After another deadly weekend of Israeli attacks in Gaza, aid teams stressed once again on Monday that the “trickle” of supplies being allowed into the war-torn enclave will not halt famine.
After another deadly weekend of Israeli attacks in Gaza, aid teams stressed once again on Monday that the “trickle” of supplies being allowed into the war-torn enclave will not halt famine.
The UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine (HRMMU) has deplored a deadly wave of Russian missile and drone strikes that reportedly killed at least 13 civilians and injured 65 others, warning that the attack underscores the grave risks of using powerful explosive weapons in populated areas.
THE UN SECRETARY-GENERAL''S MESSAGE ON AFRICA DAY
25 May 2025
On Africa Day, we celebrate a continent rich in heritage, vibrant in diversity and remarkable in its contributions to our global community.
Africa is home to the world’s youngest population and fast becoming a powerhouse in renewable energy and technological innovation.
...Excellencies, Distinguished Delegates,
It is my pleasure to deliver today’s closing remarks on behalf of the Secretary-General.
Let me begin by expressing our deep appreciation to France and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for their leadership of the High-Level International Conference on the Peaceful Settlement of the Question of Palestine. Your steadfast commitment to fostering international engagement and action on this central issue at this critical juncture is commendable.
I would also like to extend our appreciation to the co-chairs of the various working groups for their valuable contributions and updates at today’s preparatory meeting.
We gather at a time of profound turbulence in the Middle East. The region is racked by escalating violence and uncertainty. Hope continues to erode.
Yet, even amid this turmoil, there is potential for opportunity and positive transformation — for peace rooted in justice, for prosperity shared by all, and for full dignity for Israelis and Palestinians.
But we must be clear: a sustainable and comprehensive peace in the Middle East is unattainable without a just resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. This is not a peripheral issue, nor one to be indefinitely postponed. It is the longest-standing question on the UN peace and security agenda.
It lies at the very heart of regional instability, which ripples well beyond the Middle East. It undermines prospects for development, erodes human rights, and feeds a tragic cycle of resentment and violence.
As the Secretary-General stated in his recent briefing to the Security Council, “the promise of a two-State solution is at risk of dwindling to the point of disappearance. The political commitment to this long-standing goal is farther than it has ever been. As a result, the rights of both Israelis and Palestinians to live in peace and security have been undermined – and the legitimate national aspirations of the Palestinians have been denied – while they endure Israel’s continued presence that the International Court of Justice has found unlawful.”
There are no shortcuts, and there is no substitute for a negotiated two-State solution: a viable, sovereign, and independent State of Palestine, living side by side in peace and security with the State of Israel.
We cannot let this slip away.
Without urgent and concerted action, we risk the irreversible collapse of the international consensus around a viable two-State solution — and the entrenchment of an unjust status quo.
Let us reaffirm today that both peoples — Palestinians and Israelis — have the right to live in peace, security, and dignity. That security cannot be imposed by military means. It must be built through justice, mutual recognition, and the fulfillment of rights.
The entrenched occupation, the expansion of illegal settlements, violence against civilians, and the growing humanitarian crisis in the Occupied Palestinian Territory are not only morally indefensible — they are politically unsustainable.
A different path is still possible — one grounded in international law, the principles of the UN Charter, and the shared interests of all peoples in the region.
Taking that path requires courage, clarity, and commitment.
The upcoming High-Level International Conference in June offers a rare and vital opportunity. It must not become yet another rhetorical exercise.
The Conference must serve as a turning point. It must galvanize irreversible steps toward ending the occupation, unifying the West Bank and Gaza under a single, legitimate Palestinian authority, and establishing our shared goal of a viable two-State solution.
Most of all, it must place the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination — long denied — at the center of the international agenda.
Israelis and Palestinians deserve peace, security, and dignity. A future of endless conflict is not inevitable. But to stave it off, we need decisive and principled leadership and action.
We have no time to lose.
Thank you.
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Long-awaited food supplies have been looted in Gaza overnight while being transported to desperate communities in the war-torn enclave, UN aid teams reported on Friday.
Millions of people in Syria continue to face mortal danger from unexploded munitions, disease and malnutrition and more international support is urgently required, senior UN aid officials said on Friday.
The UN Secretary-General on Friday outlined a five-stage plan to provide lifesaving aid to the stricken population of Gaza, making clear the organization will not take part in any scheme that fails to respect international law or basic humanitarian principles.
The UN on Friday warned of further deterioration in the human rights situation in South Sudan amid an uptick in hostilities, arbitrary arrests and hate speech since February.
Diplomats convened at UN Headquarters in New York on Friday to lay the groundwork for a crucial international conference in June, aimed at advancing global efforts towards achieving a two-State solution to the Israel-Palestine conflict.
UN agencies in Gaza confirmed on Thursday that desperately needed aid has finally arrived at warehouses inside the enclave after an 11-week blockade by Israeli authorities.
We're live as the Security Council convenes for its annual open debate on the protection of civilians in armed conflict, with the UN relief chief and the head of UN Women calling for urgent action to safeguard lives – especially those of women and girls caught in the crossfire. Non-combatants in Gaza, Lebanon, Myanmar, Sudan and Ukraine are among the hardest-hit. Mobile app users can follow here.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres has strongly condemned the “appalling killing” of two Israeli embassy officials in the United States capital, stressing that “nothing can justify such a horrific act,” his Spokesperson said in a statement on Thursday.
With more than 36,000 civilian deaths recorded in conflict zones in 2024 and sexual violence surging, senior UN officials warn that the international framework designed to protect civilians is collapsing.
The United Kingdom agreed to cede its control over the Chagos Islands to the Republic of Mauritius in an agreement signed between the two countries on Thursday.
An “horrific” attack on a school bus in Pakistan’s Baluchistan Province on Wednesday which left six dead – including four children – has been condemned by the UN children’s agency.
UN aid workers said on Wednesday that they are still waiting for permission from Israel to distribute five trucks’ worth of lifesaving relief that was allowed into Gaza at the start of the week, after an 11-week blockade.
Noor, a 16-month-old toddler, is from the Lahj governorate in the southwest corner of Yemen. A UN-partner volunteer diagnosed her with severe malnutrition – and her story became headline news when the UN relief chief recounted it to the Security Council during an impassioned briefing last week.
After years of stalemate and suffering, Syria is beginning to see renewed international engagement.
Israel forces opened fire on a diplomatic delegation near the Jenin camp in the occupied West Bank on Wednesday, drawing condemnation from several governments and the UN.
In a groundbreaking initiative to strengthen information integrity, combat digital mis- and disinformation and promote pluralistic media in Lebanon, the United Nations in Lebanon and...
The UN Secretary-General on Tuesday urged world powers to uphold international maritime law and overcome geopolitical rivalries, warning that growing threats are endangering global trade, marine ecosystems and international peace.
Women and girls living through humanitarian crises are at risk of being overlooked – just as they are at their most vulnerable.
Amid intensifying Israeli bombing and ground operations in Gaza, the UN’s relief coordination agency, OCHA, said on Monday that it was in talks with Israel to re-start deliveries of lifesaving supplies to the stricken enclave.
Repeated drone strikes over the past two weeks in Port Sudan have damaged key infrastructure across the crucial Sudanese aid hub, disrupted humanitarian operations, and placed civilians in danger, a UN-appointed human rights expert has warned.
Syrians trying to rebuild their lives in their war-torn country urgently need the support of the rest of the world to help them start again, UN aid agencies insist.
The UN humanitarian affairs chief has welcomed Israel’s decision to allow limited aid to cross into Gaza after 11 weeks of complete blockade – but significantly more is needed “starting tomorrow morning”.
A drone strike in eastern Ukraine on Saturday could possibly be the deadliest in recent weeks, the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in the country, HRMMU, has said.
The UN Secretary-General renewed his call for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and upheld the need for a two-State solution between Israelis and Palestinians in a speech on Saturday to the League of Arab States Summit in Baghdad.
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The inclusion of women and youth in peacebuilding and peacemaking as well as their active political participation topped the agenda on 14 May in Kyiv at a discussion organized by the UN Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs (DPPA).
The event – titled, “Voices of Ukrainian Women and Youth for sustainable Peace in Ukraine” - was held with the support of the Office of the UN Resident Coordinator in Ukraine, UN Women, UNDP and UNICEF.
It was made possible thanks to funding from DPPA’s Multi-Year Appeal.
The event brought together some 80 participants, representing civil society organizations from Chernihiv, Dnipropetrovsk, Donetsk, Kharkiv, Kherson, Kirovohrad, Kyiv, Lviv, Odesa, Poltava, Sumy, Volyn and Zaporizhzhia regions, municipal governments, independent institutions and line ministries.
The opening session featured the participation of Olena Kondratiuk, Deputy Speaker of the Parliament of Ukraine, Mariana Betsa, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine and Masashi Nakagome, Ambassador of Japan in Ukraine, whose government provided generous support for the conduct of the event.
Kayoko Gotoh, Director of DPPA’s Europe and Central Asia Division , said:
“When efforts towards peace are inclusive, the results are more lasting.Because inclusive peace is fairer, more representative of needs of various stakeholders, including women and young people, so has a broader base of engagement and commitment.”.
Gotoh added that DPPA was fully committed to meaningfully including and responding to the needs of women and youth across its conflict prevention, peacemaking and peacebuilding efforts.
“I am heartened to see that here in Ukraine, women and young people, in particular young women, have valuable skills, expertise and experiences that can help shape the future of Ukraine towards peace and prosperity,”she concluded.
Participants explored ways to contribute to sustainable peace in Ukraine, advancing the implementation of the UN agendas on women, youth, peace, and security, as well as the newly adopted Pact for the Future.
The meeting also allowed participants to network and consolidate existing partnerships as they continue to engage in in humanitarian and peacebuilding processes.
The United Nations has welcomed talks between Russia and Ukraine held on Friday in Türkiye.
