Trip Announcement, Haavisto & other topics - Daily Press Briefing (19 June 2026) | United Nations

Noon briefing by Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesperson for the Secretary-General. Highlights: - Secretary-General/Trip Announcement - Haavisto - Sudan - Lebanon/Israel - Occupied Palestinian Territory - Democratic Republic of the Congo - Kosovo - Peacebuilding Week - World Refugee Day - International Day of Yoga - International Day of the Celebration of the Solstice SECRETARY-GENERAL/TRIP ANNOUNCEMENT The Secretary-General will arrive in London on Monday, where he will attend a series of events taking place during the London Climate Action Week. He will deliver a special address on climate and energy on Tuesday morning, outlining how renewable energy offers the clearest route to energy security, affordability and resilience. The Secretary-General is expected to underscore that it is clear that our world is facing a climate crisis and an energy crisis, which, on the surface, may seem separate, but share the same destructive force: fossil fuels. During his visit to London, the Secretary-General will participate in other events, including the Global Energy and Electrification Summit and the Local Leaders Summit, as well as the Climate and Development Finance Forum 2026. The Secretary-General will also attend a Super Pollutants reception, in the presence of His Majesty King Charles III. While in London, the Secretary-General will hold a bilateral meeting with the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Yvette Cooper. He will also meet with leaders attending the London Climate Action Week. The Secretary-General is expected back in New York on 24 June. HAAVISTO The Personal Envoy for Sudan, Pekka Haavisto, spoke with the Commander-in-Chief of the Rapid Support Forces, General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, known as Hemedti, earlier today. The Personal Envoy underscored the need to urgently de-escalate the situation in the El Obeid area and avoid any actions that may further worsen the already-dire humanitarian situation and put civilian lives at risk. He emphasized that the focus of the parties to the conflict should turn towards advancing dialogue to end the war.    They also discussed the latest political developments, including the recent Quintet-facilitated engagements with Sudanese civilian stakeholders in Addis Ababa. The Personal Envoy is also engaging Member State partners with influence over the conflict parties to encourage their commitment to genuine dialogue and convey as a matter of urgency that an attack on El Obeid must be avoided. We reiterate the call made by the Secretary-General in his statement yesterday for restraint from all parties in the El Obeid area and to take all necessary measures to respect and protect civilians. We must not allow the horrors of El Fasher to be repeated in El Obeid. SUDAN We have seen further reports of drone attacks overnight. For now, the area remains accessible. OCHA says it and its humanitarian partners are focusing on moving food and other supplies into the city, while preparing for the potential movement of large numbers of people of the immediate area. And for those who have been asking about our presence in El Obeid, I can tell you that we do not have a permanent presence in the city. However, despite access constraints, our humanitarian partners are still working on the ground, staying and delivering with WFP and others, to move more assistance there to help residents is an area that hosts more than 100,000 displaced people. Full Highlights: https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/noon-briefing-highlight?date=2026-06-19


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