Category: United Nations

Source: United Nations (video statements)

UN Assistant Secretary-General for Africa Martha Pobee said that the situation in Sudan is “simply horrifying.”

Briefing the Security Council today Pobee said that the Secretary-General’s Personal Envoy, Ramtane Lamamra has invited both parties, the leaders of the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces, to separately enter into technical talks with the UN, focused on de-escalation and the protection of civilians.

She added that both parties have shown encouraging signs of their willingness to engage.

She reported, “The conflict in Sudan has deteriorated even further. It has caused widespread suffering and new surges of horrific violence. After more than 500 days under siege, the city of El Fasher in North Darfur has been captured by the Rapid Support Forces. Only small pockets of resistance remain.”

She continued, “Other parts of the country have not been spared from the relentless violence. In recent weeks, fighting has intensified in the Kordofan region. This is likely the next arena of military focus for the warring parties. In North Kordofan, the city of Bara, just 40 kilometers from the state capital of El Obeid and a strategic location for both sides, was captured by the Rapid Support Forces last week. This marked another escalation on the ground. Drone strikes by both parties are also affecting new territories and new targets. These include Blue Nile, Khartoum, Sennar, South Kordofan and West Darfur, suggesting that the territorial scope of the conflict is broadening.”

She stressed, “The risk of mass atrocities, ethnically targeted violence and further violations of international humanitarian law, including sexual violence, remains alarmingly high across the country, and particularly in El Fasher. The situation is simply horrifying.”

She highlighted, “Communications have been cut off. The situation is chaotic. In this context, it is difficult to estimate the number of civilians killed. Despite commitments to protect civilians, the reality is that no one is safe in El Fasher.”

Pobee urged Member States with leverage over the parties to encourage them to take this critical step and called on the Security Council to use all tools available to demand peace in Sudan.

She said, “Reports and warnings about the unfolding catastrophe in El Fasher have been issued for months. Thus far, the Unted Nations Security Council has not taken decisive action to prevent the situation from deteriorating. We must all play our part in helping to bring this devastating war to an end.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-tN70GIJbVc

Source: United Nations (video statements)

Briefing remotely from the Caribbean, the United Nations Resident Coordinator for Cuba, Francisco Pichon, reports widespread damage in the wake of Hurricane Melissa.

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/CiWcbzFQOOc

Source: United Nations (video statements)

As UN Security Council Resolution 1325 marks its 25th anniversary, Harriette Williams Bright from UN Women explains how this landmark framework advances equal rights for women. Yet the numbers tell a stark story: in 2024, only 7% of peace negotiators were women, revealing how far we still need to go. Investing in women peace builders means investing in long-term peace, as inclusive peace processes address root causes of conflict and create lasting outcomes for all generations.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UHJFvP1nxDg

Source: United Nations (video statements)

Noon briefing by Farhan Haq, Deputy Spokesperson for the Secretary-General.

Highlights:
Sudan/Security Council
Sudan/Humanitarian
Democratic Republic of the Congo
Occupied Palestinian Territory
Lebanon/Israel
Yemen
Hurricane Melissa
Viet Nam
Clarification
Financial Contribution
Briefings Today and Tomorrow

SUDAN/SECURITY COUNCIL

This morning, Martha Pobee, the Assistant Secretary-General for Africa, briefed Security Council members on Sudan. She said that the Secretary-General’s Personal Envoy, Ramtane Lamamra has invited both parties, the leaders of the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces, to separately enter into technical talks with the UN, focused on de-escalation and the protection of civilians. She added that both parties have shown encouraging signs of their willingness to engage. Ms. Pobee urged Member States with leverage over the parties to encourage them to take this critical step and called on the Security Council to use all tools available to demand peace in Sudan.

Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, Tom Fletcher, also briefed the Council, describing the horrific humanitarian situation in El Fasher. He said that the Sudan crisis is fundamentally a failure of protection, and of our responsibility to uphold international law. The violence extends beyond Darfur as well. Mr. Fletcher noted that across Sudan, and despite the massive threats, cuts, and constraints to our work, the humanitarian community has reached 13.5 million people between January and August.

The Security Council also issued a press statement expressing grave concern about the violence in and around El Fasher.

SUDAN/HUMANITARIAN

Staying in Sudan. A joint UN convoy from the UN Refugee Agency, the UN Children’s Fund and the World Food Programme has reached the towns of Dilling and Kadugli in South Kordofan, delivering urgently needed food, health, and relief supplies to families cut off for months by siege and conflict.

This marks the first major joint UN convoy to the area since the conflict began.

Despite the long and fraught journey, and the looting of some aid en route, the mission represents a vital breakthrough toward establishing sustained humanitarian access. We, once again, underscore the urgent need for safe passage, protection of aid workers, and continued cooperation to deliver life-saving assistance to all hard-to-reach areas in Sudan.

We and our partners are scaling up response efforts also in Tawila. Mobile health clinics there are providing urgent medical and nutrition services for people who have newly arrived there.

The UN and our partners are also sustaining water, sanitation and hygiene operations across Tawila, Melit and surrounding areas, trucking safe water, installing latrines, distributing hygiene kits and conducting cholera prevention campaigns.

DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO

Later this afternoon, the Secretary-General will address the Conference in support of peace and prosperity in the Great Lakes region via pre-recorded video message.

He will tell participants that this conference must be a turning point and will urge donors to support the Humanitarian Response Plan in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, which remains underfunded.

He will also call on parties to honour their commitments under the Washington Peace Agreement and Doha Declaration of Principles, and to comply fully with Security Council resolution 2773.

The Secretary-General will also reiterate our support for peace efforts, including through MONUSCO’s support for the implementation of a permanent ceasefire.

And in a statement, our colleagues at UNICEF also reminded participants of the conference that more than 12 million children across the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda, and Burundi depend on humanitarian aid simply to survive.

Full Highlights
https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/noon-briefing-highlight?date=2025-10-30

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B34ecu88kQg

Source: United Nations (video statements)

On 31 October 2025, the Global Observance of World Cities Day, will be linked to people-centred smart cities. It will showcase how data-driven decision making, technology, and AI can be used to improve urban life and recover from current shocks and crises. It will also focus on promoting smart city initiatives centered on people.

Bogotá video
World Cities Day 2025 video
Welcome Notes:

Opening address by Mr. Carlos Fernando Galán, Mayor of Bogotá, Colombia

Welcome remarks by Ms. Helga Rivas, Minister of Housing, Cities, and Territory, Colombia

Message by Mr. António Guterres,
United Nations Secretary-General read by Ms. Anacláudia Rossbach, United Nations Under-Secretary-General and Executive Director of UN-Habitat

Video message by Mr. Nga Kor Ming, President of the United Nations Habitat Assembly, and Minister of Housing and Local Government, Malaysia

Statement by Ms. Anacláudia Rossbach, United Nations Under-Secretary-General and Executive Director of UN-Habitat

Ministerial Remarks:
Perspectives on Urban Development

Ms. Edna Elena Vega Rangel, Secretary of Rural, Territorial and Urban Development, Mexico

Mr. Ni Hong, Minister of Housing and Urban-Rural Development, China

Cultural Performance

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qUpDeCZpQT4

Source: United Nations (video statements)

Noon briefing by Farhan Haq, Deputy Spokesperson for the Secretary-General.

Highlights:
– Guests
– Sudan
– Gaza

Full Highlights
https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/noon-briefing-highlight?date=2025-10-30

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B34ecu88kQg

Source: United Nations (video statements)

Briefing by Tom Andrews, UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar, following the presentation of his report to the General Assembly’s Third Committee.
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UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar, Tom Andrews, said that the humanitarian conditions in the country are “significantly worse” in 2025. “Nearly 22 million people in Myanmar now require humanitarian aid. 16.7 million people face acute food insecurity,” he said.

Special Rapporteurs and other human rights experts appointed under the special procedures mandate of the Human Rights Council are not UN staff and are independent of any government or organization. They receive no salary for their work.

Andrews spoke to reporters today (29 Oct) following the presentation of his report to the General Assembly’s Third Committee yesterday.

The Special Rapporteur highlighted that the humanitarian situation was made “much worse” after a 7.7 magnitude earthquake struck central Myanmar on 28th of March.

He said, “The earthquake impacted an estimated 17 million people, damaged 157,000 buildings, left about 200,000 people homeless. The world Bank has estimated that it caused $11 billion in damage.”

Andrews also said, “The military junta of Myanmar took that natural disaster and turned it into a humanitarian catastrophe.”

The Special Rapporteur explained that “they did so by trying to turn this disaster to its own advantage. It blocked systematically the delivery of humanitarian aid from reaching many devastated areas in Myanmar. It employed tactics such as threatening, harassing, interrogating, extorting humanitarian aid workers. It confiscated, medical supplies. Its soldiers looted the homes of those who were displaced by the earthquake. They rounded up a young people involved in relief efforts, forcibly, conscripting them into the military to become human shields, while otherwise using them as forced labor.”

“Young people, are drawn into the promise of good jobs find themselves trafficked into scam centres, imprisoned and forced to scam people literally out of billions of dollars all over the world. So this is a crisis that is not only impacting the people of Myanmar. It is indeed impacting the people around the world,” Andrews added.

He implored the members of the United Nations to “step up and take action that it is simply fail to do.”

The Special Rapporteur added, “We have seen in the midst of this spike in the need pursuit of incredible needs for humanitarian aid, we have seen a systematic decrease in the availability of humanitarian aid.”

On the upcoming elections in the country that is scheduled on 28 December, Andrews said, “These elections are a sham. They’re a fraud. You cannot have a free and fair election when you arrest, detain, imprison and torture the leaders of the political opposition.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iu6FOslaWSQ

Source: United Nations (video statements)

Deir al-Balah Co-educational Primary School in central Gaza has become a shelter for hundreds of displaced families — one of dozens of schools that now serve as both classrooms and shelters after two years of war.
The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), continues to open more temporary learning spaces inside its shelters across the Gaza Strip, as well as providing remote learning services to students.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_4S4S2Ai3vI

Source: United Nations (video statements)

After presenting the report of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) for 2024, Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi today (29 Oct) spoke to reporters in New York about the situations in Iran and in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) as well as his own candidacy to be the next Secretary-General.

Following the reported test firing of cruise missiles by the DPRK on Tuesday, Grossi said, “the IAEA as such is not looking at missile capability but is aware of that. And so, it’s part of an effort which is very determined. It runs counter to several United Nations Security Council resolutions. We continue to observe and monitor the nuclear part of it, and it goes unabated.”

He expressed concern over nuclear safety and said the DPRK has “a gigantic program that has enrichment, reprocessing, a nuclear reactor, another one being built, without any view outside from their own people.”

The Director-General said, “it’s been overlooked, and we should perhaps start thinking about this as well.”

Turning to Iran, he said, “after the 12-day war, as it is called, we had to withdraw our inspections from Iran for safety reasons, obviously, because they were there. And ever since I have been trying to reconstruct this relationship. I’m frequently in contact with Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and with others. We saw that in July I went to Cairo, and we signed under the auspices of President Sisi and Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty we signed a good understanding that would allow for our inspections to proceed. So, all of this is working, not perfectly though, but it is working.”

On his candidacy, Grossi said, “some people say, well, because you are a candidate for the position, then you are going to be doing this to please a certain country. Well, if that logic was correct, then if I please this country, I will displease the other candidate. And you know that the process, the selection process, is one that has certain characteristics with vetoes and votes and these and that. So, you know, for me it’s a very clear thing. And I’m ready to discuss this with anybody.”

He said, “what I do, what I do at the head of the IAEA, speaks more than words and visions and promises and ideas that I could have as how good a Secretary-General I could be. Just look at what I’m doing. This is me.”

Responding to an Iranian journalist’s question, Grossi said, “you say that a report of the IAEA led to a war. This is something that I vigorously reject. You know, no one can believe that any military activity would be triggered by a report. And one, since you are from IRNA, a very respected news agency, you know my reports. I’m sure you have been reading my reports for many, many years. And you will remember, I’m sure, that in that particular report there was nothing fundamentally different from what we had been reporting and saying for many, many years.”

On the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPoA), he said, “for some, apparently JCPoA is over and done with. Others think maybe not so much, which leaves, you know, us international organisations in a little bit of a difficult situation. However, however, we do have when it comes to Iran, something which is very important. We still have a comprehensive safeguards agreement that they have to abide by.”

Grossi said, “this is not a voluntary measure or an agreement that can or, you know, cannot be observed depending on the mood of the day. So, the moment they decide to stay in the NPT and the comprehensive safeguards agreement with the IAEA stays valid. There are, there’s a regime of inspections which is applicable to Iran.”

A proposal to continue sanctions relief for Iran under the 2015 JCPoA, or Iran Nuclear Deal, was rejected in the UN Security Council in September in a vote that revealed deep divisions over the so-called “snapback” process.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kxurw_tXgkM

Source: United Nations (video statements)

“Without social justice, there will never be long-lasting peace and security,” said Annalena Baerbock, President of the UN General Assembly, as she previewed next week’s World Social Summit in Doha.

Baerbock recalled that “30 years ago, world leaders underlined in Copenhagen that dignity, opportunity and inclusion must be at the heart not only of development, but at the heart of the United Nations.”

Briefing the reporters in New York today (29 Oct) she noted that while the adoption of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development had been “another milestone for social development and also the strong push for our SDGs,” progress remains uneven. “Still today, 30 years after Copenhagen and ten years after the Agenda 2030, over 800 million people still live in extreme poverty,” Baerbock said.

The President of the General Assembly stressed that the upcoming summit in Doha would aim to “underline the purpose of Copenhagen, to act and to bring forward solutions to reduce poverty once and for all.”

Qatar’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Sheikha Alya Ahmed bin Saif Al-Thani, said her country was “delighted to welcome the international community: more than 8,000 participants from member states, the United Nations, civil society, academia, the private sector, workers and employers and youth all coming together in Doha to recommit to social justice and put people at the center of sustainable development.”

She added that “Doha has emerged as a symbol of dialogue and global solidarity by hosting these milestone moments for the United Nations,” noting that “at the heart of the Summit will be the adoption, of course, of the Doha Political Declaration on Social Development.”

Touching on recent developments in the Middle East, Sheikha Alya said, “Doha has been intensively engaged in the reaching of a ceasefire in Gaza. Our leadership has been highly engaged in this matter, and we very much look forward to what comes next. For us what is important is to sustain this ceasefire.”

She emphasized that “if you don’t address education in Gaza immediately, you will not sustain the situation, because education gives the stability element in any situation.” The ambassador said the summit’s strength lies in bringing together different angles like peace and security, human rights and development.

Returning to the link between development and conflict, Baerbock said, “Social justice is very hard to deliver on in wartime, obviously, but the other side is also true. Without social justice, there won’t be lasting peace.” She added that deprivation and lack of opportunity often drive displacement and extremism, underscoring that “social justice is the base for a better and safer and more secure world.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RdX3EY1W5uM