Category: United Nations

Posted on

UN Chamber Music Society | “Don’t Ruin My World” with Julian Marley – on World Environment Day

Source: United Nations (video statements)

On Friday, 5 June 2026, the UN Chamber Music Society presents “Don’t Ruin My World – Soil of Life” with Julian Marley — son of reggae legend Bob Marley — in celebration of World Environment Day at the United Nations. The event will be broadcasted internationally through the global platforms of the United Nations: UN Web TV and UN YouTube.
Julian Marley — a Grammy Award-winning musician, singer-songwriter — carries forward his father Bob Marley’s lifelong message of justice, love, and reverence for the earth. Just as Bob Marley used music to speak truth across borders, Julian’s “Don’t Ruin My World – Soil of Life” channels that same spirit of conscience into one of the defining crises of our time: the climate emergency.

Climate change is no longer a distant warning — it is a humanitarian crisis unfolding now. As the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) documents, floods, droughts, extreme heat, and super-storms are driving surging displacement, food insecurity, and suffering on every continent. Since the year 2000, climate-related needs within humanitarian appeals have risen by 800 per cent. In 2026, humanitarians aim to assist 135 million people in need, with climate change identified as one of the two primary drivers of global humanitarian crises alongside conflict. Every fraction of a degree of warming matters — and every act of solidarity matters too.

In this spirit, the UN Chamber Music Society is dedicating 100% of its streams from this release to UN OCHA — so that this music does more than move hearts: it funds the frontline humanitarian response to the climate crises Bob Marley warned us about, and Julian Marley is calling us to face.

On this occasion, opening remarks will be delivered by Melissa Fleming, UN Under-Secretary-General for Global Communications. Founded in 2016 by Brenda Vongova, the UN Chamber Music Society of the United Nations Staff Recreation Council is dedicated to promoting the United Nations’ goals and values at large – through the universal language of music.

Listen to the UN Chamber Music Society’s remix of “Don’t Ruin My World – Soil of Life” with Julian Marley on Spotify, Apple, Deezer, Tidal, YouTube, TikTok, Pandora,
and all the major music distribution platforms worldwide.
100% of the UN Chamber Music Society’s streams will be donated to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) — supporting its frontline response to climate-driven humanitarian crises worldwide.

Support the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA)
by donating to the UN Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF)
https://crisisrelief.un.org/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kri-jsl2vf0

Posted on

General Assembly, SG Update & other topics – Daily Press Briefing (2 June 2026) | United Nations

Source: United Nations (video statements)

Noon Briefing by Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesperson for the Secretary-General.

High lights:
– General Assembly
– Secretary-General / El Niño and La Niña Update
– Ukraine
– Lebanon
– Occupied Palestinian Territory
– Sudan / Consultations
– Sudan
– Democratic Republic of the Congo
– Haiti
– Bangladesh
– Global Dialogue on AI Governance

GENERAL ASSEMBLY

This morning, the Secretary-General spoke at the General Assembly meeting, in which Khalilur Rahman of Bangladesh was elected as the forthcoming President of 81st session of the General Assembly. The secretary-general said that the new President-Elect’s theme is an inspiring call to action for the multilateral system — “Restoring Trust, Managing Transformation: A United Nations that Delivers for All.”

The Secretary-General also paid tribute to Annalena Baerbock of Germany for her outstanding leadership during the 80th Session of the General Assembly. He noted how Ms. Baerbock, over her term, pushed Member States forward on the implementation of the Pact for the Future and had organized interactive dialogues with the candidates for the next Secretary-General.

He said that the Pact for the Future and the UN80 Initiative represent a blueprint for action, a blueprint for solutions and bold reforms to carry the United Nations into the future

The work of the General Assembly, he added, is critical to bringing these commitments to life and delivering real solutions and results that can renew the world’s faith in the work that the UN does.

And Morocco was selected to be the first seat for the next General Assembly session

SECRETARY-GENERAL/ EL NIÑO AND LA NIÑA UPDATE

In a video message released today on the World Meteorological Organization El Niño / La Niña Update, the Secretary-General noted that the science is clear: El Niño is arriving on our doorstep in the coming months with 90 per cent certainty. He stressed that the world must treat it as the urgent climate warning that it is.

The Secretary-General warned that El Niño conditions will pour fuel on the fire of a warming world. He emphasized that the only effective response is climate action equal to the crisis, ending out addiction to fossil fuels, accelerating the shift to renewables, protecting the most vulnerable, and delivering early warning systems for all.

UKRAINE

The Secretary-General strongly condemns the latest overnight large-scale missile and drone attacks by the armed forces of the Russian Federation on Ukrainian cities, including Kyiv, Dnipro and Kharkiv. These attacks reportedly killed at least 20 people, including two children, injured more than 100 others, and resulted in widespread destruction of residential and other civilian infrastructure.

Once again, we emphasize that attacks against civilians and civilian infrastructure are prohibited under international humanitarian law and must end immediately. We also reiterate the Secretary-General’s urgent appeal for immediate de-escalation leading to a full, immediate and unconditional ceasefire in this conflict.

The Humanitarian Coordinator in Ukraine, Matthias Schmale, also condemned the attacks. Our humanitarian colleagues noted that rescue operations were ongoing as of this morning.

Mr. Schmale pointed out that, instead of enjoying the start of the school summer break, children and their families spent the night in shelters, awakened by air raid sirens and explosions.

Humanitarian organizations, including our own UN agencies, are fully mobilized and providing first aid and psychological support, distributing emergency relief items, and registering affected people for humanitarian cash assistance.

And as you know, yesterday afternoon, the Security Council met to hold a briefing on Threats to International Peace and Security, following a request by Romania.

Full Highlights: https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/noon-briefing-highlight?date=2026-06-02

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l0zL-zo5K58

Posted on

‘Don’t close borders’, IOM asks Ebola-affected countries

Source: United Nations (video statements)

Closing borders in reaction to Ebola ‘may push people to less monitored informal border crossings’, warns the International Organization for Migration.
Speaking at the UN news briefing in Geneva, spokepersons from IOM and the World Health Organization stressed that the reactive measure would hinder the response to the virus, as well as harming the population even further.

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/mdA0lzSjfMs

Posted on

UN Development system: Increasingly under-resourced – UN Chief | United Nations

Source: United Nations (video statements)

Secretary-General António Guterres said, “the United Nations development system today is more coherent, more accountable and more closely aligned with national priorities than it has ever been before,” however, it is “increasingly under-resourced.”

The UN chief spoke at the opening of the ECOSOC Operational Activities for Development Segment in New York.

Guterres highlighted four areas where action is essential to ensure the UN can deliver with the scale and urgency needed.

First is more effective alignment with country and regional priorities, he said, reiterating “we must ensure that Resident Coordinators can optimally lead Country Teams in fast-evolving contexts and apply the full extent of the UN development system’s support on key issues, including climate change.”

Guterres continued, “We are also assessing potential mergers — between UNDP and UNOPS, and UNFPA and UN Women — to strengthen our ability to advance sustainable development and gender equality, while advocating for the rights of women, girls and youth.”

“At every step, we will respect mandates, consult with Member States and ensure that reforms do not affect ongoing UN operations,” the Secretary-General said.

Second, on continuing the next phase of reform under the UN80 initiative, Guterres said the Initiative contains key proposals to identify efficiencies and ensure a greater share of resources — human and financial — are allocated for development results. He noted joint knowledge hubs to streamline knowledge in priority areas; an expertise-on-demand mechanism for countries to access specialized UN capacity; a unified service roadmap to expand shared services; and a technology accelerator platform and a system-wide data commons so countries can access the tools and information they need.

On funding, the Secretary-General emphasized the need for “more stable, predictable and flexible funding.”

He urged Member States to “reach the 30 per cent core funding target called for by the Funding Compact, and help equip the system to deliver and succeed.”

And fourth, in the final years towards 2030, the Secretary-General urged Member States to continue the push to achieve the SDGs.

He said, “in the context of today’s out-of-control military spending, countries need to reprioritize, and spend more on the instruments of peace and development and less on the instruments of destruction and death.”

The UN chief renewed his call to Member States to support UN’s efforts to “reform the global financial architecture and deliver meaningful debt relief to countries swamped by debt.”

The Operational Activities for Development Segment (OAS) is held from 1 to 3 June 2026.

The Segment meets annually to provide overall coordination and guidance to the governing bodies of the United Nations development system. It reinforces the linkages between policy and operational functions while continuing to focus on improving the overall impact of operational activities for development of the United Nations system in support of issues relating to national development priorities.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ZSPbeMYZN8