Edem Wosornu, Director of the Crisis Response Division of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) also addressed the Council on behalf of Tom Fletcher, Emergency Relief Coordinator.
She said, “While a ceasefire in April has led to a reduction in violence, explosive weapons contamination continues to pose a deadly threat – especially to children. The conflict has also disrupted critical supply chains with the continued border closure affecting humanitarian programmes, especially food security and nutrition. A reopening of the border is urgently required to keep the response moving.”
She reported, “Hunger is growing across Afghanistan. Today, 4.7 million people are at risk of severe food insecurity (IPC Phase 4) – which is 50 per cent higher than during the same time last year. Some 3.7 million children are facing acute malnutrition. We continue to receive alarming reports of families forced into desperate choices, including selling daughters, simply to survive.”
She also said, “Activities supporting women and girls continue to be disproportionately affected by de facto authority restrictions, with at least six women’s spaces closed in Herat Province since March and the suspension of livelihoods activities for women. Female staff have also been stopped in Herat for what the de-facto authorities claimed to be inappropriate dress, inappropriate dress, and over the weekend we have received reports of dozens of women arrested due to alleged non-compliance with existing dress codes- including women health workers.”
Briefing by Rosemary DiCarlo, Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, on maintenance of peace and security of Ukraine.
DiCarlo urged Russia and Ukraine to “return to the path of diplomacy,” reiterating that the long-term security and stability of Europe depend on “concerted and inclusive diplomatic efforts” to end the war.
DiCarlo briefed the Council on Monday (8 Jun) stressing that the war in Ukraine is deadlier today than at any point since the start of the Russian Federation’s full-scale invasion in 2022.
The UN official highlighted the last few months have seen some of the most extensive aerial attacks of the war. Though the United Nations is not in a position to verify these reports, DiCarlo cautioned that what is evident to all is that the conflict is intensifying.
She reiterated the Secretary-General’s call for “an immediate, full and unconditional ceasefire,” emphasizing that such a ceasefire “would save lives, alleviate suffering and create the space necessary for diplomatic efforts towards a just, lasting and comprehensive peace.”
DiCarlo also stated, “peace must be consistent with the Charter of the United Nations, international law, and relevant UN resolutions. We remain committed to supporting all efforts to this important objective.”
Briefing by Georgette Gagnon , Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Officer-in-Charge of UNAMA, on the situation in Afghanistan during the 10165th meeting of the Security Council.
Deputy Spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General Farhan Haq says the UN is alarmed by the overnight escalation of violence in southern Lebanon and northern Israel and urges all parties to fully abide by the ceasefire jointly announced by Lebanon, Israel and the United States on 1 June 2026.
Noon briefing by Farhan Haq, Deputy Spokesperson for the Secretary-General.
Highlights:
World Oceans day
Lebanon/Israel
Lebanon/Humanitarian
Occupied Palestinian Territory
Senior Personnnel Appointments/UNHCR
Haiti Trip Announcement
Memorial Service
Security Council
Ukraine
Sudan
Democratic Republic of the Congo
Philippines
Cuba
Guests
WORLD OCEANS DAY
Today is World Oceans Day. In a message for the Day, the Secretary-General noted that in these turbulent times, the ocean reminds us that we are bound together. But the ocean is in deep trouble, he said, and we are pushing it past its limits. The Secretary-General stressed that we cannot keep treating the ocean as limitless. He emphasized that we must build a new relationship with the ocean: grounded in science, framed by international law, and built on shared responsibility to advance the Sustainable Development Goals. His message was shared with you.
LEBANON/ISRAEL
We are alarmed by the overnight escalation, including renewed strikes in the southern suburbs of Beirut yesterday and reported Hizbullah strikes into northern Israel. We urge all actors to exercise maximum restraint and refrain from any action that could further inflame an already volatile situation.
We urge all parties to fully abide by the ceasefire jointly announced by Lebanon, Israel and the United States last week, and to avoid any steps that could undermine ongoing diplomatic efforts to achieve a durable peace.
We note with concern the devastating impact the ongoing hostilities are having on civilians. We reiterate that civilians and civilian infrastructures must not be targeted. We call on all actors to uphold their obligations under international law, including international humanitarian law.
Over the weekend, from Friday 5 to Sunday 7 June, the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) observed a high tempo of military activity across its area of operations, including 201 violations of Lebanese airspace by the IDF — including by helicopters and fighter aircrafts — totaling close to 288 hours of overflight time. UNIFIL recorded over 2,100 firing incidents originating from IDF positions including from south of the Blue Line and from within the area of operations. The heaviest impacts were recorded in Sector East and areas immediately north of the Litani River. Dozens of projectile trajectories from north to south presumably fired by Hizbullah were also recorded, including several crossing the Blue Line.
Full Highlights: https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/noon-briefing-highlight?date=2026-06-08
Fabien Couseau, third generation ocean explorer, aquanaut and voice for the ocean, says we must safeguard the planet. And he introduces a new report that shows the way.
Video Message by António Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations, on World Oceans Day, 8 June 2026.
In these turbulent times, the ocean reminds us that we are bound together.
It shapes our climate, sustains ecosystems and economies, and feeds billions.
But the ocean is in deep trouble – and we are pushing it past its limits.
The Third World Ocean Assessment, launched today, documents a deepening crisis driven by climate change, overfishing, biodiversity loss and marine pollution.
We cannot keep treating the ocean as limitless.
We must build a new relationship with the ocean:
Grounded in science.
Framed by international law.
And built on shared responsibility – across nations, sectors, and generations – to advance the Sustainable Development Goals.
The success of the Third Ocean Conference last year and the entry into force of the Agreement on Marine Biodiversity of Areas beyond National Jurisdiction this year show that multilateral action is possible – and necessary.
On World Ocean Day, let us act with the ambition and resolve this moment demands.
UN Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations Jean-Pierre Lacroix said “The work of our peacekeepers matters. It is worth defending. Peacekeeping is worth the investment.”
Addressing the press on the occasion of the celebration of the International Day of UN Peacekeepers, Lacroix said, “At this moment, UN peacekeeping’s entire budget, which is 5.38 billion dollars – that’s the budget for one year. The same amount is spent in 16 hours – one six – on global military spending, so it’s not even a full day. And if you want another measure, the budget of peacekeeping for one year for all operations is less than half the amount it costs to organize the upcoming FIFA World Cup.”
He continued, “It’s a fact that the cost of supporting peacekeeping is far lower than the cost of responding when conflict spirals out of control, and therefore I call on this International Day of Peacekeeping is clear: Let us invest in peace. We need the political and financial backing of member states. We need parties to conflict to uphold international humanitarian law and the UN Charter. We need the support from all those who can hold their governments accountable for their actions.”
He stated, “Peace does not happen by accident. It requires political will, sustained support, and investment.”
Answering a question, he said, “UNIFIL – and whatever may come next, if anything – it’s about supporting. It’s about supporting Lebanese people; it’s about supporting political efforts. This is really what peacekeeping is about, and that applies also to Lebanon.”
Addressing the press virtually from Goma, Sergeant Matías Reyes, who serves at the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) spoke about his experience in January 2025, when he rescued wounded Congolese soldiers seeking refuge at a MONUSCO base.
He said, “Dozens of soldiers of the FARDC who have been wounded sought refuge and medical assistance. When I saw them in that situation I acted immediately. I carried on my shoulders 12 of these Congolese soldiers who were severely wounded and I took them to a safe area within the base where a medical tent was located. At that time, I did not think of myself, or of the risks involved. I was deeply worried about their lives because I knew that each second could have made a difference.”
Earlier this morning, Sergeant Matías Reyes received the Mbaye Diagne Medal.
Answering a journalist’s question, Major Abhilasha Barak of India, who serves at the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) and named the 2025 Military Gender Advocate of the Year, said, “Talks should take place; diplomacy should come to action and hopefully the ceasefire will continue. And then we can move on to rebuilding, not just physically with their roads and destructed homes, but also the post trauma, which they are going under, so we must work on that as a community, as a government, and as peacekeepers, and rebuild Lebanon.”
Police Inspector Stephanie Königs, winner of this year’s Woman Police Officer of the Year Award, served at the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS)
She shared with the press what it takes to have an impact and emphasised the need for more woman in the field.
She explained, “Going out in the field, it’s very obvious that half of the population is women, so it’s for them much more comfortable to talk to a woman police officer, and to share their concerns, their opinions, their perspectives. So, these conversations, they are not just nice: they shape what we are doing on the ground in our operational daily life.”
Today, more than 51,000 civilians, military, and police personnel serve in 11 UN peacekeeping missions, confronting increasingly complex and interconnected challenges shaped by a shifting geopolitical landscape.
In this era of rising tensions, peacekeeping is a proven and cost-effective way to restore stability and hope.
The International Day pays tribute to their unwavering service and sacrifice, as well as the resilience of the communities they support.
It also solemnly honors the nearly 4,500 peacekeepers who have lost their lives in the cause of peace, including 59 in 2025 alone.
High Representative for Disarmament Affairs Izumi Nakamitsu said, “the current 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 ensure Syria’s long-term compliance with the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC).”
Nakamitsu briefed the Council on the implementation of Security Council resolution 2118 (2013) on the elimination of the chemical weapons programme of the Syrian Arab Republic.
She said, “the OPCW Technical Secretariat shares that, following an improvement in the regional security situation that permitted a safe and secure resumption of operations, the OPCW Technical Secretariat recommenced its deployments to the Syrian Arab Republic, in coordination with the Syrian National Authority.”
At the beginning of May 2026, a team from the OPCW Office of Special Missions (OSM) deployed to the Syrian Arab Republic to advance efforts to establish a complete and accurate inventory of the remnants of the chemical weapons programme developed by the previous Syrian Government. This deployment focused on several high-priority, undeclared sites in the northern coastal and central areas of the country, broadly within a geographic triangle encompassing Hama, Homs, and Latakia. Visits to these sites were conducted in full coordination with the Syrian National Authority and with substantial support from the relevant Ministries of the Syrian Government.
The High Representative said, “the findings include dozens of chemical munitions previously undeclared to the OPCW, including the same type of aerial bombs that were used in the chemical attacks in Ltamenah in March 2017 and Khan Shaykhun in April 2017. Rockets were also found, of the same type as those that were used in the chemical weapons attack in Ghouta in August 2013.”
Nakamitsu added, “the OPCW further reports that findings include quantities of separately stored chemicals and related equipment, which is currently being analysed, and thousands of pages of documentation.”
She highlighted that the OPCW Technical Secretariat has further emphasized the importance of effective support from the current Syrian Government, adding “this cooperation will remain critical going forward, as the newly discovered elements now need to be declared and destroyed, under the OPCW Technical Secretariat’s verification.”
The High Representative continued, “further investigations and deployments to additional sites will be required in order to discern the full scope of the chemical weapons programme developed by the previous Government.”
She reiterated, “given the risks posed by any remaining elements of the chemical weapons programme, these steps must be completed with urgency.”
