Addressing a High-Level meeting of the Security Council on Artificial intelligence and international security, the Co-Chair of the United Nations International Independent Panel on Artificial Intelligence, Professor Yoshua Bengio said, “the dangers are real and imminent,” and called for stakeholders to “agree collectively that no one, no company and no country, should develop an AI system that could cause large-scale harm.”
Bengio said, “citizens and governments should not accept the companies’ claim that they are trapped in a race. The race is not a law of nature. It is the product of choices. Choices made by the companies themselves. It is also a race where everyone loses. They’ve told us they would slow down if they could. They can.”
He called for international cooperation “in the face of three global threats from advances in these frontier models. First, catastrophic misuse, for example by terrorists. Second, power concentration. And third, loss of control of AI.”
The Panel’s Co-Chair said, “developers must demonstrate to independent experts that a system is safe to train and safe to deploy.”
He said, “humanity has summoned the courage and wisdom to manage catastrophic risks before. This is one of those moments, far bigger than any personal, commercial, or national interests.”
The UN Secretary-General warned that the safeguards built over decades to contain nuclear dangers are “breaking down,” just as the risk of nuclear use is rising.
Speaking at a high-level plenary meeting of the General Assembly marking the International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons today (29 Sep) in New York, António Guterres said, “The rattling of nuclear sabers is growing louder. Advances in technology are increasing the odds of mistake and miscalculation.”
Guterres pointed to the expiry of the New START Treaty earlier this year. “For the first time in more than half a century, there are no binding limits on strategic nuclear arsenals,” he noted.
“The United States and the Russian Federation must negotiate a successor framework to New START,” the Secretary-General said.
Guterres called on states, “Let us replace threats with dialogue. Let us replace the arms race with arms control. Let us replace paralysis with concrete action.”
“International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons is devoted to furthering the objective of mobilizing international efforts towards achieving the common goal of a nuclear weapon free world,” General Assembly President Khalilur Rahman also told the meeting.
Comments to the media by Jérôme Bonnafont, Permanent Representative of France to the United Nations and President of the Security Council for the month of September, on the selection process of the next Secretary-General of the United Nations.
Noon Briefing by Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesperson for the Secretary-General.
Highlights:
– Flydubai
– Ethiopia
– Yemen
– Yemen/Humanitarian
– Libya
– Occupied Palestinian Territory
– Haiti
– DR Congo
– Abyei/Amiet Common Market
– International Translation Day
– Naureen Hossain
– Briefing
FLYDUBAI
The U.N. is following the situation involving the Flydubai plane that was en route from Dubai to Tel Aviv and made an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia. The U.N. is thankful that a major tragic incident was averted and will continue to monitor developments.
ETHIOPIA
The U.N. Relief Chief, Tom Fletcher and the U.N. Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Ethiopia, Ozonnia Ojielo, today voiced their concerns over the protection of civilians, pointing out that growing insecurity in the north of Ethiopia in recent months has already disrupted humanitarian operations and put aid workers at greater risk, and they warned that renewed fighting risks is deepening suffering in a region still bearing the scars of the last conflict.
While humanitarian access is being negotiated in hard-to-reach areas, U.N. partners are working to expand assistance. In the Afar Region, the U.N. and its partners is working with the parties on using transport corridors for humanitarian work in and out of Tigray.
Humanitarian teams are closely monitoring the situation and stand ready to assess needs and scale up response as security allows. It is of course imperative that all parties allow for safe and unhindered humanitarian access wherever it is needed and for whoever it is needed. It is also essential that essential services be restored so that help reach the people in need.
Full Highlights: https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/noon-briefing-highlight?date=2026-09-30
Comments to the media by Jérôme Bonnafont, Permanent Representative of France to the United Nations and President of the Security Council for September, following the Security Council consultations on the situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, addressing the situation in eastern DRC and regional peace and security.
Comments to the media by Zénon Mukongo Ngay, Permanent Representative of the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the United Nations, following the Security Council consultations on the situation concerning the DRC.
Also speaking to reporters, Ngay said, “resolution 2773 requires the cessation of support for M23 and the withdrawal of Rwandan forces from Congolese territory. We call for these obligations to be implemented and for the withdrawal to be noted before any further participation of the Rwandan contingent in United Nations Peace Operations.”
Comments to the media by Jérôme Bonnafont, Permanent Representative of France to the United Nations and President of the Security Council for the month of September, on climate and security, joined by signatories of the Climate, Peace and Security Joint Pledges.
Outside the Council, French Ambassador Jérôme Bonnafont, joined by signatories of the Climate Peace and Security Joint Pledges read a statement on behalf of the Group.
Bonnafont said, “climate change, ecological changes, natural disasters, as well as the illegal exploitation and trafficking of natural resources have adverse effects on the stability of the DRC and should be addressed as peace and security risks in the region. These impacts often exacerbate vulnerabilities of local populations, as well as competition over land and pastures, forest, and water resources. Addressing such risks in DRC is also essential for the security and stability of the Great Lake region.”
The Democratic Republic of the Congo has recorded 8,067 confirmed Ebola cases and 3,901 deaths, according to Congolese authorities. WHO says early access to care can significantly improve chances of survival, as it works with partners to expand treatment capacity, strengthen referral systems and improve access to lifesaving oxygen.
Noon Briefing by Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesperson for the Secretary-General.
Highlights:
– UNGA update
– Secretary-General/Nuclear Weapons
– Ukraine/Russia
– Myanmar
– Malaysia
– Haiti
– Haiti/Humanitarian
– Sudan
– DR Congo
– Occupied Palestinian Territory
– Syria
– UNICEF/Jordan
– El Niño/Central Emergency Response Fund
– Refugees
– International Day
UNGA UPDATE
This year, the Secretary-General had 147 bilateral meetings, starting from the meeting with the Foreign Minister of Morrocco on Wednesday, 16 September to the meeting with the Foreign Minister of India today, Tuesday, 29 September.
So far, 138 readouts have been issued and shared with you and after today, the total will be 140.
SECRETARY-GENERAL / NUCLEAR WEAPONS
This morning, the Secretary-General delivered remarks at the plenary meeting marking the International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons. He warned that we are at the most dangerous nuclear moment since the end of the Cold War, with arsenals expanding, nuclear rhetoric growing louder and safeguards built over decades breaking down.
Mr. Guterres stressed that disarmament is not a favour but a binding legal obligation. He called on countries possessing nuclear weapons to return to dialogue, prevent any use of a nuclear weapon and reduce the role of nuclear weapons in their security policies. He also urged the United States and the Russian Federation to negotiate a successor framework to New START.
The Secretary-General called on countries to choose a future free from nuclear weapons, stressing that these devices of death must never decide the fate of humanity.
UKRAINE/RUSSIA
The Secretary-General is alarmed by the scale of escalating daily attacks on Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities, by the armed forces of the Russian Federation, which are reportedly causing a record number of civilian casualties. This includes yesterday’s appalling attack on Ukraine’s National Academy of Sciences in Kyiv. He is equally concerned by the rising number of civilian casualties as a result of increasing attacks by the Ukrainian armed forces in the Russian Federation.
The Secretary-General strongly condemns all attacks targeting civilians and civilian infrastructure, wherever they occur, and urges an immediate end to this dangerous escalatory spiral.
The Secretary-General calls for re-energized focus on diplomacy to urgently de-escalate tensions and pave the way for an immediate, full and unconditional ceasefire, as a first step towards a just, comprehensive and lasting peace in Ukraine in line with international law, including the UN Charter and relevant UN resolutions. The United Nations stands ready to support all meaningful efforts to that end.
Full Highlights: https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/noon-briefing-highlight?date=2026-09-29
