Source: United Nations (video statements)
UN News interviews Mr. Mohamed M. Malick Fall, the United Nations Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Nigeria on the latest situation in the country. In the interview, Mr. Fall says that violence has spread across much of the country, affecting everyone regardless of their religion or ethnicity, leaving millions displaced and fuelling humanitarian emergencies.
Source: United Nations (video statements)
Briefing journalists at UN Headquarters in New York on Friday, Anita Kiki Gbeho, Officer in Charge of the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), said Jonglei has become a ‘flashpoint’ for fighting, with civilians caught in the crossfire.
Military tensions in South Sudan are ‘rapidly expanding’ between Government forces and opposition militia as fighting continues in restive Jonglei state. With over 200,000 people displaced by the conflict this month, the senior official also warned of a ‘sharp surge’ in cholera cases.
Source: United Nations (video statements)
A senior UN Human Rights official warns that Myanmar has lost half a decade of peace and development following the military’s seizure of power.
Speaking in Geneva, James Rodehaver, Chief of the Myanmar Team at UN Human Rights, said the military has created an atmosphere of fear, repression and violence across the country, leaving civilians without safety or hope for the future.
Five years after the coup, conflict continues unabated, with airstrikes, arbitrary arrests and widespread repression persisting — including during recent military-run elections. UN Human Rights officials say the process was marked by coercion, exclusion and ongoing violence, deepening the human rights crisis for civilians, minorities and children across Myanmar.
Source: United Nations (video statements)
Noon briefing by Farhan Haq, Deputy Spokesperson for the Secretary-General.
Highlights:
Myanmar
Secretary-General/Colombia
Colombia/Humanitarian
Occupied Palestinian Territory
UNIFIL
Sudan
Yemen
Mozambique
World Interfaith Harmony Week
Honour Roll
Guest
MYANMAR
Five years since the military seized power and arbitrarily detained members of the democratically-elected Government, the suffering of the people of Myanmar has deepened. The cycle of impunity persists, with widespread violations of international human rights law and international humanitarian law.
The Secretary-General remains deeply concerned by the rapidly deteriorating situation in Myanmar and its serious regional ramifications, including rising transnational crime, mass displacement – nearly 5.2 million people, internally and across borders – acute food insecurity, economic volatility and escalating violence, particularly the ongoing airstrikes by the military hitting civilian populations and infrastructure.
The Secretary-General strongly condemns all forms of violence and urges all parties to exercise maximum restraint, uphold international human rights law and international humanitarian law and enable safe, sustained and unimpeded access for the United Nations and its partners to deliver humanitarian assistance and essential services to all those in need.
The Secretary-General continues to stand in solidarity with the people of Myanmar and their democratic aspirations for an inclusive, peaceful and just society and reiterates the need to ensure the protection of all communities, including the Rohingya.
A viable path back to civilian rule must be founded on an immediate cessation of violence and a genuine commitment to inclusive dialogue with the full participation of civil society, including women, youth, ethnic and minority communities. The Secretary-General urges Myanmar stakeholders and international actors to ensure an environment that allows the people of Myanmar to freely and peacefully exercise their political rights and reiterates his call for the swift release of all those arbitrarily detained, including President Win Myint and State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi.
Regional and international unity and sustained engagement are needed to support a Myanmar-led solution to the crisis that fully addresses the root causes of conflict, ensures accountability and responds to immediate humanitarian and development needs.
The Secretary-General’s Special Envoy on Myanmar, Julie Bishop, continues to engage with all stakeholders, in close cooperation with ASEAN and other regional partners, in the search for common ground that can provide a foundation for a durable resolution and sustainable peace in Myanmar.
SECRETARY-GENERAL/COLOMBIA
The Secretary-General said that he is saddened by the plane crash in northeast Colombia which happened on 28 January, which claimed the lives of 15 people. The Secretary-General extended his condolences to the families of the victims, who include a member of Colombia’s Congress representing a “peace district”, a congressional candidate from the same region and two humanitarian workers. He also expressed his solidarity with the people and Government of Colombia.
Full highlights: https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/noon-briefing-highlight?date=2026-01-30
Source: United Nations (video statements)
The acting head of the UN peacekeeping mission in Abyei, Major General Robert Yaw Affram, told UN News that the disputed region remains highly volatile, as UN forces operate in a political and security vacuum between Sudan and South Sudan.
In December, a drone attacks targeting the UN logistics base in Kadugli, Sudan, killed six peacekeepers and injured eight others – all members of the Bangladeshi contingent serving in the UN Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA).
Source: United Nations (video statements)
According to the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), more than 1.4 million Syrians have voluntarily returned from neighbouring countries since December 2024, alongside 2 million internally displaced people (IDPs) who have gone back to their areas of origin.
Céline Schmitt, spokesperson for #UNHCR in #Syria, explains how UN agencies are responding on the ground.
Source: United Nations (video statements)
According to the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), more than 1.4 million Syrians have voluntarily returned from neighbouring countries since December 2024, alongside 2 million internally displaced people (IDPs) who have gone back to their areas of origin.
Céline Schmitt, spokesperson for #UNHCR in #Syria, explains how UN agencies are responding on the ground.
Source: United Nations (video statements)
Speaking to reporters at his annual early year press conference at the UN Headquarters, UN Secretary-General António Guterres called for renewed efforts on peace, justice and sustainable development as he outlined his priorities for 2026 – the final year of his tenure.
The Secretary-General vowed the Organization would be ‘pushing for peace – just and sustainable peace rooted in international law.’
Source: United Nations (video statements)
Ramiz Alakbarov, UN Deputy Special Coordinator for the Middle East Process, said that there is a potential turning point in Gaza, but “the task at hand is monumental.”
Briefing the Security Council, Alakbarov said, “The announced start of the second phase of President Trump’s 20-point Comprehensive Plan is a critical step in consolidating the ceasefire in Gaza, alongside the establishment of the subsidiary bodies of the Board of Peace, including the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza and the Office of the High Representative for Gaza.”
He highlighted, “The task at hand is monumental. It requires full coordination among all stakeholders, taking into account existing systems and capacities. The United Nations stands ready to support the Committee and Palestinians in Gaza as they start the arduous work of rebuilding.”
He said, “Across all sectors, humanitarian actors are still unable to operate at scale in Gaza. Their work is being hindered by insecurity, customs clearance challenges, the limited number of partners authorized by Israeli authorities to bring cargo into Gaza, delays and denials of cargo at crossings, and limited routes available for transporting supplies within Gaza.”
He also said, “On 30 December, Israel announced that it plans to suspend the operations of some international NGOs. The Government also notified 37 INGOs that their registrations would expire at the end of 2025, due to what Israel says is their failure to comply with new Israeli regulations, triggering a 60-day review period. Banning these INGOs will have a significant impact on the humanitarian response across the OPT. I urge Israel to immediately reverse this decision.”
He reported, “Despite the ceasefire, the Israeli military continues to conduct military operations with airstrikes, shelling and gunfire occurring across the Strip. Armed exchanges have also persisted with Palestinian militants. Attacks in the vicinity of or beyond the so-called “yellow line” are happening daily. Hundreds of Palestinians have been killed since the ceasefire began, including many women and children.”
Talking about the West Bank, he said, “Negative trends are entrenched daily. The reporting period was marked by continued violence, with extensive Israeli military operations, settlement expansion, settler violence, demolitions and large-scale detentions.”
He stressed, “On 12 January, Israeli forces raided an UNRWA health centre in occupied East Jerusalem and ordered it to close. A week later Israeli forces forcibly entered the UNRWA Headquarters in occupied East Jerusalem with bulldozers, demolishing buildings. Officials also made abhorrent calls for the annihilation of UNRWA staff. These acts are flagrant violations of international law and the privileges and immunities of the United Nations. I call on the Israeli government to abide by the October 2025 advisory opinion by the International Court of Justice, which states that Israel is obliged under international law to facilitate UNRWA’s operations, not hinder or prevent them.”
Palestinian ambassador Riyad Mansour said, “Israel is not the sovereign in the Palestinian territory. This illegal occupation has no rights whatsoever in Occupied Palestine, including in Jerusalem. Mr. President, the ceasefire’s permanence and success requires that Israel cease trying to dictate the future of Gaza and to fully withdraw from the territory. Gaza is an integral part of the Palestinian territory. I repeat: Gaza is an integral part of the Palestinian territory. It belongs to the Palestinian people, nobody else.”
Israeli ambassador Danny Danon stated, “One obstacle remains: Hamas disarmament. The choice now rests with Hamas: acceptance of full disarmament enables progress; refusal places full responsibility on Hamas for the consequences.”
US ambassador Mike Waltz said, “along with our partners on the Board of Peace, and in consultation with the National Committee, will apply pressure to Hamas to honor its commitment and to disarm. Hamas must not have any role in the governance of Gaza, directly or indirectly, in any form. Period.”
He also said, “Under the leadership of Major General Jasper Jeffers of the United States Army, the ISF will begin to establish control and stability, so that the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) can withdraw from Gaza based on standards, milestones, and timeframes linked to demilitarization. These will be agreed upon between the IDF, the ISF, the guarantors, and the United States, with an objective of a secure Gaza that no longer poses a threat to its neighbors or its citizens.”
Source: United Nations (video statements)
Press briefing by United Nations Secretary-General, António Guterres, on his priorities for 2026
