Secretary-General's opening remarks at press conference
Good morning.
We are just days away from the Summit of the Future and the opening of the General Debate.
Discussions on the outcome of the Summit are in the final stretch.
I will not go into the details, but I have one overriding message today: an appeal to Member States for a spirit of compromise.
Show the world what we can do, when we work together.
Why is this so critical?
The Summit of the Future was born out of a cold, hard fact: international challenges are moving faster than our ability to solve them.
We see out-of-control geo-political divisions and runaway conflicts – not least in Ukraine, Gaza, Sudan and beyond.
Runaway climate change. Runaway inequalities and debt. Runaway development of new technologies like Artificial Intelligence – without guidance or guardrails.
And our institutions simply can’t keep up.
Crises are interacting and feeding off each other – for example, as digital technologies spread climate disinformation that deepens distrust and fuels polarization.
Global institutions and frameworks are today totally inadequate to deal with these complex and even existential challenges.
And it’s no great surprise. Those institutions were born in a bygone era for a bygone world.
So many of the challenges that we face today were not on the radar 80 years ago when our multilateral institutions were born.
Our founders understood that times would change.
They understood that the values that underpin our global institutions are timeless – but the institutions themselves cannot be frozen in time.
The architecture of global problem-solving was never meant to be preserved in amber.
The peacebuilders of the 1940s could not have predicted the changes that have swept over humanity over the past eight decades:
The independence movements and breathtaking economic and geopolitical rise of many developing countries.
The catastrophic consequences of climate change.
Space exploration in all its dimensions.
The internet, smartphones and social media – all boosted by Artificial Intelligence.
Like our founders, we cannot know precisely what the future holds.
But we don’t need a crystal ball to see that 21st century challenges require problem-solving mechanisms that are more effective, networked and inclusive;
That serious power imbalances in global institutions must be adjusted and updated;
And that our institutions must draw on the expertise and representation of all of humanity.
Change will not happen overnight. But it can start today.
And when we look at the work that was already done in preparation for the Summit of the Future, we see potential breakthroughs on a number of important fronts.
The strongest language on Security Council reform in a generation – and the most concrete step towards Council enlargement since 1963.
The first set of governance measures for new technologies, including Artificial Intelligence, in all their applications -- with the UN at its centre.
A major advance in reform of the International Financial Architecture with the most significant language yet strengthening the role of developing countries.
A step change in financing the Sustainable Development Goals and a commitment to advance our SDG Stimulus, multiplying the resources available to developing countries.
The list goes on.
It would be tragic if all of this would be lost.
I hope Member States will do everything possible to get the Pact for the Future, the Global Digital Compact and the Declaration on Future Generations over the finish line.
We can’t create a future fit for our grandchildren with systems built for our grandparents.
The Summit of the Future is an essential first step towards making global institutions more legitimate, effective, and fit for the world of today and tomorrow.
It cannot fail.
I urge Member States to seize this opportunity.
Thank you.
Israel/Palestine
Tor Wennesland, the UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, said that he had an important meeting on Tuesday with Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty. He said that they discussed the latest developments in the occupied Palestinian territory, including ceasefire talks, the release of hostages, the upscaling of sustainable humanitarian aid across Gaza, and regional tensions.
The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs says that despite the challenges – including active hostilities, ongoing insecurity, lack of public order and safety, as well as access constraints – the UN and other humanitarian organizations continue to do everything possible to provide life-saving aid to Palestinians.
As of early September, more than 500,000 cooked meals prepared in more than 150 kitchens were provided daily to families across the Strip. This represents an increase compared to the 450,000 daily cooked meals provided in 130 kitchens in late August, as some kitchens forced to close or relocate in July and August have now resumed operations in their original locations.
Food partners say that as of 16 September, 14 bakeries were currently operational and continued to deliver bread for free distribution along with cooked meals.
However, UN partners say that in September, due to continuous supply shortages, they are providing only one food parcel per family per month in central and southern Gaza, compared with two parcels per family in the north.
According to a recent food security and market analysis released in September, poor dietary food diversity continues to be observed among the population in the Gaza Strip, with humanitarian assistance remaining the main source of food for households.
According to the UN’s humanitarian partners, 1.4 million litres of fuel have been brought into Gaza so far in September. This makes an average of 77,000 litres per day, similar to last month and well below the 400,000 litres required daily to sustain minimum life-saving operations.
Once again, OCHA reiterates that it is critical that humanitarian organizations are able to reach all parts of Gaza, wherever they are needed. In its provisional measures from January 2024, the International Court of Justice indicated that the State of Israel shall “take immediate and effective measures to enable the provision of urgently needed basic services and humanitarian assistance to address the adverse conditions of life faced by Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.”
Lebanon
The Secretary-General is deeply alarmed by reports that a large number of communication devices exploded across Lebanon, as well as in Syria, on 17 and 18 September, killing at least eleven people, including children, and injuring thousands.
The Secretary-General urges all concerned actors to exercise maximum restraint to avert any further escalation.
The Secretary-General urges the parties to recommit to the full implementation of Security Council Resolution 1701 (2006) and immediately return to a cessation of hostilities to restore stability.
The United Nations supports all diplomatic and political efforts to end the violence that threatens to engulf the region.
Yesterday, the Special Coordinator for Lebanon, Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert, deplored Tuesday’s attack across Lebanon which left thousands injured, many critically, and is confirmed to have killed people, including children.
Yemen
The UN Special Envoy for Yemen, Hans Grundberg, wrapped up a visit to Teheran, where he held discussions with Iranian Foreign Minister, Abbas Araghchi, and other senior Iranian officials and diplomats. Mr. Grundberg congratulated Minister Araghchi on his new role and expressed his aspirations for further regional collaboration to support efforts towards a peaceful end to the conflict in Yemen.
During the meetings, the Special Envoy highlighted several pressing issues, including regional dynamics, that pose a risk to the mediation efforts. He also discussed the recent escalations in the Red Sea, noting the broader security concerns and their potential to further destabilize the region.
Grundberg emphasized the urgent need to resume constructive negotiations, stressing that dialogue is the only sustainable path to achieving peace and stability in Yemen. He reiterated that unified regional and international efforts are essential to guide the country back on course toward a comprehensive and lasting solution to the conflict.
Throughout all his engagements, he reiterated the Secretary-General's urgent call to release all detained colleagues.
Security Council
This morning, the Security Council held a meeting on the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA). Briefing Council members, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General, Rosa Otunbayeva, warned that the Afghan population faces a serious humanitarian and development crisis as international funding drops. She noted that the de facto authorities are exacerbating this crisis by policies that focus insufficiently on the real needs of its people and undermine its economic potential.
Ms. Otunbayeva said that in many ways, the de facto authorities are correct that their achievements have been underappreciated and that ongoing international restrictions on Afghanistan have made governance more difficult. But unnecessarily harsh policies and allocation of resources that appear heavily skewed towards security concerns rather than the needs of the people undermine these achievements and the well-being of the Afghan people.
Also briefing the Council, Sima Bahous, the Executive Director of UN-Women, noted that Taliban’s new morality law made public on August 21st by the de facto Ministry for the Propagation of Virtue and Prevention of Vice, does not only segregate women from men, it isolates them from other women too. Not surprisingly, she said, 90 per cent of Afghan women and girls report that their mental health is bad or very bad, with a majority of women reporting that their mental health is getting worse every quarter, and 8 per cent knowing at least one woman or girl who has attempted suicide.
Ms. Bahous said that how the international community rises to the unacceptable extremes of Afghanistan is not just a test of who we are, it is being watched carefully by political actors and armed groups in other countries and regions. She warned that if we give up on Afghan women, if we succumb to fatalism, let go of our principles, turn our faces, and remove our resources, the impact on our broader struggle for gender equality may be felt for decades.
Sudan
The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) is increasingly concerned about reports of an ongoing escalation in clashes in El Fasher in North Darfur, where many civilians continue to be impacted by the fighting. This includes Zamzam displacement camp just outside the city, where famine conditions have already been confirmed, with other areas at imminent risk. Humanitarian access to the area remains severely constrained.
The UN and humanitarian partners continue to spare no effort to reach people in El Fasher, Greater Darfur, and across the country with life-saving assistance. OCHA reports that more than 100 trucks carrying life-saving humanitarian assistance have crossed into Sudan from Chad via the Adre border crossing since August, when it was reopened by Sudanese authorities.
About two-thirds of those trucks brought food and nutrition supplies, with the others delivering emergency shelter, medical and other supplies, to benefit more than 260,000 people.
The UN continues its efforts to scale up deliveries of life-saving assistance through the Adre and Tine crossings from Chad, as well as via key routes across conflict lines from Port Sudan, in the east of the country. OCHA stresses that to fight famine and enable broader humanitarian action across Sudan, it is critical that the parties facilitate access through all necessary routes, both across borders and battle lines.
At 3 p.m., Assistant Secretary-General for Africa, Martha Pobee and Acting Under-Secretary-General and Emergency Relief Coordinator Joyce Msuya will brief the Security Council on the humanitarian situation in Sudan.
Typhoon Yagi
Today, the Secretary-General said his solidarity is with everyone who’s been affected by the devastating Typhoon Yagi in Southeast Asia, which has claimed the lives of hundreds of people.
As weather extremes become more frequent and severe, our world cannot afford more climate action delays or back-tracking, he added.
UNICEF today said that nearly 6 million children in Viet Nam, Myanmar, Laos and Thailand have been affected by the typhoon.
In Viet Nam, the country hardest hit by Typhoon Yagi, approximately 3 million people, including many children, lack access to safe drinking water and sanitation, heightening the risk of disease.
In Myanmar, the double burden of ongoing conflict and the catastrophic impacts of Typhoon Yagi has intensified the crisis for communities already displaced by conflict, worsening an already dire humanitarian situation. In northern Thailand, heavy rains and flooding have severely affected nearly 64,000 children, with some schools reporting complete destruction and teachers resorting to online learning and delivering learning materials to students at their homes.
In Lao PDR, floods have impacted eight provinces, affecting an estimated 60,000 children, damaging vital infrastructure, and threatening the livelihoods of communities already struggling to cope with negative climate impacts.
UNICEF is distributing safe drinking water, hygiene materials, nutritional supplements and medical kits, while also providing mental health support and learning and recreational materials to help children regain a sense of normalcy and continue learning and playing in a safe environment.
Togo
The Head of the United Nations Office for West Africa and the Sahel (UNOWAS), Leonardo Santos Simão, concluded a two-day visit to Togo yesterday.
During his visit, he met the President of Togo, Faure Gnassingbé. Discussions focused on issues relating to the national and regional situation, particularly the need to coordinate efforts to consolidate peace and security, and development in the sub-region.
Mr. Simão also encouraged all Togolese stakeholders to continue their commitment to peace and prosperity in Togo.
The Special Representative also took part in a workshop organised by the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) on “building the capacity of parties in West and Central Africa to integrate human mobility into key national process”. Speaking at the opening session, he stressed that the interconnections between climate change and mobility underline the urgent need to adopt integrated approaches to disaster risk reduction, conflict prevention and appropriate humanitarian responses.
Senior Personnel Appointment
The Secretary-General has announced the appointment of Susan Brown of Switzerland to the position of Assistant Administrator and Director, Bureau for External Relations and Advocacy (BERA) of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
Ms. Brown succeeds Ulrika Modeer of Sweden to whom the Secretary-General has expressed his gratitude for the important duties and responsibilities she has performed during her six years at UNDP.
A senior advocacy, policy and communications expert, Ms. Brown comes to UNDP after a lifetime commitment to the development of good public policy, sustainable development advocacy and constructive political engagement. Her most recent work was providing strategic advisory, advocacy, policy and communications support to various international organisations in the fields of sustainable development, gender and public health.
Lots more online.
International Equal Pay Day
Today is the International Equal Pay Day. Achieving equal pay is an important milestone for human rights and gender equality. It takes the effort of the entire world community, and more work remains to be done.
