20 Years of the Peacebuilding Fund | United Nations

With a record level of conflict worldwide — and an estimated 20,000 lives lost to violence each month — UN Peacebuilding Chief Elizabeth Spehar explains why peacebuilding is the smartest investment we can make. ASG Spehar addresses the root causes of conflict and the conditions necessary for lasting peace. Since it began operating in 2006, the Peacebuilding Fund has: • Invested over USD 2 billion • Supported more than 75 countries and territories • Worked through 24 UN entities and over 80 civil society organizations. From supporting Colombia's peace process and justice for victims, to safeguarding peacekeeping gains in the Central African Republic. #Peacebuilding #UnitedNations #PBF20 #SustainingPeace #ConflictPrevention 00:00 What Peacebuilding Really Means 01:30 How the Peacebuilding Fund Works 02:00 20 Years of Impact


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Children & Armed Conflict: Record Violations in 2025 - Security Council Briefing | United Nations

“When States become the main violators of the rights of children, this signals a dramatic disregard for international humanitarian and human rights law, and an erosion of the principle that States bear the primary responsibility to protect their populations, including children,” a senior UN official said. Briefing the Security Council, Vanessa Frazier, Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict, said, “The United Nations Monitoring and Reporting mechanism verified 38,558 grave violations against children, affecting 24,174 children. The process of verification was undertaken in 2025, thus including violations that have taken place in previous years. This is the highest verified number of children affected by violations in any year since the establishment of the children and armed conflict mandate.” She noted that in 2025 the report showed a concerning shift. “For the first time, Government forces are the main perpetrators of grave violations against children overall, and specifically the killing and maiming of children, attacks on schools and hospitals and the denial of humanitarian access.” Frazier said, “That is not a marginal development. That is a profound and deeply troubling shift. When States become the main violators of the rights of children, this signals a dramatic disregard for international humanitarian and human rights law, and an erosion of the principle that States bears the primary responsibility to protect their populations, including children.” According to the report, “The highest levels of violations in 2025 were verified in the Occupied Palestinian Territory and Israel, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Nigeria, Myanmar, and Somalia.”


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Overcoming trauma in the service of peace, w/Elpida Rouka | Special Envoy for Syria | Awake at Night

Elpida Rouka’s first name means hope in Greek, a feeling that can sometimes be elusive when serving in the most troubled places on earth. Currently a senior political affairs officer in Geneva, she is a survivor of the 2003 Baghdad Canal Hotel bombing, the deadliest attack in UN history. “First you feel the shake, and the light, and then the blast, the sound comes. I blacked out between exiting the building, but when I was out, there was just a scene of a massacre. The only thing I recall after that was being thrown a phone and told: ‘Call your parents, now.’” Humanitarian workers are routinely exposed to primary and secondary trauma. Yet stigma and survivor’s guilt can prevent aid workers seeking timely help for post-traumatic stress. In this episode, Elpida Rouka reflects on grief, loss, and mental and physical scars, and shares why the exact wording of the preamble of the UN Charter has helped give her the strength to heal. [00:00] Introduction [01:22] Recalling the 2003 Canal Hotel Bombing [10:01] The emotional toll of survival [11:51] Returning to her work in Iraq [13:23] How the attack brought renewed determination [17:31] Life across conflict zones [21:14] The triggers of personal loss [23:23] Pathway to recovery [30:12] Roots of purpose [33:22] Reflections on contribution and impact [35:05] Finding hope in conflict-affected communities [38:30] Balancing service and wellbeing [39:03] Closing remarks Listen to more Awake at Night episodes https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLwoDFQJEq_0b6hu1e8oxsch9W0D7vkNqt #podcast #UnitedNations #AwakeAtNight #Trauma #Healing About Awake at Night Hosted by Melissa Fleming, UN Under-Secretary-General for Global Communications, the podcast ‘Awake at Night’ is an in-depth interview series focusing on remarkable United Nations staff members who dedicate their career to helping people in parts of the world where they have the hardest lives – from war zones and displacement camps to areas hit by disasters and the devastation of climate change.


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#UN Secretary-General in London

UN Secretary-General, António Guterres, is in London, where he is attending a series of events taking place during the London Climate Action Week. In his special address on climate and energy, Mr. Guterres launched a global Call to Action on Methane and also proposed an AI Environmental Transparency Initiative. In a special medal ceremony in Kew Gardens, the Secretary-General received the Kew International Medal on behalf of the United Nations.


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Central African Republic: Progress, Fragility & Peace Challenges - MINUSCA Briefing | United Nations

UN Special Representative for the Central African Republic Valentine Rugwabiza said that four years down the road, the country has made remarkable and tangible progress towards lasting peace and security, with the instrumental support of MINUSCA. Addressing the Security Council about the Central African Republic, Rugwabiza said, “The progress made with the implementation of the political and peace processes, the effective extension of State authority and presence across the CAR territory, protection of civilians, the preparation and conduct of historic coupled elections of December 2025, is the result of sustained efforts by the Central African authorities and people, with the multidimensional support of MINUSCA. These gains must now be preserved and consolidated.” She also noted, “While the security situation has generally improved across the country over the years, it remains fragile in several border areas. In the northeast, the impact of the conflict in Sudan is of particular concern with renewed armed activity along the border, including cross-border incursions targeting civilians, particularly in the Vakaga Prefecture. In the southeast, the attacks and abductions by the AAKG militia continue to be source of insecurity in the Haut-Mbomou and Mbomou Prefectures.” She stressed, “There is a need for a comprehensive and detailed plan to address critical gaps in the capabilities of the security sector, a plan based on strong national ownership with the support of international partners. This is critical to ensuring that the mandated gradual transfer of MINUSCA security tasks to national defense and security forces will not risk strategic reversal of security achievements.”


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Clean Energy Era Is Now: Build Grids, Scale Renewables Fast - UN Chief Remarks | United Nations

Secretary-General António Guterres said, “The age of clean electrification is here. The question is whether we can build the grids and storage, mobilize the investment, and deliver the infrastructure at the speed and scale required.” António Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations, made the appeal in remarks to the inaugural Global Energy Transition and Electrification Summit, held in London alongside London Climate Action Week. Guterres told the summit the world is facing two interconnected crises: accelerating climate chaos pushing the planet past the 1.5-degree Celsius limit, and the most severe energy upheaval in years, driving up prices and straining economies. Both crises, he said, share one cause - fossil fuels, which still account for around 80 per cent of global energy use. Three-quarters of the world's people live in countries dependent on imported fossil fuels, he added, leaving them reliant on energy “they do not control,” at prices “they cannot predict.” Renewables, however, are now the cheapest, fastest and most scalable source of new electricity in most of the world, the Secretary-General noted. More than 90 per cent of new renewable power projects delivered electricity at a lower cost than fossil fuels last year, he said, and wind and solar are leading all new electricity demand growth worldwide.


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Ukraine: Civilian Harm, Infrastructure Strikes & Drone Attacks - Briefing | United Nations

Briefing Council members today in New York, OCHA’s Director of Crisis Response Division, Edem Wosornu, said, “Since we last briefed this Council two weeks ago, civilian harm and suffering have deepened including over this past weekend. More families have been forced to endure the all-too-familiar pattern of this war: attacks, destruction, loss, another night without safety. On June 15th, strikes on Kyiv and Kharkiv damaged homes and critical infrastructure, leaving well over 100,000 households without power.” Edem Wosornu also said, “In Kyiv, the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra monastery, a UNESCO World Heritage site at the heart of Ukraine's religious and cultural life, was struck and damaged. This site carries centuries of cultural heritage – history and identity – that must be protected.” She also said, “In Kharkiv, rescuers responding to an earlier strike were themselves hit when a second one followed. This fits a documented pattern. The UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine has found repeated strikes on ambulances, rescue teams and aid workers – in some cases as you heard hit twice, as they returned to help. Civilians have also been struck when simply going about daily life: in cars, on buses, in their gardens.” Wosornu added, “The Mission records that more civilians were killed and injured by short-range drones in May than in any month since February 2022. Technological advances in warfare are expanding the zone of danger for civilians, which is no longer confined by the reach of artillery.”


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HIV/AIDS: 'The progress achieved should not be confused with success' - Presser | United Nations

Press Conference by Winnie Byanyima, Executive Director of the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) on the General Assembly High-Level Meeting on HIV/AIDS. The fifth meeting since the first UN General Assembly special session on a health crisis 25 years ago opened with the president of the General Assembly and the Deputy Secretary-General leading the session. Byanyima told delegations the world made a promise 25 years ago to stop AIDS with all people in all countries getting the treatment and prevention they needed, with funds mobilized to enable every country to fight the disease, and communities on the ground leading and delivering services for their people. That promise has been kept for 25 years, she said, but the progress should not be mistaken for success: nine million people remain off treatment, and UNAIDS data show 1.2 million people were newly infected last year. The promise to end AIDS, she said, “hasn’t been realized.” Therefore, Byanyima said, she had urged countries to agree on “an ambitious political declaration” expected to be signed Tuesday. She nonetheless pointed to gains, noting 32.1 million of the 40 million people living with HIV are now on treatment, calling it “tremendous progress.” The UNAIDS chief called on member states to sustain international financing as countries mobilize their own domestic resources, noting 52 countries increased domestic financing for the HIV response last year, alongside regional efforts to achieve “health sovereignty.” She closed by stressing the importance of universal access to medicines, saying “Innovations without access are not innovations. They are an injustice.”


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Syria: People’s Assembly Needs to Begin Its Work - Security Council Briefing | United Nations

Briefing by Claudio Cordone, Deputy Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for Syria, on the situation in the Middle East. Cordone said that the scale of the challenges facing the transitional parliament in the country “cannot be overstated.” He said, “More than eight months since the main elections, the People’s Assembly has still not been constituted, awaiting the Presidential appointment of a third of its members. The delay is generating anxiety. Syria needs the People’s Assembly to begin its work. And it needs all Syrians – in particular, Syria’s women and its various components – to feel meaningfully represented in it. The scale of the challenges facing this transitional parliament cannot be overstated. New laws need to be debated and adopted, executive actions need to be reviewed, diverse voices must be heard, and progress made on the transition.” Cordone noted, “Last week, demonstrations in Idlib, Aleppo, Hama, Deir ez-Zor and Damascus saw participants calling for accountability for crimes committed during the conflict and demanding legal action against individuals associated with abuses under the former regime. In some locations, these demonstrations were accompanied by violence.” He added, “The government announced that 5,989 persons linked to the former regime are in detention and awaiting prosecution for crimes allegedly committed after 2011. These developments highlight transitional justice challenges facing Syria, with frustration from lack of perceived sufficient progress. While the government swiftly calmed the situation, to avoid repetition of such incidents there needs to be a sense of the past being addressed swiftly yes, but also fairly.” Cordone reported, “No progress on the implementation of the September 2025 Roadmap of confidence-building and reintegration in Sweida. The underlying issues that contributed to the violence of July 2025 remain unresolved, including accountability measures. Distrust between Damascus and actors within Sweida persists, as do strong feelings of distrust at societal level. Calls within Sweida for secession threaten to undermine the country’s unity and territorial integrity.” He also said, “Israeli military activity in southern Syria has continued, including in violation of the 1974 Disengagement of Forces Agreement. Israeli forces have maintained presence in the area of separation and conducted near-daily incursions across parts of southern Syria, establishing temporary checkpoints and carrying out searches and detentions of civilians.” Cordone continued, “The Syrian Government has exercised restraint while signaling openness to a security arrangement with Israel, although no tangible progress has been achieved to date. The United Nations in Syria is enhancing its efforts to address the needs of the affected population amidst continued Israeli military activity. We strongly reiterate our call on Israel to adhere to the 1974 Agreement, release those illegally detained and respect Syria's sovereignty and territorial integrity.”


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Lighting Libya’s long path to peace, with Hanna Tetteh | SRSG for Libya | Awake at Night

Former Ghanian Foreign Minister Hanna Tetteh knows first hand the responsibility that comes from being an elected politician. Now head of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya, she draws on that experience as she works to get the nation onto a peaceful and democratic footing. “I have to be optimistic. Otherwise I'll stop. And I think that when you're doing this kind of job, you have to keep yourself optimistic. You always have to find openings and entry points and try to see what you can work with and where you can create some opportunity to have a conversation that results in some concrete outcome.” Politics was always present in Hanna Tetteh’s house growing up. Inspired by a dual heritage rooted in Hungary and Ghana, she became a passionate advocate of inclusive dialogue. In this episode, she reflects on her journey into politics, on bringing women and youth on board for Libya’s future, and shares why, when it comes to peace-building, patience is the biggest virtue. [00:00] Introduction [01:02] A mission in Libya [07:20] Working amid extreme risk [10:32] Leading as a woman in Libya [12:46] Empowering Libyan women [15:23] What keeps Hanna awake at night [18:22] The brutal reality facing migrants in Libya [21:06] Finding hope in small steps [23:54] Working through the curveballs [24:50] Climate change and conflict in the Horn of Africa [28:16] The cost of endless war [32:27] Lessons from Ghana’s political evolution [36:05] A childhood of ideas and identity [37:23] Family, culture and public service [38:46] Two cultures, one life [40:26] Staying committed in a world of competing interests [42:31] Peacebuilding takes patience [43:43] Hope for Libya’s future [45:16] Closing remarks Listen to more Awake at Night episodes: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLwoDFQJEq_0b6hu1e8oxsch9W0D7vkNqt #podcast #UnitedNations #AwakeAtNight #Peacekeeping #Libya About Awake at Night Hosted by Melissa Fleming, UN Under-Secretary-General for Global Communications, the podcast ‘Awake at Night’ is an in-depth interview series focusing on remarkable United Nations staff members who dedicate their career to helping people in parts of the world where they have the hardest lives – from war zones and displacement camps to areas hit by disasters and the devastation of climate change.


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Invest In Peace | UN Peacekeeping | United Nations

UN Peacekeeping is one of the international community’s most effective tools to respond to conflict. But it is facing significant reductions in political support and resources. Peace does not happen by accident. It requires political will, sustained investment and collective commitment. Now is the time to invest in peace, not war. #InvestInPeace


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Global Response to the Climate and Energy Crises: UN Chief's Special Address | United Nations

In a special address at London Climate Action Week, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres draws on the latest scientific evidence to show how the worsening climate crisis and growing energy insecurity are rooted in continued fossil fuels dependence. He outlines a clear pathway to accelerate the transition to a more secure, resilient and sustainable energy future: one powered by renewable energy, strengthened international cooperation, and science-based action.


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24,174 Children Victimized in Conflict Zones in 2025 - Press conference | United Nations

Press Conference by Vanessa Frazier, Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict, on the Secretary-General's Annual Report. 24,174 children were killed, maimed, recruited, raped or otherwise affected by grave violations in conflict zones last year, the United Nations said, calling the toll “many scars on our collective moral conscience.” Frazier said her office verified 38,558 grave violations affecting 24,174 children in 2025, the highest number recorded since the Children and Armed Conflict mandate was established 30 years ago. “Today's findings are stark. They reflect the shocking reality faced by children in conflict zones around the world, a reality that concerns all of us,” Frazier told reporters in New York. The violations tracked under the mandate include recruitment and use of children, killing and maiming, rape and other forms of sexual violence, abductions, attacks on schools and hospitals, and the denial of humanitarian access to children, she noted. For the first time since the mandate was created, government forces were responsible for the majority of grave violations, Frazier said, adding that state forces remained the principal perpetrators of killing and maiming, attacks on schools and hospitals, and the denial of humanitarian access. “These patterns reflect persistent and blatant disregard for international law, and for the rights and special protections owed to children,” she said. Killing and maiming was the most prevalent violation, with 14,224 children verified as killed or maimed, Frazier continued. The number of children killed rose 35 percent compared with 2024, reaching 6,266, she said, followed by 8,322 incidents of denial of humanitarian access and 6,607 cases of recruitment and use of children in armed conflict. Sexual violence against children, particularly girls, continues to be used as a tactic of war to humiliate, terrorize and displace entire communities, Frazier said, pointing to a rise in gang rape committed by parties to conflict as evidence of “a deliberate and organized use of sexual violence within the ranks.” The countries with the highest levels of violations in 2025 were the Occupied Palestinian Territories and Israel, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Nigeria, Myanmar and Somalia, she said. Frazier closed her briefing with an appeal to translate the findings into action. “The lives of these 24,174 children are as many scars on our collective moral conscience. I hope we carry them with us so that we use their memory and their pain to act,” she said.


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Acute Food Insecurity to Worsen for Millions Across 13 Hunger Hotspots - WFP & FAO | United Nations

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) warned that acute food insecurity is expected to worsen further for millions of people across 13 countries deemed “hunger hotspots” between June and November 2026. Briefing reporters in New York by video teleconference, the Director of the World Food Programme’s (WFP) Food Security and Nutrition Analysis Service, Jean-Martin Bauer, said Sudan, South Sudan, Yemen, Palestine, Nigeria and Somalia are at the highest level of concern as “these are countries where populations are facing or at risk of facing high levels of acute food insecurity, including starvation and death.” At a very high level of concern, Bauer continued, are Afghanistan, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Haiti, while Lebanon, Madagascar, Mali and Myanmar are included as “countries that require close monitoring and urgent action as the situation could deteriorate.” The WFP official said in many of these hotspots “overlapping conflict, climate and macroeconomic shocks - including the spillovers from the Middle East conflict,” added to the potential effects of the El Niño, “all amplify food insecurity.” He stressed that “every hotspot of highest concern is a place affected by conflict and violence. And conflict destroys livelihoods. It forces people to leave. It disrupts markets, damages infrastructure and restricts humanitarian access.” The Food and Agriculture Organization’s (FAO) Director at the Office of Emergencies and Resilience, Rein Paulsen, told reporters that “funding levels in 2025 dropped to a level that was last seen in the period 2016 and 2017. At the same time, during that same period from 2016 through 2025, the percentage and share of the population analysed as being in acute food insecurity, by acute food insecurity, has doubled during that same period.” Paulsen said, “impossible choices within already hyper prioritised plans have to be made. And at the same time, we're having to make, cuts to assessments, cuts to our monitoring and analytical capabilities, all of which are weakening the evidence base that's needed precisely to be able to prioritise assistance and to guide decision making. And this is a major risk, without reliable data, vulnerable communities become invisible.” He told reporters, “the worst outcomes that you see described in this report are not inevitable. They are foreseeable and therefore they are preventable. But the window to act is narrowing, which is why the issuance of this report and action in response to it is so important.” The latest edition of the Hunger Hotspots report, released twice a year through the Global Network Against Food Crises (GNAFC), identifies Sudan, South Sudan, Yemen and Palestine as the world's most critical hunger hotspots in terms of severity and magnitude of hunger. Northeast Nigeria has been added to the list of highest concern, following projections indicating that populations in Borno State may face Catastrophe levels of acute food insecurity (defined as an extreme lack of food / other basic needs, with starvation, death, destitution and extremely critical acute malnutrition levels evident) during the upcoming period covered by the report. Somalia has also been placed in this category with populations in the Bay region of Burhakaba District facing a risk of Famine. Armed conflict and violence remain the primary drivers of acute food insecurity, affecting 12 of the 13 hotspots. These pressures are compounded by economic shocks, severe funding shortfalls and growing risks linked to a forecast El Niño event, which is expected to bring uneven rainfall, droughts, and flooding across countries with already high vulnerability. Funding for food assistance, emergency agricultural assistance and nutrition in food crises has declined by an estimated 59 percent between 2022 and 2025, returning to levels last seen nearly a decade ago. At the same time, the number of people facing high levels of acute food insecurity in these countries has risen to around 266 million.


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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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Gaza in the spotlight as dire conditions continue

Tom Fletcher, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, briefing to the Security Council on the humanitarian situation in Gaza. The meeting took place under a ceasefire that has existed in name since October 2025 – but dire conditions continue and most Gazans remain displaced.


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Libya: Warning of Rising Misinformation & Hate Speech Targeting Migrants | United Nations

Special Representative for Libya Hanna Serwaa Tetteh warned against a “growing wave of misinformation, disinformation, hate speech and incitement” targeting refugees, migrants, humanitarian actors, and UN personnel, and stressed that the UN “is not in the business of resettling migrants” in Libya. Addressing the Security Council, Tetteh said, “a growing wave of misinformation, disinformation, hate speech and incitement targeting refugees, migrants, humanitarian actors and UN agencies and personnel in Libya, including Libyan nationals.” She continued, “False and misleading claims – particularly allegations of UN plans to settle migrants or refugees in Libya – have contributed to a climate of hostility, threats, and violence against humanitarian workers and UN personnel, and have already provoked violence against UN premises, underscoring the real dangers posed by disinformation. Migration is a legitimate public concern but must be addressed on the basis of facts, not fear, and through responsible public discourse rather than inflammatory, false and provocative narratives. Let me use this opportunity to state clearly that the UN in Libya is not in the business of resettling migrants into Libya.” She stressed, “The country’s challenges cannot be addressed through fabrications and scapegoating. They require responsible leadership, unified functioning and effective institutions to restore public trust. Advancing the UNSMIL-facilitated roadmap is therefore not merely a political imperative; it is one viable path to overcoming institutional fragmentation and building a more stable and secure future for all Libyans.” She also said, “Libya’s economic trajectory continues to pose a significant threat to its stability and the wellbeing of its citizens. Rising prices and the erosion of purchasing power increasingly strain households and impact the provisions of social services across the country.” She added, “Higher global oil and gas prices have boosted revenues and provided short-term relief, but this should not obscure structural vulnerabilities. Fuel shortages across Greater Tripoli and other cities particularly in the south in late April and May, exposed persisting weaknesses in the management of the subsidy regime. The primary driver of fuel shortages remains entrenched networks smuggling subsidised refined petroleum products out of the country to the disadvantage of the Libyan consumer.” She stressed that in Tripoli, public mobilisation against migration-related issues intensified this month due to “deliberate misinformation” on various media platforms. She continued, “On 4 June, hundreds of demonstrators gathered outside the UNHCR and UNSMIL buildings, demonstrating against alleged plans to settle migrants in Libya. At UNHCR, demonstrators blocked access to the premises with earth barriers. At UNSMIL, protesters breached the perimeter, damaged the entrance gates, dumped sand and debris, and threw stones at UN security personnel.” She also emphasized that “if Libyan political actors and institutions are unable to work together to create the political and security conditions for holding elections and completing the remaining legal and institutional steps within a reasonable timeframe, continued reliance on this process alone will not be sufficient to deliver the Libyan people’s right to have a government of their choice which would have democratic legitimacy.” Taher M. El-Sonni, Permanent Representative of Libya to the United Nations, stated, “We stress to everyone that Libya will not be a place for the resettlement of immigrants. Libya will never be country for the resettlement of immigrants in any form.”


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Women, Peace & Security: UN Women Warns Female Voices Vanishing From Peace Talks | United Nations

“Women are disappearing from peace and mediation processes. I am sure this is something we will all come to regret,” UN Women Executive Director told the Security Council. Briefing the Council during an open debate on women, peace and security (WPS) titled “Peace is decided with women: Emerging from conflict by enhancing their participation,” Sima Sami Bahous, Executive Director of UN Women, said, “When we pursue peace without women’s voices—without women at the table, leading alongside men—our efforts become compromised, fragile, and ultimately not serious.” She also noted that the UN led a ‘mere’ three peace processes last year, comparing to 14 peace processes 15 years ago. “The path to genuine gender equality in the pursuit of peace matters far less when the UN’s role is increasingly being sidelined, when this multilateral system is under immense pressure,” Bahous said. Two women civil society representatives also briefed the Council. Leymah Gbowee, Nobel Peace Laureate said, “Women are not victims to be protected alone. They are leaders, mediators, negotiators and architects of peace.” Kaavya Asoka, Executive Director of NGO Working Group on Women, Peace and Security presented findings of a survey carried by the coalition among women’s rights activists. According to the findings, the main barriers for women’s rights activists in their participation are unbridled militarization and conflict; flagrant violations of international law; deeply rooted patriarchal norms in their societies, laws and institutions; male-dominated political structures that exclude women from peacemaking; unprecedented attacks on women’s rights, including sexual and gender-based violence and retaliation against women for participating in public and political life; lack of funding; and little political will or accountability for those perpetuating their exclusion. “In other words, they reinforced what women civil society have been telling you for 25 years,” Asoka said. Colombian Minister of Foreign Affairs Rosa Yolanda Villavicencio chaired the meeting, which is a signature event of Colombia’s June Council presidency. She said, “Colombia presides today drawing on the experience of a country that has learned a fundamental lesson: sustainable peace is not possible without the full, effective, meaningful and safe participation of women, young women, adolescents and girls.” She added, “Colombia urges States to develop and implement national action plans and participatory peace processes. Because nothing about us, without us. Nothing without us when it concerns our peace, our security and our rights.” Speaking to reporters before the Council’s debate she urged all States “to fully implement Resolution 1325 and subsequent Security Council resolutions on Women, Peace and Security through concrete and verifiable actions.”


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2026 ECOSOC Humanitarian Affairs Segment - UN Chief's remarks | United Nations

Video message by António Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations, on the 2026 ECOSOC Humanitarian Affairs Segment.


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Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett - Interactive dialogue for the position of the next UN Chief'

Informal interactive dialogue with Ambassador Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett, candidate for the for the position of Secretary General of the United Nations. In accordance with General Assembly resolution 79/327, the President of the General Assembly will convene webcast interactive dialogues with all candidates for the position of Secretary-General. The process of appointing and selecting the next Secretary-General is based on General Assembly resolutions and will be guided by the principles of transparency and inclusivity. On 5 September 2025 the General Assembly adopted resolution 79/327 on the Revitalization of the work of the General Assembly, which sets out the process for the selection and appointment in line with Article 97 of the Charter of the United Nations. Resolution 79/327 builds on previous related resolutions, which introduced significant improvements to the selection and appointment process of the Secretary-General.


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