Source: United Nations (video statements)
Khalilur Rahman of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh was sworn in as President of the General Assembly’s 81st session.
Khalilur Rahman, president-elect of the 81st session of the General Assembly, took the oath of office in accordance with Assembly resolution 70/305.
Source: United Nations (video statements)
(EN/FR) Informal 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 situation in Libya.
Source: United Nations (video statements)
Noon Briefing by Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesperson for the Secretary-General.
Highlights:
Sudan
South Sudan
Central African Republic
Occupied Palestinian Territory
Lebanon
Yemen
Ukraine/Russia
Ukraine/Humanitarian
Ebola/Democratic Republic of the Congo
Afghanistan
Venezuela
Clean Air Report
International Literacy Day
Sudan
Moving to Sudan, the Secretary-General’s Personal Envoy for Sudan, Pekka Haavisto, is continuing his visit to Khartoum. Today, he joined his Quintet colleagues (which, as you know, comprises the African Union, the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), the League of Arab States, the European Union, and, of course, ourselves). They met in Khartoum. This is a good offices mission for the Quintet to listen to Sudanese stakeholders’ assessment of the current political and security situation and share reflections on efforts to advance an inclusive political track towards peace in Sudan.
The Quintet envoys held a meeting at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, followed by engagements with UN agencies. They are also set to engage with political and civilian forces next, followed by other engagements.
As we mentioned, Mr. Haavisto arrived in Khartoum last Friday. Since then, he held a series of constructive meetings with the Chairman of the Transitional Sovereignty Council, the Prime Minister, as well as the Foreign Minister and senior Government officials; he also met with civil society and other political leaders.
In his discussions over the weekend, Mr. Haavisto focused on practical measures to advance de-escalation and the protection of civilians. He also discussed the release and exchange of detainees, further stressing the importance of ensuring a single national examination process for all Sudanese school children.
Mr. Haavisto also called for an inclusive political process alongside tangible steps to reduce violence, stressing that a negotiated settlement remains the only viable path towards a comprehensive ceasefire and a sustainable resolution of the conflict.
Mr. Haavisto will stay in Sudan until the end of the week. We will keep you posted on his activities.
South Sudan
Just heading south to South Sudan, our peacekeeping colleagues there are supporting the deployment of a court in the Bentiu camp for internally displaced persons, in collaboration with the Unity State Government and the country’s judicial and justice authorities.
Consistent with Security Council resolution 2820 (2026), which mandates UNMISS (United Nations Mission in South Sudan) to support national and local authorities investigating and prosecuting violations and abuses, the Mission is supporting the court, which began operations yesterday and will run through 26 September. The Court will hear cases relating to sexual and gender-based violence, drugs and gang violence, in response to concerns and requests from the community for stronger justice and rule of law mechanisms, particularly affecting children and youth.
The deployment aims to bring the formal justice system directly to residents of the camp. It builds on the re-establishment of the Judiciary in Unity State in May, after 13 years of absence, and on seven mobile courts deployed across the state since 2024 with support from our peacekeeping colleagues.
Central African Republic
And in nearby Central African Republic, our peacekeeping colleagues there from MINUSCA (United Nations Mission in the Central African Republic) report encouraging signs of a gradual return to normal life in Am-Dafock, near the border with Sudan, following the attack by armed groups on 30 June, as you will recall. That attack left 29 people dead, including members of the Central African Armed Forces and Gendarmerie, injured civilians and peacekeepers, and displaced more than 17,000 human beings.
More than 5,000 people have now returned to their homes. MINUSCA has reinforced its military presence and increased patrols in the town and surrounding areas, alongside the deployment of the Central African Armed Forces, to help protect civilians.
The Mission has also supported dialogue with local communities, facilitated visits by national authorities, supplied clean drinking water and helped deliver humanitarian assistance. The peacekeepers stress that the reopening of the market is a positive development, but the situation remains fragile, and security and stabilization efforts must continue.
Full highlights: https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/noon-briefing-highlight?date=2026-09-08
Source: United Nations (video statements)
Closing remarks by António Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations, at the Closing of the 80th Session of the General Assembly.
Source: United Nations (video statements)
Closing remarks by Annalena Baerbock, President of the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly, at the Closing of the 80th Session of the General Assembly.
Source: United Nations (video statements)
Closing remarks by Annalena Baerbock, President of the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly, at the Closing of the 80th Session of the General Assembly.
Source: United Nations (video statements)
Closing remarks by Annalena Baerbock, President of the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly, at the Closing of the 80th Session of the General Assembly.
Annalena Baerbock stated, “If we are not capable of freeing this Organization from overlapping structures and mandates, as well as a heavy bureaucratic mentality, it will erode over time.”
She also said, “The headwinds during the 80th session have been strong, and indeed, they may become stronger in the 81st session. So, dear President Rahman, I wish you strength as you take on this responsibility, with all your experience, and I wish you success as you pick up the mantle and carry forward the process to select the next Secretary-General.”
She concluded, “Our peoples, everywhere, expect us to do better, because they need our world to be better. Better, together.”
Khalilur Rahman, president-elect of the 81st session of the General Assembly, took the oath of office in accordance with Assembly resolution 70/305.
Source: United Nations (video statements)
Informal comments to the media by Khalilur Rahman, incoming President of the 81st Session of the UN General Assembly. He delivered brief remarks, detailing his vision for the 81st session of the General Assembly.
Source: United Nations (video statements)
Growing up in rural Spain, Alvaro Lario’s parents managed a small fruit farm that sold melons in local villages. Now he is President of the UN International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and is helping small scale farmers to thrive all around the world.
“All of these people are extremely entrepreneurial. They’re extremely creative. They have a lot of willingness and energy. Many times it’s just the lack of opportunity or the lack of means, and I think that’s what makes this job or this role very rewarding.”
The UN supports rural communities around the world as they gain economic self-reliance through agricultural activities. In this episode, Alvaro Lario reflects on attracting private sector investment for those projects, on what indigenous groups can teach others about resilience to global shocks, and shares how building one new road can transform thousands of lives.
[00:00] Introduction
[00:29] Transforming rural livelihoods through agricultural investment
[04:57] Building resilience and economic opportunities
[09:24] What keeps Alvaro awake at night
[11:07] The entrepreneurial spirit of small-scale farmers
[12:23] Why water matters for sustainable development
[14:36] Climate change and the future of food systems
[18:03] Growing up with farming roots in Spain
[20:24] Small investments with a lasting impact
[21:57] Why empowering women farmers matters
[23:41] The challenge of attracting the next generation of farmers
[28:03] Can technology transform agriculture?
[29:20] Learning from Indigenous communities
[32:26] The most rewarding part of the job
[33:16] Closing remarks
Listen to more Awake at Night episodes: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLwoDFQJEq_0b6hu1e8oxsch9W0D7vkNqt
#podcast #UnitedNations #AwakeAtNight #IFAD #food #agriculture
About Awake at Night
Hosted by Melissa Fleming, UN Under-Secretary-General for Global Communications, the podcast ‘Awake at Night’ is an in-depth interview series focusing on remarkable United Nations staff members who dedicate their career to helping people in parts of the world where they have the hardest lives – from war zones and displacement camps to areas hit by disasters and the devastation of climate change.
Source: United Nations (video statements)
25 August 2026 – Ukraine: Humanitarian Chief on Drone Warfare’s Toll in Kherson.
Briefing by Tom Fletcher, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), on the maintenance of peace and security of Ukraine.
