Source: United Nations (video statements)
Noon Briefing by Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesperson for the Secretary-General. 18 Sept 26
Suez and the first peacekeeping mission
Source: United Nations (video statements)
The 1956 Suez Crisis put the General Assembly to a major test — and led to the creation of the UN’s first peacekeeping operation.
In the shadow of war, trust the blue helmets
Source: United Nations (video statements)
UN Secretary-General António Guterres said, “Efficiency means making every dollar count. But it can never replace our shared duty to fund peacekeeping predictably and adequately.”
Addressing the Security Council on the future of all forms of United Nations peace operations, Guterres said, “Most of our missions now operate where peace remains elusive. They are asked to contain the damage of wars that the parties feel little pressure to end – and that outside actors sometimes feed. The ground has shifted. Too often, our mandates have not. Peacekeepers are attacked. Civilians are targeted. International law is violated with a mounting sense of impunity.”
He added, “Continuous improvement matters – and we are doing so, from Action for Peacekeeping to the UN80 Initiative. But that can only take us so far. The success of every mission requires your unity and a recognition of the evolving context in which we operate.”
He stressed, “Agility is not in the Secretariat’s hands alone. Missions cannot move at the speed of events when they are bound by rigid budgetary rules and administrative processes. Efficiency means making every dollar count. But it can never replace our shared duty to fund peacekeeping predictably and adequately.”
He concluded, “In the shadow of war, people still look to the blue helmets – and trust them. Let us be worthy of that trust – every day. Let us invest in peace.”
1960s – The fight against apartheid
Source: United Nations (video statements)
The Assembly made apartheid in South Africa a major issue, passing resolutions against the system and eventually suspending South Africa’s participation.
“The nations were united” 🇺🇳
Source: United Nations (video statements)
From its founding in 1945 to today, the General Assembly has been at the centre of the UN’s story: navigating Cold War tensions, decolonization, apartheid, global crises and the push for reform. UN expert Richard Gowan looks back at how the Assembly evolved and why, eight decades on, it remains the world’s main forum for nations to make their voices heard.
You cannot build an economy over a minefield #Syria #Fletcher
Source: United Nations (video statements)
Briefing by Tom Fletcher, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), on the situation in the Middle East (Syria).
In his address to the Council, humanitarian Chief Tom Fletcher said, “since December 2024, more than 2 million internally displaced Syrians, 1.8 million refugees have gone home voluntarily. This is a historic wave of return – the highest in Syria in two decades – is a profound sign of hope.”
World Cleanup Day – 20 Sept 26
Source: United Nations (video statements)
Every day, more than one billion meals are wasted worldwide, even as millions of people face hunger. Food waste strains waste-management systems, contributes to climate change, squanders land and water resources, and undermines efforts to build more resilient and equitable food systems.
20 September is World Cleanup Day. This year’s global observance focuses on food waste, one of the largest and most preventable waste streams affecting cities and communities worldwide.
https://www.un.org/en/observances/cleanup-day
Why UN peacekeepers struggle in modern war
Source: United Nations (video statements)
UN Secretary-General António Guterres said, “Efficiency means making every dollar count. But it can never replace our shared duty to fund peacekeeping predictably and adequately.”
Addressing the Security Council on the future of all forms of United Nations peace operations, Guterres said, “Most of our missions now operate where peace remains elusive. They are asked to contain the damage of wars that the parties feel little pressure to end – and that outside actors sometimes feed. The ground has shifted. Too often, our mandates have not. Peacekeepers are attacked. Civilians are targeted. International law is violated with a mounting sense of impunity.”
He added, “Continuous improvement matters – and we are doing so, from Action for Peacekeeping to the UN80 Initiative. But that can only take us so far. The success of every mission requires your unity and a recognition of the evolving context in which we operate.”
He stressed, “Agility is not in the Secretariat’s hands alone. Missions cannot move at the speed of events when they are bound by rigid budgetary rules and administrative processes. Efficiency means making every dollar count. But it can never replace our shared duty to fund peacekeeping predictably and adequately.”
He concluded, “In the shadow of war, people still look to the blue helmets – and trust them. Let us be worthy of that trust – every day. Let us invest in peace.”
2026 Treaty Event – Press Conference | United Nations
Source: United Nations (video statements)
Press Conference by David Nanopoulos, Chief of the Treaty Section, Office of Legal Affairs, on the 2026 Treaty Event.
“The nations were united”
Source: United Nations (video statements)
From its founding in 1945 to today, the General Assembly has been at the centre of the UN’s story: navigating Cold War tensions, decolonization, apartheid, global crises and the push for reform. UN expert Richard Gowan looks back at how the Assembly evolved and why, eight decades on, it remains the world’s main forum for nations to make their voices heard.