 2118 on Syria’s chemical weapons programme, Ebo recalled that “since 2014, the OPCW Technical Secretariat has not been able to confirm that the declaration submitted by the previous government was accurate and complete.”
He said, “in addition to the 26 declared chemical weapons-related sites, information made available to the OPCW suggests that there are more than 100 other sites that may have been involved in the previous government’s chemical-weapons related activities. As part of its work on this matter, the OPCW Technical Secretariat plans to visit all these locations.”
Ebo said the new Government of Syria “has been working with the OPCW Technical Secretariat to obtain clarifications on the full extent and scope of the programme developed by the previous Government and to ensure Syria’s long-term compliance with the Chemical Weapons Convention.”
He urged Council members “to unite and show leadership in providing the support that this unprecedented effort will require” and added that the United Nations “stands ready to support and will continue to do our part to uphold the norm against the use of chemical weapons – anywhere and at any time.”
Iranian Ambassador Amir-Saeid Iravani said, “the world is witnessing how a rogue and irresponsible state, together with an illegitimate regime, is targeting the Iranian schools, hospitals, residential building infrastructure, a sports hall and relief facilities. These attacks have already claimed the lives of hundreds of innocent civilians, including women and children.”
Amir-Saeid Iravani told reporters at in New York today (10 Mar) airstrikes on the night of March 7 hit fuel storage facilities in Tehran and other cities. “This attack released large quantities of hazardous and toxic pollutants into the atmosphere,” he said. He cited the Iranian Red Crescent Society as saying the blasts caused “severe air pollution and serious health risks for civilians, especially children, women and elderly, and those with critical health conditions.”
The ambassador said the United States on March 7 targeted a freshwater desalination plant on Qeshm Island in Hormozgan Province, disrupting water supplies to 30 villages and putting thousands of civilians at risk.
Iravani said the U.S. president on Sunday “openly expressed pride in the destruction of civilian infrastructure, Iran’s navy and killing of Iranian sailors.” According to the ambassador, the intention was “to terrorize civilians, massacre innocent people and cause maximum destruction and suffering.”
On the Beirut attack, Iravani said Israel carried out what he called a “deliberate terrorist attack” against the Ramada Hotel in the early hours of March 8, killing four Iranian diplomats. He said those diplomats had relocated to the hotel from Iran’s diplomatic premises after threats were made against those premises, and that the move was coordinated with the Lebanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
“The targeted killing of diplomats on the territory of another sovereign state is a grave terrorist attack, a war crime and a flagrant violation of international law,” he said.
Iravani said the Security Council had remained silent despite what he described as grave violations, and that some council members were “attempting to reverse the roles and position of victims and aggressors.” He said a resolution under consideration would reward Israel and the United States and embolden further aggression.
“Today it is Iran,” he said. “Tomorrow it could be any other sovereign state.”
Iran would defend itself, Iravani added. “We will take all necessary measures to defend our people, our territory and our independence.”
