Source: United Nations (video statements)
A joint letter marking the formal start of the selection and appointment process for the next UN Secretary-General has been signed today (25 November) by the President of the Security Council, Michael Imran Kanu, and the President of the General Assembly (PGA), Annalena Baerbock. The letter serves to begin soliciting candidates for the position while also setting out the modalities for submitting and considering nominations.
Source: United Nations (video statements)
A joint letter marking the formal start of the selection and appointment process for the next UN Secretary-General has been signed today (25 November) by the President of the Security Council, Michael Imran Kanu, and the President of the General Assembly (PGA), Annalena Baerbock. The letter serves to begin soliciting candidates for the position while also setting out the modalities for submitting and considering nominations.
Source: United Nations (video statements)
Noon Briefing by Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesperson for the Secretary-General.
Highlights:
– Violence Against Women
– Palestinian Solidarity
– Occupied Palestinian Territory
– Lebanon/Israel
– Sudan
– Abyei
– Nigeria
– Ukraine
– Weapons of Mass Destruction
– Briefing Today
PALESTINIAN SOLIDARITY
Earlier this morning, on behalf of the Secretary-General, Courtenay Rattray, the Chef de Cabinet, delivered remarks to the Special Meeting of the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People.
The Secretary-General, in the remarks, reaffirmed a fundamental truth: the Palestinian people have a right to dignity, a right to justice, and a right to self-determination.
He welcomed the recent ceasefire and the Security Council resolution on Gaza, urging all parties to fully implement these measures and to move toward the next phase. He called for unhindered humanitarian access and reminded Israel of its obligations under international law. He also appealed to Member States to meet the $4 billion Flash Appeal target for this humanitarian crisis.
Mr. Guterres also reiterated his call for an end to the unlawful occupation and for the irreversible progress toward a two-State solution, based on pre-1967 lines, with Jerusalem as the capital of both States.
He concluded with a message of hope: Hope that children in Palestine and Israel will one day wake to a world without fear. Hope that families across the Middle East will live in dignity, and not in despair. And hope that two peoples — bound by history, by geography and humanity — will live side by side in peace.
SUDAN
In Sudan and the continuing devastating humanitarian situation in North Darfur State. Our partners are providing urgent services to people who escaped El Fasher, but needs far exceed resources.
The International Organization for Migration says that as of yesterday, more than 106,000 people have been displaced from El Fasher and surrounding villages since the city was taken over by the Rapid Support Forces a month ago.
Our Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, Tom Fletcher, who, as you know, recently visited Tawila, stressed the need for unhindered access to civilians wherever they are. Tawila as you know is the town where many of those displaced are arriving, facing acute malnutrition and life-threatening illnesses.
Our humanitarian partners in the city report significant challenges to their operations, including funding shortfalls and insecurity along key access routes. Our humanitarian colleagues say that health facilities are overstretched, and mobile clinics are struggling to manage growing caseloads of injuries, acute malnutrition and respiratory infections. Our partners also warn that without urgent reinforcement of basic services and increased funding, the already dire conditions in Tawila could worsen even further. Despite these challenges, aid organizations continue to do whatever they can to deliver aid.
We are also deeply concerned by the ongoing violence in other parts of Darfur. In Central Darfur State, Médecins Sans Frontières said today that for the second time this year, the organization has been forced to reduce support to Zalingei Hospital to keep its own teams safe.
This comes after a Ministry of Health worker was fatally shot outside the facility a week ago, with four others injured.
Hostilities are continuing to imperil civilians in the Kordofan region and forcing families from their homes. IOM reports that more than 600 people were displaced from two villages in South Kordofan State, on Saturday.
We call again for the protection of civilians across Sudan, as well as safe and unimpeded access to deliver life-saving assistance, also urging donors to scale up funding to meet the growing needs across Darfur, Kordofan, and other parts of Sudan that need help.
UKRAINE
In Ukraine, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs reports that large scale attacks continued in the capital and across multiple regions, killing and injuring dozens of civilians.
Between yesterday and this morning, in Kyiv, a large-scale attack killed at least seven civilians and injured 20 others. Residential buildings, a pre-school and a playground were also damaged. The attacks further disrupted electricity, heating and water supplies, which as you know has been a challenge throughout Ukraine.
Strikes also impacted the regions of Chernihiv, Dnipro, Donetsk, Kherson, Odesa and Zaporizhzhia.
Critical infrastructure sustained extensive damage. Authorities reported that parts of Kharkiv were left without electricity and water. More than 50,000 people in the Kyiv and Chernihiv Region faced emergency outages.
Nationwide, more than 100,000 consumers remain without electricity following the latest wave of strikes. Rolling outages continue, further complicating preparations for the onset of winter.
Full Highlights: https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/noon-briefing-highlight?date=2025-11-25
Source: United Nations (video statements)
Vaccine alliance Gavi and children’s agency UNICEF have struck a new pricing deal that will sharply cut the cost of a key malaria vaccine and make it possible to protect nearly seven million additional children by 2030, the agencies announced on Sunday.
Under the agreement, the price of the R21/Matrix-M vaccine will fall to $2.99 per dose within a year – a reduction expected to save up to $90 million. Those savings should allow countries to secure more than 30 million extra doses over the next five years.
Source: United Nations (video statements)
Vaccine alliance Gavi and children’s agency UNICEF have struck a new pricing deal that will sharply cut the cost of a key malaria vaccine and make it possible to protect nearly seven million additional children by 2030, the agencies announced on Sunday.
Under the agreement, the price of the R21/Matrix-M vaccine will fall to $2.99 per dose within a year – a reduction expected to save up to $90 million. Those savings should allow countries to secure more than 30 million extra doses over the next five years.
Source: United Nations (video statements)
Noon Briefing by Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesperson for the Secretary-General.
Highlights:
– Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women
– Occupied Palestinian Territory
– Trafficking in Persons
– Lebanon/Israel
– Sudan
– Ukraine
– Guest
Full Highlights: https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/noon-briefing-highlight?date=2025-11-25
Source: United Nations (video statements)
Informal comments to the media by ICC Caucus on behalf of the members of the Security Council that are state parties to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court: Sierra Leone and Denmark, along with France, Greece, Guyana, Panama, Republic of Korea, Slovenia, and the United Kingdom; on the report of the International Criminal Court Prosecutor’s Office to the Security Council on the situation in Libya.
Source: United Nations (video statements)
On the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People, on Saturday, 29 November 2025, the UN Movie Society of the United Nations Staff Recreation Council – dedicated to advancing UN global causes through the transformative power of storytelling, will present an event featuring Palestine’s Oscar submission for Best International Feature Film – PALESTINE 36.
PALESTINE 36 explores the Arab Revolt of 1936–1939 against British colonial rule. Directed by Annemarie Jacir, the film lays the historical groundwork for what followed in 1948 and beyond, making the events an urgent story to bring to the screen. This pivotal moment is essential for understanding the Palestinian question, which has been on the agenda of the United Nations for nearly eight decades. The film features an extraordinary international cast, including British Oscar-winner Jeremy Irons (Reversal of Fortune), Irish acclaimed Liam Cunningham (Game of Thrones), and Palestinian Emmy-nominated Hiam Abbass (Succession). PALESTINE 36 is Annemarie Jacir’s fourth consecutive film to be selected as Palestine’s Oscar submission for the Best International Feature Film.
On this occasion, the event will be opened with remarks delivered by H.E. Mr. Riyad H. Mansour, Ambassador, Permanent Observer of the State of Palestine to the United Nations. Movies hold the unique power to promote universal ideals, principles, and values so deeply enshrined by the United Nations – including peace, development, respect for human rights, cultural appreciation, the dignity of the human person, and equal rights for all. Founded at the United Nations Headquarters by Brenda Vongova, the UN Movie Society is committed to championing the goals and values of the United Nations through the universal language of motion pictures.
Source: United Nations (video statements)
Security Council briefing by Ramiz Alakbarov, Deputy Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, United Nations Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator, on the Middle East.
UN senior official for the Middle East Ramiz Alakbarov reiterated that the first phase of the ceasefire in Gaza “must be fully implemented,” urging “the parties to urgently reach an agreement on the modalities to implement the next phases.”
The Deputy Special Coordinator and Resident Coordinator at the Office of the UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process (UNSCO) spoke to the Council via video link.
He noted that since coming into effect last month, the ceasefire has largely held in Gaza. However, recent Israeli airstrikes on populated areas have caused numerous casualties and significant destruction. Palestinian militants in Gaza have also continued sporadic attacks on Israeli soldiers causing fatalities.
The Resident Coordinator said that families in Israel have been reunited with their loved ones, who were held hostage by Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups under intolerable conditions in Gaza, “but the bodies of three hostages have yet to be returned, with families waiting in agony for that day to come.”
“The bodies of the deceased hostages must be returned immediately,” he reiterated.
Alakbarov also underscored that all efforts must be made to identify missing Palestinians. These families also deserve closure.
The Resident Coordinator highlighted that with the ceasefire largely holding, the United Nations has redoubled efforts to mobilize and scale up humanitarian assistance – “seizing the moment to reach the population wherever they are.”
He said, “We must not risk a reversal. The coordinated international effort needs to be expanded, both in the immediate term to consolidate the ceasefire, and over the longer term to realize a more secure and just future for all.”
Alakbarov also highlighted that the decisions made now will determine whether the ceasefire endures or unravels, adding that UN resolutions, including Security Council resolution 2803 (2025), and President Trump’s 20-point plan provide that pathway forward.
He said, “The United Nations remains committed to seizing this critical opportunity to move from crisis management to conflict resolution,” adding that “all our efforts must be guided by the imperative of establishing a genuine political process that will resolve the Israeli – Palestinian conflict once and for all.”
The Resident Coordinator continued, “The New York declaration and initiatives such as the Global Alliance for the Two-State Solution can play a vital role. They mobilize political will, investment, and solidarity around a shared political vision.”
Turning to developments in Lebanon, Alakbarov reiterated the Secretary-General’s call for the parties to “uphold their obligations to maintain the cessation of hostilities and the full implementation of Security Council resolution 1701.”
He also echoed the Secretary-General’s call for “an immediate cessation of all violations of Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and for respect for the 1974 Disengagement of Forces Agreement.”
Source: United Nations (video statements)
UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric told reporters in New York ‘We urge all actors to exercise maximum restraint and to avoid any further escalation, and remind the parties that civilians and civilian areas must not be targeted’ following a deadly Israeli airstrike on a residential area in southern Beirut on Sunday.
