Source: United Nations (video statements)
Press Conference by Jérôme Bonnafont, Permanent Representative of France to the UN and President of the Security Council for the month of September 2026 on the programme of work of the Security Council.
Nepal, Sudan & other topics – Daily Press Briefing | United Nations
Source: United Nations (video statements)
Noon Briefing by Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesperson for the Secretary-General.
Highlights:
– Today’s Briefing
– Tomorrow’s Guest
– Travels/Kyrgyzstan
– Deputy Secretary-General/Travels
– Nepal
– Sudan
– Democratic Republic of the Congo
– Guinea-Bissau
– Occupied Palestinian Territory
– Lebanon
– Afghanistan
– Financial Contribution
NEPAL
UN colleagues say that the response to last week’s flash floods is entering a new phase, with authorities intensifying relief efforts and recovery operations. As of today, authorities have recovered more than 1,000 bodies, while 3,900 people remain unaccounted for. Nearly 12,000 have been rescued so far.
For thousands of impacted families, the priority is now receiving humanitarian assistance, recovering and identifying the remains of the loved ones, tracing missing relatives, reunifying separated children, and helping people access psychosocial support. The UN is also getting a clearer picture of displacement. Nearly 3,500 people are now living in 27 displacement sites across the hardest-hit districts of Nuwakot and Rasuwa, a lot of them in school, which has a knock-on effect of disrupting education for children
The UN and its humanitarian partners continue to support the Government-led efforts. Yesterday, colleagues from the UN system travelled to the town of Bidur, in Nuwakot, to meet with district authorities and visit displacement sites. UN partners are also working to establish a coordination hub there, so assistance reaches the communities most in need.
WFP has dispatched about 80 metric tons of food, reached more than 9,000 people and has supplies available for another 5,000 families. UNICEF is procuring 10,000 cartons of therapeutic food. Eight health teams have reached more than 1,200 people in displacement sites.
More than 1,800 people, including hundreds of children, have received psychological first aid, and a 24-hour mental health helpline is up and running. The World Health Organization is also supporting disease surveillance efforts in the two hardest-hit areas.
The Government of Nepal and the Head of the UN Office, the Resident Coordinator in Nepal, Lila Pieters Yahia, have agreed on Friday to launch a four-month Humanitarian Flash Appeal. The appeal will support the Government-led response and focus on mobilizing resources to save lives, deliver urgent humanitarian assistance and address the most critical needs to communities impacted by the floods.
UNDP has also carried out a preliminary assessment, which estimates that at least 2.2 million tonnes of debris have been left behind by floods and mudflows along the worst-affected river system in Nepal. Approximately 556,200 tonnes of that total is building debris, based on satellite assessments covering more than 2,300 damaged buildings.
UNDP says the floods have also caused significant damage to energy infrastructure. Eleven hydropower stations and one solar plant, representing about 431.1 megawatts of generation capacity, have stopped operating. A further 15 hydropower projects under construction, which would have added another 470 megawatts, were damaged.
UN colleagues say that the main challenge right now is access. More than 40 bridges have been destroyed, and sections of the main highway remain blocked. The most remote communities continue to rely on army helicopter flights for supplies.
The UN is also very concerned about growing public health risks. Overcrowded shelters, contaminated water and damaged health facilities are putting people, especially women and children, at greater risk of disease in the middle of the monsoon season.
Full Highlights: https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/noon-briefing-highlight?date=2026-09-01
There’s no problem that can’t be solved, with Garry Conille | UN ‘Awake at Night’ podcast teaser
Source: United Nations (video statements)
Garry Conille knows that resilience, hope and determination can be powerful foundations for change. Now UN Resident Coordinator in Kenya, he hopes to contribute his wide-ranging experience to help accelerate the country’s development.
Meanwhile, he hasn’t let go of his brimming optimism towards his troubled home of Haiti, where he served as prime minister. “It’s been years of challenges and stress and distress, yet when you walk in the streets of Haiti, you will see these young children with their hair just tightly done, and these uniforms tightly pressed, walking for hours to go to school. [That’s] what defines Haiti more than anything else.”
The UN and its agencies stand alongside all low and middle income countries as they work to improve the lives of their citizens and those who seek shelter within their borders. In this episode, Garry Conille reflects on the dangers faced by young migrants, on the promise of Africa’s new diplomatic hub, and about his drive to seek solutions for even the most intractable problems.
There’s no problem that can’t be solved | UN Resident Coordinator in Kenya | Awake at Night
Source: United Nations (video statements)
Garry Conille knows that resilience, hope and determination can be powerful foundations for change. Now UN Resident Coordinator in Kenya, he hopes to contribute his wide-ranging experience to help accelerate the country’s development.
Meanwhile, he hasn’t let go of his brimming optimism towards his troubled home of Haiti, where he served as prime minister. “It’s been years of challenges and stress and distress, yet when you walk in the streets of Haiti, you will see these young children with their hair just tightly done, and these uniforms tightly pressed, walking for hours to go to school. [That’s] what defines Haiti more than anything else.”
The UN and its agencies stand alongside all low and middle income countries as they work to improve the lives of their citizens and those who seek shelter within their borders. In this episode, Garry Conille reflects on the dangers faced by young migrants, on the promise of Africa’s new diplomatic hub, and about his drive to seek solutions for even the most intractable problems.
[00:00] Introduction
[00:16] Current role as Resident Coordinator in Kenya
[05:47] Creating opportunities for Kenya’s growing population
[12:45] The resilience that defines Haiti
[14:18] What keeps Garry awake at night
[21:20] From the UN to Haiti’s prime minister
[23:15] Returning after Haiti’s devastating earthquake
[27:26] The legacy of Haiti’s fight towards freedom
[29:46] Family, loss and the influence of his parents
[33:31] Children on the move in Latin America
[36:39] Stories from the Darién Gap
[39:48] How medicine shaped a career in development
[41:54] Finding hope through drowning in solutions
[46:20] Closing remarks
Listen to more Awake at Night episodes: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLwoDFQJEq_0b6hu1e8oxsch9W0D7vkNqt
#podcast #UnitedNations #AwakeAtNight #Haiti #development #Kenya
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.
The launch of the Sea- level Rise Report – Press Conference | United Nations
Source: United Nations (video statements)
UN Assistant Secretary-General for Economic Development Navid Hanif said, “We need to stop asking only what happens after the next flood. The objective must be to reduce the avoidable, not simply respond to the inevitable.”
Briefing the press on the recently launched Sea- level Rise Report, Hanif said, “Global sea level rose by 4.7 millimeters a year between 2014 and 2023, but in 2024 it reached a record of 5.9 millimeters, and it’s not a future risk anymore. It’s present and accelerating.”
He stressed, “This is not just an environmental challenge; it’s a development emergency. Nearly one in 10 people worldwide already live in several coastal areas less than five meters above the high tide line. Rising sea threatens homes, livelihoods, ports, transport, energy, water systems, and public finances.”
He continued, “We cannot stop sea level rise this century, but we can determine how much worse it becomes because about half a meter, 0.5 meter of sea level rise is already locked in in this century because of warming that has already occurred. But beyond that, our choices enormously matter.”
Steven Hill, UN Assistant Secretary-General for Legal Affairs also said, “There is a presumption of continued statehood for countries that are facing land territory changes due to sea level rise so, even countries that might become submerged at some point. This is essential because the loss of physical territory could raise questions about nationality. We need to avoid the loss of nationality – that’s clearly pointed out in the report – and we need to enable people to exercise their right to self-determination.”
Kyrgyzstan, Libya, Nepal & other topics – Daily Press Briefing (31 Aug 2026) | United Nations
Source: United Nations (video statements)
Noon Briefing by Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesperson for the Secretary-General.
Highlights:
Guests – Today
Briefings – Tomorrow
Secretary-General’s Travels/Kyrgyzstan
Deputy Secretary-General/Travel
Libya
Nepal
Ukraine
Sudan
Occupied Palestinian Territory
Lebanon
Ebola/Rwanda
International Day for People of African Descent
Accreditation
Financial Contribution
Secretary-General’s travels/Kyrgyzstan
Our Secretary-General is in Bishkek, in Kyrgyzstan, today ahead of the meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit, which will take place tomorrow.
During his visit, he’s already held a number of bilateral meetings with leaders from the region. He met with the President of the Kyrgyz Republic, Sadyr Zhaparov, congratulating him on Kyrgyzstan’s chairmanship of the SCO. They discussed the strong cooperation between the UN and the Kyrgyz Republic, including on climate change, environment and socio-economic development, as well as peace and security, in the context of Kyrgyzstan’s upcoming membership of the Security Council, starting in 2027. They also discussed various regional developments.
He also had meetings with President [Emomali] Rahmon of Tajikistan and President [Shavkat] Mirziyoyev of Uzbekistan. Those readouts were shared with you.
In the evening, he attended the official opening of the Sixth World Nomad Games.
He’s already had a pull-aside meeting with the President of Türkiye, President [Recep Tayyip] Erdogan, and tomorrow, we expect him to have more bilaterals; we’ll share them with you as they happen.
And tomorrow, of course, he will deliver remarks at the meeting of the SCO Plus. The Secretary-General’s remarks will focus on the importance of multilateral cooperation, the need for collective action to address today’s global challenges. We’ll share those remarks with you in due course and any other updates we may receive.
Deputy Secretary-General/Travel
Meanwhile, our Deputy Secretary-General is in Palau today, representing the Secretary-General at the Fifty-Fifth Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting, which is taking place today and tomorrow. During her visit, she will engage with Pacific leaders, regional stakeholders, and various members of the UN System to discuss Pacific Islands priorities, including sustainable development, climate change, and ocean protection.
And also today, she participated in her own launch of the Secretary-General’s Sea-level Rise Report alongside Peter Thomson, our Special Envoy [for] the Ocean.
From there, Ms. [Amina Mohammed] will travel to Italy, where she will be in Rome to convene the fourth gathering on Artificial Intelligence and Human Development, which is, as you already know, a global series of high-level dialogues to examine how one of humanity’s most transformative technologies is shaping human progress.
She is also expected to meet with senior officials from the Government of Italy, as well as the Holy See and heads of UN agencies based in Rome.
Full Highlights: https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/noon-briefing-highlight?date=2026-08-31
Haiti: Nearly 200,000 Deported to Haiti in 2026 So Far- Briefing | United Nations
Source: United Nations (video statements)
Briefing by Indrika Ratwatte is the Acting Assistant Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Deputy Emergency Relief Coordinator (OCHA), on the question concerning Haiti.
Acting Assistant Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Indrika Ratwatte told the Council that deportations to Haiti – from the United States, Dominican Republic and other countries – “continue at scale.”
Ratwatte said, “in the first eight months of 2026, we have seen almost 200,000 people forcibly returned, a 10 percent increase compared with the same period last year. Many arrive without resources, documentation or support networks, and some have especially urgent protection needs, including survivors of sexual violence, pregnant and lactating women, people with disabilities, and unaccompanied and separated children.”
Haiti Kenscof massacre: 47 Killed, Dozens Abducted – Briefing | United Nations
Source: United Nations (video statements)
The Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Haiti, Carlos Ruiz Massieu, today (28 Aug) told the Security Council that the Kenscof massacre, on the night of 23 to 24 August “is deeply shocking but is not an isolated tragedy.”
Ruiz Massieu said this was “another appalling atrocity inflicted upon the Haitian population,” and described the “brutal attack” against the commune in the hills overlooking Port-au-Prince.
He said the assault “claimed the lives of at least 47 persons, including three boys and two girls, left dozens abducted and many others injured, and caused further displaced and suffering,” and added that “homes were also set ablaze and local population seeking refuge from the violence were attacked, including in a church where gang members executed people in the courtyard and killed others as they attempted to escape.”
Ruiz Massieu, who is also the Head of the United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH), said this was “the latest in a series of attacks affecting the commune of Kenscof since early 2025 and demonstrates the continued capacity and determination of gangs to terrorize the population, expand their influence beyond the capital, and pose a direct challenge to state authority.”
National security institutions, he said, “cannot be left to confront this threat without adequate support,” and noted that the international Gang Suppression Force (GSF) “represents clearly a critical component of the international response authorized by this Council.”
The Special Representative called for a “swift and full deployment” of the GSF, and said, “sustained cooperation and coordination among national authorities and with the GSF will remain essential to address insecurity, protect communities and restore confidence among Haitians.”
He said, “these security efforts must be accompanied by measures to restore state authority, basic services, and economic and social activity in affected communities,” and stressed that “this requires a coherent approach linking security operations with stabilization and recovery, community violence reduction, the reopening of schools and health facilities, and livelihood opportunities.”
Ruiz Massieu also called for “credible pathways for disengagement from gangs, particularly for children and young people recruited and exploited by gangs.”
Improving maritime security in the #redsea
Source: United Nations (video statements)
Maritime security in the Strait of Hormuz is under threat, risking global trade lanes, as attacks on freedom of navigation are destabilizing the Bab el-Mandab Strait and the Gulf of Aden.
The 5th Regional Maritime Law Enforcement Dialogue for the Red Sea area met in Nairobi, Kenya, in a context of increased maritime security concerns.
Organized by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), the Dialogue brought together maritime security and law enforcement authorities from Somalia, Ethiopia, Djibouti and Yemen to ensure better coordination amongst Member States, as well as better information sharing, in order to enhance maritime security around the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.
Colombia Earthquake: 196,000 families affected – Press Conference | United Nations
Source: United Nations (video statements)
UN Resident Coordinator for Colombia María José Torres warned that recent earthquake in Colombia could increase the risk of child recruitment by armed groups in Chocó and Valle del Cauca, where thousands of children remain out of school in areas already affected by conflict.
Addressing the press María José Torres Macho said, “We had an earthquake that historically has been one of the biggest in Colombia, if not the bigger one, affecting 16 departments. I think this is an evolving data that is increasing the number of departments – practically half of the country, kind of 196,000 families affected, and 331 reported dead.”
She also said, “The search and rescue teams were able to rescue 364 people, which I think it is a highlight in this very tragic event. Obviously, we are talking about homes damaged and destroyed buildings, but also livelihoods and health centers, major hospitals in areas that are very vulnerable are currently inoperable, as well as almost 4,000 educational facilities.”
She continued, “We really need to rebuild very quickly, including the ability of children to be back into a protective educational environment, particularly in the areas that we are working in Chocó and Valle del Cauca. There is presence of the illegal armed groups, and recruitment of children in Colombia is a pre-existing issue. We are concerned that the situation of children out of school can exacerbate this situation.”
In Chocó, some rural schools were destroyed, others partially collapsed and several remain at imminent risk of collapse.
Assessments are also continuing in Risaralda and Caldas to determine which schools can reopen safely.
For the UN, restoring access to education is a priority not only to ensure learning can continue, but also to return children to protective environments.
“Those areas most affected are those areas most vulnerable,” she said, adding that the pre-existing conflict is creating challenges for both the emergency response and recovery.
In Chocó, the UN still does not have complete information on the needs of some rural communities, particularly Afro-Colombian and Indigenous communities.
Damage to roads, difficulties travelling along some rivers and electricity and connectivity problems are hampering both assessments and the delivery of aid.
Conflict-related displacement is also continuing alongside the earthquake response.
In Sipí, Chocó, around 95 Afro-Colombian people were displaced from the community of Charco Hondo, with concern that displacement could spread to two neighbouring communities.
Torres Macho also highlighted the role of local authorities and Indigenous and Afro-Colombian organisations, which have been among the first responders in some of the most isolated areas.
At the same time, she warned that some municipalities have limited capacity and are overwhelmed by the scale of the emergency.
Since 10 August, the UN system and humanitarian partners have reached around 72,000 people in 36 municipalities across Chocó, Valle del Cauca, Risaralda and Caldas with food, water, medical care, medicines, shelter, psychosocial support, protection and education services.
Following the earthquake, the United Nations updated its humanitarian response plan and estimates that 1.2 million people need assistance.
Within that group, around 127,000 have been identified as among the most severely affected and in need of priority support, Torres Macho said.
The response requires $148.1 million, but only 40 percent of that has been received.
Among the most urgent needs are shelter, medical care, medicines, safe water, education and support to restore livelihoods.
In some places, available supplies are already beginning to run out. In Caldas, for example, food and hygiene distributions have relied in part on donations, but those stocks are being depleted, and there is not enough capacity to sustain the next rounds of assistance.
Problems also persist in temporary shelters. Among those assessed in Chocó, Risaralda, Valle del Cauca and Caldas, 33 percent have sanitation and hygiene needs, 31 percent face problems accessing water and 22 percent need food.
Torres Macho said the response will also need to move quickly towards recovery and reconstruction, particularly in communities that were already vulnerable before the earthquake.