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Amid reconstruction talks on Gaza linked to President Trump's just-launched Board of Peace, UN aid agencies insisted on Friday that what Gazans need most is immediate relief from the ongoing humanitarian catastrophe there.
The new year provides an opportunity for Colombia to keep advancing towards lasting peace, a decade after a landmark accord that ended more than 50 years of conflict, the UN Special Representative told the Security Council on Friday.
Mr. President, members of the Security Council,
Our first meeting on Syria in this new year takes place against the backdrop of significant developments in northern and northeastern Syria.
While these developments have advanced rapidly in recent days and the situation remains fluid, let me briefly recap the key events of the past weeks. A further round of talks between the Syrian Government and the Syrian Democratic Forces to implement the 10 March 2025 agreement on 4 January did not yield progress.
Shortly after, clashes erupted in and around the SDF-controlled neighborhoods of Aleppo city - Ashrafieh and Sheikh Maqsoud. Following several days of intense fighting, and in the context of measures taken by the Syrian government to alleviate the impact on civilians, such as humanitarian corridors, reports from various public sources indicate that tens of thousands fled, most of whom have started to return, dozens were killed, hundreds were wounded, and persons are still missing.
On 11 January, the SDF withdrew east of the Euphrates to northeast Syria.
On 17 January, Syrian Government forces moved across the Euphrates and took control of broader swathes of territory from the SDF, with local populations in these areas also taking over of territory from the SDF in many instances.
With mediation from the United States and others international partners, on 18 January a “Ceasefire and Full Integration Agreement” between President al Sharaa and SDF leader General Mazloum Abdi was announced, to halt the fighting and ensure the full integration of all three northeast governorates under central government control. However, a subsequent meeting on 19 January between them failed to resolve implementation and fighting resumed.
On 20 January, the Syrian Presidency announced a “shared understanding” between the Government and the SDF, providing the SDF a four-day period for consultation, and the SDF expressed its commitment to a ceasefire.
Mr. President,
We are now two days into this critical period. As I speak, the situation on the ground remains very tense, with exchanges of fire and clashes between Government forces and the SDF in parts of Hasekeh governorate and also on the outskirts of Ayn al Arab, also known as Kobane - an SDF-controlled enclave where access is challenging, given ongoing clashes. Let me note that there is an alarming humanitarian and protection crisis, with an urgent need for all sides to ensure the protection of civilians and civilian infrastructure, and to ensure immediate and unimpeded humanitarian access.
The Secretary-General expressed his concern about the continuing violence and strongly called for full respect for international law and the protection of civilians, and urged the parties to continue dialogue and to move forward in good faith, working together to secure the implementation of all agreements.
We strongly appeal for both sides to immediately adhere to a ceasefire in line with the 18 January agreement, and engage in fleshing out and implementing the details of this latest understanding of 20 January swiftly and in a spirit of compromise, in order to ensure a peaceful integration of north-east Syria in support of Syria’s broader transition.
It is important also to note the recent Decree no. 13 announced by President al-Sharaa concerning the linguistic, cultural, and citizenship rights of Syrian Kurds within the Syrian state. This is a crucial issue for the future, and the decree is an encouraging initiative on which to build further through a genuinely inclusive process.
Mr. President,
Last month, on your visiting mission to Syria, ahead of the first anniversary of the fall of the Assad government, you witnessed firsthand the achievements, opportunities and challenges facing the Syrian people in this new chapter for a Syria moving toward equal citizenship.
The United Nations fully supports and encourages Syrian efforts to advance an inclusive political transition, equitable political participation by all components of Syrian society and meaningful participation by women to strengthen national cohesion and unity. And we look forward to the next milestones in Syria’s transition – the full formation of the People’s Assembly and the establishment of the Committee to draft the permanent constitution and the Constitutional Court— reflecting these principles.
We acknowledge the important steps the Syrian Government is taking to achieve justice for the victims of abuses and to combat impunity, both past and present. The Syrian people across the board are also asking for, and deserve more in this area. The United Nations looks to further support these efforts. They are critical for restoring and sustaining peace, justice and accountability.
Mr. President,
One year into this political transition, much has been achieved in post-Assad Syria. The fact that almost three million refugees and internally displaced persons have returned attests to that. Yet the country remains extremely fragile after 14 years of devastating conflict.
ISIL is still a persistent threat. As the Syrian government has joined forces with international partners in the Global Coalition Against Daesh to address this threat, we continue to encourage international cooperation in this area. It is vital that ISIL is not allowed to capitalize on the fluid situation in the northeast.
We share concerns about the presence of foreign terrorist fighters in Syria. During the fighting in northeast Syria, control of some of the detention centers for ISIL fighters switched from the SDF to Government forces, as did al-Hol camp in Hasakeh. There are indications that some detainees escaped. We appeal for full attention to be given to ensure that the transfer to the Syrian government of ISIL detention facilities still under SDF control is done in an orderly manner. Separately, the United States announced on 21 January its mission to transfer ISIL detainees from Syria to Iraq, with 150 ISIL members held in Hasakeh already transported to a secure facility in Iraq.
Mr. President,
Tensions persist along sectarian and ethnic lines often fueled by hate speech and disinformation. The wounds along Syria’s coast, in the north and in the south remain unhealed, with triggers all around to upset the fragile stability.
On 26 December, a deadly attack occurred at the Ali Bin Abi Talib Mosque in Homs, which the Secretary-General strongly condemned, emphasizing that attacks against civilians and religious sites are unacceptable. The Syrian Foreign Ministry condemned the attack and emphasized its commitment to counterterrorism efforts and to ensuring security for all Syrians. Subsequently, the Syrian authorities prevented an attempted attack on a church in Aleppo.
Mr. President,
We note with concern the unresolved differences and escalating rhetoric in Sweida governorate. Sporadic armed clashes between Syrian forces and local groups and militia are concerning, as are the reported intra-Druze tensions including detentions and assassinations in areas of Sweida outside of government control. The United Nations continues to urge the parties to engage with the ‘Amman roadmap’ of 16 September 2025 and implement confidence-building measures to restore trust and bring stability to Sweida.
Israeli incursions in southern Syria continue to undermine Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. We welcome this Council’s extension of UNDOF’s mandate for another six months. Let me reiterate the Secretary-General’s call on Israel to refrain from violations of Syrian sovereignty and territorial integrity. Let me also appeal to the parties to respect the terms of the 1974 Disengagement of Forces Agreement and call for the withdrawal of Israeli forces from areas it entered after 8 December 2024. In this regard, we are encouraged by resumed contacts between Syria and Israel to seek mutually acceptable security arrangements.
Mr. President,
The United Nations remains committed to supporting Syria in charting a path to peace, stability, and prosperity in challenging domestic and regional environments. We look forward to deepening our engagement with the Syrian authorities to help ensure that this transition is inclusive, sustainable, and ultimately successful. And we look forward to continuing to engage widely among Syrians, including civil society, women’s groups, and all Syrian communities.
To that end, the Secretary-General has appointed a new Deputy Special Envoy for Syria, Mr. Claudio Cordone, who will advance the United Nation’s support for Syria’s political transition, and a new Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator, ad interim, Ms. Nathalie Fustier, to support Syria’s recovery.
We stand ready to serve as a trusted partner to Syria in advancing this transition in conditions of trust and legitimacy, fostering recovery, and promoting long-term stability. In this context, we seek to see the Office of the Special Envoy for Syria on the ground to engage in a structured and supportive way throughout this transition, to deliver these objectives more effectively and efficiently, ensuring closer engagement and better coordination of resources. We look forward to furthering the dialogue with the Syrian government in this regard.
Thank you, Mr. President.
United Nations Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed urged countries to protect the UN Charter in a powerful speech to the Danish Parliament on Thursday, urging countries to “stand up for a rules-based order” – or pay the price.
A tense standoff between the Syrian Government and Kurdish-led forces in the country’s northeast risks igniting wider instability just as Syria struggles to emerge from years of conflict and authoritarian rule, senior UN officials told the Security Council on Thursday.
As President Trump launched the international Board of Peace plan for Gaza on Thursday, top independent rights experts tasked by the UN Human Rights Council with investigating grave abuses linked to the Hamas-Israel war pledged to continue their work seeking justice and accountability for all.
From Davos, the President of the UN General Assembly on Wednesday warned that the world has entered a “make‑or‑break” moment for multilateralism, saying the rules‑based order can survive only if states speak the truth and act when it’s hard. She called for a cross‑regional alliance to push back against growing lawlessness, disinformation, and power‑based politics.
Haiti’s deepening crisis has reached a critical phase, senior UN officials warned the Security Council on Wednesday, as powerful gangs continue to expand their control across the country.
Haiti is entering 2026 facing one of the most complex crises in its recent history. On Wednesday, the Caribbean island nation will be high on the international agenda as the UN Security Council holds its first meeting of the year to update ambassadors.
The reported demolition underway early Tuesday of the headquarters of UN agency UNRWA by Israeli forces in occupied East Jerusalem - reportedly “under the watch of lawmakers and a member of the Government” - has prompted swift condemnation from the global body.
Russian attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure have cut heat, electricity and water to hundreds of thousands of civilians in freezing winter conditions, prompting the UN human rights chief to denounce the strikes as “cruel” and a clear violation of international law.
The United Nations continues to monitor developments in northeast Syria following clashes between government troops and the Kurdish-led SDF militia during which scores of detained ISIL militants reportedly escaped from prison.
The land flattens on the approach to Birao, a cut-off town ringed by savannah in the far north of the Central African Republic, where roads dissolve into dust and motorcycles vastly outnumber cars. Less than two hours’ drive from the Sudanese border, this is the edge of a fractured country still piecing itself back together, while absorbing the shockwaves of a neighbouring conflict.
Since 2026, nearly 17 percent of Lebanon’s population has been living in a state of major food insecurity – a situation that is likely to worsen in the coming year.
Atrocities in Sudan’s Darfur region are spreading from town to town in an organized campaign of violence that includes mass executions, rape and ethnic targeting, amounting to war crimes and crimes against humanity, the prosecutor of the International Criminal Court told the UN Security Council on Monday.
In Yemen, renewed political instability and economic woes linked to the war threaten to complicate the already difficult task of helping vulnerable people suffering from deepening hunger, illness and displacement, the UN’s top aid official there said on Monday.
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Families across Ukraine are in “constant survival mode” amid ongoing waves of Russian missile and drone strikes that have left blocks without power for days at a time, while temperatures plunge to deadly lows, the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) said on Friday.
Peacekeeping operations in the Middle East are facing mounting security risks, funding pressures and political uncertainty, the head of UN peacekeeping warned on Friday.
In war-torn Sudan, local communities say they don’t have enough settlements for the internally displaced, few solutions for women who have suffered sexual violence – and there’s a lack of aid available for people with disabilities.
Mr. President,
For nearly three weeks, popular protests in the Islamic Republic of Iran have rapidly evolved into nationwide upheaval, resulting in significant loss of life.
Demonstrations started on 28 December 2025, as a group of shopkeepers in Tehran’s Grand Bazaar gathered to protest the sharp collapse of the currency and soaring inflation, amid a wider economic downturn and worsening living conditions.
In the following days, demonstrations quickly spread throughout the country and turned into mass anti-government protests—the largest since the “Woman, Life, Freedom” demonstrations of 2022. Protesters voiced grievances that went beyond longstanding economic and financial hardships. Marchers called for the downfall of the government, and demanded freedom, dignity and human rights, with some protesters chanting pro-monarchy slogans.
The protests were initially peaceful, with scattered clashes between protesters and security forces, according to reports by the media, observations of our United Nations colleagues in the country, and accounts by the Government of Iran.
However, on the evening of 8 January, protests spread throughout Tehran and other major cities. In response, the Iranian authorities imposed a near-total communications blackout, which remains largely in place today. The authorities also ordered university dormitories to be evacuated, erected concrete barriers around city centres, and reportedly used excessive force against protesters.
According to media and human rights groups, security forces reportedly killed hundreds or possibly thousands of protesters and bystanders between 8 and 10 January. The United Nations is unable to verify these figures.
The Government of Iran has stated that it was compelled to act after what it deemed “organized terrorists” and “rioters” infiltrated the protests and opened fire on both security forces and demonstrators, aiming to provoke foreign military intervention.
It has also blamed these elements for the killing of hundreds of civilians and members of the security forces.
Mr. President,
The Secretary-General has expressed deep concern over the reported excessive use of force in Iran and stressed the urgent need to prevent further casualties.
The Secretary-General underscored that all Iranians must be able to express their grievances peacefully and without fear. He stressed that the rights to freedom of expression, association, and peaceful assembly -- enshrined in international law -- must be fully respected and protected. He further urged steps to restore access to information, including lifting the communications blackout.
Human-rights monitors report mass arrests in Iran in connection with the current wave of protests, with estimates exceeding 18,000 detainees as of mid-January 2026, although the UN cannot verify these figures. We call on the authorities to respect due process and fair-trial rights for all detainees. All must be treated humanely and allowed access and visits by their families. In particular, we call on Iran to halt any executions linked to protest-related cases.
All deaths should be promptly, independently, and transparently investigated. Those responsible for any violations must be held to account in line with international norms and standards.
Mr. President,
The situation in Iran is fluid and deeply concerning. Protests continue, albeit reportedly at a smaller scale than last week.
In this context, we note with alarm various public statements suggesting possible military strikes on Iran.
This external dimension adds volatility to an already combustible situation. All efforts must be undertaken to prevent any further deterioration.
The Secretary-General remains convinced that all concerns regarding Iran, including those related to the nuclear issue and ongoing protests, are best addressed through diplomacy and dialogue.
He urges maximum restraint at this sensitive moment and calls on all actors to refrain from any actions that could lead to further loss of life or ignite a wider regional escalation.
Mr. President,
The Secretary-General reaffirms the principles of the Charter, including the obligation of Member States to settle disputes by peaceful means and the prohibition of the threat or use of force in international relations.
These principles are not abstract ideals—they are the bedrock of international peace and security. They remain as relevant today as they were when the United Nations was founded.
Thank you.
As nationwide protests in Iran appear to ease after nearly three weeks of unrest and bloodshed, a senior UN official called on Thursday for action to prevent further escalation.
The UN Security Council is meeting in New York in emergency session on Iran, amid escalating concern over reports that hundreds have been killed during weeks of nationwide anti-government protests. The meeting was requested by the United States. Demonstrations that began in late December, fuelled by soaring inflation, rising food prices and the collapse of the national currency, triggered a deadly and widespread crackdown with thousands injured and detained, according to numerous firsthand accounts. The UN has called for independent investigations into all killings and warned against the possible use of the death penalty against protesters. Follow live coverage below, and UN News app users can go here.
In his final annual address outlining his priorities, UN Secretary-General António Guterres warned that the world is “brimming with conflict, impunity, inequality and unpredictability” – even as international cooperation is fraying at the moment it is most needed.
A fragile political calm in Yemen is fraying, with renewed instability and aid restrictions deepening hunger, illness and displacement for millions of civilians, senior UN officials warned the Security Council on Wednesday.
Amid ongoing and intensifying Russian attacks across Ukraine, the UN on Tuesday launched a $2.3 billion humanitarian appeal for 2026 to support 4.1 million of the country’s most vulnerable people.
Airstrikes, drone attacks and hypothermia continue in Gaza despite the ceasefire, with more than 100 youngsters killed since early October, the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) said on Tuesday.
Mr. President,
The start of the New Year has brought no peace or even respite to Ukraine, but renewed fighting and devastation.
Large-scale aerial assaults by the Russian Federation against civilians and critical civilian infrastructure across the country have resulted in horrific levels of destruction and suffering.
As temperatures plummet far below freezing, the Russian Federation has intensified its systematic attacks targeting Ukraine’s energy infrastructure.
The strikes have killed and injured scores of civilians and deprived millions of Ukrainians of electricity, heating and water for prolonged periods.
The impact of these attacks is felt hardest by the most vulnerable: the elderly, children, and persons with limited mobility.
They follow a well-established and deeply troubling pattern: attacks escalate when weather conditions worsen and people’s need for heating becomes most acute.
In one of the most recent large-scale barrages, overnight between 8 and 9 January, the Russian Federation reportedly launched 242 drones and 36 missiles against Ukraine.
In Kyiv, at least four people were reportedly killed and 25 others injured. A paramedic rushing to provide emergency medical care was among those killed, reportedly by a so-called “double-tap” strike.
Energy facilities and multiple residential buildings were damaged, leaving nearly half of the city and hundreds of thousands of residents without heating. The Embassy of Qatar was also damaged.
That same day, areas of the western Lviv region, near the Polish border, were reportedly targeted by a Russian intermediate-range ballistic missile, the so-called “Oreshnik”.
This would be the second time the potentially devastating weapon has been fired at Ukraine since 2024.
The Oreshnik system is believed to be capable of carrying nuclear weapons, which has heightened concern over its deployment.
According to Ukrainian authorities, this strike damaged gas distribution pipelines, raising additional concerns about risks to critical civilian infrastructure.
Also on 8 January, two foreign-flagged civilian vessels were hit by Russian drones in the Odesa region.
On 7 January, Russian strikes in the Dnipropetrovsk and Zaporizhzhia regions reportedly left more than one million people without running water or heating.
In Kryvyi Rih, 17 people, including children, were reportedly injured when missiles and drones hit residential buildings and other civilian infrastructure.
And in the Odesa region, two people were reportedly killed and eight others injured in an attack on two ports. Cooking oil storage facilities and containers were damaged.
Odesa was hit again yesterday. This was the latest in a highly concerning escalation of strikes targeting Ukraine’s port infrastructure and commercial shipping.
In recent weeks, civilian casualties and extensive damage to critical infrastructure have also been reported in Kherson, Donetsk, Kharkiv and Sumy regions.
In total, since the start of the Russian Federation’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) has verified that at least 14,999 civilians have been killed, including 763 children, and 40,601 civilians injured, including 2,486 children. The actual figures are likely higher. OHCHR’s Monitoring Mission in Ukraine has just reported that 2025 was the deadliest year for civilians since 2022.
Mr. President,
Inside the Russian Federation, local authorities continue to report civilian casualties and damage to civilian infrastructure resulting from alleged Ukrainian strikes.
We are seeing additional reports of escalating cross-border attacks on Russia’s oil and energy facilities, some of which reportedly resulted in civilian casualties and damage to civilian and residential facilities.
In Belgorod oblast, local authorities reported that 600,000 residents were left without electricity, heating and water after a Ukrainian strike on 9 January.
The authorities also reported the use of drones targeting Kursk, Bryansk and Belgorod regions on 10 January, which left one person killed and at least three other people injured.
Due to lack of access and limited public information, the United Nations is not in a position to verify these reports.
Mr. President,
We reiterate the Secretary-General’s strong condemnation of all attacks against civilians and civilian infrastructure. Such attacks violate international humanitarian law.
No matter where they occur, they are unacceptable, unjustifiable, and must stop immediately.
Mr. President,
As hostilities intensify, the situation at Ukraine’s nuclear sites remains extremely precarious.
On the night of 3 January, Europe’s largest nuclear power plant, the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP), temporarily occupied by the Russian Federation, lost power from one of its high-voltage lines due to hostilities.
Over past week, the team of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) at the site has reported a significant increase in military activity in the areas surrounding the plant, including explosions heard close to the facility.
These events are exceedingly alarming. The IAEA continues its efforts to establish temporary ceasefire zones in the areas around the plant to allow for essential repair work to ensure its safe and secure functioning.
We urge both the Russian Federation and Ukraine to engage constructively with the IAEA and to immediately cease any military activities near the plant in order to reduce the risk of a catastrophic accident.
Mr. President,
In just over a month, we will mark four years since the start of the Russian Federation’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
The war has brought untold suffering to the Ukrainian people, killed an unimaginable number of young men of both countries, caused global economic dislocation and sown instability in the region and beyond.
The damage it has done to the international system is still being measured. The war should never have started. It must stop.
We commend the efforts of the United States and all others concerned working towards peace.
We urge all involved to sustain this vital work, including through concrete steps to deescalate, stop the ongoing attacks impacting civilians in Ukraine and in the Russian Federation, and establish clear parameters to end this devastating conflict.
We reaffirm the Secretary-General’s repeated calls for an immediate, full and unconditional ceasefire as a first step towards a just, lasting and comprehensive peace grounded in respect for international law and the principles of the United Nations Charter.
Any peace in Ukraine must fully uphold the sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of Ukraine, within its internationally recognized borders.
The United Nations remains ready to support all meaningful efforts toward this end.
Thank you, Mr. President.
The humanitarian crisis across the Gaza Strip remains extremely serious, with harsh winter weather threatening to reverse recent gains in aid delivery, the United Nations said on Monday.
The UN Security Council is meeting in emergency session in New York over Russia’s ongoing deadly missile and drone strikes targeting Ukrainian civilians and energy infrastructure, as frigid winter conditions grip the war-torn country. Millions have been deprived of electricity, heating and water. The UN Secretary-General has called the stepped up attacks an unacceptable violation of international humanitarian law. Follow live below and find all our in-depth meetings coverage here. UN News app users can go here.
Ukraine has entered the new year under intensifying and deadly Russian attacks which have crippled energy systems and left millions without heating, electricity or water amid freezing temperatures, senior UN officials told the Security Council on Monday.
Sudan’s protracted conflict has spiralled into one of the world’s most severe humanitarian crises, with hunger, displacement and the collapse of basic services exacting a daily toll on civilians.
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UN agencies are supporting efforts on Friday to keep energy services up and running in Ukraine, and families warm amid freezing winter temperatures, following a large-scale overnight attack.
The UN has raised serious concerns ahead of Uganda’s elections scheduled for 15 January, warning they will take place in an environment marked by widespread repression, intimidation and shrinking civic space.
Aid agencies marked 1,000 days of war in Sudan on Friday with a grim reminder that the conflict has created the world’s biggest hunger crisis and largest displacement emergency. Every day, civilians have been “paying the price for a war they did not choose”, said UN aid coordination office, OCHA.
Despite reductions in the overall number of conflict-related incidents in South Sudan, a rise in abductions and sexual violence is concerning, the UN peacekeeping mission in the country, UNMISS, said on Friday.
Progress continues to be made towards eliminating remnants of the chemical weapons programme in Syria that was developed under the Assad regime, the UN Security Council heard on Thursday.
An independent human rights expert has urged the international community to reject the electoral process organised by Myanmar’s military government, after the first round of voting revealed widespread coercion, exclusion and violence.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres continues to be gravely alarmed by escalating hostilities in Aleppo, Syria, and mounting reports of civilian casualties, his Spokesperson said on Thursday.
Several parts of Ukraine were hit by a new wave of Russian strikes between Wednesday and Thursday morning.
Almost four years since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, aid teams continue to adapt to the lethal reality of working in a modern war zone.
Some two decades after a shaky political transition, Iraq today is a country “at peace, with increased security and a clear determination to win the battle of development,” says the UN resident coordinator for Iraq on Wednesday.
At least five civilians have been killed and some 30,000 people displaced following renewed fighting in Aleppo, Syria, prompting calls from the UN for immediate de-escalation and a return to political talks.
Thirteen more lives – including children – were reportedly lost on Tuesday in another drone attack on Sudan’s North Kordofan region.
Thousands of displaced people in northern Syria are struggling to cope with freezing conditions after a severe snowstorm struck dozens of displacement sites, the UN aid coordination office (OCHA) said on Tuesday.
Responding to the seizure of Venezuela President Nicolás Maduro by the United States, UN human rights chief Volker Türk on Tuesday reiterated deep concerns that the military operation undermined fundamental protections for sovereign countries.
In Sudan, civilians continue to bear the brunt of escalating violence, particularly in the Darfur and Kordofan regions.
The UN Security Council met on Monday against a sharply altered diplomatic backdrop, following US strikes on the Venezuelan capital and seizure of President Nicolás Maduro.
