Source: United Nations (video statements)
UN Secretary-General António Guterres speaks to the press at the COP30 climate conference in Belém, Brazil, as negotiations on the conference outcome are in the final stages.
Syria: Fragile Security and Need for Inclusive Transition – Deputy Special Envoy | United Nations
Source: United Nations (video statements)
Security Council briefing by Najat Rochdi, Deputy Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for Syria, on the situation in Syria.
Deputy Special Envoy for Syria Najat Rochdi told the Council that her recent visit to Damascus drove home the sheer scale of the challenges and the need for a genuinely inclusive political transition process in the country.
The Deputy Special Envoy for Syria spoke to the Council via video link from Oslo.
Rochdi said that resolution 2799 reiterated the Council’s full respect for the sovereignty, unity, independence and territorial integrity of Syria. Yet Israeli military operations and incursions into Syrian territory continue, in grave violation of Syria’s sovereignty and of international law.
She called for Israel’s violations to cease and for adherence to the 1974 Disengagement Agreement. And I appeal to the Security Council to assume its responsibilities in this regard.
Rochdi also pointed out that tensions, lawlessness and some violence persist in several areas, with sporadic exchanges of fire between forces on frontlines. Tensions and violence have continued in Deir-ez-Zor, despite the best efforts of the leaderships to implement the nationwide ceasefire; and also on the margins of Suweida, where serious clashes have taken place.
She reiterated, “Security fragility is a reminder that lasting peace in Syria depends on comprehensive security sector reform and credible programs of disarmament, demobilization and reintegration.”
On the political front, the Deputy Special Envoy highlighted that the drafting of a permanent constitution is “a foundational task.”
She said, “The act of defining a new social contract among Syrians must be a source of peace and unity.”
Equally, Rochdi added, “the free and fair elections that are to follow that new constitution will require significant advance planning and early engagement from now, given the institutions and infrastructure that must be rebuilt after so many years of conflict and authoritarian rule.”
The Deputy Special Envoy encouraged all parties to “take tangible steps forward, particularly initial confidence-building measures, especially on detainees and abductees and the restoration of state services.”
“Any framework for reintegrating Suweida needs to uphold Syria’s sovereignty, unity, independence, and territorial integrity, and address the very real anxieties felt by the Druze regarding their safety, human rights, and inclusion in Syria’s political future – as well as those of Bedouin communities,” she concluded.
World Children’s Day 2025 – UN Chief message | United Nations
Source: United Nations (video statements)
Video message by António Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations, on World Children’s Day 2025.
"The Convention on the Rights of the Child is the most widely ratified treaty in history.
Signed 36 years ago today, it affirms a simple truth:
When we protect the youngest members of the human family, we build a better world.
But right now, children’s rights are under attack.
Poverty and emergencies are stealing education.
Climate chaos is jeopardizing futures.
And new dangers lurk in the online world.
Too many children already carry burdens far beyond their years, earning income or caring for siblings.
And famine and war have robbed thousands of the most basic right of all: The right to life.
Every child’s circumstances are unique.
But every child has the same rights, no matter who they are or where they live.
This World Children’s Day, let us listen to children. And let us amplify their voices as they stand up for their rights.
The future is defined by how we care for the next generation.
We must unite to build a safe and equal world for every child."
more info: https://www.un.org/en
How a Network for Uniformed Women Enhances Peace Operations
Source: United Nations (video statements)
Launched in 2023, the Network for Uniformed Women Peacekeepers connects women from police, military, and justice & corrections serving in United Nations peace operations. Two years into the project, the Network has meaningfully enhanced the deployment experience for uniformed women peacekeepers and also brought about broader strategic benefits for peacekeeping overall. When women thrive, teams perform better, and in the end, everyone benefits for better peacekeeping.
More info: https://peacekeeping.un.org/en/women-peacekeeping
More info on the Network: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BwLrnz-YQ7k
#WomenPeaceSecurity
World Urbanization Prospects 2025 – Press Conference | World Population Prospects 2025
Source: United Nations (video statements)
Press Briefing by Mr. Bjørg Sandkjær, UN Assistant Secretary-General for Policy Coordination, UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA), along with Mr. John Wilmoth, Director, Population Division, UN DESA, and Ms. Sara Hertog, Population Affairs Officer, Population Division, UN DESA. They brief journalists on the World Urbanization Prospects 2025: Summary of Results.
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“Fast-growing Dhaka, Bangladesh, will surpass Jakarta to become the world’s largest city by 2050,” The United Nations on Tuesday unveiled its World Urbanization Prospects 2025, outlining how population growth and shifting settlement patterns will reshape cities, towns and rural areas over the coming decades.
Bjørg Sandkjær, Assistant Secretary-General for Policy Coordination at the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) emphasized that “sustainable development requires integrated planning that treats cities, towns and rural areas as interconnected and interdependent,” adding that policies must “recognize the unique role of all settlement types” and be tailored to their specific needs.
She also underscored the importance of data-driven decision-making. “Timely and reliable data are going to effective planning,” she said, noting that regular censuses and the integration of geospatial and statistical information can enable better monitoring of settlement patterns and access to services.
Indicators tracking population density and built-up land per capita, she added, “provide useful information about human interactions with the environment.”
John Wilmoth, Director of the Population Division, said the release provides estimates and projections based on a new standard methodology called the Degree of Urbanization, which maps population data into one-square-kilometer grid cells and classifies all land areas into seven categories ranging from mostly uninhabited rural areas to densely populated cities.
Sara Hertog, a Population Affairs Officer with DESA, detailed the report’s latest demographic findings. “In 2025, 45 per cent of the world’s 8.2 billion people live in cities, 36 per cent live in towns, and the remaining 19 per cent live in rural areas,” she said.
By 2050, “two thirds of the growth of the world’s population will occur in cities,” with most of the rest happening in towns. The global rural population, she noted, is expected to peak in the 2040s before gradually declining.
Hertog added that “cities have more people than either towns or rural areas in 104 countries or areas,” representing nearly half of all locations for which UN estimates were produced.
She also highlighted the concentration of mega-cities in Asia. “Jakarta, Indonesia, with nearly 42 million inhabitants, is the world’s most populous city today,” she said, but projections indicate that “fast-growing Dhaka, Bangladesh, will surpass Jakarta to become the world’s largest city by 2050.”
Gaza’s Hidden Threats: UNMAS Clears Unexploded Ordnance After Conflict | United Nations
Source: United Nations (video statements)
The UN Mine Action Service (UNMAS) has been supporting mine action activities throughout the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT) since 2009. Since the escalation of hostilities on 7 October 2023, UNMAS operations have considerably evolved to adapt to the emerging needs of local populations and humanitarian partners in both Gaza and the West Bank.
As the lead humanitarian coordinating body for mine action response in Gaza, UNMAS supports humanitarian partners by assessing explosive ordnance threats and providing guidance to enable safe humanitarian operations. In ceasefire periods, UNMAS supports early recovery efforts, as mine action is critical for reconstruction tasks like debris and rubble removal. UNMAS also collaborates with local and international partners to deliver explosive ordnance risk education (EORE) to civilians, promoting safe behaviours.
A production with support from the European Union.
Sport for development and peace – Joint Stakeout | United Nations
Source: United Nations (video statements)
Following the General Assembly plenary meeting on "Sport for development and peace: building a peaceful and better world through sport and the Olympic ideal".
– Mr. Giovanni Malago, President of MILANO-CORTINA 2026 FOUNDATION
– Ms. Kirsty Coventry, President of the International Olympic Committee
– Ambassador Maurizio Massari, Permanent Representative of Italy to the United Nations
Secretary-General/COP30, Ukraine & other topics – Daily Press Briefing | United Nations
Source: United Nations (video statements)
Noon Briefing by Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesperson for the Secretary-General.
Highlights:
-Secretary-General / COP30
-Ukraine
-Occupied Palestinian Territory
-Syria
-Yemen
-Abyei
-Libya
-World Toilet Day
SECRETARY-GENERAL/COP30
Today, the Secretary-General is in Belém, where he is attending the COP30 summit. This morning, he participated in a European Union Coordination meeting and also met with the Ministers from a group of African nations.
Also, this morning, in a meeting with representatives of civil society, the Secretary-General thanked civil society for its leadership, vigilance and moral clarity, noting that their work is indispensable in driving ambition, as well as protecting communities and holding decision-makers to account.
Later on, in a meeting with indigenous peoples, the Secretary-General underscored that the ancestral wisdom, knowledge, and stewardship of indigenous peoples are vital for the planet’s survival. He said their voices and effective participation must shape the global response to the climate crisis.
This afternoon and tomorrow morning, he will continue meeting with other negotiators and Ministers and different groups. He is also expected to speak to the media tomorrow at 11:00 a.m. Belém time, which is about 9:00 a.m. in the morning here in New York, and that will be webcast.
Also to flag that yesterday afternoon, apart from engaging with youth representatives, Mr. Guterres met with the so-called Umbrella Group, which is formed by a diverse group of non-EU developed countries. He also had a bilateral meeting with the Minister for Climate, Energy and Utilities of Denmark, Lars Aagaard Møller, and the European Union Commissioner for Climate, Net Zero and Clean Growth, Wopke Hoekstra.
UKRAINE
Turning to Ukraine, the Secretary-General strongly condemns the latest overnight missile and drone attacks by the Russian Federation on several Ukrainian regions, that reportedly killed at least twenty-five people, including children and injuring several dozen others in two residential areas in Ternopil in western Ukraine.
Attacks against civilians and civilian infrastructure violate international humanitarian law. They are unacceptable, wherever they occur, and they must end immediately.
Today’s appalling attack – one of the deadliest against civilians since Russia’s full-scale invasion nearly four years ago – once again underlines the urgency of a full and unconditional ceasefire in this country, as a first step towards a just, comprehensive, and sustainable peace that fully upholds Ukraine’s sovereignty, its independence and territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders, in line with the United Nations Charter, international law and relevant resolutions of the United Nations.
Our Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, Rosemary DiCarlo, is in Ukraine, she is in Kyiv today. She said that she herself was appalled by the overnight attacks.
Ms. DiCarlo is wrapping up a three-day visit to Ukraine and today, she met with Deputy Prime Minister Taras Kachka and Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha. The discussions centered on how the United Nations can further support efforts towards a just and lasting peace in Ukraine and assist the country in addressing its complex needs amid the war. The Under-Secretary-General said that strengthening recovery, social cohesion and the role of women in public life remain shared priorities.
She also addressed the Fourth International Food Summit in Kyiv today, highlighting the war’s devastating impact on the global food supply and our own efforts to advocate for safe navigation in the Black Sea. Her full remarks are available on the website of the Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs.
For his part, our Humanitarian Coordinator for Ukraine, Matthias Schmale, also strongly condemned the latest wave of attacks overnight, and his statement is online.
Full highlights: https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/noon-briefing-highlight?date=2025-11-19
Overnight Deadly Attacks Killed Civilians, Injured Children and Disrupted Vital Services in Ukraine
Source: United Nations (video statements)
On the night of 19 November, a new wave of deadly attacks by the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation claimed at least 20 civilian lives and left over a hundred more injured—including children. Homes and critical civilian infrastructure were heavily damaged across the country, including health and educational facilities.
Dealing with unexploded ordnance in Gaza | United Nations
Source: United Nations (video statements)
The UN Mine Action Service (UNMAS) has been supporting mine action activities throughout the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT) since 2009. Since the escalation of hostilities on 7 October 2023, UNMAS operations have considerably evolved to adapt to the emerging needs of local populations and humanitarian partners in both Gaza and the West Bank.
As the lead humanitarian coordinating body for mine action response in Gaza, UNMAS supports humanitarian partners by assessing explosive ordnance threats and providing guidance to enable safe humanitarian operations. In ceasefire periods, UNMAS supports early recovery efforts, as mine action is critical for reconstruction tasks like debris and rubble removal. UNMAS also collaborates with local and international partners to deliver explosive ordnance risk education (EORE) to civilians, promoting safe behaviours.
A production with support from the European Union.